Motorbike of disappeared activists found

BBC Sinhala
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The motor bicycle which both Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganathan travelled has been found in Jaffna.

The wife of disappeared activist, Kugan Muruganathan had seen the motorcycle in Achchuveli police station when she went to enquire about the on going investigations on Thursday evening, Udul Premaratne of ‘We Sri Lankans’ told BBC Sandesaya.

Udul Premaratna quoting wife of Kugan Murugananthan said that Achchuveli police had told her that the police found the bicycle near Sivan Kovil in Kopai, Jaffna.

Police confirmation

Police Spokesman, Superintendent of Police, Ajith Rohana cofirmed that the motorcycle is now in Achchuveli Police Station and it was found in Kopai on December 13th.

He said that no other evidence has been revealed with the finding of the motorcycle.

Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganathan disappeared last week. They organised demonstrations on behalf of the families of missing people.

Civil society activists in Sri Lanka say they fear for the lives of the men.

© BBC Sinhala

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Sri Lanka military to counter UN Panel report

By Shamindra Ferdinando | The Island
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The military would counter allegations contained in the unsubstantiated report by UNSG Ban Ki-moon’s Panel of Experts (PoE), Army Chief Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya said yesterday.

A confident Jayasuriya emphasized that the military was in the process of finalizing its response to the PoE’s allegations.

Responding to a query by The Island, the former Vanni Commander said that the UN report had contained a spate of erroneous information pertaining to the deployment of those fighting formations deployed on the Vanni east front.

Sri Lanka is expected to present the report to the UN early next year. A senior spokesperson for the External

Affairs Ministry told The Island that there were many inaccuracies in the PoE report. Some of these shortcomings had been exposed by Sri Lanka’s No 2 at the UN Ambassador Maj. Gen. Shavendra Silva.

The armored corps veteran was speaking to the media after inspecting a parade at the Rock House Camp to mark 56th anniversary of the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps.

Lt. Gen. Jayasuriya said that the military would provide details regarding deployment of troops during the final stage with the required evidence to back Sri Lanka’s position. The SLA would also provide information regarding deployment of fighting formations vis a vis No Firing Zones on the Vanni east.

Earlier in the day, the Army Chief paid a glowing tribute to the Corps for not promoting its interests at the expense of the national interest. The Colonel Commandant of the Corps said that it had won praise as the best and the most disciplined formation due to leadership given by successive Colonel Commandants, senior officers and the sacrifices made by all officers, non-commissioned officers and other rankers.

Jayasuriya’s predecessor, Gen. Sarath Fonseka, too, held the prestigious post of Colonel Commandant of the Sinha Regiment during the eelam war IV.

He emphasized the importance of the SLA’s role in the ongoing post-war development process not only in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, but other areas as well. The army chief urged officers and men to be disciplined and loyal to the Corps and the SLA and strive to achieve the top post in every field.

© The Island

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Sri Lanka Reconciliation Commission report presented to the parliament

To read the full report click here

Colombo Page
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The report of Sri Lanka's Lessons Learnt Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) has been presented to the parliament today, local media reports said.

The Leader of the House, Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva has reportedly presented the report to the House a short while ago.

Economic Development Minister of Basil Rajapaksa earlier said the 400-page final report of the LLRC would be tabled in parliament in its entirety and not just the observations made by the Commission.

The eight-member Commission, appointed by the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to probe the three-decade long armed conflict with the Tamil Tiger terrorists, handed over its final report to the President on November 20th.

The President has said that the government will take actions without shielding anyone if the LLRC found any human rights violations during the war that ended in May 2009.

The United States recently said that it has high expectations for the LLRC report and noted that the report will be of 'highest quality'.

© Colombo Page

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Nun cleared of selling babies in Sri Lanka

Associated Press
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A Sri Lankan court on Thursday cleared a Roman Catholic nun from Mother Teresa's charity who was accused of selling babies for adoption.

Judge Yvonne Fernando discharged Sister Mary Eliza without presenting charges. The nun, from Mother Teresa's Indian-based Missionaries of Charity, was arrested last month for allegedly selling babies born from unwed mothers.

The Missionaries of Charity says its home in Moratuwa, south of Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo, houses women who become pregnant outside of marriage or after being raped, and gives the babies up through legal adoption if their mothers don't want them.

Officials from the National Child Protection Authority and police raided the home on Nov. 23 and arrested Sister Mary Eliza, its head, after a tip-off.

Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the head of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka, called the allegations groundless and vowed to boycott all state functions until the case was resolved.

© AP

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