Category: News

The UK’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva gave a statement during Sri Lanka’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) at the Human Rights Council.

Thank you, Mr President,

We welcome Sri Lanka’s commitments on respect for the rights of those from all religious and ethnic groups. Its recent efforts to foster political inclusion and constitutional reform are particularly welcome. We emphasise the importance of reconciliation, justice and accountability for all communities, independent domestic institutions, the preservation of civil society space and the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

We recommend that Sri Lanka:

Allow all its communities freely to commemorate and memorialize victims of the civil war.

Repeal sections 365 and 365A of the Penal Code, end criminalization of same-sex conduct and ensure equality and non-discrimination in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Address concerns around land expropriation in the North and East by government departments, including the Archaeological department, and related restrictions on access to land.

Thank you, Mr President.

Published 28 February 2023

Sri Lanka is considering selecting one of three locations – Trincomalee, Hambantota, or Mannar for the proposed Russian mini nuclear power plant and the Sri Lankan Government intends to consult India before signing an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) with Russia.

Regarding the funding of the project, the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board (SLAEB) is of the view that the government ‘may’ go for fully Russian-funded nuclear plants or look for other options like a joint-venture.

Chairman of the SLAEB Prof S. R. D. Rosa, told Ceylon Today on Friday (3) that the Government has expressed its willingness to proceed with the two mini nuclear power plants project as a joint venture, and they intend to hold further discussions about the installation and the relevant factors.

Russia proposed a mini nuclear power plant for Sri Lanka several years ago, but due to the energy crisis the Government revived talks with Russia.

The SLAEB will consult India and select the model similar to the one Russia is installing in Bangladesh with India. India has joint in construction and installation works in the “non-critical” category for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Bangladesh, Rosatom State Corporation of Russia said. Russia also built the Kundankulam Nuclear Power plant in South India that was commissioned in the year 2013.

The SLAEB Chairman said they will still earmark the nuclear project if it’s an onshore project to be installed either in Mannar, Trincomalee or Hambantota.

He added that whether the proposed nuke plants are offshore on barrages or offshore would be discussed before the agreement is signed and they expect to do it soon.

The Russian Ambassador to Sri Lanka said recently they had already held three rounds of video conferences on various topics such as ammonia and nuclear energy cyclotron with the Sri Lankan officials, for the proposed Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), with a maximum power capacity of 100 MW each. “The response should also include an invitation for a high-ranking Rosatom delegation to visit Sri Lanka for expert-level consultations, the Envoy said on Friday (3).

He emphasised as a first step towards installation of the nuke power plant, the Cabinet had approved the signing of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) recommended by the Vienna Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage and Convention on Supplementary Compensation for Nuclear Damage.

He added that once that is approved it would be directed to the Cabinet for the next step of getting the IGA approved through the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Energy with Russia.

The Chairman added that the IAEA has already approved the installation of nuclear power plant.

The proposed Russian for nuclear power plant was initiated a long time ago and the planned MoU with them in 2018 really did not take off well, the SLAEB Chairman said.

Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), in its report said that given India’s lack of experience in developing projects outside of India and its long history of nuclear cooperation with Russia, Russia may expect to participate in joint projects with India in third world countries.

By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan

A new date for the 2023 Local Government (LG) election will be announced at the beginning of next week, Chairman of the Election Commission of Sri Lanka, Attorney-at-Law Nimal G Punchihewa stated.

Although initially scheduled to be announced today (03 March), announcing the new election dates was postponed following a meeting held by the members of the Commission this morning.

The postponement comes in the background of an order issued by the Supreme Court in this regard today, instructing that a date for the 2023 polls be announced before 09 March – the date on which the polls were initially scheduled to be held.

The court ordered that the relevant decision be reached following discussion with the Finance Ministry and all other relevant institutions.

On 24 February, the election body announced that the LG polls would not be held on 09 March as scheduled, owing to matters beyond its control.

On several occasions, the Election Commission held subsequent meetings to review the country’s economic situation and several other factors in order to decide on the new dates for the LG polls.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court issued a court order a short while ago barring the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance from withholding funds allocated for the LG polls through the 2023 Budget.

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court on Friday (3) issued an interim order on the country’s Finance Secretary, and the Attorney General who represents the Finance Minister preventing them from withholding any funds allocated by the 2023 Budget for the Local Government Poll 2023.

The interim order was issued after permission was granted to examine an application that was filed by General Secretary of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya Ranjith Madduma Bandara.

The application was taken up in the presence of Supreme Court Justices P. Padman Surasena, Janak De Silva, and Priyantha Jayawardena.

The Supreme Court issued another Interim Order preventing the withholding of any funds from the Government Printer.

The application will be taken up for examination from the 26th of May 2023.

While stating that the primary objective of the Election Commission (EC) is to hold the Local Government (LG) poll, EC Chairman Attorney Nimal G. Punchihewa stated yesterday (2) that at today’s (3) Commission meeting, the members will discuss on a suitable date to hold the postponed election, whereafter, the Returning Officers would decide to schedule the specific date depending on the situation and thereafter gazette the same.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Punchihewa said: “Returning Officers decide the date of the LG poll, not us. The EC advises them that a particular date is suitable and they make the final decision accordingly and gazette it. However, the scheduling of a suitable date would depend on the prevalent environment”.

When queried regarding whether the election would be scheduled for May as claimed by National People’s Power Leader and Opposition MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake recently or whether it will be further delayed, he said: “Some political parties want to expedite the election and some parties want to delay. These are the requirements of the political parties. But, our role in the EC is to consider a suitable date for the election. We cannot comment on the particular month or date without discussing it.”

Last week, Punchihewa wrote to Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, requesting him to intervene to urge the Treasury to release the funds required to conduct the LG election. The EC decided at a meeting held last week, to not hold the LG poll on 9 March as scheduled due to reasons beyond the control of the Commission. The EC further stated that a new date for the LG poll would be declared today.

Meanwhile, a two-day adjournment debate has been sought by the Opposition on 9 and 10 March with regard to the postponement of the LG election while the main Parliamentary Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) will submit a resolution to Parliament to take up a vote regarding whether the funds for the LG poll should be released or not.

The State Bank of India has completed its first non-dollar transaction with Sri Lanka, by paying for exports in Sri Lankan rupees.

The move comes as India looks to bring countries that are short of US dollars into the trade mechanism.

Sri Lanka is still grappling with its worst economic crisis since its independence, triggered by a shortage of dollars.

Sri Lankan banks were allowed to open ‘vostro accounts’ with the State Bank of India to conduct bilateral trade in rupees in recent weeks.

The Reserve Bank of India granted approval to open five vostro accounts for trade in rupees with Sri Lanka.

It is reported that India’s rupee trade settlement mechanism, a means of using rupees instead of US dollars and other big currencies for international transactions, is attracting interest from a number of countries.

The National Bikkhu Front (NBF) today requested the Mahanayake Theras to issue a “Sanga Order” to force the government to hold the Local Government election, which was postponed indefinitely, at a closer date convenient to the Elections Commission.

NBF Secretary Ven. Vakamulle Uditha Thera told reporters that they paid a visit to the Mahanayake Theras today and handed over a four-point letter.
The prelate said they brought to the notice of the Mahanayake Theras about the undemocratic and dictatorial actions of the government and indefinite postponement of the LG polls and suppressing people’s protests to win their democratic right.

Ven. Uditha Thera said as the first demand, they requested the Chief Prelates to convene Karaka Sangha Sabha of the three Chapters and take an immediate decision against the government’s undemocratic, suppressive actions and moves to postpone elections.

The Thera said they also requested the Mahanayake Theras to convene provincial and divisional level Nayake theras of the three chapters including other Bikkhus and hold a Sanga convention.

“We also urged the Nayaka Theras to issue a “Sanga Order” to the government to hold the indefinitely postponed LG polls at a closer date convenient to the elections commission. And reveal what action people should take against the government, if the government fails to adhere to the order of the Maha Nayake Theras, ” the Thera said.