News
CBK lambastes politicians for playing ethnic card for expediency
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaiake has alleged that a section of the politicians continued to play the ethnic card for political gain.
“The majority of people don’t want to have another conflict. But politicians can’t resist using the ethnic card,” Mrs. Kumaratunga told a gathering of clergy at an international conference organized by Religions for Peace International, in partnership with the Sri Lanka Council of Religions for Peace (SLCRP), recently.
The former President insisted that the Sri Lankan people were not racist but they are provoked by politicians. She said public opinion had turned favourable for a political solution from 23% to 68% during her presidency in a matter of two years due to a combination of leadership and education for the younger generations.
The High-Level Forum on Increased Advocacy, Community Engagement and Learning on Positive Behaviour Outcomes for Children, Families and Communities was chaired by Associate Secretary General of Religions for Peace International, Deepika Singh. She explained how Religions for Peace had been guided by a vision of a world where faith communities cooperate effectively for peace since its formation in 1970. Working alongside religious leaders and their institutions and communities, and in partnership with other sectors of society, the organisation addresses critical challenges, ranging from violent conflict to gender inequality from environmental degradation to assaults on freedom of thought, conscience, and religion or belief and is today present in over 95 countries.
Secretary General of Religions for Peace Asia Rev. Dr. Yoshinori Shinohara said they had convened the meeting in Sri Lanka to strengthen the Sri Lanka branch of Religions for Peace for increased collaboration and common action with the government and other stakeholders under the Faith and Positive Change for Children, Families and Communities (FPCC) initiative.
The activities and methodologies under this initiative was spelled out by Jimmy Obuya, FPCC Global Coordinator, Religions for Peace International and Prof. Pablito Baybado, Jr., FPCC Regional Coordinator, Religions for Peace Asia.
After being welcomed by Ven. Senior Prof. Medawachchiye Dhammajothi, Secretary, Sri Lankan Council of Religions for Peace and Christobel Saverimuttu, Treasurer of SLCRP, a panel discussion took place in which four religious leaders, representing the four main religions, were speakers. Ven. Dr. Madampagama Assaji Thera, Head of the Interfaith Section, International Buddhist Confederation, spoke on the recent breakthrough in dialogue between members of the Buddhist clergy and Tamil Diaspora.
This was followed by brief interventions by Swami Gunatitananda Saraswati, Head of Chinmaya Mission, Ash Sheikh Arkam Nooramith Moulavi, General Secretary, All Ceylon Jamiyathul Ullama, and Rev. Fr Rohan Silva, Executive Director, Centre for Society & Religion.
A highlight of the event was the presentation by Janithu Hettiarachchi and reading of the draft statement by Nethaaya Perera on behalf of the Youth Wing of the Sri Lanka Council of Religions for Peace (SLCRP). The statement called for “Promoting and protecting child rights, wellbeing and development through continued collaboration among faith communities and other stakeholders including the Government of Sri Lanka, UNICEF and other Faith-based Organisations working for children.”
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution forwarded by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to relocate the Deniyaya Base Hospital after constructing a new hospital with a capacity of 300 beds at an estimated cost of Rupees 6,000 million.
The Southern Provincial Department of Health has acquired a plot of land in Handford estate which is approximately 03 kilometres away from the town for this purpose.
News
Cabinet nod to legally empower methodology for implementing the ‘Praja Shakthi’ poverty alleviation national movement
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the resolution furnished by the Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft a bill to legally empower the implementation of ‘Praja Shakthi’ (Strength of the Community) poverty alleviation national movement
…preliminary work started on new Constitution
JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva yesterday (17) maintained that the NPP government was not under Indian pressure to hold the long delayed Provincial Council elections.
The top JVP official said so appearing on Sirasa Pathikada, anchored by Asoka Dias. Tilvin Silva said that neither the devolution nor terrorism issues had been discussed during his meeting with External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Deputy National Security Advisor Pavan Kapoor, in New Delhi. This was Tilvin Silva’s first visit to India.
Declaring that politics hadn’t been on the agenda, the JVPer said that the Indian focus was entirely on economic development and technology.
The JVP General Secretary visited India under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations’ (ICCR) Distinguished Visitors Programme from 5-12 February 2026. General Secretary Silva was accompanied by Kitnan Selvaraj, MP, Ilankumaran Karunanathan, MP, JVP Central Committee Member Janaka Adhikari, JVP’s Media Unit Head Hemathilaka Gamage and Member of JVP’s International Relations Department Kalpana Madhubhashini. The delegation visited New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Thiruvananthapuram.
Responding to another query, Tilvin Silva said that Dr. S. Jaishankar had reiterated that India would always remain a true and trusted partner for Sri Lanka, in accordance with its ‘Neighbourhood First Policy’ and Vision ‘MAHASAGAR.’
Referring to the second JVP insurrection in the late 1980s, the JVPer claimed that they had not been against India but responded to the actions of the then Indian government.
Sri Lanka enacted the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in the wake of the Indo-Lanka peace accord of July 1987 to pave the way for Provincial Councils.
Tilvin Silva said that since they came to power, Indo-Sri Lanka relations had changed. “India has realised we could work together,” he said.
The JVP official said that preliminary work was underway, regarding the formulation of a new Constitution. The abolition of executive presidency and creation of an Office of President sans executive powers, too, would be addressed, he said, adding that the strengthening of the legislature was the other issue at hand.
Pointing out that the NPP had 2/3 majority in Parliament and could introduce a new Constitution on their own, Tilvin Silva said that they intended to obtain views of all and study the past processes in a bid to secure consensus. The JVP, as the party that campaigned against the introduction of executive presidency, way back in 1978, would lead the current effort to do away with the existing Constitution, he said.
Tilvin promised that they would implement what was in their manifesto.
The interviewer also raised the issue of abolishing the pensions for ex-Presidents. Tilvin Silva said that the Supreme Court, too, had approved the move to abolish pensions to ex-MPs. Therefore there was no issue with that, however, the ex-Presidents pensions couldn’t be done away with as they were made through the Constitution. That would be addressed when the government introduced a new Constitution in consultation with other stakeholders.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Cabinet approves construction of new 300 bed Base Hospital in Deniyaya
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NPP not under Indian pressure to hold PC polls – JVP
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