Sri Lanka's Center for Human Rights and Research (CHR) has made a complaint to the Ministry of Law and Order that the storming of a UN safe house where 31 Rohingya refugees were sheltering was an attempt to cover up the rape of a Rohingya refugee by a Sri Lankan police officer by removing the witness from the country. “People have been incited by a perpetrator of sexual violence in order to remove witness from Sri Lanka,” CHR Executive Director Rajith Keerthi Tennekoon, was quoted by JDS as saying. JDS reported: "According to information revealed in court the police officer sexually attacked...
The Tamil National Alliance MP and spokesperson, M A Sumanthiran on Friday condemned the detention of 31 Rohingya refugees in Boosa detention camp by Sri Lankan police. "Strongly condemn the violation of the rights of #Rohingya refugees and incarceration in Boosa detention camp by Sri Lankan authorities #lka," Mr Sumanthiran tweeted . The refugees, mainly women and children, were transferred to Boosa after a mob led by Sinhala Buddhist monks stormed the UN safe house in Mount Lavinia where they were staying. The Northern Provincial Council on Friday offered refuge and protection to Rohingya...
Mullaitivu fishermen are struggling to engage in their livelihood due to the Sri Lankan military occupation of coastlines in the district.
Responding to hostility from the Sinhala Buddhist population to the possible settlement of Rohingya refugees into Sri Lanka, the government on Thursday reiterated once again that it would not be issuing any resident visas or granting citizenship to Rohingya refugees. "The government takes legal action against the foreigners arriving in the country or its waters in violation of Immigration and Emigration laws provided in Article 10 of the Immigration and Emigration Act No. 20 of 1948. According to paragraph 45 (1) punishments will be imposed on such offenders," the Ministry of Law and Order...
Sri Lanka's senior Buddhist clergy and a leading Buddhist organisation have opposed part of the interim report produced by the Constitutional Steering Committee, the Daily Mirror reported. Maha Nayaka of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya and the Buddhist organisation, Buddha Sasana Karya Sadaaka Managlaya issued a statement expressing their opposition to the inclusion of the Tamil word "orumiththa naadu", which they argue "could be an attempt to achieve federalism." They also criticised the inclusion of the phrase that other faiths would not be discriminated against while giving foremost place to...
The administration of the historic Thiruketheeswaram Kovil in Mannar have urged the Sri Lankan president not to participate in the opening of an illegally constructed Buddhist vihara in its environs.
The Northern Provincial Council has offered refuge and protection to Rohingya refugees currently being held in Boosa detention centre. In a proposal brought by NPC member M. K. Sivajilingam on Thursday, the Council condemned the attack on the refugees by Buddhist extremists. The 31 Rohingya had been rescued near the coast of Kankesanthurai and presented to the Mallakam court, before being taken to a UN safehouse in Mount Lavinia, a suburb of Colombo, which was then stormed by a mob led by Sinhala Buddhist monks. The Council members decided that shelter could be offered to the refugees in the...
Sri Lanka's acting Inspector General of Police, C D Wickremaratne on Thursday ordered an investigation into the sinhala Buddhist monk led attack on Rohingya refugees in Mount Lavinia earlier this week. "The police also obtained a court order from the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court to obtain unedited footage of the incident from the Television Channels," the police spokesperson, Ruwan Gunasekara was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. The investigation will be carried out by the Colombo Crime Division. The mob led by saffron clad monks on Tuesday stormed into the UN building where 31...
Sri Lanka's former chief justice, Sarath N Silva on Thursday filed a petition at the Supreme Court questioning the legality of the Provincial council elections bill. The bill was recently passed in parliament with a two thirds majority. The bill has been criticised by a number of local election monitors who said that there was insufficient consultation prior to the passage of the bill. See more here.
Mullaitivu residents have demanded the removal of an army camp that surround schools in the district, citing concerns about the negative effects of militarisation on the area's young people.