Police will take measures to stregthen the security to prevent any violent move that is likely to happen when there is a debate for 18th constitutional amendment in Parliament on 7th of September.
The discussion was held at Police Head Quarters between DIG Mr. Mahinda Balasooriya and top officers to design relevant measures if such incident takes place.
Army people will be deployed along the roads leading to Parliament to ensure MPs to reach Parliament without any hindrance.
The information has been received that there would be mass agitations and demonstrations which are about to be conducted by some sections of opposition to oppose 18th constitutional amendment.
Parliamentary sessions will commence at 9.30 a.m on next Tuesday to debate for 18th amendment. Subsequently voting will take place at5.30 p.m on the same day. (Lanka Truth)
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Sunday, September 5, 2010
Canada accepts the most Sri Lankan refugees
OTTAWA – Most of the 492 of the passengers and crew aboard the MV Sun Sea have a good shot at being granted refugee status in Canada, according to a review of Canadian acceptance rates for refugee applicants from Sri Lanka and other countries.
Canada is more likely than any other country to grant refugee status to Sri Lankan nationals, and it accepts more refugees from Sri Lanka than from anywhere else.
In the first six months of 2010, the acceptance rate for Sri Lankan
nationals, many of whom are ethnic Tamils, was 85%. In 2009, the acceptance rate was 90.7%. In 2008, it was 93%.
According to statistics from The IGC — an informal body based Geneva,
Switzerland that gathers data on immigration and refugee matters — Canada's acceptance of Sri Lankan refugees is almost 14% higher than the second most accepting country, Australia.
While Canada accepted 90.7% of all refugee applicants from Sri Lanka in 2009, Australia accepted 76.9%.
Other countries with a significant number of applications had much lower acceptance rates.
Britain received an almost identical number of Sri Lankan refugee applications as Canada — 1,099 compared to Canada's 1,082 — yet rejected 86.4% of them.
Out of the 2,636 refugee applications made by Sri Lanka nationals in France, 75.9% were rejected.
After accounting for applications withdrawn or granted a different status, Canada’s rejection rate for Sri Lankan nationals is just 5.5%. Information provided by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) shows Sri Lankan nationals are accepted into Canada at a much higher rate than refugee applicants from other countries.
Mexico was Canada’s top source of refugee applications in 2009, with 9,314 claims made, and a mere 8% accepted.
The acceptance rate of applications from China was 58%, and the rate for Nigeria was 66%. Canada’s total acceptance rate for all countries in 2009 was 42%.
Questions put to Immigration Minister Jason Kenney’s office were referred to the IRB.
“They make refugee decisions independently, at arm's length from the minister and the government,” said Alykhan Velshi, a spokesman for Kenney.
IRB spokeswoman Melissa Anderson told QMI Agency it's hard to draw conclusions from international numbers or compare them to Canada's, because the criteria for accepting refugees may be different.
Immigration lawyer Richard Kurland told QMI Agency the overall acceptance rates of other countries may be higher than officially stated, because failed refugee claimants are not necessarily kicked-out and are often accepted as a different class of migrant.
Canada also has well-documented trouble removing failed applicants. Auditor General Sheila Fraser reported in 2008 that 42,000 people ordered out of Canada could not be found by federal officials.
The issue of Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka became an issue three weeks ago when the MV Sun Sea arrived on B.C.'s coast.
Reports continue to surface that between one and five other refugee ships are preparing to make their way to Canada.
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said his department, “is leading an integrated Canadian effort abroad, working in close concert with Canadian departments and agencies and other states to combat migrant smuggling.”
“Our Government will not sit back while Canada becomes a target for criminal operations that are trying to take advantage of Canada's generosity,” said Cannon.
A report in the Globe and Mail last week revealed Tamils looking for passage to countries like Canada are being warehoused in apartments around Bangkok.
One man, who fled the civil war in Sri Lanka before it ended, complained that human smugglers were charging tens of thousands of dollars for trips to Canada, a price he said was unaffordable to an ordinary refugee.
Canada is more likely than any other country to grant refugee status to Sri Lankan nationals, and it accepts more refugees from Sri Lanka than from anywhere else.
In the first six months of 2010, the acceptance rate for Sri Lankan
nationals, many of whom are ethnic Tamils, was 85%. In 2009, the acceptance rate was 90.7%. In 2008, it was 93%.
According to statistics from The IGC — an informal body based Geneva,
Switzerland that gathers data on immigration and refugee matters — Canada's acceptance of Sri Lankan refugees is almost 14% higher than the second most accepting country, Australia.
While Canada accepted 90.7% of all refugee applicants from Sri Lanka in 2009, Australia accepted 76.9%.
Other countries with a significant number of applications had much lower acceptance rates.
Britain received an almost identical number of Sri Lankan refugee applications as Canada — 1,099 compared to Canada's 1,082 — yet rejected 86.4% of them.
Out of the 2,636 refugee applications made by Sri Lanka nationals in France, 75.9% were rejected.
After accounting for applications withdrawn or granted a different status, Canada’s rejection rate for Sri Lankan nationals is just 5.5%. Information provided by the Immigration and Refugee Board (IRB) shows Sri Lankan nationals are accepted into Canada at a much higher rate than refugee applicants from other countries.
Mexico was Canada’s top source of refugee applications in 2009, with 9,314 claims made, and a mere 8% accepted.
The acceptance rate of applications from China was 58%, and the rate for Nigeria was 66%. Canada’s total acceptance rate for all countries in 2009 was 42%.
Questions put to Immigration Minister Jason Kenney’s office were referred to the IRB.
“They make refugee decisions independently, at arm's length from the minister and the government,” said Alykhan Velshi, a spokesman for Kenney.
IRB spokeswoman Melissa Anderson told QMI Agency it's hard to draw conclusions from international numbers or compare them to Canada's, because the criteria for accepting refugees may be different.
Immigration lawyer Richard Kurland told QMI Agency the overall acceptance rates of other countries may be higher than officially stated, because failed refugee claimants are not necessarily kicked-out and are often accepted as a different class of migrant.
Canada also has well-documented trouble removing failed applicants. Auditor General Sheila Fraser reported in 2008 that 42,000 people ordered out of Canada could not be found by federal officials.
The issue of Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka became an issue three weeks ago when the MV Sun Sea arrived on B.C.'s coast.
Reports continue to surface that between one and five other refugee ships are preparing to make their way to Canada.
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said his department, “is leading an integrated Canadian effort abroad, working in close concert with Canadian departments and agencies and other states to combat migrant smuggling.”
“Our Government will not sit back while Canada becomes a target for criminal operations that are trying to take advantage of Canada's generosity,” said Cannon.
A report in the Globe and Mail last week revealed Tamils looking for passage to countries like Canada are being warehoused in apartments around Bangkok.
One man, who fled the civil war in Sri Lanka before it ended, complained that human smugglers were charging tens of thousands of dollars for trips to Canada, a price he said was unaffordable to an ordinary refugee.
People’s verdict will reign supreme
But it is entirely up to the people to decide whether they re-elect the incumbent President or not,” Chief Government Whip and Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told the Sunday Observer.
The Government is well poised to secure the two-third majority needed to pass the 18th Amendment in the House, with more UNP MPs expressing their support, in addition to the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) which earlier pledged support.
“The right of the executive incumbent to recontest is not restricted to person A or person B. This is for anyone who holds that office. Just because this clause is there, it is not mandatory for the incumbent to recontest,” Minister Gunawardena said.
According to new Constitutional Amendments, the Executive President has to visit Parliament at least once every three months.
“This is indirectly a form of being answerable to Parliament and participating in the affairs of the elected representatives.
The President as a people’s leader elected with an overwhelming majority would work more closely with the elected representatives in Parliament,” the Minister said.
Minister Gunawardena noted that the clause on two terms of the President was not decided by the country’s people. It was a model copied by the late President J.R. Jayewardene (from Constitutions in certain countries) and “we have been asked to follow it”.
Responding to the decision taken by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to oppose the Constitutional amendments, the Minister said Wickremesinghe has been voting against every good move for the people and the Motherland.
“It is better for the UNP and its alliance to think of a fresh approach for working with the Government, contributing towards its efforts to achieve fast economic growth,” the Minister said. He said the decision to conduct a full-day debate in Parliament on Wednesday on the Constitutional Amendment Bill was a unanimous decision reached at the Party Leaders’ meeting chaired by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa. The Bill will be debated in Parliament during the whole day on September 8 from 9.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. The vote on the Bill will take place at 7.00 p.m, the Minister said.
The Opposition wanted more time to debate this Bill in Parliament. Therefore, the Government agreed to start the debate at 9.30 a.m. and continue until 7.00 p.m. Normally, Parliament sits at 1.00 p.m.
“We have accommodated all requests of different parties in Parliament. Therefore, it was a unanimous decision reached at the Party Leaders’ meeting chaired by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa to summon Parliament at 9.30 a.m. and continue until 7.00 p.m,” the Minister said. (Sunday Observer)
The Government is well poised to secure the two-third majority needed to pass the 18th Amendment in the House, with more UNP MPs expressing their support, in addition to the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) which earlier pledged support.
“The right of the executive incumbent to recontest is not restricted to person A or person B. This is for anyone who holds that office. Just because this clause is there, it is not mandatory for the incumbent to recontest,” Minister Gunawardena said.
According to new Constitutional Amendments, the Executive President has to visit Parliament at least once every three months.
“This is indirectly a form of being answerable to Parliament and participating in the affairs of the elected representatives.
The President as a people’s leader elected with an overwhelming majority would work more closely with the elected representatives in Parliament,” the Minister said.
Minister Gunawardena noted that the clause on two terms of the President was not decided by the country’s people. It was a model copied by the late President J.R. Jayewardene (from Constitutions in certain countries) and “we have been asked to follow it”.
Responding to the decision taken by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to oppose the Constitutional amendments, the Minister said Wickremesinghe has been voting against every good move for the people and the Motherland.
“It is better for the UNP and its alliance to think of a fresh approach for working with the Government, contributing towards its efforts to achieve fast economic growth,” the Minister said. He said the decision to conduct a full-day debate in Parliament on Wednesday on the Constitutional Amendment Bill was a unanimous decision reached at the Party Leaders’ meeting chaired by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa. The Bill will be debated in Parliament during the whole day on September 8 from 9.30 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. The vote on the Bill will take place at 7.00 p.m, the Minister said.
The Opposition wanted more time to debate this Bill in Parliament. Therefore, the Government agreed to start the debate at 9.30 a.m. and continue until 7.00 p.m. Normally, Parliament sits at 1.00 p.m.
“We have accommodated all requests of different parties in Parliament. Therefore, it was a unanimous decision reached at the Party Leaders’ meeting chaired by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa to summon Parliament at 9.30 a.m. and continue until 7.00 p.m,” the Minister said. (Sunday Observer)
Pakistan betting scandal: Sri Lanka player under ICC spotlight
The International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit has been monitoring the activities of a leading Sri Lanka player since the World Twenty20 in England last year after team-mates became increasingly unsettled by his late-night fraternising with a man they believed to be an illegal bookmaker. They passed on their concerns to the captain, Kumar Sangakkara, who followed ICC protocol by contacting the anti-corruption unit.
The player has since been investigated by Sri Lankan police, although no charges have been laid; officials from the ICC's anti-corruption unit are said to be dismayed at the lack of progress. Haroon Lorgat, the ICC's chief executive, has admitted to a general sense of frustration, saying: "The [anti-corruption unit's] working is not that of a policing agency or a newspaper. They have no power to arrest or seize, or carry out a sting operation."
Getting international players to question the honesty of one of their own team‑mates is a considerable challenge, but it is essential if the ICC is to root out corruption. England's one-day captain, Paul Collingwood, admitted ahead of today's Twenty20 international in Cardiff the difficulty faced by players in casting aside dressing‑room loyalties by reporting a team‑mate suspected of involvement with a betting scam.
As England and Pakistan prepared for the start of the one-day series, in a lingering atmosphere of despondency and mistrust, Collingwood said: "I love this game fondly. It's very hard to say whether you would blag on someone or whatever but I would like to think I would take every decision in the best interests of the game of cricket."
No England player, as far as Collingwood is aware, has ever felt the need to phone the ICC's anti-corruption hotline. "In my experience, I would probably say never, but I don't know for certain. You don't know whether players have done it individually and not told anybody else. This is probably stuff that will be done confidentially and kept kind of under the carpet."
England also seem to have stopped short of reporting suspicions about opponents. They are regularly implored, as are players from all countries, to pass on all suspicions and leave the anti-corruption unit to investigate, but pointing the finger of suspicion without evidence is not easily done. "From a players' point of view, we pretty much just want to focus on the game in hand and let the authorities deal with it and make strong decisions," Collingwood said. "It may be up to the players to tell the authorities if they think something is going on."
Pakistan's new captain, Shahid Afridi, who took over from the suspended Salman Butt, made a remarkable public apology before his side's net session in Cardiff yesterday on behalf of the three players – Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – whose alleged involvement in betting scams is being investigated by the Metropolitan police and who have already been charged under the ICC's code of conduct. Afridi made no attempt to proclaim their innocence. "I think it is very bad news," he said. "On behalf of these players – I know they are not in this series – but on behalf of these boys, I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."
The News of the World, which published its exposé into cricket corruption a week ago after a sting operation against the Pakistan players' agent, Mazhar Majeed, provides further evidence over 19 pages today to support its allegations. The newspaper has been praised by the head of the anti-corruption unit, Ronnie Flanagan. The newspaper claims that the Pakistan players face 23 ICC charges between them and that the Metropolitan Police have recovered between £10-15,000 of bills marked by the News of the World from Butt's room.
It also states Butt was warned five times that he must report any irregular dealings. It also derides as "rantings" the suggestion by the Pakistan high commissioner in London, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, that the evidence had been faked.
Yasir Hameed, who was recalled for the final Test at The Oval – the Test that was the subject of the News of the World sting – is quoted as saying: "They were doing it [fixing] in almost every match. God knows what they were up to." Hameed last night denied he had made the allegations and said he was "deeply disturbed" by them.
(Gardian.co.uk)
The player has since been investigated by Sri Lankan police, although no charges have been laid; officials from the ICC's anti-corruption unit are said to be dismayed at the lack of progress. Haroon Lorgat, the ICC's chief executive, has admitted to a general sense of frustration, saying: "The [anti-corruption unit's] working is not that of a policing agency or a newspaper. They have no power to arrest or seize, or carry out a sting operation."
Getting international players to question the honesty of one of their own team‑mates is a considerable challenge, but it is essential if the ICC is to root out corruption. England's one-day captain, Paul Collingwood, admitted ahead of today's Twenty20 international in Cardiff the difficulty faced by players in casting aside dressing‑room loyalties by reporting a team‑mate suspected of involvement with a betting scam.
As England and Pakistan prepared for the start of the one-day series, in a lingering atmosphere of despondency and mistrust, Collingwood said: "I love this game fondly. It's very hard to say whether you would blag on someone or whatever but I would like to think I would take every decision in the best interests of the game of cricket."
No England player, as far as Collingwood is aware, has ever felt the need to phone the ICC's anti-corruption hotline. "In my experience, I would probably say never, but I don't know for certain. You don't know whether players have done it individually and not told anybody else. This is probably stuff that will be done confidentially and kept kind of under the carpet."
England also seem to have stopped short of reporting suspicions about opponents. They are regularly implored, as are players from all countries, to pass on all suspicions and leave the anti-corruption unit to investigate, but pointing the finger of suspicion without evidence is not easily done. "From a players' point of view, we pretty much just want to focus on the game in hand and let the authorities deal with it and make strong decisions," Collingwood said. "It may be up to the players to tell the authorities if they think something is going on."
Pakistan's new captain, Shahid Afridi, who took over from the suspended Salman Butt, made a remarkable public apology before his side's net session in Cardiff yesterday on behalf of the three players – Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir – whose alleged involvement in betting scams is being investigated by the Metropolitan police and who have already been charged under the ICC's code of conduct. Afridi made no attempt to proclaim their innocence. "I think it is very bad news," he said. "On behalf of these players – I know they are not in this series – but on behalf of these boys, I want to say sorry to all cricket lovers and all the cricketing nations."
The News of the World, which published its exposé into cricket corruption a week ago after a sting operation against the Pakistan players' agent, Mazhar Majeed, provides further evidence over 19 pages today to support its allegations. The newspaper has been praised by the head of the anti-corruption unit, Ronnie Flanagan. The newspaper claims that the Pakistan players face 23 ICC charges between them and that the Metropolitan Police have recovered between £10-15,000 of bills marked by the News of the World from Butt's room.
It also states Butt was warned five times that he must report any irregular dealings. It also derides as "rantings" the suggestion by the Pakistan high commissioner in London, Wajid Shamsul Hasan, that the evidence had been faked.
Yasir Hameed, who was recalled for the final Test at The Oval – the Test that was the subject of the News of the World sting – is quoted as saying: "They were doing it [fixing] in almost every match. God knows what they were up to." Hameed last night denied he had made the allegations and said he was "deeply disturbed" by them.
(Gardian.co.uk)
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