NA: Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2013

Sri Lanka on July 8 signed a trilateral agreement with India and the Maldives to cooperate on maritime security in the Indian Ocean region, reports Colombo Page. During the second National Security Advisor (NSA) level meeting held in Colombo on July 8, the three neighboring countries agreed to cooperate in carrying out surveillance, anti-piracy operations and curbing illegal activities including maritime pollution. The three countries have reached an agreement on the importance of raising the maritime cooperation among them in the current context of maritime security environment in the Indian Ocean region, Sri Lanka Defence Ministry said. The meeting follows several senior official and technical level consultations held among the three neighboring countries. Read less...

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, during a discussion with India’s National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon, in Colombo on July 9 said the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) is the best forum to reach a consensus on the implementation of the 13th Amendment, reports Daily News. It is a top priority of the government to reach a consensus on the 13th Amendment, President Rajapaksa said. The President agreed with Menon that the participation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in the PSC is important. The President also urged India to encourage the TNA to participate in the PSC and stated that the government is committed to taking the process forward despite any obstacles. President Rajapaksa explained to Menon the practical problems involved in devolving land and police powers to the provinces in a small country such as Sri Lanka -- and stressed that the structure that is implemented ‘should apply and be acceptable to all parts of the country.’ Shivshankar Menon, meanwhile, emphasised the need for Colombo to fulfil its commitment to India and the international community regarding a political settlement that would go beyond the 13th Amendment of the country’s Constitution, adds The Hindu. “We have made our views clear on how we would like to see much more positive and forward movement towards reconciliation and a political resolution of the various issues which have led to ethnic politics being so polarised and fragmented in Sri Lanka in the past. They told me their plans … and as friends and very close neighbours we exchanged opinions. It is our hope of course that they are successful in building a Sri Lanka in which every community feels at home, feels master of their own destiny and feels that they have strong stake in the success of society and country as a whole. And we will continue to work with all our friends in Sri Lanka to that end,” Menon said. Menon was in Colombo for two days – July 8 and 9. Read less...

The Vavuniya High Court will indict two cadres of the intelligence unit of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on July 15 at Vavuniya District for the killing of 26 personnel of state military, burning and burying their bodies. The two LTTE cadres identified as Madaarayan Sulakshan and Ganeshan Darshan are accused of executing the 26 military personnel who were captured and detained at the LTTE torture camp in the LTTE's Victor 1 camp in Puthukudiyiruppu town of Mullaitivu District. As the Sri Lankan military advanced into the Tiger territory the senior cadre in charge of the camp named Ratnam Master ordered the two suspects to kill all the captured soldiers, douse their bodies with diesel and burn. Following the orders the suspects on January 15, 2009 built a 5 feet high and 10 feet long pyre and lined up the blindfolded soldiers against the pyre and shot them. Darshan shot 3 of the soldiers and Sulakshan shot the other 23. The 26 military personnel included 18 Sri Lanka Navy and eight Army personnel. Read less...

The Navy arrested two persons along with explosives hidden in a fiber glass dingy in Trincomalee District on July 16, reports Daily News. Naval troops attached to SLNS Walagamba of the Eastern Naval Command arrested the two persons and seized the explosives during random checks on fishing boats prior to their proceeding to sea. Gelignite sticks weighing 200 grams, five non-electric detonators and nine safety fuses were also taken in to custody during their search operations. The arrested persons and the explosives were handed over to Kuchchaveli Police. Read less...

Minister of External Affairs Professor G.L. Peiris told a visiting European Union (EU) delegation on July 18 that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) front organizations continue to raise funds in foreign countries and therefore, sustained vigilance over such activities is necessary, reports Colombo Page. He reiterated this when he met the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with South Asia at the Ministry in Colombo. Read less...

The Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) on July 22 said that over 85,000 voters in the Northern Province do not have national identity (ID) cards, reports Colombo Page. CaFFE Executive Director, Keerthi Tennakoon said that out of the 85,000 persons in the North without ID cards, according to the 2012 voter register, 45,000 were in the Jaffna District alone. Read less...

The Army spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya on July 24 said that Army is planning to further reduce the number of troops it has stationed in the Jaffna peninsula, reports Colombo Page. The Army has taken a decision to move troops from 13 small military camps located in the Walikamam sector of Jaffna District to the Palaly Cantonment in northern edge of the peninsula. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on July 12 had asked the Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya to reduce the military presence in northern Sri Lanka prior to the upcoming provincial council polls. Read less...

Attorney General of Sri Lanka on July 30 filed charges against six former Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadres at Colombo High Court over the attack on a Navy vessel, SLNS Sayura, in 2006, reports Colombo Page. The SLNS Sayura was attacked in the seas near Negombo city of Western Province. The ship was instrumental for Sri Lanka military in their battle against the LTTE. Read less...

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on July 30 said his stance on the issue of distribution of Police and land powers to Provincial Councils has not changed and reiterated that the powers will remain with the Federal Government, reports Colombo Page. The President said Police and land powers were not implemented since the introduction of the Provincial Council system to the country and he doesn't consider that the issue should be given special attention now. Read less...

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) spokesperson parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran on July 30 alleged that some of its candidates contesting for the Northern Provincial Council elections have been intimidated by military personnel, reports Colombo Page. He said the Army had intimidated two candidates soon after they had filed their nominations on July 29. The military personnel had gone to the residences of S. Sayanthan, a TNA candidate from Chavakachcheri town of Jaffna District and Ananthi Sasitharan, the wife of the LTTE's former Trincomalee political wing leader, Elilan, and had questioned them on their political activities. He claimed that the President had promised TNA leader, R. Sampanthan, that he would ensure free and fair polls without interference from military personnel in the Northern Read less...