Sri Lanka will continue to oppose the U.S.-backed resolution at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) later this month but would accept assistance to address specific post-war reconciliation issues, a top official said here on Thursday.

Last month the U.S. announced that a second resolution on Sri Lanka would be presented at the UNHRC sessions that start from February 25, saying the Sri Lankan government had failed to implement key reconciliation and human rights measures since the end of the war in 2009.

Extensive investigations have been launched by the Human Rights Commission into the arrest of a customs director on bribery charges.

Secretary to the Commission, Attorney Nimal Punchihewa said that information has come to light that the charges had been plotted by a group of racketeers.

He further said that, in addition, complaints have been received that the customs director had been treated in an inhumane manner by the officers of the Commission for the investigation of Bribery and Corruption.

The Sri Lankan government today raised concerns over the nuclear tests conducted by the Demoratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Tuesday.

The External Affairs Ministry said that through this act, DPRK had once again violated the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1874 (2009).

“Sri Lanka calls on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to refrain from any action which could compromise peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and the progress of the 6 party talks,” the Minist

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma welcomed the progress by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka to regain 'A' status in the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Commission.

He made these comments in a statement issued on the conclusion of his official visit to Sri Lanka Wednesday.
He further said in his statement that this will enable the HRCSL to assume a leadership role during Sri Lanka's term as Commonwealth chair  in office.

The Sri Lankan government is against the internationalization of the post-war reconciliation process in the country, a government statement said on Thursday.

Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN Palitha Kohona said that Sri Lanka must have the time and space to complete the reconciliation process that has already seen tremendous progress.

"Sri Lanka will continue to take all necessary measures to heal the wounds of conflict on its own, as the internationalization of the reconciliation process, wou

A Sri Lankan immigrant has died in a camp in Indonesia, the Indonesian media reported today.

The report said that Sithy Safeekaabdul Jabar died at the camp in Cilacap on the Java mainland.

He was among 25 illegal immigrants who had attempted to reach Indonesia by boat last month. However three of them died and 22 were rescued after their boat capsized.

Head of Monitoring and Enforcement at the Immigration Office, Edi Cilacap Rohaedi, said that Safeekaabdul Jabar had died after suffering from respiratory pro

NfR Sri Lanka, a net work of Sri Lankan journalists and human rights defenders, views the discovery of a mass grave in Matale in the Central Province of Sri Lanka should lead to a renewed discussion on violence against political opponents, accountability, truth and reconciliation in Sri Lanka. Finding a mass grave of 200 bodies is a serious matter that needs special attention. Therefore NfR proposes that the government of Sri Lanka should appoint an independent commission with sufficient resources and powers to investigate and bring to l

In a rare acceptance of ongoing oppression against Tamils in Sri Lanka, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navanethem (Navi) Pillay has reported that the Government of Sri Lanka has prevented Tamils in the north from commemorating those killed in the war.

In her February 11th ‘Report of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on advice and technical assistance for the Government of Sri Lanka on promoting reconciliation and accountability in Sri Lanka,’ Navi Pillay says tha

Issuing a statement at the end of his 3 day visit to Sri Lanka Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma promised to strengthen the Human Rights Commission and Press Council of Sri Lanka among other such promises.

Both institutions are politicaly controlled by the Rajapaksha government. NHRC has in the recent past has proved its pro Rajapkasha bias on number of occations. It remains in B status in the International Coordinating Committee of National Human Rights Institutions since 2008. Sri Lanka NHRC is not an independen

Almost four years after Sri Lankan government forces crushed Tamil rebels, Switzerland is backing a South African post-Apartheid reconciliation initiative to bring parties to the negotiating table, but the prospect for lasting peace remains elusive.

Since been leading a multi-pronged peace initiative aimed at restarting Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Sri Lankan government negotiations and supporting potential reconciliation efforts following the end of 30 years of war.
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