• Tamils in Amparai mark Independence Day with protest for the disappeared

    Feb 04

    Dozens of Tamils in Amparai held a protest demanding information regarding their missing relatives as the Sri Lankan government celebrated Independence Day in Colombo on Thursday.

    Women held photos of their missing loved ones, and demanded answers from the Sri Lankan government regarding their whereabouts.

  • Kilinochchi protestors demand information on their missing loved ones

    Protestors in Kilinochchi joined others across the North-East on Thursday, demanding the Sri Lankan government reveal the whereabouts of their missing relatives.

    Taking place as the Sri Lankan government held a military parade to celebrate Independence Day, Tamils in Kilinochchi joined others across the North-East in protest.

  • Sri Lankan president ‘determined to face UN resolution to protect pride of armed forces’

    Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena declared his government was “determined to face” a UN Human Rights Council resolution in order to protect the “pride and dignity” of the armed forces.

  • Protest against UN Human Rights chief planned in Sri Lanka
    A protest is set to take place against UN Human Rights chief Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein as he visits the island later this week.

    Posters have appeared calling on protestors to gather at Lipton Circus in Colombo on Saturday, when UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein lands on the island.

    The High Commissioner will be holding talks with government officials and will visit Jaffna, where he will speak with Tamil representatives during his visit.
  • Former Sri Lankan president and Buddhist monks decry ‘Tamil national anthem’
    Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa slammed attempts to sing the ‘Sri Lankan national anthem’ in Tamil, stating that it was part of an attempt to appease the Indian government.

    Mr Rajapaksa added that he would be boycotting the ‘Independence Day’ commemorations in Colombo, alongside members of the joint opposition.
  • Black flags raised in Jaffna to mark Sri Lankan Independence Day

    Black flags were hoisted at Jaffna University to mark Sri Lankan Independence Day today, as a symbol of protest against the ongoing repression in the Tamil homeland.

  • Tamil families of the disappeared in Mullaitivu mark independence day with protest
    Tamil families of the disappeared held a protest in Mullaitivu to mark Sri Lanka’s independence day.
    Photograph: Tamil Guardian

    Marching from the Mullaitivu people’s bank to the Mullaitivu district secretariat, the protestors chanted slogans condemning the island’s celebration of independence day whilst Tamils were yet to obtain their freedom.
  • Sri Lanka's president receives death threats in light of BBS arrest
    Sri Lanka’s CID has launched an investigation into death threats aimed at Sri Lanka’s president Maithripala Sirisena said police on Thursday.

    The Police spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekara said that the number of messages had increased in the wake of the arrest of Bodu Bala Sena leader Gnanasara Thera.
  • Families of the disappeared mark Independence day with protest in Batticaloa
    As part of protests that took place across the Tamil North-East to coincide with Sri Lanka’s Independence Day, families of the disappeared in Batticaloa took to the streets demanding answers from the Sri Lankan state.
     
    Banners questioned which communities actually experienced freedom in Sri Lanka.
  • TNA welcomes singing of Sri Lanka's national anthem in Tamil
    The Tamil National Alliance welcomed the singing of Sir Lanka’s national anthem in Tamil, as a ‘giant step’ towards reconciliation, reports eocnomoynext.

    Tamil National Alliance spokesperson MA Sumanthiran, said,

    “It may be a small symbolic thing, but a very important step in telling the Tamil speaking people that they are equal members of this country and that the state recognises that. It is in fact a giant step from that perspective. I hope more substantial issues that remain to be resolved will be resolved from that perspective.”

    Though     the leader of the Tamil National Alliance R Sampanthan attended Sri Lanka's independence day celebrations, the TNA official party policy has been to boycott Sri Lanka’s independence day events.

    Speaking to Ceylon News, the Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian that won the most votes during parliamentary elections MP S Sritharan said,

    “Until the Tamils achieve dignified status in the country, they do not consider Sri Lanka’s independence as their own.” We as a party, did not make any decision on attending Sri Lanka’s 68th independence day functions. The situation has still not arisen for us to take part in that.”
  • UN warns Australia asylum policy risks contravening international law
    The UN this week expressed concern that Australia's policy of transferring asylum seekers to off-shore detention facilities, contravenes international human rights law in letter and spirit.

    Expressing concern about the Australian High Court's decision on the deportation the spokesperson for the High Commissioner on Human Rights, Rupert Colville, said, “broader aspects of Australia’s policy on the treatment of migrants and asylum seekers arriving without prior authorisation, significantly contravenes the letter and spirit of international human rights law.”

    "We believe that transferring these 267 individuals to Nauru could further damage their physical and mental health, and would put Australia at risk of breaching its obligation not to return any person to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under the Convention against Torture,” Mr Colville added.

  • Sri Lanka anthem in Tamil confirms hierarchical relationship of Sinhala Buddhists to others - TCSF
    The singing of Sri Lanka’s national anthem in Tamil confirms the hierarchical relationship of Sinhala Buddhists and other communities on the island said the Tamil Civil Society Forum (TCSF) spokesperson.
  • Families of the disappeared call for justice in Mannar

     

    Tamil villagers in Mannar staged a demonstration calling for the Sri Lankan government to account for the massive number of people who have disappeared across the North-East.

     

    Holding the protest alongside other demonstrations in the North-East, relatives of the disappeared said the Sri Lankan government must give them answers to account for their loved ones.

  • Families of the disappeared in Vavuniya angered by Independence Day celebrations

    Families of the disappeared protested in Vavuniya on Thursday, expressing anger at the celebrations to mark 'Independence Day' and the participation of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members.

  • Fonseka's party joins UNP led coalition

    The Democratic Party, led by the former army commander, Sarath Fonseka, joined the United National Party led coalition, the United National Front (UNF) today.

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