Sri Lanka awaits to welcome you - President tells CHOGM leaders
My country and my people who are experiencing economic revival, peace and tranquility throughout the country after many decades look forward to welcoming all of you to Colombo in 2013 President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.
Addressing the concluding session of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth today President Rajapaksa
said that CHOGM comes to Asia after 22 years, last being in Malaysia. “I have no doubt that all my Asian colleagues will,
in 2013, join me and the people of Sri Lanka in welcoming you to our region, which is home to
over two thirds of the population of the Commonwealth, to deliberate on all issues in which we are collectively interested”, he said.
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Sri Lankan pilgrims visit Notre Dame Church in Banneux - Belgium
Sri Lankan community in Belgium joined with the fellow Sri Lankans from France, Germany and
Netherlands on a pilgrimage on 30 October 2011 to visit the Notre Dame Church in Bannexu, Belgium,
which is one of the best known places in the world where Virgin Mary appeared. A holy mass was celebrated at
the Notre Dame Church by Rev. Fr. Samantha Kurera, Rev. Fr. Roger Fernando and Rev. Fr.Claude Nonis. More than 200 Sri Lankans led by
Sri Lanka Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and to the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha , took part in this
pilgrimage organized by the Sri Lankans in France.
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President apprises Australian PM of Sri Lanka ’s progress
President Mahinda Rajapaksa who is in Australia to attend the 22nd Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) met the Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard at the Hotel Pan Pacific in Perth.
During the meeting President Rajapaksa apprised the Australian Prime Minister of the current situation in Sri Lanka and the progress made in the resettlement of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and in the development of North.
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Develop sufficient spaces within economies to face complexities - President
We have to ensure that we develop sufficient spaces within our own economies
so as to be able to comfortably face the inevitable complexities in the face of global challenges, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.
“In our view, Individual policy interventions or ad-hoc measures which target just one or two outcomes are often flawed
and almost always, do not provide the desired results. Such responses are essentially short-term, and sometimes lead to
new difficulties. Although it may sound simplistic, I must say that, for growth to be sustained, we as nations, must get our basics and fundamentals right”,
President Rajapaksa said delivering the key note address at the Commonwealth Business Forum in Burswood Complex, in Burswood.
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Horizontal Air Services Agreement signs between Sri Lanka and the European Union
Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Mr. Ranjith de Silva and Ambassador/ Head of Delegation of the European
Union in Sri Lanka, His Excellency Mr. Bernard Savage initialed the Agreement between European Union and the Government of Sri Lanka
on certain aspects of Air Services, which is commonly known as the d’Horizontald‘ Air Services Agreement, on 27th October 2011 at the Ministry of External Affairs.
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Australian Government refuses to act on the court case filed against President Rajapaksa
The government of Australia has quashed a court case filed against President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the Melbourne Magistrates Court by Arunachalam Jegatheeswaran,a known LTTE operative based in Australia.
In a letter addressed to Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Australia, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe on October 27th, the Attorney General's Department of Australia has informed that, Australia has and will continue to comply with international obligations in this matter and as a result the Attorney General has considered and declined to proceed with the court case as the continuation of the proceedings against President Rajapaksa would be in breach of domestic law and Australia's obligations under International Law.
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Australian Based LTTE Network Exposed
Belgian tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka grows by 114.5% during the first nine months of 2011
Sri Lankad’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha has said d“Belgian tourist arrivals
to Sri Lanka grew by 114.5% during the first nine months of 2011d” and that d“Sri Lanka has become one of the most
preferred destinations in Asia for Belgian touristsd”. The Ambassador added that d“the number of Belgian tourists visiting
in this period which was 7200, surpassed the previous highest amount of Belgian tourists who visited Sri Lanka
in any given calendar year, which was 6,333 in 2006d”.
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Sri Lanka deserves more praise from int’l community - US Congress Members
Sri Lanka and its leader deserve much more praise from the international community than now for defeating the world’s worst terrorist organization. Leveling allegations
against them is a matter for regret, said the US Congress Members who are currently in a three-day tour to Sri Lanka.
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Minister G.L Peiris meets French Minister of Foreign Affairs and Diplomatic Advisor to President Sarkozy in Paris
During a two day visit to Paris on the 12th and 13th of October 2011, Minister of External Affairs Minister G.L
Peiris met French Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alain Juppé at the Quai D’Orsay. Minister Juppé welcomed
efforts of economic revival and reconciliation projects in post war Sri Lanka, while signaling as one of France’s priority interests and concerns, “Sri Lanka’s plans for greater regional autonomy”.
Minister Peiris noted the significant growth in Sri Lanka’s national economy and affirmed
readiness to encourage future investments in development projects.
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SL briefs Norway on reconciliation efforts
Leader of the House Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told the Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store that several billion rupees
have been spent on infrastructure development and livelihood support and also for the programmes to uplift the quality of lives of
the people of the North and East out of local funding. The minister was leading a high level delegation to Oslo which also included
Environment Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa. The visit was pursuant to the bi-lateral meeting between President Mahinda Rajapaksa
and the Prime Minister of Norway, Jens Stoltenberg, in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
The ministerial delegation also had meetings with Erik Solheim, Minister of International Development and Environment and Morten
Høglund representing the Leader of the Opposition and the Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence on the October 14, 2011.
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Ambassador Aryasinha says “human rights groups in indecent hurry to vilify Sri Lanka ahead of the release of the LLRC report”
Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the EU Ravinatha Aryasinha has said the timing of the screening of the film
‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ at the European Parliament today ( 12 October 2011) was particularly sinister,
coming on the eve of the presentation of the LLRC Report due next month. The Ambassador said, “it would appear
that Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group who sponsored the screening,
are intent on pre-judging and discrediting the LLRC report even before it is released”. He added that “this indecent hurry
to host such events and to call for international inquiries, is probably due to their fear that once the LLRC report comes out,
they will be short of one further excuse, with which to continue their obsessive attack on the Government of Sri Lanka”.
Ambassador Aryasinha made these observations when he intervened during a panel discussion that followed the screening
of the film ‘Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields’ held at the premises of the European Parliament on Wednesday (12 October 2011). The screening was jointly
organized by the three human rights organizations, and was also addressed by the Director/Producer
of the film and several Members of the European Parliament.
Read more... Read the full text of the speech... Read the Media Release in Sinhala...
Sri Lanka High Commission, UK screens the documentary “Lies Agreed Upon” at the British Parliament
The Sri Lanka High Commission in London organised the screening of Sri Lanka’s documentary titled “Lies Agreed Upon”,
which directly challenges the assertions contained in the Channel 4 video, at the Attlee Suite, Portcullis House, at the British Parliament on 12th October, 2011.
The screening of the documentary, proved extremely popular and was followed by a dialogue with Hon. Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha,
MP, and Sir Peter Heap, KCMG, Chairman, Friends of Sri Lanka. H.E. Dr. Chris Nonis, High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in the
UK introduced the documentary and chaired the panel discussion. This was the first time the government’s response to
Channel 4 film “Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields” was screened in the UK to an audience consisting of British Parliamentarians ,
representatives from Academia, some media representatives including from Channel 4, and a cross-section of the Sri Lankan Diaspora.
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UPFA wins 21 out of 23 LG bodies
The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) secured victory in all but two local government bodies. With this latest victory the
UPFA now control over 80 percent of the Local Councils that went to the polls during 2011. The party won 205 LG bodies out of 234
at the elections in March and later in polls held in July it won 45 out of 65 LG bodies. The UPFA overall secured 271 councils out
of 322 that went to the polls in 2011. The main opposition UNP won 10 local councils in all three stages. Also during the three
stages of local council elections
held in 2011, the ITAK secured 30 LG bodies while the government ally SLMC also won 5, the National Congress and the TULF won 2 each.
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Progress of National Action Plan on HR to UNHCR
The government yesterday announced that a new National Action Plan approved by the Cabinet for the protection and
promotion of Human Rights would assist to achieve reconciliation among the communities while not allowing the
terrorism to resurface. Addressing the media on the National Action Plan for the Protection and Promotion of
Human Rights, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Plantation Industries and the Special Envoy of the President
on Human Rights, said Sri Lanka will update the progress of the Plan at the United Nations Human Rights
Council in March next year. He said the Plan was prepared in a transparent manner and developed through
a participatory process involving government and civil society. When it was submitted
to the Cabinet for approval and formal adoption, it was adopted with amendments made by the Cabinet of Ministers.
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Response of the delegation of Sri Lanka to comments made during the General Debate under Item 4
The Delegation of Sri Lanka wishes to respond to the references made to Sri Lanka by certain delegations.
To those who question the credibility and independence of Sri Lanka’s Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission,
I wish to reiterate that we cannot accept such a priori judgements of our
domestic mechanism even before it has had the chance to complete its work and make its findings public.
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Ambassador Shavendra Silva is protected by diplomatic immunity
It has been brought to the notice of the Ministry of External Affairs that an attempt has been
made by an agent to deliver summons issued by a New York Court on the Deputy Permanent
Representative of Sri Lanka’s Mission to the United Nations in New York Major General Shavendra Silva.
The Ministry is of the view that Ambassador Shavendra Silva as the Deputy Permanent Representative of Sri
Lanka to the United Nations in New York enjoys diplomatic immunities and privileges accorded under the
Convention on Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations as well as the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Therefore,
Ambassador Shavendra Silva is protected by the relevant international treaties on diplomatic relations, immunities and privileges and accepted diplomatic practices.
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Sri Lanka committed to engagement with international community on post-conflict development
President Mahinda Rajapaksa had a bilateral meeting this afternoon ( 20th September 2011 ) with President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
President Rajapaksa warmly congratulated President Jonathan on his election and said that, in the situation which has now arisen
in Sri Lanka after the eradication of terrorism, there is ample scope to deepen the relationship between Sri Lanka and Nigeria in all sectors.
They discussed several areas in which enhanced collaboration would be appropriate.
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President Rajapaksa says “the might of powerful nations cannot prevail against justice and fair play”
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa who addressed the UN General Assembly in New York today (23 September) said
“the might of powerful nations cannot prevail against justice and fair play”. The President observed that
“whilst clash of ideas, opinions and values continues, we have clearly to
recognize that dialogue, deliberation and consensus offer the only viable means for resolving differences”.
In his address President Rajapaksa noted that, “after three decades of pain and anguish, today, Sri Lankans of all ethnicities,
living in all parts of Sri Lanka, are free from LTTE terror and no longer live in a state of fear. However,
I am deeply mindful that the battle for peace is every bit as important and difficult as the struggle against terror.
After the eradication of terrorism, my government has turned its undivided attention to building anew, the foundations of a unified and vibrant nation and drawing upon the inherent
strengths of our country and in particular, the unique caliber of our human potential“.
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Motion to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth defeated in the Australian Senate
The Australian Government and the Opposition voted together today to defeat a motion moved in the Senate by Australian Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon (Senator for New South Wales) to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth.
Speaking on the motion, a representative for the Government of Australia said that they do not believe that complex foreign policy issues can be resolved through motions such as the one mooted by Senator Rhiannon.
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Sri Lanka Strongly Refutes Allegations of Channel 04 and Provides Succinct Analysis of Post-Conflict Development at Human Rights Council Side Event in Geneva
“Sri Lanka should be given the time and space required to complete the LLRC process, and the international community must take due cognizance of
significant progress achieved by Sri Lanka in rehabilitation and resettlement of IDPs, economic development of the North and the East, demining
activities and in the reconciliation process”, observed Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Plantation Industries and Special Envoy of the
President on Human Rights, who led the Sri Lanka delegation to the 18th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC). Minister Samarasinghe
made the above observations as the Chair at a side event titled “Sri Lanka - Humanitarian Operation: A Factual Analysis”,
organized on the margins of the HRC in Geneva by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva on Monday 12 September.
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Minister Samarasinghe addresses the 18th Session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva
Madam President,
It is my privilege to once again address this august body as head of the Sri Lanka delegation. We come here as always,
Madam President, to share with the members of this Council and the other representatives of the community of nations,
our experiences in overcoming the several challenges we face in the present era – an era that offers a fresh hope of
a new Sri Lanka. The dawn of this new era coincided with the end of the armed conflict in 2009 just over 2 years ago.
In that time, Sri Lanka, has made considerable – some may call it astounding
– progress in addressing the many challenges that nearly 30 years of conflict poses to a nation, her Government and people.
Full text of statement...
Ambassador of Sri Lanka responds to High Commissioner Pillay’s remarks on Sri Lanka
Madam President,
you must note, however unpalatable it may be to some, that terrorism has not been allowed to rear its ugly head since 2009, in Sri Lanka. We, like many other like-minded nations, are not willing to create nurseries for terrorists wherever they may be.
Madam President, The partiality of the High Commissioner has once again been manifestly demonstrated in the Council today.
Full text of statement...
Sri Lanka elected to the Chair of the Working Group on the Right to Development
The Ambassador (Ms) Tamara Kunanayakam, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, Geneva has been unanimously elected to the position of the Chair / Rapporteur of the Working Group on the Right to Development (R2D).
Ms.Kunanayakm was nominated by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) at the organizational meeting of the Working Group on the Right to Development held on September 07, 2011, in Geneva, Switzerland.
Read more... Text of the speech made by Ambassador Kunanayakm...
Proud at defeating terror and making South Asia safer
– President Rajapaksa to Rotarians
“We now stand proud as a nation that has eradicated terrorism from our country.
In doing so, we have made South Asia too, safer from terrorism. We have achieved this
with much less of the assets, and none of the deceit and duplicity of those who have been waging a War on
Terror for more than a decade; those with much more economic and fire power than we had and many more
allies than we ever had, but are still caught up in the killing fields made by un-manned drones and
other lethal devices that attack civilians, too,” said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the Rotary
South Asia Conference on “Development and Cooperation”. Addressing the large gathering of Rotarians at
the Galadari Hotel, Colombo today, President Rajapaksa also said: “It is regretted that the very
individuals and institutions that point their fingers at us for our defeat of terror seem to be
unaware of the truth about our prolonged battle against terrorism, and the very nature of those terrorists.
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