News
SLPP accuses govt. of fascist power grab and recent killings
Questions how unprecedented port congestion vanished immediately after the release of 323 mystery containers without checks
Former MP and SLPP General Secretary, Sagara Kariyawasam, yesterday alleged that the recent murder of social media activist Dan Priyasad, who first exposed the massive “Container 323” fraud, signals a dangerous slide toward fascist rule under the current government.
Addressing the media at the SLPP headquarters at Battaramulla yesterday, Kariyawasam charged that Priyasad had been killed inside his own home, and that the people have serious suspicions that these killings are linked to an effort to establish authoritarian rule.
“We are witnessing a situation worse than the one during the LTTE era or even the JVP terror period of 1988–89. People are being gunned down in courts, in police custody, and even in their homes. The government seems to be trying to normalise extrajudicial killings,” he said.
Kariyawasam said that the government was attempting to deflect attention from these murders by labelling victims as drug dealers or underworld figures. “But the public must understand—governments are elected to uphold the rule of law, not to undermine it.”
He said that Dan Priyasad was the first to reveal the controversial “Container 323” scam, yet his murder has been conveniently swept under the rug. “This killing is not an isolated incident; it fits into a broader pattern. We strongly suspect it is a cornerstone of a fascist power grab,” he added.
Kariyawasam claimed that organised criminal activity is now more brazen than ever before, even in the post-war era. “We’re seeing shootings right in front of police stations and inside courthouses,” he said.
He warned that national security is being deliberately compromised to mask the government’s incompetence and to suppress political opposition. “This is a dangerous attempt to silence political rivals and dissident voices.”
Referring to the Container 323 scandal, Kariyawasam alleged it was one of the largest frauds in Sri Lankan history. “This occurred just months after this so-called ‘rescue government’ came to power. We are talking about 323 red-labelled containers being cleared from the port without any inspection.”
He noted that both the Ports Minister and the State Minister at the time had acknowledged awareness of the clearance, which casts doubt on their denials now. “How did such massive port congestion disappear as soon as this government took office? What was in those containers? No one knows. The government is yet to reveal the contents.”
Kariyawasam compared current events to the political accusations made during the Rajapaksa administration. “Back then, opposition figures like Anura Kumara Dissanayake would allege that every hotel, every piece of land, belonged to the Rajapaksas. But now it’s evident those claims lacked substance.”
He went on to accuse the Yahapalana government—of which Dissanayake was a part—of orchestrating the infamous Central Bank bond scam, calling it a key contributor to the country’s economic downfall.
“In contrast, today’s government has committed what could be the largest fraud in the country’s history,” he said, referring again to the Container 323 affair.
“We must ask: Is the JVP-led government now pursuing the very chaos that the LTTE once dreamed of? Is it deliberately weakening Sri Lanka to satisfy some ideological fantasy?”
Kariyawasam concluded with a stark warning: “The people didn’t give this government power to divide or destroy the country. The truth behind Container 323—who received them, what they contained—must be revealed immediately.”
By Anuradha Hiripitiyage
It has been reported quoting police sources that the death toll from the renewed unrest at the Negombo Prison which this morning, has risen from nineteen to twenty five (25).
A clash initially broke out between two groups of inmates (a group of remand prisoners and a group of convicted inmates serving sentences) at the Negombo Prison at around 1.00 p.m. on Sunday (05).
Two inmates died in yesterday’s clash, while around 40 others sustained injuries and are receiving treatment at hospital.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that the children of Sri Lanka are well capable of viewing the world with creativity and critical ways of thinking, and that the Government is committed to equipping them with the required knowledge and modern technologies necessary to realize their full potential.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while attending the opening of the ’Arumasiya’ Exhibition and the occasion of laying the foundation stone for a new three-storey building at Balangoda Vidyaloka Central College, on the 4th of July.
During the visit, the Prime Minister officially declared open the exhibition showcasing the students’ innovations and creative talents and commended them for their remarkable achievements. The Prime Minister also participated in the ceremony of laying the foundation stone for the construction of the College’s new three-storey building.
Addressing the occasion, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated:
“It is a pleasure to participate in this special event at Balangoda Vidyaloka Central College, the school where Sri Lanka’s first female Prime Minister received her education
I had the opportunity to visit the exhibition featuring the outstanding creations and innovations of the students. What I witnessed was a group of talented young people who have moved beyond textbook learning and are capable of viewing the world with creativity and critical thinking.
We are introducing a new education reform process that moves away from a rote-learning, examination-oriented system towards a practical and skills-based one. The Government is now systematically completing all the necessary preparations to implement the new education reforms scheduled to commence in 2027.
Our objective is to ensure that every child leaving school has access to vocational and technical education that matches their individual talents and meets the demands of the modern labour market. We are committed to transforming vocational education into a field that enjoys the same dignity and recognition as university education.
Finally, I commend the Principal and the academic staff of Balangoda Vidyaloka Central College for organizing this exhibition, and to the students and parents whose dedication made this event a success.”
The event was attended by Members of Parliament for Ratnapura District Wasantha Pushpa Kumara and Sunil Rajapaksha, the Mayor of Balangoda and members of the Municipal Council, the Zonal Director of Education, the Principal and academic staff of Balangoda Vidyaloka Central College, parents, and students.
Prime Minister’s Media Division
The appointment of a Special Parliamentary Ombudsman (SPO) to inquire into the complaints against the Attorney General, as promised in the NPP manifesto, is on hold, pending the establishment of an Independent Office of the Public Prosecutor and provincial Sub Officers.
Authoritative sources told The Island that the Justice and National Integration Ministry was awaiting the recommendations, regarding the new legislation for the establishment of such an Office, from a Committee of Technical Experts, chaired by Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, PC.
Responding to a query raised in Parliament by SJB lawmaker Ajith P. Perera about the delay in appointment of SPO, Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said the government couldn’t take a decision until the Kodagoda Committee made recommendations.
Nanayakkara said that the positioning of the SPO couldn’t be decided before they differentiate the powers of the Attorney General and the an Independent Office of the Public Prosecutor and provincial Sub Officers.
According to the NPP manifesto, provincial Sub Officers were to be established under a senior Additional Solicitor General.
Opposition sources pointed out that the relevant Cabinet decision was taken on 7 May 2025. According to the Cabinet Office, the government decided to establish an Independent Office of the Public Prosecutor and provincial Sub Officers in line with a proposal made by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in her final report on Sri Lanka, submitted in September, 2024.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Death toll in violent clashes at Negombo Prison rise to 25
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