News
Recommendation to deprive sitting and former MPs of civic rights: Gevindu strikes discordant note
… receives backing of Sabry, Wimal
By Shamindra Ferdinando
SLPP National List MP Gevindu Cumaratunga has strongly opposed an alleged move to deprive lawmakers of civic rights on the basis of recommendation made by a Presidential Commission of Inquiry into political victimization.
Political sources said that lawmaker Cumaratunga emphasised the government shouldn’t resort to such a course of action at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees early this week. Sources said that the leader of the civil society group Yuthukama Cumaratunga pointed out that parliamentary power shouldn’t be used to deprive Opposition members of civic rights.
The MP recalled how the UNP admitted that deprival of SLFP leader Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike of her civic rights was wrong.
The Chairman of the Committee, retired Supreme Court Judge Upali Abeyratne presented the report to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat on Dec 8, 2020. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed a three-member Presidential Commission of Inquiry on January 20, 2020 to determine whether politicians and public servants implicated by the Abeyratne Commission should lose their civic rights.
Cumaratunga has explained that the denial of civic rights of Opposition members was detrimental to the government. Sources said that when Premier Mahinda Rajapaksa inquired from President’s Counsel Justice Minister Ali Sabry’s views on the matter, he, too, said that members shouldn’t be denied civic rights on the basis of the committee report.
Sources said that the National Freedom Front (NFF) leader Wimal Weerawansa, too, opposed the move. Sources said that MP Cumaratunga requested the government parliamentary group to assure the parliament on Thursday (22) that members wouldn’t be denied their civic rights regardless of the recommendation.
However, MP Cumaratunga’s stand hadn’t received the backing of the vast majority of the SLPP grouping, sources said, adding that MP Cumaratunga was left sort of isolated with the party pursuing the matter.
Having received Abeyratne’s report, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on January 31, appointed a Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry to determine whether politicians and public servants implicated by his Political Victimization Commission should lose their civic rights. The commission consists of Supreme Court Justice Dhammika Samarakoon, SC Justice Kumuduni Wickremasinghe and Court of Appeal Judge Ratnapriya Gurusinghe.
The Justice Abeyratne Commission has recommended that the following be deprived of civic rights: Rajitha Senaratne, Patali Champika Ranawaka, R. Sampanthan, M.A. Sumanthiran, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Mangala Samaraweera, Ravi Karunanayake, Ajith P Perera, Arjuna Ranatunga, Ranjan Ramanayake, Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sarath Fonseka, Rauff Hakeem and Malik Samarawickrema. Some of them are no longer in parliament.
In addition to them, the Abeyratne Commission recommended the following too be denied civic rights: J.C. Weliamuna – PC, ex-MP Jayampathi Wickremaratne, PC, Wasantha Navaratne Bandara, PC, Thusith Mudalige – Additional Solicitor General, AG’s Department, Upul Jayasuriya, PC, Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe – PC, former Solicitor General, Janaka Bandara – Senior State Counsel AG’s Department, Shani Abeysekera – SSP, Former CID Director, B.S. Tissera – ASP, Former CID, Ravi Waidyalankara – SDIG FCID, Nishantha Silva – IP, Former CID OIC, Ravi Seneviratne – SDIG, formerly of CID, Ravindra Wijeguneratne – Admiral, Former Navy Commander, J.J. Ranasinghe – Rear Admiral SLN, Prasad Kariyawasam, Ravinatha Aryasinha, Saman Ekanayake, S.A. Khan – Former Ambassador to the UAE and C.A.H.M. Wijeratne – Former Director General Legal, MFA and Ambassador for Sri Lanka to Poland.
Some of them, including Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka in early March moved court against the recommendations of the commission appointed to probe the alleged incidents of political victimisation.
SJB lawmaker Mujibur Rahman told The Island that the government struggling to cope up with growing political crisis and dissent within its parliamentary group seemed to be bent on silencing the Opposition. Pointing out that in spite of having an overwhelming majority in parliament, the SLPP was in the back foot, MP Rahman opined that the Commission on political victimisation was nothing but a fiasco that certainly eroded the confidence the public had in the SLPP as was shown in 2019 presidential and 2020 parliamentary elections, both of which it won overwhelmingly.
Former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, wife of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was produced before the Hulftsdorp court, after being arrested by officers of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) and produce
The U.S. Navy ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16) arrived at the Port of Colombo this morning, 7 October 2026 for replenishment purposes.
The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in accordance with naval traditions.
The 127.7-metre-long platform is a Littoral Combat Ship commanded by Commander BM Wanier. Commissioned on 16 February 2019, USS Tulsa has since been in service with the US Navy.
The ship previously made a port call in Sri Lanka on 27 August 2025.
Govt. tells fuel distributors to maintain stocks to ensure uninterrupted supplies
by Saman Indrajith and Norman Palihawadane
The government had instructed private fuel distributors to maintain minimum stocks and ensure uninterrupted supplies to the market, Energy Minister Anura Karunathilaka told Parliament yesterday (06).
Karunathilaka said the Ministry of Energy Secretary had notified the relevant companies of the requirement, following a reduction in supplies by some private distributors, amid higher international fuel prices.
The Minister said private companies had informed the government that they were facing losses because international prices had risen while fuel was being sold, locally, at prevailing prices. As a result, some companies had reduced the volumes released to the market.
The reduced supplies had increased the burden on the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), whose share of the diesel market had risen from about 54% to 82%, the Minister said.
“The CPC currently holds an 82% share of the market,” he said, adding that it had increased its supplies, compared with February, to compensate for the reduction by private distributors.
Karunathilaka said the government could not, under the existing agreements with private companies, specify the quantities they should supply to individual filling stations. However, it could require them to maintain minimum stocks in the country.
The Minister said the Energy Ministry had already instructed companies that had failed to maintain the required stocks to take steps to prevent supply disruptions.
The Minister attributed the queues reported at some filling stations to reduced supplies from private distributors, as well as normal variations in fuel distribution. He also said demand for CPC fuel had increased because private companies generally did not provide fuel to dealers on credit, while the CPC offered a three-day credit facility.
“We expect that, as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation takes on this additional burden, the problem will ease to some extent by Wednesday or Thursday,” Karunathilaka said.
He said instructions had also been issued to increase supplies to CPC filling stations. A special discussion on the issue is scheduled for today (07), with officials of the Energy Ministry and CPC expected to participate,
along with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
Meanwhile, Petroleum Dealers’ Association officials have called for an early solution to the supply issue. Association Chairman D.V. Shantha Silva said queues had been reported at many filling stations, mainly those operated by private distributors.
He said the situation was not due to an overall shortage of fuel, but was linked to reduced orders by Lanka IOC, Sinopec and R.M. Parks amid concerns over losses incurred on fuel sales.
The Ceylon Petroleum Private Tanker Owners Association has urged motorists to refrain from panic buying, saying there was no nationwide disruption to fuel supplies.
The government earlier increased fuel prices and introduced a per-litre diesel subsidy following concerns raised by distributors over rising international prices.
Former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrested by CIABOC
U.S. Navy ship USS Tulsa arrives in Colombo for replenishment visit
Smriti Mandhana appointed India captain across formats
Ronaldo apologizes for Portugal walkout; says Jesus broke promise
Showers in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva, North-western and Southern provinces and in Anuradhapura and Mannar districts
Fuel crunch looms
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
Sunday Island – 28th March
Sunday Island Headlines – 21 March
Sunday Island – 21st February – Headlines
-
News7 days agoUS-assisted ‘Ice’ detection: NPC to examine IGP’s move to transfer drug-busting team
-
Editorial6 days agoColombo Port drug bust: The plot thickens
-
Editorial7 days agoDrug busting, transfers and trust deficit
-
Features4 days agoThe first woman in the foreign service or Ceylon Overseas Service it was then called
-
News7 days agoSri Lankan facing death penalty in Saudi Arabia: Mano G appeals to Crown Prince
-
Editorial5 days agoFuelling discontent and protest
-
News3 days agoGeneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations
-
Latest News5 days agoTharindu Rathnayake, bowlers secure Asian Games Bronze for Sri Lanka