The British parliament today debated the human rights in Sri Lanka and the 34th session of the UN Human Rights Council Tuesday, as Sri Lanka's Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera in Geneva apprised the Council of the progress the country has made in fulfilling the key promises made by the Government in 2015 to address accountability, human rights protections and reconciliation.

Opening the debate Conservative MP James Berry, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group for Tamils acknowledging that some progress has been made, expressed concerns that key promises made by the Government in 2015 to address accountability, human rights protections and reconciliation have not been fulfilled.

MP Ian Paisley pointing out that building a peace process is incredibly difficult said Sri Lanka has made significant progress. "Significant progress has been made - admittedly not as much as some Members would like, but we should recognize that slow progress has been made towards a new, changed and beneficial society," he said. MP Berry pointing out areas in which there has been a lack of progress, criticized the Sri Lankan Government for not having a timetable for setting up the judicial mechanism to probe the alleged war crimes.

The debate focused on the Sri Lankan government's refusal to include foreign judges in the tribunal to address the war crimes. "The Government of Sri Lanka - the President, the Prime Minister and other senior Ministers - have made clear comments that they do not intend to involve foreign and Commonwealth judges, prosecutors and defence counsel. They want it to be a purely domestic tribunal. Senior Ministers have also commented that the military will be protected," MP Berry said. He added that the the scrutiny of the UN Human Rights Council is necessary to show that the international community requires it.

Responding to MP Berry, MP Sir Hugo Swire said the national unity Government of President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe is trying to maintain a delicate balance. "Without that Government of national unity, we would not be seeing progress on any front at all. Everything that we say, maintain and argue for has to be done with a greater understanding of the domestic political situation in Sri Lanka," he said. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Tobias Ellwood said many of the steps that Sri Lanka committed to take under resolution 30/1 are yet to be implemented but the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister has said that the Government need more time to deliver on the outstanding commitments.

He said the UK is now discussing a follow up to resolution 30/1, in partnership with the Government of Sri Lanka and the other countries that presented the original resolution. "Our guiding principle in the negotiations will be that Sri Lanka should implement its existing commitments in full. In addition to the work at the Human Rights Council, we have also been encouraging progress in Sri Lanka through high level engagement and programme funding," he added.

Focusing on the key areas that the government of Sri Lanka needs to progress such as constitutional reform that delivers the devolution required to build the foundations for future stability and prosperity Under-Secretary Elwood said UK urges all parties to work together to find a way forward that is acceptable to all communities in Sri Lanka. He said the issue of returning land is very important and the UK has consistently called for the release of private land occupied by the military in the north and east of Sri Lanka, and will continue to do so.

The Under Secretary said in the area od transitional justice mechanisms the UK is encouraged by the progress of legislation to establish an office of missing persons but the Sri Lankan Government must now take the necessary steps, including providing funding, to get it up and running.

He concluded that bringing about reconciliation and the conditions for lasting peace in Sri Lanka will require a concerted effort from the Government, the Opposition, civil society and everyone who has an interest in supporting a brighter future for the country and affirmed that the UK Government will continue to support and encourage the people and Government of Sri Lanka along that path. "We will recognise and welcome progress when it is made and will continue to urge the Sri Lankan Government to deliver in full on their commitments, for the benefit of the people," Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Tobias Ellwood said.

The Election Commission (EC) stated that several recognised political parties have had to be set aside from the relevant list due to internal crises within the said parties. According to the official website of the EC, there are 84 recognised political parties in Sri Lanka.

In a scathing rebuttal of allegations by Malcom Cardinal Ranjith regarding the Easter Sunday attacks, former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa said Cardinal Ranjith either glosses over the responsibility of, or expressly absolves the two parties actually involved in the terrorist strikes.

In its first move for the formation of a broad political alliance, President Ranil Wickremesinghe had a meeting with Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) stalwart Basil Rajapaksa and representatives of other parties and groups, and decided to accelerate political work in view of the presidential election after May Day.

The rice distributed among schools said to be unsuitable for children's co consumption was provided by the World Food Programme (WFP) and not by the government, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha assured today.

Opposition Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara has raised concerns about a growing trend where Sri Lankan retired military personnel are allegedly being exploited in a scheme to send them to serve in the Russian and Ukrainian Armies.

The main Parliamentary Opposition Party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), queried about the actions taken against certain officers in the State Intelligence Service (SIS), who, in certain instances, allegedly blocked the investigations conducted by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) into the Easter Sunday attacks that took place in 2019.

Sri Lanka took minimal steps to identify and punish officials who may have committed human rights abuses, the 2023 report issued by the US State Department's Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labour on Sri Lanka's Human Rights Practices has alleged.

A top delegation of the Chinese Communist Party headed by Vice Minister of the International Department, Sun Haiyan met National People's Power (NPP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the JVP head office today. The delegation included head of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party Liu Jianchao and Political Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka Chen Xiang Yuan.

The head of one of Canada’s largest police forces met with a Sri Lankan inspector general of police who two weeks earlier had been found by the South Asian country’s highest court to have “participated in the torture” of an arrested man.

The Colombo District Court issued an interim injunction preventing former President Maithripala Sirisena from functioning as the chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

The President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Dr. Ebrahim Raisi and President Ranil Wickremesinghe jointly inaugurated the Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project (UOMDP) a short while ago. This project is one of the largest irrigation projects in Sri Lanka following the Mahaweli Development Project

The three-day adournment debate on the Easter Sunday attacks commenced in Parliament today. The adournment debate was moved by SJB MP Niroshan Perera and seconded by SJB MP Kavinda Jayawardane. The debate will be held for three days.

The Sri Lanka Army has decided to appoint a special investigation committee consisting of 07 senior officers chaired by a Major General to probe the accident that occurred during the Diyatalawa Fox Hill Supercross.

Vice Minister of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party, Sun Haiyan, is set to arrive in Sri Lanka today for a two-day official visit, as reported by The Thinakaran Newspaper.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that their Consular Affairs Division will be relocated to the new premises at the 16th floor of “Suhurupaya”, Sri Subhuthipura Road, Battaramulla with effect from May 02, 2024.

Two persons have died after police fired at a three-wheeler that was driving in defiance of orders to halt at Millawa in Moragahahena.

A 78-year-old man, Gopal Rao, of Bengaluru, Karnataka, died of a heart attack while he was swimming from Thalaimannar in Sri Lanka to the Dhanushkodi islet in Rameswaram, T.N., on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.

The National People's Power (NPP) has officially notified the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) yesterday that they are prepared to hold the proposed debate between NPP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake and SJB leader Sajith Premadasa on one of the following days: May 7, 9, 13, or 14.

The Catholic Church is planning to present a proposal to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) through several foreign governments and international organizations to initiate an international investigation into the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks with a view to mete out justice to the victims of those attacks.

Seven individuals, including a child, lost their lives, and 23 others sustained injuries in a tragic accident at the “Fox Hill Super Cross 2024” racing event in Diyatalawa on Sunday (21). The casualties included four racing event officials serving as flag marshals and civilians who were spectators.