The release of land occupied by the Sri Lankan army in Kilinochchi has revealed the widespread destruction of an LTTE cemetery that once stood on that ground, reports TamilNet . Video footage obtained by TamilNet shows the graves of hundreds of fallen fighters have been obliterated, reportedly by bulldozers. Only fragments of tombstones can now be seen littering the landscape. See the video from TamilNet below. The Sri Lankan military has regularly desecrated the graves of LTTE fighters whenever it captured territory.
The United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances at a press conference in Colombo in November 2015. Photogrpah: Colombo Gazette. The United Nations Working Group on Enforced Disappearances said “international judges, prosecutors, lawyers and investigators” to take part in a judicial accountability mechanism for human rights abuses, including disappearances. In a 22-page report released in Geneva today, the UN group reiterated the importance of including international actors in any accountability mechanism. “The road that leads to truth and justice is long but is the right one to...
Speaking at the UN Human Rights Council's 33rd session in Geneva on Wednesday, the UK mission highlighted the lack of progress on key issues in Sri Lanka and reiterated the UK's support for the full implementation of the resolution adopted by the Council one year ago. "Welcome Sri Lanka’s continued progress on implementing resolution 30/1, most recently through the law to establish an Office of Missing Persons. This is a significant step towards reconciliation." "However, much remains to be done including: repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act; releasing more civilian land occupied by the...
The former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunge on Thursday called for a federal and 'semi-secular' constitution. "Sri Lanka should learn a lesson from number of countries which have resolved their issues by formulating federal and secular constitutions," she was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. Calling for what she termed a "semi-secular" state, Ms Kumaratunge said, "Buddha said that everyone is equal. So why are we against giving equal rights to everyone in the nation?. Our effort is to compile a constitution which gives priority to Buddhism and gives equal rights to all other...
Officials from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) visited Sri Lanka on Wednesday to review the $1.5 billion loan given to the country. The representatives, Jaewoo Lee and Eteri Kyintradgze met with the Minister of Finance, Ravi Karunanayake, and the secretary to the treasury, R.H.S Samaratunga. “We had a budget deficit of 6.7 percent of the GDP last year and this year’s target will be 5.4 percent. it will be further reduced to 4.7 percent in 2017,” Mr Karunanayake said at the meeting, thanking the IMF for its assistance. “The government was very clear in gradually reducing the overall...
The Indian coast guard on Tuesday detained a 41 year old Eelam Tamil man who was fleeing his home town of Mullaitivu "fearing harassment by the Sri Lankan armed forces", reported The Hindu . The man, Arul Jayarathinam, alias Rajan, was reported by the paper to be a former member of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He was stranded on the third islet of the Gulf of Mannar when he was found by the coast guard and detained.
Three men were arrested by CID officers in Jaffna over an attack against the Jaffna court house building in May. The men, Akilan, Jegadheesan and Ajanthan are alleged to have attacked the building as hundreds protested against the gang-rape and murder of the school girl, Vidhiya in Pungudutivu island. The men have been arrested for further investigation over the incident, the police reported.
Sri Lankan parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa called on chief Buddhist monks this week, warning them of a “highly dangerous constitution” for the island, which he claims has been drafted by a non-governmental organisation. The National Freedom Front (NFF) leader called on the Mahanayake Theras of Malwatte and Asgiriya to express his fear that a new constitution will harm the status of Buddhism across the island, which currently enjoys “foremost place” according to the constitution. The monks however, reassured the MP. ColomboPage reports the Chief Prelate of Malwatte as telling him that he was...
Sri Lankan soldiers involved themselves in yet another religious festival in the Tamil North-East, as they facilitated devotees praying at a Christian festival in Jaffna last week. Over 1000 people attended the feast of St Mary's Church, which is located inside the Sri Lankan military controlled High Security Zone in Palali. The Sri Lankan military “provided all infrastructure facilities, including installation of sanitary and drinking water facilities” declared an official government website . Troops were also deployed during the festival to “ensure the safety of the devotees,” it said. St...