News
Threat to freedom of expression and return of dreaded ‘white van” culture
Church authorities express outrage over the improper arrest of prominent activist Shehan Malaka Gamage
By Robin Gomes
The arrest of an outspoken young Catholic activist last week has drawn the condemnation of Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, who expressed concern over the threat to the freedom of expression and the return of the dreaded ‘white van” culture in Sri Lanka.
Shehan Malaka Gamage was taken into custody by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under dramatic circumstances while he was walking on the road. He streamed his chaotic arrest in a video on Facebook. It shows the activist demanding the document warranting his arrest from the plain-clothed men who came in a white van.
Cardina Ranjith of Colombo on Tuesday lashed out at the arrest saying it was an “abduction”. He said the government was targeting those who criticized its failure to properly investigate the 2019 Easter Sunday terrorist attacks on churches and hotels, which killed nearly 270 people and injured at least 500.
Gamage is among the several activists who have been campaigning for justice and seeking the truth behind the suicide bombings that have been blamed on Islamist terrorists. The Catholic activist has publicly questioned whether politicians used the bombings to force a change of government in the presidential elections later that year, which saw Gotabaya Rajapaksa come to power.
Police Spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa said that Gamage was arrested for a comment he recently made with regard to the Easter Sunday attacks. He was arrested on the advice of the Attorney General (AG), who acted on details submitted by the CID, after they had interrogated Gamage for 8 days in August and September 2021, about a speech he delivered at a press conference held on 17th August 2021 in relation to the Easter attacks.
Cardinal Ranjith slammed the police over the manner of the arrest, demanding that the police should be in uniform when arresting someone and use an official police vehicle, not a white van, which recalled the way many people were abducted and made to disappear in the 1980s and later, and were never heard of.
“Police officers must read the charges against any accused when making an arrest,” he said, adding Gamage was not arrested but abducted in broad daylight. He described the police method as uncivilized and immoral, which is not suitable for a democratic community.
“If Gamage did not go live on social media, the country would have never known that he was being forcefully taken away by a group in a white van. He had the courage to reveal this to the country.” Cardinal Ranjith urged fellow citizens to respond to the attempts being made to suppress the truth through intimidation.
On Tuesday, the Maligakanda magistrate’s court granted Gamage bail and imposed a travel ban on him.
The 74-year-old cardinal has been long pressing Rajapaksa’s government for the truth behind the Easter bombings, saying that the country’s top law enforcement officers had failed to arrest the real conspirators behind the bombings, despite filing charges against some of those directly involved. The cardinal wrote a letter to Rajapaksa last year raising questions over allegations that some members of state intelligence knew and had met with at least one of the attackers.
The cardinal, whose two churches of the archdiocese were targets of the Easter bombings, also took a swipe at the present Attorney General, stressing he is a public servant, not a political stooge. He pointed out that the AG is expected to enforce the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry that probed the 2019 Easter Sunday Attacks. Instead, he is making attempts to arrest those who are calling for justice over the terror attacks. He suggested that the country’s attorney general and police chief were acting “on the whims of those in the political world.”
The churchman requested “the people to understand the conspiratorial conduct of the government” and “respond to it at the appropriate time,” He reiterated that if the issues cannot be solved locally, he would not hesitate to take it to an international level.
Father Cyril Gamini Fernando, a member of the Colombo archdiocesan committee seeking the truth behind the Easter attacks, also expressed concern over the return of the ‘white van’ culture in Sri Lanka. “We cannot approve this conduct, as such a culture is not something that is good for democracy,” he told the media. “Everyone has the freedom to speak and express. That is a fundamental right of every person,” he said expressing the fear of an emergence of a culture where people are arrested and detained for criticizing the state.(Vatican News)
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
