Day: 1 June 2015

10 Schoolgirls Sexual abused during the last 14 days

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By Mirudhula Thambiah Making a comment recently about an increase in rape incidents in the Northern Province, State Minister of Education Velusamy Radhakrishnan, said it hurts to hear that around 10 schoolgirls have been subjected to sexual abuse during the last two weeks in the Northern Province. He further said that although most of the sexual abuse was committed by outsiders, there are cases where even schoolteachers have committed such acts. “We feel thoroughly hurt to hear that around 10 schoolgirls have faced sexual abuse during the last 14 days.…

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Politics of Rape and Disgrace…

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Politics & Society by Prasad Gunewardene Hailing from the Southern city of Matara, I recognize and hail the Tamil Race as a proud and respectable community. Having studied at the school by the sea in Mt. Lavinia with many Tamil classmates like R. Renganathan, Rajaseelan Gnanam, late Frankin R. Sathyapalan, late Kula Indrakumar, Rohan Mather, Rohan Nagarajah and P. Manotharan to name a few, we knew no racial differences from our childhood as we were together like brothers of one family, and still we are. I continue to associate more…

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Three Tamil Parties to Form New Political Front in Lanka

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Three political parties representing Tamils have decided to join hands to form a new political front in Sri Lanka, saying the main Tamil National Alliance only represent community members from the northern and eastern part of the country. Mano Ganesan, the leader of the Democratic Peoples Front, a minority party for the Western province Tamils said two other political parties representing Tamils in the central hill plantations are to join his party to form the new political front. “Tamils live not only in the north and east. There are Tamils…

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‘Mahinda should declare his assets’

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Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Ajith P. Perera today asked Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa to make a public declaration on his assets and financial records. He inquired that if former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had not committed any frauds, he should make a public announcement on his bank details and properties. “The people can provide a judgment on him and his assets after this declaration,” the deputy minister told a news conference held at the Ministry. He stated that former President Rajapaksa was attempting to make temples as political institutes and trying…

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TNA prepared to shake hands with Maithri, if …

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By S. Gurunathan Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is prepared to shake hands with President Maithiripala Sirisena, if he comes to an understanding to provide a sustainable permanent political solution to the ethnic issue, said Govindan Karunakaran, TNA Eastern Provincial Councillor, at a meeting held at Manchanthoduwai in Batticaloa District, recently. He said that they were able to send the former regime out of power and that the people suffered a lot under it. “Under the present regime we were able to see some hope for the Tamil speaking people. But…

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President Considers Possibility Of Imposing Death Penalty For Drug Smuggling

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President Maithripala Sirisena on Monday (01) stated that he was expecting to discuss the possibility of giving death sentence to those who are guilty of drug smuggling. Participating in an event organized to mark World No Tobacco Day, the president said that his intention was to establish a serious discussion in the country on this matter. “Some people are so poor that they cannot afford three meals a day. But those people always have money for cigarettes, alcohol and other kind of drugs. This is a social disaster which should…

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Jaffna Rape And Murder Suspects Remanded Further

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The nine individuals suspected of the rape and murder of a schoolgirl in Punguditivu, were further remanded till June 15 by Kayts Magistrate Courts earlier today. Meanwhile, the Jaffna Magistrate further remanded a group of protesters arrested on May 20 for attacking the Jaffna Courts during a protest demanding death penalty to the suspected criminals. Two minors in this group were released on bail. Police arrested 130 persons for the attack on the Jaffna courts on May 20. They were remanded until early June by the Jaffna Magistrate. The rest…

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Reveal the truth

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The recent rape and murder of a Jaffna schoolgirl have seemingly taken a new twist. It revolves round the main suspect of this case having had been released by the Police upon influence, political or otherwise. The suspect, a Sri Lankan Tamil resident in Switzerland, was subsequently arrested at Wellawatte. He had apparently first been taken in to custody by the Police in the North where the crime had taken place, at Pungudutivu, a suburb in Jaffna, but had subsequently been released, due to influence. The name of an academic…

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Another missing in Kilinochchi – Mysterious disappearance of schoolgirl

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BY Mirudhula Thambiah In a turn of events towards the worse, regarding the security and safety of schoolgirls in the North, Maniyam Vithusha, a 16 year old schoolgirl is reported missing over the past five days in Kilinochchi, Police said. She had gone to visit her mother who works at an orphanage in Kilinochchi on Thursday (28) afternoon but had failed to return home. Sixteen year old Maniyam Vithusha is studying at Ootrupulam school in Kilinochchi. Her parents, who are frantically searching their missing daughter, lodged a complaint with the…

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NPC calls for national policy on resettlement of war-displaced

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The non-partisan National Peace Council (NPC) has called for a national policy on resettlement of the war-displaced on 30 May. In its press release, NPC also said that Muslim resettlement is one of the tragic problems, stressing the need for an ‘administrative mechanism to ensure resettlement in a fair and transparent manner’. Following is the statement: “One of the unresolved and tragic problems of Sri Lanka’s war is the return and resettlement of the Muslim people who were expelled from the north by the LTTE in 1990. An estimated 80%…

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Gota’s MiG Deal: Investigation Finds Secret Bank Account In British Virgin Islands

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Wikileaks: Athas Fears Retaliation For Critical Articles On Gota’s MiG Deal “Defense Correspondent Iqbal Athas is preparing to temporarily leave Sri Lanka with his family following a barrage of threats and intimidation apparently orchestrated by the Government of Sri… June 1, 20159 CommentsRead More Gota’s MiG Deal: Investigation Finds Secret Bank Account In British Virgin Islands A secret bank account in the name of Bellimissa has been opened in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) just prior to the MiG deal. According to the Financial Crimes Investigations Division…

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Enough Is Enough!

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The entire country last week continued to mourn the death of  Vithya Sivaloganathan who was allegedly gang raped and then brutally murdered in Kayts in the Jaffna Peninsula. This incident shook the country and with that came the wake where protests emerged in many parts of the North breaking the silence. In solidarity with Vithya’s family and the North, a vigil was held last Tuesday at the Kanatta Roundabout in Borella with the participation of many individuals, university students, academia and members of civil society organizations.  Speaking to The Sunday Leader,…

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Vithya’s final 24 hours – Mother reveals

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BY W. K. PRASAD MANJU Sivaloganathan Vithya’s mother Saraswathie says that out of the nine suspects who had raped Vithya, three are brothers and involved in illegal activities in the area. People are well aware that this group was involved in drugs and other narcotic rackets. It is possible that some Police officers also had connections with them. Following are some excerpts of this interview: Q : Mother, I am not sure whether you are in a position to engage in a discussion. We would like to know a little about…

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UPFA provincial minister threatens to stone Police FCID officers to death

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UPFA Southern Provincial Council Minister D.V. Upul, addressing a public meeting, threatened to stone the officers attached to the Police FCID to death. He vowed to do so when Mahinda Rajapaksa becomes the Prime Minister again. The Provincial Council Minister made this remark in the presence of UPFA Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa and several other local politicians representing the Hambantota district. “Collect the name-list of those who are attached to the FCID from the Constable to the DIG. They should be stoned to death when Mahinda Rajapaksa becomes the Prime Minister…

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Sri Lanka holds talks with UK, India on defence ties

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State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijewardene, who is in Singapore to participate in the 14th Asia Security Summit – the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, held series of discussions on defence cooperation with several countries including United Kingdom and India. The 14th Asia Security Summit – the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue is currently underway in Singapore with the participation of Defence Ministers, Defence Secretaries and other key stakeholders from across the Asia Pacific region. The Sri Lanka delegation to the Shangri-La Dialogue was led by Minister Wijewardene. On the sidelines of the meeting, the…

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