News
HRCSL urged to stop eviction of people from Divulpothana in EP
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Alleging that attempts were being made to evict people from the Divulpothana village in the Batticaloa District, Ven. Ampitiye Sumanaratne thera, Chief Incumbent of Mangalaramaya, Batticaloa, has called for the immediate intervention of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) to protect the rights of the victims.
In a four-page letter dated Oct. 23, 2023 handed over to the HRC on Monday, Ven. Sumanaratne Thera has claimed that the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government has allowed the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to intimidate the people living in Divulpothana and adjoining villages following an understanding the grouping reached with the incumbent administration regarding its support for President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the next presidential election.
The thera has alleged that relevant Mahaweli authorities and police at the behest of political leadership fully cooperated with the TNA and others interested in forcing the Sinhala families out of the Eastern Province.
The monk named TNA Batticaloa District MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam and Eastern Province Governor Senthil Thondaman of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) as the two main politicians involved in the sordid operation.
Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera, convenor of the Federation of National Organizations told The Island that the situation was bad, and the law enforcement authorities had prevented Ven. Sumanaratne thera from entering his own temple.
Dr. Amarasekera said that nearly 15 years after the eradication of separatist terrorism brazen attempts were being made to force Sinhalese out of their villages. Referring to the simmering issue over Kurundi temple, Dr. Amarasekera insisted that intimidation of Divulpothana villagers was not an isolated development. “It was all part of a sinister strategy,” he said.
In his letter to the HRC, Ven. Sumanaratne Thera has highlighted what he calls a systematic campaign to deprive the Sinhala community of basic rights afforded to other communities.
Insisting that Divulpothana area has been inhabited by Sinhalese for a long time and there are 86 archaeological sites, the Ven. Thera has recalled how the LTTE carried out massacres to force the Sinhalese and Muslims out of the region. The evicted people hadn’t been able to return to their land until the government brought the war against the LTTE to a successful conclusion in May 2009, the Thera said, pointing out Mangalaramaya temple had intervened on their behalf and built 25 houses and a temple and facilitated efforts to restore normalcy.
The monk has alleged that the yahapalana administration succumbed to pressure from some Tamil and Muslim politicians and forced the people out of their homes after 2016 and allocated the entire area for grazing. Despite repeated appeals, the yahapalana government had turned a blind eye until the change of government following the last presidential election in Nov., 2019 paved the way for the return of the displaced families to Divulpothana and adjacent areas.
Sumanaratne Thera has said that since President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ouster, the government had succumbed to TNA pressure and was in the process of forcing the Sinhalese out of Divulpothana.
Ven. Sumanaratne has said that Mahaweli authorities moved Eravur Magistrate’s Court against a group of 13 families, alleging that they were forcibly occupying state land. The monk alleged that those who lived there regardless of immense difficulties and threats to their lives were being relentlessly harassed by state officials.
It has been claimed that land is required for grazing of around 700,000 cattle but the number of cattle was 150,000, the Thera’s petition says.
The monk has alleged that following a meeting MP Rasamanickam and EP Governor Thondaman had at the Presidential Secretariat on 15 Oct., a lie had been propagated in and outside parliament via social media that the police deployed in the Eastern Province didn’t carry out instructions issued by President Wickremesinghe.
The monk claimed that subsequently, Karadiyanaru police had prevented him from proceeding towards his own temple in Divulpothana thereby violating his rights.
The monk has alleged that a Buddha statue placed by him at Weheragodalla temple in Divulpothana had disappeared. The monk has urged the HRC to inquire into his complaint and take necessary action.
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.
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