Tamil National Alliance (TNA) says that the government has not initiated any of the recommendations by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC).

Responding to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s remarks on LLRC, at the independent day celebration, TNA parliamentarian, M.A.Sumanthiran said that they are yet to see implementation of these recommendations.

President Mahinda Rajapkasa in his independent day address said that the government has already started implementing what was in the Commission.

“The report was tabled in Parliament on December 17. [...]

President Mahinda Rajapaksa states that ethnic communities have no separate regions and the entire country belongs to all ethnic communities.

Addressing the 64th National Independence Day celebrations in Anuradhapura, President Rajapaksa said that the government is engaged in the task of creating a stable peace and national unity after liberating the country from terrorism.

President Rajapaksa referring to the problem confronting the world economy called upon the nation to face the reality.

“We have to get together and work just as [...]

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has expressed concern over the increasing trade deficit in Sri Lanka though the growth of the economy has been “very strong.”

Speaking to journalists in Colombo, the head of IMF delegation Brain Aitken said when the team last visited Sri Lanka in September, last year, the inflation was also under control.

“The one thing seen in the last three months is that the trade deficit has widened and the credit growth has stimulated,” he added. [...]

The Appeal Court in Sri Lanka has issued notice to media minister, police chief and Jaffna military commander to appear before the court in connection with the disappearance of two human rights activists.

The court issued the order after granting leave to proceed to a petition seeking an order to present Lalith Kumara Weeraraju and Kugan Murugananthan who disappeared in Jaffna on 09 December.

Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, IGP NK Ilangakoon and Security Force Commander in north Maj Gen Mahinda Hathurusinghe [...]

About 200 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees have told the BBC that they are enduring miserable conditions in the West African state of Togo.

They say they are living on meagre rations and face the prospect of imminent deportation home, where their lives are in danger.

The refugees say they are being detained by the army in an open sports stadium in the capital Lome.

The Togo authorities have declined to comment on their claims.

The refugees say they fled Sri Lanka to [...]

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said that United States’ sanctions against Iran will hurt small countries like his own more than they hurt Iran. No country is more dependent than Sri Lanka on crude oil imports from Iran, and Mr Rajapaksa said his government is considering how it will cope.

President Rajapaksa told journalists 93 percent of Sri Lanka’s crude oil supplies come from Iran. That’s a much higher proportion than any other country. The island nation fears it will suffer [...]

The president of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has categorically rejected giving land powers to the provinces.

Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna told journalists after meeting the president in Colombo on 17 January that Mr Rajapaksa pledged to “go beyond the 13 amendment to the constitution” that devolved land and police powers to the provinces.

The president, however, told local media executives on Monday that he did not make such a pledge to India.

The editor of Navamani newspaper, NM Ameen, who [...]

A provincial council minister representing the government has called for a national dialogue over devolution of powers to provincial councils.

Wimalaweera Dissanayake, a minister in Eastern Provincial Council (EPC), was commenting on the recent proposal by the EPC calling for the land powers to be devolved to the PCs as per the country’s constitution.

The police and land powers should be devolved into the provinces according to the 13 amendment to the constitution adopted after the Indo-Lanka agreement signed in [...]

One of Sri Lanka’s most controversial diplomats, an ex-army commander, has got a senior post advising the UN secretary general, the government says.

Major General Shavendra Silva, Sri Lanka’s deputy ambassador to the UN, is the subject of a lawsuit in the US accusing him of war crimes.

Maj Gen Silva denies the charges. He is one of many military men given top diplomatic posts by Sri Lanka.

He will now be part of a group advising Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

A Sri [...]

Sri Lanka government has no intention to implement the recommendations of the presidential war panel, says a young Tamil government MP.

Journalist turned politician Sri Ranga told BBC Sandeshaya that the government should implement panel’s all recommendations including a special investigation into alleged war crimes by certain elements of the military.

The panel concluded the military gave the "highest priority" to protecting civilians and said Tamil Tiger rebels had had "no respect for human life".

The Tigers, in contrast, used people [...]

Mothers and wives against abduction and disappearances held a vigil in front of the Fort railway station.

The vigil marked the second anniversary of the disappearance of Journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda.

"We are invoking the blessings of sacred women such as Virgin Mary, Godess Pathini, Kali and Maha prajapathi Gothami to find our children and husbunds," said Sandya Eakneligoda, wife of Prageeth.

Sri Lanka’s Appeal Court recently ruled that former Attorney General Mr Mohan Pieris could be called in as a [...]

At least 28 people have been injured in clashes between guards and rioting inmates at a prison in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, police say.

Reports say guards opened fire to restore order and most of the injured are prisoners with bullet wounds.

Police say inmates were angered by moves to curtail drug smuggling in the Welikada (or Magazine) jail.

A local resident told the Associated Press that disturbances had been going on for several days.

Police spokesman Ajith Rohana said 24 [...]

These former LTTE cadres are now forced to live under the watchful eye of military intelligence, says Councillor MK Sivajilingam

The military in Sri Lanka is constantly threatening former Tamil Tigers who were released in the north following rehabilitation, to stay away from political activities, local politicians say.

The former combatants are particularly told by military not to engage with the Peoples Struggle Movement (PSM), Velvettithurai Urban Councillor MK Sivajilingam told BBC Sandeshaya.

"This is a denial of their political rights," [...]

The former army commander of Sri Lanka has accused the government for being responsible for series of abductions and disappearances recently reported in the north.

Former general Sarath Fonseka made the accusation as he was brought to Colombo High Court as a suspect of a case involving alleged corruption when he was the army commander.

The government on Thursday said that it does not have any information on the whereabouts of Lalith Kumar Weeraraj and Kugan Muruganathan, who went missing [...]

The US has started to enforce its sanctions on Iran. That’s likely to have knock-on effects on many countries that depend on Iran for oil.

One of the most vulnerable in this regard is Sri Lanka, as the BBC’s Charles Haviland explains from its capital, Colombo.

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