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Post-war political solution and accountability: Mano lambastes govt, int’l community over their failure

Published

2 years ago

2024/05/18

…finds fault with outgoing US Amb. Julie

The international community (IC) has completely failed the Tamil community here, SJB MP Mano Ganesan has alleged.Issuing a statement on Thursday (16) to mark the 15th anniversary of the ending of the war, the leader of the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) MP Ganesan alleged that the international community backed the then Sri Lankan government and gave the go-ahead for an all-out final war. The MP claimed that the Vanni office of the UN was abruptly closed. The closure of the UN mission paved the way for Sri Lanka to conduct a war without witnesses, he alleged.

Referring to the then UNSG Ban Ki-moon visiting the North in the immediate aftermath of the conclusion of the war, MP Ganesan said that the international community failed to keep their promise to ensure a political solution and accountability.

The military brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009.The MP said: “Then the western nations promised justice at the Geneva-based UNHCR, brokered the honeymoon between the government and Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

Today in 2024, 15 years after the end of war, the police armed with a court order, arrested and dragged crying vulnerable Tamil women from their private residence, accusing them of violating the law as they prepared and drank porridge in remembrance of their dead dear ones. There had been no symbols of any banned organization. There was only porridge, the MP said.

“Why on earth did the police go to courts in the first place when there is already a law preventing the usage of symbols of proscribed organisations? Why did the police go to their private residences in the middle of the night? Doesn’t the government have a general policy regarding remembering the dead, which is our own constitutional and UN declared right?

The MP said that he raised the issue with President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The MP said that the President failed to provide a clear answer to his question but said he directed the police not to oppose bail.

Ganesan said: “Now, look at the state of affairs on the war-torn ground? War was officially over in 2009. Forget the rest, the vulnerable Tamil men, women, young, elders, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, widows and children cannot commemorate their departed loved ones even after 15 years.”

The former Minister declared that the Geneva process had failed to address their grievances. Geneva could ensure the basic right to commemorate the dead. The current US Ambassador Julie Chung, who is at the end of her tenure, couldn’t even put the basic UN Declaration into the heads of the leadership here. She has failed to publicly raise any tangible concern about the most marginalized Tamil workers in plantations coming under physical attack by the masters.

The MP said that he was beginning to realize the way forward for the Tamil communities was to join hands with the southern Sinhala social democratic brethren and commemorate the war dead in common and address issues of marginalized communities locally towards a common future.

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Navy seize an Indian fishing boat poaching in northern waters

Published

5 hours ago

2026/01/3

Priyan

During an operation conducted in the dark hours of 01 Jan 26, the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 11 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, off Kovilan of Kareinagar, Jaffna.

The Northern Naval Command spotted a group of Indian fishing boats engaging in illegal fishing, trespassing into Sri Lankan waters. In response, naval craft of the Northern Naval Command were deployed to drive away those Indian fishing boats from island waters off Kovilan.

Meanwhile, compliant boarding made by naval personnel resulted in the seizure of one Indian fishing boat and apprehension of 11 Indian fishermen who continued to engage in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters.

The seized boat (01) and Indian fishermen (11) were handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Myliddy, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings.

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Tri-Forces donate LKR. 372 million, a day’s pay of all ranks to ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

11 hours ago

2026/01/3

Priyan

Members of all ranks from the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force have collectively donated a day’s basic salary to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund, which was established to restore livelihoods and rebuild the country following the devastation caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

Accordingly, the total contribution made by the Tri-Forces amounts to LKR. 372,776,918.28.

The cheques representing the financial contributions were handed over on Wednesday (31 December) at the Presidential Secretariat to the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

The donations comprised LKR. 250 million from the Commander of the Army, Major General Lasantha Rodrigo; LKR. 73,963,879.71 from the Commander of the Navy, Rear Admiral Kanchana Banagoda and LKR. 48,813,038.97 from the Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Vasu Bandu Edirisinghe.

Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha, was also present on the occasion.

News

CEB demands 11.57 percent power tariff hike in first quarter

Published

14 hours ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) seeking an 11.57 percent increase in electricity tariffs for the first quarter of 2026, citing an estimated revenue shortfall and additional financial pressures, including cyclone-related damages.

According to documents issued by the PUCSL, the proposed tariff revision would apply to electricity consumption from January to March 2026 and includes changes to both energy charges and fixed monthly charges across all consumer categories, including domestic, religious, industrial, commercial and other users.

Under the proposal, domestic electricity consumers would face increases in unit rates as well as fixed monthly charges across all consumption blocks.

The CEB has estimated a deficit of Rs. 13,094 million for the first quarter of 2026, which it says necessitates the proposed 11.57 per cent tariff hike. The utility has noted that any deviation from this estimate whether a surplus or a shortfall will be adjusted through the Bulk Supply Tariff Adjustment (BSTA) mechanism and taken into account in the next tariff revision.

In its submission, the CEB said the proposed revision is aimed at ensuring the financial and operational stability of the power sector and mitigating potential risks to the reliability of electricity supply. The board-approved tariff structure for the first quarter of 2026 has been submitted to the PUCSL for approval and subsequent implementation, as outlined in Annex II of the proposal.

The CEB has also highlighted the financial impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which it said caused extensive damage to electricity infrastructure, with total losses estimated at around Rs. 20 billion. Of this amount, Rs. 7,016.52 million has been attributed to the first quarter of 2026, which the utility said has a direct bearing on electricity tariffs.

The CEB warned that if external funding is not secured to cover the cyclone-related expenditure, the costs incurred would need to be recovered through electricity tariffs in the second-quarter revision of 2026.

Meanwhile, the PUCSL has said that a decision on whether to approve the proposed tariff increase will be made only after following due regulatory procedures and holding discussions on the matter.

By Sujeewa Thathsara ✍️