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Non-aligned nations, once perceived as weak states, have evolved beyond that characterization -President

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe addressing the 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Kampala, Uganda said that Non-aligned nations, once perceived as weak states, have evolved beyond that characterization.

He also expressed gratitude to President Museveni and Uganda for hosting the summit.

Following is the full speech delivered by President Ranil Wickremesinghe;

“Let me begin by congratulating you President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda for taking over the helm of the Non Aligned Movement at this 19th Summit. Your leadership is even more timely as Uganda assumes this role at a critical moment of collective awareness among countries of the global South. This is the first NAM Summit following the onset of the pandemic, the debt crisis, climate catastrophe, new global competition, and the ensuing multiple implications for the world, in particular, for the Global South.

As we meet today, a humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the Gaza Strip and beyond. For over 3 months immense suffering and losses have been endured by the Palestinian civilian population, endangering regional security and stability. Until now, the NAM was largely silent. How can we remain silent when the Gaza is destroyed? People denied humanitarian aid and a vast majority of the dead are innocent civilians. Silence implies consent. It is encouraging that this 19th Summit has given the highest priority to this crisis in Gaza and the inalienable rights of the people of Palestine to self- determination and the realisation of an independent and sovereign state of Palestine. We must congratulate South Africa for the bold stand it has taken in regard to Gaza. The international community has already called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and a release of hostages.

There cannot be a two state solution based on one state – Israel. No resolution is possible without a state of Palestine. Therefore, in line with multiple UN Resolutions, and the Declaration of this Summit, the international community must recognise the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem as territories coming within the State of Palestine and in addition there should be no change in the ethnic composition of Gaza. Sri Lanka also proposes that the State of Palestine be established within 5 years and no more.

We are now witnessing the end of the post cold war order and the coming into being of the evolving multipolar world. On the geopolitical front, we are witnessing a resurgence of latent and open conflicts involving former and aspiring major powers. In Europe the transatlantic military alliance has been strengthened, past arms control agreements have collapsed, military expenditure has reached historically unprecedented levels and nuclear weapons are once again the subject of apparently serious policy discussion. Outer space and the oceans have become potential theatres of conflict and geo-strategic competition including in our vicinity in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

Free trade and economic integration is being reversed by policy driven rise of trade protectionism due to strategic competition among major powers. Furthermore, this being extended further with the concepts of de-coupling and de-risking. A unilateral declaration of a new trade order and the setting aside of multilateralism by the West of the WTO. The weaponising of the Dollar. New challenges of economic and the debt crisis, climate justice, food and energy security. Digital and technological divides and advanced WMD arsenals have aggravated existing inequalities between the developing states of the NAM and the developed world.

The theme of this Summit ‘Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence” reflects the need to address the inequities between our two worlds. Furthermore, experience shows us that, to succeed we need a strong and a united NAM that contributes to a better world for all. To do so, we have to reinvent ourselves.
Our membership today is no longer a grouping of weak states. We must recognise that as a result of the rapid progress and economic advancement of some of Asian, African and Latin American states. A majority of the 10 leading economies of 2050 will belong to this movement. We see among us, rising aspirants for leadership status in global affairs. They must be prepared to give leadership. Furthermore, there is a vital role we must play as geostrategic rivalries in political, economic, technological and military terms becomes more pronounced among former and new contenders for Major Power status.

Therefore, the NAM must reinvent itself under your Chairmanship. Assume a new role in a multipolar world – to transform itself as the largest bloc representing the Global South. We must also recast our objectives. While upholding the Bandung Principles in the evolving multipolar world we need to,

  1. oppose the spread of big power rivalry including the coercion of uncommitted states,
  2. build a multipolar world which incorporates the political, economic, social and climate change mitigation aspirations of the Global South.

Let us transform ourselves from this loose movement to become a dynamic bloc of the Global South and its friends. Let us establish an effective permanent operational structure which is equipped to address the contemporary challenges facing the Global South. An organisation which is capable of shaping the new order.
Our future lies in our hands.

We can make it or break it. Let us make it work.

Let me conclude by thanking you Mr President and the Government of Uganda for the excellent arrangements for hosting this important 19th Summit of the Non Aligned Movement.”

(PMD)



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All government institutions requested to hand over dicarded paer to the Valachchena paper Mill of the National Paper Company Limited.

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The functions of the Valachchena Paper Mill have  recommenced in the year 2020, and the raw materials used for the production purpose have been waste paper.

It has been essential  that the Mill receive a continuous supply of  waste paper  to maintain the production without any obstructions. It has been
observed that it could be confirmed  of a sufficient and continuous supply of waste paper by  providing waste papers  discarded  by  government institutions.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship
Development to confirm the continuous paper supply to the Valachchena Paper Mill. By

• Handing over the discarded papers including high quality white papers from the Government Press, Government Printing Corporation, Election Commission” Ministry of Education and other government institutions, all universities, all government ministries and departments to the National Paper Company Limited on the basis of providing transport facilities by the National Paper Company Limited.

• Handing over the stocks of discarded papers of other public corporations, boards, statutory boards, and all other government-associated institutions to the National Paper Corporation at a concessionary rate agreed upon by both the relevant institutions and the National Paper Corporation without any tender procedure.

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The Island and Divaina named best newspapers at 2024 Pinacle People’s awards

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The Island and  it’s sister paper Divaina won the awards for the best English language and Sinhala language newspapers at the 2024 Pinacle People’s Awards held at the Taj Samudra Hotel on Monday (06) night.

Furthermore Divaina editor Narada Nissanka was named the Best Editor for the year 2024 and also received the Pinacle Lifetime award as well.

Divaina Sports Editor Susil Jayakody was named the Best Sports Editor for the year 2024 while Divaina Airport Correspondent T K G Kapila wasc named the Best Provincial Correspondent of the year.

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Rescuers race to save men stuck in flooded rat-hole mine in Assam

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The miners were trapped when water flooded the mine [BBC]

Rescuers in India are racing against time to bring out miners trapped inside a flooded coal mine in the north-eastern state of Assam.

Three of the nine men inside were feared dead, Reuters reported, after the state government said rescue teams had spotted some bodies they have been unable to reach.

The men were trapped on Monday morning after water flooded the rat-hole mine, which is a narrow hole dug manually to extract coal.

Despite a ban on such mining in India since 2014, small illegal mines continue to be operational in Assam and other north-eastern states.

Divers, helicopters and engineers have been deployed to help rescue the trapped men and the state and national disaster response forces are also aiding efforts.

On Monday evening, Assam Director General of Police GP Singh had said that authorities were ascertaining the exact number of people trapped.

Reports said more than a dozen miners had managed to escape and initial reports suggested that the “numbers would be in single digits”.

Defence PRO, Guwahati Indian army personnel with some of them in divers' suit, with equipments such as gas cylinders in yellow and white, rope and life jackets lying around.
Divers and engineers have been deployed to help rescue the trapped men [BBC]
Defence PRO, Guwahati A patch of land with greenery, dotted by camps with blue, plastic sheds at the rescue site.
The site of the disaster is a remote hilly area [BBC]

The mine is located in the hilly area of Dima Hasao district.

Senior police official in the district, Mayank Kumar Jha, told Reuters that the area was very “remote” and “difficult to reach”.

Mine-related disasters are not uncommon in India’s northeast.

In December 2018, at least 15 men were trapped in an illegal mine in the neighbouring state of Meghalaya after water from a nearby river flooded it.

Five miners managed to escape but the rescue efforts for the others continued until the first week of March the following year. Only two bodies were recovered.

In January 2024, six workers were killed after a fire broke out in a rat-hole coal mine in Nagaland state.

[BBC]

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