New regulations under PTA to deal with LTTE

LTTE to remain banned; HSZs  to continue
 Kelum Bandara
With the lapse of the state of emergency at 24.00 hrs on August 30, the government has imposed new regulations under the Prevention of Terrorism Act to keep the LTTE as a banned organization, to retain the High Security Zones and to deal with LTTE surrendees and detainees, officials said yesterday.

TNA submits memo to Manmohan

By Kelum Bandara
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has with the help of some Lok Sabha members had submitted a memorandum to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh requesting him to prevail upon the Sri Lankan government to remove the military camps in the North, TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran said today.

STF camps re-emerge in East citing ‘grease devil’ episode

Dismantled camps of the elite commando unit of the Sri Lankan forces, the Special Task Force (STF), are being re-established in same private residential buildings earlier vacated by the STF in the Ampaa'rai district. The lands returned to legal owners are being re-occupied by the STF

CEYPETCO plunged into huge losses

Sandun A. Jayasekera
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) has run into a staggering loss amounting to Rs. 27.21 billion in the first half of this year alone against a loss of Rs. 26.9 billion for the entire 2010, according to a the COPE exposure, a Parliamentary source said yesterday.

TUs Ask For Findings In Report

Trade unionists and human rights activists have called on the government to reveal the findings of the Mahanama Tilakaratne Investigation Report on the industrial unrest at the Katunayake free trade zone (FTZ).

‘President has empowered himself with emergency powers’

The president has empowered himself with provisions in the state of emergency through a gazette extraordinary despite his claim to parliament at the emergency rule would be abolished immediately, alleged UNP general secretary Tissa Attanayake yesterday (Aug. 30).

Photo evidence of assault on Navanthurai civilians

Injuries and damages to properties

Due to the military actions in Navanthurai, Jaffna

On 23rd August 2011

Bloodied clothes after the military attacks

Repealing of Emergency and the Authenticity of the Government

On 25th August, President Mahinda Rajapaksa making a special statement before the Parliament stated that the emergency that would expire on August 30 will not be extended again.

Lifting of Emergency: What Next?

Although some members of the UPFA government indicated vaguely a few months ago that Emergency would be lifted fully at the end of this year, the President’s announcement that he and his government had decided to do so with immediate effect and depend on normal laws to maintain law and order came at an unexpected moment and as a result, it has received a mixed response.

The Finishing line: The Telegraph, India

Emergency removal timed to generate good publicity
 Two years after its decisive victory against the Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka, the Mahinda Rajapaksa government has announced its intention to allow the state of emergency in the country to lapse.

The warranted in Thalangama Police!

Our reporter was able to photograph Sudharman Radaliyagoda, the Deputy Chairman of ITN, who has been warranted by a Court, visiting Thalangama Police Station yesterday (29th) to attend to one of his friend’s affairs. He has arrived at the police station in a VVIP Pajero bearing the reg. no. 64 -1727.

Transferring the Radeliyagoda fraud case from Fort MC to Colombo Chief MC is to dispense Medamulana barbaric laws

An intriguing episode testifying to the fact that now in Sri Lanka not only the ordinary laws but even any law is not being abided by except the Medamulana barbaric laws which are overriding all legal Institutions was brought to the open clearly in the chief Magistrate court of Colombo today.

India, China hold Sri Lanka’s tourism future-report

India and China would become the two most important tourism markets for Sri Lanka, as arrivals from the two countries, which have a rich emerging middle class, will remain strong, a report by a local investment bank said.

Total ban on drinking, smoking scenes

Olindhi Jayasundere
The present censorship on the telecasting of television programmes showing the use of alcohol or cigarettes will be removed and instead from Thursday a complete ban will be imposed on the telecasting of such programmes, the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol said yesterday.

PSC can’t probe my actions: Ex- CJ

“I retired 2 years ago; I am a free citizen now”
L.B.Senaratne
Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva said he could not be brought before a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) as he retired from service two years ago and that the President himself had given him a letter of commendation for his distinguished service in the Judiciary as the Chief Justice.

Celebrating more of Houdini’s illusions?

 Kishali Pinto Jayawardene  
Is the emergency really over in Sri Lanka? Or are we celebrating a clever trick, akin to Houdini’s famed illusions whereby we are being made to believe something that is not really the case?

Withdrawal of the emergency - confusion and new regulations

''The sequence of events showed that the announcement of the withdrawal of the emergency had been done hurriedly with little time for consideration of consequential issues.''

Greasing The Lifting Of “Emergency Rule” To Live The Same

President’s media said that the President walked by himself (in Independence Square on Sunday) with the people and met those who were in the area at leisure in a friendly atmosphere.

Repressive laws remain despite end to state of emergency in Sri Lanka -Amnesty International

The Sri Lankan government must follow up its repeal of the state of emergency by removing repressive legislation such as the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), Amnesty International said.

CPA Statement On The 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.

Miles to go towards democracy, editorial, Sunday Times

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 the moment.

Minister Samarasinghe on UNHRC, HR action plan and LLRC

Manjula FERNANDO
Plantation Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe who also oversees the subject of human rights, in an interview with the Sunday Observer says the lifting of the Emergency is a commitment the Government has fulfilled to ensure that the right conditions exist on the ground for national reconciliation.

European Union welcomes lifting of the Emergency Regulations in Sri Lanka

Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission has welcomed Sri Lanka President coming forward to lift the Emergency Regulations.

Don't hang them - editorial, The Hindu

Preparations have begun at the Vellore Central Prison for hanging Murugan, Santhan, and Perarivalan — convicted for their involvement in the 1991 assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. Jail officials have fixed September 9 as the date for the executions.

US welcomes ER move but warns Lanka again

The United States while welcoming Thursday’s announcement of the lifting of emergency regulations in Sri Lanka, said yesterday if the government failed to meet international humanitarian obligations, then the international community would have to step in.