Tag: Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Freedom Party strongman forms new political wing
June 19, 2007 (LBO) – Two former ministers of the main ruling party in Sri Lanka said they are forming a new political wing, after crossing over to sit in opposition benches Tuesday, deepening divisions in the ruling coalition. . The Sri Lanka Freedom Party- Mahajana Wing or ‘Peoples’ Wing’ would be formally launched Friday, […]
Erosion of media freedom and human rights in Sri Lanka under watchdog eye
June 18, 2007 (LBO) – An international mission by rights bodies will take place later this month to asses the deteriorating media freedoms and human rights in Sri Lanka, the Free Media Movement (FMM) said Monday. FMM said the mission made up of 11 bodies including the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), International Media Support […]
‘s Tamil Tigers make fresh pledge to free child soldiers
June 18, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels on Monday made a fresh pledge to rid their ranks of child soldiers by the end of the year.The rebels, classified as one of the worst offenders in the world for the recruitment of children to fight, made the same promise in 1998 but have […]
Sri Lanka facing attacks, international isolation: analysts
June 17, 2007 (AFP) – Sri Lanka has vowed to wage more attacks against Tamil rebels but analysts warn it faces the prospect of devastating retaliation and risks international isolation over rising rights abuses.State-run media said last week that Tamil Tiger rebels were preparing for attacks on the capital’s harbour, oil storage complex and electricity […]
Synthetic Fuel
WASHINGTON, June 17, 2007 (AFP) – A fiery debate has been rekindled in Washington as US lawmakers mull proposed incentives to produce diesel fuel from coal.“By using one of our nation’s most abundant natural resources, coal, to produce transportation fuels, we can address fuel cost concerns, make our nation less reliant on imports from politically […]
Heaven Sent
June 16, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s power utility has increased its hydro storage after heavy rains in the last three days, and if the trend continues it may be able to avoid power cuts in the immediate future, LBO learns. The Ceylon Electricity Board warned that power cuts were imminent after monsoon rains were […]
Sri Lanka urged to invite UN monitors to probe rights abuses
GENEVA, June 15, 2007 (AFP) – Amnesty International urged Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse to invite UN monitors to verify claims of human rights violations by both sides in the country’s bitter ethnic civil war.After meeting the president here Thursday, the watchdog group’s Secretary General Irene Khan said an escalation of rights abuses over the […]
Sri Lankan President says own steps under way to probe killings
GENEVA, June 15, 2007 (AFP) – President Mahinda Rajapakse of Sri Lanka and senior Sri Lankan officials said Friday that they were taking their own steps to find the truth behind recent killings of humanitarian workers and alleged rights violations.However, Rajapakse stopped short of responding directly to an appeal Amnesty International made to him Thursday, […]
Off-Grid
June 15, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka will be able to light up 60,000 rural homes and also connect new private-sector renewable energy to the urban power grid with a new World Bank credit, the multilateral lender said. Only three-fourths of households in Sri Lanka have grid-connected power and it is too expensive for the […]
Sri Lanka trade deficit expands in April but BOP steady
June 14, 2007 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s exports grew 11.5 percent and imports by 7.4 percent in the first four months of 2007, keeping the trade deficit at last year’s level, but the gap in the month of April itself widened, the Central Bank said.In April exports grew 6.8 percent to 535 million dollars, slower […]
Sri Lanka slums to get facelift with UN, private sector help
June 14, 2007 (LBO) – The United Nations Habitat section has teamed up with Sri Lanka’s urban development ministry to improve living conditions of low income families living in the capital city’s slums. The program was launched by the UN Human Settlement Program with the help of Ministry of Urban Development and Emerging Markets Group […]
Filipino aid worker for US charity in Sri Lanka shot
June 14, 2007 (AFP) – A Filipino aid worker has been shot and wounded in northeastern Sri Lanka, a hospital spokeswoman said Thursday. Antonio Villeomour, of the US charity Mercy Corps, was being treated at Colombo’s National Hospital, spokeswoman Pushpa Soysa said. “He is conscious and not in a critical condition,” she told AFP. Villeomour […]