The US Must Pay More Attention to Sri Lanka’s Transitional Justice Debate

During the U.S.-Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue, Washington should elevate Sri Lanka’s transitional justice debate.

By Taylor Dibbert-February 25, 2016

The unexpected election of Maithripala Sirisena in Sri Lanka’s January 2015 polls has resulted in the Barack Obama administration’s fervent desire to turn the page on what became a strained, bitter bilateral relationship under the reign of the previous president. Mahinda Rajapaksa had been in power for nearly a decade and oversaw the decisive military defeat of the separatist Tamil Tigers – ending a civil war which lasted from 1983-2009. Rajapaksa’s proclivity for corruption, nepotism, and heightened authoritarianism ultimately led to his unexpected ouster.

Mangala Samaraweera, Sri Lanka’s foreign minister, is currently in Washington, D.C. This high-level visit is due to evolving U.S.-Sri Lanka ties and the commencement of the first ever U.S.-Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue. An array of issues such as economic and security cooperation, governance, and regional affairs will be discussed on February 26. It remains to be seen whether transitional justice will receive significant attention, either publicly or privately.

Transitional justice, especially holding perpetrators accountable for alleged wartime abuses, is without question the most controversial, politically difficult, and significant component of Sri Lanka’s reform agenda. Accordingly, the United States and its allies should pressure Colombo about this aspect of reforms specifically, in order to promote lasting peace in what remains a divided, post-war country.

Unfortunately, the bulk of the new government’s reform agenda remains incomplete and there are no guarantees that Colombo will be able to follow through on all of the promises it has made, including creating a new, more inclusive constitution, implementing a comprehensive transitional justice package, and meaningfully dealing with high-level corruption.

Irrespective of who holds power in Colombo, the Sri Lankan government cares about its international image and international pressure makes a difference. Even the cosmetic moves Rajapaksa made while he was in power — creating the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC); releasing the LLRC’s final report in its entirely; and holding Northern Provincial Council elections – were a direct result of sustained international pressure. Absent international pressure, the Sinhala-dominated central government remains unlikely to reach out to Tamils in a substantive fashion.

The recently passed UN Human Rights Council resolution on Sri Lanka is far from perfect, although it contains many good points and useful recommendations, especially when it comes to transitional justice. 

The United States played a leading role in the resolution’s passage and the Sri Lankan government even co-sponsored it. In that context, this week’s dialogue presents the U.S. with a unique opportunity to reiterate the importance of implementing a comprehensive transitional justice package, which would include a robust judicial mechanism to handle alleged wartime abuses, a strong truth and reconciliation commission, and a lasting political solution to address the longstanding grievances of the Tamil community. Colombo must believe that these are all front burner issues for the United States and that a deepening of ties – particularly on the political, military and strategic fronts – won’t be possible until more tangible progress is made.

America remains well-positioned to help a divided nation begin healing the wounds of war, but that won’t happen with fluffy speeches, high-level visits and effusive praise. The U.S. should not be too eager to reengage or reset relations with Sri Lanka at this time, just because there have been some modest and asymmetricaldemocratic gains.

To conclude, it’s imperative that the international community, especially the United States., keep the pressure on Sri Lanka to help consolidate the nation’s recent democratic gains and assist a war-torn country build a durable peace. By speaking with a clear voice on the toughest of subjects during the U.S.-Sri Lanka Partnership Dialogue, Washington would be sending a strong message to the political leadership in Colombo. The United States would also be communicating directly with the Sri Lankan people: Even though Sri Lanka’s path toward transitional justice and a lasting peace is a process that’s owned and managed by Sri Lankans, it’s a journey that the U.S. will remain deeply committed to – by leading from the front.

Fundamentalism In Muslim Girls School: A Response

By Nishthar Idroos –February 25, 2016

Nishthar Idroos

Response to – Fundamentalism Creeps Into Muslim International Schools– Part I

Fundamentalist Islam creeping in a leading Muslim School in Colombo shrieked a recent caption in one of the Colombo based news portals. School in question Ilma International Girls School located in Colombo. A leading and established private Muslim Girls’ School in the country. Motto of Ilma International Girls’ School reads thus in the school’s website “Qul, Rabbi Zidni Ilma” which is an excerpt from the Noble Quran .i.e. “Say! O My Lord, Advance me in knowledge” (Chapter 20: Verse 114)

Fear sells and peddling fear vis a vis Muslims and Islam is a lucrative industry. Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Sam Harris, Bill Maher. Daniel Pipes some names in the international platform that come to my mind presently raking-in big. Some have called it the Islamophobia Industry. The tide of Islamophobia that is sweeping through Europe and the United States noticeably lacks spontaneity raising suspicion of shadow designers working overtime. Coterie of well-educated, well paid right-wing cadre of intellectual hucksters, bloggers, politicians, pundits, religious leaders and over-zealous scribes are having a rocking time. In some countries Muslims postulating a deviant persuasion vis a vis worship (Sufi order grave worshippers, saint worshippers) have joined the bandwagon too. They inject their own venom to enhance credibility. The strategy seems to be working.

It’s indeed a major challenge today to portray the real truth of Islam over widespread media speculation and disinformation. Complicating matters are the actions of a negligible few who draw inspiration from Islamic sources all for the wrong reasons. The ISIS crisis is good example regardless who created and funded the organization. In this media saturated century with rampant ignorance of the subject things are going haywire and getting out of control. It seems everyone is in to settle a score with Islam and Muslims.

Muslims the world over are going through a period of testing which is commonly known as fitnah in Arabic (trials and tribulations). Life rushes ahead beckoning us into the unknown but in a strange sort of way it has all been done before. This is not the first time in history that Muslims have suffered from the consequences of lies and misrepresentations. However, when lies and misunderstandings are piled high the truth seekers of this world have a way of finding the gold buried beneath the dirt. Islam is like that gold, it can lie quietly, and it loses none of its beauty by doing so. As a matter of fact when extracted from the dirt the impact is even sweeter on the soul.

Twisted and debased theology of extremists cannot remove or dent firm faith inscribed in hearts of billions of Muslims. Nor will neo-cons with their well-motivated agents win by hurling demonic propaganda. The world knows Islam, its universality proven by its effectiveness. Islam ruled a good portion of the world for a very long time. Spain was with the Muslims for almost 800 years. Its political, economic and social structures very much intact. Its civilization a solid bridge for other civilizations to flourish. Islam imposes no difficulties on its adherents. Everything Islam enjoins is meant to preserve faith, life, intellect and posterity.

Read More

Health Service: Government must deal with 

racketeers - EDITORIAL

2016-02-24
With Sri Lanka’s Health sector still in crisis, the Daily Mirror has information about some shocking discoveries made by the National Medicine Regulatory Authority (NMRA) which was appointed last year to implement Prof. Senaka Bibile’s essential medicines concepts and provide quality drugs at affordable prices.
Recently Health Minister Rajitha Senarathna called for the resignation of the NMRA’s Chairman Prof. Laal Jayakody and its Chief Executive Officer Prof. Krishantha Weerasuriya. But later Dr. Senarathna requested the two eminent personalities to come back and they did so for the sake of the people.  

According to information we have, the NMRA has saved millions of rupees through properly implemented regulatory processes during the past few months. In addition, going beyond its usual work, the NMRA has intervened to get medicines supplied from registered sources, rather than importing unregistered medicines of unknown quality 

The State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC), the supply arm of medicines for the Ministry of Health, had requested the NMRA to issue a ‘NOL to buy the drug Lorazepam. The reason given for asking the NOL was that suppliers of the registered drug had not applied for the tender. The total value of the consignment was Rs. 36 million. Prof. Krishantha Weerasuriya, who is well known for his tough, but straight actions, called registered suppliers of the drug and asked why they had not tendered. They said that they were not aware. Prof. Weerasuriya then asked them to send their quotations and they complied. The SPC re-evaluated the tender and it was awarded to a registered supplier. The cost was Rs. 250,000. This action of the CEO not only saved more than Rs. 35 million in public money, but also gave Sri Lanka’s a quality- assured drug.

 The NOL is issued when a drug which is not registered in Sri Lanka is brought to the country. If this is not issued by the NMRA, Sri Lanka Customs will not allow the drug. However, as the quality, efficacy and safety of unregistered drugs are not known, NOLs are meant to be issued only in unavoidable circumstances. This system was highly abused before the NMRA was established. There is an instance where the former Cosmetics Drugs and Devices Authority issued an NOL to import a ‘Gotukola’ extract. 

 The drug Nimotuzumab, an anti-cancer drug, was given provisional registration for one year by the CDDA. With this registration, the Ministry of Health bought this drug at a cost of Rs. 150 million last year. When the application for re-registration of the drug came to the NMRA, Prof. Jayakody and Prof. Weerasuriya looked into the manufacture of this drug and found that it was still in the trial stage. Also it is still not approved for treatment of cancer. So they refused to register the drug. This saved another Rs.150 million for this year. Medical experts say that this action not only saved money, but also saved Sri Lanka’s cancer patients from being used as Guinea pigs to test these medicines.

 According to information given to the Daily Mirror, the SPC requested another nol to import 60,000 tablets of ‘Primaquin’, a drug used in treating Malaria. This was for the Medical Supplies Division of the Ministry. Knowing that Malaria has almost been eradicated in Sri Lanka, Prof. Weerasuriya called the Anti-Malaria Campaign and asked whether it needed this quantity. The answer was an emphatic “No”. The Prof. informed the SPC that the drug was not needed and the order was cancelled, saving several more lakhs.  

Sources from the SPC and the MSD say there are many more similar instances where the intervention of the two Professors of the NMRA not only saved millions of rupees but also assured the buying of registered drugs of known quality, safety and efficacy rather than buying a drug on a no objection letter. Under the guidance of the two Professors, the NMRA, SPC and MSD have formed a forum to discuss how Sri Lanka imports drugs on the basis of five factors - quality, efficacy and safety, the cost of the drug and the need for it. The aim is to avoid the waste of money and assure quality, safety and efficacy.

 Two important questions arise from these findings. Whether the attempted removal of the two Professors from the NMRA was because, they were acting with honesty and integrity while saving money. It is obvious that someone, or many, were disturbed when their commissions, amounting to millions of rupees, were denied. The second question is what action the government will take against the culprits who wasted or tried to waste public money by buying unregistered drugs using NOLs. 

Central Bank in balancing act!

• CB Chief justifies policy rate hike; says it will check high credit growth, incentivise foreign investors and protect rupee
• A second hike in mid-2016 not ruled out due to external factors 
• SL not going “begging” to IMF but to secure stronger confidence from global markets 
• Fiscal consolidation “biggest concern,” but confident of averting rating downgrade 
• IMF help to clean up balance sheets of major SOEs  

By Uditha Jayasinghe -Friday, 26 February 2016

Despite the “unfortunate” rise in interest rates the Central Bank yesterday declined to rule out a future rate hike later in the year and insisted negotiation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was crucial to reassuring the financial world of Sri Lanka’s stability to reduce possibility of a sovereign ratings downgrade.  

Fiscal consolidation remains the “single biggest concern” for the Central Bank, admitted Governor Arjuna Mahendran, but insisted the Government was not going “begging bowl in hand to the IMF.” Instead, he insisted, the strategy is to involve the IMF to formulate a consensus based transparent plan to take before lenders, investors and other economic stakeholders so the world would have confidence in Sri Lanka’s future growth plans. 

Referring to the raise of interest rates by 50 basis points last week Mahendran explained that it was in reaction to excessive bank lending that topped 25%. Under the regulations of the Central Bank any growth beyond 15% required the institution to warn the Finance Minister in writing of possible overheating dangers but the CB Chief emphasised a balancing act would be maintained to ensure low inflation and growth despite the rise in interest rates.

He also acknowledged hope that increased interest rates would reduce the outflow of foreign investments from Sri Lanka.  “All emerging markets are facing this problem. We are trying to reduce outflow to prevent the rupee going into freefall and for the foreign exchange situation to become acute. Interest rates have only been restored to levels seen in early 2015 so we do not expect a slowdown in growth.” 

However, if Middle Eastern wealth funds continue to liquidate their investments to prop up Government spending pressured by falling oil prices and rates are hiked for a second time by the US Federal Reserve, Sri Lanka could find itself mirroring international events, Mahendran noted. 

“We will do our best to keep it at this point but it will be largely decided by international events….. I will not rule it out.” 

Describing discussions with the IMF as “very constructive, frank and amicable” the Governor went onto say both sides were “hammering out a way forward that will pay debts without slowing growth.” “Sri Lanka is no longer a poor country. We have to depend on international markets to meet our funding requirements. Having a framework with the IMF will give consensus and clarity and get a seal of approval from international markets.” 

Admitting Sri Lanka has piled up a “huge amount of debt” in the past decade Mahendran nonetheless was upbeat that an IMF program would encourage “rating agencies to come along with us.” 

Last month analysts warned Sri Lanka could see a downgrading of its sovereign rating if it did not tackle the Budget deficit issue and the Governor said the Central Bank was aware of the concern. 

An IMF arrangement would also cushion reserves, which will face depletion from upcoming debt repayments. But reserve spending over the last few months has dwindled rapidly, noted Mahendran, from about $1 billion to “just tens of millions” since late 2015. 

Officials from the IMF were also coordinating with the Government to clean up key State Owned Enterprises that have racked up billions of debt, Mahendran revealed. “We want to clean the balance sheets of these corporations so managers can them has profitable companies and raise funds on their own. We are trying to look into the numbers…. Raise revenue. It can be done.”          

- See more at: http://www.ft.lk/article/527677/Central-Bank-in-balancing-act-#sthash.sDxx0Szq.dpuf

Eknaligoda Case: Who’s Covering Up Facts, Asks Magistrate

25/02/2016 

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Tuesday informed the Homagama Magistrate’s Court that the very first voice tape connected with the suspect soldiers serving at the Army Camp in Giritale who had abducted missing journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda had conspired to kill him after the abduction.

Senior Superintendant of Police Shani Abeysekera presenting evidence on behalf of the plaintiff Sandya Ekneligoda, said that the first conspiracy meeting to kill Ekneligoda had taken place on 27 August 2008 and that the second suspect in the case had participated in that first meeting. Nine Army Intelligence officers who had been serving at the Giritale Army Camp who are suspects in this case were produced before Homagama Magistrate Ranga Dissanayake on 23 February.

The suspects are Lieutenant Colonel Shammi Arjuna Kumararatne, Lieutenant Prabodha Siriwardena, Lieutenant Priyantha Kumara, Rajapaksha Wadugedera Vinnie Priyantha, Ravindra Rupasena, Chaminda Kumara Abeyratne, Kanishka Gunaratne, Aiyyasami Balasubramaniam alias Ravi and Tharanga Prasad Gamage.

At this juncture the Magistrate asked Plaintiff’s attorney whether this crime is considered to have been committed under the Criminal Procedure Code Clause No. 296 and whether there is relevant evidence to support that premise. The Magistrate further said that the case could be heard by a three-Judge bench dispensing with a non-summary because the Attorney General could make direct indictments on the basis of established facts and if that is done before Judges of the High Court, whether the plaintiff could submit to Court direct or active evidence.

Senior State Counsel Wasantha Perera who led evidence for the plaintiff on behalf of the Attorney General said that even though there is no direct or cogent evidence, facts can be presented on supporting a murder accusation based on clear circumstantial evidence.

Subsequent to taking into consideration suspects’ ability to escape from the law based on the fact that neither a corpse nor body parts were found, he further said that even the Indian Supreme Court proves cases based on circumstantial evidence. He also pointed out that the delay regarding these cases was due to the fact that government officials do not cooperate.

The Magistrate advised the Attorney General’s Department to focus attention on who is covering up facts.

He also asked whether the Army Commander was providing the required assistance to the CID in this Case.
SSP Shani Abeysekera told Court that facts relating to 8 issues had been called for from the Army and the Army was cooperating fully with the probe to date.

The Magistrate ordered the suspects be re-remanded until the 8 March on which date the case will be heard again.

By Niranjala Ariyawansha / Ceylon Today

Sri Lanka appoints war winning army chief as minister

Sri Lanka's former army chief Sarath Fonseka speaks during a Foreign Media Correspondent Association (FCA) forum, in Colombo March 19, 2013.REUTERS/DINUKA LIYANAWATTE

Thu Feb 25, 2016

Sri Lanka on Thursday appointed as a cabinet minister its first five-star field marshal and the former army general who led the military to victory in a 26-year war against Tamil Tiger separatists.

Sarath Fonseka, the leader of the Democratic Party, lost the August parliamentary poll, but entered parliament following a nomination this month by the ruling United National Party of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Fonseka was sworn in as minister of regional development at a time when supporters of former leader Mahinda Rajapaksa accuse the government of investigating the military over war crimes at the demand of the West and the United Nations.

Rajapaksa refused to investigate any alleged war crimes in the final phase of the conflict that ended in May 2009.

"The message is that, as the government is moving forward in implementing the U.N. resolution, it continues to respect the military and is not rejecting the military in any way," said Jehan Perera of the National Peace Council, an independent advocacy group.

Fonseka’s appointment signals that the government may protect senior military leaders "suspected of widespread abuses", rights group Human Rights Watch said this month.

Fonseka, 65, has rejected domestic and international allegations that he was responsible for war crimes during the final phase of the war against the Tamil Tigers and has said he is willing to testify in any international court.

He won a pardon from President Maithripala Sirisena last year after being convicted by Rajapaksa's government of offences ranging from corruption to engaging in politics in uniform.

Fonseka challenged Rajapaksa in the presidential election of 2010 and lost the election by 18 percentage points.

Rajapaksa's government accused him of planning a military coup and arrested him less than a month after his election defeat. Fonseka rejected the allegation.

Sentenced to 30 months in jail, he was released in May 2012. He headed a new opposition party while in jail and won a parliamentary seat in April 2010 elections, but was stripped of the post after his sentencing.

Fonseka's party backed Sirisena at the presidential polls in January last year.

(Reporting by Shihar Aneez and Ranga Sirilal; Editing by Clarence Fernand

SC Orders Colombo University To Appoint Racially Victimized Muslim Woman As Lecturer

February 25, 2016

In a landmark judgment delivered on Wednesday, the Supreme Court ordered the Colombo University to absorb Fathima Shanaz as a lecturer within the next two months, after university authorities reportedly refused to appoint her in 2011 on allegedly grounds of her ethnicity even though she obtained the highest score at the interview.

Fathima Shanas

Executive Director of the Center for Human Rights, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon told the Colombo Telegraph that everyone underwent a dark era in the past, where everything was suppressed and there was an increased presence of racism in the country which also affected the university system.

“But I am happy to announce that we have achieved a landmark victory yesterday, and this has been possible because of the independent judiciary in the country at present,” he said.

Fathima Shanaz said; “I state that there was no reason for the 28th Respondent (Ajantha Hapuarachchi) to make any statement against me. I am now aware that the 2nd Respondent Vice Chancellor (Prof. (Mrs.) Kshanika Hirimburegama) had expressed her displeasure in appointing a Muslim as a lecturer (Probationary) to the 1st Respondent University. At this stage the, the 27th Respondent had informed the 2nd Respondent that as far as he is aware my mother of is a Sinhalese Kandyian. In fact, a few days after the interview, the 28th Respondent had made inquiries from me about my parents and I explained to the 28th Respondent that both my parents were Muslims.”

In the ruling, Judges of the Supreme Court, Eva Wanasundera and Upaly Abeyratne stated that the Management Committee and the University Council of the Colombo University had deliberately withheld the appointment of the Petitioner, Fathima Shanaz who had been selected for the post of Lecturer (Probationary) of the Journalism Unit, and had therefore violated the fundamental rights of her.

Read More

Dayasiri flays SLC for retaining expensive lawyers

By Saman Indrajith-February 24, 2016, 10:01 pm 

Sports Minister Dayasiri Jayasekera told Parliament yesterday that Sri Lanka Cricket had obtained the services of private legal firms at an enormous cost though it could have obtained the same service free of charge from the Attorney General’s Department.

Chief Opposition Whip JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake demanded to know the exact amount of money spent by Sri Lanka Cricket on private legal firms.

Minister Jayasekera said that he did not have the figures at the moment, but he had initiated an inquiry and once it was over the House would be informed of the findings.

As the SLC had no legal division its officials had resorted to legal action according to their whims and fancies, the minister said.

Chief Opposition Whip Anura Kumara Dissanayake: They seem to have retained lawyers of their choice. We wonder whether they shared the spoils. Could you inquire into it and report to Parliament.

Minister Jayasekera: I will give a detailed report to the House at the next sitting.

Island-wide blackout lasting hours


2016-02-25
The entire country plunged into total darkness following a major power failure this afternoon and the Engineers of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) were struggling to detect the cause for the breakdown. 

Power and Renewable Energy Ministry Secretary Dr. Suren Batagoda said a disruption on the main line from Polpitiya in Lakshapana to the Kolonnawa main grid seemed to be the cause of island wide blackout experienced this afternoon. 

When asked whether the disruption of power was an act of sabotage Dr. Batagoda said he could not rule out such allegation as disruption of a single grid could not result in a countrywide blackout as each section has a respective protection system in place. 

Meanwhile, General Manager CEB M C Wickramasekara said the current findings on the technical side of the disruption of power could not be interpreted as sabotage or not. 

He said an initial technical report had revealed that the link between Polpitiya and Kolonnawa had been disrupted and that they are waiting for a full technical report to determine what exactly caused to the blackout. 

Questions were being asked whether the power failure which lasted more than two hours was an act of sabotage or a technical fault. 

Deputy General Manager – System Control of the CEB, H.D.S.Thimothius soon after the break down told the Daily Mirror that he was struggling to find the cause to the power failure and added the System Control branch was in the process of restoring the power gradually.

 “It could be due to a strike of lightening on one of our major generators or any other reason. The entire system has suffered a break down. We are right now in the process of restoring power section by section. It will take another two hours to restore power to the entire country,” Mr. Thimothius said around 4.00 pm today. 
Meanwhile, Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya has instructed Ministry Secretary Batagoda to appoint a committee to investigate the island wide power failure and report. (Sandun A Jayasekera, Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana and Darshana Sanjeewa)

Padeniya’s mafia hooligans demonstrate in Badulla against Harin and P.M. –bootlicking Rajapakse stooge identified

(Lanka-e-News- 25.Feb.2016,11.30PM) A group of officers of the GMOA staged a protest in front of the Badulla hospital against the statements  made by the prime minister (P.M.) and minister Harin Fernando which condemn the despicable and abominable actions of the mafia doctor Anurudha Padeniya of the GMOA which are most unbecoming to the medical profession.  To counter the protests of GMOA mafia group , another group which approved of the statements  of the P.M.  and minister Harin also staged demonstrations in front of the Badulla hospital.

 
When the situation reached snapping point with both groups nearly clashing , and the Bandarawela - Badulla route getting blocked , the anti riot squad and the auxilliary police force had to be  summoned .

The henchman of Padeniya and an ancestral Rajapakse lickspittle who ‘dragged’ the idling doctors to the street is in this photograph (within the circle) . The public should know who this scoundrel is – a scourge of society ….

Name : Palitha Rajapakse
Occupation :  Anaesthetist (officially) 
Most favorite occupation  (unofficially) : Cleansing the loin cloth of Padeniya until its stench is gone (even though he knows  it is   an impossible task !) ; threatening and intimidating doctors who resist Padeniya; and  controlling the transfers of Doctors in Uva province. 

Hobbies:
* Molesting female employees of the  hospital 

* Drunk all 24 hours of the day – a breathalyser test any time of the day will confirm.

* Robbing the sedative pethidine from the hospital warehouse and injecting it as aften as possible to overcome the addiction. 

* Having illegal firearms in his custody . Some years ago when he was driving in an inebriated condition his car knocked against a three wheeler transporting a monk. He had then brandished a firearm and threatened the three wheel driver and the monk . Even now there is a disciplinary inquiry on going against him in this connection , conducted by the medical board of SL. 

* While boasting he is related to Mahinda Rajapakse he threatens the hospital staff. 

---------------------------
by     (2016-02-25 18:35:08)

Derana Chairman Dilith Says TNL – Dialog Asia Cup Deal Is ‘Clean’

Chairman of Derana TV, Dilith Jayaweera

February 25, 2016

Amidst speculations that nepotism came in to play in Dialog TV awarding the telecasting rights of the T20 Asia Cup to TNL TV, the Chairman of the channel, Shan Wickremesinghe, has claimed that his channel received the telecasting rights from Dialog after several other television channels had turned down the offer made by Dialog.

Shan Wickremesinghe, brother of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghefurther noted that suddenly everyone is making a big fuss that TNL TV is telecasting the matches. “Call up and ask someone in Ratnapura if they can watch Rupavahini, CSN wasn’t available all over the country but no one spoke then,” he charged.

Wickremesinghe also added that it was his channel that telecasted the 1996 cricket World Cup which Sri Lanka won, as well as the Asian Football tournament among many other sports programmes.

“Dialog received the telecasting rights, and had approached several local television channels to show the matches, however these channels had declined and then we agreed to telecast it on TNL,” he said.

“There is no family involvement as speculated by some. If we had the backing of the government then we could have easily got about 500 advertisements. We have always had difficulties, and we continue to have difficulties, but I assure you there was no favouritism in awarding the telecasting rights to us by Dialog,” Wickremesinghe added.

Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Ravi Jayawardana

Meanwhile, Chairman of the state-run television, the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Ravi Jayawardana said that his channel made a direct offer to Star TV to obtain the telecasting rights, but it was not accepted, and it was instead given to Dialog TV.

“So we made an offer to Dialog since they don’t have terrestrial TV. But they have given it to TNL. However, we got exclusive rights for the ICC World Cup matches till 2019,” he told Colombo Telegraph.

Chairman of Derana TV, Dilith Jayaweera said that the deal between Dialog TV and TNL was a ‘clean deal’ and the Prime Minister had no involvement in Dialog awarding the telecasting rights to TNL. “I checked and double checked. It is a clean deal between dialog and TNL” he said.

Read More

Retired senior DIG Anura Senanayake to be arrested!

- Feb 25, 2016

After a lapse of four years, the Colombo magistrate ruled Thajudeen had been murdered, and the CID is investigating to arrest three policemen as per a court order to apprehend the suspects and produce them before courts, say reliable sources.

It was this same Colombo additional magistrate Nishantha Peiris, who gave the ruling today (25), that determined four years ago that Thajudeen died in a vehicle accident.

Despite the presence of adequate evidence to show Thajudeen had been killed, the magistrate had resorted to delaying tactics until 13 months had gone by since the ‘Yahapaalana’ government had come to power, which had posed a big question for the attorney general’s department, CID and the justice ministry.

With his ruling today, that question has been answered.

Now, there is a list of 16 suspects, and they will be arrested upon the establishment of the circumstantial evidence. The first to be arrested is retired senior DIG Anura Senanayake, who had been in charge of the investigation and is responsible for the disappearance of relevant case documents under his charge.

Also, the two HQIs of Kirulapone and Narahenpita police at the time of the murder on 17 May 2012, too, will be arrested, say the sources. Several of them have agreed to make statements at the magistrate’s chamber, the sources add.

Mahindananda's bank accounts to be probed

THURSDAY, 25 FEBRUARY 2016

Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya has ordered the CID to carry out a comprehensive investigation regarding an incident where former Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage had said to have illegally earned a large amount of money and assets by misappropriating state funds and assets. The Chief Magistrate ordered yesterday (24th) to get reports from local and foreign banks to help in the investigation.

The Chief Magistrate made this order when a complaint made to the CID by the convener of 'Voice Against Corruption'(VAC) JVP Member of North Central PC Wasantha Samarasinghe was taken up for inquiry.

The CID presented reports to Court stating the crime mentioned in the complaint could be tried under 'Money Laundering Act' and it has been revealed that former Minister of Sports Mahindananda Aluthgamage had deposited money earned through illegal means in local and foreign banks and he has also bought a large number of lands and assets with the money.

The CID has stated that statements regarding the crime have been taken from 16 persons and sought permission to inspect accounts that are in Mahindananda Aluthgamage's name in local and foreign banks.

The Chief Magistrate giving permission for the CID to inspect bank accounts ordered the CID to report the progress of the investigations.

Ending the Shame of Kosovo’s Rape Victims

Women sexually assaulted during Kosovo's war have been battling for recognition for nearly two decades. Now they’re on the brink of getting it – but to do so, they’ll have to overcome years of stigma.

 

 

BY KRISTEN CHICK-FEBRUARY 22, 2016

DRENAS, Kosovo — For nearly 17 years, K.T. has been living with a secret. In 1999, during the conflict in Kosovo, she was gang raped by Serbian forces.

When her son found out, she says, he had a question for her: “Why didn’t you ask them to kill you instead?”

If that was the reaction of her own family, what would the neighbors say? Fearing the humiliation, she suffered in silence. She says she tried to commit suicide. When she talks about that day, she still sometimes says it would have been better if she had been killed.

Thousands of survivors of the wartime sexual violence in Kosovo that took place when Serbia fought against an independence movement here in the late 1990s still suffer from stigma like K.T.. So it was a significant step when the country’s parliament moved in 2014 to recognize them as war victims, entitling them to a state pension, after years of refusing to acknowledge them. Nearly two years later, the government is expected to soon form the commission that will begin accepting applications.

The country is trying to avoid many of the stumbles that hindered similar laws in nearby Bosnia and Herzegovina, where poor design and implementation meant only a fraction of the victims were recognized and compensated. Kosovo officials spent more than a year designing an application and verification process that is — on paper — confidential, sensitive, and accessible. They consulted survivors, local organizations that work with victims, international experts, and representatives from Bosnia. The result has been roundly praised by local advocates who work with survivors.

Read More