• UN rapporteur on human rights and counter terrorism to visit Sri Lanka

    The UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, Ben Emmerson is to make an official visit to Sri Lanka on July 10 - 14, where he is expected to meet with detainees suspected or convicted under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. 

    Mr Emmerson plans to obtain first-hand information on steps taken regarding counter-terrorism and assess how they affect the promotion and protection of human rights.

  • TNA asks monks to reconsider rejection of constitutional change in Sri Lanka

    The Tamil National Alliance on Thursday urged the senior members of the Buddhist clergy to reconsider their decision to unanimously reject any constitutional change in Sri Lanka. 

  • Sri Lankan Army prepared to face investigation to clear name says new Army Commander

    The newly appointed Sri Lankan Army Commander has refuted war crimes allegations but said that the tri-forces would face up to any investigation in order to clear their name.

  • Sri Lankan Airlines to run direct flights between Hong Kong and Colombo

    Sri Lankan airlines will be running a direct flight service between Hong Kong and Colombo starting July 15th 2017.

    The national carrier of Sri Lanka will have five direct flights to Hong Kong a week.

    The airline’s management officials were summoned by the Sri Lankan cabinet last month to discuss a Rs 22 billion loss.

  • Enforced disappearances bill not taken up in Sri Lankan parliament

    Sri Lanka’s parliament did not take up the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance Bill this week, despite it having been scheduled for debate on Wednesday.

    Leader of the House Minister Lakshman Kiriella and Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala said the bill would not be debated as scheduled.

  • Senior Buddhist monks call for continuation of PTA

    More than 75 senior Buddhist monks from all three sects of the Sangha called on the Sri Lankan government not to abolish the much criticised Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), after a meeting in Kandy this week.

    Following a four hour meeting at the Sri Chandananda Buddhist College of Asgiriya, all the leading Sangha agreed to deliver a present a memorandum signed by the prelates to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, urging him not to abolish the PTA.

  • Mulankavil youth reported missing from Jaffna

    The mother of a young Tamil construction worker has reported him missing from Jaffna since Friday 30th June.

    18-year-old Grecian Premilan from Mulankavil, Kilinochchi left work in Navanthurai, Jaffna for home on Friday evening and has not been seen since.

  • Aim to rehouse all families of dead Sri Lankan soldiers before end of President's term says Housing Minister

    The Sri Lankan government will be taking steps to rehouse the families of 3650 dead Sri Lankan soldiers before President Sirisena’s term ends, the Minister of Housing and Development has said.

    The minister, Sajith Premadasa, made the remarks while laying the foundation for a housing scheme for 34 dead soldiers’ families in Anamaduwa, Puttalam.

  • Sri Lanka's Prime Minister orders investigation into media reports of ISIS threat

    Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told parliament that he had instructed an investigation into claims of a threat to the US Embassy in Colombo.

    Sri Lankan newspapers reported on the weekend that there was a threat to the US Embassy in Colombo stating that the threat was from ISIS militants.

    Mr Wickrememsinghe said the newspaper claimed it has information on the threat to the US Embassy, adding that the US Embassy itself had no information of a threat. 

  • New constitution will be voted on in parliament and public referendum reiterates Sri Lanka's cabinet spokesperson

    A new constitution for Sri Lanka will be formulated and put to public referendum after being passed through parliament, said Sri Lanka’s co-cabinet spokesperson Dr Rajitha Senaratne.

    Dr Senaratne said that the unity government was given a mandate by 6.2 million people and would respect this.

  • Black Tigers Day marked by Tamils in North-East

    Tamils in the North-East marked Karumpuli Naal in a series of events today, commemorating the men and women of the LTTE’s Black Tigers.

  • Rajapaksa supporters travel to Trincomalee for rally

    Former Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa held a rally in Trincomalee on Monday.

  • Japanese business delegation express concern over Sri Lanka's tax changes

    A business delegation from Japan expressed concern on Monday to Sri Lanka's finance minister, Mangala Samaraweera over the country's frequent changes to its tax policy. 

    The delegation requested that at least six months notice was given ahead of any enforcement of new tax changes, warning that such amendments had an impact on exports and would discourage investors. 

  • Sri Lankan government refusing to comply with RTI requests

    Sri Lankan state departments are refusing to comply with requests of information, said the Right to Information (RTI) Commission this week.

    Despite the RTI Act of Sri Lanka having been passed earlier this year, the Commission said it had received several complaints that various state departments have refused to disclose information after requests have been made.

  • 62 yrs old Tamil woman sentenced by Sri Lankan court for allegedly harbouring LTTE cadre

    Colombo's High Court on Tuesday sentenced a 62 year old Tamil woman for allegedly harbouring a LTTE cadre, who targeted the current president when he was minister of acricultural development and agrarian services in 2008. 

    The judge, Piyasena Ranasinghe sentenced her to two years imprisonment suspended for ten years and a fine of Rs 25,000, Colombo Page reports. 

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