Three Tamil and Muslim farmers in Kankuveli - Padukadu, Muthur were hospitalised on Saturday morning after being attacked by Sinhalese workers attached to Sinhalese Home Guards from the Neelapola village. 34-year-old Tharmalingam Sivakumar was most severely injured in the attack, with the other victims Muhammad Jihad, age 51, and Muhammad Rishad, age 38, also having to receive treatment. They were attacked when going to work on their cultivation lands, which they had recently gained access to following a protracted struggle with Sinhalese Home Guards who had appropriated the lands during the...
The Security Forces Headquarters – Kilinochchi (SFHQ-KLN) started an initiative to plant 135,000 saplings across the Kilinochchi District reports Sri Lanka’s army website. The project led by Commander of Security Forces – Kilinochchi Major General AJith Kariyakarawana will see the military plant and distribute 100,000 saplings in the area, whilst 35,000 saplings will be distributed across army Battalions. The opening ceremony of the initiative took place at the Kilinochchi headquarters last week, with commanders of battalions present.
The Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna (SFHQ-J) took part in the opening ceremony of a house for a family in Jaffna. The house was built by 14 troops under the directive of Commander of the Security Forces in Jaffna Major General Darshana Hettiarachchi, who presented the keys of the house to the family during the opening ceremony.
One man has been arrested in connection with the storming of a UN safe house in Mount Lavinia where 31 Rohingya refugees were sheltering, the police spokesperson, Ruwan Gunasekara said. “The suspect was arrested on charges of obstructing the duties of the Police, acting in an unruly manner,” Mr Gunasekara was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. The suspect has been identified as Weerasekarage Deshantha Chamiruwan Rodrigo of Moratuwa. The arrest has raised tensions in the area following the incident on Tuesday.
Reiterating his commitment to an undivided Sri Lanka, the president, Maithripala Sirisena, said the new constitution was "totally rejected" in the new constitution.
Sri Lanka's Center for Human Rights and Research (CHR) has made a complaint to the Ministry of Law and Order that the storming of a UN safe house where 31 Rohingya refugees were sheltering was an attempt to cover up the rape of a Rohingya refugee by a Sri Lankan police officer by removing the witness from the country. “People have been incited by a perpetrator of sexual violence in order to remove witness from Sri Lanka,” CHR Executive Director Rajith Keerthi Tennekoon, was quoted by JDS as saying. JDS reported: "According to information revealed in court the police officer sexually attacked...
The Tamil National Alliance MP and spokesperson, M A Sumanthiran on Friday condemned the detention of 31 Rohingya refugees in Boosa detention camp by Sri Lankan police. "Strongly condemn the violation of the rights of #Rohingya refugees and incarceration in Boosa detention camp by Sri Lankan authorities #lka," Mr Sumanthiran tweeted . The refugees, mainly women and children, were transferred to Boosa after a mob led by Sinhala Buddhist monks stormed the UN safe house in Mount Lavinia where they were staying. The Northern Provincial Council on Friday offered refuge and protection to Rohingya...
Mullaitivu fishermen are struggling to engage in their livelihood due to the Sri Lankan military occupation of coastlines in the district.
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...