Mar 8 (DM) Based on the above famous inspirational quote by the Most Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Thera, civil society activist Olcott Gunasekara is currently rendering a yeoman service to the country, to wipe out the tobacco and alcohol menace from society. Mr. Gunasekara is the founder and present President of the Dharmavijaya Foundation founded in 1977 with the blessings of the late Most Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Thera more..

Mar 8 (DM) The world celebrates International Women’s Day (IWD) on the 8th of March every year. It assesses social, political and economic achievements of women while focusing world attention on areas requiring further improvement. The theme of the current year is “inspiring change”. Over the years Sri Lanka also has been celebrating “The day” along with other countries under different core subject areas. The main aim of the day is bringing solutions to constraints more..

Mar 8 (DM) The Govt these days is trying to consolidate the country’s banking and financial sector. The Central Bank has released a master plan for this with very tight time-limits. Consolidation as far as the country’s banking and financial sectors are concerned is not a new concept. The bankers, policy makers and various other stakeholders have been talking about the need for consolidation if we are to have a sustainable banking and financial sector. more..

Mar 8 (DM) Sri Lanka says the draft resolution on Sri Lanka deposited with the UNHRC by a core group comprising - the USA, UK, Mauritius, Montenegro and Macedonia, violates the constitutional provisions of SL. "The draft resolution on Sri Lanka.., violates the constitutional provisions of S, is highly intrusive in nature and is in breach of the sovereignty of the Sri Lankan people and the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka", more..

Mar 8 (ENS) Describing the first draft of the resolution tabled by the US, UK and other countries on Sri Lanka as sweet-coated poison, MDMK leader Vaiko on Friday appealed to the Indian govt to introduce a separate resolution calling for international, independent enquiry into the genocide of island Tamils during Lankan military offensive in 2009. Releasing three books authoried by MDMK functionaries here, Vaiko said the resolution also contain a call for referendum on separate more..

Mar 8 (CG) President Rajapaksa today rejected the US sponsored draft resolution on Sri Lanka submitted to the UNHRC and said the vote on the resolution later this month will be of no significance. Responding to a question raised on a live television program broadcast on several channels late this evening, the President said that the Govt was not concerned about the resolution or the vote outcome. He said that the allegations raised in Geneva are not new as similar allegations more..

Mar 8 (Reuters) Officials investigating a suspected mass grave in Sri Lanka's former northern war zone called off the digging on Friday because the 83 skeletons unearthed there seem to have been buried in an old cemetery. The Sri Lankan army has been accused of killing tens of thousands of civilians in the final weeks of its 26-year war against northern Tamil separatists in 2009 and Colombo has been under pressure more..

Mar 8 (FT) Sri Lanka has ranked first among South Asian countries in the Rule of Law Index 2014 and ranked 48th globally out of 99 countries the index evaluated. World Justice Project released its Rule of Law Index 2014 which measures how the rule of law is experienced by ordinary people around the world. WJP Rule of Law Index measures how the rule of law is experienced in everyday life in 99 countries around the globe, based on over 100,000 households and 2,400 expert surveys more..

Mar 8 (PTI) 17 Tamil Nadu fishermen were today repatriated from Sri Lanka, a day after Chief Minister Jayalalithaa slammed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the continued detention of Indian fishermen by Lankan Navy. The fishermen were handed over to the Coast Guard by the Sri Lankan Navy at the Indo-Lankan IMBL. They were being brought back onboard Coast Guard ship ICGS Rajshree to Karaikal where they would be handed over to fisheries department officials, it said. more..

Mar 8 (BR) Sri Lanka is to sign an agreement with Pakistan, next month, to acquire the country's national shipping line's services for its all seaborne trade, said Ports and Shipping Minister, Kamran Michael. "Sri Lankan govt has formally approached the govt to sign an agreement for acquiring Pakistan's shipping services for its seaborne trade," he said at an informal meeting with newsmen on Thursday at his resident. more..

Mar 8 (Island) Sri J'pura University undergraduates alleged that their Vice Chancellor wanted to drive a wedge between them and the non-academic staff to prevent joint action. President of the Students Council said that undergraduates had protested together with academic and non-academic staff against alleged moves to privatise education, banning students’ unions, filing court cases against undergraduates and arbitrary suspension of students during the recent past. more..

Mar 8 (CG) The Gangodawila Magistrate today set aside her order and granted permission to reopen the Dehiwala, Kadawatha Road Mosque. The Magistrate also observed that there was no obstruction or nuisance caused to the public by the said Mosque. A team of lawyers led by M.M. Zuhair, PC and Shiraz Noordeen defended the Masjid in courts. The Mosque was ordered to be closed earlier this week after the police had filed a case at the Gangodawila Magistrate’s Court. more..

Mar 8 (TS) Genting group, on an expansion trail, may be close to securing a casino venture in Sri Lanka. The tourism industry in Sri Lanka, a country which boasts of fine beaches and interesting wildlife, has been booming in recent years after the end of a decade-long civil war and it is no secret that Genting has been eyeing entry into the market, industry observers say. Genting’s interest in the Sri Lankan gaming scene more..

Mar 8 (Island) The Sri Lanka Administrative Service Association yesterday expressed its concern over attacks on the residences of the Exercise Commissioner General (ECG) and the Special Excise Investigations Unit (SEIU) OIC in the early hours of Thursday (06). SLASA Chairman Kamal Pathmasiri said that it was apparent that the attack had been an attempt by certain parties to hinder the efforts by the two officials to reduce alcohol and tobacco consumption. more..

Mar 8 (Hindu) Fourteen-year-old Kaveesha Samarakoon had gone through two major surgeries but, her heart continued to malfunction. When the Sri Lankan teenager arrived at Madras Medical Mission a few weeks ago, there was blood leaking from her lungs back into her heart, as there was no pulmonary valve to stop it. Instead of wielding the scalpel once again, a team of doctors here decided on another procedure — implanting a transcatheter valve mounted on a small stent from more..

Mar 8 (Island) Sri Lanka spends over Rs. 50 billion annually on the importation of chemical fertilizers, out of which Rs. 40 billion is borne by the govt as subsidies. Around Rs. 8.5 billion can be saved annually if the agricultural community, especially the tea plantation sector, utilizes biofilm (bio- fertilizer) which is an environmentally-friendly, 100% natural, chemical-free fertilizer manufactured with only locally sourced ingredients more..

Mar 8 (SBS) A new group is bringing together Sri Lankan Australians from all ethnic groups, to help an area of Sri Lanka to recover from decades of civil war. Called Diaspora Lanka, the group is currently working in the north-west Mannar district of Sri Lanka, which was severely affected by the war between Tamil separatists and govt troops. Projects launched so far include training young people in IT skills so they could launch their own small company, and development of an urban development more..

Mar 8 (HG) Stanley Jeyaraja Tambiah, known as Tambi (meaning “younger brother”) to friends and acquaintances, the Esther and Sidney Rabb Professor of Social Anthropology Emeritus, and a world-renowned scholar of Buddhism in Thailand, died Jan. 19 in Cambridge after a long struggle with diabetes and Parkinson’s. He was lucid to the end. The author of 10 books, he was awarded the Balzan Prize, the Huxley Medal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, more..

Mar 8 (ENS) Chief Minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa on Thursday lashed out at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for shaking hands with Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa, instead of taking steps to get the Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested by the Lankan navy released. Addressing an election rally here, Jayalalithaa said “I had sent several letters requesting the PM to take efforts to more..

Mar 8 (ST) We believe there is currently a notable shortage of high-end office space in the Colombo central areas. The lack of availability of Grade A space is prompting organisations to refurbish lower grade developments in order to meet the requirement of being centrally located. What we also note is that the developments owned by large corporations have also started letting out entire floors to outside companies whilst relocating some of their own subsidiaries in order to cash in on the high rental rates. more..

Mar 8 (FT) Leo Burnett Solutions Inc. (LBSI), the local office of the global advertising network Leo Burnett Worldwide once again brings recognition to Sri Lanka by bringing home the Gold Lotus in the promotion category for the best use of Print/Conventional Outdoor for the Ada, Unity Paper from ADFEST, Asia Pacific’s premier advertising festival and awards show. ADFEST, the first and most respected advertising awards show in the region is held annually in Pattaya, Thailand. more..

Mar 8 (Island) Tourism is being seen as a factor in the increasing illegal capture of wild elephants locally and in the trading of these animals. Wildlife conversationists warned that the Sri Lankan elephant population could very well be wiped out in the near future if these deleterious trends continue. Species Conservation Centre chairman Pubudu Weeraratne said that the Sri Lankan elephants were in crisis due to the well organised, illegal trade conducted more..

Mar 8 (CI) Pakistan and Sri Lanka have never played each other in the finals of a major ODI tournament (involving five or more teams). Of the 25 such tournaments they have played in together, this Asia Cup is the first time that both the teams are in the final. It has been nearly 15 years since Pakistan have progressed to the final of an ODI tournament involving five or more teams. The last such game for Pakistan was the title match of the 1999 World Cup when they lost to Australia. more..

Mar 8 (CI) Angelo Mathews has said it will be tough to pick a XI for the Asia Cup final against Pakistan, and predicts a hard contest, like in their league game. "None of the games were easy for us," Mathews said on the eve of the final. "It is going to be a fresh match against Pakistan. We have to play positive cricket. We are not worried about any individuals but the Pakistan team is balanced and strong. They have good batters and bowlers so we have to play the best cricket to win against them. more..

Mar 8 (CI) People in Bangladesh have got used to watching Kumar Sangakkara bat long and bat often this year. He has been insatiable in these conditions against all sorts of bowling, but in the Asia Cup final against Pakistan in Mirpur, Sangakkara will have something to prove. Sri Lanka need him to play a defining innings, which has largely eluded him in tournament finals. Sangakkara has scored 931 runs in 10 matches - two Tests, two Twenty20s and six ODIs more..

Mar 8 (CI) After his team had narrowly beaten India, Angelo Mathews said Sri Lanka "do those little things right". In a tournament full of rash shots and missed opportunities on the field, Sri Lanka have committed fewer basic errors than all the other sides. It goes quite a way towards explaining their unbeaten record in the tournament so far. Pakistan, on the other hand, threw away a winning position against Sri Lanka. They were 117 for 6 against Afghanistan thanks to the shot selection of their top order. more..

Mar 8 (Island) There is much discussion today about the absence of the names of two women who have made history in Sri Lanka, in an official publication to mark the recent Deyata Kirula Exhibition, to mark the 66th anniversary of independence and showcase the progress record of this govt. What makes matters worse, as some see it, is that this was a publication issued by the ministry in charge of women's affairs. The two forgotten women are Sri Lanka's first woman Executive President, more..

Mar 8 (Economist) EVIDENCE of past atrocities keeps turning up in Sri Lanka. Last year 154 bodies were unearthed from a mass grave behind a hospital in Matale, in the centre of the island—victims, in all likelihood, of an uprising by Marxist rebels in the 1980s. In February an excavation in Mannar, in the north-west, produced 81 bodies, casualties of a bigger and more recent conflict, the long civil war between more..

Mar 8 (OD) On 8th March 2014, Sri Lankan Tamil women will form a contingent to join the million women rise march in central London with a banner declaring, ‘Raped, Abused, Widowed and Forgotten: Tamil Women in Sri Lanka Still in Tears’. What happened to the aspirations of Tamil women in the national liberation struggle which lasted nearly 30 years? I covered the beginnings of this conflict for Outwrite, a feminist anti-racist newspaper in the mid-80s, and it is particularly poignant to more..

Mar 8 (CT) The TNA and the ruling UPFA are at loggerheads with regard to post-war humanitarian issues and on reaching a political solution to the Tamil question. It is in this context the 25th session of the UNHRC in Geneva was inaugurated and the draft US resolution presented to the Council. The TNA has expressed its disappointment over the resolution draft saying it does not directly call for an international probe on alleged war crimes during the last phase of the war in Sri Lanka. more..

Mar 8 (Island) At the moment of writing I have not had access to the full text of the US Draft Resolution on Sri Lanka that has been presented at the UNHRC Meeting in Geneva. But the most important fact about it is known: there will be no meaningful action of any sort at the present stage, and there will be such action only after the lapse of another year if Sri Lanka fails to show that there has been progress in taking credible action on internal investigations into war crimes etc. more..

Mar 8 (Island) The govt has drawn heavy flak for staggering PC elections. Opposition argues that it could fare better if they are held on a single day because the present system allows the ruling party with the entire state machinery at its disposal to concentrate all its resources and energy on two or three provinces at a time and thereby outdo its rivals. Its argument is tenable. But, there have been several instances where oppositional forces have succeeded in turning the tables on more..

Mar 8 (SO) Domestic violence is one of the most persistent evils in society. No matter where they live, how educated, or how high a place they occupy in their respective societies, the rosy dreams of a happy future for most married women have not just turned sour. They have been shattered into pieces by acts of unspeakable violence perpetrated on them by their husbands. As the severity of these violent deeds increase, more..

Mar 8 (CT) Roger Senaviratne and Royce Fernando (coincidentally R & R) are two political aspirants who claim that they want to serve people through politics, in other words by holding political office. Let’s see how sincere this claim is and how suitable they are to hold public office. Roger Senaviratne is an actor cum politician. His clandestine relationship with Mihira Wickramarachchi’s (a businessman) wife culminated in them starting a life together leaving their respective families. more..

Mar 8 (SO) Shan Wijayalal de Silva, a one-time student activist and govt servant, entered politics after contesting the crucial SPC election in 1993 under the People's Alliance. He earned his political reputation after serving the people through his own initiatives and climbed the ladder of politics through his commitment and dedication to serve his party and the people. As a Provincial Councillor he climbed to the top more..