Author: TELO Admin

The hearing of testimony for the prosecution, in the case filed against 25 accused, including Naufer Moulavi, who have been charged with the explosion of bombs targeting Catholic Churches and star class hotels, on Easter Sunday (21 April 2019) and conspiracy to set off bombs, commenced before the Trial-at- Bar of the Colombo High Court, yesterday.

The High Court Bench comprised Judges Damith Thotawatta, Amal Ranaraja and Navaratne Marasinghe. ASG Haripriya Jayasundera, prosecuted on behalf of the Attorney General’s Department.

Before the commencement of the hearing of testimony, ASG Jayasundera delivered the opening statement and she requested the Court to mete out justice on behalf of the scores of victims, of the Easter Sunday carnage.

She then noted that during the hearing of testimony, the prosecution would seek to explain to the Court, the manner in which the 25 accused had spread extremist views across the country, prior to the blasts, along with how they had coaxed certain people to take part in the suicide blasts, the way in which they had gathered and collected explosives and how the carnage, had been planned meticulously.

ASG Jayasundera then stated that the prosecution will also be submitting to Court, statements that had been recorded from the 25 accused, as per Provisions of the PTA and the Code of Criminal Procedure Act, CCTV Camera Footage, along with evidence from specialists.

The prosecution informed the Bench, that in the aftermath of the carnage, the Attorney General, at the time, had filed charges against the 25 accused, before the High Court, on 10 August, 2021.

She further added that upon the demise of the 17th defendant in the trial, the prosecution had amended the charge sheet, filed against the defendants and that to date charges were being sustained against 24 of the accused.

Ishanka Hansamali, who had worked as a receptionist at the restaurant, ‘Table 1’ at Shangri-La Hotel and who had been named as the 943rd witness to the prosecution, then testified.

She mentioned that on the day, which was Easter Sunday, special cuisine had been put on display at the restaurant for both locals and tourists alike and observed that at around 10.15 a.m., the loud noise of an explosion had been heard, from the side of the restaurant.

The witness explained that the restaurant, where she had been stationed, had been separated into four sections called A, B, C and D and that the first explosion, had taken place between the C and D sections.

She added that after the first explosion, the people had begun to run helter-skelter having become afraid for their lives and that a second explosion had then taken place near the lift of the restaurant.

After that, the prosecution showed the witness, four photos and she then identified Zahran Hashim, who was in one of the photos and stated that on the day of the incident he had been behind her and that she had not known him as Zahran, at the time.

Later, further hearing of testimony was put off to today, (11) and the prosecution informed the Court, that they will be submitting CCTV Camera Footage, captured from the hotel premises, as evidence.

The Court had also summoned DIG P. Ampawila and Chief Inspector Saman Perera, to testify for the prosecution and the judges advised them to be present to give evidence, when noticed again.

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), Sri Lanka’s main Opposition Party, is preparing a policy platform and manifesto that it says, shall seek to implement in the near future.

Issuing a statement, the SJB said its policy platform is being developed through close interaction and continuous dialogue with varied and relevant stakeholders.

“Thus far the SJB has engaged numerous worker unions, business chambers, entrepreneurial associations and professional organisations. The project to generate a viable plan for sustainable economic growth and human development in Sri Lanka requires a multi-pronged approach that considers the overlapping issues related to education, healthcare, business regulation, taxation, security and defence, social welfare and pensions, all with facets that are interrelated; Public Policy must consider such intersections. Sri Lanka’s foreign policy must be informed by both strategic imperatives and local political/ social dynamics which shape Sri Lanka’s relationships within the region as well as perceptions about our nation-state beyond. Sri Lanka’s education system must match the needs of the 21st-century technological era and complement Sri Lanka’s human capital development needs and industrialisation drive while addressing demographic challenges,” the statement said.

The SJB pointed out that for too long, Sri Lankan policy has veered from one extreme to another, captive to the whims of singular leaders and cabals of special interests.

“There has been no discernible overall strategy and whatever strategy has emerged has been reactionary, based on short-term necessity rather than longer-term strategic imperatives. In this regard, the recent evaluation by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) regarding Sri Lanka’s progress has shown that international institutions are cognisant of Sri Lanka’s governance deficits and the impact of this deficit on policymaking and strategising. The Geopolitical context that Sri Lanka finds itself in, lacking a clear narrative to project, as evidenced by our President’s recent performances abroad, adds to the complexities around developing an overarching economic and social policy.

“This context, specific to the Indian Ocean region and the wider Western Pacific, requires subtle and delicate negotiation; managing our relationships while protecting our interests has never been more complex. With this in mind, the SJB’s policymaking team and wider membership will participate in a workshop under the title: “Policymaking & Governance: Navigating Geopolitical and Economic Challenges”, organised by the National Council of Professionals,” the party said.

The workshop will be highlighted with a keynote address by Canadian Academic and Public Intellectual, Dr. Irvin Studin; President of The Institute for 21st Century Questions, a leading Canadian think tank.

Dr. Studin is a much sought-after strategy consultant in Canada and has been an advocate for altering Canadian geopolitical and political strategy, criticising many facets of modern Canadian state discourse and strategy. He has participated in and contributed to various works of public policy development and was a member of the team that developed Canada’s first-ever national security policy, in 2004. During the John Howard premiership, Dr. Studin was the principal author of Australia’s 2006 national counter-terrorism policy and also worked in local government in Ottawa, Canada and Canberra, Australia.

Dr. Studin has a master’s degree from the University of Oxford and earned a PhD from the University of York in constitutional law, he also founded a magazine called the Global Brief and co-founded the Institute for 21st Century Questions in 2014. He has also held positions at the University of Toronto as well as being a visiting professor at leading schools of public policy in North America, Europe and Asia including the Lee Kwan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore.

Dr. Studin has been an advocate of education reform in response to the disruptions to children’s academic routines around the world, warning that this may constitute one of the most under-appreciated social disasters that is developing as a result of the global pandemic. Dr. Studin has also been critical of Canadian geopolitical strategy and the nature of its relationships with its close neighbour the USA as well as traditional allies such as the UK and those in Western Europe, specifically what he calls the consolidation of the colonial position; allowing local electoral imperatives driven by diasporic affections and affinities to set the Canadian International agenda.

The SJB emphasised that the Canadian dynamic might be useful in informing Sri Lanka’s own position in terms of its immediate neighbourhood and strategic alliances. Understanding how to position itself within the unfolding geostrategic maze is critical to succeeding in this new era.

“Sri Lanka is already far behind, having allowed policy to be determined by decades-old frameworks during a time that requires intense collaboration with our partners in the region. The SJB seeks to formulate and fine-tune its strategic perspectives by utilising the knowledge and experience of intellectuals and policy experts such as Dr. Irvin Studin,” it said.

The SJB said that under a future SJB Government, Sri Lanka will begin the challenge of addressing the ethical decay in our institutions and the governance deficits that plague society and hinder our economy.

“This workshop forms a small part of the SJB’s policymaking process and is intended to inform its members and officers of the intricacies and challenges of policymaking,” it added.