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DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: Handunnetti and Wasantha should resign; SJB says that their ministerial responsibilities should be transferred to Pettah vendors | Court permits examination of bank accounts of 12 individuals including Rajitha, Keheliya and Dayasiri | Constitutional Council rejects President Dissanayake’s nominee for auditor general’s post | A statue for Prabha? “No”, says Minister Chandrasekar | “There is an acute shortage of 180 essential medicines” – Leader of the Opposition Sajith [Premadasa], in parliament Thinakaran: Indian high commissioner meets Sri Lankan parliamentary delegation | “Sri Lanka plans to train 2,175 teachers and merge teacher training colleges with national colleges of education” – Prime minister | “I never commented on the installation of a statue of Prabhakaran” – Minister Chandrasekar accuses Opposition of spreading misinformation about NPP in parliament | No risk of new COVID-19 strain spreading in Sri Lanka: Health Ministry’s secretary urges calm | Jaffna lawyers urge repeal of anti-terrorism act; say no need for new laws | “Negotiations regarding land acquisition in the North” – Prime minister |
Thinakkural: The Constitutional Council rejected President Anura’s recommendation for a new auditor general by a majority vote | SJB MP Hesha alleges massive land scam involving Chamal Rajapaksa | MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam appeals to South African ambassador over Northern land seizures | No risk of new COVID-19 strain spreading in Sri Lanka – Health Ministry | “The government is negotiating for Rs. 25 lakhs to form the administration in Kalpitiya” – MP Rishard Thamilan: “236,748 acres of agricultural land in Trincomalee have been grabbed” – MP Kugathasan | Hearing of Pillayan’s petition scheduled for June 17 | “President has forgotten the aspirations of the people” – MP Dilith [Jayaweera] | MP Hakeem alleges salt mafia behind people’s burden; accuses government of involvement in it | “I never asked for a statue for Wijeweera, so why would I ask to build a statue for Prabhakaran?” – Minister Chandrasekhar |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: Dilrukshi Dias’ rights have been violated: Recommendations of the president’s commission thrown into the garbage | Vehicles worth USD 200 million have been brought after the limitations were removed; letters of credit worth USD 450 million opened – CBSL governor Divaina: Duminda Dissanayake to be arrested over a T56? “The former minister told me to keep it aside” – Chef reveals Ada: The fundamental rights of the former director general of the CIABOC Dilrukshi Dias have been violated by the recommendations given by the presidential committee appointed to investigate into political vengeance; court invalidates all recommendations given by the presidential commission against her |
Mawbima: Health Ministry procures USD 33 million scan image storage despite objections: Supplier requests for USD 1.4 per month; service halted due to non-payment – CIABOC to investigate | 100 kg of heroin found in a house in Weeraketiya: a team of government analysts sent to check if the substance is heroin Dinamina: “Chamal’s letters granted Mahaweli lands to associates” – Revelation from SJB MP Hesha; “An investigation to be launched” – Deputy Minister Susil Ranasinghe states | Legal measures against Deshabandu over contempt of court – AG informs the court | Drugs worth Rs. 2 billion found in Weeraketiya Aruna: Crisis in 178 LG councils due to delay in supplementary lists Anidda: “Nobody has the majority in 178 councils; the names that have been sent will be gazetted; members who are not gazetted will not be able to attend council” – Commissioner general of the EC |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: The Island.lk
“I never commented on the installation of a statue of
Prabhakaran” – Minister Chandrasekar accuses Opposition of spreading misinformation about the NPP in parliament
Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar, delivering a special statement in parliament yesterday, firmly denied ever expressing any opinion regarding the installation of a statue for LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. He stated that opposition parties are attempting to sabotage the steps being taken to foster unity in the country. According to him, they are spreading misinformation about the National People’s Power (NPP) and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), falsely linking them to calls for a statue of Prabhakaran, as a means to rekindle communal tensions. “When I was not present in the House, MP Harshana Rajakaruna claimed that I had made a false statement”, Minister Chandrasekar stated. “He alleged that I had informed parliament about the installation of a statue for Prabhakaran, citing MP Archchuna as the source. However, I categorically state that I never made such a comment”, he continued. “I was a close associate of my party leader Rohana Wijeweera. Even though he is no longer with us, the memories and principles he imparted remain deeply with me. I have never said, anywhere, that a statue should be erected even for our own leader, Rohana Wijeweera, who led us all. So how could I advocate for a statue of someone else? These claims are entirely false”, he concluded.
Allegation of kidnapping of the vice chancellor: Pillayan’s FR petition to be considered on June 17 – Supreme Court announced yesterdayThamilan, Thinakaran The Supreme Court has scheduled June 17 to consider the Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by former State Minister Sivanesathurai |
MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam appeals to South African ambassador over Northern land seizures
Thinakkural Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) Leader and MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam has urged the South African government to intervene in Sri Lanka’s controversial land acquisitions in the North. During a meeting with the South African high commissioner in Colombo on Thursday, Ponnambalam raised three key concerns. He condemned the March 28 gazette that enables the government to claim 60,000 acres of unclaimed land in the North, calling it part of a broader plan to impose Sinhala-Buddhist settlements in Tamil-majority areas. He urged South Africa to pressure Sri Lanka to withdraw the gazette. He also called for the release of two farmers allegedly detained on false charges and demanded action against illegal land seizures in Thaiyiddy. Ponnambalam stressed that war-affected communities had lost land documents and should not be deprived of their ancestral lands. |
Negotiations regarding land acquisition in the North: Prime minister calls on Northern MPs today
Thinakaran
A key discussion will take place in parliament today (23rd) regarding the controversial Gazette Notification No. 2430, issued by the government in March, concerning the acquisition of 5,940 acres of land in the Northern Province. Issued under Section 4 of the Land Settlement Ordinance, the gazette states that any unclaimed land within three months will be declared state property. Opposition MPs from the Northern and Eastern Provinces, led by Tamil National People’s Front Leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, have voiced strong objections to the move, calling for the immediate withdrawal of the gazette. In response to the concerns, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya has invited only the opposition MPs representing the Northern and Eastern Provinces to a special meeting in parliament today from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm to discuss the issues surrounding the notification.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: The Island
The election is over: no names received yet; EC prepares to release gazette with names that have been submitted
Lankadeepa, Ada, Mawbima, Aruna, Anidda
Commissioner General of the Election Commission (EC) Saman Sri Ratnayake has stated that to make definitive decisions regarding the appointment of mayors, deputy mayors, chairpersons and deputy chairpersons for 178 Local Government (LG) institutions the respective political parties and independent groups must submit supplementary lists. The commission emphasised that appointing these positions is essential for the functioning of the 178 local authorities. The Election Commission has stated that although there is no final deadline for political parties and independent groups to submit their supplementary lists, the first meetings of the local authorities must be held by June 2. This timeline aims to ensure the smooth functioning of local government institutions across the country. Ratnayake added that the names that have been submitted so far will be gazetted and the members that have not been gazetted will not be able to attend the councils.
CBSL reduces interest rates
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Dinamina The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has decided to further ease the monetary policy by reducing the Overnight Policy Rate (OPR) to 7.75%. This decision was reached by consensus at the Monetary Policy Board meeting held on May 21. The committee carefully considered both domestic and global economic trends before arriving at this conclusion. The CBSL stated that the eased monetary policy stance will support efforts to bring inflation closer to the 5% target amid global uncertainties and currently low inflationary pressures. |
“An exact date for students to be given Mahapola” – Harini Amarasuriya
Divaina, Dinamina Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Harini Amarasuriya informed parliament yesterday (22nd) that a specific date for the monthly disbursement of Mahapola scholarships to university students will be announced in the near future. She stated that discussions have already been held with the Mahapola Higher Education Scholarship Trust Fund regarding the decision to fix a regular payment date. |
Parties in the North unite against the NPP
Anidda
| Tamil parties in the North have reached an agreement to join forces to establish power in Local Government (LG) councils in which the NPP has failed to secure a majority. While it is reported that the political parties in the North were already in agreement to make the move, parties from the Eastern Province have also joined the move. The parties have thus agreed to support any Tamil party that has secured the highest number of seats in a council, with no conditions. |
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COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: CEYLONWIRE
Acting auditor general given a six-month service extension
Lankadeepa, Ada, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakkural
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“Chamal’s letters granted Mahaweli lands to associates” – Revelation from SJB MP Hesha; “An investigation to be launched” – Deputy Minister Susil Ranasinghe
Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Thinakaran, Thinakkural
SJB MP Hesha Vithanage has alleged that lands belonging to the Mahaweli Authority were allocated to associates of former Minister Chamal Rajapaksa without following proper procedures. Speaking in parliament yesterday (22nd), the Ratnapura District MP claimed that large tracts of land intended for various development projects were granted based solely on letters issued by Rajapaksa. Vithanage called for an investigation into the alleged misuse of public lands, stressing the need for transparency and adherence to legal processes in land administration. Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation Susil Ranasinghe stated in parliament yesterday (22nd) that a number of issues had arisen in previous allocations of land under the Mahaweli Authority. He further stated that investigations into some of these irregularities are already underway. The deputy minister made the remarks in response to the revelations made by Vithanage and stated that an investigation into the issue will be launched.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Dilrukshi Dias’ rights have been violated: Recommendations of the president’s commission thrown into the garbage – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Thinakkural, Thamilan
2. Suspended sentence imposed on Sakvithi and his wife – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Thinakaran
3. “The present government must also be held responsible for the salt mafia” | “The government is breaking the traditions of parliament” – Hakeem – Ada, Anidda, Thinakkural, Thamilan
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