Attacks on religious minorities and impunity in Sri Lanka

By Ramanathan Ahilan-Nov 27th, 2013 

Sunanda Deshapriya / UN Minority Rights Forum

INFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka, would like to take this opportunity to highlight the series of attacks on Christian, Muslim and Hindu communities, particularly in 2012 and 2013, as highlighted by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, after her visit to the country in August this year. 227 attacks against Muslim places of worship and other institutions[i] have been recorded between January to July 2013 and 64 cases of attacks on Christian Churches and Pastors [ii] have been recorded between Januarys to September 2013. During the same period dozens of Hindu temples were destroyed in the North and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka.

The actual number of incidents is much higher, as many incidents remain unreported, due to fear of reprisals and the lack of confidence in law enforcement agencies.

In some cases, the Police had watched by as men, including those in Buddhist Monks robes and identified as Monks, have physically attacked persons and properties of Muslims and Christians. In several other incidents, Police have refused to take action against suspects, even when clear evidence such as video footage and names of perpetrators were available.

The complicity of the state has been clear by their downplaying or denials of these systematic and widespread attacks, public statements by some powerful Government officials and Ministers and the absolute impunity as described above.

In recent incident, a senior Buddhist Monk who had objected to targeted attacks on Muslims was threatened and attacked by a mob led by a Buddhist Monk belonging to the Bodu Bala Sena group [iii]. The Police initially refused to take action on the Monks complaint, and had not provided protection to the Monk to attend to his official work afterwards despite written requests for protection.

Sri Lanka’s constitution guarantees freedom of religion, but some Christian, Muslim and Hindu religious communities in Sri Lanka have been compelled to restrict and change their religious practices and even close down some places of worship.

The state’s present policy and practice appears partly, to be based on the constitutional provision that gives “foremost place” to Buddhism above and over other religions. This is particularly seen in the post war Northern Province where new Buddha statues and Buddhist places of worship have been installed since the end of war in May 2009, even though there are very few Buddhists in these areas, except the military.

So far, persecuted religious minorities from Christian, Muslim and Hindu communities appear to have acted with remarkable restraint, depending on democratic and peaceful struggles to seek justice, protect themselves and their rights. However, the continued attacks and impunity points to the danger that Sri Lanka could once again find itself plunging into a more serious and violent religious conflict, less than 5 years after a bloody ethnic war had ended.

Decisive and immediate action by the state, particularly the Police to stop and prevent further attacks and ensuring accountability for past attacks is key to prevent more serious outbreak of religion based violence. It is also crucial to ensure all religions enjoy equal status in law, without any particular religion being given foremost place.

Statement delivered by Sunanda Deshapriya on behalf of INFORM Human Rights Documentation Centre at the Sixth session of the UN Forum on Minority Issues on “Beyond freedom of religion or belief: Guaranteeing the rights of religious minorities” on 26th Nov 3013

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[i] [i] http://www.ohchr.org/en/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=13820&LangID=E

[ii] [ii] http://dynamic.csw.org.uk/article.asp?t=news&id=1902  & http://nceasl.org/category/religious-liberty/incident-reports/

[iii] [iii] http://groundviews.org/2013/10/09/buddhist-monk-attacked-by-bodu-bala-sena-and-police-inaction/#comments

Tamil Nadu police destroy Maaveerar Naal remembrance memorial

Tamil Guardian 26 November 2013

Tamil Nadu police destroying Heroes Day tombstone (All pictures: TamilWin) Eelam Tamils in a refugee camp in Sengkalpattu, Tamil Nadu, had their annual Maveerar Naal remembrance event disrupted by Tamil Nadu police, reports TamilWin. According to the news site, Eelam Tamils in the camp hold a memorial event every year, lighting candles at a symbolic tomb stone, but this year police interrupted the proceedings, demolished the monument and cleared away the red and yellow decorations.

In Honour Of Maveerar Day

By Usha Sri-skanda-rajah -November 27, 2013 

Usha S Sri-Skanda-Rajah

Today in honour of Maveerar Day I wish to publish two of my poems composed in 2006 and 2010. A lot has happened since then, we are on the road to winning justice for our people and through remedial justice winning Tamil Eelam. I am certain of that. My poems precede time but are still very relevant, for we cannot forget the past. It is from acknowledging and learning from the past that we can move forward. I also hasten to say that today Our Beloved Maveerar would want us to continue the fight to win back our motherland in a non-violent manner through diplomacy. That is what the TGTE is committed to – the peaceful diplomatic approach. Nonetheless I have the highest respect for all those great human beings and our leader and all who made the ultimate sacrifice and gave their lives to save our country Tamil Eelam.

Today also could be a day to reach out to the Sinhalese people…for greater understanding between our nations sharing the island…

1. Maveerar – composed in Nov 2006

2. To the International Community – The 2009 Tamil Holocaust and Your Lost Credibility – composed in Oct 2010

Maveerar

They went to the battle field

Never afraid to die

Brave soldiers they were

They did it for you and I

The glory of Thamil Eelam

Was their single, unwavering goal

Defending their Motherland

Was in their very soul

Possessed of both integrity and discipline

Absolute mastery of skill and mind

Trained by a Phenomenal, True Leader

A superior class of Freedom Fighters, they are a rare find                    Read More

Britain firm on Lanka probe into war crimes

Wednesday, November 27, 2013 

British Prime Minister David Cameron has reiterated his demand for an independent inquiry into the alleged mass killing of Sri Lankan Tamils during the final days of the civil war in 2009.

The Sri Lankan government had earlier rejected the demand and is planning to launch a South African-modelled truth and reconciliation commission. But the date for such an inquiry has not yet been announced.

Cameron said if the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa did not launch the independent inquiry by March 2014, the British government would call for an international inquiry through the UN.

In an exclusive column for London-based Asian Lite newspaper, the prime minister said there needed to be greater progress on human rights across the board in Sri Lanka - genuine freedom of expression and a free media, an end to the intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders and action to stamp out torture.

A crew from Britain's Channel 4 TV was forced to abandon its trip to the south Asian island nation's northern peninsula when its train was blocked by alleged supporters of President Rajapaska.

The British prime minister also appealed to both the Tamil and Sinhala communities to work together for a bright future of Sri Lanka.

"There needs to be a genuine reconciliation between communities," Cameron stated.

"Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with enormous potential in the years ahead. But for too long it has been blighted by conflict. If Sri Lanka takes the opportunity to heal these old wounds then there is the prospect of a much brighter future for all its people," he wrote.

"It's now over a week since I returned from Jaffna and the images still both haunt and inspire me," the British prime minister added.

"The visit I made to the north of Sri Lanka was fascinating - you can get all the briefings you like but nothing can replace seeing the situation for yourself. There were those who said I should stay away from the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka. They said that by going I was giving legitimacy to what has happened in the north of the country. I couldn't disagree more. By going we were able to shine a light on what more needs to be done.

"The end of the civil war in Sri Lanka is a massive opportunity but the issues now need to grasped. This isn't about imposing a Westminster view of the world. It's about standing up for the values that all Commonwealth countries have signed up to. In turn, the rest of the world should recognise political leaders when they get things right.

"So what needs to happen? First of all, there should be a transparent, credible investigation into alleged war crimes. No one wants to go back to the days of the Tamil Tigers, a brutal terrorist organisation. But equally, the Sri Lankan government cannot look the other way. When I met President Rajapaska I pressed for an investigation to take place - and I made clear that if those investigations were not begun properly by next March, we would call for an international inquiry through the United Nations.

"Second, there needs to be greater progress on human rights across the board in Sri Lanka: genuine freedom of expression and a free media, an end to the intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders and action to stamp out torture.

"Finally, there needs to be a genuine reconciliation between communities. Sri Lanka is a beautiful country with enormous potential in the years ahead. But for too long it has been blighted by conflict. If Sri Lanka takes the opportunity to heal these old wounds then there is the prospect of a much brighter future for all its people.

"I know that for many Asian Lite readers the situation in Sri Lanka is deeply personal. It's not about faceless diplomacy - it's about your families, friends and their future. So believe me when I say that we will do everything in our power to help. I'm determined that we play our part in building a brighter future for the people of Sri Lanka and laying the ghosts of the past to rest," Cameron wrote.

(Anasudhin Azeez can be contacted at md@asianlite.com)

Kings College London Tamil Society speak out at Youth Maaveerar Naal

26 November 2013

Speaking at Youth Maaveerar Naal  hosted by Imperial College London on Monday, students representing Kings College London spoke in remembrance of those that had lost their lives fighting against the genocide of the Eelam Tamil nation.

The full speech is reproduced below:

Everywhere around us, we see people search to find their one hero. We, the Tamil nation, have thousands of heroes; heroes who have struggled, ultimately for our freedom.

Tonight is special. It is the night that we as students are given the opportunity to come together and appreciate our very own heroes. Maaveerar Naal  serves not only as a reminder for us to call for the end of oppression of Eelam Tamils, but for us as a Tamil nation, to stand strong and united as we commemorate those who have sacrificed their lives, their youth and their ambitions for our homeland.

To cause the premature death of an innocent person is murder. To cause the premature deaths of large numbers of innocent people on racial and ethnic grounds, to destroy the very fabric of a nation, that is genocide. Faced with this genocide, this massive onslaught against our nation, these men and women displayed a bravery that has been unmatched.

As students, we are the future of our nation, and in the face of genocide, we are honoured to be able to say that we stand united. This strong bond that we have formed is something that we hope we can maintain and build upon for many years to come.

Our brothers and sisters have demonstrated bravery that is incomparable. We, away from the Sri Lankan government, live secure in our warm houses, return in the evening to find hot food and familiar faces waiting for us. We are blessed by those who have laboured in the mud, who have known no peace and fought for just a crust of bread.

Their struggle, suffering and strength, is the reason we are here today. When faced with a choice that we would never be able to make, they did not shy away. They sacrificed their today, for our tomorrow; and their present for our future.

They were not some distant people in an unknown island. The same blood that stained the soil of our homeland, runs through each and every one of us. These young men and women were just like us. They were me and you.

They too had hopes, dreams and ambitions. They were the students, the youth. They could have been doctors or lawyers or engineers, but the Sri Lankan state cruelly snatched this opportunity from them. Left facing a horrific genocide, they made credible selfless decisions. They made the decision to sacrifice themselves for their people, for our homeland and for our identity.

That is something that we as young British Tamils, have not and will not ever forget. Whilst some of us may have been born and raised in the UK, and may not have even been back to our native country, we have an inextricable link with our homeland that will never be eradicated.

No matter what the Sri Lankan state does, our identity is something they can never take away from us. No matter how many bombs are dropped, no matter how many temples are replaced, and no matter how many people they ruthlessly slaughter, we will never conform to a racist ideology. We will never forget who we are and, most importantly, we will never forget where we came from.

Does Our Gambling With ‘Development’ Signal The Rise Of The Mafia ?

By Ranil Senanayake -November 27, 2013

Ranil Senanayake

I walk the hills rising from an azure blue Caribbean sea, and try to envision the history that I have been told, a history of an island, green, tropical, rich in resources that fell into a despotic military aided rule. The consequence of a power drunk ruler who made it easy for his cronies to move money across its borders and legalized gambling to facilitate the Mafia to launder its ill-gotten money from the US. The underworld became the lords and the land went out of reach for ordinary citizens. This history spoke of a small group of dedicated people, who struggled through incredible odds and fuelled by a shining love for their country, won the nation back from the underworld.

It was an impossibly small boat that arrived on the shores of Cuba with its cargo of committed revolutionaries in 1956 ‘more dead than alive’ as Che recounted, loosing over half of their comrades, in battles, yet they went on to win their nation back from the underworld. By this action the amazing ability of the human spirit to rise to the ‘love of country’ is clearly demonstrated.  Cuba was embroiled in corruption, its dictator Batista was supported by gangsters, thugs and killers.  The huge inflow of money through their money laundering operations created a massive disparity of income and Cuban society descended into a situation of economic colonization.  The corruption was so bad that the US president John F. Kennedy once stated:

“I believe that there is no country in the world including any and all the countries under colonial domination, where economic colonization, humiliation and exploitation were worse than in Cuba, in part owing to my country’s policies during the Batista regime. I approved the proclamation, which Fidel Castro made in the Sierra Maestra, when he justifiably called for justice and especially yearned to rid Cuba of corruption. I will even go further: to some extent it is as though Batista was the incarnation of a number of sins on the part of the United States. Now we shall have to pay for those sins. In the matter of the Batista regime, I am in agreement with the first Cuban revolutionaries. That is perfectly clear.”

Read More

On CAR, Eliasson Cites Rights Up Front, But UN Silent on Sri Lanka in CHOGM

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, November 25 -- The Central African Republic briefing of the UN Security Council on Monday was, Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson said, under the UN's post-Sri Lanka "Rights Up Front" plan.

That Plan, which Inner City Press first published -- UN spokesperson Martin Nesirky then said it "may or may not exist" -- provides for sounding the alarm to human rights abuses such as those that occurred in Sri Lanka in 2009, when 40,000 civilians were killed.

Eliasson said the alarm will henceforth be sounded, especially when national authorities cannot act.

That is a distinction between CAR, which Eliasson described as falling apart, and Sri Lanka, where it was an authoritarian government, member of the UN, which did the killing. In these cases it is less likely the UN Secretariat will sound the alarm.

Even this month during Sri Lanka's crackdown during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the UN remained silent as Inner City Press asked four times in a week if they had any comment. Journalists were banned from going to the north, where the killings took place; families of the disappeared were blocked from traveling south to testify. But the UN Secretariat said nothing. Rights up front, indeed.

  While the Central African Republic meeting of the UN Security Council was ongoing, the UN squawked to (some) reporters to go to the UN Censorship Alliance, with its own record on Sri Lanka, see outside coverage here....

SRI LANKA: Murders and extrajudicial killings

November 27, 2013

On November 22, a suspect in the killing of a police constable and his wife was himself killed after arrest. The suspect was a 30-year-old former instructor of the Commando Battalion of the army. It is alleged that he was taken to identify some weapons and when he attempted to attack the police with one of the weapons he was shot dead. Two more persons related to the inquiry into the same murders were also killed after arrest. It is alleged that these two suspects were also taken for the identification of weapons and that during the search they both jumped into the nearby lake at Denagumuwa and drowned. It is also reported that the police are still looking for the main suspect of the murders. It would not come as any surprise if, when this person e main suspect is arrested, there would be a similar report of his being taken to search for weapons and that he too was killed as he tried to attack the police.

The inquiry into the deaths of the policeman and his wife is being conducted under the supervision of the Senior DIG for the Southern Province, Chandara Wickremaratna, and the DIG, McCarthy Perera.

The killing of the policeman and his wife is without doubt a horrible crime. The fact that they were killed, allegedly due to the inquiries that the policeman was involved in further add to the gravity of the crime. Besides, the killing of the family of a policeman in retaliation to lawful inquiries that he has been carrying out and that the crimes have been done in front of the victim's children all adds to the horrendous nature of the crime.

The fact that the first person to be arrested and later to be killed was a former instructor of the Commando Battalion of the army is also quite significant. In many of the crimes reported in recent times the fact that the alleged suspects have been former members of the Sri Lankan armed forces should be a matter of concern to the military, the government and the society at large. That persons who were members of the armed forces had taken so easily to crime around the country reflects on the kind of discipline within the armed forces. Despite of the repetition of such crimes over the last few years no serious inquiry has been undertaken, either by the armed forces or the government on this issue.

Instead of making inquiries into such serious matters the method that has been adopted is to extrajudicially execute the alleged criminals. This means that the senior officers in charge of inquiries into these crimes approves of such executions which is an indication of a grave breakdown of the morale within the police service. Killings and counter-killings have thus become the manner in which criminals and the police appear to engage with each other.

The fact that former members of the armed forces are taking to crime, the crimes themselves becoming increasingly more brutal and the method of dealing with these crimes being extrajudicial executions are frightening indications of the breakdown of the society as a whole. That such a breakdown exists is not a new revelation and this matter has been commented on for many years now by numerous bodies. What is shocking is the complete absence of any response by the government to this state of affairs.

That such extrajudicial killings take place in inquiries directly supervised by two Deputy Inspector Generals of Police is an indication that, as a matter of policy the government approves of such killings. If it was otherwise these killings would have led to inquiries into all the officers involved, including the two Deputy Inspector Generals.

The Asian Human Rights Commission once again draws the attention of the government as well as society as a whole to the rapid collapse of the law and societal morale indicated by the crimes as well as the manner in which the crimes are dealt with.

Priming the Sex Worker: Poverty or Prosperity?

• by Riza Yehiya
• - on 11/27/2013

The issue of sex work emerging as a recognizable profession in Sri Lanka is trending. This is evidenced by the materials appearing in the media and the recent post in Groundviews titled Is Sex Work, work? Recent statement by Dr.Nimalka Fernando in the Ceylon Today advocating legalizing prostitution by alleging health officials’ revelation that nearly 50,000 Lankans are engaged in prostitution is alarming. If these are proven facts, this turns out to be billions worth business in the shadows. Certainly, in the emerging predatory capitalist economy in Sri Lanka, certain businesses may covertly be eying to legalize prostitution to make use of the emerging market opportunity.

Priming the Sex Worker Poverty or Prosperity by nelvely

The Rise Of Cultural Nationalism: Boon Or Bane?

By W.A Wijewardena -November 27, 2013 

Dr. W.A. Wijewardena

Professor Sudatta Ranasinghe Memorial Oration 2013 

Part I: Professor Sudatta Ranasinghe

I feel being honoured by the invitation by the PIM Alumni Association to deliver the Professor Sudatta Ranasinghe Memorial Oration 2013 which is the first in its series. I specifically consider it as a privilege that I have got to do the honours for my long-standing friend for more than four and a half decades.

Both Professor Ranasinghe and I entered the then Vidyodaya University in 1967 to follow a four year special degree programme in Public Administration, the second batch to be taken to the University under the degree’s new and expanded syllabus. Based on the performance of his A/L results, Professor Ranasinghe could have joined the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, to do an Arts Degree, the most preferred destination for higher education by students at that time. Yet, Professor Ranasinghe chose the course in Public Administration because of his curiosity of and love for the subject, though it was risk-taking on his part since there was no certainty of securing a job after completing the degree. That was because the degree was new – an experiment that has not been tested anywhere else in a university in Sri Lanka with examinations in each of the four years. Besides this, it was not known to employers including those in the public sector. Hence, the choice of the degree programme was like entering a dark hall without knowing whether one could ever find the way out.

Read More

Getting The Balance Right – David Cameron And Foreign Relations

By Rajiva Wijesinha -November 27, 2013 

Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha MP

Soon after David Cameron had left Sri Lanka, the Sunday Times in England published a satirical piece about his visit. It accused him of behaving like a public school prefect and treating the Sri Lankan President like a fag, a junior schoolboy who was at his beck and call.

Cameron’s was certainly a brilliant performance, full of British bravado. Having decided, correctly in my view, that he would attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, he had to contend with the anger of those who have in effect been running British policy with regard to Sri Lanka, which has been deeply negative about our success in overcoming terrorism in this country. He had therefore to put in an aggressive performance to keep them happy, and this he certainly did.

I do not mean only the extremist members of the diaspora, who have been enormously successful in lobbying British politicians where it matters. Having concentrated their attentions initially on Labour, and obtained brilliant results through David Miliband, they were quick to switch in 2010 when the Conservatives won, while the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry floundered, and did not even bother to appoint a High Commissioner to England for a lengthy period.

But the efforts of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam and others of that ilk have been helped by a built in bias in the British Foreign Ministry, which we have not been able to correct. I believe that we had a good chance when John Rankin was appointed High Commissioner, because he has been much less prejudiced than his predecessors, but we fluffed it, and have not built up the confidence that was needed.

Read More

Hackers wish Prabhakaran on Jaffna MC website

 Wednesday, 27 November 2013 

The website of the Jaffna Municipal Council was hacked yesterday (26) resulting in the authorities blocking the site from public viewing.

The hackers have left wishes for LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran for his birth anniversary that fell yesterday.
The Jaffna Municipal Council is headed by governing party ally, the EPDP and the hacking of the website has not been taken lightly by the government.

Meanwhile, TNA MP S. Sritharan also made a speech in parliament yesterday praising Prabhakaran and likened the LTTE’s cause, a freedom struggle.

However, governing party members had opposed Sritharan’s speech.

News on President-CJ clash removed

 Wednesday, 27 November 2013

On the instructions of the president, a top official of the Presidential Media Unit has influenced Vijaya Newspapers Ltd. against the publication of an article to the effect that the president and the chief justice are having a dispute regarding the date for the next presidential polls. Due to that influence, the newspapers have removed the article in question and sent the newspapers for a reprint, according to internal sources at the company.

The CJ is having a decision unpopular with the president regarding the constitutionality of holding a presidential election next year. The president is also cross with the CJ over his attempts of late to gain popularity among the people. After the president came to know about the articles to be published in ‘Lankadeepa’ and ‘Daily Mirror’ the presidential media unit had influenced the newspapers and got them halted.

A top official of the PMU has telephoned the lady editor of ‘Daily Mirror’ and was told about the article to be published. The order to halt its publication came on the advice of the CJ.

THREE PERSONS ARRESTED IN MANNAR FOR COMMEMORATING HEROES DAY

November 27, 2013 
Three persons who allegedly engaged in the commemoration of Heroes Day in Mannar have been arrested, the Police Media Spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana stated.

The three suspects were arrested in the Murungan area in Mannar while legal action will be taken against them, police stated while adding that the law will be implemented strongly against all those who ignore the law on this matter.

Sources also allege that candles were lit in commemoration at the Jaffna University and Jaffna teaching hospital today at 6pm.

The Police Spokesman earlier stated that it was illegal to gather, protest or demonstrate in view of Heroes Day while legal action will be taken against such lawful activities.

However, TNA MP Suresh Premachandran claimed that the Heroes Day was not a commemoration of the LTTE but all those who perished in the war.

He said that no one can prevent loved ones from commemorating the dead while adding that even the United Nations recognizes a community’s right to erect memorials for figures they respect. He also questioned as to why the government was imposing restrictions on the Tamil people and not on the commemorations of the country’s assassinated Ministers and armed personnel.

Sources claim that despite the restrictions imposed by the law, several parties had held private commemoration ceremonies today.

CJ Mohan Peiris arms himself for the battle ahead with MR
(Lanka-e-News-27.Nov.2013, 8.30PM) Mohan Peiris the chief justice(CJ) is in the ready armed with an ‘exclusive weapon’ to hit back at MR regime if the conflict between them reaches explosive proportions , according to reports reaching Lanka e news.

Peiris who is as cunning as MaRa or even more has taken into his custody all the answer scripts written by Namal Rajapakse at the law final exam where he was passed fraudulently . Namal who was given a special air conditioned room and a computer had finished answering the question papers in 45 mins. to one hour when the time allowed was 3 hours.

Believe it or not , factually , the question papers of Namal had been subsequently answered by the ex Law college Principal Dr. W .D. Rodrigo who is now thrown out from his post. The CJ had also discovered when he re -called the answer scripts of Namal and examined that the marks allotted to the answers of Namal are also erroneous. This ‘law robbing Robo’ Rodrigo despite holding a lofty principal post of a Law college had stooped so low that he had not only answered on behalf of Namal , but even given marks as much as 80 marks or more for those answer scripts. . 

In the circumstances , the CJ is getting ready to expose this entire racket if Medamulana MaRa decides to appoint this Rodrigo as a judge (President) of the appeal court or supreme court. In any case it is learnt that the close relationship between Peiris and Gota had not so far precipitated any conflict involving MaRa.

As the CJ is well noted as a ‘cheat justice’ though he is a chief justice ; the ex law College Principal has also proved he is a lawless robbing Robo despite having held a high post in the legal sphere itself; and MaRa himself is a byword for lawlessness , and both CJ and law college Principal were appointed by MaRa , it is impossible to predict the course this conflict involving MaRa. After all they are birds of the same feather if not the same father.

University Teachers Union leader harassed by SL interrogators

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 26 November 2013, 23:13 GMT]
The ‘Terrorist’ Investigation Division of the occupying Sri Lanka has questioned the president of Teachers Union of Jaffna University, Mr S. Rajkumar, over a news item that appeared in a local news paper in Jaffna where he defended the collective right of Tamil people in remembering their loved ones who have sacrificed their lives for their common cause. The TID operatives in Jaffna also grilled the reporter, who interviewed the president of the Teachers Union. 

Meanwhile, reporters at local newspapers in Jaffna said their managements were instructed by the TID not to publish any news of gatherings or remembrance events. 

Mr Rajkumar faced TID interrogations also last year for defending the right of the students of Jaffna University in paying tribute to those fallen in the war. 

The University Teachers association also took part in the demonstration by the relatives of the missing persons in front of Jaffna Public Library on November 15, when British PM David Cameron visited Jaffna.

Heroes Day observed in Tamil homeland under gagged conditions

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 27 November 2013, 08:38 GMT]
Sri Lankan military intelligence operatives were monitoring the activities of the grassroots political activists and the elected councillors of the provincial council and the civic bodies in North and East. However, the Teachers Union of Jaffna University observed a memorial event Wednesday noon by lighting candles of sacrifice and paying a floral tribute braving the SL military harassments. Handwritten and printed posters in memory of those who sacrificed their lives in Tamil struggle have been put up at several places throughout the peninsula where the occupying Sri Lankan soldiers were seen removing them. This year, the student community in the occupied country of Eezham Tamils has been active in remembering the Tamil Heroes. 

In the early hours of Wednesday, a squad operated by the occupying SL military opened fire at the house of Mr Sri Ranjan, an elected member of the civic body in Kodikaamam Piratheasa Chapai, who had recently moved a resolution on restoring Maaveerar Thuyilum illams (Heroes Cemeteries). 

The attack comes after he was detained, questioned and released on Tuesday. 

In another incident, the residence of the president of Valikaamam West (Chuzhipuram) Piratheasa Chapai (PS) Ms Ranjani Aingaran was also attacked by a 8-member squad that came in 4 motorbikes. 

Sri Lankan soldiers were deployed in large numbers on the streets of Jaffna as the people were observing Heroes Day silently inside their houses. 

In the meantime, Northern Provincial Council Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Irrigation and Environment, Mr P. Aingaranesan, introduced a tree-planting scheme, which was announced coinciding with Heroes Remembrance Day. Starting in Mannaar on Tuesday, Mr Aingaranesan said he proceeded to continue the scheme in Jaffna on Wednesday.