News

Address Tamils’ aspirations within united Sri Lanka, and implement 13th Amendment

Published

6 years ago

2020/09/28

Sahan Weerasooriya

Modi to Mahinda:

BY S VENKAT NARAYAN

Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, September 27:

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has exhorted Sri Lanka to address the Tamils’ aspirations for equality, justice, peace and respect within a united Sri Lanka. He urged the island-nation to carry forward the process of reconciliation with the implementation of the Thirteenth Amendment to its Constitution.

Modi conveyed this to Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa during an hour-long virtual summit on Saturday morning. This was the first such summit in the neighbourhood for both the prime ministers.

Responding to Modi’s call, PM Rajapaksa expressed the confidence that Sri Lanka will work towards realizing the expectations of all ethnic groups, including Tamils, by achieving reconciliation nurtured as per the mandate of the people of Sri Lanka and implementation of the Constitutional provisions.

They discussed bilateral relations, regional and international issues of mutual concern, the Indian External Affairs Ministry said in a statement.Both the leaders recalled the successful State Visits by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to India in November 2019 and February 2020, respectively. These visits gave clear political direction and vision for the future of the relationship.The two countries agreed to work together to expeditiously complete construction of 10,000 housing units in the plantation areas with Indian assistance, first announced by Modi during his visit to Sri Lanka in May 2017.

They will deepen cooperation in renewable energy with particular emphasis on solar projects under the US$100-million Line of Credit from India.

Rajapaksa welcomed Modi’s announcement of India’s grant assistance of US$15 million for promotion of Buddhist ties between the two countries. The grant will assist in deepening people-to-people linkages between the two countries in the sphere of Buddhism including inter alia through construction/renovation of Buddhist monasteries, capacity development, cultural exchanges, archaeological cooperation, reciprocal exposition of The Buddha’s relics, strengthening engagement of Buddhist scholars and clergy, etc.The two governments will further strengthen people-to-people ties by exploring opportunities in the field of civilizational linkages and common heritage such as Buddhism, Ayurveda and Yoga.

India will facilitate the visit of a delegation of Sri Lankan Buddhist pilgrims in the inaugural international flight to the sacred city of Kushinagar in Uttar Pradesh, which was recently made an international airport. It was here that Gautama Buddha attained parinirvana after his death.

Both leaders were unanimous that the ancient cultural links between India and Sri Lanka are special, and must be nurtured further. Rajapaksa made a special mention of the Jaffna Cultural Centre which is an iconic project built with Indian assistance. The Centre is almost ready. He extended an invitation to Modi to inaugurate the project. Both sides will remain in touch at official level for details.

At a special briefing on the summit, Joint Secretary (Indian Ocean Region) Amit Narang said Sri Lanka’s request for a bilateral currency swap arrangement worth $1 billion is under discussion. This is in addition to the $400-million currency swap India has already provided.

The two leaders exchanged views on fishermen-related issues. They agreed to continue and strengthen the ongoing constructive and humanitarian approach to address this issue through existing bilateral mechanisms, and instructed relevant officials on both sides to this effect.

As soon as Sri Lanka decides to allow foreign airlines to fly in and out, an air bubble will be established to allow the resumption of flights between the two countries.

Rajapaksa commended the strong leadership Modi showed in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, based on the vision of mutual support and assistance to the countries of the region. Both leaders agreed that the current situation presented a fresh opportunity to give added impetus to bilateral relations.

Both the leaders expressed happiness that India and Sri Lanka worked very closely in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Modi reaffirmed India’s continued commitment for all possible support to Sri Lanka for minimising the health and economic impact of the pandemic.For imparting further impetus to the bilateral relationship, the two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation to combat terrorism and drug trafficking, including in the fields of intelligence, information sharing, de-radicalization and capacity building.They decided to continue the fruitful and efficient development partnership in accordance with the priority areas identified by the Government and people of Sri Lanka and to further broad-base the island-wide engagement under the Memorandum of Understanding for Implementation of High Impact Community Development Projects (HICDP) for the period 2020-2025.The two governments will work towards early realization of infrastructure and connectivity projects, including in the sectors of Ports and Energy through close consultations as per the Bilateral Agreements and MoUs, and strong commitment towards a mutually beneficial development cooperation partnership between the two countries.They will strengthen technical cooperation in the areas of agriculture, animal husbandry, science & technology, health care and AYUSH (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) as well as skill development by increased training of professionals thereby realizing the full potential of the demographic dividend in both the countries.Cooperation will be strengthened between armed forces of the two sides, including through mutual exchange of personnel visits, maritime security cooperation and support to Sri Lanka in the spheres of defence and security.

All News Advertisement

News

Prison rules to be revised over monks’ attire

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

Harshana

Appointment of committee eyewash, says UNP

The government is considering changes to prison regulations pertaining to the treatment of Buddhist monks serving jail terms, including their right to wear monastic robes when taken outside prison.

Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara announced the proposed changes yesterday (14) following the submission of an interim report by a committee appointed to review the rules and procedures governing prisons.

The report was handed over to Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake at the Presidential Secretariat.

One of the key recommendations is to amend Prison Standing Order 356 by introducing a new provision, 356(A). The proposed revision would require prison authorities to consult the Department of Buddhist Affairs on the removal of a monk’s robes upon admission to prison. The Commissioner of Prisons would be allowed 10 days to notify the department and take the necessary steps.

A separate amendment to Departmental Order 550 would allow Buddhist monks to wear their robes whenever they are taken outside prison, unless their respective Nikaya formally requests that the privilege be withdrawn.

The committee has also recommended extending similar arrangements, with suitable modifications, to members of other religious clergy who are imprisoned.

The proposals follow concerns raised over the treatment of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera after he was taken into custody. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake subsequently held discussions with representatives of the three main Buddhist Nikayas and appointed the committee to examine the existing legal framework.

Nanayakkara said the interim report had been forwarded to the Acting Commissioner General of Prisons, along with instructions to revise the relevant standing orders in accordance with its recommendations.

The proposed amendments have yet to be confirmed as formally implemented.

Meanwhile, the UNP yesterday criticised the government’s decision to appoint a committee to make recommendations on the attire to be worn by imprisoned Buddhist monks and other religious leaders when taken outside prison, describing the move as unnecessary.

In a statement issued yesterday (14), the UNP said the procedures governing the matter were already clearly set out in the Department of Prisons’ Standing Orders, making the appointment of a separate committee unwarranted.

The party cited remarks by Professor G.L. Peiris, Convenor of the Janathawadi Joint Opposition, who had described the committee’s appointment as a

“complete eyewash” and questioned the need for such a move.

Referring to Standing Order 550 of the Prisons Department, the UNP said convicted prisoners appearing before court for legal proceedings should not be required to wear prison uniforms.

It further stated that the regulations allowed prisoners to wear civilian clothing consistent with what they wore before imprisonment, including attire appropriate to their cultural and religious backgrounds.

The UNP accused the government of unnecessarily prolonging the issue by appointing a committee, despite the existence of regulations governing prisoners’ attire.

The party also called on the government to seek forgiveness from the Mahanayake Thera and the Sangha Council of the Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha of the Siyam Maha Nikaya over the decision concerning the religious attire of Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera.

News

AC President recuses himself from hearing prison attire case pertaining to Gnanasara Thera

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

Court of Appeal President Justice Rohantha Abeysuriya yesterday withdrew from the bench hearing petitions challenging the decision by prison authorities to require Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera to wear prison attire following his imprisonment.

The decision was announced when the petitions seeking to invalidate the prison authorities’ decision were taken up for consideration on October 14.

Following his withdrawal, a three-judge bench was appointed to hear the petitions.

The petitions relate to the prison authorities’ decision to require Gnanasara Thera to wear prison attire after he was taken into custody to serve the remainder of his sentence for contempt of court.

In September this year, the Supreme Court annulled the presidential pardon granted to Gnanasara Thera by former President Maithripala Sirisena in May 2019.

Following the ruling, the Court of Appeal directed the Commissioner General of Prisons to take the necessary steps to enforce the remainder of the monk’s prison sentence.

Gnanasara Thera had originally been sentenced to six years’ imprisonment for contempt of court but had served only around nine months before receiving the presidential pardon in 2019.

News

Court orders steps to obtain INTERPOL Red Notice against Basil

Published

7 hours ago

2026/10/15

Thilina Walpola

Basil

The Fort Magistrate’s Court yesterday issued an arrest warrant for former Minister Basil Rajapaksa over the alleged misuse of funds belonging to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau during the 2014 Uva Provincial Council election.

The Magistrate also directed the CID Illegal Assets Investigation Division to take necessary steps to obtain a Red Notice through Interpol.

The orders were issued following submissions made by the CID in connection with the alleged financial irregularities.

The CID’s Illegal Assets Investigation Unit informed the court that Rs. 7.8 million allocated to the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau in 2014 had allegedly not been used for the Bureau’s promotional activities.

Instead, the funds had allegedly been used to provide 12,000 T-shirts during the Uva Provincial Council election, causing a financial loss to the government, the CID told court.