Melani Manel Perera

The Bishops’ Conference has taken a stand against the government’s decision to raise the retirement age by two years. Behind the official justification of clearing the backlog of cases lie fears regarding the independence of the judiciary. The Anglican Church had also previously called for the measure to be withdrawn.

Nine female healthcare workers at the Kalmunai North Government Base Hospital have lodged a complaint against the hospital. Their superiors are alleged to have forced them to remove their Islamic headscarves. Their lawyer describes this as a violation of a “fundamental” right. Sister Deepa Fernando: enough of laws on dress codes that create conflict.

The first riot broke out last night in the Welikada Prison, a maximum-security facility on the outskirts of Colombo, resulting in three reported deaths and a dozen people hospitalised. Threats have been directed at members of the Prisoners' Rights Protection Committee. The Minister of Public Security announces new measures.

Two separate rallies were held in the capital and the north calling for an international probe into the country's largest mass grave. Priests, nuns, and lay people are demanding the truth about the atrocities committed during the war that pitted the government against the Tamil Tigers. As of 21 July, 454 human remains, including children and infants, have been recovered.

A court in Colombo found the former police chief and the former defence secretary guilty of failing to prevent the 2019 massacres despite intelligence warnings. The Catholic Church reiterates that it remains unclear who actually is behind the massacre.

In Sri Lanka, on the day UNESCO dedicated to these plants, essential to local ecosystems, saw planting in some of the wetlands of the Western Province. Environmentalist Dinusha Nanayakkara, who works to protect this environment, talks about it.

The memorandum of understanding is part of a post-cyclone reconstruction aid package. Some 600 million rupees (about US$ 1.8 million) will go to Deniyaya Hospital for cutting-edge equipment in several critical areas. Healthcare cooperation is a fundamental pillar of the partnership between the two countries.

Construction work has begun in Puttalam, at an archaeological site rich in valuable plant and animal remains dating back to the Miocene epoch, millions of years ago. A venue dedicated to education and research, but also an opportunity for economic development in Sri Lanka’s North-Western Province.

The death toll from the unrest triggered by overcrowding has risen to at least 29 (including seven officers) with over a hundred injured. Prisoners were transferred and attacked. Mothers are demanding the return of the bodies and criticising the authorities for arresting their sons “on false charges”. Behind the prison crisis lies a system that rewards police officers and officials based on the number of arrests made.

The remains of more than 400 people have been exhumed at Chemmani, more than in Sathosa (Mannar). A delegation led by the Minister of Justice visited the site, reiterating that everything about the findings will be made public. Experts and activists are concerned about the lack of forensic analysis and information available to the public.

There have already been 24 deaths in the country since the start of the year, with children particularly at risk from the disease. The Colombo district has the highest number of cases. The government has launched a week-long prevention campaign, including initiatives to eliminate mosquito breeding sites.

The eleven victims, who disappeared between 2008 and 2009, belonged to various communities, including Tamils and Muslims. According to investigators, they were abducted by a secret naval intelligence unit and detained at the “Gun Site” on the Trincomalee base before being killed. The parents of Dillan, one of the victims, told AsiaNews: “A case deliberately covered up for many years to protect senior officers. Now the government must press ahead with justice”: