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70th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between Japan – SL

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On 16th December 2022, the embassy of Japan hosted a reception to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Sri Lanka at the residence of Ambassador Mizukoshi Hideaki.

The reception was held in the presence of Prime Minister – Dinesh Gunawardene as the Guest of Honor and many other distinguished guests including Speaker – Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Foreign Minister – M.U.M.Ali Sabry, Sports Minister – Mr. Roshan Ranasinghe and other dignitaries.

Ambassador Mizukoshi recalled the high level diplomatic visits, grant aids by the government of Japan, Japanese investments to Sri Lanka by the private sector, recent progress in Japanese language education in Sri Lanka and awarding of the decoration of the Emperor of Japan and the commendation of the Foreign Minister of Japan.

He also looked back on the various major events that had strengthened the relationship between Japan and Sri Lanka such as Tanabata Day in July, Friendship Walk and San Francisco Peace Treaty commemoration in September, the Bon-odori festival in December and expressed his sincere gratitude to the Government of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan official stakeholders, namely Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital and National Youth Services Council, Japan related companies, organizations and institutes in Sri Lanka and everyone who provided their immense cooperation throughout the year in making a 70th anniversary a great success.

As the guest of honour, PM Dinesh Gunawardene acknowledged the importance of this milestone of deep friendship and bond between the two countries, as well as people of Japan, and Sri Lanka. He also took note of the contributions from the government of Japan, investments from the Japanese private sector and various collaborations between the two countries including state officials, academia, science and technology, areas of research cooperation, defense and cultural, religious and different friends.

At this auspicious occasion, a commemorative postage stamp with an envelope was issued marking the 70th anniversary by the Philatelic Bureau of the Department of Posts, Ministry of Mass Media. The postage stamp and the envelope were designed by Ms. Hasini Dineshika and Ms. Rashmi Dewmini and they were selected from the contest conducted by the National Youth Services Council.

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Maithri ordered to provide statement before court

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The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court has ordered former President Maithripala Sirisena to provide a statement to court on April 04, based on the recent comments he had made over the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.

The order was issued today (28) after the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) had reported the relevant facts to the court, on the instructions of the Attorney General.

Mr. Sirisena had made this statement on March 22 and several factions had subsequently filed complaints with the Criminal Investigation Department in this regard.

The former President had even recorded a statement for around five-hours with the CID on Monday (March 25) over his recent comments.

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Sinopec to commence work on refinery project by June

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Minister of Power and Energy – Kanchana Wijesekera has stated that officials of the Sinopec Overseas Investment Holding Pvt Ltd (SOIHL), led by their vice President, had visited the ministry yesterday (March 27).

Tweeting, the minister added that the delegation updated on the progress of the negotiations with stakeholders for the construction of the proposed new refinery in Hambantota.

Noting that the officials indicated that the management of Sinopec has decided to double the capacity of the refinery from the original proposal and the Investment, he added that they intend to sign the agreements for the project and commence work by June 2024.

Discussions regarding the water supply, power supply, land allocation & BOI facilities will take place today with the relevant authorities, the Minister further noted.

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New online reporting system to combat child sexual abuse, launched

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The launch of an online platform enabling the swift removal of websites, photos, and videos containing or potentially containing instances of child sexual abuse took place today (March 28) at the Presidential secretariat under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.Recognizing the urgency of addressing child abuse in cyberspace, this initiative targets the dissemination of nude photos and indecent videos of children through internet and social media channels. Implemented by the National Child Protection Authority in collaboration with the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), renowned for its expertise in internet child safety enforcement, this program receives financial support from Save the Children and Child Fund.

Following the implementation of this online system, individuals can now visit the website of the National Child Protection Authority at www.childprotection.gov.lk to report incidents of indecent photos and videos of children exchanged online. These reports will be handled by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) in collaboration with the National Child Protection Authority. Subsequently, the offending videos will be promptly removed from the internet, and legal action will be pursued against the perpetrators.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe addressing this event said;

“For several decades, this sector has been neglected. The government has indeed neglected it, and the attention it warranted has not been provided. The magnitude of the problem now is such that resolving it within a year seems implausible. We lack the capacity to address the issue comprehensively; therefore, we must employ a variety of strategies.

Firstly, short-term recommendations must be promptly implemented. We propose that the existing committee include stakeholders from the government, specifically authorities in child care and probation services, along with representatives from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and the police force. Strengthening police numbers, particularly in women and children’s desks at every police station, is imperative. This effort must be coordinated with measures against drugs.Additionally, we must consider establishing a new structure and enacting new legislation. I advocate for the formation of a Children’s Council to oversee both the promotion of children’s interests and their protection. The management of probation and child care services should be devolved to the nine provinces, as I believe this responsibility does not necessarily belong to the central government.”

He added that immediate action should be taken on short-term recommendations, while the process of enacting new legislation pertaining to children’s rights should also be expedited.

For further information, contact the Law Enforcement Division at 011-2778911 extension (269) or visit the official website www.childprotection.gov.lk.The launch of this online initiative was attended by Minister of State for Women and Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, Ms Geeta Kumarasinghe, Chairman of the National Child Protection Authority, Senior Lecturer Mr Udayakumara Amarasinghe, Secretary of the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs and Social Empowerment, Ms Yamuna Perera, and representatives from various organizations dedicated to ensuring child safety.

(President’s Media Division)

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