News
Muslims oppose bid to remerge North and East, Minister tells party leaders
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Environment Minister Nazeer Ahamed told an all-party conference chaired by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, at the Presidential Secretariat, on Tuesday (13), that the Muslims were opposed to the re-merger of the Eastern and Northern Provinces.
The former Chief Minister of the Eastern Province said, responding to several lawmakers, including Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader, Rauf Hakeem, reiterating the urgent need to conduct the Provincial Council polls and the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
The East was merged with the North in terms of the Indo-Lanka Accord, signed in July 1987. The Supreme Court, in a landmark ruling, invalidated the North-East merger, in Oct 2006.
Minister Ahamed recalled how the Muslim community suffered during the time of the merger. Ahamed, who contested the last General Election on the SLMC ticket, accepted the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s offer of the Environment Portfolio, in April this year. The Batticaloa district lawmaker retained the same portfolio when President Ranil Wickremesinghe named his Cabinet in July.
Both Hakeem and Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kutani leader, C.V. Wigneswaran, strongly pressed for the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.
Political party sources said that senior representatives discussed issues at hand after Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC, and Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, briefed the grouping of ongoing efforts to reach consensus on post-war national reconciliation. Sabry has emphasized that recommendations meant at reconciliation should be in line with the Constitution whereas Rajapakse explained the progress in the payment of compensation et al. The gathering was also briefed of the moves to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) with a new security law acceptable to all.
Responding to The Island, sources said that the economic crisis hadn’t been addressed at this confab where President Wickremesinghe sought the views of political parties, represented in Parliament, regarding the national issue.
The JVP skipped the meeting. Among the notable absentees were Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila of Uththara Lanka Sabhagaya, while Prof. G. L. Peiris represented Nidahas Lanka Sabhawa. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several other MPs, including R. Sampanthan and M.A. Sumanthiran, were present.
Leader of civil society group, Yuthukama, Gevindu Cumaratunga, MP, has pointed out how those who had been demanding Provincial Council polls intentionally threw their weight behind the Yahapalana project to indefinitely put off the PC elections.
Reiterating his long standing opposition to PCs that had been introduced, via the 13th Amendment to the Constitution that was literally forced on Sri Lanka, along with the Indo-Lanka Accord of July 1987, rebel SLPP National List MP who has aligned with Uththara Lanka Sabhagaya, said they feared to face the electorate at that time.
Referring to the constant demand for devolution of powers and special status to the Northern and Eastern Provinces, lawmaker Cumaratunga expressed concern over denial of students the right to study law in Sinhala and Tamil.
The outspoken MP has also raised the contentious issue of President Wickremesinghe holding the Finance portfolio, in addition to Defence and a couple of other subjects, pending new Cabinet appointments. Referring to the discussions, chaired by Wickremesinghe, in his capacity as the Premier a couple of months ago, MP Cumaratunga said that some asserted that the President shouldn’t hold ministerial portfolios. But, some including the Yuthukama representative, felt the President should hold the Defence portfolio. MP Cumaratunga said that having reached some sort of consensus on the matter during talks on the 22nd Amendment, the President now held the vital Finance portfolio, a move that was contrary to the promise to strengthen Parliament.
Referring to the Supreme Court ruling that the President couldn’t be deprived of holding ministerial portfolios, without that action being sanctioned at a referendum, MP Cumaratunga said that ruling didn’t prevent the President from giving up ministerial portfolios.
SJB MP Patali Champika Ranawaka explained that the executive could address some of the issues raised by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA). The leader of the 43 Brigade said that problems relating to land, compensation and disappearances could be dealt with by the executive. However, the devolution of power should be addressed by the Parliament, the former Minister said.
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Landslide RED warnings issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions of Ududumbara, Nildadndahinna and Walapane
The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has issued RED warnings to the districts of Kandy and Nuwara Eliya for the next 24 hours effective from 0900 hrs today [09th January].
Accordingly,
LEVEL III RED landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Ududumbara in the Kandy district, and Nildandahinna and Walapane in the Nuwara Eliya district.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Wilgamuwa in the Matale district, and Mathurata and Hanguranketha in the Nuwara Eliya district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Welimada, Kandaketiya, Badulla, Meegahakiwula, Hali_Ela, Passara and Lunugala in the Badulla district, Minipe in the Kandy district, Ambanganga Korale, Ukuwela, Rattota, Naula and Laggala_Pallegama in the Matale district, and Nuwara Eliya in the Nuwara Eliya district.
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A Policy is being formulated to ensure Child Protection in the use of Technology — Prime Minister
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that a policy is currently being formulated to ensure child protection in the use of technology.
The Prime Minister made this statement on Thursday (08) in Kandy while briefing the Most Venerable Mahanayake Theros of the Asgiriya and Malwathu Chapters on the issue that has arisen regarding the Grade 6 English module. Thereafter, printed copies of all modules were presented to the Mahanayake Theros.
Earlier on Thursday (08), the Prime Minister visited the Malwathu Viharaya in Kandy and met the Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Nayaka Thero, the Mahanayake of the Malwathu Chapter, where she explained the error that had occurred in the first print run of the English module for Grade 6 .
The Mahanayake Theros emphasized that education is a sensitive subject and that such matters should be handled with greater sensitivity and proper oversight. They further advised that a formal investigation should be conducted and that education reforms should be carried forward in a systematic manner.
Subsequently, the Prime Minister visited the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya and met the Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Mahanayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, where she clarified the error related to the English module.
The Mahanayake Thero noted that education reforms are a timely necessity and should be implemented with due oversight and careful review and also pointed out that there are broader issues in Sri Lanka regarding the use of technology, which are evident in the manner in which modern tools such as AI technologies are being used on social media.
Clarifying the issue Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated,
“We have appointed a committee to look into this issue, and based on the recommendations of the National Institute of Education (NIE), steps were taken to remove the relevant lesson. In addition, all printed copies of the relevant module have been stamped, and no module has been distributed to schoolchildren. A formal investigation into this matter has been initiated by the Ministry, and a complaint has also been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department.
At the same time, we are in the process of formulating a policy on child protection in the use of technology”.
Thereafter, addressing the media and responding to the’ questions raised by journalists, the Prime Minister stated:
“The Opposition is attempting to use this national task for their own political advantage. However, many in society have expressed their views on the issues that have arisen in a positive manner, with the objective of identifying and correcting mistakes. The government has decided to move forward with education reforms by recognizing the error that have occurred and rectifying them. We will take the no-confidence motion brought by the Opposition as an opportunity to further advance dialogue on education reforms”
The occasion was graced by the Most Venerable Anunayaka Thero of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Narampanawe Ananda Nayaka Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Asgiriya Chapter, Venerable Muruddeniye Dhammarakkhita Thero; Deputy Registrar of the Malwathu Chapter, Venerable Mahawela Rathanapala Thero; Members of Parliament Thushari Jayasinghe and Thanura Dissanayake; Mayor of Kandy Chandrasiri Wijenayake; Secretary to the Ministry of Education Nalaka Kaluwewa; and Secretary to the Ceylon Teachers’ Union in Central Province D. D. Wimalaweera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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The deep depression to the South-east of Sri Lanka is likely to intensify in to a cyclonic storm during the next 24 hours
A RED warning for a deep depression to the South-east of Sri Lanka has been issued at 01.00 a.m. on 09 January 2026 for the period until 01.00 a.m. 10 January 2026 by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre, of the Department of Meteorology.
The deep depression in the Bay of Bengal to the southeast of Sri Lanka (At 01:00 a.m. on Jan 9th, 2026 located about 200 km East of Pottuvil) is very likely to intensify further and move west-northwestwards towards the coast of Sri Lanka between Pottuvil and Trincomalee in the evening today (9th January 2026.) The system is likely to intensify in to a cyclonic storm
during the next 24 hours.
Hence, showery, and windy condition over the island, particularly in the Northern, North-Central, Eastern, Uva and Central provinces is expected to enhance.
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