News
Lankan Ambassador rebuffs US legislators
Responding to a call by ten U.S. lawmakers to the Department of State to ensure the Sri Lankan government protects the rights of citizens, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States Mahinda Samarasinghe asserted that democratic and peaceful protests will not be stifled.Expressing concern over the unprecedented and disastrous economic crisis and anti-government protests, ten members of U.S. Congress have written to US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power, calling on them to provide additional support to Sri Lanka and to ensure the rights of protesters.
“We urge the State Department to continue to use all diplomatic means available to ensure the Sri Lankan government protects the right of suffering citizens to peacefully protest and does not utilize violence against peaceful demonstrators and journalists,” the lawmakers wrote.
Ambassador Samarasinghe addressing the U.S. lawmakers’ concerns asserted that democratic and peaceful protests and protestors will be respected and will not be stifled.
“Their voice will be heard through new measures to consult the people’s views and promote a culture of participatory governance,” he assured.
However, the Ambassador stressed that Sri Lankan State does not condone acts of violence, destruction of public and private property by acts of arson or vandalism, obstruction of normal civilian life and governmental function nor other lawless acts.
“These, you will agree, do not fall under the broad rubric of peaceful protests nor of democratic dissent,” the Ambassador noted.
The U.S. lawmakers urged the Administration to continue to support the Sri Lankan government and people as they work to implement democratic and economic reforms.
“We urge USAID to take immediate action to provide additional relief to the Sri Lankan people, including increased food, medical, and fuel aid,” said the group of Congress members.
Expressing gratitude to the support provided by the United States to Sri Lanka to overcome the challenges the country is facing, Ambassador Samarasinghe apprised the Congresspersons of recent developments in diverse fields that address some issues and concerns mentioned in their communication.
He informed that Sri Lanka’s Parliament will debate an interim budget on August 30 through September 02 that will enable the process of economic recovery while maintaining essential supplies and services that support a return to normal civic life.He asserted that while economic stabilization is a priority, efforts to uphold democratic values, the rule of law, promote and protect human rights and foster reconciliation continue undiminished.
The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution presented to Parliament is expected to transfer significant powers from the Presidency to a parliamentary body – the Constitutional Council – which is a body representative of the legislature and civil society, the Ambassador explained.The Sri Lankan envoy said Sri Lanka hopes to work closely with USAID in delivering relief to the Sri Lankan people and look forward to welcoming Ambassador Samantha Power to Sri Lanka when she makes a short visit to Sri Lanka next month.
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
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