Category: News

Sri Lanka has requested Australian support to procure urgently needed AstraZeneca vaccines.

The Sri Lankan Government has already made similar requests to the US and Japan.

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in a telephone conversation with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia Marise Payne, expressed his deep appreciation for the support extended by Australia towards Sri Lanka in addressing the challenges posed by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Foreign Minister welcomed Australian assistance in the form of a COVID-19 containment package amounting to Rs. 1,787 million, donation made through UNICEF of essential COVID-19 supplies, and provision of protective equipment. In addition he welcomed the Royal Australian Aircraft’s delivery of 9.8m facemasks and 3,200 coveralls to the Ministry of Health on the 4th of June 2021.

The Foreign Minister requested for the Australian government’s support to procure Astra Zeneca vaccines which the Australian Minister agreed to consider positively, the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said today.

The Ministers also agreed to launch appropriate programs to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Australia, in April next year.

Acknowledging the positive role that Australian Development Assistance has played in the national development efforts of Sri Lanka, Minister Gunawardena emphasized the importance of continued support to Sri Lanka at this critical time.

In response to a specific request made by the Sri Lanka side, the Australian Foreign Minister offered to make available to Sri Lanka technical assistance to mitigate the environmental damage caused by the X-Press Pearl ship in Sri Lankan waters.

During the conversation, Minister Gunawardena conveyed the President’s request for support for organic fertilizer based agriculture, and Minister Payne responded that Australia would provide technical assistance in that field, through Australian research institutes.

The Ministers discussed a wide range of bilateral and multi-lateral matters including, Australia’s ongoing projects in Sri Lanka amounting to AUD $58m.

Minister Payne’s assurance that Australia would continue to cooperate with Sri Lanka in its work with Commonwealth organisations and Asian regional organizations such as the Indian Ocean Rim Association and the Bali Process was especially appreciated by Sri Lankan Foreign Minister.

Chief Opposition Whip Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella told Parliament yesterday that the excuse given by the government for its failure to get vaccines from India was a lie.

Kiriella said that the government ministers’ excuse for failing to get vaccines from India was that there had been a fire in the vaccine manufacturing factory on Jan 21. “That is not true. After Jan 21, India supplied 7,575,000 vaccine doses to seven other countries. It showed that the reason was that the current government had antagonised India.

Kiriella said: Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka was the first to stress the need to bring vaccines. We hoped that we could get AstraZeneca vaccine from India. But what has happened. Only 500,000 free vaccines could be obtained from India.

The government said that there had been a huge fire in the facility that produced vaccines in India and as a result we could not get vaccines. Thereafter, on Jan 21 India provided vaccines to seven other nations. It gave 500,000 vaccines to Canada on March 02, five million vaccines to England on March 05, 125,000 vaccines to Iran on March 10, 300,000 vaccines to Brazil on March 18, 1.5 million vaccines to Saudi Arabia on March 28, 100,000 vaccines to the Maldives on March 29 and 50,000 vaccines to Palestine on March 29. Those seven countries got vaccines after Jan 21. We could not get it because India is not on good terms with us after this government’s Port city project.

“The government has started inoculation in the upcountry areas. There were vaccination projects in Kundasale and Mahaiyawa. Those who get the vaccine have to sign a letter that they may not need the second dose of the Sputnik V vaccine. Signature is obtained on another letter saying that the government would not be responsible for the side effects of the vaccine. Innocent people after spending hours in queues are asked to sign the letter moments before getting the jab. I have heard that this particular letter has been printed at the Kundasale Pradeshiya Sabha. What authority do they have? Do the local government officials have the same authority as doctors? There is no proper inoculation plan. I request the government to give vaccines to plantation workers because they are vulnerable. There are eight apparel factories under BOI in Kundasale. One such factory has at least 500 employees. All factory workers in the country must be given.

The government does not have money. It took a loan from the World Bank in May. This government is a total failure. It has failed in both vaccination and fertiliser projects. They laughed at us when we were planning to make Wi-Fi available to the public free of charge. They protested when we tried to give free tablet computers to schoolchildren. If that project had been completed, today the children would have been able to make use of them while the schools are closed.

The government gave tax concessions to mega companies, that caused a loss of Rs. 800 million.

The government has no vision to prevent losses. For example, look at the recent incident of a fire aboard X-Press Pearl ship. I saw an article in the London Times on this incident and about the possibilities for the cause of the fire. In future, we will know who is responsible for the fire. But the problem is that now it is exposed that our harbours did not have the capacity to extinguish such fires in the vicinity of the country’s main port. This would bring down our ratings and that would result in an increase of insurance surcharge. The government must take action to rectify this immediately.”

Sri Lanka should modernize the shipping policy framework to take the country forward considering the needs of all stakeholders and review the role of shipping agents, the top body representing the country’s importers and exporters said in the wake of the latest shipping disaster.

“The government should take appropriate action to involve experts in the industry and main industry bodies in developing such policy soon and successive governments should continue to endorse the policy if we are to succeed in our commercial maritime activities,” Sri Lanka Shipper’s Council representing the country’s exporters and importers said.

The X-Press Pearl caught fire sometime after an acid leak was found in a container, the fire went out of control in heavy winds despite foreign tug boats being called to help by the owners.

“If Sri Lanka is to reach its aspiration to become the maritime hub of South Asia using its unique strategic location, the maritime industry needs to upgrade its salvage and other connected services required to support distressed ships that pass by the Island on a daily basis,” the Shippers Council said.

“If not, we become less attractive to the international shipping networks in terms of developing Colombo as a hub port. Sri Lanka should be better prepared to handle such disasters, the body said.

“Of course, the cost of upgrading infrastructure and increasing maintenance cost will drive operational cost escalation but a mechanism should be in place where the importer and exporter will not have to bear these increases finally,

Sri Lanka does not have tug companies, salvors or international shipping companies based in the country and attempts to liberalize the shipping business have been resisted by agents for decades.

“The role of ship agents in Sri Lanka should also be reviewed,” SLSC said.

“Considering they are representing international shipping lines in the country and compensated for handling containers including transshipment, have they taken adequate proactive measures including investments made to ensure the safety of their principles’ ships and the cargo they carry as imports and exports to and from the Island?

“In a nutshell, most of these items could be well addressed and rectified if a robust longer-term Shipping and logistics Policy is implemented in the Island,” the grouping said.

“SLSC has been in the forefront providing valuable input to several drafts of such policy document but unfortunately Sri Lanka has failed to come up with a fair and comprehensive document to address this requirement owing to some quarters in the industry using such opportunity to further personal business gains over national interests.”

Some of the resolutions ratified internationally is not adequately passed in Sri Lankan legislation which may be a hindrance to suitably argue these cases in the Island should the need arise, the SLSC warned.

X-Press Pearl did not give advanced warning of the leak, but sought help after anchoring in the outer harbhour, port officials have said.

The ship was carrying 25 tonnes of nitric acid and over 800 tonnes of sodium hydroxide, both class 08 dangerous goods which require special storage.

SLSC called for an ‘Advance Manifest Submission’ system for all cargo arriving to Colombo port including for transshipment before the ship sails from the origin port.

SLSC said such procedures were followed in developed nations.

“Currently, this requirement is closer to the vessel arrival in Sri Lanka and do not provide adequate time to risk assess the incoming goods or vessels to be better prepared for eventualities such as this. It is now more than a requirement an obligation.”

Sri Lanka’s processes and laws in handling dangerous goods, accidents should also be reviewed, the Shipper’s Council said.

“The International Maritime Organization’s IMDG Code has clear guidelines to handle these types of cargo and incidents,” SLSC said.

“However, the resolutions and international laws ratified need to be locally included appropriately in country legislation for it to be considered as the law of the land.

The SLSC has called for a transparent investigation in to the incident without political interference.

Sri Lanka on Wednesday (June 09) registered 54 more victims of COVID-19, marking the highest number of deaths recorded in a single day.

The latest fatalities have moved the country’s death toll to 1,910, the Department of Government Information said.

The Department of Government Information stated that 19 of the victims had succumbed to the virus infection between the period of May 17 – May 31. The rest of them have died between June 01 – June 08.

A large oil slick surrounding the damaged container ship in Sri Lanka has been captured in satellite images.

The X-Press Pearl began to sink on 2 June after a fire broke out on board. The ship was laden with chemicals.

The incident has been described as Sri Lanka’s “worst marine ecological disaster”.

Images showing dead turtles washing ashore and beaches covered in plastic pellets have emerged as authorities issued a ban on fishing in the area.

Now, satellite images reveal a huge oil slick has poured into the water surrounding the damaged vessel.

The images, taken on Monday, show the slick is several hundred metres long.

Although a part of the ship has sunk to the seabed, large sections of the wrecked ship can also be clearly seen in the images.

Evidence of the spill comes just days after attempts to assess the vessel for leaks were delayed due to rough seas and poor conditions.

The environmental impact of the disaster is being closely monitored by the International Maritime Organization.

The ship broke apart the day after authorities managed to put out the fire on board the vessel, which had been raging for 12 days.

Most of the ship’s cargo, which included 23 tonnes of nitric acid and other chemicals, was destroyed in the fire. Efforts are under way to clear up and prevent the remaining materials from reaching the surrounding beaches and wildlife.

The navy believes the blaze was caused by its chemical cargo.

An investigation is under way. The ship’s Voyage Data Recorder (VDR), commonly known as the “ship’s black box”, was recovered. It records data on the operation of the vessel.

The captain, chief engineer and assistant engineer of the Sri Lankan-flagged vessel have been banned from leaving the country.

The government has said it will take legal action against the owners of the ship to obtain compensation.

Shumel Yoskovitz, chief executive of the ship’s operator X-Press Feeders, apologised for the disaster, saying in an interview with Channel News Asia last week: “I’d like to express my deep regret and apology to the Sri Lankan people for the harm this incident has caused both to the livelihood and environment of Sri Lanka.”

People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), an advocacy group based in Washington, reject Sri Lanka’s campaigns and claims against the US Congress resolution, which urged the international mechanism to investigate the war crimes.

A member of the US House of Representatives, Deborah Ross, introduced the resolution ‘H.Res.413 – Recognizing 12 years since the end of the war in Sri Lanka on May 18, 2009, honoring the lives lost, and expressing support for justice, accountability, reconciliation, reconstruction, reparation, and reform in Sri Lanka to ensure a lasting peaceful political solution and a prosperous future for all people of Sri Lanka,’ at United States of Houses of Representatives on May 18, 2021.

Following that, the Sri Lankan government initiated their diplomatic moves and started their campaigns against the resolution.

The PEARL have criticised Sri Lanka’s move, and their statement says, “PEARL wholly rejects the false assertion from the Sri Lankan state that Tamil Americans, exercising their constitutional rights in advocating for human rights, are “terrorist sympathizers”. Such dangerous claims not only cast aspersions upon the Tamil American community but compromise the safety of human rights activists and their families.

Considering Sri Lanka’s history of abuses, including the harassment of diaspora activists and the threats to family, friends and colleagues on the island, their increased targeting of diaspora activists is deeply concerning. We are also disturbed by Sri Lanka’s claims about elected US representatives who chose to support the resolution, including the primary sponsor of H.Res.413, Rep Deborah Ross, who has been highlighted in Sri Lankan media campaigns against the resolution.”

The statement further says that the responses from the Sri Lankan Government do not address the core message behind the resolution: the egregious human rights violations that occurred during the armed conflict must be dealt with through an international mechanism.

“This again demonstrates Sri Lanka’s refusal to take meaningful action towards acknowledgment, let alone accountability, for the grave human rights violations committed. It is this refusal that strengthened the calls for international accountability over the years. Sri Lanka’s reaction since May 18, 2021, continues to amply demonstrate why H.Res.413 is so important.

H.Res.413 represents an important and growing global call for an international accountability mechanism in Sri Lanka to meet the demands of the Tamil people for justice. PEARL stands in full support of those who enabled the resolution and exercised their democratic right as Americans and as elected representatives, and continues to stand by the call for an international justice mechanism to investigate mass atrocities that occurred during the war,” the statement added.

Three Ukrainian-built Antonov-32 transport aircraft belonging to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) which were sent to Ukraine for overhaul purposes, will be brought back to the country on Friday.

SLAF Spokesman Group Captain Dushan Wijesinghe said the three AN-32B aircraft belonging to the Sri Lanka Air Force were sent to Ukraine in August last year to undergo repairs and a life extension.

He said a SLAF team had also left for Ukraine to assist and supervise the process.

SE SSFTIF Ukrinmash together with SE Аntonov and SE 410 CA Plant signed the contract to undergo repairs, with Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defense last year.

Prior to this, six Ukrainian aviation engineers visited Sri Lanka in May 2020 to inspect the aircraft and recommend a complete overhaul.

The airforce spokesman said the SLAF pilots had already left Ukraine with the AN-32B aircraft and will land in Sri Lanka on Friday.

AN 32B was inducted to the SLAF in 1995 to replace the Avro HS 748 aircraft. SLAF purchased four AN 32B aircraft and all of them were grounded. Sri Lanka is also expecting to send the remaining AN-32 to Ukraine for similar overhauling.