News

Govt. faulted for flawed Geneva strategy

Published

4 years ago

2022/01/31

By Shamindra Ferdinando

The Federation of Sinhala Organisation has faulted the current dispensation over its response to post-war accountability issues.

Dr. Wasantha Bandara and Yass Dharmadasa of the National Patriotic Front and the Global Sri Lanka Forum, respectively, lambasted the government for what they called the SLPP administration’s failure to realise the growing threat posed by those propagating war crimes accusations to pressure Sri Lanka to give in to their demand for a federal structure in the Northern and Eastern provinces. That would lead to the division of the country on ethnic lines, they warned at a zoom meeting on Saturday (29) organised by the civil society group ‘Children of 1956.’

The Island

(represented by the present writer at the virtual conference) commented on how foreign powers exploited some political parties represented in Parliament to advance their strategies and the failure on the part of successive governments to set the record straight at the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) as well as New York.

Dr. Bandara and Dharmadasa explained how the SLPP had contributed to the flawed Geneva strategy by entering into a dialogue with a section of the civil society here while offering to initiate a dialogue with the Tamil Diaspora. Alleging that the government was on the wrong path, they asserted that the present-day political leaders appeared to have conveniently forgotten their repeated assurances in the run-up to the 2019 presidential and 2020 parliamentary polls. The speakers questioned what they called ineffectual withdrawal from the 2015 accountability resolution.

Responding to queries from participants, Dr. Bandara emphasised that there was no point in staging protests in Geneva or any other foreign capital against the ongoing high-profile campaign against the war winning Sri Lankan military. Dr. Bandara emphasised that the current need was to pressure the government to change its strategy. Therefore, protests, if any should be in Colombo, to demand tangible measures to address the threat.”

The audience was told that the western powers had advanced their project in the absence of an appropriate response from Sri Lanka. Reference was made to Australia denying a visa to Maj. Gen. Chagie Gallage in 2016, the US refusing a visa to Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka in 2017—the war-winning Army Chief was to accompany the then President Mathripala Sirisena to UNGA—the US tagging Gen. Shavendra Silva, who is also the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as a war criminal in 2020 and the US blocking entry of retired Maj. Gen. Udaya Perera, who had a multiple US visa valid for a five-year period.

The audience was reminded that the Geneva crisis hadn’t received sufficient attention against the backdrop of a spate of other simmering issues, particularly the ruination of the Maha yield, the growing difficulties experienced in settling foreign debt and conflict within the ruling coalition over the Yugadanavi deal with the US and the agreement with India in respect of the Trincomalee oil tank farms.

Dharmadasa alleged that the military top brass hadn’t paid sufficient attention to the Geneva challenge. Referring to meetings the nationalistic groups had with several senior officers and in some instances with their wives as well as spouses of other military personnel, Dharmadasa alleged that they seemed to be of the view that the government was handling the issue at hand quite well. “Therefore, we’ll not seek to intervene in individual cases but explore ways and means how the government can be influenced to reassess their strategy.”

Both Dr. Bandara and Dharmadasa warned the government of dire consequences unless tangible measures were taken to counter the lies being propagated about Sri Lanka and its military personnel. Dr. Bandara explained that the Geneva project was meant to trap Sri Lanka over its people and pressure the government to grant the Tamil speaking people a federal structure in return for dropping war crimes proceedings. Once the TNA, the US and the yahapalana government had reached consensus on hybrid war crimes court, Dr. Bandara said, asserting that the West, Diaspora and India used war crimes accusations as a sledgehammer to pressure Sri Lanka to give up unitary status. He asked, “Would they create a situation where Sri Lanka faced war crimes proceedings or reached agreement on a constitutional arrangement that met the aspirations of the Tamil speaking community?”

Dr. Bandara revealed a recent opportunity they had received to make representations to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne and other senior members of the government as regards the challenges faced by the country.

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Sun directly overhead Beruwala, Gurulubadda, Rakwana, Godakawela, Udawalawe and Thanamalwila at about 12:13 noon today (06)

Published

19 hours ago

2026/04/6

Priyan

On the apparent northward relative motion of the sun, it is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka during 05th to 15th of April in this year.

The nearest areas of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (06th) are Beruwala, Gurulubadda, Rakwana, Godakawela, Udawalawe and Thanamalwila at about 12:13 noon.

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Heat Index at Caution Level in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala district

Published

19 hours ago

2026/04/6

Priyan

Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 3.30 p.m. on 05 April 2026, valid for 06 April 2026.

The Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Southern, Eastern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Monaragala district.

The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.

Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.

ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated.
Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.

Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.

News

West Asian conflict benefits China-managed H’tota Port

Published

19 hours ago

2026/04/6

Thilina Walpola

Extended yard facility, HIP (pic courtesy HIP)

The ongoing West Asia war, triggered by joint Israel-US attack on Iran on 28 Februar, has benefited the China-run Hambantota International Port (HIP).With Iran imposing restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz shipping, in retaliation for unprovoked attack, thereby choking vital shipping routes, particularly for crude oil and refined oil products, HIP situated, along the East-West shipping corridor, has received the anticipated attention.

Soon after the sinking of an unarmed Iranian frigate, just outside Sri Lanka’s territorial waters, in India’s backyard, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar categorised HIP as a foreign military base, along with Diego Garcia, Bahrain and Djibouti, where both the US and China maintained major bases.

HIP, in a press release issued on Sunday (05), declared that the Port has significantly expanded its operational capacity, in response to a sharp surge in global shipping volumes, resulting from the West Asia conflict.

The company asserted that the developing situation reinforced its position as a key alternative hub along the East–West shipping corridor.

The port has doubled its Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) yard capacity and increased its container yard capacity by 30%, as shipping lines divert operations away from disrupted routes in search of stable and efficient alternatives.

HIP is situated just 10 nautical miles from the main East–West shipping route, allowing vessels to divert with minimal deviation while maintaining schedule integrity.

The Chinese government-owned China Merchant Port Holdings (CMPort) under controversial circumstances acquired controlling interests of the Hambantota port in 2017 during the Yahapalanaya administration. Although the Sri Lankan government repeatedly said that Sri Lanka was paid USD 1.12 bn according to the HIP website CMPort invested $974 mn in the HIP and held 85 percent of the shares.

The 2017 agreement granted CMPort a 99-year lease to develop, manage and operate the Port area. The Supreme Court dismissed a fundamental rights petition filed by lawmaker Vasudeva Nanayakkara pointing out that the original agreements pertaining to the Hambantota port had been signed in 2012 and 2013 during Mahinda Rajapaksa’s tenure as the president when he was a member of the Rajapaksa Cabinet.

The HIP press release quoted CEO of HIP Wilson Qu as having said: “What we are witnessing today is a structural shift in global shipping patterns. At HIP, we have focused on building the capacity and operational agility to respond to such changes. Our ability to scale quickly, combined with our location, allows us to support global shipping lines when reliability becomes critical. Looking ahead, we will continue to invest in infrastructure and capabilities to strengthen Hambantota’s role as a key logistics and transshipment hub in the region.”

The rise in both vehicle transshipment and container volumes has driven yard utilization levels to the highest in HIP’s history, highlighting the scale of ongoing supply chain disruptions and the port’s growing strategic importance in global trade.

To accommodate increased throughput, HIP has rapidly expanded yard space across both cargo segments, enabling it to handle higher volumes while maintaining operational efficiency and minimizing congestion. Expanding capacity within a short time frame in a live port environment presents considerable operational and technical challenges and requires significant investment. However, through close coordination across management, engineering and operational teams, HIP was able to deliver these enhancements in step with rising demand.

The HIP statement added: “The expansion reflects Hambantota International Port’s continued development as a resilient logistics platform in the Indian Ocean, as geopolitical developments reshape established maritime routes and increase demand for alternative hubs. As infrastructure scales in tandem with demand, HIP is increasingly positioned to capture a larger share of regional transshipment volumes while supporting the continuity of global supply chains.”

Amidst the continuing uncertainty caused by war and growing threat to international shipping the Hambantota International Port Group (HIPG) the owning group of HIP recently finalised an agreement to invest USD 108 mn to procure new container handling equipment- six quay cranes, 16 rubber-tyred gantry cranes (RTGs) and 40 trailers, under the initial phase of the port’s Phase II container terminal development.

By Shamindra Ferdinando