News
Top UN official visits Mannar mass graves site
US lab in 2019 determined grave dated back to 1477 and 1719
By Shamindra Ferdinando
UN Resident Coordinator in Colombo Marc-Andre Franche recently visited the Mannar mass graves site aka Sathosa mass graves site. The UN official was accompanied by some members of the UN staff here.
The visit was made in the wake of the Mullivaikkal events held on May 18 to commemorate those who perished in the last phase of the fighting on the Vanni east front. Sri Lanka brought the war to an end on May 19, 2009.
Following the visit to the North, Franche tweeted on ‘X’: “Glad to interact anew with civil society on understanding the development and social cohesion challenges in Jaffna and the wider Northern Province. It is clear stronger coordination with State and civil society is needed to ensure the needs of communities.”
The Tamil Guardian reported that Franche visited the Mannar mass graves sites and also met the families of the disappeared.
UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Marc-Andre Franche (fifth person standing from left) at the Mannar mass graves site (pictures courtesy Tamil Guardian)
Mannar mass graves site was found during the Yahapalana administration. Various interested parties immediately accused the Army of being responsible. However, six skeletal samples that had been sent to Beta Analytics Inc., in Florida, USA, to determine the age of the grave, revealed that it dates back to between 1477 and 1719.
A senior military official, who had served on the Vanni front during the Eelam War IV, told The Island that those who couldn’t stomach the LTTE’s defeat would continue to propagate lies with a view to harassing the country at the Geneva human rights sessions. “If they are not prepared to believe the assessment made by an internationally recognized US lab, with regard to the Mannar mass graves, what more can we do to address their concerns?” the officer asked, recalling the wild declaration made by former Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran, accusing the military of poisoning 104 LTTE cadres undergoing rehabilitation. That lie, too, was exposed, the officer said, urging the UN and other interested parties to make an effort to at least identify those living overseas, under assumed names, while they remained categorised as forcibly disappeared.
Chairman of Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera said that the government should take tangible measures to protect the warwinning military.
Interested parties seemed to be making an effort to revive accusations with regard to the Mannar mass graves for obvious reasons, while the UN plays the role of a willing accomplice in a continuing campaign to tarnish the war-winning Army that sacrificed so much for this country’s unity and territorial integrity, the former Navy Chief of Staff said.In another rather strange act of the present UN Resident Coordinator, one of his first acts on arriving in Sri Lanka was to pay a much puiblicised visit to the JVP Headquarters at Pelawatte.
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
