Category: Politics

Apr 18, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa has sent condolences to South Korea over a ferry disaster which has killed an unknown number of persons.In a message to his counterpart President Park Geun-hye, President conveyed profound condolence on behalf of the people and government of Sri Lanka to Korea and the affected […]

COLOMBO, April 16, 2014 (AFP) – Four macaws belonging to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse have escaped his tightly-guarded official residence in Colombo, his office said Wednesday as it appealed for help to trace the colourful long-tailed birds.Macaws — a species of parrot — are not indigenous to Sri Lanka, but several pet stores import […]

OTTAWA, April 14, 2014 (AFP) – Canada’s government announced Monday the suspension of funding to the Commonwealth over rotating chair Sri Lanka’s alleged rights abuses.While Sri Lanka remains chair of the 53-member bloc, Canada’s Can$10 million (US$9 million) annual contribution to the Commonwealth Secretariat will instead go for two years toward combatting the practice of […]

COLOMBO, April 15, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Tuesday accused Canada of undermining the Commonwealth to score political points after it announced a suspension of funding while the island nation chairs the group.Colombo has denied the accusations, but the UN Human Rights Council passed a resolution in March to set up an investigation into […]

COLOMBO, April 7, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Monday rejected calls for cooperation with a UN investigation into war crimes and vowed it will not subject itself to the jurisdiction of the world’s highest rights body.Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris said Sri Lanka will not allow United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi […]

COLOMBO, April 4, 2014 (AFP) – India has asked Sri Lanka to grant limited autonomy to its ethnic Tamil minority and ensure “genuine reconciliation” five years after crushing Tamil guerrillas, New Delhi’s top envoy said Friday.Indian High Commissioner (ambassador) Y.K. Sinha said New Delhi had also urged Colombo to probe allegations that its troops killed […]

Apr 04, 2014 (LBO) – The US wants to see progress on human rights, rule of law and attacks on religious minorities and was for closer economic ties at this point, rather than economic sanctions, its envoy to Colombo said. She said on March 09, a pastor in a Church in Badulla district was assaulted […]

Apr 04, 2014 (LBO) – The full text of US ambassador Michele J Sison’s address to the Foreign Correspondents Association in Colombo on Thursday. Ambassador Sison’s Remarks to the Foreign Correspondents Association April 3, 2014 Thank you for inviting me to speak tonight. Last year, you also invited me to speak in early April, and […]

COLOMBO, April 2, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has designated 15 foreign organisations run by ethnic Tamils as “terrorist groups”, accusing them of trying to revive a separatist war which ended in 2009, an official said Wednesday. Among the designated groups are the British Tamil Forum, World Tamil Movement, Canadian Tamil Congress, Australian Tamil Congress […]

COLOMBO, April 1, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s energy minister offered flowers and lit thousands of oil lamps as she prayed for rains to replenish drought-hit reservoirs which are used for hydro-power plants, an official said Tuesday. Minister Pavithra Waniarachchi illuminated the sacred temple town of Anuradhapura with 4,000 coconut oil lamps seeking divine help […]

COLOMBO, March 30, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s ruling party was headed for victory in local elections but with smaller than expected margins in a crucial mid-term test for President Mahinda Rajapakse, early results showed Sunday.The ruling party had tried to turn Saturday’s vote into a referendum on a UN Human Rights Council’s resolution last […]