Sri Lanka central bank says inflation would be higher than target

May 26, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s central bank said inflation would be higher than targeted in 2008, as the monetary authority found it difficult to counter pressures from rising commodity prices, especially oil. “In the circumstances there is a strong likelihood of the actual 2008 inflation being significantly higher than the previous estimates..,” the […]

Sri Lanka minister threatens mandated wage hike

May 26, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s labour minister threatened to mandate a private sector wage hike the same day the island’s monetary authority said it was trying to contain ‘second round’ effects on inflation. The minister of labour, Athauda Seneviratne told our sister site vimasuma.com that the government had decided the private sector should […]

Sri Lanka told by US to practice what it preaches

May 25, 2008 (LBO) – The United States has said Sri Lanka’s government must do more to stop abductions and “disappearances” and that having laws alone is not enough without ensuring actual protection of human rights. “Sri Lanka has the necessary institutional framework in place, but it needs to empower its institutions to carry out […]

Steep Rise

May 24, 2008 (LBO) – After dragging their feet for months Sri Lanka’s state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) jacked up diesel prices by an unprecedented 37 percent and petrol by 23 percent, while a unit of Indian Oil Corporation said it would follow suit. An International Monetary Fund study said this week that commodity markets […]

” for peace, reconciliation: scholar

May 24, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka should commemorate the 25th anniversary of the July 1983 riots and put forward its best offer to the Tamil people as part of a political offensive to end the war and find peace and reconciliation, a US scholar said. William Grassie, a senior Fulbright Fellow, said the commemoration […]

Sri Lanka senior journalist found assaulted

May 23, 2008 (LBO) – A senior Sri Lankan journalist was found severely assaulted in the early hours of Friday after being abducted from his home the previous night, colleagues at his newspaper said. Keith Noyahr, deputy editor of the Nation newspaper, was abducted from near his home in a suburb of Sri Lanka’s capital […]

Sri Lankan rights group condemns assault on journalist

May 23, 2008 (AFP) – A Sri Lanka media rights group Friday condemned the abduction and assault of a senior journalist, saying it was motivated by his criticism of the government’s war against Tamil Tiger rebels. Most of the victims are Tamil journalists working in the island’s embattled north and east.Sinhalese journalists working in the […]

Sri Lanka mediamen protest abduction of colleague

May 23, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s media rights groups protested the abduction and assault of senior journalist of a national weekly Friday calling on authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. “Until such time culprits are brought to book, the FMM holds the Government responsible for abduction and assault of journalist Keith Noyahr, noting […]

Sri Lanka says human rights concerns being addressed

May 22, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government has downplayed the loss of its seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council and said it needed more “space” to address human rights concerns. Foreign affairs minister Rohitha Bogollagama said Sri Lanka won 101 votes in its bid for a seat on the Geneva-based body, more […]

Fuel Mix

May 22, 2008 (LBO) – Indian Oil Corporation’s Sri Lanka unit raised diesel retail prices by 20 rupees to 100 rupees a litre putting pressure on the state-run Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) which sells more fuel to follow suit. Before the increase, Lanka IOC says it was losing 43 rupees a litre from the sale […]

Sri Lanka lose seat on UN Human Rights Council

UNITED NATIONS, May 21, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lanka, under fire for its human rights record, was Wednesday denied a seat on the UN Human Rights Council while France and Britain edged out Spain to win re-election in a closely-watched contest in the UN General Assembly. Nineteen countries were vying for 15 coveted seats on […]

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