A mosque in the Colombo suburb of Dehiwala has been closed after the local magistrates issued a court order. Police had filed a case against the mosque in February, saying it was operating illegally, an accusation mosque authorities denied.
The MP for Hambantota Namal Rajapaksa has accused western countries of joining “LTTE terrorists” to create secessionism and to make Sri Lanka “their centre in South Asia”.
In a joint memorandum released today, Sri Lankan civil society groups stressed that " there is no alternative but the establishment of an international mechanism for inquiry into human rights abuses, accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity", outlining the on-going culture of impunity, lack of rule of law, extensive human rights violations and authoritarianism.
Addressing the UNHRC on its second day, the US Under Secretary of State for civilian security, democracy and human rights, Sarah Seawall, reiterated the need for an investigation into past abuses and recent attacks, detailing the rationale for the draft resolution tabled yesterday. "In past years we have learned that rigorous and systematic fact finding can play a critical role in helping countries heal wounds remaining from periods of conflict. Without such a process, grievances go unaddressed and impunity is allowed to triumph, creating a climate in which new abuses can occur."
The UK Foreign Secretary William Hague stressed in parliament today that the UK fully supports the recommendation of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights that an international investigation should be established to look into past violations of humanitarian and human rights law in Sri Lanka. "We are pursuing the issue actively at the Human Rights Council to secure an international inquiry of the type recommended by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights," Hague said.
Northern Provincial Councillor, Ananthy Sasitharan ,at a protest demanding an international investigation into the death of a British Tamil prisoner, Gopithas, condemned the treatment of Tamil political prisoners in Sri Lankan custody.
In their opening address to the United Nations Human Rights Council, Denmark have backed calls for an international mechanism to investigate human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. Under-secretary of state for Legal Affairs Jonas Liisberg said to the council, “We note with serious concern the recent report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka. We support the High Commissioner’s call for an international inquiry mechanism to further investigate the alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.”
The United States Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) has expressed its “deep disappointment” at the initial draft of the resolution to be tabled at the UN Human Rights Council this month, and called for a Commission of Inquiry to be included in the resolution.
A senior Defence Ministry official has told The Island that Rev Rayappu Joseph, the Bishop of Mannar, is pursuing the agenda of the LTTE and is pushing for external intervention, a day after a letter to the Human Rights Council, signed by over 200 members of the Christian clergy, called for an international investigation. The official said that the bishop, who is a leading figure in the Tamil civil society, was “probably working with the […] Global Tamil Forum” and its president, Father SJ Emmanuel.
A bus travelling from the North-East to Colombo was attacked by a mob in the middle of the night, reported the Uthayan . The bus, belonging to a tour operator in Jaffna, was ambushed by people armed with knives and clubs in Negombo, around 25 miles from the Sri Lankan capital Colombo. The driver and the conductor were injured in the attack. The reason for the violence is unknown.