Defence

Hundreds of Sri Lankans hospitalised in Russia-Ukraine war; legislator seeks special envoy

Tuesday May 14, 2024 6:50 am

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka should make greater efforts to bring back citizens in mercenary companies who injured in a war between Russia and Ukraine, including sending a special presidential envoy, legislator Dayasiri Jayasekera said.

At the moment there is no Sri Lanka ambassador in Russia.

“If we can, send a special envoy from the President to Russia, and discuss with the Defence Secretary at least to bring back the injured in Russian hospitals,” Jayasekera who was one of the first legislators to bring attention to the growing recruitment of Sri Lankan ex-soldiers for Russia’s war.

“There are many injured Sri Lankans in Russia. Some have lost their fingers, in others legs have been cut (kakul kaperla).

“Then we can secondly bring back the people in the camps. There is a diplomatic intervention that is needed. We need some plan to bring back the 600 or so people who are there.”

One Sri Lanka ex-soldier estimated that 200 to 300 Sri Lankans may be treated in Russian hospitals at the moment and about 200 may have died. Up to 800 or more Sri Lankans – mainly ex-soldiers – may have left the country to fight for Russia, he said.

How Many?

Authorities are still trying to find out how many left for Russia and Ukraine.

Assistant Superintend Harendrda Janakantha of the Human Trafficking and Maritime Crimes unit of Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department told Derana Television last week that they confirmed that 60 Sri Lankans have left for Russia and 54 tried to leave for Ukraine, and 23 made it.

“People can say that there are 800 to 1,000,” Janakantha said. “May be that is also possible. But so far these are numbers we have confirmed through our investigations.

So far only three are confirmed to have returned, he said.

“There is information that that about 700 to 800 have left,” Senior Superintended Nihal Thalduwa said.

“But we cannot say that. We are still investigating. We have only recently started the investigation.

“Large numbers (visharler sankyawak) are injured and large numbers have died.”

A retired Major General who was involved in an recruitment drive has already been arrested.

Shadowy PMCs

Several Private Military Companies (PMCs) including Wagner, at one time headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, who who was killed in a plane crash shortly after a mutiny against Russian President Vladimir Putin are recruiting convicts and foreigners to fight the war against Ukraine.

All Wagner fighters who are willing to continue to fight for Russia were given new contracts, reports said at the time.

Several other shadowy PMCs including Redut, believed to be under Russian intelligence agency GRU, are recruiting mercenaries, according to western media reports.

Ukrainian researchers who interviewed captured mercenaries and seized documents left behind in regained territories found that mercenaries were promised a salary of 200,000 roubles (about 653,000 rupees at current exchange rates), 25,000 dollar for grave injury and 60,000 compensation for death.

Sri Lanka returnee have said salaries of 700,000 rupees Sri Lanka a month or more but the promised amount has not been given.

The mercenary firms are financed by the Russian defence ministry and according to Western reports, and are set up to provide veneer of distance and deniability.

After his mutiny Wagner fighters were given a chance to sign fresh contracts with the Russian Defence Ministry, reports said at the time.

When Prigozhin was alive, Wagner was said be recruiting mercenaries including convicts on 6-month contracts, after which they were set free.

But Sri Lankans who have now come back to the country say they have been recruited on 12-month contracts.

A BBC report said half of prisoners recruited when Prigozhin lived at least 4 months before dying in combat. However half of those recruited by the Russian Defence Ministry died within three months.

Prigozhin went public had he had lost 22,000 fighters in taking back Bakmut from Ukraine.

Suicide Missions

An escaped soldier who was interviewed on Sri Lanka’s Derana television said there was no medivac process to recover injured foreign mercenaries and they had to crawl back to Russian position on their own as drones rained fire on them as soon as they moved.

If they got back, they were taken to hospital, given a one-month break and send back to the front, one escaped soldier said.

One soldier described the operations as ‘suicide missions’ done under drone fire with little outside support.

The escaped fighter was serving in the Donetsk region which has Russian speakers, which declared independence and was is operating as a separate republic loosely annexed to Russia.

Several teams were recruiting people from Sri Lanka charging between 350,000 to 1.6 million rupees according to what returnees say.

State Minister for Defence Pramith Tennakoon said Jayasekera and Gamini Valeboda, another legislator who had helped bring national attention to the plight of the Sri Lankan took part in a National Security Council meeting at the invitation of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

“Instructions were given immediately to the forces to take action,” Tennakoon said. “As a result several arrests were made.”

Sri Lanka has already arrested a retired Major-General and a Sergeant Major several who who are suspected to have recruited Sri Lankan ex-soldiers.

Sri Lankan retired soldiers are made various false promises including Russian citizenship, a piece of land in St Petersberg as well as high salaries and sign up bonuses of 2.0 million rupees, he said. (Colombo/May14/2024)

Cancel reply

1 Sri Lanka balance of payments surplus US$1.3bn by April 2024

2 Maldives overtakes UK as second largest tourist source amid VFS Global visa controversy

3 Vietnam Truc Lam Monastery in Sri Lanka takes meditation to all communities

4 IMF Board to take up Sri Lanka program review on June 12

5 Support for AKD drops to SP's level while RW makes gains, Sri Lanka poll shows

Weather and Climate

Water levels rising in Sri Lanka Kalu, Nilwala river basins: Irrigation Department

Sri Lanka Navy assisting in rescue operations (Pic courtesy SL Navy)

Monday June 3, 2024 2:17 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Irrigation Department has issued warnings that water levels in the Kalu and Nilwala river basins are rising and major flooding is possible due to the continuous rain. People living in close proximity are advised to take precautions.

“There is a high possibility of slowly increasing prevailing flood lowline areas of Kiriella, Millaniya, Ingiriya, Horana, Dodangoda, Bulathsinhala, Palinda Nuwara and Madurawala D/S divisions of Ratnapura and Kalutara Districts, up to next 48 hours,” it said issuing a warning.

“In addition, flood situation prevailing at upstream lowline areas of Ratnapura district will further be prevailing with a slight decrease.

“The residents and vehicle drivers running through those area are requested to pay high attention in this regard.

“Disaster Management Authorities are requested to take adequate precautions in this regard.”

The island is in the midst of south western monsoon.

DMC reported that 11,864 people belonging to 3,727 families have been affected due to the weather in Rathnapura, Kegalle, Kilinochchi, Jaffna, Mullaitivu, Kalutara, Gampaha, Colombo, Galle, Matara, Hambantota, Puttalam, Kurunegala, Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Badulla, Moneragala, and Trincomalee districts.

Meanwhile, the Meteorology Department stated that showers are expected on most parts of the island today.(Colombo/June3/2024)

Politics

UNP gen secy defends call for postponing Sri Lanka poll, claims opposition silent

The UNP party headquarters in Pitakotte/EconomyNext

Monday June 3, 2024 1:59 pm

ECONOMYNEXT — United National Party (UNP) General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara has defended his call for postponing Sri Lanka’s presidential election by two years, claiming that his proposal was not undemocratic nor unconstitutional.

Speaking to reporters at the UNP headquarters Monday June 03 morning, Bandara also claimed that neither opposition leader Sajith Premadasa nor National People’s Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake have spoken against his proposal.

“I have made no statement that’s undemocratic. My statement was in line with provisions of the constitution,” the former UNP parliamentarian said.

He quoted Section 86 of Chapter XIII of the constitution which says: “The President may, subject to the provisions of Article 85, submit to the People by Referendum any matter which in the opinion of the President is of national importance.”

Sections 87.1, 87.2 also elaborates on the matter and describes the parliament’s role, said Bandara.

“I spoke of a referendum and parliament’s duty. Neither of this is antidemocratic or unconstitutional. As per the constitution, priority should be given to ensuring people’s right to life,” he said.

“Some parties may be against what I proposed. They may criticse me. But what I ask them is to come to one position as political parties and make a statement on whether they’re ready to continue the ongoing economic programme,” he added.

Bandara claimed that, though thee has been much criticism of his proposal for a postponement of the presidential election, President Wickremesinghe’s rivals Premadasa and Dissanayake have yet to remark on the matter.

“I suggested that [Premadasa] make this proposal in parliament and for [Dissanayake] to second it. But I don’t see that either Premadasa nor Dissanayake is opposed to it. To date, I have not seen nor heard either of them utter a word against this. I believe they have no objection to my proposal which was made for the betterment of the country,” he said. (Colombo/Jun03/2024)

Accidents

300 of 100,000 trees in Colombo considered high risk: state minister

Monday June 3, 2024 1:05 pm

ECONOMYNEXT – Trees in Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo are being monitored by the municipal council, Army and Civil Defense Force as the severe weather conditions continue, State Minister for Defense Premitha Bandara Tennakoon said.

“Within the Colombo Municipal Council city limits, there are 100,000 trees. Of these, around 300 are considered high risk,” Tennakoon told reporters at a media conference to raise awareness about the current disaster management situation.

Not all trees required to be cut down he said. “We can trim some of the branches and retain them.”

The problem was that buildings in the vicinity of the tree had cut branches on one side, causing it to become unbalanced, the minister said.

New laws would be brought in so provincial/municipal institutions could strengthen enforcement of building codes.

“We don’t have a single institution that can issue a warning about a tree. Not one to tell us what trees can or cannot be planted near a road.

“Trees should be suitable for the area. Some trees have roots that spread and damage roads, buildings. When the roots can’t go deep, they tend to topple over.

“Now Environment Day is coming up, and anyone can go plant a tree by the road. We have to take a decision about this. We have to enforce laws strongly in future.” (Colombo/June3/2024)