News
Mangala warns Govt.
By Chaminda Silva
Former Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday said that Sri Lanka couldn’t afford to act like North Korea, Venezuela or Eritrea in responding to UN resolutions after it had voluntarily become a signatory to all human rights conventions, passed at the UN over the years.
Addressing the media at Pitakotte, the former minister said that the incumbent government should place its trust in diplomacy without being confrontational. “That is step number one, because diplomacy can help you find all kinds of solutions. If you are going to accuse those who criticise you as your enemies, Sri Lanka is not going anywhere. Sri Lanka has voluntarily become a signatory to all human rights conventions passed at the UN and other entities over the years and therefore, now it can’t be acting like North Korea, Venezuela or Eretria.”
Samaraweera said Sri Lanka was a country which had always dealt with the world in equal terms. “The world loves us. Even in those four years, because once we started dealing with them, they were willing to go out of their way to help us. In fact, even at this moment when Sri Lanka’s economy is in doldrums and maybe falling towards the abyss, I think our foreign relations are more important than ever.”.
Responding to criticisms that the former yahapalana government had failed to take substantial measures to implement pledges made in the 30/1 Resolution, Samaraweera said they took several measures had to be adopted step by step to achieve reconciliation.
“We brought the Office on Missing Persons Bill. When it was presented in Parliament, the government MPs and ministers had to protect me from the then opposition MPs. We set up the OMP. In the 2019 final budget, we allocated funds for an allowance to be paid for the families of the missing persons. The Reparations Office was set up. The Cabinet paper on a Truth Commission was completed, but it got delayed due to President Maithripala Sirisena’s various requests.”said.
Samaraweera said the UN could not impose sanctions on Sri Lanka based on the resolution but individual countries could. “I always say that regardless of the decision making at the top level, the common citizens should not be oppressed. I request any country not to impose such sanctions that would affect the citizens.”
The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Gampaha, Kalutara and Ratnapura valid untill 0300 hrs on 23rd May 2026.
Accordingly,
Level II landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Attanagalla in the Gampaha district and Ratnapura and Kuruvita in the Ratnapura district.
Level I landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Bulathsinghala in the Kalutara district and Eheliyagoda in the Ratnapura district.
The President’s Fund has expressed its attention towards providing a monthly scholarship allowance for school-going children of low-income lottery sellers, as a means of supporting their educational needs.
This was revealed during a discussion held om Wednesday (20) at the Presidential Secretariat between the Secretary to the President’s Fund and Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Roshan Gamage and officials of the National Lotteries Board and the Development Lotteries Board.
The President’s Fund currently provides financial assistance across a wide range of sectors to support low-income groups, while also implementing various scholarship schemes for schoolchildren. As an additional step, approval has reportedly been granted by the governing board of the President’s Fund to extend scholarships to children of low-income lottery sellers.
It was noted that the National Lotteries Board and Development Lotteries Board make a significant contribution to the President’s Fund. However, discussions also highlighted the fact that the living conditions of lottery sellers, who play a key role in generating revenue for these institutions, have remained largely unchanged. Accordingly, attention has been directed towards recognising their contribution and providing relief to ease their financial burden.
The proposal to introduce scholarships for school-going children of low-income lottery sellers through the President’s Fund was discussed in detail. Officials of both the National Lotteries Board and the Development Lotteries Board expressed their willingness to support the initiative. It was also decided that the programme would be implemented expeditiously through Divisional Secretariats.
Among those present were Chairman of the National Lotteries Board M. D. C. Anton Perera, General Manager of the National Lotteries Board A. M. Arif, and General Manager of the Development Lotteries Board W. K. A. A. Jayarathne, along with other officials.
(PMD)
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Showers above 200 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.
WEATHER FORECAST FOR 22 MAY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 22 May 2026 by the Department of Meteorology
The South-West monsoon is gradually getting established over the island and the current rainy conditions over the south-western parts of the island are expected to continue further for the next few hours.
Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Very heavy showers above 200 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces. Heavy showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts. Several spells of showers will occur in the Northern province and in Anuradhapura district while showers or thundershowers may occur at a few places in the Uva province and in Ampara and Batticaloa districts after 2.00 pm.
Fairly strong winds about (35-45) kmph can be expected at times over the Western slopes of the central hills, the Northern, North-central, North-western and Southern provinces and in Trincomalee district.
The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Gampaha, Kalutara and Ratnapura
President’s Fund to consider scholarships for children of low-income lottery sellers
Showers above 200 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa and North-western provinces and showers above 100 mm are likely at some places in Galle, Matara, Kandy and Nuwara-Eliya districts.
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