Sri Lanka: Advisor to President shot dead

Sunday Times Online
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Former MP and advisor to President Mahinda Rajapaksa Baharatha Lakshman Premachandra was shot dead a short while ago following a gun battle with supporters of UPFA MP Duminda Sila at Kolonnawa, police and hospital officials said.

MP Duminda Silva who sustained serious gun shot injuries to his head is currently undergoing treatment at the Sri Jayewardenepura Hospital, they said.

At least a half a dozen others who sustained gun shot injuries in melee are also undergoing treatment at the same hospital.

Police investigators believe that today’s incident was the fall out in the killing of a man at Kolonnawa on Friday night, described as a supporter of Mr. Premachandra.

The two politicians are known to have nurtured a rift between them for a considerable period of time, police said.　

© Sunday Times Online

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Voting underway in Sri Lanka's mid-term test

AFP
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Voters in Sri Lanka's capital went to the polls on Saturday to elect a local municipal council, in a contest widely seen as a mid-term test for President Mahinda Rajapakse.

Rajapaksa's ruling coalition, the United People's Freedom Alliance, is fielding candidates for the prestigious Colombo municipality as well as 22 others, marking the final phase of local elections which began in March.

Since government troops claimed victory in their near 30-year war against Tamil Tiger rebels, Rajapakse has tightened his grip on power by securing a second presidential term and winning parliamentary polls last year.

His party has expressed confidence of securing victory in all the councils while the fractured opposition has promised a comeback after a string of humiliating defeats.

Voters are set to elect 420 members from among 6,488 candidates, with results are due by Sunday. The councils are responsible for maintaining utilities, but have no legislative powers.

However, political parties consider it important to secure the local bodies as a stepping stone for bigger national elections which are due by 2016.

Local elections began in March with smaller village councils going to the polls initially while the bigger councils saw voting put off until the completion of the cricket World Cup the island co-hosted in March and April.

© AFP

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Liam Fox, Sri Lanka, and a friend called Werritty

Channel 4
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As Defence Secretary Liam Fox orders an internal investigation over his relationship with self-styled adviser Adam Werritty, Channel 4 News looks at the questions surrounding the 14-year friendship.

Dr Fox has been accused of breaking ministerial code by allowing Adam Werritty, a close friend who was the minister's best man, to accompany him on an official visit to Sri Lanka.

The defence secretary told parliament last month that Werritty, who has distributed business cards describing himself as Dr Fox's personal adviser, had met him 14 times in 16 months but had not travelled with him on any official overseas visits.

The MoD has since admitted Werritty met Fox during the visit, but said it was in a personal capacity.

A photograph of Fox arriving to give the address on 9 July shows Werritty in the background, following closely behind Sri Lankan government ministers and the British high commissioner, John Rankin.

Dr Fox's permanent secretary at the Ministry of Defence, Ursula Brennan, has been asked by Dr Fox to investigate the allegation that the meeting in Sri Lanka - and another in Dubai on August 19 - had compromised national security.

But The Guardian newspaper claims that Ms Brennan had previously raised concerns about whether the friendship had strayed into official government business.

Werritty's businesses

Mr Werritty, 34, has been a close friend of Mr Fox, 50, for the last 14 years.

They lived together in a flat near Tower Bridge before the defence secretary married Jesme Baird in 2005.

Whilst Mr Fox was shadow health secretary between 1999 and 2003, Mr Werritty was appointed director of UK Health Ltd, heading the company for the next two years.

In November 2006 Mr Werritty was appointed director of Security Futures Ltd, a year after Mr Fox became shadow defence secretary.

Channel 4 News has learned from abbreviated accounts that the company made a loss of just over £4000 in 2007, a profit of just under £6000 in 2008, with the company's estimated total losses in 2008 standing at just over £93,000.

In the same year, 2008, the company gave £10 000 in a charitable donation to The Atlantic Bridge, an Atlanticist former charity set up by Dr Liam Fox.

Fox installed Werritty as the executive director and sole employee of the charity in 1997.

© Channel 4

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Sri Lanka unveils 'action plan' to improve human rights

AFP | The Straits Times
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Sri Lanka on Thursday announced a new move to address human rights issues in the face of international pressure over war crimes allegations arising from the end of the island's civil war.

The government said it hoped to strengthen civil liberties and ensure better human rights compliance through the implementation of what it called a 'National Action Plan', which was approved by the cabinet on Wednesday.

Details of the plan were not disclosed, but a government statement said it would largely involve setting up committees to monitor implementation of existing laws and to ensure better understanding and respect for civil rights.

Sri Lanka narrowly avoided censure at last month's United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council in Geneva, despite a UN expert report highlighting 'credible' allegations of abuses by government troops in their final victory over Tamil rebels.

© AFP

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Sri Lanka: Journalist challenges Defence Secretary's politics

Sri Lanka Mirror
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Ravaya journalist and media activist Lasantha Ruhunage has complained to the elections commissioner on campaigning activities of Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The journalist has told BBC Sandeshaya that he informed the polls chief against Mr. Rajapaksa who visited Slave Island to support UPFA mayoral candidate Milinda Moragoda on 3rd October.

“Defence Secretary requested the people to assure the victory of Milinda Moragoda and later he addressed a campaign rally that supports UPFA candidates,” Mr. Ruhunage added.

Ruhunage who is the general secretary of the Sri Lanka working journalists association has argued that senior government officers do not have political rights.

He has claimed that Defence Secretary’s involvement in the municipal election campaign is a grave violation of the establishment code and a misuse of government assets.

The election meeting was reported by the local media including Sirasa TV.

“As a citizen I asked the Election Commissioner to investigate this matter and take necessary actions,” Mr. Ruhunage added, demanding the immediate attention of the elections commissioner to the matter.

© Sri Lanka Mirror

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