Category: Politics
Sri Lankan should flag social issues creatively: Bangladesh photo activist
Feb 28, 2012 (LB) – Bangladesh photographer, activist and social entrepreneur Shahidul Alam, challenged Sri Lankans to think creatively to flag social issues that grips the developing world. Driven by largely autocratic governments, developing nations like Sri Lanka battle veiled censorship, subtle military rule and commercial pressure that often suppress unsavoury topics. “Don’t let those […]
Sri Lanka reconciliation, secular republics in focus
Jan 23, 2012 (LBO) – Building a secular state can prevent oppression of minorities and victims of an arbitrary state should learn to forgive but must also speak out for change, writers participating in a literary festival in Sri Lanka said. India, a land of Maharajahs, became a democracy with voting rights and parliamentary legislating […]
Sri Lanka govt probe seen failing to win confidence of Tamils
Jan 16, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s main minority Tamil political party has rejected a government investigation into the ethnic war, saying it lacked credibility and even its interim recommendations a year ago were not implemented. The commission also recommended that people who are discharged be given a certificate to prevent being re-arrested but even […]
Sri Lanka warns of Tamil Tiger separatist revival
Jan 11, 2012 (LBO) – Sri Lanka is maintaining high defence spending and sizeable military to guard against any possible resumption of violence by Tamil Tiger separatists who are trying to regroup, a senior defence official said. The island’s intelligence services had picked up evidence of attempts to reactivate the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam […]
Sri Lanka must restore rule of law, says human rights body
Dec 30, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka needs to restore the rule of law and change its constitution that concentres too much power in the executive president who wields too much control over its citizens, the Asian Human Rights Commission said. “All Sri Lankans will wish that the coming year will not be like the […]
Sri Lanka to do health checks for resident visa
Dec 15, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has decided to do health checks on applicants for resident visas to the island, media minister Keheliya Rambukwella said. The cabinet of ministers has decided to conduct a health assessment for the resident visa applicants to Sri Lanka, he told a news conference. A statement said a large […]
Sri Lanka reconciliation must ensure sustainable peace: Australia lawmakers
Dec 14, 2011 (LBO) – A visiting Australian parliamentary delegation has said Sri Lanka’s reconciliation efforts after the end of its 30-year ethnic war must ensure sustainable peace and progress. Five Australian-members of parliament have gained a “first-hand insight” into Sri Lanka’s current political, economic and social situation during a week-long visit to the country,” […]
Sri Lanka carrier plans Nepal, Bangladesh flights, Indian frequencies up
Dec 07, 2011 (LBO) – State-run Sri Lankan Airlines is planning flights to Nepal and Bangladesh in 2012 and is increasing frequencies to India from December 23, the carrier said in a statement. Flights to Chennai will increase to four frequencies a day or 28 a week, from December 23. “We are developing Colombo into […]
Sri Lanka air force gets more Bell helicopters
Dec 02, 2011 (LBO) – Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company said it has delivered two Bell 412 helicopters to the Sri Lanka Air Force at its facility in Piney Flats, Tennessee in the United States. The two new helicopters from Bell, which had previously supplied a fleet of transport helicopters to the air force […]
Sri Lanka child care project gets Japanese support
Dec 01, 2011 (LBO) – The Japanese government has provided almost 60 million rupees worth of aid for an early childhood care and development project in the eastern Trincomalee district, part of the former war zone. “It is expected that more than 1,000 families and their community members will benefit from the project,” the statement […]
Sri Lanka urged by Japan envoy to probe war crimes charges
Nov 30, 2011 (LBO) – A Japanese ‘peace envoy’ to Sri Lanka has pressed the island to probe allegations of human rights abuses that led to the loss of duty free market access to Europe. Yasushi Akashi, who served as a special envoy of the Japanese government during the island’s ethnic war, said a national […]
Sri Lanka ex-army chief jailed for three years
November 18, 2011 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan High Court sentenced former army chief Sarath Fonseka to three years in jail on Friday after finding him guilty of making a false allegation against the president’s brother. Fonseka, who ran against President Mahinda Rajapakse in 2010 elections, is already serving a 30-month prison term after a […]