The European Union (EU) in a press release ,shortly after a European Union Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that Liberation Tamil Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) funds were unlawfully frozen, said it “continues to consider the LTTE as a terrorist organisation and the EU’s restrictive measures against the LTTE remain in force.” “This means that the LTTE remains listed as a terrorist organisation by the EU,” the statement added. Acknowledging the ECJ ruling, the statement went on to say that “remedial action will be taken to adjust the listings to these procedural requirements and to ensure legally...
The Sri Lankan government on Wednesday deployed its military to distribute fuel to state firms after the country experience severe shortages following strikes by workers. The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation had called a strike against the government's attempts to encourage foreign companies into the oil sector. Soldiers stormed into two oil storage facilities and moved peaceful protesters, the CPC trade union official, D J Rajakaruna was quoted by Reuters as saying.
The top court of the European Union (EU) has removed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from a banned terrorist organisation list, reports Reuters . Judges at the European Court of Justice (ECJ) confirmed the ruling on Wednesday morning, stating the EU had not demonstrated enough evidence to show the LTTE was able to carry out any military attacks "The Court of Justice therefore confirms the annulment of the continued freezing of the LTTE's funds," it was quoted by Reuters as stating. A press release from the Court of Justice said the Council of the European Union "did not refer to...
Sri Lankan police have launched an investigation after the Sri Lankan flag was allegedly pulled down from a flag pole at the Vavuniya District Secretariat yesterday. Daily Mirror reports that an unidentified individual arrived at the premises and pulled down the flag, before escaping as police officials attempted to arrest him. Following a complaint by District Secretary M.B.R. Pushpakumara a police investigation has now been launched into the incidident. The Sri Lankan flag has reported been raised again.
The Sri Lankan government on Tuesday decided to postpone Provincial Council polls until there was a new electoral system that would allow for all councils to have their election on the same day, the Daily Mirror reported. The announcement came just days after the government said council elections for the Eastern province, as well as North-Central and Sabaragamuwa would be held in October 2017. Elections in the provinces are already two years overdue, prompting calls from the Joint Opposition that the government is stalling on calling elections as it fears defeat.
A former LTTE cadre received a life sentence on Tuesday under Sri Lanka's notorious Prevention of Terrorism Act, for allegedly recruiting 'child soldiers'. Mr Kannadasan lawyer questioned how he could be prosecuted as he had undergone the government's 'rehabilitation programme' following the end of the armed conflict. Many LTTE cadres were enticed to surrender themselves and undergo the government programme on the promise they would not be later prosecuted under Sri Lanka's laws for their involvement with the LTTE. The Vavuniya High Court judge who passed the sentence expressed his regret at...
Sri Lanka’s Presidential Commission of Inquiry has summoned for hearing in relation to alleged treasury bond scams that saw billions of rupees swindled from public funds. The commission ordered the former Finance Minister and current Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake to attend a hearing on Monday. Mr Karunanayake informed the commission he was unable to attend the summons on short notice due to official duties. The summons comes after President Maithripala Sirisena extended the time period of the commission and extended the deadline for a final investigative report to be submitted in October...
The 55 Tamil detainees, including prominent political prisoners, killed by Sinhalese inmates at the Welikada prison in 1983 were remembered in Jaffna on Tuesday. On the 25th July 1983 Sellarasa “Kuttimani” Yogachandiran, leader of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) and Ganeshanathan Jeganathan, a political writer, had their eyes gouged out in mockery before being killed by Sinhalese inmates at the high security Welikada prison in Colombo. A total of 37 Tamil prisoners were murdered the same day, and 18 more were killed two days later. The week of massacres of Tamils, beginning...
Sri Lankan soldiers at the Combat Training School (CTS) in Amparai, announced the opening of a new herbal garden inside the military headquarters on Saturday.
The former Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa condemned the Office of the Missing Persons Act, as a step to prosecute the country's armed forces, Ceylon Today reported. In a letter to the senior Buddhist clergy, Mr Rajapaksa urged them to take action on what he described as "acts of betrayal being committed under the guise of promoting reconciliation". Rejecting assurances given by the current government that the Act would not be enforced in a retrograde fashion, Mr Rajapaksa said, "That was an outright lie." "If this law to give effect to the International Convention against Enforced...