Arrests of Indian fishermen continue as boats remain impounded by Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan Navy detained at least 6 Indian fishermen on Tuesday, including a 13-year-old boy, as the repeated arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan security forces continued. The arrest of 13-year-old Samson is thought to be the second case of the Sri Lankan Navy arresting an Indian child this week, with 15-year-old Maria Rathinam amongst 15 fishermen detained by the Sri Lankans in an earlier incident. See more from the Times of India here . The recent arrests come as Tamil Nadu’s Commissioner of fisheries Beela Rajesh visited Ramneswaram, stating that the government was taking steps to secure the release of fishing boats impounded by Sri Lanka. Fishermen from 5 associations had written to the Commissioner urging him to ensure the boats are released and for compensation to be paid for damages caused by attacks from the Sri Lankan Navy.

German Ambassador meets Sri Lankan Army Commander in Jaffna

Germany’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka Dr. Jurgen Morhard met with the Sri Lankan Army’s Commander of the Security Forces-Jaffna at their headquarters in Palali, reports Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence . The two exchanged mementos and discussed the “present security situation in Jaffna and other matters of bilateral interest,” said the MoD. Also see our earlier post: German Ambassador meets TNA in the North-East (26 February 2014)

Tamil student found dead in south

A Tamil student was found dead in Thalavaakkalai, near Nuwara Eliya, in the Central Province on Sunday, Ada Derana reported. Yoganathan Sivatharshan, who disappeared from his house in Mattukalai on Friday, was found near the Melkothmalai reservoir. People from his town protested and blockaded a road in Thalavaakalai, saying they suspected Sivatharshan’s death to be murder and charged that local police took insufficient action when he was reported missing. Local politician Murali Ragunathan, who is a former Central Province councillor and leader of the New Labour Front, called on the police to...

Sri Lankan Army ‘studying body language’ of Tamil civilians – Chief Minister

The Northern Province Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran accused the Sri Lankan military of spying on northern Tamil civilians and even collecting data on their body language. Speaking at the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi convention, Wigneswaran said that the military was using Israeli technology to collect all types of data on civilians in the North. The Chief Minister urged youth to gather data on the deployment of the army, including quantity, the lands they occupy and the activities they conduct.

Contradictions over LLRC implementation highlight lack of 'genuine commitment' says CPA

Several Sri Lankan government officials have repeatedly contradicted themselves on the status of the implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), said the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA). In an infographic released on Tuesday, the Colombo-based organisation highlighted claims made by senior government officials, illustrating the extent to which contradictory statements have been publicly made. In 2013 government minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said that 99% of the LLRC Action Plan had been implemented, yet a year later the Sri Lankan President Mahinda...

'Western powers may use Facebook to destabilise country' says Minister

Sri Lankan government Minister Wimal Weerawansa said Western powers may use Facebook as part of an attempt to destabilise the country at an election rally earlier this week. Colombo Gazette reports the National Freedom Front leader and government minister said Western diplomats were working to split the Sinhalese vote against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, encouraging UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake and even the monk Venerable Maduluwawe Sobhitha thero to stand against him. If no absolute majority was reached in the President elections, then...

Sri Lanka reiterates rejection of UN inquiry at opening day of Human Rights Council

13:45 CEST, last updated 14:26 Sri Lanka reiterated its rejection of the UN Human Rights Council's inquiry to mass atrocities on the island at the opening day of the Council's 27th session. " Sri Lanka reiterates our objection to the resolution HRC/25/L.1/Rev.1 and its call for a comprehensive investigation by the OHCHR ," Sri Lanka's permanent representative in Geneva, Ravinath Ariyasinghe told member states. Arguing that the country had made its own domestic moves towards accountability and reconciliation, Ariyasinghe slammed "some" states that he said "refused to acknowledge these [developments] and persist in heaping negative attention [on Sri Lanka]". " Sri Lanka rejects assertions of threats leveled against the human rights community, and regrets attempts being made to portray the country as intolerant of religious minorities ," he added. Follow us on Twitter - @TamilGuardian - for live coverage of events at the Council. See related article: UN Rights Council mandates 'comprehensive investigation' by OHCHR into Sri Lanka (27 Mar 2014) Photograph Tamil Guardian Zeid alarmed at intimidation of rights activists Opening the session earlier in the day, the newly appointed High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein, urged the Sri Lankan government to cooperate with the OHCHR Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL), expressing concern at the intimidation of human rights activists. "I attach great importance to the investigation on Sri Lanka mandated by this Council, on which OHCHR will report later in the session. I encourage the Sri Lankan authorities to cooperate with this process in the interests of justice and reconciliation," “I am alarmed at threats currently being levelled against the human rights community in Sri Lanka, as well as prospective victims and witnesses. I also deplore recent incitement and violence against the country’s Muslim and Christian minorities.” US, UK urges Sri Lanka to cooperate with inquiry Reiterating the call for meaningful accountability for mass atrocities in Sri Lanka, US and UK representatives echoes Zeid's call on the Sri Lankan government to cooperate with the UN inquiry. "We support your call for the government of Sri Lanka to cooperate with the international investigation and we urge the Sri Lankan government to facilitate access and ensure those cooperating with the investigation can do so without fear of intimidation or reprisals," said the UK. Thanking the previous UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, "for the leadership she demonstrated in focusing the world's attention on violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and encouraging meaningful accountability and respect for human rights in Sri Lanka," the US ambassador to Geneva also urged the Sri Lankan government to cooperate with the investigation. Rajapaksa invites High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa invited the new UN High Commisioner for Human Rights to visit Sri Lanka by the end of this year. The announcement was made during Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to the island, during which a joint statement by the two leaders was released. See our earlier post: Japan signs trade agreements with Sri Lanka, calls for 'national reconciliation' (07 September 2014)

Jayalalithaa files defamation case against Subramaniam Swamy

Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa has filed a case against the BJP’s Subramaniam Swamy, for defamation, reported IBNLive . Swamy had written to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi claiming the chief minister of only pushing for the release of fishing boats , held by Sri Lanka, as they were owned by someone she knew. "The reason I did not press for the release of these mechanized fishing boats is that it is mostly owned by DMK's T R Baalu and Jayalalithaa's resident friend Sasikala," said Swamy. Swamy also said Jayalalithaa had "made a business of the plight of fishermen by doing nothing about it except writing letters to you.”

Intimidation will not stop search for disappeared – Ananthi Sasitharan

Northern Provincial Council member Ananthi Sasitharan said that despite intimidation from the Sri Lankan military, the search for justice for the disappeared will continue. Speaking at a protest held in Vavuniya last month to mark the International Day of the Disappeared, Sasitharan said, “Though it has been 5 years since the war ended, we continue to search for our relatives. I am speaking on behalf of everyone here as I experience the pain of this too.” “We are intimidated for speaking like this. However, we cannot remain afraid and stay in our houses paralysed with fear.” Hundreds of Tamil protestors were blocked by Sri Lankan police form marching to Government Agency offices last month, where they were to deliver a petition.

#GetThePicture campaign maps militarisation of North-East

The United States Tamil Political Action Council has launched an interactive map, detailing the Sri Lankan state's increased militarisation across the Tamil homeland in the North-East. The interactive map, released last week, maps out details of Sri Lankan military camps across the North-East. Speaking to the Tamil Guardian, a USTPAC spokesperson revealed that similar interactive maps of the North-East are set to be released in the future. See more from USTPAC's twitter account here . In March, USTPAC also released an interactive map detailing the extent of Sinhalisation across the North-East...

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