Journalist assaulted after Navy rugby match

 Sunday, 02 February 2014 

The violence experienced at rugby matches where the Sri Lanka Navy team captained by the President’s youngest son, Rohitha Rajapaksa, has taken a new twist with a journalist being assaulted after yesterday’s match between the CR and FC team and the Navy team.

Sports journalist Shanaka Amarasinghe was reportedly assaulted at the Navy rugby grounds in Welisara after the rugby match.

Amarasinghe according to the local media had lodged a complaint with the police.

Amarasinghe has been a promoter of rugby for over a decade as a player, referee and a sports journalist.

He has explained that he was assaulted within full view of the military police.

He was walking to his car after the match when a person had grabbed his hand and dragged him to an open stage where four other persons had joined and assaulted and kicked him.

However, when Amarasinghe’s friend had started to shout and make a noise, the assailants had reportedly walked slowly to the Navy camp.

Shortage of water hits 2,000 farming families    

By Mirudhula Thambiah-February 3, 2014

The livelihood of more than 2,000 farming families has been affected by the lack of water to irrigate nearly 3,000 acres of paddy lands in Kumulamunai, Mullaitivu. This was revealed yesterday by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Northern Provincial Councillor, T. Raviharan, who added that the lack of water was due to the renovation work on the Kumulamunai –ThannimurippuTank not been completed.

Raviharan said the tank was not renovated for the past 60 years. However, last year, under the Ministry of Economic Development Rs 396.4 million was allocated to renovate it. But the renovation was never carried out methodically and the villagers were disappointed.

"Since the villagers were disappointed over the renovation of the tank, they complained to number of authorities," he said. Raviharan stressed the renovation was below standard, therefore it has caused danger to the villagers. The water canals too had not been constructed properly, therefore adequate water could not be pumped to the paddy fields.


"I spoke to the irrigation engineer in Mullativu regarding the issue. He did accept the imbalances in the renovation process. He assured me that the specific construction company will complete the renovation very soon and 30% of the cost will only be given, if the construction is completed," he said.