The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce says the finance bill proposed in March was sending 'negative signals' to the private sector and discouraged investment, LBO reports. “The CCC believes that the Finance Bill of March 2015, presented to Parliament recently sends a negative signal to the private sector and is likely to deter investment,” the statement said. “This is unfortunate since the Bill comes at a time that the Sri Lankan private sector was gearing itself to partner the Government in realising the full potential of the country’s economy.” The statement further said the proposed bill is...
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and M Karunanidhi called on the Indian government to “realise the real face of Sri Lanka” in a statement issued in Chennai on Monday. Calling on India to support an international inquiry into mass atrocities committed by Sri Lanka the former chief minister said : “Countries like the United States of America and the United Kingdom that moved the resolution and countries like India that supported it should realise the real face of Sri Lanka.” “A [UN] resolution by India for an international inquiry will fulfil the long pending demand of the Tamils across the world. It will also provide India an opportunity to correct itself,” he added.
A Sri Lankan minister said his government would ensure the safety of Sri Lankan troops, after a UN resolution mandated an accountability mechanism to prosecute for mass atrocities committed during the final stages of the armed conflict. The Island quoted Sri Lanka’s University Education and Highways Minister Lakshman Kiriella as saying “the government would not allow injustice to be caused to the war heroes” and that it would “ensure the safety of the war heroes so that there would be no problem for them”. He also said the probe would be a “domestic” mechanism.
The leader of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) has threatened to withdraw his party from India’s ruling alliance, over the central government’s stance on an international probe to prosecute for mass atrocities in Sri Lanka. “If it helps the Sri Lankan Tamils, I am ready to leave the NDA (National Democratic Alliance),” said Anbumani Ramadoss. “India’s stand shocked me and I have returned a disappointed man,” he said, having attended the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva last month. Over the weekend the MP voiced his support for an international mechanism to prosecute for violations of...
Sri Lanka announced that 20 applicants will be interviewed later this month, for the post of hangman at the Department of Prisons. Prisons Commissioner Rohana Pushpakumara said that the interviews will be held next week and they would be assessing “psychological and physical fitness”. Ahead of the interviews the gallows at the Welikada Prison were being refurbished reported Daily Mirror . The site, where the massacre of Tamil political prisoners took place during the 1983 Black July pogrom, is notorious for the endemic use of sexual violence and torture against Tamil detainees (See here and...
Photograph: Ceylon Today Parliament sitting were temporarily suspended in Sri Lanka after MPs clashed on discussion on the implementation of a resolution on promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights adopted at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC.) Leader of the National Freedom Front (NFF) Wimal Weerawansa accused the Sri Lanka’s prime minister of agreeing to a hybrid court without consulting parliament. The leader of the Hosue Lakshman Kiriella responded, stating that there was no such recommendation for a Hybrid court at the UNHRC, adding that it was the...
A senior US senator has called on his government to push for the "most robust international role" in the accountability process, mandated by a UN resolution last week at the Human Rights Council. Senator Ben Cardin, who is the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said Sri Lanka must resolve "long standing issues of accountability", before opportunities for greater economic and security cooperation can be realised. "This resolution is not perfect, but if fully implemented, it provides the most promising path forward since the end of the war. The resolution leaves open the possibility for international judges and prosecutors in Sri Lanka’s judicial mechanism to promote accountability. The current government has made clear that the international role will be limited to providing technical assistance and advice. As the U.S. works with Sri Lanka to implement the resolution, I urge our diplomats to push for the most robust international role in the accountability process," the senator said.
Sri Lanka’s prime minister Ranil Wickremasinghe called on Japan to convene a donor conference for the social and economic development of the conflict affected areas in the island, reports Colombo Page. Addressing Japanese parliament, Mr Wickremasinghe said, that Sir Lanka was seeking the assistance of japan for its efforts to bring reconciliation and peace to the country. Sri Lanka’s prime minister added that Sri Lanka was ready to further strengthen ties with Japan and that new avenues for Japanese investment were now open in Sri Lanka. The prime minister is on a five visit to Japan on...
Sri Lanka's finance minister, Ravi Karunanayake is to attend the International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meeting which is to take place in Peru from October 9 to 11. Mr Karunanayake who will be joining the prime minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe on his visit to Japan, will leave from Japan on October 7, reports the government's official news site .
The British Tamils Forum said that it is “paramount” for “victims, their representatives and civil society organisations” to be involved “in the design, implementation and monitoring stages” of an accountability mechanism to deal with mass atrocities committed during the armed conflict. In a statement released on Monday, the British organisation said “We urge the International Community to ensure that the ensuing processes are not compromised or hijacked by a Sri Lankan domestic process in which the victims will have no faith”. “Consultation with victims, their representatives and civil society organisations is paramount in the design, implementation and monitoring stages of the process formulation,” it said. “A robust witness protection system for the victims and witnesses within and outside Sri Lanka is extremely important for them to come forward and their protection from persecution by Sri Lanka.” The statement went on to “express concern at the sentiment of Sri Lanka’s domestic statements on the passing of the consensus resolution at the UNHRC”. “It must be noted that the ground realities for the victims in the North-East are yet to change,” said BTF.