Politics

Mangala says Kerry’s visit marks Sri Lanka’s return to center of world stage

U.S. Secretary John Kerry who is currently on an official visit to Sri Lanka met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera today (May 2). The transcript of their remarks issued by the U.S. Department of State is appended below.
FOREIGN MINISTER SAMARAWEERA: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. It has been a great honor and our privilege […]

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Kerry encourages Americans to invest in Sri Lanka, pledges financial package for economic development

US Secretary of State John Kerry who visited Sri Lanka at the invitation of Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera concluded his two-day visit to the country on Sunday, 3rd May 2015.
During the visit which was the first official visit by a US Secretary of State in 43 years, Secretary Kerry called on President Maithripala Sirisena at […]

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Kerry says America firm partners with Sri Lanka

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry who undertook an official visit to Sri Lanka from May 2-3, 2015, addressed a public event in Colombo on Strengthening the U.S.-Sri Lanka Partnership for Human Rights and Lasting Peace. The event was organized under the auspices of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies on May […]

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Sri Lanka: Hundred Days and After

The Governor of the Central Bank was summoned to the Bribery Commission and grilled for six hours. A three-month travel banwas imposed on him. That one incident demonstrates how far we have progressed since January 8th.
The journey away from Rajapaksa Rule towards democracy, accountability and the rule of law has been far from perfect; it has […]

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A Sri Lankan victory: How a country became a model of democratic courage

“I think I’ll call it morning….”
Gil Scott-Heron[i]
Neither their dire warnings nor our nightmarish fears materialised. The election ended as it should, in a peaceful change.
A large chunk of credit for that unexpectedly felicitous end should go to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Had he tried to resist the results illegally and unconstitutionally, as some of his […]

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Lasantha, Mahinda and the significance of polling day – Open Letter to President Rajapakse

07 January 2015
His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa
President of Sri Lanka
Presidential Secretariat
Colombo 1
Dear Mr President,
The Importance of January 8th – Lasantha Wickrematunge’s murder
The irony of the presidential election being fixed for the sixth anniversary of the day on which my husband and your ‘friend’, Lasantha Wickrematunge, was assassinated, may have escaped you. It has not escaped me.
Lasantha […]

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Planned attack on unarmed protesters by Sri Lanka’s army in Weliweriya: Crowd control or murder?

Gagging the media
The full extent of the outrage committed in Weliweriya unfolds slowly but surely, in spite of crude attempts to gag the
media. Grisly details continue to emerge from the countless testimonies of the bereaved, the assault victims, their relatives and the rest of the community. It’s unlikely that dozens of village people would […]

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Sri Lanka: The Tigers are dead but the Rajapaksa government still holding their tails

“The human dilemma is not whether to do right or wrong but rather to do right when it matters the most and wrong when it matters the least.”- Unknown writer
They are dead
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) are dead. The war was won and the guns have fallen silent. But the drums keep beating and
clarion […]

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Sri Lanka: Will the people have the balls to resist the insidious media ethics law

“That is a slave’s lot – not to be able to speak one’s mind” — Euripides (Ion)
In Turkey, an attempt to uproot a public park and build a shopping mall ignited a tidal-wave of protests which is yet to abate.
No balls to stand up an condemn
In Saudi Arabia, innumerable Islamic sites are being annihilated in […]

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Ron Paul: Fear Snowden could be target of drone assassination by Obama administration

Former GOP presidential hopeful Ron Paul insisted on Tuesday that NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden is not a traitor, but he fears the U.S.
government may send drones or a cruise missile to kill the 29-year-old, who has fled the United States.
“I don’t think for a minute that he’s a traitor,” Paul told Fox Business’ Melissa Francis.
“Everybody’s […]

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Politics

Mangala says Kerry’s visit marks Sri Lanka’s return to center of world stage

Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera U.S. Secretary John Kerry who is currently on an official visit to Sri Lanka met with Minister of Foreign Affairs ...

Issues

Kerry encourages Americans to invest in Sri Lanka, pledges financial package for economic development

US Secretary of State with Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena with US Secretary of State John Kerry US Secretary of State ...

Issues

Kerry says America firm partners with Sri Lanka

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry who undertook an official visit to Sri Lanka from May 2-3, 2015, addressed a public event in Colombo on Strengthening ...

Issues

Sri Lanka: Hundred Days and After

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe The Governor of the Central Bank was summoned to the Bribery Commission and grilled for six hours. A three-month travel banwas imposed ...

Issues

A Sri Lankan victory: How a country became a model of democratic courage

“I think I’ll call it morning….” Gil Scott-Heron[i] Neither their dire warnings nor our nightmarish fears materialised. The election ended as it should, in a peaceful change. Former ...

Human Rights

Lasantha, Mahinda and the significance of polling day – Open Letter to President Rajapakse

07 January 2015 His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa President of Sri Lanka Presidential Secretariat Colombo 1 Dear Mr President, The Importance of January 8th – Lasantha Wickrematunge’s murder The irony of the presidential ...

Issues

Planned attack on unarmed protesters by Sri Lanka’s army in Weliweriya: Crowd control or murder?

Gagging the media The full extent of the outrage committed in Weliweriya unfolds slowly but surely, in spite of crude attempts to gag the Defence Secretary ...

Opinion

Sri Lanka: The Tigers are dead but the Rajapaksa government still holding their tails

“The human dilemma is not whether to do right or wrong but rather to do right when it matters the most and wrong when it ...

Opinion

Sri Lanka: Will the people have the balls to resist the insidious media ethics law

“That is a slave’s lot – not to be able to speak one’s mind” — Euripides (Ion) In Turkey, an attempt to uproot a public park ...

Issues

Ron Paul: Fear Snowden could be target of drone assassination by Obama administration

Former GOP presidential hopeful Ron Paul insisted on Tuesday that NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden is not a traitor, but he fears the U.S. Former Republican Presidential ...