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The former finance minister was questioned regarding an investigation that is being carried out for providing transport facilities via the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) to 12,500 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) residing in the Puttalam district to travel to the Northern Province to cast their votes during the last presidential election as per a request made by the 'Project Management Unit of Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons.'

The CID has commenced an investigation based on a complaint lodged by a well-known 'voice cut' Thero. The Thero has filed a complaint claiming that the government had authorised a payment of LKR 9.5 million to provide 22 buses for the transportation of 12,500 internally displaced persons from Puttalam to Mannar to vote at the presidential polls.

"I am proud as a Sri Lankan citizen"

Samaraweera, speaking to media after giving his marathon statement at the CID yesterday, said that he was happy not only as the minister of finance but also as a Sri Lankan citizen to have helped citizens victimized by LTTE terrorism and to have ensured their right of franchise. “I told the CID I am proud of that,” he added.

The former minister noted that he was interrogated for over five hours by the officers of the CID and that they conducted the investigation in a professional manner.

Samaraweera pointed out that although these persons have suffered for 30 years at the hands of the LTTE, no government was able provide anything to these people. "All of us have to take responsibility for that," he said.

He further said that he was happy to have done the responsible thing and guaranteed these internally displaced persons' right to vote. Samaraweera noted that even Basil Rajapaksa had done the same deed during the previous Rajapaksa regime and facilitated transport facilities to these IDPs.

An all-party meeting convened by Sri Lanka''s election commission to decide whether to hold parliamentary polls in June remained inconclusive, party members said on Wednesday.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolved the opposition-controlled Parliament on March 2, six months ahead of the schedule, and called a snap election on April 25 to elect a new 225-member House.

However, the election commission in mid-April postponed the parliamentary polls by nearly two months to June 20 due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has infected 889 people and claimed nine lives in the island nation.

The new date clashed with the constitutional imperative that the new Parliament has to meet within three months since its dissolution.

Several opposition parties and civil society organisations have filed petitions in the Supreme Court, arguing that according to the Constitution the elections must be held and a new Parliament must be summoned within three months of the dissolution order.

The Elections Commission (EC) on Tuesday convened an all-party meeting to decide whether to hold parliamentary polls in June amid fears that the coronavirus could spread if movement curbs were lifted further.

However, the talks ended without an agreement, the participant said.

"There was representations that democratic rights must be ensured by holding the election," said Sagara Kariyawasam, general secretary of the ruling SLPP party.

Though COVID-19 restrictions are now being eased in the country, some argue that the election should be put off until the pandemic is under control.

"We are not against holding the election, but it must not be held over dead bodies," said opposition JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

Several participants also raised concerns that if elections are to be held in June, political parties have to do poll campaigns which would violate all quarantine rules.

They also argue that in view of the health threat caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the conditions for a free and fair poll would not be available.

President Rajapaksa on Monday ordered easing of the lockdown, which was in force since March 20 to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

A 24-hour curfew was lifted on the island, except for Colombo district.

The state and private sector offices were asked to follow strict health guidelines under quarantine ordinance.

The coronavirus pandemic may continue into the latter half of the decade, a senior global health official has warned, as the death toll of the virus approaches the grim milestone of 300,000.

“I would say in a four to five-year timeframe, we could be looking at controlling this,” Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) chief scientist, told the Financial Times’ Global Boardroom webinar on Wednesday:

Swaminathan said a vaccine appeared to be the “best way out” at present but warned there were lots of “ifs and buts” about its safety, production and equitable distribution.

The development of an effective vaccine and successful confinement measures were both among the factors that would ultimately determine the pandemic’s duration, she added.

COVID-19 here to stay forever?

At a separate media briefing, Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO’s emergencies program, said at the organization’s Geneva headquarters on Wednesday that the coronavirus “may never go away.”

When asked to address Swaminathan’s comments earlier in the day, Ryan said no one would be able to accurately predict when the disease might disappear.

He added that trying to control the virus would require a “massive effort,” even if a vaccine is found.

In a major administrative reshuffle, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Monday removed health secretary Bhadrani Jayawardena with immediate effect and appointed a military administrator with background in medicine in her place.

The reason for Jayawardena's removal is not known.

Her removal came amid easing of the nearly two-month coronavirus lockdown in the island nation.

Major General Sanjeewa Munasinghe has replaced Jayawardena, who has been transferred to the Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Affairs in the same capacity, officials said.

Before assuming his current position, Munasinghe was serving as the Director General of the Army Medical Services.

He is also a former Colonel Commandant of the Army Medical Corp.

Another retired Major General to head Agriculture ministry

Meanwhile, A.K.S Perera, a one-time major general was appointed as the Secretary to the Ministry of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation and Rural Development yesterday (11).

A special discussion was held yesterday (14) at the Opposition Leader's Office between the Ambassador of the European Union Denis Chaibi and the former Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, Sajith Premadasa.

Premadasa stated that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) was taking steps towards strengthening Sri Lanka's economy and the people's lives, including through representations made through the European Union, and requested the EU Ambassador to extend the fullest cooperation of the EU to rebuild our country.

The Ambassador of the European Union Denis Chaibi stated that 22 million Euros (approximately 4.5 billion rupees) had already been received as aid from the European Union for Sri Lanka. This included 410 million rupees for medical equipment, 710 million rupees for developing tourism, and 3.37 billion for developing agriculture.

The tourism sector and the agricultural sector have been severely affected. There is a shortage of equipment in the health sector. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya which is genuinely interested in the well-being of the people, has initiated a project to provide equipment required by some of the hospitals.

We call upon our government to responsibly utilize the sum exceeding Rs. 4 billion granted by the European Union, for the benefit of all the people of this land, Premadasa said.

Although prices of crude oil in the world market have plunged to historic lows, the Indian Oil Company (LIOC) has failed to reduce the fuel prices in Sri Lanka. As a result of this, the LIOC has amassed additional profits to the tune of billions of rupees. Many have taken to social media to raise suspicions as to whether a part of the huge profits made by the LIOC has been given to certain politicians and their election campaigns.

Close links between Manoj Gupta, the Managing Director of LIOC and certain government bigwigs and senior officials have further fueled the suspicions raised on social media.

Even though crude oil prices in the world market have fallen to historic lows, failure to take advantage of low prices and pass on the benefit to Sri Lankan consumers by the government has allowed the LIOC to make billions of rupees in additional profits.

Though the country's economy is in shambles due to economic mismanagement and reckless, ad hoc decisions taken by the incumbent government, it is baffling to see why they haven't used at least a portion of the huge profits earned by the LIOC to provide some sort of relief to an ailing economy, political analysts claimed.

Fuel prices in the world market

According to a report issued by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) yesterday (11), the price of a barrel of Brent crude oil in the world market was USD 30.11. Last week, a barrel of crude oil was recorded at just USD 25.

Meanwhile, the price of a barrel of petroleum products has come down to USD 24.

During the previous good governance government's period, the price of a barrel of Brent crude oil in the Singapore market was USD 65. Accordingly, the prices of oil in the local market were revised as per the fuel price formula in September 2019.



Due to the fuel price formula, the LIOC priced a litre of octane petrol at LKR 137 while a litre of diesel was priced at LKR 104 while maintaining maximum profit margins in September 2019.

Accordingly, former Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera in a press release in March noted that the current government could reduce the price of a litre of petrol and diesel by atleast LKR 20, compared with the world oil prices in September 2019 and March 2020, if they were genuinely concerned with providing relief to the general public.

However, at a time when the price of crude oil in the world market has decreased even further, the government could very well reduce the price of a liter of both petrol and diesel by at least LKR 50.

A senior official at the Presidential Secretariat said that the president is yet to decide on the appointment of Prime Minister's secretary Gamini Senarath as the acting secretary to the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury.

He had made this comment in response to the article that was carried out by theleader.lk under the headline, 'Gamini Senarath to be appointed as acting secretary to the finance ministry.'

The official said that the secretary to the Ministry of Finance and the Treasury, S.R. Attygalle had sought treatment for an ailment and had recovered. He had been working from home since. He further said that president's secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundara has been advising the officials at the finance ministry.

According to the constitution, only the president is vested with the power to appoint secretaries to ministries.

The president has the power to appoint secretaries to the ministries.

A local government body in southern Sri Lanka slapped a ban on journalists following the unethical coverage of a suspected coronavirus victim by two pro-government private TV channels. The victim was later cleared of Covid- 19.

The mayor of Weligama alleges that Hiru TV and Derana TV journalists have unlawfully entered the house of the suspected Covid19 victim and filmed the premises causing shock and distress to family members.

“By the powers vested to me under the Urban Council Act of 1987 (255) section (4), I am hereby banning the unauthorised entry of any media personal into the private vicinities of suspected Covid 19 cases,” Said Mayor Rehaan D.W Jayawickreme in a strongly worded letter to channel heads of Derana TV and Hiru TV.

“In the event that these warnings are not heeded, I will not hesitate to not only initiate legal action against your channel, but will also instruct the relevant public health officials (PHI) working under me, to file separate charges in regard to the obstruction of their duties.”

TV channels in Sri Lanka have been heavily criticised for criminalising Covid-19 victims by their coverage.  

“It is of paramount importance to note that our country along with the rest of the world is going through turbulent times due to this disease but it is only in Sri Lanka that I have seen patients been treated as criminals,” says Mayor Jayawickreme.

The politician believes that such a environment has been created by journalists who broadcast recordings of pandemic victims and their families without consent.

Although Sri Lankan journalist in print media have been issued with a code of ethics, the broadcast industry doesn’t have any known guidelines.

Former Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera who had been a harsh critic of certain actions carried out by president Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government, has been summoned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at 2.00 pm, today (14).

According police sources, the CID has summoned the former finance minister to be questioned regarding an investigation that is being carried for providing transport facilities via the SLTB to 12,500 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) residing in the Puttalam district to travel to the Northern Province to cast their votes during the last presidential election as per the request made by the 'Project Management Unit of Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons.'

The organisation for IDPs had requested then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to provide transport for these displaced persons to go to their respective villages in order to cast their votes.

Accordingly, the Director of the Prime Minister's Public Relations had formally written to the Secretary of the Ministry of Resettlement to comply with the request.

It is said that under those circumstances, the former finance minister has authorised the payment to the SLTB to transport the IDPs in the Puttalam district to the Northern province.

It is further said that CID will also grill Mangala Samaraweera on certain other matters as well. 

The plight of displaced Tamils and Muslims of Sri Lanka is still a burning issue even after many decades.

It has been nearly three decades since the Muslims were expelled from the North in 1990.  Although Jaffna has been under the Sri Lankan government since 1995, both the Rajapaksa government and the 'good governance' government failed to resettle these Muslims.

Therefore, the Rajapaksa government headed by the president should focus on providing an equitable solution to the problem faced by the displaced Tamils and Muslims in the country for many decades instead of hunting down political leaders who criticize the government.

However, it may be an act of collective folly to presume that the minority communities will get relief from the Rajapaksas' who are trying to appease the Sinhala extremists with an impending election.

Sri Lanka public administration, all prevention and management of the COVID-19 virus outbreak and healthcare provisions and other economic activities are now being carried out with the engagement of retired military officers on the directions of the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The lack of civilian oversight over Sri Lanka’s militarised COVID-19 response raises some very serious human rights concerns, said the International Truth and Justice Project.

Experienced professionals from the civil service should be in charge of coordinating complex public health and distribution issues, not the Army,” ITJP’s Executive Director Yasmin Sooka, emphasized recently.

Major General Sanjeewa Munasinghe has been appointed as the Secretary to the Ministry of Health replacing the present secretary Ms. Badrani Jayawardena.

He is an alumnus of the Faculty of Medicine of University of Ruhuna. He completed his MBBS degree in 1986 and joined the Sri Lanka Army in the same year.

With Major General Munasinghe’s appointment as the Health Secretary, the number of present and ex-military officers in top public administration previously confined to Sri Lanka Administrative Service has risen up to 10.

These military appointments raise the question as to who in the civilian administration will be held accountable for activities carried out by them, civil society activists said.

They noted that Sri Lanka‘s strategic nerve centres like the defense ministry, Colombo port, Sri Lanka Customs, Consumer Affairs Authority, Lotus Tower Project etc are now under the purview of military officers.

Sri Lanka – similar to Maldives – is considering reopening its air and sea borders in July to foreign tourists.

However, Sri Lanka Tourism’s chairperson Kimarli Fernando said arrivals would be mostly overseas Sri Lankans returning to visit relatives and friends. In anticipation of this, the government is planning to aggressively promote domestic tourism in nine provinces to help fill hotels and resorts.

She was speaking at a webinar on Monday hosted by the Cinnamon group of hotels, titled Charting a course for Sri Lanka’s tourism future, in conjunction with several other tourism stakeholders.

To reassure travellers, Fernando shared that hotels will have to go through a new certification process to ensure their properties are compliant with globally accepted health and safety standards. Also in the works is the Visit Sri Lanka Year campaign in 2022.

Another positive sign Fernando shared was that several airlines have expressed an interest in resuming flights to Colombo, and were actively seeking partnerships with tourism authorities.

Anita Mendiratta, UNWTO’s special advisor to the secretary-general, shared that according to latest projections, there will be a 60 per cent drop in global tourism travel, yet Asia will be the first region to recover. Business travel and people travelling to meet their loved ones overseas would be the first to take off.

Dillip Rajakarier, CEO, Minor Hotels Group, believes that tourism will take 12 to 18 months for a full recovery.

“We are looking at cash flows and how to sustain during this period,” he said, adding that in light of the situation, buffet-type meals will also not be offered for a long time to maintain social distancing.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators has issued a set of guidelines for DMCs to follow once tourism gets underway. For instance, group photographs will be discouraged, while local guides on the tour bus will have to speak from behind a screen.

 (Feizal Samath - TTG Asia)

In a strongly worded statement, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has also expressed its opposition to cremating bodies of Coronavirus victims.

“General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed its deep concern over reports on escalating hate speech and hostility towards Muslims in Sri Lanka, the promotion of biased and rejected allegations holding members of the Muslim community responsible for the spread of the novel Coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) in the country as well as reports that authorities cremated bodies of the Muslim victims of the pandemic and arrested community members who rejected these practices,” said the statement.

“In this regard, the OIC reaffirmed its firm position rejecting all policies and practices targeting the rights of Muslims anywhere. Furthermore, it called on the authorities in Sri Lanka to ensure the safety, security and rights of the Muslim community, as well as commitment to respect their religious practices and rituals, safeguard their dignity and to stand firmly against all parties behind the promotion of hatred, Islamophobia, and anti- Muslim sentiment in Sri Lanka.”

The OIC also stressed that the current global juncture requires the involvement of all actors in strengthening the bonds of cooperation and the values of solidarity among states and consolidating cohesion and synergy among constituents of each state to collectively and effectively respond to COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions on all societies.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation is the 2nd largest inter-governmental organization after the UN with 57 member states.