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DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: Government seeks extension of time for land acquisition gazette; MP Shritharan questions motive in the House Thinakaran: The daily wages of plantation workers will soon be increased; legal action will also be taken to increase the salaries of private sector employees |
Thinakkural: Settlements on lands seized in the North?; “The government will end up angering all Tamils” – MP Gajendrakumar warns sternly. He also says that the target of the Northern Province will extend to the Eastern Province Thamilan: Justice is needed for the death of the student! Massive protest in Colombo; rally despite the pouring rain |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: Political playground [of the country] heated following election results; a game from the Opposition to grasp power in 149 councils won by the NPP | Cardinal Robert Francis of the USA elected as the new pope Divaina: Pakistan shoots down 25 drones and nine attacker-jets that were sent to nine cities in Pakistan by Operation Sindoor: “We are attacking terrorist targets only” – Indian PM Modi; “We will avenge the deaths of our people; 32 civilians have died and 57 wounded” – Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif; 15 civilians have been killed through Pakistani shell strikes – India alleges; the Indian military headquarters and bases situated on the border were destroyed – Pakistan states Ada: A cold war to claim power in councils without a majority; both the government and Opposition are holding discussions with independent parties and candidates |
Mawbima: An order from the Opposition to establish power in 130 LG councils | Colombo heated by the death of the student from Kotahena: a protest in front of the school; a transfer for the accused teacher; principal also questioned Dinamina: “Ranil has spent Rs. 1,027 million on foreign trips within three years; 23 trips; representatives have been taken abroad for 19 trips” – Nalinda Jayatissa Aruna: India, Pakistan engulfed in fire: The Lahore’s Air Defence System has been destroyed – India Anidda: NPP and SJB in separate discussions to establish power in Colombo: independent groups lay down conditions |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Lanka Leader.lk
Government seeks extension of time for land acquisition gazette; MP Shritharan questions motive in the House
Thinakaran, Virakesari
The government has sought a week’s time to respond to a question raised by Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) MP Sivagnanam Shritharan on the purpose of the gazette notification issued by the government on March 28, 2025 to acquire the ancestral lands of Tamils in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The request was made by Minister and Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake in response to a special statement made by MP Shritharan. Continuing his speech, MP Shritharan stated that there are still military camps on many of the lands of the Tamil people living in the North and East. He further pointed out that most of the land is in military possession and that people are still living as refugees in private homes and camps in many parts of the North and East.
“Don’t try to describe the student as mentally ill”; Minister Savitri was
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The daily wages of plantation workers will soon be increased; legal action will also be taken to increase the salaries of private sector employees
Thinakaran Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the necessary steps have been taken to |
“Government is bargaining in millions to form the administration in Colombo” – MP Marikkar alleges
Thinakkural
Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP S.M. Marikkar accused the government of negotiating in millions of rupees with the SJB and other opposition party members to gain control of the Colombo Municipal Council, and questioned from where they get so much money. He raised this question while participating in the debate on the gazette notifications published under the regulations of the ‘A’ Act under the Customs Ordinance. He further pointed out that in the local government elections the people have responded to the lies that the government has been telling them so far, and that the number of votes received by the government has reduced from 6.8 million in the parliamentary election to 4.5 million in this election.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Newsfirst.lk
A game from the Opposition to grasp power in 149 councils won by the NPP
Lankadeepa, Ada, Mawbima, Anidda
A crisis situation has arisen as opposition parties attempt to grasp power in 149 councils that were won by the NPP on account of the opposition parties retaining the majority. Papers highlight that the most crucial competition is for the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC).
Additionally, Mawbima quotes General Secretary of the SJB Ranjith Madduma Bandara as stating that all political parties of the opposition have decided to come together to establish power in 130 councils in which the collective opposition claims a majority. Accordingly, Madduma Bandara stated that all opposition political parties including the SJB and the SLPP arrived at this decision.
Papers also report that the government party and the opposition parties are speaking to other elected members in order to establish a coalition for the purpose of grasping control in these councils.
RDA director general removed
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Dinamina The Court of Appeal yesterday (8th) issued a writ order cancelling the appointment of S.M.P. Suriya Bandara as the director general of the Road Development Authority (RDA) in 2024. Additionally, the Appeals Court also directed the RDA and the minister of transport and highways to appoint K.W. Kandambi as the director general effective from March 5, 2024. The order was issued following the hearing of a writ petition filed by K.W. Kandambi challenging the appointment. President’s Counsel Faiszer Mustapha, appearing on behalf of the petitioner, informed the court that his client is a civil engineer and an experienced staff member who has served the RDA for nearly 23 years and stressed that when the examinations were held for the post of director general of the RDA the petitioner had obtained 61 marks in the interview. However, Mustapha continued, despite receiving fewer marks than the petitioner, S.M.P. Suriya Bandara was appointed to the position on March 5, 2024 according to the decision taken by the RDA. |
Thondaman and Thigambaram come together to establish power in the Hill Country
Anidda It is reported that discussions are taking place between MP Jeevan Thondaman and MP Palani Thigambaram to join forces in order to secure the councils in the Nuwara Eliya District. Although the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) has won in the district, not securing the majority has given rise to the issue. Reportedly, discussions also include dividing the chairpersonships and mayoral posts that have been won by the two groups. |
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Kamanthi Wickramasinghe/Facebook
Colombo heated by the death of the student from Kotahena: a protest in front of the school; a transfer for the accused teacher; principal also questioned
Divaina, Mawbima, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
A massive protest was held in front of a prominent girls’ school in Bambalapitiya demanding justice for a former student who died by suicide in Kotahena recently. The protesters called for the immediate suspension and arrest of a male teacher at the school who is accused of having sexually abused the schoolgirl, which had eventually led to her death. The protesters also expressed displeasure over the principal of the school, whom they are accusing of having shielded and protected the teacher in question. Papers report that the teacher has merely been given a transfer following the incident.
“No intention of increasing the electricity tariffs; the stance of the PUCSL to be announced at the end of the month” – Minister of Power and Energy Kumara Jayakody
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Aruna, Thinakaran
Minister of Power and Energy Kumara Jayakody stated that the government intends to keep electricity tariffs unchanged. Speaking in parliament yesterday (8th), Jayakody stated that the government’s primary objective is to try and provide electricity at the least cost to houses and industries. He added that a price revision will only be made taking into account several factors including forecasts and debt repayments. He further added that they are working to reduce the price or to maintain it without increasing it. Jayakody stressed that prices have not been increased just because it has been suggested by the IMF. He announced that the stance of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) on the matter will be announced at the end of the month
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken 23 trips abroad within the three years he was president – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Dinamina, Anidda, Thinakaran
2. “Sri Lanka will not get involved in the geo-political issues of the Indian Ocean” – Jayatissa – Divaina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thamilan
3. “The NPP will establish power in the Colombo Municipal Council” – Nalinda Jayatissa – Dinamina, Thinakkural
4. Samantha Ranasinghe sworn in as MP – Ada, Dinamina, Thinakaran
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