Monthly Archives: August 2011

BATTLE FOR COLOMBO:”I work very closely with the Defence Secretary”- Milinda

SLFP member Milinda Moragoda is a veteran in politics, having in the past held several Ministry portfolios. He
alongside M.J.M Muzzamil also handed in his nomination papers for the post of Mayor for Colombo’s Municipal Council this week. We carry below excerpts of an interview when we spoke with him at his office.
Q: How does it […]

By Raisa Wickrematunge | Published on August 31, 2011 at 3:33 am

BATTLE FOR COLOMBO: “We will not allow a single citizen of Colombo to be moved out of the city”-Muzammil

Western Provincial Councillor A.J.M Muzammil will be contesting for the post of Mayor of Colombo from the UNP ticket. Muzammil was fielded along with several candidates, but came out on top. What is his strategy for the upcoming election, and what plans does he have for Colombo city, should he win? The Sunday Leader visited Muzammil […]

By Raisa Wickrematunge | Published on August 31, 2011 at 3:08 am

Government saw the dangers ahead

The government’s decision to end the state of emergency under which the country has been governed for the past six years has been universally welcomed. The emergency law permitted the government to clamp down on political life at the same time as it strengthened the
government in coping with national security issues. Therefore whatever the government’s […]

By Dr. Jehan Perera | Published on August 29, 2011 at 6:15 pm

Termination Of The State Of Emergency

27 August 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) welcomes the announcement made by the President to Parliament on 25th August 2011 that the government will not be seeking an extension to the state of emergency when it lapses by operation of law in September. Since the end of the war in 2009, […]

By Centre for Policy Alternatives | Published on August 29, 2011 at 3:40 pm

Crucial weeks ahead for Sri Lanka internationally

Confusion over when the Emergency lapses; PTA or new legislation will be used to maintain strict security

India makes strong statements again, vital issues likely to come up during Blake’s visit
President Mahinda Rajapaksa had a special message for his cabinet ministers. He told them at the weekly meeting on Wednesday they would all have to be present in […]

By The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka | Published on August 29, 2011 at 3:34 pm

Miles to go towards democracy

No doubt, President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s announcement this week in Parliament, proposing the lifting of Emergency Regulations under the Public Security Ordinance (1947) will be greeted by (virtually) all in this country with a sigh of relief. It is still not clear when it would be done, but the suggestion alone is good enough news for […]

By The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka | Published on August 29, 2011 at 3:24 pm

Whatever the Rajapakses say at a given moment is the truth

“They should believe us” – Gotabaya Rajapakse (Interview with India Today)
The saga of the ‘Rock of Hambantota’ is of pivotal-importance in understanding the working of the Rajapaksas’ regime. Whenever the UNP, the JVP or the media mentioned the existence of a huge rock blocking the entrance to the Hambantota Port, the regime reacted with spluttering-outrage. The […]

By Tisaranee Gunasekara | Published on August 29, 2011 at 3:16 pm

JAFFNA: BRUTAL ASSAULT OF CIVILIANS IN NAVANTHURAI

25 Aug, 2011 WATCHDOG:Around 100 young men from Navanthurai, a village in the Jaffna District, were detained in an operation conducted by the Sri Lanka Army around 1.15am on 23rd August 2011. The villagers were severely beaten by the army and dragged to the main road near the Navanthurai Army Detachment located around 300 meters […]

By | Published on August 29, 2011 at 3:10 pm

Modern Dictatorships through the Mirror: Time for us to be conscious

In legal and political literature, the term ‘dictatorship’ includes authoritarianism and is synonymous with traditional terms such as absolutism, absolute governments, despotism and tyranny. In political and constitutional legal theory, a dictatorship is a political regime under which the power of government is not limited by any law. Perhaps the main feature in all types […]

By JC Weliamuna | Published on August 29, 2011 at 3:04 pm

Lifting of emergency will strengthen democratic processes

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s announcement to Parliament that the government would not be renewing the state of emergency comes as a welcome action in the restoration of normalcy in the country. With the war against the LTTE ending over two years
and three months ago, the time was ripe for a restoration of normal laws to the country. […]

By National Press Council | Published on August 29, 2011 at 2:54 pm