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Sri Lanka must elect someone who can deliver “radical system change”: former president CBK
ECONOMYNEXT —Sri Lankans demand a “radical system change” and the voters must elect someone who can deliver that, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said.Responding to reporters at a press conference in Colombo on Wednesday November 23, Kumaratunga said the alliance led by the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has a mandate that’s 5.6 million votes strong.
Kumaratunga was referring to the 2019 presidential election in which SJB leader Sajith Premadasa obtained 5.56 million votes against winning candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s 6.9 million. Premadasa ran on the United National Party (UNP) ticket at that election and the SJB had yet to be formed.
After Premadasa and a group of loyalists broke rank with the UNP citing differences with party leader and incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, they formed the SJB, which obtained 2.7 million votes at the 2020 parliamentary polls, securing 54 seats.
“You can’t say the [SJB] has no power. Just about everyone in the opposition has held discussions about joining the SJB alliance, for the entire opposition to unite.
“So I don’t think you can say there is no power there,” said Kumaratunga.
The former two-term president said the forces that emerged from Sri Lanka’s youth-led Aragalaya (Struggle) protests are unprecedented and cannot be erased.
“They’re demanding a radical system change. I think someone who can deliver that must be elected,” she said.
However, Kumaratunga did not explicitly state whom or which party she might back in a future parliamentary poll.In a related development, President Wickremesinghe told parliament on Wednesday that there will be no polls until Sri Lanka’s ongoing currency crisis is resolved.
The president also vowed to suppress any future popular uprising against the government. His statement drew much criticism fro the opposition, including Premadasa.It was unclear whether the president was referring to peaceful protests of the kind that demanded the resignation of his predecessor Rajapaksa or to the retaliatory mob violence that shook the country on May 09 after backers of the then government launched an unprovoked attack on the protestors.
Opposition parties, activists and human rights defenders have criticised Wickremesinghe’s administration on what it has called a harsh crackdown on the protests that grew in intensity after July 09 onward, following the ouster of Rajapaksa.Sri Lanka’s business community recently issued a statement warning that sustained protests may prove a challenge to the country as it attempts to recover from the currency crisis.Wickremesinghe’s government maintains that the Aragalaya has been hijacked by subservient elements that are determined to unseat the government through violent revolt.Some of these parties, government spokesmen claim, are also ideologically opposed to International Monetary Fund (IMF)-backed economic reforms that are in the pipeline.
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Level III landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale extended
The landslide early warning center of the National Building Research Organisation [NBRO] has extended the Level III RED landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala and Matale until 1600hrs on 11th December 2025.
Accordingly,
The LEVEL III RED landslide warnings issued to the the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Kundasale, Pasbage Korale, Medadumbara, Ganga Ihala Korale, Hatharaliyadda, Pathadumbara, Doluwa, Panvila, Gangawata Korale, Ududumbara, Akurana, Yatinuwara, Harispattuwa, Deltota, Thumpane, Poojapitiya, Udapalatha, Udunuwara, Minipe and Pathahewaheta in the Kandy district, Aranayaka, Yatiyanthota, Rambukkana, Bulathkohupitiya and Mawanella in the Kegalle district, Mallawapitiya, Mawathagama and Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, and Rattota, Laggala Pallegama, Ukuwela, Matale, Wilgamuwa, Pallepola, Naula, Yatawatta and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district have been extended.
LEVEL II AMBER landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Uva Paranagama, Hali_Ela, Meegahakivula, Badulla, Kandeketiya, Bandarawela, Soranathota, Ella, Haputhale, Lunugala, Welimada, Haldummulla and Passara in the Badulla district, Warakapola, Galigamuwa, Kegalle, Dehiowita, Ruwanwella and Deraniyagala in the Kegalle district, Polgahawela and Alawwa in the Kurunegala district, Kothmale East, Walapane, Thalawakele, Nuwara Eliya, Kothmale West, Nildandahinna, Mathurata, Ambagamuwa Korale, Hanguranketha and Norwood in the Nuwara Eliya district. and Kolonna, Godakawela and Kahawaththa in the Ratnapura district.
LEVEL I YELLOW landslide early warnings have been issued to the Divisional Secretaries Divisions and surrounding areas of Divulapitiya, Attanagalla and Mirigama in the Gampaha district, Narammala in the Kurunegala district, and Kiriella, Eheliyagoda, Balangoda, Kaltota, Openayake, Nivithigala, Imbulpe, Ayagama, Kuruwita, Kalawana, Elapatha, Pelmadulla and Ratnapura in the Ratnapura district.
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“We cannot allow flooding to become a part of the daily lives of the people in the Colombo District” – PM
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that unauthorized constructions within the Colombo District, nor any form of residential developments that endanger the public carried out under the guise of development agenda will not be allowed.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the media at the conclusion of the Colombo District Disaster Management Committee meeting held on Tuesday [December 09] at the Colombo District Secretariat.
Addressing further, the Prime Minister stated:
“The Colombo District has become vulnerable to this extent due to the constructions carried out without any proper planning or understanding of regulations, along with personal and politically motivated decisions that have placed both the district and its people at risk.
Compared to the districts that suffered severe loss of life and property due to the recent cyclone, the damage to the Colombo District has been relatively lower. However, special intervention is being carried out together with the relevant institutions to manage the potential future flood risks in the district.
This matter was also given special attention during today’s District Disaster Management Committee meeting. We cannot allow the flooding to become a regular part of the lives of the people in Colombo. All relevant institutions will come together to put forward a common plan for flood control in the district.”
The Prime Minister further stated that discussions are already underway to provide sustainable solutions for the people living in high-risk areas within the Colombo District.
The discussion was attended by the Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara, Deputy Minister of Mass Media Kaushalya Ariyaratne, and Colombo District Members of Parliament Aruna Panagoda and Chandana Suriyarachchi.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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Russia gifts 35 tonnes of Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka
The handover of 35 tonnes of Russian Humanitarian Aid to Sri Lanka, recently affected by the cyclone «Ditwah», took place at Katunayake today (10th December)
The shipment was welcomed at the Katunayake airport by Ambassador of Russia Levan Dzhagaryan, Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Anura Karunathilaka and Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd).
Ambassador Levan Dzhagaryan: said “This delivery is a reflection of long-term friendly relations between Russia and Sri Lanka and reaffirms Moscow’s commitment to support countries in a difficult humanitarian situation.”
The supplies brought by the EMERCOM (Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations) aircraft comprised a movable 60 kW electric power station, Pumping equipment for water drainage, Summer tents (10-person capacity) and Food supplies (sugar, vegetable oil, rice)
The total cargo weight is 35 metric tonnes. The aid will be distributed among the most affected regions.

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