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The Hindu
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Grief knows no ethnicity, says Dissanayake, pledging lasting peace in Sri Lanka
'Grief knows no ethnicity', Sri Lanka's President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has said, as he vowed to ensure 'lasting peace' and build a society 'anchored in justice'. Mr. Dissanayake made the remarks at the 16th 'War Heroes' Commemoration Ceremony' held on Monday (May 19, 2025), a day after thousands of Tamils gathered in Mullivaikkal, in the northern Mullaitivu district, to remember their loved ones who were killed by the armed forces in the final phase of the island nation's civil war that ended in 2009. According to the United Nations, some 40,000 civilians were killed, including in areas declared 'no fire zones' by authorities, and thousands disappeared, in the gory battle that spanned over three decades. Survivors have been unrelentingly demanding accountability and justice for what international rights groups have found to be grave abuse of human rights. Also read: Sri Lanka protests 'genocide monument' in Canada ahead of civil war anniversary 'Our predecessors endured conflict; ours is a generation still grappling with its residual divisions. But we must resolve to leave our children a nation free from strife, a society anchored not in power struggles but in justice,' Mr. Dissanayake said in his address to soldiers. Observing that war is 'synonymous with tragedy and devastation', he noted, 'Today, we witness the remnants of this devastation, children orphaned, parents bereaved, and spouses widowed. Across our land, from North to South, grief knows no ethnicity.' In a rare acknowledgment from a southern leader, of the scores of lives lost in the Tamil majority areas of the north and east, Mr. Dissanayake pointed to people — 'not only in the south but also in the north' — holding up photographs of their loved ones on the streets, mourning their death. 'To every parent, their child is precious. So, as a country that has faced such a massive tragedy, our responsibility today is to prevent such a war from happening again in our country,' he said. Elected to the country's top office last year, Mr. Dissanayake and his majority-wielding National People's Power, raised expectations, including among Tamils who backed them, over delivering meaningful reconciliation and equitable development. Six months since, the government faces growing scrutiny over pending implementation of its pledges. Contending that conflicts, racism, and extremism have been 'strategically exploited' at various times to acquire, sustain, and strengthen power, President Dissanayake said, 'These issues have not emerged naturally; rather, they have been manipulated to secure authority and to obscure the wrongdoings committed.' 'Today, peace is increasingly being portrayed as a sign of betrayal. Reconciliation is being distorted into surrender. But as a progressive society we must raise our voices for more than ever for humanity and compassion. This applies not only within our own country, but across the world,' Mr. Dissanayake said, asking what wars and conflicts raging around the globe have truly brought to people. 'Victory? No, only destruction. That is why I believe we must act with unwavering commitment and clarity in our efforts to achieve lasting peace.' Watch: 15 years on, justice and economic progress elude Sri Lanka's Tamils In a social media post, opposition MP and Tamil Progressive Alliance Leader Mano Ganesan said Sri Lankans should reach a 'patriotic destination' where they are able to commemorate 'all our dead souls and if need to be, victory over all kind of terrorism, state and non-state [actors]' and in the south and north of the country. Urging the government to address 'root causes' of the war, Mr. Ganesan pointed to the discrimination of minorities beginning in 1948, with the Ceylon Citizenship Act that disenfranchised Indian Origin [Hill Country or Malaiyaha] Tamils, the Sinhala Only Act of 1956, and the failure by successive governments to implement various political commitments and legislative pledges, including the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution. 'Will the new government undo the past failures of its predecessors and bring justice and accountability?' rights watchdog Amnesty International asked in a post on the commemoration.
The Hindu
07-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Sri Lankan president's party continues winning streak in local election
The National People's Power led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Wednesday (May 7, 2025) emerged as the largest party in 265 out of 339 local municipal councils across Sri Lanka despite failing to win capital Colombo's body. However, the National People's Power (NPP) party's ability to form administrations in those 265 bodies is in doubt as the combined Opposition groups have more members than NPP in multiple councils, official results issued by the independent election commission has shown. The election commission data showed that the ruling NPP garnered over 4.5 million votes or 43% of the votes, drastically down from the 68% polled at the parliamentary election held in November last year. It also had a thumping win in the presidential polls prior to that. The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) won just 14 of the 339 councils earning 21% vote. More than 70% of the registered voters exercised their franchise on Tuesday (May 6, 2025) in the local council polls, which were postponed in 2023 following the economic crisis in the island nation. In the battle for the coveted Colombo local body, the NPP won just 48 out of the 117 seats with the opposition parties combined having more. While the opposition parties are entertaining hopes to forge alliances, the NPP said they are happy with the achievements. 'Our call to cleanse local governments has been heeded,' Tilwin Silva, the NPP general secretary, said. In the Tamil dominated north, where the NPP recorded resounding wins in the November parliamentary election, the main Tamil party, the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), performed creditably, the election office data showed. 'ITAK has won 43 out of 58 councils we contested in the northeast without any alliance. It is a phenomenal victory considering that the NPP claimed it had the mandate of the north after the parliamentary elections 2024,' TNA spokesperson MA Sumanthiran said. The ruling NPP had won the presidential and parliamentary elections held last year and the local government election was being seen as an electoral test of the performance of the new government, whose task was to continue the economic reforms of the previous government, political analysts noted.
Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Sri Lankan president's party continues winning streak in local election
The National People's Power led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Wednesday emerged as the largest party in 265 out of 339 local municipal councils across Sri Lanka despite failing to win capital Colombo's body. However, the National People's Power (NPP) party's ability to form administrations in those 265 bodies is in doubt as the combined opposition groups have more members than NPP in multiple councils, official results issued by the independent election commission has shown. The election commission data showed that the ruling NPP garnered over 4.5 million votes or 43 per cent of the votes, drastically down from the 68 per cent polled at the parliamentary election held in November last year. It also had a thumping win in the presidential polls prior to that. The main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) won just 14 of the 339 councils earning 21 per cent vote. More than 70 per cent of the registered voters exercised their franchise on Tuesday in the local council polls, which were postponed in 2023 following the economic crisis in the island nation. In the battle for the coveted Colombo local body, the NPP won just 48 out of the 117 seats with the opposition parties combined having more. While the opposition parties are entertaining hopes to forge alliances, the NPP said they are happy with the achievements. 'Our call to cleanse local governments has been heeded,' Tilwin Silva, the NPP general secretary, said. In the Tamil dominated north, where the NPP recorded resounding wins in the November parliamentary election, the main Tamil party, the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), performed creditably, the election office data showed. 'ITAK has won 43 out of 58 councils we contested in the northeast without any alliance. It is a phenomenal victory considering that the NPP claimed it had the mandate of the north after the parliamentary elections 2024,' TNA spokesperson MA Sumanthiran said. The ruling NPP had won the presidential and parliamentary elections held last year and the local government election was being seen as an electoral test of the performance of the new government, whose task was to continue the economic reforms of the previous government, political analysts noted.
The Print
06-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Sri Lanka local polls: President Dissanayake's party wins first official result
According to the latest details, the NPP secured 46 per cent of the votes, winning 9 seats in the Tangalle Urban Council in the Deep South district of Hambantota, the stronghold of the Rajapaksa family. A total of 339 local councils on Tuesday went to the polls, which were postponed in 2023 following the island's economic crisis. The counting of votes commenced soon after voting ended at 4 pm. The voter turnout was 70.23 per cent. Colombo, May 6 (PTI) The National People's Power (NPP) led by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won the first official result declared by the Elections Commission in the local council election held on Tuesday. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the main opposition party, secured 28 per cent of votes and won 5 seats while Rajapaksas' Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) received 16 per cent of votes and won 3 seats. Two other parties gained one seat each in the 19-member council. Tangalle was one of the councils which went to the polls to elect members for a four-year term. The ruling NPP won the presidential and parliamentary elections held last year. 'The local government election is being seen as an opinion poll on the performance of the new government so far. The ruling National People's Power (NPP) is confident of winning the polls,' Colombo Gazette said. Earlier in the day, Dissanayake cast his vote at a booth at Panchikawatta in Colombo soon after returning from Vietnam. 'Proud that under our NPP govt, Sri Lanka is seeing peaceful, democratic elections. Let's make this the new political culture — free, fair, and dignified,' he said in a post on X. Voting was held without any incidents of violence, election monitoring groups said. 'The voting has finished, and the counting has commenced. The votes cast at each division will be counted at the division centres,' the head of the independent election commission, RMAL Ratnayake, told reporters earlier. Over 17 million voters cast their votes at over 13,000 polling centres in the election under a mixed proportional representation system. PTI CORR ZH ZH This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Sri Lanka local polls: President Dissanayake's party wins first official result
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The National People's Power (NPP) led by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake won the first official result declared by the Elections Commission in the local council election held on Tuesday. A total of 339 local councils on Tuesday went to the polls, which were postponed in 2023 following the island's economic crisis. The counting of votes commenced soon after voting ended at 4 pm. The voter turnout was 70.23 per to the latest details, the NPP secured 46 per cent of the votes, winning 9 seats in the Tangalle Urban Council in the Deep South district of Hambantota, the stronghold of the Rajapaksa Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), the main opposition party, secured 28 per cent of votes and won 5 seats while Rajapaksas' Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) received 16 per cent of votes and won 3 seats. Two other parties gained one seat each in the 19-member was one of the councils which went to the polls to elect members for a four-year ruling NPP won the presidential and parliamentary elections held last year."The local government election is being seen as an opinion poll on the performance of the new government so far. The ruling National People's Power (NPP) is confident of winning the polls," Colombo Gazette in the day, Dissanayake cast his vote at a booth at Panchikawatta in Colombo soon after returning from Vietnam. "Proud that under our NPP govt, Sri Lanka is seeing peaceful, democratic elections. Let's make this the new political culture - free, fair, and dignified," he said in a post on was held without any incidents of violence, election monitoring groups said."The voting has finished, and the counting has commenced. The votes cast at each division will be counted at the division centres," the head of the independent election commission, RMAL Ratnayake, told reporters 17 million voters cast their votes at over 13,000 polling centres in the election under a mixed proportional representation system.
