News
FSP demands arrests of those responsible for gruesome killings at Batalanda
The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) has demanded that all those responsible for killings in the Batalanda torture chambers should be arrested immediately.
Addressing a rally at Anuradhapura, on Saturday, Frontline Socialist Party Education Secretary Pubudu Jagoda said that there was no time bar for the offence of murder as such the government could arrest all those accused of involvement in those killings.
“There are eyewitnesses to those crimes, and they are ready to give evidence. There is no need to waste time anymore. What is this government waiting for? Are they waiting till these eyewitnesses who are now old die?” Jagoda queried.
There are two laws under which commissions of inquiry were appointed in Sri Lanka. One was the Commissions of Inquiry Act No 17 of 1948, and the other was the Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Law No 7 of 1978. A Commission of Inquiry set up under the 1948 law couldn’t recommend that a person be stripped of his or her civic rights. Power was conferred on a Commission of Inquiry under Section 9 of the 1978 law. When Chandrika appointed the Batalanda Commission of Inquiry, she ensured that Ranil Wickremesinghe would not lose his civic rights. As such, the Batalanda Commission had no power to strip anyone’s civic rights.
There have been murders. That is a fact. In Sri Lanka, the offences of murder and treason are offences that could be punished at any time. As such, there is no need to appoint more committees to make recommendations. The government must arrest the main suspects and then conduct investigations.
“We call upon the government to arrest Wickremesinghe first. The President has powers to give orders to the CID to commence the investigation process and implement the law. Then they should arrest Douglas Peiris – the senior most police officer who ran the Batalanda torture chamber. Peiris has published an obituary that he has passed away. This is another matter to be investigated. We have information that he is alive. Then they could arrest Nalin Delgoda. There are policemen and security forces members who worked there and ready to give evidence.
We have Indrananda Silva, a military photographer, who took pictures of those who had been killed. His duty was to photograph the victims on the day before they were killed. There are many servicemen and policemen who are now retired and will come forward to give evidence. They did not give evidence before the Batalanda Commission because they were in the service then. There are eyewitnesses who are ready to give evidence about killings, torture and sexual torture that took place there.
The government then should arrest Sudath Chandrasekara, who was the Private Secretary to Wickremesinghe. When he resigned from that post, he wrote a letter admitting to the killings he committed at the behest of Wickremesinghe. The letter is in his handwriting with his signature. He should be taken into custody and questioned.
“With all these facts, why does the government need the Attorney General’s instructions to arrest them? Jagoda queried.
“This is not political revenge. This is justice. This is a world known principle called transitional justice. It requires that society talks about the atrocities that took place and punishes those responsible. We demand the same,” Jagoda said.
A discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was held this afternoon (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.
The meeting focused extensively on new development projects planned by the Urban Development Authority. The President emphasised the need to ensure that the budgetary allocations made for these projects in the current year are utilised effectively within the same financial year.
Detailed discussions were also held on projects planned to be implemented jointly by multiple institutions, including the importance of holding consultations with all relevant agencies to reach final decisions and the need to clearly define responsibilities for each institution in both implementation and maintenance phases of the projects.
Attention was drawn to key initiatives such as the Kelani River flood control project, water management projects in Colombo city and the Beira Lake restoration project. The need for a dedicated programme for low-income housing in areas such as Ratmalana and Moratuwa was also highlighted. During the discussion, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake underscored the importance of introducing a structured management framework for the effective coordination of certain projects.
Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Senior Professor Kapila C.K. Perera, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), M.G. Hemachandra and the Heads representing the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA), Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC), National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) and the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) were also present at the meeting.
(PMD)
News
CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund
The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.
Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).
Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.
(PMD)
Latest News
Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.
During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.
As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.
In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.
The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
President meets senior officials of the Urban Development Authority
CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund
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Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum
Steps initiated to safeguard Sri Lanka’s Maritime Heritage
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