Category: Politics
Sri Lanka film in Venice festival line-up
July 30, 2009 (LBO) – “Ahasin Wetei” (Between two worlds), a film by Sri Lankan film maker Vimukthi Jayasundara will be among those competing for the Golden Lion award at this year’s Venice film festival, AFP quoted organisers as saying Thursday.Among the competitors is Michael Moore’s film on the financial crisis and the directorial debut […]
Sri Lanka govt plans training for former combatants
July 30, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka plans to offer education and vocational training for about 20,000 former Tamil Tiger rebels, including child soldiers and operatives trained as suicide bombers, an official said Thursday.Nearly 300,000 people who were displaced by the ethnic conflict are still held in camps under military guard. The government insists that […]
” over Sri Lankan camps: envoy
July 27, 2009 (AFP) – The United States was “deeply concerned” that tens of thousands of displaced people were still locked inside camps two months after Sri Lanka’s decades-long ethnic war had ended, a US envoy said Monday.Around 300,000 people displaced during the final stages of the war continue to live in temporary shelters run […]
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GENEVA, July 23, 2009 (AFP) – Fifty-nine journalists have been killed around the world so far this year, in an alarming rise from 2008 that has become a “bloodbath” of the media, a watchdog said Thursday. Abdel Nabi said the UN Human Rights Council was “impotent” in protecting journalists. The PEC expressed concern about election […]
Sri Lanka IMF loan slammed by rights body
July 23, 2009 (AFP) – Human rights campaigners on Thursday described a 2.5 billion dollar loan to Sri Lanka by the International Monetary Fund as “a reward for bad behavior”.Human Rights Watch said the IMF should have set conditions on the loan, including demands that the Sri Lankan government help re-settle nearly 300,000 Tamil civilians […]
ICRC cuts back Sri Lanka operations after government order
July 20, 2009 (AFP) – The Red Cross on Monday announced the closure of four offices in Sri Lanka following a government order to foreign aid agencies to scale down operations.The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said its four offices in the embattled eastern province were closed at the weekend. “The ICRC reaffirms […]
Sri Lanka troops find Tiger submarine: military
July 19, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lankan troops have recovered a submarine-type craft built by Tamil Tiger guerrillas in an area where they fought their final battle two months ago, the military said Sunday.The craft was found on Saturday submerged about 500 metres (yards) off the coast of Vellamullivaikal in the district of Mullaittivu, the […]
Sri Lanka navy seeks to expand fleet
July 17, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s new navy commander said he wants to expand the fleet and increase troop strength to better protect the island from maritime threats and ensure the Tamil Tiger insurgency does not recur.Thisara Samarasinghe said that although the Tigers were defeated in May, winning the war did not mean the […]
Sri Lankans urged to fight for right to information
July 15, 2009 (LBO) – An Indian political activist has urged Sri Lankans to be more demanding of their right to information, saying that was how the public in India won greater access to information and more government accountability. “The right to information campaign started with a peasant movement asking for the Panchayati (village assembly) […]
‘s new army chief vows to re-focus military
July 15, 2009 (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s new army chief took up his post Wednesday vowing to “re-motivate” his 200,000-strong force and build a peacetime military following the crushing of Tamil Tiger rebels.Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya, 50, said his first priority would be the military’s new role in supporting a massive reconstruction effort in areas […]
Sri Lanka cancels US$200mn in arms deals
July 15, 2009 (LBO) – Sri Lanka has cancelled orders for 200 million US dollars of military hardware and ammunition from China, after a 30-year war with Tamil Tiger separatists ended, a top official said.Fonseka said soldiers in areas like northern Jaffna found it difficult to take leave at the current strength. “If we want […]
‘s next outsourcing boom: comedy
MUMBAI, July 13, 2009 (AFP) – In 1979, Don Ward opened a small club in London to provide a stage for the best of Britain’s undiscovered comic talent.After 30 successful years, he now wants to do the same in India. Ward is taking The Comedy Store out of Britain for the first time, opening a […]