Salem-News.com Australia articles Page 4

London Calling: Time for Sri Lanka`s Release of Post-Conflict Report

Foreign Office Minister calls on Rajapaksa regime to take the opportunity to show cooperation.

(SALEM) - Britain's Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt is calling on Sri Lanka's government to publicly release the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Committee's report on post conflict issues in Sri Lanka.

A long-running feud between the minority Tamil population in the country's north coastal region, and the Sinhalese Buddhist government, came to a head two summers ago and culminated in the brutal extinction of large numbers of Hindu and Christian Tamils.

Sugar coating bitter realities with laughable theatrics

Sri Lanka's compromised police, prosecutors, judiciary and public institutions.

(COLOMBO) - The moderates must claim the discussion to be predominantly about the abolition of the Executive Presidency. The debates must be about Sri Lanka's compromised police, prosecutors, judiciary and public institutions.

Sugar coating these bitter realities with laughable theatrics at international treaty sessions or putting forward reports of Commissions of Inquiry and unworkable National Action Plans on Human Rights must be rejected with the contempt that they richly deserve.

Former Sri Lankan President Talks Peace

One "major mistake" that exacerbated identity politics was the now-defunct Sinhala Only Act

(CAMBRIDGE, Mass.) - Chandrika Kumaratunga, the former president of Sri Lanka, painted a sobering picture of an island nation recovering from civil war during a talk at CGIS yesterday.

Kumaratunga, who led Sri Lanka from 1994 to 2005, described her administration’s unsuccessful attempts to resolve through peaceful negotiations the long-standing conflict between Sri Lanka’s majority Sinhalese and minority Tamil populations.

Sri Lanka`s Savage Smokescreen

More lies, more covering up...

(COLOMBO) - Sri Lanka's former attorney general Mohan Peiris, who is now the senior legal adviser to the cabinet and who many Sri Lankans say is aiming to become the next Supreme Court Chief Justice, has made conflicting statements about missing journalist Prageeth Eknelygoda.

The discrepancies do more than point up the government's indifference to Eknelygoda's fate and the mental anguish of his wife and two sons. Peiris's statements highlight the disregard with which the government views international opinion.

Sri Lanka`s Fear Psychosis

Sri Lankans across the board, renowned for their friendly smiles and easy ways are too afraid to speak...

(COLOMBO Sunday Leader) - This newspaper paid the ultimate price –the target for assault, burning, victimization and suppression of free expression by successive governments, culminating in cold-blooded murder.

A Norwegian journalist Correspondent for Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation sat across from me in my office last Tuesday. Norwegian Broadcasting is state owned and the largest media organization in Norway, BUT with absolutely no interference in editorial content.

LTTE leaders tried to surrender through Basil, says Norway

The report discloses hitherto unknown details on the backroom negotiations that took place as the noose tightened around the LTTE during the last days of the war.

(COLOMBO Sunday Times) - An evaluation report by Norway of its peace efforts in Sri Lanka between 1997 and 2009 has named presidential advisor and Minister Basil Rajapaksa as the person through whom the LTTE leadership tried to negotiate a last-minute surrender deal.

This reportedly happened shortly before the entire hierarchy of the group was killed in May, 2009.

Australian voters support Palestine

The poll also found that 63 percent of Australians do not support Israeli settlers building homes on occupied Palestinian land.

(MELBOURNE, Aust.) - Three in five Australians believe the United Nations should now recognize Palestine as one of its member States according to a poll conducted by Roy Morgan Research Pty Ltd.

The results are part of an independent national poll done by the respected Roy Morgan Research company.

Endorse the People`s Charter to Create a Nonviolent World

Once the Charter is launched on November 11th the organizers will launch a signature site where people can sign on in a commitment to act on the principles of the Charter.

(EUREKA, Calif.) - Some fellow students of nonviolence from Australia are preparing to launch an effort they call the People's Charter to Create a Nonviolent World, and I am sending this out to all of you in the hope that you will endorse this worthy effort.

It is another link in the chain of nonviolence that can, when it gathers up enough people in its gentle arms, one day break the cycle of violence that threatens to destroy the very world in which we live.

Diplomatic Immunity could be tested for war crimes: expert

Professor Rothwell says the challenge will be to overcome the significant protections offered by diplomatic immunity.

(CANBERRA, Aust.) - Moves to bring war crimes charges in Australia against the Sri Lankan President and High Commissioner face the significant challenge of proving to an Australian Court that serious war crimes can overrule diplomatic immunity, according to an ANU International Law expert.

Prof. Donald Rothwell of the ANU College of Law says suggestions that Sri Lankan leaders may be subject to war crimes charges under Australian law highlight the growing reach of Australian criminal law in war crimes cases...

The Drop Zone - Sky Diving at Perth

Reasons why you should drop out of a plane!

(PERTH, Aust.) - My ears popped, the plane door opened, and I was free falling. These 60 seconds feel like a long time, time suspended. I am hooked.

The day began early. Sun shining, no breeze: ideal conditions for skydiving. The aerodrome is an hour out of Perth. I'd be tethered to a man I’d never met for five minutes and 60 seconds. I had read of stories where the main shoot had been tangled up and the instructor had to jettison it before pulling the backup auxiliary shoot.