Sri Lanka's state minister of defence, Ruwan Wijewardene, said reiterated the government's refusal to remove army camps in the North, stating that there was no need to remove such camps in order to release land to the Tamil people. Announcing the appointment of a committee by the new president intended to investigate land issues in the North in order to release land to civilians, Mr Wijewardene said "there would not be a necessity to remove army camps in the North in order to release lands required by the civilians".
Sri Lanka completed payments of $750,000 to former IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn this week, for his role as advisor in setting up the country's International Finance Centre. Cabinet spokesperson Rajitha Senarathne confirmed that the payments had been made but stated the hiring of Mr Strauss-Kahn “has taken place without a cabinet approval.” Mr Senarathne told reporters, "Our government does not feel it necessary to get his services. We can manage on our own." The International Finance Centre was set up to attract foreign investors to the island reports Lanka Business Online . Reports of...
The Northern Provincial Councillor, P. Aingaranesan criticised the new Sri Lankan government's failure to prioritise the issue of missing Tamil civilians and enforced disappearances, stating that the new government must its commitment to reconciliation "in actions, not just in words". “The Tamil people thought the new regime assumed power claiming to make a change will bring change in their lives too. It in on the basis of that belief, they defeated the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa using their votes," Mr Aingaranesan told the Uthayan newspaper on Monday, adding that the new government should act honourably. “The whereabouts of the thousands of Tamil women and men arrested by the army is still unknown; including several hundreds of people were kidnapped by unidentified persons and disappeared; many, who are [LTTE] cadres, surrendered to the army at the end of the armed conflict; and those who were handed over to the army by their relatives. The new government should provide an answer to their relatives that are waiting every day for their return," he added.
The best way to guarantee an independent investigation in to war crimes and human rights abuses in Sri Lanka whilst protecting witnesses is to keep the United Nations involved, said the New York Times Editorial Board on Tuesday. Noting the new Sirisena government’s obligation to deal with the ‘legacy of the past’ and commenting on Sri Lankan government attempts to delay the release of the UN report into Sri Lankan atrocities, the editorial stressed, “Any delay in the release of the United Nations report must be brief. And the United Nations must remain involved.” See full editorial here .
The body of a Tamil man was found inside his house in Mahasakthi village in Amparai on Tuesday, reports BattiNews . The man has been identified by the police as a 30 year old father of two children, Thangavelu Rajenthira. His body has been transferred to hospital for a post-mortem. Akkaraipattu police are reportedly investigating the incident.
Reiterating the need for an ‘internationally supervised’ political solution for the Tamils, TNA MP S Sritharan told the visiting British Deputy High Commissioner Laura Davis, that Sri Lanka’s new government has made no progress in meeting Tamil demands, Speaking to Ms Davis in Kilinochi, the TNA MP said, “Finally a solution should be found for the ethnic crisis that is ongoing for more than 70 years, with international supervision.” “People a losing hope gradually. There is still army presence, army camps and surveillance. Nothing has changed. Resettlement has not happened, many things that...
Human Rights Watch’s Asia Director Brad Adams said last week the New York-based organisation does not expect Sri Lanka to conduct a credible investigation into mass atrocities committed during the armed conflict. Speaking to IPS ahead of Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s visit to the US this week, where he will meet with US officials and representatives of HRW, Mr Adams said the UN should continue to be central to the current process. “We do not expect the government to conduct a serious investigation,” he said when asked about the government’s proposed domestic investigation, pointing out former army commander Sarath Fonseka’s presence in the government would politicise a domestic probe. “The United Nations should continue to be at the centre of the current process,” he said, but complimented the new government for reaching out to HRW. “We are very encouraged and we are happy to meet with the foreign minister.”
Hundreds of Tamils protested across the North-East demanding the new government to release and reveal the whereabouts of their detained and disappeared, whilst calling for an international probe into the whereabouts of the disappeared.
The 33rd naval fleet of Iran's navy, docked in Colombo on Monday, where it will be conducting a three day visit. Senior Sri Lankan navy officials are scheduled to meet with the Iranian naval personnel onboard during their stay. The flotilla, made up of a Bandar Abbas auxiliary ship and a Naqdi destroyer, was dispatched earlier this month and has travelled approximately 5,000 kilometres. The visit comes after the Iranian Navy's 24th and 28th fleet of warships had also earlier docked in Sri Lanka, reports Fars news agency. Sri Lanka, which was hit hard by the sanctions imposed on Iran over its...
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka called on the new president, Maithripala Sirisena to withdraw his renewal of powers allowing the military to maintain public order. Last week President Sirisena, renewed an Extraordinary Gazette notification which called on the military to ensure security and law and order within the island if the police could not. The Bar Association said there was "no lawful justification to maintain the order", reports Colombo Page .