Lankan HR Action Plan

Sri Lanka has formulated a National Action Plan on human rights to be presented to the Office of the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR) on Today (25).

The OHCHR is scheduled to publish the Action Plan on its website to enable a healthy interaction on the Sri Lanka country report.

The Action Plan, formulated under the auspices of the Human Rights and Disaster Management Ministry, will be discussed at a three-hour interactive session, which is called a ‘Peer Group Review,’ at the UN Human Rights Council.

The discussion will take place on May 13. The Sri Lankan delegation will be led by Human Rights and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe. Attorney General C.R. De Silva, Peace Secretariat Secretary General Rajiva Wijesinha, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva Ambassador Dayan Jayatilleke, Justice Ministry Secretary Suhada Gamalath and Defence Ministry Legal Advisor Mohan Peiris will be the other members of the delegation.

Highly placed government sources said that according to rules of procedure, every country is subjected to a peer group review under the Universal Periodic Review, which Sri Lanka has to submit six weeks prior to the actual interaction.

Tamil civilians seek protection with security forces- Mannar

A Tamil family of five including an infant sought protection with security forces at the Naval detachment in Pallemunai, Mannar last morning (March 23).

Three males and one female were among the four adults reached to the government-controlled area seeking protection for their lives. These civilians reached the safe waters of Pallemunai on a 'Wallam' despite the rough sea condition and heavy rain, defence sources said.

Five terrorists killed in clashes - Mannar front

Troops engaged on Wanni liberating operation advancing further inflicting heavy damages to the terrorist in the Mannar front.

Five LTTE terrorists were killed in a confrontation took place in general area Paravapkulam in Mannar front last morning, March 23, defence sources in Mannar said.

Meanwhile, troops on search operation uncovered LTTE booby trap and four anti-personnel mines from the general area Nedunkandal around 2.30 p.m, sources further said.

11 terrorists killed in clashes - Vavuniya front

Media Centre for National Security said that eleven LTTE terrorists were killed during the confrontations erupted in Vavuniya front yesterday, March 23.

Ten LTTE terrorists were killed in two separate clashes occurred in general area Kallikulam around 3.30p.m and 5.45 p.m. yesterday. Another LTTE terrorist was reported killed in a confrontation took place in general area Navathkulam around 1.05 p.m yesterday.

Meanwhile, three army soldiers sustained injuries due to anti-personnel mine explosions took place in Kokilmoddai, Periyathampane and Ramanathankulam areas yesterday.

Wanni Liberation in progres

Compiled military reports received from the battlefronts in the North indicate terrorists numbering 52 were killed and at least 42 injured during yesterday's (Mar 22) military offensives aimed at liberating the Wanni region.

On the Jaffna Defence, snipers deployed in the Muhamalai and Nagarkovil frontlines claimed 4 terrorist were killed. Meanwhile, ground troops attacked a terrorist bunker line in Nagarkovil and claimed that 3 terrorists were killed. One soldier was killed and 2 others suffered injuries due to an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion during a similar attack on the Nagarkovil front.

In the Wanni theatre of battle heavy clashes continued in Mannar, Vavuniya and Welioya battlefronts during the day.

On the Vavuniya front, troops had three separate clashes in Ramanathankulam Nelukulam and Kallikulam areas during the day and claimed that 12 terrorist were killed. Also snipers deployed in the Southeast of Madhu, and Sulanamaruthamadu areas claimed that 2 terrorists were killed. No casualties for the own troops reported in these incidents.

Sri Lankan PM arrives for historic visit

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake arrived in Israel on Sunday, in the first visit by a Sri Lankan premier to the country.

Sri Lanka restored diplomatic ties with Israel in 2000, despite objections from the island's Muslim minority.

During his four-day working visit, Wickremanayake is to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and President Shimon Peres, and travel to the West Bank for talks with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

On Monday he will first visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem, and then Sderot.

Last year, Israel exported about $60 million in goods to the South Asian nation, while imports were around $40m., according to the Foreign Ministry.

Cooperation between the two countries is strongest in agriculture and medicine, and Israel sent a rescue team to Sri Lanka following 2004's Asian Tsunami that killed more than 225,000 people in 11 countries.