146,679 Vanni people missing within a year of war: Bishop of Mannaar

146,679 Vanni people missing within a year of war: Bishop of Mannaar

[Wed, 12 Jan 2011, 00:09 GMT]

According to records of the SL Government Agent offices of Mullaiththeevu and Ki’linochchi districts, the population of Vanni was 429,059 in October 2008. The total number of people who got into SL government control after the war was 282,380, according to UN update as of 10 July 2009. “Due clarification should be made regarding what happened to 146,679 people, which is the discrepancy between the number of people who came to government controlled areas between October 2008 – May 2009 and the population reported to be in Vanni in early October 2008,” said the Catholic Bishop of Mannaar, Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph in his submission to the LLRC Saturday. The Bishop has also raised the issues of militarization, colonisation, land grab, Sihalicization, Buddhicisation and civil as well as human rights abuses that take place in the Tamil land following the war. Full story >>

Sri Lanka No one killed Lasantha Wickrematunga

Two years ago on January 8, editor Lasantha Wickrematunga was shot dead from point blank range while driving to work. The incident sent shockwaves of disbelief and triggered a wave of protests here demanding that the culprits be arrested.
On Saturday, at a quiet memorial at Lasantha’s grave, mourners were still asking the question – when will the killers be brought to justice?
In a scathing statement, Reporters Without Borders said that it was appalling that the government had "done nothing to solve the murder and in fact is clearly preventing the truth from coming out."
``More than 50 hearings have been held before a magistrate’s court and the police still seem to be drawing a blank. Although 15 military intelligence officers were held for a brief period, they were released with no explanation being given to court,’’ the statement added.No one killed Full Story

Newspaper editor’s murderers still at large two years later

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• Why the media silence on Sri Lanka's descent into dictatorship?

  
  

  Lasantha Wickrematunge lies in state during his funeral ceremony in Colombo. Photograph: Lakruwan Wanniarachchi/AFP/Getty Images

  Edward Mortimer: Local journalists who speak out against human rights abuses fear for their lives and the world press turns a blind eye Continue reading...
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First land, now food: Sri Lanka’s powers-abetted genocide progresses unabated

First land, now food: Sri Lanka’s powers-abetted genocide progresses unabated Full Story                                                    www.greenleft.org.au/node/44756Full Story                         
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Extra-judicial killings, abductions, burglaries haunt Sri Lanka’s north

Extra-judicial killings, abductions, burglaries haunt Sri Lanka’s north
The resurgence of widespread extra-judicial killings, abductions and burglaries in the northern Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts during the past two months despite a heavy military presence, have created a panic wave among the people in the area.
Reports from Jaffna, the cultural nerve-centre of the Sri Lankan Tamils, reveal that at least five people, including a Hindu priest and an education officer, have been killed, while over a dozen has been abducted by masked-men arriving in vehicles without number plates within the past few weeks.
The latest victim of the current series of killings was a 27-year old youth Kandasamy Iruthayan, who was recently released from the government’s internally displaced (IDP) camp and was residing in Thirunelveli, near Jaffna town. A group of five masked men entered his house around 10 pm on Wednesday (Jan 5, 2011) and stabbed him several times to death before fleeing the area.
Killings
This followed by the dreadful killings of 56-year old Nithyananda Sharma, chief priest of Chankanai Murugan temple, 52-year-old Markandu Sivalingam, deputy director of Education, Valikamam Zone, 29-year old Mahendran Thiruvarudchelvan, a vehicle trader in Thenmaradchchi (his decapitated body was found nine days after his abduction) and 31-year old Ketheeswaran Thevarajah, a postal worker and environmentalist in Vadamaradchchi.
According to latest reports, the deputy director of Education for Valikaamam Zone was shot dead in a close-range by a masked man with a pistol at his home in Urumpirai around 10.30 pm on December 26, in the very presence of his 13-year old daughter.
In an another related incident, police recovered the dead body of 19-year old Ariyanayagam Thulasi, who was missing for two weeks from her home in Puloly, Point-Pedro. The post-mortem report has revealed that she had been sexually abused before her death.
These killings are in addition to the abduction and burglaries. The recent abductions in the Jaffna peninsula include a 30-year old Shanmuganathan Vignesvaran, a teacher from Urumpirai, 35-year old Mahalingam Amirtharajah, a worker from Yogapuram in Urumpirai, a 48-year old widow from Alvai and Sobinathan Gopinath, a 27-year-old driver of a auto trishaw, disappearing from Urumpirai to name a few.
Rising abductions
Worst among them were the abduction of 30 school boys by an armed group from the Kilinochchi district, which was formerly the politico-military headquarters of the LTTE. Of the 30 boys abducted, 28 boys were later dropped at the Omanthai military checkpoint. The fate of the other two is not known. The story has now been twisted as a trip to Vavuniya at their own will.
Danger of such human rights violations not being exposed is high in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts than in the Jaffna peninsula as journalists and aid workers are barred from entering the former rebel heartland. Even the opposition parliamentarians have no access to these areas. The former rebel-held districts virtually remain as military garrisons with the military now building permanent military structures and infrastructure facilities.
The modus-operandi of some of the killings has similarities in nature. The perpetrators have carried out the killing while pretending to be burglars.
Such violence were the daily events when the government troops were locked in fierce war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), but the re-emergence of the dark era even after the military defeat of the LTTE has raised a million dollar question on the motive of such organised crime.
"We are terrified"
Let whatever be the motives, the latest trend of violence has deeply instilled fear and shock among the people.
“We are terrified by the incidents. We get back home early and literally remain indoors, leaving our safety in the hands of the almighty,” a Jaffna resident told JDS.
“These criminal activities have either been carried out by government troops or the groups that have got the unreserved backing of the government and its military. The situation is likely to go on unabatedly with the local government elections scheduled to be held in March,” another resident said on condition of anonymity.
No arrests
The police have not taken any effort to arrest the situation and none has been arrested in this regard to date. Instead, a senior police official for the north has blamed the media and the local politicians for playing up the “not so serious incidents” to gain political mileage.
Jaffna peninsula is heavily guarded by over 40,000 armed military and police personal even after the defeat of the LTTE. Although there is a civil government agent for the north (chief administrating officer) to look after the administration of the former war-zone, it is the military that is running the daily administration there with a recently retired military General serving as the Governor of North.
The Tamil parliamentarians representing the people in the north on Thursday brought the issue to the notice of parliament. Submitting a list of 15 such incidents that occurred in the northern peninsula, the Tamil lawmakers called for explanations from the government as to how such incidents could take place at ease despite a heavy military presence.
Unable to provide satisfactory explanations, the government’s parliamentary group leader, Minister Nimal Sripala de Silva wanted an extra day to respond. This clearly sheds some light as to who could be the perpetrators.
Colombo media keeps mum
Commenting on the incidents, government spokesman and media minister Keheliya Rambukwella has told a news conference in Colombo on Thursday that “the elements that are seeking to tarnish the image of the Colombo government internationally were behind such extra-judicial killings and abductions”.
Refusing to name such evil elements, Minister Rambukwella has said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered a quick and impartial inquiry into the incidents.
Meanwhile, media sources in Colombo have pointed out that none of the English and Sinhala language national newspapers have reported any of these incidents or the debate in parliament. They, however, were spontaneous enough to publish the denials of the military in this regard.
With the military now being ordered by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the defence minister and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces, to purchase vegetables from the farmers in the north and to sell them at a concessionary rate in Colombo, the perpetrators are likely go scot-free.
© Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka

Extra-judicial killings, abductions, burglaries haunt Sri Lanka’s north Full Story

Concern over Jaffna disappearances

Friday, January 7, 2011

Politicians and non-governmental organisations have expressed serious concern over the “deterioration” of law and order in the northern districts.

Sri Lanka's main opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe demanded in Parliament that an all party delegation should be sent to Jaffna to assess the situation. Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Minister Douglas Devananda told Parliament on Tuesday that fear psychosis was prevailing in Jaffna

Concern over Jaffna disappearances Full Story

'Experimenting with Eezham Tamils on how to cheat trauma'

[Wed, 05 Jan 2011, 00:02 GMT]

First, deliberately and knowingly give a blow of trauma to a nation of people, without worrying about the outcome. What comes later is later. Then you know the trauma will backfire. So, make the nation to cheat its trauma by advocating religious observations, cricket, sports and entertainment. They don’t make much difference from drugs and alcohol, except that they bring in lesser physical health problems and lesser ‘law and order’ problems to the oppressors. But a trauma shouldn’t be cheated. Seeking justice and working for justice are the truly meaningful ways for a nation to treat its trauma, says a mental-health therapist from Vanni in a note sent to TamilNet on Tuesday. Full story >>

The War You Don't See (trailer) from John Pilger on Vimeo Full story >>

As Sri Lanka Talks of “Conditional Visas” for UN, It Switches to “Potential Visit”

As Sri Lanka Speaks of “Conditional Visas” for Ban's Panel, UN Switches to “Potential Visit," No Answer on to Whom Ban Spoke

By Matthew Russell Lee

Sri Lanka seeks weapons from rogue states, earns U.S. ire

Posted By Colum Lynch Wednesday, January 5, 2011 - 6:38 

Sri Lanka potentially violated U.N. sanctions against Iran and North Korea, according to a confidential U.S. cable obtained by WikiLeaks and published by the Norwegian daily Aftenpost. According to the cable, Sri Lankan officials sought to procure grenade launchers, ship-borne rocket systems and other military equipment from Tehran and Pyongyang.
U.S. intelligence was reported to have linked a Sri Lankan company that buys military equipment for the Sri Lankan military to an effort to purchase of RPG-7 rocket propelled grenade launchers (RPGs) and multiple rocket launchers (MRLs) from North Korea's primary weapons trading firm. The cable also said that the United States had received information that Iran's Ministry of Defense Logistics Export Center (Modlex) has recently provided an $11.4 million quote to the Sri Lankan Navy to install rocket systems on their war ships.
Full Story>>> 

Sri Lanka's attempt at illegal arms deal with Iran, N.Korea exposed

[Wed, 05 Jan 2011, 02:08 GMT]

A classified State Department cable dated march 8, 2009, released by WikiLeaks and posted in Norwegian daily Aftenposten, revealed that Sri Lanka's alleged attempts to negotiate arms deal with Iranian Government and North Korean Government violated U.S's Iran Non-proliferation Act of 2000 (INKSNA), and the United Nation's Security Council Resolution 1718 (UNSCR 1718). Lanka Logistics, a Sri Lanka Government owned firm was named in the classified document as the Sri Lanka party involved in the illegal arms deal. Gotabaya Rajapakse, brother of Sri Lanka's President, held the post of chairman of the firm and exercised complete control over arms purchases, according to Colombo media reports. Full story >>

"The Pope's message on religious freedom crucial for Sri Lanka"

 AsiaNews 

01/04/2011 10:35
SRI LANKA
"The Pope's message on religious freedom crucial for Sri Lanka"
by Melani Manel Perera
Fr. Reid Shelton Fernando, a political analyst and human rights activist, speaks to AsiaNews about the message launched by Benedict XVI for World Day of Peace, "Religious Freedom, the path to peace." Stressing that the faithful of every religion must root their beliefs in mutual respect.

 Colombo (AsiaNews) - "The Pope's message is very important to highlight the situation in Sri Lanka. If mistakes were made in the past, then Christians should be humble and ask for forgiveness, just as Pope John Paul II did on March 12, 2000, the first Sunday of Lent. " Fr. Reid Shelton Fernando, coordinator of the Young Christian Workers Movement in Sri Lanka, a political analyst and human rights activist, spoke to AsiaNews about how the Pope’s message for the  World Day of Peace reflects the situation in his country.
In Sri Lanka we speak of the presence of 4 major religious traditions in the country. We publicly acknowledge it. At the same time there is no religious persecutions meted out directly to minority religious. The Constitution adopted in 1978 there is a special chapter on the place given to the religion of the majority. I do not think that people from the minority race or minority religions could aspire to the leadership of the country. Even though that fact is not stated so in the rules. Who so ever aspire to lead the country must be from the majority race or religion. Indirectly there is no sense of equality in the strict sense of the word. However the religious leaders from the four traditions do occasionally come together for joint projects.
"The Pope's message on religious freedom crucial for Sri Lanka" Full Story

Boys 'abducted' in Kilinochchi-BBC News

Boys 'abducted' in Kilinochchi

	The group has allegedly abducted 30 Tamil boys

A group of boys abducted in Kilinochchi and taken towards Vavuniya in a bus by an armed group were later released, a Tamil boy has told security officials in the north.

28 out of 30 children were released by the armed group at the Omanthai military check point, the boy has told the police.

While travelling towards Vavuniya, the boy has said, at least four armed men were comparing photographs stored in a laptop computer with those abducted.

Two of the abducted were later taken towards Vavuniya by the group said the victim.

A senior police official in Kilinochchi told the BBC that the police received a complaint by one of the boys allegedly abducted.

But the police are yet to find any information regarding the two missing boys, the official added.

Reports from the main city of northern Sri Lanka, Jaffna, say people there are living in fear because of a current series of killings, abductions and robberies.

Director General of the Media Centre for National Security, Lakshman Hulugalle told BBC Sandeshaya that he was not aware of any abductions although police are investigating the killing of a civil servant.

"Jaffna is a peaceful place totally under the control of security forces," he added.

Boys 'abducted' in Kilinochchi-BBC News