Basil Rajapaksa has no immediate plan to be sworn in as Minister

Mahinda Pathinrana, promoter of Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa's brother Basil Rajapaksa, said in social media that his leader has no plan to be sworn in as a parliamentarian immediately. 

Mahinda Pathirana, an active social media influencer and a university don, is the Chairman of Sri Lanka Press Council. He said that Basil Rajapaksa had no interest in the current political trends and focused on the economy of the country which is monitored by him as the chief of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival and Poverty Eradication. 

Recently passed 20th amendment to the constitution re-enabled dual citizens active in politics among other things. Basil Rajapaksa is a dual citizen of the US and Sri Lanka. Many critics say the aim of this particular amendment is bringing Basil Rajapaksa back to a powerful position.   

Sri Lankan journalists rally to protest Press Council and to get Tissainayagam released

(September 27, Colombo - Lanka Polity) Several leading media organizations of Sri Lanka call for all citizens who value freedom in all its forms to staunchly oppose the reactivation of the draconian Press Council and to agitate for the release of our colleague J.S. Tissainayagam who was branded a terrorist and sentenced for 20 years under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).
 

"We can achieve these objectives only through a show of commitment and solidarity. Hence, a large gathering of journalists, civil society activists, political parties, artistes, religious leaders and civic minded citizens who wish to fight for a just and free society will come together on September 29 at the Jayewardene Center, Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 07 (opposite Vihara Maha Devi Park) at 4 pm. 

"We intend initiating a people’s petition against the reactivation of the Press Council and invite you in your capacity as a socially conscious citizen who wishes to safeguard democracy in our motherland to join hands with those likeminded others at this event," says the media organizations in a statement. 

 The organizations that convene this meeting are:

The Editor’s Guild of   Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association
Federation of Media Employee's Trade Union
Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum
Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance
Free Media Movement
National Forum of Journalists