Democratic Party (DP) Leader Sarath Fonseka said today his party was prepared to support a common opposition candidate at the next presidential election if a suitable candidate was selected.


“We are not prepared to support anyone but we will support a common candidate, who has a good track record,” the former Army Commander told a media briefing. He said his party was ready to support a joint effort by all opposition parties to topple this Government while maintaining their separate identities.

Elated at his party’s electoral success, Mr. Fonseka said DP members, supporters and well-wishers were happy about this achievement amid so many obstacles and hardships.

“As a political party we are only about a year old, but we competed with powerful and experienced political parties and therefore the votes and the number of seats we obtained is by no means considerable,” he said.

Mr. Fonseka said the DP was also glad about the increased number of votes obtained by other political parties at this election.

Meanwhile he said that his civic rights have also been restored and that he would contest at future elections. He said that having had the opportunity of casting his vote at the elections to the Western Provincial Council meant he could also represent the people at a future election.

The former Army Commander was released in May 2012 but without the restoration of his civic rights.

A remarkable spell of bowling by left arm spinner Rangana Herath (3.3-2-3-5) saw Sri Lanka pull off a remarkable 59-run victory against New Zealand to book their berth in the semifinals of the ICC World Twenty20 tournament.


Playing his first match of the tournament proper, the spinner remarkably claimed five wickets for three runs as New Zealand managed only 60 in 15.3 overs.

With the victory, Sri Lanka joined South Africa in the last four from Group One.

New Zealand began their chase one batsman short after all-rounder Corey Anderson dislocated a finger trying to take a catch.

Herath took four wickets in his first three overs to leave the Kiwis reeling at 29 for five in the eighth over.

Kane Williams (42), the only Kiwi batsman to manage double digits, tried his best to offer some resistance but could not stop New Zealand from folding for their lowest total in 20-over cricket.

Leading Sri Lanka in the absence of Dinesh Chandimal, who served a one-match ban for his team’s second over-rate offence in 12 months, Lasith Malinga initially watched in dismay as Trent Boult wrecked his top order with a three-wicket burst.

Jimmy Neesham (3-22) then polished off the tail to bowl Sri Lanka out for 119 in 19.2 overs but New Zealand’s hopes of an easy chase were soon over as they capitulated.

Indian Coast Guard will hand over 17 Sri Lankan fishermen released from Indian custody and their 10 boats to Sri Lankan Navy at the International Maritime Boundary Line on Tuesday, Indian media reported.


India's move comes after Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in gratitude to India's decision to abstain from voting on a UN resolution against Sri Lanka, ordered the immediate release of all 98 Indian fishermen and their boats detained by Sri Lankan authorities.

Complying with the President's order, Sri Lanka Navy Sunday handed over 19 Tamil Nadu fishermen and their 4 boats to the Indian Coast Guard at the International Maritime Boundary Line off Mannar.

It is expected that the President's gesture will prompt both sides to resume the stalled discussions between the fishermen of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu soon.

The Sri Lankan government has in a decisive move with far reaching implications proscribed as foreign terrorist entities, several overseas organizations suspected of being fronts of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).


The government banned the organizations as “foreign terrorists” utilising the UN Security Council Resolution 1373 which was brought about by the USA on September 28, 2001 after the attack on World Trader Center in New York on September 11, 2001.

It is expected that External Affairs Minister Prof. Gamini Lakshman Peiris will announce details of the proscription imposed on such foreign terrorist entities later this week.

The report said:

“It is learnt that the Sri Lankan ministry of External Affairs has gazetted legislation outlawing several organizations reportedly functioning in several countries including the USA, Canada Britain, Norway, Italy, Switzerland, France and Australia.

“Among organizations proscribed are the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) headed by New York lawyer Visuvanathan Ruthirakumaran,Global Tamil Forum headed by Catholic Priest Fr.SJ Emmanuel,the LTTE group led by Perinbanayagam Sivaparan alias Nediyavan and the tiger group led by Sekarampillai Vinayagamoorthy alias Vinayagam.

It is expected that External Affairs minister Prof.Gamini Lakshman Peiris will announce details of the proscription imposed on such foreign terrorist entities later this week.

The proscribed entities listed in the Gazette consist of the main LTTE and 15 other alleged front organizations of the tigers.The proscribed organizations are as follows-

01. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam a.k.a LTTE a.k.a Tamil Tigers.
02. Tamil Rehabilitation Organization a.k.a TRO.
03. Tamil Coordinating Committee a.k.a TCC
04. British Tamil Forum a.k.a BTF
05. World Tamil Movement a.k.a WTM
06. Canadian Tamil Congress a.k.a CTC
07. Australian Tamil Congress a.k.a ATC
08. Global Tamil Forum a.k.a GTF
09. National Council Of Canadian Tamils a.k.a NCCT a.k.a Makkal Avai
10. Tamil National Council a.k.a TNC
11.Tamil Youth Organization a.k.a TYO
12. World Tamil Coordinating Committee a.k.a WTCC.
13. Transnational Government Of Tamil Eelam a.k.a TGTE
14. Tamil Eelam Peoples Assembly a.k.a TEPA
15 .World Tamil Relief Fund a.k.a WTRF
16. Headquarters Group a.k.a HQ Group
According to authoritative sources the organizations listed as suspected terrorist entities functioning on foreign soil fall under four broad categories reportedly under the overall control of four key individuals.
They are the organization/s under-
1. Perinbanayagam Sivaparan alias “Nediyavan”;
2. Rev.Fr. SJ Emmanuel
3. Visuvanathan Ruthirakumaran
4. Sekarampillai Vinayakamoorthy alias Vinayagam
Explaing further the rationale behind such proscription at this juncture, informed sources stated that the fundamental objective was to appraise foreign countries, particularly Western nations of how LTTE fronts existing amidst members of the Tamil Diaspora resident on their soil were now financing the revival of LTTE activity in Sri Lanka.

The Government is concerned about the recent attempt to revive the LTTE in Sri Lanka. All evidence unearthed so far indicate that funds, support and assistance from LTTE front organizations are primarily responsible for the attempted tiger renaissance in Sri Lanka.

Since the UN resolution 1373 expects countries to assist one another to combat terrorism, Sri Lanka will request the host countries to investigate the activities of such organizations and key members on their soil and take appropriate action.

Sri Lanka will provide particulars about such key activists as authorities in Sri Lanka are in possession of the entire data base of former LTTE senior leader Veerakathy Manivannan alias Castro who was in charge of the LTTE international secretariat which directed and coordinated overseas LTTE activity until early 2009.

Castro simply abandoned his office in Pudukudiyiruppu and escaped when the Sri Lankan armed forces advanced thereby letting the data base with particulars of overseas LTTE activity fall easily into the lap of the security forces.

The Government is also likely to obtain cooperation from these Western countries to proclaim LTTE activists abroad as offenders” listed as Wanted or to be watched through related INTERPOL notices.

Speaking further authoritative sources said that as a result of the proscription coming into force Sri Lankan nationals in the Island will be forbidden to maintain contact or links with members of the proscribed organizations. This would prevent Sri Lankan political parties and leaders from obtaining funds from such entities for undertakings in Sri Lanka. This move is likely to affect several members of Tamil political parties in Sri Lanka.
This would also forbid Sri Lankan politicians and Non –Governmental Organization (NGO) activists being in contact with representatives of such entities either in Sri Lanka or during trips abroad.

Sections of the media in Sri Lanka giving wide coverage to statements and interviews given by officials of such organizations will also be restricted from doing so.

Furthermore, the proscription will also render members of these proscribed entities liable for arrest under the Prevention of Terrorism Act(PTA) if and when apprehended while visiting Sri Lanka.

It is learnt that extensive dossiers of key individuals from these proscribed organizations and their activities abroad would be provided to the respective countries concerned in due course.

Sri Lankan authorities are expected to strictly enforce provisions of the proscription under UN resolution 1373 after the Sinhala –Tamil New Year in April this year.

Hirunika Premachandra daughter of assassinated former MP Baratha Lakshman Premachandra has received the highest number of preference votes in the Colombo District with a total of 139,034 votes.




S.M. Marikkar has received the highest number of preference votes from the UNP from the Colombo District with 67,243 votes.



Colombo District (UPFA)

Hirunika Premachandra – 139,034

Udaya Gammanpilla – 115,638

Upali Kodikara - 47,822

Roger Seneviratne – 44,011

Malsha Kumaratunga – 43,324



Colombo District (UNP)

S.M. Marikkar – 67,243

Manju Sri Arangala – 45,654

Mujubar Rahaman – 42,126

Niroshan Padukka – 33,846



Colombo District (JVP)

K.D. Lalkantha – 45,460

The United States and Sri Lanka militaries will conduct an international defense workshop in Colombo on chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) defense despite the somewhat strained political relationship between the two countries over the US-led UN resolution.


The Multinational Planning Augmentation Team (MPAT) Tempest Express 24 Workshop on CBRN Theme will be held from 31 March-09 April 2014 at the Galadari Hotel in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The workshop for operational-level multinational planning activities is co-hosted by the United States Pacific Command on behalf of the US Department of Defense and Sri Lanka Office of the Chief of Defence Staff on behalf of the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development.

A 20 member US delegation of MPAT staff is scheduled to participate in the workshop along with delegations from 20 other countries namely, Australia, Cambodia, Germany, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Bangladesh, Canada, Japan, Maldives, New Zealand, Vietnam, Brunei, France, Korea, Mongolia, Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Sri Lanka Amy spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said 23 participants from the Sri Lankan Defence Forces will take part in this exercise with 21 observers from the relevant Ministries and Departments of Sri Lanka.

Representatives from local humanitarian organizations UN OCHA and Sri Lanka Red Cross are also scheduled to participate.

The workshop aims to improve Sri Lankan government's and military's capabilities to respond to Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Nuclear-Toxic Industrial Materials (CBRN-TIM) disasters requiring international assistance and provide greater exposure to multinational military planning.

The workshop will focus on operational-level multinational planning activities and develop CBRNE portions of Sri Lanka's national disaster plans.

The Military Spokesman said the exercise will promote mutual understanding and interoperability of participating countries and their armed forces and other relevant agencies.

Officials from Sri Lanka's Defense Ministry, Foreign Ministry, Coast Guard, Port Authority, Police, Fire, Medical and Civil Defence will attend the workshop.

Chief of Defence Staff General Jagath Jayasuriya, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Jayanath Colombage and the US Ambassador to Colombo Michel J Sisson are scheduled to attend the opening and closing ceremonies of the event.

A court in Sri Lanka today granted permission to former Army Commander, Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka to proceed with his defamation case against a deputy minister of the government.


Mount Lavinia District Judge Gihan Chandraranawana has granted leave to proceed with Fonseka's defamation case against Deputy Minister Sarana Gunawardena demanding compensation of Rs.1 billion, local Daily Mirror reported.

Fonseka has filed the defamation case against Gunawardena for allegedly stating that the female LTTE cadre disguised as a pregnant woman carried out the suicide attack on Fonseka to take revenge from him for jilting her and not for the sake of the war.

The deputy minister has allegedly made this statement while participating in a political programme in a private television channel.

The district judge has issued notice on the deputy minister to appear in court on May 22.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) opposed India for its decision to abstain from the US sponsored resolution in UNHRC which was passed today.


TNA MP Suresh Premachandran told foreign media that India had cheated the Sri Lankan Tamils by the stance it had taken with regard to the resolution.

However TNA Parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan commenting on the matter told Daily Mirror that India must have had some reasons to abstain from voting for the resolution.

“We will come to know the reasons behind India’s stance in due course and we don’t want to comment on these now,” he added.

However Mr. Sampanthan welcomed the resolution and said his party hopes that the Sri Lankan Government would cooperate with the UNHRC in implementing the resolution.

He added that TNA is ready to play a role in this process together with the Sri Lankan Government.

“This resolution is a victory for all Sri Lankans who struggle for truth, justice and reconciliation,” he further said.

The United States says that Thursday’s vote in the UNHRC, on a resolution calling for an international probe into alleged human rights violation in Sri Lanka, sends a clear message that the time to pursue lasting peace and prosperity is now and that justice and accountability cannot wait.



The US-sponsored resolution, promoting reconciliation in Sri Lanka, was adopted at the 25th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva today, with a majority of 11 votes.

Twenty-three (23) counties, including US and UK, voted in favor and 12 voted against it while another 12 nations abstained from voting on the resolution, which for the first time explicitly calls for an international probe.

“Today’s vote in the UN Human Rights Council sends a clear message: The time to pursue lasting peace and prosperity is now; justice and accountability cannot wait,” US Secretary of State John Kerry said.

He stated that the resolution reaffirms the commitment of the international community to support the Government of Sri Lanka as it pursues reconciliation and respect for human rights and democratic governance.

“That’s why the resolution requests that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights continues monitoring the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. That’s why it calls on the Office to conduct an investigation into allegations of serious human rights abuses and related crimes during Sri Lanka’s civil war. And that’s why the United States will continue speak out in defense of the fundamental freedoms that all Sri Lankans should enjoy,” he said in a statement, released by the US Department of State.

“We are deeply concerned by recent actions against some of Sri Lanka’s citizens, including detentions and harassment of civil society activists. Further reprisals against these brave defenders of human rights and the dignity of all Sri Lankan citizens would elicit grave concern from the international community.”

“The Sri Lankan people are resilient. They have demonstrated grit and determination through years of war. Now, they are demanding democracy and prosperity in years of peace. They deserve that chance,” Kerry said.

He further said that the United States stands with all the people of Sri Lanka. “We are committed to helping them realize a future in which all Sri Lankans can share in their country’s success.”

Sri Lanka flatly rejected the UN resolution led by the United States and adopted by the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva today calling for an international investigation into alleged human rights violations as an conspiracy by interested parties "seeking a regime change".


Addressing the media in Hambantota after the UNHRC voted to adopt the resolution with a majority of 11 votes, Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris said the interested parties seeking to topple President Rajapaksa's government have planned the international resolution conspiracy.

He said the countries voted in favor of the "unethical" resolution tabled by the US had no choice but to go along with the US because they could not reject US pressure for economic reasons.

He questioned why the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, who wanted an international inquiry just after the end of the war, was entrusted with the UN probe. The Minister praised India for abstaining from the vote saying that India's decision not to vote was significant.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa also rejected the UNHRC vote to adopt the resolution which called for a "comprehensive independent investigation into alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties in Sri Lanka".

"We reject this. This resolution only hurts our reconciliation efforts. It does not help," President has told AFP by phone.

The President has told AFP that he is not discouraged but would press ahead instead with his own reconciliation plan.

"But I am not discouraged. We will continue with the reconciliation process I have started," he has said.

He has remarked that despite the passing of the resolution he take comfort that India abstained from voting.

India explaining its decision to abstain from voting said the resolution HRC25 has the potential to hinder the efforts of Sri Lanka rather than contribute constructively to its efforts in reconciliation.

India had voted in favor of the two previous resolutions sponsored by the US on Sri Lanka.

The US-sponsored resolution promoting reconciliation in Sri Lanka was adopted during the 25th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council today with a majority of 11 votes.


Twenty-three counties voted in favor and 12 voted against it while 12 nations abstained from voting on the resolution, which for the first time explicitly calls for an international probe.

Members of the 47-nation U.N. Human Rights Council agreed to set up the yearlong investigation, estimated to cost $1.46 million, based on the recommendation of U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.

The council approved a US-led resolution authorizing Pillay’s office to launch “a comprehensive investigation into alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties in Sri Lanka.” The inquiry also seeks to hold perpetrators accountable.

India, South Africa Japan, and Indonesia were among the countries which abstained from voting on the resolution while Russia, Cuba, Venezuela, China, Russia, Maldives voted against it.

The resolution was taken for vote following much delay after Pakistan suggested a no-action motion to postpone it due to insufficient funds and China demanding time for an explanation prior to the vote.

The no-action motion, backed by Cuba and Russia, was eventually defeated with a majority of 9 votes. 16 members voted in favour while 25 voted against and 6 states abstained.

Due to the defeat of the no action motion, the call to remove the paragraph empowering an international investigation was taken up for vote.

The paragraph was kept in the resolution with 23 voting to keep the paragraph and 14 voting to remove it and 10 abstaining.

Countries that voted ‘Yes’:

Argentina, Austria, Benin, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, Montenegro, Peru, South Korea, Romania, Sierra Leone, Macedonia, United Kingdom and the United Station of America.

Countries that voted ‘No’:

Algeria, China, Congo, Cuba, Kenya, Maldives, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, Venezuela and Vietnam

Countries that Abstained: 

Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Gabon India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Morocco, Namibia, Philippines and South Africa  

England beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in their World Twenty20 super 10 Group One match at Chittagong, Bangladesh on Thursday ending Sri Lanka's 14-match winning streak.


England after winning the toss set Sri Lanka to bat and Sri Lanka set England 190 to chase with 55 from Dilshan Tillakaratne and 89 from Mahela Jayawardena.

In reply England's Alex Hales hit 116 out of 97 balls to claim victory and stay alive in the tournament. Sri Lanka's Nuwan Kulasekara claimed England's all four wickets.

Sri Lanka, although tied with South Africa in the point table with 4 points each, is at the top of the table with the better run rate.

An old couple living in a remote village in Sri Lanka is pleading for the mercy of an Indian family to save the life of their son who is facing the gallows in the UAE after being found guilty of murder.


Bandula Indika Ruwan Piyasena (Passport No. M2128426), hailing from Kothalawila Road, Kantharuwa, Madewechchiya in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province, was sentenced to death in the UAE. To avoid the death penalty, he has been ordered to pay Dh1 million as blood money to obtain the pardon of the family of an Indian businessman who was killed by Bandula.

The parents of the Sri Lankan are appealing to the Indian External Affairs Ministry to help get the blood money reduced to a level affordable to the poor family.

“Currently, Bandula is in Sharjah Central Jail and his case (Number 9926/2007) happened seven years ago. He was convicted by the Sharjah Sharia Court of murdering the Indian national. The mother of the convicted man is seeking support to save her son's life,” said a social worker handling the case.

The Sri Lankan prisoner, who is married with a child, had worked for 18 months for Indiset Trading Decoration Company which was owned by the murdered man. He had also brought his wife to the UAE to work as a domestic worker who sometimes worked illegally after her employment contract was cancelled. Indiset Trading Decoration Company was closed down and the murder of the employer followed a dispute with the employer about unpaid salary.

The murder of the Indian employer, who was living with his two children and wife, took place in August 2007, one day before the Sri Lankan couple was planning to return home.



“The Sri Lankan family is very poor and cannot afford to pay Dh 1 million in blood money to the victim’s family. Bandula’s aged father is bedridden and his siblings work as daily wage earners. Raising 35 million Sri Lankan rupees is quite impossible for the poor family. Bandula’s mother is seeking support to convince the Indian family to grant pardon to her son or at least to reduce the blood money of Dh1 million,” said William Gois of the Asian Migrants Forum which is working for the welfare of underprivileged migrant workers.

The old Sri Lankan couple does not even know whether the victim’s family is in the UAE or whether they have returned to India. They do not know the Indian family directly, they only know the address of the closed UAE company which operated from a warehouse in Sharjah Industrial Area 12, which was owned by the murdered man.

The family is approaching everyone they know to reach the Indian family to seek pardon for their son or to reduce the blood money. The family is circulating details of the case among social workers with two mobile phone numbers, which are not working currently, belonging to Al Bine Trading Company LLC which operated from the Al Shami Warehouse in Sharjah Industrial Area.

“We hope the Indian family will pardon our son. We are very poor and cannot pay Dh1 million. Killing someone is a grave crime but we hope the wife of the deceased Indian man will be kind enough to pardon our son,” the aged couple said in an open appeal.

The suspect arrested by the CID over the printing of fake Rs.5000 notes has been remanded until April 3, the Police Spokesman stated.


Sources revealed earlier today that a garment businessman named Rolick Augustus Krishantha Perera had allegedly given the forged Rs.5000 notes worth Rs.2 million to UNP MP Sajith Premadasa’s sister Dulanjalee Premadasa.

Apart from the Rs. 2 million which Dulanjalee attempted to deposit at a private bank in Colombo 7, police found 471 Rs.5000 notes at his house as well as the machine used to forge the currency.

Dulanjalee and her husband had invested in Perera’s garment business and were given this sum of money as the returns on their investment.

The businessman in question had maintained a close relationship with the couple.

Although the bank staff stated that MP’s sister had acted in an aggressive manner when she was informed that the money had been forged, no information regarding her involvement in this forgery racket has been uncovered yet, police stated.

Sri Lanka today warned the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) that the politicized agenda of the proposed resolution will only impede the delicate balance of the ongoing process of reconciliation in the country, as well as the constructive engagement Sri Lanka has continued to maintain with the Council.


Addressing the Council following the presentation of the Report of the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) by the High Commissioner Navi Pillay at Wednesday's session of the UNHRC, the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to UN in Geneva and the leader of the Sri Lankan delegation Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha said the government rejects the resolution proposed by the United States.

He said the government has consistently and with good reason rejected previous resolutions on Sri Lanka proposed by the U.S. which have emanated from a politicized process and mandate, and without the consent of the country concerned and will reject this resolution as well.

The envoy remarked that rather than encourage and support the ongoing reconciliation process in the country, as well as the constructive engagement Sri Lanka continues to maintain with the Council, it is ironic that the draft resolution being mooted by some members of the UNHRC is reflective of the same partisan politicized agenda through its request to the OHCHR to undertake a "comprehensive independent investigation".

The Sri Lankan envoy criticized that the Council spearheaded by political motivations is continually paying a disproportionate attention to Sri Lanka.

"It is in the light of this misplaced attitude, that we are neither able to comprehend nor agree to action in this Council, which fails to acknowledge, let alone appreciate, the consolidation of peace and the very tangible process Sri Lanka has made in reconciliation," the envoy said.

He warned that the assistance to an independent t investigation by third party 'experts' whose mandate and credentials are far from clear, and the deliberate exclusion of a significant portion of the conflict with the Tamil Tiger terrorists from the period under investigation by introducing a particular time frame of seven year before the end of the war, would be precedent setting and prejudicial to the interests of all member and observer states of the UNHRC in the future.

British aid worker Khuram Shaikh’s Russian girlfriend was present at the Colombo High Court today when it took up the inquiry into the killing of Mr. Shaikh at a holiday resort in Tangalle two years ago.


She was accompanied by officials of the British High Commission.

The 32-year-old Red Cross worker from Rochdale was stabbed and shot dead on December 25, 2011 allegedly by six men while he was holidaying in Sri Lanka with his girlfriend Victoria Aleksandrovna Tkacheva, who was beaten unconscious and raped.

It is believed that the brawl had occurred when Mr. Shaikh was said to have attempted to protect his girlfriend from the men who were sexually harassing her.

Mr. Shaikh’s brother Nasser Shaikh is also in Sri Lanka to attend the murder trial.

The Union Ministry of External Affairs has conceded that the Centre has been imparting long-term and short-term training in technical and non-technical streams for Sri Lankan Navy personnel in order to enhance maritime security in the region.





However, it has refused to disclose details of training modules and domestic locations where such training is being imparted on the ground that they relate to information shared with a foreign country and, therefore, exempted from being disclosed under the Right to Information Act, 2005.



Mayank Joshi, Deputy Secretary (Sri Lanka) and Chief Public Information Officer (CPIO) of the Ministry, had made the observation in reply to an RTI application filed by K.K. Ramesh, Managing Trustee of Tamil Nadu Centre for Public Interest Litigation, a Madurai-based NGO.



The CPIO also said All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Member of Parliament P. Venugopal, representing Tiruvallur constituency, had raised a similar question in the Lok Sabha and wanted to know the details of training imparted to Lankan Navy personnel.



Answering the question on February 5 this year, Union Minister of State for External Affairs Preneet Kaur had said: “Training exchanges are conducted regularly between defence personnel of India and various neighbouring countries, including Sri Lanka.



“Training assistance to Sri Lankan Navy officers is being undertaken by (the) government with a view to further enhancing maritime security in the region. Short-term and long-term training programmes, in technical and non-technical streams, are conducted for armed forces personnel of foreign countries, including Sri Lanka.”



The RTI applicant had made an identical application to the Union Ministry of Defence too. But it was rejected by its Under Secretary Prem Prakash on the ground that the information sought for could not be provided in view of the bar on disclosing classified information.



Nevertheless, armed with the External Affairs Ministry’s reply, Mr.Ramesh filed a public interest litigation petition in the Madras High Court Bench here seeking a direction to restrain the Centre from providing training to the Lankan Navy.



The case came up before a Division Bench comprising Justices A. Selvam and V.S. Ravi on Tuesday, and it directed the High Court Registry to post it before a Division Bench of Justices V. Ramasubramanian and V.M. Velumani on Wednesday.

None of the various state mechanisms the Sri Lankan government established during the five years after the end of the war had the independence to be effective or inspire confidence among victims and witnesses of human rights violations, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said.


Presenting the report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka to the 25th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva Wednesday, the High Commissioner said an international inquiry is not only warranted, but also possible.

According to the High Commissioner, the report examines the progress the Government has made in implementing the recommendations of its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), as well as those she formulated in her report which were endorsed by the Council in March 2013, and following her visit to Sri Lanka in August 2013.

Pillay explained that there has been little progress in other critical areas identified by the Council in resolution 22/1 and by the LLRC, notably the need to ensure independent and credible investigations into past violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

Noting that it is important for the UNHRC to recall the magnitude and gravity of the violations alleged to have been committed by the Government and the LTTE during the conflict, the High Commissioner said failure to address the grief and trauma among victims and survivors undermines confidence in the State and reconciliation.

She added that new evidence of rights violations continues to emerge, and witnesses are willing to come forward to testify before international mechanisms in which they have confidence and which can guarantee their protection.

Pillay said her report also provides an overview on recent human rights developments in the country, including attacks on religious minorities and human rights defenders, and on freedom of opinion and expression.

An independent inquiry can play a positive role in eliciting new information and establishing the truth where domestic inquiry mechanisms have failed, she noted.

The High Commissioner recommended the Council to establish an independent international inquiry mechanism to further investigate the alleged violations of international human rights and humanitarian law and monitor domestic processes.

"This is essential to advance the right to truth for all in Sri Lanka and create further opportunities for justice, accountability and redress," she noted.

‘God loves you more, daddy.... God loves them more. :')’ 17 year-old Maira Elizabeth Nari tweeted yesterday evening, few minutes after the Malaysian government formally announced the ill-fated Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 was ‘lost’ with no survivors.


Maira’s father, Andrew Nari was the Chief Flight Attendant of the missing flight and she has been tweeting about him daily since the baffling disappearance of the 250-tonne aircraft on March 8.

The talks between fishermen representatives of India and Sri Lanka, scheduled to be held in Colombo on Tuesday (25), have been cancelled once again, according to the Fisheries Ministry.


“We were fully prepared and had made all arrangements, but we did not hear from the Indian side and so it had to be cancelled’’, a senior official at the Ministry said.

This is the second time that the second round of discussions has been postponed.

It was first scheduled for March 13, but could not be held since Tamil Nadu and New Delhi could not send the Indian fishermen on time.

Fishermen of both countries met in Chennai on January 27 and the Colombo talks were to follow.

Meanwhile, a total of 74 Indian fishermen were caught by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of poaching.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had maintained that the Indian fishermen would participate in the talks only after the release of the 74 fishermen, who have been remanded in Sri Lanka.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe has challenged Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to a public debate on the resolution on Sri Lanka that is currently tabled at the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in Geneva.


Wickremesinghe has been quoted in the local media as making this challenge during an election rally in Kiribathgoda.

He has observed that the debate should be telecast worldwide as well as on all local television and radio channels.

However, he has said a date and time for the debate should be fixed before the vote on the resolution at the UNHRC.

According to Wickremasinghe, an all-party discussion has to be initiated in order to prepare and submit a common action plan to the UNHRC.

The Opposition Leader has also expressed doubts over the government's failure to implement recommendations made by its own Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

He has added that the UNHRC cannot take Sri Lanka before the international criminal courts and it cannot impose sanctions on Sri Lanka.

Rejecting the claims that there were democratic issues within the party, the Democratic Party led by Sarath Fonseka said today that there was no need to change the party leadership and that Sarath Fonseka would remain as the party’s leader.


“There is no doubt that people are voting for the name of Sarath Fonseka and not for others. Those who are asking for a change in the leadership are following an agenda set by the government.  These members had received a generous amount of money from the government to initiate this kind of mudslinging campaign against the party and the party leader,” DP Parliament Member Jayantha Ketagoda told a news conference today.

Few Democratic Party Organisers and candidates at the upcoming Provincial Council Election for the Western Province held a separate press conference in Colombo earlier and alleged that there was no democracy within the party.

According to Mr. Ketagoda the DP had put a condition for the candidates discouraging crossing over to other parties and in a case of cross over their seat to remain in the party.

“This is why some of the candidates are leaving the party even before the elections obtaining funds from the government. Our party will be better without such people,” he said.

He also said disciplinary inquiries were being carried out on the actions of these members.

Police have arrested six suspects over the murder of a 43-year-old man, who was stabbed to death with a sharp object, during a brawl between two groups at a restaurant in Bisowala, Kegalle.


Four other persons including a woman who were injured in the incident have been hospitalized.

The deceased is a resident of Galigamuwa, Bisowala.

The arrested suspects are to be produced at the Kegalle Magistrate’s Court today.

The final draft of the resolution on Sri Lanka sponsored by the United States, the United Kingdom and three other countries was submitted to the 25th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva this morning .


The sponsors submitted the revisions and amendments to the resolution HRC25 "Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka" before today's deadline. The Council will vote on the resolution Wednesday, March 26.

The draft of the revised resolution, which specified a time period to investigate the alleged human rights violations, was circulated among the member states of the UNHRC Monday.

The revised version requests the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to undertake a comprehensive independent investigation into alleged serious violations and abuses of human rights and related crimes by both parties in Sri Lanka, during the period covered by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), and establish the facts and circumstances of such alleged violations and of the crimes perpetrated with a view to avoiding impunity and ensuring accountability, with assistance from relevant experts and special procedures.

The revised draft limits the time period for the OHCHR to conduct the investigations to the period covered by the LLRC which investigated the incidents from February, 2002 to May, 2009.

The more recent time period specified by the resolution means the numerous suicide bombings, massacres and other atrocities committed by the Tamil Tiger terrorist organization Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) before 2002 during the three-decade long war, as well as the violations by the Indian Peace keeping Force (IPKF) in the late 80s will not be investigated.

The Sri Lankan government has stressed that it is grossly unfair to investigate only the last phase of the war and constantly called for a comprehensive investigation during the whole three decades of war if an international inquiry were to be conducted.

However, the text of the final version of the resolution formulated with the help of India effectively eliminates any probe on India's complicity in Sri Lanka's terrorist war.

Hugo Swire, the British Minister of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in a Twitter interview said the US-backed resolution of which Britain was a co-sponsor, was a result of negotiations and added that the text of the present resolution has impact and calls for an international inquiry.


Engaging in a 45-minute question and answer session on Twitter this evening, Mr. Swire stressed on the fact that their call for accountability was regarding crimes committed by both sides – the military forces and the LTTE – during the conflict period. “Britain condemned the LTTE as a brutal terror organization and it has been proscribed in Britain since 2000. The British Government is very clear that an inquiry must address allegations of human rights abuses by ALL sides during conflict,” he tweeted.

Mr. Swire wrote that Britain was supporting calls for an international investigation on Sri Lanka due to the absence of a credible domestic investigation.
“LLRC is not adequate to address accountability and progress against commitments is inadequate. . . Britain knows reconciliation takes time, but the Sri Lankan Government hasn't fulfilled domestic promises on accountability made in 2009.”

“This is about uncovering the truth of what happened on both sides,” Mr. Swire wrote further in response to a question posted by a Twitter user inquiring why the West was not awarding due respect to Sri Lanka for being the only country to defeat terrorism.
“Britain is quick to acknowledge progress where it is made but human rights concerns and accountability issues must be addressed,” Mr. Swire wrote adding further that the resolutions, which were passed earlier haven't secured hoped-for progress and that the domestic reconciliation process would need all party and independent expert input.
Responding to a comment directed at him which read the US-backed resolution could push Sri Lanka back into conflict; Mr. Swire said their intention was not to stir a divergence but to help the reconciliation process in the country.

“We believe the resolution will promote long-term reconciliation and improve human rights for all groups in Sri Lanka,” he said.

Commenting on query made about Britain’s post-resolution strategy under circumstances where in-country probes require consent of the host country he wrote that if the resolution passes, Britain is hoping that Sri Lankan Government will permit all investigators access to all parts of the country.

Commenting on the mounting allegations against the Sri Lanka Government concerning the harassments and detention of human rights defenders, Mr. Swire said the HRDs deserve to be free of intimidation and harassment.  “They have an important role to play in the future of Sri Lanka . . .,” he wrote while adding that it is vital that space is given for the civil societies and the HRDs to act.

He also wrote that Britain was extremely concerned at reports of the increase in alleged intimidations and harassment against individuals of Tamil ethnicity and added that Britain continues to monitor the situation very closely.

Finally before concluding the interview session, Mr. Swire noted that he was hoping to attend the Commonwealth Foundation's ‘Her Stories’ exhibition, which features experiences of women from various parts of Sri Lanka including Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya, Moneragala, Ampara and Kurunegala, scheduled to be held at the Strand Gallery in London.

A court in Egypt on Monday sentenced 529 supporters of ousted Islamist president Mohamed Morsi to death after a mass trial, judicial sources said.




Islamist backers of Morsi are facing a deadly crackdown launched by the military-installed authorities since his ouster in July, with hundreds of people killed and thousands arrested.



The sentence was delivered in the second hearing of a trial which began on Saturday in Minya, south of the capital.



Of those sentenced, 153 are in detention and the rest are on the run, the sources said, adding that 17 others were acquitted. The verdict can be appealed.



Those sentenced are among more than 1,200 Morsi supporters on trial in Minya. A second group of about 700 defendants will be in the dock on Tuesday.



They are accused of attacking both people and public property in southern Egypt in August, after security forces broke up two Cairo protest camps set up by Morsi supporters on August 14.



They are also charged with committing acts of violence that led to the deaths of two policemen in Minya, judicial sources said.



The accused include several leaders of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood, including its supreme guide Mohamed Badie.



Morsi, Egypt’s first elected and civilian President was ousted by the army on July 3 in a move that triggered widespread unrest across the deeply polarised nation.



Hundreds of people died in the August assault on the two Cairo protest camps and in subsequent clashes that day.



Rights group Amnesty International says at least 1,400 people have been killed in violence across Egypt since then, and thousands more have been arrested.



Morsi is himself currently on trial in three different cases, including one for inciting the killing of protesters outside a presidential palace while he was in office.



Morsi was removed after just 12 months as president following mass street protests against his rule amid allegations of power grabbing and worsening an already weak economy.

Sri Lanka made history in Chittagong today when they bowled out the Netherlands for a record low of 39 in 10.3 overs at the ICC World Twenty20.


After winning the toss Sri Lanka T20 Captain Dinesh Chandimal chose to bowl against Netherlands.

Sri Lanka wasted no time in claiming the scalps of Netherland openers and wrapped up the session in 10.3 overs setting an easy target of 40 to chase.

The Prime Minister of Malaysia has confirmed that new data has emerged which points to Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 having crashed into the Indian Ocean.


In a press conference this afternoon, Prime Minister Najib Razak told a press conference that the new information proves “beyond doubt” that the passenger flight had been lost and that it had to be assumed “beyond reasonable doubt” that no-one had survived.

He said: “I must inform you that according to this new data, Flight MH370 ended in the southern Indian Ocean.

“We deeply regret that we have to assume beyond any reasonable doubt that MH370 has been lost.”

The Malaysian Prime Minister said that satellite analysis pointed to Flight MH370 crashing in the southern Indian Ocean west of Perth.

Relatives of those on the missing flight were informed of the news by text message.

If confirmed, the news would be a major breakthrough in the unprecedented two-week struggle to find out what happened to Flight 370, which disappeared shortly after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 passengers and crew aboard.



The developments happened the same day as Australian officials announced they had spotted two objects in the southern Indian Ocean that could be related to the flight, which has been missing since March 8 with 239 people aboard.

One object is “a grey or green circular object,” and the other is “an orange rectangular object,” the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.

The objects are the latest in a series of sightings, including “suspicious objects” reported earlier Monday by a Chinese military plane that was involved in search efforts in the same region, authorities said.
So far, nothing has been definitively linked to Flight 370.

Earlier, Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia’s acting transportation minister, said only that “at the moment, there are new leads but nothing conclusive.”

A reporter on board the Chinese plane for China’s official Xinhua news agency said the search team saw “two relatively big floating objects with many white smaller ones scattered within a radius of several kilometers,” the agency reported Monday.

The Chinese plane was flying at 33,000 feet on its way back to Australia’s west coast when it made the sighting, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority said.

A massive demonstration was held this afternoon at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) headquarters in Geneva with the participation of over 5,000 expatriate Sri Lankan community in Europe.


The demonstration with unprecedented high participation was organized by the United Sri Lanka organization based in Europe to protest against the US sponsored resolution on Sri Lanka.

The demonstrators handed over a letter addressed to Mr. Michael MØller, Actg. Director General of the UN, Geneva and Ms. Navanetham Pillay, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights urging to giver Sri Lanka adequate time and understanding to resolve the problems on its own without undue interference from countries that are influenced by the Tamil Diaspora. They asked the World Body not to undermine the domestic efforts of reconciliation.
Sri Lankans living in Italy, France, Germany, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands took part regardless of political affiliation. Sri Lankans living in Australia and Canada also joined the demonstration.

The petition submitted by the demonstrators pointed out that Sri Lanka has consistently interacted with the United Nations system and the wider international community in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation.

"We expect reciprocity in the cooperation between the UN system and Sri Lanka in order to fulfill its international obligations and commitments to bring about sustainable peace and reconciliation to all Sri Lankans," the Sri Lankan community stated.


"We reiterate that Sri Lanka should be given adequate time and understanding to resolve her problems by herself without undue interference from countries that are influenced by the Tamil Diaspora."

Expatriate Sri Lankans in Europe, headed by Unity for the United Sri Lanka organized many protest marches throughout Europe in the run up to the Geneva sessions. The first protest by this group was held in London in front of the official residence of British Prime Minister, David Cameron.

When the protest in France was held on March 19th, the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora crowd tried to disrupt protest waving the banned organizations flag. French police intervened and dispersed them.



The protest in front of the Italian parliament building lasted for more than two hours. Italian government provided police security for the protest march. The protesters handed over a letter addressed to the Prime Minister Giorgio Napolitano through a PM's parliamentary staff member.

Following is the petition handed over during the demonstration today:


Mr. Michael Mǿller
Actg. Director General
Office of the United Nations
Geneva


Ms Navanethem Pillay

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Geneva
Your Excellencies,

Sri Lanka is a member of the United Nations for the past six decades and it has proudly demonstrated its unstinted belief in the cherished principles of the UN. Hence, we expect fair treatment from all the UN bodies as well as its Chief Executive Officers such as you on issues pertaining to its Member States like Sri Lanka.

We the peace-loving Sri Lankan expatriates, in large numbers demonstrating our commitment to "peaceful co-existence without undue influence or interference from external forces," which is a cross section of thousands of such expatriates living in different parts of the world wish to bring to your notice the following:

The most brutal and ruthless terrorism that plagued Sri Lanka for 30 years has been totally defeated; For the last two years there were no disastrous suicide bombings; People of all ethnicities can move freely and peacefully in any part of the country; economy is growing at 7% contributed by significant regional growth rates of 23.6% from Northern Province and 26.6% from Eastern Province. Tourism alone is growing at 25% and tourists are free to enjoy our rich cultural heritage and our beautiful beaches without any fear. People enjoy their democratic rights to elect their representatives in free and fair elections. The elections which were successfully conducted last year in the North itself is a testimony to the return of political freedom to the region after decades.

Since the defeat of terrorism in May 2009, a lasting peace is the only hope for the future of Sri Lanka and its people. While being aware of the fact that post-conflict processes do take time, what matters the most is going on the right direction and keeping our eye on the ultimate goal of reconciliation although it is a lengthy process.

The Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, an internal mechanism has been established to investigate into allegations of violations of international law. The Government is in the process of implementing the recommendations of this Commission which will enable the country to move forward, addressing accountability issues and concerns on human rights, It is evident that there has been significant progress in the reconciliation process over the past 19 months since the National Plan of Action (NPoA) came into force.

At a time when the process of reconciliation is making steady progress, we do not wish to see the peace in Sri Lanka disturbed due to any reason. Some lobby groups are trying within the Human Rights Council to pass another resolution that will include a commitment to an Independent International investigation in Sri Lanka in the form of a Commission of Inquiry. These types of actions will not help to put the country on the path to justice and reconciliation but become detrimental to fostering goodwill and spirit of cooperation within the UN system. We believe that these actions will further reduce the confidence most Sri Lankans have on the UN system as being neutral within the international system.

Sri Lanka has consistently interacted with the United Nations system and the wider international community in a spirit of goodwill and cooperation. We expect reciprocity in the cooperation between the UN system and Sri Lanka in order to fulfill its international obligations and commitments to bring about sustainable peace and reconciliation to all Sri Lankans. We reiterate that Sri Lanka should be given adequate time and understanding to resolve her problems by herself without undue interference from countries that are influenced by the Tamil Diaspora.

While commending the important measures that you have taken in recent years to elevate human rights concerns within the UN system, and encouraging the participation of the civil society in its activities, we urge you to consider the above concerns and emphasize that any efforts by the UN to promote human rights in its member countries should not essentially undermine the domestic efforts of reconciliation.

Very Truly Your's


Eric K Makawitage,

Nihal Liyange,

Sri Lanka Europe Friendship Association Mullheimerstr.

1216 Cointrin, Geneva, Switzerland. 1404057 basel

The British Prime Minister David Cameron says that he has secured the “full backing” of all European Union nations for the resolution against Sri Lanka co-sponsored by the UK at the United Nations Human Rights Council.


The United States and the United Kingdom in a draft resolution have endorsed an external investigation into the alleged war crimes by the Sri Lankan army towards the end of the Tamil civil war in 2008.

The move follows a recommendation by U.N. Human Rights Chief Navi Pillay for an external investigation into the matter. The report on the promotion of accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka was released on February 24, following her visit to Sri Lanka in August 2013.

Cameron said an independent investigation was the only way, since Sri Lanka had failed to address the issues of accountability for the past and bring about any kind of reconciliation.

Speaking to reporters at the end of European Council meet on Friday, Cameron said “I also raised the situation in Sri Lanka. As you know, this is an issue I care deeply about. I want to see reconciliation in the country, and that means properly addressing issues of the past. President Rajapaksa has failed to do this, so now we need an international, independent investigation into alleged war crimes.”

He stated that the UN human rights high commissioner has called for the invetigation, and that is what the UK co-sponsored resolution at the UN human rights council supports.

“Countries will vote on that resolution next week, and today I secured the full backing of all of the European Union for that approach,” he said at the press conference.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has blamed opposition parties of trying to engineer his downfall with international support saying his government “is being punished for ending terrorism”.


Campaigning for his ruling coalition in the two Provincial Assembly elections to be held next Saturday, the Sri Lankan President accused the opposition on Saturday of becoming a pawn to anti-Sri Lanka forces.

“They know they can’t win people’s hearts and win so they expect international support to topple the government,” Mr. Rajapaksa said in the southwestern town of Kaluthara.

“Madam (Navi) Pillay (UNHRC chief), U.S., U.K., all are moved against us by the Tamil diaspora,” he said on the UNHRC resolution to be voted on later this week in Geneva.

“We are being punished for ending terrorism. We did not fight Tamils, we only fought terrorism,” Mr. Rajapaksa stressed.

He appealed to the voters to send a powerful message to the international community.

“We will not tolerate any foreign interference and that will be the message,” he said.

The Sri Lankan President has opted to hold two Provincial elections both in the Sinhala-majority areas — the Western and Southern provinces, as a test of his popularity.

The U.S.-moved resolution is being dubbed by the government as action to try Mr. Rajapaksa in the international criminal court for alleged war crimes during the final battle with the LTTE.

Sri Lanka is facing its third U.N. Human Rights Council resolution in as many years, censuring the country on its lack of progress on human rights accountability and reconciliation with its Tamil minority after the civil war ended with the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009.

India had backed the previous two resolutions.

The Northern Provincial Council of Sri Lanka had adopted a resolution last week to not allow any mining or quarrying of limestone in the province by companies or individuals.


Agriculture and Environment Minister Ponnuthurai Ayngaranesan told the media that the resolution was adopted last week and discussions on the matter are being carried out with the central government.

A meeting will be held tomorrow in Kilinochchi between Environment and Renewable Energy Minister Susil Premajayantha and District Secretary of Kilinochchi Rupawathi Ketheeswaran to discuss exploration work in Pooneryn.

The NPC has objected to permission given by the Geological Survey and Mines Bureau (GSMB) to a private cement company to carry out limestone quarrying in over 4,000 acres of land in Kilinochchi.

However, the GSMB has said that an exploration license had been issued to a cement manufacturing company to conduct exploration work to check the availability of limestone resources and a license has not been issued to quarry limestone.

Upon finding a Youtube video depicting a group female recruits being harassed by some female as well as male instructors, the Commander of the Army had ordered an investigation on March 04, the army announced today.


Issuing a statement military spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said that the investigation which is being carried out by the Sri Lanka Army Corps of Military Police has so far revealed that the video in question is an authentic one.

The incident depicted in the video had taken place in October 2012 at a camp in Anuradhapura where some female recruits were being trained.

According to a preliminary report the instructors have punished the recruits for an act in violation of military discipline. However, the method adopted is not in accordance with standard procedures prescribed for such corrective punitive actions. It has been found that the individuals who carried out this excessive action had over stepped their mandate and acted in their own volition.

“Being disciplined organizations the Armies all over the world have standing procedures when it comes to disciplining the soldiers especially during formative period of initial training. Such actions are designed as corrective measures and have to be authorized by appropriate authorities. In this instance no such authorization had been obtained. Further, the punitive methods employed by the instructors were not in line with prescribed procedures,” he said.

The statement also said that considering these observations the Commander of the Army has ordered the authorities to follow up this case with strict disciplinary actions against all those who have violated military code of conduct. He has further reiterated that there would be zero tolerance for conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline throughout the Army.

The Sri Lankan Government today claimed there was a “division” among members of the UNHRC over a US-backed resolution and termed it a victory for the country.


Sri Lankan President’s Human Rights Envoy and Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, who returned to Colombo after addressing regional groups of the UN Human Rights Council, said the 47-member rights body stands divided over the resolution coming up later this month.

“We can clearly see a division among members. This itself I view as a triumph for us. This was because we could convince some of them with our progress achieved since the war ended,” he said.

Samarasinghe said most of the member nations are clamped by the US pressure to vote in favour of the resolution.

“We can not see an environment where they could make an independent decision at the UNHRC. Most countries are under political pressures”.

Sri Lanka made its opposition clear, he said, as the US resolution would create a bad precedent.

“It will be another country tomorrow after Sri Lanka”, Samarasinghe said.

“If this was allowed making it possible for the UN Human Rights Commissioner to set up an international inquiry, it will be carried out without any kind of fairness”, he was quoted as saying by PTI.

Sri Lanka is facing its third UN Human Rights Council resolution in three years, censuring the country on its lack of progress on human rights accountability and reconciliation with its Tamil minority after the civil war ended with the defeat of the LTTE in May, 2009.

The Presidential Commission investigating the alleged disappearances of persons in conflict affected areas concluded its first public sitting in the East yesterday (March 22).


The Commission appointed to investigate cases of alleged disappearances of persons in the Northern and Eastern Provinces during the period 1990 - 2009 received submissions from 129 people from Chenkallady, Vakarai and Batticaloa in the Eastern Province.

The Commission has also received 1,289 new complaints during the hearings that took place from March 20 to March 22, 2014. These new complaints were registered by Tamil-speaking staff assigned by the Commission.

The Commission's Secretary Mr. H.W. Gunadasa said the complainants will be given a date to come before the Commission.

The Commission appointed by the President on 14 August 2013, so far has received approximately 16,000 complaints from all parts of the country. It has analyzed 5,799 complaints and entered into a computerized database. Those cases will be scheduled for public hearings.

The Commission will also launch a website in the near future enabling the public to access information on the Commission's work.

According to the Commission, of the submissions received so far from hearings in Jaffna and Kilinochchi, several cases have been handed over to the Attorney General's Department for legal action. If the need arises, the Commission said it will appoint its own independent investigation team to inquire into specific cases, the Secretary said.

The Commission held its first public sittings in the Kilinochchi District in the Northern Province from January 18-21, 2014, where it heard complaints from 440 people. Another 984 people made submissions from Feb. 14-17, 2014, when the Commission conducted its sittings in the Jaffna District.

The three-member Commission is chaired by attorney Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama and comprises former Director General of Census and Statistics Priyanthi Suranjana Vidyaratne and former member of the Monetary Board of Sri Lanka Manohari Ramanathan. Both Paranagama and Ramanathan were members of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission.

The Commission has been given the authority to conduct inquiries and investigations necessary, and submit a report to the President.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently extended the mandate issued to the Commission by another six months to August 12, 2014.

India’s MDMK has promised in its manifesto released Saturday that it would lift the ban on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), if it takes part in government formation after the Lok Sabha polls.


The party, led by Vaiko, also said it would work for holding of a referendum on creation of Eelam in Sri Lanka for Lankan Tamils. According to MDMK, the referendum should be held in places where Lankan Tamils live.

The party has assured appointment of Tamils as ambassadors in nations having a sizeable Tamil population.

The MDMK also promised to work to force India to take severe action against Sri Lanka if it continues to attack Indian fishermen and also retrieve Katchatheevu -- an islet in Palk Strait -- from Sri Lanka.

In order to strengthen the country’s unity, the Indian Constitution should be revisited and the country be renamed as United States of India, and the party said it would strive for that.

Sri Lanka Police today announced a reward of 1 million rupees for anyone who is able to provide accurate information regarding the wanted criminal and LTTE suspect, Kajeeban Ponniah Selvanayagam alias Gopi also known as Kasiyan and his assistant.


The Police Spokesman's Office today released a photograph of the suspect along with a description. According to the police description, the 31-year-old suspect is about 6 feet tall and has a scar above his lip on the left side.

The suspect shot and injured a police sub inspector on March 13th when a police team went to the residence he was hiding in Dharmapuram, Kilinochchi to apprehend him.

The suspect, who had escaped from Vavuniya Welfare Centre immediately after the end of conflict, had fled the area and remains at large since then.

The police urged the public to forward any information regarding the suspect by phone to 0112 451 636 or fax to 0112 321 838.

The reward of Rs 1 million will be given to anyone who provides accurate information regarding the criminal and that their identity will be protected, the police assured.

The United States expressed concern on Friday about the Sri Lankan government’s arrest of two human rights activists this week and about an overall “deteriorating human rights situation” in the island nation.


Ruki Fernando, a human rights adviser, and Praveen Mahesan, a pastor and director of a rights group, were arrested, Sri Lanka’s military said on Monday, under an anti-terrorism law that was used to crush Tamil Tiger rebels during the final phase of a quarter-century long war.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said it was “encouraging” that the two have since been released but added that they continue to face harassment by Sri Lankan security forces.

Their arrest came amid international pressure on Sri Lanka to address allegations that tens of thousands of civilians were killed by the army in the final weeks of the war in 2009. Many more people are still missing.

“It is disturbing that the government of Sri Lanka has taken punitive measures against its own brave citizens who have devoted their careers and lives to investigating alleged human rights abuses by both sides during Sri Lanka’s long and brutal civil conflict,” Psaki said in a statement.

“These detentions and the continued harassment of those who support the quest for reconciliation and accountability send a chilling effect across Sri Lanka’s vibrant civil society, and undermine Sri Lanka’s proud democratic traditions,” Psaki added.

Residents living in the former northern war zone where the two men were arrested said the pair had been gathering information on the circumstances surrounding the earlier arrest of an ethnic Tamil woman who had protested about the fate of her missing rebel son.

Psaki said the United States is “concerned by intensifying pressure on Sri Lankan civil society and human rights activists” and “especially concerned” by the detention of Fernando and Mahesan.

She also cited reports that additional rights groups were being targeted for investigation by security forces.

The United States has called for a resolution at the U.N. Human Rights Council to investigate “past abuses and to examine more recent attacks on journalists, human rights defenders and religious minorities.”

Psaki said, “We are undertaking this action due to our support for the Sri Lankan people and strong concerns about the deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka.”