Page 15 - Sri Lanka

Lanka's human rights commission directs prez to ensure Rajapaksa's return

Writing to Ranil Wickremesinghe, the HRCSL stated that Rajapaksa is entitled to certain privileges and benefits under law and government should take necessary steps to ensure his security to return

Lanka aims to lower fiscal deficit to 6.8% in budget 2023: Senior minister

Sri Lanka's 2023 budget would aim to reduce the fiscal deficit to 6.8 per cent in 2023 from the projected 9.9 per cent in 2022, a senior Cabinet Minister said on Tuesday, ahead of the visit by the IMF delegation for a bailout package to the crisis-hit island nation. Sri Lanka is in the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis that has led to severe shortages of fuel and other essentials, leading to long serpentine queues in front of filling stations. The island nation of 22 million also witnessed a significant political churn following massive mass protests that forced former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign from his post. "Sri Lanka is planning to cut the budget deficit to 6.8 per cent of gross domestic product in 2023 from an expected 9.9 per cent in 2022," Bandula Gunawardena, the Cabinet spokesman and Minister of Information said on Tuesday. The Cabinet of ministers has approved a fiscal framework for 2023-2025. Sri Lanka is facing the worst fiscal .

US, EU concerned over SL protesters' detention under counter-terrorism law

US and Canada along with the EU have expressed concern over Sri Lanka's use of Prevention of Terrorism Act on protestors who participated in the agitation that led to Gotabaya Rajapaksa stepping down

Chinese tracking ship leaves Sri Lanka after controversial 6-day visit

The ballistic missile and satellite tracking ship 'Yuan Wang 5' ship was originally scheduled to arrive at the Chinese-run port on August 11 but it was delayed

Sri Lanka President calls Rajapaksa to facilitate his return: Report

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has reached out to his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa to finalise arrangements and facilitate his return to the crisis-hit country, a media report said on Monday. Rajapaksa, 73, fled the country and resigned last month in the face of a popular uprising against his government for mismanaging the island nation's economy. He is currently staying in a hotel in Bangkok with his wife Loma Rajapaksa. The Daily Mirror newspaper, citing highly-placed sources, claimed Wickremesinghe is reported to have contacted Rajapaksa to discuss arrangements for his return to the country. The move comes after the ruling party, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, National Organiser Basil Rajapaksa met Wickremesinghe recently and called for the former president's early return to the country, the report said. The date of Rajapaksa's return has still not been finalised, it said, amid reports that he may arrive here this week from Bangkok. Last week, the main Opposition pa

India hands over 21,000 tonnes of urea to economic crisis-hit Sri Lanka

India on Monday handed over 21,000 tonnes of fertiliser to Sri Lanka under a special support programme which will help farmers in this country and help bolster bilateral cooperation for food security, the second such assistance in recent months to the crisis-hit island nation. "Adding to the fragrance of friendship and cooperation. High Commissioner (Gopal Baglay) formally handed over 21,000 tonnes of fertiliser supplied under India's special support to the people of Sri Lanka," the Indian High Commission said in a tweet. This follows 44,000 tonnes supplied last month under Indian support totalling about USD 4bn in 2022," it said. "The fertiliser will contribute to food security and support the farmers of Sri Lanka. It demonstrates benefits to the people from close ties with #India and mutual trust and goodwill between #India and #lanka," the mission tweeted. In May, India assured Sri Lanka to immediately supply 65,000 metric tonnes of urea to avoid any disruption to the current Y

Chinese satellite tracking ship leaves Sri Lanka after controversial visit

A high-tech Chinese research ship docked at the strategically important Hambantota port departed from Sri Lankan waters on Monday after a controversial six-day visit. The ballistic missile and satellite tracking ship 'Yuan Wang 5' ship was originally scheduled to arrive at the Chinese-run port on August 11 but it was delayed in absence of permission by Sri Lankan authorities following security concerns raised by India. The Chinese ship arrived in the southern Sri Lankan port of Hambantota on August 16 at 8:20 am local time. It was docked there for replenishment. The ship left the port at 4 pm local time, harbour master Nirmal Silva told reporters here. Its next port call is at China's Jiang Yin port, officials said. The Hambantota port officials said as agreed there was no rotation of personnel during the call. Sri Lanka provided the necessary assistance sought by the Chinese embassy here during the ship's visit. Sri Lanka had asked China to defer the visit amid India's concerns

Sri Lanka's CPC hikes kerosene prices by 253 LKR in a bid to cut losses

Amid the continuing economic crisis, Sri Lanka's state-owned fuel distributor Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has hiked the price of kerosene to cut losses

Sri Lanka's Oppn party demands Rajapaksa must be tried for misusing funds

Sri Lanka's former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa has the right to return to the country, but he must be tried for allegations of misuse of funds since he does not enjoy legal immunity, main Opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya has said. Rajapaksa, 73, fled the country and resigned last month in the face of a popular uprising against his government for mismanaging the island nation's economy. Gotabaya Rajapaksa is a citizen of this country and he has the right to return to his motherland. No one can deny this right. However, he should be tried for the allegations of misuse of funds, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) CEO Ajith P Perera was quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror newspaper. The Sri Lanka's Constitution allows privileges to former presidents, including personal security and an office with staff. There was a case against him for allegedly spending state funds for his parent's monument. It is possible to make him face the trials and penalise him if is found guilty, as he does

Sri Lanka aiming 1 mn tourists this year, especially from India: Minister

Sri Lanka's Tourism Minister Harin Fernando on Saturday said as things get back to normal after the recent political crisis in the island nation, the government aims to receive at least 10 lakh tourists this year, mostly from India. Fernando, who was in Ahmedabad to promote tourism in the island nation, said religious and cultural tourism between Sri Lanka and India "will make a lot of sense". "There are a lot of commonalities we can find with India, and we think the next year will be mostly dedicated to India," Fernando told reporters. Sri Lanka has already logged five lakh tourists for the current year, and hopes to end the year with 10 lakh tourists, mostly from India, the minister said. He further said 2018 was the best for the country when around 23 lakh tourists visited and generated a revenue of $4-5 billion for the country, he said. "We have $900 million coming from the tourism sector (so far this year), and are hoping that by the end of the year we might reach about $2 ..

Sri Lanka ruling party urges Wickremesinghe to ease Rajapaksa's return

The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party has asked President Ranil Wickremesinghe to facilitate the safety of his predecessor Gotabaya Rajapaksa so that he can return to the crisis-hit island nation. The SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam told reporters that the request was made at a meeting held with President Wickremesinghe on Thursday, amid reports that Rajapaksa, who fled the country last month following unprecedented anti-government protests, may return to Sri Lanka next week. Rajapaksa, 73, fled the country on July 13 after tens of thousands of people stormed into his official residence on July 9. We asked the president to facilitate his return and ensure security and necessary facilities," Kariyawasam said. The Sri Lanka's Constitution allows privileges to former presidents, including personal security and an office with staff. Having gone to the Maldives on a Sri Lanka Airforce plane, the former president proceeded to Singapore from where he sent in his .

Crisis-hit Sri Lanka to ask Japan to open talks on debt restructuring

Economy may see recovery in the second half of 2023, says president

Gotabaya Rajapaksa applies for Green Card to settle in US: Report

Former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country last month amidst massive anti-government protests calling for his resignation, is awaiting to obtain a US Green Card to return to America and settle there with his wife and son, a media report said on Thursday. Sri Lankan newspaper Daily Mirror, citing highly-placed sources, claimed that Rajapaksa's lawyers in the United States had already begun the procedure last month for his application to obtain the Green Card as he was eligible to apply due to his wife Loma Rajapaksa being a US citizen. In 2019, Rajapaksa renounced his US citizenship to contest the 2019 presidential polls. Rajapaksa took early retirement from the Sri Lanka Army and moved into the field of information technology, before immigrating to the United States in 1998. He returned to Sri Lanka in 2005, The procedure will also now involve his lawyers in Colombo submitting the additional documents here in order to go ahead with the procedure, the daily

IMF delegation to visit Sri Lanka this month: Central Bank Governor

The Sri Lankan government's negotiations with the IMF for a bailout package have made "good progress," the Central Bank Governor said on Thursday, indicating that a top delegation of the Washington-based lender is expected to arrive here at the end of this month to chalk out a staff-level agreement. Sri Lanka is in the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis that has led to severe shortages of fuel and other essentials. The island nation of 22 million also witnessed a major political churn in recent times following massive mass protests that forced former president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country and resign from his post. "The IMF programme is making a good progress, and an IMF mission is planning to visit Sri Lanka towards the end of this month to reach a staff-level agreement on a policy package, news portal newsfirst.lk quoted Sri Lanka's Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe as saying. Weerasinghe said that after Sri Lanka reached a staff-level agreement with the

Amid political crisis, Gotabaya to return to Sri Lanka next week: Report

Sri Lanka has been facing its worst economic-political crisis, which led to massive protests in the country that forced Rajapaksa to flee abroad and also hand in his resignation last month

Adani group gets provisional approvals for renewable energy projects in SL

Adani Green Energy was issued provisional approvals for two wind power projects in northern province for an investment of over $ 500 million, Sri Lanka's Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara announced

Gotabaya Rajapaksa to return to Sri Lanka on August 24, says his cousin

Gotabaya Rajapaksa will return to Sri Lanka on August 24, his cousin Udayanga Weeratunga said on Wednesday, over a month after the former president fled the country amid mass anti-government protests over an unprecedented economic crisis. Sri Lanka, a country of 22 million people, is grappling with its worst economic turmoil in seven decades, leaving millions struggling to buy food, medicine, fuel and other essentials. The massive protests that began in March culminated with Rajapaksa's resignation. "He talked to me on the phone, I can tell you he will return to the country next week, said Weeratunga, who was Sri Lanka's ambassador to Russia from 2006 to 2015. Rajapaksa could return on August 24, he said, adding that the ousted president should not be re-elected for political positions. But he can still do some service to the country as he had done previously, Weeratunga said of the 73-year-old former Sri Lankan president. Rajapaksa is currently staying at a hotel in Bangkok in th

Rajapaksa not using state funds for expenses abroad: Sri Lankan govt

Gotabhaya Rajapaksa is not using state funds for any expenses he makes abroad: Sri Lanka

China not allowed to use Hambantota Port for military purposes: Lanka Prez

China will not be allowed to use the southern port of Hambantota for military purposes, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, apparently attempting to allay fears in India and the US about China's increasing maritime presence in the strategic Indo-Pacific region. Wickremesinghe said this ahead of the arrival of a high-tech Chinese research ship, which on Tuesday docked at the Hambantota Port, which Beijing took over on a 99-year-lease as a debt swap in 2017. We do not want Hambantota to be used for military purposes, Wickremesinghe said on Sunday in an interview with the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper at the President's House in Colombo. His statement to the Japanese newspaper was apparently aimed at allaying fears in India and the United States about China's increasing maritime presence in the Indo-Pacific. The port was developed as part of China's Belt and Road Initiative, but Colombo leased the port to Beijing in 2017 because it became unable to pay back the ...

Chinese 'spy' ship docks at Sri Lanka's Hambantota port, says report

A high-tech Chinese research ship docked at Sri Lanka's southern port of Hambantota today, days after Colombo asked Beijing to defer the port call amidst India's concern over the vessel's presence.