WHAT'S HOT IN SRI LANKA

Fresh claims over Tamil casualties

2009-06-18 | 6.15 PM

SL Gov. has requested to exchange 300 Tamil Refugees from India

2009-06-18 | 12.10 AM

The Indian government, though not officially disclosed or confirmed, is said to have acceded to a request by the SL government to hand over around 300 refugees of SL Tamil origin to the SL authorities in Colombo, who are presently in the custody of the criminal investigation department of the Tamil Nadu police. Most of them have been in TN detention camps for many years with criminal charges. Legal proceedings have been instituted, say informed legal sources. Some have no charges and are held for security reasons, interpretation of which is very ambiguous under the age old “Foreigners’ Act” of 1946, say the same sources.

“Economist” banned for article on post war Sri Lanka

2009-06-18 | 12.10 AM

12th June 2009 issue of Economist magazine has been held up for security reasons (!) by Sri Lanka customs. Subscribers who pay SLR 11,000 a year to Vijitha Yapa book shop in Colombo have not received their copies yet. The reason for this censorship could well be an article on Sri Lanka, which is pasted below this note. According to informed sources this is the 4th Economist issue that has been banned by customs in recent past.

Sri Lanka Customs has banned several South Indian magazines in the recent past, including Ananda Vikadam. Owner of the well known Tamil bookshop,
Poobalasingham, Mr. Sritharasing was detained for importing Ananda Vikadam on 5th March 2009. A few days later student who was going to Jaffna was arrested at theRathmalana domestic airport when air port security found a copy of the magazine with him (see MFSL monthly report March 2009).

Cabinet Minister Has Murder Case Against Him in Chennai

2009-06-17 | 2.45 PM

Search for Australian Tamils

2009-06-17 | 1.00 PM

The Australian Government has sent a team of officials to northern Sri Lanka to look at the camps says the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. (ABC)

Among the detainees are three Australian Tamils.

The Australian detainees are a 62-year old man and two women aged 26 and 29.

Malcolm Ranjith Appointed Colombo Archbishop

2009-06-17 | 1.00 PM

The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI has named Bishop Malcolm Ranjith as Colombo’s next Archbishop.

Monsignor Albert Malcolm Ranjith, was serving in a top post at the Vatican.

Unregulated financial firms still in Business

2009-06-16 | 9.05 PM

Despite thousands of depositors losing out a large number of smaller unregulated financial firms are still in business.

According to the Government Sri Lanka has about two thousand unregulated finance companies.

Mixed Reactions to President from Burma

2009-06-16 | 2.45 PM

Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajapakse who is in Burma with parliamentarians Wimal weeravansa ,Mervin Silva and Rohitha Bogollagama has been receiving mixed reactions.

According to the Irrawaddy on line edition inside sources in Burma said that Burmese military leaders who recently launched a military offensive against Karen rebels in eastern Burma were impressed by Mahindra Rajapakse’s military strategy used against the Tamil Tigers.

Rudra to explore Transnational Government for Tamils

2009-06-16 | 2.45 PM

The International chief of the LTTE has announced that process to establish a "transnational government." Is on the move, reported AFP.

Selvarasa Pathmanathan, popularly known as KP said in a recorded message said that "The struggle of people of Tamil Eelam (the separate state the Tigers fought for) has reached a new state," and "It is time now for us to move forward with our political vision towards our freedom."

The new set up has been called a "Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam."

Beijing’s Growing Foothold in the Indian Ocean

2009-06-16 | 2.45 PM

The Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government have received praise and accolades from several quarters after their triumph last month over the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam). The total annihilation of this separatist group brought an end to a civil war that has lasted over two decades. The long civil war resulted in the deaths of 80,000 to 100,000 people and over 300,000 displaced (Indian Express, May 30; Internal-displacement.org, June 4). The Sri Lankan victory over the LTTE was made possible by military support from a number of countries who supplied weapons and platforms, training, intelligence and guidance to the Sri Lankan armed forces.

Jaffna residents speak out over increasing military repression

2009-06-16 | 2.45 PM

Jaffna residents in Sri Lanka’s north spoke with the WSWS last week over continuing military repression and the ongoing detention of more than 300,000 Tamils in the Vavuniya internment camps. Many had relatives or friends who were either killed or injured in the fighting between the Sri Lankan army and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) or who are now being held in detention camps.

An unpublished UN report estimates that about 7,000 innocent men, women and children were killed and tens of thousands wounded after being trapped between Sri Lankan military and LTTE forces. The Sri Lankan military showered the so-called “no fire zone” with artillery shells and gunfire during the last weeks of fighting.

Five Sri Lankan journalists in death list

2009-06-16 | 2.45 PM

Number of web sites have exposed a plan to kill five leading journalists covering defense related issues in Sri Lanka. MFSL sources as well as some of the journalists named in the websites, confirmed the news stories as credible.

On 12th June, Asiantribune.com, which has a pro SL government editorial line reported that “according to an alleged confession of a personal security officer, himself a Naval officer, of a very ‘high ranking’ Naval officer,” five journalists are reported to be under threat for reportage during war times. The web site named Ruwan Weerakone, correspondent for Asian Tribune and the Bottom Line newspaper, Prasanna Fonseka – formerly of Lake House and currently with Siyatha newspaper, Tissa

What is Sri Lanka hiding?

2009-06-15 | 10.45 PM

A canadiian coluamist , Lorrie Goldsein has brought a fresh perspective into the Bob Rad deportation- Here is the comment published on Edmonton Sun.

Here is Lorrie Goldsein,

A super Military

2009-06-15 | 9.15 PM

Sri Lanka is on its way to powerful military structure say defence analyst.

According to a new bill presented to parliament by the Prime Minister the newly designed post of “Chief of Defence Staff” will be responsible for the Co-ordination of activities between the armed forces and the Ministry of Defence and the establishment of a powerful defence Committee.

Pressure to implement devolution as promised
Dr VICKRAMABAHU KARUNARATNE Writes

2009-06-15 | 9.15 PM

Internationally, the presence of the old Left (Ministers Dew and Tissa with Vasu) in the government is very useful to Mahinda Rajano. In fact, in the UN Human Rights Council debate, the fact that the government document stood for devolution as a solution to the Tamil national problem helped the government immensely to get the votes of countries such as Cuba. Having won the battle in Geneva now Maha Rajano is facing the wrath of his ‘neo barbaric’ colleagues such as Gunadasa Amarasekara. Gune has said in a press conference that the promise to implement devolution with land and police powers should not have been included in the document placed by the government for the Geneva debate.

“Living” off Internally Displaced People – The Sri Lankan Way

2009-06-15 | 2.30 PM

End of last week, Mr.Ajith Nivard Cabraal, the visionary Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka declared that foreign reserves in the country are “picking up”. He said, “Foreign reserves have picked up in the past several weeks, with money coming from aid flows in remittances and foreign investments. That is to meet the humanitarian needs of nearly 300,000 displaced people in the north”. What a statement?

Diplomacy Defeated

2009-06-15 | 12.05 PM

The foreign Ministry and Defence Ministry have adopted different approaches in deporting the Canadian parliamentarian says the political columnist of Sunday times.

Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, MP for Toronto who was on private visit was deported soon as he landed at katunayaka.

Lanka looks for KP

2009-06-15 | 12.05 PM

LTTEs fugitive leader K Padmanathan’s , details have been widely circulated among other countries says the foreign Minister

“In terms of world opinion and also in relation to how we could counter LTTE terror network forces, there are still some elements at large,” Mr Bogollagama told the media

Former CJ’s Mate in hot water

2009-06-15 | 12.05 PM

A close associate of former chief justice Sarath N silva is drifting in to trouble territories.

Chandra jayatilaka who served as the secretary to the judicial services commission is planning to vacate his post, say informed sources.

TNA crossovers likely

2009-06-15 | 12.05 PM

Several TNA members including parlimentarieans are to crossover to the government

Wanni district TNA Parliamentarian Sivanathan Kishore, who abstained from voting against the extension of the state of emergency is top on the list.

The disappeared

2009-06-14 | 8.40 PM

Murdered, missing, imprisoned in camps...The guns may be silent in Sri Lanka for the first time in 26 years, but the price of peace for the innocent Tamils caught up in the fighting could not be higher ... Dan McDougall travels from the Tamils' UK protest in Parliament Square to the killing fields of Sri Lanka

A foul-smelling monsoon closes in from the north, carrying dark clouds of ash from the Hindu funeral pyres burning along the "Highway for Peace and Unity". At the roadside, translucent glasswing butterflies flutter and dance in the charred iron shell of an old British Leyland bus, its undercarriage ripped apart and shredded like paper by a Claymore landmine.

President takes wings frequently

2009-06-13 | 2.40 PM

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been a frequent flyer
The details were disclosed by Chief Government Whip, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

Rajapaksha has visited 14 countries within the last eighteen months.

Salwar kameez-clad MP put out of parliament.

2009-06-13 | 2.40 PM

TNA parliamentarian from Batticaloa Ms Thangeswary Kathiraman had to leave parliament for violating the dress code of the house.

She was dressed in a salwar Kameez.

According to Sri Lankan Parliamentary dress code, women parliamentarians have to wear saree while inside the Chamber of the House.

IDP camps "national disgrace"-HRW

2009-06-13 | 12.05 PM

New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) said the IDP camps were a "national disgrace”.

"For more than a year, the Sri Lankan government has detained virtually everyone, including entire families, displaced by the fighting in the north in military-run camps, in violation of international law," the group said.

Shanthan jailed for Two Years

2009-06-13 | 12.05 PM

Arunchalam Chrishanthakumar popularly known as Shanthan by the London Tamil community was convicted by a jury at Kingston Crown Court of receiving electrical components for terrorism and a second count of receiving documents for terrorism.

These included guides to underwater warfare systems, explosive ordnance disposal and mine clearance.

Shanthan was given a shopping list of goods to send to Sri Lanka by the LTTE.

IDPs in the North – Citizens of Another Country

2009-06-12 | 10.15 PM

It was only a few days ago, the outgoing Chief Justice, Sarath N.de Silva stated that Vanni IDPs live under appalling conditions. This was already reported in Lanka News Web. He further said, “I openly say this. The authorities can penalize me for telling this.” Our learned readers, we are certain will understand the underlying truth of the above statement. The Chief of the Judiciary of Sri Lanka is afraid of getting “penalized” for telling the truth. What a vibrant democracy, Sri Lanka is? It is well known that nearly 300,000 Internally Displaced People of the North are living under below-minimal conditions and many who have visited the “welfare” camps have stated that the conditions are not suitable for human living.

Prabhakaran self-centredness caused LTTE’s defeat

2009-06-12 | 10.15 PM

LTTE Supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran’s “self-centred leadership” was his “most foolish mistake”, which may have been instrumental in the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka’s ethnic conflict, an article said on Friday.

“Prabhakaran’s monumental and self-centred leadership style did not permit the freedom of speech within the outfit which was thought to be his most foolish mistake in his decision-making process,” it said.

Lankan troops recover over 1.5 million landmines in North

2009-06-12 | 10.15 PM

Sri Lankan troops have so far recovered over 1.5 million landmines from the region captured from the LTTE and have expedited the process of demining the areas to facilitate the early resettlement of displaced civilians in the northern region.

The army has launched massive searches to recover the weapons of LTTE, especially claymore mines and other destructive explosives, in the northern areas.

Dayan Jayatilleka commends China

2009-06-12 | 10.15 PM

Speaking at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Thursday, 11th June, during the consideration of China’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report, Ambassador Dayan Jayatilleka made the following statement:
Thank you, Mr. President.

Sri Lanka welcomes the remarks of His Excellency Ambassador Li Baodong, this morning and his continuous role in striving for harmony, balance and fair-play in the Human Rights Council.

Too much celebrations are a prescription for renewed rebellion!

2009-06-12 | 2.45 PM

THE defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam by the Sri Lankan army should be cause for almost universal celebration—whatever its manner. The foreign governments that had banned the Tigers as terrorists and from whose Tamil minorities some of the Tigers’ funds had been extorted are glad to see them beaten. So too are Sri Lanka’s Sinhalese majority, after a 26-year civil war. But Sri Lankan Tamils should also rejoice. They had borne the brunt of the Tigers’ ruthless silencing of dissenting voices, of their pressganging of children and of the bloody consequences of their refusal to countenance any achievable political settlement. Yet the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is making even moderate Tamils at home and overseas feel its victory as their defeat.

5000 LTTE fighters surrender in 3 weeks

2009-06-12 | 2.45 PM

More than 5000 LTTE fighters and sympathisers hiding among refugees have surrendered in the last three weeks.

Among those who surrendered were LTTE fighters who escaped the ‘no fire zone’ in the middle of May and moved to government-run camps, the International Committee for Red Cross (ICRC) said in its latest report. They are currently being held in detention and rehabilitation centres.

Devolution the only way

2009-06-12 | 2.45 PM

The battle for the control of territory between the armed forces of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has come to an end with virtually the entire leadership of the Tigers, including Prabhakaran, being killed. The victory represents an end to a fratricidal ethnic conflict, which brought about death, destruction and untold suffering to thousands of people, which include Tamils, Sinhalese and Muslims. The war has ended, but the immediate task, equally important, is to win peace.

Female suicide bombers: Tamil Tiger teenage girl led the way

2009-06-12 | 2.45 PM

The sudden emergence of female suicide bombers in Iraq in 2007 shocked a country already inured to violence. From late 2007 to late 2008 there were 33 female suicide bombings. In the four preceding years there had been only two or three. But Iraq was not the first conflict to generate women desperate enough to sacrifice themselves.

TNA on Firing line

2009-06-11 | 8.00 PM

Four TNA MPs may have to leave parliament if speaker WJM Lokubandara refuses to grant leave of absence on Friday.

Informed sources say that the TNA parlimenterians are abroad and finding it difficult to return.

Canada displeased with Lanka

2009-06-11 | 11.30 AM

The Canadian government is angry on deportation of Canadian parliamentarian Bob Rae.

Senior parliamentarian Bob Roe was detained after flying into Colombo and put back on the next available flight to Canada.

Government on LTTE Funding Trail

2009-06-11 | 11.30 AM

Sri Lankan officials are on the trail of LTTE funding says the wall street Journal.

Sri Lankan officials have been sifting through computer files, business cards and daily schedules taken from Tamil Tiger offices in the country's north during this year's military offensive says Peter Woncot of wall Street Journal.




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