Category: Politics

August 16, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign minister, Rohitha Bogollagama, Thursday disowned a Cabinet colleague’s accusation that a UN official who visited the island recently was a terrorist. He said he was œ¦simply referring factually to the terrible incidents that had taken place and the need to step up even further all our efforts […]

Aug 14, 2007 (AFP) – Hundreds of people disappeared in Sri Lanka in the past year and more than 5,700 such cases from the past three decades were under UN review, rights group Amnesty International said Tuesday. Since 2006, hundreds of people have reportedly been abducted by the security forces or armed groups in areas […]

Aug 15, 2007 (AFP) – A Sri Lankan minister Wednesday described a top UN official as a “terrorist” after accusing him of supporting the country’s separatist Tamil Tiger guerrillas.Highways Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said John Holmes, the UN undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, who ended a four-day tour of Sri Lanka last week, was helping the […]

Aug 14, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s health sector will have the opportunity to study and adopt new techniques in the long term battle against HIV/AIDS during an international conference to be held in August 19-23. Organisers of the conference, to be attended by over 2,000 delegates from 40 countries, also said it would help […]

Aug 12, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s military has been unable to push into Tamil Tiger strongholds in the north due to the threat of monsoon rains and a lack of manpower, defence officials and analysts say.The rebels are fighting for an independent homeland for the island’s minority Tamils.More than 60,000 people have been killed […]

Aug 12, 2007 (AFP) – At 12 people have been killed in fresh violence across Sri Lanka’s northern and eastern regions where a bitter ethnic war has raged for decades, military and Tamil rebel sources said Sunday.The ethnic conflict has claimed more than 60,000 lives since 1972.Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels set off a powerful land […]

LONDON, Aug 9, 2007 (AFP) – Thirteen scouts who came to Britain for the 100th annivesary of the international youth movement have disappeared, police said Thursday.“Since the start of the Jamboree, we’ve had 13 people reported missing,” an Essex Police spokesman said, referring to the centenary celebrations of scouting that took place in Chelmsford, east […]

Aug 9, 2007 (AFP) – The United Nations on Thursday urged Sri Lanka to disarm a pro-government paramilitary group operating in the east of the island to ensure safety and security for aid workers and residents.John Holmes, the UN undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, ended a four-day tour of the country […]

COLOMBO, Aug 8, 2007 (AFP) – Six people have been killed in clashes across Sri Lanka’s embattled regions as a top UN relief envoy visited, officials and rebels said Wednesday.Tamil rebels are seeking an independent homeland for the ethnic Tamil minority in the Sinhalese-majority nation.Warplanes also bombed rebel targets in northern Manner district, the defence […]

RIYADH, Aug 8, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia said Wednesday his imminent reposting was not related to a report criticising his handling of a mission seeking clemency for a teenager condemned to death.A.M.J Sadiq told AFP he was scheduled to return to Columbo on Friday after having a transfer request accepted, […]

Aug 7, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops killed six suspected Tamil Tiger rebels in overnight clashes in the north of the country ahead of a visit by a top UN rights envoy to the embattled region on Tuesday, officials said. Sri Lankan troops on foot patrol opened fire at the suspected rebels, killing six […]

NEW YORK, Aug 6, 2007 (AFP) – Unlawful killings, abductions and other violations by government forces in Sri Lanka have increased dramatically amid escalating conflict on the island, a human rights group said Monday.Victim and eyewitness accounts indicate a “shocking” rise in such abuses since 18 months ago, when major fighting between the military and […]