CJ rejects MaRa’s interim conciliatory proposal disdainfully : GL target of MaRa’s vicious and filthy abuse
(Lanka-e-News-28.Nov.2012,11.55PM) The chief Justice (CJ) had 

disdainfully rejected in toto the interim conciliatory proposal brought forward by the dictatorial MaRa's Govt., it is learnt.

Minister Dr. GL Peiris had earlier told the regime that he is sure that as the impeachment motion is brought forward, the CJ would tender her resignation. Unfortunately and unforeseeably , for MaRa and his scholarly Doctor , the CJ took an unwavering stand supported by her honesty , integrity and courage , and opposed the motion.

When she was summoned to Parliament , the grace and courage with which she appeared boosted her stature and image in the eyes of the entire country to the utter consternation of MaRa and his JaRa henchmen who engineered this motion . One senior MP of the Govt. had himself lamented , Mahinda Rajapakse is the architect of his own misfortune for he had created a formidable enemy based on his own seeking. 

It is the consensus, while MaRa and his JaRas are resorting to dubious and devious measures and talking nineteen to the dozen insensibly against her , the CJ simply by her grace ,greeting the media with two words ‘good morning’ and a smile , won over the entire nation .
In stark contrast , MaRa who was taking medical treatment in America , upon hearing this , and who knows no grace or civilized behavior had used the filthiest language (the only language he knows best) and berated poor Dr. Peiris furiously in Sinhala. ‘Did that woman resign like you said , you idiot. You have driven me into immense embarrassment and problems’, MaRa has thundered over the phone.

In this desperation and disappointment , a representative of MaRa Govt. had been dispatched to propose an interim conciliatory agreement with the CJ . The latter had rejected it with the contempt it merited , and stated ,‘ now , tell the Govt. to go ahead with its affairs . I will look after my affairs’.

Open and blatant violation of media independence by the President himself

Thursday, 29 November 2012 

NfR is shocked and dismayed to hear that the chairperson of the state controlled TV station, the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLRC) has been appointed as the official media spokesperson of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The Official web site of the GoSL carried a news item confirming the appointment; 'Mohan Samaranayake has been appointed as the new Media Spokesman to the President in addition to his post as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation.' the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

This is an act heard of even in countries where an open dictatorship prevails. Such despotic rulers at least try to give a semblance of respect for the rights of the people to the freedom of expression as a tactic to deceive their subjects.

Sri Lanka Broadcasting Cooperation was established with an outright grant from the government of Japan in 1979. At the beginning it was expected to maintain editorial independence from the government but over the years all ruling parties have contributed to its politicization. Although its rules and regulations envisaged SLRC to be a public services media, today it has become a mouth piece of the which ever party that is in power.

This process has now been given official authorization by the all powerful President himself by the appointment of the chairman of the SLRC chairman as his official spokesperson.

This appointment will come into direct conflict with public interests especially during any election when SLRC is expected to provide independent coverage of the whole election process.

Leading International press freedom organizations including the International Federation of Journalists have called for the transformation of state controlled media into a genuine Public Services Media. In early 2000 the European Union Election Monitoring Missions to Sri Lanka too had made recommendations emphasizing the importance of transforming state controlled electronic media into an independent public services media.

State controlled media has become the symbol of the continued suppression any criticism of the regime and hate attacks of political as well as civil dissent in Sri Lanka today.

NfR views this unhealthy development as one more step towards trampling people's democratic rights by a regime, which seems to hell bent on tightening its grip on all public institutions and thereby making Sri Lanka an official and elected dictatorship.

NfR calls upon all international press freedom organisations take note of this situation and consider taking appropriate action to highlight these violations.

WikiLeaks: ‘US Can Hold Me Personally Responsible In The Future’ FM Bogollagama To US

By Colombo Telegraph -November 29, 2012 

“In his meeting with Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, Assistant Secretary Boucher emphasized that it was vital that the forthcoming devolution package reassure moderate Tamils about their future place in Sri Lankan society and guarantee that their rights are protected. Boucher warned that the U.S. government is closely monitoring the resolution of human rights cases and the plight of the Internally Displaced Persons of eastern Sri Lanka. He underlined that cases before the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights must go beyond the investigative stage and produce substantive results with culprits held accountable. Bogollogama assured Boucher that the ‘code of conduct’ to prevent human rights abuses will be announced on 6 April. He acknowledged that mistakes have been made while resettling Internally Displaced Persons but pledged that the U.S. government ‘can hold me personally responsible for any future imbalances.’” the US Embassy Colombo informed Washington.

Rohitha Bogollagama

A Leaked “CONFIDENTIAL” US diplomatic cable, dated April 5, 2007, updated the Secretary of State regarding a meeting US Assistant Secretary has had with Sri LankanForeign Minister. The Colombo Telegraph found the related leaked cable from the WikiLeaks database. The cable was classified Political Counselor Ted Osius.

The US Embassy wrote “Boucher declared that the U.S. government was seriously concerned about ongoing reports of human rights abuses, continued attacks on Tamils in the east by the Karuna faction, and the forced resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons. He emphasized that the Tamils in eastern Sri Lanka must receive the benefits of good governance and cautioned Bogollagama that Washington was watching the situationclosely. Bogollagama asserted that he had discussed recent government human rights initiatives with Defense SecretaryGotabhaya Rajapaksa at length and an Administrative Declaration will be announced on 6 April. He noted that a ‘code of conduct’ on human rights would be reissued for law enforcement and all high-profile cases of missing persons and disappearances will be dealt with. He also explained that the 2006 government declaration established procedures for arrests including informing next-of-kin, informing the Human Rights Commission within forty-eight hours of detentions and providing commission access to detainees. He said that the Human Rights Commission was in place already but needed to become operational. He stressed that if the administrative declarations were not followed it will be raised in the political arena. Boucher reminded Bogollagama that, while it was important to conduct inquiries, the U.S. government wanted to see results and accountability for the culprits.”

“In defense of Sri Lanka’s resettlement of the 81,000 Internally Displaces Persons in the east, Bogollagama noted that their resettlement was endorsed by the international community. He conceded that the Internally Displaced Persons taken from Batticaloa to Trincomalee two weeks ago was ‘a mistake by government agencies and sent the wrong signals.’ He explained that he consulted with Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa about the incident and stopped the resettlement. Admitting that the government was trying to address some resettlement imbalances, he pledged, ‘Hold me personally responsible in the future.’” the US Embassy further wrote.

We below give the relevant part of the cable;

යළිත් වරක් යාපනය සරසවියේ සිසුන්ට පොලීසිය පහර දෙයි; බුද්ධි අංශ ශිෂ්‍ය නායකයන් පසුපස පන්නයි.

November 29, 2012 by Karapoththa   

පසුගිය 27 දිනයේදී විශ්ව විද්‍යාල භූමියට සහ නේවාසිකාගාරයන්ට බලහත්කාරයෙන් ඇතුළු වී සිසුන්ට පහර දීමට විරුද්ධව අද යාපනය විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයේ සිසුන් විසින් සංවිධානය කරතිබූ සාම කාමී විරෝධතාවයට ශ්‍රී ලංකා පොලීසිය සහ හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ විසින් ඉතා මිලේච්ඡ අන්දමින් පහර දෙනු ලැබීය.මෙම පහර දීමෙන් සිසුන් 7ක් තුවාල ලැබීය.

ඉන්පසු ඊයේ(28) උදෑසන 11.00 පමණ විශ්ව විද්‍යාලය ඉදිරිපිට විරෝධතාවයේ යෙදුනු සිසුන් ඉන්පසුව සාමාකාමී පාගමනක් ලෙස ප්‍රධාන මාර්ගයට අවතීර්ණ වීමට සූදානම්වනවාත් සමගම පොලීසිය සහ සිවිල් ඇදුමින් සැරසුනු හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ සාමාජිකයන් විසින් සිසුන් පිටුපස එලවා යමින් පහර දුන්හ.

මේ අතර විශ්ව විද්‍යාල භූමිය අවට සහ ඇතුළුවන ගේට්ටු අසල හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ සාමාජිකයන් විශාල වශයෙන් ගැවසෙමින් සිටින බව බවත් වාර්තා විය.

ඊයේ(28) හමුදාව විසින් කාන්තා නේවාසිකාගාරයන්ට පවා බලහත්කාරයෙන් ඇතුළු වූ අතර එම නේවාසිකාගාරයන්ගේ වෙසෙන සිසුවියන්ගේ පෞද්ගලික බඩුබාහිරාදියට පවා ඔවුන් හානිකර ඇතැයි ද වාර්තා වෙයි.

ශිෂ්‍ය නායකයන් පසුපස හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ

අප සමග අදහස් දැක්වූ යාපනය විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයේ ශිෂ්‍ය නායකයෙකු පවසා සිටියේ මේවනවිට හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ ශිෂ්‍ය නායකයන් දඩයම් කිරීමට උත්සහ දරන බවයි. හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ ශිෂ්‍ය නායකයන් පසුපස යමින් සිටින බවත් ඔවුන්ගේ ජීවත දැඩි අනතුරකට පත්ව ඇති බවත් හෙතෙම වැඩිදුරටත් පැවසීය.

මගේ වාහනයට පහර දුන්නේ හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ – පා.ම සරවනබවන්

තමන්ගේ වෑන් රථයට දැඩි ලෙස හානිපමුණවමින් ඊට පහර දෙන ලද්දේ හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ බව ඊයේ(28)සවස මාධ්‍ය සාකච්ඡාවක් කැඳවමින් දෙමළ ජාතික සන්ධානයේ පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්‍රී ආර්. සරවනබවන් ප්‍රකාශ කර සිටියේය.

ඔහු පවසා සිටියේ උදෑසන යාපනය සරසවියේ ඉතා උණුසුම්කාරී වාතාවරණය ඇතිවී තිබෙන බව ආරංචි වී තමා එම ස්ථානය ගිය බවයි.

ඉන්පසුව තමා යාපනය විශ්ව විද්‍යලයේ ප්‍රධාන ගේට්ටුව අසල වාහනය නවත්වා විශ්ව විද්‍යාලයට තුළට ගිය බවත්ය. නැවත පැමිණෙන විටදී තමා පැමිණි වාහනයට ගල් වලින් පහර දී දැඩි අලාභහානී පමුණවා තිබු බවයි. එම ක්‍රියාව සිදුකරන ලද්දේ සහතික ලෙසම හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ බව මන්ත්‍රීවරයා වැඩිදුරටත් පවසා සිටියේය.

යාපනය සරසවි සිසුන්ට පහර දීම දැඩිව හෙළාදකිනවා – දෙමළ ජාතික ජනතා පෙරමුණ

යාපනය සරසවියේ ශිෂ්‍ය නේවාසිකාගරයන් බලහත්කාරයන් ඇතුළු වී සිසුන්ට ප්‍රහාරයක් එල්ලකිරීමත්, අද පැවති සාමකාමී විරෝධතාවයට හමුදා බුද්ධි අංශ සහ පොලීසිය යොදවා ඉතා අමානුෂික ලෙස පහර දීමත් දැඩි පිළිකුලෙන් යුතුව හෙළාදකින බව මාධ්‍ය නිවේදනයක් යොමුකරමින් දෙමළ ජාතික ජනතා පෙරමුණ ප්‍රකාශ කර සිටිති.

රටේ අනාගතය බාරගැනීමට සිටිනා තරුණ පරපුරට මෙසේ ආරක්ෂ අංශ යොදවා පහර දීමට එරෙහිව ඊට විරෝධය දැක්වීමට විරෝධතා ව්‍යාපාරයක් දෙසැම්බර් 4 වැනිදා පවත්වීමට සුදානම් බව එම පෙරමුණේ ප්‍රකාශකයෙන් සඳහන් කර සිටියේය.

With the support of our war heroes lets all step forwards in the freedom strugle: V. Rudhrakumaran

Martyr’s day for year 2012 commemorated at the New York City on November 27.

[ Thursday, 29 November 2012, 09:53.17 AM GMT +05:30 ]

V. Rudhrakumaran Prime Minister of the Transitional Government of Tamil Eelam delivered special speech at this event, Addressing the gathering PM noted with the support of our war heroes lets all step forwards in the freedom strugle.

Would discovery of mass grave expose brutality of SLFP led UF & UNP?

THURSDAY, 29 NOVEMBER 2012 

A large number of decayed parts of human skeletons were found when  a pit was dug for a bio-gas unit of Matale Hospital on the 26th and the Additional District Magistrate Mrs. Chathurika de Silva ordered Matale Headquarters Police to excavate the area to determine whether there were any more human bones.

The excavations commenced on the 27th under Judicial Medical Officer Dr. Ajith Jayasena and yesterday a large number of parts of skeletons and 6 skulls were unearthed.

According to police the bone parts of 8 skeletons have been found and excavations had to be stopped due to heavy rain experienced in the area.

It is suspected that the skeletons unearthed from the hospital grounds at Matale could be of those murdered during the JVP uprising in 1971  and the pit could be a mass grave where bodies of murdered activists were buried.

The main reason for such suspicion is that an Army camp had existed during that period in the building where the present wards 11 and 12 are.

The residents say a large number of youths arrested during this period were detained in the Army camp maintained in the hospital complex and they were subjected to various inhuman tortures.

It was no secret that the United Front government led by the SLFP that was in power then backed such killings.

IL POYA AT GANGARAMAYA...

November 27, 2012 
Buddhist devotees take part in various religious observances at the Gangaramaya Temple in Colombo today (Nov. 27), Il Full Moon Poya Day. The Il Poya is the penultimate Poya of the year and also the last Poya in the rainy season. The announcement of the future Buddhahood of Maitriya Bodhisatva, the first Buddhist Missionery activity by Sixty Arahaths, Jatila Brothers-Uruwela, Nadi, Gaya the Buddhist Order, Festival of “Devahaona” or Ascendency to heaven by Gautama Buddhist, acceptance of a Robe from the Future Buddha to be Maitriya, who was a disciple of Gautama Buddha, passing away of “Dharmasenapathi” one of the Chief Disiples Sariputta took place on Il Full Moon Poya Day. (Pic by Sanjeewa Lasantha)

The Kaarthikai flame, called Chokkap-panai in Eezham Tamil, lighted in front of the Nalloor temple in 2011. It is called Chokkap-panai because of the use of dried palmyra palm leaves in making the flame.

Genocidal Sri Lanka forbids Kaarthikai festival as it falls on Heroes Day

[TamilNet, Sunday, 25 November 2012, 22:41 GMT]
The Heroes Day observed by Eezham Tamils on 27 November to remember their fallen fighters, falls on a full moon day this year, coinciding with the Kaarthikai festival of lights observed by Tamils since ancient times. Sri Lanka that has made a practice of banning even routine religious observations in the temples of the occupied country of Eezham Tamils on the Heroes Day, dares this year to forbid the Kaarthikai festival observations too. Occupying Sri Lanka’s practice of banning temple rituals, including toll of bells on the Heroes Day, started first in Nov 2009, while New Delhi’s Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna was visiting Jaffna. New Zealand Tamils appeal to the UN on the continued cultural genocide of their kith and kin in the island. 
The Kaarthikai festival celebrated in Thiruva'n'naamalai in Tamil Nadu:  
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Sri Lanka: Tamil Politics and the Quest for a Political Solution

by Daniel Kitts Tuesday November 27, 2012

The Agenda has done several on-air and online segments about Sri Lanka. The country suffered from a brutal, decades-long civil war driven by ethnic conflict between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamil populations.

The war ended in 2009. But while the Sri Lankan government tries to put on as positive a face as possible, many unresolved issues remain between the island's Sinhalese and Tamils.

International Crisis Group has just published a report, "Sri Lanka: Tamil Politics and the Quest for a Political Solution." It looks into how well both the government and Tamil opposition politicians have done in trying to resolve differences in the aftermath of the war. And it offers advice on what the government, Tamil leaders, the international community, and the large Tamil diaspora outside Sri Lanka should do to move the yardsticks forward on a long-term solution to the Sinhalese-Tamil question.

I spoke with Alan Keenan, Senior Analyst and Sri Lanka Project Director of the International Crisis Group about the report. You can watch that interview in the video window above. 

Peaceful student protest attacked by SL military in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 28 November 2012, 07:28 GMT]
Jaffna University students who boycotted classes on Wednesday and rallied in front of the university entrance Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. protesting against the SL military harassments inside the University premises on Tuesday on the occasion of Heroes Day, were brutally attacked by SL military commanders who had taken position on the road while the students were peacefully walking on a demonstration march. 



The attacking SL military and police have taken four students into their custody. Following the violence leashed out by the Sri Lankan forces, the protesting students started to throw stones at the soldiers, demanding immediate release of the four students. 

At least 10 students have sustained injuries. 

The student leaders were urging international NGOs and foreign missions to witness how their peaceful protest was being brutally suppressed by the SL military.

The SL military had rounded up and attacked the student inmates inside the hostel Tuesday evening when the students lit the flame of sacrifice to remember the fallen Tamil heroes in the Tamil struggle. 

Sri Lanka sends us a suspect emissary

November 28 2012 at 09:32am
By Peter Fabricius

Comment on this story

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AFP

According to reports, General Shavendra Silva s appointment to Pretoria was in the pipeline .

The Sri Lankan government’s controversial decision to appoint, as its deputy high commissioner to South Africa, an army general accused of war crimes serves – if nothing else – to highlight that country’s inadequate efforts to consign its recent dismal civil war to history.

Sri Lankan high commissioner Winithkumar Shehan Rantavale confirmed speculation in the Sri Lankan media that General Shavendra Silva’s appointment to Pretoria was “in the pipeline”.

Silva commanded the Sri Lankan army’s 58th division, which was one of the key divisions fighting during the final stages of the civil war against the LTTE “Tamil Tigers” in 2009.

The UN Panel of Experts – which investigated alleged alleged atrocities by both sides – had linked the 58th division to several potential war crimes.

These crimes included shelling a hospital and killing many civilian patients in February 2009, and the shelling and execution of senior LTTE political leaders Balasingham Nadesan and Seevaratnam Pulidevan in May, as they walked towards the area controlled by the 58th division, carrying white flags and trying to surrender.

The Panel of Experts said these atrocities should be investigated seriously and, if proved, senior army commanders, among others, “would bear criminal liability for international crimes”.

Silva’s current job is as deputy ambassador to the UN in New York. Earlier this year he was barred from taking part in the UN Advisory Panel on Peacekeeping Operations after objections from, among others, UN human rights commissioner Navi Pillay – a South African – who said his participation would undermine “the credibility of UN peacekeeping”, as there was, at the very least, “the appearance of a case of international crimes to answer by Mr Silva”.

Human Rights Watch expert on security issues Ole Solvang said Silva had also been charged in a US court, while he was based in that country, at the UN.

But a US court had thrown out the case on the grounds that Silva enjoyed diplomatic immunity from prosecution.

He added that, although the Sri Lankan government had conducted an inquiry into the war against the Tigers, it had failed to hold Silva and other military and political leaders accountable. During the closing stages of the war, government troops corralled LTTE forces in the north of the island, and then indiscriminately shelled civilian areas and executed LTTE leaders to eradicate the organisation, according to many accounts.

Human rights advocates have also accused LTTE leaders of executing civilians or preventing them from fleeing from the areas targeted by government artillery. In August this year, South African Deputy Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Ebrahim Ebrahim – who has been working on the Sri Lankan issue since well before his current job – visited Sri Lanka with a civil-society delegation.

His department said afterwards there had been “a heightened demand and urgency in the international community” for the Sri Lankan government to implement the outcomes of its inquiry into the war, that of the Panel of Experts, and other decisions of the UN Human Rights Council, “with specific emphasis on the need to address the accountability issues following the events of May 2009”.

Sri Lanka’s response has been to appoint one of the accused to Pretoria. How will Pretoria respond in turn? Solvang said Human Rights Watch would like the government to accept him and then arrest him.

That seems very unlikely.

Human Rights Watch’s second choice is for South Africa to reject him. Though officials point out that it is very rare for a government to reject another country’s diplomat, some sort of behind-the-scenes discouragement can’t be ruled out.

So a failure to achieve legal and ethical closure is one reason why Sri Lanka is not progressing towards closing this dark chapter of its recent history.

Another reason is the government’s reluctance to tackle the Tamil minority issue politically, as the South African government also pointed out after Ebrahim’s visit, saying “that a durable and lasting peace would come about in Sri Lanka when the reconciliation process is underscored by a broad and truly inclusive dialogue process that addresses the rights and freedoms of the Tamil community”.

As the International Crisis Group points out in a report this week, this durable peace has to be based on some sort of federal system, which delegates significant power to the Tamils.

“The Sri Lankan government’s refusal to negotiate seriously with Tamil political leaders, or consider reasonable forms of power sharing, is heightening ethnic tensions and damaging prospects for sustainable peace,” the report says.

It blames the Colombo government for failing to honour agreements with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), breaking promises to world leaders and refusing to implement constitutional provisions for minimal devolution of power to the island’s Tamil north and east.

“Three and a half years after the end of the civil war, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has delayed long-promised elections to the northern provincial council – elections the TNA would be nearly certain to win,” says the Crisis Group’s Sri Lanka project director, Alan Keenan.

“Rather than address Tamils’ legitimate demands for a fair share of power in areas where they have traditionally been the majority, the Rajapaksa administration has begun discussing a new amendment to reduce provincial powers even further.”

After Ebrahim’s visit, Pretoria once again offered its help to Sri Lanka in trying to resolve “the Tamil question”.

It gave no hint of how the Sri Lankan government had received this offer. But sending Silva as No 2 in Pretoria seems at best an enigmatic response.

Independent Foreign Service

JAFFNA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS PROTEST AGAINST SECURITY OFFICIALS’ THREA

November 28, 2012 

A protest was carried out by the students from the University of Jaffna today (28). The protest was organized after some security officials had entered the university premises and had threatened two students there by displaying weapons yesterday (27). 

The police arrived to stop the protest. The situation turned intense and one student was also admitted to the Jaffna training hospital. The chairperson of the student union from the university, Bhavanandan stated that the security officials started attacking the students. It is reported that the situation has now turned peaceful. The above images show incidents from the protest.

Malaysia to look into HR abuse in SL WEDNESDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 2012 A Parliamentary Caucus on the Abuse of Human Rights in Sri Lanka has been set up, announced Malaysian Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz. Nazri said members from both sides of the divide agreed to the caucus as they viewed with great concern the alleged human rights violation in Sri Lanka, including against the ethnic Tamil minority group there. The caucus will continue to monitor the progress of the United Nation’s resolution on the matter. “We will also send a letter to ask them what action has been taken thus far. We have nothing against the country (Sri Lanka) but are looking at the human rights abuse against the Tamils. The persons responsible must be brought to justice,” he told a press conference at the lobby yesterday. The UN Human Rights Council had in March adopted a resolution urging the Sri Lankan government to act against alleged human rights violations and war crimes during the end of the civil war with Tamil rebels. Nazri said the caucus opposed Sri Lankan president Mahinda Raja­paksa’s presence in Malaysia. It was reported on Monday that Rajapaksa would not be attending the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) in December in Johor due to “unavoidable circumstances”. His invitation had created strong objections. The 25-member caucus, which includes MPs of all races, is headed by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S.K. Devamany (BN-Cameron Highlands). The caucus will meet on Dec 18. (The Star Online)

Caucus to look into humans right abuse in Sri Lanka set up

Wednesday November 28, 2012

A Parliamentary Caucus on the Abuse of Human Rights in Sri Lanka has been set up, announced Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

Nazri said members from both sides of the divide agreed to the caucus as they viewed with great concern the alleged human rights violation in Sri Lanka, including against the ethnic Tamil minority group there. The caucus will continue to monitor the progress of the United Nation’s resolution on the matter.

“We will also send a letter to ask them what action has been taken thus far. We have nothing against the country (Sri Lanka) but are looking at the human rights abuse against the Tamils. The persons responsible must be brought to justice,” he told a press conference at the lobby yesterday.

The UN Human Rights Council had in March adopted a resolution urging the Sri Lankan government to act against alleged human rights violations and war crimes during the end of the civil war with Tamil rebels.

Nazri said the caucus opposed Sri Lankan president Mahinda Raja­paksa’s presence in Malaysia.

It was reported on Monday that Rajapaksa would not be attending the World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) in December in Johor due to “unavoidable circumstances”.

His invitation had created strong objections.

The 25-member caucus, which includes MPs of all races, is headed by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk S.K. Devamany (BN-Cameron Highlands). The caucus will meet on Dec 18.

Jaffna University students attacked: Tamil National People’s Front orgaisned protest campaign

[ Wednesday, 28 November 2012, 01:52.54 PM GMT +05:30 ]

Students of the Jaffna University staged peaceful protest in the university premises on condemning the brutal attacks carried out by the Lankan army and police personals entered to the male and female hostels last evening.

Military and police personals forcibly enter the hostel premises last evening has warned students in the gun point and also cause major damages towards properties. During the time of peaceful protest military and police personals carried out attack against the protesters. More than fifty students were severely injured and currently receiving treatment at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. Tamil National People’s Front thoroughly condemns this brutal activity. Youths are the future leaders of this country. University students plays important role in the development activities of this country. It’s our duty to stand beside them when they face threats to enjoy their freedom. We thoroughly condemn this activity and also orgaisned protest campaign on December 4 at 11.00 am -12.00 pm in the Jaffna bus stop. We would like to invite people to take part in this protest campaign.

Sri Lanka clash over Tamil rebel remembrance

Agence France-Presse in Colombo-Wednesday, 28 November, 2012

Students in Sri Lanka’s former war zone clashed with troops and police on Wednesday over celebrations to commemorate defeated Tamil Tiger guerrillas, residents said.

At least 20 undergraduates were injured when troops and police beat up stone-pelting students outside Jaffna university, a witness said.

It was the first major clash since security forces crushed Tamil rebels in May 2009.

Police and troops had stormed university dormitories on Tuesday searching for Tamil Tiger propaganda after students tried to mark “heroes’ week” – the last week of November when Tiger guerrillas used to commemorate fallen comrades.

“The students gathered inside the university and came out to protest the military action (of Tuesday) when fighting erupted (on Wednesday),” a witness said, asking not to be identified.

He said the vehicle of a local Tamil legislator was also damaged as he tried to stop the violence.

There was no immediate comment from the military, but the AdaDerana news website published photos soon after Tuesday’s military raid of the campus along with one image of a student on the ground being beaten by three policemen.

Tuesday’s incident degenerated into a bigger confrontation on Wednesday as students protested at the military intrusion into their hostels, leaving more than 20 students injured, witnesses said.

Sri Lanka lifted a state of emergency in August last year after defeating Tamil Tigers in May 2009, but heavily armed troops and paramilitary police units are often deployed to support police.

Jaffna, the cultural capital of the island’s ethnic Tamil minority, was once run as a de-facto separate state by the Tigers.

The latest clashes between the troops and students came amid international calls to de-militarise Jaffna, 400 kilometres north of Colombo, and ease restrictions on the civilian population.

Tiger rebels had led a 37-year-long guerrilla war for an independent Tamil homeland in a campaign that claimed more than 100,000 lives, according to UN estimates.

Withdraw impeachment motion – Mahanayakas write to President

WEDNESDAY, 28 NOVEMBER 2012

In a letter written to the President today asking him to withdraw the impeachment process against the Chief Justice the four Mahanayakas state it is not proper to resort to actions which will generate an apprehension with regard to the judiciary and the judges.

The Mahanayakas further state the process would be harmful than beneficial and adds that it is certain to affect the honour and the trust that the judiciary of Sri Lanka has in the world.

The Mahanayakas state the majority of the people think that the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice will lead to a disenchantment about all branches of the judiciary. The Mahanayakas ask the government to think patiently about the ill effect of the impeachment process and to take steps to safe guard the independence of the judiciary and solidify the feelings of justice in the minds of the people.

In their letter to the President the Mahanayakas state the impeachment motion should be withdrawn to avoid the breakdown in law and deterioration of society and request the government and the President to take into consideration the  recommendation of the Supreme Court

Faizer Sends Father Faiz To Meet CJ And Offer Support

By Colombo Telegraph -November 28, 2012

Faizer Mustapha, Deputy Minister, who is in the forefront of the impeachment process has got his father, Faiz Mustapha, senior President’s Counsel to meet the Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayakeand offer her “all support” Hultsdorf sources told Colombo Telegraph.

Deputy Minister Faizer Mustapha,

According to our sources, Faiz Mustapha has met the Chief Justice at 11.00 am on Thursday, 22 November in her chambers and offered to support any application that is filed against the impeachment. It may be recalled that when Chief Justice Sarath Silva was impeached, Faiz Mustapha appeared for 3 lawyers of the People’s Alliance and obtained a stay order against SpeakerAnura Bandaranaike.  Hultsdorf sources said that Deputy MInsiter Faizer Mustapha is worried about the information that has leaked that he and Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkody are the main people doing the dirty work related to the impeachment. They are supported by Kalinga Indratissa and Priyantha Jayawardena, who along with Faizer Mustapha were appointed President’s Counsel recently.

Faiszer Mustapha first entered Parliament through the Ceylon Workers Congress led by Arumugam Thondaman but crossed over to the UNP later. At the 2005 Presidential elections, Faizer Mustapha supportedRanil Wickramasinghe but crossed over to the UPFA “strengthen the hands of the President.” He is widely expected to return to the UNP if it is clear that the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime is in danger falling. Lawyers say that Faizer Mustapha is a good political weather-cock and that the fact that he sent his father Faiz Mustapha to meet the Chief Justice shows where the wind is blowing.

The Colombo Telegraph has been unable to reach Faiz Mustapha or Faizer Mustapha for comment.

50000 criminals on the prowl: why can’t Bayagotha and IGP Ponnekoon apprehend them rather than hiding actual figures
(Lanka-e-News -28.Nov.2012, 5.30AM) IGP
 Ponnekoon at Gampaha yesterday declared that because of a few errant police officers in a police Force of 82000 , the entire police force is being underestimated and degraded, whereby only the criminals are standing to gain . It is most significant to note that just three days prior to this announcement of Ponnekoon , within 48 hours there had occurred 9 most ghastly murders, and so far not one culprit had been apprehended. Even natural disasters including floods and landslides claimed only six lives within 24 hours . In the circumstances it is not wrong to assess that it is the country’s criminally disastrous state that is precluding the apprehension of criminals who are causing more deaths than the natural disasters.

What IGP Ponnekoon is trying to imply is , because police is being blamed for its faults and failures , the criminals are taking advantage of it , and thereby the crimes are escalating. Let us elucidate and elaborate on this :

Crimes are mounting in this country at a mercurial rate not because of the reasons cited by IGP Ponnekoon. In fact this Ponnekoon’s figure that the police Force has a strength of 82000 itself is erroneous. According to the final statistics taken in 2009, there are 97063 police officers in the police force under the IGP . The latter must therefore give an answer to how 15063 of them disappeared during the last two years. Sine there was no police premature retirement scheme , either the IGP Ponnekoon is incapable of simple calculation or the fraudulent calculations based on Govt.’s sly figures has got him confused. Incidentally this Govt. has become most notorious for its policy of suppressing the spiraling wave of crimes , corruption and frauds . 
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