The civil war that raged for 26 years in Sri Lanka was always about more than political grievances. The politics were rooted in economic and social disenfranchisement of the Tamil minority by the Sinhala majority. A government policy adopted in the mid-1950s that declared Sinhala to be the country’s only official language may have been the spark that started the fire, but the impact over decades was a systemic marginalization in all sectors of politics and the economy that fueled Tamil grievances and a quest for a separate state.

Sri Lanka's central bank held its key policy interest rates steady on Wednesday, a widely expected decision that analysts say suggested policy makers were keen to support a slowing economy even as they kept a tight leash on rampant credit growth.

The Asian Human Rights Commission says the hasty passing of laws and emergency regulations particularly with the intention of encouraging law enforcement officers to commit acts which amounts to serious crimes is not an unfamiliar practice in Sri Lanka.

Irregularities uncovered in lending at State owned Bank of Ceylon, ‘bankers to the nation’ have forced the bank to write off non-performing loans amounting around Rs. 54.7 million from ten customers with high political connections during the previous regime, a high level investigation revealed.

The proposed Economic and Technology Co-operation Agreement (ETCA) between India and Sri Lanka has been progressing to the satisfaction of the leaders of the two countries.