Following President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s victory in the country’s recent presidential elections, the Sri Lankan Army ordered the closure of its camp at Paruthithurai in Sri Lanka’s Northern Tamil region. The order, issued by the Army headquarters, mandated that the camp be shut down and the land returned to its original owners within two weeks.

This decision followed President Dissanayake’s assurance during his first public meeting in Jaffna on November 11, where he promised to gradually return lands occupied by the government and military to their rightful owners. Dissanayake, who won the presidential elections with a pledge to address long-standing grievances in the Tamil community, also announced that political prisoners would soon be released.

The Paruthithurai camp, which was reportedly established in 1995 during the height of the civil war to monitor and disrupt supply chains to the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), remained operational even after the conflict ended. The Army continued to maintain the camp for monitoring potential threats, including the movement of LTTE-linked organisations and weapons supply through the sea.

Army personnel began vacating the premises on Monday evening, signalling the first steps toward fulfilling the President’s commitment.

Dissanayake is set to visit India in mid-December, as announced by Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath on Monday. The visit follows an invitation extended by the Indian government, with Dissanayake expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his stay.

Sri Lanka’s Marxist-leaning President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has reappointed educationist Harini Amarasuriya as the country’s prime minister after sweeping the snap parliamentary elections last week.

Dissanayake on Monday picked a 21-member cabinet, retaining the key defence and finance portfolios as he plans sweeping reforms, including a campaign promise of a new constitution, and to fight corruption in a nation recovering from its worst economic crisis.

A nation of 22 million, Sri Lanka was crushed by the crisis triggered by a severe shortage of foreign currency that pushed it into a sovereign default and caused its economy to shrink by 7.3 percent in 2022 and 2.3 percent last year. The country has been undergoing a financial programme by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) following the default.

The swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet, which was telecast live, took place at the Presidential Secretariat in the capital, Colombo.

Amarasuriya, 54, will also hold the ministries of education, higher education as well as vocational training. She was first appointed as the prime minister in September to serve in the interim government after Dissanayake won the presidential election, making her the first woman to head the national government in 24 years.

Veteran legislator Vijitha Herath has been appointed the foreign minister. Ananda Wijepala is the new public security and parliamentary affairs minister, while Bimal Rathnayake has been tapped as transport, highways, ports and civil aviation minister.

A political outsider in a country dominated by family parties for decades, Dissanayake’s left-leaning National People’s Power (NPP) coalition had just three seats in parliament, prompting him to dissolve it and seek a new mandate in last week’s vote.

The NPP won a landslide majority in Thursday’s parliamentary election, securing 159 seats in the 225-member house – representing a comfortable two-thirds majority. The main opposition, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), under its leader Sajith Premadasa, won just 40 seats.

It was the first time since 1977 – when Sri Lanka changed its parliamentary system to proportional representation – that a single party has won a clear majority. It is also the first time the incumbent president has the numbers needed to pass legislation in parliament without needing to rely on any allies or coalition partners.

With a two-thirds majority, Dissanayake, 55, can now amend the constitution. The NPP had promised a referendum on a new constitution.

“We must ensure that this absolute power does not corrupt us absolutely,” Dissanayake told at the swearing-in ceremony.

“This huge power that has been given to us must be exercised with responsibility, to fulfil the aspirations of the people who had been oppressed economically and politically for too long.”

The new government holds its first parliamentary sitting on Thursday. It is expected to prepare a budget for 2025 in line with the ongoing IMF bailout secured by the previous government. An IMF delegation is on a weeklong trip to the island nation to hold talks with the new government as well as conduct a third review of Sri Lanka’s economic reform programme of $2.9bn.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Kamindu Mendis has been named the Men’s Player of the Month for September 2024 by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for scoring 451 runs from his four Test matches last month, whereas, England’s Tammy Beaumont won the same title in women’s category who smashed 279 runs in five outings.

Mendis continued a record-breaking streak in Test cricket during September to win the title, while Beaumont starred in England’s short format success in Ireland to secure the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award.

Both players win their respective accolades for the second time — Mendis having previously won in March 2024, with Beaumont backing up her other previous award in February 2021.

The Sri Lankan all-rounder won from fellow nominees Travis Head of Australia and compatriot Prabath Jayasuriya, while Beaumont overcame Ireland’s Aimee Maguire and UAE’s Esha Oza to win September’s prize.

According to the ICC statement, Mendis’ win also caps a fruitful period for Sri Lankan cricketers in the monthly award, following Dunith Wellalage and Harshitha Samarawickrama’s success in August.

The 26-year-old has been in red-hot form in the longest format throughout 2024 and continued his fine progress with another landmark month at the crease for Sri Lanka.

Mendis registered 451 runs at an average of 90.20 from his four Tests last month, spanning crucial ICC World Test Championship series in England and subsequently on home soil against New Zealand.

Scores of 74 and 64 were standout moments in Mendis’ September contests in England, but he left his best performances as Sri Lanka overcame New Zealand at his hometown of Galle — first striking a brilliant 114 on the opening day of the first Test on a challenging surface, and then going one better with a composed 182 in the innings victory in the second encounter.

His mammoth innings in the second Test meant Mendis became the first player to pass fifty in each of his first eight Tests, and the fastest batter in 75 years to reach 1,000 Test runs.

After winning the title, Mendis said: “I am honoured to be once again chosen as the ICC Men’s Player of the Month, and this accolade brings me immense happiness and pride, as I believe all the hard work that was put into becoming the player that I am today is starting to pay off and being recognized consistently in the global stage.”

“This recognition gives me further strength to continue my good work on the cricketing field and aspire for bigger achievements, thus helping my team win games and bring glory to our country and happiness to our fans.”

ICC Women’s Player of the Month Beaumont smashed 279 runs from her five outings against Ireland in September, highlighting her credentials as one of England’s most fearsome short format batters.

A subdued performance in the first contest was corrected in the match that followed, with Beaumont’s explosive array of stroke play on show in a dazzling 150 from 139 balls atop the order.

With the series won, Beaumont struck another half-century in the final ODI before scores of 27 and 40 came in the T20I series in which the honours were shared.

The win sees Beaumont become the first English winner of the Women’s Player of the Month award since Maia Bouchier won back in March.

Reacting to her award win, she said: “Thank you to everyone who voted for me as ICC Women’s Player of the Month for September. It was a great tour in Ireland with an inexperienced England team and it was really nice to contribute personally.”

“I saw firsthand how well Aimee Maguire bowled for Ireland and she fully deserved the nomination. Congratulations to Esha Oza too.”

Mendis and Beaumont won following a vote conducted among global fans registered at the cricket council’s website and a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and media representatives.

Pakistan staged a determined fightback to beat Sri Lanka by 31 runs in their opening game of the Women’s T20 World Cup campaign in Sharjah on Thursday.

Left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal claimed three wickets with Nashra Sandhu, Omaima Sohail and captain Fatima Sana all taking two each for Pakistan as Asia Cup champions Sri Lanka fell comfortably short of their target of 117.

Pakistan needed a crucial lower-order knock from Sana to post a competitive total, having slumped to 84-8 after winning the toss and choosing to bat.

Sugandika Kumari had both Pakistan openers caught behind off her left-arm spin and the wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.

Sohail made 18 and Nida Dar added 23 but Pakistan looked in danger of failing to reach 100 as Sri Lanka skipper Chamari Athapaththu picked up three wickets with her off-spin.

Athapaththu finished with 3-18 and Kumari took 3-19 but Sana’s 30 off 20 balls, featuring three fours and a six, frustrated Sri Lanka and proved a match-winning contribution.

She was eventually dismissed by left-arm seamer Udeshika Prabodhani, who ended with 3-20.

Pakistan lost opening bowler Diana Baig to a calf strain after just one ball of the Sri Lanka innings, but her replacement Sana picked up the vital wicket of Athapaththu — caught at extra cover for six.

Sohail bowled Harshitha Samarawickrama and Hasini Perera cheaply, but while Vishmi Gunaratne remained at the crease there was hope for Sri Lanka. Kavisha Dilhari holed out to long-on off Sandhu while trying to increase the run rate to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 47-4 in the 11th over.

Nilakshika Silva earned a reprieve when she was trapped lbw from a delivery called a dead ball after Sandhu’s towel fell out of her pocket.

But Gunaratne perished for 20 three balls later as she was caught just inside the boundary attempting to hit Sandhu straight down the ground.

Silva departed for 22 in the penultimate over after a top edge to short fine leg.

Neither team has ever made it out of the group stage in eight previous attempts at the T20 World Cup.

Pakistan face arch-rivals India in their next game on Sunday, while Sri Lanka take on tournament favourites Australia, who are bidding for a seventh title in nine editions.