News

Joint Opp. demands thorough probe into Negombo Prison riot

Published

2 hours ago

2026/07/15

The Joint Opposition has demanded a thorough investigation into the recent Negombo Prison riots. The following is the text of the statement issued by it yesterday:

“The riot which took place in the Negombo Prison on 5 and 6 July is among the worst incidents of its kind in the history of prisons in our country. 31 fatalities include 23 inmates and 8 prison officials, as at present.

The facts, in terms of sequence and gravity, are so appalling as to shock the conscience of the nation.

An absolutely impartial and thorough investigation of the course of events is essential. We welcome the appointment, for this purpose, of a committee of inquiry presided over by a recently retired judge of the Supreme Court.

There are several circumstances which seem to us to call for candid, truthful and complete explanation. We set them out seriatim.

(1)The violence began on 5 July and culminated in two deaths. The situation, however, appeared to have been brought under reasonable control by evening, and there was relative calm.

An obvious precaution, to prevent escalation, was to separate the warring groups – the inmates and the prison officers. Incredibly, this was not done and, to the best of our knowledge, there was dismal failure to prevent deterioration of the situation throughout the night.

(2) Contrary to all reason, a group of prison officials were sent among the inmates early on 6 July, when the latter were having their morning meal. In the highly charged atmosphere which prevailed, this provocative act was an open invitation to retaliation. The inevitable then happened, and the most bestial carnage occurred. This was the high point of the atrocities.

The action of the prison authorities, placing at grave risk the lives of the officers, defies logic and common sense to the point of raising legitimate questions as to the motive underlying the extraordinary action by the authority that directed this initiative.

(3) At the height of the pitched battle, a prison security official used an automatic weapon to open fire, through an aperture in a door, maiming or killing a number of inmates. There is a critical need to ascertain whether this indiscriminate firing was justified or whether lesser measures, in the context of prudent management of the situation, would have sufficed.

(4) A Deputy Inspector-General of Police has made a public statement that, although the police were on standby since the evening of 5 July, they received no instructions to bring the situation under control. He explained that police would move in only when requested to do so by the prison authorities; and they stood by passively in the absence of instructions to intervene.

We therefore have the bizarre situation that the police, including the Special Task Force, were mere spectators and were deprived of the opportunity during a critical stage of the events, to use their discretion and expertise in a situation which continued to be handled with less than total finesse and capability.

How did this become possible?

(5) There was, at the very least, inexcusable recklessness in respect of the arrangements which were made to transfer inmates from Negombo to Welikada, Angunukolapelessa and Boossa prisons.

a) According to the Committee for Protecting the Rights of Prisoners, about 8.30 p.m. on 7 July, inmates transferred to Angunukolapelessa prison were savagely beaten and sustained broken limbs and extensive lacerations.

b) About 8.30 p.m., a bus transporting 21 inmates from Negombo prison arrived at the Welikada Prison Hospital premises. While trapped inside the vehicle, the inmates had been violently assaulted, with the injured left profusely bleeding, and a gunshot victim trapped among them. One of the 21 inmates, assaulted while in the bus, succumbed to his injuries.

c) A very grave issue relating to a custodial death surfaced when, at 8 a.m. on 8 July, it was confirmed that an inmate transferred from Negombo Prison to the high-security Boossa Prison had died. At 10.40 a.m. on 8 July, a second death was confirmed at the Angunukolapelassa Prison.

In relation to these developments, a critical question arises as to responsibility for the arrangements regarding conveyance of inmates from Negombo to Angunukolapelessa, Welikada, and Boossa.

(6) Deaths of prison inmates while in the custody of the State is a very serious situation in terms of Article 11 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, as well as under international law. Sri Lanka has to act in compliance with several international instruments, including Articles 6, 7 and 10(1) of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Convention on Torture, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The most useful document is that dealing with minimum standards of treatment of prisoners, referred to as the Nelson Mandela Rules.

Since state responsibility is involved, extreme vigilance is mandated. It is, therefore, a matter of the utmost surprise and regret that the Minister of Justice appears to have been incommunicado while heinous events involving loss of human life were occurring with impunity on Sunday, 5 July and throughout Monday, 6 July. The Minister did not visit the Negombo Prison until approximately 3 p.m. on 6 July. When, at 12.30 p.m. on 8 July, in response to an urgent request by the Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Prisoners, a special emergency meeting was held at the Ministry of Justice, unfortunately, the Minister did not think it fit to attend, but was content to be represented by the Director of Prisons.

(7) On 7 July, about 8.30 p.m., a team of officers from the Rapid Response Unit of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka visited the Welikada Prison. Most surprisingly, the chief jailer of the Welikada Prison denied them access to the facility.

This is a blatant contravention of Sections 11(d) and 28(2) of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Act, No. 21 of 1996, and gives rise to reasonable suspicion that a coordinated effort was being made to conceal acts of murder and torture. This rightly elicited a vehement protest from Justice L.T.B. Dehideniya, Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.

(8) There is no doubt that the situation of anarchy in the Negombo Prison was directly attributable to the absence of a proper system of authority and control. For more than a year, the Negombo Prison had been without a permanent Commissioner-General. On 9 June 2025, Mr. Tushara Upuldeniya, who held that post, was interdicted. In subsequent proceedings, the Human Rights Commission ordered his reinstatement, but the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice, Ms. Ayesha Jinasena, contemptuously defied this order. Her sustained, arrogant refusal to give effect to a binding direction of the Commission is a significant contributing cause of the loss of life in this tragic situation. She must be held accountable for the dire consequences of her intransigence.

This calamity gives rise to issues of criminal and civil responsibility, and heightens the need to provide clear-cut answers to some highly pertinent questions.

Within the framework of the country’s constitutional scheme, the Special Task Force comes within the control not of the Minister of Justice, but of the Minister in charge of the Police. Operational deployment of the STF in the relevant circumstances requires the concurrence of the Minister of Defence.

There must be clarity as to whether appropriate consultation took place in this regard.

The practical reality needs to be borne in mind that prison officials are subjected to intolerable strain because of the acute overcrowding of prisons. Approximately four times the number of inmates for which these facilities were intended, are currently being held. Significant numbers are held in our prisons despite the absence of any conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction. This accounts for about three-fourths of the total number of inmates. The result is that the presumption of innocence, which is accorded constitutional recognition, is often honoured in the breach. A practical appraisal of the situation warrants recognition that the legitimate interest of prison officials, understaffed and ill equipped, should not lack focus.

Total transparency and honesty is required in respect of this unmitigated tragedy. We will stand steadfastly against obfuscation or concealment.”

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News

Negombo Prison riot: No convicts among 21 inmates killed

Published

1 hour ago

2026/07/15

Sahan Weerasooriya

A file picture of the Negombo Prison during the recent riots

Vast majority of wounded also non-convicts

A file picture of the Negombo Prison during the recent riots

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Department of Prisons yesterday (14) revealed that all inmates killed during the Negombo Prison riot were suspects. A senior official said so in response to The Island query. According to the official, among the wounded, too, the majority were suspects. The identities of the dead and the wounded inmates haven’t been officially released so far.

The official acknowledged that he, too, was surprised that convicts weren’t among the dead. Of them, two died on 5 July, 17 on the following day, within the Negombo Prison premises, and two after they were moved to other prisons. A top official of the Justice and National Integration Ministry explained the difficulties experienced in giving specific details due to the destruction of the relevant records.

The National Hospital yesterday reported that two wounded prison officers, warded there, succumbed to their injuries, raising the number of dead prison staff to 10.

The prison official and Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) asserted that the deaths and injuries, among the group of suspects held at the Negombo Prison, indicated that contrary to earlier reports Sunday’s flare-up and the subsequent violence seemed to have involved a section of the suspects and the prison personnel. CPRP pointed out as the Prisons Department has announced and already granted compensation to the tune of Rs 500,000 to prison personnel killed, the government should consider adequate compensation for suspects killed. The Justice Ministry official said that they were looking into this matter as well.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) in a statement issued on 8 July pointed out that the vast majority of those who had been held in remand custody weren’t convicted of any offence and continued to enjoy the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a court of law. Sources pointed out that the BASL, as well as the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) statements, issued on 8 and 10 July, didn’t make reference to suspects being among the dead.

Sources familiar with the situation at the Negombo Prison said that comprehensive investigation was required to establish the truth. Initially, the riot was blamed on suspects who allegedly set upon the convicts, alleging that the latter passed information to Prison authorities regarding their nefarious activities. Had that been the case, the dead should have included convicts but there were none, sources said.

Meanwhile, the Prisons Department is under investigation by the HRCSL over the refusal of the Chief Jailer of the Welikada Prison to allow the HRCSL team to visit the Prison on the night of 7 July, following the death of a suspect moved from the Negombo Prison. Alleging that the Chief Jailer’s action thwarted timely investigation of the allegation, the HRCSL has summoned Acting Commissioner General of Prisons, R. Prasad Hemantha Kumara, and the Welikada Chief Jailer, for an inquiry.

HRCSL has said that those who had been transferred to other prisons, following the incidents at the Negombo Prison had been ill-treated and deprived of medical treatment. The HRCSL has pointed out that deliberate delay on the part of the Prison authorities to provide medical treatment tantamount to taking revenge on the ex-Negombo inmates.

News

2026: 128 elephants killed in first four-and-a-half months

Published

1 hour ago

2026/07/15

Sahan Weerasooriya

The death of 128 wild elephants during the first four-and-a-half months of 2026 has triggered renewed concern among Wildlife authorities and conservationists, who warn that unless urgent and science-based interventions are implemented, the country could be heading for another year of heavy elephant losses.

Figures released by the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) show that 128 elephants died between January 1 and mid-May this year. Illegal electrocution, shooting, train collisions, poisoning, hakka patas (jaw bombs), and other human-elephant conflict-related incidents remain the leading causes of death.

A senior DWC official told The Island that the continued loss of elephants was a matter of grave concern.

She added:”Every elephant death is a significant loss to our wildlife heritage. We have intensified patrols, strengthened law enforcement and are working with local communities to minimise conflict. However, unless all stakeholders work together, reducing these deaths will remain a major challenge.”

The official said the Department was also investigating incidents involving illegal electric fences and firearms while expanding mitigation measures in identified conflict hotspots.

Chairman of the Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ), Hemantha Withanage, said the latest figures underscored the urgent need to rethink existing strategies.

“Human-elephant conflict is not merely a wildlife issue. It is a land-use planning issue, an agricultural issue and a governance issue.

Scientific land-use planning, protection of elephant corridors and proper maintenance of electric fences are essential if we are to save both human lives and elephants,” Withanage said.

Wildlife experts noted that habitat fragmentation, encroachment into elephant ranges, expansion of cultivation, and unplanned development continue to intensify encounters between people and elephants.

They warned that unless preventive measures are accelerated, elephant deaths this year could once again reach alarming levels.

Sri Lanka is home to one of Asia’s largest remaining populations of wild Asian elephants, estimated at between 6,000 and 7,000.

However, it also records one of the world’s highest annual elephant mortality rates linked to human-elephant conflict.

The DWC reminded the public that killing an elephant is a serious offence under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance and carries severe penalties, including imprisonment and substantial fines.

Conservationists have urged the Government to expedite the implementation of the National Action Plan on Human-Elephant Conflict, strengthen inter-agency coordination, improve habitat management and allocate greater resources to community-based conservation programmes.

With more than half the year still ahead, Wildlife authorities say the rising elephant death toll is a stark reminder that lasting solutions will require sustained political commitment, scientific planning and stronger cooperation between government agencies and affected communities.

By Ifham Nizam

News

Sigiriya Jungles marks 10 years with community medical camp

Published

1 hour ago

2026/07/15

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sigiriya Jungles Resort & Spa will commemorate its 10th anniversary by hosting a community medical camp for residents of surrounding villages on August 11, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to community wellbeing and sustainable tourism.

The medical camp, scheduled from 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. at the resort premises, will provide BMI assessments, full blood tests, cholesterol screening, blood pressure checks, eye and dental examinations, medicines, and health awareness sessions aimed at promoting preventive healthcare and healthier lifestyles. The anniversary celebrations will continue later that evening in the presence of invited religious leaders, health officials and other dignitaries.

Founder and Chairman of Sigiriya Jungles Resort & Spa, Devindre Senaratne, said the initiative reflected the resort’s desire to create a meaningful and lasting impact on the community that has supported its journey over the past decade.

“Our greatest achievement is not measured by occupancy or awards, but by the happy guests and the relationships we have built over a decade. Seeing this positive impact is what really makes us happy,” he said.

Located in Sri Lanka’s Cultural Triangle, the purposefully designed 60-room resort has welcomed more than 250,000 guests since opening in 2016. Designed by architect Vinod Jayasinghe, a protégé of the late Geoffrey Bawa, the property is distinguished by its bridge inspired by the historic Bogoda Bridge and offers visitors convenient access to UNESCO World Heritage attractions, including Sigiriya, Dambulla, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura. The resort also conducts immersive experiences such as the Audangawa Village Tour and traditional Sri Lankan village cooking demonstrations at Archchi’s.

Over the past decade, Sigiriya Jungles has received several industry recognitions, including TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence, consecutive TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Awards from 2020 to 2026, the Booking.com Traveller Review Award 2026, and certifications for Safe and Secure Hospitality Operations and International Food Safety Standards (ISO 22000).

The resort has also undertaken a range of community initiatives, including the construction of the Audangawa Village Temple, continued support for Moragaswewa Vidyalaya in Habarana, regular shramadana campaigns, local sourcing programmes and certified skills training. More than 650 individuals have been trained through the resort over the past decade, many of whom now serve in Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and overseas.

General Manager Chaminda Samaranayake said the resort remained committed to strengthening its sustainability agenda and is currently progressing towards Travelife certification.

“We are deeply grateful to our guests, staff, local communities, religious leaders, suppliers and partners who have helped shape these ten years. The next chapter will be guided by the same values that brought us here,” he said.