News
GL cites Maithri-Ranil battle over economy to highlight dangers of 19A
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Education Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris says the new government cannot move forward due to the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.
Prof. Peiris, who is also the Chairman of the SLPP, said that their priority would be to do away with controversial sections in the 19A causing hindrance to the new administration.
The minister said so addressing the media at the SLPP Office on Monday (24) at Nelum Mawatha.
The crisis caused by the 19th Amendment was such that the government couldn’t move forward, systematically, Prof. Peiris said. The success of the new administration depended on the repealing of those sections inimical to the wellbeing of the country.
At the onset of the briefing, Prof. Peiris said that a Vote-on-Account would be presented to parliament later this week to secure funding required until the government presented the budget for 2021.
The Education Minister said that the SLPP never sought to suppress its intention to amend the 19th Amendment. Pointing out that it had been the SLPP’s main campaign slogan at the parliamentary election; Prof. Peiris said that they required a two-thirds majority in parliament to address the problem.
The SLPP obtained 145 seats, one more than the UPFA’s 144 at the 2010 general election. Prof. Peiris said that the government commanded an overwhelming majority of 150 seats with the backing of those friendly parties who contested on their own. The Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP/2 seats), Sri Lanka Freedom Party/1 seat), National Congress (NC/1 seat) and Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP/1 seat) back the SLPP.
Calling the 19th Amendment a curse, Prof. Peiris alleged that it undermined the country in numerous ways. The Education Minister dealt with one major problem caused by the 19th Amendment. The creation of two power centres by it ripped apart the then administration with President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe struggling for control. They caused unprecedented chaos, Prof. Peiris said, pointing out that such a situation wouldn’t have arisen if there was no 19th Amendment.
Prof. Peiris explained how President Sirisena in the wake of the debilitating setback experienced by the SLFP and the UNP at the Local Government poll in February 2018, abolished the Cabinet Committee on Economic Management (CCEM) headed by Premier Wickremesinghe. The President then named a National Economic Council (NEC) under his leadership.
The former law professor said that the CCEM that had been established to make recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers on implementation of laws and related subjects concerning economic affairs, monetary and financial policy, national investment programme, facilitating private sector investments, investments and economic development of the country in a way functioned as an alternative to the cabinet. The Education Minister said that the Premier exercised powers to form his own cabinet as the cabinet of ministers included SLFPers.
Prof. Peiris said that investors wouldn’t have considered Sri Lanka a safe destination due to the battle between the two partners. President Sirisena, himself sacked a person whom he appointed to the NEC claiming that he was more away from Sri Lanka than in being paid half a million rupees a month.
Under no circumstances could power centres be created at the expense of stability. The 19th Amendment created an extremely dangerous situation that enabled various interested parties to undermine the country at will, the top academic said.
The former External Affairs Minister said that 19th Amendment paved the way for the Speaker, too, to play a nosy role not exercised by any previous Speaker.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa tasked Justice Minister Ali Sabri to bring in the 20th Amendment to the Constitution to do away with controversial sections in the 19 A.
Prof. Peiris said that the government measures to introduce a new Amendment were on track.
The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.
Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.
The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses
will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”
In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125
News
Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area
The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.
The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.
A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.
Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.
The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.
The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.
The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at several places in the most part of the island after 1.00 p.m
Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations
Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area
Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.
Sri Lankan troops in joint anti-terrorist exercise in Russia
Nine Indian poachers brought to KKS with their boat
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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