• Broad dialogue with all parties key to rebuilding confidence in Sri Lanka says Swiss FM

    Mar 16
    Switzerland called on Tuesday for Sri Lanka's new government to ensure "open and broad dialogue with all parties involved in 25 years of civil war", stating that this was key to rebuilding confidence.
  • Witnesses can prove existence of secret detention centres in North-East - TNA
    The Tami National Alliance spokesperson, Suresh Premachandran said that he had witnesses that could testify to prove that there were secret detention centres in the North-East.

    Accusing the prime minister of rejecting the claims of detention centres without properly investigating the allegations, Mr Premachandran said,
  • Third Sri Lankan navy attack on Indian fishermen this week

    The Sri Lankan navy attacked fishermen from India with nylon ropes and pelted stones at them on Tuesday morning, in the third reported attack by Sri Lankan security forces on Tamil Nadu fishermen this week.

    The fishermen from Ramneswaram were reportedly set upon by the Sri Lankan navy, who attacked them off the coast of Katchatheevu and warned them not to return.

    The attack comes after Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe reiterated his defence of the Sri Lankan navy's shooting at Indian fishermen who stray into its waters.

  • Sri Lanka PM reiterates navy can shoot Indian fishermen in its waters
    The Sri Lankan prime minister, Ranil Wickremasinghe reiterated his defence of the Sri Lankan navy's shooting at Indian fishermen who stray into its waters, stating that it was Sri Lanka's right.

    "The Lankan navy has the right to shoot in any part of the country if anyone enters territorial waters, this is nothing new," Mr Wickremasinghe told NDTV on Monday.

    His comments come just days after the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, visited Sri Lanka and stated that the issue of fishermen across the Palk Straits was a "humanitarian" issue and must be resolved through dialogue.

  • Sri Lanka's cabinet approves 19th amendment draft bill
    Sri Lanka's cabinet on Sunday approved the draft bill on the 19th Amendment to the constitution, amending powers vested with the executive president.

    Reforms will include the reduction of the president's term from six years to five years and transferring the power to dissolve parliament from the president to parliament itself.
  • Dismembered human remains found in Vadamaradchi
    Mutilated remains were found washed up on Kudaarappu shore in Vadamaradchi on Saturday, reports Uthayan.

    The dismembered body, which was discovered by locals, had its head and limbs severed off, and was found in a decomposing state.

    The condition of the body means it is not possible to identify as male of female, police said.
  • Tamils demonstrate outside UNHRC calling for investigation into genocide by Sri Lanka
    Photographs Tamil Guardian

    Hundreds of Tamils demonstrated outside the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on Monday, calling for an investigation into genocide and a referendum for the Eelam Tamils on self-determination.

  • Tamil Nadu protestors demand UN release report on Sri Lanka's mass atrocities
    Protestors in India demanded the United Nations release a report on mass atrocities in Sri Lanka and that former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapksa be tried for war crimes.

    Demonstrators gathered in front of Tanjavur railway station on Friday demanding action form the United Nations. Manithaneya Makkal Katchi leader M. H. Jawahirullah told the Hindu,
  • NFF walked out of Modi's speech to protest against 13A
    The leader of the National Freedom Front (NFF) Wimal Weerawansa walked out of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech to the Sri Lankan parliament, as a protest against the 13th Amendment, reports the Island.
  • Valalai people visit HSZ to find their homes and wells destroyed
    Photograph: Tamil Guardian

    Displaced Tamils from the region of Valalai were allowed to walk through their former homelands for the first time in 25 years on Friday, after the Sri Lankan military displaced locals and converted the area into a High Security Zone in 1990.


    An official meeting was held on Wednesday, by the chairman of the resettlement authority, Harim Peiris, who pledged to resettle the Valalai people to view their lands and be resettled before the end of the week.

    The families upon visiting their lands on Friday, expressed concern that their homes and wells and been demolished whilst the borders of their lands unidentifiable, reports Uthayan. 

  • International judicial mechanism needed to serve justice for all in Sri Lanka - Callum Macrae
    The United Nations Human Rights Council will have to act on the investigation into Sri Lanka’s atrocities (OISL), moving to establish an international judicial mechanism in order to ensure justice is served to all communities, said the director of the documentary, No Fire Zone, Callum Macrae.

    In a press release, issued after the new Sri Lankan president rejected cooperation with the OISL and pledged to set up a domestic investigative process, Callum Macrae said: “He says this domestic inquiry will be conducted ‘efficiently, in a balanced, legal and impartial manner’, but when asked about the allegations in No Fire Zone he said he ‘doesn’t believe’ them.”

    “President Sirisena, like President Rajapaksa before him, has refused to let the OISL investigators in to Sri Lanka. So we are back to square one and when the OISL report is presented in September the UN Human Rights Council will have to act on that report and move to set up some form of international judicial mechanism which can ensure that justice is done for all the communities of Sri Lanka.”

  • No credible steps taken to repeal arbitrary detention laws in Sri Lanka - Ruki Fernando
    No credible steps have been taken by the new government in Sri Lanka to repeal draconian anti-terror laws that allow for the arbitrary arrest of Human Rights defenders, said the previously detained Sri Lankan human rights activist, Ruki Fernando, whilst speaking on the release of enforced disappearances campaigner Jeyakumari Balendran.

    Addressing an event hosted by Forum Asia on creating space for human rights defenders at the 28th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council on Tuesday, Mr Fernando said: “The international community must not be deceived by token releases. In Sri Lanka there is a Structural problem that allows for the arbitrary detention of human rights defenders. This is the prevention for terror act.”
  • Freedom from fear essential for reconciliation in Sri Lanka says UN rapporteur
    Photograph:Tamil Guardian

    Sri Lanka’s government must create “open space” for reconciliation said the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief on Thursday.

    “Freedom from fear is the most elementary part in allowing for freedom for religion and expression in a situation like Sri Lanka, said Heiner Bielefeldt.

    Communal violence in a climate of impunity occurs in Sri Lanka in the name of Buddhism, as Buddhists seem to have an unjustified fear leading to hate speech the rapporteur added. 

  • Sri Lankans find international investigation into atrocities insulting - CBK
    The former Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga said that the Sri Lankan people felt calls for the UN led international investigations into war crimes were “insulting,” reports the International Business Times UK.
     
  • BJP hails 'historic' Modi visit
    The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has hailed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Sri Lanka as “historic” and praised the “very positive message sent to Tamils” on the island.

    BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said the visit would “pave the way for strong ties between India and Sri Lanka,” adding,
    “Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit after three decades has proved to be a historic visit. Prime Minister's visit to Jaffna has sent a very positive message to Tamils living in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. He also flagged of the fishermen issue and his address to the Sri Lankan Parliament was very grandly appreciated.”
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