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Gen. Silva reminds country of sacrifices made by military to bring peace, and urges public not to believe those spreading wild rumours
Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Army, General Shavendra Silva, yesterday said that the Army had never meant to harm civilians enjoying their constitutional right to peacefully protest and it neither ‘hatches secret plots,’ as alleged by some social media posts.
Addressing senior officers, following a ceremony held at the Army Headquarters, at Sri Jayewardenepura, to mark the first working day of the New Year, General Silva called on all to remember firmly that as members of a professional Army, they should not be swayed by various baseless and false rumours, allegations and concocted stories.
“Ours is a force, committed to protect the State and its people, all the time, as per provisions in the Constitution. You all, as gallant soldiers of this unmatched organisation, have made enormous sacrifices at the expense of your life and limbs, spending endless days and sleepless nights in jungles for days, if not for weeks, to bring about the spirits of peace and freedom which we all are enjoying today”.
“We are holding appointments, including myself, being the most Senior Officer still serving the organisation for the sake of the safety of the country. I, myself, having received injuries while fighting for democratic rights of our people always prioritised the interests of the State and its peace-loving citizens. We are always with the people and we do not want to take any ‘stand’ as some of those speculative claims, and we never ever mete out harm or harassment to anyone, neither do we want to inconvenience anyone in anyway. We are there to assist the Police, only when our assistance is sought from us,” General Silva said.
“As you very well know, our troops valiantly move in anywhere others are unable to do so while doing everything possible to keep the country and its people safe. We do not have any hidden agendas, as propagated by some ill-informed reports, or hold any secret agendas, as claimed by some elements, with vested interests, as you have seen in the past few days. The Army is not there to hatch hidden plans or mean harm to the very people whom they have committed to protect, and those speculative and fabricated rumours reflect the mindset of those elements who are hell bent on creating further unrest among peaceful protesters,” he said.
“Even when I was engaged in the fight against LTTE’s attempts of dividing the country, certain sections, inclusive of my own close associates, were doubtful whether we could win this war against terrorism at all. Of course, in the context of a civilian, I was compelled to listen to their voices and concerns, but as a uniformed military professional, dedicated to serve the country, I am obliged to perform my duties day and night as necessitated by the State and the Constitution risking my life. This is what we are meant, for contrary to what some of those interested parties allege without any basis,” he said.
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
