Sri Lanka news stories on Newser

UN on Sri Lanka: Government Committed War Crimes

Rob Quinn — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 02:25:00 CDT

Civilians were slaughtered by Sri Lankan government forces and Tamil Tigers alike in the bloody final phase of the island nation's civil war, according to a hard-hitting report from a United Nations panel. The report accuses the Sri Lankan military of urging civilians in the separatist north to gather in...

Sri Lankan Prez Re-Elected, Challenger Cries Foul

NxBigmouthery — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:37:14 CST

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been declared the winner of Sri Lanka's first presidential election since the Tamil Tigers' 26-year insurgency was defeated, but his opponent immediately vowed to contest the outcome. The BBC reports that the incumbent won 57.8% of votes cast; rival Gen. Sarath Fonseka, who took 40%,...

World Mourns Tsunami Victims

Caroline Miller — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 09:10:14 CST

From Indonesian mosques to Thai beaches, prayer services and commemorations were held all across the Indian Ocean region today to mark the fifth anniversary of the catastrophic tsunami that obliterated whole villages and took nearly 250,000 lives. In Sri Lanka, all cars and trucks came to a standstill as...

Feds: NY Hedge Fund Boss Funded Terror

Nick McMaster — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 01:20:30 CDT

A hedge-fund manager busted for insider trading has been contributing money to a Sri Lankan terrorist group, according to FBI agents. Raj Rajaratnam came under scrutiny in a federal probe into the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization, a charity which was charged with funneling money to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam,...

Sri Lanka Arrests Astrologer Who 'Sees' Ouster of Prez

John Johnson — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:44:02 CDT

He really should have seen this coming. A popular astrologer in Sri Lanka has been arrested after predicting the ouster of the president, the BBC reports. Police took Chandrasiri Bandara into custody this week after he foresaw a bad moon rising for Mahinda Rajapaksa and told opposition leaders they'd be...

After 26-Year War, Sri Lanka Struggles with Peace

Jason Farago — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 08:28:15 CDT

The Sri Lankan government finally prevailed in its 26-year civil war with Tamil rebels with a brutal campaign, leaving thousands dead and 300,000 displaced. Now, reports the Wall Street Journal , the country must try living in peace after years of assassinations and abductions from both sides. Tamils "should be...

EU Sold Millions in Weapons to Sri Lankan Army

Jason Farago — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:53:00 CDT

European Union nations sold millions of dollars worth of arms and military equipment to the Sri Lankan army in the final stages of its 26-year civil war, in which the army has been accused of atrocities. The UK sold the country $22.3 million in armored vehicles and weapons, though...

Sri Lankan Shelling Killed 20,000 Civilians

Jason Farago — Fri, 29 May 2009 07:41:00 CDT

The final battles of the 26-year civil war in Sri Lanka killed more than 20,000 Tamil civilians, most from government shelling, an investigation by the Times of London concludes. The number of casualties is three times higher than the government admitted. Aerial photographs, eyewitness testimony, and confidential UN documents...

Tamil Tigers Confirm Death of Leader

Drew Nelles — Sun, 24 May 2009 15:19:21 CDT

The defeated Tamil Tigers have admitted that leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is dead, the BBC reports. The rebels declared a week of mourning after their “incomparable leader” was killed while "fighting the military oppression of the Sri Lankan government," a statement said. The Tigers have also renounced violence, said a spokesman,...