Tag: news
‘s war ravaged provinces grow fastest in 2012
Sept 10, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s war ravaged Northern and Eastern provinces grew fastest in 2013, though starting from a low base, helped by construction but also banking and agriculture, the Central Bank said. The share of Central Province was flat at 9.8 percent. The North Central (4.7 percent), UVA 4.5 percent and Sabaragamuwa […]
UN raises fresh fears for Sri Lanka rights defenders
GENEVA, September 9, 2013 (AFP) – The UN rights chief Monday raised fresh concerns for the safety of Sri Lankan journalists and activists she said had been harassed by the authorities for meeting with her. Navi Pillay told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva she was worried about those she met during her week-long […]
” hailed as cost of living goes up
TOKYO, September 9, 2013 (AFP) – Japan’s economy in the April-June quarter expanded more than initially estimated, revised data showed Monday, offering another boost for Tokyo’s bid to reverse years of tepid growth. The Cabinet Office put second-quarter growth at 0.9 percent from the previous quarter, up from a preliminary reading of a 0.6 percent […]
Sri Lanka Muslim leader warns against extremism claims
COLOMBO, September 6, 2013 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s main Muslim political leader, who is also the justice minister, criticised his own government Friday for blaming religious tensions in the mainly Buddhist nation on Islamic fundamentalism.Rauf Hakeem said he had been “disturbed” by recent comments from the country’s defence secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse which warned of efforts […]
Sri Lanka rights group says it was harassed after UN meeting
COLOMBO, September 2, 2013 (AFP) – A Catholic-run human rights group working in northeastern Sri Lanka said Monday it had been harassed by security personnel after meeting UN rights chief Navi Pillay last week.Pillay ended her first trip to the formerly war-ravaged country at the weekend with a stinging press conference in which she accused […]
Sri Lanka private inflation index surges to 9.9-pct in July
Sept 02, 2013 (LBO) – Inflation in Sri Lanka’s key cities rose 9.9 percent in August 2013 from a year earlier accelerating from 6.1 percent in July, a price index compiled by private citizens showed.The CAL Urban Index, compiled by an investment research house, rose 2.4 percent in August, after falling 1.4 percent in July. […]
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COLOMBO, September 1, 2013 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s state-run media Sunday accused UN human rights chief Navi Pillay of being “prejudiced”, a day after she warned that the island was becoming “increasingly authoritarian”.Pillay ended a fact-finding mission to the country to probe allegations of war crimes Saturday by saying Sri Lanka was a place where […]
UN rights chief pre-judging Sri Lanka
August 30, 2013 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s President Friday suggested UN human rights chief Navi Pillay had pre-judged his Indian Ocean island, according to a statement from his office, as the nation faces allegations of war crimes.President Mahinda Rajapakse, in face-to-face talks with Pillay, told her that Sri Lankans believe that the UN is biased, […]
Sri Lanka becoming more authoritarian: UN rights chief
COLOMBO, August 31, 2013 (AFP) – UN human rights chief Navi Pillay on Saturday accused Sri Lanka of becoming “increasingly authoritarian”, with activists facing growing military harassment four years after the end of a civil war.Rajapakse’s government has since been dogged by claims of indiscriminate killing of ethnic minority Tamils. Pillay charged that military officials […]
Sri Lanka not too worried over currency troubles: Treasury secretary
Aug 31, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka was not much worried over currency troubles sweeping South Asia, Treasury Secretary P B Jayasundera said as the Indian Ocean Island followed India into import tightening.In 1991 the Reserve Bank of India completely ran out of foreign reserves and even shipped its gold reserves abroad before halting sterilized […]
Lanka steps up attack on UN rights chief
COLOMBO, August 29, 2013 (AFP) – Sri Lanka ratcheted up criticism of the UN human rights body on Thursday, accusing it of repeated “vicious and baseless” allegations, as its chief visited the island to probe alleged war crimes.Foreign Minister Gamini Lakshman Peiris told Navi Pillay that Sri Lanka “resents vicious and baseless positions which are […]
Sri Lanka inflation up 6.3-pct in August
Aug 30, 2013 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s inflation measured in the capital Colombo rose 6.3 percent in the 12-months to August up from 6.1 percent in July, though prices fell during the month, the state statistics office said.The Colombo Consumer Price Index fell 0.6 points during August to 176.2 points. ¬¬The food and non-alcoholic beverages […]