Day: 27 February 2019

How Jaffna Hindus met the challenge of European missionaries

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By P.K.Balachandran/Daily Mirror With the advent of European power in Ceylon in the 16 th.Century, the Hindus of Jaffna began to face religious annihilation. The Portuguese and the Dutch were hell bent on converting them to Christianity – the Portuguese to Roman Catholicism and the Dutch to Protestatism. The British, with the help of American missionaries also tried, but in a different way, with education and job offers, not crude coercion. However, by the middle of the 19 th.Century, there was a Hindu revival which was spearheaded by a Hindu,…

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Approval for TRC mechanism Navi Pillay blasts Govt

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By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan Former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay came strong on the current Sri Lankan Government for trying to seek Cabinet approval for a truth and reconciliation mechanism, when its leaders accepted to address justice and accountability in post-war Sri Lanka. ‘’I am disappointed to learn that on the eve of the interactive dialogue on the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights’(OHCHR) report on Sri Lanka in the UN Human Rights Council, the Government of Sri Lanka is resorting to…

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Foreign and Commonwealth Office has sought to intervene in the judicial process? – Siobhain McDonagh MP

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Siobhain McDonagh MP House of Commons London SW1A 0AA 020 7219 4678 (tel) mcdonaghs@parliament.uk Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt MP Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs King Charles Street London SW1A 2AH 26 February 2019 Dear Secretary of State, RE: Brigadier Priyanka Fernando I am writing regarding Brigadier Priyanka Fernando, the former Military Attaché of the Sri Lankan High Commission in London. As you will be aware, Brigadier Priyanka Fernando was last year filmed repeatedly running his finger across his throat in an attempt to intimidate members of the Tamil community.…

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UK welcomes Sri Lanka’s decisions on reconciliation

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The United Kingdom (UK) has welcomed the decision of the Sri Lankan Government to return more land to its rightful owners, and to establish an Office for Reparations to compensate war victims. Addressing the 40th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva on Monday (25), UK’s Foreign Office Minister Lord Ahmad also encouraged Sri Lanka to implement in full the commitments made to the UNHRC in order to ensure long-term reconciliation. “Finally, to end on a more positive note, we welcome the decision of the…

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Sri Lanka terminates top financial crime buster

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ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s government Tuesday terminated the services of Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) chief Ravi Waidyalankara amid serious allegations of graft, official sources said. The cabinet of ministers at their meeting Tuesday discussed the future of Senior Deputy Inspector-General who is also suspected of passing sensitive information to two Singapore nationals implicated in the highly controversial MiG deal. President maithripala Sirisena as minister of Law and Order presented the cabinet paper terminating Waidyalankara with effect from February 22, a proposal that was unanimously approved, a ministerial source said.…

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