Tag: politics

OSLO, December 7, 2010 (AFP) – Nineteen countries will shun Friday’s Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo for jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo, the Nobel Institute said, following Chinese pressure for a global boycott. “You only have to look at the figures. The vast majority of countries invited will be represented,” Nobel Institute director Geir […]

BANGKOK, December 8, 2010 (AFP) – Thai authorities said Wednesday they had arrested 45 migrants from Sri Lanka in the latest of a series of crackdowns in recent months. Sri Lanka’s crackdown on the Tamil Tigers, which ended a lengthy civil war last year, has resulted in a flood of people seeking asylum in other […]

December 2, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s government lambasted the prestigious Oxford Union Thursday for cancelling a talk by President Mahinda Rajapakse following protests from ethnic Tamil groups. Rajapakse was scheduled to make a speech to the union, Oxford University’s debating society, which has hosted speakers ranging from Michael Jackson to the Dalai Lama, but […]

December 3, 2010 (AFP) – Hundreds of ruling party activists demonstrated at the British embassy in Colombo Friday to denounce Oxford University’s debating society for cancelling a talk by President Mahinda Rajapakse. “Down with anti-Sri Lanka policy! ” shouted activists led by Housing Minister Wimal Weerawansa, who spearheaded protests against the United Nations in July […]

Dec 03, 2010 (LBO) – The United States has consistently called on Sri Lanka to have a credible probe into alleged war crimes during its war against Tamil Tiger separatists, a statement from the US embassy said. The statement was issued after news reports that US Ambassador Patricia Butenis reportedly cast doubt whether Sri Lanka […]

December 1, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s President expressed regret after the Oxford Union cancelled a scheduled speech by him amid security concerns, his office said in a statement Wednesday. Rajapakse had travelled to London on Tuesday ahead of an address to the prestigious Oxford Union on Thursday, but the organisers said security considerations forced […]

WASHINGTON, December 1, 2010 (AFP) – The United States questioned if Sri Lanka would thoroughly probe war crimes allegations as the accusations involve President Mahinda Rajapakse and other top leaders, WikiLeaks said Wednesday. The controversial website, citing one of thousands of diplomatic cables it obtained, said US Ambassador Patricia Butenis saw some progress in Sri […]

November 29, 2010 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s parliament approved the country’s first fully-fledged post-war budget on Monday with a two-thirds majority, officials said. Rajapakse, who has a strong grip on power in Sri Lanka after overseeing the defeat of Tamil Tiger rebels in May last year, raised taxes on casinos, alcohol and international phone calls. […]

November 26, 2010 (AFP) – India has no worries about rival China’s expanding ties with Sri Lanka, India’s foreign minister said on Friday, a week after Colombo unveiled a 1. 5-billion-dollar Chinese-funded port. S.M. Krishna, who met Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse earlier in the day, said Colombo’s ties with Beijing and other capitals would […]

November 27, 2010 (AFP) – India’s foreign minister visited Sri Lanka’s former war zone on Saturday after urging Colombo to share political power with minority Tamils following last year’s end to the ethnic conflict. Analysts have said New Delhi is concerned that a new port funded by Beijing is part of a Chinese policy to […]

November 25, 2010 (AFP) – Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna was due in Sri Lanka Thursday to shore up bilateral relations amid growing Chinese influence on the island. Krishna is due to call on President Mahinda Rajapakse and also open two Indian consulates in the southern and northernmost parts of the island before leaving […]

Nov 22, 2010 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed 59 ministers in addition to the prime minister and 31 deputy ministers Tuesday ahead of a budget for 2011 to run the administration during his second term in office. Among the large group of ministers was also a minister for productivity development. Rajapaksa’s […]