News

Lanka pushing for sharing of maritime safety and security expertise

Published

6 years ago

2021/02/3

Foreign Secretary Prof. Admiral Jayanath Colombage recently emphasized the importance in bringing together like-minded persons interested in Maritime Safety and Security (MSS) issues.

With the US led powers and China seeking to consolidate power in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka is under pressure from both parties to join them.

Foreign Secretary, Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage networking a meeting at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute taking forward Sri Lanka’s leadership role in the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security (WGMSS), the Foreign Ministry said.

The following is the text of FM statement issued yesterday: “As the third largest ocean woven together by trade routes, The Indian Ocean commands control of major sea-lanes carrying half of the world’s container ships, one third of the world’s bulk cargo traffic and two third of the world’s oil shipments, the Indian Ocean remains an important lifeline to international trade and transport.

“Considering these circumstances, realizing the importance of regional cooperation in the Indian Ocean for the development of the Indian Ocean littoral states the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) was established in 1997. Sri Lanka is a founding member of IORA. In 2011, IORA assigned Maritime Safety and Security (MSS) as the top priority area of focus.

“Foreign Secretary elaborated that as a part of the overall responsibilities of heading the IORA WGMSS, Sri Lanka has committed to bring together like-minded persons working on MSS related issues in order to organize a series of workshops/seminars on MSS locally and regionally, looking at how Sri Lanka can benefit from and contribute to regional cooperation on MSS.

Admiral Colombage further stated that this networking meeting, was to set in motion the process that would stimulate healthy discussions within IORA Member States and across Member States to eventually create a broad data base of MSS Experts in the region and to share experiences and expertise among the Member States.

“At the event, the Foreign Secretary also announced to the MSS fraternity that Sri Lanka is to assume the Vice Chair of IORA in the latter part of 2021, and thereafter Chair for the tenure of 2023 to 2025.

He further thanked The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Colombo and the German Think Tank Max Planck Foundation for their cooperation on MSS activities, including carrying out Sri Lanka’s responsibilities leading the IORA WGMSS.”

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

16 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

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

Published

16 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

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.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

16 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

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.