Opening remarks by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay at the press conference held in Colombo Colombo, 31 August 2013 Good morning, and thank you for coming. As is customary at the end of official missions such as this, I would like to make some observations concerning the human rights situation in […]

JOINT CIVIL SOCIETY SUBMISSION TO UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, MS NAVANETHAM PILLAY ON HER VISIT TO SRI LANKA (25th – 31st August, 2013) We, Sri Lankan civil society organisations, welcome the country visit of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Navanetham Pillay, in the preparation of an oral update at […]

Opening remarks by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay at a press conference during her mission to Sri LankaGood morning, and thank you for coming. As is customary at the end of official missions such as this, I would like to makesome observations concerning the human rights situation in the country.During my seven-day visit, […]

Hundreds of people held candles and photographs of loved ones as they marched in Sri Lanka’s capital on Friday demanding that authorities provide information about relatives who were reported missing during the country’s civil war.The vigil, marking International Day of the Disappeared, coincided with a visit by United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi […]

Last Sunday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa left the shores of the isle on an official visit, as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, who had finally accepted an invitation extended two years ago by the Rajapaksa Administration, arrived in the country. Sri Lankans, who have a fascination for conspiracy theories would call it […]

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday told visiting United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay that the post-war agreement, between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UNSG Ban Ki-moon, should be implemented in full.The TNA asserted that it was the responsibility on the part of the UN to ensure that the government adhered to the agreement. […]

Visiting United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay has reacted angrily to a recent statement attributed to Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva that he was willing to marry her. Well informed sources told The Island yesterday that an irritated Pillay had expressed displeasure when the video footage of the minister’s statement was brought to her […]

The chief ministerial candidate of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), C.V. Wigneswaran, emphasized the TNA will ensure that all powers vested to the Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, will be devolved properly to the Northern Provincial Council (NPC).Wigneswaran was addressing a mega election rally in Mullaitivu on Wednesday (28) attended by […]

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has told the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay that several people who spoke to her during her visit to the North have been threatened.TNA Chief Ministerial candidate for the Northern elections C.V. Wigneswaran said that the TNA communicated this to her when they had a meeting at […]

Add caption  MR tells Pillay incidents isolatedPresident Mahinda Rajapaksa has told the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay that some incidents raised by her are “isolated incidents” and that the majority of Sri Lankans continue to coexist peacefully in all parts of the island. President Rajapaksa also told Pillay that there is a […]

AFP-  A Sri Lankan Cabinet minister questioned the impartiality of the visiting United Nations human rights chief on Thursday, accusing her of supporting ethnic Tamil separatists because of her own Tamil background and having secret talks with activist groups outside of her official program.Navi Pillay, a South African of Indian Tamil origin, is on a […]

Pro-government activists led by monks protest outside the UN office in Colombo on August 26, 2013 (AFP/File, Ishara S. Kodikara)  (AFP)  A senior Sri Lankan minister on Thursday accused the visiting UN human rights chief of holding “secret meetings” with activists during her ongoing fact-finding mission.Housing minister Wimal Weerawansa said UN High Commissioner for Human […]

The government says there is no culture of impunity in the country and in instances where evidence is available action to conduct legal proceedings have been instituted  irrespective of the status of those accused, which include politicians, public officials and officers of the law enforcement agencies.External Affairs Minister, Prof. G.L. Peiris said this when he […]

One-time Post Master General Soma Kotakadeniya yesterday alleged that politicians had destroyed the once proud Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS), hence a major effort was needed to restore it.Mrs. Kotakadeniya claimed that the SLAS was in a pathetic state due to political interference and the failure on the part of SLAS officers to resist successive […]

The government says it will make all preparations to ensure there is further progress on the human rights front ahead of the next Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka at the UN in Geneva in 2017.President Mahinda Rajapaksa;s human rights envoy, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said this after meeting the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights […]

Democratic Party leader Gen. Sarath Fonseka yesterday alleged that visiting United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navanethem Pillay was pursuing an agenda of her own. An irate former war winning army commander told The Island that the UN mission in Colombo and the visiting Commissioner had deprived him of an opportunity to make representations, in spite […]

SLFP Batticaloa District Organiser Arun Tambimuttu yesterday urged visiting United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navanethem Pillay not to be selective in examining accountability issues in Sri Lanka.Thambimuttu said that those who had been demanding an investigation into the alleged war crimes claimed to have been  committed during the final phase of the war in early […]

The Minister for Irrigation and Water Management Nimal Sripala de Silva has said that the UN High Commisisoner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, could not give orders to Sri Lanka, and even if she did, the government would not comply.Talking to reporters at the office of Mahinda Rajapakse’s SLFP, the minister said Navi Pillay was […]

Families of Missing Persons file Habeus Corpus Application in High Court• Use of Cluster bombs and chemical weapons alleged• Indian naval ship fired into civilians in Mullivaikkal• Christian priest too among the disappeared• Women young and old stripped naked and abused in refugee camps• Entire family including 3 small children among missing persons together with […]

 Stroy and the photos by  Dinouk Colombage On Monday (26) the Buddhist monks of the National Organisation for Ravana Power (Ravana Balaya) marched to the UN office in Colombo demanding that UN Human Rights Chief, Navaneetham Pillay, leave the country. However, in a shocking display of disregard for the safety of their followers, the “Ravana […]

Transport Minister Kumara Welgama yesterday said that United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay’s intervention in domestic affairs of Sri Lanka was not acceptable.Minister Welgama said that contrary to reports, the UN official was free to visit any part of the country.Addressing a public gathering at Matugama, Minister Welgama alleged that the UN rights chief […]

Lets Marry – p=Photo created by another minister’s website I am ready to marry Pillay – Mervyn  The country’s maverick Public Relations and Public Affairs Minister Mervyn Silva said he was willing to marry visiting UNHRC Commissioner Navaneetham Pillay.“I urge her to join me to go on a trip around the country. I would teach […]

Victims of last month’s Army shooting and assault in Weliweriya, this week relived their nightlong horror at a Magisterial inquiry. They recounted their nightmare caught up in the crossfire and also the assaults they were subject to when they took refuge inside the Catholic church. Weapons-produced Policemen bring to courts weapons that were used by […]

Navi Pillay meeting the families of disappeared in Sri Lanka COLOMBO (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s president has criticised the UN Human Rights Council as its top official toured the battle-scarred nation to probe alleged war crimes, according to state media Wednesday.President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is on a trip to Belarus, has told his counterpart Alexander […]

Frank la Rue – UN Special Rapportuer on Freedom of Expression & Opinion In a letter handed over to the National Human Rights Commission the Free Media Movement has requested the  government to honor the commitment it made in 2006 to invite the UN Special Rapportuer on Freedom of Expression & Opinion to visit Sri […]

The National Freedom Front (NFF) today stated that it does not approve of the decision by the government to invite the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem Pillay to Sri Lanka, on a fact-finding mission.The party’s media spokesman Mohammed Muzammil stated that the government expects Navi Pillay to come and be impressed by the […]

Monitoring MP of the media ministry Manusha Nanayakkara emphasizes that Ms. Navi Pillai has come to Sri Lanka not to prepare a report on the situation in Sri Lanka as she has already made that report.Govt MPs and ministers express different views on the UN high commissioner’s Sri Lankan visit.Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said that a […]

Dilrukshi Handunnetti Marie Colvin, the well-known defence correspondent of the UK-based Sunday Times was crossing LTTE-controlled land to enter government territory in April 2001. Unexpectedly, Colvin ended up as a victim of Sri Lanka’s protracted war, losing her left eye in a grenade attack.   Re-emphasizing the brutality of war and how it devours innocent […]

Ceylon Today Editorial   The visiting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navanethem Pillay, who is in Sri Lanka on a week-long official tour, is expected to meet a motley group of people representing the government, including the Head of the State, the opposition, civil society, Tamil political parties, media and so forth. http://srilankaguardian.org/ Pillay’s visit […]

Investigations by Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) have revealed that certain MPs and candidates of the ruling party are using helicopters, VIP security personnel and even Defender vehicles belonging to the VIP Security Division for election campaign work. Twenty vehicles without number plates were seen being used for election propaganda work in the North Western and […]