News
FSP proposes self-governing regions, bicameral legislature to address national issue
Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Propaganda Secretary Duminda Nagamuwa has said that establishment of self- governing regions, bicameral legislature consisting of two Houses and recognition of upcountry Tamils as Sri Lankans would be necessary to solve the national issue. Nagamuwa declared that the FSP was ready to spearhead the fight to achieve those objectives.
Nagamuwa, a senior member of the breakaway faction of the JVP, said so at the fourth annual convention of the party held at the Sugathadasa Indoor stadium on Sunday (01). Nagamuwa stressed that a bicameral legislature was necessary to prevent the passage of laws targeting a particular community.
Alleging that the JVP had disregarded the FSP’s advice not to pursue UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s strategy, Nagamuwa emphasised that the national problem couldn’t be resolved under the present system.
Declaring that daunting challenges couldn’t be addressed by pursuing neo-liberal policies, the FSPer reiterated their commitment to, what he called, a people-centric economic agenda.
At the onset of his speech, Nagamuwa said that the FSP launched political activities, under extremely difficult circumstances, more than one and half decades ago. Referring to the abduction and the disappearance of Lalith Kumar Weeraraja and Kugan Muruganandan, in Jaffna, on Dec, 9, 2011, Nagamuwa said that they wouldn’t give up their struggle, regardless of the continuing threats.
Commenting on its role in the Aragalaya protest that forced President Gotabaya Rajapaksa out of office, in July 2022, Nagamuwa said that the FSP joined the people at a time some declared their inability to participate in a leaderless campaign. Nagamuwa was referring to the JVP’s initial reaction to the protest campaign. According to Nagamuwa, Ranil Wickremesinghe, having received the presidency through illegal means, sought to proscribe the FSP as he resented their role in Aragalaya.
Nagamuwa also found fault with the JVP for backing Maithripala Sirisena’s candidature at the 2015 presidential election. The ex-JVPer said that his former party simply joined the group that declared that Sirisena’s victory would pave the way for the abolition of the executive presidency. The FSP Propaganda Secretary accused Anura Kumara Dissanayake of following Wickremesinghe’s harmful IMF policy that may cause significant damage to the EPF and ETF funds.
The FSP also attacked the JVP-led NPP government over the ongoing moves to introduce a new anti-terrorism law, in place of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). That move was meant to suppress democratic rights of the people and right to dissent, Nagamuwa said, while questioning, what he called, the incumbent government’s undisclosed agreements with the US and India. Nagamuwa also pointed out that those who campaigned on an anti-corruption platform were now struggling to cope up with such accusations regarding the coal procurement deal.
Nagamuwa said that either the government should take tangible measures against corruption or the crooks will take hold of the current dispensation. Anti-corruption actions wouldn’t be on political platform at any future election, Nagamuwa predicted.
Nagamuwa said that the NPP had been fragmented and it was only a question of time the current dispensation faced public protests over its policies, particularly giving in to IMF demands and India. The SJB’s Sajith Premadasa and SLPP’s Namal Rajapaksa couldn’t fill the political vacuum caused by the disintegration of the NPP, Nagamuwa said that their move was to empower the people.
Nagamuwa said that those who propagated racism to grab power couldn’t succeed again. According to him such projects couldn’t achieve political objectives, Nagamuwa said while referring to several incidents, including the burning of the Jaffna library and violence in Darga town.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
It has been reported quoting family sources that veteran singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke has passed away this morning (10) at the age of 68
She had been receiving treatment at the Kalubowila Teaching Hospital.
The wife of retired Major General Suresh Sallay has lodged a further complaint with the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), alleging that her husband’s fundamental rights continue to be violated as Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers prevent him from having confidential consultations with his lawyer while he is under detention at the National Hospital.
In a letter addressed to the HRCSL Chairman on Thursday, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay has said the latest complaint was filed in relation to an earlier complaint concerning the detention and treatment of her husband.
Full text of the letter: I, Mrs. S.B.M.S.B. Sallay, respectfully write to lodge this further complaint in relation to my earlier complaint bearing reference H RC-HO-1 103-26, concerning the detention and treatment of my husband, Retired Major General Suresh Sallay.
I wish to bring to the attention of the Commission a further serious violation of his fundamental rights that occurred on 08 July 2026 during a consultation between my husband and his Attorney-at-Law, Mr. Asith Siriwardena, while my husband remains under detention and is receiving treatment at the National Hospital.
I am informed by his Counsel that he is presently permitted to consult with my husband only once a week for a period of approximately twenty minutes. During the consultation held on 08 July 2026, officers of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) stationed at the Cardiac Coronary Care Unit of the National Hospital informed Counsel that they had received instructions from higher authorities that my husband should not be permitted to meet with his
legal counsel in private. Consequently, the officers remained present throughout the consultation and refused to permit a confidential lawyer-client meeting.
This conduct constitutes a grave infringement of my husband’s fundamental right to communicate privately and confidentially with his legal counsel. Confidential communication between an accused or detainee and his lawyer is an indispensable safeguard of the right to legal representation, the right to prepare his defence, and the right to a fair trial. The denial of confidential legal consultations undermines these fundamental protections guaranteed under the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the applicable provisions governing persons detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The confidentiality of communications between a lawyer and client is also a well-recognized principle under international human rights law and forms an essential safeguard against arbitrary detention, coercion, and unfair legal proceedings.
In view of the foregoing, I respectfully request the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to urgently intervene and take all necessary steps within its statutory mandate to:
1. Ensure that my husband is afforded immediate and unrestricted confidential access to his legal counsel without the presence or supervision of law enforcement officers;
2. Inquire into the instructions allegedly issued by higher authorities requiring CID officers to remain present during lawyer-client consultations;
3. Direct the relevant authorities to cease any practice that interferes with confidential legal consultations; and
4. Take such further action as the Commission considers appropriate to safeguard my husband’s constitutional and human rights.
This complaint is made as a further complaint to Complaint No. H RC-HO-1103-26, and I respectfully request that it be placed on the same file and considered together with my previous complaints.
I respectfully seek the Commission’s urgent intervention in this matter.
The Supreme Court yesterday (9) upheld a Colombo Commercial High Court order directing former Minister Wimal Weerawansa to pay Rs. 1 million in damages to Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) General Secretary Tilvin Silva for violating intellectual property rights.
A three-member Supreme Court bench dismissed in its entirety an appeal filed by Weerawansa challenging the earlier Commercial High Court ruling.
The case was instituted by Silva, who alleged that Weerawansa had violated provisions of the Intellectual Property Act by publishing his book “Neththa Wenuwata Aththa” (“Truth Instead of Lies”), which contained the JVP’s political ideology and official party documents without authorisation.
The Supreme Court also affirmed the order restraining the publication and distribution of the book in its existing form. However, the court ruled that the book could be republished if the 60-page section identified as infringing intellectual property rights was removed.
Dharmaraja and Kingswood set for historic rugby clash on Saturday
Sri Lankan singer Mariazelle Goonetilleke passes away at the age of 68
Tensions erupt in Indian state after 11-year-old raped and murdered
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