Author: TELO Admin

Tempers flared during an argument between Kandy District SLPP MPs Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Gunathilake Rajapaksa over providing relief to the people affected by the inclement weather, at yesterday’s government group meeting chaired by President Ranil Wickremesinghe. Subsequently MP Rajapaksa was admitted to the Army Hospital with injuries. He had suffered leg injury and was to undergo a surgical operation.

Aluthgamage, contacted for comment, denied the allegation that he had assaulted MP Rajapaksa.

He said MP Rajapakse had levelled unfounded allegations against him in front of other MPs and officials at the group meeting. “I told him that I would not respond to those allegations at the group meeting and asked him to come out of the meeting room so that I could explain it to him. After he came out, I questioned him about the issues that he raised. At that point some MPs, led by Polonnaruwa District MP Jagath Samarawickrama, tried to separate us and dragged MP Rajapakse back. They both fell on each other because of the dragging. Everything has been recorded in CCTV and if there is an assault by me, as alleged by some, the footage could be scrutinised,” Aluthgamage told the media.

Sinopec Lanka Energy Ltd., yesterday inaugurated its first renovated filling station at a grand re-opening ceremony in Trans Lanka Filling Station, Nawagamuwa, witnessing a major milestone on the company’s first anniversary since entering into Sri Lanka.

After seven months of smooth operation of all 150 stations, this new completion highlights Sinopec’s long-term commitment in revitalising the country’s energy sector. With continuous investments in renovation projects, facilities upgrading, and health, safety and environmental improvements, Sinopec empowers the sustained growth of dealers and partners.

Sinopec’s renovation principles encompass the exterior image and facilities upgrade, the unseen safety measurements that significantly improve safety and environmental protection standards and the training and development of the human resources.

Looking ahead, Sinopec plans to renovate the remaining 149 filling stations over the next three years and explore opportunities for 50 brand new stations. A vocational training and qualification grade system to fuel station staff will be built to help develop a more skilled workforce for the energy sector. A comprehensive customer service centre, which will be equipped with support in multiple languages is also to be introduced to effectively address inquiries from customers and dealers alike.

Sinopec Energy Lanka General Manager Wang Haini said: “Sinopec’s efforts in Sri Lanka are part of its broader commitment to enhancing the energy landscape through strategic investments in infrastructure and human capital development. Sinopec will be devoted to shaping high standards in Sri Lanka’s Petroleum Industry under the guidance of Ministry of Power and Energy and empowering Sri Lanka.”

She reaffirmed Sinopec’s dedication to a sustainable and prosperous future for Sri Lanka. Following the event, Sinopec extended its support to the local community by providing drinking water and food rations to those affected by the recent floods.

The celebration was graced by the State Minister D. V. Chanaka, Chinese Embassy Counsellor in charge of Economic Affairs Tang He Li and other distinguished guests.

Russian authorities have indicated to their Sri Lankan counterparts that a number of Sri Lankan ex-servicemen who travelled to the country are currently members of the Russian armed forces and are engaged in combat, The Daily Morning reliably learns.

The confirmation comes following a high-level meeting between Russian authorities and a group of diplomats from the Sri Lankan mission in Moscow last Thursday (30 May) evening, a senior government official close to the matter disclosed to The Daily Morning. During a press conference last week, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya told the media that Sri Lanka would approach the said meeting with an aim of getting clarification on if Sri Lankan ex-servicemen are indeed part of the Russian armed forces and to explore options to see them removed from front line service. Sri Lanka had also wanted to seek information on casualties and possible repatriation of wounded Sri Lankan nationals.

“Basically, it is now certain that they were recruited by the Russian government forces, and not a PMC (Private Military Contractor) like Wagner. They (Russian authorities) have confirmed the presence of Sri Lanka ex-servicemen in their fighting formations and that they are in it (combat). They have said that those who are there have signed agreements and they are bound by them. So, they have said our chaps can’t desert their posts and leave as they wish. Such moves have to be approved by the Russian military command,” the senior government official told The Daily Morning.

Many of the nearly 1,000 (known) Sri Lankan ex-servicemen who were scammed into travelling to Russia, under the pretext of being employed for administrative and logistic duties, have been pushed into front line combat on the Ukrainian front, with a number of injuries reported. Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that 16 Sri Lankans who have travelled to Russia under such pretext are believed to be ‘missing’, with a hotline established on the issue receiving nearly 460 complaints thus far about Lankans in Russian service, and one about a Sri Lankan in the service of Ukrainian forces.

Last week, Russian Ambassador to Colombo Levan Dzhagaryan fronted the press in Colombo with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya, where he strongly claimed that he was not aware of the type of agreements which the Sri Lankan ex-servicemen had signed to seek employment with Russian forces. He said he was awaiting information from Moscow and could not speak to the legality of such agreements. Dzhagaryan stressed that the Russian embassy in Colombo was not aware of such agreements when granting visas for the hundreds of Sri Lankans who have found their way into the ranks of the Russian armed forces. When asked about Russia’s policy on mercenaries fighting for them, Dzhagaryan stated that the Russian Government did not have an issue with ‘volunteers’ joining their ranks, pointing out that Ukraine had thousands of foreigners amongst their ranks.

It is learnt that many of those who made the journey to Russia, after getting a visit visa from the Russian embassy in Colombo, had signed an agreement which was drafted in English and did not specify they have to engage in combat duties. Many who did sign it have been promised Russian citizenship, pay in US dollars and the prospects of getting their families over, after a while. However, it is learnt that upon arriving in Russia, they have had to sign a Russian language Military Service contract, which had enlisted them into Russian armed forces service, and thereby are placed under Russian federal law and military law. As such, a quick repatriation of those in front line service in Russian seems a distant proposition at this stage. It learnt that some elements of the domestic law enforcement agencies who are investigating the scam and those arrested linked to it, view the scam as one that fits the ‘human trafficking’ category due to the misinformation and failure to inform the employee of the status and nature of the work he or she is travelling for. However, investigations are still ongoing and are in early stages.

A high-power Sri Lankan government delegation led by State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya was making plans to travel to Russia this week (5). During the Press conference Balasuriya said they were awaiting a confirmation of appointments from Moscow to meet with senior Russian diplomats and defence officials. However, it is now learnt Russia has not approved the meeting sought for this week, and that instead has given an appointment for the 26 June, a move a senior diplomat called ‘a delaying tactic’. Due to the change in appointments, Sri Lanka will have to reschedule the travel plans of the delegation.

“One victory for us, is that we have got them (Russia) to agree that they will screen our combat aged men when they apply for a travel visa. This will essentially stem the flow to Russia of our ex-servicemen. But getting back those who have already gone, will be a challenging task,” the diplomat opined.

Director General of the Interim Secretariat for the Truth and Reconciliation Mechanism (ISTRM), Dr. Asanga Gunawansa, PC, says the draft of the law to establish a Commission for Truth, Unity and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka can be amended to enable the proposed Commission for Truth, Unity and Reconciliation (CTUR) to have prosecutorial and/or judicial powers. Otherwise, a special court could be established to address the need, Dr. Gunawansa told The Island.

The top official said so in response to our query based on President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recent declaration at the inauguration of the Clinical Training and Research Block at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Jaffna that his government was considering whether the TRC should wield judicial authority or a separate court should be set up based on TRC recommendations.

The President’s Media Division (PMD) quoted Wickremesinghe as having said he had tasked the relevant ministers in consultation with parliamentarians and ambassadors to draft legislation for parliamentary review. The President declared that the decision on prosecutorial and/or judicial powers for CTUR or special court was of paramount importance. Among those present on the occasion were Tamil National Alliance (TNA) lawmakers, M. A. Sumanthiran, PC, and Dharmalingham Siddharthan representing the Illankai Thamil Arasu Kachchi and People’s Liberation of Organization for Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), respectively. Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda was also present.

Asked to explain the status of the ongoing deliberations on the issues pertaining to prosecutorial and/or judicial powers for CTUR or establishment of a special court, Dr. Gunawansa said this was a matter that should be decided by the government.

The President’s Counsel said: “As any law to come into operation required the approval of the Parliament, it is eventually up to the Parliament to decide whether the proposed law should have provisions which enabled the CTUR to wield judicial power or for that purpose or the establishment of a special court. If a special court is to be established, then the relevant articles in the Constitution as well as the Judicature Act amongst other relevant laws may have to be carefully considered.”

Dr. Gunawansa added: “The objectives of any system of transitional justice are to provide for a platform for establishing truth, reconciliation, reparation for victims, taking measures for non-recurrence of violence and abuse of human rights and enabling legal action against abusers of human rights and criminal offenders.”

Responding to another query, the ISTRM Chief disclosed that the current draft of the proposed law that has been gazetted did not go as far as establishing a separate court. However, it included provisions which enabled the relevant competent authorities such as the Attorney General and the Police to consider criminal action pursuant to investigations based on information revealed during the truth-seeking process followed by the Commission and on the recommendations made by the Commission, Dr. Gunawansa said.

However, as the President declared in Jaffna, if pursuant to the consolations and discussions with the relevant stakeholders if it is felt that the proposed commission should have prosecutorial and/or judicial powers or in the alternative, a special court should be established for such purpose, then provisions can be introduced to the current draft of the law before it is presented to the Parliament, the official said.

Pointing out that the current draft of the proposed law had been initially developed over a period of time immensely aided by more than 7000 consultations conducted by the Consultations Task Force on Reconciliation Mechanisms (CTFRM) that was headed by the late Manouri Muttetuwegama. The CTFRM’s final report was presented in Nov 2016.

Since the establishment of the ISTRM in September 2023, under Dr. Gunawansa’s leadership the outfit has carried out approximately 65 consultations with the stakeholders and organized three discussion forums to engage with the interested parties to seek their views on the draft bill and the need for establishing a credible truth-seeking mechanism. ISTRM in line with its overall strategy has given a series of interviews to present the key features of the draft bill to the public.

Commenting on President Wickremesinghe declaration that the issues at hand were complex therefore demanded collective cooperation and engagement from all stakeholders and he discussed this matter with the members of Parliament from the North and the East, Dr. Gunawansa said that establishment of a system of transitional justice focusing inter alia on reconciliation and non-recurrence of violence required consensus amongst all stakeholders.

The armed forces brought the war to a successful conclusion in May 2009.

Dr. Gunawansa said; The ethnic issue and the related violence and civil war like situation that prevailed in the island during the period 1983 to 2009 has several root causes that needs careful consideration and they need to be addressed by implementing measures acceptable to all stakeholders. Even though we feel that there is peace in the island, especially in the north and the East since 2009, there are victims of violence and war from all races and ethnicities of our country spread out all over the island and these victims have continuing grievances which need to be addressed.

“It is in order to address the aforesaid concerns that the Cabinet under the guidance of the President has decided to present a law to establish a Commission for Truth, Unity and Reconciliation in Sri Lanka, to the Parliament for consideration and approval by the Parliament. This law is currently ready as a concept paper and has been Gazetted in all three languages to bring it into public domain so that all relevant stakeholders, including victims, civil society organisations, and politicians could examine it, comment on it and make suggestions.”

Referring to President Wickremesinghe reference to economic hardships and the failure on the part of successive governments to allocate required funds for the post-war reconciliation process, Dr. Gunawansa said in spite of difficulties the government established ISTRM to lay the foundation for setting up the CTUR, subject to the proposed law being approved by the Parliament.Dr. Gunawansa appreciated the support extended by President Wickremesinghe, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC, and Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC.