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Female lecturer stabbed by student

A female Tamil lecturer of the Nawala Open University Law Faculty was in a critical condition after she was repeatedly stabbed by a law faculty student today. She was admitted to a private hospital while the suspect is being held inside a room and a tense situation is reportedly prevailing in the university premises. Police personnel arrived at the scene of the tragedy and are bringing the situation under control. The victim is identified as Yashodara Kadirgamathambi, the Head of Law Department of the Open University. Meanwhile, an Open University student, who is also a doctor, was arrested in connection with the incident, police said. The suspect student was reportedly admitted to the Kalubowila Hospital
Navy arrests 80 asylum seekers

The navy arrested 80 would-be asylum seekers off the Batticaloa seas early this morning. Navy spokesman Kosala Warnakulasooriya said that the boat was believed to be heading to Australia when it was stopped by navy patrol boats. The asylum boat is now being brought to Trincomalee where the asylum seekers will be handed over to the police
TNA told India is not happy

India has told the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that it is not happy with moves in Sri Lanka to dilute the 13th Amendment to the constitution. The Indian External Affairs spokesperson’s office, in a statement, said that Prime Minister Manomhan Sing conveyed to the TNA delegation that he was dismayed by reports suggesting that the Government of Sri Lanka planned to dilute certain key provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution ahead of elections to the Northern Provincial Council. A six-member delegation of the TNA led by R. Sampanthan which includes Mavai S. Senathirajah, Suresh Premachandran, P. Selvarajah, Selvam Adaikkalanathan and M.A. Sumanthiran met the Indian Prime Minister yesterday as well as…
Sri Lanka: Proposed Media Code Threatens Free Speech

(New York) – A new media code proposed by the Sri Lankan government contains overbroad and vague language that could have a severe and chilling effect on free speech, Human Rights Watch said today. On June 17, 2013, the Ministry of Mass Media and Information officially proposed a Code of Media Ethics that would apply to print and electronic media, including the Internet. The proposed code comes at a time when the government has taken various measures to clamp down on Sri Lanka’s once vibrant media, including forcing some electronic media critical of the government to close down. “The government’s proposed media code is part of a sustained campaign to control the media and curtail…
Social Media Threat: Mahinda & Sons On Twitter And Facebook – Rajapaksas Are Heading To Jaffna

The President Rajapaksa’s younger brother, secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa Thursday said that the rapid expansion and development of social media is a threat to national security. He said; “this is yet another threat that needs to be monitored“. So we monitored. Rajapaksa’s Tweets; Namal on his way to Jaffna; Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s final update;

Female lecturer stabbed by student

A female Tamil lecturer of the Nawala Open University Law Faculty was in a critical condition after she was repeatedly stabbed by a law faculty student today. She was admitted to a private hospital while the suspect is being held inside a room and a tense situation is reportedly prevailing in the university premises. Police personnel arrived at the scene of the tragedy and are bringing the situation under control. The victim is identified as Yashodara Kadirgamathambi, the Head of Law Department of the Open University. Meanwhile, an Open University student, who is also a doctor, was arrested in connection with the incident, police said. The suspect student was reportedly admitted to the Kalubowila Hospital

Navy arrests 80 asylum seekers

The navy arrested 80 would-be asylum seekers off the Batticaloa seas early this morning. Navy spokesman Kosala Warnakulasooriya said that the boat was believed to be heading to Australia when it was stopped by navy patrol boats. The asylum boat is now being brought to Trincomalee where the asylum seekers will be handed over to the police

TNA told India is not happy

India has told the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) that it is not happy with moves in Sri Lanka to dilute the 13th Amendment to the constitution. The Indian External Affairs spokesperson’s office, in a statement, said that Prime Minister Manomhan Sing conveyed to the TNA delegation that he was dismayed by reports suggesting that the Government of Sri Lanka planned to dilute certain key provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution ahead of elections to the Northern Provincial Council. A six-member delegation of the TNA led by R. Sampanthan which includes Mavai S. Senathirajah, Suresh Premachandran, P. Selvarajah, Selvam Adaikkalanathan and M.A. Sumanthiran met the Indian Prime Minister yesterday as well as…

Sri Lanka: Proposed Media Code Threatens Free Speech

(New York) – A new media code proposed by the Sri Lankan government contains overbroad and vague language that could have a severe and chilling effect on free speech, Human Rights Watch said today. On June 17, 2013, the Ministry of Mass Media and Information officially proposed a Code of Media Ethics that would apply to print and electronic media, including the Internet. The proposed code comes at a time when the government has taken various measures to clamp down on Sri Lanka’s once vibrant media, including forcing some electronic media critical of the government to close down. “The government’s proposed media code is part of a sustained campaign to control the media and curtail…

Social Media Threat: Mahinda & Sons On Twitter And Facebook – Rajapaksas Are Heading To Jaffna

The President Rajapaksa’s younger brother, secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa Thursday said that the rapid expansion and development of social media is a threat to national security. He said; “this is yet another threat that needs to be monitored“. So we monitored. Rajapaksa’s Tweets; Namal on his way to Jaffna; Yoshitha Rajapaksa’s final update;

Rejects Any Political Solution Based On The 13th Amendment- British Tamils Forum

“Tamils reject any political solution based on the 13th amendment – it neither addresses the root cause of the conflict nor safeguards the Tamil national interest on the island.” says the British Tamils Forum. Issuing a statement the British Tamils Forum says it insists that any political solution to the Tamil National Question has to be conducted through an internationally mediated referendum – only this can lay the foundation for a lasting peace and satisfy the socio-political and economic aspirations of the Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka. The statement in full; Tamils reject any political solution based on the 13th amendment – it neither addresses the root cause of the conflict nor safeguards…

Oval Cricket Violence: No Arrest Made So Far, Three Arrested An Unconnected Incident – Scotland Yard

Scotland Yard has not made any arrest related to yesterdays violence outside the Oval Cricket Ground after the Cricket match between Australia and Sri Lanka London Metropolitan Police told Colombo Telegraph today. However three people were arrested earlier in the evening in an unconnected incident London Metropolitan Police said. ‘Boycott Sri Lankan Cricket’ Activists were attacked by a Sri Lankan cricket fans outside the Oval Cricket Ground, London. The picture below shows the violent cricket fans attacked young female member of Tamil Youth Organisation. “At the end of the day , the fact is I wasn’t punched for being a right activist. That Sri Lankan cricket fan punched me for being a Tamil as he put it” she told. One of the injured…

Lankans fail to record fingerprints

Hundreds of Sri Lankan expatriates who were asked to appear at the deportation center in Jeddah for biometric recording yesterday, had to return without their fingerprints recorded apparently due to backlog piled up since last week, Arab News reported. Monday was the day scheduled for expatriates from Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Sudan to record their biometrics, and consequently, hundreds including women descended in the morning on the deportation center. However, after a wait of about five hours, the Sri Lankans were told by the authorities that their fingerprints could not be recorded and that they should come back next week. Scores of Sri Lankan expatriates had already formed queues at the center with hundreds waiting…

New media code targets ads

The media code of ethics draft, made public by the Media Ministry, has an advertising code which notes that advertisements carried out in the electronic and print media including websites shall be so designed as to confirm to the laws of the country and not offend morality, decency and religious susceptibilities of the subscribers. The advertising code also discourages exploiting the National emblem, National flag and National Anthem or any part of the Constitution or the person or personality of a national leader or a state dignitary. “This code protects both the rights of the individual and upholds the public’s right to know. It should be honoured to the letter as well as in the spirit – neither…

Part of a ‘drama star’ says UNP

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) says claims by the government that it is going to change a clause in the 13th Amendment to the Constitution is part of a ‘drama star’ as such a clause is now non-existant. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that the clause on merging provinces, which Cabinet had decided to remove, ceased to exist with the lifting of the emergency regulations. He also recalled that the Supreme Court had also once ruled against the merged North and East. Attanayake said that the government was attempting to remove a non-existant clause just to hide more serious issues

Anti Sri Lankan activists arrested

Some 600 activists belonging to pro-Tamil Eelam outfits were arrested today for allegedly attempting to march to the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in Udhagamandalam, Tamil Nadu, where two Sri Lankan defence personnel are undergoing training, the Press Trust of India. Protesting against the training, the activists demanded resignation of Defence Minister A.K. Antony for giving “false” assurance that no Sri Lankan military personnel would be given training on Tamil Nadu soil. The activists shouted slogans against the central government, which, they alleged, was taking an anti-Tamil stand. They also burnt the effigies of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa besides the Sri Lankan national flag. Police said the activists were…

New Indian envoy to Colombo arrives

Yashvardhan Kumar Sinha, the new High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka arrived in Colombo today. Y.K. Sinha is a seasoned diplomat and during his career of 32 years, has handled several important assignments at the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi and in Indian diplomatic missions in the Middle East, Europe, South America and the Permanent Mission of India at the United Nations headquarters in New York. Before coming to Sri Lanka, he was Additional Secretary in the Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran division at the Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi. He was Ambassador of India to Venezuela from January 2007 to August 2009 and Consul General of India in Dubai from August 2003 to December 2006….

Need for strong diplomatic response -CM

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Monday said the numerous incidents of arrest and attack on fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy needed a strong and coordinated diplomatic response by the Centre at the highest level. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, she said even as 49 fishermen, abducted on June 5, remained in Sri Lankan custody, eight more innocent and poor fishermen from Rameswaram were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on June 15. They were remanded in custody by a magistrate at Mannar for 12 days up to June 27. The incident had caused unrest among the fishermen community in Tamil Nadu. They “now feel alienated by the Union government’s apparent inaction and callous…

UNP sacks several PC members

The main opposition UNP today sacked several of its Provincial Council (PC) members, most of who had campaigned against UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. The UNP working committee had decided to remove outspoken UNP provincial council members Maithri Gunaratne and Shiral Lakthilake as well as at least eight others on disciplinary grounds. All the PC members were sacked over their alleged involvement with the attack on the UNP headquarters at Sirikotha in 2011. Before and after the attack, Maithri Gunaratne and Shiral Lakthilake had publicly spoken against the UNP leader and called for his removal from the party leadership post.

Manmohan assures K’nidhi on Lanka

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that India was working towards finding the rightful place for all communities in Sri Lanka, the Indo Asian News Service (IANS) reported. In a letter to DMK president M Karunanidhi dated June 11 – a copy of which was released to the media Monday – Singh said: “The government of India has consistently worked for all communities in Sri Lanka, including Sri Lankan Tamils to find their rightful place and live in harmony in that country.” He said India would continue to work for achieving that goal through a process of national reconciliation in Sri Lanka. Singh was replying to Karunanidhi’s June 9 letter wherein the DMK chief…

TNA team to discuss 13A with PM

A delegation, led by TNA Member of Parliament R Sampanthan, will meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and external affairs minister Salman Khurshid on Tuesday. They will also meet the national security advisor Shivshankar Menon today (Monday), the New Indian Express reported. “The Sri Lankan government is acting in breach of the India-Sri Lanka accord. We naturally have to turn to India and bring it to their notice,” TNA delegation member, M A Sumanthiran told Express. He was referring to the Lankan Cabinet last week’s approval for the proposal to modify the constitution to remove the power of the president to merge two or more provinces. A constitutional amendment bill is likely to be introduced in…

MR tells CMs to get ready

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has told the Chief Ministers of the Central Province and North Western Province to get ready for an election. The President met the Chief Ministers of the Central Province and North Western Province at Temple Trees today. A Government Minister who took part in the discussion today confirmed that the President had told them to prepare for an election. The President has also said that the government will allocate the funds needed to develop both provinces. The meeting comes amidst reports that the two provincial councils will be dissolved by the end of this week. Senior officials of both provinces took part in the discussion while Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne and senior…

BJP bats for Cauvery, Lankan Tamils

The state unit of the BJP has asked the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre to ‘coerce’ Sri Lanka to politically empower the Sri Lankan Tamils so as to enable them live with dignity and respect in the island nation. According to BJP sources, the Centre’s inaction is sending a wrong message across that India is not keen on protesting the Tamils in Lanka. “We want political empowerment for the Lankan Tamils as per the 13th Amendment and the Centre should strongly work towards this goal,” said BJP’s state president Pon Radhakrishnan. On the Sri Lankan Tamil issue, the party said it was already engaged in efforts to ensure the rights of Lankan Tamils. The…

Sri Lanka says Tamil Tiger fronts operate in Germany

The Tamil Tiger rebel front organizations are still operating in Germany under the guise of community organizations, the Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry said on Monday. External Affairs Minister G.L. Peiris, during a discussion he had in Berlin with the German Minister of Foreign Affairs Guido Westerwelle, said that according to information available to Sri Lankan authorities, there are a substantial number of schools operating in Germany by these groups for propaganda and fund raising purposes. He urged the German authorities to keep a close watch on their activities in breach of the EU proscription, the External Affairs Ministry said. The Tamil Tigers were defeated in 2009 after 30 years of war but their front…

India intensifies patrolling near SL waters

In a bid to prevent fishermen from this region crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line and entering Sri Lankan waters, Indian Coast Guard station in Puducherry in Taml Nadu has intensified patrol besides launching awareness campaigns, an official said. The coastguard station, with an operational area comprising the stretch between Kodiakarai in neighbouring Nagapattinam District and Kollidam, has stepped up vigil along the IMBL to prevent the fishermen from crossing the borders and face arrest by Sri Lankan Navalmen, Coast Guard Inspector Kathiresan said. “A Coast Guard vessel has undertaken patrol near the IMBL and with the help of powerful maritime telescopes. Fishermen crossing the IMBL are monitored. They will be intercepted and sent back…