News
ACJU centenary celebrations to be attended by President, PM
By Ifham Nizam
The All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) will celebrate its centenary service under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe as the chief guest and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena as the special guest.
The event is scheduled take place on Jan 19 at the BMICH.Speaking to the media on Wednesday at ACJU Headquarters in Colombo, its General Secretary M. Arkam Nooramith saidthey would focus on coexistence, education and youth in their centenary celebrations.
He said education, is one of the greatest treasures that should be acquired by every human being in this world. Islam has made it compulsory upon every male and female to seek knowledge. Literacy plays a major role in acquiring education.
“It is through writing we read. Reading and writing are significant gateways to acquire knowledge. In fact, writing is an ‘Amaanath’ and being a writer is a responsibility. Writers perform a significant duty of developing the society through his thoughts, creativity and activities. Accordingly, a literate society stands ahead in the improvement of all aspects of humanity.”
He said that an educated community dispels the darkness of society and illuminates it. The pre-Islamic Arabian social environment was known as ‘Ayyamul Jaahiliyyah’ which is interpreted as the dark period of ignorance. They were at the height of ignorance and were engaged in sins such as murder, robbery, adultery, gambling and vain disputes. Almighty Allah guided this society to the righteous path with the light of revelation.
He also said that co-existence involves more than just tolerance, for tolerance does not ensure harmony. It requires the willingness to understand diversity, the need for understanding and open discussions as well as being able to hold our religious differences not in isolation but in relation to one another, which is an important aspect for coexistence to be implemented in Sri Lanka.
Understanding the importance of establishing racial and religious harmony in Sri Lanka ACJU instituted a dedicated division under the name of CCC – Council for Cooperation and Coordination, to focus this matter.
In appreciation of the enduring friendship and cooperation extended to the people of Sri Lanka, President Anura Kumara Disanayake conferred the prestigious Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana Award on Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
The President presented the award to Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi following an official meeting held on Saturday (05) at the Presidential Secretariat. The meeting took place as part of Prime Minister Modi’s state visit to Sri Lanka, undertaken at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
[PMD]
Seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between India and Sri Lanka, covering several key sectors, were exchanged on Saturday (05) morning at the Presidential Secretariat in the presence of President Anura Kumara Disanayake and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
Marking a new chapter in Indo-Sri Lanka relations, these agreements focus on enhancing cooperation in the fields of energy, digitalization, defence, healthcare, and development assistance.
Accordingly, the following MoUs were exchanged:
1. MoU between the Government of India and the Government of Sri Lanka for Implementation of HVDC Interconnection for Import/Export of Power- Exchanged by Prof. K.T.M. Udayanga Hemapala, Secretary of the Ministry Energy of Sri Lanka, and Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary of India.
2. MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Sharing Successful Digital Solutions Implemented at Population Scale for Digital Transformation. – Exchanged by Mr. Varuna Sri Dhanapala, Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy of Sri Lanka, and Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary of India.
3. MoU between the Government of India, the Government of Sri Lanka, and the Government of United Arab Emirates for Cooperation in Development of Trincomalee as an Energy Hub – Exchanged by Prof. K.T.M. Udayanga Hemapala, Secretary of the Ministry of Energy of Sri Lanka; Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary of India; and Khaled Nasser AlAmeri, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Sri Lanka.
4. MoU on Defence Cooperation between India and Sri Lanka – Exchanged by Retired Air Vice Marshal H.S. Sampath Thuyacontha, Secretary of the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka, and Vikram Misri, Foreign Secretary of India.
5. MoU on Cooperation in the Field of Health & Medicine between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India and the Ministry of Health and Mass Media of Sri Lanka- Exchanged by Specialist Dr. Anil Jasinghe, Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Mass Media of Sri Lanka, and Mr. Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka.
06 A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Pharmaceutical Cooperation was exchanged between the Indian Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of India and the National Medicines Regulatory Authority of Sri Lanka – The MoU was exchanged by Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, Specialist Dr. Anil Jasinghe, and Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka.
07 A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Multi-sectoral Grant Assistance for Eastern Province was exchanged by Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policies, Mahinda Siriwardana and Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka.
A number of Cabinet Ministers representing the Government of Sri Lanka, along with India’s Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and other members of the Indian delegation, participated in this event.
Director General of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, Ranga Dissanayake, says that the abuse of the term “political victimization” will no longer be tolerated, and those who misuse the term will face strict legal action.
Dissanayake told a media conference held at the CIABOC auditorium: “There is a widespread perception that the law is not effectively enforced in this country. This perception has arisen because, as the President said on Anti-Corruption Day, small fish are caught while the big fish escape. This perception exists for several reasons, including delays in the Bribery or Corruption Investigation Commission’s processes. At times, the public is unaware of the injustices that occur within the Commission.”
Addressing politicians who make public statements, he requested, “I sincerely ask political leaders who issue statements to the media to kindly refer to the Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023 that you have endorsed. Please refrain from making certain statements without a proper understanding. This law has been enacted independently of any prior connections or influences. I have been in this position since the beginning of this year. The Bribery Commission currently has 31 legal officers, and there is no capacity to recruit additional staff at this time.”
He also highlighted the significant challenges faced by the Commission, revealing that approximately 4,000 unresolved case files remain due to limited resources and personnel. “No matter what we do, people will still ask, ‘How many criminals have been caught?’ This situation is the result of limited resources and staff,” he said.
Dissanayake also said: “If anyone is going to claim political victimization, let them find evidence and prove it. Otherwise, the powers granted by this law will be used against those who make false claims.”
By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
President confers Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana Award on Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi
Seven MOUs exchanged between India and Sri Lanka covering multiple sectors
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