The Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) will hold a panel discussion at Jaffna Library on May 10, relating to “the Right to Memory.” The discussion panel is expected to include, Attorney at Law & Senior Researcher at the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) Bhavini Fonseka, Visiting Lecturer at Eastern University and TCSF Co-Spokesperson Elil Rajan, Lecturer in Law at Jaffna University and TCSF Co-Spokesperson Kumaravadivel Guruparan and Human Rights Activist Ruki Fernando. The event will take place at the Jaffna Public Library Auditorium from 10:00am to 12:00pm. See also: Northern Provincial Council member vows to continue remembering Tamil war dead at Maveerar Naal (07 May 2015) NPC member summoned by Sri Lanka police for involvement in commemorating Tamil war dead (04 May 2015) Three arrests over Maaveerar Naal posters (26 Nov 2014) Death threats posted in Jaffna university (24 Nov 2014) Teachers' union condemn military presence at Jaffna Uni (14 Nov 2014) Tamils remember Maaveerar in North-East despite SL military violence and intimidation (27 November 2013) Escalating repression of Maaveerar remembrance met with Tamil defiance (26 Nov 2013)
The Sri Lankan government pledged today that a domestic mechanism of accountability would be in place before the UN Human Rights Council's 30th session this September. "All I can say is that we will have a domestic mechanism in place in time when the 30th session of UNHRC commences in September," PTI quoted Sri Lanka's foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera as saying in a press briefing at the United National Party headquarters on Thursday. "We promised the people a domestic mechanism to look into human rights violations. There is a timeline for its setting up. We do have a timeline, we are working according to a timetable even now. I think we will be able to meet the timeline," Mr Samaraweera reportedly added.
The chief minister of the Western Provincial Council, Prasanna Ranatunga said the government would “betray” national security if it demilitarises the North, The Island reported. "If the government removes Army camps in the North to appease Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran, I would like to ask whether they would remove camps in the Western Province if I made a request to that effect," he said. The CM said national security was being compromised again, just as it was under Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in the past.
The International Monetary Funds (IMF) on Wednesday expressed concerns over Sri Lanka’s fiscal deficit in 2015, after the new government raised wages and increased spending since taking power in January, Reuters reported. The 2015 deficit target of 4.4% of gross domestic production (GDP) "will likely be very difficult to reach even with relatively optimistic assumptions regarding revenue gains", the body said. "In the absence of new measures to create a more durable increase in tax collection, revenues in 2016 will drop as the one-off measures expire, while the permanent increase to recurrent spending from the revised 2015 budget will likely push the deficit higher," the IMF said in a statement. Sirisena’s government has changed several policies, including reducing import taxes on some commodities and fuel prices, and introduced a one-off super gain tax to raise revenue by Rs80.3bn while increasing recurrent spending by nearly 6% or an extra Rs87bn ($652.66 million).
President Maithripala Sirisena said the government is not facing any pressure from the US regarding Sri Lanka's foreign policy, Colombo Gazette reported. Speaking at an event on Tuesday, Mr Sirisena said US Secretary of State John Kerry stated that the US only wanted to ensure that democracy and human rights are protected in Sri Lanka. The president said Mr Kerry had made this clear during talks with him when he was visiting Sri Lanka. US reassures Tamils of commitment to genuine accountability (03 May 2015) US urges Sri Lanka to cooperate with UN to address 'painful issues' of truth and...
Sri Lanka's government will take all measures deemed necessary to strengthen national security, said Sri Lanka’s president, whilst commending his security forces' “success” in wiping out “terrorism” from the island. Photograph: Dailynews. lk Speaking at the opening of the opening of an extension to the Kotelawala Defence University in the southern district of Hambanthota, Sirisena, on Wednesday, said , “Everyone is expected to act with an understanding and responsibility in protecting national security.” Sirisena added that foreign leaders whom had visited the country had expressed their...
Tamil Nadu fishermen who have faced repeated arrests by the Sri Lankan navy for allegedly crossing territorial waters, rallied Indian political figures, urging them to take a stand in support of their cause. Local leaders in the coastal town of Rameswaram and leaders of fishermens associations met with politicians on Monday. "We condemn the central government for taking a stand of refusing to intervene in releasing our fishermen when they trespass into Sri Lankan waters for their livelihood and demand compensation for boats damaged in Sri Lankan custody," the Ramanathapuram district secretary...
A documentary chronicling the life of Tamil journalist Dharmeratnam 'Taraki' Sivaram, who was abducted and murdered in Colombo 10 years ago, was screened in Chennai to mark World Press Freedom Day this weekend. Screened at the Chennai Press Club, the film explored Sivaram’s life and looked at the issue of media freedom for Tamil journalists on the island of Sri Lanka. Filmmaker S Someetharan said that though there has since been a change of government since the journalist’s murder, the climate of fear on the island is still the same. “The fear remains,” he said. “Journalists are still under...
The Sinhala Buddhist organisation, Bodu Bala Sena said it will meet elections commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya to speak about forming a new political party, the Daily Mirror reported. Chief Executive Office Dilantha Vithanage said the BBS will remain “apolitical” while backing the new party, which will be guided by Buddhist monks. “BBS will back the new political party, but will continue to remain as an apolitical organisation. Buddhist monks will guide and provide instructions to the political party. However, the candidates will be laymen,” Mr Vithanage said, adding they had yet to decide on a name and a symbol for the party. In January the BBS said it would launch a party to protect "Buddhist values" from a "minority threat".
Reports that President Maithripala Sirisena and former president Mahinda Rajapaksa will meet tomorrow , have been denied by the latter’s spokesperson. Rohan Welivita said Mr Rajapaksa was not aware of the meeting, adding that the reports could be a deliberate attempt to give the impression that the former president backed out of the meeting. SLFP spokesperson Dilan Perera however said that there were no factions in the party the meeting will take place as announced, Asian Mirror reported. The only condition to the meeting is to "send Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe home, Mr Perera further said.