Category: Sri Lanka

Chinese defence minister meets Gotabaya in Colombo

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 29 April 2021
No Comments on Chinese defence minister meets Gotabaya in Colombo

Gotabaya Rajapaksa meets Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe(Twitter)

Sri Lanka President Rajapaksa said that visit will further bolster bilateral ties…reports Asian Lite News

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Wednesday met Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe who is in the island nation for a two-day visit.

President Rajapaksa said he had a “fruitful discussion” with Chinese Defence Minister and emphasised that the high-level visit will further strengthen bilateral ties, media reported.

Wei arrived here on Wednesday for bilateral talks with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

“Had a fruitful discussion with #china defense minister General Wei Fenghe this morning. This visit will further strengthen the ties between two countries,” the president tweeted along with photographs of their meeting.

This is the second-highest visit by a Chinese official to the island nation following the visit of Yang Jiechi, Vice Chairman, Chinese Communist Party, in October last year.

There have been concerns about Beijing seeking to increase its footprint in the country through contentious infrastructure projects.

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court is currently hearing several petitions against a Bill that will give special powers to govern the China-backed port city in Colombo.

Meanwhile, amid the controversy surrounding the China-backed Port City in Colombo, Sri Lanka Minister of Justice Ali Sabry has said the government owns 100 per cent of the land and the project has been initiated to bring investment in the special financial zone.

Addressing a media briefing, Minister Sabry said the total area of the investment zone is 269 hectares and 91 hectares for public facilities and cannot be given to the project company, The Colombo Page reported. Out of the remaining land of the financial zone, 116 hectares or 43 per cent will be given to the project company which initiated the project in 2013 and spent USD 1.4 billion to develop the Port City.

“But all 100 per cent of the land is owned by the government. It is completely false to say that land was given to someone else,” Sabry said.

This comes as the opposition has alleged that a bill to set up a Commission to govern a Colombo Port City has given it too much discretion, denied equal opportunity to Sri Lankans who did not have black money stashed abroad.

Also read:Ex-Sri Lanka minister, brother to be detained for 90 days

Tags china, Sri Lanka

Asia News COVID-19 Sri Lanka

Temple officials held in Lanka for holding festival

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 29 April 2021
No Comments on Temple officials held in Lanka for holding festival

A huge crowd attended the festival at the Sri Kamakshi Amman Kovil temple in Tamil-dominated Jaffna without maintaining social distance or wearing face masks…reports Asian Lite News

Sri Lankan officials have arrested the top officials of a Hindu temple for allegedly holding a festival despite a ban on large gatherings amid a spike in Covid-19 infections, according to the Colombo Gazette newspaper.

A huge crowd attended the festival at the Sri Kamakshi Amman Kovil temple in Tamil-dominated Jaffna without maintaining social distance or wearing face masks, the newspaper reported.

The Chairman and Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the temple have been arrested for holding the event despite a ban. Such large events have been banned by the Government until May 31, it was reported.

Last week, the government announced that tuition classes, parties and public gatherings have been banned until May 31st after Sri Lanka was placed on Alert Level 3 following the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

According to new health guidelines, casinos, night clubs and beach parties have also been temporarily banned. Government and private offices have been told to operate with minimum staff while others work from home.

Also read:Highly infectious Covid-19 strain detected in Sri Lanka

Last week, Sri Lanka marked the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday bombings with religious ceremonies, as Catholics called for investigations into the attacks to be expedited.

The bombings carried out by extremist groups targeted three churches during Easter Sunday services in 2019. Three luxury hotels were also hit in simultaneous attacks on April 21, DPA reported.

Catholic churches conducted prayer services after two minutes of silence in remembrance of the 271 people killed in the multiple explosions. Other religious groups held similar events.

A multi-religious remembrance service attended by Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim clergy and diplomats was held at the St Anthony’s Catholic shrine in the capital Colombo – one of the targets of the suicide bombings.

Heavy security was placed outside churches in Colombo and surrounding areas where the main services were conducted.

Silent protests were held outside churches in some locations demanding speedy investigations into the attacks.

Also read:Ex-Sri Lanka minister, brother to be detained for 90 days

Tags Covid-19, FESTIVAL, Sri Lanka

-Top News Asia News Sri Lanka

SL cabinet clears proposal for burqa ban

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 28 April 2021
No Comments on SL cabinet clears proposal for burqa ban

The proposals featured in a special report presented to Parliament to resolve 14 controversial issues following the April 2019 Easter Attack….reports Asian Lite News

Sri Lankan government i moving forward with the burqa ban as the cabinet on Tuesday cleared a proposal to ban all forms of face veils in public places “due to national security concerns”, media reported.

“The Cabinet has approved the proposal…it will now go to the legal draftsmen and then be brought to parliament,” The Hindu quoted cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella as saying.

The proposals featured in a special report presented to Parliament to resolve 14 controversial issues following the April 2019 Easter Attack.

The report was tabled by MP Malith Jayatilaka, the Chairman of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on National Security.

The report states that a number of countries have already banned the burqa and suggested that the police should have the power to request anyone wearing a face covering in a public place to take it off in order to establish the person’s identity.

Also read:Chinese Defence Minister starts B’desh, Sri Lanka visits

If such a request was not complied with, the police should have the power to arrest the individual without a warrant, the report added.

It also recommended the island nation’s Election Commission to enact a legislation to suspend the registration of political parties on ethnic and religious basis.

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa (Xinhua/Tang Lu/IANS)

The report further said that the registration of political parties which have some racial or religious conflict or in its name should also prohibited, the Daily Mirror reported.

Such a party should be converted into a political or non-religious political party within a specified period of time, it added.

Another proposal in the report said that all students studying in madrasas should be absorbed into the normal school system under the Ministry of Education within three years.

Also read:Highly infectious Covid-19 strain detected in Sri Lanka

Tags burqa ban, Sri Lanka

Asia News Sri Lanka

Ex-Sri Lanka minister, brother to be detained for 90 days

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 28 April 2021
No Comments on Ex-Sri Lanka minister, brother to be detained for 90 days

Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and brother Riyadh have been arrested by the CID on April 24 for allegedly assisting the terrorists responsible for the deadly April 2019 bombing attacks….reports Asian Lite News

Former Sri Lankan minister Rishad Bathiyudeen and his brother who were arrested by the country’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID) would be detained for 90 days under the stiff anti-terrorism law to conduct further probe into their role in the deadly 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, police said.

Minister Rishad Bathiudeen and brother Riyadh have been arrested by the CID on April 24 for allegedly assisting the terrorists responsible for the deadly April 2019 bombing attacks.

“They were arrested after the scrutiny of bank accounts, cheque transactions and communication lines,” news reports quoted senior deputy inspector general and the police spokesman Ajith Rohana as saying.

The CID has been standing outside my house in Boudhaloka Mawatha since 1.30 am today attempting to arrest me without a charge. They have already arrested my brother. I have been in Parliament, and have cooperated with all lawful authorities until now. This is unjust.
— Rishad Bathiudeen (@rbathiudeen) April 23, 2021

Rohana said the police investigations had focused on the close contacts of the suicide bombers who carried out the attacks at luxury hotels in Colombo and three churches, according to the report.

On April 21, 2019, Sri Lanka was hit by a series of deadly bombings that killed over 250 people, including 40 foreigners, and injured many more.

Also read:Sri Lanka observes anniversary of Easter bombings

The Islamic State terrorist group has claimed the responsibility for the attacks. More than 100 people have been arrested in connection with the bombings.

Sri Lanka on last Wednesday marked the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday bombings with religious ceremonies, as Catholics called for investigations into the attacks to be expedited.

Catholic churches conducted prayer services after two minutes of silence in remembrance of the 271 people killed in the multiple explosions. Other religious groups held similar events.

A multi-religious remembrance service attended by Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim clergy and diplomats was held at the St Anthony’s Catholic shrine in the capital Colombo – one of the targets of the suicide bombings.

Also read:Sri Lanka to stay with AstraZeneca jabs

Heavy security was placed outside churches in Colombo and surrounding areas where the main services were conducted.

Silent protests were held outside churches in some locations demanding speedy investigations into the attacks.

Sri Lanka Easter bombing

“We are not happy about the investigations,” head of the Catholic church in Sri Lanka, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith said, adding that the people need answers about who was responsible and the truth about the motives behind the attacks.

A presidential commission appointed to probe the attacks has concluded its investigation, but Ranjith has claimed that the report fails to fully identify those responsible for the bombings, though it pointed to Islamic extremists groups as the perpetrators.

Also read:Highly infectious Covid-19 strain detected in Sri Lanka

Tags easterbombing, Sri Lanka

-Top News Asia News Sri Lanka

Highly infectious Covid-19 strain detected in Sri Lanka

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 28 April 2021
No Comments on Highly infectious Covid-19 strain detected in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka

Health authorities feared that the new variant is spreading rapidly after last week’s New Year celebrations with more younger people getting infected….reports Asian

A highly transmissible Covid-19 variant is fast spreading in Sri Lanka, the health authorities have warned, adding that it can be airborne.

According to Neelika Malavige, the head of the Department of Immunology and Molecular Sciences of the Sri Jayawardenapura University, the new variant can remain airborne for nearly an hour and is spreading fast, the WION reported.

“This variant of coronavirus is more highly transmissible than all found so far in the island. The new strain is airborne, the droplets can remain airborne for nearly an hour,” Malavige was quoted as saying.

People taking COVID-19 vaccination at a police hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Photo: Ajith Perera/Xinhua/ians)

Health authorities feared that the new variant is spreading rapidly after last week’s New Year celebrations with more younger people getting infected.

Sri Lanka’s Education Minister Professor GL Peiris on Tuesday announced that all schools island-wide will be closed till April 30 amid a surge in coronavirus cases in the country.

Sri Lanka observes anniversary of Easter bombings

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 21 April 2021
No Comments on Sri Lanka observes anniversary of Easter bombings

The bombings carried out by extremist groups targeted three churches during Easter Sunday services in 2019. Three luxury hotels were also hit in simultaneous attacks on April 21…reports Asian Lite News

Sri Lanka on Wednesday marked the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday bombings with religious ceremonies, as Catholics called for investigations into the attacks to be expedited.

The bombings carried out by extremist groups targeted three churches during Easter Sunday services in 2019. Three luxury hotels were also hit in simultaneous attacks on April 21, DPA reported.

Catholic churches conducted prayer services after two minutes of silence in remembrance of the 271 people killed in the multiple explosions. Other religious groups held similar events.

A multi-religious remembrance service attended by Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim clergy and diplomats was held at the St Anthony’s Catholic shrine in the capital Colombo – one of the targets of the suicide bombings.

Sri Lanka on alert ahead of anniversary of Easter bombings

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 19 April 2021
No Comments on Sri Lanka on alert ahead of anniversary of Easter bombings

The Easter terror attack by suicide bombers in April 2019 was one of the worst violent incidents recorded in Sri Lanka’s history….reports Asian Lite News

Sri Lankan police on Monday said security has been beefed up in all churches across the island nation ahead of the the second anniversary of the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed over 250 people and injured at least 500 others.

Police spokesperson DIG Ajith Rohana said authorities were informed that various religious masses, activities, and events were being planned to commemorate the victims , and as a result additional security personnel have been deployed in all churches islandwide, reports Xinhua news agency.

“The Police Headquarters has issued a special message to the officers-in-charge (OICs) of police stations and senior officers of territorial divisions including Senior DIGs, DIGs, SSPs and SPs to monitor the situation,” Rohana said.

Also read:Pakistan offers $15mn LoC to Sri Lanka

“We have informed all stations to provide maximum security in respect of events,” he added.

The Easter terror attack by suicide bombers in April 2019 was one of the worst violent incidents recorded in Sri Lanka’s history.

Sri Lankan authorities have said probe into the blasts is still continuing and that they have identified and taken into custody masterminds behind the violence.

On April 21, 2019, three churches in Negombo, Batticaloa and Colombo and the hotels — Shangri-La, Cinnamon Grand, Kingsbury and Tropical Inn — in the capital city were targeted in the series of coordinated suicide bombings.

Sri Lankan authorities attributed the attacks to little-known local Islamist extremist groups, National Thowheeth Jama’ath and Jammiyathul Millathu Ibrahim.

However, the Islamic State terror group claimed the attacks.

Also read:Sri Lanka to stay with AstraZeneca jabs

Tags bombing, easter, Sri Lanka, sunday

-Top News China Sri Lanka

Chinese pressure? Lanka approves Sinopharm

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 20 March 2021
No Comments on Chinese pressure? Lanka approves Sinopharm

Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa (Xinhua/Tang Lu/IANS)

It seems that Sri Lanka was under alleged Chinese pressure to approve its Sinopharm vaccine as part of countering India’s growing vaccine outreach to neighbouring countries, reports Asian Lite News

Sri Lanka’s National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) on Saturday approved China’s Sinopharm Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use in the island country.

According to State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals Channa Jayasumana, this is the third Covid-19 vaccine to be approved in the country after the AstraZeneca and Russia’s Sputnik V jabs, reports Xinhua news agency.

Also Read – Sri Lanka falling deep to China’s googly

Earlier this month, General Manager of the State Pharmaceutical Corporation (SPC) Dinusha Dassanayake said the SPC had also made an application to the NMRA to clear China’s Sinovac vaccine for emergency use.

Last month, a Sri Lankan government spokesman had confirmed that it had put Chinese Sinopharm’s Covid-19 vaccine on hold and would use India-manufactured Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine to inoculate 14 million people.

According to reports, the Chinese embassy in Colombo has been placing stress on political management since January and making public statements that their vaccine will arrive by mid-Feb and regulatory approval can even be obtained by then.

A police officer receives the COVID-19 vaccination at a police hospital in Colombo, Sri Lanka. (Photo: Ajith Perera/Xinhua/ians)

Sri Lanka is in the midst of a mass inoculation program as it began inoculating all those above 30 years old in the urban Western Province from mid-February, after vaccinating frontline workers and health workers with the AstraZeneca doses.

Sri Lanka received AstraZeneca doses from India in January and February.

It also received 264,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine under the World Health Organization-led COVAX facility which is being administered to those above the age of 60 years.

Also Read – Sri Lanka to continue AstraZeneca jabs

Last month, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa thanked India for its generosity after he obtained 500,000 doses of Covishield vaccine donated by the nation below the ‘Neighbourhood First’ coverage.

Last week, Narendra Modi and Gotabaya Rajapaksa had agreed to maintain regular contact between relevant officials, including in the context of the continuing Covid-19 challenges.

Sri Lanka expects India’s backing at UNHRC

Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Jayanath Colombage has confirmed that India has assured Sri Lanka of its support at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

The UNHRC member countries will vote on a new resolution on the Sri Lanka’s rights and accountability record on March 22.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi

“Being the superpower they are, Sri Lanka greatly appreciates their position,” the state-run Daily News quoted the foreign secretary’s remarks, who was speaking at the Third Digital Dialogue hosted by the Media Centre for National Development.

Colombage had earlier sent an official communique to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking India’s support when Sri Lanka’s record in human rights and related accountability will be probed in the Geneva-based body.

UK, Germany, Canada, Malawi, North Macedonia and Montenegro are the members of the Sri Lanka Core Group.

Also Read – Imran pitches CPEC to Lanka

“The Core Group restates the ongoing importance of addressing Sri Lanka in the Human rights Council. Informed by the report the core group intends to present a resolution to promote reconciliation accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka,” the statement read.

According to The Hindu, Colombo has also been reaching out to member countries during the past weeks, pitching its version of Sri Lanka’s post-war realities that the U.N. resolutions seek to address.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, among other leaders, including Chinese President Xi Jinping, seeking support at the 47-member Council where Colombo anticipates a hostile resolution.

All eyes are on India’s vote, not only because of its “influence” in the Council, but also because of its own tensions with Colombo, following the Rajapaksa government’s recent decisions on strategic projects involving India and China, according to the report.

Given India’s pressing geopolitical concerns in the island nation, and stated support for Tamil aspirations, it remains to be seen how India will approach on the vote.

Tags china, Covid-19, Covishield, India, Sinopharm, Sri Lanka, vaccine

-Top News COVID-19 Sri Lanka

Lanka may junk Sinopharm, orders 13.5 Mn vax from India

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 24 February 2021
No Comments on Lanka may junk Sinopharm, orders 13.5 Mn vax from India

Sri Lanka has ordered 13.5 million Oxford AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccines in addition to the 500,000 doses gifted by India, and the country may not use Chinese vaccines in the second phase of immunisation, a government spokesman has said.

Ramesh Pathirana, who is also the Minister of Plantations, said Sri Lanka is likely to go only with the AstraZeneca vaccines for the second phase of vaccination as the Chinese and Russian vaccines are not ready yet.

“The Chinese vaccine has not submitted the papers relating to phase three trials, said Pathirana.

For the first round of vaccinations, the government has placed an order for 10 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccine from the Serum Institute of India at a cost of $52.5 million and a further 3.5 million doses directly from AstraZeneca Institute of UK under the Covax programme, the spokesman said.

India gifted 500,000 doses of the same vaccine which kicked off Sri Lanka’s vaccine rollout in late January.

Mahinda Rajapaksa

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa thanked India last month for its generosity after he received 500,000 doses of Covishield vaccine donated by the country under the ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy.

The government will be directed by the best medical advice on when the second dose should be given, Pathirana said, adding that although initially it was believed that the booster jab should be given after four weeks.

SL general public to get jabs from March

Post author By Newsdesk
Post date 9 February 2021
No Comments on SL general public to get jabs from March

vaccine jabs

Sri Lanka began vaccinating its frontline workers late last month after receiving 50,000 free Oxford-AstraZeneca-Covishield vaccines from India….reports Asian Lite News

The general public in Sri Lanka will get coronavirus vaccinations from the first week of March, State Minister of Primary Health Care Sudarshini Fernandopulle on has said. The vaccination drive will be starting with people above the age of 60 years.

Sri Lanka began vaccinating its frontline workers late last month after receiving 50,000 free Oxford-AstraZeneca-Covishield vaccines from India.

Sri Lanka has so far recorded and over 69,000 Covid-19 cases and 356 deaths.

Fernandopulle said the general public will be inoculated against the disease from next month. She said the drive will start with people over the age of 60 years and people in the workforce aged between 30 and 60 years.

As of now, 1,60,000 frontline workers, including police and military personnel, have been vaccinated so far, Fernandopulle said.

Apart from the vaccine gift from India, a consignment of vaccines would arrive in the island in early March through the COVAX international initiative. Sri Lanka will also import another 3 million vaccine doses from India.

The government also announced that 4,000 vaccination centres would be set up throughout the country as part of the nationwide inoculation drive. Of these, 2,000 will be operated daily where 300 people could be vaccinated everyday, according to reports.

Also read:Mass rallies continue in Myanmar despite ban on gatherings