Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka, told a gathering yesterday, the misdeed of a few, could not tarnish the image of Sri Lanka’s armed forces.

The Field Marshall was referring to a comment made by former External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris, who accused the government of betraying the armed forces in the name of reconciliation.

“The misdeeds of a few can never tarnish the image of the armed forces,” Field Marshall Sarath Fonseka said, accusing the former External Affairs Minister of fanning rumours to the contrary.  

Several members of the armed forces have been arrested and are implicated in high-profile abductions and killings under the past government. 

The United Nations Human Rights Commission, in a resolution co-sponsored by Sri Lanka, pushed to implement truth-seeking and judicial mechanisms to bolster post-war accountability and reform. 

President Maithripala Sirisena, in a message released for International Women’s Day, said it was the objective of the government to further expand the steps taken to enhance women’s contribution in management and political decision-making.

‘It is our objective to further expand the steps taken by our government during the last two years to enhance women’s contribution in the management and political decision-making machinery, in order to empower the multiple roles of Sri Lankan women,’ the message read.

‘I expect the intervention and contribution of women’s organisations, women activists and all relevant parties in this regard.’

The full message is given below:

'We are unanimous in agreement that the sustainable existence of humankind depends on the strength of the empowered women. That is why the sustainable development goals of the United Nations organisation prioritise the plan to empower all women and female children within the next 15 years.

 Sri Lanka recognises motherhood as precious. However, that recognition does not provide sufficient protection to the entire feminine community. Therefore the government, in its endeavour to achieve sustainable development, has to implement a pragmatic programme to ensure the identity and protection of Sri Lankan women and give them an opportunity to engage in the development process.

It is a matter for satisfaction that the women in Sri Lanka, comprising more than half the population of Sri Lanka, have achieved development indicators to the level of the developed countries in the world. The Sri Lankan woman is ahead of her male counterpart in literacy and life expectancy. Today, the Sri Lankan women are taking the highest burden of our economy.

It is our objective to further expand the steps taken by our government during the last two years to enhance women’s contribution in the management and political decision-making machinery, in order to empower the multiple roles of Sri Lankan women. I expect the intervention and contribution of women’s organisations, women activists and all relevant parties in this regard.

 I wish the programmes on International Women’s Day which are organised under the theme ‘She Envisions Past, Present, Future – Victorious Through Efforts’, with the objective of establishing the respectful position of the Sri Lankan women, every success! I commend all of those who make relentless efforts to achieve the goals of International Women’s Day.'

President Maithripala Srisena arrived at the Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta International Airport last afternoon to attend the Indian Ocean Rim Association Leaders’ Summit.

He was warmly received on arrival by a special delegation, including Indonesian Minister of Public Works and Housing, Basuki Hadimuljono.

The Indian Ocean Rim Association Leaders’ Summit will commence today(7th March) in Jakarta, with the aim of sustainable and balanced development of the member states in the Indian Ocean region.

The President is scheduled to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Summit today, and will address the Summit at 11.00 a.m. Sri Lankan time.

President Sirisena will also meet the Sri Lankan community this evening.

He is accompanied by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, State Ministers V. Radhakrishnan, Sujeewa Senasinghe and Dilip Wedaarachchi.

Officers of the Judicial Services Association had reneged on their decision to boycott the Bar Association election, and have indicated they will act as presiding officers on March 15.

The decision was made following a meeting between senior officers of the Bar Association and the Judicial Services Association.

The Judicial Services Association had earlier declared they would not as presiding officers at the Bar Association election, effectively scuttling the process, in protest at the appointment of Ramanathan Kannan as High Court judge.

A senior official attached to the Central Bank’s Public Debt Department has revealed that former Governor Arjuna Mahendran had walked into the department while controversial bond action was taking place.

Additional Statistics Director Dr. M.Z.M Asim said the move was unprecedented: No other Central Bank Governor had walked into the Department during a bond auction.

He said the former Governor had walked into the PDD at around 10. 45 a.m., accompanied by two other officers, and had proceeded to question the Superintendent of Public Debt K. Seneviratne.

Dr. Asim said the former Central Bank Governor had left room at 11. 11 a.m., after the auction had closed at 11.05 a.m.

He was responding to a question posed to him by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to probe the Treasury Bond issue.

The Joint Opposition (JO) has called for a two-day debate in Parliament on the Central Bank bond controversy, and has also called for the removal of Ravi Karunanayake as Minister of Finance. 

The JO said there was confusion with the gazette notification relating to the Central Bank bond incident, and they would challenge the government in Parliament.

It also questioned the performance of the Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake in light of the looming economic crisis and called for his removal.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has written to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, ahead of its 34th session, urging the UNHRC to desist from giving Sri Lanka more time to address accountability issued.

The letter was signed by eight parliamentarians of the TNA: S. Adaikalanadanm, S. Sritharan, S. Anandan, C. Nirmalan, S.Yogeswaran, K. Kodishwaram, S. Siddharathan and S. Viyalendran.

TNA leader R. Sampanthan, parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran and seven other MPs however, have not signed the letter.

Sri Lanka is expected to ask the United Nations Human Rights Council for more time to address accountability and implement measures to promote reconciliation.

The Constitutional Council last night decided to appoint Supreme Court Justice Priyasad Dep as the new Chief Justice.

The recommendation will be sent to the President who will officially announce the new appointment today. 

The CC meeting was chaired by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya.

Dep was educated at St. Joseph's Colllege, Colombo, where he excelled in studies, athletics, rugby and soccer.

He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Development Studies at the University of Colombo. He represented the university in rugby and cricket.

Dep won a scholarship by the Dutch government  that enabled him to acquire a Post-Graduate Diploma in international law at the International Institute of Social Studies.

He served as the 40th Solicitor General of Sri Lanka, from 2007 to 2011. 

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, at a meeting with UNP seniors at Temple Trees yesterday, asked for submissions for party re-organisation.

The Premier had said that the United National Party (UNP) should not neglect party priorities, even while in the unity government.

Towards this end, the Premier suggested that while those holding portfolios in the unity government continue with their work, other members of the UNP focus on party priorities.

The Prime Minister suggested that the party members make submissions and create a programme for the UNP to adhere to in the upcoming year.