Sri Lanka News Network

DAILY NEWS: Laying to rest the IDP ghost in Sri Lanka

Ranjit — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:05:22 +0000

Time was when almost the whole world seemed to be pointing accusing fingers at Sri Lanka for the manner in which it was dealing with the issue of its Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

The fact that nearly 300,000 Sri Lankan citizens in the IDP Relief Centres were those who had fled into the arms of the Security Forces from the ruthless terror of the LTTE holding them as human shields for months did not matter to the accusers. What was important was the ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ always waiting to happen in the North of Sri Lanka. Full Story

DNA INDIA: Indian army chief to pay five-day visit to Sri Lanka

Ranjit — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 10:34:21 +0000

Seeking to give a fillip to bilateral military ties, army chief General VK Singh is set to undertake a five-day visit to Sri Lanka from Sunday to discuss defence cooperation.

During his visit, Singh is scheduled to meet defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, his Sri Lankan counterpart Jagath Jayasuriya and other senior defence officials. Full Story

DAILY NEWS: Christianity made major contribution to education - Sri Lanka President

Ranjit — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:40:30 +0000

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that Christianity has made a major contribution to education, and spiritual and moral enhancement of Sri Lankan society during the last 500 years, when the Prefect of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments in the Vatican His Eminence Antonio Cardinal Canizares called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees, Thursday.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa conveyed his gratitude to the Vatican for the support extended and understanding expressed during the difficult times faced by Sri Lanka in the recent past. “I had the fortune of meeting His Holiness the Pope twice and I wish to do so at the next available opportunity once again,” said President Rajapaksa and expressed hope that His Holiness would be able to visit Sri Lanka. Full Story

COLOMBO PAGE: Sri Lanka’s Opposition Leader ready to cooperate to find political solution, media reports

Ranjit — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:10:32 +0000

Sri Lanka’s Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe has said that the main opposition United National Party (UNP) will cooperate with all stakeholders in the efforts to find a political solution to the Tamils issue, the Indian media reported.

“We are for a solution. We will cooperate with the TNA (Tamil National Alliance), the (Sri Lankan) government and the Indian government,” the Indian daily The Hindu quoting Wickremasinghe said. Full Story

THE ISLAND: Eight UNP MPs likely to support proposed 18th amendment

Ranjit — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 08:28:31 +0000

Informed sources told The Island last night that among those who had committed themselves to supporting President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s proposed constitutional amendments, which inter alia would give a sitting President the opportunity to contest any number of times, were UNP MPs Lakshman Seneviratne, Earl Gunasekera, Abdul Cader and Manusha Nanayakkara.

Kandy District UNP MP M. Haleem, a confidante of Abdul Cader was also being mentioned as a possible defector. Nuwara Eliya District UNP MP Sri Ranga, it is learnt, has said that he would take an independent decision on the proposed amendments. Full Story

DNA INDIA: Explosive materials bound for Sri Lanka seized

Ranjit — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 09:17:24 +0000

Two persons were arrested today for allegedly attempting to smuggle explosive materials, including gelatin sticks, to Sri Lanka by the sea route from nearby Thondi. Full Story

THE TIMES OF INDIA: Krishna to talk resettlement of Tamils during Lanka trip

Ranjit — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:14:58 +0000

Foreign minister S M Krishna will visit Sri Lanka soon for a first-hand view of the situation there as India tries to expedite the resettlement process in the island nation. Government officials said Krishna’s visit is likely to take place by the end of this month or early October.

Officials said Krishna will emphasise before the Lankan leadership the need to move from resettlement of internally diplaced persons (IDPs) to chalking out a political solution which is substantive and durable. Full Story

THE ISLAND: Sri Lanka bonds better than BRIC’s

Ranjit — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 00:55:49 +0000

After the end of a thirty year old war last year, Sri Lanka’s sovereign bonds have out performed bonds from Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) in international capital markets according to a survey carried out by JP Morgan Chase and Co, which augurs well for US$ 1 billion sovereign bond issue later this year, a report by Bloomberg newswire service said.

“Sri Lankan debt has returned 39 percent since May 18, 2009, when the government defeated Tamil Tiger rebels, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s EMBI Global Index. That compares with 12 percent in China, 22 percent in Brazil and 26 percent in Russia. Company bonds of India, which doesn’t have a dollar-sovereign issue, delivered gains of 26 percent,” Bloomberg newswire said in a report filed August 30. Full Story

AP: Saudi official denies Sri Lankan maid was abused

Ranjit — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:27:19 +0000

A Saudi official has denied a Sri Lankan maid’s allegations that the couple she worked for in the Arab kingdom hammered nails and needles into her body. Doctors in Sri Lanka have said they removed 13 nails and five needles from L.G. Ariyawathi after she returned from Saudi Arabia last month. The items had been driven into Ariyawathi’s legs and forehead, they said.

But Saad al-Badah, the head of a Saudi government department responsible for foreign workers, told state television Tuesday night that Ariyawathi’s allegations were baseless and amounted to blackmail. Full Story

India Keen on Strengthening Bilateral Ties Through Post-War Rehabilitation

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:44:13 +0000

After supporting the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa during the decisive conclusion of Sri Lanka’s war with the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), India has stepped up its efforts to forge stronger ties, not only with the government, but also with the Tamil community by investing in post-war reconstruction and rehabilitation in the war-affected north and east.

Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, also a former ambassador to Colombo, arrived at the Katunayake International Airport Monday on a visit that is expected to focus on assessing the ongoing development in the northern and eastern provinces since the war ended in May 2009. (more…)