Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Tuesday Dec 30, 2025
Tuesday, 30 December 2025 03:26 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
SJB Borella Electoral Organiser and Attorney-at-Law Rajitha Lakmal
The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday slammed the Government for its handling of the Ditwah-related crisis, imposing and extending the State of Public Emergency, and failing to appoint an Auditor General.
Addressing the media at the SJB headquarters yesterday, Borella Electoral Organiser and Attorney-at-Law Rajitha Lakmal said: “Due to the contradictory actions of the administration led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the country has lost opportunities it rightfully deserves, hindering its progress. Following the catastrophic situation that arose in the country, President Dissanayake declared a State of Emergency. However, prior to this declaration, it was Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa who first called for a State of Emergency to be imposed. The Opposition also stated that any emergency regulations should be brought under the Disaster Management Act. The Government failed to give due consideration to these proposals and instead proceeded to impose emergency regulations under the Public Security Ordinance.”
He pointed out that under the law, the proclamation of a State of Emergency must be presented to Parliament within one month and approved. Steps have since been taken to extend the state of emergency for a further month under the Public Security Ordinance.
“Meanwhile, the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence has stated in a letter that there is no emergency disaster situation in the country. This raises serious questions, given that a large number of people are currently residing in displacement camps due to disaster-related impacts,” Lakmal charged.
He said that at present, 3,355 people in Badulla District, 2,630 in Nuwara Eliya District, 1,323 in Kegalle District, 1,687 in Kandy District, and 365 in Matale District remain in such camps. “These individuals have lost their homes and are in distress. Despite this reality, the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence claims that there is no emergency disaster situation,” he said.
Lakmal also claimed the Government has also failed to take necessary measures under the Disaster Management Act and has not established proper coordination among relevant ministries. As a result, no steps were taken to declare an emergency under the Disaster Management Act, nor has any action been taken even now.
“This is why such contradictory statements continue to emerge from the Government,” Lakmal pointed out. “The President announced in Parliament that immediate financial assistance would be provided to those affected by the disaster and that substantial funding would be allocated for damaged houses. However, the assistance promised has since been reduced. Even during the disaster, Government politicians engaged in political activity, while the Samagi Jana Balawegaya refrained from exploiting the situation. To date, the President has failed to deliver the promised financial assistance to affected communities”.
The SJB Organiser said the extension of the state of emergency appears to be aimed at preventing public protests. “At the same time, the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence maintains that there is no emergency situation. This raises concerns about why the Government is introducing regulations that adversely affect the public. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya is taking steps to inform the public and raise these issues through democratic means”.
He also pointed out that the President and Government Ministers have repeatedly stated on political platforms that the law will be applied equally to everyone. However, certain local Government representatives of the National People’s Power are acting outside the law.
“Government Ministers should immediately instruct these representatives that the law of the land is supreme. If such unlawful actions continue, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya will oppose them. The party’s lawyers and legal teams are prepared to provide legal assistance to those affected by Government actions. If the Government continues to implement repressive measures, its political lifespan will be shortened, and the country’s progress will continue to be undermined by the irresponsible conduct of the National People’s Power administration,” Lakmal warned.
He also dealt with the failure of the President to appoint a suitable Auditor General.
“The Government has submitted four names on four separate occasions to the Constitutional Council for the position of Auditor General, all of which have been rejected. This demonstrates a lack of political judgement on the part of the President in identifying a suitable candidate,” Lakmal argued.
“The absence of an Auditor General has also affected the flow of international assistance to the country. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya urges the President not to attempt to appoint individuals with political affiliations to this position and to ensure that truly independent individuals are appointed to independent offices”.
Finally, Lakmal reiterated that the Government was attempting to use emergency regulations to suppress the media and target certain media institutions for reporting unfavourable news about the National People’s Power. “Any attempt to curtail media freedom will severely harm the country and the Government itself. We therefore urge the authorities to refrain from suppressing the media,” Lakmal said.
Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara
COPE, COPA cannot function without Auditor General: Dayasiri
Key Parliamentary oversight committees, the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), will be unable to carry out their functions after 6 January 2026 in the absence of an Auditor General, Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara warned yesterday.
He said the operation of both Parliamentary oversight committees is constitutionally dependent on the Auditor General, in terms of Articles 148 and 152 of the Constitution. Jayasekara stressed that an independent Auditor General must be appointed without further delay.
