News
Sending workers to Israel now akin to sending them to Hitler’s Germany: Hakeem
ECONOMYNEXT –Former minister, MP Rauff Hakeem has opposed Sri Lanka’s plans to send 10,000 workers to belligerent Israel.Cabinet spokesman minister Bandula Gunawardena said this week that cabinet approved a plan to send workers to Israel’s agriculture sector.
“Sending our workers to a country that is committing war crimes is like sending workers to Nazi Germany, when Hitler was killing Jews, and there were labour shortages,” Hakeem said in parliament on Thursday (23). “We are forgetting the atrocities being committed in the occupied territories today.”
“We have to be sensitive at a time like this. This is like trying to light our cigarette with the flames of the burning Palestinian houses.”
Hakeem said he was at a diplomatic function this week, where several Arab leaders were present. They were bemused by the move he said.
“We don’t have to listen to Arabs, but they provide lakhs and lakhs of jobs to Sri Lankans. You can earn foreign exchange, but see the timing of sending Sri Lankans to such a place.”
Hakeem said he had told labour and foreign employment minister Manusha Nanayakkara, who is on a drive to send increased numbers of migrant workers abroad, that this was an insensitive thing to do at a time like this.
“It has an impact on our security as well as economic implications. When Dilan Perera was minister and a similar recruitment was made, they [Sri Lankan workers] were given military training at Diyatalawa to be sent to Israel.
“Because they had to work in farms which had been vacated by the poor Gaza [Palestinian] residents. These people are going to be sent there; their security is not guaranteed,” he said. “[They] are bombing hospitals, schools, children, women, old people in the thousands.”
President Ranil Wickremesinghe who was present in parliament at the time, replied that Sri Lanka’s stance on the two-state solution hadn’t changed, “We condemn Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. The Israeli settlers in the West Bank must be removed. There has to be a political solution.”
The High Court has convicted 14 of the 24 men accused of being directly involved in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 279 people.
The three-judge bench read out its decision on Tuesday after a five-year trial and said sentencing would take place later, the AFP news agency reported.
The charges included murder and conspiracy to commit terrorism.
Nine others were acquitted, while another defendant was found guilty of only some of the charges, the court said.
[Aljazeera]
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The ruling NPP yesterday (21) dismissed claims of a widening rift, within the government, over the proposed 22nd Amendment. Asked whether the NPP was concerned over a section of the Opposition alleging Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and two dozen MPs taking a view contrary to that of the party in this regard, authoritative party sources said some persons were propagating speculation for their own interest.
Declaring that there was absolutely no issue regarding the controversial Amendment, sources emphasised once it was tabled in Parliament, it would be passed with 2/3 majority.
Sources dismissed claims that out of its 159-member parliamentary group a section of NPPers was opposed to the government move. According to an influential Opposition activist, there are 57 JVPers and 66 NPPers in the government group and the rest contested the last parliamentary polls, having aligned with the JVP.
Ministerial sources told The Island that the government was confident of going ahead with the 22nd Amendment and Judicature (Amendment) Bills. Sources said that the NPP was not bothered about the Opposition protests in and outside Parliament.
Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne is expected to disclose the confidential ruling that he received from the Supreme Court in respect of more than 65 petitions for and against the 22nd Amendment and Judicial Amendment Bills. The enactment of the 22nd Amendment would pave the way for extending the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, from 65 to 67 years, and Court of Appeal judges, from 63 to 65 years.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Court of Appeal Judge Mayadunna Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal.
The appointment has been made as President’s Counsel Nalin Rohantha Abeysuriya, who currently serves as President of the Court of Appeal, will be overseas until the 24th.
Accordingly Justice Mayadunna Corea was sworn in as Acting President of the Court of Appeal before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential secretariat last morning (21).
Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also present at the occasion.
High Court convicts 14 over deadly Easter bombings
Mandhana, Shafali and Ghosh lead dominant India to Asian Games gold
Fatima Sana and Umm-e-Hani secure bronze for Pakistan in Asian Games
India bat first in Asian games womens cricket final
Showers about 100mm will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts
Govt. confident of 2/3 majority despite NPP split speculation
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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