Srilanka Timeline 2012

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Sri Lanka Timeline - Year 2012

January 1 The TNA is to meet with representatives of the diplomatic community in Colombo to explain theparity's stance with regard to land and police powers to the provinces. The TNA members are tomeet with the diplomats to brief them on the progress made at the talks between the Governmentand the party.

All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC) Secretary General Y.L.S Hameed said that ACMC will leave no

room for another re-merger of the North and the East. He said one must understand the backgroundin which the late Muslim leader M.H.M. Ashraff tabled the demand for a separate unit of devolutionfor the Muslims in the North and the East.

Sri Lanka Police Department is planning to link all Police Stations through an online network toprovide a better and efficient service to the people, according to Colombo Page. The move facilitatesthe decision of the Police Department to complete investigations regarding minor complaints within48 hours, Police sources say.

Government has allocated LKR 61,000 million to accelerate the implementation of manydevelopment projects in the Jaffna District to promote the livelihood of the people who sufferedduring the three-decade-long LTTE terrorism, Northern Province Governor Major General G.A.Chandrasiri told the Sunday Observer . Another LKR 5,000 million has been allocated to the NorthernProvincial Council from the budget for development activities in the province, he said.

A large stock of weapons, explosives and other war like equipments buried by the LTTE, while theywere fleeing after their defeat in 2009, was unearthed by Naval troops in Narantanai West in Kayts onJanuary 1.

January 3 Minister of External Affairs Professor G.L. Peiris called in the Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka,Christine Robichon, to express Sri Lanka's concern over the issue of four stamps by the French mailservice La Poste depicting images of LTTE. Professor Peiris pointed out that when Governments,especially in the West allow the pro-LTTE groups to operate in such a manner, the Sri Lankan publicwill question those countries' bona-fides and the Sri Lankan Government has to consider the publicopinion since the pro-LTTE groups overseas are still seeking to achieve their objectives throughdifferent means.

French Ambassador confirmed the publication of 360 stamps by La Poste. However, after the FrenchMinistry of Foreign Affairs has informed La Poste that LTTE is a terrorist group banned by the EU in2006, the mail service has assured that no such stamps will be printed further.

Peiris urged the French Government to ensure that publications like the four stamps issued by LaPoste of France, depicting images related to the LTTE, including its insignia, should not happen andtheir publication be cancelled.

Loosening its stance against granting police and land powers to the provinces according to the 13 th

Amendment to the Constitution, the Government said that it is ready to consider its scope providedthe TNA put forward its proposals at the talks with the Government.

January 6 A crucial round of talks between the TNA and the Government is scheduled to be held on January17, 18 and 19 in Colombo. Political sources say the talks will be crucial since the devolving of landpowers sill be taken up in the talks.

January 8 The Sri Lanka Police Department will create opportunities for former LTTE cadres who are welleducated to join the Police, Inspector General of Police N. K. Illangakoon said. He said if the former LTTE cadres were willing to join the Police after fulfilling the requirements, the Department wouldrecruit them.

In another context, he said the Police Department had recruited over 600 Tamil Police officers andthey are now serving in the North and the East.

Election Commissioner of Sri Lanka Mahinda Deshapriya has decided to hold the elections of twolocal government bodies of the Mullativu District on March 10.

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprises Development Minister Douglas Devananda said that allTamil parties, including the TNA, must strengthen President Mahinda Rajapaksa's hands to find adurable solution to the ethnic issue. Devananda observed that if the TNA does not participate in theParliamentary Select Committee proceedings, it will be difficult to find a durable solution to the ethnicissue and there will be a stalemate which will continue to aggravate sufferings of the Tamil people.


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January 9 Around 74 LTTE cadres who have been rehabilitated on court orders, are to be released shortly on adecision by the Rehabilitation Department. According to Rehabilitation Commissioner General Major General Chandana Rajaguru this group will be released on January 22 at a ceremony in Batticaloa.He said that 11,375 out of around 12,000 former LTTE cadres had been rehabilitated and integratedinto society to date, while another 750 are being rehabilitated and will be released in batches.

Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake said that all Tamil parties, particularly the TNA, shouldget actively involved in the deliberations of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the ethnic issue.

January 10 Sri Lanka plans to strengthen security in the country to prevent any resurrection of the vanquishedLTTE, Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. He observed that the LTTE, although defeated in

the country, is still active overseas and groups sympathetic to the LTTE cause are attempting torevitalize their movement at international level. Though many LTTE-friendly groups and individualsfunction overseas separately, they have one common objective of dismembering Sri Lanka andestablishing a separate State.

Higher Education Ministry Secretary Sunil Jayantha Navarathna said that on the advice of LTTEsupporters, a Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) faction led by Kumar Gunaratnam is engaged inhampering the university system.

January 11 Child Development and Women's Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadde said the powers demanded bythe TNA would not address issues faced by the Tamil people in the country. Karalliyadde said theTNA was seeking powers to the Northern Provincial Council that have not been given to any other provincial council in the country. He noted that the TNA should understand the real needs of theTamil people and work towards winning them.

Minister of Lands and Land Development Janaka Bandara Tennakoon said that over 200,000 citizensin the country do not possess any land.

January 12 Cabinet Spokesman and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the TNA leader R.Sampanthan's statement that his party will take part in discussions in connection with finding asolution to the issues of the Tamil community is a positive sign. Minister Rambukwella said thatwhatever solution worked out through these discussions should be endorsed by Parliament.

Higher Education Ministry Secretary Jayantha Navaratne said the numerous student protests in localuniversities are the result of students falling victim to outside political elements.

January 13 The overseas LTTE groups trying to revive the vanquished terror group in Sri Lanka have used thepersonalized services offered by the postal authorities in Britain, France and Canada to make amockery of those States where the terrorist group remains as a banned organization.

January 15 Commenting on the ongoing talks between the Government and TNA, Presidential adviser for reconciliation and member of the Government delegation for the Government-TNA discussions,Rajiva Wijesinha told the Daily News that "there is an increasing perception that there are manycommon factors between us and there is a desire on both sides to have a positive solution". "Thereare one or two issues which will obviously take a longer time, rather than trying to resolve the moredifficult question first, resolving the easier issues first will be more productive. Because then yourealize that the difficult problems are not so difficult," Wijesinha said.

A massive recruitment program has been launched to enlist Tamil-speaking men and women fromthe Northern and Eastern provinces to foster a good relationship between diverse ethniccommunities, Police media spokesman, Superintendent of Police Ajith Rohana.

The US granted President Mahinda Rajapaksa immunity from a law suit filed in a US court againsthim by the pro- LTTE Tamil Diaspora. The US filed a "Suggestion of Immunity" at the United StatesDistrict Court for the District of Columbia on January 13 for President Rajapaksa recognizing him asthe "sitting head of state of a foreign state."

The External Affairs Ministry has directed the country's missions in Europe to keep a close watch onthe activities of LTTE front organizations in their respective countries.

The We Are Sri Lankan (WASL) organization led by the dissidents of JVP said the rehabilitatedformer LTTE members should be given equal rights and not be sidelined. WASL Convener, UdulPremaratne said that the Government was critical of organizations that stood and fought for ethnicharmony.

January 16 A suspected sympathizer of the LTTE was arrested by Kochi city Police from Chengalpettu inChennai in connection with a human trafficking case involving Sri Lankan Tamils.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Rashmi Singappuli said that the court is expecting the advice of the


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Attorney General regarding legal action against two s urrendered leaders of the LTTE. The duo, former LTTE media spokesman Daya Master and translator George, surrendered to State Military in the lastphase of the war against LTTE.

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne said that foreign forces are behind some of the protests held in thecountry. Jayaratne said that such foreign forces were behind the protests against the setting up of private universities. He observed that he has received affidavits stating such facts. According to thePrime Minister, certain foreign elements including the Tamil Diaspora were hopeful of resurrecting theLTTE organization.

Defence and Urban Development Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said the Police has to

play a vital role in the country's development.January 16-17 Naval personnel attached to the Eastern Naval Command recovered a stock of LTTE arms and

ammunition hidden in Devapura and Chilawatte areas s. The recoveries included one T 56 weapon,one T 81 weapon, two T 56 magazines, one T 56 magazine, eight 81mm motor bombs, two 60 mmmotor bombs and two hand grenades were also found. A number of identity cards of LTTE militantswere also recovered.

January 17 An area exceeding 1,934 out of 2,061 square kilometers of lands in the North which were dotted withland mines and booby traps have been cleared by the end of 2011 and Economic DevelopmentMinister Basil Rajapaksa has given specific directives to expedite the clearing of the remaining 127square kilomete.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa assured Indian External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna, who is anofficial tour to Sri Lanka, that he stood by his commitment to follow the "13th Amendment plus

approach" to achieve a political solution to the Tamil question.January 18 The TNA said that it looked forward to a new beginning in talks with the Government, following

President Rajapaksa's assurance on devolution and autonomy. "The President has spoken aboutgoing beyond the 13th Amendment. This is a new beginning and we will pursue the talks from here,"TNA Member of Parliament Sumanthiran said, when asked about the progress of talks.

Mass Media and Information Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that Government can overcomepolitical extremism. The Minister said the LTTE operated a propaganda and fund raising network innearly 230 countries and is one of the richest terrorist organizations found in the world.

January 19 Government spokesman and Minister of Media & Information Keheliya Rambukwella said theGovernment expects to establish a Senate representing minority groups and academics as a "viablelink between the Central Government and the provinces". Explaining the government's initiative, theMinister said the 13th Amendment to the Constitution is already a part of the Constitution since

1987, and the establishment of the Senate, which will act as an advisory body to the legislature, iswhat meant by the 13 plus or 13 and beyond.

January 20 About 142 families who left their villages in 1999 due to terrorist activities were resettled in their ownlands, said Resettlement Minister Gunarathna Weerakoon. These families have been settled intemporary shelters in Gajabapura and Monaraweva divisional secretariat divisions in Weli Oya. About75 families are living in Gajabapura and 67 families in Monaraweva, he added.

January 21 TNA Member of Parliament (MP) Rasavarodhayam Sampanthan said that the TNA will continue tohold talks with the Government delegation to reach consensus on an effective and workable solutionto the grievances of people in the North and the East and would not quit the talks under anycircumstances.

January 21-22 Sri Lanka Navy on January 21 arrested two people, including a former Sea Tiger [cadre of the SeWing of the LTTE] attempting to enter the island illegally under cover from the northwestern coast,the Navy reported on January 22. The two ethnic Tamils were dropped off by a hired Indian boat at

the 9th Sand Bank off the coast of Thalaimannar and were swimming to the 8th Sand Bank when thenaval personnel attached to the North-western Naval Command spotted them and arrested.

Leader of the House and Chief Negotiator in the TNA-Government talks Minister Nimal Siripala deSilva affirmed that they have not suspended or withdrawn from the ongoing negotiations to find aworkable framework for the devolution of power.

January 22 The Government ceremoniously reintegrated another batch of 78 rehabilitated former LTTE cadres tothe society. Another 750 ex- LTTE cadres are currently being rehabilitated and over 800 more cadreswill be rehabilitate on the orders of courts, according to the Commissioner General of RehabilitationMajor General Chandana Wanaguru. During and immediately after the final phase of the war 11,700LTTE cadres had surrendered to the Government Security Forces (SFs) or arrested by the SFs.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that even after the end of the war, LTTE elements


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were still trying to act from behind some political parties. Rajapaksa also said that the Governmentcould not be held responsible for the persons who go missing due to terrorist activities.

January 24 Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka pleaded not guilty to all charges against him when he wasproduced before the Colombo High Court. The Government has charged Fonseka and his personalassistant Senaka Haripriya de Silva mainly for harboring Army deserters during his presidentialelection campaign, conspiring against the Government to commit mutiny and insubordination to theGovernment. The State has served an indictment against the two accusing them of 41 charges.

Fonseka is currently serving a three-year prison sentence imposed by the Colombo High Courthaving found him guilty of inciting violence in the famous 'white flag' case. He is also serving a 30-month prison term imposed by a court martial in 2010 after finding him guilty of four charges relatedto alleged irregularities in military procurements during his tenure as Army Chief.

The TNA said that President Mahinda Rajapakse and the Government has gone back on itsagreement with the Indian Government. TNA spokesman and Jaffna District parliamentarian SureshPremachandran said that the President after agreeing to provide a political solution to the ethnicissue that goes beyond the 13th Amendment has now backtracked. "The President has taken anundertaking during the discussions with Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna where he hassaid the solution would be beyond the 13th Amendment," he explained.

January 25 A suspected LTTE cadre alleged to have been involved in a bomb blast in Wilpattu National Foreston May 27, 2006, that killed seven people, was arrested by the Police. Police said the suspect hasbeen identified as a resident of Mannar and he was involved in LTTE activities during the war.

National Freedom Front leader and Construction Engineering Services, Housing and Common

Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa said that a foreign spy service may be guiding the rebelgroup of the JVP which had always adopted a two pronged policy of democracy and revolution. Hesaid the small rebel group is waiting for the dawn of the 'day of struggle' like the Benghazi rebels.

January 26 External Affairs Minister G L Peiris said that LLRC implementation getting off to good start. "Thegovernment has made a good start to implementing the recommendations of the LLRC. Within thenext two months, the process of implementing the LLRC recommendations will get fully underway,"Peiris said.

Cabinet Spokesman and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that Sri Lanka needs a localmodel of decentralization of power invented by Sri Lankans. "Thirteen Plus is correct and accurate.The meaning of Thirteen Plus is establishing a Senate. The entire thirteenth amendment is a vastdecentralization of powers. There is no big issue when it comes to decentralizing land powers, but,there is a serious issue on the system of devolving Police powers. Therefore, the question is what iswrong with discussing this single issue in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC)," he said.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that only politicians in the Northern andEastern Provinces demand land and Police powers, not the. Minister Rajapaksa explained that thepeople in the North and East wanted land to cultivate and carry out their livelihoods and protectionfrom terrorism and abductions. The Government, Rajapaksa has said, would provide thesenecessities of the people. However, he pointed out that the Government did not have any intention todevolve land and Police powers to the provinces.

Deputy Minister of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development WeerakumaraDissanayake says that a political solution that goes beyond the 13th Amendment needs to bethought out very carefully. He told the media that the Government facing a great risk since the wholeconcept of 13th plus could spread like a germ. He noted that it could be used to obstruct theGovernment's development path. Therefore, he observed that the government in this scenario needsto work according to a proper legal framework.

January 27 President Mahinda Rajapaksa suggested people to learn three languages: Tamil, Sinhalese, andEnglish. If Tamils were taught Sinhalese and Sinhalese were taught Tamil, Sri Lanka would havebeen in lesser problems. He also said that he is committed to safeguard the country's sovereigntyand he will not hesitate to take any decision to protect the people and the country from any threat.

January 29 The Government said there was no logical reason in continuing talks with the TNA on finding apolitical solution to the ethnic issue when the final solution would be decided by the proposed PSC.Government Spokesperson and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said that the Government'sstance was that the proposed PSC has to decide on the political solution to the ethnic issue. He saidthere was no logical reason to continue with talks with the TNA since matters discussed with theTNA would also have to be discussed and decided at the PSC.

Minister of National Languages and Social Integration Vasudeva Nanayakkara said that while theGovernment pursues a 'one nation policy', the TNA is doing the opposite, by adopting a 'two-nation


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policy'. The Government aims at uniting all communities under one banner, while developing thelinguistic, cultural and religious values of every community, under the 10-year national plan for Trilingual Sri Lanka.

The main opposition UNP said the Government needs to inform parliament and the country if it waslooking at a political solution that goes beyond the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. UNPGeneral Secretary Tissa Attanayake said the Government needed to explain exactly what PresidentMahinda Rajapaksa has promised to Indian External Affairs Minister about the political solution.

TMVP leader and EPC CM Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan has demanded that Policeand land powers be given to the Provincial Councils, according to Colombo Page. The EPC led by

Pillayan has unanimously passed a resolution demanding Police and land powers for the council. Acopy of the resolution has been sent to the Presidential Secretariat.

A spokesman said that the CM will also discuss the issue with the TNA leader R. Sampanthan. "Weare willing to work jointly with the TNA in winning these demands," the council spokesman wasquoted as saying.

TNA Member of Parliament Premachandran confirmed that the CM has written to the TNAexpressing willingness for dialogue. He said that the party is ready to discuss with the ruling party of the EPC about the power devolution and the political solution to the ethnic problem. TMVP is apolitical party formed by the former breakaway rebel group of LTTE. TMVP which won the 2008Provincial Council election for which the TNA did not contest is the major party of the ruling coalitionof the Eastern Province.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that in finding solutions to whatever issues the country faces, the

Government would always look for home-grown methods that meet the aspirations and needs of thepeople. He said that solutions to country's problems should come from within based on dialogue andunderstanding and stressed that he and the Government were always prepared to listen and wereopen for discussion to resolve any issues on behalf of the people.

The Government in addition to the 2012 budgetary allocation to develop the North has allocated anadditional LKR 10 billion for new development activities. Of this, the biggest slice has been allocatedfor the development of agriculture in the north, Traditional Industries and Small EnterprisesDevelopment Minister Douglas Devananda said.

Presidential Envoy on Human Rights and leader of the delegation to the UNHRC, MahindaSamarasinghe said that Sri Lanka will not be presenting the LLRC report to the UNHRC as it wasnever the intention of the Government to do so. Minister Samarasinghe said that he anticipates thatthere will be references to the LLRC report and if that happens, the delegation will be prepared to

present the government's view with respect to the report that was presented to Parliament inDecember 2011.

January 30 President Mahinda Rajapakse said on January 30 that the issues confronting normalization processin the country should be resolved democratically, through the PSC process. "Whether it be 13 plus or 13 minus, these and more issues should be sorted out through the PSC mechanism. The Oppositionmust join in this effort as the problems at hand should be resolved democratically," the Presidentexplained. It is the PSC which must clear-up all outstanding questions, he said.

January 31 UNP called on the Government to implement the recommendations made by the LLRC to show itscommitment to finding a political solution to the ethnic issue and addresses the needs of the Tamilpeople. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake says the UNP was ready to participate in anydiscussion and support the Government in its endeavour to implement the LLRC recommendations.He says the President Mahinda Rajapakse after saying he would implement the recommendationsmade by the LLRC, was not doing so.

Commenting on the criticism by various NGOs and Western countries of Sri Lanka, the Secretary of Ministry of External Affairs, Karunathilaka Amunugama said that "Sri Lanka is not going to makedecisions to make NGOs and other countries happy and what is best for our country and our peoplewill be decided by the people of Sri Lanka".

February 1 The Head of the PNM, an ally of Sri Lanka's governing UPFA, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekera says thatthe Government should not hold discussions on finding a political solution with the major Tamilpolitical party, the TNA. He blamed TNA for representing the LTTE ideology of separatism andpushing for Tamil Eelam. He also demanded for the legal action against TNA as well as immediateaction against the comments made by some of the government ministers who have defecting fromthe main opposition UNP.

February 3 Sri Lankan Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said that nobody can say that theGovernment does not have a proposal to be presented to the proposed PSC to find a solution to the


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ethnic issue and the Government's proposal will be presented to the PSC. President MahindaRajapaksa will abide by the final decision taken by the PSC. There are proposals on solving theethnic issue in the Mahinda Chinthanaya - Vision for the future. President Mahinda Rajapaksamentioned about 13 + on various occasions. This issue has been discussed everywhere for a longtime. Problematic areas of the issue have been solved," he said.

According to Minister Yapa, the TNA has never stated to date that it will refrain from participating inthe PSC. He further said, "Things stated by the TNA on solving the ethnic issue are not justifiable.We have to consider practicalities in connection with certain situations. He said that Sri Lanka is anindependent state and local solution is needed. Commenting on relation with India", he said, SriLanka always deals directly with the Indian Government and not with Indian states. Tamil Nadu is not

India. It is only a state in India. He asked all political parties to participate in the PSC proposed tofind a political solution to the ethnic issue, if they wished to know the Government's stance on thematter.

In less than three years after the war, Sri Lanka has resettled 98 percent of the nearly 300,000 war-displaced people in the North, Sri Lanka's Minister of Resettlement Gunaratne Weerakoon said.

February 5 Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the PSC was the best forum to resolve thenational question and asked all parties to participate in the PSC rather than relying on importedsolutions and foreign influences. The President cautioned against conspiracies and propaganda of terrorists based overseas aimed at destabilizing the motherland. "They hope to achieve in Sri Lankacertain results similar to those in some other countries. The fuel for this struggle in Sri Lanka comesfrom separatism which is active in foreign lands." He told the nation that the country would neither benefit by trying to please selfish groups, nor implementing the proposals of extremist groups. TheLLRC has said that all are responsible for this problem. Therefore, we have already startedimplementing what was in the Commission report. He also addressed various issues like economicand agricultural development along with future challenges and expectations.

Opposition and UNP Leader of Sri Lanka, Ranil Wickremesinghe has called on the people to rally tosafeguard democracy in the country. Government has failed to establish democracy, the oppositionparties would work towards it together with the people. He further stated that democracy law andorder have collapsed in the country while there was no independent police, public service, electoralsystem or free education and health services. He asserted that democracy plus is the need of hour,which will in turn help to find a solution to 13 plus policy.

The Marxist party JVP parliamentarian KD Lal Kantha blamed TNA of using the power devolutionissues to achieve their political objectives. He said that devolving land and police powers toprovinces under the 13th will never solve the national issue of the country and no result can beexpected from the measure. He further blamed the western colonial occupation for creating disunity

among the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities in order to achieve their political and economicobjectives, has said the Tamil National Alliance, the SLMC, India and the Sinhala parties in theSouth prevented amity among the people.

February 6 TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran said that the Government is telling one thing to India andanother thing to Sri Lanka regarding a solution to the ethnic problem and accused the Government of not finalizing a date for discussions with the TNA. He restated that a fair political solution was a pre-condition for the reconciliation, equity and peace of the country and therefore, TNA is demandingself-Government.

The skepticism over the implementation of LLRC still persists in the minds of various politicalparties. TNA said that regardless of the statements by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, therecommendations made by the LLRC, has not yet been implemented.

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake calls on the Government to implement therecommendations made by the LLRC without delay. He added that Government needed politicalconsensus on it and implementing the LLRC recommendations were more important than trying to re-convene an All Party Conference to discuss the ethnic issue.

In a move for future solidarity, the Government of Sri Lanka implemented a programme to make SriLanka trilingual and every child of the country should learn Sinhala, Tamil and English.

February 7 Commenting on the charges by TNA of heavy militarization in the north and insisting that the troops"are maintaining absolutely essential presence" and there would be sizeable military presence toensure that the "past does not revisit," the Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa completelyrejected the charges as "unfair assessment."

February 8 A Canadian Tamil man pleaded guilty in a United States district court to charges of conspiring toprovide material support to Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger terrorist group LTTE, a proscribed organization in


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the U.S. The United States State Department in 1997designated the LTTE as a Foreign TerroristOrganization and the LTTE therefore may not legally raise money or procure equipment or materialsin the United States.

In a launching ceremony of a DVD- The RUTHLESS- LTTE's Final Crimes Against Humanity , MCNSDirector General Lakshman Hulugalle said that this video is not for the political gain, but to give acorrect understanding about the experiences of the Tamil community of the North and East during thewar period.

February 9 The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York has dismissed the lawsuitagainst a former General of Sri Lanka Army Shavendra Silva, filed by the relatives of two Sri LankanTamils alleging war crimes. The court dismissed the lawsuit on the ground that Silva is currentlyserving, and is an accredited diplomat entitled to immunity from civil jurisdiction in the United Statesunder federal statute and the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

Sri Lankan opposition party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe says the country is in need of theestablishment of democracy plus to address issues faced by it. He also announced series of protests to be held under the People's Movement against Lawlessness.

February 10 Sri Lanka's opposition UNP has agreed with TNA on the issue of non- participation in the PSC,proposed by the Government. The news came, a day, after TNA and UNP discussed the issue onFebruary 9 at parliamentary complex.

Rejecting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa call to participate in PSC, the opposition partiesUNP, TNA and the Marxist party JVP have decided to ignore President's call.

February 12 Two high ranking officials of United States' Department of State arrived in Sri Lanka. The visit is

viewed as a crucial step by the US Government in its preparation to support a UNHRC resolution thatwill ask Sri Lanka to take more concrete actions on the accountability issue and implementing therecommendations put forward by the LLRC. The 19th session of the UNHRC will be held fromFebruary 27 - March 23.

Leaders of several religious and civil society condemned Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe'sstatement which devalued the LLRC report and described it as a pre-emptive, image tarnishing andanti-Sri Lanka statement.

February 13 The US delegates in Sri Lanka confirmed their support to a resolution against Sri Lanka to be tabledat the UNHRC sessions later this month to pressure the Sri Lankan Government to take promptmeasures to implement the recommendations made by the LLRC and address the accountabilityissues.

The US official ruled out an international investigation into the alleged war crime charges at this timeand said that instead the US would focus on the UNHRC resolution.

February 14 Chief Government Whip and Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh Gunawardena showed hisdisagreement over United Sates attempt to force the Sri Lankan Government to implement therecommendations of the LLRC report, when the Government has already taken the necessary stepsto do exactly that step by step. He blamed US's failure to defeat the Taliban for nine years as themain reason behind their attitude as they are not willing to accept Sri Lanka's victory over terrorism.

Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said the LLRC report contains constructiv e proposals for advancing reconciliation and reconstruction. He added that it is critical now to implement therecommendations of LLRC.

The Criminal Investigation Department has arrested a person with suicide vest in Galle. According tothe Police, the suspect is an ethnic Tamil resident of Badulla. He was a former cadre of LTTE and

has been posing as a Muslim while working at the resort where the suicide vest was found.

February 15 The Norwegian Postal Authority, Posten Norge issued an apology to the Sri Lankan Ambassador inOslo, E Rodney M Perera, for the recent issuance of LTTE stamps in Norway. Norwegian Authorityalso cleared that the LTTE stamps are not related to any official Norway postal stamps issued by hisinstitution.

Sri Lanka Army has appointed the Court of Inquiry to inquire into the observations, made by theLLRC in its report on alleged civilian casualties during the final phase of the humanitarian operationsand probe as regards Channel-4 video footage irrespective of its authenticity.

The Secretary to the External Affairs Ministry K. Amunugama said that Sri Lanka is disappointed onthe fact that US to support a resolution against Sri Lanka in the UNHRC session in Geneva to beheld between February 27-March 23.


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February 17 - .

attempt to defend announcement made by the army appointing a five-member Court of Inquiry toinvestigate allegations that its forces had committed serious violations of the law of war, LakshmanHulugalle criticized HRW for leveling COI to be an another Government delaying tactic in the face of mounting international pressure.

Hulugalle, further, said that they have been against Sri Lankan from the beginning and theGovernment is doing everything for the betterment of all Sri Lankans. "Even when the LLRC wasestablished to look in to these allegations, they had a negative approach and criticized it," Hulugallesaid. Earlier, the HRW charged that the announcement made by the Army appointing a five-member Court of Inquiry to investigate allegations that its forces committed serious violations of the law of

war appears to be another Government delaying tactic in the face of mounting international pressure.February 20 The Sri Lankan ministerial delegation attending the 19th sessions of the UNHRC beginning on

February 27 has left for Geneva, Switzerland. Sri Lanka has to face a resolution that is to bepresented against the country at the UNHRC sessions.

Sri Lankan Environment Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said that certain elements are trying tocreate unrest in the country using non - existent 'issues'. They are trying to incite people intoviolence as these elements are acting according to private and foreign agendas and trying their bestto realize the Diaspora's objectives.

February 21 Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa instructed his Ministry officials to work with UnitedNations (UN) agencies, INGOs and NGOs on a joint Action Plan of Assistance for the NorthernProvince in 2012.

February 22 The Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe termed Sri Lankan Government plan to proposeNHRAP at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva next week, without discussing it in the parliament as aviolation of the Constitution.

Acting Media Minister Laxman Yapa Abeywardena responding to the Opposition Leader's statementsaid that the Government will answer the questions on February 23.

February 23 Construction, Engineering Services, Housing & Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansaasked people across the island to protest against the UNHRC resolution and show their solidaritywith Government, on February 27, the day 19th session of the UNHRC are to begin in Geneva,Switzerland.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that the TNA will have to answer for thehuman rights violations carried out by the LTTE terrorists, if it participates in the UN Human RightsCouncil's sessions in Geneva.

February 24 Chief Government Whip, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has told the parliament that the Governmentwas prepared to discuss the LLRC report in the PSC and asked the UNP to propose names to thePSC.

A letter sent by the Sri Lankan mission to UNHRC member states and other sect ions of the worldcommunity says. "Sri Lanka categorically states that at no time has the Government or its missionin Geneva, ever worked with representatives of the United States on any Resolution whatsoever.

The Sri Lankan delegate, External Affairs Minister Prof G.L Peiris, to the UNHRC sessions inGeneva said that resolving the grievances of Sri Lanka's communities after the conflict, is anexclusively internal matter and that the issue could be resolved by Sri Lanka independently.

February 25 Nearly 8,000 people, including 550 children below the age of 10, were killed in the Northern areaduring a final offensive to crush LTTE in May 2009, said the census department. Another 6,350

people went missing, the department said in an 80-page report.

The census report said 6,858 people were killed in the first five months of 2009 when fighting peaked just before the military claimed victory in its no-holds-barred offensive. The census did not cover Security Forces killed in the war zone, but the military had previously said 6,000 personnel werekilled in the final stages of the war.

The department had carried out the census between June and August 2011, but disclosed the figuresonly over the weekend. The figures are in stark contrast to estimates by international rights groups,which say up to 40,000 civilians perished in the final months of the civil war and have heavilycriticised Sri Lanka's treatment of civilians.

February 26 Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brigadier Dharshana Hettiarachchi said that 931 former LTTEcadres undergoing rehabilitation would be reunited with their families before the end of this year.


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Brigadier Hettiarachchi also said that rehabilitation authorities are to implement a comprehensivepost monitoring system to help cadres who had reintegrated into the mainstream society.

An unnamed senior Sri Lankan diplomat alleged that various LTTE front organizations scatt eredaround the world are knitting themselves together in a ''human rights'' shield.

February 28 President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that the Protest in North and East along with other parts of country on February 27, irrespective of all differences, against a resolution before the UN HumanRights Council in Geneva against Sri Lanka proved that ruthless terrorism was defeated withoutrousing racist passions by the State. The President also stated that the international communitydoes not have a genuine desire to build unity among peoples of this country.

Main opposition UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake claimed that Minister MahindaSamarasinghe in his speech at the UNHRC sessions in Geneva had agreed to implement thedemands being made by the UNHRC and US; contradicting to Defence Secretary GotabhayaRajapaksa's stand that the Government would not bow down to the UNHRC . Attanayake said theGovernment could have avoided all these issues had it implemented the recommendations of theLLRC.

February 29 A group of 52 Sri Lankan asylum seekers deported from the UK arrived in Sri Lanka. The BritishForeign Office said that they are sending people back to Sri Lanka only when the British governmentand the courts are satisfied that an individual does not need protection. This flight is the third suchflight of deportees arrived from the UK.

Sinhala National and Buddhist Organizations have commenced collecting one million signatures for apetition demanding the abolition of 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which in turn will abolish all

power devolution measures and bring state back to total unitary nature. The organizers of thecampaign named 'This is the Last Chance' will hand over the petition with one million signatures toPresident Mahinda Rajapaksa.

March 1 According to Sri Lanka Embassy in Washington, a US federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filedagainst Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa noting that President Rajapaksa is immune fromlawsuit as a sitting Head of State. The court noted that Head of State immunity is a well-establishedlegal principle in the United States.

The lawsuit alleged human rights abuses occurred during the Sri Lanka-Liberation Tigers of TamilEelam (LTEE) conflict, and attempted to hold President Rajapaksa responsible. The case wasbrought by Bruce Fein, an attorney who has been accused of working closely with the pro-LTTEDiaspora in the United States.

The Sri Lankan Government has released LKR 300 million to the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison

Reforms to provide loans up to a maximum of LKR 250, 000 to the rehabilitated former LTTEcombatants to start their own employment. The reintegrated cadres have received vocational trainingas a part of the rehabilitation process to enable them to be self-employed.

March 3 Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya said that the Army is to scale down itspresence in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The Army is now completely ready for far-reachingreforms in its structural composition regarding ground realities, security and needs of island-wideongoing development projects, he added.

March 5 The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has split to three factions. The three factions are led by incumbentleader R. Sampanthan, Suresh Premachandran and Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam. Reportedly, theother two factions have blamed TNA leader R. Sampanthan for rejecting to participate in the UNHuman Rights Council being held now in Geneva.

March 6 The CPI (M) central committee leader T K Rangarajan stated that his party was against an

international inquiry into alleged human rights allegations against the Sri Lankan Government duringthe offensive against the LTTE. He said that a decision should not be imposed on the Sri Lankanpeople from outside. It was for the people of the island to decide.

March 7 The United States submitted the draft resolution against Sri Lanka to the UNHRC at its 19th sessionin Geneva. The draft resolution calls on the Sri Lankan Government to implement the constructiverecommendations in the LLRC report and take all necessary additional steps to fulfill its "relevantobligations and commitment to initiate credible and independent actions to ensure justice, equity,accountability and reconciliation for all Sri Lankans. it also notes with concern that the report doesnot adequately address serious allegations of violations of international humanitarian law.

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu state of India J. Jayalalithaa in a letter to India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged not to back Sri Lanka at the UNHRC sessions currently underway inGeneva. The CM, taking exception to India's stance against "country specific resolutions" andsuggestion to take up discussions only under UPR as a routine matter at the UNHRC, said it means


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direct support to Sri Lanka.

March 8 Sri Lanka's delegate to UNHRC Ms. Pruyanga Wickremasinghe said that Sri Lanka has rehabilitatednearly 600 child soldiers recruited by the Tamil Tiger terrorist group LTTE within one year. All childsoldiers were rehabilitated under a UNICEF-assisted program and returned to their families; despite,their participation in terrorist activities and not a single combatant was prosecuted.

India's External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna said that India will carefully consider the overall tieswith its neighbor and the sentiments in its own country before making a decision at the UnitedNations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva on the resolution against Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Ambassador Tamara

Kunanayakam said it will fight the resolution submitted to the UNHRC by the United States againstSri Lanka over alleged war crimes "to the very last minute." "What, in fact, is the US trying to tell uswith their draft resolution? They are not saying that our LLRC report is bad. They are not saying thatthere are gross and systematic violations of human rights in Sri Lanka. What they are saying is thatthey don't have confidence that we will implement the recommendations. They are judging our intentions, not the ground reality!" the Ambassador added.

Activist s of various pro-LTTE movements disrupted an international conference and forced theorganisers to send away a Sri Lankan academic. The members of Naam Tamizhar Iyakkam May 17Movement, Sri Lankan Tamils Protection Federation, as well as MDMK cadres barged into theconference venue at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU) in Tamil Nadu and protestedagainst the participation of Jeeva Niriella, faculty of law, lecturer, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka.This is the second such incident of a Sri Lankan visitor facing a protest by pro-Tamil outfits. InJanuary this year, Thirukumaran Nadesan, husband of Nirupama Rajapaksa, niece of Sri Lankan

president Mahinda Rajapaksa's suffered an even harsher treatment when slippers were hurled at himin Rameswaram where he visited to offer prayers in the temple.

March 9 Sri Lanka's Marxist party JVP points out that there is no difference in the contents of the resolutionpresented by the United States on the Sri Lankan Government to the UN Human Rights Council inGeneva and the stance expressed by Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe in Geneva. The US has calledfor the implementation of the LLRC recommendations while the Government has informed theUNHRC that it would implement the recommendations. He, further, said that the Government whileadmitting to adhere to the demands of the international community is trying to push for patriotismamong the people.

Media spokesperson for Sri Lankan Australians in Melbourne, Nagesha Wickramasuriya said thatseparatist activists and LTTE supporters are attempting to lobby support from federalParliamentarians in Australia into making a statement and to pressurize the UNHRC to take actionagainst Sri Lanka. These activists are trying to mislead politicians across the globe and are posingas human rights activists. These elements have also started a fund raising campaign- One dollar per week. The amount of money they are collecting annually is staggering. "There is a misconceptionamongst some Sri Lankans that the LTTE have been finished. They are active in American, Canada,France, and London and even in Australia," said Wickramasuriya.

TNA parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran said the resolution presented by the United States on SriLanka to the UNHRC sessions in Geneva only seeks the implementation of the LLRCrecommendations and was not against the country and noted that it was a belief that the resolutionwas against the country.

March 10 Sri Lanka's ambassador to Germany, Sarath Kongahage, said that the LTTE and its sympathisersare fast fading in Germany. Several attempts made by them to raise funds by holding campaignshave failed. They wanted to hold a mass protest on Sri Lanka's Independence Day on February 4 and

tarnish the image of Sri Lanka. However, their plans were an utter failure as only eight people turnedout for the event, he added. The Sri Lankan community in Germany is around 60,000, of whicharound 8,000 are Tamils.

A Catholic movement has condemned the call by a group of Tamil Catholic priests from Sri Lanka'sNorth for an international investigation on the alleged war crimes and violations of humanitarian lawduring the final stages of war.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa pointed out that certain countries, which remained silent during the 30years of unspeakable terror unleashed by the LTTE with suicide bombs and mass murders of civilians, are now trying to prosecute Sri Lanka for human rights violations after the Governmenteliminated the terror. Noting that some members of the international community are thinking of human rights only when the killings no longer take place, the President said after defeat of terrorismkillings of youth from all communities have stopped and the people are once again able to live freelyin an undivided country that belongs to everyone.


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March 12 An Action Plan detailing how recommendations of LLRC report could be implemented in the country'sNorth, will soon be handed over to the Ministry of Defense by Sri Lanka Army. Acting Spokesman for the SLA, Brigadier G V Ravipriya said, a board comprising senior officers of the SLA formulated the

Action Plan on how to implement the recommendations stipulated in the LLRC report. ArmyCommander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya had appointed the board about a month ago toformulate the Action Plan, he said.

The mystery around the last days of the assault on LTTE deepened after a documentary filmmaker claimed to have a "chilling piece of footage" showing the bullet-ridden body of the son of its slainchief Prabhakaran. Prabhakaran's 12-year-old son Balachandran's body is shown stripped to thewaist and with five bullet holes to the chest. The footage dating from May 18, 2009 will be broadcaston March 14 in a Channel 4 film--Sri Lanka's Killing Fields: War Crimes Unpunished-a sequel to thecontroversial investigation broadcast in 2011 which accused both the LTTE and the Sri LankanGovernment of war crimes and crimes against humanity. However, the authenticity of the video isunknown.

March 13 The SLA is considering making a documentary film about LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran'sdeath. Army Commander Jayasuriya told that a film would be made to explain to the internationalcommunity how Prabhakaran died in the battlefield. The movie would be made with a view todispelling various doubts and falsehood that had manifested around his death.

Special Presidential envoy Namal Rajapaksa said that a large number of former LTTE cadresrehabilitated by the Government have been reintegrated with their families. Special assistance andschemes are being facilitated by the Government for the rehabilitated youths and widows to find self employment, he added.

March 14 According to a group of rehabilitated LTTE cadres in Kandy, the Sri Lankan soldiers treated themwell. It was the LTTE terrorists rather than the Government Security Forces who severely harassedthem.

Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to India Prasad Kariyawasam said that the allegation of cold bloodedkilling of slain LTTE chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran's 12-year son is another concoction by BritishChannel 4 TV.

March 15 UK's Minister for South Asia Alistair Burt, after the broadcast of second video on Sri Lanka conflictby Britain's Channel 4, asked for "an independent, credible and thorough investigation" into thebloody conflict and urged the UNHRC to pass the resolution against Sri Lanka.

Economic Development Deputy Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena informed that PresidentMahinda Rajapaksa has told the Cabinet of ministers that no matter what happens in Geneva,

Government has to speedily solve problems of the Tamil people and upgrade their living standards.

March 16 President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka has the courage to face challenges posed byexternal forces and does not requires an imported solution to solve the country's internal issues, as itis capable of solving its issues through peaceful dialogue with all parties concerned.

Media Centre for National Security DG Lakshman Hulugalle denied the wild allegations contained inthe second video footage released by Channel 4 and termed it as another attempt aimed at tarnishingthe country's reputation. He also blamed Channel 4 News for relying largely upon sensationalistmaterials made available to it by anti-Government groups and individuals.

March 18 Sri Lanka Army Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasekera has asked Channel 4 to present theallegations they make against Sri Lanka Army with evidence to the LLRC instead of dramatizing their old video clips taken from open sources of pro-LTTE websites.

March 19 A new video documentary by the Government - a sequel to Lies Agreed Upon - to counter theallegations leveled at the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in the Channel 4 documentary will be screenedon March 20 for members attending the UNHRC sessions in Geneva. The Sri Lankan delegation willalso present another video documentary titled Sri Lanka; the Emerging Wonder - conflict, peace and

prosperity for the UNHRC members. The first documentary will try to showcase that the Channel 4video has failed to show the LTTE atrocities.

March 22 UNHRC adopted resolution proposed by the United States with 24 votes in favor, 15 against andeight abstentions. In a resolution (A/HRC/19/L.2/Rev1), regarding promoting reconciliation andaccountability in Sri Lanka, the Council notes with concern that the report of the LLRC of Sri Lankadoes not adequately address serious allegations of violations of international law and calls upon theGovernment of Sri Lanka to implement the constructive recommendations made in the report of theLLRC session and to take all necessary additional steps to fulfill its relevant legal obligations andcommitment to initiate credible and independent actions to ensure justice, equity, accountability andreconciliation for all Sri Lankans.


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March 23 Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that no external forces will be allowed to threaten thecountry's sovereignty and pledged to continue the Government's development and reconciliationprograms. He assured Sri Lankans that there will be no threat directed on the integrity andsovereignty of the country by the UN resolution against Sri Lanka.

March 25 Chief Minister of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan said that the peoplein the East would have to decide on whether or not to merge the Northern and Eastern Provinces,reports Colombo Page. He noted that the East would not be able to develop, as it has in the past fewyears, if the North and East were merged.

The Sri Lankan Government has planned to hold a press conference on March 26th to clarify the

actions taken by the Sri Lankan delegation at the 19th session of the UNHRC in Geneva.The press conference is to be conducted by the leaders of the Government delegation thatparticipated in the UNHRC session.

March 26 External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris assured people that the UNHRC has no powers to imposeeconomic sanctions.

The TID of Sri Lanka Police reopened a case pertaining to a plane crash that happened 12 yearsago. The Superintendent of Police Ajith Rohana said the plane crash, earlier suspected as anaccident, was a result of a missile attack by LTTE. He said that two LTTE cadres arrested recentlyfrom Kilinochchi have confessed to firing missiles at the aircraft causing the AN-26 to crash. Thesuspects were produced before the Anuradhapura Magistrate. The case will be heard again on April23.

March 29 Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Development Nihal Somaweera said that thegovernment had set aside LKR 425 billion for the reconstruction activities in the Northern andEastern provinces from the year 2006 to 2011. He also claimed that 95 percent of the reconstructionactivities in the two provinces have been completed.

Another 384 former combatants of the terrorist group LTTE in Sri Lanka got the opportunity to rejointheir families. With this new batch, the government had successfully re-integrated 10,490 former LTTE combatants, including 2,170 females into civil society after the end of the war in May 2009.The last remaining group of former LTTE cadres will be released by mid-2012 after providing themthe mandatory 12 months training.

April 1 The Island newspaper titled "Tigers return from India on a destabilization mission - SL intelligence,three arrested, others at large", said that state intelligence services have received information thataround 150 terrorists, who underwent a special arms training at three secret camps in Tamil Nadu,

have returned to Sri Lanka and are hiding in the North and the East to carry out a destabilizationcampaign.

April 2 The Indian High Commission in Colombo rejected a news report which claimed LTTE cadres werebeing trained in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu.

The SFs have begun search operations in the Eastern Province, where the murder of the EPDPmember took place, for the LTTE suspects who have reportedly returned to the country, militarysources said.

April 3 The US rejected media reports that said the TNA has been invited to Washington for a meeting withthe Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Resettlement Minister Gunaratne Weerakoon said that Sri Lanka needs at least six months toresettle the remaining Internally Displaced Persons IDPs.

April 4 The US-sponsored resolution on the implementation of the recommendations stipulated in LLRCreport is non-binding because bringing out the report was the State's responsibility, HumanResources Senior Minister D E W Gunasekera told. Adding that only Sri Lanka can resolve its ethnicquestion. "The US cannot resolve Sri Lanka's ethnic question," the minister said.

UK parliamentary group chairman Lord Naseby disapproved of the UK Government's support for theUS-sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka at the UNHRC in Geneva. Over the past two to threeweeks, Naseby has visited several parts of the country, including Jaffna, Hambantota and Galle,where he met both civilians and the civil society members.

April 5 The United St ates Department of State released a report, titled "Measures Taken by the Governmentof Sri Lanka and International Bodies to Investigate and Hold Accountable Violators of InternationalHumanitarian and Human Rights Law", prepared by the Office of Global Criminal Justice of theDepartment addressing Sri Lanka's accountability and alleged violations of international humanitarianlaws during the country's three-decade long war with Tamil Tiger terrorists.


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Police and the Security Forces have asked the members of the EPDP to be cautious in view of therecent killing of one of its members at Periyakulam, allegedly by the LTTE. Security forces haveissued the instructions after receiving intelligence reports on a group of LTTE members attempting tocreate trouble in the area.

UK parliamentary group chairman Lord Naseby met the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa atthe Temple Trees. He also met the Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Industryand Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiyutheen.

April 6 The TNA leader R. Sampanthan said that TNA is not opposed to the Parliamentary SelectCommittee, but do not have much trust in it.

Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told the 126th sessionof the Inter Parliamentary Union that Sri Lankan Government is taking unique and durable measuresto expedite the reconciliation process at the end of a three decades ruthless war.

Chairman of PNM, Gunadasa Amarasekera says that the Government must not implement theresolution passed at the UNHRC on Sri Lanka without a referendum. He further said that theimplementation of the UNHRC resolution without a mandate would be a betrayal of the country.

April 8 Sri Lanka's former President, Chandrika Kumaratunga said that Sri Lanka has a "marvelousopportunity" to heal and reconcile its twin populations after 25 years of civil war. However, she saidthat she is more than a little baffled at the slowness with which the Mahinda Rajapaksa Governmentis building post-civil war "bridges." "Such opportunities do not last forever," she warned. Shesuggested that while the civil war has seen some repair work accomplished, still more needs to be

done in terms of physical reconstruction and rehabilitation. A 15-member multi-party delegation with representatives from the Congress, BJP, DMK, AIADMKand Left parties, led by Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj will travel to Sri Lankafrom April 16 to April 21 to assess the resettlement and political process in the war-torn areas. Thevisit is aimed at reinforcing India's commitment towards ethnic Sri Lankan Tamils.

Sri Lanka's former President, Chandrika Kumaratunga said that Sri Lanka has a "marvelousopportunity" to heal and reconcile its twin populations after 25 years of civil war. She said that she ismore than a little baffled at the slowness with which the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government is buildingpost-civil war "bridges."

Naval personnel attached to the Eastern Naval Command had recovered 12.7mm anti-air craft gunand a Multi-Purpose Machine in the seas off Kuchchaveli from a LTTE attack craft in the seas duringa salvage operation.

April 9 According to Economic Development Ministry report, the overall Government investment for easternrevival, up to end of 2011 is Rs 125.35 billion. This amount has been allocated for the EasternProvince development programmes under the Negenehira Navodaya programme from 2006 to 2011.

SLFP Treasurer and Youth Affairs and Skills Development Minister Dullas Alahapperuma askedTamil National Alliance TNA not to act like agents of the LTTE and risk dividing society once again.He said it is now time for the TNA to take a new turn and emerge from the grip of the LTTE that doesnot exist anymore. The minister noted President Mahinda Rajapaksa's stand that there are nominorities in this country.

April 10 UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka, Subinay Nandy said that demining process in Sri Lanka's war ravaged Northern and Eastern provinces has recorded satisfactory progress. The country's North andthe East were heavily mined by the LTTE prior to their defeat in May 2009.

Sri Lanka's Leader of opposition Ranil Wickremasinghe met with the India's External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna and held discussions on the resettlement of the displaced Tamil civilians in the North.

April 11 President Mahinda Rajapakse said that there will be no room to create ethnic disharmony among theSinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities in the country although some quarters in the world attemptto tear up cohesion among ethnic groups and promote separatism.

April 12 S. Sritharan, a Tamil MP from Sri Lanka said that there is serious violation of human rights againstSri Lankan Tamils. He appealed to the Indian MPs' delegation arriving in Sri Lanka to visitMullivaikkal and do a thorough investigation.

April 16 Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that identities of those arriving illegally in Australiaand other countries, particularly in Europe, seeking political refuge are protected. Thousands of SriLankans had received new identities and it therefore denies Sri Lanka an opportunity to targetorganized criminal gangs responsible for sending people abroad.


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April 17

LTTE victories in the warfront and its training programmes in an attempt to promote LTTEorganisation. They were taken into custody during a raid on a house at Mohontuwarama inEechalanpattu area in Trincomalee District.

April 19 Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena reiterated Government's stance that a clear solution tothe power devolution issue could only be provided through a parliamentary select committee andurged Tamil national Alliance to join the process. "After discussion at the parliamentary selectcommittee the decision should be approved in the parliament with two-third majority.

Party leaders of the ruling UPFA have been asked to hand in proposals on the implementation of theLLRC report. The Government has sought the proposals of all coalition party members of the UPFAon the LLRC report and its implementation.

April 22 A major search operation by TID and other State Intelligence bureaus is in progress in the easternregion in search of ex-LTTE cadres, who had not gone through Government rehabilitation programsas well as cadres, who had returned from overseas.

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda instructedGovernment Agents and officials of Kilinochchi and Jaffna Districts to conduct a census of publicand private buildings abandoned in Kilinochchi and Jaffna Districts due to the war and other reasons.

April 24 UNP parliamentarian Harin Fernando said that Government needs to make a clear statement aboutits stance on the 13th Amendment and the claim about going beyond the 13th Amendment. Heobserved that the Government needs to tell the country if a 13 Plus political solution would be givento solve the North and East problem.

April 26 TNA leader R. Sampanthan said that there had been no favorable response from the Sri LankanGovernment on the issue of local political solution to the national problem in Sri Lanka. He recalledthat the present Government had been giving assurances since 2006 but had failed to deliver them.

Unexploded cluster munitions have been found for the first time in Sri Lanka, a UN expert on landmines Allan Poston has claimed. Poston is the technical adviser for the UN DevelopmentProgramme's mine action group in Sri Lanka.

April 27 The Sri Lanka Army on April 27 denied reports that security forces had used cluster bombs duringthe war and requested to provide any evidence so that an investigation can be launched.

The denial came after a report citing a top UN demining expert, Allan Poston, claimed thatunexploded cluster bombs were discovered in the Puthukudyiruppu area in the north. The area knownas PTK was a LTTE nerve centre during their decades old fight with the Government troops.

A Presidential Task Force for a Trilingual Sri Lanka had been appointed under the Chairmanship of Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga to implement the 10 - year national plan which waslaunched officially on January 21.

April 28 Eastern Province Chief Minister of Sri Lanka Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan said anydecision to dissolve the EPC 2012, would be made only after discussing about the matter.

April 29 A Presidential Task Force for a Trilingual Sri Lanka had been appointed under the Chairmanship of Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga to implement the 10 - year national plan which waslaunched officially on January 21. The Task Force would ensure that Sinhala and Tamil will be thelanguages of modern intellectual discourse, debate, perception and discussion within the countryalong with English as a life skill and an instrument of communication within and outside the country.

April 30 TNA leader R. Sampanthan sought President Mahindra Rajapaksa's intervention to secure therelease of several youth taken into custody during the recent search operations in the Eastern

Province, particularly in the Trincomalee District.The United States Department of Justice is seeking a 15-year prison sentence for a Canadian Tamilman who pleaded guilty in a United States district court to charges of conspiring to provide materialsupport to the LTTE, a proscribed organization in the US. Mylvaganam, a Canadian citizen whopreviously lived in the US, was arrested by Canada's RCMP officers in Toronto and extradited to USin 2009, following his indictment in the Eastern District Court of New York. He pleaded guilty onFebruary 8, 2012 to conspiring to procure sophisticated technology, including submarine designsoftware and night vision equipment for the LTTE in 2006. Mylvaganam faces a maximum term of 15years'' imprisonment.

May 1 President Mahindra Rajapaksa said that people from foreign countries without name or address cometo Sri Lanka to destabilize the country with their anti-national campaigns, and, unfortunately, somecountries assist them in the hope of a regime change; but, he cleared that a regime change would be


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possible only by the people for the people of this country through free and fair elections and not byconspiracies hatched with the assistance of foreign powers. "This Government commands theconfidence of the people. Sri Lanka is one of the oldest democracies in Asia. Therefore,conspiracies, uprisings or rebellions have no place in this land; and this Government will never letthem happen," he asserted.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said that the international community should ask the LTTErump to reveal the number of children killed and maimed while 'in service' with the group. He said thatthose seniors, who had managed to flee the Vanni during the final phase of the conflict and takerefuge abroad, would be able to shed light on casualty figures as LTTE was known for maintainingbattle-field records.

SLMC has appointed a committee to study the report of the LLRC. The committee was appointedsince the ruling UPFA has sought the opinion of the coalition parties regarding the LLRC report.

Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada has issued deportation orders against two more of the 492Sri Lankan refugee claimants who arrived in 2010 aboard the smuggling ship MV Sun Sea. One hadbeen a member of a Tamil rebel group in between 2005 and 2006, when he was in his mid-20s. Thecases bring to 19 the number of Sun Sea migrants who have been issued deportation orders to date.

All have been declared inadmissible t o Canada due to their involvement in terrorism and crime.

May 2 Former Trincomalee LTTE leader Sivasubramaniam Waradanadan alias Pathuman, who wasremanded on charges of having attacked Army camps and attempted to kill Army personnel, will befurther re remanded till May 21. He was arrested on an unspecified date.

May 3 Presidential spokesman Bandula Jayasekara said that the circumstances leading to ongoing

operations in Northern and Eastern Provinces had been clearly explained and emphasized that thePresident was keen to further improve security in these Provinces. According to spokesman, astrong presence of security forces would be necessary to ensure stability. "MP Sampanthan, whohad remained silent while the LTTE forcibly conscripted children to be used as cannon fodder, todaycriticized the police and armed forces, engaged in legitimate internal security operations," thePresidential spokesman said. The TNA Member of Parliament R. Sampanthan on May 1 hadcriticized such operations.

Colombo High Court ordered the Prison Commissioner to transfer Sarath Fonseka to the NHC fromthe private hospital where he is receiving treatment for security reasons. The court observing the factthat there is a threat to Fonseka from the LTTE and other organisations and the prison authorities areunable to provide maximum security for Fonseka while at the private hospital, ordered his transfer toNHC.

May 4 Australia has allocated over $2.7 million for 2012-13 financial year to fund five projects in Sri Lanka

supporting displaced people through improved health services and provision of shelter and protection.

May 5 Sri Lanka Defence intelligence has found that the LTTE operates 428 schools in the main countriesof Europe, reports Colombo Page. These school functions in Germany, Switzerland, France,Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden and provide education to 22,500students across the Europe. Germany has the highest number of such schools with 145 and thereare 133 schools in Switzerland, and 65 schools in Denmark. Sri Lanka's defense authorities havecomplained to the authorities of such countries.

May 6 Sri Lankan cabinet has recommended the appointment of a presidential committee to decide whichrecommendations of LLRC are appropriate for implementation.

The TNA said to the Leader of the SLMC, Rauf Hakeem, who is currently trying to mediate to get theTNA back to the discussion table, that it would resume talks with the Government only on theagreement that the consensus reached in the discussions with the Government earlier is used as the

basis of discussion for the proposed parliamentary select committee on formulating a politicalsolution to the ethnic issue.

May 8 The TNA is to discuss several key political issues, including the stalled talks with the Government,this week. The party members would discuss the talks with the Government that came to a standstillin January 2012. Some of the TNA party members also want to discuss the issue of waving thenational flag by their own leader R. Sampanthan at the joint May Day rally in Jaffna on May 1.

May 10 Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa stated that the Government has madearrangements to develop the war affected East as well as the North. Minister Rajapaksa said theGovernment has initiated programmes to develop infrastructure, livelihood and the livingenvironment, along with several programmes to develop the SME sector and outsourcing of garments, food processing, etc has helped to build up a good SME sector in the East.

SFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena, the Minister of Health, accused that the defunct LTTE


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activists who are active in foreign countries are using the TNA as a bridge to re-enter the country. Healso accused UNP of Assisting TNA to get LTTE re-emerge.

The seven-member Presidential Task Force for a Trilingual Sri Lanka held its preliminary discussionunder the chairmanship of the Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga. During the meeting themembers have discussed various issues and practicalities about learning a second language.

May 11 United States federal judge in New York sentenced a top Tamil Tiger, who pleaded guilty to terrorismcharges, to time served in jail and freed the man. The defendant, Karunakaran Kandasamy (55), hadpled guilty to among others, a charge of conspiring to provide material support to LTTE.

May 13 Sri Lankan Government has established a mechanism to provide details of the current and past

detainees taken into custody by the TID of Sri Lanka Police. The information will be provided only tothe close relatives such as the spouse, children, parents and siblings.

The resettlement programme launched by the Government in the Northern and Eastern Provinces isnow in its final stage. According to the Army Spokesman around, 284,000 persons in Northern andEastern Provinces have been already resettled with another 6,022 persons to be resettled. These6,022 are the persons who have to be resettled in Mulathivu, Pudukuduirippu, Wellamulla andWaikkal areas and also to be resettled in certain areas after completing clearance of landmines.

The largest C4 explosive stock of 6250 Kilograms was recovered from the Pudukuduirippu area bythe military. Pudukuduirippu town lies in Mulathivu District in Northern Province.

A man identifying himself as Jeeva Ratnam and claiming to be a LTTE suicide bomber, whorequested asylum at US embassy in Colombo, was handed over to Sri Lankan Police on November 7, 2005.

Gen. Sarath Fonseka will be released soon, as a result of President Mahindra Rajapaksa's one-on-one talks with DNA MP Tiran Alles. Gen. Fonseka could leave Nawaloka hospital, where he wasreceiving treatment for a lung condition, as soon as MP Alles returns from an overseas visit. His jailterm technically ends July 2013.

May 15 Immigration department of Australia has rejected an offer by Sri Lanka to provide an escape for Tamilrefugees branded a threat by security agencies and locked in indefinite detention in Australia. Theoffer was made by the Sri Lanka envoy in Australia, Thisara Samarasinghe, and several months ago.

A majority of the 47 refugees are Tamils and are given an adverse assessment by ASIO. They havebeen refused a visa for release into the Australian community and are not permitted to see theevidence against them and are effectively barred from appeal. A spate of suicide attempts amongthose black-banned by ASIO have occurred in the past month, including by two Tamil men in adetention centre in Melbourne's north and a third who threatened to take his own life before being

restrained.May 16 TNA has decided to inform its position regarding the Parliamentary Select Committee next week.

Sanmugalingam Suriyakumar, who had been in remand custody for more than 6 years in connectionwith the assassination attempt of Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka in a suicide bomb blastwas further remanded till May 30.

May 17 TID to rehabilitate K.P. Lankasewaran, who had acted as the legal draftsman for the LTTEorganization. The former cadre had also worked as a lawyer and later as a judge in the LTTE courts.He had performed duties as a legal draftsman during the period of 2007 to 2009.

A group of 80 ex-LTTE prisoners who are being held at the Colombo Remand Prison in Welikadahave commenced a hunger strike, urging authorities to hasten court hearings or to release them.

Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajapaksa has received the cabinet approval to pardon the former military chief Sarath Fonseka, from his three-year prison sentence. Fonseka is currently serving athree-year prison term after he was found guilty by a civil court for inciting violence in the White Flagcase. He was arrested on February 8, 2010 and court martial action was initiated against him. Heserved a 30-month prison term given by a Court Martial in 2010 after finding him guilty of four charges related to alleged irregularities in military procurements during his tenure as Army Chief.That prison term ended in April 2012.

May 18 Prof. G.L. Peiris met with the United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for a discussion on SriLanka's measures and progress on the implementation of recommendations made by the LLRC.

TNA held a commemoration of war victims in Vavuniya of the Northern Province.

Another 100 former LTTE in remand prison joined the hunger strike launched by 80 of their colleagues on May 17, demanding that the authorities either expedite their court cases which


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according to them had been dragging on for years or in the alternative to release them.

President Mahindra Rajapaksa signed the papers to enable the release of Sarath Fonseka andhanded over the papers to Chief of Staff Gamini Senerath. Papers will be sent to the Ministry of Justice on May 21.

President Mahindra Rajapaksa signed the papers to enable the release of Sarath Fonseka and handed over the papers to Chief of Staff Gamini Senerath.

May 19 Sri Lankan President Mahindra Rajapaksa said that Sri Lanka will not abandon its responsibilities tothe Tamil community. Marking the three-year anniversary of the military victory over the LTTE, thePresident said the LLRC, commission that investigated the war, was appointed to bring reconciliation

among communities, not divisions.

President Mahindra Rajapaksa said that the Sri Lankan Government will not remove any militarycamp from their current locations in the country as long as threats exist to national security. "Themilitary still has a key role to play, to secure the peace that has been won," he said adding that thetroops are also involved in the development work. He noted that it is not advisable to remove anymilitary camp or reduce the strength of the forces while threats to national security exist fromoverseas, especially from the Tamil Diaspora, who has not given up the Eelam dream yet. Hedismissed the allegations that the military is involved in civilian administration in the North.

May 20 TNA has softened its stance on its long standing demand for the re-merger of the northern andeastern provinces, and has instead noted that the modalities for such a merged unit could bediscussed subject to the interests of the Muslim community.

May 21 Former Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka released on an unconditional presidential pardon

granted by President Mahindra Rajapaksa.

TNA has once again called for the reduction in military presence in the North and East.

May 22 TNA leader R. Sampanthan said that as many as 234 Tamil prisoners had been on a hunger strikesince May 17 and their health condition had deteriorated. He requested for the release of all 'Tamilpolitical prisoners'.

According to Rehabilitation and Prisons Reform Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera, Sri Lankanauthorities have taken measures to accelerate the legal procedures regarding persons detained inprisons.

May 23 National Police Commission of Sri Lanka has received 224 complaints since its reinstatement onFebruary 23 2012. Among them, 129 complaints have been selected for investigations in the initialstage. The activation of the National Police Commission was one of the recommendations made by

the LLRC.

Government will establish three new High Courts in Anuradhapura, Vavuniya and Mannar within amonth to expedite the prosecution of LTTE suspects.

May 24 The 2011 country reports on human rights practices published by the US State Department claimedthat unlawful killings by SFs and Government-allied paramilitary groups are a major human rightsproblem in Sri Lanka, often in the predominantly TAMIL areas. In addition, attacks on andharassment of civil society activists, persons suspected of being LTTE sympathizers, and

journalists , by persons allegedly tied to the Government created an environment of fear and self-censorship, the report says. The report also mentioned that the Sri Lankan Government prosecuted avery small number of officials implicated in human rights abuses but had yet to hold anyoneaccountable for alleged violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights lawthat occurred during the conflict. The report recognized that although enforced and involuntary

disappearances continued to be a problem, the number of such disappearances appeared to havedeclined from previous years.

Over 200 suspected LTTE prisoners have called off their hunger strike, after authorities promised toaddress their issues. They had started their hunger strike on May 17.

Sri Lanka's ex-army Chief Sarath Fonseka is barred from political office for seven years, despitebeing freed from jail on May 21, his lawyer said. Terms of his release prevent him from running for office.

May 26 The pro-LTTE lobby in the United Kingdom is planning to stage protests when President MahindraRajapaksa arrives in London to participate in the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations. QueenElizabeth II will celebrate 60 years on the throne on June 5.

May 27 TNA is yet to announce its official position regarding its participation in the committee. TNA MPSuresh Premachandra said that their party has not decided about having talks with the Government


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on participating in the PSC sessions.

Sri Lankan authorities are to release another 75 former LTTE cadres next month, who havesuccessfully completed their rehabilitation programme.

May 28 Defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has said it is not appropriate to view the North of thecountry as a predominantly Tamil area

Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe said that military wasgradually reducing its presence in Jaffna and are being replaced by the Police since civiladministration had been established in Jaffna.

May 29 Government will complete the demining process in all land areas required to resettle the remainingIDPs in the North, by the end of July. He also said there are only 6,031 IDPs in the only tworemaining welfare centres. There are only 2,562 IDPs in the Kadirgamar Welfare Centre and another 3,469 at Anandakumaraswamy Welfare Centre.

TNA MP Suresh Premachandran reacting to a remarks made by Defence Secretary GotabhayaRajapaksa- in which he said that North is not predominantly Tamil area- said that the statement wasa prelude to changing the demographic patterns of the North. "The most recent census revealed thatout of the 954,000 residents in the North, 900,000 are Tamils and 23,000 Sinhalese." MPPremachandran asked.

June 1 A group of 36 asylum seekers that included 28 Tamils returned to Sri Lanka on a special charter flight from London after the British Government rejected their asylum requests. Britain court granteda last-minute reprieve to 40 other asylum seekers.

June 2 A school boy was injured due to a blast believed to have occurred from anti personnel mine on theChalai-Chundikulam lagoon in Mulathivu.

R. Sampanthan, the leader of the TNA, has denied reports of a rift in the party.

June 4 A 15 year old boy was killed in a bomb blast in the Nainathivu islands of Jaffna District. According toMCNS, the bomb is called 'Arul bomb', which was manufactured by the LTTE.

Former TNA MP M.K. Sivajilingam revealed that TNA leadership had ignored a request by someparty members and parliamentarians to form an NGO to raise funds from the Tamil Diaspora to helpwar affected people in the North and East. This request was made soon afte

Documents

Srilanka Timeline 2012