Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is planning to set up an oil refinery in Sri Lanka, with an investment worth $3.6 billion. A senior official told the Business Standard that the government will supply the company with the land. “We have done the analysis and have first-hand information on the kind of refinery we plan to set up in Sri Lanka. We are in discussions with the Sri Lankan government for tax concessions, a holiday for customs and excise, and other benefits that a refinery should accrue to us. The land will come from the Sri Lankan government,” said the official. Currently Sri Lanka’s ony...
The largest Tamil political party in Sri Lanka have confirmed that they will be attending the Tamil Eelam Support Organization (TESO) conference in India to be held in August, according to reports. Ceylon Today reported that the Tamil national Alliance would be attending the conference, along with the Nava Sama Samaja Party led by Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne, the Democratic People’s Front led by Mano Ganeshan and Siritunga Jayasuriya’s United Socialist Party. Reports also stated that TNA Parliamentarian Mavai Senathiraja met with Indian DMK Leader, and one of the founders of TESO,...
The Sri Lankan military in Valikaamam North has been blocking access to temples and churches located within Jaffna’s ‘High Security Zone’ reports TamilNet . St Joseph Church in the Vaasaavilan village was given military permission to hold its annual feast on Wednesday last week. However, the parish priest and worshippers were blocked at the ‘Forward Defence Line’ by the SLA and turned back after 4 hours of arguments with military officers. There have also been widespread reports of restricted access to other temples and churches in the ‘High Security Zone’.
A statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Ariyalai, in Jaffna district, was destroyed by unidentified persons, reports Uthayan . According to Jaffna based newspaper, the incident occurred on Saturday night. Police officers in Jaffna claim to be investigating the incident. No arrests have been made.
Almost 100 civil society leaders have signed a memo to the Tamil National Alliance urging them to reject the provincial council system and the demerging of the North and East, as they prepare to contest in the upcoming Eastern Provincial Council Elections. The statement, signed by student activists, academics, religious leaders, trade union leaders and professionals amongst many more from across the North-East, noted that, “Tamils have consistently made it clear that a unitary constitution and a provincial council system within the confines of a unitary constitution are incapable of...
Sri Lanka’s Attorney General has dismissed claims that sexual abuse of children in Sri Lanka was on the rise, suggesting that the majority of cases were consensual relationships between teenagers. Attorney General Palitha Fernando, who is Sri Lankan government's chief legal advisor and its primary lawyer in the Supreme Court, told Lakbima News , “But I must tell you, very rarely do we get cases where abuse is committed by force, violent abuse… where, let’s say, a girl is dragged into some place and raped. Those cases are very rare and we need to view them very seriously.” “In a situation not...
Ten Indian boats fishing near Katchatheevu were attacked by Sri Lankan navy with stones and logs early this morning. Fishing officials said the Lankan navy cut the fishing nets in the boats and threw them into the sea. No fishermen were reported injured in the assault. These ten boats were part of a fleet of 696 boats which set off into sea from Dhanushkodi last night. See our earlier post: 23 Indian fishermen arrested by SL Navy (22 July 2012)
Speaking at the International Cuban Solidarity Day held in Colombo, the minister for housing and construction, Wimal Weerawansa said , “The country which is the most insecure in this world is US. They live with an insecure mentality. That is why the American police have imprisoned five Cuban patriots while labelling them as terrorists when those people have done nothing wrong.” See more from Minister Weerawamsa here: US will take over Sri Lanka warns Weerawamsa (05 Jun 2012) SL Minister: ‘Americans are trying to kill me’ (20 March 2012) SL Minister urges boycott of Google (13 March 2012)
TNA MP and TELO political coordinator, Sivajalingam, was arrested and detained by the Sri Lankan Army on Thursday for remembering the massacre of political prisoners at Welikade prison during the 1983 pogrom , reported TamilNet. Posters had been put up remembering the 54 Tamil prisoners that were killed by their Sinhala inmates, including TELO leaders, Kuddimani and Thangathurai. According to TamilNet Sivajalingam was later released at Nelliyadi but warned 'not ‘antagonize’ the military officers of the SL military'. See here for full story on TamilNet.
The Sri Lankan Navy has called on Australia to deport asylum seekers back to the island, following the deportation of Dayan Anthony, the first Tamil asylum seeker to be sent back to Sri Lanka since the end of 2009 massacre. Speaking to The Australian, head of Sri Lankan Naval intelligence Nishantha Ulugetenne said , "When you start deporting, then this problem will ease for us," "Sending just one man back from Australia will not help. More than 1500 Sri Lankans have landed in Australia in the last six months. What are you going to do with them? Screen them one by one?" Ulugetenne’s comments...