Category: Breaking News

President commences diplomatic discussions in India

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During his three-day official visit to India, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with prominent Indian officials at the ITC Maurya Hotel in New Delhi today (15), the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

These included India’s Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Shri Ajit Doval.

Extensive discussions were held between President Dissanayake and Minister Sitharaman on enhancing Indo-Sri Lankan economic cooperation and expanding investment opportunities between the two countries, the statement added.

The talks also covered bringing more Indian tourists to Sri Lanka, modernizing Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector, and developing digital infrastructure.

President Dissanayake’s meeting with Dr. Jaishankar was marked by a cordial atmosphere, where attention was focused on exploring the potential for utilizing India’s vast market to aid Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. Dr. Jaishankar affirmed India’s commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in the tourism, investment, and energy sectors, according to the PMD.

The discussions also addressed areas of mutual interest, such as advancing the fisheries industry and fostering national unity in Sri Lanka.

Later, President Dissanayake met with Shri Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Advisor, to discuss regional security matters, it added.

Sri Lankan officials accompanying the President included Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath, and Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Prof. Anil Jayantha Perera.

President Dissanayake receives warm welcome in India

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived in India today (15) at around 5:30 p.m via the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi.

He was warmly welcomed by India’s Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Dr. S. Murugan, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha, Additional Secretary of the Indian Ocean Region Puneet Agrawal, Chief of Protocol Anshuman Gaur, and other diplomatic officials, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

The Indian media gave significant coverage to the President’s arrival. Around major roundabouts in New Delhi, billboards featuring the images of both President Dissanayake and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were prominently displayed, the PMD said in a statement.

Later tonight, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to hold discussions with India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor, Shri Ajit Doval, it added.

Accompanying the President on this visit are Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism Vijitha Herath, and Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando, according to the PMD.

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Tamils accuse state intelligence of snooping on them

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State Intelligence agencies in Sri Lanka are accused of spying and intimidating public welfare organizations that are at the forefront of assisting North and East-based Tamil people who were affected by recent cyclones and floods.

A leading member of the Association for the Relatives of the Enforced Disappearances (ARED), a civil society group created to search for the tens of thousands of people who disappeared during Sri Lanka’s armed conflict, says even humanitarian operations and help are being threatened by the intelligence agencies which is hampering the relief operations for the affected.

Despite personal losses and extreme mental agony and trauma faced by the ARED members, who are searching for their loved ones who were either handed over or surrendered to the security forces, they say even their small efforts helping the flood-affected are being seen with suspicious eyes as well as being subjected to intimidation by the state intelligence agencies.

Most parts of the North and East were heavily flooded in the recent cyclonic conditions and severe downpours, which have caused floods, throwing the lives of war-affected Tamils out of order whilst thousands of them are yet to get back to their everyday life.

Maria Suresh Eswary, president of the Mullaitivu District ARED, says such actions are intimidating and humiliating. She says the most recent example of such a threat came when they were helping the Tamils affected by heavy floods in the Oddusuddan area.

“The flood-affected did not get any assistance or relief. So four days ago we organized from relief getting help from the diaspora. We packed those relief material in small packs and were getting ready to distribute them. At that time the intelligence officials intervened asking as to who gave that relief material, and what items were in it. This was hugely intimidating”.

She was speaking to the media at the Jaffna Press Club. She accused the government of filming them while distributing relief materials instead of analyzing the damage caused by the floods and organizing help and relief for the affected Tamils.

“The government could have instructed the officials to assess the damages of the flood. But, without doing that, they are filming our activities of what we are doing in the relief operations including what we are distributing and to whom. How can such a government render justice to us? You think for yourselves”.

Mariasuresh Eswari further stressed that Anura Kumara Dissanayaka was elected president due to the Tamil votes. Even after that, intelligence agencies’ activities for the past three months have been very intimidating, and we are under constant surveillance.

“Even though he has not said he would not finish us off, his intelligence agencies act in a threatening manner. District-wise over the past three months, their intimidation has been continuous and increasing”.

President to Visit India for Bilateral Talks

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka is scheduled to leave for India tomorrow for an official visit.

This is the first overseas visit undertaken by the President after his assumption of office.

The state visit is scheduled from 15-17th December.

During the visit, President Dissanayaka will meet Indian President Droupadi Murmu and engage in bilateral discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top Indian officials on various topics of mutual interest.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this visit will further advance and consolidate the long-standing relations between the two countries.

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Sri Lanka’s new Speaker to be appointed on Dec. 17?

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Political observers have stated that the appointment of a new Speaker to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Asoka Ranwala should likely take place on December 17.

Parliament is scheduled to convene on December 17, and it is expected that the relevant nominations for the appointment of a new Speaker will be submitted on that day.

Meanwhile, Prof. Prathiba Mahanamahewa commented that this is the first time in the history of Sri Lanka’s Parliament that a Speaker has resigned.

He explained that the resignation notice can be submitted by the Speaker to either the Secretary General of Parliament or the President.

Once the President receives the resignation letter, the President can make a decision regarding its acceptance.

If the President accepts the Speaker’s resignation, a new Speaker must be elected by Parliament. This appointment can be made through a vote or nomination, in accordance with ordinary law, Prof. Mahanamahewa added.

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European Union allocates 175,000 euros for Sri Lankans affected by floods

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The European Union is allocating 175,000 euros (53.8 million rupees) to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to people affected by cyclone Fengal across Sri Lanka.

The funding will benefit over 37,000 people in some of the hardest-hit areas in the eastern and northern provinces, EU in Sri Lanka said in a statement.

This EU funding will support the Sri Lanka Red Cross in delivering assistance to address the basic needs of people who have lost their homes or livelihoods.

Funded activities include the distribution of essential household items, school supplies and cash grants to the most vulnerable families.

There will be also cleaning campaigns and actions to prevent possible outbreaks of diseases such as dengue.

The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (IFRC-DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

It comes in addition to contributions of 350,000 euros earlier this year, following previous floods in the country.

Cyclone Fengal caused heavy rains and very strong winds, damaging homes, infrastructures, and livelihoods. Water and sanitation facilities are compromised by the flooding in the most affected districts.

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Sri Lanka Parliament Speaker resigns after allegations over fake doctorate

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Sri Lanka’s Parliament Speaker Ashoka Ranwala has resigned from the post citing the concerns over the credentials of his doctorate degree, local media said.

The resignation comes after the parliament website early this week removed ‘Dr’ title from the Speaker’s name following the allegations.

Ranwala’s resignation letter said he had not done anything wrong.

“In the last few days, an issue about my educational qualification has been raised in the society. I have not made any false statement about my educational qualification,” the letter read.

“But as I do not have some of the documents required to confirm the educational qualifications at the moment, and I have to get them from the relevant institutions, it has become difficult to submit those documents promptly at the moment.”

“The research institute affiliated to Waseda University in Japan, where I received my Ph.D., has the ability to submit relevant educational documents and I intend to submit them as soon as possible.”

“However, in view of the situation that has arisen, I hereby inform that I have decided to resign from the position of Speaker that I currently hold in order to avoid inconvenience to the people who have placed their trust in us.”

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‘Offenders will face consequences, regardless of rank or status’ – President AKD

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“We will not allow the trust the people have placed in us to be undermined in any way,” stated President Anura Kumara Dissanayake during a meeting with the heads of state media today (13).

He further emphasised, “Regardless of their status in government, if mistakes are made, we will not hesitate to take appropriate action,” according to the President’s Media Division (PMD).

The President further explained:

“For more than seven decades, the people of this nation have built and dismantled various governments. For the first time, we stand with a profound understanding of the historic mandate entrusted to us and the National People’s Power on two occasions.

The people placed their faith in the National People’s Power (NPP) government, hoping for a standardised and stable country. We will not tarnish that extraordinary trust, even by the slightest misconduct.

Simply put, our government is not here to shield anyone who errs, for any reason. Be it within the broader framework of the country or within our administration, anyone found guilty of wrongdoing will face consequences. We will not hesitate to act decisively and at the right time.

In essence, our government will not shield anyone who makes a mistake, regardless of the reason. Whether the mistake occurs within the country or at any level within our government, we will not hesitate to take decisive action. Every necessary step will be taken at the appropriate time without delay.”

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake also reaffirmed his government’s unwavering commitment to upholding the trust placed in them by the people, who have endured decades of deception. He pledged to work tirelessly to build a better nation, the PMD added.

The Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr Nalinda Jayatissa, Director-General of Government Information, Harsha Bandara, and the heads of state media were present at the meeting.

Canada Reaffirms Support for Sri Lanka’s Anti-Corruption Efforts

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Canada has reiterated its commitment to supporting Sri Lanka’s ongoing battle against corruption.

This was during a meeting between the High Commissioner for Canada in Sri Lanka, Eric Walsh, and Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayaka, the Secretary to the President.

High Commissioner Walsh expressed Canada’s willingness to provide both technical and strategic support to help Sri Lanka combat corruption. He emphasized that Canada is ready to share its expertise in addressing these issues and assist Sri Lanka in its reform initiatives.

During the discussions, Walsh highlighted that Sri Lanka’s current economic challenges have been significantly influenced by its political culture.

He acknowledged the efforts of the Sri Lankan government in tackling these challenges and noted that their commitment to reform deserves international recognition.

Two more fake ’Dr’ titles rock govt

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Days after a shocking dispute over the doctoral credentials of Speaker Asoka Ranwala and his stoic silence over it, fresh controversy has emerged following the discovery that Urban Development and Housing Minister Aruna Karunatilake also does not possess such qualifications despite him being referred to as ‘Dr.’ on certain occasions and in instances, and the same of Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara being dropped from the parliamentary website.

An informed source told the Daily Mirror that some close aides of Minister Karunatilake had mistakenly referred to him as ‘Dr.’ since he is from academia.

The Minister is currently reading for his doctorate in Computational Mathematics at the Kelaniya University.

He is expected to submit his thesis within the next three months only.

In the meantime, the Justice Minister had also been referred with the ‘Dr’ title in official letters issued by the Office of Leader of the House earlier, but it had been knocked off from the parliamentary website.

The sudden drop has further fueled concerns that the academics who entered Parliament on the NPP ticket had used fake titles to deceive the public.

It is learnt that the parliamentary authorities have instructed those officials to have an overview of the titles in front of the names of MPs.

Opposition parties say this is an assault on the legitimacy of the NPP which boasted of academic and professional qualifications of its members, now assigned with responsibilities to run the country.

Earlier, the UNP said that the use of a fake doctorate title by the Speaker is an insult to the Parliament of Sri Lanka which is the oldest democracy in South Asia. Following criticism, the Speaker has got his title removed from the official website of Parliament.

The government has not made any official announcement yet, though the government said he was expected to hold a media briefing soon and would release a statement.

The NPP government, throughout it’s Presidential and Parliamentary campaign had been stating that their candidates were professionals including doctors, engineers etc. and they would bring in a new political culture by maintaining transparency.

Opposition parties such as the SLPP have already called on the diplomatic community to distance itself from the Speaker due to his alleged false educational qualifications and called on him to resign immediately.