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The Sri Lanka People’s Party (SLPP) won 145 seats in the 5 August parliamentary election, and its allies won five seats, giving the SLPP-led political alliance an unprecedented 150 seats and a two-thirds majority in Sri Lanka’s 225-member parliament. The parliamentary election took place only months after the country’s presidential elections in November 2019, which saw Gotabaya Rajapaksa, representing the SLPP, elected as Sri Lanka’s president. …
Saturday, August 8, 2020 7:36 am,
by eyeadmin
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s governing party won a majority of Sri Lanka’s parliamentary seats, the Election Commission announced Friday, bringing the president a step closer in his quest to amend the Constitution and expand his executive power. The Sri Lanka People’s Front expanded its majority, winning 145 of the 150 seats needed to push through expanded powers for the president and ensure that Mr. Rajapaksa’s older brother, …
Friday, August 7, 2020 1:38 pm,
by eyeadmin
With the new President Gotabaya Rajapaksa winning the election in Nov 2019 almost exclusively with the majority Sinhala-Buddhist vote, Tamil peoples struggle for justice and equality in Sri Lanka has undoubtedly entered a grave and challenging phase yet again. For anyone who followed President Rajapaksa’s campaign to presidency it is reasonable to believe that the President will be insensitive to aspirations of minority communities, especially Tamils. …
Monday, August 3, 2020 8:31 am,
by eyeadmin
Sri Lanka’s upcoming parliamentary elections will serve as an indicator of the island’s future political direction, potential executive power buildup, and future geopolitical stance. With complications from the coronavirus pandemic, during which the Sri Lankan election commission has struggled to ensure that voting will be free, fair, and safe for all, the twice-delayed election may favor President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s party, allowing it to strike down a …
Saturday, August 1, 2020 8:13 am,
by eyeadmin
The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) in a press release has stated that “The people of Sri Lanka are facing some crucial choices. The outcome of the Parliamentary Elections set for August 5, 2020, has the potential to determine the country’s course for decades. Democratic fundamentals and pluralist character of the state are at stake without exaggeration.” The GTF urged citizens of Sri Lanka, including those from …
Thursday, July 30, 2020 2:55 pm,
by eyeadmin
Keen to counter China’s influence in Sri Lanka, India on Friday extended a $400 million currency swap facility with Colombo to help its economy recover from Covid-19 crisis. The currency deal between Reserve Bank of India and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka would help Sri Lanka mitigate the risk of future fluctuations on the rates of interests on the loans from India. The currency deal …
Saturday, July 25, 2020 7:46 am,
by eyeadmin
Britain’s Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab tabled the 2019 Foreign and Commonwealth Office report on Human Rights and Democracy, in the UK Parliament on 16 July 2020. The report provides an overview of activity in 2019 by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and it’s diplomatic network to defend human rights and promote democracy around the world. It also sets out the analysis on country situations and thematic …
Saturday, July 18, 2020 8:26 am,
by eyeadmin
Statement by the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Clément N. Voule at the 44th session of the Human Rights Council on 9 July 2020 I visited Sri Lanka from 18 to 26 July 2019 at the invitation of the Government. My visit took place at a crucial moment when the country was heading towards Presidential elections. At …
Saturday, July 11, 2020 8:07 am,
by eyeadmin
The British government announced on 6 July 2020 that it was blacklisting 49 individuals and organizations under a new Britain-only human rights regime that gives it powers to sanction individuals or entities rather than nations. A new ‘Magnitsky’-style sanctions regime will target those who have been involved in some of the gravest human rights violations and abuses around the world. The Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations …
Wednesday, July 8, 2020 1:36 pm,
by eyeadmin
Chatham House commissioned a study of Chinese outbound investment and the BRI in Sri Lanka. The study, which is the basis for this paper, focused on several issues concerning Chinese infrastructure investment in 2006–19 including economic aspects and implications for labour, the environment and institutions. The paper examines the broad benefits and costs of the BRI and its projects to Sri Lanka and the lessons that …
Saturday, July 4, 2020 7:17 am,
by eyeadmin
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