The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Jayalalithaa called the mass arrest of fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy this week a "near warlike" act. In a letter to the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she wrote , "These are the largest and most outrageous acts of mass abduction of our fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy ," "Such brazen and near warlike acts could not have been carried out without the tacit approval of the Sri Lankan government . India's prestige and image has suffered grievous damage,"
The Special Advisor on Prevention of Genocide to the Secretary General of the United Nations, has told a UN panel that it was not only the UN which failed the people of Sri Lanka, but also all its member states. Adama Dieng was talking during a discussion chaired by Stanford Research Fellow Tunku Varadarajan, and was responding to a question about Article 99, which stipulates that the Secretary General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security. Also on the panel was Amady Ba, the Deputy Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, who said that the ICC was powerless as Sri Lanka was not a member.
The Sri Lankan Minister Wimal Weerawansa warned that the Permanent People's Tribunal, which found Sri Lanka guilty of committing a genocide against the Tamil people, had launched an anti-Sri Lanka campaign, reported the Daily Mirror . Speaking to press from his party office, Minister Weerawansa said that the PPT, along with the TNA, wanted to ensure another resolution was passed against the UN Human Rights Council on Sri Lanka. Weerawansa said, “The TNA has reportedly said there will be a struggle against the government if the incumbent governor Major General G.A. Chandrasiri was not replaced...
The head of the Pakistan Navy arrived in Sri Lanka on Thursday evening, amidst the Sri Lankan Navy's mass arrest of Tamil Nadu fishermen earlier this week. Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila is to launch a 'Pakistan Navy War College Alumni Chapter in Sri Lanka' for officers who have been trained at the Pakistan Navy war college. He commanded Pakistan's fleet during the period of October 2008 to November 2009.
The Sinhala head of the Catholic Church, Malcolm Ranjith, slammed any notion of foreign intervention, warning that the government's failure to resolve "issues", could trigger international investigations, reported Adaderana. In a pastoral letter issued today, the Archbishop wrote , " Foreigners should not tell us what to do... We are not a pack of fools " " But if we do not resolve these issues, then we open ourselves to foreign intervention ."
The Sri Lankan Navy arrested over 300 Tamil Nadu fishermen on Wednesday reports Deccan Chronicle . Whilst over 200 were later released, reports suggest 100 remain in custody and have been taken to Trincomalee. Issuing a statement on its website, the Sri Lankan Navy said it had arrested 110 fishermen and 15 trawlers, which it claimed were found fishing illegal in the East.
The Northern Province’s governor, Major General Chandrasiri, has warned the TNA to abide by the constitution and national policy of Sri Lanka, according to state-owned Daily News . " Acting against the Constitution, the Tamil National Alliance has prepared budget proposals to initiate departments in the Northern Province at their inaugural budget. I made a note that they can only establish Authorities in the Province according to the Constitution,” he said. " I had to tell them that they are expected to uphold the Constitution and the National Policy as the councillors. They have attempted to set up a department of housing and a department of transport. There are some administrative units and structures which require the approval of the President, the governor and the Chief Minister of the Province,
The Sri Lankan Army has stated that military training received from India has been ongoing for more than four decades and the continuation of the program was “nothing new”. Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasuriya told the Sunday Leader , “India providing training opportunities for Army, Navy and Air Force personnel is nothing new”. “ Our relationship with India, when it comes to military training, goes back four decades or more. This has helped both countries to understand their military and also helped Sri Lanka to professionally develop its military personnel. We value this relationship very much and...
The Permanent People’s Tribunal (PPT) has unanimously ruled that Sri Lanka is guilty of genocide, at its second high profile session in Bremen, Germany. Photograph: Twitter @Nirmanusan
The European Union has called on Sri Lanka to allow visits to the island from UN special mandate holders, in a statement released to mark World Human Rights Day. Welcoming visits to the island by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the UN Special Envoy on Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons, the statement urged to government of Sri Lanka to further grant outstanding requests for UN access, highlighting in particular the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. The statement also noted that, “further challenges also remain in upholding the independence and...