Jan 20, Colombo: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has signed an agreement with a major farmer society in Batticaloa District of the Eastern Province to expand the milk production in the East and raise the incomes of 1,200 participating farmers.

Sri Lanka

For a quarter century, Sri Lanka seems to have been plagued by misfortune, including a brutal civil war between the Sinhalese-dominated government and a separatist Tamil group. But the conflict finally ended last May, ushering in a more peaceful era for this teardrop-shaped island off India’s coast, rich in natural beauty and cultural splendors.

Responding to the statement made by UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions Prof. Philip Alston, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said that the conduct of Mr. Alston was a breach of diplomatic procedures and also in violation of all UN procedures. The Minister charged that the Special Rapporteur had ignored the very findings of his experts The Sri Lanka Government will firmly resist any endeavour negative to her interests posed from any quarter. Also the GOSL remains committed to continued engagement and dialogue with the UN, including on matters relating to the further protection and preservation of human rights.

Our strategy of development in the new decade beginning today will seek to make Sri Lanka the South Asian hub of ocean and air traffic, and communications in a knowledge - based society, stated President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his New Year message.

We look to the New Year with abundant hope in our ability to fulfill the aspirations of our people for progress and prosperity as a nation, and a land of peace and unity for our children, the President further stated.

Referring to the victory over terrorism, President Rajapaksa stated, that the New Year can be greeted with ‘commensurate pride and satisfaction at our achievements in the past’.

Following is the full text of the message:

It gives me great pleasure to send this message to all Sri Lankans at home and abroad at the dawn of 2010, the New Year.

The year that has just ended has perhaps been the most significant in Sri Lanka’s post independence history as it saw the scourge of LTTE terrorism finally being eliminated Lanka’s soil after almost thirty years, under the leadership of H.E President Mahinda Rajapaksa. This victory was achieved from many fronts. While the tri-forces were able to defeat the LTTE militarily, there were also many others who worked at various levels and from different fronts to make this victory possible. The Foreign Ministry led this war on the international front. Our continuous engagement with the international community during trying times culminated in challenging the machinations of the LTTE’s global network to complete the annihilation of terrorism. Such engagements brought about good-will from our friends in the international community, which has been demonstrated in the provision of various forms of assistance to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP), including expediting the demining process to facilitate the speedy resettlement of these civilians and provision of livelihood support, which has gone a long way in terms of supporting the rehabilitation efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka during a crucial time. The Government of Sri Lanka appreciates all these gestures.

The people of Sri Lanka need an abundance of love which is at the core of Christianity that will build new bridges of tolerance and understanding, to rebuild the shattered lives of our people who have suffered through three decades of terror and restore our land to one of peace and harmony, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his Christmas message.

The birth of Jesus Christ in a stable at Bethlehem is symbolic of the love that should transcend all barriers and extend to all, from the humblest of people, to all other beings that share our land, and to nature that sustains us all, the President further stated.

Three framework agreements amounting to US$ 410 million were signed between Secretary to the Treasury P.B. Jayasundera and the Vice Minister of Commerce of China Chen Jian on 23^rd December 2009, under which the Chinese government will provide concessional funding for several projects in Sri Lanka, including the second international airport at Matala.   

The framework agreements were signed during a 3 day official visit to China undertaken by the Secretary to the Treasury.

Provision of facilities for internally displaced persons to cast their votes at a different polling station 

Section 119B of Act No. 15 of 1981 for the election of the President 

Internally displaced persons who are scared to go to his or her polling station in view of the prevailing security situation in the area can request to make arrangements to enable him or her to cast his or her vote at another polling station. Since a considerable number of applications have not been received so far for this facility in response to the provisions made available it has been decided to extend the date of receiving applications till 24.12.2009.

BRUSSELS (AFP) – The European Commission on Wednesday granted more aid for tens of thousands of people who fled fighting between Sri Lankan forces and Tamil fighters, voicing concern for their lack of protection. 

The commission is "concerned by the lack of protection for the internally displaced, especially for female-headed households and single women returning alone to their villages as well as for the disabled", said EU Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Karel De Gucht, announcing six million euros (8.7 million dollars) of fresh aid.

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The World Bank has announced a 182-million-dollar loan to help Sri Lanka assist refugees and rebuild Tamil majority provinces that were ravaged by nearly 40 years of civil war that ended earlier this year.

One loan package for 105 million dollars will go to rebuild major roads linking north and east Sri Lanka, the bank said in a statement.

As a part of the continuing efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka to provide clarifications on the alleged cases of disappearances submitted by the UN Working Group on Disappearances, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights has now provided an analysis of 47 possible cases of disappearances, which can be closed/clarified by the Working Group. The details of these cases have been forwarded to the UN Working Group by the Permanent Mission in Geneva.  

The Government of Sri Lanka opened its second Consulate office in China, in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, on 15^th December 2009. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hussein Bhaila and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to China Karunathilleka Amunugma represented Sri Lanka at the opening ceremony while the Sichuan province was represented by Executive Vice Governor Wei Hong.

The celebration of Human Rights Day in Sri Lanka this year is of special significance as it takes place when the entire country is liberated from the clutches of terrorism and all Sri Lankans enjoy the freedoms they were denied for a very long time, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in a message to mark the World Human Rights Day. 

"The defeat of terrorism and the expansion of freedom in the country demonstrate the commitment of my Government to extend the freedoms of democracy and respect for human rights to all parts of the country," the President said.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama who is currently in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar to participate in the 12^th Session of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Ministerial Meeting had bilateral consultations with the Foreign Ministers of Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand.

More than 70 percent of the Internally Displaced Persons have now left relief centers in North and the government is close to achieving its target of resettling the entire IDP population within 180 days, said Mahinda Samarasinghe, Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights.  

Accordingly, more than 20,000 IDPs had moved out of the camps within last three days to visit their relatives after registering themselves with the relevant authorities.

It is a great pleasure for me, as the current Chair of SAARC, to extend warm greetings and best wishes of the Government and people of Sri Lanka to the Governments and people of South Asia on the occasion of the commemoration of the SAARC Charter Day.

It gives me great pleasure to extend greetings on the twenty-fourth anniversary of the signing of the Charter that established the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.   

SAARC reflects the determination of the Governments and peoples of South Asia to work together towards finding solutions to their common problems in a spirit of amity and cooperation based on mutual respect, equity and shared benefits.

I am delighted to issue a message to commemorate SAARC Charter Day. It is noteworthy that during the last twenty-four years of its existence, SAARC has moved forward steadily from a declaratory to an implementation stage, with considerable progress in realizing several of the important objectives set out in the Charter.

Sri Lanka's candidate, Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam was re-elected to the UN Committee on Migrant Workers (CMW), to serve a four-year term, until the end of year 2013, at the election held in New York on 3^rd December 2009. The election was held at the Fourth Meeting of the States Parties to the UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families.