Sri Lanka: Account for Wartime Disappearances
More Than 20 People Last Seen in Army Custody Remain Missing
2011-04-08
The Sri Lankan government should account for everyone who was taken into custody at the end of Sri Lanka’s 26-year-long armed conflict in May 2009 and are feared to have been “disappeared,” Human Rights Watch said today. Despite numerous requests from families for information about their relatives, the authorities do not appear to have conducted any serious investigations, Human Rights Watch said.
IFJ Urges Full Investigation As Editor Granted Bail In Sri Lanka
2011-04-08
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) welcomes the release of editor Bennett Rupasinghe from detention in Sri Lanka but renews its call for authorities to step up their investigation into the arson attack on his news outlet, Lanka-e-News.
LankaeNews editor freed on bail, authorities still have him in their sights
2011-04-08
Bennet Rupesinghe, one of the editors of the Colombo-based online newspaper LankaeNews, was released on bail today after a week in pre-trial detention for allegedly making threats.
Lieutenant Wickramaratne is being tortured for the disappearance of four sailors
2011-04-07
Sources at the Defence Ministry say that special unit is torturing the Officer in Charge of the Chundikulam Naval Unit Lieutenant P.N.O Wickramaratne at a secret location for the disappearance of four sailors off Mulativu on 29 March.
Government protests Blake’s meeting with GTF by asking to postpone his visit
2011-04-07
Sources at the foreign ministry say that the government has requested US Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake to postpone his visit that was scheduled for tomorrow as a protest against his recent 75-minute meeting with the Global Tamil Forum (GTF).
Jayantha to launch a spending spree to take hold of the main post at Sri Lanka Cricket
2011-04-07
A former Sri Lanka Cricket interim committee chairman and businessman Jayantha Dharmadasa is preparing to donate Rs. 50 lakhs each to cricket clubs in the island in a bid to gear to contest for the chairmanship of Sri Lanka Cricket.
UNP Leader promises the National Organizer post to Ravi
2011-04-07
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has promised UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake that he will be appointed to the post of National Organizer even through an election once the new Working Committee met, sources from Sirikotha said.
Ranil appoints 16 members to the new Working Committee
2011-04-07
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has yesterday appointed 16 members to the new Working Committee according to the amendments approved to the party constitution at last year’s UNP convention.
Ten Sri Lanka Cricket members who went to India for World Cup finals stranded
2011-04-07
Out of the 30 members sent by Sri Lanka Cricket to India to watch the World Cup finals, only 20 members had received tickets to actually watch the match, it is learnt.
UNP’s Interim Working Committee comes to an end
New Working Committee to appoint National Organizer
2011-04-07
The UNP’s interim Working Committee came to an end on the 6th and the new Working Committee has been established according to the new constitution that was passed at the party convention on December 12 last year.
Senior journalist Bennet Rupasinghe released on bail
2011-04-07
Kaduwela Magistrate and Additional District Judge Jayaki de Alwis today granted bail to the News Editor of LankaeNews, Bennet Rupasinghe, who was held in remand custody for six days after he was arrested by the police for allegedly making threatening telephone calls to the brother of one of the suspects in custody over the arson attack on the LankaeNews office in Malabe.
The government is strategically planning on taking enjoining orders against Lanka Fast Publishers that publish the Sunday Lanka and Midweek Lanka newspapers in order to temporarily or permanently prevent the newspapers from being published and distributed, a senior official from the Government Information Department told Lanka News Web.
Namal asks Sam to be appointed as the head of the Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee
2011-04-06
Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has asked Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage today morning to postpone the election of office bearers to Sri Lanka Cricket by a few months and to appoint one Sam residing in England as the head of the Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee, it is learnt.
The President’s eldest son and parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has decided to contest for the Presidency of Sri Lanka Cricket, sources from the Sports Ministry said.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has advised Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha not to make statements against Power and Energy Minister Champika Ranawaka, who has managed to salvage the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) from bankruptcy. The President had made this statement to Susil in front of Champika.
The President’s eldest son and parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa has taken steps to take over the operations and management of the Kiss FM radio station that is under the Siyatha media network belonging to Priyantha and Roshantha Kariyapperuma under the Tharunyata Hetak organization, reliable sources said.
Dhammika to remove three directors at Hayleys after taking 30% of the shares
2011-04-06
Transport Ministry Secretary Dhammika Perera after taking over 30% of the shares of Hayleys together with his business associate, Managing Director of Lanka Ceramics Company, Nimal Perera is looking at removing three independent directors in the company's board with immediate effect.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has informed all police OICs through the SSPs that only businessmen supportive of the government be given permission to transport sand.
