WikiLeaks: Basil Speaks Frankly About Human Rights, Wants To Buy US Bushmaster Cannons – Blake Was Happy

Robert Blake-August 21, 2013 

“The Ambassador met Presidential Advisor Basil 

Rajapaksa, younger brother to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on October 4. After the Ambassador reviewed US priorities and initiatives in Sri Lanka, Rajapaksa spoke frankly about human rights issues, requesting that the United States and Co-chairs help the Government of Sri Lanka (GSL) improve its human rights capability. Rajapaksa spoke of the GSL’s humanitarian efforts in Jaffna ‘to win hearts and minds’ while defending the country against terrorism, citing the Ministry of Defense’s (MoD) desire to purchase US Bushmaster cannons for the Navy. The President’s Advisor also noted that the GSL has expressed interest in returning to peace talks ‘sooner than later,’ on October 14.”  the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

Placing a comment Blake wrote; “The Ambassador’s first meeting with Basil Rajapaksa sparked a candid response from the Presidential Advisor and laid the foundation for a pragmatic relationship with the embassy. Rajapaksa’s frank discussion of the GSL’s human rights struggles with its security forces and request for international assistance in human rights capacity building is welcome.”The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The cable is classified as “CONFIDENTIAL” and recounts details of a meeting US Ambassador to Colombo has had with President’s advisor and his brotherBasil Rajapaksa on October 04, 2006. The cable was written by the US Ambassador to Colombo,Robert O. Blake.     

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Doubts About The Latest Commission Appointed By The President

By Rajiva Wijesinha -August 21, 2013 |

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

I was interviewed recently by Ceylon Today with regard to the forthcoming visit of Navenethem Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Some of what I said had to be edited out for reasons of space but, though the paper did a good job, I thought that some of what they had to omit was worth reproducing.

In particular, given that it pertains to the future but we need to be aware of the mistakes of the past, I set down here the questions relating to theCommission on Disappearances that the President has appointed, along with the answers I gave. I believe much injustice has been done to the President because of delays on the part of those to whom he gives instructions. In the absence of comprehensive discussions as to policy, everyone assumes they have an obligation to influence policy, which sometimes leads to delays that the President is not informed of – such as occurred with regard to the Action Plan on the LLRC he wanted taken to Geneva ahead of the 2012 vote.

A. The President has only now appointed a committee to investigate disappearances that occurred during the final stages of the war. Can you explain why it took four years since the conclusion of the war for a commission to be appointed.                Read More

Bullet in Parliament

WEDNESDAY, 21 AUGUST 2013

UNP MP Ajith Mannapperuma has produced a bullet in the House today, apparently discharged from a weapon used during the incident in Weliweriya on August 1.

The main opposition UNP moved an adjournment motion asking the government to reveal those responsible for the crackdown that killed three protestors. Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga moved the motion.  

MP Mannapperuma who seconded the motion and started speaking, produced a bullet, which he said was picked up from the Weliweriya church premises.

Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera was the first to raise a point of order in this regard, and demanded action against the UNP MP.

“Smuggling a bullet into the chamber is a threat to the security of MPs. Therefore, action should be taken,” he said.

Referring to the standing order that governed the security arrangement of Parliament, government MP A.H.M. Azwer said the UNP MP should be arrested immediately as he posed a threat to the security of others in the House.

“This is a serious matter. Action has to be taken,” he said.“We want to know whether the MP lied to the House or not. If it is a lie, his statements should be expunged from the Hansard,” Mr. Alagiyawanna said.

Later, Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody asked the UNP to hand over the bullet produced in the House.(Kelum Bandara)

Basil holds talks with British envoy on north

WEDNESDAY, 21 AUGUST 2013 

British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka John Rankin held talks with Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa in Colombo today and discussed among other matters the progress of the demining program in the North and East, resettlement of displaced persons and development work in the North.

The Economic Development ministry said that they also discussed the arrangements for forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka and the benefits it would bring to the participating countries.

Minister Rajapaksa and the British envoy focused attention on development programs the British Government has helped to launch in Sri Lanka and on new investments here.  The British High Commission’s Head of Political Section Daniel Painter also participated in the discussions, it added.

USA: Commute Bradley Manning’s sentence and investigate the abuses he exposed

US Army Pte Bradley Manning was court martialled for leaking reams of classified information.

©

21 August 2013

President Obama should commute US Army Private Bradley Manning’s sentence to time already served to allow his immediate release, Amnesty International said today. 

Military judge Col Denise Lind today sentenced the Wikileaks source to 35 years in military prison – out of a possible 90 – for leaking reams of classified information. He has already served more than three years in pre-trial detention, including 11 months in conditions described by the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture as cruel and inhumane.

“Bradley Manning acted on the belief that he could spark a meaningful public debate on the costs of war, and specifically on the conduct of the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan. His revelations included reports on battlefield detentions and previously unseen footage of journalists and other civilians being killed in US helicopter attacks, information which should always have been subject to public scrutiny,” said Widney Brown, Senior Director of International Law and Policy at Amnesty International.  

“Instead of ‘sending a message’ by giving him a de facto life sentence the US government should turn its attention to investigating violations of human rights and humanitarian law in the context of the ill-conceived ‘war on terror’.” 

Some of the materials Manning leaked, published by Wikileaks, pointed to potential human rights violations and breaches of international humanitarian law by US troops abroad, by Iraqi and Afghan forces operating alongside US forces, and by military contractors. Yet the judge had ruled before the trial that Private Manning would not be able to defend himself by presenting evidence that he was acting in the public interest.

“Manning had already pleaded guilty to leaking information, so for the US to have continued prosecuting him under the Espionage Act, even charging him with ‘aiding the enemy,’ can only be seen as a harsh warning to anyone else tempted to expose government wrongdoing. ” said Brown.  

“More than anything else, the case shows the urgent need to reform the USA’s antiquated Espionage Act and strengthen protections for those who reveal information that the public has a need and a right to know.” 

Manning’s defence counsel is expected to file a petition for clemency shortly with the U.S. Department of Justice office that reviews requests for pardons and other acts of clemency before passing them on to the President for a final decision.  Such requests are normally made after all appeals are exhausted, but the President may grant clemency at any time.

“Bradley Manning should be shown clemency in recognition of his motives for acting as he did, the treatment he endured in his early pre-trial detention, and the due process shortcomings during his trial. The President doesn’t need to wait for this sentence to be appealed to commute it; he can and should do so right now,” said Brown.

Video: Sri Lanka’s Pioneering MP Monitoring Website To Be Unveiled This Friday

August 21, 2013 

Sri Lanka’s pioneering trilingual Members of Parliament (MP) monitoring website (www.manthri.lk) that ranks MPs in the Sri Lankan Parliament, based on their parliamentary performance, is to be launched this Friday evening (23rd August 2013), at the BMICH.

The site aims to increase the expectations that the Sri Lankan public have of their MPs and incentivize better performance.

The politically unaffiliated and neutral site is being launched in Sinhala, Tamil and English languages, to empower the general public to assess the performance of various parliamentarians in several truly objective ways.

The site aims to use state-of-the-art technology to employ credible, reliable methodologies. More details are to be revealed at the launch. Here is a video clip that summarizes the objective of the site.

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‘Manimal’ Hemantha who raped 90 yr. old grandma is harbored by T B Ekanayake, UPFA Minister

(Lanka-e-News-20.Aug.2013, 11.00PM) The people of the villages - Gajaneggama, Ridheebendiyelle , Katupitigama staged protests at Ridheebendiyelle junction on the 17th morning blocking the Colombo -Anuradhapura 57 route in order to demand the police to arrest the criminal brute who raped a bedridden 90 year old wizened grandma . 

The present impotent venal SL police under a lawless regime however say , as always ,they are unable to arrest him as this ‘beast’ has gone into hiding.

The name of this bestial rapist is Hemantha nicknamed Weli Hemantha because his sole income is on sale of sand. Like how it is with a majority of the UPFA political bigwigs who are surrounded by murderers , rapists , racketeers and extortionists , in this instance too, 
Hemantha has been a main pimp providing the necessary women for the bed diet of sex starved UPFA cultural Minister and Yapahuwa organizer T B Ekanayake..

One of the wives of Hemantha is now living abroad had also been a pimp for this most ‘honorable’ UPFA Minister , and when necessary she had not hesitated to sleep with this rascal of a Minister . A young boy who is the illegitimate offspring of the Minister who calls Hemantha his papa is a downright rowdy now involved in pimp papa Hemantha’s business.

Hemantha , the key player who came to Ridheebendiyelle in 1994 , with the full backing and patronage of T B Ekanayake engaged in the sand business since 2004. Children who were school dropouts and who had no schooling became Hemantha’s Deduru Oya sand excavation business coolies. Hemantha who is evil personified did not fail to make these innocent children liquor addicts.

After some time Hemantha took into his fold an 18-19 year old woman. To her parents and relatives who were submissive to money , political and marauding power of pimp Hemantha , the latter was a godsend and a gift from T B ‘God’. By now , Hemantha had made her a mother of his two children.. To these parents and relatives who earlier thought of Hemantha as a gift from T B have now realized he is an AIDs infected monkey .

As time passed` by , Hemantha began tormenting and torturing this wife (legal or illegal) who is 20 years younger than he. One day he had caught her and cut a lock of her hair. He had also arranged to cause electric shocks to her and the two children. He had even tried to shoot down her parents .

Two days ago (16) the necessity for protests by the people arose in connection with his bestial nature ,vituperative hate and sadistic lust which drove Hemantha to rape the 90 year old bed ridden wizened grandmother of his current wife .

The parents of his wife had lodged a complaint with the police and admitted the grandmother to hospital.. The medical report had also confirmed that she had been subjected to rape. Yet the police , as is usual under this lawless regime where the criminal and scoundrel politicians of the regime rule the roost , has still not arrested this ‘man- imal’ beast. The reason for this is : Hemantha is a main source of illicit income for the police , specially the Mahawa police.

This manimal lavishly spends on the police to carry on his illicit businesses. Wherever Hemantha sees police officers in the Mahawa police division , he thrusts a bundle of notes into their palms. Hence to the police he was their money producing tree . Deduru Oya vicinity are also noted for drinking orgies of policemen . In the circumstances , how can the police arrest Hemantha who is their main source of illicit income ?

Another reason why the police cannot arrest Hementha is because , Hemantha, his wife and two children are being harbored by Bandara Rajapakse, the present SLFP candidate for Wayamba provincial council election , and Yapahuwa electorate central committee organizing secretary, and in addition he is enjoying full patronage of UPFA Minister T B Ekanayake .

Now that we have revealed this vital information , which the police with all its powers could not garner yet , at least now , if the police have a spine , we dare the police to go and arrest him.-By LeN inside information division-

Chief Priest, driver and van attacked

by Sithara Pathirana-Wednesday, 21 Aug 2013

Chief Priest of the Mahiyangana Rotalawala Temple, Watareka Vijitha Thera, who is also a UPFA Mahiyangana Municipal Councillor, and his driver, were allegedly attacked by a group of about 30 persons on Monday (19).

The priest was travelling to Colombo from Mahiyangana in a van with his driver, when he was attacked. Vijitha Thera who spoke to Ceylon Today said, "When traffic in the Pilimatalawa area was heavy, and vehicles were crawling, I heard someone shout 'there he is.' Suddenly, around 30 men, armed with swords and poles broke the windows of the van and eventually removed the rear sliding door, before they attacked me and my driver."

He said though the driver attempted to drive them to safety, the group travelling in three double cabs and three-wheelers, had surrounded the van three times while they were moving, and had continued to attack them. Eventually, the priest and the driver had been able to reach the Kegalle Police Station. One of the double cabs that had kept following the van, had also arrived at the police station and the men in it had berated the priest before taking off.

The priest believes the reason for the attack was because of a speech he had made at a festival in Badulla, which apparently had been a topic of discussion internationally as well, as it had served to promote religious harmony as well as focusing on issues faced by the Muslim community in the recent past.

Vijitha Thera said that this was not the first time that certain extremist Buddhist factions had resorted to attacking priests who work towards establishing religious harmony while shunning extremism.

He said the head of one such faction has publicly declared himself as the unofficial police who could commit any wrong, if he so wishes, "is this what a united country requires?" the priest questioned, challenging the head to engage in an open debate with him in the presence of the media.

Vijitha Thera who was admitted to a well-known hospital in Colombo, said he will discharge himself as soon as possible before being subjected to further attacks.

However, Police Spokesperson, Buddhika Siriwardana, said prior to the attack, the van that the priest was travelling in had fled after colliding with a lorry, and the Peradeniya Police are carrying out investigations regarding the accident.

No one has been arrested with regard to the attack on Vijitha Thera.

 Sri Lanka Buddhist extremists attack a Buddhist monk for preaching ethnic harmony
Tue, Aug 20, 2013, 11:27 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Aug 20, Colombo: A Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka today accused the Sinhala Buddhist extremist organization Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) of assaulting him for preaching ethnic harmony among communities.
The aggrieved monk, Watareka Vijitha Thero is the chief incumbent of Mahaweli Temple of Mahiyanganya.
The Sinhala Buddhist extremist organization was reportedly angered by a speech delivered by Vijitha Thero at a function organized by Upcountry Muslim Council during the Ramadan period.
The Thero has criticized the extremism of the BBS in his speech and called for peaceful coexistence among different communities.
The Thero said that he was assaulted by the Kandy district organizer of BBS who is also a Buddhist monk and a group led by him as he was traveling to Colombo.

The monk's driver has later driven the vehicle to Kegalle police station where Vijitha Thero has sought police protection.

Seven Bangladeshis posing as monks arrested

WEDNESDAY, 21 AUGUST 2013 

Seven Bangladeshis who posed as Buddhist monks were arrested while attempting to illegally migrate to another country via Malaysia, Monitoring Intelligence and Investigation Unit’s Chief Officer Amith Perera said.

They are to be blacklisted and deported on August 23.

Initial investigations had revealed that they had come to Sri Lanka after having obtained temporary ordination in Bangladesh with the intention of migrating to another country.

They were arrested by officials of the Immigration and Emigration Department led by Visa and Ports Controller M. Nihal Ranasinghe on the instructions of Immigration and Emigration Controller General W.A. Chulananda Perera

People who come across such instances of fraud are requested to contact the Monitoring Intelligence and Investigation Unit via its hotline number 0115-329490. (Sanath Desmand)

Armed gang get away with Rs.16.8 million worth jewellery

WEDNESDAY, 21 AUGUST 2013 

An armed gang that entered a branch office of a leasing company in Gampaha town today is alleged to have robbed the staff of their cash and jewellery.

They had entered the office pretending to be customers of the leasing company.

A senior official of the leasing company said the robbers had taken away one million rupees in cash jewellry worth more than 16.8 million rupees. He said the robbers fled in a double cab.

Gampaha police are conducting further investigations.(Tillekaratne Dissanayake)

Lawless Lackeys - Dilith, Nalaka and Namal

Details

 

Created On Wednesday, 21 August 2013 08:58

Category: General

Though the Sunday Times repeatedly named SEC Chairman, Nalaka Godahewa as the person involved in the Krissh deal bribery payoffs, Nalaka Godahewa has not denied the allegation. Nor did he explain why he was sacked from the Boards of UDA, Colombo Land and Lanka Hospitals.

How can such a person continue to function as the Head of the Regulator, the SEC ? Former respected persons Indrani Sugathadasa and Thilak Karunarathne resigned from this post for reasons of high principles. On the other hand, Nalaka Godahewa without denying serious allegations of bribery and corruption, continues as Chairman SEC, though a much tainted man.

It is a shame that Newspapers such as the Ceylon Today of Tiran Alles and DailyFT of Nisthar Casssim are trying to boost up the image of Nalaka Godahewa and have covered-up and not reported investigations into the Krissh deal, though writing plenty editorials on corruption. These persons are described as high net worth persons to mislead the public.

Nalaka Godahewa was orchestrated into the position of Chairman SEC by a cabal led by Dilith Jayaweera in the face of pending investigations into Share deals, which are now buried. Dilith Jayaweera and Nalaka Godahewa are buddies in business, earning commissions, including from Harry Jayawardena on the sale of Lanka Hospitals Shares to Fortis.

Crocodile tears of Dilith Jayaweera and his lackeys on milk castigating Fonterra for the benefit of Ranjith page and Cargills has been, whilst Dilith Jayaweera and his lackeys have maintained an absolute silence on the far more grave matter of the Waliweriya water pollution and the people dying for water. Why this silence by these master manipulators ?

Ranjith Page and Dilith Jayaweera are known to have had dealings before on the Majestic City problems with the UDA. Ranjith Page and Cargills are awaiting for a banking license from the Central Bank. Dilith Jayaweera would be wanting advertising on Triad and Derana from Ranjith Page.

It is well-known that Dilith Jayaweera and his lackeys have compromised Namal to cover-up the deals in the Stock Exchange and Krissh, etc., which had angered Secretary Defense, whose name is peddled by these lackeys for private gain.

Nalaka Godahewa exits Colombo Land as Krrish probe continues

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Nalaka Godahewa, the top official whose name transpired in the secret pay-off pertaining to the Krrish development project in Colombo, last week stepped down from the Colombo Land and Development Co (CLND) which he chaired.

An official statement from the company said Prof. Krishan Deheragoda has taken over as the new chairman with effect from July 19.
The company said Dr. Godahewa stepped down to make way for a full-time chairman. When asked, one of the Singapore shareholders of the CLND, told the Business Times, “It is a personal decision by him. He felt he needed to step down.”

Other sources however said the official who is the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission and a director in some other private companies had exited the CLND due to pressure related to the 400-million rupee payoff in which some other powerful personalities have also been implicated.

Dr. Godahewa, when contacted by the Business Times by telephone this week after several failed efforts earlier, declined to comment on any of the developments. The Business Times also learns that he has not been re-appointed to the Urban Development Board (UDA) of Management. Of the other three government-appointed directors, Jayantha Wickremasinghe and Rohan Seneviratne were re-appointed when their term ended some weeks back while UDA chairman Nimal Perera continues as his term has not ended as yet. All three sans Dr. Godahewa were present at the last UDA meeting on July 10 while the next meeting is scheduled for August 7.

The Business Times learns that the Rs. 400 million had gone into the account of a state agency and then surreptitiously drawn by ‘interested’ parties and this is the focus of the Finance Ministry probe.

It is also learnt that part of the money taken as a ‘commission’ has been returned due to pressure from the political hierarchy a few days before the Business Times exclusively reported the story.

Meanwhile Dr. Godahewa’s Executive Secretary at the SEC, Janssi Kuhanesan, is also a consultant at Krrish, according to her profile on Linkin, the social networking website. She joined SEC in September 2012 – the same time Dr. Godahewa was appointed at the SEC, after being board secretary at Sri Lanka Tourism which was chaired by him at the time.

Women In Sweden Wear Headscarves After Muslim Woman Is Assaulted

August 21, 2013

Swedish women have been posting photos of themselves in traditional Muslim headscarves in solidarity with a woman attacked apparently for wearing a veil.

The attacker reportedly tore off the pregnant woman’s hijab and hit her head against a car. The victim’s friends told local media that the assailant also shouted racist insults at her.

The victim told the police she believes it was a faith-based hate crime.

Many posted pictures oThe “hijab outcry” campaigners urged the government to “ensure that Swedish Muslim women are guaranteed the right to… religious freedom”

Many posted pictures of themselves in headscarves using the hashtag #hijabuppropet (hijab outcry) after a Muslim woman was the victim of an alleged hate crime
                                                                                                         .Read More

Posted by Thavam

State of Israel Charged for “Crime of Genocide and War Crimes”, Kuala Lumpur Tribunal

Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Commission (KLWCC)

Tribunal Hearing against Israel and General Amos Yaron

“WHY is it that the murder of one man is considered a criminal act whereas the killing of hundreds of thousands of innocent people committed in wars, is not considered so? -Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, former Prime Minister of Malaysia 

KUALA LUMPUR, 19 August 2013 – The Kuala Lumpur War Crimes Tribunal (KLWCT) will be hearing war crimes and genocide charges against Amos Yaron, a retired Israeli army general and the State of Israel from 21 to 24 August in Kuala Lumpur.

State of Israel Charged for “Crime of Genocide and War Crimes”, Kuala Lumpur Tribunal by nelvely

I Stake My Life!

August 20, 2013 

Today is the 73rd anniversary of the brutal assassination of Leon Trotsky by a Stalinist agent. We commemorate this event by publishing the transcription of his address to the N.Y. Hippodrome Meeting. The speech “I Stake My Life!” was delivered by telephone from Mexico City for the opening event of the Dewey Commission on the Moscow Trials.

Dear Listeners, Comrades and Friends:

My first word is one of apology for my impossible English. My second word is one of thanks to the Committee which has made it possible for me to address your meeting. The theme of my address is the Moscow trial. I do not intend for an instant to overstep the limits of this theme, which even in itself is much too vast. I will appeal not to the passions, not to your nerves, but to reason. I do not doubt that reason will be found on the side of truth.

Leon Trotsky

The Zinoviev-Kamenev trial has provoked in public opinion terror, agitation, indignation, distrust, or at least, perplexity. The trial of Piatakov-Radek has once more enhanced these sentiments. Such is the incontestable fact. A doubt of justice signifies, in this case, a suspicion of frame-up. Can one find a more humiliating suspicion against a government which appears under the banner of socialism? Where do the interests of the soviet government itself lie? In dispelling these suspicions. What is the duty of the true friends of the Soviet Union? To say firmly to the soviet government: it is necessary at all costs to dispel the distrust of the Western world for soviet justice.

To answer to this demand: “We have our justice the rest does not concern us much,” is to occupy oneself, not with the socialist enlightment of the masses, but with the policies of inflated prestige, in the style of Hitler or Mussolini.                                   Read More

Japan: Fukushima water leak raises ‘serious concerns’

By AP News Aug 21, 2013 

TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese nuclear watchdog on Wednesday said they are taking the leakage of highly radioactive water at the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant seriously, and proposed raising the rating to describe it from “an anomaly” to a “serious incident.”

Japan Fukushima water leak raises ‘serious concerns’ by nelvely

Egyptian court orders Mubarak's release

By Maggie Fick and Shadia Nasralla

CAIRO | Wed Aug 21, 2013 10:50am EDT

(Reuters) - Deposed Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak will leave jail as early as Thursday after a court ruling that jolted a divided nation already in turmoil seven weeks after the army toppled Islamist President Mohamed Mursi.

Convening on Wednesday at the Cairo jail where Mubarak is held, the court ordered the release of the military man who ruled Egypt for 30 years until he was overthrown during the uprisings that swept the Arab world in early 2011.

Egyptian Court Orders Mubarak's Release by nelvely

TNA to highlight a plethora of issues with Pillay

by Ananth Palakidnar-Tuesday, 20 Aug 2013

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will stress on the need to demilitarize the North, and request the United Nations Human Rights Commission's intervention to obtain the release of Tamil political detainees, when the Alliance meet the UNHRC Chief, Navaneetham Pillay, on 30 August.

Pillay, who is scheduled to arrive in Colombo on 25 August, will have several rounds of talks with Lankan leaders. She has invited the TNA for talks scheduled to be held on 30 August, focusing on human rights issues, as well as the forthcoming Northern Provincial Council polls.

TNA Spokesperson and the Jaffna District Parliamentarian, Suresh Premachandran, told Ceylon Today, the government has not implemented the recommendations in the LLRC report, which the UNHRC had expected it to do.

"Since the UNHRC sessions in Geneva last March, there had been no satisfactory progress on many issues. The militarization in the North and East is the prime issue. The TNA wants the Security Forces to be confined to their barracks during the NPC polls, as well as reducing the number of forces present in the North. Therefore, the TNA will lay more emphasis on the demilitarization in the North during the talks with Navi Pillay," Premachandran said.

He also said the plight of more than 800 Tamil political prisoners, war crimes and disappearances were the other issues which would be in the TNA's agenda, for discussion with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

According to Premachandran, the TNA delegation led by its Leader, R. Sampanthan, will include NPC's chief ministerial candidate, C.V. Wigneswaran, and Parliamentarians M.A. Sumanthiran and Mavai Senathiraja.

Navi Pillay is also scheduled to visit Jaffna during her stay in the island.

Meanwhile, the TNA, which is in the process of preparing for the NPC polls, will hold its first major election meeting on 25 August at the Veerasingham Hall in Jaffna.

Diplomacy could work only when mass mobilisation is ground reality: Guruparan

[TamilNet, Monday, 19 August 2013, 21:09 GMT]
Do we have an environment to talk about Tamil nation and its right to self-determination? Do we have to ask for internal self-determination? Should we go step-by-step in achieving the goals? Do we have the right to call for a referendum? Could we insist on a transitional administration? Are they all realistic in our situation: asking these questions at the Kumar Ponnambalam Memorial Lecture to a fully packed audience in Jaffna on Sunday, Jaffna University Law Lecturer Kumaravadivel Guruparan said that we cannot wage a struggle by seeing what is in the international law, as international law is purposefully ambiguous leaving space for further discourses, and as what needed more than the international law are the mass mobilisation and the backing of powerful friends. 

Hundreds of people, including university students, religious dignitaries, civil activists, political party members and parliamentarians attended a tightly packed house at the I’lang Kalaignar Man’ram Hall in Nalloor, Jaffna, on Sunday to observe the 75 birth anniversary of the late Maamanithar Kumar Ponnampalam.

Diplomacy Could Work Only When Mass Mobilisation is Ground Reality Guruparan by nelvely