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Media rights groups have written to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana Wickramaratne raising concerns over “indirect threats” levelled by a Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) against a journalist on Facebook.

In a joint letter to the IGP, six media rights groups have drawn his attention towards a series of angry Facebook posts by the SDIG in response to an article published on the website run by Journalist Tharindu Jayawardena.

The SDIG had continually alleged that the journalist was publishing “fake news” and had claimed in his Facebook posts that “nature will win” some day. He had then allegedly asked the journalist and others who commented in support of Mr Jayawardena to “see (what happened to) Prabhakaran and other criminals.”

During their Facebook exchange, Mr Jayawardena had repeatedly challenged the SDIG to point out a single instance where he had published “fake news” as claimed by the senior officer, but he had not been forthcoming, beyond making a vague reference to an article on the Easter Sunday attacks, the letter notes.

The joint letter to the IGP was signed by the Free Media Movement, the Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions, the Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, the Sri Lanka Tamil Media Forum, the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum and the Young Journalists’ Association.

The organisations note that there is a trend of people being arbitrarily arrested on allegations of spreading fake news. Many such persons continue to be detained without being subjected to proper judicial proceedings, they point out. In light of this situation, they have asked the IGP to direct attention towards the response made by the SDIG to the journalist and take steps to order a proper investigation into the incident and ensure the journalist’s safety.

Free for all functions, holidays and now moves to privatise

Protest against the move

While campaigning for elections in the past, many of those in the current government shouted themselves hoarse that a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) led government would never privatise national assets. Less than two years into its term, the reality is markedly different.

On Friday, staff members of the Nuwara Eliya holiday bungalow operated by the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) held a protest stating that the SLTDA was making plans to privatise their holiday bungalows in Nuwara Eliya, Bandarawela, Anuradhapura and Kataragama. The bungalows had been built in the 1970s by the Sri Lanka Tourist Board for the convenience of local tourists.

The protesters said that about 500 employees work at these four holiday bungalows and stressed they were firmly opposed to handing these bungalows over to the private sector.

While the reason given for privatisation is that they were making losses, the employees claimed that the reason for the losses were the shortsighted decisions of some senior officers. They noted that the bungalows had been used extensively over the years to host state and private sector workshops, wedding venues and as holiday homes for school students at concessionary rates.

Congress MP’s book on Sir Edwin Arnold’s ‘Light of  Asia’ making waves  in Indian literary scene

The latest book by Indian Member of Parliament (MP) and former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh titled “The Light of Asia” is making waves in the Indian literary scene these days. The book explores the story behind the author of the iconic poem on the Buddha – Sir Edwin Arnold.

The Congress leader traced back the history of Sir Edwin Arnold who immersed himself in various Indian regional languages including Sanskrith after his studies in Oxford, UK and later was known for his masterpiece – The Light of Asia.

The writer also sheds some insight into how Sri Lankan Buddhist revivalist Anagarika Dharmapala was the key figure in restoring the lost glory of Buddhism in Indian culture and his friendship with the Lankan monk. He was also a founder member, together with Anagarika Dharmapala, of the Mahabodhi Society of India and was a close associate of Venerable Weligama Sri Sumangala Thera.

“Thanks to Anagarika Dharmapala, not only Bodh Gaya but later on Sarnath also gets redone and re-established. To Dharmapala, who in many ways was influenced tremendously by Edwin Arnold, we hold recovery of Buddhism as part of our cultural heritage,” Jairam Ramesh stressed in The Hindu -On Books Podcast.

Dollar rate — the official vs. real

Those in the foreign currency exchange business are wondering how long the government is going to downplay the USD-LKR exchange rate at Rs 200 while the currency is trading above the declared rate in off banks.

According to the Exchange Rate Movement Rupee per USD by the Central bank of Sri Lanka, on July 2 — the nominal rate of the exchange was Rs 200.522. However, the dollar was trading in open markets at Rs 225.00

The businessmen express concerns about the skyrocketing rate of the dollar against the rupee and decreasing foreign reserves as debt re-servicing commitments also coming up end of this month.

Three wheelers to the fore for community policing

Given the various transport difficulties encountered by police officers when carrying out their duties, the Government this week began a programme to provide 2000 three-wheelers to police stations around the country.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa inaugurated the programme at Temple Trees by symbolically handing over new three-wheelers to 10 police stations.

The Ministry of Public Security stated that the main objective in providing these three-wheelers is to enhance the concept of community policing.

Fiery end to farmer protest

Farmers are under tremendous difficulties after the decision by the Government to ban chemical fertilisers and agrochemicals to curtail foreign imports.

Many fear, this would push farmers more into poverty as many farmers are abandoning their farming lands.

Amidst a global pandemic, farmers find it difficult to take to the roads to express their dissatisfaction through mobilising farmers’ groups. Instead, they decided to stage protests on their respective farming lands in pocket groups.

Early this week, a frustrated Dambulla farmer whose brinjal harvest was destroyed due to lack of agrochemicals set fire to the harvest publicly.

More students learning Chinese makes Chinese envoy happy

Interest among students and the general public in Sri Lanka towards learning the Chinese language has grown over the past few years, China’s Ambassador Qi Zhenhong says.

There are now 57 schools and seven universities in Sri Lanka offering Chinese language courses, Zhenhong said on Friday as he addressed the awards ceremony of the Sri Lankan preliminary contest of the 20th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign University Students. The 2021 edition of the competition was held online this year.

Sixty two students from local universities took part in the competition, with 31 entering the final. S.Odani Hemaransi Silva from the University of Kelaniya won first place at the competition.

Addressing the event, Ambassador Qi Zhenhong also noted that this year marked the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

“Two weeks ago, 12 Sri Lankan major political parties jointly organised a special conference to celebrate the centenary anniversary of the CPC, and this was highly remarkable and successful and representing the special and common friendship from different parties of Sri Lanka towards the CPC, the government of China and the Chinese people,” he said.

Atul Keshap to India

As the United States (US)-India bilateral ties are being strengthened under President Joe Biden’s administration in keeping with Indo-Pacific policy, it is no secret that some of the old hands are being appointed to key destinations in the South Asia.

One such appointment came this week from the US Department of State, that of former US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and Maldives Ambassador Atul Keshap as Chargé d’Affaires at its Embassy in New Delhi, India.

Ambassador Atul Keshap, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, recently served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. Mr Keshap’s parents have deep roots in Mysuru, Southern India.

Before he departed to New Delhi, Ambassador Keshap met with senior Indian diplomat and Indian ambassador to US Taranjith Singh Sandhu who served as Indian Ambassador in Colombo previously.

Who did what to whom: A case of battle for vote base

Sometimes community projects local council politicos show interests in could bring adverse effects on them due to rivalry, a recent incident shows.

A Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Colombo Municipal Council member Wehelle Sumithralatha and her son were allegedly assaulted by a defeated candidate of the same party at Wellawatte.

The CMC Member complained to the council at a meeting on Thursday that a group of about 15 people had assaulted her and her son while they were inspecting a construction project.

She has lodged a complaint at the police.

But a counter complaint too has been lodged by a defeated SLPP member.

Dilith Farnando had lodged a counter claim saying that he was assaulted by the son of the council member. He claims he did not assault the member, but had pushed her.

Colombo Mayor Rosy Senanayake said she would inform the President and Inspector General of the Police to carry out an investigation regarding the matter before the next municipal council meeting scheduled later this month.

But residents say it is a case of a battle for the vote base in the area.