Facebook icon
Twitter icon
e-mail icon

‘Demilitarisation in Jaffna cannot wait’ says Samantha Power


Photograph: Tamil Guardian

The United States Ambassador to the United Nations stressed the importance of demilitarisation in the North, in a meeting with Sri Lanka’s Governor of Northern Province. H. M. G. S. Palihakkara today.

Ms Power tweeted that the two “agreed development, demilitarization in Jaffna cannot wait,” in a meeting during her visit to the North.


Her comments come following the Sri Lankan military organising the hosting of a Buddhist religious festival in Jaffna last week, with Sinhalese villagers form the south of the island attending proceedings.

A report released by the Oakland Institute earlier this year, The Long Shadow of War: Struggle for Justice in Post War Sri Lanka, highlighted that at least 160,000 military Sinhalese soldiers remained in the Tamil North-East of Sri Lanka, with the military involved in processes that seized land from local populations and “systematically” suppressed Tamil culture and history.

We need your support

Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.

Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view

We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.

For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.