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CBK gives approval to release those who tried to assassinate her

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According to Article 34 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, the President Ranil Wickremesinghe has granted amnesty to eight Tamil prisoners who by the powers assigned to the President in connection with granting amnesty to a person convicted by a court of Sri Lanka.

As a result of several discussions between Tamil MPs and the President on several occasions, steps were taken to release these prisoners. Before their release, a preliminary investigation had been carried out on them with the intervention of the Ministry of Defence on the instructions of the President. This decision has been reached after consulting the Minister of Justice and through him the Attorney General about the consent report.

Three of the Tamil prisoners who were pardoned were those accused of attempting to assassinate former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. Before proceeding with the process of releasing these prisoners,  the President’s Secretary Mr Saman Ekanayake had sought the approval of former President Ms. Kumaratunga on the advice of the President, the relevant arrangements were made after obtaining her consent.

Accordingly, the four detainees with connections to the LTTE organization who were detained at the Colombo Magazine Prison were released after their sentence was reduced.

Two Tamil LTTE prisoners related to the organization are to be released after the cases filed by them in the Court of Appeal are withdrawn and two more Tamil prisoners are to be released soon under the presidential amnesty.

Three prisoners had been sentenced to 30 years in prison and had served 22 years, one prisoner who had been sentenced to 11 years and had served 14 years, one who has been sentenced to 10 years and had also served 14 years, two prisoners who were sentenced to five years but had served for14 years, were among those who received a presidential pardon. Another person who had been sentenced to 19 years in prison and had served 11 years of his sentence so far, was also among those who were pardoned.

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Ramadan fasting in Sri Lanka to commence on Friday

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The new Crescent moon of the month of Ramadan has not been sighted in Sri Lanka this evening (22) and therefore Muslims in Sri Lanka will begin the month of Ramadan fasting from dawn on Friday (March 24), the Colombo Grand Mosque says.
Muslims all over the world will observe a month of fasting and prayers during Ramadan to commemorate the time when the Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed on the night of “Laylat Al Qadr”.

Fasting during Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, is considered to be one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

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Funds lost due to public sector engaging in business –  President

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that due to the public sector engaging in business activities, the money that was available for the construction of 100 projects similar to the Mahaweli during the past decades, has been destroyed. 

He noted that in the future, the public sector will stop engaging in business and open it to the private sector to create a free and productive economy. 

President Wickremesinghe mentioned this at the 71st commemoration ceremony of the late Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake at Independence Square today (22). 

Recalling that Mr. D.S. Senanayake’s vision was to create a free economy, the President said that business should be done by the private sector and that the country could be developed with the tax revenue obtained from them. 

However, due to the nationalization in 1956, the Government started engaging in business and that is why the tax revenue was inadequate for the development of the country, the President pointed out.

He stated that the country has distanced itself from Mr. D.S. Senanayake’s vision, but following his vision, Singapore has become a developed country today and said that despite our politicians dreaming of making Sri Lanka a Singapore, the destruction caused to Sri Lanka in the last 75 years due to the decisions of certain political movements is immense. 

Therefore, the President further mentioned that Senanayake’s legacy should be carried forward to build a strong and powerful Sri Lanka.

President Wickremesinghe also laid floral tributes at the statue of the late D. S. Senanayake. 

The Chief Incumbent of the Kollupitiya Polwatta Sri Dharmakeerthi Monastery Venerable Dr. Bandarawela Wimaladharma Thera delivered a special sermon.  

Member of Parliament Vajira Abeywardena, Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff to the President Mr Sagala Ratnayake, Senior Advisor to the President on Climate Change Mr Ruwan Wijayawardena, Former Speaker Mr Karu Jayasuriya, Former Ministers Ravi Karunanayake, Rohitha Bogollagama, Karunasena Kodithuwakku, Rukman Senanayake, former Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake, former Provincial Councilor Shantini Kongahage, Army Commander Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage and several others attended the event. 

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Manhunt for suspect who hacked off electrician’s hands

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Police are searching for a man who had hacked off the hands of an electrician in Koralawella, Moratuwa.

The 40-year-old man whose hands were amputated was rushed to the Panadura General Hospital for treatment.

CCTV cameras had captured the attack and the manner in which the attacker had left with the victim’s amputated hands.

Police say the incident had taken place following a heated exchange of words between two neighboring families at around 7 PM on Tuesday (21) night.

Further investigations are underway to arrest the attacker.

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