The leader of the Tamil National Alliance said he had “no regrets” over his party’s decision to back Maithripala Sirisena in Sri Lanka’s 2015 presidential elections, despite criticism from several human rights groups and civil society organisations over the lack of progress on the island. TNA leader R Sampanthan justified his decision by claiming Mr Sirisena is “was one of the strongest supporters of a just and reasonable solution to the Tamil question”. Mr Sirisena’s alliance with the United National Party also brought “an opportunity for the emergence of a multi-party consensus,...
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe signed a new proposal that sets guidelines for “media ethics” ahead of the island’s local government polls next month. The proposals, which still need approval by Sri Lanka’s parliament, have already been approved by the cabinet. Daily Mirror reports Mr Wickremesinghe as saying the proposals are aimed at “impartiality” and regulating events such as panel discussions. The Prime Minister was quoted as saying panel participants should be selected “in a responsible manner” and the media should ensure that there is “no special or favourable treatment...
A British national was found dead at a ground in Maligawatta, Colombo, under what local papers have described as 'suspicious circumstances'. The body of the man, believed to be 37 years old was found with a wound to his face. Sri Lanka's police spokesperson, Ruwan Gunasekara was quoted by Ada Derana as saying, "the foreigner had arrived in the country on November 25 and was initially scheduled to leave the country yesterday (01), however he had extended his visa until January 25." The police are investigating the incident.
The Former Sri Lankan navy spokesperson was further remanded until January 16th over the disappearance of Tamil youths, Ada Derana reports. Commodore D.K.P. Dassanayake is accused of aiding and abetting in the disappearance of 11 Tamil youths between 2008 - 2009. Mr Dassanayake was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in July 2017. A number of bail applications made have so far been rejected.
Sri Lanka's army commander, Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake on Monday said the army "must have information on the candidates contesting the Local Government elections". In an interview to BBC Sinhala, Lt General Senanayake claimed the information was needed to for the protection of the candidates, not to monitor them. "Gathering information on candidates and other key members of society does not mean they are being monitored," he was quoted by Colombo Gazette as saying. "However, if a situation arises where those candidates or others need military protection then the army needs to have...
In the space of 24 hours, Sri Lankan police have arrested 68 individuals for reported violations of election laws, according to ColomboPage . From Monday morning until Tuesday Morning Sri Lankan police said they had arrested the various individuals though did not clarify where the arrests had taken place. A total of 49 people have been arrested on “charges of violating the common election laws”, whilst a further 39 persons have been arrested “based on various complaints received”.
Almost 300,000 people are set to be affected by a major drought in Sri Lanka, reports Xinhua, noting that the majority of the victims will be in the island’s North. Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Monday that as many as 293,764 people would be affected overall, including in the Tamil dominated districts of Vavuniya and Mannar. The DMC also noted that Puttalam, Kurunegala, and Anuradhapura would be affected by the droughts, which has left the island facing a major rice shortage according to Sri Lanka’s Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake.
Diaspora organisations across the world have resolved to support universal jurisdiction actions against war criminals suspected of involvement in Sri Lanka’s genocide of Tamils. In a message released to mark New Year’s Day 2018, US Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC), People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), British Tamils Forum (BTF) and Australian Tamil Congress (ATC) said they “resolve to expedite justice and expand relief for the survivors of Sri Lanka’s genocide against Tamils”. The joint statement went on to state that the organisations would “use all available diaspora...
On this day 12 years ago, five Tamil students were summarily executed by Sri Lanka's Special Task Force, whilst they spent an afternoon on the beach in Trincomalee. The case of the murdered Tamil students has become emblematic of the environment of impunity that continues in Sri Lanka, and the long arduous struggle for justice on the island.
Sri Lankan police have arrested three senior members of a Hindu temple board in a Trincomalee village where tensions have been ongoing since Sinhalese monks claimed the village was the site of an ancient Buddhist shrine. The chair, the secretary and the treasurer of the board of the Kuntrathur Mathalamalai Murugan temple in Soodaikuda were arrested on Monday by Muthur police who alleged that the board had carried out work using a bulldozer without obtaining permission from the GS (village officer). Tensions have been high in the recently resettled village since police obtained a court order...