Two Indian Coast Guard Ships visit Colombo Port; Tamil Nadu based Indian Journalists arrested by the Sri Lankan army; Three officers of Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force arrive in Sri Lanka to investigate the heroin smuggling operation; TNA rejects the cens
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    • (DECEMBER -23-29)

    According to reports, two Indian Coast Guard ships ICGS Vishwast and ICGS Rajkamal arrived at the Colombo Port on December 22 after taking part in the Trilateral Tabletop Exercise (TTEX) 2013 conducted by the Sri Lanka Coast Guard with India and Maldives. The exercise has displayed the capabilities of the Indian Coast Guard Ships in responding to marine oil spills. 1

    In another development, according to reports, Tamil Prabakaran a Tamil Nadu-based journalist arrested in Colombo on December 26, 2013, reached Chennai on December 28 after he was deported by the Sri Lankan government. Prabhakaran was arrested by the Lankan army personnel for allegedly filming military installations in Killinochchi, a former LTTE stronghold, without media credentials. 2

    According to reports, three officers of Pakistan's Anti-Narcotics Force arrived in Sri Lanka on December 23 to investigate the heroin smuggling operation that came to light when Sri Lankan Custom officials discovered a container loaded with heroin brought to the island from Pakistan. Sri Lanka's Customs in August this year made the discovery when a container, declared to be containing lubricants, was inspected at the Custom Clearing Section at Orugodwattta. Following the discovery of 130 kilograms of heroin hidden in cans of lubricants, the police arrested a Pakistani national and three Sri Lankans for questioning. The visiting investigators are expected to interrogate the arrested Pakistani national while further discussions are underway to determine whether to transfer another Pakistani who is reportedly facilitated the shipment of the container to Sri Lanka from Pakistan. 3

    In other developments, according to reports, Sri Lanka's major Tamil political party, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has decided to reject the census conducted by the government on human and material losses due to the war since the TNA could not agree with the procedures adopted by the Census Department in gathering information. The TNA's decision to reject the census was made at a meeting of the party held in Vavuniya. The Northern Provincial Council reportedly will conduct its own census in the Province since the government's census will attempt to play down the number of casualties. 4 Reacting to TNA’s decision to reject the census, the Department of Census and Statistics said the census conducted by the Department was done according to international standards and norms with every aspect of loss being addressed. 5

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