Ceylon and Beijing Chamber of Commerce sign trade MOU

The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and its Beijing counterpart, the Beijing Chamber of International Commerce on Monday signed a MoU pledging to enhance commercial ties and trade, reports Colombo Page. "It is time SL -China develop B2B relationship, extending from the present government to government relationship," Mangala Yapa the CEO of the Ceylon Chamber was quoted by the paper as saying. He highlighted the significant trade gap that existed between China and Sri Lanka.

Jaya urges Modi to secure release of fishermen detained by SL navy

The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalitha urged the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi to ensure the release of 15 fishermen who were detained by the Sri Lankan navy on Monday. In a letter to Mr Modi on Tuesday, Ms Jayalalitha called for "positive and concrete steps". The fishermen, originally from Tamil Nadu, were detained along with their boats for allegedly crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).

Sri Lanka's envoy up to its old tricks- Human Rights Watch

Sri Lanka’s envoy in Geneva has returned to its old tricks said the Human Rights Watch Geneva Director John Fisher, in a comment on negotiations around a draft United Nations Human Rights Council resolution on the findings of the UN investigation into Sri Lanka’s atrocities. "Against a decades long backdrop of politically motivated interference and inaction on justice issues, there is simply no basis – whatever the sincerity of top officials – to be condiment of Sri Lanka’s ability to deliver justice without a significant international role," he added.

Tamil villagers protest against Sri Lankan military High Security Zone

Protestors in Jaffna took part in a hunger strike on Tuesday outside the Valikamam North High Security Zone, demanding to be resettled in their native land. The protestors stated that they had been displaced for almost three decades by the Sri Lankan military, which had taken over their village. They said that if they were not displaced, the protestors would continue their hunger strike. The protestors demanded resettlement, adding that after having lived as internally displaced people (IDPs) for so many years, they did not want their children to also live as refugees in their own land. A...

Ranil denies discussing CEPA trade deal and India-Sri Lanka bridge

Sri Lanka’s prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe denied discussing the CEPA trade agreement during his visit to India. Briefing Sri Lanka’s parliament on his visit to India, Mr Wickremesinghe said, “No discussions were held on CEPA. The Indians didn’t even bring up the topic. Certain media institutions are trying to create public opinion which is harmful to both countries. The Ada newspaper has reported on constructing a bridge joining the two countries, but we haven’t discussed anything in New Delhi.” “We will take action to improve economic cooperation between the two countries and to enter into an agreement. We expect this economic cooperation program to help create one million employment opportunities in Sri Lanka," he added.

Protest against Adappankulam army camp after electric fence kills woman

Residents of a town in Vavuniya held a demonstration on Sunday calling for the removal of an army camp, following the death of a local woman caused by the camp's electrified fence. 55 year old Kanthasamy Rajeswari who lived in the property neighbouring the army camp in Adappankulam was fatally electrocuted while gathering vegetables close to the fence. A protest was held outside the army camp on the day of Ms Rajeswari's funeral. The Officer in Charge of the Adappankulam camp has reportedly been arrested in connection with the incident.

Wigneswaran calls for transnational victim centred approach to address UN Rights Chief's recommendations for hybrid accountability process

Photograph: Tamil Guardian As the United Nations Human Rights Council discusses a resolution to take forward the recommendations of the damming UN report into Sri Lanka’s atrocities, the chief minister of the Northern Provincial Council and former supreme court justice of Sri Lanka CV Wigneswaran called on the council to work for a resolution that fully adopted the recommendations of the High Commissioner for Human rights and allowed a victim centred transnational approach to the accountability and reconciliation process. In a guidance note addressed to drafters of the upcoming consensus resolution on Sri Lanka and to member states of the UN Human Rights Council, Mr Wigneswaran spoke on 5 themes that would need to be sufficiently addressed in any resolution adopted by the council to see a lasting peace, accountability and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. Extracts reproduced below: Scope and Breadth of violations As such, this Council strongly believes that Sri Lanka’s breach of the international obligations through the committing of international wrongful acts warrants the establishment of a mechanism, which draws the involvement of international judges and processes of high international standards to tackle ‘international crimes.' The diverse nature of affected parties & offending individuals

International involvement in accountability process is necessary – German FM Steinmeier

Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier with Tamil youths in Kilinochchi, at the opening of a German-funded training institute (Photo: Photothek.net) German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier stressed the need for international involvement in Sri Lanka’s process for accountability, during his visit to Colombo. Speaking at a press conference alongside Sri Lanka’s Foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera, Mr Steinmeier said Germany was ready to share its experiences in the matter of reconciliation and justice, if it was desired by Sri Lanka. “Unfortunately a global model [for justice and reconciliation] which fits all circumstances does not exist. Dealing with the past is necessary, reconciliation difficult and in many cases quite painful,” the foreign minister said. “Elements that belong to it include, truth finding, justice, reparations and of course, guarantee of non-recurrence.”

Ranil rejects international involvement

Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe has rejected a call from the UN and other countries to involve the international community in the proposed accountability mechanism to address mass atrocities during the armed conflict, reports AFP . Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Wickremesinghe said talks were under way to establish a credible domestic mechanism to investigate abuses. "There is nothing to be got from abroad," he said, contradicting his foreign minister, Mangala Samaraweera, who earlier today said Sri Lanka would welcome international assistance . "The media says hybrid (inquiry), but...

Nagarkovil school bombing remembered 20 years on

A memorial was opened in remembrance of the children killed when their school was bombed by Sri Lanka’s air force in 1995. Around 71 Tamil civilians were killed in bombing raids in the Nagarkovil area 20 years ago today, with 26 children killed at the site of the new memorial, which was opened in their former school, Nagarkovil Central School.

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