The focus in the Sri Lankan English media is more on the impending arrival of Prince Charles as the representative of the Queen, British premier David Cameron and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) rather than the prospects of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's participation in the summit, which has drawn stiff opposition from all political parties in Tamil Nadu. The reports that appeared in the last 10 days or so also dwell on President Mahinda Rajapaksa being poised to take over as the Chair of the Commonwealth organization from Abbott.
Daily News, Sri Lanka's national newspaper, is on a high carrying headlines like "Lanka rolls out red carpet for CHOGM delegates- President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prince Charles, Commonwealth Secretary General and Australian PM to address the inauguration ceremony". The absence of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this line-up speaks for itself. The newspaper cannot be faulted as India is yet to confirm its participation in the conference apart from the issue of whether Prime Minister Singh himself will participate.
The newspaper carried a lead story on Friday based on a letter to the Lankan media from the British foreign secretary William Hague, stressing that attending the commonwealth meet is the right thing to do "as by visiting we can see the situation on the ground". He also makes the point that CHOGM is not about one country and all members must engage with one another to find solutions. Another report in the newspaper elaborates on the benefits for Lankan tourism by hosting the CHOGM. ColomboPage, Sri Lanka's internet newspaper, also carries Hague's statement.
NEWS LK, the official news portal, started the trend in October with a report on Prince of Wales Charles hosting a reception at the St. James's Palace for members of the British Sri Lankan community prior to his CHOGM 2013 visit. The Colombo Telegraph, however, acknowledges the importance of Indian premier's participation in the summit. It carries a report, citing an Australian newspaper's editorial calling on New Delhi to refrain from following Canadian PM Stephen Harper's lead to boycott the CHOGM. It also attacks Britain's Channel 4 for its video on alleged atrocities by the Sri Lankan army.
The Ceylon Today has a report quoting the Bishop of Mannar, Reverend Rayappu Joseph, urging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit the Northern province as India, he says, "has also promoted the war and therefore he should see for himself the outcome of the war". This is in tune with the thinking of the Indian ministry of external affairs, which has made it known that if the PM travels to Sri Lanka, he would not only attend CHOGM but visit Jaffna.
Daily Mirror gives prominent space to Cameron's statement that he would demand investigation into war crimes and human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, while another report in the daily notes that Congress party in India has failed to decide on its PM's trip to Colombo. Sunday Leader has a catchy headline: CHOGM Tremors: Indian government is split on whether to participate. The Island newspaper has a story on Cameron wanting to visit Jaffna.
Daily News, Sri Lanka's national newspaper, is on a high carrying headlines like "Lanka rolls out red carpet for CHOGM delegates- President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prince Charles, Commonwealth Secretary General and Australian PM to address the inauguration ceremony". The absence of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in this line-up speaks for itself. The newspaper cannot be faulted as India is yet to confirm its participation in the conference apart from the issue of whether Prime Minister Singh himself will participate.
The newspaper carried a lead story on Friday based on a letter to the Lankan media from the British foreign secretary William Hague, stressing that attending the commonwealth meet is the right thing to do "as by visiting we can see the situation on the ground". He also makes the point that CHOGM is not about one country and all members must engage with one another to find solutions. Another report in the newspaper elaborates on the benefits for Lankan tourism by hosting the CHOGM. ColomboPage, Sri Lanka's internet newspaper, also carries Hague's statement.
NEWS LK, the official news portal, started the trend in October with a report on Prince of Wales Charles hosting a reception at the St. James's Palace for members of the British Sri Lankan community prior to his CHOGM 2013 visit. The Colombo Telegraph, however, acknowledges the importance of Indian premier's participation in the summit. It carries a report, citing an Australian newspaper's editorial calling on New Delhi to refrain from following Canadian PM Stephen Harper's lead to boycott the CHOGM. It also attacks Britain's Channel 4 for its video on alleged atrocities by the Sri Lankan army.
The Ceylon Today has a report quoting the Bishop of Mannar, Reverend Rayappu Joseph, urging Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to visit the Northern province as India, he says, "has also promoted the war and therefore he should see for himself the outcome of the war". This is in tune with the thinking of the Indian ministry of external affairs, which has made it known that if the PM travels to Sri Lanka, he would not only attend CHOGM but visit Jaffna.
Daily Mirror gives prominent space to Cameron's statement that he would demand investigation into war crimes and human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, while another report in the daily notes that Congress party in India has failed to decide on its PM's trip to Colombo. Sunday Leader has a catchy headline: CHOGM Tremors: Indian government is split on whether to participate. The Island newspaper has a story on Cameron wanting to visit Jaffna.
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