The Director General of the Department of National Zoological Gardens says that all zoological gardens, safari parks and elephant orphanages operated by the department will be closed for the public until further notice.
Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic situation, the Dehiwala National Zoo, Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, and the Ridiyagama Safari Park will be temporarily closed for the public from April 04, 2021 until further notice, the DG Ishini Wickramasinghe said in a release.
Sri Lanka and China vowed on Wednesday to enhance pragmatic cooperation in all sectors between the two countries, including the military, China’s official agency Xinhua reported.
The pledge came after Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa met with visiting Chinese State Councilor and Minister of National Defense, Wei Fenghe,
Closely following the pragmatic cooperation in the military field between the two countries, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa hoped that “the two militaries will carry out closer exchanges so as to further lift the level of pragmatic cooptation.” The Sri Lankan President is also the Defense Minister of Sri Lanka.
In his meeting with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Wei noted the long-lasting friendship between the two militaries, and called on the two sides to further deepen cooperation and promote relations between the two militaries.
No bending to major powers outside the region
President Gotabaya said that Sri Lanka has prioritized developing relations with China and firmly supported China’s positions on issues concerning its core interests. The Lankan President added that his country has been pursuing an independent foreign policy and will never bend to pressure from major powers outside the region and never forge an alliance with any country.
Gotabaya thanked China for providing long-term and precious support to Sri Lanka and hoped to learn governing experience from the Communist Party of China on poverty alleviation and rural revitalization, among others.
Meeting with PM Mahinda Rajapaksa
In his meeting with Wei, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa noted that Wei and his delegation visited Sri Lanka at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is still not contained, demonstrating that China attaches great importance to developing the ties with Sri Lanka.
Hailing China for its achievements made in the pandemic prevention and control, economic development and poverty alleviation, the Prime Minister thanked China for providing unselfish help to his country.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa requested China to help Sri Lanka secure foreign investment to help it develop its economy and fight poverty.
Rajapaksa said “Despite the increase in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, our Government has decided not to pursue country-wide lockdowns due to the impact such lockdowns have on our economy and society. I’m sure you’ll agree that there is still a lot that needs to be done for post-pandemic economic recovery. One of our main priorities in this effort is to attract investments from around the world. I look forward your support in rebuilding investor confidence in Sri Lanka.”
Sri Lanka will always be a sincere friend to China and will firmly support China’s position on safeguarding its own core interests, the Prime Minister said.
For his part, Wei said that China and Sri Lanka enjoy a long history of friendship with deep bilateral relations.
The two countries are jointly working for the high-quality construction of the Belt and Road, Wei said, pointing out that they share a bright prospect of development.
The Chinese side appreciates Sri Lanka’s position on issues relating to China’s Taiwan, Hong Kong and Xinjiang, and will as always support Sri Lanka’s stance over issues relating to human rights and national reconciliation, Wei said.
Wei Slams Formation of Regional Cliques
Peaceful development and win-win cooperation is the global trend and the right way forward, Wei said, adding that certain major countries are keen to form cliques and factions and seek regional hegemony, which goes against the people’s shared aspiration and severely harms the interests of the regional countries.
China appreciates Sri Lanka’s independent and non-aligned policy and will make joint efforts with Sri Lanka to strengthen coordination and safeguard regional peace and tranquility, Wei added.
On Wednesday, Wei also held talks with Sri Lanka’s Defense Secretary Kamal Gunaratne and jointly launched a website of the Chinese National Defence University Alumni Association of Sri Lanka.
Military Relations with Bangladesh
On Tuesday, General Wei held talks with Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid in Dhaka. A statement from China’s official Xinhua news agency quoted him as calling for the two militaries to “increase high-level visits, deepen cooperation in equipment technology, broaden exchanges in specialized fields and forge closer military relations.”
“To jointly maintain regional peace and stability,” Wei said, “the two sides should make joint efforts against powers outside the region setting up military alliance in South Asia and practicing hegemonism.”
China Builds Rival Network in South Asia
On Tuesday a video conference of the Foreign Ministers of South Asian countries and China on the containment of the raging COVID-19 pandemic in the region. But India and its allies, Bhutan and the Maldives, were conspicuously absent, perhaps due to the participation of China. New Delhi envisages no role for China in South Asia.
Those who participated in the conference were the State Councilor Wang Yi (China), Dinesh Gunawardena (Si Lanka), Mirwais Nab (Afghanistan), A.K Abdul Memon (Bangladesh), Pradeep Kumar Gyawali (Nepal) and Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi (Pakistan).
Minister Wang Yi told the conference that, an invitation had also been extended to India. To get India in, Wang said: “China expresses the deep sympathies for the raging pandemic in India and extends its sincere condolences to the Indian people. China is willing to provide support and assistance to the Indian people at any time in accordance with the needs of India.”
According to the Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, Foreign Minister Wang told the conference of his country’s decision to establish a China-South Asia Emergency Supplies Reserve, set up a China-South Asia Poverty Alleviation and Cooperative Development Center and hold a China-South Asia E-commerce Cooperation Forum on Poverty Alleviation in Rural Areas, and gained full support from all other five countries.
China’s Multi-pronged Entry into South Asia
China is making a multi-pronged entry into South Asia, traditionally considered to be India’s exclusive preserve. China has already penetrated the Sri Lanka economy through investments and credits. Sri Lanka owes China a little above US$ 5 billion.
Earlier in April, Sri Lanka inked an agreement with the State-run China Development Bank for a loan of US$ 500 million. A month or so earlier it signed a currency swap deal worth US$ 1.5 billion with China to ensure fiscal stability in the face of the unceasing pandemic. “The US$ 500 million loan was a part of the US$ 1 billion loan (signed before), out of which US$ 500 million was released last year,” the Sri Lankan embassy in China explained. Sunday Times added that another US$ 700 is being sought.
Source:eurasiareview
P. K. Balachandran is a senior Indian journalist working in Sri Lanka for local and international media and has been writing on South Asian issues for the past 21 years.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will visit Sri Lanka next month making it the third senior official level visit from China in recent months, Daily Mirror learns.
Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe arrived in the country last week and held talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa. The two countries agreed to enhance defence cooperation.
Last year, Yang Jiechi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee was also in Colombo for bilateral discussions. He is also the chief of foreign affairs of China.
Foreign Minister Wang will arrive in the country as part of his visit to the region. Last week, he also addressed a virtual meeting with his counterparts of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. He discussed, among others, cooperation on the containment of COVID-19 and poverty alleviation.
Sri Lankan government is planning to enact the Port City Economic Commission Bill on Monday to regulate the affairs of the Port City which is US $1.4 billion investment by China.
Sri Lanka’s ruling party is trying to appease China by rushing the parliamentary debate on the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill in the middle of a raging epidemic, the main opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) said.
SJB MP Nalin Bandara told reporters today that Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena is due to announce the decision of the Supreme Court regarding the bill tomorrow in parliament, after which the bill will be debated by MPs tomorrow and the day after.
“The government should’ve given more time to the opposition to study the bill after announcing the Supreme Court decision,” said Bandara, calling for a three-day debate minimum.
“This is a serious situation. This is a bill that will decide Sri Lanka’s sovereignty. If even a word is misplaced in this bill it will threaten the sovereignty of the country,” he said.
The SJB believes the Port City is a good project that needs to happen, said Bandara, but the economic commission bill in its current form will have long term repercussions in terms of Sri Lanka’s dignity as an independent nation and its non-aligned foreign policy.
The SJB, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), members of the clergy and others have vehemently opposed the bill. SJB lawyers said on April 17 the bill has given the proposed commission too much discretion and has denied equal opportunity to Sri Lankans who did not have black money stashed abroad.
The possibility of non-nationals being appointed to the Commission could end up with the fate of the people in the area being decided by foreigners, SJB lawyers said.
The BASL meanwhile said the law may affect the unitary state, sovereignty of the people, fundamental rights and powers of the parliament, the BASL’s executive committee said.
Eighteen petitions have been filed in Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court against the bill. The court concluded the consideration of petitions filed challenging the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill on April 23 and announced that the determination will be directed to the Speaker of Parliament.
Bandara further said the government’s pro-China policy will be a “huge disaster” for Sri Lanka in the long run.
Last week it was decided at the Committee on Parliamentary Business chaired by Speaker Abeywardena to hold next week’s parliament sittings only on May 04 and May 05, a statement from parliament said.
It has been decided to debate the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill on May 05 from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm taking the entire day without adjournment for lunch.
An adjournment debate on the current situation in the country in the face of COVID-19 will be held tomorrow from 11.00 am to 5.30 pm.
Premadasa made the appeal when he met the Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Yury B.Materiy.
Premadasa said that Sri Lanka is currently facing a serious situation because of the new Covid variant.
“We as an opposition are united in our efforts to try and enlist the support of the international community to try and help our mother country,” he said.
He urged Russia to provide PCR testing machines as well as Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds.
“There is a scarcity of ICU beds. In some hospitals there is a shortage of normal beds,” Premadasa told the Russian envoy.
Premadasa urged Russia to help establish field hospitals and obtain other medical equipment to defeat the coronavirus in Sri Lanka.
The Parliament of Sri Lanka is scheduled to convene at 10.00 am tomorrow (May 04), with this week’s Parliament sittings limited to just two days.
Accordingly, the party leaders had agreed at the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held recently to pass an order under the Sri Lanka Export Development Act, 04 notifications under the Excise Ordinance, the Value Added Tax (VAT) (Amendment) Bill and the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill from 10.00 am to 11.00 am, said the Secretary General of Parliament.
The Secretary General Dhammika Dasanayake also said that no time would be allotted for oral questions of MPs and for questions under Standing Order 27(2).
Subsequently, an adjournment debate on the current situation in the face of the Covid-19 would be held tomorrow from 11.00 am to 5.30 pm without a lunch break, Mr. Dasanayake further said.
Meanwhile the debate on the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill is expected to be held on May 5th from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm during the entire day.
The opposition DMK-Congress alliance is heading for a big win in the 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly. The DMK and its allies are leading in 140-plus seats. The ruling AIDMK – which started the day with a lead on 95 seats — is now leading in 80-plus seats. The majority mark stands at 118. The DMK has not been in power in the state for a decade, and this time the party and the AIADMK are contesting without their towering leaders, J Jayalalithaa and M Karunanidhi whose deaths have brought a huge change in the political landscape.
Tamil Nadu’s most iconic leaders J Jayalalithaa died in 2016, and M Karunanidhi in 2018. Their absence has left a huge political vacuum that many have raced to fill.
Actor Kamal Haasan and his Makkal Needhi Maiam or MNM, made a rather drab electoral debut in the 2019 general election, failing to win a single seat. This time, Mr Haasan is trailing.
“This has been an unprecedented election because of the pandemic. We are watching closely and frankly expected to perform better than what we are seeing so far,” DMK’s Manu Sundaram told NDTV. “The people saw this election as a choice between the BJP and BJP-controlled alliances and that of the DMK, which stands to oppose the BJP and its ideology,” he added.
The senior leader also said they expect the numbers to rise further as the counting of votes continues. “Though we have the overall lead at the moment, we were hoping to do much better,” he said.
The provincial council (PC) elections, specifically the electoral system under which it is to be held, will be the main topic of discussion at the party leaders’ meeting to be held on Tuesday (4), under the patronage of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, The Sunday Morning learnt.
Key governmental factions are yet to reach an understanding on the PCs polls.
The current political atmosphere within the country as well as the Covid-19 pandemic situation are to be taken up at the said meeting.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary and State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara confirmed that the meeting would be held this week and that the main topic of discussion would be the elections.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Co-Cabinet Spokesman Minister Udaya Gammanpila, when queried concerning what other issues would be raised at the said meeting, added: “I am unaware of what other topics would be taken up at the meeting.”
Efforts made by The Sunday Morning to contact Democratic Left Front Leader and Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara, National Freedom Front Leader and Minister Wimal Weerawansa, and People’s United Front Leader and Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to gain more insight as to what would be discussed at the meeting, proved futile.
The Government is in discussion with the British and Australian Governments to secure the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine doses to continue the domestic vaccination drive.
Co-Cabinet Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said these Governments have excess doses of the Astrazeneca vaccine since they were continuing their vaccination drive with the Pfizer vaccine.
“We have come to know that there are 4.5 million doses of the vaccine with these two countries and we are trying to secure a part of that to meet our requirement until the situation in India eases,” the Minister told the Sunday Observer.
Sri Lanka placed an order for 1.5 million doses of the Oxford-Astrazeneca vaccine to India’s vaccine producer Serum Institute. The Indian Government donated 500,000 doses and the remaining one million is yet to be received.
In March, India suspended vaccine exports due to the spike in domestic cases and the country recorded the highest daily figure of over 400,000 cases yesterday.
President’s Senior Advisor and Head of the Presidential Task Force for National Deployment and Vaccination Plan for Covid-19 vaccines Lalith Weeratunga last week said, “According to medical experts we need to vaccinate 13 million of our 21 million population to counter the effects of the virus,”
Under the state vaccination program 925,242 have been vaccinated so far.
The Government started the vaccine rollout in late Janaury 2021 and last week the Epidemiology Unit began giving the booster shot for frontline health and other workers.
Weeratunga said the Government has reserved 356,000 doses of the vaccine for the second dose which is administered within 12-16 weeks of the first dose. The extra doses should be acquired within three months to continue the ongoing drive uninterrupted.
The main opposition party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, is currently gripped by infighting and sharp differences of opinion, informed political sources said.
This infighting was made obvious by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa when he made a controversial statement in Hambanthota last week, asking those who could not work with him to leave the party.
“In this party, I am the leader and no one will be able to hold me back as in the past. Those who cannot work with me can leave the party,” Premadasa said addressing a gathering in the Hambanthota district.
Many believe his remarks were aimed at Patali Champika Ranawaka who recently launched the ’43rd Brigade’ as a civil society movement to project himself as an alternative leader. When contacted by several journalists, Ranawaka has refused to comment on Premadasa’s statement.
Several close allies of Ranawaka who are strongly involved with the “43rd Brigade” have been sidelined within the Samagi Jana Balawegaya.
