In brief
Asylum
A plane carrying 173 Sri Lankan asylum-seekers arrived at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam on 16 February from the Turkmenistan capital Ashkhabad. The group will remain in the country while asylum applications are processed.
Accused
A Presidential Commission of Enquiry says former President R Premadasa and National Security minister Ranjan Wijeratne were involved in the assassination of President Chandrika’s husband Vijaya Kumaratunge in 1988.
Error
The Sri Lankan Airforce launched an attack on a Cuban ship named Caribbean Queen on 9 February off Mullaitivu suspecting it was carrying arms for the LTTE. The ship was searched but no weapons were found.
Disappearance
As the Disappearance Commission for the North-East continued its enquiries into 6,312 complaints, American Jesuit priest Fr Miller told the BBC on 27 February that he has recorded over 2,000 disappearances in Batticaloa.
Abuse
President Chandrika announced a new Child Protection Authority on 11 February. Swiss national Victor Bauman accused of child abuse was deported the following day. Another Swiss paedophile Heinrich Pfaffheuser sentenced to jail will also be deported.
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