Lankans rescued from Myanmar to be sent home within next week

Published

1 year ago

April 13, 2024

nipuni

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Thailand announced that the eight Sri Lankans rescued from the Cyber Slave Camp in Myanmar will be sent home within the next week.

A senior embassy officer says the Sri Lankans are safely accommodated at a hotel in Bangkok. She also says the necessary paperwork for their return is being prepared.

The embassy says that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Sri Lankan Embassy in Thailand, and the IOM Sri Lanka and Thailand Country Offices will extend their support.

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Thailand further adds that the UN International Organization for Migration will provide flight tickets for the Sri Lankans.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration says temporary passports were issued yesterday to facilitate the Sri Lankans’ return to Sri Lanka.

A few months ago, News 1st disclosed that 56 Sri Lankan youths were being held in an area controlled by an armed group along the Thai-Myanmar border and were forced to commit various cyber crimes.

They were lured to Myanmar with promises of IT-related to jobs.

Following the discovery, eight of them were rescued and were held at the Central Police Station in Myawaddy, Myanmar, for investigation into their involvement in crime.

Following investigations, they were sent to Thailand yesterday via the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge.

(News 1st)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by News 1st has not been edited by SLM staff)

3 including Mervyn released on bail

Published

12 minutes ago

July 3, 2025

editor

Former Minister Mervyn Silva and two other individuals were granted bail today (July 03) by the Gampaha Provincial High Court.

They were released on a cash bail of Rs. 200,000 and five personal sureties of Rs. 5,000,000 each.

Additionally, the court imposed overseas travel bans on them.

The defendants were strictly warned to refrain from influencing witnesses and were ordered to report to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) every Sunday.The defendants were previously remanded over allegations of selling a state-owned land in the Kiribathgoda area using forged deeds.

Legal proceedings are still underway.

News

Monara TV closes down as Swarnavahini too grapples with crisis

Published

3 hours ago

July 3, 2025

editor

Monara TV, launched with much fanfare just a year ago under the Swarnavahini media network, has reportedly shut down operations.

Employees have been informed that the closure is temporary, citing the need to resolve certain administrative issues.

The channel, led by Buddhika Wickramadhara, was ceremonially launched on June 25, 2024, with a grand event at Waters Edge.

Producers who supplied teledramas to Monara TV say they are owed nearly Rs.200 million in unpaid dues.

Meanwhile, it is reported that the parent Swarnavahini TV channel is also reportedly grappling with a serious financial crisis, paying teledrama producers only after 60 episodes are broadcast.

Producers claim they are compelled to wait about 03 months to recover an investment of around Rs.15 million per teledrama. Even then, payments are made in small portions, covering just 05 episodes at a time.

Producers who supplied teledramas before the appointment of Mr. Susara Dinal as CEO say it is even harder to claim their outstanding payments, as they have been asked to recover the dues from former CEO – Udara Wijesinghe.

The Swarnavahini Media Network is owned by Subaskaran Allirajah – Chairman of Lyca Group, which also owns Lycamobile, a global telecommunications company.