• Election fever will fade, but the need for justice will not' says Freedom From Torture

    Jan 08
    UK rights group, Freedom From Torture called on newly elected Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena to cooperate with the UN investigation into mass atrocities on the island and ensure justice is served for human rights violations.

    "Sri Lanka's new president, Mr Sirisena, needs to face up to the human rights violations that have been perpetrated during and since the end of the civil war, rather than hoping they will go away. Hundreds of thousands of people were affected by this brutal civil war and healing can only truly begin when justice is done," Susan Munroe, Chief Executive of Freedom from Torture, said in a blog post entitled “Election fever will fade, but the need for justice will not."

  • Opportunity for SL to be peaceful and inclusive says UK Foreign Sec

    The British Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, congratulated newly elected president Maithripala Sirisena and said "Sri Lanka has a renewed opportunity now to grow as a stable, prosperous and inclusive country, reflecting the wishes of all its people."

    "I commend the people of Sri Lanka on the successful completion of their elections and offer my congratulations to Maithripala Sirisena. Sri Lanka has a renewed opportunity now to grow as a stable, prosperous and inclusive country, reflecting the wishes of all its people," the Foreign Secretary said in a statement released on Friday.

  • Cameron calls on Maithri to support UN inquiry

    British Prime Minister David Cameron, congratulating Maithripala Sirisena, called on the the new president to "support the ongoing UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights investigation into human rights abuses."

    In a statement released by Downing Street on Friday, Cameron said:

    "I congratulate Maithripala Sirisena on his victory in yesterday’s Presidential election.

  • Labour foreign office minister calls for Maithri to cooperate with UN
    The British opposition party's shadow foreign office minister, Kerry McCarthy, urged Sri Lanka’s new government to cooperate with the Untied Nations inquiry into mass atrocities and urged the UK “to do everything it can to support the UN investigation.”

    Condemning the previous regime's treatment of ethnic communities on the island she said, "    minority groups were repressed, freedom of expression denied, torture and enforced disappearances common amongst the Tamil community, and human rights defenders threatened."

  • Tamil vote is against Rajapaksa, not for Maithri says TCSF spokesperson
    The Tamil people are sceptical about Maithripala Sirisena delivering on Tamil demands,  the Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) spokesperson, Guruparan Kumaravadivel, wrote in The Hindu on Friday.

    The Tamil vote is against Rajapaksa and not an endorsement of Maithrapala Sirisena, he added.

    "The Tamil people are skeptical about Mr. Sirisena delivering on any of the key Tamil demands - a political solution to the ethnic conflict beyond the unitary state, accountability for crimes committed during the war, demilitarisation, release of Tamil political detainees, return of land taken over by the military etc. Sirisena during the campaign had taken positions contrary to Tamil interests, "  wrote Kumaravadivel.

  • Canada calls on Maithri to address accountability and devolution
    Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird welcomed Maithripala Sirisena as the new president of Sri Lanka, stating it would be an "important opportunity to resolve concerns regarding the devolution of power, accountability and genuine reconciliation".

    “It is our hope that President Sirisena seizes his mandate from the people of Sri Lanka to foster a transparent, responsive and pluralistic government," Baird said, highlighting and commending the role of civil society during the election process.

  • Conclusion of elections provide 'moment of hope' says Obama
    US President Barack Obama called on newly elected Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena to work with the United States to "advance peace, democracy and prosperity", stating the conclusion of the elections was a "moment of hope".
  • Ranil Wickremasinghe sworn in as prime minister
    Ranil Wickremasinghe, the leader of the United National Party (UNP), was sworn in as Sri Lanka’s prime minister before president Maithripala Sirisena at the Independence Square in Colombo on Friday.

    Wickremasinghe urged the people to celebrate the election victory without resorting to any violence or political revenge, reports News.lk.

  • Election does not address immediate or fundamental Tamil issues - BTF
    The British Tamil Forum (BTF) noting the defeat of Mahinda Rajapaksa at Sri Lanka's presidential election to the common opposition's presidential candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, warned that "this will not still resolve the immediate issues faced by the Tamil people nor address the fundamental issue that has affected the Tamils in Sri Lanka for a very long time."

    "As stated by the newly sworn in president in his election manifesto, the policy towards giving autonomy to the Tamil people, de-militarisation of the Tamil areas and cooperation with the UNHRC's international inquiry will remain the same. The fundamental issue that has fuelled this conflict for well over 60 years since the independence of Sri Lanka or Ceylon is the nature of the state, which needs to be structurally reformed," the BTF said.

  • Liberal Party of Canada calls for accountability, devolution and demilitarisation

    Canada's Liberal Party has called on the newly elected president Maithripala Sirisena to "work with the international community to achieve accountability", as well as to demilitarise the Northeast and introduce comprehensive devolution.

    In a statement congratulating Sirisena, Marc Garneau, Foreign Affairs Critic for the Liberal Party, expressed hope that "that the President Elect will work to ensure that democracy and the rule of law is restored, freedom of religion is respected, and the north and the east are demilitarized."

  • UK, Canada urge President Sirisena to cooperate with UN inquiry as he takes office

    Sri Lanka's new president, Maithiripala Sirisena, faced calls from heads of states and international rights groups to address accountability for mass atrocities committed against the Tamil people, along side calls to demilitarise the North-East and address devolution of power, as he took office on Friday.

    President Sirisena, who was endorsed by a coalition of parties, including the UNP, JVP, TNA and SLMC, won 51.28% (6,217,162 votes), beating incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa, who won 47.58% (5,768,090 votes).

  • Maithripala must stop genocidal processes against Tamils and allow self-determination says TRC
    The new president Maithripala Sirisena must stop the “vicious military occupation of the north,” and perpetuation of “genocide against the Tamil population,” whilst allowing Tamils to “determine their own future,” said the Tamil Refugee Council (TRC) in Australia.
  • UN will continue to support accountability in Sri Lanka says UN Sec Gen
    Congratulating the common opposition's presidential candidate, Maithripala Sirisena, on his election victory, the UN Secretary General reiterated that the UN would "continue to support development, reconciliation, political dialogue and accountability in Sri Lanka."

    “The Secretary-General applauds the Sri Lankan Elections Commission for its professionalism in ensuring a peaceful and credible election,” Ban's spokesperson said in a statement on Friday, adding that the "UN chief also commended the efforts of the candidates, including outgoing President Mahinda Rajapaksa, law enforcement agencies and civil society for upholding and respecting democratic governance."

  • Resolve the immediate problems of the Tamil people' says CTC
    The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) called on newly elected Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena to work with the Tamil leadership to “resolve the immediate problems of the Tamil people”, in a statement released on the day he takes up office.

    Noting Sirisena's victory “marks the end of a decade-long dynastic dictatorship of the Rajapakse family”, the CTC stated that Tamil people had “voted en masse” for change.

    “After years of suffering inflicted by the current government and despite various acts of intimidation, thousands of voters took to the polls, symbolizing much needed hope for change,” read the CTC statement.
  • EU congratulates new president
    The European Union congratulated Sri Lanka's new president on his election victory on Friday. 

    "I congratulate Maithripala Sirisena on his election as President of Sri Lanka. The EU looks forward to working with him to further develop its relations with Sri Lanka," the EU's Vice President, Federica Mogherini said in a statement.

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