Tag: news

September 30, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka, who led troops to victory over Tamil rebels to end a decades-long civil war, on Thursday began 30 months in jail after the president confirmed the sentence. Troops escorted the former four-star general to the island’s main Welikada prison, hours after the government announced […]

September 30, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s president has confirmed the 30-month jail term imposed on former army chief Sarath Fonseka following his conviction by a military court, an official said Thursday. He has said the government is seeking revenge for his decision to stand against the president and wants to keep him from speaking […]

SYDNEY, September 21, 2010 (AFP) – A group of protesting asylum-seekers Tuesday threatened to leap from the roof of a Sydney detention centre where a Fijian man plunged to his death a day earlier, an activist told AFP. Bala Vigneswaran of the Australian Tamil Congress said nine Sri Lankan Tamils, who are among 11 protesters […]

Sept 16, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has allowed its citizens to read the latest issue of The Economist magazine, which carries a story on a controversial change in the country’s constitution after being held back by customs authorities for nearly a week. Sri Lanka is recovering from a 30-year ethnic war with Tamil separatists, […]

MONTREAL, September 13, 2010 (AFP) – Information about the 492 Tamils refugees who arrived in Canada last month aboard a cargo ship has been stolen from a Tamil organization in Toronto, the group said Monday. The Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC), which serves as the voice of Tamil Canadians, said that someone broke into its headquarters […]

GENEVA, September 12, 2010 (AFP) – Five years after the Human Rights Council was set up, the United States, once among its biggest critics, has now confirmed its full engagement in the UN body. She acknowledged that there are still many critics who “are still arguing that the US should not have joined in the […]

WASHINGTON, September 11, 2010 (AFP) – The United States on Saturday expressed concern over changes to the Sri Lankan constitution, which strengthened the presidency, saying they were undermining the principles of democracy. “The United States is concerned that this constitutional amendment weakens checks and balances and thus undermines the principles of constitutional democracy,” State Department […]

September 9, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lankan ministers on Thursday denied that the president now enjoyed dictatorial powers under a post-war constitutional revamp, but observers worried about the chilling effect on democracy. The national parliament voted in favour of the 18th amendment to the 1978 constitution on Wednesday, scrapping a two-term limit on the presidency […]

September 7, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s parliament will vote Wednesday on constitutional reforms enabling President Mahinda Rajapakse to seek a third term, in changes critics say point to the country’s slide into autocracy. Under the proposed amendments, the two-term limit will be scrapped, allowing the populist Rajapakse, who was resoundingly re-elected for the second […]

Sept 08, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s parliament has changed the constitution, lifting term limits for the president with 161 votes or 11 seats more than a two-thirds majority with several opposition lawmakers also crossing over. The constitution change which also nullifies an earlier change to improve rule of law with a more independent public […]

September 7, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has cleared the way for President Mahinda Rajapakse to run for a third term in office, saying the constitution can be changed by a vote in parliament, officials said Tuesday. Rajapakse, who oversaw the defeat of the Tamil Tiger rebels last year after decades of civil […]

Sept 06, 2010 (LBO) – Civil society organization representing several interest groups in Sri Lanka have come out against proposed changes to the constitution as a move that will further destroy democratic values and individual freedom. “Until the people understand these two basic principles Sri Lanka will only have fascist nationalism by majority vote (also […]