News
JVP announces support for Church’s demand for full justice
The JVP on Friday announced that they would fully support the Church’s campaign to have justice served for the Easter Sunday victims.
Addressing the media at the JVP headquarters in Pelawatte on Friday (20), JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said that everybody who valued justice had a right to know the truth behind the Easter Sunday terror attacks.
“This is not an issue limited only to the Catholic people, and all of us have a right to know the truth. Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has called for a protest on the 21st day of every month until the government comes up with the truth. We have decided to support that call,” he said.
Silva said that 28 months had elapsed since the terror attacks but the government had failed to identify the real culprits. “Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his team made use of the terror attacks to garner votes for their party promising people justice. The President, who ruled the country when the attack took place, is now a member of incumbent government. The investigations do not progress and the government, from time to time, makes lukewarm statements. Where is the justice that they promised to people?
“The former government should take the responsibility for not preventing the terror attacks. The incumbent should take the responsibility for not investigating the matter. The government for its political survival is marking the time without punishing the real culprits,” Silva said.
Operational Committee Member of the National People’s Power, Aruna Shantha Nonis, said that the Catholic Church had rejected every report furnished by the government on the Easter Sunday carnage by pointing out various lapses in them. Those reports had selectively addressed the issue and left out many important points and had limited themselves to naming some of those responsible.
“There is a serious doubt on the government’s conduct in this affair. It seems the government wants to protect some of the culprits. Who are the culprits that our intelligence units fail to identify? Or is it that our intelligence units cannot find the real culprits responsible for the Easter Sunday terror attacks,” he queried.
Prof Chrishantha Abeysena said that the government had succumbed to the pressures of deal politics and it could not deliver justice to the victims and their family members. “We have information that many policemen who are responsible for not preventing the terror attacks have been granted promotions. Where in the world such officers under a cloud get promotions,” Prof Abeysena queried.
Sri Lanka on Tuesday (17) signed a letter of intent to join a growing global initiative of 35 countries that are part of the Global Charter for Children’s Care Reform, marking a significant step forward in protecting vulnerable children, the British High Commision (BHC), in Colombo, said.
Saroja Paulraj, Minister for Women and Child Affairs, signed the letter during a visit to Colombo by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who launched the Global Charter in early 2025. The Charter seeks to strengthen families, prevent unnecessary separation, ensure safe family-based care, and end the use of institutions for children’s care worldwide.
Deputy Prime Minister Lammy met President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to discuss economic cooperation, reconciliation, and humanitarian priorities, including the UK’s ongoing support to communities affected by Cyclone Ditwah. He also met with Tamil political leaders and civil society. The UK remains committed to supporting meaningful reconciliation, transitional justice and a peaceful future for all Sri Lankans.
The UK provided £1 million in urgent humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, delivered through trusted partners on the ground. This funding supported life-saving interventions and early recovery, including emergency shelter, clean water, sanitation and essential relief items for affected families.
The BHC statement quoted the Deputy Prime Minister as having said: The UK is working with countries across the world to spearhead the urgent and united action that is needed to fundamentally improve children’s care and transform the lives of vulnerable children.
Today Sri Lanka has taken meaningful steps towards that shared goal – joining us on our mission to ensure every child has the chance to grow up in a safe and supportive family environment. This is a cause I care deeply about and I was proud to be here in Colombo today to progress this vital agenda with Minister Paulraj.
Preventing the unnecessary separation of children from their families, ensuring the provision of safe, family-based care and ending the use of institutions the world over have the power to change lives, restore hope and give our next generations the opportunity to thrive.”
Gamapaha District SJB MP Harshana Rajakaruna told Parliament early this week there was a conspiracy to remove the incumbent Parliament Secretary General.
Speaking during Tuesday’s (17) debate on the Bill, seeking to abolish the parliamentary pension scheme for MPs, Rajakaruna asserted that the removal of Deputy Secretary General Chaminda Kularatne was the first step in a broader plan targeting the top administrative post in Parliament.
He said that Kularatne had already been removed from office and alleged that the government was now planning to oust Secretary General Kushani Rohanadeera. According to Rajakaruna, the final paragraph of the preliminary investigation report into Kularatne recommends that Rohanadeera be temporarily removed from her position and subjected to a disciplinary inquiry. The report, he said, cites procedural irregularities in Kularatne’s appointment and an alleged financial loss to the State.
Rajakaruna further charged that the government was exerting pressure on the Attorney General and the Auditor General and was now attempting to interfere with the affairs of Parliament. He accused the administration of seeking to run the country, according to the dictates of Pelawatte [JVP headquarters].
He said that the Opposition would go all out to defeat the government’s plan.
By Saman Indrajith
Former Deputy Secretary General of Parliament, Chaminda Kularatne, yesterday (18) filed a writ petition before the Court of Appeal, seeking to nullify the decision to interdict him from duty without a proper inquiry
Chaminda Kularatne was suspended from his post with effect from 23 January.
The decision to suspend him was taken by the Parliament Staff Advisory Committee (SAC), chaired by Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne.
The government has alleged that the suspension was ordered due to irregularities relating to Kularatne’s appointment to that position.
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