• Closures forcing Vavuniya children to travel long distances for school

    Dec 09

    Tamil children in villages in Vavuniya are being forced to travel long distances to attend school due to school closures in the district.

    Specifically the closures of two schools - Koliya Kulam GTM School and Varudaiyar Iluppaikulam GTM school - have affected families in several surrounding villages including Kunchukulam, Navvi and Palamottai.

  • Batti police killings a ploy to target Tamils - TNA MP
    <p>The killing of two police officers in Batticaloa was a ploy to create problems for Tamils on the island, a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP has said.</p> <p>“We view the incident of the shooting and killing of two police officers in Vavunathivu last week as act to incite racism,” Batticaloa representative G Sirinesan said in parliament last week.</p> <p>“We must approach it as a behind-the-scenes ploy to create problems for the Tamil people,” he said.</p>
  • Women protest across North-East against gender based violence

    Protests took place in Trincomalee and Jaffna this week against gender based violence. 

    In Jaffna, the protest took place by the main bus station today, calling for an end to gender based violence in workplaces. 

    It was organised by the Jaffna Social Action Centre. 

  • Petrol bomb attack on Koppay home

    A house was attacked in the Koppay central region of Jaffna last night around midnight, with the petrol bomb.  

    A 53 year old man, Sellathurai Selvaranjan, was injured in the incident and has been admitted to Jaffna Hospital. 

  • Sirisena admits couldn't get 113 MPs due to high asking prices

    The Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena has been filmed stating Mahinda Rajapaksa was unable to get the 113 MPs needed for a majority as many were quoting high prices.

    He added that he personally knew some MPs asking for Rs 50 million to cross over. 

    Many analysts have said the extraordinary new video amounts to admission of bribery and corruption by the president. 

  • Expect greater scrutiny - former US amb tells Sri Lanka

    The former United States ambassador to Sri Lanka, Robert O. Blake warned the country should expect greater scrutiny following the US mid term elections and in view of "serious questions" raised by actions of President Sirisena and Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

  • UK watching Sri Lanka closely says minister of state for human rights
    <p>UK's minister of state for human rights, Lord Ahmad said developments in Sri Lanka were being watched closely and emphasised the need to protect human rights, rule of law and good governance.&nbsp;</p>
  • International business chambers ‘gravely concerned’ as crisis in Sri Lanka continues
    <p>A group of three different international business chambers have issued a joint statement stating that they are “gravely concerned about the present political uncertainty and upheaval” in Sri Lanka.</p> <p>The European Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka (ECCSL), the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) and the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) warned that there would be “adverse economic and social consequences” and that “foreign investors and potential businesses are increasingly losing confidence in the reliability of the business environment of Sri Lanka”.</p> <p>“Most of our members who are established in Sri Lanka and whom have been surveyed are already experiencing negative impacts on their businesses,” the statement added.</p>
  • Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court extends stay on dissolution of parliament

    Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has extended a stay against the dissolution of parliament, which was initially issued by Maithripala Sirisena last month as Colombo was plunged into political turmoil.

    The decision, taken this morning, means that the stay order has been extended until December 10.

    A seven member bench is currently hearing the fundamental rights petition filed against the president's dissolving of parliament.

  • Case against Tamil MP postponed until February

    Tamil parliamentarian Vijayakala Maheswaran, who was arrested by Sri Lankan police in October over a speech where she mentioned the LTTE, has had her court case postponed until February 2019.

    Maheswaran faced criticism from cross-party Sinhala politicians for calling for a resurgence of the LTTE in order to curb rising crime rates in North-East and was forced to resign her ministerial post.

  • Tourists continue to cancel on Sri Lanka as political crisis continues
    <p>Sri Lanka’s prolonged political turmoil is continuing to impact on tourist numbers as cancellations to the island continue in the middle of peak tourist season, reports Reuters.</p> <p>Despite Sri Lanka currently being at peak tourist season, flights and hotel bookings are being cancelled after Colombo was thrown into crisis in late October, with the attempted appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister.</p>
  • Police killings aimed at creating chaos - TNA MP

    A Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP has raised suspicion about the timing of the killings of two police officers in Batticaloa, claiming the killings were instigated to create political chaos.

  • Thousands of Indian fishermen chased away by Sri Lankan navy

    Several thousand Indian fishermen were reportedly chased away by the Sri Lankan navy this week, whilst fishing near Katchatheevu on Thursday.

  • Homes in Jaffna vandalised by unknown persons

    Homes in Jaffna were vandalised earlier this week, as crime continues to take place across the peninsula.

  • Protest against arrest of former LTTE cadres held in Batticaloa

    Civil society organisations and former LTTE cadres staged a demonstration in Batticaloa this week, protesting against the arrests of former fighters.

    Protestors called for the released of the former LTTE cadres, with as many as six members reportedly arrested this week in connection with the murder of two Sri Lankan policemen.

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