Sri Lanka to appoint another presidential commission over Buddhist clergy rifts

In the latest of its presidential commission appointments, Sri Lanka's prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the government would be appointing another to investigate reported attempts to create rifts within the Buddhist clergy. "We will appoint a presidential commission to determine whether anyone tried to create divisions within the Malwatte Chapter," Mr Wickremesinghe was quoted by the Daily Mirror as saying whilst addressing a religious event at a Buddhist temple. “A person could be stripped of his civic rights if he is found to have worked towards a division within the chapters of the...

Sri Lankan govt rejects reports China refused equity offer

The Sri Lankan government has rejected a report by the Sunday Times that China had refused to convert debts into equity , accusing the paper of trying to disrupt the country's economic development. Colombo Page quoted the Government Information Department as saying, "a Sunday Times report that said China has declined Sri Lanka's request to convert into equity Beijing-funded projects including the Mattala Airport and the Hambantota Port was not true."

Japan grants Rs 14 billion loan to Sri Lanka

The Japanese government has granted Sri Lanka Rs 14 billion for development projects. The soft loan was aimed at ensuring the implementation of the budget proposals made by the Sri Lankan government in the 2016 budget. Sri Lanka's finance ministry said this was the first such loan from Japan, Colombo Page reported.

Agreement reached on Rs 37 b of unpaid bills to Iran

Sri Lanka's government has reached an agreement with Iran on its demand that Rs. 37 billion of unpaid bills are settle prior to Sri Lanka buying further crude oil. It was agreed during talks in Tehren that the bills would be offset against tea export payments, amongst other measures, reported the Sunday Times. See more here .

Certificates of Absence to be issued by end of year

Sri Lanka's ministry of home affairs this week pledged to complete the issuing of 'Certificates of Absence' to families of those reported missing during the armed conflict by the end of this year. Ceylon Today quoted the ministry's secretary, J J Rathnasiri as saying the process was already under way but would be complete by December. "If anyone provides false information claiming a person is missing when in fact he or she is not missing, that person will be liable to five years imprisonment for misleading the government," he reportedly added. The certificate allows for the same rights as...

China declines Sri Lanka's equity request

China has declined Sri Lanka's request to convert into equity the loans funding projects including the Mattala airport and Hambantota port. Chinese ambassador Yi Xianling has told the Sri Lankan prime minister that such a transfer wasn't possible within Chinese laws. However Mr Xianling has said that his government is willing to cooperate with and support Sri Lanka in overcoming its financial issues. Read more on the Sunday Times .

Vali North IDPs angered as Sri Lankan army plays cricket on occupied land

Residents of Valikaamam North, many of whom have been displaced for over two decades, complained this week that the Sri Lankan army not only continues to occupy their land, but is using it to play cricket. The 1 acre of land has been converted into a sports ground and is situated adjacent to Kankesanthurai Nateswara College which was recently released by the president, Maithripala Sirisena. "Do they require our own lands to play cricket?" one displaced Tamil, who wished to remain anonymous said.

Sushma chairs meeting on fishermen arrests

India's external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday chaired a meeting with Tamil Nadu and Kerala regional authorities and fishing groups, aimed at finding a permanent solution to the ongoing arrests of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy. “External Affairs Minister chaired a meeting of internal stakeholders earlier today afternoon to discuss the way forward towards a permanent solution to the fishermen issue between India and Sri Lanka,” the minister of external affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup was reported by the The Indian Express as saying. "The discussions between stakeholders on the Indian side focused on different aspects requiring attention, including the livelihood concerns of Indian fishermen and introduction of sustainable fishing practices,” he added.

Sri Lanka cannot investigate itself - speakers at Black July event

Remembering the pogrom of over 3000 Tamils by Sri Lankan state sponsored mobs in 1983 British Tamils, academics, journalists and activists at a Black July remembrance event in London on Monday reiterated the need for international judges in any accountability mechanism in Sri Lanka. Speaking at the event organised by the British Tamils Forum (BTF), entitled 'Black July 1983 - Not the beginning but a continuation of Tamil Genocide', the director of 'No Fire Zone' documentary, Callum Macrae, the human rights activist, Ruki Fernando and a barrister at Mansfield Chambers, Shivani Jegarajah, highlighted Sri Lanka's long history of impunity for crimes against the Tamil people.

Indian fishermen allege inhumane treatment by Sri Lankan navy

Seventy-seven Tamil Nadu fishermen who were held in detention by the Sri Lankan navy and released on Thursday, allege they were treated inhumanely by the Sri Lankan navy, the New Indian Express reported. “We were fishing near the IMBL when the Lankan Navy personnel arrested us. We were lodged at Jaffna Prison and treated in an inhumane manner. They provided us stale food and threatened to take us to Pakistan," one fishermen told the paper. See here for more.

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