Colombo (LNW): The proprietors of a private firm in Kandana, a man and his wife, have been detained by law enforcement.
This arrest came after a video surfaced on social media, revealing the pair assaulting a woman, as stated by the Police Spokesperson.
Colombo (LNW): To combat the spread of infectious diseases in flood-affected regions of Sri Lanka, dedicated teams have been mobilised, the Public Health Inspectors’ (PHI) Association of Sri Lanka.
Awareness campaigns have commenced in various parts of the nation, guiding residents on measures to prevent these infections, Union Secretary Shanaka Bopitiya said.
Parallel event held at 54th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council
GENEVA October 14, 2023: The ECOSOC accredited NGO, Pasumai Thaayagam Foundation, in association with the British Tamils Forum (BTF), Swiss Tamil Action Group (STAG) and the United States Tamil Action Group (USTAG), conducted a parallel event on October 06, 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland during the UN Human Rights Council’s 54th session.
The panellists were Dr Annamarie Devereux – Head/Senior Legal Officer of the UNHRC mandated OHCHR Sri Lanka Accountability Project (OSLAP); Ambassador Stephen J. Rapp – a former international prosecutor of atrocity crimes and former United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues; Dr. Beth Van Schaack – Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice, US Department of State; Ms Malliha Wilson – Former Assistant Deputy Attorney General (Civil), of the Government of Ontario and an International Human Rights Lawyer; and, Dr. Anbumany Ramadoss – an Indian member of Parliament from Tamil Nadu and a former federal Minister of Health and Family Welfare. Councillor Sarmila Varatharaj, former Deputy Mayor of Wandsworth Council, London moderated the event.
The event took place following the scathing report put out by the High Commissioner of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) pointing to the serious accountability deficit for past atrocity crimes in Sri Lanka and the call to the Sri Lankan government to deliver on past commitments and Council resolutions. A clip from a recent interview by a German TV was shown at the event where Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe angrily rejected any notion of an international investigation demonstrating his desire to protect the perpetrators of atrocity crimes by military and political leaders including his predecessors and endorsing prevailing environment of impunity.
Dr. Beth Van Schaack, stating that she was motivated by the recognition that measures of accountability for those most responsible, coupled with an honest assessment of the past added the importance of a durable peace and a prosperous future with a comprehensive transitional justice programme to include a justice component but also engage in truth telling, reparation, memorialization, institutional reforms, and other guarantees of non-recurrence.
Dr Schaack continued that as a member of the core group and Human Rights Council’s resolutions on Sri Lanka, she was aware that Tamil people have been waiting years, indeed decades, for justice processes to begin in earnest and to produce meaningful results. She expressed dismay that the period of hope, following Sri Lanka’s consent and co-sponsorship of a comprehensive transitional justice agenda in the 2015 resolution has since dissipated.
Ambassador Van Schaack questioned the motives of the Sri Lanka government mooting a Truth and Reconciliation Mechanism without having the required consultations with victims and without providing any link to accountability mechanisms. She stated that Sri Lanka would remain on the Human Rights Council agenda precisely because of the failure over many years to address the abuses of the past and to ensure that those abuses would not go unpunished.
“In the absence of credible domestic justice processes, the options elaborated by the HRC resolution remain the most viable pathways to justice and accountability. This would include universal jurisdiction where applicable, sanctions and visa ban to support truth telling, accountability and to recognise harm to victims and survivors, and continued support for United Nations Sri Lanka Accountability Project. This panel may also wish to discuss ways to strengthen the resolution and to seek better compliance with international human rights treaty obligations. Though worthy of consideration, the prospect for other judicial pathways, however, remain remote and challenging,” Ambassador Beth Van Schaack concluded.
Ambassador Stephen Rapp, emphasising the importance of pursuing accountability in Sri Lanka, if not possible there, then elsewhere in third countries or in international bodies, for the violations and crimes committed, cited that very serious crimes were committed by the Sri Lanka government during the conflict. Referring to murders of surrendered, intentional, and disproportionate attacks on civilians and torturing, violating sexually on those, who were detained, deserved full investigation. Ambassador Stephen Rapp added that those alleged committing crimes deserved opportunities to defend their innocence. Despite it was promised in 2015, it was never delivered.
Referring to impunity, Ambassador Stephen Rapp said that when some people would get away with these things, other people would think that they would do the same – hence the rise in incidents of detention, torture and ransom. Ambassador Rapp was confident that the OHCHR’s Sri Lanka Accountability Project (#OSLAP) would bring the truth out.
Dr. Anbumany Ramadoss expressed his concern of the suffering of Tamil people in Sri Lanka due to racism, discrimination, and other many forms of intolerance for decades and emphasised on the importance of the OSLAP to provide path for justice for the victims and to curtail on-going destruction of Hindu temples and proliferating Buddhist viharas in traditional Tamil homeland.
Ms Malliha Wilson spoke on many past and ongoing important issues in Sri Lanka and explained new avenues of operationalizing Universal Jurisdiction with recent examples of advancement in Canada. Based on the serious nature of findings by the Secretary General’s Panel of Experts and the OISL report, Ms. Wilson pointed out that its incumbent upon the OSLAP investigation team to determine whether the mass atrocities and war crimes committed against the Tamils in Sri Lanka rise to the level of genocide as often asserted by the victim community.
Dr. Annamarie Devereux of the OSLAP team first explained the terms of reference of the Sri Lanka Accountability Project. Referring to the HRC 46/1 Resolution as the main pillar established in 2021 followed by the October 2022 Resolution HRC 51/1 extending it for a period of two years, Ms Devereux reiterated the importance of collecting, consolidating, analysing, and preserving information to develop strategies for future accountability and serious violations of international humanitarian law and to support relevant judicial and other proceedings.
Stating that the adoption of Resolution 46/1 was for the need to be seen against the background of the ongoing concern of the Human Rights Council of serious violations that have occurred over many years, Annamarie touched on the events such as the Secretary General assigning a Commission of Panel of Experts in June 2011, Human Rights Council requesting UN Mission to undertake a comprehensive investigation of alleged serious violations and abuses and subsequent finding (OISL report), among many, to deal with a deep seated institutionalised culture of impunity.
She added that processing SLAP itself would involve complex task of ensuring documentation to maximise its potential use in future proceedings with a recovery system to make it more accessible including exploring options of providing various online translation services.
She further added while prioritising areas with available resources OSLAP is trying to establish connection between individuals and specific violations for the purpose of accountability. She also stated that the SLAP work involves reviewing the existing information in detail on matters of enforced disappearances and violations against children. Witness identities will be protected and risk analysis will be undertaken before any data is shared with potential prosecution entities or States.
The OSLAP work entails an emphasis on the importance of a comprehensive approach incorporating judicial and non-traditional processes to ensure the rights of victims, justice and reparations. In its activities the project integrates gender perspectives as well as approaches ensuring the protection of children with their best interests, Dr Devereux stated.
Colombo (LNW): All preparations for the Grade 5 scholarship examinations in 2023 are in place, Commissioner General of Examinations H.J.M.C. Amith Jayasundara confirmed.
This year, 337,596 pupils are set to take the exam across 2,888 established examination centres.
Pupils have been advised by the Commissioner General to arrive punctually at the examination venues and to bring their admission card.
Items such as mobile phones, calculators, file covers, and erasers are not permitted inside the exam halls.
Any pupils unable to attend their allocated examination centres due to severe weather or other emergencies can take the exam at the closest available centre, Jayasundara noted.
Should anyone encounter challenges in reaching their examination venue, they can contact the Disaster Management Centre on its 117 hotline.
Colombo (LNW): Finance State Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said the reorganisation of Sri Lanka’s overseas debt should be finalised in the near future.
The economy contracted in the first two quarters of the year, but the latter half may show different results, the Minister told the reporters in Kegalle yesterday (14).
He added that these factors will influence the formulation of the 2024 budget, making it a challenging task.
Drafting the upcoming budget won’t be straightforward, and it may require rigorous financial management and careful cost alignment, Siyambalapitiya explained.
However, he remained optimistic, saying, “We are confident that we’ll finish this reorganisation swiftly.”
“Given our current objectives, we’re in a position to formulate the budget,” the State Minister stressed.
By: Staff Writer
Colombo (LNW): The government has entered in to several agreements to promote tourism in Georgia in connection with the first ever mega Sri Lanka tourism promotional event organised by the Sri Lanka Embassy in Türkiye, accredited to Georgia in Tbilisi, recently.
The event was supported by the Honorary Consulate of Sri Lanka in Georgia, ALFAD Group, Jetwing Travel, Interco, Walkers Tours, Dilmah Tea, Turkish Airlines, the Sri Lankan community including the students in Tbilisi.
Preceding the event, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Alexander Khvtisiashvili and the Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Georgia with residence in Türkiye Hasanthi Urugodawatte Dissanayake signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on tourism cooperation.
Another MoU on cooperation was signed by the Georgian Levan Mikeladze Diplomatic Training and Research Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Georgia, and the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka in Georgia was an evening of sharing Sri Lankan traditions and culture through multiple media platforms, promoting the country’s tourism with special focus on its cultural and natural heritage that are distinctly different from the Georgian tourism experience.
Tourism is not just visiting places, it is also a pathway to understand, respect and appreciate differences, which would eventually contribute to global peace.
Welcoming the guests to the event, the Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in Georgia Nino Makhviladze shared her first-hand experience in her recent visit to Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Dissanayake presented an introduction to Sri Lanka highlighting a broad range of uniquely Sri Lankan experiences.
The Guest of Honour at the event, the Georgian National Tourism Administration Deputy Head Medea Janiashvili in her address said this is the first such event in Tbilisi, and emphasised the importance of promoting bilateral tourism cooperation in an effective manner.
Georgian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Khvtisiashvili was the special guest at the event.
Over 150 guests from diverse backgrounds including the tourism sector, corporate clientele who are likely to seek Sri Lanka for their corporate events, staff retreats and personal holidays attended the event.
Media personnel, officials from the Georgian Foreign Ministry and Georgian National Tourism Administration, members of the diplomatic corps, the Sri Lankan community and representatives of Sri Lankan students in Tbilisi participated in the event.
In addition, a Sri Lankan photo exhibition depicting the country’s natural beauty, including wildlife, culture and heritage of Sri Lanka by two award winning photographers, Ravi Ranasinghe and Dr. Umberto Binetti and a selection of paintings of renowned Sri Lankan artist Vasantha Perera were displayed at the venue.
Several traditional Sri Lankan dances were performed by professional dancer Poornima Wickramarachchi together with students from the Tbilisi State Medical University. In addition, a spot fashion show of Sri Lankan batik and handloom clothing was presented by professional Georgian models.
By: Staff Writer
Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka expects the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to clear the next tranche of IMF financing of about US$334 million to be disbursed following a deal reached between Sri Lanka and China.
The Finance Ministry said that the Government of Sri Lanka reached an agreement on the key principles and indicative terms of a debt treatment with the Export-Import Bank of China (“China Exim bank”).
Govenmnt keeps high hopes that Sri Lanka would reach a deal with other creditors at the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Marrakech, but they have reportedly been grappling to reach a consensus.
They might be concerned that China managed to negotiate special terms with regards to the loans, according to Dhananath Fernando of Colombo based think tank Advocata.
If they got preferential treatment, it means another creditor will have the bear the burden, according to Mr Fernando.
Japan, India and France say they were not informed of the EXIM deal and have asked to be given the same terms as China in restructuring discussions.China is known to cut these kinds of deals in secret and keep the details private
Sri Lanka has a total foreign debt of $46.9bn, 52% of which is owed to China, its largest lender.
Reaching a deal with all of its creditors will allow Sri Lanka to keep accessing funds from a $3bn bailout programme with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
The next tranche – worth $330m – has been on hold since last month after Sri Lanka and the IMF failed to agree on the terms for its disbursement.
Sri Lanka has said all its creditors will be treated equally, and requested lenders to reduce outstanding debt by 30%.
Colombo secured a $3bn loan from the IMF earlier this year. The World Bank agreed to a $600m loan in 2022.
The Sri Lankan Government commends the engagement and continuous support of China Exim bank in reaching this agreement in principle, which demonstrates a mutual commitment in line with the goal/objective of restoring public debt sustainability consistent with the IMF-supported program.
The Sri Lankan authorities hope that this landmark achievement will provide an anchor to their ongoing engagement with the Official Creditor Committee and commercial creditors, including the bondholders.
It should also facilitate approval by the IMF Executive Board of the first review of the IMF-supported program in the coming weeks, allowing for the next tranche of IMF financing of about US$334 million to be disbursed.
Secretary to the Treasury K M Mahinda Siriwardana said.that the the Government says in the next few weeks, the Sri Lankan authorities and China Exim bank will actively work on formalizing and implementing the agreed parameters of the debt treatment.
By: Staff Writer
Colombo (LNW): The Ad Hoc Group of Bondholders of Sri Lanka has taken note of the progress Sri Lanka has made with its official sector creditors towards reaching an agreement in principle on a debt treatment within the framework of its IMF Programme.
The Group remains committed to working with the Sri Lankan authorities as quickly as possible to find a sustainable solution to Sri Lanka’s debt challenges as they relate to its international bond debt.
This was in consistent with the Group’s February 3, 2023 statement of financing assurances.
The objectives have been expressed by official and private sector participants in the Global Sovereign Debt Round-table to facilitate more efficient and equitable sovereign debt restructuring processes,
To that end, the Group, acting through its Steering Committee, recently proactively submitted its own restructuring proposal relating to Sri Lanka’s outstanding international bonds.
The proposal, which provides upfront debt relief, includes a menu of new securities that would be offered to the holders of the existing bonds, including a “Macro-Linked Bond”.
The MLB is an innovative new instrument that is designed to be liquid and index-eligible and whose payouts are linked to the evolution of Sri Lanka’s gross domestic product.
This design seeks to ensure both that the instrument is acceptable to bond market participants and that its cash flows will at all times comply with the Debt Sustainability Analysis targets embedded in Sri Lanka’s IMF Programme in a range of future macroeconomic scenarios.
The Group believes that its proposal, including the MLB, will contribute to restoring Sri Lanka’s debt sustainability and, at the same time, will command broad support from existing holders of Sri Lanka’s international bonds.
The Group is advised by Rothschild & Co and White & Case LLP, as financial and legal advisors, respectively.
By: Staff Writer
Colombo (LNW): In the wake of forming a joint venture with Milco Pvt Ltdand Indian Milk giant Amul, National Livestock Development Board (NLDB) handling local milk production has come under charges of irregularities and malpractices.
The national audit office in its latest findings has exposed these irregularities and failure in achieving the targets expected from the corporate plan and the setback in the progress as an institution.
Inability to submit annual reports to parliament from 2017 to 2021, not submitting financial statements for the years 2019,2020 and 2021 to the Auditor General for his opinion.
It has only submitted the financial statement of the year 2018 which has been presented to him on the 05th November 2022.
The NLDB gas failed to create an Information Management System for strengthening the internal administration and administration of financial affairs of 31 farms.
Valuation of animals in farms has not been carried out according to standard accounting procedures.
A matter has arisen on the accuracy of information that has been produced about the livestock without including them even in their financial statements while delaying in submitting those statements in time.
The Auditor General’s Department says that there was a lack of interconnection between the corporate plan, action plan and procurement plan and those plans were not practical.
NLDB management has also failed in allocating funds for various projects that have been proposed by the institution itself.
The institution has not been carrying out a proper and timely analysis of the Information Management System.
Exposing malpractice in the implementation of the Wellard Project, the national audit office has found that out of 4495 dairy cows imported from Australia, 3991 dairy cows have died and only 504 dairy cows have left in the arms owned by NLDB.
It has ben revealed that an advance payment of 11.09 million US dollars has been paid to a contractor company for importing 15,000 dairy cows in 2018.
However, no dairy cows have been imported so far for the last 4 years and the NLDB was encountering an issue with keeping records of the aforesaid advance payment for those cows in its accounts.
Although the total milk production of the country is more than 500 million liters, the National Livestock Development Board has contributed only with 10 million litres in the year 2021.
It is only 2% of the total milk production in the country. Operations of the institution denote that farms in Nikaweratiya,Ridiyama and Menikpalama incur continuous losses whereas the annual revenue of the institution records at Rs.3 billion per annum.
The Auditor General’s Department sa strongly recommended the merging of the National Livestock Development Board and Milco company to ensure efficient productivity in the milk production and distribution within the country.
Colombo (LNW): The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) has been hosting and plans to continue a series of virtual workshops on Regulated Short Selling (RSS) and Stock Borrowing and Lending (SBL) to educate various groups.
These sessions are available in Sinhala, English, and Tamil, catering to internal stakeholders, current and potential investors, and the wider public.
SBL facilitates the lending and borrowing of shares for set durations, allowing participants to benefit from market trends and prevailing interest rates.
However, only certain securities, determined by the CSE and Central Depository System (CDS), will be eligible for SBL transactions, with CDS reviewing this eligibility quarterly.
For RSS, only shares from select listed companies that meet liquidity criteria are eligible, and they can only be executed through the Automated Trading System (ATS) via a Trading Participant. Client orders submitted online are excluded from RSS.
These efforts are geared towards enhancing market efficiency, liquidity, and aligning the CSE with international norms.
The upcoming workshop on these topics is scheduled for October 17, 2023, with registration available through the CSE website and its social media channels.
