NA: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2021

Former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader turned politician Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman, the leader of the Tamil United Freedom Front (TUFF), speaking at a media briefing held in Kilinochchi on January 3 said that while many LTTE leaders and other members of the LTTE were released under a general amnesty, all other Tamil political prisoners should also be released under a general amnesty, reports Colombo Page. “I am of the view that all Tamil political prisoners must be released. At the end of the war, the then President and current Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa took a valuable decision to release all LTTE leaders, in accordance with a general amnesty. A group of members have been released. At present there are very few people to be released and they too should be released. In fact, their lives are very painful. These political prisoners really belong to the category of ordinary people, they were not directly involved in the war. We are concerned about their release. The government should also answer the issue of missing persons. The government should answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the issue of missing persons so that the relatives of the disappeared will have the opportunity to perform the remaining duties,” Muralitharan said. Read less...

Public Security Minister Sarath Weerasekara on January 6 said that Police had completed investigations into 32 suspects who were directly or indirectly involved in the Easter Sunday suicide attacks and eight files have been submitted to the Attorney General (AG) in order to file cases against them, reports Daily Mirror. He told Parliament that the AG would file cases against the suspects on charges of murder, vandalism and causing injuries after receiving the report of the Presidential Commission of Investigation on Easter Sunday Attacks. He said investigations are underway on another 246 suspects who are detaining or in remand prison in connection with offences of supplying weapons, training and instigating racism through Madrasas. Read less...

The Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to look into the terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday in 2019 is functioning independently and impartially, Justice Minister Ali Sabry said in Parliament on January 7, reports Colombo Page. The Minister of Justice said that the perpetrators of the terrorist attacks on Easter Day should be severely punished and no one is influencing the investigations. If there are any innocents arrested, they should be released, the Minister added. He was responding to a question raised by MP Hesha Vithanage seeking an oral answer. Read less...

The United States Department of Justice on January 8 announced that three Sri Lankan citizens have been charged with terrorism offenses, including conspiring to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS) over the 2019 Easter Sunday suicide attacks, reports Colombo Page. The three defendants named in the criminal complaint, all of whom pledged allegiance to ISIS, are: Mohamed Naufar, the “second emir” for the group of ISIS supporters that called itself “ISIS in Sri Lanka,” who allegedly led the group’s propaganda efforts, recruited others to join ISIS, and led a series of multi-day military-type trainings; Mohamed Anwar Mohamed Riskan, who allegedly helped manufacture the IEDs used in the Easter Attacks; and Ahamed MilhanHayathuMoahmed, who allegedly executed a Police officer in order to obtain the officer’s firearm, shot a suspected informant, and scouted a location for a separate terrorist attack. All the defendants are in custody in Sri Lanka, and the Justice Department said it will support the Sri Lankan investigation and prosecution in Sri Lanka and will continue to work with the authorities there to pursue the shared goal of holding these defendants accountable for their crimes. Read less...

A tense situation continued at the Jaffna University on January 9, as dozens of locals, students, and politicians gathered overnight, protesting the removal of a war memorial on campus, reports The Hindu. According to students and eyewitnesses, on January 8 university authorities bulldozed a sculpture erected in memory of several thousand civilians brutally killed in the final phase of the civil war in 2009, in Mullivaikkal in Sri Lanka’s northern Mullaitivu District. Jaffna parliamentarian S. Shritharan described the developments as “very disturbing.” “This is a deliberate, provocative act, knowing well that memorials are to do with people’s emotions. After a relatively peaceful period here, this act will trigger much pain and anger, especially among our youth. That is very worrying,” he said. “I also feel the state has tactfully used the VC to carry out this, pitting some Tamils against others, while achieving what they want,” he added. Read less...

Education Minister G.L. Peiris addressing the media on January 11 said that no permission was obtained from the Jaffna University to build the war monument in the university premises, reports Daily Mirror. He said "It is not relevant to have debates or arguments regarding the value or the meaning of any type of monument or statue to exhibit, if it is built without permission of the relevant university. There is no political interference with the demolishing of the monument. It has only the law of the university, but for the unity of the students." Read less...

Chairman of the Election Commission (EC) Attorney-at-Law Nimal Punchihewa at a discussion held with the media chiefs at the EC Office on January 12 said that the Provincial Council elections should be held as they are a part of the Constitution, reports Colombo Page. The Chairman of the EC pointed out that the non-holding of the Provincial Council elections has only prevented the appointment of people's representatives to those institutions and that the functions assigned to the Provincial Councils are being carried out as usual. “Some parties point out that the expenses incurred by the Provincial Councilors are a waste of money. However, according to the reports of the Finance Commission, the expenditure incurred on the staff and members of the Provincial Councils is only about 0.3 percent of the total expenditure of those Provincial Councils,” said the Chairman of the Election Commission. He further pointed out that a large role pertaining to various fields is being played through the Provincial Councils. Read less...

Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on January 13 in its World Report 2021 that Sri Lanka’s human rights situation has seriously deteriorated under the administration of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, reports Colombo Page. According to the report, Government security forces have increased intimidation and surveillance of human rights activists, victims of past abuses, lawyers, and journalists. Minority Muslim and Tamil communities have faced discrimination and threats. The Government pushed through passage of a constitutional amendment that undermines judicial independence and weakens oversight institutions, such as the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. In February, Sri Lanka withdrew its commitments to the 2015 United Nations Human Rights Council for truth seeking, accountability, and reconciliation following the country’s long civil war. Read less...

With the aim of promoting coexistence among the people of the Eastern Province, the Governor of the Eastern Province Anuradha Yahampath has appointed an Expert Committee to study social injustices, reports Colombo Page on January 15. The expert committee is tasked to study in depth complaints, requests or appeals from the public regarding the development of coexistence among the communities, review information and make appropriate recommendations. Those who are seeking relief for the prejudices they have faced and the injustices they continue to face, can send the information of such incidents including facts and transcripts of the written testimonials to be received before January 31 to the “Committee of Experts on Social Injustice, Eastern Province Registrar's Office, Trincomalee”. The committee is scheduled to meet at the Batticaloa District Secretariat whole day on January 18 and at the Ampara Divisional Secretariat on the 19th and 20th. On those days it is possible to hand over the problems of the people to that committee. Read less...