News

Media Minister confirms seeking legal advice on Sirasa telecasts

Published

5 years ago

2021/07/12

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella says he has recently sought legal advice pertaining to what he calls the conduct of Sirasa TV.

Denying Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa’s accusations that the government was conspiring to suppress Sirasa, Rambukwella, who is also the co-cabinet spokesperson, told The Island, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya couldn’t challenge his right to take action according to the law.

Responding to another query, Minister Rambukwella emphasised that he didn’t do anything clandestine. “I consulted our lawyers regarding a section of the media brazenly abusing their privileged status,” the Media Minister said, urging the media not to propagate lies.

Minister Ranbukwella alleged that some interested parties had reacted as if he had called in underworld elements to discuss the issue.

Minister Rambukwella said that he had not been present in Parliament last Wednesday (7) when the SJB Leader alleged a plot to deprive Sirasa of its transmission licence. A group of SJB lawmakers invaded the Well of the House in protest, following the Opposition Leader’s claim.

Rambukwella said that the government wouldn’t hesitate to take measures against any media organisation if it violated the law.

MP Premadasa urged the government either to confirm or to deny claims as regards alleged moves to suppress Sirasa. Minister Rambukwella confirmed that the Sirasa coverage of various developments had been discussed with lawyers.

A spokesperson for Sirasa asked how they could be faulted for factually reporting what was happening. Except for those who had been profited by various illegal and clandestine ventures turning a blind eye to various developments, independent media courageously reported events.

Former Director General of Government Information Department attorney-at-law Sudarshana Gunawardena said that instead of addressing the grievances of those who had been badly affected by shortage of fertilizer, massive ecological disaster caused by sinking of container carrier X-Press Pearl off the Colombo port and basically disruption of supply services due to rampaging Covid-19 epidemic, the government was bent on controlling the media.

Referring to strong condemnation the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) of police action against those engaged in public protests Gunawardena pointed out that the government was trying to discourage people from protesting. Sending those protesters who had been granted bail by courts to quarantine centers run by the military in Mullaitivu was aimed at achieving the government’s objective, he added.

Civil society activist noted that the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), too, has strongly criticized the Kotelawela Defence University Bill.

SJB MP Mujibur Rahman said that the situation was so bad the government couldn’t deceive the public by suppressing the media. The government was in disarray and quite clearly experienced difficulties it couldn’t cope with, he added. Accusing the government of mishandling the fertilizer issue, MP Rahman said the government was making a desperate effort to cover up the insufficient supply.

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

16 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

16 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

16 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.