The Indian Panorama

Tag: Sri Lanka

  • U.S. will seek to rejoin UNHRC: Blinken

    U.S. will seek to rejoin UNHRC: Blinken

    NEW YORK (TIP): The U.S. will seek re-election to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Tuesday, February 23, as he “humbly” asked for the support of UN member states. This is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration to reverse a pattern of retreat from multilateralism that was characteristic of the Trump administration. Former U.S. President Donald Trump had taken the U.S. out of the Council in 2018 saying it was biased against Israel and had members who were human rights abusers. While acknowledging that American democracy was “imperfect” and often fell short of its ideals, Mr Blinken, in a video message to the 47-member Council which is currently in session, said the U.S. was placing human rights at the center of its foreign policy and therefore seeking to rejoin the Council.

    “…I’m pleased to announce the United States will seek election to the human rights council for the 2022 to 2024 term. We humbly ask for the support of all UN member States in our bid to return to a seat in this body,” Mr Blinken said. Mr. Blinken also alleged that the Council was biased against Israel – a position shared by Democrats and Republicans. The Secretary also referred to the Council’s membership.

    While he praised the Council for bringing attention to the coup d’état in Myanmar, he said those with the “worst human rights record” should not be part of the Council.

    “We must work together to improve the work and membership of the council,” Mr Blinken said.

    The Secretary spoke of challenges to racial justice in the U.S. and said the fight for racial justice should be on top of the global human rights agenda. Mr. Blinken also said there was no moral equivalence between the actions of the United States and authoritarian regimes.

    “The United States does not claim to be perfect, but we strive every day to improve, to hold ourselves accountable, to become a more perfect union,” he said.

    “There’s no moral equivalence between the actions of the United States, which are subject to robust, impartial, and transparent accountability mechanisms. And those of authoritarian regimes, which violate and abuse human rights with impunity. together, we must push back against blatant attempts to subvert the values upon which the United nations was founded…,” Mr. Blinken said those who use economic development as a reason to undermine human rights will be held accountable.

    “Those who hide under the mantle of promoting economic development while seeking to undermine human rights will be held to account including for their own human rights violations,” he said. The Secretary called for Russia to unconditionally release dissident Alex Navalny and others wrongfully detained.

    Sri Lanka, China named

    Other countries that were mentioned by name included China and Sri Lanka.

    “We’ll speak out for universal values when atrocities are committed in Xinjiang, or when fundamental freedoms are undermined in Hong Kong,” Mr Blinken said. He also called on the Council to adopt resolutions in this session including one on Sri Lanka’s lack of accountability for war crimes. “We encourage the council to support resolutions in the session, addressing issues of concern around the world, including ongoing human rights violations in Syria, North Korea, the lack of accountability for past atrocities in Sri Lanka and the need for further investigation into the situation in South Sudan,” Mr. Blinken said. The U.K. and other countries have circulated a draft resolution asking for accountability for war crimes in Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war.

    (Agencies)

  • Lanka’s Cardinal fumes over 2019 attack probe

    Colombo (TIP): The head of Sri Lanka’s Catholic church once again expressed disappointment on Thursday over the probe in the 2019 Easter Sunday blasts that tore through 3 churches and as many luxury hotels, cautioning the government that if justice is not served, he would approach international organisations. The attacks had had killed 258 people. According to Cardinal Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, he had sought a copy of the special presidential probe report that was submitted to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last month. The report has not been made public so far. — PTI

  • China holds COVID-19 vice-ministerial meeting with Pakistan, Bangla, Nepal and Sri Lanka

    China holds COVID-19 vice-ministerial meeting with Pakistan, Bangla, Nepal and Sri Lanka

    Beijing (TIP): China has hosted a vice-ministerial-level meeting with Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka on controlling the COVID-19, expanding its first such meeting held in July involving Islamabad, Kathmandu and Kabul.
    Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui hosted the virtual meeting. “To jointly defeat COVID-19, protect people’s life, safety and health, and accelerate economic and social recovery and development, China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka convened a vice-ministerial-level video conference on COVID-19 response on November 10,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
    The five countries had “in-depth exchanges on cementing the political consensus on jointly fighting COVID-19, enhancing cooperation on containing the coronavirus and restoring economic development and movement of people and achieved positive results,” the statement said.
    This is the second ministerial meeting held by China involving the South Asian region on COVID-19. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a similar meeting with his counterparts of Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal in July.
    China has pledged that COVID-19 vaccine development and deployment in China, when available, will be made a global public good, the statement said.
    China is also ready to consider providing vaccines to developing countries positively, the other four countries included, it said. In the context of long-term COVID-19 containment, the five countries will uphold multilateralism, firmly support the World Health Organisation in playing a leading role in the global fight against COVID-19.
    They reiterated their opposition to “politicisation and stigmatisation” by using COVID-19, and also agreed that the autumn and winter seasons are a crucial period for its containment and vowed to strengthen information sharing and coordination of policies and actions to cope with the impact of its second wave.
    The Chinese side is ready to step up cooperation with the other four parties in testing, diagnostics, treatment and medicine, and continue to provide them with assistance of containment supplies, the statement said.
    They agreed that countries linked by land ports should establish joint response mechanisms in border areas.
    Standard operating procedures will be developed on COVID-19-related notification, border control, containment measures at points of entry and emergency response to prevent cross-border transmission. They also agreed on the importance of coordinating COVID-19 response and economic and social development, and will advance the Belt and Road cooperation to boost post-COVID-19 economic recovery and development, it said. “In a spirit of mutual trust, openness and win-win cooperation, the Five Parties welcome other regional countries to join the cooperation against COVID-19 and are ready to engage in dialogue and communication with them,” the statement added. According to Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker, the coronavirus has so far infected more than 52 million people and killed over 1.2 million others globally after it emerged in the central Chinese city of Wuhan last year. PTI

  • US Secretary of State Pompeo to Visit India to ‘Broaden and Deepen Partnerships’

    US Secretary of State Pompeo to Visit India to ‘Broaden and Deepen Partnerships’

    WASHINGTON (TIP): The US Department of State announced that U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo would visit New Delhi at the end of June.

    “Secretary Pompeo will travel to India, Sri Lanka, Japan, and the Republic of Korea June 24-30 to broaden and deepen our partnerships with key countries to advance our shared goal of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

    In New Delhi, Secretary Pompeo will meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar to discuss “our ambitious agenda for the U.S.-India strategic partnership”.

    “Prime Minister Modi’s recent election victory provides an excellent opportunity for him to implement his vision for a strong and prosperous India that plays a leading role on the global stage”, the State Department said in a release.

  • Air India Regional Manager Bhuvana Rao Promoted as General Manager

    Air India Regional Manager Bhuvana Rao Promoted as General Manager

    NEW YORK (TIP): Ms Bhuvana Rao, Air India  Regional Manager, Americas, has been promoted as General Manager , Southern Region. She will be based in Chennai overseeing Air India’s operations in the fast-growing Southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala as well as Sri Lanka and Maldives. She leaves for India on June 14 and will join her new posting on June 19.

    Ms Bhuvana Rao had joined the present position  in New York on October 17, 2018, succeeding Ms Vandana Sharma

    In a brief parting message to The Indian Panorama, Ms Rao said “During my brief stint in New York, I am happy to have had the privilege of meeting and associating with many diverse and brilliant minds in the business community and the vibrant Indian community in New York. I take with me wonderful memories of the warm interactions and learnings. I look forward to continuing the association in my new capacity in India, which I would be assuming from 19th June.

    “I shall be contactable on my official Air India email b.rao@airindia.in and personal email Bhuvana_rao@yahoo.com”.

    The Indian Panorama  extends Ms Rao the best wishes for a successful and happy future.

  • No Narendra Modi-Imran Khan Meeting Planned on the Sidelines of SCO, says MEA

    No Narendra Modi-Imran Khan Meeting Planned on the Sidelines of SCO, says MEA

    NEW DELHI (TIP): There is no confirmation of a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistan counterpart Imran Khan on the sidelines of the summit meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Ministry of External Affairs declared on Thursday, June 6. The clarification comes just a day before Mr. Modi begins his first round of foreign trips with stops in Maldives and Sri Lanka where sports diplomacy and counter-terror will be on the agenda.

    “To the best of my knowledge I am not aware of any bilateral meeting being set up or organized, between PM Modi and Prime Minister Imran Khan at Bishkek,” said Official Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar here. Both the leaders are scheduled to travel to Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic for the SCO summit of 13-14 June.

    There has been a series of developments that indicate ongoing efforts to continue with de-escalation of the tension that erupted after the terror attack at Pulwama and the Balakot counter-terror strike.

    Despite the lack of confirmation on a meeting with Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale said India will emphasize on the importance of the “Neighbourhood first” policy as PM Modi will travel to Maldives and Sri Lanka during 8-9 June.

    (Source: Agencies)

  • Nassau County Legislator Drucker Introduces Legislation Protection of Houses of Worship

    Nassau County Legislator Drucker Introduces Legislation Protection of Houses of Worship

    MINEOLA, NY (TIP): Following a series of violent incidents at houses of worship that shocked the consciences of people in the United States and around the world, Nassau County Legislator Arnold W. Drucker (D – Plainview) has filed new legislation that would ensure police resources are utilized in a manner that prioritizes the safety of religious institutions in Nassau County.

    Legislator Drucker’s proposal, filed on Tuesday, May 7, would direct the Police Department to concentrate police resources to prioritize the protection of houses of worship and religious institutions, including but not limited to parochial and religious schools and religious cemeteries and burial grounds. Enhanced police protection will be carried out without discrimination or favoritism based on creed, denomination or religious affiliation.

    “No Nassau County resident should ever have to choose between practicing their faith and their personal safety,” Legislator Drucker said. “Through this legislation and our continued collaboration with the outstanding Nassau County Police Department, we can take a large step toward ensuring that the houses of worship we cherish remain vital, secure community centers and true sanctuaries for anyone seeking respite. I look forward to working with my colleagues so we can enact this common-sense proposal without delay.”

    To maximize the effectiveness of this proposal and ensure it meets the needs of congregants, Legislator Drucker is continuing his outreach to religious leaders for feedback on his legislation.

    This action by Legislator Drucker came on the heels of a Thursday, May 2 Safety and Security Briefing hosted by JCRC-LI in the aftermath of mass shootings at a mosque in New Zealand and a synagogue in Poway, California and the bombing of churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.

    During the briefing, Nassau County Executive Laura Curran, Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder and District Attorney Madeline Singas provided updates on their efforts to keep congregants of all faiths safe and addressed questions and concerns raised by religious leaders during a subsequent Q-and-A session.

  • 7,620 Indian nationals lodged in foreign jails, highest in Saudi Arabia

    7,620 Indian nationals lodged in foreign jails, highest in Saudi Arabia

    Lodged in 86 jails abroad, at least 50 are women

    NEW DELHI (TIP):  As many as 7,620 Indian nationals are lodged in foreign jails, with the highest number in Saudi Arabia. Of them, at least 50 are women

    In response to a question raised in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, August 9, minister of state for external affairs M J Akbar said due to strong privacy laws prevailing in many countries, local authorities do not share information on prisoners unless the person concerned consents to the disclosure of such information.

    Of the 7,620 prisoners lodged in 86 jails, at least 50 are women, shows data available with the government. Most of these women are in prisons in south-east Asia, neighboring Sri Lanka, China and Nepal, the Gulf countries, the US and UK.

    The Gulf countries account for 56% of all Indian nationals in foreign jails. The prisons in Saudi Arabia have the highest number of Indian nationals, with 2,084 of them confined on charges of financial fraud, burglary and bribery.

    A number of them have also been arrested for drinking and selling alcohol in the country. It is illegal to produce, import or consume alcohol in Saudi Arabia.

    In countries in south-east Asia – Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia – most of the 500 immured Indian nationals were charged with offences related to drug and human trafficking and immigration and visa violation.

    In Pakistan, according to a list handed over by the government to the India envoy in Islamabad, at least 546 Indian nationals, including nearly 500 fishermen, are in Pakistani jails.

    Fishermen in the southern parts of India have also entered troubled waters and landed in jails in alien soil, especially in Sri Lankan jails. Tamil Nadu prisoners were tracked in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei and Ethiopia too.

    In Australia and Canada, countries that see high migration from India, 115 prisoners are Indian nationals. Most of their offences relate to murder, sexual assault, money laundering and road accidents.

    Most European countries like Germany, Italy, Greece and France did not furnish details of Indian nationals in their prisons.

    The minister said since the enactment of the repatriation of Prisoners Act, 2003, 170 applications for repatriation had been received and 61 Indian prisoners had been repatriated from foreign prisons.

    So far, India has signed treaties with 30 countries, under which Indian prisoners have been brought back. Besides this, India has also ratified the Inter American Convention by which India can receive and send requests to member countries for release of prisoners.

  • Sri Lanka allays India’s concerns renegotiates port deal with China

    Sri Lanka allays India’s concerns renegotiates port deal with China

    COLOMBO (TIP): Sri Lanka’s cabinet has cleared a revised agreement for its Chinese-built southern port of Hambantota on July 24, the government said, after terms of the first pact sparked widespread public anger in the island nation.

    The port, close to the world’s busiest shipping lanes, has been mired in controversy ever since state-run China Merchants Port Holdings, which built it for $1.5 billion, signed an agreement taking an 80 per cent stake.

    Under the new deal, which Reuters has examined, the Sri Lankan government has sought to limit China’s role to running commercial operations at the port while it has oversight of broader security.

    Chinese control of Hambantota, which is part of its modern-day “Silk Route” across Asia+ and beyond, as well as a plan to acquire 15,000 acres (23 sq miles) to develop an industrial zone next door, had raised fears that it could also be used for Chinese naval vessels.

    Sri Lankans demonstrated in the streets at the time, fearing loss of their land, while politicians said such large scale transfer of land to the Chinese impinged on the country’s sovereignty.

    Details of the new agreement have not yet been made public. But according to parts of the document seen by Reuters, two companies are being set up to split the operations of the port and allay concerns, in India mainly but also in Japan and the United States, that it won’t be used for military purposes. (Reuters)

  • Sri Lankan navy rescues elephant washed out to sea

    Sri Lankan navy rescues elephant washed out to sea

    COLOMBO (TIP): Sri Lanka’s navy has rescued an elephant that got into difficulties after being washed out to sea, a spokesman said July 12, calling it a “miraculous escape”. Chaminda Walakuluge said the navy mounted the 12-hour rescue after spotting the elephant struggling to stay afloat around eight kilometres (five miles) off the island’s northeast coast.

    Divers aided by wildlife officials approached the distressed animal and tied ropes to it before towing it gently to shallow waters near the coast, where it was released late on Tuesday.

    Walakuluge said the animal had likely got swept into the sea while crossing the Kokkilai lagoon, a large stretch of water that lies between two areas of jungle.

    “They usually wade through shallow waters or even swim across to take a short cut,” he said. “It is a miraculous escape for the elephant.” Photos posted on the navy’s website show the animal trying to keep its trunk above the water as divers approached it.

    The rescue came six weeks after the navy and local residents saved a pod of 20 pilot whales who became stranded in nearby Trincomalee, a natural harbour that is popular for whale watching.

    The waters around Trincomalee, which was used by Allied forces as a staging post during World War II, have a high concentration of blue and sperm whales, while the surrounding jungles have herds of wild elephants. (AFP)

  • Dengue outbreak in Sri Lanka kills 225

    Dengue outbreak in Sri Lanka kills 225

    COLOMBO (TIP): Sri Lanka is suffering its worst-ever dengue outbreak, with the mosquito borne virus killed 225 people and infected more than 76,000 this year.

    Alarmed by the magnitude of the crisis, the government deployed 400 soldiers and police officers to clear away rotting garbage, stagnant water pools and other potential mosquito breeding grounds.

    Dr. Ruwan Wijayamuni, Colombo’s chief medical officer, said people’s failure to clear puddles and piles of trash after last month’s heavy monsoon rains had compounded the problem. “It’s pathetic that they don’t keep clean their environment,” Wijayamuni said. “Some residents do not allow officials to inspect the houses and clean them. This is really unacceptable.”

    The number of infections nationwide is already 38 percent higher than last year, when 55,150 people were diagnosed with dengue and 97 died, according to the Health Ministry. The highest number of cases is in the region around the main city of Colombo, though cases were being reported across the tropical island nation.

    “This is mostly an urban disease” said Dr. Priscilla Samaraweera of the National Dengue Eradication Unit. Last month’s heavy rains left the cities waterlogged, with puddles and rain soaked garbage providing ideal spots for mosquitoes to breed and multiply.

    In Colombo alone, 25 teams of soldiers, police officers and public health inspectors were knocking on doors at people’s homes, advising them to clear clogged drains and empty outdoor pots that might have filled with rainwater.

    Health officials were also fumigating public spaces. This year’s strain is particularly dangerous, Samaraweera said. There is no cure for any of the four strains of the virus, which causes a high fever, weeks of exhaustion and in some cases a vicious skin rash. Patients most at risk of dying are the elderly, children or those with other medical complications.

    Hospitals were so crowded with dengue patients, the army was building two temporary wards at Negombo Base Hospital, about 38 kilometers north of Colombo, military spokesman Brig. Roshan Senevirathna said.

    President Maithripala Sirisena urged the public to cooperate with officials trying to fight the disease, saying it could affect the ” lives of all the citizens of the country.” (AP)

  • Foreign aid arrives as Sri Lanka flood toll exceeds 200

    Foreign aid arrives as Sri Lanka flood toll exceeds 200

    COLOMBO (TIP): International aid arrived into Sri Lanka on May 31 as the death toll from the island’s worst floods and landslides in well over a decade climbed to 202.

    Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake said 16 countries had rushed relief supplies and medicine to assist more than 600,000 people driven from their homes following Friday’s monsoon deluge. “We also have a lot of enquiries from other countries and organisations wanting to know our immediate needs. We are moved by the spontaneous response,” Karunanayake told reporters in Colombo. (AFP)

  • India maintain top position in ICC Test rankings

    India maintain top position in ICC Test rankings

    DUBAI (TIP): India retained its top position in ICC Test rankings with 123 points—a clear six point lead over second placed South Africa.

    The Proteas (117 points) have reduced the gap with India to six points while nine points now separate third-ranked Australia from seventh-ranked Sri Lanka as per latest ICC release.

    The 9th ranked Bangladesh trailing eighth-ranked West Indies by six points. India has gained one ranking point while South Africa has leaped from 109 to 117 points. This jump means the pre-update gap of 13 points has now been trimmed to just six points.

    While India and South Africa have made upward movements, Australia, England and Pakistan have headed in the opposite direction.

    Australia has retained its third place but has plummeted from 108 points to 100 points, England has stayed in fourth position but has slipped to 99 points after conceding two points, whereas Pakistan has dropped behind New Zealand in sixth place after conceding four points to sit on 93 points.

    The swings for Faf du Plessis’s and Steve Smith’s sides have come after South Africa’s 2-1 loss to Australia and Australia’s 5-0 series win over England in 2013-14 have both been dropped for calculation purposes.

    Sri Lanka is seventh on 91 points (up by one),West Indies eighth on 75 points (up by five), Bangladesh ninth on 69 points (up by three) and Zimbabwe 10th with zero points (down by five).

    Source: PTI

  • PM Modi attends Vesak Day celebrations in Sri Lanka

    PM Modi attends Vesak Day celebrations in Sri Lanka

    COLOMBO (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday participated in the International Vesak Day celebrations in the Sri Lankan capital, the biggest festival of Buddhists.

    Modi, on his second visit to Sri Lanka in two years, was received by his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe at the venue amid traditional fanfare. The Prime Minister, who is the chief guest at the event, lit lamps – a traditional practice. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Srisena was also present on the occasion.

    Several Buddhist monks chanted prayers during which Modi closed his eyes and kept his hands folded.

    Speaking at the event, Wickremesinghe thanked Modi for being the chief guest at the event. (PTI)

  • PM Modi in Lanka to re-emphasise traditional Buddhist connect

    PM Modi in Lanka to re-emphasise traditional Buddhist connect

    PM Modi in Lanka to re-emphasise traditional Buddhist connect

    NEW DELHI/COLOMBO (TIP):Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Colombo on May 11 on a two-day visit which is mainly aimed at reinforcing the traditional connect between India and Sri Lanka at a time when China is seeking to make inroads in the island nation.

    Modi, on his second visit to Sri Lanka in two years, is here primarily to participate on Friday in the International Vesak Day celebrations, the biggest festival of Buddhists.

    He will inaugurate a hospital built with India’s assistance of Rs 150 crore. He will also address the Indian-origin Tamils against the backdrop of India’s insistence that Sri Lanka should undertake devolution of power to the ethnic community as part of the reconciliation process.

    Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and several senior ministers, including foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera, were at the Colombo International Airport to receive the Indian Prime Minister.

    “As Sri Lanka proudly celebrates #InternationalVesakDay, I warmly welcome Indian Premier @narendramodi who will grace the occasion,” tweeted President Maithripala Srisena.

    Modi was accorded a guard of honour by the Sri Lankan Air Force at the airport. The visit and the agenda is mainly to re-emphasise the traditional connect between India and Sri Lanka, particularly in the context of Buddhism, which is a shared heritage.

    This assumes significance since China is aggressively trying to make inroads in Sri Lanka.

  • Sri Lanka refuses permission for Chinese submarine to dock at Colombo port: Sources

    Sri Lanka refuses permission for Chinese submarine to dock at Colombo port: Sources

    COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has rejected China’s request to dock one of its submarines in Colombo this month, two senior government officials said on Thursday as Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in the island nation.

    Sri Lanka last allowed a Chinese submarine to dock+ in the capital of Colombo in October 2014, a move that triggered fierce opposition from India, which worries about growing Chinese activity in a country it has long viewed as part of its area of influence. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday for a two-day official visit+ . A senior Sri Lankan government official said China’s request to dock one of its submarines in Colombo this month had been rejected. He said Sri Lanka was “unlikely” to agree to China’s request to dock the submarine at any time, given India’s concerns. The official asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

    The second official, at the defence ministry, also said China’s request to dock this month had been rejected but that a decision on a further docking had been postponed.

    “It might happen later,” the second official said, adding that China had requested approval to use the port around May 16 “sometime back”. (Reuters)

  • Buddha’s message of compassion timeless

    Buddha’s message of compassion timeless, says UN chief

     

    UNITED NATIONS (TIP): UN chief Antonio Guterres on Thursday, May 11, called on the global community to draw inspiration from the journey of Lord Buddha and embrace his message of compassion on the occasion of ‘Vesak Day’. Vesak marks the birth, enlightenment and death of Gautama Buddha.

    “Born a sheltered prince, Shakyamuni (Buddha) went out into the world to confront and overcome human suffering. This message of compassion is timeless,” the UN chief said. The UN Secretary-General also emphasized that in the current interconnected world, there can be “no peace as long as others  are in peril, no security as long as others suffer deprivation [and] no sustainable future until all members of our human family enjoy their human rights”. He called on the people of the world to celebrate the wisdom of Buddha by taking action for others with a strong spirit of solidarity.

    On the occasion, a special commemorative event was held yesterday at the General Assembly attended by UN ambassadors, diplomats and Buddhist monks. The event included sermons and a Buddhist musical interlude by a group of children from Sri Lanka. India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin told the gathering that Buddha’s key messages of truth, non-violence, peace and harmony continue to resonate across the world two and half millennia after his death.

    “The modern world continues to be beset with great human suffering, deepening inequalities violent conflicts and environmental degradation. The teachings of Buddha which essentially is a reaffirmation of a sustainable lifestyle, harmony with inner self and with nature, hold great promise for achievement of global sustainable development goals and to unite the world to fight climate change,” Akbaruddin said.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also visiting Sri Lanka to attend the ‘Vesak Day’ celebrations in Colombo. In 1999, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in which it recognized the International Day to acknowledge the contribution that Buddhism, one of the oldest religions in the world, has made for over two and a half millennia and continues to make to the spirituality of humanity. ( PTI)

     

  • Direct AI flights between Colombo and Varanasi from August

    Direct AI flights between Colombo and Varanasi from August

    Direct AI flights between Colombo and Varanasi from August: Modi

     

    COLOMBO (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced, May 12, that India’s flag carrier Air India would begin direct flights between Colombo and the holy city of Varanasi from August. Modi, who is on a two-day visit to Sri Lanka, made the announcement of the beginning of the flights during his address at the inauguration of the International Vesak Day, the biggest festival of Buddhists.

    He said the flights will allow “my Tamil brothers and sisters” to visit Varanasi, the land of Kashi Viswanath. At a distance of 10 kilometres from Varanasi, lies Sarnath, one of the most revered Buddhist pilgrimage centres. It is believed that after attaining the enlightenment at Bodh Gaya in Bihar, it was in Sarnath that Lord Buddha preached his first sermon, sanctified as Maha Dharm Chakra Parivartan.

    The direct flights will aid pilgrims from Sri Lanka, a Buddhist-majority country, to visit Sarnath. Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh is the parliamentary constituency of the prime minister, from where he contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election. This is Modi’s second visit to Sri Lanka in two years. He arrived yesterday primarily to attend the International Vesak Day celebrations and his visit is aimed at reinforcing the traditional connect between India and Sri Lanka.

    (Source PTI)

     

  • Lanka garbage toll hits 33; PM vows to clear area on priority

    Lanka garbage toll hits 33; PM vows to clear area on priority

    COLOMBO (TIP): The death toll from the collapse of a giant open garbage dump near Colombo reached 33 today with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe promising to clear the area as soon as possible.

    Wickremesinghe, who cut short his state visit to Vietnam and returned last night, today visited the site and promised a house to each of the affected families in the disaster.

    He promised to remove the Meethotamulla garbage dump as soon as possible, Colombo Page reported. A portion of the 91-metre dump collapsed following a fire incident on Friday as the residents celebrated the traditional Sri Lankan New Year, burying dozens of residential buildings and trapping many people in Meetotamulla area in Kolonnawa.

    At least seven children were among the dead. Some still remain untraceable after the mishap, officials said. The death toll climbed to 33, the report said. After the explosion in the 23-million-tonne garbage mound, the air force was deployed to douse the flames. Nearly 1,000 military security personnel, including police and special task forces, have been deployed for rescue operation.

    The tragedy has displaced nearly 200 families numbering more than 1500. Nearly 80 houses were completely destroyed while many more suffered partial damage, according to Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre. The affected families have blamed politicians for the tragedy, though President Maithripala Sirisena has ordered officials to ensure maximum relief to them.The National Building Research Organisation said people still living in over 130 houses in the area must be relocated to safety. The true scale of the damage remains unclear, police said as about 800 tonnes of garbage were added to the dump daily. The Parliament was recently warned that 23 million tonnes of garbage at Kolonnawa dump was a serious hazard. (PTI)

  • China ‘Silk Road’ project in Sri Lanka delayed

    China ‘Silk Road’ project in Sri Lanka delayed

    China will delay a planned $1.1 billion investment in a port on its modern-day “Silk Road” until Sri Lanka clears legal and political obstacles+ to a related project, sources familiar with the talks said, piling more pressure on the island nation.

    Heavily indebted Sri Lanka needs the money, but payment for China’s interests in Hambantota port could be delayed by several weeks or months, the sources added.

    After signing an agreement last December, state-run China Merchants Port Holdings had been expected to buy an 80 per cent stake in the southern port before an initial target date of January 7.

    Beijing also has a separate understanding with Colombo to develop a 15,000-acre industrial zone in the same area, a deal that Sri Lanka was hoping to finalize later.

    But Colombo’s plans to sell the stake and acquire land for the industrial zone have run into stiff domestic opposition, backed by trade unions and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

    A legislator close to Rajapaksa is also challenging the government’s plans in court.

    Now Beijing has linked the signing of the port deal with an agreement to develop the industrial zone, saying it would hold off on both until Colombo resolved domestic issues, officials on both sides of the talks said.

    “China has said that when they start the port, they want the land also,” Sri Lankan Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said, although he added that China had not made it a precondition.

    Yi Xianliang, Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka, said the two deals were related.

    “If we just have the port and no industrial zone, what is the use of the port? So you must have the port and you must have the industrial zone,” he said.

    A source familiar with China’s thinking said it may wait until May, when Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe visits Beijing, to sign both deals. The Chinese foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment. The previously unreported setback for Sri Lanka suggests Beijing is digging in its heels as it negotiates its global “One Belt, One Road” initiative to open up new land and sea routes for Chinese goods. (Reuters)

  • Ashwin rewarded with wages of spin

    Ashwin rewarded with wages of spin

    CHENNAI (TIP): It was late August and R Ashwin was playing a T20 game against West Indies in Florida. On a small ground, the Indian bowlers had conceded 245, with Ashwin finishing with 2-39 off three overs.

    A commentator asked him at the end of the innings if he was worried about his recent “indifferent form” in the shortest version of the game. Ashwin looked straight at the commentator with the smile still intact and said: “It’s surprising to hear about my indifferent form. As far as I am concerned, I feel I have been the No. 1 strike bowler for my team in the shorter version.”

    That’s Ashwin for you – a man with extreme self-belief who never stops backing himself at difficult times. A cricketer’s life is a topsy-turvy ride with a bad day in office lurking round every corner. In an age of extreme scrutiny, anything that is not top drawer gets magnified, but Ashwin’s biggest strength is that he never loses faith in himself. Forget the numbers, it has been spoken of time and again -it’s the man of steel behind the smiling face that makes Ashwin the No. 1 cricketer.

    The first half of 2016 didn’t indicate that he would end up with the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy. Ashwin had bowled a crucial no-ball in the semi-final of the T20 World Cup against West Indies that fetched a wicket. Lendl Simmons stayed on and ensured India’s ouster from the tournament where they were overwhelming favourites. By the offspinner’s own admission, he felt that the entire nation was pointing finger at him for the defeat. It can break many careers, but not Ashwin’s.

    He let the storm die down -he knew there was a West Indies tour followed by a couple of home series coming up. And what he has done since then will probably become Indian cricket folklore. He has smashed one record after another, scored runs at crucial junctures and even making Kapil Dev say, “Ashwin is better than me as an all-rounder.”

    But that’s only part of the story. The Ashwin saga of 2016 is of a man who is at the peak of his creative powers. India have produced many offspinners in recent times. There have been quite a few who have been successful as well, but hardly anyone who makes the art of spin bowling look beautiful. No wonder, L Sivaramakrishnan says, “Ashwin purely deserves the award for reviving the art of spin bowling at the highest level.”

    Take the recently-concluded Chepauk Test against England for example. He was closing in on a record -that of the fastest to 250 wickets in Tests – ahead of Dennis Lillee.

    But the record didn’t happen and Ashwin went for 217 runs with one wicket to show. But anyone who has followed the Test would know how well the Chennai boy bowled.

    The flight, the loop, the subtle changes of pace -it was an exhibition of an artist at work on a dead pitch. A catch was dropped off him in the first over of the fifth day, but it was Ashwin who created the pressure at one end as Ravindra Jadeja ran away with the rewards.

    The Ashwin-Jadeja combo is a crucial cog in the Chennai man’s success story. They are vastly different characters -one is the erudite intellectual, the other a bit of a maverick. But when it comes to performing on the field, the way they complement each other is a treat. “Ask Ashwin and he will tell you how big a role Jadeja plays in Ashwin taking the wickets,” Virat Kohli said the other day after India won at Chepauk. While Jadeja stifles at one end with his nagging line and length, it’s Ashwin who expresses himself with his subtle variations which makes life difficult for batsmen. “You know, I won’t mind captaining these two together,” Alastair Cook explained how difficult it is to play the two together.

    While Jadeja isn’t much of a thinker, Ashwin’s mind seems to be a laboratory of ideas. Talk to him during a break in international cricket and he will invariably tell you he is working on some new idea. It can be a new delivery or a new method to get the star opposition batsman out. He will never say it before the series, but Ashwin invariably targets the No. 1 batsman in the opposition ranks.

    That’s why it’s Kumar Sangakkara who falls to him time and again when India play Sri Lanka, Kane Williamson when it’s New Zealand or Joe Root when it’s England. Unlike many in his profession, Ashwin loves watching the game even when he is not playing it -at times he is an enthusiast and a cricketer rolled into one.

    The other crucial element that has worked wonders in favour of Ashwin is Kohli’s rise to Test captaincy. Just after a Test match against Bangladesh in Dhaka, Ashwin had said: “Even if Kohli errs, it will be on the attacking side.”

    The statement showed that the two are on the same page and Kohli has given him the freedom to express himself. The fact that the skipper promoted him to bat at No.6 in Tests was also a boost, not just in his batting but to his entire approach as a cricketer.

    Ashwin started believing that he could realize his own potential. And how well he has done it in 2016!

  • Sri Lanka PM Wickremesinghe bats for greater trade ties with south Indian states

    Sri Lanka PM Wickremesinghe bats for greater trade ties with south Indian states

    COLOMBO (TIP): Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe called for deeper economic engagement with India and proposed stronger trade and economic linkages with south Indian states.

    “There can be diverse economic models around India. India is a regional power. We have much in common with south Indian states. We are looking at bilateral agreements with deeper integration and carving special trade areas with southern states of India,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum’s India economic summit on Thursday.

    He said his country was forging stronger economic ties with Singapore and proposed a trilateral arrangement with India to boost trade.

    Wickremesinghe said as far as Saarc was concerned, the level of economic activity was low and there was virtually no integration in the south Asian subcontinent. “Sri Lanka is pursuing a bilateral approach to forge greater trade and economic ties,” he added.

    Wickremesinghe also complimented PM Modi for the “restrained and far sighted leadership” in the wake of tension between India and Pakistan.Earlier, in his address at the summit, he said Sri Lanka and India were working to expand the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement to include services and investment as well. ” The Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement, which has been under negotiation between the two countries, should be concluded by the end of the year,” he added.

    Wickremesinghe said as these agreements come into force, India would have access to not just the Sri Lankan market but also to markets in Singapore, Japan and China among others as the island nation was in the process of negotiating free trade pacts with several countries. He also invited Indian companies to invest in Sri Lanka, especially in areas such as infrastructure. (PTI)

  • New Sri Lanka Constitution could be presented in parliament by November

    New Sri Lanka Constitution could be presented in parliament by November

    COLOMBO (TIP): Sri Lanka’s new draft Constitution could be presented in Parliament before the next budget which would be announced by mid-November this year, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera has said while hoping that it will celebrate the country’s diversity. “We hope to be able to present that (Constitution) in parliament before the next budget,” Samaraweera said while addressing a gathering in Point Pedro in the northern province on Sept 4.

    The 2017 government budget is expected to be presented in Parliament mid-November. It was important to recognize the religious diversity in Sri Lanka in formulating the new Constitution, Samaraweera said.

    “We have been busy creating or placing a foundation for a new Sri Lanka based on the three pillars of democratization, reconciliation and development,” the minister said. The process of finalizing the new Constitution is underway and it will hopefully celebrate the diversity of the country, he said. Samaraweera said, it is time to come to terms with the fact that Sri Lanka is a multi-racial, multi-religious, multi-lingual country. The Maithripala Sirisena government had set in the process of making a new Constitution since January this year. (AP)

  • South Australia Hindu Temple plans $600,000 expansion

    South Australia Hindu Temple plans $600,000 expansion

    ADELAIDE (TIP): Shri Ganesha Temple (SGT) in Adelaide’s southern suburb Oaklands Park in South Australia is reportedly planning a $600,000 expansion to host bigger events, weddings, classes, etc.

    This Temple, built at the site of a former Lutheran Church, has approached City of Marion regarding this project and City’s Development Assessment Panel, whose task is to assess proposed development, will consider its proposals, reports suggest.

    Expansion plans at SGT, a State Heritage Place, reportedly include building an outdoor cooking area, dining room extension, etc.

    Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, commended efforts of Temple leaders and area community towards running this Hindu temple complex.

    Rajan Zed further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this Temple would help in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.

    SGT, reportedly conceived by the Hindu Society of South Australia in 1985 and formally opened in 2001, serves over 20,000 Hindus; including immigrants from India, Mauritius, South Africa, Fiji, Trinidad, Sri Lanka, Guyana, Surinam, Malaysia, etc.; besides students. Ganesha is the presiding deity at the Temple, where other deities include Laxmi Narayan; Durga, Laxmi and Saraswati; Muruga Valli and Deivanai; Hanuman; Bhairava; Navagraha; and Shiva Linga.

    This Temple, which opens daily; besides offering worship services and being a social gathering place; also holds various festivals, satsangs, pujas; runs a children library; undertakes various community assistance programs; organizes blood donation campaigns; helps new migrants; and offers food donations and educational scholarships. It organized over 80 festivals in 2015. Milk Abhishekam here costs $50, reports indicate.

  • Maldives issues arrest warrant for ex-president Mohamed Nasheed

    Maldives issues arrest warrant for ex-president Mohamed Nasheed

    COLOMBO (TIP): The Maldives announced on September 1 it is seeking former president Mohamed Nasheed’s arrest for failing to return to the troubled archipelago to complete a prison sentence after receiving medical treatment in Britain.

    Nasheed, the Maldives’ first democratically elected president, recently won political asylum in Britain after being granted permission to travel there for treatment while serving the sentence for a terror-related offence.

    “A court order (has been) issued for arrest of former president Mohamed Nasheed,” the government said in a statement, issued after Nasheed flew to neighbouring Sri Lanka.

    “The Maldives correctional service is seeking to have him brought back to serve the remainder of his 13-year sentence,” the statement said, without detailing how it planned to seek his return.

    Opposition sources said Nasheed has been meeting Maldives opposition groups in Sri Lanka in recent days to hatch a plan to topple the archipelago’s president Abdulla Yameen.

    Nasheed was among members of several exiled opposition groups meeting in Colombo, two people in Nasheed’s Maldivian Democratic Party have told AFP.

    The Maldives has been gripped by political turmoil since Nasheed was forced to resign in 2012, denting its image as a paradise for upmarket tourists.

    The international community has mounted fierce criticism against what they say is Yameen’s unlawful jailing of Nasheed and other opponents. Nasheed, a climate change activist who was also imprisoned during the three-decade rule of former strongman Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, was elected president in 2008. He rose to international prominence when he hosted a cabinet meeting underwater to draw attention to the threat global warming posed to the atoll nation’s existence.

    But he was forced to resign in February 2012 after a mutiny by police and troops, which followed protests over the arrest of a top judge for alleged corruption, as well as for politically motivated rulings. (AFP)