newslanka.org

Sri Lanka has published details of an apparently heated exchange between its Defence Secretary, David Miliband and the French Foreign Minister about the safety of civilians in the area held by the Tamil Tigers.

Sri Lanka’s president on Thursday ruled out halting the military’s offensive against the Tamil Tigers, and warned the rebels that they must give up or be killed.

(Lanka-e-News 30.April.2009 11.45AM) Canadian Police say several people have been taken into custody at a protest by Sri Lankan Tamils…

Sri Lanka’s president on Thursday publicly ruled out halting the final military offensive against Tamil Tigers, and warned the rebels that they only had a “little time left” to surrender.

Sri Lanka: Women and children at risk from army attacks (AKI) - Thousands of civilians, including sick and wounded women and children, remain trapped in a small area of northern Sri Lanka as the army advances in a “no-fire zone” against Tamil separatists, the Red Cross said on Thursday. The Red Cross issued a statement [...]

Source: Reuters By Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez

COLOMBO, April 30 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka’s central bank said on Thursday there was no delay in the application for a $1.9 billion International Monetary Fund loan …

COLOMBO (AFP)–Sri Lanka told the U.K. and France it would keep up its military offensive until the leaders of the rebel Tamil Tigers have been captured “dead or alive,” a news report said Thursday.

April 30 (Bloomberg) — Sri Lanka said the army’s intervention to free thousands of civilians held by Tamil Tiger rebels prevented a “bloodbath” in the north, where the military is fighting to end a 26-year insurgency.

COLOMBO, April 30 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka’s Central bank said on Thursday there was no delay in the process for its application for a $1.9 billion International Monetary Fund loan and negotiations were at a final level.

Ministry of Resettlement & Disaster Relief Services asks public to lend bowsers to help transport water to IDP camps in Vavuniya 112431590-JNW

The international community should withhold financial aid to Sri Lanka until all civilians are evacuated from the war zone and aid workers have full access to refugee camps.

Sri Lanka’s Defence Sectary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa Wednesday rejected visiting British Foreign Secretary David Milibandâs call for a ceasefire and access for aid workers to the civilian zone, and told …..

Apr 30, New York: The United Nations would continue to push the Sri Lankan government for a “humanitarian pause” in the fighting and give the UN and other aid workers sufficient time for humanitarian assistance, a top UN official said on Wednesday.

April 30 (Bloomberg) — Sri Lanka said the army’s intervention to free thousands of civilians held by Tamil Tiger rebels prevented a “bloodbath” in the north, where the military is fighting to end a 26-year insurgency.

The United States has decided to delay a $1.9 billion (1.28 billion pounds) International Monetary Fund loan to Sri Lanka to try to pressure Colombo to do more to help civilians caught in the fighting between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

Around 40 protesters turned out at Parliament today calling for a ceasefire in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna said that a number of youths held in the SLA detention centre in Nelliyadi Maththiya Mahaviththiyalayam escaped Monday and Tuesday into residential areas in Vadamarraadchi. SLA is engaged in announcing over loudspeakers fitted to vehicles instructing the escapees to surrender, informing that the escapees would be granted general amnesty, [...]

Sri Lanka Army is expected to embark upon the worst phase of massacre any time soon in the narrow stretch of land, 5 km long and 1.5 km wide, remaining in the so-called safety zone congested with nearly 120,000 civilians, sources in Vanni said. SLA attacks normally begin in the early hours. Heavy 100 mm [...]

Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), the Buddhist monk political party of the ruling United Peoples’ Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government of Sri Lanka, staged a protest demonstration against the visit of British and French foreign ministers Wednesday in front of British High Commission office in Colombo, sources in Colombo said. JHU parliamentarians shouted out slogans accusing the [...]

Kushal Janith Perera made merry on the third day at the Khulna Divisional Stadium as the second Youth Test between Bangladesh Under-19 and Sri Lanka Under-19 ended in a stalemate.

(Lanka-e-News, 29th.April.2009, 11.15 pm) British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said at a press conference held in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today (29) that the aim of his visit was not saving Prabhakaran…

(Lanka-e-News, 29th.April.2009, 11.45 pm) The Secretary of the Ministry of Export Development and International Trade S. Ranunge has informed the head of the commercial….

When Inner City Press asked French Ambassador to UN, Jean-Maurice Ripert on the European Union’s leverage over Sri Lanka on the “pending request for $1.9b loan from the IMF,” the Ambassador replied, “[t]he Americans want to play with the question of the IMF loan….[US's] commitment is to get the [loan] commitment to stop.” Meanwhile, [...]

A global children’s rights treaty, ratified by every U.N. member except the United States and Somalia, has so alarmed its American critics that some are now pushing to add a parental rights amendment to the Constitution as a buffer against it.

Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) attack crafts fitted with 100 mm cannon began firing artillery pieces along the shore of Mu’l'li-vaaykkaal Wednesday around 4:00 p.m. Meanwhile, the makeshift hospital in Mu’l'li-vaaykkaal was hit by artillery shells. 9 patients were killed and 15 sustained injuries as many of the remaining patients had to seek shelter elsewhere, according [...]

Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) attack crafts fitted with 100 mm cannon began firing artillery pieces along the shore of Mu’l'li-vaaykkaal Wednesday around 4:00 p.m. Meanwhile, the makeshift hospital in Mu’l'li-vaaykkaal was hit by artillery shells. At least 20 deaths were reported by medical sources, according to initial details. Shells are being fired at the hospital [...]

Hundreds of men, women and children displaced from Champoor East and West, Kooniththeevu and Kadatkaraicheanai Village Officer divisions in Trincomalee district gathered in Batticaloa Koaddaimunai Methodist Church premises Wednesday on completing the third year of their forced displacement due to Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensives in 2206, to pray and fast from morning till evening [...]

The UN and international donors pledge millions to help the IDPs and civilians caught in the conflict in Sri Lanka.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, April 29 (UPI) — The Sri Lankan Navy says it sank six Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam boats, killing 25 rebels aboard, in a pre-dawn Wednesday attack.

Source: AlertNet

The trustee board of the 200-year-old historical Rakkuvaanai Sri Muththumaariyamman temple in Ratnapura district has been forced to suspend the annual festival of the temple due to death threats by Sinhalese youths of the area who went to the houses of the trustee board members and warned them of severe consequences if they conduct the [...]

Apr 29, Colombo: Sri Lanka Navy foiled another LTTE attempt to launch a pre-dawn attack on the ground troops…

Apr 29, Colombo: The term of office of the Sri Lankan Prison Commissioner General, Major General Vajira Wijegunawardene is to end tomorrow.

The foreign ministers of Britain and France said Wednesday they had failed to persuade Sri Lanka to end its offensive against Tamil rebels and allow aid in for civilians trapped by the fighting.

Attanagalla magistrate once again orders the police to arrest an MP and five others suspected of murder.

Apr 29, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the Secretaries of all the Ministries not to confine their work to week days and regular hours.

Apr 29, Colombo: Remanded Sri Lankan businessman, Ceylinco Chairman Lalith Kothalawela today transferred to the Prison Hospital from the Merchant’s Ward in Colombo National Hospital.

Apr 29, Badulla: A tense situation occurred this afternoon in Badulla city due to a fierce clash between the supporters of two government Ministers, Arumugam Thondaman and Wadiwel Suresh.

Apr 29, Colombo: Sri Lanka government has decided to immediately ban the imports of pork from Mexico and European countries.

Apr 29, Colombo: Reginald Cooray, former Chief minister of the Western Province today said that he has decided to resume his first career of his life once again and will serve the nation as a tutor.

Apr 29, Colombo: Sri Lanka government today said that the ceasefire called by the Tamil Tiger rebels was a complete bluff as they have carried out several attacks on security forces after declaring their unilateral ceasefire.

A former LTTE spokesman who surrendered to the military accuses the rebels of shooting dead at least 200 civilians.

Apr 29, Colombo: Visiting high ranking foreign diplomats today said that the international community is not attempting to save the LTTE rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran by calling a ceasefire.

Apr 29, Colombo: Four main opposition political parties in Sri Lanka yesterday asked the government to disclose whether they have called a ceasefire or not.

Apr 29, Ambilipitiya: British Foreign Secretary David Miliband and French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner met Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa this evening at Ambilipitiya and held discussions on the current humanitarian situation Sri Lanka.

Ceylinco Chairman L Kotelawela has been transferred to the Prison Hospital from Merchant Ward of National Hospital -Dir Nat. Hospital-JNW

French, British foreign ministers arrive in Sri Lanka for talks on ending war.

Apr 29, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Buddhist monks today protested against the intervention of United Kingdom in the country’s internal problems.

Apr 29, Gampaha: The Attanagalla Magistrate Courts today ordered the police to arrest the parliamentarian Piyasiri Wijenayake…

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka military on Wednesday said that as the troops continued marching into the the no-fire zone (NFZ), where the LTTE leaders and cadres were taking shelter among an estimated 20,000 civilians, the Tigers have readied six large boats with sophisticated equipment to facilitate the escape of their top leaders.

Apr 29, Colombo: The newly elected Chief Minister of the Western Provincial Council Prasanna Ranatunga is to be sworn in next week, the government today said.

Applications for the re-correction of GCE Ordinary Level Examination papers could be forwarded until May 10, Examinations Department sources said.

COLOMBO: French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband called on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday and exchanged views on the condition of the two lakh civilians sheltered in temporary government camps. They also discussed the fate of civilians stranded in the No-Fire Zone (NFZ).

KUANTAN — Sri Lanka, embroiled in a war against the Tamil Tigers back home, has withdrawn from the Asia Cup hockey tournament to be held in Kuantan from May 9-16.

A former spokesman for the Tamil Tigers who surrendered last week has accused the rebels of shooting dead at least 200 civilians and forcibly recruiting children as young as 13.

The Uva and Southern provincial Councils will be dissolved in August so elections could be held shortly after that, highly placed political sources said yesterday.

The visiting French and British foreign ministers urged Sri Lanka to accept a cease-fire Wednesday in its war with ethnic Tamil rebels, saying it needed to act quickly to save the lives of civilians in the war zone.

Source: Reuters (For a related story click on [ID:nSP466027])

April 29 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of Britain and France urged Sri Lanka on Wednesday to implement a humanitarian ceasefire with Tamil Tiger …

(Lanka-e-News 2009.April.29 3.15PM) The United Nations Under Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Sir John Holmes visited Sri Lanka on 26th and 27th…