Gotabaya Rajapaksa Archives

SRI LANKA NEWS – (NOVEMBER 2019) – Compiled by Victor Melder. Sri Lanka’s top court on Tuesday effectively blocked a plan by the president to bring back hangings for the first time since 1976 before he leaves office this month. Maithripala Sirisena said in June that he had signed death warrants for four drug offenders — mirroring the Philippines’ no-holds-barred anti-narcotics drive — alarming rights groups and the international community. A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court extended on Tuesday a stay order until the hearing of 15 petitions filed against Sirisena’s bid. “The bench extended the stay order till December 9,” a lawyer representing civil society groups, who call hanging a “cruel and degrading”, said after a brief hearing. Sirisena is not seeking re-election and must leave office as soon as a winner is declared after the November 16 election, more than three weeks before the court resumes hearings. There ...

SRI LANKA NEWS IN BRIEF (MAY 2019) – Compiled by Victor Melder Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith yesterday declined a bullet proof vehicle offered by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Addressing the media, after a meeting with former JHU Parliamentarian Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera, the Cardinal said that the government should focus on ensuring the security of all Sri Lankans instead of a select few. The Cardinal said that he was still not satisfied with the security measures adopted to deal with terrorists. “Some houses in Periyamulla, Negombo have been closed after the Easter Sunday bombings but they have not been checked,” he said. He also urged youth not to use social media to misinform people and spread hatred. Sobitha Thera said that the conduct of the Cardinal was an example to all Sri Lankans. “All religious leaders must unite to get the country out of this,” the thera said. (Daily Island, ...