News

The Criminal Investigations Department on Monday (14) arrested Civil Activist Shehan Malaka Gamage, from Panadura.

Police Spokesperson SSP Attorney-at-Law Nihal Thalduwa told News 1st that Gamage was arrested for a comment he made with regard to the Easter Sunday attacks, at a recent media briefing.

He was recently summoned to the CID and a statement was recorded as well, on the same matter.

The Criminal Investigations Department had sought advice from the Attorney General and upon instructions received the CID arrested Shehan Malaka Gamage, noting that he had committed an offense, said the Police Spokesperson.

The Director General of Health Services has confirmed another 31 coronavirus related deaths for February 09, pushing the death toll in the country due to the virus to 15,723.

The fatalities reported today includes 16 males and 15 females, according to the figures released by the Government Information Department.

Five of the victims are between the ages 30-59 years while the remaining 26 are in the age group of 60 years and above.

Sri Lanka’ former President Maithripala Sirisena has urged the world not to be warmongers and war criminals but peacemakers and sacrifice in whatever way required.

The effects will be universal and benefit humanity forever with bestowed peace, he told the World Summit 2022 for Peace on the Korean Peninsula in Seoul, South Korea.

Speech by Maithripala Sirisena:

Excellencies, Distinguished Participants, Ladies, and Gentlemen, I am happy to be here at this Summit and to deliver a Keynote address. Thank you.

When a South Korean invite is mentioned, beyond the invitation, Sri Lankans reminisce the long-standing friendship between our two countries. As a sibling, South Korea has treated us especially in the fields of economic assistance, investments, technology, employment for our labor, youth affairs, and international transactions. At the outset, I mention them with great happiness and gratitude.

To start with, let me with deep respect recognize the hosts – Excellency Ban Ki-Moon, the former UN Secretary-General, whom I have personally known well since 2015, Cambodian Prime Minister Excellency Samdech Hun Sen, Dr. Thomas G Walsh, the Chairman, Universal Peace Foundation (UPF), and the Director-General of the UPF, Dr, Yun Young-ho.

Secondly, as a lover of peace, I recognize the pious objective of the Summit, which is of universal concern, which is “Peace on the Korean Peninsula.”

Thirdly, I respectfully recognize the intended outcome of the Summit, which in simple terms is to bring together collective experiences, wisdom, and insights critically required to build mutual understanding, sustainable peace, and prosperity to the world.

In addition, I recognize the setting of the Summit in Seoul. In addition to the beauty of Seoul, it is because of the historical importance of reunification of Korea- the North and South. There is a long history of efforts to unify the divided two geographical units, created by internal and external involvements. This status has created economic downturns and suffering, especially in the North, though revival has happened voluminously in the South.

This had been the case in some other non-reunified troubled countries too. Unified states have triumphed. The German experience is a good example of collapsing of the separating wall and building a strong economy. Vietnam exhibited another novel political institutional arrangement, and now a bubbling economy. These two countries achieved unification in two ways.

I quote Kohler, a commentator who stated four takeaways from the German experience of reunification: They were: First: Get ahead of developments, prepare to expect the improbable, and have the guts to lead, second: Keep your promises and make sure others are aware of it. Three: Foreign policy begins at home, and, finally, do not go it alone. I hope those who are following unification would note these learned lessons.

Due to the potential political and economic downturn, sometimes certain populations resist unification. It happens mostly in the sector or unit where economic status is affluent. Studies have proved this status even in the case of Koreas. It is due to migration that may be caused by a unification exercise that could negatively affect the lives of the affluent people. However, economic affluence is also predicted due to unification. In such a background, some argue that other factors such as shared history, culture, language, traditions, etc. should motivate unification.

The historical perimeters of the two Koreas are complex, though well known to this noble audience. I may approach the issues from our experiences in Sri Lanka, less known to many over here. It is because the Summit expects sharing collective experiences, wisdom, and insights.

Our ethnic communities were united for generations throughout the history of Sri Lanka. Though there were aberrations in relationships, total segregation was prevented, and they remained as friends, upon culture, religion, traditions, and beliefs-wise, etc. When foreign powers were ruling Ceylon, which is now known as Sri Lanka, especially towards the mid-twentieth century, our leaders fought unitedly for independence from the British, irrespective of the languages they spoke, religions they professed, ethnic groups they belonged to.

However, due to several domestic reasons, sometimes fueled by foreign influences who wished to divide and rule, hatred, jealousy, animosity was developed, and unity was compromised and jeopardized. This led to political conflicts which were later converted to violence against the state and to open violence in the streets, cities, villages, and jungles. Though we are a small island of 65,000 square kilometers the demand by an ethnic terrorist group was for a separate state. Certain arrangements were made by our governments several times to settle this issue, and even had a ceasefire brokered by Norway in 2002, but ultimately everything failed. This is another lesson we can share on failures one could experience, on the way to peace or unification.

This type of failure is observed even in the Korean environment. I may quote a commonly known episode to prove my stand. The spring and summer of 2018 saw an extraordinary rapprochement between the two Koreas. It led to successive face-to-face meetings. They culminated with a visit of South Korean President Moon Joe-in to Pyongyang. This visit followed several joint declarations, agreements, hotlines, and other confidence-building measures, including an inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong, close to the demilitarized zone. It was the first full-time communication channel and was an ‘embassy’ between the two sides, still at war. In June 2020 it was blasted by North Korea, which resulted in blasting much of the progress made in two years. This is the complexity and unpredictability one experiences in unification or finally peacebuilding.

The terrorists in Sri Lanka did similar things to us and consequently the peace processes we carried out failed. Instead of peacemaking, we did battle it out. It is not a good lesson to learn., because war is the bitterest treatment of people. However, this is the way politics, war, egos, personalities sometimes react to certain peacebuilding, reunifying efforts.

Excellency Ban Ki-Moon as the Secretary-General of the UN did his utmost to bring peace, reconciliation, democratic control of the situation after the conflict was over in May 2009. I believe in peace and avoidance of war, and conflict should not be the answer to any aberrations. What we require at such a point is confidence-building between parties and rebuilding the economies. Therefore, Sri Lanka stepped into reconciliation, basing our actions on the internationally acclaimed “four pillars of reconciliation.”

Of course, the internationals anticipated and demanded extremely revolutionary and immediate remedial actions. They are lofty expectations, but unfortunately, the expected speed does not reflect in the execution of reconciliatory mechanisms. Ours was a conflict of more than 25 years. Korea is about 70 years. Reconciling competing interests and horrific pasts do not happen quickly, because scars are deep-rooted and thus adamancy rules. Egos prosper. Hence, patience is required, which reminds me of the statement made by the Japanese business tycoon Konosuke Matsushita “Storms may pass, patience is a virtue.” Therefore, step-by-step movement may be preferred here too. But what we need is not a step backward, but always a consistent step forward.

The economic impact on us was severe and we are still paying for such sectarian behavior. This too is not only a lesson to us in Sri Lanka. Many experiences are observed in proximity and far away too. United efforts always give better yields. Of course, the need may rise for people to sacrifice certain conveniences and comforts enjoyed before reunification or peacemaking, especially in socio-economic spheres. This was the German experience just after the unification and will happen elsewhere too.

However, governments, bilateral and multilateral internationals must find solutions to integrate, make peace, unify quarreling groups, militaries, and countries. It is because war, conflict does not have winners. There are no short or instant solutions. Ours is an excellent example. I have learned that there had been studies done even in Korea and opposition to reunification has been observed. Though short-term difficulties could be observed, one must look at the long-term effects.

Our conflict was over in May 2009. Still, twelve years later we have not found a firm power-sharing mechanism or fulfilled total reconciliation as expected by international standards. The experiences in the unification of Germany and Vietnam show how two contrasting political ideologies could positively merge. It could happen even in Korea similarly since the two political systems differ. Though such conflicts may occur regarding Korea, one may reconsider the situation in the light of common language, culture, traditions, living patterns which are binding glues for sustainable integration.

Possession of resources and technology to manufacture long-range missiles and shoot them from deserts or sub-marines, etc. is insufficient for integration or unification. Threatening nuclear attacks is insufficient for the same. What good such missiles and nuclear armaments serve the people positively? Similarly, it is not drawing a line on the 38th latitude. Marking boundaries based on surveyor’s lines have not solved issues with our neighbors as seen even today from the Radcliffe Line between India and Pakistan, and Chief British negotiator, Sir Henry McMahon’s line dealing with the boundaries of Tibet, China, Bhutan, and even India. Conflicts continue for decades and even today on these boundary lines. Again, I say, it is not an easy task, especially when such threatening warmongering hawks control decision-making.

I may quote the greatest Indian next to Lord Buddha- Mahatma Gandhi who said, “Was not war itself a crime against God and humanity, and therefore, were not all those who sanctioned, engineered and conducted wars, war criminals?” We have the choice in front of us. Do we sanction, engineer, and conduct wars and become war criminals or go by Martin Luther King Junior who said “It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it?”

Let us swear that we will not be warmongers and war criminals but peacemakers and sacrifice in whatever way required because the effects will be universal and benefit humanity forever with bestowed peace. I remain wishing sincerely that such a strong willingly sacrificing group will emerge also from this Summit.

Thank you very much for listening to me patiently.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today urged the people of Anuradhapura to place their trust in him and the government, as he pledged to increase the farmers’ income by 100%.

It came during the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna’s first rally for the year, titled “Public Rally 2022” which kicked off at the Salgado Stadium in Anuradhapura this evening.

“When I did my first public rally for the presidential campaign here, I promised that fertilizer will be given free of charge and paddy will be given a certified price.”

The President vowed to increase the income of the farming community by 100%, with or without fertilizer.

Speaking further, he blamed those who were in power over the last five years for not doing anything for the agricultural sector. “They are now trying to drag the country down by lying to the farmers with their illusions of the presidency.”

President Rajapaksa criticized the former administration for destroying the national security established in the country, as well as the intelligence agencies. “It ended with the Easter Sunday bombing.”

The former government betrayed the country’s war heroes and they forfeited Sri Lanka’s sovereignty before the international community, he alleged, noting that his administration managed to rid all these things within the last two years after it came to power.

He appealed to the members of the public to join him and place their trust in him.

“There are local and international forces trying to divide the government and sabotage the journey the country is currently on.”

Speaking on the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic that plagued the entire world, the President said, “As a leader, and as a government, we have to face the new challenges. We have faced these challenges.”

He said many people have now resorted to strike actions due to the influence of various forces. “I urge them to look at the people because your responsibility is not towards the government but towards the people.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, who also addressed the rally, called on the opposition to leave aside conspiracies and to battle the government on equal grounds.

Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva, the Sri Lankan all-rounder, has got a bid of INR 1,075 lakhs in the IPL auction 2022 currently underway in Bangalore.

Both Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings were in a bidding war for Wanindu Hasaranga when the bid was stopped in the middle due to a medical emergency.

Lunch has been taken in Bengaluru after Hugh Edmeades, the auctioneer, collapsed while the Hasaranga bid was on.

Hasaranga has listed his base price at 1 crore.

SRH make the first move for Hasaranga.

Sunrisers' Hemang Badani has worked with him at Jaffna in the LPL.

Punjab Kings enter the bidding and tussle with Sunrisers.

Sunrisers take the bid up to 1.8 crore.

Kings raise the paddle, as do Sunrisers. Moody chats with Kavya Maaran and they raise it up to 3.2 crore.

The bid quickly reaches 4 crore now.

It's been a while since a Sri Lankan has attracted this much interest at an auction.

Punjab Kings in the lead at 4.2 crore.

RCB jump in - there's a new bidder for Hasaranga. He was part of their side last season.

Kings and RCB tussle for Hasaranga.

Hesson, Malolan and co. chat at the RCB table and bid again; it's 5.75 crore now.

Rhodes asks for a moment after which Kings raise the paddle once again, pushing the bid up to 6 crore.

Kings in the lead at 7 crore.

RCB aren't backing out.

RCB escalate the bid up to 7.75 crore.

Kings take a moment and return to bid for Hasaranga.

Kings and RCB are locked in a bidding war for the legspin-bowling allrounder.

Kings are ready to shell out 9 crore for him.

However, RCB desperately want him back.

This is getting interesting.

RCB back in the lead at 10.25 crore.

Big payday for Hasaranga as the bid rockets towards 11 crore.

Okay, hang on, Hugh Edmeades, the auctioneer, has collapsed.

The auction has been paused.

RCB in the lead at 10.75 crore.

Talks between the Health Minister and the Health Trade Unions to solve a series of issues failed on Tuesday (8).

Trade Union leaders have vowed to continue with their strike action.

Earlier in the day, heavy traffic was reported along Deans Road in Colombo opposite the Health Ministry due to a protest by health workers.

Hundreds of health workers marched from the Vihara Maha Devi Park in Colombo to the Health Ministry against the government’s failure to remove salary anomalies and address their grievances, despite recent token strikes.

The unions demand that the authorities eliminate existing salary disparities in the sector just as they eliminated the teacher and principal salary anomalies.

Health workers across Sri Lanka including nurses, and Public Health Inspectors are on strike citing multiple demands.

They resorted to the indefinite trade union action from Monday (7).

As a result of the strike activities at the Colombo General Hospital, Kandy General Hospital, 24 Teaching Hispitals, 26 General Hospitals, 46 Base Hospitals, 410 District Hospitals and 293 MOH Officers came to a complete standstill.

The Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) is confident that the demand for electricity in the country can be met until February 14 (Monday) with adequate power generation.

Accordingly, there will be no power shedding in the coming three days, the Chairman of PUCSL Janaka Ratnayake assured.

He, however, appealed to the members of the public to use electricity sparingly.

The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 35 new coronavirus-related fatalities for February 07, moving the death toll in the country from the virus to 15,656.

This includes 22 males and 13 females, according to the Department of Government Information.

Five of the deceased were in the age group of 30-59 years. Two others were aged below 30 years and the remaining 28 victims were aged 60 years and above.

Sri Lanka’s 17th state-run university was opened today (11) in Vavuniya.

On the occasion, president Gotabaya Rajapaksa unveiled a plaque for the new University of Vavuniya.

It had previously been a Campus affiliate to the University of Jaffna, to a separate state university in Sri Lanka.

At its opening, president Rajapaksa said, “this enhances the access of higher education to students opening up opportunities for greater integration of our people and our culture across the nation.”

The new university has been established for the purpose of providing, promoting, and developing higher education in the fields of business studies, applied sciences, and technology studies.

MP Arundhika Fernando’s son and 8 other suspects, arrested for assaulting university students were granted bail by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court on Monday (07).

The suspects were arrested in connection with the incident where a group of 4th-year students attached to the Ragama Medical Faculty was assaulted on Wednesday (Feb. 02).

Secretary to the Ministry of Coconut Industries has instructed officials to conduct a preliminary investigation into the incident where a vehicle belonging to the Coconut Development Authority was allegedly used to carry out the assault at students of the Ragama Medical Faculty.

Secretary to the Ministry, Tissa Hewawitharana said the Coconut Development Authority has been informed to submit a report in this regard, adding that the car used in the attack belonged to the Coconut Development Authority.

He further noted that the driver of the vehicle was not a driver attached to the Coconut Development Authority, but a personal staff driver of the State Minister.

Arundika Fernando also resigned from his position as the State Minister of Coconut, Kithul, and Palmyrah Cultivation Promotion and Related Industrial Product Manufacturing & Export Diversificationon Thursday (03).

Previously, the State Minister said that if the incident with regard to the assault on Ragama Medical Faculty students was proven to have a connection with him, he will resign from his position.

A Sri Lankan court on Thursday (10) issued two enjoining orders preventing the strike action by the Government Nursing Officer’s Association from continuing.

The Attorney General filed an action against the Government Nursing Officer’s Association and its president Saman Rathnapriya, seeking an enjoining order from the court to immediately suspend the trade union action of the said union.

The Attorney General appraised the court of the present deplorable conditions in hospitals due to patient care being severely affected.

District Court Judge of Colombo Aruna Aluthge issued two enjoining orders preventing the union from continuing the said trade union strike endangering the lives of the patients.

The Director-General of Health Services has confirmed 26 new coronavirus-related fatalities for February 06, increasing the death toll in the country due to the virus to 15,621.

This includes 17 males and 09 females, according to the Department of Government Information.

Six of the deceased were in the age group of 30-59 years. Two others were aged below 30 years and the remaining 18 victims were aged 60 years and above.