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DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: “Talks with the US have failed; officials gave the wrong advice to the government” – MP Ravi Karunanayake alleges | Will the tariff imposed by the US be reduced? | Justice Preethi Padman Surasena sworn in as the new chief justice Thinakaran: “Commence the investigation against me immediately; the false allegations against me are due to the malice of those within the party” – MP Shritharan | Thinakaran receives the Best Newspaper of the Year award for 2025 |
Thinakkural: “Your comments as the UN high commissioner for human rights have caused those who testified to fear for their lives; ensure that the testimonies we have shared will not be shared with any authorities linked to the domestic mechanism in Sri Lanka” – The Association for the Relatives of the Enforced Disappearances in the Northern and Eastern Provinces demands | The police sent back Ponnambalam when he visited Chemmani [as a lawyer in civil attire] | Modern scanners to locate graves at Chemmani Thamilan: Financial irregularities worth over Rs. 5 billion; Manusha Nanayakkara to be arrested soon? | “Will you dare to ask [the Tamil people] not to migrate?” – Senior journalist Thanabalasingam asks Tamil politicians |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: Bring in foreign funds for large-scale projects – a new condition for local contractors Divaina: The fundamental rights of former Gampaha SP Lakshman Cooray, who was arrested for Jeyaraj [Fernandopulle]’s murder, violated in Boossa; detaining someone based solely on suspicions is a violation of fundamental rights; the government, two TID officers and two police officers ordered to pay compensation Ada: Revealed at the COPA meeting: Sri Lanka has no accepted national policy for education; officials instructed to draft an education policy as soon as possible |
Mawbima: A white elephant worth 2.02 billion at the railway department; 1.95 billion for the communication system that links engines, control rooms and running sheds; 70 million for the maintainance of the system Dinamina: “40 countries granted free visa to Sri Lanka to develop the tourism industry” – Minister Vijitha Herath | 25,508 vehicle permits issued to public sector employees after the government suspended vehicle imports; “The importation of vehicles using permits has been temporarily suspended” – Minister Anil Jayantha Aruna: 10,000 members of the Civil Defence Force to be attached to the police for peacekeeping and internal duties Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Tamil Guardian
The excavation of graves using GPR scanners
Thinakkural, Virakesari, Thinakaran
The excavation of the Chemmani mass graves will be conducted using an imported Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) scanner, marking the first time the technology is to be used for such a purpose in Sri Lanka. This modern technology, which can penetrate obstacles such as concrete, will also be utilised to identify new potential mass graves in other areas. The GPR scanner will be used on sites that were initially identified via satellite imagery and subsequently confirmed by expert Raj Somadeva. These scanning operations are scheduled to begin soon, pending approval from the Ministry of Defence.
“Your comments as the UN high commissioner for human rights have caused those who testified to fear for their lives; ensure that the testimonies we have shared will not be shared with any authorities linked to the domestic mechanism in Sri Lanka” – The Association for the Relatives of the Enforced Disappearances in the Northern and Eastern Provinces demands
Thinakkural The Association for the Relatives of the Enforced Disappearances in the Northern and Eastern Provinces has stated that a remark made by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has sparked fear for the safety of witnesses who provided testimony to the UN. The association expressed shock and disappointment over the statement made by the high commissioner at the conclusion of his visit to Sri Lanka, which included comments praising the Office on Missing Persons (OMP). The association urged the high commissioner to issue a public clarification assuring that these testimonies would not be shared with any Sri Lankan state-affiliated authority. |
“Commence the investigation against me immediately; the false allegations against me are due to the malice of those within the party” – MP Shritharan
Thinakaran ITAK MP S. Shritharan has welcomed a complaint filed against him with the Financial Crimes Investigation Division by Convenor of the Civil Intelligence Front Sanjaya Mahawatte, regarding the alleged illegal accumulation of assets. Stating that he has no need to illegally acquire wealth, Shritharan urged that the investigation’s findings be made public. He attributed the allegations to malice, and linking the incident to his selection as party leader, suggested that individuals who previously supported him are now acting against him. The MP further noted that similar accusations made against him in the past were not investigated despite his requests. |
Five more skeletons found at Chemmani | 46 pieces of evidence recovered
Thamilan, Virakesari, Thinakkural
Thamilan, Virakesari: Five new human skeletons were identified yesterday (27th) at the Chemmani mass grave site in the Ariyalai area of Jaffna. This latest finding brings the total number of identified human skeletons to 101, with 95 having been fully excavated to date.
Virakesari, Thinakkural: 46 items of evidence, including a school bag, a small toy and a feeding bottle, have been recovered from the Chemmani mass graves so far. Thinakkural highlights that the CID is continuing to probe the administration of the Chemmani Crematorium on this matter.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Divaina
The Wedasiti Kanda chief incumbent writes to the president protesting the removal of security; the police refute the claims
Divaina, Aruna, Dinamina, Ada
Writing to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Chief Incumbent of the Wedasiti Kanda Rajamaha Viharaya Ven. Heelle Gnanananda Thera has formally protested the removal of his police security detail. The chief incumbent has stated that five of the seven officers assigned to the temple and for his personal protection, which was provided due to previous death threats against him, were withdrawn on July 25 on “orders from above.” He stressed the importance of the police post for the safety of both Buddhist and Hindu pilgrims who visit the sacred site. In response, the Police Media Division has refuted the claims as false, asserting that the security allocated for the temple has not been fully withdrawn. The police clarified that sufficient police and army personnel are still deployed to ensure the security of the sacred site and its devotees, and that only officers who were in excess have were redeployed for other law and order duties in the Kataragama area.
The government owes 200 million to [sugarcane] farmers; the Sewanagala sugarcane farmers take to the streets; sugar production comes to a halt
Divaina, Mawbima, Aruna Hundreds of sugarcane farmers in Sevanagala held a protest on July 26, demanding the payment of over Rs. 200 million in arrears from the Sevanagala Sugar Company. Representatives of the farmers accused the company’s current administration of deliberate mismanagement, alleging that the once-profitable factory is being intentionally run into the ground. Their demands also included the settlement of millions of rupees owed for transportation costs and for the factory to efficiently accept their harvest to prevent financial losses. The protestors marched to the factory gates, which were under special police protection, but no officials were available to address their grievances. The farmers have announced their intention to continue the protest at the Monaragala District Coordinating Committee meeting scheduled for July 30. |
The fundamental rights of former Gampaha SP Lakshman Cooray, who was arrested for Jeyaraj [Fernandopulle]’s murder, violated in Boossa; detaining someone based solely on suspicions is a violation of fundamental rights; the government, two TID officers and two police officers ordered to pay compensation
Divaina, Dinamina The Supreme Court has ruled that the fundamental rights of former Gampaha Superintendent of Police (SP) Lakshman Cooray were violated by officers of the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) following his arrest in 2009. Cooray was arrested and held on suspicions of aiding and abetting the assassination of former Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle. The court found that Cooray was subjected to torture and unlawfully detained for a prolonged period, violating his rights guaranteed under Articles 11 and 13(2) of the Constitution. The judgment highlighted that detaining a person for an extended period of time based solely on suspicions is a severe violation of their rights, and noted that Cooray had been remanded for nearly 14 years. The court ordered the state to pay Rs. 300,000 in compensation to Cooray, while two police officers and two TID officers were ordered to pay a total of Rs. 1 million from their personal funds. |
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: The website of the President’s Media Division
Preethi Padman Surasena sworn in as the 49th chief justice
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Dinamina, Mawbima, Ada, Thinakkural, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thamilan
Senior Supreme Court justice, Preethi Padman Surasena, was sworn in as the new chief justice of Sri Lanka before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (July 27) morning. Chief Justice Surasena, who was sworn in as an attorney in 1989, commenced his career as a state counsel at the Attorney General’s Department. He was appointed as a High Court judge in 2007 and subsequently became a Court of Appeal judge in 2016. He was appointed as the president of the Court of Appeal in 2018 and became a Supreme Court Judge in 2019.
“What human rights are these? Some in Sri Lanka are promoting same-sex marriages” – The cardinal
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Aruna, Ada, Virakesari
During a church festival in Beruwala, the archbishop of Colombo, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, described same-sex marriage as a corrupt concept that breaks down the family institution. He stated that various organisations are regrettably promoting same-sex marriages in Sri Lanka, framing it as a human right. The cardinal questioned this claim, asking how two men or two women could create a family and have children. He also commented that many young people enter marriage today based on feelings, which often turns the union into a temporary experience.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Six mobile phones seized from the “K Ward” of the Welikada Prison – Divaina, Dinamina, Thinakaran
2. Bring in foreign money for large-scale projects – a new condition for local contractors – Lankadeepa, Thamilan
3. The president leaves for the Maldives on a two-day diplomatic visit – Dinamina, Thinakaran
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