Sri Lanka Tamils defy ban on rebel memorial
[ AFP ][ May 18 15:50 GMT ]
Sri Lanka's main opposition Tamil party Saturday defied a military ban and staged a commemoration of their war dead as the government celebrated the fourth anniversary of defeating Tamil Tiger rebels. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said it staged the remembrance in the northern town of Vavuniya for those who died in the final battle which also killed Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and his entire top leadership. [ full story | comments
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Yasin Malik voices support for Tamil Eelam
In a rare collaboration, two groups espousing the cause of separatism ...
Sri Lanka Tamils defy ban on rebel memorial
Sri Lanka's main opposition Tamil party Saturday defied a military ban...
Statement by Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on the Anniversary of the End of the Sri Lankan Civil War
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau made the following statement today on th...
Yasin Malik voices support for Tamil Eelam
[ Times of India ][ May 18 22:00 GMT ]
In a rare collaboration, two groups espousing the cause of separatism came together at a marriage hall in Cuddalore in northern Tamil Nadu on Saturday. Striking a chord with pro-Tamil activists, Kashmir separatist leader YasinMalik spoke about the 'Eelam dream' on the eve of the death anniversary of LTTE leader VelupillaiPrabhakaran. This is the first time that a Kashmiri separatist leader has been invited to Tamil Nadu to talk about the emotive Eelam (Tamil land) issue. Addressing the gathering, mostly members of Naam Tamilar, a pro-LTTE outfit, Malik said the Sri Lankan government might have wiped out the LTTE but not its dream of a separate Tamil Eelam. "Tamil Eelam is the goal of each and every Tamil person," he said. [ full story | comments
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TN: Police bans pro-Eelam public meeting
[ PTI ][ May 18 15:47 GMT ]
A pro-Tamil Eelam public meeting, which was to be held in Cuddalore on Saturday and attended by Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front leader Yasin Malik among others, was banned by police after the organisers put up banners carrying pictures of slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran. Click here! Police withdrew the permission granted to Naam Tamizhar Katchi headed by film director Seeman to hold the meeting in support of separate Tamil Eelam as the organisers violated certain conditions, SP Radhika told media persons. [ full story | comments
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Dangerous game of ‘diaspora politics’ is here to stay
[ Toronto Star ][ May 18 00:01 GMT ]
Thestar.com columnist Natalie Brender recently argued that Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s decision to boycott the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka this November is because of that country’s deteriorating human rights and governance record. Harper’s purpose, she claims, is “to convey principled condemnation of what’s happening to human rights and democracy in Sri Lanka” in a challenge to our claim that this is more obviously pandering to the Tamil diaspora in order to win votes. She then went on to state that sometimes “Ottawa’s foreign policy decision-making is logically inexplicable except by reference to a diaspora community’s pressure and votes” and that “those cases of egregious pandering to diaspora communities are not the rule in Canada’s foreign policy-making –neither with the Harper government nor with previous ones.” [ full story | comments
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Jaffna: From building a house to securing a community
[ The Hindu ][ May 18 00:00 GMT ]
In a quiet lane in Eluthumadduval, Jaffna, cement and concrete structures, in different stages of construction, show up on either side every few yards. Part of the second phase of Indian Housing Project launched, they will soon take the form of compact, new homes. As peace finds its way back to the northern district, development projects gradually pick up. The roads are newly laid and shops are beginning to make an appearance by the road side. [ full story | comments
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Deterrent action for Indians found fishing in Lankan waters
[ Times of India ][ May 17 23:55 GMT ]
The government is planning "deterrent" action against Indian fishermen violating international waters with Sri Lanka, finding that trawlers and ships from this side are the biggest source of confrontation with the Emerald isle. The decision to slap penalties and even suspend the licences of fishermen who are repeat offenders of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) stems from their refusal to heed the earlier warnings. [ full story | comments
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India's investments in Sri Lanka topped $1 billion since 2003
[ PTI ][ May 17 10:20 GMT ]
Indian companies have invested nearly USD 1 billion in Sri Lanka since 2003 and this figure could rise above USD 2 billion in the next five years, Indian envoy to Colombo Ashok K Kantha has said. With investment inflows of USD 160 million in 2012, nearly USD 2 billion worth of FDI had been committed by Indian companies for the next five years or so, he added. [ full story | comments
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Ecuador stops Sri Lanka-US migrant smuggling ring
[ AFP ][ May 17 10:16 GMT ]
A ring that smuggled immigrants from India and Sri Lanka into the United States through Ecuador has been broken up with the arrest of six people, Ecuadoran authorities said Thursday. hree Indian nationals and two members of Ecuador's immigration police were among the six people arrested in the port city of Guayaquil, where the smuggling network operated, officials said. "They brought in nationals from India and Sri Lanka, and arranged refuge for them in various hotels," said Guayaquil police chief General Patricio Pazmino. [ full story | comments
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In Sri Lanka, a new divide brings back old fears
[ The Hindu ][ May 16 21:32 GMT ]
More than a month after Fashion Bug, a popular clothes store in the Sri Lankan capital, was vandalised, business is back to normal. Shoppers cram into the Muslim-owned store as the Buddhist holiday season for Vesak (in India, Buddha Purnima) begins this month-end. Six weeks ago, a mob had broken into the chain store’s main warehouse in a suburb of Colombo. Television footage showed the mob cheering as a Buddhist monk flung a stone at a window of the warehouse. [ full story | comments
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Lankan army celebrates end to demining ahead of Victory Day
[ PTI ][ May 16 21:30 GMT ]
Sri Lankan army today claimed the completion of demining of nearly 2,000 sq km areas for the resettlement and restoration of livelihoods of those affected by the three-decade long conflict with Tamil rebels. The announcement came ahead of Saturday's grand ceremony to celebrate the Victory Day or the fourth anniversary of defeating militarily the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). "In less than four years since the end of conflict we have been able to clear all areas that are essential for resettlement of people, their livelihood such as agriculture. [ full story | comments
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National security won’t be compromised - GR
[ Island ][ May 16 10:06 GMT ]
Military presence in the Jaffna peninsula as well as the Vanni was meant to guarantee the security of people living in the northern region, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said yesterday.The country had paid a very heavy price due to the failure of previous governments to adopt proper security measures. "I have no intention of repeating the same mistake," he said. [ full story | comments
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Statement by Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on the Anniversary of the End of the Sri Lankan Civil War
[ Liberal Party of Canada ][ May 18 15:49 GMT ]
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau made the following statement today on the fourth anniversary of the end of the Sri Lankan civil war: “Today marks four years since the end of the Sri Lankan civil war. We share in the grief of the Tamil community, and we remain steadfastly committed to achieving accountability and justice for the countless innocent civilians who died or have had their lives irreversibly changed by this long and bitter war. [ full story | comments
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Rajapaksa pledges to continue fighting 'external elements' for peace in Sri Lanka
[ ANI ][ May 18 15:12 GMT ]
Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday renewed his pledge to fight all "external elements" seeking to "disrupt" the country's peace at the fourth anniversary celebration of winning the three-decade war. He was alluding to foreign countries, led by the United States, who have been critical of Sri Lanka's human rights record and called for an independent investigation into the alleged war crimes committed during the last stage of the war in the country. [ full story | comments
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Don't dilute autonomy, India tells Sri Lanka
[ IANS ][ May 18 00:00 GMT ]
India has told Sri Lanka not to dilute the autonomous powers granted to its Tamil-majority northern province ahead of provincial elections, official sources said Friday. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid also sought the early release of 31 Indian fishermen detained in Sri Lanka. Khurshid made the observations during a telephonic discussion with his Sri Lankan counterpart G.L. Peiris. [ full story | comments
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My Struggle With the White Man's Disease - Priya Sankaran
[ Huffington Post ][ May 17 23:59 GMT ]
That first week of July was a hot one in Toronto. I had always liked the heat. But lately I had noticing the ultra-cool air-conditioning chilling the office seemed to suit me better than heat. That Tuesday, the morning assignments had just been handed out to each the reporters filing for the supper hour news cast. Mine was a compelling story about a ten-year-old Vietnamese orphan brought to Toronto for surgery at Sick Kids Hospital. I decided to go to the Visual Resources tape library for some stock footage I would need. [ full story | comments
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Sri Lanka 1998 plane crash 'victim' still alive
[ PTI ][ May 17 23:53 GMT ]
A Sri Lankan woman thought to be dead in the passenger airline that disappeared in 1998 has been found to be alive. It turned out that the woman was not a passenger but her national identity card was being carried by somebody else. Gunamani Balasubramaniam, a Jaffna resident, was believed to be among the 48 passengers of the Lion Air plane which crashed into the northern seas as a result of an LTTE missile attack on September 29, 1998. [ full story | comments
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China Machinery Agrees to $229.5 Million Sri Lanka Water Project
[ Bloomberg ][ May 17 10:19 GMT ]
China Machinery Engineering Corp. (1829), a Beijing-based builder, signed a $229.5 million contract for a water-supply project north of the Sri Lanka capital of Colombo, the company said today in a Hong Kong exchange filing. The Gampaha, Attanagalla and Minuwangoda project with the National Water Supply & Drainage Board of Sri Lanka will take about 36 months to construct, China Machinery said in the filing. [ full story | comments
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Boats should not stop a CHOGM boycott
[ ABC ][ May 17 02:19 GMT ]
Canada says it will boycott this year's CHOGM in Sri Lanka due to the government's human rights failures, but Bob Carr has adopted a serendipitous attitude to Sri Lanka. The reason, writes Bruce Haigh, is boats. In the face of a great deal of evidence to the contrary, Bob Carr has declared Sri Lanka an ideal democracy. He has declared their institutions sound, and scoffed at the idea of corruption within the ranks of the Rajapaksa government. [ full story | comments
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Freedom of assembly in post-war Sri Lanka
[ Groundviews ][ May 16 21:31 GMT ]
The war in Sri Lanka ended on 18th May 2009. During three decades of war, civil liberties were severely curtailed, often in an arbitrary manner, without possibilities of challenging them or seeking remedies through independent bodies. The Ministry of Defense, the military and police reigned supreme. Even judicial discretion was curtailed, with the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) compelling Judges to obey wishes of the Ministry of Defense and the police through the Attorney General’s department when it came to remanding people, bail etc. The PTA remains as a dreaded legal weapon in the hands of the government to use against it’s peaceful opponents. [ full story | comments
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Clegg attacks Sri Lanka's 'suppression of press freedom'
[ Guardian ][ May 16 10:20 GMT ]
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has attacked the lack of press freedom in Sri Lanka while defending the government's decision to attend a Commonwealth summit in the country.Clegg spoke of unspecified "consequences" if the Sri Lankan government "continue to ignore their international commitments" in the months leading up to the Commonwealth heads of government meeting, due to take place in November.He referred to the "suppression of press freedom" along with "politically-motivated trials" and assaults on lawyers as "despicable human rights violations." [ full story | comments
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Tamil Memorial Week 2013 - Ontario PC Leader
[ OPC ][ May 16 10:02 GMT ]
The following is a statement by Ontario PC Leader Tim Hudak on Annual Tamil Memorial Week: “As Leader of the Ontario PC Caucus, I would like to join the province’s Tamil-Canadian community in observing the fourth anniversary of the end of the decades-long civil war in Sri Lanka. “Annual Tamil Memorial Week ensures we never forget the innocent civilians who were killed during the war, including the tens of thousands of people who died during the last weeks leading up to May 18, 2009. It also gives us the opportunity to once again demand accountability for those who died, the families still living in the country, and their loved ones abroad. [ full story | comments
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காஷ்மீர் போராட்டமும் தமிழ்மண் போராட்டமும் ஒன்றே: யாசின் மாலிக்
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Events
Notices
Featured News
[Times of India - May 18, 2013 22:00:24 GMT]
Yasin Malik voices support for Tamil Eelam
[AFP - May 18, 2013 15:50:09 GMT]
Sri Lanka Tamils defy ban on rebel memorial
[Liberal Party of Canada - May 18, 2013 15:49:30 GMT]
Statement by Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau on the Anniversary of the End of the Sri Lankan Civil War
[Toronto Star - May 18, 2013 0:01:50 GMT]
Dangerous game of ‘diaspora politics’ is here to stay
[IANS - May 18, 2013 0:00:47 GMT]
Don't dilute autonomy, India tells Sri Lanka
[The Hindu - May 18, 2013 0:00:08 GMT]
Jaffna: From building a house to securing a community
[Huffington Post - May 17, 2013 23:59:19 GMT]
My Struggle With the White Man's Disease - Priya Sankaran
[Times of India - May 17, 2013 23:55:38 GMT]
Deterrent action for Indians found fishing in Lankan waters
[ABC - May 17, 2013 2:19:14 GMT]
Boats should not stop a CHOGM boycott
[Groundviews - May 16, 2013 21:31:46 GMT]
Freedom of assembly in post-war Sri Lanka
[Guardian - May 16, 2013 10:20:34 GMT]
Clegg attacks Sri Lanka's 'suppression of press freedom'
[Reuters - May 16, 2013 2:28:04 GMT]
UK warns Sri Lanka on abuses before Commonwealth summit
[Daily Mail - May 16, 2013 2:25:51 GMT]
Clegg spat over free Press... with Sri Lanka: Deputy PM attacks country's editors hours after they lamented 'shackles' being imposed on British newspapers
[Sunday Times - May 15, 2013 10:14:56 GMT]
Remove police and land powers before holding northern elections: Weerawansa
[AFP - May 15, 2013 9:59:13 GMT]
Sri Lanka hype runs out as economy struggles
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