Seven unexploded mortar shells and a range of other weapons allegedly used by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been discovered at an abandoned outpost in Mannar, reports A daderana.lk. Officials of Adampan Police said the weapons were recovered using intelligence from Sri Lanka’s Air Force.
Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Ravi Karunanayake has denied allegations that he was asked to resign by President Maithripala Sirisena in relation to corruption allegations. “The reports and rumours that I have been asked to resign from my post is utter nonsense,” Mr Karunanayake told reporters. Reports emerged that President Sirisena had told the minister that the best possible solution to protect himself and the government was for Mr Karunanayake to resign from his ministerial portfolio. See more here and here.
Mothers of the disappeared protesting in Mullaitivu marked 150 days since they began their campaign on Friday.
Troops from Sri Lanka’s security forces held a ‘basketball coaching academy’ for youth in Kilinochchi last month, as the military continues to involve itself in civilian activities in the North-East.
Two Sri Lankan policemen have been arrested for the theft of gold worth over 10 million rupees in Mannar. The Island reports the two policemen had reportedly robbed 16 gold biscuits from a businessman in Pesalai last month. The policemen were arrested along with four other fishermen from the area, who had reportedly assisted in the crime by alerting them of the businessman’s movements. The suspects are due to be produced before the Mannar Magistrate.
Sri Lanka's election monitors threatened legal action of the government's decision to postpone elections in Provincial Councils. Elections were due to be held in the Eastern, North-Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces in October this year, however, the government announced last month that it would be postponing them until it was able to hold all provincial council elections on one day. People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV), Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE), Movement for Free and Fair Elections (MFFE), Transparency...
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ruled this week that the Inland Revenue bill the government was hoping to table this month is 'inconsistent' with the constitution, the Daily Mirror reported. Passing the bill would require amendments or a referendum to be passed in parliament, the Speaker of the House Karu Jayasuriya told parliament today. Earlier this year, IMF officials indicated the release of the third tranche of the IMF loan would be "contingent on the gazetting of the new Inland Revenue Act bill", Moody's said in a statement published June 30, whilst also highlighting that Sri Lanka's very low...
The Sri Lankan government has failed to deliver justice for the murder of 17 aid workers said French NGO Action Contre la Faim (ACF) , marking 11 years since their murder in Muttur.
Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena called for an investigation into a statement released by the country's foreign affiars ministry which condemning the firing of an intercontinental missile by North Korea, saying it had not be sanctioned prior to release. The Co-Cabinet spokesperson Dayasiri Jayasekara said that Mr Sirisena nor the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe knew about the statement, the Daily Mirror reported. “Even Foreign Affairs Minister Ravi Karunanayake didn’t know about this. As such the President called for an inquiry at the Cabinet meeting,” he reportedly added. The...
The Government of Sri Lanka and the United Nations signed a 5 year UN Sustainable Development Framework agreement (UNSDF) worth US $300 million on Thursday. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Dr Harsha De Silva said, “We are extremely pleased that the UN will be investing over US £300 million for the development of Sri Lanka over the next 5 years. The 4 strategic areas of the framework; improved data, innovative public institutions, social security and resilience to climate change and disaster and especially evidence based...