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UN rights chief under ‘tremendous pressure’ over Xinjiang report

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The United Nations human rights chief has admitted to “tremendous pressure” over a long-delayed report on China’s Xinjiang region, where Beijing stands accused of detaining more than one million Uighurs and other Muslim minorities.Michelle Bachelet has repeatedly said she will publish a report on the rights situation in Xinjiang before her term ends on August 31.

“We’re trying very hard to do what I promised,” Bachelet said, on Thursday, during her final press conference as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.

However, she added that there was uncertainty over when the report would appear as her office was under “tremendous pressure to publish or not to publish”.

“[We] received substantial input from the government [of China] that we will need to carefully review, as we do every time with any report with any country,” the UN rights chief said.

She received a letter signed by countries, including North Korea, Venezuela and Cuba “asking for the non-publication” of the report, which has been repeatedly delayed.Bachelet, whose successor has yet to be announced by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said the enquiries about the report had been non-stop.

“You cannot imagine the numbers of letters, meetings asking for the publication. Huge amounts,” she said, adding that for the past year the issue came up “every day, every time, every… meeting”.

Campaigners accuse China of human rights violations in Xinjiang including mass incarceration, forced labour, compulsory sterilisation, family separation and the destruction of Uighur cultural and religious sites.The United States and legislators in other Western countries have accused China of committing “genocide” against the minority groups.

Bachelet completed a long-awaited trip to the Xinjiang region earlier this year that sparked criticism. The US said ahead of her trip that it was “deeply concerned” that Bachelet had failed to secure guarantees on what she could see. She had previously demanded “unfettered” access to the area.

“We have no expectation that the PRC will grant the necessary access required to conduct a complete, unmanipulated assessment of the human rights environment in Xinjiang,” US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at the time, referring to the People’s Republic of China.

Human Rights Watch Executive Director Ken Roth described the trip as “an utter failure” and stressed the need for the UN to release a “strong” Xinjiang report to “make up for that disaster and put us back on a path of putting real pressure on China to end its persecution” of the Uighurs.

After Bachelet returned from China, some 47 countries signed a statement asking for “more detailed observations, including on the restrictions the Chinese authorities imposed on the visit”. Academics specialising in Xinjiang also asked for more details on what had happened.

Beijing vehemently rejects the accusations of a crackdown in Xinjiang, calling them “the lie of the century”, and has said the Xinjiang camps are vocational training centres designed to counter extremism. Source: Al Jazeera



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Landslide Early Warnings issued to the Districts of Badulla, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale and Monaragala

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The National Building Research Organisation (NBRO) has issued landslide  early warnings to the districts of Badulla, Kalutara, Kandy, Kegalle, Kurunegala, Matale and Monaragala effective untill 2100hrs on 12th May 2026.

Accordingly,

Level II landslide early warnings have been issued to the divisional secretaries division and surrounding areas of  Passara in the Badulla district.

Level I landslide early warnings  have been issued to the divisional secretaries divisions and surrounding areas of Bandarawela in the Badulla district, Walallawita in the Kalutara district, Pasbage Korale,  Akurana,  Gangawata Korale,  Panvila,  Yatinuwara,  Ganga Ihala Korale,  Doluwa and  Udapalatha in the Kandy district, Mawanella,  Bulathkohupitiya,  Yatiyanthota,  Aranayaka,  Kegalle and  Rambukkana in the Kegalle district, Rideegama in the Kurunegala district, Rattota, Naula and Ambanganga Korale in the Matale district and Badalkumbura and Wellawaya in the Monaragala district.

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Showers about 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva, Southern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Trincomalee district.

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WEATHER FORECAST FOR 11 MAY 2026
Issued at 05.30 a.m. on 11 May 2026 by the Department of Meteorology

 

The low-level atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka is likely to develop into a low-pressure area around the next 36 hours. Therefore, the prevailing showery conditions over the island are expected to continue during the next few days.

Showers or thundershowers will occur at times in most parts of the island and Cloudy skies are expected, under the influence of the aforementioned system. Heavy showers about 100 mm are likely at some places in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva, Southern, North-western, Northern and North-central provinces and in Trincomalee district.

The general public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damage caused by temporary localized strong winds and lightning during thundershowers.

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Treasury theft: Speaker’s conduct brought to IPU’s attention: SJB  

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Dayasiri

SJB MP Dayasiri Jayasekera has sought the intervention of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to pressure the JVP-NPP government to respect the rights of the Opposition.

MP Jayasekera told The Island that they wouldn’t allow the NPP to suppress the truth regarding the theft of Treasury funds amounting to USD 2.5 million. He accused Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickremaratne of depriving the Opposition of its legitimate rights, at the behest of the government.

Jayasekera said that the Speaker’s conduct regarding the action taken against Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Chaminda Kularatne, too, had been brought to the notice of IPU and other international associations.

The text of MP Jayasekera’s letter to the Secretary general of IPU: “I respectfully submit this petition seeking the attention and intervention of the Inter-Parliamentary Union concerning a matter affecting parliamentary accountability, the rights of elected representatives, and the proper functioning of constitutional oversight within the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

On 06 May 2026, I Dayasiri Jayasekara MP submitted a formal request to the Hon. Speaker of Parliament seeking permission, under the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act No. 21 of 1953 and Standing Order 29(1), to raise a question of privilege regarding alleged constitutional and parliamentary violations by Mr. Harshana Suriyapperuma, Secretary to the Treasury of Sri Lanka.

The proposed privilege motion raised matters including:

1. Alleged violations of Articles 148, 149, and 150 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka concerning parliamentary control over public finance;

2. Alleged failure to report to Parliament concerning a controversial and unlawful transfer of approximately USD 2.5 million from the Treasury;

3. Alleged non-compliance with parliamentary committee procedures under the Standing Orders of Parliament;

4. Questions relating to constitutional eligibility under Article 91(1)(d)(xiii) of the Constitution concerning dual citizenship and qualification to sit and vote in Parliament;

5. A request that the matter be referred to the Parliamentary Ethics and Privileges Committee established under Standing Order 118.

 Despite the seriousness of the constitutional and parliamentary issues raised, the Hon. Speaker declined permission for the privilege issue to be raised in Parliament.

It is respectfully submitted that this refusal has the effect of:

•  Preventing an elected Member of Parliament from exercising his parliamentary oversight function;

• Restricting parliamentary scrutiny over matters involving public finance and constitutional accountability;

•  Undermining the privileges of Members of Parliament to raise matters of urgent public importance;

•  Limiting institutional transparency concerning allegations involving senior state officials.

The right of parliamentarians to raise questions of privilege and matters relating to constitutional governance is an essential component of parliamentary democracy and legislative independence. The refusal to permit even the presentation or preliminary consideration of such a matter raises serious concerns regarding parliamentary accountability mechanisms in Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, I respectfully request that the Inter-Parliamentary Union:

1.Take cognizance of this matter as one affecting the rights and functions of Members of Parliament;

2.Seek clarification from the relevant parliamentary authorities in Sri Lanka regarding the grounds upon which the privilege motion was disallowed;

3.Consider whether the refusal is compatible with internationally recognised principles of parliamentary democracy, accountability, and freedom of parliamentary speech;

4. Encourage the Parliament of Sri Lanka to ensure fair and transparent procedures governing parliamentary privilege motions and constitutional oversight.

I further request that this communication be placed before the appropriate committee or mechanism within the IPU dealing with the rights and duties of parliamentarians.”

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