A protest has been staged in front of the Presidential Secretariat against the distribution of agricultural lands in Trincomalee to private companies and the encroachment of forest land for development projects.

Protesters were seen holding banners urging the halting of 600 acres of paddy land in the Muththunagar area in Trincomalee being distributed to Indian Companies, and the encroachment of forest lands. 

Participating in the protest, student activists Wasantha Mudalige and Lahiru Weerasekara engaged in a heated discussion with a senior Police official outside the Presidential Secretariat.

During the conversation, Wasantha Mudalige claimed that the protest is being held due to the authorities having failed to provide a solution to the issue, which was discussed two weeks ago. 

“We need a response today. You can’t lie to us. We need a discussion with the President’s Secretary today. The President previously promised a date for discussions. We have arrived today, due to the situation having reached an unbearable stage,” Mudalige told the Police officer. (Newswire)

The post Protest at Presidential Secretariat over Trinco lands appeared first on Newswire.

University students will engage in a large-scale protest march in Colombo today over seven (07) key demands, the Inter-University Student’s Federation (IUSF) has announced. 

Convener of the IUSF Wasantha Mudalige stated that students of all universities islandwide had been summoned to Colombo for the protest. 

He further stated that the university students had been summoned to the Colombo -Fort area where directives will be issued on the protest march. 

Wasantha Mudalige added that the university students have been informed to gather in the Colombo -Fort area at 12.30 pm today. (NewsWire)

The post Traffic alert : IUSF major protest in Colombo appeared first on Newswire.

Convener of the Inter-University Student’s Federation (IUSF) Wasantha Mudalige and 61 student monks of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka who were under remand custody have been granted bail.

The group was released on bail after being produced before the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court today (27).

Mudalige and the student monks were arrested on Thursday (23) for having forcibly entered the Education Ministry during a protest demanding the reopening of the Buddhist and Pali University in Homagama.

The protest was launched after the Vice Chancellor of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, Venerable (Prof) Neluwe Sumanawansa Thero announced earlier on Thursday that the university will be opened to first-year students only on Monday, 27th of February 2023.

The Venerable Thero had also stated that it was not possible to reopen the university for all students at once, and the Administrative Board has advised opening the university in phases. 

The student monks together with IUSF Convener Wasantha Mudalige staged a protest later that day urging authorities to reopen the university to all students. They forcibly entered the Education Ministry prompting the Police to arrest them. (NewsWire)

The post Wasantha Mudalige & 61 student monks granted bail appeared first on Newswire.

Over 50 persons, including the convener of the Inter-University Students Federation (IUSF) Wasantha Mudalige, have been arrested for forcibly entering the Education Ministry in Battaramulla.

The Police stated that nearly 56 persons, including 30 student monks from the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, have been arrested.

The group staged a protest today and had entered the Education Ministry, demanding the reopening of the Buddhist and Pali University in Pitipana, Homagama.

The protesters also demanded action against the Police for using tear gas and water cannons to disperse their Sathyagraha held yesterday (22). 

The protest comes after the Vice Chancellor of the Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, Venerable (Prof) Neluwe Sumanawansa Thero announced today (23) that the university will be opened to first-year students only. 

Venerable (Prof) Neluwe Sumanawansa Thero said that the university will be open to first-year students on the 27th of February 2023.

The Venerable Thero said, however, it was not possible to reopen the university for all students at once, and the Administrative Board has advised opening the university in phases. (NewsWire)

The post WATCH: Video footage of tense situation reported in Education Ministry appeared first on Newswire.