• Activists issue an ultimatum to the NPP Govt.
• Demands Prez to act on anti-corruption stance 

Three prominent activists of the aragalaya, last week announced a one-month’s ultimatum to the Government to either remove the Shammi Silva-led Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) administration, or brace themselves to face another series of mass protests.

In one voice they said they will mobilise the nation to bring forth the necessary transformation the country seeks to the game’s governing body, in a bid to shed the team’s defeatist mindset and become a force in the world game.

Ven. Kamburupitiye Rathanasiri Thera, Chanthanathan Nixon and Dhaniz Ali, made their deadline public, during a media briefing under the slogan ‘Sports Mafia Go Home’, and held in Colombo on 6 March.

This was in the aftermath of Sri Lanka’s ignominious performance at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where the team failed to advance to the Knockout stage being a co-host.

Ven. Rathanasiri Thera warned that if the incumbent Government fails to heed their instructions to overhaul the SLC administration forthwith, in keeping with the wishes of the cricket fans, then they should prepare themselves for its consequences.

“This Shammi Silva drama has to end within the next month or so,” the Thera, from the Active Monks Collective of the aragalaya emphasised. 

“Don’t take our warnings any lightly, because the country saw what became of the Aragalaya movement four years ago. We are more than prepared to launch another Aragalaya to rid cricket of its demons and this will be only the start.”

The monk who was a leading voice of the anti-Government protests at Galle Face in Colombo, which forced out then-President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa from office, reminded President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the allegations he had once levelled at the current SLC Executive Committee.

He asked whether the President was currently impervious to the charges directed as a former Opposition MP, and demanded him to act forthwith on his past rhetoric, if cricket is to be safeguarded from what the activists termed as the country’s sports mafia.

Chanthanathan Nixon also expressed similar sentiments to that of Ven. Rathanasiri Thera, and stressed that the Sports Minister and the Government should not hoodwink the country, but lay bare the truth with regard to ongoing so-called talks with the International Cricket Council (ICC).

He said the Government should be genuine in its dealings with the ICC and challenged the Sports Minister to dissolve the incumbent SLC administration if possible, without trotting out what the activists termed as ‘lame duck theories.’

Nixon stated that the next aragalaya could well emerge from the vicinity of Maitland Place, and expressed confidence in being able to oust the current SLC Ex-Co through the famed pressure group, as was the case in bringing about a regime change back in 2022.

“For us who ousted a former President, Shammi Silva is no big deal,” he argued. “If the Government and the Sports Ministers do not show interest to change the status quo in cricket here, then we are prepared to take that fight up to the SLC. Let’s see who prevails in that struggle.” 

“We are determined to show Shammi Silva and his group the door out of SLC, if the Government is not concerned in overhauling this corrupt setup. We will be there for the long haul,” commented Nixon.

Activist Dhaniz Ali said that the sports mafia was not merely confined to cricket but also to football as well, and challenged the Government to come good on its anti-corruption stance which he observed had swept it to power over 12-months ago.

Asked in what shape or form the protests would take place if there is no positive response by the Government to their demands, Ali refused to shed further light but advised the media to bide time and see it for themselves.