News
Lanka forced to walk tight rope
Chinese research vessel saga
By Rathindra Kuruwita
There would be constant pressure on Sri Lanka to distance itself from China in the future, Ramindu Perera, lecturer at the Open University Law faculty said, commenting on the controversy surrounding the Chinese research vessel, Yuan Wang 5.Sri Lanka, thus, must figure out how to benefit from the emerging multi-polar world, while not antagonizing its powerful neighbour, Perera said.
Sri Lanka should also recognise that India and China reacted differently to perceived changes in the country’s political landscape, Perera added.
“China and India deal with things differently. The official policy of China is not to intervene in the internal affairs of other countries. It will more or less work with any government that comes into power. But India is different, it takes a much more political
stance. Let’s look at the controversy over the proposed arrival of the Chinese scientific research vessel Yuan Wang 5. Foreign ships, even naval vessels, arrive in Sri Lanka each year but India is making an issue over Yuan Wang 5. They feel it’s a challenge and this kind of thing will keep on happening. In the future things will be more complex,” he said.Perera said that there is no solution in international law to address the problems faced by Sri Lanka due to the emerging cold war between China and the US. All countries are members of the United Nations and had agreed to respect the sovereignty of other nations and not to intervene in the domestic affairs of others, he said.
“However, this is not what happens. This is a political problem, and the solution is political, too,” he said.
China has risen rapidly in the last four decades and is a serious challenge to the world order, dominated by the United States. After the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States had about two decades to do whatever it wanted in the world. However, with the rise of China and the reemergence of Russia, the world order is in a flux, he said.
“The unipolar moment is over, and the West is trying to undermine China and to slow down its economic rise. They also want to isolate China and thus a lot of pressure is applied on countries like Sri Lanka. For example, when former US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, visited Sri Lanka, a few years ago, he openly said Sri Lanka has to take a side. US has initiated a number of groupings to contain China, and India is a member of one of the groups, the QUAD,” Perera said.
The West has also launched a concerted anti-China propaganda campaign and the best option before us is to adhere to Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s stance when she successfully declared the Indian Ocean a zone of peace in the 1970s, he said.
“This is not an easy road to take because unlike in the 70s, India is now with the West. But as a small nation, we need to figure out what our strategy is. We need to find a way to benefit from the emerging multipolar world while not making India angry. The conflict between China and the west already affects us. We see this with our debt restructuring process. The controversy over Yuan Wang 5 is not only about a ship, it’s about the way the world will be run,” he said.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
