OTHER NEWS Rathnapriya calls on Unions to be stronger, better organised Colombo beggars marched out India said “CEPA or interference?” India summons Lankan envoy    Advertisement Print Version | Email to friend Pillaiyan – Hisbullah clash develops 16-05-2008 (Lanka-e-News, ) The function scheduled for today (16) for the official swearing in of Pillaiyan as the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province was postponed due to the protest of the Muslim Ministers of the government. The President was in a lengthy discussion with 11 Muslim Ministers and the MPs last evening (15) and they pointed out that they could not face their people if Pillaiyan was appointed as Chief Minister. The President held discussions with Muslim MPs and Ministers as a group and individually. They have said that the Muslim councilors will act independently in the Provincial Council. Sources from Temple Trees said that the government Provincial Councilors had been informed to arrive in there between 1.30 and 2.00 PM today (16) to swear in on auspicious time of 2.07 PM. Pillaiyan Group won the maximum number of seats as a party in the Eastern Provincial Council. He won 06 seats while SLFP won 05, Athavulla 04 and Hisbulla 03. There are 08 Muslim MPs in the UPFA but Hisbulla’s group has only 03 while Athavulla faction has 04. However, the Mawlavis in the Eastern Province insist that Mr. Hisbulla should be granted the Chief Minister post. It is reported that the politicians in the Eastern Province will be unable to engage in politics if the requests of the Mawlavis are not granted. Print Version | Email to friend

Rathnapriya calls on Unions to be stronger, better organised Sun, 20-07-2008 08:00:00 The trade union movement of Sri Lanka should unite to launch a successful general strike against the government and make it adhere to its promises regarding the salary increments, and reducing the bus and train fares. So said the Convenor of August 4 Trade Union Movement (A4TUM), Saman Rathnapriya. Speaking at the meeting yesterday, he said that all the trade union should be very well organised and efficient if they want to make an impact on the government. “We can’t say whet... |FULL STORY|

Colombo beggars marched out Sun, 20-07-2008 08:00:00 LAKBIMANEWS Based on intelligence reports, police are to remove all “unwanted persons” from the city with a view to assuring security in Colombo for the forthcoming SAARC summit. They said only people who have “solid reasons to be there” will be authorized to enter high security zones while the SAARC summit was underway. “All unnecessary persons from the high security zones will be removed due to security reasons,” clarified SSP Ranjith Gunasekera, police spokesman. “This will incl... |FULL STORY|

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India said “CEPA or interference?” Sun, 20-07-2008 08:00:00 Mystery and talk of intrigue surrounds the CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership) agreement that was to be signed during the forthcoming SAARC summit. The government has now decided to postpone the signing or to call it off. What’s definite is that there will be no signing of CEPA during SAARC. Reports are that the government’s coalition partners were angered that “India was trying to use CEPA as a bargaining chip to ensure Indian non-interference in the government’s forward march in the... |FULL STORY|

India summons Lankan envoy Sun, 20-07-2008 08:00:00 In the backdrop of rising incidents of alleged firing by Sri Lankan Navy on Indian fishermen, India today summoned the island nation's envoy C R Jayasinghe and lodged a protest against them. New Delhi asked Colombo to share the result of the inquiry it has set up into the July 12 incident in which two Indian fishermen were killed. ... |FULL STORY|

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