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‘Indian complicity’ in Easter Sunday carnage: Sirisena must prove his accusation – GL
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, MP, yesterday (01) said that ex-President Maithripala Sirisena, MP, owed an explanation as to how he had reached the conclusion that India engineered the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage.
Prof. Peiris said that the former President, who had also served as the Defence Minister and head of the National Security Council (NSC) at the time of the near simultaneous suicide attacks, five years back would have to substantiate his allegation. Such a grave accusation couldn’t be based on unsubstantiated information, the former law academic said, underscoring the need to address the issues at hand with extreme caution.
The dissident SLPP MP said so responding to media query at the weekly press conference held at his Kirula Place residence.
At the onset of the briefing, Prof. Peiris said that the SLFP leader’s latest claim should be examined, keeping in mind that the presidential election was to be conducted in seven months and the Supreme Court ordered the former President to pay compensation for Easter Sunday victims to the tune of Rs 100 mn.
Lawmaker Sirisena declared in Kandy, on March 22, that he knew who masterminded the Easter Sunday carnage. The blasts, blamed on the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ), influenced by ISIS, claimed the lives of 270 men, women and children, while over 500 received injuries. On the following day, MP Sirisena claimed that he received the relevant information three weeks earlier and the CID recorded his statement on March 25. MP Sirisena is reported to have alleged that India carried out the Easter Sunday operation.
Prof. Peiris described parliamentarian Sirisena’s claim as a serious allegation directed at a friendly neighbour that provided substantial assistance over the past several years, in addition to tipping off local intelligence about the impending terror attacks.
Pointing out that a copy of the statement provided to the CID had been made available to Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam, PC, Prof. Peiris said that once Sirisena appears before Maligakanda Magistrate on Thursday (April 4) consequent to the CID filing a ‘B’ report at the Maligakanda Magistrate court on the AG’s instructions, a clearer picture would emerge.
Prof. Peiris said that there is a possibility of the former President seeking to make a private statement to the Magistrate. However, the AG would have access to that statement, Prof. Peiris said, declaring that after examining all information available, Attorney General Rajaratnam would have to decide on the best possible course of action.
Prof. Peiris said that in spite of Sirisena being the former President, in terms of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) he faced a seven-year term of imprisonment if he was found guilty of suppressing information relating to terrorist activities.
Prof. Peiris said that in the wake of the unprecedented intervention made by MP Sirisena, the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government would have to go the whole hog. According to the former Minister, the AG could take tangible measures to collect all available information and reevaluate the ongoing case at the Trial-at-Bar on the Easter Sunday carnage, in the wake of MP Sirisena’s claim.
Responding to The Island queries, Prof. Peiris pointed out that before a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that investigated the Easter Sunday attacks and the subsequent Presidential Commission of Inquiry (P CoI), it transpired India furnished three specific warnings ahead of the attacks. Sri Lanka received the last warning one hour before the first attack, the ex-Minister said, referring to official reports at that time.
Prof. Peiris said that MP Sirisena’s recent declaration has threatened to undermine public confidence in the ongoing Easter Sunday investigations and court proceedings. Therefore, it would be the responsibility of the AG to ensure a no holds barred investigation also taking into consideration the ex-President’s bombshell but still unsubstantiated claim.
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.
