• Army warns former cadres

    Responding to reports that former LTTE cadres were joining the JVP, the Sri Lankan Army has warned them not to join groups that look to “overthrow the government in an uprising” and reiterated that they would be closely monitored.
  • India's helping hands

    India's foreign affairs minister, SM Krishna, formally handed over 1000 houses built for IDPs by India, 49,000 are yet to be built.

    In a statement Krishna said,

  • India hopes

    Meeting Sri Lanka's president at Temple Trees on Tuesday, India's visiting foreign affairs minister, SM Krishna, felt assured by the president's commitment on finding a political solution based on the implementation of the 13th Amendment and the "meaningful devolution of powers".

    Speaking to reporters afterwards, Krishna said,

  • TNA tells India 'no progress' on talks

    There has been "no progress" achieved during TNA-government talks, TNA delegates told India's foreign affairs minister, S.M. Krishna, during his current visit to Sri Lanka.

    Calling the government's attitude, "lethargic", the TNA reportedly urged India to take an "active role" in the process of arriving at a political solution.

  • Sri Lanka seeks Iranian oil sanctions get-out clause

    Responding to US sancions on Iranian oil, Sri Lanka's petroleum resources minister, Susil Premajayantha, reiterated Sri Lanka's dependency on Iranian oil.

  • A Fairy Story For The Galle Literary Festival By Popular Demand'
    Critically acclaimed Sri Lankan born novelist Roma Tearne has released a satirical short story ahead of the Galle Literary Festival, which she, along with Reporters Without Borders, Noam Chomsky and Arundhati Roy amongst others, called to boycott last year.

    Extracts from her piece have been reproduced below.
    “The festival was in full swing. All the great writers from around the world were present, topping up their tan by the pool. Sorry I mean all the great white writers. The UK-returned natives were keen to stay out of the sun. Listen, you must understand, on this island paradise, the darker you were the harder it was to find a spouse and the more likely you were to be killed. It’s true.”

    “The Festival sponsors strutted about and got lots of exposure. The organisers played at blind-man’s bluff. And the tan-toppers drank a lot. I’m telling you, all was as it should be.”

     “One or two people were a bit worried about security.

                ‘Did you hear a Russian girl was raped?’

                ‘No, no,’ SS told them, waggling his head. ‘That didn’t really happen! It was a play put on for the purpose of the Festival. It wasn’t the real thing!’

                ‘What about that Red Cross guy who was killed?’

                ‘That was in the play, too. Remember your Hamlet? The play’s the thing and all that…’

                ‘Oh okay,’ said the foreigners and off they went for a swim thinking, gosh, these people are incredibly friendly. They just smile and smile…. wasn’t there something like that in Hamlet, too?”
  • TNA rejects LLRC report, calls for international action

    Dismissing the LLRC report for falling "dramatically short of international standards applicable to accountability processes", the TNA (Tamil National Alliance) called on the "international community to institute measures that will advance accountability", in a 70-page response to the LLRC report, released Sunday.

  • Forcibly displaced Tamils urge TNA to act

    Tamils from Manalaaru in Vanni, who remain forcibly displaced by the Sri Lankan army since 1984, have urged the TNA to act or else the "structural genocide [of Eelam Tamils] will be complete in Mullaiththeevu in 2 years" reported Tamilnet.

  • Ontario Premier sends Thai Pongal greetings
    Marking the Tamil harvest festival of Thai Pongal, the Premier of Onatrio Dalton McGuinty realised a video statement praising the contribution the Tamil community have made to Canada. 
  • Ministry of impunity

    The Sri Lankan president's advisor on reconciliation, Rajiva Wijesinha, called for a "ministry of reconciliation" to be created and "be charged with fulfilling the recommendations of the commission". 

  • LLRC report won’t sway CHOGM boycott
    The release of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee report will not be enough to stop Canada from boycotting the 2013 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, due to be held in Sri Lanka.
  • A disrespect to Buddhism
    Two men have been arrested and have bonds of Rs. 1 million each issued, after being charged with selling a product that disrespected a religion.

    The offensive item can be seen below.
  • Britain ‘disappointed’ by LLRC
    The British Foreign office announced in Parliament on Thursday that they were left “disappointed” by Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt & Reconciliation Commission report.

    The statement, which came on the same day that Canada demanded “decisive action”, was released by Minister Alistair Burt, who commented,
    “The British Government is, on the whole, disappointed by the report’s findings and recommendations on accountability. Like many others, we feel that these leave many gaps and unanswered questions.
    We welcome the acknowledgement that “considerable civilian casualties” occurred during the final stages of the conflict and the recommendation that specific incidents require further investigation. But we note that many credible allegations of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law, including from the UN Panel of Experts report, are either not addressed or only partially answered."
    The Minister went on to say,
    “We believe that video footage, authenticated by UN Special Rapporteurs, should inform substantive, not just technical, investigations into apparent grave abuses."
    Whilst the Minister welcomed some of the recommendations made in the report, he called for their “vigorous” implementation and noted the “success or failure” of the LLRC hinged on this.

    He carried on to reiterate that Britain
    “continue(d) to believe it is important that an independent, credible and thorough mechanism is put in place to investigate all allegations of grave abuses.
    See our editorial: No more excuses, it is time to act (18 Dec 2011)
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