International relations

By Saman Gunadasa A lengthy editorial in the Sunday Times in Sri Lanka late last month highlighted the nervousness in the country’s political and business circles that President Mahinda Rajapakse is aligning the country too closely to China, with potentially damaging consequences.The occasion for the editorial was Rajapakse’s attendance for the first time at the […]

Senior Indian officials have claimed that United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s first ever trip to Chennai will be a strictly non-governmental visit with no discussion on Sri Lanka.But a senior official in the Barack Obama administration, who will accompany Clinton, has said that Sri Lanka would definitely figure in the discussions between the […]

‘Interpol misused to punish opponents’Interpol supposed to chase criminals across borders is being used by some countries including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Iran, Russia and Venezuela to punish political dissenters and opponents, a new investigation done by a Washington-based journalists’ consortium finds. “What our investigation found is that Interpol’s Red Notice system is being abused by […]

By Frederica Jansz In an unprecedented move China has given President Mahinda Rajapaksa 9 million USD (approx. one billion rupees) as a grant in March this year to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to use at his discretion. According to highly places sources at the External Resources Department of the Treasury these monies were part of a […]

”There are two underlying messages to Sri Lanka in the statement. One is India’s stance that in addressing Tamil grievances, the Sri Lanka government “must move towards a new system of institutional reforms, where the Tamil people will have a feeling that they are equal citizens of Sri Lanka, and they can lead and live […]

On Friday night, the Channel 4 video was screened in Capitol Visitors Centre, Congressional Auditorium in Washington DC, for members of the United States Congress. The Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International-USA, the International Crisis Group, and Open Society Foundations were responsible for organising this event. U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern, Co-Chair of the Tom Lantos Human […]

Government of Sri Lanka has expressed opposite opinions regarding the newest country, the South Sudan. Sinhala nationalist groups in Sri Lanka have been campaigning against the establishment of South Sudan as an independent country and have supported the Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir  in recent times. Now in new turn of events Sri Lanka President has […]

UNP alleges serious misappropriation in second 10-acre Galle Face Land deal; Says agreements have not been carried out with only US$ 54 million paid of US$ 136 million total hence deal invalid; Wants Government to reveal details of transaction; Says suspicious company handling deal, wants company financials divulged By Uditha JayasingheSetting the stage for more […]

By Col. R. HariharanI have received a number of mails asking for my comments on the Channel 4 video Killing Fields on alleged war crimes committed by Sri Lankan Army, particularly after I participated in a panel discussion on the subject in the Headlines Today TV channel recently. I am giving my views and comments […]

High Court in a 140-page judgment awards case to Standard Chartered Bank on all counts; State oil utility liable to pay minimum of $ 162 m previously withheld plus interest Government likely to appeal against the ruling in a higher court; Ruling on $ 200 m-claiming Citi’s arbitration scheduled for late July; $ 60 m […]

Nirupama Rao. Lanka war crimes: Govt can’t sit quiet, says Jaswant Singh•Lanka war crimes: Briton arrested in connection with Channel 4 video•Documentary on Sri Lankan war crimesThe Indian government has had nothing to say for the last four days on the gross violation of human rights in Sri Lanka. Four days after Headlines Today aired […]

The New Indian ExpressTIRUCHY: Urging the Centre to introduce a resolution at the UN for declaring Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa as a war criminal, the CPI on Friday made it clear that it was ready to join hands with its arch rival, the BJP, to press for this demand in Parliament.‘It is time to […]

7 July 2011A packed reception in the British Parliament on July 5th highlighted the level of support amongst parliamentarians and key decision-makers for truth, accountability and justice in Sri Lanka.Hosted by Hon. Lee Scott MP and Hon. Siobhain McDonagh MP, Chair and Vice-Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG – T), and […]

Full Text of Resolution Via Parliament of AustraliaSJ No 41 – 7 July 2011The Leader of the Australian Greens (Senator Bob Brown) amended general business notice of motion no. 323 by leave and, pursuant to notice of motion not objected to as a formal motion, moved—That the Senate:(a) notes: (i) Sri Lanka’s `killing fields’, which […]

July 7, 2011 /By Saman IndrajithThe main Opposition in Parliament, the UNP, on Thursday alleged that the government had created the impression among the international community that Sri Lanka was a military State by packing the Sri Lanka Foreign Service with military personnel.UNP MP John Amaratunge alleged that SLFS was rapidly deteriorating due to inclusion […]

China, seeking to gain influence in the Indian Ocean , has reportedly increased its aid to Sri Lanka dramatically since 2005, a US Congressional report has said.“In the view of some analysts and observers, China is seeking to gain influence with the Sri Lankan government as part of a ‘string of pearls’ naval strategy to […]