Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka's Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission has no mention of gender in its mandate and no dedicated expertise related to women; it has just one female commissioner out of eight. For Tamil women, the LLRC simply reaffirms bad old habits.

The tragic consequence of internal displacement in Sri Lanka and the failure of the government to address the situation will most likely be renewed instability.

Libyan rebel forces encircle Sirte, as Saif al-Islam Gaddafi presses for resistance. South Korea appoints Yu Woo lk as its new unification minister. The Sri Lankan government introduces new anti-terrorism rules after emergency laws expire. And Iran plans to continue enriching 20 percent uranium. All this in today’s briefing…

The Sri Lankan regime needs to be intellectually and electorally defeated. But in this task, the spectre of international intervention is not merely a distraction, but a hindrance.

The report of an expert panel finds evidence of serious human-rights violations during Sri Lanka’s long civil war - but also that the political and legal environment conducive to investigating these is lacking. This situation presents all those who seek to develop a principled approach to post-war Sri Lanka with serious moral and political dilemmas, says Asanga Welikala.

The recommendations in the Report of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka provide a good starting point for what should be done to free the country from its cycle of violence.

The women party activists who applied for nominations to stand in next week's local elections in Sri Lanka found themselves blocked by a system of entrenched patron-client relationships. As one of them said, " for how long will the men decide where the wells should be, even though it is the women who fetch the water?".

From the Shah of Iran to Egypt’s Mubarak to Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, cozy relationships in US foreign policy need to be questioned

Sri Lankan officials forbid the UN from conducting an independent investigation into alleged war crimes in that country. A new report claims that 57 journalists were killed around the world in 2010; 25% fewer than last year. All this and more in today's security briefing.

Vote in Abyei to be delayed, say northern officials, stoking fears of a return to conflict in Sudan. Greek police gas protesting public sector workers in Acropolis. Junta number two arrested in Niger amid rumours of a coup. Human rights groups refuse to appear before Sri Lanka war crimes commission. 23 Bahraini Shias charged with anti-state activities in run up to parliamentary elections. All this and more in today's security briefing.

New rumours of xenophobic reprisals after the World Cup send foreign migrants fleeing in South Africa. A new Amnesty International report slams endemic sexual violence in Kenyan slums. A Sri Lankan government minister begins hunger strike to protest UN inquiry into war crimes. Fresh bombings kill more Shia pilgrims in Baghdad. Defeated candidates and supporters protest over ‘rigged’ presidential elections in Guinea. New Australian PM Gillard backtracks on Timor-Leste refugee processing centre. All this and more in today’s briefing...

The end of Sri Lanka’s post-war electoral cycle makes it even more important for the world to stand for justice over the country’s human-rights abuses, says Meenakshi Ganguly.

This article was first published on 28 April 2010

Turkish-Brazilian deal on Iranian uranium draws criticism from US and Israel. Sri Lanka celebrates 'victory day' as damning report issued by International Crisis Group. All this and more in today's update.

Chinese J-8 attack jets delivered in Venezuela. Sri Lankan general goes on military trial while supporters protest. Nigerian militants attack city with car bombs. South African youth leader found guilty of hate speech. All this and much more, in today’s security briefing.

Rejected by the rest of the Tamil population and ignored by the Sinhalese authorities, tea workers who migrated from Tamil Nadu centuries ago are exploited in the plantations of the Sri Lankan highlands

Sri Lanka's imperilled democracy

Operation Moshtarak a crucial test for Obama’s Afghan war strategy. Protestors clash in Sri Lankan capital. Sudan-Chad deal raises hope for an end to Darfur insecurity. Israeli warplanes bomb southern Gaza. Iran makes arrests before revolution rally. British judges order release of secret torture evidence. Nigerian footage shows uniformed men shooting unarmed men. All this and more in today’s security briefing.

International concern about sale of French amphibious warship to Russia. US aims for new sanctions on Iran “within weeks”. 197 people indicted for murder over Philippine massacre. Sir Lankan opposition leader treated “like an animal”. All this and much more in today’s security briefing.

Sri Lanka’s opposition talked of giving concessions to the country’s defeated Tamil minority. The Sinhalese majority said no. Melanie Gouby analyses Sri Lanka’s presidential election

Mahinda Rajapakse claims Sri Lanka election victory. North and South Korea trade fire. Taliban moderates taken off UN blacklist. Russia says US arms treaty to be ready in weeks. British court overturns freezing of terrorism assets. US blames Nigeria for extremism. All this and more in today’s security briefing.