Sri Lanka’s former armed forces chief, who resigned in disaffection with the government two weeks ago, has formally announced he will stand in presidential election to challenge the incumbent, Mahinda Rajapaksa. General Sarath Fonseka said he was entering politics with reluctance but that he could not leave the country, “in the hands of a tin-pot [...]
Australiawill host the next Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in 2011 after Sri Lankaagreed to withdraw its offer to host. In 2007, Sri Lanka offered to host the 2011 meeting, but has suffered a brutal civil war and alleged human and civil rights infringements. A spokesman for Mr. Rudd said the host city had not [...]
Randomly placed landmines, contaminated wells and a lack of information are the main problems facing de-miners in Sri Lanka as they try to clear areas before thousands of civilians return home after a 25-year-old civil war, the country head of the Mines Advisory Group (MAG) said. Towards the end of the war between the Sri [...]
The eyewitness of an alleged police brutality in Colombo says she feared for her life after testifying before courts against police officers. Renu Gunathilake has witnessed the brutal killing of a psychologically impaired person allegedly by police officers off the Bambalapitiya beach in Colombo a month ago. “I am very afraid of my life. Because [...]
Four Air Force personnel were killed in the MI-24 crash in Buttala on Friday (20th), the Air force spokesman said. Among the dead were the two pilots and two gunners. The technical failure had occurred while on a training exercise in the southeastern Moneragala district around 1:30 p.m. local time (0800 GMT). The Sri Lanka [...]
The UNP will back General Sarath Fonseka as the Common Candidate for the upcoming Presidential elections, UNP Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe said a short while ago. The UNP took this decision at a working committee meeting this morning. This has ended weeks of speculation as to which way the UNP would throw its weight. Three UNP [...]
“It is going to be the most crucial 48 hours in my life. I’ll announce my future plans day after tomorrow, whether to contest the presidential polls or to take legal action against the Defence Ministry, and everything else,” said Sri Lanka’s retired Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Sarath Fonseka. Speaking exclusively to Express from [...]
The probable Common Opposition Candidate General Sarath Fonseka is likely to contest from Mangala Samaraweera’s Ape Jathika Peramuna, confidential sources told Ada Derana. The source claimed that the General cannot contest as an independent candidate due to constitutional restrictions and thus he has to come through a registered political party. The Elections Secretariat on November [...]
Ranil PMcandidate if general election precedes presidential polls Crossover provision to be abolished as solution to ‘jumbo Cabinets’ Leader of the UNF Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday that General Sarath Fonseka’s nomination as Presidential candidate was subject to his acceptance of the UNF’s ten-point policy statement. Wickremesinghe said that a decision on the Presidential candidate would [...]
Sri Lankan batsmen Mahela Jayawardene and Prasanna Jayawardene today broke a 72-year-old world record for the highest sixth-wicket partnership in Tests by putting on a 351-run stand against India on the fourth day of the first cricket Test in India. Mahela and Prasanna, who came together yesterday, went past the 346-run stand that was put [...]
