Category: Politics
Sri Lanka to conduct a survey on loss properties and lands in Northern Province
Oct 21, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka Ministry of Defence and Urban Development has taken steps to conduct a survey on people who have lost their properties and land in the Northern Province from 1980 due to terrorism, a media release said. The ministry says all Sri Lankan citizens who have lost their property and […]
Sri Lanka restricted foreign visits to North: Media Report
Oct 16, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka yesterday announced that foreigners and foreign organizations who wish to visit the North need to obtain prior clearance from the Ministry of Defense and Urban Development, a media report said. The measure is aimed at preventing foreigners from visiting the North under the pretext of engaging in development […]
PAFFREL released provincial council Election Day report
Sep 23, 2014 (LBO) – Poll monitoring group the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) said there are about seven incidents of violence including three serious incidents has been reported during the day of provincial council election which took place on 20th September, 2014. Election Department PAFFREL appreciates the efforts made by the […]
’s ruling party wins Provincial Council Election
Sep 22, 2014 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s United Peoples Freedom Alliance, the ruling party in the island won the Uva Provincial Council Election with 19 seats while UNP, the main opposition secured 13 seats, data of Department of Election showed. Harin Fernando, UNP’s Uva Provincial Council candidate topped the preferential votes securing 173,993 votes and […]
Protection urged for Sri Lanka war crimes witnesses
COLOMBO, August 27, 2014 (AFP) – International rights groups have demanded protection for potential Sri Lankan witnesses at a UN-mandated war crimes investigation into the island’s ethnic war which ended five year ago.Six organisations in a joint letter expressed alarm over alleged intimidation, threats and reprisals against those likely to engage investigators probing the bloody […]
Sri Lanka again delays dig at suspected mass grave
COLOMBO, August 18, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lankan officials on Monday sought more time to exhume a suspected mass grave in a former war zone after failing to secure the services of forensic experts.Some of the Tamil guerrilla leaders linked to atrocities have defected to the government since the conflict ended, and there have been […]
Sri Lanka to refuse entry to UN investigators: president
COLOMBO, August 19, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka will not grant visas to UN investigators probing war crimes allegedly committed during the island’s decades-long separatist conflict, President Mahinda Rajapakse said Tuesday.“We will not allow them into the country,” said Rajapakse, who is under international pressure to cooperate with the UN-mandated investigation. Sri Lanka has refused […]
US demands Sri Lanka enforce its laws in latest rebuke
COLOMBO, August 5, 2014 (AFP) – The United States on Tuesday demanded Sri Lanka enforce its own laws after a meeting of US diplomats and war widows was disrupted by pro-government activists, in the latest rebuke by Washington.The US embassy said activists led by Buddhist monks stormed the meeting in Colombo on Monday and “behaved […]
UN slams Sri Lanka over deportation of asylum seekers
COLOMBO, August 2, 2014 (AFP) – The UN refugee agency accused Sri Lanka on Saturday of failing to respect international law by deporting Afghan and Pakistan refugees before their asylum claims could be assessed. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said Sri Lankan authorities arrested 214 Afghan and Pakistani nationals in an operation […]
Sri Lanka apologises to Indian PM over caricature
COLOMBO, August 1, 2014 (AFP) – Sri Lanka extended an “unqualified apology” to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday over an article and uncomplimentary illustration of the leader and a regional Tamil politician published on a government website. The Sri Lankan defence ministry said it had taken down the offending caricature of Modi and the […]
US calls for protection to Sri Lanka journalists
COLOMBO, July 28, 2014 (AFP) – The United States on Monday urged Sri Lanka to crack down on harassment of journalists and protect their rights after organisers of a US-funded media workshop for Tamils received death threats.The US embassy in Colombo said it had raised the issue with the Sri Lankan administration after pro-government protesters […]
Sri Lanka media training for Tamil journalists scuttled
COLOMBO, July 26, 2014 (AFP) – Dozens of pro-government activists blocked ethnic Tamil journalists from holding a training program in Sri Lanka on Saturday, marking the latest harassment of the minority community, a media rights group said.FMM’s Jayasekera said he also received death threats over the telephone for holding a press conference to denounce the […]