29/12/2015 - News site for Tamils

Sri Lanka gets set to prosecute former regime members

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s law enforcement authorities are close to instituting legal proceedings against ousted president Mahinda Rajapaksa and members of his regime, a government spokesman said. Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said enough evidence had been uncovered to hold trials against former regime members facing human rights abuse and corruption charges. Independent investigations were made possible as the new government formed after the January 2015 presidential poll restored freedom of action of law enforcement agencies, he told a news conference. “Their misdeeds are now being revealed and they are about…

Sri Lanka secures support for Swiss bank account probe

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

ECONOMYNEXT – Switzerland has agreed to support Sri Lanka’s probe into alleged Swiss bank accounts maintained by the ousted former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, a government spokesman said. Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne said police investigations were continuing into allegations that Rajapaksa and his family have wealth hidden in overseas bank accounts. “The Swiss authorities agreed to co-operate and provide information if there are accounts in Swiss banks used for money laundering,” he told a news conference. There were also investigations into alleged accounts held by the Rajapaksas in banks in Dubai…

TNA welcomes TPC activities

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

TNA welcomes TPC activities Tamil National Alliance (TNA) welcomes the democratic activities taken forward by Tamil People’s Council (TPC). TNA is also ready to consider the reasonable solutions put forth by the TPC for resolving the ethnic issue in Sri Lanka. TNA General Secretary, ITAK Leader and Jaffna District Parliamentarian Mavai Senathiraja said the above during Valikamam- East Development Advisory Committee meeting held at divisional council Puttur head office on Saturday evening led by Northern Provincial Council (NPC) Member A. Paranjyothi. He said this when journalists posed to him a…

No one in TPC came through back door says Wiggy

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

No one in the Tamil People’s Council (TPC) came through the back door, Northern Provincial Council Chief Minister and the co-chairman of the Council C.V.Wigneswaran said. He made this remark addressing the second session of the controversial TPC held in Jaffna on Sunday (27). “There has always been a wide gap between political principles and politics in practice. So, there must be a movement to monitor such conduct. Our people are prone to the thinking based on whether this party or that party, whether this leader or that leader. We…

What’s the Deal with Sri Lanka’s War Crimes Court?

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

Several weeks ago, Chandrika Kumaratunga announced that Sri Lanka would set up a special court to deal with alleged wartime abuses. Kumaratunga is the chairperson of the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation (ONUR); she served as President of Sri Lanka from 1994-2005. The news about a special court came as a surprise to many people. When the initial announcement was made, Kumaratunga stated that the court was expected to begin its work by late December or early January. Yet it remains unclear if that’s still the case. There are…

‘Broken Promises of arresting Killers’ by Maithiri Government.

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

( December 26, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The arrest of a main suspect in the Wasim Thajudeen murder case has been temporarily put off over the influence of a government bigwig, political sources say. The bigwig who had urged not to make the arrest during the Budget 2016 vote proceedings, had promised a SLFP bigwig to make the arrest after the final vote on Dec. 19. However, that too, had ended as a broken promise. Death penalty? However, Cabinet spokesman minister Rajitha Senaratne says that several prominent figures in…

SL Governor Austin Fernando schemes Sinhala colonization of Batticaloa

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

[TamilNet, Monday, 28 December 2015, 16:14 GMT] Colombo’s colonial Governor to Eastern Province, Austin Fernando, who is a former Defence Secretary of the occupying Sri Lankan military, is working behind the scene to settle Sinhala colonisers in Batticaloa district. A settlement is being schemed close to the railway station at Punaa’nai. The nearby ‘Sinhapura’ military camp situated on Batticaloa – Colombo Road is being transferred into a Sinhala military cantonment. Additional lands to the extent of 1,500 acres have been seized for this military purpose. Both the sides of the…

Extending the democratic revolution

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

by Vikramabahu Karunaratne ( December 26, 2015, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Nava Sama Samaja party anniversary will be held at New Town Hall, Colombo on December 30 starting from 2 pm. Party believes that participation within the democratic mass struggle to evict fascistic Mahinda regime is a great experience. This anniversary conference will be an opportunity to explain the united action front experience and how it could be compared to other fronts Sama Samajists have entered in the course of several decades of Sama Samaja history. Our experience is a…

Sumanthiran hits out at Vigneswaran

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

TNA Parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran said the TNA friendly people were being led astray by Chief Minister of Northern Province C.V. Vigneswaran. Commenting on the Tamil People’s Council established recently under the Chief Minister, the parliamentarian told the media during the Tsunami commemoration in Jaffna that the Tamil community would not desert the TNA or its leadership. He pointed out that they would take a decision on the politicians who attempt to overlook the TNA. The parliamentarian said the Tamil People’s Committee was a clear indication of the Chief Minister’s anti-TNA…

‘Tamil Makkal Peravai Will Be A Watchdog of Tamil Politics’

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

COLOMBO: The Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Tamil-majority Northern Province, C V Wigneswaran, has clarified that the Tamil Makkal Peravai (TMP), which he has floated, is not a rival to the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), but is a non-partisan, civil society watchdog meant to see that the basic interests of the Lankan Tamils are upheld by their leaders and not compromised for petty gains. Speaking at the second formal meeting of the TMP in Jaffna on Sunday, Wigneswaran said that given its broad-based, grassroots character, the TMP will help the…

SLMC inquiry on former JMO

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) officials have initiated an inquiry on the former Judicial Medical officer of Colombo, Ananda Samarasekera who performed the first autopsy on the remains of ruggerite Wasim Thajudeen, after they received a court order, Medical Council chairman Professor Carlo Fonseka said. Colombo Additional Magistrate Nishantha Peris directed the SLMC to inquire into the previous report submitted by former JMO Prof. Ananda Samarasekara and the committee members who participated in the investigations. The probe will look into why the former medical officer took two and half years…

TNA may consider action on Sidharthan

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) may consider taking action against Parliamentarian Dharmalingham Sidharthan for joining the Tamil People’s Council. Illangai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) General Secretary Mavai Senathirajah has called for an inquiry to be conducted on Sidharthan who contested the last Parliamentary election under the ITAK ticket. ITAK is the main political party in the TNA and Sidharthan, leader of the People’s Liberation Front (PLOTE), entered Parliament after winning a seat through the TNA at the August election. Senathirajah has said that Sidharthan should be asked to explain as to why he…

PTA To Be Repealed

29/12/201529/12/2015 Karu

by Easwaran Rutnam Moves to repeal draconian anti-terrorism laws are gathering pace as Sri Lanka prepares to provide an update to the UN Human Rights Council on the implementation of the resolution on Sri Lanka adopted by the Council this year. Justice Minister Wijeydasa Rajapaksha told The Sunday Leader that a committee is in the process of closely studying the PTA and what law can be introduced to replace it. He said that the committee consists of representatives from the office of the President, Prime Minister, Foreign Ministry and Justice Ministry. The…