Nov 18 (DM) While denouncing the British PM’s call for an international inquiry into alleged war crimes committed by the Sri Lankan Army during the civil war that ended in 2009, the JHU said the British were responsible for creating the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. “The British PM has no right to ask for any international inquiry, breaching the sovereignty of a country and in violation of the Commonwealth Charter. more..

Nov 18 (Hindu) It was only as recently as December 2012 that the Commonwealth framed a Charter to bring together and reaffirm all that it stands for in a changing world. It contains an unequivocal recommitment to human rights, democracy, good governance, rule of law and freedom of expression among others as ‘the core values and principles’ of this group of nations. It is thus not extraordinary that CHOGM 2013 in Sri Lanka should have been upstaged almost entirely by allegations of more..

Nov 18 (Island) Sri Lanka goes head to head with New Zealand in a two-match Twenty20 International series needing to win, at least, one match to retain its top position on the Reliance ICC T20I Team Rankings Table. Sri Lanka, currently ranked number one with 128 ratings, needs to win one of the two matches in the series against NZ to retain the top spot. SL enters the series leading 7th-ranked NZ by 25 ratings points. Because the rankings are weighted to reflect this difference, more..

Nov 18 (CT) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has warned Sri Lanka to scrap the controversial provisions in its Sports Law to ensure autonomy and jurisdiction of national sports associations or risk losing international status. The warning comes at a time the National Olympic Committee prepares for its election on Dec 27, where interference could dominate given the pre-election interest. Pere Miro, the NOC more..

Nov 18 (PT) One wonders what was British PM David Cameron’s agenda when he not only castigated the Sri Lankan govt for its alleged human rights abuses but also made a visit to Jaffna “to see for himself” what had transpired. My understanding of the CHOGM, currently being concluded in Sri Lanka, was that it was a meeting of leaders of the Commonwealth, a more or less toothless body, and not used by the former empire to chide subjects, particularly natives, for bad governance. more..

Nov 18 (Island) Sri Lanka opener Tillekeratne Dilshan was named Man of the Series after he compiled three half-centuries in the ODI series against New Zealand that ended on Saturday at Dambulla. New Zealand took a lead by winning the second ODI and Sri Lanka squared the series winning the third ODI while the opening ODI was abandoned due to inclement weather. Dilshan, who has retired from Test cricket, stressed the need to provide big scores top of the order. more..

Nov 18 (CT) Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, believes that the implementation of a majority of the 289 recommendations in the LLRC report, provided answers to all the allegations which the western world had brought against Sri Lanka at the just concluded CHOGM. “The fact that almost all the recommendations which were made for the short-term had been implemented by the govt, and most of the medium-term recommendations more..

Nov 18 (CP) The Harper govt says Sri Lanka's Tamil minority continues to be fearful of the country's leadership, as a controversial Commonwealth summit wrapped there Sunday. That's the conclusion of Deepak Obhrai, a parliamentary secretary to the foreign affairs minister, who travelled this week to Sri Lanka's Tamil region. Obhrai was sent after Prime Minister Stephen Harper decided to boycott the Commonwealth leaders' summit over Sri Lanka's human rights record. more..

Nov 18 (ABC) The Federal Govt is refusing to say whether any conditions will be placed on the use of two Navy patrol boats which are being given to Sri Lanka. PM Tony Abbott announced the boats were being gifted to the country to help combat people smuggling operations. Opposition has raised concerns there may not be any limits placed on the use of the boats and says there should be clear guidelines. And the Greens said that the boats would be used to stop Tamils fleeing more..

Nov 18 (Island) The Australian govt declared that it would gift two large Bay Class patrol vessels to the Sri Lankan Navy early next year. The announcement was made in Colombo on the sidelines of the CHOGM. Having gone aboard SLNS Sayura at the Colombo Port Australian Premier Tony Abbott told the press that the delivery of patrol vessels was in accordance with the ongoing partnership with SL to curb illegal migration. more..

Nov 18 (BBC) It has been a fractious summit, largely overshadowed by the row between Britain and the host country, Sri Lanka, over accountability for alleged war crimes committed during the country's civil war. But the closing communique agreed by the heads of government does not mention any of that, or the refusal of three Commonwealth prime ministers to come to Sri Lanka. Instead, there was a restatement of the leaders' commitment to respect, protect and promote what they call the more..

Nov 18 (CT) Schools which were closed for the CHOGM will be reopened from tomorrow, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Anura Dissanayake, said. 28 schools had been closed in Colombo last week in order to provide accommodation to the security forces personnel who were deployed to provide security for the delegates who arrived in the country to participate in CHOGM. He noted, the ministry had taken steps to extend school hours earlier this month so as to cover the time that more..

Nov 18 (SMH) PM Tony Abbott has defended giving military hardware to a country the UN has accused of war crimes, praising Sri Lanka as now freer and more prosperous. His laudatory assessment of the nation's human rights progress since the end of its civil war was in stark contrast to that of British PM David Cameron, who infuriated the regime by visiting displaced families in the formerly war-affected north, and demanding an more..

Nov 18 (ST) A female teacher attached to a leading school in Ja-Ela had swindled Rs. 5.5 million from a man promising to get him a job at a motor vehicle company in Japan. The teacher (48) thus lured the unsuspecting victim Prabath Chaminda (32) to give her, on October 2, 2009, the amount as an advance to get him a position in the management of the company. However, the man was instead sent to Seychelles but was later sent back to Sri Lanka after his documents were checked. more..

Nov 18 (Island) Five people were killed and 21 others sustained injuries when a bus and a van collided at Anuragama, Haragama on the Badulla– Tennekumbura road around 6. 30 am. yesterday. The police said that three women, a boy and a girl, who were in the Kandy bound van from Badulla, had died on admission to the hospital. All others in the vehicle were injured. All were relatives returning from a funeral in Badulla when the mishap occurred. The dead included the wife of the van driver, more..

Nov 18 (ST) A proposal to set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to examine human rights and other accountability issues including alleged war crimes is now before the Govt. The move is intended to help Sri Lanka address some of the important accountability issues now before the UNHRC. The next sessions of the Council will be held in Geneva in March next year. At these sessions some western nations are pushing more..

Nov 18 (Xinhua) Kenyan Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Amina Mohamed said that no country can import stability from outside, and there will be nothing better than homegrown solutions to a country's own problems. Mohamed made the remarks when she was asked to comment British PM David Cameron's ultimatum that Britain will push for an international probe into alleged war crimes by the UNHRC if Sri Lanka does not address human rights issues that include more..

Nov 18 (Hindu) While the Sri Lankan govt has so far given the impression that it does not take offence to PM Manmohan Singh skipping the CHOGM, Minister Basil Rajapaksa said that he was disappointed with Dr. Singh’s absence. “Unfortunately, the Indian PM was not here; that is my only concern,” Mr. Rajapaksa, brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, told The Hindu on the sidelines of the final day of the CHOGM. “He [Dr. Singh] is the closest friend we have. more..

Nov 18 (CT) Australian billionaire and casino moghul, James Packer, believes that the introduction of the proposed casino cum hotel complex by his company, Crown Limited, (of Australia), will boost Sri Lanka’s economy and enhance Sri Lanka’s reputation as an investors’ paradise and increase its potential to become a perfect business venue and a top-end tourist hub. Speaking to Ceylon Today, Packer – considered the second more..

Nov 18 (DM) If politics is the art of the possible, then international politics is the art of deception. At least in democracies that have checks and balances, politicians who betray the trust which the people have vested in them are thrown out of office at elections. But international politics does not operate within a democratic set up. Even the United Nations has become a den of hypocrisy -- with the decision making Security Council being reduced to what democracy is not. more..

Nov 18 (DM) The Govt Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) and the Ministry of Health, in a collaborative effort to improve the quality of the healthcare services in the country, conducted a programme for around 800 newly passed-out doctors awaiting internship appointments in hospitals. This programme entitled “Good Intern Programme” was carried out from 10 -14 November at the Kularatne Hall at Ananda College Colombo, under the direction of GMOA President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya. more..

Nov 18 (DM) Animals being held captive at the mini-zoo created in Battaramulla as part of the CHOGM pageantry are reportedly being harmed and subjected to stressful conditions that are adverse to their health, animal rights activists charged today, expressing their concern over the set-up. The mini-zoo is accommodated within the ‘Ape Gama’ grounds – a location created to highlight local culture and heritage as part of more..

Nov 18 (FT) Würth Group, the innovative market leader in the trade of assembly and fastening material, announced that the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Würth Group Family Trust Prof. Reinhold Würth will be visiting Colombo this week to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Würth Lanka which is a significant milestone, and to meet with employees. Prof. Würth, the 78 year old entrepreneur and qualified pilot, will fly more..

Nov 18 (Xinhua) Sri Lankans who hosted the 53- member Commonwealth leaders' meeting this week have mixed feelings about the outcome of the controversy ridden summit that wrapped up here on Sunday. Caught in the midst of road and school closures, removal of beggars and stray dogs that made the streets their home, most Colombo residents had mixed feelings about the CHOGM. Sri Lanka will be the head of the Commonwealth more..

Nov 18 (Island) The Health Ministry’s Cosmetic Devices and Drug Regulatory Authority (CDDRA) is alleged to have by passed a Consultant Oncologist and issued a license to the local agent of an Indian Drug Company in one day. Marks Healthcare, the local agent for the Indian drug producer Panacea Biotech, had, on Nov 8, applied to the CDDRA for registration and a licence to supply a cancer drug named Paclitaxel (Pacliall). more..

Nov 18 (ST) Britain’s Prince Charles and Duchess of Cornwall Camilla undertook a hectic programme before concluding their visit to Sri Lanka last night. The Royal couple was in Sri Lanka to attend the opening of the CHOGM in Colombo. Their arrival in Colombo on Thursday afternoon coincided with Prince Charles’ 65th birthday. Two cakes were ready for the Prince of Wales. One was at Westminster House where he cut a more..

Nov 18 (SL) The govt expended every effort and took every precaution to ensure that the various events associated with the Commonwealth Summit would go according to script. To the extent of even making the trains run on time, the govt succeeded more rather than less. Participants at both the Commonwealth Business Forum and at the Commonwealth People’s Forum that took place in the run-up to the CHOGM more..

Nov 18 (Island) UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that President Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had requested him to attend last Friday’s opening of the CHOGM, at Nelum Pokuna, instead of boycotting it. He said that the UNP had decided to attend the function, but after the ugly incidents on Wednesday and Thursday, at Sirikotha, where his vehicle was attacked more..

Nov 18 (AFP) Britain's Channel 4 news team, which travelled to Sri Lanka for the weekend Commonwealth summit, said it left the country early after days of extensive intimidation and surveillance by security forces. The television channel's news editor Ben de Pear said he finally decided to pull the team out after six men appeared at his hotel room door early on Sunday demanding entry. He said the men claimed they were more..

Nov 18 (IOL) It was always questionable for the Commonwealth to hold its heads of govt meeting in Sri Lanka. President Rajapaksa looked forward to the gathering as a precious opportunity to rebuild his govt’s tarnished image, which has suffered in the face of criticism for alleged war crimes committed in May 2009, at the end of a decades-long civil conflict, and for growing authoritarianism since. more..

Nov 18 (CT) The leaders and delegates from around the Commonwealth, who met in Colombo for the CHOGM, yesterday wrapped up three days of deliberations, adopting the Colombo Declaration of Sustainable, Inclusive and Equitable Development, which noted rising inequality both at national and international levels. The declaration named after the venue of CHOGM 2013, also identified achieving growth with inclusivity more..

Nov 18 (CT) The announcement by the Minister of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms that the govt proposes to open prison schools to educate those serving sentences in prisons is timely. This decision has to be commended because not only will it be possible for those who come out of prisons to get back to normal life, earning their livelihood through gainful employment as all other normal citizens do, but also offers them an opportunity to keep themselves gainfully occupied, more..

Nov 18 (CT) It is always easy to criticise, but difficult to be relevant and responsible. This applies not only to human rights but also to all facets of governance or more pertinently to ‘good governance.’ Didn’t the Heads of Govt of the Commonwealth unaware of the ‘human rights record’ of Sri Lanka when they decided to have the next summit in Colombo at the last summit held in Perth in 2011? They did. Of course people are free to change their minds on any matter on earth, but could that be more..

Nov 18 (AD) The UNP today stated that the CHOGM which just concluded in Sri Lanka was similar to a human rights summit and that the government hosted it only for the photo opportunity with the Prince of Wales. The Commonwealth summit was only an opportunity for the President to sit down and get a picture taken with Britain’s Prince Charles, UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said. “Sri Lanka has gained nothing else,” more..

Nov 18 (Island) The Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles, visited the Colombo Municipal Council’s Child Resource Centre at Nagaswatte, Kirulapone on Saturday. She was received by the Mayor of Colombo, A.J.M. Muzammil, Deputy Mayor Titus Perera, Municipal Commissioner Badrani Jayawardena, and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Pradeep Kariyawasam. The Chief Medical Officer explained to the Duchess the activities carried out at the centre by his department such as more..

Nov 18 (LBO) Stocks closed higher with diversified stocks picking up amid strong foreign buying. All Share Price Index closed 13.51 points higher at 5,824.48, up 0.23%. The S&P SL20 closed 25.63 points higher at 3,200.31, up 0.81%. Turnover was 936.44 million rupees, up from 234.29 million rupees last Friday, with stocks of 108 firms closing in the red against 48 gainers. Commercial Leasing and Finance closed flat with a major 650 million rupee off market transaction contributing to more..

Nov 18 (AD) Defending his comments that British PM David Cameron may have been ‘misled’ over human rights issues in his country, cricket legend Muttiah Muralitharan says that it is better to “forget and forgive” and move on than to dig up the past and make more enemies. Muralitharan met the British Premier on Saturday and had reportedly suggested the Prime Minister had been “misled” about the latest situation more..

Nov 18 (Island) Mayor of Colombo A.J.M. Muzammil claimed that the decision taken by the UNP’s Leadership Council (LC), at its first meeting, to boycott last Friday’s CHOGM opening ceremony, at Nelum Pokuna, had not been communicated to him by the party. He said that an earlier party decision, to attend the opening was communicated to him, but not the second, taken by the LC, after the protest outside Sirikotha. He said there was no question of his having ignoreed a party decision. more..

Nov 18 (PTI) Union Minister G K Vasan today hailed the "positive" efforts by British PM David Cameron in seeking an independent probe into alleged human rights violations against ethnic Tamils during the just concluded CHOGM in Sri Lanka. "Nobody can deny his positive efforts in two days," Vasan said. To a query he said Minister Salman Khurshid, who represented India at the meet could have discussed with his counterparts from other member countries about the alleged human rights violations. more..

Nov 18 (PTI) In a surprise move, China today asked Sri Lanka to "make efforts to protect and promote human rights", backing calls by India, Britain and other countries at the CHOGM summit in Colombo to address allegations of rights abuses against the country's minority Tamils. "Due to the differences in the economic and social development of different countries, there could be differences on human rights protection," more..