News
Ex-State Counsel asks govt. to discard Rehabilitation Bill

Former lawmaker M.M. Zuhair, PC, who also served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Iran, has urged the government to discard the proposed Rehabilitation Bill. The former State Counsel argued that the proposed law couldn’t co-exist with fundamental rights provisions, provided for in the Constitution.
The following is the text of the statement: A spate of views have already been placed convincingly before the country by many against the Bureau of Rehabilitation Bill. The Supreme Court, in a welcome determination, within the ambit of its constitutionally limited powers, has struck down the Rehabilitation Bill as being inconsistent ‘as a whole’ with Article 12(1) of the Constitution. Rarely in the past has the Supreme Court indicted any Bill as a whole!
The Supreme Court has also indicated that the inconsistency can be overcome if ‘all references to “ex-combatants”, “violent extremist groups” and “any other group of persons” are deleted from the Bill’ and ‘the Bill is limited to the rehabilitation of drug dependent persons and such other persons as may be identified by law’.
It is now the government’s turn to dump this controversial bill as it cannot exist within a democratic State or co-exist with the citizen’s fundamental rights. The Court and the 12 Petitioners who challenged the bill in eight Petitions have done democratic governance in Sri Lanka a timely service!
The Supreme Court has also examined in detail the several provisions in the Bill and made several determinations, virtually down-rating the draft law and imposing the 2/3rd majority requirement for most provisions. Reading between the lines, the judicial view appears to be: ‘Rehabilitation? Yes! But stick to the convicted drug addicts’!
What is now required is for the much criticised parliamentarians, the political parties and the active sectors of the civil society in the country to follow up the proposed law from other platforms to which the Supreme Court or the Attorney General may not constitutionally venture into.
It is also the responsibility of the rest of the society to focus on the Bill’s ethical illegitimacy and abort it, notwithstanding the proposed amendments the Supreme Court has carefully determined within its constitutionally limited powers.
For instance the definition of the word “rehabilitation” both in the original Bill, and the Supreme Court’s redefined draft, clearly brings out a national “health” related problem and not a “security” related issue. The redefined draft refers to “the procedures and programmes for rehabilitation, treatment, aftercare and support services that shall be prescribed by regulations, made under this Act”.
Rehabilitation, as proposed in the Bill, can never be the function of the armed forces but must come under the country’s health sector, considering the objectives of rehabilitation as a healthy alternative to harsh punishments. Clause 17 in the Bill gives undefined roles for the armed forces in the Bureau of Rehabilitation, though they may have some role outside the perimeters of the rehabilitation centres. The Supreme Court has determined Clause 17 as being inconsistent with Article 12(1) of the Constitution.
Another matter of importance is that the inclusion of ‘ex-combatants’, ‘violent extremist groups’ and ‘other groups…’ has come up for serious criticism in the media, and during the submissions in Court. The Supreme Court has commented on the references to these sectors as being inconsistent with Article 12, excluding only the rehabilitation of drug dependent persons.
The question that the draftsmen ought to have addressed is, should “violent extremists”, ranging from the Police defined ‘Aragalaya extremists’ to violent extremists of all religions, be lumped together with the “drug addicts” for the so called rehabilitation! Who will rehabilitate the Aragalaya activists who had been calling for the accountability of those responsible for the economic bankruptcy of the country? Armed forces? Who will rehabilitate the undefined so called Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic and Christian violent religious extremists, if there be any? The Norwegian brain washed right wing extremists or the armed forces?
Rehabilitation of a defined category of convicted offenders in lieu of imprisonment is no doubt a welcome measure. But the Bill does not provide for any judicial determination, essential pre-requisite for rehabilitation, if fundamental rights are to be protected. The Supreme Court has pointed out that reference for rehabilitation must be through an order made by a Court of competent jurisdiction.
The Justice Minister must do justice to the drug addicts by bringing their on-going rehabilitations under the Healthy Ministry and by restricting rehabilitation to trained medical personnel and limiting rehabilitation only to Court convicted drug addicts.”
News
UN asks govt. to vacate ‘remaining lands still occupied and used economically by the military’

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

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
News
Navy seizes contraband pesticides and seeds in Puttalam and Kalpitiya

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.
-
Features3 days ago
One of the finest foreign ministers the nation missed
-
News3 days ago
Cheap alms bowls imports hit Sri Lanka makers, monks
-
Opinion6 days ago
COPE findings and USJ reaction: External students left high and dry
-
News5 days ago
New KDU Medical Faculty admission policy challenged in Supreme Court
-
Features3 days ago
Going through Colombo Medical School
-
Features6 days ago
A shining example …
-
Sports3 days ago
Liverpool team join family of Diogo Jota, brother for funeral in Portugal
-
Editorial5 days ago
‘Celebration of debt’ and harsh reality