Preparing for National Level Pollution Response, Indian Coast Guard is conducting NATPOLREX-VIII Exercise from 19-21 April 2022 in Goa. The Exercise is attended by many ships and participants from other countries in the region.

2.     Sri Lanka Coast Guard Ship Suraksha is participating in the Pollution Response Exercise to further regional solidarity through this multilateral engagement with the aim of strengthening coordinated efforts for preserving and protecting Marine Environment.

3.     The participation of SLCG Suraksha gains special significance in light of recent incidents of MT New Diamond and MV XPress Pearl which had greatly threatened the Marine Environment of Sri Lanka. It was through immediate and coordinated efforts of the Indian Navy and Coast Guard along with their Sri Lankan counterparts that major catastrophes were averted.

4.     It may be recalled India has been ‘First Responder’ for Sri Lanka on several occasions including delivery of COVID-19 Vaccination, Liquid Medical Oxygen, Nano Nitrogen Fertilisers in 2021. Further, India has been actively involved in various capacity building initiatives like NATPOLREX towards validating inter-agency coordination and preparedness of the Indian Coast Guard with valuable experience sharing with friendly countries including Sri Lanka to promote the vision of Safety And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).

***

Colombo

19 April 2022

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board in coordination with the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Guangzhou, organized a virtual B2B meetings on 6 and 7 April 2022 between five prominent Sri Lankan gem and jewellery companies, namely Beauty Gems, Gem Paradise, Precision Lapidaries, Zam gems and Engelo Gems and two very prominent Chinese companies in the duty free sector of Hainan Province; China Duty Free group co and M/S Hainan Provincial Diamond & Jewellery Co. Ltd.

The Consul General of Sri Lanka in Guangzhou, Priyangika Dharmasena stated that Sri Lanka is rich in gem deposits of which only 20 percent has been utilized. She said that Sri Lanka is a reliable supplier of precious stones, including  the Ceylon sapphires. She encouraged both sides,‘to productively engage, with an end result in mind, to sell and buy”.

Acting Director Manoja Dissanayake and Export Promotion Officer Dilsha De Alwis of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board made a presentation on the gem and jewellery sectors in Sri Lanka.

The B2B meetings conducted after the presentation were very successful in providing a platform for constructive and vibrant engagements between prospective buyers and suppliers to exchange information and envisage future partnerships in gem and jewellery trading.

Consulate General of Sri Lanka

Guangzhou

19 April, 2022

PNC: Field Executions of Palestinians is an interpretation of the instructions of Naftali Bennett government

15 April 2022

The Palestinian National Council (PNC) said that the field executions of Palestinian citizens that amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, carried out by the Israeli occupation army in Palestinian cities and villages, are interpretation and implementation of the policy and direct instructions of the Israeli settler Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

In a statement issued today, PNC added that the cold-blooded killing of the Palestinian people, the latest of which happened this morning in Jenin, was the execution of Shas Kamamji and Mustafa Abu Al-Rub, and what happened yesterday in the execution of three youngsters, the youngest of whom was the child Qusay Hamamra in Bethlehem. It is terrorism that has been silenced internationally by international institutions and the great countries in the world, foremost of which are those who claim their keenness to implement justice, protect human rights and achieve security and stability in the world.

PNC stressed that the Palestinian people and their leadership reject the “carrot and stick” policy announced by Israeli Minister of War Gantz, and affirm the full right to resist the occupation and confront its crimes and terrorism in defense of the land, people and holy sites, in order to achieve the establishment of a free and sovereign state of Palestine with the city of Jerusalem as its capital In accordance with relevant international legitimacy resolutions.

Remaining silent about these daily bloody crimes, and following the policy of selectivity and double standards which the international community deals with when it comes to the Israeli occupation, explicitly means encouraging the aggressor to continue the aggression, PNC affirmed, in addition to the occupation persecution of Palestinian blood. This is in a way or another a participation in the Israeli occupation crimes and violations of the rights of the people the defenseless Palestinians, foremost of which is the Palestinians right to life.

PNC held the Israeli occupation government fully responsible for everything that is happening on the Palestinian land, and the bloody escalation it is practicing, which has killed 40 martyrs since the beginning of the year, including 16 martyrs this month, stressing that our people are united in the face of the occupying, killing and terrorism machine.

PNC called on the Arab and Islamic institutions and their parliaments to assume their full responsibilities, to leave the crimes of the occupation spectators square, or condemnation at best, to carry out their legal, Arab and religious duties towards Palestine, its people, and its Christian and Islamic sanctities, especially the blessed AI-Aqsa Mosque. And to take practical and effective steps that strengthen the Palestinian people, to stop the aggression and crime against the Palestinians sons, children and elders.

The United Nations, Secretary-General and the Security Council are to restore the UN credibility, and to activate the legal mechanisms and procedures guaranteed by international law, the Geneva Conventions and the Statute of the Criminal Court, PNC called on, to hold the Israeli occupation accountable and punishable for its violations and crimes against the Palestinian people, and to provide urgent international protection for the Palestinians, as stipulated in the Fourth Geneva Convention and its 1977 two Protocols, the Hague Convention, and the implementation of the 2018 UN General Assembly resolution on the protection of Palestinian civilians.

All these crimes and blind terrorism will never subdue Palestinian people, PNC affirmed, and will continue their struggle, adhering to their legitimate rights to self-determination, return to their land, and the establishment of the Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, stressing that achieving security and lasting peace can only be achieved through the implementation of international legitimacy resolutions that stipulate the end of this colonial settlement occupation of Palestine, and that the Palestinian people obtain all the legitimate rights.

A silent protest was held at the Galleface ground in objection to the shooting at Rambukkana area.

The public protest demanding the stepping down of the President and the Government continues at the Galleface ground for the 11th consecutive day today and these demonstrators have lit and risen up the torch in their mobile phones in objection to the Police shooting at Rambukkana.

MIAP

The United States Embassy has raised strong concerns over the events in Rambukkana, condemning the violence and calling for a full and transparent investigation.

“I am deeply saddened by the horrible news coming out of Rambukkana. I condemn any violence – whether against protesters or police – and call for restraint & calm from all sides. A full, transparent investigation is essential & the people’s right to peaceful protest must be upheld,” US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung said in a tweet.

MIAP

Police curfew has been imposed in Rambukkana in response to the tense situation arisen, the Police Media Spokesman said.

The police curfew will stand in effect until further notice, he added.

MIAP

Eight Police officers were injured during the unrest awakened upon an attempt to dissolve a public protest in Rambukkana area, Police said.

The total number of people injured during the event is 24, they added.

However, the residents go on a different version to the event saying that they still could hear gunshots after 7 pm.

The Young Journalists Association has also informed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Secretary to the Ministry in Charge of the Police and political parties that the Police had opened fire again at Rambukkana.

MIAP

The Police opened fire to dissolve the public protest held in Rambukkana, Police Spokesman Nihal Thalduwa admitted.

The protesters who were blocking the railway had attempted to set a fuel bowser and a threewheeler on fire and in the Police’s response to dissolve them by launching tear gas the protesters had pelted stones at them, due to which the Police was forced to open fire, Thalduwa claimed.

One person was killed in the fire and ten people were hospitalised. The condition of three of them are reported to be critical.

MIAP

Suren Raghavan who was recently sworn in as the State Minister of Education Services and Reforms has been dismissed from all titles of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

The decision to oust Raghavan from all SLFP titles has been taken by former President Maithripala Sirisena in his capacity as the Party Chairman.

Disciplinary actions will also be taken against Raghavan, said SLFP Secretary General Dayasiri Jayasekara.

MIAP