NA: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2013

The Chief Minister of Northern Province C.V. Vigneswaran speaking during an event in Mullaitivu Dsitrict on December 1 said that the military presence in the North has posed an obstacle for democracy, reports Colombo Page. Wigneswaran pointed out that people in the North are leaving their region and even the country since they have lost their lands to the forceful acquisition of lands by the military. He explained that there were four reasons for people in the North and East to try and leave for Down Under even risking their lives. "First reason is the heavy military presence in the North and East. Second - unlawful settlements of outsiders from the South in the North. Third - Our people do not have the security, Fourth - No job opportunities," Wigneswaran has said at the event. Read less...

Chief Minister of Northern Province C.V. Vigneswaran on December 3 informed United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur for Internally Displaced Persons Dr. Chaloka Beyani that military is acquiring civilian lands in the North, reports Colombo Page. The Chief Minister also gave details of land and the acreage acquired by the military in the Kilinochchi District as well. Wigneswaran also told the UN envoy that the livelihood of residents in the North has been seriously affected since the military has taken over all avenues of employment available to the people and the people have to take loans for their day to day living. Read less...

The European Union (EU), on December 10, acknowledged that there have been significant improvements in Sri Lanka since the end of the conflict, particularly on resettlement and physical reconstruction, while challenges remain in several areas, reports Colombo Page. In a statement issued to commemorate the World Human Rights Day, the EU Delegation in Colombo said the funding from EU and its Member States has supported progress on de-mining and the construction of new houses, helping the people displaced at the end of the war to return to their homes. "Further challenges also remain in upholding the independence and effectiveness of the judiciary and the rule of law, strengthening freedom of expression, taking effective action to end religious intolerance and preventing sexual abuse of women and children," the EU statement said. Read less...

Canadian parliamentarian Rathika Sitsabaiesan, who is on a visit to Jaffna District, held discussions with several Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians and Jaffna-based organizations on December 29 and 30, reports Daily Mirror. Jaffna-born Ms. Sitsabaiesan arrived in Sri Lanka on December 28. The Valikamam North Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman accompanied her during her visit to the Sabapahipilai Refugee Camp in Jaffna District and met the IDPs living there. Ms. Sitsabaiesan also met TNA parliamentarian S. Sridharan at Kilinochchi and Jaffna Provincial Councillors including Anandi Sashikaran. Read less...

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on December 30 reiterated that he will not allow any power to divide the country or hand over power to any authority that would lead to the division, reports Colombo Page. The President said the provincial councils and the Government should work together in the best interests of the people and all must act as one nation since the victory of freedom was achieved with great difficulty and sacrifice. He said although there are different opinions regarding the provincial council system both the provincial council and the central Government need to act in cooperation within a single country by respecting the state policy. Read less...

Cuba, a key ally of Sri Lanka, on December 31 pledged its support to defeat a possible resolution at the March session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), reports Daily Mirror. Cuban Ambassador Indira Lopez Arguelles in an interview told Daily Mirror that Cuba, as a matter of principle was opposed to any country-specific resolutions because such resolutions were against the spirit of international law. “When a country is singled out in this manner, it is not co-operative. It is an infringement of the country’s sovereignty and an unnecessary interference of its internal affairs. It creates unnecessary pressure on a country is contrary to the spirit of international law,” she said. Ms. Lopez said the two previous resolutions on Sri Lanka were unfair by the country and had confused the situation. She said Cuba could play a role in helping Sri Lanka to gain economic and political access to Latin America though however Cuba was unable to expand trade activities with Sri Lanka given the economic blockade imposed by the United States. Read less...

The Government is planning to bring a proposal in the Parliament to oust a Tamil Member of Parliament (MP) from Parliament, reports Colombo Page. According to the report, the Jaffna District parliamentarian of TNA S. Sritharan is under Government's concern for his continuing involvement in anti-Government activities and efforts to arouse communal unrest in the North. State intelligence services have reported that the MP is inflaming communal sentiments in the North and creating trouble. The MP Sritharan recently accompanied a Tamil Nadu journalist, who was arrested by the police for photographing military camps in Jaffna District while traveling in MP's car. The MP was accused of inviting the Tamil journalist, who came under a tourist visa. Former Jaffna leader of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Theepan was a close relative of MP Sritharan, according to the report. Read less...

The Indian Government has built 10,000 houses this year for Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) in Sri Lanka’s northern and eastern provinces and 33,000 more will be constructed in the next two years, reports The Hindu. The housing project funded by New Delhi made significant progress during 2013, the Indian High Commission in Colombo on December 31. “The second phase of the Indian Housing Project, involving the construction of 43,000 housing units for IDPs in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, which is being implemented in consultation with... the Government of Sri Lanka, has made significant progress by attaining the target of completing 10,000 new houses during 2013,” a statement said. It said 16,000 more houses are expected to be completed during 2014, and the remaining 17,000 houses will be built in 2015. In the east, the housing project was launched in May and 66 houses have been completed so far while 400 more are nearing completion. The construction of 43,000 houses for resettling and rehabilitating people displaced during the ethnic war in Sri Lanka is part of India’s overall commitment to build 50,000 houses, which was announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in June 2010. The third phase of the housing project, involving the construction of 4,000 houses for Indian-origin estate workers of Central and Uva Provinces, will be taken up by April 2014. The fourth phase will be launched in the northern and eastern provinces for the most vulnerable conflict displaced people next year. The project is being implemented with full grant assistance from India, with the total outlay of Rs 1,372 crore making it one of the largest grant assistance projects undertaken by the Government in any country, the High Commission said. Read less...