News
Female LG members to fight abuse at the hands of their male counterparts
By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
Female local government members are planning to sink their political differences and form a front against what they call unfair male domination in their councils.
Addressing the media at Thalawatugoda on Saturday Maharagama Urban Council SLFP Member Chandrika de Zoysa said that their male counterparts did not allow them to speak at council meetings.
“This is a problem not limited only to the Maharagama UC. Female members are treated likewise in all MCs, UCs and Pradeshiya Sabhas. Whenever we try to speak the male council members irrespective of their party affiliations shout at us and humiliate us. Their domination is mostly overlooked and we have no chance to speak on the problems of the people who had voted for us.”
She said that the male council members hurled verbal abuse and addressed them in vulgar language and cracked dirty jokes much to the annoyance of female members. “We intend to form an organisation against these elements.
UNP Member of the Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte Municipal Council Harshani Sandaruwani said that the gender-based discrimination prevailing in the local government had to be ended forthwith. “We are harassed by male council members and they gang up overlooking their party differences to hurl various verbal abuse at us. The female council members are helpless. We have no one to turn to. Therefore, we decided to form an organisation of female council members countrywide and raise our voice.”
“We are elected representatives of people who pay rates. It is our duty to raise their problems but the gender-based discrimination prevailing in the MCs, UCs and Pradeshiya Sabhas does not permit us to do our job.”
Maharagama SLPP UC member Savithri Gunasekera said that there were 24 female members in the Maharagama UC of which the total number of members was 47. “We have more than half of the council members but none of us is able to speak at the council meeting. Some of the female members are scared of speaking about this problem openly for fear of reprisal. We call on the relevant authorities to bring in new laws to prevent the harassment by male council members. Whenever we submit a motion it is removed. This is a great injustice.”
The Election Commission of Sri Lnka [ECSL] taking another step forward in ensuring free and fair elections, launched a Mobile Application for the speedy resolution of disputes arising during elections.
The Election Disputes Resolution (EDR) App a simple and efficient way to report election issues instantly will be put to test during the forthcoming Local Authorities Election
It can be downloaded on Appstore and Google Play
Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) MURASAME arrived at the Port of Colombo on a replenishment visit this morning (22 Mar 25).
The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions.
JMSDF MURASAME is a 151m long Destroyer commanded by Commander HAYAKAWA Masahiro. Meanwhile, she is manned by a crew of 200.
During her stay in Colombo, crew members of the ship are expected to visit some tourist attractions in the city of Colombo and the ship is scheduled to depart the island on 25 Mar 25.
It has been reported that two persons riding a motorcycle were killed in a shooting incident that took place around 11.45pm on Friday [21] night , in front of the southern entrance of the Devundara Sri Vishnu Devalaya, on Sinhasana Road.
The unidentified gunmen, who arrived in a van, opened fire using a T-56 assault rifle and 9 mm firearms before fleeing the scene. The police have recovered 39 T-56 bullet casings, two T-56 rounds of live ammunition, a T-56 magazine, three 9 mm bullet casings, and one 9mm live ammunition.
The van suspected to have been used by the shooters was found abandoned and set on fire on a side road about 800 meters from the crime scene.
The two deceased victims have been identified as Tikira Hennedige Yomesh Nadishan and Marakkala Manage Pasidu Tharuka, both residents of Sinhasana Road, Devinuwara.
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