Home
LATEST on SATP
Search
SEARCH ON SATP
SEARCH TERRORISM UPDATE
KEYWORD
Keyword is required.
START DATE
END DATE
KEYWORD
Keyword is required.
START DATE
END DATE
South Asia
Assessments
Backgrounder
Bibliography
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Afghanistan
Assessments
Backgrounder
Bibliography
Conflict Maps
Data Sheet
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Capital Region
Kabul
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
East Afghanistan
Kapisa
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Kunar
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Laghman
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Nangarhar
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Nuristan
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Panjsher
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Parwan
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
North Afghanistan
Badakhshan
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Baghlan
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Balkh
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Faryab
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Jowzjan
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Kunduz
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Samangan
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Sar-e-Pul
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Takhar
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
South Afghanistan
Daykundi
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Kandahar
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Uruzgan
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Zabul
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Southwest Afghanistan
Helmand
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Nimroz
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Southeast Afghanistan
Bamyan
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Ghazni
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Khost
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Logar
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Paktika
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Paktiya
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Wardak
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
West Afghanistan
Badghis
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Farah
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Ghor
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Herat
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Bangladesh
Assessments
Backgrounder
Bibliography
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Islamist Terrorism
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Left-wing Extremism
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Bhutan
Assessments
Backgrounder
Bibliography
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Central
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Eastern
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Southern
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Western
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
India
Assessments
Backgrounder
Bibliography
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Jammu & Kashmir
Assessments
Backgrounder
Bibliography
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Maoist Insurgency
Assessments
Backgrounder
Bibliography
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Andhra Pradesh
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Bihar
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Chhattisgarh
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Goa
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Gujarat
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Haryana
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Jharkhand
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Karnataka
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Kerala
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Madhya Pradesh
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Maharashtra
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Odisha
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Rajasthan
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Tamil Nadu
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Telangana
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Uttar Pradesh
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Uttarakhand
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
West Bengal
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Insurgency North East
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Arunachal Pradesh
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Assam
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Manipur
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Meghalaya
Assessments
Backgrounder
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Mizoram
Assessments
Backgrounder
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Nagaland
Assessments
Backgrounder
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Tripura
Assessments
Backgrounder
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Punjab
Assessments
Backgrounder
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
ISLAMIST/OTHER CONFLICTS
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Andhra Pradesh
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Bihar
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Chandigarh (UT)
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Chhattisgarh
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Delhi
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Goa
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Gujarat
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Haryana
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Himachal Pradesh
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Jharkhand
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Karnataka
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Kerala
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Madhya Pradesh
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Maharashtra
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Odisha
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Pondicherry
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Rajasthan
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Sikkim
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Tamil Nadu
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Telangana
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Uttar Pradesh
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Uttarakhand
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
West Bengal
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Maldives
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Proviencs
Dhekunu (South)
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Mathi Dhekunu (Upper South)
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Mathi Uthuru (Upper North)
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Medhu (Central)
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Medhu Dhekunu (South Central)
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Medhu Uthuru (North Central)
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Uthuru (North)
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Nepal
Assessments
Bibliography
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Provinces
Province No. 1
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Province No. 2
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Province No. 3
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Province No. 4
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Province No. 5
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Province No. 6
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Province No. 7
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Pakistan
Assessments
Backgrounder
Bibliography
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Balochistan
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
FATA
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Islamabad Capital Territory
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Pakistan Occupied kashmir
Azad Kashmir
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Gilgit-Baltistan
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Punjab
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Sindh
Assessments
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Sri Lanka
Assessments
Bibliography
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Provinces
Central Province
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Eastern Province
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
North Central Province
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
North Western Province
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Northern Province
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Sabaragamua Province
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Southern Province
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Uva Province
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Western Province
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Arunachal Pradesh
Assessments
Backgrounder
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Assam
Assessments
Backgrounder
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Jammu & Kashmir
Assessments
Backgrounder
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Manipur
Assessments
Backgrounder
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Meghalaya
Assessments
Backgrounder
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Mizoram
Assessments
Backgrounder
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Nagaland
Assessments
Backgrounder
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Punjab
Assessments
Backgrounder
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Tripura
Assessments
Backgrounder
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Maoist Insurgency
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Documents
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Andhra Pradesh
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Bihar
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Chhattisgarh
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Goa
Timelines
Gujarat
Timelines
Haryana
Timelines
Jharkhand
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Karnataka
Timelines
Kerala
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Madhya Pradesh
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Maharashtra
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Odisha
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Rajasthan
Timelines
Tamil Nadu
Timelines
Telangana
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
Uttar Pradesh
Timelines
Uttarakhand
Timelines
West Bengal
Assessments
Conflict Maps
Data Sheets
Terrorist Groups
Timelines
ASSESSMENTS
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
BACKGROUNDER
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
CONFLICT MAPS
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
DATA SHEETS
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
DOCUMENTS
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
TERRORIST GROUPS
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
TIMELINES
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
BOOKS
The Knights of Falsehood
The Global Threat of Terror
Book Store
TERRORISM UPDATE
VIDEOS
FREEDOM FROM FEAR
WAR WITHIN BORDERS
SECOND SIGHT
ICM IN MEDIA
EXTERNAL RESOURCES
RISK ALERT
ISLAMIST EXTREMISM & TERRORISM IN SOUTH ASIA
SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS/PROJECTS/REPORTS
NA
Statement:2015
Read more...
Date
Incidents
February - 1 
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on February 1 said that the new Government will investigate the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) activities over the past few years including its funding and alleged links it had with the previous Government, reports Colombo Gazette. He said that the Govern
Read more...
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on February 1 said that the new Government will investigate the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) activities over the past few years including its funding and alleged links it had with the previous Government, reports Colombo Gazette. He said that the Government wants to know what happened to the funds of the LTTE. He said “This is part of our probe on corruption. The former Government always accused us of having links with the LTTE but it was they who had links with the Tigers.” He said that investigations will include obtaining information on the LTTE ships, gold and money yet to be found even after the war. The Prime Minister said that the public in the North have said they have evidence to share over the LTTE and so that evidence will also be obtained. “This is a large scale investigation,” he added. Wickremesinghe also said that when the European court ruled in support of the LTTE the former Government did not take steps to assist the European Union (EU) to reverse the court ruling. He said “We have said we will assist the EU to ensure the ban on the LTTE in the EU remains”. He also questioned the previous Government’s failure to handover Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP to India. KP is wanted in India over the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
Read less...
February - 13 
President Maithripala Sirisena on February 13 told the diplomatic community in Colombo that if “credible and firm” evidence is found by the proposed inquiry into allegations that Sri Lankan Security Forces (SFs) committed human rights violations during the fight against the Liberation Tigers of Tami
Read more...
President Maithripala Sirisena on February 13 told the diplomatic community in Colombo that if “credible and firm” evidence is found by the proposed inquiry into allegations that Sri Lankan Security Forces (SFs) committed human rights violations during the fight against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), action would be taken against the guilty, reports Dawn. The President also invited the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) to visit Sri Lanka. Sirisena said the Government needed time to bring about unity and reconciliation as it had assumed office only a month ago. Referring to Tamils living in the Northern Province, he said ‘doubts and mistrust’ between ethnic groups should be removed. He assured the Tamil community that land appropriated by the armed forces during the civil war would be returned, announcing the handover of 1000 acres in the Northern Province as a first step.
Read less...
February - 17 February - 19
Australian authorities on February 17 have returned four Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers to Sri Lankan authorities in mid-sea, reports Colombo Page. The Australian Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton said on February 19 the Australian and Sri Lankan Governments have worked to
Read more...
Australian authorities on February 17 have returned four Sri Lankan Tamil asylum seekers to Sri Lankan authorities in mid-sea, reports Colombo Page. The Australian Minister for Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton said on February 19 the Australian and Sri Lankan Governments have worked together again to disrupt a people smuggling venture. According to the Minister, a suspected illegal entry vessel (SIEV) carrying four Sri Lankan nationals was intercepted by Border Protection Command (BPC) North-West of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands (a territory of Australia, located in the Indian Ocean) on February 9. The four Sri Lankan nationals were transferred at sea from a vessel assigned to BPC to Sri Lankan authorities last Tuesday (February 17), the Australian Minister said
Read less...
February - 21 
Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) C. V. Wigneswaran has expressed concern over the delay in releasing Tamil political prisoners by the Sri Lanka Government, reports Colombo Page on February 22. Wigneswaran told the New York Times that he fears the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremes
Read more...
Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) C. V. Wigneswaran has expressed concern over the delay in releasing Tamil political prisoners by the Sri Lanka Government, reports Colombo Page on February 22. Wigneswaran told the New York Times that he fears the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has refused to release prisoners because he does not want to anger the Sinhalese majority ahead of parliamentary elections. "I'm talking of a history of not living up to promises in the past. The prime minister wants to play for time because the elections are coming," he claimed. Meanwhile, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has alleged that a secret military camp, named Gota, in the naval base in Trincomalee was in operation and held 700 Tamils and 35 Tamil families, Colombo Page reports on February 21. TNA Jaffna District Parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran had told the BBC Sandeshaya that the Tamil people are of the belief that there were many more of such camps.
Read less...
March - 3 
United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman, during an official visit to Sri Lanka said on March 3 that the global institution is encouraged by the Sri Lankan new Government’s commitment to promote reconciliation, accountability and human rights and it is committed to assisting in th
Read more...
United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General Jeffrey Feltman, during an official visit to Sri Lanka said on March 3 that the global institution is encouraged by the Sri Lankan new Government’s commitment to promote reconciliation, accountability and human rights and it is committed to assisting in the process of accountability and reconciliation in the island nation, reports Colombo Page. Jeffrey Feltman said the recent election of a new government has given Sri Lanka an historic opportunity to seize to address the accountability and bring the reconciliation to the island. The UN official, who arrived in the island on February 28 for a four-day official visit, said he had a series of positive, constructive discussions with the President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Acting Foreign Minister Ajith Perera, the leadership of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Tamil National Alliance (TNA), and the diplomatic community in Colombo.
Read less...
March - 10 
Housing and Samurdhi Minister Sajith Premadasa said that Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarians do not stand for a separate state and their purpose is to ensure fair and equal treatment for Tamils, reports Daily News on March 11. Minister Premadasa said some politicians make allegations agai
Read more...
Housing and Samurdhi Minister Sajith Premadasa said that Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarians do not stand for a separate state and their purpose is to ensure fair and equal treatment for Tamils, reports Daily News on March 11. Minister Premadasa said some politicians make allegations against the TNA claiming that they supported President Maithripala Sirisena during the Presidential election to divide the country. This is a political lie used to mislead voters, he said. The Minister said that “Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) activists in London protest against TNA MPs Sampanthan and Sumanthiran by burning their effigies. Even TNA MPs have accepted the unitary nature of the state.” "If Sampanthan and Sumanthiran wished to see a separate State and supported Maithripala Sirisena to fulfill this purpose, it is a big question for us as to why LTTE supporters in the United Kingdom (UK) are protesting against them? The cat is out of the bag and the truth is revealed. The TNA MPs do not demand for a separate state. They only want equal treatment for Tamils," said the minister. Minister added that according to the Constitution, no citizen should be discriminated against on the grounds of race, religion, language, caste, sex, political opinion, place of birth or any such grounds and that every citizen has a right to be considered equal.
Read less...
March - 14 
Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran said that the Indian PM Narendra Modi had "planted a very positive idea" in the minds of those at the Central Government in Sri Lanka, reports The Hindu on March 15. PM Narendra Modi’s address at the Sri Lankan Parliament on March 13 was a message to
Read more...
Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran said that the Indian PM Narendra Modi had "planted a very positive idea" in the minds of those at the Central Government in Sri Lanka, reports The Hindu on March 15. PM Narendra Modi’s address at the Sri Lankan Parliament on March 13 was a message to Colombo on the need for greater devolution of powers, said C.V. Wigneswaran. After his brief meeting with Modi, Wigneswaran said “I hope the Central Government will take it upon themselves to change the Constitution in such a way that more and more powers will be given to the periphery”.
Read less...
April - 22 
The Governor of the Eastern Province Austin Fernando vehemently rejected the allegations that the lands in Sampur in Trincomalee District have been given to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorists, reports SLBC on April 23. The Governor pointed out that handing over the lands to their
Read more...
The Governor of the Eastern Province Austin Fernando vehemently rejected the allegations that the lands in Sampur in Trincomalee District have been given to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorists, reports SLBC on April 23. The Governor pointed out that handing over the lands to their original owners will never harm the security of the naval bases or naval jetty in Trincomalee. He said there is no truth in the speculation spread by some social media that the naval base in Sampur has been removed. The Government has taken measures to develop the Sampur navy training camp as a fully fledged navy training institute.
Read less...
April - 26 
Sixty percent of the people who had appeared before the Presidential Commission to Investigate into Complaints Regarding Missing Persons (PCICMP), blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for the disappearance of their kith and kin, PCICMP Chairman, Retired Justice Maxwell Paranagama, said
Read more...
Sixty percent of the people who had appeared before the Presidential Commission to Investigate into Complaints Regarding Missing Persons (PCICMP), blamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for the disappearance of their kith and kin, PCICMP Chairman, Retired Justice Maxwell Paranagama, said on April 26, reports The New Indian Express. He said that “Thirty percent of the complaints were against the Sri Lankan Security Forces (SFs), 10 percent against the other (non-LTTE) Tamil militant groups, and 5 percent were against unidentified elements.” A total of 2500 people from the Northern and Eastern Provinces had appeared before the commission. There were 16,000 complaints from civilians and 5600 from the SFs. Paranagama added that “However, the blame figures varied from district to district. In Kilinochchi, 85 percent of those who deposed blamed the LTTE. In Mullaitivu, 80 percent blamed the LTTE. In Jaffna, people blamed the LTTE and the SFs equally (50:50). In the Eastern Province most of the complaints were against the SFs. The Karuna group (a breakaway group of the LTTE), was also blamed to an extent in the East.” Some of the cases have been referred for action and some for further investigations, he said. The Commission has submitted its interim report to President Maithripala Sirisena. The Government has asked the panel to continue its work as it is also investigating allegations of war crimes.
Read less...
May - 2 
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on May 2 called for a special arrangement to ensure that Tamil speaking people would retain the same number of seats regardless of drastic drop in the number of electors over the years due to them fleeing the country or moving to Districts outside the Northern Province,
Read more...
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on May 2 called for a special arrangement to ensure that Tamil speaking people would retain the same number of seats regardless of drastic drop in the number of electors over the years due to them fleeing the country or moving to Districts outside the Northern Province, reports The Island. TNA Member of Parliament (MP) M.A. Sumanthiran said that their support for the proposed 20 Amendment to the Constitution would entirely depend on guarantee that the existing 160 electorates would remain intact. The MP insisted that the electoral reforms couldn’t be finalized at the expense of Tamil speaking people. The MP insisted that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)’s push for an agreement on electoral reforms wasn’t realistic therefore those spearheading talks on the 20 Amendment should be mindful of their concerns.
Read less...
May - 4 
Chairman of the Presidential Commission Investigating Cases of Missing Persons (PCICMP) retired High Court Judge Maxwell Paranagama said that four teams will be appointed to the PCICMP to conduct investigations into future deliberations, reports Colombo Page on May 5. He said the appointments were i
Read more...
Chairman of the Presidential Commission Investigating Cases of Missing Persons (PCICMP) retired High Court Judge Maxwell Paranagama said that four teams will be appointed to the PCICMP to conduct investigations into future deliberations, reports Colombo Page on May 5. He said the appointments were in accordance with the recommendations made in the interim report that was submitted to the President Maithripala Sirisena. These four teams will investigate about 16,000 complaints, according to the Chairman. The three-member Commission, comprising Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama as Chairman, Mrs. Priyanthi Suranjana Vidyaratne and Mrs. Mano Ramanathan, had been given the authority to conduct inquiries and investigations into the alleged abductions or disappearances occurred from1983 to 2009 and submit a report to the President.
Read less...
May - 7 
Sri Lanka's new Government on May 7 said that a domestic mechanism will be in place by September to probe into the alleged human rights violations during the final stages of decades-long war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), reports Press Trust of India. Foreign Affairs Minister Mang
Read more...
Sri Lanka's new Government on May 7 said that a domestic mechanism will be in place by September to probe into the alleged human rights violations during the final stages of decades-long war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), reports Press Trust of India. Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that the domestic mechanism with foreign technical expertise to probe into the allegations of war crimes will be in place when next United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session will meet in Geneva in September. "All I can say is that we will have a domestic mechanism in place in time when the 30th session of UNHRC commences in September," Samaraweera said in Colombo. "We promised the people a domestic mechanism to look into human rights violations. There is a timeline for its setting up. We do have a timeline, we are working according to a timetable even now. I think we will be able to meet the timeline," he added. Colombo Page adds that the Foreign Minister's statement comes days after United States (US) Secretary of State John Kerry urged Sri Lankan leaders to "find truth wherever it may lead." During his brief visit to Colombo on May 2 when he was briefed on the steps being taken by the Government to promote reconciliation and address post conflict issues including missing persons, detainees and accountability, the top US official emphasized that Sri Lanka must find its own solutions to national issues. Appreciating the many positive steps that have already been taken by the Government, the Secretary offered US technical assistance for the measures, as required. The new Government is of the view that since Sri Lanka is not a signatory to the Rome statute on international jurisdiction to war crimes, the island would execute justice through its national independent judicial mechanism. However, the new Government's call for a domestic mechanism rather than an international probe has not found favour with the Tamils. They claim to have no faith in the domestic investigation based on past experiences going slow on them and producing nothing meaningful.
Read less...
May - 7 
The Governor of Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, Austin Fernando has strongly refuted criticism made in certain quarters about the Colombo’s decision to resettle Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), mostly Tamils, in Sampur town in Trincomalee District, reports The Hindu on May 8. According to the Gove
Read more...
The Governor of Sri Lanka’s Eastern Province, Austin Fernando has strongly refuted criticism made in certain quarters about the Colombo’s decision to resettle Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), mostly Tamils, in Sampur town in Trincomalee District, reports The Hindu on May 8. According to the Governor, critics of the Government sought to portray the move as one being carried out at the behest of Indian Government or as “sell out to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)” or “politically motivated.” He added that of 1,272 IDP families, 447 families were resettled, “all during the previous [Mahinda Rajapaksa] government,” and the remaining 825 families would be covered once the Naval Recruit Training Centre is relocated in six months.
Read less...
May - 8 
Smaller political parties in Sri Lanka, which represents minority communities have expressed their opposition to the proposed 20th amendment to the constitution which incorporates reforms to the electoral system, reports The Hindu on May 9. “We are opposed to the move of bringing electoral reforms a
Read more...
Smaller political parties in Sri Lanka, which represents minority communities have expressed their opposition to the proposed 20th amendment to the constitution which incorporates reforms to the electoral system, reports The Hindu on May 9. “We are opposed to the move of bringing electoral reforms as an urgent bill. We are for reforming the system but we want the next election to be held under the existing system of proportional representation,” said Mano Ganesan, a leader of a Tamil political party. Tamil and Muslim minority political parties and the third largest majority Sinhala party, Janathā Vimukthi Peramuṇa (JVP) have held talks on the proposed 20th amendment which is likely to be presented in parliament on May 19. Under the new system, there would be more seats in Parliament than the current 225.Political parties are yet to agree on the new system.
Read less...
May - 8 
State Minister of Defence Dinendra Ruwan Wijewardene on May 8 said that the language barrier between the Sinhala and Tamil communities was one of the reasons for the prolonged ethnic conflict that had plagued the nation for three decades, reports Colombo Page. While speaking at a ceremony held at th
Read more...
State Minister of Defence Dinendra Ruwan Wijewardene on May 8 said that the language barrier between the Sinhala and Tamil communities was one of the reasons for the prolonged ethnic conflict that had plagued the nation for three decades, reports Colombo Page. While speaking at a ceremony held at the Security Forces Headquarters in Jaffna to award certificates to Sri Lanka Army personnel who completed a Tamil language proficiency course conducted by the Army, Minister Wijewardene said both the Sinhala and Tamil communities should learn each other's languages in order to develop better understanding with each other. The unawareness of languages between the Northern and Southern communities was one of the reasons that led to the rift between the two communities and some extremist forces within these communities took it to their advantage and as a result the nation lost many invaluable lives and resources, the Minister added.
Read less...
May - 9 
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Leader R. Sampanthan on May 9 said that the Tamil people should be given a suitable political solution soon, reports Daily News. Sampanthan further said that “They (Tamils) should also be given equal rights and Tamil people had complete confidence in present President M
Read more...
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Leader R. Sampanthan on May 9 said that the Tamil people should be given a suitable political solution soon, reports Daily News. Sampanthan further said that “They (Tamils) should also be given equal rights and Tamil people had complete confidence in present President Maithripala Sirisena.” Sampanthan said "President Sirisena should convince his electorate that Tamils in the North should be given their lands. We have never asked to divide the country. We have very clearly said that a political solution should be formulated through a local process”. The TNA Leader also added that his party was ready to negotiate with the present Government in this regard.
Read less...
May - 12 
Some Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) on May 12 announced that the period May 13 to 19 would be marked as ‘Tamil Genocide Week’ and began commemorating the dead with a function in Mullavaikkal in Mullaitivu District where the final battle was fought in 2
Read more...
Some Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) on May 12 announced that the period May 13 to 19 would be marked as ‘Tamil Genocide Week’ and began commemorating the dead with a function in Mullavaikkal in Mullaitivu District where the final battle was fought in 2009, reports Daily Mirror. The military defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on May 19 (2009) - which is marked and celebrated as Victory Day in the country. TNA NPC member M.K. Sivajilingam said “We lit lamps and offered floral tributes at a small function in Mullavaikkal in Mullaitivu District. This week we will have commemorations throughout the North. We requested the party hierarchy to hold the main function on May 19.” He also said that he was backed by a few other members of the TNA in this exercise. However, it is learnt that the TNA, as a party, has not organised any such commemoration.
Read less...
May - 13 
Minister for Resettlement, Reconstruction and Hindu Religious Affairs, D.M. Swaminathan said that only 35 percent of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in Tamil Nadu (India) are willing to return to Sri Lanka, reports Colombo Page. Swaminathan, who received 65 Tamil refugees on their arrival at the Ba
Read more...
Minister for Resettlement, Reconstruction and Hindu Religious Affairs, D.M. Swaminathan said that only 35 percent of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees living in Tamil Nadu (India) are willing to return to Sri Lanka, reports Colombo Page. Swaminathan, who received 65 Tamil refugees on their arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Colombo on May 13, said that of most of about 100,000 refugees in Tamil Nadu had got jobs there, married had children. "Not all of them will come here. It is all rubbish", he said. The Minister added that earlier, those returning to Sri Lanka had to face interrogation that would go on for four to five hours. "The refugees were scared of interrogation" and this was "the basic problem" that came in their way to return home. "We are trying to reduce its duration of to the extent possible," he said. Emphasizing that his Government would welcome all those refugees who were willing to return, Swaminathan noted that some of the returnees had Indian passports and they can come back to Sri Lanka under the dual citizenship system. He urged those refugees who were planning to return to tell his Ministry in advance so that facilities could be provided on their return.
Read less...
May - 13 
Sri Lankan Government on May 13 warned that any attempt to commemorate Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the sixth anniversary of the end of the three-decade long civil war will not be condoned, reports Business Standard. Senior Minister Karu Jayasuriya said that "Anyone trying to commemor
Read more...
Sri Lankan Government on May 13 warned that any attempt to commemorate Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on the sixth anniversary of the end of the three-decade long civil war will not be condoned, reports Business Standard. Senior Minister Karu Jayasuriya said that "Anyone trying to commemorate the LTTE which was a terror group will not be approved by the government. There are elements who want to misuse the new democratic freedom in the country to show that terrorism could rise its head again." The Government's response came as some members of the Tamil-controlled Northern Provincial Council (NPC) on May 12 inaugurated a week-long commemoration of the Tamils who died in the final battle with the army in 2009. However, M K Shvajilingam, a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) member dismissed the accusations that he was commemorating the fallen LTTE members.
Read less...
May - 14 
According to Prime Minister (PM) Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Sri Lankan Government is planning to set up a commission to probe the killing and disappearances of media persons in the past, reports Colombo Page. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on May 14 said that during a recent discussion he had wi
Read more...
According to Prime Minister (PM) Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Sri Lankan Government is planning to set up a commission to probe the killing and disappearances of media persons in the past, reports Colombo Page. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on May 14 said that during a recent discussion he had with media personnel and other stakeholders, it was decided that such a commission should be established in consultation and concurrence with media groups, civil society organizations and other relevant partners. The PM noted that the harassment and intimidation on media institutions and journalists which prevailed in the past have stopped under the 'good governance' established since President Maithripala Sirisena assumed office. PM also said he expects the media to make written submissions over the past incidents of attacks on media personnel and institutions.
Read less...
May - 14 
Sri Lankan Government on May 14 reiterated that Sri Lanka has not faced pressure from the Tamil diaspora after the January 8, 2015 Presidential elections, reports Colombo Page. Cabinet spokesman and the Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Rajitha Senaratne said that earlier there were reports
Read more...
Sri Lankan Government on May 14 reiterated that Sri Lanka has not faced pressure from the Tamil diaspora after the January 8, 2015 Presidential elections, reports Colombo Page. Cabinet spokesman and the Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Rajitha Senaratne said that earlier there were reports of the diaspora staging protests in foreign countries against Sri Lanka. However, as the country prepares to commemorate six years since the end of the war, Senaratne noted that the diaspora has gone silent since the Government is addressing the concerns of the Tamils. The Minister said that “Earlier the media reported on the Tamil diaspora protesting near the UN and other places. Now we don’t see such media reports”. He said that he did not feel events held in the North this week to commemorate the victims of the war was a commemoration of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
Read less...
May - 14 
Supporting the Government’s position, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader M.A. Sumanthiran said that “TNA, even in 2010, a year after the end of the War, had called upon people to remember the dead without any reference to the LTTE or religion. Its point was there should be “no sense of triumph
Read more...
Supporting the Government’s position, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader M.A. Sumanthiran said that “TNA, even in 2010, a year after the end of the War, had called upon people to remember the dead without any reference to the LTTE or religion. Its point was there should be “no sense of triumphalism” but a “feeling of regret and sadness”, adds The Hindu.
Read less...
May - 14 
The Member of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) and former Member of Parliament (MP) M.K. Shivajilingam said that as part of the “genocidal week,” beginning on May 12, he took part in functions in Mullivaikkal, Trincomalee and Point Pedro in the last three days to pay homage to all those who die
Read more...
The Member of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) and former Member of Parliament (MP) M.K. Shivajilingam said that as part of the “genocidal week,” beginning on May 12, he took part in functions in Mullivaikkal, Trincomalee and Point Pedro in the last three days to pay homage to all those who died in the War” “The dead included those who belonged to the LTTE,” said Shivajilingam, who is the national organiser of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO), now a political party.
Read less...
May - 14 
The Minister also invited Northern Provincial Councilors (NPC) to attend the “Remembrance Day” functions which will be held next week in Southern Province. “We are inviting all. We’ll see whether they are coming,” Rajitha Senaratne said.
Read more...
The Minister also invited Northern Provincial Councilors (NPC) to attend the “Remembrance Day” functions which will be held next week in Southern Province. “We are inviting all. We’ll see whether they are coming,” Rajitha Senaratne said.
Read less...
May - 17 
A London-based Tamil diaspora group, Global Tamil Forum (GTF) hailed Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena as an "emerging patriot and statesman" by "word and example", reports Colombo Page. GTF President Father S.J. Emmanuel in his message to mark May 18, the day Sri Lankan Security Forces (SFs
Read more...
A London-based Tamil diaspora group, Global Tamil Forum (GTF) hailed Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena as an "emerging patriot and statesman" by "word and example", reports Colombo Page. GTF President Father S.J. Emmanuel in his message to mark May 18, the day Sri Lankan Security Forces (SFs) ended the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorism six years ago said that President Maithripala Sirisena, by word and example, is appealing to all to put the country and the people before political parties and seek a peaceful coexistence of all peoples. "The new government and the progressive forces from all communities are identifying some root causes which ruined the county in the past and are able to identify the fundamentals for a peaceful coexistence of all," the GTF President said recalling that some of President's predecessors have publicly made serious and erroneous remarks about the Tamils. He also praised the current Government for toning down the marking of May 18 as a ‘victory day’ for the majority Sinhalese and instead allowing a commemoration of all the fallen in the war. "It is a welcome move, a distant silver-line at the end of the tunnel, or at least as a first step, on the long road to achieving a peaceful future," the GTF leader said.
Read less...
May - 17 
Despite the ban on pro-LTTE commemorations in Mullaitivu District, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) - controlled Northern Provincial Council (NPC) intends to have a function in the North on May 18 to pay to tribute to those who lost their lives, party officials said on May 17, reports Daily Mirror.
Read more...
Despite the ban on pro-LTTE commemorations in Mullaitivu District, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) - controlled Northern Provincial Council (NPC) intends to have a function in the North on May 18 to pay to tribute to those who lost their lives, party officials said on May 17, reports Daily Mirror. TNA MP (Member of Parliament) Suresh Premachandran said that the NCP organized event was originally to be conducted in Mullivaikkal, the area where the last battle was fought between the LTTE and the Security Forces (SFs) on May 18, 2009 ending three decades of war. The venue had to be changed following the court order that banned any form of LTTE commemoration in the area, he added. He also criticised the Government for not allowing such functions.
Read less...
May - 18 
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, while attending a commemoration on May 18 accused the Sirisena Government of forgetting the troops who were responsible for the crushing the LTTE’s 30-year campaign, adds The Hindu. “Please take revenge from me, put me in jail, but do not forget the heroic forces,
Read more...
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, while attending a commemoration on May 18 accused the Sirisena Government of forgetting the troops who were responsible for the crushing the LTTE’s 30-year campaign, adds The Hindu. “Please take revenge from me, put me in jail, but do not forget the heroic forces,” Rajapaksa told the gathering.
Read less...
May - 18 
On the request of Mullaitivu Police, the Mullaitivu Magistrate Court on May 16 issued an order banning people from holding any Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) commemoration events or remembrance events in the Mullaitivu Police Division in Mullaitivu District of Northern Province for 14 days
Read more...
On the request of Mullaitivu Police, the Mullaitivu Magistrate Court on May 16 issued an order banning people from holding any Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) commemoration events or remembrance events in the Mullaitivu Police Division in Mullaitivu District of Northern Province for 14 days starting from May 18, reports Colombo Page. Police have sought the court order after learning that Tamil National People's Front (TNPF) was planning to hold an LTTE-remembrance event at Mullivaikal in Mullaitivu District on May 18.
Read less...
May - 18 
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its several affiliates have called for more dialogue and discussion on improving working conditions for journalists in Sri Lanka if the country is to rebuild a strong, robust and professional media industry in the country, reports Colombo Page on
Read more...
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its several affiliates have called for more dialogue and discussion on improving working conditions for journalists in Sri Lanka if the country is to rebuild a strong, robust and professional media industry in the country, reports Colombo Page on May 19. In a statement on May 18, the media organizations highlighting some of the obstacles preventing journalists from joining and being active in unions said further support was needed for journalists in exile trying to return. They said further work was still urgently needed to ensure the media industry in Sri Lanka to grow and thrive. The media group also asked the Government to create an independent Commission of Inquiry with a mandate and adequate powers to investigate past killings and disappearances of media workers, threats and attacks on journalists and media outlets and to ensure prosecution of those responsible and pay compensation to the victims and their families.
Read less...
May - 18 
The President of the TNPF Gajan Ponnambalam in a Twitter message said that the Police have obtained a ban on the "Tamil Genocide Remembrance Event" organized for Monday (May 18) in Mullivaikal. In another Twitter message Ponnambalam said the Police told him that another organization wants to commemo
Read more...
The President of the TNPF Gajan Ponnambalam in a Twitter message said that the Police have obtained a ban on the "Tamil Genocide Remembrance Event" organized for Monday (May 18) in Mullivaikal. In another Twitter message Ponnambalam said the Police told him that another organization wants to commemorate the same event in Mullaitivu which might cause a breach of peace. However, the Police have not answered when he queried whether the other organization has also been banned from commemorating the event.
Read less...
May - 18 
The Hindu adds that in a function organized at the Mullivaikkal beach in Mullaitivu District, Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran urged that the Sri Lankan Government and international community to take a decision on the Tamil question. He said, “This in turn could usher in peac
Read more...
The Hindu adds that in a function organized at the Mullivaikkal beach in Mullaitivu District, Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran urged that the Sri Lankan Government and international community to take a decision on the Tamil question. He said, “This in turn could usher in peace and dignity among various communities in Sri Lanka.”. “The environment is now much more positive. Without delay, we must work towards the all important goal of maximum devolution for the Tamil speaking people,” he added.
Read less...
May - 19 
President Maithripala Sirisena, while addressing the ‘War Hero’s Day’ celebrations at the coastal town of Matara in Southern Province on May 19 said that achieving national reconciliation with the minority Tamil community is a priority for the new Sri Lankan Government and winning hearts and minds i
Read more...
President Maithripala Sirisena, while addressing the ‘War Hero’s Day’ celebrations at the coastal town of Matara in Southern Province on May 19 said that achieving national reconciliation with the minority Tamil community is a priority for the new Sri Lankan Government and winning hearts and minds is more important than reconstructing war-devastated buildings, reports The Hindu. Attending the celebrations as the country marked the 6th anniversary of the end of the conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that killed over 40,000 persons, Sirisena said that “National reconciliation build on mutual trust, confidence and respect of all communities is my government’s policy.” Sirisena, however, pledged the Government’s support for the military. “I have the fullest confidence in you (the troops) to safeguard the security of our motherland,” he said, accusing his rivals of spreading “false propaganda” against the Government. He also assured that he would not allow the LTTE to raise its head again.
Read less...
May - 19 
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on May 19 praised the efforts of the country's soldiers for defeating the armed movement, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), stating that "war heroes who eliminated terrorism that engulfed our country for a longtime laid the basic foundation to build nat
Read more...
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on May 19 praised the efforts of the country's soldiers for defeating the armed movement, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), stating that "war heroes who eliminated terrorism that engulfed our country for a longtime laid the basic foundation to build national unity and harmony", reports defence.lk. While speaking at a commemoration function, recently renamed as 'Armed Forces Day' in Matara in Southern Province, the Prime Minister said "We should remember with gratitude and respect our men and women who laid their lives in combating terrorism, peace keeping and humanitarian operations across the world and the ones who became disabled while doing their duty diligently."
Read less...
May - 20 
State Minister of Defense Ruwan Wijewardena on May 20 strongly rejected the allegation made by the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and opposition MPs (Member of Parliament) who had stated that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) flag was hoisted in parts of the Northern Province on May 18
Read more...
State Minister of Defense Ruwan Wijewardena on May 20 strongly rejected the allegation made by the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and opposition MPs (Member of Parliament) who had stated that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) flag was hoisted in parts of the Northern Province on May 18 when Sri Lanka commemorated the sixth year of defeating LTTE terrorism, reports Colombo Page. The Minister said that "Report received from intelligence agencies state no such incident being staged in the Northern or Eastern Provinces. These rumors are spread by certain persons with vested interests, media sources and social web sites to achieve their own political agendas." He also said no incidents of this nature had been reported from the region and this reflects the disapproval of the people of the North and East in the resurgence of terrorism. The Minister requested the people to be vigilant about campaigns carried out by certain social media websites using media reports and video clippings of recent LTTE commemorative events held in some countries including South India.
Read less...
May - 24 
President Maithripala Sirisena on May 24 said that Sri Lankan Government plans to devise a comprehensive national security plan covering all aspects of necessary areas of security in the country, reports Colombo Page. During an observation visit to the Security Forces Headquarters - East (SFHQ-E) in
Read more...
President Maithripala Sirisena on May 24 said that Sri Lankan Government plans to devise a comprehensive national security plan covering all aspects of necessary areas of security in the country, reports Colombo Page. During an observation visit to the Security Forces Headquarters - East (SFHQ-E) in Welikanda in Polonnaruwa District in North Central Province, the President said that national security plan has already been taken up in the National Security Council and will be finalized shortly with the support of tri-services after consultations. Report added that the Lankan Government is of the view that although Sri Lanka today has no immediate requirement for offensive military operations, security measures must be in place to prevent any resurgence of terrorist activity and to secure the peace the country achieved in 2009 after a three-decade long war with the Tamil terrorist group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Highlighting few of the projects that have been implemented for the greater benefit of the Security Forces (SFs) at all levels Sirisena assured that all aspects of welfare and facilities of the tri-service personnel will be looked after to ensure all possible assistance for the troops to lead comfortable lives.
Read less...
May - 26 
Sri Lanka's wartime Army chief, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said that his conscience is clear and he would welcome a war crimes investigation to prove his innocence, reports Colombo Page on May 27. In an interview, he said "The allegations are there, we have to clear our name." While accepting that
Read more...
Sri Lanka's wartime Army chief, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka said that his conscience is clear and he would welcome a war crimes investigation to prove his innocence, reports Colombo Page on May 27. In an interview, he said "The allegations are there, we have to clear our name." While accepting that some crimes occurred during the war, Fonseka insists that these were acts of individual offenders, and not systematic. "The army as a whole, I can give the assurance that we never committed war crimes," he said. "There were no rapes, no torture during my command during the war. I know there have been a couple of allegations. But there should not be reason to try to declare war against the media or against the international community. We can clarify it," he added. General Fonseka was the head of the Sri Lankan Army that defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May 2009, ending Sri Lanka's 26-year long civil war. After the war, a United Nations Secretary General's panel of experts reported that both Government forces and the LTTE had potentially committed serious human rights violations in the final stages of the war.
Read less...
May - 29 
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on May 29 expressed fears about the possibility of a revival of the defunct terrorist organization, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in the country, reports Colombo Page. While speaking to media in Anuradhapura in North Central Province, he said that "I hav
Read more...
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on May 29 expressed fears about the possibility of a revival of the defunct terrorist organization, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in the country, reports Colombo Page. While speaking to media in Anuradhapura in North Central Province, he said that "I have a suspicion that we may return to see terrorism. We don't want to see that happening we want everyone to live in peace and harmony." Rajapaksa also accused President Maithripala Sirisena of relaxing security in the North to cater to the demand of the Tamils in the Northern Province to demilitarize the former conflict-affected areas. Report also adds that according to political observers, raising fears of an LTTE revival could help the former President, who plans to contest parliamentary polls to make a political comeback, to win the elections. Rajapaksa loyalists in the former ruling party, United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) are leading the campaign to get him appointed as the Prime Minister. However, the Government has assured that it will never allow the terrorist group to revive in the country and condemned those trying to raise fears for political mileage.
Read less...
May - 29 
President Maithripala Sirisena on May 29 said that he has already instructed the relevant authorities to reopen files relating to the abductions and assassinations of journalists during the past few years, reports Daily News. The President, while handing over a cash grant to Sandiya Ekneligoda, wife
Read more...
President Maithripala Sirisena on May 29 said that he has already instructed the relevant authorities to reopen files relating to the abductions and assassinations of journalists during the past few years, reports Daily News. The President, while handing over a cash grant to Sandiya Ekneligoda, wife of missing journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda at the Sri Lanka Bar Association Auditorium in Colombo, said that "Impartial, methodical and justifiable investigations will be carried out in to the abductions of journalists, since the government strongly believes that the rule of law should be protected. Accordingly, investigations will be carried out promptly and recommenced into all suppressed misconducts." Sirisena added that the Government has clearly understood that it is duty bound to establish justice for the victimized journalists. He noted that the Government opened doors for good governance after January 8.
Read less...
June - 6 
In an interview, Northern Provincial Council (NPC) member Ananthy Sasistharan, wife of a senior functionary of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) claimed that her husband, Sasistharan alias Elilan surrendered to the Sri Lankan forces on the advice of Indian Member of Parliament (MP), Kanimo
Read more...
In an interview, Northern Provincial Council (NPC) member Ananthy Sasistharan, wife of a senior functionary of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) claimed that her husband, Sasistharan alias Elilan surrendered to the Sri Lankan forces on the advice of Indian Member of Parliament (MP), Kanimozhi belonging to Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), reports Daily Mirror on June 7. Ananthy said that “it was after his conversation with Ms. Kanimozhi in Mullivaikkal at about 8 p.m. on May 16, 2009, my husband chose to surrender himself to the forces. This is not the first time that I am saying this. So far, there has been no response from the other side. It is time Karunanidhi Ayya and Ms. Kanimozhi break their silence and tell the world who were all behind the entire episode.” When asked if her husband had any other option, she said, “He might have taken cyanide pills as he had two.” However, she said she was not aware of the instructions of the LTTE to its members in such an eventuality.
Read less...
June - 7 
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader, K.D. Lalkantha on June 7 visited the Sampur area in the Trincomalee District in Eastern Province on a fact finding mission, reports Colombo Page. Lalkantha said that the visit was aimed at inspecting the plight of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) yet to
Read more...
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader, K.D. Lalkantha on June 7 visited the Sampur area in the Trincomalee District in Eastern Province on a fact finding mission, reports Colombo Page. Lalkantha said that the visit was aimed at inspecting the plight of the internally displaced persons (IDPs) yet to be resettled in Sampur and the obstruction posed by the proposed coal power plant. He explained that the people possess the right to return to their original lands in Sampur and that authorities should be mindful of the environment and health hazards posed by the proposed plant. He added that the relevant surveys, studies and reports on the coal plant had been prepared before the people started to return to their original lands in Sampur.
Read less...
June - 10 
Emphasizing that the Sri Lanka Police continue to maintain security in Jaffna, the Sri Lanka Army affirmed on June 10 that there is no military administration whatsoever in the Northern Provincial capital, Jaffna, reports Colombo Page. Security Forces (SFs) Commander in Jaffna Major General Nandana
Read more...
Emphasizing that the Sri Lanka Police continue to maintain security in Jaffna, the Sri Lanka Army affirmed on June 10 that there is no military administration whatsoever in the Northern Provincial capital, Jaffna, reports Colombo Page. Security Forces (SFs) Commander in Jaffna Major General Nandana Udawatta said that the military is not involved in civilian administration and there was no security threat to the Jaffna peninsula after the Presidential Election held on January 8, 2015. He denied the reports that extra troops had been sent to Jaffna following the recent incident of rape and murder of school girl Sivaloganathan Vithiya, which triggered violence in the area. The commander also said that 19,159 acres of Government and private lands in the Jaffna Peninsula occupied by the military including 6,258 acres of land in the Palaly high security zone have been released. He added that most of the owners of the released lands are in the overseas. Udawatta noted that in 1996 an extent of 11,600 acres of land was in the custody of the Palaly high security zone. It has been reduced to 5,371 acres now. The number of army camps in the peninsula has been reduced to 93 from 151 but the camps have not been withdrawn from strategic areas which could bring about a risk to national security, he said.
Read less...
June - 16 
Army on June 16 denied media reports which said that 59 Army camps in Jaffna District of Northern Province have been closed since January 2015 after the new Government was established, reports Colombo Page. Issuing a statement, the Army Headquarters categorically denied the reports to the effect tha
Read more...
Army on June 16 denied media reports which said that 59 Army camps in Jaffna District of Northern Province have been closed since January 2015 after the new Government was established, reports Colombo Page. Issuing a statement, the Army Headquarters categorically denied the reports to the effect that 59 Army camps have been closed down in Jaffna since January 2015 and gave an account on the factual position in its correct perspective.
Read less...
June - 23 
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has told Parliament on June 23 that the Government has not made any decision to withdraw military camps from war-torn north and east, reports Colombo Page. The Prime Minister said the decision to withdraw camps is left for the Army to take and when such decisions
Read more...
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has told Parliament on June 23 that the Government has not made any decision to withdraw military camps from war-torn north and east, reports Colombo Page. The Prime Minister said the decision to withdraw camps is left for the Army to take and when such decisions are made Parliament would be informed. Responding to a query by opposition concerning the military camp at Sampur in Trincomalee District of the Eastern Province, the Prime Minister said the withdrawal of the Sampur camp had been done on the basis of a decision taken by the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's Government.
Read less...
June - 29 
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) asked the Government to release Tamil political prisoners before holding a festival for Tamil diaspora, reports Colombo Page on June 29. Former TNA parliamentarian from Batticaloa District, P. Ariyanenthiran said that the Tamils cannot accept holding a festival for the
Read more...
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) asked the Government to release Tamil political prisoners before holding a festival for Tamil diaspora, reports Colombo Page on June 29. Former TNA parliamentarian from Batticaloa District, P. Ariyanenthiran said that the Tamils cannot accept holding a festival for the Tamil diaspora before the Government takes measures to release the Tamil political prisoners in jail.In order to encourage Tamil diaspora members to engage and contribute to efforts in Sri Lanka, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has proposed to organize a diaspora festival in Colombo later this year.
Read less...
July - 11 
N.Vithyatharan coordinator of Crusaders for Democracy (CFD), an organization of ex-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadre and their supporters on July 11 said that CFD will be putting up ten former LTTE militants in the Jaffna-Kilinochchi electoral District for the August 17 Parliamentary ele
Read more...
N.Vithyatharan coordinator of Crusaders for Democracy (CFD), an organization of ex-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadre and their supporters on July 11 said that CFD will be putting up ten former LTTE militants in the Jaffna-Kilinochchi electoral District for the August 17 Parliamentary elections as Independents, reports Indian Express. Vithyatharan said that following the rejection of their applications by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), CFD decided to put its candidates up as Independents.
Read less...
July - 21 
Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on July 21 denied allegations that he gave money to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), saying the ruling coalition leaders have been trying to “mislead voters” ahead of the parliament elections next month, reports The Indian Express. Dismissing
Read more...
Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on July 21 denied allegations that he gave money to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), saying the ruling coalition leaders have been trying to “mislead voters” ahead of the parliament elections next month, reports The Indian Express. Dismissing the allegations made by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the former President’s office in a statement said, “Firstly, former president Rajapaksa did not give money to the LTTE. On the contrary, it was he who defeated the LTTE. Secondly, no Presidential Commission has recommended that Rajapaksa be deprived of his civic rights. Thirdly a Presidential Commission of Inquiry cannot deprive anybody of his civic rights unless parliament passes a resolution to that effect with a two thirds majority.”
Read less...
July - 23 
Cabinet Spokesman Minister Rajitha Senaratne said on July 23 that the Prime Minister at the cabinet briefing on July 22 has instructed the security authorities to arrest the family members of the slain IS member, and question them to find out whether they also have any connections to the militants a
Read more...
Cabinet Spokesman Minister Rajitha Senaratne said on July 23 that the Prime Minister at the cabinet briefing on July 22 has instructed the security authorities to arrest the family members of the slain IS member, and question them to find out whether they also have any connections to the militants and whether he was a part of a Jihadi network in Sri Lanka. The Inspector General of Police has also instructed Central Province Police authorities to conduct investigations into the slain ISIS militant.
Read less...
July - 23 
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was always an obstacle to reach a peaceful solution to the national issue, reports Colombo Gazette on July 24. Samaraweera said that the terrorism the LTTE unleashed, even against the Tamil people, resulted in
Read more...
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) was always an obstacle to reach a peaceful solution to the national issue, reports Colombo Gazette on July 24. Samaraweera said that the terrorism the LTTE unleashed, even against the Tamil people, resulted in the Tigers being proscribed in many countries. He said the solution to the national question is not a separate state as the LTTE mistakenly believed, but a solution which can address the genuine grievances of the Tamil people within a united and undivided Sri Lanka.
Read less...
July - 23 
Sri Lanka's Muslim clerics' organization, All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) on July 23 announced that it vehemently denounces terrorist activities and violence unleashed by the Islamic State (IS), reports Colombo Page. The President of the ACJU, Ash Sheikh Mufthi M.I.M. Rizwie said “We condemn in
Read more...
Sri Lanka's Muslim clerics' organization, All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) on July 23 announced that it vehemently denounces terrorist activities and violence unleashed by the Islamic State (IS), reports Colombo Page. The President of the ACJU, Ash Sheikh Mufthi M.I.M. Rizwie said “We condemn in unequivocal terms all forms of violence and extremism. The ISIS is a violent extremist organization which acts against the fundamental teachings of Islam.”
Read less...
July - 23 
The Sri Lankan Army on July 23 said that its involvement in the Northern Province is limited “only to demining, construction works and infrastructure development in connection with the resettlement of people”, reports The Hindu. Responding to a questionnaire sent by The Hindu last month on the statu
Read more...
The Sri Lankan Army on July 23 said that its involvement in the Northern Province is limited “only to demining, construction works and infrastructure development in connection with the resettlement of people”, reports The Hindu. Responding to a questionnaire sent by The Hindu last month on the status of the Army’s presence in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, it said: “We have almost totally disengaged [ourselves] from non-military activities.” On a question about the Army’s plan to close down camps in the North, it said since the end of the “humanitarian operation” [that’s how the Eelam War IV is called in the Army’s parlance] in May 2009, the deployment of troops had been “regularly reviewed” based on “threat assessment, national security concerns and strategic implications”. Accordingly, troop deployment had been “readjusted on several occasions. This is a continuous process and the number of troops and bases will be in accordance with the national security concerns.”Earlier, the Oakland Institute, a United States (US)-based policy think tank, reported the Army has “expanded” itself into “non-military activities” and is “engaged in large-scale development, construction projects and business ventures”.
Read less...
July - 25 
Sri Lanka's main Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in its manifesto released on July 25 reiterated its demand for a power sharing arrangement in a unit of a re-merged Northern and Eastern Provinces under a federal structure as it existed earlier, reports Colombo Page. The TNA said the Tamil
Read more...
Sri Lanka's main Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in its manifesto released on July 25 reiterated its demand for a power sharing arrangement in a unit of a re-merged Northern and Eastern Provinces under a federal structure as it existed earlier, reports Colombo Page. The TNA said the Tamil People are entitled to the right to self-determination and the Tamil Speaking Northern and Eastern Provinces are the historical habitation of the Tamil People and the Tamil Speaking Peoples. The coalition of four Tamil parties noted that the Tamil speaking Muslims in the two provinces will be entitled to be beneficiaries of all power-sharing arrangements in the North-East. "This will no way inflict any disability on any People," the manifesto noted.
Read less...
July - 26 
At least one other Sri Lankan, going by the ISIS nom de guerre Abu Dhujaana Seylani, is also thought to be with ISIS in Syria, adds The Nation. The intelligence official however, noted that ISIS sympathizers within the country at present was a ‘very small element’, but cautioned that if the group wa
Read more...
At least one other Sri Lankan, going by the ISIS nom de guerre Abu Dhujaana Seylani, is also thought to be with ISIS in Syria, adds The Nation. The intelligence official however, noted that ISIS sympathizers within the country at present was a ‘very small element’, but cautioned that if the group was allowed to develop, it could pose a serious national security threat. The source also confirmed that ISIS had mainly been using social media to lure young recruits from Sri Lanka to its cause. Some of these people are thought to have made their way to Syria afterwards, where ISIS has established its so-called ‘Caliphate’, which also includes parts of Iraq. “While we are currently trying to track these individuals both here and abroad, there needs to be a long-term strategy and coordination at international level to counter the threat,” the official said.
Read less...
July - 26 
Sri Lanka's main Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on July 26 demanded that the country frame a new Constitution to address a host of issues it’s grappling with, including the Tamil question, reports The Hindu. R. Sampanthan, leader of the TNA, said that “everybody wants a new Constitution.
Read more...
Sri Lanka's main Tamil party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on July 26 demanded that the country frame a new Constitution to address a host of issues it’s grappling with, including the Tamil question, reports The Hindu. R. Sampanthan, leader of the TNA, said that “everybody wants a new Constitution. Even the Sinhalese leadership wants a new Constitution. There are many matters that, to me, [call for] a new Constitution.” Elaborating further, Sampanthan, who is contesting from the Trincomalee electoral District in the Eastern Province, said “There is a view in the country that the 1978 Constitution has outlived its period.” A new Constitution should address not only the Tamil question but also other issues such as electoral reforms, human rights, corruption, right to information and public procurement, he added.
Read less...
July - 29 
Minister for Energy and Power and the leader of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Patali Champika Ranawaka on July 29 called upon Sri Lankan Tamils to integrate themselves with the majority Sinhalese community, reports The Hindu. Ranawaka said the 30-year-old Ealam War has deteriorated the socio-economic
Read more...
Minister for Energy and Power and the leader of Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), Patali Champika Ranawaka on July 29 called upon Sri Lankan Tamils to integrate themselves with the majority Sinhalese community, reports The Hindu. Ranawaka said the 30-year-old Ealam War has deteriorated the socio-economic development of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka. Contrasting the case of the Tamils with those of plantation workers of Indian origin and Muslims, Ranawaka said the other two communities had progressed well because “they simply integrate [themselves] with the Sinhalese.” He added that if the Tamils followed suit, “they can [also] achieve a lot.” Describing the Sri Lankan society “as a compassionate society”, he said that “our country is based on Buddhist philosophy, which teaches us that all people, all human beings are equal. No caste or no creed.” Calling the present political climate “very peaceful”, the Minister asserted that the Government machinery, including the state media, were now “totally free”.
Read less...
July - 30 
Sri Lankan Government on July 30 refused to comment on a document a British television station claims could undermine international investigations into the war, reports Colombo Gazette. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mahishini Colonne said the Government was aware of the British Channel 4 News report
Read more...
Sri Lankan Government on July 30 refused to comment on a document a British television station claims could undermine international investigations into the war, reports Colombo Gazette. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mahishini Colonne said the Government was aware of the British Channel 4 News report on the document but will not comment on such media reports. Channel 4 News reported this week that it has been supplied with the leaked United Nations (UN) document which it claim could pre-empt and undermine September’s Human Rights Council discussion on a UN’s long-awaited investigation into crimes committed at the end of Sri Lanka’s 26-year civil war. According to the UN tens of thousands of Tamil civilians died in the closing stages of the Sri Lankan military’s war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The UN says most of those civilians died in government shelling as they were crammed into ever-diminishing “No Fire Zones” – though the LTTE cadres are also alleged to have committed grave abuses including suicide bombings and the use of human shields. Channel 4 News said the document appears to be have been created by the UN in conjunction with the Sri Lankan Government, and outlines plans to set up a purely domestic inquiry into human rights violations – with technical support from the UN. However, the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) chief minister, CV Wigneswaran, told Channel 4 News that the UN had not even consulted them in this regard.
Read less...
July - 31 
Nations (UN) Spokesman for the Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric on July 31 said that it was exploring the provision of a broad package of technical and financial assistance to Sri Lanka at the request of the Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran, reports Colombo Page. The spoke
Read more...
Nations (UN) Spokesman for the Secretary-General Stéphane Dujarric on July 31 said that it was exploring the provision of a broad package of technical and financial assistance to Sri Lanka at the request of the Chief Minister of the Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran, reports Colombo Page. The spokesman said "In this regard, we're exploring provision of a broad package of technical and financial assistance at the request of the Chief Minister, also including the support of the Northern Province to bolster citizen confidence in the peace process,"
Read less...
August - 2 
Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said that Government has taken measures to restore provision of electricity connections free of charge to 20,000 resettled families in the North and East, reports Colombo Page on August 3. At present, 796,342 people from 232,828 families have been resettled in the
Read more...
Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne said that Government has taken measures to restore provision of electricity connections free of charge to 20,000 resettled families in the North and East, reports Colombo Page on August 3. At present, 796,342 people from 232,828 families have been resettled in the Northern and Eastern Provinces after the end of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorist war in 2009. The provision of access to electricity, water, sanitation etc. to resettled families is a responsibility of the Government. The Government will also grant an additional allocation of SLR 105 million to facilitate free domestic power supply connection to 5,000 resettled families this year.
Read less...
August - 3 
Major political parties in Sri Lanka have completely rejected the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)’s demand for federalism, reports The Hindu on August 4. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)-led United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA); United National Party (UNP)-led United National Front for Good Gover
Read more...
Major political parties in Sri Lanka have completely rejected the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)’s demand for federalism, reports The Hindu on August 4. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)-led United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA); United National Party (UNP)-led United National Front for Good Governance and the Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP) have, in unison, said the demand, if accepted, would lead to division of the country. Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, general secretary of the SLFP said, “Certain terms” will be interpreted to convey “different meanings” in Sri Lanka. Federalism is one of them and “if you say federalism, people would think you are for separatism”, he added. Earlier, TNA has stated in its manifesto that power sharing arrangements must be established based on a federal structure, as they existed during the merger of Northern and Eastern Provinces. At the time of the manifesto’s launch, the Alliance leader R. Sampanthan had expressed hope that the major political parties in the country would accept the demand.
Read less...
August - 4 
The Crusaders for Democracy, a group of former members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on August 4 urged the Sri Lankan Government to “honour its commitments” made in the past at the international level on the Tamil question, reports The Hindu. The group in its election manifesto, re
Read more...
The Crusaders for Democracy, a group of former members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on August 4 urged the Sri Lankan Government to “honour its commitments” made in the past at the international level on the Tamil question, reports The Hindu. The group in its election manifesto, released in Jaffna on August 4, said that according to the 1987 India-Sri Lanka Accord and the Oslo Communique of December 2002, the Sri Lankan Government had agreed to the concepts of federalism and internal self-determination, besides recognizing the Northern and Eastern Provinces as areas of historical habitation of Tamil speaking people. The manifesto wanted the creation of a mechanism that would facilitate self-rule of Tamils. N. Vithyatharan, coordinator of the group said that there was nothing new in the demands of the group. Everything was based on what the Sri Lankan Government had accepted. “We want them only to fulfil what they had promised at the international fora,” he said. While adhering itself to an undivided Sri Lanka, the group of former militants resolved that it would strive to achieve its goals through “peaceful and non-violent means”, Mr. Vithyatharan added.
Read less...
August - 4 
The Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Ajith P. Perera in a statement said it is clear that from the statements being made by Mahinda Rajapaksa, that the former president has amnesia since he has forgotten the past and asked the former leader to come up with a more intelligent slogan than racism and Li
Read more...
The Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Ajith P. Perera in a statement said it is clear that from the statements being made by Mahinda Rajapaksa, that the former president has amnesia since he has forgotten the past and asked the former leader to come up with a more intelligent slogan than racism and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to address the people, reports Colombo Page on August 5. The Minister said the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken the racism as his main slogan for each and every election held after 2005 but the people rejected this main theme on the 8th of January this year. Now he has forgotten that and is continuing to follow the same theme even during this election campaign, Perera pointed out. According to Rajapaksa if the LTTE was eliminated in 2009, Deputy Minister Ajith Perera questioned why he talks about LTTE raising its head again. He said the thirty year long war is like the beggar's wound to Rajapaksa. Perera said the most important fact that Rajapaksa has forgotten is the friendship he had with the LTTE. Rajapaksa had a very friendly relationship with LTTE, the Deputy Minister said. He reminded that Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman who is allegedly responsible for killing 600 Police officers and the murder of Bhikkus (Buddhist monk) at Aranthalawa was appointed as a Vice President of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) by Mahinda Rajapaksa. Perera also reminded that it was Mahinda Rajapaksa who directly gave Velupillai Prabhakaran a grant of LKR 800 million through Reconstruction and Development Agency (RADA); as a result of which Mahinda Rajapaksa with Prabhakaran's blessings won the Presidential election in 2005. If not for this gesture on the part of Prabhakaran, Mahinda Rajapaksa would have not become the President of this country, Perera said.
Read less...
August - 6 
Prime Minister (PM) and leader of the ruling United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremesinghe on August 6 assured the people of Sri Lanka not to fear over a resurgence of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as the country would be safeguarded with an excellent defense minister under a fut
Read more...
Prime Minister (PM) and leader of the ruling United National Party (UNP), Ranil Wickremesinghe on August 6 assured the people of Sri Lanka not to fear over a resurgence of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as the country would be safeguarded with an excellent defense minister under a future UNP Government, reports Colombo Page. Wickremesinghe said that the defense minister under a future UNP government will be President Maithripala Sirisena, who is the commander-in-chief. He said the people should not worry about the resurgence of LTTE, since if the UNP wins the parliamentary elections on August 17 national security would continue to be new Government's main focus. The PM recalled that the former president Mahinda Rajapaksa claimed that he eliminated the terrorism but now says the LTTE is reviving. He asked how that can be possible if the LTTE was eliminated.
Read less...
August - 9 
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on August 9 denied allegations that he had given the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) money in 2005 in order to win the then Presidential election, reports Colombo Gazette. In 2005 the LTTE had prevented the people from taking part in the elections, which al
Read more...
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on August 9 denied allegations that he had given the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) money in 2005 in order to win the then Presidential election, reports Colombo Gazette. In 2005 the LTTE had prevented the people from taking part in the elections, which allowed Rajapaksa to win with the support of the Sinhala votes in the South. Rajapaksa said that if he had given money to the LTTE he would not have taken much effort to try to defeat them. He said that if LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was alive today he would ask him if the story was really true. The former President also said that it was no secret who gave arms to the LTTE to defeat the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) and who really funded the LTTE. Rajapaksa also said that the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) is confident of winning the August 17 Parliamentary election and he is confident of being made the next Prime Minister.
Read less...
August - 9 
Meanwhile, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) member and United National Front for Good Governance Parliamentary candidate Champika Ranawaka on August 9 said he is ready to expose former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on some deals he had allegedly made with the LTTE through South Africa, reports Colombo Gazet
Read more...
Meanwhile, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) member and United National Front for Good Governance Parliamentary candidate Champika Ranawaka on August 9 said he is ready to expose former President Mahinda Rajapaksa on some deals he had allegedly made with the LTTE through South Africa, reports Colombo Gazette. Ranawaka also challenged Rajapaksa to face him in an open debate on claims Rajapaksa never gave funds to the LTTE. Ranawaka said that Rajapaksa is already under investigation over funds diverted to the LTTE through the Reconstruction and Development Agency (RADA). “We will be taking legal action against Rajapaksa in future in relation to this incident,” he said. Ranawaka also insisted that there is no chance of the LTTE regrouping in Sri Lanka and that the security forces will ensure the security of the country.
Read less...
August - 10 
Sri Lanka Police said there is a decline in the number of election law violations in this election compared to the previous elections, reports Colombo Page on August 11. According to the Police Media Spokesman Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ruwan Gunasekara, from June 26 to till noon Monda
Read more...
Sri Lanka Police said there is a decline in the number of election law violations in this election compared to the previous elections, reports Colombo Page on August 11. According to the Police Media Spokesman Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ruwan Gunasekara, from June 26 to till noon Monday (August 10) 197 incidents of election law violations have been reported to the Police and the Police had arrested 444 suspects in connection with those incidents. However, the election monitor People's Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said it has received 915 complaints of election law violations and election violence incidents in the run up to the general elections next week.
Read less...
August - 13 
Sri Lankan Government on August 13 insisted that there is no room for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to regroup in Sri Lanka and that the unity of the country will be maintained, reports Colombo Gazette. Power and Energy Minister and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary Champika
Read more...
Sri Lankan Government on August 13 insisted that there is no room for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to regroup in Sri Lanka and that the unity of the country will be maintained, reports Colombo Gazette. Power and Energy Minister and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) General Secretary Champika Ranawaka said that the current Government does not have double standards on the LTTE like the previous regime. He said that the former Government had maintained ties with the LTTE both during and after the war but the current Government has no ties with the rebels. “We will not leave room for democracy to be threatened. We are actually going through a new stage of democracy in the country and we will not allow that process to be harmed. We give a firm assurance on National Security,” he said.
Read less...
August - 14 
President Maithripala Sirisena on August 14 said a new constitution will be presented after the upcoming Parliamentary Elections to abolish the remaining powers of the executive presidency, reports Colombo Page. The President made this announcement during a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat wi
Read more...
President Maithripala Sirisena on August 14 said a new constitution will be presented after the upcoming Parliamentary Elections to abolish the remaining powers of the executive presidency, reports Colombo Page. The President made this announcement during a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat with the European and Commonwealth election observers who are in the country to observe August 17’s Parliamentary Elections. He explained that the wide executive powers brought a disaster to the country during the past ten years and he came into power to abolish the powers of the executive presidency. He stressed that he will abolish the remaining powers of the executive presidency, which are challenging to democracy and freedom of the people, in the new constitution which will be presented after the Parliamentary Elections.
Read less...
August - 17 
Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has accepted that his party has lost in the parliamentary elections held Monday (August 17) but has said that he would work as an opposition member of parliament, reports Colombo Page. "My dream of becoming prime minister has faded away. I am conceding. We have los
Read more...
Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has accepted that his party has lost in the parliamentary elections held Monday (August 17) but has said that he would work as an opposition member of parliament, reports Colombo Page. "My dream of becoming prime minister has faded away. I am conceding. We have lost a good fight," Rajapaksa said. The former President has reportedly accepted that United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) had lost the election even before Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya could announce the final results. He has pointed out that the UPFA has won eight Districts out of the 22 and the Government party United national Party (UNP) has gained 11 Districts. The remaining three Districts have been secured by the Tamil national Alliance (TNA).
Read less...
August - 17 
Meanwhile, President Maithripala Sirisena said without a doubt the 2015 General Election on August 17 was the most peaceful election in the recent history of the island nation, reports Colombo Page. In a special statement issued after the conclusion of the polls, President Sirisena said he believes
Read more...
Meanwhile, President Maithripala Sirisena said without a doubt the 2015 General Election on August 17 was the most peaceful election in the recent history of the island nation, reports Colombo Page. In a special statement issued after the conclusion of the polls, President Sirisena said he believes the changes brought in by him after his election in January this year for the good governance was the reason for the peace prevailed during the pre-election period and the polls. Recalling the attack on him at a meeting in Pelmadulla (Sabaragamuwa Province) during the presidential election campaign in January and other attacks on the election meetings and shootings, the President said the people remember how the former Government abused the power and misused state properties.
Read less...
August - 17 
Meanwhile, The European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) that was in Sri Lanka to monitor the parliamentary elections held on August 17 said the election was well-administered and genuine although the campaigning was restricted with excessive rules, reports Colombo Page. Chief Observer of
Read more...
Meanwhile, The European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) that was in Sri Lanka to monitor the parliamentary elections held on August 17 said the election was well-administered and genuine although the campaigning was restricted with excessive rules, reports Colombo Page. Chief Observer of the EUEOM Cristian Preda said during the presentation of the preliminary report at a press conference in Colombo on August 19, that the Commissioner of Elections and his staff administered the elections in a transparent and impartial manner, demonstrated strong leadership, and enjoyed the confidence of all stakeholders.
Read less...
August - 19 
Ranil Wickremesinghe on august 19 said that his Government would arrive at a consensus and build a framework "through which we will do our politics", reports The Hindu. Addressing the media at his official residence, Wickremesinghe said his government would not allow anyone to indulge in divisive
Read more...
Ranil Wickremesinghe on august 19 said that his Government would arrive at a consensus and build a framework "through which we will do our politics", reports The Hindu. Addressing the media at his official residence, Wickremesinghe said his government would not allow anyone to indulge in divisive politics. “Let’s work together. I don’t think anyone can opt out [of the task of working together] or go back to divisive politics. We will not allow that”, he said.
Read less...
August - 23 
Selvam Adaikkalanathan, who was elected to Parliament on the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) ticket, on August 23, said that his party intended to function as the main opposition in Parliament, reports Daily Mirror. He said the two main parties had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on formi
Read more...
Selvam Adaikkalanathan, who was elected to Parliament on the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) ticket, on August 23, said that his party intended to function as the main opposition in Parliament, reports Daily Mirror. He said the two main parties had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on forming a national unity Government and therefore his party would be eligible to be the main opposition. The TNA won 16 seats in parliament from the electoral districts in the North and East.
Read less...
August - 24 
The Presidential Commission Investigating Cases of Missing Persons (PCICMP) in Sri Lanka will hand over its second interim report to the President this week, reports Colombo Page on August 25. The Chairman of the Commission, Maxwell Paranagama will hand over the second interim report to President Ma
Read more...
The Presidential Commission Investigating Cases of Missing Persons (PCICMP) in Sri Lanka will hand over its second interim report to the President this week, reports Colombo Page on August 25. The Chairman of the Commission, Maxwell Paranagama will hand over the second interim report to President Maithripala Sirisena on August 28, President's Media Division said. Paranagama said that the first interim report was handed over to the President on April, 10 and that the Government had taken steps to implement its recommendations. He also said the suspects named before the Commission during the public hearings had been referred to the Attorney General for appropriate action.
Read less...
August - 25 
The United States (US) Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski on August 25 said the US will standby Sri Lanka and support the new Government to continue its forward looking agenda for the progress, reports Colombo Page. Addressing a media briefing in Colo
Read more...
The United States (US) Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski on August 25 said the US will standby Sri Lanka and support the new Government to continue its forward looking agenda for the progress, reports Colombo Page. Addressing a media briefing in Colombo, after a meeting with Sri Lanka's Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Tom Malinowski said the US has seen steady progress towards the forward looking agenda of this Government. He said the message sent by the Sri Lankans twice this year that they support change is the most important.
Read less...
August - 26 
A leading election monitor in Sri Lanka, Campaign for Free and Fair elections (CaFFE) on August 26 urged the Sri Lankan Government to abolish the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), reports Colombo Page. The election watchdog emphasizing the need to abolish the PTA, which is "one of the mos
Read more...
A leading election monitor in Sri Lanka, Campaign for Free and Fair elections (CaFFE) on August 26 urged the Sri Lankan Government to abolish the draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), reports Colombo Page. The election watchdog emphasizing the need to abolish the PTA, which is "one of the most draconian legislations" in Sri Lanka, said revoking the PTA is the first step to create a civilized country. CaFFE Executive Director, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that the PTA does not tally with the aspirations of a civilized nation. Tennakoon added that the PTA was used not only against terrorist suspects but also to suppress a significant number of political activists, human rights activists, student, and trade union activists. He noted that one of the main reasons that Sri Lanka was plagued with allegations of human rights abuses was the cruel treatment of those detained under PTA laws. Those detained were held ignoring judicial procedures and in many occasions detainees were not given access to legal aid, he said. The PTA was also used by Security Forces (SFs), paramilitary groups and Police to circumvent civilian law.
Read less...
August - 26 
A resolution calling for international intervention to probe alleged war crimes, moved by a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) member at a meeting of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) on August 25, fell through, reports The Hindu. “I am clueless as to why the TNA members do not want to support it, wh
Read more...
A resolution calling for international intervention to probe alleged war crimes, moved by a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) member at a meeting of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) on August 25, fell through, reports The Hindu. “I am clueless as to why the TNA members do not want to support it, when the TNA’s position favours even an international investigation mechanism into alleged war crimes,” M.K. Shivajilingam said on August 26. He said he had wanted the United Nations (UN) to provide technical assistance to Sri Lanka to find a negotiated political solution
Read less...
August - 26 
Sri Lankan Commander of Army Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva on August 26 said that although Sri Lanka is now a peaceful country, national security is the priority for the Sri Lanka Army as there could be a threat to national security at any moment, reports Colombo Page. He said, "Sri Lanka i
Read more...
Sri Lankan Commander of Army Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva on August 26 said that although Sri Lanka is now a peaceful country, national security is the priority for the Sri Lanka Army as there could be a threat to national security at any moment, reports Colombo Page. He said, "Sri Lanka is now one of the most peaceful countries but we all have to be alert to global threats, be it drug peddling, human trafficking, manmade and natural disasters, terrorism or whatever it is. It could become a threat at any moment." He added that the Sri Lankan armed forces have proved beyond doubt that they are professionally skilled and qualified to take on any challenge.
Read less...
August - 27 
Leaders of two minor Tamil political parties in Sri Lanka have expressed their support to the National Government formed by the two major political parties United National Party (UNP) and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), reports Colombo Page on August 28. Leader of upcountry Tamil party Ceylon Work
Read more...
Leaders of two minor Tamil political parties in Sri Lanka have expressed their support to the National Government formed by the two major political parties United National Party (UNP) and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), reports Colombo Page on August 28. Leader of upcountry Tamil party Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) Arumugam Thondaman and leader of Jaffna-based Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) Douglas Devananda have decided to extend their support to the National Government.
Read less...
August - 27 
Former Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe on August 27 said that previous administration of Sri Lanka did not seize the opportunity to fully implement the United Nations (UN) resolution presented by the country to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in 2009, reports Colombo Page. Samarasinghe
Read more...
Former Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe on August 27 said that previous administration of Sri Lanka did not seize the opportunity to fully implement the United Nations (UN) resolution presented by the country to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in 2009, reports Colombo Page. Samarasinghe said previous administration failed to prove Sri Lanka's diligence in implementing the resolution adopted in 2009 at the UNHRC. If Sri Lanka took steps to fully implement the 2009 resolution, which supported the reconciliation, then it would have been difficult for the UN to adopt the 2012 and 2013 resolutions against Sri Lanka, he pointed out. However, Sri Lanka now has received another opportunity next month to move a similar resolution in the UNHRC supporting the reconciliation process in the country. Samarasinghe added that if it is possible to launch a programme that will not lead to the creation of an extremist organization such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), there is a possibility of providing a better country to the people.
Read less...
August - 28 
Karachi Corps Commander Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar while addressing the passing-out parade of a new batch of Pakistan Rangers soldiers on August 7 reiterated his trust in the Pakistan Rangers and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) leading the Karachi operation, which he said, was “apolitic
Read more...
Karachi Corps Commander Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar while addressing the passing-out parade of a new batch of Pakistan Rangers soldiers on August 7 reiterated his trust in the Pakistan Rangers and other law enforcement agencies (LEAs) leading the Karachi operation, which he said, was “apolitical, indiscriminate and free of any compromise” aimed at bringing Karachi to normality, reports Dawn. “Karachi operation is apolitical. It is indiscriminate and free of any compromise and pressure. Terrorists, their aides and facilitators are targets of the operation. We will not leave any stone unturned to achieve these targets,” he said. The fresh move by the military establishment to assert its support for the Karachi operation and institutions behind the campaign has come amid gradually improving law and order situation in the metropolis.
Read less...
August - 28 
Tamil political parties in Tamil Nadu (India) have strongly condemned the United States (US) for supporting Sri Lanka to conduct a domestic inquiry into the alleged war crimes, reports Colombo Page on August 29. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader M. Karunanidhi and Paattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) f
Read more...
Tamil political parties in Tamil Nadu (India) have strongly condemned the United States (US) for supporting Sri Lanka to conduct a domestic inquiry into the alleged war crimes, reports Colombo Page on August 29. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader M. Karunanidhi and Paattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder S. Ramadoss have strongly criticized the US Government's decision to support the new Sri Lankan Government's plans for a local inquiry.
Read less...
August - 29 
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader, R. Sampanthan said that his party can take an official stand on the latest United States (US) policy of supporting Sri Lanka to institute a domestic mechanism to investigate the alleged war crimes, only after reading the report of the United Nations (UN) Office
Read more...
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) leader, R. Sampanthan said that his party can take an official stand on the latest United States (US) policy of supporting Sri Lanka to institute a domestic mechanism to investigate the alleged war crimes, only after reading the report of the United Nations (UN) Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), reports Colombo Page on August 30. Indicating a major shift in policy towards Sri Lanka, the US last week expressed support to the new Government of Sri Lanka to conduct its own domestic probe into the alleged war crimes. According to Sampanthan the US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Nisha Biswal's declaration in Colombo last week that the US will support a domestic mechanism, did not signify departure from previous policy. "The US has always talked about a domestic investigation and an international investigation," he has pointed out. The OHCHR report is expected to be presented to the Sri Lankan Government soon for its comments and the report will be submitted on September 30 to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) at its 30th session in Geneva from September 14 - October 2.
Read less...
September - 6 
Addressing a media briefing in Batticaloa District on September 6, former Chief Minister of Eastern Province and the Leader of Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan said that an international investigation into the alleged crimes committed during the
Read more...
Addressing a media briefing in Batticaloa District on September 6, former Chief Minister of Eastern Province and the Leader of Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan said that an international investigation into the alleged crimes committed during the 30-year war is not needed, reports Colombo Page. Pillayan said a domestic mechanism is appropriate as there is a change in the governance. "LTTE has also committed serious war crimes. And the Tamil people also have allowed them the opportunity to commit crimes," BBC Sandeshaya quoting the former LTTE leader said.
Read less...
September - 20 
The independent Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) says pursuing cases against former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leaders who worked closely with the Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa government will be important to address Sinhalese perceptions that accountability is biase
Read more...
The independent Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) says pursuing cases against former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leaders who worked closely with the Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa government will be important to address Sinhalese perceptions that accountability is biased against the military, reports Colombo Page. Releasing a statement on the Report of the United Nations (UN) Investigation on Sri Lanka on September 20, the ICG said it is important to pursue cases against LTTE leaders such as K. Pathmanathan ("KP") and V. Muralitharan ("Karuna"), and any other senior LTTE leaders who may be overseas to address the Sinhalese community's concerns on an investigation by the UN Human Rights Chief proposed "Hybrid Court". The Group said the report by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on its Sri Lanka investigation (OISL) is a "compelling examination" of the abuses committed by all sides during the lengthy civil conflict and the steps required to pursue justice, accountability and reconciliation as part of democratic recovery.
Read less...
September - 22 
Germany is ready to help Sri Lanka investigate alleged atrocities during its civil war, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on September 22, reports Colombo Page. Steinmeier made the announcement after talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Mangala Samaraweera, in Colombo.
Read more...
Germany is ready to help Sri Lanka investigate alleged atrocities during its civil war, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on September 22, reports Colombo Page. Steinmeier made the announcement after talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Mangala Samaraweera, in Colombo.
Read less...
September - 22 
On September 22, former President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa called upon the Government to reject the Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Investigation on Sri Lanka, reports Colombo Page. In a statement to media, the former President and current
Read more...
On September 22, former President of Sri Lanka Mahinda Rajapaksa called upon the Government to reject the Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Investigation on Sri Lanka, reports Colombo Page. In a statement to media, the former President and current parliamentarian said his government did not cooperate with the OHCHR investigation for many reasons, mostly because it was instituted outside the established procedure of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Rajapaksa elaborated that the usual procedure was for the President of the UNHRC to appoint a three-member independent panel to carry out the investigation after the relevant resolution is passed in the Council but the investigation on Sri Lanka was not carried out by an independent Commission of Inquiry but for the very first time, by the OHCHR.The report of the OHCHR investigation was presented to the UNHRC in Geneva by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein on September 16th.
Read less...
September - 22 
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on September 22, reiterated that there will be no international mechanism to investigate the alleged war crimes and a tribunal should be carried out under a domestic system and not through a mechanism designed by an outside person or entity, reports Co
Read more...
Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on September 22, reiterated that there will be no international mechanism to investigate the alleged war crimes and a tribunal should be carried out under a domestic system and not through a mechanism designed by an outside person or entity, reports Colombo Page. Giving a special statement in Parliament in Colombo, Wickremesinghe also reiterated that the local mechanism will not include any international partners or interference. It should cover a broad scope, encompassing all parties, he said. Wickremesinghe also stressed that steps will be taken to eliminate racism and religious differences in the local ruling mechanism. He said the present government is committed to serve all citizens and all communities without making any differences.
Read less...
October - 12 
Ex-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres detained at the Magazine Prison in Colombo launched a hunger strike on October 12 urging the authorities to release them. Prisons Commissioner General Rohana Pushpakumara said that there were 201 ex-LTTE cadres detained at the prison and nearly 150 o
Read more...
Ex-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres detained at the Magazine Prison in Colombo launched a hunger strike on October 12 urging the authorities to release them. Prisons Commissioner General Rohana Pushpakumara said that there were 201 ex-LTTE cadres detained at the prison and nearly 150 of them were refusing to take their food and were remaining inside their cells. He said he had received a letter signed by the inmates to be handed over to President Maitripala Sirisena asking that they be released. Mr. Pushpakumara said he would hand it over it to the President.
Read less...
October - 14 
Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said there are no political prisoners held in any of Sri Lanka's prisons and it is up to the Government to take a decision regarding the prisoners engaged in a hunger strike demanding their release, reports Colombo Page. He further said that there are 225 Liber
Read more...
Justice Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said there are no political prisoners held in any of Sri Lanka's prisons and it is up to the Government to take a decision regarding the prisoners engaged in a hunger strike demanding their release, reports Colombo Page. He further said that there are 225 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suspects held in the prisons currently. Some of them are already serving sentences and others are awaiting court action, according to the Minister. He added that the all these suspects have charges against them relating to bombings and killings.
Read less...
October - 14 
President Maithripala Sirisena promised to look into the issues faced by a group of Tamil prisoners who are currently on a hunger strike at the main prison in Colombo. The President has given this assurance when National Dialogue Minister Mano Ganesan raised the issue at the cabinet meeting. The Pre
Read more...
President Maithripala Sirisena promised to look into the issues faced by a group of Tamil prisoners who are currently on a hunger strike at the main prison in Colombo. The President has given this assurance when National Dialogue Minister Mano Ganesan raised the issue at the cabinet meeting. The President has said that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Law and Order Minister Thilak Marapana and Minister Ganesan should meet the Attorney General and discuss the issue and submit a report to the President. The President has said that he would arrive at a decision after perusing the report.
Read less...
October - 23 
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister (PM) Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that only the local extremists and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) sympathizers are against the domestic mechanism proposed in the United Nations (UN) resolution on Sri Lanka adopted at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Ge
Read more...
The Sri Lankan Prime Minister (PM) Ranil Wickremesinghe has said that only the local extremists and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) sympathizers are against the domestic mechanism proposed in the United Nations (UN) resolution on Sri Lanka adopted at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva last month (September), reports, colombopage.com on October 23. Participating in the parliamentary debate on the Geneva proposals, the PM said the initiatives, commenced by the Government, aim to unify all communities and heal broken hearts. The Government's programme strives to propagate love and compassion in place of anger and hatred and also aim to consolidate democracy in the country, he added.
Read less...
October - 25 
Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa on October 25 said that his Government had built a safety bunker under President’s House to shield VIPs from potential Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) air strikes, reports Daily Mirror. Mr. Rajapaksa said even the LTTE leader built and lived inside a massiv
Read more...
Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa on October 25 said that his Government had built a safety bunker under President’s House to shield VIPs from potential Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) air strikes, reports Daily Mirror. Mr. Rajapaksa said even the LTTE leader built and lived inside a massive bunker complex during the war to protect him from the military offensives. Therefore we also did the same thing to protect ourselves from terrorist attacks. This is not a new thing; Temple Tree also has an underground bunker for security reasons, he said.
Read less...
October - 26 
President Maithripala Sirisena while addressing the Colors Awarding Ceremony of Army held at Army Headquarters in Panagoda town in Western Province on October 26 vowed to protect security forces while facing allegations of right violations during the last phase of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eela
Read more...
President Maithripala Sirisena while addressing the Colors Awarding Ceremony of Army held at Army Headquarters in Panagoda town in Western Province on October 26 vowed to protect security forces while facing allegations of right violations during the last phase of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) war, Colombo Page. The President said "I will not let the quality and standards of the Armed Forces deteriorate in any way, nor would I allow any forces to degrade the image of the hard-earned dignity of the Sri Lankan armed forces, instead all possible support would be extended to enhance quality, professionalism and skills among our servicemen."
Read less...
October - 29 
President Maithripala Sirisena held a special discussion with religious leaders of all faiths to discuss Geneva Proposals and its challenges, at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on October 29, reports Colombo Page. The President proposed to set up a committee representing all religions to ove
Read more...
President Maithripala Sirisena held a special discussion with religious leaders of all faiths to discuss Geneva Proposals and its challenges, at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on October 29, reports Colombo Page. The President proposed to set up a committee representing all religions to overcome the existing challenges and agreed to set up an All Religious Committee comprising 25 members. The religious leaders expressed their blessing for the initiatives taken by the President and the Government to build the national and religious reconciliation in the country and said that it is an exemplary initiative to the whole world.
Read less...
October - 31 
Law and Order and Prison Reforms Minister Tilak Marapana while addressing a ceremony near the Pannai lagoon in Jaffna District on October 31 said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) detainees could be released before the Deepavali festival on November 10, reports Daily Mirror. He said t
Read more...
Law and Order and Prison Reforms Minister Tilak Marapana while addressing a ceremony near the Pannai lagoon in Jaffna District on October 31 said that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) detainees could be released before the Deepavali festival on November 10, reports Daily Mirror. He said that the country’s prisons had about 18,000 detainees, but most of them were not those who should have been detained. Several of them had been put in the jail for minor offences or for want of legal aid. He stressed the need to focus special attention on them.
Read less...
November - 1 
Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman, who was Special Commander of the LTTE in Batticaloa and Ampara Districts, said that the rift between him and LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran took place in December 2002 when the LTTE chief accused him of "betrayal" of the kind Mahendrarajah alias M
Read more...
Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman, who was Special Commander of the LTTE in Batticaloa and Ampara Districts, said that the rift between him and LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran took place in December 2002 when the LTTE chief accused him of "betrayal" of the kind Mahendrarajah alias Mahattaya was accused of in the early 1990s, reports Daily News on November 2. Mahattaya was later executed. Prabhakaran was livid with Karuna for persuading his chief negotiator, Anton Balasingham, to sign the December 5, 2002 "Oslo Declaration" which had committed the LTTE to "exploring the possibility of finding a political solution based on a federal structure within a united Sri Lanka." Defending his action, Karuna said that he supported the signing of the Declaration only to "save the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam from isolation" by the international community which had become hostile to armed movements following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack in New York.
Read less...
November - 2 
V. Anandasangaree, the leader of Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) appealed to President Maithripala Sirisena for the immediate release of over 200 Tamils, who have been detained in the country's jails since the end of the war in 2009, reports Colombo Page on November 3. The TULF leader in a lett
Read more...
V. Anandasangaree, the leader of Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) appealed to President Maithripala Sirisena for the immediate release of over 200 Tamils, who have been detained in the country's jails since the end of the war in 2009, reports Colombo Page on November 3. The TULF leader in a letter addressed to the President said media reports have said that 90 percent of the detainees have admitted their guilt. He said his "frank opinion" is that all of them should be unconditionally released because the entire Tamil community is of the understanding that this is a part of the deal the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had with the Government. "The entire Tamil community will get disappointed if they are not released," Anandasangaree said.
Read less...
November - 11 
Minister of National Dialogue, Mano Ganeshan on November 11 said that that Government is considering a proposal to release the 217 Tamils currently in detention under the PTA after putting them through a program of rehabilitation, reports Daily News. He said “As a leader of the Tamil Progressive All
Read more...
Minister of National Dialogue, Mano Ganeshan on November 11 said that that Government is considering a proposal to release the 217 Tamils currently in detention under the PTA after putting them through a program of rehabilitation, reports Daily News. He said “As a leader of the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA), I will not be happy till all the 217 are pardoned and released. But we have to move step by step taking into account the strength of those forces in the country which are aligned with Mahinda Rajapaksa and which are using the prisoner release issue to tarnish the image of the Sirisena government. It is hoped that the proposal to release the detainees after rehabilitation will be accepted by all, just as the release of 12,000 LTTE cadres by the Rajapaksa government was.”
Read less...
November - 11 
President Maithripala Sirisena at a special discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on November 11 said that the Government gives priority to the resettlement process for the displaced persons in the North and the East and stressed the need to provide solutions to the matters regarding the r
Read more...
President Maithripala Sirisena at a special discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on November 11 said that the Government gives priority to the resettlement process for the displaced persons in the North and the East and stressed the need to provide solutions to the matters regarding the resettlement, reports Colombo Page. The President meeting with the relevant Ministers and Government officials gave instructions to schedule the meeting of Resettlement Committee comprising the Governors of Northern and Eastern provinces, within the next two weeks to look into matters pertaining to each area. The President further instructed the relevant persons to not only depend on reports of Divisional Secretaries but to discuss matters relating to divisional levels and suggest proposals at the National Committee headed by the Resettlement Minister and to submit a proposal for solutions to him.
Read less...
November - 16 
The Council of European Union (EU) in a statement on November 16 encouraged the Government to take early steps to build the confidence of communities, including releasing the identity of the detainees and accelerating their prosecution or release, repealing the PTA, reports Daily Mirror. The stateme
Read more...
The Council of European Union (EU) in a statement on November 16 encouraged the Government to take early steps to build the confidence of communities, including releasing the identity of the detainees and accelerating their prosecution or release, repealing the PTA, reports Daily Mirror. The statement said “The Council encourages the Government of Sri Lanka to take early steps to build the confidence of communities, including releasing the identity of the detainees and accelerating their prosecution or release, repealing the Prevention of Terrorism Act, calibrating the military presence according to identified security needs and returning land sequestered by the military to its rightful owners. Further action is also needed on a number of human rights concerns, including sexual and gender based violence, torture and the protection of persons belonging to religious, ethnic and other minorities, Human Rights Defenders and journalists.”
Read less...
November - 19 
Media Minister Gayantha Karunathilaka on November 19 said that the Government will launch special projects to improve the living conditions of the people in the war-ravaged Northern Province, mainly in the islets off the Jaffna peninsula, reports Colombo Page. The Minister said the cabinet of minist
Read more...
Media Minister Gayantha Karunathilaka on November 19 said that the Government will launch special projects to improve the living conditions of the people in the war-ravaged Northern Province, mainly in the islets off the Jaffna peninsula, reports Colombo Page. The Minister said the cabinet of ministers has granted approval to a proposal submitted to the cabinet by Minister of Rehabilitation and Resettlement D.M. Swaminathan to implement 10 projects to upgrade the living status of these communities. There are more than 15 islands including Delft, Pungudutivu, Nainativu, Analaitivu and Mandaitivu around the Jaffna peninsula in the Northern Province. People are residing in six of these islands and 15,000 families in total live in these islands. They have to spend lot of money and time for travelling to the mainland due to the existing inefficient transportation, which is mainly by boats. The proposed projects include upgrading the transport system in these areas for families to travel from the islands to the mainland.
Read less...
November - 19 
The Chairman of Presidential Commission to Inquire into Complaints Regarding Missing Persons (PCICRMP) Maxwell Paranagama said that the PCICRMP is studying the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UNWGEID) preliminary report of secret underground detention center i
Read more...
The Chairman of Presidential Commission to Inquire into Complaints Regarding Missing Persons (PCICRMP) Maxwell Paranagama said that the PCICRMP is studying the United Nations Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances (UNWGEID) preliminary report of secret underground detention center in Trincomalee Naval Base, reports Colombo Page on November 20. He told that none of the witnesses who appeared before the commission's sittings complained about the existence of a torture chamber in the Trincomalee Naval Base.
Read less...
November - 20 
Minister of Prison Reforms D. M. Swaminathan on November 20 said that the Attorney General's Department will complete formalities to release 20 more Tamil prisoners detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), reports Colombo Page. The decision to release another 20 suspects was taken follo
Read more...
Minister of Prison Reforms D. M. Swaminathan on November 20 said that the Attorney General's Department will complete formalities to release 20 more Tamil prisoners detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), reports Colombo Page. The decision to release another 20 suspects was taken following the talks held on November 20 between the Minister of Prison Reforms and the Attorney General. The 20 suspects will be sent to the Rehabilitation Centre Poonthottam Vavuniya at the Bureau of the Commissioner General of Rehabilitation for one year to undergo rehabilitation and receive vocational training. The first six months of the program would involve psychosocial training, followed by a vocational course to help the rehabilitated persons fend for themselves and lead normal lives.
Read less...
November - 23 
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on November 23 said that reconciliation will bridge Tamil-Sinhalese gap, reports Daily Mirror. She said “There is a huge gulf between Tamils and Sinhalese. There are schools for all communities and there are also schools of different communities. M
Read more...
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on November 23 said that reconciliation will bridge Tamil-Sinhalese gap, reports Daily Mirror. She said “There is a huge gulf between Tamils and Sinhalese. There are schools for all communities and there are also schools of different communities. Many Tamils do not speak Sinhalese and vice-versa. Earlier, English was not encouraged or rather downgraded in the country. Unlike India, there was no link language.” The reconciliation exercise would go a long way in establishing harmony, she said about the recently started process.
Read less...
November - 24 
National Dialogue Minister Mano Ganeshan said that a legal snag is virtually delaying the release of the remaining Tamil detainees in prisons who were taken into custody in the aftermath of war, reports Daily News on November 25. He said “Suspected LTTE members having more than one case against them
Read more...
National Dialogue Minister Mano Ganeshan said that a legal snag is virtually delaying the release of the remaining Tamil detainees in prisons who were taken into custody in the aftermath of war, reports Daily News on November 25. He said “Suspected LTTE members having more than one case against them is the reason for the delay in qualifying them for rehabilitation. A prisoner might be qualified for rehabilitation and release in one case, but, not in another. The prisoner will have to inform the courts about his desire to go for rehabilitation programmes referring to all the cases that he is alleged to be involved in.”
Read less...
November - 24 
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesman MP M.A. Sumanthiran said that only three of the 20 LTTE detainees who were slated to undergo rehabilitation prior to release are eligible for rehabilitation, reports Colombo Page on November 25. He told that most of the 20 detainees have more than one case aga
Read more...
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesman MP M.A. Sumanthiran said that only three of the 20 LTTE detainees who were slated to undergo rehabilitation prior to release are eligible for rehabilitation, reports Colombo Page on November 25. He told that most of the 20 detainees have more than one case against them and a few have already served their term and are due for full release anyway.
Read less...
November - 25 
Police Media spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said that since LTTE is a banned terrorist organization, any activity related to the outfit is illegal under the terrorism prevention laws of the country, reports Colombo Page on November 26. He said that anyone celebrating the banned terrorist group or th
Read more...
Police Media spokesman ASP Ruwan Gunasekara said that since LTTE is a banned terrorist organization, any activity related to the outfit is illegal under the terrorism prevention laws of the country, reports Colombo Page on November 26. He said that anyone celebrating the banned terrorist group or the leader will be considered as an act of terrorism and a crime, he added.
Read less...
November - 27 
The military spokesperson Brigadier K.J. Jayaweera on November 27 said that Sri Lanka's military is ready to assist the Police at any time to maintain law and order and safeguard peace, reports Colombo Page. He said that the three armed forces have been kept ready in the camps assist the Police when
Read more...
The military spokesperson Brigadier K.J. Jayaweera on November 27 said that Sri Lanka's military is ready to assist the Police at any time to maintain law and order and safeguard peace, reports Colombo Page. He said that the three armed forces have been kept ready in the camps assist the Police whenever necessary to ensure that law and order is maintained, and peace is prevailed if the prevailing peaceful situation comes under threat. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defense alerted the public not to be misled by the rumors and false claims that national security is under threat.
Read less...
December - 1 
Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga while addressing a media briefing on December 1 at the head of the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation which has been established to lead, facilitate, support and coordinate matters related to national unity and reconciliation in Sri Lanka said that th
Read more...
Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga while addressing a media briefing on December 1 at the head of the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation which has been established to lead, facilitate, support and coordinate matters related to national unity and reconciliation in Sri Lanka said that the Government will set up a special war crimes court soon to probe the alleged war crimes committed during the last stage of the three-decade long ethnic war, reports Colombo Page. She said, "Enormous amount of work has been done and the special court should start its work by the end of this month or by early January."
Read less...
December - 1 
Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Adam M.J. Sadiq while addressing the 20th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention in Hague, Netherlands on December 1 urged the international community
Read more...
Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Adam M.J. Sadiq while addressing the 20th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention in Hague, Netherlands on December 1 urged the international community to stand firm and united in combating terrorism, reports Colombo Page. He said "While unreservedly condemning the recent cold-blooded terror attacks in Paris and elsewhere in the world, Sri Lanka which lost thousands of innocent lives and suffered wanton damage and destruction of property, due to terrorism, calls upon the international community to stand firm and united in combating terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, irrespective of the source or target of this evil menace."
Read less...
December - 2 
Terrorist Investigations Division (TID) of Police said that it will take action to charge five former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suspects in the Supreme Court for engaging in terrorist activities, reports Colombo Page. The TID said five out of ten LTTE suspects, who have been arrested f
Read more...
Terrorist Investigations Division (TID) of Police said that it will take action to charge five former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) suspects in the Supreme Court for engaging in terrorist activities, reports Colombo Page. The TID said five out of ten LTTE suspects, who have been arrested for involvement in terrorist activities and in remand custody, will be indicted in the Supreme Court.
Read less...
December - 10 
Military spokesperson Jayanath Jayaweera on December 10 said that the former war torn areas will be cleared of mines soon as only 64 acres of land now remained to be cleared, reports Colombo Page. He said that following the end of the 30-year civil war between Government troops and Liberation Tigers
Read more...
Military spokesperson Jayanath Jayaweera on December 10 said that the former war torn areas will be cleared of mines soon as only 64 acres of land now remained to be cleared, reports Colombo Page. He said that following the end of the 30-year civil war between Government troops and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels in 2009, 2,064 acres of land in the country had to be cleared from landmines and explosives which had been buried by the rebels. The army, together with demining agencies, has to date cleared 2,000 acres of land, mostly in the nation's north and east and operations are ongoing to clear the remaining 64 acres.
Read less...
December - 10 
Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha speaking at the plenary session of the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies on December 9 in Geneva said that there is a renewed political commitment and will in Sri Lanka to s
Read more...
Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha speaking at the plenary session of the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies on December 9 in Geneva said that there is a renewed political commitment and will in Sri Lanka to strengthen the national compliance with the International Humanitarian Law (IHL), reports Colombo Page.
Read less...
December - 24 
President Maithripala Sirisena on December 24 said that the Muslim community can contribute significantly to the efforts of Government for reconciliation among all communities, reports Colombo Page. He said "I trust those who follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, in Sri Lanka, can make a signifi
Read more...
President Maithripala Sirisena on December 24 said that the Muslim community can contribute significantly to the efforts of Government for reconciliation among all communities, reports Colombo Page. He said "I trust those who follow the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, in Sri Lanka, can make a significant contribution to building a nation rich in tolerance, understanding and reconciliation, which will strengthen the efforts to take the country on the forward march to progress."
Read less...
December - 31 
Tamil National Alliance (TNA)leader R. Sampanthan in his New Year message said that Sri Lanka has an enormous task of achieving a meaningful solution to the national question, reports Colombo Page on January 1. He said "As a country, we have the enormous task of achieving a meaningful solution
Read more...
Tamil National Alliance (TNA)leader R. Sampanthan in his New Year message said that Sri Lanka has an enormous task of achieving a meaningful solution to the national question, reports Colombo Page on January 1. He said "As a country, we have the enormous task of achieving a meaningful solution to the national question, beneficial development and lasting peace and reconciliation. It is through solidarity that we can build a prosperous country while acknowledging the ethnic, linguistic, cultural, religious and other unique features of each community."
Read less...
ADVANCED SEARCH
Incident Year Wise
Incidents- 2023
Incidents- 2022
Incidents- 2021
Incidents- 2020
Incidents- 2019
Incidents- 2018
Incidents- 2017
Incidents- 2016
Incidents- 2015
Incidents- 2014
Incidents- 2013
Incidents- 2012
Incidents- 2011
Incidents- 2010
Incidents- 2009
Incidents- 2008
Incidents- 2007
Incidents- 2006
Incidents- 2005
Incidents- 2004
Incidents- 2003
Incidents- 2002
Incidents- 2001
Incidents- 2000
Country :
--All--
Afghanistan
Bangladesh
Bhutan
India
Maldives
Nepal
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Zone :
--All--
State :
--All--
District :
--All--
Date From :
The Valid date is required
Date To:
The Valid date is required