Talks between India and Sri Lanka on the development on oil tanks on Trincomalee are underway, officials from the Joint Working Group (JWG) were quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying. The Managing Director of Lanka Indian Oil Company Shyam Bohra told the paper, "the government to government talks were taking place through the JWG to work out modalities for the development of the Oil Tank Farm in Trincomalee." "No final decision had been taken yet in this regard," he added.
Two Jaffna University students shot dead by police last year were remembered in Jaffna, ahead of the one year anniversary of their murders this month. A memorial service for N. Kajan and V. Sulaxan was held at the Venkaram library in Ponnalai on Wednesday. Sulaxan’s family members donated funds to the library in memory of the slain student.
A former LTTE cadre and restaurant owner in Jaffna has filed a complaint with the Sri Lankan human rights commission after being harassed by police officers who also attacked an elderly employee at his business last week. On Tuesday, five police officers from the Chavakachcheri police station entered the restaurant in civil clothing and asked for alcohol. When 70 year old R. Shanmuganathan told the officers that the restaurant did not sell drinks for takeaway, the officers attacked him and then took him to the police station, as well as looting the restaurant’s storage room of alcohol. The...
The British Minister for Asia and the Pacific met with TNA and Opposition leader R. Sampanthan in Colombo on Thursday. In the meeting with minister Mark Field, Mr Sampanthan discussed the TNA’s efforts in the constitution making process. “We cannot fail in this process,” Mr Sampanthan said of creating a new constitution that would bring about a political solution to the island’s ethnic conflict. “If we fail, that will pave the way for renewed violence,” he said. Highlighting the Tamil emphasis of the North-East merger, Mr Sampanthan said that since the new constitution would ensure the...
The Sri Lankan navy issued a gazette notification last month to acquire 672 acres in Mullivaikkaal. The acquisition comes despite ongoing calls on the Sri Lankan military to release occupied land across the North-East. Last month the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called on the Sri Lankan government to "to move faster on other essential confidence building measures, such as release of land occupied by the military." -
A Sri Lankan court has issued a restraining order banning a planned protest in Hambantota this week by Joint Opposition MPs. The protest was planned to demonstrate against the government signing agreements with foreign countries regarding the development of Hambantota port and Mattala airport. The order prevents MPs Namal Rajapaksa and D.V. Upul from being in the areas surrounding Hambantota Port, the Indian Consulate and any roads leading to the Port tomorrow. See more here .
Sri Lanka has rejected a bid by a Chinese firm to build an oil refinery and sell fuel locally, over fears it would be a threat to domestic companies, Reuters reported. “The Chinese companies asked permission (to supply local markets), but we did not give them permission. We asked them to participate in tenders of local suppliers, if they want to sell locally,” government spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne told Reuters. China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Corp, part of the state owned China National Petroleum Corp, together with Shandong Dongming Petrochemical Group submitted the proposal...
The UK’s Foreign Office Minister for Asia and the Pacific met with families of the disappeared in Colombo today.
A British Foreign Office Minister has said that the UK is committed to supporting Sri Lanka achieve its commitments on reconciliation and human rights.
The Sri Lankan government is set to receive a loan of US$75 million from the World Bank in order to address “challenges in the financial sector”. Sri Lanka’s Secretary to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance and Media met with World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives Idah Pswarayi-Riddihough to sign the agreement from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA). “A strong financial sector can help Sri Lanka sustain its developmental returns. Efficient financial markets can boost the competitiveness of Sri Lankan firms and overall job creation,” said Ms Pswarayi...