News
Gota goes, plunging country into chaos
- Ranil W appointed Acting President
- Curfew declared in WP as armed forces, police receive orders to ‘clear’ protesters
- Party leaders’ decision to elect new Prez on 20 July stands
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The crisis took an unexpected and violent turn as President Gotabaya Rajapaksa left the country without resigning. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is functioning as the Acting President. Wickremesinghe’s appointment was announced by Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena around 12.45 pm, hours after the Air Force confirmed that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his wife, Iyoma left for the Maldives.
The Speaker’s Office said the President hadn’t tendered his letter of resignation. Instead, the Speaker had been informed of PM Wickremesinghe’s appointment as the Acting President.In his capacity as the Acting President, Wickremesinghe imposed a curfew in the Western Province comprising Colombo, Gampaha and Kalutara Districts and declared a state of Emergency.
Wickremesinghe’s Office issued instructions to the armed forces and the police to bring the situation under control as thousands of protesters surrounded the Prime Minister’s Office. Fresh protests erupted in the wake of the Speaker’s announcement. Police fired tear gas, water cannon, followed by a baton charge, but protesters regrouped and forced themselves into the Prime Minister’s Office as heavily armed troops looked on.
Earlier in the day, groups of youth launched protests outside Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Office, demanding his immediate resignation as the Air Force headquarters confirmed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and wife, Iyoma, left the country.
An authoritative official told The Island that the first couple, accompanied by two bodyguards, had been flown out in an AN-32 transport aircraft following clearance given by relevant authorities. “The flight time was approximately two hours and the aircraft returned to the country,” the official said.
Responding to another query, the official said that the first couple had arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) from the Akuregoda Defence Complex, where they were staying. According to him, they had moved to a few places before taking refuge at Akuregoda. They left the country at 1 am and landed in Male around 3 am.
At the onset of clashes between police backed by anti-riots squads, protesters captured a heavy police vehicle as the crew abandoned it.The Speaker’s Office quoted Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena as having said that President Rajapaksa had informed him that PM Wickremesinghe had been appointed the Acting President in terms of article 37(1) of the Constitution.
In spite of the declaration of curfew thousands of protesters remained in the city while they refused to vacate the President’s House, the Presidential Secretariat and Temple Trees or leave the city. Thousands of protesters arrived in Colombo from the provinces and more continued to arrive disregarding the curfew.
Air Force helicopters flew low over the Galle Face in the afternoon. The Air Force headquarters said that it was to monitor the gathering of people.However, some sources said that the President would transmit his letter of resignation from the Maldives during the day. During yesterday’s disturbances, a group of protesters stormed Rupavahini forcing the suspension of services. According to some reports they have effectively taken over the national TV.
As violence spread, Speaker Abeywardena issued a second statement within three hours after the first that dealt with Wickremesinghe’s appointment. the Speaker said that he had received a call from President Rajapaksa reiterating his original promise to resign on 13 July. The Speaker said that the President had reassured him that he would send his letter of resignation as promised and the election of a new President could take place on 20 July.
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
