News
President must decide whether Rajapaksas are worth more than Sri Lankans – Harshana
Sri Lanka could obtain greater international assistance if the government madea genuine effort to adhere to the norms of parliamentary democracy, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Harshana Rajakaruna said.
“Instead, the government is trying to suppress people. It has issued a circular preventing state officials from expressing themselves on social media. The government also states that protestors need to get permission, six hours before a demonstration, but when they try to get permission protestors are arrested or police try to get a court order preventing the event,” he said.
The SJB MP added that a number of foreign countries and international organisations have opposed these moves. Sri Lanka is now begging almost all foreign nation for assistance, however, it also does its best to tarnish its reputation internationally, Rajakaruna said.
“The government is using the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to arrest protestors. PTA is condemned by almost all nations in the world. The President might get it but his main job is to protect the Rajapaksas and make Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs happy. The President wants to save this special relationship no matter what,” he said.
MP Rajakaruna said between 40 to 50 of Sri Lankan families are vulnerable to hunger. Around 15 percent of the children are underweight.
“The government is not addressing this issue. They are trying to silence the people who speak about the danger faced by our children. The President must decide whether the Rajapaksas are worth more than the people of Sri Lanka,” he said.
By Norman Palihawadane
Authorities have launched an investigation into the disappearance of over 70 assault rifles from an undisclosed Army camp.The police confirmed that two of the missing T-56 assault rifles had been recovered.
A 47-year-old Civil Defence Force (CDF) member has been arrested in connection with the incident. Acting on information from the suspect, police recovered a T-56 with 11 rounds of ammunition in Kotawila, Matara, on Friday. The arrest followed an earlier recovery of another T-56 rifle and a grenade in Ruhunuketha, Welikanda, which the suspect was allegedly attempting to sell.
Investigations have revealed that the suspect had sold one more T-56, with ammunition, for Rs. 200,000. The CDF member’s arrest came after a person, detained by the Wellampitiya Police with a pistol, confessed to purchasing the weapon from him, providing contact details that led to his arrest.
The Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) obtained a 90-day detention order for further questioning of the suspect.
Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya confirmed to The Island that details of the Army camp and officers involved were being withheld for now.
Police Media Spokesman SSP Buddhika Manatunga said that the CCD and CID were conducting parallel investigations into the case.
Further updates on the missing firearms and their potential links to crimes are expected as the investigation progresses, SSP Manatunga told The Island.
More than 35 people were hospitalised following a head-on collision between two privately-owned buses in Matara yesterday morning.Six persons sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment at the Matara Hospital, police added.
Police Spokesman SSP K.B. Manathunga said that there was a rising number of road accidents involving privately-owned buses in recent times. In response, police have intensified legal actions against passenger bus drivers who violate traffic regulations.
SSP Manathunga announced on Saturday that the government has approved the recruitment of an additional 10,000 police officers. This move aims to strengthen efforts in preventing road accidents, as well as supporting broader anti-crime and anti-drug operations.
Investigations into the cause of the collision are ongoing, SSP Manatunga said. (RK)
Text and Pic by Dinasena Rathugamage
A 25-year-old elephant that had been struggling in pain and hunger for 14 days due to suspected severe gunshot injuries died on Saturday near the Iranamadukulam tank in Kilinochchi.
Villagers who noticed the injured elephant informed Wildlife officers about its condition. Although a team of officials rushed to the location and attempted to treat the elephant, its condition was critical due to severe injuries and its extreme weakness, making recovery impossible.
Wildlife officers said that the elephant was about 25 years of age and they suspected that the elephant’s injuries had been caused by a gunshot. A post-mortem examination is scheduled to determine the exact cause of death. The Kilinochchi Police and Wildlife officials have launched an investigation into the death of the elephant.
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