Japan’s Internal Affairs Minister arrives on Sunday

 

Japan’s Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Yoshitaka Shindo will arrive in Sri Lanka on Sunday on an official visit.  

During his visit the Japanese Minister is also scheduled to hold discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa with a view to further strengthening the long-standing ties between the two countries.

Japanese Embassy in Colombo said that the visit is being arranged as a follow-up to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to Tokyo in March and the visit of Deputy Prime Minister of Japan and Parliamentary Senior Vice Minister of Finance Taro Aso in May this year.

The Embassy said that the Japanese Minister will also pay courtesy calls on his counterpart Minister of Mass Media and Information Mr. Keheliya Rambukwella and Minister of Economic Development Mr. Basil Rajapaksa. (niz)

Department of Government Information

USA AND SRI LANKA IDENTIFY AREAS OF COOPERATION FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN SRI LANKA

The Embassy of Sri Lanka continuing its efforts to foster mutually beneficial relations with a broad segment of US institutions, had extensive discussions with the University of Kentucky (the UK ) to initiate formal academic partnerships between Sri Lankan and US scientists.

Ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya on July 12 visited the University of Kentucky in Lexington to facilitate academic affiliation among the University of Kentucky , the University of Peradeniya, and the National Cancer Institute of Sri Lanka . President Eli Capilouto warmly welcomed Ambassador Wickramasuriya and Mrs. Priyanga Wickramasuriya at a special ceremony.

Established in 1865, the University of Kentucky has been a national leader in academic and scientific research in the USA.

During the visit to the University of Kentucky, Ambassador Wickramasuriya and University officials had in depth discussions to explore further collaboration on the proposed joint cancer research project that would be undertaken in Sri Lanka

A memorandum of understanding was also discussed on moving the project forward expeditiously for mutual benefit. On the occasion, Ambassador Wickramasuriya pledged his fullest support to this important project and thanked the University officials for their continued engagement in bringing the project to fruition.

"I commend the University of Kentucky for its thoughtfulness and timely efforts in sealing academic partnerships with Sri Lankan institutions, the ambassador opined.

"Joint cancer research and other collaborative efforts under this programme will not only build educational excellence and training capabilities in Sri Lanka , but these projects also bring enormous benefit by alleviating the suffering of affected people and taking appropriate preventive measures, he added.

University President Eli Capilouto averred that the proposed innovative partnership with concerned Sri Lankan institutions would undoubtedly offer unique opportunities for the UK faculty members and students to work on new research findings with their counterparts.

He further alluded that collaboration between the UK and the National Cancer Institute of Sri Lanka can yield new breakthroughs in science that would impact on the quality of treatment at home and abroad”.

The proposed project would primarily focus its study on prevalence of oral and cervical cancers in Sri Lanka. Both the US and Sri Lankan scientists are to analyze data related to oral cum cervical cancers with the aim of building Sri Lanka’s capacity to fight them. Oral cancers are known to be the number one killer cancer among Sri Lankans. The findings of the study are expected to save lives in both in the US and Sri Lanka by improved diagnostic, vaccination and treatment measures.

The study in Sri Lanka will be undertaken in collaboration with W.M. Tilakaratne, Professor of oral pathology, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, and Dr. Kanishka Karunaratne, director and consultant gynecological oncological surgeon at the National Cancer Institute in Maharagama, Sri Lanka

Dr. Mark Evers, Cancer Control Program Associate Director Thomas Tucker, James Graham Brown, Endowed Chair and professor of toxicology Daret St. Clair, and Associate Director for Translational Research and Alfred Cohen Chair in Oncology Research Vivek Rangnekar will be UK's key collaborators on this project.”.

Dr. Frederick de Beer, Dean of the UK College of Medicine, Udeni B.R. Balasuriya, Professor of Virology at the Gluck Equine Research Center in UK's Department of Veterinary Science, Dr. Marcus E. Randall, professor and Markey Foundation Endowed Chair in Radiation Medicine in the UK College of Medicine were associated with Ambassador Wickramasuriya and with University President Eli Capilouto at the discussion.

At a dinner reception hosted by Sri Lankan American Scientist Professor Udeni B.R. Balasuriya at his residence, Ambassador Wickramasuriya met several members of the Sri Lankan American community in Kentucky .
Former US Representative for Kentucky 06th Congressional District and member of House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia, Congressman Ben Chandler was also associated with the large and representative gathering and shared fond memories of his congressional delegation visit to Sri Lanka last year.

Ambassador Wickramasuriya briefed Sri Lankan Americans present on the post conflict developments in Sri Lanka and requested their support to spread the true story of Sri Lanka in the United States.

Many members of Sri Lankan American community with a multi ethnic orientation who were in attendance expressed their deep appreciation to His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his visionary leadership in bringing lasting peace to Sri Lanka and embarking on several monumental development projects which have brought rich dividends to all communities. They pledged their utmost support for ongoing reconciliation and reconstruction efforts in Sri Lanka.

 Department of Government Information

PM calls for identifying Estate Tamil population as Sri Lakans

Prime Minister Dr. D.M. Jayaratne says that the title “Indian Tamil” should be removed from the estate Tamil workers and they should be given the opportunity to live as Sri Lankans. Those workers who migrated to Sri Lanka to serve in the estates of the colonial era live in the country for number of decades and as they have spent many generations in our country, it is not fair to use the term Indian Tamil for them.

The Prime Minister cwas speaking  at a Special Service conducted in Sri Muttumari Amman Pattini Kovil, Little Valley in Deltota. The Prime Minister also stated that the  government hopes to create an environment in which  the estate workers could live on equal grounds. Under this, we intend to name them as Sri Lankans instead of These estate workers who live in our country for number of decades should be considered as Sri Lankan citizens. From the past, Sinhala and Tamil people have had close relationships. There is no considerable difference between the lifestyle of Sinhala people and the culture of the Tamil people.

" During my term as the Minister of Plantation Industries, I launched a new programme for estate workers to have a good standard of life. I helped to give  them  a new proper name, building a good house, generating extra income through the self employment programmes etc. In most of the cases, these programmes were successful! However, I expect to continue to work in creating a better social status for the estate workers in the upcountry areas. Many politicians who said to be the representatives of the estate workers do not make any voice for them. " the premire said. "However, as politicians, we have raised our voice on number of occasions in favour of them regarding the construction of houses, roads and schools etc for them.

We strive to teach Tamil for Sinhala children and Sinhala for Tamil children to create a close relationship between two nations. We hope to recruit educated youth in  estate areas as Sinhala medium teachers. When around 1.5 million Tamil people live in North and East areas, only around 1.5 million Tamil people live in the South. Under this scenario, it is not fair to ask for a separate state for the Tamils living in the North & East only. The majority of Tamils live with Sinhala and Muslims people  harmoniously. Around 78,000,000 of Tamil people live in India but they do not ask for a separate state.
Under the leadership of  President Mahinda Rajapaksha, we never do any injustice on any of the nations. He has created the environment to live for all the nations peacefully and harmoniously. We will not be able to rise as a country as long as we  divided on the basis races, languages and religions etc.

Therefore, we should disregard all our differences and create the environment to live peacefully. He also said that he was able to financially assist  kovils in the Northern area under the provisions of the Ministry of Buddhasasana & Religious Affairs. Ninety percent of the kovils in the estates and all the kovils in the Gampola electorate have been assisted. He further added that he had formulated a programme to help all the religious places including temples in the whole island. The Chairmen of the Little Valley Muttu Amman Pattini Kovil Ravi Kanna and K. Ramasami, the chief Priest of the kovil J. Jeganathan and many Hindu devotees participated in this event.

Department of Government Information.