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SL’s envoy says UNHCR’s comments ‘unwarranted and pre-judgemental, based on presumption’

Published

4 years ago

2020/09/20

Describing the remarks of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to Sri Lanka on the proposed 20th Amendment as “unwarranted and pre-judgemental, based on presumption”, Sri Lanka’s envoy to the United Nations in Geneva, assured that the draft constitutional bill will be discussed and debated, following a complete democratic process, where all stakeholders will have the opportunity to present their views.

Sri Lanka rejects the references made by the UN High Commissioner in the September 14, 2020 ‘Global Human Rights Update’, Ms. Dayani Mendis, Sri Lanka’s Acting Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, underscored during the General Debate at the 45th Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva last week.

“The Sri Lanka government rejects the false and unsubstantiated allegations leveled against senior military officials being appointed to key positions of institutions”, the envoy outlined, while adding that “we have consistently refuted the credibility of these allegations and wishes to highlight that the domestic processes such as the LLRC and Paranagama Commissions that examined these allegations particularly with regard to the last stages of the conflict, have not found substantive evidence against any of the senior military officials referred to in this regard”.

In the absence of any substantive proof, Sri Lanka considers that the continued arbitrary accusations on crimes or crimes against humanity made against these senior military officials are unacceptable and a violation of the principles of natural justice, Ms. Mendis continued.

The pardon to the former Army sergeant was granted in terms of the powers and provisions of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, she emphasized.

On allegations of surveillance and intimidation, the envoy said the government has already publicly refuted the allegations, and is committed to protecting and promoting freedom of expression and civil society space, and ensure that complaints received on alleged attacks against journalists, human rights defenders and civil society are investigated and prosecuted.

The prime focus of the government is to ensure national security, and to uphold the rule of law and order in the country for all its citizens, with the aim of creating “an environment where any citizen can live freely without any fear for the safety of themselves and their families”, the High Commissioner noted.

In line with this policy framework, the government is committed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN, with a determination to uplift the lives of all its citizens and ensure that there is no threat to peace, reconciliation or development in Sri Lanka, she said.

Ms. Mendis recalled that Sri Lanka made it clear even as it withdrew from the co-sponsorship of Resolution 30/1, that it will remain committed to achieve reconciliation, accountability and human rights within the framework of the Sri Lankan Constitution, through a domestically designed and executed process in line with the government’s policy framework.

Sri Lanka would like to emphasize that the new government, which assumed office with the election of the new Parliament on August 5, remains committed to the assurances given before this Council in February this year, the envoy said.

“As this Council is aware, since February/March this year, the entire world was challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, a health crisis of a global scale, which had impacted many aspects of governance in many countries, and Sri Lanka was no exception”, she further continued.

“We hope that the Council would appreciate that Sri Lanka while successfully containing the spread of COVID-19 through a balanced, multi-sectoral approach, and despite this challenge, held its commitment to the democratic processes, and conducted Parliamentary elections successfully and peacefully, which the EU has acknowledged”, she added.

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IGP on the run: Raid on Sagala’s Morawaka office draws blank

Published

13 mins ago

2025/03/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

Tennakoon / Sagala

… has evaded police and combined intelligence services for two weeks

by Shamindra Ferdinando

The Court of Appeal yesterday (12) declared that its ruling in Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon’s writ petition seeking nullification of the arrest warrant issued on him by the Matara Magistrate’s Court would be delivered on Monday (17). Meanshile, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) searched one-time Public Security Minister Sagala Ratnayake’s Morawaka office, looking for the IGP on the run.

Ratnayake also served as former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Chief of Staff besides being the National Security Advisor.

Plain clothesmen raided Ratnayake’s office soon after Matara Chief Magistrate Aruna Indrajith Buddhasasa on Tuesday (11) issued an open arrest warrant on IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon following representations made by the CID regarding police (Colombo Crime Division team) shooting at luxury hotel W 15, situated at Weligama, on 31 Dec., 2023.

Earlier, plain clothesmen searched the residence of Kataragama Basnayake Nilame Dishan Wickramaratne Gunasekara at Palatuwa, Matara, in search of Deshabandu Tennakoon, who had been on the run since 28 February, when the Matara Magistrate ordered police to arrest the IGP and eight other officers attached to the CCD.

Kataragama Basnayake Nilame Dishan Gunasekara, who had been asked by the CID to report to its headquarters regarding some other investigation, flayed the government and the CID outside CID. Responding to media queries, Gunasekera alleged that none of the raiding party had been in uniform and the local police not informed of the raid.

Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala told Parliament that the CID followed proper procedure. Minister Wijepala emphasized when such raids were conducted local police were not alerted.

Although speculation is rife of the CID searching the Colombo residence of Tiran Alles, another former public Security Minister, Cabinet spokesman Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, however, evaded the question at the post-Cabinet media briefing early this week.

Tennakoon, in his petition, has alleged that Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security, Ravi Seneviratne, and former CID Director, SSP Shani Abeysekara, were pushing for his arrest.

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Inauguration ceremony of the 1st intake of students of Institute of Chemistry Ceylon (IChemC)-2025

Published

16 mins ago

2025/03/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

The inauguration ceremony to welcome the 1st intake of students for this year at Institute of Chemistry Ceylon (IChemC) was held on the 9th of March, 2025. The Vice Chancellor of University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ), Prof. P.M. Manage was the chief guest on the occasion. The President of IChemC, Prof. Janitha Liyanage, Dean of the College, Prof. Chandani Perera, Council members, Internal academic staff, Administrative staff, Students, and Parents participated in the event.

The Dean welcomed the students and gave a brief introduction about the College and the Institute, which has been providing education in chemistry and related fields for generations of Sri Lankans as the professional body of chemists in Sri Lanka. The President explained the importance of getting the education from a well-recognized Institute in shaping their future and elaborated on the facilities that IChemC is expected to provide students in their journey of higher education. This includes not just the provision of knowledge in chemistry, but helping in improving the skills and personality through various educational, co-curricular and extra-curricular activities that will build a well-rounded graduate for the world of work.

The chief guest, Prof. Manage, who is a researcher in the disciplines of Zoology and water remediation, stated the importance of research in the field of chemistry and its relevance to many other fields as the central science. He also iterated the vital contributions of IChemC in different ways towards the development of our country, and wished the students all the very best in their future as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

Dr. Kushan Weerasiri, a senior lecturer of IChemC and the enrolment coordinator, explained the structure of the degree and the academic program that students are expected to follow during the next four years. The event concluded with a delightful singing performance by the Music Circle of IChemC consisting of current students.

IChemC is offering the BSc honors degree in Chemical Science and the Graduateship in Chemistry (GIC) as the professional program, in addition to several other new degree and diploma programs. For the year 2025, IChemC is expecting to enroll its second intake of students following the release of GCE A/L results in 2025. For more information on the degree and diploma programs offered by IChemC, please call 0112861231 or 0777004239.

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Pathfinder Foundation completes Preliminary Phase of Pali Preservation and Development Initiative

Published

17 mins ago

2025/03/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

The distribution of copies of the long out-of-print Pali grammar known as the Namamala to the principal Buddhist chapters, parshawayas, and senior prelates of the principal holy sites was recently completed. This invaluable book was reprinted with the purpose of making it freely available to religious institutions, pirivenas, and Pali scholars. It was carried out as the first phase of the Pathfinder Foundation Pali Preservation and Development Initiative. The Namamala is one of the most important Pali Grammar books written in Sinhala for Pali learners. It was composed by the Most Ven. Waskaduwe Subhuti Mahanayake in 1876 and last reprinted in the 1960s.The project was an initiative of the Pathfinder Foundation with the assistance of the Indian High Commission. Recently, Pali was officially recognized as a Classical Language by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in India.

Presentations of the book were made to the Karaka Sangha Sabhas of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters, Amarapura Nikaya, Ramanna Nikaya, Kotte Chapter, Dambulla Parshawaya, Uva Parshwaya, Rohana Parshawaya, and the Vanavasi Chapters. Books were also presented to the Chief Prelates of the holy sites of Anuradhapura and to leading pirivenas and places of higher Pali learning in Sri Lanka. This was carried out by the Founder of the Pathfinder Foundation, Milinda Moragoda along with a Foundation team consisting of RAD Sirisena, Gamini Godakanda, Sampath Rambukkanage, and Samson Gamage.

Through this process of distribution, the Pathfinder Foundation was able to understand at first hand and make a practical assessment of the state of Pali education, especially in the context of seminaries and monasteries in the country. For the next phase in this Pathfinder initiative, currently out-of-print classical Pali works and other gaps in Pali training in pirivena seminaries were identified and prioritized with the guidance of the Maha Sangha.

Namamala, Pali Grammar books written in Sinhala for Pali learners will be available free to those interested in studying Pali, including pirivenas, temples and universities in Sri Lanka. Please contact +94 11 452 9952-3 or pm@pathfinderfoundation.org to obtain a copy.