ANJdeAlwis Committee Ravi Seneviratne
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Udaya Gammanpila Reveals Easter Sunday Inquiry Report;

Legal Experts Warn of State Secrets Violation

ByEditor

Former MP and leader of Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, Udaya Gammanpila, AAL, revealed the findings of the Committee of Inquiry into Intelligence Coordination and Investigative Processes Related to the Easter Sunday Bombings of April 21, 2019. The committee, chaired by retired High Court Judge A.N.J. de Alwis, was appointed by the President Ranil Wickramasinghe in June…

prison mahara
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Justice Denied: Nine COVID-19 Patients Among the Deceased in Mahara Prison Riot

Inmates’ fight for basic health rights ends in tragedy as calls for justice remain unanswered.

ByEditor

On November 29, 2020, a deadly riot at Mahara Prison claimed the lives of 11 inmates, with over 100 others injured, including prison officers. The most shocking aspect of this tragedy is that nine of the deceased were confirmed to be COVID-19 patients. These individuals, already vulnerable due to the virus, were killed during a…

Election
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Election Commission Issues Gazette on Expenditure Limits for Upcoming General Election

ByEditor

Under the 2023 No. 3 Election Expenditure Act, the Election Commission has officially announced the maximum expenditure limits that candidates can incur per voter in each district for the upcoming General Election, scheduled for November 14. The highest expenditure limit is Rs. 115 per voter in the Polonnaruwa District, while the lowest is Rs. 82,…

mahara
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Attorney General Withdraws Case on Mahara Prison Inmate Deaths During COVID-19 Period

ByEditor

The Attorney General has withdrawn the case related to the deaths of 11 inmates at Mahara Prison during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Attorney General, it was concluded following a comprehensive investigation that the police Special Task Force officers had acted lawfully to protect both officers and inmates during the incident….

TURC
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Is the Office of the Interim Secretary for Truth and Reconciliation Closing?

End of a Chapter or a New Beginning?

ByEditor

Reports suggest that the Office of the Interim Secretary for Truth and Reconciliation, established under the former president’s administration, has ceased its operations. A circular issued from the Presidential Secretariat indicates that the contracts of all officials employed in this office have been terminated, signalling a possible end to its activities. These officials had been…

pensioners
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Over 717,000 Active Government Pensioners by September 2024

ByEditor

As of September 2024, the total number of active government pensioners in Sri Lanka stands at 717,347, according to the Department of Pensions. These pensioners include 392,966 civil service pensioners, 187,913 widows and orphans fund pensioners, and 136,468 retired military personnel. Over the first nine months of the year, the total expenditure for pensions amounted…

United Nations Human Rights Council Session in Geneva
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Sri Lanka’s New Government Rejects UNHRC Resolution, Reaffirms Domestic Solutions

ByEditor

The newly formed Sri Lankan government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has decisively rejected UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) Resolution 51/1, which aims to extend the mandate of an external evidence-gathering mechanism on alleged human rights violations. On October 8, the Cabinet, under President Dissanayake, resolved that Sri Lanka will address human rights concerns,…

Sri Lanka Reaches Milestone in Debt Restructuring with Bondholders and Bilateral Creditors
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Sri Lanka Reaches Milestone in Debt Restructuring with Bondholders and Bilateral Creditors

ByEditor

Sri Lanka has made significant progress in its debt restructuring efforts, finalizing a key agreement in September 2024 with international sovereign bondholders (ISBs) and bilateral creditors, including China, India, and Japan. This agreement marks a crucial step in the country’s economic recovery following its 2022 sovereign default and the subsequent economic crisis. International Sovereign Bonds…

Colombo book fair attack
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Journalist Kalpa Gunaratne Arrested and Released on Bail

for recording a video of assault at Colombo Book Fair

ByEditor

Journalist Kalpa Gunaratne was arrested and later released on bail following an incident at the Colombo International Book Fair. The incident in question occurred near a sales stall, where a dispute escalated involving a bouncer, hired externally by the organizing entity, and a customer. The bouncer, tasked with preventing book thefts, allegedly verbally abused the…

Vidarshana Kannangara
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Former Jana Aragala Leader Criticizes Controversial Police Appointment Under President Dissanayake

ByEditor

Vidarshana Kannangara, a leader of the *Jana Aragala Vyaparaya* who defected from the movement to support President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in the recently held presidential election, has voiced strong dissatisfaction over a recent police appointment. Kannangara, who backed Dissanayake instead of the movement’s candidate Nuwan Bopage in the September 21 presidential election, criticized the appointment…