News
Sarath draws RW’s attention to humiliation of military officers
Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera, MP, has drawn the attention of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to the humiliation caused by travel restrictions imposed on senior serving and retired military officers and two former Presidents by the US, Australia and Canada.
In a letter dated 25 Oct., the former Public Security Minister has pointed out to the President that among the affected were Mahinda Rajapaksa, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and CDS General Shavendra Silva. None of them have been charged with any war crimes or pending “war crime charges” in local or foreign judicial courts.
Pointing out that Western countries have used UNHRC resolutions as an excuse to humiliate those who gave political and military leadership to defeat the LTTE, termed even by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation as the most ruthless terrorist organisation, MP Weerasekera alleged that successive governments failed pathetically to apprise the UNHRC properly regarding the war and the relevant Geneva conventions covering it.
Recently, the US denied visa to MP Weerasekera, a former Navy Chief of Staff, thereby denied him an opportunity to join a parliamentary delegation to Washington. However, close on the heels of the US denial, China invited the former minister to attend an international conference in Beijing.
MP Weerasekera alleged that some officers have been prevented from taking part in “peace missions” and their nominations were either delayed or refused on the basis of unsubstantiated war crimes allegations.
Explaining how the then UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon went out of his way to trap war-winning Sri Lanka in war crimes investigation, the lawmaker questioned the red carpet welcome afforded to Ki-moon when he visited Sri Lanka several months ago.
The SLN veteran has pointed out that Sri Lanka should ask the international community to deal with accountability issues here as a ‘non-international armed conflict’ and certainly not as an ‘international armed conflict’
In spite of the UN appointed Panel of Experts (Darusman Report) and the report of the Office of Human Rights Commissioner (OISL) too recognizing the war against the LTTE was a ‘Non International Armed Conflict’ and the applicable law is ‘International Humanitarian Law’ and the same has been confirmed in the ruling of EU General Court which rejected an appeal to lift the ban on LTTE, Sri Lanka was being relentlessly targeted.
Members of the South Asian Journalists Forum have gathered at the University of New Delhi for a two day conference themed ‘Peace and Co-operation’.
Journalists from Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and India are attending the conference hosted by the University of Delhi in collaboration with the India Chapter of SJF, and will deliberate on how the media can act as a catalyst for regional stability and mutual coexsistence.
A tree plantation campaign was also held at the Ghandi Bhawan premises of the University to mark the event and symbolize growing regional ties.
The Sri Lanka delegation is led by President of SJF’s Sri Lanka Chapter Rahul Samantha Hettiarachchi.
The Governor of the of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat, along with the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Harsh Sanghvi, met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Thursdy [February 05] at the Parliamentary Complex to discuss the arrangements related to the exposition of the Devnimori Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha, which have been brought to Sri Lanka under the patronage of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India.
These sacred relics of Lord Buddha were discovered during archaeological excavations conducted in the 1960s at the historic Devnimori site in Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Until now, these relics had never been taken outside India. As a result of discussions held between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Sri Lanka, the people of Sri Lanka have been granted this rare opportunity to venerate these sacred relics.
The exposition of the relics is being held for a period of seven days, from February 05 to February 11, at the Gangaramaya Temple in Hunupitiya, Colombo. Discussions were held between both parties regarding the arrangements related to this event.
The discussion was attended by Samar Nanda, Joint Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Culture; Dr. Satyanjal Pandey, Acting High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka; Abhijit Halder, Director General of the International Buddhist Confederation; along with several others.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Indian Naval Ship (INS) GHARIAL made a port call in Colombo for operational turnarounds on 04 Feb 26. The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship in compliance with naval traditions.
Commanded by Commander Gaurav Tewari, INS GHARIAL is a vessel with a length of 124.8 meters.
During this visit, ten (10) Bailey Bridges, brought by ship, through the coordination of the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, will be handed over to the Disaster Management Center. These bridges will provide temporary transportation links while bridges damaged across the island by adverse weather conditions are repaired.
The crew’s itinerary features scheduled goodwill activities with the Sri Lanka Navy, alongside visits to several tourist attractions across the island.
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