Category: News

What we are experiencing now is the consequence of handing over everything in the country to politicians, the Chairman of the National Movement for the Protection of the Nation Ven. Elle Gunawansa Thera said.

“We have never heard of an era where the people of our country are suffering as much as they do these days,” he lamented.

He told the media yesterday that the people of the country did not rule the country, but only two parties. The people do not have sovereignty, he said.

“Now I am hearing several opinions being discussed about the issues in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of the country.
“The Government should not do that. It will be creating more national problems at a time when people are worried over their next meals,” he said.

“Political parties are pre-occupied with issues in the North and East, but the people of the country are not,” he said.

“The Constitution says that it shall give the foremost place to Buddhism while protecting and nurturing it, and it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana. But it has not mentioned a proper definition of how to protect and foster Buddha Sasana. That means the Constitution has misled us.”

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardana was present at the event. Ven. Gunawansa Thera said The foreigners used to visit Sri Lanka to admire our culture, ancient temples, and many other sights. The Government was nurtured by the revenue from foreign tourists because of the cultural monuments in the country. But the Government has forgotten that.”

“We are unable to switch on the lights due to the recent increase in the electricity tariff. Do not attempt to do anything to force us to come to the streets,” Ven. Gunawansa Thera cautioned.

“I’ve heard some Ministers speak arrogantly. Those are not the people who go to temples or are devout. There are some people and monks who always favoured in this country. As we used to say, we lose all the time. As monks, we don’t mind losing, but we want to remind this Government not to work in a way to undermine Buddhism,” he added.

Certain Tamil political parties including the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) took up a stance to push for mediation by other countries, including India and the US, at the upcoming all-party conference meetings where a resolution for the longstanding national ethnic question is to be sought.

Speaking to The Morning last week, Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK) Leader MP C.V. Wigneswaran said last week that an Indian mediator should be present at the all-party conference when reconciliation-related decisions are being made.

“The Government of India should send a senior civil servant to participate as a mediator. It is not a question of any particular person; the reason being that when it was done in 1987, many people in the civil service of India took part in it. Back then, President J.R. Jayewardene bamboozled everyone when he said in India that he would provide all the powers to the North and the East, but came back here and said that it is to be valid with regard to all nine provinces. This was not something India said when they were trying to do something beneficial for the North and the East. He then came up with the concurrent list, and this took away many of our powers,” he added.

He further noted that a Supreme Court case in 2007 divided the contiguity of the North and the East by delegating them as two separate provinces.

“Therefore, it is good if a senior Indian civil servant of the calibre of Norwegian Erik Solheim (currently International Advisor on Climate Change to President Ranil Wickremesinghe) can also take part in these discussions. I am of the opinion that we must have Indian intervention or Indian facilitation in the all-party conference.”

Also, in a recent letter written to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Wigneswaran had stated: “We Tamils would be calling upon India to send in their representative in case you wish to get the services of Solheim in the near future. In any event, we feel that the presence of India is sine qua non to attain a plausible solution.”

Meanwhile, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) MP Sivagnanam Shritharan also took up the stand that a mediator should represent India as well as the US.

“If you see the Indo-Lanka Pact, on behalf of the Tamil people, as their representative, India signed the pact. India is the superpower in the region and since the US has been continuously speaking up for human rights, we expect both countries to be represented as mediators,” he added.

Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) Leader and MP Selvam Addaikalanathan is of the same stance and said that under the supervision of India, other interested countries should also be represented as mediators.

The ITAK and TELO are part of the TNA.

Meanwhile, President Wickremesinghe stated at the first all-party conference held for the purpose that in January 2023, he will hold discussions with Opposition and Samagi Jana Balawegaya Leader Sajith Premadasa in regard to the devolution of power and the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, among others.

A two-minute silence was observed from 9.25am to 9.27am today, in remembrance of all those who died in the 2004 tsunami.

Today marks 18 years since the disaster.

Tragedy struck when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake was recorded in deep seas near Sumatra Islands in Indonesia.

The tsunami resulted in the death of nearly 282,000 people from 14 countries including Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and India.

The death toll in Sri Lanka was nearly 35,000.

Around 2,000 people were killed in the Peraliya Thelwatta train accident, which is considered to be the largest single rail disaster in world history by death toll.

Every year since 2005, the 26th of December has been declared National Safety Day and various programmes are carried out in remembrance of all those who died in disasters, including the tsunami.

The main event of this year’s National Safety Day was held at the Peraliya Tsunami Memorial in Galle, with the participation of state officials, Tri-Forces and Police, and the public.

The Disaster Management Centre said several programmes were organized in other districts, in line with the main event.

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has left the island from Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) earlier today (Dec.26), according to the sources.

The former President has reportedly left for Dubai together with his family members and thereafter will fly to the United States.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa was forced out of office earlier this year following the country’s economic crisis and unprecedented protests.

Sri Lanka is currently facing an economic crisis while it waits for International Monetary Fund (IMF) to formally approve USD 2.9 billion bailout package.

IMF and Sri Lanka reached a staff-level agreement to support the economic policies of the country with a 48-month arrangement.

Earlier this year, insufficient foreign reserves at Sri Lanka’s Central Bank and loss of access to international capital markets led to the country defaulting on debt, marking a first.

Restriction on the import of chemical fertilizer, abrupt floating of the Sri Lankan rupee and the Covid pandemic led to the economic crisis in the country which is hugely dependent on its tourism sector.

The National Election Commission is continuing to make preparations to conduct the Local Authorities Election.

The Commission has said it is in the process of preparing ballot boxes needed for the upcoming election.

Accordingly, the Commission has decided to use cardboard ballot boxes in the upcoming election as well.

Officials have commenced inspecting ballot boxes and those cannot be used will be disposed.

New boxes will be prepared as required. Meanwhile, several rounds of discussions have been held pertaining to the Local Authorities Election.

Accordingly, an announcement on the conduct of the Local Authorities Election is expected to be made during the first week of January.