Category: Politics
Sri Lanka north scene of heavy fighting: rebels
April 23, 2008 (AFP) – Heavy fighting between security forces and Tamil Tiger rebels broke out early Wednesday in several locations along the northern defence lines, the guerrillas said.Sri Lankan troops mounted simultaneous artillery attacks on rebel positions along the defacto frontline that separates government-held areas from swathes of land under Tiger control, the pro-rebel […]
Sri Lanka fighting kills dozens: ministry
April 23, 2008 (AFP) – Ferocious fighting erupted in Sri Lanka on Wednesday as government troops made a fresh bid to break into rebel territory, leaving at least 67 dead on both sides, the defence ministry said.A ministry spokesman said 74 soldiers and about 100 rebels were also seriously wounded. The battle started when soldiers […]
Sri Lanka says 90 dead in new offensive against rebels
April 23, 2008 (AFP) – At least 90 rebels and soldiers were killed and hundreds wounded when Sri Lankan security forces launched an offensive against Tiger guerrillas on Wednesday, the defence ministry said.A ministry spokesman said 38 soldiers were killed and 84 seriously wounded when they tried to advance into territory held by the Liberation […]
Sri Lanka human rights record criticised by foreign experts
April 22, 2008 (AFP) – A team of international legal experts Tuesday stepped up their criticism of Sri Lanka, noting that repeated calls to improve its record on the issue had fallen on deaf ears. The International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) said Colombo lacked the political will to investigate grave rights abuses. The […]
Sri Lanka must improve human rights, ensure free poll, says US official
April 22, 2008 (LBO) – The United States has called on Sri Lanka to improve its human rights record and ensure forthcoming elections in the east are free and fair, the embassy said in a statement Tuesday. It quoted Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Don Camp as characterizing his meetings […]
Tigers accuse Sri Lanka of killing priest
April 20, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan forces Sunday killed a Roman Catholic priest inside rebel-held territory, Tiger guerrillas said as the defence ministry reported 16 more deaths in fresh violence.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said Father M.X. Karunaratnam, who was also a top human rights campaigner, was killed in a roadside bomb […]
Sri Lanka jets bomb Tiger flotillas: military
April 20, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan war planes bombed a flotilla of fast boats operated by Tamil Tiger rebels off the island’s north-eastern waters, the defence ministry said Sunday.. Aircraft carried out the bombing raid in the seas off Mullaitivu on Saturday evening after spy planes spotted the rebel boat formation, the ministry said […]
Sri Lanka says 29 killed in fighting
April 19, 2008 (AFP) – At least 28 Tamil Tiger rebels and one soldier have been killed in artillery duels across Sri Lanka’s war-ravaged north, the defence ministry said on Saturday.Security forces killed 25 members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Mannar district while three others were killed in nearby Weli Oya […]
Sri Lanka media watchdog says its treasurer threatened, ransom demanded
April 18, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Free Media Movement (FMM), a media watchdog, said Friday its treasurer, journalist K. Rushangan, has received threats demanding the payment of a ransom before April 25. Despite complaints to the police, no action has been taken to probe the threats, the organisation said in a statement. Rushangan is […]
Sri Lanka war zone hospitals short of medical staff, aid: ICRC
April 17, 2008 (AFP) – Hospitals in Sri Lanka’s Tamil rebel-held territory are running low on basic medicines and medical staff, the International Committee of the Red Cross said Thursday.Fighting between security forces and Tamil Tiger rebels has escalated since January, when the government withdrew from a 2002 truce arranged by peace broker Norway and […]
Sri Lanka opposition, govt trade charges over sanctions threat
April 17, 2008 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s main opposition political party says the island is facing international isolation and economic sanctions, a charge rejected by the government. The opposition United National Party accused the government of being unable to effectively address international concerns over human rights abuses by the military. But a government spokesman dismissed […]
Sri Lanka war planes hit Tiger communication centre: military
April 15, 2008 (AFP) – Sri Lankan war planes bombed a communications centre inside rebel-held territory Tuesday after heavy ground battles left seven Tamil Tigers dead, the defence ministry said. The target was taken on Tuesday afternoon as ground troops battled the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) along the de facto border of […]