Month: February 2020

Minister Gunawardena to address UNHRC today Will announce Govt.’s decision to withdraw from co-sponsorship of Resolutions 30/1, 34/1 and 40/1 Will brief UNHRC High Commissioner on Govt. decision on Friday Will assure Govt.’s commitment to continue working with UN bodies Written update on SL’s progress on commitments to be presented to UNHRC on Thursday United Nations Human Rights Council in… Continue reading "D-Day for SL at UNHRC as Govt. prepares to withdraw from resolutions"

It took years for Sandya Ekneligoda to get a real investigation into the disappearance of her husband, a political cartoonist in Sri Lanka. But when a new president was elected by a large majority last November and a key officer investigating the case transferred, she realised things would change. The BBC’s Anbarasan Ethirajan reports from the other side of a… Continue reading "How fear set in overnight in Sri Lanka"

BY HARIM PEIRIS The bi-annual sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, is due to begin this week and will run through the month of March. Leading Sri Lanka’s delegation to the high-level segment would be Minister of Foreign Affairs, (Dinesh Gunawardena, and according to press reports, accompanied by Minsters Mahinda Samarasinghe and Nimal Siripala de… Continue reading "Navigating Geneva with national, not political, interests"

Sending a clear signal to the judiciary, the Government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has launched social service programmes with the main accused in a major arms trafficking case and notorious ex-army major Nissanka Senadhipathi. Senadhipathi and eight others have been served indictments by the Attorney General on multiple charges of gun-running and corruption, with trial set to begin by May 2020. Senadhipathi is… Continue reading "Gota’s Meritocracy: Avant Garde Gun-Smuggler Nissanka Senadhipathi Co-Opted For Govt. Social Service Projects"

By Jehan Perera – Jehan Perera The government’s inability to obtain the support of the ethnic and religious minorities was visible in the outcome of the presidential election. The popular vote in the districts in which the minority communities predominated went overwhelmingly to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s main challenger, Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa. At his swearing in ceremony, President Rajapaksa was straightforward enough to acknowledge… Continue reading "President Rajapaksa who Will never Deliver"

By P.K.Balachandran The core of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s foreign policy is standing up for Sri Lanka’s sovereign rights. But his cast-iron nationalism is not mindlessly jingoistic or confrontational, disregarding geo-political and economic realities. Gotabaya’s first international move was to reach out to India, which had been unhappy with elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Presidency between 2010 and 2014 for its economic… Continue reading "Gotabaya Govt is Bracing Itself to Lock Horns with the US and Europe Hoping to get Help from China"

By Chandani Kirinde UNP MP Eran Wickramaratne has accused the Government of engaging in a witch hunt against professionals – including lawyers, journalists and Police officers – and expressed fears that judicial officials standing up for what is right could be next in line. Speaking during the debate on the Airbus bribery scandal in Parliament on Thursday (20 February), Wickramaratne… Continue reading "Eran Wickramaratne MP Lambastes Govt Over CID Witchhunt Against Ex-CID Director Shani Abeysekara, “New York Times” Journalist Dharisha Bastians and Former Lake House Chairman Krishantha Cooray By Trying to Implicate Them Falsely in Swiss Employee Fictitious Abduction Case"

The official United National Party (UNP) headed by RanilWickremesinghe had last week distanced itself from comments made by the party’s Deputy Leader and Opposition Leader SajithPremadasa on the decision of the US State Department to not issue visas to Army Commander Lt. General Shavendra Silva and his family, The Sunday Morning reliably learnt. Wickremesinghe had on Monday (17) dispatched a message to… Continue reading "UNP and Sajith at odds over Shavendra"

By N Sathiya Moorthy It would be interesting to know how Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha feels about the UNHRC processes of the past decade. He was there when the nation continued to boycott the resolutions on ‘war-crimes probe’, after Sri Lanka lost the same under his predecessor, and for obvious reasons. That was under the regime of President Mahinda Rajapaksa,… Continue reading "Tamil politics after UNHRC ‘exit’"

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka — A Sri Lankan diplomat has briefed the president of the U.N. Human Rights Council on the government’s decision to withdraw from a 2015 resolution calling for an investigation into alleged human-rights violations committed during the country’s long civil war. Foreign Ministry Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha met Human Rights Council President Elisabeth Tichy-Fisslberger in Geneva and informed her… Continue reading "UK government looses to Sri Lanka’s ”Time buying technique”."

On January 28, 2020, standing alongside Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, at a White House press conference, US President Trump unveiled his peace plan to settle the Israeli-Palestine conflict.The Palestinians should have been in attendance. But they were not invited.If the plan, termed ‘The deal of the century’ by its principal author -the US President- was a serious attempt to broker… Continue reading "A two-State solution or a Greater Israel"

Govt. requests meeting with HR Commissioner  Foreign Relations Minister Gunawardena to announce to Council Govt.’s decision to withdraw from co-sponsorship of resolution Will address UNHRC 43rd session on Wednesday OHCHR will present written review on Sri Lanka’s progress on Resolution 40/1 on Thursday By Chandani Kirinde Sri Lanka has requested a meeting with the UN Human Rights High Commissioner Michelle… Continue reading "+SL delegation heads to Geneva to work towards UNHRC resolution closure"

By N Sathiya Moorthy At a joint media-meet after talks with visiting Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared his nation’s desire for implementing 13-A, signed between the two nations, as far back as 1987 to find the promised post-war political solution to the vexatious ethnic issue. Elsewhere in the Indian capital, PM Rajapaksa announced his… Continue reading "Where from here 13-A?"

By Dr.Dayan Jayatilleka Unarguably, Lee Kuan Yew (LKY) is the most universally respected Asian statesman of our time. He is esteemed from Washington to Havana, from Moscow to Beijing; from East to West and North to South, both for the quality of his mind and his conspicuous practical success as a transformational leader. LKY is also known as the one… Continue reading "For Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew the Problem of Sri Lanka was the Perspective and Project of “Sinhalese Supremacy Over the Tamils” and the unwillingness or inability of Sinhala leaders to Transcend it"

by Chitra Weerarathne Attorney General Dappula de Livera, yesterday, filed a motion in the Court of Appeal, seeking to vary an earlier court order that no step should be taken by the Sri Lankan authorities, regarding the 256 containers of hospital waste brought here from the UK.  Senior Deputy Solicitor General, Milinda Gunetilleke, who appeared for the AG yesterday, said… Continue reading "256 containers of UK hospital waste lying in Colombo Port: AG seeks order to vary earlier court directive"

Sri Lanka has told the United Nations that as a sovereign State it will take its own path to reconciliation. Speaking at the Security Council Open Debate on ‘Peacebuilding and sustaining peace: Transitional justice in conflict and post-conflict situations’ Kshenuka Senewiratne, the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN said that Sri Lanka will continue to establish its own priorities. “In… Continue reading "Sri Lanka tells UN it will take its own path to reconciliation"

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka has the same level of trade access as earlier under the GSP+ preferential trade scheme for one year after the UK left the European Union,  British High Commission Sarah Hulton has said. A new preferential trade scheme is on the way and will go into effect in 2021, she added in remarks made to the Sri… Continue reading "Sri Lanka has GSP+ access to Britain for another year: UK Envoy"

The four-party Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has urged the visiting EU delegation to pressure President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s government to fully implement the accountability resolution co-sponsored by the Sirisena-Wickremesinghe government in Oct. 2015. The resolution called for hybrid war crimes courts with foreign judges, including those representing Commonwealth countries. The European Union delegation led by Paola Pampaloni Director, Deputy Managing Director, Asia… Continue reading "TNA assured EU decisions will reflect matters raised by its leader, Sampanthan"

by Dinasena Ratugamage Former Northern Province Chief Minister C.V. Wigneswaran said that all government funds received during his tenure as the CM had been spent. Wigneswaran said not a cent had been returned to the Treasury. The retired Supreme Court justice said so in response to Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s claim in India during his recent visit that funds allocated… Continue reading "Wiggy challenges allegations he did not spend money allocated to NPC"

The Department of State has designated Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva, current Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Acting Chief of Defense Staff, as required under Section 7031(c) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, due to credible information of his involvement, through command responsibility, in gross violations of human rights, namely extrajudicial killings, by… Continue reading "Credible information of Lieutenant General Shavendra Silva’s involvement, in gross violations of human rights, namely extrajudicial killings…."

India on Saturday sought devolution of powers by the Sri Lankan government to the minority Tamils in the island nation and hoped that their aspirations for equality, justice and respect will be fulfilled as per provisions of the country’s Constitution. After wide-ranging talks with his Sri Lankan counterpart Mahinda Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the issue was discussed with… Continue reading "PM Modi pitches for implementation of Tamil reconciliation process by Sri Lanka"

Pakistan assures military support for Sri Lanka Pakistan has reiterated its military support for Sri Lanka following talks held in Colombo. Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force called on Chamal Rajapaksa, State Minister of Defence. The Air Chief assured all-out support and cooperation to Sri Lanka in defence related fields, Daily Times… Continue reading "Using Pakistan against India"

India’s Congress party met Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and discussed a wide range of issues in New Delhi. Congress member Rahul Gandhi tweeted saying a delegation of Congress Party leaders met with Rajapaksa in Delhi and had a friendly and cordial discussion on a wide range of issues. He said that the talks included ways to strengthen the relationship between both… Continue reading "Congress leaders and MR discuss wide range of issues"

By Kumarathasan Rasingam – Kumarathasan Rasingam Sri Lanka is fast moving towards a military state and is now promoting alleged war criminals to top posts in Military and Government Departments.  The appointment of Lt. General Shavendra Silva:  Lt Gen Shavendra Silva’s name was mentioned in the resolution passed by the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in 2013, alleging rights abuses by the Sri Lankan… Continue reading "Time For UNHRC To Act Firmly On War Crimes Committed By Sri Lanka"

While Criticising British Mercenary Presence in Sri Lanka Overtly India Used British Mercenary Pilots Covertly to Help The Indian Army Fight the LTTE in Sri Lanka in 1987 Reveals New Book “”Keenie Meenie: The British Mercenaries Who Got Away With War Crimes” By Aditi Khanna London, Feb 6 (PTI) British mercenary pilots helped Indian troops in their battle against the Liberation… Continue reading "British mercenary pilots helped Indian troops to Kill Tamils"

“The Tamil National Alliance is not interested in talks. They are asking for things, which the majority community in Sri Lanka will not accept.”- Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in Interview with “The Hindu” By Suhasini Haidar On his first visit after being sworn in as Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapaksa met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in… Continue reading "‘NO’ to devolution of powers, as was promised in the 13th amendment says Mahinda."

“I am confident that the Government of Sri Lanka will realise the expectations of the Tamil people for equality, justice, peace, and respect within a united Sri Lanka. For this, it will be necessary to carry forward the process of reconciliation with the implementation of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka,” – Indian PM Narendra Modi By… Continue reading "”Implement the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution” says Modi"

Indian Premier Narendra Modi Emphasises Need for Reconciliation with the Tamil People in a United Sri Lanka in his Media Statement After Meeting Mahinda Rajapaksa But Sri Lankan Prime Minister Omits Any Reference to the Issue in Media Release In his media statement after talks with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa here on Saturday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi… Continue reading "Indial Leaders are bunch of Idiots."

By Kasun WarakapitiyaView(s): 798Vegetable prices are going to start dropping in coming weeks because supplies from Jaffna and Kalpitiya are on their way in. Vegetable prices may be on the way down. Pic by Priyantha Wickramarachchi The Director of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research Institute, Duminda Priyadarsana, said prices kept increasing during the last few months as heavy rains had ruined… Continue reading "Trucks from Jaffna signal long- awaited drop in veggie prices"

Unrealized government commitments to pursue truth, justice and reparations, continued impunity for violations and abuses, compromised freedoms of religion and expression characterized 2019 for Sri Lanka, Amnesty International said as the human rights organization released its annual report on events in the Asia-Pacific region. Human Rights in Asia-Pacific: Review of 2019 published today by Amnesty International delivers the most comprehensive analysis… Continue reading "2019 in review – Sri Lanka: Security fears trump freedoms"

No government, representing Sri Lanka, in Geneva, has presented evidence challenging the allegations such as the killing of 40,000 civilians, the use of excessive force and the non-delivery of humanitarian aid to those held hostage by the LTTE in the conflict zone. By Neville Ladduwahetty The Island of January 23, 2020 reported that Minister Keheliya Rambukwella had stated ‘that the… Continue reading "Geneva: Lessons NOT Learnt"

EU GSP+ concession regime will continue to be applicable for Sri Lanka’s exports to the UK following Brexit until the end of the transition period, the Foreign Ministry said today. Senior Advisor on Economic Affairs to the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Ajith Nivard Cabraal who was on  a visit to the United Kingdom called on the Minister of State for… Continue reading "EU GSP plus applicable for Sri Lankan exports to UK till end 2020"