A massive Sri Lankan military exercise which has been underway for several weeks concluded with a multi-pronged assault on a beach in the North-East on Tuesday. During the staged assault, Sri Lankan troops stormed the beachfront at Arisimalai in Trincomlaee, whilst Sri Lankan navy craft attacked the shore and air force jets flew overhead. The exercise was a “multi-pronged attack on enemy hideouts,” said an official Ministry of Defence statement , with thousands of Sri Lankan troops participating. Fast Attack Craft, Inshore Patrol Craft, Fast Gun Boats and Landing Craft Utility from the navy...
The Sri Lankan military declared open a new exhibition showcasing heavy weaponry deployed by the military in the final phase of the armed conflict in the Tamil North-East, more than 7 years after the massacres of tens of thousands of Tamils. The 'Orr's Hill Army Museum' was declared open in Trincomalee this week, with Sri Lankan army commander Army Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva attending the opening ceremony. Amongst the exhibitions on display are infantry weapons, armoured vehicles and artillery guns. Tens of thousands of Tamils were killed by Sri Lankan military shelling in the...
India and Sri Lanka are to jointly manage 30 oil tanks in Trincomalee, the Sri Lankan petroleum minister Chandima Weerakkody was quoted by The Hindu as saying. Mr Weerakoddy is to hold meetings with his counterpart in New Delhi regarding the joint venture which will involve the Indian Oil Cooperation subsidiary, Lanka IOC and Ceylon Petroleum Cooperation. “It’s the starting point for developing the regional hub,” Mr Weerakoddy reportedly added. See here for more.
Sri Lanka's justice minister, Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said he "categorically rejects all allegations of war crimes against the armed forces" in an interview to the BBC Sandeshaya. Mr Rajapakshe warned that "legal action would be taken against anyone who alleges that the country’s armed forces had committed war crimes", reported News Radio . "Anyone who brought up the subject of mass graves in the North was an enemy of the nation and the war heroes," Mr Rajapakshe added.
The president of the Valikamam North Resettlement Society called for displaced Tamils to be resettled in their native land and not in any other alternate locations, in an interview with Ceylon Today published on Tuesday. Arunasalam Gunapalasingham said everyone “must understand reality”. “Our people are looking forward to resettle in their native places and everyone has their own lands.” “The authorities must understand that now it is 30 years and three generations from Valikamam North are living in IDP camps and other alternative areas,” he continued, noting that the Sri Lankan government...
Sri Lanka’s foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera met with UN human rights chief Zeid Al Hussein in New York this week, where the two discussed the “reconciliation” on the island, according to a government spokesperson. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit, currently underway in New York. Mr Samaraweera also reportedly met with ministers from Sweden, Serbia and Ethiopia during his visit. Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena also arrived in New York for the summit under heavy security this week.
The secretary of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) said the Sri Lankan government is confusing its electorate by giving contradictory statements on federalism and the prominence of Buddhism on the island. Udaya Gammanpila, a Sinhala nationalist MP, said whilst Sri Lanka’s president and prime minister have pledged to ensure Buddhism still holds prominence across the island as in the current constitution, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has contradicted them. “She recently said she wanted to create a federal yet a semi-secular State in Sri Lanka,” said Mr Gammanpila. “This contradicts...
Four members of the Sri Lankan military’s intelligence unit have been released on bail, after being arrested over the disappearance of cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda. The suspects were released on a cash bail by the Avissawella Provincial High Court and will have to report weekly to Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department.
The commander of the Sri Lankan Army’s 53 Division said secrets from the war “will go with him to his grave,” as he battled off claims that he revealed military secrets in his newly published book. Major General Kamal Gunaratne was speaking to reporters outside the Seethawakapura Urban Council when he made his comments, according to Colombo Gazette . The 53 division, which he led during the final stages of the armed conflict, is accused of committing massive violations of international humanitarian law. He personally stands accused of overseeing the execution of Balachandra, the son of LTTE...
A 30 year old Tamil man was found dead whilst under police custody in a Sri Lankan prison in Kandy. The man, Kaviraj Ravichandran, who was arrested on Saturday, was reportedly found hanging in his cell. The subinspector and police constable on duty that night have been suspended pending investigation, the Daily Mirror reported.