Category: Politics

NEW DELHI, October 7, 2008 (AFP) – India criticised Sri Lanka in a rare intervention into the island’s internal affairs, saying civilian deaths during a military offensive against Tamil rebels were a cause of grave concern. The fall of Kilinochchi would be the biggest loss in 13 years for the Tigers. India’s National Security Advisor […]

Oct 06, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s media organizations condemned a blast by a suspected Tamil Tiger suicide bomber, which killed a TV journalist and more than 20 others including a former army general-turned politician.Rashmi Mohamed, a provincial correspondent with Sri Lanka’s Sirasa TV, died Monday while covering the opening of an opposition United National […]

Sept 29, 2008 (LBO) – The European Union has condemned a grenade attack on the home of a Sri Lankan lawyer and human rights and anti-corruption activist and urged the government to bring the perpetrators to justice. “The EU notes with concern the trend in attacks and threats on journalists, civil society organizations and now […]

Sept 29, 2008 (LBO) – The United States has condemned an attack on the residence of anti-corruption activist and human rights lawyer J C Weliamuna, calling on authorities to launch an immediate investigation.Weliamuna is also the executive director of the Sri Lanka branch of Transparency International, an anti-corruption watchdog body. A grenade was thrown into […]

Sept 29, 2008 (LBO) – The European Union has condemned a grenade attack on the home of a Sri Lankan lawyer and human rights and anti-corruption activist and urged the government to bring the perpetrators to justice. The attack was the latest in a series of attacks and threats against civil society groups, human rights […]

LONDON , September 26, 2008 (AFP) – Britain voiced deep concern Friday about the situation in Sri Lanka, where government forces have advanced to the outskirts of the northern Tamil Tiger rebel capital. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 The Foreign Office called for access […]

UNITED NATIONS, September 25, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka government troops are wary of any “collateral” damage as they move closer to dismantling the Tamil Tigers’ de facto state, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told AFP at the UN Thursday. “We are trying to defeat terrorism and to that extent, whatever engagement is confined,” said Bogollagama, […]

September 24, 2008 (AFP) – Luxmi Wellamma fled her home in Sri Lanka’s war-torn north for what she hoped would be a safer life in Colombo. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘act (space) lbo’ and send to 678 But the relative calm of the capital comes at a cost: […]

September 23, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse held talks with Norwegian peace facilitators, the first since Colombo pulled out of a tattered truce in January, his office said Tuesday. To receive instant alerts from LBO on your Dialog mobile type ‘lbo’ and send to 678 Rajapakse and Norway’s senior peace envoy Erik […]

September 21, 2008 (AFP) – Former Sri Lankan President Dingiri Banda Wijetunga, died on Sunday after a prolonged illness, his aide said.He was 86. Wijetunga, who was Sri Lanka’s third executive president, died of a chest ailment at a hospital in the central hillside town of Kandy, his aide Sarath Muniratne told reporters. A member […]

September 16, 2008 (AFP) – The United Nations pulled its staff out of rebel-held areas in Sri Lanka’s north on Tuesday after the government refused to guarantee the safety of aid workers.Some 70,000 people have fled due to fighting in the past two months alone. The withdrawal came as the island’s government said it was […]

BRUSSELS, September 15, 2008 (AFP) – EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel on Monday expressed “grave concern” at the escalation of violence in Sri Lanka and called for human rights laws to be respected. Civilians should also be guaranteed safe passage to leave the conflict area “and relocate in safer areas,” he added. “I’m deeply […]