Tamil Justice

All articles from 25/02

The Hindu – Fonseka to face more charges

The Sri Lankan government on Thursday made it known that fresh charges would be framed against the defeated opposition common consensus presidential candidate, retired General Sarath Fonseka, in civil courts under the Penal Code and Exchange Control Act in two weeks.

Minister of Export Development and International Trade G.L. Peiris told a news conference here that the former Army Chief would be charged on counts of fraud, condoning fraud, plotting against the government, creating unrest within the Army and keeping army deserters under his protection.

General (retired) Fonseka is in the custody of the military on a number of charges including treason.

The commander-turned-politician was picked up on the night of February 8 after a raid on his election office by a group of military personnel. The raid and the subsequent detention triggered a furore within and outside Sri Lanka.

One of the allegations faced by General Fonseka is that he had favoured the company partly owned by his son-in-law in award of contracts for defence supplies to the Army.

The CID had informed the local courts that when he was the Army Chief, the General had approved of four suspicious tenders to a firm allegedly run by his son-in-law Dhanuna Tilekeratne.

Hindustan Times – More charges against Fonseka

Indian Express – Charges to be framed against Fonseka in civil courts

Business Week – Sri Lanka Says General Fonseka to Face Civilian Court

Reuters – Sri Lanka opposition coalition splits ahead of polls

BBC – General Sarath Fonseka to stand in Sri Lanka election

Washington Post – Detained ex-army chief to contest Sri Lanka vote

Times of India – Fonseka moves top court against ‘poll fraud’

Defeated Sri Lankan presidential candidate General Sarath Fonseka, now in military custody, has filed a petition against what he alleges is vote rigging in last month’s poll, his lawyers said on Tuesday.

Hindustan Times – Fonseka petitions court to cancel election result

OneIndia -Fonseka files petition against Rajapaksa’s victory

AP – Sri Lanka’s opposition appeals defeat in court

AFP – US, Norway deny helping finance Sri Lanka opposition leader

The United States and Norway rejected on Thursday fresh allegations that they financed the jailed Sri Lankan opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka in his bid to unseat President Mahinda Rajapakse.

The Hindu - US denies supporting Fonseka during presidential polls

Times of India – US, Norway deny helping Fonseka

UK Guardian – Sri Lankan general held in crackdown

by Jason Burke, South Asia correspondent, and agencies

WSWS (06/02) – Sri Lankan president sets out agenda of “economic war”

By Wije Dias

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse delivered the annual independence speech on Thursday, marking 62 years since the formal end of British colonial rule. Just a week after winning a second term of office, Rajapakse used the occasion to outline his government’s agenda. In the name of rebuilding the nation, he is preparing an economic offensive against the working class.

The Hindu – Rajapaksa to announce dissolution of Parliament

AFP – Sri Lanka under fire after extends emergency rule

Express Buzz – Lanka not to allow even UN to probe war crimes

Lanka Business Online – HSBC to open in Sri Lanka former war zone: central bank

Peoples Daily – Sri Lankan leftist party to go to court on presidential poll

Late Night Live – Sri Lanka: A one family state?

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BBC – Sri Lanka court extends President Rajapaksa’s tenure

The Hindu – Rajapaksa’s second term starts in Nov. 2010: Supreme Court

New York Times – Sri Lanka President Gets Extra Year In Power

Telgraph.co.uk – Aide to Sri Lanka’s General Fonseka arrested over journalist murder

The Australian – Sri Lanka settles scores with critics

Reuters India – Sri Lanka shares hit new peak on stability, recovery hopes

Express India -Fonseka denies coup attempt to unseat Rajapaksa

One India – Rights of Tamil detainees violated: Rights group

Telegraph.co.uk – Too soon for tourism to Sri Lanka’s east coast

Commonwealth Journalists -  CJA condemns treatment of journalissts in Sri Lanka

The Commonwealth Journalists Association (CJA) is deeply concerned at the disappearance of Sri Lankan journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda and appalled that Sri Lanka’s ‘democratic’ government continues to persecute journalists for committing the ’sin’ of criticizing the ruling party.

Hindustan Times – Post-poll results, a week of conspiracies and clampdown

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was ready to discuss a power devolution package for Tamils within a unified Sri Lanka with the newly re-elected President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a top TNA leader said on Monday.

Huffington Post – Heartbreak in Post-War Jaffna

On a sandy street on the northern shore of the Jaffna Peninsula in Sri Lanka, an innocuous building surrounded by mango and palmyra trees houses a rehabilitation center run by a Catholic priest, who in January 2005 just days after the tsunami began to counsel survivors.

** some articles we missed out on posting **

SMH (26/01) – President and general face off at the polls

SMH (26/01) – Jaffna reels in the changes under the shadow of war

The Age (29/01) – Has Sri Lanka stumbled on path to democracy?

by Damian Kingsbury

The victory of Mahinda Rajapaksa in Sri Lanka’s presidential elections on Tuesday was to be expected, based on the wave of Sinhalese chauvinism that has swept the island state since the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in May last year. Also to be expected is the spate of issues that now face the country under his continued leadership. Once held up as one of the developing world’s most successful democracies, Sri Lanka is now on the verge of entering the ranks of the world’s pariah states.

ABC – Sri Lanka purges military amid coup fears

Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse has sacked a dozen senior military officers as part of a crackdown after last week’s presidential election.

The Hindu – Major purge in Sri Lankan Army

Time of India – Rajapaksa sacks 12 senior military officers

Bloomberg – Sri Lanka Purges Army of Top Officers Over Coup Fears, AFP Says

Wall Street Journal – Sri Lanka Says 12 Army Officers Sacked After Election

BBC – Sarath Fonseka letter to Sri Lanka Elections Commission

Independent – Challenger rejects Sri Lanka poll as soldiers surround his hotel

Independent – Charu Lata Hogg: They needed a fresh start. This is more of the same

ABC Online – Tension escalates after president wins Sri Lankan election

Telegraph.co.uk - Sri Lankan leader orders troop deployment after election victory declared

Times online – Sarath Fonseka claims assassination plot as Mahinda Rajapaksa wins poll

Times of India -High drama as Fonseka emerges from ’siege’ on hotel

Times of India – ‘Besieged’ Fonseka sent SOS to India

Press TV – Ex-army chief says Sri Lanka election ‘rigged’

Sify – ​Sri Lanka blocks websites hours before election results