News

Govt: Madrasas and burqa will be banned as recommended by PCoI

Published

5 years ago

2021/03/11

By Saman Indrajith

Minister of Public Security Rear Admiral (retd.) Dr. Sarath Weerasekera told Parliament yesterday that action would be taken to ban Madrasas and burqas as a measure to prevent the recurrence of Islamic extremist activities in the country.

Making a ministerial statement on the Report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the Easter Sunday attacks, the Minister said that all those directly or indirectly responsible for the terror attacks on April 21, 2019 would be arrested.

Minister Weerasekera said investigations had revealed that there had been eight opportunities that had been missed by the intelligence and security officials in the yahapalana regime to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks. On Feb 6, 2018 there was a bomb attack on a member of the National Front for Good Governance, Abdul Farwadan. Six days later there had been another bomb attack on the office of the National Front for Good Governance at Kattankudy. Six months later, the brother of Zahran Hashim, Rilvan was injured while experimenting with explosives at Palamunai in Batticaloa. Two weeks later two policemen were killed at Vavunathivu. One month later there was an incident of damaging Buddha statues in Mawanella. Three weeks after that a stock of explosives was found from Wanathawilluwa. Two months later on March 08, 2019 an informant of the Criminal Investigation Department Thaslim was shot and wounded. Five weeks later on April 16, 2019 the explosives had been tested on an experimental explosion using a motorbike at Thalankudah. The Easter Sunday attack took place five days later. A single group was involved in five incidents. If the intelligence and security officials had been directed to investigate the precursor incidents thoroughly, the Easter Sunday terror attacks could have been avoided. That did not take place owing to the lethargic attitude of the then Yahapalana government towards national security. Also lack of cooperation between the CID and Terrorist Investigation Division and the malfuctiong prevented investigations into aforementioned incidents.

The Minister said that 676 people had been arrested in connection with the Easter Sunday carnage and 200 of them while 66 others were detained for investigations.

He said that 408 people were currently out on bail as per the law of the country.

“After this government was elected, 99 people were arrested in Sri Lanka for their direct and indirect involvement in the attacks while another 35 Sri Lankans who were overseas were arrested,” he said.

Intelligence in early 2020 for the first time revealed of a female wing trained by Zahran Hashim and 17 of them had taken an oath to carry out suicide attacks, the Minister said, adding that five of them were already dead, three had been charged and remanded while seven others were being detained for questioning.

The remaining two women would be arrested in the future, he said.

The Terrorist Investigations Division and the Intelligence Services had managed to trace other extremist organisations operating in the country and make arrests, said the Minister of Public Security.

Necessary measures had been taken for the implementation of the recommendations made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that probed the April 21, 2019 attacks, he said.

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Development Officers threaten to intensify their protest

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/2

Thilina Walpola

Protesting Development Officers continued their hunger strike near the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo yesterday (01), for the seventh consecutive day.The protesters, who are members of the Lanka School Development Officers’ Association, are demanding that they be absorbed into the teacher service as they have served as teachers in state-run schools for nearly seven years.

Secretary of the Association, Viraj Manaranga, said the protesters were seeking an urgent meeting with the President. He added that a presidential aide had visited the protest site and offered to arrange for a meeting with the President on 03 Feb., but the union insisted on an earlier date. Manaranga warned that failure to grant a meeting could trigger a massive protest in Colombo today (02).

Four officers participating in the hunger strike have been hospitalised due to deteriorating health, while two more joined the fast on Saturday (31).

In a bid to raise awareness of their grievances, on 30 January a delegation of the All Island Development Officers’ Association visited Most Venerable

Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thera, Mahanayake of the Asgiriya Chapter, and subsequently with the Chapter’s Registrar, Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thera. The prelates said promises that had been made to them should be fulfilled.

The protest began on 26 January as a satyagraha, after authorities failed to respond to repeated requests to integrate the officers into the teaching service. The escalation into a fast-unto-death underscores the protesters’ frustration over the prolonged delay

by Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon

News

Auditor General to be appointed tomorrow

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/2

Thilina Walpola

Bimal

The long-vacant post of Auditor General would be filled on 03 Feb., after months of controversy and delays, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake said on Friday (31) in Kandy.

The Constitutional Council met at the Parliamentary complex on Friday to discuss the appointment but failed to reach a decision on a suitable candidate. The President had previously proposed four names on four separate occasions, all of which were rejected. The Council is now set to consider the fifth nominee.

The post has remained vacant since April 2025, following the retirement of Chulanta Wickramaratne, who served as the 41st Auditor General. More than 10 months have passed without a permanent appointment.

Sources said a female officer in the Auditor General’s Department has been nominated again, though her previous recommendation was rejected due to some allegations against her.

Meanwhile, senior audit officer Dharmapala Gammanpila, with 31 years of service and the department’s most senior official, has received backing from the Mahanayake Theras of the three Nikayas, the Maha Sangha, and several civil society groups for appointment as the 42nd Auditor General.

Sources noted that the three civil society representatives on the Constitutional Council will play a crucial role in the final decision.

by Chaminda Silva and SK Samaranayake

News

Two arrested for aiding and abetting murder

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/2

Thilina Walpola

Two 18-year-old youth were arrested by the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division on 31 January for allegedly aiding and abetting two murders carried out in Dehiwala and Kohuwala. ICE (crystal meth) was found in their possession at the time of arrest.

The suspects are residents of Mount Lavinia and Boralesgamuwa, according to the police. They are accused of having helped carry out a murder at a hotel in the Dehiwala Police Division on 9 January, 2026, and an attack on a person travelling in a three-wheeler at Bodhiyawatta, Kohuwala, on 12 December, 2025.

Police said the charges included sending photographs of the victims to a criminal living overseas.

Investigations revealed that the youth had acted under the direction of a criminal known as Sando.

Under the guidance of Janaka Kumara, Director of the Southern Division of the Western Province Crime Division, investigations are being led by Police Inspector Hemanta Kumara, assisted by Sub-Inspectors Prasanna Gunathilaka and Prasanna (40248), and Constables Chaminda (72987), Anil (79598), Kumar (88762), and Senanayake (19363), who are continuing the probe.

by Norman Palihawadane and Chaminda Silva