The British Government today noted that Sri Lanka did very little to address human rights concerns, five years after the war. The UK Ambassador to Geneva Julian Braithwaite said in a few months’ time it will be the tenth anniversary of the end of the protracted armed conflict in Sri Lanka, a conflict in which many thousands of people died.

“This was a period in which serious human rights violations and abuses are reported to have been committed by both parties and in which people from all of Sri Lanka’s communities had to endure terrible suffering. For many of the victims, especially the families of the missing and the disappeared, their suffering continues to endure,” he said.

He was speaking at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva on behalf of the Core Group on Sri Lanka comprising Canada, Germany, Montenegro, North Macedonia and the United Kingdom. The UK introduced to the Council draft Resolution L1 entitled “Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka”.

“In the 5 years following the end of the armed conflict Sri Lanka chose not to take many measures that would have helped to advance reconciliation, accountability and human rights. It remains to Sri Lanka’s great credit that in 2015 it committed, in front of the international community, to take a set of steps towards these ends that are in its national interest and in the interest of every community in the country,” the Ambassador said.

He said that draft Resolution L1. seeks to continue the process which Sri Lanka began at the Human Rights Council in September 2015 when it worked in partnership to set out a range of measures that it would take to advance peace, justice and reconciliation.

He also noted that the Resolution acknowledges some very real achievements against these commitments over the last two years. “It also recognises that in a number of important areas, implementation remains work in progress. The resolution encourages Sri Lanka to accelerate its efforts to achieve full implementation of its 2015 undertakings and to set out a time-bound implementation plan to help it to make progress. It requests OHCHR to continue to strengthen its engagement with Sri Lanka and requests annual reporting by the Office of the High Commissioner for a further two years,” he said. The UK envoy said that the main sponsors of the Resolution warmly welcome Sri Lanka’s co-sponsorship of the draft Resolution and its public affirmation that it remains determined to deliver on the commitments it has already made to the UNHRC.

He also said that as partners and friends of Sri Lanka, they stand ready to support Sri Lanka as it does so.

Sri Lanka Police officials have been caught on video behaving in an inhumane manner while arresting three women who had served porridge in memory of the Tamil people who were killed during the last phase of Sri Lanka’s war in Mullivaikal in 2009.

The number of Sri Lankan retired military personnel who have lost their lives in the Russia-Ukraine war has climbed to 14, according to Defense sources.

The birth rate in Sri Lanka is on a rapid decline, and currently it has decreased by 30%, Kalubowila Teaching Hospital gynecologist Prof. Ajith Fernando said. Addressing the media, the doctor said that the number of births, which was about 360,000, has decreased to about 240,000.

Defending the allegations on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's decisions to construct an international airport, habour and cricket stadium in the Hambantota District, SLPP MP Chamal Rajapaksa said the issue is not the constructions but the failure to develop them as business ventures.

Clarifying the controversy over the GCE Ordinary Level (O/L) Science and English papers, Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said today that steps will be taken to ensure that no injustice is caused to any students.

Transport, Highways and Mass Media Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardhana said the government’s income is Rs. 8,420 million and the expenditure is Rs.14,670 million so the amount in shortfall to meet the daily expenses is Rs.6250 million.

The passenger ferry services scheduled to begin operations on May 13 between Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka and Nagapattinam in India wil be delayed further due to the delay in delivery of the ferry and unavoidable compliance requirements , IndSri Ferry Service Pvt. Ltd. said.

Former President Maithripala Sirisena stepped down from his role as Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) paving the way for a new leadership.

Venerable Omalpe Sobitha Thera told the Daily Mirror today that there are over 10 members currently serving in Parliament who hold dual citizenship and said that those MPs should be removed from their posts before the elections.

Approximately 25,000 soldiers have left the service of the Sri Lanka Army without having reported for duty in the past five years, The Sunday Morning learns.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has expressed concern over the current government's plans to sell off national assets and state-owned enterprises, calling for the postponement of all such moves until after the next Presidential election, allowing the incoming government to address the issue according to its mandate.

The faction of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) under the leadership of former President Maithripala Sirisena has announced the appointment of Attorney-at-Law Keerthi Udawatte as the Acting General Secretary. This follows the appointment of new SLFP Chairman Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe.

Amid concerns over the presence of Chinese research vessels conducting surveys in the Indian Ocean, the US nominee to Sri Lanka Elizabeth K. Horst assured the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee to work with Sri Lanka to ensure a moratorium on these vessels remains in place.

The Sri Lanka Telecommunications (Amendment) Bill which seeks to penalize those who share false information over the telephone and cause public commotion was presented to Parliament.

The Maradankerni Police have initiated an investigation following the suspicious death of a woman at a residence in Thalai Adi, Maradankerni, last night. Police said the deceased is a 44-year-old mother of three and a resident of Maradankerni.

Not only the on-arrival visa but the online visa system too should be stopped, as it already affects the number of foreigners who usually arrive in the country, a senior official of the Immigration and Emigration Department said.

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) is ready for the Presidential eletion but they are yet to find a candidate for the presidency, SLPP founder Basil Rajapaksa said today.

In a resounding display of solidarity with the Palestinian people, Sri Lanka cast its vote in support of Palestine's application for membership in the United Nations. This was announced by Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Sabry via an X post.

In the wake of the Election Commission officially announcing that the Presidential election will be held between September 17 and October 16, a faction of both government and opposition MPs have expressed concerns as they prefer a parliamentary election first, Daily Mirror learns.

United States Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu will travel to India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh between May 10 and 15. His trip will strengthen bilateral cooperation with each country and demonstrate U.S. support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.