News

LSSP wants the Government to provide food to the hungry as its first priority

Published

5 years ago

2021/05/2

May Day Message

Working people also continue to suffer a loss of income and a drop in real wages, while at the same time facing a steep rise in the price of goods, especially essentials, through capitalist manipulation, the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) said in a message to mark May Day.

The capitalists are getting richer while the workers are getting poorer. In Sri Lanka, malnutrition has risen to 18% and the number of families below the poverty line is 60%. It is hunger for the many and luxury for the elite few. Therefore, the celebration of this May Day is a prelude to overcoming these problems as well as the defeat of the threats of the Covid 19 epidemic, attempt (via MCC and SOFA agreements) of the USA to make Sri Lanka a neo-colony and military base, and get buried in the IMF led debt trap, LSSP leader, Prof. Tissa Vitarana said.

The capitalist class is faced with a global economic and social crisis, but without bearing the burden it is passing this on to the working people. The capitalists should support the workers out of the massive profits made in the past from the sweat of the workers, and share some of the burden with the Government, which is attempting to help the workers. But instead, to preserve the profits made or being made, factories and workplaces are being closed down, staff is being thrown out of employment and salaries are being cut, most often without compensation, the message further said.

This is occurring in the advanced capitalist countries like the USA as well as in small countries like Sri Lanka. But the impact is worse in small countries as the purchase of goods from our countries by the developed countries is also on the decline. Thus, when the USA/UK companies cut the purchase of garments from Sri Lanka our factories suffer and they even have to shut down. In addition the capitalist middlemen (such as traders) keep on raising their profits, so that both producers and consumers suffer. The outcome is a continual steep rise in prices and hunger for the vast mass of the people, it noted.

The LSSP demands that the Government provides food for the hungry as its first priority. The indirect tax burden on the poor should also be reduced by getting the super-rich to share the burden by increasing the upper limit of income tax from the paltry 14% to at least 50%, preferably 70% (as NM did in 1972). To control prices, revive the Multi-purpose Cooperatives, specially of farmers, and sell directly to better functioning consumer cooperatives, as in 1972, getting rid of the middleman’s profit.

The state must engage in the bulk of trade by reviving the Food Department, the CWE and Sathosa. If the private sector continues to profiteer, then apply the “solidarity economic policy”, where in all failed enterprises, private (plantations included) or Government, the ownership is transferred to the employees on the solidarity cooperative principle. Then we can have a really happy May Day, replacing capitalist ownership by employee/worker ownership, the message noted.

The LSSP extended its warm greetings and best wishes to the working class of Sri Lanka, and the rest of the world on May Day. Our fraternal greetings go to all political parties and trade unions defending worker’s rights. The role of trade unions and the respect for labour laws that the LSSP achieved have been undermined by the “contractor system of employment” now in vogue. The fight to abolish this system is a major objective of this May Day, it added.

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Warning for deep depression over South-east Bay of Bengal Sea area

Published

5 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

Deep depression Track. [Source: RSMC]

Warning for deep depression over South-east Bay of Bengal Sea area.
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre, Department of Meteorology at 10.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 for the period until 10.30 a.m. 09 January 2026

The depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka has intensified into a deep depression and is centered near latitude 5.4°N and longitude 85.3°E, about 420 km southeast of Pottuvil at 05.30 a.m. today (08th). The above system is currently (10:00 a.m.) located about 300 km southeast of Pottuvil.

It is very likely to move west-northwestwards across the southwest Bay of Bengal and cross the Sri Lanka coast between Hambantota and Kalmunai between 5.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. on Friday [9th January 2026].

Hence, showery, and windy condition over the island, particularly in the Northern, NorthCentral, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces is expected to enhance from today (08th).

For the Land area:

DAMAGE EXPECTED:
• Damage to huts, temporary shelters and light structures
• Destroy the roof tops/ sheets etc.
• Damage to power and communication lines.
• Breaking of tree branches and uprooting of large avenue trees.
• Damage to paddy crops, banana, papaya trees and orchards.
• Damage to harbor yachts
• Flash flood
• Sea water inundation in low lying areas in the near coast.

Action suggested for the Land area:
• Coastal hutment dwellers are advised to move to safer places. Other people in the affected areas to remain indoors.
• People living in hilly areas (particularly landslide prone areas) and low lying areas in river basins are requested to be vigilant.
• Drivers and people using roads in the hilly areas are requested to be vigilant.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• General public is requested to be vigilant regarding impending extreme weather situation.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
• Requested to be attentive about future advisories issued by the Department of Meteorology in this regard.

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Showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces and showers about 50-75 mm in other areas

Published

10 hours ago

2026/01/8

Priyan

WEATHER FORECAST FOR 08 JANUARY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 08 January 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

The depression over the Bay of Bengal, located to the southeast of Sri Lanka, was centered near latitude 5.3°N and longitude 86.0°E, about 490 km southeast of Pottuvil, at 11:30 p.m. yesterday (07). It is expected to move west-northwestwards and towards the eastern coast of the island during next 24 hours. This system is likely to intensify further into a deep depression during the next 12 hours.

Cloudy skies can be expected over most parts of the island.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Northern, North-central, Eastern, Uva, Central and Southern provinces. Showers or thundershowers may occur at several places elsewhere in the Island after 1.00 p.m. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in the Eastern and Uva provinces. Fairly Heavy showers about (50 – 75) mm are likely at some places in the other areas of the island.

Strong winds about (50-60) kmph can be expected at times over the Eastern slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Eastern provinces and in Hambantota, Gampaha, Colombo and Monaragala districts.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

News

Easter Sunday attacks: Govt. says wife of Katuwapitiya Church bomber alive

Published

11 hours ago

2026/01/8

Sahan Weerasooriya

Sara Jasmine

Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala told Parliament yesterday that information uncovered during ongoing investigations indicated that Pulasthini Mahendran, also known as Sara Jasmine, linked to the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks, was not dead.

Responding to a question raised by Opposition MP Mujibur Rahuman, the Minister said there was no confirmation that Sara Jasmine was currently in India, despite speculation to that effect. He added that investigators suspected she may have fled the country and stressed that further inquiries were underway to establish her whereabouts.

“If necessary, the government will take steps to obtain a warrant,” Wijepala said, noting that legal action related to the Easter attacks had already been initiated, based on available evidence.

Minister Wijepala said the new government had launched an thorough probe to determine whether a political or other conspiracy had been behind the attacks that killed more than 270 people in 2019. However, he declined to disclose certain details in Parliament, citing the risk of hampering investigations.

Sara Jasmine, Mohammed Hashtun, who bombed St. Sebastian’s Church, in Katuwapitiya, in 2019, was long presumed to have died in a suicide blast in Sainthamaruthu, days after the attacks. Wijepala said attempts by previous administrations to establish her death had failed, with recent reports indicating that DNA tests conducted at the time were inconclusive.

During the debate, MP Rahuman recalled that senior figures, including then-Opposition MP Nalinda Jayatissa, had previously claimed Sara Jasmine was in India. He questioned why authorities had not sought an open warrant for her arrest whether the issue had been raised in talks with Indian officials.

Wijepala, responding on behalf of Deputy Minister of Defence Arun Jayasekara, said the government would not hesitate to pursue legal action, including warrants, if necessary.

By Saman Indrajith