It’s All About Power In The North

By S. Sivathasan –August 4, 2015

S. Sivathasan

“Self-reverence, Self-knowledge, Self-control 
These three alone lead life to sovereign power” – Lord Tennyson

Treasuring the above values conveyed by the poet or valuing the substance, whatever the language, men of worth emerged as leaders and thrust themselves in people’s service. Before venturing into public life, they had discipline in their personal lives. That was in times past. In little Ceylon too, even as late as at the time of independence both pre and post, men of learning considered it proper to engage in public life. They came in because of the eminence they had reached. Self-control was basic to the disciplining of their body and mind. Knowledge of the self, gave them a sense of their worth. High or low they revered themselves and respected others. The people in the mass placed their trust in them and were happy to see their affairs managed by them.

National Degeneracy

In so short a time, what a fall and why so much, we are forced to exclaim. The descent always started at the top. Those in rungs below took their cue for emboldened degeneracy, while those above protected them. How should Members of Parliament in Sri Lanka weigh themselves? Selected to legislate at one per lakh for the benefit of society. Repositories of moral rectitude one would wish. Nowhere in the world has it existed and at no point of time in history has it prevailed.

Who doesn’t know it? But can it be reason enough for electors to reach for the bottom of the barrel to pick the more repulsive? Come elections and what is the sequence? So called leaders turn the barrel upside down, those below spill over and strut about as the king of the walk. This is the sense of self-worth the electable have of themselves. Their obligation is really to be lode stars to their electors. But in recent decades this has never been so. Sri Lanka has failed at election after election to make a change. In this regard the nation is well integrated with no ethnic distinction or religious difference. Little do we realize and much less concede that six decades are wasted. To sink together seems the credo.                                            Read More

Sri Lanka's main Tamil party rejects joining future united gov't

2015-08-03

COLOMBO, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka's main Tamil party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), said on Monday that it would not join a united government in the future, if the government in power fails to address the grievances of the Tamils in the island nation.

The party, which holds 14 seats in the 225-member parliament, said it hopes to win at least 20 seats in the parliamentary elections on Aug. 17.

The battle to form a new government will be waged between two political parties, the newly formed United National Front (UNF) coalition, led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) whose chairman is President Maithripala Sirisena.

Both Wickremesinghe and Sirisena have pledged to form a united government with the inclusion of all political parties including the minorities if either of them win the August polls.

"We will not join the united government till the Tamil issue is addressed. But if the UNF wins, we will offer our support to them from being outside the government. If Sirisena's UPFA wins, then it is difficult for him to form a united government as Mahinda Rajapakse has clearly stated that he wants a UPFA government," TNA candidate Suresh Premachandran told Xinhua.

Former President Rajapakse, who will be contesting the elections as a UPFA candidate from the northwestern province of Kurunegala, has in his campaigning rejected the idea of forming a united government and maintained that a UPFA victory will lead to the party forming a government.

The opposition remains split with a group of members backing President Sirisena and another group in support of Rajapakse.

UNF Colombo candidate and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has pledged to form a united government if his party wins the upcoming votes.

Major Sri Lankan parties reject TNA’s demand for federalism

• T. RAMAKRISHNAN-August 4, 2015
• 
  

Major political parties in Sri Lanka have flatly rejected the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)’s demand for federalism.

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)-led United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA); United National Party (UNP)-led United National Front for Good Governance and the Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP) have, in unison, said the demand, if accepted, would lead to division of the country.

“Certain terms” will be interpreted to convey “different meanings” in Sri Lanka, said Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, general secretary of the SLFP. Federalism is one of them and “if you say federalism, people would think you are for separatism”, he added.    The TNA has stated in its manifesto that power sharing arrangements must be established based on a federal structure, as they existed during the merger of Northern and Eastern Provinces. At the time of the manifesto’s launch, the Alliance leader R. Sampanthan had expressed hope that the major political parties in the country would accept the demand. Dinesh Gunawardena, leader of the Mahajana Eksath Perumana, one of the constituents of the UPFA, said the concept of federalism was “old”, and blamed the TNA for “trying to create an issue, which has settled”.  Besides, by raising the demand, the Alliance has made a “huge negative statement”. 

D.M. Swaminathan, a UNP leader and the Rehabilitation Minister, said his party is for a unitary State.

It is keen on turning Jaffna, the capital of the Northern Province, into a modern city with all facilities. The UNP manifesto has stated that devolution of powers can take place after taking the consent of all stakeholders.  

Vijitha Herath, a JVP spokesperson, said the TNA, which had raised the demand at the time of election to in Northern Provincial Council two years ago, has done it again to get votes as parliamentary polls are due this month. This is being used by “chauvinistic political parties” in southern parts of the country to seek votes from the Sinhala Buddhist community. “It is not healthy,” he added.

While Mr. Yapa said devolution can take place under the 13 Constitutional Amendment, Mr. Gunawardena stated he was for participatory democracy – strengthening local bodies and ensuring people’s participation at grassroots levels.

Civil Groups Condemn President Sirisena for Retaining the Advisory Panel Hired by Rajapaksa

04/08/2015  

Civil Society groups have condemned  President Sirisena’s  government’s continued retention of the Advisory Panel of international lawyers hired by the Rajapaksa government to defend its record. It furthest says that the  Commission of Inquiry has failed to earn the confidence of victims and overburdened it with a mandate that was meant to address the overwhelming cases of missing persons from across Sri Lanka, raising serious questions about the willingness of the government to address the issue of enforced disappearances.

Civil Groups Condemn President Sirisena for Retaining the Advisory Panel Hired by Rajapaksa by Thavam Ratna

Foreign Policy in Sri Lanka- “Is It Effective & Productive to A Nation”?

Former President Rajapaksa at the general assembly in the United Nation

SWRD Bandaranaike with President Dwight Eisenhower of the USA>

It is doubtful whether we have a clear cut foreign policy today and it is time to spell it out loud and clear to the world with serious considerations and through study. It is a necessity to be clear on the foreign and other policies which are interconnected to our safety, security, developments and prosperity.

by Sarath Wijesinghe

Correct Foreign Policy

( August 4, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian ) Correct foreign Policy for a nation is a pre-requisite for development and prosperity. It has a direct effect and impact on commercial and trade relations among members of the world family and the world. In a fast developing world, it is becoming increasingly difficult to live in isolation. The advent of modern technology has promoted increased globalisation and an interconnected world community with the internet playing a large role in redefining political dynamics both domestic and international. Sri Lanka’s foreign policy is based on the principle “friendly towards all and enmity towards none based on the principles of non- aligned foreign policy, without taking sides of any major power block”. Do we maintain this foreign policy depends on the behaviour of the Leader of the country, Foreign Minister/Ministry and the Ambassadors representing the country world-wide. Foreign Policy is guided by the Minister of Foreign Affairs with the Ministry officials and the Ambassadors guided and advised by the head of the state. Today member countries of the world family are directing their Ambassadors to give priority to commerce and trade along with the traditional duties they are entrusted with.

Foreign Policy in Sri Lanka- “Is It Effective & Productive to A Nation”.odt by Thavam Ratna

Citizens should decide carefully after weighing the pros and cons

• by Tissa Jayatilaka 
• - on 08/04/2015

English translation of article published in the Sunday Silumina on 19th of July. Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe/Getty Images via Time.

The Parliamentary election is getting closer.  The submission of nominations has been completed.  Voters look on with surprise at the antics of some candidates. Some people are confused due to views expressed through the media by the President.  How does this situation affect the elections and the future of our country?  Let us ask Mr. Tissa Jayatilaka, Executive Director of the US-SL Fulbright Educational Exchange Commission about his views.

Citizens Should Decide Carefully After Weighing the Pros and Cons by Thavam Ratna

Muslims Should Reject SLMC & Its Offshoots Wholesale

By Ameer Ali –August 4, 2015

Dr. Ameer Ali

The creation of the SLMC as a political party based solely on religion was a historic blunder, which if not rectified soon, will drag the Muslim community into political abyss. The foundational philosophers of SLMC were deluded by a misguided vision about the Indian Muslim League model. The tragic consequences that Muslims of India had to face and are still facing as a result of this ethno-religious model somehow or other missed the attention of the SLMC founders. A critical study of the birth and growth of SLMC is a tempting field for research.

In Sri Lanka, the demographic, linguistic and economic characteristics that had shaped Muslim settlements, and the fact that in the 1980s when the idea of a Muslim party was conceptualised ethno-nationalism was already ripping the country apart, were assumed to be irrelevant as long as Muslims could unite under a religious banner and fight for their so called ‘rights’. Up to now no one from the SLMC has enlightened the public what those unique rights are. The slogan “Allahu Akbar” and nothing about national unity or nation’s welfare decorated SLMC rallies and Muslim voters were hallucinated with Marx’s opiate so that they could forget their mundane problems and elect megalomaniac leaders, who had nothing but self-interest in their heart to promote.

What the ethno-religious politics of SLMC has achieved so far were, firstly, to devalue the ‘politics of pragmatism’ which the pre-SLMC Muslim generation so successfully institutionalised by joining one or the other of the then existing national parties; secondly, to worsen the already deteriorating ethnic tensions in the country and making the Muslim community (like the Tamils under the LTTE) to lose even the little it had gained in the earlier era; thirdly, to reward incompetency, corruption and dishonesty at the expense of talent, truthfulness and dedication; and finally, to damage immeasurably the positive image that the Muslim community had cultivated over a millennium particularly amongst the majority Buddhist Sinhalese. Will the SLMC provide a record of their achievements that benefited the community, let alone the nation? Have the leaders of this party made any contribution on behalf the Muslim community to the national debate on the country’s economy, security and development? All that they have done is to bargain with their coalition partners for ministerial positions and personal wealth.                              Read More

Kili’s slavish minion Sujeewa Senasinghe voluntarily disgraces himself further: CID to question him on his stupid utterances

(Lanka-e-News- 04.Aug.2015, 9.00PM) The CID has decided to question ex deputy minister of justice Sujeewa Senasinghe, a slavish  minion of Kili Maharaja over his stupid utterance that the recent most strategically and cruelly planned  brutal shooting incident targeting finance minister Ravi Karunanayake at Bloemendhal road is an underworld operation, when even the CID that is conducting investigations  has still not concluded that as  a clash between two underworld gangs.

The investigators have decided that Senasinghe shall be interrogated because based on his statement , he must be aware of the inside out of this attack.

The investigation so far has revealed , this is a an attack most strategically planned and carried out by a team with political motives.

It is former police media spokesman Ajith Rohana SSP north , a pro MaRa stooge and lickspittle who had first given a huge bogus publicity that this attack  was an attempt to murder ‘Army Sampath’ an underworld criminal leader .This unscrupulous khaki uniformed SSP had disseminated this spurious news with the knowledge and support of a national newspaper belonging to a UPFA M.P.

Indeed , the IGP who toured the area of the scene of crime having realized that this is not an attack launched by underworld criminals had berated Ajith Rohana and warned not to propagate false stories.

The IGP had asked  Ajith Rohana , to reveal the name of an  underworld leader who had so far taken  part in the distribution of handbills in the election campaign? The IGP had also asked Ajith Rohana, to tell him of   an underworld leader supporting a politico, who undertakes the task himself of distributing handbills in broad daylight instead of giving some money to his assistants and enlisting them to carry out the distribution? Ajith Rohana has had no answer to give and been dumbfounded. If there was any eye witness to confirm that there was army Sampath or any underworld leader in the Ravi Karunanayake procession, to produce them, the IGP had further stated.

While this is the factual situation , Sujeewa Senasinghe the bankrupt  politico and slavish minion of Kili Maharaja who is shamelessly submissive to Kili’s wealth had tried to claim that this was a shootout between two underworld gangs , with the objective of suppressing  the cold blooded murders of two innocents including a woman , and the 13 other casualties in order to serve  the villainous political agendas  of those to whom he is shamelessly  servile, sycophantic  and  subservient.

It is well to recall that Sujeewa is one who drove the UNP party to more despair during the period of crisis within the party . When Kili Maharaja made live announcements and induced  Sajith Premadasa and his clan to stone  Sri Kotha , Sujeewa was also in that clan. It is Pathberiyas of Kaduwela electorate who came forward to safeguard Sri Kotha  and ward off the attack , and not Sujeewa of Kaduwela.  While the Pathberiyas have always stood by the UNP,  toiled and sweated to make UNP victorious , Sujeewa Senasinghe the slavish minion had always been dodging his responsibilities towards the party, going after crooked unscrupulous businessmen to achieve his ulterior motives.

Unbelievably , when a rally was organized by Pathberiya at Aturugiriya recently , with the participation of Rosie Senanayake, Ravi Karunanayake and  Wijedasa Rajapkse among other UNP leaders  who are Colombo district contestants at the upcoming elections  , this wolf in sheep’s clothing  Sujeewa had no qualms about boycotting that meeting thus proving how lethal  he could be at a time he is most needed by the party.

When it was  the general consensus among the people and the opposition parties that if the country is to be rescued and put on the right track , UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is indispensable  and they were  pinning high hopes on that , Sujeewa Senasinghe on the contrary serving the unscrupulous agendas  and crooked  political aims of Kili Maharaja took the villainous and venomous stance of chasing out Ranil and making  Sajith the leader.

In like manner , during the period when Gotabaya Rajapakse threw the residents out from their homes at Slave Island  , and they were left high and dry , Sujeewa Senasinghe who was appointed by the UNP leader to take action against Gotabaya’s brutalities and atrocities , instead of carrying out his leader’s instructions, fattened on death and despair by collecting Rs. 1.5 million from the desperate residents to line his pockets. Finally Sujeewa betrayed the trust of all.

We are also compelled to reveal one incident  (of the many) involving Sujeewa Senasinghe which would bring home to the people what a bankrupt opportunistic politico he is : when he was  a deputy minister of justice , he  exploited his position in the past to inquire from the Attorney General (AG)  Yuvanjana about a number of pending legal matters . Senasinghe being the deputy minister,  the AG had obliged him with the information. To AG’s utter dismay , one night , the voice tape recording of what AG revealed was telecast on Kili Maharaja’s TV channel along with the news.

This was an absolutely unethical and most reprehensible action on the part of Senasinghe. This conduct of Senasinghe of passing the information privately communicated to Senasinghe as a deputy minister of justice also clearly testified  to what level Senasinghe could stoop if only that would please Kili Maharaja , a byword for underhand deals and backstreet politics. 

Even a stray  dog in the streets and villages living on discarded garbage would not behave this shamelessly as  Senasinghe the politico from the garbage bin.  Being a politician who had risen from the stench and squalor of personal selfish garbage politics , it is for the people voting for the UNP elephant symbol  to think twice whether this stinking particle of political garbage should be sent to parliament or to the garbage bin he rose from – the place he deserves best specially because there  are enough candidates in the UNP list of Colombo district who deserve the votes   much more than Senasinghe the most despicable  lowliest   grade political renegade.

---------------------------
by     (2015-08-04 15:21:02)

General Election 2015 Pre Election Opinion 

Poll – Top Line Report

Why people vote for Thugs - Crooks - Film Stars

August 4, 2015

4 August, Colombo, Sri Lanka – Social Indicator, the survey research unit of the Centre for Policy Alternatives conducted an island wide pre election opinion poll with the objective of identifying Sri Lankan voter perceptions and attitudes on key topics being discussed in the lead up to the election and thereby contribute to the current political discourse.

Only 4 % of Sri Lankans believe that the 2015 General Election will not be free and fair and 66.9% believe that it will be.

When asked about who they think is best suited to be the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, majority from the Tamil (62.3%), Up Country Tamil (71.1%) and Muslim (62.3%) communities said Ranil Wickremesinghe, with less than 2% from each community saying that it should be Mahinda Rajapaksa. Opinion in the Sinhala community is divided, with 36% saying that it should be Mahinda Rajapaksa and 31.9% saying Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Sri Lankans are divided on the question about whether former President Mahinda Rajapaksa should be contesting in the upcoming General Elections. 40% of Sri Lankans say that the former President should contest while 42% say that he should not contest.

The key issues that Sri Lankans believe the next Parliament should address are employment and employment opportunities for youth, reduction in the cost of living, accelerating the development of the country and improving the education system.

The three most important characteristics that Sri Lankans look for in a candidate are what that candidate has done for the country (19.4%), education (17.5%) and that they are not corrupt (15.6%). For almost 50% of Sri Lankans it is extremely important that the candidates they plan on voting for have declared their assets while 18.5% say that it is somewhat important for them.

59% of Sri Lankans say that the information they get from the media influences how they vote, while 29.6% say that it does not.

Conducted in the 25 districts of the country, this opinion poll captured the opinion of 1986 Sri Lankans from the four main ethnic groups. Fieldwork was conducted from the 22 – 29 July 2015.

Please click here to read the full report. 

A toss of the coin


Tuesday, 4 August 2015

“This is to record that the Southern Expressway write in history as the first venture in expressway construction in our motherland was gifted to the people on the 27th day of November 2011 by His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and be it so known by future generations as herein inscribed and may it also be known that it is the singular wish of the entire Sri Lanka nation that this would be the access to greatness in this land where His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa having declared that his abiding aspiration is to awaken a nation shorn of all expectations through 30 years of brutal terrorism did through his brave and patriotic leadership enthrone freedom and accepted the custodianship of this blessed land to bring further greatness to the motherland” – Gate Way to a Miracle, the plaque installed at the rest area on the Southern Highway.

A toss of the coin by Thavam Ratna

A change in the Defense Secretary post following the election

Tuesday, 04 August 2015

Political reports confirm a change in the defense secretary post under a UNF government following the coming General Election.

 

Therefore Hemasiri Fernando is due to be appointed as a new defense secretary. Currently Mr Hemasiri Fernando is serving as the chairman of the Peoples Bank and he is the chairman of the National Olympic Committee

for a long time. He has been serving as a secretary to many ministries.

 

Following the resignation of Hemasiri Fenando as the chairman a senior lawyer Nissanka Nanayakkara would be appointed as the chairman of the Peoples Bank. Meantime he would be appointed as a chairman of the UNP. If the current UNP chairman Malik Samarawikrama would come to parliament through a national seat and becomes a cabinet minister Nissanka Nanayakkara would be appointed as the UNP chairman.

Basil withdraws following dispute with Gota!

Former minister Basil Rajapaksa has withdrawn from the UPFA’s election campaign, for which he had made considerable contributions initially.

03 August 2015

This is due to a dispute he has had with former defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa over the drafting of the election manifesto.

A group of Basil’s followers including Jagath Wellawatte, Dhamma Dissanayake, Nimal Bandara drafted one manifesto, while Dayan Jayatilake, Nalaka Godahewa, Charitha Herath drew up another on the instructions of Gotabhaya.

In addition, advisers of president Maithripala Sirisena prepared a manifesto for the SLFP.

As all arrangements were in place to launch Basil’s draft as the official one, ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa had reprimanded Basil and ordered that the copies be burnt.

At the ceremony at Henry Pedris grounds in Colombo, the manifesto launched was a combination of the drafts submitted by the other two groups.

In that, the 12-point first part was from Gotabhaya’s men, while the second part on good governance was by advisers to president Sirisena.

Mahinda is suffering from Amnesia – Ajith P. Perera

August 4, 2015

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s only political slogan is based on racism, communalism and religious extremism, says the United National Party (UNP).

“It seems that Kurunegala District candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa is afflicted with the serious illness - forgetfulness known as Amnesia in medical science,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ajith P. Perera said. 

“Kurunegala District candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa’s only political slogan is based on racism, communalism and religious extremism,” he said in a statement issued today.

Perera charged that at times Rajapaksa encourages the distorted falsification of the National Flag; then again he spreads hatred among Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims.

“The most important fact that he has forgotten is the friendship he had with the LTTE,” he alleged. 

He claimed that it was Mahinda Rajapaksa who directly gave Prabhakaran a grant of Rs. 800 million through RADA; as a result of which Mahinda Rajapaksa “with Prabhakaran’s blessings” won the Presidential election in 2005. 

“If not for this gesture on the part of Prabhakaran, Mahinda Rajapaksa would have not become the President of this country,” he said.  

“Today, he contends that LTTE terrorism is raising its head again. Now he utters nonsense about a separation of the country, thus conveniently forgetting the pledge given to India to devolve power beyond the 13th Amendment and the pledge given to Ban ki Moon about permitting an international probe on war crimes.” 

“If the LTTE was totally destroyed and terrorism was wiped out as he claims, there is no possibility of the LTTE to raise its head again. If the LTTE can rise again, his earlier claim is a blatant lie. If his previous claim is true, what he now utters is a lie. This clearly shows that Mahinda Rajapaksa is seriously suffering from Amnesia,” Perera added.  

Full Statement Issued by Ajith P. Perera

It seems that Kurunegala District candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa is afflicted with the serious illness - forgetfulness known as Amnesia in medical science. It is clear from the statements made by him, now forgetting everything that he stated six months ago. Kurunegala District candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa’s only political slogan is based on racism, communalism and religious extremism. At times he encourages the distorted falsification of the National Flag; then again he spreads hatred among Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims. Any person who has a little knowledge of the political history of Sri Lanka is aware that the political parties in the North include in their election manifestos, about their commitment for a federal administration or self-rule. It is similar to the statements made by Mahinda Rajapaksa about Sinhala ethnicism. 

The right to self-rule is a concept propagated by his political colleagues also, namely Douglas Devananda and Vasudeva Nanayakkara. Their stance has not changed even today.

Thirty year long war is like the beggar’s wound to Mahinda Rajapaksa. It is the ordinary people both in the South and the North who suffered during the war. The children of parents of both the South and the North who were against the war had to give away their lives for it’s sake. Several political leaders among Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities too had to sacrifice their lives. Likewise, Venerable Maha Sanga and clergy of Hindu, Catholic and Islam faiths also had to sacrifice their lives on account of the war situation. Mahinda Rajapaksa has forgotten all these things, perhaps due to forgetfulness, Amnesia.  

The most important fact that he has forgotten is the friendship he had with the LTTE. It was Mahinda Rajapaksa who directly gave Prabhakaran a grant of Rs. 800 million through RADA; as a result of which Mahinda Rajapaksa with Prabhakaran’s blessings won the Presidential election in 2005. If not for this gesture on the part of Prabhakaran, Mahinda Rajapaksa would have not become the President of this country.  

Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman who is allegedly responsible for killing 600 police officers and the murder of Bhikkus at Aranthalawa was appointed as a Vice President of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party by Mahinda Rajapaksa. He appointed Pillayan as the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province. KP who was known as the master brain and  chief funding agent of Prabhakaran for the procurement of arms and equipment needed for LTTE combatants, sea tigers and  masterminded  the bomb blasts, killing Heads of States, political leaders and other people was given the luxurious abode of Visumpaya. All these incidents have been forgotten by the Kurunegala District candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa due to his ailment, that of Amnesia.

Mahinda Rajapaksa by claiming credit for defeating LTTE and salvaging the country acted in a manner implying that Sri Lanka is owned by him and the Rajapaksa family and enacted the    18th Amendment hoping to be the lifetime President of the country.

Today, he contends that LTTE terrorism is raising its head again. Now he utters nonsense about a separation of the country, thus conveniently forgetting the pledge given to India to devolve power beyond the 13th Amendment and the pledge given to Ban ki Moon about permitting an international probe on war crimes. If the LTTE was totally destroyed and terrorism was wiped out as he claims, there is no possibility of the LTTE to raise its head again. If the LTTE can rise again, his earlier claim is a blatant lie. If his previous claim is true, what he now utters is a lie. This clearly shows that Mahinda Rajapaksa is seriously suffering from Amnesia.  

Mahinda Rajapaksa and his racist acolytes should immediately stop flaring up the country by their narrow political manoeuvres. He had only one slogan and that is of racism used at every election since 2005. It is this very slogan that was rejected by the people of this country on the 8th of January. Therefore, he and his clique who have forgotten this message given by the people have resorted to repeating this slogan which demonstrates the inability to get away from their tribal social behavior. Even at this late stage of having only a few days for the election, Mahinda Rajapaksa has time to find a new slogan to intelligently address the people of this country. That is the best he could do in his exercise sliding down from the position of the king to the gatekeeper.  

Prasanna demanded Rs. 64 million bribe using most filthy language - Audio tape herein but keep away the children

(Lanka-e-News -04.Aug.2015, 11.00PM) The voice tape of western province chief minister Prasanna Ranatunge demanding Rs. 64 million as bribe is now in the custody of the inside information division of Lanka e News.

A director of Silicon Technologies Pvt. Ltd. Gehard Mendis bought 2 acres 2.8 perches of land with assessment No. 251/9 situated at Meethotamulla road, Kolonnawa belonging to  Ajith Swarnapriya. However the path  that leads to the land was occupied by squatters.

Prasanna has demanded a bribe of Rs. 70 million to evict  the squatters , and Mendis had given Prasanna dated cheques for Rs. 64 million in this connection .Prasanna had got Rs. 8 million worth cheque encashed through Naresh an assistant of Prasanna by depositing  the cheque to Prasanna’s wife’s account.

To collect the balance sum of the bribe, Prasanna as minister has threatened Mendis on many occasions . The voice tape hereunder reveals how Prasanna as minister  on one of the occasions scolding Mendis in the most filthiest and foul language to obtain the bribe.

Sadly, Prasanna Ranatunge despite this bribe taking and his outrageous corruption is free on bail granted by court as though he is innocent as an infant with a soother in the mouth. Unbelievably  and unfortunately it is to such  a corrupt bribe taker, president Maithripala Sirisena of the much hyped good governance gave nomination.

If you are listening to this voice tape of hoarse  voiced Prasanna,please keep the children away , for the filthy  and foul words he uses are indescribably bad,and the language is so offensive 

---------------------------
by     (2015-08-04 18:17:31)

3,000 shareholders in limbo after acquisition of Pelwatte Sugar Industries: DCSL

By Sanath Nanayakkare

-August 3, 2015

Three thousand shareholders have been in limbo since the government's acquisition of Pelwatte Sugar Industries in November 2011, and hitherto no action has been taken to pay any compensation to them, Amitha Lal Gooneratne - Alternate Director of Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka (DCSL PLC) and Managing Director of Melstacorp said in Colombo yesterday.

"The acquisition made under the 'Revival of Underperforming Enterprises and Underutilized Assets Act' came only after eight months' of operation of Pelwatte Sugar Industries despite the fact that the company had begun to achieve a progressive turnaround. At present, a tribunal committee has been appointed by the government to look into the matter of shareholders. We're awaiting the committee's decision," Gooneratne said.

He made this comment at the ceremonial bell-ringing and Market Open ceremony of the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) which is customarily held to mark the beginning of trading for each month.

The DCSL Group is among the top corporate conglomerates in Sri Lanka with assets in excess of Rs. 94 billion and an annual turnover of approximately Rs. 63 billion.

The Group led by its flagship Distilleries Company of Sri Lanka PLC, manages one of the nation's most successful diversified blue chip portfolios spanning beverages, telecommunications, plantations, hotels, textiles, financial services, creative and media services and logistics services.

Speaking further at the event, Gooneratne said," DCSL Group has market capitalization of Rs. 84 billion and the Group has invested Rs.42 billion in major Listed Companies on the CSE. Meanwhile, the Group's investment in Aitken Spence has increased from 41% to 43%" We have also expanded our investments in the telecommunication sector".

CSE Chairman Vajira Kulatilaka commenting on the ceremonial custom of the CSE said ," The idea behind the Market Open ceremony each month is to strengthen the bond between the CSE and major Listed Companies, as well as to highlight the major players of the national economy".

Pelwatte Sugar Industries PLC became part of the DCSL Group following an acquisition of 47% stake in March 2011. The company used to manufacture sugar and other by-products from raw sugar cane. It managed a 2,700 hectare nucleus estate and a settlement estate of 3,500 hectares situated in the Moneragala district of the Uva province. It was reported that a trade union of the sugar company had requested the then government to take over the company.