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SIS, etc., must be made statutorily accountable to Parliament – Zuhair
Former MP and President’s Counsel M. M. Zuhair, has said that the National Security Council, and related institutions such as the State Intelligence Service (SIS), which often depend on foreign inputs as well must be made statutorily accountable to Parliament.
The following is the text of a statement issued by the former senior State Counsel, who also served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Iran, on the Easter Sunday attacks Fundamental Rights’ Judgment: “In its concluding remarks, the Supreme Court, in what has already been widely welcomed as a historical judgment, has said “…we must express our shock and dismay at the deplorable want of oversight and inaction that we have seen in the conduct of affairs, pertaining to Security, Law and Order and Intelligence”, in words clear and penetrating!
The seven-judge divisional bench of Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, having dispassionately analysed the evidentiary material placed by all parties, before the Court, had laid bare before the nation the ‘deplorable’ state of affairs, within these vital institutions.
The Supreme Court called for ‘legislative’, ‘structural’ and ‘administrative’ changes in these institutions, having found that there were glaring examples of a lack of ‘strategic co-ordination’, ‘expertise’ and ‘preparedness’ which had cost the country avoidable ‘deaths and devastation’. The country’s highest Court bemoaned that the failures “have left an indelible blot on the security apparatus of the country, which is blessed by a multi-cultural and multi religious polity…” (Page 120).
The Court called for the country’s National Security Council (NSC) to be placed on a statutory footing. Apart from adverting to several constitutional provisions, the highest Court had quoted verbatim section 56 of the Police Ordinance of 1865 on the “duties and liabilities” of Police Officers, requiring every police officer “to use his best endeavours and ability to ‘prevent’ all crimes, offences and public nuisances” and “to obey and execute all orders and warrants ‘lawfully’ issued…” (Page 99). These findings of the Supreme Court call for urgent remedial actions by the State to prevent possible future human disasters.
Security-related matters, which are at times discretely labelled ‘secret’ and shut out from public discourse and from even Courts of Law would not have come up for public evaluation, if not for the fundamental rights petitions filed by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), the Church and several others. The Supreme Court had thereby got the opportunity to warn the concerned authorities and hopefully help prevent future massacres.
Indeed, the NSC, and related institutions, such as the State Intelligence Service (SIS), which often depend on foreign inputs, as well, must be made statutorily accountable to Parliament. There have been many instances of false and deceptive intelligence fed in both by external and internal agencies and persons. Some false reports planted through foreign conduits and published in the media in the recent past have been refuted from time to time by the Defence Ministry. Sadly, however, accurate reports have not been acted upon!
There had been reports of payments allegedly made to 21/4 suicide bomber Zahran Hashim by security agencies, which may be totally false but, if true, may expose a more terrible state of affairs. The phone communications of the eight suicide bombers, except one, prior to the 21/4 attacks, were mysteriously not forthcoming! No efforts were being made to investigate and seek the extradition, from India, of Pulasthini Rajendran, alias Sarah, wife of the Katuwapitiya Church suicide bomber, who, according to the evidence of a Chief Inspector before the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, on the Easter attacks, had fled to India, by sea, in September 2019. Accountability and transparency are necessary to prevent an unaccountable ‘Deep State’ functioning within the State, abused sometimes for political and other purposes.
The Attorney General acts in good faith on versions given by investigators, which have turned out, at times, to be incorrect. Many are the instances when Courts have rejected such versions. The Supreme Court has once again called to attention that the ‘Rule of Law’ is always supreme.”
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
