Tag: news
Sri Lanka media crisis takes international twist
April 19, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s top defence official summoned Britain’s envoy Thursday after he expressed solidarity with an editor facing death threats, diplomats said.Although there is no formal censorship imposed, Sri Lankan authorities prevent journalists from travelling to areas held by the rebels, who are waging a separatist conflict that has killed more […]
Sri Lanka editor faces death threat: rights group
April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lankan authorities have issued a thinly veiled death threat against a newspaper editor for reporting on military excesses and human rights abuses, a media rights group said Wednesday.Although there is no formal censorship imposed, Sri Lankan authorities prevent journalists from travelling to areas held by rebels, who are waging […]
Sri Lanka threatens to expel diplomats
April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka warned Wednesday it may expel foreign diplomats who meddle in the island’s internal affairs and said at least one unnamed envoy was being investigated. The threat comes amid growing international criticism of Sri Lanka’s human rights record and Colombo’s resistance to suggestions that United Nations monitors should be […]
Sri Lanka editor faces death threat
COLOMBO, April 18, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lankan authorities have issued a death threat against a newspaper editor for reporting on military excesses and human rights abuses, journalists and a media rights group said Wednesday. The editor of Colombo’s Daily Mirror, Champika Liyanaarachchi, said defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the younger brother of President Mahinda Rajapakse, […]
Price Pressure
April 18, 2007 (LBO) – The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) which lost 1.5 billion rupees in 2006 is seeking a price hike to ward off an 800 million rupee loss by April, but the government is only permitting half the increase sought by the utility. Funds were also needed lay a new pipeline from Muthurajawela […]
’s east
COLOMBO, April 17, 2007 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels gunned down four people in Sri Lanka’s north and eastern regions as violence continued during traditional New Year celebrations, the military said Tuesday.The conflict has claimed more than 60,000 lives since 1972.Two men were shot dead early Tuesday in Batticaloa district, 300 kilometres (190 miles) […]
Pricey Burn
April 16, 2007 (LBO) – A litre of diesel may be raised by five rupees tomorrow in the face of rising global oil prices, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation Chairman Ashantha de Mel said. “Though increases in fuel prices raised the price level, its overall impact on the future inflation will be to lower the inflation, since […]
Sri Lanka peace process, ceasefire in tatters
by Stefan Smith COLOMBO, April 15, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s peace process is in tatters with both the government and Tamil Tigers once again pushing for a military solution, according to diplomats close to efforts to end the conflict. “This is not something that can be tackled only through military means,” Boteju said.“There must […]
Sri Lanka peace process on ice as international community wait for battle fatigue
COLOMBO, April 15, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s peace process is in tatters with both the government and Tamil Tigers once again pushing for a military solution, according to diplomats close to efforts to end the conflict. International sponsors of the peace process are also resigned to Asia’s longest-running civil war dragging on for years […]
Sri Lanka Tamil Tiger breakaway group member shot dead
April 15, 2007 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels shot dead a member of a breakaway group in eastern Sri Lanka as the country marked the start of the traditional New Year, the defence ministry said Sunday.The victim, identified as a member of a Tamil faction known as the “Karuna Group” believed allied with government […]
Powerless
April 15, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka lost electricity power Sunday as the entire national electricity grid failed shortly before 3.00 pm local time, officials said. Sri Lanka has been under-investing in infrastructure for years, with most of the tax revenues going to sustain a bloated public service or the war. In the last two […]
Five including child shot by Tamil Tigers as Sri Lanka marks New Year: military
COLOMBO, April 14, 2007 (AFP) – Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels shot dead five people in eastern Sri Lanka on Saturday, the military said, as the country marked the traditional New Year and the president appealed for national unity.Gunmen from the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ordered a family out of their home in […]