News
Former State Minister Nalin Bandara among those asked for suspects’ release on police bail
Anti-Muslim violence in Hettipola
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Former State Minister Nalin Bandara had urged police officers in Hettipola, on May 2019, to release six suspects arrested for allegedly attacking Muslim owned properties following the Easter Sunday attacks, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) into the Easter Sunday attacks was informed yesterday.
SSP Oshan Hewavitharana, who was in charge of the Kuliyapitiya Police Division at the time, told the PCoI that there had been indications of unrest in the area by early May.
“On May 12, I was informed that an unidentified group had asked several Muslim businessmen to close their shops. I went there with the Dummalasuriya OIC and took steps to reopen those places.”
The witness said that on the same day, around 5.30 pm, he had got a call from the Kuliyapitiya HQI that four Muslim owned shops in Hettipola Road, Karanthipola, Kuliyapitiya had been attacked. Acting on a tip-off, the HQI had later arrested four persons, Hewavitharana said.
The witness said around 200 people along with religious leaders had surrounded the police station, and he called in reinforcements and secured the police area.
“However, we decided to release the four suspects on police bail until investigations were complete,” he said.
Hewavitharana added that the next significant incident had occurred at Kinigama, Hettipola. A large number of people had gathered after a complaint that a stock of ammunition has been thrown into the Kinigama Tank by members of the local mosque, the witness said. The police with the assistance of Navy divers had searched the tank for two days, 10 and 11 May 2019.
“They failed to find anything but some individual found them on the 12th when he went to bathe. Then there was tension as people gathered near the mosque. Police and Army were sent to the location and although they managed to disperse the crowd several Muslim mosques had been attacked. Six people were later arrested by the Army and handed to Bingiriya police. They were then sent to Hettipola Police station.”
However, a large number of people had gathered near Hettipola Police station on 13 May 2019 demanding the release of the suspects. The people insisted that these men had been arrested without evidence, the witness said. To resolve the issue, a meeting was held at Weerapokuna School and this was attended by former State Minister Nalin Bandara, senior regional officers and religious leaders of all communities.
“Given that we had not conducted investigations into the incident and the sensitivity of the issue we asked those who had gathered for their opinions too. They also agreed that the suspects should be released on police bail until investigations were over. The State Minister also said that this was the best way to defuse the situation,” Hewavitharana said.
The SSP said that he had informed the decision to the Hettipola OIC. The suspects were to be sent to Bingiriya and given bail. However, those who had gathered there prevented the police from taking the suspects to Bingiriya.
“Did anyone else come to the station at this time?” Attorney General’s Department official leading the evidence asked the witness.
“MP Dayasiri Jayasekera came to the police and helped resolve the issue. He told the people that there was an agreement to give police bail to suspects. Jayasekera lives close to the Hettipola police station and was helpful,” Hewavitharana said.
“There was no evidence against the six suspects?” Chairman of the PCoI asked.
“No, they were picked up on the road,” the witness said.
Hewavitharana added that police had taken action to disperse the crowds that had gathered at the Hettipola town. However due to shortage of manpower, they were unable to prevent them from damaging shops, he said.
“That is why we didn’t arrest people but just dispersed them. We knew that we could get CCTV footage and arrested suspects later,” he said.
Minister Jayasekera is to appear before the PCoI today.
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
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