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Third anniversary of Easter Sunday: National Shoora Council demands justice
The National Shoora Council, in a statement issued on the eve of the 3rd anniversary of the Easter Sunday carnage reiterated its often made call for justice to the victims. Also referring to injustices caused to the Muslim community, the National Shoora Council emphasized the responsibility of all concerned to ensure justice.
The following is the text of the statement issued by President of the National Shoora Council T. K. Azoor Attorney at Law: The National Shoora Council (NSC) the umbrella body of 15 Muslim Organizations with a national reach joins all Sri Lankans in remembering the third anniversary of the horrific Easter Sunday attacks of Sunday, April 21, 2019. The NSC conveys once again its profound condolences to the families of the victims of all communities, mainly Christians and tourists, who suffered from the attacks.
The NSC wishes to state that
* The Easter Sunday attacks carried out by some persons with Muslim names have nothing to do with Islam and are contrary to the fundamental principles of Islam. Recourse to self-defense is the only instance in which limited counter-response to attacks is permitted in Islam, which in any event prohibits suicide or suicide bombings or attacks.
* Muslims of Sri Lanka have co-existed peacefully with the majority as well as the minority communities, particularly the Christians throughout the history of Sri Lanka. The Easter attacks are a misguided but failed blow to the unity and peaceful co-existence of the peoples of our beloved country.
*All Muslims in Sri Lanka and internationally were shocked when the attack took place and all Islamic bodies expressed their strong condemnation. They unanimously agreed not to permit even the dead bodies of the bombers from being buried in Muslim burial grounds.
*It should be noted that respected international Islamic scholars and the Fatwa Councils have firmly stated that ISIS is an anti-Islamic militant group and that their policies and practices are completely un-Islamic.
*Many Sri Lankans including His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, have stated more than once that the Easter Sunday attack was carried out by Muslim name-bearers who had been used as cats’ paws by evil schemers to gain power. His Eminence had stated that local as well as foreign elements appear to be involved and that these allegations need an independent probe.
*Both the Parliamentary Select Committee on Easter Sunday attacks and the Presidential Commission of Inquiry had identified certain named majoritarian extremist organisations as having led to the radicalisation of the Easter attackers but thus far, two successive governments and the Attorney General had failed to prosecute any of them except as stated by the Cardinal only the Muslims were being prosecuted.
* Investigations against several hundreds of people, almost all of them Muslims arrested on suspicion are taking place at a very slow pace without a large number of them not being consented to bail for nearly three years. Not only are their families mentally depressed, frustrated, and in financial crisis, but there remains the danger of the possibility of further radicalisation of youths within the community.
*Muslims of Sri Lanka and their religious, cultural, and commercial institutions had come under continuous hate speeches, unjustified vilification, and attacks in the country since 2010 in attempts to push Muslim youths to extremism. A large number of Mosques had also come under attack. Over a hundred youths from the majority community were arrested but they were all enlarged on bail with none of them being prosecuted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) while the PTA had been reserved only to be used against the Muslims, in violation of the fundamental rights provisions of the Constitution. Majoritarian extremists burnt the effigies and denigrated Allah, worshipped by billions across the globe. Copies of the Holy Qur’an were burnt by extremists but no actions were taken against those criminals. The Muslims were deeply shocked, saddened, and hurt by these injustices.
The National Shoora Council urges positive action on the following matters: –
a. Justice must be meted out to those killed and injured in the Easter Sunday attacks irrespective of their race, religion, or ideologies.
b. Those responsible for the injustices inflicted on Muslims as disclosed in the Parliamentary Select Committee and the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Easter Sunday attacks should be prosecuted and duly punished.
c. Investigations on detainees and in custody should be concluded without any further delay and the innocent should be released immediately and legal action should be taken against suspects against whom there is actionable evidence.
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
