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The chairman of the Adani Group, Gautum Adani has thanked the Sri Lankan government for the opportunity to develop the Western Container Terminal of the Colombo Port. He said that this partnership between India and Sri Lanka is a symbol of the deep strategic relations between the two countries.

"Grateful to the leaders of GoI, GoSL, SLPA & John Keells for the opportunity to build WCT, Colombo. This partnership is a symbol of the deep strategic relations between countries with great intertwined history. It will launch decades of container growth," Adani said on Twitter.

A consortium led by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) has received a letter of intent from the Sri Lankan government to build and run the West Container Terminal (WCT) at Colombo Port with an investment of some USD 1billion, the Hindu reported.

APSEZ will own a majority stake of 51 per cent in the terminal, while local partners John Keels Holding PLC will hold 34 per cent and the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) will have the balance 15 per cent equity.

India has been looking for a terminal presence in Colombo port — a regional transhipment hub through which a large portion of India’s export-import cargo containers are transhipped — for strategic and security considerations.

Sri Lanka and China have agreed that the recommencement of negotiations on the bilateral Free Trade Agreement with the view to concluding it soon would be advantageous to Sri Lanka.

This was revealed during discussions Ambassador Dr. Palitha Kohona held with Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China Mr. Luo Zhaohui on 03 March 2021.

Ambassador Kohona also raised the issue of non-tariff barriers which are hindering access to the lucrative Chinese market for a range of natural, agricultural and industrial products.

Sri Lanka has shown interests in exploring a bilateral trade agreement with China.

Both countries now have agreed that they would embark on a free trade agreement, which is hoped to open up the vast Chinese market to Sri Lanka’s producers, manufacturers and exporters.

This would not only boost bilateral trade but help reduce Sri Lanka’s heavy reliance on traditional markets in Europe and the USA. In this regard, it is imperative that the agreement covers a substantial number of tariff lines and trade as well as address non-tariff barriers that may hinder export expansion.

Considering the reservations about adverse effects of a FTA with China, the agreement needs to be prepared carefully taking into account asymmetries between the two economies, with a rational negative list and a longer phase-out liberalisation schedule.

Vice Minister Luo warmly welcomed the Ambassador and stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China will continue to extend its fullest support to the Ambassador in Beijing and effusively acknowledged his long standing connections with China.

The long discussion that followed included cooperation and mutual support in international fora, in economic matters for post Covid-19 recovery, effective management of the Covid-19 pandemic and future high-level visits.

Vice Minister Luo assured of China’s support to Sri Lanka at the UNHRC and its continued assistance as Sri Lanka confronts a critical economic challenge.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry will proactively support efforts to increase Chinese tourism to Sri Lanka and more businesses, including SOEs, to invest in the Colombo Port City and the Hambantota Industrial Zone.

The Vice Minister acknowledged that it was time for these two Chinese supported ventures to get off the ground.

Dr. Kohona commended China for successfully eliminating extreme poverty by 2020 consistent with a key SDG and congratulated the Communist Party of China as it celebrated its 100th year Anniversary.

China’s spectacular success could be attributed to the prudent management of the country by the Party.

Sri Lanka will be implementing a National Trade Policy for the people by maintaining price stability and eliminating monopolies and oligopolies.

The 46th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is currently in session in Geneva, with a report on human rights violations in Sri Lanka being discussed and a group of countries, including the United Kingdom, planning to pass another resolution against Sri Lanka.

The group also includes Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Northern Macedonia, Montenegro and Malawi.

The group will present a draft resolution on Sri Lanka to the UN Human Rights Council on March 16. The Island recently reported that "Canada and the United Kingdom, its co-sponsoring members, are actively promoting support for the resolution against Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva."

It further stated that the Canadian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, David McKinnon, met with the High Commissioner of Bangladesh, Tarek Ariful Islam at the Canadian House (official residence of the High Commissioner of Canada) in Colombo 07, and the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, H.C. Sarah Halton had recently met with South Korean Ambassador Wunjin Jeong.

Bangladesh as well as South Korea are members of the 47-member Human Rights Commission. Meetings between diplomats in these countries are generally rare, The Island added.   But the report, presented by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, notes very different recommendations from the suggestions made by the group of co - sponsors, including targeted sanctions against Sri Lanka's perpetrators of war crimes and violence, their assets and travel bans. She called on member states of the UN Human Rights Council to consider doing so.   Michelle Bachelet's report was recently taken up and 21 countries, including Nicaragua, Eritrea and North Korea, spoke in support of Sri Lanka. Nicaragua, Eritrea and North Korea are also facing resolutions based on them in the Human Rights Council.

Cuba, Venezuela, Indonesia and Pakistan have been among those who have taken a clear stand against resolutions on Sri Lanka at the UN Human Rights Council in the past as well as this time. But in the past, they have not been able to defeat those proposals.

“The support of 21 countries is not a pleasant reality to face, Azerbaijan speaking on behalf of Sri Lanka in the Council or anywhere else really shows a big difference between perhaps the US speaking in support of Sri Lanka. Failure to recognise this is a failure to calculate the true nature of the problem” Journalist Dharisha Bastians said.   There are various opinions in the country at present and some people say that the resolution of the Human Rights Council could have adverse effects such as the imposition of economic sanctions on the country. But can the Human Rights Council really do that?       Composition of the Human Rights Council:

The Council consists of 47 member states and is elected by direct and secret ballot of the members of the United Nations General Assembly.   The General Assembly considers the role of these candidate states in promoting and protecting human rights, as well as their commitment and voluntary action in this regard.

Council membership is based on equal geographical distribution.   Accordingly, 13 seats are reserved for African countries, 13 seats for Asia-Pacific countries, 8 seats for Latin American and Caribbean countries, 7 seats for Western European and other countries and 6 seats for Eastern European countries.

Relevant countries hold a three-year membership period and are not eligible for re-election immediately after two consecutive terms of membership.   Following the adoption of Resolution 60/251 in March 2006 to create the Human Rights Council, the member states will have the responsibility to uphold the highest human rights standards upon their accession to the Council, in accordance with the criteria emphasized by the States.

Member Countries :   The UN Human Rights Council has 47 member states.   As of January 1, 2020, 117 of the 193 UN member states are members of the Human Rights Council. A list of member states from 2006 to 2020 is found below. Afghanistan, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Bolivia, Chile, China, Congo, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, Croatia, Cuba, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, El Salvador , France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Magdalen, Latvia , Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Phile, Victory, Republic of Moldova, Republic of Northern Macedonia, Romania, Russian Republic, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Somalia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Switzerland, Switzerland, Switzerland , United Arab Emirates, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic), Vietnam and Zambia  Powers of the Council:   At the Human Rights Council, no state has the veto power as in the UN Security Council. Resolutions are passed by consensus or by a majority vote. Therefore, it is not correct to say that countries like China and Russia have the "veto power" of the UN Human Rights Council.   The Human Rights Council has no ability to impose sanctions economically or otherwise.

Relevant states are not bound to implement or not implement the resolutions of the UN Human Rights Council. This means that a government is "forced" to comply, but the Council has no direct consequences, sanctions or penalties.

But highlighting the human rights abuses exposed by the council's resolutions could have consequences, such as the imposition of individual bilateral sanctions based on them.   Bachelet's report call for "targeted sanctions" implies that governments have the sole discretion to impose sanctions on individuals, not just the country as a whole.

As a result of their involvement in wartime abuses, some military officers are barred from engaging in international travel or trade.   This is a course of action already being followed by some countries.For example, the United States has already imposed a travel ban on Army Commander General Shavendra Silva and his family members.

Unlike in previous years, the United States, which has now withdrawn from the UNHRC, is seeking to rejoin the UNHRC. They have not yet been given the right to vote.   Therefore, it is doubtful whether the co-sponsors of the resolution on Sri Lanka will still be able to get a majority vote on their resolution, as China, Russia and Pakistan all have the right to vote in the Council and it is significant.   But even if the resolution is defeated by the Council, those countries still have the power to make their own decisions.

(BBC Sinhala Service)

The United States is advancing its goal of a mine-free Sri Lanka, the US Embassy in Colombo said on Thursday (11).

The US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Martin Kelly visited a Mines Advisory Group (MAG) demining site to observe the painstaking measures undertaken to clear explosive hazards in the area and speak with a team of female deminers.

The project, which is part of the more than LKR 1 billion (USD 5.5 million) the United States is providing this fiscal year for clearance activities, promotes the safety and security of local residents.

“Clearing these deadly devices takes skill, patience, and bravery,” said Martin Kelly, adding that "the women deminers defy stereotypes of appropriate gender roles while at the same time performing a courageous service in the rebuilding of their communities. We’re grateful for their contributions to helping Sri Lanka become mine-free.”

DCM Kelly met with representatives of local and international clearance partners, including the Delvon Association for Social Harmony (DASH), Skavita Humanitarian Assistance and Relief Project (SHARP), HALO Trust, and MAG, who carry out demining operations with the support of U.S. funding.

He also had a positive and productive meeting with the National Mine Action Center at the Regional Mine Action Office in Kilinochchi.

Since 1995, the United States has been the largest donor to humanitarian demining in Sri Lanka, providing over USD 78 million for operations and equipment.

US support has helped advance clearance efforts in the nine districts affected by landmine contamination and helped efforts that enabled Batticaloa District to be declared mine-impact free in 2017.

US funding has also supported mine detection training for and has provided demining equipment to the Sri Lanka Army

Sri Lanka has asked retail giant Amazon to take down bikinis, briefs and doormats featuring the nation's lion flag from its site, authorities said on Sunday, two days after it protested against the China-made products.

Police repression against Tamil mothers who have been protesting for years trying to find their missing family members continue unabated, Northern media reported.

A mother who led a protest on the International Women's Day to mark the fourth anniversary of the ongoing protest demanding justice for missing persons was summoned to the Mullaitivu Police on Tuesday (9) to record a statement.

The President of the Mullaithivu Association of Relations of Enforced Disappearances Mariyasuresh Eswari said that after the conclusion of the protest, a police officer had visited her office and informed her to come to the Mullaitivu Police to give a statement.  

Speaking to local reporters, Eswari said that the Mullaitivu Police had recorded her statement for about an hour and a half. The persecution and intimidation of the mothers have intensified under the current government, civil society activists pointed out, adding that military intelligence officers routinely visit their houses warning them not to participate in protests. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch (HRW) in a statement last month said that Sri Lankan security forces and intelligence agencies have intensified surveillance and threats against families of victims of enforced disappearance and activists supporting them since Gotabaya Rajapaksa became president in November 2019.

“The families of Sri Lanka’s ‘disappeared’ have spent years waiting for answers, but with the Rajapaksas back in power, security forces are threatening them to drop their demands for truth and accountability,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director.

“The government needs to stop the harassment immediately and abide by Sri Lanka’s pledges to the UN to uncover the fate of the ‘disappeared’ and provide justice to victims’ families,” she added.

HRW said that thousands of people, primarily ethnic Tamils, are believed to have been forcibly disappeared in state custody between 2005 and 2015, when the current president was defense secretary and his brother, current Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, was president.

President Rajapaksa has resisted demands for justice, including past Sri Lankan commitments to the UN Human Rights Council, and said at a recent meeting with the UN that the “missing persons are actually dead.”

The main objective of this project is to  facilitate the daily activities of the rural people, improve their livelihoods and promote the tourism industry.

This programme is implemented jointly by the Ministry of Highways, the State Ministry of Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure, the Road Development Authority and the State Development and Construction Corporation.

Minister Fernando said that the project is being implemented after listening to the demands of the people as those in rural areas are facing many difficulties due to the dilapidated condition of many bridges.

He further said that this will enable the government to provide necessary support to strengthen the economy through infrastructure development.

Flyovers and underground passages to ease traffic congestion

Meanwhile, the government has decided to build flyovers and underground passageways for pedestrians and overhead pedestrian bridges and alternative and bypass roads in the places with heaviest traffic reported in Colombo and suburbs.

“The decision has been taken as a solution to ease traffic congestion in Colombo and suburban areas,” Highways Minister Johnston Fernando said, adding that funds for this purpose has already been allocated from the 2021 Budget.

Eight Human rights ambassadors in Europe, in a joint statement called on the Sri Lankan government to respect human rights defenders. The Ambassadors noted that they remain deeply concerned by the unlawful incarceration of human rights activist and Attorney-at-Law Hejaaz Hizbullah since April 2020.

“We remain deeply concerned by the continued incarceration of reputed lawyer Mr. Hejaaz Hizbullah since April 2020. We regret to note that after ten months of detention, Mr. Hizbullah is now being accused of speech-related offenses under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, and other laws," they said.

The statement by the ambassadors noted that Hizbullah is a leading advocate of the rights of people from minority communities, including Muslims in Sri Lanka, and a vocal critic of discriminatory policies. "We note that the role of human rights defenders is crucial to the protection and promotion of human rights in a country. Governments have a special responsibility to protect human rights defenders, and prevent their persecution.

We join the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, special procedures mandate holders, in urging the Government of Sri Lanka to respect human rights defenders such as Mr. Hizbullah,” they added.

Indian and Sri Lankan leaders held talks on the reinforcement of strong bonds between the two countries and to iron out certain misunderstandings in recent developments on the eve of UNHRC’s ’conclusion on HR resolution against Sri Lanka.

The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) has given its approval to use Russia’s 'Sputnik V' vaccine in Sri Lanka, Senior Advisor to the President, Lalith Weeratunga said.

Addressing a special media briefing at the Media Ministry yesterday (10), Weeratunga, who heads the taskforce coordinating the importation of Covid-19 vaccines, said that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa requested Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine from the Russian President and accordingly, Sri Lanka is scheduled to receive the first batch of the said vaccine as a donation.

Weeratunga stressed that the Sputnik vaccine will be procured pending the necessary approvals to vaccinate every Sri Lankan citizen with a special focus on the drivers of the economy in such as the tourism, export and apparel industries.