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Series of events organisd to mark Malay contribution to enrichment of Lanka for centuries

Published

5 years ago

2022/01/6

Sahan Weerasooriya

Centennial and sesquicentennial anniversaries of SLMA and CMCC

By Saman Indrajith

A series of cultural, sports, literary, commemorative and aesthetic events have been organised by the Sri Lanka Malay Association and the Colombo Malay Cricket Club to mark their centennial and sesquicentennial anniversaries respectively,throughout this year.

“The series of SLMA centenary commemoration is scheduled to be inaugurated on 22 Jan. with the issuance of a first day cover and thereafter it will be marked with several sports tournaments, a symposium, commemorative cricket charity dinner, Malay walk, launch of a coffee table book and commemorative jubilee book. The events are organised to be held throughout the year,” Rilwan Lantra, President SLMA told a press conference held at Padang Complex in Colombo on Tuesday.

He said: “A ‘Pasara Malam,’ a hawker-street styled Malay food festival, along with a Malay cultural show, an event to showcase Lankan Malay lifestyle is scheduled for July. A symposium is scheduled for September where research papers would be presented on contributions made to the nation by Lankan Malays and how they have imbibed well with the national fabric. In October a ‘Malay Rally’, a gathering of the community to promote peace and brotherhood with sports, cultural and various other events will be held. There will be a ‘Heroes Day’ in November as a mark of respect to the fallen Malay heroes and all who sacrificed their lives in the protection of sovereignty and territorial integrity of mother Lanka,” Lantra said.

Colombo Malay Cricket Club (CMMC) past President Ibnusha Ally said that interaction and advent of the Malays could be traced as far as back as the Sixth and Seventh Centuries. “They have amalgamated well with the mainstream community, sharing their unique culture and traditions. Today these facets could be seen countrywide, enriching the lifestyles of the populace. Same can be said of its brothers contributing much to the development of the country in academia, corporate business, the tri-forces and police, aesthetics, social services and many other fields. It is a legacy enacted in the pages of history,” Ally said.

CMCC Vice President Hussain Jayah, its General Secretary, Roshan Allang, CMCC President Rizwan Badoordeen, CMCC Captain Rinaldin Rahaman and General Secretary of SLMA Rilwan Careem also addressed the media.

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

Published

2 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

2 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

2 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.