Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Galleon Group hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam attacked a U.S. regulator`s lawsuit on Tuesday, denying insider trading charges and saying government wiretaps violated his constitutional rights.

The Sri Lankan-born billionaire is the most prominent of 20 people who face criminal or civil charges in the largest U.S. hedge fund insider trading case on record and Wall Street`s first insider trading probe involving court-approved wiretaps.

Tamil and Muslim political leaders in Sri Lanka say they have agreed for wider devolution of power for Sri Lanka`s minorities.

Mano Ganesan, leader of Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA) told BBC Sandeshaya that the leaders who met in Switzerland during the week end agreed for devolution that goes beyond 13 amendment to the constitution.

`Although the war has ended, the struggle for Tamil rights have not,` said the DPA leader.

Colombo, 22 November, (Asiantribune.com)

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will make a special announcement tomorrow (Monday) about elections.

According to Basil Rajapaksa MP and the Special Advisor to the President, initially the presidential elections will be held followed by the parliamentary general elections.

By Tisaranee Gunasekara
The government is expected to gazette the Presidential election on Monday. Minister Maitripala Sirisena has hinted that the delay (the announcement was expected last Sunday, at the SLFP Convention) is due to astrological factors, ever a potent force in Lankan politics.

According to the para-JVP paper Lanka, until recently the government expected the oft-defeated Ranil Wickremesinghe to be its main challenger at the Presidential election.

Fonseke has been kicked out by Rajapakse from his official Free Residence. But He did ask for it Didnt he? Such a great General why didnt he know how the Rajapakses work? He is a Fool to have opted for early exit and played into the hands of Rajapakse treatment.

Now he has to watch out for the Trees and Rocks - Watch out Mervyn is about He He He

Now no Sinhalayas will rent houses to him or wont they sell it to him either - I am sure he has enough money to move into one of the Five Star Hotels - I dont know what the fuss is all about!!!!

Nov 18, 2009 1:49 PM Labour Minister Mervyn Silva has claimed a plot by Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi to assassinate President Mahinda Rajapaksa, while they had been government ministers.

Both had lost their ministerial positions after the exposure of the conspiracy, minister Perera said at the opening of a National Savings Bank branch in front of Rajamaha Vihara in Kelaniya today (Nov. 18).

SYDNEY (Reuters Life!) - New Zealand was on Wednesday named the world`s least corrupt nation out of a list of 180 countries, unseating Denmark after a year in which the global recession and ongoing conflicts proved challenging.

The annual index by Transparency International ranked 180 countries on a scale of zero to 10 according to 13 independent surveys, with zero being perceived as highly corrupt and 10 as having low levels of corruption.

New Zealand topped the table with a score of 9.4 after coming second last year. In second place was last year`s leader, Denmark with 9.3 followed by Singapore and Sweden tying at 9.2 and Switzerland at 9.0.

Sri Lanka has been ranked 97 among 180 countries in terms of public-sector corruption in an international corruption perception index released by Transparency International today. Sri Lanka scored 3.1 points and stood at 97th position.

President Obama today demanded the release of Nobel prize-winner Aung San Suu Kyi during an unprecedented encounter that put him at the same table as the prime minister of Myanmar`s pariah military government.

The United States president`s message, in which he also pushed for the release of other political prisoners held by the Myanmar regime, was delivered to prime minister Thein Sein during a meeting with the leaders of 10 Southeast Asian countries that comprise ASEAN.

First there was triumph of the army over the LTTE. Then came the tragedy - the encampment of 300,000 people. And now the farce an establishment divided, the resignation of a war hero, and all but the announcement of a premature presidential race.

The outgoing General Sarath Fonseka`s letter of resignation, written with military license, is perfectly professional in tone and duly submissive to his civilian authority. The sting is in the tail annexed to the letter. Thirteen someone is going to be unlucky here of the sixteen points of contention, or reasons for resignation, are concerned with military organization and the rapid changes thereto so soon after victory. At this point, it is only one side of the story, but a man will not end his career and plan a future in so public a manner if what he is giving as reasons is less than true. But the thirteen reasons are not all factually verifiable, as some of them are perceptions and therefore contestable.

1. Mahinda Rajapakse will not need Security because he will be in Hauge

2. Gotha Rajapakse will be sent to US to answer Questions about War Crimes

3. No more statues for any Rajapakses

4. Tamils will be ordered to go and jump in the sea

5. Muslims will be sent to Arab countries

6. All the ministers would be from military background

7. His gvt will look like a communist Junta

He He He He He He

Chief of Defence Staff Sarath Fonseka returned to Colombo as dawn broke over Sri Lanka on Thursday, ending fears of Government leaders he would disclose to US law enforcement agencies secrets of the military campaign that defeated the Tiger guerrillas this May.

Sri Lankan Airlines flight UL 228 from Dubai via Kuwait touched down at the BIA at 4.35 a.m. Within minutes after cabin doors of the Airbus A-330 opened, Gen. Fonseka alighted and immediately boarded an Air Force helicopter for a short flight to the Army Grounds in Colombo. He had flown un-accompanied from Washington on a Dubai-bound flight. Hurried preparations for his exit from US meant other members of his entourage could not find seats in the same flight. Airlines are heavily booked with year-end traffic. Photographers who waited at the airport to record the arrival of the celebrated war hero, now drawing greater attention and been talked about more than any other Sri Lankan, were unable to catch a glimpse of him.

The Government has despatched a team of Faith leaders to Europe with the aim of persuading the European Union to retain the GSP+ facility for imports from Sri Lanka. It is difficult to understand the strategy of those who thought that it is faith leaders who can swing EU`s decision in Sri Lanka`s favour. Faith leaders by training try and influence the hearts and minds of the faithful some are even able to send women into a trance at Vihara Maha Devi Park and elsewhere. But they will hardly be equal to the task of engaging the hardened politicians and bureaucrats at the EU about Sri Lanka`s case for compliance or non-compliance with the conditions for retaining the GSP+ facility.

Recently, at a media meeting the leader of NFF had said that Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse had been questioned by US authorities said JVP Parliamentarian S.K. Subasinghe and asked the government why that incident had been kept a secret from the country.
Speaking at the emergency debate in Parliament today (6th) Mr. Subasinghe said, We don`t suppose that Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse was asked regarding details about his family or what he had eaten or drunk. The only information the US would be interested in is the details regarding the war against tiger terrorists that was won by the heroic Security Forces. If what the NFF leader said was correct regarding Mr. Gotabhaya Rajapakse being questioned in the USA, the question why it was concealed from the people comes up, said Mr. Subasinghe.

The JVP yesterday warned Presidential Advisor MP Basil Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa that they would not be able to avoid being prosecuted by the United States unless they gave up US citizenship.