Tag: lbo

May 7, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka was ready to negotiate a fresh ceasefire with Tamil Tiger rebels as the Norwegian-brokered truce had virtually collapsed, a government minister said Monday. Defence ministry spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said the ceasefire arranged and put in place by Norway from February 2002 had been violated more than 10,000 times […]

May 07, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Monday accused a United Nations agency of trying to shield what it called the ‘criminal acts’ of the Tamil Tigers by not reporting two of its staffers had been abducted by the guerrillas. Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama said in a statement the government was concerned by […]

COLOMBO, May 6, 2007 (AFP) – A landmine detonated by Tamil Tigers killed three police commandos in eastern Sri Lanka on Sunday while seven suspected rebels died elsewhere in the embattled region, the defence ministry said.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) attack blew up a police Special Task Force vehicle in Batticaloa district killing […]

May 6, 2007 (AFP) – More than 125,000 people have been driven out of their homes and 16 killed following flash floods in the Sri Lankan capital and neighbouring areas, officials said Sunday. The Disaster Management Centre said at least 50,000 residents of Colombo were affected by heavy rains on Thursday and Friday. More than […]

May 06, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s foreign minister has revamped the management of a key foreign affairs think tank meant to serve as a link between strategy and decision making, with a key focus on counter-terrorism. But both sides are under international pressure to resume peace talks and end human rights violations. The Lakshman […]

COLOMBO, May 5, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lankan naval craft sank two suspected Tamil Tiger boats off the island’s northeastern coast Saturday, inflicting heavy losses on the guerrillas, a navy official said. Patrol craft engaged a flotilla of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) off the coast of Pulmoddai and sank two out of […]

May 4, 2007 (AFP) – At least three people were killed in fresh clashes between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels in northern Sri Lanka, the guerrillas said Friday.The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they beat back an attack by around 300 Sri Lankan army troops along their frontline in the Wanni late […]

May 4, 2007 (LBO) – Two Sri Lankan nationals founders of the have University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR) have won a top award for their work together with an activist in Burundi, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Friday. The 2007 Martin Ennals Award went to Rajan Hoole and Kopalasingham Sritharan, co-founders of the […]

May 3, 2007 (AFP) – Britain has frozen aid to Sri Lanka in a bid to pressure the government to improve its human rights record, officials said Thursday. Prime Minister Tony Blair’s special peace envoy, Paul Murphy, is also planning a visit to Sri Lanka, a former British colony, in bid to help salvage the […]

COLOMBO, May 3, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court Thursday stripped former president Chandrika Kumaratunga of her official staff and 36 government cars, saying that she was not entitled to extravagant privileges.A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Sarath Silva held that it was also illegal for her to occupy a state bungalow refurbished […]

COLOMBO, May 3, 2007 (AFP) – A worsening climate of violence against the press in Sri Lanka has resulted in de facto censorship, the island’s main media rights group said Thursday as it marked international press freedom day.With seven journalists murdered over the past year and two more still missing, the Free Media Movement (FMM) […]

NEW YORK, May 1, 2007 (AFP) – Press freedom around the world deteriorated last year due to coups, attempts to stifle political opposition and regulate use of the Internet, a leading watchdog said in a report Tuesday.The survey gave 74 countries out of the 195 included the “free” rating and 63 the “not free” label. […]