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Easter Sunday carnage: Cardinal urges President to act on PSC findings

Published

3 years ago

2022/08/16

Sahan Weerasooriya

Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith at St. Anthony’s Church in Kotahena on Sunday. Pic by Nishan S Priyantha

By Norman Palihawadane

Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith on Sunday said that Sri Lanka would not achieve its true freedom until the supremacy of the law was established.

Addressing a ceremony at the St. Anthony’s Church, Kotahena, to distribute financial aid sent from the Vatican among the families of Easter Sunday carnage victims, the Cardinal said: “The legal system is warped and bent as per the whims and fancies of political leaders over and over again. This is what we have witnessed during the past 74 years. Till this system is changed, Sri Lanka will never be free. The slavery to politicians will continue, till the day the legal system is completely independent of persons in power.”

“Sri Lanka will not achieve its true freedom until its political leaders themselves obey the rule of law,” he added.

The Cardinal said justice did not prevail in Sri Lanka, in most instances, and people had lost faith in the judicial system.

“Despite the concerns and appeals made by Pope Francis for justice for the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, our authorities have not taken any action against the culprits,” the Cardinal said, adding that for generations politicians had interfered with the law to obtain personal benefits, whilst dragging the country down the drain in the process. All of Sri Lanka’s political leaders had contributed to the destruction of the independence of the judiciary, after coming to power. “Sri Lanka is not truly independent, even after 74 years, if the Police continue to be influenced by politicians and connected persons,” he said.

Last week, Pope Francis granted €100,000 in aid to the victims of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. The financial aid was disbursed among the affected families at St. Sebastian’s Church, in Katuwapitiya, and St. Anthony’s Church, in Kotahena, on Sunday.

Cardinal Ranjith said that they would continue their struggle, seeking justice for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, and also urged the incumbent President to probe allegations of a political conspiracy behind the attacks.

“Even though the Galle Face struggle has stopped, this struggle will continue. We will not give up,” he said.

He said the current President should ascertain those things as the report of the parliamentary selection committee, appointed by him at the time, said that there was a semblance of a political conspiracy behind it.

“If so, this President is duty bound to analyze what the parliamentary committee, appointed by him, said. Therefore, I request the President to please be honest about what the select committee you appointed said.” The Cardinal said that a senior police officer, who was about to arrest the suicide bomber Zahran Hashim, had been falsely accused of a conspiracy to kill influential people and arrested, allowing the suicide bomber to proceed with his plans. Those who allowed the attackers freedom to act were also responsible for this attack,as well as Zahran Hashim, the Cardinal said.

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Navy seize an Indian fishing boat poaching in northern waters

Published

6 hours ago

2026/01/3

Priyan

During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 01 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 11 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan of Kareinagar, Jaffna.

The Northern Naval Command spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing, trespassing into Sri Lankan waters. In response, naval craft of the Northern Naval Command were deployed to drive away those Indian fishing boats from island waters off Kovilan.

Meanwhile, compliant boarding made by naval personnel resulted in the seizure of one Indian fishing boat and apprehension of 11 Indian fishermen who continued to engage in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

The seized boat (01) and Indian fishermen (11) were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.

Latest News

Tri-Forces donate LKR. 372 million, a day’s pay of all ranks to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

12 hours ago

2026/01/3

Priyan

Members of all ranks from the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force have collectively donated a day’s basic salary to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, which was established to restore livelihoods and rebuild the country following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

Accordingly, the total contribution made by the Tri-Forces amounts to LKR. 372,776,918.28.

The cheques representing the financial contributions were handed over on Wednesday (31 December) at the Presidential Secretariat to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

The donations comprised LKR. 250 million from the Commander of the Army, Major General Lasantha Rodrigo; LKR. 73,963,879.71 from the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Kanchana Banagoda and LKR. 48,813,038.97 from the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe.

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, was also present on the occasion.

News

CEB demands 11.57 percent power tariff hike in first quarter

Published

15 hours ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) seeking an 11.57 percent increase in electricity tariffs for the first quarter of 2026, citing an estimated revenue shortfall and additional financial pressures, including cyclone-related damages.

According to documents issued by the PUCSL, the proposed tariff revision would apply to electricity consumption from January to March 2026 and includes changes to both energy charges and fixed monthly charges across all consumer categories, including domestic, religious, industrial, commercial and other users.

Under the proposal, domestic electricity consumers would face increases in unit rates as well as fixed monthly charges across all consumption blocks.

The CEB has estimated a deficit of Rs. 13,094 million for the first quarter of 2026, which it says necessitates the proposed 11.57 per cent tariff hike. The utility has noted that any deviation from this estimate whether a surplus or a shortfall will be adjusted through the Bulk Supply Tariff Adjustment (BSTA) mechanism and taken into account in the next tariff revision.

In its submission, the CEB said the proposed revision is aimed at ensuring the financial and operational stability of the power sector and mitigating potential risks to the reliability of electricity supply. The board-approved tariff structure for the first quarter of 2026 has been submitted to the PUCSL for approval and subsequent implementation, as outlined in Annex II of the proposal.

The CEB has also highlighted the financial impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which it said caused extensive damage to electricity infrastructure, with total losses estimated at around Rs. 20 billion. Of this amount, Rs. 7,016.52 million has been attributed to the first quarter of 2026, which the utility said has a direct bearing on electricity tariffs.

The CEB warned that if external funding is not secured to cover the cyclone-related expenditure, the costs incurred would need to be recovered through electricity tariffs in the second-quarter revision of 2026.

Meanwhile, the PUCSL has said that a decision on whether to approve the proposed tariff increase will be made only after following due regulatory procedures and holding discussions on the matter.

By Sujeewa Thathsara ✍️