Judiciary Should Not Be Subject To Perks

By Ananda Markalanda –February 16, 2016 

Ananda Markalanda

Judiciary should not be subject to perks, whims and passions of the executive

At a time we celebrate 68 years of Independence with pomp & glory, it seems most media is focusing headlines on Rajapaksas, Gnanasaras, Wele Sudas, Weerawansas and Ministers. Our pressing issue of Sri Lanka’s judiciary is conveniently ignored though it is under heavy pressure to restore its independence and integrity from inside and out. We don’t want a justice system that undermines its independence and compromising its integrity, permitting the international community and the professional body of lawyers of Sri Lanka to make remarks detrimental to the people’s trust and confidence in it. We should not be surprised that our country’s judicial system might undergo further scrutiny based on the happenings of last two decades beginning with corrupted CJ’s in the caliber of Sarath N Silva, Asoka De Silva, and Shirani Bandaranayake, Mohan Pieris and again Bandaranayke to K. Sripavan. Look at their behaviors from the bench and now finding its way to general acceptance. This was observed by many independent organizations including UN and Commonwealth. This is our revered Supreme Court.

During his tenure as Attorney-General and the government’s top Legal Advisor Mohan Pieris consistently blocked efforts to hold the government responsible for serious human rights violations and disregarded international law and standards, said Sam Zarifi, ICJ’s Asia director. President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed the eighth most junior person of the Attorney General’s office, Buveneka Aluvihare, to the Supreme Court. Aluvihare was one of two individuals who successfully prosecuted and obtained a conviction against General Sarath Fonseka, President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s main political rival in the 2010 election In January 2013, immediately following the impeachment of Chief Justice Bandaranayake, the President appointed his own former legal advisor and Attorney-General Mohan Pieris as the new Chief Justice. Mohan Pireis had never served as a judge. During his 33-month tenure as Attorney-General, he did not prosecute a single case of crimes committed against journalists, human rights defenders or lawyers. A Mannar District Court judge was threatened by a Government Minister. The Secretary of the Judicial Service Commission was assaulted by four men with a pistol and an iron bar in his car on a public street, resulting in his hospitalization. No action and Minister is still a Minister.

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Sri Lanka has reduced poverty but challenges remain

Sri Lanka has made great strides in reducing poverty following the end of its decades-long ethnic wars. While the World Bank praised the work that had been done, it gave advice on how further reductions in poverty could be made

By Aaran Fronda-Tuesday, February 16th, 2016

The island nation has made progress in reducing poverty, but for this trend to continue its economy must become more competitive and inclusive

Less than seven percent of Sri Lanka’s population now lives in poverty, but there is still a lot of work to be done for the country to eradicate it completely and secure long-term economic prosperity, said the World Bank.

According to new research carried out by the institution, the country must address “chronic revenue shortfalls” that are hindering its ability to adequately fund public initiatives essential for reducing poverty. The World Bank also said the nation must make its economy more inclusive and competitive in order to foster long-term economic growth.

Sri Lanka has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP rates in the world

“A priority for us is the creation of more jobs that will minimise poverty and provide for prosperity for all Sri Lankans”, said the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe. “Towards this, we need to enhance our capacity to successfully compete in global markets while creating the necessary space for investments to come in.”

The Sri Lanka Poverty Assessment said the reduction in poverty was a result of increased pay in the country’s labour market. This was brought about by the nation transitioning away from an agriculture-based economy, and ramping up its industrial and service sectors.

In its research, the World Bank found that, because Sri Lanka has one of the lowest tax-to-GDP rates in the world, its government does not have the necessary revenue to invest in education, health and other public services. It also said economic growth is being hindered by low rates of foreign direct investment and an excessively large public sector. It warned job creation is limited by protectionist policies and a large deficit of skills among workers. By addressing these issues, Sri Lanka can ensure its long-term economic prosperity and help lift many more of its citizens out of poverty.

Françoise Clottes, Country Director, World Bank Sri Lanka and the Maldives, said: “This new research provides an important platform of evidence and analysis to strengthen our partnership with the government to help design policies aimed at improving job opportunities for the poor and other disadvantaged segments of the population, while promoting sustainable growth.

“The findings of the reports also reinforce the need [for] further measures aimed at improving the government’s effectiveness, transparency, accountability and establishing strong institutions so all Sri Lankans can take part in the country’s increasing prosperity.”

PM’s Security Division Humiliates Journalists

16/02/2016

The Prime Ministerial Security Division officials yesterday humiliated journalists who were covering the inauguration of the Sectoral Oversight Committees workshop, where British Labour MP Fiona Mactaggart happened to say that Sri Lankan journalists were very powerful and would not toe the line of the rulers of the country.

The three-day workshop for MPs commenced at the Committee Room I of the Parliament Complex with the participation of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Journalists had been invited to cover the event.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dassanayake welcomed the journalists.

During the tea break of the inaugural session all journalists were invited to join participants at the tea party hosted in the MPs restaurant.

However, when the journalists went to the restaurant they were turned back by security officials of the PMSD saying that they were not permitted to enter the MPs restaurant.

Later the journalists proceeded to the restaurant allocated to parliamentary correspondents but found that tea had not been prepared for them as yesterday was not a sitting day. Seeing the PMSD officials harassing the journalists, parliament staff members took them to another location in the parliamentary complex and prepared tea for them.

By Ajith Alahakoon

IS

New Constitution & Resolving Ethnic Conflict

By M.K. Shivajilingam –February 16, 2016 

M.K. Shivajilingam

The Tamil people in the island of Sri Lanka have been struggling for their political rights for about 70 years without any solution to their grievances. More than two-hundred thousand people have been killed in the struggle. In order to achieve permanent peace in the island, it is essential that the Tamils’ grievances are addressed and resolved. A strong flawless unassailable political system of equal treatment, opportunity, and power to all its peoples, will ensure a permanent, sustainable, and peaceful solution to the long conflict in the country. To achieve this, a credible, trustworthy, and honorable process is an absolute necessity; hence, a process with the involvement, assistance, and assurance from India, USA, EU, and the UN is important and required.

The following items shall be considered towards achieving a durable resolution to the ethnic conflict:

1 Process and Modality for Political Solution

• A negotiating process between the Sinhalese and Tamil leaders mediated by India, USA, EU along with the UN, must be initiated towards finding a political solution. The mediating parties can function as witnesses and guarantors to the implementation of the solution.
• A new constitution that offers each region the utmost autonomy, shall be implemented that can ensure all its peoples equal-treatment, equal-opportunity, and equal-power without any preferential treatment to any specific people.
• The Tamil people shall continue to have the right to self-determination. At the end of 5 years from the Agreement or at any time, the Tamil people shall be entitled to a UN monitored Referendum should the Govt. of Sri Lanka fail to implement the agreement, or the Tamil people consider it to be necessary to conduct the Referendum to determine their political future.

2 Framework for the Constitution of Union of Sri Lanka

The proposed system of government shall be sharing of power between the Central and the States, and called “Union of Sri Lanka”. The power shall be devolved to the greatest extent possible, and that unless and otherwise explicitly delegated, all powers shall rest with the States. The Union of Sri Lanka shall be a con-federal structure. The Union shall consist of autonomous sovereign States and a confederate unit (“Federal Unit”).

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Management of Economic Policy 1 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe

 Linking Sri Lanka to the global market
Monday, 15 February 2016

The proposed Economic and Technological Cooperation Agreement or ETCA has been one of the crucial economic reforms which the Government is planning to introduce, according to the Government, to deliver the promised prosperity to Sri Lankans. 

It had not been specifically mentioned as a policy by name in the manifesto which the ruling United National Party had presented to the electorate in August 2015 coaxing voters to vote it to power. However, the ETCA can be considered as one of the programs under the main economic strategy outlined in the manifesto to deliver prosperity to people. That main economic strategy consists of linking Sri Lanka to the global economy and to do so, making Sri Lanka globally competitive. 

Produce for a market that is bigger than that of Sri Lanka

What was meant by linking Sri Lanka to the global economy was further elaborated by the Prime Minister in his economic policy statement delivered in Parliament in November 2015. He said that Sri Lanka should produce for a “market bigger than the domestic market” indicating that Sri Lanka’s markets should be ‘enlarged’. 

To attain that target, he proposed to enter into trade agreements with “India and China”. The reason for singling out these two countries for having bilateral trade relationships has been due to their fast economic growth accompanied by an equally fattening middle class with an appetite for Sri Lanka’s products. 

Further, by regaining GSP+ concessions, he expressed the hope of entering the European markets as well. He had also opined that Sri Lanka should look into the possibility of partnering with Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, commonly known as TPPA, signed by the Pacific-rim countries recently. That agreement has enabled countries like Vietnam to get extra benefits for its garment exports, a competitor for Sri Lanka’s threatened garment industry. Partnering with TPPA is to open up all the Pacific-rim countries for Sri Lanka’s international trade.

Hence, ETCA is only one item on the long list of bilateral trade agreements which Sri Lanka is planning to sign in the period to come.

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As LeN revealed so it is proved.! Kumarasinghe Sirisena’s G.M. nabbed over ‘Call Termination’ racket – Many millions of rupees gobbled up per day.!

(Lanka-e-News- 16.Feb.2016, 8.25PM)  Lanka e news on the 3 rd of February reported that a sum of Rs. 2-3 million revenue due to the Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) /Mobitel daily on ‘call termination’ business is being siphoned off into the pockets of its chairman Kumarasinghe Sirisena . With the nabbing of  the  general manager (G.M.) of this ‘Call termination’ business of SLT now , our revelation made on 3rd February  has been proved as true. This G.M. , an engineer by the name of Ajith Silva has committed daylight robbery via the ‘call termination’  business. He  has robbed over 100,000 minutes of IDD every day through this scam.

If  the levy for a minute on   IDD call is assumed  as  Rs. 7/-, this individual alone has robbed over Rs. 700,000/- every day !.

Lanka e news in its previous report revealed that there is a robbery of 13 million call minutes per month at the SLT alone . In other words there is a robbery to the tune of over  Rs. 90 million per month taking place.

Based on our exposures , after  an operation was  conducted by the CEO , Dileepa Wijesundara , it had been possible to nab the General manager Ajith Silva the engineer . The latter has  given his password to the ‘Call termination’ racketeers . 

The investigation into this was carried hitherto as an internal inquiry. But since this fraud involves public funds , it is abundantly clear this investigation must be entrusted to the CID or the FCID because this fraud has not  been committed by Ajith De Silva alone . The SLT  / Mobitel chairman Kumarasinghe Sirisena has also given his approval in this connection with full knowledge . Hence this investigation cannot be duly conducted while Kumarasinghe is still  occupying the chairman’s seat. Besides , this investigation should be handed over to the CID.

Lanka e news is in possession of all the details of how  Kumarasinghe Sirisena planned to line his pockets and gobble up funds via the ‘call termination’ racket , by creeping into the SLT as chairman at about the same time as Maithripala Sirisena became the president . In our first report we revealed that from the time of Rajapakse reign , it was Ranjith Roobasinghe the Godfather who provided protection to Kumarasinghe Sirisena. When the latter was removed from the post of Director Mobitel , he was appointed to the SLT campus and that was kept a secret . Kumarasinghe who went to UK along with Roobasinghe met with ‘Call termination ‘ dealers , and had discussions. Thereafter they travelled to China , and searched for the accoutrements associated with   this business . Lanka e news has all these details .( At the appropriate time these details supported  by evidence will  be revealed).

It must be pointed out that the SLT is having all the equipments to track down these call termination illicit dealers. In this connection the SLT Co. has created a separate division under the name of ‘fraud management’, and its chief was Sripathy Jayawardena , an honest intellectual. He is one who secured special  training in USA on how to nab the ‘call termination ‘ racketeers. Moreover ,the   latest American equipments too were supplied to this division .

Interestingly and intriguingly , the first thing Kumarasinghe Sirisena who was the general manager alias ‘general damager’ of Timber Corporation felling trees on the sly  did  as soon as he crept into the SLT Co. was de activating the fraud management division, and transferring talented Sripathy Jayawardena who had special training in America in this sphere to a most unimportant division , PEO TV . Thereafter the fraud management division was taken away from the financial division, and affiliated to  the Net working division.

Obviously Kumarasinghe did all these to streamline his impending call termination racket operation and to gobble up funds without impediments.

Now  that Ajith Silva has been nabbed , and several other rogues like him are still there to be trapped, it is  time to stop the internal  inquiry which is akin to asking about the accomplished rogue from his mother . This investigation shall be compulsorily entrusted to FCID or CID to flush out all the crooks and cronies hidden in the nooks and crannies , with a view to apprehending  all the culprits from the top to the bottom irrespective of whether it is Alibaba at the top or Malli baba at the bottom. If this measure is not taken it would be impossible to stop the creation of another Sirisena regime on the same lines of  the discarded , disdained and defeated Rajapakse regime.

Of course Kumarasinghe Sirisena has halted the media from publishing the news in this connection by threatening to stop the advertisements that are given to them .

By a Lanka e news special reporter 

Translated by Jeff

(The chairman of SLT/Mobitel using his powers and influence could ban this news and deprive the SLT/Mobitel customers of the right of access to it. Hence this full report has been published via the Lanka e news face book as well.)

Related News -Sorry plight of SLT and Mobitel ! IDD earnings drop by 50% : president’s bro via ‘call termination’ gobbles up in millionsSorry plight of SLT and Mobitel ! IDD earnings drop by 50% : president’s bro via ‘call termination’ gobbles up in millions

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Who is hiding files of Rajapaksas in AG’s Department?

12 Little Known Laws of Karma (That Will Change Your Life)

 2016-02-17 
The Attorney-General's Department disappeared from the Gazette notification in the lists which were in the Gazette relating to the respective ministries, when the ministers were sworn in after the 2010 general election. When the media inquired about it from then Justice Minister John Seneviratne, the minister said he too was searching where it was located in the Gazette notification. But John was unsuccessful in all attempts to locate the AG's Department in the Gazette. Alas! President Mahinda Rajapaksa had taken it under his purview. That was the first time the AG's Department which functioned under the Justice Ministry was plucked out to be placed under the Chief Executive. '

When Mahinda grabbed the AG's Department, the incumbent Attorney General was Mohan Peiris who was appointed by Mahinda. Mohan had earlier served the AG's Department and joined the unofficial bar, after retirement. Mahinda appointed Mohan as AG outside the normal procedure overlooking and undercutting many qualified seniors. This was done contravening the provisions of the 19th Amendment where the Constitutional Council enjoyed the privilege of making that appointment. Mahinda, who undermined the 19th Amendment and the Constitutional Council to the status of dogs, overlooked the much senior person Priyasath Dep and appointed Mohan Peiris in 2008. In 2010, Mahinda wanted the AG's Department, with Mohan Peiris, under his purview.

That was the beginning of the prostitution of justice with the 'sacred dove of justice' (AG's Department) being abused. This reality became visible as the AG's Department under Mohan Peiris was used to attack Sarath Fonseka in an unjust manner and the people realized why Mahinda took control of that Department. It was in such a backdrop that the Supreme Court held that the Military Court which punished Fonseka and unseated him from Parliament was a Court of Law. Mohan Peiris was the AG when that happened in January 2011 under Mahinda's regime. The AG's Department filed action against Fonseka during that period. Mohan held the office of AG till September 2011 and Mahinda appointed Eva Wanasundera to succeed Mohan. All petitions filed by Fonseka against the determinations of the Military Court which tried him, were declared invalid during Eva's period as AG. Having left the office of AG, Mohan was appointed as a Legal Adviser to the Cabinet Office. When Eva ended her period as AG, she was made a Supreme Court Judge by Mahinda. Eva was succeeded as AG by Palitha Fernando. He was succeeded by Yuwanjan Wijeyatilleke.

Yuwanjan Wijeyatilleke
After Mahinda took control of the AG's Department, the public lost confidence in that establishment of justice. Following Mahinda's defeat at the 2015 presidential election, the AG's Department was placed under the Ministry of Justice. Though attempts were made to right serious wrongs committed by Mahinda, the Mahinda loyalists within the AG's Department disregarded the mandate of the people at the 2015 presidential election. The people gave a mandate to Maithripala Sirisena against the corrupt rogues. That was the priority in the list given to Maithri. On the contrary, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake alleged that the AG's Department under Yuwanjan protected the rogues instead of trying them before the law. That claim was supported by Minister Rajitha Senaratne. Anura Kumara once told Parliament that the AG's Department under Yuwanjan held two views over the need to arrest Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the Avant Garde deal and later Yuwanjan's successor Suhada Gamlath who acted in that office held that Gotabaya could not be arrested. The truth of that position was not clear.

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Video: Police fire tear gas at protesters

 2016-02-16 17:
The Police fired tear gas to disperse members of the Unemployed Graduates Union when they had attempted to proceed towards the presidential secretariat in Colombo.

 Three protesters including a man and two women were arrested. Pix by Romesh Madushanka Silva 

Sri Lankans reject nepotism: LMD/TNS poll

 Wednesday, 17 February 2016

The latest nationwide survey conducted by research firm TNS Lanka, for business magazine LMD, reveals that the public is dead set against nepotism. Outraged Sri Lankans have sharply criticised certain questionable appointments made by the National Unity Government.

A whopping 79% of respondents feel that nepotism is an inalienable part of Sri Lankan culture, with only 15% disagreeing with this view. An even greater number (87%) say that nepotism was rife during the previous regime. 

Commonly-held opinion also has it that most people received government jobs during the previous regime because of their political connections. In fact, only 8% disagree with this notion, LMD reports. 

According to the poll findings, nepotism continues to be par for the course under the current regime – a notable 60% of those polled say so, while 21% disagree and 19% are not entirely sure. On the contrary, a small majority (55%) of respondents feel that steps are being taken to address nepotism, while 26% say the status quo remains and there’s uncertainty among 19% of the sample population.

“The media has begun to use its powers to expose instances of nepotism, which has been noted by 71% of those polled,” a spokesperson for LMD notes.

Providing opportunities to newcomers, electing competent and capable individuals, and educating people before their entry into politics are among the slew of solutions to counter nepotism in this country, the pollsters were told.

The latest edition of the pioneering business magazine has been released to leading supermarkets and bookstores in Colombo and the outstations. Its Cover Story features the 2016 STING Corporate Accountability Index, aptly captioned ‘Corporate Yahapalanaya’ (for the full story, log on to www.LMD.lk).

SLT engineers launch ‘work to rule’ in public inteest to weed out chairman Sirisena who is vigorously and viciously ‘killing’ SLT

(Lanka-e-News- 16.Feb.2016, 8.05PM) The Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) Engineers Association has begun their campaign from 15th against the inefficient , corrupt and most abhorred administration of Kumarasinghe  Sirisena , the chairman of the SLT.

As a preliminary phase of the campaign , all the engineers launched   a ‘work to rule’ from 15th. That is they will not perform any work other  than  their prescribed ‘duties.’   They will be refraining from  working on Saturdays , Sundays and Poya days,and  will also not engage in duties that they  perform voluntarily  

The main reason that prompted the assocation to resort to this action is, the recruitment of utterly unqualified and  incompetent Sirisena’s village henchmen of Gampaha and Polonnaruwa to posts of SLT technical officers and other positions.

Unbelievably , carpenters and masons who know absolutely nothing about telecommunication technology have been appointed as Telecom technical officers . All of them are residents of Gampaha and Polonnaruwa, and have been recruited based on the mere signature of Kumarasinghe Sirisena. What is most rudely shocking about this wrongful and abominable action is , these appointments have been made in a high handed manner  by Kumarasinge Sirisena not on the orders or with the knowledge of the Minister in charge Harin Fernando under whom is Kumarasinghe Sirisena, the chairman.

As many as 147 incompetent individuals had been recruited in the first batch , and in the second , a further 250 are to be recruited. In addition , those incompetent unqualified staff  from Hambantota and Beliatta who were temporarily employed under the name of ‘manpower’ during the brutal corrupt Rajapakse regime are also to be made permanent.

The Engineers say , they are unable to perform their duties duly when they have such incompetent unqualified staff.

SLT is a popular  public establishment. Therefore anyone residing anywhere should have a right to be employed there. That right cannot be confined  only to Gampaha and Polonnaruwa residents. 

Such a public Co. must have a fixed legal standard system when recruiting staff. That is , an advertisement shall be first made in all the newspapers regarding the vacancies  calling for applications mentioning the qualifications needed for those posts; and after  the selections are made based on  the applications received , a competitive exam shall be held. Thereafter , those who scored the highest marks shall be  summoned for an interview for fnal selection. 

This was the system of recruitment followed when recruiting staff for the SLT , a national asset , until the lawless Rajapakse regime began ruthlessly and wantonly  breaking down and sabotaging  the proper procedures. The government that was installed for good governance cannot therefore under any circumstance follow  fanciful or  hole and corner methods or  unscrupulous schemes other than the proper methodology aforementioned when recruiting staff to such an important  public concern.

Kumarasinghe Sirisena’s own incompetence and ulterior motives notwithstanding , he  cannot be permitted to act according to his own whims and fancies recruiting incompetent ineligible staff to such an important public concern , and plunge the Institution into doom and gloom to the detriment of national interests. 

In the circumstances , the campaign of the Engineers is absolutely justifiable . Therefore they fully  deserve the whole hearted  support of the staff of the other categories of the SLT , and the general public without doubt, sources say. 

If a just and fair methodolgy on behalf of the public is not adhered to when recuiting staff to such an important public concern, there is no option except   that to kick out the corrupt , incompetent and much abhorred chairman of the SLT . In that case ,it will become imperative that the struggle initiated  is waged  until that salutary goal is accomplished , for all those who are involved in that welcome campaign are acting in the best national interests for they are seeking to eliminate the  weeds destroying an otherwise  flourishing environment .

A communique issued by the SLT engineers regarding their ‘work to rule’ campaign  is included hereunder.

(There is a possibility for the corrupt ,inefficient and unscrupulous chairman of the SLT / Mobitel Co. to ban this news exposure using his atrocious powers and influence ,and deprive   the viewers of the right of accessing this report. We have therefore published  this article  via the Lanka e news face book too.)

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by     (2016-02-16 14:41:31)

Will sack Yoshitha if charges are proved: navy

2016-02-16
Ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa's son Yoshitha, a Lieutenant in the Navy, and currently in remand custody on charges of financial irregularities at the Carlton Sports Network (CSN) would be sacked if found guilty of the charges, the Navy said today. 

Navy Spokesman Akram Alavi said the Navy was also conducting two investigations in connection with Yoshitha's alleged unauthorized overseas travel and his involvement in politics while being a naval officer. 

“Yoshitha had travelled abroad without the approval of the Navy Commander and had also engaged in political activities while being a naval officer. It was in the midst of these investigations that he was arrested on money laundering charges. He will be sacked from the Navy if found guilty of the money laundering charges,” Captain Alavi said. 

The Defence Secretary had directed the Navy Commander to investigate how Yoshitha joined the Navy, how he received overseas scholarships, his alleged engagement in active politics and other activities while being a naval officer. 

He joined the Navy in 2006 as a cadet officer and received his basic training at the Naval and Maritime Academy where he was promoted to Midshipmen and appointed aide-de-camp to his father the then president. He was commissioned as an Acting Sub Lieutenant in the Navy's Executive Branch in 2009. 

The Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) questioned Yoshitha Rajapaksa at the Navy Headquarters on January 30, 2016 regarding alleged financial irregularities at the CSN. Yoshitha and four others have been remanded until February 25. (Darshana Sanjeewa)

Welgama granted bail

By Ishara Ratnakara-2016-02-17

Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya yesterday released UPFA and SLFP Kalutara District MP Kumara Welgama on bail in the case relating to allegedly having illegally paid a sum of Rs 3.2 million to the former Vice Chairman of the SLTB. The case was filed against him by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.

Former Transport Minister Welgama was released on a cash bail of Rs 25,000 and two sureties of Rs 1 million each. The case was put off for 24 March 2016 on which date specific charges against him will be read out in Court.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption had filed charges against him alleging that in his capacity as the Minister of Transport he had created a position of Vice Chairman of the SLTB on 23 June 2010 and illegally authorized payment of a salary of Rs 3.2 million to the first Vice Chairman and thus causing the State a snowballing hefty loss in the process.

The Magistrate didn't sign the charge sheet against the MP yesterday due to the preliminary objections raised by the Defence Counsel.
Magistrate Pilapitiya stated that he would consider signing the charge sheet after perusal of the letter of appointment issued to the former SLTB Vice Chairman.
Joint Opposition MPs Dinesh Gunawardena, Bandula Gunawardena and several others were present in Court yesterday to follow proceedings in the case.
The case was fixed for 24 March. 

Homagama protest: 11 more remanded

February 16, 2016
Eleven protesters including six monks and a woman were remanded until March 01 for allegedly involving in a violent protest near the Homagama Magistrate’s Court recently, Ada Derana reporter said.

The suspects were remanded after being produced before the Homagama Magistrate a short while ago on Tuesday.

Four more monks including Ven. Ittakande Saddatissa Thera of the Rawana Balaya National Organization and President of the Sinhala Ravaya group Ven. Akmeemana Dayarathana Thero were too remanded over the incident yesterday.

A tense situation was arisen in front of the Magistrate’s Court as a group of about 200 monks and civilians had gathered there in protest over the diction to remand Bodu Bala Sena General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera.

Monks representing the BBS, Ravana Balaya, and Sinhala Ravaya had also blocked roads near the Court to prevent the prison bus from leaving the premises.

Sajin Vaas resumes businesses, from Polonnaruwa

- Feb 16, 2016

Sajin Vaas Gunawardena, one of the most corrupt politicians in the former Rajapaksa regime and now turned a state witness by betraying all and sundry, has begun a paddy business recently after buying a rice mill in Polonnaruwa, reports say.

He is yet to repay the many millions worth of loans he had obtained from Pan Asia Bank and LOLC, but has invested millions of rupees to buy the rice mill. Originally from Ambalangoda, Sajin has all of a sudden surfaced from Polonnaruwa at the invitation of Dudley Sirisena, younger brother of president Maithripala Sirisena.

Unconfirmed reports say that Dudley has also helped Sajin to obtain bail, to become a state witness and to get back six MSD bodyguards for his protection. Both are residents of the same floor at JAIC Hilton residencies in Colombo.

When one of the companies to which Sajin owes money had sent officers to meet him, he had thrown them out, saying, “I will not pay even five cents. Do what you can.”

Recently, PABC auctioned a property owned by his wife at Mt. Lavinia for Rs. 160 million, but what it received there was less than 10 per cent of what he had borrowed from the bank.

Israeli police officer caught on video pushing Palestinian man out of wheelchair

RAMALLAH: An Israeli police officer has been caught on camera pushing a Palestinian man out of his wheelchair.

February 15, 2016

Amateur video shows the soldier urging the differently-abled man to move away from the scene, where a young girl’s body appears to be lying on the ground.

As the man in the wheelchair refuses, the officer proceeds to tip his chair, forcing him to the floor.

Members of the shocked crowd then rush to the Palestinian man’s aid, before another officer is seen pointing his gun in a man’s face and a stun grenade is thrown towards those looking on.

The incident occurred after the young girl pictured lying in the road was shot dead by the forces.

In the full-length video, officers leave her at the side of the road as they wait for an ambulance to arrive.

According to Issa Amro, the director of the Youth Against Settlements group, those gathered at the scene were hoping to give the girl first aid.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Amro said: “The people wanted to save her life and bring a Palestinian ambulance.

 

 

“The border police prevented all of them from reaching her and giving her any treatment. The man in the wheelchair was trying to reach the girl on the ground and he was pushed over.”

He also revealed that the differently-abled man, named Majid al-Fahouri, was not badly hurt after the incident. 

The girl, who was taken to hospital in occupied Jerusalem to treat serious injuries, was named as Yasmin A-Tamimi.

Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the video was being investigated by the Ministry of Justice.

The Independent

Syria: US and Israeli Weapons and Ammunition In Possession of Terrorists, Seized by Government Forces

By H. Said-February 15, 2016

The authorities concerned in Sweida, in cooperation with the locals, seized on Sunday a vehicle loaded with large amounts of arms and ammunition in the western countryside of the southern province.

A source at Sweida Governorate told SANA that the vehicle was heading to the terrorist organizations operating in the eastern countryside of the neighboring Daraa province.

The arms and ammunition which were confiscated included 7 Israeli-made anti-tank rocket launchers, 62 shells, 128 RPG shells of different kinds, 43 120 mm mortar rounds, 42 82 mm mortar rounds and 100 23 mm machinegun bullets.

Earlier on Saturday, the authorities, in cooperation with the popular committees, seized hundreds of U.S. and Israeli-made anti-tank mines loaded in a pickup in the western countryside of Sweida. The weapons were bound for the terrorists in eastern al-Badiya (desert).

On January 20th, the authorities in Sweida foiled an operation to smuggle a large quantity of ammunition for medium-sized and heavy weapons from eastern Daraa to terrorist organizations in al-Badiya.

The original source of this article is SANA

Why Obama’s military aid to Israel is breaking all records

Record military aid for Israel will be Barack Obama’s enduring legacy on the Israeli-Palestinian issue as his presidency draws to a close. (Mark Israel/Flickr)

Ali Abunimah-15 February 2016

The Obama administration is offering Israel “the largest single pledge of military assistance to any country in US history,” an American official has confirmed.

This is a remarkable fact when set against the persistent claims of an ongoing “rift” between the US president and his Israeli counterpart Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The assurance was given to Defense News, in a report on Saturday outlining details of the package.

While the US hasn’t publicly confirmed specifics – which are still being negotiated – an Israeli cabinet minister told Defense News that the Obama package would see US military aid jump to more than $40 billion over the 10-year period beginning in 2018, from the $30 billion in the program that began in 2008.

Israel is the largest recipient of US military aid, according to Defense News, taking about 55 percent of the total. Aid from the US accounts for a quarter of Israel’s military budget.

Israel will also retain sweeteners that are denied other countries: the self-declared Jewish state receives its billions as a lump-sum payment at the beginning of each fiscal year, while other countries get installments.

While other countries are required to spend their US aid on American weapons and services, Israel is free to spend about a billion dollars each year subsidizing its own arms makers and research, developing technologies that may eventually compete against US companies.

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