Page 10 - Sri Lanka

Cabinet panel to review privileges given to ex-presidents in Sri Lanka

A Sri Lankan Cabinet sub-committee will soon review the privileges accorded to former presidents of the country and future actions on the matter will be taken based on its recommendations, the Presidential Secretariat has said. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's office on Friday also refuted reports that the security of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has been reduced. The statement by the Presidential Secretariat came after concerns raised by ex-presidents that the new Sri Lankan government under President Dissanayake would slash their privileges. In the run-up to the September 21 election, Dissanayake had vowed to stop all privileges of ex-presidents claiming they were a burden on the taxpayer. In recent days the government has faced criticism over the reported move to slash the personal security provided to former president Rajapaksa. "The Presidential Secretariat has noted recent media reports claiming that the security of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been reduc

Sri Lanka Navy arrests 12 Indian fishermen for alleged illegal fishing

The Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday arrested 12 Indian fishermen and seized their trawler for allegedly poaching in its territorial waters, according to an official statement. With the latest arrest, the number of Indian nationals apprehended this year by the island nation in such incidents has risen to 462. The fishermen were arrested, and their trawler was seized off the coast of Point Pedro, Jaffna, in the northern province, the Sri Lanka Navy said in a press release. The 12 apprehended fishermen were escorted to the Kankesanthurai Harbour and will be handed over to the Mailadi Fisheries Inspector for further action, it said. The Sri Lankan Navy has "held 62 Indian fishing boats and 462 Indian fishermen in island waters thus far in 2024 and handed them over to authorities for legal action," the statement said. The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing thei

CM Stalin urges EAM to secure release of fishermen detained by Lankan Navy

He noted that the situation continues unabated, making it difficult for coastal communities to sustain their way of life

China gives $100,000 as humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka after floods

The Chinese government on Tuesday granted flood relief assistance of USD 100,000 to Sri Lanka, marking China's first show of goodwill towards the new government headed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the president's office said. The president's office in a statement said Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong met Dissanayake and handed over the donation. "Ambassador Qi Zhenhong handed over LKR 30 million emergency humanitarian relief funds to President Anura Dissanayake to help the people affected by the floods in Sri Lanka. Chinese people are always with Sri Lankan people," the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka said on X. Over 150,000 people have been affected and three killed in heavy rains and flash floods during the last two weeks in 15 of the 25 administrative districts of the island.

As weak economies' default wave peaks, cash shortage may take its place

The U.S. Treasury's top economic diplomat has called for new ways to provide short-term liquidity support to low- and middle-income countries to head off debt crises

INS Kalpeni arrived in Colombo, to boost maritime relations with Sri Lanka

The Indian Navy also said that it will engage with Sri Lankan Navy during the port call

As poor nations' sovereign default wave peaks, cash shortage may follow

The US Treasury's top economic diplomat has called for new ways to provide short-term liquidity support

17 Indian fishermen arrested by Sri Lanka repatriated; on way to Tamil Nadu

Seventeen Indian fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy for allegedly poaching in the island nation's waters have been repatriated, according to the Indian mission here. Fishermen from both countries are arrested frequently for inadvertently trespassing into each other's waters. "Homecoming! 17 Indian fishermen have been successfully repatriated and are on their way to Tamil Nadu, India," the High Commission of India here said in a post on X on Friday. The fishermen issue is a contentious topic in the bilateral ties, with Lankan Navy personnel even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait and seizing their boats in several alleged incidents of illegally entering Sri Lankan territorial waters. Sri Lanka claims a similar attitude by Indian authorities. The Palk Strait, a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, is a rich fishing ground for fishermen from both countries, who are arrested frequently for inadvertently trespassing into each other's ...

India doubles grant to back education in Sri Lanka's plantation community

India has doubled its grant to Rs 172.25 million to support education in Sri Lanka's plantation areas for the Indian-origin Tamil community. Indian High Commission to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha and Secretary of Sri Lanka's Ministry of Education and Science and Technology J M Thilaka Jayasundara on Friday signed and exchanged diplomatic letters to formalise the modalities. The project envisages the upgradation of infrastructure of 9 plantation schools identified by the Government of Sri Lanka. These include 6 schools in the plantation areas of Central Province and one school each in Uva, Sabaragamuwa and Southern Province," Jha said. With the additional funds infused at the request of the Government of Sri Lanka, India's total commitment to the project now stands at 600 million Sri Lanka rupees (INR 172.25 million). The project would add to India's numerous past and ongoing development partnership initiatives in Sri Lanka in the important sector of education. Besides support for ...

Sri Lankan president Anura to visit India after parliamentary polls

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's visit to Delhi at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will happen only after November this year, Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath said on Tuesday. We will discuss dates for the visit only after we form the new government, Herath told reporters here. Voting for the parliamentary election is to take place on November 14, almost 10 months ahead of the schedule. Dissanayake was elected on September 21. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar became the first foreign dignitary to meet Dissanayake after the presidential polls. He extended the invitation to Dissanayake from the Indian prime minister. Earlier in February this year, Dissanayake visited Delhi, as a leader of opposition, for a formal visit, first such by any leader of the Marxist JVP (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (People's Liberation Front). The JVP, which Dissanayake heads since 2014, had run a bloody anti-India movement in Sri Lanka during 1987-90. The party had held that the 198

Sri Lanka's new govt reconsidering approval to Adani's power project

Sri Lanka's new government led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Monday told the Supreme Court that it would reconsider the approval granted by the previous government to India's Adani Group for a wind power project. A five-member Supreme Court (SC) bench was told on behalf of the attorney general that the decision to review the project had been taken at a Cabinet meeting held on October 7. The final decision of the new government would be conveyed after the installation of the new Cabinet after the November 14 parliamentary election, the court was told. President Dissanayake in the run-up to the September 21 presidential election had pledged that his National People's Power (NPP) alliance would annul the project. The NPP claimed that the project posed a threat to Sri Lanka's energy sector sovereignty and promised that it would be cancelled in the event of their victory. The Adani Group was set to invest over USD 440 million in the 20-year agreement for the development of 484 megawat

New Sri Lankan govt orders reinvestigation of several high-profile cases

Sri Lanka's new government has ordered the police to reinvestigate some high-profile cases, including the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks and the 2005 murder of a Tamil minority community journalist. The ruling National People's Power, which won the presidential election last month, pledged to reinvestigate past cases which had not been resolved. The Ministry of Public Security took action to identify any lapses in investigations. The ministry has asked the acting police chief that these cases should be reinvestigated," Police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said on Saturday. The cases to be reinvestigated include the alleged scam in the issue of Central Bank bonds in 2015 blamed on the then government of Ranil Wickremesinghe, the former president, and the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks that killed over 270 people, including 11 Indians. The catholic church has been demanding stringent action on what they alleged was a politically motivated cover-up by previous governments on the ...

EAM Jaishankar's visit was crucial in ending debt restructuring: Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka on Tuesday said the recent visit by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was important in ending its debt restructuring with international sovereign bond holders. Jaishankar, who made a day-long trip to Sri Lanka on October 4, became the first foreign dignitary to visit the island nation after Anura Kumara Dissanayake assumed office as the new president on September 23. Cabinet spokesman and foreign affairs minister Vijitha Herath told reporters here that India's signing up for the agreement as a bilateral creditor endorsing that the agreement was compatible with the comparative treatment principle in debt restructuring. Ahead of the presidential polls last month, cash-strapped Sri Lanka had on September 19 announced that it had reached an in principle agreement with the external commercial creditors for the restructuring of approximately USD 17.5 billion of external commercial debts. Sri Lanka declared its first-ever sovereign default in mid-April 2022, having run out

Sri Lankan govt reaches debt-restructuring agreement with bondholders

The Sri Lankan government has announced a long-delayed debt restructuring agreement with its sovereign bondholders, in a major relief to the cash-strapped island nation. In a statement on Friday, the Ministry of Finance said it reached an agreement with representatives of its international and local holders of International Sovereign Bonds (ISB) on September 19. Sri Lankan authorities have "completed their consultations with Sri Lanka's Official Creditor Committee (OCC) and the IMF (International Monetary Fund)," said the statement from the Treasury. It added that the agreement is compatible with the comparative treatment principle. The announcement came as the new National People's Power (NPP) government led by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed willingness to accept the agreement during the talks held with the visiting IMF delegation here in Colombo on Thursday and Friday. During the two days of talks, Dissanayake reiterated Sri Lanka's position that some of the rigid

EAM Jaishankar meets Sri Lankan opposition leader Sajith Premadasa

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met Sajith Premadasa, Sri Lanka's leader of the opposition from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya party. Jaishankar, who is here on a day-long visit, is the first foreign dignitary to visit Sri Lanka since the National People's Power (NPP) government led by Anura Kumara Dissanayake came to power on September 23. Premadasa, the leader of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party, is the son of former president Ranasinghe Premadasa. Good to see SJB leader @sajithpremadasa in Colombo today. Appreciate his continued support for the India-Sri Lanka relationship, Jaishankar posted on X along with the photos from the meeting. Premadasa termed Jaishankar's visit important for supporting our mutual interests for regional development. Great to meet @DrSJaishankar during his visit to Sri Lanka. As he often says, A strong and prosperous neighbourhood is in everyone's interest.' We look forward to India's continued fullest support in advancing Sri Lanka's ...

EAM meets Dissanayake, pledges support for Sri Lanka's economic recovery

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and discussed ways to deepen ongoing cooperation and strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties, and assured India's continued support to the island nation's economic rebuilding. Jaishankar arrived here in the morning on a day-long visit, less than a fortnight after President Dissanayake was sworn in. Honoured to call on President @anuradisanayake today in Colombo. Conveyed warm greetings of President Droupadi Murmu and PM @narendramodi, Jaishankar posted on X. Appreciate his warm sentiments and guidance for the India-Sri Lanka relations. Discussed ways to deepen ongoing cooperation and strengthen India-Sri Lanka ties for the benefit of people of two countries and the region, he said further in the post. Jaishankar is the first foreign dignitary to visit Sri Lanka since the National People's Power (NPP) government led by Dissanayake came to power on September 23. He was received at the airport

EAM Jaishankar arrives in Sri Lanka to meet new President Dissanayake

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived here on Friday on a day-long visit to meet with the Sri Lankan leadership, less than a fortnight after Anura Kumara Dissanayake was sworn in as the president of the island nation. "Good to be in Colombo again. Look forward to my engagements with the Sri Lankan leadership today," Jaishankar posted on X soon after his landing at the Colombo airport. Jaishankar is the first foreign dignitary to visit Sri Lanka since the National People's Power (NPP) government led by Dissanayake came to power on September 23. He was received at the airport by Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardena and the Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Santosh Jha. Jaishankar is expected to call on President Dissanayake, Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya and Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, officials here said. During his visit, the minister is expected to further cement the bilateral relationship with the new NPP government in Colombo, they said. Jaishan

After Nov polls, Sri Lanka to face third major election before 2024 ends

Amid continued economic troubles, Sri Lanka is to witness two more island-wide major elections before the end of the year, months after the recently concluded Presidential polls. The parliamentary election is scheduled for November 14 following the presidential election that was held on September 21 in the cash-strapped nation. Third would be the local council elections in December. Meanwhile, a one-off election scheduled for the southern province's Elpitiya local council will be held on October 26. Sri Lanka's independent Election Commission, in a statement late on Wednesday night, said arrangements would be made to hold the local election immediately after the parliamentary polls following the Supreme Court order of August 22. As per the order, the elections to 340 local councils are to be held between 30-35 days from November 14, meaning that it would be scheduled for the third week of December. The court ruled that the local council election should have been held at the earlie

Committed to IMF's bailout package, hope to discuss terms: Sri Lanka govt

The new Sri Lankan government during its first meeting with the International Monetary Fund said it is committed to the global lender's USD 2.9 billion bailout package clinched by the previous Wickremesinghe regime and hoped to renegotiate certain conditions. The meeting between the IMF team and the Sri Lankan government on Wednesday came two weeks after President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the National People's Power (NPP) was elected two weeks ago. The government team was represented by its economic council members headed by Prof A J Fernando, who was named as President Dissanayake's economic and finance advisor only two days ago. On September 23, Dissanayake, the leader of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna party's broader front, the NPP, was sworn in as Sri Lanka's ninth president, amid hopes that he will bolster the country's economy and eliminate corruption. The primary objective of the visit was to initiate discussions on the progress of the IMF Programme and necessary .

Sri Lanka's new president faces uphill battle to revive debt-ridden economy

Sri Lanka's new president faces uphill battle to revive debt-ridden economy