Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Amnetsy calls on the SL government to release all civilians permanently



Amnesty International is calling on the Sri Lankan government to permanently release civilians who have been illegally detained in camps following the end of the civil war six months ago.

“The authorities must make good on their declared intentions to free some 120,000 people and do so unconditionally,” said Yolanda Foster, Amnesty International’s expert on Sri Lanka.

“A permanent release from camps must be accompanied by assurances that people are not subjected to further questioning or re-arrest in new locations.”

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Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Only the ruling party runs their campaign in the North



Sri Lankan opposition parties on Tuesday requested the government to allow them to enter the Northern Province to canvass for the forthcoming presidential election to be held on Jan. 26.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, parliamentary group leader of the leftist JVP or the People's Liberation Front told reporters that at present only government politicians are allowed to go there and it is very unfair during an election period.

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Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Sri Lanka: The Danger of the General



Professor Laksiri Fernando - Sri Lanka seems to be going through some unusual times. What appeared as a bright future for the country just six months ago, after defeating the LTTE, is now clouded with doubt, intrigue and uncertainty.

No doubt that the country will come out of this crisis, as it did in previous times, perhaps much stronger. But it will be at an unnecessary cost and strain. But it will be at an unnecessary cost and strain.

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Wednesday, December 02, 2009

We will reap what we sow: Sri Lanka’s Presidential contenders



by Sudat Pasqual - In a one dimensional interview with the Daily Mirror, General Sarath Fonseka outlined his grievances before the people and we got an idea why he is running for the highest office in the land.

It was a litany of personal woes. Just about the whole interview was about what has been taken away from him by the Rajapakse brothers since the end of the war. More specifically, the interview dealt almost exclusively with the issue of reducing his security detail. To give him credit, he knew exactly how many personnel, support staff, vehicles and special forces were involved in providing security for the President, the Secretary of Defense, his nemesis the former Navy Commander, wife of Lakshman Kadiragamar, the current Commander of the Army, one Brigadier and so on. He also knew how long former heads of armed forces had stayed at their official residences after retirement and the diplomatic posts bestowed on them. In between, almost as an after thought, he made a few general statements about the country being corrupt, the need to establish democracy in the country and the importance of freedom of the press.

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Wednesday, December 02, 2009

General is now with 'LTTE camp' - SL Minister



The former military commander is currently with the Tamil Tigers camp, a senior Sri Lankan government minster has accused.

Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said there could be a threat to Gen Sarath Fonseka's life "from his own camp".

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Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Sri Lankan campaigning opens with temple visits



Sri Lanka's president and the former army general who is attempting to unseat him in January elections opened their campaigns on Monday with visits to separate Buddhist shrines.

President Mahinda Rajapakse and Sarath Fonseka have been at loggerheads over claiming credit for the military's victory against the Tamil Tigers in May, which ended decades of ethnic bloodshed on the island.

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Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Sri Lanka: Freed from camps, their votes may give them new clout



Sri Lanka Tamils may have been freed from camps because of the politics surrounding upcoming elections as much as international pressure.

By Mian Ridge - Sri Lanka's government freed hundreds of thousands of Tamils from vast internment camps in the north of the island Tuesday – prompted as much by upcoming elections as concerns over human rights, say analysts.

In May, when the Army finally routed the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from their northern stronghold, much of the population of that area – close to 300,000 people - was imprisoned in overcrowded camps. Tuesday morning, fewer than half that number were thought to remain.

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