Two Special Stamps To Mark CHOGM In Colombo

Two postal stamps worth Rs.5 and Rs.25 with special postal covers were issued this morning to commemorate the Commonwealth Heads Of Government meeting scheduled to be held on 15-17th November in Colombo.the newly issued stamps with postal covers were handed over to the president mahinda rajapakasha.

Channel-4 T.V Crew Has Abandoned Their Journey To Northern Sri Lanka After Protestors Blocked Their Train In Half Way

The visiting Six  member T.V crew of  Channel-4 T.V in Britain including the  controversial Journalist  Callum Macrae has sent back to Colombo by a special van this morning after the train they were traveled in to heart of Northern Province Kilinochchi was blocked by a group of protestors at Anuradhapura City(North Central Province) .

When the train reached Anuradhapura City, hundreds of protestors were sat on the rail way track and refused to allow the train which carrying hundreds of other passengers as well to continue their journey according to sources.the channel-4 t.v crew including their editor Ben de pear have stuck in Anuradhapura around two hours before abandoned their journey to kilinochchi and returned Colombo sources have added.

After allowing them to cover the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting scheduled to be held in Colombo from 15th to 17th of this month Channel-4 T.V crew including  Callum Macrae arrived Colombo yesterday(12) .they have catch an early morning train today to go to kilinochchi and after reached Anuradhapura City they have faced this incident.

Although the police officers have intervened in the incident the protestors who were blocked the rail track have repeatedly requested the Channel-4 team to return to Colombo.protestors have also accused the t.v crew for  taking funds from the defeated local terrorist group LTTE and  making controversial documentaries against Sri Lanka.

As Sri Lankan Government as well as the president mahinda rajapaksha repeatedly promised the invited guests for the commonwealth summit will have free access too all parts of the country channel-4 t.v crew has informed the incident to president's office and to the British High Commission in Colombo.

The Sri Lankan government has earlier announced  that all protests were  banned in run up to the commonwealth summit.

Commonwealth Business Forum Has Inaugurated In Colombo

The Commonwealth Business Forum has inaugurated  today (12) by president Mahinda Rajapaksha at Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo with the participation of around 1500 delegates from Commonwealth Countries including key businessmen and head of states.the three day Business Forum has scheduled to be concluded on 14th of November.

Around 67 delegates from non commonwealth countries are also participating this forum according to sources.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka Chamber Of Commerce has already  prepared around 50 investment projects for the Business Forum related to Tourism,Agriculture,Fisheries,Education,Information Technology and many more fields according to sources.

One of the  key businessmen who are  to address the Commonwealth Business Forum is Australian Businessman James Packer .however as he has arrived Sri Lanka with a tourist visa the main opposition party in the country United National Party(UNP) has lodged a complaint at Police Headquarters by requesting
arrest him  as he is attending the summit under tourist visa.

A Group Of Protestors Demonstrated Against Arrival Of Channel-4 T.V Crew

A group of protestors have demonstrated against the visit of British Channel-4 T.V crew lead by Callum Macrae at the lobby of Katunayake Bandaranaike International Air Port this evening soon after  the T.V Crew has arrived Sri Lanka.Channel -4 T.V Crew has left the Air Port only after the protestors  dispersed from the area sources said.

A group called "Movement To Promote National Harmony" has organized this protest campaign and nearly 100 protestors have participated the protest  sources further added.later the protestors have held a demonstration in front of Jaic Hilton Hotel where Macrae is staying.

Two Female Parliamentarians From Australia And New Zealand Have Been Detained In Sri Lanka

Two female parliamentarians from  Australia and New Zealand have been detained and are being questioned by Sri Lankan Immigration-Emmigration officials today(10) for violating visa regulations according Immigration-Emigration Department.Australian Green Party Senator Lee Rhiannon and New Zealand Parliamentarian Jan Loggie have been detained and later released after they have promised to leave the country by cancelling their planned projects in Sri Lanka authorities revealed.

Australian Green Party Senator Rhiannon has arrived Sri Lanka to study human rights record in Sri Lanka and due to meet Civil Society Groups in Colombo as well as to be conduct a press briefing at the time when she got arrested by immigration and emigration officials.according to officials both Parliamentarians were violated visa regulations and they were planned to engage in special projects here although they arrived Sri Lanka
under  tourist visas.

Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway To Be Closed For One Hour And Fifteen Minutes Tomorrow Noon

A section of the Colombo-Katunayake Express Highway is scheduled to be closed tomorrow from 12.45 p.m to 2 p.m due to the  arriving of VIP's including heads of states for the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting(CHOGM) in Colombo.the express highway from Baseline Road to Kelaniya Bridge and Borellla and  Baudhdhaloka Mawatha will be closed during that time period due to VIP Movement sources said.

Commonwealth Secretary And A Delegation Arrived For CHOGM Summit

The Secretary General Of Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma and  a delegation of Commonwealth Secretariat in London have arrived Sri Lanka this noon  to attend Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting(CHOGM)scheduled to be held in Colombo from 15-17th  this month.

The Secretary Sharma is due to attend  the Commonwealth Youth Forum to be held in Southern City of Hambanthota from 10-14 th of November prior to the heads of government meeting.

The commonwealth secretariat it self become under heavy criticism from International Human Rights Groups,Media and some other sections for their stand of giving Sri Lanka to host this year's Commonwealth summit citing human right violations.after the Colombo Summit Sri Lanka is to chair the Commonwealth for next two years .the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting is scheduled to be held in Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall(BMICH) and Hotel Waters Edge in Colombo from 15-17th of November and leaders in so many Commonwealth Countries have already confirmed their participation to the summit.