Sri Lanka Police (TID) runs its own 'Disappearances Inquary' despite the Presidential Commission

TID probing disappearances a coincidence
Police spokesman SSP Ajith Rohana said several people from the North and the Tamil media have claimed that the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) had been holding inquiries into missing persons at the same time as the Presidential Commission to Investigate Disappearances was sitting in Mullaitivu last week. This was a co-incidence as the TID did not know the Presidential Commission was sitting there at that time, he said.  Several Tamil newspapers highlighted the alleged inquiry on missing persons being held by the TID when the Presidential Commission was holding inquiries in close proximity to the TID office and people were asked to visit them too.

The survival of our civil life is in danger;the danger has never been clearer and its presence has never been more imminent

Upul Jasuriya

Key Note Address of the World Press Freedom Day Event organised  by SLPI and FMM
 

Upul Jasuriya, President Bar Association of Sri Lanka

“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers” 

Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in Sri Lanka: Why we need to unite against it

Chandrapala Kumarage, Attorney-at-Law

The PTA law is being applied arbitrarily, and even offences that could be dealt with under the normal laws are being dealt with under the PTA. This is at a time when the Emergency Laws have already been revoked. Since the PTA law is being wrongly used in this way, it is necessary for us to acquire a good knowledge of what this law is and what are its implications.

Sri Lanka: Continuing Detention of Tamil Women and a Girl Child under the Prevention of Terrorism Act

 Jayakumari Balendran and her daughter

In 2009 the government announced that the LTTE has been wiped out from the country with the end of the armed conflict. However, in the past few weeks there have been a number of arrests, including of women under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) supposedly to investigate and counter a renaissance of the LTTE. Most of these arrests were in connection to the search for a man called Gopi who according to media reports quoting  military and police spokespersons was killed along with his two associates on 11 April 2014 and that they  been buried at  state expenses on 12 April in Anuradhapura. Those arrested in connection to these men are still being kept at Boosa camp, in Colombo’s the 2^nd and 4^th floor of the Terrorism Investigation branch, and in the Vavuniya Terrorism Investigation Division (TID). In these TID and military joint operations men, women, the elderly and children have been arrested.

Restriction orders on Ruki and Fr. Praveen is one more reason for a stronger resolution at UNHRC

Ruki

''Merely tagging on an accusation of some connection to the LTTE without sufficient evidence in order to create the impression of some illegal activity is not becoming of a legitimate government. Unfortunately the long period of violence that prevailed in the country for several decades left room for such arrests without the strict criterion relating to the law. A situation arose when, by the mere signature of an official, the most terrible accusations can be made and these led to the issuing of orders which have enormous consequences. ''

A court order imposing unheard limitations to Ruki Fernando and Fr. Praveen sets a world recorded

Fr. Praveen and Ruli

Lanka e News is has been informed by our legal sources on a unbelievable a court order imposed on Ruki Fernando and Fr. Praveen Mahesan , who were arrested by TID and released without any charges after two days of questioning. According to this court order both of them are not even allowed to speak to anyone including their loved ones. 

 They were arrested on last Sunday night (SL time 10.30 pm ) in Kilinochchi and released in Colombo. For the first time in Sri Lankan judicial history they were released at 1.30 am on 18th March 2014. An another record.

Arresst of HRDs in Sri Lanka: Misinformtion campaign begins

We reprodse an news item form state controlled Daily news which is full of lies. Ruki Fernando and Fr, Praveen have never been prominent activists of the National Peace Council (NPC) - SLB

NATIONAL PEACE COUNCIL TIGER LINKS BARED - 

Prominent NPC activists in TID custody -Close contacts with LTTE faction trying to revive Eelam

Ruki Fernando and Fr Praveen Mahesan, prominent activists of the National Peace Council (NPC), were taken into custody in Kilinochchi by the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID), Military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasekera yesterday said.

Release HRDs Ruki Fernando and Fr. Praveen form Sri Lankan Police custody - Observatory

''The Observatory condemns the arrest and judicial harassment of Mr. Ruki Fernando, Rev. Praveen Omi and Ms. Balendran Jeyakumari, which seem to merely aim at sanctioning their peaceful human rights activities, and calls upon the authorities of Sri Lanka to release them immediately and unconditionally. ''

US expresses concerns over arrest of Sri Lanka HRDs Ruki Fernendo and Fr. Praveen

Fr. Praveen

The United States has called on the Government to ensure the due legal process is provided to human rights activists Ruki Fernando and Reverend Father Praveen after they were arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) last night. The US Embassy in Colombo said that the US Government is concerned over the arrest of the two activists. It urged the Government to ensure the two activists have full access to a legal counsel.

Meanwhile the Free Media Movement condemned in the strongest terms the arrest of the two activists and called for their immediate release.

Sri Lanka arrest for missing son's campaigning mother

Jayakumari and her daughter ( C 4 )

 Callum Macrae

Last November, when Jon Snow accompanied Prime Minister David Cameron to the former war zones in the north of Sri Lanka, he was mobbed by crowds of desperate mothers pleading for his help - for any help - in the desperate search for their missing loved ones, writes Callum Macrae.
Among them was a woman called Balenderan Jayakumari. Then, just four weeks ago, Mrs Jayakumari warned that she was being followed and harassed as a result of her campaign to find out what happened to her last remaining son - one of Sri Lanka's thousands of disappeared. Yesterday she was arrested along with her 13-year-old daughter and charged under Sri Lanka's terrorism laws.

Government Unmoved ( of Pillay concerns)

By Easwaran Rutnam
The government last week refused to budge on its stand over various issues during several meetings held with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.
Pillay had called for the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to be abolished, disappearances to be investigated, and for accountability on some of the allegations over the final stages of the war.

Sri Lanka retreats into the dark ages

As lights are dimmed over Sri Lanka following prohibitively crushing electricity hikes, the enveloping darkness is menacingly symbolic of the crisis which our society is facing.

This is even as the politically privileged siphon off massive amounts of money for useless extravaganzas, including an airport in the deep South to which overseas airlines are reportedly suspending operations, not long after a grand ceremonial opening. Wastage on luxury cars and other expenses associated with the upcoming Commonwealth summit is all part of the same excruciatingly painful pattern.

Sri Lanka Today: Due Process & Civil Liberties or Security State?

 Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka 

“And what rough beast, its hour come round at last,
Slouches towards Bethlehem to be born?”
‘The Second Coming’, WB Yeats (1919)
Must the Sri Lankan citizenry accept or acquiesce in the sacrifice, even in peacetime, of due process and civil liberties at the altar of an absolutist model of security?

Azad Salley conspired to mobilize Sri Lankan Muslims for an armed struggle - Defence Secretary

In a damning revelation, powerful Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has stated Muslim politician Azath Salley was arrested as he conspired to mobilize Sri Lankan Muslims for an armed struggle along with a Tamil group in Tamil Nadu. Speaking to our sister paper, Rajapaksa said intelligence agencies have uncovered evidence against Salley, who had been held in detention under a controversial detention order obtained by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

Repeal of the PTA and if necessary enact legislation that is consistent with international standards - CPA

With the recent arrest and detention of opposition politician Azath Salley, Sri Lanka’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) has once again come under critical scrutiny. The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and other civil society groups have condemned the use of the PTA to stifle dissent and reiterate this call yet again, urging for its repeal and replacement as set out below.

Prevention of Terrorism (PTA) will not be repealed - Govt

The government yesterday ruled out the possibility of repealing the Prevention of Terrorism (PTA) despite requests by opposition political parties.
In response to a question by Opposition United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne told Parliament that though the LTTE was militarily defeated, there were attempts to revamp the organisation in different parts of the world.

Freedom of expression and the PTA in Sri Lanka

Robinhood
Robinhood raises concern over the recent arrest of Azad Sally by the CID. This evil act characterizes the Rajapaksa regimes witch-hunt against opposition politicos. Azad Salley was arrested by the CID on the 2nd of May 2013 morning under the prevention of terrorism act (PTA). Government Media spokesperson Lakshman Hulugalle stated that Mr. Sally was taken into custody for making provocative statement and instigating communal hatred among ethnicities.

Prevention of Terrorism Act to suppress the opposition-Ravaya

Lakshman Hulugalle

The government is employing the Prevention of Terrorism Act in order to suppress the opposition political leaders of South and Azad Sally the leader of the National United Front (NUF) was arrested under the particular regulations.

Former Deputy Mayor of the Colombo Municipal Council Azad Sally was arrested on May 2nd from his house in Kolonnawa for allegedly attempting to stoke the fires of ethnic and religious strife and harm national unity and a letter by the Defense Ministry regarding the arrest has been provided to him.

New arrest wave hits East: Long retired Tigers also detained

The exercise of sending ex-militants to rehabilitation again was begun by the Defense Ministry in Batticaloa at the beginning of this month (February 13th 2013). And under this so far six people have been arrested from Mandur, Kathiraveli, Mangkeni and Naasiventhivu and sent to the Boosa Detention Camp.

Rehabilitate Gota and release university students - Opposition parties

Jaffna University students who are detained at the Welikanda camp will be released after rehabilitation, was the statement made by Defense Secretary Gottabaya, which cannot be accepted was stated by opposition parties.
They pointed out that Gothabaya is functioning with arrogance beyond his limits and he needs rehabilitation.
Who is Gottabaya to take court actions arbitrarily? He is a normal government official. He can only function under limited powers given to him was mentioned by Tamil National Alliance and all the opposition parties. Parties urged for the immediate released of the detained university students.