The paramilitary leader and former chief minister of the Eastern Province, Pillayan, and several of his associates appeared at the Batticaloa High Court on Wednesday over the 2005 assassination of the TNA MP, Joseph Pararajasingham. Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillayan, was presented to the court alongside his paramilitary associates Edwin Silva Krishnanantharaja alias Prathip Master and Kananayakam alias Gajan Mama, as well as the military intelligence officer M. Khaleel and former Sri Lankan soldier Mathusinghe alias Vinoth. Security around the Batticaloa court complex and...
The five students summarily executed by Sri Lankan Special Task Force troops 12 years ago were remembered on Tuesday by locals on the Trincomalee beach on which they were killed.
The US ambassador to Sri Lanka, Atul Keshap called for justice for the killing of 5 Tamil students by Sri Lankan task force officers 12 years ago. "Justice delayed is justice denied", Mr Keshap tweeted, quoting a tweet by USTPAC calling for justice. The case – known as the 'Trinco 5' – remains one of the highest profile killings in Sri Lanka to receive international attention, listed in 2014 by the then UN High Commissioner for Human Rights' report on the island as one of four ‘emblematic cases’ of the government's failure to ensure accountability and having been raised repeatedly in...
Three senior board members of a disputed Tamil temple in Trincomalee who were arrested and produced in court on charges of “damaging an archaeological site” have been remanded until Thursday. S. Jegatheeswaran, T. Nijanthan and E. Chandramohan - chair, secretary and treasurer, respectively, of the board of the Kuntrathur Mathalamalai Murugan temple in Soodaikuda were arrested on Monday when they answered a summons by Sampur police. The Muthur magistrates judge ordered their continued remand despite an appeal lodged by the temple board claiming unlawful arrest. The arrests have deeply...
Sri Lanka's minister of local government and provincial councils, Faizer Musthapha warned that hotels that only cater for "foreigners" would be prosecuted by the tourism police and local government bodies. Highlighting hotels that have boards stating 'Tourist Only' was a violation of the constitution and human rights. “This cannot be accepted. We have experienced second hand treatment on us at some times at certain countries as Sri Lankans. It is impossible to keep exclusive areas for tourists alone and bar Sri Lankans which is an affront to our national dignity,” Mr Musthapha was quoted by...
China's state owned company, China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd, is to invest $1 billion into the development of three office towers within the Port City area, Sri Lanka's minister of regional development was quoted by Reuters as saying on Tuesday. “It will be part of the new financial city,” Mr Champika Ranawaka told reporters. “The investment will be $1 billion and we expect to sign the agreements this month in Beijing," he added whilst accompanying the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe on a visit to the site. See more here .
The leader of the Tamil National Alliance said he had “no regrets” over his party’s decision to back Maithripala Sirisena in Sri Lanka’s 2015 presidential elections, despite criticism from several human rights groups and civil society organisations over the lack of progress on the island. TNA leader R Sampanthan justified his decision by claiming Mr Sirisena is “was one of the strongest supporters of a just and reasonable solution to the Tamil question”. Mr Sirisena’s alliance with the United National Party also brought “an opportunity for the emergence of a multi-party consensus,...
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe signed a new proposal that sets guidelines for “media ethics” ahead of the island’s local government polls next month. The proposals, which still need approval by Sri Lanka’s parliament, have already been approved by the cabinet. Daily Mirror reports Mr Wickremesinghe as saying the proposals are aimed at “impartiality” and regulating events such as panel discussions. The Prime Minister was quoted as saying panel participants should be selected “in a responsible manner” and the media should ensure that there is “no special or favourable treatment...
A British national was found dead at a ground in Maligawatta, Colombo, under what local papers have described as 'suspicious circumstances'. The body of the man, believed to be 37 years old was found with a wound to his face. Sri Lanka's police spokesperson, Ruwan Gunasekara was quoted by Ada Derana as saying, "the foreigner had arrived in the country on November 25 and was initially scheduled to leave the country yesterday (01), however he had extended his visa until January 25." The police are investigating the incident.
The Former Sri Lankan navy spokesperson was further remanded until January 16th over the disappearance of Tamil youths, Ada Derana reports. Commodore D.K.P. Dassanayake is accused of aiding and abetting in the disappearance of 11 Tamil youths between 2008 - 2009. Mr Dassanayake was arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in July 2017. A number of bail applications made have so far been rejected.