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As President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has decided to move ahead with plans to completely restructure state-owned institutions and corporations, it is reported that he would remove all heads of institutions who have failed to show satisfactory progress in the recent past.

A senior official at the Presidential Secretariat said that the President has decided to start the overhaul process by removing members of the "Viyathmaga' organisation who have been appointed as heads of state institutions.

As such, the President has already instructed the Chairman and Director General of the National Youth Services Council, Theshara Jayasinghe, and the Chairman of the Vocational Training Authority , Damitha Wickramasinghe, to resign from their posts, the senior official said.

He further said that with several heads of state institutions to be axed in the coming days, the President will also look at removing ministers who have been unable to achieve satisfactory performances in their respective ministries.

Is the country run by 'Viyathmaga'?

The President has decided to clean house starting with the members of the 'Viyathmaga' organisation after considering allegations levelled against the organisation by certain elements within the government.

It is alleged that the current crisis faced by the government is due to the fact that the heads of Viyathmaga who run the country's affairs have no proper understanding of politics.

When we reached out to a close associate of the President, he rejected the allegations calling them totally unfounded.

"Since the new government assumed office, around 160 people have been appointed as heads of state institutions and corporations. Out of that amount, only 20 Viyathmaga members have been appointed as chairpersons. Even those are eminent professionals. There is only one Cabinet minister from Viyathmaga to go with 4 state ministers. Only one Governor out of the nine appointed represents the Viyathmaga organisation. With regard to ambassadors, only three have been appointed so far. Therefore, it is difficult to accept the idea that the Viyathmaga organisation is responsible for controlling the government's affairs. In fact, the government is controlled by the same old people," he added.

Twenty-four Tamils have been deported from Germany to Sri Lanka. Citing the danger returnees face, a refugee support organization and a Catholic priest condemned the action. According to Germany's federal police, a flight with 24 Tamils took off from Düsseldorf airport on Tuesday (March 30) evening. On board were 24 Tamils, who were brought to the airport from a deportation detention center in Büren in the German state of North-Rhine Westphalia (NRW).

German public broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) reported on Tuesday that the affected persons lived and worked across NRW, Germany's most populous state.

According to WDR, some 50 people gathered at the airport with posters to demand a stop to the deportation. On Sunday, nearly 200 people had already protested against the measure in front of the deportation detention center in Büren, WDR reported. 'Deteriorating situation' in Sri Lanka

"Deportations to Sri Lanka were all but banned in recent years for good reasons," Birgit Naujok, managing director of the refugee council of NRW, said in an online statement.

It was inhumane to return the Tamils there, she said, especially since people with Tamil roots were subject to human rights violations in Sri Lanka.

Last week, the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (UN) confirmed this view. In a resolution, it spoke of a "deteriorating situation" in Sri Lanka and criticized "the erosion of judicial independence, marginalisation of minorities and impunity."

It further called on the Sri Lankan government to change the "law on the prevention of terrorism," which rights groups say the government uses "as a weapon targeting dissidents and minorities".

On March 23, the UN council announced it would "collect and preserve information and evidence of crimes related to Sri Lanka's 37-year long civil war".

The civil war between the government and the insurgent Tamils ended in 2009. According to the UN report, the government committed several war crimes, including against its own citizens. They have not been dealt with sufficiently though, the UN said. Letter to Seehofer

Albert Koolen, a Catholic priest from Krefeld, also in NRW, has spoken out against the deportation last week. In an open letter to German Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, he called the deportation flight a "fatal signal" and asked Seehofer to stop it. The deportees could face prison, torture and death, Koolen said.

Tamils are a ethnic minority in several Asian countries. In Sri Lanka, they make up around 15% of the population. There are more than 70 million Tamils globally. (Source: infomigrants.net)

Opponents of military rule in Myanmar marched, observed strikes and sought alternative ways to communicate after most users were cut off from the internet on Friday, undaunted by the bloody suppression of protests during the past two months.

Hundreds of people have been killed demonstrating since the Feb. 1 coup, and many people have been using social media to publicise the security forces’ excesses and to organise against military rule.

The authorities, who have already shut down mobile data, ordered internet providers from Friday to cut wireless broadband, depriving most customers of access. In response, anti-coup groups have shared radio frequencies, mobile apps such as maps that work without a data connection, and tips for using SMS messages as an alternative to data services to communicate.

“In the following days, there were street protests. Do as many guerrilla strikes as you can. Please join,” Khin Sadar, a protest leader, said on Facebook in anticipation of the internet blackout, referring to quick protests in unexpected places that break up when the security forces appear.

“Let’s listen to the radio again. Let’s make phone calls to each other too.”

The military did not announce or explain its order to providers to cut wireless broadband. Internet was available only on fixed lines, rare in Myanmar where most homes and businesses connect through wireless networks.

Authorities have been struggling to stifle an opposition demanding the restoration of civilian rule and release of elected government leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other figures.

Violent incidents are occurring regularly in different parts of the country between the security forces and people set against military rule.

In the town of Tamu on the Indian border, a policeman who supported the democracy movement was killed on Friday in a clash with security forces, the Monywa Gazette reported.

Separately, security forces opened fire at a rally near the central city of Mandalay, wounding four people, two critically, according to three domestic media organisations.

In the commercial hub of Yangon, a Myanmar employee of South Korea’s Shinhan Bank died on Friday after being shot in the head while travelling in a minibus two days earlier, the bank said, adding it was discussing the situation with the government.

Adding to the chaos in the former British colony, also known as Burma, hostilities between the armed forces and ethnic minority insurgents have broken out in at least two regions.

Across the country, demonstrators held “flower strikes”, leaving bouquets, some with messages of defiance, at places associated with activists killed by the security forces.

People held up roses while making three-finger salutes, a symbol of resistance. Entire benches were covered in flowers and anti-coup messages.

One arrangement of dandelions and red roses on a lakeside walkway read: “Myanmar is bleeding”.

CHARGED UNDER OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT Despite the internet shutdown, users were still able to upload pictures of marches, flower strikes and a funeral of a slain protester.

An image shared widely on social media showed an overhead view of hundreds of flickering candles on a dark road, forming the words “we will never surrender”.

Nobel laureate Suu Kyi and four allies have been charged with violating a colonial-era official secrets act, her chief lawyer said on Thursday, the most serious charge filed against her. Violations are punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Another of her lawyers, Min Min Soe, attended Suu Kyi’s latest video-conference hearing on Thursday and said she was unable to tell whether the ousted leader, the figurehead of a decades-long fight against military dictatorship, was aware of the situation in the country.

Some 543 people have been killed in the uprising, according to the Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) advocacy group, which is tracking casualties and detentions. The military has repeatedly said those killed had instigated violence.

Protesters have been burning copies of the 2008 constitution after remnants of Suu Kyi’s administration declared that it had repealed the military-drafted charter.

Western countries have condemned the coup and the violence and some have imposed limited sanctions.

Britain on Thursday blacklisted one of the military’s conglomerates, following similar measures from other Western countries. Fashion brand Next announced it had suspended orders from Myanmar’s factories.

While Southeast Asian countries have traditionally been reluctant to criticise or sanction their neighbour, there are signs of growing dismay with a country that has for decades raised international concerns over its domestic repression.

The Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and most recently Thailand have called for an end to the violence.

Several Southeast Asian foreign ministers have been meeting separately this week with their counterpart from China, which is among the few countries able to influence Myanmar’s generals.

In an interview transcript made available late on Thursday, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said he was “alarmed and appalled” at the violence.

(Reuters)

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)  has agreed to provide USD 107 million for the development of the Sri Lanka's agriculture industry.

It is reported that stocks of coconut oil imported by three private companies that were stored in their respective warehouses have been found to contain the carcinogenic 'Aflatoxin' for the third time. State Minister of Consumer Protection Lasantha Alagiyawanna said that the relevant companies have already been instructed to re-export the stocks of coconut oil as soon as possible.

Coconut oil imported into the country by three private companies was first found to contain carcinogens during tests carried out by the Food Safety Unit of the Ministry of Health and the Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI).

The Food Safety Unit of the Ministry of Health and the SLSI first uncovered these stocks of substandard oil during routine checks on imported oil.

The Industrial Technology Institute also tested samples of coconut oil stored in warehouses belonging to these companies.

Accordingly, the results of the tests have been submitted to the Consumer Affairs Authority yesterday (01).

State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna told media that the tests carried out by the Industrial Technology Institute had also confirmed the aforementioned stocks of coconut oil to contain the carcinogenic aflatoxin.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday said China is willing to work with Sri Lanka to enhance Belt and Road cooperation and contribute to the economic revival of Sri Lanka in the post-pandemic era. Xi made the remarks during a phone call with Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Xi said China will continue to provide necessary assistance to Sri Lanka, conduct cooperation in areas including aviation and education and explore other potential cooperation areas.

Xi said China will never forget Sri Lanka's support for the restoration of China's lawful seat in the UN, and is willing to continue working with Sri Lanka to support each other on issues of mutual concern, safeguard each other's legitimate rights and promote global justice and fairness.

Rajapaksa congratulated China on the 100th founding anniversary of the Communist Party of China and spoke highly of China's achievements in fighting the pandemic and its economic recovery.

Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka hopes to learn from China's experience in poverty reduction and rural revitalization and is willing to expand cooperation in infrastructure construction, tourism and so on, so as to benefit Sri Lanka's economic development and its people.(CGTN)

Those who are responsible for the bond scam during the good governance administration will never be uncovered under the present government similar to how the masterminds behind the Easter Sunday attack and the mega sugar fraud can't be identified, popular social media activist and journalist Dharshana Handungoda said. He made this observation on the 'SL VLOG' YouTube programme referring to the political operation being executed against former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake.

"This is just a drama that is being played to hide the real culprits. This government needs to dramatize events to cover up certain issues. That is why the bond scam saga has raised its head again," Dharshana Handungoda said.   He also alleged that the real masterminds behind the Central Bank bond scam are still at large.

Video: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=596361881321567&t=0

The High Commission of India in Colombo has called for applications for ICCR scholarships for 2021-2022 academic sessions. The Government of India selects meritorious Sri Lankan nationals for award of these scholarships and the selection of candidates is done in consultation with the Ministry of Education to pursue undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD Degrees in some of the top most universities in India.

All scholarships cover full tuition fees for the entire duration of the course, monthly sustenance allowance, and annual grant for books & stationary. The Selected candidates would also be provided hostel facility inside the campus. Besides, all ICCR scholars in India are provided, air fare to the nearest destination in India and an annual grant for educational tours to various parts of the country, apart from several other auxiliary benefits.

The necessary details are available in the website of Ministry of Education at www.mohe.gov.lk.

Prospective students are advised to approach the Ministry of Education or High Commission of India, Colombo to learn more about the eligibility criteria and selection procedure for the following schiolarships.

1. Nehru Memorial Scholarship Scheme:  This scheme covers all Undergraduate courses (except Medical/Paramedical& Fashion Design course) including Engineering, Science, Business, Economics, Commerce, Humanities and Arts.

2. Maulana Azad Scholarship Scheme: Masters Degrees courses (except Medical/Paramedical& Fashion Design course) including Engineering, Science, Economics, Commerce, Humanities and Arts. However, preference would be given to the fields of Engineering, Science and Agriculture.

3. Rajiv Gandhi Scholarship Scheme: Undergraduate courses in the field of ‘Information Technology’ leading to a B.E or B.Tech Degree.

4. Commonwealth Scholarship Scheme: PhD Degrees in all subjects except Medical/ Paramedical& Fashion Design course.

  The necessary details are available in the website of Ministry of Education at www.mohe.gov.lk. Prospective students are advised to approach the Ministry of Education,Sri Lanka or High Commission of India, Colombo to learn more about the eligibility criteria and selection procedure.

Scholarships for children of estate workers

Furthermore, the Indian High Commission has extended an invitation to the children of estate workers, for award of scholarships by the Ceylon Estate Workers’ Education Trust (CEWET).  

These scholarships are available for G.C.E. Advanced Level, Undergraduate courses and for students undergoing Vocational/Technical education in any other Government Technical Colleges in Sri Lanka.

Students who have passed G.C.E. Ordinary Level (with minimum 6 credit passes) or Advanced Level examination and below 25 years of age are eligible to apply for this scholarship.  

The completed application forms must be attached with photocopies of birth certificate, result sheet of G.C.E ‘O’ Level or ‘A’ Level, latest salary slip of parents and Estate Superintendent’s certificate regarding parent’s occupation. Application forms could be downloaded at the High Commission of India,  Colombo website www.hcicolombo.gov.in

Application forms could also be obtained from the High Commission of India, 36-38, Galle Road, Colombo-03 and the Assistant High Commission of India, No.31, Rajaphilla Mawatha, Kandy.

Duly completed forms should reach the Honorary Secretary, CEWET c/o High Commission of India, P.O. Box 882, Colombo-03 on or before 30th of April 2021.

The Sri Lanka Life Saving (SLLS) organisation held a graduation ceremony on March 27 for trainees who recently completed an intensive training conducted in partnership with the United States.

Following the successful first manned space flight by Yuri Gagarin on the 12th of April, 1961, earning the title of ‘First Cosmonaut’, he made his first visit to Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) a mere 8 months later on the 7th of December 1961. The year 2021 marks 60 years since this historic moment and the Russian House in Colombo jointly with the Sri Lanka Russia Friendship Society have organized a special Stamp and Photographic Exhibition to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s Space Flight and Visit to Ceylon on the 6th, 7th and 8th of April, 2021, comprising over a thousand rare and original post stamps on the first manned space mission and space exploration which will be on display for the general public at the Russian House in Colombo.

The inauguration ceremony of the event will be held on the 6th of April, 2021 at the Russian House in Colombo with the presence of Dr. Seetha Arambepola, M. P., State Minister of Skills Development Vocational Education, Research and Innovation as the Chief Guest, Susil Premajayantha M. P., State Minister of Education Reforms, Open Universities and Distance Learning Promotion and President of the Sri Lanka Russia Friendship Society, Yuri Materiy, the Ambassador of the Russian Federation, and Dr. Saman Weerasinghe, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Russia Friendship Society.

The stamp exhibition part of the event has been organized in collaboration with Anura Samarawea, Philatelic Expert and Assistant Treasurer of the Philatelic Society of Sri Lanka. He is also a member of the International Association of Philatelic Journalists. He has been maintaining his ties with the Russian House in Colombo since younger days where he was a member of the Soviet Cultural House in the year 1973 while being the guitarist of the first musical group of the Soviet Cultural House.

In addition to the stamp exhibition, there will also be a photo exhibition pertaining to Yuri Gagarin’s Spaceflight and Visit to Ceylon.

These material were obtained from the Russian House archives as well as with the assistance of the Department of National Archives.

Adding more colour to the event, a special guest will be present to share her experience as ‘the girl who was chosen to garland Gagarin’ in 1961; Magilin Nona, a local hero of the country who is a living witness of that glorious day.

We invite all enthusiasts to join us in celebrating this momentous occasion as we will open the exhibition for the public from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. on the 7th and 8th of April, 2021 to walk through this unique experience.

Sri Lanka has amended the list of designated persons published in the Gazette Extraordinary No.1992/25 of November 9, 2016.