National Freedom Front (NFF) leader and former Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa today claimed that organizations like the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) have come forward to demand racist, religious and separatist demands.

While addressing the media, he said that he believes that the extraordinary votes received in the North is not only a vote against racism but also a vote against separatism.

"By electing the National People's Power (NPP), which includes the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), instead of the pro-separatist Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the Tamil people in those areas have demonstrated their rejection of both racism and separatism,” he said.

"Therefore, rather than catering to organisations like the Canadian Tamil Organizations, the mandate of this government is to fulfill the aspirations of all Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims equally within a unified state," Weerawansa said.

The current administration in Sri Lanka has rejected elite politics, leading to the transfer of power to a non-elite political camp, he added.

"We are prepared to view this development positively and are observing closely. If the government steers the country in the right direction—without pandering to external influences such as India, America or diaspora interests—and embarks on a journey to fairly address the aspirations of all communities, including the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims, then we will support it with optimism," he said.

“If not, we will not hesitate to rally the people against it,” Weerawansa said.

For the first time in Sri Lanka, the government is to establish a mechanism to supervise and advice ministries in the implementation of policies, a source said.

A tense situation was reported at the UNP party headquarters in Sirikotha when a group of UNP supporters arrived to hand over a document on reviving the party.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Harsha de Silva said today that an NPP MP has told him that the Parliament canteen will not be closed but the government will see that no one will abuse the facility.

Two fishermen were seriously injured and hospitalised after a parcel floating on the sea exploded while they were checking it off the coast of Mannar.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) and the Examinations Department have initiated a joint programme to mitigate potential disasters during the 2024 Advanced Level examinations.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed the inaugural session of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka today. Following are 11 key points from the President’s Government Policy Statement;

Speaker Dr. Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala informed Parliament that nomination of Sajith Premadasa, leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has been accepted as the Opposition Leader of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka.

Jaffna District Independent MP Archuuna Ramanathan refused to move away after he sat on the Opposition Leader's seat inside the chambers despite requests by Parliament staff to move.

National People's Power (NPP) Gampaha MP Dr. Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala was elected as the Speaker of the 10th Parliament of Sri Lanka a short while ago. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya proposed his name, and the nomination was confirmed by Vijitha Herath.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake adjourned the Sri Lankan Parliament until 9:30 a.m. on December 3. The adjournment followed the President’s delivery of the government’s policy statement during the inaugural session of the 10th Parliament earlier today.