The Indian Naval Ship (INS) ‘Delhi’ arrived at the Port of Trincomalee on a formal visit on January 15.

The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions.

INS ‘Delhi’ is a 163.2m long Destroyer manned by a crew of 390 and the ship is commanded by Captain Shiraz Husain Azad.

In the meantime, the Commanding Officer of INS is scheduled to call on Commander Eastern Naval Area and Commandant Volunteer Naval Force, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara on 16th January at the Eastern Naval Command Headquarters.

During the ship’s stay, the crew will take part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, with a view to promoting cooperation and goodwill between two navies. They are also expected to go on a sightseeing excursion in Trincomalee.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka Navy personnel will engage in a training visit onboard INS ‘Delhi’. Concluding the visit, INS ‘Delhi’ will depart the island on 17th January.

SL Navy

The Cabinet paper presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe for the provision of 10 kg of rice per month for two million low income families, including Samurdhi beneficiaries for a period of two months, has been approved.

Accordingly, the government will purchase 61,600 metric tons of paddy to meet the requirement of 40,000 Metric Tons. This program is proposed to be implemented by District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries with the assistance of small and medium-scale paddy mills.

Under the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries, rice will be distributed among the identified Samurdhi beneficiaries including low-income earners using the existing system and the Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment will coordinate the District Secretaries and issue necessary instructions to them.

The total estimated cost is Rs.8,040 million, which includes Rs.6,200 million for paddy purchase, Rs.290 million for rice drying, Rs.590 million for milling charges, Rs.200 million for packing costs, Rs.160 million as additional payment to mill owners, and Rs.600 million for transportation.

However, the program’s estimated cost will vary depending on market fluctuations, and a budget provision of around Rs.10,000 million will be allocated to be used if the need arises.

According to data from the Departments of Agriculture and Agrarian Development, the land extent used for paddy cultivation in the 2022/2023 Maha season is approximately 732,201 hectares, and the expected yield is 3.3 million metric tons, while approximately 2.2 million metric tons of rice can be produced. Given the country’s monthly rice requirement of approximately 210,000 metric tons, it has been observed that the next Maha season may see a paddy surplus. As a result, in order to protect both the paddy farmer and the consumer, the government must intervene in the purchase of a specific amount of paddy during the 2022/23 season.

Furthermore, due to the country’s extremely difficult economic situation, it is necessary to protect low-income groups of society from the negative effects of the crisis by assisting them in maintaining a good nutritional level. This group consists of approximately 2 million families, including Samurdhi beneficiaries. Although the government has provided additional funds for this group until April 2023, there is a need to care for these low-income earners for a further period. Because the paddy harvest in this season of 2022/2023 is expected to be higher than the previous Maha season, it is appropriate to use a portion of the paddy to provide additional support to identified low-income earners in order to maintain their standard of living. This program will benefit both farmers and low-income groups in the country.

The Treasury Secretary, officers of the Presidential Secretariat, the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government, the Secretary to the Ministry of Women, and Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, all District Secretaries, the Department of Samurdhi Development, and other related institutions will participate in the discussions on the method of implementing the proposed program. It is also expected to discuss and decide on the proposed rice distribution mechanism. In addition, the production cost of rice varieties to be purchased by farmers, a certified price for rice, paddy owner participation, transportation methods, and paddy milling charges will be discussed in depth.

PMD

1. SJB Working Committee decides to field MP Mujibur Rahman as its Mayoral candidate for Colombo.
   
2. Acute liquidity crisis severely impacts Govt finances: Treasury to settle Government servants’ monthly salaries in 2 instalments.
   
3. SLFP to contest the Local Govt Elections in Northern & Eastern Provinces and in the Polonnaruwa District under the “Hand” symbol: it will contest the Districts of Colombo, Kurunegala and Monaragala under the “Helicopter” symbol.
   
4. Fort Magistrate’s Court issues order preventing IUSF protestors entering Galle Face: Bauddhaloka Mawatha closed due to IUSF protest: tear gas and water cannons used by Police to disperse protestors at St. Anthony’s Road in Colpetty.
   
5. President Ranil Wickremesinghe says he is aware of the hardships the people are going through: assures USD 2.9 bn would be received from the IMF in 3 or 4 instalments: adds there’s the capacity to obtain USD 5 bn from the World Bank, ADB, etc.
   
6. Central Bank data shows Workers’ Remittances in 2022 was at a 12-year low: down by 31% to USD 3.8 bn in comparison to USD 5.5 bn in 2021: previous low was USD 4.1 bn in 2010.
   
7. Paddy Mill Owners Assn President Mudith Perera says around 10 Small and Medium sized Paddy Mills close operations every month: adds they are unable to service their loans due to the highly excessive interest rates.
   
8. Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission informs the Cabinet Secretary that the Commission is not approving the proposed revision of electricity tariffs: gives reasons.
   
9. Sri Lanka Cricket directs the Manager of the National Cricket Team to submit a report pertaining to Sri Lanka’s heavy defeat against India at the 3rd Cricket ODI: report to be submitted within 5 days.
   
10. The Special Committee Report on Sri Lanka’s participation at the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup, submitted to the Attorney General by the Sports Ministry Secretary: seeks advice on future course of action.

Army Headquarters (AHQ) recommended  the following senior officers for the final interview to be held at the Defence Ministry for the positions of Defence Adviser (DA) for the UK, China, Pakistan after a written examination and a viva voce examination on 25 November 2022.

1. O/62010 Brig  M P N A Muthumala USP psc
2. O/62214 Brig K W Jayaweera USP psc
3. O/62125 Brig  W M N K D Bandara RWP RSP USP psc
4. O/62418 Col K T R B Kodippili psc
5. O/62440 Col K A Pushpakumara RWP RSP USP psc
6. O/62466 Brig M A D S Munasinghe RWP RSP psc IG
7. O/62561 Col R R M P N B Bambaradeniya RWP RSP USP psc
8. O/62712 Col R M S P Rathnayake USP psc IG
9. O/62715  Col D K R N Silva RSP USP psc

However, AHQ overlooked the recorded and repeated history of unofficer-like conduct of Col K T R B Kodippili psc O/62418 during the initial interviews and and was recommended to go for the interview held at the Defence Ministry.

Defence Ministry Interview was held on  05 December 2022 and the  interview panel consisted of Defence Secretary, Assistant Secretary Defence, Army Commander.  The Defence Secretary  selected the following officers for below mentioned countries.   

UK

Brig K W Jayaweera USP psc O/62214

China

Col K T R B Kodippili psc O/62418 

Pakistan

Col D K R N Silva RSP USP psc O/62715 SLAC

Col K T R B Kodippili psc O/62418 bears a history of bad character not fit for a military officer let alone a diplomat to represent Sri Lanka. Following are few examples;

• Date : 26.11.1997

Incident : Assaulting a soldier

Place : 9 SLSR  Puliyankulam Camp    

• Date : 14.09.2002

Incident : Inhumane assault to a subordinate officer

Detained in Aralaganwila Police Station for 04 days

Place : Maduru Oya Camp , Maduru Oya

• Date : 19.04.2004

Incident : Assaulting a soldier

Place: 6/7 SLSR Camp Thilippalai

The AHQ has made this recommendation when  Col K T R B Kodippili psc O/62418  had not been officially recommended to go on UN peace keeping missions as a result of his unofficer-like behaviour and was disqualified for the USP, the Eminent Service Medal.

“ It is ordained that the medal shall be granted to all ranks of the Regular Force of the Army, Navy and Air Force of the Republic of Sri Lanka for valuable service and devotion to duty marked by exceptional ability, merit and exemplary conduct provided they completed a period of not less than fifteen years reckonable service and possess an unblemished record of moral and military conduct as at the date of recommendation is made. Recipient of the medal will be entitled to use the symbol ‘USP’ after his/her name.” https://www.army.lk/medals

Hence, it is evident that USP, the Eminent Servcie medal is invariably a vital and indispensable qualification ruling that was laid out by the military for a military officer to go on peace keeping and diplomatic missions.

As a result, there is now a serious concern how the recorded and repeated history of violent and unofficer- like behaviour of Col K T R B Kodippili psc O/62418 and his ineligibility to the USP medal were overlooked during the AHQ selection process and included him for the final interview at the Defence Ministry with their recommendations for such a prestigious, responsible diplomatic post.

The officers in charge of the selection criteria at the AHQ and the commander of the Army must be held responsible for their favouritism towards Col K T R B Kodippili psc O/62418 deliberately disregarding his ineligibility.

Therefore , it is apparent that the selection criteria were flawed and had been influenced by the Defence Secretary himself from the beginning and throughout in order to favour his lapdog (it is rumourd that Col Kodippili was helping Maj Gen Kamal Gunaratne write his book ‘Nandikadal’ in the past. Moreover, when considered all above factors and comparing the relevant qualifications of the rest of the highly decorated officers who were in the list, Col K T R B Kodippili psc O/62418  seems no match even to compete for a diplomatic position.

It is also apparent that the Defence Secretary had been acting in a discriminatory and  biased manner abusing his authority to nominate  Col K T R B Kodippili psc O/62418  who is ineligible and has a history of  behaving  in a scandalous manner, unbecoming the character of an officer and a gentleman to hold a diplomatic position representing Sri Lanka.  

Nominating Col K T R B Kodippili psc O/62418 for such a prestigious diplomatic position is unfair by the other officers who hold immaculate characters and have served the army with valour and dedication.

we also have once experienced how a DA for the UK brought discredit to the country and had been declared persona non grata and expelled from the UK in 2019.

What more could Sri Lanka expect from infamous Col K T R B Kodippili psc O/62418 who has a repeated and recorded history of wilful misconduct and violence against his own subordinate officers and his men, and once being in Police custody for assault?

Seram de Silva

The importance of accountability in governance has become manifest both nationally and internationally in the Supreme Court decision with regard to the Easter bombing and the Canadian government’s sanctions for human rights violations respectively.  The Supreme Court has determined that former president Maithripala Sirisena and four senior members of the security hierarchy are liable for negligence in their responsibilities which led to loss of life and limb to more than five hundred innocent persons.  This is a landmark decision in a context in which impunity and lack of accountability has been marked in the public life of the country.

Obtaining high positions in the state has for too long been viewed as a perk and privilege of those who have won elections or been closely associated with those who wield political power.  Holding high office in Sri Lanka has come to be seen as an opportunity for self-gain and to dish out patronage rather than to serve the national interest.  The National Peace Council welcomes the intervention by the highest national judicial authority to hold accountable some of those who held the highest executive positions in the country for the disastrous failure to protect the civilian population in the face of repeated warnings of an imminent attack.

We note that there are other cases filed before the courts of law in regard to the economic collapse that the country went through last year and in which it continues to be mired.  This economic collapse has blighted the lives of the vast majority of people and thrown more than forty percent of the people below the poverty line.  We hope that the justice obtained by the several hundreds of victims of the Easter bombing will be obtained by the several millions of victims of the economic collapse.  Those who are guilty of economic crimes of deliberate mismanagement and fraud need to be similarly held accountable and made to pay for their crimes.

One of the consequences of the failure to deal with accountability issues in the past has been the opening of the door to international interventions in regard to human rights through both the UN Human Rights Council and action by individual foreign governments.  The Canadian government last week noticed former presidents Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa and two military officers as subject to targeted sanctions on account for violation of international human rights.  The Canadian government has justified its stance on the basis that Sri Lanka has failed to hold those guilty of such crimes accountable through national judicial processes.  

The UN Human Rights Council has highlighted economic crimes in the country. Economic crimes are where political leaders and their associates have stolen the assets of the country and hidden them in the country or abroad. The UN has a Stolen Assets Recovery Program (STAR) to deal with this international menace. The present government needs to bring in a law to persist with stolen asset recovery, which is essential to ensure that ill-gotten gains are used to fill the near empty coffers of the country.

The momentous events of the past week would come as a shock to the Sri Lankan people who have already been subjected to heavy shocks over the past year.  The salutary aspect of these cataclysmic events is that the principle of accountability is more likely to become institutionalized in Sri Lankan institutions and in the consciousness of the people.  The activation of national accountability mechanisms as demonstrated by the Supreme Court will help to ward off international intervention and usher in national development. The National Peace Council is hopeful that as a result those who obtain positions of power and national leadership will act with a sense of responsibility to all the people of the country rather than with contempt for them and their human rights.

The National Peace Council of Sri Lanka