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Home » ColumnsTNA hits out at LTTE, calls on Govt. to accept OISL report
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has fired a strong salvo at the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) after the OHCHR report accused them of committing war crimes. The TNA called upon the Tamil people to “use this moment of introspection into our own community’s failures and the unspeakable crimes committed in our name.” It [...]
What next at UNHRC: Govt. ponders its options
US and Sri Lanka in dialogue to work out new resolution to be presented on Sept 30 President pledges tough action against “Gang of Five” trying to provoke the security forces on Geneva issue Serious charges against former regime and LTTE, but Mangala says hot potato is not too hot Days ahead of the official [...]
Some advice for Sampanthan
My dear Sampanthan seeya, I thought I must write to you to offer my congratulations to you, now that you seem to have been finally accepted by all concerned as the Leader of the Opposition, even though some are still trying to steal that job away from you. It just shows that you are never [...]
Gains from lower fuel prices frittered away by increased imports
The trade deficit expanding by 15.6 per cent to US$ 4 billion in the first half of the year has brought about a balance of payments crisis and the depreciation of the Rupee. The Rupee depreciated from about Rs. 135 to the US dollar a month ago to Rs. 142 this week: an inevitable outcome [...]
On that ‘hybrid court’ and other misconceptions
Even as Sri Lanka gradually recovers from the shock of Wednesday’s release of harsh (albeit fairly predictable) findings on ‘systemic’ war time atrocities by a United Nations mandated panel, soothing murmurs indulged in by this Government need to be taken with that proverbial pinch of salt. The faults of the past Indeed, some claims are [...]
Speak the truth to report the truth
The other day I read rather curious remarks made by the Minister for Parliamentary Reforms and Media Gayantha Karunathilaka in an interview with a state-run newspaper. Minister Karunathilaka is understandably effusive that the president and prime minister have reposed great faith in him by giving him back the portfolio he held during the government of a [...]
Human Rights Chief’s compromise: Crossbred court probe for war sins
If the Lankan Government had expected the worst from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) report this week then what it got was the best it could have hoped for in the circumstances: A crossbred court to probe Lanka’s alleged war crimes. Even though Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera pledged on Monday at the UNHRC [...]