Lanza takes over Liberal Party

Published

8 months ago

September 11, 2023

editor

The Liberal Party or the Liberal Democratic Party has been acquired by MP Nimal Lanza and other MPs who are currently acting independently in Parliament.

The Liberal Party was established about four decades ago in 1981 by Dr. Chanaka Amaratunga, a long-time member of the United National Party (UNP).

The Liberal Party broke away from the UNP in 1982 following a 1982 referendum that postponed parliamentary elections for six years.

After four years of efforts to promote liberalism in Sri Lanka, particularly Constitutional reforms promoting decentralisation, Dr. Amaratunga and others registered the party in 1987.

Following Mr. Amaratunga’s death in a car accident in 1996, Professor Rajiva Wijesinghe was the outstanding political leader of the Liberal Party.

In 2022, the Liberal Party changed its name to Liberal Democratic Party along with the first party convention held in July, 2022.

Kamal Nishanka is the current leader of the party and Amal Randeniya is the general secretary.

Once Lanza’s group joins the Liberal Party, a new board of officials will be appointed and the Elections Commissioner’s Office will be informed of the changes.

Future political activities of the Lanza’s group will be conducted under the Liberal Party.

Meanwhile, it was reported that MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa has been appointed to lead the operations of the new alliance formed by the Lansa’s party.

Ministers Susil Premajayantha, Nalin Fernando and MP Piyankara Jayaratne are the other activists.

This group is reportedly planning to make its first political rally in January 2024 in a grand manner.

Rathupaswala shooting: Army personnel acquitted

Published

2 hours ago

May 17, 2024

editor

All four Sri Lanka Army personnel who had been indicted on charges of shooting dead three persons and injuring 45 others during a protest by villagers demanding clean drinking water in Rathupaswala in 2013 were today acquitted by the Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar.

Delivering its verdict, the three-judge High Court ordered the acquittal and release of all four accused – a Major and three Army soldiers.

The incident occurred on August 1, 2013, when army personnel opened fire on a protest by villagers in Weliweriya. The villagers were protesting against a factory which they said was contaminating groundwater in their area and were demanding clean drinking water.

(sundaytimes.lk)

News

Fmr. Army Chief joins SJB

Published

4 hours ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

Former Army Commander Retired General Mahesh Senanayake has joined with the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

In a Facebook post, party leader Sajith Premadasa said that the Former Army Chief joined the SJB to support the program to rebuild Sri Lanka.

Mr. Premadasa had appointed General Mahesh Senanayake as the Chief of the Samagi Ranaviru Balawegaya.

News

Colombo HC sentences 9 Pakistani drug traffickers to 10 years in prison

Published

5 hours ago

May 17, 2024

nipuni

Nine Pakistani nationals, who were arrested on charges of smuggling a large cache of drugs, have been sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Colombo High Court.

During a joint operation carried out by the Police Narcotics Bureau (PNB) and the Sri Lanka Navy on January 01, 2020, the Pakistani nationals were apprehended while transporting 614 kg of ‘Ice’ (Crystal Methamphetamine) and 581 kg and 34 grams of suspected drugs by boat.

The report of the Government Analyst has confirmed that the seized parcels contained over 491 kilograms of ‘Ketamine’ drugs and nearly 472 kilograms of ‘Ice’ (Crystal Methamphetamine).

The accused pleaded guilty to the charges when the case was taken up before the court, and were subsequently sentenced to 10 years in prison, police said.

Furthermore, the police mentioned that measures are underway to extradite the suspects to Pakistan in order to serve their sentences.

(adaderana.lk)

(This story, originally published by adaderana.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)