Politics

Sri Lanka President on Twitter Q&A from New York

Sept 24, 2013 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa will answer questions posed on Twitter, a micro blogging site, after addressing a United Nations …

Tamil party heads for big win in Sri Lanka vote

JAFFNA, September 21, 2013 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's main Tamil party was Sunday headed for victory in the first regional elections to a semi-autonomous council in …

Sri Lanka’s Tamil party wins landslide victory in key poll

JAFFNA, September 22, 2013 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's main Tamil party won a landslide victory Sunday in landmark elections in the battle-scarred north, raising hopes …

Sri Lanka’s Tamils vote after decades of war

JAFFNA, September 21, 2013 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's minority Tamils began voting Saturday to elect what they hope will give them a shot at self-rule after decades …

Sri Lanka’s poor unmoved by Australia’s new boat people policy

UDAPPUWA, September 20, 2013 (AFP) - As Australia's new government launches tough measures to halt asylum seekers arriving on boats, some dirt-poor fishermen …

Foreigners monitor Sri Lanka’s ex-war zone vote

JAFFNA, September 18, 2013 (AFP) - Foreign observers held talks with officials and candidates in Sri Lanka's former war zone Wednesday to ensure the region's …

Sri Lanka frees 736 convicts on prison day

COLOMBO, September 12, 2013 (AFP) - Sri Lanka on Thursday released 736 convicts after they were given a presidential pardon to mark the country's prisoner day, …

UN raises fresh fears for Sri Lanka rights defenders

GENEVA, September 9, 2013 (AFP) - The UN rights chief Monday raised fresh concerns for the safety of Sri Lankan journalists and activists she said had been …

Sri Lanka Muslim leader warns against extremism claims

COLOMBO, September 6, 2013 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's main Muslim political leader, who is also the justice minister, criticised his own government Friday for blaming …

Sri Lanka rights group says it was harassed after UN meeting

COLOMBO, September 2, 2013 (AFP) - A Catholic-run human rights group working in northeastern Sri Lanka said Monday it had been harassed by security personnel …

Sri Lanka state press says UN rights chief ‘prejudiced’

COLOMBO, September 1, 2013 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's state-run media Sunday accused UN human rights chief Navi Pillay of being "prejudiced", a day after she warned …

UN rights chief pre-judging Sri Lanka

August 30, 2013 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's President Friday suggested UN human rights chief Navi Pillay had pre-judged his Indian Ocean island, according to a …

Sri Lanka becoming more authoritarian: UN rights chief

COLOMBO, August 31, 2013 (AFP) - UN human rights chief Navi Pillay on Saturday accused Sri Lanka of becoming "increasingly authoritarian", with activists …

Lanka steps up attack on UN rights chief

COLOMBO, August 29, 2013 (AFP) - Sri Lanka ratcheted up criticism of the UN human rights body on Thursday, accusing it of repeated "vicious and baseless" …

Sri Lanka slams UN rights body

COLOMBO, August 28, 2013 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's president has criticised the UN Human Rights Council as its top official toured the battle-scarred nation to probe …

Sri Lanka signs economic and defence deals with Belarus

Aug 27, 2013 (LBO)- Sri Lanka has signed a series of bilateral deals involving trade, taxation, tourism and defence co-operation following a visit by President …

Sri Lanka police in doghouse over canine ‘wedding’

COLOMBO, August 27, 2013 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's cultural affairs ministry has taken strong exception to a mass "wedding" of police dogs, which used symbols of …

UN rights chief asked to trace Sri Lanka war missing

COLOMBO, August 27, 2013 (AFP) - Families of people who disappeared during Sri Lanka's ethnic war demonstrated in the former rebel stronghold of Jaffna Tuesday …

UN rights chief to raise ‘concerns’ in Sri Lanka

COLOMBO, August 25, 2013 (AFP) - The UN's top rights official began her visit to Sri Lanka Sunday by brushing aside criticism that she overstepped her brief …

Sri Lanka monks protest UN rights chief’s visit

COLOMBO, August 26, 2013 (AFP) - Buddhist monks led protests in the Sri Lankan capital Monday against the UN's top rights official, who began a fact-finding …