copenlu/druid huggingface dataset:
Claim: Percy Abeysekara Passed Away !! (Social Media Users, 2023-08-08)
Evidence (2024-10-05): Veteran Sri Lankan fan Percy Abeysekera passes away after fighting long-term illness [...] Veteran Sri Lankan fan Percy Abeysekara fondly called Uncle Percy passed away on Monday, October 30. Percy celebrated his 87th birthday in August this year but had been unwell from a long time. Notably, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) also presented Rs 50 Lakh to Percy in September to support his well-being and maintenance of good health. [...] Sad, sad day not just for Sri Lankan but entire cricket community! Uncle Percy has passed away after a prolonged illness — Amol Karhadkar (@karhacter) October 30, 2023
Claim: Percy Abeysekara Passed Away !! (Social Media Users, 2023-08-08)
Evidence (2023-10-31): Percy Abeysekera has passed away recently …. carrying the Sri Lankan flag and reams of cricketing memories with him to an abode in the skies: memories that encompassed at least 70-72 years of cricketing cheer. Yes, that long a span. To me, Percy was first and foremost, an Aloysian. When I joined the St. Aloysius cheering squad as a 14-to-16 year old at the Galle Esplanade during our cricketing matches against Richmond, Mahinda and other schools, Percy was one of our cheerleaders. So, his patriotism and his crazy cricketing virtuosity was nurtured in Galle …. at our school. [...] So, dwell ….. and reflect on this photo. Mark the fact that Gamini Dissanayake was obliterated by a Tamil Tiger suicide bomber on 24th October 1994;[1] while the other figure in this picture, Sujeeva Kamalasuriya was swallowed whole at Unawatuna beach by the massive tsunami of 26th December 2004. Thus. Percy outlived both by a considerable span of time. Such is life. Percy lived life to the full. For Ceylon and Sri Lanka. For its cricketing squads he did so amiably; with spirit; with repartee…. AND with energy. In his early days he sometimes sprinted around the field whenever our batsmen hit a boundary. Indeed, in his younger days he did so with remarkable energy. What FERVOUR! What SPIRIT!
Claim: Percy Abeysekara Passed Away !! (Social Media Users, 2023-08-08)
Evidence (2023-10-30): Percy Abeysekera, the iconic flag-waving, quick-witted supporter of the Sri Lankan cricket team, passed away after a battle with prolonged illness in Colombo on Monday. The 87-year-old Abeysekera, who was fondly called as Uncle Percy by fans and cricketers alike, was a constant presence on cricket grounds across the world where his country played. Abeysekera, known for his colourful dressing, began his travels to cheer for the Lankan cricket team from the 1979 World Cup and since then he attended all major cricketing events except the on-going World Cup owing to poor health.
Claim: Percy Abeysekara Passed Away !! (Social Media Users, 2023-08-08)
Evidence (2023-10-30): Percy Abeysekara, cricket’s original cheerleader and Sri Lanka’s mascot, will not be seen standing on the boundary with the Sri Lanka flag anymore. Lovingly known world over as Uncle Percy, he died on Monday, aged 87. "It is with great sadness that I heard our beloved Uncle Percy has met his maker. You were the first superfan and for all of us you will always be special. RIP," wrote Sanath Jayasuriya on X on Monday. Percy was to Sri Lanka what Chacha Cricket was to Pakistan or Gravy to Antigua, and perhaps much much more. At a time superfans didn’t exist as a concept or even a dream, Percy was a regular fixture at matches featuring Sri Lanka—patting players, escorting batters from the boundary rope to the dressing room fringes, waving the flag all along. Abeysekera cheered for Sri Lanka since the 1979 World Cup but he gained more fame during the 1996 edition that was co-hosted by Sri Lanka. He was almost synonymous with the golden generation of Sri Lanka, right from the heady World Cup winning days of 1996 till about the mid 2010s when the last of the greats—Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan retired within the space of a few years. "From my debut till my last game Uncle Percy was a constant. His contribution to the game in Sri Lanka stands equal to any of the players that have worn the shirt. His energy, his passion, knowledge and rhyme will be sorely missed. Rest in peace Uncle Percy," wrote Sangakkara on X.
Claim: Percy Abeysekara Passed Away !! (Social Media Users, 2023-08-08)
Evidence (2024-10-08): Sri Lankas famous cricketing cheerleader Percy Abeysekera passes away [...] Sri Lanka’s legendary cheerleader on the cricket field Percy Abeysekera, affectionately known as ‘Uncle Percy’, has passed away at the age of 87. [...] Born on the 30th of July, 1936, Percy Abeysekara recently marked his 87th birthday with a celebration.
Claim: Percy Abeysekara Passed Away !! (Social Media Users, 2023-08-08)
Evidence (2023-10-30): W. D. Percy Gimson Mendis Abeysekera [...] Walimuni Simon Mendis Abeysekera [...] Percy Abeseykera has witnessed it all, this Cinderella Story of Sri Lankan cricket, at very close range for nearly 60 years, carving a niche for himself as an epitome of the bitter hardships, enduring passion and the unparalleled success of
Claim: Percy Abeysekara Passed Away !! (Social Media Users, 2023-08-08)
Evidence (2023-10-30): Sri Lankan superfan Percy Abeysekera aka Uncle Percy has passed away after a prolonged illness. The 87-year-old Sri Lankan followed the game since his childhood and was a hardcore fan of his national team. Uncle Percy was first seen supporting the Sri Lankan team in the 1979 World Cup and has been with the team ever since. [...] Recently, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has presented Rs. 5 million to Uncle Percy Abeysekara for his health and well-being. Sri Lankan commentator Roshan Abeysinghe shared a photo of SLC Secretary Mohan de Silva presenting Abeysakara with the cheque. Abeysinghe had posted, " Sri Lanka Cricket presented Rs.5mn to Mr. Percy Abeysekera to assist him in his well-being and maintenance of his health. Great gesture indeed."
Claim: Pipe Water In Colombo Not Suitable For Consumption, Due To Chlorine Shortage And Purification Issues (Social Media Users, 2022-04-10)
Evidence (2022-04-10): Our inquiries revealed that the reports on social media claiming that pipe water in Colombo is unsuitable for consumption due to a shortage of chlorine and power supply issues are misleading. While Ceylon Electricity Board acknowledged that there were minor power cuts in some water treatment plant areas, National Water Supply Board assures that the water released after frequent tests are 100% safe and claims related to Chlorine supply are false as there are stocks lasting up to 6 more months. Furthermore, health authorities in Colombo and suburbs also have not come across any specific illness related to water contamination in the past few weeks.
Claim: Pipe Water In Colombo Not Suitable For Consumption, Due To Chlorine Shortage And Purification Issues (Social Media Users, 2022-04-10)
Evidence (2022-04-19): A number of Facebook posts both in English as well as Sinhala, requested public to be cautious about the tap water in Colombo, claiming that many instance of purge related sicknesses had been reported from the area. These posts pointed out that the causes of water contamination were the lack of power supply to purification centers as well as the shortage of Chlorine in the country. Below is one Facebook post. [...] Our inquiries revealed that the reports on social media claiming that pipe water in Colombo is unsuitable for consumption due to a shortage of chlorine and power supply issues are misleading. While Ceylon Electricity Board acknowledged that there were minor power cuts in some water treatment plant areas, National Water Supply Board assures that the water released after frequent tests are 100% safe and claims related to Chlorine supply are false as there are stocks lasting up to 6 more months. Furthermore, health authorities in Colombo and suburbs also have not come across any specific illness related to water contamination in the past few weeks. Title:Is Water in Colombo not suitable to drink due to Chlorine shortage and Purification issues? Find out the Facts…
Claim: Pipe Water In Colombo Not Suitable For Consumption, Due To Chlorine Shortage And Purification Issues (Social Media Users, 2022-04-10)
Evidence (2023-06-06): Colombo district, Sri Lanka. Twenty-six brands of drinking water were collected from the Colombo district (19 locations) microbial quality was detected by checking the total coliforms (TC), fecal coliforms (FC), heterotrophic bacteria, fungi and algae. The results revealed that 50 % of drinking water brands violated the [...] Considering the urbanization rates in Sri Lanka, Colombo is one of the most highly urbanized cities. More than 10 % of the population of Sri Lanka lives in the Colombo district. Eighty percent of the water demand in Colombo is fulfilled by the Kelani River and it is a primary source of drinking water (Liyanage and Yamada, 2017). According to the Food Control Administration Unit of the Ministry of Health (2019), twenty-six brands of bottled water are available in the Colombo district markets. The bottled water manufacturers in Sri Lanka mostly use dug wells, tube wells, and springs as a water source for bottling and most bottled water contains purified underground water (Piyarathna et al., 2020). Some of those bottled water manufacturers use underground water from the Kelani [...] that may have adverse effects on human health, and each company that prepares drinking water has to follow the stipulated standards (WHO, 2011). The Ministry of Health and SLSI have stipulated the standards for drinking water in Sri Lanka.
Claim: Pipe Water In Colombo Not Suitable For Consumption, Due To Chlorine Shortage And Purification Issues (Social Media Users, 2022-04-10)
Evidence (2019-03-01): Preparing for the Future: Challenges in Water Management in Colombo, Sri Lanka [...] Water has become one of the key natural resources which are highly vulnerable to degradation in both quality and quantity under the circumstances of urban expansion and population explosion observed in major cities. Thus, adequate water management measures are considered as essential components in attaining sustainable development. The city of Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, is increasingly experiencing a water crisis as a result of a rapidly growing demand that has outstripped existing resources. Two major sources of water are used to meet the needs of water supply to the city: rivers and reservoirs. Numerous factors could be held responsible for water shortages which appear from time to time, and the results are obvious: absence of or mostly, insufficient water in need. This paper highlights the issues in continuous water supply to Colombo with a special emphasis on current threat factors including pollution by domestic sewage, municipal wastewater and industrial effluents as well as salinity intrusion in Kelani River and other water sources. Potential effects of climate change could pose on water supply and are also discussed. [...] Wickramasinghe, D. (2019). Preparing for the Future: Challenges in Water Management in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Claim: Pipe Water In Colombo Not Suitable For Consumption, Due To Chlorine Shortage And Purification Issues (Social Media Users, 2022-04-10)
Evidence (2022-12-24): Access to safe and quality drinking water is a fundamental requirement and a basic human right. Water quality is determined by its biological, physical, and chemical properties. Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area consists of the largest population who utilize pipe-borne water supplied by the National [...] Board (NWS&DB) is the main government organization responsible to provide safe piped- borne water in Sri Lanka. The NWS&DB supplies water to 34% of the country’s population, while local authorities and community water supply schemes account for another 10%. Most of the cities and their suburbs are supplied with treated water by NWS&DB. People who are living in rural areas use their own water supplies, most frequently sourced from groundwater such as shallow wells and deep wells. People who are living in the dry zone of Sri Lanka, use water in irrigation tanks for bathing and household consumption (Ellawala & Priyankara, 2016). [...] Pipe-borne treated water in Sri Lanka is suitable for human consumption
Claim: Pipe Water In Colombo Not Suitable For Consumption, Due To Chlorine Shortage And Purification Issues (Social Media Users, 2022-04-10)
Evidence (2019-04-11): In urban areas it is necessary to have high elevated storage facilities, such as storage water tanks on top of buildings, elevated water towers and ground storage reservoirs on top of hills or high elevated ground. At present Colombo city uses around 300,000 m3 of water on the average per day. Accordingly, the minimum high-elevated storage has to be 100,000m3 to 125,000m3, and ground-storage facilities should be 200,000 m3 to 175,000 m3. After the completion of the ongoing GCWRP project, the elevated storage in Colombo city will total up to 82,500 m3. After commissioning of Maligakanda new reservoir, a decision has to be taken ‘with regard to the Maligakanda rectangular concrete reservoir, which is around 125 years old, along with piping and valves. For this purpose a panel of experts may have to be appointed by the NWSDB for ascertaining their condition. This would need this reservoir and the components to be isolated from the distribution network for checking the condition for stability, whether they are suitable for further use or, whether they would have to be replaced with a new reservoir along with the other components.
Claim: Pipe Water In Colombo Not Suitable For Consumption, Due To Chlorine Shortage And Purification Issues (Social Media Users, 2022-04-10)
Evidence (2022-04-29): - Herath, H.M.A.S.; Kubota, K.; Kawakami, T.; Nagasawa, S.; Motoyama, A.; Weragoda, S.K.; Chaminda, G.G.T.; Yatigammana, S.K. Potential risk of drinking water to human health in Sri Lanka. Environ. Forensics 2017, 18, 241–250. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Claim: Pipe Water In Colombo Not Suitable For Consumption, Due To Chlorine Shortage And Purification Issues (Social Media Users, 2022-04-10)
Evidence (2010-08-30): This present situation of pollution of these waters is causing serious problems for large populations in many of these districts. The water supply to Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara is being supervised by the National Water Supply and Drainage Board, but in other districts people have to use the unclean water directly from these sources, without any protection or monitoring [...] The response by the government of Sri Lanka concerning the unsafe water and related health problem needs to be urgent and comprehensive. It needs to immediately address the problem at its source by effectively regulating, monitoring and reducing the use of toxic chemicals that enter the water system, both through the industrial and agricultural sectors. It also needs to extend its safe drinking water services to cover the entire population. It needs to improve the health services it provides to cater for the growing number of persons requiring long-term health treatment for chronic kidney disease. It also needs to engage in campaign of public information in order to provide grater disease prevention and protection for vulnerable groups and the wider population. The Asian Legal Resource Centre urges the Independent Expert on human rights, water and sanitation and other relevant Special Procedures to monitor this situation closely and provide recommendations to the government of Sri Lanka to assist it in resolving this problem before it worsens further.
Claim: An Organized Criminal Group Posing As Government Officials For TIN Registration in Sri Lanka! (Social Media Users, 2024-01-06)
Evidence (2024-01-06): There is no credible evidence to support the social media claims about an organised group posing as government officials requesting ID and TIN numbers. The Defense Ministry and the Ministry of Public Administration have not reported any such incidents, and there are no media reports substantiating the claims. Therefore, the social media posts can be considered misleading.
Claim: An Organized Criminal Group Posing As Government Officials For TIN Registration in Sri Lanka! (Social Media Users, 2024-01-06)
Evidence (2024-09-15): This is a list of some notable organized crime figures within the underworld of Sri Lanka. [...] - ^ "Sri Lanka Latest Breaking News and Headlines | Underworld figure". Daily Mirror. [...] - ^ "Criminal leader 'Higuraka Sudda'". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2021-05-13. Retrieved 2021-05-25.
Claim: An Organized Criminal Group Posing As Government Officials For TIN Registration in Sri Lanka! (Social Media Users, 2024-01-06)
Evidence (2024-01-06): Sri Lanka’s tax system has been updated with a new requirement for everyone aged 18 years or more. The Inland Revenue Department of Sri Lanka has introduced a mandate under Section 102 of the Inland Revenue Act for resident persons’ registration. In this blog, we’ll dive into the specifics of TIN registration in Sri Lanka, explaining what this change means for you and guiding you through the registration process. Who Needs to Register for TIN Registration in Sri Lanka? [...] Got questions about the new TIN registration in Sri Lanka? Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Our team is dedicated to guiding you smoothly through obtaining your TIN number, and we won’t stop there. We’ll also assist you with opening tax files, calculating your PAYE tax, and handling other tax-related matters. Our experts are here to provide advice and support, aiming to reduce your tax burden effectively. You’re not alone in this journey. Let us help you navigate the complexities of tax registration with ease.
Claim: An Organized Criminal Group Posing As Government Officials For TIN Registration in Sri Lanka! (Social Media Users, 2024-01-06)
Evidence (2023-01-01): Although organized crime is a significant issue in Sri Lanka, political rhetoric on the matter has rarely turned into legislation. Reports indicate that citizens’ trust in the Sri Lankan government has decreased dramatically because of rampant corruption, a lack of transparency and accountability, as well as a lack of equal representation of certain groups. Additionally, many citizens fear government surveillance and harassment. Reports indicate that the government functions as a family enterprise; it is centralized and has little oversight. At the same time, Sri Lanka has taken several steps towards preventing and countering corruption through its national action and anti-corruption programs. Furthermore, since the end of the civil war, there have been efforts to seek accountability for war crimes, but these have now been abandoned. An independent anti-corruption agency was established to investigate allegations of bribery and corruption. Nevertheless, government efforts to address organized crime have generally taken a backseat.
Claim: An Organized Criminal Group Posing As Government Officials For TIN Registration in Sri Lanka! (Social Media Users, 2024-01-06)
Evidence (2024-01-07): TIN අංකය ලියාපදිංචිය තහවුරු කිරීමට රජයේ නිලධාරීන් ලෙස පෙනී සිටිමින් පැමිණෙන සංවිධානාත්මක අපරාධ කණ්ඩායමක් පිළිබඳ සාක්ෂි නොමැත! [...] බදු ගෙවන්නන් හඳුනාගැනීමේ අංකය (TIN අංකය) මේ දිනවල දැඩි ලෙස කතා බහට ලක් වන මාතෘකාවක්. මේ ඔස්සේ නොයෙකුත් අසත්ය තොරතුරු සමාජ මාධ්ය තුළ බහුල ව සංසරණය වනවා එලෙසින් පළ වූ නොමග යන සුළු සටහනක් පිළිබඳව අප සිදු කළ විමර්ශනයයි මේ. [...] Title:TIN අංකය ලියාපදිංචිය තහවුරු කිරීමට රජයේ නිලධාරීන් ලෙස පෙනී සිටිමින් පැමිණෙන සංවිධානාත්මක අපරාධ කණ්ඩායමක් පිළිබඳ සාක්ෂි නොමැත!
Claim: An Organized Criminal Group Posing As Government Officials For TIN Registration in Sri Lanka! (Social Media Users, 2024-01-06)
Evidence (2023-05-04): It has also shaped organized criminal activity. Sri Lanka experienced a surge in serious and organized crimes in 2022, a year that saw much political unrest and civilian uprising. According to police data, grave crimes increased by 60 per cent month on month during 2022, while minor crimes increased in absolute terms from 1 676 recorded offences in January 2022 to 29 908 by the end of November. Additionally, by December 2022, 32 deadly shootings had been reported, largely linked to disputes between drug cartels. This kind of activity is indicative of an increase in the number of transnational crime syndicates, which officials believe are operating from outside Sri Lanka. [...] Transnational crime syndicates find troubled spots particularly opportune in moments of crisis. This is especially the case in Sri Lanka, where the crisis was unprecedented. The instability has presented opportunities, particularly for well-established organized criminal networks, such as the groups controlling the country’s prominent drug trades. Chief of these is the heroin trade, for which Sri Lanka scored 6 out of 10 in the 2021 Index.
Claim: An Organized Criminal Group Posing As Government Officials For TIN Registration in Sri Lanka! (Social Media Users, 2024-01-06)
Evidence (2023-09-18): Relatives of the forcibly disappeared, human rights defenders, social activists, and journalists told Human Rights Watch that they face intimidation by a range of military, police and intelligence agencies such as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) of the police, the Military Intelligence Corps (MIC) of the Sri Lankan army, and the paramilitary police Special Task Force (STF). "If we are going to organize any protest or press meet, suddenly we will receive calls from CID, TID, MIC, and STF intelligence," said an activist in Jaffna. [12] In the Eastern Province, people also face intimidation from former members of paramilitary groups.[13] The wife of a disappeared person in Batticaloa district said: [...] The TID called and threatened me. They said, "You can’t raise your voice for the rights of the people." They said it quite openly like this. They are preventing me from talking about the corruption of government officials, human rights violations against Tamil people, or land issues. When I keep reporting on the injustice towards Tamil people, they insinuate that I am working to revive the LTTE.[38]
Claim: An Organized Criminal Group Posing As Government Officials For TIN Registration in Sri Lanka! (Social Media Users, 2024-01-06)
Evidence (2022-12-18): Furthermore, when it comes to organized criminal gangs in Sri Lanka, they get the patronage of certain ill-motivated politicians. On certain occasions, those criminal gangs provide security, financial support, commodities and services for these politicians. On the other hand, those certain ill-motivated politicians also offer security and support to keep the underworld operating. Therefore, officials who fight against organized criminal gangs faced various issues. Other organized crime groups in Sri Lanka, in addition to the underworld gangs, engaged in unlawful business ventures to generate significant profits while posing as respectable corporate entities. Human trafficking, the importation of commodities using false invoices, and the importation of prostitutes from other nations are prominent examples of their unlawful economic ventures. Foreign exchange fraud is a significant form of organized crime in Sri Lanka. With the recent records and updates, Sri Lanka has become a victim of the rising crime wave amidst the crisis. Beginning in June, there have been several shootings, which have sparked panic and increased feelings of insecurity throughout the entire community. It has been evident via in-depth investigations that the majority of the shootings were connected to the illicit drug trade taking place between various criminal gangs.