News
‘Genocide’: Dire warning issued over Canadian move, Sabry asked to move resolution in parliament

By Shamindra Ferdinando
Chairman of the Oversight Committee on National Security Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara, MP, has warned many countries would endorse Canadian declaration of genocide here unless the government took tangible measures to counter the Ottawa’s politically motivated lie.
The warning was issued on Wednesday (07) when the defence top brass, including the heads of State Intelligence Service (SIS) and Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) and top level Foreign Ministry delegation appeared before the committee chaired by the former Navy Chief of Staff. They included Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Shavendra Silva and Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardene.
State Defence Minister Pramitha Bandara Tennakoon was also present. Former Public Security Minister Weerasekera urged the Foreign Ministry to take the initiative to move a motion in Parliament to condemn the Canadian genocide charge after having secured the approval of Cabinet-of-Ministers. The MP revealed a decision to move a private member’s motion in that regard.
Parliamentarian Weerasekera appreciated Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC’s strong response to the Canadian move.On the basis of Canadian motion approved in their parliament in May last year, Canada in January imposed travel ban on ex-Presidents, Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
The failure on the part of the government to counter travel bans imposed by the US and Canada on the basis of unsubstantiated war crimes allegations would be severely detrimental to the war winning military, lawmaker Weerasekera warned.
The MP said that genocide charge if not challenged and allowed to continue, it could justify their push for a separate state.Sri Lanka brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009. MP Weerasekera said that military officers would be discouraged and couldn’t be expected to take the initiative in case of a future conflict.
Since gaining independence 75 years ago, the military and police quelled two southern insurgencies in 1971 and 1987-1990 and terrorist war in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.Underscoring the responsibility on the part of the government whichever party in power and parliament to stand by the military and police, MP Weerasekera urged the Foreign Ministry to appropriately use the disclosure made by Lord Naseby in the House of Lords in Oct 2017 on the basis of wartime dispatches from the UK High Commission in Colombo (January-May 2009) and the then US Defence Advisor Lt. Colonel Lawrence Smith’s declaration in support of the Sri Lankan military (in June 2009).
Responding to The Island queries, MP Weerasekera said that Sri Lanka’s failure to use available information to counter lies propagated by interested parties couldn’t be justified under any circumstances. The whole issue has to be examined afresh against the backdrop of Sri Lanka betraying her own military and police at Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Oct 2015, MP Weerasekera said, adding that he expected the Foreign Ministry to take up this issue vigorously.
During Wednesday’s meeting MP Weerasekera told defence and foreign ministry officials that Sri Lanka had been wrongly dealt with by the UNHRC. The MP asserted that the issues at hand should have been dealt with in terms of non-international armed conflict. In terms of the relevant law, travel bans couldn’t be imposed on the military, MP Weerasekera said.
Pointing out that the UN Secretary General’s report prepared by a three-member team led by Marzuki Darusman as well as the OISL report acknowledged that the Sri Lanka conflict was a non-international armed conflict, MP Weerasekera urged the Foreign Ministry to set the record straight.
Those who had escaped the LTTE and sought protection behind army lines proved the genocide charge a myth, the MP said.MP Weerasereka also questioned the Foreign Ministry’s response to the unsubstantiated war crimes allegations with the focus on the Sri Lankan mission in Ottawa.
Commenting on the ongoing debate over the repealing of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) , MP Weerasekera stressed that Sri Lanka couldn’t dilute the security law while being a signatory to UN Resolution 1373 (2001) enacted in the aftermath of Sept 11 Al Qaeda attacks on the US.
MP Weerasekera also warned that the downsizing of the Army shouldn’t be at the expense of security in the Northern Province. The former naval veteran underscored the need to maintain adequate strength to face any eventuality.The government recently declared that the Army would be reduced to 100,000 by 2030 after bringing down the strength to 135,000 next year. At the time the war ended the paid strength was 205,000.
Business
Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves up by USD 2billion over the past year – Acting Finance Minister

Acting Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya during a press conference held today (21) at the Presidential Media Center, focusing on the theme of ‘Collective Path to a Stable Country’ said that over the past year, the government successfully increased the country’s foreign reserves from 1.8 billion dollars to 3.8 billion dollars.
He added that in August 2022, the exchange rate stood at Rs. 361 per dollar, but by August 2023, one dollar could be acquired for Rs. 321. This shift is not the result of artificial control but rather a reflection of the rupee’s value adjusting in response to supply and demand for the dollar, which holds significant economic importance.
The interest rate for deposits, previously at 14% in 2022, has been lowered to 11%, while the loan interest rate, previously at 15.5%, has been reduced to 12% this year. Notably, last year, the primary account deficit was Rs. -247 billion, but this year it has turned into a surplus of Rs. 27 billion. This marks the first surplus in the primary account balance in over 40 years.
Tourist arrivals, which numbered 496,430 in 2022, have surged to 904,318 during the first two quarters of this year. Equally impressive is the growth in tourism earnings, which rose from 832.6 million US dollars in 2022 to 1,304.5 million US dollars in the first two quarters of this year, reflecting a remarkable 56.7% increase compared to the previous year.
In the past year, the amount of money remitted by Sri Lankans living abroad to Sri Lanka has surged from 2,214.8 million US dollars to 3,862.7 million US dollars this year, marking a remarkable 74.4% increase according to data from the Ministry of Finance.
On August 1, 2022, the QR code system was introduced as a measure to manage petroleum demand due to foreign exchange shortages. This led to a significant disparity between normal demand and supply, resulting in a notable increase in diesel consumption by 28% and petrol consumption by 83% in June 2023, when the QR system was partially relaxed. However, as of September 1, the QR code system, which directly impacts economic growth, has been completely lifted.
Upon assuming office, President Ranil Wickremesinghe faced a daunting challenge of addressing a 14-hour power outage, which had a direct impact on the economy. Presently, the government ensures a continuous and stable electricity supply to the population.
As of August 23, 2023, there were 1467 imported goods banned due to foreign exchange shortages. Currently, the ban applies to only 279 items. Furthermore, the import of vehicles, which had been halted in 2020, now includes buses and trucks for public transport.
In April 2022, the country faced difficulties in meeting its debt obligations. However, the government has since secured the first installment under the International Monetary Fund’s Extended Credit Scheme, contributing to stabilizing the country’s economy compared to the previous year.
(PMC)
News
President Wickremesinghe meets US President Joe Biden in New York

President Joe Biden of the United States and President Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in a cordial meeting in New York on Thursday (20).
The high-profile meeting took place amidst a lavish dinner hosted by President Biden, for all the heads of state who had participated in the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
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