News
Opposition complains of selective prosecution of Easter carnage suspects
By Saman Indrajith
The main opposition SJB on Tuesday in Parliament found fault with the government’s prosecution process of Easter Sunday suspects and expressed its displeasure at the releasing of suspects directly involved with the terror attacks.
Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District SJB MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the government had resorted to a selective prosecution process. “A report by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that investigated the Easter Sunday carnage has been released and made public. That report has named persons responsible for the terror attacks and recommended legal action against them. But most of them are still at large. After the PCoI report was released the government appointed a sub-committee of ministers to study the report and that sub-committee identified a list of persons to be prosecuted. Now the cases are being filed only against those who had been named by the ministers. Other suspects are let off. Those in the custody are freed on bail, while others still at large are not arrested. This is how the government conducts the Easter Sunday prosecution process. The incumbent Justice Minister is a brilliant lawyer. Why cannot he understand that this is wrong? We hope that he should be involved in this unjust affair and rectify this error to ensure the due process of dispensing the law. This is not only unjust for the victims and their living relatives but also a great crime to exonerate the criminals responsible for the Easter Sunday carnage. In the first rounds of investigations the investigators found information on some suspects. I refrain from naming some of them. Those suspects have now been released. The government prosecutes the suspects on whom they collected information in later stages of the investigation. This is absurd. I call on the Justice Minister to intervene in this affair to correct this situation,” Chief Opposition Whip Kiriella said.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Showery condition over the island is expected to reduce from tomorrow (15th)
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At least 28 dead as crane collapses onto train in Thailand
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
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