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Political victimisation PCoI report not President’s private property, JVP leader says, demanding its immediate release
By Saman Indrajith
The JVP yesterday called on the government to release the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Political Victimization immediately.
Addressing the media at the party headquarters in Pelawatte, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said: “The PCoI report on political victimization is not family property of the President to keep it to himself. We have asked the government umpteen times to make it public. I made many requests at the party leaders’ meeting and Parliament sessions to that effect. We have made requests to the Speaker. Under the provisions of the Right to Information Act we made a request to the Presidential Secretariat on Jan 21. The Information Officer of the Presidential Secretariat on Feb 08 informed us that the report could not be made available. Thereafter, we made an appeal for the purpose on Feb 22. My legal counsel too made a request on Jan 29. On Feb 12 our Attorney-at- Law Sunil Watagala made another request but so far no response.
“The report contains information about cases of corruption and malpractices that took place prior to 2015. People have a right to know the report’s contents. Further, it contains information about cases of killings and abductions and massive frauds. Therefore we demand that the report be immediately made available to the public.”
The JVP leader alleged that soon after the incumbent government had come to power a PCoI was appointed under the Chairmanship of retired Supreme Court Justice Upali Abeyratne to inquire into the incidents of political victimisation. “The commission was in operation from Jan 2020 to Nov 26, 2020 and handed over its report to the President on Dec 08, 2020. Thereafter, an addendum containing 48 more pages was handed over to the President. On Jan 15 ,President Gotabaya Rajapaksa obtained Cabinet approval for directing the Attorney General to withdraw certain number of cases mentioned in the PCoI report. Among these cases are the one against Udayanga Weeratunga, who is the main accused of the infamous MiG aircraft deal, one against Udaya Gammanpila charged for defrauding an Australian businessman in a private transaction, case against Basil Rajapaksa and Thiru Nadesan about Malwana luxury house, case against Yoshita Rajapaksa as regards funds for CSN channel, case against Jaliya Wickremasuriya’s alleged purchasing of a building for the Sri Lanka’s Embassy in the US, case against Nalaka Godahewa giving funds of Securities and Exchange Commission to the Tharunyata Hetak movement, the case regarding killing and abduction of 11 youth for extortion of money, case against Pillayan on killing of Joseph Pararajasingham, the MP Raviraj murder case, case on Lasantha Wickramatunga assassination, cases on abducting and assaulting journalists Keith Noyahr, Upali Tennakoon, Poddala Jayantha and others, cases against misappropriation of public funds, Avant Garde case etc. This is nothing but trying to save fraudsters, corrupt officials and murderers using victimisation as an excuse to release them from a number of court cases.
“People have a right to know and the government should not hide the PCoI report made by the commission using public funds. The report should be made public immediately,” Dissanayake said.
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
