SRI LANKA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER I SINCE 1918 MONDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2021 I 32 PAGES I VOLUME - 103 - NO 45I RS. 30.00 I REGISTERED AS A NEWSPAPER IN SRI LANKA I LATE CITY ★ UNHRC SESSIONS BEGIN TODAY LANKA GAINS SUPPORT FOR UNHRC COUNTER-MOVES FOREIGN MINISTER SRI LANKA’S REPLY Pakistani PM here tomorrow EXPRESSES OPTIMISM WELL RECEIVED Enhancing trade high on agenda LAHIRU FERNANDO with confidence, Foreign Minis- and for general consensus-based The minister was participat- Prime Minister Prime Minister Sri Lanka has garnered the sup- ter Dinesh Gunawardena said. agreements to be moved. Now, ing in a political discussion on of Pakistan, Imran Khan will attend port of a fair number of countries “The UNHRC is acting on most of the countries are react- YouTube conducted by Senior Khan will visit to bilateral meetings at the United Nations Human country-specific resolutions. ing to this issue because today, Journalist Malinda Seneviratne Sri Lanka tomor- with President Rights Council (UNHRC) as the This was not what it was estab- it is Sri Lanka while by chance, on ‘Sri Lanka’s Position on row on a two day Gotabaya Rajapaksa Government faces a crucial ses- lished for. It was to reach for tomorrow, it could be any other Geneva Allegations’ over the official visit on the and Prime Minister sion that begins today in Geneva a higher ground on principles country,” he elaborated. weekend. TO PAGE 02 invitation of Prime Mahinda Rajapaksa, Minister Mahinda while several other Rajapaksa. high-level engage- He will be ments are planned, accorded a special including a Busi- ‘Mihindu Seth Medura’: War veterans remembered Guard of Honour at ness and Investment the Bandaranaike International Forum, as well as a sports diplo- Airport in Katunayake. macy initiative. TO PAGE 02 Ministerial committee will not interfere with AG’s work - Minister Justice would be served, no cover-up to safeguard Easter attackers CAMELIA NATHANIEL Irrigation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa said the Committee appointed under him will look into what steps the government has taken so far and what else needs to be done in line with the recommendations of the Easter Sunday attacks Commission report. A dinner night was hosted for war veteran inmates at the ‘Mihindu Seth Medura’, Attidiya under the Defence Ministry’s Seva Vanitha Unit on Saturday evening (20). Minister Rajapaksa is the Chairman of the The ‘Mihindu Seth Medura’, is a healing home for war veterans injured during battles. It is also a ‘Home Away Home’ for heroes with restricted movements requiring committee to study the report of the Presi- continuous care, attention and assistance. The Mihindu Seth Medura, the first of such amenity built in South Asia, is a concept of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dential Commission on the Easter Sunday when he was the Defence and Urban Development Secretary. Pictures by Defence Ministry. attacks. TO PAGE 02 Woman who Sri Lanka, US set to increase No gazette as promised, farmers begin fast again exports under GSP NUWAN JAYASEKERA in Suriyawewa They said Irrigation Minister Saman Sudarshana Minister Raja- Representatives of farmers’ organi- Chamal Rajapaksa had not kept his paksa had previously promised to followed Zahran’s Sri Lanka and the zations and the Maha Sangha will promise to gazette the proposed wild gazette the zone comprising 25,000 United States have commence a Satyagraha and a fast elephant management zone in Ham- hectares within a month to resolve the ‘classes’ arrested explored the modali- unto death campaign tomorrow (23) bantota. issue of wild elephants. ties to encourage at Walasapugala in Suriyawewa. Farmers’ Association Secretary TO PAGE 02 CAMELIA NATHANIEL exports of more Sri The Terrorist Lankan products to Investigations Divi- the US under the sion (TID) had General System of arrested a 24-year- Preferences (GSP) Ban on sachets, PET, old female believed arrangement, Sri to be a follower Lanka Embassy in of Easter Sunday the USA said in a PVC from March 31 attacks mastermind Zahran Hashim. statement. Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha and Minister The Central Environmental Author- 20ml/ net weight of 20g (except for Police Spokesman, Deputy Inspec- Sri Lankan Ambas- (Commercial) Sumedha Ponnamperuma. ity announced that the ban imposed packing food and medicines), inflatable tor General (DIG) Ajith Rohana said sador to the USA on single-use and short-term plastic toys (except balloons, balls, water float- woman identified as Mohommed Ibra- Ravinatha Aryasinha on February tive (USTR) for South and Central would come into effect from March ing/pool toys and water sports gear) him Zahida had been arrested on Feb- 19 had a virtual meeting with Asia and reviewed bilateral trade 31, 2021. and Cotton buds with plastic stems ruary 19. She had attended classes held Ambassador Christopher Wilson, and investment relations between The ban applies to sachets having (except plastic cotton buds used for by Zahran Hashim. TO PAGE 02 Assistant U.S. Trade Representa- the two countries. TO PAGE 02 less than or equal to a net volume of medical/clinical treatment). TO PAGE 02 Judge Sobhitha UNHRC urged not to harm Ministerial committee not appointed to SPCoI co-existence among communities qualified to study report - UNP President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has appointed Appeal Court SARATH MANULA cil (UNHRC) passing SHIROMI ABEYSINGHE judge Sobhitha Rajakaruna to the Special Presidential Commission WICKRAMA, a resolution against of Inquiry (SPCoI) on Political victimization. Anuradhapura special corr. Sri Lanka violates the UNP General Secretary Palitha Range The Presidential Secretariat in an Extraordinary Gazette pub- Attempts to achieve rights of people living Bandara said the Government has been lished last Friday said Appeal Court Judge Rathnapriya Gurus- narrow political agen- in such a peaceful envi- unable to appoint educated members inghe has resigned from the aforementioned Commission and das in the guise of the ronment. Therefore, to the Ministerial Committee recently Appeal Court Judge Sobhitha Rajakaruna has been appointed human rights violation the UNHRC is urged appointed to study the report of the Presi- to fill in the vacancy. The three-member SPCoI is claims are worthless Religious leaders and the War Heroes’ Associations not to take such deci- dential Commission of Inquiry that probed headed by Supreme Court Judge Dhammika Priyan- as all communities in of the North and the North-Central Provinces at the sions causing internal the Easter Sunday attacks. tha Samarakoon Jayawardena and Supreme Court Jaffna live peacefully media briefing. Picture by Sarath Manula Wickrema. issues in the country. “The ruling party highlighted its Viyath Maga Movement Judge Khema Kumudini Wickremasinghe is another today, Rev.Fr. Solomon Trinity Church, Jaffna He said the UN prior to the Election. Yet, it has been unable to find learned member of the Commission. TO PAGE 02 Dickson of the Holy stressed. Human Rights Coun- TO PAGE 02 members for the Committee. TO PAGE 02 DN page 2 NEWS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2021 Law Ministers call for international co-operation on COVID-19 vaccines Commonwealth Law Ministers has accelerated the digitalisation Backlogs in civil and criminal Justice Minister, echoed the call have called for increased interna- and modernisation of judicial cases have also increased; which for international co-operation to tional co-operation to enable services, with technology such as has exacerbated long-standing ensure equitable access to vac- equal access to COVID-19 vacci- video-conferencing being widely justice challenges such as high cines. nations. used in courts in many Common- costs, delays, and complexities He said “no part of the world A special virtual meeting of wealth jurisdictions. associated with dispute resolu- will be safe from Covid until all Law Ministers was convened on Ministers agreed on a range of tion. parts of the world are safe” and 18 February to discuss legal outcomes from the meeting, She added: “I know that the stressed the need to work togeth- implications of the pandemic - in including a commitment to work strength of the Commonwealth er as Commonwealth nations particular on access to justice, collaboratively to support timely family will help us all to pull and the broader international upholding the rule of law, and and equal access to vaccines for through, and build back better, community in the fight against equitable access to essential the Commonwealth and all other leaving no one behind. Improv- the virus. medicines and equipment. Jus- countries. ing justice will be the pillar and Canada’s Justice Minister and tice Minister Ali Sabry, PC, They also issued a plea to Gov- foundation of our new normal.” Attorney-General David Lametti, chaired the meeting. ernments to provide adequate Sri Lanka’s Justice Minister said: “As countries around the Commonwealth countries resources to ensure the realisa- Ali Sabry said afterwards: “In world deal with the challenges have recorded more than 19 mil- tion of equal access to justice for these challenging times, it is a the pandemic poses to their legal lion Covid-19 cases and 370,000 all in the Commonwealth. source of strength to have global systems, promoting access to jus- deaths.During their meeting, Opening the Law Ministers partners working together. In tice and ensuring the rule of law Law Ministers shared their views meeting, Commonwealth Secre- bringing together its members to are key priorities for Ministers of and experiences of legal chal- tary-General Patricia Scotland share their experiences, exper- Law. lenges which have arisen amid said: “Most countries in the tise, and solutions, the Common- “It was great to connect with the pandemic. Ministers stressed Commonwealth are yet to receive Justice Minister Ali Sabry participating at the virtual meeting. wealth family has united us all in Commonwealth Law Ministers how lockdowns, social distanc- vaccines. There is a real need for our resolve and is a beacon of to support and learn from each ing, and other emergency meas- increased international co-opera- one country is safe until we are of the pandemic’s “untold dam- women and girls.