News

Sirisena and Fonseka blame each other for security lapses

Published

3 years ago

2023/01/19

By Saman Indrajith

Ex-President Maithripala Sirisena and ex-Army Commander Field Marshal Sarath Fonskea had a heated argument in Parliament yesterday over national security lapses that had led to the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

Field Marshal Fonseka said Sirisena had no sense of national security and that had led to the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

“Even after the attacks, Sirisena, who was in Singapore, did not return to the country in the first flight available. There were two flights from Singapore, one at 12 noon and the other at 9 pm on that day. First class seats were not available in them and Sirisena waited till 1 am the following day to return home. He had no sense of urgency to attend to the national crisis here. Now, he is going with a till in Pettah to collect money to pay compensation to the victims,” Fonseka said.

Former President Sirisena said Fonseka was an ungrateful man to accuse him of security lapses. “If anyone collects money with a till at Pettah, I am willing to take that contribution because I have no money. Fonseka is an ungrateful man. It is I who gave him a presidential pardon while he was languishing in jail. He came after me asking for the field marshal post. The basic requirement to make a field marshal in a country is the strength of the army of that country. It needs more than one million troops to create the field marshal post. We did not have it. So, we made recruitments to enable the creation of that post. In the past several days he has been calling to put me behind bars. He says that I have no qualifications to talk about national security. What qualifications does he have to talk about national security? He was not even able to maintain security at the Army Headquarters when he was the commander of the army. A female suicide cadre went into the army headquarters and blew herself up injuring Fonseka seriously. The one who could not maintain security now talks about national security. Even the Supreme Court has accepted the fact that I have not been informed by any officer of the impending attacks while they had received prior warnings. It is unfair to criticise me. I destroyed the Zahran group within three weeks of the attacks.

Field Marshal Fonseka:

Sirisena did not give me pardon or promotion because he personally favoured me. It was there in the manifesto of his presidential election. That manifesto promised to give justice to me. People endorsed it. He was carrying out only an election promise when he gave the presidential pardon and the promotion. I had made speeches in hundreds of his rallies in support of him. He later removed my ministerial post because I criticized him. The attack on the army headquarters was because of the lapse of security measures following the Ceasefire Agreement. During a ceasefire we scaled down security. He does not understand security concepts.

Sirisena:

Fonseka says that the field marshal post was given to him as an election promise. He visited me many times begging to get that post. I finally made him the field marshal. Fonseka is not a man who knows what language he should use in Parliament. I regret hearing these things.”

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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota and Monaragala districts during the day time

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/5

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 04 May 2026, valid for 05 May 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on the human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota and Monaragala 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 the 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.

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Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

Published

7 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

Published

7 hours ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]