News
Sri Lanka rules out consensus with India over poaching, vows tough action against offenders
Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar has ruled out the possibility of any consensus with India to allow its fishing fleet to poach in Sri Lankan waters. He made this declaration in Colombo on Tuesday (01) at a hastily arranged media conference at his Ministry
Chandrasekar said the Indians fishing in Sri Lankan waters illegally would be apprehended and their boats confiscated. The Minister emphasised that under any circumstances there couldn’t be a consensus on allowing Indian poaching.
India has been pushing for an arrangement under which its fishing fleet is given access to Sri Lankan waters without hindrance.
Declaring that the continuing large scale poaching had been inimical to Sri Lanka’s interests, Minister Chandrasekar said that India had been informed of Sri Lanka’s decision to arrest poachers.
The Minister said that poaching had resumed recently after a three-month halt to the despicable practice.
Chandrasekar said that the Navy would respond to the situation as long as Indian vessels continued to cross the Indo-Lanka maritime boundary. Alleging that Indian fishers were employing destructive fishing methods, Minister Chardrasekar warned that unless remedial measures were taken the Indian fishing fleet would destroy Sri Lanka’s fishing resources.
During President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s visit to New Delhi last December the fishing issue was taken up.
Minister Chandrasekar ‘s response comes in the wake of Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s recent declaration that Indian fishermen continue to be arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy because of an agreement signed during the Emergency period, which stripped them of fishing rights in certain parts of the Indian Ocean
The External Affairs Minister, speaking at an event organised by the BJP Yuva Morcha to mark 50 years of the Emergency, said the agreement would not have happened if Parliament had been working properly back then.
“Big decisions were sometimes taken without any parliamentary debate during the time,” he said, highlighting the lack of democratic processes under the Emergency.
Referring to the ongoing issue of fishermen being detained by the Sri Lankan Navy, Jaishankar said, “We hear about our fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka. The reason is that an agreement was entered into during the Emergency under which the rights of the fishermen for fishing in some sea waters of Sri Lanka was abandoned.”
Latest News
Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Kegalle, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts during the day time
Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 28 April 2026, valid for 29 April 2026.
The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Kegalle,
Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts during the day time.
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
New controversy erupts over missing USD 2.5 mn:
Public interest activist Nagananda Kodituwakku has sought citizenship details of Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma from the Department of Home Affairs, Australia.
According to a letter dated 28 April, addressed to the relevant department, Solicitor England and Wales Kodituwakku sought the required information in terms of Section 15 of the Freedom of Information Act No 3 of 1982 of Australia. Suriyapperuma is also the Secretary to the Treasury.
The former Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Suriyapperuma (from November 2024 to June 2025) is embroiled in a deepening controversy over the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.
The leader of the Vinivida Foundation said that he intended to move court against Suriyapperuma for entering Parliament through the NPP National List in violation of the country’s Constitution (Article 91(1)(d)(xiiii).
Kodituwakku said: “This is clearly an accountability and integrity issue and violation of the Constitution of Sri Lanka and also this act contravenes the law of a member in the Commonwealth.”
USD 2.5 mn paid to a third party was meant to be an instalment of a loan taken from Australia. Suriyapperuma neither responded to an SMS nor answered his hand phone.
Geetha Kumarasinghe (UPFA/Galle District) and Diana Gamage (SJB National List) lost their seats in 2017 and 2024, respectively, over citizenship issues.
Meanwhile, public interest group ‘Free Lawyers’ that exposed the theft of Treasury funds questioned the failure on the part of Dr. Harsha de Silva, Chairman of Committee on Public Finance (CoPF), to pressure President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to temporarily remove Suriyapperuma to facilitate unhindered investigations.
On behalf of ‘Free Lawyers’, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon yesterday expressed concern over the way the CoPF, under SJBer de Silva’s leadership, handled the issue at hand. Issuing an open letter, Tennakoon, urged the CoPF chief to explain his stand on a spate of vital issues which needed to be addressed without any further delay.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
News
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara (Sue Tue Nhan) at the conclusion of the 161 km ‘International Peace Walk’ in Colombo yesterday. The Bo-sapling will be taken to the US by the spiritual leader. Pic by Sujata Jayaratne
Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central and North-western provinces and in Kegalle, Trincomalee and Batticaloa districts during the day time
Showers or thundershowers will occur in most parts of the island after 1.00 pm
Treasury chief’s citizenship details sought from Australia
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara
USD 625,000 meant for US Postal Service goes missing
End of the road for Shammi Silva
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News6 days agoLanka faces crisis of conscience over fate of animals: Call for compassion, law reform, and ethical responsibility
-
News5 days agoWhistleblowers ask Treasury Chief to resign over theft of USD 2.5 mn
-
News5 days agoNo cyber hack: Fintech expert exposes shocking legacy flaws that led to $2.5 million theft
-
News2 days agoBIA drug bust: 25 monks including three masterminds arrested
-
Business3 days agoNestlé Lanka Announces Change in Leadership
-
News2 days agoBanks alert customers to phishing attacks
-
News3 days agoHackers steal $3.2 Mn from Finance Ministry
-
News6 days agoUSD 2 mn bribe: CID ordered to arrest Shasheendra R, warrant issued against ex-SriLankan CEO’s wife