|
|
 |
 |
| Sunday, 8 December 2002 |
 |
|
 |
News |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
Ramazan back in Jaffna The Ramazan festival was celebrated at the Grand Jumma Mosque in Jaffna, after a lapse of nearly a decade, last Friday, sources said. Over hundred Muslim devotees gathered at the Mosque and conducted their Eid-ul-Fitr prayers, ending the month long fasting, sources said. Dry rations were also distributed to poor Muslim families in Jaffna, by the Police officials, stationed there. The last Ramazan prayers were conducted in Jaffna in Year 1990, before the Muslims fled from the Peninsula. Human Rights on T.V. A series of 26 programs on 'Human Rights in Sri Lanka' will be launched on Human Rights Day, December 10. The series is an innovative initiative in promoting human rights in this country and will be broadcast in Sinhala. Tamil & English languages. Developed from stories of victims and issues from all parts of Sri Lanka, it will be aimed at educating the general public on issues of human rights and violations as seen through the eyes of the violated and violators. "Right Now" will be aired every Thursday at 7.30 p.m. on TNL on the YATV. Space to Let series. The series has been produced by the Institute of Human Rights and Young Asia Television (YATV) with financial support from the Governance and Institutional Strengthening Project (GISP). 'Safe House' inquiry commences Presidential Commission of Inquiry to inquire into the disclosure of the existence of and the raid on the 'Safe House' operated by the Sri Lanka Army at Athurugiriya, will commence sitting in camera at 10.00 a.m. on tomorrow, Dec. 12 at BMICH Committee Room "E" Indian cargo vessel on fire doused An Indian cargo vessel MV. Hiphon, mooved at the Colombo harbour, caught fire at 9 pm yesterday. The harbour fire fighters reinforced with Colombo Fire Brigade brought the fire under control. The crew were evacuated and no cases of casualties were reported at the time of going to press. FMM condemns destruction of Navamani newspaper office FMM condemns the destruction of the Navamani newspaper office on the night of 1st December 2002 by an unidentified group. Navamani was the Tamil language newspaper catering specially to the Muslim community in Sri Lanka. Another Tamil langauge newspaper, the Thinakadir, published in the East, was attacked and ransacked on 8th August 2002. It has yet to resume publishing. Furthermore, the Thinamurusu, a Tamil language newspaper published by a Tamil political party is banned in many parts of North and East of Sri Lanka. Now another Tamil language newspaper has come under physical attack. This indicates that the Tamil language press in Sri Lanka is facing grave difficulties in carrying out their duties. The FMM considers this a very unhealthy development, although it does not have any evidence to say that these incidents are in any way connected to each other. The FMM strongly believes that it is the responsibility of the Government to investigate and punish those responsible for these undemocratic acts. Unfortunately, the Government has failed in its duty and those responsible have not been brought to book. The FMM urges the government to look into events related to the destruction Navamani newspaper office. It also wishes to impress upon the government the necessity to conduct a special investigation in tandem with the on going police investigations. FMM expects the Government to guarantee the freedom of expression during the peace process as an inviolable tenet of the democratic right of not only journalists, but of all people in Sri Lanka. Sunanda Deshapriya, Convenor, Sunil Jayasekara, Assistant Secretary, FMM. New appointment Ven. Bellanwila Dhammaratana, chief incumbent of Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya and the founder of Buddhist Research Society and Buddhist Library, Singapore has been appointed as the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Singapore by Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagridhamma Maha Sangha Sabha. Ven. Dhammaratana is the senior pupil of the late Ven. Bellanwila Sri Somaratana Nayaka Thera, former Chief Incumbent of Bellanwila Rajamaha Vihara. He is a student of Vidyalankara Pirivena and is a graduate of Vidyalankara University. After graduation, he served as the Deputy Principal and Principal at two prestigious seats of learning Sunethradevi Pirivena and Paramadhamma Chetiya Pirivena respectively. Ven. Dhammaratana left Sri Lanka for Dhammaduta activities to Singapore in 1973 on the invitation of Ven. M. Mahavihara. He founded the Buddhist Research Society and established the first ever Buddhist Library in Singapore. Conducting regular Dhamma classes, lectures and seminars are the main activities of the Buddhist Library. Ven. Bellanwila Dhammaratana also founded the Paramitha Buddhist Centre at Kadugannawa with the assistance of Buddhists in Singapore. Children's Summit in Colombo Children numbering about 150 between the ages of 9 to 16 years will meet in Colombo from 10th - 16th December 2002 at a Children's Summit named 'I am your Friend'. This Summit aims to bring together children of Sri Lanka who have been affected by war to share their experiences and build long-term relationships across borders. Save the Children, Association of Disabled Ex-service Personnel (ADEP) and ZOA Refugee Care are the partners in organising the event and the children are from the projects handled by these three organisations. On three days 11th and 14th Children will take part in the summit which will take place at the Viharamahadevi Park. Each day they will be having a theme, respect, understanding and sharing. Five activities will be done on each day i.e. theatre, art, music/dance, handwork and play. The children are free to join an activity group of their choice. On the 13th they will go on a city tour and on the 15th they will be making presentations on what they have learnt to selected audience. DAP Third Student Internship Program begins The Third Student Internship Programme of the Colombo Plan Secretariat began in the first week of December as three selected candidates assumed work as interns. This is the third consecutive internship programme offered by the Drug Advisory Programme (DAP) of the Colombo Plan Secretariat. The Government of Japan funds the Internship. Out of a massive number of applications forwarded, three candidates were selected on the basis of academic excellence, proficiency in English, good personality and the ability to work in a computerised environment. The three interns selected are Anne Thushara Matthias, Gananath Dasanayaka and U. D. Dinusha Subhashini. The DAP is the oldest programme of the Colombo Plan, with its motto "Planning Prosperity Together" initiated the DAP. in August 1972 with the aim of playing a leading role in eliminating the root causes of drug abuse and to help its member countries get rid of the drug menace in an effective and long lasting manner. The internship covers a wide array of matters relating to drug prevention as well as human resource development. This includes field visits to various drug prevention bodies in Sri Lanka, utilizing the Cyber Space in drug abuse prevention, designing and implementing drug prevention programmes and actively participating in all related initiatives of the DAP. |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security Produced by Lake House |
