News
Chinese vessel visiting SL can snoop on South Indian ports, nuclear facilities — India
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN,
Our Special Correspondent
DELHI, July 31: India is worried about the Chinese vessel ‘Yuan Wang 5’ scheduled to berth at the Hambantota Port next week because its aerial reach is more than 750 km. It can snoop on Indian nuclear power plants in Kalpakkam and Koodankulam in Tamil Nadu.
The ship can track ports in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. Thus, as many as six South Indian ports will be under China’s focus. It can also gather information about vital installations along Southern India.The military and strategic implications of Chinese spy ship ‘Yuan Wang 5’ in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) are manifold. Therefore, analysts say that the vessel visiting Sri Lanka for a week during August 11-17 will have major consequences for the Indian security architecture.
The ship has a distinct role in missile and satellite tracking and its presence in India’s neighbourhood has serious implications for this country. ‘Yuan Wang 5’ is lethal in its capabilities compared to Chinese submarines that were docked at Colombo port in 2014.
India’s concerns have been conveyed to Colombo in no uncertain terms. The matter is being monitored at the highest levels of the Indian security establishment here.The Indian Ocean Region has been an area of traditional influence for New Delhi and an area where New Delhi has legitimate strategic interests. The Chinese have been trying to make inroads from Myanmar to Eastern Africa.According to some reports, ‘Yuan Wang 5’ is currently sailing “at 19.0 knots”, and headed to Hambantota. But there are unconfirmed reports that Lanka may deny the ship’s entry at the Hambantota Port.
China has a major say in the Hambantota Port area and much of its activities in the area remain under wraps, according to critics. Sri Lanka formally handed over commercial activities, at its main southern port, to China Merchant Port Holdings in 2017, on a 99-year lease, after struggling to repay its debt. This has caused fears over potential use of the port by China for military purposes.
‘Yuan Wang 5’ is also potentially violating innocent passage requirements in territorial seas as per the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS). The vessel, according to experts, has a capability to snoop on a coastal state.
‘Yuan Wang 5’ is the third-generation tracking ship of the Yuan Wang series, and entered service in 2007. Built by Jiangnan Shipyard, ‘Yuan Wang 5’ has a displacement of 25,000 tonnes and can withstand wind scales up to 12.Wang class is not a single class of identical design, but a group of different designs grouped under the same series that share one name.
The Colombo Stock Exchange (GL 12) has contributed LKR 25 million to the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund.
The cheque was handed over to the Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake by the Chairman of the Colombo Stock Exchange, Dimuthu Abeyesekera, the Chief Executive Officer Rajeeva Bandaranaike and Senior Vice Chairman Kusal Nissanka at the Presidential Secretariat.
News
Karu argues against scrapping MPs’ pension as many less fortunate members entered Parliament after ’56
Former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing concerns over the proposed abolition of MPs’ pensions.The letter was sent in his capacity as Patron of the Former Parliamentarians’ Caucus.
In his letter, Jayasuriya noted that at the time of Sri Lanka’s independence, political participation was largely limited to an educated, affluent land-owning elite. However, he said a significant social transformation took place after 1956, enabling ordinary citizens to enter politics.
He warned that under current conditions, removing parliamentary pensions would effectively confine politics to the wealthy, business interests, individuals engaged in illicit income-generating activities, and well-funded political parties. Such a move, he said, would discourage honest social workers and individuals of modest means from entering public life.
Jayasuriya also pointed out that while a small number of former MPs, including himself, use their pensions for social and charitable purposes, the majority rely on the pension as a primary source of income.
He urged the President to give due consideration to the matter and take appropriate action, particularly as the government prepares to draft a new constitution.The Bill seeking to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament was presented to Parliament on 07 January by Minister of Justice and National Integration Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara.
Five suspects, including former Minister Johnston Fernando and his two sons, who were arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), were further remanded until 30 January by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The former Minister’s , sons Johan Fernando and Jerome Kenneth Fernando, and two others, were arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of a Sathosa vehicle during Fernando’s tenure as Minister.
Investigations are currently underway into the alleged misuse of state property, including a lorry belonging to Lanka Sathosa, which reportedly caused a significant financial loss to the state.
In connection with the same incident, Indika Ratnamalala, who served as the Transport Manager of Sathosa during
Fernando’s tenure as Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade, was arrested on 04 January.
After being produced before the Wattala Magistrate’s Court, he was ordered to be remanded in custody until 09 January.The former Sathosa Transport Manager was remanded on charges of falsifying documents.
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