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Suppression of dissent won’t help reach consensus on all-party govt. – SJB

Published

4 years ago

2022/08/23

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The SJB alleges that President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government is bent on suppressing political dissent in a bid to prevent a large-scale public protest campaign similar to the one that forced his predecessor, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, to flee the country, last month.

SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman said yesterday the entire Opposition was opposed to the continuing crackdown on the protest movement, especially the use of the dreaded Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) against suspected individuals.

The top SJB spokesperson said so in response to The Island queries pertaining to what he called an all-out crackdown amidst President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s efforts to reach a consensus on the formation of an all-party government.

Lawmaker Rahuman asked whether President Wickremesinghe, in spite of being the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and the Defence Minister, was not in overall control of the government’s response to the public protest campaign. Having elected Wickremesinghe, to complete the remainder of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s five-year term, the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) seemed to be flexing its muscles, MP Rahuman said.

Referring to the recent meeting US Ambassador Julie Chung had with Public Security Minister, Tiran Alles, at the latter’s office, where the envoy focused on the clampdown, MP Rahuman found fault with the government for relentlessly pursuing activists.

Asked whether the SJB acknowledged the responsibility, on the part of law enforcement authorities to apprehend those who had been suspected of torching residences of incumbent members of Parliament and President Wickremesinghe, in the second week of May, MP Rahuman said there couldn’t be any issue over that.

“Of course, nobody will find fault with the government for taking into custody those responsible for attacks on the houses of MPs. They should be arrested and appropriately dealt with in terms of the relevant laws,” lawmaker Rahuman said.

Media Minister Bandula Gunawardena recently said that the so-called protest movement destroyed houses and properties of 72 lawmakers in a matter of 24 hours.

MP Rahuman alleged that the government seemed far more interested in apprehending those who took selfies inside the President’s House. The police should be ashamed for arresting those who sat on the President’s chair, MP Rahuman said.

He suggested that, perhaps the government should go after those who wrongly advised the then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, leading to the unprecedented economic fallout.

Lawmaker Rahuman said that if President Wickremesinghe was genuinely interested in forming an all-party government, he should reach a consensus with the SLPP over ongoing police action against the protest movement.

Responding to another query, lawmaker Rahuman said that the detention of Wasantha Mudalige, convenor of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) affiliated to the Front line Socialist Party (FSP), was meant to scare those who led the protest campaign. The MP said that the government was making an attempt to depict Mudalige, now detained in terms of the PTA for a period of 90 days, as a person who may have been involved, or allegedly planning a terrorist attack.

Lawmaker Rahuman defended the protest movement as having received heavy public support as they were fed up with the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration. The MP warned that public anger couldn’t be suppressed by intimidating political parties and civil society.

Commenting on the May 09 violence that actually set the stage for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ouster, exactly two months later, lawmaker Rahuman said that the police owed an explanation regarding the investigations into the indiscriminate attack carried out by UPFA goons, at Galle Face, on May 09. The public have a right to know how law enforcement authorities handled the investigation as no less than the then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa had been asked to surrender his passport.

The MP said that two members of Parliament, arrested in connection with the May 09 attacks, were granted bail, pending investigations.

Calling it a mystery, SJB lawmaker Rahuman said they would like to know the current status of the investigation. The government hadn’t so far taken action against security chiefs who allowed the UPFA goons to go on the rampage and then turned a blind eye to well organized attacks on the properties of MPs, he said.

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CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

4 mins ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.

Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).

Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.

(PMD)

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Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum

Published

2 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.

As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.

The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

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Steps initiated to safeguard Sri Lanka’s Maritime Heritage

Published

4 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

Taking a decisive step towards safeguarding Sri Lanka’s maritime heritage, a high-level discussion was held today (18) at the Ministry of Environment.

Jointly chaired by the Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody and Deputy Minister of Defence Aruna Jayasekara, the meeting focused on the urgent need to prevent environmental pollution and protect the coastal waters around the northern seas and their adjacent islands.

The discussion was attended by senior naval officers, Secretary to the Ministry of Environment K.R. Uduwawala, Chairman of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) Samantha Gunasekara, Director General of the Coast Conservation and Coastal Resource Management Department Prof. Turny Pradeep Kumara, and Conservator General of Forests along with several other officials from the Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Ministry of Environment, and the senior ecologists from IUCN.

The discussion placed a strong emphasis on enhancing environmental threats and accelerating the declaration of new Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the northern region. Officials emphasized that protecting this marine zone is crucial for conserving biodiversity, securing the livelihoods of local fishing communities, and enhancing Sri Lanka’s strategic maritime profile on the global stage.

Primary attention was drawn to the severe ecological destruction caused by Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. The Ministers highlighted the grave threats these unlawful activities pose to both marine biodiversity and the economic stability of local fishermen, stressing the immediate need for comprehensive surveillance and stricter enforcement mechanisms. Furthermore, extensive discussions took place on how to divest a strategic destructive fishing practices—such as dynamite fishing, unauthorized spearfishing, and the use of banned fishing gear—which inflict irreversible damage on fragile coral reef systems and endangered fish species.

The meeting also addressed infrastructure and governance gaps within fishing harbors, identifying the lack of proper management and formal regulatory mechanisms as key vulnerabilities. As a progressive step forward, suitable islands and surrounding marine zones in the Northern Province have been identified for official declaration as Marine Protected Areas. It was clarified that establishing these MPAs will not restrict the livelihoods of local communities; instead, they are designed to protect and promote sustainable fishing and eco-tourism. Moving forward, these protected zones will be developed into premier eco-tourism destinations, creating new economic opportunities for the region. Ultimately, declaring these Marine Protected Areas will bring international recognition and strategic importance to Sri Lanka’s northern islands. By establishing these zones, Sri Lanka aligns itself strongly with global biodiversity commitments, showcasing its role on the international stage as a responsible custodian of the Indian Ocean’s rich marine resources.

During this discussion, it was proposed to establish a working group comprising experts from the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Fisheries, the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Environment, and the Ministry of Justice to implement a joint mechanism for protecting the country’s coastal and marine resources, with the Ministry of Environment taking the lead in this initiative.

This conservation initiative marks yet another milestone in the country’s ongoing journey toward achieving a sustainable biosphere and an evergreen future.