News
Acting Canadian HC summoned over sanctions on ex-Presidents, others
Major move after acceptance of genocide charge
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC, yesterday (11) summoned Acting Canadian High Commissioner Daniel Bood over the imposition of sanctions on two former Presidents, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Staff Sergeant Sunil Ratnayaka, and Lt. Commander P. Hettiarachchi over what Ottawa called ‘gross and systematic violations of human rights’ during the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Sri Lanka brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009 during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s first term (2005-2010).
Canada announced sanctions on Tuesday (10), just weeks ahead of the next Geneva sessions.
Canadian High Commission spokesperson confirmed the development. The official said that Charge d’affaires Bood would continue as the Acting HC until the new HC presents his credentials. High Commissioner designate Eric Walsh is here. Walsh succeeds David McKinnon, who completed his term late last year.
Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador in Iran, M.M. Zuhair, PC, who had served one term as the People’s Alliance National List MP, told The Island that the latest Canadian declaration should be examined against the backdrop of recognition of May 18 as Tamil Genocide Day by the Canadian Parliament, in May last year. The one-time senior State Counsel asserted that for want of a cohesive strategy to address accountability issues the situation has deteriorated. Declaration of sanctions against two former Presidents reflected, what the President’s Counsel called, the overall mood of the Western powers.
“The Special Economic Measures (Sri Lanka) Regulations impose on listed persons a prohibition on any transaction (effectively, an asset freeze) by prohibiting persons in Canada and Canadians outside Canada from engaging in any activity related to any property of these listed persons or providing financial or related services to them,” the Canadian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
“The individuals listed in the Schedule to the Regulations are also rendered inadmissible to Canada under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act,” the statement added.
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in Canada, Harsha Kumara Navaratne, on Tuesday, told The Island that his mission was in the process of addressing the issue at hand.
The Canadian action was the first since the US issued travel ban on General Shavendra Silva, the then Commander of the Army, and his immediate family, in February, 2020.
During a recent informal meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of Armed Forces, as well as the Defence Minister, The Island raised the possibility of seeking an end to the continuing measures against the war-winning military, in return for amnesty for ex-LTTE cadres and the abolition of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). President Wickremesinghe pointed out that such measures were meant to address concerns of the Tamil Diaspora. Therefore, the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) couldn’t be expected to respond to amnesty to ex-LTTE cadres or abolition of the PTA, the President said.
The Canadian declaration came ahead of FM Sabry’s first briefing of the Colomb-based diplomatic community, yesterday (11), for 2023. The Foreign Ministry statement, that dealt with the briefing, didn’t refer to the Canadian declaration.
Minister Sabry has provided an update regarding the key measures undertaken by the Government in the recent months, including the All-Party Conference (APC), convened by President Wickremesinghe, in December, 2022, with the participation of all political parties, setting up of Cabinet Sub-Committee on reconciliation and the establishment of a Special Unit on solving issues of people in the Northern Province, under the Presidential Secretariat. The statement also quoted Minister Sabry as having said that the Government has made serious efforts towards setting up a Truth and Reconciliation mechanism and the operationalization of the Office of Overseas Sri Lankan Affairs.
Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, has explained the progress in drafting a comprehensive legislation on counter terrorism to replace the PTA, update on anti-corruption law, progress on matters related to reconciliation processes coming under the purview of the Ministry of Justice, including the progress made by the Office on Missing Persons (OMP), Office for Reparations (OR) and Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR).
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
