News
Easter Sunday victims on the path to sainthood
*****Even on the fifth anniversary of the terror attack in the Indian Ocean nation, the perpetrators are still at large
By Rubatheesan Sandran
(UCAN)The Sri Lankan Church is making efforts to launch the sainthood cause for Easter Sunday victims, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo said ahead of the explosions’ fifth anniversary.
Ranjith told the media on April 17 that the Church has started collecting signatures to send an application to the Vatican seeking permission to start the diocesan investigation of the victims.
According to Church laws, the diocesan inquiry, the first step in the canonization process, can be started only five years after a person’s death.
he archdiocese has started collecting signatures from Catholics nationwide for the application to be presented before Pope Francis, said the senior-most churchman in the Island nation of 22 million people.
The simultaneous bomb explosions in three Christian Churches and three luxury hotels on Easter Sunday of 2019 killed nearly 270 people, including 45 children, from more than 38 nations and injured more than 500.
“They [the victims] came for the Sunday Mass and the Easter celebrations. They never expected to be killed. This was an unfortunate incident. We are now going to declare those who were killed in the churches as ‘heroes of faith,’” the 76-year-old cardinal said.
Two Catholic churches — St. Anthony’s in Kochchikadai and St. Sebastian’s in Katuwapitiya in Negombo — under the Colombo archdiocese came under attack on April 21, 2019.
An Evangelical church in Batticaloa in Eastern province and three luxury hotels were also targeted in the suicide attack.
Cardinal Ranjith has been vocal in his criticism of governments over the tardy progress in the probe. Let down by the government, the prelate has repeatedly called for an international investigation.
Some media reports claimed that certain people in the administration allowed the attack to help the opposition party come to power, blaming the government for a lack of security.
Following the attack, the then-opposition party leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa became president in the 2020 national polls.
Critics of Rajapaksa, including church leaders, demand an international investigation. They say the real culprits behind the attack are still at large, and the successive governments showed little interest.
The cardinal observed that when the victims are declared “heroes of faith, the international community will come to recognize them.”
“We have lost trust in the system, and therefore, now we are going to appeal to the Lord for justice,” the cardinal stressed.
This year’s commemorative event will mark collective prayers and special Masses in both churches.
“We don’t intend to turn it into a political event because we don’t trust politicians,” Ranjith added.
He said on April 20, a march from St. Anthony’s church will head toward St. Sebastian’s.
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Brian Udaigwe and UN representatives are expected to attend the event.
On April 21, The Church will observe a two-minute silence at 8:45 a.m. — the time the deadly bombs hit the church gathering.
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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
The National Building Research Institute has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura from 16:00 hrs on 25.09.2026 To 16:00 hrs on 26.09.2026
Accordingly,
LEVEL III [RED] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Neluwa, Nagoda, Niyagama and Thawalama inthe Galle district, Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa and Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, and Kothmale West, Ambagamuwa, Kotmale East and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district.
LEVEL II [AMBER] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Elpitiya, Baddegama and Karandeniya in the Galle district, Walallawita in the Kalutara district, Deltota, Udunuwara, Gangawata Korale, Yatinuwara and Panvila in the Kandy district, Aranayake, Dehiowita, Mawanella, Deraniyagala and Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district, Thalawakelle in the Nuwara Eliya district and Ratnapura and Pelmadulla in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colombo district, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Katuwana and Walasmulla in the Hambanthota district, Ingiriya and Bulathsinhala in the Kalutara district, Hatharaliyadda, Poojapitiya, Medadumbara, Kundasale, Ududumbara, Thumpane, Akurana, Pathadumbara, Harispattuwa and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Warakapola, Bulathkohupitiya, Galigamuwa, Kegalle and Ruwanwella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Alawwa, Polgahawela and Mawathagama in the Kegalle district, Pitabeddara, Kotapola and Pasgoda in the Matara district, Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district and Elapatha, Ayagama, Nivithigala, Kuruwita and Kalawana in the Ratnapura district
Parliament yesterday passed the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution Bill and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill with two-thirds majorities, with 158 MPs voting in favour and 63 against each Bill.
The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) voted with the SJB against the Bills.
NDF MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Faizer Musthapha and SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka were not present when the votes were taken.
The final vote on the Judicature (Amendment) Bill was announced at around 8.08 p.m. after Opposition MPs called for divisions on its clauses during the Committee Stage.
The votes followed a two-day debate which commenced on Thursday (24), after Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara presented the Bills for their Second Reading.
The Supreme Court’s determination on the Bills was presented to Parliament on Tuesday (22) by Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne. The Court determined that the 22nd Amendment Bill did not require approval at a referendum and could be passed by a special two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The amendment provides for raising the mandatory retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and that of Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. It also provides for the Chief Justice to retire at 67 or after completing six years in office, whichever comes earlier.
The Speaker informed Parliament that the Judicature (Amendment) Bill could be passed by a simple majority.
The SJB opposed the legislation and its MPs attended Parliament dressed in black yesterday. The party also staged a protest at Polduwa Junction, Battaramulla, under the theme “No to 22, which destroys democracy”, with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several SJB politicians participating.
A valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Certificate will be required for a range of key transactions in Sri Lanka from November 1, 2026, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has announced.
The requirement, introduced under the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026, applies to transactions specified under Section 102(3) of the Inland Revenue Act.
Accordingly, individuals will be required to produce a valid TIN Certificate when opening an account at a bank or financial institution, obtaining approval for a building plan, registering or renewing the licence of a motor vehicle, registering land or title to land, registering a business, transferring shares in a company incorporated in Sri Lanka or obtaining a credit card.
In the case of share transfers, both the transferor and transferee will be required to provide TIN certificates.
The IRD said officials handling such transactions had been instructed to ensure that a valid TIN Certificate was submitted before processing or completing the relevant transaction.
The Department advised those who do not already have a TIN to obtain one in advance through its e-Services platform.
It said a printout of the TIN verification result showing the applicant’s National Identity Card number and TIN could also be accepted instead of the certificate.The IRD also reiterated that obtaining a TIN is mandatory for resident individuals aged 18 and above under the applicable provisions.
Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
Showers in the Western, Uva and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Batticaloa and Ampara districts.
22A, Judicature Amendment Bills passed with 2/3 majority
TIN mandatory for key transactions from Nov. 1
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