Politics

Sri Lanka detains asylum seekers expelled by Britain

September 29, 2011 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's police detained 50 failed asylum seekers flown back to the country Thursday after being expelled from Britain, police …

Pressure needed to end child soldier use: France

UNITED NATIONS, September 26, 2011 (AFP) - States and armed groups that refuse to stop recruiting child soldiers must be subject to tougher pressure in the …

Sri Lanka leader says international criticism ‘tainted’

UNITED NATIONS, September 24, 2011 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's president on Friday condemned "tainted" international allegations of a military massacre of civilians …

Sri Lanka Tamil protesters ask for probe into war crimes allegations

GENEVA, September 19, 2011 (AFP) - Tamils from across Europe demonstrated at the UN's European headquarters on Monday, calling for a probe into alleged war …

US urges Sri Lanka to boost Tamil police

September 14, 2011 (AFP) - The United States on Wednesday urged Sri Lanka to deploy more minority Tamils to police the island's former northern conflict zone …

US envoy visits Sri Lanka’s former war zone

September 13, 2011 (AFP) - US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake toured Sri Lanka's former war zone on Tuesday to meet students, community leaders and …

OECD points to general slowing of main economies

PARIS, September 12, 2011 (AFP) - The main economies in the world are set for a general slowdown, the OECD said on Monday on the basis of its leading index of …

US envoy in Sri Lanka as UN rights meet starts

September 12, 2011 (AFP) - US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake arrived in Colombo Monday for talks that coincide with a UN meeting in Geneva that is …

Sri Lanka against UN sending probe report to rights body

GENEVA, September 12, 2011 (AFP) - Sri Lanka on Monday took issue with a planned UN move to forward a damning report on the country to the Human Rights …

Sri Lanka says Amnesty war probe allegations ‘interference’

September 10, 2011 (AFP) - Sri Lanka said Saturday that Amnesty International comments on the island's probe into its military victory over Tamil rebels, were …

Sri Lanka to start diplomatic relations with El Salvadore

Sept 09, 2011 (LBO) - Sri Lanka will start diplomatic relations with El Salvadore, a small state in Central America, deputy economic development minsiter …

Rights group urges Sri Lanka to end detention laws

September 8, 2011 (AFP) - The Human Rights Watch lobby group on Wednesday urged Sri Lanka to scrap draconian detention laws and free thousands of people held …

Sri Lanka slammed by Amnesty over ‘flawed’ war probe

September 7, 2011 (AFP) - Amnesty International on Wednesday said Sri Lanka's inquiry into its military victory over Tamil rebels was "flawed at every level" …

Sri Lanka mayoral candidate promises jobs, decent housing

Sep 05, 2011 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's ruling party mayoral candidate for the capital intends to organize job fairs for unemployed youth and promised decent housing …

Sri Lanka businesses warn against economic sanctions

Sep 02, 2011 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's large trade have criticized a report by a UN panel alleging human rights abuses in a civil war that ended in 2009, and warned …

Ex-Indian PM Gandhi’s killers to hang next month

CHENNAI, August 27, 2011 (AFP) - Three men convicted of the 1991 assassination of then Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi will be hanged early next month, a …

Sri Lanka opposition poll campaign haunted by ‘grease devils’

August 26, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka's main opposition, which is bedeviled by a string of electoral defeats and an internal battle to oust its leader, says …

US envoy to press Sri Lanka over alleged war crimes

August 26, 2011 (AFP) - The United States is dispatching a top envoy to Colombo for talks next week ahead of a crucial UN meeting to discuss alleged war crimes …

Sri Lanka scraps emergency laws, US cheers

August 25, 2011 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's president announced on Thursday that he was scrapping draconian emergency laws imposed nearly 30 years ago to deal with the …

100 arrests over Sri Lanka sex offender scare

August 23, 2011 (AFP) - Police carried out mass arrests in northern Sri Lanka on Tuesday after residents clashed with troops alleged to have protected …