VIF Information Alerts - 15 Mar 2018

U.K. expels 23 Russian diplomats over spy poisoning; Moscow vows response
Published: Chicago Tribune
14 Mar 2018

Relations between Britain and Russia plunged Wednesday to a chilly level not seen since the Cold War as Prime Minister Theresa May expelled 23 diplomats, severed high-level contacts and vowed both open and covert action against Kremlin meddling after the poisoning of a former spy. Russia said it would respond soon to what it called Britain's "crude" and "hostile" actions. Click here to read... [2]

Chinese eyes in Sri Lanka to monitor movements of Indian warships?
Published: Times Now
14 Mar 2018

India's sees it as a threat, China says it is only for academic work, restricted to oceanographic studies. But alarm bells in South Block are already ringing. China has suggested to Sri Lanka that it steps up a radar station at Ruhuna University, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, next to Dondra Head. The government of Sri Lanka has been involved in the project. While the exact details of the proposed radar station are not yet confirmed, it is likely, according to high-level sources that it is a High-Frequency Short Wave radar station with a range of 180 km towards the Indian Ocean and a coverage of 120 degrees. The Chinese say the radar station would be used for oceanographic studies. China has apparently told the Sri Lankans that "ship tracking" abilities could happen later. This has given rise to the belief in India that the Sri Lankan navy has been deliberately kept out of the loop. Click here to read... [3]

Japan, Sri Lanka agree to promote maritime security cooperation
Published: The Japan Times
14 Mar 2018

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena agreed Wednesday to promote bilateral cooperation on maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region. During their meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo, Abe and Sirisena confirmed that the two countries will advance bilateral defense exchanges, with Japan assisting Sri Lanka in capacity building for maritime law enforcement. Click here to read... [4]

Beginning of end for Sri Lanka’s coalition government
Published: Daily Mirror
15 Mar 2018

The results of Sri Lanka’s local government elections held on February 10, 2018 are causing unexpected political turmoil in the country. The resounding electoral performance of former president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s newly-formed party, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), is aggravating the already significant rift between the ruling coalition leaders President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. The future of the ‘National Unity Government’ coalition is now in doubt. Click here to read... [5]

Bangladesh to share plans on socioeconomic, cultural rights in Geneva
Dhaka Tribune
Published: 15 Mar 2018

Bangladesh will present its present status and share future plans on economic, social and cultural rights at the review meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on Thursday and Friday. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam, who is already in Geneva, will lead a 12-member Bangladesh delegation at the review meeting. “Bangladesh is attending the first review of the national report under international covenant on of economic, social and cultural rights,” he told UNB. Click here to read... [6]

Nepal’s Chief Justice Sacked after He is Accused of Faking Date of Birth
Published: The New York Times
14 Mar 2018

Nepal’s chief justice was fired on Wednesday after the country’s judicial council secretariat, a constitutional body, found that he had faked his date of birth to remain in office, an accusation he denied. Click here to read... [7]

Myanmar rejects UN findings on human rights
Published: Nagaland Post
14 Mar 2018

Myanmar’s government on Tuesday rejected two reports presented to the U.N. Human Rights Council that concluded it committed extreme human rights violations, probably amounting to crimes under international law, in its repression of several minority groups, reports AP. Government spokesman Zaw Htay said the reports presented Monday by the Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar and U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee lacked credibility. Click here to read... [8]

Centre to hold Assam, Mizoram meeting over border issue
Published: The Hindu

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba has convened a meeting of the chief secretaries of Mizoram and Assam on March 20 to resume dialogue on the boundary dispute between the two states in the wake of protests by students who turned violent recently.
This was conveyed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh to Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who wrote to him seeking his intervention in the ongoing boundary dispute between Mizoram and Assam by resuming the talks and ensuring peace along the border. Mr. Thanhawla reminded Mr. Singh that the last time a dialogue process was initiated to resolve the dispute was in 1995-96. Click here to read... [9]

Yameen cites Kashmir, tells India to back off
Published: The Times of India
14 Mar 2018

In a clear snub to India’s efforts to get the Abdulla Yameen government to lift emergency and restore democratic functioning, Maldives on Tuesday asked New Delhi to stay away from its “internal matter” just as the island nation will not preach on the Kashmir issue. Click here to read... [10]