Category: News

Executive Director of People’s Action for Free & Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Rohana Hettiarachchi says the National Election Commission and the government must take necessary measures to conduct the Local Authorities Election before the end of February.

Speaking during a media briefing in Colombo, Hettiarachchi said if the election is not conducted before the end of February, they will take legal action.

He also said his organization met with the Prime Minister who is also the Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government and requested him to take steps promptly to conduct the Local Authorities Election.

Rohana Hettiarachchi also stated that they will take legal action if any steps are taken to delay the conduct of the election.

Sri Lanka’s human rights activist Sandya Eknaligoda has been named one of the world’s most influential women of 2022 by the BBC.

The BBC has published the list of 100 most influential women in the world and has included women from several areas such as politics, science, sports, entertainment, and literature.

Sandya Eknaligoda is the wife of investigative journalist and cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda who is reported missing since 2010.

She was a strong critic of the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa-led administration.

She received several accolades for her work carried out to support mothers and wives of missing persons in Sri Lanka.

Sandya Eknaligoda is also a strong advocate of human rights and has made several statements at UN Human Rights Council sessions.

The list also includes global music phenomenon Billie Eilish, Ukraine’s First Lady Olena Zelenska, actress Selma Blair, the ‘tsarina of Russian pop’ Alla Pugacheva, Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi, record-breaking triple jump athlete Yulimar Rojas, and Ghanaian author Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah.

The list also reflects the role of women at the heart of conflict around the world in 2022 – from the protesters bravely demanding change in Iran, to the female faces of conflict and resistance in Ukraine and Russia.

Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Deputy Leader and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Nuwara Eliya District Opposition MP Velusami Radhakrishnan yesterday (6) pointed out in Parliament that his party is ready to extend their support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe if he ensures a daily wage of Rs. 3,000 to estate workers and promises to resolve their housing and land-related issues.

“We are not against the President, but if he agrees to resolve the issues of the estate workers, the TPA is ready to extend its support to him,” he added.

While addressing Parliament during the Budget debate on the Ministry of Agriculture head of expenditure yesterday, he welcomed the move initiated by President Wickremesinghe to resolve the ethnic issue.

“He should not only be confined to the issues in the North and the East, but also resolve issues of plantation Tamils and Muslims as well,” he added.

He further said that tea, vegetables, and flower cultivations have been profoundly affected in the Nuwara Eliya District due to a shortage of fertilisers and pesticides.

“The flower export industry, the tea industry, and vegetable cultivations have been thoroughly affected in the Nuwara Eliya District due to a shortage of fertilisers and pesticides. I urge the Ministry to look into these issues. This issue has affected the people living in the estates,” he further added, while also noting that the Ministry should take the necessary steps to bring the affected industries back to normalcy.

“I urge that the cultivation of these crops be increased. The ban on chemical fertilisers has led to various issues. You neglected the agricultural sector by banning chemical fertilisers and such decisions have caused a setback in this country,” he added.

“The upcountry people are suffering, as they’ve not even been granted a salary increment of Rs. 1,000. They are facing serious issues. They do not have housing facilities or lands. Plantation companies have grabbed the agricultural lands of the upcountry people. These activities have badly affected the agriculture of the upcountry people. The laws relating to plantation companies are quite stern on the people.”

Meanwhile, on an earlier occasion, speaking to The Morning, TPA’s Leader and SJB MP Mano Ganesan expressed disappointment over the Budget 2023 speech by President Wickremesinghe, claiming that Wickremesinghe’s apparent ignorance has shattered the hopes of hill-country Tamils.

“This has shattered the hopes of our people. We are disappointed at the ignorance of Wickremesinghe on the issues of the plantation sector and the urban poor. The World Bank, the United Nations agencies, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Sri Lanka Red Cross have identified that food insecurity and poverty rates are high in plantations and also amidst the urban poor,” he added, claiming that President Wickremesinghe has failed to implement the expected affirmative action relief plans for these underprivileged segments.

The North-East Women’s Union (NEWU) held a massive protest yesterday (6) in all eight districts in the Northern and Eastern provinces, urging the Government to address the shortages in essential medicines and medical equipment in State hospitals.

The Northern Province comprises the Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mannar, Mullaitivu, and Vavuniya districts, while the Eastern Province comprises the Ampara, Batticaloa, and Trincomalee districts.

Speaking to The Morning, NEWU representative Viveki Nishanthan said that the shortage in medicinal drugs and equipment has badly affected everyone in this country following the economic crisis. Thus, the NEWU wanted to bring it to the notice of President Ranil Wickremesinghe by handing over a petition stating that it had also affected those in the North and the East. “Around 500 members participated in each of the eight districts to bring this issue to the notice of the President. We cannot afford to buy medicines from pharmacies as the economic crisis has hit us too. This issue is not only faced by us but by everyone in the country. But on behalf of the NEWU, we want to address the issue with the representation of all women in the North and the East,” she added.

She further said that there is a massive drug shortage in all the State hospitals in the North and the East, and that most people are now facing difficulties when they opt to buy medications from pharmacies because most medications are expensive and therefore, unaffordable.

“There is no medication for dog bites and snake bites. It is dangerous for us to live like this. When we live in villages, we have to face such issues. This is our fundamental right. So, we have now sent a petition to the President, Minister of Health Keheliya Rambukwella, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) and the World Health Organisation (WHO),” she said.

The petition highlighted that the people in the North and the East are facing difficulties while purchasing medications from private clinics or pharmacies, due to the drug shortage in State hospitals in the area.

“We appeal to the Government to address this shortage issue and to take necessary steps to provide adequate medications to the affected areas,” the petition read.

Female representatives from both provinces held slogans that read: “The Government of Sri Lanka should immediately facilitate the availability of essential medicines and medical devices to the people”, “Ensure women’s health rights”, “Our life, our rights”, and “Health rights are human rights”.

The mandatory requirement to produce a COVID-19 vaccination certificate upon entry into Sri Lanka has been lifted, with effect from today (07 Dec).

Further, all overseas arrivals are no longer required to produce a negative PCR or Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), done either prior to boarding or on-arrival, Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena stated.

In the event a foreign national tests positive for COVID-19 during their stay in Sri Lanka, they will be required to self-isolate for a period of seven days at their residence, a private hospital, or a hotel, and bear all related costs, he added.

Sri Lanka mandated the carrying of a negative COVID-19 test and proof of vaccination when it opened its borders to foreign arrivals amidst the COVID crisis in 2021.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Opposition MP Rohini Kumari Wijeratne Kavirathna brought the concerns of the parents of 11 youths who were forcibly disappeared to the notice of Parliament on Monday (5).

Addressing Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs, and Constitutional Reforms President’s Counsel (PC) Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, she said: “You are well aware that a case has been filed against certain parties in the alleged abduction of 11 youths during the period of 2008 and 2009. A total of 667 charges, 126 witnesses, and 64 documents were filed along with the indictments against the accused persons.

“You are aware that former Navy Commander Admiral of the Fleet Wasantha Karannagoda and 14 other personnel attached to the Navy were indicted. However, some of these officers have received honourary titles and retirement. So, I am asking what happened to those 11 youths. One of the mothers told me that she has been taking to the streets to seek justice. Dr. Rajapakshe, I believe you can understand the pain and suffering of these parents.”

In August 2018, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) arrested Lieutenant Commander Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi, alias “Navy Sampath”, as the main suspect with regard to the incident. The CID accused former Navy Commander and Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne of shielding one of the main suspects, while the court further ordered his arrest.

In February 2019, Karannagoda was named the 14th suspect in the case and was implicated for having known about the enforced disappearances by Naval personnel that he had command responsibility over and choosing to take no action. Subsequently, the Attorney General (AG) filed a case against the defendants under 667 separate indictments which include the abduction of 11 youths from Kotahena and the surrounding suburbs between 25 August 2008 and 21 March 2009, committing murder, demanding a ransom for their release, and aiding in the crimes.

The AG’s Department decided to temporarily suspend proceeding with the charges against Karannagoda as the Court of Appeal had, in connection with a writ petition filed by Karannagoda, issued an interim order halting the hearing of the charges levelled against him. The AG informed the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar of the same on 4 August 2021. The case was taken up before judges Champa Janaki Rajaratne, Amal Ranaraja, and Nawaratne Marasinghe on 4 August 2021. Karannagoda was named a defendant in the Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar case filed against a group of Naval intelligence officers pertaining to the alleged abduction and enforced disappearance of 11 youths in Colombo in 2008 and 2009. However, the case is still being heard and a decision with regard to the incident is yet to be determined.

The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to India, Milinda Moragoda, met the Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister of India Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday at the latter’s office in North Block, New Delhi.

This was the latest of a series of meetings High Commissioner Moragoda has had with Minister Sitharaman since November last year on Indian economic cooperation and assistance to Sri Lanka in the context of the present crisis.

At the outset, High Commissioner Moragoda briefed Minister Sitharaman on Sri Lanka’s ongoing discussions with the International Monetary Fund and the present status of the country’s debt restructuring process. He also briefed her on the drastic impact the present economic contraction is having on the poor and vulnerable segments of the population of Sri Lanka.

The High Commissioner once again thanked Minister Sitharaman for the unprecedented emergency assistance that India has extended to Sri Lanka and her personal interventions with bilateral and multilateral partners throughout this challenging and difficult period.

High Commissioner Moragoda and Minister Sitharaman also reviewed the status of bilateral economic cooperation, and the High Commissioner emphasized that India could play a critical role in Sri Lanka’s economic revival through multi-faceted economic integration between the two countries by enhancing investments, tourism and trade.