Sri Lanka News Updates with Discussions

By Sanjaya Nallaperuma

Aresolution that would impose sanctions on Sri Lanka is likely, when the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (UN) convenes in September (from 12th-30th) and ratifies such a move. The government has still not being able to secure support from countries considered supportive to overcome such threats, a senior government minister, on condition of anonymity, said.

Though a delegation from Colombo attended the 17th sessions of the UNHRC in Switzerland recently, it had failed to obtain the necessary support from the countries concerned, the minister told this newspaper.

By Gayan Kumara Weerasingha

The CID in its investigations have determined that when the police said that they had opened fire to save Senior DIG Ravi Wijegunawardena, who was being attacked allegedly by FTZ workers on May 30, the DIG was in fact in hospital.
The police fire occurred after DIG Wijegunawardena had been admitted to the Negombo Hospital which proves that their earlier claims, that the police fired to `save` the Senior DIG`s life from attacks by angry workers was false.
According to information received, the CID has reason to believe that the police had deliberately opened fire on the protesters.

June 10, 2011 (LBO) - Sri Lanka`s state-run Mihin Lanka, a budget carrier, has lost 5.8 billion rupees since it was started in 2007 and it had a 5.6 billion rupee gap in the balance sheet despite capital injections from people`s tax money, official data shows.

By Dianne Silva

The Asian Group expressed its support for United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon`s bid for a second term. This implies that Sri Lanka too will support him, high placed sources at the Ministry of External Affairs said yesterday.

The Asian Group, on Monday, unanimously endorsed the candidacy of Ban to serve a second five-year term as the head of the UN from January 2012. He will therefore run unopposed. The Security Council will meet to endorse him before the General Assembly meets to endorse him by acclamation in September.

* Don`t insult Ban Ki-Moon
* Protect UN office

By Christy Mahesh de Silva

Russia and China have expressed concern to the Government of Sri Lanka with regard to any activity that could embarrass international organizations and their officials serving in the country, in the aftermath of the release of the Darusman report of the the a dvisory panel appointed by the Secretary General of the United Nations, informed diplomatic sources told this newspaper.

LOL:))

The UPFA government, in a new turn of events, has invited the International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) to play a bigger role in resuscitating the Eastern economy, following the floods that wreaked havoc in the area.
Contrary to the government`s earlier position to limit INGO operation in the country, the government last week decided to include INGOs and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to continue with the extensive recovery operation the government has launched with a view to giving the flood-hit areas a facelift, well-placed sources informed.

2010-03-17 14:39:05

Twenty six retired and serving servicemen who had been taken in for questioning while working for General Sarath Fonseka have been released upto Tuesday by the CID.

Senior State Counsel Riyaz Hamza informed the Supreme Court that the men had been questioned and released as there was no evidence against them.

By Jamila Najmuddin

The military security provided to Eastern Province Chief Minister and TMVP Leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan has been withdrawn with immediate effect, TMVP sources told Daily Mirror Online.

The TMVP is unaware of the reason behind the security withdrawal and is expected to write to the Police DIG of the area to seek security for the Chief Minister`s residence, TMVP sources added.
The move comes after the TMVP recently decided to contest the upcoming General Election independently and not with the ruling UPFA government.

Six soldiers, produced before court for allegedly molesting a minor in Batticaloa last week have been remanded after an identification parade was held before the Batticaloa Magistrate Courts, Army Spokesperson Major General Prasad Samarasinghe said.

Military Spokesperson Major General Prasad Samarasingha speaking to Daily Mirror Online said that as advised by local Police in accordance with legal procedures, the Army detachment presented 48 soldiers, including those six who were present at the specific location to Court for identification.

Thursday, 25 February 2010 13:46

By Athula Bandara

A new born baby who was found stuffed in a bag filled with corn leftovers for more than five hours in Anuradhapura was rescued after the doctor who was treating the child`s underage mothers_day.jsp' class=black>mother intervened promptly. The child was left without nutrition for more than five hours before being rescued. The Eppawela police is conducting further investigations into the incident.

2010-02-24 12:54:42

A group of some 41 soldiers are to be produced before a local magistrate later today for an identification parade in connection with the alleged gang-rape of a minor early last week, officials said.

According to officials at least three soldiers are alleged to have raped the 11-year-old girl near a stream at Kiran in the Valachcheni police division while the victim was returning home after school.

The identification parade is to be held before the Batticoloa Magistrate, some 310 kilomometres east of the capital Colombo. (LB) (CKP)

(AFP) 2 hours ago

COLOMBO Sri Lanka`s top Buddhist monks called off a special gathering this week because of government pressure, a spokesman said Friday, while the opposition said bomb threats had been involved.

The Buddhist leaders had planned to meet on Thursday to discuss a strategy for pressing the government to release defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka, who was arrested just weeks after contesting last month`s elections.

2010-02-18 12:27:00

The owners of a popular catering service filed anticipatory bail applications today claiming the CID were planning to arrest them for supplying food for Gen (retd) Sarath Fonseka`s office during the election campagin.

The co-owners of New Lanka Catering Sudesh Kumara and Manjula Kumara said they had supplied 375 food parcels per day to Fonseka`s office from Dec 1 to Jan 25 after being given a contract for it.

2010-02-17 14:48:01

Colombo Chief Magistrate Champa Janaki Rajaratna today released 14 people including several former army and air force personnel who were employed at the office of the opposition presidential candidate General (retd.) Sarath Fonseka who were taken into custody by the CID.

The former army personnel released included I.H.S.Kudaligama, Palitha Saman Bandara, Edward Thuwara, Upali Senarath, K.A.S. Devapriya, G.N.N.Maduranga and D.W.K.S.Wickremasinghe the Air Force personnel included Dhanuska Hettiarachchi, Priyanatha Hettiarachchi and Anura Kalyana while the civilians released were Norbert Ariyaratna, O.M.Perera, H.S.M.Naseer, Manjula Perera, and P.R.L.Pushpakumara.