The bodies of three males were discovered in separate incidents in Batticaloa this month. The body of a 44 year old man was found in the Keechchaan region og Kaaththaankudi in Batticaloa on Sunday, reported BattiNews and TamilNet. Photograph BattiNews On the same day, the body of an unidentified male was spotted in a lagoon in Batticaloa, the paper also reported.
The Australian Greens Senator for New South Wales Lee Rhiannon, described the findings of the International Truth & Justice Project (ITJP) report into Sri Lanka as a “horrifying” account of ongoing torture against Tamils “under complete impunity.” In a media release that called for accountability and an independent international war crimes investigation and action to stop the “on going structural genocide” in Sri Lanka, Ms Rhiannon said: “The newly documented evidence of torture, sexual violence and harassment of Tamils by officials in Sri Lanka under complete impunity and as recently as July 2015, is horrifying."
Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment Chairman Upul Jayasuriya expressed confidence that the upcoming parliamentary elections would see the current government “re-elected with confidence.” Speaking to Bloomberg Business , Mr Jayasuriya said that there would be “better tranquillity” in Sri Lanka for foreign investment after the upcoming parliamentary elections, adding, “This is going to create more hope or better tranquillity in the state power in the investment climate. A lot of hope has been given by the election manifesto placed in front of the people in Sir Lanka by the ruling party.” Sri Lankan election commissioner says candidates must affirm commitment to unitary state (30 Jul 2015) UNP coalition partner calls for on Tamils to ‘integrate’ with Sinhalese (30 Jul 2015) Sri Lanka will ‘not agree’ to international war crimes probe against Mahinda (30 Jul 2015) Sinhala nationalist organisations rally against federalism (30 Jul 2015)
The US State Department stated that “the Government of Sri Lanka does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking” in its annual ‘Trafficking in Persons Report’. Released this week, the report placed Sri Lanka on the’ Tier 2 Watch List’ for a third consecutive year, noting that it was only granted a waiver from dropping even further as the “government has a written plan” to combat trafficking. The report noted that it has not yet been implemented. The report also stated that “for the fourth consecutive year, authorities failed to convict any traffickers under Sri Lanka’s trafficking statute—indicative of a continued lack of understanding of trafficking and inability to adequately investigate these crimes”. Despite Sri Lanka’s inter-ministerial anti-trafficking taskforce continuing to meet monthly, “the government made minimal progress in its efforts to prevent trafficking,” the report added.
The left wing Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) stated it was opposed to federalism, in response to the manifesto released by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) this week. JVP Propaganda Secretary and Member of Parliament Vijitha Herath told The Island , "the JVP is against federalism”. Whilst accepting that “the grievances of the Tamil people should be redressed,” Mr Herath reiterated that “federalism is not that solution”. He also spoke out against the merging of the Northern and Eastern provinces, as outlined by the Indo-Lanka accord, which saw the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution signed. “It is the JVP that went before the courts and got an order to demerge the two provinces that had been arbitrarily merged after the Indo-Lanka Accord,” said Mr Herath. “These two provinces should function separately.” His comments come after the release of an election manifesto by the TNA, which called for constitutional changes that accept the Tamil people's entitlement to their right to self-determination under the United Nations International Covenants on Civil political rights and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICCPR).
The head Buddhist monk of the Asgiriya Chapter gave his blessings to the Sri Lankan army on Friday, stating that “its services cannot be undermined under any circumstances”. The comments by the newly appointed chief monk came as the commander of the Sri Lankan army Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva and a military contingent paid a visit to seek his blessings last week. The monk commended “the roles that have been played so far by the Army as brave defenders of the Nation, risking own lives for others in the country and what they have gained for the country,” reports the military website .
The Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) has condemned the plans for a domestic accountability mechanism in Sri Lanka, as detailed in a UN memo obtained by Channel 4 . In a statement, the group said they “condemn and reject these moves hatched in secrecy to establish a domestic mechanism solely negotiated between the Government of Sri Lanka and the UN”. The TCSF further said that the UN “clearly does not see the Tamil people as being partners” in the accountability process on the island, despite human rights chief Zeid Hussain’s repeated call for consultations with victims in establishing a mechanism.
The Tamil National People’s Front today criticised the UN plan for a purely domestic incquiry, as revealed by Channel 4 News last night. “To suggest an internal inquiry, despite the overwhelming evidence suggesting that the Sri Lankan state structure is so biased in its Sinhala Budhhist nationalist leanings, is to make a mockery of natural justice,” TNPF President Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam told the Tamil Guardian, adding that the revelation came at a time when Tamils have been becoming “increasingly cynical about the UNHRC agenda”. “No one with the true intention of accountability at heart...
Sri Lankan parties that states they will not share powers with Tamils and the only political solution is a unitary state should be boycotted at the election, said the Northern Provincial Councillor, M K Shivajilingham on Wednesday. "Every vote caste for the Vettilai symbol of the Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP) will bring back the rejected Mahinda Rajapaksa to power," said Mr Shivajingham, whilst speaking at the Jaffna Press Club (JPC) on Wednesday. Mr Shivajilingham is standing against Mr Rajapaksa at the upcoming general election in Sinhala district of Kurunegela, in an act to demonstrate the Tamil people's opposition to both Sinhala majority parties. "Similiarly, votes cast for the United National Party (UNP) will also undermine the Tamil people's strength," Mr Shivajingham added.
The UNP rejected the possibility of a federal solution to the long-running ethnic conflict, the latest southern party to do so. Deputy Foreign Minister Ajith Perera said the policy of the party and its alliance the UNF was to devolve powers to the provinces in consultation with all concerned and within a united and undivided Sri Lanka, Colombo Gazette reported. “We will not agree to a Federal solution,” Mr Perera said insisted. The minister further stressed that there was no new or past agreement with the TNA with regards to the elections.