A plot to kill or otherwise harm the human rights defender Herman Kumara .

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that Mr. Herman Kumara, a well-respected Sri Lankan human rights defender has received a number of death threats after he helped organize fishermen in protest of rising fuel prices. Soon after, he was followed by a group of people in a white van who visited his hometown and inquired about his family’s residence and whereabouts.

32 abductions in past 5 months

Thirty two people were abducted by armed groups in the past five months, ‘Ravaya’ reports.  Of these abducted persons, the dead bodies of seven were found in Colombo and several other areas.

'Citizenry should prepare for an invasion by US’

The mentality of the citizenry should be prepared to face an invasion by the US, said JHU secretary Patali Champika Ranawaka.  Speaking to the media today (Mar. 01), he said it was imperative that the country was strengthened in the socioeconomic fronts to face any sanctions by the West.

US Plan is to get Sri Lanka commit publicly in an international forum – US Envoy Patricia Butenis

The US is not the enemy of Sri Lanka and come what may in Geneva, the two countries will continue to have good bilateral relations, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Patricia Butenis exclusively told Ceylon Today last morning.
“No doubt we are going through a tough time now, but I hope to continue the good working relationship I have with key people in the Sri Lankan Government,” Ambassador Butenis said.

Sri Lanka's Killing Fields: War Crimes Unpunished - Channel 4

Last year Channel 4 broadcast Sri Lanka's Killing Fields, a critically-acclaimed and RTS Award winning forensic investigation into the events of the last few weeks of the decades-long war between the government of Sri Lanka and the rebel forces of the Tamil Tigers (LTTE), presented by Jon Snow.

Foreign policy should be left in the hands of the t President Rajapaksa and Prof Peiris - Dayan Jayatilleka

In an email interview with the Daily Mirror Sri Lanka’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to France & Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Dr Dayan Jayatilleka explained Sri Lanka ’s position at the Geneva Sessions and expressed his views on the Foreign Policy strategy of the government.

Sri Lankan government aides and Tamils spar at UN session

Sri Lankan government officials, Tamils in exile from the Indian Ocean island and rights groups sparred verbally at an open hearing Thursday during the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva."After 30 years we are now coming out of a state of war and we want to engage with the Tamil diaspora," Sri Lankan human rights envoy Mahinda Samarashinghe told the heated meeting.

Govt. to recommence countrywide protests against US resolution

The government is to continue its countrywide protest campaign against the US resolution to the UN Human Rights Council, calling for the implementation of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission recommendations.

Catholic Bishops call for implementation of LLRC recommendations

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Sri Lanka has made a fervent appeal to the Government towards implementation of the Recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation. The full text of the statement is given below:

Enragement over US-India stand results in Sumanthiran-effigy in Jaffna

The nominated parliamentarian of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) M.A. Sumanthiran faced the brunt of public enragement in Jaffna on Wednesday, for reflecting the stand of the USA and India, in handing over even the last of the trumps of Eezham Tamils to Sri Lankan state, by internalizing war-crimes accountability and political solution.

Government consistently attempting to dilute 13th Amendment - SLMC

 Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) that has been in the forefront of opposing the amendment to the Town and Country Planning Ordinance has decided last week that all matters which deal with the powers of provincial councils should be decided at the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC).

TNA Leader Sampanthan writes to 47 member states of UNHRC urging support for Resolution on Sri Lanka

In a letter dated 27th February 2012, Tamil National Alliance leader Rajavarothayam Sampanthan has written to all 47 member states of the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva urging support for the envisaged resolution on Sri Lanka. The full text of the letter is as follows :

Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi want India to back resolution seeking probe into war crimes

Shocked by reports that India is set to strongly back Sri Lanka in case a United States-backed resolution is taken up in the ongoing session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva seeking an inquiry into allegations of war crimes in the last stage of the civil war, leaders from Tamil Nadu on Wednesday appealed to the Centre not to bail out the island nation.

Judge tosses case against Sri Lanka's president

WASHINGTON –  A U.S. judge threw out a lawsuit Wednesday against Sri Lanka's president over killings allegedly carried out by his forces during the country's ethnic civil war. U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled that she must dismiss the suit against President Mahinda Rajapaksa because the Obama administration says he is immune from the litigation as a foreign head of state.

Jayalalitha tells Indian govt. not to support Sri Lanka at UNHCR

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha Jayaram today (Feb. 29) demanded that the Indian government should support the US-backed resolution on human rights violations by Sri Lanka, which comes up for voting at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva next month.

Medecins Sans Frontieres deny presence in war zone

The medical humanitarian organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) has expressed concern over an interview suggesting that it was present in 2009 in Sri Lanka’s war zone and received surrendering militants to be treated.  The interview published earlier this month in India and reproduced in the Sri Lanka media, the Secretary of Defence of Sri Lanka Mr. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is purported to have said

The Powers of the National Police Commission

By Lakshman Indranath Keerthisinghe
Politics are now nothing more than a means of rising in the world - Samuel Johnson Boswells Life of Johnson.
The National Police Commission, was inaugurated in November 2002 on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council. under the 17th Amendment to the Constitution. It became defunct due to the failure to appoint new
Commission members after the terms of the Commission and its Chairman lapsed in April 2009.

The Powers of the National Police Commission

By Lakshman Indranath Keerthisinghe 

Elle Gunawansa Thero with President Rajapakse

Politics are now nothing more than a means of rising in the world - Samuel Johnson Boswells Life of Johnson.
The National Police Commission, was inaugurated in November 2002 on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council. under the 17th Amendment to the Constitution. It became defunct due to the failure to appoint new

India should not support Sri Lanka at UNHRC hearing: Karunanidhi

CHENNAI: DMK, a key constituent of the ruling UPA at the Centre, on Wednesday said India should not support Sri Lanka, which is facing war crime charges, in the hearings being conducted by the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Assembly passes special resolution seeking economic sanctions on Sri Lanka

It wants those behind civilian deaths declared as "war criminals"
The Assembly on Wednesday passed a special resolution demanding that the Centre take action to get all those responsible for large-scale civilian deaths, during the Sri Lankan civil war, declared as ‘war criminals' by the United Nations.

Vaiko asks PM not to support Sri Lanka at UNHRC

Chennai: MDMK chief Vaiko on Tuesday termed as shocking a Sri Lankan official's claim about New Delhi's backing of Colombo in the ongoing UNHRC session and urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh not to support it.

RSF to UNHRC: With media gagged or threatened, no progress for freedom of information

Reporters Without Borders calls on all members of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council, which began its 19th session yesterday, to pass a resolution condemning the Sri Lankan government’s violations of freedom of information and to demand an end to threats and violence against news media and human rights defenders in Sri Lanka.

LSSP leader calls on people to defeat conspiracy

General Secretary of the Lanka Sama Samaja Party, Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana yesterday called upon the people to unite to defeat the American conspiracy against Sri Lanka.

Election monitors concerned about North .

Election monitors yesterday said that more than 3,000 eligible voters in IDP camps may not have the chance to vote at the upcoming local government elections in Mulaitivu and Puthukudiyiruppu next month since they do not have a proper identification card.

National mechanisms of human rights are necessary: Dayan Jayatilleka .

While Sri Lanka faces heat at the Geneva sessions the Former Sri Lankan Permanent Representative there Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka has stated that national mechanisms of human rights are necessary to finally put to rest the calls for an international mechanism of accountability.