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FM questions whether UK pursuing anti-Sri Lanka agenda for political reasons

Published

5 years ago

2022/03/31

Army Commander General Shavendra Silva was among those present at the launch of Lord Naseby’s ‘Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained’ at the BMICH on Tuesday. The UK Conservative politician has defended the Sri Lankan military against war crimes accusations. Gen. Silva is pictured leaving the venue with a copy of ‘Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained (Pic courtesy Army)

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Foreign Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris has questioned the British government action vis-a-vis Sri Lanka on the basis of its latest controversial travel advisory that warned of terrorist attacks.

Prof. Peiris condemned the British warning issued on 07 March 2022. Referring to the Easter Sunday suicide bombings that had been carried out by the National Thowheed Jaamat (NTJ), in April 2019, the UK government warned terrorists were likely to try to carry out attacks in Sri Lanka. Attacks could be indiscriminate and the targets could include places visited by foreigners.

The top academic declared that the government had no issue with foreign governments warning of current shortages in fuel, gas and other essentials but it would be totally unfair to issue warning, as regards impending terrorist attacks.

Prof. Peiris took exception to the British action at the launch of Lord Naseby’s ‘Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained’ at the BMICH on Tuesday (29) where he addressed a distinguished gathering. Among those present at the event were Secretary Defence Gen. Kamal Gunaratne, Commander of the Army Gen. Shavendra Silva, former Commander of the Army Gen. Daya Ratnayake and several former and serving members of Parliament.

Prof. Peiris acknowledged that in spite of the Foreign Ministry taking up the issue at hand with the British High Commission in Colombo, the travel advisory hadn’t been revised.

Both Prof. Peiris and Lord Naseby, in their brief speeches discoursed how successive British governments suppressed official documents that contradicted unsubstantiated war crimes accusations which led to an accountability resolution at the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in early Oct 2015.

The yahapalana government co-sponsored the resolution that targeted Sri Lanka’ wartime political leadership and the military.

Prof. Peiris said the UK’s response as well as that of some other members of the ‘international community’ to Sri Lanka’s triumph over terrorism was quiet questionable. Sri Lanka brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009 on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon against the opinion of so many self-proclaimed experts in the West and their local mouthpieces, who repeatedly chorused the refrain that Sri Lankan security forces were incapable of defeating the LTTE, dubbed by the American FBI as the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world.

Prof. Peiris, who served as the first post-war External Affairs Minister (2010-2015) explained how the UN squandered money on a costly project targeting Sri Lanka. The FM also flayed those who received mega financial benefits at Sri Lanka’s expense as a result of the UN body pursuing an agenda inimical to the war winning country.

Prof. Peiris said: “There are many problems in this country and tourists are well aware of them. There are power cuts, shortage of diesel and gas. These are all facts of life. A travel advisory can certainly draw attention to these inconveniences which may be suffered by tourists who are planning a visit this country,” he said.

Questioning the rationale in making unsubstantiated claim relating to terrorist attacks, Prof. Peiris expressed surprise at the British response to Sri Lanka’s protest. “The answer we have got is that this is what they have been saying for two years and that the travel advisory has been downgraded from very likely to likely by now.”

“Is that a convincing or acceptable answer? If you were a British family contemplating a holiday with your loved ones, your friends, in Sri Lanka, would you for a moment consider holiday in a country where your government says terrorists’ violence is likely’,” an irate FM asked.

Prof. Peiris said that foreign governments and politicians shouldn’t seek political advantage at Sri Lanka’s expense. The FM emphasized the importance in the public of this country believing that whatever is done is genuinely for the well-being of this country and not to promote the fortunes of politicians in other countries.

Commenting on the controversial Geneva process, Prof. Peiris alleged that the country had been singled out by the application of standards and criteria, which were not being applied to any other country on the planet. “Is that because we are small, we don’t have large armies, we are not an affluent nation?” the Minister asked.

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

4 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

4 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

4 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.