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With mainstream mosques also being possible targets of ISIS-linked terror groups, even moulavis and imams are offering themselves to be bodychecked as seen in this picture at Colombo’s Devatagaha mosque on Friday. Pic by M. A. Pushpakumara
UNP to continue campaign to appoint Fonseka as Law and Order Minister
The United National Party (UNP) will continue to press for the appointment of Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka as the Minister of Law and Order next week, a senior party source said yesterday. President Maithripala Sirisena, who brought the Police Department under him since his attempt to sack the UNP Government last year, had this week [...]
Over 1000 asylum seekers ejected; UNHCR helpless
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees is working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to relocate more than 1000 asylum seekers, who were ejected from their places of residence after the Easter Sunday bombings. Many refugees, including Pakistani Christians and Ahmadis, were taken out or sent out from their rented houses by mobs or [...]
Sunday services in Christian churches; Catholic mass to be telecast
Selected Christian churches will resume Sunday services today after the Easter Sunday bombings, while all Catholic churches throughout the country will remain closed for services. As a security precaution, some of the Christian churches have adjusted the times of the services, in addition to implementing increased security measures, with volunteers keeping a close watch on [...]
Ministers Oman bound for talks on Hambantota refinery project
Petroleum Resources Minister Kabir Hashim and Development Strategies Minister Malik Samarawickrama have left for Oman for discussions on the Hambantota oil refinery project. They are to be joined by Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen who was a key participant at earlier talks on the controversial venture. Minister Samarawickrama said yesterday that he and Minister [...]
Upcoming Vesak: Buddha Sasana Ministry to consult Mahanayakes on pandals and dansal
The upcoming Vesak celebrations, a security nightmare after the Easter Sunday terrorist massacre, have set a poser for the Government. The decision has been placed in the hands of the Buddha Sasana Ministry. It will consult the Mahanayake Theras on how to evolve arrangements, Buddha Sasana Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera said yesterday. He told the [...]
Diplomatic community steps in to strengthen Parliament security following intel on possible attack
Security in Parliament is being stepped up with foreign assistance following intelligence reports of a possible terrorist attack. Parliament sources said support has been sought from the diplomatic community to provide required equipment to the complex. The Sunday Times learns that one foreign country had already airlifted scanning machines, explosives detectors and other hi-tech equipment [...]
SriLankan requests SLAF to deploy sky marshals on flights
The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) is planning to deploy sky marshals on SriLankan Airlines flights to enhance air transportation safety and security . The Air Force has responded to a request by the Airlines authorities and are evaluating the existing regulatory framework and international legal obligations on the matter, Air Force spokesman Gp. Capt [...]
600 visa violators deported; among them Islamic preachers
More than 600 foreigners, including Islamic preachers who have come on tourist visas, have been deported during the past week for violating visa regulations. Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardena, under whose purview the Immigration Department comes, told the Sunday Times that at a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, a directive was issued [...]
UN expresses collective grief over victims of terrorist killings
The United Nations expressed its collective grief over victims of the terrorist killings in Sri Lanka when the 193-member General Assembly extended its condolences to the families and renewed its commitment to combat violent extremism and terrorism. Maria Fernanda Espinoza Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the General Assembly, expressed her solidarity with Sri [...]
600 visa violators deported; among them Islamic preachers
More than 600 foreigners, including Islamic preachers who have come on tourist visas, have been deported during the past week for violating visa regulations. Home Affairs Minister Vajira Abeywardena, under whose purview the Immigration Department comes, told the Sunday Times that at a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, a directive was issued [...]
President rejects Ravi’s power purchase proposal
A five-member subcommittee headed by President Maithripala Sirsena to re-evaluate Cabinet papers submitted by Power and Energy Minister Ravi Karunanayake on the electricity crisis has decided not to approve the purchase of an additional 200 megawatts of emergency power outside tender process as recommended by the Ministry and some Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) officials. A [...]
Turkey calls for action against FETO members in Sri Lanka
The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey last week requested the Sri Lanka government to take action against individuals with ties to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation (FETO) operating in Sri Lanka. The Embassy also called on the Government to take the necessary steps to deport individuals involved with the organisation from the country. It has [...]
Fani spares Sri Lanka, leaves behind minimal damage
Cyclone Fani, which threatened to hit Sri Lanka moved away to the Indian subcontinent with minimal damage to the country, the Disaster Management Centre said. Director Pradeep Kodipilli said, according to reports, 26 houses in Vavuniya were damaged while in Hambantota–which was predicted to feel the brunt of the fierce cyclone–three houses were damaged.Fifteen homes [...]
Fearful town shuns strangers after suicide blasts
Life in the bustling town of Sainthamaruthu, 50km south-east of Batticaloa, is virtually dead after sunset. Populated largely by Muslims, the urbanised stretch of the east coast is home to many entrepreneurs, traders and fishermen. It was about a quarter past six as darkness fell on Sainthamaruthu on April 26. “There was a massive noise [...]
Mystery shrouds Batticaloa’s ‘Shariah’ campus
In a sprawling site on the border of the Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa districts, a row of multi-storied buildings are taking shape in what has come to be known as a ‘Shariah University’. The man behind the project in the sparsely populated village of Punanai is M.L.A.M. Hisbullah, the Governor of the Eastern Province. “How can [...]
Nearly 200 linked to Easter Sunday attacks in Police custody
Nearly 200 persons linked to the multiple Easter Sunday suicide attacks are currently in Police custody, a senior official said. Of them, 60 are directly connected to the explosions and are being held by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) or the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID), the officer said. Others have been arrested for possession of [...]
SLPI and FMM panel discussion urges caution in ‘Reporting Sensitive Incidents’
The Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) and the Free Media Movement (FMM) organised a panel discussion on “Reporting Sensitive Incidents” to mark World Press Freedom Day, on Friday, May 3. The panel of speakers at this discussion were Ms Hana Ibrahim, editor Daily and Weekend Express, Mr M J R David, consultant at University of [...]
Turkey calls for action against FETO members in Sri Lanka
The Embassy of the Republic of Turkey last week requested the Sri Lanka government to take action against individuals with ties to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organisation (FETO) operating in Sri Lanka. The Embassy also called on the Government to take the necessary steps to deport individuals involved with the organisation from the country. It has [...]
Unravelling growing Arabisation
Quran Madrasas and Arabic Colleges have mushroomed in their thousands around Sri Lanka during the past decade, promoting a “pure” form of Islam imported from West Asia that is at odds with South Asian traditions. The trend mirrors developments in other parts of this region, including Bangladesh, where strong Gulf influence has seen a proliferation [...]
Country raises its guard in face of violent extremism
Nearly a decade after Tamil terrorism was ended, checkpoints and increased protection of people, schools, hospitals, and public and private premises have returned to Sri Lanka after the mass murder by Islamic suicide killers in churches and hotels on Easter Sunday. Long queues form outside buildings because of security checks. Parking is restricted in [...]
Catholic head disagrees it’s safe to reopen schools
The Government yesterday decided to re-open state schools on a phased out basis, from tomorrow, so as to provide maximum security for the children. Grades 6 to 13 will begin tomorrow, while grades one to five will begin on May 13, a statement from the Government Information Department said. Earlier the Government had decided to [...]
Fani spares Sri Lanka, leaves behind minimal damage
Cyclone Fani, which threatened to hit Sri Lanka moved away to the Indian subcontinent with minimal damage to the country, the Disaster Management Centre said. Director Pradeep Kodipilli said, according to reports, 26 houses in Vavuniya were damaged while in Hambantota–which was predicted to feel the brunt of the fierce cyclone–three houses were damaged. Fifteen [...]
3 petitions against senior security officials for dereliction of duty
Three petitions have been filed against high ranking security officials for failing to act dutifully in relation to the Easter Sunday bombings carried out last month. The Petitioners are Janath S. Vidanage, Saman Nanandana Sirimanne and Nagananda Kodituwakku. The Petitioners claim that the Respondents have violated their Fundamental Rights (FR) by not acting on crucial [...]
Appeal Court quashes appointment of NMRA Chairman and CEO
The Court of Appeal (CoA) has quashed the appointment of Prof. Asitha de Silva as Chairman of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) and Dr. Kamal Jayasinghe as its acting Chief Executive Officer. In a ruling, Court of Appeal Judge Mahinda Samayawardena said the appointments were bad in Law and, therefore, null and void. He, [...]
Trauma vs. stress
A cross the country, someone’s kith and kin are dead in the Easter Sunday bomb blasts that ripped through churches and hotels, while fear and tension still grip the people. In the wake of these tragedies, let the bereaved grieve and mourn over their dead. Give them time, before rushing to compel them to undergo [...]
Mihin Lanka lost millions of dollars due to CEO Chandrasena’s ignorance
Former Mihin Lanka (Mihin) CEO Kapila Chandrasena’s poor directives issued to Mihin’s management led to two costly decisions where the airline lost millions of dollars. This was revealed by former Mihin Commercial Head Rohan Perera at the Commission of Inquiry (CoI) investigating allegations of large-scale fraud and corruption at SriLankan Airlines (SriLankan), SriLankan Catering (SLC) [...]
‘Refrain from unethical research’
Studies should be by competent people & vulnerable survivors should not be exploited – Dr. Athula Sumathipala A cautionary note about how to conduct research in times such as these, comes from Senior Consultant Psychiatrist Dr. Athula Sumathipala. “Research has its due place and no one is saying that research should not be done. But [...]
Mahapola Trust Fund lost Rs 48b, says Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe
The Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund, also known as the Mahapola Trust Fund (MTF), suffered a loss of Rs 48 billion, after the Ministry of Higher Education signed 2 illegal agreements to transfer the Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT) to a private business. This happened during the first 100 days of the [...]
Tourism industry insists on security to recover
Tourism received a body blow from suicide attacks by Islamic extremists on Easter Sunday and the subsequent travel warnings issued by many countries. The president of the Colombo City Tourist Hotels Association, Mr M Shanthikumar said about 80% of hotel reservations had been canceled in Colombo. “The biggest problem the industry is facing at the [...]
Nuwara Eliya youth organise remembrance events for those killed in attacks
A youth front in Mipilimana, Nuwara Eliya held an alms giving and pinkama remembering those killed in the Easter Sunday attacks. They used funds collected for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations, to organise the Seventh Day Dhana programme held at Ruwan Eliya Gangaramaya Assembly Hall, under the patronage of the chief incumbent of [...]
Lottery sellers suffer under security situation
Around 120 lottery sellers in Colombo and other towns have suffered following the removal of their sales outlets (lottery booths) in a government move to demolish unauthorised constructions after the Easter Sunday terror attacks. Lottery booths of the Development Lottery Board (DLB) and the National Lotteries Board (NLB) at crowded places in cities countrywide are [...]
Unlikely that ISIS was involved in Easter Sunday attacks
Sri Lanka faces a myriad challenges, as it attempts to deal with the fallout of the dastardly terrorist attacks against innocent civilians, that were carried out on Easter Sunday. The economic fallout of the carnage has yet to be quantified, with the Government facing an uphill task in leading the country out of the quagmire. [...]
Unions pay silent tribute to labour in shattered capital
Every year, thousands from the provinces board buses provided by political parties and leave for Colombo for May Day rallies. But there were no labour chants this year in the capital and elsewhere, except for symbolic gatherings. There is no normalcy yet following the bloodbath in churches, for which the political leadership is being called [...]
Pick of the Pix
Pix by M.A.Pushpa Kumara, Priyantha Wickramarachchi, Sarath Siriwardana, Jayarathna Wickramarachchi and Tusitha Silva From our readers: Shutterbugs out there, here’s your chance to send in your contributions to this picture corner. Please send your captioned photograph along with your name, to pictures@sundaytimes.wnl.lk We would also appreciate if you mentioned the camera or cellphone that [...]
A new life for a dying coral garden
Efforts are underway to revive the coral reef at Kandakuliya in Kalpitiya which had been gradually destroyed over the years. Under an ongoing project live corals are brought in from Mannar and planted in the area by the officials of the Department of Wild Life, Kalpitiya, with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Navy. Manjula [...]
Muslim fashion stores hemmed by niqab ban
In the wake of the Government banning face coverings following the Easter Sunday bombings, a cross section of those specialising in Muslim women’s attire and members of the community expressed their views on the ban. At a store in Colombo that has been providing customised abayas, niqabs and burqas to their clientele for nearly 25 [...]
Dolce & Gabbana’s Embellished Hijabs and Abayas are great news for Muslim women—when will other brands follow suit?
News broke that Dolce & Gabbana is producing a collection of hijabs and abayas targeted to Muslim customers in the Middle East. The garments, while engineered for modesty, have all the flair of any other Dolce & Gabbana collection—a little jewel-encrusted lemon here, some black lace trim there—and are styled alongside the label’s cocktail jewelry, [...]