News
Lt. Gen. Dias joins petition against releasing of State land around Kurundi temple
Former Army Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Jagath Dias and two other retired officers, Brigadier Athula Hemachandra de Silva and Lt. Col. Anil Sumeda Amarasekera have petitioned the Court of Appeal against the government’s decision to release state land around the historical Kurundi temple in the former LTTE bastion, the Mullaitivu District.
Dias served as the General Officer Commanding 57 Division, deployed on the Vanni West front during the humanitarian mission.
The petitioners have sought to prevent the government from removing the boundary stones already planted by the Presidential Task Force for Archaeological Heritage Management in the Eastern Province. The case will come up for support tomorrow (20).
Declaring that over 300 acres has been now identified to be of archaeological value that needs excavation and gazetting under the provisions of the Antiquities Ordinance No. 09 of 1940, the petitioners alleged that a survey of the area was stopped by the second respondent Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickramanayake last September following interference by separatist elements.
The first respondent is the Secretary to the Ministry, Somaratne Vidanapathirana. Subsequently the then Director General of Archaeology, Prof. Anura Manatunga, who is the third respondent, resumed the survey and was proceeding according to a plan when President Ranil Wickremesinghe intervened.
The petitioners have submitted to CoA a letter, dated January 11, 2023, sent by the Secretary to the President to the Director General of the Archaeological Department, directing that he obtain the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers before declaring any site to be an archaeological site or monument.
The survey was launched after the eradication of the LTTE in May 2009 following a three-year long combined security forces campaign.
The petitioners pointed out that as the power to declare an archaeological site and/or monument is a power granted to the DG, Archaeology under section 33 of the Antiquities Ordinance No. 09 of 1940. Therefore, the directive issued by the Secretary to the President is an unlawful encroachment of the powers conferred by an Act of Parliament to the Director General of Archaeology.
They also said that the DG, Archaeology tendered his resignation after being humiliated by President Wickremesinghe in the presence of a delegation of TNA MPs at a meeting held in the Presidential Secretariat on June 08, 2023.
Subsequent to that meeting, a directive has been issued to alienate land, surrounding the Kurundi temple, to cultivators, who were cultivating the surrounding lands, and to remove the existing boundary stones placed by the Task Force for Archaeological Heritage Management in the Eastern Province without investigating and to place the stones after the identifying the archaeological sites. (SF)
South Korean MPs have voted to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol as thousands of protesters on the streets of Seoul cheer the result
A total of 204 MPs approved the motion to impeach Yoon, who plunged the country into political turmoil with a short-lived martial law declaration last week
Yoon will be suspended while the prime minister will serve as acting president. The constitutional court now has six months to rule on the impeachment.Yoon survived an impeachment vote last weekend and has clung to power, despite mounting calls for him to step down He and and his allies are currently under investigation for insurrection charges, and a travel ban has been slapped on several of them
(BBC)
High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Santosh Jha, called on Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, at the Prime Minister’s Office on Friday [13].
The meeting underscored the longstanding friendship and strategic partnership between the two neighboring nations and discussions centered on the progress of numerous bilateral projects, which are currently at various stages of development.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Asoka Sapumal Ranwala resigned as Speaker of Parliament yesterday amidst a controversy over his educational qualifications. The Opposition challenged him to prove his claim that he had a doctorate.
Ranwala has said in a statement that he never misrepresented his educational qualifications but he currently lacks documentary evidence to prove his academic credentials. He insists that he was awarded a doctorate by a research institute affiliated with Waseda University in Japan and has expressed hope of presenting the degree certificate in the future.
“However, given the confusion surrounding this issue and to avoid causing embarrassment to those who trusted and voted for this government, I have decided to resign from the position of Speaker for the time being,” Ranwala has said in his statement.
His resignation followed indications that MPs from the JVP/NPP government were preparing to make a significant decision on a no-confidence motion against him, centred on the legitimacy of his academic qualifications. The motion was prompted by ongoing doubts about the authenticity of his doctoral degree, particularly in the absence of clarification.
Sources within the NPP confirmed earlier on Friday that Ranwala was expected to address the controversy with a special statement when Parliament reconvenes on Tuesday (17). However, he announced his resignation yesterday evening (13).
Kalutara District SJB MP Ajith P. Perera told the media on Thursday that either the Speaker or the JVP/NPP government must clarify the matter regarding Ranwala’s doctorate. He asserted that if the Speaker genuinely holds a valid doctorate, there would be no issue. However, the lack of response to media inquiries and the removal of degree-related information from the parliamentary website raised further concerns.
Perera added that the Speaker should provide evidence of his qualifications within two weeks, failing which the Opposition would proceed with the no-confidence motion. He also suggested that the JVP/NPP MPs would face public scrutiny in their decision to either support or oppose the motion, testing their commitment to party lines against public expectations.
The National Democratic Front (NDF), led by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, proposed the establishment of a parliamentary committee to verify the academic qualifications of all MPs, including the Speaker and Cabinet Ministers. This initiative seeks to address increasing concerns about the credibility of MPs’ qualifications.
Meanwhile, the SLPP announced its intention to introduce a separate no-confidence motion against Ranwala. Speaking at a press conference in Colombo, Hambantota District MP D.V. Chanaka criticised the Speaker, arguing that the issue undermines public confidence in Parliament. Chanaka further highlighted the Speaker’s responsibility as head of the Parliamentary Council and the Committee on High Offices, which oversees the verification of qualifications for key positions.
SLPP Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam also addressed the press, emphasising the importance of the Speaker’s academic qualifications in upholding the integrity of Parliament.
South Korea MPs vote to impeach president after mass protests over martial law
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