Das Buddhistische Haus (DBH) Berlin – Frohnau, Germany
Buddhist Theme
Avoid all unwholesome deeds
Cultivate wholesome deeds”
(Sabba Papassa Akaranam”
Kusalassa Upasampada”)
Two Day Program
Exhibition – August 3, 2024 (Saturday)
Venue – DBH premises
Exhibition on the founding of the DBH, History, Pioneers, German Dharmaduta Society, and the Buddhist Mission to Germany from Sri Lanka.
Tour of the premises of DBH
Release of Festschrift
International Buddhist Conference – August 4, 2024 (Sunday)
Venue: Zehelendorf Community Hall or a Hall in Berlin – Tegel
Hosts – Das Buddhistische Haus and the German Dharmaduta Society
Historical Background and Rationale for holding the Conference
The success of Buddhism is mainly due to the Buddha. He taught universal truths applicable anywhere and at any time. He was an exponent of natural law. Buddhism starts with the knowledge of the known ‘Dukkha‘(suffering) and places emphasis on self–reliance for salvation. ‘Wander alone’ like a rhinoceros said the Buddha (“Khaggavisana Sutta: A Rhinoceros”). The current explosion of ‘Atheism’ in the Western world has its roots largely in the Buddhist teachings of Meditation and Mindfulness based on self–reliance without dependence on an external saviour. However, the survival of the Dhamma in its pristine form requires support and organizational help from time to time to enable the Buddha’s message to be preserved. Great personages have been born to protect and spread Buddhism.
Anagarika Dharmapala, the World’s first global Buddhist Missionary, delivered a far-reaching speech under the topic ‘The World’s Debt to the Buddha’ at the World Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893 and drew international attention to the Message of the Buddha. The Anagarika was particularly concerned with making Buddhism attractive to a Western audience.
Furthermore, the interest in Buddhism generated by the Buddhist Revival movement in Ceylon and the victories won by the Buddhists in the five great debates in Ceylon (especially the debate held in Panadura in 1873, known colloquially as the ‘Panadura Vadaya’) attracted Western scholars, professionals, writers and many qualified individuals to visit Ceylon, embrace Buddhism and follow the Buddhist way of life. Anagarika Dharmapala himself was present at the ‘Panadura Vadaya’ (1873) as a young boy of nine years. Colonel Henry Olcott and Madame Helena Blavatsky (from the USA) were the most prominent of the visitors from overseas. Their contribution to the cause of Buddhism is legendary.
Dr. Paul Dahlke
Dr. Paul Dahlke (Germany) was a successful Doctor practicing in Homeopathy Medicine. He falls into the category of visitors who traveled to Ceylon seeking a wider knowledge of Buddhism. However, he was exposed to Buddhist thought at the outset by the writings of the eminent German Philosopher, Artur Schopenhauer. Dr. Hellmuth Hecker, one of the Chroniclers of Buddhism in Germany, adds that Dahlke was not initially interested in Buddhism, but that Buddhism would not let go of him. Dahlke traveled to Ceylon in 1900 for the second time to study Buddhism. He embraced Buddhism on this visit. He visited Ceylon eight times.
He studied Pali and Buddhism at the Parama DhammaChethiya Pirivena, Ratmalana. He met highly reputed Buddhist teachers among them the monks Ven. Hikkaduwe Sumangala, Suriyagoda Sumangala, Nyananissara and Wagiswara. When World War I (1914 – 1918) intervened Dahlke was in Germany and could no longer travel to Ceylon as he had planned. His desire to lead the life of a Bhikkhu (monk) in a Buddhist Temple could not be realized due to the hot humid weather conditions in Ceylon. Alternatively, he led the life of an Upasaka in Germany.
After the end of WW I, with great determination and vision, Dahlke bought a plot of land (6 acres) in the scenic town of Berlin – Frohnau and commissioned the architect Max Meyer to build ‘Das Buddhistische Haus’ using symbols of Theravada Buddhist architecture prevalent in Ceylon. He moved into the House in 1924. His activities comprised daily Buddhist meetings as well as presentations and publications. He died in 1928 and his remains were buried on the property of DBH.
He was a prolific Buddhist writer. Anagarika Dharmapala called Paul Dahlke one of the ‘most efficient and able pens’ for the Buddhist cause in Europe”.
Das Buddhistische Haus was originally meant to be a mid-way solution between a monastery and laymen’s habitation (Kurt Fischer). DBH is the oldest Theravada Buddhist Centre in Germany (and Europe). It is an architectural marvel that reflects the essence of Theravada Buddhist principles. The Dahlke family was in charge of DBH after the death of Dr. Dahlke. His sister Bertha Dahlke managed the premises with the help of Kurt Fischer (Dahlke’s Secretary) for a short time. However, in 1930 there was a rift with Bertha Dahlke, which led to Kurt Fischer and Lavinia Countess Monts founding their movement ‘Buddhistes Holzhouse’ in 1930 in Holzhaus on the site in competition with Bertha Dahlke.
Uposatha ceremonies were conducted when the opportunity arose at DBH (1928 – 1957).
Asoka Weeraratna is the next important figure in the History of Das Buddhistische Haus. As much as Paul Dahlke will be remembered for being the ‘Founder’ of DBH, Asoka Weeraratna will be remembered as the ‘Saviour’ of DBH.
In a seminal article on the state of Buddhism in Germany, ‘Buddhism and Buddhist Studies in Germany’, Maha Bodhi Journal, Vol. 79, (February – March 1971) page 99, Dr. Hans Wolfgang Schumann, a Chronicler of Buddhism in Germany, raises a significant question as follows: Shouldn’t Germans be grateful to Sri Lankan Buddhist Societies for giving organizational help at several critical periods of Buddhism in Germany and thereby helping in saving the flame of the Buddha Dhamma in Germany”?
Dr. Hans Wolfgang Schumann, answers as follows:
Another important Buddhist Centre is the ‘Buddhist House’ founded by Paul Dahlke in Berlin – Frohnau in 1924. It survived World War II in a dilapidated condition and probably would have been auctioned and dismantled if the Ceylonese ‘German Dhammaduta Society’ (founded in 1952) which inherited a large sum of money from a German Buddhist (Walther Schmits) had not come to its rescue. The GDS purchased the house in 1958, renovated it, and furnished it with additional rooms, and a well-stocked library, and Ceylonese Bhikkhus (monks) sent by the GDS took charge of regular lectures and meditation courses.” (Maha Bodhi Journal, Vol. 79) (March 1971).
Dr. Schumann further states: Asian Buddhist mission was successful. The organizational help that Asian Buddhist Societies, in particular Ceylon, in several critical periods, had extended saved the flame of the Dhamma in Germany. Isn’t this for the Germans’ reason enough to be grateful?”
Note
These are the words of an eminent German i.e., Dr. Schumann, crediting Asoka Weeraratna and the German Dharmaduta Society for helping save the flame of the Buddha Dhamma in Germany by rescuing Das Buddhistische Haus.
Asoka Weeraratna was a visionary Sinhala Buddhist (birth in the town of Galle). He had his early education at Mahinda College, a Buddhist Boys’ School established by Henry Olcott in 1892. Asoka was a partner of P.J. Weeraratna & Sons (a firm of Jewellers and Watch dealers) together with his elder brother Dharmasena Weeraratna (partner).
Asoka Weeraratna founded the Lanka Dhammaduta Society in Colombo on September 21, 1952, following a Business Trip to Europe in 1951. Disheartened heavily by what he saw on this trip – a devastated Germany and the misery of its people adversely affected by the effects of World War Two, Asoka Weeraratna decided to bring to Germany the Buddha’s healing message – the best gift that Asia could offer to the Western World i.e., the gift of the Buddha Dhamma.
Asoka led a band of enthusiastic noble Buddhists including the former Prime Minister Hon. Dudley Senanayake and with their blessings public support and a zealous fund-raising drive, Asoka Weeraratna succeeded in leading the First Buddhist Mission to Germany comprising Three Buddhist Monks Ven. Soma, Kheminda, and Vinita (all selected from the Vajiraramaya Temple in Bambalapitiya) in June 1957. The Mission on arrival in Berlin took up residence in Das Buddhistische Haus on July 02, 1957.
The next milestone in this remarkable story is the purchase of DBH from the family of Dr. Dahlke. Asoka Weeraratna bought the property of DBH after conducting elaborate negotiations with the relatives of Dr. Dahlke on December 13, 1957. There were several hurdles to clear concerning the purchase of the premises. There were three owners of the property of which one was a minor and therefore Asoka had to make a special trip to the island of Sylt (near Denmark) where he had to obtain sanction from the District Court for the sale of the minor’s share.
The ‘Observer’ (January 12, 1958) reported the acquisition of the DBH as follows:
Buddhists of Ceylon have taken a great stride forward in establishing the Buddha Sasana in Germany and other countries of the West. They have acquired the famous Frohnau House in West Berlin which will become the first Vihara and permanent Buddhist Settlement in Europe. The German Dharmaduta Society acquired the premises from the heirs of Paul Dahlke, pioneer of Buddhist work in Germany. He studied Pali and Buddhism at the Parama Dhamma Chetiya Pirivena at Ratmalana. After his return to Germany, he led the life of an Upasaka and devoted his time to the dissemination of Buddhism among the German people. He is the author of several scholarly works on Buddhism”.
Today
Ever since 1957, Buddhist Monks from Sri Lanka have taken up residence at DBH for the propagation of Buddhism in Germany and the West. Dhamma discourses, Meditation Retreats, and Mindfulness teaching are a few of the many forms of disseminating the wisdom of the Buddha to Europeans as well as non–Europeans. This is happening regularly at DBH.
The resident monks have braved the cold weather, the different varieties of food, and other challenges that confront visitors from Asian countries to Europe. The Govt of Sri Lanka and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Berlin have been extending unstinted support and patronage to the work of DBH and the GDS (since its founding in 1952 beginning with the then-former Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake).
The Dayakayas (patrons) constitute Germans and other European and non–European nationalities and last but not least the members of the Sri Lankan (Sinhala) community of Berlin and other parts of Germany. Their cooperation is wholeheartedly welcomed and gratefully appreciated.
The transformation of DBH into a modern and much improved Centre for the propagation of Theravada Buddhism with monks brought over from predominantly Buddhist countries, mainly Sri Lanka, constitutes a watershed in the history of Buddhism. If it wasn’t for the vision and boundless energy of ‘Weera Asoka’ and his German Dharmaduta Society we would not be having a Maha Viharaya of Berlin (DBH) being the oldest Theravada Buddhist Temple in Europe, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of DBH founded by Paul Dahlke.
Several new developments have taken place in the last couple of years at DBH. Berlin Maha Viharaya (colloquial Sinhala term for DBH) also functions as a Dhamma School for school children and is equipped with IT facilities to facilitate the teaching of the Dhamma. The number of students is growing. The Berlin Vihara thereby provides an immeasurable service to the whole world. The teaching faculty includes volunteers who are well qualified and multilingual i.e., German, English, and Sinhala.
Being able to participate in an event that commemorates the services rendered in the last 100 years (1924 – 2024) by the Maha Viharaya (DBH) is a great honour. The Berlin Maha Viharaya dedicates itself to continuing to spread the teachings of the Buddha in Europe with piety and in the interest of the well-being of humanity and all other living beings.
The Aims and Objectives of the Conference
a) The Conference aims to bring together participants from leading Buddhist institutions worldwide to focus attention on the scope for the spread of Buddhism and the challenges faced in such endeavours including the protection and preservation of Buddhism in traditional Buddhist countries.
b) The Conference will provide a platform for scholars, practitioners, and devotees to read papers, engage in meaningful discussions, share insights, and foster fellowship and a sense of unity and collaboration among the global Buddhist community.
c) The Conference will discuss the key issues and barriers that stand in the way of the propagation of the Dhamma in Western countries amidst the rapidly changing political and religious landscape in Europe. It will also support the
1. Buddhist contribution to world peace and harmony, and
2. Give an insight into the history of the Buddhist House (Das Buddhistische Haus) and the service it has rendered in the last 100 years.
d) Questions for long-term evaluation
1. Critical review of current activities and developing an outlook for the coming years
2. How should GDS/DBH want to distinguish itself from the many other Buddhist institutions in the future (what are our unique points?)
Conference Participants
The Conference is intended to bring together Buddhist leaders, Buddhist research institutions, scholars, and the General community.
Program
Exhibition Venue:
The exhibition will be held at the temple premises on 03rd August 2024 (Saturday) with a focus on the establishment, history, and pioneers of the DBH at various stages of its history.
Conference Venue:
The Conference will be held at an outside venue (preferably Zehlendorf community hall or a hall in Berlin – Tegel) on 04th August 2024 (Sunday).
02nd August 2024 (Friday)
Arrival of Participants and check-in to the hotels
03rd August 2024 (Saturday)
07:30 am – Breakfast
09:30 am – Gathering at the Temple and Registration for the first day.
09:45 am – Welcome remarks and Opening Ceremony.
10:00 am – Official commencement of the Exhibition
11:00 am – Dana meal for the monks and nuns
12:30 pm – Lunch for the laypersons
04:00 pm – Meditation program for all participants
06:00 pm – Tea Break
07:00 pm – Evening chanting
08:00 pm – Dinner for the laypersons
04th August 2024 (Sunday)
07:30 am – Breakfast
09:30 am – Gathering at the Temple and Registration for the second day
10:30 am – Lunch time for the monks and nuns
Noon 12.00 p.m. – Lunch time for laypersons
01:00 pm – Departure from the Temple to the Conference Hall.
03:00 pm – Commencement of the Conference.
06:00 pm – Conclusion.
06:30 pm – Departure from the Hall to the accommodations
Refreshments
08:00 pm – Offering tea for the monks and nuns / Dinner for the laypersons
05th August 2024 (Monday)
07:30 am – Breakfast
09:00 am – Sightseeing tour for the guest participants.
Note: – The monks, nuns, and lay persons who participate in the ceremony as the invitees may depart on the same day to your countries or choose to travel wherever you would like to visit by yourself. This is the last day that we are responsible for the accommodation of those who arrive from other countries. If you want to continue to stay longer, you may reside in the Temple, but let us know about it in advance. We provide accommodation in the Hotels only until the 05th of August. You have to check out from the Hotels on the 06th of August before noon.
Minister of Environment, Sri Lanka State Minister of The Envkironment, Sri Lanka Minister of Power and Energy, Sri Lanka
Your Excelleny, The President of Sri Lanka, State Minister of the Environment and Minister of Power and Energy,
I wish to send to you a plea made by Prof. Rohan Pethiyagoda about the lack of an environment assessment in the authorization of the Wind Power generation project in the Mannar region where we have a wealth of migrating birds arriving to nest and avoid the colder winds of the winter in the northern regions. A large number of these birds including protected birds are severely endangered by the transmission lines and the grave risk faced by these birds in flying past these tall wind turbines being erected by the Adani Group of India.
Furthermore, Prof. Rohan Pethiyagoda has drawn attention to the premium Sri Lanka swill be paying for the power that would be produced by the Adani Group for which Sri Lanka will be required to pay nearly five times the cost of production of the energy by 52 turbines in US Funds for the next 25 years when Sri Lanka is faced with a foreign currency crisis.
No proper environmental assessment has been carried out, and it is a unwise step taken which will tie future generation to pay the billions of US Dollars for about 6 percent of our energy needs.
Please look into this matter urgently and take immediate steps to restore normal procedural means and not be carried over to please any party as the terms of the contract are adverse to Sri Lanka’s interests.
A meeting between Chinese Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (CASMCE) and Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena was held today (25.04.2024) at the Temple Trees. Attention was paid onto expansion and trade investments in renewable energy, vehicle manufacturing, agricultural technology, paper and printing related fields. Mr Ren Xinglei, President of CASMCE, said that the Chinese people are very happy about the Prime Minister’s visit to China and expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the visit. Mr Xu Xiang, Vice President of CASMCE said that there is potential to invest in the development of industries related to solar power, wind power and biomass energy in Sri Lanka. The Prime Minister pointed out the possibility of exporting high quality cinnamon to China and the possibility of giving priority to the import of electronic vehicles. MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, and many Chinese entrepreneurs including officials of the Chinese Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and a group of officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, the Ministry of Industry and Sri Lanka Board of Investment also participated in this event.
At an event held to mark the fifth anniversary of the Easter Sunday suicide bombings, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith made the following allegations against me.
That the day after the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the Easter Sunday attacks was handed over to me, I had spoken to the Cardinal over the phone and said that I had difficulties in implementing the recommendations in that report as it would entail the arrest of individuals and even the banning of organisations that were supportive of me.
That I had delayed giving the Cardinal a copy of the first volume of the Presidential Commission report and that I had not given him the remaining volumes.
That I had appointed a six-member cabinet sub-committee to selectively implement only a few of the recommendations made by the various Committees and Commissions appointed to inquire into the Easter Sunday attacks.
That I had transferred the CID officers investigating the Easter Sunday attacks and even imprisoned one such senior officer in order to sabotage the investigation.
With regard to the first allegation, I categorically state that I did NOT speak to the Cardinal over the phone after the Presidential Commission report was submitted to me and tell him that the recommendations of the Presidential Commission could not be implemented because that would entail the arrest of people and even the banning of organisations allied with me. It is a well-known fact that the Muslim community in general did not vote for me or support my candidacy at the Presidential election, so I cannot possibly have had any allies in any organisation that would need to be banned over complicity in the Easter Sunday attacks.
As for the second allegation, the report of the Presidential Commission was handed over to me on 1 February 2021. Having studied it myself and referred it to the Attorney General, it was handed over to the Speaker of Parliament on 23 February 2021 and by 1 March 2021 copies had been given to the Venerable Mahanayaka Theras, the Cardinal and the Catholic Bishops. There was no delay in handing over the report to the Cardinal.
After the Presidential Commission of Inquiry submitted its report, I appointed a six-member Cabinet Sub-committee to prioritize and apportion to the relevant government departments and agencies the task of implementing the recommendations in the reports of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry and the Select Committee of Parliament on the Easter Sunday attacks. Those familiar with public administration will know that the departments and agencies of the government cannot act without such instructions from the Cabinet.
In November 2019 the then Director of the CID was transferred by the Police Commission on the recommendation of the then IGP. That was by the Police Commission appointed under the 19th Amendment by the previous government. A few weeks later this officer was interdicted by the Police Commission over an investigation into the leaked recordings of his telephone conversations with the then Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake regarding the influencing of judges in an ongoing High Court case. Several months later, he was remanded by the Courts over an investigation into the alleged fabrication of evidence in a criminal case concerning a former police DIG. Hence, I reject the allegation that I transferred the CID Director and even placed him in remand custody in order to sabotage the Easter Sunday investigation.
This particular CID Director had been appointed to that office in 2017 and he continued to hold that position for over seven months after the Easter Sunday attacks. In the months prior to the Easter Sunday attacks, it was the CID that investigated the Vavunativu murders, the vandalizing of Buddha statues in Mawanella and the discovery of explosives in Wanathavilluwa involving the very same individuals and groups that perpetrated the Easter Sunday attacks. The Presidential Commission has observed that if the law enforcement authorities had been more vigilant, Zaharan and his group could have been apprehended before the Easter Sunday attacks took place. The failure to prevent the attack was a failure of the CID under that Director.
In his speech mentioned above, the Cardinal accused me of not having brought the perpetrators of the Easter Sunday bombings to justice. However, criminals have to be brought to justice not by politicians but by the police, the Attorney General’s Department and the Courts system working together. That process is now ongoing and according to the media, 93 persons are now facing legal proceedings in court for offences relating to those suicide bombings.
The Easter Sunday attacks were perpetrated by a group of Islamic extremists. The highest investigative arm of the then government – the CID – had for several months prior to the attacks, been investigating the activities of the very same individuals and groups that carried out the suicide bombings but failed to apprehend the terrorists before they struck. The public should take good note of the fact that His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith either glosses over the responsibility of, or expressly absolves the two parties mentioned above, while continuing to relentlessly attack and criticize me over the Easter Sunday suicide bombings.
ENGALURU : Sri Lankan shares closed higher on Thursday, driven by gains in financial and industrial stocks.
* The CSE All Share index settled 1.4 per cent higher at 12,075.98, gaining for three straight sessions.
* LOLC Holdings and John Keells Holdings were the top gainers on the CSE All Share, rising 5.6 per cent and 2.4 per cent, respectively.
* Trading volume on the index fell to 141.70 million shares from 207.60 million shares in the previous session.
* The equity market’s turnover rose to 2.91 billion Sri Lankan rupees ($9.8 million) from 2.51 billion rupees in the previous session, according to exchange data.
* Foreign investors were net sellers, offloading stocks worth 299 million rupees, while domestic investors were net buyers, purchasing shares worth 2.62 billion rupees, the data showed.
Construction sites of commercial buildings are seen as the sun sets in Colombo, Sri Lanka April 24, 2024. Picture taken through a glass window. REUTERS/Dinuka Liyanawatte/ File photo
BENGALURU : Sri Lanka’s economy is expected to grow by 3 per cent in 2024 after it reduced interest rates amid easing inflation, its central bank said on Thursday, as the country navigates its escape from its worst financial crisis in decades.
The island nation’s economy contracted 2.3 per cent in 2023 after also shrinking the previous year as the country plunged into its worst financial crisis since independence from Britain in 1948 and following a fall in its foreign exchange reserves to record lows in early 2022.
“The country has not fully exited the crisis, there is no space available for any slippages from the committed path,” the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said in the report.
However, the central bank lowered interest rates in March in a bid to prioritise growth after keeping its policy rates unchanged in January to tame inflation.
The country is also attempting to allay a debt crisis.
The government rejected a proposal by international bondholders to restructure more than $12 billion in debt last week, delaying its efforts, but has pledged to resume negotiations.
Sri Lanka’s central bank said it is paramount that the country stick to its Extended Fund Facility agreement with the International Monetary Fund and complete its debt restructuring process, according to a report it issued on Thursday.
Ms Jayanthi Gamage spent her weekends attending virtual lessons and pockets of free time were dedicated to studying. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
SINGAPORE – Ms Jayanthi Gamage was at work in August 2023 when an e-mail from the University of London arrived in her inbox.
It included the word Pass”, which marked the end of her seven-year journey to complete a law degree and a dream come true for the then domestic helper.
Describing the 43-year-old Sri Lankan’s journey as a long” one makes light of it. It spanned two countries thousands of kilometres apart, and saw her juggling her studies over several years while working as a domestic helper in Singapore.
A job as a helper here earned her twice as much as her previous job as an audit assistant in Sri Lanka did, Ms Gamage told The Straits Times. So three years after starting her law course, she decided to leave the comforts of home in 2019 to fund her degree.
She quashed any qualms of venturing to a foreign country for the first time, as she was determined to make her childhood dream come true. Law is a calling, said Ms Gamage, who failed the entrance exam to Sri Lanka Law College 10 consecutive times from 2000.
It was a very long journey and took a lot of hard work,” Ms Gamage, now a supervisor at a cleaning company, told ST.
My emotions can’t be put into words but now I know when there’s a will, there’s a way.”
Challenges in a foreign land
Ms Gamage burnt the midnight oil aplenty and rarely had time for herself. She spent her weekends attending virtual lessons and pockets of free time were dedicated to poring over study material.
I didn’t buy any lipstick or make-up – none of those things. Every dollar was saved for my degree,” she said.
Even during tough times, Ms Gamage always found a silver lining. I looked at everything as a new learning experience,” she said.
I thought I probably felt things were difficult because I had never faced such situations before.”
But the Sri Lankan, who described herself as someone who doesn’t cry a lot”, had crumbled in moments when she longed to reunite with her parents.
Ms Gamage’s father, a driver, and her mother, a housewife, were always supportive despite being normal people”. Even though they didn’t have a good education themselves, they knew the value of education.”
She was looking forward to reuniting with her family after her first employment contract expired in 2021. But Covid-19 hit, and borders shut, leaving Ms Gamage unable to return home.
That was her lowest point”, she said. I missed them a lot. I felt stuck, I feared for my parents and their health… I had many of these thoughts.”
Ms Gamage was also running a race against time. She had to complete her degree in eight years and had left Sri Lanka with seven modules to finish.
Ms Manjit Kour (left) often found her then domestic helper Jayanthi Gamage revising her work at the dining table late into the night. ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
She worked for her first employer in Singapore for two years from February 2019, but was able to complete only a single module during the period of her contract as she had to care for an infant.
I was scared that the baby would wake up and cry during the night, so I would be in the living room or his room most of the time. It was very difficult to return to my room and study.”
Ms Gamage was desperate for an employer who would understand her plight and allow her to pursue her degree.
Finding a perfect fit
A person Ms Gamage hailed as an angel” entered her life late in 2020 – Ms Manjit Kour, a retired public relations professional.
Ms Kour was greatly supportive of her employee’s academic pursuits. She would often tell the latter to study once the household chores were completed and check on her progress regularly.
I put a premium on education – I believe that when you have education, you can advance in life,” said Ms Kour, 72.
A woman, especially, needs to stand on her own two feet and achieve something for herself.”
She even set reminders in her mobile phone to alert her whenever Ms Gamage’s exam results were released.
I’d always ask her, ‘When are your results coming out?’ I’d put them in my calendar and ask her in the morning,” she said.
When Ms Kour went on a month-long holiday to Australia less than two months before Ms Gamage’s final exams, she told her then employee to focus on her studies when she was away.
Ms Gamage said Ms Kour was the miracle” she was praying for.
She added: It’s very rare to find someone who has this level of understanding. She’s like a mother caring for her child’s education. All I can say is I’m blessed.”
Ms Kour was one of the first people she shared her final results with.
Ms Kour said: I’m overjoyed for her. It’s a big achievement to come to Singapore, work as a domestic helper and reach this milestone.”
She recalled the many times she would spot Ms Gamage revising at the dining table into the wee hours of the morning. She would be listening to her lectures playing in the background while cooking dinner,” added Ms Kour.
She had so much focus and put in the hard work – all credit goes to her.”
Seven years later, with a degree under her belt, Ms Gamageinsisted the journey and its takeaways were well worth the sacrifice.
Ms Jayanthi Gamage started her law course at the University of London in 2016 and completed it in 2023. PHOTO: COURTESY OF JAYANTHI GAMAGE
But she has less reason to celebrate as her visa application to attend her April 30 graduation ceremony in London was rejected by the British authorities.
Since I can’t make it the first time, I’ll save money and plan for next year,” said Ms Gamage, explaining that her application was rejected as she was deemed to have insufficient finances.
I believe that achievements should be celebrated. I really want to wear the graduation hat and gown.”
She has no plans to stop furthering her education and has set her sights on adding a master’s degree from the National University of Singapore to her portfolio.
Obtaining her bachelor’s degree has already reaped dividends for Ms Gamage, in terms of a promotion.
President Ebrahim Raisi has stated improved relations between Iran and Sri Lanka in various fields would benefit the two countries and the Indian Ocean region.
Raisi made the remarks in a joint press conference with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe in the Island nation’s capital of Colombo on Wednesday.
He said that Iran is ready to supply technical and engineering services to Sri Lanka to help the country boost its economic and industrial infrastructure.
The president made the comments hours after he opened a large hydroelectric project in Badulla, located some 230 kilometers to the east of Colombo. The Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project, which is worth over $500 million, has been largely designed and built by Iranian companies to help Sri Lanka overcome its electricity and irrigation problems.
He stated Iran had progressed in various fields of technology over the past years despite being subject to a harsh regime of foreign sanctions.
He added that Iran and Sri Lanka will soon form an intergovernmental committee to significantly boost their trade and economic ties.
The Sri Lanka president, for his part, said in the joint press conference with Raeisi that his country has relied on Iran’s support to weather a major economic crisis in recent years.
Wickremesinghe stressed that Sri Lanka and Iran had agreed during Raeisi’s visit to teh country to cooperate more on issues related to the Indian Ocean and on joint initiatives in the United Nations.
He added that five memorandums of understanding signed earlier in the day between Sri Lankan and Iranian government ministers would lead to a further expansion in relations between the two countries.
Raisi arrived in Colombo early on Wednesday after a three-day visit to Pakistan and as part of his administration’s drive to boost ties with Asian countries. The short visit to Sri Lanka is the first by an Iranian president in 16 years.
Chinese state energy giant Sinopec is pushing for greater access to Sri Lanka’s market, where rival India is also seeking to expand its presence, as it looks to build its first fully-controlled overseas refinery, reflecting a change in the firm’s global strategy to compensate for slowing demand growth at home.
Sinopec, the world’s largest oil refiner, is expected to complete a feasibility study by June for a plant at the Chinese-run Hambantota port, after winning Colombo’s approval last November, two senior industry sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
While the China-based sources say the investment, which Colombo pegged at $4.5 billion as the country’s largest-ever foreign investment, is commercially driven, neighbouring India is pushing a rival plan to build a fuel products pipeline to the island nation southeast of the subcontinent.
Sinopec’s effort to build a refinery with a more domestic orientation rather than the export-focused project sought by Sri Lanka, which has not previously been reported, puts it in direct competition with India’s interests in expanding its role as an energy supplier to the country. New Delhi-run Indian Oil Corp is the No.2 fuel supplier to the country, after Sri Lankan government-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corp.
India’s foreign ministry and Indian Oil Corp did not respond to requests for comment.
Sinopec, which has not publicly spelled out its strategy, is prioritising the Sri Lanka investment and another in Saudi Arabia under a newly launched investment arm, in an effort to leverage its expertise and deep pockets to expand globally as oil demand nears its peak in China as economic growth slows and electric vehicle adoption widens, the sources said.
Sinopec’s efforts mark a new trend in Chinese oil and gas investments abroad after mergers and acquisitions dried up to just $344 million in 2023, a fraction of the record $31 billion in 2012, according to LSEG data, following the 2014/15 oil price collapse and as Beijing tightened scrutiny over the finances of its national oil giants.
Sinopec is working to finalise details including the plant’s size and product configuration, while negotiating with Colombo over terms including greater access to the import-reliant Sri Lankan market, an element key for its final investment call, the sources said.
The south Asian nation, grappling with a dearth of foreign exchange, has sought a refinery that would deliver 20% of its fuel domestically and export the rest to generate much-needed hard currency.
Sri Lanka’s power and energy minister, Kanchana Wijesekera, told Reuters on Friday that the government is sticking to that requirement.
Sinopec, however, believes domestic sales would be more profitable, the two sources said, declining to be identified as the matter is not public.
The company is considering either a 160,000 barrel per day (bpd) plant or two 100,000-bpd plants built in phases, which in either case would be geared towards gasoline and diesel fuel, the sources said.
Sinopec declined comment.
FULL CONTROL
Sinopec sees Hambantota as among its top-priority projects, alongside a multi-billion-dollar plan to expand a refinery into a petrochemical complex at the Red Sea port of Yanbu in a joint venture with state-run Saudi Aramco, the two sources said.
Compared to its half-owned, higher-cost Yanbu plant built a decade ago and designed to supply the U.S. market, Sinopec could fully leverage its expertise in refinery design, engineering and operation in the Hambantota venture and thus cap overall costs.
Sinopec has in recent months sought more flexible terms for the project’s domestic marketing share but Colombo has not budged.
Sri Lanka’s only existing refinery, the 38,000 bpd Sapugaskanda plant commissioned in 1969, supplies less than 30% of its fuel needs.
Minister Kanchana told Reuters he expects Sinopec to sign an investment agreement by June.
CHINA VS INDIA
China and India are increasingly vying for influence in Sri Lanka.
In 2022, India funnelled in about $4 billion of assistance during Sri Lanka’s worst financial crisis in decades.
Since last year, New Delhi has proposed various energy connectivity” projects including a $1.2 billion subsea power line and a fuel pipeline linking India with Sri Lanka’s Trincomalee port on the east coast, Sri Lanka Power and Energy Ministry Secretary Sulakshana Jayawardena said in late February.
India is also deepening its involvement in Sri Lanka’s power sector with solar projects and grid connectivity.
Their dependency on China is not there in energy supplies,” said an Indian official directly aware of the pipeline discussions, declining to be identified because he is not authorised to speak with media on the subject.
That is a sector where we have a significant stake. That will increase with the pipeline,” the Indian official said, adding that there has been significant progress on discussions for the multi-product pipeline, with the two sides seeking to formalise the arrangement as soon as possible”.
China is a comparative latecomer to Sri Lanka but has since 2010 ploughed $6.7 billion into building the Hambantota port, highways and the country’s only coal power plant in Norochcholai. At Hambantota, state-owned China Merchants Group owns 85% of port operator Hambantota International Port Group under a 99-year lease and earlier this year agreed a $392 million deal to build a logistics and storage hub in Colombo port under Beijing’s sprawling Belt & Road Initiative.
Last September, Sinopec started a fuel import and distribution business in Sri Lanka with 150 petrol stations, sourcing fuel mostly from Singapore, which Colombo expected to save the government about $500 million in foreign exchange over the next two years.
Today (25.04.2024), a significant meeting took place between Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and representatives from the China Association of Small and Medium Commercial Enterprises (CASMCE) at the Temple Trees.
The meeting focused on discussions surrounding the expansion and trade investments in various sectors, particularly renewable energy, vehicle manufacturing, agricultural technology, as well as paper and printing-related fields.
Mr Ren Xinglei, President of CASMCE, said that the Chinese people are very happy about the Prime Minister’s visit to China and expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the visit.
Mr Xu Xiang, Vice President of CASMCE said that there is potential to invest in the development of industries related to solar power, wind power and biomass energy in Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister pointed out the possibility of exporting high quality cinnamon to China and the possibility of giving priority to the import of electronic vehicles.
MP Yadamini Gunawardena, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, and many Chinese entrepreneurs including officials of the Small and Medium Commercial Enterprises and a group of officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, the Ministry of Industry and Sri Lanka Board of Investment also participated in this event.
In a bid to bolster their respective boating and yachting sectors, Sri Lanka and Singapore have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Chamber of Marine Industries of Sri Lanka (CMISL) and the Singapore Boating Industry Association (SBIA).
The signing ceremony, held on April 22, saw Indhra Kaushal Rajapaksa, Chairman of CMISL and Vice President of Sri Lanka Singapore Business Council, and Y.P. Loke, Chairman of SBIA, formalizing the agreement. Witnessing the signing were notable figures including Senarath Dissanayake, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Singapore; Arthur Tay, Chairman of One 15 Marina; Darren Vaux, President of International Council of Marine Industry (ICOMIA); and, Yasantha Yaddehi, Minister (Commercial) of the High Commission of Sri Lanka.
Facilitated by the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore, the negotiations culminated in both parties acknowledging the MoU as an initial stride toward fostering collaboration and positive relations in the boating sector.
Speaking on the occasion, the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Singapore emphasized that the partnership between CMISL and SBIA sets the stage for a dynamic and thriving business environment, promising mutual growth and prosperity.
In a scathing rebuttal of allegations by Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith regarding the Easter Sunday attacks, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said Cardinal Ranjith either glosses over the responsibility of, or expressly absolves the two parties actually involved in the terrorist strikes.
Cardinal Ranjith made the following allegations against former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at a recent media conference:
• That the day after the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on the Easter Sunday attacks was handed over to me, I had spoken to the Cardinal over the phone and said that I had difficulties in implementing the recommendations in that report as it would entail the arrest of individuals and even the banning of organisations that were supportive of me.
• That I had delayed giving the Cardinal a copy of the first volume of the Presidential Commission report and that I had not given him the remaining volumes.
• That I had appointed a six-member cabinet sub-committee to selectively implement only a few of the recommendations made by the various Committees and Commissions appointed to inquire into the Easter Sunday attacks.
• That I had transferred the CID officers investigating the Easter Sunday attacks and even imprisoned one such senior officer in order to sabotage the investigation.
In response, Mr. Rajapaksa said, With regard to the first allegation, I categorically state that I did NOT speak to the Cardinal over the phone after the Presidential Commission report was submitted to me and tell him that the recommendations of the Presidential Commission could not be implemented because that would entail the arrest of people and even the banning of organisations allied with me. It is a well-known fact that the Muslim community in general did not vote for me or support my candidacy at the Presidential election, so I cannot possibly have had any allies in any organisation that would need to be banned over complicity in the Easter Sunday attacks.
As for the second allegation, the report of the Presidential Commission was handed over to me on 1 February 2021. Having studied it myself and referred it to the Attorney General, it was handed over to the Speaker of Parliament on 23 February 2021 and by 1 March 2021 copies had been given to the Venerable Mahanayaka Theras, the Cardinal and the Catholic Bishops. There was no delay in handing over the report to the Cardinal.
After the Presidential Commission of Inquiry submitted its report, I appointed a six-member Cabinet Sub-committee to prioritize and apportion to the relevant government departments and agencies the task of implementing the recommendations in the reports of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry and the Select Committee of Parliament on the Easter Sunday attacks. Those familiar with public administration will know that the departments and agencies of the government cannot act without such instructions from the Cabinet.
In November 2019 the then Director of the CID was transferred by the Police Commission on the recommendation of the then IGP. That was by the Police Commission appointed under the 19th Amendment by the previous government. A few weeks later this officer was interdicted by the Police Commission over an investigation into the leaked recordings of his telephone conversations with the then Deputy Minister Ranjan Ramanayake regarding the influencing of judges in an ongoing High Court case. Several months later, he was remanded by the Courts over an investigation into the alleged fabrication of evidence in a criminal case concerning a former police DIG. Hence, I reject the allegation that I transferred the CID Director and even placed him in remand custody in order to sabotage the Easter Sunday investigation.
This particular CID Director had been appointed to that office in 2017 and he continued to hold that position for over seven months after the Easter Sunday attacks. In the months prior to the Easter Sunday attacks, it was the CID that investigated the Vavunativu murders, the vandalizing of Buddha statues in Mawanella and the discovery of explosives in Wanathavilluwa involving the very same individuals and groups that perpetrated the Easter Sunday attacks. The Presidential Commission has observed that if the law enforcement authorities had been more vigilant, Zaharan and his group could have been apprehended before the Easter Sunday attacks took place. The failure to prevent the attack was a failure of the CID under that Director.
In his speech mentioned above, the Cardinal accused me of not having brought the perpetrators of the Easter Sunday bombings to justice. However, criminals have to be brought to justice not by politicians but by the police, the Attorney General’s Department and the Courts system working together. That process is now ongoing and according to the media, 93 persons are now facing legal proceedings in court for offences relating to those suicide bombings.
The Easter Sunday attacks were perpetrated by a group of Islamic extremists. The highest investigative arm of the then government – the CID – had for several months prior to the attacks, been investigating the activities of the very same individuals and groups that carried out the suicide bombings but failed to apprehend the terrorists before they struck. The public should take good note of the fact that His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith either glosses over the responsibility of, or expressly absolves the two parties mentioned above, while continuing to relentlessly attack and criticize me over the Easter Sunday suicide bombings,”
Colombo, April 24: The one-day visit of the Iranian President Dr.Ebrahim Raisi to Sri Lanka on Wednesday, brief though it may be, has great economic, political and, most importantly, strategic significance.
The primary purpose of Dr.Raisi’s visit is to sign five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs). Dr. Raisi and the Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe will also participate in a public ceremony to mark the inauguration of the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP), a joint venture.
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But since 2013, Iran has been subtly using its economic ties with Sri Lanka to build a strategic partnership with the island nation.
According to Michael Rubin of the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), Sri Lanka and Iran could be strategic partners, with Iran wanting its navy to have a wider reach since 2011.
Iranian outreach to Sri Lanka took advantage of Sri Lanka’s frustration with the West, Rubin explains in his piece on Iran-Sri Lanka relations published in 2016.
Between 1983 and 2009 Sri Lankan forces fought a war against the Tamil Tiger separatists, a war which the West opposed. But Iran supported the Sri Lankan government’s military operations.
Rubin points out that when the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon agreed to appoint a special panel to investigate human rights violations by Sri Lanka during its final military drive to eradicate the Tamil Tigers, Iranian Minister of Transportation Ali Nikzad lambasted the UN panel, describing it as a paper tiger” and a pet of the Western nations.”
Nikzad further said: If any organization or country takes action that will harm Sri Lanka, Iran will always very strongly oppose such a move.”
The then Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called his Sri Lankan counterpart to congratulate him on successfully ending the war sand remind him that Iran had always supported Sri Lanka’s unity.
Mottakki also said: Iran is sincerely committed to the development of Sri Lanka, whom we consider to be a true friend.”
In April 2008 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Colombo and declared that Iran and Sri Lanka both sought justice and fair play in the world,” and pledged further cooperation
Military Ties
Rubin said in his article in the American Enterprise Institute that the first Iranian flotilla docked in Colombo in February 2013. Then, on 20 December 2013 Iran’s 28th Naval Flotilla, comprising two warships, a submarine, and a combat helicopter, arrived in Colombo.
The Iranian submarine commander Rear Admiral Siavash Jareh said that one of the goals of the deployment was to show the Islamic Republic’s power and wave its flag in the southern hemisphere and to prepare for forthcoming operations to secure sea lanes in critical regions, especially the Strait of Malacca and Bay of Bengal.”
In 2015 Iran sent a destroyer and an auxiliary ship to Sri Lanka. Iran also offered to train Sri Lankan naval cadets in Iran.
Adm.Jayantha Perera, the then Commander of Sri Lanka’s Navy, reportedly said that Sri Lanka’s relationship with Iran is not just military but also political,” and said that the Iranian port visit at Colombo would strengthen the bilateral partnership.
According to Rubin, in 2005, just weeks after the tsunami struck the island, Iran supplied USD 150 million worth of weaponry to Sri Lanka.
On February 21 this year, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, held talks with the President of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo. Abdollahian stated that Iran’s economic and industrial sectors, including the Ministry of Energy, are prepared to develop cooperation with Sri Lanka.
Referring to Iran’s strategic position, the Sri Lankan President said that Sri Lanka considers Iran as a gateway to Central Asia and called for increasing economic interactions with Iran.
Growing Economic Ties
The political and strategic ties between Iran and Sri Lanka are founded on fruitful economic cooperation.
The Iranian-Lankan Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP) which is to be inaugurated by Dr.Raisi and the Sri Lankan President on Wednesday, is one of the largest irrigation projects in Sri Lanka and the largest Iranian-Lankan project in the island.
UOMPD’s primary objective is to alleviate water scarcity in the south-eastern dry region by redirecting an annual average of 145 million cubic meters (MCM) of excess water from the Uma Oya basin to the Kirindi Oya basin. About 4,500 hectares of new land and 1,500 hectares of existing agricultural land in the dry Monaragala District will receive irrigation water.
Parts of Badulla, Monaragala, and Hambantota districts will also benefit from 39 million cubic meters (MCM) of water for drinking and industrial purposes, while generating and adding 290 GWh of electrical energy annually to the National Grid.
The project encompasses the construction of two reservoirs at Puhulpola and Dyraaba, and a conveyance tunnel spanning 3.98 kilometers to connect the two reservoirs.
In 2007, the then Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa made an epoch-making visit to Iran and signed MoUs on development projects worth more than US$ 1.9 billion. The following year Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Sri Lanka and inaugurated a US$ 750 million project to upgrade Sri Lanka’s Sapugaskanda petroleum refinery.
Iran had agreed to provide no interest credit terms for petroleum purchases (approximately USD 700 million) and stated that it would finance the Uma Oya Project (USD 450Mn).
When Ahmadinejad became President of Iran, Sri Lanka was the first country he visited on his inaugural Asian tour. Alarmed, the US State Department expressed concern over the growing economic relationship between Colombo and Tehran.
Iran’s Deputy Oil Minister Roknoddin Javadi said that Iran was prepared to provide 40,000 to 45,000 barrels per day, enough oil to supply Sri Lanka’s main oil refinery.
The Sri Lanka and Iran epoch-making ‘tea-for-oil’ barter agreement is now making strong progress and Sri Lanka has already settled payments to the tune of over USD 20 million to Iran.
This agreement was to settle a total of USD 250 million for purchases made by Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) for oil imported from Iran in 2012”, said Chairman Sri Lanka Tea Board (SLTB) Niraj de Mel in a special interview with ‘Daily News Business’.
Since then we have made very strong progress and up to December 2023 we have settled around USD 20 million,” de Mel said.
In 2016 Iran used some of its hard currency windfall to lease Sri Lankan Airlines airplanes, effectively helping Sri Lanka’s national carrier to reduce its US$ 1 billion debt, Rubin said in his article. Institute.
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Iranian President Dr. Ebrahim Raisi jointly inaugurated the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP) on Wednesday (24).
Dr. Raisi arrived on the island nation on Wednesday morning via the Mattala International Airport, where he was accorded a warm welcome by Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.
His visit comes after a special invitation extended by his Sri Lankan counterpart, marking the first visit of an Iranian President to Sri Lanka since former President Dr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit in April 2008.
Shortly after his arrival, President Raisi participated in the public ceremony marking the inauguration of the UOMDP which aims to alleviate water scarcity in the southeastern dry region of the country by redirecting an annual average of 145 million cubic meters (MCM) of excess water from the Uma Oya basin to the Kirindi Oya basin.
Owing to this project, approximately 4,500 hectares of new land and 1,500 hectares of existing agricultural land in the Monaragala district will receive irrigation water, the government said in an earlier statement.
Moreover, the areas of Badulla, Monaragala, and Hambantota will benefit from 39 million cubic meters (MCM) of water for drinking and industrial purposes, while generating and adding 290 GWh of electrical energy annually to the National Grid.
Thanks to the UOMDP, approximately 4,500 hectares of new land and 1,500 hectares of existing agricultural land in the Monaragala District will receive irrigation water. Moreover, the areas of Badulla, Monaragala, and Hambantota will benefit from 39 million cubic meters (MCM) of water for drinking and industrial purposes, while generating and adding 290 GWh of electrical energy annually to the National Grid.
The project encompasses the construction of two reservoirs at Puhulpola and Dyraaba, a conveyance tunnel (Link Tunnel) spanning 3.98 kilometers to connect the two reservoirs, a 15.2-kilometer-long Head Race Tunnel, Surge Shaft, Pressure Shaft, Underground Powerhouse, Switchyard, Transmission line, Tailrace Tunnel, and related infrastructure.
Pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) executed between Sri Lanka and Iran on 27 November 2007, the Cabinet of Ministers had approved the execution of the contract agreement between the executing agency, Ministry of Irrigation and Water Management of Sri Lanka and Farab Energy and Water Projects (Farab Company) of Iran dated 28 April 2008 to implement the UOMDP by Farab Company, as an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract.
The total contract sums amount to USD 514 million and the contract became effective on 15 March 2010. Initially, the Export Development Bank of Iran (EDBI) funded USD 50 million until 2013. However, due to international sanctions on Iran, they were unable to continue providing funds for the project. Therefore, the Sri Lankan government decided to proceed with the project using government funds while continuing with the same contractor, Farab Company.
When UOMDP commenced on 15 March 2010, its scheduled completion date was 15 March 2015. However, due to various factors such as technical issues, particularly unexpected water ingress into the Headrace Tunnel (HRT), social impacts, financial challenges, and disruptions caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic during the construction period, the completion date has been extended to 31 March 2024.
Additionally, the overall duration of the project, including the defect and liability period, has been extended to 31 March 2025.
The project completed its commissioning phase in February and March 2024, successfully synchronizing Units 01 and 02 with the national grid. It then proceeded to complete its trial operations on 1 April 2024.
The UOMDP involves significant engineering challenges, particularly due to the 700-meter difference in height between Bandarawela and Wellawaya. Adjusting the tunnel route at such a height is a complex task. Additionally, the construction of a deep pressure shaft to channel water onto turbines is an unprecedented feat.
Following the completion of the UOMDP, the project components will be transferred to the operating authorities, namely the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka (MASL). This transition will occur after the Ministry of Irrigation takes over the project components from the contractor.
Once electricity is generated, the water is directed through a tunnel to the Alikota Ara Reservoir, built across a tributary of the Kirindi Oya. From there, it is further diverted to the Handapanagala Reservoir, which has been expanded threefold as part of the project.
Additionally, water is channelled to the new Kuda Oya Reservoir, currently under construction on the right bank. These reservoirs facilitate irrigation in areas such as Wellawaya, Maharagama, Thanamalvila, and Balaharutha in the Monaragala District.
An irrigation system spanning over 60 meters in length is currently being constructed. It is anticipated that this system will supply irrigation water to 1,500 hectares of already cultivated land and an additional 4,500 hectares of newly developed land, supporting agricultural activities in both the Yala and Maha seasons.
The Uma Oya Downstream Development Project, facilitated directly by the Irrigation Department, is poised to alleviate the longstanding water scarcity issues in the Kirindi Oya Basin. Under the guidance of the government, officials have been directed to execute an integrated agricultural development initiative leveraging modern technology to optimize water utilization.
Additionally, the UOMDP has effectively addressed the challenge of supplying water for both domestic and industrial purposes in the Bandarawela and Wellawaya regions.
Ashifa Kassam European community affairs correspondent Courtesy The Guardian
Critics of Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa say behind remarks is lack of national recognition that slavery should be discussed in schools
Portugal needs to pay the costs” of slavery and other colonial-era crimes, the country’s president has said, in a rare instance of a European leader seemingly backing the need for reparations.
Portugal has long grappled with calls by campaigners to address its legacy as the European country with the longest historical involvement in the slave trade. During the span of four centuries, nearly 6 million Africans were kidnapped and forcibly transported across the Atlantic by Portuguese vessels.
Those who managed to survive the voyage were enslaved and forced to toil on plantations in the Americas, mostly in Brazil, while Portugal and its institutions profited from their labour.
The country’s president, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, said at an event with foreign journalists on Tuesday that Portugal takes full responsibility” for the wrongs of the past and that those crimes, including colonial massacres, had costs”.
We have to pay the costs,” he said. Are there actions that were not punished and those responsible were not arrested? Are there goods that were looted and not returned? Let’s see how we can repair this.”
The remarks came one year after Rebelo de Sousa said Portugal should apologise and assume responsibility” for its role in the transatlantic slave trade, though he stopped short of providing any concrete details or a full apology.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa told an international audience that Portugal ‘takes full responsibility’ for the wrongs of the past. Photograph: Pedro Nunes/Reuters
In both instances, the president’s remarks were made primarily to international audiences, said Paula Cardoso, the founder of the Afrolink online platform for Black professionals in Portugal.
Behind this international strategy is the lack of national recognition that this topic should be discussed,” Cardoso said in an email. Kids are still learning at schools that Portugal was an excellent coloniser, that the country ‘discovered’ other countries, and that Portuguese people are so unique that they mixed with different cultures as if no violations occurred.”
She agreed on the need for reparations, arguing that Portugal must pay the costs of being the creator of the transatlantic slave trade, of a culture of dehumanisation of Black bodies”.
She said practical actions to fight the systemic and structural racism that arose from this and that continued to colour the country today were also needed.
We don’t even collect data on ethnicity to start with,” said Cardoso. We are not even discussing the past, accepting that we must confront different historical narratives to consider the negative impact of the so-called Discoveries Age. So, how is Portugal taking full responsibility?”
The Portuguese president’s remarks come after the United Nations human rights chief added his voice to the African and Caribbean countries calling for amends to be made over slavery and colonisation.skip
On reparations, we must finally enter a new era,” the high commissioner for human rights, Volker Türk, said last week at a UN forum on people of African descent. Governments must step up to show true leadership with genuine commitments to move swiftly from words to action that will adequately address the wrongs of the past.”
Between the 15th and 19th centuries, at least 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped into slavery and forcibly transported long distances by mainly European ships and merchants.
European leaders for the most part have sought to steer clear of meaningfully addressing the call for reparations. When the government of the Netherlands apologised for its role in the transatlantic slave trade in 2022, it said a €200m (£172m) fund to address this past would not be used to compensate descendants but instead spent on initiatives such as education and addressing the present-day impacts of slavery. Germany has been chastised for excluding the ethnic minorities who were murdered by the tens of thousands from talks over reparations.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Rebelo de Sousa said he believed that acknowledging the past and taking responsibility for it was more important than apologising. Apologising is the easy part,” he said.
In continuation of his association with the National University of Singapore’s Institute of South Asian Studies (ISAS), Former Cabinet Minister, Ambassador and Founder of the Pathfinder Foundation, Milinda Moragoda, has been recently designated as a Honorary Senior Fellow by the institution.
The ISAS was established in 2004 as an autonomous research institute at the National University of Singapore. Its establishment reflects the increasing economic and political importance of South Asia and the strong historical links between South Asia and Southeast Asia. The institution, dedicated to research on contemporary South Asia, seeks to promote understanding of this vital region and to communicate knowledge and insights about it to policy makers, the business community, academia, and civil society in Singapore and beyond.
High-ranking officials from around the world gathered in Saint Petersburg for the 12th International Meeting on Security Matters from April 22nd to 25th, 2024. This prestigious event serves as a platform for global leaders to discuss and address pressing security challenges facing nations today.
One notable highlight of the meeting was a bilateral discussion between the Secretary Defence of Sri Lanka General Kamal Gunaratne and Mr. Nikolai Patrushev, Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation. The meeting underscored the importance of fostering international cooperation and collaboration in addressing security threats and promoting peace and stability in the region.
The discussions covered a wide range of topics, including counterterrorism efforts, cyber security and defence cooperation. Both parties expressed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and exploring avenues for enhanced cooperation in the security domain.
The 12th International Meeting of High-Ranking Officials Responsible for Security Matters provided a valuable opportunity for participants to exchange insights, share best practices and forge partnerships aimed at addressing common security challenges facing the global community.
The exposition of the Sacred Omniscient Relics of Deegawapiya Stupa and the Crest-Gem takes place at Sri Lanka Army Infantry Training Centre, Minneriya for public veneration. These revered articles will be on public display there until the morning on April 27.
Subsequently, these revered articles will be on display at the Hingurakgoda Buddhist Centre from April 27 to 29, at Hingurakgoda Jayamaha Pirivena from April 29 to May 1, at Polonnaruwa Medamaluwa Monastery from May 1 to 3 and at Polonnaruwa Gal Vihara from May 3 to 5.
Devotees have the opportunity to witness and worship the Sacred Omniscient Relics and Crest-Gem at these locations on the mentioned dates. They also can support this meritorious act by making financial contributions to the restoration project.
Iranian President Dr. Ebrahim Raisi and President Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in one-on-one discussions followed by a bilateral meeting between representatives of both nations at the Presidential Secretariat. The discussions culminated in the signing of five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) aimed at enhancing bilateral relations.
These MoUs cover various sectors including film, media, tourism, cooperatives, libraries, and cultural, scientific, technical, and sports fields, signaling a commitment to comprehensive cooperation between Iran and Sri Lanka.
The agreements include:
Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation between the National Library of Sri Lanka and the National Library and Archives of Iran
Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the film industry between the National Film Corporation of Sri Lanka and the Ministry of Cultural and Islamic Guidance of Iran
Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of media and tourism between Sri Lanka and Iran
Agreement on a program of cultural, scientific, and technical cooperation, mass media, youth, and sports between Sri Lanka and Iran
Memorandum of Understanding between the National Co-Operative Council of Sri Lanka and the Iran Chamber of Cooperatives
Additionally, both nations shared positions on two crucial issues during their discussions. Firstly, they called for an immediate cessation of bombings by the Zionist Israeli regime against the innocent people of Gaza. Secondly, they pledged to promptly provide humanitarian assistance to the affected individuals in Gaza, underlining their commitment to humanitarian principles.
This collaborative effort highlights the deepening ties and mutual cooperation between Iran and Sri Lanka, paving the way for enhanced diplomatic relations and solidarity in addressing pressing global issues.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, the rice distribution program for the beneficiary families that belong to the Colombo Divisional Secretariat division was held on 22.04.2024 at Sri Wickramarama, Mattakkuliya, symbolizing the national program of providing rice to low income-earning families. The Prime Minister addressing the event commented …
“The necessary environment is being created to build a future where the people and children of Colombo can live confidently. As the first step, we have started programs to ensure their food safety.”
Colombo District Secretary Mr. K.A. Wijesiri mentioned that…
“Under this program, implemented nationwide at the Grama Niladhari division level, Aswesuma beneficiaries, kidney aid recipients, recipients of allowance for disabilities, Samurdhi beneficiaries, elderly allowance recipients and other beneficiaries for various illnesses are qualified for this. The government is spending 126.1 billion rupees to distribute rice to 3.9 million families. One hundred and eighty three thousand selected families in Colombo district alone are entitled to this benefit.”
Colombo Development Committee Chairman, MP Yadamini Gunawardena stated at the event that…
“When we started this program last year, there were various obstacles and problems. When we came forward hurdling those obstacles, we have identified an important piece of information. More than ten thousand families in the city of Colombo, who has benefitted by all the financial systems of our country, do not have any bank accounts. In the main commercial city of Sri Lanka, the main city where Sri Lanka deals with the world, the city with a history going back thousands of years, the fact revealed that more than ten thousand families in that city do not engage with any bank, is an achievement of this program.
Every time the Prime Minister was elected to the Parliament, he came to this area from time to time and worked to provide relief and benefit to the public for various work. When he was the Minister of Urban Development and Water Supply, he provided housing, housing construction concessions, and water. In this way he did a great service to the people of Colombo. When the Ministry of Public Administration was taken over, the Food Security Program was started. It is with the hope of ending the era of huge queues in our country. At that time, we went to every district of Sri Lanka to ensure providing nutrition of everyone from small children to adults in our country. It is an honor to visit this area without forgetting it, which has the highest poverty statistics in the Colombo district. Another step in the program, starting to secure food for the people who lived from house to house during the epidemic, and it is being implemented today in Samitpura area, north of Colombo. Samitpura was formed by resettlement during the non-aligned summit. That was fifty years ago. Today, fifty years later, we are working to bring these areas back to a winning goal.”
Anu Nayaka of Ramanna Maha Nikaya Ven. Matale Kusaladhamma Thera, Chief Incumbent of Sri Vikramaramaya, Colombo Divisional Secretary Sandaruwan Anuruddha, government officials, beneficiaries and residents participated in this event.
