To read the full CSIS paper click here
Aziz Haniffa in Washington - A leading Washington, DC-based think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies, notwithstanding the arrest of retired Sri Lankan Army General Sarath Fonseka who challenged President Mahinda Rajapakse at the recent elections, and the country's poor record on human rights and its treatment of several thousand internally displaced persons, has said that the United States cannot afford to disengage with the island nation.
In a paper titled 'Sri Lanka's Election: A Clear Mandate,' the CSIS South Asia bureau, which is headed by former diplomat Teresita Schaffer, who served for nearly three decades in South Asian capitals, including a stint as US ambassador to Sri Lanka, said, Rajapakse's recent victory -- which has been called into question in certain quarters with Fonseka alleging it was rigged – 'presents an opportunity to rebuild a nation devastated by a protracted, separatist war.'
Thursday, February 25, 2010
'US can't afford to disengage with Lanka' : A US think tank says
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Still no trace of missing Sri Lankan journalist
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Although two special teams have been deployed by the Homagama police to investigate into the disappearance of Lanka E-News freelance journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda, they are unable to find his whereabouts.
It has been a month since he went missing. The two teams were led by two Inspectors of Police (IPs), police media spokesman, SP Preshantha Jayakody said.
Mr. Ekneligoda went missing on January 24. A complaint was lodged at the Homagama police station by his wife. He had reportedly left the office of Lanka E News in Rajagiriya to return home on January 24, when he had gone missing. It was believed that he could have been abducted while on his way to Homagama. Mr. Ekneligoda was abducted once earlier.
Govt. Info. Department Director Anusha Palpita earlier said he had written to Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mahinda Balasuriya to expedite investigations to find him.
© Daily Mirror
Thursday, February 25, 2010
54 women detainees taken to Boossa prison from detention camps in Vavuniyaa
Terrorism Investigation Department (TID) arrested 54 women detainees from Pampaimadu and Cheddiku’lam Sri Lanka Army (SLA) detention camps 18 February and took them to Boossa prison 19 February, according to information sent to Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) by Boossa prison authorities. Recently 49 women from the same camps in Vavuniyaa were arrested by TID and taken to Boossa prison for additional interrogation, sources in Vavuniyaa said.
Twelve women from Jaffna, 16 from Ki’linochchi, 9 from Mullaiththeevu, 7 from Mannaar, 5 from Trincomalee, 2 from Vavuniyaa and 3 from Ampaa’rai were taken to Boossa prison on 19 February.
The arrested women are not allowed to meet their family members.
The arrests of young women have caused fear and anxiety among the detainees.
© Tamil Net
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Sri Lankan Intelligence Infiltrates Facebook
According to informed sources within Sri Lankan intelligence, Sri lankan intelligence officials are now infiltrating on facebook to collect information on supporters of Sarath Fonseka and critics of Mahinda Rajapakse.
The idea of facebook infiltration is a brainchild of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse to collect information on foreign LTTE suspects in the past. Now Defence Secretary had given orders to redirect this project to collect information on dissenting groups including supporters of Gen. Fonseka and Ranil Wicramasighne.
These facebook stalker teams consists of Army Intelligence officers and officers from N.I.B, our source revealed. These operatives pose as attractive females to unsuspecting facebook users and add them as friends. Once they befriend the victim, they collect their information and add them to their database.
Our legal commentators claim that this operation is a serious threat to the online privacy in Sri Lanka. They also urged the Sri Lankan facebook users to exercise cautions when using facebook.
© Sri Lanka Guardian
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Sri Lanka: Free Trade Zones to Kilinochchi and Trincomalee
The government has decided to set up free trade zones in the Killinochchi and Trincomalee districts soon as part of plans to speed up post-war development, a spokesperson for Board of Investment said.
Plans had also been finalized to open a BOI office in Jaffna, he said.
The coastal areas of the North and the East were now open for a wide range of investment projects including new hotels, he said.
Investors were also welcome to launch new projects in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitvu districts, the spokesperson added. Those areas had a great potential for rapid development, he said.
The BOI had received a large number of foreign invesment proposals in the past few months, he said.
© The Island
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