Bandula Wants To Come Back, President Says ‘No’

October 23, 2013 |

Sri Lanka’s Consul General to Sydney, Australia “Ambassador” Bandula Jayasekera has requested permission to return to Colombo cutting short his tour of duty, Colombo Telegraph learns.

Bandula Jayasekara

Jayasekera who was formerly Presidential Spokesman was posted to Sydney as Consul General in November last year.

Before ending a year in his new position, Jayasekera has expressed a desire to return to Colombo, sources told Colombo Telegraph, but President Mahinda Rajapaksa has turned down the request.

The President instructed Jayasekera to complete his two year term before returning to Sri Lanka.

The Consul General who refers to himself as ‘Ambassador’ Bandula Jayasekera, even though Sri Lanka has a High Commissioner to Australia, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe, was granted the diplomatic posting as a means to “promote” him out of the Presidential Secretariat where he was becoming increasingly troublesome, the sources said.

Jayasekera has nominated himself Sri Lanka’s propagandist and protector in chief on the social media network Twitter and regularly engages other users who dare to voice dissenting opinions, calling them agents of the LTTE or Tiger Mercenaries.

One Government source quipped that Jayasekera was requesting an early return because he was missing the ‘action’ in Colombo, where he can resume his machinations within the regime instead of being cut off from anything of significance in Sydney. In August Jayasekera arrived in Sri Lanka with a business delegation and inserted himself into several Government functions and overstayed his holiday, the source said. He is believed to have lived at state expense at a five star hotel, Kingsbury Colombo during his extended ‘official’ holiday, Government sources said.

Budget 2014 Debt ceiling lowered

* President’s allocation increased

* Economic Affairs gets Rs. 106 bn

* PM’s budget reduced

* Defence, Urban Dev. get lion’s share

By Saman Indrajith-October 22, 2013

The processing of Budget 2014 commenced with Leader of the House and Irrigation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva presenting the Appropriation Bill, to Parliament yesterday, with total government expenditure increasing by 30 percent from last year’s Rs. 1,335 to Rs. 1,542 billion for 2014 with the biggest allocation being made to the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development - Rs 253 billion. The current year’s defence budget is Rs. 289 billion.

The President’s expenditure for 2014 has been increased to Rs. 85 billion from Rs. 74 billion.

Rs. 164 billion has been allocated for the Finance Ministry..

Among key financial outlays for ministries for the next year include Ports and Highways - Rs. 144 billion (Rs. 131.4 billion for the current year), Health - Rs. 117.6 billion (Rs. 93.5 billion for 2013), Mass Media and Information - Rs 26.8 billion (Rs. 27.1 billion for 2013, Education Rs 38.8 billion (Rs. 37.9 billion for 2013) and Higher Education - Rs. 29.5 billion (Rs. 27.9 billion for 2013).

The other notable allocations are: the Ministry of Public Relations - Rs 2.4 billion, Economic Development Ministry - Rs. 106 billion and the Ministry of Law and Order - Rs. 52.3 billion.

The appropriation Bill has set a borrowing limit of 1,100 billion rupees for 2014, down 15 percent from Rs 1,295 billion set in the appropriation bill for 2013.

Rs. 300 million has been allocated to the Prime Minister for the next year––a decrease from Rs. 320 million in the current year.

Yesterday’s presentation is considered the first reading of the Budget Appropriation Bill.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as Finance Minister, is scheduled to present the 2014 Budget to Parliament on Nov. 21 and the debate on the second reading of the Budget will commence the following day and continue till Nov. 29.

The Committee Stage debate of the Appropriation Bill will continue till Dec. 20, with the final vote scheduled for that day.

MCSL writes to the President on Establishment of Gaming Resorts

Details

 

Created On Wednesday, 23 October 2013 09:33

Category: General

The muslim council of Sri Lanka send a letter to the president on Establishment of Gaming Resorts in Sri Lanka.
See full letter below

October 22nd 2013
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa,
President,
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka,
Presidents’ House,
Colombo 1.

Your Excellency,

The Establishment of Gaming Resorts in Sri Lanka

It is with deep concern we wish to appeal to Your Excellency to reconsider the approval of Section 3(4) of the Strategic Development Projects Act, No. 14 of 2008 as amended which includes tax relief for Casino Hotel Projects.

The short term financial advantages envisaged for the country through this project does not justify the moral decay that is bound to set in Sri Lanka. The religious leaders of all the major religions in Sri Lanka have appealed to Your Excellency not to make Sri Lanka the Gambling capital of the region by providing concessions for the world’s gambling giants to set up gambling resorts in the heart of the Capital. Gambling is forbidden or strongly discouraged by all religions as it causes disastrous consequences in society. The vices associated with gambling are clearly evident with rampant prostitution, violence, gun culture, alcohol and drug abuse prevailing in our nation since it was legalized in 1980. A large number of foreign sex workers have entered the country, and Sri Lankan girls from villages too are lured to the city as sex workers. This not only poses a threat to our moral and cultural values, but also poses a danger to the health of the nation with the rapid increase in HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Your Excellency, your able leadership saw the end of the long war that plagued our Nation, and we are now on the path to Development which will make all Sri Lankans proud. Your determination and courage to steer our country in the face of many obstacles will be recorded in History as an example of contemporary governance.

We wish Your Excellency continued strength in your able and strong leadership, and earnestly request Your Excellency to reconsider the Government’s endeavor enabling the establishment of the Gaming and Leisure Industry in the country.

Thank you, Your Excellency, for your kind consideration and we look forward to your positive action.

Yours truly,
N M Ameen – President, MCSL

Rajapaksas to assign China to construct runway in Katunayake

 Wednesday, 23 October 2013 

The Mahinda Rajapaksa government is looking at assigning a Chinese company the contract to construct the runway at the Katunayake International Airport in manner it could accommodate the landing of an A380 aircraft.

The Rajapaksas it is learnt is to hand over the contract to China Harbour Engineering Company.

The proposal to hand over the contract to china Harbour was made in the Cabinet memorandum presented by Civil Aviation Minister Priyankara Jayaratne on September 23rd. The project is estimated to cost US$ 68,828,011.42.

The project would see the current runway being extended by a further 752 metres.

 Extremist Buddhist organization in Sri Lanka to hold religious ritual against halal certification

Tue, Oct 22, 2013, 12:37 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Oct 22, Colombo: An extremist Buddhist organization in Sri Lanka, the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) plans to hold an Adishtana Pooja today in front of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy to protest against the halal certification.
The BBS, which commenced a campaign against the halal certification several months back, says it is re-commencing the campaign since the authorities have not taken proper action to address their concerns.
The BBS said the participants are scheduled to commence a motorcade at 8:30 a.m. from the Buddhist Centre in Kirulapone.
Another fleet of motor vehicles from Ambepussa and Kegalle are to join the motorcade.

A public rally will be held in Kegalle town at 1:30 p.m. and the Adhishtana Pooja will be held in Kandy at 3.30 p.m.

*Anti-Halal Campaign More Important Than Casinos – BBS

*BBS – Back On The Road With Anti-Halal Campaign Again

WikiLeaks: Money Laundering – Sri Lanka Has No Laws To Regulate Casino Operations

Robert O. Blake-October 23, 2013

“Many areas of concern exist with respect to Sri Lanka’s current anti-money laundering efforts. The Central Bank continues to allow the operation of bearer certificates of deposits. In July 2003, in order to limit money laundering through bearer certificates, the Central Bank required banks to maintain a record of purchasers of these certificates. Casinos, jewelry shops and dealers in gems are also areas of concern, there are no laws to regulate their operations. A key vulnerability in the Sri Lankan financial system is the existence of SIERA accounts which allow foreign investors to participate directly in the Sri Lankan Stock Exchange. These accounts have historically allowed for undisclosed principals and beneficial owners. The Central Bank and Securities Commission are currently drafting rules which would require better disclosure and CDD procedures prior to establishment of these accounts.” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

Bar Committee Expresses Concern Over Bribery Commission’s Failure On Mervin And Abeygunawardena Investigations

October 23, 2013

‘The standing committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka on Rule of Law’ expresses its’ deep concern at the failure of the Commission on Bribery or Corruption to make the public aware of the outcome of the investigations commenced into unaccountable assets of two government party parliamentarians Mervin Silva and Rohitha Abeygunawardena.

Mervin

These two investigations were given wide publicity and the silence since then has caused widespread speculation as to what has happened to these investigations.  ”This silence will cause the public to lose faith in the main institution vested with the statutory power to investigate allegations of bribery or corruption.” says the standing committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka on Rule of Law

Issuing a statement it says; “Further the inaction over the several allegations of corruption in government enterprises and public officers uncovered by the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) is causing doubts in the ability and the will on the part of the commission to act speedily and independently on allegations of bribery or corruption.

“Though we do not, unfortunately, have a statute on ‘Right to Information’, the public is entitled to have information on a matter that affects public life and good governance.

We stress the necessity to demonstrate transparency on these matters so as to maintain public faith in the fight against bribery and corruption.”

Regime to get SL underworld marksman released from Indian jail spending Rs. 25,00,000

(Lanka-e-News-23.Oct.2013, 5.30PM) The ruling Rajapakse regime is in dire need of am expert marksman of the underworld for its own purposes , and is hence somehow trying to get a Sri Lankan underworld criminal freed from the Indian jail where he is now incarcerated, according to reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division.

The prisoner so sought to be released is Thudelle Gamini alias Chooti Gamini an underworld expert marksman. Chooti Gamini fled to India after shooting and killing IP Douglas Nimal and his wife at Homagama. He had committed these murders at the behest of Kimbula Ele Guna , an underworld criminal leader.

Thereafter both of them escaped to India. Now they are in an Indian prison supposedly due to a crime they had committed there. It is the opinion of the underworld members and the defense division that Thudelle Gamini is capable of shooting using a T 56 weapon or a pistol better than a soldier of the Forces. According to defense intelligence division , he is a hired assassin and so far he has committed more than 50 murders .

In any event the ‘contract’ to somehow get this criminal out has been entrusted along with a payment of Rs. 25,00,000 to SLFP organizer of Wattala and Gampaha district cum Presidential coordinating secretary, Thushara Perera . The latter is well noted for illicit immigration and emigration operations between India and Sri Lanka by boat. He was a defector from the UNP to SLFP. Thushara was also in prison over the killing of a millionaire businessman , Stanis Fernando ( Stanley) of Sangetikulama , Anamaduwa. Believe it or not ! this criminal (like many others) is now a Presidential coordinating secretary. 

Lanka e news reported before that the Rajapakse regime is readying for a political murder ( Read- ‘danger signal regime’s bigwig …………’)

Terrorists have no right to cemeteries

- Hathurusinghe

By Franklin R.Satyapalan-October 22, 2013, 9:37 pm

No democratic government could allow a banned terrorist organization, such as the LTTE, to lay claims to tombs or monuments, Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurasighe said yesterday. He added that the rhetoric of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on the issue was quite different to what the educated former Supreme Court Judge Chief Minister of the Northern Province C. V. Wigneswaran, who was well aware of his surroundings, said.

When al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden was caught by the United States and killed no one had asked where his body was and the US said it had been dumped in the Pacific Ocean. No one spoke of tombs or monuments for him. Terrorism in America was no different to terrorism in Sri Lanka, Hathurusinghe said.

Hathurasighe was responding to questions on the present situation in the North.

Asked to comment on calls for the army to vacate of High Security Zones or land in the Northern Province he said that the Military had left with only 50 houses or 60 blocks of land remaining to be handed over in another six to seven weeks.

He said: "As we have released 21,000 acres or more of High Security Zone land in the Jaffna District and over 8,000 houses, Today, the military does not occupy any public land. We are utilising only state land."

Terrorism

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Terrorist" redirects here. For other uses, see Terrorist (disambiguation).

"Terrorist organization" redirects here. For other uses, see List of designated terrorist organizations.

Terrorism is the systematic use of violent terror as a means of coercion. In the international community, terrorism has no legally binding, criminal law definition.^[1][2] Common definitions of terrorism refer only to those violent acts which are intended to create fear (terror); are perpetrated for a religious, political, or ideological goal; and deliberately target or disregard the safety of non-combatants (civilians). Some definitions now include acts of unlawful violence and war. The use of similar tactics by criminal organizations for protection rackets or to enforce a code of silence is usually not labeled terrorism, though these same actions may be labeled terrorism when done by a politically motivated group.                        Full Story>>>

Some theorists suggest genocide is a type of 

terrorism as committed 

by Adolf Hitler.^{[citation needed]}

Sri Lankan Army Chief unwittingly admits committing war crimes

Lankan army destroys remaining LTTE graveyards a month ahead of ‘Heroes Week’

Danger signal..! Regime’s bigwig gives contract to murder a politico
(Lanka-e-News-23.Oct.2013, 5.30PM) A murder contract has been entrusted to an underworld criminal by the regime’s top echelons to liquidate a politico who has become a pest to the Rajapakse regime, based on confidential information seeping through to Lanka e news inside information division. The secret report in this connection had been prepared by the State intelligence service (SIS).

The report mentions that Neelan alias Chakku alias Habaralaya an underworld leader of Armour street is these days gathering information regarding the targeted victim in pursuance of this contract.

Neelan the criminal is an assistant of a brother in law (who had left the aviation service ) of Thel Bala another underworld criminal . Neelan has three murder charges pending against him. In 2005 when he was arrested by the police STF with an illegal firearm , because of his political influence he was released. 

The politico who is targeted for the assassination is a senior who had been assessed as a potential pest who can create a lot of problems for the ruling regime in the not too distant future. The Lankan regime has planned this political murder in a manner and at an appropriate time when no one would suspect , just before the commonwealth heads of government conference.

The Rajapakse regime is to take advantage of the opportunity when no one would believe that just before the commonwealth conference the regime would commit a political murder, according to information reaching Lanka e news inside information division. 

BERUWALA PS MEMBER SENTENCED TO 7 YEARS IN PRISON FOR MOLESTING GIRL

October 23, 2013  

UPFA member of the Beruwala Pradeshiya Sabha, Rathnasiri Kaluperuma was sentence to seven years rigorous imprisonment today (October 23) by the Kalutara High Court after being found guilty of child molestation.

The PS member was convicted of molesting a 15 year old girl while he was also ordered to pay compensation of Rs.600,000 to the girl.

Terrorists have no right to cemeteries

- Hathurusinghe

By Franklin R.Satyapalan-October 22, 2013, 9:37 pm

No democratic government could allow a banned terrorist organization, such as the LTTE, to lay claims to tombs or monuments, Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurasighe said yesterday. He added that the rhetoric of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on the issue was quite different to what the educated former Supreme Court Judge Chief Minister of the Northern Province C. V. Wigneswaran, who was well aware of his surroundings, said.

When al-Qaida leader Osama Bin Laden was caught by the United States and killed no one had asked where his body was and the US said it had been dumped in the Pacific Ocean. No one spoke of tombs or monuments for him. Terrorism in America was no different to terrorism in Sri Lanka, Hathurusinghe said.

Hathurasighe was responding to questions on the present situation in the North.

Asked to comment on calls for the army to vacate of High Security Zones or land in the Northern Province he said that the Military had left with only 50 houses or 60 blocks of land remaining to be handed over in another six to seven weeks.

He said: "As we have released 21,000 acres or more of High Security Zone land in the Jaffna District and over 8,000 houses, Today, the military does not occupy any public land. We are utilising only state land."

America in Pakistan: Postcard from Hell

by Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD.

( October 23, 2013, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Is America at war within itself? Its history offers alarming and dreadful signals to the whole of the mankind. In slightly over two centuries of its existence, America has fought more than two hundred wars. None seem to have had large scale global repercussions and disastrous consequences as is the unending Bush engineered “War on Terrorism.” In September 2001, George Bush called the then Pakistani dictator General Pervaz Musharaf on a two and half hour notice if he will join America to unseat the Taliban Government in Afghanistan and capture Osama Bin Laden- the alleged architect of the 9/11 attacks on America. Refuting history of friendly relations between America and Pakistan would be sheer oversight. America welcomed the democratically created new nation of Pakistan and extended substantial humanitarian aids to its development. Pakistani leaders went out of their way to support US global policies and strategies even offering their land to American secret networks against the USSR and Communism. Liaquat Ali Khan, the first Prime Minister of Pakistan got warm welcome in America and inspired the vision of strong US-Pakistan relationships in the years to come. Subsequently, when the Generals were in power, they viewed American relations with utmost value for their own survival.

America in Pakistan Postcard From Hell by nelvely

Should Sri Lanka be hosting CHOGM conference? - video

Channel 4 News

Sri Lanka hosts this year's Commonwealth summit despite allegations of human rights abuses and war crimes. C4 News speaks to Simon Gimson, aide to Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma.

Scandal of Sri Lanka’s disappeared

A controversial Commonwealth summit takes place in Sri Lanka next month. The country has more outstanding cases of disappeared people than anywhere else in the world, apart from Iraq. The Telegraph investigates

By David Blair, Mannar-17 Oct 2013

The abductors arrived in a white van shortly before midnight, stopping outside a modest home in a palm-fringed town on Sri Lanka's north-western coast. Inside the house he shared with his uncle, Anton Saniston Manuel lay asleep in his sarong.

Uthayachandra Manuel, 56, holding a picture of her son Anton Manuel.

^{Media rights activists hold up posters bearing the image of Prageeth Eknaligoda. (S.KODIKARA/AFP)}

^{Prageeth Eknaligoda's son, Harith, holds up a family picture with his mother Sandhya and younger brother Sathyajith (S.KODIKARA/AFP)}

Scandal of Sri Lanka’s disappeared by nelvely

Kenya Lobbying Other African States To Boycott CHOGM Colombo: Report

October 22, 2013 

Reports have surfaced in Kenya that the African country is engaged in quiet lobbying of other Commonwealth Member states on the continent to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Colombo next month.

A report in the Kenyan Star newspaper quotes diplomatic sources as saying that Kenya was pushing several other African leaders to boycott the Colombo summit over the Commonwealth’s failure to take a decisive stance against the prosecution of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto at the International Criminal Court.

President Uhuru

According to the report, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Nigeria, South Africa and Zambia have been “roped into the plan and may miss out in the meeting.”

“Kenya is determined to force in a favorable and decisive action against the ICC trials against its president and deputy president. The Commonwealth miss would be part of this bigger agenda which the world must appreciate has been forced on Kenya by the court,” the newspaper quoted a source as saying.

The Kenyan Star said that another government source had confirmed: “It is almost a foregone conclusion by now that Kenya will not show up. And with it, East Africa and other African countries. By that time, the president is supposed to be at the ICC. The deputy president will be in charge here.”

The Commonwealth meeting would also be taking place three days after the start of the Kenyan President Uhuru’s trial on November 12.

While the Sri Lankan Government will have the satisfaction of knowing the Kenyan proposed boycott has nothing to do with its own rights record as in the case of Canada, any collective boycott by African states will be seen as a colossal failure of its new foreign policy to look to Africa and Latin America for solidarity. External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris has consistently hailed the decision of the Government to pursue greater ties with African nations, because the support of the developing countries towards other developing countries, or South-South cooperation was more forthcoming at a juncture when Colombo is increasingly distancing itself from the Western, pro-Human Rights lobby.

Sri Lanka: Resolve the basic unresolved issues of Tamils instead of external development - Jaffna Catholics

Sri Lanka: Resolve the basic unresolved issues of Tamils instead of external development - Jaffna Catholics

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

''We want the Government to come forward with a solution or proposal package to settle the festering ethnic problem. Prior to this the Government will have to show some substantial and genuine positive signs by resolving the basic unresolved issues. The following are some of the main issues to be addressed:''

Full text of the letter follows:

Sri Lanka Resolve the Basic Unresolved Issues of Tamils Instead of External Development Jaffna Catholics by nelvely