In the chaotic merry-go-round characterizing the drafting of Sri Lanka’s proposed Counter-Terror Act (CTA), the periodic surfacing of one version followed by another has given rise to unexpected horrors. Each time that a new draft emerges or should I rather say, is ‘extracted’ with great pain out of a process gripped by skullduggery and secrecy, […]

Image: Right to Information includes covering conflict situations. By Namini Wijedasa. The word ‘Espionage’ dropped, but originally listed offences reintroduced. The Counter Terrorism Act policy framework approved by the Cabinet this week has reintroduced  offences originally listed under “espionage”– whilst merely removing the word “espionage” from the document. As such, the draft makes it an […]

DRI. The Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) of the European Union (EU) is a trade arrangement that allows developing countries to pay less or no duties on their exports to the EU. The EU offers GSP programmes to help vulnerable countries to reduce poverty, improve governance and foster a process of sustainable development. The Generalised […]

By K. Ratnayake . Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has called upon Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka to resign from the government’s ministry and return to the position of army commander. In a bid to “discipline the country,” Fonseka would be head of the country’s three armed forces for two years. Cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne announced […]

Image: Iranian elections traditionally have a high turnout. copyrightAFP. By Siavash Ardalan, BBC Persian.  Iran is due to hold a presidential election on 19 May, in which the incumbent Hassan Rouhani will fight for a second term. The polls are seen as critical to the future direction of the Islamic Republic. Here are some issues to know. It […]

by Jayantha Somasundaram (The Island 27 September 2005.) Rev. Fr. Paul Caspersz, SJ, who celebrated his eightieth birthday was recently felicitated with a national seminar that dealt both with global as well as national issues of development. This reflection on the politics of religion in Sri Lanka is penned as a tribute to him. God […]

The resolution submitted by a group of Members of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left saying that the GSP+ should not be granted to Sri Lanka, was defeated  in the European Parliament in Brussels on 27th April . The Government  has partially fulfilled the two conditions put forward by the European Union to grant GSP […]

Image: Jaffna shut down in protest; credit Shalin. Colombo, Apr 27 (PTI) All the major towns in Sri Lanka’s war-ravaged northern and eastern provinces today observed a shutdown after the Tamil and Muslim political parties held a protest demanding the release of military-occupied land. Offices, businesses, schools and public transport came to a halt after […]

Image: Chelvanayagam at the 1961 sathyagrahaya.  Rajitha Senarathna. When we were political cubs, we knew of Chelvanayagam as one who was the “father” figure of Tamil Nationalism. He was one Tamil political leader who was affectionately called “Thanthai” – meaning ‘Father’ – Chelva. Samuel James Velupillai Chelvanayagam dominated Tamil politics in the first 03 decades in […]

REV. FR. PAUL CASPERSZ, S.J., (91/74) passed away at 11.00 pm on 25th (Tuesday) April, 2017 in Negombo. His mortal remains lie at the chapel, “Sevsevana”, Jesuit Provincialate, Akkara Panaha, Negombo from 7.00 pm onwards on 26th Wednesday. A Mass will be offered on Thursday, 27th at 7.00 p.m., at the same place. On 28th […]

On 22nd April 2017 , a statement endorsed by 38 civil society organizations and 2,680 individuals requesting his Excellency the President, Maithripala Sirisena to review and revoke the gazette notification no. 2011/34 was sent to the President. The gazette declares 40,030 hectares of land in Musali DS division in the Mannar District as Mavillu forest […]

Image: Protesting people of Kepapulavu, Mullaithevu against military occupation of their land. credit- Garikaalan. Writing letter to European Union and its relevant officials,  a network of German human rights organizations has called for a deferral of granting GSP + to Sri Lanka if the GoSL not prepared to substantially ‘deliver’ in time and in concrete terms. […]

Photo: Yameen Rasheed at the Find Moyameehaa rally in Aprilthat he attended a rally, along with Rilwan’s mother demanding government action. Credit: Find Moyameehaa, The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Maldives Journalists Association (MJA) in deploring the brutal killing of blogger and social media activist Yameen Rasheed in Male’ on April […]

By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan. The people of the North and East came to the street protesting and urging the release of their lands that were taken by the military. Their daring protests have been ‘heard’ and several lands occupied by the security forces are being released gradually paving the way for Tamils to resettle. However, […]

European United Left and Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL ) consisting 52 members (MEPs) have submitted a resolution to the European Parliament rquesting not to grant GSP+ trade consessions to Sri Lanka. Next  plenary session of the Parliament is scheduled for 26-27th April. if 376 out of 751 MEPs vote for the resolution at the upcoming  session […]

Political sources in Colombo are buzzing with rumours of a possible cabinet reshuffle within the next two weeks. President Sirisena told media on 20th April that he will change faces as well as systems in two weeks time to make governance more efficient. State media quoted Sirisena saying that “there will be major changes in […]

Image: Meetotamulla, 15th April 2016. Basil Fernando. For many decades Sri Lankans have ignored the collapse of their legal system, the crisis of the judicial system and the virtual disappearance of all legal traditions. For this reason, the bond between law and social structure is now weak. This means that the law is unable to […]

Image: Many asylum seekers have same kind of torture marks on their backs. By Stephen Wright . An asylum seeker allowed himself to be tortured with hot iron bars to support his bid to stay in the UK, judges have ruled. He claimed five scars on his back were evidence of how he was badly […]

Apr 21, 2017 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s nineteenth amendment (19A) to the constitution which placed limitations on the powers of the President have implications on the operation of the Office on Missing Persons (OMP), a research report showed. Research conducted by the head of legal at Verité Research, Sabrina Esufally, argues that the constitution and […]

Image: protests against garbage disposal in their area! Now such protests is an act punishable by law. President Maithripala Sirisena instructed issuance of a special gazette notification to declare garbage disposal as an essential service. Accordingly a gazette will be issued with effect from midnight today under the Public Security Act Clause NO 16 declaring […]

Image: Navy base, Trincomalee. by Nirmala Kannangara. The CID also told courts that although the Navy Commander had given an assurance that the suspect will be handed over to the CID once he finishes the training course he is undergoing. Vice Admiral Wijegunaratne is yet to execute his promise for the past three months. When […]

Image: Sri Lanka War zone May 2019. Addressing the media at the Centre for Society and Religion (CSR), Maradana on April 18 the Collective of Civil Society Organizations urged the government to investigate  into war crimes allegations in accordance with Geneva Resolution 30/1 co-sponsored by the government. One of the speakers was Akalanka Hettiarachchi  of […]

Wartime Director Operations, Joint Operations Headquarters (JOH), the then Brigadier Kumara Herath has told the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) that Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera had told him that The Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunga had been killed with a sharp object soon after the incident which occurred on the […]

Image: Anne-Marie Mineur and Lola Sánchez Caldentey meeting with local TU leaders; Credit www.guengl.eu. Issuing a statement the Fact Finding Mission including Members of the European Parliament Anne-Marie Mineur and Lola Sánchez Caldentey that visited Sri Lanka has emphasised that GSP plus concessions will be granted to Sri Lanka only  that the benefit goes also […]

Ted Andersen/Geneva. The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday endorsed the world’s first-ever vaccine for dengue fever, a potentially deadly mosquito-borne virus that threatens to infect close to half of the world’s population. Unlike malaria, there is no established cure for dengue fever, which can cause severe nausea, bone pain, headaches, rashes, bleeding and even […]

Image: European parliament in session. In a letter addressed to PM Wickremasinghe European Parliament has put forward two specific conditions if Sri Lanka wants to regain the EU’s GSP Plus concessions. The letter had been sent to Wickremasinghe on 7th April 2017. The letter says that “we expect the Government to table legislation to replace […]

Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Tamil National Alliance R . Sampanthan has  extended his deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones in the unfortunate incident that occurred at Meethotamulla on 14 April. ‘This incident has shattered the lives of hundreds of families in the area. I urge the […]

Image:A United Nations peacekeeper from Nigeria on Nov. 18, 2010 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Lee Celano—Getty Images. Edith M. Lederer and Paisley Dodds / AP. (UNITED NATIONS) — U.S. Ambassador Nikki Haley on Thursday urged all countries that provide troops for U.N. peacekeeping missions to hold soldiers accountable for sexual abuse and exploitation, an appeal that came […]

Image:A UN peacekeeper from Sri Lanka patrols the neighborhood of Grand Ravine in Port-au-Prince in September 2006.Reuters. By Brendan Cole. United Nations peacekeepers allegedly sexually exploited vulnerable people in Haiti they were sent to protect in a litany of horrific abuse. The Associated Press reviewed UN data during a 12-year period from 2004, during which […]

At the  recently held Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly meeting “all were allowed to speak their minds out at the meeting. Opposition Leader Sampanthan very strongly urged for a new Constitution with a referendum, but both the President and Prime Minister were of the view that this was not the right time for it. […]