Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva claimed that the tuition mafia had totally commercialised the present educational system. Some teachers in government schools

Run off to tuition centres without attending to their school responsibilities, he said.

When a student passed an examination with distinction, the credit went to the teachers who taught the student. But there was no dispute over the fact that private tuition was necessary for a student who was weak in studies. If teache

Independent of India’s vote, if it came to that at the UNHRC meeting at Geneva in March, there is an urgent need to de-politicise the nation’s ‘Sri Lanka policy’ nearer home.

TESO Event on Nov 12 2012 marking the meeting with UN officials- pic: twitter.com/Kaiaignar89

This has more to do with the attitude and approach of political parties in southern state of Tamil Nadu, where the two ‘Dravidian majors’ are vying with each other and also peripheral groups, on what’s good for t

The brutal civil war in Sri Lanka ended nearly four years ago, but people are still hurting. The country’s North and East are plagued by a host of problems that are unlikely to be resolved soon. Misguided policies emanating from the central government in Colombo have directly contributed to these negative trends. Lofty talk about “the defeat of terrorism” and majoritarian triumphalism have further antagonized people.

The politics of land remains controversial. Even though Menik Farm has closed, tens of thousa

A Plea to Give Patronage and Leadership to the Call to End Violence against Women & Girls

I write this note to represent the voice of advocacy of several hundred women and men, both young and old, who gathered at the Lipton Circus this evening to raise a powerful call to end violence against women and girls in Sri Lanka.

The group of activists missed your leadership patronage and your voice of support to strengthen their collective call, made peacefully this evening at the aforesaid event organized by a dedicate

The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo says his team was threatened after the rally
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A new hardline Sinhalese Buddhist group in Sri Lanka has called for the abolition of the Muslim halal system of certifying foods and other goods.

The Bodu Bala Sena, or Buddhist Strength Force, also

Foreign Ministry representatives from voting countries of the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) are scheduled to attend a conference hosted by the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) in the British Parliament on the 27th of this month.

A GTF spokesman said that British parliamentarians, both in the government and opposition, are among a host of invitees scheduled to address the conference.

Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats Nick Clegg, Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and for

and serious concern Saturday over the shooting of a British-Sri Lankan journalist in a Colombo suburb
  Faraz Shauketaly in hospital in Colombo on February 16, 2013. The Foreign Office voiced its shock and serious concern Saturday over the shooting of a British-Sri Lankan journalist in a Colombo su …more

The Foreign Office voiced its shock and serious concern Saturday over the shooting of a British-Sri Lankan journalist in a Colombo suburb.

US-sponsored resolution at Geneva meeting could pose serious problems for Lanka

An early draft of the United States sponsored resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council calls upon the Government to allow “unfettered access” to UN rapporteurs responsible for different topics.�They include mandate holders dealing with independence of judges and lawyers; torture; human rights defenders; freedom of expression; freedom of association and assembly; extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions; and the Work

A BBC team covering the Bodu Bala Sena convention in Maharagama this evening were threatened by a gang following the event.

The BBC team, which included Colombo Correspondent Charles Haviland, were doing a video recording opposite the ‘No Limit’ store in Maharagama when the gang approached them.

Following the Bodu Bala Sena convention in Maharagama the BBC team had decided to make an ‘on location’ recording regarding the convention.

However the gang which approached them hurled abuse

The Sri Lankan Embassy in Qatar says that been engaged in various alleged illegal activities are serving prison sentences in Qatar.

Labor Welfare Officer in the Embassy W.M.V.Wanasekara said that there are four women in the group.

He further said that the Sri Lankan youth who have been sentenced to death are among the 64 males in the group.

W.M.V.Wansekara said that the embassy is keeping a close eye on the situation.