Month: July 2022

SL will have to bite the bullet or go down abyss: Dr. Coomaraswamy

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Former Central Bank Chief forecasts crisis to force contraction of economy by 8-10% Reveals around 750,000 people have slipped into poverty Data suggests half the population could fall below poverty line by end-2022 Suggests Govt. to strengthen safety net by enhancing cash transfers going to poor and vulnerable Opines given toxic populist politics and entitlement culture, economic recovery will require painful treatment Predicts IMF conditions will be ‘onerous’ Opines Sri Lankans now recognise that sacrifice is necessary and inevitable Lists SOE reforms, divestment of State assets, independence of Central Bank…

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India’s geopolitical concerns over Port City Colombo

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India’s geopolitical concerns over Port City Colombo By Sunimalee Dias View(s): 611 India’s concerns over the Colombo Port City Project discouraging its business community from investing here is likely due to geopolitical issues and a lack of awareness of the regulations that are still being finalised, Sri Lankan authorities state. A recent report in the Indian media said there are concerns expressed over the Colombo Port City Project citing it’s a possible “hub for money laundering and extra- legal activities,” extended tax holidays, the Chinese involvement and as a result of…

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DEW alleges US must have approved removal of Galle Face protesters

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warns electorate not to expect early general election By Shamindra Ferdinando Veteran politician DEW Gunasekera (22) said that there must have been a tacit understanding between the new Sri Lankan administration and the Western camp, regarding the deployment of the military and the police to remove Galle Face protesters in the early hours of yesterday. The former General Secretary of the Communist Party said so when The Island sought reconfirmation as regards his sensational declaration made in an interview with Asoka Dias on Sirasa ‘Pathikada’ earlier in the day that US Ambassador…

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BASL, Cardinal, HRCSL, etc., condemn attack on protesters

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BASL, Cardinal, HRCSL, etc., condemn attack on protesters By Rathindra Kuruwita (The Island) A number of professional associations, religious leaders, politicians and commissions yesterday condemned Friday’s attack on unarmed protesters opposite the Presidential Secretariet. SLPP MP Dullas Alahapperuma condemned the attacks stating that it was ‘the manifestation of a military mindset and will be hugely detrimental to Sri Lanka.” Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the Communist Party (CP), the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) and other parties too condemned the attacks. Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal…

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Fascists and democrats

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Saturday 23rd July, 2022 (The Island Editorial) The wee hours of Friday saw a massive shock and awe operation carried out by heavily armed troops and police commandos in Colombo. They descended on the unarmed Galle Face protesters, destroying as they did a large number of tents and other makeshift structures that had been there for more than 100 days. The ‘special operation’ was launched close on the heels of the swearing-in of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. This dastardly act of politico-military muscle flexing must be condemned unreservedly. It is just…

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Sri Lankan security forces raided a protest camp

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Sri Lankan security forces raided a protest camp occupying government grounds in the main city of Colombo early on Friday 22nd July. Protest organiser Chameera Dedduwage told Reuters they had planned to hand over the presidential secretariat to government authorities on Friday afternoon. USand British diplomats also expressed concern. “We urge restraint by authorities and immediate access to medical attention for those injured,” US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung, said on Twitter. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) said the crackdown could destabilise the country, which is in need of foreign…

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AKD alleges MPs’ votes were bought

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AKD alleges MPs’ votes were bought BY P. Waravita ( The Morning) Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who was one of the three candidates for the vote in Parliament on the eighth Executive President yesterday (20), while alleging that yesterday’s vote was decided by “the usual horse trading and bribery”, said that following the said vote, a General Election needs to be held expeditiously, as the current Parliament is no longer a fair representation of the people’s aspirations.  “The (Dullas) Alahapperuma faction of…

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Ranil President for Next Two Years

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Ranil President for Next Two Years Yesterday, Parliament elected UNP Leader and Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe as the country’s eighth Executive President as per the Constitution. Wickremesinghe, with support from the SLPP, who has 145 MPs in the 225-member Parliament, won the election in votes cast by the MPs in a secret ballot, obtaining 134 votes, 52 votes more than his nearest rival Dullas Alahapperuma, paradoxically from the SLPP, who polled 82 votes. The third and last candidate, JVP/Jathika Jana Balavegaya (JJB) Anura Kumara Dissanayake obtained three votes, while of the…

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‘Rajapaksas Lacked Vision, Worked for Themselves’: Erik Solheim, Peace Mediator in Sri Lanka War

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‘Rajapaksas Lacked Vision, Worked for Themselves’: Erik Solheim, Peace Mediator in Sri Lanka War According to him, both the LTTE and Colombo could have made compromises and established a federal state. “If Delhi insisted on making all decisions for Chennai, India would also break up.” (M R Narayan Swamy –WIRE) Norwegian diplomat Erik Solheim, who was the spearhead of an international peace process in Sri Lanka which failed, says the now ousted Rajapaksa brothers had no larger vision for their country and were into doing “politics for themselves.” Solheim, among…

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Party leaders urge Speaker to get GR to remove Ranil

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Party leaders urge Speaker to get GR to remove Ranil Agree to Speaker becoming acting Prez  Tri-forces Commanders tell Ranil to heed public voice    Ranil tells Speaker to nominate a PM acceptable to both Govt. and Opposition BY Buddhika Samaraweera (The Morning) At the party leaders’ meeting chaired by Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, which was not attended by Acting President and United National Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, the party leaders urged the Speaker to intervene to get President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to remove Wickremesinghe from the post of the…

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