Category: News

In a joint communication, United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteurs have recommended to review the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in Sri Lanka to bring it in line with international human rights standards.

In a communication, seven UN rapporteurs including Mary Lawlor, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders have expressed their deep concern at Attorney-at-law Hejaaz Hizbullah’s detention which they believe may have been used as a means to prevent him from further engaging with ongoing human rights cases in relation to rising hate speech, violence and discrimination against the Muslim minority in Sri Lanka.

The Special Rapporteurs have expressed further concern at the reported irregularities in due process, partly facilitated by the Prevention of Terrorism Act which allowed Hizbullah to be held without charge for almost a year with severely restricted access to lawyers.

Seven UN Special Rapporteurs including Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, Special Rapporteur on minority issues were signatories to this joint communication.

According to the joint communication, on 19 August 2020, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) filed a report regarding an ongoing investigation into Hizbullah’s activities. The report allegedly claimed that Hizbullah had acted as counsel on several occasions for individuals involved in terrorism and unlawful activity, and that he had been collecting data and information on various attacks on Muslims.

The evidence allegedly incriminating Hizbullah was related to phone calls he made with a suicide bomber at the Easter Sunday attacks. It has been alleged that Hizbullah made 14 phone calls to this individual over a period of five years, being his legal representative in a civil property dispute cases.

Port Trade Unions have once again voiced their concerns over the proposed project to lease 13 acres of SLPA property to Chinese linked firm.

It has been proposed to hand over 13 acres of land bordering the CICT, SAGT and Eastern Terminals of the Colombo Port to a public-private partnership.

According to a cabinet paper submitted on July 21, it has been proposed to hand over the land to the Colombo Container Terminal (CICT), of which China has a majority stake.

This project is to be implemented on the basis of Build, Operate and Transfer, and it has been decided to appoint a discussion committee consisting of the Secretaries of the Ministries for the relevant activities.

Niroshan Gorakanage, a trade unionist said there is growing concern if an attempt is being made to privatize the ECT and JCT

The CICT Terminal at the Port of Colombo is operated by a Chinese majority company and the neighboring Port City of Colombo is a Chinese project.

The SAGT Terminal at the Port of Colombo is also operated by multinational corporations.

The western terminal has already been handed over to Adani Group in India and the eastern terminal was taken over by the Ports Authority after a workers’ strike, but the unions say authorities are not interested in making it a more efficient service.

There is growing concern as to whether the Port Authority’s Jaya Container Terminal and Samagi Container Terminal will be able to compete with other terminals.

In this situation, will the Port of Colombo, which is strategically located in the Sea of ​​Sri Lanka, one day be lost to?

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Arasaratinam Ramesh, a Sri Lankan national, in connection with the Vizhinjam arms seizure case.

The case was originally registered by the Vizhinjam police against six Sri Lankan nationals following their arrest and seizure of 300 kg of heroin, five AK-47 guns and 1,000 live rounds from their a boat by the Indian Coast Guard during patrolling off the Vizhinjam coast on March 18, 2021.

The NIA took over the investigation and arrested two more accused persons, Suresh Raj and Soundarajan, on August 2, 2021. An official communication issued by the agency said that Mr. Ramesh is the brother of Suresh Raj and he had been actively assisting him in the collection of arms, ammunition and drugs trafficking through the international sea route.

The NIA had seized incriminating documents related to the transactions of drugs and arms at the search held in his rented home in Ernakulam earlier. The accused was produced before the Special Court for NIA cases here and remanded to judicial custody, it said.

185 COVID-19 deaths were confirmed for Tuesday (7), said the Director General of Health Services. Accordingly, the total number of deaths in Sri Lanka increased to 10,689.

According to the data released by the Department of Government Information, the latest victims include 102 males and 83 females.

As many as 140 deaths were reported among elderly people who are aged above 60 years.

In addition, 44 individuals aged between 30-59 years and 01 below 30 years have also succumbed to the virus infection.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has not sought a meeting with Pope Francis and neither will he or his delegation be visiting the Vatican during the Prime Minister’s visit to Italy which begins tomorrow, the Daily Mirror learns.

Prime Minister Rajapaksa will leave for Italy tomorrow morning along with Foreign Minister G.L. Peiris and Foreign Secretary Admiral Jayanath Colombage to attend the G-20 Interfaith Forum.

Sources from the Prime Minister’s Office said neither Rajapaksa nor Peiris had sought an audience with Pope Francis and neither will they be visiting the Vatican or hold discussions over the Easter Sunday attacks or brief anyone over the ongoing investigations.

The purpose of the visit is the G-20 Interfaith Forum at which the Prime Minister will deliver the keynote address and even in his speech there is no mention of the probe of the Easter Sunday blasts, the Daily Mirror learns.

The visit will be restricted to the city of Bologna where the Forum is being held.