The leader of the DMK has slammed the Indian Central government for their 'discriminatory' approach, on the subjects of attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri lankan security forces. Commenting on the contrasting approach that the Centre has used when Italian marines were accused of killing two fishermen from Kerala, DMK chief M Karunanidhi, said , "What has the Indian government got to say over the arrest of 19 Tamil fishermen who are lodged in a Lankan prison and whose remand has now been extended till April 11?" "Is it justifiable to discriminate between fishermen from Kerala and Tamil...
The Sri Lankan cricketer player, Dinesh Chandimal, has rejected two IPL offers from the Delhi Daredevils and the Pune Warriors, following the recent resolution passed in Tamil Nadu banning IPL matches involving Sri Lankan cricket players in Tamil Nadu. Chandimal had been appointed the skipper for Sri Lanka in the Twenty20.
The Sri Lankan cricket player, and skipper for the IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad, Kumar Sangakkara, spoke out about the IPL controversy at the sidelines of an event in Hyderabad to NDTV. "Politics in this case has affected/restricted our presence, our belief to play in every part of India. But I don't think, sports and spirit of cricket is ever going to be curtailed by such prejudice," "The buildup has been different and difficult for Sri Lankan players. But at the end of the day they are here to play IPL. The Sri Lankan Cricket Board has made it clear that no Sri Lankan players will be [...
400 soldiers from the Sri Lankan army's 'Sinha regiment' are set to leave for Haiti as part of a UN Peacekeeping mission later this week. The deployment follows the expulsion of Sri Lankan troops for sexually abusing Haitian minors in 2007, with no prosecutions or punishments having taken place. 111 soldiers and 3 officers were repatriated back to Sri Lanka after being part of UN mission in Haiti and were accused of a string of sexual assaults, including rape of children as young as 7 years old. 350 soldiers already left for Haiti earlier this month. Military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan...
Travel between Colombo and Chennai has dropped by at least 30%, reported the Sunday Times , quoting travel trade sources. Officials from the Defence Ministry have also advised Sri Lankans not to travel to Tamil Nadu, due to the recent protests in the state, according to the president of theTravel Agents Association of Sri Lanka, Saman Premakumara. Mr Premakumara said that transits in Chennai will be avoided too, even for those going on a pilgrimage.
The Minister for National Language and Social Integration, Vasudeva Nanayakara is to seek to ban Sinhala groups such as the Bodu Bala Sena, Ravana BAlaya and the Sinhala Ravaya. A Cabinet paper will be submitted in two weeks time, reports Nanayakkara The Sunday Leader. Nanayakkara said : “Under our constitution anyone can follow any religion they want. If people feel threatened then they should complain to the police and the police must take action or they can go to Court." Meanwhile Rauff Hakeem, the Minister of Justice and leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has reportedly...
The opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, former president Chandrika Bandaranaike and United National Party MP Mangala Samaraweera reportedly held 'secret discussions' on 24th March - on Wickremesinghe's birthday - at the villa of the British expat Geoffrey Dobbs. Geoffrey Dobbs, who owns hotels in Galle, is also the founder of the Galle Literary Festival.
A spokesman for the Bodu Bala Sena Organisation (BBS) claimed today that the organisation aims to create a moral society in Sri Lanka. Programme Coordinator, Dilantha Withanage, blamed ‘groups with ulterior motives' for misrepresenting their campaign as a fight against Muslims. The Coordinator claimed that the BBS was ready to accept that Sri Lanka was a multi-religious and multi-racial country, and outlined the organisation's intention of allowing other communities to hold their festivals in Buddhist temples, provided they were willing to reciprocate. Casting doubt over other communities...
Updated: 11:30 GMT The news website Colombo Telegraph reported on Friday that it has now been blocked in Sri Lanka, with users unable to reach the site from within the island. The Colombo Telegraph editorial board released a message urging readers to use proxy services to reach the site. Read their message here . Update: Several sources within Sri Lanka are now reporting that the wesbite is accessible again. There has been no report from Colombo Telegraph as of yet.
Photographs LankaSriNews Four Tamil MPs and at least 13 others were attacked by a mob carrying the Sri Lankan flag during a public meeting in Kilinochchi on Saturday morning at around 10am. According to reports members of Sri Lanka's security forces were present but stood idle as the mob of over 100 people shouted at the Tamils present at the meeting, pelting them with stones and attacking them with clubs.