www.themorning.lk Late City VOL 01 | NO 25 | Rs. 30.00 { FRIDAY } FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2021 THE SLIPPERY STRANDED IN SLOPE OF BANNING BENGALURU THOUGHT WHO IS TO BENEFIT FROM CHINA IS SL’S THE ‘SUDDEN’ GAZETTE ‘CLOSEST FRIEND’: NOTIFICATION ISSUED? DINESH »SEE PAGE 5 »SEE PAGE 16 »SEE PAGE 3 »SEE PAGE 11 Testing reduced Covid burial to after vaccine? z Medical lab techs, PHIs, z Government lab services deny GMOA sound alarm claim; say facilities increased BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE be permitted Balasooriya told The Morning. The number of PCR tests and rapid antigen According to the PHIs Union, this decline z z tests (RATs) that are conducted has gone was also confirmed by their District officers. Near 11-month mandatory Decision comes after Pak PM’s down since the national vaccination drive “Reducing PCR tests is not a wise cremation policy to end visit and amidst UNHRC sessions began in late January, various stakeholders decision. What if we get a new strain of of the healthcare system claimed. coronavirus? If the PCR tests are to be BY THE MORNING NEWS DESK as a result of Covid-19 would be “The imposition of cremation Speaking to The Morning, Public Health reduced, it should be done in a scientific Ending a highly controversial mandatory cremation policy cremated was issued in early April as the only option for handling Inspectors (PHIs) Union of Sri Lanka way,” Balasooriya added. that was in place for 11 months, the Government yesterday last year, leading to an outcry by the bodies confirmed or suspected Secretary M. Balasooriya said that there is College of Medical Laboratory Science (25) decided to permit the burial of Covid-19 deceased, The the Muslim community in Sri of Covid-19 amounts to a human a decrease in PCR and RAT tests conducted President Ravi Kumudesh went a step Morning learnt. Lanka. rights violation. There has been no in certain areas. further, claiming that the Government The Department of Government certain conditions, which were The United Nations (UN) and established medical or scientific “The number of PCR tests reported purposefully reduced PCR and RAT testing Printing published the relevant not available at the time of going human rights activists, both local evidence in Sri Lanka or other during the first stage of the Covid-19 to show positive results for the vaccination gazette notification. to print. and international, had long urged countries that burial of dead bodies pandemic was 19,000, but we see a programme. It is understood that permission The gazette notification that that the mandatory cremation leads to increased risk of spreading clear drop in PCR tests and RATs now,” Contd. on page 2 has been granted subjected to all bodies of victims who died policy be ended. Contd. on page 2 THE FACE OF RELIEF Sirisena’s immunity, Proposal to ban for SC to decide: Sabry face veils in public z Justice Minister Ali Sabry said held at the Justice Ministry, Says only apex court can interpret presidential immunity clause yesterday (25) that a proposal has the Minister said a proposal to BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI AND whether the former President, have to be interpreted, has to been submitted to Cabinet to bring amend the Muslim Marriage DINITHA RATHNAYAKE who is now a Government be done by the SC.” in laws to ban the wearing of face and Divorce Act (MMDA) Justice Minister M.U.M. Ali Parliamentarian, is eligible The question was in reference veils, which could pose a threat had already been submitted to Sabry PC said that the final for Presidential immunity. to the the recommendations of to national security, in public. Cabinet late last year. decision on whether criminal “All I can provide is an the Presidential Commission of Speaking at a news briefing Contd. on page 2 or civil proceedings can be opinion, which I will refrain Inquiry (PCoI) on the Easter instituted against former from providing. The exclusive Sunday bombings of 21 April President Maithripala Sirisena jurisdiction to interpret any 2019, which recommended can only be made by the Article in the Constitution and legal action against the Supreme Court (SC). make a final decision lies with former President for acts he The Minister said this in the SC. How Article 35 of the committed or omitted during response to a question by Constitution, which pertains his Presidency. the press yesterday (25) as to to Presidential immunity, will Contd. on page 2 All clergy Planters to have vaccine skip wages priority meeting again? BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE z Labour Comnr. Gen. warns All religious clergy are eligible to receive of action if boycott happens the Covid-19 vaccine as President Gotabaya BY PAMODI WARAVITA Rajapaksa had advised to prioritise the clergy in the vaccination programme, After having boycotted the meeting of the according to Secretary to the State Ministry Wages Board on the minimum wage for the tea of Primary Healthcare, Epidemics, and plantation sector, regional plantation companies Covid Disease Control Dr. Amal Harsha (RPCs) are still undecided about their attendance de Silva. at the next meeting, The Morning learnt. Speaking to The Morning on 24 The next meeting would be convened on 1 February, Dr. de Silva said that the first March to hear objections to the decision reached phase of vaccine administration would on 8 February about granting Rs. 1,000 as the Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage was yesterday (25) acquitted by the cater to the clergy in high-risk areas in minimum wage to plantation workers. Colombo High Court in the case filed over the misappropriation of trade union funds the Western Province. Speaking to The Morning yesterday (25), Contd. on page 2 Planters’ Association of Ceylon (PA) Media Spokesman Dr. Roshan Rajadurai said the SUDARSHINI’S CONCERNS ABOUT HEALTH MIN. representatives of the PA have not yet decided Bachelet urges on whether they would attend the next wages Health Min. to act based board meeting. int’l accountability Contd. on page 2 z UNHRC agenda sets on veracity of claims dangerous precedent: Dinesh BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI Herath said that Health Ministry COVID-19 CASES BY PAMODI WARAVITA Responding to concerns raised Secretary Maj. Gen. Dr. Sanjeewa by State Minister Dr. Sudarshini Munasinghe, and Director ACTIVE CASES TOTAL CASES United Nations High Commissioner for Fernandopulle regarding the General of Health Services Human Rights Michelle Bachelet called Health Ministry, Health Ministry (DGHS) Dr. Asela Gunawardena on the United Nations Human Rights officials said that the relevant can inquire into the matter and 81,467 Council (UNHRC) to explore new ways authorities could take action to rectify the situation if the claims of accountability for Sri Lanka at the rectify any issues based on the made by Dr. Fernandopulle are DEATHS RECOVERED international level. veracity of the claims. true. This was at the Interactive Dialogue Session Speaking to The Morning “Dr. Fernandopulle has a right 4,496 457 76,514 on her report on Sri Lanka which concluded yesterday (25), Deputy Director to express her opinion as a public SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU on 24 February. General of Health Services representative. THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 9.00 P.M. ON 25 FEBRUARY 2021 Contd. on page 2 (DDGHS) Dr. Hemantha Contd. on page 2 42 www.themorning.lk { NEWS } Friday, February 26, 2021 FEDERAL OR UNITARY CONSTITUTION Reparations Office Wiggy asks UN to devising psychosocial hold referendum BY PAMODI WARAVITA Through a letter, the Thamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK) has requested the United support programme Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to hold a referendum in the North and the East to BY PAMODI WARAVITA No. 5 of 2018), and relatives of Office had not taken place for determine their view on a federal constitution, The Office for Reparations is presently formulating a new a deceased person or a person three months from March 2020. The Morning learnt. psychosocial support programme to aid aggrieved persons, missing in the circumstances The official further mentioned “My constituent party leaders have asked The Morning learnt. referred to above. that currently, compensation is given for a referendum to be conducted under TMTK Leader and parliamentarian “We are embarking on a Wijayathilake. Officials at the Office for to those who have suffered due to international supervision in the North and C.V. Wigneswaran programme to provide psychosocial Aggrieved persons, as defined Reparations told The Morning death, injury or the loss of property. East, where the people of the North and East support for aggrieved persons in under the Office for Reparations that a total of 7,727 aggrieved The Act came into operation should decide whether they want to be under a “Maybe the time has come now,” opined collaboration with the relevant Act, No. 34 of 2018, include persons had been provided with at the end of 2018 to provide unitary constitution or a federal constitution,” Wigneswaran. Government officers. We will persons who have suffered damage compensation since 2019 to compensation and reparations TMTK Leader and parliamentarian C.V. Both civil society organisations and political commence with the conduct of as a result of the loss of life or December 2020, amounting to to victims of violence and to act Wigneswaran told The Morning yesterday (25). parties from the North and the East have an assessment of the needs,” damage to their person or property, a total sum of Rs. 1.012 billion. as a measure of reconciliation According to Wigneswaran, who was also written to the UNHRC and its Member States Office for Reparations Sri Lanka in the course of, consequent to, From January 2019 to December and security. Primarily, the Act a former Chief Minister of the Northern ahead of the UNHRC Session.