Uncertainty over the postponement of local government elections continues to grow.  Recent statements by government leaders and debates in parliament show them openly expressing the view that elections at this time would not be conducive to either economic growth or advantageous to them, and so ought not to be held.  This follows the postponement of local government elections scheduled for March 9 due to the failure of the government treasury to release the required funds for the elections.  It is important that government departments should cooperate with the Election Commission when it has declared elections as mandated by the Constitution.

Two landmark rulings of the Supreme Court have sent a clear message to the country at large that the elections should take place without delay. The National Peace Council is particularly distressed at the open calls being made within parliament to government departments to disregard the court orders on the grounds that they breach parliamentary privilege.  The open questioning and mockery of democratic processes by government members that is taking place at all levels was not expected under the leadership of so experienced a parliamentarian as President Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

The sovereignty of the people, and their right to elect their representatives at all levels of government through free and fair elections, and respect for the judiciary, constitute the foundations of democracy. The failure to uphold the rule of law and the system of checks and balances would severely undermine democracy, the country’s international credibility and the national interest. NPC appeals to the government to expedite the electoral process by heeding the decisions of the Supreme Court and abide by the new date of April 25 as set by the Election Commission for the local government elections to be held.  

The National Peace Council is heartened by the joint initiative of civil society organisations to bring the opposition political parties to one forum to uphold the principle of timely and free and fair elections and to convince the government of the need for elections.  Leading representatives of all the main opposition political parties came together to sign a “Public representatives pledge to protect the right to vote” at a meeting convened by the Civil Society Collective for Protecting the Franchise.  Although the political parties represented widely different ideologies and ethnic affiliations, they stood without any division on the issue of upholding the democratic franchise.

We want the government to heed the voice of the opposition parties and civil society organisations on this issue of the franchise and not be isolated as that would not be conducive to the political stability and economic recovery it seeks. The government’s development strategies require the willing cooperation of the rest of political society which is unlikely to be secured without timely elections being held as guaranteed by the Constitution.  The government also needs to show respect to judicial decisions and to constitutional provisions related to the rule of law that are essential for investor confidence, both national and international, without which the prospects for economic recovery will be a chimera.  

National Peace Council of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka participated in its 6^th Periodic Review under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) on 8 and 9 March 2023in Geneva.  The Review was conducted in a hybrid format, during three 2-hour sessions over two days by the Human Rights Committee. The preparations for the Review were led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs over the past several weeks and included participation by a number of government agencies.

The Human Rights Committee is a body comprised of 18 independent experts that monitor the implementation of the ICCPR. The Reviews of all States Parties to the Covenant are conducted by the Committee.In addition to Sri Lanka the Committee also reviewed Egypt, Turkmenistan, Zambia, Peru, and Panama during its 137^th Session from 27 February to 24 March 2023.

In her opening statement, the Head of the Sri Lanka Delegation Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Himalee Arunatilaka, said that since the submission of Sri Lanka’s 6^th Periodic Report in 2019, many significant developments in the country have taken place, including the enactment of the 21^st Amendment to the Constitution, further strengthening democratic governance through the Constitution, Regulation of Election Expenditure Act, amendments to the Prevention of Terrorism Act and drafting of anti-terrorism legislation, reconciliation through independent domestic mechanisms, convening of an  All Party Conference, establishment of a Cabinet Sub-Committee on Reconciliation and release of land held by military for security purposes in the North and the East to the legitimate owners. Ambassador Arunatilaka also pointed out that the period under review posed unprecedented socio-economic challenges for Sri Lanka and the Government’s main objective during the past year was to restore economic and political stability and on delivering urgent socio-economic necessities.

The Chairperson of the Human Rights Committee Tania María Abdo Rocholl in her opening remarks commended the high representation of women in the Sri Lanka delegation. During the Review, the Human Rights Committee acknowledged the progress made by Sri Lanka including resettlement of internally displaced persons, welcomed the releasing of private land held by the military to legitimate civilian owners and the adoption of the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act, and recognized the efforts made to combat gender-based violence.

The interactive discussion between the Sri Lanka delegation the Committee covered a wide range of issues relating to the constitutional and legal framework within which the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is implemented.

The Committee members raised issues concerning interalia, the constitutional reform process, independence of the judiciary, rights of freedom of association, expression, assembly and religion, states of emergency, alleged discrimination against LGBTI persons, allegations ofintimidation against journalists, human rights defenders and civil society. The Sri Lanka delegation responded and engaged constructively with the members of Human Rights Committee during the Review and also undertook to provide written responses to some of the questions raised.

In her closing remarks, Ambassador Arunatilaka highlighted that Sri Lanka participated in the Review in a spirit of openness and constructive engagement amidst several socio-economic challenges.

The delegation comprised senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Presidential Secretariat, Attorney-General’s Department and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva participating in person. Senior officials participating from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo joined the Review virtually representing the Ministry of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, Ministry of Public Security, Ministry of Health, Department of Prisons, Department of Police, National Dangerous Drugs Control Board, Bureau of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, Office on Missing Persons (OMP), Office on Reparations (OR), Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR).

Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN

Geneva

10 March 2023

 On 09 March 2023, the Minister of Education of Sri Lanka Hon. Dr. Susil Premajayantha and the High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka H.E. Gopal Baglay formally dispatched a consignment of textbooks printed with Indian support at the State Printing Corporation (SPC) for use in various schools across Sri Lanka. The State Minister of Education Hon. A. Arvind Kumar, senior officials of the Ministry including Secretary to the Ministry of Education Mr. Nihal Ranasinghe and officials from the SPC attended the event.

2.   A concessional Credit Facility of USD 1 billion was extended to the Government of Sri Lanka by the Government of India in March 2022 for supply of essential items including food, fuel, medicines, industrial raw materials etc. Out of this Facility, over USD 10 million has been used by SPC and private importers to procure printing paper and material from India. This is being used to print 45% of textbooks required by 4 million young students of Sri Lanka for the academic year 2023.

3.     Speaking on the occasion, High Commissioner stressed that India’s support for text books is an investment in Sri Lanka’s future and will contribute to bright future of its young students. Hon. Minister of Education appreciated India’s support to Sri Lanka in the last one year and timely assistance through the Indian Line of Credit to import paper for printing textbooks for school children. The State Minister of Education appreciated India’s helping hand to the people of Sri Lanka in these difficult times. The dignitaries also undertook a tour of SPC’s facilities and were briefed by the officials on its operations.

4.     India and Sri Lanka enjoy a multi-faceted and multi-sectoral partnership. In line with its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, Government of India’s assistance to the people of Sri Lanka is extended in various forms, including through concessional Credit Facility and Lines of Credit. Till date, Lines of Credit worth over US$ 4 billion have been extended to Sri Lanka in diverse sectors including supply of essential items, petroleum, fertilizers, etc. development of railways, infrastructure, defence sector and renewable energy etc.

***

Colombo

11 March 2023

Six Sri Lankan Theros were conferred with Honorary Religious Titles “Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru” and “Aggamahapanditha” by the Government of Myanmar.  Most Venerable Prof. Kumburugamuwa Vajira Maha Thero, Most Venerable Dr. Ittepana Dhammalankara Mahanayaka Thero, Most Venerable Omare Kassapa Anunayaka Thero, Most Venerable Balangoda Sobhitha Nayaka Thero, Most Venerable Iguruwaththe Piyananda Mahanayaka Thero, Most Venerable Prof. Muwaetagama Gnanananda Thero are the title recipients.

The Conferring Ceremony was held on 05 March 2023, in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.  The Venerable Theros were conferred by the Myanmar Prime Minster Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.

Ambassador Janaka Bandara and the other officials of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Yangon, coordinated this event successfully with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture of Myanmar.

The title recipient Theros are due to return to Sri Lanka on 12 March 2023.

Embassy of Sri Lanka
Yangon
10 March 2023

Colombo (LNW): A case filed in the Appeal Court against a registrar general who refused to change Attorney-at-Law Nuwan Bopage’s nationality as ‘Sri Lankan’ in his child’s birth certificate made a historic progress as the accused promised to do so.

The said registrar general promised to change Bopage’s nationality as ‘Sri Lankan’ in his child’s birth certificate as the writ was taken up before Appeal Court Judge Lafar Thahir yesterday (10). Based on the accused’s promise before the Court of Law, Attorney-at-Law Bopage in possession of the rights decided to conclude the hearing.

Bopage demanded that a writ command be made nullifying the registrar general’s office’s decision to deny his request to state his nationality as ‘Sri Lankan’ in his child’s birth certificate. As the case was taken up before the Appeal Court yesterday, the accused promised to change the nationality as requested by the plaintiff, making it possible to conclude the case without being heard further.

Source: The Leader

It is reported that the Indian government has agreed to provide a credit line of one billion US dollars for Sri Lanka.

Sources said that this line of credit is planned to be used for importing medicines to Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India Mr. Milind Moragoda has been able to obtain this line of credit as a result of discussions with Indian government authorities.

The Central Bank of Sri Lanka says that the Central Bank intervened to control the rapid decline in the price of the American dollar and bought about 500 million dollars from the local exchange market in the last few days.

“Since January, the central bank has taken about 1 billion dollars with Mandatory sales. About 500 million have been taken in the last few days. If we had not intervened, the price would have come down further,” said Dr. P.K.G. Harishchandra, Director of the Economic Research Department of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.