India asks Sri Lanka not to take any step regarding provincial powers

PTI
''Salman Khurshid telephoned his Sri Lankan counterpart G L Peiris and also raised the issue of 26 Indian fishermen who are in detention.Salman Khurshid telephoned his Sri Lankan counterpart G L Peiris and also raised the issue of 26 Indian fishermen who are in detention.''

Muslim Organizations in Sri Lanka Join Hands to Form an ICC “Shoora”( Interim Consultative Council )

Latheef Farook
For the first time almost all Muslim religious, social and cultural and other organizations and groups, buried their differences, and met in one platform under one roof at Wellawatta Miami Reception Hall on Thursday 2 May 2013 to announce the formation of an Interim Consultative(Shoora) Council-ICC.

Ethnic triumphalism and instead focused on commemorating all victims marks the 4th anniversary of the end of the war:

Media Release/WAR VICTORY CELEBRATIONS WILL NOT HELP TO WIN OVER ALL WHO ARE THE SRI LANKAN PEOPLE

May 19 will mark the 4th anniversary of the end of Sri Lanka’s three decade long civil war, but with absence of a joint commemoration to remember all who lost their lives in it as recommended by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).  

In Sri Lanka, a new divide brings back old fears

AP AGAINST HATE: Disquiet has increased as a Buddhist group fanning anti-Muslim sentiments is allowed to get away lightly.

A series of incidents has created anxiety among the country’s minority Muslims that they are being targeted by a resurgent Buddhist nationalism

More than a month after Fashion Bug, a popular clothes store in the Sri Lankan capital, was vandalised, business is back to normal. Shoppers cram into the Muslim-owned store as the Buddhist holiday season for Vesak (in India, Buddha Purnima) begins this month-end.

Freedom of assembly in post-war Sri Lanka

 Vikalpa photo

Riki Fernando
The war in Sri Lanka ended on 18^th May 2009. During three decades of war, civil liberties were severely curtailed, often in an arbitrary manner, without possibilities of challenging them or seeking remedies through independent bodies. The Ministry of Defense, the military and police reigned supreme. Even judicial discretion was curtailed, with the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) compelling Judges to obey wishes of the Ministry of Defense and the police through the Attorney General’s department when it came to remanding people, bail etc.

Disunity – the bane of Tamil politics

Maneckshaw  The Tamil political parties have never demonstrated sufficient unity in the pursuit of a constructive solution to the Tamil question. Alliances were often formed, bringing together Tamil political parties with divergent ideologies under one umbrella. But their political conduct has not resulted in the achievement of their political goals.

Govt. willing to probe Channel 4 allegations

The Ministry of External Affairs said yesterday the Sri Lankan Government is willing to probe war crime allegations made by Channel 4 in the Sri Lanka's Killing Fields video, provided the UK-based television broadcaster hands over the original video documentary to check whether the footage is genuine or ‘doctored.’

FUTA condemns all acts of intimidation and aggression against the academic community including students

The Federation of Peradeniya University Teachers’ Associations (FPUTA), comprising eight sister unions, was profoundly disturbed by the report that the President of the Peradeniya Student Union (PSU), Mr. Janaka Nilanga Madushan, was threatened with his life by a group claiming to be of the CID yesterday, May 14th, 2013, at 6:30pm.

Azath Salley 'affidavit' illegal - Vickramabahu Karunarathne

Azath Salley was arrested under the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and he has been now released due to the campaign for his release by national and international democratic forces.
The unlawful arrest and detention of Azath was thus defeated though he has been a vocal critic of the extremist group Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) and the anti–Muslim activities of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), and had been actively involved in efforts to initiate legal action against both groups.

Tamil Eelam Freedom Charter to be Declared on May 18th - the 4th Anniversary of Mass Killing of Tamils in Sri Lanka.

• Several renowned international personalities and dignitaries are attending this event to give their support.

• As Tamils envision the future and look forward to the fruition of Tamil Eelam, the Freedom Charter containing the Freedom Demands of Tamils worldwide, would be a cornerstone of Tamil's Freedom.

Sri Lanka hype runs out as economy struggles

 (AFP)
 After crushing Tamil rebels four years ago Sri Lanka expected to become South Asia’s tiger economy, but exuberance has given way to mediocre growth and fears of more trouble ahead.
The country was almost broke when troops defeated separatist Tamil Tigers in May 2009, but Colombo predicted that ending 37 years of bloodshed alone would jump-start the economy and make Sri Lanka the ‘Singapore of South Asia’.

SRI LANKA: A radical abdication of the court's authority – a blow to the separation of powers

Chief Justice Mohan Peiris stopped further inquiries into a Fundamental Rights application yesterday, stating that the courts do not have the technical competence to go into the issues raised in the case. This decision was made in a case filed against the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation. The BBC Sinhala service reported that the Chief Justice further went on to state that the lawyers should not file cases relating to all problems within Sri Lanka.

SRI LANKA: Two testimonies on enforced self paralysis

Lal Wickrematunge, the brother of the assassinated editor of the Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunge, and until very recently the owner of Leader Publications, spoke yesterday to the BBC Sinhala Service. He stated that it is dangerous today to be engaged in publication work in Sri Lanka. Giving views other than the government's version of things is almost impossible. Under the present conditions media personnel are afraid to engage in free reporting.

All Sinhala jury frees solider from death penalty for killing 5 Muslims

An Army soldier who was sentenced to death over charges of gunning down 5 Muslims including a child was found not guilty and acquitted by a jury at Anurdhapura High Court.
A seven member jury before the North Central Provincial High Court judge, Sunanda Kumara Ratnayake made the decision following a hearing of evidence.

Privatization of university education for the benifit of 2% super rich What’s next to sell?

A massive protest was organised by the Medical Faculty Students’ Union of the Colombo Medical College, in front of the Faculty last week, against the intake of unqualified local and foreign students into local universities for the academic year 2011/2012, for LKR 7.5 million per head. The second appeal to the Government was to withdraw the students of the Kothalawala Defence Academy which is run under the Ministry of Defence and in the process of privatisation, from hospitals attached to local universities which are maintained under the Ministry of Higher Education, when receiving clinical training.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner tells BBC that IBAHRI is ‘absolutely welcome to come in’

The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) welcomes the Sri Lankan High Commissioner to the United Kingdom’s recent public statement that IBAHRI representatives will be granted visas to enter Sri Lanka.

It would be disastrous for Tamils if the government grabs the Northern Provincial Council

 Dr Kumar David

I will deal with the long overdue provincial council elections in the Northern Province, a political storm that has broken out as a consequence of an electricity price hike imposed with effect from 20 April, and two minor issues.
There is a vigorous campaign in the media, no doubt the government is pulling the strings from behind, that it is dangerous, undesirable, or whatever excuse one wishes to trot out, to hold provincial council elections in the Northern Province.

Another leading LTTE supporter/arms procurer opt for rehabilitation instead of prison

Former leading Tigers now serving Rajapaksha regime: KP, LTTE leader after  Prabhakaran, Karuna, Eastern leader, No 2 of LTTE, Thamalini, Leader Female section, LTTE

Making an open statement to the courts Gunasundaram Jeyasundaram a onetime LTTE supporter and arms procurer said that he profoundly regretted supporting the LTTE leader and denounced him and his violent behaviour. 

Sri Lanka Navy and Special Task Force Grab 1220 Acres of Forest Land in Panama Chasing Sinhala Villagers Away

Nirmala Kannangara
The Sri Lanka Navy and the Special Task Force (STF) are accused of grabbing 1,220 acres of forestlands in Shasthrawela, Ragamwela, Ulpassawela, Horowkanda and Ella in Panama chasing away the villagers whose forefathers too had been occupying these lands even during the Uva-Wellassa rebellion

That illusive Northern Election

From time to time, politicians from the South, especially during various phases of political negotiations with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), have dangled a particular carrot before the Tamil community from the North and East – elections in the provinces to elect their own representatives.

Tamils in SriLanka: A People Without a Story

Kamal Kishore/Reuters — Corbis,Tamil man sweeping at a mass cemetery of Tamil Tigers.

By AATISH TASEER

FOUR years ago this week, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam announced that their struggle for an independent homeland in northern Sri Lanka had “reached its bitter end.” The group had been fighting on behalf of the Tamil people for more than a quarter-century, and its defeat was absolute.

SLMC issues ultimatum to Hakeem

Minister of Justice and Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Rauff Hakeem, has been given an ultimatum of one month by his party hierarchy to deal with the government over the alleged harassment and intimidation of the Muslims in the country and to arrive at a solution to the problem, sources said.

BASL urges stop to harassment of CJ43 Shirani Bandaranayake

The Executive Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) passed a resolution on Friday evening urging the authorities immediately stop harassing and humiliating Chief Justice 43 Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake. A BASL spokesperson said the BASL Executive Committee (Ex-co) deplored that Dr. Bandaranayake has been subjected to what it regarded as an “absolute unnecessary harassment and humiliation.”

Make no mistake: this is a collective danger that we are facing

We are perfectly entitled to be antagonistic towards the government

So is humiliating or being antagonistic towards the Government the latest excuse that will be used to invoke the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA, 1979) against critics?

BBS US tour had the blessings of the Ministry of Defence - BBS

Gnanasara Thera on the left having meals during the US tour

General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, confirmed that he and certain other members of the movement had met with some of the members of the Tamil Diaspora in the US and the meeting was initiated by a Norwegian well-wisher.