International terrorism expert Prof. Rohan Gunaratna in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Observer sheds light on the do or die attempts of key LTTE fronts and their affiliates to shift the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) venue from Sri Lanka and the reasons behind the move.
"The defeated terrorists and their supporters are aware that if the CHOGM is successfully held in Sri Lanka, the world will witness at first hand the amazing progress Sri Lanka has achieved in the last three years," he said

Concerns have been raised over moves by the government to acquire over 6381 acres of privately owned land in the Jaffna peninsula.

The National Peace Council says it appears to be a hurried plan on the part of the government to acquire large extent of land prior to the establishment of a legitimate and popularly elected civilian administration for the formerly war-stricken Northern Province.

Artefacts of archeological value taken away from Sri Lanka to foreign lands during the period of British administration, are to be re-collected with the assistance of UNESCO.

National Heritage Minister Jagath Balasuriya, told the media that steps would be taken to recollect the artefacts of archeological value and his Ministry would shortly hand over a proposal to that effect.

Muslim-Tamil National Alliance (MTNA) Leader Azath Salley, who was arrested by the CID on Thursday (2), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), is being held at the CID headquarters, in Fort, on a three month detention order obtained from the Colombo Magistrate.

Salley, who was continuing his fast, has refused to take even the medication for diabetes and high blood pressure. He was taken to Ward 55 of the National Hospital on Friday (3), but was returned to CID headquarters on Saturday (4) evening.

Alle Gunawansa Thera, a prominent Sinhala hardline Buddhist monk has said that he will file a fundamental rights case if the election for the Northeren Provincial Council (NPC) is held by the government.

The thera, who is the Chairman of an organization called National Movement to Safeguard the Nation, says that holding the election in the Province is not fair since the Sinhala nationals who were chased away from the Northern Province have not been resettled yet.

British Prime Minister David Cameron and Foreign Minister William Hague will attend the Commonwealth Summit in Sri Lanka in November, External Affairs Minister G. L. Pieris said yesterday but he had no news on whether Queen Elizabeth will be here.

"I was told this morning that the prime minister and the foreign minister will be here," Pieris said yesterday.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner in London, Dr. Chris Nonis assured visas to representatives of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) to visit Sri Lanka if they applied officially.

Speaking in the BBC Radio 4 "Today" live program last week, Dr. Nonis said that the IBAHARI representatives were denied visas last time as they did not give the correct reason for their proposed visit to Sri Lanka.

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma met with the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, Justice Priyantha Perera and his delegation on Thursday.

Speaking at the occasion Sharma noted that the Commonwealth supports Sri Lanaka's efforts to provide a life of dignity and opportunity to all Sri Lankan citizens.

Israeli Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alon Ushpiz says the Jewish State wouldn’t take part in deliberations conducted under the auspices of the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), as the 47-member grouping wasn’t being fair by the government of Israel.

The group is divided into five regional bodies.

Asked whether the government of Israel could ignore the global rights body, in the wake of spate of allegations directed at the administration, soft spoken Ambassador Ushpiz emphasized that a d

Sri Lanka enjoys strong support amongst the Commonwealth countries, represented by the Board of Governors of the Commonwealth Secretariat, comprising the 54 London-based Commonwealth High Commissioners, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the UK Dr Chris Nonis said.

He also recalled the unwavering support of all except one Country, at recent meetings, which he says necessitates a depth and breadth of understanding that Commonwealth countries are at different stages of development, with a commonality of values and aspiration