News
Enough grounds for Sirisena’s arrest – lawyers
By Saman Indrajith and Norman Palihawadane
Former President Maithripala Sirisena is scheduled to make a statement to the CID, today, on a controversial claim he made in Kandy on Friday (22) that he knew who had masterminded the Easter Sunday terror attacks (2019). Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles ordered the police to launch a probe into Sirisena’s claim.
Amidst calls for his arrest for having suppressed the truth, Sirisena amended his statement, on Saturday (23), claiming that he had received new information only three weeks back.
Lawyers said that Sirisena had violated a number of provisions of several statutes, including the Penal Code, Criminal Procedure Code and the Prevention of Terrorism Act. “Why did he keep this vital information under wraps for three weeks,” a senior lawyer said.
Sirisena said he was ready to share the information with judges in camera. “It could be kept from the public eye only until the judgement on the matter is released. There is no way of keeping evidence in camera a secret forever,” he said.
SJB Gampaha District MP Dr Kavinda Jayawardena was the first to lodge a complaint against Sirisena. It was followed by a complaint from Lawyers for Justice (LfJ). “If the CID and other respective bodies do not act fast, we are ready to get a writ from the Appeal Court against them including the Attorney General and the CID to conduct a probe,” LfJ’s Attorney-at-Law ManoJ Nanayakkara said. Attorney-at-Law Amila Udawatte of the Lawyers for Truth and Justice said as per the Section 21 of the Criminal Procedure Code, Sirisena had committed an offence. He should be arrested immediately and detained for questioning. We are waiting to see what the CID will do.”
Spokesman for the Catholic Church, Director of National Catholic Mass Communications Rev. Fr. Jude Krishantha Fernando, said that law enforcement authorities should take Sirisena into custody immediately and interrogate him. “There is reason to believe that Sirisena is enacting a political drama as the fifth anniversary of the Easter Sunday tragedy is approaching. Whatever his intentions, he has committed a serious offence. We are waiting to see how our law enforcing authorities will respond,” Rev. Fernando said.
Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa, addressing the media after donating a smart-classroom to the Abhayapura Primary School, Lunugamvehera, said that the entire nation wanted to know who was responsible for the Easter Sunday terror attacks, and former President Sirisena had to reveal who it was.
Minister Alles, on Saturday, instructed IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon to launch an investigation into Sirisena’s claim immediately. Tennakoon, speaking to the media after meeting Chief Incumbent of the Asgiriya Maha Viharaya, Ven Narampanawe in Kandy, yesterday, said that he had ordered the CID to record a statement from Sirisena within 48 hours.
Asked whether Sirisena could be taken into custody, the IGP said it was too early to make an arrest but it could be prompted by the way Sirisena prefers to share whatever information he was said to possess.
Sirisena announced yesterday evening that he would visit the CID Headquarters on Monday (25) to make a statement.Police Spokesman DIG Nihal Thalduwa said that Sirisena had informed the CID that he would be present at the CID Headquarters today.
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
