Australia is to review the situation in Sri Lanka and issue a new country advice which will be used to decide on new asylum seekers.

Newly appointed Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has for the first time flagged a review of Australia’s obligations under the United Nations refugee convention as part of a new policy aimed at stemming the flow of asylum seeker boats.

The Canberra Times said the review is part of a three-pronged policy shift by Rudd to address the issue globally, promote regional co-operation

As Sri Lanka prepares to host the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Colombo in November, some journalists have wondered whether they will be able to access the summit given the island nation's abysmal press freedom record.

On Saturday, a subcommittee of the government taskforce organizing the summit issued a press release stating that "Sri Lanka is committed to providing full media access" and that it "welcomes all journalists to cover this very important summit."

The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) says that it is working towards improving the country's human rights record and a national inquiry is being planned in this regard.

A Commissioner of the HRCSL Dr. Prathiba Mahanamahewa has said that the Commission is preparing to hold a National Inquiry on the practice of Human Rights in the island.

Over 3,000 Sri Lankan migrant workers having expired visas returned home under a special amnesty granted by the Saudi Arabian government, an official statement said. These workers were the first to return, and more are expected to come back later, cited Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) in the statement.

 

The overstaying Sri Lankans, during amnesty period, were asked to report to the Saudi Immigration and Emigration Department to obtain a pass for leaving the country without being punished.

The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) has written to the Independent Television Network (ITN) demanding an apology over a news item it aired accusing the CPA of organizing a meeting in support of the LTTE.

In a letter sent to Rosmand Senaratne, the Chairman of ITN, Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, the Executive Director of CPA said that neither CPA nor he organized such a meeting.

He said that on Sunday 14th July an item on the ITN news bulletin stated that the he and the CPA organised a meeting in Ampara to furthe

6 July 2013Every ninety minutes a woman is raped in Sri Lanka, said Women for Rights at a press conference held in Colombo on July 14. The organisation further said that Sri Lanka is 5th on a list regarding domestic violence. Crimes causing violence relating to women and children is on the rise. In Sri Lanka the citizens live in an environment that has no respect for women and it is estimated that 95% of women using public transport are at risk of being subjected to sexual harassment.

The spokesperson for the organisation attr

The dominating narrative is dichotomous. The perceptions are equally remarkable. International interest is in no small measure. The impact on domestic stability remains uncontested. Whichever viewpoint is adopted, consensus is achieved on the limited.


THE LLRC
The final report of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) recommends, among other things, formulation of a political solution acceptable to all communities. The home-grown mechanism, independent in nature though commissioned by the Government

The Chief Editor of Sri Lanka's Janarala newspaper today refused to give a statement to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) over a news report published in the newspaper.

Janarala Chief Editor Chandana Sirimalwatta said in a letter addressed to the Officer-in-Charge of the Intelligence Section of the CID stated that the he didn't see any legality in questioning the journalists of the newspaper over the sources of the news.

The CID questioning was in regard of a report published in the newspaper about

DMK president M. Karu­n­anidhi led TESO on Tuesday resolved to hold state wide demonstration on August 8 demanding the Centre to boycott the Commo­nwealth meeting slated to be held in Colombo come November, among other demands.

A resolution adopted at Tuesday’s meeting of the organisation, reviv­ed by Karunanidhi last year, insisted that India boycott the Commo­nwealth Head of Gove­rn­ments Meeting (CHO­GM) in view of the alleged war crimes against Tamils in Sri Lanka in 2009.

Commonwealth lawyers call for CHOGM boycott
The Commonwealth Lawyers Association says the controversial removal of Sri Lanka's Chief Justice shows a lack of judicial independence and transparency.

But so far only Canada has threatened to boycott the November meeting in protest against alleged human rights violations, while Australia has dismissed such proposals as 'wrong'.