Image: Welikada prison, Colombo, Sri Lanka ( AI photo) GENEVA (29 November 2017) – A three-member delegation from the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention will carry out an official visit to Sri Lanka from 4 to 15 December 2017 to assess the country’s situation regarding the deprivation of liberty. José Antonio Guevara Bermúdez, Leigh […]

Sri Lankan soldiers recorded these terrible crimes on their mobile phones and camcorders – and over the past four years, more and more of this footage has emerged. Callum Macrae. To the Tamils of northeast Sri Lanka and to much of their global diaspora, Isaipriya was a star: a presenter and actress who came to […]

J.N. Dixit in his book, Assignment Colombo, had recalled the lengthy exchange he had with Prabakaran on all the details of the agreement in the presence of MGR and Panruti S. Ramachandran. “But Prabakaran remained indecisive and demanded that he be sent back to Jaffna. “MGR told him to be patient and stay back in […]

Sri Lanka Police chief Pujitha Jayasundara is monitoring the mobile phones of senior police officers, according to the Sunday Times: “The head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne, dropped a bombshell at a meeting of senior Police officers with members of the Police Commission on Friday. He said that the Special […]

Image: Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe leaves after appearing before a presidential commission of inquiry into issuance of treasury bonds in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Monday, Nov. 20, 2017. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena) The misplaced ecstasy of those who greeted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe’s appearance before the Commission of Inquiry into the Treasury Bond Issuance early this week […]

Image: Rows of burned houses and businesses bear testimony to the violence [M Riza/Al Jazeera] by M Riza Ginthota, Sri Lanka – Muhammad Abrar is still in shock, nearly a week after his house in Ampitiya village in the southern Sri Lankan town of Ginthota came under attack from a Sinhalese-Buddhist mob. On November 17, he had […]

“If there are undue criticism and complaints against the decisions taken by me to stop corruption and fraud, I am ready to leave all positions and join the people to continue the struggle” says President Maithripala Sirisena. He was speaking at a public meeting held today (Nov. 24) in Nikaveratiya. “As the government of SLFP […]

Image: Screenshot allegedly showing the house of a Sri Lankan Muslim damaged by a mob attack by Sri Lankan Buddhists. Video by Haroon Ali via YouTube. Tensions between Sinhalese Buddhists and members of the minority Muslim community in southern Sri Lanka have escalated in recent days. Police say this is thanks in part to the […]

There are contradictory information and claims being made out in the public sphere in relation recent violent incident in Gintota, Galle as what was ignited the clash between Sinhala and Muslim people living in the area. What follows  is a  verified account by a human rights defender. On 12th Nov. a mother and 1 and 1/2 […]

Image: Gintota ethnic clashes were fueled by fake news spread by social media. By Jehan Perera. The government took decisive action to put the lid on escalating inter ethnic violence between Sinhalese and Muslims in Gintota over the weekend which led to damage to a large number of homes, businesses and buildings estimated to be […]

Image: Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera. The Island political correspondent, C.A. Chandraprema, was threatened on 19th Nov. by Galagodaatte Gnanasara Thera while the former was at the funeral of Ven. Medagoda Abhayatissa Thera’s mother in Narammala.After paying his last respects to the remains of the monk’s mother Chandraprema was speaking with a Nayake Thera when Gnansara Thera accosted […]

Image@ “The cold war between President Maithripala Sirisena (left) and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is likely to further weaken the government’s capacity to advance constitutional reforms.” The leaders in Colombo.   | Photo Credit: AFP. In Sri Lanka, the biggest obstacle to constitutional reforms comes from within the government Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and his […]

Image: Police curfew imposed in Gintota to control the unruly crowds.(Daily FT photo) A minor incident took place between individuals of Sinhala and Muslim community had  erupted in to ethnic clash in the southern town of  Gintota, Galle district quickly showing the ethnic distrust and tensions remain in the multi-ethnic Sri Lankan society. Ironically the incident took […]

6. The recommendations formulated during the interactive dialogue listed below have been examined by Sri Lanka and enjoy the support of Sri Lanka: 6.1. Consider ratifying the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, aimed at abolishing the death penalty (Uruguay); 6.2. Ratify the Optional Protocol to the Convention against […]

Image courtesy of Asian Mirror (file photo). By R.Sampanthan. Mr. Speaker, I want to commence my speech by congratulating the Finance Minister, the Hon. Mangala Samaraweera who has presented his first Budget at a time when the country’s economy is in much difficulty. The Hon. Minister is an old, sincere Friend who has always been […]

By Dr Harsha de Silva, MP, Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs. At a time when the world seems to be struggling mightily to put human rights at the forefront of a global discourse burdened by conflict, fear of terrorism and radicalisation, and real or perceived security threats of various kinds, mechanisms like […]

Speaking at the 28th working group session of UPR on many countries recommended that Sri Lanka should protect and promote human rights in the country in line with UNHRC rsolutions 30/1 and 34/1. Recommendations and concerns by the member status are follows (as tweets sent by IMDAR) Belgium #UPR28: #Belgium recommends #SriLanka to ensure #transitionaljustice […]

Image; Harsha de Silva, Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs of Sri Lanka ( file photo)   Making the opening statement  at the Third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka- Geneva, on 15 November 2017 by Hon. (Dr) Harsha de Silva, Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs provided […]

The Supreme Court today awarded a total of Rs.800,000 — Rs.600,000 as compensation and Rs.200,000 as cost–to Britisher Naomi Coleman who was arrested and deported for having a Buddha tattoo on her right upper arm. The Supreme Court said her fundamental rights had been breached and that a Magistrate could not issue a deportation order […]

The Associated Press (AP) has carried a news story that gives a graphic account of torture practices in Sri Lanka that allegedly continue to this day. This story which has been carried by newspapers and media outlets throughout the world, including the New York Times, gives accounts of some 50 men who claim they were […]

The Internet Media Action (IMA – www.imalanka.org) is concerned about the blockage of the news portal Lanka e News (LeN: www.lankaenews.com) since last 8th of November 2017 making inaccessible to the LeN website within Sri Lanka through all the Internet service providers(ISPs) including Sri Lanka Telecom, one of the leading broadband providers in the country. […]

Inspector General Pujith Jayasundara has told a public gathering that the President and the Prime Minister would not tolerate the NGOs, which are dependent on foreign aid  reports Daily Mirror.  he has sad this  at a function held at Mallawapitiya in Kurunegala on 14th November. defending the President Sirisena he has said that it is important […]

Issuing a statement calling  the international community to re-prioritize accountability and justice in Sri Lanka  number of  Northern /Tamil  civil society organisations  says that  the international community’s ‘soft diplomacy’ approach to Sri Lanka simply has not worked. The Sri Lankan government has made it clear time and time again, that they do not have the political will […]

On the blocking of Lanka E News website in Sri Lanka. 13th November 2017, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) notes with concern the inaccessibility of online news website Lanka E News from within Sri Lanka since 8th November 2017. AFP reports that the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) had ordered internet service […]

Sri Lanka will come under Universal Periodic Review  of the UN Human Rights Council on  15th of November at Palais des nations, in Geneva. ‘The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a unique process which involves a review of the human rights records of all UN Member States. The UPR is a State-driven process, under the […]

Image courtesy of AsiaNews. The debate on the Interim Report of the Steering Committee of the Constitutional Assembly is over and the focus of the parliamentarians shifts, at least during the next month, to the Budget debate. The Constitutional Assembly discussions which were originally scheduled for only three days were extended to five days to […]

Image: Keppapulavu people in front of the army camp built on their land. (credit @garikaalan) Firing a another letter to President Sirisena  requesting to release Tamil people’s land occupied by Security forces at Keppapulavu , TNA leader Sampanthan says that denial of their legitimate right to their land would be immensely harmful to reconciliation .This would […]

Media Statement/ 09 November 2017. Free Media Movement observes that an informal censorship is prevalent within the country, by obstructing the technical access to Lanka E News Website. The efforts by the FMM to obtain information from the Tele Communications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) who is alleged for being responsible for the act has […]

Image:Panama villagers are demanding   their land occupied by security forces to be released. (Credit: Vikalpa) The third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka will be held on Wednesday 15 November 2017  at 14:30 – 18:00 in Geneva UNHRC building, palais des nation. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights […]

In a reply to the article titled ‘Dozens of Men Describe Rape, Torture by Sri Lanka Government’ by the Associated Press that was published in the New York Times Sri Lanka government says that it does not condone or tolerate any form of torture, and seeks to work with all, including bilateral partners, as well as international […]