Arbitrary Blocking and Registration of Websites: The Continuing Violation of Freedom of Expression on the Internet
9th November 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka: We the undersigned civil society organisations and individuals express grave concern over the press release issued by the Director General of the Department of Government Information on 5th November 2011, which requires all ‘websites […]

Attorneys Argue Sri Lankan General Silva Not Entitled to Immunity from War Crimes Lawsuit, as Ten International Human Rights Groups Urge UN to Suspend Silva’s Diplomatic Credentials
WASHINGTON, D.C., NOV. 9, 2011 – Attorneys yesterday filed a formal response to Sri Lankan Major General
Shavendra Silva’s motion to dismiss the war crimes lawsuit against him in the […]

OCTOBER 17, 2011: Status: Not Free Legal Environment: 23 Political Environment: 30 Economic Environment: 18 Total Score: 71
Despite the end of the government’s long-running war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebel group in May 2009, media freedom remained restricted in Sri Lanka, with journalists subject to myriad forms of legal harassment and physical intimidation. Although the constitution
provides for freedom of expression, it […]

While the whole nation was shocked by the multiple killings at Mulleriyawa, another set of gruesome murders have been reported from Puhulyaya, Panahakaduwa, in Udawalawe. A father M K Lalith (37), mother R Indrani Gnanalatha (32), son M K Dilan Chathuranga (12), daughter M K Nadeeka Sevuwandi (8) were killed due to a shooting which, […]

Today the Sri Lankan government is under international pressure on account of alleged war crimes that were committed in the last phase of the war
and to be accountable according to international standards. Legal cases against Sri Lankan government representatives have been filed in US and other international courts alleging war crimes and serious human rights […]

Thank you so much for inviting me to speak at the National Bureau of Asian Research’s launch of their heralded Strategic Asia volume. I am
particularly pleased to have this opportunity given that this year’s title is Strategic Asia 2011-12: Asia Responds to Its Rising Powers – China and India.
I want to salute the National Bureau […]

23 September 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) condemns the government’s decision to perpetuate a number of the most widely used Emergency Regulations, such as those relating to detainees, purported ‘surrendees’ and local authorities, in the form of regulations under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). We believe that the reintroduction […]

27 August 2011, Colombo, Sri Lanka: The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) welcomes the announcement made by the President to Parliament on 25th August 2011 that the government will not be seeking an extension to the state of emergency when it lapses by operation of law in September. Since the end of the war in 2009, […]

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s announcement to Parliament that the government would not be renewing the state of emergency comes as a welcome action in the restoration of normalcy in the country. With the war against the LTTE ending over two years
and three months ago, the time was ripe for a restoration of normal laws to the country. […]

Colombo, Sri Lanka: CPA notes the decision of the Elections Commissioner to hold elections in October to twenty-three local authorities, after elections to these authorities were effectively postponed for more than a year through the use of Emergency Regulations. The Commissioner’s decision was made while a number of cases, including one filed by CPA’s Executive […]