by Nirmala Kannangara. The Habeas Corpus and ‘B’ report cases filed in Court of Appeal and Homagama Magistrate’s Court respectively in the disappearance of Lanka e-news journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda are to be taken up for hearing this week, Sandya Eknaligoda, the wife of the journalist said. The Habeas Corpus case will be taken up Friday […]

(Missing Person Commission recording complaints in Jaffna) The Presidential Commission Investigating Cases of Missing Persons in Sri Lanka began its public sittings to hear cases of missing in Jaffna District Friday (11). Secretary of the Commission HW Gunadasa said the Commission has received 100 new complaints during the first two days of sessions in Jaffna […]

by Nirmala Kannangara. President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s exposé during the second reading of the budget in parliament early this month as to how Kurunegala District MP, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa had allegedly exploited even the dead to misuse public monies during his tenure as the country’s executive president has further revealed […]

Establishing an effective media commission and an Independent Broadcasting Commission is crucial to uphold media principles particularly in the private media sector, said Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe. He emphasised the need for the state-owned media to practice unbiased reporting. “Today, the State media and large media houses pose a threat to media freedom,” the Premier […]

( Both are responsible ?) A driver of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to be arrested in connection with the murder of former Sri Lanka Rugby captain Wasim Thajudeen. The CCTV footage on the abduction of Wasim Thajudeen that shows the events taken place just before his murder was handed over to Colombo University to […]

India has urged the Northern Province Chief Minister C. V. Wigneswaran to resolve the intra-party conflicts to facilitate the Government’s constitutional changes for the devolution of power as a political solution to the ethnic conflict. Mr. Wigneswaran admitted that an Indian envoy took up the issue with him during a one-on-one meeting at his office […]

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday suggested a compensation scheme for families of journalists and other media persons killed while on duty. Mr. Wickremesinghe speaking during the committee stage budget debate on the allocation for the Ministry of Mass Media and Parliamentary Affairs said a compensation plan would be implemented for 44 media persons, who were […]

While activists are adamant that not only such compulsory testing but also picking out categories such as university students and schoolchildren is unacceptable, claiming that usually such hype comes around December 1 which is World AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) Day.   It is a rational voice among venereologists, however, which cleared the air and […]

By D.B.S.Jeyaraj. “For Brutus, as you know, was Caesar’s angel.Judge, O you gods, how dearly Caesar lov’d him!This was the most unkindest cut of all;For when the noble Caesar saw him stab, Ingratitude, more strong than traitors’ arms,Quite vanquish’d him: then burst his mighty heart” – William Shakespeare “Julius Caesar”(Act 3 Scene 2) Political tensions […]

(Subinary Nandy ) A lawsuit filed by well-known novelist Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara seeking an order requiring UNO or UN Resident Coordinator Subinary Nandy to admit in writing that the investigations against Sri Lanka authorized under a resolution in March-2014 is illegal was today dismissed by the Colombo District Court. While ordering to set aside the […]

Twenty five percent of all the elected representatives of the local government institutions would be comprised of women, under whatever system the polls is held, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe assured in Parliament today. He said that the motion related to this move would be presented in Parliament in January next year. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe made […]

Geneva event unveils effort to reinforce existing international obligations, mechanisms. Participants at a press conference at Le Club Suisse de la Presse (CSP) in Geneva on Dec. 9, 2015 to unveil the International Declaration and Best Practices on the Promotion of Journalists Safety. From left to right, Gianfranco Fattorini, consultant for Geneva Global Media; Barbara […]

 By Basil Fernando. Leading human rights activist Basil Fernando faults the government for not pushing the good governance agenda enough: The former Executive Director of the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) highlighted that if the positive tide created in January 2015 is to be transformed in to a long-term movement, urgent legal reforms aimed at […]

Tamil Guardian. Families of the disappeared demonstrated in Mannar on Thursday, marking Human Rights Day. Calling for their loved ones who are missing or forcibly disappeared to be returned to them, protesters wept as they marched through the town, holding photographs of those who they were searching for.

Investigations into the assassination of high profile editor Lasantha Wickrematunga has taken a new turn with the authorities focusing on top police officers who may have been involved in a huge cover up. The then Inspector-General Jayantha Wickremaratne and the then Deputy Inspector General Prasanna Nanayakkara have been questioned by the Criminal Investigations Department about […]

(LBO) – Sri Lanka’s government and I Paid A Bribe Sri Lanka has launched a “first of its kind” anti-corruption website www.ipaidabribe.lk to crowd source reports on corruption. President Maithripala Sirisena and Chairman of the Commission to Investiate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe, were present at the launch at the UN […]

Today is International Human Rights Day. And as in the past, Sri Lanka will join the countries of the world in commemorating this important even. But this year, Sri Lanka’s commemorations will not only be symbolic – they will also be substantive. So I am very pleased to announce that Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to […]

Basil Rajapaksa, the former Minister of Economic Development and powerful brother of ex President Mahinda Rajapaksa was indicted  on 9th multiple criminal charges ranging from bribery and corruption to misappropriation of public funds. Mr Rajapaksa who left the country immediately after the defeat of his brother at the January 8 Presidential election was arrested on […]

The Colombo Magistrate’s Court today instructed the Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) to launch an inquiry regarding the medical team, including former Chief Judicial Medical Officer of Colombo Dr. Ananda Samarasekara, which had carried out the first postmortem examination after the death of former Sri Lankan rugby player Wasim Thajudeen. The instructions were issued after […]

By David Daly. The EU is based on the principles of democracy, the rule of law and human rights and it strives to respect the highest standards. The EU not only has a principled incentive to uphold human rights through its policies, but it also has a legal obligation to do so. Therefore, as we […]

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday reiterated his government’s position that it would not sign the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India but it would enter into a pact on economic and technology collaboration with the neighbour. Expressing his government’s reservations about allowing Indian professionals into Sri Lanka under any new agreement […]

( Samantha Power speaking to press in Colombo) As Washington continues to embrace Sri Lanka’s new government, it’s important to remember that America’s next president is unlikely to shake up ties. By Taylor Dibbert Sri Lanka’s President, Maithripala Sirisena, will soon complete his first year in office and many promises remain unfulfilled. More recently, we’re […]

When former Rugby player Wasim Thajudeen’s body was exhumed in August this year, just seven days before a crucial Parliamentary election, some sections of the society thought it would be another ‘election gimmick.’ They believed the Police would not be able to probe into the incident in a free and fair manner, as the investigation […]

(Thousands of houses were destroyed in the war) The European Union will invest 14 million Euros to build houses and improve infrastructure in 9 divisions of the North and East. The EU programme will seek to benefit over 300,000 people in Killinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Vavuniya and Batticaloa. The Habitat for Humanity project aims to construct […]

The passage of the second reading of the budget by a 2/3 majority in Parliament is an indication that the National Unity Government led by President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe continues to be strong. Although the SLFP component of the government headed by President Sirisena is divided, with a majority of the […]

Tax experts and economic analysts cautioned that the country’s economy may take a dip similar to Greece which needed bail outs to avoid defaults on foreign borrowings. Sri Lanka’s foreign borrowing on high interest rates by the former regime have gone into colossal amounts which would be passed on to the people who will have […]

(PTI) COLOMBO: In a landmark decision, Sri Lankan police have been ordered to pay compensation for assaulting a group of students at a demonstration here, the first time they have been censured for violating international humanitarian law. The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has ordered the police to pay USD 1,035 to nine […]

Sri Lankan diplomat Sepala Ratnayake’s name has been mentioned in connection with the investigation into the death of former Rugby player Wasim Thajudeen, top Police sources told Asian Mirror. Ratnayake, who was attached to the Sri Lankan mission in London, had allegedly assisted one of the suspects of Thajudeen’s case to escape to London, the […]

In a major ironical twist unfolding before our eyes, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has seen fit to wax eloquent on the importance of judicial integrity this week. Addressing a press conference, she is reported to have said that, over the last decade, the Sri Lankan public in general and she in particular, had lost ‘confidence […]

(HELP: File photo of another police attack.) ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s police may have scored an own goal by trying to invoke the United Nation’s Universal Declaration on Human Rights as a defence against allegations they used excessive force in breaking up a student demonstration in October. SSP Ajith Rohana, a former police spokesman, argued […]