Fundamentalism versus totalitarianism in Sri Lanka

[TamilNet, Saturday, 20 February 2010, 03:22 GMT]
Religious fundamentalism and state totalitarianism, which contribute to each other in the island of Sri Lanka is now at loggerheads, when state totalitarianism wants to have complete reins over the other, is the interpretation of a leftist academic in Colombo over the Maha Sangha controversy this week. Meanwhile, BBC Sinhala reported Friday, that "the main opposition in Sri Lanka has accused the government of violating the constitution by trying to destroy the Theravada Buddhism in the island."
Full story >>

Presidential pardon clears ex-UNP national organizer to contest on UPFA

[TamilNet, Saturday, 06 February 2010, 02:03 GMT]
S.B.Dissanayake who was the national organizer of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) till he defected to the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and supported the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse in the last presidential election was granted full presidential pardon and appointed as UPFA organizer for Udunuwara electorate in Kandy district.
Full story >>

Freedom of movement of Fonseka restricted: Sri Lankan opposition

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 January 2010, 10:06 GMT]
The main opposition parties United National Party (UNP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Wednesday evening at a hurriedly convened press briefing announced that they have decided to request the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure freedom of movement and adequate security to the common opposition candidate General Sarath Fonseka.
Full story >>

SL forces surround Fonseka's hotel

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 January 2010, 05:17 GMT]
Heavily armed Sri Lankan forces have surrounded Wednesday Cinnamon Lake hotel in Colombo, where opposition presidential candidate and former Sri Lanka Army General (retd) Sarath Fonseka was residing with opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe and JVP leader Somawanse Amarasinghe. Sarath Fonseka, who is trailing in the presidential contest against his former Commander-in-Chief Mahinda Rajapaksa was scheduled to hold a press conference Wednesday morning, but journalists were not allowed to reach the hotel and were waiting at Sri Sittampalam Gardiner Mawatte. In the meantime, Sri Lankan military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara has alleged that Sarath Fonseka was harbouring SLA deserters inside the hotel. Military has also been deployed around media outlets in Colombo.
Full story >>

Court rejects CID application to search Wickremesinghe official residence

[TamilNet, Monday, 25 January 2010, 17:01 GMT]
Colombo Magistrate Ms Chandani Meegoda Monday rejected an application by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to issue a warrant to search the official residence of the leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Ranil Wickremesinghe. The CID cited reports of defamatory posters against SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa and weapons had been hidden inside the office residence of Mr. Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Full story >>

Shiranthi Rajapakse seeks Jaffna Bishop’s help

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 12 January 2010, 15:03 GMT]
Shiranthi Rajapakse, wife of President Mahinda Rajapakse, paid a visit to Jaffna Bishop’s House Monday evening where she entreated Jaffna Bishop, Rt. Rev. Thomas Saundaranayagam to help get the people of Jaffna peninsula to vote for her husband in the presidential election, Bishop House sources said. She had also requested him to ask the peninsula residents not to refrain from voting in the forthcoming presidential election, the sources added.
Full story >>

Security measures to Sarath Fonseka in Jaffna withdrawn

[TamilNet, Monday, 04 January 2010, 03:45 GMT]
Sri Lanka government withdrew Sunday the customary security arrangements to Sarath Fonseka, the common opposition presidential candidate and the opposition political leaders who are presently in Jaffna to campaign for Sarath Fonseka, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander who was expected to receive Sarath Fonseka who had been the Chief of Sri Lanka Armed Forces did not turn up at Palaali airport while SLA high officials in Palaali military base kept themselves busy in their offices, the sources added. The Chief priest of Nagavikarai Buddhist temple in Jaffna was the only prominent personage present at the airport to receive Sarath Fonseka when he arrived with the opposition parliamentarians Saturday.
Full story >>

Sarath Fonseka visits Jaffna seeking Tamils' votes

[TamilNet, Saturday, 02 January 2010, 10:24 GMT]
Main opposition presidential candidate and former Chief of Sri Lanka Armed Forces and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Jaffna Commander, Major General (retd) Sarath Fonseka arrived in Jaffna Saturday morning accompanied by the Leader of Opposition, Ranil Wickremasainghe, Parliamentarians Mano Ganeshan, Jayalath Jayawardene, JVP Samaraweera Amarasinghe, Anurakumara Disanayake, Hakeem and several other political personalities to engage in election campaign in Jaffna peninsula. Sarath Fonseka and his team made it a point to first visit Saiva temples in the peninsula before meeting the public and other important persons. Sarath Fonseka and his associates also visited Jaffna Bishop, Rt. Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagam at his residence where they spoke with the representatives of civil organizations in the peninsula, sources in Jaffna said.
Full story >>

Minister G. L. Pieris in Jaffna canvassing for Mahinda

[TamilNet, Thursday, 24 December 2009, 03:23 GMT]
G. L. Pieris, a cabinet minister in the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and a former United National Party (UNP) prominent person, arrived in Jaffna Wednesday to campaign for Mahinda Rajapakse in the presidential election, sources in Jaffna said. G. L. Pieris who visited various places in Jaffna peninsula meeting people is expected spend some more days in Jaffna.
Full story >>

2 UNP MPs cross over to UPFA

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 December 2009, 13:36 GMT]
Two parliamentarians from the main opposition United national Party (UNP) Wednesday extended their support to the ruling Mahinda Rajapaksa government, a day ahead of nominations for the up coming presidential elections to be held on January 26. Krunegala District MPs Johnston Fernando and Indika Bandaranayake made their intentions known at a joint press conference held in Colombo on Wednesday afternoon.
Full story >>

Fear for State armed forces remain among Jaffna residents – Ranil

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 December 2009, 14:19 GMT]
Ranil Wicremasinghe, the leader of the opposition, currently in Jaffna canvassing for Sarath Fonseka in the presidential election, witnessed ordinary people getting down from their vehicles to stand at the edge of the road when they saw the convoy of vehicles he was travelling in happened to pass by. He expressed concern to the journalists travelling with him that the people of Jaffna are still gripped in fear of the armed forces and that he could see how they had been traumatized due to harassment and intimidation by the armed forces during the war.
Full story >>

Wickremesinghe holds talks on Sri Lanka situation in New Delhi

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 December 2009, 10:42 GMT]
Ranil Wickremesinghe, leader of the main opposition United National Party, left for India Sunday evening on a two-day visit to New Delhi on an invitation of the Indian government. During his stay in New Delhi he is scheduled to meet Indian Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh, Congress party leader Ms Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna and National Security Advisor M.K.Narayan and discuss about the current political situation in Sri Lanka.
Full story >>

Family rule or Democratic rule? – Ranil Wickremasinghe

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 December 2009, 10:22 GMT]
“The time has come for the people to decide whether they want the Rajapakse family rule to continue or democratic rule to be restored in Sri Lanka,” Leader of the opposition and United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremasinghe, who is in Jaffna canvassing support for Sarath Fonseka, the common candidate of the opposition parties in the presidential election, said Saturday speaking among the students of the private College of Education near the Buddhist temple in Jaffna.
Full story >>

Sarath is only a tool to eliminate Mahinda – Ranil, in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 December 2009, 08:18 GMT]
“The opposition intends to use Sarath Fonseka only as a tool to eliminate Mahinda Rajapakse from the presidential post; people should not be afraid of him because he was an army commander,” Ranil Wicremasinghe, the leader of the opposition said Saturday night in Jaffna at a press meet held in ‘Yaa’lpaadi’ guest house, sources in Jaffna said. “The failure of the people in the North and East to vote in the last presidential election enabled Mahinda to become president and the resulting sufferings of the Tamils is now clear to them,” Ranil further said.
Full story >>

Hindu temple of ritual significance destroyed in Trincomalee

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 08 December 2009, 09:22 GMT]
A Siva temple located at an ancient Hindu site called Akaththiyar Thaapanam, at Kangku-veali in the Moothoor division of the Trincomalee district, where Hindus gather especially to perform the Aadi Amaavaasai ritual for ancestors, was destroyed without any traces coinciding the Heroes’ Day on 27 November. The location of the temple is under the control of Sri Lanka Army stationed at a nearby Sinhala village, Neelaappola. The Sinhala villagers of Neelaappola protected the Tamil villagers of Kangku-veali from displacement in 2006. The Tamil villagers who were shocked and wept to see the temple razed to the ground now, suspect ‘outsiders’ and are scared whether this is a prelude to wipe out their traditional village as well.
Full story >>

UNP, SLFP-M back Fonseka

[TamilNet, Thursday, 26 November 2009, 13:04 GMT]
The working committee of the main Sri Lankan opposition United National Party (UNP) Thursday endorsed General (retd) Sarath Fonseka as their common presidential candidate. UNP is the main constituent of the newly formed United National Front (UNF). The peoples’ wing of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), led by rebel SLFP parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera, former Foreign Minister in the President Mahinda Rajapakse’s government also endorsed General Sarath Fonseka as their common presidential candidate.
Full story >>

NLF leader Karunaratne to contest presidential election

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 25 November 2009, 18:20 GMT]
Dr. Wickremabahu Karunaratne, leader of the New Left Front (NLF), Wednesday announced his candidature for the forthcoming Presidential election. He disclosed his decision at a media briefing held in Colombo. Meanwhile, General Sarath Fonseka, former Sri Lanka Army commander and the Chief of Defence Staff, said that he is to announce his future plans Thursday.
Full story >>

Executive Presidential system inappropriate - Malwatte chapter chief incumbent

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 November 2009, 17:19 GMT]
Kandy Malwatte Chapter Mahanayake Most Ven. Siddhartha Sri Sumangala Thero said that the systems of Executive President, Provincial Council and present election system are not appropriate to Sri Lanka when the Leader of Opposition and United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremasinghe went to Malwatte along with other UNP leaders Saturday to get the blessings of the Chief Incumbent, sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

India invites Ranil Wickremasinghe for talks

[TamilNet, Monday, 09 November 2009, 10:55 GMT]
Sri Lankan opposition United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe Sunday left for India on an invitation from the Indian government. Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe is expected to meet Indian National Security Adviser R.K. Narayanan, Foreign Minister and Indian Opposition BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani to discuss the current situation in the island, sources in Colombo said.
Full story >>

Sarath Fonseka’s stand on relations with Tamils, Muslims should be made public – Mano Ganeshan

[TamilNet, Saturday, 24 October 2009, 18:32 GMT]
“The persons who try to bring in former Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Commander, Sarath Fonseka as a prospective presidential candidate should first publicize his stand on his relations with the Tamils and Muslims of the country,” Mano Gnaeshan, Colombo district parliamentarian and the leader of Democratic Peoples’ Front (DPF) told media in Colombo after a discussion held with Ranil Wickremasinghe, the leader of the opposition and United National Party Friday evening, sources in Colombo said.. “We will not write ‘blank cheques’ in favour of any major political party candidate in the Presidential election,” he said. “We do not have any personal hard feelings either towards President Mahinda Rajapakse or Sarath Fonseka; whatever difference of opinion that exists is purely political,” he further said.
Full story >>