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It was only the other day that Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said how happy he was to see that Gary Anandasangaree had become Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada.

This week, Minister Herath had to summon the Canadian High Commissioner and convey his Government’s “strong” rejection of “unfounded genocide allegations” against Sri Lanka following the construction of a monument in Canada that was dedicated to such purported genocide.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath meeting Canada's High Commissioner Eric Walsh to convey Sri Lanka's protest over the erection of a controversial genocide memorial in the Canadian city of Brampton

Ironically, it is this same friend of Minister Herath who spearheaded the genocide campaign against Sri Lanka inside Canada’s Parliament and built his entire political career on this canard. His father, V. Anandasangaree, was a mainstream politician who nearly got physically eliminated by the Tamil Tiger group (LTTE). He was the lucky one, as many other Tamil politicians were gunned down by the LTTE.

Canada declared the LTTE as a terrorist organisation in 2006 and reaffirmed this designation in 2014, but while the central government of Canada did just that, its local councils have a life of their own. In this instance, the mayor of Brampton, who owes his job to the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora voters in his little town of less than half a million, is clearly interested in his re-election, not reconciliation.

The episode demonstrated the dangers of federalism. While the Sri Lanka Government complained to the government of Canada over the baseless allegation of genocide being committed in Sri Lanka, the central government in Ottawa had no influence over the local council of Brampton. It is not only with the case of LTTE sympathisers now living in Canada; the Sikh community in Canada demanding a separate state of Khalistan has been making disparaging remarks against the Indian Government.

As for Anandasangaree, he was recently shifted out of the Justice Ministry in a reshuffle and given the portfolio of Public Security. Whether that’s a leg-up on the political ladder or a peg down is difficult to say at this early stage.

Minister Herath must surely be thinking that with friends like Anandasangaree Podian (junior), who needs enemies?

‘Clean Sri Lanka’ in fresh bid to remove unlawful vehicle gadgets

A few months back when the police started removing additional decorative items and lights on private buses under the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ programme, the bus owners and drivers resisted.

A few days into the programme, police stopped the action, and private bus drivers were able to continue, having decorative or additional items, though they were in violation of motor traffic laws and other regulations.

Some of them are dangerous, not only to the drivers themselves but also to other motorists. They include the stickers pasted on rear windscreens to obliterate the view, items placed in front which are a distraction to the driver and other additional decorative items which are an obstruction to others on the roads.

Under the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ programme, now a second attempt is being made to instruct the police to clear the vehicles of the additional decorative items
which contravene motor
traffic regulations.

Hope that protests by private bus owners and drivers and others will not stand in their way again.

India gets its first Buddhist CJ

India's first Buddhist Chief Justice B.R. Gavai

Buddhists around the world were excited when India, the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, appointed its first Buddhist Chief Justice this week.

The Chief Justice, B.R. Gavai himself, was overwhelmed at the timing of his appointment, saying, “It’s a great coincidence that I am taking oath two days after Buddha Purnima.”

Justice Gavai’s father became a Buddhist in 1956 when some half a million Dalit people, those considered lower in a caste hierarchy in India (Scheduled Caste), became Buddhists at a mass ceremony in Lucknow under the leadership of Babasaheb Ambedkar, a revered Indian national leader who later became the law
minister of a free India and drew up India’s Constitution. The entire Gavai family
followed Buddhism.

After 16 years in the Bombay High Court, Justice Gavai was elevated to the Indian Supreme Court. His tenure, however, will be a short one as chief justice. He is due to retire later in the year.

India gifts 100 Yoga mats to Maligawa

Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela Bandara receiving the yoga mat gift from Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha

Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha, who met Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela Bandara in Kandy, gifted 100 organic yoga mats to Sri Dalada Maligawa, following a request by the temple authorities.

The yoga mats are for the promotion of yoga and wellness.

CID complaint filed after luxury vehicle auction criticism

The government’s recent luxury vehicle auction that fetched Rs 200 million while drawing criticism and ridicule at a time when the government is keen to highlight its austerity drive has ended with a CID complaint.

Fourteen luxury vehicles, six decommissioned vehicles, and various spare parts were auctioned by the Presidential Secretariat.

A total of 26 vehicles, previously allocated to former ministers and former presidents, their advisors and the staff appointed under Article 41(1) of the Constitution during their tenure, were listed for sale. Of these, 17 vehicles were sold, including a BMW car, two Ford Everest Jeeps, one Hyundai Terracan, two Land Rover Jeeps, and one Mitsubishi Montero, among a few others.

Opposition politicians and social activists, however, questioned how 17 vehicles were sold for only Rs 200 million when even one of the luxury vehicles sold could cost up to Rs 40 million in the open market. Some took to social media to call it a vehicle dansala, given the auction was conducted in the Vesak week.

However, the government has not taken the criticism lightly and accused an organised group of deliberately generating and disseminating false information regarding the vehicle sale conducted through the tender process.

The President’s Media Division (PMD) issued a clarification in response to the criticism yesterday, giving details of the government valuation of each vehicle and the sold-out value, stating that the sale was carried out in accordance with the Asset Management Circular issued on 5/20/2024.

After the PMD described the criticism as “dissemination of false news reports”, complaints have been lodged with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) against those engaged in spreading ‘malicious and misleading propaganda’ aimed at misleading the public.

Ranaviru Day event: Retired war heroes feel sidelined

The Ranaviru Day commemoration scheduled for tomorrow (May 19), the day that marks the successful completion of military operations against the LTTE, has been scaled down with retired army personnel shut out from the celebrations.

The Directorate of Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation has informed the retired army personnel who had sought representation at the celebrations which will be held at the War Heroes memorial at the Parliament grounds that only close family members of deceased military personnel, injured war veterans and seniors serving military officers will take part in the commemorative activities, while there will be no need for representation of retired military personnel at the event.

This has left many of the retired personnel feeling sidelined, with one officer complaining that their sacrifices have been forgotten and all they’ve
got is shabby recognition in return for their services.

In Vesak post, UN Human Rights Chief cites timeless teachings of the Buddha

Vesak also brought out a message from a prominent Buddhist in the United Nations hierarchy, the High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk. The Austrian lawyer tweeted a Vesak Day message quoting “the timeless teachings of the Buddha”.

His message read: “Vesak Day is a reminder of the importance of mindfulness, compassion, and restraint. May the timeless teachings of the Buddha guide us with wisdom and compassion as we respond to the crises of today and address the suffering of the past.”

The UN’s Secretary-General issued a statement as the world body observed Vesak Day following a resolution brought before the UN General Assembly in 1999 by former Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. Secretary General Antonio Guterres compared
the values of the UN to the Buddha’s teachings.

The UN’s Resident Coordinator, Franche Marc-Andre, echoed the same sentiments in an X tweet.

In Colombo, the UN offices gave the Sri Lankan staff a holiday on Vesak Day.

BASL clarifies position on last week’s story

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has drawn attention to the item published on this page in the Sunday Times of May 11, 2025. Headlined “Senior State Counsel‘s judicial ambition backfires”, the story referred to an SSC of the Attorney General’s Department seeking political influence to obtain a
judicial appointment.

The story also said the BASL had been asked for a comment on the request by a political entity, and the BASL had suggested the matter be taken up with the Attorney General, but in any event, they didn’t think the SSC was suitable for such a post.

The BASL said this week that the published item was erroneous as far as an involvement of the BASL was concerned and that the BASL had not received any communication from a government officer as had been stated in the news item. And so, there has been no reason for any observation to be made on the matter, it adds.

The letter to the Sunday Times was sent by the BASL Secretary Chathura A. Galhena.

Meanwhile, it is also learnt that the Attorney General’s Department is looking into the matter referred to in this space last week.

Creative offerings at Vesak Dansal

Vesak in Sri Lanka is known for its vibrant lanterns, quiet contemplation, and of course, the generous dansal. But this year, a few creative folks decided to mix things up by shifting away from the traditional rice and curry to offer other kinds of food and treats.

In Homagama, a free haircut dansal attracted many visitors. Meanwhile, data dansal by a popular mobile service provider gave their customers 10GB of free data. A massage dansal also made an appearance, offering quick relief for tired shoulders.

In Katuwawala, car enthusiasts gathered at a vehicle tuning dansala hosted by the Department of Motor Traffic, keeping engines finely tuned, while Homagama turned up the heat with a green chilli dansala.

People who came to the Colombo manik (gems) dansala, however, were left disappointed when they realised that not all stones that shine are precious gems.

There was also a perfume dansala: miniature perfume bottles were distributed at this dansala near the Kollupitiya junction.

Authorities unable to stop free flow of fuel

A 33,000-litre fuel bowser overturned in the Nanu Oya area on May 16, setting off a chaotic roadside scene that was part environmental hazard of fuel seeping into the Upper Kotmale Reservoir and part unintended fuel dansala.

Around 13,000 litres of fuel were either spilled onto the road or swiftly scooped up by opportunistic residents armed with buckets, cans, bottles, and a total disregard for fire safety.

Authorities had arrived but seemed unable to stop the pilferage or to impose order at the chaotic scene while the fuel had flowed freely into the hands of the eager crowd.