Category: Featured Headlines

The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) has dismissed media reports claiming it has decided to suspend the ‘Starlink’ satellite broadband service, which has been planned to be implemented in the country.

According to the Director General of TRCSL Bandula Herath, a dashboard system is required to carry out the necessary regulations for providing this service. However, there has been some delay in bringing in this system to the country, he said.

He stated that the ‘Starlink’ satellite broadband service is expected to become operational in April, as soon as the necessary systems are in place.

Speaking further, the Director General affirmed, “I can say with responsibility that the service provided by that company will not be stopped. The service is scheduled to be available in our country by April.”

He also highlighted that, “they provide a dashboard to properly regulate the service they offer, to ensure that the required service is being delivered correctly to the customers, and to regulate the country’s national security. Through this, we can regulate both issues effectively.”

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.

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.