• Govt collects info on Sinhalese in Jaffna

    The government of Sri Lanka is amassing proof of pre-1983 Sinhalese presence in Jaffna, reports Uthayan.

    Details on Sinhalese families and workers resident in Jaffna before 1983 is being compiled through the district secratariat, where each divisional secratariat has been directed to gather information from every village in the province.
  • Board of Intellectuals to investigate NGOs
    The Sri Lankan government has appointed a Board of Intellectuals to investigate charges and allegations made against NGOs and their activities, reports the government's own news portal.

    According to News.lk, this is to ‘thwart certain NGOs from hatching conspiracies to effect regime change by engaging in politics in the guise of doing social work in the country.'
  • Gotabhaya's bogeymen...
    Addressing a lecture on 'Sri Lanka’s National Security Concerns' at Kotelawala Defence University, Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa spelled out the biggest threats to the state's national security at present:
    1. The possible re-emergence of terrorism
    2. The emergence of other extremist groups
    3. The creation of ethnic divisions and communal violence
    4. The challenges of maritime security and border control
    5. The growth of organised crime
    6. Foreign interference in domestic affairs
    7. Non-traditional threats through technology driven new media, including social media.
    Outlining the current 'threat' faced by Sri Lanka, Gotabhaya said:
    "The threat of terrorism re-emerging still persists. One of the main reasons for the LTTE’s success during its heyday was its extensive international network, which has been in operation for many decades."

    "As a result of the July 1983 riots, a large number of Tamil people left Sri Lanka and travelled to countries such as Canada, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and parts of Europe. These countries granted asylum to these immigrants, and later granted them citizenship. As such, there is a large population of immigrant Sri Lankan Tamils in other countries. A small minority of this population supports the LTTE even to this day. Extremist elements within this community, together with LTTE agents and operatives, including trained terrorists who fled Sri Lanka at various times during the war, comprise the LTTE’s international network."
  • Intimidating SL fans caught out
    Video footage of #Boycottlka campaign activist intimidation has been sent to Tamil Guardian in the aftermath of the #Boycottlka campaign, outside the Oval cricket ground on 13th of February.

     Sri Lankan fans heckle Tamil activists and members of the public
  • Govt to present 19A as urgent bill next week

    Sri Lankan government to present the 19th amendment as an urgent bill to parliament next week, said Media Minister and cabinet spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella on Thursday. 

  • Minister Weerawansa calls for referendum to secure 13A repeal

    Minister Weerawansa called for a referendum on abolishing the 13th amendment if the government could not be confident of securing the two-third parliamentary majority needed to repeal it. 

    Stating that the changes proposed by the government to the 13th Amendment were  insufficient, Wwerawansa said that all provisions allowing separatism must be abolished.

    Weerawansa, also leader of the National Freedom Front said:

    “We promised the people at our May Day Rally that we will make sure to have land and police powers and all other provisions which support separatism be abolished before the Northern polls in September. We held a 10-day countrywide petition signing campaign calling for the abolishing of the 13th Amendment. More than one million people including UNP, SLFP and JVP provincial councillors and Pradeshiya Sabha Chairmen supported us in this worthy course,” 

  • TNPF: 13A is not a starting point, interim or final solution
    TNPF press conference 13/06/13. (Left to right: General Secretary Selvarajah Kajendran, President Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, and Party Organiser Visva Manivannan)


    At press conference on Wednesday, the Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) slammed the notion that the 13th Amendment could be used in any way as a basis towards a political solution.

    Speaking at the event, organised by the Jaffna Press Club, TNPF President Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam said:

    "It [13th Amendment] cannot be used as a starting point. It cannot be used as an interim solution. It cannot be used as a final solution. There is no room for even any discussion on the possibility of using the 13th Amendment as part of a political solution."

    Calling on the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) not undermine the Tamil nation's political aspirations by standing as a coalition party in the Northern Provincial Council election, the TNPF urged the TNA to put forward individuals as independent candidates, as means of safeguarding the Tamil people against the possibility of government parties or paramilitaries winning the election.

  • Family abducted by white van in Batticaloa
    A family of four was abducted by a group claiming to be from the army in a white van on Wednesday in Batticaloa, reports Tamilwin.

    The van was reportedly intercepted after villagers alerted the police, and the drivers on interrogation claimed that they were going to a nearby military camp, and the family was being taken based on a 'personal grudge'.
  • #BoycottLKA campaign steps up to the crease in London

    The #Boycottlka campaign moved to the Kennington Oval in London, today. In the lead up to the highly anticipated International Cricket Champions Trophy match between England and Sri Lanka, several activists handed out leaflets amongst large crowds outside the Oval

    Activist explains the importance of a boycott of Sri Lanka

  • Rapp 'disappointed' on accountability in Sri Lanka

    The US Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues, Stephen Rapp, has expressed his disappointment at Sri Lanka’s progress on accountability issues.

  • More tales of the 'dangerous separatist line'
    The Deputy Minister of Investment Promotion, Faizer Mustapha, has joined the long line of Sri Lankan politicians opposing the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) proposals.

    Mustapha says that holding elections for an NPC with land and police powers would be dangerous since the main Tamil party, the TNA 'still harbours a separatist line', reports ColomboPage.
  • Birds of a feather ...
    The UNP and JHU met today to discuss the UNP's draft document on the constitution.
  • UK rejects calls to bar Sri Lanka from WWI event

    The British government has rejected calls by human rights organisations to ban Sri Lanka from attending an event commemorating World War I.

  • TNA summoned to New Delhi
    The TNA was called to New Delhi for urgent talks by India's Central government reports the Uthayan newspaper, which is run by TNA MP E. Saravanabhavan.
  • Student attacked in Batticaloa
    A Batticaloa university student was assaulted by a group of unidentified attackers, reports Tamilwin.

    3rd year student at the Eastern University, Y Amirtharaj is reportedly receiving treatment for injuries sustained from the attack on Monday night.

    Student union members implied that the attack may have been connected to upcoming union elections.
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