UNP challenges Govt. to abolish 13-A using two thirds majority

The UNP yesterday challenged the government to use its two thirds majority in parliament and amend or abolish the 13th Amendment without threatening to do it while allowing the tense situation to develop into a catastrophe.
Senior UNPer Ravi Karunanayake said that if the Rajapaksa regime was convinced that the 13th Amendment was redundant in the post war era, the required two thirds majority was available, even though obtained against the peoples will and in the most unethical manner, to rectify what it has termed as an historical injustice.

It now appears that the Government intends to include BOTH its proposed changes to the 13A, in the 19th amendment

Government signals left and turns right on 13A
 

Since the government last week named its list of nominees to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to discuss the 13th Amendment (13A), the names omitted from the list have become a hotter topic of conversation and speculation, than those in it. Two important coalition partners — the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) have been left out. No explanation has been forthcoming as to the reasons for these glaring omissions.

Presidential Commission of Inquiry to begin sittings within next fortnight

Still a mystery:
The Matale mass grave unearthed
last year

BASL, JVP voice concern over transfer of Matale Magistrate who was hearing the case
The Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe the Matale mass graves, will begin sittings within the next two weeks, Commission head, retired Supreme Court Judge Justice S.I. Imam said.

The three-member Commission of Inquiry appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday, has been asked to submit a report within six months. Its other members are ex- Parliament Secretary General Dhammika Kithulgoda and retired High Court Judge Bandula Atapattu.

TNA, SLMC map counter measures, as govt moves to curtail powers of PCs

UPFA constituent, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are in the process of building a common front to thwart government move to curtail the powers of the provincial councils ahead of the first northern provincial council election scheduled for September.
SLMC General Secretary Hassen Ali (National List MP) and TNA National List MP M. A. Sumanthiran said that their objective was to build a coalition against those bent on diluting the 13th Amendment. They were speaking to The Island after having bilateral talks at SLMC headquarters, ‘Darussalam’ on Thursday night to decide on counter-measures.

13 A: Presidet's maneuverability is being tested and his options are becoming fewer

Vishnuguptha

“Winston Smith: Does Big Brother exist?
 O’Brien: Of course he exists.
 Winston Smith: Does he exist like you or me?
 O’Brien: You do not exist. ”
― George Orwell



It’s time that the Government and all other political parties and fringe groups realized that holding the elections for the Northern Province would eventually benefit not only the Province in question, but also the country at large and its people. Those who occupy the threshold don’t seem to have any place other than the threshold; they will keep in between extremes without having any pivotal role to play. Politics does not flow like that, other than in Sri Lanka whose leaders have never failed to sustain their own parochial thinking and take an unsuspecting mass of voters along a very destructive path.

SLMC chellenges President to remove them form the Govt over 13 A

Up to President to remove us – Hasan Ali 
The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), one of the constituent parties of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), will not pull out from the Alliance or the government, despite it not being appointed to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to make amendments to the 13th Amendment.
"We will not be leaving the Alliance or the government, despite not being appointed to the PSC; it is up to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the government to sack us," SLMC General Secretary, M.T. Hasan Ali, told Ceylon Today yesterday.

Pillaiyan vows to protect 13A l will join with TNA if necessary

Former Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) and Presidential Adviser on Eastern Provincial Affairs, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillaiyan, said his Party, the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), would even join hands with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to protect the 13th Amendment.
Chandrakanthan, speaking at a cultural event in Koralaippattu in Batticaloa, on Tuesday (26), said moves to dilute the 13th Amendment to the Constitution could not be allowed.

13 A: India’s decisive response to oppose any dilution of the 13 A is morally necessary and politically imperative

N.Sumanthiran

The Government of Sri Lanka recently revealed its agenda to further restrict minority freedoms and autonomy in the country. It seeks to: (1) repeal constitutional provisions granting people the freedom to determine administrative boundaries (2) amend the Constitution, so as to permit the Central government to freely and arbitrarily legislate on provincial matters — even without the consent of the people of a particular province and (3) remove altogether provincial powers over land and police.

President gives in to Saffron army Ravana Balaya

President Rajapaksa Promises Sinhala Ravaya That New Legislation to Ban Killing of Cows Will be Introduced in Two Months
Dharisha Bastians
Last Wednesday, police officials paid a visit to the beef stall at the Bambalapitiya Market on Galle Road. They had a polite warning for the beef vendors at the market. The Sinhala Ravaya and Ravana Balaya march would pass through the Galle Road in Colombo early next week, they said, and the best way to avoid unruly incidents was for the beef stalls to shut their doors on that day.

CAPCS demands abolishing of PCs ahead of Northern poll

General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena Ven Galagodatte Gnanasara thera addressing yesterday’s press conference. Also in the picture are Ven Hadigalle Wimalasara Thera, Ven Rajawatte Vappa Thera, Jagath Sumathipala of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, Prof Pandula Andagama of Hela Deya Wadanno organization, Bandula Chandrasekera of the National Intellectuals’ Council and representatives of other member organizations of the Collective for the Abolition of the Provincial Councils System.

Ruling coalition partner MEP wants 13 A repealed.

Devolution of political and land powers to district units would be a viable option instead of the Provincial Council system, the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) led by Minister Dinesh Gunawardane said today
 Reiterating the call for the abrogation of the provincial council system, Minister Gunwardane said that the proposed bill to repeal two provisions of the 13th Amendment should be enacted in Parliament and all the parties had a national responsibility in this exercise.

SLFP decides; wants to retain 13A with amendments .

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) making its stance on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution for the first time, today said that it sought amendments to key provisions of the 13th Amendment and would await a decision regarding it through the Parliament Select Committee.

At a SLFP group meeting today presided over by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the government’s main constituent party had agreed that the legislation would not be done away in its entirety sources said.

MR says APRC will be basis for PSC ;( But its chairperson left out ).

Dr. Vitharana Left out

The President during a meeting with the leaders of the leftist parties yesterday , had said the basis of the Parliamentary Select Committee process would be the recommendations of the All Party Representatives Commission (APRC) headed by Prof. Tissa Vitharana,
The President had explained this when making a presentation with regard to the 13th Amendment to the leaders of the leftist parties, with the participation of representatives of “state agencies”, sources said.

South Indian activist deported for conducting a workshop for widows in Jaffna

No tourist visas for NGO activists
A Non-Governmental Organization headquartered in Colombo, is under investigation for inviting South Indian women activists for projects in the northern and eastern districts as well as Puttalam.
Security sources told The Island yesterday that on the invitation of an NGO called Viluthu, several activists, including Sharifa Khanam and Ester Devakumari had conducted programmes here in the recent past.

Human Rights Commission to amend its Act in order to file contempt of court cases

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) is to submit a draft of amendments to the Human Rights Commission Act before cabinet to empower the commission to file contempt of court cases before High Courts against public officers who did not comply with the commission’s recommendations.

From the the group of anti-US and West Heads of State, only Rajapaksa remains in the world political stage

Lessons Mahinda can learn from Ahmadinejad

In recent times Mahinda Rajapaksa has been continuously assailed by bad news about his erstwhile friends in the international arena; the latest casualty being Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Due to the two-term restriction imposed by the Iranian Constitution, Ahmadinejad was prevented from seeking another turn at the Presidency. Making things worse for him is the candidate who secured a resounding victory, is an American and Western friendly reformist.

Like all half cooked and warmed up food, 13A seems to have finished its shelf life

Nine Lives of Sri Lanka’s Thirteenth Constituional AmendmentCol R Hariharan
Indian Ministry of External Affairs took the unusual step of issuing a strong press statement cautioning Sri Lanka not to dilute the 13th Amendment (13A) at the end of a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation’s meetings with Indian leadership including the Prime Minister on June 19, 2013. It was in response in to Colombo’s hectic moves to dismantle the constitutional provision of 13A that confers a level of autonomy to Tamil minority. If 13A is abolished it would not only be negation of the promises President Rajapaksa made to the nation and India but it would set the clock back on the national reconciliation process that is stalled at the start line since 2009.

Southern and Sabaragamuwa PCs adopt amendments to 13A

Sabaragamuwa and Southern Provincial Councils have approved the Government proposal to amend the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
The amendments approved relate to doing away with the provision which enabled two or more provinces to amalgamate and rescind the requirement that the consent of all Provincial Councils is necessary for the passage of legislation coming under the purview of Provincial Councils.

Mahinda Rajapaksa’s ‘bright ideas’: self censorship instead of imposed ethics

Kath Noble
Mahinda Rajapaksa has had another bright idea. A few weeks ago, he got one of his hangers-on in the ‘public service’ to float a draft code of ethics for journalists, which he no doubt expected to prove useful in strengthening formal mechanisms of control of the Fourth Estate. Unfortunately for him, the document was so flawed that even his hangers-on in the media could find nothing positive to say about it.

Pillaiyan joins pro-13A camp

Former Chief Minister of the Eastern Province and Adviser to the President on Eastern Affairs, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillaiyan, said the 13th Amendment to the Constitution should not be allowed to be weakened by introducing changes to it. The former EPC Chief Minister was addressing a gathering at a cultural event in Koralaippattu in the Batticaloa District yesterday.

Presiding judge of the judicial inquiry into the Matale mass grave suddenly transferd

Matale mass grave

Crisis in the Judiciary? 
A major judicial crisis is brewing, consequent to the sudden transfer of the Magistrate for Matale, Chathurika de Silva. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), yesterday expressed displeasure over the sudden transfer of the presiding judge of the judicial inquiry into the Matale mass grave, Magistrate Chaturika de Silva, from Matale.

The Politics of the 13th Amendment and Election to the Northern Provincial Council: The Stakes Involved - perspective form the Left

Surendra Ajit Rupasinghe:
The constitutional assault on the 13A is the follow up to the military conquest and occupation and political subjugation of the Tamil Nation by the Sri Lankan State commanded by the Rajapakse Regime. The legal and constitutional denial of any form of nationhood and statehood to the Tamil people cohabiting historically in the North-East is the singular objective behind the mounting assault on the 13A. This assault is to constitutionally declare the nullification of the political and legal status of the Tamil Nation and establish the undivided and undisputed supremacy of the Sinhala-Buddhist Nation throughout the Land.

Is India party to Sri Lanka’s refusal of power to the Tamils? Only India’s deeds, not words, can answer this critical question.

Sri Lanka doesn’t want to accept the cultural and ethnical identity of the North and the East: Reuters

Pramod Kumar

The bitter voices against the provincial council election in the North of Sri Lanka, which is home to majority of the country’s Tamils, betray yet another treacherous design of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to further marginalise Tamils and homogenise the country into a Sinhala Buddhist nation.

Minister Mervyn Behind Kelaniya Crimes

Minister and a crime boss

Nirmala Kannangara
Following revelations on how former DIG Vass Gunawardena extorted money from the Parliamentary Affairs Secretary to Minister Mervyn Silva to avoid taking action against him for the possession of heroin and firearms; concrete evidence has now emerged as to how Minister Silva is having close associations with underworld thugs.
Sarath Edirisinghe alias Singappuru Sarath was the then Parliamentary Affairs Secretary to Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva. He was allegedly connected to many murders, extortions, prostitution and drug peddling with the assistance of the Minister. Although Singappuru Sarath was remanded for an alleged murder, he was later taken as a state witness and was granted bail within a few weeks all because of Mervyn Silva’s connections.

Sri Lanka still a failed state: Rank 28, behind Nepal and Bangladesh

Sri Lanka’s ranking among failed states has deteriorated, based on the findings published in the annual Foreign Policy and Fund of Peace report.
The report puts Sri Lanka at 28th position as compared to 29 in the 2012 report. Somalia is the number 1 failed state while Bangladesh and Nepal are better than Sri Lanka with rankings of 29 and 30.

UK deeply disappointed about lack of legal action on Tangalle murder

The UK expressed its deep disappointment at the fact that trial proceedings have not yet commenced on the murder of British citizen Khuram Shaikh and the assault on his partner Victoria in Tangalle even 18 months after the incident.
The statement released by the British High Commission in Colombo read that the High Commission continues to call for the perpetrators to be brought to justice.

SLMC peeved at being excluded from PSC

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is infuriated over the government's failure to appoint one of its nominees to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), despite the Party being one of the constituent partners of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance ( UPFA), with a Cabinet Minister, a Deputy and eight MPs.
The PSC appointed by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa is led by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and includes ruling party members Ministers Prof. G. L. Peiris, Maithripala Sirisena,

Fishermen alarmed by Chinese vessels under Lankan flag

Fishermen’s organisations and boat owners in Kerala are wringing their hands over Sri Lankan government’s recent decision to let more than a dozen Chinese fishing vessels to operate under the island country’s flag under an arrangement called ‘distant water fishing’.
The arrangement lets a country’s fishing fleet to scoop up marine wealth from another country’s exclusive economic zone for money.

Military ordered government offcials not ot attend a seminar organised by Mannar Civil Society

The Mannar Citizens Committee (MCC) is one  of the long standing civil bodies in the district of Mannar  in Northern Sri Lanka, consisting of respectable and leading citizens of the Mannar district. On 1 June Army HQ in Mannar ordered government officials not to attend a seminar organised by the MMC on Land issues among other topics. This is a clear indication of military rule prevailing in the Mannar, as well as in whole Northern Province.

13 A:Tthe media communiqué by inida was pretty much plain talking

A bit of arm twisting by India may be good for Colombo 
Two weeks back, during a Cabinet meeting, as some of his Cabinet Ministers exchanged verbal barbs over the proposed changes to the 13th Amendment, President Rajapaksa, who had been quietly listening to the heated exchange of words, broke the silence to remind them that he knows how to obtain the required two-thirds majority, in order to pass the proposed amendments, if he wishes to do so.

Sri Lanka withdraws controversial press code

Add caption

 COLOMBO (AFP) - Sri Lanka's president has scrapped a contentious code of conduct for journalists after editors and rights groups condemned it as a further blow to press freedom, government and media sources said Sunday.

President Mahinda Rajapakse ordered his information ministry not to proceed with the proposed code of conduct bill, but instead leave it in the hands of senior editors to update their own code of ethics.
"The government will not go ahead with the code," a senior information ministry official told AFP on Sunday.
"The president met with editors on Friday and discussed the issue. They may or may not use elements of our draft," he added on condition of anonymity.

The height of hypocrisy – the Code of Media Ethics

S.L.Gunasekara
 
I had the doubtful ‘pleasure’ of reading the document entitled “The Code of Media Ethics” circulated among various media institutions by the Ministry of Mass Media and Information which left me with two choices – to laugh or to cry. As it happened, I did neither.

So furious was I that this Government in which I once had so much faith could resort to this kind of tomfoolery and actually believe that the people were such absolute imbeciles that they would fall for it that I, for once in my life, was left speechless.

Germany protests arrest of its NGO chief here

Germany has strongly protested over the arrest of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation’s Sri Lanka branch chief, Nora Langanbacher.  The German-Government-funded NGO has been functioning in Sri Lanka for more than 30 years. A statement of protest from the Foreign Office in Berlin follows a meeting between German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris in Berlin on June 13 — the same day the NGO head was arrested and taken into fiscal custody.

Lanka, Canada in diplomatic dispute over ambassadors

Sri Lanka and Canada, which is calling upon member nations to boycott the Commonwealth summit in Colombo, are locked in a diplomatic wrangle over posting of envoys to their respective capitals. The Canadian External Affairs Ministry, diplomatic sources said yesterday, had placed on hold the agreemo to post Esala Weerakoon as Sri Lanka’s new High Commissioner in Canada. He is now Deputy Ambassador to the United States.

Human Rights Defender Nimalka Fernando harassed, heckled and threatened by Sri Lankan Embassy officials in Japan

THE INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT AGAINST ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AND RACISM (IMADR) Japan has condemned roundly the harassment of a Sri Lankan Human Rights Defender Dr. Nimalka Fernando by Sri Lankan Embassy staff in Tokyo. Fernando was heckled and interrupted during a seminar lecture delivered by her . Embassy staff also followed her and tried to intimidate and threaten her not only during her speech but afterwards when she was leaving the venue.
The full statement follows:

Govt Partner TMVP Front “Dravida Senai” Suspected of Burning Muslim Establishment at Urukaamam in Batticaloa District

D.B.S.Jeyaraj
A Muslim owned business establishment at Urukaamam in the Eastern Batticaloa district was subjected to an arson attack on Thursday June 20th 2013. A provision store cum eatery owned and run by Mr.Seeni Mouhammadu Fareed near the main street junction in Urukaamam was burnt down by an “unknown”gang at about 10. 30 pm on Thursday.  The small building was completely gutted with the furniture and goods inside. A three wheeler parked inside the premises was also destroyed.

Attacks on Muslims in the East continue unabated

The Muslims in Ki’n’niyaa have questioned the credibility of the ruling UPFA’s action in awarding chief minister portfolio to a Muslim politician in Ki’n’niyaa, Mr Najeeb Abdul Majeed, even while unleashing the notorious Special Task Force (STF) elite commandos on Muslim villagers from Kuddik-Karaichchi on Tuesday evening after a dispute between the SL police and Muslim villagers involved in transporting wood from a nearby forest. The STF personnel deployed had fired tear gas and opened fire threatening the villagers who protested and a tense situation prevails still in the area following the violent episode.

Leftist parties to boycott PSC on 13 A

The leftist parties of the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) have decided to boycott the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) on removing land and police powers devolved to the Provincial Councils.
A spokesman for the leftist alliance said they have been informed by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) that they too will not be participating in the PSC.

No need for PSC to scrap 13-A - JVP

The JVP yesterday claimed that the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to change the 13th Amendment to the Constitution was not necessary and therefore it would therefore boycott it.
JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that they would however be ready to discuss it openly if the government announces its stance on the 13th Amendment.

Fulfil commitment to Sri Lankan Tamils, CPI(M) urges PM Manmohan Singh

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has urged India to play a proactive diplomatic role in discharging its commitment for a future for the Sri Lankan Tamil community marked by equality, justice and self-respect as committed in the 13th Amendment.

TMVP Front “Dravida Senai” Suspected of Burning Muslim Establishment at Urukaamam in Batticaloa District

D.B.S.Jeyaraj
A Muslim owned business establishment at Urukaamam in the Eastern Batticaloa district was subjected to an arson attack on Thursday June 20th 2013. A provision store cum eatery owned and run by Mr.Seeni Mouhammadu Fareed near the main street junction in Urukaamam was burnt down by an “unknown”gang at about 10. 30 pm on Thursday. The small building was completely gutted with the furniture and goods inside. A three wheeler parked inside the premises was also destroyed.

Speaker names PSC on propose changes to the constitution: No opposition members

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa today named a 19 member Parliament Select Committee (PSC) to propose changes to the constitution.The PSC will be led by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, and includes Minister G.L Peiris, Maithipala Sirisena, W.D.J Seniviratne, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Douglas Devananda, Susil Premjayanth, A.L.M. Athaulla, D.E.W Gunasekera, Rishard Badurdeen, Champika Ranawaka, Wimal Weerawanse, Basil Rajapaksa, Lakshman Seniviratne, Vasudeva Nanayakaara, Muttu Sivalingham, Sudarshini Fernandopulle and Janaka Bandara.

President appoint a Commission on Matale grave

President Mahinda Rajapaksa today announced the appointment of a special commission to investigate the Matale mass grave. President’s secretary Lalith Weeratunga said that the commission will be led by former Justice S.I. Imam, Retired High Court Judge Bandula Atapattu and former Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Kitulgoda. Weeratunga told media heads at a breakfast meeting that the commission has been asked to investigate all angles into the mass grave.

Sri Lanka not meeting minimum standards for elimination of human trafficking - US report

June 20, Washington, DC: Although the Government of Sri Lanka is making significant efforts to eliminate human trafficking it does not fully comply with the minimum standards and failed to demonstrate evidence of increasing overall efforts to address human trafficking last year, a US report on human trafficking said.
The 2013 Trafficking in Persons Report released Wednesday by the United States Secretary of State John Kerry has placed Sri Lanka among Tier 2 Watch List countries.

"Boycotting Sri Lankan goods, Sri Lankan Airlines & Sri Lankan cricket" - TGTE

Inspired by: Mahathma Gandhi led Indian Freedom struggle’s Boycott of British Goods; South African anti- Apartheid boycott campaign & Martin Luther King’s Bus boycott against discrimination of blacks in the US.
 Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) is initiating a worldwide campaign of boycott, divestment and sanction (BDS) against Sri Lanka.
This boycott campaign will be against Sri Lankan goods, Sri Lankan Airlines, and Sri Lankan cricket, among others.

No amendments to 13 A before the Northern PC election; Amendments only through PSC

Media Minister explains about constitutional amendments.
The 13th Amendment to the constitution and the Indo Lanka Agreement were imposed on the country without the consent of the people.  However, the sovereignty of the people is supreme.  Therefore, the government has focused the attention on bringing in certain amendments to the 13th amendment as it suits to the country in the present situation.

Eleven indictments against BBS head Gnanasara Thera

General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena, Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera today rejected 11 indictments filed by the Attorney General, for carrying out an attack on Calvary Church, Araliya Place, Talahena.
The Thera denied his involvement when the case was taken up for hearing by Colombo High Court Judge, Shiran Gunaratne.

13 A amendment: India to dispatch Menon

Shivshankar Menon

India is to send National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon to Sri Lanka next month for talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and other government officials.
The meeting will take place amidst the backdrop of moves by the government to repeal the 13th Amendment to the constitution. According to the Uthayan newspaper, Menon is expected in Colombo on July 7 to discuss bilateral and regional issues including the 13th Amendment to the constitution.

13 A: No sign of Urgent Bill and New Delhi steps in

No sign of Urgent Bill
But Tuesday swung around and the ‘Urgent Bill’ to revise the 13th Amendment was not presented in Parliament. No discussion was held on the Parliamentary Select Committee that was also supposed to be set up by Tuesday. Instead JHU MP Athuraliye Rathana Thero submitted a Private Member’s Bill, entitled strangely the ‘21st Amendment to the Constitution,’ seeking the repeal of the 13th Amendment in toto. Seconding the motion by Rathana Thero was UNP MP Palitha Range Bandara who has been suspended from his party for refusing to follow its directives.

Muslim Photographer Attacked by Marching Sinhala Ravaya Protesters at Gandara in Matara District

D.B.S.Jeyaraj
Another incident of anti-Muslim violence has occurred in the Southern province of Sri Lanka during the course of the protest march being conducted by the Sinhala Ravaya from Kataragama/Kathirkaamam to Colombo.
Preliminary reports indicate that a Muslim photographer authorised by the Police to record the Sinhala March had been assaulted with the Police doing nothing to stop it.

PCs won’t have police powers; Govt. has told India - Gota

Defence Secretary gives a new interpretation to 13 +
India had been informed of Sri Lanka’s decision not to devolve police powers to provinces at the height of the conflict, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said yesterday.
The Defence Secretary said that both, President Mahinda Rajapaksa and he, had emphasised during deliberations with senior Indian officials that devolution of police powers would be inimical to the national interest as well as political stability. "We made our position clear during talks involving top level delegations from Sri Lanka and India", he told The Island.

TMVP/ Pillayan is against changes to the 13th Amendment

The Leader of the T,.M.T.P party and the Member of the Eastern Provincial Council Sivanathurai Chandrakanthan has had a central committee meeting to discuss about  the 13th amendment. It was unanimously agreed that amendments or to withdrawals of powers they are not agreeable.

British Tamil Forum rejects any political solution based on the 13th amendment

Tamils reject any political solution based on the 13th amendment – it neither addresses the root cause of the conflict nor safeguards the Tamil national interest on the island.
The 13th Amendment to the constitution, entrenched in the unitary state-centric model, cannot address the legitimate aspirations of the Tamil speaking people in Sri Lanka.

Jehova’s Witnesses Christians “Arrested” and Threatened by Ravana Balaya Activists in Colombo Suburb

D.B.S.JeyarajA group of Christians belonging to the denomination known as Jehova’s Witnesses became the target of the ethno religious fascist organization “Ravana Balaya” (Ravana force)on Sunday June 16th 2013 at Mulleriyawa on the eastern outskirts of Colombo city.
The Ravana Balaya is an extremist organization comprising members of the Buddhist clergy and laity named after the mythological ten headed demon king of ancient Lanka,Ravana.

Meeting with TNA: Manmohan concerned at reports on Colombo’s move to dilute 13th Amendment

For the first time since the end of the military annihilation of the LTTE in May 2009, and a raging debate within Sri Lanka on the way to go about redressing the political and social grievances of the island nation’s Tamils, India has expressed dismay over reports suggesting that Colombo is mulling over a review of the key issues related to devolution of powers to the provinces.

JHU presents 21st Amendment to the Constitution to abolish 13 A

The JHU yesterday presented a Private Member’s Bill to Parliament to abolish the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
It was presented by JHU Parliamentarian Ven. Aturaliye Ratana and is titled the Twenty First Amendment to the Constitution. The bill was seconded by UNP Puttalam District MP Palitha Range Bandara.

Ekneligoda abducted by an 'organized group' - MoD

UNP Kalutara District MP, Ajith P. Perera, yesterday told Parliament he was informed by the Ministry of Defence there was evidence to prove Prageeth Ekneligoda had been abducted by an organized group. MP Perera, participating in the debate on Parliamentary Scholarship Board (Repeal) Bill, said he was also informed by the ministry that the abductors of Ekneligoda have not been identified yet.

From devolution to the deep blue sea

FUTURE IRONY: The simmering agitation in Tamil Nadu against President Rajapaksa
may well be the gift he needs for re-election for a third term. Photo: M. Moorthy

Dayan Jayatilleka

8

By pitching their political ambitions higher than the Sri Lankan constitution’s existing provisions on provincial autonomy under the 13th amendment, Tamil nationalists have played into the hands of Sinhalese hardliners

Buddhist extremist kangaroo court Ravana Balaya excerts hatred on evangelical Christian group .

Sri Lanka's Buddhist extremist Ravana Balaya organization which is raising its head as a kangaroo court style terror squad today rounded up a group of evangelical Christians that were distributing a religious magazine in the outskirts of Colombo city and handed over them to the police.
 The group of persons that came under the threat of the Buddhist monks of the Ravana Balaya was Jehovah's Witnesses who were distributing the Sinhala version of an international magazine called 'Awake!.

New Delhi “Advises” Colombo to Refrain From “Hasty”Changes to 13th Constitutional Amendment.

 D.B.S.Jeyaraj
The Sri Lankan Government headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been “advised” by the Government of India led by Prime minister Manmohan Singh to refrain from undertaking any rushed moves to make hasty changes to laws relating to the Thirteenth Amendment in the Sri Lankan Constitution.
The 13th Constitutional amendment enacted in September 1987 was introduced in consultation with India as a result of the India-Sri Lanka agreement signed by Rajiv Gandhi and JR jayewardena on July 29th 2013.

India to convey its view on S Lanka's 13th Amendment after consideration

PTI  
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said India would convey its views on alleged attempts by political parties in Sri Lanka to repeal the 13th Amendment to its Constitution, after considering its implications.


"While this is a matter on which a decision will be taken by various political parties within Sri Lanka, we will certainly consider its implications and make known to the Sri Lankan authorities our views in the matter," Singh said in a letter to DMK chief M Karunanidhi.

‘Coerce’ Sri Lanka to politically empower the Sri Lankan Tamils ' BJP

BJP bats for Lankan Tamils
Chennai:The state unit of the BJP has asked the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre to ‘coerce’ Sri Lanka to politically empower the Sri Lankan Tamils so as to enable them live with dignity and respect in the island nation.
According to BJP sources, the Centre’s inaction is sending a wrong message across that India is not keen on protesting the Tamils in Lanka. “We want political empowerment for the Lankan Tamils as per the 13th Amendment and the Centre should strongly work towards this goal,” said BJP’s state president Pon Radhakrishnan. 

Why Christian persecution is worrisome in Sri Lanka

Francis Xavier’s Catholic Church
at Angulana attacked on 6th June 2013

World Evangelical Alliance
Four years after its military victory over Tamil Tigers, Sri Lanka appears to be seeking to establish social and political supremacy of the Sinhala Buddhist majority within a unitary state, instead of bringing about reconciliation. And this post-war resurgence of nationalism no longer threatens only the Tamil ethnic minority, but also religious minorities, particularly Christians and Muslims.
While attacks on Muslims have hit the headlines in some foreign media in recent months, the increasing incidence of Christian persecution has received little attention internationally.

30 temples, 25 churches remain damaged in Ki'linochchi

Even after four years have passed, More than 30 Saiva temples are found either destroyed or damaged in the three divisions of Ki'linochchi district, informed sources in Ki'linohchi told TamilNet on Saturday. In one division alone, 24 churches have been damaged during the war, according to civil sources in Ki'linochchi. In one of the division, Poonakari, two churches (St. Mary's Church and Our Lady of Refuge Church) were fully destroyed while 22 other churches have been partially damaged in Poonakri (Pooneryn). 

Abductions of Ramasamay Prabhakaran and Poddala Jayantha - Was DIG Vass G. Involved?

 Disgraced DIG Vass is only the tip of the iceberg
The downfall of DIG Vass Gunawardena, once a star crime buster, known for his special relationship with the powers that be in the defence establishment is interesting, not so much for the extent of his alleged involvement in a myriad of killings and extortions, but for the strange reason that his political bosses and quasi-political bosses, especially, in the defence establishment, have let him down.
But those within the defence circles should know that investigating DIG Gunawardana would tantamount to opening a can of worms.

The judiciary must be totally free from executive pressure or influence and must be fiercely independent: BASL President

Mr. Jayasuriya

Some weeks ago, when a ceremonial sitting was held to welcome the new Supreme Court judge Rohini Perera-Marasinghe, the BASL President was not invited. This, lawyers say, is a breach of time-honoured traditions because normally it is the BASL that welcomes a new judge to the superior courts and sends out the invitations. But in the aftermath of the crisis of the independence of the judiciary, it appears that this tradition has been overturned by the Supreme Court but the Court of Appeal stuck to the tradition and invited the BASL President Upul Jayasuriya and requested him to ceremonially welcome the new judge Malini Gunatatne. Excerpts from Mr. Jayasuriya’s speech.

Opposition UNP warns that they will complain to UN HRC if investigation failed

Funeral of two fishermen killed

Attempted assault on Ranil, attack on UNP councillors under investigation Two separate investigations are under way over the attempted assault on Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and the attack on two UNP local council members this week as they prepared to visit families whose members had been killed by last Saturday’s storm.

Ruling party politico orders lady teacher to kneel in class

NWP Provincial Councillor remanded; more cases of lawlessness by ruling party members
A UPFA Provincial Councillor who allegedly ordered a teacher to kneel because she admonished his daughter for wearing short dresses has been remanded. North Western Provincial Councillor Ananda Sarath Kumar was arrested in Anamaduwa, produced before Puttalam’s Acting Magistrate Mohammed Iqbal and remanded till tomorrow.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa : Present National Security Concerns of Sri Lanka

Gotabaya Chithanaya for national security 

There are several potential threats in today's context that Sri Lanka needs to be concerned about. These include:

• The possible re-emergence of terrorism
• The emergence of other extremist groups
• The creation of ethnic divisions and communal violence
• The challenges of maritime security and border control
• The growth of organised crime
• Foreign interference in domestic affairs
• Non-traditional threats through technology driven new media, including social media.

Former War Zone Craves Democracy

Analysis by Amantha Perera   

COLOMBO, Jun 14 2013 (IPS) - For the first time since Sri Lanka’s 30-year-long civil conflict drew to a bloody finish in May 2009, casting an eerie hush over the Northern Province that had grown accustomed to the sounds of war, there is a buzz in the air generated by the prospect of provincial elections that hold the promise of radical change.

Though it is yet to be announced formally, political circles in the capital, Colombo, are fixed on the prospect of an election in September.

A DIG’s undoing : Large number of other crimes had been committed by the same group

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), while conducting investigations into the abduction and murder of businessman, Mohamed Shiyam, has found two pieces of synthetic coir rope, two pieces of hair and a piece of cotton cloth in the pick-up truck belonging to the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD), which have been used for the abduction and killing.

Dilution of the 13A will increase the danger of separatism The socialist alliance

DEW, Vasu, Tissa oppose Govt. proposals to dilute 13A in writing
The socialist alliance within the ruling UPFA coalition yesterday submitted a cabinet memorandum laying out their reasons to oppose the Government’s moves to revise and dilute the provisions of the 13th Amendment. The Memo was submitted by Ministers D.E.W. Gunasekera, Tissa Vitarana and Vasudeva Nanayakkara of the Communist Party, the LSSP and the Democratic Left Front respectively.

SRI LANKA: The arrest of Vaas Gunawardena and the descent into rulelessness

A Statement from the Asian Human Rights Commission

The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Vass Gunawardena is now in remand custody while an inquiry into the conspiracy to murder a businessman for pay is ongoing. Even as he is being interrogated he was reported in the television network, Suwarnawa Hini, in its programme on Mulpituwe (Front Page, which is a commentary on leading newspaper stories), as telling the investigating police officers that he is a murderer and that he "will take his revenge when he returns".

13 A: Right to merge provinces to be repealed; SLMC to handover objections

The Cabinet today approved to do away with the powers enabling provincial councils to merge. Minister of Mass Media and Information, Keheliya Rambukwella stated that a special bill in this regard will be introduced soon.

The Cabinet on June 06 proposed to repeal the President’s right to proclaim the merger of provinces under the 13th amendment. 

Soldier who raped 6-year-old in Nedunkerni, Vanni identified

The soldier, who had allegedly raped a girl, just 6 years and 8 months old, at Nedunkerni, Jaffna, was identified by witnesses and the victim at the Vavuniya Magistrate's Court, recently.
The soldier was attached to an Army camp at Nedunkerni.

Committee appointed to probe NGOs

The government has appointed a special Board of Intellectuals to probe charges and allegations being made against NGOs and their operations. Subsequent to this it has been made compulsory for all NGOs operating in the country to register themselves with the Office for the Registration of Non Governmental Organizations.
This step is being taken to ‘thwart certain NGOs from hatching conspiracies to effect regime change by engaging in politics in the guise of doing social work in the country.

13th Amendment dilution bid by Lanka worries India

ENS - NEW DELHI
 India is deeply worried about the seemingly determined efforts being made by the Sri Lankan government to dilute provisions of the 13th Amendment, a key to reach a political settlement with Sri Lankan Tamils, thus casting a shadow over the credibility of the forthcoming Northern Provincial elections there.
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leaders have already said publicly that they will boycott the elections to the Northern Provinces if there is any dilution of powers of the provincial councils, as envisaged through the proposals of the Sri Lankan government.

Rising Muslim-Buddhist tensions in Sri Lanka

Photo: Contributor/IRIN

Muslims make up 9 percent of the population

(IRIN) - An increasing number of Muslim Sri Lankans, who make up around 9 percent of the population, are feeling uneasy amid fears of growing sectarian tensions, say local people and observers.

“We just don’t feel we belong here any more,” Fadhil Ahamed, who works in a food store in Colombo, told IRIN. “I had a shop where I sold halal food, but several Buddhist monks who were aligned with a government politician told me not to sell halal food as this was a Sinhalese Buddhist country.”

US wants accountability in Lanka

The United Sates says it is looking for Sri Lanka to proceed with accountability and genuine reconciliation and will be watching “very carefully” to decide what steps may be necessary to be taken again at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Speaking at a press briefing at the UN headquarters in New York yesterday (Tuesday) US Ambassador at Large on War Crimes Issues, Stephen J. Rapp said that the US was pleased to note that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay will be visiting Sri Lanka in August.
The US had submitted two resolutions on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC over the last two years, both which were adopted by a majority.

Top Sri Lanka police officer held over 'contract killing'

Vaas Gunawardena is already a controversial figure in Sri Lanka

One of Sri Lanka's most senior police officers has been arrested under terrorism laws over the murder of a businessman in Colombo.

Deputy Inspector-General Vaas Gunawardena has been given a 90-day detention order.

He is suspected of involvement in the alleged contract killing of Mohamed Shiyam in Colombo three weeks ago.

Muslim Congress Parliamentary Group Unanimously Resolves to Oppose Govt Moves to Amend 13th Constitutional Amendment

Hakeem cornered

D.B.S.JEYARAJ
President Rajapaksa’s proposed move to bring about urgent legislation to amend the Thirteenth Constitutional Amendment and circumscribe devolution suffered a major setback as the Government’s chief Muslim constituent party has resolved to oppose such arbitrary and ad hoc attempts to make Constitutional changes.

India seeks urgent meeting with TNA

The Indian government has sought an urgent meeting with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on the 13th Amendment to the constitution, the Uthayan newspaper owned by TNA MP E. Sarawanabavan reported today.
Accordingly a TNA delegation led by TNA leader R. Sampanthan will head to New Delhi next week to meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and others in the government.

Shower of stones at Opposition Leader's convoy during Balapitiya visit .

 Police today prevented a pro-government mob setting upon Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as he toured the Balapitiya area visiting families whose members had been killed in Saturday’s stormy weather conditions at sea.
 So far over 50 persons have killed with about 22 of them from Balapitiya.
Mr Wickremesinghe who visited some of the families had been advised to avoid certain areas of Balapitiya as a UPFA Member of Parliament had warned that the opposition leader will not be allowed to visit the area.

Catholic bishops ask Sri Lankan government not to change 13th Amendment to Constitution

June 10, Colombo: The Catholic bishops of Sri Lanka have requested the government not to proceed with amending the 13th Amendment to the Constitution although the amendment may not be perfect.
In a statement the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka today requested the government not to proceed with amending the 13th Amendment or totally repeal it but to discuss with all relevant parties on drawing up a totally new Constitution which is fair by all communities.

13A was forced on country : Causing disruption to admin process and stumbling block to progress - Secretary to the President

The then government was so much under pressure that it accepted the 13th Amendment to the Constitution without calling for a referendum in the face of a threat of invasion, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga said yesterday.  Weeratunga added that public discussion is brewing on the 13th Amendment and many secrets with regard to the introduction of the Provincial Council system are coming to light. He said the President does not show hesitation in shutting down establishments and institutions if they do not provide the expected services to the public.

Edward Snowden: the whistleblower behind the NSA surveillance revelations

The 29-year-old source behind the biggest intelligence leak in the NSA's history explains his motives, his uncertain future and why he never intended on hiding in the shadows

• Q&A with NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden: 'I do not expect to see home again' 

Link to video: NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden: 'I don't want to live in a society that does these sort of things'

The individual responsible for one of the most significant leaks in US political history is Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old former technical assistant for the CIA and current employee of the defence contractor Booz Allen Hamilton. Snowden has been working at the National Security Agency for the last four years as an employee of various outside contractors, including Booz Allen and Dell.

Saiva temple sculptures smashed in Trincomalee

An unknown squad has vandalized 13 Hindu Terracotta sculptures on the entrance tower (Koapuram) being constructed at the Katpaka Vinyaakar temple in Trincomalee on Friday night, the administration of the temple told media after filing a complaint with the SL police on Saturday. In addition to the sculptures that have been smashed, a number of Terracotta sculptures were also found displaced, according to Mr A. Nadarajah, the secretary of the temple administration.

Vote as you wish on 13A JHU resolution says MR

President Mahinda Rajapaksa today told the coalition partners of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) that they can vote as they wish in parliament on the proposed changes to the 13th Amendment to the constitution.
The President expressed this view when he met separately with the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and the EPDP today, Presidential spokesman Mohan Samaranayaka told the Colombo Gazette.

Catholic Bishops against changes to 13th Amendment

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka requested the government not to proceed with amending the 13th Amendment, but to discuss with all relevant parties on drawing up a totally new Constitution, which is fair by all communities.

Sri Lanka Monthly Briefing Note | Issue No 02 – June 2013 Period covered: 1 May 2013 – 31 May 2013

Implementation Progress of the UN Resolution On Sri Lanka, A/HRC/22/L.1/Rev.13

SUMMARY:

UN Human Rights High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay has accepted the invitation by the Government of Sri Lanka to visit Sri Lanka and the visit will take place from 25 to 31 August 2013. GoSL has not agreed to invite any of the UN Special Rapporteurs, whose requests to visit Sri Lanka are pending.
The Government of Sri Lanka provided detailed description of steps it has taken and completed in the context of Implementation of the LLRC recommendations, to the 23rd session of the UNHRC. In the first week of June President Rajapaksha submitted memo to the cabinet to incorporate 53 more LLRC recommendations to National Action Plan and it was approved.

Sri Lanka: Reveal Fate of ‘Disappeared’ Cartoonist - HRW

The placard reads "500 days since Prageeth's
disappearance." © 2011 Reuters

Solving the disappearance of Prageeth Ekneligoda and that of thousands of other Sri Lankans over past decades should be a top priority of the Sri Lankan government and its investigative agencies. After years of no progress in Ekneligoda’s case, any clues about his fate should prompt an intensive investigation, not shrugs by senior government officials.

- Brad Adams, Asia director

Matale mass grave: CID ignores Court order

Despite the Court order to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), to advertise in the media, calling on people to come forward to give evidence with regard to those who are missing in the period of the JVP insurrection in 1988-89, the advertisement had not been published in any media, to date.

13 A should not be diluted - UNP

• The agreement to devolve power was for the entire country and not only the North

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake says that while implementing the 13th Amendment is legal, the government’s attempt to remove land and police powers from the Provincial Council system would create a problem. He noted that the agreement to devolve power was aimed at the entire country and not only the North and that the Provincial Councils if active would at least somewhat address the ethnic issue. “The Provincial Council system was never seen as a move at separatism. It is the devolution of power approved by courts,” Attanayake pointed out.
Following are excerpts of the interview:
Q: What is the UNP’s stance on the allocation of land and police powers to the Provincial Councils?

Manmohan Singh Angered By Mahinda Rajapaksa’s “Sly” Attempts to Undermine Devolution Provided by 13th Constitutional Amendment

D.B.S.JEYARAJ
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is “extremely annoyed”by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s recent subtle efforts to undermine the quantum of devolution provided to the Island’s nine Provinces through the thirteenth Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution that was facilitated by India.

President Rajapaksa & Prime Minister Manmohan Singh-file pic- via PTI

Ahead of Pillay visit, President submits memo to incorporate 53 more LLRC recommendations to National Action Plan

High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay

The UPFA this week took a decision that reflects a marked shift in foreign policy. Ministers at their weekly Cabinet meeting on Thursday unanimously approved a recommendation by President Rajapaksa to incorporate a string of recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) into the National Plan of Action. These related to some issues that have been raised by the international community and even mirrored in the second US-backed resolution adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in March this year. The fact that such LLRC recommendations have been incorporated ahead of the August visit by UN Human Rights High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay is significant.

Freedom of Expression: What are ‘anti-national’ criticisms exactly?

In what precise manner can a fantastically unethical Government prescribe a Code of Ethics for the media? This is a highly relevant question given recent bombastic claims by the Government Spokesman that a draft Bill on Media Ethics is being circulated prior to implementation.
State media devoid of ethics
This Government has proved itself to be far worse than its most un-saintly predecessors in using the state media to witch-hunt and target dissenters. A few months ago, for example, we saw state media propagandists exceeding all boundaries of decency in slandering critics of the impeachment of Sri Lanka’s 43rd Chief Justice. In the process, judges of the Supreme Court, including the impeached Chief Justice were mercilessly character assassinated with impunity by attack hounds of the administration, unleashed on those whom they perceived to be their enemies.

US travel advisory to SL warns females against sexual attacks

The US State Department’s latest travel advisory warns that foreign women should exercise vigilance in Sri Lanka, due to an upswing in sexual attacks against female visitors in tourist areas.
Updated on May 6, 2013, it states that travellers, especially women, should consider travelling with other people when possible.

UPFA’s LG politicos on a lawless spree and counting

Mawanella PS Chairman (UPFA) K.G. Piyatissa leaves Kegalle High Court
on Tuesday after he was sentenced to death for killing a man in February 2003

Namini Wijedasa 

Allegations of assault, rape and murder abound as the powers that be run amok with impunity The number of local government politicians breaking the law is rapidly increasing, with most of them belonging to the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA). Last week alone, five incidents involving Pradeshiya Sabha (PS) politicians—four from the UPFA and one from the UNP—were reported by media. A criminal case related to a Deputy Minister was also taken up in court.
On Monday, the Attanagalle Magistrate’s Court ordered the impounding of Deputy Petroleum Industries Minister Sarana Gunawardena’s passport. Mr. Gunawardena is accused of having fired a gun into the air, issuing death threats and kidnapping a child in the village of Weerangula in 2009.

13 A: President should stand by his assurances - V. Anandasangaree

Veteran politician and Leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), Veerasingham Anandasangaree is a moderate who has not only consistently shunned extremism in Northern and the Southern politics, but also closely associated with Tamil and Sinhalese leaders for as long as he has been in politics. In an interview with Ceylon Today, Anandasangaree expresses his candid views on the 13th Amendment, the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) polls and the current state of Tamil politics.

13 A amendment: EPDP, SLMC strike discordant note with Vasu, Rajitha,Tissa, DEW agreeing

UPFA constituents, the EPDP and the SLMC have strongly opposed far reaching proposal to do away with the right of two provinces or more to merge in accordance with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris has made the proposal at a meeting attended by members of the Cabinet on Thursday. However, EPDP leader, Douglas Devananda and SLMC leader, Rauff Hakeem had joined forces to thwart the move, political sources told The Island.
Minister Hakeem cut short a visit to Palestine to attend the meeting in view of a campaign by a section of the government to dilute the 13th Amendment ahead of the proposed first Northern Provincial Council election.

Northern Province Tamils’ issue needs respectable resolution, says BJP

Sri Lanka’s post-war context requires empowerment along with development, and holding a free and fair election in the north, along with devolution, is central to it — this was the broad message that the Indian delegation conveyed to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday, according to BJP leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad, who led the team.

SLMC to veto scrapping 13A

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) High Command at a meeting held on Thursday night has unanimously decided to oppose the proposed amendments to the 13th Amendment, a senior party spokesman told Ceylon Today. Meanwhile, the draft document of the proposed amendments was presented to the Cabinet on Thursday and the SLMC Leader had informed the Cabinet that he would announce the decision of his party at the next Cabinet meeting after consulting the SLMC High Command. Later in the evening, the SLMC High Command decided to vote against the proposed amendments, the spokesman said.

Cabinet note to change 13 A

Dilrukshi Handunnetti A Cabinet note by External Affairs Minister, Prof. G.L. Peiris, has strongly recommended the repeal of Article 154 (A) (3) of the Constitution to abrogate the power, currently available to Parliament, to legislate for the merging of provinces and the repeal of Section 37 of the Provincial Councils Act No 42 of 1987, altering key aspects of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Appeal: Tamil News Paper Uthayan published in Jaffna is under threat

Eswarapatham Saravanapavan
I am writing in earnest to draw your attention to the rapidly worsening environment for Uthayan Daily  to continue with  the freedom of press in Sri Lanka.
I have no doubt that you will agree with the norm that freedom of expression is not only a universal human right but also fundamental to a democratic Society. It has always been difficult for successive government in Sri Lanka to coexist with a free and independent press in Sri Lanka. However, the government headed by president Rajapakse has been increasingly intolerant towards criticism in the press and towards the publishing of news that reflects poorly on his government on human rights issues, and Land grabbing in the north and east.

Sri Lanka tries new ways to crush independent media

By Bob Dietz/CPJ Asia Program Coordinator

In Sri Lanka, where there has seldom been good news for the media in recent years, things have taken a further turn for the worse, as well as a turn for the bizarre. With President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government secure in its 2010 electoral mandate, its leaders have made fresh moves to tighten their control of the press. There is a plan afoot to re-criminalize defamation, and legislation has been proposed for a code of ethics that threatens to give the government a legal basis to quash journalism it deems "unethical." All this comes ahead of November's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo, which seems sure to go ahead despite calls for boycotts from several quarters because of the government's poor human rights record.

JVP insists on scrapping Provincial Councils

The JVP yesterday urged the government to scrap the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and do away with provincial councils without wasting time in making amendments to the existing Provincial Council Act.
JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath told The Island that the government’s draft amendment to the Provincial Council Act had been postponed for two weeks, when it was presented to the Cabinet yesterday.

NGULANA CHURCH DESECRATED SACRED; HEART STATUE AT MANIYANTHOTTAM DESTROYED

St. Francis Xavier's Catholic Church - Angulana belonging to the Rawatawatta Parish had been attacked and desecrated the church by a group of unknown persons at night on 05th June 2013
Also on 05th June 2013, some unknown persons have removed and smashed the Sacred Heart statue at the Maniyanthottam, in the Parish of Passaiyoor in Jaffna.

Disembowelling the 13th Amendment Will Transform Veluppillai Pirapaharan from Failed Leader into Misunderstood Prophet.

Tisaranee Gunasekara
“Nemesis, the goddess of measure and not of revenge, keeps watch. All those who overstep the limits are pitilessly punished by her”.- Albert Camus (Helen’s Exile)
One of the most incisive analyses about Rajapaksa modus operandi was made not by a Sri Lankan but by an American Ambassador Robert Blake. Mr. Blake’s observations about how the Siblings operate have a particular resonance as the Rajapaksas plan to neutralise the last remaining structural obstacle to their power-grab: the 13th Amendment.

"Ravi Karunanayake raises an issue if privilege in Parliament on state controlled ITN news"

Hon. Speaker,
I wish to raise an issue of breach of privilege, where my reputation as an honorable member of this august assembly is at stake. I have been a Member of Parliament continuously for over 19 years & at no time I have behaved in a manner that has brought disrepute to myself or the position I hold.
The Independent television Network (ITN) news broadcast has been carrying out a well orchestrated vilification campaign against me as an MP as well as a law abiding citizen of the country.

13 A: An urgent amendment spells recipe for disaster

Dilrukshi Hadunnethi
In what can be considered the final nail on the only constitutional attempt made in post-independent Sri Lanka to devolve power, an urgent bill to Parliament on Thursday will seal the fate of the 13th Amendment to the 1978 Constitution, with absolute finality.
For all the liberal rhetoric and verbal commitments to pursue a genuine solution to the festering political question, the Sinhala majority had demonstrated strong reluctance to accept any power-sharing model, including the Provincial Council system (which was never implemented to reflect its true spirit), similar to the militant rejection by the Tamil community to acknowledge anything short of a self-rule model that recognizes a traditional Tamil homeland.

Minister urged to publish reports on prison riots soon - Friday Forum

Chandrasiri G 410pxPrison Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajhadeera has been urged by the Friday Forum- the Group of Concerned Citizens to publish soon the reports on the Welikada and Vavuniya prison riots.
The letter signed by Jayantha Dhanapala and Prof. Savitri Goonesekere notes that when persons in the custody of a state institution meet with violent death it is a matter of the widest public concern, well beyond the immediate one of the victims and their families.

Minister Vass Gunawardane wants Criminal Defamation Law revived

Government parliamentarians yesterday highlighted the need for the reintroduction of the draconian Criminal Defamation Law, which was repealed by the United National Party (UNP) Government in June 2002. Monitoring MP for the Ministry of External Affairs, Sajin de Vass Gunawardena, argued in Parliament the government should reintroduce the law to prevent heads of media organizations from acting like 'underworld thugs.'

President agreed to remove Police and Land powers form 13 Amendment - Minister Weerawansa

Govt. not worried if TNA wins NPC elections: Wimal  .
If the Tamils in the North vote the TNA to victory in the scheduled September PC polls it would not be of much concern to the government, as the government had decided to remove police and land powers from the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa said today.

This unilateral act by the government to negate the existing devolutionary framework would be an historical mistake - CPA

Statement on Proposed Constitutional Amendment 

The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) is deeply perturbed by recent media reports that the government is planning on amending several provisions of the Thirteenth Amendment to the constitution. Over the past several weeks there were contradictory statements made by senior MPs of the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) as to whether discussions are under way to amend the constitution.

Disappeared (2010) journalist Pageeth is living in France - Govt; FMM wants detailed information

Sandya Eknaligoda and his son at a  campaign ..

FMM wants Sri Lankan Government to reveal information on Prageeth

Sri Lankan Government MP Arundika Fernando told Parliament today that Journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda who is missing since 2010 January is living in France. As the Free Media Movement of Sri Lanka we would be highly grateful if the Government or Hon MP could provide us more information on whereabouts Prageeth as it will help us to locate Prageeth in France.

Proposed Code of Ethics by GoSL Heralds the Death Knell of Media Freedom in Sri Lanka

The proposed set of media ethics by the Government of Sri Lanka bans reporting on many a important issues, and leaves room for wide interpretations on such prohibitions.  The full text of the code of ethics proposed by the  media ministry is follows:

Ministry of Mass Media and Information
Code of Media Ethics
Preamble
All Electronic and Print media institutions including Websites and journalists shall adhere to this code of Media Ethics which aims to ensure that the Electronic and Print media and Websites in Sri Lanka are free and responsible and sensitive to the needs and expectations of the receivers of the message it sends out whilst maintaining the highest standards of journalism.

Before enforcing Govt ethics on Media it should do justice journalists killed and assaulted

Do justice first: Journalist campaign for FOE rights in Sri Lanka

Media, laptops and ethics, Editorial, The Island

All of a sudden, the government has evinced a keen interest in media ethics. It is apparently in a mighty hurry to introduce a code of ethics for journalists in keeping with its ‘laptop and stick’ approach to controlling the so-called Fourth Estate. Is it because its laptop method has failed to yield the desired results that it has chosen to use the ‘stick’ of ethics in dealing with the media? Copies of a draft code of ethics formulated by the government have been sent to political parties for their perusal, we are told.