Responding to hostility from the Sinhala Buddhist population to the possible settlement of Rohingya refugees into Sri Lanka, the government on Thursday reiterated once again that it would not be issuing any resident visas or granting citizenship to Rohingya refugees. "The government takes legal action against the foreigners arriving in the country or its waters in violation of Immigration and Emigration laws provided in Article 10 of the Immigration and Emigration Act No. 20 of 1948. According to paragraph 45 (1) punishments will be imposed on such offenders," the Ministry of Law and Order...
Sri Lanka's senior Buddhist clergy and a leading Buddhist organisation have opposed part of the interim report produced by the Constitutional Steering Committee, the Daily Mirror reported. Maha Nayaka of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya and the Buddhist organisation, Buddha Sasana Karya Sadaaka Managlaya issued a statement expressing their opposition to the inclusion of the Tamil word "orumiththa naadu", which they argue "could be an attempt to achieve federalism." They also criticised the inclusion of the phrase that other faiths would not be discriminated against while giving foremost place to...
The administration of the historic Thiruketheeswaram Kovil in Mannar have urged the Sri Lankan president not to participate in the opening of an illegally constructed Buddhist vihara in its environs.
The Northern Provincial Council has offered refuge and protection to Rohingya refugees currently being held in Boosa detention centre. In a proposal brought by NPC member M. K. Sivajilingam on Thursday, the Council condemned the attack on the refugees by Buddhist extremists. The 31 Rohingya had been rescued near the coast of Kankesanthurai and presented to the Mallakam court, before being taken to a UN safehouse in Mount Lavinia, a suburb of Colombo, which was then stormed by a mob led by Sinhala Buddhist monks. The Council members decided that shelter could be offered to the refugees in the...
Sri Lanka's acting Inspector General of Police, C D Wickremaratne on Thursday ordered an investigation into the sinhala Buddhist monk led attack on Rohingya refugees in Mount Lavinia earlier this week. "The police also obtained a court order from the Mount Lavinia Magistrate’s Court to obtain unedited footage of the incident from the Television Channels," the police spokesperson, Ruwan Gunasekara was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. The investigation will be carried out by the Colombo Crime Division. The mob led by saffron clad monks on Tuesday stormed into the UN building where 31...
Sri Lanka's former chief justice, Sarath N Silva on Thursday filed a petition at the Supreme Court questioning the legality of the Provincial council elections bill. The bill was recently passed in parliament with a two thirds majority. The bill has been criticised by a number of local election monitors who said that there was insufficient consultation prior to the passage of the bill. See more here.
Mullaitivu residents have demanded the removal of an army camp that surround schools in the district, citing concerns about the negative effects of militarisation on the area's young people.
Supporters of the general secretary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Vaiko lay seige to the Sri Lankan High Commission in Chennai on Wednesday, protesting against their leader being threatened by former Sri Lankan military personnel in Geneva. Burning the Sri Lankan flag, MDMK supporters condemned New Delhi's silence over the alleged incident. Vaiko said he was on Monday accosted by a Sri Lankan woman and former army personnel after concluding his address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. “After I completed my speech, a woman approached me and questioned my right...
Photograph: Daily Mirror Sinhala Buddhist protestors gathered outside the UN office in Colombo on Wednesday, demanding the expulsion of Rohingya refugees from the island.
Sri Lankan Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera released a statement condemning an attack on Rohingya refugees in Colombo by Sinhala Buddhist monks, stating that the attackers were “a group of thugs in robes”. His statement comes as Rajitha Senaratne, a Sri Lankan cabinet spokesman, branded the attackers “animals”, adding “this is not what the Buddha taught”. In a statement released on the Sri Lankan Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, Mr Samaraweera also said he condemned the attack “as a Buddhist”. He went on to reiterate how the Sri Lankan navy had rescued Rohingya asylum seekers in...