The whole Parliament had agreed on formulating a new Constitution, but the process seems to be stuck for some reason, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan said. “Sri Lanka does not have a founding document on which the country and society is built on, which all can cherish, value and which is the ultimate law of the land,” Sampanthan lamented.

Joining the committee stage debate when the Expenditure Head of the Finance Ministry was taken up, he questioned, “Do we have such a document? How can we survive as a nation, how can we survive in such a country when we don’t have in this country a constitution which can be accepted by the majority of the people of this country based upon a consensus, as much as possible a national consensus?”

He said the constitutional process to form a new constitution which began in 1998 is still at a standstill 30 years down the road. “You have no will to complete it and you want to keep the Tamil people as third class citizens. You want to supress them militarily. More than 50% of the Tamil population have left this country. Do you think that if you persist in your course of military action the rest would also leave? Is that your position?”

However, he insisted that the Tamil people are committed to finding a solution to their issue within a united indivisible Sri Lanka. On the issue of the UN resolution, he said the two issues of utmost importance in the country today are the implementation of the resolution co-sponsored by the Sri Lankan government and unanimously adopted by the UNHRC.

The first matter the UNHRC resolution is also based upon two investigations the first conducted by an independent panel appointed by the Secretary General of the UN comprising of three experts and the second investigation conducted by the UNHRC itself. “Both have come to the conclusion that war crimes and crimes against humanity were committed and that there were violations of international humanitarian and human rights laws during the civil conflict and that matters needed to be further investigated upon and determined.

Sri Lanka has not conducted any investigation of any sort, not even a domestic investigation and persist that they will not implement certain aspects of the UNHRC resolution. From the point of view of Sri Lanka there was only one report, the report of the LLRC which even that has yet not been implemented.”

Pointing to the plight of the people in the Wanni he said nobody knows what is happening in Wanni. “There are no humanitarian agencies in the Wanni and no NGOs there. They were all asked to leave in September 2018 and as such they cannot act independently and freely as they wish.”

“The International Group of Eminent Persons has found an absence of will on the part of the government of Sri Lanka in the present inquiry to investigate cases with vigour where the conduct of the security forces has been called into question.” He told the government that everything cannot be swept under the carpet, adding that their current approach can do immense harm to the country.

Sampanthan said that there were at least 350,000 people in the Wanni area based on their own investigations, adding that only 290 people came out. “What happened to the balance? Your estimate was that there were only 60,000 to 70,000 people living in the Wanni at the time. You sent food, medicines and food only for that number when there was a population of 350,000 in Wanni at the time? Why did you estimate the number at only 60,000 to 70,000? We conducted our own investigations into this matter and we were satisfied that there was at least 350,000 to 400,000 people living in that part of Mullaitivu at that time.”

However, he said they are not saying that all the armed forces who fought the LTTE on the instructions of the state should be blamed or punished. “The armed forces acted on the instructions of the Sri Lankan Government. But those responsible for domestic and international crimes including those responsible on the basis of command responsibilities and the chain of command should not be allowed to get away scot free. I say this in the long-term interest of this country. The truth should be ascertained,” he added.

A man in Mullaitivu District claimed to be the tallest person in Sri Lanka. According to BBC Sinhala Service, Gunasingham Kasenthiran, a former cadre of the proscribed Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who lives in Kaiveli, Puthukudiruppu is seven feet two inches tall.

In an effort to nip any discord with India in the bud, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) faction led by Nimal Siripala de Silva as acting chairman called on Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha and disassociated itself from remarks by its former Chairman Maithripala Sirisena implicating alleged Indian involvement in orchestrating the Easter Sunday attacks, an informed source said.

The Sri Lankan Rupee has depreciated slightly against the US Dollar at commercial banks in Sri Lanka today (Apr 29) compared to last week. According to Seylan Bank, the buying and selling rates of the US Dollar are unchanged at Rs. 290.50 and Rs. 301, respectively.

An attempt to send a 17-year-old boy abroad on forged travel documents was foiled and two women suspected of their involvement in the racket were arrested by the Border Surveillance Unit of the Department of Immigration and Emigration at the Bandaranaike International Airport.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has expressed serious concern over recent remarks made by Minister Tiran Alles, and urging President Ranil Wickremesinghe to remove him from the portfolio of Public Security.

Political tremors are expected on May Day (Wednesday) as members of a few political parties are expected to appear at the UNP May Day rally, UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene said over the weekend.

The Anuradhapura High Court on Friday passed a death sentence on five police officers who were found guilty of killing eight Tamil civilians at the Bharathipuram village in Kantale 26 years ago. The sentence was passed by High Court Judge Manoj Thalgodapitiya.

Former Army commander Sarath Fonseka told Parliament today (April 26) that the person who had groomed the main Easter Sunday suicide bomber – Zahran Hashim, is the current head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) Maj Gen (Rtd.) Suresh Salley.

Sri Lankan-born Rt Rev Anashuya Fletcher was recently ordained and installed as Assistant Bishop of Wellington, New Zealand. The event was held at the Wellington Cathedral of St. Paul and was attended by over 600 well-wishers.

Australia has decided to donate an aircraft to support maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) including Sri Lanka.

More than 7,000 soldiers who deserted the Sri Lanka Army have received legal discharge during an amnesty period declared by Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence.

The Sri Lankan Government has rejected a request for an American research ship to enter Sri Lankan waters. This decision is in line with the Government’s policy of not allowing any research vessel to enter Sri Lankan waters.

Alexis Taylor, Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), together with U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung, met with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and other senior government officials to discuss USDA support for Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector, a statement from the US Embassy said.

Refuting reports that Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa avoided meeting visiting Iranian President Dr. Ebrahim Raisi, SJB MP Nalin Bandara said yesterday that Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa did not get an appointment from the Iranian Embassy to meet the Iranian President.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam on Thursday accused the infamous Tripoli platoon, a paramilitary intelligence unit, of involvement in the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019.

The ruling alliance, led by the Podu Jana Peramuna, popularly known as the Buds Party, has endorsed Ranil Wickremasinghe as its candidate for the upcoming Presidential Elections, set to take place in the third week of October, according to a reliable inside source.

ormer Minister Basil Rajapaksa met Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha yesterday (27) and discussed. The Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka conveyed a X message regarding the meeting, highlighting discussions on matters of mutual interest, including the political situation.

A 30-year-old man was arrested by the Biyagama Police in Kaduwela for possession of a substantial haul of narcotics. Police said the suspect was carrying 15 kilograms of ICE, 14 kilograms of hash and 941 grams of heroin at the time of the arrest.

Ahead of the presidential election scheduled for October this year, the foreign powers have ramped up their efforts in the assessment of ground political developments as was in the case of vital elections in the past.

Refuting reports that Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa avoided meeting visiting Iranian President Dr. Ebrahim Raisi, SJB MP Nalin Bandara said today that Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa did not get an appointment from the Iranian Embassy to meet the Iranian President.