Sri Lanka Police have lifted the curfew that was imposed in three Grama Niladhari divisions surrounding the Mahara Prison.
The Police Curfew had been imposed in the Grama Niladari Divisions of 246 Kandaliyadda Paluwa West, 246C Kandaliyadda Road North and 181/G Dambuwa.
The Curfew was imposed last night following the unrest that erupted among inmates at the Mahara Prison.
The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) held a high‑level meeting on Monday (27) with senior leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), strengthening ties between the two leftist movements.
JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva hosted CPI(M) leaders Prakash Karat and Brinda Karat at the party’s headquarters. JVP Politburo member and Minister Bimal Ratnayake also joined the discussions.
Prakash Karat, who served as CPI(M) General Secretary from 2005 to 2015 and later as interim coordinator following the demise of Sitaram Yechury in April 2025, attended alongside Brinda Karat, the first woman appointed to the CPI(M) Politburo and former General Secretary of the All India Democratic Women’s Association.
Talks focused on the JVP and National People’s Power’s rise to political prominence in Sri Lanka, measures taken to stabilize the economy, and initiatives aimed at improving public welfare.
The leaders also discussed government intervention in raising wages for plantation workers and broader efforts to foster a healthy political culture by eliminating corruption and dismantling privilege‑based politics.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) says that the government must justify the institutional necessity behind its proposed constitutional amendment to extend judges’ retirement age before any further action is taken.
The seven-point resolution, unanimously passed at BASL’s Special General Meeting on Wednesday (29), sets out the Association’s formal position on changes that would affect the tenure of sitting judges, including those of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.
Rather than extending judicial tenure, the BASL noted that the government should first focus on filling existing judicial vacancies through the standard constitutional appointment process.
The BASL urged the implementation of measures already outlined in the Justice Sector Assessment and Strategic Action Plan, including steps to reduce case backlogs, strengthen institutional capacity, modernise court infrastructure and widen access to justice.
On the specific proposal to raise the retirement age, the BASL insisted that it must not proceed without transparent, evidence-based justification, genuine consultation with stakeholders and a full assessment of its constitutional consequences.
It said that any review of judicial retirement ages should only be considered within the context of a comprehensive constitutional and judicial reform process, one that follows extensive public consultation and independent expert evaluation.
It also reaffirmed its resolve to defend judicial independence, the separation of powers, the rule of law and constitutional governance, authorising its office-bearers to pursue all lawful measures, both within Sri Lanka and abroad, to protect these principles.
The BASL’s final resolution appealed directly to the President, the government and Members of Parliament to withhold any constitutional amendment affecting judges’ tenure unless it is demonstrably necessary, transparently developed, widely consulted upon and consistent with the country’s constitutional traditions and international commitments on judicial independence.
The Vavuniya Magistrate’s Court has imposed a fine of Rs. 500,000 on private hospital for charging above the maximum approved fee for Full Blood Count (FBC) blood tests.
The legal action was filed by the Vavuniya District Investigation Officers of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) under Direction No. 67 issued in terms of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act.
According to the CAA, a special inspection carried out on July 14 found that the private hospital, located on Hospital Road in Vavuniya, had charged Rs. 550 for an FBC blood test, exceeding the government-prescribed maximum fee of Rs. 400.
The case was taken up before the Vavuniya Magistrate’s Court on July 28, where the court, after considering the facts presented, imposed a fine of Rs. 500,000 on the hospital.
The CAA has urged consumers to report private hospitals or medical laboratories charging fees above the prescribed maximum rates by contacting its 1977 hotline during office hours.
Uma Kumaran, the Labour MP for Stratford and Bow and the first person of Eelam Tamil heritage elected to the British parliament, has been appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, becoming the first British Tamil to hold ministerial office.
The appointment was confirmed on Wednesday evening as the new prime minister, Andy Burnham, set out his ministerial team. Kumaran will also serve as an Assistant Whip. The Foreign Office is the department responsible for British foreign policy, including its position at the United Nations.
Announcing the appointment, Kumaran said:
“Honoured to be appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. At a volatile time globally, Britain’s voice and international leadership matters. Looking forward to serving our great country in @FCDOGovUK”
She added that the news was:
“Particularly meaningful to share this news today as the first ever Minister of British Tamil heritage. Britain gave my both parents sanctuary, a chance to rebuild their lives and to flourish. An honour to serve King and Country at the FCDO”
From the backbenches to the department
Kumaran has pressed the Foreign Office on Sri Lanka since her election, tabling written questions asking what steps the department was taking to ensure that excavations at the Chemmani mass graves comply with international law and standards, how it was working to uphold the human rights of Tamils on the island, and whether it was acting to ensure that those responsible for human rights violations against Tamils are brought to justice.
She now takes office as the Chemmani excavation has become the largest mass grave investigation in the island’s history, with 471 sets of human remains identified to date, among them the remains of infants and children, and as families of the disappeared continue to demand an international investigation, having this week told a visiting European Union delegation that they would never accept domestic accountability mechanisms.
‘Their story is part of Britain’s story’
Kumaran was born in east London to Eelam Tamil parents who fled anti-Tamil pogroms in the early 1980s and were granted refuge in Britain, and was raised in Harrow. She studied at Queen Mary University of London and worked in the NHS, as a parliamentary researcher and caseworker, and as Director of Diplomatic and International Relations for the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, before serving as Deputy Director of Parliamentary Affairs to the then Labour leader, Keir Starmer.
She was elected in July 2024 as the first MP for the newly created constituency of Stratford and Bow, with a majority of 11,634.
Speaking to the Tamil Guardian before her election, Kumaran said Tamils had taken their voices to parliament many times, calling for justice and lobbying MPs, but had never had a voice on the green benches, and that it was her ambition to change that
A high-level American Congressional delegation is currently visiting Sri Lanka to reinforce ties between Washington and Colombo, with a special focus on security cooperation and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific.
The delegation, led by Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, arrived in the country on 27 July and is scheduled to remain until 30 July, holding a series of high-level meetings in Colombo with senior government, military and political figures.
Houlahan, a veteran of the US Air Force, serves on the House Armed Services Committee as Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Military Personnel, and is also a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
Her visit forms part of a broader American effort to deepen the bilateral relationship with Sri Lanka, with officials indicating that the trip is aimed at addressing shared concerns including transnational crime, economic development and commercial ties between the two countries.
During the visit, the delegation is due to meet several senior Sri Lankan figures, including Deputy Minister of Defence Major General (Retd.) Aruna Jayasekara, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Dr. Rizvie Salih and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.
These discussions are expected to cover a wide range of bilateral issues, with particular emphasis placed on regional security cooperation and efforts to promote stability across the Indo-Pacific.
Former State Intelligence Service Chief Suresh Sallay’s writ petition challenging his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in connection with investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks was fixed for further consideration on August 25 by the Court of Appeal today (28).
The petition was taken up before a bench comprising Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya and Justice Priyantha Fernando.
The bench directed that the petition be recalled on August 25 for further confirmation of facts, with additional submissions on the matter expected to be presented on that date.
S&P Global Ratings has affirmed Sri Lanka’s long- and short-term sovereign credit ratings at ‘CCC+/C’, while maintaining a stable outlook, citing continued economic recovery, strong revenue growth and improvements in fiscal management.
The ratings agency said Sri Lanka’s economy has remained resilient despite multiple external challenges, with increased government revenue helping to support fiscal consolidation and reduce debt servicing pressures.
However, S&P warned that the country’s external position could come under pressure this year due to a higher import bill and possible impacts from the Middle East conflict on tourism earnings and worker remittances.
The stable outlook reflects S&P’s expectation that Sri Lanka’s economic growth and fiscal recovery will continue over the next six to 12 months, although external risks remain significant.
“Sri Lanka’s creditworthiness remains vulnerable and dependent on favourable financial and economic conditions, but the government does not face an immediate risk of a debt or payment crisis,” the agency said.
S&P noted that Sri Lanka’s economic recovery has been stronger than expected, with real GDP growing 4.8% in the fourth quarter of 2025 and 5.1% in the first quarter of 2026.
The agency expects economic growth to slow to 3.8% in 2026 due to higher energy costs and external pressures before recovering to 4.2% in 2027 as global energy conditions improve.
S&P highlighted that government revenue increased significantly, supported by tax reforms and economic recovery. Revenue rose by 34% in 2025 to 16.7% of GDP, while the fiscal deficit narrowed to 2.3% of GDP.
Revenue growth continued in the first five months of 2026, increasing by 30% compared to the same period last year, the agency said.
However, S&P cautioned that Sri Lanka’s external position has weakened due to rising imports, currency pressures and uncertainty over tourism and remittance inflows.
The ratings agency said the Middle East conflict could affect Sri Lanka through higher energy prices, reduced tourism earnings and slower remittance growth, as the region accounts for a significant share of foreign worker remittances.
It also warned that a stronger El Niño event in 2026 and 2027 could pose risks to agriculture, electricity generation and overall economic activity.
S&P said Sri Lanka’s continued commitment to reforms under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme, including improving government revenue, cost recovery in utilities and strengthening public financial management, would remain important for further economic improvement.
The agency said it could upgrade Sri Lanka’s ratings if stronger economic growth leads to further improvements in fiscal and external positions. However, the ratings could be downgraded if renewed funding pressures or a significant deterioration in economic conditions emerge.
Tamil National Heroes Day 25 & 27 07-2026
Welikada Prison Massacred 43 rd Remembrance Day
எமது போராளிகளின் அர்ப்பணிப்பை அர்த்தம் உள்ள அரசியல் தீர்வை நோக்கி நகர்த்துவோம்
43rd Anniversary of Black July 83, TELO Leaders and Fifty three Tamil prisoners were murdered in the maximum security Welikade prison, In the July 83 anti-Tamil program Sinhala thugs, ruling UNP party cadres, sections of Sri Lankan troopers, and Sri Lanka Police killed more than 3000 Tamils and destroyed property worth billions of rupees.
Rights activists in Sri Lanka organized a rally seeking justice for the families of some 2,000 Tamil people killed in the Black July massacre 43 years ago, saying without reconciliation, the country cannot achieve lasting peace.
Some 200 people participated in a street campaign in Colombo on July 23, the eve of the ethnic pogrom’s 43rd anniversary, raising slogans and distributing leaflets to raise awareness on the issue.
They also collected signatures on a petition they plan to submit to the government to deliver full truth about the incident and ensure accountability for the crimes, allegedly carried out by majority Sinhalese mobs.
Lahiru Weerasekara, a leader of the Movement for Equal Rights, which organized the public program, said no one has been held accountable for the planned violence that selectively killed the Tamils.
“No justice has been served, and no compensation has been given to the victims to date,” he said, adding that those accused of involvement in the massacre continue to be active in national politics.
Politicians and party activists of the then-ruling United National Party were accused of organizing or encouraging attacks in certain areas. However, these allegations were never comprehensively investigated or prosecuted, activists say.
The United National Party was later split, and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB or United People’s Power) was formed, which is currently the main opposition party.
Both parties “must be held accountable for their links to the massacre,” he said.
The week-long massacre that started on July 24, 1983, targeting the Tamil community also destroyed 23,000 homes and businesses, and displaced 150,000 civilians.
Some estimates put the death toll at 3,000, but the government’s official estimate puts it at only 400 people.
The program has links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), formed in 1976, to demand a separate homeland for the ethnic Tamils in the northern areas, where they are concentrated.
The anti-Tamil massacre began a day after the LTTE ambushed an army patrol near northern Jaffna city, killing 13 Sri Lankan soldiers. That ambush is considered the beginning of a 22-year-long armed struggle that was crushed in 2009.
The civil war killed more than 100,000 people, displaced 800,000, and set development back by decades in the Indian Ocean nation of 22 million people.
Velauthan Sinthiya, whose father’s business in Colombo was burned during Black July, said the family managed to save itself by escaping with whatever clothes they had on.
The family moved to Tamil-dominated Vavuniya town and her father died of a heart attack that year, still grieving the destruction of his property and unable to support his children’s education, she told UCA News on July 24.
The collective wounds of the community remain unhealed even after 43 years, she said.
Father Marimuttu Sathivel, an Anglican priest and rights activist, demanded justice for those murdered and forcibly disappeared during the week-long violence.
Thusara Sadun, 49, a rights activist from Moratuwa, said Sri Lanka needs political devolution, demilitarization, accountability, and credible mechanisms to address victims’ grievances stemming from ethnic violence.
Sinhalese form some 74 percent of Sri Lanka’s 23 million people, with 15.1 percent Tamils and Sri Lankan Moors, mostly Muslims, forming some 10 percent.
William J. Grimm M. M.
Publisher
