Landmark European ruling says Tamils risk torture if deported

[TamilNet, Friday, 18 July 2008, 10:48 GMT]
In a rebuke of Britain’s efforts to deport Tamil asylum seekers, the European Court of Human Rights allowed Thursday the appeal by one refugee, finding that he was at risk of torture by the Sri Lankan authorities if returned there. Immigration lawyers said the European Court’s ruling was ‘very significant’ as the forcible removal of hundreds of Tamils had been held up pending this judgment. The Court’s decision came as the British government praised the Sri Lankan government’s efforts on human rights.
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SL Supreme Court allows videofilming during search operations

[TamilNet, Thursday, 17 July 2008, 10:22 GMT]
The Sri Lankan Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarath Silvan has allowed the Sri Lankan 'security' establishment to video residents of 'all communities' during the cordon and search operations. The Sri Lankan Chief Justice issued the directive Tuesday following the explanation by the State Counsel appearing for the Attorney General in a fundamental rights violation case filed by the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) against the indiscriminate arrests of Tamils in Colombo that it is tantamount to violating fundamental rights of Tamils. Members of law enforcement authority could continue video filming of persons in search operation irrespective of racial, religious and other differences.
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British minister meets Pillayan

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 July 2008, 19:57 GMT]
British Foreign and Commonwealth (Asia, Africa and UN) Affairs Minister Malloch-Brown Wednesday morning held talks with Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, leader of the paramilitary-cum-political party TMVP. The meeting was held at the Chief Secretariat of the EPC in Trincomalee town. The talks lasted for about two hours, Media was not allowed to cover the proceedings.
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Tamil youth abducted, another missing in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 July 2008, 15:12 GMT]
Two Tamil youths were abducted Monday by unidentified armed persons in two separate incidents in Dehiwala and Narahenpitiya in Colombo, according to Civil Monitoring Committee.
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One Tamil youth abducted, another missing in Colombo

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 16 July 2008, 15:12 GMT]
Two Tamil youths were abducted Monday by unidentified armed persons in two separate incidents in Dehiwala and Naharenpitya in Colombo, according to a statement issued by the Civil Monitoring Committee.
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TNA: Jaffna Pass system violates basic human rights

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2008, 15:43 GMT]
Maavai Senathirajah, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Jaffna in a letter to Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse, protested that procedures instituted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officials for Jaffna residents to obtain a “Pass” to travel out of Jaffna require several days, and are causing “tremendous hardships” to the public and demanded immediate withdrawal of the pass system. He accused Colombo of suppressing freedom of movement and of grossly violating basic human rights.
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Indian PM's Special Protection Group personnel arrive in Colombo

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2008, 09:55 GMT]
70 members of the Indian Special Protection Group (SPG), which provides proximate security to the Prime Minister of India and the members of his immediate family, have arrived in Colombo Sunday for security preparations for the upcoming SAARC summit, diplomatic sources in Colombo said. In addition to the SPG personnel, the Indian government has sought permission from Sri Lanka to bring three naval ships, which will be anchored in the outer-harbour of Colombo during the summit. The sources also added that there will be some air cover as well.
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Court seeks explanation from AG for video taping Tamil residents

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 15 July 2008, 00:59 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court, in response to a complaint filed by the petitioner in a fundamental rights violation case, Monday, directed the Attorney General to appear on Tuesday and submit his explanation for video taping a group of Tamil civilians in Muhathuwaaram in Colombo on July 2 after they were taken to an open space following a cordon and search operation, legal sources said.
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British Foreign Minister to meet Pillayan - reports

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 July 2008, 19:40 GMT]
Britain’s Foreign Minister, Lord Malloch-Brown, is to meet Pillayan (Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan), Chief Minister of the Eastern Province and leader of the Army-backed paramilitary group, the TMVP, Sri Lankan press reports said. Lord Malloch-Brown is on a four day visit to Sri Lanka this week, The Island newspaper said.
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Making SAARC meaningful

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 July 2008, 11:42 GMT]
The South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation, which incorporates India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and now Afghanistan, is a logical process, not just because of geographical contiguity, shared cultures, legacies of British imperialism, elite use of English language etc., but because of the region’s common aspirations and problems, first of all in ensuring secure and quality life, and then seeking the rightful place for one fifth of humanity in the contemporary world. What went wrong with the noble concept of SAARC, while similar regional formations such as the EU and ASEAN are successful elsewhere, discusses Opinion Columnist Chivanadi.
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2 civilians missing in Ki'n'niyaa

[TamilNet, Monday, 14 July 2008, 11:12 GMT]
A 35-year old cattle breeder, and a 42-year old auto-rickshaw driver have been reported missiing in Aalangkea'ni, Ki'n'niyaa, during the last three days, according to complaints filed by their relatives with Ki'n'niya Police, media sources in Colombo said.
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Civil Protection Committee formed in Batticaloa

[TamilNet, Sunday, 13 July 2008, 17:38 GMT]
A 48-member group with a mission to implement projects that nuture good will between the local citizens and Sri Lanka Police was formed for the Maanmunai North District Secretariat division at a meeting held at the Batticaloa Mahajana College at 10:00 a.m. Sunday led by Batticaloa Suprintendent of Police (SP), Priyantha Weerasooriya, Assistant SP, Ranasinghe, and Officer in Charge (OIC), Mr Sarath Wickrama, sources in Batticaloa said. The Committee will also serve as mechanism to allow local citizenry to register complaints against the Police, officials at the meeting said.
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Tamil family man shot dead in Colombo

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 July 2008, 11:48 GMT]
A Tamil civilian was shot dead Friday morning inside a hairdressing saloon located along Ferguson Road in Mukaththuvaaram in Colombo police division, according to complaints lodged with the Police by the victim's relatives.
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SC decides to inquire into East PC election petition

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 July 2008, 01:28 GMT]
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka Friday decided to take up for inquiry the election petition filed by three voters of the Batticaloa district seeking the court to declare null and void the results of the East Provincial Council (EPC) election held on May 10, legal sources in Colombo said. The Court directed the registrar to send notices to the respondents to appear in court on the next date.
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30 civilians arrested Katunayake HSZ

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 July 2008, 01:05 GMT]
Sri Lanka Police arrested thirty civilians including ten Tamils into custody during a cordon and search operation conducted from Thursday night till Friday morning the Katunayake High Security Zone (HSZ), sources in Colombo said. The Katunayake international airport, and military installations are located within the HSZ.
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State not ready to file charges against Tissainayagam, asks Court for more time

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2008, 16:55 GMT]
The State Counsel, Parindra Ranasinghe, appearing in Tissainayagam’s wrongful custody case, Friday, admitted that investigations in the case had been complete last week, but that decision is yet to be made if the State is going to file charges against Tissainayagam. The Counsel requested from the Court for a further 47 days to make the decision. Tissainayagam has been held in custody for 126 days as of today.
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Bus attacked in Buttala, 4 killed, 25 wounded

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2008, 06:43 GMT]
Unidentified gunmen Friday morning attacked a passenger bus, killing two females and a 12-year-old child in Buttala, Police said. 26 passengers were wounded in the attack and one of the wounded succumbed to injuries later. The bus was plying from Buttala to Kathirkaamam (Kataragama). The injured were rushed to Kathirkaamam hospital and 19 of them later transferred to Hambantota hospital.
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'Conversations in a Failing State'

[TamilNet, Friday, 11 July 2008, 04:00 GMT]
Towards the end of 19th century, the renowned American writer Mark Twain visited Colombo. While he was admiring the plurality of colour in the native dresses, somewhere in Pettah, he saw native children coming out of an English school, in line, in white uniform and in the same hairdo. ‘What an ugly scene’, he wrote, being sad at the way colonial institutions depriving natives of their pluralism. More than a century later, Patrick Lawrence, another American, comes to Sri Lanka to record the net results, a failed nationalism and a failed state, as consequences of the loss of pluralism.
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War of words on opposition's strike

[TamilNet, Thursday, 10 July 2008, 18:21 GMT]
While Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) said that the token strike it launched with the support of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Thursday was a success, the Sri Lanka Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa claimed in the parliament that the strike ended in 'utter failure' due to lack of support from the working class, political sources in Colombo said. The workers were pressurised in all provinces to be present at the work by the government officials and the police.
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CTTU extends support for General strike

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 09 July 2008, 02:42 GMT]
The Ceylon Tamil Teachers Union (CTTU ) in an official communiqué issued Tuesday called upon all it members to take part in the island wide general strike scheduled for July 10 in a show of support for the one-day token strike organized by the Marxist Jathika Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) with the blessings of main opposition United National Party (UNP).
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