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Wheeler-dealers wrecking the country, says JVP leader

Published

5 years ago

2021/11/15

Sahan Weerasooriya

Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressing the 32nd Ill Maha Viru Samaruwa commemoration on Saturday

By Saman Indrajith

JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that a group of wheeler-dealers was responsible for teh collapse of industries and enterprises.

Addressing the 32nd Ill Maha Viru Samaruwa commemoration to mark the assassination of thousands of JVP cadres, including the party’s pioneer leader Rohana Wijeweera by the then UNP government in the 1989-90 period, Dissanayake said: “Today, farmers, entrepreneurs, industrialists or traders cannot earn the profits they deserve from the businesses and industries. The lion’s share of profit is earned by a group of wheeler-dealers. The industries and enterprises cannot survive in this manner. These wheeler-dealers with close contacts to the power and mighty pocket huge margins of profit. That is one of the main reasons for the economic crisis. They earn profit from the pandemic. They earned profit when Rapid Antigen Tests were imported. They earned profits from PCR tests. They earned profits when our migrant workers were brought home.

They earned profit from the organic fertiliser fiasco.”

Dissanayake said that there was a paradigm shift in local polity and people had started realizing that they had continuously been fleeced by successive governments since independence. “The severity of the crisis is reflected by the recent trend of youth trying to leave this country in their thousands. We tell them that leaving the country would not be the solution and not that all can leave the country. We must join forces with those who try to change this situation. There is a split within government ranks because only a single family has taken hold of all powers. Farmers in remote areas are struggling to get their fertilisers. Ven bhikkhus have started preaching a new sermon criticizing the government. The Clergy led by the Cardinal have come out to the streets demanding justice for Easter Sunday victims. Struggles have been launched in every strata by teachers, workers and trade unionists against the government. This is a new situation and people should not fall for tricksters again,” Dissanaayke said.

He said that people had experimented with the two main parties for more than seven decades. “At the end of this process of experiments, what is the balance sheet before them? An economy crumbles on a daily basis and a society full of corruption and crimes emerge. Is there a need to experiment with the same political parties again,” Dissanayake queried.

“The aspiration of those who had sacrificed their lives in the face of the UNP crackdown on JVP in the 1989-90 period was a better society. We should create that society. We must live to achieve the dreams that they cherished and must strive to achieve their goal of creating the society that they had dreamed of,” Dissanayake said.

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva also addressed the commemoration event.

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Former IGP’s death likely due to an accidental weapon discharge

Published

5 hours ago

2026/07/19

Thilina Walpola

Wickramaratne

He was examining security officer’s new weapon while waiting for his wife to join him on a morning walk

Friday’s shock death of former IGP Chandana Wickramaratne due to gunshot injuries on his chest was possibly due to an accidental discharge of his personal security officer’s (PSO’s) pistol. Wickramaratne, who was kitted for his walk and waiting on the verandah for his wife to join him, was examining the PSO’s new weapon, knowledgeable sources said.

These sources said the wife who was putting on her shoes inside the house heard a bang and found Wickramaratne fallen on the verandah.

The retired IGP had noticed the security officer carrying a new weapon and had asked to examine it. Saying he carried a similar weapon years ago, he found no magazine and said, “are you planning to accompany me on my walk with a pistol without a magazine?”

The PSO had then handed the loaded magazine and gone into the house to fetch a requested bottle of water when the weapon had gone off.

The sources said that Wickramaratne was in no way depressed and had attended an Ananda College old boy’s event a few days ago, had dinner with friends and chatted with them. He had an appointment to meet a friend on Saturday.

Friends and family saw no reason for Wickramaratne to take his own life and there was no evidence whatever of an external agent shooting him. The former IGP was pronounced dead at the Colombo East Teaching Hospital to which he was rushed.

Police said investigations were proceeding and an autopsy report was awaited.

Wickramaratne was appointed the 35th Inspector General on November 25, 2020 and retired three years later in 2023. He had also set a record as the longest serving acting IGP since his naming to that position in May 2019 after his predecessor Pujith Jayasundara was sent on compulsory leave.

He joined as a trainee Assistant Superintendent in June 1986 after graduating from the Colombo University. He was absorbed to the National Intelligence Bureau where he worked till 1995. Thereafter he reverted to the uniform service and had been posted across the country, including the northern and eastern areas at the height of the war.

News

Rosy Senanayake appears before CMC corruption probe commission

Published

5 hours ago

2026/07/19

Thilina Walpola

This image, taken from Derana TV footage, shows former Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake arriving at the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Friday

Former Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake appeared before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate allegations of corruption and fraud at the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) on Friday (17).

Speaking to the media after appearing before the commission, Senanayake said she had been summoned to provide information regarding a food voucher programme implemented during her tenure as Mayor amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic crisis.

She said the programme, carried out through state-owned Lanka Sathosa, was introduced to provide assistance to low-income and vulnerable families affected by the economic hardships during the period.

“We gave food vouchers from Sathosa to the poor during the pandemic and economic crisis.

They wanted answers to some questions they had regarding the programme,” Senanayake said.The Presidential Commission is currently investigating allegations relating to financial irregularities, corruption and other misconduct within the Colombo Municipal Council.

News

Cop suspended after sitting on female cop’s lap

Published

5 hours ago

2026/07/19

Thilina Walpola

A police constable has been suspended from service following an inquiry into allegations that he sat on the lap of a female police constable while under the influence of alcohol at the Makalugaswewa Police Station.

Police said the constable had reported for duty at a musical concert held at the Dambulla Gam Udawa Stadium on July 15 and later returned to the police station to resume duties.

According to initial reports, the constable allegedly sat on the female officer’s lap after seeing her seated on a chair at the station.

The female police constable subsequently lodged a complaint with the Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in charge of the area through the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the police station.

A preliminary investigation into the incident found that the constable had allegedly been under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

Following the inquiry into the alleged harassment of the female officer and the constable’s conduct while on duty, police authorities took steps to suspend his service pending further action.

by Norman Palihawadane ✍️