News

The New York-based global rights organisation, Human Rights Watch (HRW) on says the appointment of Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva as Sri Lanka Army Commander negates all the Government’s pledges toward accountability, reconciliation, and reform.

The HRW said President Maithripala Sirisena has appointed a general whose forces have been credibly accused of war crimes as the Commander of the National Army, confirming the fears of those like Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera, who, back in March, supported the United Nations Human Rights Council’s extension of its 2015 resolution on Sri Lanka.

The extension, which Sirisena and other top officials openly opposed, seeks justice and accountability for violations committed during the 26-year civil war that ended in 2009.

“The sad reality is, then, that there are those who oppose any measure to achieve accountability and reconciliation, because they don’t want justice,” HRW quoted Minister Mangala Samaraweera. “They want victor’s justice.”

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Investigation on Sri Lanka documented laws of war violations committed by the Silva-led 58th Division in the conflict that could amount to war crimes.

SriLankan Airlines (SLA) has been directed to take legal action against the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the failure to pay the airline a sum of Rs 123 million for certain irregular transactions which took place during the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime.

The Committee on Public Enterprise (COPE) made this recommendation when SriLankan airlines and relevant officials of state institutions were summoned before the COPE yesterday.

COPE Chairman JVP MP Sunil Handunnetti said top officials and leading politicians have used the airline service without purchasing air tickets.

According to COPE Chairman, the Presidential Secretariat owes SriLankan a sum of Rs. 114 million and the Foreign Affairs Ministry owes a sum of Rs. 9 million.

The Government is currently in the process of restructuring the SLA, and an Expert Committee was appointed by the President to provide a report of policy recommendations.

Accordingly, the Committee has recommended restructuring the SLA through financial, corporate, and human resource restructuring and developing an effective strategic plan.

Treasury Secretary Dr. R.H.S Samaratunga noted that Finance Ministry cannot infuse money to bail out SriLankan airlines.

The total loss of SLA has increased to Rs.12,961 million in the first four months of 2019, while the total debt of SLA has exceeded USD 750 million.

Further, the Government is currently bearing USD 375 million and Rs. 26,250 million of contingent liabilities that have piled up since 2014.

This includes the guarantee granted for International Bonds and letters of comfort issued to obtain loans during the BIA closure in 2016.

Therefore, it is observed that the GOSL needs to have a significant business restructuring model, owing to the high possibility for the Government to bear the loss, and also due to the high correlation between Aviation industry and the tourism sector in the country

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) are to hold a decisive meeting this week, said United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP Dullas Alahapperuma.

Accordingly, the discussion is to take place between President Maithripala Sirisena and Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Alahapperuma however refrained from mentioning the date when the discussion would take place.

He noted that focus during the meeting will be on the forthcoming presidential election.

Alahapperuma further noted that the SLPP’s broad political alliance will be formed before the announcement of the presidential election and that the name of the new political alliance would be officially announced when the alliance is being formed.

Backed by the global industrial giant South Korea, Sri Lanka launched its most modern national hi-tech training facility to-date on 21 August.

As it unveiled its up-to-date TVET (Technical and Vocational Education and Training) facility in a Colombo suburb, its skills development work has shown results so much so the country retained its ranking in the firmly established global benchmark for talent competitiveness for the third year running.

“This facility brings new tech training to the participants. We praise Minister Rishad for his successful leadership in the vocational training sector,” Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said launching the Korea-Sri Lanka National Vocational Training Institute (KSLNVTI) in Orugodawatte.

Coming under the purview of Rishad Bathiudeen’s Industry, Commerce, Resettlement of Protracted Displaced Persons, Cooperative Development, Skills Development & Vocational Training Ministry, KSLNVTI has been completed at a cost of US$ 17 Mn as the first phase of a two stage US $26 Mn project to establish KSLNVTI and upgrade Gampaha Technical College (GTC).

The upgraded GTC under Minister Bathiudeen’s VTA, is also to be vested with the public in the last week of this month. Funding for the project has come as a loan from the Export-Import Bank of Korea, with additional support from KOICA and the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of Korea.

KSLNVTI becomes the only institution in Sri Lanka providing training at present on three latest global hi-tech-automation and robotics tech, pneumatic and hydrolics, and CNC programming –that too, up to Diploma level 5. They (and other courses) are taught at KSLNVTI by 15 Sri Lankan trainers who were coached by 10 Korean experts who already completed their roles and left (except for the present resident trainer).

Joining the 20 August event with Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and PM Wickremesinghe were State Minister Buddhika Pathirana, Ministry Secretary KDN Ranjith Ashoka, Deputy Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training Karunarathne Paranavithana, and Chairman of VTA Ravi Jayawardhana.

“We need to know our challenges. We should advance from upper middle income to high income country. Korea has not only given money for this institution but technical skills as well. We thank Korea for all this support,” added PM Wickremesinghe.

Addressing the event, Minister Bathiudeen stressed of Sri Lanka’s status within global skills tables.

"We all know the strong relationship between vocational training, skills development and labour productivity of any country. This year Sri Lanka again successfully retained its global ranking with regard to skills. In the 2019 Global Talent Competitiveness Index, we rank at 82nd, continuing in the same position since 2017 without a change. This year, except for India, Sri Lanka ranks higher than all South Asian countries. This unchanged rank shows that our national skills development efforts are working. Also across the world, service exports too have been growing rapidly in the last few years. Sri Lanka’s service exports also have been growing and diversifying. ICT/BPM, electronics, construction, engineering. Printing and packaging, health and education are our key service exports. Of all these, three service exports -which are ICT/BPM, electronics, printing and packaging services -alone contributes to around US$ 1.3 billion export revenues every year. Good skills training shall help this sector to grow as well," he said.

Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea to Sri Lanka Heon Lee said of the importance of human resources. “Nothing is more important than human resources” he said and added: “Ten years from now, students of KSLNVTI will lead Sri Lanka’s transformation. Congratulations to PM Wickremesinghe and other Sri Lankans here for achieving this KSLNVTI.”

Global Talent Competitiveness Index is the firmly established global benchmark for talent competitiveness and the future of work. Newly set up KSLNVTI is expected to sign an MoU with Korea’s Shinhan University in time to come.

Both PM Wickremesinghe and Minister Bathiudeen also commended Parliamentarian and former Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe for his pioneering role in the KSLNVTI project.

Sri Lanka’s KSLNVTI after two years from now, is expected to produce 1000 qualified Sri Lankan youth annually for latest hi tech industries.

Parliament was yesterday (21) informed by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP S. Sritharan that his house in Kilinochchi was raided by the Police and military.

The Police and military had raided Sritharan’s property yesterday (21) claiming they were looking for hidden weapons when the MP was in Colombo to attend parliament.

The TNA MP has noted that the raid was carried out based on false information and that it was a threat to his life.

He has called on Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to intervene in the matter and ensure his privileges as a parliamentarian are safeguarded.

The Speaker in turn has requested State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardena to look into the matter.

Japanese Peace Envoy to Sri Lanka Yasushi Akashi was presented with the “Sri Lanka Rathna,” the first-ever highest national honour conferred on non-nationals as recognition of his distinguished and exceptional service rendered towards the nation, at the investiture ceremony of “National Honours 2019” at BMICH yesterday (20).

President Maithripala Sirisena has called Japanese peace envoy to Sri Lanka Yasushi Akashi as a staunch peace-maker and a loyal and trusted friend of Sri Lanka, the President’s Media Division (PMD) stated.

The President has thanked Akashi for his numerous efforts to restore peace and harmony in Sri Lanka and wished him long life to continue his exceptional service to the world at large and to promote friendship between Sri Lanka and Japan.

Akashi in turn has thanked the President and the people of Sri Lanka for conferring this great honour on him.

He has said that Japan and Sri Lanka have many things in common and Buddhism binds the special friendship between the two countries.

He also said that other countries could take lessons from Sri Lanka on how to make relentless efforts to strengthen communal peace and harmony, while successfully battling extremism, the PMD added.

United National Party (UNP) MP Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka says that the United National Party (UNP) should learn a lesson from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) with regard to making a decision on the presidential candidate.

Fonseka made this observation in Peliyagoda yesterday (21) responding to reports that he was now making comments in support of SLPP presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The Field Marshal MP said that he only meant to point out that the decision of the SLPP to nominate a candidate who gives priority to national security was commendable

He further said that UNP leader, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has the right to be the presidential candidate according to the UNP constitution and that he did not accept any decision to nominate party deputy leader, Minister Sajith Premadasa as the next presidential candidate.

The Prime Minister’s Office has made arrangements to organize a banquet for the United National Party (UNP) parliamentarians on Friday (23) in a bid to obstruct the parliamentarians from attending the rally organized by Minister Mangala Samaraweera in Matara in support of UNP Deputy Leader, Minister Sajith Premadasa’s candidacy at the presidential election on the same day, The Leader reliably learns.

The banquet is being organized under the guise of a celebration of the fourth anniversary of the United National Front (UNF) government. Interestingly, unlike during previous such functions, the Prime Minister’s Office has taken measures to invite the families of the parliamentarians as well.

However, UNP MPs who are attending the Matara rally have informed officials at the Prime Minister’s Office that the travel time between Colombo and Matara was only one hour and they would therefore participate in the banquet after attending the Matara rally.

The rally in Matara, which is being organized under the theme of “Sajith is coming,” is to commence at 3 p.m. on Friday (23) and is to be telecast live on Sirasa TV and Siyatha TV.

United National Front (UNF) Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka says that the United National Party (UNP) has till August 31st to resolve its internal issues.

Ranawaka also noted that the issues that had existed with regard to the forming of the UNP-led alliance - Democratic National Front (DNF) - were resolved at the party leaders’ meeting last Saturday (17).

Therefore, the alliance is now a go, but the UNP had to resolve its issues to move forward.

According to Ranawaka, the UNF leaders hope to announce the new alliance and their candidate before August 31 and launch the DNF’s presidential election campaign.

Ranawaka has further noted that any party in the alliance including the UNP can nominate a candidate and that the leadership council of the alliance will have to approve the nomination.

“That is how it is in the constitution. Everyone agrees with that. That is why it is called an alliance,” the Minister said.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) presidential candidate, former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been urged to refute allegations leveled against him on the violation of several laws of the land and co-operate fully with investigations being carried out.

The Center for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) has also called on the Election Commission (EC) to conduct a prompt and impartial investigation into allegations against Rajapaksa.

The CMEV in a statement said that its attention has been drawn to a complaint made regarding Rajapaksa.

According to the complaint made to the Elections Commission of Sri Lanka, Rajapaksa’s name had been included in the annual electoral list used for the 2005 Presidential Election and he had allegedly cast his vote in the said election, at a time when he was not a Sri Lankan citizen.

The CMEV states that in terms of Article 89(a) of the Sri Lankan Constitution, a person who is not a Sri Lankan citizen is not entitled to vote at a Presidential Election, General Election or at a referendum. Accordingly, voting in such a situation is an offense and is punishable in terms of the Presidential Elections Act No. 15 of 1981.

Rajapaksa had reportedly obtained his US citizenship in 2003 and had arrived in Sri Lanka on the 04th of September 2005 on a tourist visa and had campaigned/assisted the election campaign of Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2005. This, it is alleged, is an offense in terms of section 45(1) (a) of the Immigrants and Emigrants Act no 20 of 1948.

The CMEV observes that it is important that Rajapaksa who aspires to be the seventh executive President of Sri Lanka to refute these allegations and co-operate fully with all investigations.

President Maithripala Sirisena has been apprised on the current situation in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistani High Commissioner Maj. Gen. (R) Dr. Shahid Ahmad Hashmat.

The details had been discussed between the President and High Commissioner yesterday (21).

Issuing a press statement, the High Commission of Pakistan said that during the meeting, the High Commissioner had briefed the President about India’s illegal and unilateral actions seeking to alter the disputed status of Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir and its demographic structure by revoking Article 370 and 35A.

He had also apprised the President of the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which has been under total lockdown and curfew since 5th August 2019.

Hashmat had further observed that these steps were in contravention of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir and the International Law.

Meanwhile, President Sirisena acknowledging that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory had said this dispute should be resolved according to wishes of Kashmiris as outlined in the UN Resolutions.

The President had also offered Sri Lanka’s mediation and facilitation of dialogue between Pakistan and India to re-activate the SAARC forum.

The President had added that the resolution of Kashmir issue was essential for permanent peace and stability in the region.

Almost after three years of bickering with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), Hyrax Oil Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian oil major is now successfully operating its lubricant oil blending plant in Muthurajawela.

The CPC had entered into 03 agreements on 06 May 2016 with Hyrax Oil Sdn. Bhd of Malaysia to establish a lubricating oil blending plant in Muthurajawela under a Build- Operate-Transfer agreement.

The aim is to supply lubricants to the export market and the local market of Sri Lanka at an affordable price.

The necessary licenses are relevant to the auto deal but those licenses had not been granted even up to 30 June 2018.

Accordingly, there existed the possibility for the company to take legal action against the CPC.

Moreover, the Hyrax Company had sent many a letter and reminder to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development as well as the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation in regard to the failure of the CPC to adhere to the Agreement.

The letter of the Attorney General in that connection, dated 23 January 2018 had informed that, in the event of Corporation intending to revise the provisions of the said agreements etc

The 03 agreements relating to that project, namely BOT Agreement, Supply Agreement, and Land Lease Agreement, had been entered into without being fully complied with the opinion of the Attorney General.

The Ministry of Petroleum Resources Development and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation had halted taking action relating to the establishment of the plant as at 20 June 2018.

They were pointing out that the terms and conditions set out in the said Agreements had comprised matters having an adverse impact on the lubricant industry of the CPC and certain sections had violated the CPC Act and cabinet decisions.

However, Hyrax Oil was selected as the contractor for the project as an unsolicited bid without adhering to the provisions of government procurement guidelines.