Category: Politics

UNITED NATIONS, May 21, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka, under fire for its human rights record, was Wednesday denied a seat on the UN Human Rights Council while France and Britain edged out Spain to win re-election in a closely-watched contest in the UN General Assembly. Nineteen countries were vying for 15 coveted seats on […]

UNITED NATIONS, May 20, 2008 (AFP) – Sparks are set to fly Wednesday when 15 seats on the UN Human Rights Council come up for election, with European nations vying for influence and NGOs warning some candidates are unfit to take part.All of the United Nations’ 192 members have a say in Wednesday’s vote at […]

May 20, 2008 (AFP) – UN members should reject Sri Lanka’s re-election bid to the world body’s Human Rights Council, a rights group said Tuesday as it accused Colombo of widespread abductions and “disappearances.” The coalition also noted that the armed separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have long been implicated in serious human rights […]

CANNES, France, May 17, 2008 (AFP) – A small flick went from refugee camp to red carpet Friday as Sean Penn, backed by rock star Bono and film-maker Michael Moore, brought an Australian aid worker’s tsunami film to the Cannes fest.Thompson, who had basic first aid training, took care of the wounded as the team […]

May 16, 2008 (LBO) – A former Tamil Tiger who broke away and later allied himself with the government was Friday sworn in as the chief minister of the island’s eastern province following last week’s polls. Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, also known as Pillayan, was sworn in as chief minister of the eastern provincial council by President […]

WASHINGTON, May 14, 2008 (AFP) – The United States has poured nearly 40 billion dollars in aid to South Asia since the September 11 attacks but the terror threat from the region remains a top problem, a congressional hearing was told Wednesday. “South Asia is arguably the place from which America faces the greatest terrorist […]

May 14, 2008 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan government may be celebrating a key election victory in the ethnically-mixed east but it is still a long way from winning over the island’s Tamil minority, analysts and observers say.The polls on Saturday saw voters in the east give President Mahinda Rajapakse’s ruling coalition control over a […]

May 12, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s opposition said Monday it planned to mount a legal challenge to the government’s weekend win in key local elections in the east of the island.The opposition said President Mahinda Rajapakse’s party and his allies — including Tamil Tiger rebel defectors — used “terror” tactics to bully voters and […]

May 12, 2008 (LBO) – A breakaway faction of Sri Lanka’s Marxist-nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP- People’s Liberation Front) said Monday that they had formed a new political party. Lead by controversial lawmaker Wimal Weerawansa, the breakaway group, known as the ‘Wimal faction’, claims the support of at least nine of the 38 members of […]

TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka, May 11, 2008 (AFP) – Vote counting was underway in eastern Sri Lanka Sunday after an election marred by Tamil Tiger attacks and allegations of intimidation by allies of the island’s hawkish government. . The elections for a provincial council in the tense eastern coastal area, which was until last year partly […]

TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka, May 11, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government Sunday claimed victory in key provincial elections in the ethnically-mixed east of the island, saying the win is a major boost for its war against the Tamil Tigers.Election officials confirmed the government and its allies were on track to win control over a 35-member […]

TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka, May 11, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s ruling coalition was Sunday declared the winner of key elections in the east of the island, and hailed its victory as a major boost for the war against Tamil rebels.Election officials confirmed the governing United People’s Freedom Alliance party (UPFA) and its allies had won […]