The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has granted Sri Lanka USD 115 million of financial assistance for the implementation of Supporting Electricity Supply Reliability Improvement Project to fully electrify the island including its small isolated islands, reports Colombo Page. The country director of ADB’s Sri Lanka’s Resident Mission Sri Widowati signed the grant agreement with the Secretary to the Treasury, ministry of Finance signed for the Government of Sri Lanka. The project seeks to electrify rural 35,710 households in the Eastern and North Central provinces and the conflict affect Northern...
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka said the global body had expressed concern over Sri Lanka’s proposed counter terrorism legislation, which has been approved by Sri Lanka’s cabinet. In an interview with the Sunday Times Una McCauley said, “There are a number of concerns that we had flagged up including the admission of confessions that were not made with lawyers present, the 72-hour initial holding period where international legal standards say 48 hours, the process of arrest and the levels of authority around when arrests can and should be made, as well as text around what...
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe claimed the island’s enduring problems with human rights abuses have been “resolved” since parliamentary elections in August 2015. In an interview with The Hindu, Mr Wickremesinghe reflected back on his government’s achievements. “We had incurred a heavy national debt, there was adverse publicity for Sri Lanka, and human rights was a big issue,” he said. “All those have been resolved.” “I would say we have sort of created the stability and cleared the way.” The prime minister went on to state that international demands for accountability for...
A group of Sinhala Buddhist monks launched a protest against the prospect of a new Sri Lankan constitution that would deprive Buddhism of holding the “foremost place” on the island.
The Northern Provincial Council this week called on the government of Sri Lanka to curtail the powers of the Provincial Council governors. “We wanted to reduce the powers vested with the governors because it is known that the governors have extreme powers as he was a representative of the Executive President”, the NPC councillor, M K Shivajilingham was quoted as saying. "The TNA and the NPC had presented this proposal because the council members couldn’t do anything without the approval of the governor," he added. The NPC chairman, C V K Sivagnanam had reportedly urged the government to...
Tamils in Kilinochchi protested on Monday demonstrating their opposition to the housing scheme proposed by Minister Swaminathan. The scheme, which involves the building of 65,000 prefabricated houses in the North-East, was criticised by the TNA last month. The TNA minister and spokesperson, M A Sumanthiran told parliament the Tamils "dont want those steel cages."
Security Force Headquarters-Mullaitivu (SFHQ-MLT) coordinated and distributed artificial limbs to 48 war-affected civilians at Mullivaikkal School. The initiative was sponsored by Kandy-based Centre for the Handicapped. SFHQ-MLT undertook a similar project in July, in which they distributed 25 artificial limbs. Major General Dampath Fernando, SFHQ-MLT personnel, sponsors, community leaders and civilians were present at the distribution ceremony. An official army website reported the donation "could be considered as a gesture of humanity, reconciliation and goodwill" by the Sri Lankan security...
Tamils in the Netherlands marked Maaveerar Naal last month, in a ceremony attended by hundreds of people.
The Sri Lankan army has been accused of building a new army camp on an LTTE cemetery in Amparai. The army has been clearing land belonging to the LTTE cemetery in Kanchikudichchcaru, Amparai. Concrete boundary pillars are also being constructed, says Eastern Provincial councilor Thavarasa Kalaiyarasan. A commemorative event for Maaveerar Naal was held last month at the Kanchikudichcharu LTTE cemetery. “What is the need for the army to set up a new camp at this location at a time when the people are calling for the demilitarisation of the north and the east?” asked Mr Kalaiyarasan. He also...
Sri Lanka’s president said his government is “totally committed to spread the Theravada Buddhism across the world,” reports the official President’s Media Division. In remarks made at a religious ceremony in the South last week, Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena was quoted as saying, “Buddhism is the only religion which can calm the restless mind of the people and at present the western world also paying more attention to the Buddhism”. Accompanied by senior government ministers, Mr Sirisena went on to unveil seven giant Buddha statues in a grand religious ceremony. See more...