The Northern Provincial Council (NPC) will be observing May 18th as a “tragic day in the history of Tamils” and plans to hold a remembrance event at Mullivaikkal on Wednesday. A statement released by the NPC said the date was “unforgettable… tossing away all international laws of war”.
Sri Lanka’s governor of the Northern Province attended a military ceremony held in the Tamil North-East, to honour Sri Lankan troops on Tuesday. Taking place in the former LTTE stronghold Kilinochchi, Governor Reginald Cooray was the chief guest at the ceremony, which was attended by various other military officials and commanders. Local Tamil schoolchildren were also brought to the event, where they were handed parcels of books from Sri Lankan soldiers. According to an official military website , Mr Cooray “recalled the importance of invaluable services of fallen War Heroes for restoration...
Polls opened this morning in Tamil Nadu, as the final round of state assembly elections began in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry. The election sees arch rivals, DMK chief, Karunanidhi and the current chief minister, J Jayalalitha pitted against each other once again, however, the election this year is to be a multipolar contest with a number of smaller parties positioned to play a decisive role. The elections take place amid deep controversy however, after over 100 crores of cash was found. Voting in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur has been cancelled due to reports of voter bribery. Votes will...
The Tamil Civil Society Forum, in a statement released in Mullivaikkal remembrance week, said that the “crimes being committed against the Tamil people are not declining.” “Arrests, violence and land encroachments are on the rise. Militarisation is also continuing. The government’s violence continues against those, who resorted to armed struggle for our cause,” read the statement. The statement ended adding, “At this point of time, as we are remembering those who laid down their lives, who were assassinated, we must adapt their beliefs as our own. Let us all peacefully, emotionally, jointly,...
Germany’s trade and business delegation to Sri Lanka, headed by the Parliamentary State Secretary or Economic Affairs and Energy Uwe Beckmeyer met with Sri Lanka’s president on Monday, reports adaderena.lk. The visit comes after Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena visited Berlin last month. During the meeting Mr Sirisena told the German delegation that Sri Lanka was progressing on strengthening democracy and reconciliation through new commissions such as the human rights, bribery and corruption commissions. The German parliamentarian we Beckmeyer, expressed his government’s commitment...
Sri Lanka’s Air Force (SLAF) conducted training exercises move Valvettithurai in Jaffna on Friday. A sea rescue exercise was undertaken on the beach of Valvettithurai, with helicopters flying over the Jaffna peninsula. See more here The air training exercise comes as Tamils across the North-East gear up to remember those massacred by Sri Lankan government airstrikes in May 2009.
Sri Lanka has arranged an ex-gratia payment to a victim and child born as a result of rape by a member of Sri Lanka’s peace keeping force reports Colombo Page. Sri Lanka’s peacekeeping forces abroad were found guilty of rape and sexual abuse by UN investigations into involvement in Haiti. Almost 20% of Sri Lanka’s peacekeeping forces in Haiti were sent back in 2007 after reports emerged. The UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) concluded that “acts of sexual exploitation and abuse (against children) were frequent and occurred usually at night, and at virtually every location...
Events were held in Neduntivu and Point Pedro on Sunday to remember the victims of Tamil genocide as part of the Mullivaikkal remembrance week in the North-East. Recalling the slaughter of 48 Tamil civilians by the Sri Lankan navy on board the 'Kumithini' ferry from Delft to Nainativu on May 15th, 1985. The slaughter occurred at shortly after the progrom of Black July 1983 when the currently ruling UNP's J R Jayawardene was in power.
The passing of the Vaddukoddai resolution on May 14th, 1976 was commemorated in Jaffna on Saturday, 40 years on. Lighting a flame of remembrance for all those who died in the Tamil genocide, local politicians and council members, including the Northern Provincial Councillors, M K Shivajilingham and Ananthy Sasitharan attended the event. The Vaddukoddai resolution, spearheaded by SJV Chelvanayakam, remains a cornerstone of the Tamil movement for self-determination in Sri Lanka, concluding that an independent state of Tamil Eelam was needed to safeguard the very existence of the Tamil nation in Sri Lanka.
The Director of Strategic Planning and Policy for US Pacific Command concluded a three day visit to Sri Lanka this week. The United States’ Major General Steven R Rudder met with Sri Lanka’s Chief of Defence Staff and visited the Western Area Naval Command. During his visit he discussed “areas for future cooperation in the critical issues of maritime security, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and United Nations Peace Keeping Operations,” according to a US Embassy press release .