News
India dumps discredited Rajapaksas, will continue supporting Lankan people
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, July 16: India will continue to support the people of Sri Lanka and help them to the best of its ability in their hour of need. This is the consensus among ordinary Indians, decision-makers, the media as well as the elite, the Sunday Island understands.In line with this popular thinking, the government has promptly distanced itself from the discredited Rajapaksa clan. Officials have made it clear that the government
has not offered any support to Gotabaya Rajapaksa, his brother and former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and others to flee Sri Lanka.New Delhi is watching the situation in Colombo closely.The Indian High Commission in Colombo has said it “categorically denies baseless and speculative media reports that India facilitated the recent reported travel” of Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa.
“It is reiterated that India will continue to support the people of Sri Lanka as they seek to realize their aspirations for prosperity and progress through democratic means and values, established democratic institutions and constitutional framework,” the High Commission added.
Last Sunday, the High Commission had also strongly denied reports suggesting India will send troops into Sri Lanka. The Ministry of External Affairs put out a statement that India will “stand with” the people of Sri Lanka. This is a position the government has taken ever since the protests in Colombo escalated, thus carefully moving away from past statements that mentioned discussions with former President Gotabaya and former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The comments have followed several unconfirmed reports in Colombo that members of the Rajapaksa family, with the exception of former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa who has decided for the moment to remain in Sri Lanka, were in touch with senior Indian officials, including National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, for “safe passage” as they made attempts to reach destinations in the UAE, the US and Singapore.
Officials here have strongly denied any Indian role in helping the ousted Sri Lankan leadership flee. Instead, India has been focusing on providing food, fuel, medicines, and other essentials to the country as Sri Lankans grapple with the worst economic crisis in over seven decades.
Endorsing the government’s stand, former Foreign Secretary and Ambassador to Sri Lanka Nirupama Rao said: “The Rajapaksas stand totally discredited in the eyes of the Sri Lankan people…To be on the wrong side of history by facilitating their escape from Sri Lanka could not be on option. I believe India has done well in respecting the voice of Sri Lankan democratic opinion in this regard.”
“India’s focus and concern has rightly been the plight of the people of Sri Lanka at this juncture. They are in want, they suffer because of the dire economic situation in the country. They are the constituency in need of help,” The Hindu quoted her as saying.
Senior officials pointed out that any hint of support to the outgoing leadership could also “complicate” New Delhi’s position with a new government about to be formed in Colombo. New Delhi would rather not be seen as taking sides and await the outcome of the election due on July 20.
The Narendra Modi government’s disavowal of the Rajapaksas is yet another twist in what has been a see-saw relationship since 2014. President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Modi hit it off at the start when the Sri Lankan President attended Modi’s swearing-in ceremony. At the SAARC summit in Kathmandu in November 2014, Modi even wished President Mahinda Rajapaksa success in the upcoming elections, which raised many eyebrows.
However, some months later, the relationship soured. Rajapaksa was defeated by a united opposition, something he blamed Indian intelligence officials for “engineering”. In 2019, as Modi’s second tenure began, the Rajapaksas returned to power, with massive mandates that elected President Gotabaya first, and Mahinda Rajapaksa as Prime Minister next. New Delhi and Colombo decided to forge a new relationship, getting off on a fresh footing.Soon after he was sworn-in, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa visited New Delhi, assuring that he would avoid the “misunderstandings of the past”, especially over China’s presence, by keeping the lines of communication open.
As Sri Lanka’s economic crisis spiraled out of control last November, the Modi government moved quickly to fulfil requests made by the Rajapaksas — opening credit lines for food and fuel, donating medicines, allowing debt repayment delays and enabling currency swaps to the tune of $3.8 billion.However, as the chants of “Gota Go Gama” grew louder at Colombo’s Galle Face green, New Delhi decided its first duty as a neighbour is to the people, and made it clear its assistance is meant for them and them only, and not as a way of helping the Rajapaksas tide over the crisis.
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
