• Uduthurai Thuyilum Illam prepared for Maaveerar Naal

    Nov 23

    Residents and families of Maaveerar continued work at the Uduthurai Thuyilum illam in Vadamarachchi East, making the site ready for Maaveerar Naal (Tamil Remembrance Day). 

    The tombstones of fallen LTTE cadre, which were previously destroyed by the Sri Lankan army, have been placed together to form one large monument in memory of the Maaveerar. 

  • Sirisena orders conclusion of Tamil political prisoner cases after denying existence

    The Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena has reportedly ordered that Tamil political prisoners trials should be ‘concluded’ before January 2019.

    Sirisena issued the directive at his cabinet meeting on Wednesday, News First reports.

    Earlier this year Sirisena said “there are no political prisoners in Sri Lanka” and dismissed ongoing protests by Tamils across the North-East over disappearances and political prisoners, claiming they were instigated by ‘misleading’ NGOs.

  • Body found by Jaffna Youth Court
    <p>The body of a young man was found yesterday inside an abandoned house next to Jaffna Youth Court.&nbsp;</p> <p>It has been identified as 33 year old Vimalathas Joseph Jefferson, from Jaffna.&nbsp;</p> <p>The police is reportedly investigating the death.&nbsp;</p>
  • Final preparations underway at Trincomalee Thuyilum Illam

    Final preparations were underway yesterday at the Alankulam Thuyilum Illam (LTTE cemetry) in Sampoor, Trincomalee, ahead of Tamil Remembrance Day or Maaveerar Naal on November 27.

  • US Senator warns Sri Lanka's crisis threatens progress in strengthening bilateral ties

    The US Senator Chris Van Hollen wrote to the Sri Lankan president yesterday, urging him to seek an end to the political crisis in the island and accept the results of the two no-confidence motions against Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

    Sri Lanka has been in a state of turmoil for weeks following Sirisena's shock sacking of the prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, and the appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa. 

  • Sri Lanka's finance ministry reassures lenders of debt repayment as rupee hits all time low
    <p>Sri Lanka’s finance minister issued a statement reassuring lenders of timely debt repayment, as Sri Lanka’s rupee hit a historic low.</p> <p>The statement released by the ministry today <a href="http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/Govt-can-repay-loans-for-Fin-Ministry…">said,</a></p>
  • Paramilitary leader remand extended over assassination of Tamil MP
    <p>The paramilitary leader Pillayan who is in detention over the 2005 assassination of TNA MP Joseph Pararajasingham has had his remand extended by the Batticaloa High Court.</p> <p>Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, alias Pillayan,&nbsp;formerly a deputy of LTTE defector turned paramilitary leader Karuna, was reportedly disappointed to not be released on Wednesday, with his paramilitary associates gathered outside the court complex waiting to greet him.</p>
  • TID resumes targeting of Tamil Guardian correspondent, issuing 12th summons to friend

    Sri Lanka’s Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) has resumed its campaign against Tamil Guardian journalist Uthayarasa Shalin after a lull of a month.

    The TID issued a summons to Shalin’s friend Sinnathurai Pratheepkumar on Wednesday, ordering him to appear at TID headquarters in Colombo on November 27.

  • Sri Lanka police apply for Maaveerar Naal ban in Koppay

    A Jaffna police department have applied for a ban on commemorations of Maaveerar Naal, the Tamil national remembrance day for fallen LTTE fighters on November 27.

    Koppay police applied for the ban under section 120 of the penal code - inciting or seeking to incite hate - and Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) regulations.

  • CID recommends action against Sri Lankan Admiral for sabotaging officer in charge of navy abduction case

    Sri Lanka’s Chief of Defence Staff should be punished under the Protection of Victims and Witnesses Act for attempting to hamper a case against him by sabotaging the police official in charge of investigating the case, the country’s number two police chief has said.

  • PNF warns British High Commissioner not to ‘interfere in internal affairs’

    Sri Lanka’s Professionals’ National Front (PNF) has written to the British High Commissioner James Dauris, warning him to “refrain from interfering into internal affairs of our motherland”.

    The PNF, an organisation of Sri Lankan professionals from various fields including medicine, engineering, banking and IT, also accused the diplomat of going “beyond the accepted norms and limits as per Vienna convention”.

  • IMF confirms loan to Sri Lanka on hold due to crisis

    The International Monetary Fund (IMF) confirmed that discussions around the next tranche of a USD $1.5 billion loan have been put on hold due to the island’s deepening political crisis.

  • Sri Lanka's Central Bank says Moody's downgrade decision 'unwarranted'
    <p>Sri Lanka's Central Bank (CBSL) today criticised the downgrading of the country by Moody's Investors Service as "unwarranted".&nbsp;</p> <p>The decision "did not properly reflect the country's macroeconomic fundamentals" the CBSL added in a statement.&nbsp;</p> <p>"Such an action only on the premise of heightened political uncertainty, with no evidence of slippages in macroeconomic policies, cannot be justified."</p>
  • Australia's High Commissioner warns asylum seekers 'you will be caught'
    <p>Australia's High Commissioner Bryce Hutchesson this week sent a menancing warning to those fleeing Sri Lanka, stating "you will be caught".&nbsp;</p> <p>"Every Sri Lankan people smuggling boat that has entered Australian waters in the past four years has been stopped, and all those on board returned to Sri Lanka," Hutchesson said.&nbsp;</p> <p>"If you attempt to come illegally by boat, you will be caught."&nbsp;</p>
  • UNP looks to form broader alliance
    <p>The United National Party is looking to form a broader political alliance, the Daily Mirror reports.&nbsp;</p> <p>The party is currently holding discussions on the alliance with the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Jathika Hela Urumya (JHU), the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) and All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC). &nbsp;</p>
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