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DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS |
Tamil Headlines
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Virakesari: “Don’t miss the opportunity; this is the right time to ensure accountability and build reconciliation; proposed Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s move commendable; end impunity; amend the Prevention of Terrorism Act and Online Safety Act” – UN Human Rights Commissioner urges | Health sector employees to go on a 24-hour strike on [March] 6 | Nominations will be accepted from the 17th to the 20th; deposits for the local government elections can be paid from yesterday [3rd] to the 19th Thinakaran: Acceptance of nominations for the local government elections commenced yesterday; deposits can be paid till March 19 | “Trincomalee fuel tank (farm) should be made an international storage (facility); important talks with Japan and France” – Minister Anura Karunathilaka | “No tax on remittances from Sri Lankan workers abroad” – Anil Jayantha |
Thinakkural: Nominations will be accepted from the 17th to the 20th; election date to be announced later; Election Commission announces; Kalmunai Municipal Council; Pradeshiya Sabhas of Mannar, Poonakary, Elpitiya and Dehiattakandiya, excluded | New agreement should be signed on Katchatheevu; [Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu] Stalin urges Thamilan: Modi to visit Colombo on April 4 on a three-day visit; will visit Trincomalee and Anuradhapura | Fuel crisis ended yesterday evening | Local government election: deposits to be accepted till 19th; filing of nominations to commence on [March] 17 |
Sinhala Headlines
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Lankadeepa: LG election to be held at the beginning of May: nominations to be submitted from March 17; election of 336 local government authorities; four (sic) municipal and Pradeshiya Sabha not included in the election | “The decision has not been reversed; the 3% cut will remain – MD of CEYPETCO” Divaina: Government caught in the midst of a serious decision: distributors request the 3%; crucial meeting to take place today; CID launches investigations to check for any suspicions; “there is enough fuel in sheds for today as well” – MD of CEYPETCO Ada: Deposits for the LG election to be accepted till March 19; previous deposits worth Rs. 93 million, released |
Mawbima: Work on the LG to commence: accepting deposits till March 19: nominations to be accepted from March 17 to 20; the date of the election to be announced on March 20 | Another elephant becomes victim to the Batticaloa train; train schedules to change from March 7 due to elephants; Yukthi Kendraya to the SC against ministers of environment and transport Dinamina: The name list of politicians that purchased sheds, revealed in parliament Aruna: A medical strike over curtailing benefits and holidays; doctors prepare for strike on March 5; professionals to stage token strike on March 6 Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only |
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: The Business Standard
“Don’t miss the opportunity; this is the right time to ensure accountability and build reconciliation; proposed Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s move commendable; end impunity; amend the Prevention of Terrorism Act and Online Safety Act” – UN Human Rights Commissioner urges | “[Sri Lanka] will not accept the evidence gathering mechanism” – Himalee Arunatilaka
Virakesari
Speaking on behalf of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, the president of the UNHRC, noted that this is the right time to end the long-standing culture of impunity in Sri Lanka, to ensure accountability and to build reconciliation among communities.
The president emphasised that the relatives of the disappeared who have been struggling for truth and justice for a long time should be supported and that the Office of the Missing Persons (OMP) should function effectively so that they can provide solutions.
It was also requested that the laws including the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and the Online Safety Act (OSA) be amended in accordance with the relevant standards, as they have received complaints that surveillance of civil activists continues in the North and East.
Meanwhile, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office in Geneva Himalee Subhashini Arunatilaka told the council that Sri Lanka rejects the external evidence gathering mechanism on Sri Lanka that has been set up using these “divisive and intrusive resolutions,” adding that mechanism on Sri Lanka within the OHCHR is an “unprecedented and ad hoc expansion of the Council’s mandate, and contradicts its founding principles of impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity.”
“I will not contest for the post of Chief Minister of the North” – S. Shritharan
Thinakkural Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) MP Sivagnanam Shritharan claimed that he will not contest the upcoming provincial council election with the aim of becoming the Chief Minister of the province. This claim has been made following a statement by Acting General Secretary of the ITAK M.A. Sumanthiran that there could be changes ahead of the upcoming provincial council election, adding that if ITAK MP S. Shritharan resigns from his parliamentary seat for any reason, he would become an MP. |
Indian PM Modi to visit Sri Lanka on April 4Thamilan Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi will arrive in Sri Lanka on April 4 on a three-day official visit. Modi will meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya. He will travel to Trincomalee to inaugurate a power project in Sampur and will pay a visit to Anuradhapura to engage in religious activities. |
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES |
Photo credits: Sri Lanka Mirror
Schedule of the Meenagaya train changed in order to protect elephants
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina
Sri Lanka Railways (SLR), in a bid to prevent frequent elephant-train collisions, has announced new speed limits and revised train schedules for night operations in areas where elephant crossings are common.
Accordingly, schedules for several trains including the Meenagaya train have been amended.
The Department of Railways, issuing a statement, added that trains will now operate outside peak elephant movement hours to minimise risks and speed limits will be enforced in high-risk zones.
“No ordinary citizen will be affected by underworld fights” – President
Mawbima President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that the ordinary citizens of the country have not and will not be affected by dealings and fights of the underworld. He added that the only response he can give to those who are attempting to sling mud at the government by trying to stir up an issue of national security, is that they must find some new trump cards to sling mud at the government. He further added that if someone is attempting to oust the government through public uprising, that will also fail. |
“All, including doctors and state employees, have been given a fair salary” – Nalinda Jayatissa
Dinamina Minister of Health Nalinda Jayatissa requested all the doctors including the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) to accept the salary increase, as the Budget presented by the current government has increased the salaries of all government employees including doctors. He made this statement while replying to a journalist’s question about the decision of the GMOA to prepare for a strike if there is no positive response regarding the doctors’ extra duty allowance and holiday allowance. |
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS |
Photo credits: Ada Derana
LG election to be held at the beginning of May: nominations to be submitted from March 17; election of 336 local government authorities; five municipal and Pradeshiya Sabha not included in the election
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The Election Commission (EC) announced that the nominations for the 2025 Local Government Elections will be accepted from March 17.
The EC added that the relevant nominations will be accepted until noon on March 20, 2025.
Accordingly, the notices regarding the acceptance of nominations for the election of Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Chairpersons, Deputy Chairpersons, and members for 336 local government institutions across the country have now been published in the respective local authorities.
The Election Commission stated that these include 28 Municipal Councils, 36 Urban Councils and 272 Pradeshiya Sabhas.
However, the Kalmunai Municipal Council, Dehiattakandiya Pradeshiya Sabha (Ampara District), Mannar Pradeshiya Sabha (Mannar District), Punakari Pradeshiya Sabha (Kilinochchi District), and Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha (Galle District) are excluded from this election.
Additionally, the print media reported that the date of the LG election will be scheduled for the beginning of May 2025 and that the date will be announced on March 20.
A medical strike over curtailing benefits and holidays; doctors prepare for strike on March 5; professionals to stage token strike on March 6
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakkural, Thamilan
The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) stated that they will launch an island-wide token strike starting from March 5, if the government does not provide a positive response regarding the cuts in additional duty and holiday allowances for government medical officers.
Secretary to the GMOA Dr. Prabath Sugathadasa stated that the 2025 Budget has reduced these allowances and added that additional duty and holiday allowances for doctors must be restored.
Dr. Sugathadasa stressed that if this correction is not made by March 6, the GMOA will take strict decisions from March 7.
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Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Issue with the distribution of fuel also goes to the CID – Lankadeepa, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Thinakaran, Thinakkural
2. “Does the government accept the price formula of fuel? Will the electricity bill be reduced?” – (Sajith) Premadasa – Mawbima, Thamilan
3. Deshabandu to (surrender) to the police the day after tomorrow? | Police continue to search for Deshabandu – Lankadeepa, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran
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