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A collision involving three buses at Rambewa, Anuradhapura, yesterday morning (10) killed five passengers and injured more than 50 others.The accident occurred on the Medawachchiya–Rambewa stretch of the A9 Road, involving two Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) buses and a private bus. Police said the SLTB buses collided head-on, seconds before the private bus crashed into one of them.The injured were admitted to the Anuradhapura Teaching Hospital for treatment, hospital sources said.One of the SLTB buses was travelling from Janakapura to Colombo via Padavisripura, while the other was plying from Akkaraipattu to Jaffna. About 100 passengers were aboard the three buses at the time of the accident.
GSLF complains of western missions’ double standards in dealing with protests
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The Committee for Protecting Rights of Prisoners (CPRP) has brought to Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayathissa’s attention the fast spreading measles among inmates at the Welikada, Magazine, and the Colombo Remand Prisons.
Top CPRP spokesperson Attorney-at-Law Senaka Perera said that the deteriorating situation had even disrupted court proceedings. The civil society activist blamed the developing situation on the failure on the part of prison administration to meet basic medical requirements of the prison population.
“The extreme congestion in prisons has worsened the situation,” lawyer Perera said, reminding how trouble erupted at the Mahara Prison during the Covid-19 crisis. Eleven inmates died in clashes while over 100 inmates and Prison personnel were wounded in late Nov. 2020. Of the 11 dead, eight were tested positive for Covid.
Lawyer Perera said that unless preventive measures weren’t taken immediately the contagious disease could spread rapidly.
Referring to the 2022 Auditor General’s report , the CPRP spokesman said that the prisons had failed to ensure adequate medical facilities to inmates.
Accusing the establishment of failing to take remedial measures, in spite of knowing the pathetic conditions in prison, lawyer Perera warned that the prison administration seemed not uninterested in addressing issues at hand even after the deadly Negombo Prison crisis that claimed the lives of 31 inmates, and prison officials, last July.
Top Global Sri Lanka Forum (GSLF) representative Yasus Dharmadasa yesterday (10) said that Colombo based western diplomatic community remained mum over the NPP government crackdown on protests, led by the Maha Sangha.
Referring to the police action directed at the Viharamahadevi Park protest, demanding presidential pardon to Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara and the recent incident at Ruwanwelisaya, Dharmadasa said that those who had intervened on behalf of the Aragalaya turned a blind eye to what was happening today. Anuradhapura police were yet to apprehend the JVP/NPP activist who had been involved in the incident at Ruwanwelisaya where police manhandled monks.
A group of monks was protesting against the February 27, 2026, gazette issued by the National Physical Planning Department (NPPD). The gazette reactivated the Anuradhapura Sacred Area Development Plan, originally introduced in 1984. In terms of the new proposal the sacred area would be expanded from 28 to 38 square kilometres, alongside improvements to infrastructure, pilgrim facilities and archaeological conservation, Dharmadasa said.
Responding to The Island queries, Dharmadasa said that during the 2022 protests, diplomatic missions, international organisations, civil society and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) threw their weight behind the protest campaign. In fact, there had been occasions when they warned the government not to take action against protesters, in spite of violence unleashed by them, Dharmadasa said, recalling the attempt made by a mob to set a fuel bowser ablaze at Rambukkana, on 19 April 2022.
Dharmadasa emphasised that the government should be sensitive to Buddhist monks raising concerns about a proposed security fence around the Ruwanweli Maha Seya stupa, restrictions on Buddhist religious activities, and allegations of new Hindu religious structures.
Dharmadasa said that the position taken by the Colombo-based diplomatic community on government crackdown on protests by Buddhist monks and the Sinhala community reflected their geopolitical agenda.
“They seemed to be determined to protect the NPP government,” Dharmadasa said, claiming the possibility of the current administration receiving tacit support from some Western governments to enact new security laws. The NPP appeared to have received the blessings of the Western bloc and India and the government was busy advancing the agreed strategy, he said. There had never been a time the Buddhist and nationalistic group felt betrayed and so much under pressure during the conflict that was brought to a successful conclusion in 2009 or after, he said.
Declaring GSLF’s unconditional support to the ongoing protest campaign at Ruwanwelisaya, Dharmadasa urged the Sinhala community to hit back hard at the government at the first given opportunity. “The reason behind their disgraceful stance is clear. During Aragalaya , all interested parties stressed what they repeatedly called the right of the people to protest. Now, the same lot declared the need to maintain law and order. Under the NPP, it has become a security issue.”
Dharmadasa found fault with the parliamentary Opposition over its failure to vigorously campaign, both in Parliament and outside, against the government, succumbing to those still pursuing a separatist agenda. The government owed an explanation why it obtained a court order against monks engaged in sit-in-protests at Ruwanwelisaya whereas the death anniversary of an LTTE terrorist leader was commemorated at the Nallur kovil premises. The police allowed the week-long commemoration and then removed the statue of a terrorist who fasted to death, demanding the withdrawal of the Indian Army. The 1987 fast unto death had been allowed, while the Yahapalana government, and the NPP administration, discouraged commemoration of armed forces, or the war victory.
The government has obtained US$200 million in loan assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to strengthen water sector management and overhaul the country’s technical and vocational education system.
The two financing agreements were signed at the General Treasury, in Colombo, on Friday (06 Nov.), with US$100 million allocated to each programme, the Finance Ministry said.
The water sector funding will support the second phase of the government’s Water Supply and Sanitation Reform Programme, focusing on improving water resource management, climate resilience, environmental sustainability and the financial stability of water services.
The initiative is also intended to address operational inefficiencies, weaknesses in water governance and gaps in access to sustainable water and sanitation services. The funding forms part of a broader US$620 million ADB financing package approved to support Sri Lanka’s economic reform agenda, alongside the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Extended Fund Facility programme.
The remaining US$100 million will finance the Skills Development System Transformation Programme, scheduled to run from 2027 to 2031.
The programme is aimed at modernising technical and vocational education and training (TVET), improving the quality of vocational qualifications and strengthening links between training institutions and industry requirements.
Under the initiative, the Sri Lankan government plans to upgrade vocational training facilities, introduce industry-oriented courses and expand employment opportunities for young people and women.
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