Saturday, October 5, 2013

Shirani Buran self appointed CJ turns courts topsy -turvy before retirement

(Lanka-e-News- 04.Oct.2013,11.30PM) Ms. Shiranee Thilakawardena alias Shiranee Buran who parades as the unofficial chief justice because the official chief justice Pacha (liar) Peiris better known as ‘thief justice’ has no knowledge on hearing cases in the world of ‘true justice’ , is also like the ‘thief justice’ acting with selfish ulterior motives having fixed her gaze on a Diplomatic assignment in the twilight of her judicial career just before retirement, according to Lanka e news inside information division.

On the 14 th of April 2014 , Buran shall be 65 years old. Hence , she is eyeing the diplomatic assignment. She had even changed the time of commencement of court sessions according to her own whims . The sessions which usually begin at 10.00 a.m. now commences at 9.30 a.m. Though she introduced this as a rule , only in her court this is followed. Meanwhile the division which trains judges which is under her control is being abused by her to give lectures designed to suit her own dastardly aims and ambitions.

The most intriguing and reprehensible part of her lectures is : she teaches the trainees not to heed the averments of lawyers , while also wasting most of her lecture time on openly scolding and castigating the former chief justice Shiranee Bandaranaike . Her criticisms are so boring and so often that her lectures have become an irritating and intolerable exercise to those judges who are listening .

It is this same Shiranee Buran who is completely controlling the supreme court registrar’s activities though it is the registrar who must decide on the selection of judges who should hear cases in the various courts.
After the appointment of Pacha Peiris as chief (thief) justice , Jayawardena the brother of Priyantha Jayawardena attorney at law who made the draft of the constitution of Divi negum ,was appointed as the court Registrar . Now , he too being another lackey carries out what Shiranee instructs. Naturally therefore the fundamental rights cases have degenerated into cases akin to a mother hearing culprit son’s cases.

Meanwhile there are speculations that Priyantha Jayawardena , another MaRa despicable stooge is going to be appointed as a Supreme court judge , based on Lanka e news court information division reports. Priyantha is working for Basil Rajapakse and was appointed as President’s Counsel for the obvious reason that he does all the sordid biddings of MaRa regime. He has only a 20 to 25 year experience as a lawyer.

In the circumstances , it is the aim and objective of the MaRa regime to fill all the positions of the Supreme court bench with MaRa lackeys , cronies and donkeys, and hear cases to suit MaRa ‘s JaRa traditions and achieve regime’s foul obnoxious ambitions ,and not to dispense true justice.

Harimisms: (Mis)Reading Election Results

By Malinda Seneviratne -October 6, 2013

Malinda Seneviratne

It is not hard to understand dismay at defeat. It is also natural for the defeated to blame everyone else but themselves. And so, when Harin Fernando, UNP MP, takes pot shots at the voters of the Wayamba and Central Provinces, eyebrows don’t get raised. It is after all the utterings of a political neophyte which could result in the party faring even worse in these provinces next time around. No harm to Harin, for he will contest from Badulla.

It is also understandable when vicarious satisfaction is sought, in this instance by cheering the TNA’s victory in the Northern Province. ‘Someone taught the Government a lesson!’ is easy to say and if that’s all the consolation the UNP can get and if that is consolation enough so be it.

It is not just the Harins of the UNP that are trying to tag themselves to the TNA in order to drag themselves out of political despondency. Just the other day, someone posted an interesting comment on Facebook:

‘My respect for the Jaffna Tamils has increased since reading the memoirs of various Missionary Wives of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. The Jaffna people had to put up with the people who wrote this stuff. It is so dead boring, filled with ruminations of the goodness of god and the wonders of the universe.’ This drew the following comment: ‘My respect for the Jaffna Tamils increased after the PC elections’.

By Binoy Suriyaarachchi-

Sunday, 06 Oct 2013

Four people died and a five-year-old child went missing, after an overloaded boat they were travelling in capsized in the sea off Palugasturai, Mannar, yesterday morning.

At least 16 people were on board at the time of the incident, and 11 were rescued by the residents of the area soon after the incident, Silawathura Police said.

The bodies of the deceased were recovered in the late afternoon, following a joint operation carried out by the Sri Lanka Navy and the Silawathura Police.

According to the police, the group from Colombo was on a journey to the Wilpattu National Park, and the tragedy had occurred while they went on a boat safari in Palugasturai.

Investigations are still underway to recover the child's body. The bodies of the deceased have been taken to the Mannar District Hospital.
The post-mortem examinations of the deceased will be conducted today.

Gota to contest WPC opposite Karu!

Saturday, 05 October 2013

The president has decided to introduce Defence Secretary Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to politics by fielding him as the UPFA chief ministerial candidate opposite former UNP deputy leader Mr. Deshamanya Karu Jayasuriya if he runs for the chief minister at the upcoming elections for the western provincial council.

There was talk of attorney Mrs. Pushpa Rajapaksa, the wife of economic development minister Mr. Basil Rajapaksa, contesting as the UPFA chief ministerial candidate at the WPC polls. However, first lady Mrs. Shiranthi Rajapaksa and MP Mr. Namal Rajapaksa have both strongly objected to it. Members of the president’s family have fully endorsed the entry of Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to politics.

The president has taken the decision in view of the UPFA’s failure in urban areas of Colombo district and Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s popularity among the people due to his efforts to beautify the Colombo city, according to sources at the Presidential Secretariat.

The president has seriously considered predictions that if Mr. Karu Jayasuriya contests as the UNP chief ministerial candidate, he will have a heavy influence on the Sinhala Buddhist vote base of the UPFA. Both Messrs. Karu Jayasuriya and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa have won confidence of the Sinhala Buddhist hardliners and are former military officers too. Also, they are old boys of Ananda Vidyalaya, Colombo, the pinnacle of Sinhala buddhist education.

Mahanayake Theras and several Sinhala Buddhist organizations have asked Mr. Karu Jayasuriya to contest for the position of chief minister of the western province. However, he is yet take a decision.

If Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa wins Colombo district with a big majority, the president is seriously considering to bring him to parliament on the national list.

What Is Ranil?

By Rasika Jayakody -October 6, 2013

Rasika Jayakody

The question should be ‘Who is Ranil?’ some might point out. Identity, however is not only about lineage, gender, ethnicity, religion etc.; it is about ideological choices too. As important is the ‘casting’ which is produced by decision and behavior, and this is what makes the ‘what’ of the title question valid.

UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is a remnant of the Senanayake-Kotelawala-Jayewardena-Wijewardena family circle that governed post-independent Sri Lanka for more than 25 years.

He was also one of the influential members of the J.R. Jayewardena cabinet which included eminent personalities such as Lalith Athulathmudali, Gamini Dissanayake, Ronnie de Mel and Ranasinghe Premadasa.

When Sirisena Cooray was offered the premiership of the UNP government after the demise of Ranasinghe Premadasa in 1993, he nominated Wickremesinghe as the most suitable candidate for the newly vacant position, taking the party’s political future into consideration. His argument was that as Leader of the House, Wickremesinghe was ‘next in line’, even though Sirisena had far greater sway in the party.

Twenty years down the line, the United National Party, which was once the largest political party in the country, has suffered nearly 25 election losses under Wickremesinghe’s leadership. The UNP head-count in Parliament has gone down drastically with a sizable proportion of UNP Parliamentarians crossing over to the government at regular intervals. There is no unity at the top level of the party and as a result of that there is confusion in the rank and file when it comes to matters of national importance. Adding to the misery, a section of parliamentarians and provincial councilors who vehemently push for internal reforms flay the party leadership at open forums causing embarrassment to those who have voted for the UNP for decades.Read More

Kabir employed overseas without informing Ranil!

Saturday, 05 October 2013

UNP MP for Kegalle district Mr. Kabir Hashim has left for employment overseas even without informing opposition leader Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe, say UNP sources. After four months, he was in Sri Lanka briefly during the recent provincial council polls in order to show his face and to make his presence known.

Mr. Kabir Hashim is employed at a United Nations consultancy service in Afghanistan and he is being paid five times the salary of a Sri Lankan parliamentarian. Every three months he returns to Sri Lanka, attends parliament for a couple of days, get leave from parliament approved and go back to his job.

This act in self-interest by Mr. Kabir Hashim, without wasting his time for the party in a situation in which the UNP leader does not respect advice by others, is grabbing the attention of UNP MPs proficient in the English language.

Meanwhile, Mr. Kabir Hashim has declined to accept membership offerd to him of the supreme council to be appointed to advise the party on its future activities. In his place, it has been decided to appoint Colombo mayor A.J.M. Muzammil.

Gota tries to save man who shot at UNP councilor

Details: Created On Saturday, 05 October 2013 12:09; Category: General

Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is trying to rescue Herman Malinga Gunaratne, who shot and injured a leg of UNP southern provincial councilor Krishantha Pushpakumara alias Rattaran at Dodampola near Matara town this morning (5). Herman Malinga Gunaratne is the father of southern provincial councilor, attorney Maithree Gunaratne.

The defence secretary is showing such interest due to Herman Malinga Gunaratne being an advisor to his brother, the president.

The clash in question occurred in Matara town this morning when a group of around 150 persons, marching from Dondra to demand Ranil Wickremesinghe stepped down from the UNP leadership, reached the heart of Matara town. Parallel to that, UNP MP for Matara district Mangala Samaraweera organized a procession attended by around 1,500 persons who had arrived from various parts of the island in support of Mr. Wickremesinghe. When they met face to face at Dodampahala, the clash occurred.

Maithree Gunaratne’s son Charith Maithree Gunaratne was injured after being attacked by the Wickremesinghe supporters. His grandfather Herman Malinga Gunaratne fired shots targeting MP Mangala Samaraweera and councilor Krishantha Pushpakumara in an attempt to rescue his grandson. Mr. Pushpakumara, with serious injuries to one of his legs, has been admitted to Karapitiya Hospital in Galle.

To bring the situation under control, DIG of the area Deshabandu Tennakoon arrived at the location along with several teams of police, but was told by attorney Shiral Lakthilake, a co-organizer of the march against the UNP leader, “Do not try to stop this march. This is not against the government. This is a procession against Ranil. If you want to stop this, make submissions to court and obtain an order. Then, you will be ok. I too, will be ok.”

The march, being participated by around 40 persons, is on its way and the situation could lead to a worse situation, as armed supporters of councilor Krishantha Pushpakumara, saddened and enraged by the attack on him, are awaiting the arrival of the protestors at Galle town.

Sajith who is aspiring to be President is a duffer who gets a duck even for Sinhala- he has no London degree

(Lanka-e-News- 04.Oct.2013,11.30PM) Sajith Premadasa the son of killer Late R. Premadasa who after becoming the UNP leader wishes to become the President of SL, and claims that he has a British degree (London) is an absolute lie , and that he is a duffer who secured a naught even for Sinhala while he was in school, according to reports reaching Lanka e news. We challenge Sajith to prove otherwise if he truly has obtained a British degree.

A popular media personnel who has been studying with Sajith since kindergarten class at Royal College , and now abroad ,while revealing this stark truth said , in grade five too Sajith obtained a duck even for Sinhala language.

At that time the teacher of the subject had taken Sajith to task and shown the answer script of Sajith to the whole class and exclaimed ‘see , the Prime Minister’s son has got a duck even for Sinhala language, ‘ the media personnel disclosed.

Sajith who secured naught even for simple Sinhala language , often secured a naught even for Mathematics , and after every periodical examination Sajith was subjected to a bitter upbraiding by the masters for his poor performance. Later he left school and entered a College in England , the media personnel told Lanka e news.

Subsequently , he had been announcing that he has obtained a degree from London school of economics , UK having passed in international relations and political science . However when we investigated this it had come to light that it is true he had registered with the University , but beyond the first year , there is no record that he had proceeded up to the degree . In other words it is confirmed that he has no degree qualification.

Under the education system in UK , any student with basic qualifications can enter a University on making payment to follow any course, but if in the first year exam the student is unsuccessful , he cannot continue no matter what amount of money is paid. Hence, Sajith enrolled for the first year by paying money and because his father was the President of SL. Thereafter Sajith could not pursue his studies beyond the first year , and had never acquired a London degree qualification.

Sajith had fooled and duped the gullible Sri Lankans by falsely claiming he has a degree. On the other hand , if Sajith has a degree truly , we challenge him to produce the certificate and prove it.

In the circumstances , a duffer and bluffer like Sajith who is a blatant liar aspiring to become the President is most ridiculous and ludicrous.

UNP supporters clash in Matara

Tense situation was reported in Matara when a group of UNP supporters staged a protest march against UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and clashed with another group, who also staged a march in support of him. Pix by Krishan Jeewaka Jayaruk-SATURDAY, 05 OCTOBER 2013

UNP Supporters Clash in Matara by nelvely

UNP seniors threaten to leave Working Committee

Saturday, 05 Oct 2013

A number of United National Party (UNP) stalwarts have warned that they would leave the Working Committee, if Ranil Wickremesinghe continues to hold on to his position as Leader of the UNP, sources said.

UNP sources said, the group of disgruntled Party members are expected to voice their disappointment over the UNP’s downfall, particularly the defeat at the recent Provincial Council elections, during the next Working Committee meeting, scheduled for Monday (7).

UNP National Organizer, Daya Gamage and Treasurer, Senerath Kapukotuwa, previously resigned from all posts they held in the Party, while UNP General Secretary, Tissa Attanaayake, resigned from the post of UNP’s Kundasale Organizer.

Daya Gamage visits injured Krishantha Pushpakumara

Saturday, 05 October 2013

UNP national organizer Daya Gamage visited southern provincial councilor Krishantha Pushpakumara, who was injured in today’s clash in Matara, at Karapitiya Hospital.

The councilor and several others were wounded when shots were fired at them.

A suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident.

Rajapakse obsession for illicit treasure reaping dividends ? eyeing SL’s largest treasure trove

(Lanka-e-News- 04.Oct.2013,11.30PM) A rock fortress had surfaced within the boundaries of the tank of Handapanagala reservoir . This reservoir is about 4 kilometers away from Handapana junction of Wellawaya-Tissamaharama A 2 highway , Wellawaya secretarial division Moneragala district.

On the side which does not face the reservoir , there are three caves apparently created by engravings. On one part of the rock’s surface are steps made by carving .

The Highways department has commenced work on a reservoir to supply water from this tank to Thanamalwila. However , it is the view of the villagers that the hidden reason underlying this water supply scheme , is the belief that it is within this rock fortress the country’s largest treasure is enshrined , and the Rajapakses who are having a maniacal selfish obsession for illicit treasure hunting are aiming to grab it.

It is the conviction of the residents that in this treasure trove is a golden cart , a golden King coconut bunch and a golden chair.

Previously , a group wearing clothes that were suggestive they were from the defense division had arrived there to get this treasure , but the villagers have got together and chased them away.

It had been planned by the government to make a channel utilizing this rock where the supposed treasure trove is. As wild elephants roam this area people are scared to visit this area. Consequently the illicit activities of these treasure hunters is difficult to detect.

Hence ,for the robbing Rajapakses who broke into the museum located in the heart of Colombo, committing treasure robbery within the jungle away from the people is made much easier than their making false promises to the people and dishonoring them .

Cabral is an economic hit man

Saturday, 05 October 2013

Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabral has been accused of ruining the country’s economy.

The main opposition UNP says that Cabral is responsible for the country’s financial crisis.

UNP parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayake has accused Cabral of being an economic hit man who had plunged the country down a financial precipice.

“It is Cabral who should be arrested and not the head of the collapsed financial companies. What has he done as the Central Bank Governor to resolve the crisis which has hit the Central Investment and Financial Ltd. (CIFL) and Okanda Finance and to meet out justice to the depositors of these failed companies,” the UNP MP has charged.

Karunanayake has added that the Mahinda Rajapaksa government was wasting funds on wasteful projects instead of addressing the core issues faced by the country.

Sri Lanka rupee to show 'stable' behaviour in coming months -c.bank governor

Fri Oct 4, 2013

* Governor says steps taken to deal with volatility

* Rupee hit record low of 135.20 per dlr on Aug. 28

* IMF concerned over c.bank intervention in rupee

By Shihar Aneez

COLOMBO, Oct 4 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's currency will "behave in a stable manner" in the next few months as the central bank has taken steps needed to deal with a volatile environment, Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said Friday.

The Sri Lankan rupee hit a record low of 135.20 against the U.S. dollar on Aug. 28, but since then has risen 3.2 percent, helped by inflows from a corporate bond.

On Friday, it was trading at 131.30/50 per dollar, near its 2-1/2-month high.

"We have had a long-term view. We have taken steps which are needed in a volatile environment," Cabraal told Reuters in an interview.

In the next few months, "we are confident that the rupee's behaviour will be of a stable manner... we have factored in most of the external and internal factors," the governor said.

The International Monetary Fund on Wednesday raised concerns over repeated intervention in the foreign exchange market to stabilise the rupee and urged the central bank to limit its intervention "to dealing with excessive short term volatility".

The monetary authority intervenes in the market to prevent sharp volatility in the rupee.

Currency dealers expect the rupee to gain further as they anticipated a private bank will issue a dollar-denominated corporate bond raising at least $250 million.

Cabraal said he does not feel the rupee needs an appreciating trend. "I see it is at a stable position. It can trade in a certain band. It can appreciate within that band," he said without elaborating on the central bank's band.

Since February 2012, the central bank has allowed greater flexibility in rupee trading.

Between early July and mid-August, the rupee fell 4 percent as some foreign investors sold local bonds as U.S. Treasury yields rose in anticipation the U.S. Federal Reserve would start trimming its stimulus.

The currency, which depreciated about 10 percent in 2012, has weakened 2.7 percent this year.

($1 = 131.4500 Sri Lanka rupees) (Editing by Richard Borsuk)

Supreme Court Rejects Citizens' Request to Change Nationality from 'Jewish' to 'Israeli'

Article by Revital Hovel-Oct-04-2013

Court rules against change in identity card registration, citing that there is no proof of the existence of a uniquely 'Israeli' people.

Courtesy: dualcitizenship.com

(TEL AVIV Ha'aretz) - Israel's Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected a request by a group of Israelis to declare that they were members of the Israeli people and to allow them to change the ethnic registration on their identity cards from “Jewish” to “Israeli.”

The court ruled that the issue was not one for the court to decide and that there was no proof of the existence of a uniquely “Israeli” people. The court’s ruling echoed that in a similar case 40 years ago.

Supreme Court Rejects Citizens' Request to Change Nationality From 'Jewish' to 'Israeli' by nelvely

Iran parliament endorses Rouhani's diplomatic gambit

ran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks with Asia Society President and CEO Josette Sheeran during an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations and the Asia Society in New York, September 26, 2013.

Credit: Reuters/Keith Bedford

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani speaks with Asia Society President and CEO Josette Sheeran during an event hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations and the Asia Society in New York, September 26, 2013. REUTERS/Keith Bedford

By Marcus George and Jon Hemming

DUBAI | Wed Oct 2, 2013

(Reuters) - Iran's parliament strongly endorsed President Hassan Rouhani's diplomatic bid to dispel mistrust at the United Nations last week Reuters

during a visit which ended with an historic phone call with PresidentBarack Obama, Iranian media said.

Iran Parliament Endorses Rouhani's Diplomatic Gambit by nelvely

Friday, October 4, 2013

Salman to take up fishers issue in Sri Lanka

Salman Khurshid

Chennai: External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will visit Sri Lanka on October 7 to hold discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and senior officials there on halting the recurring attacks and arrests of Indian fishermen.

He would also raise the issue of freeing the arrested fishermen besides handing over their boats and nets belonging to them. Announcing Khurshid’s visit, Union minister of state in PMO V. Narayanasamy told reporters here on Thursday that the discussions with Lanka would pave way for a permanent solution. “The fishermen along with their properties would return home soon,” he said.

On the decision to withdraw the ordinance on convicted lawmakers, Narayanasamy said the Cabinet had decided to withdraw the ordinance only after hearing the views of those in the government and the Congress party.

“There were multiple views on the issue and once they were discussed, a final stand on the ordinance has been taken,” he said. The minister said no alliance partner had left the UPA over the issue, as they were not disappointed with the stand of the Congress.

On the Raghuram Rajan report for “Evolving a Composite Development Index of States”, he said Tamil Nadu was a developed state and focus was being given to less developed states.

To a query on the opposition in Tamil Nadu against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled in Colombo next month, he said, “the Prime Minister will take a call on that.”-Fri, 2013-10-04

Black July: JR Confers With Alle Gunawanse And The Search For A Scapegoat

By Rajan Hoole -October 5, 2013

Rajan Hoole

Sri Lanka’s Black July – Part 34

The aim of the UNP during this crisis was to marginalise the influence of the Tamils in the economic and political life of the country. It was a two-pronged strategy where the Government attempted to control and use the violent forces of the Sinhalese nationalist Right. At the same time, they wanted to make the Left a scapegoat for the violence. This is the context for the alliance between the Government and Gunawanse, an alliance which is brought to our attention by Ratnatunga. While Ratnatunge’s focus on Gunawanse tends to draw attention away from the violence as a planned UNP affair, it does tell us about a particular segment utilised by the UNP. It is far easier for a minister (e.g. Minister Dissanayake, Gunawanse’s patron) to switch patronage to another monk, than for a monk to find another minister.

The UNP had reduced the parliamentary opposition to a non-entity. The field was thus left open to the extreme Right and the extreme Left. Under these conditions, the Government found it useful to patronise elements of the extreme Right. However, the July violence had such unforeseen repercussions that Jayewardene came under pressure from several quarters, including donor countries in the West and India. It was a telephone call from Indira Gandhi which prompted the Government’s attempt to both pacify and restrain the forces of the Right, in an attempt to end the violence. The telephone call came in the evening on 27th July, and led to a late night cabinet meeting. Indira Gandhi told Jayewardene that she was sending her foreign minister, Narasimha Rao.

Consequently, Gamini Dissanayake was sent to speak to Gunawanse in an effort to restrain his actions. (Jayewardene’s subsequent speech on television was again aimed at appeasing this constituency, which the UNP had called to arms. While Jayewardene called upon the Sinhalese to lay down their arms, he also made it clear that he was sympathetic to their feelings and blamed Tamil provocation for the riots.) The devastating potency of the violence appears to have persuaded a paranoid Jayewardene, that it was this extremist segment represented by Gunawanse which spoke for the Sinhalese masses.Read More