A group of Tamil residents successfully blocked government officials from surveying land for a Sri Lankan navy camp in Mandaitivu.

On October 29, government officials were forced to turn back after a group of Tamil residents and politicians pushed back their attempt to acquire lands for a navy camp.

The navy has been occupying the Mandaitivu since 1990 with its camp based on over 18 acres of land belonging to 11 Tamil owners.

Various Sri Lankan government departments, such as the archeology department, have tried to acquire lands owned by Tamil people. Meanwhile, vast swathes of land remain occupied by the Sri Lankan military who continue to be stationed across the North-East despite the armed conflict ending 15 years ago. 

There have also been increasing tensions over recent years as Tamil religious sites are being claimed by Sinhala Buddhist monks with the assistance of the Sri Lankan military and government departments. 

On this day 29 years ago, over half a million Tamil men, women and children fled their homes in Jaffna as the Sri Lankan military launched a military offensive to capture the peninsula, under the leadership of then president Chandrika Kumaratunga.

On this day 29 years ago, over half a million Tamil men, women and children fled their homes in Jaffna as the Sri Lankan military launched a military offensive to capture the peninsula, under the leadership of then president Chandrika Kumaratunga.

On October 30, 1995, the entire town of Jaffna, the largest Tamil population centre on the island, streamed out in a mass exodus for the safety of the Vanni, which was then controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Walking for several miles east, crossing the Navatkuli bridge, the throngs of people, carrying whatever they could manage, made their way to the neck of the Jaffna peninsula, before making the dangerous boat journey on to Kilinochchi.

On the tenth anniversary of the exodus, the Tamil Guardian wrote,

The exodus, as it came to be known amongst them, undeniably marked a turning point in Tamils’ self-understanding. The context in which the exodus took place was aptly summed by The Times of London, whose correspondent, Christopher Thomas, wrote on October 30: “Many civilians have been killed by government shelling and bombing, which has hit residential areas of the town. There is panic among the 600,000 Tamils on the Jaffna peninsula. The greatest humanitarian crisis of the war is in the making...Tamil civilians in Jaffna are evidently terrified by the advancing of the soldiers and are looking to the Tigers to save them from what they are convinced will be a massacre.”

Read the full piece here.

"The exodus was a colossal human tragedy, unprecedented in its proportions," wrote Adele Balasingham in 2003. "Heeding the appeal of the LTTE cadres and realising the imminent danger to their lives from the invading enemy troops, the entire population of Valigamam - more than five hundred thousand people - stepped out onto the roads carrying their bare essentials and dragging along their children, the elderly and the sick."

Read the extract from her book,  ‘The Will to Freedom’, here.

‘The greatest humanitarian crisis of the war is in the making’

On 21 September 1995, as the Sri Lankan military prepared to launch its offensive, new emergency regulations were imposed, granting widespread censorship powers on all war-related reporting. All reports had to be run past a government-appointed Competent Authority for Censorship before publication.

Despite the censorship, UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali appealed for assistance, noting that up to 400,000 were fleeing.

“Reports of the massive displacement of the civilian population in northern Sri Lanka are a source of deep concern to the Secretary General,'' said spokesman Juan Carlos Brandt said in New York.

Christopher Thomas, correspondent for The Times,  wrote on October 30:

“Many civilians have been killed by government shelling and bombing, which has hit residential areas of the town. There is panic among the 600,000 Tamils on the Jaffna peninsula. The greatest humanitarian crisis of the war is in the making...Tamil civilians in Jaffna are evidently terrified by the advancing of the soldiers and are looking to the Tigers to save them from what they are convinced will be a massacre.”

See more press coverage from the time here.

The fight for Jaffna

The all-out ground assault to recapture the Jaffna peninsula from the LTTE began on October 1. The first phase, ‘Operation Thunder,’ was intended to capture parts of Valikaamam region, to the north of Jaffna town.

The assault on Jaffna town itself, codenamed ‘Operation Riviresa’ (Sun Ray), began on October 17. Heavy fighting raged at several locations.

Read more on the Sri Lankan military offensive here.

The Sri Lankan government will probe into a Channel 4 documentary that highlighted state involvement in the deadly 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, after Sinhala nationalist leader Udaya Gammanpila called for an investigation to identify a government source.

Udaya Gammanpila, the leader of Sinhala nationalist Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU), urged the government to investigate a person who claimed to be a senior government official in the Channel 4 documentary aired in September of last year.

The Channel 4 documentary alleged that senior Sri Lankan government and military figures played a role in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings which killed over 250 people. High placed whistle blowers exposed high Sri Lankan government officials, including the Rajapaksa family, as being the masterminds behind the Easter Sunday bombings.

During a media briefing last week, Gammanpila challenged the current administration headed by newly elected president Anura Kumara Dissanayake to form a committee to identify the individual who made those claims in the video.

“If the individual accusing the intelligence agencies and military personnel is indeed a high-ranking government official now, then the government should take action against him for treason,” he said.

Speaking at a press conference this week Public Security Minister Vijitha Herath said the government would “open a comprehensive investigation of the Easter Sunday attacks including the claims made by Channel 4”. 

US Ambassador Julie Chung was on a visit to Jaffna, Mannar and Vavuniya last week where she met with the Tamil families of the disappeared, civil society activists and politicians to discuss the importance of justice, accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. 

In Mannar, Chung met with the Tamil families of the disappeared who have been campaigning to know the whereabouts of their forcibly disappeared relatives. 

"Their stories, along with those I have heard from members of the families I have met in the north and east, and the south of Sri Lanka, demonstrate the heartbreak of those still searching for their missing relatives and still fighting for answers and justice, amidst many challenges. All families deserve to know the fate of their loved ones," Chung said on X. 

Despite their longstanding protests, successive Sri Lankan governments have not addressed any of their demands. On Monday, Tamil families of the disappeared expressed their frustration over the lack of progress in investigating the disappearances of their relatives to officials from the Office of Missing Persons (OMP). 

During her visit to the north, Chung also met with PLOTE leader Dharmalingam Siddarthan, ITAK leader elect Sivagnanam Shritharan,  TNPF leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and TNPF General Secretary Selvarajah Kajendren during her visit where they discussed the "importance of delivering the people's aspirations for change while ensuring that long-standing advocacy from minorities for a durable political situation and reconciliation remains a priority." 

She met with civil society representatives in Jaffna and Mannar who "reiterated the importance of focusing on reconciliation measures, justice and accountability, combatting gender based violence, and uplifting livelihoods."  

Chung's comments on justice, accountability and reconciliation come whilst the US continues to increase its ties with Sri Lanka's military who are accused of the most egregious human rights abuses. Sri Lanka's security forces played a direct role in the Tamil genocide at Mullivaikkal in 2009, where tens of thousands of Tamils were killed. 

Tamil Nadu actor ‘Thalapathy' Vijay held the inaugural rally for the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) this week, which saw hundreds of thousands of people flock to hear him outline his party’s vision.

Vijay, one of India’s highest paid actors and Tamil Nadu’s biggest celebrities, took to the stage donning a red and yellow scarf, and gave a fiery speech in which he took shots at the ruling BJP and Tamil Nadu’s DMK.

Tamil Nadu actor ‘Thalapathy' Vijay held the inaugural rally for the newly formed Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam's (TVK) this week, which saw hundreds of thousands of people flock to hear him outline his party’s vision.

Vijay, one of India’s highest paid actors and Tamil Nadu’s biggest celebrities, took to the stage donning a red and yellow scarf, and gave a fiery speech in which he took shots at the ruling BJP and Tamil Nadu’s DMK.

"In terms of ideology, we are not going to separate Dravidian Nationalism and Tamil Nationalism,” he told the crowd. “They are two eyes of this soil. We shouldn't shrink ourselves to any specific identity. Secular Social Justice ideologies are our ideology and we are going to act based on that.”

“When we took the principles of secular social justice, there were outcries. It will only get louder after this conclave. Our ideological opponents are those who divide people along lines of religion, caste, race, gender and wealth,” Vijay said, referring to the BJP.

“We can spot divisive forces easily. They are like a rogue elephant. But corrupt forces are harder to identify as they wear a mask and put on a show of ‘ideology.’ These corruption-ridden impostors are the ones ruling us now,” he added, referring to the DMK.

"Secular social justice ideologies will be our identity; democracy, equality, rational thinking, women's emancipation and a drugs-free Tamil Nadu (will be the focus)," he said. "In our political journey, women will play a key role."

On stage, Vijay was presented with a sword and copies of the Indian Constitution, Bhagavad Gita, Quran and the Bible.

The TVK intends to field candidates for all 234 seats of the state in the 2026 assembly elections and it remains to be seen what impact the blockbuster actor’s party will have.

Previously Vijay has vocally advocated for the Tamil Eelam liberation struggle. His wife Sangeetha Sornalingam is an Eelam Tamil. In 2008, in the midst of the Mullivaikkal Tamil genocide, Vijay took part in a one-day hunger strike where he said "let freedom dawn for Eelam Tamils. This plea extends beyond just my fans; it is an earnest appeal to anyone who carries the essence of Tamil identity within them.” He went on, “We are tiger cubs!”. 

Read more here: 'We are tiger cubs!' - Vijay's support for the Tamil Eelam cause

The head of the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance slammed foreign embassies on the island for issuing a travel warning after a reported ‘terror threat’, following intelligence that an attack on a tourist hotspot in the Eastern Province was being planned.

Several foreign embassies, including the US, UK, Russia, Germany and Canada all issued travel warnings to their citizens in the wake of the alleged terror plot.

However, SLTA Chairman Malik J. Fernando struck back at the travel advisories. “Is this some kind of cruel joke being played on Sri Lanka and its vital tourism industry, crucial to economic recovery, by a group of foreign embassies?,” Fernando said in an open letter published last week.

“The uncalibrated response from foreign embassies displays callousness towards Sri Lanka and its tourism sector, which plays a critical role in uplifting millions in rural communities still recovering from recent serious economic setbacks,” he said.

“What looked to be a promising winter tourism season can now be impacted, as the US advisory is amplified by the UK and subsequent international media coverage.”

Last week, Sri Lankan police confirmed that an Israeli community centre called 'Chabad House' was a potential target of a ‘terrorist’ attack. Three suspects have been detained and interrogated. 

“Despite the reckless actions of those with megaphones, Sri Lankans remain hospitable and welcoming to travellers from around the world,” Fernando continued.

The threat brought back memories of the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, where suicide bombers targeted churches and several luxury hotels on the island, killing hundreds of people, including foreign tourists. The attacks and its aftermath severely impacted Sri Lanka which is heavily reliant on its tourism sector. 

At the time, repeated warnings from foreign agencies were reportedly ignored by Sri Lankan authorities.

In a pointed statement, former combatant Kulasingam Navakumar, known as Palan, criticized Tamil politicians for exploiting Maaveerar Naal (Heroes’ Day) for their political gain. Speaking at a media conference held yesterday at the Jaffna Press Club, Navakumar argued that the annual commemoration of fallen fighters has devolved into a business opportunity and a vote magnet for those who were never part of the armed struggle.

“Since the end of the war in 2009, I have commemorated Maaveerar Naal at home, and no one can stop this,” he said. “But Maaveerar Naal has become a business. It has turned into fodder for politicians.” He pointed out that while these leaders now claim to honour the parents of fallen heroes, they have never experienced the losses these families endured, nor did they ever send their children to battle. “Politicians who exploit the sacrifices of heroes for their political interests were never on the battlefield and have no real connection to the struggles or losses endured by the families of our fallen comrades. As an ex-combatant, I strongly condemn this.”

Navakumar said he is concerned about Tamil politicians attempting to sway grieving parents, often visiting families of the fallen during election periods to request votes. “Some are even trying to secure seats in Parliament by promising that only they can preserve and ‘light up’ Maaveerar Naal. My message to the parents of the heroes is to give a clear response to such insincere gestures. They should be able to visit the shrines of their children and pay their respects without political interference.” He also questioned whether funds from overseas would even be permitted, and whether local government officials would genuinely support the community’s memorial efforts. “Sometimes, these politicians end up fighting in the homes of fallen heroes. It’s an exploitation of the sacrifices and emotions tied to these lives.”

As a former fighter with two decades on the battlefield, Navakumar says he feels strongly that politicians should stay away from Maaveerar Naal organizing committees and that these should be led by the families of the fallen, who truly understand the significance of the day. “Politicians should focus on their politics instead of using the sacrifices of heroes as a platform. I trust that the families will handle the day with dignity and respect." 

Sri Lanka's ruling National People’s Power (NPP) announced that it will retain the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), breaking campaign pledges to repeal the draconian legislation.

The PTA, which has been widely criticized by Tamils and international rights organizations as a tool of repression, will remain in place, with the current Sri Lankan administration asserting that the issue lies not with the Act itself, but with its "misuse".

Sri Lanka's ruling National People’s Power (NPP) announced that it will retain the controversial Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), breaking campaign pledges to repeal the draconian legislation.

The PTA, which has been widely criticized by Tamils and international rights organizations as a tool of repression, will remain in place, with the current Sri Lankan administration asserting that the issue lies not with the Act itself, but with its "misuse".

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, leader of the NPP, had promised in his presidential manifesto to abolish oppressive laws, including the PTA, which has long been condemned for its violation of free speech and association rights. The Act, enacted in 1979 and later made permanent, grants authorities the power to detain individuals without charge and has often led to the prolonged detention of suspects, disproportionately affecting Tamils in the North-East. Rights organizations argue that this legislation, which bypasses international due process standards, has enabled arbitrary arrests and unfair trials, and, in some cases, paved the way for torture due to the admissibility of police-obtained confessions as evidence.

^{A screenshot from Dissanayake's August 2024 manifesto, still available online.}

In response to The Daily Morning's inquiry, Presidential Secretariat Director J.M. Wijebandara clarified the government’s stance. “The issue was about the misuse of the PTA against civil activists and journalists, which we will not allow. It will only be applied based on credible intelligence information, and it will not be used for political revenge. When the Act is not misused, no issues will arise,” he stated, suggesting that existing safeguards could prevent abuse of the law.

However, critics maintain that the act itself is structurally repressive, and addressing "misuse" is insufficient to protect citizens’ rights. Rights groups like Human Rights Watch (HRW) continue to assert that the PTA enables baseless accusations of terrorism and silencing critics. Meenakshi Ganguly, HRW's Deputy Asia Director, said, “Sri Lanka’s extensive domestic security apparatus routinely uses baseless accusations of terrorism to target innocent people, silencing critics and stigmatizing minority communities.” She added that while international pressure has led to minor adjustments, the PTA’s core issues remain unaddressed, urging foreign partners to renew their call for its repeal.

In January 2021, the Sri Lankan government introduced amendments to the PTA, purportedly to address concerns about its misuse. However, activists have argued that these amendments failed to address the Act's fundamental flaws, allowing for continued arbitrary arrests, lack of fair trial standards, and the risk of coerced confessions. Despite several pledges to bring the PTA in line with international standards, tangible reforms have yet to materialize.

Seelavati Nadarasa, a Sinhalese mother of three fallen LTTE fighters, called to be able to remember their sacrifices in peace ahead of Maaveerar Naal – or Heroes Day – next month.

“Even if I am a Sinhalese woman, I will die in this land,” Nadarasa told reporters at the Jaffna Press Club. "Until that day comes, let us light lamps and honour our children in peace.”

Seelavati Nadarasa, a Sinhalese mother of three fallen LTTE fighters, called to be able to remember their sacrifices in peace ahead of Maaveerar Naal – or Heroes Day – next month.

“Even if I am a Sinhalese woman, I will die in this land,” Nadarasa told reporters at the Jaffna Press Club. "Until that day comes, let us light lamps and honour our children in peace.”

Nadarasa expressed frustration with politicians who, she noted, only seek families out during election season, asking for votes with promises that remain unfulfilled. "They come to our homes, ask for our votes, and then turn their backs," she said.

“I gave three heroes for this land,”  she said, describing herself as now poor and weak. But she made clear that her loyalty to her children’s legacy is unshakeable.

Nadarasa emphasized that the memory of fallen heroes should be preserved with dignity, calling on the community to protect the maveerar thuyilum llams – the LTTE cemeteries which housed graves of fallen fighters - and memorials, built in remembrance to honour those lost in the armed struggle. She urged that any future commemoration efforts, including organizing Heroes’ Day events, should involve the family members of the fallen, not politicians or outside voices.

“Politicians should not be afraid to say our children’s names,” she said, criticizing what she views as a lack of courage in leaders to recognize and honour the heroes openly. “No politician should come here, using our children’s names to gain support, only to leave us behind once again."

Maaveerar Naal takes place on November 27^th and honours those who gave their lives for the Tamil liberation struggle.

Since the end of the armed conflict, the Sri Lankan state has routinely cracked down on commemorations and memorialisation efforts of the Tamil nation. LTTE graves were bulldozed, with several now being destroyed and military bases built on top of them.

Tamil families of the disappeared in Mannar told the Office of Missing Persons (OMP) that there has not been any constructive action taken by the office in investigating the disappearances of their relatives. 

On October 28, a meeting was held at the Mannar District Secretariat where Tamil families of the disappeared and civil society representatives expressed their deep frustration to OMP officials, over the office's ongoing failure to respond to the families seeking information on their loved ones who were forcibly disappeared by the Sri Lankan state. 

The families and activists told the OMP officials, including the the OMP chair Thambiaiah Yogarajah, that they had provided a comprehensive document containing details and photographs of over 300 people who were disappeared. Despite these efforts, the OMP has failed to adequately investigate the disappearances. 

Civil society representatives reiterated the deep mistrust that Tamil families feel toward the OMP given that it has not revealed the fate of any forcibly disappeared people although the office has been operating since 2017.

Due to the failure of domestic mechanisms such as the OMP, Tamils in the North-East continue to demand an international investigation into these enforced disappearances and other human rights abuses committed by Sri Lanka. 

The OMP has been routinely criticised by international human rights experts and Tamil family members of the disappeared. In 2022, the UN High Commissioner highlighted that the OMP "has not been able to trace a single disappeared person or clarify the fate of the disappeared in meaningful ways".

During the last session at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Sri Lankan government under president Anura Kumara Dissanayake will address human rights abuses through domestic mechanisms. 

Sri Lanka’s Office on Missing Persons (OMP) claims it has managed to locate 16 forcibly disappeared individuals who were reported missing since 2000, out of approximately 6,000 inquiries they have investigated, but refused to divulge any further information.

^{Tamil protestors in Mannar earlier this year.}

Sri Lanka’s Office on Missing Persons (OMP) claims it has managed to locate 16 forcibly disappeared individuals who were reported missing since 2000, out of approximately 6,000 inquiries they have investigated, but refused to divulge any further information.

In an interview with the The Sunday Morning, OMP Chairman Mahesh Katulanda stated that although these individuals had been found alive, they had chosen not to disclose their identities or locations.

“Under the OMP Act, we are prohibited from revealing their identities without their consent,” he said.

He went on to state that out of the 14,998 complaints of missing or disappeared persons lodged with the OMP, 6,000 cases had been processed over the past two years. Katulanda did not clarify what the OMP meant by investigated.

Tamils have strongly objected to the death certificates and money provided by the OMP without any clear investigative and accountability process. Instead they have demanded that if death certificates are being provided, then their deaths should be investigated and perpetrators held accountable.

According to Katulanda, the OMP, established in 2018, had only completed around 67 inquiries until 2022. He claimed however that progress had been made in the past two years, with approximately 6,000 cases investigated. The outcome of the thousands of cases he claims were investigated however were also not divulged.

The OMP has been routinely criticised by international human rights experts and Tamil family members of the disappeared. In 2022, the UN High Commissioner highlighted that the OMP "has not been able to trace a single disappeared person or clarify the fate of the disappeared in meaningful ways".

Eelam Tamils in the homeland and the diaspora have rejected the OMP citing that it has failed to find their loved ones calling the institution merely an eyewash.

Leeladevi Anandanadarajah, the secretary of the Tamil families of the disappeared association told the Tamil Guardian that in 2019, they gave evidence and information relating to five enforced disappearance cases to the OMP. The families told them that if the OMP can investigate and solve one of these cases within three months, then they would trust the OMP but the OMP has failed to do so. 

Several years on and the families have only received an acknowledgement of the evidence they submitted. “There is no further example needed to prove that the OMP is an inactive mechanism,” Leeladevi added.

Many family members of the disappeared still keep hope that their loved ones are alive and will return.

Julie Chung, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, clarified that the US Embassy did not issue a travel ban on Sri Lanka but warned its personnel and citizens to avoid travelling to Arugam Bay after receiving information of a potential attack on tourist hotspots in the area. 

Last week, the US Embassy, Russian Embassy, British High Commission and Australian High Commission in Colombo issued travel advisories cautioning  its personnel and citizens from travelling to Arugam Bay in the East, stating there is "credible information warning of an attack targeting popular tourist locations in the Arugam Bay area." 

"Due to the serious risk posed by this threat, the Embassy imposed a travel restriction on Embassy personnel for Arugam Bay effective immediately and until further notice,"  the notice posted on the US embassy website read.

Addressing reporters in Colombo, Chung said:

“One of my duties as U.S. Ambassador is to ensure the safety and security of American citizens here in Sri Lanka. Globally, all around the world, our U.S. embassies operate under what’s called a 'duty to warn'.” If we become aware of a credible, specific security threat, we are requiredto share that information – with our staff, U.S. citizens, and the host government. Our “no double standard” policy also means that anytime we alert Embassy staff about a specific security concern, we are required to inform U.S. citizens as well. This approach is also standard practice worldwide."

“When we became aware of a specific threat in the Arugam Bay area, we shared these known details with Sri Lankan authorities, who responded quickly. We continue to actively coordinate with them on a daily basis and we value our partnership with Sri Lanka’s leadership and security officials, whose commitment to safety and transparency is notable,” she revealed. 

Commander Security Forces (West) studying the proposed layout of a new location for the infantry brigade - Sri Lanka Army

The Sri Lankan Army has expressed concern about misinformation circulating on social media regarding the downsizing of the military, stating that it actually plans to "scale" as part of its long-term strategy.

In a video statement, an army official claimed that such misinformation erodes public trust in the military and insisted downsizing was not taking place, despite Sri Lanka being one of the most militarised places in the world.

The Army's statement claimed there was a surge in false information over the past few weeks, which fosters animosity towards the military he said. "Social media enthusiasts have created these videos to promote their accounts without verifying the information," an army representative stated. He added that the videos falsely claim the army is being deployed to new locations while others are being sent to barracks. This, he clarified, is not a short-term decision but part of the army's long-term strategy to scale operations.

“These posts aim to disrupt the long-standing harmony between the Sri Lankan Army and the public, potentially posing a threat to national security in the future. The Army strongly condemns such false and baseless statements made by a few individuals.”

Sri Lanka remains one of the most militarized places in the world with the government continuing to allocate significant resources to the defence sector, even amid an ongoing economic crisis.

“For every 100 citizens, we have 1.5 soldiers,” Eran Wickramaratne of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) admitted to Sri Lanka’s parliament earlier this year. “We rank among the top ten countries with the highest number of soldiers per 100 civilians. In 2022, we spent 4 percent of our GDP on education, 5 percent on health, and 7 percent on defense, with around 60 percent of the defense budget going towards wages.”

A 2017 report by the Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research (ACPR) and People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) found at least one Sri Lankan soldier for every two civilians in Mullaitivu. The Sri Lankan military has faced credible accusations of committing war crimes during the culmination of the genocide in 2009, where tens of thousands of Tamils were killed.

The scale of the Sri Lankan military is staggering; in 2018, the World Bank estimated there were 317,000 service personnel in the country—twice the size of the UK's regular forces. Despite such criticisms, the military has intensified its presence in the North-East since 2009, deeply embedding itself in various aspects of civil society. Military-run schools, businesses, resorts, and factories are prevalent in the North-East, contributing to a culture of fear and surveillance among the Tamil population.

Sri Lanka’s former presidents made starting revelations about the extent of bribery and corruption on the island in a surprisingly candid conversation earlier this month, detailing how cash was even brought directly to their offices.

^{Image courtesy: Infusion Studio}

Sri Lanka’s former presidents made starting revelations about the extent of bribery and corruption on the island in a surprisingly candid conversation earlier this month, detailing how cash was even brought directly to their offices.

At an event organised by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka, three former Presidents—Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Maithripala Sirisena, and Ranil Wickremesinghe—appeared on stage together.

Former President Kumaratunga recalled that when she was prime minister, the husband of a junior minister, along with a Singaporean businessman, offered her a $5 million bribe to approve a deal. The offer, made in her office at Parliament, she says was rejected, and she warned the individuals involved of possible arrest. No action was taken, however.

Kumaratunga also highlighted the culture of corruption that has plagued Sri Lanka, citing a former President who allegedly encouraged his Cabinet members to take bribes as long as they didn’t get caught.

She also claimed that the son of a Sri Lankan political leader had hidden a staggering US$1000 million in a Dubai bank account.“I saw the bank statement with my own eyes,” she said. “But, we could not charge him in court because we needed the original documents.”

Sirisena, echoing similar concerns, noted that corruption extended beyond politicians. He emphasized that state officials in key positions often facilitated these activities, making it difficult for ministers to act alone. His remarks drew laughter from the audience, many of whom seemed to recognize the familiar reality he described.

“Even if the constitution and law are well constructed, it doesn’t matter if the people in power don’t implement them. So, it is not just up to the leadership but also to officials and the machinery,” Sirisena said.

Though Kumaratunga spoke of refusing to accept a particular bribe, in 2008 Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court accused the former president of involved in corruption in providing prime land for a private company.