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US Stakeholders urged not to be misled efforts to vilify Sri Lanka, its leadership
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the US Ravinatha Aryasinha has called on stakeholders in the US not to be misled by efforts of certain groups to vilify Sri Lanka and its leadership, and to pay heed to the facts and recognize the difficult tasks the Government has embarked upon in a short time notwithstanding grappling with a global pandemic that has crippled most of the world.
Ambassador Aryasinha made this observations when he addressed the 73rd Anniversary of Independence of Sri Lanka celebrated on 4 February at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C., with the participation of religious dignitaries, Mr. Dean Thompson, Acting Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs of the US Department of State, with the Sri Lankan community and friends of Sri Lanka across the US joining virtually in view of the prevailing pandemic related restrictions.
The Ambassador, who detailed the Sri Lanka government’s priorities at present, and several dimensions of the Sri Lanka–US partnership, recalled President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s recent congratulatory message to US President Joe Biden, where he assured that “Sri Lanka, under my leadership, based on the mandate received from my people, is committed to further strengthen and consolidate this multifaceted partnership with the United States, grounded in mutual respect, shared values and common interests”.
Noting that Sri Lanka-US ties today are multifaceted, he said the visit to Sri Lanka of US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo in October 2020, is testimony to the importance placed by the US Government on Sri Lanka. This visit provided a platform to discuss a number of areas of bilateral and regional importance to both countries at the highest level. It also gave an opportunity to brief the Secretary of State of the initiatives undertaken by the new government to address Sri Lanka’s economic and national security challenges, to strengthen reconciliation, and to promote and protect human rights through domestic mechanisms – the details of, including that of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) pertaining to human rights, has subsequently been placed before the country and the world.
Ambassador Aryasinha who noted that on 31 January the Embassy took an ambitious step in launching the ‘Pan-US Overseas Sri Lankans (OSL) Network’, aimed at supporting OSL activities and to leverage their support towards realizing the interests of Sri Lanka in the US, said the core areas of focus of this Network would be – advocacy of Sri Lanka, economic advancement and socio-cultural engagement. Observing that he was encouraged to see the participation of OSLs from 27 States across the US and their commitment towards this new initiative, he said, the Embassy was in the process of expanding the ‘network’ to cover all States in the US. It would also be developing ‘nodal clusters’ across each State, in order to bring together OSLs to work collectively on the areas of focus identified. This network would also have overarching ‘interest clusters’ – including to engage with OSL entrepreneurs, youth, and academics, as well as to reach out to non-Sri Lankan ‘Friends of Sri Lanka’ throughout the USA. He was hopeful that this network would be a powerful vehicle in serving the interests of the OSLs in the US, keeping them connected with their motherland, and in ensuring that they become ‘catalysts’ in taking the US-Sri Lanka relationship to greater heights. Ambassador Aryasinha urged the support of the State Department, to engage the totality of the US based OSLs, so that they become a strength to both their host country, as well as to their home country.
Italian Naval Ship ‘PPA MONTECUCCOLI’ which arrived in Sri Lanka on 10th October 2024, departed the island today (13th October), on successful completion of her formal visit. The Sri Lanka Navy bade customary farewell to the departing ship at the Colombo port, following naval traditions.
On her departure, ‘PPA MONTECUCCOLI’ engaged in a successful Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with SLNS Gajabahu. The PASSEX involved training exercises in communication and tactical maneuvering, concluding with the traditional cheer ship salute
Latest News
President instructs officials to provide immediate relief to those affected by adverse weather conditions
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed officials to provide immediate relief to those affected by the recent adverse weather conditions across the country.
He also instructed the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence to ensure special attention is given to the safety of people in districts impacted by floods and landslides and to provide necessary support for effective relief operations.
The President emphasized that the government will take action to provide necessary assistance to all affected citizens and that local government officials in the affected areas will be engaged to ensure the people receive the required aid. Until such time, the President requested the public to act cautiously.
Additionally, the President instructed the Ministry of Finance to allocate Rs. 50 million for relief services and urged state officials to ensure proper coordination in delivering the relief to those in need.
According to the Disaster Management Centre, 24,492 individuals from 6,018 families have been affected by floods and landslides in 11 districts due to the adverse weather conditions experienced in recent days.
At present, 2,200 individuals from 584 families are being sheltered in 23 relief centres. Relief operations in all affected districts have already begun, coordinated by state officials through the Chief of Defence Staff’s office.
Emergency situations can be reported by contacting the Disaster Management Centre’s hotline number 117or by calling 0112136136, 0112136222, or 0112670002.
By Norman Palihawadane
Massive file retrieval for re-examination goes on at police headquarters and CID by engaging investigators in perusing evidence related to over thousand cases of the past two decades, police headquarters sources said.
The investigators have been divided into teams for what a senior police officer called ‘cold case investigation’ perusing archived documents and some are engaged in re-scrutinizing the evidence pertaining to several ongoing cases as well.
When contacted for comment, Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya said that afresh investigation of Easter Sunday terror attacks has been commenced and officers have already started recording statements from various parties including those who had already testified before courts and commissions involved in previous probes.
“There is evidence to prove that many former investigations either deliberately overlooked or missed some vital information and facts. The CID has been tasked with the case reopening process. I can promise that new investigations will yield results to bring about justice to many. For example, the CID is looking to gather evidence from many new angles in the Wasim Thajudeen case,” Weerasooriya told The Island.
Prior to investigations a list of names of persons and officers who had been connected to investigations into controversial cases has been sent to the airport and a special police team has been detailed by the Ministry of Public Security to prevent them leaving the country, the Public Security Ministry sources said.
Among the new case-reopening process are several organized crimes involving some officers from the Colombo Crimes Division. Relevant CCD officials have been found trying to flee the country, police headquarters sources said.
The IGP has promised to overhaul CCD and to appoint a new director to the Division.
Sources within the Division said that many officers have found it uncomfortable to face the probes and there were concerns that some sensitive documents related to certain investigations conducted by the CCD might have been destroyed.
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