The Sri Lankan government has lashed out against international criticism of the promotion of alleged war criminal to the post of army commander.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that “foreign entities trying to influence the decisions and internal administrative processes of public service promotions in Sri Lanka is unwarranted and unacceptable.”
“Articulating a position of concern on this appointment by certain bilateral partners and international organizations, based on allegations, is regrettable and contrary to the principles of natural justice espoused by all responsible members of the international community.”
Tamil News
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A complaint filed by the Sri Lankan police against a Tamil politician for ‘breach of peace’ was dismissed by the Mullaitivu magistrate’s court on first hearing.
Mulliyavalai police had filed a case against Karaithuraipatru (Maritimepattu) Divisional Council (PS) member Thavarasa Amalan claiming he had breached the peace, after he had taken journalists...
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Locals of Oddusuddan, Mullaitivu are concerned about threats to the ancient Vavettimalai hill, whose history intertwines with the district’s iconic Thanthondreeswarar temple. Large scale stone mining in the area is destroying the hill’s archaeological and spiritual characteristics, locals say.
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The massacre of 53 schoolgirls by the Sri Lankan air force was remembered in the Tamil homeland on Wednesday on the thirteenth anniversary of the attack.
On 14 August 2006, 53 schoolgirls and three teachers in Mullaitivu were killed by the Sri Lankan air force who bombed the Sencholai...
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Sri Lanka’s former defence secretary, who oversaw the military offensive that killed tens of thousands of Tamils in Mullivaikkal, officially launched his presidential bid this week.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa accepted the nomination made by his brother and former president...
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Amnesty International has said that reforms are required in Sri Lanka if new investigations into the ‘Trinco 5’ massacre are to be effective.
In a statement welcoming the Sri Lankan attorney general’s decision to recommence investigations after 13 Special Task Force (STF) suspects were acquitted last month, the organisation noted the “importance of a thorough, effective and impartial investigation into the killing to ensure that victims of human rights violations and abuses can access...
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An Indian government-funded model village was inaugurated in the Jaffna District on Saturday.
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Sri Lanka’s tourism industry sees signs of a gradual recovery after the tragic Easter Sunday bombings, which killed over 250 people.
Tourism is one of Sri Lanka’s largest revenue streams, with tourists arriving from Europe and Asia-Pacific accounting for 90% of the total visitors. Sri Lanka’s Tourism Development Authority reports that after the attack on 21 April, the number of tourists halved in July from a year ago.
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This year marks 36 years since the Black July pogroms. The brutal state-sponsored violence by Sinhala mobs lasted a week and saw the death of at least 3,000 Tamils, destruction of 5,000 shops, and displacement of over 150,000 Tamils. At least 500 Tamil women were raped and many families were burned alive. It also prompted the first large exodus of Tamils:...
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Sri Lankan soldiers stationed at the University of Jaffna stood by as Sinhalese students clashed outside the campus on Wednesday, instead harassing passers-by and onlookers.
The soldiers forced onlookers away from the incident and berated individuals who had filmed the clashes, forcing them to delete all photographs and videos.
The University’s administration said that since the clash had happened outside the campus, no disciplinary action would be taken, but that Koppay police...
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A team of Sri Lankan Air Force personnel are to be deployed to Central Africa next month to undertake United Nations (UN) peacekeeping duties.
The Passing Out Parade of the No 5 contingent of the Aviation Unit under the UN helicopter deployment was held yesterday at the Sri Lankan Air Force Base in Katunayake.
The helicopter deployment includes 18 officers and 92 airmen and are scheduled to start in September 2019.
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A Tamil think-tank based in Jaffna was visited and its staff questioned by Sri Lankan terrorism police.
Kumaravadivel Guruparan, executive director of Adayaalam Centre for Policy Research (ACPR) and senior law lecturer at Jaffna University, reported that the office of ACPR were visited by three TID (Terrorism Investigation Division) officials who claimed to have been sent by their superiors in Colombo to inquire into the human rights policy-think tank.
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The massacre of 63 Tamils in cold-blood by Indian Peace Keeping Forces (IPKF) in Valvai on August 2, 1989 was remembered on Friday, 30 years on.
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A prominent Tamil disappearances activist and her daughter were attacked and hospitalised in Batticaloa on Sunday evening.
Amala Nayagi, the vice-president of the North East Families of the Disappeared Association and the president of the Batticaloa District Association, and her daughter were deliberately hit and knocked...
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Security booths have been installed in Jaffna ahead of the Nallur Kandasamy Kovil’s annual festival, with Jaffna police ordering that all devotees must be searched before entry.
The orders came following the Easter Sunday bombings in Colombo and Batticaloa earlier this year.
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Displaced Muslims who were forced from their homes in the wake of anti-Muslim violence in Sri Lanka following the Easter Sunday attacks, are still to be resettled more than three months after the bombs, reports The New Humanitarian.
Some 228 people are still searching for safe shelter according to the UN’s refugee agency, which has been attempting to relocate the displaced.
“Every effort that was made to relocate people was received with a lot of hostility,” said Menique, the...
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The European Union (EU) expressed its willingness to support Sri Lanka in countering violent extremism and to support improvements in coordinating the country's counter terrorism efforts. .
Federica Mogherini, the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, met with Sri Lanka's Foreign Affairs Minister Tilak Marapana in Thailand and expressed the EU's...
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Sahathevan Nilakshan, journalist and popular student leader, murdered aged 22 while still a media student, was remembered in Jaffna on the twelth anniversary of his death on Thursday.
On August 1 2007, Nilakshan, an up and coming Tamil journalist was shot and killed by suspected Sri Lankan military intelligence personnel.
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Sri Lanka’s Minister of Fiannce and Media Mangala Samaraweera admitted that the island “has been in crisis, remains in crisis and will continue to be in crisis until we can create a just and equal Sri Lanka,” in a speech to parliament last week, where he called for federalism.
“Following the attempted coup and Easter Sunday bombings, many of our fellow citizens ask why our country continues to veer from one crisis to another,” said Samaraweera. “They are right to do so. The history of...
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Mullaitivu locals protested in front of the National Housing Development Authority this week, after a much touted housing scheme has left residents mired in debt.
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Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, has introduced a bill to abolish the death penalty in the lead up to the execution of four drug convicts.
The proposed bill would abolish the death sentence in the future and commute the sentences of those already on death row to life imprisonment. The bill was introduced to parliament on Thursday and will take a vote in 14 days if no one challenges it will pass.
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Human Rights Watch reports that Sri Lankan authorities have continued to fail to hold accountable the responsible for the ACF massacre, where 17 aid workers were summarily executed by Sri Lankan troops in Muttur in 2006. -
The United National Party has pledged jobs to unemployed graduates in Jaffna if they voted for the party in upcoming elections, reports Sri Lanka’s Sunday Times.
Sri Lanka’s State Minister for Education Vijayakala Maheswaran has reportedly been registering details of unemployed graduates and others who are seeking government jobs at her office at Palaly Road.
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Sinhala speaking men dressed in civil uniform photographed Tamil lawyers who appeared at the Chavakachcheri Magistrate Court earlier today, in an apparent act of intimidation as the Navatkuli Disappearances habeas corpus inquiry was underway.
One of the men was then seen getting into a car belonging to the Deputy Solicitor General representing the Sri Lankan army, said Senior Lecturer & Head of Jaffna University’s Department of Law, Kumaravadivel Guruparan on Twitter.
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Buddhist monks in Trincomalee led prayers at the Kanniya hot wells, with hundreds of Sinhalese followers attempting to crowd out Tamil devotees who were commemorating an important fast day at the spring’s Hindu temple.
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Sri Lanka's Parliament passed an extension of the state of emergency for the third time since the Easter Sunday attacks by Islamist extremists, who targeted churches and luxury hotels.
The bill received 42 votes in favour, whilst 2 Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs voted against the extension.
On July 22, President Maithripala Sirisena...
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As Sri Lanka’s tourism crisis continues, Colombo announced that they will offer free tourism visas on arrival, in a move to boost tourist numbers following the Easter Sunday bombings.
Visa-free entry will be available to 48 nations and the offer will remain for six months.
On April 21, Islamist extremists targeted three luxury hotels in Colombo and three churches in Batticaloa, Negombo and Colombo, killing over 250 people.
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Without a political solution to Sri Lanka’s enduring ethnic crisis and a new constitution for the island “the future of this country will be worse than anything we have ever seen,” warned senior Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian M A Sumanthiran.
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The leader of the All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) Party Rishad Bathiudeen said that Sri Lanka’s Muslim politicians had canvassed support for Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, where Colombo was attempting to fend off investigations into mass atrocities committed by the military against Tamils during the final phase of...
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Sri Lankan cricketer Lasith Malinga paid tribute to former president and accused war criminal Mahinda Rajapaksa in a farewell speech last week, after he announced his retirement from One Day International cricket.
“I was able to play cricket longer than expected only because of President Mahinda Rajapaksa,” Malinga told the crowd at the...
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Former Tamil political activist, Mr Kaviraj Shanmuganathan, was denied entry into Sri Lanka upon arrival at Bandaranaike International Airport on Monday.
Upon enquiry, he was told he was denied entry as he was listed as someone who worked against the sovereignty and interests of the country.
World News
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Venezuela’s pro-government Constituent Assembly held an unscheduled session on Monday which opposition leader, Juan Guaido, has claimed was assembled to plan for the dissolution of the opposition-run legislature and call new legislative elections.
Reuters warns that such a move would exacerbate the crisis in Venezuela and may halt Norway-brokered talks between the government and Guaido allies.
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The conflict in Yemen has escalated, with an estimated 40 people killed and hundreds wounded, as southern separatists, trained by the UAE, seized key ports in the city of Aden, triggering “devastating” humanitarian consequences.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that large parts of the city were also left without electricity and water during the fighting after services were targeted. They warn that escalated conflict would have a devastating impact.
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A man was arrested in the Al-Noor Islamic Centre, on the outskirts of Norway’s capital Oslo, after he opened fire and injured one person on Saturday.
Investigating the individual, police found a dead woman at man’s house. The police have claimed that this person is related to the suspect.
Rune Skjold, assistant chief of police, reported that the suspect "is around 20 years old, a Norwegian citizen from the area”.
The mosque director reported that the injured individual...
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Israel’s army has stated that its forces killed four heavily armed Palestinian men near the boundary area between Gaza and Israel on Saturday morning.
The army claims that they began open fire when one of the four men crossed into Israel. They further state that the men were carrying assault rifles, anti-tank missiles, and hand grenades. According to their statement, one of the armed men had hurled a grenade at an Israeli soldier.
There have been no casualties reported on...
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In Indian-administrated Kashmir’s main city, Srinagar, Indian security forces have cracked down on protesters, firing live ammunition and tear gas to dispel the mass crowds.
This follows the recent decision by the Indian government to revoke Article 370 of India's constitution, stripping backing regional decision-making powers and eliminating its right to its own constitution. In addition to repealing Article 370, India has downgraded Kashmir from statehood to two federally...
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Idriss Deby, Chad’s President, has announced that at least 37 people have been killed in inter-communal violence in the eastern province of Ouaddai.
The violence this week marks the latest outburst between the nomadic camel herders, many of whom are from the Zaghawa ethnic group, and sedentary farmers, from the Ouaddian community.
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The US has revoked visa-free entry rights for foreigners who have visited North Korea in the past eight years, raising concerns over North Korea’s tourism industry.
Under the US’s current policy citizens of 38 countries - including South Korea, Japan and France may enter for up to 90 days with a visa under a waiver program. The reform to this policy would mean that those who have traveled to eight countries including North Korea since March 1, 2011, are “no longer eligible” for entry...
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Following the release of Human Right Watch’s report on the horrific conditions in jails in Iraq, several member’s of Iraq’s parliament alongside the province’s deputy governor visited prisoners near Mosul and described the situation as a “humanitarian catastrophe”.
In their initial report, Human Rights Watch documented extreme overcrowding, inhumane conditions, and ill-treatment at the Nineveh pretrial detention centers. These three centers had a combined capacity of 2,500 people but...
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File photograph: Kashmir
After days of mounting tensions and heightened Indian security presence in Kashmir, the Indian government announced that it would be revoking the region’s special status and splitting the territory in two - a major move that has sparked fears of unrest.
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Following the resignation of two human rights commissioners, Angkhana Neelapaijit and Tuenjai Deetes, from the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT), Human Rights Watch has called for a “total revamp of the flawed and scandal-ridden agency”.
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A fresh round of US- Taliban peace talks began today in Doha, Qatar, with officials describing it as the “most crucial” phase of negotiations.
Senior officials said a peace agreement could be expected at the end of the eighth round of talks, potentially before August 13.
In a tweet, Zalmay Khalilzad, the US peace envoy for Afghanistan, wrote, “just got to Doha to resume talks with the Taliban. We are pursuing a peace agreement not a withdrawal agreement.”
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There is a very strong case for a second Scottish independence referendum if Britain leaves with a no-deal but there must be a democratic mandate, claims newly re-elected co-leader of Scottish Greens, Patrick Harvie.
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Mary Lou McDonald, the leader of Sein Fein has said it is “unthinkable” that a no-deal Brexit was not followed by a vote on Irish reunification.
Sein Fein’s statement follows bilateral meetings with the new Prime Minister, Borris Johnson and the other five main parties at Storming on Wednesday. The meeting was ostensibly about the deadlock negotiations over Brexit. The Guardian notes that Northern Ireland’s devolved assembly and executive have been suspended since January 2017.
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A prominent investigative journalist, was forcefully arrested by Tanzanian police, who are looking into his citizenship, despite a 2013 government probe which concluded that his citizenship was not an issue.
Erick Kabendera, who has written for many international publications, was arrested on Monday by plainclothes police at his home on the outskirts of the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.
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A survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide warned that around the world genocides continue to take place, highlighting the plight of the Rohingya in Myanmar and calling it a “shame on the world’s conscience”.
“I myself saw the first signs of genocide in Rwanda when I was five years old,” said Yolande Mukagasana, who lost her entire family in the Rwanda genocide. “Because I was a Tutsi, I was called a snake and a cockroach.”
“Now I am 65 years old and I still see genocide happening...
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A US court has sentenced a Rwandan man to prison for eight years after it was discovered he had lied about his role in the 1994 genocide, in order to seek asylum.
Jean Leonard Teganya committed "the most serious form of immigration fraud" by "lying about his status as a war criminal to win asylum," said US Attorney Andrew E Lelling, after it was revealed he reportedly participated in at least seven murders and five rapes during the genocide. Teganya denies his involvement in the...
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The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG) convened in parliament to “stop the cycle of violence and genocide against Tamils in Sri Lanka”.
The conference held a round table discussion which was chaired by the British Tamil Forum and had representatives from Sri Lanka Peace and Justice Campaign; International Crisis Group; Together Against Genocide (TAG); and the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. Alongside these speakers representatives from Widows for Peace and numerous MPs from...
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The Canadian federal government signed self-government agreements with the Metis nations of Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan last month, in a historic deal that may lead to reparations and resolving ongoing land claims.
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The US State Department said it is imposing visa restrictions on Nigerians believed to be responsible for, or complicit in, undermining democracy in Nigeria.
"These individuals have operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and undermined democratic principles and human rights," the statement said.
"The Department of State emphasises that the actions announced today are specific to certain individuals and not directed at the Nigerian people or the newly...
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At least four people have been killed in Nigeria’s capital Abuja after security forces clash with a Shia group who were demanding the release of their jailed leader.
The protests occurred on Monday and were focused on freeing the detained leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Ibrahim el-Zakzaky, who has been detained since 2015. These protests follow reports of his worsening health and knowledge that his wife is also being held.
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Israeli troops bulldozed a cluster of Palestinian homes in the village of Sur Baher, West Bank, despite protests and international outcry.
Palestinian residents said they had been given permits to build within areas run by the Palestinian Authority which exercises limited self-rule in the West Bank under the Oslo interim peace deals with Israel.
Israel, however, claimed that the buildings had been built illegally and posed a security risk. Last month, the Israeli Supreme Court...
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The chief prosecutor of a United Nations tribunal has accused South Africa of failing to co-operate with the court with regards to the arrest of a fugitive sought over his role in the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
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The leader of Plaid Cymru said independence for Wales and Scotland was “a matter of time” as calls for self-governance continue to grow in the region.
Adam Price said that the choice facing the people of Wales “has rarely been starker”.
“On the one hand, the insular, narrow nationalism of the British establishment and its obsession with delivering a nightmare Brexit come hell or high water. And on the other, a bright, prosperous future as independent nations at the heart of...
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Amnesty International has joined a legal case initially brought by Human Rights Watch (HRW) to challenge the Israeli governments decision to revoke HRW’s Israel and Palestine Director’s work permit.
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India’s Supreme Court has ordered a citizenship tally in Assam after concerns were raised that thousands of illegal muslim immigrants from Bangladesh had produced false documents for citizenship.
This order follows years of ethnic tensions and campaigns against Bangladesh immigrants who natives claim are stealing resources and taking their land. Prime Minister Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharat Janata Party has further contributed to this tension by vowing to expel illegal immigrants and...
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Representatives of both Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido are holding negotiation in Barbados to resolve the political crisis in Venezuela.
The discussions in Barbados are extension of the first round of negotiations in Oslo in May. Last week both sides had agreed to negotiations and for Norway to act as an impartial mediator.
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A Turkish diplomat was killed yesterday after three assailants opened fire at a restaurant in Erbil, the capital of the Kurdish region in Iraq.
The attackers also fired at Iraqi nationals who were sat at adjacent tables to the diplomat, killing one and seriously wounding another.
Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, called the incident and “atrocious attack against our consulate employees in Erbil.”
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Sudan's Transitional Military Council (TMC) and the Forces of Freedom and Change alliance have signed a political accord to form a power-sharing body, following months of divisions and protests calling for civilian rule after President Omar al-Bashir was overthrown in April.
The 22-clause accord was signed today to solidify an agreement between both sides. The two sides have agreed to rotate control of the sovereign council for just over three years.
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Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Marise Payne, expressed “deep concern” over China’s treatment of the Uighur minority and the use of forced labour, detention centres and the blocks on consular assistance to dual citizens.
On Monday, Payne responded to questions concerning the cases of 10 Australian permanent residents who have been allegedly detained, including a two-year-old Australian citizen. The Minister maintained that Australia has sought information and offered consular...
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The US State Department announced that it has barred several senior military officials in Myanmar from entering the United States, over a lack of accountability for atrocities committed against Rohingya Muslims since a 2017 crackdown.