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Bloody rumpus at Jaffna Central College blamed by CMEV on lack of understanding of counting process
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Political party leaders must educate their candidates and their supporters on how the counting process works, National Coordinator of the Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV,) Manjula Gajanayake told The Island yesterday commenting on unrest at the Jaffna Central College on Thursday night between supporters of ITAK candidates Mavai Senathirajah and Sasikala Raviraj.
Supporters of Raviraj accused Senathirajah and Jaffna District MP elect M. A. Sumanthiran of rigging the preferential votes and depriving her of a seat in parliament.
“From midday our observers had noted that a large number of supporters were gathering at the counting centre. Later there was a delay in issuing preferential vote count and when the results were announced, Raviraj had not won. However, Raviraj thought she had come in second and that was also what her supporters expected. Then there were social media posts by Raviraj’s daughter and other supporters that something fishy was going on and her supporters were angry.”
At that point Sumanthiran arrived with his security and supporters of Raviraj expressed their displeasure at his presence and supporters of various candidates clashed, according to Gajanayake. The police and STF officers had come in unarmed. They had left their weapons inside their vehicles because they didn’t want to make matters worse and it became hard to control the situation.
“Finally, the Police and STF officers had to use force to disperse the clashing rival supporters and some people sustained injuries. Sons of both Senathirajah and Raviraj were among those who sustained injuries.”
Gajanayake said that the incident was due lack of understanding of the counting process among candidates and their supporters. Their ignorance and social media were a dangerous combination, the CMEV National Coordinator said.
“The counting process is documented throughout. Our monitors at the counting centre checked the documents and things seemed to be in order. It is very difficult to say that a person has got enough preferential votes to get in, until the very end of the counting process. The ITAK is an alliance of many parties and there are lots of internal issues and this also contributed to the incident.”
Gajanayake added that Raviraj could move courts if she was convinced that she had been wrongfully denied a seat in parliament.
Yesterday morning, Raviraj’s daughter, Praviinaa Raviraj on Facebook blamed Sumanthiran and TNA leader R. Sampanthan for having deprived her mother a seat in parliament. She also blamed Sumanthiran for mobilizing the STF to assault her supporters.
“We aren’t sour losers, but can one win and then lose? To all those in Colombo and away congratulating us and are unaware of the turnaround that happened last night. The final verdict brought my mum down from 2nd to 4th within TNA Jaffna and Kilinochchi District. Personally, I felt the results were delayed to wait for Sumanthiran. And turmoil was created to hide the rigged voting that had happened in two counting booths. Sumanthiran’s STF attacked peaceful protesters with stones and etc.
“So I want to “thank” Sumanthiran and his STF for attacking, wounding not just friends and family but also supporters of other competing parties. I want to “thank” TNA for letting a snake grow in their own garden.”
Sasikala is the widow of assassinated TNA parliamentarian Nadaraja Raviraj. He was gunned down in Colombo with his police bodyguard in 2006.
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
