Although war is over in Sri Lanka, many still face discrimination and hate and much need to be done for peacebuilding and reconciliation in Sri Lanka, the United Nations Resident Coordinator Ms. Una McCauley says. In a message to mark the International Day of Peace 2017 that falls on Thursday, September 21, Ms. McCauley said the people must respect each other's religion, race, culture, values and political beliefs and accept and work with each other's differences to make any meaningful progress.

The UN official urged the Sri Lankans to do utmost "to ensure an environment where hate and intolerance are not accepted, as we work towards sustaining peace in Sri Lanka." Full text of the Message by UN Resident Coordinator, Ms. Una McCauley for International Day of Peace 2017:

Each year on September 21 we observe the International Day of Peace. The United Nations General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, within and among all nations and peoples. Today, we are called to remember our obligations as an international community. We are called to remember the impact of violent conflict and discrimination upon the most vulnerable. We are called to do this together.

The theme this year is "Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All," with a particular focus on the plight of refugees and migrants throughout the world. Their suffering highlights the urgency with which we must find lasting solutions and work towards protecting the human rights of all. However, addressing the root causes of conflict and preventing violence requires our commitment and our unity. In Sri Lanka, the war is over. Yet many still face discrimination and hate. We still have the opportunity to work together for lasting peace.

So much needs to be done to ensure that everyone can participate equally in shaping the way forward for the country, particularly in the areas of peacebuilding and reconciliation. It also means that we must respect each other's religion, race, culture, values and political beliefs. We need to accept and work with each other's differences if we are to make any meaningful progress. As long as discrimination, intolerance and inequality are encouraged or ignored, then our efforts are in vain.

Standing against injustice also calls us to be compassionate through our words and actions, especially towards those most vulnerable, not just within our own communities but also beyond. We can bring hope to those who seek our protection and understanding. Only then can we say we are working together to ensure respect, safety and dignity for all.

This International Day of Peace, let us think about all refugees and migrants living in fragile contexts, who are suffering the consequences of injustice and discrimination. Let us also do our utmost to ensure an environment where hate and intolerance are not accepted, as we work towards sustaining peace in Sri Lanka.

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.