Category: Local News

A team of investigators from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was dispatched to Digana yesterday, to take stock of the prevailing situation and damage to property following Monday’s flare up that left one dead.

Sri Lanka declared a nationwide state of emergency for 10 days on Tuesday to stop the spread of communal violence, a government spokesman said, after clashes erupted between majority Buddhists and members of the minority Muslim community.

A decision was reached during the Cabinet Meeting held today to declare a State of Emergency in the country for a period of 10 days, Minister S.B. Dissanayake said.

Troops moved into Digana, Kandy yesterday afternoon when the police failed to bring a tense situation there under control. Police curfew was imposed in the Kandy administrative District until 6.00 am today.

President Maithripala Sirisena had directed the police and security sector to hold an unbiased, independent investigation into incidents at Digana Kandy today.

Police used teargas to disperse two groups of people who clashed in Digana over a death of a 41-year-old man.

Canada strongly demanded that Sri Lanka should fulfill its international commitments by ensuring the involvement of Commonwealth and international investigators and judges in the accountability process.

In a hard hitting statement Finance and Media Minister Mangala Samaraweera yesterday said that the work of the Office of Missing Persons has been distorted and manipulated for political gain.

President Maithripala Sirisena has raised concerns about the mushrooming of Chinese shops throughout the country, at the recently held Cabinet meeting.

The gazette notification pertaining to the banning the sale of cigarettes within a radius of 100 metres from a school will be issued on April 07, Health Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe says that Sri Lanka’s National Unity Government has come to stay and no future administration would scrap the concept.

Chief incumbent of Sri Sambodhi Viharaya, Colombo and founder of “The Buddhist” channel Venerable Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thero passed away.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe speaking at the Investors Forum in Singapore assured the international investor community that Sri Lanka was committed to forging ahead with its reforms agenda.

The inauguration of the programme of renovating of 2400 irrigation tanks was commenced yesterday (March 02) under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena with the intention of recreating the ancient irrigation development in the country to emerge as a self-sufficient nation.

Japan is expected to reaffirm its commitment to bolstering bilateral ties with Sri Lanka during an official visit by the Indian Ocean nation’s leader this month in an effort to forestall Chinese encroachment in the region.

Former Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that India was not interested in building ports and highway projects in his country when it was first offered.