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Former Minister of Muslim Religious Affairs tells PCoI he was ignorant about extremism here
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Former Minister of Muslim Religious Affairs, M. H.A. Haleem yesterday told the PCoI investigating the Easter Sunday attacks that although he had heard about the National Thowheed Jamaat (NTJ) by 2014, he didn’t think it was a violent organisation.
He said so when he was asked by the Counsel representing the Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, whether he had been aware of the NTJ during his tenure as Minister. Haleem also said that he didn’t know about Zahran before the Easter Sunday attacks.
Haleem said that he had not known what had happened in Kattankudy until the Easter Sunday attacks.
The lawyer representing Archbishop of Colombo: “There was a clash between the NTJ members and those of Sunnath Wal Jamaat on 10 March 2017 at Aliyar Junction, Kattankudy. Were you not aware of this?”
Haleem: “No. Perhaps local political leaders may have told higher-ups about the threats posed by the NTJ. But I was not informed.”
The lawyer representing Archbishop of Colombo then asked Haleem if he had been aware of a speech made by former Justice Minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakse about ISIS activities in Sri Lanka. Haleem said that he had spoken to Muslim religious leaders, Muslim intellectuals and even law enforcement agencies but they all had assured him that there was no evidence of ISIS activity in Sri Lanka.
Haleem also said that there were too many mosques and Moulavis in Sri Lanka and added that six months after the establishment of a mosque, the trustees could request registration.
“There are too many mosques and these have also caused issues in the community. Many mosques are unregistered and we don’t know whether they receive foreign funding or what they do. There are also too many moulavis. Some people with Moulavi qualifications are driving three-wheelers.”
The former minister added there was no need to register certain types of religious schools.
A Commissioner asked Haleem about the activities of the Thowheed Jamaat movement and whether it was a problem to inter-communal harmony.
Haleem: “They are also a problem in the Muslim community. They start mosques near other mosques and cause trouble.”
The former minister also said that there should not be any weapons in mosques. He said this responding to a question posed by the Attorney General’s Department representative, who told him that there was evidence that some NTJ members had imported swords from China and distributed them among mosques.
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
