Category: Politics

PARIS, February 9, 2010 (AFP) – France said Tuesday it was “extremely worried” about the arrest of Sri Lanka’s defeated presidential hopeful and deplored the mounting official pressure faced by journalists there. France is “extremely worried about the announcement of the arrest of Sarath Fonseka and his aides a few days after the vote,” a […]

February 10, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lankan police fired tear gas Wednesday as opposition and ruling party activists clashed outside Colombo’s main court complex over the arrest of defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka. Witnesses said anti-riot squads moved in after ruling party supporters pelted stones at thousands of opposition demonstrators demanding the release of former […]

Feb 10, 2010 (LBO) – The United States government has given more aid to help Sri Lankans returning to their homes in the former northern war zone and speed up their resettlement, the US embassy said. It said in a statement the aid agency United States Agency for International Development has given 343 million rupees […]

February 8, 2010 (AFP) – The defeated candidate in Sri Lanka’s presidential vote, former army chief Sarath Fonseka, was arrested Monday hours after vowing to give evidence before any war crimes tribunal. State media said Fonseka, who led the army to victory over Tamil Tiger rebels last year, ending a bloody 37-year insurgency, was taken […]

February 9, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s president Mahinda Rajapakse on Tuesday sacked the national parliament, clearing the way for a national election two months ahead of schedule, his spokesman said. Rajapakse, who secured 58 percent of the popular vote at the presidential election, has said he hoped to improve his hold on a new […]

February 6, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka faced criticism Saturday for extending a state of emergency giving sweeping powers to security forces to detain suspects ahead of parliamentary elections due by April. A private poll-monitoring body, the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections, said continuation of emergency rule could undermine the vote slated to […]

Feb 06, 2010 (LBO) – A Dutch fortress in Sri Lanka built to withstand solid shot artillery in colonial times but which was damaged by Tamil Tiger guns in a modern insurgency is to be conserved with aid from The Netherlands. Originally built by Portuguese colonial rulers in 1619, the fort was rebuilt and expanded […]

Feb 03, 2010 (LBO) – Results of Sri Lanka’s recently concluded presidential poll was clean, contrary to complaints of malpractices, but election campaigning was unfair, the head of the elections department said. “The campaign period – I’m not satisfied; the election results – I stand by it, elections commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake told reporters at a […]

February 2, 2010 (AFP) – Rights monitor Amnesty International urged Sri Lanka on Tuesday to end what it described as a post-presidential election “clampdown” on the media, political opponents and human rights activists. Pressure on government critics has been mounting since President Mahinda Rajapakse was re-elected on January 26, defeating his former army chief Sarath […]

January 31, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapakse on Sunday revoked an expulsion order against a Swiss reporter who covered the island’s fiercely fought election. A government spokesman said that “wrong information” had led to the immigration authorities ordering Karin Wenger, of Swiss Public Radio, to leave the country. The department of information […]

Jan 31, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s re-elected president Mahinda Rajapaksa will take oaths for his second term in Kandy when the country celebrates independence from British rule on February 04, a media report said. The Sunday Times newspaper quoting foreign employment minister Keheliya Rambukwella said president Rajapaksa has spoken of his decision at a […]

BRUSSELS, January 29, 2010 (AFP) – The European Union on Friday urged the Sri Lankan authorities to investigate reports of “irregularities” during the country’s recent election and ensure the safety of his defeated opponent. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse won a bruising re-election battle on Tuesday, but the result was rejected by his main opponent, […]