• US Senators push for 'independent international investigation' into war crimes

    Jan 29
    Two prominent US Senators have renewed calls for an independent international investigation into war crimes in Sri Lanka, as pressure piles on Sri Lanka ahead of the UN Human Rights Council session in March.
  • Cairn to start 2nd phase oil exploration next month

    The second phase of oil exploration in the Mannar basin will begin next month announced Cairn India.

    The company said drilling would be brought forward from June to mid-February, due to early rig availability and excellent logistical preparations.

  • The "special" relationship

    India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Ashok K Kantha told The Island that his country trains around 1,400 members of Sri Lanka’s security forces every year, the most it provides to any country.

  • Sinhala colonisation in "Killing Fields"

    Groups of Sinhala families were resettled in the district of Mullaitivu, amid protest from local inhabitants, reported Lankasri News. 

  • Process of accountability key to reconciliation and durable peace – James Moore

    See below for extracts from a speech made by Deputy Assistant Secretary of State James Moore at a press event in Colombo.

    Click here for complete statement in English, Tamil and Sinhala.

    The United States has a long friendship with Sri Lanka dating back to its independence. We value this multifaceted relationship and our visit has been undertaken in this spirit.

    We [...] have had constructive and candid meetings with the Sri Lankan government, military, political parties, and civil society in both Colombo and Jaffna. Our goal has been to hear from many different voices throughout Sri Lanka. We have met with Secretary of Defense Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and military commanders [...].

  • Sri Lanka - 'We are expecting the Queen'
    The Sri Lankan government has stated that they expect the Queen to be present at this year's Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting, scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka, shrugging off any concerns of a boycott.
  • Govt dismisses US call for progress

    Responding to the prospect of another resolution at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, the Sri Lankan government said that they had already made "substantial progress".

    The country's Foreign Secretary Karunathilaka Amunugama said on Tuesday:

  • SL accuses US diplomats of being spies

    A Sri Lankan government Minister has accused the visiting United States State Department Deputy Assistant Secretaries, of being spies.

  • 4,000 armed personnel to be deployed in Trinco
    Over 4,000 police and army personnel will be deployed in Trincomalee for Sri Lanka's Independence day celebrations, due to be held in the city.
  • Seized African ivory tusks gifted to Buddhist temples
    359 ivory tusks from African elephants worth millions of dollars, which were seized by Sri Lankan authorities last year, have been gifted to Buddhist temples.

    The tusks were seized by customs officials last year, but following a request from the Presidential Secretariat, they have now been handed over to Buddhist temples.
  • Ministers galore

    Adding to an already burgeoning Cabinet, five new ministers were sworn in before President Mahinda Rajapaksa this morning at the Cabinet reshuffle. (See here).

    The grand total now stands at 67 Cabinet ministers, and 97 ministers within a 225 member parliament.

  • US to sponsor UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka

    US officials have confirmed that it will move a new resolution on Sri Lanka at the 22nd session of the UN Human Rights Council.

    "The US has decided to sponsor a procedural resolution at the March 2013 sessions of the UNHRC," James R Moore, the US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, told reporters in Colombo.

  • Govt withdraws funding in Northern Province

    The government has withdrawn over Rs 560 million worth of funds ear marked for development in the TNA controlled Northern Province, reports the Sunday Times.

    According to Jaffna's Local Government Assistant Commissioner S Jeyaharan, the directive to withdraw the funds came from the Ministry of Local Government.

  • Sri Lankan Air Force helicopters to be used for oil exploration

    The Sri Lankan Air Force’s commercial wing, Heli Tours, has been chosen as the official ‘Air Logistics Operations’ provider for Cairn Sri Lanka’s oil exploration off the coast of Mannar.

  • Arrests made over 'Buddha Bar' meal
    Sri Lankan police have arrested two hotel managers after they arranged a dinner for French tourists at their premises, which played music from the 'Buddha Bar' collection and was described as a 'nirvana-style' buffet.

    The two men are being held in custody until Monday for 'causing offence to Buddhists' said Police Spokesperson Prisantha Jayakody.

    The arrests follow the hotel premises being raided by the Buddhist group 'Bodu Bala Sena' (Buddhist Power Force), accusing the hoteliers of insulting Buddhism. The organisation's leader Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero, allegedly told members of the media that his group would shut down the event if needed, as their menu was named 'nirvana'.

    The 'Buddha Bar' is an international chain of restaurants in locations across the world including London, New York, Beirut and Egypt. The Paris-based chain also released its own lounge music collection, having sold over a million copies worldwide (See the link on Amazon here).

    However, t    he music has been slapped with a ban by Sri Lanka, where the albums are illegal. It is alleged the hoteliers were playing music from the forbidden albums.

    Sri Lanka's constitution states that Buddhism has "the foremost place" on the island and it is the "duty of the state to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana", which the island's Buddhist community has been increasingly aggressive in doing.
Subscribe to Tamil Affairs

Most-Read Articles

Senior Buddhist monk from Anuradhapura remanded over sexual abuse of minor
A senior Sri Lankan Buddhist monk and chief prelate of the Anuradhapura Atamasthana,…
17 years today - A massacre in Mullivaikkal
To mark 17 years since the Sri Lankan military onslaught that massacred tens…
Velupillay makes history as first Tamil at a FIFA World Cup
Photograph: @Socceroos Nishan Velupillay has been selected in Australia's squad…
In Pictures - Tamil Genocide Remembrance Day commemorated in Mullivaikkal
All photographs by Uthayarasa Shalin Thousands of Tamils gathered at Mullivaikkal…
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay marks Mullivaikkal remembrance with pledge to support Eelam Tamils
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay issued a message on Monday evening marking…