Day: 22 September 2015

Sri Lankan rupee hits record low on importer dollar demand

Karu

The Sri Lankan rupee fell 0.11 percent on Tuesday to an all-time low due to importer demand for dollars, while exporters held on to the greenback on expectations of further depreciation. The rupee hit an life-time low of 141.00, surpassing its previous low of 140.98 hit on Sept. 17. Dealers said the currency recovered slightly as a state bank, through which the central bank usually directs the market, sold dollars at 140.98 per dollar to limit the fall. The spot rupee ended at 140.95/141.05 per dollar, weaker from Monday’s close…

Read More

Sri Lanka PM rejects international war crimes probe, Will get support of China, Russia and India!

Karu

Sri Lanka rejects international war crimes probe Sri Lanka’s prime minister on Tuesday (Sep 22) rejected a UN call for international involvement in an investigation into alleged war crimes. COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s prime minister on Tuesday (Sep 22) rejected a UN call for international involvement in an investigation into alleged war crimes. Ranil Wickremesinghe said talks were under way to establish a credible domestic mechanism to investigate abuses during the decades-long conflict with Tamil separatist rebels that ended in May 2009. “There is nothing to be got from abroad,” Wickremesinghe…

Read More

NPC calls for victim centered approach

Karu

The Northern Provincial Council (NPC) today called for a victim centered approach when addressing the accountability issue. NPC Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran welcomed the report on Sri Lanka by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) saying it was one of the most comprehensive reports compiled following investigations conducted on the war. He said that the NPC will work with all stakeholders to shape the transitional justice process and actively participate at achieving a meaningful outcome. Wigneswaran tabled the OHCHR report on Sri Lanka at the NPC…

Read More

What happened in Mulliyvaikal was indeed “Genocide”

Karu

By Karthigesu Nirmalan-Nathan – Dear Mr. Sumanthiran MP, Permit me to begin by saying, that the use of the “G” word should be measured. That said, I want to make it abundantly clear what happened in Mulliyvaikal was indeed “Genocide” and fits the definition perfectly – if you as a lawyer feel that you can’t prove it as such with the mountain of evidence available, your certificate is not worth the paper it is printed upon. I’ve never cried Genocide for what happened to our beloved Tamil people and us…

Read More

Plea for international probe into “genocide” in Sri Lanka

Karu

Seeking fair investigation:Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam cadres staging a demonstration in Ramanathapuram on Monday; Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi volunteers attemptingto picket Dindigul railway station.— Photo: L. BALACHANDAR Protest staged in Ramanathapuram and Dindigul districts Volunteers of Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) were arrested when they attempted to block a train in Mandapam on Monday even as cadres of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) and Naam Tamizhar Katchi staged demonstrations here, seeking international probe into alleged genocide of Tamils in Sri Lanka. Led by TVK youth wing leader Jerome Kumar, 21 volunteers attempted…

Read More

Consensus to be Key for India’s Support

Karu

NEW DELHI: With Sri Lanka rejecting the US draft resolution on human rights violations and war crimes in the Island nation, it is reliably learnt that India will support a resolution, which has the ‘widest possible consensus.’ “India will support anything which is not divisive, which has the widest possible consensus,” sources told Express. When asked if it meant that India will support a resolution with which the Maithripala Sirisena government was comfortable, sources said that if Colombo agreed to a text, then it would mean that there was consensus…

Read More

MAHINDA asks Govt. to reject the report by the OHCHR

Karu

PM confident of China, Russia, India support Prime Minister Ranil Wickresmsinghe today briefed Parliament on the latest developments taking plac… Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has urged the new Government to reject the report by the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights (OHCHR) on war crime allegations. Issuing a statement Rajapaksa said, “as the former head of state, I think it would be appropriate to make known to the public my observations on the recently released report on Sri Lanka by the OHCHR. My government did not cooperate with this…

Read More

UN defends ‘silence on genocide’ in Sri Lanka war crimes report

Karu

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has defended the findings of its report on alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, which drew criticism from several quarters for its “silence” on genocide in the island nation. Responding to a question sent by The Hindu in this regard, Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the High Commissioner, stated via email: “This [the U.N. report] does not preclude such a finding [that genocide was committed] being made as a result of further criminal investigations, including by the hybrid court…

Read More

Strip MPs who switch sides of their seats

Karu

JVP calls for Truth and Reconciliation Commission to forge national unity by Zacki Jabbar The JVP has called for the establishment of an independent domestic Truth and Reconcilation Commission which could provide relief to those affected by the war after ascertaining the truth about their allegations and grievances. The proposal contained in a 20-point formula calling for immediate socio political reforms was handed over to President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe last week. The broader objective of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the JVP has emphasised, should be…

Read More

I Saved MAHINDA From The Electric Chair – Ranil

Karu

upcoming August 17 General Election would solidify the historic people’s revolution won on January 8 and the government-hopeful United National Front’s Five-fold Plan (Pancha Widha Kriyawaliya) gives the much-needed boost to make Sri Lanka a global knowledge economy, emphasized UNP Party Leader and United National Front for Good Governance prime min50isterial candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe, in an interview with The Sunday Leader.   Following are excerpts of the interview: Q: How do you see the success rate of your government during the 100-Day Programme? A: The 100-Day Programme has been mostly successful…

Read More

MAHINDA GROUP Snubs To Accept Sampanthan

Karu

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) rebel group supporting former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to accept the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader R. Sampanthan as the opposition leader in parliament. A SLFP MP from the rebel group said that accepting Sampanthan as the opposition leader will only be a temporary measure and their struggle to appoint one of their own nominees for the post will continue as soon as the group entrench themselves in the “House” as the largest opposition team. A group of 36 SLFP MP’s and another…

Read More

Differences of opinion among Tamil diaspora lead to bitter personal attacks

Karu

Differences of opinion and conflict of interests among Tamil Diaspora and division within the ranks of the TNA resurfaced at a meeting in Bern, organised by Switzerland-based diaspora members on Friday, according to agency reports. TNA Parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran criticised Northern Provincial Council’s resolution demanding an international war crimes investigation and added that the NPC resolution was a ‘foolish’ move. He blamed NPC Chief Minister Justice C. V. Wigneswaran for having shut the door for a genocide investigation by passing that resolution against his advice, agency reports said. “He [Wigneswaran]…

Read More

Action against LTTE financiers and other international operatives will be an integral part of the criminal investigation recommended in the OHCHR Report

Karu

UNOHCHR Report calls for justice and accountability by Manjula Fernando Action against LTTE financiers and other international operatives will be an integral part of the criminal investigation recommended in the OHCHR Report. The OHCHR Special Spokesperson, Ravina Shamdasani called upon everyone in Sri Lanka should study the Report in depth. “This is a Report for the people of Sri Lanka. We want the people to understand the findings, understand the analysis and in that context to look at the recommendations” . Special Spokesperson for the Office of the UN Human…

Read More