News
President-Nuland meeting: FNO asks if govt. took up issue of US vilifying Army Chief
‘Travel ban on Shavendra insult to entire country’
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Top spokesperson for the Federation of National Organisations (FNO), Dr.Wasantha Bandara, has asked whether the government raised during Under Secretary for Political Affairs, US Department of State, Victoria Nuland’s high profile visit to Colombo, the categorisation by the US of Army Chief General Shavendra Silva, who is also the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), as a war criminal
The government certainly owed an explanation, Dr. Bandara said.
Referring to the statement issued by the President’s Media Division (PMD), and the joint communiqué issued by the Foreign Ministry and the US Embassy, which dealt with the so-called fourth Partnership Dialogue, Dr. Bandara pointed out there hadn’t been any reference to humiliation of Sri Lanka on the basis of unsubstantiated war crimes allegations.
“How could Sri Lanka engage in partnership dialogue with the US when its war-winning armed forces are vilified in this manner?” Dr. Bandara asked.
Dr. Bandara said that Sri Lanka should be ashamed of failing at least to make its position clear when the US delegation raised a range of concerns, as well as those of the European Union (EU).
Shavendra Silva commanded the celebrated 58 Division that played a pivotal role during Sri Lanka’s biggest offensive (2007-2009) on the Vanni front.
The Joint Statement dealt with the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and cooperation on maritime security in the Indian Ocean, and other concerns, Dr. Bandara said. “Sri Lanka cannot be silent on the war crimes issue,” the civil society activist said, adding that those who wielded political power today should realise that the labeling of General Silva as a war criminal was an affront to the entire country.
The previous US administration announced the travel ban on Gen. Silva, in early Feb 2020, soon after the last presidential election.
Dr. Bandara said that the government should be concerned about some members of the British Parliament pushing for punitive measures against Gen. Silva on the basis of the US travel ban on the Sri Lankan military leader.
The FNO spokesperson said that Lord Naseby, who provided Sri Lanka ‘ammunition’ to counter war crimes accusations, way back in 2017, must have been quite disappointed that the country never used available information to counter the US-led war crimes campaign against Sri Lanka. Dr. Bandara said that he expected Lord Naseby, who is here to launch ‘Sri Lanka: Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained’ tomorrow (29) at the BMICH, to comment on the failure on the part of successive governments to exploit information provided by him.
Dr. Bandara said that since the Yahapalana administration co-sponsored an accountability resolution at the Geneva-based Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Oct 2015, Western powers had acted on unsubstantiated allegations against the military. In addition to General Silva, several others, including Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, and Maj. Gen. Udaya Perera, had been denied visas by the US, whereas Australia had refused visa to Maj. Gen. Chagie Gallage, Dr. Bandara said.
Dr. Bandara said that those who repeatedly promised to take up false war crimes accusations with Western powers, in the run-up to the last presidential and parliamentary polls, in Nov 2019 and Aug 2020, respectively, had been conveniently silent.
The FNO official said that those who had voted against Sri Lanka, at the UNHRC, wanted the government to back the US stand on the ongoing war in Ukraine. The government seemed unable to cope up with the US-led coalition undermining Sri Lanka as the country struggled on the economic front, he added.
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
