The Sri Lankan military has called for increased participation in peacekeeping missions with the United Nations, with the commander stating the forces were a “professional army”. Lt. Gen. Crisanthe De Silva called for further participation, despite the controversy over Sri Lankan troops sexually abusing Haitian minors whilst on a previous peacekeeping mission. 111 soldiers and 3 officers were repatriated back to Sri Lanka after being part of UN mission in Haiti and were accused of a string of sexual assaults, including rape of children as young as 7 years old. No one has yet been charged with any offences. Speaking to the Sunday Island , Lt. De Silva claimed, "Within a short span of time, we were able to make a significant positive impact on UN’s peacekeeping efforts… The Sri Lankan armed forces have been recognized for their commitment, competence and abilities in all UN assignments".
The Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) reiterated its call for an international criminal justice process to seek accountability and justice for mass atrocities committed against the Tamil people in 2009, describing an internal/domestic accountability process as tantamount to 'victor's justice'. "The TNPF has been quite unequivocal in its demand for accountability and justice for crimes committed during the 30 year long war and before," the party said, in a policy statement released this week. "Given that the Sri Lankan Army is seen as protectors of the Sinhala Buddhist order and the Army and the Police are the primary accused parties regarding the grave crimes, including the crime of Genocide, committed against the Tamil people, we are of the firm view that no internal / domestic mechanism or inquiry can result in genuine prosecutions against the Sri Lankan Army, Police and members of its political class."
A prominent TNA MP says the party will continue to demand an international mechanism, despite the recent announcement by the US that it would support a credible domestic inquiry. Sivagnanam Shritharan, who won the highest number of votes of all TNA MPs, said the party will act according to its manifesto, which demands an international inquiry. “We will not accept it, if the US calls for an internal inquiry into the alleged war crimes and human rights abuses during the final phase of the war, we will demand an international inquiry as stated in the election manifesto," he said. “We will act as...
Tamil families affected by enforced disappearances rejected proposals for a domestic inquiry at a vigil for the disappeared in Mannar. Emphasising the need for an international investigations into disappearances and abductions during the war and its aftermath, hundreds of relatives of missing persons marked the International Day of the Disappeared with an emotional vigil in Mannar on Sunday. photograph IBCTamil.com The vigil was organised by the Organisation for the Families of Forcibly Disappeared Persons - North and East Provinces, with the Mannar Citizens Committee. The event’s chief guest, Reverend Father Elil Rajan, representing the Tamil Civil Society Forum, emphasised the Tamil people’s disappointment in the international push for domestic investigations.
Sri Lanka will look to borrow $4 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help tackle a widening balance of payment deficit, reports Sundaytimes.lk . A senior government official, who wished to remain anonymous said that there was a proposal to borrow US $4 billion to support reducing the increasing deficit in Sri Lanka’s balance of payments. However sources at the treasury told the Sundaytimes.lk that the new government will have to impose austerity measures, increase taxes, reduce welfare programmes and cut subsidies to state owned enterprises to sustainably help tackle the...
The long standing military checkpoint along the Omanthai region of the A9 road, has been removed on Saturday said Sri Lankan security services, with "a new security system" to be put in place. “Since normalcy returned there is no requirement for regular checking at Omanthai. There is no restriction on the movement of people. With the train service to the North also operating now, the people can move freely,” Brigadier Jayaweera, the security services' spokesperson, was quoted by Sri Lanka's Sunday Times as saying.
The Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP) on Saturday rejected calls by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that it should be given the post of opposition leader, reported Sri Lanka's Sunday Times . “The opposition leader’s post should be given to the party which has the highest number of members and are not supporting the National Government,” the SLFP's acting general secretary, Duminda Dissanayake, was quoted as saying. Earlier on Saturday, the TNA leader, R Sampanthan had called for the TNA to be given that position, as the UNP and the SLFP had come together to form a national unity government,...
An Australian naval ship, HMAS 'Melbourne' was welcomed by the Sri Lankan navy on Saturday, as the ship arrived in Colombo on a "goodwill visit". The ship is to remain in Sri Lanka till Wednesday, whilst the crew are invited to special programmes by the Sri Lankan navy "to enhance the friendly relations between the two navies", the government news site said.
A new monument commemorating dead soldiers of the Sri Lankan military was unveiled in Galnewa this week, "in memory of the gallant soldiers who made supreme sacrifices on behalf of the country", the ministry of defence's website said. "Names of 60 war heroes who made supreme sacrifices have been engraved in the monument," the ministry of defence added. The monument was unveiled days after the Sri Lankan government pledged to investigate the allegations of war crimes committed against the Tamil people during the final stages of the armed conflict between the Sri Lankan military and the...
India’s gifting of a coast guard ship to the Sri Lankan government has been slammed by MDMK chief Vaiko on Sunday. “This is an unforgivable betrayal of Eelam Tamils and Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Indian government,” said the leader of the MDMK, adding such vessels have been "used for killing Tamils in Sri Lanka". The ship, initially given to Sri Lanka in 2006 " in appreciation of the Sri Lanka Navy’s efforts to maintain the maritime security in the region", was formally handed over to the Sri Lankan authorities last week . Vaiko claimed "the vessel is an evidence of the use of Indian Navy to finish off the Sea Tigers by Sri Lankan Naval forces."