• Tamil massacre memorial goes ahead despite police disruption

    Sep 22

    Sri Lankan police have again attempted to disrupt a Tamil memorial event in the North-East of the island.

    A candlelight memorial was held despite the attempted disruption, to commemorate the 24th anniversary of a massacre committed in Puthukkudiyiruppu near Batticaloa, reported Uthayan.

    Seventeen Tamil civilians were hacked to death on September 21, 1990, with Muslim Homeguards and Sri Lankan soldiers suspected to be behind the attack.

  • Thunderclap
    The eyes of the world were on Scotland last week, as the Scottish people voted in a historic referendum on independence. The majority of Scots (55%) chose to keep their homeland as part of the United Kingdom with the promise of more devolved powers, turning down the opportunity to secede. Whilst the outcome has, quite rightly, been embraced by all as the collective will of the Scottish people, the process inspired and re-energised nations elsewhere struggling for independence. That the question of independence was freely expressed, debated and decided through a democratic process was observed with a feeling of hope and bittersweet envy by, amongst others, Catalans, Kurds, Kashmiris, Balochs, West Papuans and Eelam Tamils - whose own aspirations are denied, even criminalised and violently suppressed.

  • Sri Lanka wants UN to investigate.. use of armed drones in counter terrorism

    Addressing a panel discussion at the UN Human Rights Council Monday, Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to Geneva called for an investigation into the use of armed drones to ensure it is in line with international human rights and humanitarian law.

    “Sri Lanka is therefore greatly concerned about the increasing use of remotely piloted aircrafts or armed drones in counter terrorism operations, violating the international human rights and humanitarian laws in particular the principle of proportion, distinction and proportionality,” said Ambassador Ravinath Aryasinha.

    “Sri Lanka calls on all actors to ensure that the use of remotely piloted air crafts or armed drones in counter terrorism strategies be carried out in compliance with international law, including international human rights law and humanitarian law, and respecting the sovereignty of states,” he added.

  • Sri Lanka arrests 7 Indian nationals in Kalmunai

    Seven Indian nationals were arrested at the weekend, for alleged visa and trade violations in Kalmunai in the Eastern province, reports Daily Mirror. The seven were said to be selling clothes as well as other items in the Nayapattimuna area.

    The Sri Lankan police spokesperson Ajith Rohana said they would be brought before Kalmunai magistrate.

  • Govt launches website to counter international criticism ahead of UNGA
    The Sri Lankan president’s office has launched a new website this month in an attempt to counter international criticism of Sri Lanka over allegations of mass atrocities committed by state forces at the end of the armed conflict, ahead of Rajapaksa’s attendance at the UN General Assembly 69th session in New York this week. The website, which purports to list Sri Lanka’s achievements in reconciliation and development, also highlights i
  • Tamils protest against military land grabs in Puthukkudiyiruppu

    Tamils in Puthukkudiyiruppu protested against land grabs by the Sri Lankan security forces on Monday, reports Uthayan.

    Demonstrators shouted slogans and held placards reading, “Army get out", "We want our land", "We want our house" and "Stop Sinhala settlements".


    'Why farming lands for the army? we want our farm lands'

    Protesters also condemned the ongoing enforced disappearances, saying, "Release our disappeared     children", "What happened to the disappeared, Government give us an answer!", and "[We] do not want development or compensation, give us an answer for our missing first!".

  • Recognise Tamil right to self-determination, Tamils tell Labour Party

    Tamils for Labour have called on the British Labour Party to acknowledge the Tamil people's right to self-determination.

    Addressing the annual Labour Party Conference on Monday, Tamils for Labour's Chair Sen Kandiah, reflected on the Scottish independence referendum, saying "hundreds of thousands of [Tamil] lives have been lost for the same right as those people enjoyed in Scotland a few days ago."

    Outlining the atrocities and the ongoing abuses against Eelam Tamils during and after the armed conflict, Mr Kandiah called on the Labour Party to "support targeted sanctions, such as travel bans and asset freezes, on Sri Lankan military personnel and politicians" and to "acknowledge the Tamil people’s right to self-determination".

  • Ruling UPFA wins Uva election

    The ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) won the Uva Provincial Council election yesterday, securing 19 seats, 6 seats more than the opposition, United National Party (UNP) which won 13. The JVP won 2 seats.

    The UNP made gains, winning 274773 votes, compared to 129144 votes in 2009. The election saw a 70% voter turn out.

  • Merge North-East and acknowledgment of right to self-determination - TNA
    A re-merger of the Northern and Eastern Provinces as a single political administrative unit alongside acknowledgment of the Tamil people’s right to self-determination, is the only way to achieve a true political solution for Tamils in the North-East, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesperson told the Sunday Leader.

    Deeming the de-merger of the Northern and Eastern provinces as an attempt to deliberately change the demography of the North-East, Suresh Premachandran said,

    “The military has formed Sinhala colonies in the North, thereby depriving our population the right to their own lands. This issue started after the controversial Court ruling to de-merge the two provinces. This situation deteriorated after the end of the war. Sinhalese from the South had been settled in our lands and the government has deliberately changed the demography in the North and the East. Tamil ancestral lands in Murugandi that the military had taken over had been used to construct housing projects consisting of more than 10,000 housing units with Chinese aid, for the military personnel.”

  • Buddhist monks lead protest against Catholic statue

    Buddhists have protested against an attempt by Catholics to place a religious statue at a junction in the town of Kalutara.

    Monks from the Sihala Ravaya led a large mob and said they will not allow the statue to be erected in the town, according to Colombo Gazette.

  • PMK condemns reports that Sri Lanka is auctioning off detained boats
    India's Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) condemned reports that the Sri Lankan government is auctioning off fishing boats that have been seized from arrested Tamil Nadu fishermen.     

    PMK leader Ramdoss said "the act of the Island government has shocked Indian fishermen," in a statement this week, adding that 72 boats are currently being detained by the Sri Lankan navy.
  • Vaiko is our partner, not Rajapaksa – BJP Gen Sec

    The general secretary of the BJP, P Muralidhar Rao, said that the Indian government believes it needs to engage with the Sri Lankan government in order to solve the Tamil issue, during his visit to Colombo.

  • Ananthy, Ravikaran raise issues faced by North-East Tamils at UNHRC
    The Northern Provincial Councillors, Ananthy Sasitharan and T. Ravikaran, expressed their concerns regarding the ongoing disappearances, missing persons, intimidation, colonisation and militarisation at a side event that took place at the UN Human Rights Council's 27th session.
  • External forces destabilising Asian countries under guise of democracy - Rajapaksa
    The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa warned of "external forces" encouraged disharmony in Asian countries "under the guise of democracy", at the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), jointly hosted by the ruling Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP) and opposition United National Party (UNP) in Colombo this week.

    "Today the emerging trends in the world, including in parts of Asia gave signals that alarmed the Asian Community because external forces under the guise of democracy and other enticing slogans sought to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries," the Daily Mirror reported him as saying to delegates.

    “They show little concern about destabilising nations,” he said, adding, "Asian countries have seen how the media including social media is being used by the forces that are continuing the cause of division, separation and terror."

    Lauding Sri Lanka's military efforts Mahinda Rajapaksa added,
    "Sri Lanka can stand out in this great gathering for our experience in battling and defeating terrorism against the efforts of many external forces outside Asia that sought to bring about an accommodation of terrorism in our land. We are always ready to share that experience with the world. Your presence here and what you will see in this country today are the fruits of that great success in protecting our State and our Nation, from the forces of terror."

  • Matakal land survey halted after fierce opposition from residents

    A scheduled survey of private lands in Senthankulam, Matakal, by government officials on Friday was cancelled after residents and local politicians raised fierce opposition to it.

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