News
AG to move HC over eight related incidents
Easter Sunday carnage probe:
… gems worth Rs 14 mn among cash, jewellery, etc., worth 340 mn recovered
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Police Headquarters says Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC, will soon move High Court in respect of eight incidents related to the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide attacks.
Officers of the AG’s Department along with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) were preparing in that regard, Senior DIG Ajith Rohana said.
According to SDIG, in charge of the police Legal Division, altogether, the CID and the TID had investigated 17 incidents and the previous AG Dappula de Livera, PC, filed cases in the High Courts of Kegalle, Kandy, Kurunegala, Puttalam and Colombo in respect of nine investigations. Rajaratnam succeeded de Livera on May 26. SDIG Rohana said that the CID and the TID would conduct further investigations into fresh findings made because of ongoing discussions among the AG’s officers and representatives of the CID and the TID. A series of suicide attacks in Colombo, Batticaloa and Negombo on April 21, 2019 claimed the lives of 270, including 45 foreigners. The police blamed now proscribed National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) for the attacks. Police headquarters announced the move to file the remaining eight cases in the wake of the Catholic Church stepping up pressure over what Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith called unsatisfactory status of the investigations
SDIG Rohana said that during the investigations the CID and the TID took 724 persons into custody. Out of whom, 227 persons had been remanded pending further investigations whereas 83 were held in terms of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). The rest had been granted bail.
Among those detained are All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) leader and Vanni
District Samagi Jana Balavegaya MP Rishad Bathiudeen and his brother, Riyaj as well as JVP National List nominee Mohamed Yusuf Ibrahim, father of two suicide bombers, who perished in the wave of attacks on Easter Sunday 2019. Investigators have recovered Rs 28.5 mn in cash, USD 695,830, three blue gems estimated to be worth Rs 14 mn and jewellery to the tune of Rs 24 mn from some of the suspects.
SDIG Rohana said altogether they had recovered Sri Lankan rupees, USD, gems, and jewellery worth Rs 205 mn. The government, in terms of the PTA has also taken over several properties owned by Easter Sunday carnage suspects, he said.
Among the properties are 18-acre Lactowatta in Karadipuwal, Wanathavilluwa, 25-acre land at Aselapura in Welikanda, another 25-acre land at Ollipuram in Kattankudy and luxury house situated on 8.5 perch land at Dematagoda, where wife of one of the suicide bombers triggered a blast when the police surrounded the house. The police arrested her father-in-law spice merchant Mohamed Yusuf Ibrahim whose two sons — identified as Ilham Ahmed Ibrahim and Imsath Ahmed Ibrahim — detonated their explosives at the Shangri-La and the Cinnamon Grand hotels, respectively. The police have also taken into custody seven vans, one Bolero jeep, seven motorcycles and one three-wheeler used by those involved in the conspiracy. SDIG Rohana said that the police investigating Easter Sunday attacks recorded staggering 9,800 statements and analyzed 21,000 telephone numbers, in addition to the recovery of Rs 134 mn from 100 bank accounts. Responding to another question, the top police officer said that the police also inquired into NTJ activities in the run-up to the Easter Sunday attacks. There had been organized attempts to entice those who sat the GCE Ordinary Level and Advanced Level into the NTJ’s ranks, SDIG Rohana said.
Meanwhile, top Church spokesperson Rev Father Cyril Gamini Fernando asked whether the AG Department and the police would consider the recommendations made by the Presidential Commission. Rev. Fernando said that the Church expected the government to punish those who had planned the heinous attacks. Dealing with those who had neglected their responsibilities despite being constitutionally responsible for safety and security of the people was as important as exposing the masterminds, Rev Fernando said.
Responding to another query, Rev. Fernando recalled what former AG de Livera, PC said days before he retired. President’s Counsel de Livera declared that the Easter Sunday massacre was a high-profile conspiracy, Rev Fernando recalled. Now that he was no longer at the helm of the AG’s Department, his successor Rajaratnam should bring the investigations to a successful conclusion, the priest said.
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
