News

Several opposition parties to work together in areas where they share common ground

Published

3 years ago

2023/05/7

SJB and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa Wednesday told a Colombo meeting attended by several opposition parties and groups sharing common ground on forthcoming legislation that the proposed Anti-Terrorist law now moved to the back burner by the government endangered Sri Lanka’s entire 22 million population of being labeled terrorists.

The meeting at the Mandarin Hotel in Colombo on World Media Day was attended, in addition to the SJB by SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem, SLPP dissidents Prof. GL Peiris, Mr. Gevindu Cumaranatunga, Ven. Athureliya Ratana, Chandima Weerakkody, SJBs Lakshman Kiriella, Ranjith Maddumabandara,Imthiyaz Bakeer Markar, Harshana Rajakaruna, Gyanatha Karunathilake and a representative of the Kandurata Janata Party’s leader C Chandrasekran.

Premadasa said that despite some differences among them, they shared a lot of common ground on many matters related to what the government was doing and they would act together to resist such developments.

“Different political parties have their own standpoints on many matters,” Premadasa said. “But today we have to come together on a number of issues that are nationally important. The Broadcasting Authority Act the government is preparing today for media control, is one example. We are all of the view that it will deal a death blow to media freedom. So also the Anti-Terrorism Act to democracy.”

SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem said that there was no need for a new anti-terror law. Emergency law provisions under the Public Security Ordinance are sufficient to counter threats of terrorism. Minority parties in the opposition have a strong position on the Anti-Terrorism Act, he said. It is their position that any act of terrorism could be controlled through laws such as the Penal Code, the Criminal Law Provisions Act and the Evidence Act.”

Prof. GL Peiris raised the X-Pess Pearl issue that had created massive environmental devastation and will come up for discussion in parliament next week. The possibility of obtaining USD 6.4 million damages (not a loan) has been endangered by what the government is doing. This was over double the IMF’s Extended Fund Facility and much worse than the Central Bank bond scam.

Many questions on this issue must be raised and presented to the people to build up massive public opinion.

SLPP dissident MP Gevindu Cumaratunga said that the attention must be paid during parliamentary discussions to the X-Press Pearl matter and the unconstitutional Central Bank Act as determined by the courts.

“Only one day has been reserved for the debate on the Central Bank Act. The court suggested alternatives to all 46 basic clauses. This could be passed subject to those alternative proposals being adopted. The Speaker announced this determination distorting its meaning. After MPs protested about this, it had to be read again,” he said.

SLPP dissident MP Aturaliye Ratana thero said that opposition parties must come together to find common answers to the country’s present problems.

“In today’s world, there is no left-right divides. At this time, there is a major issue on why the Anti-Terrorism Act is being presented when a solution should be sought for the present crisis,” he said.

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Ranawaka accuses govt. of using JVP cadres and police to suppress political opponents

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

… reminds AKD led over 560 protests during Yahapalanaya

Former Yahapalana Minister and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday (19) alleged that the JVP, which carried out over 560 protests during the 2015-2019 period, was now bent on preventing the Opposition from exercising its democratic right to protest.

Recalling the declaration made by the JVP at the height of the violent protest campaign in July 2022 that it would set the Parliament ablaze, the former parliamentarian lashed out at the JVP-led administration for using the police excessively to curb political opposition. Ranawaka said this while addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Flower Road Office .

Commenting on the protest campaign launched by the Maha Sangha, demanding presidential pardon for General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Ven. Galagotaatte Gnanasara, the ex-Colombo District lawmaker alleged that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake used a combination of police, investigative units and JVP cadres to break up the monks’ protest. The government went to the extent of compelling the JVP/NPP-run Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) to deprive the peaceful protesters of basic toilet facilities, he alleged.

The government’s actions proved that only those with prior approval from JVP Pelawatte headquarters could launch protests in Colombo, its suburbs or in the provinces. The police have become a political tool in the hands of the JVP, the ex-Minister said. (SF)

News

Six killed as speeding bulker crashes into vehicles, shop in Akurana

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

By SK Samaranayake

Six people were killed and seven others injured when a speeding bulker lorry carrying cement and concrete ploughed into several vehicles and a shop on the Kandy-Jaffna A9 road at Kurugoda, Akurana, yesterday (19).

Four of the victims, two women and two men, died on the spot in the accident which occurred around 10.30 am, according to Alawathugoda Police.

Police said the bulker, travelling at high speed from the Matale direction, collided with three three-wheelers, two motorcycles and two lorries before veering off the road and crashing into a commercial establishment.

Five of the injured were rushed to the National Hospital of Kandy, where hospital sources said two remained in critical condition.

The bodies of the four victims were placed at the Akurana Hospital, where two others, who suffered minor injuries, were also receiving treatment.

The driver of the bulker was arrested by the Alawathugoda Police Traffic Division and is to be produced before court.

Investigations are being conducted under the supervision of Central Province Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake.

News

Prof. Peiris, summoned by CIABOC, appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release

Published

6 hours ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

G.L. Peiris

By Shamindra Ferdinando

owledging that there had been an administrative lapse on the part of the President’s Office in 2019 when Maithripala Sirisena granted presidential pardon to Ven. Gnanasara Thera, Convener of Janathawadi Joint Opposition Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (19) urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to rectify whatever those shortcomings and release the General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena.

Addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickrekmesinghe’s Flower Road Office, Prof. Peiris emphasized that it was not fair to hold Ven. Gnanasara accountable for lapse or technical fault of others at the Presidential Secretariat during President Sirisena’s tenure.

Prof. Peiris was flanked by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka.

The fresh appeal was made on behalf of Ven. Gnanasara in the wake of President Dissanayake and JVP heavyweight Anura Kumara Dissanayake ruling out fresh presidential pardon for the monk. Minister Lal Kantha declared that the government couldn’t under any circumstances meet the continuing monks’ protest demanding Ven. Gnanasara’s release. President Dissanayake dismissed repeated appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release when he addressed the NPP really in Badulla.

Sirisena granted presidential pardon in May 2019 even before he completed a year of his six-year term of rigorous imprisonment for contempt of court during proceedings of the media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda’s 2010 January disappearance in the Homagama Magistrate’s court.

At the onset of the regular weekly briefing, Prof. Peiris said that he would report to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (20) morning as requested by the commission. “The CIABOC wanted to record my statement regarding a meeting I chaired at the ministry after the conclusion of the war in 2009 pertaining to an ongoing investigation.”

Commenting further on the imprisonment of Ven. Gnanasara, the former parliamentarian said that President Sirisena intervened following a spate of requests made on behalf of BBS General Secretary by the Mahanayakes, Anunayakes and other Maha Sangha.

The Supreme Court on 10 September, 2026 rescinded the presidential pardon granted in late May 2019.