• UN Human Rights Committee raises concerns in Sri Lanka's ICCPR review conclusions

    Oct 30
    The UN Human Rights Committee’s concluding observations on the fifth periodic report of Sri Lanka, released on Thursday,  outlined several concerns on the state of freedom of expression and participation in the political process, freedom of assembly and freedom of association, rights of persons belonging to minorities, torture, enforced disappearances and former combatants.

    Highlighting the attacks on freedom of assembly and association of Tamils in the north-east, the report said,

    “The committee is concerned at the disproportional and discriminatory restrictions on freedom of peaceful assembly and association against Tamils, particularly in the North of the State party, including restrictions of religious and/or civil ceremonies commemorating the loss of loved ones during the armed conflict.”

    Drawing upon concerns regarding the Rights of persons belonging to minorities, the report highlighted further concerns about, “ the restrictions and conditions placed on the enjoyment of cultural, linguistic and religious freedoms of minorities in the State party, such as the Muslim, Tamil and Christian communities, including refusal of school admission on grounds of religion, and harassment against minority religious groups which includes attacks on the places of worship of Hindu, Muslim, Evangelical Christian and Jehovah’s Witness communities.”
  • Protests in Tamil Nadu against SL death sentence to fishermen

    Protests erupted in Tamil Nadu on Friday against a Sri Lankan court’s sentencing of five Tamil Nadu fishermen to death for alleged drug trafficking.

    Effigies of Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa were and the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission in Chennai was laid siege to, reports Deccan Chronicle. Over two hundred demonstrators were arrested said police.

    In Rameswaram, the home of many Tamil Nadu fishermen who have faced arrest and detention by the Sri Lankan navy, local fishermen have launched an indefinite strike unless the Indian government appealed the death sentence in a higher court, the paper added. See more here

  • Tamil youth assaulted in Jaffna by unidentifiable group
    A Tamil youth was assaulted by a group of unidentified persons yielding belts and sticks at a bus stand near Jaffna Hindu College reports the Uthayan.

    Police were called to the scene after the victim defended themselves form the group using a knife.

    Though the group of attackers escaped, the victim was arrested for possessing a knife.
  • UN Human Rights Committee is 'biased' says Sri Lanka

    The Sri Lankan government accused the UN Human Rights Committee of bias, after the Committee raised concerns about the country's adherence to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

    Speaking to media on Friday, government spokesperson and information minister Keheliya Rambukwella said the committee, which is made up of independent experts, had failed to look into acts carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, highlighting the killing of 700 policemen in the nineties, which the government blames on the LTTE.

    In its final recommendations, the committee had raised concerns about the lack of progress on investigations into the killings of Tamils.

  • UN agency says it is ready to support Upcountry landslide rescue
    The UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said it was ready to assist in the rescue operation following a landslide in the Upcountry on Wednesday, which is believed to have left hundreds dead.

    "The National Disaster Management Center reports that at least six people have died, 300 people are missing and 150 houses are destroyed," a UN spokesperson said.

    "OCHA is in close contact with this centre and stands ready to support as requested."

    "The Sri Lankan Red Cross Society has mobilised first aid teams, while the World Health Organization (WHO) is supporting the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health's efforts to assist the affected communities," he added.

  • Sri Lanka sentences 5 Tamil Nadu fishermen to death, India says men innocent
    A Sri Lankan court sentenced five Tamil Nadu fishermen to death on Thursday on drug trafficking charges.

    The Indian government is to appeal the judgement, through legal channels as well as political channels, reports the Hindustan Times.

    "India's High Commission in Colombo will appeal to higher court through a lawyer against the judgement by the lower court against these five Indian fishermen," India's External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin told a press conference on Friday.

    "Since then this court case has been going through the Sri Lankan judicial process. Now that a lower court has given its judgement, we intend through our High Commission to appeal against this judgement," Akbaruddin told Times Now.

    "Simultaneously, we have been pursuing with the Sri Lankan government our view, that we feel these fishermen are not guilty, because we have done our due diligence on our side, and we find that they are innocent," he added.

  • Review: 'Sri Lanka's Secrets: How the Rajapaksa Regime Gets Away with Murder'


    'Sri Lanka's Secrets: How the Rajapaksa Regime Gets Away with Murder' by Trevor Grant, is a powerful book, containing many details that will inform, energise and enrage even those who are familiar with Sri Lanka, let alone those who are new to understanding the issues that continue to fester on this island. Trevor Grant’s contribution to the literature on Sri Lanka should be compulsory reading for everyone interested in Sri Lanka. His extensive research, access to individuals willing to talk, and ability to tie individual stories back to a bigger argument make this a very powerful book.

  • IDPs suffer as Vali North camp flooded
    Internally displaced persons at the Mallakam, Konappulam welfare centre in Valikaamam North are without basic amenities after the monsoon rains lef the camp flooded.

    The residents, who have been displaced for over 25 years after the Sri Lankan military took over their lands, have complained that no relief has been provided to them, reports Uthayan.

  • Commonwealth head calls for ‘legitimate Tamil concerns’ to be addressed

    The Secretary General of the Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma called for a reduction of the Sri Lankan military;s role in the Northern Province, saying this was important to address Tamil people’s legitimate concerns.

    Speaking at the conclusion of his visit to Jaffna, Sharma said there were concerns about the restriction and monitoring of locals and those visiting the province.

    “The steps that needed to be taken to empower the people affected by the conflict include addressing legitimate concerns about restricted and monitored movement of both the citizens of the province and those visiting them for lawful purposes,” he said, according to The Hindu.

    “A continued reduction of the military role in civilian life in the (northern) province was important to see legitimate concerns of Tamils being addressed,” he added.

  • Sri Lanka’s Church confirms papal visit

    The Catholic Church in Sri Lanka has confirmed that the visit of Pope Francis to the island wil go ahead as scheduled, despite the controversy regarding the presidential election, due to occur in the same time period.

    “We wish to affirm that as it stands the visit of the Holy Father to Sri Lanka will take place as scheduled,” a statement issued by Church spokesperson Cyril Gamini said.

    “We request the Catholic faithful of this country to pray that God will help all of us to make the Holy Father’s visit to the country a success,” he further said.

    The 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.

  • Govt accused of neglecting Upcountry Tamils after hundreds buried in landslide
    Hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble after an extensive landslide struck the tea plantations in the upcountry region, on Wednesday morning.

    Ten bodies have been pulled from the rubble so far, whilst over one hundred are feared dead. The military has been deployed to help in the rescue effort.

    The landslide has led to criticism of the policies of successive government over the living conditions of upcountry Tamils.

    “Irresponsibility of Sri Lanka’s past governments responsible for housing, plantation organizations and plantation trade unions are the reasons for the flaws in housing for the upcountry people," the human rights activist and researcher, S. Balakrishnan, told BBC Tamil.

    He went on to say:

    “Upcountry Tamils were only treated as commodities, such as teas, not as citizens. Their rights are not respected and nor were there any preparations made to guarantee their needs.”

    “There is no one to think about the standards of the housing for the upcountry people."

  • UN counterterrorism officials to visit Jaffna

    Officials from the UN Counter Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED) are due to visit Jaffna during their trip to Sri Lanka, where they will assess the country’s approach in countering terrorism.

    According to the Daily Mirror, a press release stated that the delegation will stress the significance of a comprehensive approach to countering terrorism in adherence with the rule of law, including human rights, as requested by the Security Council.

  • UNP MP objects to ‘desecration’ of Anuradhapura by nightclub

    An MP from the opposition UNP has complained in parliament that a nightclub is desecrating Anuradhapura, a city held sacred by Sinhala Buddhists.

  • 17 year old boy missing in Jaffna

    2nd lead

    A 17* year old boy has been reported missing in Jaffna, reports Uthayan.

    The boy, Rasaratnam Jeevan from Kurunagar in Jaffna, has not been seen since October 24 when he left his home to go the play area.

    His parents filed a complaint with Jaffna police on Monday, however, the police accused the boy of theft and said the boy had ran away during an arrest

  • BBS endorses Rajapaksa, calls on Muslims to vote for ruling party
    Mahinda Rajapaksa is the “genuine” common candidate for Sri Lanka, said the general secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) reports the Island.lk.

    Confirming that the BBS would not field a candidate for the presidential elections at a press conference held in Colombo, Gnanasera Thero, said,
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