500 Lankan housemaids are languishin​g in detention camps in Saudi Arabia

500 Lankan housemaids are languishin?g in detention camps in Saudi Arabia[ Wednesday, 06 July 2011, 01:41.08 PM GMT +05:30 ]Reports have emerged that over 500 Sri Lanka housemaids are languishing in detention camps in Saudi Arabia.

The women are staying in these camps with the hope of returning to Sri Lanka.

It is reported that while around 150 Sri Lankan housemaids are in the camp, around 350 are in a safe house which is run by the Sri Lankan embassy in Saudi Arabia.

Newsfirst contacted the Sri Lankan embassy in Saudi Arabia to inquire into these reports.

An officer at the embassy stated that illegal Sri Lankan housemaids who have faced various forms of abuse  in the hands of their employers and those whose visas have expired, are those languishing at these camps.

He noted that immediately after legal proceedings are completed, they will be repatriated.

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Pakistan PM invites Lankan President

Pakistan PM invites Lankan President[ Wednesday, 06 July 2011, 05:19.45 AM GMT +05:30 ]Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gillani on Tuesday extended an invitation to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne to visit Pakistan, APP reported.

The Pakistani Premier extended this invitation during a meeting with a visiting Sri Lankan delegation headed by Rishad Bathiudeen, at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad.

Premier Gillani said that he was looking forward to meet President Rajapaksa in the Maldives at the next SAARC Summit in November this year. Gillani also expressed the desire to further enhance bilateral cooperation between Pakistan and Sri Lanka and welcomed the convening of Joint Economic Commission in Colombo, to be held after a gap of six years.

The Prime Minister congratulated Mr. Bathiudeen on Sri Lanka’s successful campaign against terrorism. He said that Pakistan too has achieved a number of successes in the war against terror and arrested and killed main terrorist leaders, yet splinter groups are still engaged in sabotage activities.

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Sangakkara wants politics out of Sri Lankan cricket

Sangakkara wants politics out of Sri Lankan cricket[ Tuesday, 05 July 2011, 04:21.11 AM GMT +05:30 ]

Sri Lanka cricket star Kumar Sangakkara has welcomed the International Cricket Council (ICC) directive requiring all national boards to be elected without political interference.

His call came just days after Sri Lanka's sports minister said he had forced the national cricket board committee to step down following allegations of financial mismanagement.

Sri Lanka co-hosted the 2011 World Cup and were left with a $69 million bill, with media reports suggesting that mismanagement by Sri Lanka Cricket had been responsible for cost over-runs.

"We have to aspire to better administration," said Sangakkara in the text of his MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture delivered at Lord's on Monday.

"The administration needs to adopt the same values enshrined by the team over the years: integrity, transparency, commitment and discipline," added Sangakkara, the first active cricketer to deliver the lecture, who on Sunday played at Lord's in the Sri Lanka side that beat England by six wickets in the third one-day international.

"Unless the administration is capable of becoming more professional, forward-thinking and transparent then we risk alienating the common man," said Sangakkara, who stepped down as Sri Lanka captain after the World Cup final defeat by India in Mumbai in April.

"Indeed, this is already happening. Loyal fans are becoming increasingly disillusioned... It is their passion that powers cricket and if they turn their backs on cricket then the whole system will come crashing down.

"The solution to this may be the ICC taking a stand to suspend member boards with any direct detrimental political interference and allegations of corruption and mismanagement.

"This will negate the ability to field representative teams or receive funding and other accompanying benefits from the ICC.

"But as a Sri Lankan I hope we have the strength to find the answers ourselves."

There was a controversial start to the one-day series, where Sri Lanka are 2-1 in front with two to play, when veteran batsman Sanath Jayasuriya, now an MP in Sri Lanka's governing party, was allowed to play in The Oval opener, which the tourists lost, as a final match before his retirement despite having been out of the team for nearly two years prior to the tour of England.

Last week the ICC gave all member boards until its next meeting in June 2012 to implement the new ruling and a further 12 months -- to June 2013 -- before any sanctions will be considered.

The lecture was inaugurated in 2001 in memory of the late former England captain Colin Cowdrey.

MCC -- Marylebone Cricket Club -- owns Lord's, the self-styled 'home of cricket' in north-westLondon.

Although it is more than 40 years since MCC ceased to run English cricket, it has retained worldwide responsibility for the sport's rules or Laws.

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Group of Indian fishermen arrested by Lankan Navy

Group of Indian fishermen arrested by Lankan Navy[ Monday, 04 July 2011, 02:03.08 PM GMT +05:30 ]In the second such incident within a fortnight, 14 Indian fishermen were arrested on Monday by the Sri Lankan Navy and taken to the island nation for allegedly fishing in their waters.

Eighteen fishermen had set out to sea in two boats and 14 of them had been arrested and taken to Mannar district in Sri Lanka, Assistant Director of Fisheries Department Markandeyan, said quoting Coastguard officials. One boat was detained.

Four other fishermen were released along with one boat, he said.

Following the arrest, Coastguard officials said the released fishermen had told them that they had been fishing in Indian waters near the third sand dune off Arichalmunai when the Sri Lankan Navy arrested them around 12:30 PM.

Twenty-three Indian fishermen, along with five trawlers, were arrested on June 21 off the north east coast of Mannar by the Sri Lankan Navy which alleged that they were fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

They were remanded to judicial custody but released on June 29 following an order from Mannar district court.

Following the arrest, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention to secure their release.

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Special program to protect Lankan water

Special program to protect Lankan water[ Monday, 04 July 2011, 02:04.46 PM GMT +05:30 ]A special security program has been organized to stop the illegal fishing in the Lankan water.

This program will help to protect the surroundings of the Lankan Sea.

The Director of the Lankan Cost Guar Department Admiral Daya Dharmapriya said the first step of this program begins in the KKS sea side.

He also said through this programme they hope to stop the illegal fishing of Indian fishermen in the Lankan water.

The Director further said this program will carry out by the Costal Department together wit the Sri-Lankan Navy.
 

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Lankan housemaid says she was not paid for over 15 years by employers in Saudi Arabia

Lankan housemaid says she was not paid for over 15 years by employers in Saudi Arabia[ Monday, 04 July 2011, 04:22.33 AM GMT +05:30 ]A Sri Lankan housemaid says she was not paid for over 15 years by employers in Saudi Arabia. GD Kusuma Nandani was speaking to BBC Sandeshaya from the Olaya detention centre where she is currently held by Sri Lankan authorities.

"I was paid for few months, then they suddenly stopped paying me accusing me of forgetting to give pocket money for the children I looked after before they went to the school," she said.

She, however, stressed that she was not ill-treated by the employers other than keeping her illegally without extending her visa.

"But they did not allow any contact with my family -my husband, son and daughter".

She claims to have worked for another year with no pay.

"One day the employer suddenly ordered me to go out. I had nowhere to go but walked out and met my new employer who only paid me only for one year," she told BBC Sinhala service.

When she first managed to call home, she says, the family surprised and begged her to come back home as soon as possible.

However, she is unable to go due to being detained in the camp while authorities finalise immigration formalities.

"Embassy officials are also trying to get hold of my previous employer who did not pay me for 15 years. But that family has vacated that house."

Suspicious death:

An official at the SL embassy in Riyadh told BBC Sandeshaya that the report regarding the case is with Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLFEB).

The head of the SLFEB in Colombo could not be contacted.

Meanwhile, relatives of a housemaid whose body was returned to Sri Lanka on Saturday suspect foul play.

They believe that Seetha Nimali, of Kanjukkuliya, Chilaw was murdered while in Jordan.

Sri Lanka police say Ms Nimali was pronounced dead on 30 May. Her funeral was held on Sunday.

Minister of Civil Aviation and Puttalam district MP Priyankara Jayaratne told BBC Sandeshaya that he will take up the issue with parliamentary advisory committee.

"Many similar incidents go unrecorded," he told journalist Prasad Purnimal Jayamanne.

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Canadian Tamil tortured in Sri Lankan prison

Canadian Tamil tortured in Sri Lankan prison[ Saturday, 02 July 2011, 05:06.06 PM GMT +05:30 ]Sri Lankan Tamil a citizen of Canada was tortured in Sri Lankan prison was published in “The National post” media. 40 years old Roy Manojkumar Samathanam was imprisoned in Sri Lankan prison for the past three years.

He said, he had been threatened to give false statement that he had smuggled weapons and was under torture. He had now returned to Canada, and  had mentioned that he had been taken to three places in Sri Lanka and was imprisoned. The Sri Lankan Terrorist detention unit had treated him in a very cruel manner, he said.  

Sri lankan government is denying the war crimes charged against them, but he said, he is one of the witness who has faced torture and torture incidents happening in the Sri Lankan prisons.

Sri Lanka Terrorism detention unit is demanding ransom from Tamil businessmen. In connection with this, 50 persons are detained by the terrorism detention unit and are facing inquiries was mentioned by Manojkumar.

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India release 10 Lankan fishermen

Sri Lanka News-Adaderana-Truth First - India release 10 Lankan fishermen    July 2, 2011  05:14:PM --> Home Archives Feedback Contact Us --> Print this -->

India release 10 Lankan fishermen July 2, 2011  05:07 pm

Sri Lanka Navy assisted in the repatriation of ten Sri Lankan fishermen, who were released from the Indian custody today (July 02).


The fishermen and two fishing boats named �Jaya Isuru� and �Yug Gaya� were handed over to SLN officials by the Indian Coast Guard Ship, ICGS Awaiyyar, at the Indo-Sri Lanka International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) in the seas north of Kankasanthurei.


They were brought to the KKS Harbour by Sri Lanka Naval Ship Wickrema II attached to the Northern Naval Command. Sri Lanka Coast Guard Vessel CG 43 also assisted the mission, the navy reported. Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;mso-style-noshow:yes;mso-style-parent:"";mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;mso-para-margin:0in;mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-pagination:widow-orphan;font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-ansi-language:#0400;mso-fareast-language:#0400;mso-bidi-language:#0400;} (Imagecourtesy Sri Lanka Navy)

Insurance for Lankan Farmers

Insurance for Lankan Farmers[ Friday, 01 July 2011, 04:12.21 AM GMT +05:30 ]Sri Lanka has decided to allocate Rs. 317 million as a source for the payment of pension to farmers until a stable pension fund to provide better benefits to farmers is established.

The cabinet decided to establish a stable Citizens Pension Insurance Fund that will provide more benefits for those employed in agriculture, fisheries, transport, construction activities and in self-employment sectors.

The cabinet approved the allocation proposed by the President in his capacity as the Finance Minister until such time the new pension fund is established.

Currently, the Agriculture and Agrarian Insurance Board implements the Fishermen's Pensions Scheme and the Social Security Benefit Scheme.

The relevant legislation for the purpose is being prepared by the Legal Draftsman.

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Lankan authorities to crackdown on Sri Lanka-Maldives drug network

 

From right to left: Athif, Shafaz, Athik and Shaheem. PHOTO/ POLICE

As a result of the recent breakthrough in a high profilenarcotics case in Maldives, the Sri Lankan Police has commenced investigationsinto a large scale drug trafficking network which is operated in Sri Lanka andMaldives.

Currently plans are being made by the police departments of the two countriesto coordinate with their investigations in order to thwart the ongoingnarcotics trade between Sri Lanka and Maldives.

This move comes in the light of the recent arrest of four key Maldivian drugtraffickers who had been using Colombo as a transit point to smuggle narcoticsinto Male.

The four who were arrested on June 23, by a special Maldivian narcotics team inan operation code named �Challenge�, have been identified as Hussein Athif,Ibrahim Shafaz Abdu Razzaq, Hussein Athik and Ismail Shameem who have beeninvolved in the smuggling of drugs via Colombo to Male since 2005.

A senior official from Sri Lanka�s Police Narcotics Bureau told Haveeru thatthe Sri Lankan officers have been coordinating with police officials in Maleand are continuing with the investigations on the recent arrests.

�Our department has been sharing information with the Maldivian authorities andwe have been working together with the objective of completely destabilisingthe Maldives-Lanka drug network. We have been successful in arresting many ofthose Sri Lankans and Maldivians who have been involved in this network,� hesaid.

�We have currently gathered vital details related to how the Maldives-Sri Lankadrug network operates and details on those who are involved in traffickingdrugs from Sri Lanka to Maldives. We suspect that amongst those involved arehigh profile Sri Lankan underworld gang leaders who are currently in ourcustody,� he said.

�We have interrogated many of these suspects and have also gathered severalleads from our informants. In the recent case we hope to also question theowners and shopkeepers of the money transfer agency which is in Colombo,� hesaid.

The Maldivian police recently revealed that money to a Sri Lankan based dealerwas sent through an authorised moneychanger A.J.E Emporium in Male, whicheventually transferred the money to a Sri Lankan money transfer agent, Gallery,which is a jewellery store located in a prominent shopping complex in Colombo.

In the backdrop of this finding by the Maldivian police, the Sri Lankanauthorities are currently probing if the money transfer agent, Gallery had beendirectly connected to the trafficking of the drugs.

On March 15, Haveeru exposed how sleuths from Sri Lanka�s Police NarcoticsBureau, had identified Maldivians residing in Sri Lanka who have been involvedin an international operation concerning the trafficking and distribution ofdrugs such as heroin, marijuana and hashish.

In the investigations conducted by the Police Narcotics Bureau, the fourMaldivians nationals who had been arrested had been identified previously. TheSri Lankan police investigations also revealed that the four Maldivians inquestion had been having close links to Sri Lankan drug lords who had beenwanted for the distribution of large quantities of heroin and hashish.

In 2008, two Sri Lankans were arrested with heroin, worth over US$1 million, inhidden compartments in their luggage as they entered the Male InternationalAirport. Last year the Sri Lanka�s Narcotics Bureau arrested a Maldivian womanwho was carrying 9kg of heroin.

Sri Lanka receives a bulk of its drugs, especially heroin from dealersoperating in India and Pakistan who use Sri Lanka as a trans-shipment hub forthe trafficking of narcotics, Haveeru reports.

Japan provides HRD schols to young Sri Lankan public officials

Sri Lanka News-Adaderana-Truth First - Japan provides HRD schols to young Sri Lankan public officials    June 30, 2011  09:59:AM --> Home Archives Feedback Contact Us --> Print this -->

Japan provides HRD schols to young Sri Lankan public officials June 30, 2011  01:05 am

The Government of Japan has provided opportunities for young public officers with high potential to pursue a two-year Masters Degree in Japan with a view to contributing to the development efforts of Sri Lanka under its Human Resource Development Scholarship scheme.

A sum of 208 million Japanese Yen (approximately Rs. 280 million) was provided to cover the expenses for the 1st and 2nd batches of 30 scholars, states the Japan Embassy in Colombo.

This scholarship scheme was initiated in 2010 in Sri Lanka and this year 15 officials were awarded the scholarship. They have been selected from four Ministries, namely, Ministries of Finance and Planning, Public Administration and Home Affairs, Economic Development and Provincial Councils and Local Government to pursue their Masters Degree programs in public policy, public administration, regional development and poverty alleviation, and macro and development economics at the International University of Japan, International Christian University and Hiroshima University.

Upon completion of the study program, the officers are expected to contribute towards the preparation of comprehensive development and poverty reduction plans as well as public policy for Sri Lanka utilizing their practical knowledge and skills gained in Japan.

The Government of Japan gives much emphasis to human resource development and technical cooperation through �people� and provides various study and training opportunities for Sri Lankan people. So far over 11,000 Sri Lankan trainees have completed short and long-term training in Japan and in third countries through Japan�s assistance. In addition, Japan is presently conducting training programs on community development for frontline officers in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

The signing of the Exchange of Notes for the Human Resource Development Scholarship scheme took place on 29 June at the Ministry of Finance and Planning between H.E. Mr. Kunio Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan on behalf of the Government of Japan and Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Planning on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka. In addition, the signing of the Grant Agreements took place between Mr. Akira Shimura, Chief Representative of JICA Sri Lanka Office and Dr. P.B. Jayasundera.

Photo Caption: Kunio Takahashi, Ambassador of Japan and Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Planning at the signing ceremony. Mapa Pathirana, Director, Extrnal Resources Department was also present at the ceremony.

Six Lankan men rescued from human-trafficking syndicate in Malaysia

The Malaysian Immigration Department raided a budget hotel at Jalan Wong Ah Fook and freed six Sri Lankan men from the clutches of a human-traffickingsyndicate.

 

Johor Immigration deputy assistant director Gajendra Bahadursaid acting on a tip-off, the department�s officers saved the Sri Lankan men,who were confined to two rooms at the hotel, at 2.20pm Tuesday.

 

He said the operation was a follow-up to an investigation on an agent of ahuman-trafficking syndicate who was arrested recently.

 

The agent, a local, was believed to have collected RM5,000 each from the SriLankans for job placement, Gajendra told reporters here Wednesday.

 

He said the immigrants entered the country legally but their passports hadsince expired.

 

�They will be held at the Tanjung Kling Depot, Malacca pending deportationto Sri Lanka,� he added.

 

The case is being investigated under Section 44 (1) of the Anti-Traffickingin Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Act 2007, Bernama reports.

 

Sri Lankan police are investigat​ing an assault on two girls apparently accused of watching pornograph​y

Sri Lankan police are investigat​ing an assault on two girls apparently accused of watching pornograph​y[ Wednesday, 29 June 2011, 04:57.41 AM GMT +05:30 ]Sri Lankan police are investigating an assault on two girls apparently accused of watching pornography in the east of the country last week.

A group of men allegedly beat up the 17-year-olds after they came out of an internet cafe in the mostly Muslim town of Kattankudi, near Batticaloa.

The father of one of the girls says they were accused of watching pornography - a charge the girls deny.

He also said my child has physically recovered from injuries. But she is mentally shattered”.

Mohammad Yusuf Abdul Razak  father of the accused Child said the men forcefully took his daughter and another girl to a local house and beat them up, before taking them to a local Islamic office.

"After that, an announcement was made from a mosque using loudspeakers that two girls who were caught doing wrongful things are now in the office complex," Mr Razak said.

After hearing this announcement, Mr Razak says, a large crowd gathered there and some started to denounce the girls.

Police finally intervened and the girls were taken to hospital for treatment for their injuries, he said.

Md Ibrahim Md Subir, from the local mosque authorities, denies that any announcement was made, saying the girls were kept in the office and "interrogated", but were treated respectfully.

He also added "a little later some youngsters barged in and a big crowd gathered".

He said the situation got out of control, so they called the police.

Sri Lankan police conducted an identification parade yesterday where one female suspect was identified and later released on bail.

The police have said they are looking for others who are involved in this incident.

Mr Razak said he wants the mosque authorities to make a public announcement stating that the girls did not commit any wrongdoing.

He says that the police investigation of the internet cafe found no evidence to support the claim that the girls watched pornography.

"My child has physically recovered from injuries. But she is mentally shattered," Mr Razak said.

Analysts say that in recent years local women have come under growing pressure from conservatives.

They are now urged, for example, to cover their faces in public, something that had not previously been the cultural practice there.

A few months ago, the local authorities put up street signs in Arabic - even though most local people speak Tamil.

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Fishermen issue: Sri Lankan Navy retreats seeing Indian ship

An Indian Navy ship on a patrol turned out to be the saviour of a large group of fishermen from here when they were allegedly being chased away by Sri Lankan Navalmen close to International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), fisheries officials said today.

The fishermen had put out to sea in more than 600 boats yesterday after calling off their three-day old strike protesting detention of 23 fellow fishermen by Sri Lankan Naval personnel on June 20.

As they reached the area [...]

Candle light vigil for Sri Lankan Tamil war victims

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Lankan woman faces 'death by beheading' in Saudi Arabia

Sri Lankan born Nafeek, who alleges she was a teenager at the time of the incident, has vehemently denied all allegations against her, saying that she had desperately tried to save the child, who choked while she was looking after it.

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