Monthly archive

Juliana Liu - World - Reuters

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Sri Lanka is committed to pulling its troops out of temples and schools used as barracks in the war-torn north and east, as promised in a truce agreement with separatist rebels, the island's defense minister said on Friday.

Human rights groups welcomed the adoption today by the UN
Economic and Social Council of a new protocol on torture, despite
opposition from the United States and other governments.

The Island

The joint opposition will hold a rally at Ampara on Sunday (28) against the way the government has allowed the LTTE to take advantage of the ceasefire agreement to strengthen the oragnisation both politically and militarily.

Shamindra Ferdinando - The Island

President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Wednesday (24) requested air time for SLFP representatives over the SLBC and Rupavahini to justify her recent speech at Polonnaruwa after state controlled television stations repeatedly aired the controversial speech in which she levelled a series of serious allegations against some of critics including Ministers Ravi Karunanayake and Dr. Rajitha Senaratne. She also reportedly ridiculed Finance Minister K. N .Choksy.

T.Sabaratnam

Law makers in many parts of the democratic world have fought within their sovereign legislature. They have fought over bigger issues - corruption, rule of law, misuse of power, national policies. But unfortunately, here in Sri Lanka, about thirty of them punched and pulled each other last Wednesday, over what seemes to be a trivial matter - ladies handbag: not over its ownership, but over of its contents.