News
‘War crimes’: Not only individuals but also entire fighting divisions ‘blacklisted’ – Foreign Minister
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Foreign Minister, Ali Sabry, PC, yesterday (05) said entire fighting divisions which had been deployed on the Vanni front during Eelam War IV (2006-2009) had been ‘blacklisted’ on the basis of findings made by the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).
Minister Sabry called it a move to tarnish Sri Lanka’s image. He said so when The Island asked him how President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government intended to counter an attempt by a section of the international community to adopt punitive measures against senior military personnel such as Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, MP, Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, and Maj. Gen. (retd.), Chagie Gallage, on the basis of unsubstantiated allegations.
The issue came up at a media briefing called by the Foreign Ministry to explain the current state of affairs with the focus on staff-level agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with regard to USD 2.9 bn loan facility and the forthcoming Geneva sessions.
Minister Sabry will lead the delegation for the 51 sessions next week. Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC will be among the delegates.
Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane, a retired member of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service, too, responded to some of the issues raised by the media.
Minister Sabry said that in addition to the individuals mentioned, the entire Divisions had been targeted. The President’s Counsel also made reference to obstacles faced by the military in undertaking missions under UN command due to unsubstantiated allegations directed at them.
When The Island questioned the reluctance on the part of the Foreign Ministry to properly defend the war winning armed forces, particularly the inordinate delay in exploiting disclosures made by Lord Naseby in the UK House of Lords, Minister Sabry emphasized that the ministry hadn’t been hesitant. The Minister explained that they had addressed this issue at different levels.
An explanation was also sought as to why UN accusations pertaining to the massacre of as many as 40,000 Tamil civilians on the Vanni east front couldn’t be countered on the basis of exposed classified UK diplomatic dispatches.
Lord Naseby made the shocking disclosure in the House of Lords in Oct 2017.
Asked whether the US denied visa to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over his role as the wartime Defence Secretary, Minister Sabry said that he was not aware of such a situation.
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had to seek shelter in Male in mid-July before flying to Thailand after the US refused to issue him a visa. Responding to another query, Minister Sabry said that he didn’t inquire from the former President about the circumstances he was denied the visa.
Responding to other print and electronic media, the former Justice Minister stressed that Sri Lanka was ready to form a Truth Seeking Commission to address the grievances of those who suffered during the conflict. The President’s Counsel said there was a responsibility on the part of the government to ensure that the armed forces, too, get an opportunity to answer accusations directed at them.
Minister Sabry reiterated the stand taken by his predecessor Prof. G. L. Peiris that whatever the solution that couldn’t be outside the Constitution under any circumstances. The minister stressed that President Wickremesinghe’s government was prepared to set up a domestic mechanism (Truth Seeking Commission) in line with the Constitution.
Minister Sabry said that an external mechanism established to gather evidence pertaining to alleged war crimes was not acceptable to Sri Lanka.
At the onset of the briefing, Minister Sabry explained that the staff level agreement with the IMF entirely depended on the success in working out debt restructuring plan with Sri Lanka’s creditors. Referring to President Wickremesinghe policy statement and the interim budget, Minister Sabry explained measures taken by the government to improve the ground situation.
The Foreign Minister strongly defended measures taken by President Wickremesinghe to restore law and order. Acknowledging that those who had been struggling to make ends meet launched street protests, Minister Sabry alleged that certain elements exploited the situation. The failure to take countermeasures would have plunged the country into a vicious circle of violence, Minister Sabry said, alleging a section of the foreign media of giving only one sided story.
Minister Sabry said that if the anarchic situation was allowed to continue we would have ended up like Libya, Iraq or Venezuela. In spite of them having quite extensive natural resources, they still couldn’t recover as their institutions had been destroyed, the minister said.
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
