News

The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has initiated a programme to eliminate Corporal Punishment meted out to children in all settings. NCPA hopes to sensitize Principals and Teachers on the contents of the circular relating to the right of the child to protection from corporal punishment.

Awareness Raising methods such as street-drama, interactive workshops and discussions will be used to create public opinion on this mode as a cruel and degrading form of punishment.

NCPA has called on the general public to inform the Authority through its 24 hours child-line ‘1929’ if children are being subjected to this type of institutionalized and systematic violence.

The recently released concluding observations of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Child highlights the need to combat corporal punishment in the home, in an alternative care setting, in penal institutions, as well as in schools.

Brigadier Priyankara Fernando, the Minister Counsellor (Defence) attached to the Sri Lanka High Commission in London has been reinstated in his position after the Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was forced to do so by a high-level politician in the country.

He was suspended from his position yesterday 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.

Sources say the Secretary of Foreign Affairs has been given an ultimatum by the politician who has asked the Secretary to either resign from his position or reinstate the Brigadier today. The Foreign Ministry is currently said to be working on the letter to reverse the suspension of the Brigadier.

Meanwhile, the Army Spokesman confirmed the reinstatement saying that he is now back to work. However, he also said an inquiry into the incident will be carried out.

However, inside sources claim that this situation could now become a diplomatic nightmare for Sri Lanka as the reinstatement of a suspended diplomat prior to the close of an investigation goes against diplomatic protocol.

British Parliamentarians Joan Ryan and Siobhain McDonagh had already lodged a formal complaint with UK's Secretary of State Boris Johnson calling to “withdraw Brigadier Priyanka Fernando’s diplomatic papers and expel him” from the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, another video has also now surfaced on social media where the Brigadier can be seen engaging with the crowd prior to this incident. The group in the video is seen accusing the Sri Lankan government of settling Sinhalese people in Tamil areas while also saying Tamil Nadu fishermen are shot and killed by the country's forces. One protestor continues to harangue the Brigadier claiming that Sri Lanka has killed 500 Indian Fishermen while the Defence Attache is seen denying all the charges while inviting the protestors to visit the country and see the real situation.

Visiting U.S. Department of State Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Daniel Rosenblum opened the Kandy YouLead office on February 2, which will expand employment opportunities for youth in the Central Province.

Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Skills Development and Vocational Training and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Central Province, YouLead is a 1.8-billion-rupee program ($12 million) launched in 2017 that creates a more market–oriented, skilled, and flexible Sri Lankan workforce. YouLead supports youth employability and self-employment opportunities and improves vocational skills and training initiatives in targeted sectors.

“In order for Sri Lanka to maintain inclusive economic growth, youth must have the skills and opportunities they need for successful careers that align with market demand,” Rosenblum said. “The U.S. Government, through the YouLead program, looks forward to a long and fruitful collaboration with the Government of Sri Lanka, the Chambers of Commerce, business community, and the region’s public and private training institutes.”

YouLead works in the Central, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, and Northern Provinces, which have some of the highest rates of youth unemployment. YouLead’s regional office in Kandy, located within the Chamber office, will work closely with Chamber members as well as public and private vocational training institutes in the region to develop partnerships and career development opportunities to support youth employment in the Central Province.

The Program for the Protection of Public Resources (PPPR), the election monitoring arm of Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL), said that 55% of all complaints referred to the PPPR relate to the misuse of fixed and movable assets, human resources and media belonging to the State. A further 15% relate to illegitimate inducements being offered to voters, PPPR noted.

“Due to many local authorities not being constituted for over two years, the political grip on local government authority resources appears to have weakened. However, abuse of central government resources, such as the use of ministerial vehicles at campaigns continues to prevail”, TISL Executive Director Asoka Obeyesekere added.

Despite such abuses, Transparency International said that they commend the authorities including the Elections Commission of Sri Lanka for taking swift action in the case of several incidents reported to TISL by their district observers and members of the public.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) agrees that a person who is convicted of corruption charges should be banned for life from contesting at a Presidential election or a General election, Chief Opposition Whip and JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said in Parliament yesterday.

He said that as the Bond Commission report recommends that the law should be amended preventing those convicted of corruption contesting at the Presidential Election or a General Election although the existing law prevents them only for seven years. “We agree that the law should be amended since it is a flaw,” MP Dissanayake said.

He made this observation joining the adjournment debate on the Bond Commission report and on the Presidential Commission report on Serious Crimes and Abuse of Power (PRECIFAC) moved by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

MP Dissanayake also pointed out that Parliament is not an organ that sentences people, and that the JVP objects to punishing someone by depriving him of his civic rights based on a political decision.

MP Dissanayake commencing the speech stated that the Premier did not speak of the real gravity of the Treasury Bond issue. He added that the previous government took over SriLankan Airlines and the loss from this is Rs 125 billion, cancellation of the four aircraft incurred a loss of Rs 18 billion. “Since the previous regime bought treasury bonds in Greece, the loss incurred was Rs 8 billion,” MP Dissanayake said. “The Avant Garde loss is Rs 11 billion.”

He also said that although the Good Governance government came to power to punish corrupt politicians, it delayed the investigations, and later protected them and attempted to share the misused money during the previous regime. Later the members of this government too engaged in corruption through this Bond issue.

He also said that the Commission report includes 34 frauds.He also said that former Minister Basil Rajapaksa had created a loss of Rs 1,100 million through his domestic air travel and for additional vehicles. During that period, money had been granted to allies of politicians indirectly. He added that the expenditure for the opening and water filling ceremony of the Hambantota Port was Rs 170 million.These should be changed.

He added that the loss incurred by the ITN through the advertisements during the previous regime at the Presidential Election was Rs 230 million and the sixth respondent of it is former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.There’s a dialogue to remove his civic rights. It should be done through proper legal channels and not based on a political decision.

Source : Daily News

Sri Lanka has suspended the Minister Counsellor (Defence) of the High Commission in London with immediate effect after a video surfaced on social media, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today.

The video shows Defence Attaché Brigadier Priyanka Fernando miming a throat slitting gesture towards a group of protesters who had gathered outside Sri Lanka’s diplomatic mission in London.

In a statement, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said that the authorities in Sri Lanka have taken serious note of the video circulating on social media and that the relevant authorities in Sri Lanka including the Sri Lanka Army will initiate inquiries on the incident immediately.

British Parliamentarians Joan Ryan and Siobhain McDonagh had already lodged a formal complaint with UK's Secretary of State Boris Johnson calling to “withdraw Brigadier Priyanka Fernando’s diplomatic papers and expel him” from the United Kingdom after a video surfaced that portrays the Defence Attaché miming throat-slitting gestures to Tamils protesting outside the Sri Lankan High Commission in London.

In an apparent rejection of international scrutiny, Sri Lanka has failed to answer questions raised by the United Nations more than a year ago on the role of the country’s spy chief on torture allegations during the bloody civil war and its aftermath.

Chief of State Intelligence Sisira Mendis came under the heavy questioning by the UN committee against torture (UNCAT), when he represented Sri Lanka in Geneva, at its 59th session.

He doggedly sat through two days of grilling without giving any answer to a series of crucial questions on being involved in torture and abuse of detainees by police units under his administration.

At the conclusion of the meeting in December 2016, Sri Lanka was requested to provide detailed information on Sisira Mendis’s role and responsibilities with regard to allegations of torture while he was head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Deadline

The UN informed JDS that Sri Lanka has not provided the requested information almost a month past the deadline.

“The Committee’s concluding observations (CAT/C/LKA/CO/5, para. 49) requested the State party to provide by 7 December 2017 further information on specific areas of concern identified in paragraphs 14(b), 16 and 18,” UN Human Rights Officer Javier Leoz Invernón told JDS in response to a request.

“However, the Committee has not received yet any follow-up report from Sri Lanka.”

In the "specific areas of concern" referred to by the UN Human Rights Officer, Sri Lanka was requested to provide "information on follow-up to the Committee’s recommendations on the role and responsibilities of Mr. Mendis when he was Deputy Inspector General of the Criminal Investigations Department from March 2008 to June 2009 with regard to torture that allegedly occurred during his mandate".

In 2016, organisations including JDS provided UNCAT with details of torture and abuse of detainees under DIG Mendis.

Judicial mechanism

The UN committee had also requested information on the establishment of a judicial mechanism with a special counsel to investigate allegations of torture, enforced disappearances and other serious human rights violations; and the establishment of an independent, effective, confidential and accessible complaints mechanism for victims of torture and the revision of the Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crimes and Witnesses Act.

To date, Sri Lanka has not provided any information requested by UNCAT in 2016.

Four persons were killed in an accident involving a train and a lorry in Angulana yesterday (5) evening, Sri Lanka Police said.

The victims were travelling on the footboard of the train from Maradana to Kalutara, when it had collided with a lorry parked on the side of the tracks.

According to Police, the accident had taken place around 4:45 p.m. and the injured were admitted to the Kalubowila hospital.

President Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday that the AB-21 road joins Kankesanthurai to Point Pedro, will be opened for the first time since June 20, 1990, for the public.

The President made these remarks addressing a public rally held in Jaffna.

‘Opening this road will help to reduce the 50-kilometre distance people have to travel’ the President said, adding that as the President, he will fulfil his responsibilities irrespective of differences to deliver the benefits of the development in a fair manner to people in Jaffna too.

President Sirisena emphasized that he is committed to building national reconciliation and peace in the country and further said that he is ready to do whatever sacrifice to achieve this objective.

‘The people in the North as well as in the South elected him as the President of this country with the aspiration of creating a free and democratic society,’ the President said. He added that during the past three years he has done significant work in this regard.

Already 75% of the process of releasing the lands to the displaced persons in Jaffna has been completed and the remaining lands will also be released to the people shortly, he said.

Addressing the gathering, the President recalled the voices raised by people about the missing persons said that he is committed to bringing about justice in this regard.

The President further said that he is ready to provide assistance to family members of the missing persons to ensure their wellbeing and assured that upon their requests he is ready to hold discussions at any time.

Bouyed by growing number of tourists from India, Sri Lanka has now kept a target of 440,000 travelers from the country this year, officials said here.

Describing itself as ‘a destination for all seasons’, officials of Sri Lanka Tourism, at a press conference here, also announced that a record 384,628 tourists arrived from India last year.

“Understanding the unique offerings for Indian travelers, destination Sri Lanka now targets for 440,000 Indian arrivals, this year,” the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau said in a statement.

The Sri Lanka Tourism has recently been awarded as the ‘Emerging Destination of the Year’ by Conde Nast Traveller India and ‘Asia’s leading Adventure Tourism Destination of the Year’ in 2017, it said.

A survey conducted by the Sri Lanka Tourism, highlights that, 63.7 per cent of Indians opt for sightseeing excursions and nearly 50 per cent go for shopping.

“37.01 per cent Indian travelers visit the historical sites in Sri Lanka, while wildlife remains the choice for 21 per cent only,” it said.

Witnessing the growth and potential from India, the Sri Lanka Tourism will be participating at the SATTE 2018 (South Asia’s travel and tourism exhibition), with 52 travel agents and hoteliers.

“While the pristine beaches and cultural aspect of Sri Lanka, is already being explored by Indian guests, however, key area of focus for this years’ participation would be to promote film tourism, destination wedding, religious and pilgrimage tourism (Ramayana Trail).

“A tea bar representing Ceylon Tea will be located at the Sri Lanka pavilion 2018 at the SATTE,” the statement said.

Sutheash Balasubramaniam, managing director, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, said, “India continues to be our top source market.”

“We believe that the potential of the Indian travel market is yet to realize in terms of attracting longer stay and higher spending travelers. It is our fervent hope to make Sri Lanka the most preferred destination in Asia for Indian travelers,” he said.

Sri Lanka, an island nation, is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, and is renowned for the ancient Sigiriya Rock Fortress, and its rich colonial legacy.-

(PTI)

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) yesterday argued against the initiation of criminal proceedings against former Chief Justice Mohan Peiris PC and Court of Appeal Judge A.H.M.D Nawaz.

Addressing a press conference at the BASL Auditorium its Secretary Amal Randeniya said the Executive Committee and the Bar Council of the BASL unanimously resolved to “view with grave concern” the initiation of criminal proceedings against former CJ, Mohan Peiris and Justice Nawaz.

The BASL was of the opinion that criminal proceedings against the former CJ and Justice Nawaz on the basis of professional advice given by them in their former capacities as the Attorney General and Deputy Solicitor General affects the "independence of Judiciary, rule of Law and the interests of the public at large”.

The Bribery Commission on January 18 filed a corruption case in the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court against former CJ, Peiris and Justice Nawaz over an allegation that they conferred a wrongful or unlawful benefit, and favour or advantage on the perpetrators who had been accused of misappropriating funds belonging to Lanka Electricity Company (Private) Limited (LECO).

Responding to questions by journalists, Randeniya said the BASL has decided to make a submission at the Magistrate's Court, when the case is taken up again on March 8, to voice their concerns.

However, Randeniya took special pains to emphasize that the BASL “do not intend to obstruct or interfere with the course of justice or the right of law enforcement institutions to carry out their functions”.

“Our concern stems not from the stand point of the individuals concerned. The AG and Solicitor General are duty bound to give advice and their opinion on legal matters.An opinion could either be right or wrong. The professional advice given by the AG and Solicitor General or their deputies should not be a cause to initiate criminal proceedings. If not, the individuals holding such office would hesitate to discharge their functions.It would not set a good example,” he commented.

Source : Daily News

The Parliamentary debate on the Bond Commission report and PRECIFAC report will be held at 10.30 a.m. today.

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya convened the special sitting on the request of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The debate will possibly continue on another day after the Local Government elections.

The reports of the Bond Commission and the PRECIFAC were presented in Parliament on January 23. The two reports, which were handed over to President Maithripala Sirisena on December 30, 2017, and January 2, 2018, respectively were sent to the Speaker’s Office on January 17. The two reports were presented in Parliament on January 23.