Issues

Colombo expects 10% drop in its Iran crude buys

Sri Lanka expects crude imports from Iran to drop by at least 10% this year due to a range of inflation-fighting policies that should cool demand, potentially helping it find a way around US sanctions, a government official said yesterday.
The Indian Ocean island nation is facing one of the biggest squeezes from the impending sanctions, […]

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Family remembers Marie Colvin

Marie Colvin was always getting into jams as a foreign correspondent, covering war zones and acquiring an eye patch after an ambush in Sri Lanka, recalls her brother William Colvin. The retired NYPD detective says his big sister always had stories when she would come home to visit about how she managed to find her […]

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Sri Lanka: Government fears strategy of “Regime Change” through external intervention

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s speech to the nation on Independence Day provided an indication of his two major concerns for the future. One concern was the persistent international pressure on
his government on human rights issues during and after the end of the war. The other concern was the efforts to destabilize the government through mass agitation […]

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DIG Ravi Wijegunawardena should be responsible for shooting of fisherman

On February 14 a young fisherman, Anthony Fernando, was shot dead while he was engaged with a number of other fishermen in protesting the increase of oil prices which would seriously affect the livelihood of fisherfolk. A
large group of policemen led by the Deputy Inspector General of Police for the North Western Province, Ravi Wijegunawardena, […]

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How the West is losing Sri Lanka

Doesn’t anyone read public opinion polls anymore? Don’t they make news anymore? I’m not referring to opinion polls run or commissioned by the government – any government—or its affiliates, but opinion polls in reputed non-state publications, especially those on vital topics. Surely no topic could be more topical than the international moves being made on […]

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Political Interference with Judicial Independence- Lessons from the Maldivian Experience

He is not just if he decides a case arbitrarily, the wise man should decide after considering both what is right and what is wrong –The Dhammapada-Justice
It was reported in the media recently that the Maldivian President had resigned following events that took place in the Maldives subsequent to the arrest by the
Maldivian army of a […]

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A call for Muslim politicians and civil society to take collective responsibility

This is a statement by 147 Muslim civil society individuals from communities and groups across Sri Lanka, including the North and East. The Statement calls for
“immediate action by Muslim politicians and civil society representatives to take collective responsibility and to devise mutually agreed upon ways and processes for moving forward.” It also responds to issues […]

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Practical steps to meaningful reconciliation in Sri Lanka

CORRECTION: Yesterday we erroneously attributed this statement to the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) we regret the error. It is a joint statement by several concerned individuals. 
17th February 2012, Colombo, Sri Lanka: Several valuable recommendations are contained in the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission’s (LLRC) Report and they are all the more compelling because they have […]

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Sri Lanka: On The Edge Of The Knife

Valentine’s day carcass
There is always a fallacious belief that, It would not be the same here; here such things are impossible[1]. The morning of Valentine’s Day (February 14) started with the unwholesome smell of the burnt carcass of a person; the incident took place in the central part of Colombo, which is one of most […]

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Press Conference by Under Secretary Maria Otero and Assistant Secretary Robert O. Blake, Jr. in Colombo

February 13, 2012:
Under Secretary Otero: Thank you. Good afternoon. I’m pleased to be here in Colombo for the first time.
I’ve had serious and productive meetings with the government of Sri Lanka as well as with civil society, political leaders, and journalists. President Rajapaksa was
kind enough to meet with me and to explain this government’s vision […]

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Issues

Colombo expects 10% drop in its Iran crude buys

Sri Lanka expects crude imports from Iran to drop by at least 10% this year due to a range of inflation-fighting policies that should cool ...

Issues

Family remembers Marie Colvin

Marie Colvin was always getting into jams as a foreign correspondent, covering war zones and acquiring an eye patch after an ambush in Sri Lanka, ...

Issues

Sri Lanka: Government fears strategy of “Regime Change” through external intervention

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s speech to the nation on Independence Day provided an indication of his two major concerns for the future. One concern was the ...

Human Rights

DIG Ravi Wijegunawardena should be responsible for shooting of fisherman

On February 14 a young fisherman, Anthony Fernando, was shot dead while he was engaged with a number of other fishermen in protesting the increase ...

Issues

How the West is losing Sri Lanka

Doesn’t anyone read public opinion polls anymore? Don’t they make news anymore? I’m not referring to opinion polls run or commissioned by the government – ...

Issues

Political Interference with Judicial Independence- Lessons from the Maldivian Experience

He is not just if he decides a case arbitrarily, the wise man should decide after considering both what is right and what is wrong –The ...

Human Rights

A call for Muslim politicians and civil society to take collective responsibility

This is a statement by 147 Muslim civil society individuals from communities and groups across Sri Lanka, including the North and East. The Statement calls ...

Human Rights

Practical steps to meaningful reconciliation in Sri Lanka

CORRECTION: Yesterday we erroneously attributed this statement to the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) we regret the error. It is a joint statement by several ...

Human Rights

Sri Lanka: On The Edge Of The Knife

Valentine’s day carcass Mahinda Rajapakse There is always a fallacious belief that, It would not be the same here; here such things are impossible[1]. The morning of ...

Issues

Press Conference by Under Secretary Maria Otero and Assistant Secretary Robert O. Blake, Jr. in Colombo

February 13, 2012: Under Secretary Otero: Thank you. Good afternoon. I’m pleased to be here in Colombo for the first time. I’ve had serious and productive meetings ...