Australia’s cricket players have reportedly raised ethical concerns over a scheduled tour of Sri Lanka, with an economic crisis and political turmoil still raging on the island.
The Chief of Staff for Sri Lanka’s army, Vikum Liyanage, is set to replace the current war crimes accused Commander of Sri Lanka’s army, Shavendra Silva, who will take on the post of Chief of Defence Staff.
Liyanage, of the notorious Gajaba Regiment, had previously served as Commandant of Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force.
In an interview with Sky News, Ranil Wickremesinghe joked that tourists can come to Sri Lanka for an “exciting time” can join the anti-government demonstrations.
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund has blamed “mismanagement” in Sri Lanka for the ongoing economic crisis, which has seen the prices of basic goods soar and a shortage of essential medicines.
Immediately following the week of Mullivaikkal commemorations, the Sri Lankan Navy continued its occupation of the Tamil-inhabited North-East under the guise of a mangrove planting drive.
Sri Lanka’s Attorney General has informed the court that several individuals, including Sri Lanka’s former Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa, have failed to hand in their passports to court despite being ordered to do so.
Aruni Wijewardane, a career civil servant, has been appointed Sri Lanka’s new foreign secretary replacing a former Navy admiral Jayanath Colombage, who stands accused of overseeing the Illegal detention and torture site known as “Gota's Camp” within the Trincomalee Naval Complex.
A Tamil youth who was arrested by Sri Lankan authorities under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in 2009 and tortured, has finally been acquitted of all charges today.
Sundaralingam Ketheeswaran from Kaluvanchikudy in Batticaloa was just 21-years-old when he was arrested under the draconian PTA on March 18, 2009.
Australia’s newly elected Labor government confirmed that a group of asylum seekers who were fleeing from Sri Lanka have been sent back to the island, after their vessel was intercepted by Australian authorities last week.
Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles confirmed in an interview with Sky News Australia that the asylum seekers were ‘processed’ under Operation Sovereign Borders and then flown back to Sri Lanka on a chartered aircraft.
After Labor leader Anthony Albanese emerged victorious in Australia’s election last week, fresh hope has been raised for the Murugappan family, a Tamil family of asylum seekers who were removed by Australian authorities from their home in Biloela almost four years ago.
Sri Lanka’s President Gotabaya Rajapaksa swore in 8 new cabinet ministers on Monday but has kept himself as minister of finance as he continued to defy calls to resign from anti-government protestors.
Since the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as prime minister earlier this month, Rajapaksa has now appointed a total of 10 new ministers.
Despite a 40,000 metric tonne consignment of petrol having arrived in Sri Lanka under an Indian credit facility just yesterday, the country’s cabinet has cleared a proposal to seek a further US$500 million from New Delhi for more.
USAID Administrator Samantha Power spoke with newly appointed Sri Lankan prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe earlier today, where she reiterated “her support to the people of Sri Lanka” and “stressed the need to urgently undertake political and economic reforms”.
Hundreds of people were reportedly arrested by Tamil Nadu police officers on Sunday, as they attempted to mark the 13th anniversary of the massacre of Tamils by the Sri Lankan state.
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