News
LTTE ban should continue, India tells UK
India has told the UK that the ban on the LTTE or Liberation Tigers from Tamil Eelam should continue. New Delhi “shared information” on why the ban should remain with the group which was responsible for the 30-year insurgency in Sri Lanka, but also for the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa, according to Indian media reports.
The development comes after the UK’s Outlawed Organizations Appeal Board (POAC) in October removed the group’s terrorist label.
Earlier on Tuesday, in response to a question from WION, Acting British High Commissioner to India Jan Thompson on whether India raised the issue said: “I cannot comment on individual conversations that we had. But we had a detailed discussion on a range of issues, especially around this type of issue with the Indian government in a different format”.
The POAC’s decision comes after an appeal was filed in May 2019 by an LTTE front organization that challenged the UK Secretary of State for Home Affairs’ decision. The decision rejected the request to remove the LTTE from the list of organizations banned under the UK Terrorism Act 2000.
Sri Lanka had protested against this development and appealed the POAC ruling on the delisting of the LTTE as a terrorist organization.
In a statement, the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry said: “The government of Sri Lanka has sufficient evidence to prove that the remnants of the LTTE and groups aligned with its terrorist ideology are active in foreign countries, working to incite to violence and destabilize the country “.
Explaining that “Sri Lanka remains vigilant in the face of threats to its national security as well as that of the region, and will always support members of the international community in the global fight against terrorism.”
The UK listed the LTTE as a terrorist group in 2000. The UK Home Secretary will make the final decision on its listing.
The High Court has convicted 14 of the 24 men accused of being directly involved in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings, which killed 279 people.
The three-judge bench read out its decision on Tuesday after a five-year trial and said sentencing would take place later, the AFP news agency reported.
The charges included murder and conspiracy to commit terrorism.
Nine others were acquitted, while another defendant was found guilty of only some of the charges, the court said.
[Aljazeera]
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The ruling NPP yesterday (21) dismissed claims of a widening rift, within the government, over the proposed 22nd Amendment. Asked whether the NPP was concerned over a section of the Opposition alleging Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and two dozen MPs taking a view contrary to that of the party in this regard, authoritative party sources said some persons were propagating speculation for their own interest.
Declaring that there was absolutely no issue regarding the controversial Amendment, sources emphasised once it was tabled in Parliament, it would be passed with 2/3 majority.
Sources dismissed claims that out of its 159-member parliamentary group a section of NPPers was opposed to the government move. According to an influential Opposition activist, there are 57 JVPers and 66 NPPers in the government group and the rest contested the last parliamentary polls, having aligned with the JVP.
Ministerial sources told The Island that the government was confident of going ahead with the 22nd Amendment and Judicature (Amendment) Bills. Sources said that the NPP was not bothered about the Opposition protests in and outside Parliament.
Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne is expected to disclose the confidential ruling that he received from the Supreme Court in respect of more than 65 petitions for and against the 22nd Amendment and Judicial Amendment Bills. The enactment of the 22nd Amendment would pave the way for extending the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, from 65 to 67 years, and Court of Appeal judges, from 63 to 65 years.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Court of Appeal Judge Mayadunna Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal.
The appointment has been made as President’s Counsel Nalin Rohantha Abeysuriya, who currently serves as President of the Court of Appeal, will be overseas until the 24th.
Accordingly Justice Mayadunna Corea was sworn in as Acting President of the Court of Appeal before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential secretariat last morning (21).
Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also present at the occasion.
High Court convicts 14 over deadly Easter bombings
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Showers about 100mm will occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central and North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara Districts
Govt. confident of 2/3 majority despite NPP split speculation
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