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Parliament faces old challenges in fresh bid to revive ‘Open Government Partnership’
Parliament is making a fresh attempt to revive Sri Lanka’s ‘Open Government Partnership’ (OGP) against the backdrop of the OGP Steering Committee declaring the country as an inactive member. The OGP Steering Committee announced the designation in a resolution passed on May 10, 2024.
Sri Lanka joined the OGP in 2015 at the onset of the turbulent Yahapalana administration. Political sources said that Sri Lanka’s participation in the OGP process was in limbo as a result of successive governments’ failure to submit a National Action Plan for three consecutive years (2021 to 2023).
The 10th Parliament in early January announced the appointment of Prof. Chrishantha Abeysena (NPP) and Shanakiyan Rasamanickam (ITAK) as co-chairs of the Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament meant to revive Sri Lanka’s OGP.
Other members named to this Caucus were Jagath Manuwarna, Chamindrani Kiriella, Chandana Sooriyarachchi, S.M. Marrikar and Thushari Jayasinghe.
So far Sri Lanka has submitted two such action plans but weren’t able to properly implement them. Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, too, made an attempt to reach consensus on a third action plan in early last year, sources said. That bid collapsed due to the failure on the part of the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government to reach consensus with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) also working on the proposed third action plan.
Civil society organisations, including Transparency International and Sarvodaya, quit the process in February 2024 over growing differences regarding the enactment of the Online Safety Act and the proposed Anti-Terrorism Bill. The CSOs informed President Wickremesinghe, in writing, of their decision to withdraw from the process.
Sources said that the whole process collapsed after the government decided that it couldn’t adhere to the conditions laid down by the OGP process. The new government, too, would face the same dilemma, sources said, pointing out that one of the key issues at hand was the move to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with new anti-terrorism law.
Justice and National Integration Minister Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara recently declared that the new anti-terrorism law was a necessity though the government accepted the need to do away with the PTA.
The Parliamentary Caucus for Open Parliament recently decided to seek the expertise of Transparency International and Sarvodaya, co-conveners of the CSOs in the OGP process in Sri Lanka, in a bid to get an overall idea of the initiative.
The OGP is an international initiative dedicated to enhancing government transparency, facilitating citizen participation in public affairs, and reinforcing mechanisms for public accountability. With over 70-member countries, an increasing number of local governments, and thousands of civil society organisations participating, the OGP operates as a multi-stakeholder platform.
Political sources said that the NPP was very much unlikely to repeal the Online Safety Act, enacted during Wickremesinghe’s presidency.
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Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and showers about 50-75 mm in other areas
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 08 JANUARY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
The depression over the Bay of Bengal, located to the southeast of Sri Lanka, was centered near latitude 5.3°N and longitude 86.0°E, about 490 km southeast of Pottuvil, at 11:30 p.m. yesterday (07). It is expected to move west-northwestwards and towards the eastern coast of the island during next 24 hours. This system is likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 12 hours.
Cloudy skies can be expected over most parts of the island.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Uva, Central and Southern provinces. Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere in the Island after 1.00 p.m. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces. Fairly Heavy showers about (50 – 75) mm are likely at some places in the other areas of the island.
Strong winds about (50-60) kmph can be expected at times over the Eastern slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota, Gampaha, Colombo and Monaragala districts.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.
Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala told Parliament yesterday that information uncovered during ongoing investigations indicated that Pulasthini Mahendran, also known as Sara Jasmine, linked to the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, was not dead.
Responding to a question raised by Opposition MP Mujibur Rahuman, the Minister said there was no confirmation that Sara Jasmine was currently in India, despite speculation to that effect. He added that investigators suspected she may have fled the country and stressed that further inquiries were underway to establish her whereabouts.
“If necessary, the government will take steps to obtain a warrant,” Wijepala said, noting that legal action related to the Easter attacks had already been initiated, based on available evidence.
Minister Wijepala said the new government had launched an thorough probe to determine whether a political or other conspiracy had been behind the attacks that killed more than 270 people in 2019. However, he declined to disclose certain details in Parliament, citing the risk of hampering investigations.
Sara Jasmine, Mohammed Hashtun, who bombed St. Sebastian’s Church, in Katuwapitiya, in 2019, was long presumed to have died in a suicide blast in Sainthamaruthu, days after the attacks. Wijepala said attempts by previous administrations to establish her death had failed, with recent reports indicating that DNA tests conducted at the time were inconclusive.
During the debate, MP Rahuman recalled that senior figures, including then-Opposition MP Nalinda Jayatissa, had previously claimed Sara Jasmine was in India. He questioned why authorities had not sought an open warrant for her arrest whether the issue had been raised in talks with Indian officials.
Wijepala, responding on behalf of Deputy Minister of Defence Arun Jayasekara, said the government would not hesitate to pursue legal action, including warrants, if necessary.
By Saman Indrajith
The Chief of the Indian Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi arrived in Sri Lanka yesterday (07). On arrival, the COAS was accorded a Guard of Honour by the Sri Lanka Army.
The Indian HC said that: “He will engage with senior military and civil leadership, including the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, Deputy Minister of Defence and the Defence Secretary; and hold detailed discussions on matters of mutual interest, including training cooperation, capacity building and regional security.
During the visit, the COAS will address officers at the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) and interact with officers and trainees at the Army War College, Buttala, reflecting India’s strong commitment to defence education and professional military exchanges with Sri Lanka.
General Dwivedi will also pay homage at the IPKF War Memorial, honouring the supreme sacrifice of Indian soldiers.”
General Dwivedi arrived here from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he attended several events during 05 to 06 January.
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Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and showers about 50-75 mm in other areas
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