The Mass Media and Information Ministry expressed grave concerns over the conduct of TV journalists, who recorded a statement from Ven. Bowatte Indaratana Thera, a few minutes before his self-immolation on Vesak Day.
Speaking to The Nation, Ministry Secretary Charitha Herath said, “They must have taken some preventive measures as a responsible media organization”. The 30-year-old bikkhu, who was also a former local government representative, set himself on fire in protest of the slaughter of cattle in Kandy, where

A former LTTE member has held a conference in the US on behalf of the self proclaimed Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) where he announced the declaration of the ‘Tamil Eelam Freedom Charter; in the presence of several supporters.

A press statement by the TGTE said that Tamil groups from around the world, coordinated by the TGTE, initiated the process of drafting the Freedom Charter, through extensive consultation from Tamils worldwide.

The Government may rent luxury cars from foreign companies and import them to Sri Lanka on a carnet or temporary permit scheme for re-export after use during the Commonwealth summit to be held here in November. It will also get vehicles from ministries, departments and corporations on similar basis.

While the Government has said there are no plans to import a dozen brand-new Rolls Royce cars, each valued at about US$ 300,000 (duty free) and 100 BMW Seven series cars at US$ 150,000 each, the Sunday Times learns there was such a

The National Transport Commission (NTC) is set to call for explanation from inter-provincial bus operators over the strike organized by the All Island Private Bus Owners’ Federation (AIPBOF) on 20 May.

NTC Chairman, Roshan Gunawardane, said steps will be taken to cancel route permits after considering the explanations of the bus owners who engaged in the strike.

The parliamentary exchanges on the UNP joining the PSC should once again set off the thinking on the contours of a national discourse to the ‘national problem’. It should not end with the forum where the issues are to be debated and decided upon. Instead, it should address the ‘basic issues’, where ethnic perceptions differ wildly. It is more so if the ground realities are considered. They are different from the political perceptions projected for consumption for both the local constituencies and the international

Logically, it is right to say “I am a human” when the question  “who are you?”, is posed, which tries to identify the real “us”.  But technically it may not be right, because this apparently simple question requires an answer within the context in which it is asked.

In a multi-ethnic country like Sri Lanka or elsewhere if the question is asked to a Muslim person from Sri Lanka it should not be answered equivocally. For instance, I happened to be faced with the question in Lon

Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Minister Douglas Devananda participated in a ceremony at Periyamuhandeen Jumma Mosque in Manipay Street, Jaffna to donate 50 bicycles to schoolchildren of resettled Muslims in Jaffna and low income earning self-employed families.

He said the bicycles were donated on a request by those who participated at a meeting at Usmaniya Collage.

TGTE’s Call for Establishing a UN Monitored International Protection Mechanism in the NorthEast

This paper in the main addresses the question why there is an absolute and urgent necessity for putting in place a suitable UN Monitored International Protection Mechanism, involving a continuing human rights presence in the NorthEast as a form of protection for the Tamil people; in that context this paper seeks the engagement of scholars, human rights advocates and legal luminaries here assembled on the interventions and opti

Sri Lanka Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya has said that the plans are afoot to set up a new Army colony in Jaffna peninsula.

The official told the Sunday Sinhala newspaper, The Divaina that only three camps would be kept in the peninsula and the rest of the camps would be withdrawn. The withdrawn camps are to be relocated in the Army colony.

The lands where the camps are presently established would be returned to the legal owners, the Army Commander said.

There are growing tensions in northern Sri Lanka as Tamil people try to prevent the Sinhalese-dominated army from taking over their land.

In a new development, villagers have driven out a group of surveyors sent by the authorities.

Thousands more are engaged in court action to try to win back land they were displaced from years ago.