Marine police in the Indian district of Tamil Nadu registered a case against the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly attacking fishermen on November 21 with bottles, iron balls and stones. Mandapam marine police of the Coastal Security Group (CSG) registered the case under Section 427 - causing damage and Section 324 - voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons, The Hindu reported. The case was filed by a fisherman from Rameswaran, A Varghis who reportedly sustained head injuries during the attack on Saturday.
The former Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday urged the Sri Lankan police to ensure the Tamil Eelam flag was not hoisted in the North ahead of Tamil national remembrance day (Maaveerar Naal) on November 27. “Some people in the South have forgotten the importance of this week. In the past Prabakaran marked heroes’ week by attacking the south or some village. If the people are allowed to raise the LTTE [Tamil Eelam] flag it will be a case where we are falling on our knees before the LTTE,” Mr Rajapaksa was quoted by Colombo Gazette as saying.
A Sri Lankan government minister stated that the government would be granted the European Union’s GSP+ trade concessions in June 2016. Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Malik Samarawickrema told parliament today that with the expected reinstatement of the concessions, the country would go on to gain many benefits.
Photograph: Tamil Guardian Tamil students across the UK convened at University College London (UCL) to commemorate the Tamil nation’s day of remembrance Maaveerar Naal.
Former Foreign Minister Professor GL Peiris criticised Sri Lanka’s government for allowing the United Nations Working group for Enforced disappearances (WGEID). Mr Peiris said that no country will allow a foreign group to have access to its Navy camp, and accused the United Nations Working Group of making false claims after visiting the camp. The former foreign minister went on to accuse the government of preparing to arrest 20 intelligence officers under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, reports Colombo Gazette.
The Sunday Times has criticised Ambassador Samantha Power and other countries in the west over its Middle East policy and the terrorist attacks in Paris last week. In its editorial published on Sunday, the paper said, "The US Ambassador to the UN is in Sri Lanka right now. One of those ‘bleeding-hearts’ who advocates human rights ‘values’ and argued passionately against the Sri Lankan military campaign against terrorists in this country, pushing for the UNHRC resolution, is deafeningly silent on the West’s bloody war in West Asia that has caused innumerable deaths and an influx of thousands of refugees to Europe." Sri Lanka's largest Sunday paper, seen to be close to the ruling UNP, also criticised France for its 'lukewarm' policy on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and linked it to the attacks on Paris on November 13.
A group of Indian fishermen from Rameswaram were attacked by the Sri Lankan navy according to latest reports, as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa wrote to the Indian Prime Minister over the issue. Sri Lankan military personnel reportedly pelted the group of fishermen with stones and bottles causing several injuries. The latest incident comes just days after another group of 14 fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy, prompting chief minister J. Jayalalithaa to send a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The livelihood issue of thousands of our fishermen needs your...
Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) General Secretary MP Udaya Gammanpila warned that US Ambassador Samantha Power plans on introducing federalism to Sri Lanka, a move that would “weaken” the country. Mr Gammanpila said that Ms Power’s visit was part of a the UN’s Political Affairs Department program to introduce federalism to countries afflicted by ethnic conflict, stating “this programme was launched in 2012 on a proposal by Ms Power”. “Sri Lanka is the programme’s next target and she is here to make sure it happens,” he claimed. “The US was successful in introducing federalism to Iraq and Nepal.”
Updated: 1130 GMT Honored to meet Pres . @MaithripalaS , who has committed to reconciliation, democ reform, justice. Good start so far. pic.twitter.com/rpZjg8DZwR — Samantha Power (@AmbassadorPower) November 23, 2015 US Ambassador Samantha Power met with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena today, where she discussed the issues of resettling IDPs and releasing military held land in the North. The Sri Lankan president tweeted that he "assured Ambassador Power that we will continue our commitment to redistributing lands in the North and the resettlement of remaining IDPs". I assured @AmbassadorPower that we will continue our commitment to redistributing lands in the North and the resettlement of remaining IDPs. — Maithripala Sirisena (@MaithripalaS) November 23, 2015 Ms Power said that Mr Sirisena had made a “good start so far”. stating he was committed to “reconciliation, democratic reform and justice”.
The Jaffna Press Club (JPC) presented a letter to US Ambassador Samantha Power calling on her to push the Sri Lankan government to investigate the murder of Tamil journalists. “We have endured many obstacles and severe challenges, with several of the journalists attached to our organisation facing threats to their life,” said the JPC. “Some of our colleagues have been abducted, some disappeared and some even killed.” The letter added that though the press club “expected those who committed these crimes would be brought to justice” with the change of government in Sri Lanka earlier this year, “however, no tangible progress has yet taken place”. “So far those who had been responsible for the killings and abductions of journalists have never been brought to justice,” it said. “Those responsible are instead able to move about freely in the island as the culture of impunity continues.”