Photographs Uthayan Tamil mothers of the disappeared protested in Kilinochchi on Monday, demanding the new Sri Lankan government provide an answer to where their missing children are, almost 6 years after the end of the armed conflict and release all political prisoners.
The US Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal, who arrived in Sri Lanka on Monday for a three day visit of the island, said that a lot of hard work and some difficult challenges remained. Speaking to reporters after a meeting with Sri Lanka's foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera, Ms Biswal said: "President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremasinghe have put forth an ambitious agenda for their first one hundred days and much has already been accomplished in such a short time. But we recognise that there is a lot of hard work ahead and some difficult challenges."
Residents in Vavuniya called for the repeal of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the release of political prisoners and accountability and justice for war crimes and crimes against humanity, stating that until these issues were resolved, Sri Lanka's Independence Day on February 4, would be a black day for the Tamils. In a statement released on January 31, the Vavuniya Citizens Group and a civil society organisation from across the North-East called "Naangal" condemned the ongoing arrest of Tamils under the PTA and use of torture in detention camps, calling for a protest on February 3 to demand these issues be addressed.
Sri Lanka's minister of power and energy, Champika Ranawaka denied support for full implementation of the 13th Amendment, stating that the cabinet was yet to make a decision on it. Last month, Sri Lanka's prime minister, Ranil Wickremasinghe told parliament , that the new government was committed to implementation. "We will implement the 13A within a unitary framework," Mr Wickremasinghe said.
A Tamil asylum seeker's transfer, ahead of his deportation, was postponed , after passengers on his plane protested by refusing to sit down and fasten their seat belts. 25-year old Puvaneethan was due to be transferred from Melbourne to Darwin, where he would have been prepared for deportation. "After boarding QF838 in Melbourne, a number of passengers became disruptive. The passengers refused to follow cabin crew instruction so were offloaded and met by the AFP," a Qantas spokesperson said. "The issue has since been resolved with the flight departing approximately 50 minutes later." Mr Puvaneethan, who fears torture if he was returned to Sri Lanka, expressed gratitude to the protestors. “I’m back in the room and I’m fine. I want to say thank-you to all the people who helped me,” Mr Puvaneethan told the Tamil Refugee Council (TRC).
Tamil residents lodging complaints that their land was being used for uncontrolled sand mining, in the Vanni coastal area of Jaffna Lagoon, Poonakiri, were urged to protest by the Northern Provincial Council Minister of Agriculture Livestock, Irrigation and Environment, on Saturday. “Sand mining is being carried out illicitly using an illegitimate licence. People will not be able to live in this archaeologically significant place. We will take this matter to the attention of the central government immediately, if the government refuses to take action, the people should protest,” said Mr...
The Australian billionaire James Packer has been told he is unwelcome in Sri Lanka by its prime minister, after he decided to pull out of a multi-million pounds luxury resort due to the new government's ban on new casinos. Mr Packer's plans to build a casino in the resort were approved by previous president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who granted generous tax concessions for the $350mn-worth 400-bedroom hotel. The new government, under President Maithripala Sirisena, banned the building of new casinos and withdrew the tax concessions, causing Mr Packer's Crown Group to withdraw from the project.
The body of a Tamil man was found washed up on the Kaaththaankudi shoreline in Batticaloa district on Sunday morning, reports BattiNews . The dead man has been identified as 30 year old Vasanthakumar from Muthalaikkuda.
Photographs DailyMirror.lk In his latest visit to a Buddhist sacred site, Sri Lanka's new president, Maithripala Sirisena this weekend visited Mahiyangana, receiving blessings from the Buddhist clergy at the local Buddhist temple.
Sri Lanka's new government said it hopes to maintain proscription of several Tamil diaspora organisations that have been at the forefront of the call for accountability and justice for mass atrocities committed against the Tamil people during the end of the armed conflict in 2009. Deputy Foreign Minister Ajith P. Perera, was quoted by the Sunday Leader newspaper as saying: "the new government hope to maintain the status quo on the ban imposed on the organisations that were alleged to have links with the terrorist organisation."