The Supreme Court has ruled that the fundamental rights of social media activist Anuruddha Bandara were violated during his arrest and detention in the 2022 Aragalaya protest period.

The Court found that Deshbandu Tennakoon, then Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Western Province, and Nalin Priyantha, then Officer‑in‑Charge of the Colombo North Special Investigation Unit, were responsible for the violation.

The ruling was delivered after examining a fundamental rights petition submitted by Bandara, who challenged the legality of his arrest and detention during the protest movement. (Newswire)

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Colombo Additional Magistrate Kingsley Hettiarachchi today (17) ordered warrants to arrest and produce Deputy Minister of Urban Development Eranga Gunasekara and MP Jagath Manuwarna, along with four others, after they failed to appear in court while on bail in a case relating to an unlawful protest.

The suspects, who had allegedly engaged in a demonstration related to the 2022 ‘Aragalaya’ protests in violation of a court order, were absent when the case was called.

Warrants were accordingly issued against Gunasekara, Manuwarna, Roshan Ali Danis Ali, Amal Salinda alias Army Amila, Udayanga Kumara, and Koswattage Mahanama Thera.

The Acting Magistrate also postponed the case until December 4. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has directed the re‑issue of a notice to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who has been named as a respondent in a Fundamental Rights petition challenging compensation payments made to politicians.

The petition seeks recovery of funds allegedly paid unlawfully to former ministers and Members of Parliament whose houses were set on fire or damaged during the island‑wide unrest that erupted following the May 9, 2022, attack on the “Aragalaya” protest site.  

During the hearing today (08), the Supreme Court ordered that fresh notice be served on Rajapaksa. 

The Fundamental Rights petition seeks a declaration that the compensation was unlawful. (Newswire)

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The “Memories of a People’s Struggle” exhibition, organized to preserve the true events, memories, and core values of the 2022 Aragalaya at the Galle Face Green, will be held in Colombo in May.

According to the organizers, the exhibition will be held on May 9 and 10, from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm at the JDA Perera Gallery in Colombo 07. 

The exhibition aims to document the historic protest movement that unfolded at Galle Face for future generations. (Newswire)

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The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal filed by the Sri Lanka Navy, ordering the disclosure of costs and payment details related to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s naval travel during the 2022 crisis.

The ruling, delivered on March 19, came in a request filed by Journalist Rifthi Ali, who had sought information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act regarding reports that Rajapaksa boarded a naval vessel in July 2022 to escape the country.

Ali’s request, submitted in September 2022, sought eight details, including confirmation of the spending, names of those accompanying the former President, and the cost incurred. The Sri Lanka Navy initially rejected the request in full, citing national security concerns.

Following an appeal by Ali, the RTI Commission in August 2023 ordered the Navy to disclose two key details, the cost of the trip and who paid for it, while allowing the rest to be withheld.

The Navy, through its Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, subsequently filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal challenging the directive to release those two items.

In its judgment, the Court rejected the Navy’s argument that releasing financial data would compromise national security, stating that the claim was not supported by sufficient evidence.

The Court held that access to information is a fundamental right and that exemptions must be narrowly applied, stressing that public authorities cannot rely on blanket claims of secrecy.

“The right to know should be the rule, and the exception should be the refusal,” the Court observed.

The judges concluded that the Navy failed to establish a clear link between disclosing the requested financial information and any genuine risk to national security.

Accordingly, the appeal was dismissed, and the RTI Commission’s order to release the information was affirmed.

Senior Attorney Rushdie Habeeb appeared for Journalist Rifthi Ali along with Attorney A.N. Manathunga Arachchi. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has directed the issuance of notices to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and several others named as respondents in a fundamental rights petition related to the May 09 unrest in 2022. 

The case seeks recovery of compensation allegedly obtained unlawfully by former ministers for damages caused when their houses were set on fire during the violent incidents that erupted across the country following an attack on the ‘Aragalaya’ people’s struggle.

Accordingly, notices are to be sent to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Defence Secretary retired Major General Kamal Gunaratne, former IGP C.D. Wickramaratne, former Navy Commander Nishantha Ulugetenne, former Public Security Ministers Prasanna Ranatunga and Tiran Alles, and former Public Security Ministry Secretary Jagath Alwis, as ordered by the Court.

The petition was filed by environmental lawyer Dr. Ravindranath Dabare. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for January 28 on a fundamental rights petition seeking an order to recover compensation from former ministers who allegedly received unlawful payments for damages to their homes during the islandwide unrest on 09 May 2022. 

The petition was filed by social activist and lawyer, Dr. Ravindranath Dabare, challenging the legality of the compensation granted in connection with the island-wide violence.

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Defence Secretary Retired Major General Kamal Gunaratne, former Chief of Defence Staff Shavendra Silva, former IGP Chandana Wickramaratne, former Ministers of Public Security Tiran Alles and Prasanna Ranatunga, current Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya, current Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijayapala, and the Attorney General are among a total of 15 individuals named as respondents in the case.

The petitioner claims that following the May 9 attack, the previous government paid Rs. 1.22 billion in compensation to 43 individuals, including former ministers whose homes and property were damaged, pointing out that this was revealed in Parliament on February 5 by Minister Nalinda Jayatissa.

The petitioner argues that this constitutes a serious misuse of public funds, noting that even in cases of natural disasters, the maximum compensation per person is Rs. 2.5 million.

As such, the petitioner requested the Supreme Court to declare that these payments violated legal procedures and fundamental human rights, issue an order to recover the unlawfully paid compensation, and ensure that any future compensation is based on proper valuation and legal standards. (Newswire)

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The Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court that several former Members of Parliament are among the 31 identified suspects in connection with the May 2022 attack on the Galle Face protest site known as “GotaGoGama.”

Senior State Counsel Sajith Bandara, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, told the court yesterday that indictments are expected to be filed against the suspects under the Code of Criminal Procedure.

He further revealed that steps are being taken to file charges against then Senior Deputy Inspector General Deshabandu Tennakoon, who was the highest-ranking officer present on the site at the time.

The update was shared during the hearing of five fundamental rights petitions filed by a group of protesters, who alleged that the failure of law enforcement to prevent the attack on May 9, 2022, constituted a violation of their basic human rights.

The petitions were heard before a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, Justices Shiran Gunaratne, and Achala Wengappuli on Tuesday.

During the proceedings, Counsel Bandara noted that the Court of Appeal had previously issued an interim injunction related to the investigation, but that order has since been lifted, allowing further inquiries to proceed.

The petitioners’ counsel argued that police inaction at the time of the incident contributed to the escalation of violence. In response, Counsel Bandara stated that a significant number of police officers and water cannon vehicles were present at the scene, but were not effectively deployed.

Counsel Sanjeewa Weerawickrama, appearing for former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, objected to the petitions being heard while criminal proceedings were being prepared against his client, stating that it would be unjust. He proposed that the petitions be considered only after the criminal proceedings are clarified.

The parties also agreed not to proceed with the petitions against former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Namal Rajapaksa, as criminal charges are not being filed against them.

Following submissions, the Supreme Court postponed its decision on the petitions. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has granted leave to proceed with a fundamental rights petition filed by Attorney-at-Law Nuwan Bopage, who alleges he was unlawfully arrested by Police during the GotaGoGama protest at Galle Face.

The petition claims that Bopage’s arrest and subsequent court presentation, carried out without just cause, violated his fundamental rights under the Constitution.

A three-judge bench comprising Justices Kumuduni Wickremasinghe, Sobhitha Rajakaruna, and Sampath Wijayaratne issued the order after reviewing the petition.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court has issued notices to the named respondents — including the Inspector General of Police, the Army Commander, and the Officer-in-Charge of the Fort Police Station.

Bopage has requested a court ruling declaring that his arrest, which occurred during the 2022 protest movement without a valid legal basis, was a breach of his basic human rights. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has summoned a hearing on November 13 to verify facts in a fundamental rights petition requesting recovery of compensation paid unlawfully to former ministers whose homes and property were damaged after the attack on the “Gota Go Gama” protest site at Galle Face on May 9, 2022. 

The petition was filed by Dr. Ravindranath Dabare, a social activist and lawyer, seeking an order to reclaim compensation funds that were allegedly obtained illegally by former government ministers.

The petition was heard before a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Mahinda Samayawardhena and Sobitha Rajakaruna.

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Defence Secretary Retired Major General Kamal Gunaratne, former Chief of Defence Staff Shavendra Silva, former IGP Chandana Wickramaratne, former Ministers of Public Security Tiran Alles and Prasanna Ranatunga, current Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya, current Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijayapala, and the Attorney General are among a total of 15 individuals named as respondents in the case.

The petitioner claims that following the May 9 attack, the previous government paid Rs. 1.22 billion in compensation to 43 individuals, including former ministers whose homes and property were damaged, pointing out that this was revealed in Parliament on February 5 by Minister Nalinda Jayatissa.

The petitioner argues that this constitutes a serious misuse of public funds, noting that even in cases of natural disasters, the maximum compensation per person is Rs. 2.5 million.

As such, the petitioner requested the Supreme Court to declare that these payments violated legal procedures and fundamental human rights, issue an order to recover the unlawfully paid compensation, and ensure that any future compensation is based on proper valuation and legal standards. (Newswire)

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A Fundamental Rights (FR) petition has been filed in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka seeking an investigation into the amounts of compensation paid to MPs for alleged damages to their homes during the 2022 ‘Aragalaya’ peoples’ struggle.

The FR petition also seeks an order on the return of any funds that had been obtained through false claims. 

The petition was filed by social activist and environmentalist Ravindranath Dabare today.

Fifteen persons, including former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne, former Chief of Defence Staff Shavendra Silva, former Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya, and current Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala have been named as respondents. (Newswire)

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Minister Nalinda Jayathissa in Parliament revealed a list of 43 former government members who received compensation for property loss and damage during the 2022 Aragalaya unrest.

According to the minister, former government members collectively claimed Rs. 1.224 billion in compensation.

“The maximum amount of compensation for property loss or damage is Rs. 2.5 million even in the event of complete property loss during a natural disaster,” Minister Jayathissa said, adding that it is unlikely that victims receive this amount.

Jayathissa alleged that former government members exploited power to secure excessive compensation beyond the usual limits.

The full list of former government members who claimed compensation: 

1.⁠ ⁠Kapila Nuwan Athukorale – Rs. 504,000
2.⁠ ⁠Wimalaweera Dissanayake – Rs. 550,000
3.⁠ ⁠Geetha Kumarasinghe – Rs. 972,000
4.⁠ ⁠Janaka Thissa Kuttiarachchi – Rs. 1.143 million
5.⁠ ⁠Gunapala Rathnasekara – Rs. 1.41278 million
6.⁠ ⁠Premnath C. Dolawatta – Rs. 2.3 million
7.⁠ ⁠Priyankara Jayarathna – Rs. 2.348 million
8.⁠ ⁠Sampath Athukorale – Rs. 2.54061 million
9.⁠ ⁠Jayantha Ketagoda – Rs. 2.8148 million
10.⁠ ⁠Wimal Weerawansa – Rs. 2.954 million
11.⁠ ⁠Prof. Channa Jayasumana – Rs. 3.334 million
12.⁠ ⁠Akila Ellawala – Rs. 3.55425 million
13.⁠ ⁠Chamal Rajapaksa – Rs. 6.539374 million
14.⁠ ⁠Chandima Weerakkody – Rs. 6.9488 million
15.⁠ ⁠Ashoka Priyantha – Rs. 7.295 million
16.⁠ ⁠Samanpriya Herath – Rs. 10.502 million
17.⁠ ⁠Janaka Bandara Tennekoon – Rs. 10.55 million
18.⁠ ⁠Rohitha Abegunawardana – Rs. 11.64 million
19.⁠ ⁠Dr. Seetha Arambepola – Rs. 13.78 million
20.⁠ ⁠Sahan Pradeep – Rs. 17.13 million
21.⁠ ⁠Shehan Semasinghe – Rs. 18.51 million
22.⁠ ⁠Indika Anuruddha – Rs. 19.55 million
23.⁠ ⁠Milan Jayathilaka – Rs. 22.3 million
24.⁠ ⁠Dr. Ramesh Pathirana – Rs. 28.1 million
25.⁠ ⁠Duminda Dissanayake – Rs. 28.8 million
26.⁠ ⁠Kanaka Herath – Rs. 29.2 million
27.⁠ ⁠D. B. Herath – Rs. 32.1 million
28.⁠ ⁠Prasanna Ranaweera – Rs. 32.7 million
29.⁠ ⁠W. D. Weerasinghe – Rs. 37.2 million
30.⁠ ⁠Shantha Bandara – Rs. 39.1 million
31.⁠ ⁠S. M. Chandrasena – Rs. 43.8 million
32.⁠ ⁠Sanath Nishantha – Rs. 42.7 million
33.⁠ ⁠Siripala Gamlath – Rs. 50.9 million
34.⁠ ⁠Arundika Fernando – Rs. 55.2 million
35.⁠ ⁠Sumith Udukumburua – Rs. 55.9 million
36.⁠ ⁠Prasanna Ranatunga – Rs. 56.1 million
37.⁠ ⁠Kokila Gunawardana – Rs. 58.7 million
38.⁠ ⁠Mohan P. De Silva – Rs. 60.1 million
39.⁠ ⁠Nimal Lanza – Rs. 69.2 million
40.⁠ ⁠Ali Sabri Raheem – Rs. 70.9 million
41.⁠ ⁠Gamini Lokuge – Rs. 74.9 million
42.⁠ ⁠Johnston Fernando – Rs. 93.4 million
43.⁠ ⁠Keheliya Rambukwella – Rs. 95.9 million (Newswire)

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Anti-government protesters in Bangladesh have stormed Prime Minister Sheik Hasina’s palace in Dhaka, similar to the ‘Aragalaya’ people’s struggle in Sri Lanka in 2022. 

According to media reports, protesters ignored a national curfew to storm PM Hasina’s palace in Dhaka today. Images on national television showed thousands of people breaking into the prime minister’s official residence. 

It also showed large crowds of protesters out in the street in scenes of jubilation as the news of the departure of Hasina started spreading. The resignation comes after 300 people have died amid weeks of protest the authorities have sought to crush. 

Following a night of deadly violence that killed close to 100 on Sunday, tension had remained high on Monday as protesters called for a march on Dhaka and the army prepared to address the nation.

Protests in the country started a month ago over a controversial job quota scheme which reserved a third of government jobs for family veterans of the country’s 1971 independence war with Pakistan. 

Despite Hasina reversing the highly contested policy, the demonstration morphed into an unprecedented and nationwide uprising against her and the ruling Awami League party. (Newswire/ Al Jazeera)

Bangladesh protesters storm the Prime Minister’s palace, reminiscent of similar footage from Sri Lanka’s 2022 protests

Bangladeshi-Bengali TV station Channel 24. pic.twitter.com/TGYZNIPytP

— Azzam Ameen (@AzzamAmeen) August 5, 2024

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A new political movement called the ‘Peoples Struggle Alliance’ has been launched in anticipation of the next election in Sri Lanka.

The political movement consists of an alliance of former student activists, social activists, journalists, and political parties. 

National organizer of ‘Youth for Change’ and ‘Aragalaya’ activist Lahiru Weerasekara, former convenor of the Inter-University Student’s Federation (IUSF) Wasantha Mudalige, key leader of the Frontline Socialist Party and lawyer Nuwan Bopage, Tharindu Uduwaragedara of the Young Journalists Association, the Frontline Socialist Party, and the New Democratic Marxist–Leninist Party are among the members of the new political movement. 

Addressing the media, former convenor of the Inter-University Student’s Federation (IUSF) Wasantha Mudalige said the ‘Aragalaya’ peoples’ struggle was staged in the past calling for a system change.

Stating that the requested system change has not taken place as expected by the protesters, Mudalige further said that incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe has further pushed the existing system into a crisis. 

Mudalige pointed out that under the current developments, stability has not been established in the nation and the people are facing severe difficulties in their day-to-day lives.

As such, Mudalige revealed that the new political movement has been launched with the intention of introducing a new political system for the future of Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa says it was obvious that all the ‘Aragalaya’ related protests held especially in Colombo may have been motivated by the fear that if he continued in power, the Sinhala Buddhists would have been strengthened to the detriment of the minorities.

Rajapaksa further says that from day one, the so-called ‘Aragalaya’ was an operation inimical to Sinhala and particularly Sinhala-Buddhist interests, and it was well supported by foreign interests that had much the same objectives.

He made the statements in his newly released book, titled ‘The Conspiracy’, in which he shares the ordeal he went through during the final moments of his Presidency, from which he was ousted in 2022 due to anti-government protests.

Excerpts from the book on the composition of the ‘Aragalaya’:

After the so-called ‘Aragalaya’ began at Galle Face on 9 April 2022 and a tent city of protestors named ‘Gota Go Gama’ was declared, some commentators in the media stated that the Aragalaya had brought all ethnic groups and religions together to meet a common objective. Some, in fact, went so far as to say that chauvinism or ‘jaathiwadaya’ had been defeated by the young people who had all come together against my government. However, if one really analyses who was present at the Galle Face Aragalaya, it will become plain to anyone that these were sections of the population that were opposed to me anyway.

The minority communities were well represented within the Aragalaya because each had a motivating factor to be there. From the time we won the war against the LTTE, I was perceived as anti-Tamil. The agenda of the Tamil diaspora which called for a ‘united Sri Lanka’ instead of a unitary state was very visible within the Aragalaya. This has been a long-standing demand of those demanding a federal state and because of this, the slogan was projected onto the walls of the Presidential Secretariat during the Galle Face protests.

With the emergence of the Bodu Bala Sena in 2012 and my perceived involvement in that organisation, I was seen as anti-Muslim as well. The cremation issue that came up as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic seemed to confirm to those already prejudiced, that I was anti-Muslim. When I was elected to power in 2019, that was despite the Tamil and Muslim votes going overwhelmingly to my opponent. When I was sworn in as President, my location of choice was the precincts of the Ruwanweliseya a sacred site heavy with symbolism for Sinhala Buddhists. The statement that I made following my inauguration about being elected to the Sinhala Buddhist vote was also given various interpretations.

Due to a multiplicity of factors, the Tamil and Muslim communities both came together in the Aragalaya to oppose me. This was obvious in all the protests held especially in Colombo and may have been motivated by the fear that if I continued in power, the Sinhala Buddhists would have been strengthened to the detriment of the minorities.

There were the NGO-related foreign-funded liberal political activists, YouTubers, and social media activists, then there were the usual opposition types associated with various political parties, the JVP, FSP (Peratugami Party), SJB and the UNP. According to one prominent UNP functionary the UNP alone had 17 tents at Galle Face. Virtually all of those at the Galle Face Aragalaya site were those who would have opposed it. There were cricketers and their wives and various actors and actresses also in the scene.

As I pointed out in the introduction to this book, my very election to power was the result of a contest between the Sinhala and Buddhist interests on the one hand and all non-Sinhala and non-Buddhist elements on the other hand. Sections of the Roman Catholic Church also joined this lineup from the end of 2021 onwards despite the excellent relationship that I had maintained with the Catholic Church up to that time. If anyone was under the impression that the objective of the Argalaya was to eliminate fuel queues, gas queues and shortages of medicines and other essential items and to ease the hardships of the people, that is a delusion. The people participating in the Aragalaya had very different objectives and priorities. From day one, the so-called Aragalaya was an operation inimical to Sinhala and particularly Sinhala-Buddhist interests, and it was well supported by foreign interests that had much the same objectives. (NewsWire)

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A group of individuals who are on bail after being arrested in connection to a protest near the Parliament entrance in 2022 have been acquitted from the case, it was reported.

The Police arrested 13 persons for their involvement in the protest near the Parliament entrance on May 04, 2022, while a case was filed under 13 charges against the individuals.

As the Police had failed to provide evidence to prove the charges, the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court yesterday acquitted the 13 individuals from the case.

The individuals had engaged in the protest as part of the ‘Aragalaya’ peoples’ movement, calling for the resignation of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. (NewsWire)

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An English teacher has been apprehended over the incident of setting fire to President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s private residence during the ‘Argalaya’ Peoples Movement last year. 

According to Lankadeepa, the man was arrested over the incident reported in Colombo on July 09, 2022. 

He was arrested by officials from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on Monday (Feb 05). 

The English teacher has been identified as a 46-year-old resident of Boralesgamuwa. (NewsWire)

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Approximately 60% of the public do not believe that the ‘Aragalaya’ movement led to the wishes and aspirations of the people being fulfilled, a new survey by Sri Lankan think-tank, Verité Research has found.

As per the survey,  51% of the respondents said that corruption and bad governance needs to be fixed in order to rebuild Sri Lanka.

The Aragalaya protest movement had a significant presence in Galle Face from 9 April 2022 till 10 August 2022. Today marks one year since Aragalaya protestors vacated the Galle Face Green.

Wishes and aspirations fulfilled?

To the question ‘Do you think the Aragalaya led to the wishes and aspirations of the people being fulfilled?’, 60% responded with ‘mostly no’, 11% with ‘mostly yes’, while 29% said they have ‘no opinion’.

The appointment of a new prime minister and a cabinet of ministers, and the resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa were some of the important events which took place during this period.

Governance, stability or economic system?

The respondents were also asked, ‘Out of the following statements, which one would you endorse the most?’

1. In order to rebuild the country, it is necessary to give priority to stability over democratic space
2. In order to rebuild the country, it is necessary to fix corrupt and bad governance
3. In order to rebuild the country, it is necessary to change the economic system

A majority of the respondents – 51% – believe that it is necessary to fix corrupt and bad governance. 

34% desire a change in the economic system and 15% consider it necessary to give priority to stability over democratic space.

Implementation of the survey

The poll is conducted as a part of the syndicated survey instrument by Verité Research and the polling partner was Vanguard Survey (Pvt) Ltd. The syndicated survey instrument by Verité Research also provides other organisations with the opportunity to survey the sentiments of the people of Sri Lanka. 

The sample and methodology are designed to limit the maximum error margin to under ±3% at a 95% confidence interval. The poll is based on an islandwide nationally representative sample of responses from 1,008 Sri Lankan adults, conducted in June 2023. (NewsWire)

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Sri Lanka’s State Intelligence Service has warned of plans to conduct a massive people’s protest using farmers of the nation. 

Cabinet Spokesman Bandula Gunawardena stated that the State Intelligence Service has informed President Ranil Wickremesinghe in this regard. 

Addressing the media yesterday, Minister Gunawardena stated that the President notified the Cabinet of Ministers of the matter during the Cabinet meeting held on Monday (August 07).

The Cabinet Spokesman said that the President informed that there were attempts by a group to create a people’s protest similar to the ‘Aragalaya’ peoples’ movement in 2022.

He further stated that it was reported that the group intends to use the drought conditions, the plight of farmers, and the electricity and water supply as reasons for the protests.

“The State Intelligence Service has reported that the protests are being planned by people who were part of the ‘Aragalaya’ as well as various parties in the opposition,” the Minister added. (NewsWire)

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Civil Activist Piyath Nikeshala has been arrested by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) today.

It is reported that Piyath Nikeshala was arrested in connection to the incident of President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s house being set on fire during the 2022 Sri Lanka protests. 

More to follow…

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