Deported asylum seekers face abuse on return to Sri Lanka

Asylum seekers who were deported by Australia after their boat came into difficulty at sea as they fled Sri Lanka, have faced abuse with beatings and interrogations on return, the Guardian newspaper reports . The group of 41 asylum seekers, including children, were taken to a Sri Lankan navy camp, where almost 100 Criminal Investigation Division (CID) officials were waiting for them the newspaper reported. The four Tamil asylum seekers were separated from the rest of the group who were Sinhalese, before being beaten by officers accusing them of supporting the LTTE. One Tamil man told the...

Locals protest against Navy land grab in Mullaitivu

The Sri Lankan navy is to appropriate 617 acres of land in Mullaitivu in order to build a navy base, the Northern Provincial Council's deputy speaker said this week. Despite locals holding land deeds for the area, an announcement stating the land is to be appropriated as the original owners have not been identified, Jeganathan said, appealing to the Chief Minister to act. "These are rich lands east of the main road in Paranthan, Mullaitivu. In this, 90% of the owners have the appropriate documentation [to prove ownership for the lands]. But ‘Notification [poster]’ has been posted by the...

International experts on presidential commission will have no investigative power – Mahinda Rajapaksa

President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated the government’s position that the three international experts appointed to advise the presidential commission on disappearances do not have the mandate to hold investigations. Speaking to Sri Lankan media on Tuesday , the president added that the government was considering expanding the international advisory committee to six. External Affairs Minister GL Peiris said at the press briefing that Sri Lanka rejected outright paragraph 10 of the UNHRC resolution passed in March this year, which called for an international investigation into war crimes.

GDP will reach $150bn by 2020 – Central Bank governor

The governor of Sri Lanka’s Central Bank, Nivard Cabraal said that Sri Lanka’s GDP will reach $150bn by 2020, almost double of the country’s current GDP of $77bn. Speaking at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce economic summit in Colombo, Mr Cabraal said that the target can “easily” be reached, and that several other economic indicators and international rankings for Sri Lanka will also improve. The governor said that worker remittances, one of the highest contributors to the economy will reduce by 2020, claiming that most of the “would be Lankan expatriates” would find “better and more paying employment opportunities” on the island. Mr Cabraal also claimed that regional economic differences will further reduce and “all provinces would be enjoying similar incomes” in the next few years. The Sri Lankan government has previously been accused of manipulating statistics to boost GDP figures, a charge it denied.

Senior Australian border protection official in Sri Lanka

The head of the Australian Border Protection Command, Rear Admiral Michael Noonan, is currently on a visit to Sri Lanka to discuss various issues relating to maritime security, including refugees travelling to Australia by boat. Noonan met with Sri Lanka’s Navy Commander Jayantha Perera at the SLN headquarters on Tuesday and is reported to have thanked Sri Lanka for its cooperation in “combating people smuggling”. “The Australian Border Protection Commander expressed his appreciation of the cooperation extended by Sri Lanka Navy for combating people smuggling ventures at the operational level and pledged his support for SLN’s continued efforts to prevent perilous journeys taking place from Sri Lankan shores,” the navy said after the meeting. The navy also said that it drew attention to the “counter measures implemented to thwart illegal maritime migration”, according to the Daily Mirror .

UNHCR “deeply concerned” at Sri Lanka’s deportation of Pakistani refugees

The UN Refugee Agency has criticised Sri Lanka for deporting 36 Pakistani asylum seekers last week, urging the government to stop the deportations and granting the UNHCR access to the remaining refugees. “UNHCR urges the authorities to stop the deportations and grant us access to refugees and asylum-seekers still detained in Colombo,” spokesperson Ariane Rummery told media in Geneva. Rummery said that the UN appealed to Sri Lanka “to respect the principle of non-refoulement by not sending people back to a place where their lives could be in danger without the opportunity to assess their needs...

Rajapaksa to travel to Pakistan in August

Sri Lanka’s External Affairs Ministry has confirmed that President Rajapaksa will be visting Pakistan later this month to “take stock of the bilateral relations and identify potential areas for mutual benefit”, NDTV reported. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met with Sri Lanka’s Secretary for External Affairs Kshenuka Senewiratune on Wednesday and emphasised the importance of the countries’ relationship. "We need to address impediments and deepen bilateral economic relations between the two countries," Nawaz said. Senewiratune said that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had “always supported each...

Four Muslims arrested for 'hate messages'

Sri Lanka's Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested four Muslims for allegedly sending “religious hate messages”, reports ColomboPage . The CID acted after reportedly receiving a “tip-off” that the four were sending “hate” SMS text messages. The messages warned that another Anti-Muslim riot has been planned to take place in August, adding that the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence had been meeting to organise it. The four men are to be produced before the courts again on the 18th of August. The Sri Lankan Army had warned last week of arrests for circulating “false” messages,...

Psychological impact of disappearances leads to increase in suicides

The Northern Provincial Council's health minister stated the number of people committing suicide has been increasing, blaming it on the psychological impact left from disappearances and murders across the North-East. Health minister Sathiyalingam noted that almost everyone in the North-East has been affected, stating that at least one person from each house in the North-East has been arrested, disappeared or murdered. With many of these acts taking place in front of relatives, a large number of people have suffered psychologically and have gone on to commit suicide, added Sathiyalingam.

UK, France, Germany and Switzerland condemn mob disruption of meeting

The embassies of the UK, France, Germany and Switzerland condemned the disruption of a meeting on Monday organised for families of the disappeared from the North, by a mob led by Buddhist monks. "Over 30 family members of disappeared persons having travelled from the Northern Province, members of civil society and NGOs as well as members of the diplomatic community were in the premises when the disruption took place. All those present felt that their security was under threat ," the embassies said in a joint statement issued on Tuesday, calling on Sri Lanka to "ensure and respect freedom of assembly and expression". " We sincerely hope that the security of those having travelled from the Northern Province to share their experience will be assured upon their return ," the statement added.

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