Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, hosted former President Ranil Wickremesinghe for a dinner yesterday (22) in view of Wickremesinghe’s birthday that falls tomorrow (24).
Mr. Wickremeisnghe was accompanied by his wife, Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe.
Former President Wickremesinghe’s birthday falls on March 24.
The People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) says that over 3,000 observers will be deployed for the 2025 local government elections.
PAFFREL Executive Director Rohana Hettiarachchi stated that 160 officers, one per electoral constituency, have already been assigned for the observation process.
The Executive Director of this election monitoring initiative is Manjula Gajanayake.
The 2025 local government elections are scheduled to be held on May 6.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission says the expenditure limit for candidates will be gazetted next week.
In 1995, shortly after Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga came to power, she ordered the establishment of the Batalaanda Commission of Inquiry on September 21st to investigate the infamous Batalaanda incidents.
The commission was tasked with probing the illegal detention, torture, murder, and disappearance of young individuals in the Batalaanda Housing Scheme in Biyagama, a property which was under the purview of the State Fertilizer Manufacturing Corporation.
Today, we delve into some of the commission’s key findings regarding the events that transpired at the Batalaanda Housing Complex between 1988 and 1990.
What Did the Batalanda Commission Uncover?
The commission’s report underscores that several houses within the Batalaanda Housing Complex were used for illegal detention and torture during the period between January 1, 1988, and December 31, 1990.
The complex was under the purview of the State Fertilizer Manufacturing Corporation at the time, which was under the Ministry of Industries.
Ranil Wickremesinghe, then the Minister of Industries, played a pivotal role in this dark chapter of Sri Lanka’s history.
The commission’s findings revealed that Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed officials from the State Fertilizer Manufacturing Corporation to allocate and release houses in the Batalaanda Housing Scheme to police officers from the Kelaniya Police Division.
Key houses in the complex, including A 2/2, A 2/1, A 2/3, A 1/7, B 2, B 1, and B 7, were assigned for use by these officers.
The commission discovered that several of these houses were used by a police unit led by Douglas Peiris, the Officer-in-Charge of the Peliyagoda Police Station.
13 houses were also allocated to the Kelaniya Anti-Subversive Operations Unit.
Shockingly, one of these houses was even designated as Ranil Wickremesinghe’s personal office.
The commission found that Ranil Wickremesinghe had abused his ministerial authority by facilitating the unlawful occupation of houses in the Batalaanda Housing Complex.
Police officers from the Kelaniya Police Division, fully aware of the illegal activities occurring within the complex, violated departmental regulations in occupying these homes.
The commission identified 15 police officers including Assistant Superintendent of Police Douglas Peiris, Chief Inspector of Police Ranjith Wickramasinghe, and Senior Superintendent of Police Nalin Delgoda.
The commission also criticized Deputy Inspector General of Police Merrill Gunaratne for his failure to take action, allowing the illegal occupancy of the Batalaanda Housing Complex to continue unchecked.
The commission accused Senior Superintendent of Police Nalin Delgoda of intentionally failing to prevent these houses from being used for unlawful purposes.
The commission identified 13 officers directly responsibile for the illegal detention and torture of individuals including:
Assistant Superintendent of Police Douglas Peiris
Chief Inspector of Police Ranjith Wickramasinghe
Police Sergeant Ratnayake
Police Sergeant Ranatunga
Sub-Inspector of Police Delgahagoda
Police Sergeant Upali Lakhewa
Police Constable Driver Ranjith
Police Constable Jayawardena
Police Constable Heenbanda
Police Sergeant Kappagoda
Police Constable Padmini Premalatha
Police Constable Lakshman
Police Inspector Sunil Bandara Nissanka
What was Ranil Wickremesinghe’s role in this?
The commission’s findings expose that police meetings held at the Batalaanda Housing Complex during this period were explicitly unauthorized by the Ministry of Defense.
Yet, Ranil Wickremesinghe, then the Minister of Industries, took it upon himself to chair these meetings, even though he had no legal authority to do so.
Ranil Wickremesinghe personally instructed the liquidator of the State Fertilizer Manufacturing Corporation to set up illegal detention centres in houses within the complex, including B2, B8, B34, and A1/8.
The report also names Assistant Superintendent of Police Douglas Peiris and Chief Inspector of Police Ranjith Wickramasinghe as the ones who set up and ran these illegal detention centres, where people were tortured and mistreated.
The Commission clearly states that then Inspector General of Police, Ernest Perera, knew exactly what was happening but chose to do nothing about it.
Why was nothing done to stop these brutal acts in a government-owned housing complex?
Who truly benefited from these horrific actions, and why did they go unpunished for so long?
Should we allow these crimes to be buried in the past as if they never happened?
Or is it time to face the truth?
Source:News First
Coral colonies have started to grow across Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port which are now being nurtured and studied through a research project, its China-backed operating company said.
The port said eco-conscious policies of being a ‘green port’ has provided a sanctuary for the natural growth of different species of coral along the port’s breakwaters and on the artificial island.
The port was dug out of dry land and later flooded with sea water. The artificial island was built out of excavated material.
“This project originates from the ecosystem nurtured by Hambantota International Port. Several thriving coral colonies have developed within the port’s channel and basin,” Wilson Qu, chief executive of Hambantota International Port group said in a statement.
“Recently, we decided that it wasn’t enough to simply foster this natural growth—we also needed to investigate the phenomenon scientifically.”
The green port concept minimises the port’s ecological footprint while striking a balance between industrial activity and environmental preservation.
Under the Coral Reef Protection Project, the Ocean University of Sri Lanka (OCUSL), will conduct a comprehensive baseline study to assess coral cover, species diversity, and the presence of various marine organisms, such as fish, invertebrates and algae.
Corals are invertebrates but the polyps contributing reef building have a calcium carbonate (limestone) external skeleton. Some of the corals get their colours of algae growing on their surface. Soft corals are anemones without skeletons.
M.F.M. Fairoz, Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Fisheries and Ocean Science at OCUSL, will lead the monitoring efforts, conducting research over the next five months, HIP said.
“Our research aims to evaluate the current state of coral cover and species diversity,” Fairoz said in the statement.
“We also seek to establish a baseline for future monitoring that will help us understand ecological balance and provide insights into global coral conservation and restoration initiatives.”
“It provides university students with hands-on experience in marine biology and marine conservation, allowing them to participate in fieldwork and data analysis that will enhance their practical skills while contributing to cutting-edge marine research.”
The Hambantota port has released pictures showing what appears to be lettuce leaf coral, staghorn coral and small formations brain grooved coral, where some species of fish are seen swimming.
Among requirements for some types of corals is to be protected from strong wave action.
The study will also evaluate sea water quality, macroalgae growth, with the ultimate goal of assessing the health of coral ecosystems and their potential as models for future conservation and restoration efforts.
Hambantota International Port has initially allocated 1.2 million rupees for the first phase of the project, Jeevan Premasara – Senior General Manager HR and Admin said.
The first phase will be completed in May 2025.
The Appeal Court last week (18) set a date for July 30 to review of a petition seeking the annulment of an order previously issued by the court that prevented the summoning of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as a witness in the case regarding the disappearance of social activists Lalith Weeraraj and Kugun Muruganandan.
The case is currently being heard at the Jaffna Court.
The petition, filed by the association of relatives of missing persons during the war, seeks a fresh order compelling Rajapaksa to appear as a witness. Lalith Weeraraj and Kugun Muruganandan went missing on December 9, 2011, and the case is being heard in connection with their abduction. Rajapaksa, who was then Defence Secretary, was previously summoned to testify in the Jaffna Court in relation to the case.
Rajapaksa challenged the summons, citing security concerns, and an appeal filed in the Appeal Court resulted in dismissing the order, preventing him from appearing in court. The new petition aims to overturn this decision, as Rajapaksa is no longer serving as president.
The case involves the abduction of Lalith and Kugun, two activists who disappeared in Jaffna in 2011. The relatives of the missing persons are pushing for the court to compel Rajapaksa to testify, arguing that he is no longer protected by the previous ruling, which had prevented him from being summoned while in office.
Several political parties are to seek court intervention in Jaffna due to the confusion in accepting the nominations for the upcoming Local Government Elections 2025.
According to the Returning Officer, Jaffna District Mr.Maruthalingam Pratheepan, 148 parties and 27 independent groups handed over the nominations in Jaffna District and among them, 136 party nominations and 10 Independent groups were rejected due to various reasons.
This created a tense atmosphere near the District Secretariat. Former parliamentarian and the spokesperson of Democratic Tamil National Alliance (DTNA) Mr.Suresh Premachandran stated to the media that the rejection of their nominations (09 nomination of the DTNA rejected) are unacceptable, and they are preparing to file a case against the Jaffna election office and the returning offices in the high court.
Meanwhile, an independent group headed by Gnanapragasam Sulaxan also said they would seek court justice against the rejection.
The party ‘Tamil Makkal Thesiya Koottani’, headed by former parliamentarian C.V.Vigneswaran also rejected in the Jaffna municipal Council due to a signature issue. The mayor candidate of the party and the former Jaffna Municipal Council Mayor Mr.V.Manivannan also confirmed that they’ll file a case against the procedure of accepting the nominations.
The nomination of All Ceylon Tamil Congress headed by parliamentarian Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam for Nallur Urban Council, and Point Pedro Pradeshiya Sabha in Jaffna were rejected and they are also expected to go for legal action. For Nallur, the list was cancelled because a female candidate had placed her signature only without mentioning the name.
Parliamentarian Archchuna Ramanathan’s 10 independent groups among 11 submissions have been rejected, and they’re not sure about the next course of action.
However, the returning officer Mr.Maruthalingam Pratheepan stated to the media that they followed the regulations and circular instructions of the Elections Commission and rejected accordingly.
Sri Lanka will start work joint venture solar power plant with India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on April 05, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said.
A power purchase agreement for the plant to sell electricity to the national grid has been signed at 5.97 US cents, President Dissanayake told parliament at the end of debate on the 2025 budget.
The solar plant in Sampur is a joint venture between National Thermal Power Corporation, an Indian state agency and Sri Lanka’s Ceylon Electricity Board.
The CEB and NTPS was planning a 500 MegaWatt coal plant as the location, but it was scuttled through various means just before international tenders were to be called for the turbines.
Trincomallee is now to be developed as an energy hub.
Sri Lanka is strategically vital for the Indo-Pacific region amid rising co-operation among authoritative nations, Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Admiral Samuel J. Paparo said.
“The Indo-Pacific isn’t just vital to our militaries, it’s the engine of global prosperity,” Paparo said in Colombo at a meeting with top military officers.
“These waters carry over half of the world’s trade and the security environment we shape today will determine the nations’ future generations.”
Sri Lanka’s key position at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean is strategically vital, he said.
“These shores border key sea lanes that connect the Pacific to the Indian Ocean and to all seas,” he said.
“This geography allows Sri Lanka to influence maritime activities crucial to the entire Pacific.”
Some nations were threatening regional stability and international norms, by the ‘assertive behavior’ directly affecting freedom of navigation vital to commerce, he said.
“We see increased military cooperation among authoritarian nations, creating strategic challenges that demand immediate attention,”
“This is why strengthening democratic partnerships is imperative.”
Sri Lanka had joined peacekeeping mission and joined the Operation Prosperity and was leading the Combined Task Force 154 activity, making the country an essential partner, he said.
“We back our commitments with action, with shared intelligence capabilities, with joint and combined exercises, with professional military education, with advanced technology partnerships,” he said.
“And we together deliver real security results. We all recognize that securing these vast waters requires collaborative effort from all regional partners committed to peace and stability.”
The US has transferred three Coast Guard cutters to Sri Lanka and another one was expected next January. A Beechcraft reconnaissance aircraft was also provided.
The US was also working on providing two C-130 aircraft and H-57 helicopters.
The third reading of the Appropriation Bill (2025) was passed in Parliament today with a majority of 114.
While 159 votes were cast in favour, 45 MPs cast their votes against.
President Anura Kumara Disanayake presented the budget speech to Parliament on th 10th of February.
The acceptance of nominations for the Mannar, Poonakary, and Dehiattakandiya Pradeshiya Sabhas in the upcoming local government elections will commence on the 24th of March.
Nominations will be accepted until 12 noon on the 27th March.
Meanwhile, the deadline to deposit the bonds for these local government bodies has been set for 12 noon on the 26th March.
