News

Interim relief will cause havoc counsel for gas company maintains

Published

4 years ago

2021/12/15

By Chitra Weerarathne

Additional Solicitor General, Farzana Jameel, PC said that the Consumer Affairs Authority had been directed to recall the old cylinders of gas from the market and to introduce new cylinders with a new colour wrap in future.

Nagananda Kodituwakku told the Court of Appeal that the day before yesterday a mother of four children had died. Public safety should be taken into account. The Attorney General should not be allowed to abuse his office.

Attorney-at-Law Harsha Amarasekera, PC said that the petition filed against the LP gas companies, did not give a proper picture.

The Court questioned whether the gas producing institutions would introduce a label indicating the composition of the gas, etc.

HAmarasekera replied that he needed to get instructions from his clients on that subject. He appeared for the producers of Litro Gas Pvt. Limited. He explained that a chemical was to be introduced to the LP gas so that a smell would emanate if there was any leak. Incidents of accidents this year were less than last year.

Social media have highlighted the events.

The President had instructed the police to produce a report on incidents of explosions, counsel Amarasekera said.

The Counsel asked for time to ascertain the composition of the LP gas as regards propane and methane.

Additional Solicitor General Farzana Jameel, PC said that directions had been given by the authorities to recall old sealed cylinders from the market. The Consumer Affairs Authority would have a new colour wrap on the cylinders in the future.

The Committee appointed by the President had submitted the report on the issue, Counsel Amarasekera said.

Petitioner Naganada Kodituwakku said that the Minister himself had admitted in Parliament there was a danger to people. The composition in Litro Gas containers was wrong as regards propane-butane ratio.

The petitioner requested for interim relief against the distribution of cylinders of gas.

Amarasekera PC said that the interim relief sought by Kodituwakku would create havoc. The Government Analyst had said that most of the media reports as regards the composition and explosion were false.

The petitioner was asking for interim relief only to get publicity and not to protect the people, counsel Amarasekera alleged.

Interim relief would affect everyone using gas. Only a very small percentage of gas consumers had been injured, he added.

Counsel Suren de Silva appearing for Laugfs Gas Pvt. Limited said that social media had created havoc. The problem was not with the composition of the gas, not even with the cylinders, but might be with the new accessories introduced.

The bench comprised Justice K. Priyantha Fernando (President of the Court of Appeal) and Justice Sampath B. Abeykoon.

Hearing is to be resumed today (15).

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News

Govt. extends ban on LTTE

Published

4 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

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.

News

Police obtain court order banning Wimal’s protest

Published

4 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa addresses a gathering outside the Education Ministry on Monday before launching a protest demanding the immediate resignation of Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya as Education Minister over the inclusion of a link to an adult content website in the Grade 06 English module. (Pic by Thushara Atapattu)

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.

News

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi expresses optimism that Sri Lanka is on the right path to progres

Published

4 hours ago

2026/01/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

FM Herath with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath held productive discussions with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi today (12/01), during the latter’s brief visit to Sri Lanka.

The meeting aimed at further strengthening bilateral engagement and advancing the Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries. Both Ministers reaffirmed the longstanding friendship and time-tested cooperation between Sri Lanka and China rooted in centuries of exchanges and consolidated since the establishment of diplomatic relations seven decades ago. The discussion also focused on enhancing partnership in the areas of trade, investment, development cooperation and tourism.

Minister Herath extended deep appreciation to the Government and the people of China for the steadfast support extended to Sri Lanka following cyclone Ditwah and requested further support for the second phase of resettlement, relocation and rebuilding, particularly for the restoration of affected infrastructure including identified roads, railways and bridges that are vital to connectivity, economic recovery and daily lives of people. Minister Wang assured China’s fullest support for this initiative and expressed confidence that Sri Lanka will continue its rapid recovery under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Disanayaka. He also welcomed the people-centric policies of the Government and expressed optimism that Sri Lanka is on the right path toward fulfilling aspirations of its people.

Minister Herath expressed appreciation for China’s constructive role in international fora and reiterated Sri Lanka’s firm commitment to the One China Policy and China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Both Ministers also recalled the successful high level exchanges in the recent past, including visits of the President and the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka to China in 2025.