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Easter Sunday victims on the path to sainthood
*****Even on the fifth anniversary of the terror attack in the Indian Ocean nation, the perpetrators are still at large
By Rubatheesan Sandran
(UCAN)The Sri Lankan Church is making efforts to launch the sainthood cause for Easter Sunday victims, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo said ahead of the explosions’ fifth anniversary.
Ranjith told the media on April 17 that the Church has started collecting signatures to send an application to the Vatican seeking permission to start the diocesan investigation of the victims.
According to Church laws, the diocesan inquiry, the first step in the canonization process, can be started only five years after a person’s death.
he archdiocese has started collecting signatures from Catholics nationwide for the application to be presented before Pope Francis, said the senior-most churchman in the Island nation of 22 million people.
The simultaneous bomb explosions in three Christian Churches and three luxury hotels on Easter Sunday of 2019 killed nearly 270 people, including 45 children, from more than 38 nations and injured more than 500.
“They [the victims] came for the Sunday Mass and the Easter celebrations. They never expected to be killed. This was an unfortunate incident. We are now going to declare those who were killed in the churches as ‘heroes of faith,’” the 76-year-old cardinal said.
Two Catholic churches — St. Anthony’s in Kochchikadai and St. Sebastian’s in Katuwapitiya in Negombo — under the Colombo archdiocese came under attack on April 21, 2019.
An Evangelical church in Batticaloa in Eastern province and three luxury hotels were also targeted in the suicide attack.
Cardinal Ranjith has been vocal in his criticism of governments over the tardy progress in the probe. Let down by the government, the prelate has repeatedly called for an international investigation.
Some media reports claimed that certain people in the administration allowed the attack to help the opposition party come to power, blaming the government for a lack of security.
Following the attack, the then-opposition party leader Gotabaya Rajapaksa became president in the 2020 national polls.
Critics of Rajapaksa, including church leaders, demand an international investigation. They say the real culprits behind the attack are still at large, and the successive governments showed little interest.
The cardinal observed that when the victims are declared “heroes of faith, the international community will come to recognize them.”
“We have lost trust in the system, and therefore, now we are going to appeal to the Lord for justice,” the cardinal stressed.
This year’s commemorative event will mark collective prayers and special Masses in both churches.
“We don’t intend to turn it into a political event because we don’t trust politicians,” Ranjith added.
He said on April 20, a march from St. Anthony’s church will head toward St. Sebastian’s.
Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Brian Udaigwe and UN representatives are expected to attend the event.
On April 21, The Church will observe a two-minute silence at 8:45 a.m. — the time the deadly bombs hit the church gathering.
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
