Category: Politics
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August 7, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s foreign ministry plans to protest to the United States after fighter jets intruded into the island’s airspace last week, the local Sunday Times newspaper said. The Sunday Times said the External Affairs Ministry planned to hand a protest note to the US embassy in Colombo. The squadron of […]
‘ complaint
GENEVA, August 4, 2011 (AFP) – Two rights groups said Thursday they have brought to Swiss authorities a criminal complaint against a Sri Lankan diplomat and former general, Jagath Dias, over alleged war crimes. The Swiss attorney-general’s office confirmed that it has received the complaint filed by the Society for Threatened Peoples and TRIAL (Track […]
US deficit spenders descend to last refuge
WASHINGTON, August 3, 2011 (AFP) – “Terrorist” US lawmakers; Tea Party conservatives holding the nation “hostage;” Republicans “hijacking” the debt deal. Is this any way to conduct a political debate? The Politico news website said Vice President Joe Biden, who attended the meeting, used the term, although he and the White House denied it. Doyle […]
Sri Lanka accused of war report whitewash
August 2, 2011 (AFP) – Human rights campaigners on Tuesday accused Sri Lanka of whitewashing military abuses in its official report on the island’s decades-long ethnic war, which ended in May 2009. A defence ministry report released on Monday admitted for the first time that civilians may have been killed during the war, though the […]
” rebuttal video
August 1, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Monday released its own documentary to counter a programme by Britain’s Channel 4 that alleged war crimes by government troops in their final assault on Tamil Tiger rebels. The hour-long video, produced by the Defence Ministry and called “Lies Agreed Upon”, was shown to an invited audience […]
Sri Lanka admits civilian deaths in separatist war
August 1, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Monday admitted for the first time that civilians may have been killed during its military push against Tamil Tigers rebels in 2009 that has been dogged by allegations of war crimes. A defence ministry report entitled “Humanitarian operation factual analysis” said they followed a “zero civilian casualty […]
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July 30, 2011 (AFP) – An ethnic Tamil journalist in Sri Lanka’s formerly embattled north was brutally attacked with iron bars, police said on Saturday, the latest in a string of assaults on the nation’s media. UN records show 5,653 outstanding “enforced and involuntary disappearances” in Sri Lanka. Among those missing is freelance journalist and […]
Sri Lanka rejects new war crimes charge
July 28, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military Thursday rejected new allegations that its political bosses ordered the execution of surrendering Tamil rebels during the final days of the island’s separatist war. Reacting to a new broadcast from Britain’s Channel 4 that accused defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse of ordering executions, military spokesman Ubaya Medawela dismissed […]
Sri Lanka Tamil party sweeps north local bodies
July 25, 2011 (LBO) – A Tamil minority party has swept the polls in Sri Lanka’s former war torn northern areas while the ruling coalition consolidated its gains elsewhere in a local government body poll. Out of 65 local bodies where elections were held over the weekend, the ruling United National People’s Alliance won 54 […]
Sri Lanka lawmaker challenges minister to debate over land deal
July 25, 2011 (LBO) – A Sri Lankan lawmaker has challenged a government minister to a television debate over the sale of state land to a Chinese firm. Harsha de Silva, a lawmaker representing Sri Lanka’s main opposition United National Party, referred to a statement attributed to deputy economic development minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene by […]
Sri Lanka urged by India to probe war crimes claims
NEW DELHI, July 15, 2011 (AFP) – India on Friday urged Sri Lanka to examine claims made in a British documentary that said it targeted civilians while crushing Tamil Tiger rebels two years ago. The Channel 4 documentary, “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” aired last month on British television contained footage of what it said were […]
Sri Lanka holds Briton over war crimes video: media
July 9, 2011 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has arrested a Briton for allegedly helping a British TV channel produce a documentary accusing Sri Lankan troops of war crimes, a media report said on Saturday. A Colombo magistrate on Friday agreed to a police request to detain the suspect, a British citizen of Sri Lankan origin, […]