Saturday, September 10, 2011The LLRC is the latest in a long line of failed domestic inquiries. Impunity has been the rule rather than the exception, now exacerbated by a post-conflict triumphalism that rejects all responsibility for abuses, carried out by government forces,” Sam Zarifi / AI, Asia Pacific Director at the release of the AI Report on LLRC.
Palitha Kohona and Major General Shavendra Silva
All talk of normalcy in the country and Emergency Regulations (ER) allowed to go lapse from August 30 is just junk rhetoric, with three special gazette notifications issued on Monday August 29, by the President. All arrests, detentions and judicial proceedings that were made effective under ER would now continue under the PTA number 48 of 1979. All legal empowerments that come with these gazette notifications, would therefore effect those thousands of Tamil youth who have been detained under ER, being turned into detainees under the much harsher PTA.
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Robert Blake Visits And The USA Keeps Up Pressure
Saturday, September 10, 2011
The proposed visit of Robert O. Blake, the US Under Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, to Sri Lanka last week was postponed due to the freak weather conditions wreaking havoc along the Eastern Coast of New York. He is now expected to visit on the 12th of this month. Robert O. Blake was the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka prior to Ms Butenis, and is very aware of the political sensitivities of the nation and her recent history.Someone as senior as Robert Blake does not undertake a visit across the globe on a whim or fancy. The US government has thought it extremely important that Blake gets a “one on one” feel of the Sri Lankan government’s response to the Darusman report, and the efforts if any, to facilitate a lasting political solution to the north – east, after a credible investigation into the final phase of the war, needed for a meaningful reconciliation as stated by the US government on numerous occasions. He is expected to meet with the President, top government officials, the Tamil political parties and even visit the north during his visit.
Robert O. Blake and Clint Williamson, is currently the Special Expert to the Secretary General of the UN. He was the former 3rd Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues from 29th June 2006 to September 2009.Read More »
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University Security Under Gota’s Firm
Saturday, September 10, 2011By Indika Sri Aravinda
The security of universities has been handed over to a security firm which operates under the Defence Ministry.
Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne told The Sunday Leader that the security has been handed over to Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd and another company.
Read More »Higher Education Ministry Secretary Dr. Sunil Jayantha Nawaratne told The Sunday Leader that the security has been handed over to Rakna Arakshaka Lanka Ltd and another company.
