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DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: Tamil genocide needs an international mechanism; political parties, civil society organisations, religious leaders and affected parties unanimously resolve to send another letter to the UN | Seven killed in two major accidents; six others injured Thinakaran: Zahran owns around 21 acres of land in Matale; information reveals that it was used as a training base; discussed at the Matale District Coordinating Committee meeting | “Many could be arrested soon based on the investigation on the Easter Sunday attacks” – Nalinda Jayatissa | “It is essential that teachers are graduates and receive teacher training” – The PM | “Certain matters related to Sivanesathurai Santhirakanthan will be presented in parliament soon” – Ananda Wijepala |
Thinakkural: “The government’s strategy is to completely block international accountability for the genocide against the Tamil people; calls for the Tamil people to take a unified stand; a resolution to send a new letter to the UN“ – Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam | Calls for removing the deputy defence minister | “The excavation of the Chemmani mass grave will pave the way for communal violence” – Udaya Gammanpila
Thamilan: The police commission takes immediate action to terminate Nilantha [Jayawardena]; preparing to take action against Deshabandu as well | Army soldier arrested with drugs in Kilinochchi |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: Nilantha Jayawardena, the perpetrator of the Easter Sunday attacks, sent home – A decision by the NPC | 1,489 doctors have gone overseas within the last three years: A loss of Rs. 12.5 billion to the government; a scarcity of consultants in rural areas; some have left to obtain postgraduate degrees but have not returned yet Divaina: Nilantha terminated from the police: Found guilty on all charges of not preventing the Easter Sunday attacks – A decision by the NPC | Rs. 7.5 million fraud in the CID: Former DIG Rohan not to be found when the CIABOC tried to apprehend him | An illegally assembled vehicle sold to Jagath Vithana’s son: The whereabouts of the daughter and son-in-law of former Minister Rohitha unknown Ada: SDIG Nilantha terminated from his post | “Terminating Nilantha Jayawardena from service is a good sign” – National Catholic Mass Communications Director Rev. Fr. Jude Krishantha | Seven deaths caused by road accidents within 24 hours in Meemure and Narammala |
Mawbima: An illegal vehicle found in the possession of Mathugama MP Jagath’s son: The jeep had been purchased from former Minister Rohitha’s daughter | A serious accident narrowly avoided at a salon in Kandy: All who fainted after inhaling a toxic gas, hospitalised Dinamina: “Strict legal action should be taken against Maithripala Sirisena, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe for failing to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks” – The Catholic Church requests Aruna: There is no land available in the Western Province to start industries Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Lankasara
The Tamil genocide needs an international mechanism; political parties, civil society organisations, religious leaders and affected parties unanimously resolve to send another letter to the UN
Thinakkural, Virakesari
Tamil nationalist political parties, civil society organisations, religious leaders and associations of the forcibly disappeared have unanimously decided to send a letter to the UNHRC demanding that Sri Lanka be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity committed against the Tamil people. This decision was made at a meeting organised by the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) in Jaffna, ahead of the UNHRC’s new resolution on Sri Lanka in its upcoming September session. TNPF Leader and MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam stated that although 16 years have passed since the war ended, no justice has been delivered for the Tamil people. He also noted that the ITAK did not participate in the meeting. The new petition is to be based on a similar letter sent to the UNHRC on January 15, 2021, Ponnambalam added.
The second phase of the excavations at the Chemmani mass grave begins today
Thinakkural, Thinakaran, Virakesari The second phase of the excavations at the Chemmani Sinthupathi mass grave in Jaffna is scheduled to begin today (21st). The Jaffna Magistrate’s Court granted permission for the excavation to proceed for 15 days after reviewing submissions from the judicial medical officer and a professor of archaeology. 65 skeletons were discovered during the first phase of the excavation. |
“Short-sighted education reforms that do not benefit students” – Opposition Leader Sajith slams the government
Thamilan Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa declared that the SJB opposes the government’s current education reforms, labelling them as “conservative” and short-sighted. Premadasa claimed that the very people who had once mocked the SJB for proposing new educational opportunities in information technology, computer technology and English language are now moving towards reforms that will “destroy the student population”. He also asserted that instead of benefiting children, this approach will harm them, and thus, the SJB is against it. Premadasa made these remarks yesterday (20th) during a meeting with party members and activists in Rajanganaya, Anuradhapura. |
“The excavation of the Chemmani mass grave will pave the way for communal violence” – Udaya Gammanpila
Thinakkural
Leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Udaya Gammanpila stated that the excavation of the Chemmani mass grave is an unnecessary exercise. Speaking to the media, Gammanpila argued that in a land where a war has occurred, mass graves will inevitably be found, as many of the deceased were buried in the ground. He also accused the government of wasting a large amount of funds on the excavation, which he reiterated was not needed. Gammanpila warned that unearthing the Chemmani mass grave could lead to renewed ethnic violence.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Newswire
“Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith never specifically requested the appointments of Shani Abeysekara or Ravi Seneviratne: The cardinal requests that they be reinstated in their original positions” – National Catholic Mass Communications Director Rev. Fr. Jude Krishantha
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Dinamina
National Catholic Mass Communications Director Rev. Fr. Jude Krishantha stated that the archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, never specifically requested the appointments of Shani Abeysekera as the director of the CID or Ravi Seneviratne as secretary to the Ministry of Public Security. Fr. Jude Krishantha informed the media that the archbishop only wanted those who were handling the investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks to be transferred back and reinstated into their original positions. He also stated that the termination of SDIG Nilantha Jayawardena is a good sign.
“Immediate steps to be taken to amend five acts” – Minister Hiniduma Sunil Senevi
Dinamina
Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Hiniduma Sunil Senevi stated yesterday (20th) that decisive steps have been taken to amend five acts, including the Intellectual Property Act. He added that the archaeological act, the Central Cultural Fund Act, the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka Act, the Arts Council of Ceylon Act and the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation Act, which fall under the purview of the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, are being amended accordingly.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Ada Derana
Nilantha Jayawardena, the perpetrator of the Easter Sunday attacks, sent home – A decision by the NPC
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thamilan
The National Police Commission (NPC) has officially terminated the service of former Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) Nilantha Jayawardena following a disciplinary inquiry related to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. Jayawardena, who previously served as the director of the State Intelligence Service (SIS), was placed on compulsory leave by the NPC in July 2024 pending an internal investigation. According to a statement issued by the NPC on July 19, it decided to dismiss Jayawardena from service following the conclusion of the inquiry.
An illegal vehicle found in the possession of Mathugama MP Jagath’s son: The jeep had been purchased from former Minister Rohitha’s daughter
Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thamilan
Kalutara District SJB MP Jagath Vithana’s son was taken into custody by the Walana Anti-Corruption Unit while he was driving a jeep suspected to have been illegally imported into the country and registered through fraudulent means. It has been revealed that the vehicle was purchased from the daughter of Kalutara District New Democratic Front MP Rohitha Abeygunawardhana. Papers report that both the daughter and son-in-law of Abeygunawardhana were not to be found at their residence when the police visited the premises.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. “It is our intention to reduce the number of students in a class to 25-30 | It is essential that teachers are graduates and they receive teacher training” – PM Harini Amarasuriya – Ada, Dinamina, Thinakaran
2. Seven deaths caused within 24 hours by road accidents in Meemure and Narammala | 24 hours: Nine accidents, 14 deaths – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakkural
3. 1,489 doctors have gone overseas within the last three years – Lankadeepa, Thinakaran
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