Intelligence needs to be shared amongst nations to 'remain vigilant and proactive' against the 'threats' of terrorism, argued Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, whilst addressing the inauguration of BIMSTEC Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime. He went to assert that the "rump" of the LTTE - a term frequently employed by several Sri Lankan political figures and media outlets - had been "providing arms training abroad to LTTE cadres in recent times". "While most of the countries in the Bay of Bengal region have addressed these issues to some extent,...
The Jaffna Press Club expressed concern on Tuesday, regarding copycat social media accounts after it emerged a copycat Twitter account had been created asserting itself as the Jaffna Press Club. In a statement the consortium of journalists said: " We believe these to be yet again another pattern of distraction, intimidation and hindrance of press freedom in Jaffna ." JPC has confirmed @JaffnaPressClub as its official Twitter account.
The London School of Economics screened the feature length documentary, ‘ No Fire Zone- The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka ’ , today. The film screening was preceded by a series of panel presentations on options for accountability and victim support and followed by a Question and answer session. Members of the panel included No Fire Zone director Callum Macrae, Shivani Jegarajah of the Renaissance Chambers, Janani Jananayagam, founding director of Tamils against Genocide and Dr Devika Hovell a lecturer in law at the LSE. Addressing the audience, Barrister of the Renaissance Chambers, Shivani Jegarajah outlined her findings of the situation in Sri Lanka after working on the country guidance case, stating “No-where in the world has there been such a thorough investigation as we have carried out in Sri Lanka” “When I finished the country case, I realised that you cannot analyse a Tamil asylum case without considering at the forefront of your analysis that there was genocide.” The director of the Non Governmental Organisation Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), Janani Jananayagam, outlined that the problem in Sri Lanka was more than an unruly regime, drawing upon several historic presidential statements that highlighted the inconsiderate nature of the Sri Lankan government towards the Tamils in the North-East. “When you watch, think about why this is happening,” she told the audience.
The site of the former LTTE cemetery in Varani, Kodikaamam, has been acquired by the Sri Lankan army citing the Land Acquisition Act, reports Uthayan . The seven acre plot was owned by two unnamed persons. According to the Sri Lankan Army the land was required for military purposes and given to the Army with the owners' consent, who had said that Tamils would not buy and develop over the site, mindful that it contained the desecrated remains of LTTE cadre. The cemetery and tombstones of LTTE cadre were flattened with tractors by the Sri Lankan Army in 1996.
The Sri Lankan government is currently drafting the 19th amendment to the country's constitution, which will repeal powers that were granted to provincial councils under the previous 13th amendment, reported ColomboPage . The new amendment was initally discussed late last year, as calls to abolish the island's 13th amendment grew, alongside cries to reign in powers vested to provincial councils. Earlier this year, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa also rejected Tamil demands for autonomy. See our earlier post: Rajapaksa rejects Tamil autonomy in Independence Day address (04 February 2013...
The Sri Lankan Army has organised a “dental clinic and awareness lecture on oral hygiene” for children from the Methodist Girls’ School in Point Pedro, Jaffna. The event, attended by around 900 pupils and their teachers, was organised by the 7th Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment, according to the Civil Military Coordination Jaffna website. The regiment, which has been honoured with awards by the president Mahinda Rajapakse, was involved in front line fighting throughout the war, and played an instrumental role in the final “mop-up” operations in Mullivaykal, where Sri Lankan troops are accused of...
The Sri Lankan government will declare a month starting from May 08th as the National War Heroes Commemoration Month (Ranaviru Month) to commemorate war heroes of the three armed forces and Police who perished and were injured in the three-decade long civil war, reported Colombo page. A 'National War Heroes Commemoration Ceremony' will be held under the patronage of the President on May 18th, near the parliament building, with a procession of soldiers and officials from the police and Civil Defence force. The Sri Lankan army 'War Heroes' Commemoration takes place on the same day as annual...
Speaking to Channel 4 , activists criticised Cameron's decision to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka in November. The director of Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), Jan Jananayagam, said: "I am disappointed as a British citizen and I am embarrassed for Britain that David Cameron is unable to muster a fraction of Canada’s leadership on this. I think we will look back to regret this as an historic error. It is a sort of death knell for the Commonwealth." Suren Surendiran of the Global Tamil Forum said: "British Tamils are disgusted that our Prime Minister would even...
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian, S. Sritharan, has been summoned to the Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) headquarters for questioning over comments he made to the press on land grab by the Sri Lankan state in the Kilinochchi District. Two men from the TID arrived at his house in Jaffna and questioned his wife regarding himself. Speaking to Ceylon Today , Sritharan said, “A person identifying himself as PC Thilakaratne from the TID spoke to me over the phone on Thursday and requested me to be present at the TID headquarters. He told me the TID needs certain...
The leader of a new political movement Unity of Diversity, Azath Salley, is being held by the CID on a three-month detention order. Salley, who is also the leader of the Muslim Tamil National Alliance, was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act after complaints were made that he was inciting racism, and has been admitted to hospital after starting a hunger strike. “He was taken into custody under Section 120 of the Penal Code and provisions under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). He has violated clause 21 of the PTA,” said police spokesman SP Buddhika Siriwardena. Family members reported that his health had further deteriorated. UNP MPs Karu Jayasuriya, Ravi Karunanayake and Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene, Colombo Mayor A. J. M. Muzammil and Azath Salley’s three brothers were refused permission to visit him, while the TNA’s Sumanthiran visited Salley in his capacity as a lawyer, reported The Island .