Category: Breaking News

Special executive committee meeting of Freedom People’s Alliance today

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A special executive committee meeting of the newly-formed coalition, ‘Nidahas Janatha Sandhanaya’ (Freedom People’s Alliance), is scheduled to be held today (Jan. 16).

The new alliance was ceremonially launched on January 11, with the combined participation of 12 different political parties including the political parties representing the ‘Uttara Lanka Sabhagaya’ (Supreme Lanka Coalition) and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Accordingly, political sources said that the executive committee meeting of the new alliance will be held at 06.00 p.m. this evening at the SLFP headquarters.

It is reported that a final agreement will be reached between the parties regarding the submission of nominations for the upcoming Local Government (LG) elections.

However, it is also reported that the SLFP is likely to leave the alliance, as a proposal has reportedly been made to contest the LG election alone by leaving the alliance.

Several rounds of discussions have been held among the SLFP representatives in this regard yesterday (Jan. 16), and they have reportedly discussed whether to proceed with the new alliance or not.

Thus, the General Secretary of the SLFP, Dayasiri Jayasekara stated that the relevant decisions taken at the discussions in this regard will be announced by the representatives of the party in the special executive committee meeting of the Freedom People’s Alliance, which will be held today.

Meanwhile, former Western Provincial Council member Gamini Thilakasiri claims that the SLFP will not leave the Freedom People’s Alliance.

Source: Adaderana

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New Bill Signed Into Law by US President Joe Biden may Prevent Ex-Sri Lanka President Gota Rajapaksa from Returning to his Home in California

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This law, passed with strong bipartisan support, better aligns the US with her allies and the Geneva Conventions, and gives DOJ the ability to try persons responsible for war crimes in any part of the world should they come to the US.

According to a press release from the White House ,the changes to the “Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act,” have expanded the scope of individuals subject to prosecution for war crimes;
Senators Grassley, Durbin, Graham, and Leahy and Congress Representatives Cicilline and Spartz are reportedly responsible for giving leadership in this regard

The bill, which broadens the Justice Department’s jurisdiction to prosecute war crimes, was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday after winning Senate approval on Wednesday.

Known as the Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act, the bill allows the Justice Department to bring war crimes charges against people in the United States, regardless of where the alleged crime occurred.

Current statute only allows for prosecution when an alleged war crime occurs in the United States or when the victim or offender is a U.S. national.

The law is primarily aimed at Russions responsible for alleged war crimes in Ukraine. In fact the Ukrainian lobby in the US strongly canvassed for the law .

However it appears that an unintended consequence of this exercise would be its potential impact on former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa known as Gota. The Lankan ex- president was earlier a naturalized US citizen holding dual citizenship in Sri Lanka. He served as Defence secretary under his elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa from 2005 to 2015.

In 2019 Gota was elected as the 7th executive president of Sri Lanka. In July 2022, Gota fled the country and resigned as President due to widespread protests described as the “Aragalaya”(struggle). Thereafter he retuned to Sri Lanka and is living in Colombo with Govt protection

Gota had renounced his US citizenship prior to contesting the Sri Lankan presidential elections to be eligible to contest. His only son daughter in law and grand daughter are all US citizens living in California. Gota’s spouse too is a US citizen

According to various media reports Gota has been trying to return to the US and be reunited with family by staying permanently in the US. However reports say there is no chance of Gota getting a US green card.Even a visitors visa has been refused state media reports

Meanwhile some cases have been filed in US courts by victims of alleged Human rights violations and war crimes that took place under Gota’s watch as Defence secretary. Furthermore Canada -US neighbour and ally-has sanctioned him for alleged acts of omission and commission as President

Under these circumstances there seems very little chance of Gota ever getting a visa to enter the US. But now with the new US law, Gota would be extremely vulnerable on US soil even if he does gain entry. The strengthened US law enables the US dept of Justice to take action against any alleged offender on behalf of war crimes victims regardless of him or her being a foreign national. Also victims can seek justice for war crimes committed in any part of the world

Thus Gota runs the risk of being targeted judicially by his alleged victims if ever he is on US soil. Given the large number of alleged victims in North America and the support given by Human rights organizations, the chances of action being taken against Gota under the US Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act.

This places Gota in a very difficult position. Even if he achieves his dream of returning to the US,it may turn into the nightmare of being prosecuted and possibly convicted under the US Justice for Victims of War Crimes Act. Canada’s sanctions have increased this possibility.

What then will Gota do?

Source: D.B.S.Jeyaraj

Ahead of Jaishankar’s visit, Sri Lanka Prez assures to fully implement 13A

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Ahead of visit by India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Sri Lanka this week, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has assured to fully implement the India-brokered 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Wickremesinghe said that the 13th Amendment, which was proposed to devolve power and solve the ethnic problem between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamils, would be implemented not only in the war-ravaged North but in the Sinhala majority South as well.

The Sri Lankan President made the remarks while participating at the National Thai Pongal Festival held at northern city of Jaffna on Sunday.

He announced that a statement on the government’s steps toward the reconciliation will be made public in February after discussing with the political leaders next week.

Wickremesinghe also assured that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s work will be accelerated in order to provide relief to the families of those disappeared.

Following the intervention of India in 1987, under the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord, 13th Amendment was introduced to the Sri Lankan Constitution.

Signed between the then Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and the Sri Lanka’s former President J.R. Jayawardene, the accord aimed at solving the ethnic conflict which had developed to a bloody war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which was fighting for a separate land, and the Sri Lanka’s military.

The accord was signed to find solution to the ethnic crisis by devolving political powers to the Tamil dominated northern and eastern provinces in the country. However, under the 13th Amendment, the Provincial Council (PC) system – a power sharing arrangement dividing the country to nine provinces including the Sinhala majority areas – was introduced. The PC system, once fully implemented, would have the right to self-govern over areas such as land, health, agriculture, education, housing and police.

The majority Sinhala extremist parties have been strongly opposing the 13A specially sharing powers like police from the Centre.

India has been urging Sri Lanka to implement the 13A especially since the end of civil war in 2009 and this was reiterated by the External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar when he visited Sri Lanka in 2021.

Source: Business Standard

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President says looking at full implementation of 13A within next few years

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the Social Justice Commission will be established in order to build a country where everyone can live in harmony, by solving the problems of the people belonging to all sections of the population and that the government expects to fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

The President said this during his address at the National Thai Pongal Festival held at the Jaffna Durga Hall this afternoon (Jan. 15), the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.

The President, who was escorted to the venue by a Tamil cultural procession, was received according to Hindu rituals. Many Tamil cultural performances added colour to the event, the PMD said.

President Wickremesinghe says that the government is looking at the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution within the next few years.

“We are looking at full implementation of the 13th amendment within the next few years,”“he said while attending the Thai Pongal State Festival in Jaffna.

In addition, the President stated that in order to build a country where all races coexist and achieve economic prosperity, everyone must return to the Sri Lankan identity established by the late Mr D.S. Senanayake 75 years ago.

The President stated that a statement on the government’s steps toward reconciliation will be made public in February and that a meeting of party leaders will be convened next week to discuss the matter, according to the PMD.

President Wickremesinghe also stated that the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s work will be accelerated in order to provide relief to the families of the disappeared, it said.

Minister of Fisheries Douglas Devananda, State Minister of Higher Education Dr Suren Raghavan, State Minister of Defence Pramitha Bandara Thennakone, Members of Parliament Angajan Ramanathan, Kulasingham Thilipan, Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff to the President Sagala Ratnayake, Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, Governor of the Northern Province Jeevan Thyagaraja, Defence Ministry Secretary General Kamal Gunaratne (Rtd), Chief of Defence Staff General Shavendra Silva, as well as Commanders of three armed forces including heads of departments of defence and government officials, attended the ceremony, according to the PMD.

INS ‘Delhi’ arrives at port of Trincomalee

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The Indian Naval Ship (INS) ‘Delhi’ arrived at the Port of Trincomalee on a formal visit this morning (15th January 2023). The visiting ship was welcomed by the Sri Lanka Navy in compliance with naval traditions.

INS ‘Delhi’ is a 163.2m long Destroyer manned by a crew of 390 and the ship is commanded by Captain Shiraz Husain Azad.

In the meantime, the Commanding Officer of INS is scheduled to call on Commander Eastern Naval Area and Commandant Volunteer Naval Force, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara on 16th January at the Eastern Naval Command Headquarters. During the ship’s stay, the crew will take part in several programmes organized by the Sri Lanka Navy, with a view to promoting cooperation and goodwill between two navies. They are also expected to go on a sightseeing excursion in Trincomalee.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka Navy personnel will engage in a training visit onboard INS ‘Delhi’. Concluding the visit, INS ‘Delhi’ will depart the island on 17th January.

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UK Prime Minister thanks Tamils for their NHS service in Thai Pongal message

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UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak thanked the Tamil community for their service in the National Health Service (NHS) in a video message released this morning to mark Thai Pongal.

“I want to send my best wishes to everyone celebrating Thai Pongal this weekend,” Sunak said.

“I want to say an enormous thank you to British Tamils for your hard work and the sacrifices you make for the good of your families and communities and for demonstrating the true meaning of service, especially in our NHS,” he added.

“Let me wish everyone here and around the world helath, happiness and prosperity this Thai Pongal.”

Thai Pongal is a secular Tamil festival which gives thanks to the sun and for the harvest and dates back in its current form to at least as far back as the Medieval Chola empire. The occasion is marked by boiling milk and rice – the ‘pongal’ – in a clay pot, often accompanied by various other treats and seasonal fruit. The overflow of the milk symbolises abundance and prosperity for the year to come.

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UK Labour Party Leader raises concern over ‘persecution of Tamils’ in Pongal message

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British leader of the opposition, Keir Starmer has raised concern over the continued persecution of Tamils in Sri Lanka in his Thai Pongal message and stressed the need for accountability and justice.

Whilst celebrating the harvest festival, Starmer also stressed that now is a time “to remember the sacrifices made by the Tamil people for self-determination, peace, and justice in Sri Lanka”.

He goes on to state his deep concern over “the ongoing economic crisis, persecution of the Tamil people, and the political instability in Sri Lanka”.

Stammer’s statement comes in advance of the fourth Universal Periodic Review Cycle of the United Nations Human Rights Council during which Sri Lanka’s human rights record will come under scrutiny. The latest report by the UN High Commissioner raises concerns over the lack of progress on issues of accountability and notes a worrying trend of militarisation.

Starmer stressed that “the British government has a clear responsibility to ensure that the Sri Lankan government to ensure that the Sri Lankan government can no longer delay supporting justice and accountability”.

He concluded his statement by emphasising that “the Labour Party will continue to work with the Tamil Community to call for justice and human rights”.
Celebrating Thai Pongal Sen Kandiah, Chair of Tamils for Labour stated:

“In this special day for Tamil People around the world, we welcome the message from the Leader of the Labour Party recognising the sacrifices made by the Tamil people for self-determination and justice. His call for the current British Government to act should result in sanctioning the Sri Lankan Government political leaders and officials by Britain as happened in Canada few days back”

Is China attempting to block Dalai Lama’s visit to Sri Lanka?

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The ulterior motives of China’s geopolitical and diplomatic moves in relation to Sri Lanka over the years now seems to be exposed to the world in the light of the fact that the Chinese Ambassador in Colombo has hastily announced his decision to meet with the Maha Nayaka Theros of both the Asgiriya and Malwatte chapters in Kandy this week with convoys of food items purported as relief assistance under the current economic crisis.

This hastily arranged ‘food relief’ that has not been forthcoming in the past months and years despite repeated requests is now to reach the hands of the Venerable Maha Nayaka Theros at a time when the Maha Nayaka Theros have just returned from Bodh Gaya in India where the five year International Bhikkhu Exchange programme was launched with the participation of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, as one of the chief participants and also the participation of the Maha Nayaka Theros of the three Nikyas of the Sri Lankan Maha Sangha.

On that occasion, the Sri Lankan Maha Sangha had an audience with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, for discussions on Buddhist religious topics and the Maha Nayaka Theros had reiterated on their invitation to His Holiness to visit Sri Lanka in the immediate future. So, it is obvious that the motive behind this sudden meeting and offer of the Chinese Ambassador is nothing other than an indirect pressure on the Maha Nayaka Theros to desist from inviting His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The Maha Nayaka Theros and the Sri Lankan Maha Sangha have been desperate for food relief to be provided to the down-trodden and crisis-affected people of the central province over the last one and a half years and after making direct requests to China, they were disappointed since there were no signs of any food relief from China arriving.

They lately visited Bodh Gaya to take part in the International Bhikkhu Exchange Programme at Bodh Gaya on December 27, 2022, with the Mahanayaka of the Asgiriya Chapter, as the chief guest and they met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, for discussions on religious matters.

They also discussed the Sri Lankan economic crisis after renewing their invitation to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to visit Sri Lanka with strong hopes and anticipation that his visit would have the salutary result of thousands of tourists from the Buddhist world visiting Sri Lanka as religious tourists and, furthermore, many of his followers who are affluent and are heads of multinational companies would invest in Sri Lanka in an effort to boost the fallen economy of this Buddhist land and help us bounce back. And at this very moment, China is hurrying to meet the Maha Nayaka Theros with convoys of food relief obviously to dissuade them from inviting the Dalai Lama to Sri Lanka.

There were very good signals that the followers of the Dalai Lama in the Buddhist countries, especially in the Western countries, demonstrated a tendency to invest in Sri Lanka and also there was clear signs that religious tourists in their thousands would come as tourists to Sr Lanka after the Dalai Lama’s visit.

Every genuine Buddhist strongly believes that the Maha Sangha will fall prey to the conspiracy of China. This is how China wants to help Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka to slash military by a third to cut costs

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Sri Lanka will slash its army by a third to 135,000 personnel by next year and to 100,000 by 2030, the state minister of defence said on Friday, as the country tries to cut costs in the face of its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades.

“Military spending is basically state-borne expenditure which indirectly stimulates and opens avenues for economic growth by way of assuring national and human security,” Premitha Bandara Thennakoon said in a statement.

The aim of the move is to create a “technically and tactically sound and well-balanced” defence force by 2030, Thennakoon said.

The size of Sri Lanka’s armed forces peaked between 2017 and 2019, with 317,000 personnel, according to World Bank data, higher even than that during the 25 year-long conflict with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) that ended in 2009.

The share of the defence sector in Sri Lanka’s total expenditure peaked in 2021, at 2.31 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), but fell to 2.03 percent last year, according to Colombo-based think tank Verite Research.

(Reuters)

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TNA splits, new alliance emerges for local polls

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Three Tamil National Alliance (TNA) partners broke away yesterday to form a new five-party alliance that will contest the upcoming local council elections in the North and East.

The Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), and the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), all of which had contested under the TNA, will be part of the new alliance.

The other two parties in the alliance are the Democratic Crusaders’ Party (DCP), formed by former LTTE cadres, and the Tamil National Party (TNP). The agreement forming the alliance was signed at Thinnaveli in Jaffna yesterday by Suresh Premachandran (EPRLF), Selvam Adaikkalanathan (TELO), Dharmalingam Sithadthan (PLOTE), Sivanandan Navindra (DCP) and N. Srikantha (TNP).

The Tamil Makkal Thesiya Kuttani (TMTK) led by Parliamentarian C.V. Wigneswaran and former Jaffna Mayor M. Manivannan was also involved in the discussions regarding the alliance. However, they walked out of the talks on Friday following a dispute over the logo and the post of the General Secretary of the new alliance.

The Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK), the main constituent party of the TNA, was not involved in the discussions as it has decided to contest the local government election separately under its house symbol.

Sources said the new alliance plans to field candidates in both the Northern and Eastern provinces at the upcoming local polls. Talks on the logo of the new alliance continued yesterday.