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Truth about Easter Sunday terror attacks will remain concealed, as long as its perpetrators and their associates are in Govt – SJB MP Nalin Bandara
By Saman Indrajith
Kurunegala District SJB MP Nalin Bandara told Parliament on Thursday that the truth regarding the Easter Sunday terror attacks will remain hidden as long as the murderers and their accomplices continue to hold seats in the government.
Participating in a two-day debate on Channel 4’s exposé of the Easter Sunday carnage, MP Bandara stated that political leaders and their henchmen officers have been obstructing and concealing the truth for years.
As Bandara commenced his speech, State Minister of Rural Road Development, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as Pillayan, raised a point of order. Pillayan expressed support for an international probe into the Easter Sunday attacks but criticized opposition MPs for making childish statements.
SJB MP Nirshoan Perera retorted that while Pillayan might view the events as mere child’s play, the Easter Sunday terror attacks were undoubtedly not child’s play for those who lost their loved ones and continue to suffer from the wounds.
MP Bandara emphasized that these acts may seem trivial to those responsible for bombing the Temple of Tooth Relic, assassinating former MP Joseph Pararajasingham, leading the clandestine unit known as Tripoli camp, and murdering approximately 600 policemen in the East during wartime. Pillayan had been imprisoned on charges related to Joseph Pararajasingham’s killing, and during that time, some members of Zahran’s group were also in prison for incidents in Kaththankudi.
Their connection was strengthened, with Pillayan introducing Zahran to Suresh Sallay. This marked the origin of the conspiracy that eventually led to the Easter Sunday attacks. The need for launching these attacks arose when the Rajapaksas and their supporters failed during the 52-day constitutional coup. The courts ruled against the 52-day government, prompting the conspirators to put their Plan B into action. It began immediately after Ranil Wickremesinghe was sworn in as Prime Minister once again following the court order rejecting the 52-day government.
They initiated the destruction of Buddha statues in Mawanella. Zahran’s wife, Hadiya, testified that a person named Abu Hind instructed Zahran from abroad to expedite the attacks. However, police investigators who recently briefed MPs on Easter Sunday shamelessly claimed that there was no Abu Hind, dismissing it as a mythical story. If we accept the police investigators’ account, then Abu Hind becomes a myth, and Hadiya’s testimony is deemed false. These investigators continue the cover-up, following in the footsteps of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
MP Bandara said that there is undeniable evidence linking Zahran Group to Army intelligence, citing four indisputable instances that point to Sallay’s leadership of Army intelligence having ties with the group. Firstly, there was an IP address of an intelligence officer who used his girlfriend’s mobile phone to contact members of the Zahran group, information provided by the FBI, which was not further investigated.
Secondly, a terrorist initially intended to detonate himself at Hotel Taj but changed his plans after receiving a phone call and instead met with an intelligence officer in Dehiwala. Wellawatte police’s attempts to investigate were thwarted by intelligence units. Thirdly, when two policemen were assassinated in Vaunathivu, Army intelligence repeatedly claimed that the LTTE was responsible and even placed an LTTE jacket to mislead CID investigations into the assassination.
Fourthly, when the police apprehended Sadeeq and Haq, who vandalized Buddha statues in Mawanwella and brought them to Colombo for questioning, Army intelligence officers intercepted them twice, insisting that they were needed for their own investigations. These instances strongly suggest a connection between Army intelligence and the Zahran group. Sallay’s investigations seemed to focus on isolating the Muslim community and inciting communal animosity against Muslims.
Bandara said that everyone knows the incumbent President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, was not aware of the conspiracy behind the Easter Sunday attacks. “He was the Prime Minister at the time. When he visited the Defence Ministry soon after the attacks, they did not even offer him a chair to sit on. He had been removed from the National Security Council many months before the attacks.”
MP Bandara concluded by stating that Catholics today suffer because they voted for Gotabaya and this government, which was allegedly involved in the terror attacks. He said that this conspiracy will eventually come to light, but it won’t happen until the officers appointed by Gotabaya to top positions continue to cover it up.
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
