Colombage Melani Manel Perera

In his Easter homily, the archbishop recalled the first anniversary since the April 9, 2022 start of the protests that led to the fall of President Rajapaksa. "Young people have shown courage, we cannot resign ourselves to evil." Remembered in an interfaith celebration the victims of the crackdown on the demonstrations.

A worker petitioned the Supreme Court. Workers’ correspondence is delivered to the estate where they are employed. Without a registered address, people cannot benefit from government programmes or take part in the democratic process.

The People's Alliance for Right to Land urges the government to return land taken by the military during the civil war, and stop acquiring land for development projects that damage the livelihoods of communities.

This year, the Daham Sevana seminary hosted an exhibition for Lent centred on the images of the Virgin in Asia, giving both seminarians and visitors a chance to go beyond a superficial devotion, and discover in Our Lady the one who walked with her Son on the path of Easter.

A stalemate has been brewing for a few weeks now after the Election Commission refused to allocate funds for local voting. The Supreme Court ruled that the Treasury cannot withhold them. The archbishop: 'The government must respect the decision, otherwise it undermines the foundations of democracy'.

An independent investigative report found that many people involved in last summer protest movement, which led to President Rajapaksa’s resignation, suffered from serious respiratory problems. According to the probe, tear gas should be used “to disperse crowds, not kill people”.

Katchchateevu Island hosted celebrations over the weekend with more than 2,000 pilgrims from Tamil Nadu. The auxiliary bishop of Colombo led the Mass along with Vicar General Rev Anton Ranjith Pillainayagam.

According to the opposition, the government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe is attempting to postpone the vote to prevent the difference between the executive and popular preferences from emerging. Yesterday, agents used tear gas and water cannons, at least 30 people ended up in hospital.

The government has not yet allocated funds to print ballots for the 9 March vote, arguing the country cannot afford it. While a ruling by the Supreme Court is expected tomorrow, tensions rise in the country. The opposition accuses Wickremesinghe of trying to prevent the collapse of Rajapaksa's party, which backs him in parliament.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe provides aid and payment of pension arrears to counter his declining popularity ahead of the 9 March vote. Meanwhile, the agency tasked with printing ballot papers is asking for advance payments from the Electoral Commission, which refuses. Transparency International Sri Lanka is getting ready to monitor the election.

Ahead of the local council elections on 9 March, the local interreligious committee appealed for religious and ethnic affiliations not to be used as an instrument of division. 'Let us together promote respect for popular sovereignty in Sri Lanka'.

The Catholic Church and student associations protest the spending of 200 million rupees on the ceremony. An activist released in recent days denounced police violence. Cardinal Ranjith: "Citizens prisoners of poverty and brutal dictatorship."