• US Marine Corps train with Sri Lankan military in Trinco

    US Marine Corps troops have been engaged in military training exercises with the Sri Lankan navy in Trincomalee, after the arrival of the US Naval Ship “USS Somerset” this week.

    The Sri Lankan navy said that 7 officers and 150 sailors had undertaken the exercise with over 150 US Marines participating.

  • Sri Lankan army builds 28 Buddha statues for 'war heroes' in Vanni

    The Sri Lankan military has opened a Buddhist site in the Vanni, which contains 28 newly constructed Buddha statues in memory of Sri Lankan soldiers.
     

  • Sri Lankan military seeks to acquire 617 acres in Mullaitivu

    A notice has been published in a Tamil local newspaper announcing the intention to acquire 617 acres of land in Vattuvahal, Mullaitivu for the Sri Lankan armed forces. 

    The notice, under Section 38a of the Land Acquisition Act, comes despite repeated public annoucement by the present Sri Lankan government that it was looking to release all land currently occupied by the military. 

  • Sri Lanka considers establishing media body to ensure 'decorum'

    Sri Lanka's cabinet spokesperson, Gayantha Karunatilaka said on Wednesday the government is to consider establishing a media standards body to ensure the media would act with responsility and decorum. 

  • Sri Lanka's delay in accountability could be attempt to avoid it says Rapp

    The former US ambassador at large for war crimes, Stephen Rapp said the Sri Lanka's government's delay in establishing an accountability mechanism could be an attempt to avoid it entirely, in an interview to the Daily FT

  • USAID launches Democratic Governance and Accountability Project in Sri Lanka

    The United States Aid Agency for International Development (USAID) launched a US$13 million partnership with Sri Lanka’s parliament to strengthen accountability and democratic governance in Sri Lanka.

  • Bilateral trade between Sri Lanka and China reaches new peak

    Bilateral trade between Sri Lanka and China crossed the US$4 billion threshold for the first time said Sri Lanka’s Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen.

    Speaking at the inauguration of the second China Products Exhibition (CPE) in Sri Lanka, Mr Bathiudeen commended the Imminent Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two nations adding,

  • Government to initiate dialogue with Sinhala Buddhist extremist groups

    The Sri Lankan government announced this week it had agreed to initiate dialogue with Sinhala Buddhist groups, Bodu Bala Sena and Ravana Balaya. 

  • Human right for Tamils to mark Maaveerar Naal says Mano Ganeshan

    People in the North can mark Maaveerar Naal (Tamil national remembrance day) without mentioning the LTTE, Sri Lanka's minister for national co-existence, dialogue and official languages minister, Mano Ganeshan was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying this week. 

  • Armed police disrupt student birthday celebrations at Jaffna University

    Police disrupted a student birthday celebration only minutes after it had begun at the Balasingham hostel at Jaffna University last night.

    Carrying arms, the police stated they came due to an emergency call made to them from the hostel stating that students were being asked to come out for a midnight birthday celebration, but did not identify who called or what they said.

  • Muslim Maaveerar of the Tamil Struggle

    The Tamil nation, in the homeland and in the diaspora, holds steadfastly to records of the liberation struggle. The well-known dates and the lesser known dates are tirelessly observed. Heroes are canonised in the Maaveerar Naal calendar.

    But with the destruction of LTTE records and cemeteries, it becomes inevitable that some names are lost to us, at least momentarily.

  • We will never allow the LTTE to be commemorated' - Minister

    Sri Lanka's State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene said that the government will never allow the LTTE to be commemorated, days before the annual Tamil remembrance day when those who died fighting for the movement are commemorated across the world.

    Responding to a question about NPC Councillor Shivajilingam's recent statement about the right to commemorate Maaveerar Naal, Mr Wijewardene said,

  • TNA raises concerns about safety and security of Sampanthan

    The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) realised concerns about the safety and security of the opposition leader R Sampanthan in parliament today.

    Speaking in Parliament MP E Saravanabavan said the opposition leader had been given vehicles that were not secure enough and called on the government to take immediate action to address the concerns. 

  • Sumanthiran says constitutional sub-committee reports are positive for Tamils

    Speaking at the Raviraj Memorial in Chavachcheri yesterday, TNA Spokesperson and MP, M.A. Sumanthiran, said that while the constitutional sub-committee reports don't have everything the Tamils asked for, if asked whether the Tamils got what they need from them, the only answer can be yes.

  • Sri Lanka must compensate Tamil Canadian torture survivor rules UN Human Rights Committee

    The UN Human Rights Committee has ruled the Sri Lankan government must "provide adequate compensation" to a Tamil man currently living in Canada, reported National Post. 

    Mr Roy Samathanam filed a complaint with the Committee three years ago after he was accused of being a "Canadian Tiger" by the Sri Lankan security forces during a visit in 2007 to Sri Lanka and later imprisoned and tortured. 

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