3 October 2025 | Vol. 11, #177

DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS

Virakesari: “Hold the election under the old system” – Southern political parties unite on demands regarding provincial councils  | Photograph: Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, along with Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, offer floral tributes at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Temple Trees

Thinakaran: Mahinda Rajapaksa’s chief security officer, Neville remanded 

Thinakkural: “Strict sanctions must be imposed on those involved in human rights violations; a special rapporteur should be appointed for Sri Lanka” – MP Shritharan emphasises in Geneva  | “Thajudeen’s death; why is Namal confused?” – Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe | Mahinda’s chief security officer arrested by the CIABOC 

Thamilan: “A jungle kingdom created by the Rajapaksas! New information will be revealed soon” – Minister Bimal Rathnayake | SLS certification for water bottles and food boxes; effective from April

Lankadeepa: Tank reserve hotel belonging to Maheepala’s wife demolished; employees made to tear it [the hotel] down in secret; a response sent to the divisional secretary’s letter after one month | Mahinda Rajapaksa’s CSO remanded: Rs. 65 million acquired within his one-and-a-half-year tenure – The CIABOC informs the court 

Divaina: Mahinda Rajapaksa’s PSO Neville remanded over allegations of illegal assets amounting to Rs. 28 million | “Crisis in investigating 300,000 complaints: Although 967 officers are needed there are currently only 169; will investigate all complaints against politicians whether they are from the previous or current government; if I was ever on a JVP committee, Nandana [Gunathilaka] must prove that it was so; I understood how corrupted the country is only after taking up this post” – [CIABOC] Director General Ranga Dissanayake

Mawbima: This newspaper was unavailable at the time of publishing FrontPage

Dinamina: Mahinda Rajapaksa’s CSO, Neville remanded | “The inventory has not been prepared yet; that’s why the house wasn’t returned” – Mahinda Rajapaksa’s lawyer | “A new, fully equipped hospital to be built for heart patients” – Minister of Health and Mass Media Nalinda Jayatissa

Aruna: “I was not on a JVP committee” – [CIABOC] Director General Ranga Dissanayake

Anidda: Drug suspect in Tangalle alleged to be an NPP member: “Statements made by unimportant people are not relevant” – Sunil Watagala

TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES

“Government funding will continue for the Chemmani mass grave excavations; no issues at all; high-level discussions are underway” – The minister of justice

Thinakaran 

Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara announced that measures are in progress at an official level to allocate funds for the next phase of the Chemmani mass grave excavation.

Nanayakkara affirmed that the ministry possesses adequate funds for excavation activities at suspected mass grave sites in the North and East. He also confirmed that funding has been fully allocated for the Kurukkalmadam mass grave.

Nanayakkara emphasised that the Ministry of Justice is expediting the necessary procedures to release the required funds, stating that there are no financial obstacles for the excavations.

“Hold the election under the old system” – Southern political parties unite on demands regarding provincial councils

Virakesari

Political party representatives have insisted that local government and provincial council elections be held within the current year under the old electoral system. The demand was made during a discussion in Colombo organised by the National Movement for Social Justice.

Participants of the discussion noted that the NPP election manifesto had guaranteed that these elections would be held within one year of assuming power. The movement’s leader and former speaker, Karu Jayasuriya, initiated the discussion, highlighting that the provincial council elections have been unconstitutionally delayed for several years. He emphasised the particular importance of holding elections for the Northern and Eastern Provinces to return administrative responsibilities to the people’s representatives.

Jayasuriya argued that further delaying the polls for the sake of amending delimitations would be an injustice and suggested a minor amendment to the current law to facilitate holding the elections under the previous system.

“There should be no delay in allocating funds for the Chemmani excavation” – Sumanthiran emphasises, citing previous incidents

Virakesari 

ITAK General Secretary M.A. Sumanthiran urged the government to ensure that the the necessary funds are alloacted without delay so that the Chemmani mass grave excavation is not suspended. Sumanthiran recalled that past excavations of other mass graves were halted due to a lack of funding.

The Jaffna Magistrate’s Court postponed the case regarding the excavation [at Chemmani] until October 13, as the state counsel requested more time to submit the budget approval report for the third phase of the exhumation.

A total of 240 human skeletons have been identified during the 54 days of the first two phases of the excavation at Chemmani, of which 239 have been fully exhumed.

“Pillayan directly linked to the Easter Sunday attacks” – Minister Ananda Wijepala

Thinakaran, Thinakkural 

Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs
Ananda Wijepala stated that investigations have confirmed that former State Minister Sivanesathurai Santhirakanthan, alias Pillayan, was directly involved in the Easter Sunday attacks.

Speaking on a television programme telecast on a privately-owned TV channel, the minister stated that the inquiry also revealed Pillayan had prior knowledge of the attack.

Wijepala noted that a proper investigation into the Easter Sunday attacks is still ongoing, as stated in the NPP election manifesto. He added that there has been some progress, and a formal investigation is now underway into the shortcomings and negligence of the initial probes.

SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES

“The government has not given a proper anwer to the wind power plant issue” – Mujibur Rahman

Dinamina

SJB MP Mujibur Rahman stated that if a problem arises concerning the government’s development projects, the government must hold a discussion with the public and provide answers. He stressed that the government must ensure the public understands the necessity of the wind power project for the country. Rahman made these remarks at a media briefing held at the SJB main office the day before yesterday (1st).

Addressing the media, the MP noted that the people of Mannar held a massive protest against the government, demanding a halt to the construction of the Mannar wind power plant.

He stated that many facts have been revealed, including that the construction is causing harm to the lives of the local population, creating significant environmental pollution, and obstructing migratory birds from visiting the region. Rahman stressed that despite this, the government has not acted to provide a proper answer regarding the harm being caused to the public and the ecosystem by the construction of the Mannar wind power plant. 

“Amendments to the Penal Code, directives and guidelines to be sent to schools” – Education Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa

Dinamina

Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education Nalaka Kaluwewa stated that directives and guidelines regarding the corporal punishment of children will be issued to schools after parliamentary procedures related to the amendment of the Penal Code are concluded.

Kaluwewa stated that the bill for the amendment of the Penal Code related to the corporal punishment of children has already been submitted to parliament by the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs.

The debate on the second reading of the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill was held in the parliament recently, and following the conclusion of its future proceedings, relevant instructions and guidelines for schools are scheduled to be issued by the Ministry of Education.

COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS