News

Female Sri Lankan politician gains refugee status in NZ amid threats

Published

2 weeks ago

March 12, 2025

editor

An aspiring Sri Lankan politician – who was sidelined because she was a woman – found her house surrounded by gunmen, and was also a victim of sextortion, a tribunal has heard.

The 32-year-old has been granted refugee status in New Zealand.

She said a prominent MP’s associates suggested she should have sex with him to further her career and now held a grudge against her, after a friend posted on social media about the incident.

He ran in presidential elections in 2020 in Sri Lanka, but did not succeed.

After her brother-in-law died in a motorcycle crash, a note was found on his coffin at his funeral, saying she would be next to be killed.

She received two threatening phone calls and a motorbike was ridden directly towards her at speed.

The immigration and protection tribunal heard that a group of men firing gunshots gathered around her house demanding she leave politics, the day before regional elections in 2018.

The tribunal said country sources suggested that harassment of women in politics in Sri Lanka was escalating.

“The appellant has told the tribunal that she would not dare to become involved in politics again in Sri Lanka for fear for her life. She states that entering politics was ‘the worst decision of my life’ and that she ‘lost herself’ and feels ‘dead inside’.”

She feared the politician would kill her if she returned to Sri Lanka in ‘revenge against her for destroying his political career’.

Her parents’ house caught fire in 2022, which she believed may also have been his doing by capitalising on a period of unrest.

A friend’s evidence summarised what happened: “She has been prevented from pursuing a political career owing to threats from various persons in opposing parties and from [the MP], who attempted to force her into a sexual relationship with him. A friend recorded this matter publicly on Facebook and the post received over a hundred views before the friend was forced to take it down.”

(rnz.co.nz)

News

SLTB drivers return to original roles

Published

6 hours ago

March 25, 2025

editor

The Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) has decided to reassign drivers and conductors who were previously engaged in various other duties.

This decision comes into effect today as announced by Deputy Minister of Transport, Prasanna Kumara Gunasena.

Deputy Minister Gunasena revealed that political interference had led to the assignment of drivers and conductors to various non-related duties.

An investigation uncovered that 333 drivers were affected by these political appointments.

To ensure the fitness and readiness of these drivers for their original roles, they will undergo medical examinations at the National Transport Medical Institute.

Based on the results of these examinations, the drivers will be reassigned to their driving duties.

(News1st)

News

Prof. Gananath Obeyesekere bids adieu

Published

6 hours ago

March 25, 2025

editor

Professor Gananath Obeyesekere, a distinguished academic and former Head of Anthropology at Princeton University, has passed away at the age of 95.

He earned his BA in English from the University of Peradeniya in 1955, followed by an MA in 1958 and a PhD in 1964 from the University of Washington.

Prior to his tenure at Princeton University from 1980 to 2000, Prof. Obeyesekere held prestigious academic positions in Sri Lanka, the University of Washington, and the University of California, San Diego.

Among his popular books are Land Tenure in Village Ceylon, Medusa’s Hair, The Cult of the Goddess Pattini, Buddhism Transformed (coauthor), The Work of Culture, The Apotheosis of Captain Cook: European Mythmaking in the Pacific, and Making Karma.

News

NPP MPs submit letter to remove Deshabandu

Published

6 hours ago

March 25, 2025

editor

National People’s Power (NPP) MPs have signed a letter to remove suspended IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon from office.

A total of 115 MPs endorsed the letter, which was submitted to the Speaker this afternoon (March 25).

Tennakoon is currently in remand custody in connection with a 2023 shooting incident that took place outside the W15 hotel in Weligama, which resulted in the death of an officer from the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD).

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