A Muslim-owned shop in Wikerama, Nugegoda was petrol bombed on Tuesday night. The latest arson attack is one of a series of escalating attacks on Muslim businesses in Sri Lanka. A member of the Muslim Council in Sri Lanka, speaking to Colombo Telegraph said, “While the President is talking about discussions among religious leaders to resolve ethnic conflicts, the Muslim economy is being set on fire on a daily basis. The president must immediately order the arrest of those arsonists or force the IGP to resign if he cannot do his job.” See below for a list of attacks against the Muslim...
Sri Lanka’s newly appointed Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera stated that his government would not implement recommendations from a report by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein. Mr Samaraweera, who held the post of foreign minister until a cabinet reshuffle last month, reiterated his government’s refusal of an international investigation into human rights abuses committed during the armed conflict, and said that he had instead lobbied for a domestic mechanism. He went on to state that his government would only implement a resolution which was passed by the UN...
The British Tamils Forum has urged all UK Tamils to vote in the upcoming general election. BTF encouraged British Tamils to support the candidate that: recognises the Tamil right to self-determination on the island of Sri Lanka; recognises the genocide committed against Tamils by then Sri Lankan state; and supports a time-bound plan for the full implementation of UN Human Rights Council resolutions on Sri Lanka. “Let us use our votes wisely to strengthen our voice in the UK parliament,” the forum said. The UK general election which will take place on Thursday was called in April by British...
The World Bank predicted a 5.1% growth in Sri Lanka’s GDP in its Global Economic Prospects reforms report. The report, published on Monday, went on to outline concerns about high public debt in South Asia drawing on examples of Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The World Bank analysis noted unexplained rising levels Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Sri Lanka. Earlier this year Bloomberg ranked Sri Lanka among the world’s highest risk countries for investment based in 29 indicators which included political and economic factors. See full report here.
Women’s groups in Trincomalee protested in Muthur, calling for justice for the three young girls sexually assaulted in the district last week.
Ponnuthurai Sivakumaran, the first Tamil to die in the liberation struggle was remembered in his hometown of Urumpirai, Jaffna today, on the 43rd anniversary of his death.
People across the Eastern Province undertook a day of Hartal and protest on Friday calling for justice for the sexual assault of three children in Trincomalee last week.
A Tamil man has been arrested in connection with a shooting incident that was alleged to have taken place in Palai, Kilinochchi on 19th May. A young Tamil man was arrested on Saturday by terrorism police at his home in Urumbirai, Jaffna. The alleged incident, in which an individual was reported to have shot at a police patrol vehicle, sparked a tense situation in Kilinochchi with troops being deployed on the streets the day following Mullivaikkaal commemorations. Locals of the heavily militarised Kilinochchi area remained skeptical of the allegations, with reports that despite four shots...
The Sri Lankan military handed out school supplies at a military conducted ceremony in Kilinochchi last week. The commander of the Security Forces-Kilinochchi (SF-KLN) made a “personal request” for the school supplies, according to an official military website , which were distributed to children from Mallavi, Poonakari and Visuvamadu. “All the attendees in the ceremony were treated to refreshments, offered by 8 Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment,” added the report.
The Heads of Mission of the European Union, Australia, Canada, Netherlands, Norway, South Africa and Switzerland visited the Dewatagaha Mosque on Friday to express solidarity with leaders of Si Lanka’s Muslim community. Speaking at the mosque, EU Ambassador Tung-Lai Margue said, “Sri Lankans know all too well the consequences of religious and ethnic hatred. These reprehensible actions are intended to sow discord at a time when national reconciliation and tolerance is moving forward. It is important that the Government and the Police ensure that there is no impunity for hate crimes. It is...