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Minister warns of emerging racism ahead of elections
ECONOMYNEXT –A Minister warns of emerging racism in the island nation targeting ethnic minorities ahead of 2024 elections while regretting the past racism-led events including riots and insurrections since the 1948 independence.
Sri Lankan politicians have historically used racism to divide the country and win elections with the help of their own ethnicities and religious groups.The island nation is expected to hold presidential and parliament polls next year. A parliamentary election is likely in March, sources close to President Ranil Wickremesinghe have told EconomyNext.
The country saw the first racism led division when the island nation’s former Prime Minister S W R D Bandaranaike implemented “Sinhala only” policy which deprived state jobs for well educated Tamils in 1956.
That was followed by abolishing the merit system in university selection in 1972 which later deprived thousands of Tamil youth of being deprived of university entrance despite having higher marks than many others.Racism-led politics has always been the trump cards of some political parties specially when they are in opposition.
“When we are trying to do away with racism, some are trying to trigger the racism,” Manusha Nanayakkara, Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment told reporters in Colombo at a media briefing.
“Everybody blames the country for not progressing for the last 75 years since independence. The main reason for that is racism.”
“From the 1956 Sinhala-only event to each racism event had been used by politicians for their own benefits. People also hung in that string of racism, which could be easily triggered,” he said.
“All anti-Tamil riots, anti-Muslim riots, JVP crisis, LTTE crisis are the reasons that have taken this country backward.”
Sri Lanka’s majority Sinhala politicians use anti-minority sentiment to win votes among Sinhala Buddhists saying that the country’s main religion Buddhism is in danger because of minority Tamils, Muslims, and Catholics.
Similarly, ethnic minority Tamils and Muslims also use racism to say their community is in danger because of majority Sinhalese. Such moves have led to riots and killings across the country, mainly before elections.
“It is highly regrettable even today the racism is being used, ” Nanayakkara said.
Referring to an ongoing growing concern of Tamil people in the Eastern province being deprived of their land rights, the minister said he saw nothing wrong in giving lands to Tamils.
“What is wrong with giving their land to them? All Sri Lankans have come to this country from outside. How can one group say others can’t own lands? We are against this,” he said.
“This country is owned by all. This country is not owned only by Sinhalese or Tamils or Muslims. This is the country we all live in. That is our concept, and we are not scared to tell that.”
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
