In Sri Lanka, this year, the May Day has lost its glory. It has lost its militancy. In the early times, the May Day was a day of great enthusiasm among workers. It was a day, on which the might of the workers were displayed.

The price of fuel has been raised twice within the last few days. Ceylon Petroleum Corporation has announced that the price of one litre of petrol has been increased by Rs1 while price of one litre of diesel has been raised by Rs2. This price increase came into effect from the midnight of April 18.

Pope Benedict, in his traditional Easter message called on Sri Lankan warring parties to come back to negotiations to end violence. Pope made the appeal in his Easter Message at St.Perter’s Squre.

Although the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE frequently talk about peace, the news reports confirm that the country is moving towards a war.

Tamils and Sinhalese celebrate the New Year traditionally by visiting temples and by performing prayers. With the dawn of the New Year, the people are seriously concerned about the challenges that they face and what the future has in store for them.

Civil Monitoring Commission held a meeting in Colombo recently highlighting the disappearances in the country. A large number of relatives of the disappeared attended the meeting.

The human tragedy caused by the military agenda by President Rajapakse ‘s government under the pretext of saving the east from the clutches of the LTTE is indescribable.

Following the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, there had been peace in Sri Lanka for 4 years. There had been considerable development during that period.

Sunday Observer, a State controlled media, published a story on the April Fools Day, about holding a referendum on the CFA signed between the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe and the LTTE Leader Prabaharan, with a question mark in the heading.

While there is a report that the government was examining the possibility of holding a referendum to determine the future of the Ceasefire Agreement, S.P.Thamilselvan, the political wing leader of the LTTE, has categorically stated that it would not re-commence peace negotiations if the CFA is abandoned. He has also warned that any abrogation of the CFA could lead to a serious war.

The government is to place its proposals to resolve the national conflict on May 1st and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party is taking steps to present it.

The centre for Policy Alternative had released the results of social indicator and confidence Index.