Colombo's biggest food festival -held for the 4th consecutive year from the 5th - 15th of November.
Tuesday, 03 November 2009
Colombo’s biggest food festival is due to be held for the 4th consecutive year from the 6th - 14th of November. The World Spice Food Festival offers food enthusiasts a wide variety of culinary delights. Under the patronage of the SLTDA, the festival will be officially opened on November 5, at the Waters Edge and the grand finale is to be held at the BMICH on November 15.
Many of Sri Lanka’s leading culinary chefs and experts and signature chefs who will be arriving from various parts of the world will be displaying their skills at the event.A special feature at the festival is the Global Spice Food Village, which will be held at the Galle Face Green from the 6th – 8th. The Galle Face Green will take a festive air for the first time after its re-opening with live music and entertainment including a Spice Art Competition, Art Exhibition, Crab Cooking Competition and dance performances by the ceylon Kaffirs and other entertainers. Spiced ice-cream and spice tea promotions will also be a feature.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
serious security implications -Foreign Minister
serious security implications -Foreign Minister
Tuesday, 03 November 2009
DHS move has serious implications for security and welfare of Sri Lanka
The President and the Government of Sri Lanka stand firmly behind the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka. We will not allow that high post to be denigrated or made vulnerable, said Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama addressing the media on the moves by the USD Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to question the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Sarath Fonseka, who is now in the USA.
The matter under reference has serious implications for the security and welfare of the people of Sri Lanka and the Government of Sri Lanka will under no circumstances, authorize such an illegal act, he added.According to available facts the objective of the questioning is to use the CDS “as a source against human rights violations done by Secretary/Defence”. The Minister said.The CDS had traveled to the United States on a diplomatic passport for pre-arranged appointments. Whatever General Fonseka may have become aware of during his service with the Government of Sri Lanka and in the course of his duties, has the status of privileged information. He has no authority to divulge or share this information with third parties, without the prior approval and consent of the Sri Lanka authorities, the Minister said.Answering a question from the media as to why the US DHS which has as its mandate the protection of the US from terrorism wishes to obtain information on the Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka, Minister Bogollagama said it was an interesting matter as to why a department that has its main function to safeguard the US from terrorism, wants to question a person who was largely responsible for defeating terrorism here.In response to another question whether CDS Gen Sarath Fonseka being a Green Card Holder will be subject to US laws and will be obliged to answer questions put to him by DHS, the Minister said the Green Card was a visa arrangement, and the holding of a green card cannot alter the primary allegiance of the CDS to the Government of Sri Lanka to be subordinated to any other country. Whatever he knows is his capacity as CDS and former Army Commander is privileged, and it is wrong to ask him to reveal it to any others, without the agreement of the Government of Sri Lanka.The US Ambassador had been given an Aide Memoire on the Government’s position, after discussions with her where the position of the Government had been clearly stated
More:http://www.news.lk/
Tuesday, 03 November 2009
DHS move has serious implications for security and welfare of Sri Lanka
The President and the Government of Sri Lanka stand firmly behind the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka. We will not allow that high post to be denigrated or made vulnerable, said Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama addressing the media on the moves by the USD Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to question the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Sarath Fonseka, who is now in the USA.
The matter under reference has serious implications for the security and welfare of the people of Sri Lanka and the Government of Sri Lanka will under no circumstances, authorize such an illegal act, he added.According to available facts the objective of the questioning is to use the CDS “as a source against human rights violations done by Secretary/Defence”. The Minister said.The CDS had traveled to the United States on a diplomatic passport for pre-arranged appointments. Whatever General Fonseka may have become aware of during his service with the Government of Sri Lanka and in the course of his duties, has the status of privileged information. He has no authority to divulge or share this information with third parties, without the prior approval and consent of the Sri Lanka authorities, the Minister said.Answering a question from the media as to why the US DHS which has as its mandate the protection of the US from terrorism wishes to obtain information on the Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka, Minister Bogollagama said it was an interesting matter as to why a department that has its main function to safeguard the US from terrorism, wants to question a person who was largely responsible for defeating terrorism here.In response to another question whether CDS Gen Sarath Fonseka being a Green Card Holder will be subject to US laws and will be obliged to answer questions put to him by DHS, the Minister said the Green Card was a visa arrangement, and the holding of a green card cannot alter the primary allegiance of the CDS to the Government of Sri Lanka to be subordinated to any other country. Whatever he knows is his capacity as CDS and former Army Commander is privileged, and it is wrong to ask him to reveal it to any others, without the agreement of the Government of Sri Lanka.The US Ambassador had been given an Aide Memoire on the Government’s position, after discussions with her where the position of the Government had been clearly stated
More:http://www.news.lk/
serious security implications -Foreign Minister's statement
-Foreign Minister's statement
Tuesday, 03 November 2009
DHS move has serious implications for security and welfare of Sri LankaThe President and the Government of Sri Lanka stand firmly behind the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka. We will not allow that high post to be denigrated or made vulnerable, said Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama addressing the media on the moves by the USD Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to question the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Sarath Fonseka, who is now in the USA.
Here is the summary of Foreign Minister Bogollagama’s statement at the media briefing held Nov 1.
I have invited you to meet with me this afternoon, to emphasize in my capacity of Foreign Minister that the President and the Government of Sri Lanka stand firmly behind the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka. We will not allow that high post to be denigrated or made vulnerable.
The facts of the case as available to us are that the CDS General Sarath Fonseka who is at present in the United States, received a letter from the US Department of Homeland Security or DHS, calling him for an interview at 3.00 p.m. on Wednesday 4 November in Oklahoma City, in the State of Oklahoma. Moreover, he has also received a telephone call on 28 October during which a DHS Attorney had stated that the objective of the interview is to use him “as a source against human rights violations done by Secretary/Defence”.It had been clarified during the telephone conversation that the reference to "Secretary/Defence" relates to Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order of Sri Lanka.
It is pertinent to recall in this regard that Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa's duties as Secretary of that Ministry required his dealing with a situation of a grave onslaught that threatened the integrity of Sri Lanka and which was launched by the LTTE, an organization proscribed by several countries including the United States, for its terrorist activities. The allegations therefore leveled against the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary affect the vital interests of the Government of Sri Lanka and have occupied considerable time and attention of the respective Governments, at the highest levels. In fact, the US Ambassador in Colombo has already been briefed of the decision taken by the President of Sri Lanka to appoint a Panel to consider the matters raised in this Report. This decision by the President stems from Sri Lanka's unbroken commitment as a democratic nation to the Rule of Law, under which allegations are first assessed as to whether they possess any substance meriting further inquiry.The Chief of Defence Staff is a high level position within the Sri Lanka Government.
He traveled to the United States on a diplomatic passport for pre-arranged appointments. Moreover, whatever General Fonseka may have become aware of during his service with the Government of Sri Lanka and in the course of his duties, has the status of privileged information. He has no authority to divulge or share this information with third parties, without the prior approval and consent of the Sri Lanka authorities.I have accordingly met earlier this afternoon with H.E. Ms. Patricia Butenis, the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, to convey through Her Excellency the message that the Department of Homeland Security should forthwith desist from any endeavor to interview General Fonseka. Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the US Jaliya Wickramasuriya has also made similar representations to the State Department in Washington DC.Let me reiterate that this position of the Government of Sri Lanka is based on the following two well founded principles.
Firstly, whatever information General Fonseka may have acquired in the exercise of his official duties is privileged by nature. Therefore, it cannot legally be shared with third parties without the prior approval and consent of the Sri Lanka authorities. The matter under reference has serious implications for the security and welfare of the people of Sri Lanka and the Government of Sri Lanka will under no circumstances, authorize such an illegal act.Secondly, the action taken by the DHS is not needed, since any issues that may be of concern are already being addressed at the highest levels on the part of both the Government of Sri Lanka and that of the United States. You would recall that I have earlier in my remarks to you, already referred to the briefing given to the US Ambassador, concerning the appointment of a Panel by H.E. the President of Sri Lanka.I wish to emphasize that my conversation a little while ago with Ambassador Butenis was cordial and constructive and in keeping with the long standing relationship that exist between the United States and Sri Lanka.
Tuesday, 03 November 2009
DHS move has serious implications for security and welfare of Sri LankaThe President and the Government of Sri Lanka stand firmly behind the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka. We will not allow that high post to be denigrated or made vulnerable, said Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama addressing the media on the moves by the USD Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to question the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen. Sarath Fonseka, who is now in the USA.
Here is the summary of Foreign Minister Bogollagama’s statement at the media briefing held Nov 1.
I have invited you to meet with me this afternoon, to emphasize in my capacity of Foreign Minister that the President and the Government of Sri Lanka stand firmly behind the Office of the Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka. We will not allow that high post to be denigrated or made vulnerable.
The facts of the case as available to us are that the CDS General Sarath Fonseka who is at present in the United States, received a letter from the US Department of Homeland Security or DHS, calling him for an interview at 3.00 p.m. on Wednesday 4 November in Oklahoma City, in the State of Oklahoma. Moreover, he has also received a telephone call on 28 October during which a DHS Attorney had stated that the objective of the interview is to use him “as a source against human rights violations done by Secretary/Defence”.It had been clarified during the telephone conversation that the reference to "Secretary/Defence" relates to Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order of Sri Lanka.
It is pertinent to recall in this regard that Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa's duties as Secretary of that Ministry required his dealing with a situation of a grave onslaught that threatened the integrity of Sri Lanka and which was launched by the LTTE, an organization proscribed by several countries including the United States, for its terrorist activities. The allegations therefore leveled against the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary affect the vital interests of the Government of Sri Lanka and have occupied considerable time and attention of the respective Governments, at the highest levels. In fact, the US Ambassador in Colombo has already been briefed of the decision taken by the President of Sri Lanka to appoint a Panel to consider the matters raised in this Report. This decision by the President stems from Sri Lanka's unbroken commitment as a democratic nation to the Rule of Law, under which allegations are first assessed as to whether they possess any substance meriting further inquiry.The Chief of Defence Staff is a high level position within the Sri Lanka Government.
He traveled to the United States on a diplomatic passport for pre-arranged appointments. Moreover, whatever General Fonseka may have become aware of during his service with the Government of Sri Lanka and in the course of his duties, has the status of privileged information. He has no authority to divulge or share this information with third parties, without the prior approval and consent of the Sri Lanka authorities.I have accordingly met earlier this afternoon with H.E. Ms. Patricia Butenis, the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, to convey through Her Excellency the message that the Department of Homeland Security should forthwith desist from any endeavor to interview General Fonseka. Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the US Jaliya Wickramasuriya has also made similar representations to the State Department in Washington DC.Let me reiterate that this position of the Government of Sri Lanka is based on the following two well founded principles.
Firstly, whatever information General Fonseka may have acquired in the exercise of his official duties is privileged by nature. Therefore, it cannot legally be shared with third parties without the prior approval and consent of the Sri Lanka authorities. The matter under reference has serious implications for the security and welfare of the people of Sri Lanka and the Government of Sri Lanka will under no circumstances, authorize such an illegal act.Secondly, the action taken by the DHS is not needed, since any issues that may be of concern are already being addressed at the highest levels on the part of both the Government of Sri Lanka and that of the United States. You would recall that I have earlier in my remarks to you, already referred to the briefing given to the US Ambassador, concerning the appointment of a Panel by H.E. the President of Sri Lanka.I wish to emphasize that my conversation a little while ago with Ambassador Butenis was cordial and constructive and in keeping with the long standing relationship that exist between the United States and Sri Lanka.
New UNP led coalition formed in Parliament
New UNP led coalition formed in Parliament
http://www.dailymirror.lk/
The new UNP led coalition comprising 12 political parties was formed at the Parliament premises today with the signing of the agreement. The coalition includes the SLMC, Democratic Peoples Front and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party – Mahajana Wing.
The agreement was signed at the Parliamentary Complex during a special ceremony.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Opposition leader and leader of the UNP; Mangala Samaraweera, leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Mahajana Wing; Rauff Hakeem, leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress; Mano Ganeshan, leader of the Democratic People's Front, those representing eight other parties and representatives of the national intellectuals forum signed the agreement
http://www.dailymirror.lk/
The new UNP led coalition comprising 12 political parties was formed at the Parliament premises today with the signing of the agreement. The coalition includes the SLMC, Democratic Peoples Front and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party – Mahajana Wing.
The agreement was signed at the Parliamentary Complex during a special ceremony.Ranil Wickremasinghe, Opposition leader and leader of the UNP; Mangala Samaraweera, leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Mahajana Wing; Rauff Hakeem, leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress; Mano Ganeshan, leader of the Democratic People's Front, those representing eight other parties and representatives of the national intellectuals forum signed the agreement
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Car Bomb kills 86 in Pakistan city of Peshawar
Car bomb kills 86 in Pakistani city of Peshawar
AP – People gather at the site of an explosion in Peshawar, Pakistan on Wednesday Oct. 28, 2009. A car bomb …
Riaz Khan, Associated Press Writer –
AP – People gather at the site of an explosion in Peshawar, Pakistan on Wednesday Oct. 28, 2009. A car bomb …
Riaz Khan, Associated Press Writer –
PESHAWAR, Pakistan –
A car bomb tore through a market popular with women in northwestern Pakistan on Wednesday, killing 86 people hours after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived in the country to show American support for its campaign against Islamist militants.
More than 200 people were wounded in the blast in the main northwestern city of Peshawar, the deadliest in a surge of attacks this month. The government blamed
militants seeking to avenge an army offensive launched this month against al-Qaida and Taliban in their stronghold close to the Afghan border.
The blast hit a market selling bangles, dresses and toys in an old part of town crisscrossed with narrow alleys. It set scores of shops on fire, collapsed buildings, including a mosque, and sent a cloud of gray smoke over the city. TV footage showed wounded people sitting amid the debris as people grabbed at the wreckage, trying to pull out survivors before carrying them to a hospital.
One two-story building collapsed as
firefighters doused it with water.
Clinton, on her first visit to Pakistan as secretary of state, was three hours' drive away in the capital, Islamabad, when the blast took place. Speaking to reporters, she praised the army's anti-Taliban offensive in South Waziristan and offered U.S. support.
"I want you to know that this fight is not Pakistan's alone," she said in remarks carried live on Pakistani news channels. "This is our struggle as well."
Sahib Gul, a doctor at a nearby hospital, said 86 people were killed and more than 200 injured. Many of the victims were women and children.
No group claimed responsibility for the bombing, but that is not unusual, especially when the victims are Pakistani civilians.
Three bombs have exploded in Peshawar this month, including another one that killed more than 50 people
, part of a barrage of at least 10 major attacks across the country that have killed some 250 people. Most have targeted security forces, but some bombs have gone off in public places, apparently to sow fear and expose the weakness of the government.
The Taliban have warned Pakistan that they would stage more attacks if the army does not end a new ground offensive in the South Waziristan tribal
region, where the military has dispatched some 30,000 troops to flush out insurgents. South Waziristan is a major base for the Pakistani Taliban and other foreign militants.
North West Frontier Province Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain blamed the militants for Wednesday's attack.
"We are hitting them at their center of terrorism, and they are hitting back targeting Peshawar," he said. "This is a tough time for us. We are picking up the bodies of our women and children, but we will follow these terrorists and eliminate them."
More than 200 people were wounded in the blast in the main northwestern city of Peshawar, the deadliest in a surge of attacks this month. The government blamed
militants seeking to avenge an army offensive launched this month against al-Qaida and Taliban in their stronghold close to the Afghan border.The blast hit a market selling bangles, dresses and toys in an old part of town crisscrossed with narrow alleys. It set scores of shops on fire, collapsed buildings, including a mosque, and sent a cloud of gray smoke over the city. TV footage showed wounded people sitting amid the debris as people grabbed at the wreckage, trying to pull out survivors before carrying them to a hospital.
One two-story building collapsed as
firefighters doused it with water.Clinton, on her first visit to Pakistan as secretary of state, was three hours' drive away in the capital, Islamabad, when the blast took place. Speaking to reporters, she praised the army's anti-Taliban offensive in South Waziristan and offered U.S. support.
"I want you to know that this fight is not Pakistan's alone," she said in remarks carried live on Pakistani news channels. "This is our struggle as well."
Sahib Gul, a doctor at a nearby hospital, said 86 people were killed and more than 200 injured. Many of the victims were women and children.
No group claimed responsibility for the bombing, but that is not unusual, especially when the victims are Pakistani civilians.
Three bombs have exploded in Peshawar this month, including another one that killed more than 50 people
, part of a barrage of at least 10 major attacks across the country that have killed some 250 people. Most have targeted security forces, but some bombs have gone off in public places, apparently to sow fear and expose the weakness of the government.The Taliban have warned Pakistan that they would stage more attacks if the army does not end a new ground offensive in the South Waziristan tribal
region, where the military has dispatched some 30,000 troops to flush out insurgents. South Waziristan is a major base for the Pakistani Taliban and other foreign militants.North West Frontier Province Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain blamed the militants for Wednesday's attack.
"We are hitting them at their center of terrorism, and they are hitting back targeting Peshawar," he said. "This is a tough time for us. We are picking up the bodies of our women and children, but we will follow these terrorists and eliminate them."
Country burning with problems : only media suppression and people oppression are Govt.’s solutions- Ranil Wickremesinghe
Country burning with problems : only media suppression and people oppression are Govt.’s solutions- Ranil Wickremesinghe
UNP and opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe addressing Trade unions at the Cambridge place Office yesterday (27) , said, while the country is burning with raging problems , the President and his Govt. are not seeking solutions to them , but only moving heaven and earth to suppress the media which exposes the Govt. weaknesses, corruption and backstreet politics , while also oppressing the people with untold hardships.
The Govt. is so jittery and unstable , it is even trying to hide the truths seeping through the media. He was referring to the latest action of the Govt. to forbid publication of reports on military leaders and their entry to politics. This is clear testimony of the Govt.’s worry . It is very unfortunate that this Govt. is obsessed only with matters concerning its power perpetuation . It is shaken because the military leaders , if they come to politics will be a threat to it. It has no concern about uplifting the people or with country’s development and progress. If there is even a slightest threat to its power from the remotest quarters , it gets cold feet . But even if the people are in dire problems and acutely suffering , the Govt. elected by the people for the people is not worried.
It is the President who has the power to decide on the date of the election. He can call for a Presidential election before the term is over . Those decisions are of the President , and the UNP is not concerned about his decisions. The UNP has no need to focus on the Presidential elections until it is announced.. At the moment the focus is on human rights protection , Ranil added.
The emergency regulations do not preclude journalists from reporting on military or matters pertaining to Presidential candidates. Yet , the Govt. is unduly worried. The constitution is more important than the emergency laws . Section 14 of the constitution guarantees freedom of expression of the people. This should be preserved.
There is nothing wrong in the Media Reporting of a military officer going to contest Presidential election. Such news deserve publication not suppressed., he pinpointed
The Govt. is so jittery and unstable , it is even trying to hide the truths seeping through the media. He was referring to the latest action of the Govt. to forbid publication of reports on military leaders and their entry to politics. This is clear testimony of the Govt.’s worry . It is very unfortunate that this Govt. is obsessed only with matters concerning its power perpetuation . It is shaken because the military leaders , if they come to politics will be a threat to it. It has no concern about uplifting the people or with country’s development and progress. If there is even a slightest threat to its power from the remotest quarters , it gets cold feet . But even if the people are in dire problems and acutely suffering , the Govt. elected by the people for the people is not worried.
It is the President who has the power to decide on the date of the election. He can call for a Presidential election before the term is over . Those decisions are of the President , and the UNP is not concerned about his decisions. The UNP has no need to focus on the Presidential elections until it is announced.. At the moment the focus is on human rights protection , Ranil added.
The emergency regulations do not preclude journalists from reporting on military or matters pertaining to Presidential candidates. Yet , the Govt. is unduly worried. The constitution is more important than the emergency laws . Section 14 of the constitution guarantees freedom of expression of the people. This should be preserved.
There is nothing wrong in the Media Reporting of a military officer going to contest Presidential election. Such news deserve publication not suppressed., he pinpointed
Sri Lanka- Bulgeriya Business Forum
Sri Lanka – Bulgaria Business Forum
A Sri Lanka-Bulgaria Business Forum is being organized by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) with the support of the Foreign Ministry, on Sunday 1st November 2009, from 9.00 to 12.00 hrs, at Hotel Taj Samudra, Colombo (Crystal Lower Ballroom), on the occasion of the visit of a Bulgarian Business Delegation that will accompany the President of Bulgaria on a visit to Sri Lanka.
The Bulgarian delegation to the Business Forum will be led Hon. Traicho Traikov, Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, and will include leading businessmen from Bulgarian and an Agreement on Cooperation is also scheduled to be signed on this occassion.
It would be appreciated if you could assign a journalist/photographer/media crew to cover the above event.
Please inform the names of your representatives to the following contact details in order to facilitate security clearance.
Tel : 2437633
Fax : 2472488
E-mail : publicity@formin.gov.lk
S. Khan
Director / Public Communications
for Secretary / Foreign Affairs
A Sri Lanka-Bulgaria Business Forum is being organized by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka (FCCISL) with the support of the Foreign Ministry, on Sunday 1st November 2009, from 9.00 to 12.00 hrs, at Hotel Taj Samudra, Colombo (Crystal Lower Ballroom), on the occasion of the visit of a Bulgarian Business Delegation that will accompany the President of Bulgaria on a visit to Sri Lanka.
The Bulgarian delegation to the Business Forum will be led Hon. Traicho Traikov, Minister of Economy, Energy and Tourism, and will include leading businessmen from Bulgarian and an Agreement on Cooperation is also scheduled to be signed on this occassion.
It would be appreciated if you could assign a journalist/photographer/media crew to cover the above event.
Please inform the names of your representatives to the following contact details in order to facilitate security clearance.
Tel : 2437633
Fax : 2472488
E-mail : publicity@formin.gov.lk
S. Khan
Director / Public Communications
for Secretary / Foreign Affairs
Death of Sri Lankan national in Italy--Help to Find
Death of a Sri Lankan national in Italy
Help to Find
The Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome has informed the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Mr. Samson Surendran Benedict has passed away in Italy.
The details provided by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome are as follows:
1. Name of the deceased : Mr. Samson Surendran Benedict
2. Date of birth : 21.02.1948
3. Place of birth : Jaffna
The Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry has requested assistance of the general public to trace the Next of Kin (NOK) of the deceased person.
Any information of above mentioned person’s NOK or any contact details could be communicated to the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the following:
Address : No:14, Sir Baron Jayatilleke Mawatha
Colombo 01
Tel : 2437635
Fax : 2473899
Help to Find
The Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome has informed the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Mr. Samson Surendran Benedict has passed away in Italy.
The details provided by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome are as follows:
1. Name of the deceased : Mr. Samson Surendran Benedict
2. Date of birth : 21.02.1948
3. Place of birth : Jaffna
The Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry has requested assistance of the general public to trace the Next of Kin (NOK) of the deceased person.
Any information of above mentioned person’s NOK or any contact details could be communicated to the Consular Affairs Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the following:
Address : No:14, Sir Baron Jayatilleke Mawatha
Colombo 01
Tel : 2437635
Fax : 2473899
Most prosperity living country in the world
Most prosperity living country in the world
SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) – For those who value their freedom of expression as much as health, wealth, and prosperity, then Finland is the place to be, with an index ranking the Nordic nation the best in the world.
The 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index, published on Tuesday and compiled by the Legatum Institute, an independent policy, advocacy and advisory organization, ranked 104 countries which are home to 90 percent of the world's population.
The index is based on a definition of prosperity that combines economic growth with the level of personal freedoms and democracy in a country as well as measures of happiness and quality of life.
With the exception of Switzerland, which came in at number 2, Nordic countries dominated the top 5 slots, with Sweden in third place followed by Denmark and Norway.
The top 10 were all also Western nations, with Australia (6th place) and Canada (7th place) both beating the United States, ranked 9th. Britain came in at number 12.
In Asia, Japan was the region's highest ranked country at number 16, followed by Hong Kong (18th place) and Singapore (23rd place) and Taiwan (24th place).
Dr. William Inboden, senior vice president of the Legatum Institute, said the lower rankings for Asian nations were largely due to their weak scores for democracy and personal freedoms.
"Many Asian nations have good economic fundamentals, but the Index tells us that true prosperity requires more than just money," Inboden said in a statement.
"Democratic institutions and personal freedom measures are letting some Asian nations down. Furthermore, countries which have low levels of economic stability, such as Cambodia, finish even further down in the overall rankings."
Cambodia came in the 93rd slot while China, with its tight political controls, came in 75th despite booming economic growth.
And the world's least prosperous country? According to the Legatum Index, it is Zimbabwe, with Sudan and Yemen close runners-up.
The index combines objective data and subjective responses to surveys. More details can be found on http://www.prosperity.com.
(Writing by Miral Fahmy, editing by Ron Popeski)
SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) – For those who value their freedom of expression as much as health, wealth, and prosperity, then Finland is the place to be, with an index ranking the Nordic nation the best in the world.
The 2009 Legatum Prosperity Index, published on Tuesday and compiled by the Legatum Institute, an independent policy, advocacy and advisory organization, ranked 104 countries which are home to 90 percent of the world's population.
The index is based on a definition of prosperity that combines economic growth with the level of personal freedoms and democracy in a country as well as measures of happiness and quality of life.
With the exception of Switzerland, which came in at number 2, Nordic countries dominated the top 5 slots, with Sweden in third place followed by Denmark and Norway.
The top 10 were all also Western nations, with Australia (6th place) and Canada (7th place) both beating the United States, ranked 9th. Britain came in at number 12.
In Asia, Japan was the region's highest ranked country at number 16, followed by Hong Kong (18th place) and Singapore (23rd place) and Taiwan (24th place).
Dr. William Inboden, senior vice president of the Legatum Institute, said the lower rankings for Asian nations were largely due to their weak scores for democracy and personal freedoms.
"Many Asian nations have good economic fundamentals, but the Index tells us that true prosperity requires more than just money," Inboden said in a statement.
"Democratic institutions and personal freedom measures are letting some Asian nations down. Furthermore, countries which have low levels of economic stability, such as Cambodia, finish even further down in the overall rankings."
Cambodia came in the 93rd slot while China, with its tight political controls, came in 75th despite booming economic growth.
And the world's least prosperous country? According to the Legatum Index, it is Zimbabwe, with Sudan and Yemen close runners-up.
The index combines objective data and subjective responses to surveys. More details can be found on http://www.prosperity.com.
(Writing by Miral Fahmy, editing by Ron Popeski)
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Colombo stocks close lower in broad sell-off
Sri Lankan stocks close lower in broad sell-off
Oct 27, 2009 (LBO) - Sri Lanka stocks closed lower for a second day Tuesday, falling 0.9 percent in a broad sell-off that saw while buyers were awaiting earnings reports, brokers said.
The All Share Index closed at 2,989.05 points down 34.9 points while the Milanka Index of more liquid stocks closed down 1.19 percent (21.7 points) at 3,378 points according to provisional Colombo Stock Exchange data.
Brokers said stocks could be expected to react to earnings in the near term, with the third quarter reporting season just starting, and investors paying more attention to fundamentals following an extended rally that saw the market double so far this year.
Aitken Spence Hotel Holdings closed at 227.0 rupees, down 7.75, Carson Cumberbatch closed at 345.0 down 5.00, Asiri Surgical at 11.00 down 0.50 and Bogala Graphite at 18.50 down 0.75.
In banking, Commercial Bank closed ay 180.0 rupees down 1.25, HNB 167.75 down 1.25, DFCC 149.0 down 1.50 and NDB 185.00 down 2.75.
Dialog Telekom closed flat at 7.25 rupees and Sri Lanka Telecom at 44.00 down 1.00.
Diversified John Keells Holdings closed at 141.50 rupees down 2.50 and Distilleries closed flat at 99.00, Chevron Lubricants closed flat at 182.0.
Colombo Dockyard was down 1.50, closing at 117.25. -->
Kashmiris observe Black Day
Kashmiris observe Black DayISLAMABAD, Oct 27 (APP):
Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control and all across the world are observing Black Day, today, to convey to the international community that they reject India’s illegal occupation of their soil. According to Kashmir Media Service,call for the observance has been given by the All Parties Hurriyet Conference and senior Kashmiri Hurriyet leader, Syed Ali Gilani.
It was on October 27 in 1947 when Indian troops invaded Kashmir in clear violation of the partition plan of the Sub continent and the Kashmiris’ aspirations.Senior APHC leader, Agha Syed Hassan Al Moosvi addressing a party meeting in Badgam urged India to shun its intransigence and take steps towards resolving the Kashmir dispute, once and for all.People took to the streets in Habba Kadal, Maisuma and Gaw Kadal in Srinagar against subjecting peaceful protesters in the city to brute force by the troops, yesterday. Several demonstrators were injured and the condition of one of them was stated to be critical.Demonstrations continued in Handwara against the killing of a 12th class student by Indian troops
It was on October 27 in 1947 when Indian troops invaded Kashmir in clear violation of the partition plan of the Sub continent and the Kashmiris’ aspirations.Senior APHC leader, Agha Syed Hassan Al Moosvi addressing a party meeting in Badgam urged India to shun its intransigence and take steps towards resolving the Kashmir dispute, once and for all.People took to the streets in Habba Kadal, Maisuma and Gaw Kadal in Srinagar against subjecting peaceful protesters in the city to brute force by the troops, yesterday. Several demonstrators were injured and the condition of one of them was stated to be critical.Demonstrations continued in Handwara against the killing of a 12th class student by Indian troops
WHY KASHMIRIS OBSERVE OCTOBER 27 AS BLACK DAY!
Pakistan
e World Body. Although the ceasefire and demarcation of the ceasefire line was implemented while demilitarization of the occupied territory and a free and impartial plebiscite under UN supervision remains unimplemented till date. As a result of the demarcation, about 139,000 square kilometers area of Jammu and Kashmir remained with India while 83,807 square kilometers constituted the territory of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Indian rulers promised before the UN to resolve the dispute and provide the people of Kashmir with their basic right of self-determination, but later backed away from their commitments. India has been putting peace, security and stability of the entire South Asia at stake by demonstrating continued rigidity and stubbornness and not responding positively to the efforts made by the international community to settle the Kashmir dispute since last six decades.
Disappointed at the failure of all the efforts aimed at resolving Kashmir dispute through peaceful means, the people of occupied Kashmir launched a massive uprising in 1989 to secure their right to self-determination. This movement gathered moment
um with the passage of time and pushed the Indian authorities to wall, forcing them to sit around the negotiation table with Pakistan in January 2004. The talks process continued till it was hampered after Mumbai attacks on November 26, 2008, when India without any substantive evidence laid the responsibility of these attacks on Pakistan and its intelligence agencies.
It is worth mentioning that Pakistan demonstrated considerable flexibility in the dialogue process by floating various proposals including demilitarization, self-governance and joint-management to settle the conflict over Kashmir, but India’s intransigent approach continued to remain the biggest hurdle in making successful any effort made in this regard. The ground situation in the occupied territory remains unchanged, as the confidence building measures and the dialogue process could not provide Kashmiri people respite from the Indian state terrorism.
India has exhausted all its r
esources and means but has not been able to deter Kashmiris from continuing their liberation struggle. It has given a free hand to its troops and police to subject peaceful protesters to brute force. Over 70 people were killed only within a 
period of two months in 2008 when Indian police personnel resorted to indiscriminate firing to break up demonstrators in Kashmir. The Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was placed under house arrest for two months to prevent him from addressing public gatherings. Liberation leaders including Syed Ali Gilani, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Aasiya Andrabi, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Masarat Alam Butt and Muhammad Saleem Nunnaji have been booked under the infamous draconian law, Public Safety Act to keep them away from the people. The troops have been setting new records of human rights violations by killing innocen
t people, arresting youth, disgracing and harassing women and setting residential houses afire with impunity.
The troops have killed over ninety-two thousand Kashmiris, widowed more than twenty five thousand women, orphaned more than one hundred thousand children and molested or gang-raped around ten thousand Kashmiri women during the past 20 years. The whereabouts of thousands of innocent Kashmiris, disappeared in the custody of troops, are yet to be made known while hundreds of unnamed graves have been discovered in the occupied territory, which are believed to be of disappeared Kashmiris. This whole mayhem is being carried out with the protection of draconian laws, by virtue of which any person can be killed or put behind the bars without any accountability.
The Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Asia Watch and other international humanitarian organizations in their regular reports have been raising their concern over human rights violations in IOK. Even the European Union Parliament during its session in Strasbourg on July 10, 2008 unanimously passed a resolution calling upon the Indian Government to urgently conduc
t an independent and impartial probe into the issue of discovery of mass graves in the territory. It also strongly condemned unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, torture, rape and other human rights abuses, which have been taking place at the hands of the occupation troops in Jammu and Kashmir since 1989.
It was yet another exposition of India’s callousness that the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh on India’s Independence Day, this year, tried to hoodwink the international community by stating that the elections in Kashmir had rendered the freedom element irrelevant. The mammoth anti-India protest demonstrations, participated by millions of people in Indian occupied Kashmir, last year, should be taken as Kashmiris’ referendum against the Indian illegal occupation of their soil.
These are the reasons which force Kashmiris to observe October 27 as Black Day. The observance is intended to send a loud and clear message to the international community to take cognizance of the miseries of Kashmiri people, help stop human rights violations in the occupied territory and play its role in bringing about a solution of the Kashmir dispute in ac
cordance with Kashmiris’ aspirations. It is also aimed at calling upon India to read writing on the wall, accept the ground realities and come forward with a realistic approach to settle the dispute for the larger interest of the people of the region.
Read Pakistan news paper article (Pakistan daily)
http://www.daily.pk/kashmir-black-day-12579/
Kashmir Black day
WHY KASHMIRIS OBSERVE OCTOBER 27th AS BLACK DAY?
M. Raza Malik
Kashmiris o
n both sides of the Line of Control and across the globe observe October 27 as Black Day and consider it as the blackest day in their history. This is the Day when India landed its army in Jammu and Kashmir, in total disregard to the Indian Independence Act and Partition Plan of 1947. In order to change the demographic composition of the territory, Indian troops, the forces of Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh, and Hindu extremists massacred over three hundred thousand Kashmiri Muslims within a period of only two months.
The Indian Independence Act and Partition Plan of 1947 had stated that the Indian British Colony would be divided into two sovereign states, India, with Hindu-majority areas, and Pakistan, with Muslim-majority areas of Western provinces and east Bengal.
India by landing its
Army in Jammu and Kashmir, violated the guidelines set for deciding the future of Hyderabad, Junagarh and Kashmir, three of the independent Princely States at that time, which were given the choice either to accede to Pakistan or India, considering the geographical situation and communal demography. It forcibly occupied Hyderabad and Junagarh, which had Hindus in majority but their rulers were Muslims. Kashmir was a Muslim-majority state and had a natural tendency to accede to Pakistan, but its Hindu ruler destroyed the future of Kashmiri people by announcing its accession to India under a controversial accession document (Instrument of Accession). Many neutral observers deny the existence of such document with the argument that had it existed, Indian government would have made it public either officially or at any international forum.
It is a historical fact that if the partition was done on the principles of Justice, then India had no land route to enter into Jammu and Kashmir but the so-called Boundary Commission, headed by British Barrister, Cyril Radcliff, that demarcated partition line, under a conspiracy split Gurdaspur, a Muslim majority area, and handed it over to India, providing it land access to the territory.
Right from the day one, people of Kashmir did not accept India’s illegal occupation and started an armed struggle in 1948, which forced India to approach the UN Security Council to seek its help to settle the dispute. The UN Security Council approved a ceasefire, demarcation of the ceasefire line, demilitarization of the state and a free and impartial plebiscite to be conducted under the supervision of th
Kashmiris o
n both sides of the Line of Control and across the globe observe October 27 as Black Day and consider it as the blackest day in their history. This is the Day when India landed its army in Jammu and Kashmir, in total disregard to the Indian Independence Act and Partition Plan of 1947. In order to change the demographic composition of the territory, Indian troops, the forces of Dogra Maharaja Hari Singh, and Hindu extremists massacred over three hundred thousand Kashmiri Muslims within a period of only two months.The Indian Independence Act and Partition Plan of 1947 had stated that the Indian British Colony would be divided into two sovereign states, India, with Hindu-majority areas, and Pakistan, with Muslim-majority areas of Western provinces and east Bengal.
India by landing its
Army in Jammu and Kashmir, violated the guidelines set for deciding the future of Hyderabad, Junagarh and Kashmir, three of the independent Princely States at that time, which were given the choice either to accede to Pakistan or India, considering the geographical situation and communal demography. It forcibly occupied Hyderabad and Junagarh, which had Hindus in majority but their rulers were Muslims. Kashmir was a Muslim-majority state and had a natural tendency to accede to Pakistan, but its Hindu ruler destroyed the future of Kashmiri people by announcing its accession to India under a controversial accession document (Instrument of Accession). Many neutral observers deny the existence of such document with the argument that had it existed, Indian government would have made it public either officially or at any international forum.It is a historical fact that if the partition was done on the principles of Justice, then India had no land route to enter into Jammu and Kashmir but the so-called Boundary Commission, headed by British Barrister, Cyril Radcliff, that demarcated partition line, under a conspiracy split Gurdaspur, a Muslim majority area, and handed it over to India, providing it land access to the territory.
Right from the day one, people of Kashmir did not accept India’s illegal occupation and started an armed struggle in 1948, which forced India to approach the UN Security Council to seek its help to settle the dispute. The UN Security Council approved a ceasefire, demarcation of the ceasefire line, demilitarization of the state and a free and impartial plebiscite to be conducted under the supervision of th
e World Body. Although the ceasefire and demarcation of the ceasefire line was implemented while demilitarization of the occupied territory and a free and impartial plebiscite under UN supervision remains unimplemented till date. As a result of the demarcation, about 139,000 square kilometers area of Jammu and Kashmir remained with India while 83,807 square kilometers constituted the territory of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.Indian rulers promised before the UN to resolve the dispute and provide the people of Kashmir with their basic right of self-determination, but later backed away from their commitments. India has been putting peace, security and stability of the entire South Asia at stake by demonstrating continued rigidity and stubbornness and not responding positively to the efforts made by the international community to settle the Kashmir dispute since last six decades.
Disappointed at the failure of all the efforts aimed at resolving Kashmir dispute through peaceful means, the people of occupied Kashmir launched a massive uprising in 1989 to secure their right to self-determination. This movement gathered moment
um with the passage of time and pushed the Indian authorities to wall, forcing them to sit around the negotiation table with Pakistan in January 2004. The talks process continued till it was hampered after Mumbai attacks on November 26, 2008, when India without any substantive evidence laid the responsibility of these attacks on Pakistan and its intelligence agencies.It is worth mentioning that Pakistan demonstrated considerable flexibility in the dialogue process by floating various proposals including demilitarization, self-governance and joint-management to settle the conflict over Kashmir, but India’s intransigent approach continued to remain the biggest hurdle in making successful any effort made in this regard. The ground situation in the occupied territory remains unchanged, as the confidence building measures and the dialogue process could not provide Kashmiri people respite from the Indian state terrorism.
India has exhausted all its r
esources and means but has not been able to deter Kashmiris from continuing their liberation struggle. It has given a free hand to its troops and police to subject peaceful protesters to brute force. Over 70 people were killed only within a 
period of two months in 2008 when Indian police personnel resorted to indiscriminate firing to break up demonstrators in Kashmir. The Chairman of All Parties Hurriyet Conference, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq was placed under house arrest for two months to prevent him from addressing public gatherings. Liberation leaders including Syed Ali Gilani, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Aasiya Andrabi, Nayeem Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai, Masarat Alam Butt and Muhammad Saleem Nunnaji have been booked under the infamous draconian law, Public Safety Act to keep them away from the people. The troops have been setting new records of human rights violations by killing innocen
t people, arresting youth, disgracing and harassing women and setting residential houses afire with impunity.The troops have killed over ninety-two thousand Kashmiris, widowed more than twenty five thousand women, orphaned more than one hundred thousand children and molested or gang-raped around ten thousand Kashmiri women during the past 20 years. The whereabouts of thousands of innocent Kashmiris, disappeared in the custody of troops, are yet to be made known while hundreds of unnamed graves have been discovered in the occupied territory, which are believed to be of disappeared Kashmiris. This whole mayhem is being carried out with the protection of draconian laws, by virtue of which any person can be killed or put behind the bars without any accountability.
The Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Asia Watch and other international humanitarian organizations in their regular reports have been raising their concern over human rights violations in IOK. Even the European Union Parliament during its session in Strasbourg on July 10, 2008 unanimously passed a resolution calling upon the Indian Government to urgently conduc
t an independent and impartial probe into the issue of discovery of mass graves in the territory. It also strongly condemned unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, torture, rape and other human rights abuses, which have been taking place at the hands of the occupation troops in Jammu and Kashmir since 1989.It was yet another exposition of India’s callousness that the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh on India’s Independence Day, this year, tried to hoodwink the international community by stating that the elections in Kashmir had rendered the freedom element irrelevant. The mammoth anti-India protest demonstrations, participated by millions of people in Indian occupied Kashmir, last year, should be taken as Kashmiris’ referendum against the Indian illegal occupation of their soil.
These are the reasons which force Kashmiris to observe October 27 as Black Day. The observance is intended to send a loud and clear message to the international community to take cognizance of the miseries of Kashmiri people, help stop human rights violations in the occupied territory and play its role in bringing about a solution of the Kashmir dispute in ac
cordance with Kashmiris’ aspirations. It is also aimed at calling upon India to read writing on the wall, accept the ground realities and come forward with a realistic approach to settle the dispute for the larger interest of the people of the region.Read Pakistan news paper article (Pakistan daily)
http://www.daily.pk/kashmir-black-day-12579/
Pakistan
Terror group leader arrested in NWFP
Terror group leader arrested in NWFP
PESHAWAR:
Acording to GEO TV repot The chief of the group involved in Hyatabad and Sukarno chowk bombings has been arrested.IG NWFP Malik Naveed while talking to media said the leader of the group involved in Hyatabad and Sukarno chowk. He said no severe reaction of terrorists has been emerged due to better strategy of police. Malik Naveed said red alert security has been imposed in the province and hundreds of militants and commanders have been arres.
US welcomes Sri Lankan probe on US human rights report
US welcomes Sri Lankan probe on US human rights report
The United States (US) has welcomed reports that Sri Lanka plans to set up an investigative commission to probe a US report on allegations of human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. The government had said it will probe the report submitted by the US State Department to the US Congress.
More: http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=66004
The United States (US) has welcomed reports that Sri Lanka plans to set up an investigative commission to probe a US report on allegations of human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. The government had said it will probe the report submitted by the US State Department to the US Congress.
More: http://www.dailymirror.lk/DM_BLOG/Sections/frmNewsDetailView.aspx?ARTID=66004
Sri lankan Business deligation visits Jeddah
Sri Lankan Business Delegation visits Jeddah
A twenty eight member Sri Lankan business delegation headed by the Sri Lankan Export Development Board embarked on a 3 day visit to Jeddah on 24.10.2009, organized by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Jeddah.
The Business delegation from various sectors will explore the market potentials for further enhancing the export of Sri Lankan products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The group will visit the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and arrangements have been made to meet Jeddah based reputed Business community at Chamber of Commerce premises.
They will also visit leading Supermarket chains such as Bin Dawood and Hyper Panda in addition to other reputed companies in Jeddah in order to establish business relationships.
The Consulate General has made arrangements for the delegation to meet Jeddah based Sri Lankans from commercial organizations at the Consulate and to hold discussions with a view to obtain their assistance in trade related matters.
This is the first time a Sri Lankan business delegation comprising of such a large number of participants is visiting Jeddah. It is expected that the visit will help to increase trade opportunities for Sri Lankan products in Saudi Arabia. The Delegation will then proceed to Riyadh on 27th October.
It is noteworthy to mention that the visit has been organized by Consulate General based on the directives given by Hon. Rohitha Bogollagama, Minister of Foreign Affairs at the Conference for Heads of Missions of Middle Eastern countries which was held in Dubai last year.
A twenty eight member Sri Lankan business delegation headed by the Sri Lankan Export Development Board embarked on a 3 day visit to Jeddah on 24.10.2009, organized by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Jeddah.
The Business delegation from various sectors will explore the market potentials for further enhancing the export of Sri Lankan products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The group will visit the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and arrangements have been made to meet Jeddah based reputed Business community at Chamber of Commerce premises.
They will also visit leading Supermarket chains such as Bin Dawood and Hyper Panda in addition to other reputed companies in Jeddah in order to establish business relationships.
The Consulate General has made arrangements for the delegation to meet Jeddah based Sri Lankans from commercial organizations at the Consulate and to hold discussions with a view to obtain their assistance in trade related matters.
This is the first time a Sri Lankan business delegation comprising of such a large number of participants is visiting Jeddah. It is expected that the visit will help to increase trade opportunities for Sri Lankan products in Saudi Arabia. The Delegation will then proceed to Riyadh on 27th October.
It is noteworthy to mention that the visit has been organized by Consulate General based on the directives given by Hon. Rohitha Bogollagama, Minister of Foreign Affairs at the Conference for Heads of Missions of Middle Eastern countries which was held in Dubai last year.
President to appoint committee to study
President to appoint committee to study
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to appoint an expert committee within one week to verify the facts behind the allegations against the Sri Lanka Government in the report submitted by the US State Department to the US Congress on incidents during the recent conflict in Sri Lanka, Human Rights and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said.
The Government stance on the report will be announced after the report was made by the committee appointed by the President, he added.
He was addressing a media conference held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday to explain the new situation following the submission of the said report.
Minister Samarasinghe said that the third paragraph of the report itself highlights that the facts included in the report are without any legal value and cannot be proved. They are not in a position to prove the allegation contained in the report. more:
www.dailynews.lk
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to appoint an expert committee within one week to verify the facts behind the allegations against the Sri Lanka Government in the report submitted by the US State Department to the US Congress on incidents during the recent conflict in Sri Lanka, Human Rights and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said.
The Government stance on the report will be announced after the report was made by the committee appointed by the President, he added.
He was addressing a media conference held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday to explain the new situation following the submission of the said report.
Minister Samarasinghe said that the third paragraph of the report itself highlights that the facts included in the report are without any legal value and cannot be proved. They are not in a position to prove the allegation contained in the report. more:
www.dailynews.lk
Russia assures support for Sri lanka
Russia assures support for Sri Lanka
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey V. Lavrov met Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa this evening at the President's House in Colombo.
Following the meeting the Russian Foreign Minister with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Minister Rohitha Bogollagama signed a bilateral agreement between the two countries on cooperation to suppress illicit traffic in, and abuse of, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
The Russian Foreign Minister is expected to meet with the Sri Lanka - Russia Business Council and deliver an address at the BMICH this evening.
Sri Lanka's Ambassador in Russia Mr. Udayanga Weeratunga was also present at the meeting.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey V. Lavrov met Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa this evening at the President's House in Colombo.
Following the meeting the Russian Foreign Minister with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Minister Rohitha Bogollagama signed a bilateral agreement between the two countries on cooperation to suppress illicit traffic in, and abuse of, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
The Russian Foreign Minister is expected to meet with the Sri Lanka - Russia Business Council and deliver an address at the BMICH this evening.
Sri Lanka's Ambassador in Russia Mr. Udayanga Weeratunga was also present at the meeting.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
More funds form Japan to uplift Damabana Hospital
More funds form Japan to uplift Damabana Hospital
The Government of Japan has decided to provide funds for “The Project for Establishment of a New Maternity and Dental Units at the Damabana Hospital, Badulla District” be implemented by the Regional Director of Health Services Office, Badulla.
The grant contract will be signed between Kunio Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan and Dr. Neelamani S.R. Hrwageegana, Regional Director of Health Services Office, Bandulla on Wednesday 21st October 2009, at the Embassy of Japan Colombo 7.
The Government of Japan has decided to provide funds for “The Project for Establishment of a New Maternity and Dental Units at the Damabana Hospital, Badulla District” be implemented by the Regional Director of Health Services Office, Badulla.
The grant contract will be signed between Kunio Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan and Dr. Neelamani S.R. Hrwageegana, Regional Director of Health Services Office, Bandulla on Wednesday 21st October 2009, at the Embassy of Japan Colombo 7.
Colombo Stockmarket record declines
Colombo Stockmarket record declines
Declines in the prices of large cap stocks brought down the indices at the Colombo Stock Exchange with the more sensitive MPI losing 151 points (-4.34 percent) to close at 3,327. The broader market index the ASPI lost 100 points (-3.24 percent) to close at 2983.
Declines in the prices of large cap stocks brought down the indices at the Colombo Stock Exchange with the more sensitive MPI losing 151 points (-4.34 percent) to close at 3,327. The broader market index the ASPI lost 100 points (-3.24 percent) to close at 2983.
EU Commission statement on Sri Lanka GSP+ report -Brussels, 19 October 2009
EU Commission statement on Sri Lanka GSP+ report -Brussels, 19 October 2009
Following the adoption of a report on Sri Lanka and GSP+ treatment, the European Commission spokesperson for Trade, Lutz Güllner, issued the following statement :
(Lanka-e-News 20.Oct.2009 12.45PM) "The Commission has completed a thorough investigation into the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and in particular whether Sri Lanka is living up to the commitments it made to respect international human rights standards when it became a beneficiary of the European Union's GSP+ trade incentive scheme which provides for additional trade benefits.The report comes to the conclusion that there are significant shortcomings in this area and that Sri Lanka is in breach of its GSP+ commitments.
Following the adoption of a report on Sri Lanka and GSP+ treatment, the European Commission spokesperson for Trade, Lutz Güllner, issued the following statement :
(Lanka-e-News 20.Oct.2009 12.45PM) "The Commission has completed a thorough investigation into the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and in particular whether Sri Lanka is living up to the commitments it made to respect international human rights standards when it became a beneficiary of the European Union's GSP+ trade incentive scheme which provides for additional trade benefits.The report comes to the conclusion that there are significant shortcomings in this area and that Sri Lanka is in breach of its GSP+ commitments.
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