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‘Journalists are now being arrested after forcibly entering their homes’ – Karu Jayasuriya

Published

5 years ago

2021/01/31

‘We see a different media culture’

In recent times, we see a different media culture. Instead of attacking them, journalists are now being arrested after forcibly entering their homes. Their computers are taken away and they are harassed. They are forced to make false statements. Some fabricate blatant lies to ensure the win of their favored politicians, says Karu Jayasuriya, Chairman of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ).

“Character assassination has become common. They create racial and religious divisions. Religion has been made a commodity. As a result, we, as a country, are facing an unprecedented challenge. It is the next generation that will have to face the repercussions”, the former Speaker said at an event to commemorate journalists who laid down their lives for media freedom.

“Journalists will face many challenges in the future to protect media freedom. I will remain with you and continue to support you on that journey”, he stressed.

“Today, we are fulfilling a national duty. The eminent journalists we remember today have sacrificed their lives for us. According to reports, at least 117 journalists have been killed or have disappeared since 1981. An innumerable number have been subjected to great repression. Remembering these incidents causes us great mental anguish. Is it possible that such cruel and inhuman acts could take place in a civilized country?”, he asked.

“Today, you and I are gathered here to pay our respects to those great people. Or in other words to pay off our debts we owe them. The last such commemoration ceremony was held five years ago in 2015.The then convener of the Free Media Movement, Sunil Jayasekara is here today. The late Saman Wagaarachchi also greatly supported this endeavour”, Jayasuriya continued.

The National Movement for Social Justice would like to thank the team of journalists who proposed and organized this event. They worked hard and made many sacrifices for it. I would also like to thank the Journalists’ Association for a Just Society for its contribution towards event. Convener Priyantha Srilal and his team made many commitments and worked hard to make it a reality, he said.

He further said: “We are well aware of the plight of our journalists in the past. We recall how we sprung into action when journalists were shot at, when their homes and offices were bombed and when they were brutally assaulted. We have met some of the senior journalists here at some of those places. We are glad to see them here again. Today, we were able to meet Dharmasiri Bandaranaike and several members of the group who were hospitalized after being assaulted at Kumbukgete, Kurunegala and artistes who came under severe repression in Nittambuwa. They shed blood for a free and clean media.

“Journalism is a dignified service. It is the duty of an impartial journalist to provide truthful information to the public. But today journalists have to submit to the orders of certain newspaper chiefs. They are forced to fabricate stories or to create lies out of the truth.

“They are being used to assassinate the characters of certain individuals and to magnify the characters of others. This is the media culture of some of our institutions. Recently, we saw new newspapers launched. We congratulate all those institutions. I wish you the strength to move forward while defending the noble ethics of the media.

“Despite all this, it is fortunate that still there are respectable journalists in our country who carry out their media mission in accordance with their conscience. We salute them. We must change this hypocritical culture. It is the duty of those here to lead that fight. Knowing true and correct information is a basic human right. We did not win these rights easily. We don’t know to what extent that right will be protected under the 20th Amendment. But we will continue to stand for these rights.

“Finally I wish to make one important explanation before you. We continue to move forward in accordance with the vision put forward by Ven. Sobhitha Thera for justice, truth and fairness. We are an independent, impartial civil society organization. We do not have an ambition to create kings, presidents or prime ministers. But we have to protect the fundamental rights of the people of this country, which were destroyed by the 20th Amendment. It is that dangerous

“We kindly ask the authorities to not deprive the people of their right as we already see concerning signs. We will stand up and fully commit ourselves to protect these rights for our future generation”.

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News

CEB demands 11.57 percent power tariff hike in first quarter

Published

60 mins ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

The Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) has submitted a proposal to the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) seeking an 11.57 percent increase in electricity tariffs for the first quarter of 2026, citing an estimated revenue shortfall and additional financial pressures, including cyclone-related damages.

According to documents issued by the PUCSL, the proposed tariff revision would apply to electricity consumption from January to March 2026 and includes changes to both energy charges and fixed monthly charges across all consumer categories, including domestic, religious, industrial, commercial and other users.

Under the proposal, domestic electricity consumers would face increases in unit rates as well as fixed monthly charges across all consumption blocks.

The CEB has estimated a deficit of Rs. 13,094 million for the first quarter of 2026, which it says necessitates the proposed 11.57 per cent tariff hike. The utility has noted that any deviation from this estimate whether a surplus or a shortfall will be adjusted through the Bulk Supply Tariff Adjustment (BSTA) mechanism and taken into account in the next tariff revision.

In its submission, the CEB said the proposed revision is aimed at ensuring the financial and operational stability of the power sector and mitigating potential risks to the reliability of electricity supply. The board-approved tariff structure for the first quarter of 2026 has been submitted to the PUCSL for approval and subsequent implementation, as outlined in Annex II of the proposal.

The CEB has also highlighted the financial impact of Cyclone Ditwah, which it said caused extensive damage to electricity infrastructure, with total losses estimated at around Rs. 20 billion. Of this amount, Rs. 7,016.52 million has been attributed to the first quarter of 2026, which the utility said has a direct bearing on electricity tariffs.

The CEB warned that if external funding is not secured to cover the cyclone-related expenditure, the costs incurred would need to be recovered through electricity tariffs in the second-quarter revision of 2026.

Meanwhile, the PUCSL has said that a decision on whether to approve the proposed tariff increase will be made only after following due regulatory procedures and holding discussions on the matter.

By Sujeewa Thathsara ✍️

News

Health Minister sends letter of demand for one billion rupees in damages

Published

1 hour ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

Ondansetron controversy

Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr Nalinda Jayatissa has sent a letter of demand for Rs. 1 billion in damages from YouTube content creator Dharmasri Kariyawasam, accusing him of disseminating false and defamatory material linking the Minister to the importation of Ondansetron and inciting public unrest.

The notice, sent through the Minister’s lawyers, states that investigations are currently under way into 10 medicines, including Ondansetron Injection, manufactured by India-based Maan Pharmaceutical Limited.

Ondansetron Injection was among nine injectable drugs recently suspended by the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) following reports of patients administered with the drug suffering adverse complications.

Despite the ongoing investigations, Kariyawasam allegedly aired a widely viewed programme on his YouTube channel titled “The hidden story of the Indian drug that claimed lives, Mayor Balthazaar’s relative, and Minister Nalinda’s cover-up.”

According to the letter of demand, the programme falsely portrayed Minister Jayatissa as being directly responsible for importing the drug, colluding with the supplier, and attempting to conceal the issue, while depicting him as indifferent to public suffering.

The Minister’s lawyers maintain that these allegations are entirely false and defamatory, citing passages in which Kariyawasam allegedly accused Jayatissa of lying about the supplier, concealing facts related to PTC Medicals (Pvt) Ltd., the actual importer, and showing a lack of concern over deaths purportedly linked to the drug.

The programme also claimed links between the directors of PTC Medicals and family members of Colombo Mayor Vraîe Cally Balthazaar, implying political favouritism.

News

One killed, two injured in shooting at Kaduwela

Published

1 hour ago

2026/01/3

Thilina Walpola

A 20-year-old man was shot dead and two others injured in a shooting incident reported from the Menikgara area of Korathota, Nawagamuwa, in Kaduwela, on Thursday night (01 January).

The injured victims were initially admitted to the Oruwala Hospital in Athurugiriya and were later transferred to the Homagama Base Hospital for further treatment.

Police said the shooting targeted a group allegedly linked to an underworld figure known as Borelle Kudu Duminda, and investigations indicate the attack may have been carried out by a rival faction led by Borelle Kudu Chathu.

Preliminary investigations by the Nawagamuwa Police revealed that the victims were inside a rented house at the time of the attack. The suspects are believed to have arrived on a motorcycle and a three-wheeler, opened fire, and fled the scene immediately afterwards.

According to police, two gunmen had gained entry to the premises after cutting through a fence and used a pistol in the attack.

The deceased was identified as Sankalpa, a 20-year-old resident of Borella.

Police further said the victim and another individual were allegedly involved in an incident on November 14, 2025, in which a woman’s hand was severed with a sharp weapon in the Sarana Road area of Borella. Investigations have revealed that the woman is a close associate of Kudu Chathu.

Police said the woman’s residence was allegedly used by suspects involved in a separate shooting in Borella on 24 June, 2025, which had targeted an individual who escaped unharmed. It is alleged that the survivor of that shooting and the youth killed on Thursday later carried out the attack on the woman.

Both individuals are believed to be close associates of Kudu Duminda, a rival of Kudu Chathu, police said, adding that efforts to arrest suspects connected to the earlier incidents had been unsuccessful.

Investigators believe the latest killing was carried out based on information that a member affiliated with Kudu Chathu’s faction was present at the location. One of the injured persons is reportedly the brother-in-law of the individual who survived the June shooting.

A senior police officer said special security had earlier been deployed in the Borella area following intelligence reports that Kudu Duminda was planning a retaliatory attack.

Police noted that this is the first shooting incident reported in Sri Lanka for 2026.

By Norman Palihawadane ✍️