Approximately 50,000 Indian fishermen have launched an indefinite strike today demanding the Sri Lankan government release their arrested colleagues. Fishermen from Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, three days after the Sri Lankan Navy arrested 16 fishermen and detained 3 of their boats. Leaders from 11 different fishing associations met and announced the strike, as well as appealing to the Indian government to take steps to ensure that the fishermen are protected from the Sri Lankan navy.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said it would talk to the Sri Lankan government straight away regarding resolving the national question, stating that it was one of the objectives of the government. “We will talk to the government straightaway with a view to resolving the long outstanding matter,” the spokesperson of the TNA, M A Sumanthiran, told the Daily Mirror .
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will visit India and meet with Indian premier Narendra Modi. The prime minister will be in New Delhi from September 14-16. President Maithripala Sirisena will also visit India in October. The visit is linked to promoting Buddhism as a link between Asian countries according to Ada Derana .
The president of the Dravida Munnetra Kalagam M Karunanidhi on Saturday welcomed the appointment of the TNA's R Sampanthan of the leader of the opposition in Sri Lanka's new parliament, PTI reported. "Sampanthan being elected Leader of the Opposition at a time when Tamils were for long looking forward to a resurgence gives us all hope," he said in a statement. Congratulating Sampanthan on his appointment, he said, "Sampanthan has said that the TNA would strive for getting Tamils their rights and powers and it gives joy." "It is joyous that a Tamil has become Leader of the Opposition in Sri...
Small parties within the Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP) led coalition, the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA), who are opposed to the national unity government, have held talks about forming a common opposition, reported local papers. "Discussions have been held by five political parties of UPFA represented in parliament on forming a common opposition," said the leader of the National Freedom Front (NFF), Wimal Weerawansa said. The talks come after the Tamil National Alliance leader, R Sampanthan was appointed as the opposition leader.
A Tamil from Sri Lanka died whilst in Indian police custody in Chennai on Friday, reported the Times of India . The man, named Mohan, was detained by Chennai police in connection to an alleged fake passport incident. According to the paper, Mohan was arrested after escaping, and "developed health complications and fell unconscious" whilst being questioned by police. He was pronounced dead, on arrival at Perumbakkam hospital. See more here .
The Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe met the South African president, Jacob Zuma, on Saturday at the airport in Colombo as President Zuma was returning home after a visit to China. Welcoming #SouthAfrica President Jacob Zuma @presidencyza to #SriLanka pic.twitter.com/lnGGT7ZIn9 — Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP) September 5, 2015
Updated 04 Sep 2015, 11:35 BST Tamil campaigner for the disappeared, Balendran Jeyakumary will remain in prison, after her planned release today did not go ahead. Lawyers who this morning produced two sureties, as required by the court, were told that the documents were not accepted. This means the campaigner will remain in detention until at least Monday. As of yet, no reasons have been given to Ms Jeyakumary's detention. Ms Jeyakumari was detained on Wednesday after being summoned to Kebithgollawa courts. She was issued with an arrest warrant on Tuesday and asked by police to report to the magistrate court the next morning. The court remanded her as she did not have two sureties and the police objected to her bail application, a statement by campaigners said.
As discussions on how to deal with the findings of the UN investigation into Sri Lanka’s mass atrocities (OISL) reach fever pitch, the newly elected chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils, James Berry, spoke to the Tamil Guardian last week. Speaking ahead of the release of the UN report into mass atrocities and after meeting the Chief Minister of the Northern Province, the APPG-T chair reiterated calls for normalcy in the North-East and stressed the need for any process to deal with the findings of the OISL to have the full confidence of the victims.
The Tamil National Alliance has announced it will hand over the post of opposition whip to the JVP. In a press release, the TNA said it proposed to the speaker that JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake be appointed to the post. The party also announced that in the absence of R Sampanthan, ITAK president Maavai Senathirajah would act as the leader of the opposition. Tamil National Alliance head appointed leader of opposition in Sri Lanka (03 September 2015)