Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena said “relations between the United States and Sri Lanka have reached a high point” and called for further co-operation between the two governments, in a message to mark US Independence Day. In a letter to US President Donald Trump, Mr Sirisena said that it was “especially after the election of the national unity government in Sri Lanka, that I lead” that relations between the two governments had grown. “I am confident that under your able leadership, the Sri Lanka - United States Partnership will receive further impetus based on our common commitment...
Sri Lanka's Mahanayaka Buddhist monks of three divisions on Tuesday unanimously rejected the need for a new constitution or any amendment to the constitution, during a special meeting for the clergy in Kandy today. The constitutional change for a key promise of the new unity government which pledged amendments to the constitution in view of democratic reforms and reconciliation. The clergy also called for a special committee to be established into order to "look into the grievances that Buddhists were facing, with regard to religion and culture, the prevailing racial and religious unrest, and...
Sri Lanka's former foreign affairs minister, Rohitha Bogollagama has been appointed as the new governor of the Eastern Province today, after Austin Fernando was appointed as the permanent secretary to the president. Mr Bogollagama, who trained as a lawyer, was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2007 till 2010 and spent much of his term denying increasingly substantiated reports that war crimes were committed by the Sri Lankan military in a systematic manner. In January 2010, Mr Bogollagama flatly rejected the UN human rights investigator, Philip Alston's calls for an international inquiry into war crimes, after a video emerged of Sri Lankan troops killing blindfolded Tamils.
The Sri Lankan president, Maithripala Sirisena appointed the commander of the security forces in Jaffna, Major General Mahesh Senanayake as the new Army Commander. Major General Senanayake worked closely with the former Army General, Sarath Fonseka, who was leading the Sri Lankan military in the final stages of the armed conflict against the LTTE in 2009 when widespread war crimes and crimes against humanity took place. His close association with General Fonseka led him to emigrate after the latter was arrested by the Rajapaksa regime, only returning after Mr Sirisena came to power. During...
The release of Myliddy harbour is of ‘symbolic significance’ the TNA spokesperson and MP, M. A. Sumanthiran has said.
The Tamil National Alliance urged Sri Lanka to publish interim reports relating to constitutional amendments that are set to be proposed to parliament. Speaking at a press briefing in Jaffna today, TNA spokesperson MA Sumanthiran further called on the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to release their stance which they are due to present at a constitutional discussion on Tuesday. Mr Sumanthiran added that the TNA had held discussions with the SLFP and the JVP regarding the new constitution. See more here.
Photograph Daily Mirror Sri Lankans protested against the gazetted new Inland Revenue Act bill on Monday, arguing the bill was drafted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in order to increase the tax paid by citizens. Holding placards protesters from the Inland Revenue Trade Joint Front gathered outside the department's presmises, the Daily Mirror reported.
The former president, Mahinda Rajapaksa accused the current government of betraying Sri Lanka and its military to what he described as the pro LTTE Tamil diaspora. Criticising a proposed bill which looks to incorporate provisions of the 'International Convention for the Protection of All Persons From Enforced Disappearances', Mr Rajapaksa said "all Members of Parliament should be mindful that passing this Bill into law will be a clear case of betraying our country to the pro-LTTE Diaspora and the interested foreign parties backing them." "The proposed law is an attempt to subject our armed...
The investment advice service, Moody's welcomed the New Inland Revenue Act gazetted by the Sri Lankan government, stating it would contribute to improving government revenues as well as paving the way for the third tranche of the International Monetary Fund loan. Earlier this year, IMF officials indicated the release of the third tranche would be "contingent on the gazetting of the new Inland Revenue Act bill", Moody's said in a statement published June 30, whilst also highlighting that Sri Lanka's very low level of government revenues was "a key constraint on the sovereign credit profile." "...
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.