Category: Legal

December 11, 2009 (AFP) – A top United Nations envoy asked Sri Lanka on Friday to release detained Tamil Tiger child soldiers and urged the authorities to re-unite them with their families.The government allowed tens of thousands of civilians held in the IDP camps to go in and out freely from December 1, but aid […]

BANGKOK, December 11, 2009 (AFP) – Thai authorities have arrested five people for producing and smuggling more than 300 fake EU passports and other official European documents, officials said Friday.“He (Fathi) confessed that he had trafficked stolen passports into Thailand more than 20 times,” the statement said. The DSI said Thailand is a known hub […]

December 9, 2009 (AFP) – The United States said Wednesday it was willing to extend more aid to Sri Lanka provided there was progress in political reconciliation and human rights.He commended the government’s efforts to allow war-displaced civilians to leave state-run welfare camps in the north at their own free will and said Sri Lanka […]

Dec 03, 2009 (LBO) – UN officials and human rights groups have praised the decision by the Maldives to decriminalise defamation. Freedom of expression is the cornerstone of democracy and good governance. For democracy to be effective, citizens must be able to hold those in power to account without fear of retribution. I commend all […]

Dec 02, 2009 (LBO) – The Sri Lankan government has identified some 600 bank accounts with links to the Tamil Tiger separatists and is trying to seize assets held by the Tigers, a spokesman said. Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said Tiger assets and bank accounts were largely held by Kumaran Pathmanadan alias KP, a top […]

PARIS, November 23, 2009 (AFP) – A French court on Monday jailed 21 Tamil Tiger militants convicted of extorting millions of euros from the Tamil diaspora in France to fund their armed campaign in Sri Lanka. The toughest sentence of seven years in was given to Nadaraja Matinthiran, whom the court heard was the leader […]

SYDNEY, November 23, 2009 (AFP) – Australia moved to tighten security at its main immigration centre on Monday after a riot by 150 asylum-seekers, reportedly wielding pool cues, broomsticks and tree branches, left 37 wounded.Immigration Minister Chris Evans said security would be increased to prevent a repeat of Saturday’s mass brawl between Afghan and Sri […]

November 19, 2009 (AFP) – The United Nations on Thursday stepped up pressure on Sri Lanka to free thousands of war-displaced civilians held in state-run internment camps.“Months after the conflict ended, our main concerns haven’t changed. People are still not given free access to leave these camps on their own free will,” UN humanitarian chief […]

Nov 20, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has slipped five places to 97 in the annual corruption perceptions index in an annual perception survey conducted among 180 countries, by Transparency International, a corruption watchdog.“What we see is a clear indictment on Sri Lanka and the urgent need for major systemic changes to wipe out corruption,” […]

Nov 13, 2009 (LBO) – Intellectual property protection in Sri Lanka is still to weak to encourage companies to do research and develop new crop varieties with better yields, an agri-business company official said. “IP rights laws do not have provision to register agricultural innovations,” said Samantha Ranatunga, chief executive of the listed Chemical Industries […]

WELLINGTON, November 11, 2009 (AFP) – New Zealand does not want to offer a new home to a group of Sri Lankan asylum seekers involved in a stand-off with Australian authorities, the government said. Coleman confirmed there had been informal talks with Australia over the fate of the Sri Lankans but said there was an […]

NEW YORK, November 6, 2009 (AFP) – Law enforcement officials in New York announced Thursday charges against 14 people in a widening probe into the largest ever alleged hedge-fund insider trading scheme on Wall Street.US Attorney Preet Bharara and New York’s assistant FBI director Joseph Demarest said the accused took part in insider trading schemes […]