Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has granted amnesty to nearly 800 prisoners to celebrate the traditional Sinhala and Tamil New Year. This follows a similar Christmas amnesty that saw 1,000 inmates released, marking a concerted effort to reduce overcrowding in the country’s prisons.
Despite these measures, Sri Lankan prisons remain over capacity. As of Friday, the prison population stood at nearly 30,000, despite facilities designed for only 11,000.
New Year Celebrations Marred by Conflict
Sri Lanka has declared an extended New Year holiday, including a ban on alcohol sales until Tuesday. However, this year’s festivities are marred by conflicting guidance from astrologers tasked with determining the auspicious timing for traditional ceremonies.
Most astrologers advise commencing celebrations just after midnight, while a dissenting group warns of misfortune unless ceremonies are performed on Sunday morning. This highlights the enduring influence of astrologers in Sri Lankan society, where their advice shapes decisions from personal events to national elections.
