Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Sri Lanka extends emergency for third month

SRI LANKA on Saturday (22) extended a law granting security forces emergency powers into third month following the Easter Day bomb attacks on hotels and churches that killed more than 250 people.

Allowed to detain and interrogate suspects without court orders, Sri Lanka's police and military have arrested more than 100 suspects in the crackdown after the Islamist militant attacks.


President Maithripala Sirisena issued orders for the law to be extended for another month from midnight on Friday (21), according to a gazette notification.

Authorities say the threat of more attacks has been contained and security services have dismantled most of the network linked to the bombings, but operations were still underway to find any remaining suspects.

Sirisena said in the notification that extending emergency rule was "in the interest of public security, the preservation of public order and the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the life of the community."

The attacks sent shockwaves through the Indian Ocean island state, which had enjoyed relative peace since a civil war ended a decade ago. The economy has slowed worryingly, forcing the government to seek foreign loans, and the lucrative tourism industry has been hit.

Despite three advance intelligence reports from India that attacks were being planned, Sri Lanka's top defence officials failed to act before the Easter Day suicide bombings by Islamist militants that targeted three churches and three luxury hotels.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attacks that killed more than 250 people, including 42 foreigners, though Sri Lankan authorities have blamed two little known domestic groups: the National Thawheedh Jamaath (NTJ) and Jamathei Millathu Ibrahim.

Both have been banned under emergency regulations.

Sirisena told foreign diplomats in May that he planned to lift the emergency once the security situation was "99 per cent" back to normal.

(Reuters)

More For You

New Survey Uncovers Bias Facing South Asians in UK Music Scene
New South Asian Soundcheck survey aims to tackle music industry bias in UK
getty images

UK music industry ‘failing’ South Asian artists, says new report

UK music industry continue to face systemic barriers that hin­der progress, visibility, and ca­reer growth – despite decades of contribution and cultural influ­ence, a new report has revealed.

The study, South Asian Sound­check, published last Tuesday (7), surveyed 349 artists and profes­sionals and found that while many are skilled and ambitious, struc­tural obstacles are still holding them back.

Keep ReadingShow less