• Australia policy emboldens Sri Lanka

    Nov 20
    Dr Nick Cheesman, a research fellow at the department of political and social change in the Australian National University's College of Asia and the Pacific, writes in the Canberra Times arguing that Abbott's deportation policy damages Australia's credibility and endangers the rights of asylum seekers coming from Sri Lanka.

    See here for full article. Extracts reproduced below:
    "At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka at the weekend, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that while his government ''deplores the use of torture, we accept that sometimes, in difficult circumstances, difficult things happen''.
  • Land-sale to foreigners to be banned - Mahinda

    Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa has announced in his 2014 budget speech that free-hold sales of land to foreign nationals will be stopped, and any leases will be taxed 15%.

    "From this year foreigners can have access to state and private land only through long term lease arrangements," President Rajapaksa said to parliament.

  • Tourism boom? Bailout to save state-owned airlines making ‘record losses’

    President Mahinda Rajapaksa has announced in his budget speech to parliament that state-owned airlines SriLankan and Mihin Lanka will receive a $200mn bailout.

  • Sri Lanka accuses Cameron of ‘breaching protocol’

    The Sri Lankan government has accused British Prime Minister David Cameron of failing to follow protocol during his visit to Sri Lanka last week.

    A government source told the BBC that Cameron had “breached protocol several times”.

  • Human rights violators can't be trusted not to do it again and again' - Geoffrey Robertson QC
    Australia's $2 million gift of two patrol boats to the Sri Lankan Navy has been slammed by Geoffrey Robertson QC, who stated that they will be used against civilians.

    Condemning the gift to the Sri Lankan Navy, Robertson said,
  • Cameron has secured a permanent place in the hearts of Tamils - Karunanidhi

    Reflecting on the British Premier's historic visit to Jaffna, the DMK president Karunanidhi of Tamil Nadu, India, said that David Cameron had "secured a permanent place in the hearts of Tamils in Sri Lanka, Tamils living in other countries, and Tamils in Tamil Nadu".

    Commenting on the Indian Prime Minister's decision not to go, Karunanidhi said that if the decision had been taken in view of the sentiments of Tamils, then that should have been outlined in a letter to the Sri Lankan President.

  • Commonwealth Games 'opportunity to shine spotlight' on Sri Lanka war crimes

    The controversy surrounding Sri Lanka and allegations of war crimes risks overshadowing the Commonwealth Games due to be held in Scotland next July, reported the Herald Scotland.

  • New Zealand law Society condemns cancellation of rule of law meeting at CHOGM
    The New Zealand Law Society expressed concerns regarding the deterioration human rights situation in Sri Lanka, today.

    Releasing a statement today, the Law society, condemned Sri Lanka’s the barring of over 200 lawyers and diplomats from a joint conference to discuss the rule of law and independence of the judiciary in the Commonwealth, consequentially resulting in cancellation of the meeting.

  • UNP apologises to Buddhist movement
    Sri Lanka’s main opposition, the United National Party (UNP) apologised to the Buddhist monk movement Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) today, for any insult or inconvenience the party may have previously caused.

    The apologies were regarding, scuffles between UNP party members and BBS monks that were protesting against the Channel 4 No Fire Zone documentary last week.

  • ‘Abbott falters on crucial leadership test’ – The Age

    Extracts from the editorial Monday by Australia’s The Age newspaper:

    “There was a world of difference in the way British Prime Minister David Cameron managed his visit to the Commonwealth [summit] in Sri Lanka and the approach taken by our Prime Minister, Tony Abbott. One was inspirational; the other fawning.

  • Toronto torture victim takes case to UN
    A Tamil Canadian who was tortured by Sri Lankan state forces when he reutrned to the island in 2007 has filed an official complaint at to the UN Human Rights Committee, accusing Sri Lanka of violating international human rights laws.

    44-year-old Roy Samathanam, a Canadian citizen since 1996, was arrested in Colombo, by machine-gun wielding officers from Sri Lanka's Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) in 2007.

    He was handcuffed, blindfolded, kept in custody and tortured for 3 years after failing to provide a bribe, whilst his wife and daughter were placed under house arrest.
  • UNP 'opposed to international inquiry'
    Sri Lanka's main opposition party, the United National Party (UNP), once again reiterated their unwillingness to co-operate with an international inquiry into war crimes, on Monday.
  • Chinese firm pens $500mn hotel deal
    The China Harbour Engineering Company  has signed a deal worth $500 million with Sri Lanka authorities to build a golf courses and hotels in Hambantota and Katunayake, according to reports.
  • Tamil man disappears in Kilinochchi
    Photograph @Kajeepanv

  • Reconsider CHOGM2015 urge Malta's Greens over SL human rights concerns
    Malta's Green party urged the government to reconsider offer to host the CHOGM 2015 stating that it ‘could be interpreted as condoning human rights abuse in Sri Lanka’. (See here for report in Malta Today.

    The chairman of Alternattiva Demokratika, Arnold Cassola, said:
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