News
UK lawmakers for Tamils seek punitive measures against Sri Lanka
British barrister elected as the next Chief Prosecutor at the ICC
Elliot Colburn (Conservative Party) on behalf of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPGT) has requested the UK government to take tangible measures to establish an evidence gathering mechanism, inquire into the suitability of international accountability mechanisms in respect of Sri Lanka and push for the appointment of a Special Rapporteur.
The UK heads the six-member Sri Lanka Core Group. APPGT has intervened on behalf of the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora in the wake of Lord Naseby, President All Party British-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Group sought to set the record straight as regards war crimes accusations. Lord Naseby made representations to the UNHRC.
The following is the text of letter dated Feb 22 written by Colburn to Dominic Raab MP:
Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs: “I write with reference to the draft UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution on Sri Lanka published by the United Kingdom on behalf of the Core Group on Sri Lanka.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group, for Tamils (APPGT) is concerned that the draft resolution does not sufficiently support the important recommendations by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that are critical for ensuring progress towards accountability in Sri Lanka.
The UK has always been at the forefront of promoting human rights and international justice around the world, including in Sri Lanka. In 2014 the UK-led international efforts that successfully passed a key resolution in the UN Human Rights Council to promote accountability, justice, and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. That resolution authorised the landmark investigation by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL), into human rights abuses in the period 21 February 2002 to 15 November 2011.
The OISL’s report documented mass atrocities and human rights abuses of unspeakable brutality and on an extraordinary scale. Yet, despite repeatedly pledging to ensure accountability, and repeated extensions by UNHRC members of their deadline for doing so, successive Sri Lankan governments have delayed and obfuscated at every turn.
Six years after the OISL report, and 11 years after the end of war in Sri Lanka, it is now time for the UK and the UNHRC member states to put the victims, the so many people who lost their lives, lost loved ones, and were put through unimaginable suffering, at the forefront of international efforts to ensure justice is delivered to them, and without any further delay.
It is therefore crucial that the resolution being tabled by the United Kingdom on behalf of the Core Group on Sri Lanka, provides for concrete steps towards international accountability, in particular ensuring the collection and preserving evidence of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law perpetrated in Sri Lanka, evidence that can facilitate criminal prosecutions via an international judicial process.
To these ends, we urge you to ensure the Resolution when presented to the Council includes:
1. Evidence gathering for the purpose of criminal prosecutions
Establish an ongoing independent mechanism to collect, consolidate, preserve, and analyse evidence of the most serious international crimes and violations of international law committed in Sri Lanka between 21 February 2002 until 15 November 2011, and to prepare files in order to facilitate and expedite fair and independent criminal proceedings, in accordance with international law standards, in national, regional or international courts or tribunals that have or may in the future have jurisdiction over these crimes.
2. International Mechanism
Provide a mandate the Office of the High Commissioner to consider and report on the feasibility and appropriateness of international mechanisms for accountability, in recognition of the fact that Sri Lankan authorities have failed to prosecute alleged perpetrators of serious abuses, which may amount to war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. The international mechanisms considered should include the International Criminal Court (ICC).
The ICC was established precisely so as to ensure that perpetrators of such heinous crimes do not enjoy impunity because the State in question is unwilling or unable to prosecute them, and the UK can be justifiably proud that a leading British barrister, Karim Khan, has been elected as the next Chief Prosecutor at the ICC.
3. Special Rapporteur
Urge the Council to appoint an individual of recognized international standing and expertise in human rights as Special Rapporteur to investigate and report on human rights situation in Sri Lanka, and on the Sri Lankan Government’s compliance with its obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law. It is not only past violations and the lack of accountability for those that are concerning for us, but ongoing ones also. The UN High Commissioner’s latest report describes the deterioration in human rights protection in Sri Lanka as alarming and given the Sri Lankan government’s appalling track record, we believe international scrutiny of the situation in the coming months and years should be continuous and ongoing.
We believe the above are essential steps for ensuring accountability for the well-documented heinous international crimes that have taken place, and ongoing human rights abuses, in Sri Lanka. After over a decade of promised yet ultimately denied justice for the victims, we also believe these are the minimal steps that the UK should pursue, if our commitment to human rights, international rule of law, and justice is not to appear hollow, to both the victims and the perpetrators.”
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
