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UNF demands fair coverage by state media |
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2009-12-05 |
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The United National Front yesterday asked Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake to appoint a Competent Authority to overlook the functions of the state media and ensure unbiased news reportage during campaigning for the presidential election. UNF media spokesman Mangala Samaraweera in a letter to Mr. Dissanayake accused the state-owned Rupavahini and Independent Television Network of distorting comments made by presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka. It says that the fear psychosis now spreading through government ranks was a clear indication that the government was facing inevitable defeat at next year’s Presidential election. The UNF said in its statement: “The state media have once again begun their usual form of biased reporting for the January 26 presidential election as well. State media institutions must be properly managed as they function with public funds. (Read More)
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UPFA seniors will also join me: Gen. Fonseka |
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2009-12-05 |
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Common opposition candidate Gen. Sarath Fonseka yesterday expressed confidence that some ruling party seniors would also team up with him in the future in his fight against what he termed as the ‘prevailing tyranny’ of the country. Addressing trade union representatives affiliated to the JVP, Gen. Fonseka said he, as a novice to politics, is backed by the main parties like the UNP, the JVP, the SLMC and the Democratic People’s Front leader Mano Ganesan. However, he said, in addition to these parties, alliance partners of the ruling UPFA would switch allegiance to him in the course of time. “I am contesting for the presidency as a non-party candidate with the backing of the mainstream political parties. Nevertheless, I hope parties in the ruling coalition will also join me in the future. (Read More) |
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Six presidential candidates place deposits |
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2009-12-04 |
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Six candidates have placed their deposits to contest the January 26 presidential election.
Being fielded by recognized political parties, each handed over Rs. 50,000 at the Elections Secretariat at Rajagiriya today (Dec. 03).
They are Sarath Manamendra, Achala Asoka Suraweera, P.D.P.S.A. Liyanage, Sirithunga Jayasuriya, M.B. Thaminimulla and Peter Nelson Perera.
Deposits from presidential candidates will be accepted until noon on December 16, said the Elections Secretariat.
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Gen. Fonseka to be officially introduced at UNP convention |
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2009-12-04 |
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The United National Front is due to officially introduce its presidential candidate retired Gen. Sarath Fonseka at a special convention of the United National Party at Nawaloka grounds in Welisara, Ragama on December 05.
UNP general secretary Tissa Attanayake said the presidential hopeful would present his policies, vision and programme before the public at this event.
Gen. Fonseka, the former retired chief of defence staff, will be ceremonially welcomed and felicitated on the occasion, said Mr. Attanayake.
The convention is expected to draw around 10,000 UNP activists from across the country.
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LMD chooses President Rajapaksa as Sri Lankan of 2009 |
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2009-12-04 |
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The local business magazine LMD has chosen president Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Sri Lankan of the year 2009.
The magazine said in its December issue, it is "hard to deny the role of the president in maintaining this nation's sovereignty and crushing the scourge of terrorism after a lapse of 26 years."
LMD said, "2009 will undoubtedly go down in the annals of history as the year a tiny island-nation succeeded in defeating one of the most ruthless terrorist organizations the world has ever seen."
It is in this backdrop, said the magazine, "that we honour the architect of the military operation that united the country again, and the custodian and First Citizen of Sri Lanka - the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa - as LMD's Sri Lankan of the Year."
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I went abroad to find a country for Rajapakse to flee after his defeat Somawansa Amarasinghe |
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2009-12-04 |
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He went abroad to find a country for Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse to flee after he is defeated at the presidential election but out of the six countries he visited none was prepared to accept him said Leader of the JVP Somawansa Amarasinghe. He said this answering a question by a journalist at KIA when he returned after being abroad to participate in commemoration ceremonies of ‘November Heroes’ held in several countries. As soon as Mr. Amarasinghe came out of BIA, journalists surrounded him and asked whether he went abroad after having differences with the JVP as claimed by the media controlled by the state. Answering this question the Leader of the JVP, said with a chuckle, “Of course not. I went to see whether there was any country that Mahinda Rajapakse could go after being defeated. I went to six countries; none of them was prepared to accept him.
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Trade union representatives hold summit tomorrow to support General |
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2009-12-04 |
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All Ceylon Trade Union Federation (ACTUF) has decided to support Gen. Sarath Fonseka who is to contest the presidential election as a common candidate says its General Secretary Samanthe Koralearachchi. A special summit of representatives of all trade unions representing in ACTUF will be held regarding this at Solis Hall at Pitakotte tomorrow (4th) at 4.00 p.m. under the chairmanship of Parliamentarian K.D. Lal Kanthe said Mr. Koralearachchi. He said an important condition for supporting the common candidate would be the abolition of the executive presidency as it had been used throughout the past history to suppress justifiable trade union struggles and abolishing it is an essential requirement for establishing democracy in the country.
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Displaced Jaffna voters can vote in Colombo |
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2009-12-04 |
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Displaced voters of the Jaffna Peninsula, living in Colombo and the suburbs, would be eligible to vote in Colombo at the forthcoming Presidential election. A special polling booth would be established in Colombo for them, Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake said. An office was opened at the Wellawatte Post Office premises yesterday, where the displaced Jaffna voters list is kept for perusal. Application forms to apply to vote in Colombo are also available there.
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UNPs Nandamithra joins SLFP |
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2009-12-04 |
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In what is described in political circles as a counter to the crossover of UPFANational List MPWijedasa Rajapakshe to the UNPon Wednesday, Nandimithra Ekanayake, the Matale District UNP Parliamentarian officially joined the SLFP yesterday. He was appointed an organiser of the Matale District with immediate effect. Ekanayake entered politics representing the SLFPand became a minister of the PA government. He defected to the UNPwith a group of prominent SLFPparliamentarians in 2001. |
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GSP assured if Fonseka is president JVP |
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2009-12-04 |
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JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe, who returned yesterday after a tour of European countries, told journalists that Sri Lanka is assured of the GSP Plus tax concession for its exports to Europe after the election of General Sarath Fonseka as President of the country. He said that he spoke to the leaders of the EU countries on the resumption of the GSP Plus concessions to Sri Lanka. Those leaders, Amarasinghe said, assured him that they would grant the concession if the Government withdraws the statement they made to the gallery by saying that the country does not need the GSP Plus concession.
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