• Rajapaksa accuses Norway of funding the LTTE

    Nov 14
    The Sri Lankan president accused Norway of funding the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Tamil Eelam during the three-decade ethnic conflict reports Colombo Page.

    Speaking at a function in Kurunegala on Sunday, Mahinda Rajapaksa, alleged that the government had received evidence suggesting the former Norwegian government’s involvement in funding the LTTE.
  • Government announces over Rs 45m in welfare grants for military 'war heroes'
    The Sri Lankan government has announced Rs 45.5 million got welfare grants to disabled soldiers and their children from the military.

    The grants, which were organised by the Ranawiru Seva Authority (RSA) were presented by the Secretary of Defence, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at a ceremony on November 14.
  • Military land survey disrupted in North after locals protest
    A land survey carried out by military personnel in the Vettrilaikeni Kattaikadu Mulli region and Vadamarachchi East was halted on Thursday morning, after locals protested against further land grabs.

    The surveyors arrived in the morning together with a large number of police officers.
  • Gun used to kill former LTTE policeman found, wife reports preceding threats

    2nd lead



    The murder weapon used to shoot dead a former LTTE policeman at his home in Mannar on Wednesday night was found by sniffer dogs in Vellankulam on Friday morning, 200m away from the site of the shooting.

  • Mannar bishop condemns killing of former LTTE policeman
    The Bishop of Mannar, Rayappu Joseph condemned the killing of a former LTTE police officer by unidentified gunmen on Wednesday night, and called on the international community to ensure an end to extrajudicial killings.
  • Teachers' union condemn military presence at Jaffna Uni

    The Jaffna University teachers' union condemned the heavy presence of military personnel around the university, stating that it was leading to widespread fear amongst students, reports Uthayan.

    The heightened military presence comes days before the Tamil nation's remembrance day event - Maaveerar Naal - on November 27, which has been a focal point of military deployment across the North-East since the end of the armed conflict in an attempt to clamp down on memorial events.

    "This [military presence] cannot be accepted, this has caused fear amongst not only the university students but amongst the entire university society.  The opportunity to learn independently will only occur when the army is discharged from the university environment," the union said on Friday.

  • TNA and SLMC hold talks with Indian high commission
    The leader of the Tamil National Alliance and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) met with the Indian high commissioner to Sri Lanka last week.

    In depth discussions that lasted over 3 hours regarding the upcoming presidential elections took place reports Ceylon Today.
  • Sri Lankan state enterprises lose billions of rupees

    Sri Lankan state-owned institutions have lost billions of rupees in the last year alone according to a report from the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE).

    COPE, a parliamentary run committee headed by Minister D E W Gunasekera, stated that the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, National Paper Company and Sri Lanka Airlines generated a combined Rs.40.2 billion loss from May 7 to September 26, 2014, reported ColomboPage.

    Meanwhile, Transport Minister Kumara Welgama told Parliament that Sri Lanka Railways had also suffered a loss of over Rs. 5 billion in the last year.

    See more from the Island here.

  • Vatican confirms Pope Francis visit to Sri Lanka

    The Vatican has confirmed that he Pope's visit to Sri Lanka will commence on the 13th of January.

    Pope Francis will call on President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the first day of his visit, before travelling to the North-East.

    He will lead prayers at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of the Rosary at Madhu, in the district of Mannar.

    Sri Lanka's Church previously said it would reconsider the visit in view of the poll, as it would be “inappropriate” for the pontiff to visit during the election period.

  • Colombo uni lecturers call on youth to counter 'threat of foreign forces'
    A senior lecturer at the University of Colombo warned of "impure groups in the country are joining foreign forces to snatch back the freedom won in 2009".
  • Gunmen assassinate former LTTE policeman in Mannar
    Unidentified gunmen shot dead a former member of the LTTE Police Department in Vellankulam in Mannar district on Wednesday night.

    The victim, 34 year old Naguleshwaran Krishnasuwamy, was in his own backyard working towards constructing his own home when the gunmen entered his house and shot him at 8.30pm, his wife, Kavitha said.
  • Common candidate must pledge end to militarisation and land grabs in Tamil areas - TNA
    The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said the party would only endorse a common opposition candidate to run against President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who would demilitarise the North, resettle displaced Tamils in Valikaamam North and Sampur, and end land grabs by the state and military.

    "It may be Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge, Ranil Wickremesinghe or Karu Jayasuriya, they should assure that they would resettle the people who are yet in welfare centres in the North and East, vacate the military from the North and stop illegal acquisition," TNA MP Suresh Premachandran said on Monday, speaking at the memorial event of the assassinated TNA MP Nadarajah Raviraj.

    "These assurances can be rarely given by any of the candidates who are in the list," he added, reports Ceylon Today.

  • Evangelical leaders discuss rising religious intolerance in Sri Lanka with Pope
    Pope Francis and representatives of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCCU) met with Evangelical community leaders in Sri Lanka to discuss matters concerning matters of religious freedom and justice last week.
  • No decision taken on presidential pardon of death row fishermen - Sri Lanka

    The Sri Lankan government says that President Mahinda Rajapaksa did not grant a pardon to the Indian fishermen sentenced to death last month, contrary to an announcement made by a deputy minister on Tuesday.

  • Tamil refugees to be settled in Brazil

    The UN has given Tamil refugees, who were languishing in a United Arab Emirates port for over two years, a permanent home in Brazil, The National reported.

    The 7 refugees were the remainder of a larger group of 45 Tamils who were rescued when the ship they were fleeing Sri Lanka in ran into trouble on the way to Australia.

    “I feel like I am being reborn,” said Ramanan Gunaseelan, 37, who will board a flight to Brazil, accompanied by his wife Meera and their daughter Tharanika, 5.

    The refugees expressed their fear of life in Sri Lanka but said they will always long to return to their homeland.

    “We fled Sri Lanka because we were scared for our lives and our safety. Now we can finally hope for peace.

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