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State Vesak festival to be held in Jaffna cancelled

Posted on May 8, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

The State Vesak festival which was to be held in Jaffna, has been cancelled.

The Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs said that the festival, which was to be held at the Nagadeepa Rajamaha Viharaya in Jaffna, has been cancelled.

The decision was taken as a result of the third wave of the coronavirus spreading in Sri Lanka.

The Government said that it hopes to hold the event at another location on a new date.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had given instructions to focus on the North and East during Vesak this year.

Accordingly, it had been decided to hold the State Vesak festival at the Nagadeepa Raja Maha Vihara Temple in Jaffna.

The Prime Minister’s Office said that 65 temples in the North and East and 35 Buddhist Sunday schools in the North and East were to be involved in the State festival.

Last year the Government had decided to cancel the State Vesak festival in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Instead the Buddhist community had been requested to observe Amisa-puja and Patipatti-puja only in the premises of their homes.

The public had also been requested not to involve anyone outside of the family for their religious activities at home.

Updated list of locked down/isolated areas in Sri Lanka (May 07)

Posted on May 7, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Sri Lanka has isolated over 100 Grama Niladhari divisions in 45 police areas and six complete police areas in 14 districts as of this morning, data from the National Operations Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 (NOCPOC) showed.

The Grama Niladhari divisions and police areas isolated are as follows:

Colombo district

Moratumulla police area

Willorawatta Grama Niladhari division
Piliyandala police area

Dampe Grama Niladhari division
Batakettara North Grama Niladhari division
Pelanwatta West Grama Niladhari division
Kesbawa South Grama Niladhari division
Pelanwatta East Grama Niladhari division
Makandana East Grama Niladhari division
Mavitthara North Grama Niladhari division
Madapatha Grama Niladhari division
Gorakapitiya Grama Niladhari division
Nampamunuwa Grama Niladhari division
Honnanthara East Grama Niladhari division
Honanthara West Grama Niladhari division
Delthara East Grama Niladhari division
Delthara West Grama Niladhari division
Halpita Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Kesbawa East Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Makandana West Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Niwungama Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Polhena Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Maharagama police area

Arawwala North Grama Niladhari division
Pamunuwa Grama Niladhari division
Padukka police area

Uggalla Grama Niladhari division

Gampaha district

Kadawatha police area

Eldeniya Church Road
Ranaviru Dharmasiri Mawatha
Kotadeniyawa Police area
Polhena Grama Niladhari division
Hiralugedara Grama Niladhari division
Kaluaggala Grama Niladhari division
Eldeniya East Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Sooriyapaluwa South Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Sooriyapaluwa North Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Pahala Karagahamuna Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Ihala Karagahamuna North Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Wattala police area

Alwiswatta Grama Niladhari division
Minuwangoda police area

Aswennawatta East Grama Niladhari division
Kirindiwela police area

Kuttiwila Grama Niladhari division

Kalutara district

Agalawatta police area

Pimbura Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Mathugama police area

Yatiyana West Grama Niladhari division – Isolated from May 07
Dodangoda police area

Bombuwala Grama Niladhari division
Meegahathenna police area

Wellawita South Grama Niladhari division
Maakalandawa Grama Niladhari division
Bothalawa Grama Niladhari division
Katukele Welmeegoda Grama Niladhari division
Pahala Hewessa Grama Niladhari division – Isolation lifted as of May 07
Pelawatta North Grama Niladhari division – Isolation lifted as of May 07
Pelawatta East Grama Niladhari division
Kalutara South police area

Adhikarigoda Grama Niladhari division
Baduraliya police area

Bollunna Grama Niladhari division – Isolation lifted as of May 07
Ingurudaluwa Grama Niladhari division
Meedalana Grama Niladhari division
Morapitiya North Grama Niladhari division – Isolation lifted as of May 07
Peleeda Grama Niladhari division
Hedigalla Grama Niladhari division
Thiniyawala police area

Thiniyawala Grama Niladhari division
Panadura South police area

Walana North Grama Niladhari division
Wekada North Grama Niladhari division
Malamulla East Grama Niladhari division
Kiriberiya Grama Niladhari division
Pinwatta Grama Niladhari division
Pinwatta West Grama Niladhari division
Narampitiya Grama Niladhari division
Bandaragama police area

Bandaragama East Grama Niladhari division

Galle district

Ambalangoda police area

Godahena Grama Niladhari division
Talgasgoda Grama Niladhari division
Rathgama police area

Imbulagoda Grama Niladhari division
Katudampe Grama Niladhari division

Rathnapura district

Rathnapura police area

Gagulwitiya Grama Niladhari division
Rakwana police area

Pothupitiya Grama Niladhari division
Kalawana police area

Hapugoda Grama Niladhari division
Embilipitiya police area

Pallegama Grama Niladhari division
Udagama Grama Niladhari division
Nawa Nagaraya Grama Niladhari division
Panamura police area

Walalgoda Grama Niladhari division
Sudugala Grama Niladhari division
Panamura Grama Niladhari division
Wewelwatta police area

Rathgaga Grama Niladhari division

Monaragala district

Wellawaya police area

Wellawaya Town Grama Niladhari division
Weherayaya Grama Niladhari division
Kottamgambokka Grama Niladhari division
Siyambalanduwa police area

Helamulla Grama Niladhari division
Gal amuna Grama Niladhari division
Buttala police area

Rahatangama Grama Niladhari division

Ampara district

Dehiattakandiya police area

Dehiattakandiya Grama Niladhari division
Kadirapura Grama Niladhari division
Uhana police area

Kumarigama Grama Niladhari division

Matale district

Dambulla police area

Galewela police area

Matale police area

Naula police area

Ukuwela police area

Pallekumbura Grama Niladhari division
Alugolla Grama Niladhari division

Polonnaruwa district

Higurakgoda police area

Siriketha Grama Niladhari division
Elahera police area

Sarubima Grama Niladhari division

Trincomalee district

Trincomalee police area

Subathra Lanka Mavatha in Anandakulam Grama Niladhari division
Pumpuhar Grama Niladhari division
Orrs Hill Grama Niladhari division
Madko Grama Niladhari division
Kovilady Grama Niladhari division
Linganagar Grama Niladhari division
Uppuweli police area

Sumethagampura Grama Niladhari division
Anpuwaalipuram Grama Niladhari division
China Bay police area

Kavattikudah Grama Niladhari division
China Bay Grama Niladhari division

Kurunegala district

Kumbukgete police area

Thittawelgama Grama Niladhari division
Udubadalawa Grama Niladhari division
Niraviya Grama Niladhari division
Kuliyapitiya police area

Pannala police area

Wellawa police area

Nikadalupotha Grama Niladhari division

Nuwara Eliya district

Kothmale police area

Panamgammana Grama Niladhari division
Norwood police area

Ingestre Grama Niladhari division
Hatton police area

Fordius Estate Grama Niladhari division
Walapane police area

Neeladandahinna Grama Niladhari division
Haguranketha police area

Rathmatiya Grama Niladhari division

Batticaloa district

Manmune police area

Tissawerasingham Square Grama Niladhari division

Vavuniya district

Puwarankulam police area

Kurukkalpudukkulam Grama Niladhari division

MK Stalin sworn in as new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu; here is the list of other top ministers

Posted on May 7, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

MK Stalin, the chief of DMK, today took the oath of office as Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister. The oath-taking was held at Raj Bhavan in Chennai, where the new CM was sworn in by Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

The 68-year-old Stalin’s swearing-in gives the state a DMK government after a gap of 10 years. This is the sixth time in all that the party has formed government in Tamil Nadu.

The party had bagged an absolute majority — 133 seats in the 234-member assembly — in the recently concluded polls, which it had contested in tow with a number of allies including Congress.

As many as 33 other election winners from the party were also sworn in along with Stalin. These include 15 new entrants. Among those sworn in, there were two women ministers.

According to reports by news agencies, the DMK supremo will hold a number of portfolios. These include Home General Administration, Special Initiatives, Special Programme Implementation and Welfare of Differently-Abled Persons.

Here follows a list of prominent ministers who were sworn in today*.

Ma Subramanian: Medical and Family Welfare
S Duraimurugan: Water Resources
Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi: School Education.
S Raghupathy: Law
R Sakkarapani: Food and Civil supplies
T Mano Thangaraj: Information Technology
Palanivel Thiagarajan: Finance and Human Resources.
K N Nehru: Municipal Administration
I Periasamy: Minister for Cooperation
K Ponmudi: Higher Education
EV Velu: Public Works
MRK Panneerselvam: Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare
KKSSR Ramachandran: Revenue and Disaster Management
Thangam Thennarasu: Industries
S Muthusamy: Housing and Urban Development
K R Periakaruppan: Rural Development
T M Anbarasan: Rural Industries
MP Saminathan: Information and Publicity
P Geetha Jeevan: Social Welfare and Women Empowerment
Anitha S Radhakrishnan: Fisheries, Fishermen Welfare and Animal Husbandry
SR Rajakannappan: Transport
K Ramchandran: Forests
V Senthilbalaji: Electricity, Prohibition and Excise
R Gandhi: Handlooms and Textiles
P Moorthy: Commercial Taxes and Registration
SS Sivasankar: Backward Classes Welfare.
PK Sekarbabu: Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments
SM Nasar: Milk and Dairy Development
Ginjee KS Masthan: Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils welfare
Siva V Meyyanathan: Environment-Climate Change and Youth Welfare and Sports Development
C V Ganesan: Labour Welfare and Skill Development
M Mathiventhan: Tourism
N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj: Adi Dravidar Welfare.

Scarborough MPP’s bill passes, declaring Tamil Genocide Education Week in Ontario

Posted on May 7, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Ontario on May 6 became one of the first jurisdictions in the world to recognize a genocide against Tamils in Sri Lanka as a Scarborough MPP’s private bill passed third reading in the legislature.

Bill 104, the Tamil Genocide Education Week Act, establishes seven days each year, May 11 to 18, during which Ontarians “are encouraged to educate themselves about, and to maintain their awareness of, the Tamil genocide and other genocides that have occurred in world history.”

On Twitter, Scarborough-Rouge Park MPP Vijay Thanigasalam called the passage of his bill “a historic event for Tamil people in Ontario and across the world.”

The Progressive Conservative MPP – who as a child fled the decades-long civil war in Sri Lanka his bill describes as a genocide against its Tamil population – said Ontario is the first government worldwide to pass such a law.

Sri Lankan-Canadians objected to the word “genocide” – a word Canada and the United Nations have not applied to the conflict, which ended with the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on May 18, 2009 – and urged MPPs not to pass the bill, but Tamil-Canadian groups supported it.

Having waited since passing second reading in 2019, Bill 104 appeared at the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills on May 5. It was put to a third legislature vote the next day.

“Ontario is sending a loud and clear message, as the first jurisdiction to acknowledge the Tamil Genocide,” said Sinthughan Shanmugalingam, vice president of campaigns for the Canadian Tamil Youth Alliance, a group Shanmugalingam said lobbied for Bill 104’s passage through meetings with politicians and email and letter campaigns since 2019.

“With the passing of this Bill, Tamils can begin the healing process, and encourage Ontarians to learn about the Tamil genocide, and other genocides that have taken place around the world.”

The bill must still receive royal assent before becoming law.

Source:Toronto.com

Acting Solicitor General Sanjay Rajaratnam likely to be new AG

Posted on May 7, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Acting Solicitor General Sanjay Rajaratnam is likely to be appointed as the new Attorney General (AG).

Rajaratnam’s name has been nominated to the Parliamentary Council to replace outgoing AG Dapulla de Livera.

In 2019 he was been appointed as the Acting Solicitor General by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Rajaratnam had replaced then Solicitor General Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe who was interdicted by the PSC over an alleged incriminating telephone conversation with Avant-Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi.

Tamil MPs upbeat after discussion with Minister Rajapksa

Posted on May 7, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Tamil MPs were convinced that a positive outcome could be achieved over instances where Mahaweli Authority officials were taking over private lands belonging to the Northern residents, ITAK Kilinochchi District MP S. Sritharan said yesterday after a meeting with Minister of Irrigation Chamal Rajapaksa.

The MP said that the meeting with Minister Rajapaksa on Wednesday had been extremely fruitful and his attitude was commendable.

“We informed him of the actions of Mahaweli Authority officials and he immediately stopped it. He also ordered an investigation into the allegations. These are commendable actions and we are extremely pleased with the way it was handled,” MP Sritharan said.

The TNA said that the Minister had also responded positively to the request for making the Northern Kalmunai sub-divisional secretariat, a fully-fledged secretariat. The residents in Kalmunai had staged continuous protests over that issue, the MP said. Some 29 Grama Servaga Divisions come under the Northern Kalmunai sub-divisional secretariats. “Many sub-divisional secretariats have been converted to divisional secretariat but for some reason Kalmunai sub-divisional secretariat has been left out.”

TELO MP’S Leader Selvam Adaikalanathan,Govinthan Karunakaran and Vinoharathalingam,ITAK MP’s M.A. Sumanthiran, S. Sritharan and Charles Nirmalanathan, Tamil National People’s Front’s Leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and Selvarajah Kajendran, Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani’s Leader C.V. Wigneswaran met Minister Rajapaksa.

President talks to WHO Chief. Says it was useful

Posted on May 7, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said in a tweet that he had useful Zoom discussion with Head of the World Health Organisation, DrTedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

At the meeting it transpired that approval would be given in another 2-3 days for Sinopharm to be used for emergency use. With that approval, we will be able to start vaccinating our people with the current stock of 600,000 Sinopharm doses in hand.

While commending our control of the pandemic during the first wave, he was hopeful that the current surge would be soon brought under control. I registered my appreciation of the support the WHO has been providing at regional and Colombo office level.

The President further said. “I believe WHO will make an effort to fulfil the need for 600,000 doses of AstraZeneca needed for the 2nd dose of vaccination for those who have already been vaccinated.

Globally, there is a need for 20 million doses of the AstraZeneca for the 2nd dose”.

Schools, pre-schools, tuition classes, universities will remain closed: Minister

Posted on May 7, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

All schools, pre-schools, universities and tuition classes will remain closed until further notice, Minister of Education Prof. G.L. Peiris announced today (May 07).

The decision was jointly taken by the education and health authorities, after taking into account the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic situation in the country exacerbated by a third wave.

On April 27, an announcement from the Education Minister stated that all schools across the country will be closed until the April 30 due to the recent upsurge in COVID-19 figures.

However, reopening of schools was then postponed until today as the country has been seeing a consecutive increase in virus infections following the Sinhala and Tamil New Year last month.

Daily coronavirus cases reported in Sri Lanka have been staying above 1,000 since the 27th of April.

Sri Lanka has registered as many as 119,424 infections since the pandemic’s outbreak last year. According to official data, more than 17,700 active cases are under medical care at present.

SRISABA’S 35TH REMEMBRANCE DAY – 06/05/2021

Posted on May 6, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Srisaba’s 35th Remembrance Day – 06/05/2021

We’ll NEVER FORGET THE FORGOTTEN Two hundred of our fellow members were killed or wounded we will never, ever forget them or the sacrifices they made.

TAMILS DAY OF CONFLUENCE

“Tamil National Unity Week- (29 April- 06 May)”

Attorney General Turns Down Diplomatic Posting To Canada

Posted on May 6, 2021 | by TELO Admin | Leave a Comment

Attorney General Dappula de Livera has politely turned down the offer to be appointed the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Canada.

The post has been offered to the Attorney General, who is due to retire soon, by President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

The Attorney Feneral has conveyed to the President he prefers to remain in Sri Lanka to serve the public, AG’s Coordinating Officer Nishara Jayaratne said.

There is still no clarity about the capacity in which de Livera intends to “serve the public” in the future.