DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS
Tamil Headlines
Virakesari: “I will respond soon on the invitation to Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayaka” – The president | Photograph: The president and Minister Prasanna Rantunga attending the public rally in Gampaha
Thinakaran: “Politics must be shaped in accordance with the country’s agenda; the country’s future will not be shaped by political agendas” – The president
Thinakkural: “What the Tamil people are demanding is the right for self-determination and not 13A” – C.V. Wigneswaran | The presidential election is on September 21! Nominations to be submitted on August 14 or 15 | “We have faced a great defeat in terms of opposing Sinhala Buddhist majoritarianism” – Shritharan | Sarath Fonseka to contest independently in the election
Thamilan: The presidential election is on September 28; the announcement to be made by the Election Commission this week | “An IMF delegation to visit Sri Lanka next week” – Shehan Semasinghe | “Sri Lanka is the reason why the Indian housing scheme was paused” – The Indian high commissioner | Photograph: The sesquicentennial chariot procession of the Kathirvelayuthaswamy Temple on Chettiyar Street
Sinhala Headlines
Lankadeepa: A young woman arrested for the death of Club Wasantha for assisting the shooters to flee | The presidential election to be held on September 21; nominations to be submitted during the middle of next month | Two killed amidst the congestion in Kataragama
Divaina: “The 2024 presidential election will be announced before Friday” – The EC chair | The SC changes the quota system that stirred up Bangladesh | Ossie’s son who was arrested, released on bail; had made a controversial statement on the Easter Sunday attacks and left the country the next day | A two-day detention order for the woman who provided a bus for the Club Wasantha murderers
Ada: Teachers and principals to work-to-rule for two weeks from today; no extra-curricular activities and they have withdrawn from all WhatsApp groups connected to educational authorities
Mawbima: A shop-owner from Beruwala who tried to bribe an OIC imprisoned for two years; loses voting rights | A group from Italy provided the gun for the murder of the former cricket captain from Ambalangoda
Dinamina: “The future of the country will not be sacrificed for the agenda of politics” – The president states addressing the people at the “Ekwa Jayagamu” [Let us win together] rally in Gampaha; 28 MPs and more than 380 former local government representatives join in support of the president | Pictorial: The foot-washing waterway at the Kataragama Menik river opened to the public
Aruna: More than 50,000 people have illegally acquired land and reserves; illegal settlers on railway lands to be removed; stationmasters requested to provide a report before August 5 | Heated Bangladesh; students who are not satisfied with safety measures given permission to return to Sri Lanka; “Sri Lankan workers are safe” – The SLBFE
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TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES
Photo credits: Daily News
“What the Tamil people are demanding is the right for self-determination and not 13A” – C.V. Wigneswaran
Virakesari, Thinakkural
Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK) MP C.V. Wigneswaran stated that the Tamil people are not demanding the 13th Amendment to the Constitution (13A) under a unitary framework, but the right for self-determination which is prescribed under international law. He added that the prospective common Tamil presidential candidate is also to proclaim this demand to draw the attention of the international community to the uniqueness of the Tamil people.
“Tamil leaders must cooperate to build an alliance” – Shritharan
Thinakkural, Virakesari
ITAK MP Sivagnanam Shritharan appealed to all Tamil leaders to extend their cooperation to build a strong alliance among the Tamil parties. He further emphasised that the Tamil people have lost strong leadership and that therefore such an alliance must be built as a joint alliance with the mutual agreement of all parties that goes beyond any differences of opinion while also following the uniqueness of each political party. He further noted that such an alliance should not be one that is established merely for the sake of elections, but one that will always be active in the country.
“Sri Lanka is the reason why the Indian housing scheme was paused” – Indian high commissioner
Thinakkural, Virakesari, Thamilan
India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha explained to a delegation headed by SJB MP Mano Ganesan that the cause for the non-implementation of the fourth phase of the Indian housing scheme for the Hill Country people is the government of Sri Lanka. He added that the project is not experiencing any delays from the side of the Indian government and that the delay in implementation is because the Sri Lankan government has not released the lands required for the construction of houses.
“An IMF delegation to visit Sri Lanka next week” – Shehan Semasinghe
Thinakaran, Thamilan
State Minister Shehan Semasinghe announced that a delegation from the IMF is to visit Sri Lanka to hold a discussion on the country’s economic progress as well as the measures taken for it. He added that however, the delegation will not conduct an assessment of the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) during the visit.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES
Photo credits: Ada Derana
Teachers and principals to work-to-rule for two weeks from today; no extra-curricular activities and they have withdrawn from all WhatsApp groups connected to educational authorities
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Aruna
The Alliance of Teachers’ and Principals’ Trade Unions is launching a two-week work-to-rule campaign today (22nd) demanding the removal of salary disparities. During this campaign, the alliance will withdraw from all WhatsApp groups set up with educational authorities for the convenience of the external affairs of the school and boycott all meetings planned in the regions. Additionally, the alliance has decided not to participate in events attended by political representatives.
“[The government] has repaid [Rs.] 129 billion more in debt than the amount borrowed via bonds and Treasury bills” – Semasinghe
Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina
State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe stated that the government has managed to pay off Rs. 129 billion more in debt than the amount borrowed through bonds and Treasury bills during the first six months of 2024. Semasinghe noted that during this period, the government had accumulated a total debt of Rs. 4,852 billion through bonds and Treasury bills. He added that however, the government has also managed to repay Rs. 4,981 billion worth of debt during the same period.
“I will present a report on my overseas trips” – Dissanayaka
Ada, Aruna
NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka stated that he will present a report with information on all of his overseas trips. Dissanayaka added that he will reveal all the expenses incurred on his overseas trips as soon as he returns to Sri Lanka after completing his tour of Japan. Dissanayaka made this statement in response to a statement made by SLPP MP Premnath C. Dolewatte that Dissanayaka has spent more than Rs. 70 million in 14 countries to hold political meetings.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS
Photo credits: Daily Mirror
“Ranil must join the battle” – Prasanna Ranatunga’s proposition passed unanimously at the Gampaha rally; “Sajith and Anura can join me for the sake of the country” – The president; 26 MPs and 250 former local government members join!
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Virakesari, Thinakaran
During the “Ekwa Jayagamu” rally held in Gampaha yesterday (21st), Minister of Urban Development and Housing and Chief Government Whip Prasanna Ranatunga proposed that President Ranil Wickremesinghe must contest the 2024 Presidential Election. The proposal was unanimously seconded with a show of hands by all those in attendance at the rally. Speaking at the rally, Wickremesinghe stated that he will not sacrifice the future of the country for political agendas and that SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa and NPP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka can join him for the sake of the country.
The presidential election will be held on September 21 | “The 2024 presidential election will be announced before Friday” – The EC chair
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Thinakkural, Thamilan
Lankadeepa highlights that sources state that the 2024 presidential election will be held on September 21. However, several other papers quoting the chairperson of the Election Commission (EC) report that the dates for the election and the submission of nominations will be announced before Friday this week (26th).
Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Former INSS director arrested at the Katunayaka Airport, granted bail – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Dinamina, Aruna, Thinakaran
2. “The 19th Amendment reduced the term of all presidents to five years, not just mine” – Sirisena – Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Thinakkural, Thamilan
3. Acts of violence reported from Bangladesh: 133 killed; Sri Lankan students safely in hostels – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Thinakaran