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Prof. Peiris denies Geneva sessions influenced their Jaffna visit
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Foreign Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris during a three-day visit to Jaffna that ended up with a pow-wow with civil society activists at the Jaffna District Secretariat on Monday (31) repeatedly urged the Northern community to integrate with the South.
Twice Foreign Minister Prof. Peiris who is also the Chairman of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) emphasised the responsibility on the part of the government as well as all communities to achieve genuine post-war national reconciliation.
Jaffna District SLFP MP Angajan Ramanathan and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) heavyweight M.A. Sumanthiran, too, associated with the government’s latest initiative, ‘Access to Justice’ in Jaffna spearheaded by Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC.
Ministers Peiris, Douglas Devananda and Sabry launched the ‘Access to Justice’ project at the Jaffna Central College on Saturday (29) morning. The programme was meant to educate the northerners of the government initiatives, promote reconciliation and pay compensation to families of those who had been reported missing during the conflict.
Sri Lanka brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009.
Addressing a gathering at the Jaffna University soon after the event at the Jaffna Central College, Prof. Peiris explained the work undertaken by the Justice Ministry.
Prof. Peiris was flanked by Minister Sabry and Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University Professor Sivakolundu Srisatkunarajah.
Minister Peiris pointed out that compensation amounting to Rs 100 mn had been so far paid through the Office for Reparations for missing persons’ families.
The Office for Reparations is one of the four mechanisms Sri Lanka promised to establish in terms of the 30/1, 34/1 and 40/1.The other mechanisms are Office on Missing Persons, Judicial Mechanism with a Special Counsel and Commission for Truth, Justice, Reconciliation and Non-Recurrence.
Recalling a visit to the Jaffna University during his tenure as the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo and subsequent visits as a politician, Prof. Peiris urged the academics and the undergraduates therein to seek closer ties with the South.
Referring to the forthcoming sessions of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC), Prof. Peiris stressed that a section of the media had misinterpreted their visit to the North. Prof. Peiris stressed that their programme was not related whatsoever to the Geneva sessions
The next Geneva session is scheduled to commence later this month.
Prof. Peiris said that the failure on the part of the communities to resolve their differences was nothing but a national tragedy. The minister said that the communities had been sharply divided and engaged in disruptive strategies for decades.
Pointing out how the Jaffna University accommodated students from all communities, Prof. Peiris discussed how that environment could be used to encourage closer relationships among the people.
Before his meet with Jaffna-based civil society groups, Prof. Peiris addressed the media at the Jaffna Divisional Secretariat where the Foreign Minister focused on the allocation of a substantial amount of funding for northern development.
Referring to his visits to the South and Batticaloa, Prof. Peiris said that the government was keen to know about the needs and priorities of the people. The problems faced by those living in one province could be different from another region, Prof. Peiris said, explaining the efforts made by the government to meet high profile UN initiative-Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Declaring that he felt comfortable and didn’t experience hostility at all, the foreign minister said that the youth whether Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim wanted to do well in life. As their objectives were common, all communities could work together to achieve national objectives, Prof. Peiris said.
Responding to queries, Prof. Peiris explained ongoing efforts to secure assistance of friendly countries to overcome the financial crisis. Reference was also made to the ongoing talks with China to secure 1 mn tonnes of rice before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.
Other issues addressed by Prof Peiris were the closure of the Palaly Airport at the height of Covid-19 and Indian fishers poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters.
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
