Nisha Biswal MATTHEW PENNINGTON WASHINGTON (AP) — International patience could wear thin with Sri Lanka unless it takes action to address allegations of atrocities during the island nation’s civil war, the top U.S. diplomat for South Asia said Tuesday. Assistant Secretary of State Nisha Biswal stopped short of endorsing a deadline set last month by […]

The most astonishing, outrageous and mysterious aspect of the Impeachment proceedings is: How? The entirety of the ‘actual Inquiry proper’ of examining and recording of all the evidence of several witnesses, producing and marking enormous amount of complicated documents, was speedily and hurriedly rushed, in about Five Hours, of one continuous sitting, on the 7th […]

UN (OHCHR)  United Nations Special Rapporteur Chaloka Beyani started today a five-day official visit to Sri Lanka to examine the overall situation of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country.“I will gather first-hand information from all parties, including displaced persons and affected communities themselves,” said Mr. Beyani, who will go to Colombo, Jaffna and Mullaitivu […]

Samaraweera Speech made by Mangala Samaraweera M.P. opening the Committee Stage debate in Parliament on the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development  Mr. Speaker,Although Parliamentary convention compelled the chief whip to move a cut of Rs.10 at the commencement of this debate, We should, in fact move a cut of at least several billion rupees […]

France’s Action Against Hunger (ACF) on Tuesday accused Sri Lankan security forces of killing 17 aid workers in cold blood and then organising a cover-up of what it termed a “heinous” war crime.In a report due to be made public later in the day, the charity said it has proof that Sri Lankan army, navy […]

Sri Lanka’s women’s organization and a group of human rights activists had prepared to conduct a peaceful protest against the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), Hudson Samarasinghe , yesterday ( 02) in front of the SLBC premises and a group of thugs , who arrived at the location has attempted to  sabotage […]

UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya The Independence of the Judiciary was being eroded by the government, which was coercing it into infringing on the fundamental rights of people, UNP MP Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament yesterday.MP Jayasuriya, participating in the committee stage debate on Budget 2014, said: “Decades of judicial experience and independent judgments have been destroyed. […]

Chinthaka Wasantha the main suspect of the murder of a police constable and his wife in Kamburupitiya died due to a confrontation with STF at Nigala last night, Police said. The Police spokesman claimed that when the STF had surrounded the suspect in Nigala last night the suspect opened fire at them and died in […]

Human rights left on the back burner It is not often that the Chinese government criticises another nation for how it handles civil liberties, especially a country with which it has close financial and diplomatic ties. So it was curious when Qin Gang, a spokesman for the Chinese foreign ministry, advised Sri Lanka, a nation […]

A new intelligence bureau consisted of handpicked officers belonging to Sri Lankan State intelligence Service (SIS) the Department of Military intelligence (DMI) has been set up by the Govt, Indian media reports.According to news reports this new intelligence unit has been named “The International Bureau of Investigation”. Officers attached to this unit are said to […]

Given the opportunity to allocate money from the National Budget to sectors of their choice, people would choose Education, Health and Agriculture. Around 82% of Sri Lankans say that the general security situation in the country has changed for the better over the last two years, with 42.8% stating that it has got a lot […]

Chandra Jayarathna By Chandra Jayarathna In terms of the invitation published in the Media under your hand, dated 31st October 2013, calling for written submissions, I am pleased to make the under-noted submissions:The Commission should interpret the scope of its Terms of Reference as set out in the Warrant issued by the President, taking cognizance […]

From  The Sunday Times political column Meanwhile, among the preparations that have got under way for the UNHRC sessions are moves to implement more recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). One such widely publicised measure is to conduct a census on deaths/injuries to persons and property damages due to the “conflict in the […]

P Chidambaram India today asserted that it would not rest till the Sri Lanka implemented the 13th amendment and insisted on an “elaborate, independent and genuine probe” acceptable to the international community into the ‘genocide’ by that government during 2009 civil war.“There are attempts being made there for not implementing the 13th amendment in the […]

A preview screening of the BBC World documentary ‘Sri Lanka’s unfinished war’, which outlines several cases of rape and torture against Tamils in the North-East, took place at the Frontline club today. The screening was followed by a panel discussion with the producer of the documentary, Frances Harrison, producer of the No Fire Zone documentaries, Callum Macrae […]