Eight arrested for defamining present get police bail .

Colombo Additional Magistrate Kosala Senadheera, today   released on police bail eight suspects who were taken into custody from a web site office in Rajagiriya. They were accused of  defaming  the President.

Sri Lanka Mirror staff given bail

Journalists given bail

The nine employees of the Sri Lanka Mirror website, who were arrested yesterday, were released on police bail today.  Among those arrested were journalists including women and girls. They were produced before the Colombo Magistrate at Hulftsdorp this afternoon and given bail and were ordered to appear in court again on the 6th of July.

Websites propagating false news sealed-MOD .

The Defence Ministry said in its website that acting on a court order the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) officials, yesterday (29th June) sealed an office in Rajagiriya where two websites involved in propagating false and unethical news on Sri Lanka were being operated from.

US to continue GSP for Lanka

Ron Kirk

The Embassy said that United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ron Kirk announced yesterday that USTR has closed the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) country practice review on worker rights in Sri Lanka without any change to Sri Lanka’s GSP trade benefits.

SL forces fatally attack protesting Tamil Prisoners of War in Vavuniyaa

The forces of genocidal Sinhala State in Sri Lanka fatally attacked Eezham Tamil prisoners of war kept in the prison at Vavuniyaa on Friday. Heads and limbs broken, more than 15 of the prisoners are admitted in Anuradhapura hospital after removing them from Vavuniyaa.

The Supremacy of the national security apparatus

by Basil Fernando
in the previous article, Can the idea of nationalism be separated from the idea of justice?, I discussed the idea that the state that exists in Sri Lanka now is a national security state. The national security state is the result of the operation of the 1978 Constitution. What are the basic assumptions on which this national security state is constructed?

Sri Lanka Arrests 9 Web Site Journalists

journalists arressted

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Sri Lankan police arrested nine journalists and seized computers and documents from the office of an independent news Web site on Friday, said a media rights group in Sri Lanka, one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists.

Aung San Suu Kyi's Political Wisdom for Sri Lanka

in Westminster

''Both countries have a mostly Theravada Buddhist ethnic majority, and large ethno-religious minorities. Both are in the shadow of a traumatic period in their respective histories. Both have a powerful military with a serious human rights case to answer. Both have a question mark over just how democratic their government may be in future, and how institutionally strong democracy might be.''
By David Griffiths

Menon talks reconciliation efforts, fishermen issues with SL

Sri Lanka on Friday briefed India about steps being taken towards political reconciliation with ethnic Tamils, amid a growing unease over the slow pace of reforms to enable devolution of power to the war ravaged north.

TNA politician in Ampaa'rai threatened not to contest against UPFA

The chairman of the Kaaraitheevu Divisional Council (Piratheasa Chapai) who was elected on the ticket of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to the civic council, has been threatened in Sinhala by telephone on Thursday, according to a complaint made at Chammaanthu'rai Police station, sources in Ampaa'rai said.

Nine arrested from Sri Lanka Mirror .

Nine people were arrested and seven computers including a personal lap-top were taken into custody by the CID from the Lanka Mirror office in Etulkotte this evening. ( see photos below)

TNA MP warns legal action against genocidal land grab in Batticaloa

From Point-Pedro in the North to Pa'nama in the East, the Sri Lankan government is suppressing Eezham Tamils from protesting against the State-sponsored land grab, which seeks to Sinhalicise the Tamil homeland, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian from Batticaloa P. Selvarajah said adding that a large area in Paduvaankarai region of Batticaloa district has been appropriated by the Colombo government for Sinhala colonisation.

Shiv Shankar Menon arrives in Colombo

file photo of Menon and Rajapaksha

Indian National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon arrived here late on Thursday night to discuss issues arising out of Sri Lanka’s reluctance to fulfill its promises, more than three years after the crushing defeat of the Tamil Tigers.

Sri Lanka: Offices of two websites raided by state intelligence apparatus; 7 Journalists and two staff members arrested; 6 computers confiscated

NfR Alert: 29 June 2012
This morning around 11.45 am around 25 offices from police intelligence arms, namely Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Colombo Crime Division (CCD) raided two popular tri lingual news and opinion web site operated form Colombo. They are http://english.srilankamirror.com/  and http://www.srilankaxnews.com/. Both Sri Lanka Mirror and SriLankaXnews are read by tens of thousands of readers daily.

Opposition demands Northern PC polls first

The joint Opposition yesterday called for provincial council elections in the North as a matter of priority. UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, addressing a media briefing of the joint opposition in Colombo, said that the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime was giving lame excuses such as uncleared mines for not giving the Northern people a long overdue opportunity to vote at a major election.

Jayalalithaa writes to PM on harassment of fishermen

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa writes to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the plight of Indian fishermen "traditionally fishing" in contentious Katchatheevu.

'We even need permission to bury our dead': Sri Lanka's war legacy lingers

 Post-civil war Sri Lanka may be on an upward economic curve but, for Tamils in the north, military control remains a way of lifeTamil women in Mullaitivu, north-east Sri Lanka. Locals say the wait for justice and reconciliation continues.

Sri Lanka's North population shrinks, East expands

population dencity map

Population in Sri Lanka's northern Jaffna area has shrunk during a 30-year civil war but parts of the former war zone which was not fully under control of separatists had seen above average growth, new census data shows.The first census conducted in the area since 1981, has shown that the population of the Jaffna district, where ethnic Tamils form the majority had contracted at a rate of 0.74 percent to 583,017 from 734,474. 

Sri Lanka's Tamils face identity crisis

 

Without a national identity card, many Tamils in Sri Lanka cannot avail of basic services and it makes them suspect in the eyes of the police, writes Ponniah Manikavasagam of the BBC's Tamil service.

Political parties protest against SL military land grab in Vanni

The constituting parties of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Tamil National Peoples Front (TNPF) from the North-East together with Democratic Peoples Front (DPF) led by Mano Ganesan and the United Socialist Party (USP) led by Sritunga Jayasuriya and NSSP activists from South staged a protest demonstration in front of the Pi'l'laiyaar temple at Thirumu'rika'ndi on Tuesday.

SRI LANKA: Yet another man is killed by the police

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that on 20 May 2012, M.D. Kalum Priyanath, a disabled labourer, went to a local temple to help a monk run an errand. At 12pm, as he was returning home, Mr. Priyanath was arrested by the police and taken to Welikanda Police Station.

TNA’s Road to Federalism runs through New Delhi

“In the past the United States and India stood against us. However, in the favourable circumstances that have now come about, the United States and India are to a great extent supporting our position”
-Sampanthan (2012) at ITAK Convention-

North-Central, Eastern, Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils dissolved

The government yesterday dissolved the North Central, Eastern and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils with effect from midnight.  Deputy government printer L. R. C. Amerasinghe told The Island yesterday that the gazette notification was on its way as this edition went to press.

Julampitiye, police spokesman and Minister Senaratne

In July 2005, hot-on-the-heals of the London bombings, the frightened police shot dead an innocent foreign youth inside a London subway; next day the Chief Constable, appeared on BBC and made a bogus explanation, stating that the ‘suspect’ disobeyed orders and ran towards the station, leapt over the gate and forcefully entered the place which compelled them to open fire.

The LLRC: From Recommendations to Actions

by Prof Rajiva Wijesinha

One of the saddest aspects of the last three years has been the corrosive distrust between all political players. This is almost relentlessly exacerbated by several factors. The first, and perhaps the most worrying, is what I term a failure of rationalism, the practice of judging situations not in terms of evidence but rather through emotions. This contributes to a tendency to interpret ambiguities in line with fears rather than hopes.

Buddhist Affairs Dept. accused of inaction ( over Maithree Buddha)

Buddhist Cultural Centre Director, Ven. Kirama Wimalajothi Thera yesterday accused the Buddhist Affairs Ministry of failing to perform its duty.  Ven. Wimalajothi Thera, addressing the media at the Sambuddatwa Jayanthi Mandiraya in Colombo, said that it was the responsibility of the Government to protect Buddhism and to take action against persons like the man in Wanduramba who claimed to be Maithree Buddha.

Mahinda+Namal+Rishard+Ratnayake+Re settlement= Humbug; Only15 families have re settled in Murikandy

It is said that only 15 families have resettled in Murikandy in the Mullaithivu district. Though 47 families were brought from the Menik farm detention camp today, only 15 families who had land deeds and registrations were permitted to re settle.

CSD job boon for ex-LTTEers, - Over 1,800 apply

after rehabilitation

Over 1,800 rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres turned up at Kilinochchi on Saturday to join the Civil Security Department (CSD) following the CSD’s call for ex-combatants to join its ranks. The government is planning to recruit a large number of rehabilitated ex-LTTE cadres to the CSD.

Refugees for 20 years, Tamil Catholic families forced to live in the jungle

by Melani Manel Perera ( Photo feature)
Mannar (AsiaNews) – They live in the jungle, on the ground without a roof or a tent over their heads, surrounded by elephants, snakes and other wildlife.

The case for a Two Stage solution to the Tamil Question

How long for a solution?

by Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka
While everything is debatable, not everything is negotiable. Some things, a few things, simply must not be negotiable.  The territorial unity and integrity of the Sri Lankan state, Sri Lanka as a single indivisible country, must never be up for negotiation.

"Stop accusing my ministry" - Defence Secretary warns trade unionist

A top defence official has warned a trade union leader of the university teachers on Friday (22) to stop blaming the Ministry of Defence for alleged threats he has been receiving. The Secretary of the Defence Ministry Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has called Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, the president of the Federation of University Teachers Associations (FUTA), to warn him not to make baseless accusations against the defence authorities.

Rogue released to conceal foreign exchange offence of President’s B-i-l ? - whither laws ?

The youth who burgled the house of Air Lanka chairman , Nishantha Wickremesinghe, the brother in law of President Mahinda Rajapakse and took away cash and articles worth Rs. 80 lakhs has been freed , and the case against him was withdrawn.

UNHCR in Sri Lanka gives confidential information to the Defence Ministry?

Diplomatic circles are currently discussing whether the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) office in Sri Lanka was providing information on foreign refugees to the Defence Ministry.

Education is next in importance to freedom and justice - SC

UGC asked to calculate Z-score separately for two syllabi
The Supreme Court yesterday declared null and void the August 2011 GCE (A/L) examination Z-score. The judgement said that there was a complex question as regards the Z-score calculated on the basis of the old syllabus and the new syllabus taken together.

Messing in the maze: A response to Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka

Austin Fernando
As my friend Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka is probably aware, I rarely miss his articles. Sometimes I have been mildly shaken by his radical writing, but never quaked as I did having read – “Moving out of the maze” It made me to believe that I had probably misunderstood him as an academic supportive of power sharing.

People of Vali. North to go back to their Lands grabbed by the forces; Holding white flags

The people of Vali North say that they intend resettling in the land grabbed by the forces, with holding white flags.
 The displaced people expressed their intention to the TNA parliamentarian Vinayagamoorththy and have demanded co-operation from the TNA parliamentarian as people’s representative

SL military goes amok on uprooted civilians in Vanni, 2 injured, 1 suffers heart attack

Jaffna protest against land grabbing

Children were thrown into vehicles and the occupying Sinhala Army assaulted uprooted Tamil families using gun butts and batons Monday evening at Thiru-mu'rika'ndi Hindu Tamil Viththiyaalayam in Ki'linochchi. A section of the uprooted families who had been brought from Menik Farm by the SL military a few weeks ago had declined to accept what they called an ‘enslavement’ offer of ‘resettlement’ by the SL military.

Sri Lanka: Threats to Dr. Nirmal R. Devasiri of FUTA is an another instance of suppression of dissent

NfR Sri Lanka, a network of Sri Lankan journalists and human rights defenders expresses its serious concern over the recent threats and intimidations directed at Dr. Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri, the President of the Federation of University Teachers’ Associations (FUTA) for his trade union activities. 

People in the North Should Have the Same Rights

by Dr Laksiri Fernando
The discriminatory application of rights of the people in the North and the South came into sharp focus, when the police prohibited peaceful protests to be launched in front of the Jaffna bus stand on 19th Tuesday, as the police hurriedly obtained a court order the previous day.

Post-war Sri Lanka’s Thought Police: The Rehabilitation of Ex-Combatants and the Denigration of Tamil Identity: Part Two

by The Social Architects

Introduction
As mentioned by TSA,[1]the government has prepared a lengthy, heading-less, and inappropriate questionnaire[2] (in poorly written and, at times, incoherent Tamil) which has been used to obtain information about ex-combatants before they leave Protective Accommodation and Rehabilitation Centres (PARCs).

Govt. turns down India’s offer .

The government has turned down India’s offer to develop the Palali airport and instead decided to handle it under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, it is reported.

Witnesses to Katuwana murders threatened against giving evidence

Police allegedly biased
Some persons who witnessed the Katuwana double murder last week have been threatened with death if they proceed to give evidence against Gigana Gamage Amarasiri alias Julampitiye Amare.

A 24 hour strike by CEB union

About 15,000 employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board will engage in a 24 hour strike action from midnight on the 3rd.

Mihin Lanka incurs US$ 18.6mn loss in 2011

The annual report of the Civil Aviation Ministry for the year 2011 has shown that losses of Mihin Lanka have amounted to US$ 18.6 million.

India gets tough; Menon here for crucial talks,

New Delhi concerned over UNHRC issues and inflammatory statements,
India is sending a top-level emissary to Sri Lanka to convey in “the strongest terms” New Delhi’s concerns over a string of important issues.

A veritable epidemic of government goons

Is this Government comprised solely of underworld characters and law breaking Ministers? We may be forgiven for answering this far from rhetorical question in the positive for a multitude of persuasive reasons.

4 children under 16 are raped daily

= Police say main reason parents going abroad for employment leaving children in care of guardians
 = Child right activists too say not enough security for children under 16 even in their own homes
View(s): 12

Misconceptions and misinterpretations of Sampanthan’s presidential address at ITAK convention – I

By Dr. Nirmala Chandrahasan
Reading through some of the articles that have appeared recently, following upon Mr Sampanthan’s Presidential address at the ITAK Convention, it appears to me that there is a big trust deficit. Interpretations are being put on words, and inferences drawn which are not justified by the plain meaning of, or the relevant context in which they have been used.

GMOA issues ultimatum to govt- Attack on Consultant’s house

The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) yesterday gave the government two weeks to conduct an impartial investigation and prosecute the culprits who had caused damage to Consultant Oncologist Dr. Nadaraja Jayakumaran’s house in Jaffna on June 14.

Out of 170 complaints received by HRC, 125 against Department of Police

Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission, during the past six months, has recorded 170 torture complaints against government authorities, which included a majority of complaints against the Department of Police.  
Human Rights Commissioner Dr. Prathbha Mahanamahewa told Ceylon Today out of the 170 complaints, 125 complaints have been made against the police.

Allegations made by Lankan Prez against Indian fishermen unconfirmed: Narayanasamy

Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office V. Narayanasamy on Saturday said that the accusations made by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa against the fishermen from Tamil Nadu were unsubstantiated. Narayanasamy on the contrary said that the Indian fishermen were being harassed, and added that they face a lot of problems.

A threat to the safety of University Teachers Union president – AHRC

The Asian Human Rights Commission says it has received information that two days ago, a group of people who have identified themselves as members of the Ministry of Defense, visited the neighbourhood in which Dr. Nirmal Raanjith Devasiri, the President of the University Teachers Union and the Secretary of the Arts Faculty Teachers’ Association of the University of Colombo resides, and made inquiries about him and his family, in what appears to be an attempt to intimidate them.

Prisons Chief calls for urgent report ( re Julampitiye Amare)

The Commissioner General of Prisons P. W. Kodippily has called for a report from the Tangalle Prisons Superintendent following Wednesday’s remarks made by Tangalle High Court Judge Chandrasena Rajapaksa when he remanded the Geeganagamage Amarasiri alias Julampitiye Amare, the prime suspect in the Katuwana killings.

New form of terrorism threatens Lanka .- Editorial, DM

The shocking disclosure by Tangalle High Court Judge Chandrasena Rajapaksa that the underworld gangster in the most wanted list had visited an inmate at the Tangalle Prison last week is an indictment, which reflects terribly on the entire law enforcement machinery of this country.

FMM expresses serious concern over sacking of editor and cartoonist.

Media release
The Free Media Movement expresses its serious concern over the decision by the management of the Ceylon Newspapers (Pvt) Ltd. to termination of  the service of its editorial director Mr. Lalith Alahakooon and Cartoonist Mr. Wasantha Siriwardana. Ceylon Newspapers (Pvt) Ltd publish Ceylon Today and Mawbima dailies and weeklies.

The role of the Defence Secretary in paralyzing the criminal investigation system

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission
Yesterday (19th June 2012) Sri Lanka’s United National Party (UNP) published a statement demanding the resignation of the Secretary of Defence. The UNP claimed that the resignation was warranted in light of the recent deaths of two people at the JVP meeting at Katuwana, Hambantota.

UN to complete review on Sri Lanka next month

The current internal review carried out by the UN on its actions in Sri Lanka during the period of the war is to be completed by next month.

A draft left programme: Part II Lanka’s economic options in the age of the New Depression

Dr. David

Dr. Kumar David
Part I, last week, discussed the political background, international tensions and a few class related issues and made an evaluation of political parties. Part II continues and concludes the document.

Colombo stands exposed after attack on democratic protesters: Tamil politicians

The General Secretary of Democratic Peoples Front (DPF), Kumaraguruparan, who participated in both the protests in the city and in Thellppazhai in Jaffna this week told media that the way the Sri Lankan legal system and the police were deployed, and the way the peaceful protesters were attacked while they were returning home, raised questions whether the SL State wants the people to opt for an armed struggle again.

SL flag torn, Ranawaka’s effigy burnt ( re 100 Mullivaikals)

Minister Ranawaka

Fifteen persons have been arrested by the Chennai Police for setting fire to the effigy of Lankan Minister of Power and Energy Champika Ranawaka and tearing off the Lankan National flag in a protest carried out opposite the Lankan Consulate in Chennai today.

Judge makes shocking disclosure on Julampitiye Amare

Tangalle High Court Judge Chandrasena Rajapaksa in a disclosure in court  said he had come to know that Geeganagamage Amarasiri alias Julampitiye Amare who had more than a 100 arrest warrants against him had visited an inmate at the Tangalle prison last week.