News
Cardinal alleges 1,500 pages of evidence missing
Proceedings of Easter Sunday Commission given to church
by Norman Palihawadane
Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith says that over 1,500 pages containing evidence are missing from the soft copy of the report of Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Easter Sunday given to the Church by the government.
Speaking at the first meeting of the Archdiocesan Presbyterium at Archbishop’s House Conference Hall in Colombo last week, the Cardinal said that the government had given them the soft copy of the PCoI report in six CDs.
“After going through them by us and our lawyers we found that there are nearly 70,000 pages of the PCoI report. However, the government has kept to themselves over 1,500 pages. It is discernible that these missing pages contained evidence given by key witnesses such as Hadiya, wife of Zahran Hashim and Sarah Jesmin, one of the leading protagonists who had very close associations with the group of terrorists who exploded themselves at the Easter Sunday attacks,” the Cardinal said.
He said that the following many letters from the Church demanding the complete PCoI report, the government authorities released the six CDs and told the media that the report in its entirety was given to the Church.
“These ministers and officials keep on saying that 99 per cent of investigations are over and the Church has been appraised of the contents of the PCoI report. There is no truth in their statements. Now they have filed cases against 23 Muslims who had known Zahran and his team members. The government authorities are now trying to turn them to scapegoats while deliberately overlooking to investigate all aspects of the case,” the Cardinal said.
“This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Easter Sunday attack. In response to our continuous calls for a fresh, fair and independent investigation, government authorities have come up with plots to mislead the public. Besides no inquiry has been conducted, up until now, on new evidence emerging in the case like the statements made by witness Azad Moulana, the personal secretary of Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan.
“Moulana has alleged that Pillayan had been the go between who had assisted the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) to approach Zahran and his group. Moulana also affirmed that Zahran Group had received money through Pillayan from the DMI which was then headed by Suresh Saleh, who is the head of State Intelligence Service under the incumbent government.
“As per new evidence, there had been meetings between Saleh and Zahran and that a lorry load of suspicious materials was released without being checked on the orders of incumbent IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon at Gelanigama exit of the Southern Highway. The said lorry belonged to the Avant Garde Security Service closely connected to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Moulana has stated that the lorry presumably contained explosives,” the Cardinal said.Auxiliary Bishops Rt Rev Drs Anton Ranjith, Maxwell Silva and JD Anthony were also present att he head table with the Cardinal.
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
