யாழ் திரைகடலோடி

And then they came for the judges HIS foes accuse Mahinda Rajapaksa of many sins during his seven years as Sri Lanka’s president. They blame him for the savagery that cost so many civilian lives as his army defeated the rebel Tamil Tigers in 2009. They bridle at how he has carved up the government among his brothers, like a thriving family-run conglomerate. They resent the amendment of the constitution pushed through in 2010 to remove the limit on his tenure of two six-year terms, and to give himself legal immunity and the final say in appointments to the civil service, the judiciary and the police. And they suspect his regime of connivance in the beatings, disap…

The impeachment of the Sri Lankan Chief Justice, Shirani Bandaranayake is possibly a watershed moment in Sri Lankan law and politics. President Rajapaksa’s 13 January decision to ratify the impeachment decided two days earlier by a parliament controlled by his ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance is the latest step in the gradual but systematic dismantling of the rule of law. The move, in violation of the Sri Lankan constitution and basic principles of due process and in disregard of rulings by the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, leaves Sri Lanka’s already battered democracy on life-support. The decision to impeach the Chief Justice is a direct message that the Ra…

HAVANA TIMES — An unprecedented move by internationalists and activists for human rights and justice, one that could inspire controversy among left oriented governments and peoples’ solidarity committees, will take place next spring. “In April 2013, a panel of international experts will be convened as Judges of the ‘Permanent People’s Tribunal’ to examine reports submitted by many specialized working groups on the accusation of the crime of Genocide against the Government of Sri Lanka and on the accusations against various international actors who had supported and prepared the conditions for the Sri Lankan Government to implement this alleged crime,” stated the Rome-…

France said Thursday that there are signs of communal tensions in northern Sri Lanka, particularly in the town of Mannar. French Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Christine Robichon, in a statement said that she had toured the areas where both the Tamil and Muslim communities displaced by the war, are being resettled including recently reopened part of the former high security zone in Jaffna. The purpose of the tour was to see the progress in development activities conducted by the Sri Lankan government and to have a better understanding of the needs and the aspirations of the people, with a specific focus on the fishermen. She said the briefings of the…

Sri Lanka faces constitutional crisis as president sacks chief justice Sri Lanka is facing a deepening constitutional crisis after President Mahinda Rajapaksa went ahead and sacked its most senior judge – a move that critics say undermines the independence of the country’s judiciary. In step many have claimed was inspired by a desire to remove someone who had blocked several government bills, Mr Rajapaksa on Sunday ratified a vote by the parliament to remove chief justice Shirani Bandaranayake. “President Mahinda Rajapaksa signed this morning the order removing chief justice Dr Shirani Bandaranayake from office with immediate effect in accordance with the resolutio…

Apart from being an illegal appointment to the post of Chief Justice, Mohan Pieris undoubtedly is a controversial character in many respects. His business connections and government appointments are well known and contrary to the independence and integrity expected by that highest position in the judiciary. He was the Chief Legal Advisor to the Cabinet. He himself is personification of ‘conflict of interest’ par excellence. The following is an article I wrote about his views on the ethnic question and reconciliation which was published in the Asian Tribune on 16 June 2012, seven months ago. I wish the readers to pay attention to what he said about the ‘lawyers, consti…

“Confusion now has made his masterpiece Most sacrilegious murder hath broke ope The Lord’s anointed temple And stole thence. The life of the building” -Macbeth, William Shakespeare- Those who said and believed that justice was even-handed would not have heard of the country called Sri Lanka. The government, for the last few years, let its people get a glimpse of its multi-faceted course of justice in which the fundamentals are conveniently excluded and swiftness is a luxury granted solely for the selected few. And Rizana Nafeek was not one of them. Rizana marched to death after having been in prison for almost eight years; during which the government did not…

Why Tamil cricket players Muttiah Muralitharan and Angelo Matthews have not spoken out boycotting Sri Lankan cricket? “No they haven’t said that. They prefer to stay silent. Because in our opinion, their cricket careers are more important, than this issue to them." "They try and say that politics and sport should be separated, but we all know, anybody who has worked in sport, like I have for 40 years, knows that they are inextricably entwined." -Trevor Grant, a former chief cricket writer at The Age http://www.tamilguardian.com/article.asp?articleid=6530

The Sri Lankan Army has expanded into yet another previously untouched market in the North; yoghurt production, with the opening of a new yoghurt factory in Jaffna. The newly opened factory in Kankasanthurai (KKS) will add to the army’s previous two yoghurt factories in Anuradhapura and Panagoda, and, as the army put it “thereby saving a fair chunk of expenditure that can be used for erection of wellness resorts for disable War Heroes in the Army.” According to their website “army professionalism” has helped cut down costs of producing the dessert “thereby saving a lot of profits”. See photos from the opening of the KKS factory below, along with the unveilin…

January 11, 2013 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement: “Canada is deeply concerned over the impeachment of Sri Lankan Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. “Her impeachment appears to be highly politicized, lacking basic transparency and respect for the guarantees of due process and fair trial. “Judicial independence is fundamental to the rule of law and essential for any democratic and accountable government. Canada calls on the Government of Sri Lanka to change course immediately. “Canada continues to have serious concerns about the human rights situation, the need for reconciliation and the democratic deficit in Sri Lan…

Nambiar, India's proxy in UN, complicit in white flag killings? While the International Community which, blinded by the 9/11 terror, architected the annihilation of Tamils' primary safeguard, the LTTE, is left to savor the resulting horror state and the autocratic dystopia in Sri Lanka, Rights groups have accused the U.N. of being derelict in its duty to protect civilian lives. Vijay Nambiar, the Chef de Cabinet, who was a key official in shaping UN's Sri Lanka policy, is also accused of complicity in the "Whiteflag" incident where several surrendees were executed by the Sri Lanka military after being given assurances of safety by International actors. Nepotism and fa…

So called Professor Rohan Gunaratne, the international spy who is operating under different guises has got caught again. This time, the bogus authority on good governance, self righteousness and terrorism poses as adviser to the Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence and its Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He tells unsuspecting diplomats representing various countries from who he seeks personal favors that it is he who writes all the speeches of Defence Secretary Rajapaksa. He also tells that he is the personal advisor. We reveal exclusively today how the bogus Professori Gunaratne was in Sri Lanka, arranged by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) which he represent…

He that Steals an Egg will Steal an Ox. By the time this piece appears in print on Sunday 13th, Parliament would have decided on the CJ issue; to either vote for her impeachment or obey the courts’ determination that the Parliamentary Select Committee’s finding is null and void. If Parliament chooses to impeach the CJ, it would be a brazen violation of the Constitution and will kill any semblance of democracy the country has maintained despite the curtailment of the press, buying of MPs, election violence, and many cabinet members being implicated in murder. The Sixth Amendment fiasco of 1983 that disfranchised Tamils and provoked Tamil militancy seems unnecessary …

LOSING the favour of the ruling Rajapaksa family is a cardinal error in Sri Lankan public life. Few in the press, especially not the mealy-mouthed state-run outlets, risk any criticism of the president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, or his powerful brothers. Parliamentary opposition, weak in numbers and leadership, rarely murmurs objections to those in office. Street protests by trade unions, students, religious leaders and Tamil activists are infrequent and usually brief. So it is remarkable to see the country’s chief justice in conflict with the president. Few expected Shirani Bandaranayake to be any sort of check on the ruling family’s efforts to strengthen its grip on power.…

Liberal Leader Bob Rae made the following statement today on the Sri Lankan government’s impeachment proceedings against the country’s Supreme Court Chief Justice: “We are gravely concerned by the Sri Lankan government’s highly controversial and unconstitutional impeachment proceedings against the country’s Chief Justice, Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake. As recently raised by the Canadian Bar Association, the lack of due process and open attack on the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law are deeply troubling. They are part of a continuing deterioration of democracy in Sri Lanka and directly violate the Commonwealth’s fundamental values. The Liberal Part…

This week will probably be a week of destiny for Sri Lanka when we face the moment of truth and what our leaders and we do or do not do could reshape Sri Lanka’s history. Our country – devastated by a thirty-year war, two insurrections and racial riots – is facing its gravest constitutional, legal and political crisis with democracy itself at stake. It is no longer a case of personalities, personal conflicts or power struggles, but a tsunami that is threatening the foundations of the people’s sovereignty – good governance, accountability and a balance of power among the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. The Constitution emphasises that people are sovereign…

Visiting Canadian Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Jason Kenney today expressed concern over accountability, human rights and lack of political solutions in Sri Lanka. He also said these factors are reasons for an influx of immigrants to Canada. If Sri Lanka does not address issues related to human rights, accountability, political reconciliation, resettlement and judicial independence, Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper will keep away from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka, he said. Minister Kenney said Prime Minister Harper had sternly emphasized that Canada would not compromise on its stance of maintai…

As a parent of a child who has just sat for their O/Levels, this is only the first of a series of key decisions that will determine their future. The question with everyone in your situation is thinking, of course, ‘what next? And it’s a decision that will affect the rest of your child’s life, so you want to get it right. In such circumstances with many options available, it’s tempting to pick the best choice, which will allow them to compete for jobs and prosperity in a rapidly changing and challenging world economy. As time and opportunity are crucial and important aspects in your child’s education, your delay as a parent is only an opportunity lost to your c…

By Prof S. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole Minorities are easy targets in a Sinhalese polity believing that no one else belongs. As Tisaranee Gunasekara has noted, UPFA ministers have attacked the Chief Justice for having Tamil lawyers – although Neelakandan voted for the BASL resolution against the Ban Ki Moon Report, it did not help him. Thrishantha Nanayakkara has drawn our attention to an ITN programme where Minister Wimal Weerawansa makes much of the Court of Appeal bench ruling on the CJ matter consisting of two Tamils and a Muslim (whereas it really had one of each community, including a Sinhalese). The Muslims too are caught up as hate campaigns are launched against h…

Exactly seven years ago as of last Wednesday, five young boys had gathered for a chat in Trincomalee close to the beach. A grenade was lobbed towards the area where the students were seated and the ensuing explosion injured several people. The five young boys, who were among those injured, were later found dead with gunshot wounds. The incident sent shockwaves not only in Trincomalee, but around the country. While the incident occurred when the war was at its peak, the shooting drew the attention of human rights groups and the international community at large, with fingers being pointed at various elements over the murder. Subsequently amidst growing …

January 8, 2013: The Beginning of Sri Lanka’s Year Zero On the 8th of January, the President of Sri Lanka will address a proposal to parliament to remove the incumbent Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake, based on a report by a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC). The entire PSC process has been declared unconstitutional and null and void by the Supreme Court of the country. For two days, the illegal proposal will be debated in the parliament and on the 11th it will be put to a vote. The government has the required majority to get it through the parliament. Immediately after passing the resolution, the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka will be removed by force and will be p…

China is working on a draft for a law on international seabed exploration that would enable it to explore mineral and other deep sea resources in the Indian Ocean and other seas far from its shores, official sources said. The move is likely to worry New Delhi that keeps a close watch on China's strategic moves in the Indian Ocean with the help of countries like Sri Lanka. Colombo recently supported increased Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean saying China needed to protect its sea trade routes. The proposed law is part of China's efforts to build itself as a maritime power. The country recently launched its first aircraft carrier. The standing committee of …

The Singhalese-dominated government of Sri Lanka has been engaged in a “structural genocide” of the Tamils ever since the British left in 1948, says Tamils for Obama. The sexual oppression of Tamil women in the northeast is the latest part of this genocide, and Tamils for Obama asks Mrs. Obama to use her influence to take action to stop it. New York, New York (PRWEB) December 30, 2012 “The Sri Lankan government has been running a structural genocide of the Tamils ever since the British left in 1948,” said a press spokesman for Tamils for Obama. “The sexual violence against Tamil women in northeastern Sri Lanka is just the latest form it has taken. “We sent Mrs…

by Kumar David Let there be no doubt about it; the military entering Jaffna University, framing allegations and incarcerating Tamil students is intended to send a chilling and brutal message to all Tamil dissent. "We have crushed you once, don’t dare raise your heads again; we will do it again. Learn your place as second class citizens of Lanka; a new social order has been defined. Live with it!" The reconciliation and rebuilding covenant that Rajapaksa tried to sell to the international community has caved in; the age of another round of ethnic conflict is opening up. Let’s get the facts on the table as far as known; and I rely on sources that are credible. It all …

Last month the United Nations published a highly critical internal report in which it admitted it didn’t do enough to protect Tamil civilians in the final months of the Sri Lanka civil war. In late 2008, the UN had withdrawn staff from the northern part of the country in anticipation of the Sri Lanka government’s bloody military offensive against the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, more commonly known as Tamil Tigers). Tamil civilians had pleaded with the UN to stay at the time, but the international organization said it was unable to ensure the safety of its staff members. Still, the new report raises real questions about the international community’s response du…