News
Current Rajapaksa govt. best suited to settle Tamil issue – A’sangaree
By Shamindra Ferdinando
General Secretary of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) V. Anandasangaree says the current Rajapaksa administration is best suited to address what he called the grievances of the Tamil community.
In a statement issued in Sinhala, the former parliamentarian said that though the war- winning Rajapaksa administration had squandered that opportunity, the incumbent government could do so.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009.
Referring to the President who holds the defence portfolio, Prime Minister and Finance Minister being members of Rajapaksa clan, Anandasangaree said that the war winning side could ensure genuine post-war reconciliation.
Reiterating his long standing call for Indian style political solution, Anandasangaree said that the current positioning of the Rajapaksas would enable the relevant stakeholders to reach consensus on a permanent solution. Both the Indian High Commission and the US Embassy had been engaged in consultations with politicians representing minority parties and even ex-LTTE personnel regarding a political solution though Anandasangaree was yet to receive an invitation.
Anandasangaree, who has been at loggerheads with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), warned those who represented the community in parliament not to squander the fresh opportunity. Anandasangaree said that the community wouldn’t get another chance again.
Anandasangaree urged President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government not to leave the problem for a future administration to resolve, but address it now.
Acknowledging that the Tamil community since the end of the war in May 2009 primarily backed the TNA, Anandasangaree alleged those who opposed governments as well backed them and pursued personal agendas at the expense of the people. They had never been concerned about the aspirations and requirements of the community, the former Jaffna MP, who was once high on the LTTE hit list said.
Anandasangaree emphasized that the TULF couldn’t be denied the credit for taking the Tamil issue to the international level in the 80s. However, battles among Tamil groups for superiority ultimately ended up with the LTTE’s defeat at Mullivaikkal 12 years ago, he said.
The TULF Leader said that the international community was aware of the circumstances leading to the conflict, accountability on the part both the government and the LTTE and the justification of the struggle undertaken by the Tamil community to win their rights.
Anandasangaree faulted the UNP-SLFP administration for failing to address their grievances, though the TNA backed them to the hilt. Now that those who had waged war to a successful conclusion were back in power, tangible measures should be taken to settle the national issue for once and for all.
The TULF is now not represented in parliament or in local government bodies. The TULF didn’t have any representation in the Northern or Eastern Provincial Councils.
Anandasangaree said that the incumbent government was powerful than any other administration as it represented those who successfully waged the war.
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
