- Rupee slide alarms economic planners
- Vijay’s ‘hero’ worship
- Wimal’s rise and fall
Former President Maithripala Yapa Sirisena made a sensational revelation in 2025 that everybody knew who was the mastermind of the 2019 Easter Sunday bomb blasts spearheaded by Muslim extremist suicide bombers. Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Asian Geopolitics, Sustainability and Peace Council last November, the Sixth President of Sri Lanka hinted the mastermind was an Indian intelligence officer, who later provided intelligence information to Sri Lankan sleuths hours before the heinous crime that bomb blasts would take place on 21 April morning.
Subsequently, former Minister Udaya Prabath Gammanpila released a book on the subject of the elusive mastermind, claiming the main suicide bomber, Mohamed Hashim Mohamed Zahran, was the mastermind. This was also confirmed by US intelligence reports on the incident.
Now, according to Additional Solicitor General, President’s Counsel Dileepa Peiris, the mastermind was former Intelligence Chief, Major General Suresh Sallay. Peiris, who is known for sensational statements in courts, quoting a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officer who recorded a statement from an absconding witness Mohammed Milhilar Mohammed Hanzeer/Azad Moulana, who sought political asylum in Europe, claimed that Sallay got the idea when a Muslim terrorist who was imprisoned at the Batticaloa Prison together with the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal Leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as Pillayan, told that he had recruited eight Muslim fundamentalist youths who were ready to become suicide bombers. Peiris claimed that Sallay wanted to create a major violent incident to ensure the victory of Gotahaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Election of 2019.
Gammanpila and many other Opposition members raised the question as to whether it is possible to believe that Muslim fundamentalists would commit suicide to bring Rajapaksa to power as Rajapaksa was projected as the Saviour of Sinhala Buddhists.
Peiris also said that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Opposition Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa visited Chandrakanthan at the Batticaloa Prison. Immediately, Namal Rajapaksa acknowledged that he visited Chandrakanthan and that it was not a secret. “Prison records of my visits are very much available. At the time, Chandrakanthan was a party to the alliance contesting both the 2015 Presidential Election and the 2018 Local Government Elections. Purportedly, the CID travelled all the way to France to investigate the Easter attacks, naturally, this raises questions about the Government’s priorities. If officers travelled all that way simply to confirm my visit to Chandrakanthan, then, it is clearly a waste of public funds. To my knowledge, Chandrakanthan is not currently being detained in connection with the Easter attacks. So, who exactly is the Government trying to convince with these media spectacles? The National People’s Power itself has shared different narratives about the Easter attacks at different times. If the Government is now trying to use this tragedy to target political opponents, it would be deeply unfair to the victims and their families, who still deserve genuine answers and justice. We are ready to face any fair inquiry and will cooperate fully with the CID to clear any doubts openly and transparently. Instead of focusing on political drama and media headlines, the Government should focus on delivering meaningful results for the people,” he said in a statement.
As the case is before courts, the most sensible thing for everybody is to let justice take its own course.
Rupee falls
Economic growth efforts are faced with an alarming challenge due to the continuous slide of the Rupee against foreign currencies. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka announced that the Rupee has depreciated between 1.6 per cent and 2.9% against the US $ from January to April this year (2026). This week, the exchange rate moved beyond Rs 340 per $.
Despite the public bravado of Deputy Minister Dr Anil Jayantha that the Rupee depreciation would not impact economic growth, the Government’s deep concern became evident when an additional 50% charge for vehicle imports was announced as a discouragement of foreign exchange outflow. The Opposition charged that 4,000 vehicle import orders have been made by two individuals on the eve of the imposition of the duty hike. Although Dr Jayantha denied it, the authorities will have to probe this if they want to maintain its policy of transparency.
Sri Lanka imports nearly all of its petroleum requirements in $. When oil prices rise globally and the Rupee weakens simultaneously, the country effectively suffers a double blow.
At the same time, imports of vehicles, machinery and consumer goods have increased sharply following the relaxation of import controls. CBSL figures show that Sri Lanka’s trade deficit widened to $ 1.4 b during January-February compared to $ 1.1 b in 2025. Vehicle imports alone exceeded $ 418 million during the same period. While the Government defended the reopening of vehicle imports as a necessary step to revive trade, generate tax revenue and satisfy pent-up market demand, economists are warning the sudden surge in automobile imports is placing a dangerous strain on the country’s fragile external finances.
Sri Lanka only recently emerged from the devastating 2022 foreign exchange crisis that triggered fuel shortages, medicine scarcity, power cuts and sovereign debt default. Importers rushed to open letters of credit (LCs) for luxury vehicles, sports utility vehicles, hybrid cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles to capitalise on the strong local demand after years of supply shortages. Economists estimate that hundreds of millions of $ have already flowed out of the country for vehicle imports alone within a few months.
Vijay’s Mahaviru sans name
After the assassination of the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Ratna Gandhi exactly 35 years ago on 21 May 1991 the LTTE was banned in India. Every Indian Government continued the proscription of the LTTE to date. Despite that, some elements in Tamil Nadu kept their loyalty to the LTTE. Notables among them are Vaiyapuri Gopalsamy alias Vaiko, Senthamizhan Seeman and Srinivasan Ramadoss.
The latest to join the list is TVK Leader Chandrasekaran Joseph Vijay, popularly known as Thalapathy Vijay. However, last week, in his comment on the so-called Mullaiwaikkal ‘Mahaviru’ commemoration day, Chief Minister Vijay refrained from naming either. Apparently, the New Delhi Central Government has cautioned him through the Governor of Tamil Nadu not to mention the banned organisation or Prabhakaran.
“We will never, never allow the LTTE to succeed,” former Indian Ambassador Gopalaswami Parthasarathi told this columnist in late 1990s when both of us attended a conference in Islamabad. “Not only did Prabhakaran ruthlessly kill our former Premier, he blatantly interfered in the Indian democratic governing system. We, the Congress, the Janata Party or any other Government, will never forgive Prabhakaran and his cadres and supporters,” Parthasarathi added.
Floral revolution and Wimal’s rise and fall
At the annual Ranaviru commemoration near the War Heroes Memorial in Battaramulla, the former revolutionary-turned-full-time-nationalist-orchestra-conductor arrived with flowers, cameras, microphones, supporters, and enough drama to qualify for three teledramas and a Parliamentary adjournment debate.
Eyewitnesses say that Weerawansa approached the barricade like a man storming Nandikadal, except this time, the enemy consisted mainly of confused constables and one sweating officer holding a walkie-talkie.
“Api malak tiyanne!” thundered Weerawansa, as if placing a bouquet required military clearance from NATO. Supporters gasped dramatically as Weerawansa demanded entry with the intensity of a man attempting to liberate Jaffna. Somewhere in the background, a cameraman adjusted the zoom lens, sensing Emmy-winning footage.
Weerawansa allegedly attempted to push forward, stumbled, and fell to the ground. Within minutes, social media transformed the incident into a national crisis.
One faction declared: “Democracy has died! Even flowers need permits now!”
For years, politicians have remembered war heroes mainly during elections, television interviews, and moments when poll numbers resemble cricket scores after a batting collapse. Yet suddenly, access to one gate in Battaramulla became the final battle for civilisation itself.
Weerawansa remains unstoppable. Today it is a bouquet. Tomorrow perhaps, he will chain himself to the Memorial gates, demanding constitutional rights for garlands. Next week, he may launch a “Satyagraha for patriotic jasmine flowers ”
And somewhere in the distance, Sri Lankan taxpayers continue watching this endless political reality show, wondering whether the country needs economic recovery, constitutional reform, or simply fewer politicians auditioning for action movies at memorial grounds.
The writer is a free-lance journalist
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The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication