Sep 23 (DM) Trade Unions are to meet next Thursday (30) to decide on what actions should be taken to urge the government for a Rs. 8,000 salary increment, the National Trade Union Center (NTUC) yesterday said. The NTUC said that they were holding discussions with other trade unions and that they had the support of workers at grass-root level as well regardless of their party affiliations. more..

Sep 23 (DBS) My article about the late Mr. MHM Ashraff on the 10th anniversary of his death has invoked several different responses. One of which was a personal e-mail sent by Dr. Ruvaiz Haniffa from the Faculty of Medicine at the Colombo University. Dr. Haniffa also sent a paper written by him on the Muslims of Sri Lanka along with his mail to me. I found the paper very illuminating and interesting and more..

Sep 23 (DM) The Mahanayakes of Malwatte and Asigiri Chapters have told the DNA they would request President Mahinda Rajapaksa to stop persecution of former Army Commander MP Sarath Fonseka. Mahanayake of Malwatte Chapter Most. Ven. Thibbatuwave Sri Sidhdhartha Sumangala Thera told a DNA delegation led by Mrs.Anoma Fonseka yesterday that he would discuss the matter with the prelates of other chapters and arrive at a decision in this respect. more..

Sep 23 (Island) Leader of the UNP Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday apologised to the public,on behalf of the six UNP MP�s who had recently crossed over to the government and voted for the 18th Amendment to the Constitution,in violation of the wishes of those who had sent them to parliament. He said that MPs Abdul Cader, Lakshman Seneviratne, Earl Gunasekera, Manusha Nanayakkara, Nimal Wijesinghe and Upeksha Swarnamali, more..

Sep 23 (Island) Norway is preparing to launch a full scale inquiry into the failed Norwegian peace efforts in Sri Lanka from 1997 to 2009 with special emphasis on the final stage of the war between January and May 2009, while Premier Jens Stoltenberg�s government is seeking a new role in the post-war Sri Lanka, The Island learns. The Norwegian government is likely to hire a Norwegian private consultancy firm to carry out a comprehensive examination of the peace process, more..

Sep 24 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Police have registered a case against 'unknown' Sri Lankan Naval personnel for allegedly assaulting fishermen of this island and robbing them of their fish catch in mid sea on Tuesday. This is the first time in the last two decades that a case has been registered against Sri Lankan Naval personnel though complaints about such attacks on the state fishermen had been made on numerous occasions, police said. more..

Sep 24 (Reuters) Indian Oil Corp's Sri Lankan arm Lanka IOC warned on Thursday it could post another quarterly loss as its inability to link retail fuel prices to world crude prices erodes profitability. "We are having cause of concern on the prices (for) which we have been requesting the government to have some kind of a pricing formula," K. R. Suresh Kumar, managing director of Lanka IOC, told Reuters in an interview. more..

Sep 24 (SL) The UNP today (23) raised a privileges issue in parliament calling on the Speaker to look into the failure to allow DNA Leader Sarath Fonseka to attend parliamentary sessions. UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara raised the issue in parliament when the House met this afternoon. The failure to allow Fonseka to attend parliament was condemned by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and DNA MP Anuara Kumara Dissanayake, saying it was illegal. more..

Sep 24 (LBO) Sri Lankan tax payers are at the mercy of an unfair system with no proper appeal mechanism and aging members of a review board not bothering to turn up for hearings, an expert said. "There is no justification for the violation of a taxpayer's rights of due process when recovering fiscal levies," said Attorney-at-Law Shivaji Felix. "The protection of a person's process rights is the minimum obligation expected from any society committed to the rule of law." more..

Sep 24 (SL) UNP today (23) withdrew a private member�s Bill to provide for freedom of access to official information in parliament. UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya moved to present the private member�s Bill, but the government forced him to withdraw the Bill. Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena asked the UNP to withdraw the Bill on the grounds that the government is in the process of drafting a similar Bill. more..

Sep 24 (NF) The Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade has commenced a programme to purchase eggs directly from poultry farmers. Eggs were purchased directly from farmers through Sathosa in the Hettipola area yesterday, under this initiative based on discussions held between subject minister Johnston Fernando and poultry farmers. The aim of this initiative is to control the sky-rocketing prices of eggs in the market. more..

Sep 24 (LP) The Government of Sri Lanka has decided to establish the sign language used by the deaf a recognized language in the country. The memorandum submitted by Minister of Social Services Felix Perera has been granted approval by the Cabinet of Minister. The Minister believes that promoting the language will be a path way to the deaf people to easily communicate within the society. The theme of this year International Deaf day more..

Sep 24 (BBC) An intricately carved Sri Lankan pipe case from the 17th Century has been sold at an auction in London. The Sinhalese ivory double-pipe case was sold for �51,650 ($80,300) - far higher than its estimate of �8,000-�12,000 ($12,400-$18,600). The UK buyer who purchased it wanted to stay anonymous. The case was part of a collection of unusual smoking pipes to be sold by the auction house. more..

Sep 24 (MoD) More than 1000 War Heroes, who sacrificed their legs and limbs in the fight against recently concluded War for Peace are to showcase their multiple sport talents in the Sri Lanka Army Para Games 2010 tournament, declared inaugurated by Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya Thursday (23) morning at Colombo Army Headquarters ground. more..

Sep 24 (BBC) In May 2009 Sri Lanka's government declared victory in its decades-long war with Tamil Tiger rebels who were fighting for a separate homeland. It was one of the world's bloodiest and longest-running civil wars, leaving parts of the island devastated and hundreds of thousands of people displaced. With President Mahinda Rajapaksa now firmly ensconced as president with a commanding parliamentary majority, BBC News examines the future for the people of Sri Lanka. more..

Sep 24 (NF) An incident where a child has been subjected to torture is reported from Bogawanthalawa area. The seven-year-old boy with burn injuries, travelling in a bus plying from Bogawanthalawa to Talawakelle, was handed over to the Hatton police checkpoint yesterday morning by a passenger of the bus. Thereafter, he was handed to the Hatton Children and Women's Bureau. more..

Sep 24 (LG) The senior sub-editor at the now defunct Weekend got hold of my news story and transformed my original into something like this. The cardio-pulomnary apparatus went into malfunction. What I actually wrote was the heart-lung machine at the General Hospital broke down. I asked my editor to remove my byline. Now Rajpal Abeynaike has joined the fray of Dayan into throwing us all into confusion over his rather erudite rendition of plain English. more..

Sep 24 (LG) In response to Pearl Thevanayagam�s article on ��s plain English too much for Rajpal to digest?� and since she has asked for a response from readers of the Sri Lanka Guardian, may I (as a law student who is also a good chum of young journalists, one of whom works in that newspaper) say that it be well said that Rajpal himself is too much for many of us decent readers in this country to digest! more..

Sep 24 (TC) I Support power sharing. Therefore, my attention is drawn to this proposal, irrespective of no acceptance or denial by any government authority of this purported proposal. What the media reported was that a Development Authority is to be established for the City of Colombo. The move is to abolish the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), vest its functions to more..

Sep 24 (GV) Exclusive video: Parliamentary debate and objections to 18th Amendment, �Sound is no substitute for argument�: Exclusive video of TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran�s speech in parliament against 18th Amendment and Final text of TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran�s speech in Parliament opposing the 18th Amendment published exclusively on Groundviews capture the chaos that reigned during the parliamentary �debates� on the 18th Amendment Bill on 7th and more..

Sep 24 (GV) Isn�t it horribly reactionary of me to be more partial to the State than civil society? Is it not a hallmark of liberalism, progressivism, radicalism, modernity and all things civil and good you can possibly think of, to be for and with civil society against the State? That�s only if you haven�t got much reading done recently. �I believe that the theory of civil society is completely mistaken. more..

Sep 24 (GV) Given below are translations of reports on the hearings of the Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) held in Killnochchi and Mullaitivu that appeared in Tamil newspapers. Due to the deafening silence and at times selective hearing of the English and Sinhala language media, which have either completely failed to report on the hearings held in Killinochchi and Mullaitivu or more..

Sep 24 (TN) The Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg is naive if he believes normalisation of relations with Colombo will lay the basis for reconciliation. It is wrong to normalise relations with a regime that uses the army to expel Tamils from their land and settle Sinhalese there. Before normalising diplomatic ties Stoltenberg should demand Rajapaksa to accept UN investigation, said Norwegian Red Party deputy leader Bj�rnar Moxnes, more..

Sep 24 (TN) Local NGOs in North and East in Sri Lanka face the risk of becoming inactive due Sri Lanka government�s new restrictions on registering or renewing the registration of such organizations, NGO circles said. These NGOs should submit applications to register themselves or to renew registration to President�s Action Committee and Sri Lanka Defence Ministry for their approval to function, according to the new procedure imposed on them. more..

Sep 24 (Island) Varatharajah Perumal the former chief minister of the merged Northern and Eastern provinces who now describes himself more as a political activist than a politician, has been doing the rounds in the north and east after the war ended. In this interview, C.A.Chandraprema speaks to the former CM about the political trends in the post-war north. more..

Sep 24 (TN) Sri Lanka government has failed to pay compensation to the families uprooted from their homes in Batticaloa district due to Sri Lanka Army 2006 offensives on places like Paduvaankarai who are languishing in the interim camps in Batticaloa town, TNA parliamentarian P. Selvarasa said. Though this matter had been brought to the notice of Sri Lanka Deputy Minister of Rehabilitation on several occasions no action has been taken by the minister, more..

Sep 24 (SL) It�s not election time, it�s rejection time. The Sunday Leader would like to support and endorse any UNP MPs that choose to sit independently in parliament. Ranil Wickremesinghe has lost 16 elections, sat out the last presidential and lost the support of over 50 of his own MPs. For the sake of the opposition, Ranil Wickremesinghe needs to step down. If he won�t, honourable MPs should step aside. If the elephants don�t walk now, they may be extinct forever. more..

Sep 24 (Island) Forte International, a member of the Forte Group, has been appointed as the strategic partner for the Global Hospitals Group of India, which would take care and service patients who are seeking medical aid in India. According to Chairman and CEO Forte Group, M.F.A. Riyas, the company intends doing this with the support of the Sri Lankan doctors and the medical profession who will more..

Sep 24 (DM) It is certainly noteworthy that given the high cost of living, the poverty rate and all the economic realities that people face yet the World Giving Index survey shows that the people of Sri Lanka are the eighth most generous in the world in providing charity donations. The analysis by the British based Charities Aid Foundation showed that Sri Lanka has a very caring society and are remarkably generous according more..

Sep 24 (DM) The 4th article of the Dasa Raja Dharma, Lord Buddha�s incomparable treatise on good governance is about Ajjava, i.e. honesty and integrity. The ruler, the Buddha said must be absolutely straightforward and must never employ any crooked means to achieve ends. This week I planned to dwell on this particular aspect of good governance but am compelled to employ the idea to dissect something more specific. more..

Sep 24 (DM) My dear Mahinda Aiya, Ayubowan, vanakkam and assalamu alaikkum as you face the United Nations General Assembly for the first time after the open clash with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon over the appointment of the experts� panel to advise him on a possible war crimes trial in Sri Lanka. This comes amid dangerous signs that the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (DSRSL) � if it ever were one -- might be turning into something more like the more..

Sep 24 (GV) The eminent members of the Commission and its Secretary are thanked for extending, on their own accord, this opportunity to make submissions before the LLRC. These submissions draw on a wide canvass, strictly within the scope of the warrant of the LLRC and stress issues of concern and detail specific action recommendations for due consideration by the Commission. The LLRC is kindly requested to note that all submissions made herein are based on more..

Sep 24 (SL) If there�s a document that explains Sri Lanka today, it�s not the Constitution, it�s the Mahavamsa. Perhaps the chronicle of this era will be called the Chootivamsa. The Rajapaksa dynasty emerged in the 21st century, unifying the island of Lanka. Competing noble families ended with weak female or homosexual heirs while the Rajapaksas produced three strong brothers. They seized control of the country and defeated northern rebels who had foolishly angered the more..

Sep 24 (SO) Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said as far as the SLFP is concerned, President Mahinda Rajapaksa should be given a few more terms of office as he has rendered much service to the nation. The Minister told the Sunday Observer that the President is an exemplary leader whom the country could be proud of. The SLFP firmly believes that the President should be its future Presidential Candidate. more..

Sep 24 (NS) Upul Jayasinghe, general secretary of the National Lawyers Association, an affiliated body of UNP, who voiced his concerns over the party�s present leadership a few months ago, is of the opinion that the party will not survive any longer unless the party members unite and oust leader Ranil Wickremesinghe physically. Following are excerpts of the interview: Q. In recent times, you are being recognised as a strong critic of more..

Sep 24 (SL) The government is currently considering the possibility of holding a referendum to pass the second stage of the constitutional amendments, as the proposed amendments would result in structural changes to the constitution. The opposition parties have however, expressed concern over the move. Following the successful passage of the 18th Amendment to the Constitution, the government is now processing the second set of constitutional amendments. more..

Sep 24 (SO) Wasanthamala was waiting for three of her daughters to return from school in the Kilinochchi town. Her other two girls had stayed home that day. Wasanthamala and her six children - five daughters and an infant boy - live in Kilinochchi in their half-built house on a small plot of land. Wasanthamala's life story depicts the shocking reality of a victimised family of a lost terrorist. more..

Sep 24 (DM) Addressing the UN session on Millennium Development Goals President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday vowed to follow the Buddhist principles which he said had laid the foundation to the stability of the Sri Lankan society. The moment this remark was uploaded to Daily Mirror website, comments started pouring in. The first comment read �then release SF� followed by a second �charity begins at home, please release general�. more..

Sep 24 (Island) Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is capable of unthinkable feats. You may take him, cynics say, to the most treacherous mountain peak or the densest of all forests infested with ferocious wild beasts or the deepest trench in the ocean or the deadliest desert on earth, bind, gag and leave him to perish; but when you return home thinking he is done for, you will find him already there before you in one piece with a mischievous smile. more..

Sep 24 (DN) Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Gelding expressed admiration of the success achieved by President Rajapaksa and Sri Lanka in exploding the myth that terrorism could not be defeated, and thereby setting an example to the world on dealing with what has become a scourge to many countries. This was stated at the bilateral talks between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Jamaican Prime Minister at the UN, more..

Sep 24 (GDN) Sri Lankan culture will be showcased at a Gamay Siriyawa (Beauty of a Village) event taking place next month. Organised by the Sri Lanka Club's Ladies Wing, the day-long food and culture festival will take place from 11am to 10pm on October 8 at The Palace hotel, Adliya. It will showcase the talents of Bahrain-based Sri Lankan housewives and the island nation's culture, said organisers. "So many of the Sri Lankan housewives have talents, but more..

Sep 24 (BBC) A business leader in Sri Lanka has called on the government to apologise to the country for the suffering created during the civil war. It was the latest in a series of submissions given to a government-appointed commission examining the final years of the conflict. It has also emerged that witnesses in the north had accused the armed forces of killing civilians in shell attacks. But the government places the blame for the war squarely on the defeated Tamil Tiger militants. more..

Sep 24 (UN) Sri Lanka is ready to boost its participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told the General Assembly today, also calling on the world community to take urgent action to counter climate change and devote greater aid to Africa. At the same time he recalled his country�s defeat last year of Tamil separatist rebels � �one of the most brutal, highly organized, more..

Sep 24 (DN) Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa announced in Parliament yesterday that he has certified the 18th Amendment to the Constitution Bill. Therefore, the provisions of the 18th Amendment have become law with effect from yesterday. The 18th Amendment Bill presented to Parliament seeking approval for the removal of the term limits of the Presidency and appointment of Commissions was passed in Parliament with a two-thirds majority on September 8. more..

Sep 24 (Island) The UNP�s Assistant Secretary in charge of Relief and Human Rights, Jayalath Jayawardena, said yesterday that contrary to accusations, the UNP has not abandoned its campaign to get Retired General Sarath Fonseka released from military custody. Jayawardena told the media in Colombo, that on the instructions of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, he would take up Fonseka�s case before the Committee on Human Rights of Parliamentarians of the IPU, in Geneva on October 2. more..

Sep 24 (GDI) The entire focus of our nation, is now on building a lasting peace; healing wounds, ensuring economic prosperity and guaranteeing the rights of the whole nation to live in harmony, stated President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the United Nations General Assembly at the UN Headquarters in New York today (Sep 23). We are pursuing a nation-wide agenda of renewal. Sri Lanka has already returned over 90% of more..

Sep 24 (DM) The price of drugs, injections and medical equipment will be displayed at government hospitals from January next year so as to make people aware of the cost incurred by the government to provide free healthcare facilities and to minimize waste, the health minister said yesterday. Minister Maithripala Sirisena told a Provincial Health Ministers� Conference held at the National Blood Bank Auditorium that more..

Sep 24 (LBO) Protection of natural resources in Sri Lanka is endangered by the lack of peoples' right to information and legal confusion created by devolution of power, an expert said. "Governance of natural resources plays an important role because it affects the lives of people in general and affects people who are marginalised and vulnerable in a greater extent," said N Selvakkumaran, more..

Sep 24 (DN) The participation of Turkish entrepreneurs in the rapidly expanding construction work in Sri Lanka was a key aspect of the discussions between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Turkish President Abdullah Gul at the United Nations Wednesday. President Gul was told of the major development initiatives being taken by Sri Lanka that require infrastructure development, and considerable investment in housing, especially in the post-conflict situation. more..