Communist Party of Sri Lanka General Secretary and Senior Minister D. E. W. Gunasekera yesterday urged state sector trade unions to push for far reaching financial reforms or face the consequences.

In fact, the CP Leader said the state sector employees would be the first to suffer from the catastrophic consequences of the continuing drop in state income as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

When the fishermen were expecting their release on May 6, the court extended the remand till May 20. However, in a surprise development, it ordered their release on Wednesday

The 32-day ordeal for 30 Rameswaram fishermen, who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy on April 6, ended as they returned to a warm reception at the Rameswaram fishing jetty late on Wednesday evening.

The fatigued fishermen were received with tears of joy and agony by their family members and the fisher folk, when they arrived along with their five trawlers around 8.30 p.m.

The fundamental rights case to secure the fundamental rights of arrested opposition politician, Azath Salley by Gowry Thavarasha, Attorney at Law bearing No. SC (FR) 164/2013, was listed for support today (09.05.2013) before a bench of the Supreme Court consisting of Mohan Pieris, de facto Chief Justice, Justice Sathya Hettige and Justice Eva Wanasundere.

The case, filed by the lawyer on behalf of the incarcerated Salley, cites N. K. Illangakoon, Inspector General of Police, Gamini Mathurata, Director, Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Sub-Inspector Lasantha Ratnayake, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Development and the Attorney General as Respondents.

Speculation is rife in political circles that an independent group with state backing may enter the fray at the Northern Provincial Council election scheduled for September.

Well informed sources told The Island that the independent group comprising civil society personalities had explained to top level government representatives that they intended to go it alone.

Sources quoted the group as having told the government that the vast majority of those living in the Northern region resented both Tamil National Alliance (TNA) as well as the UPFA constituent, the EPDP.

Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka says he strongly opposes a former LTTE cadres being appointed as the Chief Minister of the Northern Province.

Former LTTE media coordinator Daya Master has indicated that he will contest the northern provincial council elections in September under the ruling UPFA ticket.

There is also speculation that former LTTE chief arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP) may also contest the election but Fonseka says such people, while being welcomed to the democratic stream, should not be allowed to head a provincial council.

Commissioner of the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission Prathiba Mahanamahewa including six other members of the commission has visited the former Deputy Mayor Azad Salley at Colombo General Hospital.
The officials have visited him following the complaint lodged by Azad Salley’s daughter with the Human Rights Commission against the detention of her father.

He was detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and was admitted to Colombo General Hospital following his deteriorating health.

The fundamental rights case to secure the fundamental rights of arrested opposition politician, Azath Salley by Gowry Thavarasha, Attorney at Law bearing No. SC (FR) 164/2013, was listed for support today (09.05.2013) before a bench of the Supreme Court consisting of Mohan Pieris, de facto Chief Justice, Justice Sathya Hettige and Justice Eva Wanasundere.

The case, filed by the lawyer on behalf of the incarcerated Salley, cites N. K. Illangakoon, Inspector General of Police, Gamini Mathurata, Director, Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Sub-Inspector Lasantha Ratnayake, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Development and the Attorney General as Respondents.

The cold neutrality of an impartial judge -Edmund Burke-Preface to the Address of M.Brissot

Reuters reported recently that Amnesty says Sri Lanka represses dissent to consolidate power.The report stated that Amnesty International said that the Sri Lankan government is intensifying a crackdown on critics in order to tighten its grip on power, and urged the Commonwealth countries not to hold a summit there in November. But the Media Minister of the Sri Lankan government Keheliya Rambukwella accused Amnesty International of being in the pay of supporters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), once known as the most brutal terrorist organization in the world defeated in a nearly 30-year war that ended in May 2009. The Minister further stated that Amnesty is always against Sri Lanka and they never see anything positive. We accept still there are some problems, but they need to see what we have done good also.”

The Magistrate inquiring the non summary trial against Parliamentarian Duminda Silva and thirteen others over the killing of former Presidential advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra and three others at Mulleriyawa on October 8, 2011 observed that calling for a panel of medical specialists to determine the condition of Mr. Silva’s health was unnecessary.

Additional Magistrate Priyantha Liyanage made this observation after considering the submissions made by the counsels for Mr. Premachandra’s wife and for Mr. Silva.

Milinda Moragoda has agreed to take over a 40% stake of the pioneers in alternative newspapers, Ravaya, informed sources said.
Moragoda has agreed to buy 26% of the 51% shares owned by former Editor of the newspaper, Victor Ivan and 14% out of the 49% shares owned by the staff of the Ravaya newspaper.

During a discussion with the Ravaya staff, Victor Ivan had informed them that there was an offer to buy the ownership of the newspaper and whether the staff was agreeable to it. Only two ordinary employees at the newspaper had agreed with Victor Ivan’s statement. Key figures of Ravaya, current editor of the newspaper, K.W. Janaranjana, Lasantha Ruhunage, Wimalanath Weeraratne have remained silent.