Politics

Sri Lankan refugee camps emptying: UNHCR

GENEVA, April 27, 2010 (AFP) - More than 200,000 of some 280,000 mainly Tamil people displaced after the civil war in northern Sri Lanka have left their camps …

Sri Lankan detained in Malaysia after standoff: police

KUALA LUMPUR, April 26, 2010 (AFP) - Malaysian police Monday said they have detained 75 Sri Lankan migrants who refused to get off a fishing trawler, after …

Sri Lanka considers ending emergency laws

April 25, 2010 (AFP) - Sri Lanka may scrap the state of emergency laws that gave sweeping powers to police and troops during the island's long ethnic conflict …

Sri Lanka president retains finance, cuts size of new cabinet

Apr 23, 2010 (LBO) - Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa retained the finance and defence portfolios in a new cabinet appointed after parliamentary polls …

US asks Sri Lanka to pursue ‘healing process’

WASHINGTON, April 21, 2010 (AFP) - The United States called on Sri Lanka's new government Wednesday to use its mandate to pursue a "healing process" as the …

Sri Lanka’s former army chief launches attack on president

April 22, 2010 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's detained former army chief briefly emerged from custody Thursday to attend the opening of parliament and used the …

Sri Lanka ruling party wins huge majority

April 20, 2010 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's ruling party has won a near two-thirds majority in parliament at national polls, the elections commission said in final …

Sri Lanka ruling party wins 144 seats

Apr 21, 2010 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's ruling United People's Freedom Alliance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has won 144 seats just six seats short of a two thirds …

Sri Lanka new parliament gets finance and legal minds

Apr 21, 2010 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party has appointed an economist and a banker to parliament while a minority party has …

Sri Lankan president and rival to clash in new parliament

April 21, 2010 (AFP) - Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, who cemented his grip on power Wednesday, is set to clash with his arch-rival former army chief …

Sri Lanka’s new PM close ally of president

April 21, 2010 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's ruling party on Wednesday named plantations minister D.ivermectin M. Jayaratne, a close ally of President Mahinda Rajapakse, …

Sri Lanka ruling party senior as PM

Apr 21, 2010 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's ruling party named its most senior member Disanayaka Mudiyanselage Jayaratne as the prime minister amid speculation that a …

Sri Lanka public interest lawyer in parliament

Apr 22, 2010 (LBO) - A senior lawyer, M A Sumanthiran, practising in Sri Lanka's supreme court, court of appeal and commercial high court and district courts …

Sri Lanka ex-army chief’s trial to resume after assembly opens

April 20, 2010 (AFP) - The court martial of Sri Lanka's former army chief Sarath Fonseka was on Tuesday adjourned until after the opening of the country's new …

Sri Lanka’s ex-army chief back in court as MP-elect

April 19, 2010 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's former army chief Sarath Fonseka appeared in the dock at a court martial on Monday for the first time since winning a …

BBC World Service resumes FM broadcasts in Sri Lanka

LONDON, April 15, 2010 (AFP) - The BBC World Service announced Thursday the resumption of FM programming in Sri Lanka, 14 months after they were taken off air …

Sri Lanka opposition leader to be convicted next week: party

April 16, 2010 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's detained ex-army chief and opposition leader Sarath Fonseka is likely to be convicted early next week to prevent him …

US urges respect for human rights in Sri Lanka

April 15, 2010 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged Sri Lanka to respect human rights and heal its communal divisions as the island emerges …

Sri Lanka president calls for unity in New Year message

April 13, 2010 (AFP) - Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse Tuesday appealed for unity as the country prepared for its first traditional New Year after the …

Indonesia hails new Australian asylum-seeker policy

JAKARTA, April 12, 2010 (AFP) - Indonesia said Monday that Australia's decision to stop processing asylum seekers from Afghanistan and Sri Lanka will be …