One of Scotland’s most senior judges had criticised the current British Prime Minister for dismissal of a Tamil asylum claim last year. Former Lord Advocate Lord Boyd of Duncansby said that then Home Secretary Theresa May had “acted unreasonably” and was “too ready to dismiss” letters from the asylum seeker’s family who insisted his life was under threat in Sri Lanka. The asylum seeker, a former LTTE cadre, was attempting to stay in Scotland when the Home Secretary refused to allow further evidence to be heard in his case in November 2015. A July 2013 letter from the claimant’s sister said...
The body of a Muslim businessman who was abducted last week has been found, some 100km north of the southern capital Colombo. Mohammed Sakeem Sulaiman, a 29 year old from Bambalapitiya, was reported missing on Sunday. He had recently complained to the CID about fraud committed by other business people amounting to Rs 70 million, the Daily Mirror reported. The abductors had kidnapped him from his home. His body was discovered on Wednesday.
A major corruption scandal has revealed that Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena demanded a “political donation” be paid by an Australian company, in order to secure construction contracts on the island. A Fairfax Media investigation uncovered company emails from the Snowy Mountains Engineering Company (SMEC) that revealed the Sri Lankan president and his adviser demanded a political "donation" be made in order to secure a construction contract. The emails further revealed that Mr Sirisena plotted to skim money from a 2009 World Bank funded project in return for awarding SMEC the...
Displaced Tamil families in Paravipanchan, Kilinochchi last week ended their hunger strike against the Sri Lankan military's occupation of their land, after the Tamil National Alliance leader, R Sampanthan assured them the land would be released within two weeks. In a series of video clips published by LankaSri, the elderly TNA leader is seen getting out of a vehicle to be met with the full team of key TNA figures, including the spokesperson, M A Sumanthiran, the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi leader, Mavai Senathirajah, the Uthayan editor and TNA MP, Saravanabhavan and the Kilinochchi MP, S...
A new Sri Lankan constitution would be put to a referendum after being presented in parliament, the leader of the House, and the minister of higher education and highways, Lakshman Kiriella said last week. “We know where our government is headed. Our main priority is to create a new constitution. All parties present in Parliament have put behind their radical ideas and come to a common ground," Mr Kiriella was quoted by FT.lk as saying during an opening ceremony for a hostel at Eastern university, in Batticaloa. "I believe that we could create a constitution that everyone can accept. We will...
Attempts by officials to survey land in Pallimunai, Mannar were halted on Tuesday after villagers protested against further land grabs and refused entry to the officials. The land which originally belonged to 19 Tamil families is currently under the the military's control and houses a navy base.
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) R Sampanthan called for the release of Tamil political prisoners, stating that their continued detention was impeding hopes of reconciliation and criticised Sri Lanka's draconian Prevntion of Terrorism Act. “It is compulsory that the government states it’s position on this matter and takes action to release the said prisoners," said Mr Sampanthan in an adjournment motion in Sri Lanka's parliament. "Their continuance in custody causes immense harm and harassment to their families and impedes the process of reconciliation. The government is seen as being...
A Hindu festival in Vaharai saw Sri Lankan soldiers overseeing proceedings last week. Troops from the 233 brigade provided food to the thousands of devotees who came to the Kandallady Badrakali Amman Kovil, before they watched over proceedings in full military uniform. The soldiers were “were blessed according to the Hindu rituals” reported a military website .
The United States Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus visited Trincomalee on Monday, where he met with the commander of the Sri Lankan navy. Mr Mabus observed joint training which is currently taking place between members of the US navy and the Sri Lankan navy.
Sri Lanka’s president said his government was under “no compulsion” to implement a United Nations Human Rights Council resolution calling for an internationalised accountability mechanism, as he addressed a gathering of Sri Lankan soldiers on Monday. The official Ministry of Defence website quoted Maithripala Sirisena as telling the soldiers “it is his duty and responsibility to protect war heroes who fought to bring freedom to the country”. Calling the UN resolution a set of “proposals”, Mr Sirisena added that his government would follow them only to clear “allegations” that loomed over Sri...