Ahead of UNHRC session, Sinhalese protest in Geneva

'The appeal from Sri Lanka to UNHRC follows a deeply antagonistic relationship in which the country’s leaders have consistently attacked the institution and alleged a bias'

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Writing in the Sri Lankan Guardian, Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhon sparked outrage as he publicly attacked India for its attempt to block a Chinese military vessel, “Yuan Wang 5”, from docking at the southern Sri Lankan port of Hambantota and slammed the US House Speaker’s visit to Taiwan.

As the 51st session of the UN Human Rights Council nears, Sri Lanka’s Sinhala leaders scramble to present the country as on the verge of a democratic breakthrough. Plans to reform Sri Lanka’s draconian counter-terrorism legislation, decriminalise same-sex relations, and delist select Tamil diaspora organisations have been met with broad scepticism across the island. An illusion of a liberal bastion is impossible to maintain amidst a brutal crackdown on peaceful demonstrators. Such gestures are nothing but a desperate smokescreen.

In early April, hundreds of thousands of primarily Sinhala protestors filled the streets of Colombo, enduring tear gas and water cannons, as they inched closer to the presidential compounds, demanding the resignation of Sri Lanka’s President, Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Sri Lankan cabinet spokesman Bandula Gunawardena informed reporters of plans to replace the island’s draconian Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), which has been linked to torture and disappearances, with a new National Security Act.

Thousands attended Jaffna's iconic Nallur Kandasamy Kovil's annual chariot festival, ther thiruvizha, yesterday.

The climax of the temple's annual festival (thiruvizha), draws devotees from around the world who gather to see the temple's primary deity Murugan paraded through the town's streets.

Controversial former MP, Ranjan Ramanayake has received today a conditional pardon from Sri Lanka’s President Ranil Wickremesinghe over his conviction for “contempt of court” hower little has been said over his alleged attacks on Buddhism and conspiracy to murder a former government minsiter.

Writing to India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister M.K. Stalin urged India to demand the release of 10 Tamil Nadu fishermen from Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai who were detained by Sri Lanka’s Navy.

“This is the fifth such instance since June and these incidents continue unabated intimidating the fishermen and hampering their livelihoods”, Stalin wrote.

The ship that arrived in British Columbia 13 years ago carrying Tamil refugees fleeing their genocide-afflicted homeland is being broken up for scrap after being deserted in nearby coastal waters.

Amidst discussions with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has made an urgent request to China to restructure the country’s debt, however, the Chinese government appears hesitant.

“We have informed the Chinese government [of] the need to restructure [the debt] and the need for all the creditors to sing from the same hymn sheet,” Wickremesinghe told Nikkei Asia.