The US State Department has amended its Foreign Terrorist Organisations (FTO) list and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) remains to be a banned organisation in it, the State Department said. Under the Designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations list, the LTTE can be seen listed as an organisation designated since 10/8/1997. In a release issued by the State Department on… Continue reading "US State Dept. reviews foreign terrorist organizations; LTTE continues to be banned organisation"

England’s management have insisted they are “not concerned” despite two members of staff at their hotel in Galle testing positive for Covid-19. The England camp were notified on Friday morning that two staff members, both of whom work in the kitchen of the hotel, had tested positive for the virus in tests conducted on Thursday. Neither is understood to have… Continue reading "England ‘unconcerned’ by hotel staff’s positive Covid tests"

By Kumar David – Prof. Kuma David He hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts And put down the mighty from their seats. (Luke 1:51-52) Madmen have been Emperors, Kings and Presidents; Caligula, George III and Idi Amin who allegedly chopped up his Chief Justice Kabimu Kiwanuka, preserved body parts in a fridge and ate them at leisure. And of… Continue reading "What Can Nandasena Learn From Donald’s Demise?"

Sivanesathurai Chandrarakanthan alias Pilleyan was arrested by the CID in October 2015 in connection with the assassination of former TNA parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham. After his arrest, they wanted to record statements from two key witnesses in the incident to continue the investigation. As the statements had to be recorded in Tamil, a Tamil Sub Inspector of the CID had been… Continue reading "Pillayan, reclaim the bribe offered"

A Statement by Human Rights Watch (Lanka-e-News -13.Jan.2021, 11.30PM)  Sri Lanka’s human rights situation has seriously deteriorated under the administration of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Human Rights Watch said today in its World Report 2021. Government security forces have increased intimidation and surveillance of human rights activists, victims of past abuses, lawyers, and journalists. Minority Muslim and Tamil communities have faced… Continue reading "Sri Lanka: A Return to Threats, Fear: Crackdown on Critics, Disregard for Accountability"

By N Sathiya Moorthy It could not have been timed better or worse – as the perpetrators, or those really behind the perpetrators, had wanted. A day, or night, to be precise, after the three-day visit of India’s External Affairs Minister (EAM), Subramanyam Jaiishankar’s ‘successful’ Colombo visit, came the news of the overnight destruction of a Tamil war memorial on… Continue reading "What is good for Wayamba is good for Jaffna, too!"

COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s government said Monday (11) it would rebuild a memorial to Tamil civilians killed in the country’s civil war that was demolished at the weekend. The destruction of the monument at Jaffna University – depicting arms sticking out of a mound – prompted protests and threats of a general strike in areas where Tamils are a majority. The… Continue reading "Sri Lanka to rebuild Tamil war memorial after protests"

Wimal Dheerasekere writes (Lanka-e-News- 10.Jan.2021, 11.30PM)  President Nandasena who was frowned by the action of opposition MP Harin Fernando at the parliament, posed a public threat that he is an executor that he would kill Harin as a dog as he killed Prabakaran. It is a wild event that the civilized world does not expect from any president who was… Continue reading "How Nandasena peed at his president’s chair"

The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils, a cross-party group of British parliamentarians, has condemned the destruction of the Mullivaikkal monument at Jaffna University. The group said it had called on the British Foreign Secretary to condemn the ‘vicious attack’ on Tamil remembrance. The incident has already drawn comment from Canada’s Foreign Minister, who said he was ‘heartbroken’ at the destruction.… Continue reading "British MPs call on Foreign Secretary to condemn monument destruction"

The Vice Chancellor told Ceylon Today he received a‘classified’document demanding the demolition of the war memorial built in the university premises and could not disclose anything beyond that. Former Vice Chancellors were also ordered to demolish the structure but they did not carry out that order, he added. “It’s a classified document and I will not divulge from where the… Continue reading "Vice Chancellor received ‘classified’ instructions to demolish monument"

By Ameer Ali – Dr. Ameer Ali Pei aracandal pinam thinnum caththirankal (when devil rules scholarship eats cadavar), wrote the famous Tamil poet Bharathi, in his memorable Panchali Cabatham. He was referring to the silence of the learned at Dhuriyothana’s court, when the ruler’s brother Dhuchchathana dragged Pandavas’ wife Dhrawpatha by her hair to be stripped in front of everyone. It was Lord Krishna who… Continue reading "“When Devil Rules …”"

Irked by a critical parliamentary speech by an opposition MP, President Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday showed chilling flashes of his old self in Ampara vowing to become “Defence Secretary Gotabaya” if necessary. Issuing a not-so-veiled threat against SJB MP Harin Fernando, President Rajapaksa warned that Buddhist monks were always telling him to stop being “President Gotabaya” and take on the “stricter” role of “Defence Secretary”.… Continue reading "President Nandasena Issues Chilling Warning To Opposition: “I Killed Prabhakaran Like A dog – I Can Become That Person”"

Opposition Parliamentarian Harin Fernando has written to the Inspector General of Police demanding adequate security against a grave threat to his life after President Nandasena Gotabaya Rajapaksa referred to the MP by name in a speech in Ampara on Saturday while recalling that he had killed terrorist leader Prabakaran, a former adversary, “like a dog”. Harin During his speech, President Rajapaksa seemed to have… Continue reading "“President Insinuates He Is Capable Of Having Me Killed Like A Dog”: Harin Writes To IGP"

The President will not only be defeated at the forthcoming election due to a coterie of money-grubbers that have surrounded him but any person even remotely connected to the government will not be able to meet the public to seek votes, Ven. Prof. Medagoda Abhayatissa Thero said addressing a press conference in Colombo. He emphasised that the East Container Terminal… Continue reading "President is surrounded by a group of money-grubbers: Ven. Prof. Medagoda Abhayatissa"

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) parliamentarian Harin Fernando has sought the intervention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to protect his life which has been placed under serious threat after President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s remarks at a function held in Ampara yesterday (09). The opposition lawmaker highlighted the fact that protecting the life and liberty of Members of Parliament discharging their… Continue reading "Opposition MP Harin writes to IGP over President’s chilling remarks"

ECONOMYNEXT – Parliamentarian Harin Fernando’s now-famous speech delivered last week was, in many ways, a reflection of the deep anguish religious and ethnic minorities are dealing with the overtly discriminatory attitudes of the authorities. In his role as the enfant terrible of the Samagi Jana Balavegaya, Fernando spoke primarily of the fallacy of the government’s slogan of “one country one law” and… Continue reading "Discrimination against minorities, what is the ‘End Game’?"

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s decision to indefinitely postpone Provincial Council (PC) elections controversially was made due to sustained pressure from Sinhala Nationalist organisations who argue that the government had pledged to do away with the PCs during the election campaign. On Tuesday, Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told reporters the leaders of the political parties in the governing Sri Lanka Nidahas… Continue reading "PC polls postponement partly due pressure from Sinhala Nationalist"

ECONOMYNEXT – India has “conveyed that Sri Lanka should uphold the commitments made by the Sri Lankan Government on meaningful devolution,” Delhi’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has told the Sunday Virakesari. In an exclusive interview with Virakesari Political Correspondent R Ram, Jaishankar also emphasized that the “process of reconciliation with the implementation of the 13th Amendment needs to be carried forward.” The… Continue reading "India will hold Sri Lanka to its commitments on reconciliation"

Jaishankar remarked that India, ‘a dependable partner’ said is ‘open to strengthening its relationship with Sri Lanka on the basis of mutual trust, mutual interest, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity’ Sri Lanka has also signalled a unilateral shift away from once a growing thaw with America, and its traditional development partner, Japan.  Indian External Affairs Minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar who was… Continue reading "Indian Foreign Minister’s call for caution"

The Supreme Court has sentenced parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake to 04 years of rigorous imprisonment over a case of Contempt of Court, stated Ada Derana reporter. Last month, the Supreme Court judge bench scheduled further clarifications on the contempt of court case for today (January 12). A three-judge bench comprising Justices Sisira de Abrew, Vijith Malalgoda, and Preethi Padman Surasena unanimously… Continue reading "Opposition MP Ranjan sentenced to 4 years of rigorous imprisonment over a case of Contempt of Court"

By P.K. Balachandran COLOMBO – The Attorney General’s Department on Monday (11) informed the Batticaloa High Court that it will not be pursuing the criminal case against Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, a Member of Parliament and former Chief Minister of the Eastern Province. The case pertains to the assassination of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP Joseph Pararajasingham at St .Mary’s Cathedral… Continue reading "Government supporter MP Pillayan released from murder case."

‘If only they would respect Tamils as humans’An alleged former combatant who was ‘rehabilitated’  The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), is the armed group that the Mahinda Rajapaksa and Gotabaya Rajapaksa government claim they defeated in May 2009. During the first Rajapaksa regime and after the Rajapaksas returned to power in 2019, even in the midst of the pandemic,… Continue reading "Rajapaksa regime that has kept the LTTE very much alive in public discourse"

Deeply saddened by the scenes at Jaffna University. It’s important that people are able to remember all the tragic victims of Sri Lanka’s conflict which help to heal the wounds of the past and support reconciliation. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/south-asia/tamil-memorial-at-jaffna-university-destroyed-in-sri-lanka-indian-leaders-express-shock/articleshow/80190610.cms K. Guruparan@rkguruparan·8 JanThe previous VC was sacked because he didn’t demolish the monument. I have concrete reasons to believe that one of the… Continue reading "Lord (Tariq)Ahmad of Wimbledon"

As 2020 draws to an end, we take this opportunity look back at a decade of @Conservatives party support for the #Tamil community. pic.twitter.com/KnhiYyu8Pu — British Tamil Conservatives (@BTConservatives) December 27, 2020 As 2020 draws to an end, we take this opportunity look back at a decade of Conservative party support for the Tamil community.

(Text of Remarks made by Indian External Affairs Minister Dr.Subrahmanyam Jaishankar at the Joint Press Conference held in Colombo with his Sri Lankan minister of Foreign relations Mr.Dinesh Gunawardena on January 6th 2021) My esteemed colleague and friend the Honourable Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunawardenaji, Senior officials, Friends from media, Good afternoon. Let me begin by wishing all… Continue reading "“It is in Sri Lanka’s own interest that the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace and dignity within a united Sri Lanka are fulfilled. That applies equally to the commitments made by the Sri Lankan Government on meaningful devolution, including the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.” -Indian Foreign Minister Dr.S.Jaishankar"

By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan Several leaders of Tamil political parties, who met India’s Minister of External Affairs, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, have urged India’s support in developing the North and East and the plantation sector. They also welcomed India’s stance on the 13th Amendment, that was reiterated by the Indian guest.  Leader of the Tamil Progressive Alliance, Mano Ganesan, urged the… Continue reading "Tamil political leaders seek India’s support"

University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Senior Professor Sampath Amaratunga said the removal of war monument at the Jaffna University was timely and that the country needed peace monuments instead of war monuments. Clarifying on the incident, the Professor said the monument had been expanded over the years and that it could act as an obstacle in the peace process. He… Continue reading "Removal of war monument at Jaffna Uni.; UGC Chairman says peace monuments needed"

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi KPalaniswami said the demolition has pushed Tamils across the world into “grief” and blamed the Sri Lankan government for bringing it down. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, his deputy O Panneerselvam and DMK President MK Stalin among others on Saturday slammed the reported demolition of a memorial monument for Tamils killed in Mullivaikkal… Continue reading "Tamil Nadu Leaders Slam Demolition Of Mullivaikkal Memorial In Sri Lanka"

The Justice Department of the United States announced Friday (January 08) that three Sri Lankan citizens were charged with terrorism offenses, including conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS).  The department said three men in question were part of a group of ISIS supporters which called itself ‘ISIS in Sri Lanka,’ responsible for the 2019… Continue reading "U.S. charges three Sri Lankans over role in 2019 Easter Sunday attacks"

By Rajan Philips – Rajan Philips For today’s column I was planning on writing on the ‘use and abuse of science in politics,’ both generally about the tortuous relationship the two have been having throughout the world in this pandemic year, and more specifically about what seems to be becoming the political abuse of science in Sri Lanka. As far as I… Continue reading "Sri Lanka’s Disgrace, Trump’s Worst Hurrah, And Biden’s Finest Hour"

By Dilanthi Jayamanne  Senior Adviser to the Health Ministry, Dr. Palitha Abeykoon, is among the six Special Envoys on COVID-19 appointed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to provide strategic advice and high-level political advocacy and engagement in different parts of the world.   He was a member of the National Advisory Committee on Communicable Diseases, Member of National Medicines… Continue reading "Dr. Palitha Abeykoon among special envoys"

Students staged a sit in outside the campus gates overnight on Friday after authorities demolished a monument dedicated to the victims of Mullivaikal, the final theatre of battle in the civil war, where thousands of civilians perished in May 2019. STF troops were brought in to guard the campus gates after the demonstration began. STF also patrolled the streets around… Continue reading "Govt Destroys Mullivaikal Student Monument Under Cover Of Darkness"