News
Failure to thwart Easter Sunday terror attacks: Opp. to move no-faith motion against Deputy Defence Minister
… questions his role as Eastern Commander in 2019
The parties in the Opposition have unanimously decided to submit a no-confidence motion against Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekera and hand it over to Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne next Monday (11).
The decision was taken at a meeting held yesterday at the Opposition Leader’s office, where party leaders agreed to proceed with the motion, claiming that Jayasekera, during his tenure as Eastern Security Forces Commander, had failed to act on intelligence reveived regarding the activities of National Thowheed Jamath (NTJ) leader Zaharan Hashim
Opposition MP Mujibur Rahman told the media that MPs had begun signing the motion yesterday at the Opposition Leader’s office, in Parliament. Alongside the no-confidence motion, MPs are also signing a resolution calling for the appointment of a select committee to oversee the drafting of a new Constitution in keeping with the NPP’s pledge, he said.
The Opposition has decided to move the no-faith motion against Jayasekera following very serious allegations made in Parliament, on 24 July, by Opposition MP Nizam Kariapper. He accused Jayasekera of having ignored a critical intelligence on Zaharan’s extremist activities, dating back to 2015. The revelations, he said, were detailed in a B report submitted by the CID to the Colombo Magistrate, which had allegedly been kept hidden for years.
“After the sacking of former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in October 2018, Aruna Jayasekera, who was then Head of Intelligence in Batticaloa, was appointed Security Forces Commander in the East,” Kariapper said. “The Vavunathivu attack on the police happened during the same month. A cover-up ensued, leading to the imprisonment of an interpreter, while those who failed in their duties now sit in Parliament.”
Kariapper described the situation as “a verdict of King Kakille”, denouncing, what he called a miscarriage of justice. He also highlighted Jayasekera’s long involvement in military intelligence, including his service in the 1989 counter-insurgency unit, and later as the Army Intelligence Chief in the East before retiring in 2019 and forming an ex-military officers’ association.
Kariapper said the CID had, in April, recommended the cancellation of passports belonging to five intelligence officers accused of negligence. “Who is the powerful figure preventing action ?” he asked.
The Catholic Church has also called for Deputy Minister Jayasekera’s resignation to ensure an impartial investigation into the Easter Sunday attacks, adding further pressure on the government as the Opposition rallies around the motion.
Kalutara District SJB MP Ajith P. Perera said that the Opposition parties had unanimously decided to bring a no-confidence motion against State Minister of Defence Jayasekera.
Perera told the media that the motion would be submitted to Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramanayake next Monday (11).
By Saman Indrajith
News
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 19.05.2025 to purchase four (04) automated passenger clearance gates for Bandaranayake International Airport.
In addition, it is expected to extend the automated passenger clearance gates facility so far given only to the Sri Lankans
parallel to the e – passport issuance system to be introduced in the year 2027 also to the foreigners who travel to and from this country.
Furthermore, considering also the number of air passengers rapidly increasing with the fast – forwarding business and tourism field, the appropriateness to increase the total automated passenger clearance gates up to twelve (12) in number has been recognized.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers, approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to initiate the procurement and installation of 12
automated passenger clearance gates altogether with the already approved four (04) and another eight (08) automated passenger clearance gates adhering to the formal procurement procedure
Based on the observations submitted by the Task Force on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing for Terrorism, approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 18.12.2024 to amend the Trust Ordinance No. 9 of 1917 including amendments proposed by the Financial
Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, clearance of the Attorney General has been granted for the Trust (Amendment) Draft Bill formulated by the Legal Draftsman.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Justice and National Integration
to publish the said draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby, submit the same to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Action was taken to provide a fuel relief for the fuel consumers during the months of April, May and June of 2026 to redress by minimizing the impact caused to the day today life of the citizens of this country as well as the entire economy due to the price hike of petroleum fuel in the global market resulting from the war situation in the Middle East.
Government mediation is essential for minimizing the impact on the day to today life of citizens in this country due to that war situation not being ended further. Therefore, it has been planned to redress on the sale price for Auto Diesel and Industrial Diesel for a period of 03 months by the Government to provide relief to the public as well as to maintain the prices at a bearable level to the consumers without escalating the fuel prices in this country compared to the escalation of fuel prices
in the international market.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to
allocate provisions subject to the monthly limitations respectively as rupees 15 billion for the month of October, rupees 13.5 billion for the month of November and rupees 12.15 billion for the month of December to provide the said relief
Cabinet nod to increase the number of new automated passenger clearance gates at the Bandaranayake International Airport to 12
Draft Bill for amending the Trust Ordinance
Implementing further relief programme to Public sffected by the Middle East conflict situation
Establishment of a Spectrum Management and Monitoring System and a Quality of Service and Quality of Experience System for the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka
Appointment of a Committee for the Restitution of Sri Lankan Cultural Heritage Held Abroad
Ten-Year National Action Plan on the Social Protection Sector (2026–2035)
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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