Ministry of Defence  – Media Centre

A special discussion to resolve issues related to the pensions of retired war veterans and the payment of Widows and Orphans Pension (W&OP) to families of fallen war heroes was held on May 30 at the Ministry of Defence under the patronage of Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd).

Discussions centered on a number of relevant issues including concerns related to the recruitment of Sri Lankan retired war veterans on payment basis for the Russo-Ukrainian war. Information on injured and killed Sri Lankan veterans was taken up and it was also discussed on possible future steps concerning the payment of pensions or widows and orphans contributions to retired war veterans and affected families.

Accordingly, the Defence Secretary instructed relevant officials to take necessary action to obtain accurate information on Sri Lankan military personnel involved in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict—those who went missing, died during the hostilities, or are currently being held as prisoners of war by both sides. He also requested the Director General of the Pensions Department to explore the possibility of establishing a pension scheme or other financial assistance program for these individuals, based on the information thus obtained.

In addition, the issues raised by retired war veterans and their families regarding the payment of pensions and widows and orphans contributions were also discussed during the Public Day Programme held at the Ministry of Defence on May 28 and 30. The Defence Secretary also instructed relevant officials to continue providing support and to take prompt action to resolve issues faced by retired and disabled war veterans.

The meeting was attended by Director General of the Pensions Department, senior Defence Ministry officials, tri-forces officers and several family members of Sri Lankans believed to have gone missing during the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.

Ministry of Defence  – Media Centre

After a six-year interval, the National Border Management Committee (NBMC) of Sri Lanka reconvened for its 9^th session on 30 May 2025 at the Ministry of Defence marking a significant step towards strengthening Sri Lanka’s border security framework amidst evolving global and regional security dynamics. The meeting was held under the guidance of Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha.

The NBMC was initially established under the leadership of the Defence Secretary as part of the Integrated Border Management Strategy (IBMS) – an initiative introduced over a decade ago with the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the governments of Australia and Canada. This strategy aimed to address emerging threats posed through national borders, with particular focus on irregular migration. Since its inception, eight NBMC sessions were held prior to a long pause since 2021. During this time, only the Border Risk Assessment Centre (BRAC), created under the IBM strategy, remained operational under the purview of the Ministry of Defence.

Recognizing the increasing importance of structured border management in the context of shifting geopolitical and security landscapes globally and particularly in the region, the Ministry of Defence took proactive measures to reactivate the NBMC.

The Committee’s recent session brought together senior representatives from key stakeholders including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, Department of Immigration and Emigration, Civil Aviation Authority, Sri Lanka Customs, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Police, and the Department of Coast Guard, among others. Several critical decisions and consensus points were reached during the session.

Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Thuyacontha emphasized the pivotal role that a robust national security plays in achieving sustainable economic growth, especially through promoting tourism, and attracting foreign investments. He emphasised that border security is a fundamental pillar of national security, and called for the active involvement and accountability of all relevant institutions.

During the meeting in-depth discussions were held on emerging threats such as irregular migration, cross- border trafficking of humans, narcotics, and contraband, movement of extremists and terrorists, and evasion of law by organized criminals escaping through international borders.

The Defence of Secretary highlighted the pressing need for swift and coordinated responses to these threats and reiterated Sri Lanka’s commitment to regional and international obligations regarding border protection. He also acknowledged and appreciated the continued support extended by the governments of Australia, Canada, and the IOM, while expressing hope for their continued collaboration in future initiatives.

The Defence of Secretary also extended his gratitude to the Ministry staff and all participating officials for their contribution in revitalizing the NBMC after a long pause. He issued clear directives to ensure the committee operates as a dynamic and adaptive body, evolving in line with emerging threats while remaining aligned with its foundational strategic objectives.

SOCIETY FOR PEACE. UNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN SRI LANKA

Dear Hon Mcdermott

Kindly have a look at the letter sent herewith and the report of abuses against the civilians caused by the LTTE which was the cause of the war and political stand of the Sri Lankan govt to uphold democratic system of governance and protect the people and the country.

We trust that you will have the time to pursue the issues covered in the letter and the report  as a democratically elected member of the Parliament

Thanking you

SOCIETY FOR PEACE. UNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN SRI LANKA-VIC

SOCIETY FOR PEACE, UNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN SRI LANKA -NSW 

Courtesy The Morning

23 May 2025 | BY Prof. Tissa Vitarana

The world is in a state of economic, social and political crisis. There are those who predict the end of the world, which includes some religious leaders and their followers. But, all the leaders of the great religions did not live in a capitalist society; it was feudal, slave or tribal. 

To understand what is happening today, a scientific understanding of the capitalist system is required and this was provided by Karl Marx. Marxists scientifically showed that it was conflicts due to exploitation of the vast majority of humanity by a small elite minority, the super-rich, that led to the collapse of the great slave and feudal civilisations of the past. They showed that the capitalist system too would collapse, and that for humanity to survive, the only hope was to live in harmony in a socialist society. This would be a stable system as it would be free of exploitation of humans by humans, and without divisions based on classes into elitists and those who are poor. The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) has adopted gradual regime change to save Sri Lanka and a beautiful life on it, as best we can.

Since its formation in 1935, it was the LSSP that led the fight against the malaria epidemic, and for complete independence from colonial rule under British Imperialism. The LSSP alone was banned and its leaders like Dr. N.M. Perera and Dr. Colvin R. de Silva were jailed. While the capitalist and feudal political leaders were satisfied with the limited independence gained in 1948, the LSSP continued the fight for complete independence which would include sovereignty, which still remained with the British ruler. This was finally achieved only 24 years later when Dr. de Silva became the Minister of Constitutional Affairs in the 1970 Coalition Government and he drafted the 1972 Republican Constitution that was passed in the Parliament. Only then did we get full independence (India led by M.K. Gandhi, J. Nehru and B.R. Ambedkar took only three years to gain sovereignty). This is a good indication of who were the real nationalists in both the countries, and the real anti-imperialists. When the United National Party Government placed the burden of the food crisis on the poor by raising the price of rice by three times, it was the LSSP that organised the hartal, the nation-wide protest against it, losing nine of our cadres, led by D. Edwin Weerasinghe Gunasekera.

In 1935, the LSSP made 22 demands which included free education and health, and complete trade union rights for all employees, which they won, through general strikes and other struggles. The LSSP built up a strong trade union movement in the Government sector (the Government Workers Trade Union Federation) and also in the private sector (the Ceylon Federation of Labour). They led strikes and protest marches in support of their demands for living wages and other workers rights. These are now enshrined in the labour laws of the land which the employers have to observe mandatorily. It was in the 1970 Coalition Government, where the LSSP had 19 Parliamentarians out of a total of 95, that the British-owned plantation sector was nationalised when Dr. de Silva became the Minister of Plantation Affairs and established the State Plantation Corporation. R.A. Leslie H. Gunawardana of the LSSP became the Minister of Transport and with the help of Anil Moonesinghe formed the Ceylon Transport Board and the state bus service, ending the monopoly by the private Bus companies whose main interest was to make money without properly serving the passengers. Dr. Perera, as the Finance Minister, produced a balanced budget, and not a deficit budget, like all others including the present Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna/National People’s Power (JVP/NPP) Finance Minister (Rs.2.2 billion for this year [2025]). The latter has continued to resort to foreign borrowing and our debt has increased to United States (US) Dollars ($) 84 billion. Dr. Perera reduced borrowing to the lowest level in our history. Together with Hector S.R.B. Kobbekaduwa, using household waste, he achieved a considerable level of food self-sufficiency. By discouraging imports, he promoted the national economy by increasing local food production and value added industries. Dr. Perera developed a scheme to ensure that no one went hungry, and that prices were kept low by linking producer and consumer cooperatives through an official identity card, preventing exploitation by middlemen. His economic policies helped Sri Lanka to emerge from the periodic severe capitalist economic crises, which were made several times worse by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries fossil fuel crisis of 1972/1973, when oil prices increased seven times, by burdening only the exploiting super-rich. There were no indirect taxes like Value Added Tax (VAT) on the people, which the NPP/JVP is continuing at present.

Inspired by the LSSP leaders, as the Minister of Science and Technology, I established 263 Vidatha Centres, one in every then available Division, and I am informed that over 30,000 small and medium entrepreneurs have arisen country-wide and more than 1,000 of them are successful exporters. To become a developed country without poverty, we must develop a hi-tech industry that can compete abroad as well, and I set up a Nanotechnology Centre at Homagama, the only one in South Asia. 

As true socialists, we have no blood on our hands and have never damaged public or private property. No elected LSSP member has been guilty of stealing or the misuse of public property or their power. As true scientific socialists, with the necessary knowhow and experience, it is the LSSP that can make the system change that will enable Sri Lanka to minimise exploitation and poverty and mobilise the people to make our country a sustainable developed country.

Issues and problems: LSSP solutions 

Climate change impact on agriculture: 

Excessive drought and rain and at wrong times destroying crops, especially rice. The cause: carbon dioxide gas from fossil fuel (petrol, diesel, gas and coal) used for energy here and abroad. Global warmth together with unpredictable weather can lead to food shortages and starvation.

Replacing fossil fuels for energy by renewables like solar is an urgent global need though the international fora is continuing for its implementation globally, mainly in industrial states. US President Donald J. Trump does not accept this possibility, and, by shifting industries back to the US, a major threat can arise globally. Stop the Trump threat.

Hunger: 

The income of 70% of families in Sri Lanka is below the poverty line. They cannot have three meals a day. Many parents have one meal a day and children two. The rice gives energy to work and play. But, growing children need protein, vitamins and minerals. When this is absent, especially in the first five years of life, physical and mental development drops and this can eventually result in mentally subnormal dwarfs. The malnutrition level which was 14.3% has doubled. Present and future generations will suffer permanently. 

Properly identify families in need, by the public health service (Public Health Inspectors, Public Health Nurses). The LSSP will ensure that an honest committee of members and officials execute and use the funds.

Poverty: 

Poverty is increasing worldwide, and so is the gap between the super-rich and the poor. This is both within countries and between countries and is leading to political instability and social unrest, and localised wars. Even the middle class is badly affected. So long as the economic exploitation of the vast majority of humans, like the workers, by a handful of super-rich capitalists, the hegemonists, continues to increase, poverty will grow. This is being made worse in Sri Lanka as the JVP/NPP Government is continuing to place the burden of the crisis on the poor, working and middle classes by levying VAT and other indirect taxes. By reducing the liability for direct taxation from Rs. 400,000 to Rs. 150,000, the middle class has been badly hit. This is directly felt by the Government servants (the Pay As You Earn system). Why no increase of the super-rich tax?

Introduce the LSSP’s ‘solidarity economic system’, that is now widely practiced in capitalist Europe and developing economies like India. The ownership of an enterprise is vested in the employees at all levels, and not in a company or a capitalist. Employee councils manage the enterprise. Besides their salaries, the employees get equal shares of the profit. State banks provide low interest credit. This has led to high yields and all waste and stealing has stopped (tea land in India).

Agriculture, Govt. and private debt: 

Foreign and local debt has reached colossal levels. The foreign debt which stood at $ 52 billion has risen to $ 84 billion and the country was declared to be bankrupt. The President Ranil Wickremesinghe Government agreed to implement the International Monetary Fund conditionalities and obtained further loans, adding to our debt. He obtained a five year moratorium (delay in repaying the loans and interest) which the present JVP/NPP Government is taking advantage of to obtain further loans, adding to our debt. It is the next Government that will have to repay the debt with interest. Farmers and their wives are deeply in debt to traders and mill owners. Suicides go unreported.

For all types of agriculture, there is a separate fund in the Central Bank. At a low interest of 7% and without any security, this can be obtained by farmers and farmer organisations at the time of cultivation, from rural banks. The repayment can be made after the sale of the harvest. LSSP representatives will ensure that all farmer organisations are informed so that the loans could be obtained in time. For rural enterprises, if they are submitted through the Vidatha Centres, low interest loans without security will be made available from the People’s Bank. There must be a gradual shift away from chemical agriculture to organic farming (swabha daham govithena) with the maximal use of domestic waste. End exploitation by the mill owner mafia, by supporting the small miller-farmer link.

Acute shortage of medicines in govt. hospitals: 

The lack of medicines in Government hospitals and clinics forces poor patients to buy these medicines from private pharmacies. They cannot pay the very high price and without the medicine, they fall ill and die prematurely. These go unreported, but estimates are that thousands die monthly.

When the LSSP was in the Coalition Government of 1970/1975 and Dr. Perera was the Finance Minister, he got the Prof. Senaka Bibile Medicinal Drug Policy properly implemented. The result was that medicines were available for practically every illness at all government hospitals free of charge. The Osu Sala was established in Colombo. Franchise Osusalas were established in other areas to compete with the private sector to reduce the price and ensure quality. The LSSP Health Department Unions and the Government Medical Officers Association gave full support.

Direct American threat to SL:

The US is in desperate need to make Sri Lanka its main military base in the Indian Ocean to service nearly 100 military ships. Its base in the Diego Garcia island which belongs to Mauritius, had to be returned to it by the end of 2024 on a decision by the International Court of Justice. Wickremesinghe agreed to sign the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with the US to allow Sri Lanka to be used as a US base, but, as he had no mandate from the people at a General Parliamentary Election, he could not. The JVP/NPP Government must under no circumstances sign the SOFA which allows the US to bring in any arms without Customs inspection and use all our ports. For any crime, US soldiers commit, the Sri Lankan law does not apply, only the American law. Like in Okinawa, Japan, the US soldiers can get away with rape and even murder. The Millennium Challenge Corporation Agreement allows the US multinational corporations to control the Sri Lankan private economy. Sri Lanka will become a colony once again.

Under no circumstances should Sri Lanka sign these two Agreements, or even get into a position that it can be forced upon us to do so.

Danger from India: 

The immature JVP/NPP Government is mishandling the relationship between our two Governments at all levels. The 1970 Sirima R.D. Bandaranaike-led Sri Lanka Freedom Party/LSSP-led left-centre Coalition Government dealt with the Indian Government on equal terms. The sovereignty of Sri Lanka was respected at all levels of activity. It would appear that since then it has declined and reached the lowest level with this JVP/NPP Government. No discussion as it would appear, occurred at both the Cabinet of Ministers and Parliamentary levels, and after signing the Agreements, the public has not been informed. What has appeared in the print media is alarming. For instance, the purchase of medicines is to be given to one Indian pharma company. All digitalising is to be done by one Indian company which would have all our data. India would gain control of the Sri Lankan power grid. The Defence Pact – terms unknown. The JVP/NPP is betraying Sri Lanka’s sovereignty, and probably its independence, to India.

The JVP/NPP should not have signed any agreement with India on the lines mentioned in the media. If it has signed it, then it should be made public and also moved in the Parliament. It could then be brought up in the Supreme Court. There, it should be rejected as it violates the Constitution. This can then be conveyed to the Indian Government as being null and void. The JVP/NPP Government should resign forthwith and a fresh General Election held by the Election Commission. It is becoming clear that the JVP/NPP is not capable of governing the country, and the quicker it quits the better for the country and the people!

(The writer is the Leader of the LSSP)

National Development Bank PLC

Taking a bold and future-focused step in the journey of empowering Sri Lankan women, NDB Bank, together with News 1st, is proud to unveil the next phase of the Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana initiative, a long-term sustainability model aimed at nurturing and advancing women entrepreneurs. Building on the remarkable success of the Sri Lanka Vanithabhimana Awards, this new chapter is designed not only to celebrate women’s achievements but also to catalyse meaningful economic transformation through structured support and upskilling.

The launch event held on the 29^th of May 2025, was graced by distinguished guests and media representatives. “As part of our sustainable efforts through Vanithabhimana, we are proud to launch this programme that will equip women entrepreneurs with critical skills for business growth,” stated Kelum Edirisinghe, the CEO of NDB Bank during the ceremony. “With over 140 women entrepreneurs already registered since opening applications, this initiative demonstrates the strong demand for structured entrepreneurial development in Sri Lanka.” 

This sustainable model has been carefully developed with a five-year vision, aligning with the nation’s critical priorities such as job creation, foreign exchange earnings, and enabling women to scale their businesses to international standards.

As the inaugural phase of this programme, NDB Bank will launch the Women’s Entrepreneurship Support Course (Vanitha Vyawasayakathva Athwela), a three-month programme meticulously designed to provide practical knowledge and real-world insights to aspiring and existing women entrepreneurs. This course will be conducted free of charge and will cover a range of key areas, including Business Administration, Human Resource Management, Accounting, Sales, and Marketing, delivered by experienced professionals and industry experts.

Through this initiative, participants will not only gain vital business acumen but also access a supportive ecosystem that encourages resilience, innovation, and growth. The course will be available to any enthusiastic women entrepreneurs eager to elevate their business.

NDB Bank invites women from across Sri Lanka to take part in this transformative journey. By participating in the Vanithabhimana upskilling programme, women will be equipped with the tools needed to become strong contributors to the national economy and respected leaders in their fields.

The Vanithabhimana up-skilling programme cements NDB’s role not just as a banking partner but as a nation-building institution devoted to creating lasting, positive impact through empowerment and inclusion. For more details visit https://www.ndbbank.com/banking-on-women/vanithabhimana or contact Thishani at 0765699251.

NDB Bank is the fourth-largest listed commercial bank in Sri Lanka. NDB was named Sri Lanka’s Best Bank for Corporates at Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2024 and was awarded Domestic Retail Bank of the Year – Sri Lanka and Sri Lanka Domestic Project Finance Bank of the Year by Asian Banking and Finance Magazine (Singapore) Awards 2024. NDB is the parent company of the NDB Group, comprising capital market subsidiary companies, together forming a unique banking and capital market services group. The Bank is committed to empowering the nation and its people through meaningful financial and advisory services powered by digital banking solutions.

‘PATHFINDER NATIONAL SECURITY BRIEF

INTRODUCTION

Over time, the illicit drug trade has evolved into one of the most lucrative global industries, its tendrils now extending across multiple regions and presenting a profound challenge to global peace and stability. Drug trafficking is a transnational illegal commerce involving cultivators, manufacturers, transporters, suppliers, and distributors, all operating in defiance of drug prohibition laws. According to the Global Financial Integrity report published by the Washington-based think tank in March 2017, the global business of transnational crime is estimated to generate between $1.6 trillion and $2.2 trillion annually. This study, The Pathfinder Foundation team, which assessed the criminal market across 11 categories, revealed that drug trafficking accounted for the second-highest value, ranging between $426 billion and $526 billion in 2014 alone, constituting approximately 1% of total global trade in that year. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) World Drug Report 2022 highlighted that in 2020, an estimated 284 million individuals aged 15-64 globally used drugs within that year, with 209 million consuming cannabis, 61 million using opioids, and 31 million engaging with amphetamines, reflecting a 20% increase over the decade. Furthermore, the report highlights that in 2022, approximately 7 million people were in formal contact with the police for drug-related offences, and over 1.6 million people were convicted globally. 

Transnational criminal syndicates traffic a range of drugs, including cannabis, cocaine, heroin, and synthetic substances, across various regions, generating substantial financial gains and perpetuating violence and criminality within societies. Drug trafficking is an enterprise primarily driven by monetary incentives, serving as a significant revenue source for organised criminal factions. Many of these syndicates are also involved in other heinous activities, such as arms and human trafficking, money laundering, immigration offences, and they are even implicated in the financing of terrorism. The trade in illicit drugs has the most harmful societal, political, and economic consequences, threatening the very fabric of societies through addiction, criminality, and the spread of disease. Technological advancements, liberal economic policies, poverty, endemic corruption, and, notably, the lack of robust national legislative frameworks capable of addressing the evolving dynamics of drug trafficking, have become key contributors to the proliferation of this illicit trade, thereby jeopardising global security structures.

AIM

In this context, The Pathfinder Foundation in this study aims to investigate the interconnected roles of cultivators, producers, transporters, suppliers, and dealers within the drug trafficking network and to identify the potential threats and security challenges posed to the South Asian region, particularly from a Sri Lankan perspective.

OVERVIEW OF DRUG TRAFFICKING IN SOUTH ASIA

The South Asian region has increasingly become a significant conduit for illicit drugs destined for the international market, with the “Golden Crescent,” covering the mountainous peripheries of Afghanistan and Pakistan, extending into eastern Iran and known to be the largest supplier of narcotic substances globally. Additionally, the “Golden Triangle,” a mountainous region bordering Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos, has been identified as one of the world’s foremost areas for the production of synthetic drugs, alongside traditional opium cultivation. The opium production originating from these two regions, located at the crossroads of Central, South, and West Asia, accounts for approximately 90% of the global illicit drug trade. Opium production in Central and West Asian countries is transported via the Arabian Sea towards the final destinations in the West and the East. Consequently, India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives have become key transit points in the eastern maritime path known as the Southern route.”

  Indicative Afghan Heroin Trafficking Routes

Source: UNDOC Research publication in June 2015. UNODC elaboration is based on seizure data from the Drug Monitoring Platform, Individual Drug Seizures, and Annual Report Questionnaires, supplemented by national and other official reports.

OVERVIEW OF DRUG TRAFFICKING IN INDIA

India’s strategic proximity to both the “Golden Crescent” and the “Golden Triangle,” along with its extensive pharmaceutical industry, has made the country vulnerable as both a destination and transit point in the global drug trade. According to the Narcotic Control Bureau (NCB), approximately 70% of the illegal drugs entering India are smuggled via sea routes from the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The World Drug Report 2022 states that India ranks fourth in the volume of opium seized in 2020, with 5.2 tons confiscated, and third in the amount of morphine seized, totalling 0.7 tons in the same year. The Indian coastal belt, which stretches across the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, along with neighbouring countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and the Maldives, is particularly vulnerable to maritime trafficking, given their exposure to trafficking routes across the Indian Ocean. 

OVERVIEW OF DRUG TRAFFICKING IN SRI LANKA

Sri Lanka’s geographic location has invariably positioned the country as a pivotal conduit in the international drug supply chain, linking the East to the West. In Sri Lanka, most illicit drugs, originating overseas, are trafficked into the country via the Arabian Sea. The trafficking operations are notably complex, involving multiple actors: growers, producers, transporters, dealers, and local distributors. Often, the dealers are of Sri Lankan origin who reside in the Gulf region. The suppliers originate from tribal areas in Pakistan, and the transporters or smugglers, typically of Iranian origin, operate across the Indian Ocean. The local distributors, often based along Sri Lanka’s coastal belt, are directly linked to criminal syndicate leaders in the Middle East. In addition to maritime routes, trafficking occurs via container shipping, airline passengers, and postal services, including fast parcels.

The National Dangerous Drug Control Board (NDDCB) is the principal national institution mandated with the prevention and control of drug abuse in Sri Lanka. Established in 1984, its primary objective is to eradicate the drug menace from the country. According to a 2024 research publication by the NDDCB, the total number of drug-related arrests in 2023 reached 162,088. Of these arrests, 66,142 (40.8%) were related to heroin, 68,845 (42.2%) to cannabis, and 26,096 (16.1%) to methamphetamine. This marks a 90% increase in drug-related arrests from the 89,321 recorded in 2019. The same report highlights a steady rise in the quantity of drugs seized between 2019 and 2022, with cannabis seizures more than doubling and methamphetamine seizures increasing significantly during that period. Correspondingly, arrests for drug-related offences have also risen in line with the increase in drug seizures during the same timeframe.

Drug Related Arrests in Sri Lanka (2019-2023)

Source: The National Dangerous Drug Control Board (NDDCB) publication on Drug Related Statistics, Arrests & Treatment January – December 2023

Quantity of Drug Seized in Sri Lanka (2019-2023)

Source: The National Dangerous Drug Control Board (NDDCB) publication on Drug Related Statistics, Arrests & Treatment, January – December 2023

Recent studies conducted by the NDDCB on illicit drug use in Sri Lanka indicate a significant shift in consumption patterns. Initially, cannabis was the predominant drug consumed, particularly by those residing in urban townships. However, over time, there has been a marked transition towards methamphetamine use. Several studies, undertaken by both government and non-government research institutions in the region, have further corroborated this alarming trend, highlighting a sharp rise in the use of synthetic drugs. While the timeframes for these shifts may vary across different destinations due to a range of factors, the overall trend underscores the growing prevalence of artificial drugs within the region.

EMERGING TRENDS AND CHALLENGES

A report released by the Research and Trend Analysis Branch of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), based on a survey of opium cultivation and production in Afghanistan, following the ban imposed by the de facto authorities in Afghanistan (DfA) on poppy cultivation and all narcotic substances in April 2022, reveals a dramatic 95% decline in cultivation in 2023. Notably, however, the same research found that, in contrast to opiates, methamphetamine trafficking continues to surge within the region. An analysis of emerging trends and evolving patterns in drug trafficking indicates a significant shift from traditional narcotics to synthetic drugs, such as amphetamine-type stimulants and chemical precursors. In the long term, these developments may result in a change of heroin purity coming into the market, an increase in addiction, particularly among youth and potential demand for opiate treatment facilities,  etc.

The centralisation of command structures, the use of advanced technology, and the decentralisation of distribution networks, in response to increased demand, have generated larger profits for criminal syndicates and facilitated the expansion of trafficking networks across regions. The evolution of digital communication platforms has introduced a novel dimension to both the demand and distribution of illicit drugs. With rapid technological advancements, drug traffickers are leveraging online platforms to identify, market, and deliver their products to end users at competitive rates while minimising risk for both suppliers and recipients. Moreover, access to these illicit substances has become easier than ever, resulting not only in an increase in demand but also in a significant potential threat to the social fabric of societies.

PATHFINDER WAY FORWARD

Development and Implementation of an Effective National Drug Control Strategy: The South Asian region is characterised by a mix of post-conflict, least-developed, and middle-income states, each facing common and unique challenges. Regional cooperation is essential for an effective and coordinated response to the drug problem. A reformed, coordinated, and concentrated effort involving all stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society, academia, and other relevant segments, is imperative for the development and implementation of an effective strategy in combating drug trafficking in the region.

International Cooperation, Collaboration, and Coordination: International cooperation remains fundamental in developing a comprehensive solution to the drug trafficking threat. Sharing data, knowledge, and expertise with international partners will enable the identification of new trends and facilitate the design of programmatic responses to address these emerging issues. Creating a common regional information-sharing platform to share intelligence and real-time information would further strengthen cooperation, collaboration, and coordination among inter- and intra-regional agencies to disrupt drug trafficking in the region.

Incorporation of UN Drug Control Conventions into Domestic Legal Frameworks: Although almost all nations are currently parties to the UN International Drug Control Conventions of 1961, 1971, and 1988, their provisions are not fully incorporated into domestic legal frameworks. Therefore, it is vital to include the said provisions into local legislations and policies in compliance with international drug control conventions, as this would significantly contribute to combating drug trafficking.

Research and Survey: Understanding the intricate connections between cultivators, producers, transporters, suppliers, dealers, and the complex web of individuals and criminal syndicates involved in drug trafficking and consumption presents significant challenges. The effectiveness of current global and regional anti-narcotic measures further adds to the uncertainty in predicting the threats posed by drug trafficking. Therefore, continuous research and surveys are essential. These efforts not only assist in combating drug trafficking but also help nations identify emerging trends, assess potential threats to national security, and develop strategies to mitigate their impact.

Enhancement of Capacity and Capabilities of all Stakeholders: It is of paramount importance to enhance the capacity and capabilities of relevant government agencies, civil society, academia, and other relevant segments, particularly through the provision of financial and technical assistance aimed at combating organised crime, corruption, and terrorism.

This is the First in the series of ‘PATHFINDER NATIONAL SECURITY BRIEF  issued by the Pathfinder Foundation. Readers’ comments via email to pm@pathfinderfoundation.org are welcome.

Nava Thakuria

Personal integrity essential for a professional journalist:   Tripathi

Devarshi Narad Jayanti Award-2025 conferred on Shantanu Tamuli

Guwahati: The world’s  first journalist Devarshi Narad  did not have a palatial bungalow and he did not practice journalism with the royal patronage even though he had access to all Gods. But the present trend of journalism depicts a dark picture while some are running behind the government sponsorship and others are pursuing anti-national policies, observed nationally acclaimed journalist and political commentator Harshvardhan Tripathi, while delivering  the keynote address in Narad Jayanti program held at Sudarshanalaya in the city on Sunday (1 June 2025). Asserting that the role of opposition parties and a section of media groups remain disappointing, while India is relentlessly waging a war against terrorism,  Tripathi asserted that many scribes have not acquired the courage to report the Pahalgam terror attack with a correct perspective.

Many of them once made fun out of India-made  arms and ammunition, but those weapons developed with indigenous technologies succeeded against Pakistan, which hired defence equipment  from the USA, China and Turkey. The journalism in India continues to be directionless when it becomes necessary to report from the ground. To report any complex situation,  the present day media fraternity needs the inspiration from Devarshi Narad, who was fearless, focused and with no greed. When the journalists deal with fake news and fake checking arrangements, they need to be more  honest and morally correct, observed Tripathi.

Appreciating the initiative  of Vishwa Samvad Kendra, Assam for organising the annual event  to commemorate the birth anniversary of Devarshi Narad,  the outspoken editor-journalist reminded the media persons that they do not have more rights than a common Indian and how to live as simple as possible with the high integrity and honesty was shown by Narad Muni. Criticizing the journalists, who often stand behind the defeated candidates in a recognized election with an aim to declare them winners, Tripathi termed them nuisance makers instigating anarchy in the society.

Prominent Assamese children’s writer and editor of ‘Mouchak’ and ‘Natun Aabiskar’, Shantanu Tamuli (origin name Pramod Tamuli) was presented the annual Devarshi Narad Jayanti Award. Receiving the award  for the year 2025, carrying a Cheleng Chadar, a momentum,  a citation and a cheque for  Rs 50,000 along with a collection of books, Tamuli offered his gratitude to the organizers and the readers of both the Assamese magazines, he continues to edit. Three city-based working journalists namely Himanshu Pathak (Asomiya Khabar), Diganta Saharia (Prag News) and Khanin Deka (Niyomiya Barta) were also felicitated on the occasion.

VSK Assam secretary Kishor Shivam welcomed the audience, where its president Gauranga Sharma, vice-president Guru Prasad Medhi along with  Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s Asom Khetra Prachar Pramukh  Sunil Mahanty, Assam Publication Board secretary  Pramod Kalita  and many other dignitaries were present.  The program,  began with the lighting of a sacred lamp in front of Bharat Mata’s figurine, was enriched by Sharat Rag’s Narad  Strotra and it was moderated by Naba Bujarbarua.

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)

This questionnaire is designed with the view to make a realistic assessment of the problem of court delays with the view to develop a report which could be used in discussions for dealing with this problem. 

The Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC) is a sister organization of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). AHRC and ALRC have worked on the issues related to justice and human rights for over 30 years. In the course of this work, the AHRC and ALRC and their partner organizations have collected enormous amounts of information and data on the problems related to Sri Lanka’s System of Administration of Justice. All such data and information has been well documented over this entire period. This documentation is available in print by way of many books and other publications produced by the AHRC and ALRC. Most of these materials are made available on the internet. Besides books, other materials have been published through other forms of publications, such as electronic and internet publications. 

(For previous publications, please see: http://www.humanrights.asia/resources/)

The questionnaire

(All information provided by you will be treated with confidence and any personal details will be published only with the permission of the sender.)

1. The Name:
2. Address and any other contact details such as email or telephone numbers:
3. What is the nature of the cases you have direct knowledge of? 

As     

1. Complainant
2. Accused
3. Witness 
4. Or a third party involved in the case. 
5. The nature of the case:
   1. A criminal case
   1. A civil Case
   1. A constitutional issue
   1. A fundamental rights case
   1. Any other case

1. The case number/s: 

a. Name of the particular Court,

b. Details; when the Report was filed?

c. When a charge sheet or an indictment was filed?

d. When did the trial begin?

e. How many visits have you made to the courts to attend the court sessions (if possible provide the list of such dates)?

f. How long has the case taken?

g. What is the stage of the case at this time?

1. Do you think that there had been an undue delay in the adjudication of this case?
2. Was there a delay: 
   1. At the stage of taking down complaints by the police.
   1. At the stage of the investigation.
   1. Delays after the case has been filed in the court.
   1. What are the causes of delays as you pursue them?
   1. Do you think that these delays were justified? 
   1. If these delays were not justified what do you think were the reasons for these undue delays?
   1. How do you think these delays can be avoided? 
   1. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations for changes or reforms that could bring such delays under control and gradually eliminate such delays?

If you wish to give any details about your experience on such delays you may add a write up about your experience as well as your observations. 

We hope to receive the responses to these questions as early as possible and hope to develop a substantive report on this matter as early as possible and hopefully within the coming three months. The report will also include recommendations of how to bring about improvement in achieving the objective of speedy justice. 

Send your responses to:

You may kindly send your responses to the following email address or the postal address. 

Email: court.delays@ahrc.asia  

Address: Rule of Law Forum (RLF, Sri Lanka)

BY Buddhika Samaraweera Courtesy The Morning

• A/L students file FR citing discrimination, violation of rights, fair admin. practice

A group of students has filed a fundamental rights (FR) petition before the Supreme Court (SC), challenging the recent decision to exclude local students who sat for their General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced Level (A/L) or equivalent exams in Sri Lanka from applying to the Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree programme at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU).

In the petition, the petitioners — all Sri Lankan citizens who either applied or were planning to apply for the 2025/2026 MBBS intake — say that the sudden change in eligibility criteria is unfair, discriminatory, and violates their constitutional rights under Article 12(1), which guarantees equality before the law.

The students argue that this restriction, which was only introduced after the application process had already begun and applications had been accepted, applies solely to the MBBS programme, and that all other degree programmes at the KDU remain open to local civilian students as before. 

They also point out that students with similar foreign qualifications obtained outside Sri Lanka — even if they are Sri Lankan citizens — are still allowed to apply for the MBBS programme as foreign students”. This, the petitioners say, results in the unequal treatment of students who are otherwise in the same position.

They further said that the policy shift was officially announced in the Parliament on 22 May by the fourth respondent in the case — the Deputy Defence Minister, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd.). However, the petition notes that no explanation was provided at the time or since, either in the Parliament or to the affected students and the general public. The complete lack of reasoning, they claimed, makes the decision arbitrary and contrary to principles of natural justice and fair administrative practice.

The students are accordingly asking the SC to declare that their FRs have been violated by this decision; to nullify the new eligibility rule that bars local students from applying to the MBBS programme, to direct the KDU and the relevant authorities to consider the already-submitted applications and allow prospective applicants to submit new ones based on the original eligibility criteria, to issue interim orders to halt the implementation of the decision and to ensure that applications from local students are accepted until the case is heard.

On 22 May, Jayasekara announced in the Parliament that starting from this year, admission to the KDU Medical Faculty would be limited to cadet officers and foreign students.

Lanka Leader

පසුගිය රණවිරු සැමරුම සම්බන්ධයෙන් ආණ්ඩුව ක්‍රියාකළ ආකාරය පිළිබඳව ජනතාවගේ සැකසංකා වර්ධනය වීමක් පෙන්නුම් කරන පසුබිමක ආණ්ඩුව විසින් අභිචෝදක කාර්යාලයක් පිහිටුවීමේ ක්‍රියාදාමය කරළියට පැමිණ ඇති බවත්, අධිකරණ පද්ධතියේ ඇති කාර්යක්ෂමතාව වැඩි කිරීම සඳහා ගෙනෙන දෙයක් ලෙස මතුපිටින් පෙන්නුවද මෙම අභිචෝදක කාර්යාලය ගෙන ඒමේ ඇත්ත අරමුණ එය නොවන බවත් දේශහිතෛෂී ජාතික ව්‍යාපාරයේ මහලේකම් වෛද්‍ය වසන්ත බණ්ඩාර මහතා පවසයි.

අන්තර්ජාල නාලිකාවක් සමග පැවති සාකච්ඡාවක දී ඒ මහතා පවසන්නේ මෙවැනි කාර්යාලයක් පිහිටුවිය යුතු බවට අවදාරණය කර ඇත්තේ 2024 දී එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ මානව හිමිකම් කවුන්සිලයේ මහ කොමසාරිස්වරිය බවත්, මෙය බාහිරින් පැමිණි ඇනවුමක් අනුව සිදුවුනු කටයුත්තක් බව පැහැදිලි බවත් ය.

දෙමළ ඩයස්පෝරාව සමග මේ ආණ්ඩුව ඇතිකරගෙන ඇති එකඟතා මොනවාද යන්න තවමත් හෙළිදරව් වී නැතත් මෙම අභිචෝදක කාර්යාලය පිහිටුවීම සම්බන්ධයෙන් එක්සත් ජාතීන්ගේ මානව හිමිකම් කොමිසමට යෝජනාව පැමිණෙන්නේද යම් පිරිසක් විසින් ඉතා සූක්ෂම ආකාරයෙන් එහි පිටුපස සිට මෙහෙයවීමෙන් බව පැහැදිලි වන බවද ඒ මහතා පවසයි.

දැන් ඔවුන් තවත් පියවරක් ඉදිරයට ගොස් පනත ගෙන ඒමට සූදානම් වන බවත් පවසන වසන්ත බණ්ඩාර මහතා මෙය හුදෙකලා සිදුවීමක් නොව මහා මාර්ග සිතියමක අවසන් සැතපුම බවත් හෙළිකරයි.

මෙම කාර්යාලය පිහිටුවීමෙන් පසු රණවිරුවන් දඩයම සඳහා අවශ්‍ය සියල්ල සම්පූර්ණ වන බවත් වසන්ත බණ්ඩාර මහතා අනාවරණය කරයි.

සවිස්තරාත්මක වීඩියෝව නරඹන්න.. 

Courtesy The Island

Levan

Russian Ambassador Levan S. Dzhagaryan said on Saturday that if Sri Lanka was interested in joining the BRICS alliance, it must take practical steps.Speaking during an event at the Bandaranaike International Centre for International Studies in Colombo, Ambassador Dzhagaryan said Russia and China have been offering support to Sri Lanka, but he has not seen adequate interests from the Sri Lankan side.

Responding to a question raised by a journalist about Sri Lanka joining BRICS, the Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka said, he has been questioned about the matter on several occasions.

Ambassador Dzhagaryan said, Last October, on the 1st, I met with President Anura Kumar Dissanayake and brought with me an invitation letter from the President of Russia, inviting Sri Lanka to participate in the BRICS summit. I spoke with a language interpreter, but I don’t know if the translation was accurate.

The President told me that due to the upcoming general elections, he wouldn’t be able to visit Russia. If Sri Lanka is to join BRICS, it’s not just a matter of Russia; all the member countries need to agree, and there are several steps to take before that happens.”

Ambassador Dzhagaryan stated that he has not seen much interest at the moment and therefore requested Sri Lanka to take some practical steps, if it is serious about joining BRICS.

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 YOHAN PERERA  Courtesy Daily Mirror

Colombo, June 2 (Daily Mirror) – Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekera alleged that the government suffered a loss exceeding Rs. 200 million from the recent sale of vehicles belonging to the North Central Provincial Council (NCP).

Speaking to the media, MP Jayasekera said that the government earned only Rs. 28 million from the sale of 12 vehicles, which included a BMW and several Toyota Prado SUVs.

A BMW alone is valued at Rs. 35 million, while a Prado is worth Rs. 20.5 million on the market. The total value of the fleet could have been around Rs. 310 million if sold at market prices. However, the actual proceeds amounted to just Rs. 28 million,” he said.

Jayasekera attributed the significant shortfall to the government’s decision to base the sale prices on depreciated book values, rather than factoring in insurance valuations and import duties, which he argued would more accurately reflect current market values.

The core issue is that the government treated the depreciated value as the actual value. In reality, they should have calculated the price based on the insurance value and added the applicable vehicle duties. Had this approach been followed, the revenue could have reached Rs. 310 million,” he said.

The MP warned that similar financial losses could occur if the current pricing method continues to be applied when disposing of vehicles from other state institutions.

Furthermore, Jayasekera pointed out a procedural inconsistency, noting that while authorities previously stated that excess government vehicles would be disposed of via auctions, these vehicles were in fact sold through a tender process.

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An Analysis by Dr. Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake with Pascal Lottaz at Neutrality Studies

See full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkre0dQCJRw

In a recent discussion, Dr. Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake, a social and medical anthropologist with a focus on international development and political economy, provided an in-depth analysis of the current situation in Sri Lanka. She also discussed ongoing crises in South Asia, highlighting the impacts of digital colonialism in regime change operations and the role of international financial institutions like the IMF.

She discusses the recent face-off between nuclear armed India and Pakistan that started during the visit of US Vice President J.D Vance and his Indian Diaspora wife Usha and their children to India, when attacks were staged by Islamist terrorists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.

She argues that Sri Lanka’s economic struggles are tied to a broader geopolitical conflict and the New Cold War between the United States and China. This is manifest in the form of hybrid economic proxy war in the South Asia Region. Stating that the geostrategic county’s Eurobond Debt trap is due to the predatory nature of private creditors, she calls for a reevaluation of the country’s debt situation and its foreign policy and flags the need for Odious Debt Cancellation in Global South countries.

The Current State of Sri Lanka

Dr. Rajasingham-Senanayake describes the situation in Sri Lanka as relatively calm, but warns that this calm may be the “calm before the storm.” The country is currently trapped in a cycle of debt, particularly with US dollar and euro bond obligations, which are set to come due in the next few years. This looming financial crisis is compounded by discussions of establishing a US spaceport and maritime security hub in Sri Lanka, given its strategic location in the Indian Ocean.

During the previous Cold War between the US and Soviet Union/ Russia, Sri Lanka had sought to steer a Non-Aligned Foreign Policy, but steering a middle course is increasingly difficult in the current era of Digital Colonialism, cyberwar operations and Debt Data manipulation by interested external and internal parties. National Data Security is a huge concern in a context of Data wipes of the Sri Lanka Government Cloud Storage system. She contends that the geostrategic country is experiencing hybrid economic and cyber operations amid International Financial Law fare.

Geostrategic Importance: Submarine Date Cable Routes in Seas of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka’s position at the center of Indian Ocean energy, trade and Submarine Data Cable routes makes it a focal point for international interests and three-way competition between the United States, India and China at this time. Almost 50% of global container traffic passes through its waters, leading to increased foreign interest and potential military presence. The country has effectively lost its economic sovereignty and policy autonomy to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Washington consensus following the Staged Default of 2022.

Discussions regarding a Space Port are to be contextualized alongside the Eurobond debt trap as US has always sought to establish military bases in Sri Lanka which is at the Center of the Indian Ocean. US bases have proliferated and already ring both the Eastern Indian Ocean region including the South China Sea and the Western Indian Ocean, including the Persian Gulf

Currently the US and UK have the huge Diego Garcia military base due Southwest of Sri Lanka.

The Regime Change and Its Implications

The regime change in Sri Lanka, which saw the ousting of the Rajapaksa family, was part of a broader pattern of political upheaval in South Asia. Dr. Rajasingham-Senanayake notes that the protests leading to this change and the Staged Default were funded by external entities, including the US Agency for International Development (USAID), National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the Soros Foundation. The new government, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka continued to pursue policies that align with IMF directives, despite the previous administration’s corruption.

The ruling NPP government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka failed to do Due Diligence and review agreements drafted with Bondholders, other private creditors, the largest being BlackRock, and the IMF by the previous US-backed Ranil Wickramasinghe government that it had accused of corruption.

The Role of External Forces

The discussion highlights the interconnectedness of regional politics, particularly the simultaneous regime change in Pakistan, where Prime Minister Imran Khan was ousted and later imprisoned amid allegations of US involvement. Prime Minister Khan named Donald Lu, then US Under-Secretary for South and Central Asia. Similarly, Bangladesh last year saw a regime change. This pattern suggests a coordinated effort to reshape political landscapes in South Asia, often at the expense of local governance and sovereignty.

India the regional hegemon now appears to have a policy of ‘beggar thy Neightbourhood First” while capitalizing on Over the Horizon regime change operations and militarizing the Indian Ocean which was declared a ‘Zone of Peace’ free of nuclear weapons during the Cold War.

BlackRock and Adani Group which are is close to the regime in Delhi have profited from Sri Lanka’s staged default in 2022. Meanwhile in the wake of staged Islamist Terror attacks in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, India is metering out collective punishment to impoverished farmers in Pakistan by withholding Indus River waters and threatening Pakistan’s food security.

However, as the example of ASEAN in contrast to SAARC shows, no county can develop when its neighbourhood is in crisis and India may be digging its own grave, while trying to profit maximize in South Asia.

Economic Crisis, Donor Darling, and Debt Dynamics

Dr. Rajasingham-Senanayake challenges the narrative that Sri Lanka is bankrupt, arguing that it is one of the wealthiest countries in South Asia by all relevant metrics, including Purchasing Power Parity, GDP per capita, human development, social development. Physical Quality of Life Index, infrastructure, etc.  However, Sri Lanka was deemed bankrupt simply because of a purported lack of ‘exorbitantly privileged’ US dollars to buy oil and gas.

Sri Lanka is a lush and fertile tropical island, with extensive fisheries and marine resources, and blessed with Mother Nature’s largess. This includes two monsoons for crop rotation and plentiful harvests, and renewable energy. Arguably, the country suffers from a geostrategic ‘resource curse”. Rather, than being bankrupt, because of its strategic location it has been a Donor Darling” which has generated a culture of Foreign Aid and Experts induced Dutch Disease. The colonial mentality of the political and business elites has ensued a dependent economy without industrialization and diversification of markets.

Stating that the Sovereign Default in 2022 was staged also with a blockade on oil and gas reaching the country in 2022 causing supply chain disruption, queues and scarcities, she questions the adequacy of the US dollar to measure the real Wealth of Nations. Indeed, the status the dollar as the global reserve currency is increasingly challenged by the BRICS countries.

Staged Disaster and Lawfare ‘Make the Economy Scream’

The geostrategic country’s first ever Sovereign Default was CORODINATED and STAGED with international and internal actors and networks, amid distracting Arab-spring style, Aragalaya protests and regime change. The shadowy off-shore Hamilton Reserve Bank’s court case in New York and coordinated Rating Agency downgrades of the Sri Lanka rupee leading to rapid depreciation were part of a pattern of International Financial Lawfare.

A series of Staged disasters to Make the Economy Scream”, including Islamic State (ISIS), claimed terror attacks on Tourist Hotels and Churches to damage economy and society in 2019, followed by two years of WHO-sanctioned economically devastating Coivd-19 Lockdowns caused the county which had been listed as upper Middle Income Country (MIC) by the World Bank in 2019 to borrow from Predatory Private Creditors when the disasters occurred and Default in 2022.

Pumping and Dumping Countries into and out of Poverty: Economic Shocks, Data and Indices manipulation

The World Bank’s Upper MIC listing meant that Sri Lanka could not access concessionary borrowings that are available to Less Developed Countries. Rather, it was forced to borrow from private creditors at predatory interest rates when the disasters struck. This caused an Odious debt pile up.

The crisis is largely due to the predatory practices of private creditors which constitute the Supply-side of Odious Debt” and the IMF’s restructuring practices, which prioritize payments to these creditors over the needs of the Sri Lankan people.

The IMF’s Role: Mission Creep turns Illiquidity into Insolvency

A liquidity crisis was turned into insolvency as the IMF does not recognize the difference between illiquidity and insolvency. Meanwhile, the IMF’s EFF and mission and mandate creep into Domestic Debt Restructure has enabled turning an illiquidity crisis into a insolvency as part of a wider disinformation game and psychological operation to claim that the country is ‘Bankrupt” an There is NO alternative to the IMF.

Moreover, the IMF’s involvement and mission and mandate creep into Domestic Debt Restructure and appropriation of retirement funds to pay bond holders, while claiming to rescue local banks has been criticized as a mechanism that reinforces colonial structures rather than alleviating economic distress. So too the privatization of the Central Bank, the austerity measures, high taxation and sell off of strategic infrastructure would shrink the economy and retard growth.

Dr. Pascal Lottaz likened the situation to a drug addiction, where Sri Lanka is compelled to seek more US dollars from the Predatory Hedge Funds (the largest being BlackRock), private creditors and International Sovereign Bondholders (ISB) to pay off existing ISB debts, perpetuating a cycle of dependency and economic hardship.

The IMF overseen ISB debt restructure seems like a corruption racket also given the beneficiary bondholders names are secret.

The Need for Alternative Solutions

The discussion raises critical questions about the future of Sri Lanka’s economic policy and the need for reform of the international financial system and IMF, as well as the need to De-dollarize to de-colonize. There are after all 56 other Global South countries in Eurobond debt traps and the IMF’s bailout business.

Dr. Rajasingham-Senanayake suggests that the country should explore alternatives to the IMF, such as engaging with China for currency swaps or seeking support from the BRICS nations and the New Development Bank. However, she notes that Sri Lanka’s historical ties to the West and colonial mentality may hinder such initiatives.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka must look East and diversify its markets and products, especially industrialize its fisheries and Rare Earth Minerals Sector including Graphite, Titanium and Zircon.

The Geopolitical Landscape

The geopolitical dynamics in South Asia are complex, with India, China, and the US vying for influence. Dr. Rajasingham-Senanayake warns that Sri Lanka’s attempts to maintain a neutral stance may be undermined by external pressures, particularly from the West, which has a history of intervening in the region.

There is an ongoing power and wealth shift from the Global North to the Global South; from the West to the East, and the current hybrid economic proxy wars which are part of the new Cold War waged by the US on China are causing the current turbulence in South Asia.

Conclusion

In an era of Digital Colonialism and cyberwar operations, Sri Lanka’s Debt Data manipulation by interested parties and Data Security is a huge concern in a context of Data wipes and manipulation of the Sri Lanka Government Cloud Storage system at this time.

Dr. Darini Rajasingham-Senanayake’s analysis of Sri Lanka’s current crisis underscores the intricate interplay of local politics, international finance, and geopolitical strategy. As the country navigates these challenges, the need for a reevaluation of its foreign policy and economic strategies becomes increasingly urgent. The discussion serves as a reminder of the broader implications of digital colonialism, through the Digital Economy and Surveillance for Full Spectrum Dominance of countries and populations and the importance of sovereignty in the face of external pressure.

See full interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kkre0dQCJRw

Shenali D Waduge

To the Prime Minister and Members of the Canadian Parliament,

We, the citizens of Sri Lanka, write to express deep concern over the growing political narrative emerging from Canada that seeks to label Sri Lanka with charges of genocide—without credible legal basis, independent verification, or contextual understanding. These allegations are largely promoted by LTTE-affiliated diaspora groups and run counter to global counterterrorism designations of the LTTE as one of the world’s most brutal terrorist organizations.

We respectfully ask: How can a country with an unresolved history of its own genocide—against its First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples—sit in judgment of others without first reconciling its own past and present injustices?

Canada’s Indigenous Genocide: A Documented and Ongoing Crime

• Colonial Seizure: Canada is a settler-colonial state. Indigenous peoples have lived in what is now called Canada for over12,000 years. European colonization began in the late 1400s, with permanent French and British settlement from the early 1600s. Over centuries, Indigenous land was systematically seized, cultures suppressed, and treaties violated. Euro-Christian settler institutions were imposed without consent, undermining native governance and sovereignty.
• Residential Schools (1880s–1996): More than150,000 Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and placed in church-run residential schools aimed at cultural erasure. Over 6,000 children are believed to have died from abuse, starvation, neglect, or disease. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2015) labelled this a form of cultural genocide—recent mass graves only confirm its horror.
• Indian Act (1876–Present): This colonial-era legislation still exists. It strips Indigenous autonomy, imposes federally controlled councils, governs land rights, and defines legal status” in a way that sustains systemic marginalization.
• Poverty, Incarceration, and Water Crises: Indigenous people compriseover 30% of Canada’s prison population, despite making up less than 5% of the total. Dozens of First Nations communities still lack access to clean water, proper housing, and health services—shocking in a G7 democracy.
• MMIWG Genocide Declaration: A 2019 National Inquiry officially declared thatCanada’s treatment of Indigenous women and girls constitutes genocide, citing systemic neglect, racism, and failure of justice institutions.

Sri Lanka’s Record: A Contrast in Democratic Maturity

• Universal Franchise Since 1931: Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) granted universal suffrage to all adults—men and women—regardless of ethnicity, decades before Canada (1940 for women, 1960 for status Indians).
• No Apartheid Laws: Sri Lanka has no equivalent to Canada’s Indian Act. Tamils have held the nation’s highest offices, including Chief Justice, Central Bank Governor, Foreign Minister, and Leader of the Opposition.
• Victory Over Terrorism: The Sri Lankan military defeated theLTTE, not the Tamil people. The LTTE was globally banned for suicide bombings, use of child soldiers, and civilian massacres. Over 300,000 Tamil civilians were rescued, not killed. Did these LTTE affiliated groups prevent a single Tamil child being turned into a child soldier by LTTE over 3 decades?

Hypocrisy in Canada’s Foreign Policy

Is Canada’s vocal support for LTTE-aligned narratives rooted in human rights—or vote-bank politics in Tamil diaspora-heavy electorates like Ontario and British Columbia?

Consider Patrick Brown, disqualified from the 2022 Canadian Conservative leadership race amid finance irregularities tied to promises of Tamil jobs and recognition of Tamil genocide.” As Brampton Mayor, he funded the Tamil Genocide Memorial, promoting a biased narrative that aligns with pro-LTTE groups—not human rights principles.

The same diaspora circles support both the Khalistan separatist movement and LTTE commemorations—an alarming convergence of radical ideologies Canada allows on its soil.

Tamil Genocide Education Week – Indoctrination, Not Education

In 2021, the Ontario Legislative Assembly passed a bill institutionalizing Tamil Genocide Education Week, which mandates teaching children an unverified, politicized narrative as historical fact. This initiative:

• Whitewashes LTTE terrorism.
• Rewrites history through a distorted lens.
• Pressures educators and students to conform to a diaspora-driven myth, not historical reality.

No credible international tribunal has declared a genocide in Sri Lanka. Teaching this narrative in schools violates educational neutrality and truth.

Double Standards in Sanctions Policy

Canada has placed unjust sanctions on decorated Sri Lankan military leaders—individuals who led the humanitarian rescue of civilians from a ruthless terror group. These are war heroes, not war criminals.

Meanwhile, Canadian institutions that oversaw the systematic abuse, death, and cultural destruction of Indigenous children remain largely unpunished.

This double standard reveals that Canada’s moral posturing is not rooted in justice—but in diaspora appeasement and geopolitical expedience.

A Call for Reflection and Honesty

Before Canada lectures others on reconciliation and justice, we urge your government to:

• Acknowledge your genocide as genocide (not only is there evidence of past atrocities, there is also evidence of ongoing atrocities & discriminations against Canada
• Uplift Indigenous communities beyond symbolic gestures.
• Cease endorsing diaspora-driven propaganda that distorts Sri Lanka’s history.
• End sanctions on Sri Lanka’s war heroes and restore foreign policy integrity.

Until then, moral credibility must be earned—not assumed.

Instead of erecting monuments for terrorists, Canada must honor the actual victims of its own genocide—the Indigenous children and communities who were stripped of life, language, land, and dignity. In the absence of this, we would like to propose:

Shenali D Waduge

On behalf of Concerned Citizens of Sri Lanka

ජර්මානු වෛද්‍ය විද්‍යාලයේ මහාචාර්ය නිශාන් සී විජේසිංහගේ

 සෙම්බුමලේ සෑයට නැගෙනහිර දෙසින් බඹරගල වන සෙනසුන, උතුරු දෙසින් දෙඹරගල වන සෙනසුන, බටහිර දිසාවෙන් වසන්වැව චෛත්‍යය, ඊසාන දිසාවෙන් තිරියාය සහ රංගිරි උල්පත නමැති ඓතිහාසික බොදු බිම් මේ පුදබිම වටා ඇති සිද්ධස්‌ථානවලින් කිහිපයකි. 

“විඩුඩබ” කියන කුමාරයා ශාක්‍ය වංශිකයන්ව සමූල ඝාතනය කරන්නට යන අවස්ථාවේ භාග්‍යවතුන් වහන්සේ විසින් සෘධියෙන් ඔවුන්ගේ රථ මේ ගලේ එරෙන්නට සල්ස්වපු වෙලාවේ ඇතිවූ ලකුණුයි.

ශාක්‍ය වංශිකයන් තරම් මානය නිසා හිස උදුම්මාගත් තවත් ජන කොටසක්‌ බුදුරදුන් දිවමන් කළ ඉන්දියාවේ නොසිsටි තරම්ය. බුද්ධ කාලයේ දඹදිව රාජ්‍යයන් 16 කට බෙදී තිබුණ අතර ශාක්‍ය වංශිකයන්ගේ පාලනය යටතේ පැවතියේ කුඩා ජනපදය නැතහොත් කුඩා රාජ්‍යයන්ය. එසේ වුවද, ඔවුන්ගේ කුල අභිමානය නම් කිසිසේත් සුළු පටු එකක්‌ නොවූයේය. 

නිසැක ලෙසම අතට පත් විය යුතුව තිබූ සක්‌විති රජකමත් තවුසකුව වෙසෙන කළ මහා රජවරු දෙපාමුල ප්‍රදානය කළ ඒ ඒ මහා රාජ්‍ය පදවියත් පා ගැටුණු දුහුවිල්ලක්‌ තරම් නොසළකා පිළිකෙව් කළ ගෞතම තාපසයන් වූද ලෝක සත්‍යය අවබෝධ කර තුන්ලෝකාග්‍ර තත්ත්වයට පත් සම්මා සම්බුදු රජාණන් වූද ශාක්‍ය සිංහයාණන් වහන්සේට යමා මහ පෙළහර දක්‌වන්නට සිදුවූයේද මේ ශාක්‍යයන් තුළ තිබූ පුහුමානය නිසාවෙනි.

පසේනදී රජු බුදුරජාණන් වහන්සේට බොහෝ ගෞරව කළ මහරජකු විය. ඒ නිසාම බුදුරදුන්ගේ වංශය වූ ශාක්‍ය වංශයෙන් කුමරියක්‌ විවාහ කර ගැනීම ප්‍රසේනජිත් රජුගේ අපේක්‍ෂාව විය. එසේ වුවද කුල මානයෙන් ඉදිමුණ ශාක්‍යයෝ පසේනදී රජු අයත් කෝසල කුලය පහත් එක්‌ක යෑයි සලකන ලදී. නමුදු පසේනදී රජු බලවත් වූ බැවිනුත් තම තමන්ගේ රාජ්‍යයන් වලින් පසේනදී රජුට කප්පම් ගෙවූ බැවිනුත් රජුගේ අපේක්‍ෂාව එකහෙළාම ප්‍රතික්‍ෂේප කිරීමට ශාක්‍යයන්ට කොහෙත්ම ශක්‌තියක්‌ නොවීය.

අවසානයේ සියලු ශාක්‍ය ප්‍රධානීන් එක්‌ව එක්‌ කූටෝපායයක්‌ යොදනු ලැබීය. එනම් මහානාම ශාක්‍යයා නිසා දාසියකගේ කුසින් උපන් වාසභ ඛත්තියා නම් කුමරිය තමන්ගේම දුවක්‌ ලෙස හඳුන්වා රජුට සරණ පාවා දීමය. පසේනදී රජුගේ අමාත්‍යයෝ ද වාසභඛත්තියාට කැමැති වූ අතර ඇය මහානාම රජු සමග එකට හිඳ ආහාර අනුභව කරනු දුටු බැවින් රජුගේ දියණියක බවත් විශ්වාස කළහ. ප්‍රතිඵලය වූයේ පසේනදී කෝසල හා වාසභ ඛත්තියා අතර විවාහය සිදුවීම වූ අතර රජු විසින් වාසභ ඛත්තියාට අග මෙහෙසිය තනතුර ප්‍රදානය කරන ලදී.

කලක්‌ ගත විය. වාසභඛත්තියා බිසවගේ පුත් විඩුඩභ දැන් සොළොස්‌ වියෑතිය. දිනක්‌ ඒ කුමරා පිරිවරද සමග තමන්ගේ සීයා (ශාක්‍යයන්) දකින්නට ගියේය. පුරහලේදී විඩුඩභ කුමරු පිළිගෙන නිසි සැලකිලි දැක්‌වූ ශාක්‍යයෝ ඔහු පිටව ගිය පසු කුමරා හිඳගත් ආසනය ජලයෙන් සෝදා හැරියහ. ඉක්‌මනින්ම මේ පුවත විඩුඩභ කණ වැකුණු අතර කරුණු සොයා බැලීමේදී තමන් දාසියකගේ පුතකු බවද වැටහී ගියේය. බලවත් රජ කුමරකු වූ තමා හිඳගත් ආසනය ජලයෙන් සෝදා පවිත්‍ර කිරීම ගැන නයකු සේ කිපුණේය. පළි ගැනීමේ වෛරයෙන් පිරී ගියේය.

විඩුඩභ මුලින්ම කළේ නිසි වයස්‌ එළැඹි කල කෝසළ රාජ්‍යය බලෙන්ම සියතට ගෙන මහලු ප්‍රසේනජිත් රජු සැවැත් නුවරින් පිට මං කිරීමය. වෙස්‌ වලාගෙන තම බෑණා වූ අජාසත් වෙත ගමන් ඇරඹූ පසේනදී රජු නොයෙක්‌ දුක්‌ ගැහැට විඳ අතරමග විශ්‍රාම ශාලාවකදී මරණයට පත් විය.

පියාගේ මරණයෙන් පසු තම රාජ්‍ය බලය තවත් තහවුරු කරගත් විඩුඩභ හිතයට දැවෙමින් තිබූ පලිය ගැනීමට ශාක්‍ය සංහාරය පිණිස යාමට සැරසුණද දෙවරක්‌ම තිලෝගුරු බුදු පියාණන්ගේ මැදිහත්වීම මත එය වැළකී ගියේය. තෙවන වර බුදුරදුන්ටද කිසිවක්‌ කිරීමට ඉඩ නොතැබූ හෙතෙම තම අදහස වහා ක්‍රියාත්මක කළේය.

විඩුඩභගේ මේ ප්‍රහාරය කොතෙක්‌ දරුණු වීද යත් පලාගිය හා යටත්ව පිහිට පැතූ ස්‌වල්ප දෙනා හැරුණවිට ළමා ළපටීන් ඇතුළු සියලු ශාක්‍යයෝ සමූල ඝාතනය කිරීමට විඩුඩභ සමත් විය. ශාක්‍යයන්ගේ ලේ ගෙන තම ආසනය සේදූ විඩුඩභ එතෙක්‌ තමා තුළ පැසවමින් තිබූ වෛරයේ පලිය ගත්තේය. 

ජයග්‍රාහී විඩුඩභ මහත් තේජසින් යුතුව ආපසු පිරිවර සහිතව තම රාජ්‍යය කරා යාමට පැමිණ රෑ බෝවුණ බැවින් අචිරවතී ගංගාව අසබඩ කඳවුර බැන්දේ පසුදා ගඟ තරණය කර විජයග්‍රාහකයකු ලෙස තම රාජ්‍යයට යාම පිණිසය. එහෙත් සිතු දේ නොම විය නොසිතූදේම සිදුවිය. එදා රෑ හිටි ගමන් මේඝ ගර්ජනා අකුණු ගැසීම් හා චණ්‌ඩ මාරුතය සහිත මහා අකල් වර්ෂාවක්‌ වහින්න පටන් ගත්තේය. ඒ මහා අකල් වැස්‌සෙන් අචිරවතී ගඟ දෙගොඩ තලා ගැලීය සැඬ පහර දරුණු විය. බිහිසුණු ඒ රැයේ ගඟ අසබඩ කඳවුරු ලා සිටි විඩුඩභ රජු සිය සියලු පිරිවරත් සමග ගඟ දියට හසු වී ජීවිතක්‍ෂයට පත් වීය.

රන් පොකුණ ආරක්ෂා කිරීමට ජීවය දෙන ජලය සපයන වැවෙන් යන බෝක්කුව බහිරව ආරක්ෂාවට පවරනලදි.

ලන්දේසීන් සහ බ්‍රිතාන්‍යයන් මෙම නිධන් සොයා ගැනීමට අසමත් විය. ඒ නිසා ඔවුන් සම්බාධක ගෙනාවේ මේ බෞද්ධ ජාතියේ බෞද්ධ උරුමය සහ නැගීම වළක්වන්නයි.

එබැවින් අධ්‍යාත්මික ඥානය දුන් ගංජා ශාකය තහනම් විය.

ජර්මානු වෛද්‍ය විද්‍යාලයේ මහාචාර්යවරයෙකු ලෙස මම කිව යුත්තේ “ගංජා ශාකයේ කිසිදු නිකොටින් ද්‍රව්‍යයක් අඩංගු නොවන අතර එය කිසිදු ඔපියොයිඩ් වර්ගයකට අයත් නොවන බවයි.

මෙම ශාකය අපගේ බෞද්ධ ජාතීන්ගේ අධ්‍යාත්මික ඥානාලෝකයේ බලය විය.

Prof.Hudson McLean 

Flamingo Franchise offers a Residence & Work Permit in Finland.
To Investors seeking Residence & Work Permit!
Flamingo Spicy Snax® Fast Food Truck!
Italian & British Spicy Sausage
wrapped with Garnishes in Flatbread.
Serious Enquiries only to-;
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නැණස NENASA 🇱🇰

වීරත්වය කුමක්දැයි ලොවට කියා දුන් අපේ කාලයේ විරුවන් පිළිඹඳ ඔබ කිසිදා නෑසූ කථා එකතුව පරම වීර විභූෂණයෙන් පුදලද විරුවන්ගේ අවසන් මෙහෙයුම් පිළිඹඳව අප විසින් මෙතෙක් ඉදිරිපත් කර ඇති වීඩියෝ සියල්ල මෙතැනින්: “වීරත්වයේ පළමු පාඩම” – අපි කවුරුත් පසුබහින්නෙ නෑ, සේරම ඉවර වෙන්න උඩින් බෝම්බ දාන්න | Kokavil (1990)    • “වීරත්වයේ පළමු පාඩම” – අපි කවුරුත් පසුබහින…   අලිමංකඩ රැකගන්නට මහමුහුදෙන් පැමිණ දියත්කළ වික්‍රමය | Operation Balavegaya 1991 (සජීවී දසුන් සමඟින්)    • අලිමංකඩ රැකගන්නට මහමුහුදෙන් පැමිණ දියත්කළ …   පුනරීන් වැලිකතර රුධිරයෙන් ගිනියම් කළ මාරාන්තික සටන | Battle of Pooneryn (1993)    • පුනරීන් වැලිකතර රුධිරයෙන් ගිනියම් කළ මාරාන…   සහෝදර සෙබළුන්ගේ දිවි බේරන්නට මහ සයුරට බිලිවූ නාවික විරුවන්ගේ කතාව | Heroics Over Chalai (1996)    • සහෝදර සෙබළුන්ගේ දිවි බේරන්නට මහ සයුරට බිලි…   විශේෂ බලකා මහවිරු ලෆීර්ගේ අවසන් මෙහෙයුම – The last attempt to save Besieged Mullativu Camp (1996)    • විශේෂ බලකා මහවිරු ලෆීර්ගේ අවසන් මෙහෙයුම – …   කමාන්ඩෝ විරුවන්ට අවාසනාව කැන්දූ ජයසිකුරු මෙහෙයුමේ මන්නකුලම් සටන | Worst Ever Commando Debacle (1997)    • කමාන්ඩෝ විරුවන්ට අවාසනාව කැන්දූ ජයසිකුරු ම…  

Nava Thakuria

In the decisive war against Pakistan in 1971, India won and a new nation was born, but a small State in eastern part of Bharat had to pay a heavy price with millions of East Pakistan refugees, for which Assam  still cries but nobody cares. With an absorbent border with Bangladesh and unconvincing political will from the government, augmented by continued callous attitude of majority Asomiya people, the situation remains grim even today. New Delhi supported the Mukti Bahini (the freedom aspiring Bengalis of East Pakistan) in their movement against West Pakistan and finally the atrocious Pakistan forces had to surrender on 16 December 1971. But the newly born sovereign country was not approached to return back its millions of refugees and migrants from the eastern Indian localities.

The situation turned so complicated that when a kind of accord was signed in 1985 to address the historic Assam agitation, the cut-off year for detecting illegal migrants in the State had to be compromised (slipping to 25 March 1971 from the national base year). The argument was that the Bangladesh government in Dhaka was not ready to accept East Pakistani nationals. Hence it was not possible to deport those illegal migrants (mostly Muslims) from India. Pressure was mounted on the young agitators to accept all those illegal migrants as Indians. But the question remains why the agitators (members of  All Assam Students Union and Asom Gana Sangram Parishad) did not ask the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi (who was present on the occasion) to sign the memorandum of settlement (drifted  as Assam Accord). Nobody in Assam questioned the central government why Assam was dumped with all the migrants (logically turned Indians) and no other States were asked to share the burden.

As any Union minister did not sign the so-called accord, it was not necessary to debate  in the Parliament. No Parliamentarian even raised the issue, why a tiny State was left to accept nearly 2.5 millions of new-found Indians. Precisely little was written in the mainstream media and also the intellectuals avoided talking about the injustice to the Asomiya community by imposing the huge burden. Probably it was not realized, if all the refugees/migrants were dumped in Assam, its negative implications would surface some day for  the entire nation. Not to blame others, the very Assamese political analysts, journalist-writers and social activists did not highlight the menace properly at that time and almost everybody turned ‘happier than ever’ with a new government of Asom Gana Parishad (led by mostly former AASU leaders) in Dispur.

You can say everyone emerged a ‘winner in the anti-foreigner movement and post-agitation era’ except the common dwellers of Assam, who continued crying for justice. The water in Brahmaputra kept flowing and soon the menace of demographic changes hit the State severely to wake up those ‘happy’ individuals. Not only Assam, many other parts of the country also faced the music of hazardous illegal Bangladeshi migrants in recent times. Strong observations by the apex court and subsequent  actions (may not be sufficient) by the government become now visible. The growing anti-Pakistani wave among the countrymen after the Pahalgam terror attack in the Kashmir valley made the situation more charged and suddenly the illegal migrants from Bangladesh became a national concern (even though it should/could have taken place a few decades back).

The issue of India’s role in Bangladesh Liberation War came alive with a commanding message from Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, where he categorically stated that the then Congress government led by Indira Gandhi lost a historic opportunity in the process. India’s military victory  was decisive and historic that  broke Pakistan in two parts (creating Bangladesh), but it was only a part of the primary goal. The soldiers delivered a stunning battlefield success, however India’s political leadership failed to secure lasting strategic gains out of the situation, asserted the saffron leader. What could have been a new regional order was reduced to a one-sided act of generosity, said CM Sarma, adding, had Mrs Gandhi been alive today, the nation would have questioned her for mishandling the decisive military victory materialized by the Indian armed forces!

The Bharatiya Janata Party leader pointed out that no agreement was signed with Dhaka for sending back those  illegal migrants and as a result Assam as well as other north-eastern States and West Bengal have to face unchecked population pressure instigating political instability and social unrest. Moreover, India supported a secular Bangladesh, but in 1988  Islam was declared their state religion, and now the political Islam thrives in the populous country undermining the very values New Delhi fought to protect, stated Sarma, adding that  Hindus, once over 20% of Bangladesh’s population have currently dwindled to below  8% ‘due to systematic discrimination and violence’.

Reacting to the recent Congress outbursts over the ‘abrupt ceasefire’ of aggression against Pakistan (generated after the 22 April 2025 Pahalgam massacre of 26 innocent civilians by the Pakistan sponsored Islamist terrorists), where it was tried to establish that Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned  soft unlike his predecessor Mrs Gandhi during the Bangladesh Mukti Juddho, the outspoken Assamese politician reiterated that New Delhi lost an opportunity to negotiate on Siliguri corridor (Chicken’s Neck, the narrow strip of land connecting North-east with the rest of India).  Sarma also questioned why the Gandhi-led government did not secure access to the strategic Chittagong port in Bangladesh and also reclaim the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Mentionable is that the opposition Congress, which made a hue and cry after the government agreed to cease the military escalation against Pakistan, opined that the former premier defeated Pakistani forces led by General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi in Bangladesh to divide the Islamic Republic. The country’s oldest political party also raised a serious question, if PM Modi accepted the ceasefire proposal from Islamabad on 10 May following  the direction of US President Donald J. Trump, who incidentally made a series of astonishing comments on social media about the de-escalation between the two neighbouring nuclear-armed south Asian nations taking some credits for himself over the resolution.

Lately, a large number of Indians come out wishing to divide Pakistan again (repeating Bangladesh episode in Balochistan) and indirectly expressed unhappiness over the cessation of armed confrontations against Islamabad even though they admit Operation Sindoor and follow-up aggressions achieved success. Meanwhile, the Baloch community of India came asking New Delhi to  extend support to their causes by raising the issue of Balochistan at the national and international levels. They also appealed to the lawmakers for adopting a resolution in the Parliament recognizing the legitimate freedom struggle of Balochs and facilitate entry of Baloch political activists in exile granting asylum. Under the banner of Baloch Welfare Association, they sought permission to establish  a Balochistan Representative Office (or Embassy) in India. They also pleaded to

The Baloch people have lived in India for centuries. We proudly call this land our home. Our ancestors stood shoulder to shoulder with Indian revolutionaries, sacrificing their lives in the fight for independence from British colonialism. Our Love for India is not recent, but inherited, lived, and cherished through generations,” said a letter of Baloch Welfare Association  to the PMO, adding that ‘a free and democratic Balochistan will not only bring peace to Balochs but also serve India’s long-term strategic, security, and geopolitical interest in south Asia. The people of Balochistan always look for India with hope and the Indian Balochs wish to see this historic connection transformed into a reality. Days back, Free Balochistan Movement chief Hyrbyair Marri requested  New Delhi  to hand over Jinnah’s House in Mumbai to the Baloch people. From the iconic bungalow, where Pakistan’s founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah made plans to divide Bharat, the Balochs should be allowed to plan for the independence of Balochistan, stated Marri.

New Delhi remains silent on supporting the independence of Balochistan, even though the Baloch freedom fighters mentioned about the birth of Bangladesh with the help of Indian armed forces. The Baloch leaders based in different parts of the globe continue urging New Delhi for the necessary support and recognition for Balochistan.  However it will be a matter of observation, if New Delhi gives consent to their wish, as the development will disappoint the Communist regime of China,  which has launched a series of economic activities in Pakistan comprising the Balochistan localities. Even Iran and Afghanistan will get entangled  with the independence of Balochistan, as both the neighboring countries support a sizable Baloch population in their territories.

Nonetheless, the emergence of Balochistan may hardly affect any Indian State as the prerequisite (primarily no border sharing) is missing here unlike that of Bangladesh.

Truth with Chamuditha

චාමලී මදනායක සමග චමුදිත සමරවික්‍රම. Chamali Madanayake On Truth with Chamuditha

Courtesy Hiru News

Dr. Deepal Perera, a specialist at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital, has warned of an increase in cases of influenza, chikungunya, and dengue among children.

The specialist noted that the rise in dengue and chikungunya cases is attributable to the recent rains brought by adverse weather conditions.

Dr. Perera stressed the importance of focusing on destroying mosquito breeding sites, as dengue can be fatal, and chikungunya can cause prolonged joint pain for many months after recovery.

Pregnant mothers and the elderly are at risk of severe illness if they contract chikungunya.

The doctor also pointed out that this condition could affect children born to pregnant mothers.

Meanwhile, there is also a current increase in influenza cases.

Specialist Dr. Deepal Perera urged the public to pay close attention to this disease as it can spread rapidly among children.

 lanka C news

රුසියාවේ පැවැති බ්‍රික්ස් සමුළුවට සහභාගී වන ලෙස ජනාධිපති අනුර දිසානායක මහතාට තමන් පසුගිය ඔක්තොම්බර් මාසයේදී ආරාධනා කළ බව කොළඹ සිටින ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ රුසියා තානාපති ලෙවන් ජගර්යන් මහතා සඳහන් කරයි.

රුසියානු ජනාධිපති වැල්දීමීට් පුටීන්ගේ ආරාධනාව ලිඛිතව තමන් ජනාධිපති අනුර දිසානායක මහතාට භාර දුන් බවත් නමුත් ඉදිරි මැතිවරණය පැවැත්වෙන නිසා තමන්ට ඊට සහභාගි වීමට නොහැකි වනු ඇතැයි අනුර දිසානායක ජනාධිපතිවරයා දැන්වූ බවත් හෙතෙම සඳහන් කළේය.

‘ජාත්‍යන්තර නීතිය තුළ බලය භාවිත කිරීම රුසියනු දෘෂ්ටිකෝණ’ මැයෙන් කොළඹ පැවති සමුළුවකදී ඔහු මෙම අදහස් පල කලේය.#

මම පසුගේ වසරේ ඔක්තොම්බර් පළමුවෙනිදා ඔබේ අභිනව ජනපති අනුර කුමාර රිසානායක මහතා හමුවීමට ගියා. එහිදී මම රුසියා ජනාධිපතිතුමාගේ ආරාධනා පත්‍රය භාර දෙන්නු ලැබුවා

එහි තිබුණේ රුසියාවේ පැවැත්වෙන බ්‍රික්ස් සමුළුවට පැමිණෙන ලෙසට කළ ආරාධනයයි.

අපි සාකච්ඡාව පැවැත්තුවේ භාෂා පරිවර්තකයෙක් මාර්ගයෙන්. මම හිතනවා භාෂා පරිවර්තකයා නිවැරදි ලෙස ප්‍රකාශ කළ දේ සන්නිවේදනය කරන්න ඇති කියලා

එහෙදී ජනපති ප්‍රකාශ කළා ඔහුට ඉදිරි පැවැත්වෙන මහමැතිවරණය නිසා පැමිණීමට නොහැකි බව.

පළමුව රටක් බ්‍රික්ස් සමඟ එක්වෙනවා නම් ඊට අනුගමනය කළ යුතු පියවරයන් තිබෙනවා.

සාමාජිකත්වය ඇතුළු අනෙකුත් පියවරයන් සඳහා අනෙකුත් සාමාජික රටවල අනුමතියද අවශ්‍යයි.

රුෂියාවෙන් පමණක් බැහැ. රුසියාව චීනය ශ්‍රී ලංකාවට සහය ලබා දෙනවා.

ඔබ මේ සඳහා උනන්දුවක් දක්වනවා. ඔබ මේ සඳහා උනන්දුයිද. නමුත් මට ඒ ගැන නම් හැඟින්නේ නැහැ.

නමුත් ඔබ මේ සඳහා දැන් එහි වත්මන් සභාපති දරන බ‍්‍රසීලය සමග සාකච්ඡා කළ යුතුයි.ඒ ඔබේ රජය විසින් තීරණය කළ යුතු දෙයක්”

Courtesy Xinhua

People take part in the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship in Kotte, Sri Lanka, on May 31, 2025. In a gesture of sports diplomacy and cultural exchange, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has donated five 12-person international-standard dragon boats to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The donation was formally made on Saturday at the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship.(Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua)

COLOMBO, June 1 (Xinhua) — In a gesture of sports diplomacy and cultural exchange, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has donated five 12-person international-standard dragon boats to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The donation was formally made on Saturday at the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship.

The championship, held at the Diyawanna Oya Amateur Rowing Association of Sri Lanka (ARASL) Rowing Center in Kotte, a suburb of Colombo, featured a diverse field, including school and university teams, the Sri Lankan Armed Forces, and five teams from Jaffna comprising 75 young athletes, a significant representation for northern regional participation. Altogether 22 teams from Sri Lanka, featuring over 310 athletes, and two from China took part.

Speaking to Xinhua, Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, S.K. Gamage, expressed gratitude for China’s support.

Gamage emphasized that events like the Dragon Boat Festival are crucial for deepening the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and China. “We have a long history of friendship with China. We want to improve and continue it,” he said.

Addressing the gathering, Gamage added, “This is not merely a sports event, it is a powerful symbol of friendship, culture, and cooperation between our two nations.”

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong spoke of the global significance of the Dragon Boat Festival and the values it embodies.

“Dragon boat racing is one of the oldest and most culturally significant traditions of the festival. It symbolizes teamwork, perseverance, and the collective pursuit of universal values such as peace, development, and justice,” he said.

Qi described this championship as “a new starting point to further deepen sports and cultural exchanges between China and Sri Lanka and to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between our peoples.”

Rear Admiral HNS Perera, president of the National Association for Canoeing and Kayaking in Sri Lanka, described the event as a bridge between tradition and modernity.

“This is more than a sporting event; it is a celebration of culture, heritage, and most importantly, friendship,” he said, adding that the boats donated by China would greatly assist the development of water sports in Sri Lanka, particularly for youth in under-resourced regions like Jaffna. ■

People take part in the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship in Kotte, Sri Lanka, on May 31, 2025. In a gesture of sports diplomacy and cultural exchange, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has donated five 12-person international-standard dragon boats to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The donation was formally made on Saturday at the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship.(Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua)

People take part in the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship in Kotte, Sri Lanka, on May 31, 2025. In a gesture of sports diplomacy and cultural exchange, the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has donated five 12-person international-standard dragon boats to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.

The donation was formally made on Saturday at the 2025 Dragon Boat Festival China-Sri Lanka Friendship Cup Dragon Boat Championship.(Photo by Ajith Perera/Xinhua)

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

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The 1955 Bandung Conference was a key moment when newly free countries met to decide their path in a divided world. The then Ceylon’s Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala deserves credit for defending small nation rights against big power attitudes. The Bandung idea actually came from Sir John’s 1954 Colombo Conference. Yet, when the bigger meeting happened in Indonesia, he was expected to follow India’s lead instead of speaking for his own country.

Nehru came to Bandung wanting to bring Communist China into the neutral countries group and fight American influence in Asia. He expected smaller nations like Ceylon to simply agree with India’s plans – a typical Big Brother attitude. 

Most important moment

Sir John’s most important moment came in his controversial speech. Instead of only criticising Western colonialism like everyone expected, he boldly said that Communism was another form of imperialism equal to Western colonialism.” He compared Soviet control over Eastern Europe to old colonial practices. This directly challenged Nehru’s plan to present China as just another victim of imperialism. Sir John understood that true neutrality meant criticising all forms of control, no matter who was doing it.

The most telling moment of Sir John’s heroic stance came in his personal confrontation with Nehru, as referred below :

When the Indian Prime Minister approached him with the paternalistic question, Why did you do it? Why did not you show me your speech before you gave it?” – treating the Ceylon leader like a subordinate requiring approval – Sir John’s response was swift and dignified: Why should I? Do you show me yours before you give them?”

This exchange encapsulated the fundamental issue at stake. Nehru’s question revealed an assumption that India, as the larger power, had the right to preview and potentially veto the positions of smaller neighbours. His tone carried the paternal advice of a senior statesman in an Asian power to a less scholarly, stubborn prime minister of a lesser-known island.” Sir John’s retort was not merely defensive but assertively equal, demanding reciprocity in what should have been a relationship between sovereign equals.

The Island’s Crucial Geographic Advantage and Regional Dominance

Sri Lanka, blessed with outstanding ports at Colombo and Trincomalee, stands as the natural centre of the Indian Ocean and serves as the key to the entire regional security framework. India possesses a long coastline that remains exposed and vulnerable to attack from naval aircraft. The Japanese strikes on Colombo and Trincomalee in 1942 clearly demonstrated this weakness.

As military experts have noted, Ceylon acts as the pivot of the Indian Ocean; in our modern age of aviation, Ceylon’s position commanding both sea and air routes holds critical significance.” It’s worth noting that even military planners from the 1600s, along with the British Empire, recognised Ceylon’s essential role in controlling Indian Ocean defences.

Two Hundred Years On: The Same Strategic Logic, Different Players

Speaking about Ceylon’s military value in protecting India, Prime Minister William Pitt, ‘the Younger’ [1759 –1806 the prime minister of Great Britain from 1783, and then first prime minister of the United Kingdom from January 1801], told the British Parliament in 1802 that gaining control of the island was the most precious colonial territory we possess anywhere in the world, providing our Indian territories with protection they had never enjoyed since we first established them there.” For Britain, Ceylon wasn’t just important for defending India – it was a crucial connection in Britain’s worldwide shipping network.

Early Indian Ambitions and Sri Lankan Concerns

During the 1940s, prominent Indian National Congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, along with writers such as Panikkar, had suggested that Sri Lanka should join closely with India, likely as a self-governing part of an Indian union.” However, once Sri Lanka gained independence, such statements caused great worry and fear among Ceylon’s leaders, who firmly rejected this idea.

To calm the concerns of Sri Lanka’s leadership, Nehru sent a special statement promising the island that India had good intentions and would not interfere in its independent existence. Later, in Colombo during the Commonwealth Foreign Ministers meeting in January 1950, Nehru declared: some people worry that the large nation of India might want to take over or swallow up Ceylon. I promise you that if anyone has such thoughts, they are completely mistaken.” He later called the fear of some Ceylonese that India might invade or absorb Ceylon complete foolishness.”

Diplomatic Assurances

Even with such promises, D.S. Senanayake, Sri Lanka’s first Prime Minister, always considered India as the homeland – the country from which both his people, the Sinhalese, and Buddhism had originated. Yet he clearly understood the risks of having nearby a population of 350 million people pushed outward by living standards much lower than those in Ceylon, and who could, under dangerous leadership, become hostile.

On September 7, 1954, in Ceylon’s Parliament, Kotelawala expressed his concern about various statements in one of Panikkar’s books saying that India must control Trincomalee for security reasons.” I have also heard that Mr. Panikkar is said to speak for Pandit Nehru. He supposedly understands Pandit Nehru’s thinking and has claimed that India, Ceylon, and Burma must follow an ‘Asian Monroe Doctrine’ where India will be the parent to the two children Burma and Ceylon. We reject that parental guidance and their so-called protection.”-Hansard

However, Panikkar denied making any such statements in his writings. Nehru also rejected the idea that Panikkar represented his views.

Sri Lanka’s strategic location made it valuable to larger powers, but this same position could be used for the island’s own benefit rather than surrendering it to regional dominance. 

The Danger of Demographic Pressure

Senanayake’s concern about India’s massive population and lower living standards represented a realistic assessment of potential migration and economic pressures that could overwhelm a smaller neighbour. Speaking along the same lines in 1955, Sir John Kotelawala warned, The moment Ceylon gets rid of all Englishmen completely, the island will fall under India’s control.” This represented a complete change in his thinking within just two months. Previously, he had believed that having Ceylon’s two closest neighbours as fellow Commonwealth members served as her primary protection against any chance of attack from nearby enemies.”

Rejecting Paternalistic Protection 

Kotelawala’s firm rejection of any fatherly advice” or protection” from India demonstrated that true independence means making one’s own security arrangements rather than accepting junior status. The reference to British presence as a counterbalance showed that small nations sometimes need external partnerships to maintain independence from dominating neighbours.

These concerns from the 1950s remain relevant today. Sri Lanka’s strategic position in the Indian Ocean continues to attract the attention of major powers. The island nation must balance its relationships carefully, ensuring that economic cooperation and regional partnerships don’t compromise its sovereignty.

The courage, wisdom, and resolve of leaders like D.S. Senanayake, Sir John Kotelawala, and Mahinda Rajapaksa [notwithstanding his other shortcomings and controversial legacy] to defy major powers have time and again safeguarded this small nation’s sovereignty.

Geographic advantages should be used for national benefit, not surrendered to larger neighbours.  Diplomatic assurances must be balanced against realistic assessments of power dynamics. True independence requires the ability to say no” to unwanted influence, regardless of the source. Sri Lanka’s experience shows that maintaining independence requires constant vigilance, strategic thinking, and the courage to resist pressure from larger powers who may view smaller neighbours as naturally falling within their sphere of influence.

Courtesy The Island

Mid-level police officers have expressed concern over alleged attempts by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to politicise the network of Public Safety Committees (PSCs) being established in every Grama Niladhari (GN) division across the country.

According to police headquarters sources, concerns have intensified following reports that individuals affiliated to the JVP—distinct even from the broader National People’s Power (NPP) alliance—are being positioned on these grassroots committees under political pressure, in certain districts.

Each police station has been tasked with setting up PSCs for the GN divisions under its purview. This system dates back to war years, but the structure of the committees has undergone periodic revisions under various Inspectors General of Police (IGPs). The latest update was introduced in March by Acting IGP Attorney-at-Law Priyantha Weerasuriya, replacing a previous directive issued by former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon.

A circular issued by the Ministry of Public Security, dated April 8, mandates the formation of 14,022 Public Safety Committees before June 20. Each committee must include at least 25 members, with a chairperson and vice-chairperson elected from among them. The Grama Niladhari of the area serves as the committee secretary. Representatives from local religious institutions, sports clubs, trade associations, and civil society organisations also have representation.

Traditionally, applications are invited from residents and displayed for public scrutiny before vetting by police,” a senior officer explained. But now, a new directive says two members from the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ project should be included on each committee. These appointees have turned out to be JVP members in almost all areas.”

Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala last week confirmed that

Acting IGP Weerasuriya had already relayed the directive to all senior officers, stressing the committees’ role in fostering community-police relations, reducing crime, combating narcotics, and promoting interfaith harmony.

Each PSC includes retired public servants, former police and military officers, youth representatives, and a police officer. Members will serve a three-year term, with regular reviews by the Officer-in-Charge of each station and bi-monthly assessments by Assistant Superintendents of Police.

Despite its intentions, the rollout has sparked internal tensions, with one senior police source warning, Any attempt to politicize these bodies risks undermining their credibility and the community’s trust in law enforcement.”

by Saman Indrajith and Norman Palihawadane ✍️

Shenali Waduge

Lack of Credible Evidence Supporting Genocide Allegations. The 1948 Genocide Convention defines genocide as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group. Allegations against Sri Lanka often cite high civilian casualties during the final stages of the civil war. However, these figures, such as the oft-quoted 40,000 deaths, are based on estimates without substantiated evidence. The UN Panel of Experts’ report itself acknowledges that these numbers are not verified and are derived from extrapolations and unverified sources. Without concrete evidence of intent to destroy a particular group, the criteria for genocide are not met.

Questionable Credibility of UN and OHCHR Reports

The reports produced by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) regarding Sri Lanka’s armed conflict are fundamentally flawed in methodology and violate basic evidentiary standards under international law. These documents heavily rely on anonymous testimonies, hearsay, and overseas secondary sources, many of which are linked to LTTE-affiliated individuals or interest groups. The refusal to disclose raw data and reliance on unverified allegations render these reports inadmissible in any fair judicial forum.

The 2015 OISL report (paragraphs 1100–1102) admits it faced “serious constraints,“ could not conduct investigations in Sri Lanka, and depended on confidential sources it could not verify. Even worse, the OHCHR sealed these “witness statements” for 10 to 30 years, effectively denying the accused—especially military officers—the right tocross-examination, timely rebuttal, or due process. This amounts to an unprecedented breach of natural justice.

The danger of such political manipulation of international justice is evident from the case of Slobodan Milošević, who was imprisoned for years before dying in custody, only to be posthumously exonerated. This should serve as a global warning. Sri Lanka’s war veterans must not be subjected to trial by media or political vendetta, based on secretive, flawed, and unverifiable accusations.

Undermining of Domestic Reconciliation by International Overreach

In May 2010, Sri Lanka appointed the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) to investigate the war, assess reconciliation needs, and recommend reforms. The LLRC conducted public hearings and produced a comprehensive report.

Yet in June 2010, then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon unilaterally appointed a Panel of Experts” (PoE) on accountability in Sri Lanka. This panel had nomandate from the Security Council or General Assembly. According to the UN’s own Office of Legal Affairs, Ban did not have the legal authority to initiate such an inquiry without proper authorization, making the panel’s legitimacy highly questionable. (Source: Internal UN memo reported by Inner City Press and referenced by Sir Desmond de Silva QC).

Despite being legally informal and advisory, the PoE’s report was later weaponized in UNHRC resolutions and diplomatic pressure campaigns. This sequence of events illustrates how Sri Lanka’s sovereign reconciliation mechanisms were deliberately overridden by an externally driven agenda.

Double Standards in Global Counterterrorism and Foreign Political Hypocrisy

Sri Lanka is being selectively targeted for defeating the LTTE, one of the world’s deadliest terrorist organizations. While Sri Lanka is condemned for ending the war, Western countries allow open glorification of the LTTE on their own soil, including:

• Members of Parliament and Mayors laying wreaths for LTTE terrorists
• LTTE martyr day” events held in public venues
• Diaspora propaganda being used as evidence” by foreign politicians

Would any Western democracy tolerate wreaths being laid for Al-Qaeda or ISIS fighters? Why is such behavior normalized when the LTTE is involved—a group that recruited children, used human shields, killed civilians, and assassinated world leaders?

This blatant double standard undermines global norms on counterterrorism. It also signals that some terrorist groups can be “rehabilitated” through political lobbying—a dangerous precedent.

Civilian Casualties: The LTTE’s Responsibility

The Sri Lankan military is accused of killing civilians, yet credible international statements from 2009 place the blame clearly on the LTTE:

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (13 May 2009):

The LTTE is using civilians as human shields and not allowing them to leave.”

UN High Commissioner Navi Pillay (18 March 2009):

The LTTE must stop recruiting civilians, especially children, and allow them to leave.”

UNICEF, ICRC, and the EU all condemned the LTTE’s use of civilians as hostages and their obstruction of evacuations.

The Sri Lankan Armed Forces:

• Created No Fire Zones
• Facilitated humanitarian corridors
• Lost 6,621 soldiersto avoid civilian casualties
• Repeatedly offered the LTTE chances tosurrender, which were refused

The LTTE used civilians as human shields, shot at those fleeing, and prolonged the war. Reports that fail to differentiate between armed civilian combatants and genuine non-combatants result in distorted casualty figures. The LTTE’s own armed civilian militia blurred the line between civilians and combatants.

The Danger of Diaspora-Driven Propaganda

Many third-party organizations and UN reports rely heavily on diaspora testimonies, especially from LTTE-sympathetic networks. These groups not only influenced UN narratives but also funded international advocacy campaigns to pressure diplomatic institutions. The fact that such actors are allowed to shape UN processes raises serious questions about the independence of international justice mechanisms.

The campaign against Sri Lanka is not grounded in objective fact or law. It is based on politically driven reports, double standards, and questionable evidence. The same UN that failed to act during the LTTE’s 30-year reign of terror is now condemning the very forces that ended it.

If international justice is to retain credibility, it must apply the same standards to all. Sri Lanka’s soldiers should not be vilified for achieving what much of the world could not: the defeat of terrorism without foreign boots on the ground.

This rebuttal is not a denial of wartime suffering. It is a demand for legal clarity, evidentiary integrity, and international fairness.

To accuse a nation & its National Army of genocide based on secret statements and politically manipulated data is not justice—it is a betrayal of justice itself.

Shenali Waduge

Shenali Waduge

The Myth that shaped a Movement: For decades, the claim that people are born gay” has been the foundation of modern LGBTQIA+ activism. As a result it has unfairly shaped court decisions, education policy, and international diplomacy. Many people have been misled to believe that being gay is something you’re born with—but science doesn’t back that up. Despite decades of research and billions of dollars in funding, no credible scientific evidence has confirmed the existence of a gay gene.” If so,  who & why is this ideology being pushed globally?

The Genetic Studies: What They Really Show

The Hamer Study (1993)

One of the earliest studies that gained international attention was by Dean Hamer, who suggested a possible genetic link to homosexuality through the Xq28 region of the X chromosome. However, subsequent attempts to replicate his findings failed. Even Hamer himself later admitted, We knew it was speculative at best.”

The Sanders & GWAS Study (2019)

The largest-ever genetic study on sexual orientation, published in Science (2019), analyzed the DNA of over 470,000 individuals. The conclusion was definitive:

There is no single ‘gay gene’… Genetic variants associated with same-sex behavior account for less than 1% of the variance in sexual behavior.”

(Ganna et al., Science, 2019)

This means genetics alone cannot explain or predict homosexuality.

Environmental and psychological factors must play a significant role.

Environmental, Developmental, and Social Factors

Childhood Trauma and Abuse

Studies consistently show elevated rates of childhood trauma, sexual abuse, and family dysfunction among individuals who later identify as homosexual.

• A 2001 study found 46% of homosexual men reported childhood sexual abuse, compared to 7% of heterosexual men. (Archives of Sexual Behavior, Tomeo et al., 2001)
• The study emphasized a strong correlation between early trauma and adult same-sex attraction, challenging the assumption of innateness.
• Additionally, it reported that male victims of childhood sexual abuse were 75 times more likelyto engage in same-sex sexual behavior later in life, suggesting a strong environmental influence.

Family Dynamics and Early Sexualization – Collateral Damage

Family structure, absent fathers, and exposure to sexual content early in life are more common in LGBTQIA+ populations. While these factors don’t cause” homosexuality directly, they are strong environmental correlates.

Why the ‘Born This Way’ Argument Fails Legally and Morally

Even if sexual behavior were biological, that alone wouldn’t justify legal or moral legitimacy.

• Aggression, addiction, and even pedophilia have been linked to brain structure or genetic factors—yet no one argues these should be accepted as moral norms.
• Human dignity is not contingent on biology—it is based on free will, conscience, and accountability.

Furthermore, many individuals experience fluidity in sexual orientation.

Studies show a significant percentage of individuals who identify as homosexual in youth later return to heterosexual relationships. (Diamond, Sexual Fluidity, 2008)

Sexual choices, especially when they are fluid and impermanent, cannot be enshrined as a permanent human right. To do so is to grant legal sanctity to behaviors that may change, evolve, or even reverse—causing profound confusion in law, education, and society.

Sexual preferences, especially those known to shift over time, cannot be codified as universal human rights—particularly when their impermanence undermines the legal consistency and moral clarity of such recognition.

Science Hijacked by Ideology

Many scientists and medical professionals who question the genetic basis of homosexuality face professional blacklisting, censorship, or academic silencing.

• Grants are often denied for studies that might challenge LGBTQIA+ orthodoxy.
• Research institutions fear backlash and reputational damage.

Science is no longer neutral. It is selectively promoted when it serves a political agenda.

The Whitehead Findings: No Genetic Blueprint for Homosexuality

Dr. Neil E. Whitehead, a PhD in biochemistry, systematically examined over 10,000 scientific papers and studies in My Genes Made Me Do It! (2013). His central conclusions include:

• No Gay Gene”: Identical twin studies show that if one twin is homosexual, the other is only about 10–20% likely to be as well—even though they share 100% of their genes.
• Sexual Orientation is Not Fixed: Many individuals change orientation over time, contrary to the born this way” narrative.
• Environmental Influence Dominates: Early trauma, family structure, and social factors are more determinative than any biological cause.
• Science Has Been Politicized: Media and activists frequently distort findings to suit ideological ends, suppressing dissenting scientific voices.

Whitehead’s work provides one of the most thorough refutations of the gay gene” claim. It highlights the dangers of using flawed science to reshape law and culture.

Satinover’s Warning: Ideology Over Evidence

Dr. Jeffrey Satinover, in Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth (1996), presents a compelling analysis of how ideology has overtaken scientific integrity in the discourse on sexuality. Drawing from his background in psychiatry and neuroscience, Satinover argues:

• There is no scientific proofthat homosexuality is innate or immutable.
• Early trauma, emotional detachment, and gender identity confusion are common developmental patterns among those with same-sex attraction.
• Activist movements havedeliberately misused scientific research to normalize behaviors and reframe moral questions as civil rights issues.
• Psychiatric and religious institutions have been pressured and coercedinto affirming homosexuality regardless of evidence or conscience.

Satinover emphasizes that truth is not hate, and that compassion must be rooted in honesty—not compliance with ideological demands.

Policy Manipulation: The Case of Sri Lanka’s Penal Code

This ideology has now reached Sri Lanka presently through the Human Rights Commission’s recommendation to repeal Sections 365 and 365A of the Penal Code—laws that previously criminalized same-sex acts, particularly those deemed against the order of nature.”

The proposed repeal would not only legalize same-sex relations but also eliminate provisions that criminalize carnal acts involving children under 16—effectively weakening protections for minors in the name of rights advocacy. This radical shift is being driven by foreign-funded NGOs and embassies under the banner of human rights, not through public mandate or democratic debate.

It is another example of how unproven science is used to justify sweeping legal and cultural changes with long-term consequences.

Truth Matters More Than Narrative: A Warning to Government, Lawmakers, and Judiciary

There is no gay gene. The narrative that people are born gay has become an ideological dogma, not a scientific fact. It has been used to rewrite laws, redefine morality, and silence dissent.

To Sri Lanka’s government, legislature, judiciary, and the Human Rights Commission: promoting the idea that children are born gay—and indoctrinating that view through legal reforms and educational curricula—does harm – irreversible harm.

It does not foster diversity. It fosters confusion.

You are not protecting children—you are violating their fundamental rights to natural development, family guidance, and psychological well-being.

Parents are being pushed out of their rightful role, and children are being subjected to premature identity shaping under political pressure.

These actions also contravene the teachings and moral obligations of the Buddha Sasana, which regard natural conduct and moral discipline as sacred. By turning away from this, you invite moral decline and cultural collapse echoed in all the other traditional religions practiced in Sri Lanka as well.

Every public servant—from the President to the village official—is bound by Sri Lanka’s Penal Code and Constitution to uphold the moral fabric of society. Abandoning this duty under foreign ideological pressure constitutes a delict of duty—a legal and moral betrayal of the people, the children, and the nation’s civilizational heritage.

Truth must take precedence over politics. Heritage must prevail over ideological colonization.

Shenali Waduge

References

• Hamer et al., Science, 1993
• Ganna et al., Science, 2019. DOI: 10.1126/science.aat7693
• Tomeo et al., Archives of Sexual Behavior, 2001. DOI: 10.1023/A:1010274731650
• Satinover, J., Homosexuality and the Politics of Truth, 1996
• Whitehead, N. E., My Genes Made Me Do It!, 2013

චානක බණ්ඩාරගේ

සිංහල බෞද්ධ අත්තිවාරමක් (foundation) තිබෙන ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ සිංහලයන්ට අමතරව ද්‍රවිඩ, මුස්ලිම්, බර්ගර්, ආදිවාසින් (මොවුන් සිංහල බෞද්ධයන්ගේම කොටසක් වැනි වෙති), මැලේ ආදීහු ජීවත් වෙති. ඔවුන් සියල්ල මෙහි ජීවත් විය යුතුය. එහි කිසිදු ප්‍රශ්ණනයක් නොමැත. අප සියළු දෙනාම ශ්‍රී ලාංකිකයෝය.

ද්‍රවිඩ ජාතිකයෙකුට කිලිනොච්චි අත් හැර ගම්පහ පදිංචි වීමට හැකියාවක් ඇත. මුස්ලිම් ජාතිකයෙකුට අක්කරෙයිපත්තු  අත්හැර තංගල්ලේ පදිංචි විය හැක. නමුත්, ගම්පහ හෝ තංගල්ලේ වෙසෙන සිංහලයෙකුට කිලිනොච්චි හෝ අක්කරෙයිපත්තු ඉඩමක් මිලදී ගෙන නිවසක් සදා ගැනීමේ හැකියාව නැත/ඉතාම අපහසුය..

මෙය සාධාරණද?

නිදහසේ තමන් කැමති තැනක ජීවත්වීම (freedom of movement) අපගේ ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථාවේ  14වෙනි වගන්තියෙන් සියළු රටවැසියන්ට ලබාදී ඇති අයිතියකි. ශ්‍රී ලංකාව විසින් අත්සන් කර ඇති International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 නමැති ජාත්‍යාන්තර ප්‍රඥප්තියේද මේ බව තදින්ම සඳහන් වේ.

නියම ‘සන්හිඳියාව’ වන්නේ රටවැසියෙකුට තමන් කැමති ඕනෑම පළාතක ජීවත්වීමේ අයිතිය හිමිවීමයි.

මැලේසියාවේ, ඕස්ත්‍රේලියාවේ (ඒකීය රටවල්) පුරවැසියන් එම රටවල ඕනෑම ප්‍රදේශයක වාසය කිරීමේ නිදහස භුක්ති විඳී. සීඩ්නි වල පදිංචි ඔනෑම ඕස්ත්‍රේලියානුවෙක් ‘හෙට සිට මම උතුරේ ඩාර්වින් වල පදිංචියට යනවා’ කියා තීරණය කල හොත් එම තීරණය ක්‍රියාත්මක කිරීමේ නිදහස ඔහුට/ඇයට ඇත. ඔහුට/ඇයට ඒ පිළිබඳව එම රටේ උතුරේ මහ ඇමතිගෙන් අවසර ලබා ගත යුතු නැත. ඩාර්වින්වල කිසිම බලධාරියෙක් ඔහුට/ඇයට එසේ පැමිණ ජීවත්වීම ගැන තහංචි දමන්නේ නැත.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවද ඒකීය රාජ්‍යක් වේ. එහෙත්, කොළඹ පදිංචි සිංහලයෙක් ‘හෙට සිට මම යාපනයේ පදිංචියට යනවා’ කියා තීරණය කළහොත්? එවැන්නක් සිදුවීමේ වාතාවරණය මේ රටේ නැත හෝ ඉතා අපහසුය.

සිංහලයෙකුට අවශ්‍ය නම් කිලිනොච්චියේ, පේදුරු තුඩුවේ, මඩකලපුවේ, අක්කරෙයිපත්තුවේ ඉඩමක් මිලදී ගෙන එහි නිවසක් තනා සිය පවුල සමඟ නිදහසේ ජීවත්වීමේ උපරිම හැකියාව තිබිය යුතුයි.

මෙය අද මේ රටේ ප්‍රධානම මානව හිමිකම් (human rights) ප්‍රශ්ණයයි.

මෙයටත් වඩා වෙනත් අසාධාරනයක් වේද?

ඇතැම් TNA, පොන්නම්බලම්, සිද්ධාර්තන් වැනි මන්ත්‍රීවරුන් විසින් කරන ලද කථාවලින් මනා ලෙස පිළිබිඹුවන්නේ ඔවුන් උතුරට සිංහලයන් පැමිණ වාසය කිරීමට තරයේ විරුද්ධ බවයි. 

දකුණේ ඕනෑම තැනක ද්‍රවිඩයන්ට ජිවත්විය හැකි නම්, සිංහලයන්ට උතුරේ/නැගෙනහිර ජීවත්වීමට නොහැකි මන්දැයි මේ ජාතිවාදීන්ගෙන් කෙලින්ම ඇසීමට තරම් පිට කොන්දක් ඇති එකදු දේශපාලනඥයෙක් වත් අද පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ නොමැත.  

එදා KMPරාජරත්න, APජයසුරිය, සිරිල් මැතිව්, ගාමිණි ජයසුරිය, දොස්තර නෙවිල් ප්‍රනාන්දු වැනි මන්ත්‍රීවරුන්‌ කෙලින්ම මෙවැනි සිංහල අයිතීන් ගැන පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ අභීතව හඬ නැගුහ.

1994 පසු තිබු සියළු රජයන් ඉතා සුක්ෂම ලෙස   ‘සිංහල’’, බෞද්ධ’ ලෙස රට හැඳින්වීමට එදිරිව කටයුතු කලහ.

අද, මේ රටේ ඇත්තේ පළාත් 9ක් නොව 7ක් යයි සිතන තරමට සිංහලයෝ උතුර, නැගෙනහිර පිළිබඳව ආශාවන් අත්හැර ඇත්තා සේය. එම පළාත් දෙක පිළිබඳව ඔවුන් තුල ආධ්‍යාත්මික වූ බැඳීමක්/ඇල්මක් නොමැත. ඔවුන්ගේ සම්පුර්ණ අවධානය යොමු වී ඇත්තේ තමන් ජීවත්වෙන පළාත් 7 පිළිබඳවය. උතුර, නැගෙනහිර (මෙය මේ රටේ 1/3 ක භුමි කොටසකි, මුහුදු තීරයෙන් 2/3ක් පමණ වේ) ඉඩම්/දේපල තමන්ට කිසිදා ලබා ගැනීමට නොහැකි දේ ලෙස ඔවුන් සලකත්.

ප්‍රභාකරන් විසින් 1970 අග සහ 1980 මුල උතුරේ සිංහලයන් පලවා හරින විට එහි අඩු තරමින් සිංහල ස්ථිර පදිංචිකරුවෝ 50,000 තරමවත් සිටි බවට එහි එකල ජිවත් වූ වැසියෝ පවසත්. යාපනයේ පමණක් සිංහලයෝ 20,000 ස්ථිර පදිංචි කරුවන් ලෙස සිටි බවට කියති. යාපනයේ බේකරි කර්මාන්තය මුළුමනින්ම වාගේ තිබුනේ සිංහලයන් අතය. යාපනයේ එළවලු, මාළු වැනි වෙළදාම් වල සිංහලයෝ ඉදිරියෙන්ම සිටියහ. නමුත් අද දකුණු වවුනියාව සහ  වවුනියාව දිස්ත්‍රික්කයේ නැගෙනහිරට වෙන්නට ඇති බෝගස්වැව, වෙහෙරතැන්න,  නන්දිමිත්‍රගම, නාමල්ගම, වැලිඔය, හැලඹවැව, ජනකපුර වැනි ප්‍රදේශ අත්හල පසු, වවුනියාවෙන් ඔබ්බට, උතුරු  පළාතේ ස්ථිරව ජිවත්වන මුළු සිංහල ගහණය 500ක් වත් නැති තරම්ය.

ප්‍රභාකරන් විසින් උතුරෙන් එලවා දමන ලද සිංහලයන්, මුස්ලිමානුවන් නැවතත් එම ප්‍රදේශවලට යාමට ඉතා අශාවෙන් සිටිත්. නමුත් ඔවුන්ව එම ප්‍රදේශවල නැවත පදිිංචි කිරිම පිළිබඳව  2009 යුධ ජයග්‍රණයෙන් පසු රජයන් සැලකිල්ලක් දැක්වුවේ නැත.  ප්‍රභාකරන් විසින් පන්නා දමන ලද උතුරේ සිංහල පවුල් 50ක් පමණ, 2010දී යාපනයේ තම ඉඩම් ආපසු ලබා දෙන ලෙස ඉල්ලා යාපනය (පැරණි) දුම්රිය ස්ථානයේ දින ගණනාවක් රැඳී සිටියදී ඔවුන්ව ශ්‍රී ලංගම බස් වලට පටවා බලෙන්ම ආපසු මිහින්තලේට යවනු ලැබුවේ එවකට තිබු රජය මඟිනි (එවකට සිටී ආරක්ෂක ලේකම් 2019 දී රටේ ජනාධිපති විය). ඔවුන් නොගියේ නම් අත්අඩංගුවට ගන්නා බවට එක් සිංහල පොලිස් ASP වරයෙක් ඔවුන් ඉදිරියට පැමිණ තර්ජනය කර කියා සිටියේය. නමුත්, ඒ අතර සිටී විරෝධාර සිංහලයන් කිහිප දෙනක් තමන් කිසිම ලෙසකින් ආපසු දකුණට නොයන බවට ශපත කරමින් උතුරේම රැඳී සිටියහ. රජයේ කිසිම ආධාරයක් නොමැතිව නාවට්කුලි සිංහල ගම්මානය (යාපනයට කිලෝ මීටර් 7) බලෙන්ම  බිහි කර ගත්තේ ඒ අය විසිනි. මේ අයව එම ගමින් එළවීමට TNA/දෙමළ පක්ෂ සහ දෙමළ පළාත් සභාව නොකළ දෙයක් නැත. මේ ගමට අදත් සෑම රජයකින්ම (මධ්‍යම ඇතුළු) ලැබෙන්නේ කුඩම්මාගේ සැලකිලිය. ඇතැම් මිනිසුන් තවමත් සිටින්නේ ටකරං මඩු වලය.

මේ ටකරං මඩු ගෙවල් සහ නාවට්කුලි ගමේ වෙනත් අඩුපාඩු යහපාලන රජයේ ප්‍රබල ඇමතිවරයෙක්ට (ක්‍රීඩාවකින් රටට ජය ලබා දුන්) මේ ලියුම්කරු පෞද්ගලිකවම පෙන්වීය (2016). ඔහු සමඟ මෙම ලියුම්කරු මුළු නාවට්කුලි ගම පුරාම ඇවිද්දේය – සියළු අඩුපාඩු පෙන්වීය. අප ඉල්ලන දෙය ලිඛිතව ඉදිරිපත් කරන මෙන් එතුමා දැන්වීය. ඒ දෙය ඔහුගේ එකී උතුරු සංචාරයෙන් දින 2ක් තුල ලබා දුනිමි.  නමුත් ඔහුගෙන් කිසිදු පිළිතුරක් ලැබුනේ නැත, එම ගමට ඔහු කිසිත් නොකළේය.

එතුමා නාවට්කුලි පැමිණි කාලයේම එම රජයේ එවකට සිටී බුද්ධ ශාසන සහ අධිකරණ ඇමති නාවට්කුලි ගමට පුද්ගලික සංචාරයක් සේ පැමිණ, එහි පන්සලට රජයෙන් සැළකිය යුතු මුල්‍යමය අධාරයක් ලබා දී ගිය බව ද මෙහි පැවසිය යුතුය.

යාපනයට දුම්රියෙන් යනවිට නාවට්කුලි පන්සලේ යෝධ චෛත්‍ය  රාජයානෝ දුම්රිය මගීන්ට දක්නට ලැබෙන ඉතා මනරම් දසුනකි.

වසර කිහිපයකට් උඩදී  අනුරාධපුරයේ සිට සිංහලයෙක් තම කිට්ටු ඥාතියෙක් වෙසෙන නිසා උතුරට පැමිණ නාවට්කුලී සිංහල ගම්මානයේ පදිංචි වීමට උත්සහ දැරීය.  එහි ඉඩමක් මිලදී ගෙන නිවසක් තනා ගැනීම හෝ තියෙන නිවසක් මිලදී ගැනීම නොව, සිය ඥාතියා සමඟ එම නිවසෙහිම  ජීවත්වීමයි ඒ අයගේ අරමුණ වුයේ.

ග්‍රාම සේවක මට්ටමේ සිට එම අයට පැමිණියේ ‘කැපිළිය’. කිසිම රජයේ දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවක් ඒ අයගේ නව පදිංචිය ලියාපදිංචි කිරීමට සහාය නොදුණි. උවමනාවෙන්ම දෙමළෙන් දෙමළ නොතේරන ඒ අය සමඟ කථා කළහ. අවසානයේ සියළු බලාපොරොත්තු අත් හැර ඒ අය නැවත අනුරාධපුරය බලා ගියහ.  එසේ යාම පිණිස බලධාරීන් කටයුතු කළහ.

නාවට්කුලිය සිංහල ගම් වැසියෙකු උදෑසන ආහාර කරත්තයක් ඉතා සාර්ථකව පවත්වා ගෙන යද්දී උතුරු ප්‍රාන්ත රජයේ නිලධාරීහු විවිධ උපක්‍රම යොදා  ඔහුගේ එම ස්වයං රැකියා ව්‍යාපාරය නැවත්වුහ. ඔහු අද එම ගමද අත් හැර දමා ගාල්ලේ පදිංචිය. කළින් අනුරාධපුරයේ නිවසේ සිට අයිස් ක්‍රීම් සදා ඉහල පළපුරුද්දක් ඇති සිංහල අයෙකුට නාවට්කුලි සිය නිවසේ සිට අයිස් ක්‍රීම් කර්මාන්තයේ නියැලීමේ අවස්ථාව ප්‍රාන්ත රාජ්‍ය නිලධාරින් විසින් ලබා නොදුනි. සිංහල ගමේ නායකයෙකු වූ ඔහු අද සිය නාවට්කුලි නිවසද විකුණා දමා (ද්‍රවිඩ අයෙකුට) මැදවච්චියේ පදිංචිය.

2009 මැයි 19 වනදා යුධ ජයග්‍රහණයෙන් පසුව කල යුතුව තිබුනේ මෙම රටේ මෙතෙක් පැවතියේ ත්‍රස්තවාදී යුද්ධයක් බවත්, එය දැන් අවසන් බවත්, සියළු ජාතින් සාමයෙන්, සමගියෙන්, සහෝදරත්වයෙන් ලංකාවේ සෑම පලාතකම මින් ඉදිරියට  වාසය කල හැකි බවට ප්‍රකාශ කර, ඒ අනුව ජාතික ප්‍රතිපත්ති සකස් කිරීමය. 1987දී 13වන ව්‍යවස්ථා සංශෝදනය ගෙන ආවේ එදා රටේ පැවතී ත්‍රස්තවාදී යුද්ධය නිසා බවත් යුද්ධය අවසන් වීම නිසා එය ජනමත විචාරණයක් මඟින් අවලංගු කල යුතු බවට සියළු  ජනතාව දැනුවත් කල යුතුව තිබුණි. එදා එවැනි ඉල්ලීමක්  කළා නම් සිංහල, ද්‍රවිඩ, මුස්ලිම් බොහෝ දෙනා එවන් ජනමත විචාරණයකට කැමැත්ත පල කිරීමට ඉඩ තිබුණි. 13වන සංශෝධනය අවලංගු කලානම් පළාත් සභා නමැති කිසිම වැඩකට නැති සුදු අලියා අහෝසි වී යනවා පමණක් නොව (පළාත් සභා 9ම අහෝසි වීමකි), උතුරු පළාත් සභාවට චන්දයක් පැවැත්වීමට අවශ්‍යතාවයක් නොවීමෙන් අප හොඳින්ම දැන සිටි කරුණක් වන සිංහලයාට එරෙහි වන ජාතිවාදී ආණ්ඩුවක් උතුරේ බලයට පැමිණීමෙන් වළක්වා ගත හැකිවීමට තිබුණි.

නැවතත් මෙවැනි  ජනමත විචාරණයක් 2013 අග භාගයේදී උතුරු පළාත් සභා මැතිවරණය පැවැත්වීමට පෙර 2012/2013 දී පැවැත්වීමට රට තුල දැඩි ඉල්ලුමක් තිබුනත් එවක තිබු රජය ඒ ගැන කිසි සැලකිල්ලක් දැක්වුයේ නැත. එයට අවශ්‍ය වුයේ කෙසේ හෝ  උතුරු පළාත් සභා මැතිවරණය පැවැත්වීමය. එහි ප්‍රථිපලයක් ලෙස සිංහලයන්ට උතුරට ගොස් පදිංචි වීමට තිබු කුඩා අවස්ථාව පවා දැන් අහිමි වී ගොස් තිබේ.

විග්නේස්වරන් උතුරේ TNA මහා ඇමති අපේක්ෂක බවට එම පෙරමුණ ප්‍රකාශ කලේ මැතිවරණයට බොහෝ කලකටත් උඩ දීය. ඔහු පැමිණ ජාතිවාදීව හැසිරෙන බව එකළ නොදත්තේ පොඩි ළමයෙක් පමණි.

TNA පෙරමුණ පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ LTTE හඬ මෙන් කටයුතු කල බව කාටත් මතකය.

දැක්මක් නැති පාලකයන් නිසා සිංහලයා මේ රටේ බොහෝ අසරණ තත්ත්වයට පත්ව සිටිත්.

විග්නේස්වරන් මහ ඇමතිවරයා කාලයේ උතුරේ ප්‍රසිද්ධ ස්ථානයක නව බුදු පිළිමයක් ස්ථාපනය කිරීම පවා තහනම් කටයුත්තක් බවට පත් විය.  පන්සලක චෛත්‍යයක් සදා ගැනීම වැනි කටයුත්තකට පවා උතුරේ සිංහල බෞද්ධයන්ට උසාවි අවසර ලබා ගැනීමට යාමට සිදුවීම ප්‍රශ්න බරපතල බව පෙන්වන්නකි.

කවදාවත් නොසිටී දෙමළ රජවරුන්ගේ පිළිම විග්නේස්වරන් මහත්  වියදම් දරා යාපනයේ පිහිටවිය. කඩු, කිණිසි වැනි දේ රැගත් රෞද්‍ර වැනි පෙනුමැති  දැවැන්ත  තරුණ ද්‍රවිඩ පිළිම උතුරට පිවිසෙන සෑම නගර ද්වාරයකම වාගේ ඔහු පිහිට විය. මේවාට මුදල් සැපයුයේ මධ්‍යම රජයද?

සිංහල ජාතිකයෙකුට උතුරේ (සහ ඇතැම් නැගෙනහිර) ඉඩම් කොටසක් මිලදී ගැනීමට, බද්දට ගැනීමට, ගොවිපලක් ආරම්භ කිරීමට අද නොහැකිය/ඉතාම අපහසුය. මේවා මේ රටේ දැවැන්ත, දැවෙනම ප්‍රශ්ණය. නමුත් ඒවා ප්‍රශ්ණ නොවන ආකාරයෙන් පෙන්වා රජයන් කටයුතු කරයි. වර්ගවාදී ජාතික ප්‍රතිපත්තියක් අදහන TNA සහ බෙදුම්වාදී ද්‍රවිඩ දේශපාලඥයනට අවශ්‍ය ලෙස උතුරේ කටයුතු සිදුකිරීමට සියළු රජයන් මේ දක්වා ඉඩ ලබා දී තිබේ.  

ප්‍රභාකරන් උතුරේ සිටි මුස්ලිමානුවන් ලක්ෂයකට වඩා පිරිසක් දකුණට එලවා දැමුවේය. යුද්ධයෙන් පසු පුත්තලමේ සිටි මුස්ලිමානු සරණාගතයන් ආපසු උතුරට (මන්නාරමට) රැගෙන යාම හරිය. ඔවුන් එසේ ගියා කියා දකුණේ සිංහලයෝ මැසිවිලි නගති – සමහර සිංහලයන්ට යථාර්ථය ගැන අවබෝධයක් නැත.

තේසවලාමේ නිසා සිංහලයන්ට උතුරේ ඉඩම් මිලදී ගත නොහැකිය යන බොරු තර්කයක් TNA පවසයි.  උතුරේ තේසවලාමේ නිතීයට අයත් වනුයේ සීමිත ඉඩම් කාණ්ඩයක් පමණි. එකී ඉඩම් වුවද නිවැරදි නිතීමය ක්‍රමවේදයක් එකී ඉඩම් හිමියන් විසින් අනුගමනය කිරීමෙන් පසු තේසවලාමේ පැවරීමකට ලක් නොවුනහොත්, ඒවා ඉන් පසු සිංහලයනට වුවද මිලදී ගත හැක.

නිවැරදි නීති උපදෙස් ලබාගෙන, තේසවලමේ  නීතියට කෙලින්ම හසු නොවන, උතුරේ ඉඩම් මිලදී ගෙන ඉදිරියට යාමට සිංහලයා කටයුතු කල යුතුවේ.  රජය මෙයට සහාය ලබා දිය යුතුයි.

සිංහලයන්ට උතුරේ ගොවිපලවල්, ව්‍යාපාර පටන් ගැනීමට, එසේ නොමැති නම් උතුරේ වූ නිස්කලංක පරිසරයේ ජීවත්වීමට, එවැනි දේ කැමති අයට අවස්ථාව රජය සැලසිය යුතුවේ. නියම සංහිඳියාව යනු මෙයයි. නමුත් අද සිදුවන්නේ එයට ඉඳුරාම විරුද්ධ දෙයකි. එසේ යන අයව වැලැක්වීම සහ ඒ අයට අවශ්‍ය පහසුකම් නොලැබීමයි.

සිංහලයන්ට උතුරේ පදිංචි විමට ඉඩ නොදීමෙන් රජයන් සහ ද්‍රවිඩ  දේශපාලනඥයන් ජාතික සහ අන්තර් ජාතික නීති කඩ කරත්.

උතුරේ සහ නැගෙනහිර අනාගත මිනිස් වාසස්ථාන ප්‍රධාන ජාතින් තුනටම ඉඩ දෙන පරිද්දෙන් සිදු කලයුතු වේ. මෙවැනි ප්‍රතිපත්තියක් අනුගමනය කිරීම රටේ සුභසිද්ධියට ඉවහල් වෙන්නකි.

මෙවැනි ප්‍රතිපත්තියක් සැලසුම් කර ක්‍රියාවට නැංවිය හැක්කේ මධ්‍යම රජයටයි. දැන් පවත්නා මධ්‍යම රජය ද්‍රවිඩ දේශපාලනඥයන් සමඟ සමීපව වැඩ කරන බැවින් මෙම රජයට ඉතා හොඳින් මේ ක්‍රියාදාමය ආරම්භ කල හැකියි.

එදා බොරැල්ලේ  වනාතමුල්ල, මට්ටක්කුලියේ සමිට්පුර 95% පමණ සිංහල බෞද්ධ වූ විශාල නාගරික ගම්මානයන්ය. පන්සල් වලින් නැඟුන සාධු නාදය, පිරිත් සජ්ජායනා වලින් ඒ ප්‍රදේශ සුපිරිසිඳුවත් විය. අද ඒවායෙහි සිංහල බෞද්ධයන්  50%ක් වත් නැති තරමි. කෝවිල්, විවිධ පල්ලි හතු පිපෙන්නාක් මෙන් බිහිවී ඇත; බිහිවෙමින් පවතී. ජාතික නිදහස ගැන කථා කරන නිවාස ඇමතිවරයෙක් යටතේ සහශ්‍ර පුර, මුවදොර උයන වැනි යෝධ නාගරික ව්‍යාපෘති වල (7,000- 8,000 එහා ජනයා ජීවත්වෙන)  සෑම විටම වාගේ සිංහල, දෙමළ, මුස්ලිම් 1/3 අනුපාතයට බෙදෙන පරිදි ජනයා පදිංචි කරවනු ලැබිය. මේවා ඔහුගේ වීර, වංශවත් වික්‍රමයන්ය. ප්‍රේමදාස ජනාධිතුමා මිනිසුන් පදිංචි කලේ/රජයේ පත්වීම් දුන්නේ රටේ ජාතික ජනගහන අනුපාතයනටය (74%, 18%, 8%).

කොටහේන, මෝදර, මට්ටක්කුලිය, මාලිගාවත්ත, වැල්ලවත්ත, කොම්පඥය වීදිය වැනි ප්‍රදේශවල අද සිංහලයා නැත්තටම නැති තරම්ය. 1960 ගණන් වල සිංහලයා 60% වඩා සිටියහ. මේ සමහර ප්‍රදේශවල සිංහලයන් 25%ක් වත් අද ඇද්ද?

කොළඹ නගර සභා බල ප්‍රදේශය තුල සිංහලයා අද සුළු ජාතියක් බවට පත්වී හමාර නොවේද?

නමුත්, මේ ගැන අප කිසිදු ජාතියකටවත් දොස් නොකියමු. සියල්ල දරා ගෙන, සියළු දෙනාටම ආදරයෙන් සළකමු.

උතුර තුල යම් දිනක ‘සිංහල වැල්ලවත්තක්’, ‘සිංහල කොටහේනක්’ බිහි වුවහොත් රට සංහිඳියාව අතින් උපරිම ප්‍රථිපල ලබා ඇතැයි අපට එදිනට ඉමහත් අභිමානයෙන් යුතුව කිව හැකි වේ. කිලිනොච්චියේ සහ මුලතිවු වල මෙවැනි සිංහල ජනාවාස 2ක් ඇති කිරීමට  මධ්‍යම රජය සහ රටට අවංකව ආදරය කරන උතුරු දේශපාලනඥයන්ට ක්‍රියා නොකර සිටීමට කිසිම හේතුවක් නැත.

මෙම ලිපියෙන් මුලිකවම පෙන්වා දීමට අදහස් කලේ උතුරේ නව සිංහලයන් පදිංචි විය යුතු අතර ඒ සඳහා රජයන් (සහ වෙනත් රාජ්‍ය නොවන) ආයතන උනන්දුවෙන් කටයුතු කල යුතු බවයි. එවැන්නක් කළහොත් එයින් රටේ සියළු ජාතීන්ට වන සෙත කියා නිම කල නොහැකිය. අනාගතයයේදී  ජාතිවාදී යුද්ධයක් නැවත මෙරට ඇති නොවීමට ඇති හොඳම පිළියමකි එය. වසර 30ක් පැවති යුද්ධය ඇති වීමට ප්‍රධාන හේතුවක් වුයේ උතුරේ සිංහලයන් නොසිටීමය. ප්‍රභාකරන් සහ ඔහුගේ අනුගාමිකයන් හට සිංහලයන් ගැන හොඳ අවබෝධයක් තිබුනේ නැත. ඔවුහු බොහෝ දෙනෙක් සිංහල කථා කිරීමට පවා නොපුළුවන් විය. රජයන් මඟින් සිංහලුන් උතුරෙන් ඉවත් කිරීමට වෑයම් කරන්නේ නම් උතුරේ දෙමළ ජනයාට සිංහලුන් ගැන හොඳ අවබෝධයක් ලබා ගැනීමට නොහැකි වනු ඇත. එය සංහිඳියා ක්‍රියාමාර්ගය සාර්ථක නොවීමට මුලිකම  හේතුවක් වනු ඇත.

මන්නාරම මුරුන්කන්හි නරි කාඩු (විකුම් පුර) සහ මඩුහි මඩු පාර  සිංහල ගම්මාන

මෙවා සිංහල වැසියන් ජීවත්වෙන ගම්මානයි. මේවායේ බොහෝ සිංහල අය පාරම්පරිකව එම ප්‍රදේශයේ ජීවත් වූ අයයි.  ඒ අය දෙමල කථා කරති.  දෙමළ නොදන්නා සිංහලයෝද මේ ගම් වල ජීවත් වෙති.

ප්‍රභාකරන් විසින් උතුරෙන් සිංහලයන් එළවීමේ ත්‍රස්‌තවාදී වැඩපිළිවෙල යටතේ මෙම ගමේ බොහෝ දෙනෙක් උතුර අත් හැර උතුරු මැද පලාතට ගියහ. 2009 යුද්ධය අවසන් වීමෙන් පසු මේ සිංහලයන්ගෙන් සමහරෙක් ආපසු නරි කාඩු/මඩු පාර  ගම්මාන වෙත ආහ.

මෙම ගම් 2ට වැදුණු තදබල පහරක් වුයේ ගමේ ළමුන් පාසැල් ගිය මඩු පාර සිංහල මහා විද්‍යාලය විග්නේස්වරන්ගේ උතුරු පළාත් සභාව විසින් 2018දී වසා දැමීමයි. එය වසර ගණනාවක් පැරණි, සියළු පහසුකම් වලින් හෙබි උසස් විදුහලක් විය. එය අක්කර ගණනාවක ඉතා මනරම් භූමියකි.

ප්‍රභාකරන් යාපනයේ සිංහල මහා විද්‍යාලය විනාශ කර දැමිය. මෛත්‍රීපාල සේනානායක, KB රත්නායක – හිටපු ඇමතිවරු එහි ආදී ශිෂ්‍යයන්ය. ඒ හිස් භුමිය අදත් රජය සතුය (යාපනය මහ රෝහලට යාබද). අද පවත්නා ජාජබ  රජය එහි සිංහල මහා විද්‍යාලය යළි ස්ථාපිත කරත්ද?

විග්නේස්වරන්ගේ TNA පළාත් සභා රජය විසින් කිසි හිතක් පපුවක් නොමැතිව අගනා මඩු පාර සිංහල මහා විද්‍යාලය වසා දමන ලදී.

මේ අසාධාරණ වසා දැමීම පිළිබඳව අප එවකට වූ යහපාලන රජය දැනුවත් කළෙමු. නමුත් කිසිත් සිදුවුයේ නැත.

තම දරුවන්ට සිංහලෙන් අධ්‍යාපනය ලබා දීමේ හැකියාව නොමැති නිසා නරි කාඩු, මඩු පාර සිංහල ගම්වල සිංහලයන් සමහරෙක් ආපසු උතුරු මැද පළාත බලා ගියහ. මිනිසුනට වගා කිරීමට ඉඩම් නොමැති කම නිසාද මේ ගම් අත් හැර දකුණට ආපසු ගිය සිංහලයෝ වුහ.

2023දී  රනිල් වික්‍රමසිංහ ජනාධිපතිතුමා ප්‍රතිපාදන ලබාදී මෙම පාසැල නැවත විවෘත කර දුන්නේය. මන්නාරම සිලාවතුර පාසැලද නැවත එතුමා විවෘත කිරීමට කටයුතු කළේය. ඒ කර්තව්‍යනට මෙම ලියුම්කරුද සම්බන්ධය. අද අප ඉතා අමාරුවෙන් මන්නාරම සිංහල මහා විද්‍යාලය පවත්වා ගෙන යමු.

පහසුකම් දෙන්නේ නම් විලච්චිය, මහ විලච්චි වැනි ප්‍රදේශවල සිංහලයෝ විශාල ලෙස තම දරුවන් කැටුව නරිකාඩු, මඩු පාරේ පදිංචියට පැමිණීමට සුදානම්ය. ඒ තම සිංහල දරුවනට සිංහලයෙන් අධ්‍යාපනය ලබා දීමටය. නමුත් මේ අයගේ ඒම වළක්වන්නේ ද්‍රවිඩ රජයේ නිලධාරින්ය. දෙමළ කථා කරන පුත්තලම් ප්‍රදේශයේ සිට මඩු පාරේ පදිංචියට පැමිණි සිංහලයනට ‘අස්වැසුම’ රජයේ ප්‍රතිලාභය ලබා නොදෙත්. ඔවුන් පැමිණ දැන් වසරකටත් වැඩිය. මේ අය ආපසු යා හැක. කිසිම ආදායමක් නොමැති නිසා සිය දරුවන් රැගෙන ආපසු දකුණට ගිය සිංහල පවුල් කිහිපයකි – නිට්ටඹුව, කුරුනෑගල වැනි පළාත් වලින් පැමිණි.

නමුත් මේ අය ආපසු මන්නාරමට පැමිණීමට සුදානමින් සිටිත්.

ඉඩම්, නිවාස, රැකියා, අස්වැසුම ආධාර – මේ කිසිත් නොමැතිව මේ අය දරු පවුල් සමඟ උතුරට පැමිණ කෙසේ නම් නව ජීවීතයක් ආරම්භ කරත්ද?

තත්ත්වය මෙසේ තිබියදී නිවාස සංගණනයක්ය කියා වසර කිහිපයකට පෙර නරි කාඩු අයත් වෙන නානාත්තාන් දිස්ත්‍රික් සහකාර ලේකම් ආයතනයේ නිලධාරින් එම ගමට ගොස් එහි වැසියන්ගෙන් වසා තබා ඇති නිවාස පිළිබඳව නොයෙක් ප්‍රශ්ණ අසා ඇත. ‘මේ ගෙවල් අපරාදේ, අනිත් අයට (දෙමළ) ගෙවල් නෑ, මේක මහ අපරාධයක්” වැනි දේ ඔවුන් කියා ඇත.

වසා තිබෙන නිවෙස් හැර, ඒවායේ දෙමල ජනයා පදිංචි කරාවිද යන බිය සිංහල ගම් වැසියන් තුල ඇත.

මෙම කාරණය ගැන මෙම ලියුම්කරු වාර්ථා කරන්නේ ඔහුට ගම්වැසියන් විසින් පවසන ලද කථාවය.

මෙම ලියුම්කරු මෙම  ගම්මානවල බොහෝ කාලයක සිට ප්‍රජා සංවර්ධන වැඩ කටයුතු සිදු කර ඇති නිසා නිර්භවම පවසන්නේ – අද උතුරේ පදිංචි සිංහලයාට තම ප්‍රශ්ණ කීමට කිසිම සිංහල නිලධාරියෙක් නොමැති බවත් සිංහලයන් වාසය කරන මේ ප්‍රදේශවල රජයේ ආයතනවල සිංහලෙන් කිසිම වැඩක් නොකරන බවත්ය.

1987 සිට 2018 දක්වා එක් දිගට (වසර 31ක්), සැමදාම උතුරේ ආණ්ඩුකාරයා වුයේ සිංහල අයෙකි. මේ තත්ත්වය වෙනස් කලේ ජනාධිපති මෛත්‍රීපාල සිරිසේනයි – 2018දීය. ඉන්පසු පැමිණි සියළු ආණ්ඩුකාරයන් වුයේ දෙමළ අයයි. උතුරේ ආණ්ඩුකාරයා දෙමළ විය යුතු බවට නව සම්ප්‍රදායක් දැන් බිහිවී තිබෙන බවක් පෙනේ. උතුරේ සිංහලයාගේ ප්‍රශ්ණ නිසියාකාර ලෙස කියන්නේ කාහටද?

සිංහලයා මේ රටේ විඳින මෙම ජාතිවාදය ගැන කිසිවෙක් කථා නොකරයි/නොපිළිගනී.

මෙම ලියුම්කරු  ගෝලීය ශ්‍රී ලාංකික එකමුතුවේ (Sri Lanka Support Group) ආරම්භක/වර්තමාන සභාපතිවරයා වේ. සිංහල සංවර්ධන සංවිධානයේ (ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ 1980 මැද භාගයේ ලියාපදිංචි කරන ලද) වත්මන් සභාපතිවරයා වේ. sinhalasanvardhanasanvidhanaya@gmail.com

Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Colombo, May 31 (Daily Mirror)- A Parliamentary delegation from Sri Lanka, led by Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih visited India from 25-31 May 2025 for an orientation programme at India’s Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE).

The delegation comprised 20 Members of Parliament (MP) representing various political parties and four officials of the Sri Lankan Parliament, including the Secretary General.

The delegation was the inaugural batch to undergo the orientation programme at India’s Parliamentary Research and Training Institute for Democracies (PRIDE) in New Delhi. 

This is following the announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Sri Lanka in April 2025, offering 700 customised training slots annually for Sri Lankan professionals.

The visiting delegation called on Speaker of Lok Sabha, Shri Om Birla. 

Under the orientation programme, the delegation had interactive sessions on legislative and budgetary processes, system of Parliamentary Committees and other related matters between the two democracies. Several senior MPs, Parliamentary officials, Media persons shared insights on Indian polity with the Sri Lankan delegation.

Lanka Leader

ශ්‍රී ලංකා සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවා අධිකාරියේ සභාපති ලෙස වර්තමාන රජය විසින් පත් කළ සුනිල් ජයරත්න මහතා සිවිල් ගුවන්සේවා අධිකාරිය සම්බන්ධයෙන් දැනුම්වත් භාවයකින් තොරව කටයුතු කිරීම හේතුවෙන් මේ වන විට අර්බුදයක් නිර්මාණය වී තිබේ.

පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී හර්ෂ ද සිල්වා මහතා ඉකුත් දා රජයේ මුදල් පිළිබඳ කාරක සභාවේ දී පැවසුවේ කාරක සභාවේ අනුමැතිය ලබා ගැනීමට ඉදිරිපත් කර තිබූ රෙගුලාසි කිහිපයක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් සභාපතිවරයා අවබෝධයකින් තොරව කරුණු දක්වා ඇති බවය.

මෙහිදී මත්තල, යාපනය සහ රත්මලාන ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපොළවල් සඳහා අපගමන බදු සහනයක් ලබාදීමට අදාලව රෙගුලාසි  රජයේ මුදල් පිළිබඳ කාරක සභාව හමුවට ඉදිරිපත් කර තිබිණි.

එහෙත් එම රෙගුලාසි සම්බන්ධයෙන් කරුණු දැක්වීමට  සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවා අධිකාරියේ සභාපති අපොහොසත් වීම හේතුවෙන් එහිදී දැඩි දෝෂ දර්ශනයට ලක්විය.

සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවා අධිකාරියේ සභාපතිවරයා  පැවසුවේ මෙහිදී සාකච්ඡා කෙරෙන කරුණු සම්බන්ධව තමන් මුදල් පිළිබඳ කාරක සභාව හමුවට පැමිණෙන තුරුම දැන නොසිටි බවයි.

මෙහිදී හර්ෂ ද සිල්වා මහතා පැවසුවේ මෙම ආයතනයේ සභාපතිවරයා ලෙස එම ආයතනය ගැන කරුණු නොදැන සිටීම පුදුමයට කරුණක් බවය.

සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවා අධිකාරියේ සභාපති ලෙස රජය විසින් පත් කළ සුනිල් ජයරත්න මහතා  රේගු දෙපාර්තමේන්තුවේ වසර 37ක් පමණ රාජකාරි සිදුකළ පුද්ගලයකි. 

ඔහු ශ්‍රී ජයවර්ධනපුර විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයෙන් සහ ඕස්ට්‍රේලියාවේ කැන්බරා විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයෙන් රේගු නීතිය සහ කළමනාකරණය පිළිබඳ පශ්චාත් උපාධිධාරියෙකු වේ.

කෙසේ වුවද මෙරට සිවිල් ගුවන් සේවාව සම්බන්ධයෙන් ඔහුගේ අවබෝධය සම්බන්ධයෙන් මේ වනවිට විවිධ පාර්ශ්ව ප්‍රශ්න කරමින් සිටිති.

මෙම තනතුරු වලට මෙවැනි පුද්ගලයන් තෝරා ගැනීම පිළිබඳව මේ වන විට සමාජයේ දැඩි කතාබහක් නිර්මාණය වී ඇති අතර, සිවිල් ගුවන්සේවා අධිකාරියේ සේවකයන් අනාවරණය කරන්නේ ජනාධිපති ලේකම් වරයාගේ හිතවතුන් මෙම තනතුරු වලට පත්කිරීම හරහා මෙවැනි තත්ත්වයක් නිර්මාණය වී ඇති බවය.

Lanka Leader

සිවිල් ගුවන්සේවා අධිකාරියේ සභාපතිවරයා එම තනතුරට සදුසුදැයි යළි සලකා බැලිය යුතුව ඇති බව රජයේ මුදල් පිළිබඳ තාරක සභාවේ සභාපති හර්ෂ ද සිල්වා මහතා පවසයි.

කාරක සභාවේ අනුමැතිය ලබා ගැනීමට ඉදිරිපත් කර තිබූ රෙගුලාසි කිහිපයක් සම්බන්ධයෙන් අවබෝධයකින් තොරව කරුණු දැක්වීම හේතුවෙන් ඒ මහතා ඒ බව පැවසීය.

කෙසේ වුවද, මෙම තනතුරු වලට මෙවැනි පුද්ගලයන් තෝරා ගැනීම පිළිබඳව මේ වන විට සමාජයේ දැඩි කතාබහක් නිර්මාණය වී ඇති අතර, සිවිල් ගුවන්සේවා අධිකාරියේ සේවකයන් අනාවරණය කරන්නේ ජනාධිපති ලේකම් වරයාගේ හිතවතුන් මෙම තනතුරු වලට පත්කිරීම හරහා මෙවැනි තත්ත්වයක් නිර්මාණය වී ඇති බවය.

මෙම කරුණු අනාවරණය වන වීඩියෝව පහළින්..