Author: TELO Admin

Sri Lanka’s Hayleys-Fentons to get Mannar wind plant at 4.65 cents

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Sri Lanka’s Hayleys Fentons Limited will be awarded the 50 MegaWatt wind power plant in Mannar at 4.65 US cents a unit, Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy Udayanga Hemapala said.

Last year it was announced that state-run Ceylon Electricity Board would award the plant to Windforce Plc at 4.88 cents a unit, which was the lowest responsive bid.

The Hayleys bid was excluded on technical issues. The plant is going to the firm following an appeal board process, officials said.

Mannar wind systme has high energy potential allowing lower prices, and the Ceylon Electricity Board’s 103.5 MegaWatt plant is recording over 40 percent plant factor after bird radar.

When the radar detects birds, it stops the turbine halting energy production.

Sri Lanka Mannar CEB wind farm plant factor above 40-pct

Data showed that in 2023, the 103.5 MW CEB wind farm had a plant factor of 43 percent.

Bird radar could be costing about 4 to 5 percent loss of plant factor, according to officials.

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Will expedite process of returning land in North to rightful owners: President

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the issue of land disputes in the Northern Province is under review and that steps are being taken to expedite the process of returning land to their rightful owners.

The President highlighted that while the government has the authority to acquire land anywhere in the country for development projects or security purposes, it is imperative that alternative land is provided to those affected.

He said that land belonging to the people should rightfully remain with them.

President Dissanayake made these remarks during the Jaffna District Coordination Committee (DCC) meeting held today at the Jaffna District Secretariat.

He also stressed that the Jaffna President’s House will be fully repurposed for a project of greater significance to the people of the region. He urged officials to submit suitable proposals for this initiative.

The President instructed officials to investigate and take swift action regarding reports that families displaced by the war are still residing in the Northern Province.

He also noted that a committee, led by the Secretary to the Prime Minister, has identified approximately 30,000 vacancies in state institutions. He assured that these vacancies would be filled in accordance with the established recruitment process, ensuring opportunities for university graduates as well.

The President announced that Tamil-speaking youth will be given greater opportunities to apply for vacancies in the Police Department and encouraged them to come forward for recruitment.

India lodged strong protest over Sri Lankan Navy’s firing incident, confirms MEA

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India has taken up a strong protest with Sri Lanka after the latter’s Navy was accused of opening fire on Indian fishermen in the seas off Jaffna.

The incident, which occurred this week, left two fishermen from Karaikal injured. India’s Ministry of External Affairs summoned Sri Lanka’s Acting High Commissioner in New Delhi to raise its objection over the firing and detention of recent cases of Indian fishermen.

India’s MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed the protest, which stated that Sri Lankan authorities had detained 13 Indian fishermen, five of whom were injured, two seriously. The Indian MEA condemned the actions of the Sri Lankan Navy and repeated its demand for an immediate end to such incidents.

“Regarding number of fishermen, we have been giving out the numbers at certain interval… What I can tell you is that the last press release that was issued was in regard to 13 fishermen who were apprehended and 5 of them also sustained injuries, 2 of them seriously, and thereafter we had to summon the Sri Lankan acting high commissioner here in Delhi to convey a strong protest on it,” he said.

Earlier in the day, six detained Indian fishermen were released and sent back to Chennai. The release of six Indian fishermen earlier in the day comes as tensions rise over the handling of the Indian fishermen issue.

Source: IndiaTV News

Former ITAK MP Mavai Senathirajah passes away

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Former Parliamentarian and senior leader of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) Mavai Senathirajah has passes away at the age of 82.

He had reportedly passed away today (29) at the Jaffna Hospital where he had been admitted over the past couple of days.

It had been reported yesterday that the veteran Tamil politician was admitted to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital due to an accident that occurred at his home.

A former Member of Parliament, Senathirajah was the leader of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) from 2014 to 2024, the main constituent party of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

He joined the youth wing of Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), the Tamil Youth League, in 1962 and became secretary of the Tamil Youth Front, the youth wing the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), in 1972.

He entered Parliament in 1989 when he was appointed as a National List Member of Parliament for the TULF, and re-entered Parliament in 1999 as a National List Member of Parliament for the TULF

Senathirajah was one of the TULF’s candidates in Jaffna District at the 2000 parliamentary election. He was elected and re-entered Parliament. On 20 October 2001 the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front, Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization and TULF formed the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

Senathirajah contested the 2001 parliamentary election as one of the TNA’s candidates in Jaffna District. He was elected and re-entered Parliament while he was also re-elected at the 2004, 2010 and 2015 parliamentary elections.

Senathirajah was general-secretary of ITAK before being elected leader of ITAK in September 2014.

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UK Minister visits Jaffna in inaugural trip to the North-East

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Catherine West, the UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, is in Jaffna yesterday 28-01-2025 as part of the new UK government’s first official visit to the island.

In a press release, the UK government said that West will emphasise the UK’s ongoing support for human rights, reconciliation, climate resilience and minority rights during her trip to the peninsula.

West met with Tamil politicians including Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) MP Sivagnanam Shritharan and Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) leader Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam to discuss “reconciliation, development and inclusive representation.”

UK High Commissioner, Andrew Patrick, who accompanied West on her trip said that during the meeting, they “reaffirmed the UK’s support for reconciliation, and human rights and transitional justice in Sri Lanka.”

West has previously stated that Sri Lanka is a “human rights priority country” when she was questioned on the need to impose sanctions on Sri Lankan war criminals.

Prior to the UK general election in July 2024, West spoke to the Tamil Guardian at the first ever British Tamil hustings in which she stated that a Labour government would be putting international law at the heart of their foreign policy.

“Keir Starmer, as you are aware, has previously called on the British government to take a leading role in referring Sri Lanka to the International Criminal Court,” West said.

To date, the UK government has not imposed any sanctions on Sri Lankan officials accused of human rights abuses.

The UK has remained the penholder of multiple resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council. The last resolution on Sri Lanka, passed in October 2024, extends the mandate of the Office of the High Commissioner for a further year so that it can continue collecting evidence of Sri Lanka’s human rights violations that may be used in future war crimes trials.

Sri Lanka has repeatedly rejected the resolutions, with Dissanayake’s government claiming that it will use domestic mechanisms to provide justice and accountability. Tamil victim survivors, including the families of the disappeared, have consistently expressed that stronger international action is needed to hold Sri Lanka accountable for the genocide in Mullivaikkal.

Ahead of her Jaffna visit, West met with Sri Lankan prime minister Harini Amarasuriya and Sri Lankan foreign minister Vijitha Herath in Colombo. West posted on X that she and Amarasuriya discussed how the UK and Sri Lanka can drive their “partnership forward together” despite the island’s long history of human rights abuses.

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Canada’s Conservative Party leader says he will ‘lead the world’ in seeking prosecutions against Sri Lankan war criminals

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Pierre Poilievre, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, said he would “lead the world in seeking prosecutions in international courts” against Sri Lankan officials accused of war crimes if elected as Canada’s next prime minister.

Speaking at the ‘Harvest of Hope’ event in Toronto, Canada on January 18, marking Thai Pongal and Tamil Heritage Month, Poilievre said:

“It will be Conservative prime minister Pierre Poilievre who will lead the world in seeking prosecutions in international courts of the Rajapaksas and other criminals who have persecuted the Tamil people.”

His comments follow Justin Trudeau’s decision to resign as the country’s prime minister after a decade in office.

Poilievre also highlighted that in 2013, former prime minister Stephen Harper boycotted the Commonwealth summit that was taking place in Colombo “to isolate and punish the oppressive regime in Sri Lanka for the genocide it was carrying out against the Tamil people.”

In his speech, Poilievre also recognised the contributions made by Tamils across Canada.

“The harvest is a celebration of the fruits of our labour and that symbolises everything that is great about the Tamil people who are known for relentless hard work in industry, entrepreneurship [and] building things,” Poilievre said.

This is not the first time the party leader has pledged to push for justice and accountability for Tamils.

Last year, Poilievre told Tamil news outlets that he would expand on sanctions and pursue accountability in the international fora, specifically at the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.

India Summons Sri Lankan Envoy Over Confrontation Between Fishermen & Sri Lanka Navy

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Sri Lanka’s Acting High Commissioner in New Delhi was called into the Indian Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday (28)to lodged a strong protest with Sri Lanka following an incident involving the Sri Lankan Navy firing on 13 Indian fishermen near Delft Island in the early hours of January 28, 2025.

Two of the fishermen sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, while three others suffered minor injuries and have been treated.

Indian Consulate officials in Jaffna have visited the injured fishermen to check on their well-being and are providing all possible assistance to the fishermen and their families, said the Indian Ministry of External Affairs.

The Sri Lankan Acting High Commissioner in New Delhi was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs, where a strong protest was lodged over the incident.

The Indian High Commission in Colombo has also raised the matter with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Sri Lankan government.

The Government of India emphasized the need to treat issues related to fishermen in a humane and humanitarian manner, keeping in mind their livelihood concerns.

The use of force is not acceptable under any circumstances whatsoever. Existing understandings between the two Governments in this regard must be strictly observed, said the Indian Ministry of Externalk Affairs.

The Northern Naval Command of the Sri Lanka Navy seized an Indian fishing boat and apprehended 13 Indian fishermen for poaching in Sri Lankan waters off Valvettithurai, Jaffna, on the night of January 27, 2025, said the country’s navy in a statement.

The operation was launched around 2200 hrs after the Northern Naval Command observed a cluster of Indian fishing boats in the area.

During the operation, the Navy deployed naval craft to drive away the fishing boats.

One Indian fishing boat, which continued to remain in Sri Lankan waters and engage in illegal fishing activities, was seized. The Sri Lanka Navy boarding team had to conduct a noncompliance boarding as the Indian fishing boat maneuvered aggressively and did not comply with lawful orders.

The Indian fishermen acted confrontationally, attempting to assault naval personnel and snatch a firearm from a naval officer, endangering the lives of the naval team.

In the process, an accidental fire had occurred, causing slight injuries to two Indian fishermen.

The Navy provided initial first aid and transferred the injured fishermen to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, where their condition is reported to be stable. A complaint has been lodged with the Kankesanthurai Police regarding the incident.

The seized Indian fishing boat and the remaining fishermen were brought to the Kankasanthurai harbour and will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for legal action.

The Navy continues to conduct operations to prevent illegal fishing activities and protect the livelihoods of the fishing community in the Northern Province.

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UK Minister for Indo-Pacific meets PM, discusses “Clean Sri Lanka” initiative

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Catherine West, Member of the UK Parliament and Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Minister for the Indo-Pacific, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, on January 27, 2025, at the Prime Minister’s Office.

During the meeting, Ms. Catherine West and Dr. Amarasuriya engaged in discussions on key government priorities, including poverty eradication, regional development, and economic equity, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

The dialogue also addressed Sri Lanka’s digital transformation initiatives and the “Clean Sri Lanka” program, with Dr. Amarasuriya highlighting the importance of social responsibility and inclusive governance in driving national progress.

The meeting was attended by Andrew Patrick, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan delegation included Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Ms. Sagarika Bogahawatta, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister, and Ms. Damithri Samangika, Assistant Director of the Europe and North America Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Jaffna University academic staff on strike

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The academic staff of the Jaffna University has resorted to a trade union action on five demands, including stern disciplinary action against the misdemeasnour of the students.

The lecturers of all faculties have joined the strike led by the University Teachers’ Association.

They pointed out that the university administration has failed to take disciplinary action against the unruly activities of the students.

Recently nine students of the Jaffna University had been suspended for consuming liqour and drugs and behaving in undisciplined manner.

However, a group of students had staged a protest in front of the university campus against the action taken by the university administration.

The University Teachers’ Association pointed out that the decisions of the university administration had gone by favour to the students, much to the injustice against the academic staff.

The association has decided to continue the strike until their demands are met.

US aid freeze likely to hit NGO’s diversity, inclusion programs in Sri Lanka: Sources

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An immediate aid freeze of US funding on many programmes aiming for diversity and inclusiveness is likely to hit funding for many local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Sri Lanka, sources who are aware of the impacts of the new US President Donald Trump’s decision have said.

The US State Department has issued a halt to nearly all existing foreign assistance and paused new aid, the BBC has reported, citing an internal memo sent to officials and US embassies abroad.

“This means there won’t be funding for diversity and inclusive programmes which also have been promoting LGBTQ,” one source, who has the knowledge on the impacts of the US funding freeze, told EconomyNext.

Officials in NGOs said some of their key projects including media training, inclusive democracy, rights, and diversity programmes are funded by the US.

“All the programmes are frozen with immediate effect. They have to file a report within 90 days from Trump’s declaration and justify their programmes focusing on diversity, inclusivity, and promoting LGBTQ,” the source said.

Soon after his taking oath, Trump under his executive orders said: “There are only two genders: male and female.”

His order will deprive large amounts of US funding for inclusivity and diversity projects around the world, sources said.

The 90-day pause in foreign development assistance pending a review of efficiencies and consistency with Trump’s foreign policy is already in effect.

The United States is the world’s biggest international aid donor spending $68 billion in 2023 according to the US government figures. The State Department notice appears to affect everything from development assistance to military aid, the BBC reported.

It makes exceptions only for emergency food aid and for military funding for Israel and Egypt.

It also orders a wide scale review of all foreign assistance to be completed within 85 days to ensure the aid adheres to President Trump’s foreign policy goals.