Apr 26 (LT) The academic staff of Moratuwa University who had arrived in Colombo to participate at the protest action carried out by university teachers today have been obstructed by the police. The academic staff had left the Moratuwa University in a bus but had been stopped and detained at Katubedda police post without allowing them to proceed further. However, the police officers unable to answer questions raised by university teachers later had to allow the more..

Apr 26 (LBO) Sri Lanka's govt has agreed to reserve a proportion of construction contracts for local builders in a post-war building boom while banks have also loosened up lending to the sector, an official said. Rohan Karunaratne, president the Ceylon Institute of Builders (COIB), said the construction industry had been lobbying the government for a share of the construction contracts after seeing many deals go to foreign companies. The govt had maintained foreign firms got more..

Apr 26 (BBC) A strike is in force across Muslim areas of eastern Sri Lanka, following threats against a mosque in the central town of Dambulla. Many public services have shut down, although Muslim-led demonstrations have been halted by the military. The prime minister ordered the mosque's relocation on Sunday, following an attack on the mosque on Friday by hardline Buddhists, including monks. Many Buddhists regard Dambulla as a sacred Buddhist area. more..

Apr 26 (LBO) Demand for office space in the Sri Lanka's capital Colombo is tipped to more than double over five years, led by information technology related firms and the financial sector, a property services specialist has said. The newly opened Sri Lanka unit of Jones Lang LaSalle, an international property services company said industrial and tourism sectors will add to the demand. Limited top grade office space in the city, has pushed demand down more..

Apr 26 (TE) Off-spinner Anisa Mohammed undermined the Sri Lanka batting with a five-wicket haul to spur West Indies Women to a resounding 88-run win over Sri Lanka Women in the first One-Day International, in Barbados, yesterday. After solid half-centuries from Shanel Daley, skipper Merissa Aguilleira and Stafanie Taylor lifted West Indies to 228 for six off their allotted 50 overs on an easy-paced Kensington Oval pitch, Mohammed wreaked havoc in grabbing five for 34 more..

Apr 26 (CT) Former UNP deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya yesterday said the masses were looking for a regime change and the time is ripe for the UNP to come to power. Jayasuriya however said that the question of whether the UNP is strong enough to challenge the govt could be gauged only after assessing the success of the May Day celebrations of the party. Jayasuriya said that he will be unable to attend the party�s May Day celebrations in Jaffna as he intends to more..

Apr 27 (NS) Sri Lanka is moving on the right path to achieve its objectives and the action plan under the title �Harnessing the Blue Skies and the Seas� will transform Sri Lanka into a navigation, aviation, trading and commercial hub linking the East and the West, said Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrama today. Addressing over 250 senior executives from the world's shipping and logistics sector at the 7th Southern Asia Ports, Logistics and Shipping 2012 Exhibition and Conference more..

Apr 27 (GV) The events in Dambulla over the past week, when Buddhist monks led the storming of a mosque, bear chilling resemblance to events in Ayodhya, India, on and around the 6th December 1992, when mobs lead by Hindu fundamentalist clergy demolished the Babri Masjid. The consequences of the events in the run-up to the demolition and its aftermath are still being felt across India today. The similarities between Ayodhya 1992 and Dambulla 2012 go well beyond more..

Apr 27 (SO) A mobile van equipped with sophisticated cameras and communication equipment was launched to detect crime in the Colombo city and to keep a tab on errant motorists who violate the highway code. Last week IGP N.K. Illangakoon launched the mobile van at a ceremony held at the police headquarters. IGP Illangakoon told the media personnel that a mobile van with a state of the art communication network and a digital camera will be deployed more..

Apr 27 (CT) In March, the UNHRC passed a United States-sponsored resolution pressing the Sri Lankan government to investigate alleged human rights violations during the final stages of the war with the terrorist group LTTE. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement immediately after, �the United States and the international community had sent a strong signal that Sri Lanka will only achieve lasting peace through real reconciliation and accountability.� more..

Apr 27 (Island) The alleged violations during the last stages of the war against terrorism, the recent UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka, as well as the continuing �abductions� in the country, have given rise to debates on the issues of state sovereignty or �sovereignty and human rights.� There are those who completely reject and ridicule the state sovereignty and there are those who defend and attempt to practise unmitigated and absolute sovereignty. The most unfortunate more..

Apr 27 (GV) Whilst the country awaits the decision of the regime regarding which recommendations, if any, of the LLRC report it will implement, human rights and reconciliation continue to be challenged, by disappearances and now, the ugly spectre of religious intolerance. From October 2011 to March 2012, there have been some 56 cases of disappearances and abduction recorded. Some 29 of these have been in February and March of this year and 19 happened more..

Apr 27 (TC) The concerns raised at the last set of Divisional Secretariat Reconciliation Committees I facilitated this week in Mullaitivu and Vavuniya, after a long hiatus given an excess of travel in March, were both reassuring and upsetting. This last was because, though problems aplenty were raised, there was appreciation both of what had been done, and the commitment of the govt to do more. They were upsetting because in so many simple areas govt is simply not acting, more..

Apr 27 (GV) Five years ago, on a visit to the Pacific Tsunami Museum in Hilo, Hawaii, I played an interesting simulation game: setting off an undersea earthquake and deciding whether or not to issue a tsunami warning to the many countries in and around the Pacific. The volunteer-run museum, based in �the tsunami capital of the world�, engages visitors on the science, history and sociology of tsunamis. The exhibits are mostly mechanical or use basic electronic displays, but more..

Apr 27 (DBS) A news item published by some Tamil newspapers in Sri Lanka a few days ago stated that the UDA had issued a directive calling for the removal of the temple dedicated to Pillaiyar or Lord Ganesha at the Trincomalee general hospital premises. The news item said that the 60 year old temple had been renovated recently and had scheduled the �Kumbhabishekha� (a ritual of consecration after renovation or more..

Apr 27 (Island) Confusion apparently reigns in Colombo and New Delhi over President Mahinda Rajapaksa's stand on the so-called 13 Plus or devolution going beyond the existing 13th Amendment (13-A). Instead of clearing the air with an official statement, the govt has chosen to remain mum. However, we think, President Rajapaksa made his position on 13-A clear to the Indian government in his reply to a letter from New Delhi a few days before Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's more..

Apr 27 (TC) On 20th April 2012- Friday, a mob of some 2,000 led by Buddhist priests occupied and ransacked the Masjidul Khaira Mosque, obstructing those engaged in prayer. Even the police and the Special Task Force could not prevent the mayhem. The attack was carried out on the grounds that the mosque had been constructed on a site designated as a sacred Buddhist area. A firebomb had been blasted the day before, without, however, causing any casualties. more..

Apr 27 (SO) During the early part of the 17th century when the country was under foreign rule, Sri Lankan traditional craftsmen produced exquisite handicraft which were used by locals and also the members of foreign families who lived in the island. The legend says that local craftsmen have rendered an outstanding service for the past many years and after the colonial invasion the British, Dutch and Portuguese rulers and their wives too had a more..

Apr 27 (TC) Statement by Karu Jayasuriya, MP on the occasion of the completion of 3 years of General Sarath Fonseka�s imprisonment and 6 years escaping death from the attack of the LTTE suicide bomber on the 26th April 2006. For a nation as a whole to be shaken on behalf of a decisive moment of an individual�s life is a rare occurrence. On 25th April 2006 we experienced such a rare occasion. On this day former Commander of Army Gerneral Sarath Fonseka was struggling with more..

Apr 27 (DN) Thousands of Sri Lankan internet users could be among millions worldwide who will face a total internet blackout from July 9, 2012 due to a malicious piece of software that may infect their computers without their knowledge, the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team warned yesterday. The team�s coordinating centre, Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team | Coordinating Centre, issued a statement appealing to internet users to check their computers. more..

Apr 27 (DN) The cardamom cultivation which was a major threat to the Knuckles forest reserve has been removed to a greater extent and forest lands belonging to the Lands Reforms Commission will be vested with the Forest Conservation Department (FCD), said Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. He said that permission is not given to new cardomom cultivation in these lands. He said permission is given only to reap the harvest of existing cultivations and once more..

Apr 27 (DN) The National Freedom Front said it will hold its May Day in protest of US interference in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka, NFF Political Centre Committee Member Piyasiri Wijenayake said. He said that, the party will hold May Day under the theme of " Let us not surrender to the influence of imperialism. Let us not bow our heads to imperialism, People for patriotic people's force, " he said. He was addressing a press conference at the NFF headquarters more..

Apr 27 (FT) The Central Bank yesterday summoned heads of treasury departments of commercial banks in a bid to contain speculative trades in the foreign exchange market which has seen the rupee fall against the dollar in recent times, contrary to official forecasts that the rupee would strengthen against the greenback. The foreign exchange market had almost halted by mid morning yesterday as treasury officials converged to the Central Bank, more..

Apr 27 (Island) Two Senior Ministers yesterday alleged that certain western powers had gone all out to effect a regime change in Sri Lanka in keeping with their neo-colonial agenda to further their interests in the region. LSSP General Secretary and Senior Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana told a news conference at the Communist Party headquarters yesterday that the objective of the foreign conspirators was to dislodge the UPFA govt and install a pro-western UNP regime. more..

Apr 27 (Island) The UPFA�s decision to appoint former UNP MP M.H. Maharoof as its group leader at the CMC following the resignation of Milinda Moragoda on Wednesday has met with resistance from some of its councillors. Chief Opposition Whip of the CMC, M.H. Manzil said that he was against the appointment of Mahroof as the UPFA Group Leader. He said that Wednesday�s decision was only a recommendation and only President Mahinda Rajapaksa could make that appointment. more..

Apr 27 (Island) Investigations into the recent breakdowns at the first coal powered plant in Norachcholai would be further delayed. Power and Energy Ministry Advisor, Eng. Prof. K.K.Y.W. Perera, a member of the investigations committee, said yesterday that the probe would take at least six months to be completed. He said that more than 500 files had to be perused. Recently, Ministry Secretary, M.M.C. Ferdinando said that engineers of the CEB should more..

Apr 27 (BBC) Character witnesses supporting the defence were called in to give testimonials for the second day in the rape and child sex abuse case against Ven. Pahalagama Somaratana at Iselworth Crown court in West London. Twelve character witnesses initially appeared at court to give evidence on behalf of the defence. First witness said that she knew the accused Ven. Pahalagama Somaratana for over thirty five years. She had known the accused since she was ten, more..

Apr 27 (LBO) Sri Lanka's ports will be positioned as logistics hubs to help attract foreign investors for export-oriented industries to generate the cargo volumes needed to continue to lure big shipping lines, an official said. SLPA chairman Priyath Wickrama said ports will provide warehousing and other services to offer 'just-in-time' supply systems to attract large manufacturing companies from India. �Today, major shipping lines call over at the Port of Colombo, more..

Apr 27 (Hindu) Lasith Malinga's return has spread positivity in the Mumbai Indians' squad. Malinga, who had left for Sri Lanka following back spasms, on Thursday trained with the team ahead of Friday's IPL match against Delhi Daredevils at the Ferozeshah Kotla here. Mumbai Indians mentor Shaun Pollock said the Lankan speedster would have to assess his fitness. �Lasith knows his body best. He will understand how he feels after bowling today. He will take a call on his availability more..

Apr 27 (Hindu) The CPI (M) State unit has asserted that demanding relief, rehabilitation and devolution of powers to Sri Lankan Tamils within the constitutional framework of that country alone will help Tamils there. Referring to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi's criticism of CPI-M MP T.K. Rangarajan, who had said Sri Lankan Tamil parties and the people had not demanded �Tamil Eelam', CPI (M) State secretary G. Ramakrishnan said more..

Apr 27 (DM) TNA has been forced to seek international assistance to find a political solution to the national issue as all its efforts to come to a deal with the respective govts have failed, its leader R. Sampanthan said yesterday. �We are being told not to go to India and not to go to Washington to seek help but we have been trying to find a solution locally until January this year, but there had been no favorable response from the Sri Lankan govt,� more..

Apr 27 (CT) The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) and the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka (MCSL) urged the Muslim Community not to engage in violent protests or demonstrations over the Dambulla Mosque incident. The ACJU in a statement issued to all the mosques has called upon Muslims not to be misled by forces �out to destroy the cordial relationship between the Muslim and Buddhist communities�. �The Holy Quran has prescribed solutions to every threat or more..

Apr 27 (Island) A 39-year-old dental surgeon attached to a government hospital, had been arrested for molesting a 35-year old married woman who went for a dental examination at a private hospital in Dalugama on Wednesday evening, police said. Police spokesman SPAjith Rohana said the dentist had asked the victim to come the following day around 8.00 p.m. and molested her. He said that the doctor had been arrested after the victim made a complaint to the Kiribathgoda police. more..

Apr 27 (CT) All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama Chairman Mufthi Rizwe yesterday said relocation of the controversial mosque in Dambulla is not the acceptable solution for the Muslim community. �Relocating the mosque on an issue like this is not an option,� ACJU Chairman told Ceylon Today. ACJU is Sri Lanka�s highest Muslim Body. He added the religion permits removal or relocation for specific purposes, where the removal or relocation is in the best interest of the people. more..

Apr 27 (CT) Minister S.M. Chandrasena said 13plus cannot be just pulled out of a hat using supernatural forces. �It is not in the Indo-Lanka pact. Any such addition could be done with a two-thirds approval in Parliament. It cannot be carried to please Indian delegates. We are working to solve these problems,� Chandrasena said. He also said; �Indian delegates are telling various things to the media. But our President has not made any commitment. He will surely take a prudent decision more..

Apr 27 (CT) JHU President Omalpe Sobitha thero said theft of Archaeological artefacts from the National Museum should be thoroughly investigated and culprits be punished without further delay. He said it is the duty of the President and the government to direct relevant authorities to act expeditiously to solve the crime. He made the above appeal to the government at a �Satyaggraha� conducted in front of the museum on 24 April. He further said the govt is more..

Apr 27 (Island) The Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB), on Wednesday night arrested another British national wanted in connection with drug trafficking, at the BIA while he was attempting to flee to Thailand. Following his arrest, it was revealed that the 23-year-old suspect was the accomplice of the British national arrested a few days ago at the Central Mail Exchange while trying to collect three parcels containing hashish concealed in some magazines more..