www.themorning.lk LATE CITY VOL 1 | NO 7 | Rs. 30.00 { TUESDAY } TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021 WOMEN ARE SEEN AS MAHELA IS THE TRCSL RELEASES ‘MICROFINANCE’ RIGHT CHOICE, SAYS SEX OBJECTS NUMBER PORTABILITY BUT EXORBITANT KISHANI ALANKI PERERA CONSULTATION PAPER INTEREST RATES ASHANTHA DE MEL »SEE PAGE 11 »SEE PAGE 7 »SEE PAGE 5 »SEE PAGE 16 EAST CONTAINER TERMINAL Unions rubbish India and SL on planters’ proposal z RPCs moot wage z Workers plan z Look beyond between Rs. 725 to boycott politics: and Rs. 1,100 work RPCs to TUs BY PAMODI WARAVITA of Rs. 1,108. “The RPCs are playing collision course Trade unions (TUs) Speaking to The Morning, with the workers’ lives as the z Cabinet approves retaining z India insists on original representing plantation Ceylon Workers’ Congress latter are asking for Rs. 1,000 workers yesterday (1) (CWC) Deputy Leader only for food and survival. expressed strong opposition Senthil Thondaman said The RPCs are not proposing 100% ownership 49%-51% split to a revised wage proposal the revised proposal is a fixed wage – they are BY THE MORNING NEWS DESK This approval was commitment of a trilateral signed in May 2019 presented by the regional unacceptable as the Rs. proposing a probability India and Sri Lanka appear to be on a collision granted a few hours agreement involving between India, Japan plantation companies 1,000 basic wage has been wage. As such, we have course with regard to the East Container Terminal after the Indian High Sri Lanka and Japan to and SLPA to develop (RPCs), according to which demanded due to the high decided to commence a (ECT) of the Colombo Port, with the Cabinet of Commission in Colombo develop the ECT. the ECT during the workers would receive a cost of living, which the ‘Token of Dissatisfaction’ Ministers late last night approving a proposal to asked all sides to This was with reference tenure of the Yahapalana basic daily wage of Rs. 725 proposed basic wage of Rs. protest on Friday (5), retain 100% ownership of the terminal with the abide by the existing to a Memorandum of Government. and a maximum daily wage 725 does not cover. Contd. on page 2 Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA). understandings and Co-operation (MoC) Contd. on page 2 ECT TRADE UNION ACTION HRW urges OVERSEEING THE FUTURE’S SAFETY UNHCR Work-to-rule ends with Cabinet nod resolution BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE Terminal (ECT) of the Colombo The work-to-rule protest Port to India’s Adani Group of campaign embarked upon by Companies was set to end last against SL port trade unions in opposition night (1), The Morning reliably to the proposed handover of 49% learnt. z Claims Govt. carrying of the stake in the East Container Contd. on page 2 out ‘assault on justice’ The Sri Lankan Government is “aggressively attacking” efforts to hold officials to account for past grave abuses and the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) should adopt a resolution upholding justice for “serious international crimes” in Sri Lanka and condemn “ongoing abuses”, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said in a report released yesterday (1). The HRW said that the 93-page report, titled “Open Wounds and Mounting Dangers: Blocking Accountability for Grave Abuses in Sri Lanka”, examines efforts by the Government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Manusath Derana together with the Ragama Leesons Hospital, in the presence of Minister of Education Prof. G.L. Peiris, collected to thwart justice in seven prominent human samples of students of the President’s College, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte in an initiative to carry out rapid antigen tests in schools rights cases. PHOTO LALITH PERERA It described the current context as “government repression” of activists, EASTER ATTACKS REPORT journalists, lawyers, and the families of Police to crackdown on victims as well as threats against vulnerable minorities and called on the UNHRC, Colombo’s ‘fake’ beggars No timeframe Contd. on page 2 zMaradana and Fort Stations under spotlight for Prez to COVID-19 CASES BY DINITHA RATHNAYAKE by the Department of Railways. The Police has decided to enforce “We have identified various respond ACTIVE CASES TOTAL CASES strict measures against persons persons who are begging at the masquerading as beggars at the Maradana and Colombo Fort BY PAMODI WARAVITA Maradana and Colombo Fort Railway Stations. They do a There is no specific time frame for a response 64,983 Railway Stations, The Morning business and are pretending to from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to the DEATHS RECOVERED learnt. be beggars. These individuals report handed over to him by the Presidential Speaking to The Morning, who are engaged in this act Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) probing Easter 6,585 323 58,075 Police Media Spokesman Deputy would be charged for cheating by Sunday attacks, The Morning learnt. SOURCE: HEALTH PROMOTION BUREAU Inspector General of Police (DIG) impersonation and will be fined,” “We cannot confirm a time of response to THE ABOVE STATISTICS ARE CONFIRMED UP UNTIL 10.30 P.M. ON 1 FEBRUARY 2021 Ajith Rohana said this decision was he said. the report due to the volume of the report,” taken according to a request made Contd. on page 2 Contd. on page 2 Cannabis study report in 3 months BY HIRANYADA DEWASIRI and laboratory division of the NDDCB what percentages are addictive and the commercial growth of cannabis for The National Dangerous Drug regarding the medicinal properties and are used for recreational purposes. It medicinal purposes, Dr. Welagedara Control Board (NDDCB) is to produce addictive elements of the cannabis will take a minimum of three months stated that permission has been granted a report on a study conducted on the plant. to produce a research report.” for 22 such medicinal drugs to be cannabis plant in Sri Lanka in three “We are currently investigating The Police Narcotic Bureau, the produced by the Sri Lanka Ayurvedic months, The Morning learnt. how much cannabis is needed in Excise Department, and specialists Drugs Corporation (SLADC), adding Speaking to The Morning yesterday Sri Lanka for medicinal purposes, in the field of botany are also a part that even now, an Ayurvedic practitioner (1), NDDCB Chairman Dr. Laknath the types of cannabis we have in Sri of this study, Dr. Welagedara added. can obtain the required amount of Welagedara said that a comparative Lanka, which parts of the plant can When inquired whether the NDDCB cannabis from the SLADC. study is being conducted by the research be used for medicinal purposes, and is looking at granting permission for Contd. on page 2 42 www.themorning.lk { NEWS } Tuesday, February 2, 2021 Lack of progress on ‘terrorism’ at UN level : GoSL z Despite child soldiers’ success story, SL hounded for defeating terror: UN Permanent Representative Mohan Peiris United Nations (UN) Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka and Armed Conflict on 29 January. resisted such recruitment faced violence, now employed. Involvement in violent political benefits accrued with such President’s Counsel Mohan Peiris has stated that it is regrettable that The irony is that the world does detention, and even death. Following the conflict and the loss of loved ones double standards. the UN General Assembly (GA) is yet to agree on a common definition not place a high value on children, neutralisation of this group in 2009, one caused trauma and other psychological “If we are serious about sustainably of terrorism, and that there remains a lack of progress towards a particularly in the context of armed of the first priorities of the Government effects that affect a child’s growth and dealing with the issues arising out of comprehensive convention against international terrorism. conflict, he noted, adding that this is now was to look after these children who had education. These children were provided conflict, including that of children, we Addressing item 115 on the report of activity should not be encouraged or more relevant than ever as we witness been forced to adorn the cyanide capsule with professional counselling. Those need to remove the wool over our eyes. the UN Secretary General on the work of be given the opportunity of justifying children disproportionately suffering around their necks – to rehabilitate them, that were disabled, injured, or required We need to work on common ground the organisation at the plenary meeting their activities through any one of their from discrimination, exclusion, and reunite them with their families, restore medical intervention were looked after. and face the reality, if we are to make of the 75th session of the UNGA on 29 sympathisers with a view to propagate inequality, with the plight of children normalcy in their lives and help them National identity cards were provided to any real progress for humanity.” January, Peiris noted that Sri Lanka their ideologies,” he further added. worsened by the prolonged effects become productive citizens. them. No child soldier was prosecuted, Speaking further about the impact of remains concerned by the unabated Though Sri Lanka had a success of poverty, all forms of violence and All of these child soldiers, 594 of with priority being accorded to their the Covid-19 pandemic at the UNGA, progression of terrorism in all its forms story to share with the world with conflict. them were rehabilitated and reunited investigations and the speedy disposal he pointed out that what is important, as and manifestations without an end in regard to child soldiers, unfortunately “Sadly, Sri Lanka experienced the with their families. Special attention of their cases.” much as the development of vaccines, sight. this is now forgotten and it is phenomenon of child soldiers at the was given to those whose education Yet, certain sectors of the international is the establishment of a global order “We are all aware that acts of terrorism, regrettable that certain sectors of hands of a group of non-state actors.