Sri Lanka Brief (5/15)

Internal Developments:

Ranil to SLFP: Decide Whether to Support MS:

1. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe urged members of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to decide whether they would support Rajapaksha or President Maithripala Sirisena, who had made his stance clear on continuing with his policy of good governance and opposition to the candidature of Rajapaksha for Prime Minister Ship.

Election Commissioner Stops Telecasting Sirisena’s Speech:

2. Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya has instructed all electronic media institutions to refrain from repeat telecast of special message of President Maithripala Sirisena, stating that during the run up to the elections, it was illegal to promote any candidate or political party by repeatedly telecasting or broadcasting any speeches or statements detrimental to another party.

Ban Racial Political Parties- Sumangala Thera:

3. Chief Incumbent of the Rangiri-Dambulu Temple Ven. Inamaluwe Sumangala Thera has said that all political parties representing communities and religions should be banned in Sri Lanka to ensure national reconciliation in the country,. According to him, racial political parties instigate racism in the country. He added that political parties should represent all the people from every religion and community.

Politicians Should Retire When Their Time is Up: Mahanayaka Thera

4. Malwatta Chapter Mahanayaka, Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Sumangala Thera said politicians should think of retiring at the correct time as politics is not a profession one does for a lifetime. The Thera also said that all should unite and work together, without party differences, for the development of the country.

MR Promises New Look Lanka Under UPFA Government:

5. Former President and UPFA Kurunegala district candidate Mahinda Rajapaksa said he has come before the people after the January 8 electoral defeat as a new leader and promised to turn Sri Lanka into a new country if an UPFA government is formed after the August 17 general election. He added that a new set of leaders would be installed in the UPFA and the new government would develop new international relations while promoting inter communal harmony among Sinhalese, Muslims, Tamils and Burghers.

Support for MR as PM- Salinda Dissanayake

6. UPFA Kurunegala District candidate Salinda Dissanayake has said during an election rally that their team would run around the Parliament ‘carrying the mace’ if the UPFA won the Parliamentary elections but former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was not appointed Prime Minister.

Appointment of New Ambassadors:

7. The Foreign Affairs Ministry, on July 22, confirmed the appointments of new ambassadors to five countries; France, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Kuwait and Seychelles.

Rear Admiral Sirimevan Ranasinghe is Navy’s New Chief of Staff:

8. President Maithripala Sirisena on July 17, 2015 appointed Rear Admiral Sirimevan Ranasinghe as the Navy’s new Chief of Staff.

Police Verifying Reports of Lankan ISIS Militant:

9. Police are checking accuracy of some social media and foreign news reports about a Sri Lankan ISIS militant reportedly killed in Syrian airstrike. Several foreign news agencies and social media reported that a 37-year-old Sri Lankan named Abhu Shuraih Sailani (name given after he joined the ISIS) had travelled to Syria, after pursuing Islamic studies and completing his LLB in Shariah Law from the International Islamic University in Pakistan. However, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson said the ministry had not been informed of any such incident.

Probe Source of Funding of Muslim Extremists- BBS

10. The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) urged the government to investigate the alleged flow of funds to Muslim extremists and expose them to the country. BBS General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera said, “Most of the problems are created because of not revealing to the public the facts relating to the Welikada, Dehiwela, Aluthgama and the latest in the Keththrama ground incidents.” BBS had warned of the danger of Sri Lankans being recruited by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) six months ago. The Thera said, “Several Sri Lankan Muslim communities have requested the BBS to help free them from this extremism and they said that they would support silently.”

Civil Society Groups Align with UNFGG

11. Some 110 civil society organisations and trade unions signed a 14-point people’s pledge to support United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) for a fair, democratic and people-friendly government with constitutional amendments abolishing of the executive presidency and establishment of parliamentary democracy through a reformed electoral system based on a mix of the first-past-the-post and the proportional representation systems in place of the preferential voting system.

External Relations:

Lankan Tamils Return Home

12. A fresh batch of 45 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees headed back to their homeland on July 29. The refugees who were housed in various camps located in Tiruchi, Dindigul, Kanyakumari, Villupuram, Tuticorin, Sivaganga, Pudukottai, Madurai, Karur, Tirunelveli and Ramanathapuram districts had obtained exit clearance from respective district administration authorities where the camps functioned. There were no police cases against them. In May this year, a group of 41 Lankan Tamil refugees had returned to Sri Lanka followed by a batch of 46 refugees who went back in July. Besides,four Sri Lankan refugees lodged in a special camp for violating the provisions of the Foreigner’s Act at the Tiruchi Central Prison, India were released on July 19, 2015.

Indian Police to Block Indo- Lanka Drug Trafficking:

13. The Indian Police have constituted a special squad called the D-Team, to mount surveillance on drug traffickers and contain the smuggling activities after witnessing a spurt in smuggling of drugs between Sri Lanka and India via sea route.

Currency Swap Agreement with Central Bank of Sri Lanka:

14. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on July 18 signed a Special Currency Swap Agreement with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka. Under the arrangement, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka can draw up to $1.1 billion for a maximum period of six months. The proposal to extend the additional currency swap facility of $1.1 billion for a limited period was approved by the Union Government in April 2015 based on the recommendation of the Reserve Bank of India for mitigating the possible currency volatility in the spirit of strengthening India’s bilateral relations and economic ties with Sri Lanka. This special arrangement is in addition to the existing Framework on Currency Swap Arrangement for the SAARC.

Lankan fishermen warn India not to use banned nets

15. Sri Lankan fishermen have reportedly warned their Indian counterparts that they would be attacked if they continued using banned fishing nets and damaged nets anchored in the Lankan Sea, the PTI reported. The Sri Lankan fishermen had also sent a memorandum to the Indian government, seeking Rs. one crore as compensation for damage to their fishing nets, the report added.

Japanese Naval Ships at Colombo Port:

16. Two Japanese naval ships arrived at the Colombo Port on July 20 on a goodwill and supply visit. The ships, ‘Akizuki’ and ‘Sawagiri’, were welcomd by the Sri Lanka Naval authorities in accordance with naval traditions and protocol.

CHEC rejects report of funding Sri Lankan politicians

17. The China Harbour Engineering Co Ltd (CHEC) rejected reports that it had offered financial assistance to any politician during Sri Lanka's January presidential elections.