Joint Opposition wants extra security in North-East

Sri Lanka’s Joint Opposition has challenged the government to provide extra security assurances for police officers in the North-East, following clashes in Kilinochchi between Sri Lankan police and locals protesting over the killing of two Jaffna University students. "A posse of policemen was surrounded and beaten mercilessly in Kilinochchi by Tamil racists,” claimed Joint Opposition Leader Dinesh Gunawardena. “Who will ensure their safety?" he questioned. In response, Leader of the House and Highways and University Education Minister Lakshman Kiriella said the incident had brought to the...

Militarisation is biggest challenge to Jaffna say STP and NAFSO

Militarisation is the biggest threat faced by the people of Jaffna, according to the findings of an NGO report published last week. The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP), together with the National Fisheries Solidarity Movement (NAFSO) in their report 'Under the Military's Shadow', on the effects of militarisation on local communities in the Jaffna Peninsula, found that as well as ongoing human rights violations, military commercial activities also perpetuated deprivation among communities. "Even though the war ended seven years ago, tens of thousands of people are still internally...

Jaffna shootings were 'clear breach of discipline' says police chief

The Sri Lankan Inspector General of Police, Pujith Jayasundara, reportedly admitted to the Daily News that the killing of two Jaffna University students last week was a "clear breach of discipline". Mr Jayasundara who was quoted by the state run website as saying "it is not clear whether the situation warranted a shooting as there was no robbery, an organised attack or life threatening incident which seemed to have occurred at the time," acknowledged there had been what he described as "certain shortcomings". “The officers also failed to immediately report the incident and this is a grave...

Tamil Civil Society Forum casts doubt over credible investigation of Jaffna shooting

The coalition of Tamil civil society groups, the Tamil Civil Society Forum this week condemned the Sri Lankan police's shooting dead of two Tamil students of the Jaffna University last Thursday. "The killings that took place now, have the power to deepen further the oppressive situation," TCSF said in a statement calling for a accountability and justice. "A credible investigation has to be conducted into these assassinations and the culprits must be brought to book. Otherwise, such assassinations are capable of instilling a very strong social fear." The group also called for an investigation...

Raviraj case to take place before special jury

The case of the assassination of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Nadaraja Raviraj is to take place before a special jury, the Colombo high court was reported by the Daily Mirror to have said today. Mr Raviraj was murdered along side his driver in 2006. Six people have been indicted.

‘My responsibility to protect the honour of war heroes’ declares Sri Lankan president

Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena stated that it was his responsibility “to protect the forces and the honour of the war heroes” in an interview to Lankadeepa this week. Mr Sirisena was responding to comments he made earlier this month where he slammed an ongoing corruption commission for investigating members of the military. The Sri Lankan president said he was merely speaking according to his conscience and continued to criticise the financial corruption investigation. “They should understand their duties and responsibilities,” he said. “They should focus on large scale financial...

Sri Lankan minister refuses to answer on military link to Jaffna gangs

Sri Lanka’s Law and Order Minister Sagala Ratnayake walked out of a press conference in Colombo on Wednesday, after refusing to answer questions on the Sri Lankan military’s alleged connection to gangs in Jaffna. Mr Ratnayake was hosting a media briefing when he was asked by a journalist on the military link to gangs in the region. “You also talked about the motorcycle gangs operating in the area,” said the journalist. “A lot of Tamil people have told us “Yes there are motorcycle gangs and they are called military intelligence”. ” The minister began to laugh and stood up to leave the press...

Spent AK-47 bullet found at scene of Jaffna murder

The spent bullet casing from an AK-47 rifle has been found by forensic investigators at the site of the murder of two Tamil university students in Jaffna last week. Forensic investigators explore the murder scene on Wednesday, identifying the exact location where the students were killed. However, the spent bullet casing was found approximately 100 metres from the where the bodies of the two students were later recovered. Investigations are still ongoing.

Tamils in Jaffna attacked by men in unmarked white van

A group of Tamil youth where attacked by masked men yielding swords, during the Mass Hartal that took place on Tuesday. On Tuesday night a group of unidentified people in a white van with no number plate jumped out in the Anaikottai region of Jaffna shouting “ Are you Tamils going to unite?” and attacked a group of youth in front of their house. The victims added that the attackers spoke SInhalese and broken Tamil before proceeding to attack their motorcycles. A total of 3 Tamil youth were injrued in the attack. The attack took place at 8pm, resulting in several people in the village...

Demonstrators clash with police in Kilinochchi

Clashes broke out on Tuesday in Kilinochchi between Sri Lankan police and locals protesting over the killing of two Jaffna University students by the police last week. The shooting dead of the two students has caused widespread public anger over what Tamils argue is the continuation of decades of state violence against the Tamil population in the North-East. Launching a hartal in protest at the killing on Tuesday, locals blocked vehicles attempting to travel on the A9 road leading to some windows being smashed and the police being called to the scene. A tense situation prevailed with a heated...

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