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Yahapalana govt. came to power with minority votes and officials felt helpless – Ex- Defence secy.
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Given how important the support from the minorities was for the previous government, the defence establishment had to be very careful when dealing with rising Islamic extremism and radicalisation, former Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiarchchi on Thursday informed the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) investigating the Easter Sunday attacks.
Hettiarchchi said that State Intelligence Service (SIS) had identified rising Islamic extremism and radicalisation as serious issues by 2016 and steps had been taken to infiltrate and monitor those organisations. The SIS identified a large number of radicals that could pose a serious threat, and the Counter Terrorism Act (CTA), which was proposed by the previous government, was an attempt to bring in laws that could deal with extremists.
“A lot of legal experts examined the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and told us that they could not apprehend people under the PTA for radicalisation. But those people posed a serious threat and until laws were changed we took steps to work with moulavis, parents and other community leaders to advice people who had embraced extremism.”
Between late 2016 and early 2017, Hettiarchchi met a large number of Muslim political and religious leaders on establishing community mechanisms to address radicalism. Politicians like Rishad Bathiudeen, Azath Salley and children of Alavi Moulana had met him, Hettiarchchi said.
“All agreed that there was extremism. However, they also said that Sri Lanka was not an ISIS target and should not become one. ISIS targeted countries that took military action against them, they argued.”
Intelligence agencies kept tabs on the promotion of extremism promoted by certain mosques and madrasas but were hesitant to take action because of political implications.
“If those things had been happening in the majority community, we could have easily done something. We had to be very careful with Muslims and Christians. We had informed the National Security Council (NSC) of these developments and it could have done something.”
A member of the commission then asked Hettiarchchi what the political implications of taking action against extremism were. The witness said that the yahapalana government had come to power with the votes of the minorities and officials felt helpless.
“The yahapalana government won the North and the East, Mahinda Rajapaksa won all other areas. Religious and ethnic minorities were a powerful force in that government, and we couldn’t act unilaterally. That’s what we felt. We felt powerless. If something had gone wrong, officials would have had to face the consequences,” he said.
Hettiarchchi also said that he had made a proposal to ban the niqab, a veil worn by some Muslim women in public, covering all of the face apart from the eyes. He felt that the niqab was a threat to the national security and it should be banned at least in public spaces, Hettiarchchi 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
