Indo-Canadian relations were disrupted after Canada alleged that Indian intelligence assassinated a Sikh terrorist in Canada. Prof. Rohan Gunaratna wrote the foreword to Stewart Bell’s ‘Cold Terror: How Canada Nurtures and Exports Terrorism Around the World.’ India’s largest-selling English news magazine Weekly interviewed Prof. Gunaratna on Canada offering sanctuary for terrorists. Contrary to what the Indian media expected, Prof. Gunaratna said Canada and India should start to work together to deny sanctuary to terrorists and their supporters.
As a specialist in global security affairs, Prof. Rohan Gunaratna believes that international security and intelligence services should shift from counter-terrorism cooperation to collaboration. The key is to build common databases, exchange personnel, conduct joint training and operations….” says Gunaratna, who has authored more than 30 Books, including Sri Lanka’s Easter Sunday Massacre: Lessons for the International Community (2023). At a time when India and Canada are at loggerheads over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, leader of the Khalistan Tiger Force, his advice for countries is to resolve their differences behind the scenes, rather than fight.
Excerpts:
Q: How has Canada earned the tag of an immigrant country?
A. Canada is the world’s most favoured country for migrants…. Immigrants compensate for the labour shortage, an ageing population and a declining birth rate. They make up more than one-fifth of the Canadian population―more than 8 million of the 36 million Canadians―and non-permanent residents add almost another million. As per the 2021 census, more than half (4.3 million) had migrated from Asia, with India, the Philippines and China leading the way. About two million migrated from Europe, a million from North and South America and more than eight lakhs from Africa (led by Morocco, Nigeria and Algeria). The recent immigrant population of over 1.3 million people shows a trend towards more immigrants of Asian and African descent. The immigration from the Americas, Europe and Oceania is on the decline.
Q: There are concerns over inimical elements from various countries entering Canada over the years.
A. Canada hosts people from around the world, including from conflict regions. The migrants mostly live in ethnic and religious enclaves. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has steadfastly expanded immigration, which has enhanced his popularity and electability. Under Trudeau, immigration has increased to four lakh new residents per year, and Canada plans to welcome five lakh permanent residents each year by 2025. About 40,000 asylum seekers entered Canada through irregular border crossings from the US alone in 2022. Like all governments, Canada is screening all the applicants. However, due to the sheer volume of applicants, a few thousand former terrorists and criminals have infiltrated. The Canadian intelligence and law enforcement agencies need to work in close collaboration with foreign counterparts to prevent acts of terrorism and crime.
Q: What are Sri Lanka’s concerns over LTTE activities on Canadian soil?
A. The LTTE clandestinely raised funds in Canada and procured weapons from the US, Ukraine and North Korea, which were then used to bomb the Central Bank in Colombo in 1996. The bombing killed 91 people and injured 1,400 people…. It is not too late to trace and prosecute the masterminds and fundraisers, but Canada and Sri Lanka should work together on this case to send a clear message that terrorism will not be tolerated. The largest Sri Lankan population outside the island is in Canada. The Sri Lankan Tamil community migrated to Canada in three stages: before, during and after the war. Most migrants have become Canadian citizens and they lead respectable lives. A few hundred are supporting the LTTE in an attempt to revive the group. Over the years, the Sri Lankan government has been working closely with Canada. Despite some issues, it is vital for Colombo and Ottawa to maintain cordial relations.
Q: The 9/11 terror attack was a wake-up call for the United States. Do you think all countries need to recognise terrorism as a global threat?
A. The 9/11 attack by Al-Qaeda on US soil demonstrated that terrorists can operate across borders and strike their enemies at will. The US mounted operations overseas to find, fix and finish their enemies. After 9/11, the US also created a new architecture to protect its homeland. Otherwise, the US would have suffered gravely. For instance, the Department of Homeland Security spent billions of dollars to create fusion centres and shared intelligence [with other countries]. Unless governments learn and adapt to the new and emerging threats, their countries will continue to suffer.
Q: What is the way forward?
A. With the global reach of threat groups increasing, international security and intelligence services should shift from counter-terrorism cooperation to collaboration. The key is to build common databases, exchange personnel, conduct joint training and operations, and share information, resources, experience and expertise. Rather than fight, they should resolve their differences behind the scenes.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to leave for China tomorrow (Oct. 14) on an official visit.
During his stay, Wickremesinghe will attend a conference in Beijing, taking place on October 17 and 18, to mark the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
He is also slated to call on Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping for bilateral discussions, Ada Derana learns.
he Supreme Court has determined that the decision of ‘Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya’ (Our Power of People Party or OPPP) to expel Venerable Athuraliye Rathana Thero from the party is not legally valid.
The verdict was delivered when the petition filed by Rathana Thero was taken up before Supreme Court Justices Buwaneka Aluvihare, Janak de Silva and Murdu Fernando today.
Disciplinary committee of the political party had announced the decision to revoke Rathana Thero’s party membership, by way of a letter dated October 15, 2021.
The petitioner’s legal counsel told the court that the OPPP’s disciplinary committee is not authorized to take disciplinary action against his client as per an agreement he had entered into with the OPPP as the head of the organization called ‘Vijaya Dharani Jathika Sabawa’.
After taking into account the submissions presented before the court, the judge bench determined that the OPPP’s decision to oust Rathana Thero from the political party was unlawful, thus nullifying the OPPP’s move.
The Log standing friendship between Bharath and Sri Lanka
We, as Sri Lankans whole hardheartedly, welcome the rise of Bharath Dhesh in 2014 without any reservation. Because Bharath is the fountain of our present unique Sinhala Buddhist civilization. Vijaya the founder father of the Sinhala race came from North Bharatha in 543 BC and the living core of our extant civilization that is Buddhism also was introduced in 307 BC to this country by the North Bharatha. We also join hands with her in her battle against the colonial repression and oppression. But it is high time, that she stops its ‘blow hot and cold policy” towards this country and also trying to play the policeman role in the region. She has no right to tell us as to with whom we could have diplomatic or any other relationship like economic, cultural or any other relation with any country she does not like. The best example is our relationship with China. For example, what right on earth does India has to tell us that we should not give entry permission to a Chinese Ship either to one of our ports or our maritime territory as she has done recently.
To begin with India should accept that we are equals as free, independent and sovereign nations with her even though different in size (1/60th). I It is rue we have inherited a lot from mother Bharath from time immemorial. The main and the most precious thing being Buddhism, that 25 centuries old umbilical code between our two countries which marked the dawn of a new and unique Sinhala Buddhist civilization on this Island giving unique identity and heritage to this nation, that is called Sri Lanka. Its central location on this planet, as one Bharatha Purana grantha had asserted, “Bhoo madyayei ankiiyathithi lanka which means it was called Lanka as it was located at the centre of the earth.
It was Sri Lanka that provided a ready and safe and eternal home for original Buddhism on earth, permanently, when it disappeared from its land of Birth, Bharath. In this backdrop Bharath should be grateful to Sri Lanka for protecting that greatest world religion found by one of its greatest sons, the greatest human being born on this earth in the whole world for that matter, in its purest form by Sri Lanka, having documented it in books for the first time and carved on rocks and permanently injected in to the minds and hearts of the Sinhala people from the pre-Christian times, who had been the prime custodians of this great religion. On our part, as a nation, we are ever grateful to emperor Asoka another great son of Bharath for introducing Buddhism to this country. The Sinhala nation has protected this sacred doctrine and preserved it in its purest form in spite of repeated vandalism committed by Indias own South Indian people for centuries, starting from pre-Christian time reaching the climax in the 12th century AD by the Maga invasion, which completely destroyed all what had been achieved by the Sinhala Buddhists from the 6th C BC up to the 12th Century AD. In spite of all these tragedies the valiant and pious Sinhala Kings together with their subjects have preserved the vestiges of that great and unique Sinhala Buddhist civilization on earth for the world to admire. At the same time, Bharath should also be ever grateful to the Sinhala people in this country for fostering, preserving and protecting the message of the Budda, the greatest human being the world had ever produced anywhere on earth.
Under this backdrop we expect a resurgent Bharath to play the role of that great Emperor Asoka another son of Bhaaratha, the greatest Emperor the world had ever produced as H.G. Wells has once said. In this, backdrop we also expect the new NaMo Bharath that is going to be born soon to put an end to its ‘Blow hot and cold” policy not only towards Sri Lanka but also towards all its neighbors including Pakistan and treat all of them as equals. But it Is unfortunate that at present India has antagonized practically everybody around One good example is the breakdown of the SARC due to India’s boycotting.
We, As Sri Lankans are ever prepared to embrace Bharath as our elder brother, so long as it does not hurt us and try to change our identity as a Sinhala Buddhist nation by interfering with tour domestic politics at the instigation by the Sri Lankan Tamils. The relationship between our two countries should be one of equals as two distinct nations. Mutual respect should be underscored and it should be reciprocal. Also, she should clearly recognize that we are a separate sovereign country and not a part of India as they think.
The new nation that is going to be born as Bharath in 2024, at least, we hope will begin with a new and pragmatic approach towards its neighbors in a world of equals. We are also concerned about our independence and security as much as India is, about her own security and independence. Though small in size our Geo-strategic position, as an Island nation situated right at the center of the Indian Ocean where all the international maritime and air traffic meet and moves across is even more important than any other place in the whole world particularly in the emerging new world order as the busiest and the richest global hub on earth. We are also more open to the Indian Ocean than any other. We, as a free and sovereign nation we should have the right to decide on our own destiny to our own advantage as a nation without the interference of any other country in our internal matters. We extend our warm hands to everybody in the name of humanity.
The ugly bone of contention between Bharath and this country
The current ugly bone of contention between Bharath and this country is the Tamil question. It is their own creation mainly ignited by Tamilnadu in South India and sometimes the colonial West who wants to create regional instability. The South Indian Animosity towards Sri Lanka is chronic as we know. It may be that they find it difficult to change as it is deeply ingrained in their system coming down from the 2nd century BC. I think India should understand this historical reality before it takes wrong decisions and become unpopular in the region just to pacify the South Indian electorate for local political interests.
The Tamil question in this country it is twofold. The first is the traditional Tamil people who had been here for ages in the coastal areas in the north and parts of the East, with a component of those Malabar people who were brought here by the Dutch and British to work on their projects after late 17th century. The second category is those who were brought here by the British after 1840 as their labour force to work on the newly opened up Tea plantations on the central hills. These lands were owned by the native Sinhalese, until the British illegally grabbed them after 1840.. They were taken over by the British by force under draconian laws with no compensation either, displacing all the Kandyan Sinhalese en-masse, having killed in tens of thousands, who had been the owners of those lands from the time human civilization began on this land. They were made eternal destitute on their own motherland.
The Tamil labour were British citizens at the time of the British leaving the shores of this Island in 1948 who were left high and dry as an army of Stateless labour gang. Unfortunately, we did not have a local native leader who had the brain to ask the British to hand over our land that was taken over by them without any encumbrance by moving these laborers back to their motherland in South India from where they were brought. The first batch of these Indian laborers were brought by the British in 1838. They labored for the British as slaves to enrich the British empire. This process continued up to 1948. It was the British planters and people like Jeevan’s Thondaman’s grandfather who came in 1924 (11 years then) and his great grandfather Karuppiah who came in 1873 (13 years then) when families were fleeing in batches the villages in Madras in search of food and employment” to neighboring foreign lands. It was the British and the Indian labourers who really had benefitted from this human trafficking and certainly not this country as claimed by their present-day leaders and many others like the mad vote hungry unpatriotic politicians and trouble shooters the world over.
As such it is a big myth firstly, to say that these people have been here continuously for 200 years even by Presidents and Prime Ministers of this country, without verifying the authenticity of such data, and secondly, to say that they have heavily contributed to the economy of this country. In fact, this labor force had been an eternal liability to this country and the natives, right from the beginning as they were heavily subsidized by the British with money earned here to keep them here to increase their profits. The majority came here in search of food and employment and whatever they saved was repatriated annually to India, meanwhile people like Thodaman bought properties here as well as in India with the money earned from exports of Ceylon Tea and they amazed wealth in both countries.
The Tamil population living in this country, both the traditional and those imported by the British to work on their new plantations as coolies should never be a bone of contention between the two countries because by now, they are citizens of this land. India should not treat them as Indians any more. They are our people. As such India should not interfere or get involved in matters pertaining to them at least in future. Nor should India entertain their grievances either as it continues to do at the moment. This tantamount to Indian interference with Str Lankas internal matters. These Tamils should be told to settle their problems with the Sri Lankan government as they belong to Sri Lanka and not to India any longer. What India should do is ask the Tamil community to accept this county as their mother land and get integrated with the Sinhala natives as it had happened in the past and live happily as brothers and sisters without making unnecessary claims and without waging war to claim some one else’s land. If there are any who don’t want to do that and if they want to continue to treat India as their motherland, then they have no legal or moral right to subsist on the resources of the Island. It is high time that therefore India advises them to forget about the Vadukkodei declaration or the so-called Thimpu principles together with their dream Eelam in the north and east or Malayha on the hills of this country and learn to live with the native Sinhala people, who are the sons of the soil who found the civilization on this land millennia ago, fostered and protected it from all foreign invasions and live cordially so that reconciliation will automatically come them. If any one feels shy to so then there is no alternative but for them to go back to their original and true motherland in South India. Everyone should concede to that historical fact without any debate. Once that is done, this festering historical wound will be permanently cured.
The same formula applies to the plantation sector Tamils as well. If they also disagree then India should advise them to ask UK to carve out a part of the British Islands as they were brought here from India by them and they were British citizens when they were left behind in a foreign country high and dry as destitute when the British left this Island in 1948. In the alternative the best thing for India to do is to take them back as an additional headache of India if she is so genuinely concerned about their wellbeing, without trying to create a Tamil State called Malayaha, right on the heartland of this Island nation that belongs to the Sinhala nation as it had been so from the inception of history.
Coming back to the fishing problem persisting in the Manar bay why can’t India and Sri Lanka enter in to an agreement that the citizens of both countries should strictly abide by the internationally accepted condition that they should engage in fishing only within their territorial waters.
India also should desist from encouraging separatism and should stop dictating to us to do this and that. For example, the 13th A and their settlement policies. This problem will persist as along as that agreement is inked and implemented to its letter thereafter. The funniest thing is now that the Tamilnadu politicians want the Kachchathive Island also back as a part of the Indian subcontinent, that is 60 times the size of this tiny Island, as if its vast territory is not enough for them. Settling internal problems in India within its territory is their business, without making neighbors scape goats. On the other hand, asserting our position and protecting our independence is the bounden duty of our leaders. To quote from their own sources, even in Kautilya’s list of the three main duties of the State, the first is Rakka, that is the protection of the State against external invasion. We have no bone of contention with their right to protects its own territory. But we strongly object and protest against their well calculated intervention in our domestic affairs with a view to strengthen the pro Indian Tamil community in Sri Lanka and systematically weaken the native Sinhalese in the same way the British did for 133 years against the native Sinhalese. This well-planned intrigue is well displayed even when we look at the following well planned 8 agreements signed between the two countries.
1Modernisation of 27 schools in the Northern Province,
2 Housing projects in Mannar and Anuradhapura, and
3 Improvements to the Hatton Thondaman Vocational Training Centre and Pussellawa Saraswati Central College. Additionally, a
5 Establishment of 2,889 rainwater harvesting projects in the Jaffna region.
6 Efforts to promote vegetable cultivation in Dambulla and the construction of greenhouse facilities with a capacity of 5,000 tons for fruit preservation are also on the agenda.
7.A new surgical unit for the Batticaloa Teaching Hospital will be swiftly built to boost the healthcare sector.
8.In addition, a landmark agreement was reached involving the Indian National Dairy Development Board, the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation of India (Amul), and the Cargills (Ceylon) PLC.
Here you see out of a total of 8 projects 7 are designed to improve the Tamil community and their area. One can ask what about the Multi-ethnic trilingual school is slated for construction in Polonnaruwa Yes you can argue the way that suits you best. But my question is why a Multi-ethnic trilingual school in Polonnaruwa unless you have a subversive agenda up your sleeves, to facilitate the annexation of Polonnaruwa district to the Eastern Province in future.
Foreign fundings are always welcome. But what you do with that money and where you invest it is a matter that has to be decided by this country after evaluations recommended by local experts in the relevant fields followed by Cabinet deliberations and also approval by parliament perhaps.
But in this case, it is very clear that these project locations have been pre-decided by India with a long term subversive pro-Indian agenda. Even the selection of the participants proves this argument. Probably India has given a dead rope to the President who is eying at the next election.
I wonder whether this list of agreements is also a part of the Rajiv -JR Accord of July 1987?
Your Excellency the President Ranil Wickramasinghe. Hon Dinesh Gunawardane- Prime Minister, Hon Mahinda Rajapaksa – the Former President,
IMF RECIPE AND SRI LANKA’S FUNDS PARKED ABROAD.
All of you are shouldering the unenviable task of attending to the stabilization of the economy and we constantly hear of structural readjustment of the of the debt and the need
to increase the tax receipts etc, We, hear that more revenue is needed to meet the deficit. The Treasury Secretary said that ” the Government revenue has dipped from 22% to 8%
against the GDP while State expenses have gone up to 19%. He said, most of the government revenue must be reinvested to keep SOE’s that are in Red and pay public servants who are
employed in most of them. By divesting some of these SOE’s Sri Lanka can save huge amounts of ‘money’ that are channelled towards the upkeep of SOEs and they could be used for
other infrastructure projects and provide better facilities for health education and other key areas.”
While we are attempting to sell even strategically important SOE’s such as Telecom, the Ports etc to solve the acute issue of deficit, the Minister of Justice provided a solution which
if pursued. he said that “it will be possible to settle all debts which Sri Lanka owes to other nations” He mentioned the necessity of compelling the VIPs who have parked abroad
US $ 56 billion, including US $ 9 billion in 2023!
An average Sri Lankan who is striving hard to make the ends meet and fighting heavy odds to keep the head above the water is expecting an answer from you why the
export earnings and other remittances legally due to the country are allowed to be parked or invested overseas by a few business institutions and persons.
As a matter of extreme urgency, legislation should be approved or judiciary should be activated to give firm notice to the errant organizations and the personnel to bring back to the
country what is due, within a reasonable period.
While perusing rational solutions to create a balanced economy the consumption of luxury and semi luxury goods must be restricted while supporting local production and
Import substitution. The nation cannot forget that nearly 12.5% of its population is living in extreme poverty. Any further burden on this segment of the population by way of increased
cost of essential goods and services will only create social upheaval. The profit making and strategic Government managed organizations should not be sold as it is like selling the
family silver forcing the nation to keep on begging forever rather than utilizing these resources for effective national development,
I only hope that the pursuing ones responsible for diverting the foreign funds of Sri Lanka even as an essential measure will not clash with the IMF model which insists on.
State Minister of Defence Hon. Premitha Bandara Tennakoon made a visit to Imaduwa to inspect the landslide site today morning (Oct 12). He was accompanied by Army Commander Lieutenant General Vikum Liyanage and several senior army officers.
An earth slip had occurred last night on a section of the Southern Expressway between Pinnaduwa and Imaduwa causing obstruction to vehicular movement along the Southern Expressway.
State Minister Tennakoon while inspecting the damages caused by the earth slip gave necessary instructions to Army personnel to obtain expert opinion of National Building Research Organization (NBRO) and Road Development Authority (RDA) officials and take immediate action to clear the highway and enable vehicular movement as the region is experiencing continuous torrential rains and many areas are flooded causing hindrance to the day to day lives of people and widespread damages to property.
The State Minister had also instructed disaster management officials to take all necessary measures to provide relief to affected communities due to the adverse present weather conditions being experienced in the country.
The government yesterday said that it has reached an agreement on the key principles and indicative terms of a debt treatment with the Export-Import Bank of China (Exim Bank).
The Finance Ministry said that the agreement in principle covers around US$ 4.2 Bn of outstanding debt. The Ministry said that it constitutes a key step towards restoring Sri Lanka’s long-term debt sustainability and will pave the way to a prompt economic recovery.
In a press release, the Ministry said that the indicative terms agreed will provide the necessary fiscal space for Sri Lanka to implement its ambitious reform agenda.
The Sri Lankan Government commends the engagement and continuous support of China Exim Bank in reaching this agreement in principle, which demonstrates a mutual commitment in line with the goal/objective of restoring public debt sustainability consistent with the IMF-supported programme”, the release said.
Sri Lankan authorities are hopeful that this landmark achievement will provide an anchor to their ongoing engagement with the Official Creditor Committee and commercial creditors, including the bondholders.
It should also facilitate approval by the IMF Executive Board of the first review of the IMF-supported programme in the coming weeks, allowing for the next tranche of IMF financing of about US$ 334 million to be disbursed. Speaking in this regard, Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana said it was a big step” for Sri Lanka as it reached this landmark agreement in principle” on debt treatment terms with the island’s largest single creditor.
We thank China Exim Bank for the support in resolving our country’s debt situation. This agreement constitutes a key milestone in Sri Lanka’s ongoing efforts to foster its economic recovery.”
Over the next few weeks, the Sri Lankan authorities and China Exim Bank will be actively working on formalizing and implementing the agreed parameters of the debt treatment, the press release said.
LONDON : Sri Lanka’s private creditors have sent a proposal on how to restructure $12 billion of overseas debt, including a new type of bond designed to ease repayments in case of future economic pressure, said two sources with direct knowledge of the matter.
The country of 22 million people tipped into its first foreign debt default in May 2022, after a severe shortage of dollars triggered its worst financial crisis since independence from Britain in 1948.
The proposal sent on Oct. 2 provides a write-down, or haircut, on both capital and interest, added the sources who declined to be named because the talks are private.
It foresees issuance of regular sovereign bonds and also of so-called Macro Linked Bonds (MLBs), which will automatically lower coupon payments starting in 2027 if Sri Lanka fails to meet some of the economic targets linked to its International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.
Representatives for the government did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson representing the creditor committee did not reply to a request for comment.
The overall proposal includes an option for creditors that combines MLB notes with a regular bond and a second option of regular bonds with a Value Recovery Instrument (VRI), one of the sources said.
The MLBs were included to ensure the new instruments would be index eligible, the sources said.
Bonds included in an index generally have more liquidity.
The proposal would be a crucial step for Sri Lanka which, under the terms of a $2.9 billion IMF bailout secured in March, has to provide assurances of debt restructuring from bondholders and key bilateral lenders including China, Japan and India.
It would be the first time such step-down bonds are being used in a debt restructuring, the sources added.
The trigger of the step-down payments on the MLBs would be linked to indicators such as Sri Lanka’s gross financing needs (GFN) to gross domestic product (GDP) ratio and debt to GDP ratio, one of the sources said.
If the GFN/GDP ratio rises “above 4.5 per cent in 2027, coupons will adjust downwards”, the source added.
The restructuring proposal is based on parameters from the debt sustainability analysis that the IMF produced when it agreed the programme for the battered economy.
A copy of the proposal was also sent to the IMF and the Paris club secretariat, one of the sources said.
Bondholders and the government remain in discussions through financial and legal advisers, so they are still not restricted to trade the country’s securities.
As Israel continues to pound the Gaza Strip and terrorise some 2.3 million besieged Palestinian people since Saturday in response to what it calls a terror attack by Hamas resistance fighters, what comes to mind is a quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi: An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind”. The great non-violence advocate believed that revenge and retaliation could lead to a never-ending cycle of violence and destruction.
After the Hamas attack on Israeli civilian and military targets last Saturday, countries in the West and even in the non-aligned bloc — including Narendra Modi’s pro-Israeli India — have expressed their support for Israel’s retaliatory action even though Israel deliberately targets civilians.
Anyone who rushes to criticise Palestinians and back Israel’s right to self-defence either has no knowledge of the Palestinian quest for liberation or deliberately refuses to look at the current crisis through the lens of justice. The violence perpetrated by Hamas against civilians is reprehensible and should be unreservedly denounced, but such denunciation should equally be applied to Israel’s slayings of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the support Israel receives from its powerful allies.
It is unfortunate that nations that consider themselves civilised refuse to take stock of the Palestinian suffering throughout the century-old crisis when they, in solidarity with Israel, endorse the Zionist state’s crimes and asymmetrical retaliation which amounts to imposing collective punishment on millions of Palestinians living in squalid conditions in the Gaza Strip, a 365 sq. km area equivalent to half the size of the Colombo District. The territory is densely populated and regarded as an open-air prison, where the conditions are multiple times worse than the Jewish captivity in Babylon circa 6th century BC. Gaza is like a concentration camp where lives are sniffed out at the whims and fancy of Israeli leaders.
The support the West extends has encouraged Israel to undertake a scorched earth policy of decimating the Palestinian people. In the United States, the chief sponsor of Israel’s war crimes against the Palestinian people, politicians, from the President downwards, scrambled to show their loyalty to Israel. Nikki Haley, the former US ambassador to the United Nations and a potential Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election, tweeted on X, Finish them.” Hail Haley! Her words are equivalent to desiring a genocide of the Palestinian people or even a Holocaust.
In China, visiting US Congress delegation chief Chuck Schumer had the temerity to give lessons in diplomacy to the Chinese Foreign Ministry on how Beijing should conduct its foreign relations vis-à-vis Israel and Palestinians. It came after Beijing issued a statement calling for the de-escalation of the tension without condemning the Hamas attack. What is more shocking is the stance of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. In several of his statements since Saturday, he has desisted from issuing an unambiguous call for an immediate ceasefire. Such a subtle endorsement of Israel’s scorched-earth policy, which is, according to international prosecutors, a violation of international law, is inhumane, to say the least.
I agree that Hamas fighters attacking civilians at a musical festival is a horrific act of terrorism. It falls within all the definitions of terrorism, notwithstanding the dispute over claims that one’s terrorist is another’s freedom fighter. But the Hamas fighters also attacked Israeli military targets. This is legitimate resistance. So Hamas’ action was partly terrorism and partly resistance. But neither terrorism nor resistance operate in a vacuum. They come to the open when avenues of justice are denied. Both terrorism and resistance are contextual. While terrorism should be condemned, resistance should be supported.
The context for Hamas’s attack, whether it is called terrorism or resistance, is found in the century-old injustice imposed on the Palestinian people since the 1917 Balfour declaration by imperial Britain. Palestine was an Ottoman territory where Muslim and Christian Arabs lived in harmony with the territory’s Jewish minority. Throughout history, the territory has been multi-ethnic, but due to oft-quoted biblical narrations, a wrong perception is created that the territory is exclusively Jewish. Historians contest this claim and point out that Palestinian tribes had been living in harmony with the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the Edomites in the territory long before the Jews settled there after their exodus from Egypt in the 13th century BC. And even after that.
It is interesting to note a less-celebrated incident in Islamic history. When Caliph Umar visited Jerusalem after the city fell into Muslim hands in the 7th century CE, he asked the city’s Christian leaders where all the Jews had gone. Upon being told they had left the city due to the Byzantine persecution, Caliph Omar instructed the city officials to bring 70 Jewish families and resettle them in the city, which is holy to Jews, Christians, and Muslims. This event demonstrates Caliph Umar’s commitment to religious tolerance and coexistence between different religious communities.
But such favours are hardly returned. When Jews were exterminated by Adolf Hitler in Europe, they were protected and treated like brothers in the Muslim Middle East. After all, the Jews and the Muslims were united in monotheism. Jewish food is kosher for Muslims and there are no religious barriers for Muslims to marry Jewish women. Coming back to the context, the Hamas attack was the outcome of 17 years of blockade of the Gaza Strip and more than 70 years of humiliation of Palestinians living under occupation in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The crisis is aggravated by never-ending illegal Jewish settlement-building activities that shrink the Palestinian land (see map), violence by armed Israeli settlers, denial of access for the Palestinians to the Al-Aqsa mosque, desecration of Christian holy places, killings of Palestinian people including children (on average 30 Palestinian deaths a month are recorded this year before the latest flare-up), bulldozing of Palestinian homes and incarceration of Palestinian children who should be in schools instead of in prisons. Add to the list the restrictions on accessing water, tax revenue, and export income.
Yet, the Palestinians are denied the right to resist, a right recognised by international law. When Ukraine found its territory occupied by the Russians, the West rushed to arm the Ukrainians, including the pro-Nazi groups, so that they could kill the Russians and liberate their country. When the West refuses to recognize the Palestinians’ right to resist occupation, it is nothing but unprincipled double standards or slavish obedience to Zionism, which shapes our thoughts through big-time media groups its members own. There is very little explanation in the Western media on the root causes of the conflict. The media portrays the conflict as a clash between two equally powerful states. The correct description of the crisis – the violent suppression of Palestinian resistance by Israel, a nuclear weapon state – is rarely mentioned. Resistance never dies. Resistance cannot be equated with terrorism. Calling resistance terrorism is itself a form of terrorism.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has proposed that Sri Lanka should adopt the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) outlook of the Indo-Pacific as two distinct oceans and prioritize freedom of navigation and undersea cables in the Indian Ocean.
Delivering the keynote address at the 11th edition of the Galle Dialogue; International Maritime Conference, which aims to strengthen regional maritime cooperation and formulate a global strategy to face common challenges in the maritime domain.
The conference commenced at the Jetwing Lighthouse Hotel today (12 Oct.) under the theme ‘Emerging New Order in the Indian Ocean.’
Delivering the keynote address, President Wickremesinghe began by commending the Navy for recommencing the Galle Dialogue after the COVID-19 break. He emphasized the importance of rethinking the focus of the Galle Dialogue in light of the changes brought about by the pandemic.
The President pointed out that the focus should primarily be on the Indian Ocean and its surrounding areas. He acknowledged the role of Dr. Ram Madhav, a pioneer of the Indian Ocean Conference, in drawing attention to the region. President Wickremesinghe highlighted the uniqueness of the Indian Ocean as a civilization rather than a construct, emphasizing its rich history, diverse cultures and religious significance.
He then discussed various global constructs, such as the Asia Pacific, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Indo-Pacific and how they differ from the Indian Ocean’s cultural and historical context. He stressed that the Indian Ocean represents a political entity, given its history and role in recognizing non-European sectors of the world as colonialism collapsed.
The President also discussed the economic significance of the Indian Ocean, predicting that development would shift from East Asia and the Asia Pacific to the Indian Ocean, India, Bangladesh, and Africa. He mentioned Africa’s potential for significant economic growth by 2050. President Wickremesinghe underlined the importance of ports and their role in the evolving global trade landscape, emphasizing Sri Lanka’s strategic location and the development of key ports like Colombo, Trincomalee and Hambantota. He urged a long-term perspective on these developments and their global implications.
The President also discussed the changing dynamics in sports and noted that various nations from this region are expanding their influence in cricket and football. He emphasized the interconnectedness between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean.
In conclusion, President Wickremesinghe proposed that Sri Lanka should adopt the ASEAN outlook of the Indo-Pacific as two distinct oceans and prioritize freedom of navigation and undersea cables in the Indian Ocean. He acknowledged that the emerging order could rapidly change due to global events and emphasized the need for wise leadership and diplomacy in addressing evolving challenges.
President Wickremesinghe’s speech provided a comprehensive perspective on the Indian Ocean’s unique place in global politics, culture and economics and its role in shaping the emerging new order in the region.
Meanwhile, during his speech at the Galle Dialogue, Dr. Ram Madhav, President of India Foundation, addressed the current global transformation, noting the emergence of a new world order following the pandemic. He described this new order as multipolar and heteropolar, emphasizing that non-state actors, including tech giants, global agencies, NGOs, transnational terror groups and spiritual and religious movements, would have a significant influence on people and nations.
Dr. Madhav also expressed his condolences for those affected by the conflicts in Eastern Europe and West Asia. He recognized Sri Lanka’s role in hosting the 23rd meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers and congratulated President Ranil Wickremesinghe on assuming the Chairmanship of IORA, with India as the Vice Chair. Dr. Madhav emphasized the importance of developing IORA as a platform for promoting sustainable development, economic growth and stability in the region and he called for a commitment to creating a free, open and inclusive region guided by the rule of law, where sea lines are not used for piracy, overexploitation, or terrorism. He also expressed hope that the efforts by leaders like President Ranil Wikremesinghe would result in establishing the Indian Ocean’s distinct identity and role in the emerging world order.
Minister of Ports and Civil Aviation Nimal Siripala de Silva, Minister of State for Defence Pramita Bandara Tennakoon, Governor of the Southern Province Willy Gamage, Senior Adviser to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff to the President Sagala Ratnayaka, Defence Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne (Rtd), Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, Army Commander Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage, former Navy Commanders and other senior officers of the Navy attended the event.
A special report on the real state of the affairs in Sri Lanka’s conflict is set to be presented before the President, MP Sarath Weerasekara, Chairman of the Sectoral Monitoring Committee on National Security revealed.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) on Thursday (12 Oct.), Weerasekara emphasised that the report was compiled in a bid to address the constant accusations of war crimes levelled against Sri Lanka during every United Nations Human Rights Council held in Geneva.
He further noted that the relevant report ‘comprehensively outlines the genuine circumstances surrounding the conflict in our nation’.
We have taken these accusations seriously and acted accordingly. It is crucial to understand that Sri Lanka experienced a non-international armed conflict. Therefore, our committee has promptly compiled a report elucidating the nature of the conflict within our borders. Our foremost objective is to present the Geneva Human Rights Council with an accurate depiction of our current situation”, he said in this regard.
MP Sarath Weerasekara further said;
National security holds immense significance for a nation. It is imperative to foster an environment where the citizens can lead their lives free from fear and uncertainty. Moreover, ensuring a robust national security framework is crucial to attracting investment opportunities.
National security encompasses not only physical safety but also economic stability, food security, environmental protection and personal well-being. Shockingly, over the past decade, road accidents have claimed the lives of approximately 27,000 individuals, surpassing the toll of 29,000 casualties during the thirty-year war. Regrettably, road accidents have become distressingly common in our country.
In addition, the scourge of drugs poses a considerable threat to our national security. Energy and public health also fall within the purview of national security concerns. Terrorism, extremism, the drug epidemic and underworld activities are challenges faced by all nations. However, it is the government’s solemn duty to address these issues in a manner that does not disrupt the lives of its citizens.
As a committee, our dedicated efforts are focused on making the most substantial contributions to bolster our nation’s security. We categorize terrorism rooted in separatism and extremism stemming from terrorism as physical threats.
Russia and Vietnam intend to deepen their cooperation in the field of energy, including the supply and joint production of oil and gas resources, the development of the coal industry and cooperation in the electric power industry. There are also plans to modernize and build new energy facilities in Vietnam. This information was provided by the Russian Ministry of Energy, TASS reports.Photo: Openverse
As part of the Russian Energy Week, Russian Energy Minister Nikolay Shulginov met with Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and signed protocols to existing intergovernmental agreements. These agreements are aimed at developing geological exploration and production of oil and gas on the continental shelf of Vietnam.
The head of the Russian Ministry of Energy also emphasized significant progress in the field of renewable energy.
Agreements have been reached between Russian and Vietnamese companies on the construction of wind farms in Vietnam,” he noted.
Prof. Sudharshan Seneviratne, Executive Director General, IORA Sri Lanka Secretariat
Sri Lanka is the designated Chair of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) from 2023 to 2025. The 23rd meeting of the IORA Council of Ministers will be held today (11). The Committee of Senior Officials was held from October 9-10, 2023.
In 2023 October Sri Lanka will assume the IORA Chair and present its theme as ‘Strengthening Regional Architecture: Reinforcing Indian Ocean Identity’. This presents Sri Lanka’s vision and mission for IORA and its partner countries. Based on the above agenda, the meetings will focus on sustainable economic growth, environmental stability, management of marine resources, maritime security, blue economic opportunities, disaster resilience and climate change, technical and vocational education and training promoting industry sector skills councils.
Sri Lanka occupied the Chair in 2003 and again has the opportunity to provide its engagement towards a sustainable coexistence to one of the largest seascapes. Its member states are rich in cultural diversity and complex collections of languages, religions, traditions, arts and cuisine including a wide variety of valuable natural resources. In the course of these two years, Sri Lanka invites its partner countries to join hands in its endeavour to strengthen regional structure and its identity.
The concept of IORA originated with the vision of President Nelson Mandela (during his visit to India in 1995). His vision encapsulated the ‘concept of an Indian Ocean Rim for socio-economic cooperation’. It was realized with the founding of IORA in 1997 as an inter-governmental organisation formed to foster regional economic cooperation.
Six priority areas have been identified as priorities for the work of IORA:
* Maritime Safety and Security (MSS); * Fisheries Management (FM); * Academic, Science and Technology Co-operation (ASTC); * Trade and Investment Facilitation (TIF); * Disaster Risk Management (DRM); * Tourism and Cultural Exchanges (TCE).
* Blue Economy and Women’s empowerment are recognized as cross-cutting issues
*ORA also devised flagship initiatives such as The Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD); The Somalia and Yemen Development Programme (SYDP); The IORA-Nelson Mandela ‘Be the Legacy Programme’; The IORA-UN Women Women’s Economic Empowerment Project; IORA Sustainable Development Programme (ISDP). Of these, the Indian Ocean Dialogue is held annually as a track 1.5 event.
Outreach and connectivity
Sri Lanka needs to maintain the overall parameters as per the baseline set by the final CSO meeting (July 13-14, 2023). These need to be treated as Outreach and Connectivity programmes. Engagements need to be undertaken as a supporting role for already established IORA initiatives/programmes.
In our engagement for the next two years, Sri Lanka will situate itself within the IORA frame work. Situating oceanic studies: We recognize the ocean as a resource base (providing water, salt, sand, and other minerals; faunal and botanical resources; bio-medical elements etc.) vital to us. It is also a buffer regulating climate. The ocean facilitates the movement of people, cultures and resources, technologies, languages, and economies recognizing trading portals, exchanges and markets along sea routes.
The ocean is not a standalone entity, devoid of Ocean–hinterland synergy. It organically shapes coastal and hinterland landscapes. The ocean also sustains multiple bio-spheres (underwater, surface water, lagoon-estuary- deltaic conditions). It also provides us with aesthetic/poetic inspiration as much as its actions also impact us in a destructive manner (e.g. tsunami). Hence, the application of the ocean through oceanographic studies becomes a vital need. One needs to recognize that IOR countries form an unbroken interconnected crescent of communication and cultural zones from the historic period. Importantly, the Indian Ocean essentially is an assimilative zone.
Broader oceanic scape
The Indian Ocean acquired regional identity from the colonial and post-colonial periods. It was a zone of imperial conflicts and an area of major power dynamics in the post-colonial period. We also need to recognize larger land masses as macro-regions, which are better endowed with endowed resources and also big players in the international arena. As against this, micro-regions or, individual islands and island clusters (a collective) are found. These entities evolved their own identity and dynamic of economic and political interaction with the mainland. At the IORA’s 9th IORA Indian Ocean Dialogue (IOD), held in Zanzibar, Tanzania (May 22-23, 2023) noted ‘Our coastal and island states of the Indian Ocean Basin resonate on key IORA priorities in promoting and strengthening our collective blue economy aspirations, as well as addressing the regional ocean governance strategy’.
Sri Lanka and its engagement
Sri Lanka is situated in the middle of the Indian Ocean. In the world of antiquity, Sri Lanka (Tambapanni) represented a cross-pollinated land of convergence. Ancient material culture confirms the status of Sri Lanka as a major trading hub and exchange portal to multiple resource zones.
Sri Lanka presents itself as a non-aligned nation and a willingness to work with other countries on an equal basis, recognizing mutual benefit and mutual respect. We will engage ourselves with neighbourhood zones (and the need to map out these zones for mutually coordinated work). Our external relations, especially with IORA partner countries are guided by cooperation and essentially based on mutual respect and trust.
Outreach and connectivity programmes 2023 – 2025
Sri Lanka recognises its own oceanic vulnerability and makes the best use of our own resources and assistance with partner countries.
From the Sri Lanka end for oceanic studies, there are engagements through NARA (National Aquatic Resource Agency), the Sri Lanka Navy and Geological Survey Department, the Department of Archaeology, and the Tourism Ministry. We need to place on track a regional framework for coastal vulnerability including an assessment and monitoring of sea level rise and storm surge prediction, sound pollution impacting oceanic life, tsunami warning and mitigation systems. This effort needs to be taken at a high level with partner support on ocean observation and digital data management, especially in relation to the blue economy, marine diversity and conservation, ocean ecosystems and human health. In addition, raw material extraction (connecting plate boundaries) coastline and deep-sea sources, sea grass cultivation, lagoon and estuary sea life cultivation, Oceanic and marine tourism and marine archaeology training programmes could be listed as shared outreach programmes with special reference to the blue economy initiatives.
Maritime security and challenges
Current engagements or priority areas are: global trade, importance of sea lane, energy and food security. There are overlaps between maritime security and national security; marine security and environmental security, offshore security (OSC) and national defence.
Focal points of OSC are: Preserving the freedom of the sea, facilitating and defending oceanic commerce and maintaining good governance at sea. This is largely to neutralize maritime interstate disputes, maritime terrorism eliminating piracy, trafficking narcotics, humans, antiquities, artefacts and gun running, illegal fishing and environmental crime (e.g., oil spill near SL).
Of these, Sri Lanka had and continues to have its share of maritime terrorism, interstate dispute/illegal fishing, trafficking narcotics, humans and artefacts, including environmental crimes (e.g. oil spills). It is understood that fisheries management should be at the core of the new maritime policy, which IORA should strengthen and develop to build mutual understanding among all decision-makers and players of the maritime industry. Effective decision-making must also integrate gender issue and division of labour (sustaining factor), environmental concerns into maritime policies as maritime pollution and plastic debris plays a major role in the decline of fish stocks.
Way forward towards a shared secured future
All members of IORA need to prosper together. We are also stakeholders of the family represented by the SAARC and BIMSTEC. Our partnership and alignment revolve around the protection of the seascape embracing our lands. A shared secured future finds expression in the ‘blue economy’ or the ocean industry. The blue economy envisages the sustainable harvesting of our oceanic resources.
As Sri Lanka welcomes partner kinsmen to its shores, we reach out to them with goodwill and in a spirit of trust and cordiality for a productive tenure of our engagement with the member states.
The members of Board of Governors of Asian Development Bank held detailed discussion with Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on Sri Lanka’s financial requirements for projects for the next 5 years at the Temple Trees in Colombo on October 10.
Expressing satisfaction over Sri Lanka’s quick stabilization of the economy after the last year’s crisis, they said the ADB would favourably respond to proposed new projects on digitalization and IT, public transport, human resource development and education, water and small and medium enterprises development.
They also praised the efforts of the government to provide social security support to vulnerable groups in the society.
The Prime Minister thanked the ADB for the assistance provided in the last several decades for developmental activities and, briefed them about the steps taken by the government for structural reforms, agricultural growth and relaxation of regulations to attract foreign investments in all sectors of economy.
He urged the regional funding agency to initiate new projects on areas such as renewable energy, digitalization, and public transport systems, especially the railways.
ADB Team Leader, Executive Director, Chantale Wong and Executive Director (Sri Lanka), Sangmin Ryu briefed the Prime Minister about the ADB’s mid-term and long-term projects for economic progress and infrastructure development. The ongoing projects cover areas such as strengthening public financial management and governance, foster private sector development and improve access to public services and deepen inclusion, social protection, equitable access, health, climate and agriculture modernization.
ADB Country Director Takafumi Kadono said that ADB Governing Board Members would study the progress of projects and to inquire into the areas of future projects during the visit. The delegation will also visit project sites to see the progress.
ADB delegation comprised of Executive Directors, Wan Farisan Bin Wan Sulaiman, Charlotte Justine Diokno-Sicat, Shigeo Shimizu, Alternate Executive Directors, David Cavanough, Xia Lyu, Alberto Cerdan and Nim Dorji and Secretariat Administrator, Marie Rose B. Alvero.
Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Private Secretary C Kuruppu and Media Advisor Sugeeswara Senadhira were present on this occasion.
Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) serves as a platform for implementing Disaster Risk Management
Sri Lanka is highly vulnerable to maritime disasters due to oil spills as Sri Lanka is situated in the busiest Shipping Lane in the IOR and cooperation between Navies and Coast Guards is vital to the management of our risks, said the State Minister Defence Hon. Premitha Bandara Tennakoon while making the opening remarks at a seminar on Disaster Risk Management and Japan’s Role in the IORA, yesterday evening (Oct 10) at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKI) in Colombo.
Japan has a multifaceted and impactful role in Disaster Risk Management (DRM) within the IORA and through knowledge sharing, capacity building, technology transfer, infrastructure development and active engagement with regional organisations; Japan has significantly contributed to enhancing the disaster resilience of IORA member states.
The LKI had organized the seminar in collaboration with the Japanese Embassy in Colombo.
The conference was graced by Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Hon. Komura Masahiro, M.P.
Underlining the significance of the event, the State Minister stated that IORA serves as a platform for implementing DRM by fostering cooperation among the member states and dialogue partners to create a resilient, connected and open Indian Ocean region, he said.
The Minister appreciated Japan’s leadership role in IORA’s DRM initiatives and the support of Japan Coast Guard (JCG) for Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG), emphasizing Japan’s very significant involvement in DRM within the Indian Ocean Region. He also remembered with gratitude Japan’s support during the 2004 Tsunami disaster.
Yamada Tetsuya of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Sri Lanka office, General Manager (Actg) of Marine Environmental Protection Authority A.J.M. Gunasekara and Director General of the DMC Maj. Gen. S Ranasinghe also contributed to the panel discussion.
Executive Director LKI Amb. Ravinatha Aryasinha made the welcome remarks. The Panel Discussion was moderated by the Director, International Relations and Founding Director, Centre for Strategic Assessment of Kotelawala Defence University Dr. Harinda Vidanage.
Distinguished guests, senior serving and retired tri forces officers and students of the LKI were present at the occasion.
State Minister of Defence Hon. Premitha Bandara Tennakoon chaired a discussion on preventive action on dangerous trees falling and precautionary measures to mitigate possible hazards in suburban areas at the Disaster Management Center (DMC) in Colombo today (Oct. 11)
A range of important issues including protecting human lives and property, and maintaining uninterrupted day to day lives of people during emergency situations were taken up for discussion.
The State Minister gave instructions to the relevant officials to prepare a proper system which would ensure trees that are most suited and of good quality are planted in suburban areas.
As a short-term solution, the State Minister advised officials to commence suitable programmes, especially in the Colombo Municipal Council limits after conducting proper studies. He said that the support of the Civil Defence Department could be provided in this regard.
He also directed official of the National Building Research Oragnization to obtain technical assistance from the institutions such the Department of National Botanical Gardens and University of Peradeniya and carryout studies on technical methods used by countries such as Singapore to identify trees at risk of falling in suburban areas and to prepare a long-term solution to prevent such accidents. Officials representing the Disaster Management Center, Ministry of Local Government, National Building Research Organization, Department of National Botanical Gardens, Department of Forestry, Department of Meteorology, Central Environment Authority, Urban Development Authority, Road Development Authority, University of Peradeniya and Sri Lanka Army participated at the discussion
The following statement is published according to the guidance of the Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad.
Statement on behalf of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community:
Over the past few days, hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians, including women, children and the elderly, have been killed or injured as a result of senseless violence and bloodshed. The killing or harming of innocent civilians is a direct violation of the teachings of the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace and blessings be upon him), who taught that even in a state of warfare, no woman, child or elder should be targeted or harmed in any way. Nor should any religious leader or place of worship be attacked.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community extends its deepest sympathies and prayers to all those who have been left bereaved or affected in any way. Our hearts go out to them all.
We pray and urge for an immediate end to hostilities and for peace to prevail so that no more lives are lost. For that, it is necessary that the channels of communication between relevant parties and nations remain open.
Until a ceasefire occurs, any military action taken must ensure that civilians do not come to any harm.
Furthermore, Muslim countries within the region should unite in an effort to establish peace and to ensure that the rights of those innocent Palestinian people, who have no link with extremists, are protected.
We urge the United States and other influential nations to abstain from any actions or statements that may further inflame the volatile situation. Instead, alongside the relevant international organisations, they should make every possible effort to urgently de-escalate the conflict and secure peace as soon as possible.
Justice and equity are of paramount importance in achieving lasting and sustainable peace. Thus, all the major powers must focus on establishing long-term and sustainable peace based upon the principles of fairness and true justice.
October 10 (DailyFT): A comprehensive analytical review of the horrific tragedy that took place on Easter Sunday 2019, when a group of Muslim suicide bombers targeted foreign tourists and Christian places of worship killing over 200 people, has been much awaited and necessary.
Apart from a few media articles and the very comprehensive report of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), little was known about the motivations, the individual and institutional identity and history of the attackers and the systematic and strategic planning of these atrocities.
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Through interviews with family members of the bombers, individuals affiliated to them and intelligence officials, Dr. Gunaratna attempts to fill this void by providing detailed accounts of the build-up and execution of the attacks.
He traces the strategic, meticulous planning of the events, the coming together of different actors through training sessions and meetings across diverse parts of the country, and proceeds to provide a nerve-wracking account of what happened on that tragic day. He offers descriptive biographies of all of the main perpetrators and provides some details on the modes of radicalisation they pursued.
Thereby, the book provides a useful illustration of the temporal and spatial trajectory of the events and insights into the thinking of the terrorist leaders.
Regrettably, the book offers little beyond this.
I want to present my critique of this book under three frames: the first relates to style and sourcing; the second is on the core claims related to the development of ISIS in Sri Lanka and the third is regarding the allegations made against the Muslim community and their religious movements in this country.
Awash with repetition, the 235-page book offers very limited new information and there are numerous inaccuracies. Written for a mass readership, the book is journalistic in style. Whilst it is understandable that sources of such sensitive information cannot be named, the content is notably poor with referencing. Most claims are made on precarious grounds of ‘accounts state,’ ‘it was said that’ or ‘it was reported that,’ all of which are somehow expected to be authoritative on account that they are being stated by the author.
As a consequence of its sensationalist style, the book provides little analytical framing. It makes only meagre mention of the effects of the armed conflict and ethno-religious violence against Muslims, with limited understanding of factors within the Muslim community, particularly in the East of Sri Lanka that may have made violent extremism attractive to a few.
More so, it exceptionalizes the Easter Sunday attacks as if they occurred in a peaceful, idyllic paradise, with no history of large-scale violence; reportedly jarring with the ‘Sri Lankan way of life’. That these attacks took place within a framework of three decades of ethno-religious violence where the State itself has a record of perpetrating mass atrocities and war crimes, has been completely excluded.
His account of the failure of the security apparatus and intelligence units is marginal compared to the subsequent Channel Four Dispatches (September, 2023) expose on the role of the state in perpetrating these attacks.
Whilst this background does not excuse the role of the Muslim attackers it is necessary in order to explain the nature and extent of the violence and the context in which they took place.
In detailing the methods of organising, planning, strategising; developing of ammunition and explosives and subsequent detonation, Dr. Gunaratna’s core thesis appears to be warning the reader of the growing threat of Islamic terrorism in Sri Lanka.
The book details how obscure individuals can mobilise, develop terrorist cells, through violent extremism and inspiration from international terrorist groups. However, beyond the dramatic narration of the specific event, there is little substantive analysis of what this threat really is and the damage it can do to Sri Lanka.
His reference to the formation and development of the ISIS in Sri Lanka, is contradicted by his own suggestion that these individuals were mostly operating organically with no contact with the international terrorist group, apart from communicating to them that the bombings took place, which enabled ISIS to claim responsibility.
Dr. Gunaratna does provide good information and some evidence on the systematic planning and organising of the attacks, which enlightens the reader to the failure of military intelligence and the possibilities and the potential of individuals to form and operate terror groups, but this does not convincingly support suggestions of international involvement and his account does not considerably vary from earlier assertions in the media of the attacks being ‘inspired by’ or ‘related to’ ISIS, rather than executed by them.
The extent of the Sri Lankan outfit is also unclear; though several training camps hosting approximately 20-25 people per session have been listed in the book, it is unclear if these were all new recruits or repeat trainers. Much of his information suggests the camps were providing religious education and training cadres and the mistaken amalgamation of both results in a poor understanding of the growth of Islamic terrorism and thereby the existing threat it poses to Sri Lanka.
The book under review
The most problematic and damaging aspect of the book
Herein lies the most problematic and damaging aspect of the book: its demonstrably limited understanding of the Islamic landscape in Sri Lanka and consequentially the portrayal of Muslims in relation to and in the aftermath of these attacks.
For clarity, I will list out my main criticisms. Firstly, Professor Gunaratna refers to large and well-established Islamic ideologies and movements with little attempt to conceptualise, define or explain them. For instance, he repeatedly refers to Salafi-Wahhabism, as the Islamic doctrinal influence that the suicide bombers aligned with, without properly defining or explaining what they mean. At more than one point he inadequately attempts to provide some explanation, conflating them into one and using them interchangeably (136 pp); ‘recycling of prophet Muhammed’s traditional practices’ calling ‘upon a return to its nineteenth-century roots’ (136 pp); elsewhere he speaks of them as a calling to ‘pure Islam.’ Both are elementary interpretations of Salafism and Wahhabism and resultantly do not sufficiently differentiate from the religious ideology of most Muslims who seek to closely emulate the life of their Prophet Muhammad in practice and align with pure Islam (note different from puritanical Islam).
Salafism and Wahhabism though often closely associated in popular writings, have different historical, political trajectories and ideological variations, especially with the latter being associated with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Though often seen to be a new entry into the Islamic landscape, these ideologies had their origins in Sri Lanka in the early 1900s but they gained prominence and grew into popular religious movements following the rise in migrant workers to the Middle East, a factor Prof. Gunaratna provides no analysis of.
Contrary to his stance, it is after the 1990s that movements influenced by Wahhabism and Salafism became popular in Sri Lanka branching under the umbrella term Tawheed or oneness.
Since around the 1990s this movement has vigorously challenged mainstream Muslims to return to ‘authentic’ Islamic practices by removing what they consider ‘innovations’ borrowed from non-Islamic cultures and religions. This view is held by other Islamic movements as well, such as the Tablighi Jama’at, but where the Tawheed differ is in their approach, which is often intolerant, aggressive and can be violent. Gunaratna wrongly identifies this movement as ‘Arguably the most virulent strain of Salafi-Wahabism’ (70 pp) and repeatedly aligns the Tawheed movement with Jihadi groups and Islamic violent extremism.
The naming of Zaharan Hashim’s group as the National Tawhid Jama‘at, should not be confused with the larger Tawheed movement in Sri Lanka. Even though the exclusivist ideology and approach of the Tawheed movement is controversial among the majority of Sri Lankan Muslims, as I have explained in another work, their main target for attack has most often been within the community not outside.
Gunaratna misattributes the Tawheed movement’s critique on idol worshipers to the NTJ’s hatred of non-Muslims and license to kill them, which are in fact quite different.
Islam foundationally distinguishes its form of monotheism from polytheism and any material or symbolic representation of either, this can be interpreted by some to be exclusionary and critical of non-Muslims, but the religion does not advocate violence on these grounds.
Few elements within the Tawheed movement, especially in the Eastern Province, may advocate violence against Muslims and non-Muslims, which as Zaharan Hashim demonstrated, has potential to shift to violent extremism, but the two cannot be equated as done in this book.
Similarly, Dr. Gunaratna also wrongly and carelessly claims the Jama’ati Islami (JI), a well-founded and mainstream Islamic movement, renders itself to violent extremism. The JI is a political group in South Asia, which was founded in response to colonialism and thereby harbours nationalist ideals of a Caliphate and superiority of Islamic laws, however, it has through the years adapted to a Muslim minority context by moving away from some of these core ideas.
In fact, I found in my research, similar to the scholarly work by others such as Dr. Irfan Ahamed in India, that the JI has moulded (Ahamed refers to it as a mutation) to Muslims’ minority contexts and in Sri Lanka was one of the foremost Islamic organisations working towards co-existence and reconciliation, even interpreting Islam for this purpose.
Inaccurate, unsubstantiated and damaging
As a Muslim feminist, I do not agree with the Islamic interpretations on the role of women in either of these movements, nor do I seek to comprehensively defend their religious positioning; but Prof. Gunaratna’s portrayal of these groups is inaccurate, unsubstantiated and damaging. Drawing an analogy from Christianity in order to simplify to a non-Muslim reader (and this is extremely simplistic), what this book does, can be equated to claiming that all the Anglican and Evangelical churches are prone to extremism and terrorism in an instance where a few Anglican and Evangelical Christians, wrongly quoting their texts, may carry out organised violent attacks across the country.
More so, though he briefly mentions that some Muslims, including those in Kattankuddy, alerted the authorities to the growing violent extremism of these groups; he undermines the effort made my many Muslims to shun these individuals out of their mosques and movements and repeatedly report their activities to the police who did not act.
At the end of this book, we are left asking what the drivers are that enable a religious extremist to turn violent and organise attacks of this nature. Religious extremism, such as aspects of thinking within the Tawheed movement, can certainly be a problem but it does not obviously link to violence and terrorism.
Understanding this nuance and differentiating between religion, extremism and violence is critical in order to respond to any future threat Sri Lanka may face.
The implications of this book which vilifies major Islamic movements and as an extension presents large numbers of Muslims as being a threat to the country, is serious.
There has been a growing rise in violence against Muslims and Islamophobia in Sri Lanka, particularly since the end of the war in 2009, but the Easter Sunday attacks marked a turning point where the entire Muslim population faced collective punishment legally and in policy which targeted women’s dress code and restricted religious and educational institutions and gatherings. Several Muslims were discriminated against on a daily basis, harassed at the everyday level and many feared to identify with their religion.
Muslims who identify closely with their religious beliefs and practice remain seen as extremists, fanatics, even a threat, in the psyche of non-Muslims. As research from Europe has shown these factors increase grievance and social alienation and harness the capacity for terrorist groups to recruit.
In my recent travels to the East, I found Muslim religious and community leaders remained concerned about the threat of Islamic violent extremism. They continue to report this to the police and military but to little avail.
The Channel Four documentary is testimony to the role of the State and the former ruling elites, the Rajapaksa family, in these atrocities. The country’s President, Ranil Wickremesinghe, was also responsible for enabling these attacks as he was Prime Minister at the time, not to mention his continuing role in protecting the Rajapaksas. They faced no accountability for these attacks, whilst Muslims continue to be framed as extremists and terrorists; Prof. Gunaratna’s book being the latest contributor to this view.
If Sri Lanka remains at risk to Islamic terrorism, it is not ISIS we should be worried about but the danger of unabated violent extremism that exists not only among Muslims but within all religious groups. These are also inter-connected; academic and media research has shown that the Buddhist extremist attacks against Muslims enabled the NTJ to increase recruitment.
Such violent extremism can easily breed in the absence of accountability and denial of justice, in a deteriorating socio-economic context which offers few alternatives and where hostility is fanned between ethnic and religious groups by politicians.
The majority of Muslims do not want to be the problem, they want to be part of the solution and for this they need to be listened to, properly understood, supported and worked with in order to deal with any future threat.
(Dr Farah Mihlar is an activist scholar and a senior lecturer in human rights at Oxford Brookes University.)
Colombo, October 11: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wikremesinghe’s visit to China, which is to begin on October 15, is expected to bring in Chinese investments to the Colombo Port City, which has been awaiting both domestic and foreign investment for long.
According to Dr.Palitha Kohona, who returned to Sri Lanka upon completion of his term as Ambassador to China, two major Chinese companies, the China Harbour Engineering Company, which built the Colombo Port City, and the Hunan Construction Engineering Group Co., Ltd., are likely to invest more than US$ 1 billion in the Colombo Port City. China will also construct the Central Highway through Kandy.
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Agreements for these are likely to be signed during Wickremesinghe’s visit, Kohona said. .
On the restructuring of Sri Lanka’s debt to China, Dr.Kohana said that he would not know the details, but the EXIM Bank of China may have worked out a way to help Sri Lanka. He ruled out China agreeing to take a haircut.
The haircut is not China’s way,” Kohona said. China would like Sri Lanka to put its financial house in order by taking a number of steps including prudence. If that is not done, Sri Lanka will have to keep asking its creditors to take a haircut again and again,” he said.
It was reported that China had proposed a postponement of the repayment of the existing debt, an additional loan and a buyer’s credit also. It had also advised Sri Lanka to facilitate Chinese investment instead of seeking loans.
China might set an example by beginning to invest in the Port City and in the hinterland of the Hambantota port.
The Chinese oil company Sinopec recently invested in the fuel distribution business in Sri Lanka.
On Sri Lanka’s debt to China, Dr.Kohona said that it could not be seen as trap as major infrastructure projects could not be expected to yield revenue immediately. They open up opportunities for new economic activities and that will gradually generate income for the people.
This is the rationale for developing countries to sign up with the BRI for infrastructure projects like roads, railways and ports, he said.
BRI Forum
While in China, Lankan President Wickremesinghe will address the Third Belt and Road Forum to be held on October 17 and 18 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) championed by Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Representatives from many developing countries, notably from Latin America and Africa, are expected to attend the forum.
Wickremesinghe’s decision to attend the BRI is a clear sign of Sri Lanka’s endorsement of the BRI, a project which is the brainchild of President Xi. The latter will be quite pleased with the Lankan President’s move as Western governments describe the BRI as an instrument to trap poor countries in huge debts.
Reuters reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the forum.
In a message to Xi this month, Putin said their talks would deepen Russian-Chinese ties for the benefit of our friendly peoples, in interests of ensuring security and stability on the Eurasian continent and throughout the world
The BRI is a plan for global infrastructure and energy networks that China launched a decade ago to connect Asia with Africa and Europe through land and maritime routes. China had signed Belt and Road cooperation documents with more than 150 countries and more than 30 international organizations, the Chinese foreign ministry said.
Looking to enter Sri Lanka’s resurgent tourism sector? Hilton Colombo is a perfect choice
Image Credit: Supplied
On the back of falling inflation rate and rising tourism revenue, the World Bank has revised its forecast for the Sri Lankan economy. It is now expected to expand by 1.7 per cent in 2024, up from an earlier forecast of 1 per cent. Bolstered by an appreciation in its currency, improvement in foreign exchange reserves, and increase in remittances, the country is also poised for a better economic performance this year than earlier predicted.
However, leading the recovery this year has been a robust tourism sector. A surge in arrivals is expected to take the total number of foreign visitors in 2023 to two million. August saw more than 261 per cent year-on-year growth in the number of foreign tourist arrivals. India was the largest source market, making up 18.2 per cent as of July, while Russia, the UK, Germany and France together accounted for 35.8 per cent.
Better economic prospects led by an increase in trade activity, along with focused promotional campaigns and greater connectivity, are expected to further boost the tourism and hospitality sector, giving a fillip to business travel too.
It is against this backdrop that the Government of Sri Lanka is divesting its shares in Hotel Developers Lanka Limited, the holding company of Hilton Colombo, as part of its debt restructuring, offering a great opportunity for investors looking for an entry into the island nation’s tourism sector. The Sri Lankan Government launched the Request for Expression of Interest for the sale of its shares on October 10. It will remain open until November 9.
A prestigious asset
Hilton Colombo is an iconic five-star hotel with a 35-year operational track record, offering an extensive selection of popular facilities and highly frequented food and beverage outlets. Its prime location in the heart of the city boasts proximity to numerous landmarks such as the Presidential Secretariat, World Trade Centre, Old Dutch Hospital Entertainment Complex, Port City Financial District, Bally’s Casino and the proposed international gaming cluster, which will house two integrated gaming resorts, Sri Lanka Exhibition & Convention Centre, and One Galle Face Mall.
Image Credit: Supplied
Considered the premier hospitality property in Colombo, the hotel is currently undergoing an extensive revitalisation, soon unveiling 367 rooms, 15 MICE spaces and 8 F&B facilities. One significant upside is the adjacent 1.9 acres land, which is connected to the main building via an overhead bridge, and which can be redeveloped, presenting a major opportunity to create a new landmark in a prime location.
Image Credit: Supplied
With the hotel’s strong reputation and potential for future development, the acquisition presents a unique opportunity to secure a prestigious asset and also enter Sri Lanka’s booming hospitality industry.
The purchase of Hilton Colombo represents a rare opportunity to capitalise on Sri Lanka’s resurgent tourism industry and strategically position oneself in the most sought-after locations in Colombo,” says Junrong Teo, Director of Colliers Asia, which is overseeing the divestiture, acting as transaction advisors alongside Platinum Advisors. As Sri Lanka’s popularity as a travel destination continues to soar, investing in the Hilton Colombo means becoming a part of the country’s dynamic growth story and unlocking the potential for both immediate and long-term returns on investment.”
Chinese research vessel Shi Yan 6 would arrive in Sri Lanka in late November, Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Sabry said on Monday (09). The Foreign Ministry had granted approval for the arrival of the ship, he added.
The ship is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka on 25 November. Initially, they wanted to come in October. We asked them to come in November. They again asked if they could come in late October. We have maintained our position that they must come in late November. This is the situation, now.”
The Minister said that the Sri Lankan government had a lot on its hands now and that it needed to marshal all its resources to deal with the sensitive issues pertaining to the Chinese ship visit.
We held an international conference of environmental ministers last week. We will have an IORA meeting this week, and we have to accommodate representatives of 34 countries. President Ranil Wickremesinghe will go to China next week. Then a French delegation will be here. We have requested the Chinese to come thereafter,” the Foreign Minister said, adding that there was a lot of pressure from India and several other parties.
We can’t deny there is pressure from multiple sides. This is a complex matter, given geopolitics. There will be controversies within and outside Sri Lanka. We need to be ready to deal with these pressures. We need to have all the resources at our disposal.”
Minister Sabry said there is a struggle among major powers. Sri Lanka sits at a strategic location in the Indian Ocean.
We need to balance everything. This is not easy. We need to maintain good relations with everyone involved.”
China has been a friend of Sri Lanka, and relations with the middle kingdom are extremely important to Sri Lanka, Minister Sabry said.
We have not changed our stance. We have given them a date.”
India views the arrival of Chinese ships from a different angle, he said.
Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike before the the UN General Assembly, in 1964, said that the Indian Ocean and the skies above it would be declared a Zone of Peace. This is what we want. We won’t do anything that violates the peace in the Indian Ocean. We have tough choices, and we have to make the best decisions for the country.”
Minister Sabry said that as a sovereign nation, Sri Lanka could decide whether to allow a vessel to enter one of its ports, and discussions with the Chinese were based on that.
The Minister, however, refused to divulge whether Indian officials had directly reached out to him and expressed disapproval for allowing the Chinese research vessel to arrive.
We can’t reveal everything. China is a close friend. We have repeatedly said we will not discriminate against China for any reason. India is also important to us. They helped us greatly last year. The West is also important to us because 80 percent of our exports go there. I don’t make decisions on my own. We all talk and decide what the best course of action is.”
Minister Sabry also said that the Foreign Ministry has not in any way influenced academics from Ruhuna University to be involved with Shi Yan 6. Initially, it was reported that academics from Ruhuna University would board the ship. However, last week, Prof. Disna Ratnasekera of the China Sri Lanka Joint Centre for Education and Research (CSL-CER) of the University of Ruhuna told the media that they were not involved with the research carried out by the vessel.
We have not told the university anything. The decision was probably taken by the university,” he said
However, the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) Chairman Prof. Jayantha Wijeyaratne said NARA was involved in the research carried out by the ship and that geophysical and seismic survey vessel Shi Yan 6 would be in the possession of NARA and that those data will be considered property of the Sri Lankan government. Prof. Wijeyaratne said NARA would mainly focus on research related to the quality of water, not the seabed.
Minister Sabry added that Victoria Nuland, Acting United States Deputy Secretary of State, had not informed him that the US was disappointed that Sri Lanka had granted permission for the Chinese research vessel to come.
China, India, and the US have a big power rivalry going. There are a lot of suspicions. They worry that other countries are collecting information about them. We don’t want to get involved with any of this.”
The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka, in a fresh letter addressed to President Ranil Wickremesinghe has called for a local probe to clear certain shortcomings that are visible in the previous probes into the Easter Sunday bomb attacks.
The letter signed by several Bishops including Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith who are members of the National Catholic Committee for Justice to Easter Sunday Attack Victims appointed by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference has said previous investigations have neglected important issues. Investigations have not been carried out into the person whose IP address had been handed over to the CID by American FBI intelligence member, halting the questioning of IP Bandara who had been identified as Sonic Sonic, failure to identify Abu Hind, failure to carry out investigations to determine the connection which bomber Jamil had with intelligence units and the incident at the Galanigama exit where an explosives laded lorry had been allowed to pass have not been properly probed, the letter said.
“It is clear that the Directorate of Militarily Intelligence and the State Intelligence Service had close relationships with Zahran. There have been attempts to obstruct and sabotage these investigations,” the letter added.
The Committee also requested for a probe into what was alleged in the recent Channel 4 video. They said the probe should be monitored by independent foreign observers.
The letter has been signed by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, President of Sri Lanka Catholic Bishop’s Conference Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Bishop of Chillaw Valance Mendis, Bishop of Galle Raymond Wickremesinghe, and Auxiliary Bishops J.D. Anthony Jayakody, Anton Ranjith and Maxwell Silva and several priests.
Meanwhile, Fr. Cyril Gamini Fernando told journalists that the President is yet to respond to the earlier letter by the Sri Lanka Catholic Bishops’ Conference. (Yohan Perera)
ONGC Videsh Limited (OVL) is keen to participate in oil and gas exploration opportunities in Sri Lanka and is waiting for the island nation to unveil its roadmap and policy on developing the upstream petroleum industry, the company said Wednesday.
OVL is the overseas investment arm of India’s state-owned Oil and Natural Gas Corporation. According to OVL managing director Rajarshi Gupta, a presence in oil and gas assets in Sri Lanka would gain from the synergies of the larger ONGC group, as the parent company has significant upstream assets and infrastructure in southern India.
Geologically, the island nation and its offshore areas are quite similar to parts of southern India, and the ONGC is experienced in operating in such zones. Sri Lanka’s geographical proximity to India is also seen as a major attraction for OVL.
Gupta added that OVL would be open to government-government negotiations, competitive bidding or any other route that the Sri Lankan government decides on to enable participation in the island country’s upstream petroleum sector.
Asked by when he expects Sri Lanka to open up oil and gas exploration to foreign participation, Gupta said that it would be contingent on the Sri Lankan government finalising its policy for the sector. (Indian Express)
Cites reduced contribution from low-cost hydro power generation which has led to higher-cost emergency power purchases as the main reason
upgrades CEB’s National Long-Term Rating and senior unsecured debenture rating to ‘BB+(lka)’
Upgrade follows the Sri Lankan sovereign’s recent Long-Term Local-Currency Issuer Default Rating upgrade
As of June 2023, CEB had Rs. 288bn in debt, with a negative free cash flow outlook in the medium term
CEB owes Rs.212bn as of August 2023, with govt. planning to take over significant portion of dues
Bill to unbundle CEB to be presented to parliament in October 2023
Fitch Ratings said yesterday the cash flow operations of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) would not be sufficient to cover its interest obligations this year, despite a 150 percent tariff increase.
This is due to the reduced contribution from low-cost hydro power generation during the year, which compelled CEB to purchase emergency power at higher costs to meet the shortfall,” the rating agency said in a rating report.
At the same time, energy demand has risen with the gradual recovery of economic activity. CEB has requested an off-cycle tariff hike to cover its increased costs, but it is yet to be approved,” it added.
Fitch Ratings has upgraded CEB’s National Long-Term Rating and the rating on CEB’s senior unsecured debentures to ‘BB+(lka)’, from ‘B(lka)’ with a Stable Outlook.
The upgrade follows the 28 September 2023 upgrade of the Sri Lankan sovereign’s Long-Term Local-Currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) to ‘CCC-’, from ‘Restricted Default (RD)’.
CEB’s ratings are equalised with that of its parent, the Sri Lankan sovereign, based on our assessment of a ‘Very Strong’ likelihood of state support under our Government-Related Entities (GRE) Rating Criteria,” Fitch Ratings said.
CEB is Sri Lanka’s monopoly electricity transmitter and distributor and accounts for around 75 percent of the country’s power generation. CEB had Rs.288 billion of debt as at end-June 2023, after the government took over almost Rs.200 billion of projects loans in 2022.
Fitch expects CEB to generate negative free cash flow in the mediumterm, despite the cost-reflective tariff mechanism, and to depend on the state for expansion and refinancing.
As of end-August 2023, CEB owed Rs.212 billion (June 2023: Rs.208 billion) to state-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), IPPs and non-conventional renewable energy (NCRE) generators.
The government plans to take over 70 percent of the dues to CPC and the IPPs by end-2023 to ease the burden on CEB. Dues to NCREs stand at 10-11 months at present, and CEB plans to settle them gradually with operating cash flow.
CEB’s payables may rise in the short-term if the proposed off-cycle tariff hike is not approved,” Fitch noted.
The government plans to unbundle CEB’s generation, transmission and distribution assets across 14 companies established under the Companies Act, as part of Sri Lanka’s energy sector reforms.
Fitch said the bill proposing the restructuring will be presented to parliament in October 2023 for approval. We expect the unbundling to provide CEB with autonomy and flexibility, while improving its efficiency and competitiveness. However, it is too early to ascertain how the restructuring will affect CEB’s credit profile, as the plan’s details are still vague,” it added.
China has assured that it remains ready to work together with all relevant international financial institutions to jointly play a positive role in helping Sri Lanka ease its debt burden and achieve sustainable development.
Speaking during his regular press briefing on Tuesday (10), China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesman Wang Wenbin explained that as Sri Lanka’s friend and neighbor, China closely follows the difficulties and challenges faced by the island nation, adding that, We have been doing what we can to assist in its economic and social development”.
He said China’s relevant financial institutions have been in close touch with Sri Lanka on the debt issue involving China since last year, and that they have engaged in active bilateral consultations and provided a financing support document to Sri Lanka in a timely manner to help it obtain loans from the IMF.
Chinese financial institution has taken part in all the creditors’ meetings as an observer and maintained friendly communication with other creditors to share with them the progress of the debt treatment”, Wenbin said, when asked how China has aided Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring process.
Commenting on the progress made pertaining to bilateral debt treatment, Wenbin reminded that in late September, as the official creditor, the Export-Import Bank of China tentatively agreed with Sri Lanka on the debt treatment.
We are also glad to see that other creditors are having discussion with Sri Lanka as well over solutions to its debt issue”, he further commented.
Accordingly, he assured that they will support Chinese financial institutions in actively consulting with Sri Lanka.
We are ready to work with relevant countries and international financial institutions to jointly play a positive role in helping Sri Lanka navigate the situation, ease its debt burden and achieve sustainable development. We call on multilateral institutions and commercial creditors to take part in Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring based on fair burden-sharing”, he said in this regard.
Discussions between Sri Lanka and all its creditors are ongoing, though the International Monetary Fund has not been informed about any specific agreements, its mission chief for the country said on Wednesday.
We will need to assess the entire package of agreements in its totality to assess consistency with IMF debt targets,” Peter Breuer told Reuters on the sidelines of the World Bank IMF annual meetings in Marrakech.
Sri Lanka, mired in its worst economic crisis in 70 years, is in debt restructuring talks with a range of creditors, including China, its largest single creditor. Colombo suspended debt repayments in May 2022.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the Export-Import Bank of China reached a preliminary deal on the disposal of China-related debts, but did not share further details.
Sri Lanka owed EXIM $4.1 billion, or 11% of the country’s foreign currency debt, as of the end of 2022.
Sri Lanka is also in talks with IMF over a $2.9 billion bailout. But in September the fund declined to release a second tranche of around $330 million after it failed to reach a staff-level agreement over concerns of a possible government revenue shortfall.
Other bilateral creditors of Sri Lanka including the Paris Club, Japan and India are expected to make an announcement on a deal during the IMF meetings a source with direct knowledge of the talks told Reuters.
Japan, India and France announced in April a common platform for talks among bilateral creditors to coordinate restructuring of Sri Lanka’s debt, a move they hope would serve as a model for solving the debt woes of middle-income economies.
As a middle-income country, Sri Lanka is not part of the G20 debt initiative known as the Common Framework, so talks with official creditors from China are conducted separately.
fighters, what comes to mind is a quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi: An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind”. The great non-violence advocate believed that revenge and retaliation could lead to a never-ending cycle of violence and destruction.
Photo: Openverse
The ocean is not a standalone entity, devoid of Ocean–hinterland synergy. It organically shapes coastal and hinterland landscapes. The ocean also sustains multiple bio-spheres (underwater, surface water, lagoon-estuary- deltaic conditions). It also provides us with aesthetic/poetic inspiration as much as its actions also impact us in a destructive manner (e.g. tsunami). Hence, the application of the ocean through oceanographic studies becomes a vital need. One needs to recognize that IOR countries form an unbroken interconnected crescent of communication and cultural zones from the historic period. Importantly, the Indian Ocean essentially is an assimilative zone.
Focal points of OSC are: Preserving the freedom of the sea, facilitating and defending oceanic commerce and maintaining good governance at sea. This is largely to neutralize maritime interstate disputes, maritime terrorism eliminating piracy, trafficking narcotics, humans, antiquities, artefacts and gun running, illegal fishing and environmental crime (e.g., oil spill near SL).
