News
Response to Canadian genocide charge: Daya Gamage finds fault with FM
Former US State Department employee Daya Gamage yesterday found fault with our Foreign Ministry for what he called the government’s pathetic response to unsubstantiated Canadian charge of genocide against Sri Lanka.
Gamage asked whether the Foreign Ministry has conveniently forgotten that genocide was the LTTE’s policy platform when it mercilessly removed the Sinhalese and Muslims from the North?
Gamage was commenting on the following statement: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs unreservedly rejects the reference to a Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day in the statement issued on 23 July 2023 by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Canada’s continued reference to a false, distorted narrative of the past conflict in Sri Lanka is aimed solely at achieving local vote-bank electoral gains, and is not conducive to broader goals of communal harmony.
Sri Lanka urges Canada and its leaders to support Sri Lanka in its efforts to ensure stability, progress, peace and reconciliation among all communities in all parts of Sri Lanka, as well as among communities of Sri Lankan heritage overseas.
Gamage said: “Isn’t the FM aware that when the War was concluded in May 2009, there were 44% Tamils living among the Sinhalese away from the N-E? If the GSL or the Sinhalese used Genocide as a weapon, will there be over 50% Tamils living among the Sinhalese in the South away from the North/East with gainful employment and enjoying other social facilities? Since the July 1983 anti-Tamil pogrom – carried out by those associated with the JRJ regime who happened to be Sinhalese – there was not a single incident of anti-Tamil violence against the Tamils.
Why is the SL Ministry of Foreign Affairs reluctant to present these facts – and many more – to the Canadian Government to blast its ‘Genocide Propaganda’?
This is very pathetic that Sri Lanka is unable to collect its thoughts to educate the International Community.
These strong facts have never been used by successive governments here, and even to reply to the Canadian Genocide ‘proclamation’.
The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CEYPETCO) has announced a reduction in the prices of Petrol 92 and Petrol 95, effective from midnight today (30).
The price of Petrol 92 has been reduced by Rs. 15 per litre, from Rs. 414 to Rs. 399 while the price of Petrol 95 Octane has been reduced by Rs. 20 per litre, from Rs. 495 to Rs. 475
There will be no change in the prices of diesel, Super Diesel and kerosene under the latest revision.
The book “Rathuwewi Mihimadala”, written based on the life story of Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Leader of the Democratic Left Front, was launched on Friday [August 28] at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo, with the participation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
Speaking to the media afterwards about Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
“Vasudeva Nanayakkara is a prominent figure in Sri Lankan politics, particularly within the left-wing political movement. There were several influential figures within the left movement, and that left-wing influence also contributed to bringing the country to where it is today. Politically, there were areas where we agreed and areas where we did not. However, I have great respect for the contribution made by Vasudeva Nanayakkara to left-wing politics. When I entered Parliament in 2020, Vasudeva Nanayakkara was also in Parliament. We sat in the same row, and we spoke about many important as well as interesting moments in his political career. I believe some of these experiences have also been included in this book.”
The event was attended by members of the Maha Sangha, Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara, former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Speakers Karu Jayasuriya and Chamal Rajapaksa, as well as party members, family members and friends.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Latest News
Sun directly overhead Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon today (30)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (30) are Mannar, Periyamadu, Puliyankulam, Welioya and
Pulmoddai about 12.11 noon.
Petrol to cost less from midnight today (30)
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