Category: Politics

April 29, 2009 (AFP) – The foreign ministers of Britain and France, David Miliband and Bernard Kouchner, arrived Wednesday in Sri Lanka, officials said, looking to negotiate a humanitarian ceasefire in the island’s civil war. Amid mounting international concern about the plight of civilians caught up in the fighting between government troops and Tamil Tiger […]

LUXEMBOURG, April 28, 2009 (AFP) – The European Union lashed out on Tuesday at Sri Lanka’s decision to deny a visa to Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, describing the move as a “grave mistake” and warning Colombo of repercussions.“It is lamentable that the Sri Lankan government denied him a visa,” Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, […]

LONDON, April 26, 2009 (AFP) – The foreign ministers of Britain, France and Sweden will visit Sri Lanka on Wednesday, government officials in London said Sunday after Colombo rejected a ceasefire declared by Tamil Tiger rebels. “Foreign Secretary David Miliband, together with his French counterpart Bernard Kouchner and Swedish counterpart Carl Bildt, will visit (Sri […]

LONDON, April 27, 2009 (AFP) – Six people were arrested Monday after Tamil protesters smashed windows at India’s High Commission in London and caused damage outside Sri Lanka’s diplomatic mission, Scotland Yard said. Some 200 people gathered outside each of the two countries’ missions to demonstrate against the ongoing violence in Sri Lanka, where Tamil […]

April 26, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) of President Mahinda Rajapaksa swept regional polls with close to 70 percent of votes in two out of three districts in the Western province. In the capital Colombo, the UNP has held on to some of its strongholds […]

April 26, 2009 (AFP) – UN humanitarian chief John Holmes was to hold talks with the Sri Lankan government on Sunday over the thousands of civilians caught in fighting between troops and Tamil rebels, officials said. Holmes, who arrived here on Saturday for a three-day visit, was to meet with Human Rights and Disaster Management […]

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2009 (AFP) – A veteran diplomat most recently tasked with the delicate job of Sri Lanka envoy was tapped Friday by President Barack Obama to serve as the assistant secretary of state for South Asian Affairs. If approved by the Senate, Robert Blake will replace Richard Boucher in a job that deals […]

SYDNEY, April 25, 2009 (AFP) – A boat carrying more than 50 refugees was intercepted Saturday off Australia’s coast, little more than a week after an explosion on another vessel killed five people, the government said.The boat carrying 54 passengers and two crew was stopped in international waters by border patrol officers following a tip-off […]

NEW DELHI, April 24, 2009 (AFP) – Senior Indian officials were due to fly to Colombo Friday to press the Sri Lankan government to protect tens of thousands of civilians trapped in the war, the foreign ministry said. “The only lasting solution will come from political efforts to address the real concerns of the Tamil […]

April 24, 2008 (LBO) – A former Tamil Tiger who ran the group’s arm in Eastern Sri Lanka has been appointed to a deputy chairman post in the ruling Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan, alias Karuna, is already a government minister. SLFP general secretary Maithripla Sirisena said Muralitharan was given the […]

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2009 (AFP) – A US official warned on Monday that time was running out for a deal that he hoped would bring lasting peace to Sri Lanka as he pressed for both sides to halt the fighting.Sri Lankan authorities set a deadline of midday (0630 GMT) Tuesday for the surrender of Tamil […]

LONDON, April 18, 2009 (AFP) – Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Saturday he would ask UN chief Ban Ki-moon’s top aide to report to the Security Council “immediately” on his return from strife-torn Sri Lanka. Miliband said he was “gravely concerned” about the conflict there, while insisting that the government was listening to protesters […]