Ex-Malaysian PM Stresses Need for Internal Mechanism to Deal With

4 Wednesday 26th October, 2011 The Island Home News EPG as having said that unless the Ninety ... From page 1 CHOGM 2011: EPG pushes for wider role for C’wealth Secy. Gen. grouping introduced reforms to enforce the official said. what the former Malaysian leader He said that the Health Minister called values it espoused, it would stand was not aware of what was going on at condemned. Badawi went on to say, the ministry concerning those doctors. “The EPG is convinced that there is an Health Minister Maithripala urgent need for bold new initiatives, not Sirisena earlier said that while there only to restore the Commonwealth to was an acute shortage of doctors in the Ex-Malaysian PM stresses the respected source of strength and country around 10,000 Sri Lankan doc- opportunity it has represented for over tors were working overseas. half a century, but also to reform and strengthen it as a beneficial force for Rukman ....From page 1 the future.” confidence in Ranil need for internal mechanism The EPG wanted the Commonwealth Wickremesinghe, Senanayake said Commissioner to advise both the adding that a Convention should be Secretary General and CMAG over held without any further delay,to allow the rank and file to elect new faces who accountatbility issues leading to the could lead the party to victory at all intervention by Secretary General’s levels. to deal with member states ‘good offices.’ The Commissioner could The UNP which was relegated to just be deployed by the Secretary General of eight parliamentary seats in 1956, BY SHAMINDRA FERDINANDO in Perth CMAG to report on, or look into, chal- rebuilt itself into the single largest he Commonwealth Eminent lenging circumstances brought to their political party in the country,but under Wickremesinghe all that has been lost, Persons Group (EPG) is pushing attention in any member state, Badawi he observed. Tfor the adoption of its proposals, said. Senanayake accused including a Charter for the In the wake of the LTTE exploiting Wickremesinghe of having under- Commonwealth and the establishment the UN and the EU to undermine post- mined the presidential bid of the late of a Commissioner for Democracy, the war development process in Sri Lanka, Gamini Dissanayake in 1994 by visiting Rule of Law and Human Rights at the the government is of the opinion that the eventual winner Chandrika Commonwealth Heads of Government some of those proposed changes, too, Kumaratunga with a rose during the campaign. Meeting (CHOGM 2011). could be advantageous to the LTTE. It was the UNP leader who should be Commonwealth heavyweights, hosts Delegation sources said that the trans- subject to disciplinary inquiries for his Australia, UK, Canada and New mission of the controversial ‘Darusman conduct over the years including alle- Zealand have thrown their weight report’, which dealt with accountability gations of financial impropriety and behind the EPG headed by former issues in Sri Lanka, to the High not those who want a change for the Malaysian Premier Tun Abdullah Commissioner for Human Rights and benefit of the party, he said. Ahmad Badawi. the President of the Human Rights Senanayake, who was removed as Assistant Leader by Wickremesinghe, External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Council by the UNSG Ban Ki-moon last said that he was four years senior hav- Peiris told The Island on Monday (24) month highlighted the LTTE’s infle- ing entered parliament in 1973. that the GoSL was opposed to some of unce. Sources alleged in spite of the Former MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar, the far reaching proposals, particularly GoSL receiving an assurance from the said that it was creditable to win the the creation of Commonwealth Commonwealth Secretary General that Colombo Municipal Council despite all Commissioner for Democracy, the Rule there wouldn’t be a fresh discussion on the pressures exerted by the Mahinda of Law and Human Rights and revitali- the venue, Sri Lanka continued to be Rajapaksa government, but an objec- tive assessment would reveal that the sation of the 9-member Commonwealth targeted with a section of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is in Australia to participate in the 22nd Summit UNP was fast losing its base in what Ministerial Action Group (CMAG). Australian media highlighting the of the Commonwealth Heads of State meets the Sri Lankans living in Australia at was once a stronghold. The EPG handed over its controver- Winthrop Hall of University of Western Australia yesterday. LTTE moving the Australian judiciary In the past more than 60 percent of sial report to Indian diplomat turned against the visiting Sri Lankan the voters in Colombo had cast their Commonwealth Secretary General President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. ballots for the UNP, but at the October Kamalesh Sharma last July. The report Sri Lanka will host the next 8, 2011 poll the party received less than comprising 106 recommendations will official told The Island that many coun- need to set up an internal system to CHOGM in 2013 in Colombo. The gov- 40 percent, he said. be made available to the Heads of tries were opposed to these moves. deal with those Commonwealth govern- ernment is also making a bid for the Government at the three-day summit Chairman of the EPG, Tun ments acting contrary to Commonwealth Games in Hambantota C’bo Uni. ... From page 1 scheduled to begin on Friday (28). Abdullah Badawi, in a missive to Commonwealth values. Badawi quoted in 2018. Interestingly, Australia is also security was beefed up in the area A senior External Affairs Ministry CHOGM 2011, emphasised the urgent those who had made submissions to the making a bid for the 2018 games. with police personnel being deployed, police spokesman SP Ajith Rohana said adding that a police inquiry into the incident was underway. The Vice-Chancellor of Colombo Biggest... From page 1 University, Prof. Kshanika within three months. $350 million also including Nearly 3,000 hectares allotted for Hirimburegama said that the Earlier in terms of the various new safety clauses Management Faculty had been closed Letter of Intent issued to the into the Direct Agreement, for all but first-year students. She said that the conflict between winning consortium, after allegedly having burnt the two factions in the Management Colombo International its fingers in a venture in prawn farming in Batticaloa Faculty had prevailed for several years Container Terminals Ltd., Myanmar. BY DON ASOKA WIJEWARDENA and that a committee had been appoint- comprising China Merchant The final agreements that ed to look into yesterday’s incident. Fisheries and Aquatic Services would manage the proj- hectares each. Although the gov- Holdings International and yet remain to be signed are Appropriate action would be taken Aitken Spence PLC last the shareholder agreement, Resources Development Minister ect. ernment started prawn farming to suspend the students belonging to September the final agree- site lease agreement and the Rajitha Senaratne has embarked In addition, another prawn in the Puttalam district a few the two groups involved in the incident, ments should have been direct agreement with the on a prawn farming project in farming site would be established years back, it became an unsuc- she said. signed within six months. funding bank. the Batticola district for export at Vakarai, Wattawan. It would cessful venture. But Sri Lanka Several students received minor Sources said things have The BOI has already purposes to earn substantial for- cover 49 hectares. Around 27 fam- earned large amount of foreign injuries and sought medical attention not been helped by the granted the venture a25 year eign exchange. ilies would be given one and half exchange, Senaratne said. from the Colombo National Hospital, financing bank, the China tax holiday and duty free Seven divisional secretariats university sources said. One of the injured has been warded at the CNH. Development Bank, which is inputs under Strategic of the districts had been selected Senior Students Counsellor expected to provide a loan of Development Project Status. for prawn farming. The area of farming would cover 2,839 Premakumara de Silva said that all hectares of the district. Fish senior students had been ordered to vacate their hostels with immediate breeding centers which would effect. The clash was between two stu- produce prawn fingerlings had dent groups for and against ragging. been constructed at Ottamawadi, Ragging would be eliminated from the Kokkadicholai and university at any cost and the students Pudukuduirippu, he said at the found guilty would be punished, he inauguration ceremony of added. Pudukuduirippu Prawn Breeding Center recently. Will not... From page 1 Minister Senaratne said that Tamil man Arunachalam under the ADB’s loan scheme, the Jegapheeswaran, who became an Aquatic Resources Development Australian citizen in 1990, Project would spend Rs.8 million A new Prawn Breeding Center was opened in Pothukuduerppu. wants Mr Rajapaksa charged for to construct reservoirs for breed- Minister Rajitha Senaratne tours the center with Deputy Minister of alleged human rights violations. ing prawns. The project would Resettlement Vinagamurthi Muralidaran and Secretary to the Mr McClelland’s spokesman said Mr produce two million prawn fin- Ministry Dr. Damitha de Soysa. Rajapaksa, who is in Perth for the gerlings annually. The King Aqua Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, enjoyed legal protection while in Australia. “Australia has obligations under Post-war relations: ... From page 1 international law including the Vienna Commending the action taken extent of giving them access to said that those who still pursued Convention on Diplomatic Relations which extends immunity to visiting by the Netherlands government, Kumaran Pathmanathan alias the LTTE bid to divide the coun- heads of state,” he said. the President said that a court in KP, one time arms procurer for try on ethnic lines in spite of los- Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the Hague last Friday sentenced the organization and the senior ing its conventional military Australia would continue to apply pres- five Sri Lankans to six years in most LTTE member currently in capability were targeting him.

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