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Lt. Gen Dias will spearhead campaign against 13A

Published

3 years ago

2023/08/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Vijitha Herath asks for PM’s stand

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Lt. General Jagath Dias has declared his intention to campaign against the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Having agreed to give leadership to a newly formed movement against the division of the country, the former Gajaba Regiment officer has convened a meeting at Sri Sambuddhathwa Jayanthi Mandiraya on Thursday (10 August) at 3.30 pm, to announce their stand on the 13th Amendment and related developments, including how those who betray the war-winning military should be dealt with.

Ven. Medagama Dhammananda of the Asgiriya Chapter will chair the meeting. President’s Counsel Manohara de Silva will deliver the main speech. In addition to the top lawyer, Lt. Gen. Dias, Dr. Wasantha Bandara and convener of Jaffna civil society collective Arun Siddhartha will address the gathering. Among those scheduled to attend the event are Prof. Ven. Induragare Dharmaratne, Prof. Ven. Malwane Chandraratane and Prof. Ven. Iththademaliye Indrasara.

Maj. Gen. Dias was promoted to the rank of Lt. Gen following his retirement in Dec. 2015. The former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of 57 Division – one of the frontline fighting formations deployed on the Vanni front – served as the Chief of Staff at the time of his retirement.

Lt. Gen. Dias said that implementation of land and police powers, in line with the 13th Amendment, enacted in late 1988, would divide the country. That would make Sri Lanka’s triumph over separatist LTTE terrorism irrelevant, the war veteran said. Combined security forces brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009.

Dias and two other retired officers, Brigadier Athula Hemachandra de Silva and Lt. Col. Anil Sumeda Amarasekera recently petitioned the Court of Appeal against the government’s decision to release state land around the historical Kurundi temple in the Mullaitivu District, the one-time LTTE bastion.

The new public campaign gets underway in the wake of President Ranil Wickremesinghe requesting all political parties and groups, represented in Parliament, to submit their written proposals/recommendations pertaining to the 13th Amendment by or before 15 August. Parliament has altogether recognized 15 political parties. Nine of them, including the UNP, are represented by one MP each.

The President’s Office said on 04 August that Saman Ekanayake, the Secretary to the President, has written to them in terms of a consensus reached at the All- Party Conference (APC), chaired by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, at the Presidential Secretariat on 26th July.

The JVP-led Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB) skipped the meeting. JJB lawmaker Vijitha Herath told The Island that they declined the President’s invitation, to attend APC on 26 July as it was nothing but a farce. How could the President even contemplate a consensus on this contentious issue when his party was reduced to just one MP? the JVP spokesperson asked.

Alleging that the UNP leader, in his capacity as the Yahapalana Premier, deliberately bungled an opportunity to address the entire gamut of issues by introducing a new Constitution at a time he had 2/3 majority in Parliament, MP Herath challenged Wickremesinghe to secure the support of parliamentarians who elected him as the President in July last year to serve out the balance period of ousted President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Wickremesinghe received 133 votes, primarily from the SLPP. The JVPer said that during the failed bid to reach consensus on a new Constitution, all political parties, except the UNP, submitted their proposals. Perhaps the UNP couldn’t remember how Wickremesinghe transformed the Parliament in to a Constituent Assembly to facilitate the process, the Gampaha District MP said, urging the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government to adopt a realistic strategy. Wickremesinghe’s whole intention was to convince India and other members of the international community of his readiness to resolve the national issue. “The President didn’t want to settle this issue. He just wanted to deceive those who are interested in settling the issues at hand.”

Responding to another query, lawmaker Herath said that President Wickremesinghe, soon after receiving the presidency, declared that the national issue would be settled by the last Independence Day. The JJB MP said the President, first of all, should consult his Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in this regard. Could the President be confident of MEP leader Dinesh Gunawardena’s support for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment? The MEP parliamentary group consists of three MPs, including the PM.

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Related Topics:JVP MP Vijitha Herath Vijitha Herath

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and Galle and Matara districts

Published

4 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre at 12.30 noon 12 March 2026 valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 12 March 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur at some places in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle and Matara districts after 2.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.

Latest News

Nasa spacecraft weighing 1,300lb due to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere

Published

5 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

The two Van Allen Probes were launched in 2012 [BBC]

A Van Allen Probe spacecraft weighing more than 1,300lb (600kg) is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere almost 14 years after its launch, Nasa says.

The spacecraft is projected to re-enter around 19:45 EDT (23:45 GMT) on Tuesday the US Space Force predicted, according to Nasa, though there is a 24-hour margin of “uncertainty” in the timing.

The Van Allen Probe A, which launched in 2012, is expected mostly to burn up as it travels through the atmosphere, though some components may survive.

The space agency said there is a one in 4,200 chance of being harmed by a piece of the probe, which it characterised as “low” risk.

The spacecraft and its twin, Van Allen Probe B, were on a mission to gather unprecedented data on Earth’s two permanent radiation belts.

It was not immediately clear where in Earth’s atmosphere the satellite is projected to re-enter. The BBC has contacted Nasa for further detail.

Nasa and the US Space Force have said they will monitor the re-entry and update any predictions.

The mission, which was originally designed to last two years, went on for almost seven. It ended after the spacecrafts ran out of fuel and were no longer able to orient themselves toward the Sun.

The probes flew through rings of charged particles trapped by Earth’s magnetic field from 2012 to 2019, in order to study how particles were gained and lost, per Nasa.

Those rings, called the Van Allen belts, shield Earth from cosmic radiation, solar storms and streaming solar wind, which are harmful to humans and can damage technology.

The mission made significant discoveries, including the first data that show the existence of a transient third radiation belt, which can form during times of intense solar activity, Nasa said.

Van Allen Probe B is not expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere before 2030.

[BBC]

News

PM Visits the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Published

7 hours ago

2026/03/12

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya visited the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines, on 11 March 2026, and held bilateral discussions with Yvonne Pinto, Director General of IRRI, focusing on strengthening cooperation in the field of rice research and sustainable agricultural development.

During the meeting, discussions centered on rice cultivation in Sri Lanka, including the key challenges faced by Sri Lankan paddy farmers. The Prime Minister highlighted issues affecting the sector such as productivity constraints, climate-related impacts, and the need to support farmers through improved agricultural practices and technological innovations.

Both sides also discussed the importance of introducing modern techniques and research-driven approaches to rice cultivation in order to enhance productivity and ensure long-term food security. In this regard, IRRI shared insights on ongoing global research initiatives aimed at improving rice varieties, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable farming practices.

The discussion further focused on the potential for expanded collaboration between Sri Lanka and IRRI, particularly in areas such as research partnerships, knowledge sharing, and capacity building for Sri Lankan agricultural institutions and farmers. The Prime Minister emphasized Sri Lanka’s interest in strengthening cooperation with IRRI to support the development of the country’s rice sector and to improve the livelihoods of paddy farmers.

The visit reaffirmed the importance of science-based agricultural innovation and international collaboration in addressing food security challenges and enhancing sustainable rice production in Sri Lanka.