• Sri Lanka must seize this window of opportunity - David Cameron

    Published 00:01 GMT
     
    Writing in the Tamil Guardian today, British Prime Minister David Cameron reiterated his commitment to ensuring those responsible for war crimes in Sri Lanka are held accountable and said he would press the country's new president, Maithripala Sirisena, to deliver on his commitments, during a bilateral discussion at Downing Street this afternoon.
     


    Sixteen months ago I welcomed Tamil representatives from communities here in Britain to Downing St to discuss how we could work together to address the issues of Sri Lanka’s past and put the country on the path to a brighter, peaceful and prosperous future.
     
    Since then, a UN led investigation into alleged war crimes by all sides in the conflict has got underway. And the people of Sri Lanka have elected a new President who has made clear that he is fully committed to reconciliation and reform.
     
    Ever since my visit to Sri Lanka in 2013 one thing has remained constant - my unwavering commitment to stand up for all those affected by what happened. I remain determined to ensure that there is accountability for the past and respect for human rights today. And that will be my message to President Sirisena when I meet with him in Downing Street today.
     

  • Cameron tells Sri Lanka in 6 months time the spotlight will be back on
    Reiterating the UK's commitment to hold those responsible for mass atrocities in Sri Lanka accountable, the British prime minister, David Cameron reminded Sri Lanka ahead of his bilateral discussions with the country's new president, Maithripala Siresena this afternoon, that "in six months time the spotlight will be back on".

    "Ever since my visit to Sri Lanka in 2013 one thing has remained constant - my unwavering commitment to stand up for all those affected by what happened. I remain determined to ensure that there is accountability for the past and respect for human rights today. And that will be my message to President Sirisena when I meet with him in Downing Street today," Mr Cameron said, writing in the Tamil Guardian.

    Last month the UN Human Rights Council voted to defer the publication of the findings of a UN inquiry into mass atrocities committed against the Tamil people at the final stages of the armed conflict by six months to September, giving the new government in Sri Lanka six months to cooperate with the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka (OISL).

    The decision prompted widespread demonstrations by Tamils in the North-East, who said they were very disappointed that they are once again denied justice.

  • Tamil disappearances activist granted bail by Sri Lankan court

    Tamil disappearances activist Jeyakumari Balendran, who was arrested and arbitrarily detained by Sri Lankan security forces almost 1 year ago, was granted bail by a court in Colombo today.

    Ms Jeyakumari was released with a Rs. 200,000 surety bail and instructed that she must sign in to a police station every month. She is also subject to a travel ban, with her passport having been confiscated by Sri Lankan authorities.

    Protestors had gathered outside of the courthouse in Colombo earlier today, as she arrived for her hearing, having being held in detention for 362 days.

  • Sinhala version of No Fire Zone released

    The producers of the award-winning, Emmy-nominated documentary No Fire Zone: The Killing Fields of Sri Lanka released a version of the movie in the Sinhalese language at an event in the House of Commons in London.

    A press release said the new version was a "direct challenge to the new government over its commitment to a free media".

    The event, which coincided with the new Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's visit to London, was attended by No Fire Zone Director Callum Macrae, Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh and Conservative MP Lee Scott and was also addressed by exiled Sinhalese writer Bashana Abeywardane.

    “I welcome President Sirisena’s commitment to freeing the media in Sri Lanka from the censorship and repression of the Rajapaksa years,” Mr Macrae said.

  • Meaningful engagement with OISL central to UK support for Sri Lanka - UK Prime Minister

    Prime Minister David Cameron told President Maithripala Sirisena that meaningful engagement with the OHCHR Investigation in Sri Lanka is central to continued support from the UK, at the first meeting between the two leaders in London earlier today.

    A Downing Street spokesperson said they discussed President Sirisena’s "clear plans to build lasting reconciliation across Sri Lanka, both through supporting the ongoing UN investigation and by establishing an internal mechanism to address issues from Sri Lanka’s past".

  • Protestors in Chennai demand Indian prime minister cancels trip to Sri Lanka

    Hundreds of protestors gathered in Chennai to call upon Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cancel his upcoming visit to Sri Lanka, urging him not to visit the island whilst oppression continues in the Tamil homeland.

    Protestors from the 'Ilanthamizhagam Iyakkam’, ‘Dravidar Viduthalai iyakkam’ and 'Tamil Nadu Students Movement' attended the protest, held last weekend.

    “The new regime led by Maithripala Sirisena is determined to follow the steps of (former president) Rajapaksa in denying justice to Tamils and continuing the military oppression, occupation of Tamil land and retaining political prisoners in undisclosed camps in the North and Eastern part of Sri Lanka, the Tamils homeland,” said Elangovan, a spokesperson for 'Ilanthamizhagam Iyakkam’.
  • Protesters call for release of Jeyakumari
    Campaigners advocating for the release of the detained prominent disappearances activist, Jeyakumari Balendran, who was arrested and arbitrarily detained almost 1 year ago.

    The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFEE) and (Centre for Human Rights and Research (CHR) in protests on Colombo on Friday, urged the government to file charges or release Balendran Jeyakumari.

    The protests come as Sri Lankan courts extended the detention of Jeyakumari, after the request of Sri Lanka’s anti-terrorism police.
  • International Women’s Day marked with rally for justice in India

    Hundreds of Tamil Nadu youth marked International Women’s day with a rally calling for justice for those Eelam Tamil women killed by the Sri Lankan security forces.

  • Working with Sri Lanka to repatriate Tamil refugees – India

    The Indian government said it is working with Sri Lanka to repatriate thousands of Tamil refugees, who fled to India during the armed conflict.

    Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said discussions about the return of 100,000 Tamils from Tamil Nadu were ongoing.

    "We had agreed when Sri Lanka's foreign minister was here (India) in January to find ways by which these refugees could go back with honour, dignity (and) safety," Mr Jaishankar told reporters on Monday.

    "We've already had one meeting on the bilateral side on January 30 to discuss the issue."

    "We are discussing a lot of issues with Sri Lanka and the issue of reconciliation features significantly," the foreign secretary said.

    "We want to encourage that process."

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is due to visit Sri Lanka this week and is expected to become the first Indian leader to visit the Tamil North-East of the island.

  • Fonseka acquitted and due to be promoted

    The former army commander General Sarath Fonseka has been acquitted of harbouring army deserters, by the high court in Colombo.

    Judge Devika Tennakon de Livera said the prosecution had failed to prove the case, which was brought by the government after Mr Fonseka’s failed electoral challenge to former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, without reasonable doubt.

  • No Sinhala leader has the courage to deliver solution to Tamils says TNA MP
    The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP, S Sritharan said no one amongst the Sinhalese had the courage to give Tamils a solution, criticising the current prime minister, Ranil Wickremasinghe's statements that he seeks a solution with the Tamil people, as false.

    "In Ranil Wickremasinghe's view if we speak about our ethnic community then [we] are a terrorist. He [Ranil] says he cannot speak to him [the 'terrorist']. It was this Ranil Wickremasinghe who destroyed our struggle," Mr Sritharan said on Sunday, addressing those gathered at an event for International Women's Day in Jaffna.

    "Ranil Wickremasinghe played a key role in making the individual Karuna turn against our struggle and destroying our land. Even today, it is he [Ranil Wickremasinghe], who proclaims that he played the greatest role in killing Tamil people and shattering their struggle," he added, remarking: "And he is coming - coming to speak to the Tamil people."

  • Australia's detention policies regarding Tamil asylum seekers violate Convention Against Torture says UN
    A UN report published Monday found that Australia's detention policies regarding asylum seekers and children, were in breach of the UN's Convention Against Torture by violating the "rights of migrants and asylum seekers to be free from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment".

    The UN's special rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez, who investigated allegations of torture in 68 countries, also examined "allegations concerning the situation of two groups of Sri Lankan asylum seekers and migrants (203 in total), including a significant number of Tamils, and their incommunicado detention and imminent deportation to Sri Lanka by the Australian Government, in contravention of Australia’s non-refoulement obligations" the report said.

    "The Rapporteur concludes that the Government of Australia, by failing to amend the provisions of the two bills to comply with the State’s obligations under international human rights law, particularly with regard to the rights of migrants, and asylum seekers, including children, has violated the rights of migrants and asylum seekers to be free from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, as provided by articles 1, 3, and 16 of the CAT."

  • Indian parliament expresses outrage over Sri Lankan PM defending shooting of fishermen
    Members of India's Lok Sabha expressed outrage over comments by Sri Lanka's prime minister, Ranil Wickremasinghe, endorsing the Sri Lankan navy's shooting of Tamil Nadu fishermen.

    The opposition member, Rajiv Shukla, accused India's external affairs minister, Sushma Swaraj who held discussions with Mr Wickremasinghe days before his comments, of being "helpless".

    Mr Wickremasinghe's comments were a "slap in the face" to India, Mr Shukla added. 

    Rejecting his remarks, Ms Swaraj was quoted by the Times of India as saying, "I am not helpless. I am a very influential external affairs minister."

  • Tamil protests at Commonwealth Day events attended by Sirisena

    British Tamils protesting outside Marlborough House in London earlier today

    Commonwealth Day events in London saw protests by British Tamils, who opposed the presence of Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena.

    A Commonwealth Day service was held at Westminster Abbey and was attended by the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, alongside representatives of Commonwealth Nations including President Sirisena.

  • UK expects progress on accountability in Sri Lanka, says British foreign secretary
    British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said the United Kingdom expects to see progress on accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, as he welcomed Sri Lanka's president and foreign minister in London today.

    In a statement released after meeting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera in London, Mr Hammond said,
    “The UK looks forward to supporting the new Sri Lankan Government as it implements its planned reforms, and as it works towards building a more democratic and accountable government, that will help Sri Lanka grow into a stronger and more prosperous nation for all its people.”
    The British Foreign Secretary further said “I particularly welcome Sri Lanka’s engagement with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR),” adding,
    “The UK expects to see progress on Sri Lankan commitments to set up a credible domestic reconciliation and accountability processes ahead of the UN Human Rights Council in September 2015 and the publication of the report of the OHCHR Investigation on Sri Lanka.”
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