Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau issuing a statement on the anniversary of the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka, has called for Sri Lanka to pursue a meaningful accountability process “As we mark the 11th anniversary of the end of armed conflict in Sri Lanka, my thoughts are with the victims, their families and loved ones. This is a time to reflect on the 26 years of conflict, including the last phase of the war in Mullivaikal, and the lives that were lost, and to remember those who…
Read MoreDay: 19 May 2020
Sumanthiran tells the Supreme Court – “A country without Parliament is not a democracy”
By Chandani Kirinde The Supreme Court yesterday began hearings into several Fundamental Rights petitions that have been filed challenging the Gazette issued by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolving Parliament as well as the Gazette issued by the Election Commission that set 20 June as the date for the poll. The case is being heard before a five-member Bench consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya as well as Justices Buwaneka Aluvihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardena, and Vijith Malalgoda. Continue reading ‘A functioning Parliament was essential in a democracy and during a…
Read MoreCooking the votes Wimal style
With various discussions regarding elections and the manner in which the polls should be conducted in times of a pandemic, Minister Wimal Weerawansa has come out with a new idea. During a programme with a state-run TV channel this week, he spoke of an invention where ballot papers in a ballot box could be placed in a special basket and thereafter heated for 20 minutes at a certain temperature at which the virus can be destroyed. “We don’t have to do it to all ballot papers. We only need to…
Read MoreGTF Press Release – Commemoration of the 11th anniversary of the end of civil war in Sri Lanka
PRESS STATEMENT 17 May 2020, London Unitedly and strategically working for the betterment of the Tamil people is the need of the hour The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) joins Tamils worldwide in commemorating the 11th anniversary of the end of civil war in Sri Lanka. The final phase of the war is one of the most brutal in recent history and mass atrocity crimes were systematically committed against the Tamil people. It is estimated that 40,000 to 70,000 Tamil civilians were killed in the final months alone, and this constitutes…
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