News
Police chasing some vital leads into Dutch monk’s death to ‘clear some doubts’
by Suresh Perera
Police investigators are pursuing some important leads to figure out the circumstances which led to the death of the Dutch monk at the Dodanduwa Polgasduwa forest monastery, a high-ranking police official in the region said on Friday.
“Though preliminary investigations suggest the possibility of suicide, we are working on some vital clues to clear some doubts that have emerged”, says Senior DIG Rohan Silva in charge of the Southern province.
“We are probing the case with an open mind”, he noted, while declining to divulge more information on the leads police sleuths are chasing as it will hamper ongoing investigations.
The body of Ven. Olande Jinawansa thera was found floating in the Ratgama lagoon on December 8. At the time the body was fished out, two stones were found tied to the 59-year-old monk’s legs.
The police and the STF searched the island, where the monastery is situated, plus an adjoining island, but nothing suspicious was found, the senior police official said.
Asked about social media reports that the monk had opposed the construction of a hotel in a near-by island as it disturbed the serenity of the monastery, and this may have led to his untimely death, he explained that there was no such hotel being built in the locality.
The Dutch monk was, however, not in favor of a Dharma Salawa that was being built within the precincts of the monastery as he believed there was no need for such a facility as devotees in large numbers did not visit the Aramaya, the senior DIG Silva said.
“He had protested that the din caused by the construction disturbed the meditating monks. Apart from that, there was no hotel being built in the vicinity for the bhikku to have opposed it”, he added.
Earlier, there was a move to build a bridge to link the island but the idea was dropped as it didn’t find favor with the monks at the monastery, he further said.
“We also inspected the monk’s kutiya (small hut), where he meditated, but there was nothing amiss”, he continued.
The Government Analyst visited the scene and also examined the knots on the rope with which the stones were found tied to the monk’s legs.
The autopsy revealed that there was no water or sand in the prelate’s lungs, which indicated that he had been alive at the time he was in the lagoon. This raised the possibility of the monk taking his own life, he said.
An open verdict was returned at the magisterial inquiry into his death.
Senior DIG Silva said that body parts have been sent to the Government Analyst for examination to ascertain, amongst other factors, whether the monk was poisoned.
He said the Dutch monk, who settled in Sri Lanka 12 years ago, was basically a loner. He kept to himself and went on pindapatha alone. As a lover of animals, he set aside a part of the alms he received to feed them. He even reared a young injured animal in his Kutiya.
Asked whether any arrests have been made or are imminent, the senior police official replied, “it depends on the outcome of the continuing investigations. We need to clear some existing doubts surrounding the prelate’s death”.
Meanwhile, a close associate, who now lives in New Zealand, said the Dutch monk was residing in northern Thailand and left for Sri Lanka in 2008.
“I was very close to Ven. Tone Jinawamso thera, as he was known there”, he said.
Requesting anonymity, he told The Sunday Island from Auckland that as a well established monk, who had even translated a Thai Buddhist publication into English, he didn’t see any reason why the prelate should commit suicide.
“As a bhikku very close to me, I can assure you that he was content with the simple, uncomplicated life he led and would have never contemplated suicide”, he asserted.
The Dutch monk’s death is suspicious, he claimed. “The police should get to the bottom of it”.
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
