• Remembering Black July 1983

    Today we mark thirty-four years from the horrors of the anti-Tamil pogrom of 1983, when Tamils were killed by Sinhala mobs backed by the then UNP government and state forces.

    Armed with electoral rolls, Sinhala mobs targeted Tamil homes and businesses looting and ransacking property. Driven from their homes, particularly in Colombo, over 3000 Tamils were massacred, whilst thousands more were effectively deported by the state to the North-East.

    Eye witness reports described mobs chasing Tamils down the street with knives and setting them alight alive. Many hundreds of women were raped. Tamil political prisoners locked up in Welikada jail, deep within the island's south, were also targeted as prison guards allowed Sinhala inmates to slaughter them.

  • Law and Order Minister pressures Sri Lanka police to wrap up high profile murder and corruption investigations

    Sri Lanka’s police has been given its final warning to speed up investigations into high profile murder and corruption charges levelled against the former regime, reports island.lk.

  • Accountability needed in Sri Lanka – Canadian PM Justin Trudeau

    Canada’s Prime Minister reiterated the need to establish a process of accountability in Sri Lanka, in a message released to mark the Black July pogrom of 1983, in which thousnads of Tamils were killed.

    ““Between July 24 and 29, 1983, anti-Tamil pogroms were carried out in Colombo and other parts of Sri Lanka resulting in thousands of deaths and the displacement of countless victims,” said Justin Trudeau.

  • ‘We cannot indefinitely wait’ - TNA tells senior UN official

    The Tamil people are “not satisfied” with progress made by the Sri Lankan government Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R Sampanthan told the United Nations Under Secretary General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, as they met in Colombo earlier this week.

  • Eastern Provincial Council nominations in Oct 2017

    Nominations for the Eastern Provincial Council will be called on 2 October 2017, the National Elections Commission announced on Saturday. 

    The Council's term will end 26 September 2017. Thirty-seven councillors will be elected for the Eastern Provincial Council. 

    The last election for the EPC was held on 8 September 2012. 

    Nominations for the North-Central and Sabragamuwa Provincial Councils will also take place in October. 

  • US calls for 'swift justice' in Jaffna judge shooting

    Condemning the suspected assassination attempt of a Jaffna High Court judge, Ilancheliyan, the United States embassy in Sri Lanka called for the perpetrators to face "swift justice". 

    "Deeply concerned by shooting involving #Jaffna High Court Judge Illancheliyan. We call on govt to ensure perpetrators face due,swift justice," the US embassy tweeted on Sunday. 

  • Two suspects arrested over Jaffna judge shooting

    Two men were arrested on Sunday over their suspected involvement in the shooting of a Jaffna High Court judge on Saturday. 

    Judge Ilancheliyan managed to escape unharmed but one police officer was killed in the incident. 

    The identities of the suspects remains unknown. 

  • Judge Ilancheliyan's police bodyguard dies of injuries from shooting

    One of two of Jaffna High Court judge Ilancheliyan’s police bodyguards has died in hospital, succumbing to bullet injuries sustained while protecting the judge from an attempt on his life in Nallur yesterday.

  • Sri Lanka to benefit from tariff free exports of travel goods to US market

    Exports of travel goods from Sri Lanka will be duty free entry to the United States following a decision by the US to approve the inclusion of travel goods from all General System of Preferences (GSP) beneficiary countries, reports Xinhua News.

  • Police given 2 months to complete investigations into high profile crimes by Rajapaksa regime

    Sri Lanka's police have been given a two month deadline by the Ministry of Law and Order to complete investigations on high profile cases committed by the former government, Economy Next reported. 

    According to the paper Minister Sagala Ratnayaka is taking a "hands on approach" to ensure progress after Mr Sirisena urged him "to deliver or depart". 

  • Sri Lanka's former Haiti peace-keeping mission commander appointed as Army Chief of Staff

    The former of commander of Sri Lanka’s contingent of peace keeping troops to Haiti has been appointed as the Army Chief of Staff reports Adaderana.lk.

  • Shots fired at Jaffna High Court judge in suspected assassination attempt

    The Jaffna High Court judge Ilancheliyan was fired at on Saturday evening, in a suspected assassination attempt which the judge believes to be linked to his overseeing of dangerous criminal cases.

  • Black July a reminder to remain vigilant against bigotry - Premier of Ontario

    The Premier of Ontario said the Black July pogrom of 1983 serves as a reminder of the need to “remain ever-vigilant against all forms of bigotry and intolerance,” in a message of commemoration this week.

    “History is a great teacher — for those who are open to its lessons,” said Premier Kathleen Wynne. “That is why today, you pause to remember the victims of violent acts against Tamils. We also remember the lives lost and displaced in the Sri Lankan Civil War that followed.”

  • ‘Time to focus on accountability in Sri Lanka’ – Jeremy Corbyn

    The Leader of the Opposition in Britain Jeremy Corbyn has called for a focus on accountability in Sri Lanka and an audit of British funding for the training of Sri Lankan police, as he expressed deep concern over reports of the ongoing torture of Tamils.

  • Sri Lankan navy arrest 8 more Tamil Nadu fishermen

    The Sri Lankan navy have arrested eight more Tamil Nadu fishermen on Friday, for allegedly crossing into Sri Lankan waters. 

    The fishermen, who were detained off the coast of Point Pedro, have been transferred to Kankesanthurai navy camp for further investigation.

    This the latest in a series of arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy. 

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