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UNP Deputy Leader praises Plant Quarantine officers who detected harmful bacteria in Chinese fertiliser sample

Published

5 years ago

2021/09/23

Speaking during a zoom meeting with the party’s youth members, on party reinforcement projects, alongside its 75th anniversary programmes on Tuesday, the UNP deputy leader said: “Officials of the National Plant Quarantine Services, coming under the Department of Agriculture, have detected harmful residues, including Erwinia bacteria, of which some species are plant pathogens which destroy crops, in sample tested from organic fertiliser brought from China. There are reports that the sample contained harmful micro-organisms made from municipal waste. Environmentalists have warned that organic fertiliser from animal or plant waste could contain harmful pathogens.”

Ruwan Wijewardene said that businessmen close to the government were involved in importing foreign municipal waste under the label of organic fertiliser. “There are reports that government wants to help their crony businessmen somehow to deliver it here because claims are made that the sample was wrong. Another theory being promoted is that the bacteria had been introduced to the sample on its way here from China. Fingers of government suspicion have also been levelled at the officials of Plant Quarantine Service. We have information that some officials are harassed and intimidated. They are threatened to be summoned before the CID. They should instead be given promotions for their saving of this country from the bacteria, harmful to animals, plants, and people, while destroying many cultivation in the country. The Agriculture Minister should get the CID to probe not the officials but the businessmen’s racket that attempted to bring this and the suspicious process in which they were awarded with the tender to import organic fertiliser. A tender was placed to buy fertilisers with 17 percent nitrogen. The suppliers said they can’t find fertilisers with 17 percent nitrogen. All importers withdrew except one. This one intends to import fertilisers that only have 5-8 percent nitrogen. The CID should investigate the process of the deal.”

Wijewardene said that the government had banned chemical fertiliser so that interested parties could import organic fertiliser from China which could be harmful. He said a China-based company, had now got a 63 million US dollar contract to supply organic fertiliser. “And that company, too, is trying to pump municipal waste containing bacteria which destroy crops. The officers who made the detection now live in fear and we call on the government to stop such coercion immediately because the right thing it should be doing is checking some more samples if they are not sure of the results of the test that has already been carried out,” he said adding that if not for their services the country could have lost its crops and would have had to depend on China for food.

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

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Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.