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Death of ‘Mothers and Daughters of Lanka’ takes up battle cry for justice
‘Mothers and Daughters of Lanka’ says it is shocked by the reports that a minor girl, employed in domestic work at the residence of a Member of Parliament, was abused for eight months.
The civil society organisation issued the following statement yesterday (23): “This tragedy, is further aggravated by her hospitalisation with burns and her subsequent death days later.
‘Mothers and Daughters of Lanka’ supports the demand made by Tamil people of upcountry that a proper investigation be conducted into the death of this lass.
There has been an increase in the reports of sexual abuse committed against minority age girls of this country. It is an accepted fact that a higher number of girls than have been reported become the victims of acts of sexual abuse.
It was on 7th June that the Mount Lavinia Police received a complaint that a 15-year-old girl had been procured as a sex worker to a large number of persons of different status in the society, causing sexual abuse.
Among those who sexually abused her were a Buddhist priest, a doctor who served in the Navy, businessmen, and a former Minister of the Maldives. It has been reported that around 75 persons involved in this racket have been arrested.
On as late as 15th July, it was reported that the Police had arrested 5 including the father of a 13-year-old girl from Nawalapitiya charging them with sexually abusing her.
The 15-year-old girl in domestic service at the residence of former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen was hospitalized with severe burns on 3rd July 2021. She died on 15th July and it has been established that she had been subjected to sexual abuse. Apart from these incidents that have come to limelight through media including social media, we cannot imagine the number of such incidents that take place unbeknownst to the world. We can only stress that the number is very much bigger. As a society, we should understand that it is our own daughters and sisters that get abused in this way.
Firstly, the male-dominated patriarchal society’s treating women as sex objects forms the basis of sexual abuse of girls and women. Secondly violence against children is also rampant in our society and there are also politicians who justify beating children in this country.
‘Mothers and Daughters of Lanka’ believes that sexual assault on children is the combined effect of these two factors.
‘Mothers and Daughters of Lanka’ unequivocally condemn the selling of women and girls as if they were tradable commodities, subjecting them to sexual abuse and murdering them in this fashion. At the same time, we urge the authorities to arrest all those persons responsible for these incidents including the procurers and procuresses without difference and bring them before the law while taking steps to accord justice to the victims and to safeguard the lives of women and children.”
The signatories to this statement are
Women’s Centre – Ja-ela
Women’s Development Foundation – Kurunegala
Women’s Political Academy – Colombo
Human Development Institute – Kandy
Community Education Centre – Malabe
Sunila Women’s Foundation – Polonnaruwa
Uva-Wellassa Farming Women’s Organization – Moneragala
United Women’s Organization of the East – Kantale
Janaawabodha Kendraya (People’s Awareness Centre) – Negombo
Gammy Kaanthaa Peramuna Rural Women’s Front) – Galle
Vikalpanee (Alternative) – Moneragala
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
