Author: TELO Admin

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) arrested a monk who stayed at a five-star hotel in Colombo for 18 days and slipped away without settling the hotel charges.

It was reported that the monk from a temple in the Mahiyangana area checked in to the hotel on August 31 and stayed there at least 18 days.

However, the monk was reportedly admitted to the Colombo National Hospital after having developed a sudden illness and informed the hotel that the charges amounting to Rs. 527,820 for his stay would be settled once his health condition turns better.

The hotel management has complained to the CID after the monk has failed to pay the hotel charges when he was discharged from the hospital and left for his temple in Mahiyangana.

Accordingly, the CID arrested the monk from his temple.

The monk was remanded till November 11 after being produced before the Fort Magistrate.

India has expressed its displeasure at Sri Lanka allowing Chinese warships to refuel from the Hambantota port, reported Hindustan Times citing multiple sources. The port was leased out to China for 99 years in 2017 and it hosted the Yuan Wang 5 warship couple of months ago.

While tensions between India and China continue to brew in the region, Sri Lanka has also entered the conversation due to the complicated nature of its relationship with Beijing. The Hambantota port provides the perfect solution for Chinese warships to refuel without Indian or United States interference.

As a result, the Indian authorities have requested Sri Lanka to take cognisance of the matter and demanded a transparent standard operation procedure (SOPs) for refuelling and docking ships.

According to Hindustan Times, the US has joined India in asking Sri Lanka not to allow Chinese warships to use the port to avoid surveillance. This has also resulted in Colombo finding itself in a difficult situation as it required aid from China to control the prevalent economic crisis.

While the accusations continue to haunt China, reports suggest that no warships from the country are currently active in the Indian Ocean and they are now preferring the course through East Africa.

“The Chinese warships continue to ply off the coast of East Africa and the Gulf of Aden while there is hardly any pirate activity in the region. It was the anti-piracy pretext that China used to secure a base in Djibouti,” a Beijing watcher told Hindustan Times when asked about the situation.

The United States today urged protesters in Sri Lanka to exercise their rights peacefully.

The US Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung said that freedom of assembly is fundamental to democracy.

She urged the Sri Lanka Government to ensure space to support the rights of citizens.

The Ambassador also urged protesters to exercise their rights peacefully.

The Police had warned earlier that it will crackdown on the mass protest held in Colombo today (Wednesday).

The Police had issued letters to the protest leaders today saying they have not been given permission to go ahead with the protest.

The European Union (EU) has re-affirmed its commitment to support Sri Lanka’s efforts to successfully overcome the current unprecedented economic crisis.

It has also assured to assist with the necessary reforms and social protection measures, which would mitigate the adverse impact of the crisis and lead the country towards sustainable growth and prosperity, according to the EU.

During the meeting of the Sixth Working Group on Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights held in Colombo on October 28, which took place in the context of regular bilateral interactions between Sri Lanka and the EU, they have reiterated the importance of social, economic and political inclusion through justice and reconciliation in the advancement of human rights.

The two parties have further discussed the recent developments in Sri Lanka and the EU, and the implementation of relevant action and legislative initiatives regarding the promotion and protection of human rights. Sri Lanka has briefed the EU on its progress in reconciliation.

Sri Lanka has apprised the EU of the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, which is aimed at strengthening democratic governance and independent oversight of key institutions, public scrutiny, as well as anti-corruption measures, with the re-establishment of the Constitutional Council and Independent Commissions.

The EU acknowledged the steps taken by Sri Lanka in March 2022 to reform the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and pointed to the need for further action in line with its commitments.

The EU has further expressed concern on the recent use of the PTA. Sri Lanka has assured that the PTA has been invoked only in instances of extreme necessity.

The EU has noted Sri Lanka’s update on the release of detainees under the PTA in 2021-2022 and encouraged the release of long-term detainees under the PTA who have not been charged.

Sri Lanka has expressed its strong commitment to preparing a comprehensive legislative proposal to replace the PTA in accordance with the Constitution, and in line with international norms and best practices, with a view to its finalisation in 2023.

The Working Group was co-chaired by Ms. Varuni Muthukumarana, the Director General of Europe, Central Asia, EU and Commonwealth, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka and Ms. Rensje Teerink, Deputy Director and Head of South Asia Division, European External Action Service.

A short period after the Sinhala song Menike Mage Hithe by Yohani de Silva hit the Indian silver screen, another all-time Sinhala song Suranganita Malu Genawa became a hit there, with none other than Premier Narendra Modi dancing to this catchy “baila” with the heroic Indian soldiers posted on the India-Pakistan border in Kargil on Deepavali day.

In a video circulated on social media, Prime Minister Modi was seen clapping as soldiers were singing Surangani in Sinhala and Tamil. The PM was standing at the center while some of the soldiers were tuning guitars and other instruments.

The Indian Prime Minister has been celebrating Deepavali with soldiers for several years now. He would distribute sweets among soldiers as a mark of happiness and camaraderie.

Lankan singer Yohani’s Manike Mage Hithe became an international hit and attracted Super Star Amitabh Bachchan as well. It paved the way for Yohani to sing for a blockbuster Hindi movie too.

These are some instances of strong cultural ties between India and Sri Lanka. While political relations have seen ups and downs, cultural bonds have not been affected even during trying times.

But much more could be done. Glaring loopholes could be plugged. Consider the modern Cultural Centre that India has helped build in Jaffna. Even after completion of the construction, the center remains closed due to some administrative issues.

The eleven-storied Jaffna Cultural Centre, located next to the iconic Jaffna Library, was inaugurated virtually by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2022. However, there is no sign of it becoming fully functional.

Lovers of cultural activities in the Northern Province expected this massive structure to become a happening place with its 11 floors and varied facilities. It has a conference hall-cum-seminar room, an amphitheater, a multimedia library with online research facilities, an exhibition and gallery space, and an auditorium that can accommodate around 600 persons. The Centre could provide everyone with much-needed space for culture and the arts to flourish.

So far, the building has been used only twice – first, in March, when it was virtually opened by Indian Prime Minister Modi, and then, on 15 August, when the 75th Indian Independence Day was celebrated by the Jaffna-based Indian Consulate.

India and Sri Lanka entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which India constructed the Indian Cultural Centre and the eleven-storied building was completed last year. After the soft opening, it was to be handed over to the Government of Sri Lanka under the provisions of the MoU. The agreement also stated that the Centre would be administered by the Jaffna Municipal Council. But once the building – built with an Indian grant of USD 11 million – was ready in 2020, the handover was not completed.

While the Indian Government agreed to provide funds for the maintenance of the Centre for 5 years, there seem to be differences over continuation after that period. There was also the issue of whether the municipality had the financial resources to maintain the building with its limited budget.

Jaffna Mayor V. Manivannan blamed the Government for the delay. He told the Indian media that the two governments had failed to decide on the handover of the Centre to the Jaffna municipality.

“We have informed the Government that we are ready to run it,” Manivannan said. “We have also spoken to the Indian Government… But the (Sri Lankan) Government doesn’t seem to like the idea that we will run the Cultural Centre. We can do it but they are not keen. Keeping the Cultural Centre closed like this is a total waste,” Manivannan said

C.V.K. Sivagnanam, the former commissioner of the Northern Provincial Council, told the Indian media that he could not understand why the Cultural Centre was not opened. “I heard there were some financial issues… But India has said it will meet the running cost for five years. So, what is the hitch?” he asked, and quickly added that these were his “personal views.”

He suggested that some of the floors of the building could be rented out to raise funds to maintain the Centre as the cultural activities will not require the entire building. He affirmed that the Cultural Centre will be useful to the Tamil population in Jaffna. “The question is how to effectively manage all the floors. Some space can be rented out. The building can generate income too,” he said.

The Indian media service, The Wire quoted Jekhan Aruliah, a Tamil resident of Jaffna, who had attended the 15 August event at the Cultural Centre as saying he was very impressed with the “excellent air-conditioned theatre, high-quality audience chairs, super sound system, and lighting.” He also hailed the outdoor restaurant area, which he described as the best such facility on this scale in Jaffna, and better than many of the star hotels in the rest of the country.

Aruliah wrote on Facebook saying he was upset that the Cultural Centre opened for only two days.

“There has been no such beacon since the Jaffna Library was burned down in 1981… The restored Jaffna Library reopened in 2003, is an impressive repository of printed material, books, and other publications. But culture is more than books, it is about music and dance and theatre and art and food and no doubt many other things.”

The Indian High Commission and the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs have formed a governing body to run the Indian Cultural Centre and both are confident that the Centre will commence activities and become the epicenter of Indo-Lanka cultural relations.