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UN rights chief seeks foreign prosecutions for Sri Lanka
The UN rights chief called Friday for sanctions and international prosecutions of Sri Lankan war criminals, saying Colombo had repeatedly failed to ensure accountability for wartime atrocities.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet made the comments a day after British police announced the first overseas arrest over war crimes allegations in Sri Lanka.
The island nation had drifted towards “militarisation” under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a retired army lieutenant colonel, and the rights situation was deteriorating, Bachelet said.
“In the last two years, the independence of the judiciary… and other key institutions have been eroded, and democratic space, including for human rights advocacy constricted,” she said.
In a report to be unveiled at the UN Human Rights Council sessions reviewing Sri Lanka’s record next week, she also noted that the state had dropped investigations into emblematic cases.
“There has been a further drift towards militarisation,” she said, accusing Colombo of protecting military officers facing allegations and even giving them high positions in the administration.
She urged UN Human Rights Council member states to invoke universal jurisdiction and prosecute Sri Lankan officials facing credible allegations of war crimes.
Successive Sri Lankan governments have promised but failed to investigate their own troops accused of killing thousands of Tamil civilians in the final months of the island’s decades-long Tamil separatist war.
The fighting ended in May 2009 following a no-holds-barred military offensive that crushed minority Tamil guerrillas known for their suicide bombings.
Bachelet asked member states to “explore the possibility of targeted sanctions against credibly alleged perpetrators of grave human rights violations and abuses” in Sri Lanka.
The appeal came a day after the arrest of a suspect by British war crimes police over a 2000 murder of a high-profile journalist in Sri Lanka’s northern Tamil heartland of Jaffna, where much of the fighting was concentrated.
London’s Metropolitan Police war crimes team on Thursday announced the arrest of a 48-year-old man in Northamptonshire in connection with the murder of Tamil reporter Mylvaganam Nimalrajan.
British police can investigate anyone who may fall under British jurisdiction and is suspected of committing war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide or torture anywhere in the world under a “no safe haven” policy.
Sri Lankan authorities fear the arrest of the as-yet-unnamed suspect could set a precedent for the detention of current military officers or government officials.
Jayanath Colombage, the top civil servant at the foreign ministry, told reporters in Colombo — before an advance draft of Bachelet’s report was released — that the British move could have implications for current office-holders.
“Invoking universal jurisdiction is another very debatable topic,” he said.
“Any country can use this as an excuse to target people of another country,” he added, calling it a “very big danger”.
“So we need to be prepared for that.”
Western nations have imposed travel bans on Sri Lankan military officials, including current army chief Shavendra Silva.
Colombo has rejected a UN mechanism set up last year to preserve evidence following allegations that Sri Lankan troops killed at least 40,000 civilians in the final months of the war.
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
