Monday, September 16, 2013

Setting The Record Straight: Response To Sanjana On Sunila

By Dayan Jayatilleka -September 16, 2013

Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka

A touching appreciation of Sunila Abeysekera (‘A Lone Unifier’ Ceylon Today, Sept 13th 2013, p 6) by my young friend Sanjana Hattotuwa is slightly marred by an inaccurate and misleading reference to me (albeit by former designation rather than name). He writes: “I wondered why just a few years ago, the then Sri Lankan Ambassador at the UN in Geneva blocked Sunila’s representation on the grounds that she lacked adequate academic qualifications.”

I was Sri Lanka’s Ambassador/Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva at the time. “Blocked Sunila’s representation”: where and in what capacity? What “representation”? Sanjana does not specify.

Having initiated the practice of inviting NGOs and INGOs to open debate with the Sri Lankan delegation (as noted by Wiki-leaked cables of the US Mission in Geneva), invited the Amnesty International representative to chair one such event, and hosted the CPA’s Dr Saravanamuttu and even the GTF’s Fr Emmanuel as participants, I had no reason whatsoever to block anyone’s “representation”. Indeed I solicited and welcomed it.

Sunila was certainly not blocked, nor could be, by anyone, in her presence at the UN Human Rights Council. I last met her there at an event on the sidelines of the UN HRC when she greeted the Human Rights MinisterMahinda Samarasinghe with a warm hug and took her place around the table as a member of the audience with every right to participate in the discussion. I was at the head of the table and was a speaker, as our Permanent Mission had organised the meeting. If I rightly recall, Harvard educated legal researcher Gehan Gunatilleke was present and raised critical questions as did Peter Splinter of Amnesty International. Sunila remained silent throughout. Young Mr Gunatilleke might attest to the veracity of my recollection.

by Home for Human Rights

- on 09/16/2013

In April 2013 Home for Human Rights (HHR) undertook a survey in the Northern Province.

HHR hoped to accurately capture the opinions that the people have about the performance of their local government bodies and locally elected officials. The survey looked at a range of topics including public services, projects, development and public participation. Sixteen local government bodies were randomly selected to participate in this survey.

Assessing Local Governance in the Northern Province by nelvely

CJ’s Passport Was Impounded, Hundreds Of Lawyers Were Seen In Tears

September 16, 2013

Over 300 lawyers gathered outside the Chief Magistrate Court today to welcome the De Jure Chief Justice, when she came to the court answering summons. The Bribery Commission had instituted action against her on the basis that she had not disclosed two bank accounts in her asset declarations. Counsel for the Chief Justice pointed out that those two accounts didnot have any funds and therefore were not assets. It was also pointed out that the Chief Justice, who was controversially removed has been charged for an offence that brings with it a fine of only only Rs.1000 (less than US$10) and the entire prosecution is malicious. Over 100 lawyers, from all parts of the country, appeared for her. Her passport was impounded but the Judge indicated that the court permission will have to be obtained if she wants to go out of the country. No other bail conditions were imposed.

CJ Shirani

When her name was called, CJ Bandaranayakacame up and she was requested to wait outside the Accused Stand (BOX) but she politely declined the offer and get into the Box like any other criminal, stating that she does not seek special privileges. The packed court house was deeply moved when for the first time in the history of Sri Lanka judiciary an unlawfully removed chief justice was prosecuted in a vicious manner. CJ Bandaranayaka had previously openly challenged previously the biased conduct of two of the members of the Bribery Commission. Hundreds of lawyers were seen in tears when she came out of the Court House.

Addressing the media, the President of the Bar Association said that all the lawyers in the country and outside wanted the Bar Association to observe the proceedings to ensure justice for the lawful Chief Justice of the country. Attorney at law J.C. Weliamuna, the convener of the Lawyers’ Collective stated that they were closely observing the proceedings.

First Time Ever A Chief Justice Appears Before A Court On Criminal Proceedings

September 16, 2013

Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice was hauled before Magistrate’s Court this morning to answer charges based on an asset declaration case filed by the Bribery Commission, seen as an ongoing political witch-hunt against the senior judge who was impeached in January this year.

Over 100 lawyers from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka including President Upul Jayasuriya attended the hearing before Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya today.

Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake

The Chief Magistrate impounded the impeached Chief Justice’s passport and postponed the case for 19 February.

This is the first time a Chief Justice has appeared before court on criminal proceedings.

BASL Chief Jayasuriya said the association had requested legal associations across the world to watch the progress of Bandaranayake‘s trial to observe whether she was being given a fair hearing.

Bandaranayake’s impeachment in January this year was widely condemned as being legally flawed and unconstitutional, after the country’s top courts ruled the process violated provisions of the constitution and declared the proceedings null and void.

Sri Lanka’s parliament, pushed through with her removal inspite of the rulings, and appointed a successor leading to a massive crisis in the island’s judiciary.

Sidestepping the issue that Navi Pillay raised

September 16, 2013, 8:22 pm
article_image

By Jehan Perera

The country is heading towards provincial council elections in which the government is the strong favourite in two of the three provinces where elections are to be held. The victory in war enables the government leadership to have a strong hold over the larger number of voters in the country, who continue to be grateful that the government succeeded in what once seemed impossible. But unfortunately, the government has been unable to broad-base its political support to extend to the ethnic minorities. The pragmatic political calculation of the government appears to be one of continuing to rely on Sinhalese nationalism to deliver it the votes. But if the country is to be truly united, the government has to show that it is embracing all communities, and not just the largest one.

Sidestepping the Issue That Navi Pillay Raised by nelvely

Genocidal Colombo appropriates 500 acres at NE border for Sinhala Buddhism

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 September 2013, 09:53 GMT]
Under the so-called "Buddha Pooja Boomi" project, the Colombo government has decided to appropriate about five hundred acres of land in Chuvaami-malai area in the traditional Tamil village of Thennai-maravadi that is in the narrow corridor linking the North and East provinces of the country of Eezham Tamils, informed sources in Trincomalee said. Of the five hundred acres, four hundred acres are to be allocated for the construction of a Buddha Vihara and one hundred acres to the Department of Archaeology of the genocidal State. Interestingly, this brand of Buddhism finds patronage from both the Congress as well as the BJP of New Delhi. In the meantime, one of the ‘Singapore principles’ proposed by the South African ‘initiative’ is to provide foremost place to Buddhism, informed circles said.

Sri Lankan government surveyors have been assigned to survey these lands coming under the Kuchchave'li Divisional Secretariat of the Trincomalee district.

The occupying Colombo has already appropriated several acres of lands at Arisi-malai and Naaka-malai in the traditional Muslim village of Pulmoaddai, located just south of Thennai-maravadi, despite the opposition made by the Eastern Provincial Councilor M.R.Anwer, Kuchchaveli Piratheasa Chapai (PS) Vice Chairman Mohamed Thowfeek and the Ulama council.

In addition to the Tamil village Thennai-maravadi, the action of the Colombo government to set up a Buddha Vihara at Pumoaddai also, claiming that it is a ‘holy land’, in a place where the Muslims have been traditionally living, has triggered widespread protests among the general public.

Muslims say that Colombo government has been involved in seizing about 1,500 acres of land in Pulmoaddai coming under Kuchchave'li secretariat spread over 60 villages.

When officials came to survey the lands on 09 September, they faced stiff resistance from the public and Ulama members following which they were forced to stop the land surveying.

Consequently, the land survey office has lodged a complaint in Pulmoaddai police station against five members of Ulama council claiming that they have caused interruption in the work of government officials.

The arrested members were later released on bail.

* * * The following example cited in a recent ICES publication, ‘History’ after the war: Historical Consciousness in the Collective Sinhala Buddhist Psyche in Post-War Sri Lanka, written by Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri, illustrates how the mindset is being cultivated by the SL State among the Sinhala-Buddhists in the island:

“Following the end of the war there was a sudden glut of Sinhala-Buddhist North-bound tourists. A similar trend was visible during the cessation of hostilities between the LTTE and Sri Lankan armed forces under the Norway brokered agreement in 2002. The political and ideological significance of the phenomenon after May 2009 is, however, more pronounced. The implications of this phenomenon are pithily encapsulated in a Sinhala caption on a sticker displayed on Jaffna-bound SLTB (Sri Lanka Transport Board) buses, which reads: “This is the Realm of Gauthama Buddha” (mey gauthama buddha rajjayayi).

“Pasting small stickers with this, or other similar, captions on cars, three-wheeler taxis and entrances to houses became a popular practice among Sinhala-Buddhists in the last decade or so. This could be read as a popular manifestation of the ‘Buddhist revival’ that became a significant feature of the politics and ideology of the Sinhala-Buddhist South. The appearance of a ‘mega-version’ of this sticker on the Jaffna-bound state-owned buses, however, is a peculiar phenomenon and it is important to note some features of this mega sticker: a large picture of a smiling President Mahinda Rajapaksa and red and blue shapes with a lotus; all being symbols of the propaganda campaign of the United People’s Freedom Alliance.”

ICES publication on ‘History’ after the war by Nirmal Ranjith Dewasiri

Media monitoring of Navi Pillay’s visit to Sri Lanka

Photograph courtesy UN Sri Lanka

by Groundviews
- on 09/16/2013

At the invitation of the Sri Lankan Government, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay visited Sri Lanka at the end of August in what was,in her words, “the longest official visit I have ever made to a single country”.

Media monitoring of Navi Pillay’s visit to Sri Lanka by nelvely

Kelaniya: Act fast, avert crisis

Editorial-September 16, 2013

Saturday’s goon attack on a student hostel of the Kelaniya University must be condemned by one and all. A gang armed with iron rods stormed the dormitory, located away from the campus, and damaged a section thereof and some vehicles parked in front of it before fleeing the scene.

Thankfully, there was no bloodshed as the male undergrads did not react. But, they lost no time in forcibly occupying the sports pavilion of their university, as first thing the following day, vowing not to leave it until steps were taken to ensure their safety.

Four villagers surrendered to the police yesterday claiming that they had carried out the attack because the undergrads made a lot of noise at night much to their consternation. But, students insist that the attack was politically motivated and the surrender of suspects is only a red herring.

All signs are that there will be a long-drawn-out dispute which might even lead to a crippling protest followed by a temporary closure of the university. Universities have, over the years, become as dangerous as Syria, Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan, so to speak. Undergraduates, more often than not, come under attack both from within and from without. Hardly a week passes without a violent incident reported from a university. Students set upon one another at the drop of a hat or they are assaulted by thugs outside campuses for political reasons. These clashes and the attendant closures have stood the investors in private universities in good stead in that most parents with wherewithal admit their children to fee-levying higher education institutions either here or overseas.

Sri Lankan students, on average, waste at least three years between kindergarten enrolment and university graduation. Thanks to strikes, boycotts, clashes etc which characterise universities they lose another year or so, having already wasted one whole year waiting for university admission after passing the GCE A/L. Those who enter foreign universities graduate much earlier than their local counterparts. Hence, the pressing need for ensuring that universities function free from disruptions lest, at this rate, we should set a world record by producing the oldest graduates in the world.

There are ultra radical elements in the garb of undergraduates, hell bent on disrupting universities to further their political interests, as is common knowledge. They have plunged the seats of higher learning into blood baths on several occasions during the last few decades and are obviously looking for the slightest opportunity to do so again. They do exactly what they accuse government politicians of—destroying free education on the pretext of protecting it. They need clashes and disruptions and the resultant unrest to sustain their political projects which have run out of steam.

The identities of university troublemakers are only too well known and they must be dealt with strictly according to the law for the sake of the majority of peaceful students desirous of finishing their studies without wasting the best years of their lives in universities doing undergraduate studies. However, no extrajudicial methods must be used for that purpose, and the goons must not be allowed to attack students.

The protesting Kelaniya undergrads have a legitimate grievance. Their hostel has been attacked and they fear for their safety. The solution is for the police to provide them with security and conduct investigations to establish the real motive for the attack and find out whether there were others involved in the incident.

The Kelaniya University authorities and the Higher Education Ministry panjandrums ought not to let the grass grow under their feet. They had better step in immediately to ensure students’ safety without waiting till the on-going protests spin out of control to close the university indefinitely.

Sabaragamuwa U'grads petition HRC

By Shivanthi fernando-Tuesday, 17 Sep 2013

Undergraduates of the Sabaragamuwa University, numbering 2,723, have sent a petition to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL), requesting that normal laws prevail in the university, and to ensure their rights and the freedom to implement activities of the student union.

A report has been submitted to the HRCSL by the University, based on the inquiries held by the authorities on the students whose membership had been suspended by the university, and also consequent to requests of the Human Rights Commission in this regard, the President of the Sabaragamuwa University Students Group, Tharindu Amarasinghe, told Ceylon Today.

They have also asked in the petition that approval be granted to set up the student union of the university in accordance with Clause I of the Universities Act No. 12 of 1978, and for the HRC to inform the Vice Chancellor of the University of that Clause, as well as permit students to be represented by their leaders when disciplinary action is initiated against them.

"They had pointed out that there was a total of 51 students against whom disciplinary action had been taken, but these students did not have any students union leader to represent them," Amarasinghe said.

They also said, they have been deprived of their freedom to express themselves, their right to publication, their right to hold meetings, and social functions.

The undergraduates have also requested the HRCSL to direct the Vice Chancellor to act according to the Interim Constitution of the University.

TNA MP calls for international investigations on prisoners of war

[TamilNet, Sunday, 15 September 2013, 23:51 GMT]
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran has called for an international investigation on the state of Prisoners of War (POW) according to international law on the conduct of war. Addressing a press conference in Jaffna on Friday, Mr Premachandran said the latest witness declaration by the SL military at Vavuniyaa High Courts that there are no former LTTE surrendees in their custody any more, while there are still hundreds of family members looking for their kith and kin, who had been handed over personally by them to the SL military, clearly indicated that the international community should now take the initiative to bring about international investigations on both war crimes and on the state of the Prisoners of War (POW).

“We are still having hundreds of witnesses, who had handed over their family members to the Sri Lankan Army in the hope that they would be released sooner or later. But, now the Sri Lankan military has given a witness statement to the Vavuniyaa High Court claiming that no LTTE members had surrendered to the Army and that no one is under their custody anymore as such. This clearly leads to the demand for an international investigation on both the war crimes and on the Prisoners of War,” Mr Premachandran said.

Apart from the witness statement by the Sri Lankan military at the Vavuniyaa High Court, Sarath Fonseka, the former Sri Lanka Army commander, who is now in political opposition to Mahinda Rajapaksa, has also stated in Jaffna last week that there was no LTTE commanders or key members handed over to the SL military. He went on declaring that all who were in custody under his command were accounted for and handed over to the new administration.

Sarath Fonseka had also gone on record denying that former Trincomalee Political Head of the LTTE, Mr Elilan, had been handed over to the SL military at Vadduvaakal in Mullaiththeevu.

Elilan’s wife Ananthi Sasitharan, who also represents the kith and kin of missing persons, is contesting the provincial council elections in the North seeking a political voice for them.

“Be it a key member of the LTTE or not, the Sri Lankan military has no right to kill the prisoners of war,” Suresh Premachandran MP further said at the press conference held in Jaffna.

SL presidential sibling and economic development minister Basil Rajapaksa told the people of Jaffna not to bring in the issues of missing persons and the issue of land appropriation in former High Security Zone during the election campaign.

Earlier, the Sri Lankan government claimed that more than 12,000 LTTE members had surrendered. Apart from a known number of people still held in prisons, all the remaining have been released after a so-called rehabilitation programme at the hands of the genocidal military. But, the fate of hundreds of key members who were handed over or filtered away from the people by the SL military after the end of war, is still not known.

The Democracy

Let-off for Sri Lanka on axeing of judge

Within The Ambit Of Historical Background Of Sri Lanka

| by Dr.Sripali Vaiamon-September 16, 2013

( September 16, 2013, Toronto, Sri Lanka Guardian) M/s Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights who was week’s stay of injudicious sight-seeing and investigating with war-affected inhabitants in this democratic Sri Lanka fascinated with the unprecedented development activities taken place in the North after the 26 year civil war. She was anxious to make a floral tribute to Prabhakaran and desired to go to Putumalan but the request was turned down. It is quite natural being a person of the same community to have a soft feeling although the region would not have improved to unprecedented level if not the civil war based on two targets. The evacuation of high caste elements as the abominable caste rift harassed the poor community of Prabhakaran’s category by so-called vellalas and the discrimination towards Tamil community by the Sinhala Governments starting from the Independence.

The Democracy by nelvely

Video: Sri Lanka’s Kaffir Culture

September 16, 2013

Historians say that the Kaffirs of Sri Lanka started arriving from the eastern shores of Africa in the 1500s with the Portuguese, and later in more waves with the different colonisers of Sri Lanka.

‘Kaffir culture’ is a video portrait of one such community of Kaffirs and the struggle to keep their culture alive in the face of falling numbers.

Written and produced by Kannan Arunasalam.

Music by Ceylon Kaffir Manja, arranged by Jesse Hardman.

Special thanks to Sweta Velpillay (on sound), Nethra Samarawickrema (for help with translations), Leah Worthington (background research) and Greg Kelly (Radio Netherlands). Date of completion 2010

One in 4 women suffer from depression

By Rashini mendis-Tuesday, 17 Sep 2013

One out of four women and one out of 10 men suffer from depression in Sri Lanka, according to recent studies done on the mental health of the Sri Lankan population. The studies have also concluded that a majority of those who attempt suicide are invariably undergoing some form of mental disorder.

Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr. Neil Fernando, in a report to the Ministry of Health, has also stated that one per cent of the 10% of people who think of committing suicide, do commit suicide.

According to the study, the main reasons attributed to persons resorting to taking their lives, are being let down by someone, facing social deprivation and poverty, and the lack of love and care from parents.

Statistics also reveal that compared to the past, the number of those who commit suicide has been on the decline in the last decade. Reportedly 8,500 had committed suicide in 1991, but this figure had come down to 3,500 in 2012, showing a marked reduction in the past two decades of the number of people who had committed suicide.

On Private Healthcare Providers’ Laudable Goal In Sri Lanka

By W.A Wijewardena -September 16, 2013

Dr. W.A. Wijewardena

Private hospitals should make profits

A recent publication by the Institute of Policy Studies or IPS titled ‘Private Hospital Healthcare Delivery’ and authored by D.G. Dayaratne has looked at the issues of equity, fairness and regulation of the sector. In all the three areas, the study has concluded that the performance of the private hospitals is far from desired.

The study says that the “private sector is driven be the desire to maximise profits and hence concentrate their operations in densely-populated urban areas”. This is not an argument to discredit the private sector operations since private investments should always seek profits in order to survive in the market.

Unlike the public sector institutions which can be funded through compulsory payments made by taxpayers, private institutions have to depend on the payments made by their clients who are in this case patients. Hence, the problem with private sector hospitals, as the study has concluded, is “plunging those that cannot afford it into an adverse situation when they seek treatment which is not accessible in public facilities on an urgent basis”.

Hence, the private hospitals are supposed to fill a vacuum, but at an unaffordable cost. As a result, private sector hospitals are catering to a category of citizens who can pay which violates, according to the study, the principle of equity and fairness.

Private hospitals attend only to curative medicine Read More

The growing problem of teenage mothers

By Aanya Wipulasena-Sunday, September 15, 2013

Poverty, alcoholism, unstable families and lack of proper sex education; the main reasons, say health officials
Pregnancies due to rape, incest on the rise

It’s an inconvenient truth–but the increasing number of teenage pregnancies is a troubling concern for both state authorities as well as social workers. Among the reported cases this year, girls as young as 11-years of age have become pregnant, falling victim to abuse and in many cases, incest.

According to Family Health Bureau (FHB) statistics, on average, 20,000 females below the age of 20 become pregnant each year. Experts in the area say the main reasons are poverty, alcoholism, unstable family relationships and lack of proper sex education.

Dr. Manjula Danansuriya

Bianca Abeygoonawardena

Younger the mothers, greater the risks

The Growing Problem of Teenage Mothers by nelvely

11 quarries ruin Damana

Monday, 16 September 2013 1

More than 11 quarries being run by the brother of a goverment minister, certain officers of the wildlife conversation department and some Grama Seva officers have become a serious threat to several villages at Damana in Ampara.

Owners of these quarries at Alahena, Madana and Madawalalanda are totally disregarding environmental and other concerns and running their quarries in breach of all legal and environmental requirements, ‘Sunday Divaina’ reports after an observation tour.
According to the villagers, the wildlife conversation department, police or other responsible authoirities make no attempt at all to monitor the activities of these quarries.

They have sought legal redress against these quarries which are destroying the forestation, damaging houses and places of archaeological importance, causing health concerns for children as well as adults, drying out water resources and denying a huge tax income to the state, but the solution given seems to be a temporary one.

Commenting on the issue, the divisional secretary of Damana says it appears the quarry owners are violating the conditions, but that the major responsibility to deal with them lies with the wildlife conservation department.

Officials of the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau in Ampara, the district forest officer, the deputy director of the eastern provincial Central Environmental Authority have either refused to comment, or were not available over the phone or to meet personally.

At least 12 fatalities incl gunman in DC Navy Yard shooting, 1 more shooter may be at large

September 16, 2013 20:01

Edited time: September 16, 2013 21:19

Get short URL

Photo from twitter.com user @timjhogan

Download video (51.54 MB
One of the two shooters, who went on a rampage at the Washington Navy Yard in Southeast DC, may be still at large, police said, adding that one gunman has been killed. At least 11 other people have died in the attack.

The police were initially looking for two other potential shooters, whom they failed to locate.

They were described as a white male between 40 and 50 years in a tan outfit and an African-American man of the same age in green “military style uniform,” reportedly armed with a long gun

The DC police then wrote on its Twitter that a white male has been identified and he was “not a suspect or person of interest”.

At least, 12 people have died in the attack. Some people were also injured, including several police officers, but only one of them being wounded by gunfire, DC Police Chief, Cathy Lanier, said during a briefing.

As the manhunt goes on, people are advised “to say in their homes and avoid the area around the Navy Yard,” she added.

Thousands of workers remain locked up in the Navy Yard building as they were told to "shelter in place" until officials could safely evacuate them from the facility.

Police respond to the report of a shooting at the Navy Yard in Washington, DC, September 16, 2013. (AFP Photo / Saul Loeb)

"This is not over. The building is still in lockdown, as are other buildings. Still being treated as an active search. No one is moving right now," Rear Admiral John Kirby, the US Navy's chief spokesman, told reporters.

The investigators haven’t identified a motive behind the attack, DC Mayor Vincent Gray said, adding that there was no indication it was an act of terror.

“The big concern for us right now is that we have potentially two other shooters that we have not located at this point,” DC Police Chief, Cathy Lanier, said.

The suspected gunman, whom the police killed, has been identified as Aaron Alexis, 34, of Texas, Fox News reports.

A spokeswoman for the MedStar Washington Hospital Center said that it had received three gunshot victims from the Navy Yard.

A male police officer and two civilian women are in critical conditions, but have “very good” chances for survival. The victims said that shots from semi-automatic guns were fired at them, she added.

“I’m deeply shocked and saddened by the shooting this morning at the Navy Yard. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families,” Ray Mabus, US Navy Secretary, said in a statement.

A helicopter lifts a person off the roof as police respond to the report of a shooting at the Navy Yard in Washington, Dc on September 16, 2013.(AFP Photo / Saul Loeb)

The shooting happened inside the Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters (NAVSEA) building. It’s the largest of the Navy's five system commands.

It engineers, builds, buys and maintains ships, submarines and combat systems that meet the fleet's current and future operational requirements. The navy says about 3,000 people work in the building.

Emergency vehicles and law enforcement personnel respond to a reported shooting at an entrance to the Washington Navy Yard September 16, 2013 in Washington, DC.(AFP Photo / Alex Wong)

Some witnesses said a gunman opened fire from the fourth floor, aiming down on people in the first-floor cafeteria. The others said a shooter fired at them in a third-floor hallway. It’s not clear if the witnesses on different floors were describing the same suspect.

After going on the rampage, one of the gunmen reportedly barricaded themselves in one of the rooms where he was cornered by the police.

Another photo from the scene. Our staff is safe. #NavyYardShooting pic.twitter.com/qfBgR6Fmpv

9:06 утра - 16 сентября 2013

Hundreds of police officers and FBI agents were involved in trying to get control of the situation. Fire and emergency crews also responded to the scene. A “shelter in place” order has been issued for Navy Yard personnel.

The area around the Navy Yard was cordoned off, schools were on lockdown and planes at nearby Reagan National Airport were briefly grounded so they wouldn’t interfere with law enforcement helicopters.