Category: News

Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said that the Attorney General’s recommendation to release three suspects involved in the murder case of senior journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge is currently under review.

In response to this development, several media organizations have expressed strong opposition.

What is the Attorney General’s Advice on the Lasantha Wickrematunge Assassination?

The Attorney General’s advice on the Lasantha Wickrematunge assassination case has become a topic of significant debate.

The controversy stems from a letter sent by the Attorney General to the Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on January 27.

The Attorney General informed that no further legal action would be taken against three individuals involved in the case: Prem Ananda Udalagama, Don Tissasiri Sugathapala, and Prasanna Nanayakkara.

A copy of the Attorney General’s letter was also sent to the Magistrate of Mount Lavinia.

The Magistrate is required to inform the Attorney General of the actions taken based on this recommendation.

Who Are The Individuals Involved?

Prem Ananda Udalagama was a Former member of the Army Intelligence Unit, accused of abducting and threatening Lasantha Wickrematunge’s driver, Devamullage Karunaratne.

He also faces charges related to the abduction and assault of journalists Keith Noyahr and Upali Tennakoon.

Don Tissasiri Sugathapala was the Former Officer-in-Charge of the Crimes Division at the Mount Lavinia Police Station.

Prasanna Nanayakkara is a Retired Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police.

Both Sugathapala and Nanayakkara are accused of destroying evidence related to Lasantha Wickrematunge’s assassination, specifically the notes that were penned down in the diary found in Wickrematunge’s vehicle at the time of his murder.

What Was The Reason for the Attorney General’s Recommendation?

The Attorney General’s Department said that Prem Ananda Udalagama was identified by Lasantha Wickrematunge’s driver during a lineup, but the driver later claimed that the CID had shown him Udalagama before the identification process.

The Attorney General’s Department cited insufficient evidence to proceed with criminal charges against Tissasiri Sugathapala and Prasanna Nanayakkara.

What Revelations Were Made In Court?

On June 1st, 2018, during the trial related to the assassination of Lasantha Wickrematunge, significant revelations were made regarding the second and third suspects, former Police Inspector Tissasiri Sugathapala and retired Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Prasanna Nanayakkara.

Attorney-at-Law Rasika Weerasuriya, representing Tissasiri Sugathapala, stated in court that Prasanna Nanayakkara, who was the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the area at the time, had threatened his client. The threat was to prevent investigations into the motorcycle numbers noted in Lasantha Wickrematunge’s diary, which was found in his vehicle at the time of his murder.

The Attorney-at-Law further revealed that Prasanna Nanayakkara had warned that if the investigations continued, Tissasiri Sugathapala and his family could face the same fate as Lasantha Wickrematunge.

The Attorney-at-Law added that consequently, the relevant diary and investigation reports were handed over to Deputy Inspector General of Police Prasanna Nanayakkara by Tissasiri Sugathapala.

Italian Naval Ship Antonio Marceglia arrived at the port of Colombo on a replenishment visit this morning.

The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions.

Antonio Marceglia is a 144m long frigate commanded by Commander Alberto Bartolomeo.

In addition, the ship is manned by a crew of 199.

During the ship’s stay in the island its crew is expected to explore some interesting tourist destinations in Colombo and Galle.

The ship is scheduled to depart the island on 07 February and on her departure Antonio Marceglia is set to engage in a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with a Sri Lanka Navy ship off the coast of Colombo.

Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne informed the House this morning (5) that he has not yet received the Supreme Court’s decision on the petitions challenging the Local Government Elections (Special Provisions) Bill.

His statement came in response to a question raised by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa regarding the status of the court ruling.

The Supreme Court had completed hearings on the petitions, which challenged certain clauses of the bill as unconstitutional, and announced on 27 January that its ruling would be confidentially forwarded to both the President and the Speaker.

However, MP Dayasiri Jayasekara countered the Speaker’s statement, pointing out that Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa had stated during a press conference last week that the Speaker had already received the ruling and would communicate the decision to Parliament today.

A heated situation erupted at this juncture as the Opposition questioned how the Cabinet Spokesperson’s statement contradicted that of the Speaker. The Speaker then put a hold on the arguments, urging the Opposition to take his word on the matter. The Opposition responded that they had no issue accepting the Speaker’s statement.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa chaired a key discussion today (Feb. 5) with opposition party leaders to discuss coordinating future political activities and parliamentary affairs.

During the meeting Premadasa stressed on the need for a united opposition to strengthen Parliament, support beneficial government initiatives, and oppose harmful policies.

The primary objective of the meeting was to reach a consensus on collective action both inside and outside Parliament.

The Opposition Leader also highlighted the importance of parliamentary committees and agreed to take future action accordingly.

This meeting follows a special discussion held on January 29th between Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and opposition party leaders.

Among those in attendance were opposition party leaders Gayantha Karunatilleka, J.C. Alawathuwala, Ajith P. Perera, Rishad Bathiudeen, Namal Rajapaksa, Dilith Jayaweera, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Ravi Karunanayake, Jeevan Thondaman, Sivagnanam Shritharan, P. Sathiyalingam, A. Adaikkalanathan, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Rauff Hakeem, Nizam Kariapper, V. Radhakrishnan, Anuradha Jayaratne, D.V. Chanaka, Kader Masthan, and others.

‘GovPay’, the initial step in the digitalisation of Sri Lanka’s government services, will be officially launched on February 7, the president’s media division said.

This “initiative will streamline and modernize how government institutions handle payments, enabling seamless transactions through a secure and efficient digital platform,” the PMD said.

The facility, which aims to modernize revenue collection processes, will be launched by President Anura Kumara Disanayake.

GovPay will initially integrate 16 government institutions, then Ministry of Digital Economy said.

An additional 30 institutions are scheduled to join in two further phases, achieving full implementation by April 2025.

This facility will enable citizens to make payments for government services through fintech applications or online banking platforms.

On the occasion of Sri Lanka’s 77th National Independence Day, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stressed on the nation’s collective hopes and aspirations for a new kind of freedom.

Reflecting on Sri Lanka’s rich history, President Dissanayake highlighted the government’s commitment to rebuilding a thriving nation through the united efforts of people from all regions—North, East, West, and South.

In his message on the occasion of Sri Lanka’s 77th National Independence Day, President Dissanayake called for elevating the nation to new heights for the sake of future generations.

He reminded the citizens of the sacrifices made by historical heroes who fought with their blood and tears to achieve freedom. The President urged everyone to work both individually and collectively to build a modern, developed Sri Lankan nation guided by social, environmental, and ethical principles.

Over the past four months, the new government has laid the foundation for a stable economy, introduced a new political culture, and committed to a new political ideal.

President Dissanayake outlined the government’s vision for a society where people regard each other with equality, respect, and empathy, free from racism and religious divisions. He emphasized the importance of governance through public engagement and the rule of law, with a focus on eradicating rural poverty.

The President also highlighted the government’s efforts to ensure that no citizen, particularly the most vulnerable, is left behind. Steps have been taken to digitalize the economy and embrace advancements in science and technology. Additionally, he noted that the government is committed to transforming Sri Lanka’s global image from a country known for corrupt governance to one that upholds an independent foreign policy and earns trust in international relations.

Despite numerous obstacles and the deep-rooted flaws of the past corrupt political system, President Dissanayake expressed confidence in the steady progress of the people’s government. He affirmed that Sri Lanka has entered an era of national revival and called on all Sri Lankans to stand strong and united. The President invited citizens to participate in shaping a modern vision of freedom and contribute to the collective beginning of this new era of revival.

Sri Lanka’s decision to sign media agreements with China has raised concerns among media workers over the likelihood of further undermining of the country’s already fragile media freedom.

A media agreement was among several pacts signed with China in the past fortnight by the left-leaning new government.

Still, its details have “not been disclosed to the public,” said Dharmasiri Lankapeli, prominent rights activist, addressing media workers in Colombo on Jan. 30.

Sri Lankan president Anura Kumara Dissanayake reportedly signed at least 15 pacts during his Jan. 14-17 first official visit to China, agreeing to expand cooperation in health, farming, trade, and education.

Officials said Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health and Mass Media signed MoUs with China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) and the state-owned Xinhua NewsAgency to support capacity-building programs for officials and journalists.

According to the government, the agreements involve partnerships between state media agencies and audio-visual departments.

Lankapeli, secretary of the Federation of Media Employees’ Trade Unions, believes the agreement allows Chinese media to operate in Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka’s state media operators to get trained in China.

“This is concerning as Sri Lankan journalists push for reforms to protect media independence,” Anthony Sanjeewa, a senior journalist based in Colombo.

He criticized the move, saying it comes at a time when Chinese media are “widely considered as state-controlled” entities used for propaganda.

Sanjeewa, a Christian, told UCA News that the media partnerships will be a “setback for press freedom. Besides, they could compromise local media integrity and align it with foreign interests. ”

China has a trade interest in Sri Lanka and, between 2004 and 2014, gave the island nation some US$7 billion in loans and investments.

The tiny South Asian nation that experienced its worst economic crisis two years ago currently has a debt of US$64 billion. Reports show that 95 percent of state revenues are spent servicing loans.

However, China continues to invest, and the pact signed with Dissanayake recently includes a $3.7 billion deal to establish an oil refinery in Hambantota.

Other agreements included a renewed currency swap agreement and the advancement of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects, such as a seaport in Colombo and an airport in Hambantota.

Journalists point to the 2024 World Press Freedom Index released by Paris-based Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which says Sri Lanka’s press freedom ranking has dropped by 15 positions, falling to 150th place from 135th the previous year.

Lankapeli said that journalists in the country have faced a brutal and repressive regime for more than two decades, destroying media institutions.

Senior journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan was murdered allegedly by pro-government Tamil military gunmen in his home in 2000. His murderers were arrested in London, but the Sri Lankan government has yet to bring them back to Sri Lanka.

Prominent government critic editor Lasantha Wickrematunga was murdered in 2009, followed by the 2010 disappearance of cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda. Several media outlets faced attacks, including the Tamil-language Uthayan newspaper.

As the government enters media cooperation with China, it should also ensure media freedom, Lankapeli said.