News
Top UN official visits Mannar mass graves site
US lab in 2019 determined grave dated back to 1477 and 1719
By Shamindra Ferdinando
UN Resident Coordinator in Colombo Marc-Andre Franche recently visited the Mannar mass graves site aka Sathosa mass graves site. The UN official was accompanied by some members of the UN staff here.
The visit was made in the wake of the Mullivaikkal events held on May 18 to commemorate those who perished in the last phase of the fighting on the Vanni east front. Sri Lanka brought the war to an end on May 19, 2009.
Following the visit to the North, Franche tweeted on ‘X’: “Glad to interact anew with civil society on understanding the development and social cohesion challenges in Jaffna and the wider Northern Province. It is clear stronger coordination with State and civil society is needed to ensure the needs of communities.”
The Tamil Guardian reported that Franche visited the Mannar mass graves sites and also met the families of the disappeared.
UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Marc-Andre Franche (fifth person standing from left) at the Mannar mass graves site (pictures courtesy Tamil Guardian)
Mannar mass graves site was found during the Yahapalana administration. Various interested parties immediately accused the Army of being responsible. However, six skeletal samples that had been sent to Beta Analytics Inc., in Florida, USA, to determine the age of the grave, revealed that it dates back to between 1477 and 1719.
A senior military official, who had served on the Vanni front during the Eelam War IV, told The Island that those who couldn’t stomach the LTTE’s defeat would continue to propagate lies with a view to harassing the country at the Geneva human rights sessions. “If they are not prepared to believe the assessment made by an internationally recognized US lab, with regard to the Mannar mass graves, what more can we do to address their concerns?” the officer asked, recalling the wild declaration made by former Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, accusing the military of poisoning 104 LTTE cadres undergoing rehabilitation. That lie, too, was exposed, the officer said, urging the UN and other interested parties to make an effort to at least identify those living overseas, under assumed names, while they remained categorised as forcibly disappeared.
Chairman of Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera said that the government should take tangible measures to protect the warwinning military.
Interested parties seemed to be making an effort to revive accusations with regard to the Mannar mass graves for obvious reasons, while the UN plays the role of a willing accomplice in a continuing campaign to tarnish the war-winning Army that sacrificed so much for this country’s unity and territorial integrity, the former Navy Chief of Staff said.In another rather strange act of the present UN Resident Coordinator, one of his first acts on arriving in Sri Lanka was to pay a much puiblicised visit to the JVP Headquarters at Pelawatte.
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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
The National Building Research Institute has issued landslide early warnings to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura from 16:00 hrs on 25.09.2026 To 16:00 hrs on 26.09.2026
Accordingly,
LEVEL III [RED] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Neluwa, Nagoda, Niyagama and Thawalama inthe Galle district, Ganga Ihala Korale, Udapalatha, Doluwa and Pasbage Korale in the Kandy district, and Kothmale West, Ambagamuwa, Kotmale East and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district.
LEVEL II [AMBER] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Elpitiya, Baddegama and Karandeniya in the Galle district, Walallawita in the Kalutara district, Deltota, Udunuwara, Gangawata Korale, Yatinuwara and Panvila in the Kandy district, Aranayake, Dehiowita, Mawanella, Deraniyagala and Yatiyanthota in the Kegalle district, Thalawakelle in the Nuwara Eliya district and Ratnapura and Pelmadulla in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL I [YELLOW] landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Seethawaka and Padukka in the Colombo district, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Katuwana and Walasmulla in the Hambanthota district, Ingiriya and Bulathsinhala in the Kalutara district, Hatharaliyadda, Poojapitiya, Medadumbara, Kundasale, Ududumbara, Thumpane, Akurana, Pathadumbara, Harispattuwa and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Warakapola, Bulathkohupitiya, Galigamuwa, Kegalle and Ruwanwella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Alawwa, Polgahawela and Mawathagama in the Kegalle district, Pitabeddara, Kotapola and Pasgoda in the Matara district, Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district and Elapatha, Ayagama, Nivithigala, Kuruwita and Kalawana in the Ratnapura district
Parliament yesterday passed the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution Bill and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill with two-thirds majorities, with 158 MPs voting in favour and 63 against each Bill.
The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) voted with the SJB against the Bills.
NDF MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Faizer Musthapha and SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka were not present when the votes were taken.
The final vote on the Judicature (Amendment) Bill was announced at around 8.08 p.m. after Opposition MPs called for divisions on its clauses during the Committee Stage.
The votes followed a two-day debate which commenced on Thursday (24), after Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara presented the Bills for their Second Reading.
The Supreme Court’s determination on the Bills was presented to Parliament on Tuesday (22) by Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne. The Court determined that the 22nd Amendment Bill did not require approval at a referendum and could be passed by a special two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The amendment provides for raising the mandatory retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and that of Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. It also provides for the Chief Justice to retire at 67 or after completing six years in office, whichever comes earlier.
The Speaker informed Parliament that the Judicature (Amendment) Bill could be passed by a simple majority.
The SJB opposed the legislation and its MPs attended Parliament dressed in black yesterday. The party also staged a protest at Polduwa Junction, Battaramulla, under the theme “No to 22, which destroys democracy”, with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several SJB politicians participating.
A valid Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) Certificate will be required for a range of key transactions in Sri Lanka from November 1, 2026, the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) has announced.
The requirement, introduced under the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act, No. 11 of 2026, applies to transactions specified under Section 102(3) of the Inland Revenue Act.
Accordingly, individuals will be required to produce a valid TIN Certificate when opening an account at a bank or financial institution, obtaining approval for a building plan, registering or renewing the licence of a motor vehicle, registering land or title to land, registering a business, transferring shares in a company incorporated in Sri Lanka or obtaining a credit card.
In the case of share transfers, both the transferor and transferee will be required to provide TIN certificates.
The IRD said officials handling such transactions had been instructed to ensure that a valid TIN Certificate was submitted before processing or completing the relevant transaction.
The Department advised those who do not already have a TIN to obtain one in advance through its e-Services platform.
It said a printout of the TIN verification result showing the applicant’s National Identity Card number and TIN could also be accepted instead of the certificate.The IRD also reiterated that obtaining a TIN is mandatory for resident individuals aged 18 and above under the applicable provisions.
Landslide Early Warnings issued to the districts of Colombo, Galle, Gampaha, Hambanthota, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matara, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
Showers in the Western, Uva and Sabaragamuwa provinces and in Galle, Matara, Kandy, Nuwara-Eliya, Batticaloa and Ampara districts.
22A, Judicature Amendment Bills passed with 2/3 majority
TIN mandatory for key transactions from Nov. 1
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