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Cardinal Ranjith expresses more disappointment with govt. over continuing secrecy related to Easter massacres probe
Over 1,500 pages of vital testimonies not given to Church
Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has said the government did not make available the testimonies of those who appeared before the Presidential Commission on the Easter Sunday attacks. Those testimonies are on six CDs and run into 1,500 pages, the prelate said so while addressing the First Meeting of the Archdiocesan Presbyterian at the Archbishops House Conference Hall on 11 March.
“A team of our lawyers has sifted through the CD’s and found nearly 70,000 pages of evidence. In any case, we have found out that over 1,500 pages are missing in these CD’s, and we cannot open them. These missing pages contain the evidence given by key witnesses such as Hadiya, the wife of Zahran Hashim, and Sarah Jesmin, one of the leading protagonists who associated closely with the terror group.”
Cardinal Ranjith said 2024 marks the fifth anniversary of the Easter Sunday attacks, which cost 273 lives. There is absolute silence and attempts to mislead the public, he added.
The government gave the Catholic Church CDs containing the volumes of the sittings of the Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday attacks.
“A letter was sent to the President by the National Committee for seeking the truth about the Easter attack on 11th October 2023 signed by me, His Lordship Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, the Bishops of Galle and Kandy and the three Auxiliary Bishops of Colombo, and 28 others, including priests and a group of lawyers, calling for a fresh and independent investigation into these attacks, but not even a letter of acknowledgement was sent to us,” he said.
The government continues to ignore these requests while affirming continuously that 99 percent of the investigations on the attacks were complete, the Cardinal said.
“Now they have filed cases against 23 Muslims who were associated with Zahran and his group and are seeking to turn them into scapegoats while not inquiring into all aspects of the case.”
The Cardinal said, “We will organize many initiatives calling upon the authorities to be sensitive to the demand for a full, independent and fair investigation into these attacks. Besides, no inquiry has been conducted, up until now, on new evidence emerging in the case, like the witness evidence given by Azad Moulana, the Personal Secretary of Shivanesathural Chandrakanthan alias Pillaiyan, a powerful Minister in the present government who alleged that the said Pillaiyan was the go between who assisted the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) to approach Zahran and his group.
“He also affirmed that the said group received money through Pillaiyan from the DMI, which was then headed by Suresh Saleh, the present government’s Director of State Intelligence. There were meetings between Suresh Saleh and Zahran, and a lorry load of suspicious materials was released without being checked on the orders of the present IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon at the Gelanigama exit of the Southern Highway. Its destination was the safe house of Zahran Hashim in Walana, Panadura, and the said lorry belonged to the Avant-Garde Security Services, closely connected to former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and presumably contained explosives.
“You would ask me why we keep on insisting on this matter so much. Well, the reason for that is our Christian vocation. The Church is, as you know, the Body of Christ, and whenever or wherever in the body pain is experienced, it has to be felt by all.”
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
