Sri Lanka translates ‘mothers’ into ‘dogs’ on Tamil sign

After yet another in a long series of errors on official sign boards, the Sri Lankan government was forced to make an apology, reported the BBC on Friday. A particular sign which was highlighted read "Reserved for pregnant mothers" in Sinhala and English. The Tamil read "Reserved for pregnant dogs". The series of mistakes forced Sri Lankan government Minister for National Languages and Social Integration, Vasudeva Nanayakara into making an apology to the BBC. However, the minister went on to add, "Sometimes, also translations into Sinhala in mainly Tamil areas are wrong, as there are not...

Rajapaksa gains support from another opposition member

UNP politician Gamini S Kaviratne switched allegiances to the ruling UPFA coalition this week, becoming the latest opposition member to cross over to the government. Kaviratne, who was once the Chairman of the Kalutara Pradeshiya Sabha and the Pradeshiya Sabha’s opposition leader, called on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa earlier this week, to pledge his support to the government. Another UNP member leaves to join Rajapaksa (01 January 2014) UNP to join Govt's team against resolution at UNHRC (22 January 2014) UNP 'opposed to international inquiry' (19 November 2013) UNP MP condemns...

Tamil demonstrators protest land grabs despite intimidation

The National Fishermen Committee, despite government intimidation, held a protest against the appropriation of Tamil land, today , in front of Jaffna Muniyappar temple. Hundreds of people gathered with placards and slogans, reading, ‘Resettle us back in our homeland’, ‘Do not invade our land’ ‘Where are our disappeared relatives?’ and ‘Let our fishermen live.’ Speaking at the protest, the Northern Province Agriculture Minister, Ayngaranaesan, stressed , "The government is using development to conceal the wounds of those affected by the war. The government's development in the North-East does not work towards peace or solve the problems faced by the people. The motive behind the current form of development in the Tamil Areas is to steal our resources and people's hard work." Crowds gathered despite intimidatory and coercive tactics used by government forces to deter protestors. Sri Lankan intelligence personnel were present at the protest taking videos and photographs of the demonstrators. Further attempts to stop the protest were taken with buses transporting demonstrators from Killinochchi and Mullaitivu to Jaffna stopped by Sri Lankan military forces.

India likely to vote against Sri Lanka at UNHRC

India is most likely to vote for a resolution against Sri Lanka at the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council, a senior official, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Hindu . The source outlined that the Northern Provincial Council elections had been an opportunity for political reconciliation, which the Sri Lankan government had ‘squandered’ by ‘locking horns’ with the Northern Provincial governance. The source further outlined that the Sri Lanka had not done enough to make countries that voted against it last year change their minds.

Accountability and reconciliation impossible together – Sri Lankan official

The presidential secretary has said to journalists in Colombo that there cannot be reconciliation in the country if moves for accountability are made. “My argument (to the international community) was that, yes, you can have an international inquiry,” Lalith Weeratunga said. “That is not an issue, if that is what the Government wants. But then, all these people will have to be brought back to the judicial process. Won’t that upset the reconciliation we are going through? To have accountability and inquiry into 30 years of war and to also make sure there is reconciliation are two parallel...

We will not accept country-specific resolutions by UN – SL Minister

A Sri Lankan minister has said that the government would not accept any ‘country-specific’ resolution. Minister for Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Dilan Perera said to media in Namibia that they are being targeted for “narrow political reasons”. “There is a resolution by the United States of America on Sri Lanka on the Human Rights Council, we cannot accept it because they are using the human rights mechanism to target specific countries for narrow political reasons,” he said after a meeting with Namibian president Hifikepunye Pohamba. “Sri Lanka fully supports the UN system and we...

Protest in Tamil Nadu demands investigation into genocide

A protest was held outside the United Nations office in Chennai earlier this week, demanding an international investigation into genocide and a referendum as part of a political solution. 'The past 60 years is political struggle for freeedom' The protest comes ahead of the United Nations Human Right Council session in March, where a resolution on Sri Lanka is expected to be submitted.

UK reaffirms commitment to international probe in Sri Lanka

The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, John Rankin, reiterated on Sri Lankan television that the British government will call for an international investigation at the United Nations Human Rights Council, in the absence of an independent domestic process in Sri Lanka. Rankin said the issues would be discussed "frankly" and said "international mechanisms" such as the UN Human Rights Council can be used, whereby these issues can be addressed. He went on to note that, for example, "the UK fully accepts the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court". When questioned about whether the...

Tamils hoping for an international investigation - Jaffna bishop tells Norwegian Ambassador

The Bishop of Jaffna has reiterated that the Tamil people are hoping for an international investigation to take place, in a meeting with the Norwegian Ambassador, reported the Uthayan. Whilst meeting a Norwegian delegation that included Ambassador Grete Løchen, the Bishop said that an investigation must be undertaken by the international community and not Sri Lanka, noting that the Tamil people were hoping that a resolution in Geneva, where the UNHRC is set to meet in March, would call for this. Stating that complaints regarding disappeared persons have been ignored, he added that the Tamil people need justice and went on to tell the delegation that since the end of the armed conflict, drug use and sexual assaults have increased.

Mass service held near Mannar mass grave

Pictures: Sankathi24 The Bishop of Mannar held a special mass service with family members of the disappeared on Thursday, near the Mannar grave were 61 bodies have been unearthed so far . Ringing the bell for all those that went missing in Mannar, the Bishop recited prayers for all those that had disappeared or been kidnapped. Addressing the crowd, he went on to state that, from September 2007 until May 2009 166 people had disappeared from Mannar alone, adding that he had collected all their details and submitted it to the LLRC. Yet, the Bishop lamented, their whereabouts are still unknown, and he went on to call for an independent and accountable investigation.

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