The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, reiterating her stance that the Indo-Sri Lankan Agreements of 1974 and 1976 were the underlying causes of troubles faced by Tamil Nadu fisherman that were continuously detained by Sri Lanka’s navy. Commenting on Sri Lanka’s Katchatheevu islet, Ms Jayalalitha said that the ceding of the island to Sri Lanka during the Indo-Lanka Agreements was the root cause of the fishermen’s problem. In a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said the “pathetic plight” of Tamil Nadu fishermen “denied the right to peaceful fishing in traditional waters of...
Over thirty hospitals in the Northern Province are operating without permanent doctors, the Northern Provincial Council's health minister has said. Health minister P. Sathiyalingam said that 32 out of 102 hospitals in the Northern Province had no permanent doctors and were functioning with trainee doctors and recalled retired doctors. The central government has promised a solution to the shortage by December, Mr Sathiyalingam said.
Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena assured Thailand’s Prime Minister that a government of good governance which gives priority to democracy has now been established in Sri Lanka, reports Colombo Page . The two heads of state, agreed to enhance bilateral ties between the two nations. Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha reiterating the Buddhist ties between the two countries, agreed to support Sri Lanka in technological and research work. He that cooperation in industries such as textiles, hems, jewellery and tea could be enhanced. During a meeting in Bangkok, President Sirisena...
The Sri Lankan government has announced it will carry out an extensive investigation into police attacks on students protesting in Colombo. Ranil Wickremesinghe appointed a special committee to probe the attack on students, during a demonstration on Thursday calling for the Higher National Diploma in Accountancy to be given degree status. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mangala Samaraweera in a media release suggested the attacks may have been part of a conspiracy to discredit the government by likening it to 'inhumane' previous regime. "It need not be reiterated that such a violent course of...
Photograph TamilNet S. P. Thamilselvan, the head of the political wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was assassinated by the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) on November 2nd, 2007. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights' (OHCHR) report into Sri Lanka's atrocities (OISL) noted that Sri Lanka's military killed the LTTE's political head before it officially withdrew from the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) in 2008. It noted that the attack was preceded by a military budget that "had reportedly risen by 40 percent and the Army had tripled in size from 100,000 to 300,000, with almost an additional 5,000 troops recruited per month between 2005 and 2008". The death of Thamilselvan, who became the LTTE's top peace negotiator following the death of Anton Balasingham, was mourned across the world, with over 25,000 Tamils attending his funeral. Five other LTTE officials - Lt. Col. Anpumani (Alex), Major Mikuthan, Major Neathaaji, Lt. Aadchiveal and Lt. Maavaikkumaran - were killed along side Brigadier Thamilselvan, during the SLAF attack. The aerial bombardment targeted the residence of members of the LTTE's political division.
The Northern Province today said the month of November will be dedicated to planting trees. The project, which will see 500,000 trees planted, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Wigneswaran. TNA MPs Sritharan, Saravanapavan and Siddharthan, the NPC's agricultural minister Aiyngaranesan and education minister Gurukularajah, NPC Councillor Ananthy Sasitharan and several other officials attended the event in Semmani, alongside pupils from local schools.
Statistics produced by the Jaffna District Secretariat found that at least 7393 acres of land Tamil in Jaffna was under occupation of Sri Lanka’s military forces. Following a survey conducted in September, the Jaffna District Secretariat found that Sri Lanka’s army occupied the land of 10,359 civilians, whilst the navy and police occupied the land of 136 civilians. Seize this opportunity for true reform - CV Wigneswaran (08 Jul 2015) Little progress on Tamil issues by Sri Lanka's interim government says TNA (07 Jul 2015) End of war did not signify end of conflict in Sri Lanka says Wigneswaran...
The parents and relatives of Tamil political prisoners have written to the leader of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and opposition R. Sampanthan, demanding that the party clarify their stance on Tamil political prisoners before the end of the week. The families of hundreds of Tamil political prisoners said that they had been left confused and distressed by the conflicting stances expressed by different party members. The TNA has offered different explanations to the issue, with some calling for a general amnesty and others saying an amnesty would benefit those accused of war crimes.
A Sri Lankan minister said 'LTTE suspects' held on remand should be released, while speaking at the opening of a prison in Jaffna. Law and Order and Prison Reforms Minister Tilak Marapana said he hoped that the LTTE detainees could be released before the Deepavali festival on November 10, 2015. “The LTTE suspects on remand without charges being filed against them should be released. If they are considered a threat to law and order, they should be ordered to report to the police in the respective areas at regular intervals, "The suspects in cases that have been pending for years could be released on bail. President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe have instructed the Attorney General’s Department to take a decision in this regard soon,"
The Defence Ministry will be submit a report reviewing the ban of 16 Tamil diaspora organisations and 400 individuals which was put in place by the Rajapaksa regime last year. The Defence Secretary Karunasena Hettiaarachchi, speaking to Ceylon Today, said, “The Defence Ministry is in the process of a minutely detailed review of the 16 LTTE fronts and other individuals all of whom were banned under the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 and will submit their review to the Foreign Ministry for deciding on the next step towards de-listing.” Sri Lanka’s gazette proscribed several...