A protest was held opposite the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland, opposing state supression.
The protestors also demanded for the people to be given the opportunity to choose a leader of their choice by holding an election.
The protestors who staged the protest opposite the Geneva Human Rights Commission emphasized that the Government which does not have the people’s mandate, should leave.
A large number of Sri Lankans residing in Europe joined this protest.
(Hindustan Times); After leaving Hambantota Port on August 22, the Chinese satellite and ballistic missile tracking ship Yuan Wang 5 is currently mapping the ocean bed 400 nautical miles (741 kilometers) south-southeast of Dondra Head, the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka.
According to available information, the military ship is expected to head towards its home port Jiangyin near Shanghai as per details provided at Hambantota.
However, it is not clear whether the ship will make another port call while on the way back to China.
Although classified as a Chinese Research Vessel, the ballistic missile tracker ship became a bone of contention with Sri Lankan authorities allowing the ship to berth at Hambantota on August 16 after initially deferring the port call on August 11.
The Hambantota port is on a 99-year lease with the Chinese after Sri Lanka under the Beijing-friendly Rajapaksa regime did a debt-equity swap with the Xi Jinping regime in 2017.
According to China watchers, the berthing of Yuan Wang 5 at Hambantota was a political statement of assertion by the Xi Jinping regime on the weak Ranil Wickremesinghe government after India quietly conveyed its concerns about the military ship.
Japan is seeking to organise a Sri Lanka creditors’ conference in a bid to solve the South Asian nation’s debt crisis, Reuters reported, noting however that uncertainties cloud the outlook for any talks.
Citing sources with knowledge of the planning, Reuters reported on Friday August 27 that Tokyo is open to hosting talks among all the creditor nations aimed at lifting Colombo from its worst debt crisis since independence.
However, it is not clear whether top creditor China would join and a lack of clarity remains about Sri Lanka’s finances, the news agency quoted one source as saying.
Japan would be willing to chair such a meeting with China if that would speed up the process for addressing Sri Lanka’s debt, estimated at 6.2 billion US dollars on a bilateral basis at the end of 2020, the source had said.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe had told the Tokyo-based Nikkei Asia on Thursday August 24 that Sri Lanka would like China to dramatically change its stance on debt relief. The financial news website said Wickremesinghe had conceded that reaching a deal with China will be no simple task.
In an earlier interview given to Reuters, Wickremesinghe had said that Sri Lanka would ask Japan to invite the main creditor nations to talks on restructuring bilateral debts. The agency quoted him as saying he would discuss the issue with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo next month, when he is expected to attend the funeral of the assassinated former premier Shinzo Abe.
Tokyo, Sri Lanka’s number two bilateral creditor, has a stake in rescuing the island nation, not just to recoup its three billion dollars in loans but also its diplomatic interest in checking China’s growing presence in the region, Reuters reported.
Meanwhile, an International Monetary Fund (IMF) team met Wickremesinghe on Wednesday to discuss a bailout, including restructuring 29 billion dollars in debt, as Colombo seeks a three billion dollar IMF aid programme.
The president met the same day with Japan’s ambassador and, according to the source cited by Reuters, Tokyo believes a new “platform” is needed to pull creditors together.
“Sri Lanka is running out of time since it defaulted on its debt. The priority is for creditor nations to agree on an effective scheme,” one source said.
“Japan is keen to move this forward. But it’s not something Japan alone can raise its hand and push through,” said the source, adding that the cooperation of other nations was crucial.
The source had told Reuters that getting Beijing’s cooperation on a debt restructuring was complicated by factors such as a large number of lenders and that China was baulking at taking a “haircut” on its loans and at reducing Colombo’s debt burden.
A Chinese foreign ministry spokesman told Reuters that Beijing was “willing to stand with relevant countries and international financial institutions and continue to play a positive role in helping Sri Lanka respond to its present difficulties, relieve its debt burden and realise sustainable development.”
Japan hopes to see a new debt restructuring framework resembling one set up by the Group of 20 big economies targeting low-income countries, reported Reuters. Sri Lanka does not fall under this “common framework” because it is classified as a middle-income emerging country.
“It must be a platform where all creditor nations participate” to ensure they all shoulder a fair share in waiving debt, another source said. The third said, “Until these conditions are met, it would be difficult for any talks to succeed.”
The common framework, launched by the G20 and the Paris Club of rich creditor nations in 2020, provides debt relief mainly through extension in debt-payment deadlines and reduction in interest payments.
Some people involved think an initial creditors’ meeting could be held in September, but one source said it would “take a little while, possibly several months”.
Restructuring talks are only possible after the IMF scrutinises Sri Lanka’s debt, the sources told the agency.
UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, George Laryea-Adjei, who was on a visit to Sri Lanka recently, says the devastating crisis for children in Sri Lanka is a cautionary tale for South Asia.
In a statement, Mr. Laryea-Adjei stated that it is the poorest, most vulnerable girls and boys who are paying the steepest price due to the economic crisis in the country.
“Sri Lanka, a country normally known for its rapid economic growth and booming tourism, is experiencing its worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. Families are skipping regular meals as staple foods become unaffordable. Children are going to bed hungry, unsure of where their next meal will come from – in a country which already had South Asia’s second highest rate of severe acute malnutrition.”
He said almost half of children in Sri Lanka already require some form of emergency assistance., while noting that the education of 4.8 million children, already severely hampered by two years of interrupted learning, is at risk as school attendance continues to be jeopardized.
Children’s education is being hindered by the current crisis in many ways—children no longer get the warm and nutritious meal that they used to have before the crisis, they lack basic stationery, and their teachers struggle with transportation, Mr. Laryea-Adjei pointed out.
In his statement, the UNICEF representative also drew attention to the reports already emerging of increase in abuse, exploitation and violence against children due to the mounting economic pressure. “There are already over 10,000 children in institutional care in Sri Lanka, mainly as a result of poverty. Such institutions are not the best place for a child to grow up in, as they lack the bond of a family.”
Unfortunately, the current crisis is pushing more and more families to take their children to these institutions as they cannot afford to provide for them, including feeding, he added.
Speaking further of the situation in Sri Lanka, Mr. Laryea-Adjei said the hard-earned progress for children on the island nation is at risk of being reversed and in some cases, erased permanently, if the trend continues.
“UNICEF has been in Sri Lanka for over 50 years. With the support of partners, we are distributing education supplies, providing meals to pre-school children and badly needed cash transfers to pregnant and breastfeeding mothers,” Mr. Laryea-Adjei continued while noting that much more is needed as the crisis persists.
“Children need to be placed squarely at the heart of the solution as the country works to resolve the crisis. Continuity of learning must be ensured for girls and boys of all ages, so they can prepare for their future and are shielded from the threats of child labour, exploitation and gender-based violence. Central and primary health services must be prioritized, to protect women and children against life-threatening diseases and malnutrition.”
He also noted that what he saw in Sri Lanka is a caution for other countries in South Asia.
“Acute economic precarity and inflation across South Asia is poised to further threaten the lives of children – in a region which was already home to one fifth of the world’s extreme poor and profound hardships and inequities impacting children’s health, learning and safety, and in a region which was severely impacted by COVID-19.
“If we do not act now to protect children against the worst effects of the global economic downturn, the children of the world’s most populated region will be plunged further into poverty – and their health, nutrition, learning and safety compromised.
“We cannot let children pay the price for crises not of their making. We must act today to secure their futures tomorrow.”
Another round of discussions with the International Monetary Fund, with the aim of finding solutions to the financial crisis facing Sri Lanka, was held yesterday at the President’s Office under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
President Wickremesinghe joined the meeting via Zoom technology and both parties exchanged ideas in a positive manner.
The IMF had made a request for additional information pertaining to electricity tariff revisions, Excise Act etc. and it was decided at this meeting to provide the requested information by Monday.
Financial and legal advisors of the IMF joined yesterday’s meeting and another round of discussions has been scheduled for 31 August.
International Monetary Fund Negotiation Panel Head Peter Breuer, Deputy Head Masahiro Nozaki, International Monetary Fund in Sri Lanka Permanent Representative Tubagus Feridhanusetyawan, and Chief of Staff to the President and Senior Advisor to the President on National Security Sagala Ratnayake, President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake, Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe and several other Central Bank senior officers were present on this occasion.
The Chinese envoy in Sri Lanka, Qi Zhenhong, has in an article circulated among the media here on Friday, said that Sri Lanka and China should jointly protect their sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence in view of the threats they face.
Qi mentioned US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan and the “northern neighbor’s” objections to the docking of the Chinese research vessel Yuan Wang 5 as recent examples of attacks on the sovereignty of China and Sri Lanka and said that China and Sri Lanka should stand together to nullify these threats.
Here is the text of the letter:
In recent days, two pieces of news related to China have widely caught the eye in Sri Lanka. Early this month, after the US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s sneaky visit to China’s Taiwan region, the Chinese side responded with firm countermeasures immediately. Over 170 countries around the world have all expressed their firm support for the “One-China” Principle and strong objection against the US provocation. I’m grateful to see that H.E. President Ranil Wickremesinghe, many Sri Lanka’s political parties and social groups have also openly spoken up for justice in support of China.
Meanwhile, in the middle of this month, with China and Sri Lanka having altogether resisted the rude and unreasonable interference from third parties, the Chinese scientific research vessel “Yuan Wang 5” successfully docked at the Hambantota Port for replenishment after receiving the latest approval from the Sri Lankan government.
Those two matters may seem irrelevant and thousands of miles apart, but both share the same great significance between China and Sri Lanka, that is to jointly safeguard each other’s sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.
The two matters, both the process and results, have also fully shown a fine tradition in our bilateral relations, that is since diplomatic ties were established 65 years ago, China and Sri Lanka have always been mutually understanding, respecting and supporting each other on issues of core interests and major concerns.
In October 1971, the UN Resolution 2758, co-sponsored by Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) and 22 other countries, was adopted with an overwhelming majority of votes in the 26th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Resolution officially acknowledged the One-China Principle and the position that There is but one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the Government of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. It also recognizes PRC as the only legitimate representative of China to the United Nations. Since then, the One-China Principle has become a common understanding of the international society and a basic norm of international relations, and upon that principle, 181 countries, including the US, established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
Nancy Pelosi’s visit is a serious violation of the One-China Principle and the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiqués. It seriously infringes China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, gravely undermines peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and sends a seriously wrong signal to the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.
However, I noticed that some local newspapers have forwarded voices from western media, falsely claiming that China “overreacts, escalates the tension and changes the Taiwan Strait status quo”, which are just their habitual tactics of standing facts on the head and of a thief crying “stop thief”. It is the US and the Taiwan separatists that commit irresponsible acts, changes and escalates the Taiwan Strait situation, not China.
China has every reason to respond unhesitatingly to the severe impact caused by the Taiwan visit of Speaker Pelosi, second in line to the US Presidency and the No. 3 official of the US government.
Upholding the One-China Principle is not only about safeguarding China’s core interests, but also safeguarding the UN Charter and the basic norms of international relations. If China and the international society had not resisted such extremely irresponsible and irrational acts by the US side, the general principle of Non-Interference, National Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity in international relations would have just become a mere scrap of paper.
More seriously, the world might slide back to jungle rules and barbarian times. With separatists and extremists being encouraged, national sovereignty and territorial integrity of medium and small countries might be severely challenged. The peace and stability in the region and the world enjoyed by countries including Sri Lanka would also suffer serious damage.
Yuan Wang 5
Looking back at the great history of the island of Sri Lanka, which overcame aggression from its northern neighbor 17 times, colonization by the West for 450 years, and an anti-terrorism war for nearly 3 decades, is now still standing in the world bravely and proudly.
Any infringement on national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka shall not be tolerated. Approving a foreign vessel’s port call at Hambantota or any other port for replenishment is a decision made by the Sri Lankan government completely within its sovereignty, not to mention all the scientific research activities of “Yuan Wang 5”that comply with the international law and common international practice.
External obstruction based on so-called “security concerns” but without any evidence from certain forces is de facto a thorough interference in Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and independence. Fortunately, with China and Sri Lanka’s joint efforts, the incident was resolved properly, which not only safeguarded Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and independence, but also defend international fairness and justice once again.
Just like Sri Lanka, China had suffered a hundred years of humiliation from 1840 till 1949. Because of the similar dark experience, China has always been supporting Sri Lanka in international fora for protecting its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. We will continue to do that.
In contrast, some countries, far or near, always make various groundless excuses to bully Sri Lanka, and trample on Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and independence repeatedly.
Next month, the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council will be held in Geneva where human rights issues in Sri Lanka might probably be stirred up again. As the Sri Lankan people are still grappling with severe economic and humanitarian difficulties, many might wonder what those countries who have been always been preaching about human rights will actually do. Will they help Sri Lanka to ease its human rights crisis by providing concrete support? Or will they again use human rights as a cover-up tool to interfere in the island nation’s internal affairs and continue to rub salt into the wound of Sri Lankan people? Just let’s wait and see.
Responding to a newspaper article written by the Chinese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong, the Indian High Commission on Saturday accused the Chinese envoy of violating “basic diplomatic etiquette.” In a series of tweets, the mission pointed out that what Sri Lanka needs now is not a controversy thrust on it to serve another country’s agenda, but support.
Sri Lanka is now undergoing a severe economic crisis and is seeking international support.
“We have noted the remarks of the Chinese Ambassador. His violation of basic diplomatic etiquette may be a personal trait or reflecting a larger national attitude. His view of Sri Lanka’s northern neighbor may be colored by how his own country behaves. India, we assure him, is very different,” a tweet said.
Further: “His imputing a geopolitical context to the visit of a purported scientific research vessel is a giveaway. Opaqueness and debt-driven agendas are now a major challenge, especially for smaller nations. Recent developments are a caution. Sri Lanka needs support, not unwanted pressure or unnecessary controversies to serve another country’s agenda.”
Envoy’s Article
In the article published in the Sri Lankan media, the Chinese envoy accused India of trying to dominate Sri Lanka as it allegedly did in the past, and said that Sri Lanka should join China to fight against forces which pose such threats.
Here are portions of the article referring to India and Sri Lanka:
“Looking back at the great history of the island of Sri Lanka, which overcame aggression from its northern neighbor 17 times, colonization by the West for 450 years, and an anti-terrorism war for nearly 3 decades, is now still standing in the world bravely and proudly.”
“Any infringement of national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka shall not be tolerated. Approving a foreign vessel’s port call at Hambantota or any other port for replenishment is a decision made by the Sri Lankan government completely within its sovereignty, not to mention all the scientific research activities of Yuan Wang 5 that comply with the international law and common international practice.”
“External obstruction based on so-called security concerns but without any evidence from certain forces is de facto a thorough interference in Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and independence. Fortunately, with China and Sri Lanka’s joint efforts, the incident was resolved properly, which not only safeguarded Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and independence, but also defended international fairness and justice once again.”
“Just like Sri Lanka, China had suffered a hundred years of humiliation from 1840 till 1949. Because of a similar dark experience, China has always been supporting Sri Lanka in international fora for protecting its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity. We will continue to do that. In contrast, some countries, far or near, always make various groundless excuses to bully Sri Lanka and trample on Sri Lanka’s sovereignty and independence repeatedly. “
“Next month, the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council will be held in Geneva where human rights issues in Sri Lanka might probably be stirred up again. As the Sri Lankan people are still grappling with severe economic and humanitarian difficulties, many might wonder what those countries, who have been always been preaching about human rights, will actually do. Will they help Sri Lanka to ease its human rights crisis by providing concrete support? Or will they again use human rights as a cover-up tool to interfere in the island nation’s internal affairs and continue to rub salt into the wound of Sri Lankan people? Just let’s wait and see,” Qi Zhenhong said.
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has pledged to appoint Ranjan Ramanayake as an MP through the National List when the opportunity arises.
In a tweet, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said, the SJB, has agreed to provide the appointment on the National List at the first available opportunity.
“We the SJB wholeheartedly pledge to appoint Ramanayake to Parliament in the first instance of an occurrence of a vacancy in the National List,” Premadasa tweeted.
The SJB’s pledge comes after Sri Lankan actor and politician Ramanayake was released from prison on 26 August after a ‘conditional’ Presidential Pardon.
SJB MPs Ranjith Maddumabandara, Tissa Attanayake, Imthiaz Bakeer Markar, Eran Wickramaratne, Mayantha Dissanayake, and Diana Gamage were appointed as MPs on the SJB’s National List. Subsequently, two former SJB MPs, Harin Fernando and Manusha Nanayakkara who recently became independent in Parliament were also appointed as MPs on the SJB National List.
PETALING JAYA: Jaffna Tamils have long played an important role in Malaysian society by producing numerous professionals in fields ranging from medicine to politics, says Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah.
Launching a book titled “They Came from Jaffna”, he said the Jaffna Tamil community has contributed to Malaysian culture and heritage through music, dance, movies and culinary arts.
“These contributions are an integral component of the multicultural nature of Malaysia that we all cherish,” he said.
Sultan Nazrin congratulated the book’s author, Indra Rani Lavan Iswaran, for the contribution her book has made to both Jaffna Tamil and Malaysian culture.
In the book, Iswaran details the historical journey of her ancestral family from Jaffna in Sri Lanka to Malaya in the 1890s, while highlighting the original culinary heritage of the Jaffna Tamils.
“She weaves these various strands together most effectively. Insightful tales of personal and national history are brought to life in the many evocative photographs and drawings,” Sultan Nazrin said.
He said the Jaffna, or Ceylon Tamils, have contributed significantly to the development of both Malaysia and Singapore since their migration to this part of the world in the late 19th century.
“Travelling by rail back in the old days, one would have encountered many Ceylon Tamil stationmasters, and many of the chief clerks in government offices and business agencies also came from this community,” he said.
“Many Ceylon Tamils also became teachers, reflecting their sound grasp of the English language.”
Source:freemalaysiatoday.com
Colombo/LondonA team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) will meet Sri Lanka’s president on Wednesday for talks to finalise a bailout package, including restructuring debt of about $29 billion, amid the nation’s worst financial crisis in more than seven decades.
The second such IMF visit in three months comes as the Indian Ocean island scrambles to lock down a staff-level pact with the global lender for a possible $3 billion programme to pave its way out of the crisis.
“The IMF team will meet with the president and a finance ministry delegation later today,” an official at the presidential secretariat told Reuters, declining to be identified as he was not authorised to speak to the media.
The team will also hold talks with the central bank governor and other officials, including representatives of Sri Lanka’s financial and legal advisers Lazard’s and Clifford Chance.
The main sticking point of the talks is how to find a sustainable track for Sri Lanka’s unwieldy debt, which stood at 114 per cent of GDP at the end of last year, so as to clinch a staff-level agreement in September.
Sri Lanka’s debts
Sri Lanka has $9.6 billion in bilateral debt and its private credit, which includes international sovereign bonds, stands at $19.8 billion, finance ministry data show.
Japan and China are the largest holders of bilateral debt, with the latter accounting for about $3.5 billion. Overall, when commercial debt is added, China holds about a fifth of Sri Lanka’s debt portfolio.
“The issue will be how Chinese and domestic debt will be included in the talks,” said Timothy Ash, senior emerging markets sovereign strategist at Bluebay Asset Management.
“Other bilateral creditors won’t be willing to allow China to get away with not having comparable treatment this time. China is part of the problem, and needs to be part of the solution this time.”
An economic crisis
For months, the population of 22 million has struggled with soaring inflation, economic contraction and a severe shortage of essential items of food, fuel and medicine caused by a record slump in foreign reserves.
The country’s most severe financial crisis since independence from Britain in 1948 stemmed from the combined impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and economic mismanagement, stoking unprecedented protests.
In July, the then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country and resigned after a mass uprising triggered by what many Sri Lankans saw as his mishandling of the financial crisis.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is also the finance minister, plans to ask Japan to lead talks on bilateral debt restructuring after Sri Lanka secures IMF support.
Source: Business Line
