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Somali army searching for ‘hostages’ missing from SLAF chopper
Mogadishu (Somalia) AFP: Somalia’s military said Thursday it was searching for a number of people “taken hostage” by the militant group Al-Shabaab after a Sri Lankan air force helicopter operated by the UN made an emergency landing in hostile territory.
The United Nations has confirmed one of its choppers was involved in an “aviation incident” in central Galmudug state on Wednesday but said nothing about the fate of the passengers and crew.
It was not immediately clear if the four-man crew were all Sri Lankans.
Somali military officials said the search was focussing on Hindhere, an area 470 km (290 miles) north of Mogadishu where the chopper is believed to have landed following a technical fault.
Somali National Army Captain Abdusalam Mohamed told AFP the exact location of the helicopter was not known.
“But we have confirmed that Al-Shabaab has taken hostage several of the personnel aboard the aircraft. We believe they are being held in the Hindhere area,” he said from a military base in Galmudug.
“There are already efforts underway to establish their whereabouts, and search operations are ongoing in the area where the aircraft vanished.”
Mohamed Adan, another military commander in Galmudug, said “some of the passengers captured by Al-Shabaab are foreigners” but could not provide further details.
An internal UN memo circulated to staff in Somalia on Wednesday said nine people were aboard the helicopter when it “crash landed” and six were reportedly taken into captivity.
One passenger was believed to have been killed and two had fled, the memo added.
“We have been briefed about the incident and it was confirmed that there is a hostage situation including foreigners but no details are available so far,” a UN staff member in Mogadishu told AFP on condition of anonymity.
Al-Shabaab, a militant group with ties to Al-Qaeda that has been waging a 16-year insurgency against the UN-backed government in Mogadishu, is yet to claim any responsibility.
It controls swathes of central and southern Somalia despite a government counteroffensive, US air strikes and thousands of African Union troops on the ground in the fragile Horn of Africa nation.
Helicopters were seen flying low over the Galmudug town of Wisil on Thursday, Osman Warsame, a traditional elder in the area, told AFP.
“We have been told they are looking for the missing helicopter and its passengers,” he said, adding that the area was under Al-Shabaab control.
The government vowed “total war” on Al-Shabaab in 2022 but the offensive has stalled despite early gains, with the militants still holding ground and launching deadly attacks on civilian and military targets.
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
