Cannot risk a parallel army in North: Basil
11 years, 8 months ago

Cannot risk a parallel army in North: Basil

The Hindu  

Despite India’s efforts to persuade Sri Lanka to fully implement the 13th Amendment in the island’s northern province, the Rajapaksa government appears firm about not handing over some powers, including those related to police and law enforcement, to the Tamil minority. Revealing the extent to which absence of trust remains an obstacle to ethnic reconciliation in Sri Lanka, Basil Rajapaksa — brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Minister for Economic Development — >who visited New Delhi last week, told The Hindu that Sri Lanka would never risk a provincial government forming its own “army” through devolved police powers. Referring to the Tamil National Army — a militant outfit raised by the beleaguered 1988 EPRLF government in the North-Eastern Province in a futile attempt to protect itself against the LTTE that had rejected the Amendment and boycotted the election — he said there was no ruling out that a future Northern provincial government would not do the same: “If form another army, can we afford another war now?” He dismissed arguments that armed struggle by the Tamils was now a thing of the past, and that the 13th Amendment in any case gave the President overriding powers over the province. Giving a new twist to the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987 which gave birth to the 13th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution, Mr. Rajapaksa said devolving police powers would actually amount to going against Accord.

India Law Enforcement Sri Lanka Tamil Amendment North Colombo Northern Lanka Sri Rajapaksa Sri Lankan Tna Police Powers  sri  north  northern  rajapaksa  army  lanka  mr  tamil  risk  india  amendment  parallel  basil  national  13th

History of this topic

Sri Lanka’s Tamil parties have no choice but to unite in Parliament: Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam
2 weeks, 5 days ago

Sri Lanka’s Tamil parties have no choice but to unite in Parliament: Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam

The Hindu  

Political parties representing Tamil people in Sri Lanka’s north and east have no choice but to consolidate their presence in Parliament to effectively challenge the Anura Kumara Dissanayake government and assert the rights of the Tamil people, according to Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam, Jaffna MP and Leader of the Tamil National People’s Front. Speaking to The Hindu on what lies ahead for …

An opportunity to settle Sri Lanka’s ethnic problem
1 month, 3 weeks ago

An opportunity to settle Sri Lanka’s ethnic problem

The Hindu  

India’s move to name the Jaffna Cultural Centre after the Tamil poet-philosopher, Thiruvalluvar, is a symbolic gesture by New Delhi to reinforce the unbreakable bond with Sri Lanka. Even though it is too early to arrive at any conclusion, as Mr. Modi did call for “fully implementing the Constitution of Sri Lanka and conducting the Provincial Council elections”, one is …

It’s bilateral, says Centre on Tamil Nadu fishermen’s issues with Sri Lankan authorities
3 months, 3 weeks ago

It’s bilateral, says Centre on Tamil Nadu fishermen’s issues with Sri Lankan authorities

The Hindu  

“Bilateral in nature “ - this is how the Union government views issues being faced by Tamil Nadu fishermen with Sri Lankan authorities. Answering a query by Mayiladuthurai’s Member of Parliament R. Sudha whether the government had planned to take up the fishermen’s problem with the International Court of Justice, the Union Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan …

What does Sri Lankan President's promise to return state-occupied land mean for the Tamils?
4 months, 1 week ago

What does Sri Lankan President's promise to return state-occupied land mean for the Tamils?

New Indian Express  

According to California-based think tank 'The Oakland Institute', the land grabs strategically targetted the most densely Tamil and Muslim populated areas "to erase their history and culture while destroying their claim to a unified homeland." Even if the politicians want, the military will not give up the control of the land," explained Dr Paul Newman, associate professor of History at …

A new chapter in India-Sri Lanka relations
5 months, 3 weeks ago

A new chapter in India-Sri Lanka relations

Hindustan Times  

The Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s victory and ascension to the presidency marks a significant shift in Sri Lanka’s political landscape, with effects on its relations with India. PM Modi’s immediate outreach indicates India’s desire to build on the $4 billion assistance package it provided during Sri Lanka's economic crisis, deepening collaboration in areas like infrastructure, energy, and trade​. Dissanayake’s approach to …

Veteran Sri Lankan Tamil leader Sampanthan passes away
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Veteran Sri Lankan Tamil leader Sampanthan passes away

The Hindu  

Veteran Sri Lankan Tamil leader Rajavarothiam Sampanthan, who dedicated his political life to pursuing a just solution to the island nation’s Tamil question, passed away in Colombo late on Sunday. Sampanthan, of the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi, was a sitting MP from the eastern Trincomalee district and led the Tamil National Alliance, the main grouping representing Tamils of Sri Lanka’s …

Sri Lanka President Wickremesinghe backs India-mooted 13A as solution to Tamil community's demand for political autonomy
1 year, 2 months ago

Sri Lanka President Wickremesinghe backs India-mooted 13A as solution to Tamil community's demand for political autonomy

The Hindu  

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on January 5 backed the India-mooted 13th Amendment as a solution to address the minority Tamil community's long-pending demand for political autonomy. Addressing a group of professionals in Jaffna, the capital of the Tamil-dominated Northern Province, Mr. Wickremesinghe said the devolution of power shouldn’t merely be a political concept but an economic reality. The 13A …

Modi Has Asked Wickremesinghe To Act On Tamil Issue, Eyeing 2024. But, It's Easier Said Than Done
1 year, 7 months ago

Modi Has Asked Wickremesinghe To Act On Tamil Issue, Eyeing 2024. But, It's Easier Said Than Done

ABP News  

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s visit to India last week was although high on connectivity, trade and investment plans between both countries, it did little to resolve the decades-long controversy that continues to strain the relationship — and that is the issue of Tamil reconciliation that continues to stir up the bloody past of the civil war in Sri Lanka …

No agreement in devolution talks with President Ranil Wickremesinghe: Tamil National Alliance
1 year, 10 months ago

No agreement in devolution talks with President Ranil Wickremesinghe: Tamil National Alliance

The Hindu  

Thetalks on power devolution between Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Tamil legislators yielded no positive outcome, according to the Tamil National Alliance, the largest grouping of MPs from the island’s north and east. The Tamil National People’s Front, which has two MPs, stayed out of the talks that it said were “simply aimed at appeasing the international community”. After …

An Alliance fraught with challenges - The Hindu
2 years, 2 months ago

An Alliance fraught with challenges - The Hindu

The Hindu  

For most of its two decade-existence, Sri Lanka’s Tamil National Alliance has been engaged in talks with the southern Sinhalese leadership, to negotiate a durable solution to the island nation’s lingering national question. “We can’t despair, we can’t abandon things,” Mr. Sampanthan told The Hindu in 2018, when the Alliance joined a Constitution drafting process initiated by the President Maithripala …

Keen to solve Tamil community problems in Sri Lanka by next year: Wickremesinghe
2 years, 4 months ago

Keen to solve Tamil community problems in Sri Lanka by next year: Wickremesinghe

Deccan Chronicle  

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday said that he is keen to solve all issues, including land and housing, pertaining to the Tamil minority community in the country's Northern Province by next year when the island nation celebrates its 75th anniversary of Independence. Speaking in Vavuniya, a Tamil dominated district in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka where …

CONTROVERSY | Fears in Sri Lanka over Tamil Nadu decision to scrap Tantea plantations
2 years, 4 months ago

CONTROVERSY | Fears in Sri Lanka over Tamil Nadu decision to scrap Tantea plantations

The Hindu  

Published : Nov 17, 2022 10:30 IST A Tamil Nadu government order issued in October this year to hand back tea plantation land to the Forest Department has caused anxiety and concern among plantation Tamils in Sri Lanka. Soon after Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948, it refused citizenship rights for plantation Tamils and demanded that India take back over …

Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe hopeful of resolving problems faced by ethnic Tamils
2 years, 4 months ago

Sri Lankan President Wickremesinghe hopeful of resolving problems faced by ethnic Tamils

The Hindu  

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said he is hopeful of resolving the problems faced by ethnic Tamils in the country, as he announced the appointment of a committee to find ways to integrate the Indian-origin workers in the plantation sector into the society. “While some of the Tamils of Hill Country origin had integrated successfully into the Sri Lankan …

Lankan Govt to Appoint Panel for Integration of Indian-origin Tamil Workers in Society: Prez Wickremesinghe
2 years, 4 months ago

Lankan Govt to Appoint Panel for Integration of Indian-origin Tamil Workers in Society: Prez Wickremesinghe

News 18  

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said his government will appoint a committee to seek how best to integrate the Indian-origin Tamil workers in the hill plantation regions further into the Sri Lankan society. “While some of the Tamils of Hill Country origin had integrated successfully into the Sri Lankan society, some have failed and measures would be taken to assist them …

India denies reports about sending military troops to Sri Lanka
2 years, 8 months ago

India denies reports about sending military troops to Sri Lanka

India TV News  

India categorically denied sending military troops to neighboring country, Sri Lanka, on Monday. Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy had earlier said in a tweet that India should send the military to Sri Lanka if Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa requests any such assistance. "The High Commission would like to categorically deny speculative reports in sections of media and social media about …

Unresolved national question impaired Sri Lanka’s economic progress: Sampanthan
2 years, 9 months ago

Unresolved national question impaired Sri Lanka’s economic progress: Sampanthan

The Hindu  

Addressing Sri Lanka’s Tamil national question is imperative for the island nation’s recovery from the crushing economic crisis it is facing, veteran Tamil leader R. Sampanthan said, contending that the unresolved issue had proved a major impediment for the country’s economic progress since Independence. While corruption, misgovernance, and skewed priorities have led to Sri Lanka’s current economic collapse, years of …

A chance to hit refresh in Sri Lanka
2 years, 11 months ago

A chance to hit refresh in Sri Lanka

The Hindu  

Having swept to power in a landslide victory in late 2019, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wasted no time declaring unequivocally that his would be a Sinhalese ethno-nationalist state. But I did not receive the response I anticipated.” Eroding support Less than three years later, Mr. Rajapaksa is as unpopular a head of state as has ever held office in …

Sri Lankan govt to set up special North-East development fund
2 years, 11 months ago

Sri Lankan govt to set up special North-East development fund

The Hindu  

COLOMBO The Sri Lankan governmentwill set up a ‘North-East Development Fund’ to increase investments in the war-affected areas, while probing cases of enforced disappearances and land grabs that remain chief concerns of the Tamil people 13 years after the war ended. The President meanwhile agreed to focus on four key areas, including possibly releasing long-term detainees under the country’s draconian …

Sri Lanka’s Tamil MPs seek PM Modi intervention on political solution
3 years, 2 months ago

Sri Lanka’s Tamil MPs seek PM Modi intervention on political solution

The Hindu  

Prominent Tamil legislators from Sri Lanka’s north and east have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking India’s help in ensuring that Colombo addresses the island’s long-pending Tamil question with a lasting political solution. It also mentions the interventions made by the Indian political leadership at different points, including PM Modi’s address to the Sri Lankan Parliament in 2015, when …

Ready to engage with Tamil diaspora for reconciliation talks, says Sri Lankan president Rajapaksa
3 years, 6 months ago

Ready to engage with Tamil diaspora for reconciliation talks, says Sri Lankan president Rajapaksa

Firstpost  

Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said that he will engage with the Tamil diaspora for reconciliation talks to resolve the country’s internal problems and would not hesitate to grant presidential pardon to Tamil youths in jail for LTTE links Colombo: In a major shift in his policy, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said that he will engage with the Tamil diaspora …

Hope Sri Lanka will fulfil wish of Tamil people: PM Modi
5 years, 1 month ago

Hope Sri Lanka will fulfil wish of Tamil people: PM Modi

Deccan Chronicle  

New Delhi: After discussions with visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Hyderabad House in the Capital on Saturday “openly on issues related to reconciliation”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed confidence that the Sri Lankan Government would “realise the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace, and respect within a united Sri Lanka”. But interestingly, the …

Narendra Modi flags Tamil concerns; Mahinda Rajapaksa non-committal
5 years, 1 month ago

Narendra Modi flags Tamil concerns; Mahinda Rajapaksa non-committal

The Hindu  

Sri Lanka wants India to allow debt repayments by Colombo to be deferred for three years, visiting Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said in order to help the country deal with its massive debt burden. The issue was at the top of the agenda when Mr. Rajapaksa met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Saturday and discussed plans to utilise …

Sri Lanka polls: How did the minorities vote, and why?
5 years, 4 months ago

Sri Lanka polls: How did the minorities vote, and why?

The Hindu  

As the outcome of Saturday’s presidential polls in Sri Lanka became clear, some voters’ message to the winner Gotabaya Rajapaksa was even clearer. According to Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader Rauff Hakeem, a Minister in the incumbent government, the voting pattern demonstrated “a deeper polarisation” of communities. “We fervently hope for peace and amity, restoration of harmony and lasting goodwill …

Sri Lanka election: Northern Tamils know who they don’t want in power
5 years, 4 months ago

Sri Lanka election: Northern Tamils know who they don’t want in power

The Hindu  

As many as 35 candidates are running for President in Sri Lanka’s November 16 election, but northern Tamils view it as a two-cornered fight between Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Sajith Premadasa. However, voters across the Northern Province dread the possible return of a Rajapaksa — this time the former President’s brother and a powerful war-time Defence Secretary — to the helm. …

No-confidence motion against Sri Lanka govt. defeated
5 years, 8 months ago

No-confidence motion against Sri Lanka govt. defeated

The Hindu  

A trust vote on the government presented by the opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in Sri Lankan Parliament was defeated on Thursday with a majority of 119 legislators in the 225-member House voting against it. The leftist JVP or Peoples’ Liberation Front, an opposition party, on Wednesday submitted a motion accusing the ruling coalition of failing to prevent the April 21 …

‘Sri Lanka needs a strong leadership’
5 years, 9 months ago

‘Sri Lanka needs a strong leadership’

The Hindu  

Kathiravelu Nithyananda Douglas Devananda, secretary general of the Eelam People’s Democratic Party, represents Sri Lanka’s northern Jaffna electoral district. After the India-Sri Lanka Agreement of 1987, Devananda moved to parliamentary politics and emerged as the most vocal critic of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam inside and outside Parliament. The question of Tamil people’s rights should have been settled with …

‘JVP and TNA must fight together’
6 years, 4 months ago

‘JVP and TNA must fight together’

The Hindu  

Sri Lanka’s leftist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Tamil National Alliance have a duty to fight together and protect democratic rights, JVP leader Anura Dissanayake said, proposing a novel partnership between parties representing the country’s two main ethnic groups. “The JVP and the TNA represent sections in the country’s south and north that have suffered most due to the actions …

CV Wigneswaran splits from TNA, forms TMA: Lankan council CM should have discussed differences in private, not resorted to grandstanding
6 years, 4 months ago

CV Wigneswaran splits from TNA, forms TMA: Lankan council CM should have discussed differences in private, not resorted to grandstanding

Firstpost  

The peddling of despair by the chief minister, who was elected to bring help and hope to the Tamil people, was perhaps the saddest aspect of the many missed opportunities of the now unlamented end of the Wigneswaran administration in the Northern Province. As the term of office of the Northern Provincial Council concludes this month, Chief Minister CV Wigneswaran, …

Reality check in Sri Lanka
7 years, 1 month ago

Reality check in Sri Lanka

The Hindu  

Sri Lanka’s local government elections, scheduled to be held on February 10, have elicited the interest of a national election, and with good reason. Further, the two coalition partners in government — Mr. Sirisena-led Sri Lanka Freedom Party and Mr. Wickremesinghe’s United National Party — are contesting the island-wide local polls separately, with their campaigns laying bare the deep fissures …

Jaffna HC summons Sri Lankan Army chief Mahesh Senanayake over disappearance of 24 Tamils in 1996
7 years, 4 months ago

Jaffna HC summons Sri Lankan Army chief Mahesh Senanayake over disappearance of 24 Tamils in 1996

Firstpost  

A Sri Lankan court has summoned the commander of the country’s Army over the disappearance of 24 Tamils since their arrest in 1996 Colombo: A Sri Lankan court has summoned the commander of the country’s Army over the disappearance of 24 Tamils since their arrest in 1996 by security forces during the internal conflict with the LTTE. Sri Lankan HC …

Two rivals on a smooth journey in Sri Lanka
8 years, 6 months ago

Two rivals on a smooth journey in Sri Lanka

The Hindu  

The first year in office for any government should normally not be problematic. Though such irritants crop up in UNP-SLFP ties now and then, Mr. Sirisena, who was elected as the country’s executive President in January 2015 mainly on the strength of the UNP, is careful enough to ensure that his understanding with the Prime Minister and the UNP’s chief, …

Sri Lanka's Western Province opposes federalism for Tamil north citing constitutional issues
8 years, 10 months ago

Sri Lanka's Western Province opposes federalism for Tamil north citing constitutional issues

Firstpost  

Sri Lanka’s Sinhala-majority Western Province has opposed a recent resolution by Tamil-dominated northern provincial council on a federal solution to grant political autonomy to Tamils. Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Sinhala-majority Western Province has opposed a recent resolution by Tamil-dominated northern provincial council on a federal solution to grant political autonomy to Tamils, calling the move “constitutionally and legally incorrect”. The Western …

Sri Lankan Muslims will be included under reconciliation process: Samaraweera
9 years, 4 months ago

Sri Lankan Muslims will be included under reconciliation process: Samaraweera

The Hindu  

Muslims of Sri Lanka will be an integral part of the proposed truth, justice, reparations and non-recurrence process, according to Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera. “Muslims’ grievances and concerns will be a part of the consultations, design and operationalisation of the domestic mechanisms including the Commission for Truth, Justice, Reconciliation and Non-recurrence, the Judicial Mechanism, the Office of Missing Persons and …

Sri Lankan Army committed war crimes: Government probe panel
9 years, 5 months ago

Sri Lankan Army committed war crimes: Government probe panel

The Hindu  

Allegations that the Sri Lankan army committed war crimes during the bloody conflict with Tamil rebels are “credible”, a government probe panel has said and backed UNHRC’s recommendation that foreign judges should have a role in domestic inquiry. “There are credible allegations which, if proved to the required standard, may show that some members of the armed forces committed acts …

For a credible mechanism
9 years, 5 months ago

For a credible mechanism

The Hindu  

FOR Sri Lankans, September 16 went off like any another day. What they say is to carry out an investigation and take action.” Samaraweera summed up the government’s response when he said that the report was written “with the best of intentions”. The OHCHR has proposed a hybrid mechanism including international jurists as it has said more than once in …

Bridging the trust deficit
9 years, 6 months ago

Bridging the trust deficit

The Hindu  

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe arrived in New Delhi yesterday on a three-day bilateral visit, his first international visit after taking over as Prime Minister last month. Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena engineered a division in the ranks of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, thus effectively isolating former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Challenges for the government The new government in …

Sri Lanka's main Tamil party denies links with LTTE | IndiaTV News
9 years, 11 months ago

Sri Lanka's main Tamil party denies links with LTTE | IndiaTV News

India TV News  

Sri Lanka's main Tamil party denies links with LTTE Colombo: Sri Lanka's main Tamil majority political party on Sunday dismissed allegations that it had worked with the Tamil Tiger rebels.The Tamil National Alliance had been accused of spreading the ideology of the Tamil Colombo: Sri Lanka's main Tamil majority political party on Sunday dismissed allegations that it had worked with …

Sri Lankan Tamils demand international probe into war crimes
10 years ago

Sri Lankan Tamils demand international probe into war crimes

The Hindu  

A large number of Tamils in Sri Lanka on Monday held demonstrations in the North and Eastern provinces, demanding an international probe into the alleged human rights violations during the last phase of war with the LTTE. Rejecting Maithripala Sirisena government’s proposed domestic investigation rather than an international probe into the human rights violations, Tamils, including activists of Tamil National …

‘Rajapaksa should be tried for war crimes’
10 years ago

‘Rajapaksa should be tried for war crimes’

The Hindu  

Cadres of Tamil nationalist parties staged a demonstration in front of the Railway Station here on Friday condemning the United Nations for postponing the war crimes investigations against Sri Lanka. Many speakers at the protest demanded that the former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa should be tried for his role in the killings of Tamils in the island nation. “But …

“Don’t look at Sri Lanka through Tamil prism”
10 years ago

“Don’t look at Sri Lanka through Tamil prism”

The Hindu  

India should see Sri Lanka as a whole and stop focussing just on the island’s Tamil-majority Northern Province, Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister Patali Champika Ranawaka said in an interview to The Hindu on Monday. The Power and Energy Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pragmatic approach to Sri Lanka could enhance trade, technological and political partnerships, paving the way for …

TNA slams delay in U.N. report’s release
10 years, 1 month ago

TNA slams delay in U.N. report’s release

The Hindu  

Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party has expressed dismay over the U.N.’s decision to delay a report on the human rights situation in the country saying it amounted to denial of justice. Denouncing the decision by the U.N. to defer its report by six months, Tamil National Alliance’s Northern Provincial Councillor M. K. Shivajilingam has written to U.N. Human Rights Commissioner …

Sirisena has given hope to Tamils: Velayutham
10 years, 1 month ago

Sirisena has given hope to Tamils: Velayutham

The Hindu  

The election of Maithripala Sirisena as the Sri Lankan President has offered a hope to the Tamils in Sri Lanka and they are able to move freely without the Army’s interruption, said K. Velayutham, Sri Lankan Minister of State for Plantation and Industry. Asked about the plans to send Tamil refugees to Sri Lanka, he said the Sri Lankan government …

TNA pledges support to opposition’s Maithripala Sirisena
10 years, 2 months ago

TNA pledges support to opposition’s Maithripala Sirisena

The Hindu  

Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party representing the island’s northern Tamils on Tuesday pledged its support to joint opposition candidate Maithripala Sirisena in the upcoming presidential polls. The Tamil National Alliance had unanimously decided to extend its fullest support to Mr. Sirisena, said its Leader R. Sampanthan, releasing a detailed statement that accused President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s “regime of being particularly harmful …

‘Sri Lanka has best relations with India’
10 years, 3 months ago

‘Sri Lanka has best relations with India’

The Hindu  

Sri Lanka has best relations with India and will continue to consolidate the special relationship, Sri Lanka’s ruling party said on Wednesday. Addressing a press conference in connection with the upcoming presidential polls, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said some “external forces were at work” to destabilise the country. However, India was a friend and Sri Lanka had best relations with its …

An appeal to India’s conscience
10 years, 4 months ago

An appeal to India’s conscience

The Hindu  

The appeal made in Chennai this week by the Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, C.V. Wigneswaran, for Indian help to >procure justice for Tamils in his country is perhaps the most impassioned, well-articulated and timely call by any leader of the community from Indian soil since the days of Tamil United Liberation Front leader A. Amirthalingam. It was …

Wigneswaran seeks Indian help to end militarisation
10 years, 4 months ago

Wigneswaran seeks Indian help to end militarisation

The Hindu  

Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province C.V. Wigneswaran on Sunday made a fervent appeal to India to prevail upon his country to reverse the ongoing militarisation of the Tamil-majority region and stop what he called harassment and abuse of minorities there. Kannabiran Memorial Lecture, organised by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties here, Mr. Wigneswaran, a former judge of …

Tamil leader Anandasangaree wants Indian model of devolution in Sri Lanka
10 years, 5 months ago

Tamil leader Anandasangaree wants Indian model of devolution in Sri Lanka

The Hindu  

A veteran Sri Lankan Tamil politician has written a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi backing the Indian model of “devolution of power” to solve the ethnic impasse in the island nation. “I am one who had been campaigning for an Indian model as an alternative to a federal solution,” V. Anandasangaree wrote to Mr. Modi. Hence action must …

U.N. agenda ill-conceived: Rajapaksa
10 years, 5 months ago

U.N. agenda ill-conceived: Rajapaksa

The Hindu  

Lashing out at the U.N. Human Rights Council Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa — in his address to the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday — said the probe into Sri Lanka’s rights record, mandated by the Council, was ill-motivated and lacked balance. His address in New York came around the same time as the U.N. Human Rights Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad …

Global observer needed for talks with Sri Lanka, says Sampanthan
10 years, 6 months ago

Global observer needed for talks with Sri Lanka, says Sampanthan

The Hindu  

The Tamil National Alliance has sought an international observer’s presence at talks with the Sri Lankan government. Responding to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s interview to The Hindu published on Thursday — in which he said his government was open for talks with the TNA — leader of the Alliance Mr. Sampanthan said: “We are prepared to talk to him anytime, but …

Sri Lanka must ensure justice for Tamils: Modi
10 years, 7 months ago

Sri Lanka must ensure justice for Tamils: Modi

The Hindu  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi favours a political solution in Sri Lanka that builds on the 13th amendment to the country’s Constitution. In a meeting with a six-member delegation of the Tamil National Alliance, Mr. Modi stressed the need for a political solution that “addresses the aspirations of the Tamil community for equality, dignity, justice and self respect within the framework …

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