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Bishops urge relief package for poor

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A woman buys kerosene for home use at a petrol station in Colombo as Sri Lanka grapples with its worst economic crisis in decades

Statement signed by 15 Bishops calls for government to take drastic action to tackle economic crisis

Lankan bishops have urged the government to provide a relief package for the poor amid the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948.The foreign exchange crisis has led to a shortage of essential commodities while people queue for hours at petrol stations amid continuous power cuts.

“People are stranded without the basic needs such as food, fuel and gas,” Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka, said in a statement signed by 15 bishops.

“The political and economic crisis has made people suffer unjustly. Those responsible for this horrendous crisis are yet to be exposed.

“We do not see an organized mechanism and plan by the government to monitor the situation on a daily basis and come up with speedy solutions. The failure of the system has compelled the entire population to clamor for radical change.”

Nationwide demonstrations over the past few weeks have demanded the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government over the mismanagement of the economy.

“We earnestly urge the government to take drastic steps to address these issues and bring about justice, equity and open the way for our children and youth to have a country to live with dignity”

“We call on all concerned to desist from violence and we insist that the government respect the legitimate right to freedom of expression and movement assured by the constitution,” said the bishops.

“It is only by addressing these issues expeditiously that the country will be able to move forward with the hope for more long-term solutions, such as agricultural self-sustenance, an export-oriented economy, foreign investment and tourism together with the guidance of the spiritual leaders in our motherland.

“We earnestly urge the government to take drastic steps to address these issues and bring about justice, equity and open the way for our children and youth to have a country to live with dignity.”

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said Lankans have become beggars.

“The present rulers came to power saying that they led the country to the miracle of Asia. Where is that prosperity today?” Cardinal Ranjith asked while presiding at the feast of St. Anthony in Kochchikade.(UCANews)



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UN asks govt. to vacate ‘remaining lands still occupied and used economically by the military’

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Volker Türk

Military-held land down to 9% in North and East

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has said that the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, during discussions with the Sri Lankan government, stressed the importance of releasing the remaining lands still occupied and used economically by the military.

OHCHR has included updated information provided by the government on land releases in its reports to the Human Rights Council, the OHCHR said.

OHCHR team member Jeremy Laurence said so in response to The Island query regarding the HC’s call for release of land which both serving and retired officers considered unfair.

The Island posed the following question to the HC’s office: “At the conclusion of the UNHRC Chief’s visit to Sri Lanka recently, one of the issues he raised was the failure on the part of the armed forces to vacate public and private property held in the Northern and Eastern provinces. However, the military insists that approximately 91% of the total land held at the time of the conclusion of military operations, in May 2009, had been released. We would like to know whether the UNHRC Chief hadn’t been briefed by the government of Sri Lanka or the UN Mission in Colombo on the vacation of approximately 91% of the land held by the military in 2009.

The Island contacted OHCHR as suggested by the UN Mission in Colombo.

The military pointed out that of over 24,000 acres held in the Jaffna and Kilinochchi sectors in 2009, less than 2,500 acres remained in their hands. “We are down to the bare minimum. Further reductions will pose major challenges,” one retired officer said.

By Shamindra Ferdinando

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Need to attend to sick wild elephants promptly discussed at high-level meeting

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A high-level discussion on the urgent treatment of sick wild elephants was held on Monday (July 7) at the Ministry of Environment under the patronage of Minister of Environment Dr. Dhammika Patabendi and Deputy Minister Anton Jayakody.

Senior veterinary officers representing the Wildlife and Zoological Parks Veterinary Officers’ Association participated in the discussion alongside Secretary to the Ministry of Environment Rohitha Udawawala and Director of Veterinary Services of the Department of Wildlife Conservation Dr. Tharaka Prasad.

The focus of the meeting was to streamline rapid response measures to treat elephants suffering from illnesses in the wild and to ensure timely access to life-saving antibiotics and medical resources.

Commenting on the need for swift intervention, Environment Minister Dr. Dhammika Patabendi said:

“We cannot allow delays when it comes to the treatment of our wild elephants, especially those suffering from life-threatening conditions. These majestic creatures are an integral part of our natural heritage, and it is our duty to act fast. We are committed to providing our veterinary officers with the tools, resources, and policy support necessary to carry out this responsibility efficiently.”

Discussions also focused on identifying infected elephants promptly, administering treatment without delay, and addressing any shortages in medical supplies such as antibiotics. The officials explored avenues to ensure logistical and infrastructural support for veterinarians working in the field.

Significant attention was drawn to the existing cadre shortages within the Department of Wildlife Conservation’s veterinary and technical teams. Plans were discussed to address these gaps with the approval of the Department of Management Services and the Ministry of Public Administration.

Additionally, the need to provide field veterinarians with appropriate technical facilities and mobility support was emphasized as a key priority in enabling effective on-ground operations.

The meeting concluded with an understanding that urgent procedural and administrative steps would be taken to fast-track recruitment, supply of medication, and operational improvements necessary to protect the health of Sri Lanka’s wild elephant population.

By Ifham Nizam

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Navy seizes contraband pesticides and seeds in Puttalam and Kalpitiya

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The Navy detected a significant haul of smuggled pesticides and seeds during operations conducted in Puttalam and Kalpitiya from 20 to 30 June, 2025. The separate operations also resulted in two dinghies and a lorry also being taken into custody, Navy Headquarters said.

In a search operation on 20 June, the Northwestern Naval Command’s SLNS Vijaya inspected a suspicious lorry near Alankuda Beach, Puttalam, resulting in the vehicle, along with 32 sacks of pesticide materials and seeds suspected to have been smuggled into the country, being taken into custody.

On 28 June, during another search near Ippantivu Island, Kalpitiya, naval personnel spotted and took into custody two dinghies carrying 15 sacks of pesticide materials intended for smuggling.

It is suspected that the smugglers abandoned the contraband, along with the lorry and dinghies, due to heightened naval surveillance. The seized items were handed over to the Katunayake Customs Preventive Office for further investigation and legal action.

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