News

A little over a month after Sri Lanka was rocked by a series of eight coordinated blasts that killed at least 253 people, India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has begun aiding the island nation in the probe into the bombings.

A person familiar with the development said the NIA was “likely to share and discuss with Sri Lankan authorities all details of its probe in India against various IS (Islamic State) modules, including evidence collected from searches in Kerala, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. This could include pamphlets, documents, hard drives, laptops and CDs that were recovered by the agency."

At the same time, NIA’s operations against the Coimbatore module of the Islamic State (IS) will also be of key interest.

On 26 February, after months of investigation, the NIA chargesheeted six IS recruits –Mohamed Ashiq, Ismail S., Samsudeen, Mohammed Salauddin S., Jafar Shadik Ali and Shahul Hameed— in India after it was found that the arrested accused “had got radicalized on the violent extremist ideology of the proscribed terrorist organization--ISIS/Da’esh--and they had been propagating the same ideology over social media."

While the IS had claimed responsibility for the attacks in Sri Lanka, prior investigations by the NIA had revealed that the Coimbatore group had gone through videos of the National Thowheed Jamaat leader Zahran Hashim, who had been calling for the establishment of Islamic law in Sri Lanka, following which on 26 February India had passed on the intelligence to Sri Lankan authorities.

The development comes after the Kerala coast was put on high alert, late last week, following intelligence reports that boats carrying nearly 15 IS terrorists had set sail from Sri Lanka to India’s Lakshadweep slands.

There has been significant and growing movement of Islamic State cells and workers in pockets of Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Kerala and any suspicious movements are being closely monitored, according to intelligence units.

Earlier this month, both the Union home ministry and the state authorities from Tamil Nadu and Telangana said India was always on “a state of high readiness."

The Ministry of Finance has introduced a new electronic government procurement system (E-GPS) to address the existing shortcomings and to facilitate fast tracking procurement decisions, Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera said.

At the launch of the new E-GPS system at the Ministry of Finance today (29), Samaraweera said that Sri Lanka annually spends around a quarter of government expenditure on public procurement, which amounts to nearly 15% of the GDP. Considering the magnitude of that total annual expenditure, it needs closer attention and scrutiny from all the stakeholders in the public management systems as procurement plays a major strategic function.

"Corruption, misappropriation and mismanagement of public assets must be tackled with a policy of zero tolerance, which from my point of view, remain difficult in our part of the world because of systemic weaknesses," Samaraweera said.

The Minister pointed out that in Sri Lanka, the decisions of implementing many important projects are lagging behind because of the manual system that links to the decades’ old complicated governance mechanisms.

"Now in the first quarter of the 21st Century, Sri Lanka as a modern nation, must look forward to utilize new technologies to make our decisions faster, transparent and more accountable. I am convinced that this new E-GPS will save nearly Rupees 30 billion to the Treasury, while improving the public financial management to a greater extent," the Minister added.

Sri Lankan authorities have used anti-hate laws to imprison a Muslim woman for wearing a dress displaying the wheel of a ship.

47-year-old M. R Mazahima was arrested by police who describe the printed motif on her Kaftan as the ‘Dharmachakra’ wheel symbolising Buddhist teachings.

The wheel print on the dress offended Buddhists, court was told.

Ms Mazahima in her kaftan with a wheel of a ship motif

Acting Magistrate Gamini Rambakenpura in the central town of Mahiyanganaya ordered to further remand Mrs Mazhima until June 3 after the police informed the courts that the controversial dress has been sent to the Department of Buddhist Affairs to verify the identity of the symbol.

Attorneys at law, AM Mohammed Zarook and Nusra Zarook appeared for the defendant.

Police had charged the Muslim woman under Sri Lanka’s adoption of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) - a law designed to safeguard human rights.

Local judges have no mandate to grant bail to suspects charged under the ICCPR act. Suspects must appeal to the high courts, which is a costly deterrent.

'Punished in Ramadan'

On 18th May M.R Mazhima was arrested on the streets of Hasalaka, 180 kilometres away from the capital, Colombo, on her way to the bank to withdraw money sent by her husband, a construction labourer stationed in Colombo.

She had been dressed in the Kaftan with the controversial wheel motif on the day of arrest after being forced by majority Sinhala Buddhists in the area to give up her customary Abaya.

Police officers displaying the kaftan Ms Mazahima was wearing at the time of her arrest

Muslim women throughout the island are being coerced to give up the Abaya following the Easter Sunday bomb attacks allegedly by Islamic militants.

“My wife doesn’t know the difference between the Dharmachakra or a ship’s wheel,” said Mazhima’s husband, Abdul Munaf.

“We are very poor people. Why are we who did not commit any crime, punished in this manner in the holy month of Ramadan?”

Most recently the ICCPR was used to imprison an award-winning writer who was accused of insulting Buddhism by writing a short story. (JDS)

A new commander has been appointed to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), the President’s Media Division said.

Air Vice Marshall Sumangala Dias has been appointed as the new commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) by President Maithripala Sirisena today.

The new Commander received his letter of appointment from the President Maithripala Sirisena this morning (29) at the President’s Official Residence in Colombo.

Meanwhile his predecessor Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathy, who is tipped to retire today, was promoted to the four star rank of Air Chief Marshal with effect from yesterday (28).

The temporary ban imposed by the National Security Council on issuing explosives has been lifted upon the directives of the President, after considering the country's security situation, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said today (29).

The Media Centre of the MoD said commercial explosives, firearms and ammunition will be released to public and private institutions aiming to conduct projects for government agencies based on the permits issued by the District Secretary on the quantity required.

Further information could be obtained by reaching out to:

Commercial Explosive Fire Arms Procurement Unit (CEFAP) : 011 295 8227

Civil Security and Development Unit of the Defence Ministry : 011 233 5798

Two Ministers and a State Minister were sworn in before President Maithripala Sirisena today.

Accordingly, Wasantha Senanayake was sworn in as the State Minister of Foreign Affairs.

P. Harrison was sworn in as the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock Development, Irrigation and Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development.

Meanwhile, Ranjith Madduma Bandara was sworn in as the Minister of Public Administration, Disaster Management and Rural Economic Affairs.

The portfolio of Rural Economic Affairs was removed from the purview of Minister P. Harrison and was brought under Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara, who was sent on compulsory leave following the Easter Sunday attacks, has filed a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court.

In his petition, Jayasundara has sought an order to cancel the decision to send him on compulsory leave. He also noted that the President has violated his fundamental rights through his directive to remove him from the post of IGP.

Acting IGP C.D.Wickramaratne, Former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando, the Attorney Genenral, the Speaker and the Constitutional Council are named as respondents in the case.

The 54th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) is to be held in Colombo, in May 2021, The Finance Ministry said today.

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera intimated Sri Lanka's willingness to host the 2021 event in Colombo during the recently concluded ADB Annual Meeting in Fiji.

The Annual Meeting of the ADB Board of Governors provides a platform for member governments to interact with ADB staff, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and representatives of observer countries, international organizations, and the private sector.

ADB’s Annual Meetings have become a premier forum for the discussion of economic and social development issues in Asia and the Pacific.

Minister Samaraweera held preliminary discussions with Colombo based hoteliers regarding logistical arrangements for the conference as over 3000 delegates from 67 countries are expected to participate at the annual meeting.

Finance Minister Samaraweera discussing logistical arrangements with Colombo based hoteliers at the Treasury.

The decision to hold the 2021 Annual Meeting of the ADB was taken at its 52nd meeting held in Fiji early this month. The next Annual Meeting of the ADB is scheduled to be held in South Korea in 2020.

Sri Lanka targets at least 2.5 million tourists this year after several countries eased their travel advisories which were issued after the deadly Easter Sunday attacks that killed over 250 people last month, Minister of Tourism Development, Wildlife and Christian Religious Affairs John Amaratunga said.

Amaratunga said that Sri Lanka is now a safe destination for travel after security forces apprehended at least 98 percent of suspects who were, directly and indirectly, involved in the Easter Sunday terror attacks.

He said security forces have ensured that further attacks and a radical uprising of this nature will not happen, and Sri Lankans can go back to their normal lives.

"After the terrorist attacks, many countries issued travel advisories asking travelers not to travel here. This is understandable," Amaratunga said.

"Last week, I met the Chinese ambassador and assured him that Sri Lanka is a safe destination. I thank China, as they were the first country to ease the travel advisory and this will immensely benefit Sri Lanka tourism," he added.

Switzerland, India and Germany have followed suit in easing their travel bans while advising potential tourists to 'travel with caution' instead of 'do not travel'.

Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne noted that it was him who had submitted the Cabinet paper to seek approval to allow the controversial doctor, who had tendered his resignation, to return to the Kurunegala Hospital.

A Kurunegala Teaching Hospital doctor was arrested over allegations that he had acquired a large number of assets through suspicious means.

He pointed out that no prior complaints were received regarding the doctor concerned. Senaratne further stated that they will appoint a special investigative body to look into the allegations against the doctor. This committee will be appointed by the Health Ministry, comprising three members of the Ceylon College of Gynaecologists and one member from the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC).

The media would have abstained from giving the same coverage if the arrested person was a Sinhalese surgeon, Senaratne said.

He made these remarks while attending a press conference held at the Temple Tress on Monday.

Speaking on the allegations made against Industry and Commerce Minister Rishard Bathiudeen, Minister Senaratne said that the government has appointed a Parliamentary Select Committee to look into the conduct of Minister Bathiudeen and added that Speaker Karu Jayasuriya will also open their investigations for the general public in order to maintain total transparency.

The Health Minister stated that Bathiudeen had not forced the Army Commander to release the suspects and said that the Army Commander himself had earlier admitted that Bathiudeen had only made a request.

Senaratne underscored that it was the previous regime that nurtured Zahran and his subordinates. He added that it was under former Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Gotabaya Rajapaksa that the mastermind behind the Easter Sunday attacks Zahran Hashim and 26 others of the National Thowheed Jama'ath were paid, incidentally from the same bank account.

The Turkish Embassy in Colombo has refuted allegations made by Ven Galagodaththe Gnansara Thera regarding a Turkish fund, which the Thera alleged was contributing to inciting tensions in the country.

The Embassy while referring to the Thero's remarks during a television programme, said that such allegations were "utterly false and baseless".

Gnanasara Thero, who was recently granted presidential pardon while serving time for contempt of court, had stated during a television programme that a Turkish fund has been set-up to allow USD 40 million to flow into the country.

During the programme, he had also said that this money is used in creating tensions, propagating false ideas and endangering media outlets which are against such false ideologies.

"Turkey has maintained strong ties with Sri Lanka and provided humanitarian and technical assistance on many occasions since 2004. Sending direct funds to beneficiaries was never a method adopted by parties carrying out assistance activities," the statement from the Turkish Embassy read.

Further, the Embassy said that it had also supported local journalists by providing them with equipment to facilitate independent and impartial reporting.

This was in addition to sending journalists for professional training in Turkey while also organising vocational training course for school dropouts, the statement pointed out.

"All these assistance projects are being conducted with total transparency, and with the fullest cooperation from local authorities," the Embassy emphasised. (Sunday Times)

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera's budget proposal to establish a 'Palmyra Fund' geared towards providing adequate financing for the accelerated development of Eastern and Northern Provinces was launched under the patronage of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Temple Trees yesterday (27).

The fund was established after considering the requests made by parliamentarians representing the Norther and Eastern provinces, premier Wickremesinghe said.

The fund starts with a seed capital of LKR 2.5 billion while additional funds of LKR 2.5 billion is to be allocated for the fund, the Prime Minister.

In addition to this seed capital, LKR 7 billion of funds will be spent on the North and the East under ‘Gam Peraliya’ rapid rural development programme. According to the Treasury Secretary Dr. R.H.S. Samaratunga, approximately LKR 50 billion will be spent on the North and East this year alone, he said.

Wickremesinghe further said that funds will also be made available under the Enterprise Sri Lanka credit schemes for small-scale businesses to operate in the Northern and Eastern provinces.

“The govt will be giving employment to 22,000 graduates, so there will be a significant portion of them who come from Jaffna. There are other schemes under which employment opportunities will be founded. Funds that are being pumped into the northern and eastern economies will also create employment opportunities there,” the prime minister added.

Minister of Finance Mangala Samaraweera, Leader of Tamil National Alliance R. Sampanthan, Non-Cabinet Minister of Economic Reforms and Public Distribution Dr. Harsha de Silva, State Minister Vijayakala Maheswaran, Parliamentarians Selvam Adaikkalanathan and S. Shritharan also graced the event.