News

FSP raises alarm over Indian investments in strategic locations

Published

4 years ago

2022/11/12

By Rathindra Kuruwita

Indian investments in some strategic locations in Sri Lanka could pose a serious national security threat, Education Secretary of the Frontline Socialist Party (FSP), Pubudu Jayagoda says.Jayagoda added that President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who does not have a mandate to be the President, had initiated a number of economic policy and legal amendments to facilitate Indian investments in strategic areas.

“Speaking in Parliament on Thursday Wickremesinghe urged the Tamil political parties to join him in finding a solution to the problems faced by Tamil people. No one opposes this in principle, but this is nothing but an eyewash. He is trying to pacify the people of the North, who are not at all happy with certain Indian projects to be carried out in the North,” he said.

Jayagoda said the government was planning to carry out a number of renewable energy generation projects in the North. Soon after Wickremesinghe became President, he presented a strategic plan on the Trincomalee District. According to the plan, a number of strategic locations in the district will be handed over to Indian companies.”

The FSP Education Secretary also alleged that there were plans to change the district borders of Trincomalee and Polonnaruwa. Some Tamil majority areas would be made a part of Polonnaruwa and vice versa, he said.

“This is an attempt to change the ethnic composition of the Trincomalee District. The SLPP and Wickremesinghe associates are telling the Sinhalese of Trincomalee that the Sinhalese will be the majority in the Trincomalee District. This is a plot to dampen opposition to Indian projects in the district among the Sinhalese,” he said.

Jayagoda said District Secretariats of Trincomalee and Polonnaruwa were working on data gathering to change district borders. However, a change of this magnitude could only be made with the approval of the Parliament, he said.

“This was raised by TNA Leader, R. Sampanthan, and MP M. A. Sumanthiran made a statement in Parliament in October. Everyone who knows what is happening is deeply worried. Unfortunately, this has not received adequate attention by the media,” Jagoda said.

“The government has agreed to allow India to explore oil in the Mannar Basin and this poses a serious security threat to the country. Several Sri Lankan laws prevent such an Indian intervention and Wickremesinghe has asked relevant officers to change the laws, he said.

“Adani Group has gained a foothold in the Colombo Port. Initially, he wanted a stake in the East Terminal, but that was thwarted. Now, he has the West Terminal, and the plan is to attract the large ships that come to Colombo to the West Terminal. India controls bunkering at Trincomalee. Soon, they will have a firm foothold in Mannar as well. This is a serious national security issue,” he said.The FSP Education Secretary said India had also won a number of renewable energy projects in the North and the people were unhappy about them.

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

Published

7 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

7 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

7 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.