Patients waiting for hours in shabby clinics say the decision might not be the right cure for the system’s ills.

During the quarter-century civil war, which ended in 2009, an undetermined number of suspected rebels, journalists and activists were abducted by “white van squads” allegedly operated by pro-government paramilitaries. Many were never seen again.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa told the United Nations human rights chief on Friday that his people believe the U.N. is a biased organization, and a report she is due to release next month has already prejudged the country.

Rajapaksa met U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay near the end of her week-long visit to Sri Lanka, where the government fought separatist Tamil guerrillas in a 26-year civil war before finally defeating them in 2009.

The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office has reacted to the concerns raised on Sri Lanka by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay.

Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt tweeted saying her concerns confirms that it is vital that Sri Lanka meets the declared intentions on reconciliation and human rights.

Speaking to the media in Colombo yesterday Pillay had said that there are a number of specific factors impeding normalization, which – if not quickly rectified – may sow the seeds of fut

Sri Lanka's government said on Sunday U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay had acted beyond her mandate in saying the country was heading in an authoritarian direction.

Pillay, ending a seven-day mission to assess Sri Lanka's progress after the 26-year war between the government and separatist Tamils, said on Saturday the country was "showing signs of heading in an increasingly authoritarian direction.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has told the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay that some incidents raised by her are “isolated incidents” and that the majority of Sri Lankans continue to coexist peacefully in all parts of the island.

President Rajapaksa also told Pillay that there is a belief among many Sri Lankans that the United Nations is biased in the way it deals with countries, and he said he urged those who voiced these concerns to him not to prejudge the report Pillay is due to issue on Sri Lank

Visiting United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay has reacted angrily to a recent statement attributed to Public Relations Minister Mervyn Silva that he was willing to marry her.

Well informed sources told The Island yesterday that an irritated Pillay had expressed displeasure when the video footage of the minister’s statement was brought to her attention. Having received a complaint in this regard, the government on Thursday expressed regret over Minister Silva’s statement.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday told visiting United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Navanethem Pillay that the post-war agreement, between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and UNSG Ban Ki-moon, should be implemented in full.

The TNA asserted that it was the responsibility on the part of the UN to ensure that the government adhered to the agreement. Having led the TNA delegation for talks with Pillay, at the Cinnamon Lakeside, Trincomalee district MP Sampanthan told The Island that they focused on the agreement f

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday explained measures taken by the government to address grievances of the Tamil speaking people, when visiting United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Navanethem Pillay met him at the Defence Ministry at 9.30 a.m.

Earlier in the day, Pillay met a Tamil National Alliance delegation headed by R. Sampanthan, MP, at the Cinnamon Lakeside.

Some decades ago I quoted Santayana’s dictum that a people who cannot remember its past is doomed to repeat it. I cannot remember the exact words. Shortly thereafter President Jayewardene repeated the quotation, and it was much in vogue for some years. Now, in writings on July ’83, the idea that a people who cannot remember its past is doomed to repeat it has been powerfully revived, though the quotation has been forgotten. A convenient and convincing illustration for that idea has been found in the ongoing racist anti-

The government says it is ready to investigate the allegations raised by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay at a press briefing yesterday, where she had claimed that some people she met had been threatened.

Government spokesman Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella however said that Pillay’s office must provide evidence to prove the allegations in order to investigate it.