• NGOs uninvited from Sydney Uni conference due to SL military interference

    Sep 12
    The Sri Lankan military has made the University of Sydney withdraw invitation to Sri Lankan human rights organisations that were due to participate in an international conference hosted alongside the University of Colombo in Bangkok, reports the Guardian.

    Leaked correspondence revealed that delegates of the Sri Lankan military and police were expected to attend the event and had requested that Sri Lankan NGOs be uninvited.

    Sri Lankan military officials are expected to speak at a number of events in the conference.

    The Asia director of Human Rights Watch expressed concern over the university’s retraction of invitations to Sri Lankan NGOs.

  • Liberation calls for pressure on Sri Lanka to cooperate with UNHRC
    Liberation, a NGO based in the UK, called for the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to exert pressure on Sri Lanka to cooperate with the UN inquiry into mass atrocities, ensure that there was adequate witness protection and cease the genocidal processes dismantling the Tamil homeland in the North-East.

    Speaking in an interactive dialogue on the report of the Special Rapporteur on Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Recurrence, a Liberation Representative Sutharshan Sukumaran, highlighting Sri Lanka’s repeated refusal to co-operate with the UN, said,
    “We urge this council to exert pressure on Sri Lanka to cooperate with the UN inquiry and to ensure the safety of witnesses, as the only means of achieving meaningful accountability and justice for the killing of tens of thousands of Tamils at the end of the armed conflict.”
    Highlighting the ongoing "militarisation, colonisation, and dismantling of the social and economic structure in the North-East," the speaker, went on to call for the end of genocidal processes against Tamils in the North-East for true reconciliation on the island.

  • UNHCR 'gravely concerned' by deportation of asylum seekers
    The United Nations Refugee agency said it is “gravely concerned” by Sri Lanka resuming the arrest and deportation of asylum seekers, to countries where they may face persecution on their return.

    Addressing a press briefing in Geneva on Friday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees spokesperson Babar Baloch said the agency was “gravely concerned” by the latest developments, adding,

    “When UNHCR met with the government earlier this month, assurances were given for the immediate release of all asylum-seekers and refugees arrested and detained since June.”

    The UN previously stated it was “deeply concerned” at Sri Lanka's deportation of asylum seekers, mainly from Pakistan and Afghanistan and accused Sri Lanka of violating international law.

  • IED highlights lack of work towards war crimes prosecution and reconciliation
    Actions in Sri Lanka to work towards prosecution for war crimes and genuine reconciliation with the Tamil population do not exist, the International Educational Development organisation Inc (IED) and association of Humanitarian Lawyers said at the UNHRC on Friday.

    Making a statement at the interactive dialogue on the report of the Special Rapporteur on Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Recurrence, Karen Parker said,

    "We note that not a single high authority of the LTTE survived, so there cannot be prosecutions of them for alleged violations. Further, this fact makes the intentional killing of the LTTE captured combatants, a serious war crime, a certainty. Current actions in Sri Lanka to address prosecution for these crimes do not exist, nor do actions for truth and genuine reconciliation with the Tamil population. What does the Special Rapporteur propose in light of the apparent absolute impunity of that government, especially in light of the recurrence of gross violations of human rights directed at the Tamil population?"

  • SLFP to examine NPC resolution calling for OISL access
    The General Secretary of the ruling party, SLFP, has announced the party is to examine the resolution passed by the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) this week calling for UN investigators to be allowed access in order to collect evidence for the OHCHR Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL).
  • Rajapaksa lauds China's Maritime Silk Road, Colombo Port City development planned
    The Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa praised China's Maritime Silk Road initiative and pledged to join China in working towards it, in an interview with Chinese state media, Xinhua, published Saturday.

    "Since I took office of the president, I have toured China for seven times, during which I have met President Xi Jinping in several occasions," said Rajapaksa.

    "China accounts for the biggest number of my working travel destination and I am looking forward to President Xi's visit."

    "Our cooperation covers many sectors including industry, energy, technology, infrastructure and tourism," he added.

  • Body of Tamil Nadu fisherman found washed up
    The body of a Tamil Nadu fisherman who went missing on August 25 has been found washed up on Valvettithurai coast Saturday.

    The president of the Fishermen's Association T Sesuraja identified the body as that of Isron, who was one of three men who went missing that day, reports PTI.
  • Autonomy needed to protect Tamils says new ITAK leader Mavai
    Tamil autonomy is needed to protect the Tamils said Mavai Senathirajah, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP and newly appointed leader to the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK), a constituent party of the TNA coalition. 

    "[We] must establish autonomy, in order to protect Tamils, Tamil lands and the nation from facing another catastrophe," he said addressing an ITAK event in Jaffna on Friday, reported Uthayan.

    "The government's great aim for the past 5 years is to destroy the Tamil homeland's  demography. In these 5 years since the armed conflict ended, a lot of problems by the government have been exacerbated. [The government] is carrying out actions to destroy the Tamils’ land and nation," he added.

  • Army blocking people from NPC events complains Chief Minister
    Northern Provincial Council Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran stated the Sri Lankan army and those who work with them, are stopping people from taking part in Northern Provincial Council events.

    Intimidation from the military was keeping the Tamil population away from NPC events, said Wigneswaran adding that the Sri Lankan army was photographing all those who do attend.
  • Ensure safety of witnesses who testify before UN investigation, TNA tells UK‏

    The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) met with the British Deputy High Commissioner Laura Davies on Thursday, calling on Britain to ensure the safety of witnesses who testify before the United Nations investigation into mass atrocities on the island.

    Meeting in Batticaloa, the TNA discussed the upcoming United Nations investigation, calling for witness safety to be ensured.

  • Renewing resolve
    The start of the UN Human Rights Council's 27th session this week saw the welcome reaffirmation of resolve to pursue accountability for mass atrocities in Sri Lanka through a UN inquiry from the newly appointed High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid al-Hussein and the US and UK missions. Amid the crises unfolding in Iraq, Syria and Ukraine, the High Commissioner's pointed statement highlighting the importance he places on the OHCHR Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) is a significant pledge to fulfill the commendable legacy of his predecessor, Navi Pillay. Equally resolved however was Sri Lanka in its determination to oppose it. Reiterating its categorical rejection of the inquiry, Sri Lanka renewed its refusal to cooperate with UN investigators. Its seemingly desperate attempts to block the functioning of the inquiry, only serve to vindicate the basis on which member states led and supported the resolution in March mandating an international inquiry – Sri Lanka will not deliver accountability and justice for the deaths of over 70,000 Tamils during the final stages of the armed conflict itself.

  • International presence needed at any talks with govt say Tamil parties
    Any talks with the government on a political solution must take place in the presence of international officials said Tamil political parties.

    The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) called for an international observer to be present, highlighting the need to ensure commitments made were fulfilled.

    “We are prepared to talk to him anytime, but in the past this has been without a time frame. As a result we would very much like an international observer’s presence at talks to ensure that the commitments he gives are known to everyone," TNA leader R. Sampanthan told The Hindu, commenting on remarks made by the Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa in an interview with the paper the day before.

    The president of the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, called for "international mediators", however stressed that the talks must be on "the basis of how the Tamil nation's right to self-determination can be realised in a multi-national state".

  • UK MPs call for Sri Lanka to cooperate with OISL or face sanctions
    The UK's All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils condemned Sri Lanka's repeated refusal to cooperate with the OHCHR Investigation into Sri Lanka (OISL) and demanded  that it adhere to the UN Human Rights Council resolution passed mandating the inquiry or face sanctions.

    Calling on the UK government to also condemn Sri Lanka's rejection of the inquiry, the cross-party group of MPs urged the British government "to consider all actions including sanctions until the Government of Sri Lanka agrees to cooperate with OISL."

    “It is completely unacceptable that after the resolution was passed in March of this year, the Sri Lankan government is still unwilling to participate in this investigation; and is finding ways to regularly prolong and avoid this," wrote the APPG for Tamils chair and Conservative MP Lee Scott, together with the group's vice chair and Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh in a statement released Friday.

  • ITAK ‘threat’ needs to be neutralised – Gotabaya

    Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa hit out at the resolutions passed earlier this week by the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi, one of the main constituent parties of the TNA.

    An “irate” Rajapaksa, accused ITAK of attempting to cause “fresh political turmoil” and said a tangible campaign was necessary to neutralise the threat by the party, The Island reported.

    The resolutions adopted by ITAK earlier this week included demands for maximum possible devolution to a merged Northeast Province and an appeal to the international community to halt the genocidal actions of the Sri Lankan government.

    The defence secretary said that almost all the resolutions encouraged “separatist sentiments”, undermining the Sri Lankan government, and urged the supporters of the TNA in the international community and other local parties to examine the proposals.

  • SL navy arrests 53 Indian fishermen

    The Sri Lankan navy arrested 53 fishermen off the coast of Talaimannar and Jaffna on Thursday morning, reports PTI.

    According to the Fisheries Association, 30 of those arrested were from Rameswaran in Tamil Nadu, whilst the remainder were from Poompuhara. Six boats and a fishing trawler have also been seized.

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