Author: TELO Admin

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong says that many nations in the world, including China and Sri Lanka, are still suffering under the yoke of neo-colonialism and hegemonism.

Speaking during a visit to the Muthiyangana Raja Maha Viharaya, AmbassadorQi said China firmly upholds international fair play and justice, advocates the practice of true multilateralism, takes a clear stand against all hegemonism and power politics, and unswervingly opposes any unilateralism, protectionism and bullying. History has revealed that the deeper the cooperation between China and Sri Lanka and the stronger the friendship goes, the safer Sri Lanka’s sovereign independence, stronger its economic and social development, and the more secure its unique civilization will be. Besides, other forces will deal with Sri Lanka in a more equal, respectful and reciprocal manner.

Ambassador Qi visited the Uva Province to distribute dry rations boxes, under the Faxian Charity Project, to 1,500 needy families from all communities.

Ambassador Qi joined the Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiri Chapter, the Most Ven. Warakagoda Gnanarathana, in the distribution of dry rations at the historic Muthiyangana Temple where 500 families, from all communities, received rations gifted by the Chinese Buddhism Association and temples. Dignitaries across the Uva Province also attended the ceremony with the Mahanayake Thera. Distribution ceremonies have also been arranged in the coming two days at the Boralanda Temple in Welimada and the Yudaganawa Temple in Buttala.

Ambassador Qi made a special visit to the remote town of Keppetipola to pay tribute at the Keppetipola Disawe’s statue.

Accompanied by local government officials, Bhikkhus and primary school students, Ambassador Qi laid wreaths at the statue of Keppetipola Disawe, with a ribbon saying Tribute to heroes who fought bravely for independence and freedom against colonization and invasion——by Embassy of China in Sri Lanka.”

Ambassador Qi said China would continually support Sri Lankan people fighting against all challenges, both domestic and external.

Qi said that the relations and Buddhist friendship between China and Sri Lanka has a history of more than two thousand years. The two peoples always learn from each other and help each other. Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, especially after Sri Lanka faced the worst economic crisis since independence last year, China shares the difficulties encountered by Sri Lankan brothers and sisters, and the Chinese central government, local authorities, ministries and social organizations have extended a helping hand, providing all kinds of assistance, from vaccines to medicines, from rice to fuel, from school uniforms to school bags, etc., which have been warmly welcomed and widely praised by people of all walks of life in Sri Lanka. “As a good brother, good friend and good partner of Sri Lanka, no matter the past, present or future, no matter what difficulties and challenges you encounter, the Chinese people will always stand with you. We believe that Sri Lanka, with its long and unique civilization and indomitable spirit, with the history of having overcome countless foreign invasions, terrorism, tsunami and other disasters in its history, will certainly be able to overcome the current temporary economic difficulties.”

Ambassador Qi stressed that the people of Sri Lanka are an indomitable people and a heroic people. This year marks the 75th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s independence, and it is meaningful to visit the Uva Province where the first great rebellion against the brutal rule of the British colonialists took place about 200 years ago. We pay tribute to Keppetipola Disawa and others who led this rebellion for independence and freedom against colonization and invasion.

Andrew Patrick has been appointed as the new British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka.

He will replace outgoing Sarah Hulton as the British High Commissioner in Colombo in August.

The British Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said Andrew Patrick has previously served as the UK Ambassador to Myanmar.

He is currently serving as the FCDO Migration and Modern Slavery Envoy.

According to the FCDO, Andrew Patrick has also served at British missions in Afghanistan and South Africa after joining the British Foreign Office in 1989.

A video circulated on social media over the weekend has caused a stir after it showed several Sri Lankans engaged in a heated argument with a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk at a Buddhist temple in Japan.

In the video, it can be heard that the brawl allegedly had broken out over an alleged sexual misconduct with another Sri Lankan male.

Former Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake told the Daily Mirror that he received the video from a friend living in Japan and had uploaded it on his personal FaceBook page.

Ramanayake told the Daily Mirror that he will maintain a ‘wait and see’ approach on this incident as those who pass information are usually criticized and faulted in Sri Lanka. “They usually shoot the messenger in Sri Lanka,” he said.

Ven. Magalkande Sudantha Thera, who is seen in the video, was one of complainants who made complaints to the Supreme Court seeking a contempt of court action against former Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake

A Thai elephant given to Sri Lanka in 2001 has returned to its birthplace after a diplomatic row over its alleged abuse.

The 29-year-old Muthu Raja arrived in Thailand on Sunday on a 19 million baht (£425,000; $540,000) commercial reparation flight.

Bangkok had demanded the return of the animal after claims it was tortured while kept at a Buddhist temple.

Sri Lanka’s prime minister said he had formally apologised to the Thai king.

The 4,000kg (8,800 pound) elephant was airlifted to Chiang Mai in a specially-built steel cage, accompanied by four Thai handlers and a Sri Lankan zookeeper.

It will undergo hydrotherapy to treat an injury on its front left leg.

Both Sri Lanka and Thailand consider elephants to be sacred animals.

In 2001, the Thai royal family gifted three elephants, including Muthu Raja, to Sri Lanka’s government to be trained as carriers of religious relics.

Muthu Raja was placed in the care of a temple in the south of the country.

Animal rights groups allege it was made to work with a logging crew in the temple, adding that it developed a stiff leg from a long-neglected injury.

Sri Lanka-based activist group Rally for Animal Rights and Environment (RARE) lobbied last year for Thai officials to intervene after months of unsuccessful attempts to get Sri Lanka’s government to act, the group’s founder Panchali Panapitiya said.

Ms Panapitiya said the failure of Sri Lankan wildlife officials to act had brought “disrepute” to the country, The Independent reported. RARE has also petitioned for authorities to prosecute those responsible for the elephant’s neglect.

Sri Lankan wildlife minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi told local media Thailand had been “adamant” in demanding that Muthu Raja be returned after its ambassador in Sri Lanka found it to be in poor health during a visit last year.

Muthu Raja was in pain and covered in abscesses when removed from the temple last November, AFP reported. Activists claim its handler inflicted some of those wounds.

It was temporarily transferred to Sri Lanka’s National Zoological Garden and most of its wounds have healed in recent months.

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena told his parliament in June that he had conveyed his regret to the Thai king Maha Vajiralongkorn over Muthu Raja’s alleged abuse and was able to “re-establish trust between the two countries”.

The Thai government stopped sending elephants overseas about three years ago following protests from activists, Thai environment minister Varawut Silpa-archa said in June.

Bangkok’s wildlife department said it is monitoring the condition of Thai elephants already sent overseas.

Speaking at a conference by the Conservative Environment Network on 19th June, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe faced damning questions over his complicity in human rights violations; growing militarisation across the North and East of Sri Lanka; and, the imposition of Buddhist viharas.

Secretary of the British Tamil Conservatives, Gajan Raj, questioned why the Sri Lankan president was invited to speak at such a conference, given the island’s dire human rights record.

He asked the former President of Mongolia and former UK Minister Vicky Ford, whether his inclusion is appropriate

“We have on the panel a war criminal who has the blood of thousands of Tamil, he is attending the IDU conference, and has not been democratically elected. He’s been elevated to the presidency, being propped up by genocidal war criminals, Mahinda and Gotabaya Rajapaksa. How do you feel sharing a platform with him? Why is he on this panel? What credentials does he have?”

The Sri Lankan president faced direct questioning over the island’s dire human rights record by Tamil activist, TGTE Sockalingam Yogalingam.

The Sri Lankan president snubbed the questions raised by Yogalingam, interrupting him and stating, “if you can’t speak in English, speak in Tamil, I understand Tamil”.

Sockalingam asked:

“What is being done to stop happenings in the North, such as genocide, militarization, land grabbing, Buddhistization?,”

The Asgiriya Buddhist chapter has raised objections to the ‘interference’ by a religious leader in the appointment of the next police chief.

The president should have the freedom to decide on the appointment, deputy registrar of the chapter Ven. Narampanawe Ananda Thera said, noting that uncalled for interference has denied an IGP for the first time.

He said that Colombo archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has written to the president, asking that certain persons should not be considered for appointment as the next chief of the police.

Ven. Ananda Thera conceded that there were instances that called for advice to the president by religious leaders, but insisted the appointment of the IGP was not one of them.

Cardinal Ranjith has sent a three-page confidential letter to the parliament speaker and the eight other Constitutional Council members, mentioning two senior DIGs by name, and asking that they be not considered if their names were proposed.

The cardinal accused both officers of having failed to fulfill their duties with regard to the Easter Sunday terror attacks and several other incidents.

In the name of the Catholic community, he urged, that they should not be considered for appointment as the next police chief.

‘Deshaya’ newspaper has spoken to several members of the Constitutional Council and they confirmed having received the cardinal’s letter.

They said advice or interference by an outside party is against the council’s independence, as it independently considers the president’s nominees and selects a suitable person to the position.