News
Yala mayhem: Probes stifled, 100 suspects known but not arrested
Out of 42 off-road vehicles, only seven produced in court
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Environmentalist Nayanaka Ranwella yesterday (09) claimed that he had received calls from 11 lawmakers, including a Minister on behalf of those who caused mayhem in the Yala National Park, on 22 Oct.
Ranwella, who is also the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) organiser for Bandaragama told The Island that though none had exerted pressure on him to give up the ongoing campaign against the wrongdoers, their message was clear.
Revealing that one lawmaker even had hinted that Ranwella could quite easily obtain a considerable campaign donation from one of the accused, the civil society activist pointed out that none of the political parties, represented in Parliament, took up this issue. Even the JVP was largely silent on the Yala mayhem, Ranwella said, alleging that in spite of repeated assurances, the vast majority of suspects were yet to be produced in Court.
Responding to another query, Ranwella said that of the 42-45 vehicles that entered Yala Park, on 22 Oct. only seven off-road vehicles had been taken into custody, along with 10 persons. They were produced before Tissamaharama Magistrate Tharindu Sameera, on 26 Oct., and released on personal bail of Rs 500,000 each
The issue was why others hadn’t been produced in Court as there were about 150 persons in those vehicles which entered the National Park and committed a rumpus with their off-road vehicles, Ranwella said. The Department of Wildlife Conservation owed the public an explanation as to how its officers handled the situation when some of those so-called off-road enthusiasts went berserk inside the National Park.
Ranwella emphasised that of the 42-45 off-road vehicles, nine had entered ‘Block B’, which is usually off-limit. None of those who entered that sector had been apprehended while seven vehicles were picked from the other lot, the SJB official said.
Ranwella said that Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera’s nephew was among the 10 persons produced before the Tissamaharama Magistrate. He claimed that some of those produced in Court weren’t among the group that entered the Yala National Park on 20 Oct. According to Ranwella, Minister Amaraweera’s nephew and, perhaps, two or three others produced in Court were among the troublemakers.
Asked whether his group would pursue this matter, Ranwella said that he was determined to expose the culprits. Pointing out that Cabinet Spokesperson Bandula Gunawardena had declared that President Ranil Wickremesinghe instructed the police to conduct an impartial inquiry, Ranwella said that obviously law enforcement authorities were dragging their feet.
Ranwella said that the failure on the part of authorities to disclose the identities of owners of the vehicles couldn’t be justified on any grounds. The Yala authorities should have clear and comprehensive video footage of all vehicles, Ranwella said. Therefore, all drivers and those who sat on the front seat of those off-road vehicles could be easily identified, the former Divaina journalist said, alleging that the officialdom was working overtime to save the lot.
Commenting on the gathering of such expensive vehicles, at a time the vast majority of people were struggling to make ends meet, Ranwella questioned whether any of those four-wheel drive jeeps had been imported duty free. It would be interesting to establish the identities of the original owners, as well as those who drove them, Ranwella said, adding that the government should be ashamed of the law and order situation.
Accusing the police and Wildlife Conservation Department of shoddy handling of the investigation, Ranwella said that they were inquiring into the presence of the son-in-law of a lawmaker, represented in the Cabinet, among the Yala troublemakers. Ranwella said that their inquiries revealed that the vehicle in question, too, had been registered under his name but he was yet to be arrested.
Ranwella speculated whether those who wanted Amaraweera’s nephew produced in Court wanted to save the son-in-law of the cantankerous MP as internal squabbles continued.
Ranwella said that the Yala incident could have been easily suppressed if not for the video footage released by the wrongdoers themselves. The media, including social media platforms, compelled the government at least to initiate an inquiry, Ranwella said. The environmentalist questioned the rationale in suspending seven trackers, pending investigations, when the government was yet to produce all those who participated in the Oct, 20 ‘raid,’ in Court.
Ranwella said that they were making further inquiries and depending on their findings, they would make representations to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and related authorities. Ranwella found fault with political parties, represented in Parliament for not taking up, what he called, the Yala issue, vigorously.
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
