News
Admonishes the system “lacked a sense of crisis”
Immigration Services Agency of Japan releases final report on the death of a Sri Lankan woman
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan on Tuesday (10) released a final report on the death of a Sri Lankan woman at a regional detention centre in central Japan, pointing to the lack of a proper medical response after she said she was feeling unwell and stating that the facility “lacked a sense of crisis and failed to accurately grasp the circumstances as an organisation,” said a report published by the Japanese daily The Mainichi.
The report filed from Tokyo said: The Sri Lankan woman, Wishma Sandamali, then 33, died at the Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau in Aichi Prefecture on March 6, after she complained of nausea and numbness starting on Jan. 15 and her condition subsequently deteriorated. She had been detained at the facility since August last year after overstaying her visa since January 2019. She first came to Japan in 2017 as an international student.
The final report acknowledged that Wishma died of illness, but stated that the detailed process leading up to her death could not be determined as several factors likely played a role. The report said the regional immigration bureau’s medical response to her complaint of feeling unwell and the notable changes in her physical condition was insufficient, and presented measures for improvement to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.
The Immigration Services Agency has admonished the then head and deputy head of the Nagoya Regional Immigration Services Bureau, and gave strict warnings to a security supervisor and another official.
The final report delved into the Nagoya immigration bureau’s medical response system. It pointed out that the detention centre had a limited medical arrangement in which it was allowed to assign a part-time internal medicine doctor only twice a week. The report then stated that senior bureau officials ought to have properly gotten a grasp of Wishma and other detainees’ physical conditions and their requests for medical examinations, and deliberated and called for the necessary responses, but that the officials failed to develop such a system.
The report revealed that many of the guards at the bureau suspected that Wishma’s complaints about poor health were “an exaggerated appeal to be granted provisional release,” raising issues for future investigation such as staff education and the assignment of interpreters to understand detainees’ physical conditions through communication.
During her detention, Wishma twice filed a request for provisional release, but her wishes were not granted. The final report said the bureau “should flexibly grant provisional release” to those with poor health conditions. As Wishma had claimed that she was subject to violence from a former partner, the report cited the need to reflect on the fact that the local bureau failed to investigate whether she was a victim of domestic violence. It also cited the need to share the content of appeals from detainees’ supporters as something that must be addressed.
In light of these points at issue, the final report produced improvement plans in order for the bureau to “advance reforms to make it an internally and externally reliable organization that respects human rights.” Specifically, the report cited measures such as the reform of all workers’ awareness, boosting its medical system, and ensuring appropriate judgment on provisional release in light of foreign detainees’ health conditions.
The agency’s investigation team probing the background to Wishma’s death conducted a total of 139 interviews with 63 individuals concerned, and also sought opinions from external specialists.
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
