The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) election manifesto , released today, 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). TNA lau nches manifesto in Jaffna Photograph:Tamil Guardian Noting that any political solution should accept the Tamil people’s right to self-determination and that Sri Lanka had ratified the international treaty, the TNA election manifesto, said: “The Tamil People are entitled to the right to self-determination in keeping with the United Nations International Covenants on Civil and Political Rights and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, both of which Sri Lanka has accepted and acceded to.” On accountability and reconciliation, the manifesto added that “truth, justice and reparation and the guarantee of non-recurrence are fundamental to the national question being comprehensively addressed so as to ensure permanent and genuine reconciliation.”
A campaigner with the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) was detained by the Sri Lankan police in Poonahari on Thursday. The detained campaigner was falsely accused of distributing election leaflets after 11pm in the Kilinochchi district, said the party's media spokesperson and Jaffna district candidate, V Manivannan. The detained campaigner has been since released on bail.
Indian fishermen were attacked by Sri Lankan navy personnel on Saturday night, off the coast of Katchatheevu islet, reported PTI. The navy officers fired into the air and threw stones, bottles and fuel wood at the boats, PTI quoted one of the fishermen from Tamil Nadu, named Murugan as saying.
Sri Lanka’s new government has approved a proposal to conduct a feasibility study that looks to construct a naval base at the Hambantota port. The Hambantota port, which was built using a Chinese loan of $316 million, faced criticism from the United National Party (UNP) for being underutilized, reports the New Indian Express . Future Chinese investments in Sri Lanka have been put under review by the new government, with moves suggesting that they may be given the go ahead after an internal review. Sri Lanka will reconsider 'Port City' (18 Jun 2015) Sri Lanka denies Chinese claim Sirisena...
Sri Lanka’s military chief Chrishanthe de Silva reiterated that no army camps will be removed from their current locations. Speaking at a press event following the visit of Buddhist monks to an army base in Kandy on Friday, De Silva, said , “None of the military camps will be removed from where they are situated. We have fortified those camps.” Adding that soldiers had been stationed in the North and South to "reinforce national security," he said, "we will not reduce any of those troops." At least 160,00 Sinhalese military soldiers are assumed to be stationed in the predominantly Tamil Northern and Eastern provinces. After the end of the ethnic conflict against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 2009, Sri Lanka stands accused of continuing a silent war against Tamils in the North-East through military occupation. Sri Lankan army strengthens High Security Zone in Valikaamam North (22 Jul 2015) Sri Lankan Army demolishing civilian homes in Vali North (16 Jun 2015) Sri Lanka's army 'categorically denies' closing down 59 military camps in North-East (16 Jun 2015) We have not removed a single army camp from North – Minister (15 Jun 2015) Military camps in Jaffna needed for ‘national security’ says army commander (11 Jun 2015) Sri Lankan military continues to build Buddhist temples in North-East (10 Jun 2015) Silent war against Tamils through Sri Lanka's military occupation finds US think-tank (28 may 2015)
An 18 year old boy has been reported in missing in Jaffna on Thursday. The youth, named Nirushan, is the son of M Thambirasa, a well-known business man, and also a prominent Tamil National Alliance (TNA) campaigner and former TNA candidate at the Northern Provincial Council election in 2013.
(Photos: Tamil Guardian) The massacre of thousands of Tamils at the hand of Sinhala mobs, known as Black July, was marked on its 32nd anniversary with a vigil outside Downing Street in London. British Tamils gathered outside the prime minister's residence and lit candles in remembrance of those who died in 1983.
Sri Lanka’s prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe handed a copy of the United National Party (UNP) manifesto to the head monk of the Buddhist Maha Sangha at the UNP official manifesto launch on Thursday. Whilst outlining UNP plans to create a society that would have a "competitive economy and safeguard the equal rights of the people," the prime minister assured the audience that Buddhism "would be given its foremost place."
The deputy foreign minister of Sri Lanka has ruled out a federal setup for Sri Lanka. Ajith Perera, who is also the chief organiser for the Kalutara district for the UNP, said at a press conference that the UNP-led United National Front for Good Governance would only devolve power within a unitary state. Earlier this year, Foreign Mangala Samaraweera said he is “hopeful”, a new government will introduce a new constitution, which will “meet the aspirations of all the peoples of Sri Lanka”. Wigneswaran calls for united effort to achieve Tamil nation's aspirations (21 July 2015)
The European Union’s ban on imports of fish caught in Sri Lanka has caused losses in revenue totalling $75m since January, according to foreign ministry spokesperson Mahishini Colonne. The EU, which is the largest export market for the island’s fisheries industry, brought in the ban for the government’s failure to crack down on illegal fishing. Ms Colonne said on Wednesday, the government has been taking steps to address the issues, including are fitting vessel monitoring systems on high sea fishing vessels, maintaining and updating a register of high sea fishing licenses, banning vessels using harmful fishing methods and prosecuting those found to be fishing illegally.