Category: Featured

ndo-Lanka joint energy projects dominate bilateral talks between Jaishankar and Wickremesinghe

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Indo-Lanka joint energy projects dominate bilateral talks between Jaishankar and Wickremesinghe Colombo, Jun 20 (PTI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe held bilateral discussions on Thursday, where joint energy projects, including a proposed petroleum pipeline linking the two countries, took centre stage. The two leaders focused on initiatives aimed at enhancing energy connectivity and developing the renewable energy sector. “Significant attention was given to plans for a Liquified Natural Gas supply, a proposed petroleum pipeline linking the two countries, and advancing oil and gas exploration…

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Sri Lanka: Accountability needed for enforced disappearances

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Sri Lanka: Accountability needed for enforced disappearances Sri Lanka must ensure accountability for decades of enforced disappearances – UN report GENEVA (17 May 2024) – Sri Lanka’s Government must take meaningful action to determine and disclose the fates and whereabouts of tens of thousands of people who have been subjected to enforced disappearance over the decades and hold those responsible to account, a UN Human Rights Office report released today says. It calls on the Government to acknowledge the involvement of State security forces and affiliated paramilitary groups, and to issue…

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Petitioners seek SC intervention against Mannar Wind Power Project

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Petitioners seek SC intervention against Mannar Wind Power Project citing public interest The Bishop of the Diocese of Mannar and three prominent environmentalists this week petitioned the Supreme Court in the public interest against the proposed 250 MW Mannar Wind Power Project by Adani Green Energy. Rev. Dr. Fidelis Lionel Emmanuel Fernando along with Rohan Pethiyagoda, Prof. Nimal Gunatilleke and Prof. Sarath Kotagama have challenged the procurement process and proposed construction of the project by Adani Green Energy PTE Ltd and/or Adani Green Energy S L Limited. The case names…

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Australian company’s multibillion sandmining project in Mannar

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Australian company’s multibillion sandmining project mired in Mannar protests Protests hinder progress towards mining licence Residents allege large-scale land robberies involving brokers working for company  Environmentalists fear existential threats such as soil losing fertility and contamination of water sources  Company representative downplays impacts of the project on people’s livelihood  By Mimi Alphonsus and S. Rubatheesan For over a decade, an Australian company has tried to secure mining licences to extract heavy mineral sands from the ecologically rich region of Mannar Island—the fourth largest ilmenite deposit in the world—with little success.…

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Hypocrites as democrats

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Hypocrites as democrats   Thursday 30th May, 2024 Opposition politicians and some of their government counterparts have taken up the cudgels for the people’s franchise following UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara’s call for postponing the next presidential and parliamentary polls by two years. They say they are ready to do all it takes to prevent the postponement of elections. Bandara’s proposal could be considered a trial balloon floated at the behest of the UNP leadership. However, it is doubtful whether the UNP will dare make an attempt to postpone…

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Will the approaching elections be free and fair?

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Will the approaching elections be free and fair? What is the significance of the Election Commission’s (EC) announcement on Thursday that the next presidential election would be held between September 17 and October 16? It is a well-known fact to those who know the relevant Article of the Constitution. It would have only been relevant if the EC had announced the exact date for the election. Goodies and freebies  Although President Ranil Wickremesinghe has not declared his candidature for the forthcoming Presidential election, it is clear he has commenced his…

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EC writes to Prez Secy. on LG polls

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EC writes to Prez Secy. on LG polls Says holding polls the answer, not community advisory comms., to oversee LG dev. projects SJB backs same & warns of legal action   The Election Commission (EC) has informed President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake and the other relevant authorities that it is better to hold the Local Government (LG) elections than establishing community advisory committees to oversee development projects under LG bodies. The Government recently announced plans to establish these committees, with the alleged intent of having them oversee development projects within LG bodies.…

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Indo-SL passenger ferry service to resume mid-May

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Indo-SL passenger ferry service to resume mid-May The passenger ferry service between Nagapattinam, India, and Kankesanthurai (KKS) in Sri Lanka, which resumed in October of last year (2023) after almost 40 years, only to be stopped days later, is set to recommence on 13 May.  Online ticket sales for the service, which will be handled by a new operator, will go live on 6 May. On 14 October 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually flagged off the service between Nagapattinam and KKS. The high speed craft Cheriyapani operated by the…

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The ‘due process’ clash of the law

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The ‘due process’ clash of the law 03 May 2024 | BY Buddhika Samaraweera    Private/unofficial bar lawyers & the Public Security Min. exchange salvos over the ‘Yukthiya’s’ ‘wayward’ ‘mission’   In a landscape fraught with tension, a clash has emerged between the Public Security Minister Tiran Alles and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) over the controversial ‘Yukthiya’ (Justice) anti-drug and anti-organised crime operation.  The BASL contends that the said operation has veered off course, with due legal procedures often disregarded, while Minister Alles refutes these claims, accusing the BASL…

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