News
Sri Lanka signatory to Joint Letter opposing Israeli move
Declaration of UN Chief as “persona non grata”:
The US, India, Japan, South Korea didn’t sign
The government of Sri Lanka says it has signed the Joint Letter supporting the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in the wake of the recent declaration by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel designating the UN Secretary General as “persona non grata”, the National People’s Power (NPP) has in fact signed it.
The Foreign Ministry said that by Note Verbale, dated 11 October 2024, Sri Lanka conveyed its desire to be a signatory to the Letter supporting the UN Secretary General, to the Permanent Mission of Chile in New York, which coordinated the Joint Letter.
The FM statement: “Sri Lanka has continued its long-standing and unwavering support for the Palestinian cause and has expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people throughout the years. Sri Lanka has voiced serious concerns regarding the current dire humanitarian situation in Gaza at multiple multilateral fora and supported the call for an immediate ceasefire.
Sri Lanka continues to support the mandated and essential humanitarian efforts of the United Nations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including consistent support to UNRWA. Sri Lanka strongly condemned the recent attack which affected UNIFIL’s headquarters in Naqoura, South Lebanon, and injured two Sri Lankan peacekeepers. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath’s statement to the diplomatic corps in Colombo on 14 October highlighted the need to uphold the obligation to ensure the safety and security of UN personnel and the inviolability of UN premises at all times. Sri Lanka chairs the UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, which was established by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2443 in 1968.
Accordingly, Sri Lanka fully supports the Letter which defended not just the Secretary General but the UN mandate itself.”
The Chilean letter was endorsed by at least 10 of the U.N. Security Council members, including France, Russia, China, Slovenia and Switzerland although the U.S. along with the U.K., Japan and South Korea did not sign it.
The Indian media reported that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) hadn’t responded to requests for comments on why India did not sign on to the letter. On October 4, the MEA spokesperson had said that for India, Guterres is the U.N. Secretary General, and “what somebody else says about it, what a third person says is not our area of outlook or a matter to comment on”, without commenting on the ban itself.
The government, under heavy Opposition fire over inclusion of a sex website in the Grade 6 English module, as well as overall education reforms, has decided to put on hold reforms in respect of Grade 6.
Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Health Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announced the government decision yesterday (13) at the post-Cabinet media briefing at the Information Department.
According to him, the decision had been taken at the previous day’s Cabinet meeting, chaired by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Dr. Jayatissa said that education reforms pertaining to Garde 6 had been put on hold until 2027.
The Minister said that other proposed education reforms would be implemented as planned. The Minister said that action would be taken against those responsible for the inclusion of a link to a sex website following investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department and the National Education Institute.
The SJB and several other political parties, as well as civil society groups, have accused the government of promoting an LGBTQ agenda, through the proposed education reforms.
The Opposition grouping Mahajana Handa, on Monday, made representations to the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter regarding the controversial reforms, while urging their intervention to halt the project.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake yesterday (13) vowed to go ahead with his government’s agenda, regardless of the destruction caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
Emphasising the responsibility on the part of all to contribute to the post-Ditwah recovery efforts, President Dissanayake said that he would have complete faith in the public service.
The President said so at the launch of the re-building Sri Lanka project at the BMICH yesterday.
The JVP and NPP leader said that he wouldn’t take advantage of the death and destruction caused by the cyclone or use the situation as an excuse to reverse their agenda or weaken it.
President Dissanayake said that in spite of many calling for amending the then Budget, in view of the cyclone, the government presented the proposals that were agreed before the disaster struck.
The United States has announced that it will provide the Sri Lanka Air Force with 10 US Navy TH-57 helicopters free of charge.
The announcement was made by outgoing US Ambassador Julie Chung, who stated, on social media, that the helicopters would be transferred under the United States’ Excess Defence Articles programme. The aircraft are Bell 206 Sea Ranger helicopters previously operated by the US Navy.
US sources said that the transfer was intended to strengthen Sri Lanka’s disaster response capabilities, following the devastating cyclone that struck the island at the end of 2025 and killed more than 600 people. US officials have framed the move as a humanitarian measure aimed at improving aerial rescue and relief operations.
Fair weather will prevail except for a few showers in the Uva, Eastern, Western and Central provinces and in Galle, Matara and Rathnapura districts
Trump cancels US-Iran meetings, urges protesters to take over institutions
Govt. bows to pressure, shelves Grade 6 reforms
AKD: Govt. agenda on track despite Ditwah disaster
SL to receive 10 helicopters from US
Foreign couple held over alleged biopiracy at Horton Plains
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