DIFFERENT PRIORITIES IN THE SINHALA AND TAMIL PRESS
Tamil Headlines
Thinakkural: “Case on CBSL bond scam; Ranil [Wickremesinghe] will be brought before the court; steps will be taken to bring Arjuna Mahendren to the country” – Cabinet spokesperson | “Ensure the sovereignty of the Tamils” – Shritharan urges the president
Thamilan: “New constitution; public referendum; probe on Ranil [Wickremesinghe]” – Cabinet spokesperson | Prices of fuel reduced | Shritharan discusses with Anura [Kumara Dissanayaka]
Sinhala Headlines
Lankadeepa: 47 former ministers have not handed over their residences; only three have returned | Marking of [Grade 5] scholarship examination papers halted; president orders officials
Divaina: How to snip the wings of former MPs, ministers and presidents [to be decided] in two months; a three-person committee to propose recommendations | Israeli forces to the South of Lebanon; ‘Operation Northern Arrows’ commences; a million displaced and thousands killed every week | 25 students and teachers killed in bus that caught fire in Thailand
Ada: There are only 13,880 passports in the Department of Immigration and Emigration; court grants permission to purchase 750,000 passports; court extends the interim injunction against the purchase of five million e-passports until the next court date | Bus fares reduced by 4.24% due to the reduction of fuel prices; minimum bus fare reduced from Rs. 28 to Rs. 27; no change in school van and three-wheeler fares
Mawbima: “Investigations on the bond scandal and Easter Sunday attacks have recommenced” – Herath | First, to the neighbour: Indian external affairs minister to visit Sri Lanka to meet president; the first diplomatic leader to meet President Dissanayaka
Anidda: This paper is published on Fridays only
TAMIL PRESS PRIORITIES
“Ensure the sovereignty of the Tamils” – Shritharan urges the president
Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Virakesari, Thamilan
Former ITAK MP S. Shritharan called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (1st), congratulated him and engaged in a friendly discussion.
Virakesari and Thinakkural report that Shritharan handed over a letter to the president at the meeting. In the letter, Shritharan has highlighted that the Tamil community expects favourable steps to be taken to address its basic rights during the tenure of this government. It adds that the president should pay attention to the structural ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural genocides, the matter of transitional justice for disappearances and land grabbing in the guise of religion. Shritharan assured that their support will be extended to the president when he takes pure political moves which gain trust among the Tamils.
Thinakkural quotes Shritharan as saying that they or the Tamil people are not opposing them (the NPP). In response, Dissanayaka stated that he was aware of it and that he will pay attention to what Shritharan had highlighted.
Relatives of the disappeared protest on International Children’s Day
Thinakaran
The relatives of the disappeared held a protest in Vavuniya on International Children’s Day. They claimed that no mechanism for justice has been established to address the issue of their disappeared children though there are various organisations for children. The protesters carried various placards which read, ‘Are the Tamil children terrorists?’, ‘The Children’s Day is the day to stand for justice’ and ‘Did babies take arms in their hands?’
“We will contest separately in Colombo” – Douglas Devananda
Thamilan
Former Minister and General Secretary of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) Douglas Devananda claimed that they have the ability to win in Colombo, and therefore his party will contest in the Colombo District in the upcoming general election separately. He added that there are no big differences between the EPDP and the incumbent rulers of the country on a policy basis, further adding that the JVP entered a democratic phase after an armed struggle.
SINHALA PRESS PRIORITIES
CA amends interim order that prevented purchase of 750,000 passports
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Dinamina
Yesterday (1st), the Court of Appeal decided to amend the interim injunction which was previously issued preventing the purchase of 750,000 ordinary passports from two companies. The changes to the interim order were made following submissions made by Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardhana, who represented the controller of immigration and emigration and the attorney general. Accordingly, the court has now granted permission to the Department of Immigration and Emigration to purchase ordinary passports. However, the court extended the interim injunction against the purchase of five million e-passports until November 6.
Rs. 11 billion allocated for the general election
Lankadeepa, Dinamina
The cabinet of Sri Lanka which now comprises three, led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka, approved releasing Rs. 11 billion for the general election scheduled to take place on November 14, 2024. Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister Vijitha Herath stated during the weekly post-cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday (1st) that the cabinet has approved Rs. 5 billion from the Consolidated Fund and decided to allocate an additional Rs. 6 billion for election-related expenses to be settled in 2025. Herath added that the 2024 Budget had only allocated money for one election, and that was the presidential election, confirming that there were no funds set aside for a general election.
“No nominations for those that betrayed the SLPP” – (Sagara) Kariyawasam
Lankadeepa
Sources from the Ministry of State Administration, Home Affairs, Justice, Provincial Councils and Local Government and Labour stated that only three ministers out of the 50 former ministers have returned their official residences. The paper reports that 10 ministers and state ministers have inquired regarding the process of handing over the residencies. A spokesperson of the ministry added that legal measures will be taken against former ministers who do not handover their residences.
State income at risk due to not receiving tax revenue
Aruna
Internal sources at the Ministry of Finance stated that the state revenue is at risk due to not receiving the expected amount of tax revenue from the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). The total revenue target to be earned by the IRD, Sri Lanka Customs and Excise Department during this year is Rs. 4,127 billion. However, the department has so far only earned a tax revenue of Rs. 1,423 billion during the nine months of the year. Thereby, according to the internal sources at the Ministry of Finance, there is a revenue deficit of Rs. 75 billion.
COMMON PRIORITIES: SINHALA & TAMIL PRESS
“Investigations into the bond scandal and the Easter Sunday attacks have already begun” – Herath | “Discussions between the IMF and the government to be held today” – Herath
Divaina, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
Minister Vijitha Herath was appointed the cabinet spokesperson of the new government. Accordingly, a media briefing announcing the decisions of the government was held at the Department of Government Information yesterday (1st). During the briefing, Cabinet Spokesperson Vijitha Herath stated that investigations into the bond scandal related to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) have begun. He added that former Governor of the CBSL Arjuna Mahendran, who is overseas, and former President Ranil Wickremesinghe can be brought before the court in relation to the bond scandal. Herath also announced that discussions between the government and the group of representatives from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will be held today (2nd).
The Tamil press highlights his statement on bringing a new constitution and resolving the problems of the Tamil community through it, adding that a public referendum will be held to ascertain the public opinion on a constitution to resolve the ethnic crisis. He is also quoted as saying that steps will be taken to release the political prisoners after the general election.
A committee to consider privileges enjoyed by former MPs, ministers and presidents
Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Thinakaran
The Cabinet has approved the appointment of a three-person committee to assess and review allowances and privileges granted to MPs, ministers and former presidents of the country. These individuals, who were elected by the people, have been granted numerous entitlements, allowances and privileges such as salaries, allowances, pensions, quarters, vehicles, staff, office equipment and security personnel. Therefore, the committee has been tasked with submitting a detailed report regarding the issue within two months. It is expected to present suitable recommendations to assess and review limitations on claims, allowances and privileges.
Common priorities: Additional stories
1. Marking of [Grade 5] scholarship examination papers halted; president orders officials – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thamilan
2. Bus fares reduced by 4% – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Dinamina, Aruna, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
3. U.S ambassador meets President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka – Lankadeepa, Divaina, Ada, Mawbima, Virakesari, Thinakaran, Thinakkural, Thamilan
4. Russian ambassador meets the president – Ada, Virakesari