The Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) has recorded an operating cost of Rs. 3,600.8 million, nearly 14 times higher than its operating income of Rs. 242 million, the 2024 audit of Airport and Aviation Services (Sri Lanka) (Private) Limited (AASL) revealed.

This resulted in an operating loss of Rs. 3,358.6 million, although a net profit of Rs. 879.7 million was reported due to foreign exchange gains. Cumulative net losses from 2018 to 2024, however, amounted to Rs. 39,369 million.

Despite an expected annual passenger capacity of one million, only 321,577 passengers used the airport over six years, with a total of 3,596 flight movements.

The audit noted that Rs. 36,564 million (USD 247.7 million) spent on construction—including price escalations and variations—had not been effectively utilized.

In addition, Rs. 2,053 million was paid as annual loan interest for the USD 190 million foreign debt obtained for construction.

The audit recommended that AASL take steps to operate and upgrade MRIA efficiently and profitably.

In response, the management stated that with a proposed cancellation of the Cabinet decision on handing over operations, they plan to call for fresh investments through expressions of interest or RFPs for aviation-related business across nine specified areas.

An ongoing investigation into the Chemmani mass grave in Jaffna has confirmed that a shoe recovered from the site dates back to before 1995.

Attorney Niranjan confirmed the finding following an on-site inspection of the Chemmani site on Monday.

According to his statement, a shoe bearing a price tag of 39 rupees and 90 cents was unearthed during excavations.

Subsequent inquiries with the manufacturer revealed that this model had only been sold between 1985 and 1995, confirming that the item predates 1995.

Meanwhile, the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) has completed a cost-assessment report for the examination of 239 skeletal remains recovered from the site during two phases of excavation.

The examinations are expected to commence once the report is submitted to court, approved, and funds are released.

A panel of seven forensic experts has been proposed to lead the analysis, including Dr Sellaiya Pranavan, who served as JMO during the excavations, and Dr Mayutharan of Jaffna Teaching Hospital.

Specialists who previously worked on mass grave investigations, such as those at Kokkuthoduvai, have also been recommended for the panel.

The Chemmani mass graves were first uncovered in 1998, when a Sri Lankan soldier on trial for the rape and murder of a Tamil schoolgirl testified that hundreds of Tamils who had disappeared following the army’s capture of Jaffna in 1996 had been buried there.

Excavations have since unearthed several remains, but calls for a full, transparent investigation have been repeatedly obstructed by the state.

Families of the disappeared and human rights organisations continue to demand accountability, insisting that justice for the Chemmani victims is inseparable from the broader struggle to uncover the truth about the tens of thousands of enforced disappearances across the Tamil homeland.

Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa has backed India’s long-pending bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), calling it a recognition of “global power realities” and that he will continue to support that effort.

In an interview with ANI during his ongoing visit to India, Sajith Premadasa said India’s inclusion in the UNSC “would be a recognition of the practical realities of international politics.”

“Years before, it was I who spoke openly about India being given a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. So it’s an old topic for me,” he said. “I will continue to support that effort, and I think that is a practical exposition of global power realities. You cannot discard India. You cannot marginalise India. India’s representation at the UNSC would be a recognition of the practical realities of international politics.”

Opposition Leader Premadasa’s comments come at a time when India continues to push for reforms in the UNSC to make it more representative of emerging powers and developing nations.

When asked about Sri Lanka’s stance amid the complex India-China dynamic, Premadasa emphasised that Colombo values its “special strategic relationship” with New Delhi while maintaining ties with all nations.

PMK founder S Ramadoss has urged the Central and State Governments to take immediate steps to grant voting rights to Sri Lankan Tamils residing in Tamil Nadu.

In his statement, the senior leader said that over one lakh Sri Lankan Tamils fled to Tamil Nadu since 1983, when the civil war in Sri Lanka forced them to abandon their homes and livelihoods. Today, they continue to live in 116 refugee camps across the State, yet remain deprived of basic rights and freedom.

He noted that a generation born and educated in India still cannot apply for government jobs due to legal restrictions and continue to survive on meagre government aid and daily wages. Despite India allowing citizens of countries like Nepal and Bhutan to apply for jobs, Tamils with ancestral ties are denied similar rights, he said.

Ramadoss pointed out that the refugees wish to live permanently in India, as their lives and livelihoods in Sri Lanka have been destroyed. He urged that during the ongoing voter roll revision in Tamil Nadu, eligible Sri Lankan Tamils should be granted voting rights to ensure political representation and a dignified life.

In another statement, Ramadoss has urged all party functionaries to actively cooperate in the ongoing voter list revision (SIR) across Tamil Nadu, ensuring eligible voters are included and ineligible names removed, while strictly following Election Commission guidelines and assisting officials peacefully and responsibly.

Source: DT Next

Retired High Court judge Manikavasagar Illancheliyan recently said that he had been deprived of an opportunity to serve for four more years for no fault of his.

Illancheliyan presided over many high profile criminal cases including the rape and murder of Sivaloganathan Vithya. He was the target of a failed assassination attempt in July 2017 near the Nallur Kovil in Jaffna where the police officer escorting him was killed.

Addressing a gathering in London, Illancheliyan said that he had been the President of High Court Judges’ Association and topped the Association’s seniority list of 90 high court judges.

Illancheliyan recalled that Anura Kumara Dissanayake was elected the President on 21 September 2025. He as the President of High Court Judges’ Association, wrote to the President asking for an opportunity to meet him. He was kind enough to give us an opportunity and we, ten high court judges, met him at the Presidential Secretariat on 28 November 2024. My colleagues reminded the President that my retirement date was 20 January 2025 and stressed the need to expedite the promotion of High Court Judges as three vacations – court vacation, Christmas vacation and News Year vacation were to fall before my retirement. The President was joyful and he also posed for a photograph with me. On 12 January 2024, four Appeal Court judges were promoted as Supreme Court judges and there were four vacancies for Appeal Court judges and I had only eight days left for my retirement. On 13 January 2025, the President, comrade Anura Dissanayake left the country for China. It was my misfortune. He returned to the country on 18 January 2025. The following day was Sunday and I retired the next day, Monday. If I had been promoted I would have stayed in service for four more years. I wrote four letters to the President telling him I did not willingly go on retirement but I was forced to retire. I did not get any reply from him. The President is a good person. Something went wrong. I’m a retired judge. I do not blame anybody. The injustice can still be rectified but no interest was shown, said retired High Court judge Manikavasagar Illancheliyan speaking before the Tamil Community in London. He nearly moved to tears.