Muslim journalist assaulted for expressing solidarity with Mannaar Bishop

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 29 May 2012, 15:35 GMT]
An official employed by the Sri Lankan Minister of Industries and Trade, Rishard Badurdeen, on Monday assaulted a 72-year-old Muslim journalist, MA Cader, for having taken part in a prayer expressing solidarity with Mannaar Bishop on Sunday with thousands of civilians of all walks of life in Mannaar. The SL Minister Badurdeen had issued veiled threats against Mannaar Bishop during a speech in the SL Parliament recently. The SL minister's threat against the Bishop comes in the wake of Colombo's harassment against the Bishop, who boldly brought out the fact that 146,679 people had gone unaccounted for in the last stages of Vanni war. 

The veteran writer and journalist Mr Cader had addressed the gathering on Sunday seeking religious harmony and expressing contempt towards the SL Minister for his statement that had characterized the Bishop as an opponent of Muslims. 
The senior journalist, who had lost a leg in a road accident two years ago was forcibly put into the pickup vehicle from his bicycle and was abused in filth and severely assaulted. 

In the meantime, Catholic priests from various churches have expressed solidarity with Mannaar Bishop, issuing statements and conducting prayers. 

“Release them now”

Tuesday, 29 May 2012 
The Movement for the release of Political prisoners conducted a protest opposite the Welikada Jail demanding the release of all Political prisoners including prisoners being held on charges of being members of the LTTE. The movement called for expediting the legal process to secure the release of all prisoners. Pix by Samantha Perera

WATCH

 

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New chapter in Tamil struggle for political rights

May 28, 2012,

Historically, it was the violence against the Tamil people that drove them to take up violence themselves. When peaceful struggle was consistently and brutally quenched by violent means, Tamil youth were forced to resort to violence.

Frustrated by the inability to achieve anything by peaceful means, Tamil youth were driven to resort to armed struggle.

The 30 years of violent political struggle starting from the 1980s is a deep-rooted chapter in the history of the Tamil people. This chapter of blood, tears, courage, despair and great destruction achieved two things:

Speech delivered by R. Sampanthan, MP, Leader of the Tamil National Alliance at the 14th Annual ITAK Convention (May 2012)

As those in service to the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi, which has become the political symbol of the Tamil Nation, with its own political culture and ideals, we are proud to gather here for its 14th National Convention in the year 2012.

We are gathered here in hope and expectation, in circumstances never before experienced since Sri Lanka is said to have gained independence, 60 years ago.          Read More...

Army and Tamil youths watching Fonseka’s movements

Tuesday, 29 May 2012

Sri Lanka Army personnel and unknown Tamil youths are keeping a close watch on former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka’s movements, sources from the Police Department said.

The matter has come to light with the inspection carried out on an unidentified Land Rover vehicle near Fonskea’s residence on the 27th.

The black Land Rover vehicle with a red garage number plate bearing number AA-0412-E had been driven by Corporal S.V. Jayanetti from the Army Infantry Regiment and accompanied by Sergeant R.W.C. Kumarage from the Infantry Regiment.

When the vehicle was checked, these two army personnel had been accompanied in the vehicle by three Tamil youths without any identification papers.

Disturbed by the police check, the persons in the vehicle have immediately contacted the Army Headquarters through the communication unit in the vehicle and the police personnel have been ordered by the Police Headquarters to immediately release the persons.

‘Rule Of Law’ Or ‘Rule Of Men’: What Will Usher Prosperity And Development?

May 29, 2012

By W.A. Wijewardena  -

Dr. W.A. Wijewardena

Palihakkara: Rule of law is important

The veteran diplomat and former foreign secretary H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, chairing the late H.L.de Silva Memorial Events in Colombo recently, has asked an important question pertaining to the current state of social development in Sri Lanka: Is it ‘Rule of Law’ or ‘Rule of Men’ that contributes to a society’s wellbeing? Drawing on the ideals of the late H.L.de Silva who had firmly believed that respecting the rule of law a must for an orderly society, the veteran diplomat has gone on to answering his question with a detailed explanation.

Palihakkara has said that “Diminishing respect for the Rule of Law diminishes us all. Such erosion will allow impunity to raise its ugly head. Usually, impunity signals the onset of decay. Neither those who govern nor those of us who are the governed will be spared. It impairs civilized life and democracy. And it undermines the investment climate. Conversely, the upholding of the Rule of Law manifestly strengthens sovereignty, pre-empts external calls for intrusive accountability, deters threats to the territorial integrity of the nation and facilitates the enjoyment of fruits of citizenship and democracy by all”.

Based on his reasoning, he has concluded that when Sri Lanka nurtures a rich culture of the rule of law, and not the rule of men, at home, “the image abroad becomes richer even if the country remains poor in economic terms”. Hence it is the duty of all to say yes to ‘force of rule’ (discipline made in a society by the introduction of socially accepted set of rules) and no to ‘rule of force’ (administering a country by using coercive powers) (available at: http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=52289).

King Elara applied rule of law to the letter          Read More

Nimal Siripala gets the axe from the Rajapakses
Tuesday 29 of May 2012

(Lanka-e-News-27.May.2012, 11.55PM) The Rajapakse regime had decided that in future Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva is no longer permitted to take part in the UN Human rights Commission (UNHRC) in Geneva, according to reports. It is learnt that this is the result of Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa sneaking on Nimal Siripala to the President that he did not duly perform his duties duly before the Int. community.

Tamara Gunanayagam , the SL permanent representative to the UN too was similarly axed , and sent as High Commissioner to Cuba. 

Lawyer Nimal Siripala during the period of the peace accord and the war had been carrying out duties before the international community, and has a tremendous experience in this sphere , and at the last Geneva session he had not conducted himself as an extremist or racist before the international community. Had he behaved that way the country’s image would have been further tarnished . Anura Yapa who could not be patient with this conduct had sneaked on Nimal Siripala to the President.

MaRa has a grudge against the SLFP second row leaders in order to propel the Rajapakses forward. This had had a great impact on the decision to withdraw Minister Nimal Siripala from the Geneva human rights Commission activities in the future.

It is following this sneaking , Anura Priyadharshana Yapa was sent to the US for discussions recently.

Earlier on Anura Yapa was precariously placed under the MaRa ‘s guillotine . When he was the media Minister, MaRa had told , Yapa does not do anything, only stays at home and views films. Later he was removed from the media Minister post. Now , Anura Yapa has fallen to such a disgraceful level that whenever he appears , the SLFP M P s stop their discussions saying disdainfully , there comes the backbiter.
Meanwhile the US State Secretary Hilary Clinton had stated that SL shall act according to the recommendations ratified at the recent Geneva human rights Council . The international community is disillusioned with SL for resorting to evasive measures while saying steps will be taken to formulate a mechanism to implement the recommendations.

According to the Geneva recommendations , SL has to take future action along with the assistance of the International human rights commissioner. Based on this a group representing the Human rights Commissioner is scheduled to arrive in SL. But it is learnt that there is a great likelihood that the foreign Ministry would refuse to give visas to them.

The racist minister Champika Ranawake and Gunadasa Amaresekeras had sent a letter to the Govt. to disallow the representatives of the Human rights commissioner to come to SL, reports say. The Ministers of the Govt. themselves say , because of the recalcitrance of the Govt. and its stubbornness SL is getting increasingly isolated from the international community.

Ahmad Tea investment to move out of Sri Lanka

Tuesday, 29 May 2012 

A key tea exporter in the country, Ahmad Tea is to move its planned tea packaging project worth US$ 200 million from Sri Lanka to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a senior official from the Tea Manufacturers Association told Lanka News Web.

The official said the company has decided to move out its million dollar project from Sri Lanka after a senior female official from Sri Lanka Tea Board had requested for a US$ 4 million bribe to approve the project.

She had informed officials from Ahmad Tea that permission could not be granted under normal procedures for the packaging of blended tea and that it would cost the company US$ 4 million to get special permission for the project.

Ahmad Tea has therefore decided to cancel the project in Sri Lanka and have commenced the project in the UAE.

Tamils, it's time to wake up!

by C. Naganathan

( May 29, 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Before the LTTE evolved into a militant force, the peaceful struggle for devolution by the Tamil leaders (front of old Parliament and Galle face green) were attacked by the Sinhala government sponsored mob. During that time the Tamil problem was known as a domestic issue and the outside world did not bother, but today the situation is totally different, the entire world is involved.

In his keynote address by Mr. R Sampanthan the leader of the main Tamil parliamentary party at the recent congress of that organization provides a glimpse of their future tactics.

In his speech Mr. Sampanthan also says,

“…Our patience however, will not be everlasting. Our patience too, has its limits. Once we have reached that limit, we will move onto the stage of our effort. We will not hesitate to gather our people together and with the support of progressive forces in our country, and the international community, even engage in a non-violent struggle. We will decide on specific deadlines and when the time comes for such action, we will act…”

When it comes to non-violent campaigns, the Non-Violent Direct Action exemplified several decades ago by the Civil Rights Movement under Martin Luther King in the USA is a very practical alternative technique to militancy-cum-terrorism. There are several features in this strategy which are positive and relevant to the Tamil people everywhere.

Firstly, it will involve large masses, if not all, of the Tamil people. Secondly, it will preclude the enormous waste of resources in the purchase of arms, which could be far better spent in rehabilitating the North and East, presently lying in ruins. It also provides a less unethical, less immoral and certainly less mortal route to the same experience of involvement - and it is open to every Tamil.

All Tamil parties should establish their permanent headquarters in the North and the East, so also the Tamil social service organizations or humanitarian agencies. The Hindu cultural and religious organizations should follow suit. The Tamil people everywhere else should consider it their bounden duty to look after their less-fortunate brethren in the North and East as a priority, live soberly, and demonstrate to the rest of the world that they take their responsibilities as a people, seriously and ethically. Non-violence with Direct Action is not naive, but a rough factor for real politic based on careful study of human psychology.

It will enable the Tamils and the parties to appeal with confidence to the conscience of the international community, as expressed in international law, world opinion and international institutions. It will realistically facilitate an UN-sponsored armistice and UN-supervised referendum that will hand back the traditional Tamil lands to the Tamil people.

It is for the Tamil people in the North and East to decide how they wish to settle the Tamil question, let the people have their say. It is time that Tamil people everywhere, whether in the Tamil speaking areas, or in the rest of the country, or abroad, demand their right to an open forum in which to have their say. Create the conditions for the Tamil people to exercise their right to enter the debate and negotiate the final answer to the Tamil question that concerns them most?

Every opportunity should be grasped by the Tamil people, parties and organizations alike to establish links with the International community (including India) and also with groups of enlightened Sinhalese opinion that perceive the good of all implicit in breaking the hold of the present Sinhala ruling class over the affairs of the country, defeating majoritarianism and replacing the present Unitarianism and centrist structure of government by a new confederative structure or consociation of nationalities. This, in a plural society such as ours, is the only suitable vehicle for democracy, according parity, equality and tolerance at all levels of government and society and culture and liberating the down-trodden and oppressed, whether Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher or other, so that they may live in peace, dignity and concord, without either class or ethnic bias and where there is scope for all without the one subsuming the other.

No Clue On Missing UPFA PS Membe

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

By Mandana Ismail Abeywickrema

Perpetrators of many of the abductions that took place in the country have still not been apprehended.

Controversy surrounds the abduction of a governing party councilor of the Bulathsinhala Pradeshiya Sabha… 29-year-old  Pradeshiya Sabha member Lakmini Anupama Panditharatne  was abducted in Thebuwana, Warakagoda by an unidentified group when she was returning home from the temple around 7 pm last Sunday. The police say that there are several theories over Panditharatne’s abduction. It has been speculated that Panditharatne was abducted by a group of persons who were angry with her for failing to grant them employment after collecting money from them. It was also speculated that she had eloped with her paramour. The police however are yet to make any headway in the investigation into Panditharatne’s abduction although the Thebuwana and Bulathsinhala police were both inquiring into the incident.
Police Spokesperson SP Ajith Rohana said that investigations were continuing  but the police have been unable to find any leads. Rohana confirmed that there had been several complaints made to the police by various persons against Panditharatne claiming she had collected money from them promising jobs. He said the police were investigating into those complaints as well. “It was also speculated that she had gone with a man she was having an affair with,” he said.
According to Rohana, Panditharatne is believed to have had an affair with another man since an analysis into her mobile phone records has indicated a certain pattern. “She had made several calls to that particular number that day and even during the time of the alleged abduction she had made a call to the number,” he said. Nevertheless, when The Sunday Leader inquired if the police have still been unable to make any headway, Rohana said that investigations are still being carried out. “We still don’t know what had happened,” he added. When inquired about the investigation last Thursday (24), Rohana informed The Sunday Leader that Panditharatne’s family had informed the police that she had made a telephone call to a friend saying she was going to return within the course of the day.
However, even by Thursday night, she had not returned home. Panditharatne’s mobile phone number that had been given to the Bulathsinhala Pradeshiya Sabha was switched off when The Sunday Leader called it. Panditharatne’s father  said the family was still waiting to hear some news about her.
“The police say that they don’t know what has happened,” H. Panditharatne said. He said there was suspicion among family members about Panditharatne’s abduction although they could not point out any suspects. “She is a politician dedicated to her work and this could be a politically motivated action,” he said.

How Alahaperumas the other half of Rajapakses are living on people’s funds 

(Lanka-e-News-28.May.2012,11.00PM) If the Rajapakses are earning and amassing wealth for their generations that are to come , what is wrong if the Alahaperumas who are the other half of the Rajapakses also plunder the country ‘s wealth to accumulate for their own family generations? This seems to be the guiding principle of Dallas Alahaperuma’s family going by the way they are conducting themselves, according to reports reaching Lanka e news.

Minister Dallas Alahaperuma has a brother whose name is Oshadi Alahaperuuma. The latter who knows next to nothing about international diplomatic affairs is however holding the post of SL High Commissioner to Sweden. This nitwit is also in charge of the diplomatic relations pertaining to four other countries, Denmark, Lativia, Lithuweniya and Iceland.

In the past these countries have given aid to SL in many ways. But after nitwits like Oshadi made their advent as High Commissioner to these countries for diplomatic relations, those countries are now viewing SL in an awkward manner with repugnance , perhaps because of Oshadi’s ‘excellent’ conduct of diplomatic affairs .

No matter what , Alahaperumas with the idea of developing the whole family , has got down L S Alahaperuma a sister of Dallas Alahaperuma who is a dental doctor to Sweden. She got her first appointment as grade two dental doctoring SL in April 1993. As the younger brother is the Ambassador , she with her family arrived in Sweden and tried to get a doctor appointment for several months without avail. She then left her son in the care of Ambassador uncle and returned to SL.
Now , the son had to be developed . This son had only passed the GCE A/L in commerce with two C passes and one S pass .That was in the year 2011. As with those mediocre results he could not enter the University , he sought to enter the university in Sweden but without success.
The Sweden tourist visa of this son was almost expiring .What did the Alahaperumas do now ? they appointed this son in the SL Embassy in Sweden as a Typist clerk since 18th May 2012. His appointment had been approved by the Colombo foreign Ministry . So , this son has got his visa now to be in Sweden though he hasn’t a table or chair in the Embassy.

But what is sad to note is , the family of Alahaperuma is somehow reaching their obnoxious goals riding heavily on the backs of the poor suffering people of SL , for it is at their expense (public funds), all the Alahaperuma rackets and manipulations are organized.

There is another chapter to this story which we shall reveal shortly.

World Tyrants Will Join The Queen At Taxpayer-Funded Meal

By Uvindu Kurukulasuriya    Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen has come under criticism for inviting tyrants to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. Last week it was about Middle Eastern monarchs. Swazilanders and Bahrainians joined human rights campaigners in a protest on Friday 18, May outside Buckingham Palace against the invitations to royal dictators from around the world to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee dinner.
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has condemned the Queen’s decision to invite “dictator monarchs” to her Diamond Jubilee celebrations this. She will host the royal autocrats for lunch at Windsor Castle and for dinner at Buckingham Palace.
“It is outrageous that the Queen has invited royal tyrants to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee. She should not host the monarchs of countries such as Brunei, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Swaziland and United Arab Emirates. All of them preside over regimes that abuse human rights,” said Peter Tatchell, Director of the human rights campaign group, the Peter Tatchell Foundation.       Read More »

GL summons UK HC over disputing President’s claims

May 28, 2012,

By Shamindra Ferdinando

 External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday summoned British High Commissioner John Rankin to the ministry to protest against the UK envoy contradicting President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Victory Day speech.

A British High Commission spokesperson yesterday afternoon said that the HC had further comments on this issue.

Ministry sources told The Island that Prof. Peiris had expressed displeasure over Rankin disputing President Rajapaksa’s claim of scaling down of the military presence and the non-involvement of the military in civil administration in the Northern Province since the conclusion of the conflict in May, 2009.

In his video, ‘Ask the High Commissioner’, Rankin challenged President Rajapaksa’s

statement pertaining to troop deployment in the Northern Province in his address to the nation on May 19, on the third anniversary of Sri Lanka’s war victory over the LTTE.

Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe told The Island that since the conclusion of the conflict there had been a steady reduction in the military presence in the Jaffna peninsula. He revealed that at the time he took over the peninsula on December 7, 2009, there had been 27,000 troops, though today there were only 15,600. "There are three Divisions deployed across the peninsula and the Jaffna islands. The 51 Division is deployed in the Jaffna sector, 52 Division in Vadamaratchchy and 55 Division at Elephant Pass. Don’t forget, at the time eelam war IV erupted, the Jaffna peninsula had the largest single concentration of armed forces and police numbering close to 50,000."

Rankin, in his video presentation, discussed the human rights situation in Sri Lanka with reference to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) report as well as the recently launched UK Human Rights Report. Categorising Sri Lanka as one of the 28 countries accused of major human rights violations, Rankin stressed the need for freedom of expression, minority rights, women’s rights while condemning the country for continuing abductions and disappearances.

Commenting on the President’s assertion that the armed forces couldn’t be moved out of the Northern and Eastern Province due to the continued anti-Sri Lanka operations undertaken by the Tamil Diaspora and the LTTE rump abroad, Rankin said that the LTTE was no longer engaged in terrorist activity. He described the absence of terrorism as a good thing, while reminding the GoSL that the LTTE remained a proscribed organisation in many parts of the world, including in the UK.

HC Rankin said that President Rajapaksa had, in his Victory Day speech, declared that the military was no longer involved in civil administration in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country. Recognising Sri Lanka’s right to maintain normal military bases throughout the country, like in the UK, he alleged that the military deployment in the Northern and Eastern Province was very much different compared to other parts of the country. Rankin alleged that the government was maintaining a very heavy military presence in the Northern region.

Karuna the SLFP Vice President maintaining an illegal armed team with regime’s patronage
(Lanka-e-News-28.May.2012, 10.00PM) It has now come to light with palpable evidence that Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muraltharan alias Karuna Amman , a former leader of the arms division of the LTTE and present Vice President of the SLFP is still maintaining an illegal armed group carrying weapons .

This was exposed when a group with T 56 weapons of Karuna Amman was apprehended in the early morning at Kalawanchikudy on the 25th.

Based on reports reaching Lanka e news , it has been revealed thus :

On the 25th early morning , the Kalawanchkudy police STF has conducted a search operation on vehicles after barricading the Kalawannchikudy – Ampara road . They had stopped a jeep that was heading for Colombo at about 12.30 am midnight .

In the jeep were a driver and three Tamil youths .The chief of that group had said , he is the coordinating officer of the east of the Minister Karuna. The others have told that they are supporters of Karuna.

In any case when the STF had made them alight from the vehicles and inspected the two vehicles, they had discovered four T 56 weapons kept hidden . The weapons were not licensed and 4 magazines loaded with bullets were also found.

When the STF had taken them to the STF camp Kalawanchikudy and conducted long interrogations , it had been revealed that the three youths in the jeep were members of the former LTTE arms division.

The middle finger on the left hand of one of them was short with some parts of it missing. However the group had not told precisely what their objective was to head for Colombo. When these law breakers were about to be put in the police cell, the defense secretary has given a call and bitterly berated the STF officers while ordering them to immediately release the group.

The STF officers having no choice had released the illegal group of Karuna’s paramilitary armed unlawful team from the cell along with all their arms and ammunition. In addition , they had been provided with police escort until the illegally armed group had reached Ampara Town. . 
The security divisions are now troubled over this illegally armed group with weapons . It is being questioned , why they were headed for Colombo with arms and weapons.? And whether they are transporting weapons illegally to Colombo often ? 

It is abundantly clear from this episode that while Karuna Amman is singing songs , playing the guitar and dancing his cares away in Colombo Hotels , he is also maintaining an illegal armed group .

It has also become clearly manifest that since Karuna Amman is the vice president of the SLFP , the party is pursuing its political activities with an illegally armed division in its fold ; and that division is enjoying the full patronage of the MaRa regime.

TNA demands devolution package should go beyond 13th Amendment

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Sri Lanka's mainstream Tamil party,the Tamil National Alliance, has demanded a devolution package, saying it should go beyond the proposed 13th Amendment to the country's Constitution.

Seeking greater autonomy within a united Sri Lanka, party chief R Sampanthan has said Tamils must have "unrestricted authority to govern our own land, protect our own people and develop our own economy".

Addressing the 14th annual convention of the TNA in the eastern town of Batticaloa over the weekend, Sampanthan distanced his group from the views of the now-purged LTTE, saying Tamils in Sri Lanka could not have difference of opinion with India.

He called the 30 years of violent political struggle in the north and east of Sri Lanka as "a chapter of blood, tears,courage, despair and great destruction" and said this period saw the emergence of LTTE as a great force within Tamil community.

Sampanthan said the intervention of India was an inevitable chapter in the history of Tamil political struggle.

"The intervention of India has clearly taught us the lesson that whatever our aspirations may be, India will never welcome a political solution in Sri Lanka that does not accord with the interests of India," he said.

Sampanthan said TNA used the intervention of India to their benefit, "together with its assistance and blessing, we grasped an opportunity to arrive at a political solution that would enable us to live with dignity within a united Sri Lanka".

"We must not forget the lesson history taught us, of the difference of opinion we had with India that not only caused it to distance itself from us for the past 20 years, but even caused it to work against us. We want to ensure that we do not act in such a manner again, and thus alienate ourselves from the international community."

Sri Lanka Denies Heavy Ongoing Military Occupation in North

May-28-2012

"The statistics on army deployment in the North bear out the British High Commissioner’s concern was the same as Tamil minority concern"

Sri Lanka's occupational army in Jaffna

(JAFFNA, Sri Lanka) - After the British High Commissioner points out the untruth(=lie) spoken by the President in his ''hero day'' speech on 19 May, the Jaffna Army Commander comes up with more untruth(=lie):

Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe yesterday told The Island that since the conclusion of the conflict there had been a steady reduction of military presence in the Jaffna peninsula. He revealed that at the time he took over the peninsula on Dec. 7, 2009, there had been 27,000 troops, though today there were only 15, 600.

"There are three Divisions deployed across the peninsula and Jaffna islands. The 51 Div is deployed in Jaffna sector, 52 Div in Vadamaratchchy and 55 Div at Elephant Pass. Don’t forget at the time eelam war IV erupted the Jaffna peninsula had the largest single concentration of armed forces and police numbering close to 50,000" - North: British HC disputes President’s claims, 25 May 2012, http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=52805

''The statistics on army deployment in the North bear out the British High Commissioner’s concern was the same as Tamil minority concern. Out of 13 Divisions plus a number of independent brigades of army, barring four-division strength (about 40,000) and about 10,000 troops in training establishments and on other duties, balance of nine divisions and independent brigades with a strength of 150,000 troops are deployed in Northern Province. According to latest census figures (released by Census Department in June 2012) Northern Province has a population of 997,754 (Tamils 934,392) out of Sri Lanka’s total of 20.2 million population. If we take these population figures, the troop deployment works out to about one soldier deployed for every six persons (including men, women and children) in Northern Province! Imagine what would have been the popular reaction if one soldier is deployed for every six members in a Southern Province! [Of course, these figures will be disputed by the security establishment. Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe had told The Island that at present there were 15,600 troops in Jaffna Peninsula - three Divisions were deployed across the peninsula and Jaffna islands. Do three divisions make only 15,600 troops in Sri Lanka army? I have my reservations. ] - Sri Lanka: Why military matters in the North? Col R. Hariharan, 27 May 2012,http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/%5Cnotes7%5Cnote654.html

The Forgotten Lankans

By Dinouk Colombage

Beggars line the streets of Colombo, each with his or her own story

Walking aimlessly along the streets, stopping at each car with an outstretched hand and a look of utter despair; the streets of Colombo are home to hundreds of beggars. Every day there is a new one on the street, in a new shape or size, with a new disability but all with nowhere to go. Where did they come from and how do they drag themselves through the unrelenting world?
Each beggar of Colombo has a story to tell, a story of how they have come to living on the street and a story of what lengths they would go to survive. Below is a story of three beggars from three different areas of Colombo, their location is different but their lives are the same.

Read More »

Rs. 150,000 for D.M.’s clothes

Monday, 28 May 2012 
Rs. 144,000 had been spent to purchase the material to stitch Prime Minister D.M. Jayartane’s clothes for his tour to Vavuniya. The Public Trustees’ Department had paid the monies.

JVP parliamentarian Sunil Handunnetti has revealed these details at the parliamentary debate on the latest report of the Committee on Public Enterprises. The Public Trustee had paid the monies to one Sita Stores.

The parliamentarian also revealed that over Rs. 5.6 million had been spent by the department on purchasing atapirikara offerings and clothes to observe sil.

Eezham Tamils protest UK inviting Rajapaksa to Queen’s diamond jubilee
 [TamilNet, Sunday, 27 May 2012, 10:48 GMT]
 Eezham Tamils in the UK gathered outside the UK Prime Minister's residence at 10 Downing Street on Saturday demanding withdrawal of an invitation extended to Mahinda Rajapaksa for the upcoming Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth. A petition given to the authorities by the Tamil Coordinating Committee UK (TCC-UK) which had organised the event underscored the significance of Britain recognizing the protracted nature of the genocide of the Tamils in the island stating that “given its colonial history on the island, the UK, more than any other international power, is aware that the Eelam Tamils are a nation of people with their traditional homeland in the north and east of the island. Eelam Tamils expect the UK government to recognise this truth which can go a long way in helping halt the genocide.” 







The long regnum of Queen Elizabeth II is almost contemporaneous to the post-colonial genocidal plight of the nation of Eezham Tamils, resulting from the legacy of the British rule. 

Before the Sinhala-Buddhist State in the island severed its last token relations with the British monarch in 1972, the ultimate appeals of the helpless Tamil leaders on many occasions in their democratic struggle used to be directed to the Queen in the form of ‘telegrams.’ And the leaders, including SJV Chelvanayakam, were often ridiculed for the practice by the Sinhalese as well as the so-called ‘leftist’ Tamils, many of whom now sitting in the capitals of the West have forgotten their duties, commented an old generation participant of the London demonstration to TamilNet. 

“The ‘telegrams’ have to be answered at least now, if the Conservative Establishment in London cares for not leaving the Queen’s long rule marked with a blot on the question of Eezham Tamils that has now become global,” the participant further commented. He was happy that at least now the British Tamils have gathered guts to address the issue directly to the perpetrators rather than beating around the bush with the agent state.

• Tamil Petition to 10 Downing Street

Meanwhile, the petition of the TCC-UK further said: “Given that the UK is privy to several reports by reputable human rights groups on the nature and scale of international crimes committed by the Sri Lankan armed forces, of which Mr Rajapaksa is the Commander in Chief, Eelam Tamils are puzzled by apparent lapse in the vetting procedure.”  ” Full story >> 

The Struggle For The Political Rights Of The Tamil Nation Has Now Entered An Entirely New Chapter

May 28, 2012 

By R.Sampanthan -

R. Sampanthan

TNA leader R.Sampanthan’s speech at the 14^th Annual ITAK convention ( May 2012) – English translation

My greetings to all respected delegates of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi

I sincerely welcome you all – the life and vitality of our party – to our National Convention here in Batticaloa.

As those in service to the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi, which has become the political symbol of the Tamil Nation, with its own political culture and ideals, we are proud to gather here for its 14^th National Convention in the year 2012.

We are gathered here in hope and expectation, in circumstances never before experienced since Sri Lanka is said to have gained independence, 60 years ago.

We are gathered here as the single most recognized political organization both here and abroad, which embodies the political aspirations of the Tamil people.

We remember upto hundred thousand of our people who have been killed, merely for demanding the fundamental rights that belonged to them, and for the legitimate rights of self determination and governance.

We remember the Tamil youth who sacrificed their lives in armed struggle, which they resorted to on the failure of their peaceful struggle for the political rights and freedoms of their people. We gather here following our victory in the passage of the recent Resolution at the UN Human Rights Council, a condemnation against the Sri Lankan government by the international community, which has recognized that the Sri Lankan government has committed the crime of extermination against our people, and that it continues to deny them their political rights.

Respected delegates,    Read More