Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian M A Sumanthiran said that he was “confident of success” in changing a proposed draft counter terror law, which has been approved by Sri Lanka’s cabinet. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Mr Sumanthiran said he would ensure the bill is discussed at Parliamentary Oversight Committees for Justice and National Security at the end of October, where he would work to ensure the law is changed. “I am a member of both and am confident of success,” said the MP. His comments come just hours after a draft of the legislation was being circulated. “There are...
A confidential draft of Sri Lanka’s proposed anti-terror legislation has been circulated across the internet, days after it had been approved by the Sri Lankan cabinet. The new legislation, known as the Counter Terrorism Act, has incorporated a broader range of offenses which the government has determined will amount to terrorism. In particular, and highlighted repeatedly throughout the text are “acts” or “words” that challenge Sri Lanka’s sovereignty or unity according to the draft. Definitions of terrorism by Sri Lanka include “any act… threatening, attacking, changing or adversely...
A group of Sri Lankan policeman accused of torturing and killing a Tamil youth have been produced before the Kilinochchi District Court on Friday. The four policemen, who manned the Chunnakam Police Station, stand accused of being part of a group of officers, involved in the torture and murder of Sumanan Sriskandarajah. Mr Sriskandarajah was one of five Tamil youth who were abducted by a white van in November 2011. The group were subsequently taken to Chunnaakam police station, where police tortured them. “They kept us in their custody at Chunnakam Police Station and tortured us with beating...
Tibet’s spiritual leader the Dalai Lama visited Switzerland last week, where he met with Tamil Hindus at a temple in Bern as part of his visit to the country. The Dalai Lama went to the House of Religions, a community project that opened in 2014 with eight religious places of worship housed in the building. Tamils from the North-East who now reside in Switzerland, set up the Saivanerikoodam Temple there in 2014, one of several Tamil Hindu temples dotted across the country. He visited the temple, where Tamil children lined up to greet the spiritual leader. After receiving bouquets of flowers...
Marking the 50th year since the 21st October 1966 uprising against caste and untouchability in Sri Lanka, the Mass Movement for Social Justice held a conference today in Kokuvil, Jaffna. A series of academics and activists spoke about the history of the struggle against caste on the island and also about the ongoing perpetuation of caste-based discrimination and the disregard paid to it by Tamil political parties and leaders. Speaking about caste in the education system, one local activist, Ahalya, explained that while students from all different castes could now go to the same school, you...
8 months after the Sri Lankan government passed a resolution establishing a Constitutional Assembly to draft a new constitution, the government has launched a website detailing the constitutional drafting process and the membership of those involved in the Steering Committee, the Sub-Committees and the Panel of Experts. The website states that early on it was decided that the Steering Committee would be responsible for the following issues: matters covered by Chapter 1 and 2 of the present Constitution; nature of the State; sovereignty; religion; form of government; electoral reforms;...
Locals in Vavuniya on Friday signed their names against a petition calling for the release of Tamil political prisoners. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Sivasakthi Ananthan also joined locals in signing the petition. The event was organised by the Mass Movement for Social Justice.
European Union Ambassador Tung-Law Margue remarked that European countries are amazed by “rapid progress made by Sri Lanka under the new government,” according to the Sri Lankan President’s Media Division, following a meeting in Colombo on Friday. Mr Margue met with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, where he reportedly affirmed the EU’s support for the Sri Lankan government’s plans for “reconciliation, economic development and social progress”. He had attended the Export Fair in Colombo earlier this week, commenting that the country offers an impressive range of export products. Mr...
The construction of a Buddhist vihara in the Tamil North-East has continued to take place, despite the Mullaitivu District Secretariat ordered a halt to further proceedings. Footage obtained by TamilNet shows an expansion in the vihara’s construction from previous video footage obtained in April of this year. A Sinhala Buddhist monk was seen in the April video, assisting directly with the construction. The construction is taking place on private land owned by Mr Manivannadhas, who stated that Buddhists monks initially began occupying his land in 2012. Though a 2015 complaint by him calling...
The Sri Lankan military oversaw a Hindu festival inside the Palali High Security Zone this week, with devotees still requiring a military escort to attend the temple festival. The Palali Rajarajeshwari Temple remains off limits to Tamil civilians, located inside the Sri Lankan military designated High Security Zone. The annual festival was allowed to take place with permission from the Sri Lankan Headquarters Security Force (Jaffna). An official military website said the festival was “divinely and delightfully completed” as Sri Lankan soldiers provided “transport, water, medical and basic...