Govt to regulate sites of demonstrations in Colombo

The government is to regulate where protests and demonstrations can take place in Colombo with a Gazette notification by the Ministry of Law and Order next week. Protests and demonstrations would only be allowed in certain areas, with other roads prohibited, the Sunday Times reported.

Sri Lanka army personnel complete nursery and agriculture course

Members of Sri Lanka's army concluded a three month training programme on nursery management and agriculture, reports Sri Lnaka's army website. Certificates were handed over to soldiers by Brigadier Randula Hatnagoda. During the programme army personnel learnt about theoritcal and practical aspects of cultivation of plants anf nursery management systems. See more here.

Sri Lanka signs $2 billion agreement to build Asia's largest tower in Colombo

Sri Lanka’s Board of Investment (BOI) has signed a $2 billion investment agreement with the World Capital Centre (WCC) to construct the tallest building in the Asian region. The 117 floor building will become the largest tower in the world in terms of square meterage and the 9th tallest building in the world. The WCC is expected to the building in the centre of Colombo’s commercial district. The agreement was signed by the Chairman of the BOI Upul Jayasooirya during a ceremony alongside the Chairman of the WCC Ahmed Moulana. See more here.

Major amendments to Sri Lanka's constitution not required says Buddha Sasana

Monks from the Buddha Sasana, concluded that major amendments to Sri Lanka’s constitution were not needed. The Buddha Sasana which shares a dedicated ministerial post with the Ministry of Justice in Sri Lanka, met to discuss the constitution with monks from different Buddhist institutions. Speaking at the end of the meeting Ven. Anamaduwe Sri Dammadassi Nayaka Thero said any new amendments to the constitution ,other than ones those fixing loopholes, were not needed, reports adaderena.lk. The Ministry of the Buddha Sasana is presided by the Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe See more...

Sri Lanka to ban bottom trawling fishing

The Sri Lankan government is set to announce a ban on bottom trawling fishing this week, in a move targeting fishermen from Tamil Nadu who reportedly cross the International Maritime Boundary Line. Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Mahinda Amaraweera will introduce the ban on Thursday, with reports that up to 1,500 Tamil Nadu boats have been reported fishing in Sri Lanka waters using bottom trawls, according to the Sunday Times. The use of bottom trawlers has also been a point of concern for Tamil fishermen across the North-East, who have repeatedly complained of damage being done to...

Myliddy harbour and lands released after 27 years of military occupation

The Myliddy harbour, which at one time accommodated almost a third of Sri Lanka’s fishing trade, and 54 acres of surrounding land on Jaffna peninsula were released today after 27 years of military occupation. Around 50 families have registered with the Tellipalai Divisional Secretariat to resettle in the lands released today. While residents were eager to step into and see their lands after having no access for 27 years, they noted that none of their properties were in immediately habitable conditions. Houses and buildings in the lands were mostly demolished, and none of the valuable furniture and construction materials left behind by civilians were to be found. Community spaces such as the local Kovil and its chariot were also discovered in a state of ruin and disrepair.

Sri Lankan home affairs minister says fallen LTTE should be honoured - Uthayan

Honouring fallen LTTE cadres should be allowed, the Sri Lankan Minister of Home Affairs has said, according to a report by the Uthayan newspaper . The minister, Vajira Abeywardena, is quoted by the Uthayan as saying “all soldiers [including LTTE] that died in the war should be honoured and there is nothing wrong in paying tribute to them.” The remarks were made at the Oddusuddan Maha Vidyalayam in Mullaitivu during a session of the Sri Lankan President’s “Nila Mehewara” National Mobile Service Program. The quotes follow months of sustained harassment of North-East, and particularly Mullaitivu...

Expansion continues at Sri Lanka’s Eastern army base

The Sri Lankan military has constructed a new accommodation block for soldiers at its Eastern headquarters, declared an official army website last week.

Tamil schoolchildren given tour of military occupied KKS

A group of Tamil schoolchildren were given a tour of KKS in Jaffna last week, a restricted area of land where the Sri Lankan security forces maintain a large military base and operates its own holiday resort.

India donates 16,000 mostly Tamil books to Jaffna library

India donated 16,000 books, mostly in the Tamil language, to the Jaffna library last week, during the Indian High Commissioner, Taranjit Singh Sandhu visit to the North-East. The collection includes photocopies of some of the original work of the Arumugam Navalar which was destroyed when the library was set alight by state security forces and Sinhala mobs in 1981.

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