Colombo District Judge Chathurika de Silva yesterday ruled that the verdict on the former president’s request – to dismiss 128 cases filed by the victims of the Easter Attack without being heard – will be announced on January 7, 2022. Those 128 cases have been filed by relatives of the victims, the permanently disabled and the injured, demanding compensation from former President Maithripala Sirisena for failing to prevent the Easter Sunday bombing.
That was when the case was called yesterday through a motion.
President’s Counsel Faizer Mustafa, appearing for former President Maithripala Sirisena, has filed a motion in court stating that if terrorist attacks were to take place in the country in the past, hundreds of previous Presidents would also be prosecuted in connection with the Easter attacks. He further stated that the cases were filed on the assumption that Sirisena knew about the attack and that all the cases were filed without a case in accordance with the Code of Civil Procedure.
President’s Counsel Shamil Perera, appearing for the aggrieved party, requested that Maithripala Sirisena’s request be denied as the case was filed as there was a reasonable revelation that the accused had received information regarding the Easter attack in advance.
After considering the views of both parties, the court ordered that the decision on whether to dismiss the case be announced on January 07.
A 15-year-old boy is in custody after three students died and eight were injured in a shooting Tuesday afternoon at a high school in Oxford, Michigan, authorities said.
The Oxford High School students killed were a 16-year-old boy, a 14-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl, Oakland County Undersheriff Michael G. McCabe said at a news conference.
Eight others were shot, one of whom is believed to be a teacher, McCabe said. Of the eight injured, two are currently in surgery and the other six are in stable condition with various gunshot wounds, McCabe said.
“I think this is every parent’s worst nightmare,” said Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who added that shootings at schools are “a uniquely American problem that we need to address.”
“My heart goes out to the families. This is an unimaginable tragedy. I hope we can all rise to the occasion and wrap our arms around the families, the affected children and school personnel and this community,” Whitmer said.
The suspect, a sophomore at the school, was taken into custody without incident five minutes after authorities responded to the shooting, McCabe said. His parents have hired an attorney and have not permitted that he talk to police, McCabe said.
Sisira Jayakody, Minister of State for Indigenous Medicine says that steps will be taken to obtain legal approval for the export of medicinal cannabis through Parliament within the next three months.
“We are stuck within the framework of traditional rules. Indigenous drugs were banned in our country, especially by Western imperialists and colonial rulers. It also shattered our traditional knowledge system. Western pseudo-scholars began to ridicule our country’s indigenousness, indigenous medicine, and indigenous knowledge system.
We are overcoming the challenges of changing these conditions. As the Ministry of Indigenous Medicine, we are working to change the traditional legal system. In particular, we are moving towards a system of legalizing those traditional medicines that once existed in our country, as suggested by the Hon. Ministers and Parliamentarians several times in this House.
The western colonial rule banned the use of high-quality medicinal cannabis, especially in the treatment of cancer, neurological disorders, as well as antidepressants, painkillers and cosmetics. Therefore, we sincerely hope that in the coming period, within the next three months, all the necessary legal action will be taken to see through this Parliament the legal approval required for the export of medicinal cannabis – for export only – and that action will be taken before this Parliament for approval. “
Minister of State Sisira Jayakody stated this while participating in the budget debate in Parliament yesterday (30).
By Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia
On World AIDS Day, the WHO South-East Asia Region joins global calls to End inequalities and End AIDS – the theme of this year’s commemoration. HIV continues to be a major global health issue, having claimed 36.3 million lives globally so far. In 2020, around 680 000 people died from HIV-related causes and 1.5 million people acquired HIV globally. An estimated 38 million people were living with HIV infection. The South-East Asia Region is home to around 10% of all people living with HIV globally, and accounts for 12% of global AIDS-related mortality. Amid the COVID-19 response, the Region continues to take targeted action to maintain essential health services, including to prevent, detect and treat HIV. Today, as we show solidarity with people living with HIV, remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses, and express gratitude to those who are working to end AIDS, WHO urges all countries of the Region to intensify action to close remaining gaps, achieve the 95-95-95 targets, and end the inequalities, stigma and discrimination that keep the epidemic alive.
The Region has in recent years achieved significant progress against HIV, with all countries committed to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3 – by 2030, end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat. Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand have achieved the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. Between 2010 and 2020, the Region reduced annual new HIV infections by 46% and AIDS-related deaths by 64%. An estimated 61% of people living with HIV in the Region are now receiving life-long antiretroviral therapy. However, these and other successes are not uniform across countries and populations. Marginalized populations in particular continue to be underserved. Ending AIDS and associated inequalities – social, cultural and legal – requires high-level political commitment. In 2020, at a WHO-supported high-level meeting of ministers of health from across the Region, countries reiterated their commitment to achieve global and Regional targets and intensify efforts in this Decade of Action to end viral hepatitis, HIV and STIs as public health threats.
To achieve our time-bound targets and goals, several priorities must be addressed. First, recovering lost ground. Despite the Region’s best efforts, COVID-19-related disruptions have impacted access to HIV prevention and testing, whereas access to treatment has for the most part been maintained. To catch up on pre-pandemic progress, key populations must be reached, including through institutionalized community engagement initiatives. Measures to anticipate and mitigate further disruptions must be integrated into emergency preparedness and response plans, not only for pandemics such as COVID-19, but all other hazards. Second, securing sufficient and sustained domestic investments in HIV services, which must be accessible at the primary health care level. Such investments will not only increase equitable access to quality HIV services, but also strengthen health system resilience, complementing Region-wide efforts to build strong PHC-oriented health systems, as emphasized in a landmark resolution adopted at the Seventy-fourth session of the WHO Regional Committee in September 2021.
Third, leveraging high-impact innovations. In pilot studies conducted in several of the Region’s countries, newer tools such as HIV self-testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis have proven immensely valuable. To achieve maximum impact, these and other innovations must be incorporated into comprehensive service packages and rolled out at population level. Fourth, intensifying action to address the epidemic’s non-biomedical aspects, including legal and policy domains. In our Region and across the world, stigma, discrimination and other structural determinants and inequalities continue to impede progress, deepening health and social inequities, and obstructing sustainable social and economic development.
Action is needed, and now. To facilitate progress in this Decade of Action, the Region will soon launch a new integrated Regional Action Plan for viral hepatitis, HIV and STIs (2022–2026), which will be aligned with forthcoming global health sector strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs, as well as the SDGs. The Plan will be accompanied by a Regional accountability framework, which will track WHO and country actions to achieve the 2025 interim targets and the 2030 goals, and will prioritize efforts to enhance community ownership, action and engagement. Together, we can and must succeed. On World AIDS Day, WHO reiterates its commitment to support all countries of the Region to end inequalities and end AIDS, leaving no one behind.
Ambassador Unambuwe presents Credentials to President Pendarovski of the Republic of North Macedonia
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Germany Manori Unambuwe presented Letters of Credence to the President of the Republic of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski, accrediting her as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sri Lanka to North Macedonia on 24 November 2021 at a ceremony held at the Office of the President in Skopje.
Delivering the traditional credential address, Ambassador Unambuwe conveyed the greetings and best wishes from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the President of North Macedonia and reiterated the commitment of Sri Lanka to strengthen relations with North Macedonia with a special focus on trade and investment.
Welcoming the new Ambassador, President Pendarovski highlighted that North Macedonia is looking forward to exploring new avenues to furthering relations between the two countries and the government of North Macedonia will extend its fullest support to the Ambassador and the Mission in all future endeavors.
During an audience with the President after the presentation of credentials, the Ambassador briefed on the major developments in Sri Lanka, including economic development, reconciliation and reconstruction, following the Presidential and General Elections in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Referring to the long-standing friendship between Sri Lanka and the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia especially being the leading members of the Non-Aligned Movement, President Pendarovski expressed hope for furthering formal bilateral relations for the mutual benefit of the two countries. The President commended the local mechanisms in place in Sri Lanka for reconciliation and co-existence.
The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Germany is concurrently accredited to the Republic of North Macedonia.
Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka Ambassador C. A. Chaminda I. Colonne presents Letters of Credence to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP)
Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand C. A. Chaminda I. Colonne presented Letters of Credence to the Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana of UNESCAP on 26 November 2021 at the UNESCAP Secretariat in Bangkok, following her virtual meeting on 20 April 2021.
After congratulating Ambassador Chaminda Colonne and warmly welcoming her to the UNESCAP Secretariat, Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana assured fullest cooperation to the Sri Lanka’s Permanent Mission in Bangkok, the Government of Sri Lanka, and in realizing 2030 Agenda on the Sustainable Development and related activities, programmes in Sri Lanka.
While conveying warm greetings from the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Ambassador Chaminda Colonne conveyed Sri Lanka’s continued fullest support and cooperation to UNESCAP in achieving common Sustainable Development Goals.
Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana expressed appreciation to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Government of Sri Lanka for hosting the Fifth South Asia Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals, in Sri Lanka from 15-16 November 2021. Recalling her recent virtual meetings with Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila and the Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage, Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana highlighted UNESCAP’s interest in providing technical assistance to realize SDG 7, namely affordable and clean energy in line with the SDG Road Map.
Both discussed on future cooperation in the areas of data & statistics, organic farming, Public Private Partnership (PPP) and financing for development as well as on the provision of technical and financial support in the renewable energy development in Sri Lanka.
Elaborating on the keen interest and efforts taken by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to move from chemical to organic fertilizer, Ambassador Chaminda Colonne requested UNESCAP’s technical assistance, research and awareness programmes for shifting toward organic farming in Sri Lanka.
Secretary of the Commission Lorenzo Santucci, Director of Strategy and Programme Management Division and Officer in Charge, Subregional Office for South and South-West Asia Adnan Aliani of UNESCAP and First Secretary and Deputy Permanent Representative Saritha Ranatunga from Sri Lanka Mission in Bangkok joined the discussion.
Embassy and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UNESCAP Bangkok 30 November 2021
In the event that Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Vision for Prosperity has failed and the people of the country have 200 per cent lost their confidence with the government, Mahinda Rajapaksa should be taking over the country to rebuild it, urged Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero, speaking to a briefing held in Abhayarama Temple, Narahenpita today (20).
Although Gotabaya Rajapaksa continues to serve as the Head of State of Sri Lanka, a person of experience should be taking over the country, the Thera noted, suggesting that he should be none other than Mahinda Rajapaksa.
He pointed out that that agriculture has completely collapsed in the country due to the short-sighted decisions taken by the government on fertiliser.
The 6.9 million mandate was given to the government on the confidence the people had with Mahinda Rajapaksa, he went on, adding that the youth community in Sri Lanka who painted the walls with a blossoming hope for their future are now suffering from disappointment.
The Thera further suggested that it is not too late to change the situation, adding that bestowing the power with Mahinda Rajapaksa may not be objected by Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Should Gotabaya object the idea, he would be committing a damage to the country, he claimed.
Minister of State Roshan Ranasinghe has suggested that farmers try to do cultivations for two seasons using organic fertilizer and if there is any failure, he will take to the streets with the farmers.
“Organic fertilizers can be added to our lands because we have phosphorus in our country. A ship of potassium was imported. Then nitrogen is brought in as a liquid. We say let’s try two seasons. If there is any failure, I will take to the streets with the farmers. ”
Minister of State Roshan Ranasinghe stated this while expressing his views to the media yesterday (20).
A triad formed upon the four-wing division at the Ministry of Health has developed a mafia which is controlling the country’s health sector, divulged Dr. Rukshan Bellana, Chairman of Government Medical officers’ Forum (GMOF), speaking to a briefing held in Colombo today (20).
The triad is controlling the Director General of Health Services and the Deputy Director Generals of Health Services, he added, accusing Dr. Prasanna Gunasena the Chairman of the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) of being a fraud. Dr. Bellana claimed that Gunasena’s name will be disclosed in the PANAMA papers which will be published in about five years.
Dr. Bellana went on saying that a recent newspaper claimed that Gunasena is due to tender his resignation to the post of SPC Chairman, suggesting that he is not even qualified to hold the position this far.
“These posts were given in their submission to certain politicians, parties, or Viyath Maga. None of these persons are qualified to hold such posts. They are not qualified to work in the public service. Those who had served in the Private Sector have now come to the chairmanships of state corporations, formed mafia gangs and are controlling the Director General of Health Services and the Deputy Director Generals of Health Services. How can the health sector be moved forward like this? This is a divisive regime, a dichotomy. The Health Service cannot be moved forward like this. There is no relief for the people from the medicines. There is a shortage of drugs. Despite being informed that the cancer drugs imported from India are inferior, they are imported. What is this? Is the country being subjugated to the Mafia? To take control?
There is a Chairman called Prasanna Gunasena. He has become a bully to everyone now. His superiority is based on the fact that he submitted himself to the President at Viyath Maga. Using his title, he is giving orders to the ministerial heads. We have seen chairmen for the last 25 years, but not a scumbag like this. At one point he is reaching out for Lanka Hospital for his private practice, and at another, playing the role of the SPC Chairman. Is it possible for such a person to work in a corporation? Files are piled up at the Corporation without any decision being made,” he said.
