Eelam Tamils Civil Society wants no engagement with Stinky Lanka....

TNA leadership faces admonition from civil society of Eezham Tamils

Prominent members of the Tamil civil society of all walks of life presented a memorandum to the Tamil National Alliance leadership on Tuesday, strongly condemning deception and deviatory polity of the leadership while times demand well-defined solutions to a long struggle. The civil society members urged firmness of leadership in political stand in convincing India and the US of the indispensability of addressing fundamentals of the aspirations of Eezham Tamils, i.e., nation and the right to self-determination. Tamils are not a `minority` requesting concessions, but a nation demanding self-rule, the memorandum said. The impressive list of signatories included prominent religious leaders, academics, educationalists, professionals, trade unionists and community leaders. For the first time the TNA leadership faces such an open challenge of the first magnitude from the civil society.

The uprising of the civil society of Eezham Tamils, coming from a realization that nothing but fundamental solutions only could guarantee their existence, is inevitably impelled by the brutal and suffocating oppression committed on them by occupying Colombo, political observers in Jaffna said.

One SL military personnel for every 12 civilians in Jaffna, and for every 4 civilians in Vanni is the gravity of the nature of the military occupation. The international community ostensibly plays down the crucial fact that the occupying military cannot be considered a State military, but in this context is an ethnic Sinhala military of genocidal intentions and potentiality, the political observers said.

Taking advantage of the plight of Eezham Tamils gagged in the island, sections lured by collaborative polity in the diaspora used to project every truthful Tamil opinion coming from the island as fabricated ones, by citing them as `unnamed`. But now, surging above all the oppression and pressures from the powers, the Tamil civil society in the island is openly up in arms, shaming the section of the impotent critics in the diaspora, the political observers further said.

For how long the simulated leadership in the clutches of powers attempting to hijack diaspora politics is going to sit on any uprising in the diaspora, they asked.

Representatives of the civil society of Eezham Tamils, after conducting a convention, handed over a 7-page memorandum signed by more than 75 signatories to TNA Secretary General Mavai Senathirajah MP at Uthayan Guest House in Jaffna on Tuesday evening.

Mr. Senathirajah`s objection to the presence of journalists along with the civil society members and his enraged comments over the role of Tamil media in spoiling TNA`s agenda, resulted in verbal exchanges between him and the journalists on the occasion.

The journalists later left the scene.

TNA Warns Srilankan government not to place new impediments in talks for 13++...

Reiterating the commitment of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to continue the talks aimed at arriving on an amicable political solution for the Tamils in Sri Lanka, the TNA on Saturday urged the government “to honour the mutual agreement reached and not to place new impediments to achieving an acceptable political solution that is desired by all the Peoples of Sri Lanka.”

Leader of the TNA R.Sampanthan said in a statement that after the talks resumed last month, and as per modalities agreed upon and confirmed in the minutes, it was “agreed that the bilateral talks between the government delegation and the TNA would continue and the consensus arrived at would be placed before the proposed Select Committee of Parliament. The TNA reiterates that its nomination to the PSC must await substantial consensus being reached at the bilateral talks, as was agreed.”

Outlining the manner in which the talks proceeded after resumption on November 16, he said that parties identified the issues to be discussed and agreed upon in evolving a political solution. The parties agreed on the specific order in which these issues were to be discussed and for this purpose scheduled four meetings - December 1, 6, 14, and 15. Thereafter, a time-table setting out these dates and issues was also circulated.

At the first of these meetings held on December 1, the Minister of External Affairs, G.L. Peiris indicated that without the TNA nominating its representatives to constitute the proposed Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), the bilateral talks could not progress as previously agreed, Mr. Sampanthan said.

When the TNA reminded the government of the commitment already made, it requested time to deliberate and consequently a new meeting was scheduled for December 3. “Today despite lengthy discussions, the government delegation's position remained inconclusive,” he said.

Since the government – TNA talks began on January 10 this year, about 10 meetings were held. On August 4, the TNA walked out of the meeting, stating that no meaningful and purposeful dialogue could commence as the government had not responded to the TNA’s comprehensive proposals and that no purpose would be served by fixing a further date for talks unless and until the government made its response available.

Thereafter, after considerable back-room manoeuvrings, the TNA and the government agreed to recommence the dialogue.

"Debacle" of Asia Sinhala lanka assaults Law Student for trying to thwart Stinky Princes Record break....

Lanka law student 'assaulted again'

International human rights organisations have expressed serious concern over the safety of a Sri Lanka law student who has previously complained about alleged malpractices of the Law College (SLLC).

DM Thushara Jayaratne, the whistleblower of alleged exam malpractices by Namal Rajapaksa, MP, says he was assaulted by a group of assailants on Thursday at a safe house.

Though he was not physically injured, say activists, he is suffering from post-assault trauma.

"The recent attack follows threats and intimidation last year when Thushara publicly complained that President Rajapaksa's son received preferential treatment in his exams at the Law College," Yolanda Foster of Amnesty International told BBC Sandeshaya.

Lack of investigations

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), has also raised serious concern over the lack of investigations into the continued attacks on the rights defender.

Human rights organisations have protested against this treatment and requested a credible inquiry into his allegations. However, no such inquiry has been conducted," AHRC director Basil Fernando, said.

Mr Jayaratne was previously abducted, assaulted and regularly intimidated after he lodged complaints against President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son, according to a complaint lodged earlier this year with the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders.

While the national human rights commission has refused to entertain his complaints, the police have failed to launch any inquiry, the UN was informed.

"We are concerned about his security and call upon everyone to request from the government to inquire into this matter and also to provide him the security that he is entitled to," Basil Fernando added.

Harassment, intimidation and attacks against human rights defenders who expose abuses in Sri Lanka are not uncommon, according to Amnesty International.

"Many victims of human rights abuses feel an increased sense of insecurity as there is a lack of credible domestic mechanisms for filing and investigating complaints," added Ms Foster, AI's researcher on Sri Lanka.

Sinhalans Stop the Colombo - Tuticorin Ferry Service for settling Eelam tamils from Tamilnadu...

Colombo-Tuticorin ferry service suspended

The Colombo-Tuticorin passenger ferry service which was started in June has been suspended indefinitely amidst some confusion with officials of both countries giving different reasons.

The Ceylon Shipping Corporation, the general agent for the ferry service, was informed by the Indian counterpart Flamingo Liners Ltd that the Scotia Prince ferry service would be halted due to “technical difficulties,” a CSC official said.

However, CSC General Manager Sunil Obbodage said the ferry service was suspended because not many people were using it. The Scotia Prince ferry started operation following an agreement between the Sri Lankan and Indian governments last year. Flamingo Chief Executive Officer R.C. Thimaiah said the ferry service was suspended due to operational difficulties.

He also denied reports that there was an outstanding amount to be paid to the Sri Lankan fuel supplier and said they were clearing the outstanding credit facilities.However, the local fuel supplier has filed a case at the Colombo Commercial High Courts against Flamingo Liners.

Currently, the Scotia Prince ferry has been detained by port authorities on a court order until the outstanding bill of more than US$ 400,000 is paid.

Losers Liars Rotten Commission Report will go the way of all commisions of Stinky Lanka....

Work on translating the voluminous report of the committee that had studied the years since the collapse of the truce with the LTTE in 2002 to the end of the war in 2009 is set to begin soon.

One official in the know said the report prepared by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, which submitted its report to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on November 20, will be presented to Parliament in three languages — English, Tamil and Sinhalese.

“The report will form the basis of reconciliation attempts by the government,” said the official.

Dismissing the criticism that the translation of the report, prepared in English, was yet another ploy to delay the start of genuine attempts to offer a solution to the Tamil minority, the official said it was imperative that everyone was able to read what the report contained. While the government does not intend to table the complete report, it is certain that the recommendations will be tabled in English and the translated versions.

The official assured that there would be no delay in the report being presented to Parliament. The government had aimed for tabling the report in December, and it would stick by the deadline.