N. Srikantha, a lawyer and senior member of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), asserted that Eelam Tamils should not be misled by the narratives presented by Sinhalese politicians such as Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who has failed to adequately address the ethnic issue or accountability for the Tamil genocide. “The National People’s Power is seeking the support of the Tamil people, and they should present their solution to the ethnic issue,” he said during a press conference in Jaffna this week. “Anura Kumara Dissanayake has promised to create a social structure free of corruption and...
More human skeletal remains have been found at a former High Security Zone (HSZ) in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo, in yet another mass grave on the island. The recent findings are part of the same remains that were initially unearthed in July this year, at the first roundabout after entering the Colombo Port from Chaithya Road in Colombo. The old post office and Sri Lanka’s naval base are also located in the same area.
A Sri Lankan government minister, Chamara Sampath Dassanayake, forcibly entered a police station in Badulla and engaged in a verbal altercation with officers, ultimately forcing them to release 34 government supporters who had been detained over violating election laws. This group, which included 27 men and 7 women, had been taken into custody near a major bus stand whilst campaigning for current Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe. The detainees were reportedly wearing t-shirts with the president’s campaign slogan when they were apprehended. The minister’s intervention reportedly...
Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa recently told a talk show that foreign intervention particularly those exerted by the United States through its ambassador Julie Chung intend to bring Ranil to power, failing which they intend to ensure that Anura Kumara Dissanayake becomes the next President of Sri Lanka. The video was taken down hours after the program was telecast live.
The current chairman of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) Mavai Senathirajah met with incumbent Sri Lankan president Ranil Wickremesinghe this week, as turmoil rocked the party over the central committee decision to back Sajith Premadasa at the upcoming presidential election. As debate continues in the Tamil polity over whether to back the Tamil common candidate, boycott the elections entirely or choose another candidate, Senathirajah hosted Wickremesinghe at his residence in Kankasanthurai, Jaffna. In comments to the media following the meeting, Senathirajah said, “I told him it is...
India has granted 65 million USD for the development of Kankesanthurai (KKS) port, Sri Lanka's Minister of Aviation and Shipping, Nimal Siripala de Silva. reportedly told a rally in Jaffna. The project includes the construction of a new breakwater, dredging the port to a depth of 30 meters to accommodate deep-draft vessels, and a full renovation of existing port facilities. This project will increase direct trade between Indian and the Tamil homelands, following in the footsteps of the reinstated ferry ‘Sivagangai’, run by IndSri Ferry Services, and now two airlines; IndiGo and Alliance Air,...
Sri Lankan Member of Parliament Mujibur Rahman from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has alleged that over 80 government ministers and parliamentarians are planning to flee the country on September 21, the date of the upcoming presidential election, over fears of a massive defeat. Speaking at a press conference, Rahman claimed that members of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), who initially backed incumbent President Ranil Wickremesinghe, are now in a difficult position. “They supported him thinking it would lead to an electoral victory, but they now see his unpredictable behavior,...
The Sri Lankan police in Maruthankerny, Jaffna, obstructed Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) members, including Selvarajah Kajendren MP, as they campaigned for a boycott of Sri Lanka's presidential elections. On Sunday, the police officers confiscated pamphlets and blocked the path of the members of the TNPF as they questioned the members over their campaign. One officer, speaking in Sinhala, informed someone on the phone that only a few people with pamphlets were present. The Sinhala-speaking officer mentioned that there were eight TNPF representatives present and was asked if they...
Sri Lanka police have launched an investigation into a wedding pre-shoot, after a couple had taken photos inside the Sri Dalada Maligawa, angering the island’s Sinhala Buddhists.
Sri Lanka has seen a spike in election-related violence as presidential polls draw closer, according to data released by Election monitors People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), the Sri Lankan Elections Commission and Sri Lankan media outlets. The statistics which are updated routinely show that more than 20 such incidents have been formally reported to the Sri Lanka police, who have increased their presence in districts that have reported an increase in election-related violence. In addition to the formal reports, approximately 60 individuals have reportedly been arrested,...