Flashback 2015 Unity Govt., global help for Lanka’s recovery

JANUARY FEBRUARY 4-The 67th Independence Day was cel- 8 – Common opposition presi- ebrated at the Sri Jayewardenepura Parliamen- dential candidate Maithripala tary Grounds in Kotte under the patronage of Sirisena won a tightly-contested President . The theme was presidential race against war- ‘Piripun Maubimak – Abiman Heta Dinak’ (a winning President, Mahinda prosperous motherland, a dignified tomorrow) Rajapaksa 13 –The controversial Uma Oya project was 9 –President Maithripala temporarily suspended Sirisena took oath as the sixth 15 –President Maithripala Sirisena embarked Executive President of Sri Lanka, 12 – A 27-member Cabinet of against former Army Commander on his first official overseas visit to India after before the senior most Supreme Ministers was sworn in. and to reinstate him assuming office as President. Court Judge, Justice K. Siripavan 13 –15 – Pope Francis made a as a General. at the Independence Square. three-day pastoral visit, primarily 28 –The Government declared MARCH was sworn for the canonization of the country’s the appointment of Mohan Peiris in as the Prime Minister. first Saint, Joseph Vaz, a revered as the Chief Justice was void in law 10 – The new government missionary from Goa, India. due to Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake MAY launched 13- Notorious underworld king- not being ‘lawfully impeached’ and pin and drug trafficker, Samantha therefore, a vacancy not having 2 –US Secretary of State John Kerry Kumara alias ‘Wele Suda’ was existed at any time. arrived in Sri Lanka on a two-day visit. arrested in Pakistan and brought to 29-Dr. Shirani Bandara- 9 –Chief Operating Officer of the Sri Lanka. nayake was re-appointed Reconstruction and Development 18 –The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) as the Chief Justice. She Agency (RADA), Saliya Wickramasur- detained a vessel carrying 12 con- immediately retired iya was arrested for alleged financial tainer loads of weapons at the Galle and was succeeded fraud. 4 –The Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport Harbour. The vessel ˜MV Mahanu- by K. Sripavan, sen- 10 –Most Ven. Rajakeeya Panditha was shut down due to incurring heavy losses. wara” is the floating armoury ior most judge of the Galagama Dhammasiddhi Sri Dham- 5 –The Cabinet suspended the Port City operated by Avant Garde Maritime Supreme Court. mananda Aththadassi Thera was elect- Project, temporarily. It was claimed an agreement was Services, a subsidiary of private ed the 21st Mahanayaka of the Asgiriya entered into with China for US$1.5 billion, without security firm Avant Garde Security Chapter. Cabinet approval or adherence to procedure. Services (Pvt) Ltd. 13 –The body of Sivaloganathan 6 –External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj 21 –President Maithripala Siri- Vidhya, an 18-year-old student from arrived in Colombo to set the stage for Prime Minis- sena issued orders to drop charges Pungudutheevu was found in an aban- ter Narendra Modi’s visit, the first bilateral visit to Sri doned house in Kayts. She had been Lanka by an Indian premier in 28years. raped and murdered. 14 –Indian Premier Narendra 30 –Award- winning dramatist and Modi arrived in Sri Lanka APRIL playwright, Somalatha Subasinghe 22 –General Sarath Fonseka passed away at the age of 79. was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal, a rank con- 4 – A Board of Inquiry, headed by sidered equal to a Cabinet senior lawyer J.C. Weliamuna released position its probe report on large scale cor- Compiled by Rukshana Rizwie 25-President Maithripala ruption and mismanagement at Sri Sirisena left for China on his Lankan Airlines, highlighting massive second official overseas tour, financial losses and recommending on the invitation of Chinese criminal action AUGUST President Xi Jinping 8 – The Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkhitha Maha Nayaka Thera 11 – Five senior MPs from the of the Asgiriya Chapter passed away SLFP Central Committee and former 10 –The remains of Wasim Thajudeen in Singapore at the age of 85 years. ministers Bandula Gunawardena, T. B. was exhumed for further inquiry Ekanayake, Salinda Dissanayaka, S. M. 10 – Government decided to obtain Chandrasena and Rohitha Abeyguna- fingerprints as biometric data of applicants SEPTEMBER wardena were sacked. when issuing passports. 22 – Former Economic Develop- 17 – The UNP won the Parliamentary 12 – Seya Sadewmi, ment Minister , former Election, garnering 93 seats and 13 National a four-year-old girl from Secretary of the Ministry Nihal Jaya- List slots. Kotadeniyawa was found tilake and former Divineguma Fund 18 – A leak in an underground pipe of molested and murdered Director General R.R.K. Ranawaka the Coca Cola Factory resulted in the con- near her home. Her murder were arrested. tamination of the Kelani River. The Water 24 – Three ministers were sworn in caused national outrage and 24 – UPFA MP Dullas Alahappe- Supply and Drainage Board suspended sup- before President Maithripala Sirisena, Man- a call to implement the death ruma apologized for using a national ply until the contaminated water was flushed gala Samaraweera (Foreign Affairs), Dr. penalty. flag without the two coloured strips out and the Central Environment Authority (Justice) and D.M. 18 – The Colombo Inter- — representing the minorities — at also suspended the factory’s Environment Swaminathan (Resettlement and Rehabilita- national Book Fair 2015 the protest held outside the Bribery Protection License temporarily. tion). opened Commission. 21 – Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn 26 – The US announced its decision to 23 – President instructed continued investiga- 28 – After serious delays, the 19th in as the Prime Minister before President sponsor a Resolution at the UNHRC ses- tions into the dealings of the controversial Avant Amendment to the Constitution was Maithripala Sirisena, his fourth term as the sions in September supportive of the Sri Garde Company. finally passed island’s Premier. Lankan Government and extended support 24 – Muslims in Sri Lanka marked Eid-al-Adha. JUNE 24 –international sports star, Kumar for an internal mechanism. 30 – The US-backed Resolution on Sri Lanka Sangakkara bid farewell to his international 29 – The check point established at was tabled. cricketing career Omanthai along the A9 Road was removed, 30 – The 60th anniversary of the Department of 24 – Former British Prime Minister Tony signaling connectivity between the South Elections was marked at the BMICH. Blair met with President Maithripala Siri- and the North. 30 – President Maithripala Sirisena addressed sena. the 70th Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly in New York 30 – The Colombo High Court sentenced two accused persons – to 290 years and 300 years – to JULY NOVEMBER be served in 30 years, in connection with the bomb- ing incident targeting former president Chandrika to attend the country’s 50th Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in 1999. National Independence Day 3 – Following a New Delhi ban on the sale 9 – Former President ceremony as the chief guest of Maggi noodles for 15 days due to high signed his 27 – Ending months of levels of lead in the product, Sri Lanka called nomination paper to contest speculation and secrecy, for better standards in packaged food on UPFA from Kurunegala the Criminal Investigations OCTOBER 14 – The Chinese construction company District Department informed court failed to produce documents to support 13 – Former UPFA parlia- that the death of popular Cabinet sanction and environmental clear- mentarians , rugby player Wasim Thaju- 24 – Wasantha Zoysa, a karate champion was ance certificates for the US$ 1.5 billion worth Mervyn Silva, Sarana Guna- deen in 2012 was a murder. found murdered on the night of October 24 at a Colombo Port City Project wardena and Sajin de Vass nightclub in Anuradhapura. 20 – Former President Mahinda Raja- Gunawardena were denied 27 – The father of India’s 28 – The European Space Administration paksa was accommodated on the SLFP list to UPFA nomination missile program and former announced that a piece of space debris it had been contest the August 17 General Election 21 – Former President Indian President Dr. A.P.J. 8 – Most Venerable Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera tracking in very high orbit, was headed towards 26 – Former Indian President Dr. Abdul Mahinda Rajapaksa, during a Abdul Kalam died at the age passed away in Singapore where he was undergoing Earth’s surface and would crash Kalam met President Maithripala Sirisena in UPFA election rally in Akures- of 83. treatment. close to Sri Lanka. Colombo sa, moved angrily towards a 13 – Object WT1190F – nicknamed WTF – 29 – Police assaulted a group 26 – Elections Commissioner Mahinda party supporter, as if to attack 28 – Sri Lanka and Google entered Earth’s atmosphere and crashed near Sri of Higher National Deshapriya retired from service him. The video went viral. signed a partnership to launch Lanka, in to the Indian Ocean. Diploma in Account- 26 – Parliament was dissolved and a 23 – The Election Mani- Loon high altitude ‘floating 27 – Former DIG Vass Gunawardena, his son and ing students while parliamentary election was scheduled for festo of the United National telecom tower’ balloons full four former Police Officers were sentenced to death protesting outside August 17 Front for Good Governance broadband internet coverage by the Colombo High Court today after finding them the Ministry of 27 – Former President Chandrika was launched at the Vihara for the entire country. guilty of murdering businessman Mohammed Shyam. Higher Education Bandaranaike Kumaratunga turned 70 years Maha Devi Amphitheatre 28 – President Maithripala Sirisena attended the premises. 29 – The Department of Immigration and 24 – The government 31 – Unidentified gunmen Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2015 Emigration halted on arrival visa facility for began the disbursement opened fire at an election in Malta. Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron Pakistani nationals of payment to Golden Key campaign rally of Ravi Karu- offered Sri Lanka £6.6 million for post war recovery 30 – President of Sri Lanka Cricket Jayan- deposit holders nanayake in Bloomendhal, efforts. tha Dharmadasa was appointed president of 26 – President Maithripala killing a woman and wound- the Asian Cricket Council Sirisena left for the Maldives ing at least 12 people. DECEMBER

11 – A tense situation arose in Parliament Department R.K.A. Ranawaka were indicted passed in Parliament with a majority of 109 when UNP MP Mujibur Rahman who spoke for criminal misappropriation. votes. on the murder of ruggerrite Wasim Tha- judeen was threatened with death by three 15 – President Maithripala Sirisena called 19 – UNP Parliamentarian opposition parliamentarians upon his Holiness Pope Francis at the Vati- attempted to commit suicide inside the par- 14 – Former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and can. liamentary complex using a can of petrol. former Director General of the Divi Naguma 19 – The Appropriation Bill 2016 was