4th April 2016

[TamilNet, Sunday, 03 April 2016, 23:37 GMT] In addition thousands of acres of agricultural lands that have been seized from Eezham Tamils by the Sinhalese in Kuchchave’li DS division in Trincomalee, the occupying military of genocidal SL State continues to keep around 500 acres of private and public lands. The SL military is refusing to release these lands, even for the purpose of a housing scheme for government employees, Tamil civil sources in Trincomalee told TamilNet. Pul-moaddai (meaning grassy pond), situated at a sandbar on the side of the Eastern Province of the North-East border, is not only a must location from the genocidal point of view, but is also a place of significant economic importance because of the ilmanite deposits found there beneath the […]

Former army commander, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka says the body of LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran was buried and not burnt.Fonseka told The Sunday Leader that Prabhakaran’s body was found in the Nandikadal lagoon following the final battle between the army and the LTTE.  However, the newly appointed diplomat and former army commander, General Daya Ratnayake was quoted in a Jaffna based newspaper as saying that Prabhakaran’s body was burnt after it was discovered and the ashes were thrown into the sea. The ‘Thina Seidi’ newspaper quoted Ratnayake as saying that even the body of LTTE intelligence chief Pottu Amman was also burnt and the ashes thrown into the sea. Fonseka however dismissed the claims and accused Ratnayake of commenting on something he was not fully […]

President Maithripala Sirisena declared open the ‘Jetwing Jaffna’ hotel yesterday expanding facilities to foreign as well as local tourists visiting Jaffna. Jetwing Jaffna is the latest addition to the Jetwing Hotels chain and the hotel offers 55 rooms with modern amenities. President Sirisena unveiled a plaque for one of the rooms dedicated to the memory of former chairman of the Sampath Bank, Late M.U. Jayawardena, on whose land the hotel is built. The President also symbolically presented certificates to 67 youths who have completed Jetwing’s hotel management course under its youth development program. Tourism Minister John Amaratunga, Governor of the Northern Province, Reginald Cooray, State Ministers Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena and Vijayakala Maheswaran, Angajan Ramanathan MP and the staff of Jetwing participated in the event.

Canada says demining work in Sri Lanka is of critical importance as clearance of landmines is a necessary prerequisite to long-term peace and security for all Sri Lankans and a key component of Sri Lanka’s broader plans for reconciliation and resettlement. The High Commission of Canada to Sri Lanka and Maldives today marked ‘International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action’ with an event held at Canada House which brought together key government officials, members of the international, diplomatic and donor communities, demining organizations and civil society. The Minister Swaminathan, Minister for Prison Reform, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Hindu Religious Affairs attended as Chief Guest.  The High Commissioner of Canada, Shelley Whiting, in hosting the event sought to recognize the considerable gains made in mine action and […]

By Niranjala Ariyawansha In a shocking revelation, the Committee of Inquiry into the Prison Incident (CIPI), appointed to investigate the gruesome Welikada Prison incident, finds that what occurred on 9 November 2012 was in gross violation of widely accepted basic Human Rights of the prisoners. Thus, it recommends, based on the material that surfaced during its sittings, the necessity to conduct a fresh independent criminal investigation, forthwith, in respect of the allegations of murders, with a view to ascertaining the truth and the institution of criminal proceedings of offenders where sufficient evidence can be established. The committee was headed by Gamini Nambuwasam, retired High Court Judge, Asoka Wijetilleke, former Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police and S.K.Liyanage, retired Ministry Additional Secretary of the Sri Lanka […]

Presidential Secretariat spent billions of rupees for hiring luxury vehicles for ex-President’s friends, family and cronies by Nirmala Kannangara Following last week’s expose titled ‘Weerawansa Family and Friends’ Joyride at State Expense’  shocking revelations have now come to light as to how the Presidential Secretariat under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa spent several millions of rupees to lease luxury vehicles for those who were near and dear to him. Similar to how the State Engineering Corporation (SEC) under Wimal Weerawansa hired vehicles without following government tender procedure, the Presidential Secretariat under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa too had hired vehicles from parties known to them without following tender procedure. Amongst the beneficiaries of these vehicles were former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, former Economic […]