News
JVP sounds buoyant after halting ECT deal with India
Stopping the East Container Terminal deal with Adani Group of India had given a boost to public confidence that they could save national assets by agitating against government moves to sell them, the JVP said.
Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Pelawatte on Friday JVP politburo member and former MP Sunil Handunnetti said: “Saving the ECT is a victory for the people and trade unions. It has given a boost to public confidence that if they unite they can save the national assets for posterity from the opportunistic governments. This victory is also an inspiration for the next round of struggles to save the Kankesanthurai harbour, the Palali Airport, the Mattala Airport, the West Container Terminal of the Colombo Port, farmlands and forests. These assets belong to the next generation and it is our duty to see that they inherit them without allowing governments to sell them off.
“The discussion over the WCT surfaced after the government was forced to withdraw the ECT deal. Ten allied parties of the government say it is their victory to save the ECT. Some sections trying to justify the selling of WCT point out that it is mentioned in the Vistas of Prosperity manifesto and people have given their consent by voting for it. If the government acted solely on the basis of what it promised then how come the questionable ECT deal came in the form of a Cabinet paper? It is not mentioned in the manifesto that the ECT would be sold. Now, the ministers of the government tell us that 85 percent of controlling stake of the WCT would be given to India. There is no such thing mentioned in their manifesto. That manifesto promises to develop the WCT with the participation of private investment. The term private investment does not mean India or Japan.”
The Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 03 Indian fishermen while they were poaching in Sri Lankan waters, during a special operation conducted in the northern sea area off the Delft Island, Jaffna on the night of 17 Mar 25.
Taking into account the impact of those practices on the livelihood of local fishermen, the Navy continues to conduct regular patrols and operations in Sri Lankan waters to curb illegal fishing practices of foreign fishing boats, trespassing into island waters.
The seized boat and the three Indian fishermen were brought to the KKS Harbour and they will be handed over to the Fisheries Inspector of Mailadi, Jaffna for onward legal proceedings
News
Police under greater pressure to track down IGP on the run as CA rejects bid to stay arrest order
Having dismissed the writ petition filed by Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon on the run, the Court of Appeal yesterday (17) ordered the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to arrest him and produce him in Court.
The IGP sought an interim injunction to prevent the execution of the arrest order issued by the Matara Magistrate’s Court on February 28 against him in connection with the shooting incident that took place in Weligama, Matara, on Dec, 31, 2023.
The Court of Appeal bench, comprising its Acting President Justice Mohamed Lafar Tahir and Justice Sarath Dissanayake dismissed the petition without a hearing.
The petition filed by Tennakoon before the Court of Appeal was earlier taken up for consideration on March 12 but the decision was put off to March 17.
The IGP’s legal team made a last minute bid to prevent an arrest order by submitting a motion requesting an opportunity to submit additional documents related to the case.
However, in terms of an agreement between the Attorney General (AG) and the counsel of six other policemen implicated in the Weligama shooting, the AG ordered the CID not to arrest the Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) and five other policemen implicated in the case.
UNP Chairman Wajira Abeywardena on Sunday alleged that during the 1987-1990 period, the JVP killed approximately 1,960 UNPers.
The former Minister told the media that the Batalanda Commission report had given that figure in its third chapter. Addressing the media in Colombo, the former parliamentarian said that the JVP had targeted both UNP and leftist politicians during their second abortive insurgency.
The UNP victims included two General Secretaries of the party, Nandalal Fernando and Harsha Abeywickrema.
Abeywardena said that those demanding action against the former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, on the basis of the Batalanda Commission report, had conveniently forgotten the atrocities perpetrated by the JVP.
The JVP-led NPP won both presidential and parliamentary polls last year.
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