May 28 (NS) Democracies don�t need oppositions, they need vibrant, effective and sober oppositions. Decent oppositions are about the hard work of informed and coherent appraisal of govt and governance, and the grind of organizing and keeping spirit alive in anticipation of opportune political moment. It needs leaders but personality dependence is not indicative of strength but flaw. Even powerful personalities need the backing of organizations as well as decent plans of more..

May 28 (NS) Wide ranging views are being expressed today by various people on the imprisonment and release of former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka. When he was hauled before courts on numerous charges, various motives ranging from personal vendetta to safeguarding national interests were expressed. Similarly, the views expressed today about Gen Fonseka�s release widely vary. A considerable section of people seems to more..

May 28 (DM) The Joint Committee of Buddhist of Organizations did not get involved in this emotional confrontation to aggravate a tense situation that prevailed a few weeks back. However we can no longer be silent on this issue in view of a statement by Minister for Lands Mr. Tennakoon and the aggressive stand taken by Muslim politicians who have made false assertions that a mosque existed at this particular site for over seventy years. On this issue Sinhalese and Buddhists have come under undue, false and unfair criticism more..

May 28 (DM) Out from prison, former armed forces commander Sarath Fonseka has called for uniting and strengthening the Opposition parties that came together when he contested the presidential polls � but have gone their way since. He has said that the leadership issue could be decided on a later date. He may have a point, but his prospective compatriots may not take it on face-value. They could well suspect him of still harbouring political ambitions, which cannot fructify when his civic rights have not been restored. more..

May 28 (LB) Numerous are the complaints from the general public that electricity tariffs are way too high. The same charge was directed at the govt as well by various political parties. Due to the drought that prevailed, especially in the hydro-catchments areas, the Ministry of Power and Energy was compelled to generate power through other means. These moves led to the CEB incurring more losses. The ministry has launched a programme to more..

May 28 (Island) No reasonable person will begrudge the release of Sarath Fonseka. Regardless of the merits and demerits of the man and his actions, General Fonseka�s arrest and incarceration were widely seen as crass, crooked and cruel. Never mind what happened. Today, the General�s family and friends are happy to have him out of jail, and deservedly so. The President�s family, friends and followers are praising their man for his magnanimity. Never mind the more..

May 28 (Island) The dominant factor in Lankan politics is no longer the Tamil question. Three years after the war ended the national question has slipped from its position as the over-determining factor in Lanka�s political conjuncture and been replaced by the State as the principal location of the crisis. Curtailment of democracy, breakdown of law and order, perversion of justice, abuse of power, involvement in drug trafficking, and bad governance have become more..

May 28 (SO) Surely there can�t be anyone who didn�t fly a paper airplane which was made simply by folding a sheet of paper. Recall how we rejoiced when it flew high and glided before it smoothly landed on the ground. The team, which was carefully crafting wooden pieces and scanning each tiny detail of the sketches on their tables, reminded me of how we as children folded paper to make paper planes. This is the story of airmen crafting model airplanes, more..

May 29 (Island) Gen. Sarath Fonseka has, in an interview with a Sunday newspaper, said his policies and those of the JVP are vastly different and admitted that their relations are at a low ebb. What one gathers from this statement and the JVP's apathetic reaction to his release besides some utterances by its heavyweights like Lal Kantha during the past few days, is that the JVP and Fonseka are bound to part company sooner or later. Their actions and reactions are indicative of a political decree nisi, and more..

May 29 (GV) Twenty five years ago, on May 26th 1987, the Sri Lankan military forces launched �Operation Liberation�, which, at the time, was the biggest military operation in Sri Lanka since independence. At least 5,000 troops broke out of their bases in Jaffna in a bid to take the battle to the rebel Tamil Tigers who had kept the soldiers confined to the barracks for more than a year. The operation met with significant success. Within a week the Vadamarachchi sector of the peninsula was more..

May 29 (Island) A felicitation ceremony will be held the today at 3 pm to mark the 70th birthday of the Venerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha thera who as chief Incumbent of the Sri Naga Vihara, Kotte, was a pioneer in the national struggle and gave a unique leadership to the Sinhala-Buddhist community. Mahanayakas of the three Buddhist sects will participate in the felicitation ceremony. The Venerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha thera was born to a rural more..

May 29 (CT) When assessing the govt�s post-war performance it is the issues of accountability on human rights issues and a political solution to the ethnic conflict that take the international centre stage. On both of these counts the Govt of Sri Lanka would fare poorly in international estimation. The governmental decision to reject a request by the UNHRC to send a team to provide technical assistance on human rights issues would be the latest international black mark against the govt. more..

May 29 (GV) The keynote speech by Mr. R Sampanthan, the leader of the main Tamil parliamentary party at the recent congress of that organization is in many respects a landmark event. It sheds light on a number of key strategic issues and should make clear to the international community that the matter of political dialogue leading to ethnic reconciliation is, has become or is becoming rather more complex and fraught than is customarily thought. The senior political leader of more..

May 29 (GDI) WIPO Regional Forum on Intellectual Property (IP) and Environmentally Sound Technologies (ESTs) at Sri Lanka form May 29-31, 2012 will provide a unique opportunity to the delegates of participating countries to develop an integrated approach in connection with finding appropriate way-forward to get maximum benefit of environment friendly technologies in the regions. This was stated by Chairman Intellectual Property more..

May 29 (Island) The civil works leading to the Colombo South Port quay wall has begun last month and the casting of the concrete caissons started around a fortnight ago, Sri Lanka Ports Authority Project Director Susantha Abeysiriwardena said. The first phase of the project will see 400 metres of the 1.2 kilometer quay wall completed in 2013. The program for the reclamation of the 4 million metre cubes of sand has already begun with the contractors more..

May 29 (FT) The Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka (SEC) writes in response to the article published in Daily FT on Monday 28 May 2012 under the caption �Cracks in SEC?� The article has stated that the Chairman has written to the Ministry of Finance that the Senior Commission Member P. Jayawardena must be removed from the SEC. The reason cited was the non attendance of Commission Meetings on three consecutive occasions. The SEC categorically states that the more..

May 29 (National) Not many 14-year-olds can say they've made a record during their school holidays. The Dubai resident Nimesha Jayasinghe, however, has already had a taste of fame � something she seems to be taking well in her stride. Her hit single Ratak Ratak and its music video were recorded during her school holidays in her family's native Sri Lanka. Jayasinghe was surprised to see the video broadcast on the national TV channel Rupavahini during the more..

May 29 (DN) Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said students can be the Energy Ministers in their homes and if the entire student generation which represents around 4.2 million are active in energy preservation, Sri Lanka will save a great deal of energy. �If they managed to switch off 2.6 million refrigerators operational from 6.30 pm to 9.30 pm we can preserve 215 megawatts from the national grid. �If we switch off one bulb of 60 megawatt during that time more..

May 29 (DN) The regulations on gem mining in the Matale district have been relaxed with the intervention of Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. He has arrived at this decision after listening to complaints of the people involved in the gem industry in Laggala, Matale. The minister participated in an open forum in Haththotamuna Central College last Saturday, where the people involved in gem mining and trading brought their issues to the attention of the minister. more..

May 29 (Island) Nearly 15,000 non-executives, on the Ceylon Electricity Board staff, will stage a walk out from their work stations after lunch today to press for their demand of a 25 per cent pay hike following a decision taken by the United Trade Union Front (UTUF)of the CEB yesterday. More than 25 trade unions, including the JVP-backed Lanka Viduli Sevaka Sangamaya will take part in the campaign. UTUF General Secretary H.A. Ranjan Jayalal more..

May 29 (Island) All merchant Vessels, especially roll-on roll-of Vessels, carrying vehicles consigned to be driven out of the port immediately, would be allowed to call at the Port of Colombo even after the deadline of May 31, while all other Vessels should be diverted to Magam Ruhuna Mahinda Rajapaksa Port in Hambantota, Chief Engineer of the Hambantota port Agil Hewa Geegana said. He said that the new plan was being put into operation on the directions of more..

May 29 (CT) Responding to a request made by the Jaffna University administration seeking the assistance of the Security Forces, to ensure the safety of their students, the army has deployed security at the university from Sunday evening. The Vice Chancellor, Deans of all faculties and a section of students of the University met the Commander Security Forces Jaffna (SF-J) Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe at the Civil Affairs and Public Relations Office on 23 May, more..

May 29 (Island) Sri Lanka has once again been featured as one of the leading destinations for leisure travellers in the United Kingdom by Emirates, the award-winning Dubai-based international airline. An exclusive luxury holidays brochure produced by Emirates for the UK market devotes 12 pages to Sri Lanka, one of 14 destinations featured in the 2012 edition. Produced by Emirates Tours UK, the tour operating more..

May 29 (DN) The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka has requested the CEB to provide all information pertaining to the calculation of electricity bills, including taxes, subsidies and any other charges related to electricity consumed, Director General of PUCSL Damitha Kumarasinghe said. The consumers of electricity have a right to receive the basis of the computation of the electricity bill. Also they have a right to know the taxes, subsidies more..

May 29 (LBO) Sri Lanka has struck a deal that allows 15 state employees a chance to pursue their Masters studies in Japan, a statement said. Under the Japan International Cooperation Agency or JICA, some 211 million yen or 340 million rupees will be spent on this scholarship programme, JICA said Monday. �The objective is to support the Sri Lankan govt in its efforts to facilitate its own plans for human resource development mainly for capacity building more..

May 29 (DN) Minister and COPE chairman DEW Gunasekera yesterday said the govt has initiated a programme to increase state revenue to 20 percent of the GDP as soon as possible to enable the poorer sections of society to enjoy the maximum benefits from govt revenue, than at present, where it is 14.5 percent of the GDP. The minister made this observation at the commencement of a two-day workshop for Divisional Secretaries, District Secretaries, more..

May 29 (DM) The Colombo Fort Magistrate yesterday ordered teledrama actress Anushka Sonali Sayakkara to pay Rs.1,000 as state costs in a case involving an attempt to extort a sum of Rs.100,000 from her father. When the case came up before Magistrate Kanishka Wijeratne, defence counsel Jayantha Dias Nanayakkara informed Court that the actress would not harass her father and moved Court that a lenient punishment be given her. Defence counsel further said that his client would not harass her father and moved Court that more..

May 29 (DM) Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe said that military was gradually reducing its presence in Jaffna and being replaced by the Police since civil administration had been established in Jaffna. Major General Hathurusinghe revealed this during his meeting with the Australian High Commissioner in Colombo Ms Robyn Mudie who was on a visit to Jaffna with two other officials yesterday. �The Army in Jaffna has already handed over a more..

May 29 (Island) The govt�s much publicised provision of a daily glass of milk to school children in Nuwara Eliya, in the aftermath of Hatton farmers pouring 35,000 litres of unsold milk down the drains had lasted for only two days, the UNP said. UNP MP Gayantha Karunathillake said that the ceremony to launch the free glass of milk programme for school children on a daily basis, had been conducted in the full glare of television cameras more..

May 29 (Xinhua) An Indian investor will begin to construct the tallest building in Sri Lanka in September at a cost of 250 million U.S. dollars. The 400 apartment condominium running up to 68 floors is a venture by South City Projects (Kollkata) Ltd.. It will be on the Sri Lankan govt land along a lake in the heart of capital Colombo. The project will be constructed by Indocean Developers that will cater to expatriates, tourists and non-Sri Lankans residing in the country. more..

May 29 (TN) In the absence of no action to the attack on the student leader aiming at denial of �right to memory� of the Tamil student community, the ultimate responsibility goes with the international community that has unleashed and upholds such a militarized setup against Tamils, commented boycotting students of the University of Jaffna who have decided to attend classes from Monday, after a closed-door meeting with the occupying Sinhala Commander for which the student more..

May 29 (DN) President Mahinda Rajapaksa will leave for Thailand today as a guest of the Royal Thai govt. During his visit to Thailand, the President will hold bilateral talks with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Prime Minister Shinawatra will host a luncheon in honour of President Rajapaksa. MoU between the Ministry of External Affairs of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand on Bilateral Political more..

May 29 (AN) More than 5,000 people, Christians, Muslims and Hindus, lay people, members of the clergy and Senior and junior Tamil politicians, gathered yesterday at the Cathedral of St Sebastian in Mannar to show their support and express their solidarity with Mgr Rayappu Joseph, bishop of Mannar, against the "vile comments" of Minister Rishad Bathiudeen. In a recent statement in parliament, the minister accused the bishop of stirring the Tamil population in his more..

May 29 (DM) A formal motion submitted for debate in the UK Parliament has urged the British Govt to take urgent action to review its policy of deporting Tamils to Sri Lanka �so that further deaths and human rights abuses can be prevented.� Early Day Motion (EDM) 136 on the �Deportation of Tamils to Sri Lanka� tabled in the House of Commons on May 23 has called upon Britain to halt �the forced return of a group of Tamil asylum seekers on charter flight PVT030 on 31 May 2012.� The EDM on Sri Lanka has expressed concern over more..

May 29 (Island) External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday summoned British High Commissioner John Rankin to the ministry to protest against the UK envoy contradicting President Mahinda Rajapaksa�s Victory Day speech. A British High Commission spokesperson yesterday afternoon said that the HC had further comments on this issue. Ministry sources said that Prof. Peiris had expressed displeasure over Rankin more..

May 29 (Island) A group of depositors of the Golden Key Credit Card Co. Pvt. Limited yesterday filed a motion in the Supreme Court informing the Court that Chairman of the Golden Key, Lalith Kotalawala, had so far failed to repay the depositors 75 per cent of the money they had deposited with the aforesaid finance company. The Court, about two and a half years ago, granted bail to Kotalawala on the agreement that he would repay the depositors. more..

May 29 (Island) The Bar Council on Friday adopted a very important Resolution concerning the detention of suspects, at a police station, for more than 24 hours. The Criminal Procedure Code is more than a century old, the Adminstrative Justice Law and Code of Criminal Procedure Act (which abolished Felix Dias� AJL) have adopted the position that no suspect should be kept at a police station for more than 24 hours. The British Colonists and subsequent law makers were more..

May 29 (ST) The principal of a school in the East literally works 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During the day he administers the school, and after hours he remains on the premises doubling as the school�s night-watcher. The school is too poor to afford a watchman, so the principal remains on duty day and night during the school term, including weekends, and during public holidays and school vacations. V. Prapakaran is the principal of Wesley High School, Kalmunai more..

May 29 (LB) While public debate is raging on the flawed National Savings Bank�s (NSB) share deal with The Finance Company (TFC) recently, many are unaware that the Bank of Ceylon, the Peoples� Bank and the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) had also purchased shares worth Rs.344 million in the crumbling TFC last year. All the directors representing the boards of these institutions � the BoC, the PB or the EPF continue to remain in office more..

May 29 (TN) Local human rights watchdogs in Jaffna have blamed media for failing to cover the abductions that are on the rise in Jaffna peninsula this weekend as a father from Valveddith-thu'rai (VVT) managed to chase a vehicle that abducted his son, securing his release in Ki'linochchi and a media worker at the Indian Deputy High Commission in Jaffna found his abducted son returning from Ki'linochchi the following day after the abductors finding him the son of more..