Newly appointed Deraniyagala OIC transferred

Prabath Deshabandu, the newly appointed OIC of Deraniyagala has received sudden transfer orders instructing him to vacate his post with immediate effect. Accordingly he has been transferred to the Padiyathalawa Police Station in the Ampara district

Summon SL high commissioner, Jayalalithaa urges PM

Upset over the frequent incidents of abduction and arrest of fishermen from Tamil Nadu by the Sri Lankan navy, chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to summon the high commissioner of Sri Lanka in New Delhi and convey India's strong protest.
In her second letter to the Prime Minister in 24 hours, Jayalalithaa sought the Prime Minister's intervention in the incidents of 'unprovoked' assault on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy.

Army to launch internal inquiry

Army Commander Daya Ratnayake has appointed a Board of Inquiry headed by Adjutant General of the Sri Lanka Army Major General Jagath Dias to inquire into the allegations leveled against the army during the  Weliweriya incident on Thursday.
Military Spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said the five-member board would investigate into all allegations against the military including the alleged assault on civilians and journalists and the killing of a youth.

People asked for water, Govt. gave them bullets: Karu

The Government responded with brute force to a simple human request by innocent villagers in Gampaha for clean drinking water, UNP Gampaha District MP Karu Jayasuriya said yesterday.
“The people asked for water, this Government gave them bullets,” the Opposition MP told a press conference yesterday.

Why Worry Weliweriya......!

• Gota says villagers were provoked by political elements
• CCD to conduct inquiries into allegations of army attack on protestors
• Residents claim security forces stormed Catholic church where demonstrators took refuge
• Blood stains and bullet marks visible at St. Anthony’s parish Weliweriya
• Ground water test results due in 10 days: Minister
• Opposition Leader tours area, expresses concern
  

U.S. urges restrain from all sides in Sri Lanka's violent protest over water contamination

Aug 02, Colombo: The United States Embassy in Colombo today expressed its concern about the violence in yesterday's deadly protest staged by the residents of Weliweriya over the contamination of ground water and the clash with security forces.
The Embassy in a statement urged the Government of Sri Lanka to respect the rights of people to protest peacefully, and urged restraint from all sides.

The ‘Rathupaswala’ protest was for requesting for pure drinking water

The protest of the people living in ‘Rathupaswala’ area was they get contaminated drinking water with harmful substances as result of draining of harmful chemicals from a factory named ‘Winigrows’ to the environment. This had affected people living in the vicinity villages also. There had been clashes between the STF, Police and the residents where tear gas, rubber bullets and water had to be used to disperse the protestors. During the clashes one youngster 22 years old had died while 41 had been admitted for treatment to the hospitals in the area. Among them had been members attached to the security forces. The body of the 22year old dead person is kept at the Gampaha hospital while the injured are been treated at the Gampaha, Wathupitiwela, Udupilla, Ragama and the Colombo National hospitals. During the clashes the Officer in Charge of the Weliveriya Police station and 10 members of army personnel had been injured. The security of the area has been taken over by the Police and the armed forces. Until the drinking water problem is resolved the ‘Winigrows’ factory would be remained closed.