“no negotiations officially or unofficially should be held with any state or non-state party based on amendments to the 13th Amendment or its fuller implementation that have been forced on the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims and all citizens of Sri Lanka.”

“In the name of reconciliation and devolution of power no intervention of external state parties or other parties including South Africa shall be considered as a facilitator.”

Gravestones bearing Tamil names were desecrated by unknown assailants at a cemetery in Trincomalee reports Tamil Mirror.

Today is the tenth anniversary of the assassination of veteran Tamil journalist Aiyathurai Nadesan by a Sri Lankan government-backed death squad.

Nadesan was shot dead in Batticaloa on 31 May 2004 as he was on his way to work.

He reported under the nom-de-plume G. Nadesan for the leading Tamil-language newspaper, Virakesari, and the London-based Tamil radio station, IBC.

Nadesan was one of several journalists, including Mylvaganam Nimalrajan, Dharmeratnam (Taraki) Sivaram and Lasantha Wickrematunga killed as part of silencing criticism of Sri Lanka’s ruthless military campaign.

See coverage of Nadesan’s death and funeral and a report into his death by the Committee to Protect Journalists’ here.