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Sirisena and dissident SLFPers trade fire in Parliament

Published

2 years ago

2024/07/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Mahinda Amaraweera and Maithripala Sirisena

By Saman Indrajith

SLFP seniors in government and opposition ranks exchanged tirades in Parliament on Tuesday, accusing each other of having created the current crisis.

Participating in the Second Reading debate on Sri Lanka Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill, former President Maithripala Sirisena said that Mahinda Amaraweera, who joined the government and received the Agriculture portfolio had recently told a newspaper that Sirisena would end up either in Welikada prison or Angoda Mental hospital.

“There should be a court order for someone to be sent to prison, and it seems that this minister has powers to manipulate the judicial process. I know that some people want me thrown behind bars. If I am sent to prison, people should understand that it’s his work. MP Dayasiri Jayasekera last week went to the SLFP headquarters to assume duties as the party General Secretary as per a court order. However, there were 300 to 400 policemen armed with batons, tear gas and water cannon preventing him from entering the party office. This, they did in violation of a court order and their action amounts to contempt of court. Crises in political parties are not new to this country, but making use of the ministerial powers to deploy police to interfere in internal party disputes is horrible, Sirisena said.

“On a previous occasion, we lodged a complaint with police against party headquarters being held by force by some rival group members. It was only after 23 days that the police came to investigate it. Today, the police visit the homes of SLFP organisers to intimidate them. Some organisers are summoned to the CID. Threats, intimidation and police are being used to coerce our party men into joining them. The party organisers have been given two choices – either join them or go to prison. People should know that those who left the SLFP to join the government are now trying to destroy the party,” Sirisena said.

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that he had never said that Sirisena would either end up in Angoda or Welikada. “It is our conduct and behaviour that determines whether we should go to Angoda or not. Those who deserve to go there must go. Those who weep for the SLFP today created this crisis. It is he who handed over the party leadership to a non-SLFPer. It was Sirisena who filed the case against Dayasiri Jayasekera that is before the courts. Who expelled Jayasekera from the party? We did nothing against court orders. Some persons tried to force themselves into the party headquarters, and the police prevented it. Today, we have Nimal Siripala de Silva as our party Chairman and Duminda Dissanayake as our General Secretary, and those were legal appointments, and the court has issued an order that they should not be prevented from carrying out their duties,” Amaraweeera said, adding that when Sirisena took over party leadership there had been 142 MPs but the latter’s conduct had reduced that number to two.

Sirisena said that Amaraweera and others had joined the government to get ministerial posts and that had triggered the SLFP’s crisis. “This group acted against party discipline and joined the government. That was the origin of this crisis. They are now trying to hitch the SLFP to the UNP’s wagon.

Transport State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna said that the downfall of the SLFP had been caused by Sirisena by betraying it in 2015. “This started in 2015. There at the party Executive Committee meeting Sirisena proposed Mahinda Rajapaksa’s name as the presidential candidate and ate hoppers with him and later betrayed us all. It was that betrayal which caused the SLFP’s downfall,” Alagiyawanna said.

Amaraweera said that he had information about massive frauds committed by those who had taken moral high ground and it would be made public one day.

Alagiyawanna said Sirisena had resigned from party chairmanship and should let those leading the party now to continue their work.

Sirisena accused both ministers of telling lies.

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Maldivian President plants a sapling to mark 60 years of Sri Lanka–Maldives Diplomatic Relations

Published

17 mins ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

President of the Maldives, Dr Mohamed Muizzu, who is on a State Visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, planted a sapling this afternoon (04) at Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo to commemorate 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Upon arrival at the Viharamahadevi Park in Colombo, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Children lined both sides of the pathway holding the national flags of the two countries and paid tribute to the visiting Maldivian President.

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Speaker Rizvi Salih, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and the Mayor of Colombo, Vraie Cally Balthazaar, along with several other dignitaries.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Sri Lanka and Maldives strengthen ties with productive bilateral talks

Published

21 mins ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Following the bilateral meeting between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives, who is currently on a State visit to Sri Lanka, official-level bilateral discussions between the delegations of the two countries were held this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The discussions commenced after the formal welcome ceremony accorded to President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu earlier this morning within the Presidential Secretariat premises.

Extending a warm welcome to the Maldivian President, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed his appreciation for accepting the invitation to visit Sri Lanka.

President Dissanayake noted that President Muizzu’s visit, taking place as the two nations mark 61 years of diplomatic relations, reflects the strong partnership, mutual trust and longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The President further expressed confidence that the visit would mark a new phase in bilateral relations.

The two leaders engaged in extensive discussions on ways to further expand and diversify multifaceted cooperation, including economic, cultural and social ties, in a manner that delivers mutual benefits to the people of both countries.

Key areas of focus included tourism promotion, educational cooperation, youth and sports development, challenges faced by both nations in the fisheries sector within the Indian Ocean region, education and vocational training, as well as defence training and broader security cooperation.

Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Science and Technology, Krishantha Abeysena; Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired), Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (covering Europe, North America, East Asia and Oceania, Southeast Asia and Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and Legal Affairs) M. R. K. Lenagala, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the Maldives, Mohamed Rizvi Hassan and Director (South Asia and SAARC) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Mahesha Jayawardena.

The Maldivian delegation included Minister of Foreign Affairs Iruthisham Adam, Minister of Economic Development and Trade, Mohamed Saeed, Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources, Ahmed Shiyam, Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, Chief of Staff to the President, Abdulla Fayaz, Principal Secretary to the President on Foreign Relations, Mohamed Naseer; Chief Government Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef, High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka,Masood Imad; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol , Mohamed Shahudy, Deputy Minister at the President’s Office, Mr Mohamed Hassaan and Minister Counsellor at the Maldives High Commission in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ismail Mamdhooh.

[President’s Media Division (PMD)]

News

Maldives and Sri Lanka exchange seven MOUs

Published

28 mins ago

2026/05/4

Priyan

Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), signed across several sectors between the Maldives and Sri Lanka, were formally exchanged this morning (04) at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu of the Maldives.

Marking a new chapter in Maldives–Sri Lanka relations, the MoUs cover cooperation in the fields of health, sports, tourism, education and defence.

Accordingly:

1. MoU on Tourism Cooperation between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

2. MoU on Archiving Cooperation between the Department of National Archives of Sri Lanka and the National Archives of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

3. MoU on Training and Professional Development of Teachers and School Leaders between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development of the Maldives and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath.

4. MoU on Sports and Youth Development Cooperation between the Republic of Maldives and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

5. MoU on Defence Cooperation between the National Counter Terrorism Centre of the Maldives and the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retired).

6. MoU between the Ministry of Defence and National Service of the Maldives and General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka was exchanged by the Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara.

7. MoU on Academic Cooperation between the University of Colombo of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Maldives was exchanged by Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo, Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake.

The state visit of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, aims to further strengthen economic, cultural and social ties between the two countries, while enhancing their multifaceted partnership.

Cabinet Ministers, government officials and members of the Maldivian delegation, representing both Sri Lanka and the Maldives, were present at the occasion.

[President’s Media Division]