• Sri Lankan train attendant harasses Tamil woman and racially abuses intervening passengers

    An attendant on a North-bound train sexually harassed a Tamil woman and racially abused, and attempted to physically attack, male Tamil passengers who tried to intervene.

    The attendant on Train 4077 from Mount Lavinia to Chunnakam on Monday moved seats behind the woman and groped her. The woman moved seats to which the attendant followed her.

    Other passengers intervened when the woman shouted, following which the attendant became more aggressive and racially abusive towards the male Tamil passengers.

  • Wigneswaran discusses problems faced by families returning after military occupation

    The chief minister of the Northern Province, C V Wigneswaran on Sunday met with families in Valikaamam North who had returned to their homes that had until recently been occupied by the Sri Lankan military. 

    The families from Myliddy, Thaiyiddy, Kadduvan and Mayilani spoke of the many problems they were facing following their prolonged displacement as well as having to rebuild their lives despite the military's ongoing presence nearby. 

  • Police harass Tamils protesting against Sirisena's May Day rally in Batticaloa

    Sri Lankan police officers attempted to stop families of the disappeared protesting today against the Sri Lankan president's May Day event in Batticaloa.

    Continuing their protest undeterred, families condemned the government's failure to provide answers for the tens of thousands who remaing unaccounted for and criticised the Office on Missing Persons (OMP) as a mechanism of provide accountability. 

     

  • Sri Lankan court releases suspects accused of assaulting tourists

    The Matara chief magistrate on Friday released nine suspects on bail who had been arrested for attempting to sexually assault a Dutch and British tourist at Mirissa beach in Weligama. 

    The incident took place on April 8. 

    The suspects were released on two personal sureties of Rs 200,000 each, the Colombo Page reported. 

    The case will be heard again on October 8. 

  • Blunder' to field Sirisena as common candidate - Fonseka

    The former army commander, Sarath Fonseka said it was a mistake to field Maithripala Sirisena, the current president, as the common candidate in 2015. 

    "I told Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to contest the last presidential election but the party supported a common candidate instead. This was a blunder," Mr Fonseka told a May Day rally, the Daily Mirror reported. 

  • Wigneswaran warns that 10 years of military occupation is enough to make North into East

    The chief minister of the Northern Province, C V Wigneswaran condemned the Sri Lankan military's ongoing occupation and civilian activites, warning that it would only take 10 years of occupation to make the Northern province into the East.

    "Everyone needs to know about the military's activities which are taking place around us," Mr Wigneswaran wrote in article published on May 4. 

  • TNA MPs meet with Iranaitivu protesters

    Tamil National Alliance MPs and NPC members met with families protesting against the navy's occupation of their lands in Iranaitivu on Saturday. 

    MPs S Sritharan and Mavai Senathirajah as well as the NPC member, Kurukularajah were present, expressing their support to the protesters. 

  • Police officer injured in sword attack in Kayts

    A Sri Lankan police officer was injured in a sword attack in Kayts yesterday. 

    The officer, who has not been identified, was attacked on his way to work. 

    The attack is believed to be involved in criminal activity, the police told reporters, adding that an investigation into the incident had been launched. 
     

  • Militarisation: army gives Jaffna students bicycles

    Deepening the military's involvement in civilian activities, particularly within the school environment, the Sri Lankan army presented bicycles and funds to school children in Jaffna district today. 

  • Sri Lankan army hosts judo workshop for Kilinochchi students

    More than 70 youth from Kilinochchi participated in a judo workshop organized by Security Forces Headquarters - Kilinochchi. 

  • Sinhala officials attack Tamil cattle herders in Batticaloa

    Sinhala officials from the Wildlife Conservation Department attacked and burnt the huts of cattle herders in Mathavanai, Batticaloa. 

    On the evening of April 20, five officials arrived in a vehicle and entered the homes of the cattle herders, villagers said, describing the officials as drunk. 

  • Sirisena’s Chief of Staff arrested for taking bribe

    President Sirisena’s Chief of Staff, I.H.K. Mahanama, was arrested for taking a bribe from an Indian investor. 

  • Sri Lanka objects to US Congressional Caucus event on Religious and Ethnic Freedom

    Sri Lanka’s Embassy in the US filed a letter of objection to a Congressional Caucus on Religious and Ethnic Freedom in Sri Lanka which saw discussion on the link between Sinhala Buddhism and extremist violence.

    Commenting on the event invitation, Sri Lanka’s Charge d’affaires to the US Priyanga Wickramasinghe said,

  • CID re-issue photo of navy officer wanted over disappearance of Tamil youths

    Sri Lanka's CID on Thursday re-issued a photograph of the navy lieutenant commander who is wanted in relation to his suspected involvement in the disappearance of 11 Tamil youths between 2008 - 2009. 

    The police have issued an open arrest warrant for the officer, Hettiarachchi Mudiyanselage Chandana Prasad Hettiarachchi alias Navy Sampath. 

  • Maha Sangha warns 20A will divide Sri Lanka

    Sri Lanka's senior Buddhist clergy, the Maha Sangha, on Thursday urged the president and prime minister not to push through with the proposed 20th amendment to the constitution which would abolish the executive presidency, arguing it was a move to divide the country. 

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