• Northern and Eastern Provincial Council members call for UN to investigate genocide

    Aug 17
    Thirty-three members of the Northern and Eastern Provincial Council have written to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), calling on the investigative team to examine the mass killings of Tamils from at least 1974 onwards and explore the charge of genocide against the Sri Lankan state.

    In a letter sent to the OHCHR offices in Geneva, the provincial council members stated that “there were several major incidents of massacres of Tamils” and that “none of them were properly investigated by the Sri Lankan government.”

    The letter went on to add,
    “The Tamil people strongly believe that they have been, and continued to be subjected to Genocide by Sri Lanka. The Tamils were massacred in groups, their temples and churches were bombed, and their iconic Jaffna Public Library was burnt down in 1981 with its collection of largest oldest priceless irreplaceable Tamil manuscripts.  Systematic Sinhalese settlements and demographic changes with the intent to destroy the Tamil Nation, are taking place. We request the OHCHR investigative team to look into the pattern of all the atrocities against the Tamil people, and to determine if Genocide has taken place.”

  • Peiris: UN inquiry is a 'travesty of justice'
    Sri Lanka's minister of external affairs reiterated the government's refusal to take part in the UN inquiry into mass atrocities stating that the OHCHR Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) was a "travesty of justice".
  • Body of Tamil woman discovered in Northeast

    The body of a 63-year old Tamil woman was discovered by Point Pedro police, reported the

  • Further delays likely to government disappearances commission
    The Sri Lankan government's disappearances commission is likely to be further delays, said its chairman, Maxwell Paranagama.

    The commission is still processing data gathered since it began a year ago, Paranagama told The Nation.

    Last week, Paranagama claimed civil society organisations had falsely inflated numbers of missing persons from the North of the island.

    See here for more.

  • Central Bank of Sri Lanka hires US lobby firm

    Sri Lanka’s Central Bank (CBSL) has signed a deal with a US-based lobbying firm to promote the country in the US, including to the government, reported the Sunday Times.

    The agreement with Liberty International Group LLC, worth $760,000, runs until July 2015 and will look to ensure the US receives “clear and accurate information” about Sri Lanka.

    The deal was signed on behalf of the Monetary Board of the Central Bank by Deputy Governor Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, and Liberty International Group President Connie Mack.

    According to the contract, obtained by the Sunday Times, the PR agency is required by the CBSL to meet three “statutory stability objectives”, namely creating, “A political environment in the United States of America (US) that is more conducive to enhancing Sri Lanka’s long-term political and economic aspirations; a comprehensive information platform where decision-makers in the US receive clear and accurate information about Sri Lanka’s current achievements and future plans; and a higher volume of private sector investment in Sri Lanka from the US”.

  • Government delays mass grave exhumation for second time
    Sri Lankan officials, for a second time, delayed an exhumation dig at a suspected mass grave that is thought to contain the bodies of over 100 Muslims, killed during the ethnic conflict on the island, reports the AFP.
  • Fishing boats will not be released says SL minister
    The Sri Lankan minister for fisheries said the 63 fishing boats impounded since June this year during the arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen, would not be released.

    “I don’t think it is possible to release the boats,” Senaratne told the New Indian Express.

    The Sri Lankan government earlier released over 94 detained Indian fishermen following a pledge made by President Rajapaksa to do so as an act of good will on India's independence day.

  • Muslims a threat to Sri Lanka says BBS leader
    The leader of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), a Buddhist monk Galagoda Gnanasara said the Muslim community poses a threat "not only to Sri Lanka, but to India as well", in an interview to Outlook India.

    "They [Muslims] are a minority in number but if you look at their economic power and their international network, they are not a minority," said Gnanasara.

    "We are aware that the majority of Muslims are innocent, but once they come under the influence of Muslim extremists, they can easily fall into smuggling, illegal weapon handling and even terrorist activities," he added.

    Dismissing local and international concerns about Buddhist mob violence against the Muslim community and places of worship, Gnanasara said:

  • Deceptive' Presidential Commission on Missing Persons an attempt to mislead people - TNA
    The Presidential Missing Persons Commission, is a ‘deceptive move to mislead the Tamil people and international community', said the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesperson, commenting on the Commission’s press brief in Mannar. 
  • Minister urges workers to eat rice flour as wheat prices rise

    A Sri Lankan government minister has told estate workers to eat rice flour items instead of using wheat flour, as the price of wheat continued to rise.

    The Sunday Times reports that Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said estate workers should avoid eating roti, traditionally made from wheat flour, proposing subsidised rice flour be provided instead.

    His remarks come as the Sri Lankan government introduced a hotline for consumers to call and complain about retailers who are charging higher than the government controlled price for rice. The Consumer Affairs Authority has so far raided 400 vendors who had sold goods at higher than the set limit, reports ColomboPage.

    The government had earlier banned wheat products from various public institutions, including hospital, prison and school canteens, with Sinhala nationalists labelling wheat as part of an international conspiracy against the country.

  • Locals fearful after armed troops deployed across Kilinochchi
    Residents in Kilinochchi report an intensified military presence in Kilinochchi, with armed military personnel deployed across the region.
  • 23y Tamil girl recruited into SL army dead
    Ajanth's daughter grieves at her funeral. Photograph GTN


    A 23 year old Tamil girl recruited into the Sri Lankan army has been reported dead by military officials.

    The girl, Ajantha Prashad, was recruited on May 22 this year and was undertaking her military training in Jaffna, reports Uthayan.

    According to military officials she died shortly after being admitted to Jaffna Teaching Hospital, due to "an illness".

  • India to reconstruct Colombo-Jaffna railway amidst North-East housing scheme progress concerns
    Addressing a gathering at a function held to mark India’s Independence Day, the Indian Consul General in Jaffna said that roughly 14,500 houses have been built for internally displaced Tamils in the North-East. 

    The Consul General further outlined that the Indian housing project, which started after several delays in 2012, would be completed by 2015
  • Sri Lanka releases 94 Tamil Nadu fishermen

    The Sri Lankan government has handed over 94 Tamil Nadu fishermen to the Indian Coast Guard, after Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered their release as a goodwill gesture for Indian Independence Day.

  • India increases military representation in Sri Lanka

    The Indian High Commission has increased its defence representation in Sri Lanka reports the New Indian Express, with a member from the Army heading the Defence Wing.

    Col Gurinder S Klaire has been appointed as Deputy Defence Advisor to assist Defence Advisor Capt Prakash Gopalan, the first time a member of the Army has held the post, which has traditionally been taken up by a member of the Navy.

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