UN Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs to visit Sri Lanka

The United Nations Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Miroslav Jenča, will being a five day visit to Sri Lanka on Wednesday. The visit comes following UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York last month . The visit “will provide an opportunity for continued dialogue with Sri Lankan authorities and stakeholders, and will inform the longer-term UN peacebuilding program to support Sri Lanka”, ColomboPage quoted the Deputy Spokesperson for Secretary-General Farhan Haq as saying.

Sri Lanka urges China to adjust loan conditions to aid financial crisis recovery

Sri Lanka’s Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake urged China to help Sri Lanka through its financial crisis by adjusting loan rates, on Sunday. Speaking in an exclusive interview with the South China Morning Post , Mr Karunanayake, said, “I urge China to put the acrimony of the past behind us and come up and help us by adjusting the terms of the loans to make them more viable. We are serious about putting our relationship on the right path and mending the pathetic finances we have inherited from a corrupt regime.” Almost 70 per cent of the mega infrastructure projects in the country in the last...

Sri Lanka’s prime minister visits Singapore to strengthen bi-lateral ties

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe met with his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong on Friday to discuss the promotion of bilateral cooperation between the two governments. During his visit Mr Wickremesinghe also met with Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugratnam, Minister for Economic and Social Polices Mr K Shanmugam and Minister for Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan. The Sri Lankan delegation included Sri Lanka’s International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrema and Governor of Central Bank Arjuna Mahendran, reports Daily Mirror.lk .

Former LTTE official Thamilini dies

Former senior LTTE official Subramaniam Sivakamy, better known as Colonel Thamilini, has died at the age of 43, due to cancer. She was reportedly hospitalised a few days ago and passed away this morning. Col Thamilini, from Paranthan in Kilinochchi, was the head of the LTTE women's wing political division and one of the most senior members of the movement to be detained by the Sri Lankan military in 2009. She was held in Welikada prison for 3 years, before being moved to Poonthottam rehabilitation camp. She was released to her family in June 2013. Subramaniam Sivakamy (Colonel Thamilini) 23...

Police cordon off former HSZ after discovery of two bodies

The Sri Lankan police have cordoned off an area in Ariyalai, Jaffna after the discovery of the skeletal remains of two women earlier this week. The police have reportedly brought forensic experts to exhume the area and denied entry to anyone else who attempted to access it.

Sri Lanka hires two new hangmen

The Sri Lankan government hired two new hangmen last week, after calls for the abolition of the death penalty on the island. Though the role has been described as “light administrative work”, Prisons Commissioner General Rohana Pushpakumara said "in the event the government wants to carry out executions, we should be prepared". One of the 14 applicants interviewed last week as a former Sri Lankan soldier. "I'm angry at drug traffickers, murderers and those who rape children, so I will not hesitate a moment if I am asked to execute them," he said. "If they are not implementing the death penalty then I will quit."

‘Compassionate Council will decide on amnesty’ for war crimes says Sri Lankan prime minister

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said a “Compassionate Council”, composed of Buddhist monks and other religious leaders, will decide on whether those accused of international humanitarian law violations would be granted amnesty. Speaking to the Straits Times Mr Wickremesinghe said the “bulk of cases” will be dealt with by a Truth Commission. “And from there starts the role of the Compassionate Council,” he said. “They will be the key people.” “Truth Commission, in many cases will forward the reports to the Compassionate Council, which can decide whether they qualify for amnesty...

Sri Lankan president assures release of prisoners with ‘minor offences’

Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said Tamil political prisoners who have committed “minor offenses” will be released before November 7th in a phone call to Tamil National Alliance leader R. Sampanthan. Speaking to BBC Sandeshya, Mr Sampanthan said the Sri Lankan president had called and made the pledge after meeting with Sri Lanka’s justice minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe. The minister had earlier said “there are no political prisoners in the country’s prisons”.

More Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lankan navy this week

The Sri Lankan navy arrested nine Indian fishermen off the coast of Jaffna earlier this week, charged with violating the International Maritime Boundary. The latest arrests come after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jaylalithaa called on Indian Prime Minster Narendra Modi not to be a “mute spectator” after the Sri Lankan navy arrested another 24 fishermen on Monday. The chief minister also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week , calling for a “strong and sustained diplomatic initiative to resolve the vexatious issue”.

Sri Lankan military commander to join UN mission in New York

Sri Lanka’s Security Forces Commander-West, Major General Ubaya Medawela has been appointed as the Military Adviser at the Office of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York. The commander is set to join the mission by the end of this month reports Daily Mirror . He has previously commanded 554 Infantry Brigade in Jaffna and was the General Officer Commanding of Sri Lanka's infamous 53 Division. The 53 Division is accused of the summary execution of prisoners on May 18 2009, during the final hours of the armed conflict. Amongst those thought to have been killed by the troops include Tamil journalist Isaipriya (See more from Channel 4 here and Human Rights Watch here ). The former military spokesperson has staunchly denied accusations of human rights abuses by Sri Lankan troops, having previously declared "the Sri Lankan military did not commit any war crimes". He has also rejected video footage shown by Channel 4 News of summary executions of Tamils committed by Sri Lankan soldiers, stating that there were “malicious intentions behind the doctored documentary of Channel 4".

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