Despite government plans to call for a Presidential election next March after amending the Constitution to reduce the President’s term of office from five to four years and the time to call for elections from four to three years, the problem of finding the two thirds majority to get the legislation passed in parliament has now posed a problem to the government.
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The government is to sign the agreement with India to set up a 500MW coal power plant in Sampur sooner than initially expected.
Seven factories around Labour Minister Gamini Lokuge’s house were shut down during the nation wide strike action that was held yesterday demanding the withdrawal of the electricity tariff hike.
A letter was sent by the CMU to the President Mahinda Rajapakse informing the strike on 21st May and resolutions were taken by CMU on 32nd delegation conference mentioned below.
Four years have passed since the end of the armed conflict in Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan authorities continue to deny mounting evidence of crimes under international law committed by its forces during Sri Lanka’s protracted armed conflict. They also attempt to stop their own citizens from communicating with the UN and other international bodies about serious violations they have witnessed.
Serious doubts have emerged regarding the future investigations into the mass grave at Matale where the remains of 156 persons have been found. In today's press it was reported that the Judicial Medical Officer in charge of the investigation has been transferred (JMO in charge of Matale mass grave also to be transferred -- Sri Lanka Mirror, May 20, 2013). Furthermore, it is also reported that the magistrate conducting the inquiries is also to be transferred.
'Buddhist monks were under the protection of the ruling coalition government. Some monks, particularly outside the capital of Colombo, operated with impunity in trying to eliminate Christian and Muslim places of worship. At least 50 incidents of violence against Christians were recorded by Christian groups during the year.. ''
Editor’s note: Richard Pearshouse is a senior health and human rights researcher at Human Rights Watch and author of Toxic Tanneries: The Health Repercussions of Bangladesh’s Hazaribagh Leather. The views expressed are his own.
The standing committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) on Rule of Law at its meeting on 10th May decided to express its concern on the appointment of a commission regarding the unearthing of the mass grave in Matale, when in fact what is necessary is to proceed under the normal Law of the Country.
Ugandan police have raided the offices of at least two newspapers following reports that President Yoweri Museveni is grooming his son to succeed him.
We are writing to ask you to join a solidarity effort for our dear friend Sunila Abeysekera, a leading women’s human rights defender, who is in a life struggle with cancer.
SP Shani Abeysekera from the CID had fallen on his knees before former Army Commander and Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka begging and pleading when he had met Fonseka to record a statement, sources from Fonseka’s party office said.
Head of Sirasa News Chevaan Daniel has called for Opposition and UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe’s resignation on face book. Chevaan’s outburst seems like immature rhetoric and not fitting of a channel head of an electronic media network.
Is Burma's Aung Suu Kyi herself complicit in this Rohingya ethnnocide? is a valid, empirical question that needs to be raised.
On Monday, Burmese President Thein Sein is due to visit the White House. The visit represents another milestone in recently burgeoning U.S.-Burma relations, and an opportunity to engage Thein Sein on the significance of respecting international human rights norms -- such as protecting its minority Muslim population's religious freedoms -- to continued Burmese democratic reform.
