The Sri Lankan government must end impunity for torture by holding those responsible accountable said Amnesty this week. The statement follows the report by the UN Committee Against Torture this month which called on the government to investigate ongoing reports of torture by its security services. “If the Sri Lankan authorities are serious about breaking with the harrowing legacy of the country’s decades-long conflict, it must end impunity for torture and other acts of ill-treatment,” Amnesty International’s South Asia director, Champa Patel said. “Sri Lanka has taken important and positive...
Families of the missing demonstrated in Jaffna town on Saturday marking international Human Rights Day.
Sri Lankan commanders watch on as the Defence Minister reiterates his commitment to 'national security'
The UNP announced Thursday that a new constitution would offer greater devolution of power however, would maintain a unitary state and the current executive presidential system, thereby rejecting Tamil demands for a federal structure. The UNP statement, made at its party headquarters did not however detail which powers would be further devolved. The statement to maintain a unitary state was endorsed by the SLFP as well. Sports minister Dayasiri Jayasekara was quoted by Ceylonews as saying, “Now we have to discuss with the Tamil leaders how and where to end. They are no longer adhering to the...
The World Bank board last week approved a $75 million credit to improve the selection, administration and payments within Sri Lanka's welfare programs. "The Social Safety Nets Project, to be implemented by the Ministry of Finance, will assist the government to develop a single registry of citizens containing information on family structure and economic characteristics. The Welfare Benefits Board, set up to manage the selection and payment of welfare beneficiaries, will develop and apply new selection criteria based on data in the registry," the World Bank said in a statement. "This will make...
Thousands of people attended Maaveerar Naal commemorations in Switzerland last month, as Tamils across the word remembered the lives lost in the Tamil freedom struggle.
Soldiers from the 661 Brigade in the 66 Division of the Security Force Headquarters (Killinochchi) gave away school accessories to children in Pooneryn on Monday. Troops received sponsorship from National Tourist Guide Lecturers’ Association and the ‘Kind Heart’ Association.
The Tamil National Alliance urged the government to relocate chief monk Ampitiye Sumanarathana from the Eastern Province after tensions on Sunday. Seenithamby Yogeswaran, TNA’s Battacloa District Parliamentarian, asked the government why it has failed to take any action against Sumanarathana for his hate speech against Tamils and Muslims. Further, he explained how Sumanarathana’s ongoing behaviour has disrupted the community. “Systematic Sinhala colonisation and the erection new Buddhist temples continue to take place in the Batticaloa district. The man behind all these is the Chief Monk of...
The Sri Lankan president cleared the names of Sinhala chiefs who were previously branded 'traitors' by the then British governor in 1818. "After 198 years, I cleared the names of Wellassa heroes including Monarawila Keppetipola," tweeted Mr Sirisena.