Asylum-seekers in Sri Lanka: Paradise lost

The Economist

DOZENS of Pakistani asylum-seekers have been locked up in a detention camp in southern Sri Lanka following mass arrests that the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR, says it never saw coming. The sweep started on June 9th in Negombo, a breezy seaside resort famous for its churches and beaches,on Sri Lanka’s west coast. Police went door-to-door with immigration officials and rounded up 142 men in seven days. Families wailed as the men were whisked away, without explanation, to a notorious prison known for housing terrorist suspects.

No action on 284 complaints to the special (religious) police unit made by Azath Sally

Azath Salley

Australian PM can witness peacefulness if he visits Darga Town - Salley

Leader of the National Unity Front, Azath Salley today claimed that the government is afraid it will lose its voter base if the Pope visits the war-affected Northern Province, during his scheduled visit to Sri Lanka. The Central Provincial Council member made these comments during a press conference in Colombo today, which was also attended by UNP MP Mangala Samaraweera and former Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara.

Sri Lanka bans activist groups from contact with media

 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka has banned activist groups and NGOs from holding press conferences and issuing press releases, a Defence Ministry circular says, raising new concerns over freedom of expression in the island nation. The circular, dated July 1, also outlaws NGOs and civil society organizations holding workshops for journalists. "This is a continuation of threats on civil society," J.C. Weliamuna, head of Transparency International in Sri Lanka and a human rights lawyer, told reporters.

Sri Lanka: Over 300 new complaints on missing in Mullaitivu District

The Presidential Commission to Investigate Complaints Regarding Missing Persons has received over 300 new complaints during sittings held in the Mullaitivu District, the Chairman of the Commission told the Colombo Gazette.

Former High Court Judge Maxwell Paranagama, Chairman of the Commission, said that 387 new complaints had been received during a four day period.

Ramphosa assured TNA that South African involvment would be complementary to Indian and Western initiatives

Ramphosa in Jaffna

Wigneswaran briefs Tamil journalists on meeting South African Envoy Ramaphosa

A South African delegation, comprising South Africa's Special Envoy to Sri Lanka and South Sudan, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa and Nomaindia Mfeketo, the deputy minister of South African International Relations and Cooperation, visited Jaffna on Tuesday and spent one hour with Northern Provincial Council (NPC) Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran. Addressing the press following his meeting with the South African delegation, Mr Wigneswaran said Mr Ramaphosa assured him that the 'South African involvement' would not be contradictory to the 'political initiatives' by New Delhi and to the Geneva-based war-crime process supported by the Western countries.

Warning to NGOs: MOD says no warning only reminder

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) today played down the instructions issued to Non-Governmental Organisations on the need to stick to their mandate. Defence Ministry spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that the instructions were issued as a mere reminder and it was nothing new. “This is not a strengthening of regulations,” Brigadier Wanigasooriya added.He said that there are 1416 NGOs registered in Sri Lanka and all of them follow a set of regulations which have been in place for several years.

BBS leader 'Gnanasara Thera Insulted Quran' - Muslim Affairs Director General Affirms

Submitting an observation report to the Colombo Fort Magistrate, the Director General of Muslim Religious Affairs affirmed that the statement made by Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera to the media recently contains derogatory remarks on Quran.

Club de Madrid calls to stop clashes between Muslims and Sinhalese in Aluthgama & Beruwala

The Club de Madrid has been following with deep preoccupation the recent clashes between Muslims and Sinhalese in Aluthgama & Beruwala as part of what seems to be another manifestation of religious intolerance.  The Club de Madrid has been warning for many years of the dangers of ignoring the build up of intergroup tension and even its encouragement by some in leadership positions in some parts of the world, and it is saddening the lesson has not been learnt and situations like this continue to arise.

Sri Lanka: UN is to study MOD warning to NGOs

Farhan Haq

Farhan Haq The United Nations (UN) says it will study a warning issued by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) not to go beyond their mandate. Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for UN Secretary General Ban ki-moon, said that the UN will need to evaluate the warning and then make a statement. An MOD letter sent to NGOs notes that some of them conduct press conferences, workshops, training for journalists, and dissemination of press releases which is beyond their mandate. “We reiterate that all Non Governmental Organizations should prevent from such unauthorized activities with immediate effect,” the letter said.Some NGOs have raised concerns over the letter issued by the Ministry of Defence. (Colombo Gazette)

Sri Lanka: MOD warning to NGOs: MOD has overstepped its mandate

FMM public meeting

It’s no-go for NGOs! by  Dharisha Bastians
 Sri Lanka’s powerful Defence Ministry has sought to outlaw press conferences and media statements by Non-Governmental Organisations operating in the country, sparking a civil society outcry about an attempt to impinge upon freedoms of speech and assembly.

 A circular issued by the National Secretariat for NGOs, which operates under the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development said certain NGOs were “acting beyond their mandate” by holding press conferences and workshops.

Sri Lanka:The Shadow of Gotabhaya

English Translation of the above in a Sinhala weekly called Ravaya by Victor Ivan:
One named Gotabhaya Rajapaksa happens to enter Sri Lanka politics only after Mahinda Rajapaksa becomes president.  Since leaving the military, for nearly one and a half decades, then he lived in the USA. He becomes a publicly known or powerful figure after his advent subsequent his sibling coming to power as president. With that he is appointed as the defence secretary - a post regarded as powerful- and he becomes the coordinator of the security forces in Eelam war IV that followed.

Denying responsibility for Alutgama violence will not suffice

Gota: Denying responsibility

 Jehan Perera

Addressing members of the national advisory committee to the Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration, Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara gave substance to the conviction of those who believe in the prospects for peaceful coexistence and harmony within Sri Lanka's multi ethnic and multi religious society. He said that a majority of MPs of the government were opposed of the actions of the extremist groups that had engaged in anti-Muslim activities.

UN deplores return of asylum-seekers to SL by Australia .

SL boat people ( SMH)

The UN refugee agency UNHCR has expressed concern over the deportation of 41 Sri Lankan asylum seekers from Australia. A further 153 asylum seekers also from Sri Lanka have had their deportation blocked by the Australian High Court. UNHCR says it had been informed by authorities in Australia that enhanced screening procedures had been applied to determine whether those deported raised claims for protection which required further consideration.

Sri Lanka bans NGOs engaging in public communications and conducting training

SLB

The Government of Sri Lanka has banned Non Governmental Organisations holding press conferences, couducting work shops, issuing press releases ect. This act amount to clear violation of number of fundermantal rights, including right to information, freedom of expression.Number of NGOs told Sri Lanka Breif that theywill chellenge the circuler in courts.

Here is the circuler in question:

Aluthgama anti-Muslim riots:The conduct of Police, STF and even Doctors were questionable

A gun shot in Aluthgama

Fact -Finding Mission Report by a Womens Collective to Areas in South Sri Lanka That Were Affected by Anti-Muslim Violence.

On the 15th of June 2014 ethnic riots took place in Aluthgama following a rally organized by the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), a Buddhist fundamentalist organization. Even though the police and state officials had been informed of the potential of the rally to turn violent, no steps were taken to stop the same, instead a large number of police and Special Task Forces (STF) personnel were deployed in the area.

TNA Will Be The First Party To Meet Cyril Ramaphosa

The Tamil National Alliance will be the first party  to meet Cyril Ramaphosa,  South African envoy to Sri Lanka who will be visiting Colombo tomorrow for discussions pertaining to the formation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Speaking to Asian Mirror,  TNA spokesman Suresh Premachandran said they would be meeting Cyril Ramaphosa in a hotel in the capital city of Colombo soon after the latter's arrival. At the meeting, the two parties will discuss the post-war issues and the path to reconciliation process .

Reveal the truth; JHU, NFF ask why Ramaphosa is in Sri Lanka; who invited him?

Ramaphosa

Two main constituent parties of the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Government, the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and the National Freedom Front (NFF), who were up in arms against the visit of the South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa, are now demanding to know as to why he is in the country.  While accusing the government of not revealing to the country why Ramaphosa is arriving here, both parties warned that government will have to face grave consequences if the Deputy President is in the country to broker a power devolution package.

Fathima Thahir,the Family Owned Provision Store in Battaramulla and a Rock Flung in the Dark.

D.B.S.Jeyaraj

Fathima Thahir is a Muslim woman in her forties who manages a small provision store owned by her family in the Colombo suburb of Battaramulla. The store “Fathima Stores”was named after her by her father who founded it in 1949 long before Battaramulla experienced the current scale of urban development.”Fathima Stores” on 192 Main Street is the only Muslim owned shop in the vicinity and is well-known for selling bulath/vettrilai/betel.

Dalai Lama urges end to anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar and Sri Lanka

Tibetan spiritual leader says religious attacks in Buddhist-majority Myanmar and Sri Lanka unacceptable.  The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, has reiterated his plea to Buddhists in Myanmar and Sri Lanka to halt violence against Muslims, in a speech to tens of thousands of devotees to mark his 79th birthday. In front of the massive crowd that included Hollywood film star Richard Gere in Leh, India-administered Kashmir, the Dalai Lama said the violence in both Buddhist-majority countries targeting religious minority Muslims was unacceptable.

The crucial question is "Why is Gota conducting himself in this fashion?"

(Sanka Vidanagama photo)

Victor Ivan’s explanation of Gota’s excesses

Kumar David

In my piece last week (Black Hand or Manic Folly) I summarised a much canvassed view that a conspiracy was in progress to stir up trouble as an excuse to declare a state of emergency and set in motion a dastardly plot to impose dictatorship. I did not use names for obvious reasons but Victor Ivan in Ravaya of 22 June has taken the plunge and pointed the finger at Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse (GR); Victor accuses GR of being insensitive, heavy handed and brusque, not of intentional conspiracy.

Sri Lanka: Katchatheevu issue has to be revisited by Centre; BJP endorses Jayalalitha's position

Katchatheevu, shown by the arrow

Virtually endorsing the ruling AIADMK’s demand for retrieval of Katchatheevu, BJP on Sunday said the issue of Indian sovereignty over the islet, ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974, has to be revisited.
“The issue of Indian sovereignty over Katchateevu has to be revisited,” BJP general secretary P. Muralidhar Rao, who is in-charge of party affairs in Tamil Nadu, told reporters here when asked about his party’s stance on the matter.

Muslim Council wants India to explain its position on ' Muslim Terror' groups in Sri Lanka

The Muslim Council of Sri Lanka has written to the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo asking him to explain the position of the Indian Government on reports of the existence of Muslim terror groups in Sri Lanka. In the latter which was released to the media today, the President of the Muslim Council N.M. Ameen says Indian and local media reports indicating that India is concerned over the presence of such groups in Sri Lanka will contribute to the hate campaign against Muslims in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka: Boru Bala Sena’s Great Lie stands exposed.

Aluthgama set on fire by BBS

Don Manu

Talking as if butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth and he couldn’t say boo to a goose, the Bodu Bala Sena chief, Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara on Wednesday tells the waiting media after emerging from the CID headquarters in Fort, where he and his clan had been summoned to give a statement regarding the June 15 Aluthgama incident in which three Muslims were murdered and 77 seriously injured, that they dutifully obeyed the summons for ‘no one is above the law’

U.N. Chief Urges Sri Lanka to Protect Muslims Under Attack

Sri Lanka Muslims protest

Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS  (IPS) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the Sri Lankan government to “take necessary measures” to prevent any further attacks against minority Muslims in the country. He said the secretary-general recalls the Human Rights Council resolution of March 2014, which urges the government of Sri Lanka to investigate alleged attacks on members of religious minority groups and to take steps to prevent such attacks in the future.

Sri Lanka: Whitewashing saffron fascism

BBS Rule over Police

Dayan Jayatilleka
What is the role of the regime and state in a multiethnic, multilingual, multi-religious, multicultural i.e. pluralist setting and in a fraught, conflicted, actually or potentially violent situation? How should and how do the regime and state function?
Are the UPFA regime and the State a neutral umpire –as it should be– between the constituent communities of Sri Lanka where all citizens are constitutionally equal, or are they a biased (“hora”) umpire?