Category: Local News

“India must stand by Sri Lanka, vote against US resolution” Says India’s Pioneer newspaper

– by Walter Jayawardhana – In a forthright and hard-hitting column published in its Sunday edition India’s Pioneer newspaper said  nothing would be more ruinous for India’s national interest if the Congress were to decide to force Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid to vote for the resolution against Sri […]



Sri Lankan resolution: PM mum on stance at UN

– Submitted by Walter Jayawardhana – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday did not give any hint of India’s stance at the UNHRC resolution on Sri Lanka slated to be voted upon later this month, even as he asserted that India had pleaded to Colombo that there must be political reconciliation to bring peace to […]



What is the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) doing about US/NATO atrocities?

– By Shenali Waduge – The British medical journal Lancet reported that the US-led unprovoked 2003 bombing, invasion and military take-over of Iraq—which NATO officially joined in 2004 in a ‘training’ capacity—had resulted in over 665,000 civilian deaths by 2006, and 200,000 in the UN-authorized, 1991 Desert Storm massacre led primarily by the US with […]




US tables Sri Lankan resolution with India line

– Submitted by Walter Jayawardhana – The US resolution on Sri Lanka, which was presented to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on Friday, has incorporated India’s suggestion that the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) take the island government into confidence while probing cases of atrocities. […]




Where are the next of kin of the supposedly executed 40,000–125,000 Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka?

  – By Shenali Waduge – The “experts” and “authorities” must have their say and certainly their voice is far more powerful than a country as small as Sri Lanka. They are the ones that make the laws, they decide who the villains and the heroes are, they can make heroes into villains and villains […]



Colombo should hold talks with Tamils: Manmohan

– Submitted by Walter Jayawardhana – A week before Sri Lanka’s human rights record comes up for review before a United Nations panel, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh advocated direct talks between Colombo and the Tamil leadership. […]




ALLEGED ATTACK ON INDIAN FISHERMEN

On seeing reports in the media on 7 March 2013 on an incident of alleged firing at Indian fishermen by the Sri Lanka Navy off the Kodiakarai coast, an investigation has been carried out. It was revealed that Sri Lanka Naval vessels had not entered Indian waters at any time either on 6 or 7 […]



U.S. announces Sri Lanka reconciliation awards

The U.S. State Department on Thursday announced that it would be awarding $500,000 each for two projects in Sri Lanka, one for increasing support and safety for journalists and a second for facilitating reconciliation on the island. […]



Rights of Sri Lanka’s Soldier’s vs LTTE Terrorists

– By Shenali Waduge – In the current context of things it is imperative that we draw the lines between what and who are legal and what and who are not. With 32 nations including Sri Lanka having banned LTTE as a terrorist organization we would first like to have legal luminaries tell us what […]



DMK walks out of Lok Sabha, says India must vote against Sri Lanka in Geneva

– Submitted by Walter Jayawardhana – New Delhi: The DMK, which is the ruling Congress’ biggest ally in the UPA, today walked out of the Lok Sabha while External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid was speaking, to bring pressure on the government to vote against Sri Lanka on a resolution expected to be moved by the […]




International Women’s Day celebrations at Temple Trees today

The national event to mark International Women’s Day (IWD) 2013 will be held under the patronage of First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa at Temple Trees today. The event is organised by the Child Development and Women’s Affairs Ministry under the theme “Protect her who protects the family” (Pawla rakina aeya surakimu). This theme has been selected […]



President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s condolence message on the demise of H.E. Hugo Chavez

His Excellency Nicolás Maduros Moros Acting President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Excellency, I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing away of His Excellency Hugo Chavez Frias, President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela after a prolonged illness.  The Government and people of Sri Lanka join me in conveying our deepest condolences […]