Sri Lanka
SEP/ISSE meeting in Colombo
Seventy years since World War II: lessons and warnings
November 5, 2009
The SEP and ISSE will hold a public meeting in Colombo on November 10 to mark the eruption of World War II and discuss its lessons.
A socialist perspective for public sector workers in Sri Lanka
By Socialist Equality Party (Sri Lanka), November 3, 2009
Two public sector industrial disputes have erupted in Sri Lanka over pay and conditions fuelled by widespread discontent among workers over the government’s austerity measures.
US makes cynical overture to Sri Lanka over war crimes
By Wije Dias, October 31, 2009
The US State Department has issued a report detailing Sri Lankan army atrocities in the final months of the country’s civil war. Its purpose, however, is not to bring war criminals to justice, but t...
Sri Lanka: Plantation unions accept wage sell-out
By M. Vasanthan, October 28, 2009
All the plantation unions, including those that initially opposed it, have effectively fallen into line behind a deal that binds workers to poverty-level wages and productivity speed-up for the next t...
Sri Lanka: Petroleum unions call off work-to-rule bans
By W.A Sunil, October 27, 2009
Unions called off a work-to-rule campaign by petroleum workers in the expectation of talks yesterday over wages. However, the Sri Lankan president rejected outright any pay rise before next year.
The Sri Lankan government’s “resettlement” of Tamil detainees
By Sarath Kumara, October 26, 2009
The government last Thursday carried out a much-publicised resettlement of around 6,000 Tamil detainees held in internment camps. Every aspect of the exercise was a fraud designed to deflect criticism...
Sri Lankan regime keeps student union convener detained
By Kapila Fernando, October 23, 2009
The remand custody of Inter University Students Federation convener Udul Premaratne has been extended until October 30. Premaratne has been in remand prison since he and 14 Ayurvada University student...
Phoney Indian concern about Tamil detainees in Sri Lanka
By Sarath Kumara, October 19, 2009
A delegation of parliamentarians from the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu recently visited Sri Lanka and the country’s detention camps, where more than 250,000 Tamil civilians have been incarcerate...
Australia: Rudd intervenes to block Tamil asylum-seekers
By Richard Phillips, October 17, 2009
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s response to the Tamil refugees is completely predictable and reflects the views of the entire political establishment, from the crisis ridden Liberal-National ...
Sri Lankan government delays annual budget
By Saman Gunadasa, October 16, 2009
In a cynical manoeuvre designed to hoodwink voters, the Sri Lankan government has delayed its annual budget until after elections due next year.
Photo essay
A day in the life of a Sri Lankan plantation worker
October 15, 2009
The following images which provide a glimpse into the harsh conditions of life and work confronting Sri Lankan tea workers were taken by photojournalist Shantan Kumarasamy during a recent visit to the...
Sri Lanka: Plantation employers drive up productivity under union agreement
By our correspondents, October 15, 2009
The character of the recent collective agreement imposed by the plantation unions on workers has been quickly exposed as companies exploit its productivity clauses to boost profits and undermine the n...
