Information on a public event between May 1992 and March 1993 in which Dr. Wijesekera, general secretary of the United National Party, denounced the Sri Lankan Freedom Party for cutting timber and exporting orchids illegally removed from the national forests [LKA24124.E]

Information on the above-mentioned topic could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB.

However, please find attached an article stating that in August 1992 the secretary-general of the United National Party was Housing Minister Sirisena Cooray (UPI 12 Aug. 1992), another that states the Deputy Consevator of Forests, W.R.M.S. Wickramasinghe, spoke out on deforestation in the spring of 1993 (The Sri Lankan Monitor Mar. 1993, 2), and another that states an inidividual named Mahinda Wijesekera is the current Deputy Minister of Shipping, Ports, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (The Sunday Times, 31 Mar. 1996). Also please find attached short biographies about Mahinda Wijesekera, Deputy Minister of Shipping, Ports, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, and A. Wijesekera, president of the People's Bank.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


The Sri Lanka Monitor [London]. March 1993. No. 62. "Dwindling Forests."

The Sunday Times [Colombo]. 31 March 1996. "From Prison to Power." [Internet] [Accessed 15 Oct. 1996]

The United Press International (UPI). 12 August 1992. BC Cycle. "Violence Erupts at Funerals for Sri Lanka's Top Brass." (NEXIS)

Attachments

The Sri Lanka Monitor [London]. March 1993. No. 62. "Dwindling Forests," p. 2.

The Sunday Observer [Colombo]. 17 March 1996. Jayampathy Jayasighe. "Man From Backwoods of Uva Who Heads People's Bank." [Internet] [Accessed 15 Oct. 1996]

The Sunday Times [Colombo]. 31 March 1996. "From Prison to Power." [Internet] [Accessed 15 Oct. 1996]

The United Press International (UPI). 12 August 1992. BC Cycle. "Violence Erupts at Funerals for Sri Lanka's Top Brass." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

DIRB Country File "Sri Lanka". Weekly. Apr. 1993-Sept. 1994.

The Sri Lankan Monitor [London]. Apr. 1992-Apr. 1993.

Tamil Information: News Bulletin of the Tamil Information Centre [London]. Bi-monthly. Aug.-Dec. 1993.

On-line search of media sources.

Four sources consulted did not provide information on the requested subject.