News
Terrifying ordeal of crew on board rotting ship in the Colombo harbour
By Chaminda Silva
Five remaining crew members onboard deteriorating Indian flagged vessel the MV Sai Arambh in Colombo Harbour are in severe distress as they have been disowned by their owner and those responsible and survive thanks to meagre assistance by the Mission to Seafarers, says Captain of the ship, Mushtaq Ahamed Kapade.
Speaking to The Sunday Island, Capt Kapade said that their shipowner had abandoned them on Oct 18, 2019. “I joined as the Master of the ship which left Vishakapatnam on Sept 24, 2019 to Tuticorin Port in Tamil Nadu. We had to cut our journey midway due to engine troubles that we experienced off Sangamankanda Light House on Oct 2, 2019. We sought the assistance from Colombo Harbour, the nearest to us then.
“A tug boat was called, and it towed the ship to the Colombo port, which we reached on Oct, 18, 2019. We had 19 crew members- all Indians – on board. None of the crew had been paid their salaries yet. Several weeks later the owners of the ship came to Colombo and their representative assured the crew that their salaries would be paid and ship would be repaired. They left us here but nothing promised happened despite our letters and reminders,” Capt Kapade said.
He said that as the owners did not pay the salaries and bills of repair the crew resorted to legal action filing a complaint against the owners. Following the complaint the Lankan authorities seized the ship on Jan 29, 2020. Now there is a case against the owners before the Colombo HighCourt. As the legal proceedings dragged on most our crew members returned to India by themselves using whatever means they could.Only six finally remained on board the ship which is reportedly abandoned since Oct 18, 2019. On March 29, 2022 the cook of the ship drowned when he fell into the sea as he was attempting to negotiate the ship’s badly damaged gangway to go ashore.
“Authorities responsible have neglected to attend to this issue citing various reasons. Now there are problems such as deteriorating crew health, safety, and welfare conditions onboard, including limited access to fresh food and potable water, Capt Kapade said.
He added that none of the members of the crew nor he have been paid insurance or the minimum wage, pointing out the injustice of the situation. “Three years have passed but we are still stuck here unable to see our families. At the time the Lankan authorities took us in following a warrant issued by the Colombo High Court.
The shipping company owed us outstanding wages of SLR 7.18 million which continues to accrue. We have no help but whatever assistance extended to us by the Mission to Seafarers in Colombo. The ship is in a dilapidated condition. Its floor plates are so corroded that there are holes through the deck, and we have holes in the galley which leaks, the skylight to the engine room is leaking water, and the hold hatches are heavily corroded. Its roofs are leaking,” he said.Capt Kapade said that the ship could be auctioned by the Lankan authorities and with the money due to the crew and repair cost could be settled by the proceeds. But the ship’s owners appealed against the auction prolonging their agony.
There has been a noticeable increase in the spread of Chikungunya in the city of Colombo, Kotte, and the suburbs of Colombo, according to the Health Ministry.
As of 14 March, the Weekly Epidemiological Report says 173 chikungunya cases have been reported from Colombo, Gampaha, and Kandy.
Acting Consultant Community Physician of the Ministry of Health Dr. Kumudu Weerakoon said that the Chikungunya virus had spread to Sri Lanka in 1960.
Meanwhile, Dr. Deepal Perera, Consultant Paediatrician at Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital, Colombo, told The Island yesterday that there had been an increase in the number of children affected by Chikungunya.
“To tackle this situation, it is extremely important to keep your homes, doorways, and school premises clean regularly,” he said.
“If a child has fever lasting more than two days, darkening around the nose, or joint pain, these could be symptoms of Chikungunya. In such cases, take the child to a doctor. Chikungunya is caused by a virus transmitted primarily by Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The joint pain can persist for months. Therefore, we strongly urge both children and adults to take all precautions to avoid contracting Chikungunya.”
By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon and Chaminda Silva
‘Genocide Memorial’ in Canada
Mayor of Brampton, Patrick Brown has slammed SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa over the latter’s recent statement regarding the monument that was inaugurated in Canada commemorating the victims of the final stages of the North East conflict.
In a statement on ‘X’, Brampton Mayor, Patrick Brown said, “The Rajapaksas’ opposition to the Tamil Genocide Memorial is the surest signal that we are on the right path recognising the innocent civilian lives lost at the hands of this family.”
Patrick Brown further said that if confident that no genocide occurred, the Rajapaksa family should fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court rather than obstructing justice and hiding from prosecution.
“This is their Nuremberg moment, and instead of facing accountability, this family hides in luxury protected by the Sri Lankan state. It’s shameful. The crimes against humanity committed by the Rajapaksa family rival Pol Pot, Slobodan Milosevic, Heinrich Himmler, and Flicien Kabuga. It’s a badge of honour that they object to our Canadian Tamil Genocide Memorial,” he added.
His remarks came in response to SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa’s recent statement that it was concerning that Canada has inaugurated a Tamil
Genocide Memorial when, under international law, no genocide has been proven or can be proven against the Sri Lankan military in its conflict with the LTTE terrorists.
“The so-called Tamil genocide monument appears to be a politically driven move by the Canadian government, which has long been influenced by certain factions within the Tamil diaspora. Rather than working towards peace and unity, these groups have fueled division for their own interests,” MP Rajapaksa said, in a statement on ‘X’.
Custodial death of domestic worker
The Colombo High Court yesterday fixed July 21 as the date for the pre-trial conference on a case filed against three police officers attached to the Welikada Police over the custodial death of a domestic worker in 2023.
When the case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge R.S.S. Sapuwida, Defence counsel informed court that they had not received some of the documents submitted in relation to the case. The judge instructed the State Counsel to ensure that the necessary documents were made available to the defence.
After considering all facts presented, the judge scheduled the pre-trial conference for July 21.
The victim, 41-year-old R. Rajakumari, a resident of Badulla, was arrested on May 11, 2023, following a complaint by her employer, Sudharma Nethicumara, alleging the theft of gold jewellery.
Rajakumari later died while in custody at the Welikada Police Station. Her family raised concerns over the circumstances that had led to her death, alleging that she may have been assaulted.
Later a disciplinary action was initiated against seven officers attached to the Welikada Police. A Sub-Inspector, two sergeants, and a constable were interdicted, while another constable and two Women Police Constables were transferred for the same reason.
BY AJA Abeynayake
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