The signatures for the Impeachment Motion against Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake have been obtained forcibly according to JVP MP Mr Anura Kumara Dissanayake. He was speaking at a media briefing today (01) morning.

He also said that the reasons for the impeachment motion were not the views held by SLFP MP's and seniors.He also said that as per the Impeachment Motion, the term 'improper conduct' has not been clearly defined.

The MP further pointed out:

At present, the Executive is exerting tremendous pressure on the judiciary. This government is one which is anti democratic and dictatorial. They will suppress and sweep away any institution or individual who opposes their dictatorial actions.

In recent times they smashed media institutions, which were an obstacle to their dictatorial march, where journalists were attacked, chased away from Sri Lanka and finally reached a position where they were assassinated. They will not allow any individual or institution to continue on their normal paths. The justice network has now become a prey to the government's course of action.

The Secretary of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) Mr. Manjula Tillekeratne in a release stated that a person at the top was influencing the JSC. He stated that he was able to explain matters and bring the situation back to normality. Also, he said that unafraid of influences on the JSC in the future too he was prepared to act for the independence of the judicial network.

According to the JSC rules the secretary can only express the decisions taken by the JSC. He acts only with the approval of the JSC. Thus he is merely a messenger of the JSC. Accordingly, the CJ revealed the influences against the judiciary along with the JSC, comprised of Supreme Court Justices. However the wrong person was attacked. It was the messenger who was attacked.

Following the attack on Mr. Manjula Tillekeratne, the government yet to hold a proper investigation. Nobody has been taken into custody. No one produced before courts. Instead, what the government is doing now regarding that attack, is manufacturing mud and insults.

Contrary to Parliamentary tradition, an anonymous letter purported to have been received by the President was tabled in Parliament by a Deputy Minister, Mr Jayaratne Herath. What it contained was mud and insults regarding the attack on Mr. Manjula Tillekeratne.

Instead of being on the lookout for the real perpetrators the government has launched a mud slinging and insult attack on the CJ and the Secretary of the JSC. Not only did they table such mud and insults in the house, contrary to parliamentary convention, they also directed the responsibility for the attack towards different individuals.

There is an operation, which has been launched by the Government. Its final phase is the dismissal of the CJ from her post. It was reported that following a government party discussion, agreement was reached to bring an impeachment motion towards the CJ. Media reports that 117 signatures have been obtained. This impeachment motion has now been handed over to the Speaker.

In a similar manner opportunity for an impeachment motion was begun according to the 1978 constitution. Mr J R Jayawardena similarly, through a 5/6th majority, obtained dictatorial power and changed the constitution according to his whims. To control the Judiciary, article 107 was introduced which meant 'improper conduct "can be subjected to an impeachment motion.

But the there is no exact definition for 'misconduct'. Specific instances must be cited. Similarly, an impeachment motion was brought against Chief Justice Neville Samarakoon by the UNP. He was not a person who held the CJ chair. He was brought there by J.R. Jayawardene to act according to his behests. However, he began to come in conflict with J.R. An impeachment motion was brought against Mr. Neville Samarakoon because of a statement. However the impeachment motion was cast aside as it conflicted with parliamentary Standing Orders.

We have historically witnessed that governments resort to section 107 whenever the Judiciary does not bend to their needs. It is in this manner that section 107 is being invoked today against the C. J.

(Courtesy- Ada Derana)

The Sri Lankan government has commenced a campaign to promote the country ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo this November. Secretary of the External Affairs Ministry Karunatilaka Amunugama said the government will also attend a meeting to be held at the Commonwealth Secretariat in London this week. He has explained that Media Ministry Secretary Charitha Herath would be heading the publicity team in Sri Lanka while Sri Lankan High Commission missions overseas are also carrying out separate campaigns ahead of the summit. External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris had also briefed his Ministry staff last week on the preparations for the summit in November.

China Development Bank Corporation will lend $580 million to Sri Lanka to help implement key infrastructure projects, a government document released on Wednesday showed. The loan will bring CDB's total lending to Sri Lanka to more than US$1.4 billion. China's increasing influence in the island nation has stoked concerns in neighboring India. According to the document, $300 million of the loan will be spent on developing roads and $200 million on water supply projects, with the rest going to the national business school. It said CDB had already extended $652 million for road development projects and $214 million for an irrigation project. The loan announcement comes ahead of a four-day official visit to China by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa has requested all MPs to be present in Parliament when Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra addresses the House on May 31. The request from the Speaker was read to the House by Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody yesterday. He said that PM Shinawatra would address the House at 2. 45 pm on May 31, on a special request by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa. Security in and around Parliament had been increased and the MPs' rooms and lockers would be inspected by the members of the security forces on May 30 and 31 as a part of those security arrangements. On that day the public gallery would be open only for invitees.

Leader of the National Freedom Front - Minister Wimal Weerawansa, who was recently hospitalized, has been discharged last night (22). He was admitted to the Colombo Nawaloka Hospital four days ago. Doctors had said that the flu that the minister was suffering from had led to pneumonia. Doctors have advised him to rest for a few days, reports say.

A further 31 Sri Lankan irregular maritime arrivals are being returned to Colombo after failing to meet Australia's international obligations, Australia's Immigration and Citizenship Minister Brendan O'Connor said. The group departed Christmas Island on Wednesday to be flown back to the Sri Lankan capital. Their return takes the number of Sri Lankans sent home to 1161 - 950 of them involuntarily - since August last year. Mr O'Connor said returning the group to Sri Lankans sends a powerful message. 'The Gillard Government is making it crystal clear that those who pay smugglers are throwing their money away and risking their lives in the process,' Mr O'Connor said.

The Sri Lankan government on Wednesday said that it will use a key Commonwealth summit in November to showcase the post-war developments in the country. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will be held in Sri Lanka in November this year, and heads of state from almost all the Commonwealth countries, including Britain's Prince Charles, will attend the summit. The Sri Lankan Ministry of External Affairs said that Sri Lanka will be able to show the developments following a three-decade separatist terrorist conflict and the vast economic opportunities available in the country.

High Commissioner of India Ashok K. Kantha (left) and Minister of Industry & Commerce of Sri Lanka Rishad Bathiudeen at the launch of the Handbook on Indo-Lanka FTA in Colombo. Outgoing Indian High Commissioner Ashok K. Kantha says Sri Lanka needed to enter into a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) between the two countries, more so than India did, because economic growth prospects are linked with that of Asia and the ASEAN grouping. "The rest of the world does not wait for us. India has signed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPAs) with many other countries. I myself was involved in launching CEPA talks with Japan, Korea and Malaysia and all three came to fruition. Therefore I feel little uncomfortable that there are so many completely baseless apprehensions about a more comprehensive framework in forming business relations with other countries.

The Indian Housing Project was launched on the ground in the Eastern Province today jointly by Hon. Basil Rajapaksa, Minister of Economic Development and H.E. Ashok K. Kantha, High Commissioner of India. In events organized at three different locations in Batticaloa district, certificates were handed over to some of the selected beneficiaries. Hon. Basheer Segudawood, Minister of Productivity Promotion, Hon. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Hon. V. Muralitharan, Deputy Minister of Resettlement, Hon. Rear Admiral (Retd.) Mohan Wijewickrama, Governor of Eastern Province, Hon. Najeeb Abdul Majeed, Chief Minister of Eastern Province and Hon.

UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said, in Parliament yesterday, that the government was getting ready to arrest a number of UNP politicians who participated in a workshop coordinated by the Friedrich Neumann Foundation. The Opposition Leader said that the issue would be taken to international fora and the MPs who attended the workshop had been accused of trying to overthrow the government. "Yes, we are trying to topple this government but that is through democratic means, through electoral process, by the ballot. That is our sole right as the Opposition. Now, the government has got the CID to harass our MPs accusing them of trying to topple the government through undemocratic means."

A controversial Buddhist organization in Sri Lanka, the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), says that the government had not made sufficient effort to reconnect with the Tamil people following the end of the war. BBS General Secretary Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero said although the government built roads and developed the infrastructure in the North, it would not win the hearts of the people. Explaining that the war had prevented the Sinhala people from connecting with the Tamil people, the Thero said the BBS wants to build a rapport with the people in the North. According to the Thero, there are over 400 Christian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in the country, which did "nothing for these people".

A part of the 50,000 housing aid promised by New Delhi for the war-affected people in the North and East is planned to be used for demographic genocide in the East at the village of Kachchat-kodi in the Paddip-pazhai division of Batticaloa district, according to Eastern Provincial council member R. Thurairatnam. The village, which was predominantly Tamil a few years ago and was affected by displacement during the war, now has 2 new Sinhala Buddhist Viharas constructed and a number of Sinhala families brought from outside settled with the assistance of Buddhist priests.

Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe charged in Parliament today that there was an attempt by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to take in a few UNP MPs for questioning over their participation in a workshop organised by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, a German organisation promoting liberal politics in the world. Mr. Wickremesinghe said the UNP as a party, engaged in electoral politics and undertook training on election campaign management under a workshop conducted by this organisation. He said this Foundation had brought down a resource person to conduct the workshop, ahead of the Northern Provincial Council Election planned to be held in the near future.

External Affairs Minister of Sri Lanka Prof. G.L. Peiris has questioned why Canada is relentlessly trying to stop the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) from being held in Colombo this year. The Minister has told parliament that Canada's stance was due to the influence of LTTE sympathizers in that country. "Why is Sri Lanka pursued relentlessly and castigated by some representatives of the government of Canada. Even though the LTTE is not presented physically their influence is still there," Prof. Peiris has asked. Minister Peiris noted that since October 2011, Canada has attempted to stop the CHOGM from being held in Sri Lanka but all such attempts by Canada had failed as most countries had supported Sri Lanka.

'Misconceptions regarding Buddhists in Sri Lanka are spread worldwide through websites. Now is the time to change those misconceptions which were being spread for the last 30 years, Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa states. The Defence Secretary made these comments addressing a function after opening a student hostel and a Dana Sala, as well as laying the foundation stone for a new hostel and library at the Pravachamodaya Maha Pirivena in Molligoda. The ceremony was held under the auspices of Ven. Ittapane Dhammalankara Anunayake Thera .

Sri Lanka Army has said that it would reduce the number of military camps in former rebel stronghold of northern Jaffna and hand over lands back to their original owners. "We will reduce the existing 17 military camps in Jaffna to just three," Army chief Lt Gen Jagath Jayasuriya said. The fourteen camps pulled out from different parts in Jaffna would be relocated in the main Palaly cantonment, he said yesterday. Lands which located the camps would be handed back to their original owners and lands that would be difficult to be handed back due to national security considerations would be subject to compensation, he said.

Tamara Kunanayakam, Sri Lanka's former Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, was re-elected as Chairperson-Rapporteur of the UN Human Rights Council's Intergovernmental Working Group on the Right to Development, which held its 14th session from 13 to 17 May, in Geneva. This is the third time that Ms. Kunanayakam has been nominated by the Non-Aligned Movement for the post, which is an honorary non-remunerated position, and has received the unanimous support of all members of the United Nations for her expertise on the right to development and her remarkable leadership. This, despite attempts last year by Sri Lankan government to prevent her from presenting the report of the Working Group to the Human Rights Council in Geneva and to the UN General Assembly in New York, through a letter addressed to Navi Pillay and in violation of UN rules and procedures, well informed sources told The Island.

The Prime Minister of Thailand Yingluck Shinawatra is set to address parliament on May 31, Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Chandima Weerakkody stated today (May 22). Addressing the parliament today, Weerakkody said that the Prime Minister of Thailand will address the Sri Lankan parliament on May 31 at 2.45pm.

Vanni District Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian, Siva Shakthi Anandan, was interrogated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sleuths at the fourth floor, over his alleged mobile phone conversations with Tamil detainees at the Vavuniya Prison. Anandan was grilled for more than two hours from 10 a.m. to 12.15 p.m. yesterday. Informed sources said, the CID sleuths had questioned the parliamentarian as to how he developed mobile phone contacts with the Tamil prisoners, who staged a hunger strike, which finally ended in a prison riot at the Vavuniya Prison last year.

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) said yesterday it was considering a change in its stance on power devolution and instead opt for a new system of devolution depending on the will of the people. However, it said as of now it would stick to its policy on power devolution based on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told a news conference that his party would listen to the views expressed by the people and propose a system of devolution accordingly. "We will leave this matter to the people," he said.

The TNA yesterday requested the government to take action to "genuinely implement" the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) resolution on "Promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka and to reverse the latter's current actions pertaining to the land issues in the North and East. TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, moving an adjournment motion in Parliament, said that the government's actions had resulted in deterioration of the human rights situation in the North and East. "Two statements were made on the floor of the House on April 09, 2013 by the Leader of the Opposition and the Minister of External Affairs, pertaining to the resolution No: A/HRC/22/L.1 on 'Promoting Reconciliation and Accountability in Sri Lanka' adopted by the Human Rights Council.