The Island 4 Thursday 22nd September, 2011 Home News IGP orders probe into IPs Joe Abeywickrama no more Veteran actor Joe Abeywickrama’s first Abeywickrama passed away notable role was in yesterday evening at his resi- Saradama as an eccentric dence after a brief ilness. He police officer who collected involvement with abduction gang was 84 years old. ants. Gammana Patabendige Abeywickrama began tak- IGP N. K. Illangakoon has ordered a them a few days ago. in an attempt to extort Rs. 10 million Don John ‘Joe’ ing more dramatic roles with high level investigation after a couple liv- Sources said that the from them. They had been released after Abeywickrama was born on Shesha Palihakkara’s ing at Dapiligoda in Agalawatte had couple had lodged a com- promising to pay Rs. 7.8 million to the June 13, 1933. He launched Saravita, an award winning alleged that two police officers, attached plaint with Matugama gang. his career in 1957 and Joe film. With D. B. Nihalsinghe’s to Matugama police station, were part of police accusing two Sources said that all four suspects achieved fame as a comedian before Welikathara Abeywickrama continued a four-member gang which abducted Inspectors of involvement had been identified. taking several challenging roles. in this field. In the 1971 film he portrays He won several Sarasavi Awards. At the stern Goring Mudalali. He also the 1999 Singapore International Film starred in Mahagama Sekera’s Tun Festival, Abeywickrama won a Silver Man Handiya in 1970. Screen Award for Best Asian Actor for Abeywickrama published his first Drunken driver his portrayal of a grieving father in novel Maha Bambata Muhunu Dekai in arrested after Pura Handa Kaluwara. 1972. chase Manmohan... From page 1 Police shot at tires of a speed- Terrorism and non-traditional threats have, I believe, enriched the Council’s ing car, in the Borella police area, to international security, such as piracy, deliberations and enhanced its effective- in the early hours of Wednesday are threatening states and the interna- ness.” (21) and arrested the driver who tional political and social order. “The United Nations must be seen as had evaded police for about one More than ever before, it is imperative an impartial, credible and effective body. hour. for all countries to act in concert to I will stress the need for early Sources said that the drunken address these challenges. “This is reform of this unique organiza- driver had collided with several the time for United Nations to tion, particularly an expansion of resume its global leadership role,” its Security Council,” Dr Singh vehicles and defied police at five the prime minister said. added. checkpoints before law enforce- India has been a non-permanent India is an aspirant for a per- ment personnel cornered him fol- member of the United Nations manent seat on the Security lowing a high speed chase. Security Council since January this Council. It has joined hands with The police identified the sus- year, after a gap of 19 years. He fellow aspirants Brazil, Germany pect as a top executive of private Local Government polls: UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe campaigns in said: “Our efforts at promoting interna- and Japan and formed the Group of firm. The Traffic Courts fined Kalmunai in support of UNP candidates contesting the Oct. 8 election. Ampara tional peace and security and bringing to Four (G4) to garner support for their him Rs 6,000 and impound his District MP Mrs. Anoma Gamage and her husband Daya Gamage, a senior party bear a developing country perspective aspirations. driving license for a six-month organizer in the area, accompanied the Opposition leader. (Pic Gayan Chintaka) period. JVP dissidents... From page 1 (JVP Politburo member and leader of The JVP Headquarters Operational the Women’s Wing), Pubudu Jagoda Committee was informed on Tuesday (JVP Politburo member cum chief of night by the party leadership that Women in Media: SAWM-Sri Lanka the Education Wing) and Waruna changes would be effected to the admin- Rajapaksa (JVP Central Committee istrative system. The media unit was member) from the party’s Central closed and members serving there were Committee without a disciplinary forcibly removed from the premis- inquiry, he said. “The party con- es by the party’s security wing. marks second anniversary stitution does not provide for such JVP Propaganda Secretary arbitrary action”, he added. Vijitha Herath, MP, rejected alle- The Sri Lanka chapter of South life, to push through the glass ceiling, information and media freedom.” “More than one half of the 23- gations that those assigned to the Asian Women in Media,a regional net- to create new holes in that layers of Representatives of the South Asian member Central Committee has Media Unit had been evicted. “We work of women professionals in the ice, to pull women out of the icy waters Free Media Association, Free Media joined us and the rank and file, didn’t employ strong arm tactics. too, have pledged solidarity with media,with chapters in all eight coun- and give them a life of their own. We Movement, Sri Lanka Working We didn’t have any other option us; we will expose all malpractices tries of the region celebrated its sec- need to create more spaces and expand Journalists Association, Sri Lanka than closing down the media unit by the incumbent leadership,” the ond anniversary in Colombo recently. existing ones for women to be individu- Tamil Media Alliance and the Muslim due to current situation,” Herath former Central Committee member said. The Sri Lanka chapter was formed als in their own right, to be empowered Media Forum expressed their support said. Sources close to JVP leader in August 2009 with members from the socially, economically and poilitically. for SAWM Sri Lanka and recognized The JVPer said that as the media unit print,electronic and internet media, We need new breakthroughs every day, the value of such a collective in Somawansa Amarasinghe said they were ready to meet the dissidents in Court. was closed there was no necessity for working in English, Sinhala and Tamil. in every field”. improving media standards. Meanwhile, security has been beefed those members to remain at the The event was introduced by the South In her speech to the gathering of The event commenced with an up at the JVP head office in Pelawatte. Headquarters building. Asian Regional and Sri Lanka Chapter women professionals, journalists and introduction by Sharmini Boyle who President, Sharmini Boyle. others present, Prof Savitri set the context for the evening’s pro- The High Commissioner for Goonesekare stressed on the impor- ceedings.She, reminded the audience EU eases... From page 1 Pakistan in Colombo, Seema Baloch tance of the theme of the evening’s that while women’s participation in the and former Vice Chancellor of the event, democracy, and the role of the media industry in Sri Lanka was gen- houses the majority had been funded holds in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi dis- in the Batticaloa district (3,347) followed tricts. Colombo University, Savitri media in upholding the principles of erally good, the numbers in decision by Ampara (3,246), Trincomalee (1,154), The EU said that about 5,000 houses Goonesekare shared their views and democracy. “Women’s groups, includ- making positions are few and represen- Vavuniya (529), Jaffna (224) and Mannar would be built mainly in the Northern ideas of women in the media entitled “ ing women’s groups of journalists like tation of women’s issues and the gen- (32). Province and some in the East in 2012 WOMEN AS EQUAL PARTNERS IN you, must work with each other and der perspective was disproportionately After the conclusion of the conflict in and 2013. SOUTH ASIAN DEMOCRACY.” together and link across professions low in media content. May 2009, the EU launched another proj- Economic Development Minister The Chief Guest and Guest speak- and organisations to preserve the rele- A presentation on the findings of a ect to construct about 2,500 houses in the Basil Rajapaksa recently joined ers were themselves women of distinc- vance and meaning of the rule of law survey on women in the media con- Vavuniya district. The EU said 518 hous- Ambassador Bernard Savage, Delegation es had been already built under this of the European Union to Sri Lanka and tion in their chosen professional fields and accountable governance under our ducted by the SLPI indicated the gaps project and was scheduled to be imple- the Maldives at a ceremony to mark the and highlighted the challenges faced by Constitution. We cannot allow an ero- in the media where women’s participa- mented in 2010 and 2011. handing over of 109 houses to benefici- women as they attempt to make a mark sion of basic rights and guarantees of tion is low – in decision making posi- Sri Lanka’s efforts to provide housing aries in the Vavuniya district. The EU in their professional and public lives. individual freedom in the name of eco- tions primarily. to those living in war affected districts said that this was part of the project to The Pakistan HC recalled her own nomic transition, ethnic or religious SAWM – Sri Lanka has conducted had been greatly strengthened by inter- build 2,500 houses in the Vavuniya dis- experience into the foreign service and identities, or a development agenda several other activities aimed at national support, senior official said. trict at a cost of Rs. 1.86 billion. It is the 1970s, the strides that have been that ignores Constitutional rights in improving the professionals skills and The EU is implementing a separate implemented by project to build or repair about 4,400 Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland taken by women since then, the obsta- the name of a community interest in capacity of women working in the houses in the one-time LTTE strong- (ASB).