Sri Lankan Offensive Spurs Protests

Sri Lanka forces suspend offensive Aljazeera — Sri Lanka's security forces have begun a two-day suspension of military operations against the Tamil Tiger rebels, intended to allow tens of thousands of trapped civilians to flee to safety. Beginning on Monday, Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Sri Lankan president, ordered his forces to suspend offensive operations during Sri Lanka's New Year celebrations. click to read complete article

Sri Lankan Tamils organise protest in many countries The Hindu — Protesting Tamils in Canada have sought Sri Lanka's ouster from the Commonwealth and international trade and travel embargo against it for the "genocide" of innocent civilians in the conflict zone. The Tamils, who have been protesting outside parliament for the past six days, have also launched a hunger strike to draw attention to the "use of chemical weapons by Sri Lanka to wipe out the community from the island nation." click to read complete article

Norway condemns ransacking of Sri Lankan embassy CNN — Norway has condemned the ransacking of the Sri Lankan embassy in Oslo by Tamil demonstrators. Video posted on Norway's TV 2 Web site showed demonstrators smashing through re-enforced glass at the embassy on Sunday. The aftermath showed embassy offices that had been trashed, with furniture, artwork and potted plants dumped on the floor. Countertops had been bashed and splintered. click to read complete article