News
Raghavan alerts parliament to resolution about to be passed in Ontario against Lanka
By Saman Indrajith
SLPP MP Dr Suren Raghavan yesterday called on the Speaker and other MPs to take immediate action to prevent a wrong being committed against Sri Lanka at Canada’s Legislative Assembly in Ontario.
MP Raghavan said that a Bill was being debated in the Ontario Legislative Assembly to name a week in May as the Tamil Genocide Education Week in that province.
“That Bill has passed its first reading stage and is being debated now in the second reading stage. If this is passed that week would be used to highlight what is called Tamil genocide here. That would also be taught in 4,800 schools in that province. We must protest and stop this.”
He said that particular Bill had been moved by Vijay Thanigasalam, who was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from the Progressive Conservative Party. “He is originally from Velvetithurai. His Bill is factually wrong because no genocide took place here. Five years after the war in 2014, the then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights too stated that there was no evidence to investigate genocide claims but only the war crimes charges would be investigated. Now, there is this Bill in the Ontario Legislative Assembly. It was moved on April 13, 2019. The Progressive Conservative Party is the ruling party in the Assembly. It has a strong majority and the support of the Tamil community there. Ontario’s Toronto has the highest Tamil diaspora concentration in a city. I know this since I used to have Canadian citizenship and taught at the University of Ottawa.”
Dr Raghavan urged Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and MPs to form a Sri Lanka-Canada Parliamentary group so that Lankan MPs could discuss the matter with Canadian counterparts and prevent that wrong against this country being committed there. “Passing of this Bill will be inimical to whatever reconciliation processes we have here. I urge the Canadian politicians including Doug Ford, who is the Premier of Ontario to take the real situation and facts into consideration and throw this Bill away. I also urge fellow MPs in this House to take this threat against the motherland into consideration and take whatever action they can to prevent our motherland’s name being tarnished for political gains by several individuals.”
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath will represent Sri Lanka at the funeral of Pope Francis in the Vatican City, the Ministry said.
The funeral is scheduled for today.
About 50,000 people came to pay their respects to the late Pope on Thursday, the Vatican news service said.
“Pope Francis’ funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, April 26, at 10:00 AM in St. Peter’s Square, marking the beginning of the Novemdiales, an ancient tradition of nine days of mourning and Masses for the repose of the late Pope’s soul,” according to the Vatican news service.
“The Novemdiales Masses will be held each day at 5:00 PM (GMT +2) in St. Peter’s Basilica, except for the Mass on Divine Mercy on Sunday, April 27, which will take place at 10:30 AM in St. Peter’s Square.”
An underworld hitman who attempted to break into a house in the Andiambalama area of Katunayake to kill a businessman was arrested in Rajanganaya by the police and the Special Task Force (STF) on Thursday night after the attempt failed and he escaped by jumping over a wall.
Investigations have revealed that this individual is connected to a number of murders, including the recent killing of a businessman known as “Indikatu Jude” in the Seeduwa area a few weeks ago, as well as several other criminal activities.
Police said that the suspect was responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a man sleeping in a three-wheeler in the Gampaha area and attempting to assassinate another person at the Negombo market.
The suspect arrived in Andiambalama with another underworld assassin to murder a businessman engaged in money lending from his residence.
At the time of the incident, the businessman attempted to close his electric gate. The contract killer and his accomplice tried to shoot the businessman, but their weapon malfunctioned and did not fire. A struggle ensued between the businessman and the two assailants, after which the assailants tried to escape by jumping over the wall of the house as the would-be victim ran into the house.
During the escape, one of the suspects fell from the wall and fractured a bone in his leg. Local residents captured him after assaulting him and handed him over to the police.
The other contract killer managed to flee the scene but was later apprehended in the Rajanganaya area.Investigations are being carried out under the supervision of Negombo Division SSP Ashoka Dharmasena.
By Hemantha Randunu
The Committee of Inquiry investigating IGP T.M.W. Deshabandu Tennakoon over alleged gross abuse of power has formally requested the Acting IGP to nominate a police investigation team to assist its work. The request was made during the Committee’s second meeting, held yesterday (25 April) in the Parliamentary complex.
The Attorney General has appointed Additional Solicitor General (President’s Counsel) Dileepa Peiris, and Deputy Solicitor General Rajitha Perera, to support the Committee’s proceedings.
At the session, the Committee held initial discussions on how to proceed with the investigation and involve key stakeholders. It was agreed that the next meeting will be held on 28 April, 2025, to decide on the next steps.
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