Government failed Sri Lankan Tamils: Opposition

26 AUG, 2011
NEW DELHI: The government came under attack from its ally, the DMK, and the Opposition for not taking steps to ensure the rights of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. They also criticised the government for not demanding an international investigation into the massacre of Tamilis in the island state. 

The government's routine assurance that it would pursue the matter with Sri Lanka failed to satisfy the members and DMK MPs, along with members of the AIADMK and Left parties, walked out of Parliament in protest. 
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US welcomes Sri Lanka's move to scrap emergency law

(AFP) – 13 hours ago  

WASHINGTON — The United States on Thursday hailed as positive the move by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse to scrap emergency laws imposed 28 years ago to deal with the armed Tamil separatist movement.

"We do welcome the news that ... Rajapakse has proposed to the parliament that the emergency laws be withdrawn, and we do see this as a positive step for the Sri Lankan people," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

Rajapakse's move means the laws which give security forces sweeping powers of arrest and detention will lapse at the end of August, but similarly tough powers remain available to authorities under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.     Full Story>>>
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Fifa 'failed to probe' Sri Lanka football corruption

By Saroj Pathirana BBC Sinhala service

Anti-graft campaigners in Sri Lanka have accused the world football governing body, Fifa, of not carrying out a proper investigation on allegations of serious corruption in Sri Lanka football.

Ravaya journalist Tiran Kumara Bangamaarachchi and sports columnist Vijitha Fernando say the world body has failed to take any action though they have been reporting serious corruption in the game for years.

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