News

The Attorney General has objected to the bail application filed by Perpetual Treasuries Limited director Arjun Aloysius and CEO Kasun Palisena, who are in remand custody over the bond scam charges.

The Attorney General's Department today filed written submission at Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court against granting bail to Aloysius and Palisena.

The Attorney General has stated in his submission that the suspects are being charged under the Public Property Act and the court has no authority to grant bail without any particular reason.

Considering the submissions, Colombo Fort Magistrate Lanka Jayaratne has ordered the bail application to be taken on the 16th of this month.

Meanwhile, the Colombo Fort Magistrate ordered the suspects Arjun Aloysius and Kasun Palisena, who were arrested in connection with the Central Bank bonds scam, to be remanded till the 16th.

Source : Colombo Page

State Minister of Defence, Ruwan Wijewardene has commended President Maithripala Sirisena’s move to reinstate Brigadier Priyankara Fernando, Brigadier Priyankara Fernando, the Minister Counsellor (Defence) attached to the Sri Lanka High Commission in London.

Speaking at a public rally the Wijewardene said he was glad of the decision made by the President. He also approved of the Brigadier’s actions saying “My vote these days is for Brigadier Fernando for the gestures he showed the LTTE supporters”. The State Minister also thanked the Brigadier for his actions.

The Minister went on to say that he does not believe any member of the diaspora attending the protest on the day had visited Sri Lanka at any point and instead conducts these protests for their own financial betterment by using the people of the north. He made these comments during a public gathering held yesterday.

The Brigadier was suspended from his position on Sunday pending an inquiry after he was filmed making ‘throat-cutting gestures’ to alleged LTTE supporters who were protesting outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in London, on Sunday 4 February. He was once again reinstated in his position on the order of President Sirisena pending an inquiry by the Sri Lanka Army into the incident.

The European Parliament has confirmed that Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Trinidad and Tobago were on the European Commission’s blacklist of countries at risk for acts of money-laundering.

In a statement, the European Parliament on Wednesday said despite intense efforts by some Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), they have failed to achieve the 376-vote absolute majority needed to reject the inclusion of Tunisia, Sri Lanka, and Trinidad and Tobago in the European Commission’s list of non-EU countries considered to have strategic deficiencies in their anti-money laundering and terrorist financing regimes.

“The vote on Wednesday reflected the split in Parliament over the issue, with 357 votes in support of the motion to 283 votes against and 26 abstentions,” it said.

As part of its obligations under the EU’s Anti-Money Laundering Directive, the European Commission is periodically obliged to draw up a list of “high-risk third countries”.

European Parliament has veto power over the blacklist, which is one of the tools in the European Union’s armoury to protect its financial system against money laundering and terrorist financing.

In mid-December, in line with its custom of following the lead of the international Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the Commission has decided to include Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Trinidad and Tobago to its blacklist.

In a statement to Parliament on Monday, the Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, Vera Jourová, declined some MEPs’ requests to de-list Tunisia as one of the blacklisted countries

Source : Daily Mirror

A total of 65,758 Police and STF Personnel would be deployed for the Local Government Election duties to be held on Saturday, Police Spokesman SP Ruwan Gunasekera said.

He said the security personnel would be assigned to the duties at polling stations, counting centres, mobile patrolling and roadblocks.

“5,984 Police Officers, 412 Women Police Officers, 4,381 Women Police Constables, 4,178 STF Personnel are among those deployed for duties,” he said.

SP Gunasekera said another 5,953 Civil Security Department (CSD) Personnel would also be deployed for assistance.

A total of 26,840 Police Personnel will be deployed at 13,420 polling stations, while 3,225 mobile patrolling units, comprising a total of 13,552 Police, STF and CSD Personnel will be assigned for the duty.

SP Gunasekera said military assistance would also be obtained on the day after the election if needed.

A self-sustaining program that helps provide long-term protection for communities from dengue has been given the official go ahead in Sri Lanka today.

Monash University's World Mosquito Program (WMP) is set to be rolled out in Sri Lanka following the signing of a Collaboration Agreement (CA) by Sri Lanka's Secretary, Ministry of Health (MoH), Janaka Sugathadasa at a ceremony in Colombo with Australian High Commissioner Bryce Hutchesson.

Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medicine Janaka Sugathadasa and Australian High Commissioner Bryce Hutchesson.

 The agreement advances the partnership between Sri Lanka and the WMP in tackling the threat of mosquito borne-viruses such as dengue in Sri Lanka.

It comes after Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's announcement last year of the partnership and funding commitment to help establish the WMP in Sri Lanka.

With support from the Australian Government's innovationXchange, WMP will use its ground-breaking research to trial the introduction of naturally occurring Wolbachia bacteria to Sri Lankan mosquito populations.

Wolbachia prevents dengue from being transmitted between people and also has the ability to block other mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika and chikungunya.

WMP Program Director Professor Scott O'Neill said the agreement was an important step in establishing the program in Sri Lanka.

"We are extremely pleased to be working with the National Dengue Control Unit, Ministry of Health, in seeking a long-term solution to the dengue burden in Sri Lanka. We look forward to rolling out the program to local communities in the Colombo area," he said.

"Mosquito-borne viruses pose a global health threat for a number of reasons and our program provides an affordable solution to improving health security in the region."

The program will be established across three sites in the Colombo area over the next 12 months, with the first mosquito releases to take place next year.

It's hoped the program will expand its Wolbachia method to further sites in Sri Lanka in the future working in collaboration with local partners and subject to approval from the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health.

Since 2011, WMP has been conducting field trials using the Wolbachia method. Long term monitoring has shown that when a high proportion of mosquitoes in an area carry Wolbachia, local transmission of the disease has stopped. Sri Lanka is the tenth country to become part of the program, joining Brazil, Colombia, Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, India, Fiji, Vanuatu and Kiribati.

A Workshop to promote and highlight Sri Lanka’s amazing terrestrial and marine wildlife was organised by the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Guangzhou on 7th February 2018 with renowned Sri Lankan Wildlife Celebrity Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne as the Guest speaker, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Gehan Wijeyeratne, an accomplished author and photographer with over 300 articles for national and international newspapers and journals on Sri Lanka’s biodiversity, conducted a very interesting and interactive session with the audience through his personal narratives and powerpoint presentations, mentioning that Sri Lanka is one of the best all round wildlife destinations in the world for a mix of big game and marine life.

Consul General of Sri Lankan consulate in Guangzhou Shanika Dissanayake said that Sri Lanka is keen on publicizing the rich and diverse wildlife in Sri Lanka and will host many events under its cultural and educational activities series.

Participants comprised of Chinese travel agents, industry specialists, government officials and members of the print and electronic media.

The United Nations youth envoy, speaking a day ahead of the International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, underscored that the ghastly practice is an aversion to the human rights of millions and keeps them from achieving their full potential.

“This is not acceptable and this is done in the name of tradition, culture, religion or in the name of ensuring that women are to take on subservient roles to the men they will eventually marry,” said Jayathma Wickramanayake, the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, speaking at an international forum in the Gambia on strategies to combat the practice.

“This is not acceptable in the 21st century.”

Globally, over 200 million women and girls are estimated to have undergone some form of genital mutilation and girls aged 14 and younger account for about 44 million of those who have been “cut.”

According to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), although the practice is declining in many countries where it is prevalent, many of these countries also experiencing a high rate of population growth – meaning that the number of girls who undergo genital mutilation will continue to grow if efforts are not significantly scaled up.

The in one of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – agreed to by all UN Member States – has called for eliminating female genital mutilation as well as other harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage (target 5.3).

Countries too have also stepped up their efforts.

For instance, in November 2015, Gambia banned and subsequently criminalized female genital mutilation. Many other African countries also now have legislation that that forbids the practice.

In addition to implementing the law, the Envoy on Youth also called on all countries and stakeholders to address any existing gaps in their legal frameworks and reiterated the support from the UN in overcoming the harmful practice.

“History has taught us that human societies can come up with reprehensible social practices – that are justified under false guises – to strengthen the power structures or maintain the status quo for certain groups in society,” she said.

“Luckily we also know that social practice is not static and that it can change as our understanding evolves.”

Four government officials left for Dubai last night (07) in order to ensure the repatriation of Former Ambassador to Russia, Udayanga Weeratunga who was arrested at the Dubai Airport.

Accordingly, Additional Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda, Head of the Police Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) Senior DIG Ravi Waidyalankara and Senior Director General of Legal, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs C.H.A.M Wijeratne has left to Dubai yesterday and will go on to Abu Dhabi thereafter sources said.

Udayanga Weeratunga was arrested on February 4 when attempting to board a flight to the USA at the Dubai Airport using a cancelled Sri Lankan Passport.

Avoiding courts :

The Colombo fort magistrate had issued a warrant for his arrest to the INTERPOL a year ago. The warrant was issued for avoiding courts without supporting the investigations into the MIG aircraft deal and financial misappropriation during the previous regime.

Meanwhile, the Colombo Fort Magistrate also issued an injunction order prohibiting the sale, pawning and transfer of property belonging to Udayanga Weeratunga recently.

However, Weeratunga has always refuted the allegations being levelled against him.

Allegations

Udayanga Weeratunga has been accused of failing to comply with the request made by the Financial Crimes Investigation Department (FCID), to provide a statement regarding the alleged irregularities in the MIG deals.

According to legal experts some claim there is a danger he may be released after he arrives in Sri Lanka and provides a statement to the FCID.

However, a senior police officer said that he will be subjected to two more charges with the recent arrest.

Among the new allegations are not handing over his diplomatic passport after the end of his stint as ambassador to Russia, and attempting to travel using a cancelled passport, sources said.

As Sri Lanka is gearing up for its Local Elections on February 10, Thilanga Sumathipala, the president of Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) has completely turned into a politician and is using all the resources of the board for his political campaign, according to popular sports website Cricket Age.

According to sources, last Saturday (03) Sumathipala had visited Jaffna and SLC had released a media statement saying that he was there for the ground inspection.

However, Cricket Age says there were few hidden agendas as well. According to sources, the helicopter Sumathipala used for his trip cost SLC a whopping 4.5 lakhs.

Moreover, in Jaffna, during his official visit as SLC President, he had also reportedly set up several party offices there, in support of the political campaign of his party.

According to the website on the last day of the campaign, Sumathipala had visited Polonnaruwa for the last SLFP costing the SLC approximately Rs. 100 000 for the helicopter used for the visit.

 According to the site, Sumathipala had also neglected SLC meetings in favour of his political commitments. SLC sources appear to have revealed that Sumathipala is highly engaged in the election campaign, so much so that he has hardly visited the SLC headquarters in the past month.

In the absence of Sumathipala, K. Mathivanan, the controversial Vice president, is said to be overseeing all the matters at the SLC. Cricket Age while revealing that Mathivanan is also on an overseas tour had pointed out that heads of the SLC have forgotten their priorities towards the organizations while Sumathipala is now using all the resources, employees, vehicles and money of the SLC to fulfil his political dreams.

Source : Cricket Age

The funeral of the Chancellor of the Sri Jayawardenapura University, Most Ven Prof. Bellanwila Wimalarathana Anu Nayaka Thera will be held at 3 pm at the University grounds today. The Thera’s remains will lie at the Bellanwila Raja Maha Viharaya till 12 noon today for the public to pay their last respects.

At 1 pm, the funeral procession will leave the temple, taking the route that falls through Boralesgamuwa junction, the Rattanapitiya junction and on the University road to the entrance of the university. There, it will be received by the Vice Chancellor, academic staff, non-academic staff and students of the university, who will then conduct the procession towards the university grounds for the funeral.

The Chief Prelates of the Three Chapters, the Maha Sangha, representatives from the Government, foreign diplomats and dignitaries, Chancellors, Vice Chancellor's, the academic and non-academic staff of universities, students and the public will be in attendance. Leaders of other religions are also due to attend the funeral, symbolising Ven.Wimalarathana’s efforts to bring peace and understanding among all religions in Sri Lanka.

Minister of Finance and Media Mangala Samaraweera has requested the Criminal Investigation Department to look into the 'fake letter' that is being circulated on social media.

Minister Samaraweera posting a tweet today, requested the CID to probe the matter further and bring the perpetrators to justice. The Minister has also indicated that the Rajapaksa clan is showing off their ignorance yet again by forging his signature on a fake letter.

The letter, published on a fake Ministry of Foreign Affairs letterhead and dated on the 2nd of February 2018, is addressed to one T.R. Balu of the British Tamil Forum. The letter is supposedly signed by Mangala Samaraweera, who was appointed as the Minister of Finance and Media last May, after the Cabinet reshuffle.

The 'fake letter' circulating in social media.

The International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) and JDS have condemned the reinstatement of the Sri Lanka military diplomat who threatened to slit the throats of protesting Tamils in London.

Military attaché Priyanka Fernando who was filmed making the threatening gesture was initially suspended by the Sri Lanka ministry of foreign affairs, only to be reinstated by a presidential directive in less than 24 hours.

“Sri Lanka is a textbook case of impunity and this latest incident in London is just another symptom of that impunity,” said ITJP executive director, Yasmin Sooka in a joint statement with JDS.

“Impunity is a conscious policy of the state and this latest decision is just another manifestation of the disregard for victims of the conflict who are still waiting for criminal accountability,” said JDS in the joint statement, fully reproduced below.

JOINT PRESS RELEASE: What Vetting of Sri Lankan Diplomats?

7 February 2018 | Johannesburg: The UK, the UN and the international community have an obligation to step up their screening and vetting of Sri Lankan public and security officials for alleged involvement in atrocities during and after the civil war. This should include all military engagement and training.

“We believe a number of military officers who were active in the final phase of the Sri Lankan war are still posted as diplomats abroad,” said the ITJP executive director, Yasmin Sooka, “It’s time the vetting requirement of UN HRC Resolution 30/1 is enforced by the international community, even if Sri Lanka itself flouts it, despite being a co-sponsor of the resolution. Surely this is the very least we owe victims even if criminal accountability is a distant prospect”.

On 4 February, Brigadier Priyanka Fernando, the defence attaché in the Sri Lankan High Commission in London, was filmed thrice making slitting throat gestures at Tamil protestors . Given his war record in command of frontline combat troops around Mullaitivu for the 59 Division, Brigadier Fernando’s threats of violence are particularly disturbing. More so factoring in the ongoing surveillance of Tamil events abroad and the continued use by the security forces of photographs of these events during interrogations that involve very brutal torture and sexual violence.

Initially the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka announced the suspension of the defence attache for what it called “offensive behaviour” pending an investigation . Today the media says the Sri Lankan President reversed that decision, reinstating the Brigadier in his diplomatic position in London.

“What we see in Sri Lanka is a perpetual state of denial,” said Bashana Abeywardane of Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka (JDS), “Impunity is a conscious policy of the state and this latest decision is just another manifestation of the disregard for victims of the conflict who are still waiting for criminal accountability”.

Sri Lanka’s investigation into Brigadier Fernando’s actions in London is to involve the Army but media reports say the Army Commander, Mahesh Senanayake, has been praising Brigadier Fernando for his war record . This yet again raises the question of the army’s lack of independence and impartiality as a body to investigate its own personnel. To date the Sri Lankan Army has been unable to show it can investigate any human rights violation credibly, including serious allegations of sexual exploitation by its UN peacekeepers and videos showing extrajudicial executions by soldiers of naked bound Tamil prisoners obtained by JDS .

“The UK should never have accepted the credentials of a man like Brigadier Fernando,” said Ms. Sooka. “A brief examination of his past would have revealed he had frontline combat experience in the final war and therefore should have been vetted, based on criteria used by OHCHR for Sri Lankan peacekeepers. The ITJP and Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka produced a brief on Brigadier Fernando’s war record - research that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office should have done before accepting his credentials”.

The Sri Lankan army commander says Brigadier Fernando was a commander of a unit of the 59 Division, who “saved” Tamil civilians during the recapture of Mullaitivu. The notion that civilians were ‘saved’ is a travesty given the 2015 UN investigation detailed repeated attacks on the Mullaitivu Hospital in August, October, December 2008 and January 2009. The UN said multi barrelled rocket launchers were fired at the hospital from Sri Lankan army positions south of the town – from where the 59 Division was advancing.

This is not the first time a defence attache has been posted in the UK who was involved in the final war in Sri Lanka. Major Genreal Prasanna Silva, who is named in the UN investigation for his role as the commander of the 55 Division, was also accredited as Sri Lankan defence attache post war .

In August 2017, using the provisions of universal jurisdiction, the ITJP filed four law suits in Brazil, Peru, Chile and Colombia against Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Latin America, General Jagath Jayasuriya, accusing him of command responsibility for war crimes.

“The Government of Sri Lanka has failed to take action against General Jayasuriya despite his superior officer, Field Marshall Fonseka, who is now a cabinet minister, corroborating some of the allegations we levelled against him and saying he’d be willing to testify in a court”, said Ms. Sooka. “Sri Lanka is a text book case of impunity and this latest incident in London is just another symptom of that impunity”.

Source : JDS Sri Lanka