The Sri Lankan army's 651 brigade facilitated a visit by children from an orphanage in Jaffna to another orphanage in Mulankavil. The commander provided lunch for 40 children and staff of the orphanage at the brigade's headquarter and distributed text books among them.
Sri Lanka paid $51mn per year in loan repayments for the first phase of the Hambantota Port, between 2007 and 2012, Sri Lanka Ports Authority said according to LBO . The first phase of the project cost over $500mn of which 90 percent was granted by the Chinese EXIM Bank. “Proper feasibility studies were not carried out regarding the viability of re-paying the large loan re-productively,” the Ports Authority said.
The Sri Lankan government is planning to build two more police stations in Jaffna, reports Colombo Page . The cabinet has already agreed the move, approving the building of further police stations in Jaffna and Point Pedro. Stating that the move was to strengthen the civil administration after the end of the armed conflict, the government this week sought extra funds for the move.
The European Union will provide €1.2million as part of an 18 month initiative to support the upcoming Sri Lankan parliamentary elections, reports Colombo Gazette . The project, being held by the European Union and Transparency International Sri Lanka, will see training and support being given to civil society organisations on how to register as voters, particularly focussing on marginalised groups such as the Tamils on the island. The project will also work to promote principles such as freedom of expression, freedom of the press and political freedom of the individual. David Daly, the...
A Tamil doctor has returned safely to the US after being detained upon his arrival in Sri Lanka last month. Francises Gerard, a medical practitioner and US citizen, was detained upon arrival in Sri Lanka on June 18. Dr Gerard was visiting Sri Lanka with his two sons to spend time with his father who lives in Trincomalee. After contacting his wife, who stayed in the US to manage the medical practice whilst he was away, the US Consulate sent an officer in Sri Lanka to secure the release of Dr Gerard. Dr Gerard and his two sons were detained and interrogated for 6 hours reports, Liz Allen at Times-News . Upon reaching Trincomalee, the family was once again visited by Sri Lanka’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), causing the US consulate to intervene in procedures for a second time.
The formation of an alliance led by the UNP and including Sinhala-hardliners the JHU, and some members of the SLFP, was approved earlier today at a special convention in Colombo. Speaking at the event, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the new alliance, named United National Front for Good Governance, would take steps to develop the country and fight corruption when in power. “We will provide one million job opportunities within five years and create 48 economic zones,” he said. The prime minister further said a new government would devolve powers to the provinces. Mr Wickremesinghe said that he believes every community in every part of the country should be able to enjoy equal rights and that land acquired during the war will be returned to the rightful owners in the North and East, as well as in the South.
A fleet of 17 MI17 helicopters from Sri Lanka's air force has been deployed in South Sudan as part of the UN mission in the (UNMISS). A total of 104 personnel are deployed in the permanent base of the Sri Lanka aviation unit in Bor, alongside the aircraft. The UN continues to employ peacekeeping troops from Sri Lanka on its missions, despite the credible reports of mass atrocities committed by the forces during the armed conflict on the island and the reports of sexual abuse during a mission in Haiti. A UN review recently called for a ban on countries to serve as peace keepers if their troops were involved in the sexual abuse of children.
Sri Lanka has lowered its economic growth rate of 2014 to 4.5 per cent from the earlier 7.4 per cent. The change in the base year from 2002 to 2010 and the methodology of calculation, according to a release issued by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) caused the drop. With 2010 as the base year, the value of GDP at constant price was about Rs 64,13,668 mn, which went up to Rs 78,46,202mn in 2013 and last year, 81,95,979mn. The pace of growth, which was 8.4 per cent in 2011 and 9.1 per cent in 2012, slowed down subsequently with the rate being 3.4 per cent in 2013 and 4.5 per cent...
Marking 20 years since the Sri Lankan air force's bombing of Navaly Church, Together Against Genocide (TAG) called for an investigation and prosecution of those responsible. Over 2500 Tamil civilians had gathered inside the church to take refuge after they were forced to flee their homes in Jaffna away from advancing Sri Lankan army troops. "Together Against Genocide [TAG] commemorates the victims of the aerial bombing of St Peters Church and Safe Haven in Navaly by the Sri Lankan air force, 20 years ago today. We continue to call for the investigation and prosecution of those with command responsibility for this heinous war crime," the group said in a statement.
Two young men have been admitted to hospital after an unexploded bomb went off in Jaffna on Saturday in land that people were recently resettled into by the Sri Lankan army. The bomb was found in the Valivai region of Valikamam North, which was under army control and reported to have been cleared before resettlement began.