Batticaloa floods displace thousands

22 December 2014 Thousands have been displaced over the weekend by heavy flooding in Batticaloa. Heavy rainfall since Friday has damaged thousands of homes, with hundreds being reported as irreparable. From the Vakarai division alone, 8234 people are reported to be sheltering in public buildings, with a further 16,661 seeking refuge with friends and family. The Munmunai Southwest Divisional Secretariat reported 5611 people displaced. The severe weather has also resulted in one death. Vasanthy Iyathurai, aged 49, of Vaazhaichenai died in hospital after being admitted for severe illness related to the cold conditions. (Photographs by battinews.com)

MaRa -KP exchange sweet nothings while arranging to circulate fake letter with signatures of Maithri , Sampanthan , Ranil and Fonseka

(Lanka-e-News- 21.Dec.2014, 11.55PM) Herein is a photograph of Medamulana MaRa exchanging sweet nothings with K.P ., the former LTTE arms procurement leader, at Sencholai, Mulaitivu 18th ,while fastening the LTTE label on the opposition .

Based on reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division , a spurious agreement purportedly signed between Maithripala Sirisena , the common opposition leader and R. Sampanthan ,the leader of TNA ,with Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sarath Fonseka as witnesses, is to be put out in the glare of wide publicity in a day or two by the Rajapakse mudslinging unit in order to cover up the MaRa – KP illicit alliance .

This fake agreement has been prepared by the mudslinging team led by Dallas and Heeralu Herath .

Meanwhile , Dallas – Herath mudslinging team has also had discussions recently as to how to paint a different picture of the truthful exposures made by Maithripala about the 6 helicopters that have been got down for distribution among the family members of Rajapakse , each for a member, and how MaRa’s son who has specially flown a horse from Buckingham palace, is travelling to Nuwara eliya by helicopter from Colombo in the morning and again in the afternoon daily for horse riding.

While this team was deliberating on a mudslinging solution , Mahinda Ileperuma who was also with them had made a most queer suggestion : ‘as we cannot find a solution to this , let us give the public the opportunity to provide a solution , and offer them a valuable award for the best solution.’

When Dallas inquired why he made such a proposal , Ileperuma had replied in a lighter vein , ‘ It is a fact that we have no answers . Hence let us seek the answer from the people by holding a competition ,’ which made everyone present to have a hearty laugh.

Fortunately , Lanka e news always first with the news and best with the views is fully equipped and well informed to expose every conspiracy ahead that is being hatched by the Rajapakse regime whereby all their plans and plots are being foiled as they are born. Consequently , the regime is in a deep dilemma , unable to trust any of its associates and friends , not to mention its own parliamentary representatives, many of whom are likely to cross over .We also urge the people to disseminate our reports among their friends and relatives so that they will be able to know the truth and the true picture .

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by     (2014-12-22 00:08:53)

Writ Application Requesting To Suspend Presidential Polls Is Missing !

December 22, 2014

Colombo Telegraph can reveal that the Petitioner of the Writ Application filed in the Court of Appeal in Sri Lanka requesting the Court of Appeal to issue a writ to the Elections Commissioner to suspend the Presidential polls, was barred from supporting the writ application before the Court vacation was commenced from today, citing that the Petition filed in Court ‘missing’ in the case record.

De facto CJ Mohan Pieris

This is a act of very serious nature and the Petitioner Nagananda Kodituwakku, Attorney at Law (SL) and Solicitor (UK) strongly believes and reported to the Court that missing of the Original Petition is an act presumably committed by ‘interested person/persons working in collusion with some individuals in the Court system to prevent the supporting of this Petition in Court and thereby exposing the gross abuses of office by the 3rd Respondent, Mohan Pieris, who occupied the office of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court under ‘Oath’ knowing fully well that taking of the said Oath of Office (undertaking to be faithful to the Constitution and Law) before the Executive President at a time when there was no vacancy in the office of the Chief Justice, would tantamount to violation of law, which reduces the statement under oath by Mohan Pieris as Chief Justice to being a FALSE OATH amounting to an act of PERJURY which makes any Judicial act performed by Mohan Pieris, occupying the office of Chief Justice has no legal effect, including the acceptance, denial of public hearing, and expression of an opinion on the 2 questions affecting the private interests of the Executive President but referred to the Supreme Court abusing the powers vested in the President, which Mohan Pieris decided as two questions ‘affecting national interest’ and ruled that the opinion expressed by him on the two questions will have the same weight of a judgment pronounced by the Supreme Court effectively baring the rights of the citizens challenging the legitimacy of the 2 questions referred to Court.

Related posts;

Writ Application Filed Requesting To Suspend Presidential Polls

It's not too late Mr. Mahinda Deshapriya...

2014-12-22

Election violence seems to reach unprecedented levels in the current presidential election campaign. Last Saturday, political goons attacked a UNP meeting in Haputale minutes before the arrival of Ranil Wickremesinghe. The UNP Chief Organizer Senarath Jayasinghe sustained injuries in the attack. Last week political thugs in jeeps destroyed the election platform of common opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena in Wanduramba,Galle. When the police arrested three suspects in connection with the attack, it was reported that Deputy Minister Nishantha Muthuhettigama stormed the police station to snatch the three suspects away. But the brave police had given chase and re-arrested the three suspects who were later produced before court and remanded.

The situation seems to worsen with the establishment turning a blind eye. The Elections Commissioner should now exercise his authority as certain powers are vested in him to curb polls violence with the help of the police. With just over two weeks to go for polls, the polls chief should compare peaceful places with violent places and identify specific risk factors to strengthen security in those places on polling day. Polls violence is not different to general violence when it comes to politics. What the polls chief should do is to interact with the Inspector General of Police to tighten security in violence affected areas.
The Elections Department should have a new technique to help identify which polling places are most prone to thuggery and intimidation which would result in violence. Using the department's knowledge of sensitive areas, election officials could develop strategies to efficiently allocate police and armed forces to polling stations that are more susceptible to fraud and violence. The polls chief has powers to accomplish that task and he should exercise those powers if the Elections Department is truly keen to ensure a free and fair election.

It is a known fact that at certain vulnerable polling stations throughout the country, thugs are hired by campaigners to intimidate, harass, threaten and also to bribe voters to prevent them from casting their ballots. Non-registered voters should not be allowed to congregate close to polling stations and frustrate legitimate voters waiting to cast their votes. Such activities result in violence and sometimes death. The people should feel free to leave homes to cast their votes. When gangs are seen outside polling stations voters feel threatened. Election management becomes important to sway voter confidence about the fairness of the electoral process.

The demand for police personnel would greatly exceed the supply and the polls chief could seek more personnel from the Civil Defence Force that comes under the Police Department. Elections officials who had conducted several elections in the past should compile a list of all polling places and rank them by level of vulnerability relative to violence or suspicious activity. Upon such criteria, each polling station could be classified as normal, sensitive, or hypersensitive. The strength of the allocation of police personnel could be deployed accordingly to ensure that tight security is placed in sensitive and hypersensitive polling stations.
Election Monitors and Polls Observers who roam the districts at present to gather information on violence and other activities should submit reports on areas that could be open to intimidation, threats and violence to the Elections Commissioner. They should re-visit the sensitive or hypersensitive areas and host public discussions to gather more facts about the local problems in those areas. A free and fair election is the need of the hour. It's not too late for the Elections Commissioner to trek in that direction. Mahinda Deshapriya is the guardian of voters in this country.

Rajapakses preparing for a sly surreptitious military operation: additional soldiers swelling the numbers at Modera Rock house

(Lanka-e-News- 21.Dec.2014, 11.55PM) Sri Lanka ‘s (SL) criminal defense secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse , his intelligence division advisor cum former major general Kapila Hendavitharne , Army commander Lieutenant general , Daya Ratnayake and chief of staff cum former army commander Jagatah Jayasuriya are jointly preparing for a sly, foul and surreptitious military operation, according to reports reaching Lanka e news inside information division.

In this connection a large number of soldiers of the auxiliary armed force are being housed at the Rock house camp at Modera. Since 17th night these soldiers are moving in, and their leave -taking have been cancelled .

This camp is an armored corps regiment , and the former army commander is of that regiment .Tank attack operation vehicles come under this armored corps regiment.While soldiers in large numbers are moving into this camp , orders have also gone out that the chiefs of the forces in the remote camps shall not under any circumstance leave their divisions coming under them .

Gotabaya has also instructed that the morning drill training of the soldiers be conducted on the highways to make a public display . Hendavitharane’s advice is , by such operations , a military atmosphere can be instilled in the minds of the public.

It is well to recall that on the night of the last Presidential elections , the hotel in which the common opposition candidate and the opposition leader were staying , was laid siege to by the Rajapakse forces , and this operation was orchestrated some days prior to the election , in much the same way as is being organized now – that is ,soldiers in enormous numbers of the military forces were brought into Colombo that time. Lanka e new exposed these operations ahead at that time , but the opposition leaders did not pay heed to our warnings.

It is to be noted that while Gotabaya is getting ready via military power and mayhem now to avert the almost certain victory of the present opposition , sources from within the forces reveal that a majority of the chiefs of the forces are expressing strong opposition to these manipulations. Except a few stooges and lackeys like Jagath Jaysuriya , Daya Ratnayake and Prassanna Silva of the Rajapakses who secured illegal promotions , perks and privileges under the Rajapakses , many other chiefs of the forces are not prepared to support the offensive and obnoxious rules and regulations which are being introduced by the Rajapakses , based on Lanka e news inside information reports.

It is also reported that the present army commander Daya Ratnayake had summoned a group of soldiers to the Air force headquarters and delivered a lecture while making sly insinuations that they should cast their votes to Mahinda Rajapakse. Besides, Ratnayake had not allowed anybody who attended this lecture to bring in their phones.

It will not be out of place, if we recall, Lanka e news recently exposed the conspiracy of the government to arrest the opposition activists after causing a bomb explosion at a Rajapakse election rally , and camouflage the scene to make it look to the public as an LTTE attack.

Unfortunately , for the desperate Rajapakses every diabolic plot and plan is leaking out , bearing ample testimony to the fact that the honorable honest patriotic officers of the forces are not ready to provide fuel to the evil fire the corrupt crooked Rajapakses are trying to spread and stoke even at the expense of national interests and people’s lives to perpetuate their power lust .

Wanduramba OIC resigns following election stage torching

Post by BBC Sinhala - සංදේශය.

December 22, 2014

In the wake of the controversy surrounding the recent torching of an election stage of Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena in Wanduramba, the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Wanduramba Police Station Inspector Panangala Liyanage Keerthisinghe today resigned from his position.

Speaking to reporters at his residence in Wanduramba this evening, the Inspector of Police stated that a situation has risen today where a police officer can no longer work with their spine straight and that therefore he took off his uniform and came home today. 

P.L. Keerthisinghe stated that he resigned from the service thinking about the respect of the police department. When asked about the reason for his sudden decision, the OIC stated that what happened to him was similar to “being told to file a case against the knife used by a thief to steal a bunch of bananas.”

However, he stated that the decision taken by him today would be an example for other officers in the police department. 

It has proven to be difficult for the police to carry out its duty today due to all politicians even the local politician, he said.

Keerthisinghe expressed that he has great affection for the police department and that as an officers who has served in the force for 18 years, his decision was taken with deep regret.

The Wanduramba OIC stated that he hopes that the future of the police department would be successful through his example. 

The election stage and some decorations of Common Candidate Maithripala Sirisena were set on fire by a group of individuals, who had arrived in two Defenders, in the Wanduramba area in Galle on December 17.

Three supporters of Deputy Minister Nishantha Muthuhettigama were later arrested over the incident and remanded until December 29. The suspects Janaka Duminda, K.G. Janaka Kumara and S.A. Dimuthu Pradeep were produced before Baddegama Magistrate Courts.

Who Should Be The Next Leader?

By Naveendra P. De Zoysa -December 22, 2014 

Dr. Naveendra P. De Zoysa

New ideas, opinions and arguments about presidential election and candidates are radiating within the society. In this slight analysis, I would neither examine the theories about leadership nor provide support for any candidate. My plan is to discuss some hidden, but decisive and considerable facts about our leaders.

World leadership

In general understanding, power is the decisive fact to control the society even though there are different arguments in theories of leadership. Religious texts, philosophical ideas and political theories had also been widely accepted that, every movement of the society is decided by powerful leaders and their followers. We can identify different types of leadership styles namely, democratic, authoritarian and narcissists. From time to time leaders appeared for a short period of time i.e. four to five years or even a few decades to control or navigate the society. Some of those leaders, by themselves or their supporters or historians communicated that they can change the World or they have provided the best service for humankind.

Sometimes most dangerous killers or invaders like Alexander III of Macedon (336-323 BC) from the ancient Greek Kingdom recognized as “Great” in the present society. However, who would have imagined the situation of societies invaded and the sorrows of the people who were killed by Alexander III of Macedon. For this matter, a few centuries later Hitler would be regarded as a great leader even though today we live in a time where we can safely save and archive evidence and data compared to the days of the ancient Greek Kingdom. Nonetheless, we should note that there are some leaders, who were able to produce actual and widely accepted changes to humankind. Mahatma Gandhi applied the nonviolence concept of Lord Buddha’s’ teachings to the practical political movements as the first person to do so. He tried to solve complex political issues through nonviolence and gained nothing but a remembered name in history.Read More

Sri Lanka’s Presidential Election Heats Up

Incumbent Rajapaska is still the frontrunner, but high-level defections are cause for concern.

By Taylor Dibbert-December 22, 2014

First elected president in 2005, Mahinda Rajapaksa was widely credited with winning the civil war, which helped him get reelected to a second term in 2010. Nonetheless, while it’s good that the fighting is over, the South Asian nation has faced a myriad of challenges since that time. Ongoing human rights violations, rising authoritarianism, relentless militarization, pervasive lawlessness, and increased violence against minority groups are all cause for concern.

Rajapaksa recently called a snap presidential election two years early, principally because the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance – the political grouping led by Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Freedom Party – has become increasingly unpopular. Hoping to be reelected before losing even more support, Rajapaksa must have been surprised to discover that someone in his cabinet and a senior member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party would be running against him. Other high-level defections also give him good reason to worry. With Sri Lanka’s presidential election slated for January 8, the campaign is now in full swing.

The joint opposition recently agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding. If challenger Maithripala Sirisena wins he would get rid of Sri Lanka’s presidential system and replace it with a parliamentary system within one hundred days. Additionally, the 18th amendment to the constitution would be repealed, meaning that crucial institutions – including the police and the judiciary – would regain their independence. (Passed in 2010, the 18th amendment also eliminated presidential term limits, paving the way for Rajapaksa to run for this unprecedented third term).

If properly implemented, the reforms proposed by the opposition would diminish executive power and make Sri Lanka less authoritarian. The opposition has also said they will address broad topics including the rising cost of living, wages, corruption, the rule of law, and the welfare state. This all sounds good, but the election remains Rajapaksa’s to lose.

Indeed, the way forward for the opposition will not be easy. For starters, if the challenger Sirisena were to be elected, he would supposedly be transferring executive power shortly after coming into office. Voters may haveconcerns about who they’re actually voting for. Related to that, the prominent campaign role of former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has already been met with consternation. Though very well-known, she and Ranil Wickremasinghe both bring significant baggage. (Wickremasinghe is a former prime minister who leads the United National Party, the country’s main opposition party and, evidently, is the man who would be appointed prime minister if Sirisena wins.)

Another issue has to do with Tamil and Muslim voters, two ethnic groups whose support Sirisena really needs if he’s going to pull off an upset on January 8. (Approximately 75 percent of Sri Lankans are ethnic Sinhalese and the vast majority of them are Buddhist; Tamil and Muslim people are the country’s two largest ethnic minorities).

Sirisena recently came out and said that, if he won, he wouldn’t allow Rajapaksa, his family, or any Sri Lankan soldiers to be tried internationally for war crimes allegedly committed during the nation’s civil war. (The Sri Lankan military is almost exclusively Sinhalese).

Sirisena has also rejected the idea of a federal system of devolution (of power) for ethnic Tamils and stated that Buddhism’s preeminence in the constitution would be kept in place. While statements like these will placate the largely Sinhala-Buddhist electorate, they don’t go down well with the Tamil National Alliance or the Tamil community more generally, the group that suffered the most as a result of the war.

By weighing in so clearly on all of these issues, Sirisena seems to have made several calculations. In addition to gaining support from extremist Sinhala-Buddhist elements, it’s likely Sirisena believes that running on a platform that focuses on good governance, the abolition of the executive presidency, and the return to parliamentary democracy simply isn’t enough to turn the tide against the supremely nationalist Rajapaksa regime – and that the common opposition will need to emphasize their Sinhala-Buddhist credentials more prominently, something Rajapaksa has done so skillfully throughout his presidency.

Something that’s received less attention is the fact that, since Sirisena himself is hardly new to Sri Lanka’s political scene, why didn’t he decide to defect earlier? The problems he’s highlighted with Rajapaksa’s rule – including nepotism, corruption, authoritarianism, and the denigration of the rule of law – have been evident for many years now. Sirisena could have chosen to speak up earlier, act out earlier, or defect earlier and yet he chose not to do so. Put bluntly, there’s always the possibility that Sirisena is neither a reformer nor a democrat.

While it’s important that domestic and international election observers are present on voting day, consistent violations of election laws or an upsurge in political violence in the coming days would come as no surprise. Given the regime’s track record of intimidation, crushing dissent, and condoning ethnically and religiously motivated violence, now is the time to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

If nothing else, Sri Lanka’s presidential election – like the country’s current struggle with authoritarianism – looks far from over.

Taylor Dibbert is a freelance writer based in Washington, D.C. and the author of Fiesta of Sunset: The Peace Corps, Guatemala and a Search for Truth. Follow him on Twitter @taylordibbert.

Hambantota Mayor arrested over attack incident

December 22, 2014 
The Mayor of the Hambantota Municipal Council, Eraj Fernando, has been arrested by police in connection with the attack on a street drama group performing in Hambantota.  

The Mayor and his supporters were accused over the attack on the street drama troupe, ‘Weediye Virodaya’ organized by civil society member and veteran artist Jayathilake Bandara.

Several persons including Bandara and the Opposition Leader of the Hambantota Municipal Council Ayub Khan were also injured in the attack which took place near the Hambantota bus stand.

The troupe was also assaulted at Eppawala on December 05 allegedly by supporters of SM Ranjith Samarakoon, Chief Minister of North-Central Province.

The Hambantota Mayor gained notoriety earlier this year when he chased away UNP MPs who were conducting an inspection tour to Mattala Airport and Hambantota Port brandishing a firearm, which he later claimed was a ‘toy gun’.

The United National Party (UNP) has condemned the attack and accused the government of encouraging the criminal activities of its “goons”.

“Eraj Fernando is a symptom of the disease the Rajapaksa government has inflicted upon this country.”

“From the highest echelons of power to local level politicians this regime has not only provided impunity for corruption and violence to thrive - it has actively encouraged these criminal activities,” UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya said in a statement today.

Rishad takes away 72 from UPFA

MONDAY, 22 DECEMBER 2014

72 people’s representatives have joined Minister of Industry & Commerce Rishad Bathiyutheen who left the UPFA government today (22nd) to express their support for the common candidate Maithripala Sirisena.

Minister Bathiyutheen, two Parliamentarians, 6 members of provincial councils and 63 local government councilors have joined Mr. Maithripala’s campaign.

Minister Bathiyutheen speaking in a media conference held today said he had been a minister of Mahinda Rajapaksa government since 2005 but tendered his letter of resignation to the President.

Speaking further Minister Bathiyutheen said, “We carried out a massive campaign in the North and the East to bring Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa to power. We also gave the necessary support to him during the war. We thank the President, the three security forces and the police for ending the war. After the end of the war we thought all communities in this country would be able to live in peace without any issues. We also dedicated ourselves to bring victory to Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2010 as well.”

TNA’s Decision Sensible: Vote For The Better Candidate, For There Is Never A Perfect Candidate

By Aahithyan Ratnam -

The TNA’s Mavai Senathirajah has announced that they will not boycott the election. It shows the moderate credentials of the party. On the other hand the rabid “Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, the leader of Tamil National Peoples [sic.] Front (TNPF) on Thursday (18) addressing the media called on the Tamil people to boycott Sri Lanka’s presidential election next month, stating that the policies in relation to the Tamil question of the common opposition coalition did not differ from that [sic.] of the ruling regime.” (EyeSriLanka, Dec. 19, 2014)

In any election there is never a perfect candidate. We always vote for whoever is better than the others. By asking the Tamil people to boycott the elections, the TNPF is effectively asking us to treat candidates with flaws as equally rejectable when one might be slightly flawed and the other badly flawed. No one is perfect. But President Rajapaksa and Mr. Sirisena are certainly not equally bad. We must vote for the person who is better; for whoever is less flawed. By calling for a boycott the TNPF is favoring Mahinda Rajapaksa who is abominably worse for Tamils.

The TNA as a mature party with experience sees this. I feel confident that once Mr. R. Sampanthan, the TNA leader, returns from his medical treatment abroad, the party will endorse the common opposition candidate.

President Rajapaksa has a long list of negatives behind him – genocide, communalism (against Tamils, Muslims and Christian evangelicals), corruption, authoritarianism, family bandyism, favoritism, judicial meddling and so on, ad nauseam. There is really no one in his UPFA to balance these tendencies inimical to democratic governance.                                                                 Read More

Lalith Weeratunge; The Purohithayā

BBy Rajiva Wijesinha -December 22, 2014

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

Enemies of the President’s Promise – Doc 1

On the old Bibilical adage that, from him to whom much is given, much is expected, the most reprehensible of those on whom the President relied was his Secretary, Lalith Weeratunge. But in addition to his undoubted intelligence and administrative abilities, there was another factor which led to high expectations. This was that, whereas all the others whose influence has been described were exercising this to fulfil their own agendas, with Lalith it was never doubted that he saw himself as only serving the purposes of the President.

An exception could be made with regard to the Secretary of Defence, in that it could be argued his agenda was not intended for his own benefit, as opposed to the other five whose ambitions have been noted. But increasingly during the President’s second term in office Gotabaya Rajapaksa began to see himself as fulfilling a purpose, albeit idealistic, that was at odds with what his brother intended. It was almost as though, having previously claimed that he could win the war but the political solution had to come from elsewhere, he had begun to think that his role was crucial for any acceptable political settlement. So he even directly criticized his brother, for instance by arguing that Northern Provincial Council elections should not be held, or by allowing crude attacks on the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission on the Defence Ministry website.

.                                                                               Read More

Sri Lanka Presidential Election a Logical Prediction

 Monday, 22 December 2014 

A group of highly skilled professional whose area of expertise are on analytical skill came up with a simple logical explanation as to the outcome of the Presidential Election (PE) 2015.

To start it is important to highlight the results of the 2010 PE MR approx. 6 Million

Opposition candidate approx. 4.2 Mil Votes

In this scenario the following factors were not taken into consideration and hence the benefit of doubt is given to MR:
 The manner the election was conducted
 The impact of the War Victory
 The opponent not being a politician.

It is an excepted fact that there should exists a popularity drop of 2.5% to an incumbent unless under very exceptional circumstances.

Hence MR popularity should drop by approx. 10% and this should add up to the opposition. This was visible at the recently concluded provincial council elections.

MR approx. 5.4 Million
Opposition approx. 4.8 Million
Current situation

In the 2015 PE there are approx., 1 Million new voters exercising their votes for the first time and the majority of them are under the age group of 25 years necessarily youth of this country. With the current youth unrest, educational issues, frustration will see them move towards the opposition as an anti-government vote. Hence with an 80:20 split towards the opposition the numbers should read as follows:

MR approx. 5.6

MY3 approx. 5.6
This election will also see a very high voter turnout of approx. 75%-80%

At the last PE election there were almost 4 Million voters who did not cast their votes and a good majority of it were UNP voters who did not vote due to issues with the leadership, endorsing the war victories ect. It is believed and assumed that this time they will vote as seen in the UVA provincial election. Hence on a very conservative basis of 25%voting an addition 1.2 Million voters will vote at this election.

MR approx. 5.6

MY3 approx. 6.6
We have not taken in to consideration the negative impact created on MR as a result of the July Aluthgama incident, corruption charges on highways, tender irregularities, the way the country is governed as a dictatorship, Law and order and Governance. The above predictions are also based on a free and fair election with no intimidation and malpractice that is usually exercised by the governing party.

On the part of the opposition they can increase their margin if the UNP leaders will motivate its members who did not vote at the 2010 PE to exercises their right.

Police use tear gas to disperse protesters in Ward Place

Post by Newsfirst.lk.

December 22, 2014

The police fired tear gas to disperse a group of university students in front of the University Grants Commission (UGC) in Ward Place, Colombo 7, this afternoon.

The tense situation was reported as the protesting students attempted to march towards the UGC, according to the police.

However, severe traffic congestion was also reported in Ward Place, Borella, and Townhall areas due to the protest.

Matale Mass Grave: Skeletons In Closets As Well?

By Darshanie Ratnawalli -December 21, 2014

Darshanie Ratnawalli

The Matale mass grave has had its 15 minutes of fame. From the time when it was first uncovered in November 2012, throughout the judicial inquiry by the Matale Magistrate and right up to the appointment of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, the media fluttered around it moth like. Recently the mass grave got a definitive date. The news failed to grip.

Wrong news-They had a decent burial- The lying posture of the skeletons from the mass- burial at St. Mary Spital London are different from Matale

The only news site to report it, adaderana.lk got it wrong. They reported on 18 November 2014 that the Police informed the Matale Magistrate’s Court that day that the skeletons of the mass grave belong to the early 1950s. In reality the early 1950s don’t come into the picture at all. I reproduce the report below;

“Report on Radiocarbon Analysis of Samples, Matale Case No. B.1810/12, Sri Lanka Douglas H. Ubelaker, PhD Smithsonian Institution Washington, D.C. USA October 30, 2014

This report is in reference to samples submitted to Beta Analytic Inc. for radiocarbon analysis. According to the report from Beta Analytic Inc., these samples originate from skeletons number 27, 50, 81 and 136. For all samples, values of PMC are less than 100 and values of fraction modern are less than 1.0. These values indicate that the samples were formed prior to the modern period (defined as post AD 1950 with the entrance of excess radiocarbon in the atmosphere due to thermonuclear weapons testing). Details of the analysis procedures and specific results are cited in the report by Beta Analytic Inc..”

Pre 1950 mass graves?Read More