India's external intelligence agency tried to undermine Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse at polls in January and wanted him defeated, a minister said in an interview published Monday. Nandana Goonathilake, minister of postal services, said the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), India's forei... [More]

Sri Lanka's former army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka has threatened to go on a hunger strike to protest against his detention, his wife said Sunday. Fonseka will begin his fast unless allowed to telephone their two daughters studying in the United States, Anoma Fonseka ... [More]

Sri Lanka's president Saturday rejected a proposed panel by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to look into alleged war crimes during the island's civil war as "unwarranted and uncalled for." President Mahinda Rajapakse views Ban's plan for the panel to advise him on "accountability i... [More]

Sri Lankan police are to question dozens of military intelligence officers in connection with the internationally condemned assassination of a senior editor, a spokesman said Tuesday. Investigations into the January 2009 slaying of Lasantha Wickrematunga, chief editor of the anti-establishment Sun... [More]

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court refused Tuesday to order the release of detained opposition leader and former army chief Sarath Fonseka as it deliberates a petition challenging his arrest by the military. Fonseka, 59, has been held at a naval detention centre since his arrest on February 8, sparking int... [More]

Sri Lanka's president says arrested ex-army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka is getting "five-star" treatment in custody, it was reported Saturday. Fonseka, whose detention came two weeks after being beaten in presidential elections in late January by President Mah... [More]

Sri Lanka said Friday it plans to release all detained Tamil Tiger child soldiers by the end of May and re-unite them with their families. Government forces defeated the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in May last year, ending their 37-year fight for a Tamil homeland in the north of t... [More]

A court in Sri Lanka on Wednesday freed 14 men held on suspicion of plotting a coup with opposition leader and ex-army chief Sarath Fonseka, an official said. Colombo Magistrate Champa Rajaratne released the men, including 10 retired army officers, as police had failed to indict them since their a... [More]

Sri Lanka criticised Tuesday a decision by European Union nations to withdraw preferential trade benefits from Sri Lanka if it failed to respect human rights obligations. The decision Monday came after an "exhaustive" investigation "identified significant shortcomings" by the i... [More]

Sri Lanka's former army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka on Tuesday petitioned the Supreme Court challenging incumbent Mahinda Rajapakse's re-election, his lawyer said. Fonseka, who lost a January 26 vote, alleged that he was robbed of victory because of rigging, electoral ... [More]

Lawyers in Sri Lanka accused the government Monday of illegally suppressing protests at the arrest of former army chief Sarath Fonseka. Thousands of people taking part in peaceful protests have been attacked by pro-government supporters despite the presence of armed police, the independent Lawyers... [More]

Police in Colombo stepped up security Friday as the Supreme Court prepared to hear a suit challenging the arrest of Sri Lanka's former army chief Sarath Fonseka. Anti-riot squads were put on alert and barricades set up along the main access roads to the court, which witnessed violent clashes Wedne... [More]

The United States and Norway rejected on Thursday fresh allegations that they financed the jailed Sri Lankan opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka in his bid to unseat President Mahinda Rajapakse. The US and Norwegian embassies denied the charge by Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, wh... [More]

Sri Lanka's former army chief and defeated presidential hopeful Sarath Fonseka has appealed for calm after violent clashes triggered by his arrest, his wife said Thursday. Anoma Fonseka was granted access to her husband, who challenged President Mahinda Rajapakse, at the naval detention centre wher... [More]

A regional human rights group sharply criticised Sri Lanka Thursday over plans to court martial the island's former army chief on charges of conspiring against the government. "The case is being pursued in military courts, thus avoiding the country?s ordinary courts and depriving him of due pr... [More]

Sri Lanka's opposition parties demanded Wednesday the immediate release of former army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka, warning that he faced "assassination" in custody. In a joint statement, the parties which had backed Fonseka's failed challenge to President Ma... [More]

Sri Lanka's former army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka will face a court martial for "military offences", an official said Tuesday. Fonseka, who was arrested by military police at his campaign office on Monday night, has been moved to an undisclosed military esta... [More]

Defeated Sri Lankan presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka could be hauled before a court martial to answer charges of plotting a coup to topple the government, a press report said Sunday. The government has sought legal advice on using a military court to fast-track proceedings against Fonseka, wh... [More]

Sri Lanka faced criticism Saturday for extending a state of emergency giving sweeping powers to security forces to detain suspects ahead of parliamentary elections due by April. A private poll-monitoring body, the People's Action for Free and Fair Elections, said continuation of emergency rule cou... [More]

EU nations have decided to suspend Sri Lanka's preferential trade status because of the island's human rights record and will make the formal move later this month, officials said Friday. "European ambassadors have taken the decision. The EU Commission's investigation showed Sri Lanka has not ... [More]