World Bank South Asia Region Vice President Annette Dixon arrived on an official visit on Monday, where she will travel to Jaffna to meet officials and examine projects supported by the global organisation. “I look forward to my first visit to the Northern Province of Sri Lanka and meeting with key officials as well as civil society representatives to receive a firsthand account of the development progress and how the Bank’s support can have maximum impact,” said Ms Dixon. “Sri Lanka’s journey towards higher growth and prosperity will require progress across all provinces,” she added. During...
Sri Lanka’s foreign minister told reporters that a domestic court will probe cases of human rights violations, following the conclusion of a series of consultations across the island. Foreign judges will not be invited to participate in the process, declared the foreign minister, at a press meet at the foreign ministry in Colombo on Monday. Following the conclusion of the Consultation Task Force, a Truth Commission will then be set up he said. “We hope to present it to Parliament before the Budget on November 10, but if we fail to do that, we will bring it to Parliament in January”. “It will...
The leader of the Tamil National Alliance stressed that the construction of Buddha statues across the North-East was adding to ethnic tensions in the region, in a meeting with the Sri Lankan prime minister last week. Meeting with Ranil Wickremasinghe, TNA leader R Sampanthan said that construction of Buddhist places of worship, alongside the resettlement of Sinhala people in the North-East, was causing panic amongst Tamils and his party “strongly condemns all such acts”. Whilst the TNA welcomes the resettlement of Sinhala people in the North-East, “any deliberate action being done to change...
Sri Lanka's foreign affairs minister, Mangala Samaraweera pledged the new draft constitution would be presented before the next budget, which is expected in mid-November. “We hope to be able to present that in parliament before the next budget,” the Daily Mirror quoted Mr Samaraweera as saying whilst addressing a gathering at Point Pedro on Sunday. “We have been busy creating or placing a foundation for a new Sri Lanka. Based on the three pillars of democratisation, reconciliation and development,” he added. "The process of finalising the new Constitution is underway and it will hopefully...
Northern Province Chief Minister C V Wigneswaran has called on the Sri Lankan president to ensure the safety of Tamil students at the University of Peradeniya, following an attack on Tamil students The parents of Tamil students who were attacked by Sinhalese students met with Justice Wigneswaran on Saturday. Many of the parents were still hesitant to send their students to classes, they said. Muslim and Tamil students were injured in an attack by Sinhala students last week. Some of those injured are still receiving treatment in hospital. Shortly after the meeting, Justice Wigneswaran wrote to...
The USS Frank Cable is set to visit Sri Lanka on Monday, making it the third United States navy ship to visit the island this year. The crew of 500 members “will enjoy shore leave and volunteer at an animal shelter,” said an official press release . Earlier this year the USS Blue Ridge and USS New Orleans visited Colombo.
The former Sri Lankan president, Mahinda Rajapaksa is to form a new party, breaking away from the Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP). The new party will hold consultations with other political parties in view of forming a 'Common Front', the Sunday Times reported. The split in the SLFP follows increasing animosity between members loyal to Mr Rajapaksa and those loyal to the current president, Maithripala Sirisena.
The UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, who is due to visit Sri Lanka on August 31, said he hoped Sri Lanka "fully implements the resolution" passed by the UN Human Rights Council, reiterating the reasons why resolution called for international participation in any accountability mechanism. "Due to the delays in the pursuit of an effective accountability process, ongoing concerns over the independence of judicial and law enforcement institutions in Sri Lanka, and due to the magnitude and complexity of the alleged crimes, victims and affected communities believe that international participation...
Muslims protested on Saturday demanding resettlement into Jaffna. Holding signs the protesters urged the Northern Provincial Council chief minister, C V Wigneswaran to take action.