Today's explosion once again shows the LTTE's brutality and lack of respect for human life," President
 
President Mahinda Rajapaka while expressing his deepest sympathies to the families of those killed, and offering the blessings of the Noble Triple Gem and all deities for the speedy recovery of all injured in the terrorist attack today in Katubedda said that this explosion once again shows the LTTE's brutality and lack of respect for human life.

The religious superiors of the CMRS (Conference of Major Religious Superiors) have recently sent a letter to the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers calling on both parties to stop all forms of violence and war immediately and enter into negotiations. This request has also been endorsed by a statement issued by the JPIC (Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Commission), the Rome-based International Union of Superiors General. Commenting on the lack of relevance of such a request at this juncture, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary-General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process, has written the following article:

The LTTE terrorists have carried out a cowardly bomb attack for the second time of the day inside a public transport bus around 3.50 p.m in Pollgolla, Kandy today, June 6. According to the available information 2 civilians were killed while another 20 more suffered injuries due to the explosion.

Ce matin (le 6 juin), les terroristes LTTE ont fait exploser une bombe Claymore à Katubadda, Moratuwa visant un bus bondé. Selon les sources de défense, la bombe qui avait été placée au bord de la route à un endroit situé entre le temple bouddhiste Shailabimbaramya et l'Université de Moratuwa -l’université la plus prestigieuse des étudiants en génie au Sri Lanka.  La bombe a visé un autobus (portant le numéro 29-1885) qui appartient au service de transport public et qui faisait la navette entre Kottawa et Mount Lavinia (numéro de route 255). D’après les sources de la police, l'explosion aurait eu lieu entre 7h30 et 7h45.

At least two people have been killed and around 20 people injured in a second suspected bomb attack on a bus in Sri Lanka, according to police.

The explosion near the central Sri Lankan town of Kandy on Friday came just hours after a bomb killed at least 21 people on a bus outside the capital Colombo.

WASHINGTON, June 5, 2008─

The World Bank today approved a US$75.6 million support package to Sri Lanka for the reconstruction of houses in the conflict affected North and East, upgrading of statistical capacity and auditing standards, and promotion of equitable access to basic and secondary education.  Sri Lanka’s strong economic growth has led to rapid poverty reduction in the past five years.  Correspondingly, inequality among provinces, visible in the previous decade has also declined. Remarkably, the reported decline in poverty occurred in regions outside the Western Province, closing the large gap seen in 2002 between the Western Province and the rest of the country.  Nevertheless, pockets of high poverty still remain in several areas. 

PR, UN Geneva in reply to NGO statement on Sri Lanka HR situation

While Sri Lanka stands by the 2005 UN World Leader’s Summit definition of the Responsibility to Protect, any attempt to apply fake versions to Sri Lanka will meet with a “full spectrum of resistance by the Sri Lankan people and State who’ll defend their sovereignty by any means necessary”, said H.E. Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva.

COLOMBO: At least 21 people were killed and over 50 injured on Friday when a claymore mine explosion set off by suspected LTTE militants ripped apart a packed bus during the morning rush hour in south of Sri Lankan capital.

The public transport bus, which was on its way to Mount Lavinia, was passing through a green belt when the roadside bomb went off at 7.35 A.M, at Katubadda in Moratuwa, about 12 kms from here.

VATICAN CITY, JUNE 4, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Given below is the text of Benedict XVI's English-language address given on Thursday  to His Excellency Mr. Tikiri Bandara Maduwegedera, the new ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Holy See.

Sri Lanka’s statement at the Review, Rationalization and Improvement (RRI) of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions 

05-06-2008 

Sri Lanka joined India, the Russian Federation, Singapore, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Algeria in the Human Rights Council supporting the extension of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, while expressing concerns with regard to the execution of this important mandate by the present mandate holder Prof. Philip Alston.

Colombo, 05 June, (Asiantribune.com): The Prime Minister of Japan has suggested ministerial level consultations between Sri Lanka and Japan on oil and gas exploration by Japan in Sri Lanka and on the settlement of loans from Japan to Sri Lanka.

The Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda made this suggestion when he met President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday (03 June) on the sidelines of the World Conference on Food Security convened by the Food and Agricultural Organization at

President Rajapaksa met President Lula da Silva of Brazil on the margins of the FAO conference on world food security, to discuss issues of relevance and importance to both the countries.

President Rajapaksa explained that one of the most compelling problems for Sri Lanka has been the unforeseen rise of the price of oil and that this, in turn, has created a sense of unpredictability in the country's economy and the global economy in general.

One of suspects in the bomb explosion in the Wasala area in Wellawatte on the rail track, has been arrested. The explosion took place at around 7.15 this morning (04th June). The incident is being investigated.

Statement on behalf of the Sri Lanka delegation by Mr. O.L. Ameer Ajwad, Counsellor of the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva under agenda item 3: Interactive dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the right to education during the 8^th Session of the Human Rights Council, June 4^th 2008