News
UN Resident Coordinator: Establishment of OMP important step

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Hanaa Singer-Hamdy said in a statement yesterday that the establishment of the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) in 2016 was an important step by the government of Sri Lanka, and building and maintaining the trust of victims and their relatives is essential for its success,
“A fully independent and effective institution, with the resources, skills and political support needed for its crucial work can help provide victims and families some answers,” she said in her statement released on the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances 2021.
The full text of the statement: “The United Nations stands in solidarity with the victims of enforced disappearances, their families and communities, here in Sri Lanka and across the world.
Enforced disappearance deprives families and communities of the right to know the truth about their loved ones, of accountability, justice and reparation. They experience mental anguish, alternating between hope and despair, wondering and waiting, sometimes for years, for news of the whereabouts of their loved ones. The families and friends of the victims also live with the insecurity that the search for the truth may expose them to danger.
It is women who are most often at the forefront of the struggle to resolve the disappearance of family members. In this capacity they may suffer intimidation, persecution, and reprisals.
The feeling of insecurity generated by unresolved enforced disappearances is not limited to the close relatives of the disappeared, but also affects their communities and all of society.
The establishment of the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) in 2016 was an important step by the Government of Sri Lanka. Building and maintaining the trust of victims and their relatives is essential for the success of the OMP. A fully independent and effective institution, with the resources, skills and political support needed for its crucial work can help provide victims and families some answers.
Today we recognise the courage, commitment and determination of families and victims from all communities, who, despite many challenges, have continued to voice their demands for justice and answers about the fate of their missing loved ones and we stand by them.”
Latest News
Committees with accountable district-level officials to be appointed to resolve Human-Elephant Conflict

President Anura Kumara Disanayake instructed relevant officials to swiftly implement a formal mechanism to resolve the human-elephant conflict, which significantly impacts both the rural economy and people’s lives.
The President issued these directives during a discussion on resolving the human-elephant conflict, held this (20) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat.
During the discussion, particular attention was paid to the districts most affected by the human-elephant conflict, including Anuradhapura, Puttalam, Polonnaruwa, Ampara, Hambantota, Monaragala, Kurunegala, Badulla and Trincomalee. The respective District Secretaries presented the specific issues in their districts to the President.
Discussions also covered existing vacancies within the Department of Wildlife, vehicle requirements and the challenges faced in carrying out their duties.
The President emphasised the need to streamline the mechanism for resolving the human-elephant conflict and highlighted the importance of implementing this programme in close collaboration with the public.
Accordingly, the President instructed that committees comprising accountable officials from the relevant districts be appointed within the next month to carry out these activities.
The President also directed that retired officers be recruited on a contract basis to fill current vacancies in the Department of Wildlife. As an immediate measure, he instructed officials to assign Civil Security Department officers to the Department of Wildlife with specific training and to enact relevant legislation for this purpose.
Furthermore, the President instructed that the ongoing joint operations by the Police, other security forces and the Department of Wildlife to resolve the human-elephant conflict be made more systematic and efficient.
The event was attended by Professor Chandana Abeyrathne, Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government; Ananda Wijepala, Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs; T.B. Sarath, Deputy Minister of Housing; Aruna Jayasekara, Deputy Minister of Defence; Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President; Ranjan Marasinghe, Director General of Wildlife; Major General Lasantha Rodrigo, Army Commander; Priyantha Weerasuriya, Acting Inspector General of Police; as well as District Secretaries and other government officials.
News
Students from Thambuttegama Central College visit President’s House

A group of students from Thambuttegama Central College, Anuradhapura, visited the Presidential Secretariat and President’s House this (20) afternoon during their annual educational tour.
The students had the opportunity to participate in the ‘Vision’ programme, an initiative for schoolchildren jointly organised by the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministry of Education, and the Department of Communication of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.
After touring the Old Parliament building within the Presidential Secretariat, the students were also briefed on parliamentary history.
The college’s teaching staff and students were also informed about the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ programme, which operates under a concept by President Anura Kumara Disanayake, as well as the role of the executive and the rule of law.
During the visit, the Legal Advisor to the President J.M. Wijebandara symbolically demonstrated the value of environmental protection by presenting a valuable sapling to the school.
The event was attended by Senior Additional Secretary to the President K.N.M. Kumarasinghe, Deputy Director of the Tri-Forces Security Affairs Coordinating Unit Colonel Dhananjaya Senarath, Deputy Principal of Thambuttegama Central College M.G. Asanka Wijesuriya, along with teaching staff and other officials.
Business
Foreign Direct Investment records 90% Increase in First Quarter of 2025

The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka has successfully increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by US$96 million in the first quarter of 2025, compared with the same period in 2024.
This was disclosed today (20) during a progress review meeting of the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, chaired by President Anura Kumara Disanayake at the Presidential Secretariat.
BOI officials also noted that, relative to the first quarter of 2024, domestic investment rose by US$21 million, while export income increased by US$176 million during the first quarter of 2025. In total, Sri Lanka has attracted US$4,669 million in investment proposals thus far in 2025.
The meeting also focused on the issues and challenges associated with attracting investment to the country and discussed potential strategies to address them.
Addressing the gathering, President Anura Kumara Disanayake stated that the Board of Investment holds a pivotal role in enhancing the national economy and improving the living standards of the rural population.
He stressed that opportunities to attract investment in traditional sectors are becoming increasingly limited and therefore the nation must identify new areas for investment, an endeavour that falls under the BOI’s mandate.
The President further noted that Sri Lanka has attracted only around US$22 billion in investment since 1978. In comparison to other countries in the region, he stated, Sri Lanka must advance rapidly, referencing Vietnam’s achievement of securing US$23 billion in investment in 2022 alone.
He went on to state that the BOI should prioritise the expansion of investment in the services sector and proactively seek new investment opportunities, rather than focusing solely on recapturing missed ones.
The event was attended by senior officials of the Board of Investment, including Duminda Hulangamuwa, Senior Advisor to the President on Economic Affairs; Arjuna Herath, Chairman of the Board of Investment; and Ms Renuka Weerakone, Acting Director General of the Board of Investment.
-
Features6 days ago
As I remember, from 50 years ago: the 75-80 Katubedda Engineering Batch
-
Features6 days ago
Writing History on Paris Clay – French Open 2025
-
Life style6 days ago
Miss World from Thailand!
-
Features5 days ago
When the water rises: Climate change and the future of Yala’s Mugger Crocodiles
-
Editorial7 days ago
Sugar Scam: Get at bitter truth
-
News2 days ago
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, accelerates digital transformation
-
News3 days ago
Senior SLAS officer succeeds Bogollagama as SL’s UK HC
-
Business2 days ago
Spring board to ‘unleashing a new era in start-up driven growth’