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JVP has told India it won’t do anything to upset regional security and peace
… no discussions related to China during meetings with Indian officials
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The National Peoples’ Power (NPP) delegation that recently visited India had not discussed anything related to China during its meetings with Indian officials, academics and researchers, Secretary of the National People’s Power (NPP) and former Chief Epidemiologist Dr. Nihal Abeysinghe said.
Dr. Abeysinghe said that during the visit to India they engaged in discussions at the Observer Research Foundation and the Vivekananda International Foundation, two of the leading Indian think tanks that work closely with the government. The meetings helped them better understand what the Indian establishment feels about the region.
Dr. Abeysinghe added that researchers at the Observer Research Foundation and the Vivekananda International Foundation are paying close attention to geopolitical developments in the region. The NPP delegation informed that the party’s foreign policy is the non-aligned foreign policy that had served Sri Lanka so well in the past.
“We informed them that we had no intention of doing anything that upset regional security. We are committed to regional peace, too.”
Abeysinghe said the JVP had a long-standing relationship with the Communist Party of China (CCP) and other leftist organizations across the world. In December, the CCP invited the NPP to send a delegation to China.
“NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, MP Vijitha Herath, Attorneys-at-law, Sunil Watagala and Harshana Nanayakkara visited China. We met many Chinese officials and think tanks. The NPP delegation also used the opportunity to learn about Chinese industry.”
Abeysinghe said India should be aware of the JVP’s relationship with China and they wanted to know what the NPP foreign policy was.
“This is why we had NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka and MP Vijitha Herath, who are from the JVP, as well as Prof. A.A.J. Fernando and I, who are from the NPP. We spent five days in India, and I think that India now understands that we are a movement that stands for and supports regional peace.”
Abeysinghe said it will be difficult to develop Sri Lanka without the support of India. Sri Lanka’s geography compels the country to engage constructively with India.
“We told them we are ready to work with India, but this has to be transparent. The government has engaged with India in a very opaque manner. We told them this. I think India now understands where we are coming from.”
The NPP Secretary said they visited the Amul factory in India. Amul is a farmers cooperative and out of the profits it makes, 80 percent goes back to the farmers.
“This is a very successful operation and ultimately farmers run the company and benefit from it. But we have problems with the way the government is planning to bring Amul into Sri Lanka. We told them we are opposed to any opaque interventions in Sri Lanka. We said we are also not happy about the coercive manner in which some Indian companies have been introduced to Sri Lanka.”
NPP is currently expanding and reviewing the manifesto it presented at the 2019 presidential election and the recent visit to India has helped the party in this process, he said.
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It is our collective responsibility to build a nation grounded in unity and strength – President
President Anura Kumara Disanayake in his Maha Shiva rathri message said that it is our collective responsibility to build a nation grounded in unity and strength.
The full text of the message issued by the President’s media division:
Maha Shiva Rathri is a sacred and joyous occasion celebrated by Hindu devotees across the world in reverence of Lord Shiva. This divine night marks the celestial union of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, as well as the powerful Tandava, Shiva’s cosmic dance of creation and destruction. It symbolises the triumph of wisdom over ignorance, dispelling the darkness of illusion and lighting the path to enlightenment.
On this auspicious night, Hindu devotees observe fasting and engage in spiritual practices, praying for the darkness of ignorance to be replaced by the radiance of wisdom. It is also a time to seek divine blessings for prosperity, peace and fulfilment in life.
The union of Shiva and Parvati is a profound representation of knowledge and power coming together. It reminds us that breaking free from the illusions of division allows us to embrace the truth with open eyes. Today, as we stand at the dawn of a new era, this message is more relevant than ever. Let us tear down the barriers that have kept us apart for generations and unite as one, casting aside discord and embracing togetherness. This is a moment to nurture interfaith harmony, celebrate our diversity and move forward with love and mutual respect, dedicating ourselves to the progress of our beloved motherland.
As we journey towards a brighter future, it is our collective responsibility to build a nation grounded in unity and strength. We are stepping into a time of transformation, embracing political, economic and social renewal, shaping a future that holds promise and hope for all.
On this sacred night, as the glowing lamps of Maha Shiva Rathri illuminate our surroundings, let them also illuminate our hearts, guiding us with unwavering faith along the path we have chosen. Let us walk forward together, hand in hand, in the spirit of peace, unity and shared prosperity.
By Saman Indrajith
Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr. Harshana Suriyapperuma told Parliament yesterday (25) that SriLankan Airlines was in debt due to political interference under previous governments.
Answering a question raised by Anuradhapura District SJB MP Rohana Bandara, Dr. Suriyapperuma said that such interference had resulted in an ongoing case in international courts.
Dr. Suriyapperuma stated that SriLankan Airlines had earned notoriety for corruption not only here but also abroad.
“Currently, there is an ongoing case in an international court over claims that commissions were sought in respect of the purchase of aircraft. Aircraft have been leased at exorbitant rates, far beyond prevailing market rates,” he said, adding that the actions and decisions of past regimes over the last few decades regarding SriLankan Airlines must be taken into account when examining its debt.
Outlining the measures taken by the government to tackle the staggering debt, the Deputy Minister of Finance said that a five-year programme would be implemented from 2025 to 2030.
Dr. Suriyapperuma explained that despite the allocation of Rs. 20 billion from the 2025 Budget for SriLankan Airlines, the funds would not be utilised for the airline’s operational expenses. Instead, the management had been tasked with transforming it into a self-sustaining entity. Discussions had already begun with relevant stakeholders to restructure the debt, which includes loans obtained in US dollars.
Dr. Suriyapperuma revealed that SriLankan Airlines had been paying USD 900,000 per month in installments for three aircraft that had remained unused for several years. He added that the national carrier currently owned a total of 22 aircraft and employed 3,194 staff members in its main airline operations, along with 2,862 employees in its strategic business units.
Dr. Suriyapperuma also highlighted that the Ministry was currently evaluating those plans, with the expectation of achieving operational profitability and securing government support within the five-year period.
Suriyapperuma assured that measures would be taken to address SriLankan Airlines’ debt without burdening the public.
… Easter Sunday carnage suspects among them
The government has issued a gazette extending the ban on several Tamil diaspora groups, alleging they supported “terrorism-related activities,” The Tamil Guardian has reported.
The gazette, signed by Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (retd.) Sampath Thuyyakontha, declared that these organisations have “repeatedly provided financial support for terrorism.” As a result, their financial and economic assets remain frozen, and Sri Lankans are prohibited from having any contact with them. Those that do risk being arrested.
The list also reaffirms the ban on 222 individuals allegedly linked to terrorism.
The organisations blacklisted by the Sri Lankan government include:
* Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)
* Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO)
* Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC)
* World Tamil Movement (WTM)
* Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)
* World Tamil Relief Fund (WTRF)
* National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT)
* Tamil Youth Organisation (TYO)
Other organisations listed include several linked to Islamic groups, such as the National Towhead Jema’ah (NTJ) and the Sri Lanka Islamic Student Movement (SLISM).
The Tamil Guardian reported that successive Sri Lankan governments have used terrorism laws to ban Tamil organisations that continue to function openly and legally in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and throughout Europe. This ban, however, stifles links between these diaspora organisations and Tamils, making it a criminal offence for Sri Lankan citizens to maintain contact with them.
The reposition of the ban follows a pattern seen in previous years. In 2024, Sri Lanka renewed its prohibition of Tamil diaspora organisations, days after India extended its own ban on the LTTE. The move was widely condemned as politically motivated and an attempt to justify Sri Lanka’s military presence in the “Tamil homeland”.
It is our collective responsibility to build a nation grounded in unity and strength – President
Fairly heavy showers above 75mm can be expected at some places in Eastern and Uva provinces and in Matale, Nuwara-Eliya, Polonnaruwa, Galle, Matara, Kalutara and Rathnapura districts.
USD 900,000 paid monthly for three unused SriLankan aircraft– Dy. Finance Minister
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