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Scottish blogger fears being ‘trapped’ in Lanka
A Scottish blogger fears she will now be trapped in Sri Lanka for six months after British diplomats said they could not force the countries authorities to return her passport.Kayleigh Fraser, a medical researcher from St Andrews, who has been living in the country since last year, has been locked in a legal battle with immigration officials on the island for months after they seized her passport and accused her of breaching the terms of her visa. It came after she shared images of a civil uprising on social media.
Kayleigh had been forced to go into hiding in October over fears for her safety after judges refused to grant the return of her documents. Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has said it won’t hear her case until July next year.
Desperate Kayleigh contacted the British High Commission in capital city Colombo is a last ditch attempt to get help to return home, but diplomats have said they cannot compel officials to hand over her papers or personal possessions.
With her legal battle now delayed for six months, Kayleigh says she is now ‘trapped in the country and faces arrest and detention if she shows her face in public.Kayleigh said: “My human rights are being completely disregarded.
“I need to get out of here and they are not letting me out. I’ve got no money left. I’ve got nothing.
“The position I’m in is crazy and the British government are not helping me. Why am I completely on my own?
“I am stuck in this godforsaken country with no option to get out. I don’t know what’s going to happen to me and I don’t know what else to do.”
In a letter included as part of her most recent petition to Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court, Kayleigh wrote: “I want my passport and valuables back into my custody and I want my freedom and safety guaranteed. I should not be forced to live in fear.”
Kayleigh has pinned her hopes on a fresh bid at getting her things back after top lawyer Geoffrey Alagaratnam offered to make a fresh appeal to the courts. Alagaratnam, who once led the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, is expected to argue that denying her a hearing was a breach of her human rights.
She claims she came to the attention of Sri Lanka’s authorities after sharing images of the “aragalaya” protests on her Instagram earlier this year. The civil uprising was sparked by spiralling inflation and fuel shortages and led to the collapse of the country’s government.
Human rights groups say the new administration is still suppressing protest, misusing anti-terror powers to continue cracking down on dissenters. Kayleigh was interrogated by officials over her social media posts after she was first arrested in August, and claims friends sheltering her have been intimidated and even attacked by government enforcers trying to discover her whereabouts.
British diplomats are understood to have told Kayleigh that their options are limited because she arrived in Sri Lanka with a medical visa that the government claims was acquired under false pretences. She accepts that the visa she was provided with on entering the country was a medical one, but was told not to worry about it by the agency that she gave 125,000 Sri Lankan rupees (then worth £550) to process her application. (Daily Record)
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
