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Cardinal demands immediate elections to resolve unrest
Amid a protracted economic crisis and what critics see as increasingly harsh crackdowns on anti-government protests, Sri Lanka’s leading Catholic prelate has called for snap elections so the country can select new leadership.
Speaking at a ceremony held to mark the centenary of St. Anthony’s College Katana, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said an election is necessary as it is not possible to develop the country with rulers who do not love their nation.
“You cannot have a future with those who only think of their survival without thinking of the country’s future,” the 75-year-old prelate said.
Although Sri Lanka is an overwhelmingly Buddhist nation where Catholics comprise only about five percent of the population of 22 million people, Ranjith nevertheless has long played an outsized role as a voice of conscience in national affairs.
Economic mismanagement, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, left Sri Lanka short of foreign currency reserves for essential imports at the beginning of 2022, triggering the island nation’s worst economic crisis in seven decades.
Severe shortages of food, medicine and fuel led to street protests that forced then-President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign.A new government under President Ranil Wickremesinghe came to power last July and negotiated a bailout package with the International Monetary Fund, the third since a long-running civil war in Sri Lanka finally ended in 2009. Last September, inflation hit an all-time high of 70 percent.
Though economic pressures have begun to ease somewhat, there is still widespread discontent in Sri Lanka, perhaps especially among the country’s youth.\Earlier this month, authorities in Sri Lanka fired tear gas and water cannons on students protesting in the national capital of Colombo to demand the release of dozens of anti-government activists arrested during protests a year ago.
In January, a coalition of human rights groups including Amnesty International called on the government to release a prominent student activism and also sounded alarms over a controversial antiterrorism law which is routinely used to arrest protestors and deny them bail.
Upcoming months will see the next round of austerity moves imposed as part of the agreement with the IMF, which are expected to produce sharp resistance from workers and the poor. The measures include the privatization of state-owned enterprises and the restructuring of the public sector, which may eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs, along with deep cuts in social services.
Amid the unrest, the Wickremesinghe government, which came to power without an election, has repeatedly delayed plans for a new round of voting. Most recently, the government postponed local elections set for April 25, arguing that the budget allowed only for “essential expenses” and municipal elections were not essential.
Under Sri Lankan law, the next presidential election must be held sometime before September 2024. Ranjith, however, is insisting on moving to a vote immediately.
“We call for an election so that everyone who is over 18 years of age can decide on the nation’s future,” Ranjith said. “All we see today is an effort to bring in legislations to suppress the people’s rights,” he also said.
A meeting was held to discuss post-disaster planning and the reconstruction process, with special focus on flood-prone areas on Monday [8 th of December] at the Prime Minister’s Office under the patronage of the Prime Minister, and attended by representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank, and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).
During the meeting, the Prime Minister emphasized the critical importance of timely and systematic information and data collection to support timely and effective decision-making on a daily basis following the post disaster situations. The Prime noted that accurate data flows are essential for guiding recovery efforts in the short and long term.
The Representatives outlined the need assessment process using RAPIDA and Global Rapid Post-Disaster Damage Estimation (GRADE), the UNDP’s post-crisis assessment initiated by integrating GIS technology, satellite imagery, and ground-level data, to deliver real-time, actionable insights after a crisis to helps identify affected locations, communities, infrastructure damage, debris estimates, and land use changes-providing crucial data.
The representatives of UNDP reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Government and they expressed their readiness to collaborate closely and to strengthen ongoing partnerships to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of post-disaster response and reconstruction activities.
The discussion was attended by the Country Manager for World Bank Dr. Gevorg Sargsyan, Resident Representatives for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ms. Azusa Kubota, South Asia Director for United Nations Office for Project Services ((UNOPS), and Secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Additional Secretary (Development) Ms Sagarika Bogahawaththa and officials from the Department of National Planning.
[Prime minister’s media division]
News
Bandaranaike Memorial National Foundation donates Rs. 250 million to the Government for national recovery after the emergency situation
The Bandaranaike Memorial National Foundation has donated Rs. 250 million to the Government to support the rebuild of the country following the emergency situation caused by the Ditva cyclone.
Chairperson of the Bandaranaike Memorial National Foundation, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike, together with the Board of Directors, handed over the cheque to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on 08 th of December at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Subsequently, a cordial discussion was held between the Foundation’s Chairperson, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike, and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
The occasion was attended by the secretary to the Prime Minister Pradeep Saputhanthri, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, and representatives of the Board of Directors of the Bandaranaike Memorial National Foundation.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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Level III landslide warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended
The Level III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale by the Landslide Early Warning Center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] have been extended until 1600hrs tomorrow [10th December 2025].
Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Division and surrounding areas of Panvila, Udapalatha, Minipe, Poojapitiya, Gangawata Korale, Thumpane, Doluwa, Pathadumbara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Harispattuwa, Akurana, Ududumbara, Pathahewaheta, Hatharaliyadda, Yatinuwara, Deltota, Medadumbara, Udunuwara, Kundasale and Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana, Aranayaka, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Mawanella and Bulathkohupitiya in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Rideegama and Mawathagama in the Kurunegala district, and Ukuwela, Pallepola, Rattota, Matale, Laggala Pallegama, Yatawatta, Naula, Ambanganga Korale and Wilgamuwa in the Matale district have been extended.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Division and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Ruwanwella, Dehiowita, Kegalle and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Alawwa and Polgahawela in the Kurunegala district and Nuwara Eliya, Nildandahinna, Thalawakele, Kothmale West, Mathurata, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha, Walapane, Kothmale East and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district, and Kahawaththa, Kolonna and Godakawela in the Ratnapura district have also been extended.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Mirigama, Divulapitiya and Attanagalla in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Kiriella, Balangoda, Kuruwita, Openayake, Nivithigala, Kaltota, Pelmadulla, Kalawana, Eheliyagoda, Elapatha, Ayagama, Imbulpe and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.
Timely and accurate data essential for effective decision making – PM
Bandaranaike Memorial National Foundation donates Rs. 250 million to the Government for national recovery after the emergency situation
Level III landslide warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended
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