Category: News

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya today engaged in discussions with President Ranil Wickremesinghe pertaining to a way forward for an all-party government programme.

Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, including Parliamentarians Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Rajitha Senaratne, Kabir Hashim, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Mano Ganesan, Rauff Hakeem, Harsha De Silva and several others were present at the talks at the Presidential Secretariat.

MP de Silva taking to Twitter said the 90-minute discussion was positive.

MP Premadasa said he attended the meeting with a positive mind set and wished to see how best they could all work together through Parliament.

The Opposition Leader also requested that the state of emergency be lifted and for protesters who have been part of the people’s struggle, who are currently arrested or remanded to be released and for an end to intimidation.

Source: News Radio

Sri Lanka’s central bank and Finance Ministry has approved four licenses to set up offshore banks in the China-backed Colombo Port City area, its regulatory commission said.

“The Monetary Board and Ministry of Finance have approved full the CPCEC regulated offshore licenses for 4 banks initially,” the Colombo Port City Economic Commission said.

“..[T]he Central Bank of Sri Lanka has created a new class of account available for all banks under its regulatory purview, the Colombo Port City Investment Account designed to facilitate the inflow of funds to be used for investing in Colombo Port City.”

The Port City area reclaimed by China Harbhour Engineering group is to be dollarized area free from the monetary instability and exchange controls coming from rupee open market operations of the central bank.

Six land leases valued at 200 million US dollars have been issued to investors, Colombo Port City Economic Commission said. They are expected to invest 600 million dollars.

The Colombo Port City Commission was also in talks with the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) to set up an international commercial dispute resolution centre.

A duty free mall with remote check-in and baggage hauling services is also being set up. Two international operators will run it.

Source: Economy Next

Further strengthening the engagement with the State of Tamil Nadu and as a follow-up to the meeting with its Chief Minister in early June, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda met with Lok Sabha MP for Thoothukkudi constituency, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi in New Delhi.

Parliamentarian Kanimozhi Karunanidhi is the daughter of the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. Karunanidhi and sister of the present Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. She is in New Delhi attending the monsoon session of the Parliament.

At the outset, the Lok Sabha MP extended a warm welcome to High Commissioner Moragoda. During the very cordial discussion that followed, the High Commissioner thanked the people of Tamil Nadu for the humanitarian assistance that they have been extending to Sri Lanka to help it manage the current economic situation.

The High Commissioner and the Parliamentarian exchanged views on the very close ethnic, religious and cultural affinities between the State of Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka and discussed ways and means to further strengthen them.

High Commissioner Moragoda also presented a copy of the Tamil translation of the book containing his parliamentary speeches to MP Kanimozhi. The High Commissioner recalled how he had presented a copy of the same book to her father, the late M. Karunanidhi, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, in 2006.

A senior member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and a poet, Kanimozhi Karunanidhi functions as the chief of the party’s wing for art, literature and rationalism. She had worked as a journalist before entering politics.

High Commissioner Moragoda was accompanied by Deputy High Commissioner Niluka Kadurugamuwa and Minister Counsellor of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi Gamini Sarath Godakanda to this meeting.

Source: Colombo Gazette

Protestors occupying the Galle Face Green were seen vacating the premises today ahead of the 5.00 p.m. deadline set by the Police. The Colombo Fort Police had informed those occupying tents and temporary shelters at the Galle Face protest site to vacate the premises by 5.00 p.m. on August 5 and threatened legal action against those who do not comply.

The library and the school of Gotagogama has been dismantled while the St. John’s Ambulance Service providing medical care also moved out yesterday. Several organisations involved in the protest such as the Black Cap Movement and the Collective of Social Media Activists releasing statements said they have also decided to move out.

While many activist groups have since vacated the grounds, some holding a press conference on Wednesday said they will not move despite the Police warnings.

Nevertheless giving the protestors a respite, the Attorney General today told the Court of Appeal that the camp site at Gotagogama will not be removed till 10 August in the absence of the necessary legal provisions.

Source: Asian Mirror

SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem has said that Sri Lanka shouldn’t allow foreign powers to engage in activities inimical to the security of India within the territory or territorial waters of Sri Lanka. Therefore, it is now the responsibility of the government of Sri Lanka to ensure that it takes all meaningful measures necessary to realize these objectives, the MP said.

The following is the text of a statement issued by the SLMC as regards the docking-in of the Chinese vessel “Yuan Wang5” in Hambantota port: “The position of the SLMC on warships, military or naval craft being allowed into Sri Lankan waters is based on the broad principles of national sovereignty, international peace and security, and non- alignment.

“The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress continues to advocate for the vision of the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace. This vision, which was promoted, by Sri Lanka during the Cold War period, in our view is more relevant today than ever before.

“We envision and remain committed to working with all progressive sections of the wider Indian Ocean community to ensure that we take all practical and meaningful steps to make the Indian Ocean safe and secure at all times, in which peaceful navigation and economic activities beneficial to littoral states take place; contributing to the stability and prosperity of all states.

“Accordingly, we would encourage the government of Sri Lanka and other states and stakeholders not to compromise such a vision of the Indian Ocean by allowing the passage and docking-in of warships or naval craft, the mission and movement of which is perceived to not manifest this spirit at any times, under any circumstances and by any party.

In this context, it is also pertinent to note that Sri Lankan leaders have given repeated assurances that nothing inimical to the security of India will be permitted within the territory or territorial waters of Sri Lanka. Therefore, it is now the responsibility of the government of Sri Lanka to ensure that it takes all meaningful measures necessary to realize these objectives.”

Source: The Island Online

The United States and India have had high-level talks on the situation in Sri Lanka.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the situation in Sri Lanka at a meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Blinken tweeted saying during the meeting with Jaishankar he discussed the implications of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and Sri Lanka’s economic and political situation.

The meeting took place in Phnom Penh in Cambodia on the sidelines of the US-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Meanwhile, Blinken also had talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Ali Sabry.

At the meeting Blinken said that Sri Lanka is in a moment of challenge and crisis but has an opportunity to create a more democratic and inclusive Government.

Sabry said his country appreciates the US role in securing support from the International Monetary Fund.

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry and the Indian Foreign Minister met on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting in Phnom Penh in Cambodia on Thursday.

After the meeting, Jaishankar tweeted: “A warm first meeting with FM Ali Sabry of Sri Lanka. Congratulated him on his new responsibility. Reaffirmed India’s commitment, as a dependable friend and reliable partner, to the economic recovery and well-being of Sri Lanka.”