Sri Lanka Brief Presidential Election Update No 02. Polarised vote The president elect Gotabaya Rajapaksa (GR) of SLPP and Sajith Premadasa (SP) of NDF respectively received 52.25% & 41.99 of the total votes polled in the presidential election held on 16 November 2019. This numbers could be misleading. The result shows unprecedented level of polarisation […]
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Sri Lanka’s presidential election: Healing the wounds is the new task - Jayadeva Uyangoda
Sri Lanka’s eighth presidential election held last Sunday has produced an outcome that has surprised the winners, the losers as well as the observers. The most obvious, and arguably disquieting, and utterly unanticipated trend that became immediately visible is the re-sharpening of the majority-minority divide in the citizens’ electoral choices across the country. Mr Gotabhaya […]
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Sri Lankan journalists fear situation may worsen after polls
FILE- In this May 23, 2008 file photo, Sri Lankan journalists shout slogans during a protest demanding the government investigate into abduction and assault of fellow journalist Keith Noyahr in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Forced to flee their country a decade ago to escape allegedly state-sponsored killer squads, Sri Lankan journalists living in exile doubt they’ll […]
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Failures of Yahapalana Govt and challenges before us - Radika Coomaraswamy
Many of us were hoping for a new dawn in 2015. The hope for a ‘Yahapalanaya’ Government now leaves ashes in the mouth of many people. It is true they brought us back our freedom and strengthened independent institutions but they failed fundamentally in convincing people that democracy and freedom should be the pillars of […]
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This land of glorious promise and perpetual failures - Kishali Pinto Jayawardene
Image: UNP Prime Minister (Ranil Wickremesinghe) and his inner coterie had not robbed the Central Bank of Sri Lanka ... As Sri Lanka’s Presidential election counts down to a tense culmination in two weeks, let us have the comfort of imagining in a parallel and more hopeful universe, that following the crushing defeat of the Rajapaksas […]
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Gotabaya Rajapaksa Manifesto: A critique - Laksiri Fernando
Image: Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa discusses his manifesto with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at its launch on Friday – Pic by Lahiru Harshana. A ‘Charter of Election Promises Honesty’ is necessary for all Given targets and promises are contradictory Free fertiliser would increase expenditure by Rs. 45 b VAT reduction from […]
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OMP made progress amidst lack of cooperation from state actors & continuous efforts to deny the rights of families of the disappeared - Saliya Pieris
Image: On the International Day of the Disappeared, 30 August, Colombo. © Sunanda Deshapriya. The OMP made such progress amidst an array of challenges including lack of cooperation from key state actors and continuous efforts to deny the rights of families of the missing and disappeared, says Saliya Pieris P. C. , Chairperson, Office on Missing Persons issuing a […]
International
Sri Lanka will carry forward the process of reconciliation, including implementation of 13 A - Marendra Modi
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The outdated definition of refugee status unfits to the current refugee world! - Nirmala Benard Joseph
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Is the majority vote alone is enough to become the president of Sri Lanka?
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HRC41 renews crucial mandate for protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity
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Right to Information: What can we learn from Sri Lanka's experience?
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Sudan: With al-Bashir Ouster, End Authoritarianism; Respect Rights, Ensure Justice
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Nor can any society be fair without journalists who investigate wrongdoing and speak truth to power. - António Guterres
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Teenager behind student climate change strike has more Twitter followers than Green Party leaders
Election Monitoring reports 2015
Latest News
Sri Lanka: Special probe, new laws, to investigate officers who investigated Rajapaksa era crime and corruption
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Sri Lanka: Brigadier Suresh Salley appointed as the director of State Intelligence Service (SIS)
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Sri Lanka: Real risks of a special presidential commission of inquiry - Kishali Pinto Jaywardene
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Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) Kamal Gunaratne takes over the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL).
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British court rules Sri Lankan Brigadier guilty after death threats to Tamils
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The Shani Abeysekera tragedy - Gamini Gunawardane, Rtd. Snr. DIG
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We will not surrender the interest and the rights of our people at any point & protect independent commissions - R.Sampanthan
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Torture case against President Rajapaksa in US withdrawn. Plan to refile case when he leaves office.
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HRCSL chair Dr. Udagama says effective probe requires cooperation of all, including victim
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The Swiss Federal Court rules that LTTE is not a criminal organisation & acquits 12 Tamils.
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Sri Lanka: A punishment transfer to a police officer who ranked third in the CID
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Incident at the Swiss embassy in Sri Lanka: State Secretary Pascale Baeriswyl summons Sri Lankan ambassador to the FDFA
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Sri Lanka: SPC to strip civic rights of the officers who investigated Rajapaksa era crimes
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Abduction of a Swiss Embassy employee: HRCSL calls for a impartial investigation
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Sri Lanka: Statement by Swiss embassy, re I.P. Nishantha & "abduction" of an employee
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Sri Lanka will carry forward the process of reconciliation, including implementation of 13 A - Marendra Modi
Sri Lanka: Real risks of a special presidential commission of inquiry - Kishali Pinto Jaywardene
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Sri Lanka: Beggars come under threat of Invisible Predator ? - Kamanthi Wickramasinghe
There was a time when they frequented the streets, happy to receive a few coins or a packet of food. Conveniently addressed as beggars, they too are a part of society. In fact sociology experts refer to them as depicting the true picture of a particular society. But as cost of living soared there was […]
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The Shani Abeysekera tragedy - Gamini Gunawardane, Rtd. Snr. DIG
Image: First executive president of Sri Lanka J.R. Jyawardena too transferred senior CID officers for political reasons. I write this piece in great sadness. But I must because if I do not, I feel I would failing in my duty as an former policeman. Independence of the Police I am sad for the independence of […]
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In Gotabaya’s Lanka: Many fear the rise of majoritarian sentiment in Sri Lanka - Ahilan Kadirgamar
Image: Sri Lanka President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. (AP/ File) In Sri Lanka, with the longest history of universal suffrage in Asia, every election excites the nation, and that will be the case with the upcoming parliamentary polls. Less than a fortnight after Sri Lanka’s November 16 presidential elections, the country is faced with two realities. One, a […]
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Post elections Social media hate speech spikes up! -Muqaddasa Wahid
social media users erroneously believe that Katuwapitiya is a part of the Negombo electorate These messages were not only degrading the people of Negombo, but were also an insult to those who had been killed These hate mongers went as far as to say that those voters who voted for Sajith were terrorists. Any Sri […]
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US puts new Sri Lankan president on notice - K. Ratnayake
Gotabhaya Rajapakse [Credit: AP Photo] The international messages of congratulations sent to Sri Lanka’s newly-elected president, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, all underscore the fact that the strategically-located island is enmeshed in geo-political rivalries, centred above all on Washington’s determination to undermine Chinese influence throughout the region and prepare for war. Rajapakse, an ex-military officer and defence secretary […]
UN-Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka to make new presentation to UNHRC explaining atrocities committed by rebels
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Sri Lanka Govt. to ‘revisit’ UNHRC resolution as priority, says FM
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President Gotabaya Rajapaksa Must Demonstrate Respect For Human Rights and Address Impunity: ICJ
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Sri Lanka: Next President faces major rights challenges- Provide justice for past crimes, prevent future abuses - HRW
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U.S. says Sri Lankan army chief appointment will curtail cooperation
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Sri Lanka: Ex-forces chiefs condemn Geneva resolution & defend former Navy chief Karannagoda over abduction of 11 youth
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Navy abductions case: OMP raises concern over suspect Dassanayake’s confirmation of rank
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North East Coordinating Committee writes to UNSG : UN’s participation is vital to establish rule of law and to protect the rights of minorities in Sri Lanka.