rule of law

04.June.2011We are compelled to reveal with deep regret that the final funeral proceedings of young Roshen Chanaka who was ruthlessly murdered by the police faced obstruction from Rajapakse regime’s army owing to their forcible disgraceful intrusion into it.About a group of about a thousand army officers headed by a Brigadier had carried out this operation. […]

By Saroj PathiranaA doctor who describes himself as Sri Lanka President’s personal physician is accused of prescribing a banned substance to Sri Lanka’s opening batsman Upul Tharanga.Upul Tharanga was reportedly informed by the ICC that traces of Prednisolone was found in his blood sample randomly taken during the World Cup co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka […]

A Statement issued by the Lawyers for Democracy Lawyers for Democracy (LfD) is shocked at the violence meted out to protesters at the Katunayake Free Trade Zone (FTZ) and calls for an immediate halt to such violent practices and an independent investigation as to what transpired.The use of force was against workers who challenged the […]

04 June 2011/By Lakna ParanamannaHundreds of student monks marched to Temple Trees yesterday to protest the government’s suppression of people’s fundamental and democratic rights.The protest march which began at the Vihara Maha Devi Park continued right up to  Temple Trees without being stopped by security personnel unlike on previous instances.The barriers placed at the Kollupitiya […]

The International Federation of Journalists, co-author partner organisation International Media Support, and 37 signatory members of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX), including co-authors the Writers in Prison Committee – PEN International, Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters sans Frontières, endorsed the following letter at IFEX’s General Meeting held in Beirut, Lebanon on May […]

Gradual erosion of judicial independence in Sri Lanka concerns IBAHRI The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) is concerned about the increasing erosion of judicial independence in Sri Lanka. In a confidential letter, dated 19 May 2011, the IBAHRI outlined its concerns to the Government of Sri Lanka in regard to the 18th Amendment […]

1 June 2011/By the Socialist Equality PartyThe Socialist Equality Party (SEP) condemns the brutal police crackdown unleashed by the government on protesting workers in Katunayake free trade zone (FTZ) on Monday. Police attacked workers with tear gas, water cannons, clubs and fired live bullets.The SEP calls on the working class throughout the country to come […]

02 June 2011 / By Nabeela Hussain Hundreds of Katunayake Free Trade Zone employees are stuck within the Zone unable to leave the area due to conflicting orders given by the government and the army, several trade unions said yesterday.The Free Trade Zone Workers Union (FTZWU) said according to a Board of Investment (BoI) directive, […]

 02 June 2011 /By Yohan PereraUnrest at the Katunayake Free Trade Zone had resulted in losses at many factories running into millions of rupees, Inter Company Workers Union President Wasantha Samarasinghe said yesterday.Mr. Samarasinghe blamed the police for the losses and said that in one of the companies losses were high as Rs 50 million. […]

 02 June 2011 / By L.B. SenaratneThe Mahanayake of the Malwatte Chapter the Most Venerable Tibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala thera yesterday said, in reference to the trade union action taken by the university academics, that the promises given to learned professionals should be honoured and university lecturers and professors should not be suppressed like university […]

Jun 1, 2011 Colombo: Members of the Joint Trade Union Alliance comprising 26 trade unions staged a massive protest today in Colombo against the pension reforms and the Monday’s police attack on Katunayake Free Trade Zone workers who were demonstrating against the proposed pension plan.The private sector employees marched along a busy street in Colombo, carrying […]

by Melani Manel PereraClashes occurred on Monday when workers were protesting against a draft law that would not guarantee a lifetime retirement pension. Three people are said to have died in the incident.Police used tear gas and prevented wounded from being evacuated to hospitals.Catholic priests and human rights activists have firmly slammed the brutal police […]

 01 June 2011Channel-4’s announcement of screening of an hour-long film on Sri Lanka’s killing fields at UN on 3rd June, and the presentation of video footage to the UN Human Rights Council by the UN special investigator into extrajudicial killings, Christof Heyns, spread a gloomy war-crimes cloud over Sri Lanka making the terror-summit in Colombo, […]

Roshain Shanaka who received gun shot wounds during the protest against the proposed pension bill had died in Ragama hospital.The worker was in Intensive Care since he was shot during the clashes on Monday. Several police officers were also wounded as a result of retaliation by the protesting workers.Earlier Sri Lanka police chief, Mahinda Balasuriya, […]

01 June 2011 Police Chief Mahinda Balasuriya has decided to step down from his post this month, police sources said. An urgent meeting was also held at police headquarters today. The resignation comes amidst the police being criticized over the way they handled the protest by workers of the Free Trade Zone in Katunayake on […]

May 31, 2011/ by Zacki JabbarWhile one Katunayake Export Processing Zone worker remained critical and around 25 were being treated for injuries at the Negombo hospital, as a result of Monday’s clashes with the police, the main opposition, UNP, yesterday accused the government of having created a violent situation by trying to force an unfair […]

‘Workers spurned President’s offer to discuss PSP issue’ May 31, 2011,/By Shamindra FerdinandoUPFA MP Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle says a section of unruly workers had caused Monday’s brawl at Sri Lanka’s largest Export Processing Zone (EPZ) in Katunayake and forced the government to shut down the facility on the following day. It could have been easily […]

Police, workers trade accusations – Katunayake EPZ closed todayMay 30, 2011By Lal Gunasekera and Norman PalihawadanaOver a dozen police personnel, including DIG Ravi Wijegoonewardene and many garment workers were injured in clashes between the police and the Katunayake Export Processing Zone (EPZ) workers  yesterday. The police alleged that they had no option but to use […]

By Charles HavilandAn ethnic Tamil policeman from northern Sri Lanka has said he feels hurt that he and 25 colleagues, also Tamils, were excluded from a big parade by the country’s security forces last week.He said they were pulled out at the very last moment with no reasonable explanation.After decades of ethnic tension and militant […]

Trade unions have threatened to go on a general strike at several Free Trade Zones in the country if the police fail to release some garment factory workers arrested today following a protest.Trade union activist and JVP member Wasantha Samarasinghe told reporters that the police will be given a deadline to release all those arrested […]

30.May.2011It is reported that the only remaining suspect who was in hiding in the murder case involving the accused Chandana Kathriarachchi has suddenly been killed yesterday. This murder has occurred at Pusselawa , district. In the preliminary investigations it has been revealed that the chief suspect Nihal Suresh who was in hiding has died not […]

Outdoor thrills and hazards give edge to pre-campus leadership training at Army camps. Nadia Fazlulhaq reportsWild elephants, snakes and ravenous mosquitoes are some of the natural challenges that university students have had to face in their first week of leadership training at Army camps around the country. Hardly five days into their training and students, followed […]

May 28/ by Austin FernandoProf. Rohan Gunaratne- international terrorism expert- addressing the business community last week convincingly and openly cautioned that “India might ‘punish’ Sri Lanka”, if Sri Lanka leans elsewhere to India’s detriment. This is a very serious statement, especially if Indians do not intend doing so.To prove his point, he quoted a meeting […]

May 28, 2011The agitation by university dons for higher salaries is another issue that threatens to upset the applecart. The president of the Federation of University Teacher’s Associations Nirmal Ranjith Devasiri complains that at the discussion held last week with the president, he was not allowed to express his views freely with the president interjecting […]

Priest and five others acquitted of all charges after court hearingMay 27, 2011A Jesuit priest and five other people who were accused of having links with Tamil Tiger rebels have been acquitted after a court hearing on Tuesday.Father Paul Satkunanayagam and the others, all ethnic Tamils, were arrested in Dambulla on February 9. They were […]

‘Even though terrorism was eradicated from Sri Lanka, terrorists living abroad continue to work to destroy our country’ 27 May 2011, / by Mahinda Rajapaksa After uniting the country with the defeat of the most ruthless terrorism in the world, today we were able to hoist our national flag with dignity and honour. Today we […]

28 May 2011/ By K. S.  Fernando.Panadura Police sought to withdraw charges against eleven suspects including a Panadura Pradeshiya Sabha UNP member following objections raised by the counsel on behalf of the suspects. The request for withdrawal was subject to the right to file a fresh plaint in due course.  The suspects were charged before […]

As professionals, we have seen the deterioration of the institutional integrity and rule of law in this country for many years. As lawyers we have, from time to time, urged the succeeding governments to protect human rights of the citizens and establish Rule of Law.    2011-05-25 | Press Statement- Lawyers for DemocracyThe war in […]

SF says felt he couldn’t work with President, Def. Secy, as Gota doubted his loyaltyMay 25, 2011/ By A.J. AbeynayakeFormer Army Chief Gen. Sarath Fonseka on Wednesday (25) said that he felt he couldn’t work with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brother Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, as the latter had doubted his loyalty during a […]

26 May 2011/ By Sandun A. JayasekeraSri Lanka would appoint a five member panel of judges to initiate fresh investigations into Human Rights and Fundamental Rights violations in the North-East and report back to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRC), officials said.The newly appointed Chairman of the HRC, retired Supreme Court Judge Priyantha […]