PM Ranil Wickremesinghe Expected To Visit Flood-affected Areas
December 26, 2018Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will visit flood-affected areas in the Kilinochchi district later this week.
Government sources said Wickremesinghe is expected to visit Killinochchi on December 28.
President Maithripala Sirisena is currently in Thailand on a personal holiday and is expected to return to the country next week.
Thousands of people have been affected by floods in the North and East provinces.
According to the Disaster Management Center, 5,775 persons of 1,829 families have been moved to 40 disaster camps in the three districts of the Northern Province while 9,161 people from 2,788 families have been affected by the floods.
Full Speech By President Maithripala Sirisena After Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's Swearing-In
December 16, 2018The full speech made by President Maithripala Sirisena following the swearing-in of UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister can be watched below:
"Don't Allow 'Illegal' Government To Invade Privacy Of Sri Lankan Users;" UNP Writes To Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerburg
November 16, 2018"Events that have unfolded in Sri Lanka since Friday Oct 26th 2018 have provoked a grave threat to democracy and constitute a de-facto coup that bypassed the lawfully elected legislature in contravention of the Constitution of Sri Lanka. These events, which began by the President of Sri Lanka unlawfully sacking the Prime Minister Mr Ranil Wickramasinghe on 26th October 2018 and culminating in the dissolution of Parliament on 9th November 2018, led to mass protests by citizens, civil society organizations and democracy advocates in Sri Lanka against these unlawful acts.
The International Community have continuously expressed alarm and repeatedly called for the reconvening of Parliament; these include Mr. António Guterres the UN Secretary General, Heather Nauert, Spokesperson for the US Department of Statement, and numerous other officials from many countries. On 13th November the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka granted a stay order against the dissolution of Parliament and Parliament reconvened on 14th November, where the illegally sacked Prime Minister, Mr Ranil Wickramasinghe demonstrated command the majority in Parliament.
However, due to continuing intransigent acts spearheaded by the President of Sri Lanka it, is virtually certain great uncertainty will prevail over the coming weeks until Parliamentary democracy becomes fully operational. During this interim period, the illegal administration headed by the President of Sri Lanka continues tight control of traditional media.
In this context, social media platforms constitute an essential means of communication for civil society, democracy advocates, and a vital medium for the free expressing of facts, views and opinions. It is very likely that officials from the current illegal administration of Sri Lanka headed by the President, Mr Maithripala Sirisena, may ask facebook for information on selected Sri Lankan users of facebook that should rightfully be private. Such requests may include information on named individuals, geo locations and other identification details of users who view and post on these pages. It is vital this information be safeguarded as the current illegal administration will most likely use these in ways which are constitutionally prohibited.
This request is made on behalf of the United National Party (UNP). The UNP is one of the two primary political parties in Sri Lanka. The UNP has a strong track record of facilitating and enabling economic growth and support for social media platforms as a continuing evolution in the Country. The UNP was, until the events of 26th October 2018, one of the constituent parties in government.
We thus urge facebook to refrain from sharing any information about Sri Lankan users of the platform with any officials of the illegal government of President Sirisena. Such a principled stand will further enhance confidence in facebook in Sri Lanka in the long run – as facebook would have stood on the right side of history and democracy during these troubled times."
New Cabinet, State And Deputy Ministers Take Oaths: Duminda Back In Cabinet: No Crossovers From UNP Today
November 01, 2018Two Cabinet ministers, five state ministers and six deputy ministers took oaths before President Maithripala Sirisena, a short while ago.
Although several UPFA sources said several crossover MPs from the UNP would take oaths, no such development took place this evening.
However, SLFP National Organizer Duminda Dissanayake, who was expected to defect from the UPFA, was among the ministers who took oaths today.
The full list of ministers, state ministers, and deputy ministers are as follows,
Duminda Dissanayake: Minister of Irrigation, Water Resources and Disaster Management
Dayasiri Jayasekara: Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training
Piyasena Gamage: State Minister of Youth, Women and Child Affairs.
Lakshman Senewiratne: State Minister of Defence
M. L. A. M. Hizbullah: State Minister of Highways and Road Development
Mohan Lal Grero: State Minister of Education and Higher Education
Sriyani Wijewickrama: State Minister of Provincial Councils, Local Government, and Sports.
Angajan Ramanathan: Deputy Minister of Agriculture
Manusha Nanayakkara: Deputy Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment
Indika Bandaranayake: Deputy Minister of Housing and Urban Development.
Sarathi Dushmantha: Deputy Minister of Justice and Prison Reforms
Nishantha Muthuhettigamage: Deputy Minister of Ports and Shipping
Kader Masthan: Deputy Minister of Resettlement, Rehabilitation, and Northern Development.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken oaths as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Asian Mirror reliably learns.
a host of MPs of the Joint Opposition and SLFP '15 group' including former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera, S.B. Dissanayake, Thilanga Sumathipala, Janaka Tennakoon and C.B. Ratnaike were present at the occassion.
The former President has taken oaths at the Presidential Secretariat, before President Maithripala Sirisena.
Await more details.
<
Who Is Responsible For The Protest Against Uber & PickMe? - Here Are The List Of Organizations And Their Diverse Interests
October 23, 2018The protest launched by taxi drivers in Colombo yesterday against taxi-hailing apps has sparked a fierce debate on social media over demands and interests of the protestors.
Conflicting reports have surfaced as to who carried out the protest and who was responsible for the violence unleashed on the employees of Uber office in Colombo and drivers and passengers who used the taxi-hailing apps yesterday despite the protest.
Asian Mirror is in a position to reveal that the protest was organized and carried out by two main organizations - Sri Lanka Taxi Drivers Association (Sri Lanka Kulee ratha riyadurange sangamaya) and Self-Employed Tuk Tuk Drivers Association (Swayan Rekiya Niyukthikayange thriroda ratha sangamaya). These two organizations had different support-bases and different interests. They, however, came together to exert pressure on the companies operating taxi-hailing apps in Colombo.
They collectively described themselves as the "Riders' Voice Against Injustice" (Asadharanayata Erehi Riyaduru Handa).
The protesters under these two organizations included taxi drivers who use taxi-hailing apps, taxi drivers who do not use taxi-hailing apps and Tuk Tuk drivers who opposed companies operating Taxi-hailing apps. While some groups engaged in the protest peacefully, some groups resorted to violence against those who used the apps despite the protest.
Each group, understandably, had different demands. While those who are already enlisted on Uber and PickMe protested against daily commissions, others - mainly the Tuk Tuk drivers who have not signed up with the apps - demanded the closure of two companies.
They argued that Uber and PickMe were ripping the drivers apart through commissions, while 'undercutting' the market. They also made it clear that the taxi-hailing apps have deprived the Tuk Tuk Drivers on the street on their livelihood.
Sri Lankan Government Spends Rs. 8.6 Million On Four Visits To The Country By UK MPs Between May 2016 And June 2018
October 19, 2018Sri Lanka is among the top 10 countries that paid most for visits by UK MPs during the period between May 02, 2016 and June 18, 2018.
According to details publicized by the UK Parliament's Expenses Registry, UK MPs had accepted four trips to Sri Lanka, worth a total of £38,750 (Over LKR 8.6 million), during the aforesaid period.
The other countries on the top ten list are Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Japan, India and Gibraltar.
BBC said members of Parliament have benefitted from more than £2m worth of free overseas trips in the last two years.
A total of 810 visits were recorded by 340 MPs in the years either side of the 2017 general election.
Conservative MPs were treated to £1.3m worth of travel and £630,000 was spent on Labour members.
The other parties had less than £200,000 spent on them put together.
President Laments Over Poor Quality Of March Pasts Conducted By Government Schools: "Only Musaeus College Got It Right"
October 12, 2018Just weeks after his tirade over cashew nuts served by SriLankan Airlines, President Maithripala Sirisena today said he was disappointed with the poor quality of march pasts conducted by students at the concluding ceremony of national school games.
"Only one school did it right. It was Musaeus College. Other schools got it all wrong. It was clear that they had been poorly trained," the President said, addressing a state event at the Ape Gama premises, in Battaramulla, today.
The President added there should be better training and greater discipline in government.
Sirisena, addressing the same event said, all state officials should be committed to safeguarding international agreements and conventions on protecting forest resources. He also said national policies adopted on them should be implemented without delay.
The President also said he had given instructions to heads of state institutions to give appointments impartially promoting the good governance agenda of the government.
He also added that the productivity of the efficiency of the public sector should be increased to meet the new challenges.
Filmmakers Remove Their Films From Jaffna Film Festival Over Ban On 'Demons In Paradise': Malaka Devapriya Pulls Out
October 04, 2018Filmmaker Malaka Devapriya has removed his film 'Bahuchithawadiya' from the Jaffna International Film Festival in protest of the festival's last minute decision to censor Jude Ratnam's film 'Demons in Paradise'
Commenting on the removal, Devapriya said he did not want to include his film in a film festival that encouraged 'censorship' overtly and covertly.
Devapriya's radio drama, produced by the Office of National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR), was also censored following an intervention by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.
According to Ratnam, his film has been removed from the festival allegedly owing to pressure from a group known only as the ‘Community’ in Jaffna.
He also added that he had not been given a proper explanation for the last moment removal of his from the festival schedule.
“I feel this is a case of censorship and an infringement on the fundamental rights to freedom of expression,” he said, issuing a statement on the matter.
Although Anomaa Rajakaruna, the Festival Director, issued a statement launching a veiled attack on Ratnam, she had failed to explain why the film was removed at the last moment.
Many civil society leaders, academics and critiques have expressed their disgust at the decision made by the Jaffna International Film Festival.
IGP Says He Too Has Vital Information On Alleged Conspiracy To Kill President: "I Am Ready Cooperate With CID At Any Point"
October 02, 2018
IGP Pujith Jayasundara said he was ready to give a statement to the CID on the alleged plot to kill President Maithripala Sirisena and former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.
Speaking to a local newspaper, the IGP said it was his duty as the Police Chief of the country to give a statement to the CID on the matter.
He also added that the CID investigation into the alleged controversy was advancing smoothly and everyone has cooperated with the inquiry.
The IGP said he too have vital information on the alleged conspiracy and assured he would give everything to the investigators .
Meanwhile, Police Media Spokesman Ruwan Gunasekera said yesterday that former TID DIG Nalaka Silva’s office room had been sealed by the CID investigators.
Gunasekera said the step had been taken as the investigators wanted to access some documents kept in the DIG’s office room.
