Politics

India presses Sri Lanka to share power with Tamils

COLOMBO, April 4, 2014 (AFP) – India has asked Sri Lanka to grant limited autonomy to its ethnic Tamil minority and ensure “genuine …

US for close economic ties with Sri Lanka rather than sanctions now: envoy

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 …

Sri Lanka US envoy’s address to foreign correspondents

Apr 04, 2014 (LBO) – The full text of US ambassador Michele J Sison’s address to the Foreign Correspondents Association in Colombo on Thursday. …

Sri Lanka seeks divine help to avoid power cuts

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 …

Sri Lanka labels foreign Tamil groups as ‘terror’ networks

COLOMBO, April 2, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has designated 15 foreign organisations run by ethnic Tamils as “terrorist groups”, accusing them of …

Sri Lanka ruling party set for local election win

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 …

Sri Lanka ruling party wins provincial election with lower margin

COLOMBO, March 30, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s ruling party won local elections, but with smaller than expected margins in a crucial mid-term test for …

Sri Lanka frees India fishermen after UN vote abstention

COLOMBO, March 28, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s president Friday ordered the release of Indian fishermen detained for poaching after New Delhi …

Sri Lanka claims moral victory from war crimes vote

COLOMBO, March 28, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka tried to claim a moral victory Friday and insisted it would push on with reconciliation efforts after being …

US statement on Sri Lanka HR council vote

Mar 27, (LBO) – The following is a statement from US Secretary of State John Kerry on UN resolution on Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan people are resilient. …

India explains abstention on Sri Lanka UN HR council vote

Mar 27, 2013 (LBO) – India abstained on voting on a resolution on Sri Lanka’s human rights which called for a external probe. The full statement is …

Sri Lanka rejects UN rights probe, president tells AFP

COLOMBO, March 27, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse rejected Thursday’s UN Human Rights Council resolution ordering a war crimes …

UN rights council launches Sri Lanka war crimes probe

GENEVA, March 27, 2014 (AFP) – The UN Human Rights Council on Thursday launched an inquiry into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, despite Colombo’s …

Sri Lanka faces censure at US rights body

COLOMBO, March 26, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka faces fresh condemnation at the United Nations’ top human rights body this week in a move that observers …

Sri Lanka releases rights activists after outcry

COLOMBO, March 19, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has released two leading rights activists after their detention under strict anti-terrorism laws triggered …

Sri Lanka arrests rights activists ahead of UN meeting

COLOMBO, March 17, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has arrested two leading rights activists including a Catholic priest under anti-terrorism laws, police and …

Sri Lanka says UN rights report ‘fundamentally flawed’

GENEVA, March 5, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka on Wednesday dismissed a UN report calling for an international probe into allegations of war crimes at the end …

US resolution on Sri Lanka filed at UN – Update

COLOMBO, March 4, 2014 (AFP) – A US-led resolution calling for an international probe into allegations that 40,000 civilians were killed at the end of …

Sri Lanka ‘uncomfortable’ with rights resolution

COLOMBO, February 28, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s president on Friday acknowledged his discomfort at the prospect of being censured by the UN’s …

New mass grave found in Sri Lanka ahead of UN rights meet

COLOMBO, March 1, 2014 (AFP) – Another unmarked mass grave has been found in Sri Lanka’s former war zone, police said Saturday, as Colombo braced …