Category: News

The Embassy of the United States in Colombo announced that the Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), Admiral Samuel J. Paparo, will visit Colombo from March 19-21.

During his visit, Admiral Paparo will engage with senior Sri Lankan government officials and military leaders to reaffirm the enduring U.S.-Sri Lankan security partnership and share the U.S. vision for regional stability and security in the Indo-Pacific.

Commander Paparo’s visit underscores the United States’ ongoing commitment to enhancing security cooperation with Sri Lanka and addressing shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific, the US Embassy said in a statement.

About Commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Adm. Samuel Paparo:

Adm. Sam Paparo, a native of Morton, Pennsylvania, graduated from Villanova University and was commissioned in 1987. He is the son of a former enlisted Marine and the grandson of a World War II enlisted Sailor.

He has earned a Master of Arts in International Studies from Old Dominion University and a Master of Science in Systems Analysis from the Naval Postgraduate School. A U.S. Naval Aviator, he is a TOPGUN graduate and has flown over 6,000 hours in the F-14, F-15 and F/A-18 and 1,100 carrier landings.

Operational command tours at sea include Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195 in the Forward Deployed Naval Forces, Yokosuka, Japan, deploying in Kitty Hawk Strike Group; Commander, Carrier Air Wing 7, embarked in Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Group and Commander, Carrier Strike Group Ten.

On the ground, he commanded Provincial Reconstruction Team, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan, with the 3rd Brigade, 10th Mountain Division and the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Other operational assignments at sea include Fighter Squadron (VF) 14, flying the F-14 Tomcat with USS John F. Kennedy and USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Groups, and VFA-15, flying the F/A-18 Hornet with USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Enterprise Strike Groups. He served also on exchange duty with the U.S.

Air Force flying the F-15C Eagle with the 71st Fighter Squadron, deploying multiple times to Saudi Arabia and Keflavik, Iceland. In joint operational service, he was Battle Director at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center, Al Udeid, Qatar.

Shore assignments include the staff of Commander, Naval Air Forces, as F/A-18 training, readiness and requirements officer. He served as commanding officer of VFA-106 and served on the Chief of Naval Operations staff as OPNAV N80 branch head. He served as executive assistant to Commander, U.S. Fleet Forces Command, and then to the 31st Chief of Naval Operations.

He was Director of Operations, J3, U.S. Central Command. He was Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/U.S. 5th Fleet/Combined Maritime Forces. His most recent assignment was Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet from May 2021 to April 2024.

Paparo assumed duties as Commander, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in May 2024. He is the 27th commander of the nation’s oldest and largest combatant command. USINDOPACOM includes 380,000 Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, Guardians, Coast Guardsmen and Department of Defense civilians and is responsible for all U.S. military activities in the Indo-Pacific, covering 36 nations, 14 time zones, and 60 percent of the world’s population.

Former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon has reportedly been taken to the maximum security prison in Angunakolapelessa.

He has been detained in a normal ward at the prison, according to prison sources.

Tennakoon, who appeared before the Matara Magistrate’s Court this morning, has been ordered remanded until tomorrow (20) by the court.

He had surrendered to the Matara Magistrate’s Court earlier today after evading arrest for nearly 20 days.

Matara Magistrate’s Court had previously ordered the arrest of eight police officers including former officers of the Colombo Crimes Division (CCD) and former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, and named them as suspects in the shooting incident that occurred in front of the W15 Hotel in the Pelena area of Weligama, Matara, on December 31, 2023.

Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong on Friday said the Export-Import Bank of China (EXIM) had incurred a loss of over US$ 7 billion, due to restructuring of Sri Lanka’s debt. During a discussion with a group of Sri Lankan journalists on Friday evening Ambassador Qi Zhenhong said his country does not boast or shout about its assistance to Sri Lanka and as thus such details are not in the public domain.

While China EXIM Bank sat outside of the Official Creditor Committee (OCC), it was notably the first bilateral creditor to finalise the debt restructuring agreement in October 2023, the Ambassador observed.

“Although, some cast aspersions about China’s assistance towards Sri Lanka the Ambassador emphasised that his country has no-hidden agenda, but only Sri Lanka’s well-being in mind.

“However, the public does not know about these details. This is because we do not shout about our assistance to Sri Lanka unlike some others, because our intentions are sincere” he added.

When a journalist drew the attention of the Ambassador to some disparaging remarks made by a parliamentarian from the North against China in connection with illegal fishing in northern waters, the Ambassador said he was completely in the dark about the matter and the comments made by the MP were utterly baseless and false.

Responding to questions, the Chinese envoy said his country has no dispute with India and both countries have grown rapidly over the years and should work together to achieve shared goals.

“In fact, I hope China, India and Sri Lanka can work together one day to implement a viable project here” he added.

The Chinese envoy went on to say, China has maintained good relations with successive Governments of Sri Lanka and carried out a large number of projects, which have greatly improved Sri Lanka’s economic and social development.

“The cooperation between our two countries based on historical, friendly and diplomatic ties always adheres to extensive consultation, joint contribution, and sharing benefit’, which never attaches any conditions. The ultimate goal of our cooperation is to bring tangible benefits to the people of Sri Lanka,” he said.

The Chinese envoy further said the robust ties between China and Sri Lanka had reached a new high with the recent visit of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to his country.

He said both countries should work together to implement the 15 MoU’s signed during Sri Lanka President’s visit, looking for a win-win situation.

Talking about the recently concluded China’s annual Two Sessions, the concurrent meetings of China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress (NPC), and its political advisory body, the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the Ambassador said it was highly successful and observations, suggestions and views of the general public was widely taken on board.

Commenting on the subsequent Chinese Government Work Report which outlined the country’s main goals, tasks, and policy measures for 2025 he said China targets economic growth of around 5% in 2025.

The report also outlines an array of other key development goals for this year, including a surveyed urban unemployment rate of around 5.5%, over 12 million new urban jobs, and an around 2% increase in the consumer price index and China aims for deficit-to-GDP ratio of around 4%.

China will also advance integrated and clustered development of strategic emerging industries, carry out demonstration initiatives on the large-scale application of new technologies, products, and scenarios, and promote safe and sound development of commercial space, the low-altitude economy, and other emerging industries.

The country will also establish a mechanism to increase funding for industries of the future and foster industries such as biomanufacturing, quantum technology, embodied AI, and 6G technology.

China will also accelerate the high-quality development of key industrial chains in the manufacturing sector and step up efforts to advance industrial foundation re-engineering and major technology and equipment research.

Under the AI Plus initiative, China will work to effectively combine digital technologies with the country’s manufacturing and market strengths. The country will support the extensive application of large-scale AI models and vigorously develop new-generation intelligent terminals and smart manufacturing equipment, including intelligent connected new-energy vehicles, AI-enabled phones and computers, and intelligent robots.

China will also work toward stabilising foreign trade, vigorously encourage foreign investment, pursue solid progress in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and deepen multilateral, bilateral, and regional economic cooperation.

The Ambassador said these measures augurs well for China and the international investors and community including Sri Lanka.

The Supreme Court today (19) dismissed a fundamental rights petition filed by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, challenging the government’s decision to reduce his security detail to 60 personnel without proper evaluation.

The Court issued this order after considering the details of the petition filed on behalf of Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The case was initially taken up for consideration on February 6, with the Supreme Court deciding to reconvene on March 19, 2025, to review the petition.

The petition sought the redeployment of his security detail, which had been reduced.

President’s Counsel Ali Sabry, representing Rajapaksa, presented facts and argued that the reduction in security had been made without a proper security assessment.

The President’s Counsel further stated that decisions about reducing or increasing security should be made based on a formal evaluation of security needs.

The petition, filed by Rajapaksa’s attorneys on January 24, claimed that the reduction of his security personnel violated his fundamental rights.

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and other members of the Cabinet of Ministers had been named as respondents in the petition.

The petition alleged that the security detail had been reduced to 60 personnel, with no armed forces personnel assigned for his protection, leaving only police officers for his security.

Rajapaksa, who played a key role in ending the country’s nearly three-decade-long civil war, expressed concerns about ongoing threats to his life, including potential terrorist threats.

He requested the Court to determine that his fundamental human rights were violated by the arbitrary reduction of his security detail.

Accordingly, despite these claims, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition without taking it up for hearing.

With a delegation from the European Union expected at the end of next month, the government is hard-pressed for the fulfilment of obligations including the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the amendment of the Online Safety Act to qualify for the Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) under the new guidelines being worked out, Daily Mirror learns from diplomatic sources.

The government is also required to improve anti-corruption measures.

European Union is revising the criterion for beneficiary countries to qualify for GSP+ starting from 2027.

GSP+ is a special incentive arrangement for sustainable development and good governance. GSP+ slashes the tariffs to zero for vulnerable low- and lower-middle income countries that implement 27 international conventions related to labour and human rights, environmental and climate protection, and good governance under the current system.

Compliance with the principles of all including environmental and good governance conventions will become mandatory for the beneficiaries, according to sources. Also, a procedure has been laid down for the rapid withdrawal of the facility in case obligations are not fulfilled.

For GSP+ beneficiaries, a two-year transitional period will be given to ratify newly added conventions. They will have to submit a detailed implementation plan for all conventions to be included in the system.

European Union has already informed that the PTA in its current form is unacceptable.

In the new system, good governance aspects include fight against corruption- introduction of meaningful measures preventing corruption, bribes and a reliable transparent public tender procedures.

Sri Lanka once lost the GSP+ . The country received it back in 2017 with the promise to repeal the PTA.

Sri Lanka- European Union trade volume stands at US $ 3.2 billion. The trade balance is in favour of Sri Lanka.