News
Wijeyadasa wary of Chinese designs, urges govt to pay attention to developing scenario

By Shamindra Ferdinando
Ruling party lawmaker Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, says Sri Lanka should be wary of overall Chinese strategy as the ongoing battle between China and the US-led alliance has entered into what the former Justice Minister called an intense phase.
“Sri Lanka shouldn’t be caught up in the situation,” Colombo District MP Rajapakse told The Island yesterday.
Asked whether the Foreign Ministry or the Chinese Embassy in Colombo contacted him following his criticism of the Chinese actions in a letter dated January 3 addressed to the Chinese President, MP Rajapakse said that he was not contacted.
The former President of the Bar Association said that he perused Chinese Ambassador in Colombo Qi Zhenhong’s response to The Island query as regards his letter to the Chinese leader as well as the reportage of the contentious issue of Sri Lanka being compelled to pay a Chinese company to the tune of USD 6.7 mn in the wake of Sri Lanka rejecting a consignment of contaminated carbonic fertilizer. The MP was referring to the media briefing given by Ambassador Qi Zhenhong immediately after Chinese Foreign Minister Wangi Yi left Colombo following high level meetings.
MP Rajapakse emphasized that whether Sri Lanka political leadership liked it or not the country’s relations with ‘Quad’ grouping comprising the US, India, Japan and Australia as well as South Korea would be largely depend on the current dispensation’s relationship with China.
Appreciating the Chinese backing for Sri Lanka’s war against terrorism at a time the West conveniently turned a blind eye as they didn’t want to interfere with the Indian destabilization project, lawmaker Rajapakse asserted China largely changed its approach with the launch of the Belt and the Road initiative in 2013.
Asked whether he endorsed the controversial US and Indian investments on the energy sector, the outspoken politician said that interventions made by ‘Quad’ countries should be studied against the backdrop of Chinese actions.
The former minister denied pursuing a high profile anti-China agenda now, thereby being part of the Western project. MP Rajapakse said that he had to pay a heavy price for opposing the Hambantota port deal and finally the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe administration finalized it in 2017.
MP Rajapakse said that he expected the government to pay attention to the issues raised by him in his letter to the Chinese President. The Opposition, too, has a responsibility to protect the national interests though they didn’t have the strength to take on the government both in and outside Parliament. Noting the presence of former Premier and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at the launch of Sri Lanka-China Friendship Sailing Cup at the Port City last Sunday, the former UNPer pointed out how successive governments pursued policies at the expense of national security, political stability and overall well-being of the nation.
The former minister questioned the 99-year-leasing of the Hambantota port to the Chinese as well as agreements on Yugadanavi Power Plant with the Americans and the deal on the Trincomalee oil tank farm that ended up with the LIOC receiving control of a section of the tanks for a period of 50 years. Both Yugadanavi and Trinco deals have been challenged in the Supreme Court.
Making reference to Sri Lanka Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA) that had been signed in January 2018 as well as Access and Cross Servicing Agreement (ACSA) signed with the US in August 2017, MP Rajapakse said that it was crying shame political parties hadn’t been able to at least reach a basic consensus on foreign policy. The former justice minister said that successive governments allowed foreign powers to influence parliamentarians, officials, clergy, civil society and the media as well.
MR Rajapakse said that his call to take back the Hambantota port didn’t receive the expected backing for obvious reasons.
News
AKD’s attention drawn to ITAK’s threat to demolish Tissa Raja Maha Viharaya

By Shamindra Ferdinando
Former Public Security Minister Rear Admiral (retd.) Sarath Weerasekera yesterday said that it was the responsibility of the NPP government to ensure the safety of Tissa Raja Maha Viharaya, Kankesanthurai.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake holding the defence portfolio in addition to being the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces should look into the developing situation, the retired Navy Chief of Staff said.
The ex-lawmaker was responding to Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) leader S. Sritharan’s threat to demolish the Tissa Raja Maha Viharaya unless the government handed over the premises to owners of the land acquired over the years to build the Viharaya.
The warning issued at a media conference held at the Jaffna Press Club recently should also draw the immediate attention of the Parliament, Weeraselera said, stressing that the ruling party as well as other political parties represented in parliament couldn’t turn a blind eye to what he called an explosive development.
Declaring that the ITAK had the backing of the north-based EPDP and TNPF, the ITAK chief has vowed to launch a protest against viharaya and to take over the premises.
Weerasekera said that Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananda Wijepala should take immediate measures to prevent build-up against Tissa Raja Maha Viharaya.
According to him, during his tenure as the Chairman of Oversight Committee on National Security he inquired into the situation therein and addressed the issues at hand. Therefore, the ITAK and other Jaffna-based political parties shouldn’t seek to trigger chaos not only in Jaffna, but in other parts as well.
Responding to another query, Weerasekera, who unsuccessfully contested the last general election on the SLPP ticket, urged the NPP as a political party to take a stand as the north was won by them. The unprecedented defeat suffered by the ITAK at the Nov 2024 general election proved that the vast majority of northerners had rejected separatist agenda pursued by the ITAK etc., and therefore it was trying to incite people, Weerasekera said.
ITAK had conveniently forgotten that it regained the right to represent Tamil speaking people again only after the military had eradicated the LTTE that was recognised by the party way back in 2001 as the sole representative of Tamil speaking people, Weerasekera said, asserting that the planned action against Tissa viharaya could be part of their strategy to regain lost ground in the northern and eastern provinces.
Weerasekera said that the ITAK’s threat reminded him of the violent Pongu Thamil campaign launched in the aftermath of 2002 Ceasefire Accord signed between the then government and the LTTE.
Asked whether he intended to push SLPP to raise the temple issue in Parliament, the former minister answered in the affirmative, saying that all right thinking MPs would oppose the ITAK’s racist move.
News
Money laundering case: Travel ban on Yoshitha’s grandmother

Police Spokesman SSP Buddhika Manatunga yesterday (11) said that all suspects involved in a money laundering case in which former first lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa’s mother Daisy Forrest Wickremesinghe was under investigation would be prosecuted under the Money Laundering Act.
The Police Spokesman said so after the Kaduwela Magistrate’s Court had imposed an overseas travel ban on Daisy Forrest Wickremesinghe, who is the grandmother of Yoshitha Rajapaksa, in connection with a money laundering case. Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s second son Yoshitha is also implicated in the case.
Speaking to the media, SSP Buddhika said that on the instructions of the Attorney General, Mrs Wickremesinghe had been named a suspect in the money laundering case. According to him, the investigations carried out into a Rs. 59 million joint account held by Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Mrs Wickremesinghe, to which Rajapaksa failed to provide a reasonable explanation on the source of earnings.
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Royal Society of Chemistry delegates visit Institute of Chemistry Ceylon

A delegation from the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) visited the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon (IChemC) at Rajagiriya, on an accreditation visit during their tour to Sri Lanka. The Vice President of IChemC, Prof. Hema Pathirana, warmly welcomed the delegation on behalf of the President of IChemC, Prof. Janitha Liyanage, who is currently attending the CRSI National Symposium in Chemistry in India.
The delegation included Prof. June McCombie, an Honorary Fellow of the University of Nottingham, UK, Prof. Zanaria Abdullah, an Honorary Professor of the University of Malaya, Malaysia and Mr. Shreyan Patel, a Professional Standards specialist attached to the RSC. They held discussions with the Acting Dean, internal and some of the visiting academics of IChemC regarding the involvement of IChemC in the advancement of chemistry and chemical education in Sri Lanka, and the role of RSC towards the betterment of the chemistry community across the world.
The delegates observed the chemical, microbiological and computational laboratory facilities of IChemC, and had constructive discussions with the students and staff members of IChemC. The representatives also held a seminar for the research students and Teaching-Assistants. Prof. Zanaria delivered a talk on her research on organic syntheses, while Prof. McCombie delivered the talk on the chemical aspects of astrophysics. Mr. Patel spoke about the membership of RSC and its opportunities to students and academics.
The representatives also visited the new building complex of IChemC, under construction at Malabe, which is scheduled to be opened later this year. Prof. Sudantha Liyanage, Chairman of the Past Presidents’ committee of IChemC and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, hosted the delegates at the Malabe site, where IChemC will further expand their degree programs in the future with state-of-the-art laboratory and research facilities.
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