Category: News

The Daily Mirror and Lankadeepa extends an invitation to the three main Presidential candidates – Ranil Wickremesinghe, Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Sajith Premadasa for a LIVE presidential debate on their economic and political policies and their pledges in moving the country forward if they win the upcoming Presidential election scheduled to be held in October.

The interview will be aired LIVE on the Daily Mirror, Lankadeepa, Tamil Mirror and Sunday Times digital platforms.

A formal invitation requesting the three political leaders to join the debate will be sent out soon and readers will be kept updated once the invitations are accepted.

A date and time to host the debate will then be announced thereafter.

In the wake of reports that Tamil political parties are going to field a common presidential candidate, the main Tamil political party, Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) yesterday (7) said that it is open to hold discussions with every party regarding the Presidential Election despite the political differences they have.

Speaking to the media last week, ITAK Opposition Parliamentarian (MP), M. A. Sumanthiran, said that ITAK is ready to discuss with any political party or individual regarding the Presidential Election before taking a final decision. The MP also noted that ITAK’s discussion table is open to all individuals who have already announced their candidature for the election.

Responding to a question as to whether the ITAK has decided to support the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP), he stated that no such decision has been taken by the party. He elaborated that his party is ready to hold discussions not only with the NPP, but also with other parties such as the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) and the United National Party (UNP).

The question from the press came following MP Sumanthiran’s presence at a meeting where the NPP’s leader, MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, invited all the Tamil political parties to get together to find solutions for their issues.

Meanwhile, General Secretary of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF), a major breakaway faction of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), and which is the major constituent Party of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress (ACTC), MP Selvarajah Kajendran said that his party is boycotting the upcoming Presidential Election demanding a solid constitutional solution to the issues facing the Tamil community in the country.

Attempts made to contact the Tamil People’s National Alliance Leader and Opposition MP, Justice C.V. Vigneswaran on the common candidate prospects, proved futile.

A request by former president Maithripala Sirisena to meet the Indian high commissioner in Colombo has been turned down, said diplomatic sources.

It has been made after the media quoted him as having spoken about an Indian link to the Easter Sunday attacks.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa says he is confident that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will resolve its internal issues soon.

In response to questions raised by journalists in Anuradhapura today (07), the former President also mentioned that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) forming an alliance together with former members of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is not a challenge.

“We have no problem even if ten alliances are formed. It is good that our people [members of SLPP] are everywhere [in the alliances].”

Rajapaksa, who also commented regarding the SLPP’s presidential candidate, claimed that the party will definitely name a candidate for the Presidential Election and that a final decision regarding the candidate will be taken following discussions with the SLPP’s active members.

“Definitely, they will name a candidate. We didn’t summon them [party members] as of yet. We’ll take a decision after holding discussions with them.”

Commenting on reports of naming MP Namal Rajapaksa as the presidential candidate, the former President expressed that his son still has more time to run for the presidency.

Reported by Nikkei, Sri Lanka and a group of its creditors are in final negotiations to suspend debt repayments until 2028, Nikkei has learned, as country creditors including Japan seek to prevent China’s influence from expanding in the debt-ridden island.

Sri Lanka’s national security adviser to the president, Sagala Ratnayaka, told Nikkei in a recent interview, “Negotiations with the creditor nations have concluded. We are hoping that it [a detailed announcement] will take place in the next few weeks.”

The repayment period will be 15 years, from 2028 to 2042, with the interest rate newly set at around 2%. He said that there will be no further debt reduction, despite a request by the island nation.

Sri Lanka in April 2022 announced a temporary suspension of public external debt payments, in effect putting the country into default.

A meeting of creditor nations was set up in April 2023.

Japan, which is the largest creditor country after China, is serving as the chair in the talks along with India and France.

Sri Lanka and the creditor nations have reached a basic agreement on a repayment moratorium and a reduction in interest. The provision of financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund, which was conditional on debt restructuring agreements being struck with major creditor countries, has also begun.

China, the biggest creditor, has only joined the meeting as an observer. However, the restructuring of debt from China via loans of the Export-Import Bank of China would be “similar,” Ratnayaka said. “We have a saying which means ‘everyone will be treated equally’,” implying that the terms of debt repayment to China would be similar to those agreed at the creditors’ meeting.

As of the end of 2023, Sri Lanka’s outstanding debt was $37.3 billion, of which China accounted for $4.7 billion.

Sri Lanka handed over control of its southern Hambantota Port to China in 2017. This was seen as a typical example of a “debt trap,” where infrastructure rights are taken away amid delayed debt repayments. Some creditors, including Japan and India, are wary of China expanding its influence into the Indo-Pacific, with Sri Lanka as its base.

Ratnayaka explained that “this is all purely commercial. There is nothing military [about the port agreement]. Sri Lanka is open to investment and we don’t pick and choose on the basis of what country, unless it affects national security.” He added, “But in the north and areas which would affect the security of India, we are conscious.”

Source : Nikkei Asia

Sri Lanka plans to revamp the Hingurakgoda airport to an international airport, Aviation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said.

The minister said at a discussion that the objective is to turn the Hingurakgoda airport into an airport dedicated to civil aviation.

“The previous budget had allocated 2 billion rupees for this for this year. Until the construction of the airport is complete, from annual budget estimates, the money needed for this will be provided.

“Our final target is like Mattala and Palali to make this a dedicated airport for civil aviation, not domestic but international,” he said.

The Hingurakgoda airport, originally known as Royal Air Force Minneriya, airport goes back to the days of World War II, serving as a base for the British Royal Air Force.

Locals allege interference by Kalmunai South and discrimination over development, land, and financial matters
By Wasantha Chandrapala and S. Rubatheesan

The scorching sun and intermittent rains have not deterred the women and men protesting outside the Divisional Secretary office in Kalmunai North, a Tamil populated area in Ampara, since Monday.

Their longstanding demand has been that the Divisional Secretariat area be given its due recognition, and function similar to other Divisional Secretariats across the country.

Former Assistant Director of Agriculture, Kandasamy Sivalingam (70), alleged that funds coming from the decentralised budget have been stopped and local communities are discriminated against when it comes to rural development, land, and financial matters.

That is very unfair to us. Even today, there are people coming from the Kalmunai South Division and filling up land illegally. All funds have to come through the Kalmunai South Division,” he told the Sunday Times.

“The Divisional Secretary South claiming to have rights over the land is distributing lands at his own will. Some of the ancient tank areas are being filled up. There seems to be no law, and Urban Development Authority (UDA) and coast conservation laws are not applied in these areas,” he charged.

The dispute dates back to 1989, when former Home Affairs Minister K.W. Dewanayagam created the Assistant Government Agents division.

A proposal was submitted to the Cabinet in March 1993 to create AGA divisions and Assistant Divisional Secretary offices. Kalmunai (North) was one such division. A Cabinet Subcommittee was set up, and their report was submitted in July 1993.

Accordingly, approval was granted to upgrade 28 divisions as Divisional Secretary areas, and that included Kalmunai North as well. Even though all other Divisional Secretaries are vested with land and financial powers, this Divisional Secretariat is barred from exercising those powers due to political decisions.

According to data (2022) from the DS division, which consists of multi-ethnic communities, it serves 36, 346 persons from 10,361 families in the region from six villages, namely Kalmunai, Pandiruppu, Periyaneelavanai, Natpiddimunai, Chenaikudiyiruppu, and Manalchenai.

Protesters alleged that the Divisional Secretary, Kalmunai South, who was appointed by the Public Service Commission, has been exercising his powers over the Kalmunai North DS division unlawfully with backing from authorities.

Even though a cadre position for the post of accountant was created for DS North recently, no steps have been taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs yet to fill the vacancy due to political pressure, protesters alleged.

Athisayaraj Jacob, Divisional Secretary of Kalmunai North, told the Sunday Times that failure to exercise the full powers of the council resulted in significant challenges in the day-to-day affairs of the administrative system of the council when it comes to serving the local community.

“Since we are unable to exercise powers with regard to land, finance, budgetary allocations, etc., we have been writing referral letters to other DS South and District Secretariats to perform our basic operations,” Mr. Jacob told the Sunday Times.

Following a similar protest in 2019, steps were taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs to upgrade the DS division, but locals questioned why the respective division needed to be upgraded when it had been functioning as a Divisional Secretariat for over 30 years based on a cabinet approval granted on July 28, 1993.

Those powers are exercised by the Kalmunai South Divisional Secretary area, which is located in a predominantly Muslim area. Protesters allege that the Kalmunai South Division is blocking the full fledged operations of the Kalmunai North Division due to political reasons.

Currently, around 320 state employees are attached to the Kalmunai North office, even though the office cannot exercise its powers fully and serve those residing within its limits.

Protesters allege that lands located in the Kalmunai North area are being distributed at the will of the Kalmunai South Divisional Secretary.

A visit to the area revealed that some of the of the area reserved for the water to flow into the sea is being used to construct houses, some of them multi-storey buildings. In some locations, walls have been built, blocking the flow of water as well, locals allege.

Divisional Secretary Kalmunai South J. Liyakath Ali said even though there is a Kalmunai North Divisional Secretariat, the land powers are with the Kalmunai South Divisional Secretariat . “Those powers have not been gazetted,”

In response to a question by the Sunday Times about illegal constructions in marshy lands that have been filled up, he said, “Those involved have obtained permits for the lands from the Kalmunai Municipal Council, and the Divisional Secretary cannot take responsibility.”

Pon Selvanayagam, a former municipal member, said that many of those who settled there claimed they had deeds, but those were illegally forged deeds. “We are taking to the streets due to the injustice that is taking place here,”

“There are other Divisional Secretary areas that have not been gazetted, but they have been given financial and land powers. Among the areas are Nawadanveli, Aliyadiwembu, and Lahugala. So the question is why Kalmunani North is being treated differently,” he asked.

“There cannot be two laws in one country,” he added.

Ampara District Secretary Chinthaka Abeywickrema said since the Kalmunai North Divisional Secretariat has not been vested with land powers, the Secretariat has appointed an Acting Accountant . “Therefore, we don’t see a problem there.”.

In response to the question about illegal lands, he said he has not got any reports so far on the matter. “If any information is provided, I will stop them right now.”.

Ms. V. Dushitha, an officer attached to the suboffice of the UDA in Kalmunai, said that approvals for construction are given by a planning committee, and so far approvals have been given only for two constructions, and the Kalmunai South divisional secretary said they were private lands. Filling in two other lands has been stopped.