DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: All parties should decide together – Indian High Commissioner tells the opposition regarding the provincial council elections | Electricity Board employees stage protest blocking roads; major trade union action warned if no solution is given | International criminal law experts: Accountability can only be achieved through an international investigation Thinakaran: Easter Sunday Bombings: The case against Hemasiri Fernando and Pujith Jayasundara is to be reopened for investigation – High Court orders | Those who cannot properly fulfil their duties can resign! The government plans to modernise the railway service – Minister Bimal Rathnayake | Assets of the President, Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition, and ministers are declared by the Bribery Commission |
Thinakkural: UN High Commissioner has accepted what the government said regarding the resolution on Sri Lanka; we have stated that there is no racism, religious extremism, or exclusionary systems in the country – Bimal Rathnayake | “If I possess excess assets, they can be seized” – Namal Rajapaksa | “Mahinda spent Rs. 50 million on house repairs” – Deputy Minister Dr. Susil Ranasinghe Thamilan: “Sri Lanka must face an international investigation for human rights violations” – insist international legal experts | Fundamental Tax Collection Policies Violated: Low-income earners bear a greater tax burden – Colombo University | “It is difficult to arrest me on corruption charges,” says Gammanpila |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: The rock at the Magampura port ‘reappears’: court orders to record statements from former minister Rohitha; has taken a sum of Rs. 20 million, but has not awarded the tender Divaina: Former Sabaragamuwa PC Minister Kumara Rahubadda remanded over misappropriation Mawbima: Rights of the differently-abled violated on the Northern railway: fix the platforms of 13 railway stations – Anuradhapura High Court orders minister of transport | A weapons storage found in a lawyer’s house in Ratnapura: revelation made due to the death of the lawyer |
Dinamina: Former Sabaragamuwa PC Minister Athula (Rahubadda) remanded over alleged misappropriation of Rs. 70 million for Embilipitiya roads, where not a single road was built; has also contested in the 2020 General Election under SLPP | “Go home if you can’t provide minimum facilities to the public” – Minister Bimal tells Railway officials Aruna: A weapons storage found in the house of a lawyer: investigations as to whether the firearms were given for crimes Anidda: 25% of the 2026 Budget has been allocated for the president: highest allocation of Rs. 648 billion for defence |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Tamil Guardian
Accountability can only be achieved through an international investigation; international criminal law experts point out
Virakesari, Thamilan
International criminal law experts have pointed out that meaningful accountability for violations against human rights in Sri Lanka can only be achieved through an independent international investigation mechanism, rather than through a domestic process.
This was noted at a discussion titled, ‘Ensuring International Accountability in Sri Lanka,’ which was organised by the National Council of Canadian Tamils at the Geneva Press Club.
International criminal lawyer Alain Werner acknowledged the UN’s efforts to gather evidence through the Sri Lanka accountability project but reiterated that meaningful accountability is only possible via an independent international investigation.
He also highlighted the crucial role of the Tamil community in preparing complete case files with properly documented evidence and urged that justice should continue to be pursued through various national courts and legal systems.
Chemmani mass grave: when does the exhumation resume? Budget submitted to the Jaffna Court
Thinakkural, Virakesari
Judicial Medical Officer C. Pranavan has submitted the budget for the third phase of excavations at the Chemmani mass grave site to the Jaffna Magistrate’s Court. Dr. Pranavan requested an eight-week period for this phase, stating that scan results from the second phase and a satellite report by Professor Somadeva indicate a high probability of more mass graves nearby. To date, 54 days of excavations have been conducted in two phases, during which 240 human skeletons were identified; 239 of these have been fully exhumed and are now in the court’s custody. Following the budget submission during the hearing yesterday (18th), the court postponed the case until October 1. |
Protest in Colombo today over Mannar Wind Farm and mineral sand miningThinakkural, Virakesari
A major protest against windmill construction and mineral sand mining in Mannar is scheduled to be held in Colombo today (19th) at 2:00 p.m. in front of the Presidential Secretariat. The President of the Mannar Citizens’ Committee, Rev. Fr. Marcus, stated that this protest follows a 47-day continuous demonstration that was held in Mannar. The protestors have put forward three demands: an immediate halt to the 14 new windmill projects, a ban on any permits for mineral sand mining, and a resolution to the problems faced by residents due to the 36 existing windmills. Hundreds of people from Mannar are expected to attend, joined by Southern Sinhalese citizens and religious leaders. |
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Thimira Nawod on X
Former Sabaragamuwa minister Rahubadda remanded for misappropriation of Rs. 70 million of state funds
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna
Former Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council Minister Athula Kumara Rahubadda has been remanded until October 2 on charges of misappropriating state funds.
Rahubadda was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over allegations that he misappropriated approximately Rs. 70 million in public funds.
He was produced before the Embilipitiya Magistrate on Wednesday (17th), who ordered that he be remanded until October 2 pending further investigations.
A weapons storage found in a lawyer’s house in Ratnapura
Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna In a raid conducted on September 16, Ratnapura Police officers, acting on a tip-off, discovered a cache of firearms and over 400 rounds of ammunition at the Goluvavila residence of a lawyer in Ratnapura. Police stated that the lawyer, who was 71 years old, had passed away on the 11th of this month. |
25% of the 2026 Budget has been allocated for the president
Anidda According to the Appropriation Bill drafted for the 2026 Budget, 25% of the funds have been allocated to the Presidential Secretariat and other ministries under the President. Additionally, the paper reported that the highest allocation of Rs. 648 billion has been allocated for defence. |
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Daily News
The next step will be decided after today’s meeting: CEB ends sick leave but continues ‘work-to-rule’ campaign
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakkural, Thamilan
CEB employees protested the newly amended Electricity Act for the second consecutive day yesterday (18th), with 11,000 workers reporting sick.
Accordingly, 25 trade unions of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) staged a demonstration in front of the CEB headquarters in Colombo yesterday (18th).
They stated that the unions would not be shaken by any threats and that the decision on the next step of the campaign will be made following a meeting today (19th).
A similar protest was held in front of the CEB headquarters the day before yesterday (17th), where employees demonstrated against the bill.
This demonstration took place as part of the work-to-rule campaign that began on the 5th, which was intensified by reporting sick.
Accordingly, from today (19th) onwards, CEB employees will no longer be reporting sick but continue to work under the ‘work-to-rule’ campaign.
“If you cannot fix the shortcomings in trains within a month, resign and leave” – Bimal Rathnayake
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Thinakaran
Speaking at the Kalutara District Highways and Transport Committee meeting held at the Kalutara District Secretariat auditorium on Wednesday (17th), Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament Bimal Rathnayake addressed railway officials, stating, “If you cannot provide the public with the most basic services, and solve the shortcomings of the trains within a month, please go home. This is the final warning.”
The minister told the officials that trains have become “prisons.”
He also said that he constantly receives complaints from passengers who travel on office trains and that there is no end to apologising to them.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Failure to prevent the Easter Sunday attack: case against Hemasiri and Pujith to be heard: a new Trial-at-Bar appointed – Lankadeepa, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thamilan
2. Former Director of Navy Intelligence, Rear Admiral (Rtd) Sarath Mohotti, remanded till September 24 over the abduction and disappearance of a person –Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Anidda, Virakesari, Thamilan
3. “The NPP government tried to arrest me six times” – Gammanpila – Mawbima, Thinakkural, Thamilan
4. The Opposition Leader has not submitted his asset statement – Dinamina, Thinakaran, Thinakkural
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