The chairman of the Belarusian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and his Sri Lankan counterpart at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, signed a memorandum to enhance partnerships between business circles in the two nations. On Thursday, a Belarusian delegate accompanied by representatives of the business community took part in a Belarusian-Sri Lankan business forum organised at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, reports Belarusian News . Belarus was labelled as "Europe's last dictatorship" by the former US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice in 2005.
The Sri Lankan government has accused former peace negotiator Eric Solheim of being "a liar and a supporter of terrorists", after he rejected claims made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, reported the Daily Mirror . Speaking at the weekly press briefing of the cabinet, government spokesperson and minister Keheliya Rambukwella said Solheim had a "soft spot for separatist terrorists" and that he provided the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam with equipment, including parts for its air force. “It was he who arranged to transport high-tech communication equipment to the North for the use of LTTE...
A former LTTE cadre has been reported as missing by his family, since he disappeared in Jaffna earlier this month. Antonymutthu Anton Jeyaron was staying at an apartment in the Kurunagar Housing development authority, when he went missing on November 17, stated his wife, who has filed a complaint with Jaffna police. The 31 year old left his home to go shopping and did not return. Jeyaron was held by Sri Lankan authorities after the end of the armed conflict in 2009 and subsequently put through the government rehabilitation process . The latest disappearance follows the murder of a former LTTE policeman in Mannar this month alongside an increasing number of arrests by the Sri Lankan government. The incidents have reportedly led to an increased climate of fear amongst former cadres and Tamil activists in the North-East.
The Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Buddhist movement backed the United National Party (UNP) leader as the best option for a common opposition presidential candidate reports Colombo Page . The BBS leader Gnanasera Thero said that Ranil Wickremasinghe possessed “certain good political policies," in a press brief in Colombo on Wednesday, where he also outlined the BBS goal of creating a Buddhist state.
The Northern Provincial Council (NPC) adopted a resolution calling for the release of Tamil political prisoners who have been detained without trial for several years. The motion, tabled by the Northern Provincial Council chairman on Wednesday, called on the president to release Tamil prisoners, noting that some had been imprisoned for between 8-15 years without trial, reports Colombo Gazette .
The five Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan security forces over alleged drug trafficking charges and sentenced to death, were freed on Wednesday by President Rajapaksa who issued a presidential pardon. The release comes after widespread protests in Tamil Nadu and strong pressure from the Modi led central government on Sri Lankan authorities. An appeal filed by the Indian authorities was withdrawn, after the Sri Lankan government said a presidential pardon could not proceed without its withdrawal. On Tuesday, a delegation from Tamil Nadu met with India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, calling for the detained fishermen's "immediate release", reported Jagran Post . The delegation included local fishermen and the Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Pon Radhakrishnanan, as well as senior BJP leaders, the paper reported . The release has been hailed as a major diplomatic victory in India. "We feel the fishermen are not guilty. We will follow the legal process and will do our best to get them back to India," the External Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Syed Akbaruddin said .
The Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence warned on Wednesday of the ongoing threat of secessionist both on and off the island. "Although we have defeated terrorism in Sri Lanka, it was only armed terrorism that was defeated. While armed terrorism was defeated there are still secessionists in various locations. They could be within Sri Lanka as well. It is certainly clear that they exist outside of Sri Lanka, they speak about it openly," said the Ministry's spokesperson Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya at a press briefing on Wednesday. "There are groups in foreign countries which have said they will not turn back until a separate state has been created within Sri Lanka. There could be groups within Sri Lanka which are sponsored by them," he warned, vowing that "nevertheless, the Army will never allow for the people to be deprived of the freedom to spend time freely in Sri Lanka".
In its latest attempt to detract from the UN inquiry into mass atrocities against the Tamil people, the Sri Lankan government announced on Tuesday that its domestic inquiry - the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Disappearances - would now also examine human rights abuses in the North-East of the island. "The Commission has decided to entertain public complaints on any war crimes and human rights abuses in the north and east. This could be done until December 31," the Secretary to the Commission, HW Gunadasa, was quoted by DNA India as saying. The inquiry, which has been severely critiqued by domestic and international NGOs and civil society actors over its lack of independence and witness protection, amongst other aspects, is currently holding public sittings in the North-East.
India, China and Russia are to attend Sri Lanka's South and Southeast Asian Nations (SASEAN) Defense Chiefs' Dialogue at the end of this month in Colombo. The conference, held on November 27th till 29th, will include defence heads from eight SAARC and ten ASEAN nations, the Sri Lankan government's official news site reported. Bangladesh, the Maldives, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei are amongst other nations attending. "The SASEAN Dialogue is initiated with the objective of promoting regional peace and stability through dialogue and cooperation in the spheres of Defense and security, promoting...
The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) announced that it will be quitting from the ruling Sri Lankan government coalition on Tuesday, in protest against President Mahinda Rajapaksa. JHU leader Omale Sobitha, who announced the split on Rajapaksa’s birthday, told reporters, "This (quitting) is not a challenge from an enemy force.” "This is a birthday gift to the president to correct his ways. This is the advice of a friend given according to the teachings of the Buddha." Technology and Research Minister Champika Ranawaka, a senior JHU member who previously warned that Sinhalese were becoming a minority , also announced his resignation on Tuesday. The move led to National Freedom Front national organiser Jayantha Samaraweera to call on the JHU to reconsider its decision, stating that western factions and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were attempting to “destroy national forces” on the island.