News
‘SLPP’s achievements unparalleled’
A jubilant SLPP Chairman, Prof. G.L. Peiris, described his party’s resounding victory at the 2020 general election as an achievement without parallel in any country any time.
Prof. Peiris, who heads the SLPP National List, told The Island that there had never been an instance of a political party, just three years old, registering massive victories in Local Government polls (Feb 2018), presidential election (Nov 2019) and a general election.
The latest victory underscored the SLPP’s emergence as the most dominant political force in the country ever, the one-time External Affairs Minister said. Such public expectations imposed heavy obligations on the leadership therefore the party would do everything possible to meet their expectations, he said.
The SLPP Chairman said that what they achieved since the Election Commission recognized the party in Nov 2016 was stupendous. Prof. Peiris said that the unprecedented triumph was ‘a truly humbling experience’ as the nation placed its unqualified confidence in SLPP and its leadership (SF)
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the decision of the Food Policy and Security Committee to maintain the minimum purchasing price of 1 kg of Nadu paddy of prescribed standard at Rs. 120 and to increase the minimum purchasing price of 1 kg of Samba from Rs. 125 to Rs. 130 and the minimum purchasing price of Kiri Samba from Rs. 132 to Rs. 140.
The NPP government has issued a new extraordinary gazette renewing and extending Sri Lanka’s long-standing ban on the LTTE and several Tamil diaspora organisations and individuals, continuing to designate them as “terrorists”.
The gazette, published recently, replaces a previous gazette issued in May 2025 and reaffirmed the proscription of a wide range of Tamil political and advocacy bodies operating around the world, alongside dozens of named individuals. The government alleged both the organisations and individuals listed are involved in “terrorism-related activities”.
The organisations blacklisted by the Sri Lankan government include:
• Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
• Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO)
• Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC)
• World Tamil Movement (WTM)
• Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)
• World Tamil Relief Fund (WTRF)
• National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT)
• Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO)
While the majority of the designations mirror those contained in the May 2025 gazette, the latest document updates identification details and addresses for a number of individuals and introduces at least one additional organisation to the list. All entries have been reissued under new reference numbers for 2026, though the underlying allegations and framing remain unchanged.
Successive governemnts have maintained a sweeping proscription regime against Tamil diaspora groups and individuals. A ban can make it a criminal offence for Sri Lankan citizens to maintain contact with these organisations or their members, severely restricting political engagement and stifling links between the diaspora and the Tamil homeland.
The original mass listings were introduced in 2014 under the administration of Mahinda Rajapaksa. Despite repeated outcry, subsequent governments have continued to uphold and renew the proscription regime, even after the Rajapaksas were voted out of power.
Police yesterday (12) obtained an injunction order from the Kaduwela Magistrate’s court against the protest launched by National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and former Minister Wimal Weerawansa opposite the Education Ministry, Isurupaya, at Battaramulla.
Police informed Weerawansa of the court order. In line with the court order, the police informed Weerawansa that the road near the Ministry should not be obstructed and that no sound amplification equipment be used while the GCE Advanced Level (A/L) examination is in progress. The examination, put off due to Cyclone Ditwah, recommenced yesterday.
Minimum purchasing price of Samba and Kiri Samba paddy incresed
Showers in the Northern, North-central, Uva, Western, Eastern, Sabaragamuwa, North-western and Central provinces and Galle and Matara districts
Govt. extends ban on LTTE
Police obtain court order banning Wimal’s protest
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expresses optimism that Sri Lanka is on the right path to progres
India plans to restore northern regular train services to pre-Ditwah frequencies before traditional New Year 2026
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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