Day: 26 August 2015

A US-backed domestic investigation is more dangerous than an international investigation

Karu

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has let the cat out of the bag when he revealed the intention of his government to prosecute those who had liberated the country from terrorism in the name of a domestic war crimes investigation, Colombo District MP elect Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday. Wickremesinghe in an interview with The Hindu has said that the government had agreed to a domestic investigation. Addressing a press conference at the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) head office in Colombo, Gammanpila said that the visit of the United States Assistant Secretary of State…

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Biswal meets with wife of missing Sri Lankan cartoonist

Karu

The US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asia, Nisha Biswal, who is currently visiting Sri Lanka, met with the wife of the missing political cartoonist, Prageeth Eknaligoda on Wednesday. Earlier this week, the Sri Lankan Criminal Investigation Department has questioned four army officers over the disappearance of cartoonist, who his wife says disappeared after he had uncovered evidence of the Sri Lankan army’s use of chemical weapons against the Tamil people. “In 2008, Prageeth wrote and informed the diplomats about the Sri Lankan government’s usage of chemical…

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‘Right’ pacifies West

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‘Right’ pacifies West Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in an interview with ‘The Hindu’ said that a domestic mechanism would probe alleged war crimes, allegedly committed by the then government and the security forces during the closing stages of the LTTE war, where the international community led by the USA and the EU has been baying for Colombo’s blood, at least prior to the regime change of 8 January 2015. The previous regime antagonized the international community (discounting China and Russia) by its leaning towards China as a pretext to cover…

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Reading between the results the Sri Lankan way

Karu

A vote for the blue betel leaf has since undergone a colour variation: blight seems to affect a part of the leaf, at least. After 20 years of rule and misrule of one alliance there is still no comfortable majority for another to form a government. Who is to be blamed –people or politicians? Results made them members of the  Opposition but they took oaths, as holders of a ministerial rank in a national government ushering the policies of the UNP. The rump that remains with Rajapaksa will form the…

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Winners And Losers At The Polls

Karu

The general election to elect members to the country’s eighth parliament concluded last week after a campaign period that lasted a little over 45 days. Setting the stage for an entirely different political framework, this election can be identified as one of the most competitive as well as decisive elections witnessed by the country. However, 59 former legislators could not make their way back to the House and a majority of them were from the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA). At the polls, 196 were able to secure a seat…

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Tamil Tigers change their stripes: Former fighters become politicians as the struggle for self-rule in Sri Lanka goes on

Karu

The rebel-turned-politicians once carried heavy weapons, killed civilians as well as soldiers and bombed buses and trains packed with children. They wore cyanide capsules around their necks and lived by a code that required them to lay down their lives at any given moment. Shut inside the hot confines of a house in Jaffna, located in the former northern war zone of Sri Lanka, the nine men are busy drawing the future plans for their defeated party. They are members of “Crusaders for Democracy”, a political party made up of…

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Abductions and Forced Recruitment by the Karuna Group with the support of Government

Karu

Abductions in 2006 Sporadic reports of abductions and forced recruitment of boys and young men by the Karuna group began soon after the split from the LTTE in March 2004, but the reports were few until March 2006.13  According to local human rights groups and international agencies active in the eastern districts, around that time armed men from the Karuna group began to invite children to come with them for work in nearby Polonnaruwa district.  Some of the children never returned. June 2006 saw a dramatic jump in Karuna group…

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Aid workers were Raped and executed by Karuna Group with the blessing of Rajapaksha government

Karu

Lists girl raped and killed by Government Minister Karuna Gang rape, executions and a cover up   Tamil Guardian 07 February 2007 One year after seven staff members of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) disappeared after being abducted in Sri Lanka Army – controlled part of the island’s east, there is still no word of their fate.However, an investigative report published this week by Tamilweek.com says the missing aid workers were executed by paramilitaries of the Karuna Group which took them captive. A poster appealing for the release of seven…

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Karuna went on a rampage of abductions, recruitment of child soldiers, extortions and murders. Rajapaksa turned a blind eye!

Karu

By V. Kanthaiya – “The fate of Premini was terrible. The dusky woman with attractive features was taken to another camp and raped first by Sinthujan himself. Thereafter it was a horrible gang rape with TMVP cadres taking turns to sexually assault her. Fourteen cadres raped the poor girl. Premini was heard to shout and cry at the start. Later she merely sobbed and whimpered. Premini was taken out before dawn by TMVP cadres to the jungles. She walked without crying or showing signs of emotion said one ex –…

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The Court summons Mervin Silva in connection with white vans

Karu

The Colombo Chief Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya issued summons on former Minister Mervin Silva to appear in court on November 11th to give evidence in connection with abduction and disappearance of persons involving white vans. The summons was issued today when 3 Habeas Corpus petitions filed by the relatives of three missing persons were taken for hearing. The relatives told the court in their petitions that their beloved ones were abducted in Mutwal area in 2011 and reported missing since then. The IGP, the Army Commander and the OIC of the…

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Sri Lanka briefs U.S. on domestic human rights mechanism

Karu

Sri Lanka briefs U.S. on domestic human rights mechanism On measures taken by the government to address the human rights concerns following the over three-decade-long civil war with the LTTE Sri Lanka’s new Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera on Tuesday briefed two top visiting U.S. State Department officials about the measures taken by the government to address the human rights concerns following the over three-decade-long civil war with the LTTE. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal and Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights…

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“MAHINDA’s comeback affected us” – K.D. Lal Kantha

Karu

Former Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP) Provincial Councillor K.D. Lal Kantha in an interview with the Daily Mirror said the party could not achieve the expected results at the General elections as it was as crucial as the Presidential election. Unlike other general elections, people had to decide whether to appoint former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister or not. He said although there were issues with regard to the national list within the party, the two members who were appointed through the National list were appointed unanimously. Also he…

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