Ranjan Ramanayake

Actor-turned-politician Ranjan Ramanayake accused the government of masterminding his recent arrest and claimed that he wouldn’t have undergone such a traumatic situation had he supported the government on the controversial 18th Amendment.
Speaking to The Sunday Leader  after he was bailed out by the Kandy court, Ramanayake said that he had to serve a jail term for an offense he has not committed, but simply for refusing to support the government on the 18th Amendment.
Ramanayake was arrested on Thursday, October 14 and by Kandy police. According to Police Spokesperson SP Preshantha Jayakody, Ramanayake had taken Rs. 1 million from a female school teacher in Kandy, promising to marry her.
“This is what the genuine opposition politicians or supporters in Sri Lanka would have to face if they do not support the government. This is not new to the world as we have seen countries that had dictatorship regimes and as to how their leaders have treated opponents. For example, take Zimbabwe – the Robert Mugabe regime, Iraq – the Saddam Hussein regime and even in Myanmar none of their leaders’ opponents were able to live peacefully. It is the same thing that is happening in our country. The more you criticize the present regime, the more your life is at risk,” claimed Ramanayake.
According to Ramanayake, he has been arrested by a police team who came in civvies without a court order or a letter from the speaker.
“I was arrested while I was at a discussion with the Deputy Mayor of Sri Jayewardenepura, Kotte, bypassing the normal procedure. The police officers who came to arrest me were in civvies and neither carried an arrest order or a letter from the speaker. Violating all these norms, they arrested me for an offence I have never committed. Even one of my staffers, Upul, who is on the Parliamentary Affairs Ministry payroll, was assaulted by this police team when he requested them to produce my arrest warrant to him,” Ramanayake said.
According to Ramanayake, this female school teacher in question is 42 year old Namal Wijeratne from the Katugastota Rahula Maha Vidyalaya whom, according to him, has been known to him for the past ten years.
“Since 2000 she was one of my fans and has sent me letters, cards, cakes, pillow covers etc. although I knew nothing about her. I knew that she was coming on the wrong track and tried to avoid her many times, but still she kept on calling and sending me letters and gifts. Even once she sent me one of her photographs in a bikini and asked me to comment on her figure. When I ignored her, then she started to comment on my film One Shot and even went beyond, praising my half covered body. Then I knew what her mentality was and ignored her. But she kept on calling me and sending me gifts. Other than this I did not have any other relationship with her, or taken money as she has stated,” Ramanayake said.
Speaking further, Ramanayake queried as to why he would take Rs. 1 million from a woman when he had the opportunity to take Rs. 100 million and many more perks with positions from the government, had he voted for the 18th Amendment in parliament last month.
Accusing the government of pushing the legal authorities to take any possible action against him for not supporting the government on the 18th Amendment, Ramanayake said that he would have been a free man if he supported the 18th Amendment.
“I knew from the beginning that the government was hunting for me because they could not ‘buy’ me for money. From the time I started to contest the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council Election in 2008, the government was eyeing me and wanted me to support them to which they were willing to reward me handsomely. But since I was not greedy for money or positions, I did not want to betray my policies and the party. I have concrete evidence to prove as to how government big wigs offered to pay me Rs. 100 million, give me a luxury jeep and a house at Kalapura in Mt. Lavinia in order to get my support for them,” Ramanayake said.
According to Ramanayake, he has never been summoned by any legal authority, although he has openly stated that the government tried to bribe him on many occasions and is ready to prove to them as he has all the evidence to establish this.
“All this happened because I did not crossover to the government. Even the day I was arrested, one of the leading SLFP parliamentarians from the Colombo District met me at my lawyer’s residence and wanted me to extend my support to the President, assuring me that legal action of any form would not be taken against me. Notwithstanding, once I was told by a certain leader in the government that the doors of Temple Trees are open for me any time,” he claimed.
He further said that from the time he became the Opposition Leader of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council, he has been receiving death threats and although he made several requests to the authorities to provide him a weapon for his safety, it has not been granted.
“Since then I have been receiving death threats. My vehicle came under attack and all this worsened when I campaigned for the former army commander at the January presidential election. It was I who was with Sarath Fonseka when he was released from Cinnamon Lakeside on that fateful day and no sooner my visuals with Fonseka were shown over TV, I was threatened with death,” Ramanayake charged.
Several attempts to contact the complainant, Ms. Namal Wijeratne by The Sunday Leader failed as the Principal of Sri Rahula Maha Vidyalaya Katugastota, E.M. Edirisinghe, refused to call Ms. Wijeratne to the phone.

Recently The Sunday Times in particular ran prominent stories about the alleged “unsavoury” happenings at the ‘Capri’ a popular social club at Kollupitiya, Colombo 3. At one point even racial abuse was being thrown at each other. While this is essentially an internal matter for the club, to be addressed by its members, we now understand that outsiders have been stoking the fire for reasons which are not too hard to guess. It appears that one of the outsiders involved was none other than Sinha Ratnatunge, Editor of The Sunday Times which lent prominence to the shenanigans going on at the Capri, week after week.
The fact is that not so long ago Ratnatunge was a regular “guest” of one of the office bearers who later was a victim  of the journalistic  invective of this newspaper. Namely, Ananda Chittampalam, Vice President of the Capri Club.  The issue is this. Ratnatunge blatantly ignored rules pertaining to “guest visits” which eventually led to the breach in his friendship with Chittampalam. Or was it a question of familiarity breeding contempt!
Ratnatunge in fact not only ignored the rules pertaining to “guest visits” but despite the fact that he is not a member at the club has on repeated occasions himself hosted and entertained “guests” at the Capri.
In a letter dated August 18, 2010, the President of the club D. Morgan Fernando wrote to all club members.  In this letter he refers to a note sent to all members on July 7th this year titled “Some matters pertaining to the club.”
Quote: “In Clause 4, I referred to a guest who had come on eight occasions within a matter of six weeks in June and July 2010 (and continued to come thereafter). This reference was to the Editor of The Sunday Times who has been visiting the Club as a guest of two members. Ironically, the two members have thought it fit not to sign him in even once during the period. The Guest Book is available for anyone to see for the period May to July 2010.”
“When a Member of the Committee brought to his notice and stated that we would be delighted to have him as a Member, his response (Ratnatunge) was that he is not interested in joining the Club and he will come only as a guest.  Every Sunday he preaches ‘Good Governance’ in his editorials but does not approve the Club of practicing ‘Good Governance’.”! Unquote.
Thereafter, Morgan Fernando adds, that a newspaper article which appeared on page 4 of The Sunday Times on August 15, 2010 seems to be an example of “The Empire Strikes Back.”
The article in question was written by Leon Berenger, a journalist at The Sunday Times. Fernando states that on August 12, “Mr. Berenger telephoned me and the Hony. Secretary for comments on the VAT issue and other issues pertaining to the Club. When speaking to us he seemed to have knowledge of whatever was going on in the Club. Obviously he had been briefed by a Member of the Club.”

We reproduce below an excerpt of the article published on August 15, 2010 in The Sunday Times which ran a story headlined:

Capri Club President, Deputy, Found Guilty Of Breaking Rules
Special Committee finds Morgan Fernando and Ananda Chittampalam circumvented club rules in questionable VAT scam

By Leon Berenger

The President and the Vice President of one of Colombo’s leading social clubs have been found guilty of violating their own rules and their own constitution over a VAT issue involving the club.
A special select committee of the club membership has found that President Morgan Fernando and Vice President Ananda Chittampalam had circumvented club rules by hiring a tax consultant without involving others in the management committee and paid him a princely sum of Rs. 575,000 as his fees. This is to settle an Inland Revenue Department VAT claim that amounted to only Rs. 528,000.
The 57-year-old Capri Club, located centrally in Kollupitiya, has a wide cross section of members ranging from honourable gentlemen, professionals, businessmen, planters and arms dealers among them.
The select committee has ruled that Mr. Chittampalam had “overstated” by as much as Rs.1.8 million the amount the Inland Revenue Department had claimed from the club “for reasons unknown to the committee” and rushed through with the payment to the tax consultant, stating that this needed to be done to obtain the bar licence before January 1, 2010.

“This article indeed has prostituted journalism and it is very clear that the purpose of this article was to do a ‘hatchet’ job on myself and particularly the Vice President,” Morgan Fernando said.
The article in question stated that the Vice President had over-stated by as much as Rs.1.8 million the amount claimed by the DIR.  According to Fernando, this was despite him having stated that the Vice President had no correspondence with the Select Committee and that they owe him an apology for stating his name incorrectly.
“Nowhere has the General Membership called this matter a fraud as indicated,” Fernando said, adding that the reference that the Tax Consultant was prepared to return a portion of his fees is incorrect.  “I informed Mr. Berenger that he had indeed returned the entire Rs. 575,000 but the Committee unanimously decided to return the cheque.”
“In the last para of this article they refer to 40 new members who have been brought in for political reasons for voting at the next AGM. Forty two new members were brought, in order to raise the revenue for the Club and we have raised Rs. 2.5 million as a result. I doubt whether anyone can challenge the high quality of the new members,” Fernando states in his letter to the members.
“I was advised that the best thing is to ignore the article which appeared in this ‘Rag.’ Obviously the newspaper and the ‘gutter journalist’ Mr. Berenger do not know the truth from falsehood,” Fernando said.
The story does not end there.  According to Fernando, Restaurant Secretary Nihal Perera resigned from the Club after he had been repeatedly threatened over the telephone. The caller had verbally abused him “stating unmentionable comments about the Hotel and that it is a conflict of interest for him to hold office in the Capri because he was using the Capri staff (both male and female) at his Hotel,” Fernando said. He adds that Nihal Perera runs an exclusive Hotel in Moratuwa. “Not once but repeatedly Perera was abused in this manner,” Fernando charged, adding “the bottom line was that if he did not resign they will publish this in The Sunday Times. Now from slander we have graduated to threats,” he said.
That apart Ratnatunge also failed to publish that both Morgan Fernando and Ananda Chittampalam were re-instated following a court injunction.
Ratnatunge also failed to ever state that a “friend” Aruna Fernando, Treasurer of the Capri, was named and found guilty in the VAT Commission report.
In the “media world” it is no secret how cleverly Sinha Ratnatunge not only engages in double speak and double standards but has manipulated and influenced the judging process of nominees for awards given to journalists in the yearly ‘Journalism Awards For Excellence.’
How else can one explain the blatant circumvention of  rules and regulations stated in black and white for a panel of judges to follow in relation to the ‘Scoop Of The Year’ award for 2009 (which went to The Sunday Times News Desk for a series of articles) as well as the awarding of a prize, the ‘D.R. Wijewardene Award For Earning The Appreciation Of Peers And The Public’ to Iqbal Athas, for consistently reporting on defence matters for the year 2009 when he never wrote a single defence copy during the whole of 2009! His last column was on December 28, 2008.
The main award was nevertheless given to Iqbal Athas while Shamindra Ferdinando, Sirimevan Kasthuriarachchi, Mihiri Fonseka and Ramesh Warallagama received ‘honourable mention’. This despite the fact that the relevant citation had mentioned that the year under consideration, 2009, was a period of political and military uncertainly and that the awarders wanted to reward writing in the public interest, keeping the people informed and offering relevant analysis.
We journalists however can still take heart that amongst our breed most of whom confine themselves to Sri Lanka’s favourite pastime – stabbing each other in the back – there are a yet a few among us who continue to stand tall and be counted. And in that context one name springs to mind – that of Shamindra Ferdinando of the Daily Island newspaper.  Ferdinando, at least had the gumption to return the merit award given to him as runner-up to the D. R Wijewardene award, rightly insisting that he had  consistently reported on defence matters throughout the year 2009 – including filing reports from the frontline too  – while Iqbal Athas had done neither but was nevertheless given the  prize.
Of course, one hardly expected the News Desk of The Sunday Times to follow in Ferdinando’s footsteps. Knowing full well the award given to them was in clear violation of the criteria laid down for that particular category they nevertheless unashamedly picked up the award for ‘Scoop Of The Year’ (obviously on the instructions of their boss and Editor Sinha Ratnatunge) for “a series of articles” when the category in black and white clearly states: Quote “This category is for the journalist or team of journalists who have published the SINGLE BEST exclusive report for the year that had national implications. Please submit a copy of THE story and supporting statement” unquote.  That the awards – for the ‘Scoop Of The Year’ and the ‘D.R. Wijewardene Award For Earning The Appreciation Of Peers And The Public,’ was in blatant disregard of rules and regulations set out by the Editors Guild and the Sri Lanka Press Institute – both bodies under the watchful eye of Sinha Ratnatunge  and Ranjit Wijewardene – Chairman, Wijeya Group of Newspapers was not only ignored but surreptitiously manipulated.
Both Ratnatunge and Wijewardene together with the current President of the Editors Guild, Manik De Silva and Chairman, Sri Lanka Press Institute, Kumar Nadesan thereafter studiously ignored a written complaint from The Sunday Leader to this effect. All this from editors and publishers who every Sunday preach good governance and moral practices. That the Chairman of the judging committee Prof. Tissa Kariyawasam also chose to ignore with blatant disregard the rules and criteria he was expected to follow when choosing nominees for the awards, despite us having delivered to him the criteria and written seeking fair play in relation to the selecting of the winners. Kariyawasam however failed to live up to his reputation acting instead in a manner that was both irresponsible and unethical – including being downright rude in choosing to ignore also a written complaint.
And as showcased in the Capri Club drama this newspaper group (The Wijeya Group) clearly sees fit to ignore the very basics of journalistic ethics which they nevertheless loudly tout to other media organisations insisting we all practise and abide by same.
This group in fact refused to carry a correction when they had clearly misreported facts with relation to evidence given pertaining to court proceedings in the ‘White Flag case.’
At The Sunday Leader we pride ourselves on saying it as it is – and we have said this before and we will say it again.  We remain unbowed and unafraid and do not wrap our reports in selective heresay or diplomatic speak – afraid the truth will only get us into trouble.
It is indeed disheartening that a newspaper group that used to pride themselves on being credible and ethical is today not only subservient and servile but selective in its reportage and biased too as we pointed out in our columns last Sunday.
And as it is clear in their reporting of the internal crisis surrounding the Capri Club it was this same newspaper – The Sunday Times — when reporting on the ‘White Flag Case’ last Sunday (10) ran a banner headline saying “Editor Admits To Mistake During Defence Counsel Grilling” lending readers the impression that I had admitted to making a mistake on reporting the story “Gota Order Them Killed,” of December 13, 2009.  When in fact the “mistake” they were referring to was merely that I got wrong the surname of Amal Jayasinghe, Bureau Chief for AFP.  A momentary lapse of memory I had in the box which Amal Jayasinghe himself had no issue with. For no sooner I got out of court that day I tried calling him to apologise only to learn he was away – nevertheless, he responded to my apologetic text message saying “Am out at the moment. No worries. No chance to read any of the reports yet.”
But The Sunday Times for vested reasons all their own – as did their sister paper the Daily Mirror consistently slanted their reports on the court proceedings deliberately  giving it a misleading perspective and banner headlines that had nothing to do with the charge in relation to the case. Of course we expect nothing  better of the Wijeya Group. It’s a case of singing for your supper. The larger revenue from advertising and also getting other contracts (government is the biggest business in Sri Lanka) depends how close to the regime one is.
And so, the Group has now reduced and restricted themselves to reporting selective rubbish that has effectively rubber-stamped this government’s muzzling of the “independent press.”
What has become of journalists of the caliber of Tarzie Vittachi, D. Sivaram (Taraki), Mervyn De Silva and last but not least Lasantha Wickrematunge? Why are today’s media houses not only bowing to the dictates of an autocratic regime but also bending over backwards to not just servile but selective in their reports deliberately destroying any and all attempts at being non partisan?
If indeed we wish to construct an effective opposition in Parliament then we must not only concentrate in choosing the best leader and re-building an effective team but we as journalists as members of the fourth estate must first ensure our credibility and impartiality.
Why has our local media forgotten what compromises simple journalistic ethics?  The principles by which we should all govern ourselves when we put pen to paper?
In addition to the legal rights and obligations set forth in the relevant legal norms, the media have an ethical responsibility towards citizens and society which must be underlined at the present time, when information and communication play a very important role in the formation of citizens’ personal attitudes and the development of society and democratic life.  The journalist’s profession comprises rights and obligations, freedoms and responsibilities.  The basic principle of any ethical consideration of journalism is that a clear distinction must be drawn between news and opinion, making it impossible to confuse them.  And of course most important of all our reports should be based on truthfulness, ensured by the appropriate means of verification and proof, and impartiality in presentation, description and narration. Rumour must not be confused with news. News headlines and summaries must reflect as closely as possible the substance of the facts and data presented. But all of this is thrown by the wayside – trashed in fact – by a media that has chosen to not only be partisan, fearful of incurring the wrath of a regime they perceive to be dictatorial but sub-standard to the point of no return.
With the exception of course of The Sunday Leader, the Ravaya and Lakbima newspapers, we have editors in place who no longer have the courage to stand tall for what is right. Editors and publishers who sup with the President when commandeered to do so at his behest, too afraid to even voice an opinion – when they dine with him. They sit around meekly refusing to even engage him on matters of national interest but instead grin sheepishly, literally gulp their food and vanish. This is the current calibre of media bosses local journalists are expected to look up to and emulate.
As pointed out in my editorial last Sunday every week you buy the lie. You buy the lie that this is a functioning media. They sell the lie that this is a functioning democracy. A week later they wrap your lunch in it, which is about all it’s really good for.
Most papers today are just lies to keep the rice from falling out. As long as the economy keeps us fed, we don’t really care. We are pumped full of stories via print, SMS, TV and radio but there is precious little meat. It is only bland press releases with the occasional chili like Mervyn Silva, enough to keep you consuming more. It was the final phase of the war that saw the media turn servile.  So thanks to a servile UPFA, a weak opposition and a pliant media democracy;freedom of speech and expression is all but dead in Sri Lanka.

Ramanayaka was arrested by the police for his alleged involvement in committing a financial fraud amounting to a million rupees.

Central Province DIG Pujith Jayasundera has told the media that Ramanayaka had allegedly committed a fraud amounting to Rs. 1 million. A female teacher from school in Kandy had lodged a complaint with the police about the alleged financial fraud committed by Ramanayaka.

Ramanyaka’s anticipatory bail application was rejected by courts.

Following Deputy Highways Minister Mervyn Silva’s statement to a private TV channel on Wednesday, October 6 that he has evidence as to who killed the Founder Editor in Chief of The Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunge, we got in touch with him.
But Silva refused to meet The Sunday Leader and release the “evidence” he claims to have.
Although the Deputy Minister claimed that he knows who Wickrematunge’s killers were and that he has evidence to substantiate who was responsible for the murder, he has thus far fought shy of divulging the names and details of the killers.
“I do not want to divulge the details to The Sunday Leader,” was the only reply Silva gave to the paper when requested for an interview.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Police Spokesperson SP Prashantha Jayakody said that the police knew nothing about such a statement.
“This is the first time I heard of such a statement. If Silva knows who was behind this killing then he should come and give a statement to the CID. If not we cannot summon him to the CID over a statement the Deputy Minister has allegedly made to a private TV channel,” SP Jayakody told The Sunday Leader.

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge today (8) denied the statement made by Housing and Construction Minister Wimal Weerawansa that she had requested for a pardon from President J.R. Jayewardene on behalf of her husband Vijaya Kumaratunge, when he was jailed in the 1980s.

Kumaratunge told The Sunday Leader that the statement is an absolute lie. “I didn’t ask anyone to release Vijaya as I believed that he was unjustly incarcerated for no reason like Sarath Fonseka,” she said.

Kumaratunge said that she never asked for any pardon but sought legal redress by filing three cases before courts. “I filed a fundamental right petition, a Habeas Corpus and another one asked for Vijaya’s release,” she said.

Vijaya was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in November 1982 until February 1983. Vijaya at the time was the main campaign manager for Hector Kobbekaduwa, who contested the Presidential election at the time under the SLFP.

Kumaratunge said that Vijaya was arrested with about 3,000 SLFP activists.

Speaking of Vijaya’s subsequent release, Kumaratunge said that she received a telephone call one day from then President Jayawardene’s office and the secretary had informed her that the President had wanted to meet her.

“I said that I had not requested for an appointment, but I was told that I have already been assigned a time to meet the President. I did not want to go, but after everyone advised me to do so, I met Jayewardene. I took my sister Sunethra as a witness to the meeting. We were received well by Jayewardene at the President’s House and after a casual chat, he said he has decided to release Vijaya. I asked as to when he will be released and Jayewardene said he would be released in a week. I then asked about the other SLFPers arrested and I was told that the SLFP leaders will be released with Vijaya,” Kumaratunge explained.

She reiterated that she never made a request for Vijaya’s release at any point as her husband was incarcerated for no proper reason.

Referring to the arrest of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, Kumaratunge said that she did not see any reason for his incarceration and that if that be the case, then 75% of the members in the current government should be given 100 years in jail for what they have done.

Buddhist monks led by Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thero announced their decision to hold an Adhistana Pooja at the Mahamaluwa of the Dalada Maligawa in Kandy seeking Fonseka’s release.

The pooja is to be held on Thursday at 2.30 p.m., and organizers have invited the Buddhist clergy and the public to participate in the event.

Meanwhile, the UNP affiliated Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya (JSS) has organized a protest march on Friday (8) calling for Fonseka’s release.

The march is to commence from the Fort railway station.

The JSS has invited other trade unions to join the protest march walk organized by them for Fonseka.

Speaking to The Sunday Leader, Convener of the Movement, DNA MP Vijitha Herath said the People’s Movement for Democracy was formed for all progressive forces calling for Fonseka’s release and to protect democracy in the country to come under one common center regardless of political and other affiliations.

“It is a common center and we call on all political parties, trade unions, civil societies and even the general public to join for a common cause. We will fight for Fonseka’s release and stand against any anti-democratic move in the country,” he said.

Herath said the Movement has planned several campaigns and the first step is to launch an island wide protest campaign.

“Protests have been organized today in Ambalangoda and Kurunegala. They willl be held tomorrow in Kalutara and Ratnapura,” he said.

The next step is to launch a campaign to collect signatures for a petition.

“The signing of the petition will take place on Tuesday (5) opposite the Fort Railway station at 10 a.m. We call on the general public to come forward to express their sentiments against the anti-democratic acts that are taking place in the country,” Herath said.

Politicians, lawyers, monks and artists participated in the inaugural press conference held today. They include Herath, JVP politburo member and trade union leader K.D. Lalkantha, Anoma Fonseka, Chandraguptha Tenuwara, Chrishmal Warnasuriya, Karunaratne Herath and Ven. Dambara Amila Thero.

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

The jumbo Sri Lankan delegation – an estimated 110 — that traveled to New York to attend the UN General Assembly, included ten top businessmen from the country’s private sector – who were part of the Presidential delegation, all at public expense. For the first time in the country’s history the government paid for the air tickets, hotel rooms etc. for the business leaders. On earlier visits the businessmen paid for their own expenses.
The man behind this wastage of public funds is the infamous Coordinating Secretary to the President, Sajin Vass  Gunewardene who is well known for his extravagant life style at public expense. Vass Gunewardene now a member of parliament, is held responsible for the mammoth Rs. 3 billion loss endured by Mihin Air.
The President’s Coordinating Secretary was in New York in the first week of September to organise the President’s trip. Breaking all regulations for such visits, Vass Gunewardene ordered the Foreign Ministry to pay all ‘extras’ such as room service and laundry. He went further and provided cell phones with IDD facilities to all 110 delegates.
He ordered 40 limousines for the delegation but some of the private sector businessmen who were told that they have been provided with vehicles never saw them.
The Sri Lankan mission in New York is buzzing with gossip as to who collected the hundreds of thousands of dollars in kick-backs from the service providers.
Among the key businessmen who accompanied President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the government delegation to the UN were Mano Selvanathan, Susantha Ratnayake, Noel Selvanayagam, W.K.H. Wegapitiya, Dhammika Perera, Sanjeewa Wickramanayake, Dr. S. Selliah and Ashrof Omar.
CEO of the multi million dollar Brandix group  Ashrof Omar, when contacted by The Sunday Leader confirmed his visit to New York was on a government invitation and said his visit was sponsored by the state.
He said the delegates stayed in New York for about five to six days at the Waldorf Astoria.
Seventy rooms were booked at US$ 472 per night for five days at the Waldorf Astoria at a total cost of US$ 165,200. This was apart from the President’s suite which cost US $ 1000 per night.
Omar said the businessmen attended two sessions at the UN – the session on the Millennium Development Goals and the General Assembly.
Director, Carson Cumberbatch PLC, Mano Selvanathan also confirmed to The Sunday Leader that he visited New York as part of the government delegation. Pressed if he had paid the bill for his five-day stay at the Waldorf Astoria, Selvanathan said he did not know. “I do not know,” he said, maintaining he booked out of the luxury New York hotel unaware who was meeting his bill.
When asked who paid for his airfare to New York, he said he made the reservation for his air travel and is still awaiting the voucher. However The Sunday Leader can confirm that all of  Mano Selvanathan’s expenses including the air ticket was paid by public funds.
Several attempts to contact President, Senok Group, Noel Selvanayagam failed. Repeated attempts by us to get his response proved futile as he ignored all messages left by The Sunday Leader.
Selvanayagam in addition to accompanying the President to New York was also part of his private entourage to Germany and Houston. The air tickets, hotel expenses and all other extras such as laundry room service were paid by the State. Both the visit to Germany and Houston were billed as private visits. While there is no clear explanation as to why the President visited Germany he had visited Houston to meet his brother Dudley. In fact the only brother who does not hold a senior government post in his administration.
Chairman, John Keells Holdings, Susantha Ratnayake said he paid for his own air fare to and from New York.  He admitted however that his hotel bill had been met by the State. “When I tried to pay the bill I was told my room was being met as part of a master bill,” he said.
Group Chairman, Laugfs, Wegapitiya and former Chairman of the Board of Investments (BoI) and businessman, Dhammika Perera were not available for comment as they are yet overseas and expected to return to the country only this week.
The Sunday Leader was also unable to contact CEO/MD, E-Wis, Sanjeewa Wickramanayake and Deputy Chairman, Lanka Walltiles Limited, Dr. Sellaiah.
All the businessman were flown on Business Class.  A return air ticket on Emirates Airlines Colombo – New York is Rs. 425,200.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa and Kabir Hashim

Instead, the group has arrived at an interim agreement.
The group arrived at this interim agreement at a discussion attended by members of the pro-reforms group and Hashim on Wednesday (29) evening.
After much deliberation it was decided to keep silent till the party convention when the reforms would be officially ratified.
Hashim then communicated the decision to party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Hashim explained that the pro-reforms group called on the party leadership to introduce reforms to the party, which has happened.
“A Reforms Committee presented the reforms that have now received approval by the Working Committee. Things are on track now and the reforms have to now be ratified at the party convention scheduled for November,” he said.
The pro-reforms group has now adopted the stance that it would wait for the reforms to be ratified at the party convention and an effective process is put in place.
Following the UNP’s defeat at the April general election, the party has been faced with a leadership crisis with party members pushing for Sajith Premadasa as the alternative to take over the party leadership.
During the past few weeks, the pro-reforms group while pushing for the implementation of the party reforms also called for Premadasa to be appointed to a senior post with powers in the party.
Nevertheless, Premadasa has now decided to wait for the party convention.
“After the convention, when the reforms are in place, there will be democracy in the party and there will be a proper system in place. Any suitable person could then contest for the senior posts in the party,” Hashim said.
Be that as it may, all members of the pro-reforms group are not agreeable to the “interim agreement,” saying it is a sign of defeat on their part.
“We came out and shouted, but now we have decided to wait for the party convention,” a pro-reforms group MP said on the basis of anonymity.
The group has even decided to withdraw a proposal made by Premadasa requesting for voting rights for UNP local government and provincial council members when electing a party leader.
However, Hashim said that all parties are still open to any positive proposals that could resolve the party crisis at the earliest.

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Ginger Ale And Welithalapa For Mangala

Mahinda Rajapaksa and Mangala Samaraweera

UNP Media Unit Head, Parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera was last week summoned to the fourth floor of the CID headquarters. He was summoned for interrogation on the controversial poster printed by the UNP for its protest against the 18th Amendment last month.
Following the controversy surrounding the poster that depicted Mahinda Rajapaksa as Hitler, Samaraweera claimed responsibility for printing the poster.
Nevertheless, the CID questioned him for over three and a half hours last Tuesday (28). Samaraweera entered the CID office with his lawyers Nilanthi Peiris and Shiral Lakthileka. The lawyers were allowed to accompany Samaraweera during the interrogation.
After entering the CID at around 12 noon Samaraweera was asked by the CID officers whether he would have some lunch. Turning down the offer, Samaraweera opted to continue with the interrogation session.
Samaraweera was interrogated by the OIC of the Special Investigations Unit 3 and an Inspector of Police.
Realising the session with the CID was not going to end any time soon, the next time he was asked whether he would like some refreshments, he agreed.
The CID then treated him to a Ginger Ale and some Welithalapa.
Samaraweera spent the first hour making his statement to the CID. He said that as the head of the UNP Media Unit, it was his duty to create awareness among the people of the different political moods through various means like posters, leaflets, etc.
Claiming responsibility for the poster, he said it was printed for the party’s protest against the 18th Amendment on September 8 and since the whole move was likened to a dictatorial move, he decided to go with Hitler’s image.
After explaining a bit about world history and Hitler to the CID, Samaraweera said that similar posters have been printed about other world leaders as well.
“It is a democratic way to express the mood of the people and it is also freedom of expression,” he said.
After the statement was made, the CID commenced interrogating Samaraweera.
Showing him the poster, they had asked him if he recognised the poster and the person whose picture is in it. He responded by saying that he recognised the poster and the picture resembled a person who is also a friend of his for the past 30 years called Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The CID then questioned Samaraweera about the printing of the poster, where it was printed, who had done the art work and other minor details. A few hours later Samaraweera was allowed to walk out.
The case on the controversial poster was first handled by the Mirihana Police and later transferred to the CID.

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Back To Colombo
Counselor at Sri Lanka’s Mission to the UN in New York, Maxwell Keegel is to arrive in the country this week after the External Affairs Ministry recalled him last month, sources from the External Affairs Ministry said.

Keegel was accused of handing over a fake document to the External Affairs Ministry.
Keegel had submitted a document claiming to hold a diploma in French from the Alliance Francaise in London as part of his educational qualifications.
However, the External Affairs Ministry upon verification had found the certificate to be a fake.
External Affairs Ministry sources said that although Keegel was summoned back to Sri Lanka last month, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Dr. Palitha Kohona had requested that Keegel remain in New York until the conclusion of the UN General Assembly.
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DNA: SF Still An MP

Sarath Fonseka

The imprisonment of former Army Chief and DNA Leader Sarath Fonseka for 30 months has opened a debate on whether he would lose his parliamentary seat following the conviction.
The government on Thursday (30) claimed that following the President’s endorsement of a 30-month jail term for Fonseka, he would not be eligible to sit as a Member of Parliament with immediate effect.
Cabinet Spokesperson and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella told the media that according to the Constitution, Fonseka would be deprived of his seat.
The DNA however has pointed out that Fonseka would not lose his parliamentary seat since a court martial and not a civil court convicted him.
DNA General Secretary, Parliamentarian Vijitha Herath explained that the Constitution states that a parliamentarian would stand to lose his seat in the House if he is convicted in a civil court.
“It is a military court that has convicted him and therefore Fonseka would not lose his parliamentary seat,” he said.
He added that Fonseka’s lawyers would present the facts if such a necessity arose.
The lawyers are also preparing a writ application against the verdict of the second court martial to be presented to the Court of Appeal.
Nevertheless, Fonseka’s parliamentary seat would remain until the Court of Appeal verdict.
Herath said that all preparations have been made to file the writ application.
“We will fight the verdict legally and also protest on the streets,” he said.
The DNA has planned a series of protest campaigns at district level that is to be launched from Saturday (2). Meanwhile, the JVP and UNP have also planned a series of protest campaigns locally and internationally against Fonseka’s imprisonment.
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Charge Sheet Against RW

Ranil Wickremesinghe

A charge sheet against UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is currently being finalized by a group of senior party members.
The charge sheet is to be handed over to Wickremesinghe after getting one million signatures from party members endorsing the 20 charges against him.
A senior UNPer confirmed that the charge sheet is being finalised and would be launched to collect the signatures within the next few weeks.
Key among the charges are several questions posed to Wickremesinghe on his alleged betrayal of the party.
The senior UNP member said that among the key charges against Wickremesinghe are how he prevented Gamini Dissanayake from forming a government in 1994, how he manipulated Srimani Athulathmudali and delivered Thondaman to Chandrika Kumaratunga, how he accepted funds for the party privately when there was already an accepted party procedure in place, how he sabotaged the impeachment motion against former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva, how he gave the party printing press to Malik Samarawickrema who in turn sold it to a private party and his actions with the government on the 18th Amendment to the Constitution. “Wickremesinghe has betrayed the party from the beginning,” he said.
He added that although Wickremesinghe knew about the general election scheduled for 2010 no electoral organisers were appointed to most electorates and a few were appointed several months before the April general election.

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Senior JVPer “Out” From The Party

Chandrasena Wijesinghe

JVP politburo member and former Galle District Parliamentarian and Fisheries Minister in 2004, Chandrasena Wijesinghe has been ousted from the party’s decision making bodies.
A senior JVPer, Wijesinghe was removed from the party’s decision-making bodies a few months back.
The Sunday Leader learns that Wijesinghe’s removal from the party’s main organisations has been due to a conflict in ideas over party policies.
When contacted, JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath confirmed that Wijesinghe was no longer a member of the party’s decision-making bodies and would not take part in any key party activities.
Herath added that Wijesinghe remained a member of the party.
According to Herath, Wijesinghe has relinquished his duties in the party due to ill health.
“He is suffering from diabetes and cholesterol and cannot take part in most party activities. However, he is still a member of the JVP,” he said.

A thoughtful Anoma Fonseka

Former Army Commander and DNA Leader Sarath Fonseka’s wife, Anoma Fonseka, today (30) said the verdict, instead of discouraging her has strengthened her to resolve to fight for her husband’s freedom.

She called on the people and the true war heroes in the three armed forces to rally against the court martial verdict that has imprisoned her husband.

Anoma told a press conference that the whole world knew the sentence against her husband is an act of political revenge.

She said that along with her daughters, she would fight to secure her husband’s release.

She also thanked the President for sending her husband to prison as a token of gratitude for the role played by him to free the country from terrorism.

Anoma noted that the President has revealed his true image to the world through his actions against Fonseka.

“This is only the beginning of the struggle. We will continue and not give up,” she said.

Photos show Anoma Fonseka at the press conference.