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DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: “Make the agreements with India public” – The main opposition party, the SJB, urges | “We are also waiting for the president’s announcement; will Azad Maulana return to the country before April 21?” – Champika asks | Photograph: The Memon Association of Sri Lanka organised the Eid-ul-Fitr festival prayers at the Galle Face Green yesterday (March 31) Thinakaran: “Accountability alone cannot solve problems; we need to delve deeper into the causes of the ethnic conflict” – The National Peace Council | “Illegal assets to be owned by the government; the bill to be presented in parliament on April 8” – The president | Photograph: The Memon Association of Sri Lanka organised the Eid-ul-Fitr festival prayers at the Galle Face Green yesterday (March 31) |
Thinakkural: “The president will not talk about the 13A; the matter of provincial councils is a domestic matter; we do not need India to tell us [about it]” – Bimal Rathnayake | “Is the [revelation of] the mastermind [of the Easter Sunday attacks] an election bomb?” – Champika Ranawaka | “Easter Sunday attacks; who is the mastermind? The police under heavy pressure” – [Udaya Gammanpila] Thamilan: “There is no one here to defeat us!” – President Anura publicly announces; many more to be arrested soon | The prices of milk tea and food items that contain milk, increased | The investigations on the Presidential Fund frauds to the CID; Minister Ananda [Wijepala] advises to expedite statements | “I can control the underworld” – Fonseka believes |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: Palm oil that was given to be destroyed, sold for Rs. 20 million: Investigations against eight high-ranking Customs officers and complaints about five | Information about the Club Wasantha murder revealed? A CID group to Russia to bring back Rotumba Amila | VAT to be imposed on eggs as well from today Divaina: The death toll increased, hundreds missing: “Can neither eat nor sleep, the ground keeps trembling every two to three hours” – The people of Myanmar state Ada: Orders issued for the immediate release of the lawyer who was remanded by the Puttalam High Court |
Mawbima: The lawyer from Puttalam who was remanded for contempt of court, released by the Court of Appeal | “The president has too much work: We need an energetic deputy minister of finance” – The vehicle importers request Dinamina: The Weligama W15 hotel incident: The CID questions Tiran [Alles] for six hours Aruna: The Court of Appeal issues orders for the release of the lawyer who was remanded by the court Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Ada Derana
“I can control the underworld” – Fonseka believes
Thinakkural, Thamilan, Virakesari
Former MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka claimed that as a citizen of the country, if he is given any responsibility with authority, he will fulfil that task for certain. Fonseka noted that if he is assigned such a responsibility, he would definitely be able to bring the activities of the underworld under control in a month or two. Responding to reporters on Sunday (March 30), Fonseka further stated, “As far as national security is concerned, there is no crisis at present to the point of increasing security by deploying the military. There is no international threat either. However, a problem has arisen in terms of public safety. Therefore, it is imperative that these underworld activities be controlled. It cannot be brought under control by submitting a report. Qualified individuals must go to the field and act.”
“Accountability alone cannot solve problems; we need to delve deeper into the causes of the ethnic conflict”– The National Peace Council
Thinakaran Releasing a statement, the National Peace Council (NPC) claimed that the UK government’s decision to impose sanctions on four Sri Lankan individuals, including three former military commanders, has ignited significant debate. The statement reads, “The NPC asserts that the pursuit of truth and accountability must be universal and free from political motivations. Justice cannot be applied selectively. It is needed as much in Mullivaikkal and Batalanda where the violations took place 16 to 37 years ago, as it is in Palestine and Ukraine where they are taking place today.” The NPC further noted, “However, accountability measures alone cannot resolve the country’s longstanding challenges. Sri Lanka also requires a political solution that addresses the deep-rooted causes of its ethnic conflict. The ethnic war and past mass violence were not merely criminal acts but part of a larger political struggle.” |
“Make the agreements with India public”– The main opposition party, the SJB, urges
Thinakaran, Thamilan National Organiser of the SJB Tissa Attanayake stated that while there is no problem in maintaining friendly relations with India, the agreements Sri Lanka enters into with another country should be disclosed to the public. Attanayake stressed that, therefore, the government should publicly announce the agreements to be entered into with India. |
“The president will not talk about the 13A; the matter of provincial councils is a domestic matter; we do not need India to tell us [about it]” – Bimal Rathnayake
Thinakkural, Virakesari
Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Bimal Rathnayake claimed that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution will not be discussed during the upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Sri Lanka. Rathnayake further stated that there is no necessity to discuss the holding of the provincial council election with India, and added that the government will definitely hold the provincial council election as promised.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Newswire
The Court of Appeal releases the lawyer who was remanded by the High Court; the BASL also intervenes
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna
A lawyer who had been remanded by the Puttalam High Court on charges of contempt of court on March 28 was released from the Remand Prison in Wariyapola yesterday (March 31) after the Court of Appeal issued immediate orders for her release. It was reported that the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) also had to intervene in the issue and that many lawyers, including the president of the BASL had visited the lawyer at the Remand Prison in Wariyapola. The lawyer in question was remanded by a Puttalam High Court judge on charges of entering the court without bowing, which allegedly amounts to not showing due respect.
“Support the distressed people in Myanmar” – Ranil Wickremesinghe
Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has called on the Government of Sri Lanka to provide humanitarian assistance to Myanmar following the earthquake that devastated Myanmar and Thailand on Friday (March 28). The earthquake reportedly disrupted health services and has caused life-threatening injuries and the outbreak of diseases. Accordingly, issuing a statement, Wickremesinghe highlighted the historic and religious ties between the two countries, particularly through Theravada Buddhism, and urged the government to send a team, including doctors from the Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps, for emergency operations to Myanmar. |
“From today, all liquor bottles and cans must mention the manufactured date” – The commissioner general of excise
Divaina, Aruna The Excise Department of Sri Lanka announced that the inclusion of the date of manufacture on all hard and soft liquor bottles and cans that are manufactured in Sri Lanka will be made compulsory from today (1st) onward. Accordingly, all liquor manufacturers have been directed to print the date of manufacture below the bottle cap and above the label of the bottle. |
“Will send doctors and medicines to Thailand and Myanmar” – Nalinda Jayatissa
Dinamina
Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa stated that medicines have been prepared along with a team of specialist doctors to provide relief to those affected by the recent earthquake in Myanmar and Thailand. Jayatissa added that the Government of Sri Lanka wishes to express its condolences to the families in Myanmar and Thailand who were affected by the earthquake that struck Myanmar last Friday (March 28). He further stated that these countries need the support of other countries at this time and added that, therefore, the Sri Lankan government is ready to provide any assistance it can.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Ada Derana
Tiran Alles questioned for five hours over the Weligama incident
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural
Former Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles was questioned by the CID yesterday (March 31). Reportedly, Alles left the CID premises after recording a five-hour statement regarding the shooting incident that occurred in front of a prominent hotel in Weligama in 2023. Suspended Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has already been remanded in custody over the same incident.
Petrol prices reduced by Rs. 10
Lankadeepa, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Thinakaran, Thamilan
Fuel prices were revised with effect from midnight yesterday (March 31) with petrol prices reduced by Rs. 10 per litre. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) announced that Octane 92 petrol is now priced at Rs. 299 per litre, while the price of Octane 95 petrol has been reduced to Rs. 361 per litre. CPC added that there are no changes to the prices of other fuels. Lanka IOC and Sinopec have also adjusted their petrol prices in line with the revision.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. “The bill to recover illicit assets to be brought to parliament on April 8” – The president – Divaina, Thinakaran
2. “Will have to import paddy this year” – The president | “There is no one here to defeat us!” – President Anura publicly announces; many more to be arrested soon – Ada, Virakesari, Thamilan
3. “Looking for the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks should not be an election trick” – Patali Champika Ranawaka – Ada, Virakesari, Thinakkural
4. “302 election complaints received within 10 days” – The EC – Dinamina, Thinakaran
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