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JVP raps Sarath Weerasekera’s ‘mono-ethnic superiority’ stance
by Saman Indrajith
Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (Retd) Sarath Weerasekera’s recent statements promoting mono-ethnic supremacy have exacerbated communal divisions in the country, says the JVP.
Former JVP MP and Politburo Member Bimal Ratnayake said that people have a constitutional right to speak their minds and support the brand of politics they favour.
“It is not a right they have been given by the president or the government. That right has been upheld by many Supreme Court decisions. But the Public Security Minister is speaking as if it has been given by to the people by the government,” he said.
“It is a right that they too enjoyed while they were in the opposition. He and other ministers describe teacher unionists as Taliban. The Public Security Minister defends any wrong doing of the police.
“Those who engaged in recent protests against selling a terminal of the port and those by petroleum workers were protests to save national assets. But the Public Security Minister is setting the police against them.
“They make speeches setting up people against the unionists. His recent statements speak of a mono-ethnic supremacy which is dangerous to communal harmony.
“The government is in need of another Prabhakaran or Zahran to play the communal card again and create another disaster. Their plan is to cover their failures using such a disaster as a means of diverting public attention from the burning issues of the day.
“We tell those in government and the Minster of Public Security that playing a Cyril Matthew role would not yield anything positive for the country,” Ratnayake said during a press conference held at the party headquarters on Thursday.
He said that the police were being used as a means of coercion against those who do not toe the government line. “CID teams have been sent to the homes of our party members. A group of Frontline Socialist Party leaders are held in detention for more than 60 days. Some of them contracted COVID-19 behind bars.
“It is said that they are held under the laws of public property. Then what action has the government taken against Nirupama Rajapaksa who failed to declare her assets recently published in the Pandora Papers while she was a sitting MP?,” Ratnayake queried.
MP Dr Harini Amarasuriya said that the government was using the police force in a manner that people are deprived of their civil liberties on a daily basis.
“The Public Security Minister calls the teacher unionists terrorists. As we know that police are allowed to shoot below the knee in some instances to bring a volatile situation under control. But the Public Security Minister says that policemen could shoot at the heads of people and he would stand by such policemen. This is an outrageous situation,” she said.
National People’s Power Operational Committee Member Aruna Shantha Nonis also addressed the press.
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Advisory for severe lightning issued for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district
The Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre has issued an Advisory for Severe Lightning for the Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambanthota district.
The advisory issued at 02.00 p.m. today [07 April 2025] is valid for the period until 11.00 p.m. 07 April 2025
The public are warned that thundershowers accompanied by severe lightning are likely to occur at several places in for Sabaragamuwa, Central and Uva provinces and in Hambantota district. There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.
ACTION REQUIRED:
The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
• Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
• Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
• Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
• For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities.
The report of the “Census of Population and Housing 2024,” conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics, was officially handed over to President Anura Kumara Disanayake this morning (07) at the Presidential Secretariat.
This preliminary report has been prepared based on island wide data collected between October and December 2024.
The report provides details on Sri Lanka’s population, its growth and the distribution of the population across districts.
The information gathered through the census is vital not only for the government but also for other institutions in formulating policies and development plans essential for the country’s progress. Significantly, for the first time in the history of census-collecting in Sri Lanka, data collection was carried out using tablet computers and user-friendly mobile devices.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance & Planning, Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance Mahinda Siriwardana, Director General of the Department of Census and Statistics D.D.G.A. Senevirathne and several other officials.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (07) presented its flagship publication, the Annual Economic Review for 2024 (AER 2024), to President and Minister of Finance, Anura Kumara Disanayake, highlighting the steady progress of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery following the country’s most severe downturn in recent history.
The report was officially handed over by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank, during a special ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat.
AER 2024 comprises four main chapters: Macroeconomic Developments, Conditions of the Financial System, Review of Central Bank’s Policies and Macroeconomic Outlook.
According to the Review, the Sri Lankan economy showed significant signs of recovery in 2024, following the deep economic crisis experienced two years ago. The recovery trajectory, though challenging, has been notably faster than that of many other debt-distressed countries.
Improvements in economic activity, a partial resurgence in purchasing power and reduced uncertainty are among the key positive indicators noted in the report.
The event was attended by Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, K. M. Mahinda Siriwardena, Secretary to the Treasury, Mrs. K. M. A. N. Daulagala, Senior Deputy Governor, Dr. C. Amarasekara, Assistant Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) S. Jegajeevan, Director of Economic Research and Dr. L. R. C. Pathberiya and Additional Director of Economic Research at the Central Bank Dr. V. D. Wickramarachchi.
[PMD]
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