Tamils in Kilinochchi protested on Monday demonstrating their opposition to the housing scheme proposed by Minister Swaminathan. The scheme, which involves the building of 65,000 prefabricated houses in the North-East, was criticised by the TNA last month. The TNA minister and spokesperson, M A Sumanthiran told parliament the Tamils "dont want those steel cages."
Security Force Headquarters-Mullaitivu (SFHQ-MLT) coordinated and distributed artificial limbs to 48 war-affected civilians at Mullivaikkal School. The initiative was sponsored by Kandy-based Centre for the Handicapped. SFHQ-MLT undertook a similar project in July, in which they distributed 25 artificial limbs. Major General Dampath Fernando, SFHQ-MLT personnel, sponsors, community leaders and civilians were present at the distribution ceremony. An official army website reported the donation "could be considered as a gesture of humanity, reconciliation and goodwill" by the Sri Lankan security...
Tamils in the Netherlands marked Maaveerar Naal last month, in a ceremony attended by hundreds of people.
The Sri Lankan army has been accused of building a new army camp on an LTTE cemetery in Amparai. The army has been clearing land belonging to the LTTE cemetery in Kanchikudichchcaru, Amparai. Concrete boundary pillars are also being constructed, says Eastern Provincial councilor Thavarasa Kalaiyarasan. A commemorative event for Maaveerar Naal was held last month at the Kanchikudichcharu LTTE cemetery. “What is the need for the army to set up a new camp at this location at a time when the people are calling for the demilitarisation of the north and the east?” asked Mr Kalaiyarasan. He also...
Sri Lanka’s president said his government is “totally committed to spread the Theravada Buddhism across the world,” reports the official President’s Media Division. In remarks made at a religious ceremony in the South last week, Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena was quoted as saying, “Buddhism is the only religion which can calm the restless mind of the people and at present the western world also paying more attention to the Buddhism”. Accompanied by senior government ministers, Mr Sirisena went on to unveil seven giant Buddha statues in a grand religious ceremony. See more...
Thousands of people across Italy marked Maaveerar Naal last month, in a series of events held across the country.
Seven Tamil journalists were honoured by the International Association of Tamil Journalists at an event held in memory of Eelam Tamil journalists that were assassinated or killed by Sri Lankan state forces.
Sri Lanka has been granted $1.34 billion in loans from the World Bank announced the government’s finance ministry, as it looks to stabilise the island’s struggling economy. "This is a great victory for us and it will help us in the fiscal consolidation programme that the new government has started," said Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. The move will see loans spread out over 15 years, reports AFP . The loans will add to the government’s debt situation, which has reportedly seen over 95% of all government revenue is spent on repaying loans, It comes after Moody's Investors...
The commander of the Sri Lankan security forces in Jaffna met with senior Sinhala Buddhists monks from the South in Jaffna this month, to discuss “reconciliation”. The military’s official website said that amongst those present at the meeting were the Chief Prelate of the Western Province, the Director of Vidyodaya Pirivena, the former Vice Chancellor Buddhist and Pali University of Colombo, the Editor in Chief of the Sinhala Dictionary and other senior Sinhala Buddhist figures. The Sri Lankan military “briefed them about present situation of Jaffna peninsula” said the website and “they...
A group of Sri Lankan police officers have been held on remand over the murder of two Tamil students earlier this year. The five policemen have been remanded until the 30th of December following a court order by the Jaffna additional magistrate. The two students, 23 year old Nadarasa Kajan and 24 year old Pavunraj Sulaxan, were shot dead on the 20th of October.