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How an Intruder in the General Assembly was Upstaged by a Foreign Minister

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5 years ago

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By Thalif Deen

UNITED NATIONS – Sri Lanka had its fair share of Foreign Ministers who made their annual visits to the UN during the General Assembly sessions in September when the world body traditionally hosted over 150 world leaders, including heads of state and heads of government.

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister ACS Hameed had one of his memorable moments when an Eelam activist and lawyer from London, Krishna Vaikunthavasan, surreptitiously gate-crashed into the UN and tried to upstage Hameed by walking onto the podium of the General Assembly hall and momentarily took the speaker’s slot.

The incident, perhaps a rarity in the history of the UN, saw the intruder unleashing a diatribe against a member state accusing it of genocide and lambasting the government for committing war crimes against the Tamils fighting for a separate state in northern Sri Lanka.

When the president of the Assembly realized he had an interloper on his hands, he cut off the mike and summoned security guards who bodily ejected him from the hall and banned him from the UN premises. And as Hameed walked up to the podium, there was pin drop silence in the Assembly Hall.

As a member of the Sri Lanka delegation at that time, I was seated behind Hameed. But the unflappable Hameed, unprompted by any of his delegates, produced a riveting punchline: “Mr President”, he said “I want to thank the previous speaker for keeping his speech short,” he said, as the Assembly, known to suffer longwinded speeches, broke into peals of laughter. The intruder was in effect upstaged by the Foreign Minister.

Hameed’s canny sense of humor also went far beyond the confines of the UN. When he came under attack for staying in five-star luxury hotels during the UN General Assembly sessions in New York, he fired back at the Opposition MP in Parliament with a rejoinder dripping with sarcasm: “Where do you want me to stay when I travel overseas as the Foreign Minister?”, he asked. “in thosai boutiques?”

To put it in perspective, that would be like rooming at the Ambal Café in Hulftsdorf or Saraswathy Lodge in Bambalapitya. Or perhaps Saravana Bhavan in New York’s Lexington Avenue.

Hameed routinely pitched his tent either at New York’s Hyatt Regency, the Intercontinental Barclay, the Waldorf Astoria or the Palace Hotel—and he did it in style, like scores of other high-flying Foreign Ministers arriving for the UN sessions. A globe-trotter of near-biblical proportions, he was probably in Colombo only on transit, in between catching overseas flights.

Hameed was an unforgettable character in his heyday—enjoying every single moment of his tenure as Foreign Minister beginning 1977. And more so, because President JR Jayewardene (JRJ) never addressed the UN nor stepped into the UN premises (even while he stayed at the Waldorf Astoria in New York during his state visit to Washington DC in April 1983.) The reasons for shunning the UN remains a mystery.

With Sri Lanka holding the chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) during 1976-1979, Hameed was constantly called upon to preside over some of the thorniest international issues of the mid-1970s: which of the two Cambodian factions had the rightful claim to the seat at the UN (the General Assembly session that day was held up for over four hours as he negotiated behind closed doors to help resolve the dispute, with backing from the UN’s Legal Adviser)? Was it Kampuchea under the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979)?

And, in another dispute, should Egypt, which had signed the Camp David peace agreement with Israel in 1978, be driven out of NAM? There were also sharp divisions in NAM over the disputed territory of Western Sahara in the Maghreb region of North Africa and the split over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (1979-1989).

As he sat in judgement, Hameed’s closest advisers during the General Assembly sessions included two outstanding career diplomats, Jayantha Dhanapala and Nihal Rodrigo, along with Ernest Corea, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Canada and later Ambassador to the United States.

Ernest was one of Hameed’s longstanding friends, having known him long before he became Foreign Minister, and was the only Sri Lankan Ambassador who addressed him by his first name: Shahul, throwing protocol to the winds.

As Ernest once told me : “Shahul faced many challenges in his life – one of them was a lack of physical height – but his biggest challenge was managing the Foreign Affairs portfolio for the Sri Lanka government. To the best of my recollection, he was the first Foreign Minister to hold that portfolio without the direct involvement of the Prime Minister’s/President’s office”. Previously, Defence and External Affairs were integrated into a single portfolio.

When President Jayewardene unhitched them, there was a fairly widespread perception, particularly in Colombo’s foreign policy establishment, that the whole business of foreign affairs was being downgraded. “Shahul proved them wrong”, said Ernest.

As part of the landscape in the UN Delegate’s Lounge, Hameed was seen holding court, even as he kept chomping at his cigar, probably the best from Cuba, which he picked up in Havana during his frequent trips to the Cuban capital, before Sri Lanka handed over the NAM chairmanship to Fidel Castro in 1979.

At home, Hameed had a tough task steering the NAM ship among sceptics like Gamini Dissanayake and Lalith Athulathmudali, and of course, JRJ himself. Still, Hameed showed remarkable patience and persistence.

Perhaps his most joyous moment as Foreign Minister was when JRJ told Fidel Castro at the Havana summit that it was Hameed who enabled Sri Lanka to hand over NAM’s leadership to Cuba “untarnished and unaltered.”

This put to rest the speculation even within his own party that his days as Foreign Minister would be short. “The fact is that JRJ realized as few others did that Shahul had an intuitive feel for international relations. Those who had the privilege of working with him understood this. He had his faults. Who doesn’t?,” asked Ernest.

“I am not going to be counted among his critics who might want to let fly at him now that he is no longer with us. Rather, I would like to remind those of us who worked with him and others who observed him at work that he was outstanding in several areas”.

First, he was tri-lingual: in English, Sinhala and Tamil. This gave him a remarkable reputation among his peers. Second, he had a phenomenal memory and could at precisely the correct moment during a drafting session pull out from the recesses of his mind a word, a phrase or other salient reference that added substance and depth to a public policy statement. He was also insistent, as some of his colleagues were not, that a solid Sri Lanka/India relationship was an essential component of foreign policy, said Ernest.

“One more point needs to be stressed and this is very personal. He was an excellent extempore speaker. He could intervene in a debate to deal with a complex issue for which most of us were unprepared as if he was saying to himself: “Here’s that loose ball I was waiting for,” declared Ernest.

Armed with self-deprecating humour, Hameed funded the publication of a collection of cartoons that lampooned him. He particularly relished a cartoon which showed him sitting before a huge globe with the caption: “Let me see – what are the countries I have still not visited.” His initials ACS were spelled out as “All Countries Seen.”

An equally lovable cartoon in November 1978 showed a world-weary Hameed arriving at the Katunayake airport and innocently asking a passer-by: “My dear man, could you show me the way to Harispattuwa?,” his electorate in his hometown of Akurana, a majority Sinhala Buddhist electorate. And to have been elected over a very long period was a tribute to Hameed’s political relationship among his voters.

The cartoons were sketches from some of Sri Lanka’s celebrated artistes of the 1970s, including W.R.Wijesoma, Jiffrey Yoonoos, Mark Gerreyn and Amita Abayesekera.”One of the greatest gifts is the ability to laugh at oneself,” said Wijesoma in an introduction to the book titled “Mr Foreign Minister”, ” Mr Hameed is doing just that, and I believe he is having the last laugh.”

Oscar Wilde once made the distinction between two forms of torture: the rack and the Press. Ask any politician, said Hameed, and he would opt for the grisly torture chamber over the editorial offices and the news desks in Colombo.

This article is adapted from a newly-released book on the United Nations titled “No Comment—and Don’t Quote Me on that” authored by Thalif Deen. The book is available on Amazon and at the Viitha Yapa bookshop.


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Construction and Concrete waste recycling centre opened in Ekala under the Clean Sri Lanka programme

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2026/05/8

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A recycling centre for the management of construction and demolition (C&D) waste, established in line with the Clean Sri Lanka national programme, was declared open this morning (08) at the Ekala Industrial Zone.

The Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat has allocated Rs. 200 million for this project. Established within the precast yard premises belonging to the State Engineering Corporation under the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply, the project marks a significant step towards a sustainable environmental transformation in Sri Lanka’s construction sector.

Globally, the construction industry accounts for 40% of total waste generation and 25% of carbon emissions. In Sri Lanka, nearly 300 tonnes of such waste are collected daily from the Western Province alone.

Until now, the indiscriminate disposal of such debris has contributed to soil pollution, water contamination and increased flood risks. Under this project, however, such waste will be transformed into valuable raw materials through modern technology. This initiative is expected to minimise the depletion of natural resources while significantly reducing construction costs.

The centre, which is being operated with the full involvement of the State Engineering Corporation, has been provided with machinery and land valued at Rs. 350 million. In addition to the recycling plant, which has a capacity of 200 metric tonnes per hour, a modern laboratory and an administrative building have also been constructed. Under the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme, Rs. 200 million has been allocated for the project, of which Rs. 150 million has already been released.

There are also plans to expand research activities in the future by engaging engineering faculties of State universities in the programme. The support and contribution of all construction contractors and stakeholders are expected in building a circular economy within the construction sector while safeguarding natural resources for future generations.

Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply Dr Susil Ranasinghe, Deputy Minister of Environment Anton Jayakody, Deputy Minister of Housing, Construction and Water Supply T.B. Sarath, Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe, Member of Parliament Najith Indika, Additional Secretary to the President at the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat S.P.C. Sugeeshwara, Additional Director General of the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat Kapila Senarath, Director (Environmental) of the Clean Sri Lanka Secretariat Anjula Premarathna, Chairman of the State Engineering Corporation Engineer Neranjan Fernando and Deputy General Manager of the State Engineering Corporation Charuka Hettiarachchi, along with several others, were present at the occasion.

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President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam pays floral tribute to the Ho Chi Minh Statue

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7 hours ago

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2026/05/8

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President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, To Lam, who is on a State visit to Sri Lanka at the invitation of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, paid floral tribute this morning (08) to the statue of Ho Chi Minh situated within the premises of the Colombo Public Library.

Upon arriving at the Colombo Public Library, President To Lam was warmly received by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, while a group of children holding the national flags of both countries stood along the route to welcome the Vietnamese President.

Following the floral tribute to the Ho Chi Minh statue, President To Lam also viewed a collection of paintings created by schoolchildren.

Thereafter, the Vietnamese President attended the ceremony marking the commencement of the expansion of the “Vietnam–Ho Chi Minh Space” located at the Colombo Public Library, where he also viewed a collection of historical photographs on display.

On the occasion, Chief Librarian of the Public Library, Mrs Varuni Gangabadarachchi, briefed those present on the architectural plans prepared for the renovation and expansion project of the Ho Chi Minh Space. A donation of US$50,000 for the project was also presented to the Mayor of Colombo, Mrs Vraie Cally Balthazaar, by  Nguyen Huu Nghia, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Auditor General of the State Audit Office of Vietnam.

Minister of Environment, Dr Dhammika Patabendi, Mayor of Colombo Mrs Vraie Cally Balthazaar, Deputy Mayor Hemantha Werakoon and several others were also present at the occasion.

[PMD]

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Urgent reforms needed to eradicate drug menace, says President

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11 hours ago

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2026/05/8

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials to swiftly introduce all necessary reforms, including amendments to existing laws, in order to eliminate the drug menace from the country.

The President issued these instructions while attending the meeting of the “Ratama Ekata” National Steering Council convened on Thursday (07) morning at the Presidential Secretariat to discuss efforts aimed at eradicating the drug menace.

He also directed the relevant authorities to take all necessary steps to expedite the process of destroying seized narcotics as quickly as possible under proper legal procedures, thereby preventing them from re-entering society and to accelerate the process of punishing offenders.

The President emphasised the need to speed up this process in order to build public confidence, as well as the confidence of the teams engaged in operations, noting that the successful implementation of the “Ratama Ekata” national initiative would thereby be strengthened through collective participation.

The progress of anti-narcotics operations carried out under the “Ratama Ekata” national initiative, including raids and arrests, was extensively reviewed at the meeting. Officials pointed out that raids related to narcotics had increased by 80% since the launch of the programme.

Since the launch of the “Ratama Ekata” national operation on 30 October 2025, authorities have seized 5,437.457 kilogrammes of cannabis, 1,936.325 kilogrammes of heroin, 1,991.414 kilogrammes of crystal methamphetamine (“ice”), 271.724 kilogrammes of cocaine, 1,574,895 narcotic pills, and 629,988 illicit cigarettes. A total of 168,460 suspects have also been arrested in connection with these offences.

The current progress of the legal amendments required to eradicate the narcotics menace from the country was reviewed at the meeting, and it was noted that steps had been taken to submit the Rehabilitation (Amendment) Bill No. 54 of 2007 to the Cabinet in due course. Discussions were also held regarding the rehabilitation process, the strategies that could be adopted in that regard, and the measures taken to develop related facilities.

It was further revealed that, at Divisional Secretariat level, 25 families most severely affected by narcotics in each division had been selected for attitude development programmes. The President stressed the importance of implementing all such programmes through local religious centres.

The President also made clear that anti-drug awareness programmes should not merely be limited to conducting awareness campaigns, but should include continuous follow-up to assess whether the message had been properly communicated to society and to monitor progress. He highlighted the importance of maintaining this mechanism continuously with the involvement of religious leaders, including members of the Maha Sangha in the respective areas.

The President also inquired into measures being taken to establish a separate court for narcotics-related cases, expedite the receipt of Government Analyst reports, and accelerate the filing of cases.

He also stressed the urgent need for a rapid programme to expedite legal proceedings and rehabilitation processes concerning inmates imprisoned for narcotics-related offences, in order to ease prison overcrowding.

The Inspector General of Police also briefed the meeting on investigations and the current status relating to Buddhist monks who were recently arrested in connection with narcotics offences.

The President was further briefed on the progress of programmes jointly implemented by the Ministry of Education and the Women and Children’s Bureau to curb organised efforts to draw schoolchildren into narcotics use. He was also informed about community-based programmes planned in conjunction with the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which falls on 26 June.

Among those present at the meeting were the Anunayaka Theros of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters, senior clergy representing several Buddhist Nikayas, Christian priests, Hindu Kurukkals, Muslim religious leaders, senior government officials including Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, ministry secretaries, senior tri-forces commanders, Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya, heads of relevant institutions, senior security officials, and representatives of the “Ratama Ekata” National Steering Council.

[PMD]

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