News
UK considers imposing sanctions on Gen. Silva, others over ‘war crimes’
Gammanpila urges govt. to place all ‘evidence’ before Geneva
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The House of Commons has been told that the UK government is exploring the possibility of imposing sanctions on Sri Lanka’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Shavendra Silva and other members of the military.The UK has reiterated its readiness to use what Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) Minister Jesse Norman called, diplomatic tools including sanctions amidst the ongoing 51 sessions of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
The sessions, which commenced on Sept. 12, will conclude on Oct. 08.The former Financial Secretary to the Treasury has said that the government kept the situation, in Sri Lanka, under close review, including in relation to human rights and accountability. “Within this, the government keeps under active consideration how to use the diplomatic tools we have, including sanctions,” Minister Norman has said.
Lawmaker Norman received the appointment as FCDO Minister, on Sept 07, 2022,following the appointment of Elizabeth Truss as the Prime Minister, on the previous day. At the time Truss received the premiership, she served as the FCDO Minister.
Conservative Party Minister Norman has said so in response to a query raised by Beth Winter representing the Labour Party (Cynon Valley). The lawmaker has asked the FCDO Minister of the recent assessment made of the potential merits of imposing sanctions on (a) the Sri Lankan Chief of Defence Staff, Shavendra Silva, and (b) other members of the Sri Lankan military.
The question has been actually directed at Truss, at the time she served as the FCDO Minister, though the government responded to the query, following her appointed as the Prime Minister.
Minister Norman has said that their Global Human Rights Sanctions regime is a powerful mechanism in the hands of the UK Government meant to hold accountable those who had been involved in serious human rights violations or abuses. The Minister said that their strategy was intended to send a clear signal of the values the UK held.
The Minister said: “The UK Government continues to consider designations globally, guided by evidence and the objectives of the human rights sanctions regime; but it is not appropriate to speculate on potential future designations, in order to avoid reducing their impact.”
British political parties have stepped up attacks on the war-winning Sri Lankan military, especially General Silva in the wake of the US issuing a travel ban, in Feb 2020, on the wartime General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the celebrated Task Force I/58 Division. The US travel ban also covered General Silva’s immediate family.
The Sri Lanka Core Group, led by the UK, recently handed over a new resolution to the UNHRC seeking further action against those whom the group considered human rights violators. The 47-member council, divided into five zones, is expected to vote for the resolution, next week.
Former Minister and leader of Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Udaya Gammanpila told The Island that the government should at least now place all available information, pertaining to the conflict, before the Geneva council. Acknowledging that successive governments, including those he served as a Minister, neglected the accountability issues, and thereby allowed interested parties to humiliate the war-winning military, lawmaker Gammanpila said that the move against the CDS was an affront to the country.
The Attorney-at-Law said that the FCDO’s position should be challenged on the basis of wartime dispatches it received from the UK High Commission in Colombo (January –May 2009). Thanks to untiring efforts made by Lord Naseby, the world knew the BHC, Colombo, reported to FCDO that 40,000 Tamil civilians didn’t die as alleged by interested parties, lawmaker Gammanpila said.
The ex-Minister urged the government to review the overall picture and take tangible measures to have politically motivated efforts countered. Sri Lanka brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009. PHU leader Gammanpila asserted that perhaps Sri Lanka’s defence in Geneva should be based on wartime US Defence Advisor Lt. Col. Lawrence Smith’s declaration in Colombo, late May 2011, two years after the end of the war, that there was no basis for war crimes allegations against the Sri Lankan military.
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
