• Governments change, but the torturers stay the same - Frances Harrison

    Jan 10
    While the world hails “the new Sri Lanka” for committing to deliver accountability for the past, the same torturers and rapists are in place doing what they’ve always done writes author of Still Counting the Dead and former BBC correspondent Frances Harrison.

    Full article reproduced below.

    “These are not things you can tell your wife,” said the Tamil man from Sri Lanka, “you do not talk about these things in my culture”.

    He’s so ashamed about what the soldiers did to him  - and there were many of them - that this is the first time he’s told anyone, even his immigration lawyer. Sinhalese soldiers in camouflage uniform forced him at gunpoint to undress and then one by one raped him. It happened again and again.

    He knows which camp but he also knows it’s dangerous to say. He left his family behind in Sri Lanka and the security forces are watching them closely.  “This evil needs to be stopped,” he says.
  • Norway to support recently resettled in Jaffna
    The Norwegian government pledged to support to improve access to justice and livelihood opportunities of those newly resettled in Jaffna, the LBO reported.

    The support is to be delivered in collaboration with the UN Development Programme (UNDP). A partnership was signed between the UNDP's country director, Joern Soerensen and the Norwegian ambassador Thorbjørn Gaustadsæther.
  • Sirisena announces process to draft Sri Lanka's new constitution
    Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena on Saturday announced that the country’s constitution needed to be changed to suit the present era for the development of the country.

    Addressing a special session of parliament, Mr Sirisena said the draft constitution must fulfill the needs to eliminate poverty and achieve prosperity through economic development and strengthen unity among all ethnic religious groups.
  • ‘Perpetrators of murder need to be brought to justice’ says UN spokesperson

    The perpetrators of the killing of journalists in Sri Lanka “need to be brought to justice” said the spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, adding that the United Nations is aware of an ITJP report on-going torture and sexual violence by Sri Lanka’s security forces.

    Responding to a question from Inner City Press, Stéphane Dujarric told a press briefing,

    “You know, obviously, unsolved cases of harassment and killings of journalists need to be solved and the perpetrators need to be brought to justice”.

    Mr Dujarric also confirmed that “I know our human rights colleagues are aware of the reports put forward by the NGOs that you'd mentioned,” referring to a recently released report by the International Truth and Justice Project, detailing ongoing torture in Sri Lanka.

  • World Tamil Research Conference massacre remembered in Jaffna

    The massacre of nine civilians by Sri Lankan police at the fourth World Tamil Research Conference in 1974 was remembered in Jaffna on Sunday.

  • Sri Lanka cancels Pakistan jet deal after Indian opposition

    The Sri Lankan government cancelled a deal to buy Pakistani fighter jets after a “diplomatic missive” from India, reports The Indian Express.

    New Delhi reportedly told Sri Lanka that its current defence requirements meant it did not need the JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft from Pakistan, whilst also sending a negative technical assessment of the aircraft.

    The message was reportedly delivered via a non-paper - a white sheet of paper without a letterhead or signature —“at the highest levels” says The Indian Express.

  • Monks urge Sri Lankan leaders to ensure Buddhism foremost place
    The Sri Lankan Buddhist clergy and key Buddhist organisations urged the Sri Lankan president and prime minister to ensure that the new constitution gave Buddhism the foremost place, reported the Daily Mirror.

    They also called for the constitution to ensure the duty of the state to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana.

    "Article 9 of the present Constitution, which ensures that Buddhism be given the foremost place and also guarantees that it is the duty of the state to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, should be included in the Constitution of Sri Lanka without any amendments," the organisations said in a letter outlining their proposals to the Sri Lankan leaders.

  • Sri Lankan commander seeks New Year blessings from Buddhist monks

    The commander of the Sri Lankan army Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva sought blessings from Buddhists monks for the year ahead on Saturday, as he presented offerings at the Temple of the Tooth on Saturday.

  • New Sri Lankan military block opened in Jaffna

    The Sri Lankan military ceremoniously declared opened a new accommodation block for troops in Jaffna on New Year’s Day.

    The new construction at the Sri Lankan Headquarters Security Force Jaffna (SF-J) was declared open by Major General Nandana Udawatta and will be able to house 80 soldiers in the block.

  • Sirisena reassures monks that new Sri Lanka constitution will protect Buddhism
    Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena vowed to protect the foremost place of Buddhism in Sri Lanka’s new constitution and said who would not govern the country without seeking advice from the Buddhist Maha Sanga, reports Colombo Page.
  • Speaking Frankly About Sri Lanka's President and Wartime Abuses
    Reviewing a year of Sirisena’s presidency, Taylor Dibbert raised concerns on the urgent need for security sector reform, witness protection, and accountability for wartime abuses which could include war crimes.

    Full opinion reproduced below.

    In January 2015, Maithripala Sirisena, unexpectedly thwarted Mahinda Rajapaksa's quest for an unprecedented third presidential term. According to his campaign pledges, Sirisena hoped to address various issues including constitutional reform, anti-corruption and improved governance. The broad coalition that supported his campaign could at least agree on one thing: that Rajapaksa needed to go.
    Years from now, how will the election of Sirisena be remembered? And what about healing those wounds of war and finding a lasting political solution to an ethnic conflict that has burned for seven decades?
  • No national security threat assures Sri Lanka army commander
    The Sri Lankan army commander, Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva made assurances on Saturday that there would be no threat to national security.

    After meeting with high ranking Buddhist clergy in Kandy, Lt General De Silva spoke to journalists where he said that President Sirisena had instructed "maximum attention has been paid to the national security".
  • Indian foreign secretary to visit Sri Lanka
    India's foreign secretary, S Jaishankar, is to visit Sri Lanka on Monday, reported the New Indian Express.

    The visit is believed to be a preliminary one ahead of a visit by India's external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj in February when she is expected to visit Jaffna.

    Mr Jaishankar is to hold meetings with his Sri Lankan counterpart, the foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera and the president, Maithripala Sirisena.

  • Sri Lanka Army rejects evidence of torture sites in Jaffna
    Sri Lanka’s military spokesperson denied reports of maintaining secret torture camps in the areas it previously held around the Palaly military base in Jaffna.

    Speaking at a news conference in Colombo Brigadier Jaynath Jayaweera said,
  • Wigneswaran visits former High Security Zone in Vali North

    The Chief Minister of Northern Province visited newly returned areas in the former High Security Zone of Valikamam North on Thursday.

    Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran visited the area and discussed the huge issues of resettlement and rebuilding with locals and officials.

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