The political crisis that gripped Sri Lanka for nearly two months towards the tail end of 2018 had different costs for different political actors, depending on who they were and what they did during that time. But if there was a chief casualty of the …
Being a woman, mother, sister, aunt – name it, it’s something women wake up to daily and they love it. None of them question about being enumerated for these roles. We marvel and revel in the roles. But make no mistake. Women want to work, …
Responding to the publication of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ report on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’, Amnesty International’s South Asia Researcher, Thyagi Ruwanpathirana, said: “The report importantly stresses the need to press ahead with …
Rights activists and journalists have condemned the Sri Lankan government’s Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and planned Counter Terrorism Act (CTA). They claim that all terror laws are generally used against journalists, rights activists, union leaders and opposition politicians as tools of oppression. Under the …
When over 100,000 estate workers went on strike last December to demand a 1,000-rupee ($US5.50) daily basic wage, the Planters Association of Ceylon, the representative body of the Sri Lankan plantation companies dismissed the demand, declaring it unaffordable. The plantation companies made this claim amidst …
Although the report on the radiocarbon dating test on the samples of skeletal remains from the mass grave in Mannar has been handed over to the Magistrate’s Court by Specialist JMO Saminda Rajapaksa, Mannar Magistrate T. Saravanarajah told court that as the courts had still …
The European Union (EU) and Sri Lanka agreed on the importance to continue working closely together on human rights and reconciliation at their Joint Commission meeting on 14 February . The European Union (EU) and Sri Lanka held their 22nd meeting of the Joint Commission …
I would like to refer to 4 initiatives which the UK will present as part of core groups. These are three resolutions and one joint statement. Firstly, the Core Group on Sri Lanka, comprising Canada, Germany, Macedonia, Montenegro and the UK will present a resolution …
During an informal briefing in Geneva on 04 February 2019, with the Human Rights Council President and Members the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights noted that Sri Lanka would be among the countries which would have the attention of the Council at the 40th …
The Government submitted its observations and comments to the UNHRC on the draft report of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism on his mission to Sri Lanka from 10 – 14 July, 2017. Responding to concerns …