The war that confronts us: Looking at Sri Lanka’s official responses to Channel 4 video

groundviews journalism For citizens

Image courtesy Channel 4
Channel 4’s Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields is anything but understated. It is designed to shock, even if you are the most hardened of viewers. Images of blood-soaked bodies assail you from every angle. As a cellphone camera jerks around, you see the bulging eyes of a man-turned-killing machine. He appears to be enjoying himself. You feel disoriented. When you think you cannot take it anymore, there it is: Another body eviscerated, another child screaming for her mother, another man’s eyes tied shut, another gunshot through the head, and still another naked body piled atop a truck laden with violated human flesh.
And then you are left with nothing but darkness. And silence.
That silence lingered as the lights went up on the UN Church Center, where NGO workers and UN staffers, reporters and diplomats attended a subdued screening of Channel 4’s controversial (and at times sensationalist) documentary, Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields. Though the screening was punctuated by two short breaks, few viewers dared to get up for a glass of water or a refill of their morning coffee during the screening.
The panel that followed was moderated by Jose Luis Diaz, Amnesty International’s Representative to the United Nations (who has since written an account of the event here, and featured speakers from Human Rights Watch, the International Crisis Group, Amnesty, and the director of the film, Callum McCrae.
McCrae said that he had very little to add to what the audience had just seen.
“As filmmakers, our job is to gather the evidence, to put together the film… it’s not our job to define what should happen next. In some sense, that’s your job,” he said.       Continue reading »  
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War crimes and uncertain justice

Syed Badrul Ahsan   Wednesday, June 29, 2011
When Ratko Mladic was nabbed in Serbia recently and flown to The Hague to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity, it was one more sign of justice drawing a little closer for the families of those he and his forces murdered in the mid 1990s. There is always that sense of satisfaction when criminality, localised or global, is hunted down and those who have destroyed the lives of innocent men, women and children eventually have their comeuppance.
It is just too bad that Slobodan Milosevic died before judgement could be delivered on his role in the Balkan wars. But that Mladic and Radovan Karadzic are in the net reinforces the argument somewhat that men who cause misery to other men have in the end really nowhere to hide, that civilised men always have a way of bringing them to justice.      Full Story>>>
  

India must get Sri Lanka to keep its promises

Necessary intervention
June 28, 2011   11:05:33 PM

For long now India has enjoyed a high level of influence over Sri Lanka. Yet, despite its long-standing relationship with Colombo, New Delhi’s attempts to encourage its southern neighbour to address crucial post-war challenges and work towards sustainable peace has only met with limited success. Active political engagement and a generous financial assistance package have failed to convince President Mahinda Rajapaksa to bring about an equitable post-war settlement in the country. Consequently, Sri Lanka now runs the risk of an authoritarian Government and a dangerously powerful military. This does not bode well for India. Already saddled with a failed, terrorist state in its west and a young, floundering democracy in the north, India can do without a highly militarised autocratic neighbour in the south. To this extent, it is imperative that New Delhi work with Colombo to lay the foundation of a strong democratic state. Since the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in May 2009, India has focussed on providing humanitarian assistance to displaced Tamils located in the north and the east of Sri Lanka, while negotiating with that country’s Government to devolve power to the Tamils in areas where they are the majority so as to resolve the long-drawn ethnic conflict between them and the Sinhalese, who form the majority in the rest of the country. Additionally, India also supports several major development projects and is working to bring about greater economic integration. However, these policies and initiatives have fallen tragically short: In the face of widespread Sinhalisation, Sri Lankan Tamils continue to be politically marginalised while increased militarisation of the northern province has left them feeling more insecure than ever before. In the rest of the country, democratic institutions remain under constant threat especially as political power becomes concentrated in the hands of Mr Rajapaksa, his family and the military.

In this context, New Delhi would do well to encourage Colombo to show better results. India’s unequivocal support to Mr Rajapaksa as his Government fought to defeat the much despised LTTE should have fetched India greater leverage but South Block has been reluctant to use that to press for more reforms and greater accountability. This must change: Not only because a politically stable and peaceful Sri Lanka is strategic to Indian interests but because China’s increasing influence in that country must also be contained. India has vast economic interests, as well as security interests in Sri Lanka, and China must not be allowed to threaten those. Mr Rajapaksa, who has been courting the Chinese while gladly accepting Indian assistance, should be asked to keep his promises.

U.S. threatens action against Colombo for failure to redress Tamils

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

U.S. threatens action against Colombo for failure to redress Tamils 

Tejinder Singh  June 28, 2011

The United States on Tuesday hardened its stand against Sri Lanka government cautioning it to take necessary steps to book the perpetrators of alleged war-crimes in the country and to bring together the war-torn north and east with the rest of the country after 26 years of war.
The United States on Tuesday hardened its stand against Sri Lanka government cautioning it to take necessary steps to book the perpetrators of alleged war-crimes in the country and to bring together the war-torn north and east with the rest of the country after 26 years of war.
In an email answer to a question from journalists regarding accountability in Sri Lanka, the State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said, “While domestic authorities have primary responsibility to ensure that those responsible for violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law are held accountable, international accountability mechanisms can become appropriate in circumstances in which a State is unable or unwilling to meet its obligations.”
Giving Colombo time to take action, Nuland said, “As we have stated before, the United States supports a full, credible, and independent investigation of alleged violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law and accountability for such violations.”
Urging the “Government of Sri Lanka to quickly demonstrate that it is able and willing to meet these obligations as it seeks reconciliation,” Nuland minced no words in warning Colombo of dire consequences, “We hope the Sri Lankans will themselves do this, but if they do not, there will be growing pressure from the international community to examine other options.”
The statement was a step forward in cautioning Colombo from just a week ago when the U.S. had failed to go beyond stating a few words about the atrocities committed in Sri Lanka against Tamils and other minorities during the war.
A week ago similar questions were raised at the daily U.S. State Department briefing after an event at a think-tank sponsored event in Washington D.C., where the current U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka spoke along with three of former incumbents of the post while there was also a screening of the film “Sri Lankan Killing Fields.”
Nuland then told journalists, “Let me say that U.S. personnel have seen the film. It includes some very disturbing images. As we’ve stated, we are deeply concerned about credible allegations of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights in Sri Lanka.”
According to reports, the film includes footage of apparent extra-judicial massacres of prisoners by Sri Lankan government forces, the aftermath of targeted shelling of civilian hospitals and the bodies of female Tamil fighters who appear to have been sexually assaulted.
Nuland had continued, “We support a full accounting of and accountability for those who engage in acts that violated international human rights in Sri Lanka,” adding, “Assistant Secretary Blake and other senior officials have regularly raised these concerns.”
The U.S. ambassadors attending the earlier mentioned event were Patricia A. Butenis, Ambassador to Sri Lanka from 2009 – Present, Ashley Wills, Ambassador to Sri Lanka from 2000-03, Shaun Donnelly, Ambassador to Sri Lanka from 1997-2000,and Teresita Schaffer, Ambassador to Sri Lanka from 1992-95.

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Mahinda Rajapakse's Russian junket is just a media hyperbole only -Blown out of proportion

Tuesday 28 of June 2011
 (Lanka-e-News -27.June.2011, 11.55P.M.) According to reports from Moscow, President Rajapakse’s tour of Russia to attend the International economic conference on the 18th of June at St. Petersburgh city , was as hollow as it was shallow. Though the State Media made a huge din and gave immense publicity blowing it out of proportion, the junket had been a flop.

The first ridiculous feature of this conference and his junket is , it is one where one had to participate after making a payment of US Dollars 3000/- per head. The SL President too has participated in this conference after getting an invitation paying US $ 3000/- . Nine out of the 81 who went with the President had purchased tickets for the conference after paying US $ 27000/- which in SL rupees is 30 lakhs. Despite all these expenditures and media trumpeting made in this junket ,the President has attended the conference on the first and last sessions only. The second striking feature is , the Hotel charges in Russia during this period are exorbitant- threefold more! Therefore the State leader is duty bound to reveal to the Parliament details of the expenditures and the purpose this junket served in the interests of the country – not the interests served by it to those 81 merry makers who accompanied him.

Full Story

Rajapaksa Denies Indian Pressure Over Tamil Issue

  Jun 28, 2011 

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today denied that he had come under pressure from India to offer the minority Tamils a political solution, saying that any settlement to the matter will have to be approved by the parliament.
"There was no pressure from India on the thirteenth amendment of thirteen plus," Rajapaksa told reporters.
Responding to a query on the visit by Indian National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, he said the Indians had only discussed with him routine bilateral issues.
The Indian officials visited Colombo early this month in the backdrop of a call by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to impose economic sanctions on Sri Lanka.
Rajapaksa said Menon had indicated to him the proposal made by his own Cabinet minister Douglas Devananda on the need for Sri Lankan parliament to thrash out the question of a political solution to the island's ethnic question.
He said appointing a parliamentary select committee on the ethnic question was not a delaying tactic.
"Any solution that comes up will have to be approved in parliament," the president said. "I will back any solution approved by parliament".
"While having talks with political parties (with Tamil National Alliance) we can have PSC talks at the same time. If we wait for political party talks to end and then have PSC discussions, this will cause delays," he said.
The president said the election for the northern provincial council will be held "next year".
He wanted the parties to start preparing for the polls which will be the first ever for the council since separated from the east in the supreme court ordered demerger of 2007.
On the present international campaign against Sri Lanka by the UN and other western nations, he said it was to be countered by submitting two separate reports.
They will deal with the humanitarian nature of the government’s military campaign that ended in May 2009 and the military aspects of it.
External Affairs Minister G L Peiris, who was also present, said that not all countries were opposed to Sri Lanka despite the UN special panel report which accused Colombo of war crimes.

Filed On: Jun 28, 2011 14:57 IST

Statement by the Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Spokesperson on Sri Lanka

23 June 2011

In response to queries received, the Spokesperson stated the following on 23 June 2011:
The Commonwealth membership is united in its longstanding commitment to human dignity, equality, human rights, and the rule of law – to which access to justice and an independent judiciary are fundamental. Commonwealth Heads of Government have as recently as November 2009 solemnly reiterated their commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and also to the values of tolerance, respect and understanding.
The Commonwealth recognises that respect for the dignity of all human beings is critical to promoting peace and prosperity.
The Commonwealth has long supported the peaceful resolution of the civil war in Sri Lanka, and recognises that genuine and sustainable reconciliation must include investigation of alleged war crimes and accountability of those responsible, and the promotion of justice.
The Commonwealth Secretariat has received expressions of concern about the contents of a recent television programme concerning the civil war in Sri Lanka.
There is understandable widespread abhorrence at what the programme purports to show. These concerns have been conveyed to the Sri Lankan government, and the Secretariat has been informed that the video footage will be given the attention that it obviously merits by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.
The Commonwealth Secretariat recalls that the Government of Sri Lanka has conveyed in a statement of the Ministry of External Affairs that if the allegations levelled in the television programme are found to be genuine, the LLRC will take due note and remedial measures will be taken by way of legal sanctions.
The Secretariat welcomes this undertaking to establish the facts of the situation, and to complete a full, credible, and thorough investigation that reflects Commonwealth values and principles to which all members subscribe.

Moves to issue death certificates for missing

26 June, 2011
Moves to issue death certificates for missing

 

It is extremely difficult, and time consuming to get a death certificate issued for those missing in Sri Lanka

The Sri Lanka government and the United Nations have launched a pilot project in eastern Sri Lanka to issue death certificates for those missing for a long period.

The ministry of National Languages and Integration together with the UNDP is currently conducting a mobile service in Chenkalady, Batticaloa.

UNDP project officer in charge of the initiative, ARM Sulphi, told BBC Sinhala service that the relatives of those missing for over a year can submit an application at the mobile services that are held until 28 June.

The applications will be then published at local government offices for a month, he said, for anybody to file objections if any.

He added that free legal advice will be offered to them requested the relatives to bring along all available documents to the mobile services.

Lengthy process

Authorities plan to hold a mobile service along with the Registrar General to issue death certificates if no objections are filed.

My husband was abducted by a group in January 2009. I was then pregnant with our second child. Husband is missing since then   A woman came to the mobile service

It is extremely difficult, and time consuming to get a death certificate issued for those missing in Sri Lanka.

Under normal circumstances, the relatives of the disappeared are required to lodge a complaint with the police.

Six months after the complaint, a death inquiry will be conducted through court order before issuing the death certificate.

Many relatives who came to the service said they faced many difficulties without death certificates for their lost ones.

A mother of a missing 12-year old told BBC Sandeshaya that her son went missing after he left to school in 1995.

Some relatives said accused the paramilitaries linked with the government of abducting their relatives.

They approached those concerned, said the relatives, but was never given a satisfactory answer.

However, many still believe that their loved ones are yet to be found.

Jaffna’s unabated killing spree -earlier ‘lamp post’ killings in Jaffna is now replaced by ‘goal post’ killings !

Lanka-e-Newss -26.June.2011, 11.55P.M.) A youth of Puttur district Jaffna had been murdered after being assaulted . His body was later discovered this morning hanged at a public place.

This body was found hanging from a goal post in a playground of Warawatta School , Puttur , Jaffna. The name of the deceased is 20 year old Balachandran Satgunaraja. Investigations into the murder had revealed that after the victim had been assaulted and murdered , his body had been hanged . However motive of looting or robbery has been ruled out on this murder as his motor bike had been found near the place where his body was hanged.

It is something interesting to note that during the LTTE period , Jaffna was well known for lamp post killings with bodies tied to lamp posts after killing . But now , it is the army that is administering Jaffna. According to our LeN reporters , the residents of the area are questioning with shock as to how these killings are raging and bodies are being exhibited so openly , when there are almost as many soldiers as there are civilians in those areas. This has also triggered widespread unrest and tension among the people of the areas.

Atchuvely police is conducting investigations . So far no suspect had been taken into custody .
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‘goal post’ killings !

The law is closing in on Mahinda Rajapaksa from all directions

By V Suresh   Chennai27 Jun 2011

Posted 24-Jun-2011 Vol 2 Issue 25 The year 2011 has been an eventful ‘legal’ year for Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. Even as he belligerently launched diplomatic counter-moves to neutralize the damning indictment by the UN Secretary General’s Expert Panel of Sri Lankan security forces that has been accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity, a new legal action has surfaced, raising the question: How long can Rajapakse escape culpability for the killings of thousands of unarmed, non-combatant, innocent Tamils? Visual evidence: Channel 4’s footage of cold blooded killings of Tamils by Sri Lankan security forces has further exposed Rajapaksa        Read More

For the first time in SL’s history the police Force is being run without an officially appointed IGP !

(Lanka-e-Newss -26.June.2011, 11.55P.M.) According to reports reaching LeN , this is the first time in Sri Lanka , the police Force is being run without an IGP having been officially appointed. The reason for this is , after the resignation of former IGP Balasooriya , the acting IGP N K Ilangakoon has still not been appointed officially as the IGP . If Ilangakoon is to be officially appointed , the Cabinet approval is necessary , but so far , the necessary Cabinet power in this regard has still not been presented to the Cabinet.        Full story >>  
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President MR is overtly and loudly campaigning for against heroin (mathata thitha) but is covertly and silently working affinity for heroin (mathata hitha)

(Lanka-e-N ews -25.June.2011, 11.55PM) Police anti Narcotics unit Director SP . K U P Jayasinghe who arrested the millionaire kudu (heroin ) distributor for Colombo kudu Lalithra along with Rs. 40 million worth kudu in his possession and kudu Ruwan alias Ruwan Chamila ,(a close aide of Duminda Silva , MP and defense Ministry monitor in charge) who was arrested in Chilaw while smuggling kudu from India , had been transferred from the unit immediately.

Jayasinhe has been transferred as a personal assistant to DIG Sabaragamuwa where he will wield no important tasks.

Might we recall that LeN reported that after the arrest of Lalithra , the Colombo kudu distributor along with his Rs. 40 million worth heroin , by SP Jayasinghe and Police officer Rangajeewa who conducted the raid , they received death threats , and on two occasions Duminda Silva had phoned Jayasinghe and exerted pressure to release those arrested. We also reported that the Prado vehicle No. 7046 belonged to Duminda Silva which fled and escaped from being taken into custody when heroin was being transported at Chilaw .                  Full story >>       

Who, Us, What?

A documentary collates the horrors from the final war against the LTTE

Satarupa Bhattacharjya

Video grabs from Channel 4’s documentary ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’. Shown here are images of blindfolded LTTE men being shot dead in cold blood by, presumably, Lankan soldiers.

“Are you still afraid to kill a terrorist?” asks a man, most likely a soldier, in Sinhala to the one standing next to him, with his gun pointed at three blindfolded people, their hands bound, naked and kneeling on the ground. Gunshots are heard, the three prisoners flop to the ground, their heads drenched in blood. Gruesome images emerge in quick succession—naked and possibly sexually abused dead women being dumped into a trunk, heaps of dead bodies of child soldiers of the LTTE, streams of blood flowing out of hospitals located in no-fire zones which the Sri Lankan government forces allegedly shelled, repeatedly and deliberately, killing countless civilians. To this carnage the LTTE too contributed, its suicide bombers detonating amidst civilian crowds or maniacally shooting at people trying to escape its control.    

Who, Us, What? Full Story>>>  

Grassroot Tamil Nadu gathers to remember genocide, rise for Tamil Eelam

[TamilNet, Monday, 27 June 2011, 02:18 GMT]

Keeping aside party identities, religions and castes, more than 30,000 people of grass root Tamil Nadu gathered in Marina Beach of Chennai on Sunday to remember the genocide committed on Eezham Tamils and to call for independent and sovereign Tamil Eelam, sending a strong message to New Delhi and to the international community. The congregation organised by Mr. Thirumurukan Gandhi of May 17 Movement, received massive support and participation of leaders cutting across party lines, similar grass root movements, civil society organisations, artists, social workers and the common public that has come with families bringing even their children.
                                                                                        Full story >> 

Govt. disowned by international masters

Sinhala heroes are on the run. The Goliath who protected them from the international enemies has turned against them. Delhi leaders, who gave orders to annihilate the Tamil insurrection and to bring the head of Prabhakaran to their feet, now want to pacify the Tamil bourgeoisie. The internationalization of the Tamil national issue has created a pressure unexpected. Tamil national problem was taken over by the international left organization and effected social democracy everywhere. Left in Lanka should be glad that has happened, and the sacrifice made was beneficial. The local workers struggle too created a condition that diluted the image of Sinhala chauvinism. The killing and injuring of workers that fought on economic issues had a devastating effect on the reformist workers who half heartedly joined the campaign. Thousands came out to give a blow to the government that made it drop the bogus pension bill and retreat rapidly. However there is something shady about this police attack on workers. LakbimaNews reported “According to information received, the CID has reason to believe that the police had deliberately opened fire on the protesters. The investigations have also revealed that police had broken open doors of FTZ factories, before firing in every possible direction although many protesters had dispersed by then.” Does that mean a secret hand is operating to put Mahinda in trouble?  If so, then it should be a hand of somebody powerful and close to the defence ministry.
Secretary Defence Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on 17 June made a peculiar statement. He said ‘Heroic efforts of our War Heroes are belittled by some interested parties, by claiming that our armed forces have committed war crimes. As a nation who salvaged this country from scourge of terrorism, it is our duty now as patriots to rise to the occasion and defeat those international attempts, meant to bring discredit to the country.’
Full Story>>>

Govt. rejects our right to know

 

Long-delayed Freedom of Information Bill defeated in parliament, chink in Rajapaksa regime's armour exposed Bill would have strengthened democracy amidst allegations of oppression and human rights violations

By Our Political Editor

Weeks ago, Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkoddy was in the chair at a party leaders' meeting that discussed Parliamentary business in the days ahead. A heated debate ensued when Karu Jayasuriya, co-deputy leader of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), announced he would move a Private Member's Bill on Freedom of Information. Ministers Basil Rajapaksa and Dinesh Gunawardena strongly objected. They said in one voice that the government would not allow the Bill to become law 'under any circumstances'.   read more..

Indian civic rights activist Aruna Roy who campaigned for a Right to Information Act in India explaining the merits of such legislation especially in eliminating corruption in the state sector as she delivers a lecture at the Sri Lanka Press Institute in July 2009
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President insists solution only through PSC

By Our Political Editor The proposed Parliamentary Select Committee would determine whether the 13th Amendment should be part of a settlement for Tamil grievances, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has re-iterated.
He told the main opposition United National Party’s co-deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya on Friday that this was the UPFA government’s official position. He said the government wanted Parliament to come out with a settlement endorsed by all political parties.      read more..  
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C’wealth Secretariat joins the chorus

Channel 4 Documentary

By Our Diplomatic Editor

The Commonwealth Secretariat in London has expressed concern over the contents of the recent British Channel 4 television programme that showed alleged Sri Lankan soldiers killing suspected terrorists in the final stages of the military campaign against the LTTE in May 2009 – despite a member-nation of the Commonwealth (Sri Lanka) challenging the authenticity of the footage in the programme. read more..

Chinese to build luxury port city off Galle Face

Govt gets US$ 700 million offer for 500-acres of sea land

By Bandula Sirimanna

China which has been increasingly involved in Sri Lanka’s economy, has secured another lucrative deal — creating a new 500-acre, port city on reclaimed land on the sea off the Galle Face Green. A top Government source, who declined to be named due to the sensitivity of the deal, said the government had agreed to the US$700 million offer from a Chinese investor. The offer has been channelled through Chinese authorities. The securing of the investment was itself announced by Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) Chairman Priyath Wickrama at a public forum on shipping earlier this week in Colombo but he didn’t disclose the identity otheinvestor or the country of origin. Army HQ being cleared for Shangri-La and CATIC. Pic by Mangala Weerasekera             read more.. ====================================== Still No Houses Or Land To Return To Sunday, June 26, 2011 By Maryam Azwer Two years after the war ended, and still at Menik Farm The Resettlement Ministry says that the primary delay in resettling the approximately 17,000 IDPs remaining at Menik Farm is due to the ongoing de-mining process in Mullaitivu and certain parts of Kilinochchi. This delay in resettlement isn’t the only concern facing the IDPs, however – the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has claimed that some IDPs are not being allowed to return to their original lands, and have been asked to find alternate locations. What’s more, they claim that they have reason to believe these lands in the North have been picked out especially to carry out construction of housing units for the families of military personnel.    Read More »   ======================================= Gas Oil Story: USD 500 Million Purchase Concluded By One Man Titus J: Solitary Man with power to spend US$ 500 Million alone By Faraz Shauketaly Susil Premajayantha, Titus Jayawardena, Cabinet Memorandum authorising purchase AND ENOC offer dated 2 days before cabinet approval In an astonishing revelation, Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Industries, Titus Jayawardena, has signed off on an order for the supply of Gas Oil which has a staggering price tag of US$ 500 Million. It could well be the single largest value business transaction ever carried out by a solitary official. The new port of Hambantota cost the government US$ 360 Million and the new airport in the South is costed at US$ 310 Million. Both these projects had a long and detailed procurement process complete with the usual checks and balances, as is the norm when the government embarks upon spending vast sums of monies. Neither of these projects was left to be decided upon by one, solitary man.    Read More »

CHNNEL 4 STANDS BY ITS SRI LANKA COVERAGE

Saturday, June 25, 2011  Fair and Balanced

By Faraz Shauketaly

Channel 4’s Ben de Pear

Growing international concern at what exactly went on during the closing stages of the war against the LTTE, was brought sharply into focus by Britain’s Channel 4 TV network. Since 2009 Channel 4 has covered the war situation in Sri Lanka’s north and matters came to a head with the broadcasting of the film, “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” on June 14th.         Read More »   
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Land Acquisition of Kalpitiya Islets Continues

Saturday, June 25, 2011

The Government is continuing to acquire land to carry out the Kalpitiya Tourism Development Project.
There are 31 islands in Kalpitiya. The Ministry of Economic Development has signed lease agreements for the islands Vellai I, 2, 3 and lppantivu through the Sri Lanka Tourism Authority. In addition, a survey is ongoing to find potential investors for 10 islands: Baththalangunduwa, Palliyawatta, Uchchamunai, Eramutivu, Mutuwal (Dutch Bay ), Periya Arachchalai , Sinna Arachchalai, Sinna Eramutivu , Eramutiv West, and Kakativu 1, all vested with the Tourism Development Authority. The land acquisition process is underway for the remaining I7 Islands, namely Lamputivu alias Pambativu, Kilitivu, Neduntivu Mattutivu, Ambanttativu, Pullupitiya alias Somativu Nariya Kutti, Pasikudah alias Maripututiv, Odayapitiya alias Udayurputi, Kakativu 3 and three (03) more islands with no identified names.        Read More »  

Lawyer To Represent MR In US Court

  Saturday, June 25, 2011

By Indika Sri Aravinda

Mahinda Rajapaksa

Despite telling the local media that Sri Lanka will not respond to the summons issued on President Mahinda Rajapaksa by a US court, the government has now decided that a lawyer in the US will watch the interests of the President.
Justice Ministry Secretary Suhada Gamlath told The Sunday Leader that the Attorney General’s Department will retain a lawyer to oversee the President’s interests in the US District Court which had issued the summons on Rajapaksa
.A US-based Tamil lobby filed the case claiming damages from the President as commander-in-chief of the Sri Lankan armed forces for the alleged killing of Raghiar Manoharan.
The Justice Ministry said last week that it had received the summons but said the government would not respond to it.
“Under our laws, the President has immunity,” Gamlath had told the media last week.
“We don’’t have to respond to such summons and I have written to the District Court of the Southern District of Columbia of our legal position,” Gamlath had said.
The Sri Lankan government has repeatedly argued that it has been unfairly criticised for ending a conflict that claimed tens of thousands of lives amid regular suicide bombings of government targets.
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Lanka's war of blame

Sutirtho Patranobis, Hindustan Times
Colombo, June 25, 2011
President Mahinda Rajapaksa could have expectedly felt reassured last week after meeting friends, Hu Jintao and Dmitri Medvedev, at an economic forum in St Petersburg, Russia. No one can blame Rajapaksa for feeling a little hot lately under the collar of his starched white shirt and customary red stole The last three months have been particularly hard on Rajapaksa's reputation of being a strongman and meeting powerful friends is one way of snapping out of a dark, diplomatic corner where he was pushed into on human rights issues.    more »