File photograph The Mullaitivu Judicial Medical Officer told the court today that the excavation of Kokkuthoduvai mass grave is being halted due to a lack of funding from the Sri Lankan government. Due to the lack of funds and progress, the case was adjourned for the day while the next hearing has been set for April 4th. During the last hearing, the Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) Dr. Dr Kanagasbapathy Vasudeva confirmed that the bodies of 40 individuals whose remains were excavated from the Kokkuthoduvai mass grave were buried "in a hurry" without any religious rites, sometime between 1994...
Tamils in Mannar have sent 5,000 postcards to Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe demanding the return of their land which is currently occupied by Sri Lanka's military. Tamils from five divisional secretariats including Mannar, Nanaddan, Musali, Manthai West and Madhu are campaigning for the return of their lands which are being used by the military for agricultural and commercial purposes. Earlier this month, villagers of Isaimalaithalvu in Mannar staged a protest demanding the Nanattan Divisional Secretariat hand over 46 acres of land presently held by the Sri Lankan Forest...
Speaking at the 55 th session of the UN Human Rights Council, the Core Group on Sri Lanka said that the recent legislative developments on human rights, reconciliation, and civic space “give cause for concern”. The Core Group, made up of Canada, Malawi, Montenegro, North Macedonia, the United Kingdom and the United States, said that the recently announced Online Safety Act “has the potential to severely restrict online communication and could potentially criminalise nearly all forms of expression, creating an environment that has a chilling effect on freedom of expression.” The group called...
Tamil journalist and Chairman of the Mullaitivu Press Club Shanmugam Thavaseelan has been summoned to court later this month over a complaint filed by a Sri Lankan navy officer in 2019 after he reported on a disappearances rally in Mullaitivu. On 20 April 2019, Thavaseelan was arrested by Mullaitivu police following a complaint filed by a navy officer attached to the Gotabaya Naval Base for reportedly obstructing his duties. Thavaseelan was reporting on a Tamil families of the disappeared rally on 7 April 2019 when the Sri Lankan navy officer was spotted taking photographs of protestors and...
Sri Lanka reiterated its rejection of UN resolutions on accountability for mass atrocities this week, but admitted that thousands of forcibly disappeared remain unaccounted for despite years of failed domestic mechanisms.
The new Consul General for India Sai Murali called on the Governor of the Northern Province P.S.M Charles upon assuming duties at the Consulate in Jaffna this week. During the initial meeting, they held a wide-ranging discussion on Indian assistance as well as connectivity between Eelam and India. The governor briefed the new consul on the development projects that are taking place in the North-East and the urgent needs of the communities. The consul while offering the support of the Indian government said they will continue to support the many projects that are ongoing in the homeland...
The Sri Lankan Court of Appeal has issued an interim order that will see the suspension of further steps in the divesture of sales in both the state-owned Sri Lanka Telecom and Lanka Hospitals until the next court date. The Petitioners are the owners of Lycamobile who had submitted its bid to buy 50% shares in the Telco earlier this year. Lyca was barred from qualifying, which dealt a blow to the management headed by Subaskaran Allirajah who has shown interest in several business entities in the country. Lyca was one of the three investors who had expressed interest in the sale of Sri Lanka...
30 Tamils were allowed access to temples located within a High Security Zone (HSZ) in Jaffna after 34 years but under close watch by Sri Lanka’s military. Devotees were escorted in buses by Sri Lanka’s army to Sri Muthumariyamman temple and Manampirai Pillaiyar temple over the weekend. The soldiers conducted checks before the Tamils entered the bus and dropped them back at a checkpoint at the border of the security zone. One of the devotees said that they last worshipped at the temple on Deepavali in 1990 after which the military occupied the area declaring it a HSZ and obstructed people from...
A tense situation unfolded earlier today at Vavuniya Old Bus Station when Sri Lankan police stopped the vehicle carrying the remains of Santhan. Santhan's body was brought to Vavuniya this morning, and the vehicle carrying it entered Vavuniya Old Bus Station in order to allow the public to pay tribute. However, as the vehicle attempted to park, police intervened, stating that it couldn't stop there. They threatened to arrest the driver if the vehicle stopped, further instructing the driver to exit the vehicle. Locals accused the police of creating a hostile atmosphere during a time of...
The final journey of T Suthendraraja, known as Santhan (55), one of the seven convicts freed in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, began in the town of Vavuniya this morning. The casket bearing his remains was transported from the Poraalihal Welfare Association in Vavuniya on Sunday morning amidst a sombre atmosphere filled with farewells and floral tributes.