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The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie J. Chung has condemned the violence in Colombo on Monday (9).

In a tweet she said “We condemn the violence against peaceful protestors today, and call on the government to conduct a full investigation, including the arrest & prosecution of anyone who incited violence. Our sympathies are with those injured today and we urge calm and restraint across the island.”

Police have fired tear gas and water cannons in an attempt to disperse protesters gathered near the Parliamentary complex at Polduwa Junction in Diyatha Uyana, Battaramulla.

The Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) staged a protest march from the Sri Jayewardenepura University, Kotte towards the Parliament complex in Battaramulla last afternoon (05) themed ‘Aanduwa Pannamu; Kramaya Peralamu’.

The group pushed through the initial set of Police barricades, following which a tense situation broke out. Subsequently, upon approaching the second set of barricades, Police fired tear gas in an attempt to disperse the group.

Despite efforts to disperse the group, however, the protesters proceeded to break the barricades, setting up structures with the steel bars adjacent to the Polduwa junction.

Large numbers were seen gathered at the site this morning, after several members of the public joined the protest.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa sent his letter of resignation to the President on Monday (9) after violent scenes were witnessed in Colombo, especially near the two main peaceful protest sites against President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the premier.

A normal Monday morning turned in to a scene of chaos, after pro-government supporters attacked the MynaGoGama protest site near Temple Trees following a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, where he announced he is willing to make any sacrifice for the people.

The meeting at Temple Trees was organized by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Local Government Members Forum and saw hundreds in attendance.

Following this meeting, the pro-government supporters attacked the MynaGoGama protest site near Temple Trees and dismantled the camp.

Thereafter, they moved to the main protest site in Galle Face known as GotaGoGama and destroyed several tents and assaulted peaceful protestors.

Parliamentary proceedings were suspended for 10 minutes this afternoon (06), after a heated argument broke out over Police firing tear gas and water cannons at the Horu Go Gama protest in Diyatha Uyana, Battaramulla.

Members of the Samagi Jana Balawewa (SJB) staged a protest within Parliament, with MP Harin Fernando and several other SJB MPs visiting Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena’s room, demanding his arrival.

Fernando threatened that in the event the Speaker refuses to arrive, he will be detained inside Parliament.

Moreover, the group of SJB MPs urged that the Speaker take up the No Confidence Motion immediately, adding that if a day is not set for the NCM to be presented in Parliament, the public will be brought to Parliament to resolve the matter.

Responding to their requests, Abeywardena stated that a discussion pertaining to the matter will be held with all Party Leaders on Monday (09).

Parliament was later adjourned till 17 May by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

Sri Lanka has imposed a Police curfew imposed for the entire country with immediate effect.

Curfew was imposed following ugly scenes between pro-government groups and peaceful protestors in Colombo.

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) MP Ranjith Siyambalapitiya was re-elected as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

Siyambalapitiya garnered 148 votes, including those of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), while Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) nominee MP Imthiaz Bakeer Markar had a total of 65 votes.

He previously served as the Deputy Speaker, and later stepped down from the post after the SLFP withdrew from the Government to remain independent.

The Kegalle District MP’s nam, however, Ranjith Siyambalapitiya’s name was nominated by SLFP MP Nimal Siripala de Silva and seconded by Susil Premajayantha.

Lanka IOC (LIOC), IndianOil’s subsidiary in Sri Lanka, has also decided to limit dispensing fuel volumes for vehicles at filling stations, mirroring the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation’s move.

The move will come into effect from tomorrow (May 09).

Accordingly, filling stations are permitted to dispense fuel worth only Rs. 2,000 for motorcycles at a single time.

For three-wheelers, the limit has been set at Rs. 3,000 worth of fuel.

The maximum amount of fuel allowed to be pumped into cars, vans and SUVs is worth Rs. 8,000.

However, the restrictions are not applied to buses, lorries and other vehicles used for commercial purposes.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation put restrictions on dispensing fuel volumes to vehicles on May 05 in an attempt to prevent a shortage of fuel and to curb fuel-related irregularities.

The travel ban imposed on former Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal was extended to the 23rd of May by Colombo Additional Magistrate Harshana Kekenawela on Thursday (5).

Summons were re-sent to the Former Central Bank Governor to be present in court on that day.

Earlier, the summons was issued on Cabraal to appear in court on the 2nd of May.

However, as the 2nd of May was declared a government holiday court issued a summons for the Ex-Governor to appear in court on the 23rd of May.

Summons were issued on the Ex-Governor following submissions made to court over a complaint filed by Former Provincial Governor Keerthi Tennakoon.

Keerthi Tennakoon filed a complaint citing 6 charges on the misappropriation of funds by Ajith Nivard Cabraal during his tenure as the Central Bank Governor.

US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung expressed concern over the recently declared state of emergency.

She asserts that the voices of peaceful citizens need to be heard.

The Ambassador reiterated that the challenges Sri Lankans are facing require long term solutions and a state of emergency won’t help do that.

Concerned by another State of Emergency. The voices of peaceful citizens need to be heard. And the very real challenges Sri Lankans are facing require long term solutions to set the country back on a path toward prosperity and opportunity for all. The SOE won’t help do that.

— Ambassador Julie Chung (@USAmbSL) May 7, 2022

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has announced maximum retail prices for three local varieties of rice.

However, the new maximum retail prices are not applied to rice stocks released to the market at concessionary prices by the Paddy Marketing Board, a special gazette notification published by CAA Chairman Shantha Dissanayake noted.

According to the communiqué, the directive comes into effect from today (May 02).

New maximum retail prices imposed on three local rice varieties are as follows:

White/Red Nadu (steamed/boiled) – Rs. 220 per kilogram White/Read Samba (steamed/boiled) – Rs. 230 per kilogram Keeri Samba – Rs. 260 per kilogram

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has declared emergency law with effect from midnight on Friday (6), said the President’s Media Division.

The President has declared so, in the interest of public security, the preservation of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community.

The Indian Supreme Court has ruled out that no individual can be forced to get vaccinated, reports The Indian Express.

While stating that the Centre’s current vaccination policy is not arbitrary, the Indian Court observed that “On the basis of substantial material filed before this court reflecting the near unanimous views of experts on the benefits of vaccination in addressing severe disease from the infection…mortality and stopping new variants from emerging, this court is satisfied that the current vaccination policy of the union of India…cannot be said to be unreasonable or manifestly arbitrary,” .

While disapproving mandates, it said: “No data placed on record by Union or states controverting data by petitioner in the form of emerging scientific opinion which appears to indicate that the risk of transmission of virus from unvaccinated individuals is almost at par with the vaccinated persons and that in light of this, restrictions on unvaccinated individuals imposed through various vaccine mandates by the states governments/union territories cannot be said to be proportionate.”