Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

After nearly 7 years of postgraduate education and independent research experience abroad, I returned to Sri Lanka in mid 2003, to work in my mothers_day.jsp' class=black>mother country Sri Lanka that gave me free education all the way upto university level. When I left Johns Hopkins University in USA, some of my friends cautioned me of the danger I might face in a possible breakout of the war in Sri Lanka. Still, a strong compulsion kept me firm on the decision to return. When I was interviewed by the University of Moratuwa, where I received undergraduate education, I made it clear to the Vice Chancellor that my intension of joining the University would be to set up a laboratory to develop new technologies to detect landmines. Within a week, I went to Jaffna to see what technologies were being used by deminers. In Jaffna, I can never forget the fear I felt when I was asked to experience the life of a deminer by walking on a cleared minefield, wearing steel reinforced boots (must have been heavier than 10kg), thick protective gear, a wiser, in ambient air of about 34 degrees Celsius, inhaling dusty and dry air. My lack of courage, and shaking legs would have failed me in an interview to be a deminer, then and there. But it was a great first hand exposure to my research team. Upon our return to Colombo, I went begging from people I knew to support our research program. Some generous people donated, and the National Science Foundation also readily extended their support.

The undercurrent of racial tensions sweeping through Sri Lanka is gaining momentum. Unchecked and unrestrained by a government appearing to give in to their divisive demands, the terrorist Buddhist group, the Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Force), is threatening to turn the island into a bloody battlefield.

The Muslims targeted by this fanatical element are not the only minority being subjected to acts of violence. Christians on the island are also under attack.

`If raids are conducted on illegal Karaoke centers , Casino dens and foreign liquor business places in Colombo coming under my purview , punishment will be meted out to those police officers who conduct those raids` , Anura Senanayake the notorious DIG , in charge of the Colombo police division had sent this above notification to all police stations in Colombo.

The DIG had given this instruction when he held a meeting 26th attended by high rung police officers in charge of Colombo. He had thereafter sent a notice in writing to this effect from 27 th March 2013.

Hatred of one group can lead to hatred of others Amartya Sen (The Argumentative Indian).

In Sri Lanka the boundary line between myth and history is dangerously amorphous. And this twilight world often plays a decisive role in Lankan politics.

Sinhala school children are taught that they belong to a race which began when an Indian-Aryan princess eloped with a lion. They learn this tale not in the story-hour but during the history lesson.

Minister Wimal Weerawansa, who is absolutely sure of everything he says, that the Japanese are so smart because they feed on tuna (Balaya). He`s conveniently forgetting that the same tuna-smart Japanese started a war they could not win almost 70 years ago, resulting in millions of them being fed to tuna and other fish in the world`s tropical oceans as Japanese warships and the merchant marine were sent to the bottom. By the war`s end, Japan had almost no cargo ships left due to the ferocity of US submarine attacks (Japanese ships carried no sonar).

It appears that the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) and its acolytes have taken a page from the book of the Anagarika Dharmapala (Homeless Protector of the Dhamma) in espousing the same flavour of bigotry as he did in pre independent Ceylon. Intolerance of the religion of the other was the `Dhamma` protected, practiced and propagated by this `National Hero` the Anagarika Dharmapala!

Given the sociological climate of pre independent Ceylon one could appreciate the fact that the Anagarika was rebelling against the British colonial invader who were subjugating the masses in the most deplorable way. But when one takes a closer look at the obvious, he was not fighting the colonial invaders on behalf of all Lankans as a whole but only on behalf of the Sinhalese Buddhists in the country. In such a context can he be regarded as a National Hero?

The wife of Mahinda Aluthgamage , the Minister of sports has alleged that her husband is conspiring to murder her and therefore left the country secretly along with her two children seeking political asylum , according to reports reaching Lanka e news. Though we are aware of the country to which she had fled , we shall not disclose the information on security grounds in view of the murder threats the Minister had held out to her.

The Minister`s wife who was aware that her husband was attending the independence day celebrations at Trincomalee , had arranged to flee the country that night.(3rd of February Night) At the final stage when the Minister Aluthgamage got wind of this and tried to stop her at the Airports by dispatching the police , it was too late. Lanka e news always first with the news and best with the views wishes to recall that on an earlier occasion too it highlighted an incident when the wife of the Minister was attacked by an individual until she bled when she and the Minister husband were at a function . The Minister took no notice of it when she was assaulted. According to the persecuted wife , as a large number of properties are in her name , and after she came to know that the Minister is planning to kill her she took the decision to flee the country.

A valuable statue of holy blessed � heavenly mothers_day.jsp' class=black>mother� at the Seethawaka St. Mary� s church , Avisawella which was erected to commemorate the 150th jubilee had been completely destroyed by the Bodhu Bala Sena terrorist group.

This statue is 13 feet high and built at a cost of Rs. 6 lakhs by Christian devotees and completed on 27th January 2013. The most distressing and deplorable feature about this wanton destruction is , on the 28th January even before a day had elapsed after so much labor, love and money were spent on the construction and completed , it was totally devastated by this terror group setting fire to it.

The chief monk at the Shanthi Viharaya in Kelaniya, Sri Lanka is accused of raping a 43-year-old woman. The incident reportedly happened on January 4, 2013. (The names of the victim and the monk are withheld).

The prosecutrix, a mothers_day.jsp' class=black>mother of two, has complained that she had known this monk for some time. It is alleged that 4 January, the prosecutrix went to meet the monk, seeking some advice. To her surprise, the monk is alleged to have suggested to the prosecutrix, that she should have sex with him, which she eventually refused. The prosecutrix claims that, thereafter, the monk forcibly took her to a room and assaulted her on her head and stomach. At this, it is reported that the prosecutrix kneeled before the monk and begged him not to assault or harm her further. It is alleged that the monk did not agree, and then he forcibly removed the prosecutrix`s cloths and raped her several times. The prosecutrix alleges that she was able to escape only much later when the door of the room was unlocked.

President Rajapaksa does what he wishes to do. Nothing to be surprised of, that is who he is. He impeached the Chief Justice saying that the law was so dear to him and that he was a humble follower of the law in this respectful country. Accordingly, he says that he followed the procedure as per the constitution. Now he has installed another subject to the forcibly vacated seat which we call the seat of the Chief Justice . One of his brothers who is also a key player of this panoply of nepotism of the barbaric raj claimed this as an aspect of check and balance . But as happened in many other cases, he misused the power obtained through the constitution, yet again. This is likely to be repeated by him to get rid of political obstacles he would face in the future as well. How can you predict the strength of a building which appears to be beautiful and strong but is structurally outworn, unless you see the inside? You will never comprehend through your bird`s eye view how the power beast misused by the present ruling family cleared the way for the Chinese to make roads and wetland parks throughout the country.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa`s recent statement, that as a lawyer he respects the judiciary, is a big joke as Chief Justice Dr. (Mrs.) Shirani Bandaranayake could not come out the Supreme Court complex to go to Parliament on Tuesday (4) to face the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC).


The leader of the Tamil Muslim National Alliance (TMNA), a seven-party alliance called the `Unite Country with Power Sharing`, Azath Salley told the media that about 5,000 persons were brought to Hulftsdorp to shout slogans against the CJ while over 200 three wheelers too participated in the slogan shouting. He said that this was organized by henchmen of the government, who were also involved in putting up posters in Colombo demanding the resignation of the CJ.

Sri Lanka`s former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga warned that inequality can fuel terrorism during a speech in Nigeria, a country grappling with a deadly Islamist insurgency.

Poverty, socio-political injustices cause frustration and anger among the marginalised groups, said the Sri Lankan leader, who led the south Asian nation from 1994 to 2005.

The continued existence of inequality gives rise to violence and even terrorism, she added.

We can neither ignore the catastrophes that affect us nor simply leave their solution to others Orhan Pamuk (For Rushdie)

Hours after Sri Lanka became a satellite-owning nation, a train collided with a three-wheeler at an unprotected railway-crossing in Ambanpola, killing 6 people, including 4 children.

There are around 900 unprotected railway-crossings in Sri Lanka, which cause several accidents a month. According to railway authorities protective measures are not possible at these death-traps due to lack of funds. The regime, which has the wherewithal to own a satellite and is planning to build a network of express-ways crisscrossing the island, cannot spare any money to provide basic rail gates for unprotected railway-crossings.

With the collapsing of the legal system, distrust about property rights spread and today one cannot be sure about ones ownership about anything. The government can confiscate anything and powerful persons can takeover any property. There are complaints about land grabbing everywhere.

We were one of the leading nations in agriculture and many other things in South East Asia. We have lost it all since the 1962 military takeover. Now advisors come from those countries, which were in very difficult position before 1962, to advice us on agriculture, and so many other things. Our health system has collapsed. Our education system, which was of the same quality as that in India those days, has now degenerated. Above all, our legal system does not exist at all. The courts are in neglected buildings, and they are quite dirty. Lawyers have to pay bribes to police officers. Corruption has got into everything said Ms. Than Than Nu, the daughter of the first Prime Minister of Burma, Mr. U Nu, in a conversation with me and two of my colleagues today (27 November 2012) at her residence in Yangon.

hot cake now