By STAFF Writer
August 25, 2011
SRI LANKA NEWS - Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa announced on Thursday for the end of Emergency laws by not extending it after its lapse on September 8. He said there is no need of having emergency any more in the country.
The emergency laws have been in effect in Sri Lanka for more than 30 years. According to the Constitutional provisions it has to be extended each month by Parliament.
The emergency laws were enacted in the country to deal with Tamil Tigers, giving the security forces sweeping powers for arresting and detention. For about three decades the Tamil Tigers fought for a separate homeland.
United States welcomed the decision of Rajapaksa for lifting the emergency regulations that was in operation first time in 1971.
United States said this move of the Sri Lankan government is a significant step in normalizing the life there. It stated Sri Lanka have not experienced any terrorist activities since May 2009 after the war against Tamil Tigers ended.
Sri Lanka opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe welcomed this decision of the president. He added that it had come to long after the end of war against Tamil Tigers.
United Nations Human Rights Council meeting is scheduled next month in Geneva and it is expected that Sri Lanka's performance on human rights would be discussed.
In recent months neighbor India have been nudging the Sri Lankan government to remove the restrictions on civil liberties to deflect Western criticism.
Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed described the announcement of the Lankan president as "bold and far sighted move." He had spent three days last week in Sri Lanka capital Colombo on his official visit.
August 25, 2011
SRI LANKA NEWS - Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa announced on Thursday for the end of Emergency laws by not extending it after its lapse on September 8. He said there is no need of having emergency any more in the country.
The emergency laws have been in effect in Sri Lanka for more than 30 years. According to the Constitutional provisions it has to be extended each month by Parliament.
The emergency laws were enacted in the country to deal with Tamil Tigers, giving the security forces sweeping powers for arresting and detention. For about three decades the Tamil Tigers fought for a separate homeland.
United States welcomed the decision of Rajapaksa for lifting the emergency regulations that was in operation first time in 1971.
United States said this move of the Sri Lankan government is a significant step in normalizing the life there. It stated Sri Lanka have not experienced any terrorist activities since May 2009 after the war against Tamil Tigers ended.
Sri Lanka opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe welcomed this decision of the president. He added that it had come to long after the end of war against Tamil Tigers.
United Nations Human Rights Council meeting is scheduled next month in Geneva and it is expected that Sri Lanka's performance on human rights would be discussed.
In recent months neighbor India have been nudging the Sri Lankan government to remove the restrictions on civil liberties to deflect Western criticism.
Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed described the announcement of the Lankan president as "bold and far sighted move." He had spent three days last week in Sri Lanka capital Colombo on his official visit.
August 25, 2011 | 0
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