News

Parliamentary panel to be appointed over Channel 4 claims

Published

2 years ago

September 5, 2023

editor

Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers has decided to appoint a special parliamentary committee to look into the Channel 4 documentary claim that the current intelligence chief Suresh Sallay was complicit in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, Labour Minister Manusha Nanayakkara said.

Major General Sallay hatched the plot while working for the directorate of military intelligence with the objective of creating instability to clear the way for Rajapaksas to return to power, The Times newspaper said on Monday, based on the UK-based Channel 4 documentary.

“As a responsible government, yesterday the cabinet decided on this and there will be an announcement on a special parliamentary committee,” Nanayakkara told the parliament when the opposition questioned about the latest Channel 4 documentary.

“In addition to this, internationally, if any investigations are required, the cabinet discussed yesterday to go ahead with it. We will not hesitate to act on this.”

However, he said such videos by Channel 4 have been released in the past to make Sri Lanka’s human rights position at United Nations sessions worse.

“What is clear is that whenever the Geneva Human Rights Council is scheduled to meet, videos like this are brought in, continuously,” he said.

“We have to analyse the evidence presented in this video. We won’t hesitate to act on it or discuss it.”

Analysts have said the carnage clearly favoured Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s election in November. Rajapaksa expressed his willingness to contest in the presidency within five days of the Easter bombing.

Sallay was promoted as head of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) no sooner Gotabaya Rajapaksa came to power in November 2019. He was given a one-year service extension by President Ranil Wickremesinghe recently.

Islamic extremists set off suicide bombings at two Catholic churches, a Christian church and three luxury hotels. The attacks were later claimed by the Islamic State group.

In the Channel 4 video, a whistle blower who has already left the country identified as Azad Maulana, a former top aide of current minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, had spoken of Sallay planning the attacks for about three years.

There was no immediate official response from Sallay or the SIS.

Sri Lankan authorities failed to act on warnings issued by an intelligence agency in neighbouring India 17 days before the coordinated suicide bombings, according to several investigations into the attacks.

Accusations of the involvement of Sri Lankan intelligence operatives has already been reported to courts. However, this is the first time Sallay is directly accused of plotting the attacks.

Sri Lanka’s weekly newspaper, The Sunday Times said, in a letter to Channel 4, Sallay called the allegations “outright false” and denied any contact with the individuals who spoke to the film-makers.

“He said he was not in Sri Lanka on the dates the alleged contact with the bombers was made.”

(economynext.com)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by economynext.comhas not been edited by SLM staff)

News

3 dead in Dunhinda bus accident

Published

6 hours ago

June 21, 2025

editor

Three persons have died from the bus accident at Dunhinda in Badulla today (June 21), according to hospital sources.

A total of 34 individuals were injured when the bus toppled down a precipice this evening (June 21) at the 4th Mile Post area, near the Dunhinda bends on the Badulla–Mahiyanganaya road.

According to reports, the passengers were a group of pilgrims travelling from Badulla to Anuradhapura.

The injured persons have been admitted to the Badulla General Hospital.

Police are conducting further investigations.

(Pic : Accident1st)

News

11th International Day of Yoga celebrated in Colombo (Pics)

Published

6 hours ago

June 21, 2025

editor

The 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) was celebrated with great enthusiasm by the High Commission of India in Colombo and its cultural arm, the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government Sri Lanka at the historic Independence Square in Colombo today (June 21).

This year’s theme, “Yoga for One Earth, One Health”, highlighted the universal relevance of yoga in fostering harmony between humans and nature.

The High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, H.E. Santosh Jha, joined the celebrations along with distinguished guests including Minister of Science and Technology – Dr. Chrishantha Abeysena, Minister of Labour and the Deputy Minister of Economic Development – Prof. Anil Jayantha Fernando, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka – Dr. Rizvie Salih, Deputy Minister of Defence – Major General K. P. Aruna Jayasekara, Deputy Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs – Gamagedara Dissanayake Deputy Minister of Sports – Sugath Thilakaratna, and other senior dignitaries.
The event began with a spiritual invocation through prayers by Most Ven. Dr. Maitipe Wimalasara Nayaka Thera and the Maha Sangha, who offered blessings for peace and well-being. A dynamic and refreshing yoga and meditation session followed, conducted by experts from renowned yoga institutions in India and Sri Lanka. The event brought together hundreds of yoga enthusiasts, dignitaries, and students in a shared spirit of wellness and unity. As part of the celebrations, a specially curated Yoga Pendrive and a Sinhala translation of the Hatha Yoga Pradeepika were launched, aiming to make authentic yoga knowledge more accessible. Complementing the main event in Colombo, the Consulates in Hambantota and Jaffna, along with the Assistant High Commission in Kandy, also organized special events – reflecting the enthusiastic and widespread participation in the 11th International Day of Yoga across Sri Lanka.

In a significant prelude to the main event, the Department of Ayurveda, Ministry of Health, Government of Sri Lanka and Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre jointly organized a landmark, island-wide celebration of the International Day of Yoga on 19 June 2025, with simultaneous yoga sessions held in 113 Ayurveda hospitals and four universities across all nine provinces – marking the first time such a nationwide initiative has been undertaken in Sri Lanka in a unified fashion.
It may be recalled that the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution piloted by India in 2014, proclaiming June 21 each year as the International Day of Yoga. The resolution was supported by more than 170 countries, with Sri Lanka being one of its proud co-sponsors.

News

Mathews bows out of Test cricket

Published

6 hours ago

June 21, 2025

editor

Angelo Mathews ended his final Test innings today (June 21) after being dismissed during the Test match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh at Galle International Stadium.

Mathews was dismissed after scoring just 8 runs off 45 balls after being caught by Mominul Haque. The match also ended as a draw.

Mathews retires from the longest format of the game as he made 8,214 runs from 119 Tests at an average of 44.4, with 16 centuries and 49 half-centuries to his name.

In 2013, Angelo Mathews was handed the leadership of the Test side for the first time in his career. He also became historic as the youngest Sri Lanka player to become Test captain.