Category: Sri Lanka

• Colombo

Sri Lanka has sent a "strong message" to its two nuclear-armed neighbours - India and Pakistan - by acceding to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), said an official associated with the island nation's disarmament forum.

Joining the India-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Association through a video message, the EAM also reiterated India's support for the preservation of Sri Lanka's multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious identity.

Norwegian government has announced that it will shut down its embassy in Sri Lanka on July 31, and from August 1, its New Delhi-based diplomatic mission would be responsible for the country’s bilateral relationship with Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

The bus carrying over 67 passengers to Akkaraipaththu had fallen into the Mahaweli river, one of the four main rivers in the country. Some of those who fell into the river were rescued by the military and villagers in the area. 

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe reiterated that there was no military agreement with China and that he would not allow the island nation to be used as a base for any threat against India.

Answering a question on region's growing competition between China and other countries, President Wickremesinghe said that Sri Lanka maintains a close relationship with all members of the Quad and China as well.

A top level delegation from the Chinese Embassy in Colombo met the head monk of one of the influential Buddhist chapters in the country and told him that China strongly opposes any foreign country receiving the Tibetan spiritual leader, who is exiled in India.

Ahead of visit by India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar to Sri Lanka this week, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has assured to fully implement the India-brokered 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

Former Secretary of Defence Hemasiri Fernando was also ordered to pay 50 million LKR, while former Chief of National Intelligence (CNI) Sisira Mendis was asked to pay 10 million LKR as compensation.
 

Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe warned on Wednesday that any attempt to topple the government through an anti-government protest or 'Aragalaya' would be crushed using military power and Emergency laws.

Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka's former President who fled the country after anti-government protesters stormed his official residence on July 13, will return to the crisis-hit island nation on Saturday.

Amidst controversy and a diplomatic tussle between India and China, Sri Lanka on Saturday announced that it has allowed controversial Chinese vessel 'Yuan Wang 5' to dock at the island's southern-most port, the Chinese-run Hambantota.

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Wednesday thanked India, saying the closest neighbour has given 'a breath of life' to the country that was economically ailing with major shortages of essential items such as food, fuel, medicine and many more.

Gunawardena, parliamentarian of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party, took his oath in the capital Colombo in the presence of other senior legislators, Xinhua news agency reported.

Awaiting the swearing-in of the new Cabinet under newly elected President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sri Lankan military with violent force chased away all the protesters occupying the entrance to the Presidential Secretariat and the main protest site Gotagogama early hours of Friday.

Soon after getting elected as President, Wickremesinghe invited all political parties to join hands with him and work together to overcome the economic crisis and bring in a new political change.

Dallas was backed by the section of the Rajapaksa party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramina (SLPP), the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) led by Sajith Premadasa, main Tamil party Tamil National Alliance and a number of other independent smaller parties.

Acting President Wickremesinghe declared the emergency in the interests of public security, the protection of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community, a special gazette notification said.

Sri Lankan acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe has revealed that the G7 alliance on global food crisis has offered the country US$ 14 billion aid to spend on food.

The Speaker said, "As one of the oldest democracies in South Asia, I urge all the political parties and the people to assist to follow the democratic practices and take necessary steps to resolve the current situation."

Nandalal Weerasinghe, who himself only took over as governor of the central bank in April, said he did not "see a way forward" on how to provide essentials without a stable administration.

"As one of the oldest democracies in South Asia, I urge all the political parties and the people to assist to follow the democratic practices and take necessary steps to resolve the current situation," the Speaker said.

The protesters, who had occupied the entrance to the President's office and the Galle face green for more than three months, took over President's house, President's office and Prime Minister's official residence Temple Trees on July 9.

Leading Sri Lanka's politics into further chaos, a majority of the political parties have threatened to bring a no confidence motion against the Prime Minister and Acting President Ranil Wickremesingeh.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was on Wednesday appointed as the acting President of Sri Lanka after Gotbaya Rajpaksa fled to Maldives. As per reports, President Rajapaksa informed this to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.