Tag: lbo
Sri Lanka failed to build on war victory: former general
May 20, 2010 (AFP) – The detained Sri Lankan general who led soldiers to victory over Tamil Tiger rebels one year ago accused the government Thursday of failing to convert his success into a new era of peace. Sarath Fonseka, a key architect of the strategy that finally defeated the Tigers after decades of bloody […]
Sri Lanka slammed over civilian deaths, one year after war end
May 17, 2010 (AFP) – The Sri Lankan government killed thousands of its civilians by shelling “no-fire zones” in the last months of the country’s decades-long civil war that ended a year ago, an independent group said Monday. The Brussels-based International Crisis Group urged the United Nations and Sri Lanka’s aid donors to press for […]
Fiery World
NEW ORLEANS, May 16, 2010 (AFP) – US officials have told BP to clarify what costs it will pay for cleanup of the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill, with crews employing new tactics Saturday to stem the leak as globs of oil wash ashore in new sites. The latest effort by British Petroleum to […]
Offshore Opportunity
May 14, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Hemas group and Colombo Dockyard have teamed up with Singapore’s Toll Offshore Petroleum Services to bid for Cairn India’s contract for offshore oil field support services, officials said. “Hemas Holdings, Colombo Dockyard and Toll Offshore Petroleum Services have jointly placed a bid for the offshore supply base for […]
‘s ex-army chief in court on new charge
May 12, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s ex-army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka was for the first time hauled before a civilian court Wednesday and accused of inciting violence. Fonseka, who is in military custody and faces separate court martial charges of dabbling in politics while in uniform and corrupt procurements, was brought […]
Sri Lanka calls on West to crack down on Tiger funding
May 7, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s prime minister on Friday urged Western nations to crack down on Tamils using their soil to revive the Tamil Tiger separatist movement that was crushed last year. Premier D. M. Jayaratne said some of the 1.5 million ethnic Tamils living abroad were planning to form a movement to […]
Last Laugh
May 07, 2010 (LBO) – Laugfs Group, the sole rival of the Sri Lankan unit of Royal Dutch Shell, is keen to buy the multinational’s operations in the island, Laugfs chairman W K H Wegapitiya said. Shell Gas Lanka is the dominant supplier of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in Sri Lanka with Laugfs having a […]
Sri Lanka ex-army chief vows to expose war crimes
May 6, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s ex-army chief Thursday vowed to “expose” any war crimes committed during the end of the country’s civil war last year and said he would go “out of his way” to assist with a probe. General Sarath Fonseka, who fell out with President Mahinda Rajapakse and quit after successfully […]
Sri Lanka plans ethnic reconciliation panel
May 5, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka plans to set up a reconciliation commission to foster ethnic unity as the island emerges from nearly four decades of bloody conflict, a state-run newspaper said Wednesday. Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne said the government hoped the panel would ensure that majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils did not […]
Sri Lanka scales down state of emergency
May 5, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s parliament on Wednesday scaled down tough state of emergency laws that were first introduced 27 years ago to deal with separatist Tamil rebels. Government troops finally defeated the Tamil Tiger guerrillas a year ago after a massive military offensive swiped out the rebels’ territory and killed their leaders. […]
Rights groups welcome pardon for Sri Lanka editor
May 4, 2010 (AFP) – Media rights groups Tuesday welcomed Sri Lanka’s decision to pardon a Tamil editor sentenced to 20 years in prison, but urged the government to ensure he was allowed to return to work freely. Paris-based RSF — Reporters Without Borders — said J. S. Tissainayagam, who wrote about the plight of […]
Sri Lanka blocks cricketers visiting Dalai Lama
May 4, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka stopped national cricket captain Kumar Sangakkara and another player from calling on the Dalai Lama out of fear that a meeting would anger China, an official said Tuesday. Sangakkara and former skipper Mahela Jayawardene were advised not to join their Indian Premier League teammates who paid a courtesy […]