Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena on Sunday has visited the Trincomalee naval base, which has been widely and credibly accused to have housed secret torture camps, where hundreds of Tamils have been brutally tortured and raped during and after the war. According to President’s media unit, President Sirisena has made an “inspection tour” to the… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Politics
MP Sampanthan’s Speech in Sampur
MP Sampanthan Speech Questions & Answers Pres. Sirisena Speech
Tamil Voters Must Keep TNA on Straight and Narrow
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) performed exceptionally well in Sri Lanka’s parliamentary election on August 17. But as it prepares to negotiate with the new government on behalf of its Tamil electorate on a political settlement, accountability and demilitarisation, it is up to the Tamil public, civil society and the Tamil diaspora to keep tabs… Read more »
TAPI Press Release re Elections
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tamils Welcome Free, Fair Parliamentary Elections in Sri Lanka Prime Minister, Ruling Coalition Win Parliamentary Election WASHINGTON, DC (August 20, 2015) – Monday’s election in Sri Lanka saw President Sirisena, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe of the UNP and the UNFGG alliance win the parliamentary election, thereby allowing them to form a national government… Read more »
CTC Statement on Elections
For Immediate Release August 18, 2015 Canadian Tamil Congress Congratulates the Tamil National Alliance The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) congratulates Mr. R. Sampanthan and the Tamil National Alliance on their resounding election victory in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. The Tamil people have given the TNA, and its leader Mr. R. Sampanthan,… Read more »
ATC Statement on Elections
2015_08_19_ATC on Parliament Election Australian Tamil Congress Congratulates the Tamil National Alliance Wednesday 19th of August | 15:30 PM | The Australian Tamil Congress (ATC) congratulates Mr. R. Sampanthan and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on their resounding election victory in the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. The Tamil people have once again… Read more »
TNA Third Biggest Party in Sri Lanka
by ‘Tamil Guardian,’ London, August 18, 2015 Results from the Tamil-dominated North-East reveal an overwhelming victory for the Tamil National Alliance. Receiving the greatest number of votes in Jaffna, Vanni and Batticaloa, the TNA has secured16 parliamentary seats, which places it as the third biggest party in Sri Lanka. As the results of the preferential… Read more »
New Era for Sri Lanka
by James Crabtree, Financial Times, London, August 18, 2015 As former president Mahinda Rajapaksa comes to terms with his second electoral defeat in eight months, many in Sri Lanka are also predicting what once seemed unthinkable: the final political demise of a leader who, until just a year ago, seemed to hold an iron grip… Read more »
ICG: Sri Lanka Between Elections
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Full report [PDF] A half year after Maithripala Sirisena’s stunning defeat of President Mahinda Rajapaksa raised hopes for democratic renaissance, the complexities of partisan politics, and Rajapaksa himself, have returned to centre stage. Sirisena’s initial months with a minority government led by the United National Party (UNP) have opened important political space: robust debate… Read more »
Redefining the Mission of EROS
EROS requests the Tamil speaking people of North East and upcountry, to vote for EROS that is committed to providing a qualitative shift to the Tamil leadership in terms of honesty and integrity and provide a transparent and dynamic leadership, committed to the welfare of the people living in North East and Sri Lanka. EROS MPs will concern themselves with the powers of the central and concurrent lists without infringing on the powers of the Provincial list and will not corporate with ministries of the central government which seek to undermine the powers of the provincial government.
Major Sri Lankan Parties Reject TNA’s Demand for Federalism
Major political parties in Sri Lanka have flatly rejected the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)’s demand for federalism. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)-led United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA); United National Party (UNP)-led United National Front for Good Governance and the Janatha Vimukthi Perumana (JVP) have, in unison, said the demand, if accepted, would lead to division… Read more »
India Must Ensure Decentralization in Sri Lanka, Modi Told by Tamil Nadu CM
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take steps to expedite decentralization of power in Sri Lanka — for the cause of Tamil Eelam. Jayalalithaa presented a memorandum listing various demands to Modi when he went to her residence after launching the National Handloom Day and India Handloom brand here. The meeting between… Read more »
NPC Chief Minister Speeches in US & UK
Speech to Federation of Tamil Sangams in North America convention, San Jose, July 4, 2015 Transcript of speech in Tamil — CVWigneswaran-Speech-FeTNA-July042015 Transcript of speech in English — CVWigneswaran-Speech-FeTNA-July042015-TxEng Speech in London hosted by International Association of Tamil Journalists, July 17, 2015
The American Stake in Myanmar and Sri Lanka
By Admiral Dennis C. Blair, ‘The Diplomat,’ Tokyo, July 14, 2015 Although many Americans would have a hard time finding Sri Lanka or Myanmar on a map, these two Asian countries are in the midst of major political transformations with important and uncertain outcomes. Sri Lanka’s parliamentary election on August 17 will determine whether the… Read more »
Tamil Women: Into Public Space
The political struggle of the Eelam Tamils began even before the end of colonialism in 1948. Over the following decades, this struggle gradually unified the Eelam Tamils who were fragmented until then. There is no evidence that women took part in this struggle until after the 1970’s. Another struggle took centre stage in the Tamil… Read more »
Seize This Opportunity for True Reform
Sri Lanka: Seize this opportunity for true reform Come September, the United Nations Human Rights Council will assemble in Geneva for its 30th session. This session marks an important date for Sri Lanka, the United States and the international community: the long-awaited release of the UN report on war crimes committed during Sri Lanka’s civil… Read more »
Can Reconciliation Heal Sri Lankan War Wounds?
In the six years since the Sri Lankan army defeated the rebels, a measure of stability has returned…But Tamil leaders are not convinced that these efforts will be enough to unify the Tamil and Hindu north and east with the majority Sinhalese Buddhist south. They say that they are concerned that Sirisena’s moves are symbolic and don’t address issues such as the Tamils’ desire for greater autonomy and the withdrawal of troops.
Colombia: Agreement on Truth Commission
Firstly and for the first time as part of a peace process, the Conversation Table heard directly and received proposals from a group of victims of the conflict. The selection process of these victims was conducted by the UN and the National University, accompanied by the Episcopal Conference, who under the principles of pluralism, balance and common sense, sought to reflect the total universe of human rights violations and breaches of IHL that have taken place in the conflict, taking into account the different social sectors and populations, and the regional approach. The delegations were composed of 12 victims and the Table heard a delegation in each round, during round 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31 of talks.
Among the victimizing events that were represented, we heard testimonies on forced displacement, murder, torture, forced disappearance, kidnapping, sexual violence, extrajudicial executions and forced recruitment of minors, among others.
America’s Effusive Praise for Sri Lanka Continues
Richard E. Hoagland, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, recently spoke at the Washington International Business Council. He began by speaking about Nepal and then moved on to address improved U.S. — India ties. He also spoke about Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Central Asia, U.S. business… Read more »
More Electoral Surprises in Sri Lanka?
The timing of Sri Lanka’s parliamentary elections has significant ramifications for the country’s domestic politics and Colombo’s relationship with the international community. Sri Lanka’s transfer of power in early January came as a surprise to many, although the lasting effects of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s electoral defeat are far from clear. Newly elected President Maithripala Sirisena promised… Read more »