A witness in an inquiry into the assassination of the former TNA Jaffna MP N Raviraj said Sri Lankan navy intelligence officials were involved, the Daily Mirror reported. The witness, Sampath Prithiviraj, said the officials associated with the navy intelligence office in Gangarama had planned the killing. See more reports of Mr Prithiviraj's remarks here on Daily Mirror .
The Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena reiterated on Sunday the government would not act "in haste" on establishing a special court as detailed in the UN resolution adopted in September. Mr Sirisena made these remarks, speaking in Sinhala in an interview to The Hindu . Stating that “we have not been ordered to do anything", Mr Sirisena called for a gradual approach towards implementation, adding that it should be a “collective exercise." In an interview with the AFP on Sunday, Mr Sirisena also stressed "we can't rush the accountability process". "Some people want it to be like instant...
The Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena said on Sunday that 215 Tamils incarcerated would not be granted amnesty as there were "no political prisoners" in Sri Lanka. Speaking to The Hindu , Mr Sirisena acknowledged that there were widespread calls for the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to be repealed, however said, "when even powerful nations are grappling with problems arising out of terrorism... my government has to consider all factors before taking a decision.”
The government has given assurance that the unitary status of Sri Lanka will not be changed and a re-merger of the Northern and Eastern Provinces would not be allowed said a member of the constitutional amendment process. Accusing the opposition (Tamil National Alliance) of spreading lies, the Deputy Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ajith Perera said, he could, as a member of the team involved in the constitution making process, confirm that there was no basis for claims that the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government would compromise the Sri Lanka’s unitary status or re-merge the Eastern and...
Sri Lanka’s main opposition demanded the military vacate private land that it was occupying, whilst welcoming President Sirisena’s commitment to returning government seized lands. Speaking to Agence France Presse Tamil National Alliance MP MA Sumanthiran, said, “We welcome this as a very positive development but our stand is that the military must vacate all private lands they are occupying.” The president told AFP on Sunday that land would be given to displaced civilians by the middle of the year. Sirisena promises all IDPs to be given back land within 6 months (03 Jan 2015)
The leader of the Mahajana Eksath Peraruma (MEP) party accused the Sri Lankan government of omitting constitutional clauses affirming a Unitary State and the primary place of Buddhism at the request of the Tamil National Alliance. Speaking at a media briefing, MP Dinesh Gunawardane, said, “Even though the first anniversary of the government is falling on January 9, pledges made by the government to the people have not yet been fulfilled. The so-called good-governance and economic development are not established in the country. Meanwhile, the country is being going to another dangerous...
Pakistan’s prime minister Navaz Sharif will visit Sri Lanka next week to sign a series of bilateral agreements reports Colombo Page. Mr Sharif is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka on a 3 day visit and sign an agreement between the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and the Sri Lankan Export Development Board to promote trade relations between the two governments. Sri Lanka aims to enhance its export of tea and rubber to Pakistan, whilst Pakistan will look to increase its export of rice Sri Lanka. Pakistan and Sri Lanka already enjoy a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) which was put in place in...
Suspected army torture cells have been uncovered by locals in two houses in the former High Security Zone of Valikamam North. After being allowed into the Veeman Kaamam area last week for the first time in 25 years, locals discovered two neighbouring houses with barbed wire ceilings, signs in Sinhalese forbidding entry to unauthorised personnel and rooms labelled 'MI', suspected to stand for 'military intelligence'. One house also featured a suspected darkroom.
Sri Lankan state buses operating in the North are having wire mesh protection added to the windscreen and rear windows following a spate of attacks against the vehicles, the Sunday Times reported. Over 50 buses have been damaged by stones thrown threw the windows, the Sri Lankan Transport Board's Jaffna depot manager, Sellathurai Gunapalasingham, was quoted by the paper as saying. Mr Gunapalasingham said the mesh protection was being introduced after police failed to act on complaints received. Drivers, conductors and even passengers have been wounded.
The Sri Lankan army on Sunday rejected reports of a military run torture camp in Valikamam North. "The army did not run torture camps or secret detention camps," the Sri Lankan military's media spokesperson said. "We had no need to run torture camps," he added.