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Death of Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thera, a great loss to the nation – LSSP

Published

5 years ago

2021/06/2

The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) mourns the passing away of one of its leaders, Ven. Baddegama Samitha Thera. He died in Matara of Covid-19 illness on Sunday, May 30 at the age of 69. He had his early education in Baddegama, taking to the robes as a teenager, and later at the Universities of Kelaniya (1976), where he was the President of the Student Wing and later Lancaster, United Kingdom, where he fought against apartheid.

He was a student leader with a militant history. He joined the LSSP in 1994. In 1997, he was elected a member of the Southern Provincial Council and led the party in the Southern province. In 2001, he created history by becoming the first Bhikshu to be elected to Parliament. He campaigned on behalf of the people specially when they were being exploited by officials and politicians. He espoused the politics of the LSSP with vigour, making full use of his oratorical skills, and gained a reputation for making skillful arguments, LSSP leader Professor Tissa Vitarana said in a condolence message.

Ven. Baddegama Samitha was soon elected to the leading organs of the party, the Central Committee and then the Politbureau, where he played a leading role in decision-making. As an orator and a genial personality who served the people both day and night, he was a popular figure. His political life was marked by his consistent struggle against all types of injustice against the people, specially by officials, employers and all manner of exploiters, like petty traders. He made a name as a fighter for social and political justice, the message said.

He fought against religious and racial prejudice. He established links with leaders of other religions to unite the nation. He fought against Sinhala Buddhist extremism and majoritarianism. As a member of the LSSP, he participated in many conferences both here and abroad where he effectively espoused his positions on behalf of the people and the country, it noted.

After he lost his position in Parliament in 2004, he served as an active member of the Southern Provincial Council. He did much development work and helped the people. He promoted education. Every year, he hired buses and took school children from the South to events in Colombo, like the annual Book Exhibition. He helped cultivators to overcome issues like the fertilizer problem. He helped organize the workers, specially the Tamils, and fought for their rights. He was active on national issues and was one of the first to lead a demonstration, the message further said.

While Ven. Baddegama Samitha preached the Buddha dharma, he always repeated what the Buddha said, that the listener will benefit only if he is not hungry. He therefore carried out a fight to eliminate poverty and achieve social justice all his adult life right to the end by trying to achieve these objectives right to the end as a member of LSSP and along with the political Left, like the CP, and other progressive forces like the SLFP and SLPP, Prof. Vitarana added.

May his Samsara gamana be happy and fruitful. May he attain Nibbana.

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Ranawaka accuses govt. of using JVP cadres and police to suppress political opponents

Published

1 hour ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

… reminds AKD led over 560 protests during Yahapalanaya

Former Yahapalana Minister and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka yesterday (19) alleged that the JVP, which carried out over 560 protests during the 2015-2019 period, was now bent on preventing the Opposition from exercising its democratic right to protest.

Recalling the declaration made by the JVP at the height of the violent protest campaign in July 2022 that it would set the Parliament ablaze, the former parliamentarian lashed out at the JVP-led administration for using the police excessively to curb political opposition. Ranawaka said this while addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Flower Road Office .

Commenting on the protest campaign launched by the Maha Sangha, demanding presidential pardon for General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Ven. Galagotaatte Gnanasara, the ex-Colombo District lawmaker alleged that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake used a combination of police, investigative units and JVP cadres to break up the monks’ protest. The government went to the extent of compelling the JVP/NPP-run Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) to deprive the peaceful protesters of basic toilet facilities, he alleged.

The government’s actions proved that only those with prior approval from JVP Pelawatte headquarters could launch protests in Colombo, its suburbs or in the provinces. The police have become a political tool in the hands of the JVP, the ex-Minister said. (SF)

News

Six killed as speeding bulker crashes into vehicles, shop in Akurana

Published

1 hour ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

By SK Samaranayake

Six people were killed and seven others injured when a speeding bulker lorry carrying cement and concrete ploughed into several vehicles and a shop on the Kandy-Jaffna A9 road at Kurugoda, Akurana, yesterday (19).

Four of the victims, two women and two men, died on the spot in the accident which occurred around 10.30 am, according to Alawathugoda Police.

Police said the bulker, travelling at high speed from the Matale direction, collided with three three-wheelers, two motorcycles and two lorries before veering off the road and crashing into a commercial establishment.

Five of the injured were rushed to the National Hospital of Kandy, where hospital sources said two remained in critical condition.

The bodies of the four victims were placed at the Akurana Hospital, where two others, who suffered minor injuries, were also receiving treatment.

The driver of the bulker was arrested by the Alawathugoda Police Traffic Division and is to be produced before court.

Investigations are being conducted under the supervision of Central Province Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake.

News

Prof. Peiris, summoned by CIABOC, appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release

Published

1 hour ago

2026/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

G.L. Peiris

By Shamindra Ferdinando

owledging that there had been an administrative lapse on the part of the President’s Office in 2019 when Maithripala Sirisena granted presidential pardon to Ven. Gnanasara Thera, Convener of Janathawadi Joint Opposition Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday (19) urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to rectify whatever those shortcomings and release the General Secretary of Bodu Bala Sena.

Addressing the media at the former President Ranil Wickrekmesinghe’s Flower Road Office, Prof. Peiris emphasized that it was not fair to hold Ven. Gnanasara accountable for lapse or technical fault of others at the Presidential Secretariat during President Sirisena’s tenure.

Prof. Peiris was flanked by UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena and United Republican Front (URF) leader Patali Champika Ranawaka.

The fresh appeal was made on behalf of Ven. Gnanasara in the wake of President Dissanayake and JVP heavyweight Anura Kumara Dissanayake ruling out fresh presidential pardon for the monk. Minister Lal Kantha declared that the government couldn’t under any circumstances meet the continuing monks’ protest demanding Ven. Gnanasara’s release. President Dissanayake dismissed repeated appeals for Ven. Gnanasara’s release when he addressed the NPP really in Badulla.

Sirisena granted presidential pardon in May 2019 even before he completed a year of his six-year term of rigorous imprisonment for contempt of court during proceedings of the media personality Prageeth Ekneligoda’s 2010 January disappearance in the Homagama Magistrate’s court.

At the onset of the regular weekly briefing, Prof. Peiris said that he would report to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) today (20) morning as requested by the commission. “The CIABOC wanted to record my statement regarding a meeting I chaired at the ministry after the conclusion of the war in 2009 pertaining to an ongoing investigation.”

Commenting further on the imprisonment of Ven. Gnanasara, the former parliamentarian said that President Sirisena intervened following a spate of requests made on behalf of BBS General Secretary by the Mahanayakes, Anunayakes and other Maha Sangha.

The Supreme Court on 10 September, 2026 rescinded the presidential pardon granted in late May 2019.