SRI LANKA President Mahinda Rajapakse exercising his powers under the constitution extended emergency regulations otherwise which is to be expired on March 1st mid night. But said extension has to be endorse by the parliament within the period of one month. As such President called the parliament which is dissolved on February 9th for the current term to meet on March 8th. This is not the first time that dissolved parliament is meeting to vote for a specific subject. In 2000 also during the time of President Chandrika Bandaranayake parliament met to consider the extension of emergency regulations. Emergency regulations has to be passed by the parliament and it is valid only for a period of one month. Sri Lanka government believes that emergency regulations should exist as the security forces are still engaged in operational activities. It is necessary to prevent the re-emergence of terrorist and secessionist forces Prime Minister told in the parliament.
UPFA Candidated contesting for the general elections pledge at the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura to carry out peaceful, disciplined and exemplary election campaign. UPFA will not forward manifesto aimed for general elections. Instead they will forward Mahinda Chinthana "Idiri Deka" which was introduced during the presidential elections.
During the past 30 years people in the North and East could not exercise their franchise independantly. Due to this fact in this general elections total of 1867 candidates are contesting for 31 seats in the North and East which consist 5 districts namely Jaffna, Vanni, Batticoloa, Tricomalee and Digamadulla. Eight recognized political parties and several independent groups are contesting.
UNITED STATES Supreme Court on February 23rd heard the case submitted by the Humanitarian Law Project against US Attorney General in reference to the Freedom of Speech which is connected to the proscription of US designated foreign terrorist organizations. The case nestled within the Patriot Act revolves around Freedom of Speech.
Sri Lanka is directly connected in this case because of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which is one of the US designated foreign terrorist organizations represented in this case. The Humanitarian Law Project, petitioner of said case was represented by Professor David D. Cole of Georgetown University.
US Supreme court will give its judgment in June, 2010.
United Stated Congressman from New Jersey Frank Pallone Jr. addressing at the Sri Lanka National Day celebrations at Royal Albert Palace in New Jersey complimented the Sri Lanka government for its military success against LTTE. He said "I am not a military expert but my view is that we should be thankful as a country that Sri Lanka was successful in rooting out terrorism. We have lots of lessons we can learn from Sri Lanka. We should take advantage of it."
Congressman Pallone is the chairman of Sri Lanka caucus in the US Congress.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) organized and sponsored a study tour of senior government officials to East Timor. Seven day study tour is aimed to learn how land owenership issues are being resolved in Timor-Leste. Rebecca Cogn, USAID Mission Director said, "USAID is sponsoring this study to introduce Sri Lankan officials to some of the issues they will face as they work to address land ownership and tenture in the North and the East. Land ownership issues in areas affected by the conflict will be difficult to resolve, but stability and prosperity will depend on policies and practices that are fair and just. We hope that Sri Lankan officials will come back with some new ideas and best practices that they can use to develop policies that meet the needs of all Sri Lankans.”
