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Sri Lanka's Rajapaksa dismisses UN human rights panel

BBC, March 6. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has denounced plans by UN chief Ban Ki-Moon to ask a panel of experts to look into human rights issues on the island.

Mr Rajapaksa told Mr Ban the move was "uncalled for and unwarranted", the president's office said in a statement.

Human rights groups want some sort of accountability for abuses alleged to have been committed during the war against Tamil Tiger separatists.

The Sri Lankan government insists it did nothing wrong.

Mr Ban plans to ask a panel of experts to advise the UN on "accountability issues" relating to possible human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, his spokesman said on Friday.

But Rajapaksa's office said the president spoke to Mr Ban by telephone on Friday and told him the that alleged rights abuses were "misrepresentations" by supporters of the Tamil Tigers and other groups working against Sri Lanka. More...Discuss this story

Published: Sat Mar 6 15:23:29 EST 2010

Fonseka Damaged, Politicised The Army

Thelka, March 7. The controversy surrounding the victory of Mahinda Rajapaksa in the Sri Lanka presidential election over combined opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka, refuses to die down. World attention is focussed on the detention of General Fonseka, the former Army Commander and once-wounded war hero who led the action against the LTTE. So far, except for general statements hinting at a coup attempt and a broad conspiracy, the Sri Lankan government has chosen to remain silent about the real reasons behind Fonseka’s confinement and impending trial. More...Discuss this story

Published: Sat Mar 6 23:12:51 EST 2010

Sri Lanka says no military officer quizzed over editor's murder

Xinhua, March 7. The Sri Lankan government has denied reports that the former head of the military intelligence was to be questioned over the assassination of a top newspaper editor.

"There is no plan to question military intelligence over the incident," Lakshman Hulugalle, the director general of the Media Centre for National Security said on Saturday.

He dismissed the story as a malicious attempt to discredit the government. More...Discuss this story

Published: Sat Mar 6 23:13:59 EST 2010

Rights experts to advise UN's Ban on Sri Lanka
Reuters, March 6. UNITED NATIONS, March 5 (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon plans to ask a panel of experts to advise the world body on "accountability issues" relating to possible human rights abuses in Sri Lanka, his spokesman said on Friday...

Sri Lanka calls U.N. rights panel "unwarranted"
Reuters, March 6. COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lanka's president has told U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon a proposed U...

India envoy to visit Sri Lanka for talks on 'reconciliation'
HT, March 6. India's foreign secretary Nirupama Rao will hold talks with Sri Lanka's president on resolving the grievances of the island's Tamil minority this weekend, an official source said Saturday...

Q+A-Why are foreigners net sellers of Sri Lanka bourse
Alibaba.com, March 5, 2010. COLOMBO, March 5 - Sri Lanka's shares hit a record high this week to make the market the top performer in Asia after a meteoric 2009 when the index soared 125 percent...