News

The Sri Lankan government’s pardon of 16 prisoners convicted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), however welcome, does not address the urgent need to repeal the draconian law, Human Rights Watch said today.

The LRT project, which was funded by the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), involved a 15.7-km elevated railway track with 16 stations from Colombo Fort to Malabe.

The loan agreement of approximately Rs. 48 billion pertaining to the project was signed between Sri Lanka and Japan in March 2019.  

The highly concessional loan agreement included a 40-year repayment period for funds obtained for consultation services with a grace period spanning 12 years, a 0.1% interest rate per annum for civil work and equipment, and a 0.01% interest rate for engineering services.  

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had instructed to terminate the USD 2.2 billion LRT project stating that the project was “very costly and not the appropriate cost-effective transport solution for the urban Colombo transportation infrastructure."

After auditing government accounts, the Auditor General revealed that the project consultants have maid a claim of Rs. 5896 million in losses and damages.

However, Urban Development, Water Supply and Housing Facilities Ministry Secretary Dr. Priyath Bandu Wickrema had stated that the bilateral loan agreement between the Sri Lankan and Japanese governments has no conditions on compensation or penalties to be paid in case of delay or cancellation of the Colombo LRT project.

He had stated that the JICA had allocated USD 280 million to initiate the project under the first phase but only about USD 20 million had been incurred as costs and as such, only that amount will have to be paid back by the Sri Lankan government if the project is cancelled.

A prominent prisoner’s rights organisation claims that giving special treatment to a pro-government prisoner while disregarding the policy of treating all prisoners equally, violates prisoners’ basic rights and causes a massive damage to the rule of law.

Testifying to the camaraderie and close cooperation between Armed Forces of India and Sri Lanka way beyond the boundaries of the two countries, 135 Indian and 103 Sri Lankan peacekeepers from the two countries serving with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) received medals of recognition from the UN Force Commander in Bor earlier this week for their contribution.

Recognizing the services by peacekeepers from the India and Sri Lanka, UN Force Commander Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar congratulated them for ‘their contributions towards the fulfilment of the UNMISS mandate in this challenging environment’.

These peacekeepers were selected from among troops belonging to various nationalities. With 2,418 Indian and 686 Sri Lankan personnel, they jointly constitute more than 20% of the total strength of serving personnel in UNMISS.

Indian peacekeepers are mainly stationed in Bor, Pibor and at a temporary operating base in Akobo. Medal winners from Sri Lanka are from the Blue Berets aviation unit.

The Indian peacekeepers serve in sensitive parts of South Sudan and have engaged in a variety of activities, including civil-military cooperation such as veterinary camps in different parts of the country.

Sri Lankan peacekeepers continue to carry out their relentless work despite two helicopters being shot in the past.

Former Colombo district parliamentarian Duminda Silva is likely to be released today (24) following a Presidential pardon, The Morning reported.

Legal sources told The Morning that the necessary arrangements for the release have been completed.

Duminda Silva was jailed in September 2016 after the Colombo High Court found him and four others guilty in the murder of former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.

At the time of the assassination, former parliamentarian Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra served as the Director General of Trade Union Affairs of President Mahinda Rajapaksa while Duminda Silva served as the monitoring MP of the Defence Ministry.

U.S. President Joe Biden has announced his intent to nominate Julie Chung as Ambassador to represent the United States in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, the White House announced on Tuesday (15).

The Court of Appeal granted bail to former Director of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) SSP Shani Abeysekera and Sub Inspector Sugath Mendis today (16).

“Global oil prices came down in 2020 to average $ 43 per barrel compared to $ 64 in 2019, but no benefit to Lankan consumers,” the SJB MP tweeted. “Fuel import saving $ 1.3 billion in 2020 but CPC public guaranteed debt increased by 16% in 2020 to Rs. 345 billion. Government management is costing citizens at every level,” Wickramaratne added.

Pointing out that the blame game on fuel price increase is a farce, the former state finance minister said the government must be held accountable for its multiple failures.

"I propose that those who made the decision to import vehicles during a pandemic and economic crisis resign," Wickramaratne said on Twitter.

On Friday (18), the 47-member Geneva forum unanimously passed a resolution brought by Britain and the European Union (EU) without a vote.

The UN's resolution called "upon the Myanmar armed forces to respect the people's will as freely expressed by results of the general election of November 8, 2020, to end the state of emergency, to respect all human rights of people of Myanmar and to allow the sustained democratic transition of Myanmar, including the opening of the democratically elected parliament, and by working towards bringing all national institutions, including the armed forces, under a fully inclusive civilian government that is representative of the people's will."

Belarus called for a vote on the resolution in the 193-member UNGA but supporters of the resolution had hoped that it would be passed unanimously by consensus.

The resolution was finally passed with 119 countries voting 'yes', Belarus voting 'no' and 36 countries abstaining, including Myanmar’s neighbors China and India, along with Russia, according to the news agency AP.

The violence used by Myanmar's armed forces against unarmed opponents since the coup in February has shocked the world with more than 800 people reported to have been killed.

Meanwhile, senior journalist and former Director General of the Sri Lanka Press Complaints Commission and Director General of the Government Information Department, Dr. Ranga Kalansooriya questioned the government on its decision to abstain from voting.

The UNP leader made these remarks in response to the Resolution adopted by the European Parliament which called for the repeal of Sri Lanka's Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) as the law is deemed incompatible with the conventions that the country has to implement under the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP+) granted to the island nation.

Issuing a special statement today (13), the former Prime Minister said:

"Our government took action to regain the GSP+ from the European Union to assist in developing the country's economy in 2017. This facility provides Sri Lanka with permission to export goods to Europe without taxation, which led to a boom in the garment and fishing industries.

An issue has arisen in the European Parliament this week regarding the GSP+ tax concession. We have been warned that this concession will be revoked.

Our tourism industry is at risk at this time due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the sinking of the X-Press Pearl, issues have arisen for our fishing industry as well. The number of people going abroad for employment has decreased. Therefore, our foreign exchange has fallen.

Sri Lanka borrowed $200 million from Bangladesh due to the economic crisis caused by the decline in our foreign exchange. At present, only the tea and garment industries are able to earn foreign exchange for our country.

In such a case, we are reliant on the GSP+. If this tax relief is lost, the rupee will depreciate further and we will have to pay around 300 rupees per dollar. It will also lead to the loss of thousands of jobs.

In the face of the danger that has arisen, the GSP+ must not be politicized. The government should take immediate action to protect the concession. Do not add any more weight to the heavy economic burden that the people are carrying. I urge the government not to destroy the country."