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DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: Emergency Regulations unconstitutional; Ranil violated fundamental rights – Supreme Court rules | Photograph: North South Solidarity stages protest in Colombo demanding justice for those killed and affected during Black July pogrom Thinakaran: Four elephants killed in Sigiriya, Digambattana and Galgamuwa areas; strict legal action if wild elephants are shot| Special presidential commission to probe corruption, irregularities in airline companies | Module-based education system to prioritise quality over exam results; no referendum needed | Order to expedite the distribution of medicines |
Thinakkural: “What is the solution to the problems of the Tamil people? Anura too should not miss the opportunity” – Shritharan | 20 skeletons discovered in three days; five skeletons found yesterday Thamilan: Ranil violated fundamental rights to control ‘Gota Go Gama’ protesters – Supreme Court rules | The Blak July turns 42 years | Debate to remove Deshabandu – Speaker announces |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: Emergency Regulations imposed by Ranil Wickremesinghe during the aragalaya has violated rights – SC issues verdict Divaina: Ranil Wickremesinghe has violated fundamental rights by imposing the Emergency Regulations to control the aragalaya – A divided verdict from the SC; “It is a legal decision Wickremesinghe made to continue providing essential services amidst the restless situation in the country” – Judge Arjuna Obeysekere takes a different stance Ada: The then acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe has violated the fundamental rights of the people by imposing Emergency Regulations during the aragalaya period |
Mawbima: Preethi Padman Surasena to be appointed as new chief justice: unanimous approval from the Constitutional Council | A perch of land bought at Rs. 28.72 from the LRC and sold at Rs. 600,000 to a company – Revelation made before the COPE Dinamina: “An organised conspiracy behind elephant deaths; police and CID to support the investigation; old pictures of elephant deaths that have occurred previously have been posted on social media” – Dammika Patabendi makes a special statement Aruna: Ranil has violated fundamental rights with his Emergency Regulations to suppress the aragalaya – A Supreme Court ruling Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: The Island.lk
“Declare Black July as a common day of remembrance instead of trying to erase its history” – Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
Thinakkural, Thamilan, Virakesari
Addressing parliament yesterday (23rd), Tamil National People’s Front MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam urged the government to declare Black July a common day of remembrance for all communities instead of trying to erase its history. He noted that no government has ever officially apologised for the 1983 state-sponsored violence against Tamils, and argued that the Tamil people took up arms for self-protection in response to such events, adding that it should not be claimed as terrorism. Ponnambalam also raised the Valikamam North land issue, stating that over 3,000 acres still remain as a high-security zone despite government promises. He claimed that the military is using 75% of this land for agriculture and has destroyed six places of worship within the zone, which he termed a “UNESCO crime“.
Five more skeletons identified; 85 identified in total
Thinakkural, Virakesari, Thamilan, Thinakaran Five new human skeletons were identified yesterday (23rd) at the Chemmani mass grave site in the Ariyalai area of Jaffna. The discovery occurred on the 18th day of the second phase of the ongoing excavation efforts. Among the remains found, an item believed to be a bangle was unearthed. This latest finding brings the total number of identified human skeletons to 85, with 67 having been fully excavated to date. 20 skeletons have been identified in the last three days. |
“Anura should not repeat the mistakes made by JR and Mahinda” – Shritharan
Thinakkural, Thamilan, Virakesari Addressing parliament yesterday (23rd), ITAK MP Sivagnanam Shritharan noted that even 42 years after the Black July pogrom there has been no state apology or justice. He warned President Anura Kumara |
Judge orders report to be submitted regarding human remains found in Sampur
Thinakkural
Following the discovery of human remains in the Sampur area of Mutur last Sunday (20th), Mutur Magistrate H.M. Thasneem conducted a site inspection yesterday (23rd). Officials from the Department of Archaeology, the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) and other government bodies and the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) were also present at the location. The magistrate ordered the JMO to report on conducting further excavations and instructed the Department of Archaeology to investigate whether a cemetery had previously existed at the site. Both departments are required to submit their reports to the court by July 30.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Sunday Times
Four including father-son duo in Hingurakgoda who were found guilty of homicide to receive the death penalty
Lankadeepa, Mawbima, Aruna
Four defendants who were indicted in connection with the murder of a man over an alleged extramarital affair, by beating him with poles, have been found guilty by the Polonnaruwa High Court. High Court Judge Ruchira Weliwatta delivered the verdict, sentencing all four defendants to death. Two other individuals, named as the fifth and sixth defendants in the case, were also indicted by the attorney general. However, both of them had passed away during the course of the trial.
“Some people have started companies in Britain with Sri Lankan money” – Wasantha Samarasinghe
Dinamina Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe stated in parliament yesterday (23rd) that there are individuals who have taken money from Sri Lanka and established companies in the British Virgin Islands, and that information regarding them will be revealed in the future. The minister also noted that the Cabinet had recommended an investigation into this matter during the previous administration, but it has not yet been carried out. |
“Present a White Paper instead of a PPT for educational reforms” – Sajith Premadasa
Ada Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa called on the government to present a White Paper on the proposed education reforms, stating that the PowerPoint presentation delivered by Prime Minister Amarasuriya was insufficient for a meaningful debate. The request was made following the Parliament’s Business Committee deciding not to proceed with the scheduled debate on the Amendments to the Electricity Act, opting instead to focus on the education reform proposals. Premadasa maintained that holding a debate without a White Paper is ineffective. He noted that the prime minister had presented the reforms through a PowerPoint presentation the previous day, which he described as inappropriate and as a method that disrespects the country’s education sector and its free education system. |
“We have not yet prepared the final document for the educational reforms” – Bimal Rathnayake
Ada, Aruna
In response to the request made by Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa to present a White Paper on the proposed education reforms, Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake stated that the debate on the issue was intended to inform the public about the proposed reforms. He stated that as there is no final document yet, a broad public discussion is essential. The final draft of the reforms, he said, can only be completed following comprehensive debate and engagement. Rathnayake noted that White Papers originated as a tradition in the British parliament during a time when printing was not available. He emphasised that today, in the digital era, information can be shared through PowerPoint presentations or other technological means, and that a PowerPoint presentation is not an insult.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Ada Derana
Ranil Wickremesinghe has violated fundamental rights by imposing Emergency Regulations to control the aragalaya – A divided verdict from the SC; “It is a legal decision Wickremesinghe made to continue providing essential services amidst the restless situation in the country” – Judge Arjuna Obeysekere takes a different stance
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The Supreme Court (SC) – in a majority decision yesterday (23rd) – ruled that Fundamental Rights (FR) have been violated by the orders to disperse the aragalaya protesters from Galle Face on July 17, 2022, issued by then Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe through the imposition of Emergency Regulations. The majority of the judges on the three-member bench held that the Emergency Regulations imposed by Wickremesinghe under Section 2 of the Public Security Act were arbitrary, and therefore, invalid. Chief Justice Murdu Fernando and Justice Yasantha Kodagoda delivered the majority verdict. However, Justice Arjuna Obeysekere, the third member of the bench, issued a separate judgement stating that the declaration of Emergency Regulations by Wickremesinghe did not constitute a violation of FR. Obeysekere stated that it was a legal decision Wickremesinghe made to continue providing essential services amidst the restless situation in the country. The FR petitions were filed by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), former Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Ambika Satkunanathan and the Liberal Youth Movement. The SC also ordered the government to bear the legal costs incurred by the petitioners.
New educational reforms: “No decision to abolish the Grade Five Scholarship examination” | “Term tests will not be necessary with the new educational reforms” – Amarasuriya
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran
Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that term tests will not be necessary under the proposed new educational reforms. She stated that plans will be made to hold at least one term exam for students from grades six to nine as a transitional measure until the students adapt to the new method. Amarasuriya stated further that once the students and parents are comfortable with the system the exam system will no longer be required. The prime minister made these remarks yesterday (23rd) while attending a programme held at the Ministry of Education to brief the media on the new educational reforms. She acknowledged that the question of whether children will learn properly without exams is a source of societal fear, which is a result of the longstanding exam-centric education system. She added that this new method focuses on creating law-abiding children. The prime minister further explained that the new system is designed to prevent mental stress for children and that it will take some time for the school system, students and parents to adjust to it. Mawbima reports the same news, citing the National Institute of Education (NIE) as the source. Papers also report, quoting Amarasuriya, that a decision has not yet been made to abolish the Grade Five Scholarship examination.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Speaker informs parliament of the process of dismissing the IGP – Lankadeepa, Ada, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thamilan
2. “Who is the big boss of the parliament that was involved in the Easter Sunday attacks?” – MP Kariyappar questions – Lankadeepa, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
3. Preethi Padman Surasena to be appointed as new chief justice: unanimous approval from the Constitutional Council – Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Virakesari
4. Presidential special investigation committee appointed to probe into corruption and fraud at SriLankan Airlines – Divaina, Ada, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran
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