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Lanka’s Amb in Myanmar questions NZ response to terror threats
‘Man killed in Auckland gave up Sri Lankan nationality in 2013, won refugee status there’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Myanmar Prof. Nalin de Silva says Ahamed Adhil Mohamed Samsudeen, 31, shot dead by the police in an Auckland supermarket last Friday, had received refugee status there, in 2013, two years after entering New Zealand.
Ambassador de Silva questioned the rationale in New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern naming the ISIS inspired terrorist as a Sri Lankan instead of as a person accepted as a refugee nearly a decade ago. Samsudeen was from Kattankudy and migrated to New Zealand after studying in a Colombo school.
Prof. de Silva pointed out that the international media and various interested parties quite conveniently refrained from commenting on New Zealand law enforcement authorities gunning down the attacker, who was only armed with a knife, on the spot. Had that happened in Sri Lanka some sections of the international community, media and various other interested parties would have questioned Sri Lanka’s response and would have even castigated us, Ambassador Silva said adding that “We would have been accused of killing an estranged minority member without producing him in court,” Prof. Silva said.
Pointing out continuing pressure on Sri Lanka from here and abroad to do away with the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) or replace it with a new law acceptable to Western powers, Prof. de Silva said that in the wake of the recent incident New Zealand declared its intention to introduce much tougher anti-terrorist laws.
Prof. de Silva said that New Zealand followed the despicable strategy followed by many other nations in respect of Sri Lanka. The academic emphasized pivotal importance in the circumstances Samsudeen received refugee status after having entered the country in 2011 as a student.
The moment one received refugee status he automatically gave up his nationality. Declaring that Samsudeen had given up his Sri Lankan nationality, Prof. de Silva acknowledged the need to establish whether he subsequently received New Zealand nationality.
He also recalled how a Norwegian national, a son of a diplomat having massacred nearly 90 persons in two different locations in 2011 claimed he was inspired by events in Sri Lanka. The Norwegian gleefully referred to the LTTE driving the Muslim community out of the Northern Province in 1990.
Ambassador de Silva said that the world faced a severe threat due to rapid developments taking place in different regions and the situationin Afghanistan was all part of the overall strategy. The academic declared that the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage in Sri Lanka, too, should be examined against the backdrop of the battle between the Western powers and the Muslim world. He also faulted the New Zealand government for failing to to neutralize the threat posed by Samsudeen in spite of quite rightly recognizing him as an extremely dangerous person.
Amb. De Silva said that a large number of Sri Lankans, especially from minorities over the years sought refugee status in various parts of the world and subsequently won nationality. Thereafter they had become influential groups quite capable of influencing political parties in those countries, Prof. de Silva said, urging the world not to encourage terrorism.
Amb de Silva dismissed claims by Samsudeen’s relatives and other interested parties to blame those whom the boy from Sri Lanka met there for influencing him.
Prof. de Silva said that Sri Lanka shouldn’t be held responsible or humiliated for the actions of those who received refugee status or nationality of other countries.
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
