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Opposition cries foul as cops in civvies arrest Sri Lanka student union leader
ECONOMYNEXT – A university student union leader in Sri Lanka was arrested by policemen in civvies in the early hours of Friday (06), the latest in a series of similar arrests that opposition MPs claim are emblematic of an alleged “law of the jungle” the government is trying to perpetuate.
Footage aired on the privately owned NewsFirst network showed Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF) Convenor Wasantha Mudalige being handcuffed and arrested by police officers dressed in civilian clothing around 3am Friday after the threewheeler he had been in was stopped by traffic police.
When Mudalige demanded to know what he had done, a uniformed officer that arrived at the scene minutes later was heard telling him that he had damaged state property.
The union leader was then seen being driven off in a police jeep.
University of Sri Jayawardenapura University Students’ Federation Chairman Amila Sandeepa was also arrested Thursday night for allegedly injuring a police officer on duty.
Police spokesman Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) Ajith Rohana said Friday that the students had been behind a protest near the parliament complex on Wednesday (04) where a tense situation had arisen between protestors and police.
The Maharagama Police Officer in Charge (OIC) who was at the demonstration had been injured in the incident.
“The OIC lost two of his fingers forever. There are also reports of public property being damaged,” Rohana said in a media statement explaining the arrests.
School teachers and principals in Sri Lanka have been taking to the streets since early June, as part of trade union action over an unresolved salary anomaly and in opposition to a controversial defence university bill. Daily protests in different parts of the island organised by teachers’ unions attracting large crowds of teachers have led to fears of new outbreaks of COVID-19.
In solidarity with the teachers, other parties, unions, university students and lecturers have either joined or have organied their own protests, with a repeal of the controversial Kotelawala National Defence University (KNDU) bill chief among their demands.
This week saw 53 protestors arrested, 44 of whom have been released on bail so far.
According to the police spokesman, the IUSF convenor is among five new arrests made on Thursday.
“And three others who had violated quarantine regulations and transported protestors to the demonstration in vans,” he said.
Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa visited the two student leaders Friday morning.
“We see that the government is on a suppressive path of destroying democracy. This is a tragic situation. Our wish is to democratically solve these death blows to our democracy,” Premadasa told reporters outside the Thalangama police station.
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People’s Power (NPP) leader and MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake raised the matter in parliament Friday morning.
“I want to know how people are being arrested [by police] without uniform, in t-shirts, on the bus. Yesterday there was an attempt to arrest USJ lecturer Aminda Lakmal. No uniforms, no mention of a station, just a t-shirt,” he said.
“What if tomorrow an underworld gang clad in t-shirts start abducing people You are not acting as an official government but as a jungle police. Put an end to this,” he added.
Premadasa, who also spoke in parliament, echoed Dissanayake.
“It’s not the supremacy of the law we see in this country, but the supremacy of the law of the jungle,” he said.
Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara responding to the allegations sadi: “We don’t try to influence the police, but I have asked the Inspector General of Police about these particular arrests and he will submit a report.”
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
