US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with Sagala Ratnayake, Sri Lanka’s national security advisor, on US “support to Sri Lanka’s security and sovereignty” earlier this month, as ties between the two governments continue to grow. The White House in its readout of the telephone conversation said the discussion “covered areas of bilateral engagement including U.S. support to Sri Lanka’s security and sovereignty, Sri Lanka’s ongoing efforts to complete the fiscal, monetary, and governance elements of its IMF program, and future opportunities for cooperation”. “National Security...
Chief Delegate of the Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka, Marie Antonia von Schönburg said that Sri Lanka’s lack of transparency and consistency “are significant hurdles in attracting and retaining foreign investments in Sri Lanka.” In an interview with the Daily Mirror, this week, she said the “sudden policy changes such as the increase in VAT at short notice, make it difficult for businesses to plan ahead. This affects not only foreign but also local businesses. Long-term, transparent policies are essential for fostering a conducive investment environment. Without them...
Speaking to the media, Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith claimed he was tricked by ousted former President, and accused war criminal, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, into extending support for his candidacy in 2019 under the promise that he would investigate the Easter Sunday Bombings, which claimed the lives of over 250 individuals. The cardinal's support for the Sinhala chauvanist candidate came despite a report by Sri Lanka's Parliamentary Select Committee, released a few months after the attack, which maintained that Sri Lanka's security forces may have allowed the bombings to proceed in...
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is set to arrive in Sri Lanka on a one-day official visit to inaugurate an Iranian-funded Uma Oya multipurpose development project with 120MW hydropower generation capacity. Valued at $529 million, the Uma Oya project was originally scheduled to be completed in 2015, but was suspended once and then later faced delays due to sanctions on Iran and a number of other issues, including overdue payments and Sri Lanka deciding to purchase crude oil from countries other than Iran, upon which Sri Lanka was almost fully reliant on for supplies. The Uma Oya project...
On 5 April, the UK has updated its travel advisory for Sri Lanka to no longer include mention of shortages of food, fuel and medicine. Sri Lanka’s President’s Media Division reports notes that, “the Sri Lankan High Commission in London has consistently advocated to British authorities for the removal of negative information from previous advisories. This effort aims to ensure tourists have a clear understanding of Sri Lanka’s current progress”. This statement comes as Sri Lanka’s security forces have expanded their involvement in the island’s tourism sector. Economy Next reported that these...
Five Eelam Tamil children stranded on the remote island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean since October 2021 have won a case in the British Supreme Court to be protected from harm in the same way as British children. The supreme court of the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), has ruled in favour of some of the Tamil asylum seekers on the island including the five children, and found that the key protections in the UK’s Children Act apply to the children on the island according to the latest update published in the Guardian . Judge Margaret Obi, acting judge of Diego Garcia’s supreme...
Sri Lanka police arrested a 31-year-old man this week, accusing him of “distorting” a Sinhala song on TikTok. The individual, a 31-year-old man from Wariyapola, posted a TikTok video singing along to a version of the song usually played as part of New Year festivities, with his own lyrics. “The Criminal Investigation Division of Sri Lanka Police have taken into custody an individual who has shared a distorted version of the famous song Soorya Mangalya sang by Rohana Beddage,” the police media unit said in a statement. A complaint was reportedly made to the Inspector General of Police...
After weeks of conflicting statements and rumours of infighting among members of the ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena told reporters that any discussion or decision over the party’s nominee will only be undertaken by former president and accused war criminal Mahinda Rajapaksa. Speaking outside Rajapaksa’s residence where the party’s politburo meeting was held, Abeygunawardane clarified that the politburo had determined that party Rajapaksa would solely make the party’s candidate and the declaration of candidacy. “The politburo decided to delegate the...
The Sri Lankan army has announced a general amnesty for one month for all deserters in an attempt to formally discharge the officers from duty and recover any weaponry provided, after reports that Sri Lankan soldiers had fled the island to serve for Russia in its war in Ukraine. Starting on April 20, the amnesty will allow the deserters to formalise their departure from official service. This amnesty has been authorised by the Ministry of Defence, highlighting the urgent need for the security forces to address military personnel absenteeism. According to the media release, the general amnesty...
Storekeepers of clothing outlets and vendors selling firecrackers across the North-East said there was a noticeable decline in sales this year as Tamils celebrated the New Year, amidst the high cost of living and ongoing economic turmoil. Traders also spoke of how sales struggled and how they could not increase prices despite facing losses, as people could simply not afford them as economic hardships continued. Despite the financial difficulties faced, HIndu religious ceremonies and other festivities did take place to herald the Tamil New Year A special pooja was held at the Chandirasekarp...