Events from the year 2012 in
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
.
Incumbents
*
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
*President (education), a leader of a college or university
*President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
–
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Mahinda Rajapaksa ( si, මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ, ta, மஹிந்த ராஜபக்ஷ; born Percy Mahendra Rajapaksa; 18 November 1945) is a Sri Lankan politician. He served as the President of Sri Lanka from 2005 to ...
*
Prime Minister
A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
–
D. M. Jayaratne
Dissanayaka Mudiyanselage Jayaratne ( si, දිසානායක මුදියන්සේලාගේ ජයරත්න, ta, திசாநாயக்க முதியன்சேலாகே ஜயரத்ன; 4 June 1931 – 19 No ...
*
Chief Justice –
Shirani Bandaranayake
Upatissa Atapattu Bandaranayake Wasala Mudiyanse Ralahamilage Shirani Anshumala Bandaranayake (known as Shirani Bandaranayake; born April 1958) served as the 43rd Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. Although a qualified lawyer, she has never practiced la ...
Governors
*
Central Province –
Tikiri Kobbekaduwa
Tikiri Banda Kobbekaduwa is a Sri Lankan politician serving as the 8th Governor of Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka since 21 November 2019. He previously served as 8th Governor of the Central Province of Sri Lanka from 16 December 2005 to 1 ...
*
Eastern Province –
Mohan Wijewickrama
Vice Admiral Mohan Wijewickrama, RSP, VSV, USP (born 12 June 1953) is a former Sri Lankan senior naval officer turned politician. He served as the Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy from 2001 to 2005. He was appointed Governor of North Eas ...
*
North Central Province –
Karunarathna Divulgane
*
Northern Province –
G. A. Chandrasiri
*
North Western Province –
Tissa Balalla
Tissa Reginald Balalle (born 15 July 1937) is the eighth Governor of the North Western Province of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, tra ...
*
Sabaragamuwa Province –
W. J. M. Lokubandara
*
Southern Province –
Kumari Balasuriya Neranjala Pushpa Kumari Balasooriya known as Kumari Balasuriya is the former Governor of the Southern Province of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, ...
*
Uva Province
Uva Province ( si, ඌව පළාත, Uva Paḷāta, ta, ஊவா மாகாணம், Uvā Mākāṇam) is Sri Lanka's second least populated Provinces of Sri Lanka, province, with 1,259,880 people, created in 1896. It consists of two dis ...
–
Nanda Mathew Caluadewagey Nanda Mathew (2 February 1940 - 2020) was a Sri Lankan politician. He was a former Governor of Uva Province, Minister of Sports and a member of parliament.
Early life and education
Born on 2 February 1940, to Sinhala Nationalist Cyril ...
*
Western Province
Western Province or West Province may refer to:
* Western Province, Cameroon
*Western Province, Rwanda
*Western Province (Kenya)
*Western Province (Papua New Guinea)
*Western Province (Solomon Islands)
*Western Province, Sri Lanka
*Western Provin ...
–
Alavi Moulana
Seyed Ahmed Seyed Alavi Moulana (1 January 1932 – 15 June 2016) was a Sri Lankan politician, who entered politics in 1948 as a trade unionist. He was the 5th Governor of Western Province, having assumed office on 1 February 2002. He was a me ...
Chief Ministers
*
Central Province –
Sarath Ekanayake
Sarath Ekanayake is the former Chief Minister of the Central Province of Sri Lanka. He previously served as the 2nd, 4th and 7th Chief Minister of Central Province between April and June 1999, November 2000 and April 2002 and 2004 till 2015. He ...
*
Eastern Province –
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (until 18 September);
M. N. Abdul Majeed (starting 18 September)
*
North Central Province –
Berty Premalal Dissanayake
Berty Premalal Dissanayake (15 July 1954 – 27 September 2013) was the chief Minister of the North Central Province of Sri Lanka from June 1999 to 2012. He was of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and part of the United People's Freedom Alliance. He d ...
(until 24 September);
S. M. Ranjith (starting 24 September)
*
North Western Province –
Athula Wijesinghe
Athula Wijesinghe was the Chief Minister of North Western Province between 2002 and 2013.
He is a lawyer by profession and was educated at Maliyadeva College
''විද්යා භූෂනං පුරුෂ භූෂනම්''
''Vid ...
*
Sabaragamuwa Province –
Maheepala Herath
Maheepala Herath is a Sri Lankan politician. The current Governor of the North Central Province, he was the former Chief Minister of Sabaragamuwa Province of Sri Lanka. He belongs to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and part of the United People ...
*
Southern Province –
Shan Wijayalal De Silva
Shan Wijayalal De Silva is a Sri Lankan politician. He is a Member of Parliament (MP) for Galle District since 2020. He belongs to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and part of the United People's Freedom Alliance
The United People's Freedom Allia ...
*
Uva Province
Uva Province ( si, ඌව පළාත, Uva Paḷāta, ta, ஊவா மாகாணம், Uvā Mākāṇam) is Sri Lanka's second least populated Provinces of Sri Lanka, province, with 1,259,880 people, created in 1896. It consists of two dis ...
–
Shasheendra Rajapaksa
Shasheendra Kumara Rajapaksa (known as ''Shasheendra Rajapaksa'') is a Sri Lankan politician. He is a Member of Sri Lankan Parliament for Monaragala District and former State Minister of Paddy and Cereals, Organic Food, Vegetables, Fruits, Chil ...
*
Western Province
Western Province or West Province may refer to:
* Western Province, Cameroon
*Western Province, Rwanda
*Western Province (Kenya)
*Western Province (Papua New Guinea)
*Western Province (Solomon Islands)
*Western Province, Sri Lanka
*Western Provin ...
–
Prasanna Ranatunga
Prasanna Ranatunga (born 1 January 1967) is a Sri Lankan politician, member of parliament, and current Minister of Urban Development and Housing. He was also appointed as the Chief Government Whip on 18 April 2022. He was the 7th Chief Ministe ...
Events
January to March
![Sri Lanka UNHRC vote March 2012](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Sri_Lanka_UNHRC_vote_March_2012.png)
* 6 January –
Tangalle murder and gang rape: Five men, including Sampath Chandra Pushpa Vidanapathirana, the
United People's Freedom Alliance
The United People's Freedom Alliance (abbreviated UPFA; si, එක්සත් ජනතා නිදහස් සන්ධානය ''Eksath Janathā Nidahas Sandānaya''; ta, ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சுதந்திரக ...
chairman of Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha, are remanded until 20 January.
* 20 January –
Tangalle murder and gang rape: Five suspects, including Sampath Chandra Pushpa Vidanapathirana, the
United People's Freedom Alliance
The United People's Freedom Alliance (abbreviated UPFA; si, එක්සත් ජනතා නිදහස් සන්ධානය ''Eksath Janathā Nidahas Sandānaya''; ta, ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சுதந்திரக ...
chairman of Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha, are remanded until 3 February.
* 24 January – 31 are injured during riots at the Magazine Prison (near
Welikada Prison
The Welikada Prison (also known as the ''Magazine Prison'') is a maximum security prison and the largest prison in Sri Lanka. It was built in 1841 by the British colonial government under Governor Cameron. The prison covers an area of . It is ove ...
), Colombo.
* 31 January –
Kahawatte murders: P. Nayana Nilmini and her daughter Kavindhya Chathurangi Sellahewa killed in their home in
Kahawatta
Kahawatta ( si, කහවත්ත, ta, கஹவத்தா) is a town in the Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. It is located in the central mountains of Sri Lanka at an elevation of .
The town and its surrounding area is ...
.
* 21 February – Tangalle High Court sentences Buddhist monk Gomadiye Sarana and Makumburage Wijesiri to death for stabbing Makumburage Dharmadasa on 10 January 2000.
* 24 February – A government report claims that 7,934 people (excluding
security forces
Security forces are statutory organizations with internal security mandates. In the legal context of several nations, the term has variously denoted police and military units working in concert, or the role of military and paramilitary forces (s ...
) were killed in the
Northern Province during the final phase (January to May 2009) of the
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, a departure from the government's previous claim of "zero civilian casualties".
* 14 March – ''
Sri Lanka's Killing Fields: War Crimes Unpunished'' broadcast on
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
in the UK.
* 16 March – Thieves steal ancient coins, rings, swords and other historic artefacts from the
National Museum of Colombo
The Colombo National Museum, also known as the Sri Lanka National Museum, is a museum in Colombo and the largest in Sri Lanka. Founded in 1877 and maintained by the Department of National Museums, it holds collections of significant importanc ...
.
* 20 March – Monks Pitigala Jinasiri and Borelasgamuwe Gunarathana stabbed to death at Kotte Raja Maha Viharaya.
* 22 March – The
United Nations Human Rights Council
The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), CDH is a United Nations body whose mission is to promote and protect human rights around the world. The Council has 47 members elected for staggered three-year terms on a regional group basis. ...
votes by 24 to 14 to pass
resolution 19/2 on Sri Lanka despite opposition from the Sri Lankan government.
* 23 March – Government minister
Mervyn Silva
Hewa Koparage Mervyn Silva (Sinhala language, Sinhala:හේවා කෝපරගේ මර්වින් සිල්වා; Tamil:மேர்வின் சில்வா) (born 25 March 1944) is a Sri Lankan politician, Member of Parliam ...
threatens to "break the limbs" of some journalists and human rights workers whom he labelled "traitors".
April to June
* 6 April
** Australian
Premakumar Gunaratnam
Premakumar Gunaratnam in politics, is a former JVP leader and political activist in Sri Lanka who later became an Australian citizen and the current general secretary of FLSP.
Early life
Gunaratnam was born on 18 November 1965 to Aadheemoolam P ...
is abducted from his home in
Kiribathgoda
Kiribathgoda ( si, කිරිබත්ගොඩ, ta, கிரிபத்கொடை) is a large suburb of Colombo and is situated on A1 highway, between Kelaniya and Kadawatha. It is the first commercial E-Suburb in Sri Lanka. The suburb is ...
, just days before he was due to launch the
Frontline Socialist Party, a breakaway faction of the
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP; ) is a Marxist–Leninist communist party and a former militant organization in Sri Lanka. The movement was involved in two armed uprisings against the government of Sri Lanka: once in 1971 (SLFP), and anothe ...
.
** Dimuthu Attygalle is abducted from a suburb of Colombo.
* 9 April –
Premakumar Gunaratnam
Premakumar Gunaratnam in politics, is a former JVP leader and political activist in Sri Lanka who later became an Australian citizen and the current general secretary of FLSP.
Early life
Gunaratnam was born on 18 November 1965 to Aadheemoolam P ...
walks into the Colombo Crimes Division,
Dematagoda
Dematagoda is in Colombo, Sri Lanka represented by divisional code 9 (Colombo 09). It is surrounded by Borella, Maradana and Kolonnawa
Kolonnawa ( si, කොලොන්නාව, ta, கொலன்னாவ) is a town located on the eas ...
, claiming he had been kidnapped.
* 10 April
** Dimuthu Attygalle appears at a Front Line Socialist Party press conference in Madiwela, claiming she had been abducted and interrogated by the police.
**
Premakumar Gunaratnam
Premakumar Gunaratnam in politics, is a former JVP leader and political activist in Sri Lanka who later became an Australian citizen and the current general secretary of FLSP.
Early life
Gunaratnam was born on 18 November 1965 to Aadheemoolam P ...
is deported to Australia.
* 18 April – Easwarathasan Ketheeswaran, a refugee who had been sent back to Sri Lank from the UK, is killed at Iyankerni,
Trincomalee
Trincomalee (; ta, திருகோணமலை, translit=Tirukōṇamalai; si, ත්රිකුණාමළය, translit= Trikuṇāmaḷaya), also known as Gokanna and Gokarna, is the administrative headquarters of the Trincomalee Dis ...
.
* 20 April – Around 2,000 Buddhist protesters, including monks, try to storm a mosque in
Dambulla
Dambulla ( si, දඹුල්ල ''Dam̆bulla'', ta, தம்புள்ளை ''Tampuḷḷai'') is a town situated in the north of Matale District, Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is the second largest populated and urbanised centre aft ...
.
* 22 April – Government orders the removal of the mosque in
Dambulla
Dambulla ( si, දඹුල්ල ''Dam̆bulla'', ta, தம்புள்ளை ''Tampuḷḷai'') is a town situated in the north of Matale District, Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is the second largest populated and urbanised centre aft ...
.
* 26 April – Muslims in eastern Sri Lanka strike over threats to a mosque in
Dambulla
Dambulla ( si, දඹුල්ල ''Dam̆bulla'', ta, தம்புள்ளை ''Tampuḷḷai'') is a town situated in the north of Matale District, Central Province of Sri Lanka. It is the second largest populated and urbanised centre aft ...
.
* 3 May
** Canadian Anthonypillai Mahendrarajah (Andrew Mahendrarajah Antonipillai) is hacked to death in Kaagnchipuram Lane,
Paranthan
Paranthan is a town in Kilinochchi District, Sri Lanka. It is located about 5 km from district capital Kilinochchi.
History
Creation (1936)
The city of Paranthan was established in 1936 as part of a colonization project that sought to ease ...
.
** Diamonds, gold rings and other jewellery worth millions of dollars stolen in Greece by Janaka Weerasinghe (alias Upul Ranga Perera) and shipped to Colombo is seized by
Sri Lanka Customs
Sri Lanka Customs ( si, ශ්රී ලංකා රේගුව, Shri Lanka Reguwa, ta, இலங்கை சுங்கச் சாவடி ) is a non-ministerial government department. The main functions of the department are,
* Co ...
.
* 21 May – Former presidential candidate
Sarath Fonseka
Field Marshal Gardihewa Sarath Chandralal Fonseka ( si, ගාර්දිහේවා සරත් චන්ද්රලාල් ෆොන්සේකා, ta, சரத் பொன்சேகா; born 18 December 1950), commonly know ...
is released from prison after receiving a conditional pardon from his opponent President Mahinda Rajapaksa but is barred from contesting or voting at elections for seven years.
* 30 May –
Kahawatte murders: Sisters Hethuge Dayawathi and Hethuge Thilakwathi burnt to death in their house in Warapitiya,
Kahawatta
Kahawatta ( si, කහවත්ත, ta, கஹவத்தா) is a town in the Ratnapura District, Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka. It is located in the central mountains of Sri Lanka at an elevation of .
The town and its surrounding area is ...
.
[
* 6 June – Stuart Cosgrove, a senior executive at ]Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...
, and his wife Shirani Sabaratnam are refused entry into Sri Lanka because Channel 4 "harmed Sri Lanka's reputation".
* 7 June – Lalani Pushpa Kumari and her daughter Senara Nilmini are stabbed to death at their house in Weerahela, Tissamaharama
Tissamaharama ( si, තිස්සමහාරාමය , ta, திஸ்ஸமஹாராம) is a town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka.
History
It was the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom of Ruhuna as early as the 3 ...
.[
* 27 June – Provincial council election: ]Eastern Provincial Council
The Eastern Provincial Council (EPC ta, கிழக்கு மாகாண சபை ''Kiḻakku Mākāṇa Capai''; si, නැගෙනහිර පළාත් සභාව “Nagenahira Palat Sabava”; EPC) is the provincial council for ...
, North Central Provincial Council
North Central Province ( si, උතුරු මැද පළාත ''Uturumæda Paḷāta'', ta, வட மத்திய மாகாணம் ''Wada Maththiya Mākāṇam'') is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administ ...
and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council
The Sabaragamuwa Province ( si, සබරගමුව පළාත ''Sabaragamuwa Paḷāta'', ta, சபரகமுவ மாகாணம் ''Sabaragamuwa Mākāṇam'') is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrati ...
dissolved by their governors
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
.
* 28 June – Vavuniya prison riot: Prisoners, protesting against the transfer of fellow inmate Saravanabhavan to Anuradhapura prison, take three prison guards hostage.
* 29 June
** Vavuniya prison riot: Special Task Force storm the prison and release the three hostages but 30 prisoners are injured.
** Police raid the offices of the Sri Lanka Mirror and Sri Lanka X News websites in Colombo
Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
for publishing anti-government material, arresting nine people and confiscating equipment.
July to September
* 4 July – Vavuniya prison riot: Ganesan Nimalaruban (Nimalarooban), one of 28 prisoners who had been transferred to Mahara prison, dies at Colombo North Teaching Hospital.
* 6 July – Frederica Jansz
Frederica Jansz is a Sri Lankan journalist and former editor of ''The Sunday Leader''.
During her time at newspaper she was highly critical of Sri Lanka's government. Her predecessor Lasantha Wickrematunge had been assassinated, and Jansz was s ...
, editor of ''The Sunday Leader
''The Sunday Leader'' was an English-language Sri Lankan weekly newspaper published by Leader Publications (Private) Limited. It was founded in 1994 and is published from Colombo. Its sister newspapers are the '' Iruresa'' ('' Irudina'') and the ...
'' newspaper, is threatened and insulted by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa
Lieutenant Colonel Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa ( si, නන්දසේන ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ; ta, நந்தசேன கோட்டாபய ராஜபக்ஷ; born 20 June 1949) is a former Sri Lankan military ...
, brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
* 9 July – Public health inspector Mohammed Faleel is clubbed to death as he inspects houses for dengue
Dengue fever is a mosquito-borne tropical disease caused by the dengue virus. Symptoms typically begin three to fourteen days after infection. These may include a high fever, headache, vomiting, muscle and joint pains, and a characteristic ...
in the Thampalakamam
Thampalakamam ( ta, தம்பலகாமம், translit=Tampalakāmam; si, තඹලගමුව, translit=Tam̆balagamuva) is a town in the Trincomalee District of Sri Lanka and it is located about 20 km South-West of Trincomalee
T ...
area.
* 18 July – Kahawatte murders: U.G. Premawathie and her daughter H. D. Pushpakumari and murdered and burnt in their house in Kahawatte.[
* 20 July – Lawyers boycott courts over threats by Government minister ]Risad Badhiutheen
Rishad Bathiudeen is a Sri Lankan parliamentarian and former senior cabinet minister. He is the leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Party, a registered political party in Sri Lanka. Bathiudeen was elected as a Member of Parliament (M ...
to kill Mannar Mannar may refer to the following places:
India
* Mannar, Alappuzha, a town in Chengannur Taluk, Kerala
Sri Lanka
* Mannar District, one of 25 districts in Sri Lanka
** Mannar Island, an island within the district
**Mannar Bridge, a bridge connect ...
magistrate Anthonypillai Judeson.
* 5 August – 37 Chinese fishermen are arrested by the Sri Lanka Navy
ta, இலங்கை கடற்படை
, image = Sri Lanka Naval Seal.png
, image_size = 180px
, caption = Emblem of Sri Lanka Navy
, dates =
, c ...
off eastern Sri Lanka for fishing illegally.
* 7 August – The 37 Chinese fishermen arrested for fishing illegally are released.
* 8 August – Vavuniya prison riot: Mariadas Navis Dilrukshan (Dilrukshan Muthurasa), who had been in a coma since the riot, dies at Ragama Hospital.
* 19 August – The Kapilavastu relics arrive in Sri Lanka for a three-week exposition.
* 20 August – Three French tourists are arrested in Galle
Galle ( si, ගාල්ල, translit=Gālla; ta, காலி, translit=Kāli) (formerly Point de Galle) is a major city in Sri Lanka, situated on the southwestern tip, from Colombo. Galle is the provincial capital and largest city of Souther ...
for taking pictures of themselves with Buddha statues and pretending to kiss one of them.
* 21 August – Three French tourists are given suspended six-month prison sentences for "wounding the religious feelings of Buddhists" by taking pictures of themselves with Buddha statues and pretending to kiss one of them.
* 23 August – The government closes all universities in the country amidst a strike by lecturers.
* 23 August – The abandoned MV Thermopylae Sierra sinks off the coast of Panadura
Panadura ( si, පානදුර, translit=Pānadura; ta, பாணந்துறை, translit=Pāṇantuṟai) is a city in Kalutara District, Western Province in Sri Lanka. It is located approximately south of Colombo and is surrounded on ...
, releasing a 10 km long oil slick some of which washes ashore.
* 27 August – Government minister Risad Badhiutheen
Rishad Bathiudeen is a Sri Lankan parliamentarian and former senior cabinet minister. He is the leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Party, a registered political party in Sri Lanka. Bathiudeen was elected as a Member of Parliament (M ...
appears before magistrate Ranga Dassanayake in Mannar Mannar may refer to the following places:
India
* Mannar, Alappuzha, a town in Chengannur Taluk, Kerala
Sri Lanka
* Mannar District, one of 25 districts in Sri Lanka
** Mannar Island, an island within the district
**Mannar Bridge, a bridge connect ...
, accused of threatening to kill magistrate Anthonypillai Judeson, and is released on bail.
* 5 September – Chinese national Chow Wan swallows a fake diamond at the FACET 2012 gem exhibition at Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall whilst his accomplice steals a Rs 1.8 million ($13,000) diamond.
* 6 September – Universities re-open but the lecturers continue to strike.
* 8 September – Provincial council election: The United People's Freedom Alliance
The United People's Freedom Alliance (abbreviated UPFA; si, එක්සත් ජනතා නිදහස් සන්ධානය ''Eksath Janathā Nidahas Sandānaya''; ta, ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சுதந்திரக ...
retains control of North Central Provincial Council
North Central Province ( si, උතුරු මැද පළාත ''Uturumæda Paḷāta'', ta, வட மத்திய மாகாணம் ''Wada Maththiya Mākāṇam'') is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administ ...
and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council
The Sabaragamuwa Province ( si, සබරගමුව පළාත ''Sabaragamuwa Paḷāta'', ta, சபரகமுவ மாகாணம் ''Sabaragamuwa Mākāṇam'') is one of the nine provinces of Sri Lanka, the first level administrati ...
but loses overall control of Eastern Provincial Council
The Eastern Provincial Council (EPC ta, கிழக்கு மாகாண சபை ''Kiḻakku Mākāṇa Capai''; si, නැගෙනහිර පළාත් සභාව “Nagenahira Palat Sabava”; EPC) is the provincial council for ...
.
* 9 September – Army Major Chandana Pradeep Susena and a corporal are assaulted by Malaka Silva, son of government minister Mervyn Silva
Hewa Koparage Mervyn Silva (Sinhala language, Sinhala:හේවා කෝපරගේ මර්වින් සිල්වා; Tamil:மேர்வின் சில்வா) (born 25 March 1944) is a Sri Lankan politician, Member of Parliam ...
, and six others in the car park of the JAIC-Hilton Colombo hotel.
* 18 September – Impeachment of Shirani Bandaranayake: Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
determines that the Divi Neguma Bill was in respect of matters set out in the provincial council list and therefore cannot become law unless it has been referred to every provincial council.
* 21 September – Frederica Jansz
Frederica Jansz is a Sri Lankan journalist and former editor of ''The Sunday Leader''.
During her time at newspaper she was highly critical of Sri Lanka's government. Her predecessor Lasantha Wickrematunge had been assassinated, and Jansz was s ...
sacked as editor of ''The Sunday Leader
''The Sunday Leader'' was an English-language Sri Lankan weekly newspaper published by Leader Publications (Private) Limited. It was founded in 1994 and is published from Colombo. Its sister newspapers are the '' Iruresa'' ('' Irudina'') and the ...
'' newspaper.
* 22 September – Five people drown when a boat carrying Sanasa Development Bank staff and family capsizes off Beruwala
Beruwala ( Sinhala:බේරුවල Tamil: பேருவளை) is a large town in Kalutara District, Western Province, Sri Lanka, governed by an Urban Council. The town covers a total area of approximately and is located on the south-west ...
.
* 24 September
** Menik Farm IDP camp
An internally displaced person (IDP) is someone who is forced to leave their home but who remains within their country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the legal definitions of a refugee.
...
closed.
** Malini Fonseka
Wanniarachchige Malini Senehelatha Fonseka, popularly as Malini Fonseka ( Sinhala:මාලිනී ෆොන්සේකා) (born 30 April 1947, in Kelaniya) is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television as well as a director. ...
resigns from Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
.
* 26 September – S. M. Chandrasena resigns as Minister of Agrarian Services and Wildlife.
October to December
* 4 October – Bodu Bala Sena
Bodu Bala Sena, (, abbreviated BBS) is a Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist and extreme nationalist organisation, which is a break-away organisation from the right-wing nationalist Jathika Hela Urumaya organisation.
The BBS generally opposes pl ...
hold a protest at the Bangladeshi High Commission in Colombo against the anti-Buddhist riots in Bangladesh.
* 5 October – S. M. Chandrasena appointed Deputy Minister of Agrarian Services and Wildlife.
* 9 October – Malini Fonseka
Wanniarachchige Malini Senehelatha Fonseka, popularly as Malini Fonseka ( Sinhala:මාලිනී ෆොන්සේකා) (born 30 April 1947, in Kelaniya) is an actress in Sri Lankan cinema, theatre and television as well as a director. ...
is sworn as a Member of Parliament.
* 10 October – The Local Authorities Elections (Amendment) and Local Authority (Special Provisions) bills, which replace the existing proportional representation
Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to geographical (e.g. states, regions) and political divis ...
electoral system with first-past-the-post voting
In a first-past-the-post electoral system (FPTP or FPP), formally called single-member plurality voting (SMP) when used in single-member districts or informally choose-one voting in contrast to ranked voting, or score voting, voters cast their ...
for local authorities, are passed at the third reading in Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
.
* 14 October – Bodu Bala Sena
Bodu Bala Sena, (, abbreviated BBS) is a Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist and extreme nationalist organisation, which is a break-away organisation from the right-wing nationalist Jathika Hela Urumaya organisation.
The BBS generally opposes pl ...
storm a house in Batakettara, Homagama
Homagama is a town in the Colombo District, Sri Lanka, about south-east of Colombo. The Homagama Pradeshiya Sabha consists of the Homagama Divisional Secretariats of Sri Lanka, divisional secretariat and 10 GN division of Padukka DS division. The ...
, Piliyandala
Piliyandala ( si, පිළියන්දල, ta, பிலியந்தலை) is a suburb in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is situated approximately south of Colombo.
Piliyandala clock tower
According to local residents and documentation, Pi ...
where it alleged a Christian pastor called Dinesh and others from an evangelical
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide Interdenominationalism, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that affirms the centrality of being "bor ...
group called ''The Name of Lord Jesus'' were trying to convert
Conversion or convert may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* "Conversion" (''Doctor Who'' audio), an episode of the audio drama ''Cyberman''
* "Conversion" (''Stargate Atlantis''), an episode of the television series
* "The Conversion" ...
Sinhalese Buddhists.
* 25 October – Bodu Bala Sena
Bodu Bala Sena, (, abbreviated BBS) is a Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist and extreme nationalist organisation, which is a break-away organisation from the right-wing nationalist Jathika Hela Urumaya organisation.
The BBS generally opposes pl ...
hold a protest rally in Badulla
Badulla ( si, බදුල්ල, ta, பதுளை) is the capital and the largest city of Uva Province situated in the lower central hills of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of Uva Province and the Badulla District.
Geography
Badulla is ...
against alleged conversion, vandalism of Buddhist sites and Islamic terrorism
Islamic terrorism (also known as Islamist terrorism or radical Islamic terrorism) refers to terrorist acts with religious motivations carried out by fundamentalist militant Islamists and Islamic extremists.
Incidents and fatalities f ...
.
* 30 October – Cyclone Nilam
Cyclonic Storm Nilam was the deadliest tropical cyclone to directly affect South India since Cyclone Jal in 2010. Originating from an area of low pressure over the Bay of Bengal on October 28, 2012, the system began as a weak depression 550&n ...
causes severe rain and flooding in north eastern Sri Lanka, killing ten and displacing 4,000.
* 31 October – Impeachment of Shirani Bandaranayake: Supreme Court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
determines that clause 8(2) of the Divi Neguma Bill was unconstitutional and needed to be approved by a referendum; twelve other clauses were inconsistent with the constitution and needed to be passed by special majority (two-thirds) of Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
; the governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
of the Northern Province does not have the power to endorse the bill and therefore Parliament needed to pass the bill by special majority.
* 1 November – Impeachment of Shirani Bandaranayake: Impeachment motion against Bandaranayake signed by 117 United People's Freedom Alliance
The United People's Freedom Alliance (abbreviated UPFA; si, එක්සත් ජනතා නිදහස් සන්ධානය ''Eksath Janathā Nidahas Sandānaya''; ta, ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சுதந்திரக ...
MPs handed to Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
Chamal Rajapaksa
Chamal Jayantha Rajapaksa ( Sinhala: චමල් රාජපක්ෂ; Tamil: சமல் ராஜபக்ஷ; born 30 October 1942) is a Sri Lankan politician who was Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka from 2010 to 2015. Previously he ...
.
* 9 November – Welikada prison riot: 27 prisoners are killed by the Special Task Force during riots at the Welikada Prison
The Welikada Prison (also known as the ''Magazine Prison'') is a maximum security prison and the largest prison in Sri Lanka. It was built in 1841 by the British colonial government under Governor Cameron. The prison covers an area of . It is ove ...
, Colombo.
* 14 November – The report is published.
* 19 November – Tangalle murder and gang rape: Eight suspects, including Sampath Chandra Pushpa Vidanapathirana, the United People's Freedom Alliance
The United People's Freedom Alliance (abbreviated UPFA; si, එක්සත් ජනතා නිදහස් සන්ධානය ''Eksath Janathā Nidahas Sandānaya''; ta, ஐக்கிய மக்கள் சுதந்திரக ...
chairman of Tangalle Pradeshiya Sabha, are released on bail.
* 23 November – Impeachment of Shirani Bandaranayake: Parliamentary Select Committee meets to discuss impeachment charges.
* 27 November – Security forces enter the grounds of the University of Jaffna
The University of Jaffna ( ta, யாழ்ப்பாணப் பல்கலைக்கழகம், translit=Yāḻppāṇap Palkalaikkaḻakam; si, යාපනය විශ්වවිද්යාලය, ''Yāpanaya Viśvavidyālaya''; ...
to disrupt students commemorating Maaveerar Day (Heroes Day).
* 28 November – Security forces clash with students protesting outside the University of Jaffna
The University of Jaffna ( ta, யாழ்ப்பாணப் பல்கலைக்கழகம், translit=Yāḻppāṇap Palkalaikkaḻakam; si, යාපනය විශ්වවිද්යාලය, ''Yāpanaya Viśvavidyālaya''; ...
.[
* 4 December – Impeachment of Shirani Bandaranayake: Parliamentary Select Committee meets to discuss impeachment charges.
* 6 December – Impeachment of Shirani Bandaranayake: Parliamentary Select Committee meets to discuss impeachment charges.
* 7 December – Impeachment of Shirani Bandaranayake: Opposition MPs withdraw from Parliamentary Select Committee.
* 8 December – Impeachment of Shirani Bandaranayake: Parliamentary Select Committee's report is presented to Parliament - three of five charges against Bandaranayake had been proven and this was enough to remove her from office.
]
Deaths
January
* 4 January – N. G. P. Panditharatne, politician.
* 10 January – Anadapiya Kudathini, poet.
* 13 January – Roland A. Fernando, (dramatist)
* 15 January – Stanley Liyanage, (musician)
February
* 2 February – Punyasena Gunasinghe, (dramatist)
* 9 February – Leelananda R. Gunawardena, (author)
* 21 February – Ranil Abeynaike
Ranil Gemunu Abeynaike (12 February 1955 – 21 February 2012) was a Sri Lankan cricketer. Abeynaike was a right-handed batsman who bowled slow left-arm orthodox. Born at Mount Lavinia, he was educated at S. Thomas' College Mount Lavinia, in th ...
, cricketer (b. 1955).
* 23 February – E. M. G. Edirisinghe, (author)
March
* 11 March – Girley Gunawardana
Dona Girley Grace Gunawardana (born 15 November 1935 – died 11 March 2012 as ගර්ලි ගුණවර්ධන) inhala, popularly as Girley Gunawardana, was an actress in Sri Lankan cinema. She is the mother of popular actress Sabeeth ...
, 76 (actress)
* 17 March – Derrick de Silva, 70 (musician)
* 19 March – Anton Jude
Anton Jude Gomes, known as Anton Jude (28 November 1960 – 19 March 2012; ඇන්ටන් ජූඩ්) was an actor in Sri Lankan cinema, stage drama and television. A career spanning for more than three decades, Jude was a popular comedi ...
, 51 (actor).
April
* 14 April – Chandrakeerthi Kularatne, (dramatist)
* 14 April – Prematilaka Mapitigama
Prematilaka Mapitigama, also known as K. W. M. P. Mapitigama, (7 January 1930 – 14 April 2012) ( Sinhala: ප්රේමතිලක මාපිටිගම) was a senior Sri Lankan civil servant, author and a publisher. As the Secretary ...
, 82 (civil servant)
* 19 April – Nurania Hassan, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
The Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) ( si, ශ්රී ලංකා ගුවන් විදුලි සංස්ථාව, ''Shrī Lankā Guvan Viduli Sansthāva'', ta, இலங்கை ஒலிபரப்புக் க ...
Tamil cricket commentator.
* 23 April – Sathish Perera, 42 (singer).
May
* 10 May – Vincent David, (filmmaker)
June
* 10 June – Janesh Silva, 50 (actor)
* 15 June – Nawanandana Wijesinghe (actor)
* 15 June – Victor Ramanayake, 59 (actor)
* 19 June – Suminda Weerasinghe, (cinematographer)
* 20 June – Nishshanka Weerasinghe, (dramatist)
* 20 June – Udaya Thalpawila, 51 (actor)
July
* 3 July – S. M. Seneviratne, 91 (archeologist)
* 4 July – Ignatius Anandappa
Ignatius Anandappa (1 February 1939 – 4 July 2012) was a Sri Lankan cricket umpire. He stood in three Test matches between 1992 and 1993 and seven ODI games between 1992 and 1998.
See also
* List of Test cricket umpires
* List of One Da ...
, cricket umpire (b. 1939).
* 8 July – Geethanjana Mendis, neuro physician and head of Sports Medicine Unit, Ministry of Sports.
* 11 July – Valentine Fernando, (actor)
* 12 July – Norbert Rathnasiri, (cameraman)
* 15 July – Harun Saba, (musician)
* 20 July – Nimal Lakshapathiaarachi, broadcaster.
* 27 July – Wasantha Kumara Dep, (actor)
* 29 July – Ranjith Jayasuriya, (actor)
August
* 2 August – Sena Fonseka, (virindu player)
* 7 August – S. V. Chandran, (scriptwriter)
* 29 August – Weweldeniye Medhalankara, monk (b. 1909).
September
* 1 September – Wijeyapala Mendis, politician (b. 1928).
* 7 September – Thilak Jayaratne, (journalist)
October
* 1 October – Nalaka Wedamulla, 40 (teledrama director)
* 13 October – Wasantha Kiriwattuduwa, 62 (actress)
* 19 October – Lal Piyasena, (film editor)
* 25 October – Welithara a. Ranasinghe, (civil servant)
* 30 October – Carlo Wijesiri, (musician)
November
* 19 November – Chandrasiri Sevikrama, (actor)
December
* 3 December – Mohamed Maharoof, politician.
* 4 December – Hemapala Gallage, 53 (tabla player)
* 28 December – S. Selvasekaran, 65 (actor)
See also
* Years in Sri Lanka
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:2012 in Sri Lanka
2010s in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
Years of the 21st century in Sri Lanka