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31 August 2008 Trinco to get municipal status Yesterday’s bomb not LTTE’s work An explosive expert who investigated yesterday’s Pettah bomb, cast doubts as to whether it was in fact the work of the LTTE as it was a time bomb weighing just 100 grammes.The explosion occurred at Colombo’s busiest commercial hub in the midst of the afternoon traffic rush.At least 44 people have been injured with no deaths being reported so far. The time bomb had been placed underneath a makeshift shelter of a watch repair shop along the pavement facing Olcott Mawatha in the Pettah.“The explosive expert doubted whether this attack was an attempt to clear the pavement of temporary shops -- or whether it was the work of subversive elements. But he confirmed that the LTTE would not explode a bomb of such a small magnitude. When asked as to how he came to such a conclusion , he said, “the way the bomb was placed and elements used (2mm pellets) it was certainly not meant to kill people but to injure and cause a certain amount of confusion .”.He said that in the past as far as the LTTE was concerned it caused untold damage and a severe loss of life by using a minmum of at least a kilogram of explosives.and pellets that were of 5mm breadth in order to cause maximum damage.. The time bomb said to be of an IED (improvised Explosive Device) exploded around 12:15 pm at the shop facing the main junction opposite the Bo Tree. Among the 44 injured, were four women and two children all of whom were immediately rushed to the Colombo National Hospital. Dr Hector Weerasinghe, director of the National Hospital, confirmed the casualties in the attack and said “Most of them were suffering from minor shrapnel wounds for which they are being treated .”However, some of the injured were later taken in for surgery, but none of them are life threatening he added. Military and police personnel at the scene of the incident said that it had been a parcel bomb placed at the watch repair shop that went off. An eye witness F. Suresh who also works at a watch repair stall opposite the junction said that they had witnessed nothing suspect during the hours before, and only heard the sound of the blast.“Vehicles were moving as there was not much traffic,” he said. “We looked up at the shop in front of us from which the sound of the huge blast came.”Suresh added that the injured were rushed in three-wheelers to the nearby hospital. Meanwhile, 44 injured civilians were admitted to the Colombo National Hospital. Lakshman Lal is among the injured and fears for the life of his daughter who was also caught in the blast.Narrating his story he said that both he and his daughter were walking along the pavement when the incident took place. Neither could fathom what had happened, but heard the deafening sound of the blast. Vakarai woman pleads for son as CM Pillayan takes to his heels A woman, weeping uncontrollably, fell at the feet of Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesaturai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan and begged him to release her abducted son when the former rebel turned politician participated at a ceremony at Kathiraveli in Vakarai yesterday, residents said.They said the Chief Minister had come to the Thilakawathi Children’s Home to hand over two cheques when the woman approached him, crying, shouting and pleading with him to release her son who, she alleged, had been taken forcibly by the TMVP.Security officers of Mr. Chandrakanthan then whisked him away from the scene.The woman said ten boys from her village had been abducted by the TMVP and had not been heard of since. SLA shelling kills 5 IDPs, children in Ki'linochchi Five civilians, including two children, displaced recently from Mannaar district were killed Saturday evening when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched artillery attack on Puthumu'rippu village, situated 7 km southwest of Ki'inochchi town. Three civilians were rushed to Ki'inochchi hospital in critical condition, according to medical sources. The SLA attack, targeting the village, densely populated by IDPs, comes a day after Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) dropped leaflets threatening heavy casualties to civilians in Vanni unless they moved from LTTE administered Vanni. The artillery attack has taken place at 4:40 p.m. The civilians killed were identified as 28-year-old Karuppiah Anantharajah, his 2-year-old son Anantharajah Gowtham, 27-year-old Thilakeshvari Visvanthan with her 1-month-old baby and 28-year-old Alagesan Luka Pathmalatha. 47-year-old Kalyani Balasubram is in critical state with serious injuries. She was unconscious and rushed to Intensive Care Unit of the hospital. The other wounded were identified as 17-year-old female Rajeswary Balasubramaniyam, and 10-month-old baby Iyalvili Alageswaran. TID to arrest Mano G for aiding terror The Terrorist Investigative Division will shortly arrest Western People’s Front leader and Parliament member Mano Ganesan on suspicions of aiding and abetting a suspect LTTE suicide bomber, a highly placed Police source said.These sources charged that Ganesan has given shelter to an LTTE suicide cadre and had held discussions to help the LTTE -- on an attempt to assassinate two politicians. The sources revealed that this arrest is set to happen as a result of an investigation being conducted on information obtained from an LTTE suicide cadre named “Arulanand Jeyashakthi” (Saaji), who was arrested in Kotahena along with a high powered bomb weighing 59 kg, which was due to be concealed inside a van.The terrorist had in his posession a Western Peoples’ Front member identity card as well, sources said. Investigations have revealed that the bomb was transported to Colombo in parts which were hidden inside the spare wheel of a CTB bus plying the Vavuniya-Colombo route. Police sources disclosed that according to the bomber, it was Mano Ganesan who had brought him to Colombo and had given him shelter. This was the reason Ganesan was summoned to the Terrorist Investigation Division and questioned at length more than six hours on the August 26. Giant’s Tank to be rehabilitated after Mannar liberation The World Bank has allocated Rs. 385 million to rehabilitate the Giant’s Tank in the Mannar District under the Re-awakening project launched by the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development, the Project Director, P. H. Sugathadasa told the Sunday Observer.The tank which was the main reservoir in the Mannar district had been abandoned due to the conflict situation for the past two decades.As a result of the channel system the tank has been filled with mud and its bund has been eroded due to lack of proper maintenance for a long period, he said.The total capacity of the tank is 31,500 acre feet and it provides irrigation facilities for over 32,422 ha of paddy lands through 223 medium and small tanks in the area, he said.With the completion of rehabilitation work on this project over 19,887 families will benefit and they would be able to cultivate their lands throughout the year, he said. Abductions hit 1000 Police statistics have revealed that 1000 people had been abducted throughout the island during the first eight months of 2008. The number of reported abductions in 2007 was 1229. According to information from police headquarters, the number of abductions in 2006 was 1190.According to statistics, the highest number of abductions in 2007 was recorded from Jaffna, which stood at 118. Batticaloa recorded 105 abductions and Colombo came in third place with 75 abductions.In addition, there were 68 abductions reported from Ratnapura, 56 from Nugegoda, 54 from Trincomalee, 43 from kelaniya, 43 from Anuradhapura, 42 from Kegalle, and 41 abductions from Ampara. According to information from police headquarters, Gampola has recorded the lowest number of abductions, with 5 reported cases. Hatton comes in next with 6 abductions.In addition, there were 9 abductions reported from Bandarawela, 10 from Badulla, 10 from Nuwara Eliya, and 13 from Mathale. These have been identified as places with the lowest number of abductions. Of the 1229 abductions reported in 2007, Police have arrested suspects and concluded investigations in only 250 cases so far. 80 per cent of the abductions remain unsolved. Pottuvil mothers get new Maternity Ward Kalanther Khadeeja Beebi was the first mother to give birth at the new Maternity and Children’s Ward facility in Pottuvil District last week, less than 24 hours after it was declared open.Preparing to have her first baby, Beebi was nervous, but in excellent hands. “I liked everything I saw,” said Beebi, of the hospital that is part of the UNICEF-supported Tsunami Infrastructure Reconstruction Programme in Sri Lanka.“It is clean and new and I felt very happy to be admitted to the Maternity Ward,” she said. At 12:20 a.m. on Tuesday, surrounded by trained medical staff, Beebi gave birth to a healthy girl, Fathima Safa. “I’m very happy to deliver my baby in the new ward,” said the new mother.The new maternity and paediatric ward complex will serve more than 45,000 people in the area and include: a paediatric ward, maternity ward, emergency treatment unit and an administrative block. Each ward has a capacity of 30 beds. Asked to leave Madhu Shrine: Dr JJ complains to HRC UNP parliamentarian Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena has complained to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka that while he was praying at the Shrine of Our Lady of Madhu, he was asked to leave the sacred precincts by the army.In a petition submitted to the Commission through attorney-at-law Priyalal Sirisena instructed by Desmond Fernando, P.C., Dr. Jayawardena says that Major General Lalith Daulagalla had asked him to leave immediately as the Defence Secretary had not granted permission for him to stay in the Shrine.He says that he is a medical doctor, a member of parliament since 1994 and served as Minister of Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Refugees during the period 2002 to 2004. He and his family are staunch Roman Catholics. His piety has been recognised by the Roman Catholic Church and His Excellency The Apostolic Nuncia of Sri Lanka arranged for him and his family to be present at Midnight Christmas Mass in December 2006, celebrated by His Holiness in Rome.Dr. Jayewardena said that for the last sixteen years, he has been making annual pilgrimages to the Madhu Shrine in August. He has annexed a statement to this effect by His Lordship the Bishop of Mannar to his petition to the Commission.He says that Major General J. Jayasuriya in is letter dated 07th May 2008 to the Most Reverend D. Rayappu Joseph, Bishop of Mannar states that "We are also taking all steps to secure further away from Madhu Church areas and move our defence beyond 2.5 km so that there will be no presence of security forces personnel in the surroundings". On 1st August 2008 Dr. Jayawardena wrote to the Defence Secretary regarding his intended visit to Madhu on 14th August 2008. A reminder was sent on 07th August 2008 saying that he had not received a reply to his earlier letter.He wrote a further letter to on 12th August stating that he would be going with:The Right Reverent Father Sunil de Silva, Secretary to the Archbishop of Colombo and Rev. Father Siri Cooray, St. Peter’s Branch School, Udugampola.The UNP MP states that on 13th August 2008 his Secretary received a copy of the letter from Colonel D. S. Weeraman of the Ministry of Defence, Public Security Law and Order to the Chief of Defence Staff. The 2nd paragraph of the letter stated that "However this Ministry has not approved his request to stay overnight at Madhu Shrine."Dr. Jayawardena says that at approximately 7 p.m. on 14th August 2008, while he was praying in the Church, a soldier informed him that the General who was in the Mission House wishes to speak to him. He then went to the Mission House and Major General Lalith Daulagalla informed him that he had to leave at once as The Secretary, Ministry of Defence had not given him permission to stay there. He is an Opposition Member of Parliament. He thereupon left Madhu Shrine and stayed at the Bishop’s House Mannar for the night and then returned to Madhu the following morning. He again spent the night of the 15th August at the Bishops House and returned to Madhu Shrine on 16th August.He complained that the refusal to permit him to stay the night at the Madhu Shrine and his being interrupted while he was in prayer is a violation of his rights set out in article 12(1) of the Constitution.He claims that his fundamental rights have been violated by executive or by administrative action.Dr. Jayawardena has appealed to the Commission to conduct an immediate inquiry into this complaint, declare the fundamental rights of the complainant, guaranteed by the Constitution have been violated, and recommend to the authorities that he and other Roman Catholic pilgrims be permitted to stay at the Madhu Shrine to take part in evening religious ceremonies and prayers. A'Sangaree urges LTTE to lay down arms Tamil Liberation United Front (TULF) Leader, V. Anandasangaree last week urged Tiger head, Velupillai Pirapaharan to lay down arms and declare a unilateral ceasefire.In a letter to the LTTE chief, Anandasangaree stated that this was the last chance available to save the lives of those stuck in the Tiger-controlled areas in the Wanni.He added that the displaced persons would be definitely used as a civilian shields."It is the innocent people who always become a human shield. Wherever possible you should have allowed the displaced people to get into safe areas under the control of the government," he had said in his letter.Anandasangaree also stated that all those who had claimed to be his supporters had gone abroad and were filling up their pockets using his name.He also stated that his supporters abroad had given false hopes to the Diaspora, stating that the Tigers would retaliate after letting the military into its territory. "They, some of whom publish tabloids give false hopes to the Diaspora that you are waiting to round them up after allowing them to get into your area and on that score they have collected large sums of money."Around 160,000 displaced persons are now in Kilinochchi. CWC wants NIC rule reversed The infuriated Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) is looking at reversing recent legislation which compels all voters to produce their National Identity Cards (NIC) at polling booths in order to cast their votes on the grounds that the decision, which was also passed in Parliament, was “grossly unfair.”CWC Vice President R. Yogarajan told The Nation that the decision was unfair since thousands of estate workers were yet to be issued with NICs.“We did support the legislation in Parliament, but we laid down conditions that everyone should be issued with NICs before the law came into effect. But this was not the case. Without issuing NICs to everyone, they implemented the law. This was unfair by those who do not have NICs,” Yogarajan pointed out.He further noted that the CWC intended to take this matter up with other political parties and reverse the decision. “We are looking at reversing the decision which makes it compulsory that all voters produce the NIC, which would enable them to vote. This is a very unfair decision because it was not implemented as per promised. NICs were not issued to all before implementing the law,” Yogarajan said.He noted that if polling agents at election centres had no objection to a voter casting his or her vote without an NIC, no problem should arise in that regard. “For instance, I am well known in my area, but if I go to the polling booth without an identity card, I won’t be allowed to cast my vote. This is very unfair,” he noted.The CWC Vice President also disclosed that they would not be taking up the matter with Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake since the law was passed in Parliament, which renders Dissanayake helpless since he was merely implementing the legislation.It was initially reported that around 35 percent of the estate workers in Ratnapura and Kegalle Districts were barred from casting their ballot at last Saturday’s provincial council elections as they did not have an acceptable identity card. 30 August 2008 TNA(TELO,TULF,ACTC and EPRLF) MPs to tour New Delhi On the special invitation of the Indian government, a group of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians is to tour New Delhi in early September, embassy sources say.During the Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s visit to Sri Lanka for the SAARC summit, a group of TNA leaders has requested an opportunity to discuss the current political situation of the North- East region of Sri Lanka.The invitation is extended as a response to their request, reports say.Accordingly, a delegation of TNA parliamentarians including the party leader, R. Sampanthan is to leave for India during the first week of September.They are to hold discussions with several leading figures of the Indian government including Prime Minister - Dr. Manmohan Singh, Minister of External Affairs - Pranab Mukherjee and National Security Advisor - M.K. Narayanan. Dozens injured in Sri Lanka blast Serious condition The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says the military has reported that this was a bomb and the work of the Tamil Tigers. The blast took place on what would normally be a busy Saturday lunchtime in a market area near the main bus station, our correspondent says. Heavy fighting along Sri Lanka's frontlines kills 21 combatants Heavy fighting continued in Sri Lanka’s North across the battlefronts on Friday killing 18 Tamil Tigers and three soldiers as troops advanced deeper into the rebel controlled territory, the military said today. Another 26 Tigers and 9 soldiers received injuries in the battles.Heavy fighting in Andankulam area of Welioya killed four Tigers and injured another 14. Three security personnel including an officer sustained injuries when an anti-personnel mine exploded in the area. Fierce fighting took place in Kilinochchi as troops confronted the Tigers in several locations. Eight Tigers were killed in the confrontations while two soldiers also lost their lives. In Vavuniya troops killed five Tigers and a Tiger rebel and a soldier were killed due to LTTE mortar fire at Muhamalai in Jaffna.Accurate casualty figures are not possible to obtain as the media is not allowed in the conflict zone. Female soldier resisting sexual harassment shot - Ravaya A soldier of the Sri Lanka Army Women’s Corps, who resisted sexual harassment in the Maduru Oya Army camp has been shot, the ‘Ravaya’ reports.Afterwards, a statement has been obtained from the victim, identified as Y.K. Sandya Kumari that she shot herself in an attempt to commit suicide, it adds.The victim has been hospitalized after being shot in the back on March 29th. The bullet has surfaced from her lower abdomen.The victim’s mother, Mrs. D.M. Siriyawathi has told the ‘Ravaya’ that despite her daughter being hospitalized in a critical condition; she was not briefed on the details until she herself contacted the chief of the Maduru Oya Army camp.According to Mrs. Siriyawathi, the chief of the Maduru Oya camp, Major Kumarasighe has told that her daughter was hospitalized after shooting herself, the ‘Ravaya’ says.Also, a lady soldier posted at her daughter’s bedside has told that the victim has shot herself and there was a video tape to prove it, it adds, citing Mrs. Siriyawathi.This lady soldier has also placed a pen in her hospitalised daughter’s hand and forced her to sign a document, which was given to a SLA officer who arrived for investigations, the ‘Ravaya’ further reports.Though the condition of the victim has improved after receiving treatment for over three months, she will never recover completely, the weekly tabloid says.It adds that Mrs. Siriyawithi has lodged a complaint on the true issue with the police headquarters after a complaint has lodged with the Aralaganwila police proved to be in vain.Though the DIG of the North Central Province has initiated an investigation on the matter, Mrs. Siriyawithi says that she cannot expect justice from the SLA as her daughter’s life is at jeopardy, it further says.Citing military spokesman, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, the ‘Ravaya’ says that the victim has arrived at the Minneriya camp with her mother and as a second statement, said that she was shot.However, she has deserted her ranks at the present. Investigations cannot be continued until she re-joins her regiment, the ‘Ravaya’ says, further citing the military spokesman. Jaffna mc polls to be held soon In the wake of the Eastern, North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council elections, the government is now planning to hold elections to the Jaffna Municipal Council to gauge public opinion in the northern capital, a Minister said yesterday. EPDP leader and Social Services Minister Douglas Devananda told Daily Mirror the election would be conducted soon and the government was holding a series of discussions to work out the preliminaries. “We will be able to conduct it before the end of this year. This is to test the waters in the peninsula,” Mr. Devananda who represents the Jaffna district as an MP said and added that this would be followed by elections to the Urban Councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas in the district. He said in lighter vein that this election would be a battle between him and TULF leader V. Anandasangaree. The elections to the Jaffna Municipal Council were last held in 1998 after the peninsula was liberated from the LTTE. The TULF won the elections at the time and took over the administration of the council.TULF member Sarojani Yogeswaran was elected Mayor but she was gunned down allegedly by the LTTE soon after her election to office.Her successor K. Sivapalan also died in a bomb blast in September 1998 that targeted a Jaffna meeting between the councilors and security officials. He was succeeded by parliamentarian N. Raviraj.Meanwhile, EPRLF leader P. Sritharan said that he too had heard about government plans to hold elections. “We will definitely contest if there is an election,” he said. Construction of North, East bridges awarded outside tender procedure The government has awarded the construction of 15 bridges in the North and East, to the British firm Mabey Johnson, sidestepping tender procedure, on a proposal by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said that the Cabinet of Ministers had decided to override tender procedure to expedite work."However, the Cabinet decided that tenders should be called from local contractors for work related to other elements of the construction process."He said that four of the bridges will be built on the outer circle the Trincomalee road, six on the Seruwila-Somawathi road and five on the Puttalam-Mannar road.Given the prevailing security situation, the Cabinet of Ministers also granted approval to a Memorandum submitted by Power and Energy Minister W. D. J. Seneviratne, to rehabilitate the trans mission line from Kilinochchi to Jaffna, by upgrading and reconstructing the protection scheme of the 220KV transmission line and transformers in the CEB power system, Yapa said. "Once normalcy is restored, the 67.2km Lynx double circuit 132KV transmission line from the Kilinochchi Grid Substation to the Chunnakam Grid Substation will be reconstructed with Zebra conductors. In addition the 132/22KV Grid Substation at Chunnakam will be reconstructed with 2x31.5 MVA transformers and eight 33KV distribution feeders.He said that among the other decisions taken by the Cabinet was to revise the cost of Stage I of the project to relocate the Bogambara Prison in Pallekele on a proposal submitted by Justice and Law Reform Minister Amarasiri Dodangoda. "The new cost estimate, based on contingencies, price escalation and VAT will be Rs. 507,647,722." LTTE Kanthan commits suicide; police Kanthan, a leader of LTTE in Batticaloa, who was arrested by Special Task Force (STF) on Thuresday (28) with a cache of arms committed suicide by drowning himself in Batticaloa lagoon while travelling in a boat with STF to show another hideout of LTTE weapons.Police Media Spokesman Ranjith Gunasekara said that Kanthan was arrested with a large cache of arms, ammunition and other military gear. They included; a claymore, two T-56 rifles, 475 numbers of T-59 ammunition, three magazines, 29 numbers of 9mm rounds, two hand grenades, a camouflage LTE uniform, shirts, Army uniforms and a large stock of medicine.Another cache of arms was recovered last evening following information obtained from Kanthan. He promised to show another stock of arms and when STF was taking him to the hideout he jumped into the lagoon and drowned himself, police said. Mervyn won’t quit Labour Minister Dr. Mervyn Silva refuses to honour his pledge that he would resign his ministerial portfolio if Maj. Gen. (retd) Janaka Perera obtained more votes than a disabled soldier who contested the NCP polls on the UPFA ticket.The Minister yesterday told The Island he had no intention of resigning but would do so only if President Mahinda Rajapaksa requested him to step down."I am not prepared to dance to the tune of Janaka Perera but if my leader asked me to resign, I will step down immediately," he said.Janaka Perera polled more votes and demands that Mervyn Silva honours his pledge. Air Force drops leaflets in Kilinochchi 29 August 2008 CPI demands India to intervene Troops regain two strategic locations COLOMBO: Troops attached to Task Force II yesterday captured the strategic Palamoddai town six kilometres northwest of the Omanthai entry exit point in Vavuniya. Meanwhile, Troops attached to 59 Division operating in the Mullaitivu front for the first time reached the beach side of Nayaru South capturing Uluththuveli, Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told the Daily News."With the capture of the Palamoddai town troops are further closing in towards the A-9 road neutralising the Tiger positions north of Omanthai," Brigadier Nanayakkara said.Ten Tiger cadres were killed when troops confronted with the LTTE in Palamoddai on Wednesday. One soldier also sacrificed his life.Meanwhile the troops attached to 59 Division operating in the Weli Oya front reached South of Nayaru lagoon hitting the beachfront in Nayaru South for the first time. "With the capture of this territory the beach flank in the North of Kokkuthuvai comes under Security Forces control upto one kilometre south of Nayaru," the Brigadier added. Fierce fighting erupted in the Weli Oya front yesterday as troops advanced into the south of Nayaru. Hitler, Mugabe and Mahinda Rajapakse on the same track, say Mangala Sri Lanka Freedom Party People’s Wing (SLFP-PW) Convener Mangala Samaraweera said yesterday (28) at a news conference summoned by his party, that if the people voted the government that is responsible for the highest cost of living, highest number of Ministers (110), human rights violations, media suppression, corruption, waste and repression in Asia, it is a wonder and a green light to the dictatorship being built up by the President.MP Mangala Samaraweera stated that the worst dictators like Adolf Hitler, Robert Mugabe etc. came to power through bogus elections that marred people's vote. President Mahinda Rajapakse follows them. As same as Hitler created a Jewish and Communist fear to cover the failures mirrored by the economic destruction, President Rajapakse has created a common enemy through Maninda Chinthanaya to cover his incapacities. That is JVP and the Tamil ethnic struggle."We should not forget that Hitler could build up a fascist dictatorship not only through his constipations but also since the Opposition was divided and weak. The election results point to the fact that the Opposition could defeat this government at any moment if a common alliance was set up. A broad alliance is necessary to defeat the anti-people, anti-democratic government and to uphold democracy and the system of free elections. I don't think the JVP can avoid such alliance," said MP Mangala Samaraweera.In response to queries from media persons, Mr. Samaraweera said that his party did not contest to elections and he did not address the rallies since the election was not contested by National Congress or another alliance but by UNP alone. He said that he could not be on a stage of the UNP since he was a Sri Lanka Freedom Party member. Grenade blast wounds 7 suspected rebels in Sri Lanka prison A hand grenade blast inside a prison in eastern Sri Lanka wounded seven prisoners, most of them suspected of being allied with the separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, police said."There has been an explosion inside Batticaloa prison. Seven people have been injured and admitted to Batticaloa hospital," police spokesman Ranjith Gunasekara said. "All of them are Tamils, and most of them are suspected of LTTE (rebel) activities."The elite Special Task Force police paramilitary unit found a second grenade, he said.Sri Lanka's government has been locked in a 25-year civil war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who want to create a homeland for the minority ethnic Tamil people in the north and east of the Indian Ocean island nation. Mannar Bishop meets Wanni Commander Escape route for Wanni civilians The government yesterday said it would be establishing an escape route for civilians trapped by the conflict in the Wanni while leaflets containing information about the possible escape routes would also be air-dropped.Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa at a rare media briefing said Kilinochchi’s ongoing military operations was mainly aimed at freeing the thousands of civilians trapped by the LTTE. “We want to free these civilians so that they can come to Vavuniya. All necessary arrangements to resettle them will be done once they arrive. Currently leaflets are being dropped by air describing where they should go and which escape route they should use,” Mr. Rajapaksa said.He said that while the troops advanced further into Kilinochchi, civilians were moving back and escaping into the thick jungles. He however stressed that once the escape route was established and the civilians safely brought to Vavuniya, they would defeat the LTTE and take control of the Kilinochchi District.“The LTTE has currently trapped thousands of civilians for its personal gain. But as time goes on and the security forces advance further into the north, they will have no choice but to free the civilians. That is what we are expecting,” Mr. Rajapaksa said.He also maintained that as in the eastern province, the security forces maintained a zero civilian casualty even in the north as troops were restricted to carry on their operations in areas where civilians resided or were trapped. According to Rajapaksa, civilians who had died in the conflict or had been injured had been so at the hands of the LTTE and not the security forces. “Our forces – the army, navy and airforce are one of the best in the world, which is why we are able to defeat the LTTE. Our military plans are going perfectly to what we expected,” Rajapaksa said.The Defence Secretary also stressed that adequate food and relief supplies were made available for the civilian trapped in the Wanni as a lorry containing medicines and dry rations entered Kilinochchi every day. He added that the results were “dead satisfactory” as the government agents in the north had informed the government that ample food and medicines were available for the thousands trapped in the Wanni. “We are working closely with the UN organizations and it has been confirmed by the respective GA’s that the civilians are not starving or suffering from medical shortages,” Rajapaksa said.According to Essential Services Commissioner, S.B. Divaratna who was also present at the media briefing, there are currently 110,000 IDPs in the Kilinochchi District while an estimated 15,000 remained in Mullaitivu. IDP’s in Mannar had fled to Kilinochchi, he added. Out of the numbers 90% stayed had moved in with families or friends.Responding to a question, Rajapaksa also denied that the IDPs faced a risk of being branded as terrorists once they crossed into government controlled areas and added that the only people who would be branded as LTTE cadres were those carrying a weapon. He added that other than the security forces, no member was allowed to hold or carry a weapon, and those who did would immediately be branded as terrorists.Meanwhile, according to Rajapaksa, giving a specific time frame to end the war was “foolish” at this point of time as the main aim of the security forces was currently to safeguard and establish an escape route for the civilians. He added that the reaction of the LTTE should also be taken into consideration, before specifying a time period to win the conflict. According to Rajapaksa, the recent LTTE air raid in Trincomalee also did not have any impact on the ongoing military operations as troops continued to maintain balance in its operations. He added that other than it having a psychological effect, it did not bear any drastic impact and stressed that the troops would “take care of it” accordingly. He also maintained that as stressed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the government supported a political solution to end the conflict and the ongoing military operations were conducted solely to create an environment for such a situation. “Just as in the eastern province, where we first conducted military operations and then held elections for the people to select their preferred leader, this is the same plan we are going to maintain in the north,” Rajapakse said.Prior to the media briefing a meeting was held between Foreign Minister Rohita Bogollagama, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Essential Services Commissioner S.B. Divaratna and the diplomats, where the government briefed the international community about the IDP situation in the northern province as well as the government’s victory at the recently concluded provincial council elections. DPU attack kills 2 civilians in Vanni A 15-year-old boy and a 33-year-old vegetable trader were killed on the spot at Olumadu Thursday evening when a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit triggered four Claymore mines targeting the grocery traders who were riding in a motorbike towards Nedungkea'ni in Mullaiththeevu district, Tamileelam Police said. The victims, Chandran and the young boy Sukirthan, from 7th Division in Puthukkudiyiruppu, were on their way to transport vegetables from Nedungkea'ni to Puthukkudiyiruppu when they were attacked and killed by the DPU at 4:10 p.m. Food poisoning downs 120 soldiersby Norman Palihawadana Food poisoning was reported in the Dehiattakandiya Army training camp yesterday and 120 soldiers rushed to the Polonnaruwa and Dehiattakandiya hospitals for treatment were declared out of danger, Army spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said.The soldiers had eaten rice, fish and coconut sambol for their breakfast and almost immediately after their meal a number of them had started vomiting and purging. Others had fainted and had to be rushed to the two hospitals army sources said.Fish, vegetables and rice are supplied to the camp by a contractor but the food was cooked in the camp kitchen. The kitchen staff was being questioned, police sources said.Some of the bad cases were flown by helicopter to the Polonnaruwa hospital and teams of doctors were rushed there but none are in danger, sources said.The Dehiattakandiya camp is a army training facility and there were 250 soldiers undergoing training at the camp and almost half of them had been affected by food poisoning. The army and police and conducting a joint investigation into the case, sources said. Why anti-aircraft missiles were not used in Trincomalee attack The defense analysts question if anti aircraft missiles had not been fixed in Trincomalee Nay camp which was attacked by LTTE aircrafts in the night of August 26.They query if such missiles were not fixed in adjacent Chaina Bay Air Force camp. Air Force possesses 'Igla' anti-aircraft missiles and they were not used amazingly against the Tiger aircrafts.The analysts point out that the LTTE has so far launched eight air attacks and each time they escaped unharmed since no anti-aircraft missile targeted them. They argue that the undervaluation of the enemy led to this debacle whilst there was no proof of destroying LTTE aircrafts.Pointing to the Air Force Commander's statement to a newspaper that the LTTE would never be able to lift their aircrafts since Air Force was capable of destroying them; they urge the Commander to answer now. True figures of 'TAF' bombing The true figures of the casualties in Tuesday's Zlin-143 bombing stands at 10 Naval Ratings killed and around 40 others wounded. Altogether 4 bombs were dropped, each weighing around 25kilos.One bomb fell straight into a 15x30 Billet and the other fell inside an Officers' Quarters. However, no officers were killed in the explosion. One of the four bombs failed to detonate. The Zlin-143s had taken off from Mulaithivu and had traveled over the sea and entered the Trincomalee Bay from the east.The target of the bombers had not been the Jetliner as originally thought, but an act to demonstrate to the Tamil Diaspora that the LTTE is still alive and well.Meanwhile Special Forces LRRP teams struck twice again this evening deep inside LTTE controlled Nedunkerny. Two LTTE cadres, considered to be local area leaders were killed in the attacks. Both were riding motorcycles at the time. STF recover LTTE explosives, arms in Batticaloa The Special Task Force on Thursday recovered a large haul of LTTE explosives, arms, ammunition and communication equipment on information provided by an LTTE leader named Kannan of Kaluwanchikudi. The items were recovered from Kaluwanchikudi in the Batticaloa district. Kadamadu, Palagamam and Manmunai included: One claymore mine weighing 7 kg, 19 detonators, 2 kg steel balls, a remote control, a receiver, 2 T-56 guns, 475 rounds of T-56 ammunition, 10 T-56 magazines, 2 LTTE communication sets, 2 micro pistols, 3micro pistol magazines, 24 rounds of 9 mm ammunition, 2 hand grenades, a set of LTTE jungle uniforms, an LTTE jungle tee shirt, a set of Army uniforms, a metre of flexible wire and 120 units of medical equipment. 28 August 2008 Catholic Church writes to Ban ki Moon SLAF jets bomb LTTE base The Iranamadu camp, where the two LTTE aircraft had returned after attacking Trincomalee Navy base on Tuesday night, was bombed immediately by the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Marshal Rohan Guntilake told The Island yesterday.The Navy radar had detected the Tiger aircraft flying towards Trincomalee at a distance of 45 Km. on Tuesday. The Tigers dropped two bombs, of which only one exploded killing four Navy personnel and injuring 14. A section of the Navy base was damaged and two boats were destroyed.Once the Navy base alerted the SLAF, a number of fighter jets were dispatched from the Katunayake air base but the terrorist aircraft had returned to the rebel controlled area by that time. Although Tuesday’s air attack was the sixth by the LTTE on vital targets the SLAF had not been able to pursue and destroy the two light planes operated by the terrorists. Five killed and 30 injured in LTTE air attack Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) spokesman M.B. Karunarathna said that ten persons were injured in the LTTE air attack and of them several were transferred to hospitals in Colombo.But our sources say that five personnel were killed, 30 were injured and of them eight were admitted to hospitals in Colombo. Twelve more are being treated in Trincomalee hospital.SLN in fear of Sea Tiger divers' attack following the air raid launched charger attack targeting them. A sailor was killed and another was injured in misfire around 12 midnight. The total of personnel killed is five although the SLN spokesman states no one was killed.Around 1000 personnel were waiting in Trincomalee for ships to leave for Jaffna Thursday (26). A senior official of SLN said that LTTE might have targeted them but last minute alert averted a massive death toll. He said that LTTE chose Trincomalee since they could launch the attack and leave within 15 minutes. The sky was full of clouds yesterday.A senior police officer who is also a defense analyst said to Lanka-e-News that such attacks could be expected in future since LTTE would utilize its maximum fire power. CPJ condemns Tissanayagam indictment The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Colombo High Court’s indictment of journalist J.S. Tissanayagam on terrorism charges for articles he published in 2006.In a news alert, CPJ says that the Terrorist Investigation Division arrested Tissanayagam, the editor of news Web site OutreachSL, and five of his colleagues within a few days in March 2008.Three of the group were released later that month, according to the Free Media Movement.‘Tissanayagam and two others, OutreachSL manager N. Jasiharan and his wife, remain in custody without charge. It is not clear if Jasiharan and his wife have also been indicted,’ it adds.Charges against Tissanayagam cite a magazine, North Eastern Monthly, which the journalist edited in 2006, according to his lawyer, M.A. Sumanthiran, who spoke with CPJ by telephone on August 25th.Two charges relate to articles Tissanayagam wrote for the magazine.The journalist’s lawyer told CPJ that the government said the articles incited communal disharmony, an offence under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.A third charge says he furthered an act of terrorism by collecting money from NGOs to publish the magazine, he told CPJ.Tissanayagam, an ethnic Tamil, is also a columnist for the Sri Lankan weekly The Sunday Times.FMM's Sunanda Deshapriya told CPJ that North Eastern Magazine was a known as a pro-Tamil English-language publication that was not considered pro-LTTE, he said.It closed down over a year ago.“We condemn J.S. Tissanayagam’s long detention and harsh charges for publishing a magazine, which should not constitute an offence,” said Bob Dietz, CPJ Asia Program Coordinator.“This is the latest step by the Sri Lankan government to intimidate journalists who write about security issues.”Tissanayagam pleaded not guilty because he does not believe he committed a criminal act, Sumanthiran told CPJ.He was denied bail and will go to trial on September 18, the lawyer said.Rajiva Wijesinha, Secretary of the Ministry of Disaster Management and Human Rights, denied to Human Rights Watch on August 12th that Tissanayagam had been detained for criticizing the government.“Some of their publications were designed to embarrass the Sri Lankan government through false accusations,” Wijesinha said of Tissanayagam and “his business associates,” according to the text of the letter, which is published on the website of the Sri Lankan permanent mission to the UN in Geneva.He does not name the business associates in the letter.Tissanayagam’s Sunday Times column, written from a Tamil viewpoint, frequently tackled issues sensitive to the Sri Lankan government, including security issues.One of his final columns before his arrest was titled “Child soldiers: What the govt. report did not report.” Mano Ganesan Carried Message From Chandrika To Prabakaran In 2005 About Offering Asylum To “Col” Karuna Western Peoples Front leader and Colombo district Parliamentarian Mano Ganesan was sent as a special emissary to the Wanni by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga in 2005 to convey a message to LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran .The message related to a possible offer of Asylum being granted to former LTTE eastern commander “Col” karuna by the Kumaratunga regime and a request to Prabakaran that he should not let that possibility affect the prevailing peace process.These facts were revealed by Mano Ganesan during the course of a six hour statement made to the Terrorist Investigation Division(TID).The WPF released a press release about the statement made by Mano Ganesan to the TID. The communiqué is reproduced in full: Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) questioned Civil Monitoring Commission Convener and Western Peoples Front Leader Mano Ganesan for six hours from 11am on Tuesday. The questions were based on his peace delegation visits to Killinochchi during the CFA period in 2002 and 2004. The TID sleuths wanted to know if Mano had developed any special relationships with LTTE during the those visits. Mano Ganesan’s office has released following statement in this regard.Western Peoples Front Leader Mano Ganesan accepted the written request extended to him by the Director of TID. This is in accordance with our policy of supporting the maintenance of Law and Order and cooperating with the legal system. Ganesan asked the Director of TID that he be provided with a translator at the time of inquest.Mano Ganesan said he had given a statement to TID¢s OIC-CI Prasanna de Alwis and SI Abdeen of TID/Unit II. The statement had following contents.Mano Ganesan said he visited Killinochchi during peace process period. It was legal and accepted during that time. All discussions were based on political solution within a united Sri Lankan state. It was not only him but ministers of the present government Arumugan Thondaman and P. Chandrasekaran visited Kilinochchi. Many other government ministers and officials too visited Kilinochchi. Every time Ganesan went to Kilinochchi for discussions, the then prime minister Ranil Wickramasinghe and UNP¢s deputy leader Karu Jayasooriya were informed. The last time he went to Kilinochchi was in year 2005. It was the time when Eastern Tiger commander Karuna Amman had rifted from LTTE. Mano Ganesan carried a peace message to LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran from then president Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumaratunga on Karuna Amman in 2005. President Chandrika had said that she would offer asylum to Karuna Amman, if Karuna appeals for it. It may happen. But if that happens it should not be considered as an act against the peace process. Ganesan said that he carried this message of Chandrika to Praba. Upon return from Kilinochchi, he met Chandrika and conveyed LTTE leader Prabakaran¢s response to her. At this meeting at Presidential palace in Colombo Fort, minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna was present.Ganesan had vehemently refused any special relationship with LTTE and any link with any arrested terrorist suspects. In view of the question on so called ¡special relationship¢, Ganesan said he had no such relationships with LTTE. But many were under such wrong belief. During the close up to last presidential elections, late minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and present presidential advisor Basil Rajapakse MP visited his home requesting Ganesan to help them to develop a special link with LTTE. It was to organize an electoral boycott in the north and eastern province during the presidential elections in November 2005. They came with such wrong impression on him. But Ganesan rejected such request on the grounds that he had no such special relationship with the LTTE to help Jeyaraj and Basil for an election boycott in the north and east.The statement further said that In the recent past opposition parliamentarians Jayalath Jayawardena of UNP, Vijitha Herath and Ramalingam Chandrasekar of JVP were subjected to inquiries at TID. Many terrorist linked accusations were made inside and outside parliament against many government politicians including of the last presidential election boycott issue. But no police investigations were made against any government politicians named. Ganesan¢s comments in total were typed included in his statement to the TID and he placed his signature on it. Mano Ganesan was accompanied to the TID by parliamentarians Jayalath Jayawardena, Johnston Fernando and his Attorney-at-Law Asthika Devendra. EU to examine draft report on Lanka The European Union (EU) will examine a draft report on Sri Lanka sometime next month before it is put forward to the EU Parliament, an EU official told the Daily Mirror yesterday. The report prepared by an EU delegation which visited Sri Lanka recently is expected to tilt heavily against the government.Philippe Kamaris, Administrator, Directorate General for External Policies of the European Parliament said the European Parliament's delegation for relations with South Asia would examine the draft mission report on Sri Lanka most likely by mid next month.“From a procedural point of view, what I can say is that the situation in Sri Lanka will again be on the agenda of the EP's Delegation for relations with south Asia when it will examine the draft mission report, likely in mid September,” Mr. Kamaris said in a short email to the Daily Mirror.He said the report would subsequently be forwarded for a follow up to the relevant Parliamentary Committees of the House including the Foreign Affairs Committee, the International Trade Committee and the Human Rights Subcommittee.The report is likely to have an impact on the deliberations by the EU when it considers the extension of the GSP Plus trade concession for Sri Lanka in October.The government on its part, the Daily Mirror learns, has initiated moves to counter the report and is of the view that most of the delegations members who visited Sri Lanka recently led by EU Parliamentarian Robert Evans, were biased in their findings and are mainly after votes from the Tamil Diaspora in the EU at the next elections to the EU Parliament.Under the GSP Plus concession awarded in 2005 to help Sri Lanka rebuild after the 2004 tsunami, Sri Lankan exporters enjoy preferential tariff treatment from the EU. As a result, the EU is Sri Lanka ’s biggest export market, accounting for annual sales of around $1 billion; about half are covered by GSP Plus. Beneficiaries must however comply with 27 international conventions, on environmental, labour and human rights standards to be eligible for the concession.Sri Lanka's failure to address human rights concerns, including a "frightening" number of abductions, could cost the island nation a lucrative trade concession, the European Union warned last month."The European Parliament delegation remains extremely anxious about the impact a possible loss of GSP+ status would have on the economy and employment in Sri Lanka," the EU said last month. 27 August 2008 LTTE air raid on Trinco dockyard The LTTE carried out an abortive air raid on the Trincomalee Naval Base around 9 p.m. last night. According to the official Defense Ministry website, the LTTE aircraft had dropped two improvised bombs and fled the area. At the time of going to press, unconfirmed reports cited around 18 injured.Navy Spokesman D.K.P Dassanayake stated that they had received reports of the attack three minutes before the planes were sighted in Trincomalee. “So we attacked it when it approached, but it dropped two bombs and flew away. One did not explode but the other fell near Navy quarters.”The military noted that the LTTE could have been targeting troops boarding a Jaffna bound ship as the aircraft flew via Mullaitivu coastline and was first detected by Trinco radars at 8.45pm. Highly placed Naval source told The Bottom Line that the two bombs had been dropped inside the training facility. There were no deaths reported, although there are a number of casualties. The Navy had retaliated but the firing ceased within a short while according to reports.Meanwhile, TMVP spokesman Azad Moulana reported sounds of heavy explosions in Trincomalee lasting for around half-an-hour. He added that electricity had been cut off and accused the LTTE for the attack. TID questions Mano Ganesan MP for six hours and obtains statement Terrorist investigation Division (TID) questioned Civil Monitoring Commission Convener and Western Peoples Front Leader Mano Ganesan for six hours from 11am on Tuesday(26).The questions were based on his peace delegation visits to Killinochchi during the CFA period in 2002 and 2004. The TID sleuths wanted to know if Mano had developed any special relationships with LTTE during the those visits. Mano Ganesan’s office has released following statement in this regard.WPF Leader Mano Ganesan accepted the written request extended to him by the Director of TID. This is in accordance with their policy of supporting the maintenance of Law and Order and cooperating with the legal system.Ganesan said he had given a statement to TID’s OIC-CI Prasanna de Alwis and SI Abdeen of TID/Unit II. The statement had following contents. Ganesan said he visited Killinochchi during peace process period. It was legal and accepted during that time. All discussions were based on political solution within a united Sri Lankan state. It was not only him but ministers of the following government Arumugan Thondaman and P. Chandrasekaran visited Kilinochchi. Every time he went to Kilinochchi for discussions, the then prime minister Ranil Wickramasinghe and UNP’s deputy leader Karu Jayasooriya were informed. The last time he went to Kilinochchi in 2005, Karuna Amman had rifted from LTE. Mano Ganesan carried a message to LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran from then president Chandrika Bandaranayake Kumaratunga on Karuna Amman in 2005. He had vehemently refused any special relationship with LTTE and any link with any arrested persons in Colombo and south. In view of the question on so called ‘special relationship’, Ganesan said many were under such wrong belief. During the close up to last presidential elections, late minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and present presidential advisor Basil Rajapakse MP visited his home with a request for a special link with LTTE. It was to arrange an electoral boycott in the north and eastern province during the presidential elections in November 2005. They came with such wrong impression of him. But Ganesan rejected such request on the grounds that he had no such special relationship with the LTTE to help Jeyaraj and Basil for a election boycott in the north and east. The statement further said that all his comments were typed included in his statement to the TID and he placed his signature on it. Mano Ganesan was accompanied to the TID by parliamentarians Jayalath Jayawardena, Johnston Fernando and his Attorney-at-Law Asthika Devendra.In the recent past opposition parliamentarians Jayalath Jayawardena, Vijitha Herath and Ramalingam Chandrasekar were subjected to inquiries at TID. Many terrorist linked accusations were made inside and outside parliament against many government politicians including of the last presidential election boycott issue. But no such police investigations were made against any government politicians. 'Call of the Conscience' in Toronto A large poster with the names of Tamil-speaking political and social activists, leaders of militant organizations and members of parliament, among others, who were murdered—with the majority of names attributed to killings by the LTTE—spills over onto the floor of the stage. The names run together, LTTE killings in black text; and killings by Sri Lankan government security forces and Tamil militants in white. At times, men and women step closer to the poster and touch the names; perhaps of people they know.The poster is one piece of about 25 displays created for Call of the Conscience—a human rights art exhibit—along with six short documentary films playing simultaneously on flat-screen televisions positioned throughout the lobby of Roy Thomson Hall in downtown Toronto. Organized by the International Forum for Peace and Justice in Sri Lanka, this political installation aims to challenge entrenched prejudices and dispel illusions about the forces that maintain the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka.The exhibit shows how both sides of the conflict are responsible for the agony of refugees in India and statistics on internally displaced persons, revealed on additional posters. The audience is struck by a three-panel display with testimonies of horror from survivors of LTTE torture camps, laid out against an image of a human body hanging upside down. And attendees are confronted by the ethnic cleansing of Muslims and mosque massacres by the LTTE—facts not well known outside of Sri Lanka.Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese from the Toronto area come to the exhibit, as well as non-Sri Lankan journalists, activists, union organizers and academics, among others, ranging from those who have very little knowledge about the conflict to those who have been following the political situation for years.Call of the Conscience came to life out of a desire to offer an alternative perspective to the war propaganda that dominates the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora in Canada. It attempts to stimulate the Tamil community to reflect on the trajectory of Tamil politics, its nihilism and the destruction that it has brought upon minorities in Sri Lanka. About 300 people attend the exhibit throughout the day. Journalist Manoranjan Selliah, TULF president Veerasingham Anandasangaree and Kevin Shimmin, a union organizer and national representative for the United Food and Commercial Workers Canada, speak during the opening ceremony.Manoranjan Selliah begins by saying, "Over the last year, many ordinary people have been disappeared, tortured, bombed and massacred by both sides of this senseless war. This exhibition is about such ordinary people and their suffering. It is also about ordinary people who did extraordinary work, who rose to the occasion to challenge the madness of war; who believed in the value of dissent, and often paid the supreme price of their lives. My conscience and I think your conscience demands that we respond to the call to remember such people." He goes on to question and condemn the shadow side of Tamil society: "First, there was the killing of individuals labelled as 'traitors.' And then in 1984, the Anuradhapura massacre of over one hundred Sinhalese pilgrims. And then that horror of April 28, 1986, a pathological killing machine from within our own community was unleashed against our fellow youth, in the form of the LTTE massacre of the other militant group TELO. This is when our broader community witnessed the brutality of Tamil militancy, as Tamil youth hunted down, murdered, tortured and burned alive other Tamil youth on the streets of Jaffna." Anandasangaree then weighs in on human rights. "As long as refugee camps exist in our country, whether the inmates are Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims or of any other group, we have no moral rights to boast of democratic principles. With one section of our people undergoing untold hardships, being deprived of their democratic fundamental and human rights, we can't boast of our country as one enjoying full democratic rights…. Should our youths, be they Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims or of any other group, continue to shed their blood unnecessarily and die in vain at the battlefront? I am convinced that the time has come for the country to find a solution reasonable enough and acceptable to the minorities and the international community," he said.As the last speaker for the ceremony, Kevin Shimmin—who has spent the last 16 years of his life intimately involved with Sri Lanka, including working with grassroots activists in Sri Lanka and community activists in the Toronto diaspora—talks about the importance of the diaspora's response to the conflict. "We need to talk about why the Sri Lankan state remains unaccountable today, after more than two decades of war, for an overtly racist agenda of oppression, for the bombing of civilians, for illegal detention and torture. We need to talk about why the LTTE remains unaccountable for an authoritarian regime that silences Tamil voices of dissent, which continues the forcible recruitment of children. And we need to ask ourselves where have we been? What have we been doing right here in Toronto to work for peace and justice in Sri Lanka?"After the speeches, guests walk through the history of violence in Sri Lanka by watching six five-minute documentaries written and directed by K.B. Nath. Footage shows attacks on plantation Tamils, the Sinhala Only Act and the rise of Tamil militancy, the brutal anti-Tamil pogrom of July 1983, photographs of individuals killed by the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government, LTTE graveyards, and haunting images of child soldiers. One film chillingly juxtaposes LTTE boys practicing martial arts and uniformed schoolgirls at a Black Tigers Day celebration against a slow-motion scene of children playing on Prabhakaran's lap. Another film, called "Tit for Tat", has a scene with two scoreboards: one with the Sri Lankan flag, the other with the LTTE flag. As an image of the island of Sri Lanka slowly starts to fill with explosions of red paint, numbers on the scoreboards increase—with details of specific massacres appearing in text. The film ends with this quotation, "Why do people kill to show that it is wrong to kill?"The International Forum for Peace and Justice in Sri Lanka hopes to take this exhibit to other cities in the Sri Lankan diaspora. For more information, please contact: infosrilanka@gmail.com No snap polls till 2010 - President "We have got a mandate till 2010. Therefore, I am not in a hurry to hold a general election until then," President Mahinda Rajapakse said yesterday (August 26th). The President has emphasized this at a meeting with his cabinet at Temple Trees this morning. However, Treasurer of the SLFP and Minister, Dallas Alahapperuma told the media yesterday that the government was prepared to take up the challenge by the UNP leader to hold a parliamentary election, without dissolving provincial councils.Responding to this statement, General Secretary of The UNP, Tissa Attanayake said that the UNP repeated its call to the President not to hold min-elections and to go straight for parliamentary polls. LTTE says they are still intact The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has confided to a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP that though they were losing some of the land areas earlier held by them following the ongoing battle, their senior battle hardened men and bulk of the weapons were intact.The LTTE, according to the senior TNA MP who wished to maintain anonymity, had admitted to him that the Tigers were losing much of their land space following the present onslaught initiated by the government troops.However, the Tigers had told the MP that they would not let the government troops capture their bases in Kilinochchi or Mullaitivu.According to the MP, the LTTE’s tactical withdrawal had enabled them to safeguard bulk of the weaponry and the life of well-trained senior cadres. UNP meets tomorrow to consider party reforms The UNP Working Committee will meet tomorrow, August 28 to consider a report by a committee of party seniors for party reforms.The reforms committee comprising party seniors, Joseph Michael Perera, John Amaratunge, Renuka Herath, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera and Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake last week submitted their report to party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe having considered representations made by several MPs.The report it is learned recommends the appointment of a Deputy Leader and an Assistant Leader, two positions that were earlier in the party but later abolished on a recommendation by the Working Committee.The Morning Leader learns the reforms report will be tabled at Thursday’s Working Committee and approval sought for its adoption.It is also learned the Working Committee will be asked if there are any proposals for the amendment of the recommendations.Meanwhile, several MPs who have agitated for party reforms have sought a meeting with Wickremesinghe today.Wickremesinghe who is scheduled to visit Anamaduwa today to see the damage inflicted on the party office of Puttalam District MP Ranga Bandara has it is learned agreed for a meeting on Thursday, before the Working Committee meeting.UNP Assistant Secretary Lakshman Seneviratne told The Morning Leader he had sought a meeting with Wickremesinghe on behalf of a group of MPs. SLMC retains seat in Anuradhapura The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has again retained its seat in Anuradhapura following the recently concluded NCP Provincial Council elections, SLMC General Secretary and Parliamentarian Hasan Ali said.He said the Anuradhapura seat has been kept by the SLMC for the past 15 years.He said the Congress contested alone in Anuradhapura in the North Central Province (NCP) and Kegalle in the Sabaragamuwa province and added that while the Anuradhapura seat was won by the SLMC candidate, the candidate who contested in Kegalle, Hussein Ahamed came second in the list, losing the district.He said though there were attempts by the Government to weaken the SLMC, the party had performed better than in the past.According to him the SLMC had fielded a candidate for the Kegalle district for the first time.He said the Government used the Minister of Water Supply and Drainage A.L.M.Athaullah to contest the elections alone under his own party ‘National Congress’, in a bid to break the SLMC vote base, but added it was a failure.“Minister Athaullah failed miserably at the elections. It is an indication that the SLMC is still a strong party in the island,” he said. LTTE presence in the East on the increase—TMVP The Tiger intelligence operations in the east have shown a marked increase in recent weeks, TMVP spokesperson Azath Moulana told The Morning Leader yesterday.The heightened intelligence work comes one year after government forces gained control of the entire eastern province.He said the intelligence activities are mostly in Kancikudichcharu and the surrounding areas.He however said that it was not a serious threat at the moment and added that the security forces have already taken steps to destroy the network immediately."This is not a serious issue or a threat to us. But, the security forces have taken immediate measures to put an end to this," Moulana said.There have been isolated incidents in the east targeting security forces and the TMVP cadres since the liberation of the east.Though the government has claimed that the LTTE was totally wiped out from the east, the TMVP continued to state that there were Tiger cadres working in small pockets in the east.The TMVP insisted that it would carry arms until the Tigers were totally wiped out, including in the north.Moulana said the isolated attacks on the security forces and the TMVP were carried out with the assistance of the intelligence cadres of the LTTE in the east."The LTTE made sure that some of its cadres stayed behind. They are mingling with the people," he said. Army moves further in Weli Oya The Army broke through LTTE defences in Weli Oya capturing an 800-metre stretch of the Thannimuruppukulam tank bund, the biggest in the Weli Oya area. The Tigers had been launching attacks from this position at the advancing troops.In Monday’s confrontation, eight LTTE cadres were killed and 11 injured, Military spokeman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said. The Army reported no casualities.Meanwhile in a search operation conducted in Abhimanagama in Kebitigollewa around 7 a.m. troops recovered a weapon four magazines with 120 rounds of ammunition, a mobile phone and two grenades."These items would have been brought to this area by a Tiger cadre who had planned to cross over to an LTTE controlled area," Nanayakkara said. Army facing heavy resistance from Tigers Troops advancing ahead of Thunukkai and areas west of the town have encountered heavy resistance and mortar fire from the Tigers, the Defence Ministry and the Army said."Army infantrymen and commandos of Task Force 1 continued their counter terror operations on the Kilinochchi southern front enduring heavy terrorist resistance on Sunday (Aug. 24). Reports indicate that 4 terrorists were killed and at least 4 others were wounded in the clashes," the Defence Ministry said yesterday of fighting south of Nachchikudah, on the northwestern coast of the Kilinochchi District.The army said, on August 25 troops operating ahead of Thunukkai came under heavy mortar fire from the Tigers, directed from the Mulaithivu area."Troops moving past Tunukkai faced a shower of LTTE mortar rounds, that were directed from the east of Tunukkai and also from Ariyamadu area to the west of Mulaithivu town centre on Monday (25)," the army said adding that four soldiers had died during the mortar fire. Wanni civilians living on knife’s edge Hundreds of thousands of civilians in the Wanni continue to live on knife’s edge, with the combined threat of being used as human shields and food and medicine supplies cutoff on short notice ominously hanging over them, government and humanitarian agencies warned."Supplies are there and people are surviving for the time being, but the situation is very delicate and can change suddenly," Kilinochchi government agent Nagalingam Vedanayagam told The Morning Leader.Humanitarian agencies said that the situation in the Wanni was precarious and at least 164,000 IDPs remained in the two districts of Kilinochchi and Mulaithivu. "The general security situation in Kilinochchi and Mulaithivu Districts remains tense and fluid due to ongoing military operations and exchange of mortar/ artillery shelling around the northern and southern FDL areas, claymore mine attacks and air attacks deep inside the Wanni area," the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) said in its latest situation report.It said new supplies of medicine and food had reached the Wanni in the last week, but concerns continued to persist over the health and food situation of the IDPs."Regional Director of Health Services (RDHS) reported on August 21, that third quarter drugs have arrived in Kilinochchi from Vavuniya during the past week. The RDHS requested that the health department allocates additional drugs to Kilinochchi. RDHS also received one lorry load of drugs including surgical items for Kilinochchi on August 20," ISAC said adding, "World Food Programme transported 125 MT of Dhal and 100 MT of wheat flour for its ongoing dry ration distribution covering 31,398 families (119,905 individuals) in Kilinochchi and 10,907 families (39,040 individuals) in Mulaithivu districts."The World Health Organisation however warned that there were fears of possible shortages. "The delivery of supplies such as drugs, supplementary foods and fuel to communities in LTTE-controlled areas is difficult.Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation continues to be complicated by serious food, drugs and fuel shortages. District health facilities are suffering substantial medicine, personnel and fuel Shortages," the WHO said in an Action Report released from Geneva last week.Agencies also warned that the education in the Wanni and surrounding districts was getting affected due to military activity and displacements. "The Zonal Director Education for Kilinochchi reported on 21 August that since June 2008, 33 schools with 10,000 students have been displaced from areas in Poonakary and Karachchi AGA divisions in Kilinochchi district," ISAC said.Vedanayagam said that 22 schools in Kilinochchi were being used as shelters for the over 74,000 IDP’s who were displaced in since June. Alternate locations have to be found for the IDP’s if these schools are reopen for the new term next week, he said. 25 August 2008 Govt. prepared for general election within 3 months The government says it is prepared to take up the challenge by the UNP leader to hold a parliamentary election, without dissolving provincial councils.Minister Dallas Alahapperuma said they are prepared for polls within three months.Mr. Alahapperuma, who is also treasurer of the SLFP, speaking at a told the media in Colombo today (Aug 25th), was responding to a remark by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe.Mr. Wickremesinghe had challenged the government prior to the provincial polls, to hold generation election without dissolving any further provincial council. Appoint ‘Mangalam Master’ to NCPC - Karuna Amman TMVP member to be appointed to NCP Iyyadorai Kadiramathambi alias Mangalam Master of the TMVP is to be appointed to the North Central Provincial Council, after he came last in the list of preferential votes.He had contested Polonnaruwa on the UPFA ticket and polled just 5,519 votes.SLFP General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena had agreed to grant him one of the bonus seats for the province under an election agreement with the TMVP. KKS port renovation a “tough task” - SLPA The Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) said that renovation of the Kankasanthurai port is a “tough task” in view of the current ongoing projects in four other ports in the country.The government has expressed interest in opening up the Kankasanthurai port following the capture of some key areas, SLPA Acting Chairman Priyath Bandu Wickrama said.In an interview with the Daily Financial Times he said that they were currently discussing the development of the harbour and believed it would take some time in view of the security clearance required in this respect from the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN).The opening of this harbour would be carried out in a bid to ensure that essential commodities are being transported to the North and East for which currently facilities are not in place, the acting chairman stated.The required improvement has been called for by the government as they have come up with plans to ensure that the port will be operational and in full gear before the end of this year.It was mentioned that currently the SLPA is engaged in work relating to the inspection of the breakwater of the port while at the same time conducting discussion with the SLN in addition to yard and road renovation.SLPA is expected to obtain monetary assistance from the Treasury for the renovation work at the Kankasanthurai port. Meanwhile, the SLPA is gearing up to call for tenders for the Colombo South Port next month. He noted that the first tender was cancelled in view of the “national interest”.The Colombo Port Expansion Project (CPEP) as it is referred to, is currently in progress, Wickrama observed adding that they were engaged in dredging work parallel to which they were building the breakwater.The progress on the CPEP is lagging due to the policies adopted previously if not it should have completed work in 2007, it was pointed out. In the meantime, the Hambantota port is progressing according to the scheduled time which would be operational by mid 2010 while the CPEP is expected to be in operation by 2011/12, Wickrama said.Construction work on the Oluvil port has commenced while tenders for the construction of the Galle port is currently under evaluation.“We are planning to start construction by end October,” he said. 24 August 2008 Germany washes hands off Lanka Germany said it has virtually washed its hands off solving the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict since its voice and advice has been ignored by the government.German Ambassador Jürgen Weerth, addressing a forum organised by the Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sri Lanka (FCCISL), said the present government had ignored the voice of Germany with regard to solving the ethnic conflict.He added that his country did not believe in allowing the majority community to rule over minorities. “A country should have a give-and-take policy when ruling. Each community should be given preference, instead of supporting one community,” he said.Weerth further said that Sri Lanka should establish the rule of law and eliminate human rights violations in the country.“Sri Lanka’s Constitution should be applauded. It has covered all the major and minor sections – but those rules have not been implemented. Sri Lanka is one of those democracies that the international community has great respect for, but today we see that it has failed to meet those expectations,” he added. Sri Lanka battles kill 30 rebels, 3 soldiers Government troops attacked Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka - 's war-ravaged north, triggering battles that killed 30 rebels and three soldiers, the military said Sunday.Fighting has escalated in recent weeks in the Indian Ocean island, with the military capturing a series of rebel bases and large chunks of territory and government officials reiterating their pledge to crush the rebel group by the end of the year.The latest battles erupted Saturday along the front lines separating government-held territory and the rebels' de facto state in the north, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said. In the worst fighting, army troops clashed with rebels in the Welioya area, leaving 16 rebels and one soldier dead, he said. Another eight soldiers were wounded.Soldiers also attacked two rebel bunkers in the Vavuniya area, killing nine guerrillas, he said. Two soldiers were wounded in the assault.Other fighting in the region killed five rebels and two soldiers, he said.Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be reached for comment on the military's claims.Both sides routinely exaggerate enemy casualties and underreport their own. Independent verification of the fighting was not possible because most journalists are barred from the war zone.International aid groups say the recent fighting has forced tens of thousands of civilians to flee their homes. The groups say the government has cut off most phone service to rebel areas in recent weeks, a charge the military denies.The rebels have been fighting for an independent state in the north and east since 1983, following decades of marginalization of ethnic Tamils by governments dominated by the Sinhalese majority. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict. UPFA secures clear majority at PC polls The ruling UPFA of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has secured a clear mandate at yesterday’s (Aug. 23rd) polls for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces.According to official results, the UPFA has won all parliamentary seats in the two provinces.In the NCP, the UPFA has polled 307,157 votes (56.37 per cent of valid votes) to secure 18 seats plus two bonus seats.With 205,284 votes (37.64 pc), the UNP has won 12 seats.The JVP, which polled 26,738 votes (4.9 pc), has one seat.In Sabaragamuwa, the UPFA has obtained 472,789 votes (55.37 pc) and collected 25 seats, including two bonus seats.The UNP, with 346,321 votes (40.53 pc), has secured 17 seats. The JVP has polled 19,068 votes (2.23 pc) for two seats. Step motherly treatment meted out to doctors in north east Frustrated doctors in the north and east are due to meet the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) on August 31 to discuss the non-payment of overtime and special allowances to the doctors.GMOA Spokesman Dr. Upul Gunasekara told The Nation that the Healthcare Ministry had failed to pay the overtime allowances and special allowances to the doctors for the last two months.“I don’t understand why they are unable to pay overtime and special allowances of these doctors when they are able to pay the doctors in Colombo. In fact they should focus more on the doctors in the north and east since they are working in war-affected areas,” Gunasekara said.These doctors as they are working around the clock since there are not enough number of doctors and surgeons, yet they are not paid their stipulated allowances,” he added.Gunasekara noted that the government should appreciate the hard work of the doctors in question, instead of neglecting them and delaying their overtime payments and special allowances.“Around the world, the NGOs control the patients in the war-affected areas, but in Sri Lanka it is the GMOA doctors who take care of patients and their needs. Therefore it is the responsibility of the government to protect these doctors rather than let them down intentionally,” Dr. Gunasekara said. APRC to submit 13th Amendment plus solution The All Party Representative Committee will continue with its deliberations despite the withdrawal of the JHU and submit a report to President Mahinda Rajapakse calling for a 13th Amendment plus solution within a unitary state, The Sunday Leader learns. Informed sources said the APRC has already finalised 90 per cent of the substance and the remaining 10 per cent will be taken up for discussion tomorrow, August 25 when the committee reconvenes. It is learned the JHU representative to the APRC, Udaya Gammanpila had been party to the 90 per cent substance agreed upon and his consent is reflected in the minutes of the proceedings. Science and Technology Minister and APRC Chairman Tissa Vitharana confirmed to The Sunday Leader 90 per cent of the substance was finalised and that the JHU had also endorsed the decisions taken. He said despite the JHU decision to withdraw from the deliberations the committee will continue with its sessions and submit a report to the President based on the agreements reached. The Minister declined to give a time frame for the submission of the final report or details of the 90 per cent substance agreed upon. However, The Sunday Leader learns the proposals agreed upon are an advancement on the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and will be on the lines of the Indian model. Informed sources said the President had requested Minister Vitharana to include the words 'unitary state' in defining the nature of the State and that this request will be accommodated in the final document. It is learned, while the unitary state words will be incorporated in the report, the rest of the structure will be federal in nature similar to the Indian model. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also called for a 13th Amendment plus plus solution during his visit for the SAARC summit. " As long as the words unitary state is included the President will not have a problem and we will flesh it with a federal content. What is important is not semantics but the content of the structure and that will reflect the Indian model, an APRC source confirmed. Did LTTE murder cop at Tissa’s E-Kwality press? A Police officer who was decapitated last Tuesday while he was deployed to guard the E - Kwality printing press on a court order has not been given a fire arm for his protection, investigations revealed.The printing press named ‘E - Kwality’ situated at Jampettah Street, Kotahena, had been closed and sealed, on a Court order. The printing press is suspected to have been used by terrorists. The police officer who had been on sentry duty was found murdered. The police are in a quandary to determine as to who was responsible for the murder. They are not sure whether it is the work of the LTTE or underworld criminals.Police told Lakbimanews, that a sharp instrument had been used to commit the offence, and the manner in which the neck had been severed suggests that it is the work of an expert. According to the police all and sundry cannot execute such a perfect job.“Only specially trained soldiers like the STF, are adept in murdering people in this manner. Therefore it is intriguing’’, they concur.According to police investigations, journalist Jayaprakash Tissanayagam too was taken into custody in connection with suspicious dealings connected to this printing press.What is noteworthy is that the police finally, arranged to institute court action against the suspect Tissanayagam only on the day after the murder of the police officer. This was 165 days after Tissanayagam’s detention. The police officer was murdered on August 19, between 9.00 and 9.30 pm. The street is busy at this time.Police were of the opinion that this gruesome murder had been committed by a specially trained LTTE terrorist, who is still at large in Colombo. The house, which belonged to the underworld leader, who was killed by Kotahena police on August 18, is in the vicinity of the printing press. This is the reason that led the police to suspect underworld characters for the murder of the police officer. This underworld leader had been responsible for numerous thefts and murders. It is alleged that he has committed 13 murders and the thugs who are the associates of the underworld character, according to the police are out to avenge their leader’s murder.So the police have good reason to suspect these criminals. The police have not ruled out other possibilities. They even think that the murder could have been the work of an army deserter. Police are carefully assessing every possibility. Japanese delegation here on goodwill visit A four-member Japanese Parliamentary delegation led by House of Representatives Member Hosei Norota arrived in Sri Lanka on a goodwill visit last week. The delegation is scheduled to leave on Wednesday.Norota is also the Chairman of the Japan-Sri Lanka Parliamentarians’ Friendship Association, and Japan’s former Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and Defence Minister.The purpose of the visit was to promote and deepen bilateral relations between the two countries and its peoples.Norota was accompanied by House of Representatives Member and former Justice Minister Hiroshi Nakai, House of Representatives Member and former Senior Vice Finance Minister Naokazu Takemoto, House of Councillors Member and former Post and Telecommunications Minister Shazaburo Jimi and other officials of the Government of Japan.During their stay in Sri Lanka, they will meet with leaders of the Sri Lankan Government to exchange views on various bilateral issues.They will also visit the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy and the Sigiriya Rock Fortress as well as the new Sigiriya Museum, currently under construction with funds provided by the Government of Japan, in addition to some project sites funded by Japan. Rape and violence peak in 2007 Statistics available with the police headquarters reveal an increase in reported cases of rape and violence against women in 2007. The number of rape cases reported was 1398. The most cases had been recorded from the Ratnapura District, whilst Mannar District has recorded the least.A police source said that police statistics indicate a comparatively lower figure of 97 from the Northern and Eastern districts including Jaffna, which reported only 22 cases while Mannar District reported the lowest .“Of the total of 1398 cases police are yet to identify 24 suspects and 219 cases are pending in magistrate’s courts. Also there are 34 cases in high courts. The number being investigated by the Attorney General’s Department is 229 whilst the police are busy investigating 875 cases. The police have successfully concluded 41 cases whilst 1357 cases are presently being investigated,” the same source said. LTTE sets up civilian brigade Top level Tigers have said the government forces were walking into a trap in the Wanni and called for ordinary people to join hands with their armed cadres to thwart government forces advancing into the territory. The latest call to arms for the civilians came from political head Balasingham Nadesan. "The civilians joined the cadres in their struggle during Unceasing Waves-1.The People's Force faced the Jayasikuru Operation and the Sinhala forces in Thenmaratchi, Oddisuddan, Kilinochchi and Mankulam and created history. It was the People's Force that defeated the military during Operation Unceasing Waves 3. This was a historical defeat for the military. The People's Force does have a history," he said in Kilinochchi on August 21 according to pro-Tiger website Puthinam. Nadesan's comments came just three days after Tigers recommenced conducting training sessions for civilians in the Wanni and in the back drop of concerns that tens of thousands of civilians would be trapped in the Wanni and could be used as human shields. "When the civilians fled the Jaffna peninsula, everyone thought that the LTTE was weakened. But we showed to the world that the people were with us when we regained Mulaithivu," Nadesan said. The Tiger political head also predicted that government troops would be met with stiff resistance in the Wanni "The military has stepped into our trap, as stated by one of the Sinhala politicians. Weapons, the enemy's artillery and the airplanes are not new to our people. The people have learnt to handle weapons. Now they have to come together to make Wanni the graveyard for the Sinhala forces and liberate our people," he had also said. People trapped as troops move into LTTE-held areas LTTE forcibly conscripting civilians: Defence Ministry With the military steadily gaining control of LTTE strongholds in Kilinochchi thousands of civilians caught up in the fighting in uncleared areas maybe heading for more harrowing times.It is reported that the LTTE has begun coercing civilians and moving them to the Welioya area. According to the defence ministry civilians are being used to construct bunkers and other defences in the area.They are also being prevented from moving into cleared areas, as the outfit is running out of manpower they say. Meanwhile there have been two reported cases of suicide related to forced conscription by the LTTE. One was from the village of Vattakachchiya where a mother had committed suicide by taking poison after her two daughters who were forced to fight for the LTTE were killed within three weeks.In another incident a young man from Piramandankulam who resisted attempts by the LTTE to conscript him was reportedly assaulted by his LTTE abductors. Fearing reprisals, the young man had committed suicide by swallowing poison.These reports come in the backdrop of troops of the 57 Division of the army operating in the Mullaitivu Eastern Front taking control of Tunukkai and Uyilankulam towns on Friday. These areas had been under LTTE control for more than 25 years.“The gain of Thunukkai is advantageous to the security forces positioned in clear striking distance of Mallavi, another vital terrorist garrison along the Vellankaulam- Mankulam main road,” the Defence Ministry said. Sri Lankan drug peddler held CHENNAI: In a swift pre-dawn operation here on Saturday, sleuths of the Narcotics Control Bureau arrested a drug peddler who was evading arrest for many years.Chellappa Saguneswaran, 42, of Vavunia in Sri Lanka, was picked up from a lodge at Periamet. Narcotics seized NCB sources said the police intercepted Shanmuganathan of Colombo at the Chennai international airport on Friday night when he was about to board a plane to Sri Lanka. A search of his baggage brought out 750 gram of heroin concealed in an oven and electric cooker.Enquiries revealed that Shanmuganathan had no knowledge of the drug being stuffed in the baggage, and that he had only agreed to hand over the materials given by his friend, Saguneswaran, to a family in Colombo.Based on the inputs given by the passenger, a NCB team launched a manhunt for the suspect in Chennai and neighbouring districts.Taking its cue from the mobile phone communication and tower location, the team raided hotels in suspected areas. At about 2 a.m., the police found Saguneswaran in a lodge at Periamet. He was in possession of another 750 gram of heroin. He confessed that on August 14, he smuggled to Sri Lanka 2 kg of heroin, with the help of an agent in Tuticorin.“Saguneswaran is a big time drug peddler who was formerly a teacher in a school at Vavuniya. Though he was into drug business for years, he managed to keep his identity and movements secret. Investigations are on to find out the source and supply network of the contraband,” NCB South Zonal Director S. Davidson Devasirvatham told The Hindu.The suspect was using carriers who had no knowledge that they were transporting drugs. The NCB was investigating the possibility of Saguneswaran’s links with the banned Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the sources said. Imelda Sukumar appointed Vavuniyaa GA, Shanmugam transferred to Colombo Ms Imelda Sukumar has been appointed Government Agent of Vavuniyaa district with immediate effect. She has been instructed by the Sri Lanka's Ministry of Public Administration to cover the administrative district of Killinochchi also. She had been earlier serving as the GA, Killinochchi district till she sustained injuries in the artillery attack by the Sri Lanka Army on the Killinochchi district secretariat recently, media sources said. Meanwhile Sinnathamby Shanmugam, who had been serving as the Government Agent of Vavuniyaa district till August 22 has been transferred to Public Administration Ministry in Colombo with immediate effect. The transfer order was handed over to Mr.Shanmugam on Saturday, media sources said. LTTE calls up ‘reserves’ as Security Forces close in As the armed forces closed in on LTTE strongholds in the north, the rebels are reported to have called in their “reserve” forces, including retired guerrillas and civilians who had been doing odd jobs for them, a government officials claimed.He said the civilians being enlisted to the LTTE’s war effort included farmers and labourers in Tiger-controlled areas. More than 5,000 former Tiger guerrillas and civilians have been enlisted following an urgent appeal by the group’s political wing, the official said.Ex-guerrillas and civilians being trained at an LTTE facility. Soon after they enrolled, the new members were taken to a playground in Kilinochchi where they were put through physical exercise and training in handling automatic rifles.Those who enrolled have been advised to report on a regular basis to the LTTE for training and were told that their main task would be to prevent the military from entering the LTTE’ stronghold in Kilinochchi.One of the tasks entrusted to them has been to monitor the movement of security forces and alert the LTTE. The LTTE also has issued instructions to its medical units to be strengthened to meet any medical needs in the coming weeks. The move came as military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said yesterday the army was 12 kilometres south of the Kilinochchi town after capturing the strategic Thunkkai and Uyilankulam areas, cutting off a main road used by the Tiger guerrillas.He said the security forces had resumed their advance towards Kilinochchi yesterday. The capture of Thunkkai and Uiylankulam on Friday cut off one of the key access routes to Mankulam while the number of civilians from the villages fleeing towards Kilinochchi increased steadily.Brig Nanayakkara said the southern part of the Akkarayankulam tank also had been captured by troops inflicting another blow to the LTTE. At least four soldiers and 26 LTTE cadres were reported killed during heavy fighting in the Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and the eastern Wanni battlefronts yesterday.Twenty four soldiers and 42 LTTE cadres were also injured in the fighting yesterday with heavy resistance reported form the Tunukkai and Palaimoddai areas. Meanwhile pressure was building on government authorities, UN agencies and international and local NGOs as the number of displaced people in the rebel-held areas increased.They are being accommodated in temporary sheds, schools and open spaces. Among the displaced were about 25,000 students. The displaced people are being sheltered in 22 schools while 70 other schools in the LTTE-held areas have been closed down due to the fighting. Kilincochchi’s Government Agent A. Vedhanayagam on Friday held an urgent meeting with officials of UN agencies, the ICRC and INGOs to seek assistance to accommodate the students and other displaced people. He asked them to provide temporary shelter and sanitation facilities.“We will be facing another severe problem when schools start next month as the displaced persons would have to vacate the schools,” he said. Meanwhile, more than 500 students who were due to sit the Year Five scholarship exam last Sunday could not do so as they have been displaced from their homes.Defence sources say the LTTE has begun coercing civilians and moving them to the Welioya area while civilians are being told to construct bunkers and other defences in the area. They are also being prevented from moving into cleared areas, as the outfit is running out of manpower, they say.Meanwhile there have been two reported cases of suicide related to forced conscription by the LTTE. One was from the village of Vattakachchiya where a mother had committed suicide by taking poison after her two daughters who were forced to fight for the LTTE were killed within three weeks.In another incident a youth from Piramandankulam who resisted attempts by the LTTE to conscript him was reportedly assaulted by his LTTE abductors. Fearing reprisals, the youth committed suicide by swallowing poison. 23 August 2008 Take photographs of war heroes attacking Tamils and publish them, Mervin advises to media Minister Mervin Silva advised media to take photographs of war heroes attacking Tamils and publish them.He gave this advice to the photographers who were taking his pictures at the courts when the Minister arrived there with his counsels to surrender yesterday (22). Lanka-e-News asked the Media Spokesman on National Security, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella to comment on Minister Mervin Silva’s statement that the security forces were attacking Tamils. He said that the war heroes were fighting against terrorism and terrorists. He says that it is not a war against a nationality and everybody must bless it. Minister Rambukwella said that he could not comment on another Minister’s statement which he was not aware of. Army media spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara also said the security forces were in a war against terror and he was not aware of the Minister’s statement. The statement that the security forces were attacking Tamils is similar to stating that the security forces were engaged in genocide. The problem here is if it is government policy since Minister Mervin Silva is a government Minister. Voting in crucial provincial elections opens in Sri Lanka Voting in a crucial poll in two of Sri Lanka - 's nine provinces began Saturday morning concluding a violent campaign marred by reports of shooting, arson and voter intimidation. Hours before voting started the state-run Sri Lanka - Broadcasting Corporation announced that government troops were 12 kilometres south of the rebel stronghold of Kilinochchi after capturing another rebel-held town Friday. The main opposition United National Party (UNP), led by former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, criticized the government for misusing the military campaign for political purposes. More than 20,000 police, backed by the army, have been deployed for the elections while more than 10,000 independent monitors are involved in monitoring the poll. Overnight monitors reported a series of incidents of national identity cards being collected from voters, which effectively prevents people from voting. UPFA-UNP in battle for 2 provinces Voting is now underway at 1,772 polling centres in North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces to elect 73 people's representatives, with the UPFA and the UNP reportedly in a stiff battle to gain control of the two provinces. The NCP will elect 31 members, while it will be 42 members for Sabaragamuwa.Two bonus seats each are on offer to the party that wins a majority in the two provinces.According to Elections Department, 16 recognized political parties and 34 independent groups are fielding 1,698 candidates at the election.The four districts of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura and Kegalle are having 2,165,280 voters eligible to exercise their franchise.The government has deployed around 25,500 personnel on election duty.The army will assist the police in maintaining law and order under STF commandant DIG Mahinda Balasuriya and with supervision by IGP Jayantha Wickramaratne.The Elections Secretariat expects to release the first postal voting result by 2.00 am tomorrow morning. Suicide bomb kit found in Church An LTTE suicide kit was found on a bench at the Philip Neri’s Church at Olcott Mawatha, Pettah yesterday morning.On examining a bag found on one of the benches, workers found several old clothes and detonators, batteries, iron ball bearings, a switch and a suicide kit.Army bomb disposal squad summoned immediately by the Church authorities examined the contents of the bag and took them awayPolice believe that a person who entered the Church the previous evening in the guise of engaging in prayers had deliberately kept the bag on the bench fearing that he could be subject to a search. There had been a heavy Police presence along Olcott Mawatha on Thursday evening In Balagolla, Kandy, 8 detonators, a quantity of C-4 explosives, and 138 kilos of ball bearings were detected by the Police in a garbage dump. This was the second time explosives were detected in a garbage dump in the vicinity of the Kandy town. On the detection at St. Philip Neri’s Church Auxiliary Bishop Rt. Rev. Marius Peiris said Church authorities would meet soon and decided whether all those enter Church premises for prayers should be subject to a body search. Inflation, wages darken Sri Lanka garment industry outlook Blast targets vehicle of 2 ministers A hand grenade blast has targeted vehicles carrying ministers Amir Ali and Hussain Baila in Polonnaruwa around 11.30 last night (Aug. 22nd). One vehicle has been slightly damaged in the attack, but there were no injuries.The two ministers were on their way to the circuit bungalow of the National Livestock Development Board at Nelumgama, when the incident occurred.Minister Baila told 'Lanka Dissent' that after hearing the sound of the explosion, security personnel had advised the drivers to drive the vehicles straight to the bungalow without stopping.Police were informed of the incident, but had arrived around one-and-a-half hour late, and have told the ministers that the blast had occurred most probably due to an improvised explosive device.Mr. Baila said however, his security personnel had now established that it was in fact a hand grenade, and that the assailant had missed the target and the bomb had hit a tree by the roadside. Kilinochchi medical chief warns health disaster if precaution not taken Chief of Kilinochchi health service, Dr Sathiamoorthy, warned that in the coming months, due to heavy rain, serious health risks could occur among the IDPs, unless precautions are taken now. He said that lack of adequate nutrition and lack of healthy living space could cause many serious illnesses during the rainy season.He appealed to the agencies working for the IDPs to build shelters for them taking these factors into consideration. Because of the poor conditions of the streets, living close to these streets cause respiratory illness he warned and said that IDPs should not be settled close to the roads.He also asked that the shops selling food should function with social conscience and maintain good hygiene. He said that most of the hospitals that have displaced are now functioning with the Kilinochchi district hospital. A Sinhala student of Eastern University killed Army spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that a Sinhala student had been shot and killed inside the Eastern University last Thursday night (21). The victim was H.M.S.P. Samarasinghe, a final year commerce student. He is a resident of Pothuhera of Kurunegala. The killing took place in the student hostel of the university. Police conducts further investigations. Sinhala students who were selected for the universities in Northern and Eastern Provinces staged a protest before the University Grants Commission with their parents appealing to provide them other universities since they were unable to study there. Ensure civilian safety-Jaffna Bishop Elated Army Chief flies to Wanni Commending the latest victory in the battle field, Army Commander Sarath Fonseka yesterday said the future targets would be more challenging but expressed confidence that they would be able to face them.“I am happy with the progress made so far in all Wanni fronts. We are now nearing Kilinochchi. Though our future targets would be more challenging, I am sure we would be able to face them,” the army chief told his Wanni Commanders during an unscheduled visit to the Wanni Headquarters yesterday.“Try to maintain the highest degree of morale among soldiers by speaking to all of them. Let us reach our targets with determination in the near future,” he told senior Commanders.Highly impressed by invaluable ground achievements, gained by his troops in the Wanni Theatre of operations, the Army Chief commended General Officer Commanders in Divisions and all soldiers on their selfless commitment and contribution to the nation at this critical juncture of our history,” the headquarters said. SL Army captured Thunukkai and Uilankulam Towns- Defence Ministry The Defence Ministry yesterday claimed the military had captured the strategically important Tunukkai and Uyilankulam towns in the Mullaitivu district yesterday morning He said troops have commenced approaching the strategically important Thunukkai town from the North and the West since last Thursday (21 August). Thunukkai town is situated on the halfway of the Vellankulama and Mankulama road and has been a strategic nerve centre for LTTE for last 25 years. Uilankulam is located around 5Km north of Thunukkai and it is also an LTTE's stronghold in Mullaittiuvu District as fierce gun battles reported in this area during the past few days. With this newest victory, security forces have reached to a significant phase of the Wanni liberating offensive as these areas were liberated for the first time in nearly three decades long fighting between security forces and LTTE. The gain of Thunukkai adds advantage toward the security forces positioned in clear striking distance of Mallavi another vital LTTE's garrison along the Vellankaulam- Mankulam main road. Troops of 57 Division led by Maj General Jagath Dias have made their fullest contribution for the Wanni offensive liberating Madhu Church Complex, Palampiddi, Mundumurippu, Periyamadhu, Naddakandal, Chiradikkulam and Kalvilan areas. 16 August 2008 Street walking Narayanan was lucky that no white van seized him in Colombo -Mano Ganesan Indian security advisor Narayanan was lucky that he did not end up in the ‘disappeared’ list. He and Indian authorities should thank Lord Shiva for that no white van abductors bothered to adduct him when he was walking in Colombo streets without the possession of national identity card and police registration sheet said WPF Leader and Civil Monitoring Commission Convener Mano Ganesan in media statement issued by his office. Ganesan further said in his statement,It is reported that India’s security advisor Narayanan risked his personal security by walking back to his hotel closer to Kompany Veediya area in Colombo. We do not want to comment on the aspect of security lapse as it is a closed subject. But the other aspect of the issue is that Narayanan also faced the risk of white van abduction. This is because he was walking in Colombo streets without the possession of national identity card and police registration sheet. And he does not speak Sinhala. Generally Tamils and dark skinned strangers in Colombo are not given time for explanations if they do not carry the all important NICs and Police registrations in all times. Any ‘Tamil’ looking person under suspicion is bundled away in a offensive manner in Colombo. There can be some clever academic denials. But I am aware of this reality by all means as the Member of Parliament for Colombo. Narayanan walked because he had to be with his prime minister. He walked to his hotel situated opposite Galle face green from Kompany Veediya area. This is a white van spotted area. Enforced disappearances of members of Tamil community had been reported in this area. During the run-up to the SAARC convention houses of mostly Muslim Colombo citizens were demolished in this very area. As a follow up to this issue white vans were seen in this area searching for the SLMC Colombo Municipal Council members who led the agitation against the demolitions. Sri Lank Air Force destroys LTTE bunkers in Kilinochchi Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets attacked a line of LTTE bunkers in the embattled northern Sri Lanka today, the military said.Defense authorities said the fighter jets struck and completely destroyed the rebel bunker line located eight kilo meters east of Nachchikuda in Kilinochchi around 7.20 this morning. The raid was carried out in support of the troops conducting operations in the area, authorities said. Nadesan says govt. forces will be taught the right lesson. While fighting is raging in the western and eastern flanks of the Wanni with the security forces already having captured LTTE-held Mulankavil and the government hoping to capture the entire region before the end of this year, the LTTE has called upon their people to unite for transforming the Wanni into a graveyard for the advancing forces. LTTE political leader P.Nadesan while speaking at the second commemoration of 53 girl students killed in air attacks at Chencholai said that the massacre of the 53 girls was part of the Tamil genocide programme of the government, the Tamil media quoted him as saying at the commemoration. Comparing the present military operation in the Wanni to the 1995 operations in Jaffna, he said that:"In the 1995 the LTTE tactically withdrew from Jaffna but the government claimed that we were completely eliminated. But later we successfully foiled the 'Jaya Sikuru' military operation. Today they have stepped into the land of the Tamils to swallow it. The time is up for the government forces to be taught the right lesson." NFF invited to APC The National Freedom Front, led by Wimal Weerawansa, has been invited by the president to participate in the All Party Conference (APC) tasked with finding a solution to the national conflict. The All Party Representative Committee (APRC), at a recent meeting, has been informed of the invitation by its chairman Prof. Tissa Vitarana.Accordingly, the NFF is due to send its representatives to the APRC at its next round of discussions on August 28th.The APRC is presently not represented by the Jathika Hela Urumaya which pulled out citing policy reasons. Presidential poll, Mahinda's priority? President Mahinda Rajapaksa is prioritizing a presidential election over any further provincial council or parliamentary polls, a newspaper by National Freedom Front leader Wimal Weerwansa claims. According to the lead story of today's (Aug. 16th) issue of 'Heladiva', the main reason for the consideration is that a majority of the people is now trusting the president "due to the ongoing humanitarian operations in the north." It would be disadvantageous for Mr. Rajapaksa if he goes for a general election in which the UNP would emerge victorious, as most voters are disgruntled with almost all other UPFA politicians, his associates have pointed out.When 'Lanka Dissent' sought a comment from a senior government politician on this, he admitted there was some truth in the newspaper reported.He, however, pointed out the constitution made it clear that a gap between two presidential polls should be at least four years, which means the next presidential election could take place only after 17th November 2009.Therefore, ruling party advisors are looking into the possibility of overcoming this hurdle through a constitutional amendment, after gaining a two-thirds parliamentary majority by securing the upcoming polls for two provincial councils and luring more politicians from the UNP into its ranks. Most government affiliate parties are insisting to the president that a general election should not be called, while he is contemplating a presidential election at the end of next year if a two-thirds majority cannot be obtained.Responding to a question, the ruling party senior said no decision has been taken to hold a referendum on extending parliament's mandate after a presidential election. Tunukkai about to fall India sets hallmarks in all spheres challenging major powers – Chandrasekaran "It gives me great pleasure to witness that India which makes progress in almost all spheres, much to the challenge of the Major or Powers, is proudly celebrating the 62nd Independence Day," says the Leader of the Upcountry Peoples Front and the Minister of Community Development and Social Inequity Eradication in his message to the Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh.I am delighted to extend this message on behalf of the fifteen lakhs of people of Indian Origin living Sri Lanka."The population of Indian origin in Sri Lanka who live in an economically backward status wholeheartedly wish their Traditional Homeland all success on the occasion of the Independence Day."The message further adds that, India which gained recognition as the regional Super, Power of' South Asia has a bounden duty to offer significant contribution towards the Sri Lankan national question.It is a happy thing to mention that the government of India, unlike in the past demonstrate much interest in the welfare of the Indian population living in other countries. I recollect at this stage with gratitude the services being rendered to the Indian Diaspora by the Vayalar Ravi, the Central government minister for overseas Indians Affairs.I once again extend my wishes to India to be an overwhelmingly flourished power which has already- amassed victories in the field of economy, military power, modern technology and communications etc. Corporal shoots & kills 2 soldiers A corporal at an Army camp in Batticaloa shot dead two soldiers on the afternoon on August 14th, said police spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara. The incident occurred as the three were manning a roadblock near a kovil at Mavadivembu, Eravur. The two dead soldiers have been identified, and the corporal is in police custody.Meanwhile 'Tamil Net' reported that the corporal, following a standoff with the two soldiers who had been harassing a Tamil woman, had shot and killed them. Radhika takes up child-soldier issue with Sri Lanka Radhika Coomaraswamy – the UN special representative for children in armed conflict -- yesterday held talks with top government officials in Sri Lanka and discussed the protection of children involved in the northeast conflict. Ms. Coomaraswamy, who met Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, told jopurnalists the UN would continue to support Sri Lanka’s efforts to address the child recruitment issue and reintegrate them into society. “We agreed on the way forward. We will continue to support the work carried out by Sri Lanka,” she said. Minister Bogollagama said they discussed matters pertaining to the extent to which Sri Lanka had progressed on the issue of child soldiers. “As far as Sri Lanka is concerned we are looking at the future with great confidence. We have begun a program on rehabilitating children. Sri Lanka has zero tolerance on child recruitment,” Minister Bogollagama said. In July Ms. Coomaraswamy, the highest ranked Sri Lankan in the UN, called for targeted measures against 16 persistent violators in the recruitment of child soldiers and requested the UN Security Council to expand the scope of its working group to cover all areas of concern and all grave violations against children, especially sexual violence, which, like the recruitment of child soldiers, was always deliberate, targeted and a direct consequence of criminal intent. The LTTE and the TMVP is listed by the UN as groups recruiting children for combat but the TMVP recently assured that it had released most of them. At the Council sessions US representative Zalmay Khalilzad said the recruitment and use of child soldiers persisted in many countries including Sri Lanka where the LTTE and a government-supported paramilitary group continued to use child soldiers. Sri Lanka’s representative Prasad Kariyawasam had told the Council it should address how armed actors resorted to new tactics of recruitment, as in northern Sri Lanka, where the LTTE subjected schoolchildren to compulsory weapons and combat training. TMVP spokesman Azad Maulana told Daily Mirror they were aware of Ms. Coomaraswamy’s visit to Sri Lanka but were not sure if she would seek a meeting with TMVP leader Karuna Amman or Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan. Meanwhile the UNICEF said Child recruitment places children at risk of death and disability and denied them the opportunity to grow and develop, to have access to education and puts them at risk of abuse and exploitation. Children who have been recruited often suffer long term emotional and social problems. UNICEF pointed out that its database on child recruitment presented on its website provided monthly updated figures on child recruitment by the LTTE. As part of UNICEF’s mandate to monitor child rights violations, we compile and verify data on child recruitment, as reported usually by family members, and make this information available regularly to partners, working with them to advocate against child recruitment. UNICEF said it continuously checked its database on underage recruitment to ensure accuracy. It only withdraws recruits from its database when it is able to verify their release through an official letter of release, or by establishing that the child is reunited with his or her parents. AI slams LTTE 'human shield' Govt. 'not doing enough' Amnesty has accused both sides in Sri Lanka's long-running conflict of deliberately putting civilians at risk to pursue military objectives.Nearly 70,000 people were displaced due to aerial bombardment and artillery attacks by government forces in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi, it said. “In the absence of independent international monitors, Sri Lankan civilians lack protection and remain at the mercy of two forces with long records of abuse,” Ms. Foster added. The human rights group urged both parties to allow civilians to move to safer areas and to receive humanitarian assistance.On Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross said tens of thousands of people had been displaced in recent fighting in northern Sri Lanka. PC member, 2 others imprisoned for abduction A provincial councilor and two others have been handed down a five-year rigorous imprisonment for the abduction and holding of a university student during the 1988-89 terror period. Badulla High Court Judge Sunil Gamini Perera also imposed a Rs. 25,000 fine each, and ordered that the imprisonment be extended by two years if the fines were not paid.The convicted, including Uva PC member R.M. Jayasinghe Bandara, had been accused in the case, in which the victim was Amarathunga Mudiyanselage Jayantha. Sonia indicates Singh will be PM again India’s ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi today expressed confidence that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will unfurl the national flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort next year too.Ms Gandhi said this while speaking to reporters soon after she hoisted the tricolour at the Congress Party headquarters here this morning. Dr Singh was with her, as were other senior party functionaries.Earlier, Dr Singh delivered his customary speech from the Red Fort to mark India’s 62nd Independence Day. After Ms Gandhi unfurled the national flag at the party headquarters, reporters asked Dr Singh if he will unfurl the national flag next year too from the Red Fort after doing it for the fifth and last time today during his five-year tenure as prime minister. He quipped: "Hopefully". Ms Gandhi promptly chimed in: "Why not ? Certainly!"As per the tradition set by India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1947, the country’s prime minister hoists the flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort and addresses the nation on August 15 every year to mark the Indian Independence Day.Dr Singh’s term in office expires in May 21 next year. A general election is scheduled to be held in April so that a new government is sworn in after he demits office. The comments made by Dr Singh and Ms Gandhi today suggest two things. One is that they expect the UPA to win the next election. And the second is that Dr Singh will get a second term as prime minister. These remarks are significant in view of the reports here that some loyalists of the Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty want Rahul Gandhi, son of the late Rajiv Gandhi and the Italian-born Sonia Gandhi, to be made the prime minister if the UPA returns to power. 15 August 2008 'Government's weakness that Tamils not with it" -Gotabaha admits Responding to India's National Security Advisor M.K.Narayanan's comments over the ongoing war and failure on the part of the Sri Lankan government to convince the Tamils of its genuineness, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa admitted in an interview with the IANS that the Tamils were not with the government and it was weakness of the government. The IANS quoted him as saying "The only area where we have failed is to show our genuineness, to convince outsiders about our sincerity in resolving the problem. In action we have proved it. We are not good at propaganda. If Tamils indeed are not with us, then it is our weakness."He was also quoted as saying that it was the inability of the President and the government to show its sincerity to the Tamils and the outside world, adding that they have to improve on it but it will take time. He has also said that it was useless to talk to the LTTE because all previous efforts had failed but ultimately there will have to be a political solution, a permanent solution, and his solution was political. Thousands of refugees living in the woods; army is blocking aid More than 75,000 people have been made refugees since June, while fighting intensifies between the army and the Tamil Tigers. The army is blocking humanitarian aid, claiming that it is going to the rebels. Bishop of Mannar: the safety of the population must be guaranteed, and their food needs must be met.Colombo (AsiaNews) - According to official figures from the United Nations, more than 75,000 people have fled their homes in the north of Sri Lanka over the last two and a half months. To these must be added the many already displaced over years of fighting. The area controlled by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is a battlefield where the population is fleeing from one place to another, and where it is even difficult to bring aid from humanitarian organizations.The National Peace Council (NPC), a group that works for the rights of all the communities and seeks a peaceful solution to ethnic problems, explains that it is above all the army blocking the sending of aid to the people, out of fear that the supplies are going to the LTTE. Thousands of people are living outdoors, under the trees."We hold that the welfare of the civilian population must not be compromised by military exigencies", the NPC says. "They must be safeguarded from collateral damage and not be used as human shields in any circumstance. We call on the government not to use its air and artillery power to attack areas in which civilians are residing". "We also call for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor, with the cooperation of UN agencies and the International Committee of the Red Cross, whereby people who wish to leave the areas of combat are permitted by both the government and LTTE to do so in accordance with the basic human right of freedom of movement. The people who leave the areas of combat should also be treated with respect and dignity, and permitted freedom of movement, without being confined to welfare camps as occurring at present at Kalimottai and at Sirukandal, as pointed out by Bishop Joseph in his statement".The government says it has proof that most of the humanitarian aid for civilians has been taken by the LTTE. Meanwhile, the army is gaining ground and retaking villages: yesterday, it took Mulankavil, described by the defense minister as a "Tamil Tiger stronghold".The bishop of Mannar, Jospeh Rayappu, has asked the government to study how it can guarantee security and safety for civilians in the northern part of the country, and permit the United Nations and humanitarian groups to bring them the food they need. He is also asking that a "neutral zone" be set up in each of the three districts where fighting is underway, a proposal that has been seconded by the NPC. EU thwarted meet with TMVP in Trinco That airline dispute between Sri Lanka and EU delegation Against the backdrop of accusations that Sri Lanka sabotaged the July 23 visit to the East by a visiting EU delegation, The Island can now reveal that it was the EU Mission in Colombo who cancelled a scheduled charter flight by a domestic operator.The shocking revelation of the last minute cancellation of the private aircraft, booked by the EU mission to take the delegation to Trincomalee had fueled speculation on whether there had been a clandestine move to embarrass Sri Lanka, an authoritative government official said.The seven-member EU parliamentary delegation led by Robert Evans could have easily flown to the Eastern port city where the first meeting between the EU and renegade LTTE cadre turned Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan was to take place, he said. Addressing a packed press conference in Colombo on July 25, the delegation accused the Sri Lankan government of thwarting its visit. The delegation head Evans said that endless complications and delays caused the cancellation, asserting that the visit could have taken place had the Sri Lankan government provided the required authorisation to the flight chartered by the EU.Responding to our queries, Sri Lankan sources claimed the EU had torpedoed the visit to ensure that the delegation did not meet Chandrakanthan of the TMVP, the breakaway LTTE faction now in charge of the Eastern PC. The TMVP contested the first election to the Eastern PC on the government ticket.The EU mission in Colombo had reserved an aircraft operated by DECCAN AVIATION LANKA to airlift the delegation. "They also confirmed the flight and went to the extent of paying a reservation deposit," the official said. But the EU had cancelled the reservation several days before the scheduled flight without giving any specific reason to the local airline. Had the EU stuck to its original arrangement, the visit scheduled for July 23 would have taken place, the official said. The delegation was to return to Colombo on Friday to address a press briefing before departure.He said DECCAN AVIATION had authorisation to operate domestic flights. After the surprise cancellation, the EU had brought a UN aircraft to move the delegation to Trincomalee. "Don’t forget this aircraft arrived in Colombo only on July 20th," he said. They couldn’t have been unaware that the aircraft (Beech King Air B 200) needed to obtain numerous regulatory, security and safety approvals to conduct the flight to Trincomalee, he said.The government said the EU rejected its offer to provide air passage to and back from Trincomalee. Even if the EU declined the offer on the advice of its security staff, why on earth did it cancell the reservation made with DECCAN AVIATION, the official said. The UN aircraft had been called all the way from South Africa to carry the delegates to and from Trincomalee. EPDP person shot dead in Kaaththaankudi Unidentified gunmen shot and killed Friday around 11:45 a.m a person belonging to Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) while he was selling 'Thinamurasu' newspaper in front of Manchchanththoduvaay Technical College in Kaaththaankudi police division in Batticaloa district, sources in Batticaloa said. The identity of the victim is not known. Kaththaankudi police recovered the victim’s body and handed it over to Batticaloa Teaching Hospital mortuary.Police are investigating into the killing. Rajapakse government has no Tamil support but India has other motives: JVP The Janaktha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) ‘agrees’ Rajapakse government has no support from Tamils as said by an Indian official this week but ’sees’ the comments are designed to safeguard the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from defeat. India is never going to allow the defeat of LTTE; therefore India has taken up the strategy steps in setting up stage for formulating a policy platform to safeguard LTTE from the edges of defeat.General Secretary of the JVP made these remarks in response to a question. The JVP secretary was asked about the recent comments to the Straits Times, by Indian National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan on the Sri Lankan situation.Tilvin Silva was asked to comment on M.K. Narayanan suggesting Sri Lanka cannot win the war until the support of the Tamil people is gotten.A news report on Sri Lanka’s premier Tamil Virakesari says, the JVP General Secretary also said the Tamil people have lost faith in the Rajapakse government for their rights as he just keeps giving concessions to Tamil representatives supporting the government. Commenting further Tilvin Silva said: Regional power To remain as the regional power and maintain economic and security statuses, India needs the LTTE. This is why a federal power sharing mechanism is also being thrust on Sri Lanka by India. These measures will only see separatism spiking up than crumbling.But the government on its knees is giving away all the resources to India. The troops got us the Eastern Province back. But government has failed to carry forward meaningful projects and developments to benefit all the Tamil, Sinhala and Muslim people of that province. Provincial elections Instead the government conducted Provincial elections as per the needs of India and installed persons friendly to the government to administer. These measures have made Tamil people to distrust the government. Pirabakaran could also be made the Chief Minister of Northern Province. A minister has commented LTTE must lay down the arms. All these approaches of devolution to armed groups and separatists will only lead the country towards permanent separation. Sri Lanka response: ‘We are not good at propaganda’ Commenting on M.K. Narayanan’s remarks of Tamils not being on the government side, Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa reportedly told a news agency, ‘the only area where we have failed is to show our genuineness, to convince the outsiders, about our sincerity in resolving the problem. In action we have proved it. Unfortunately, we are not good at propaganda. If Tamils indeed are not with us, then it is our weakness’. 'Patriotic' Mahinda crawls to Indian High Commission once a week! – Somawansa Amarasinghe Whatever criticism he had regarding those who had ruled the country earlier, credit could be given for them for taking certain measures to defend the dignity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka says Leader of the JVP Somawansa Amarasinghe. However Mr. Mahinda Rajapakse, who has labeled himself a 'patriot' crawls to the Indian High Commission once a week and kneels down before India said Mr. Amarasinghe addressing a seminar under the theme "Indian intervention in Sri Lankan politics" held at Mahaweli Centre in Colombo yesterday (14th).Speaking further Mr. Amarasinghe said certain Indian bureaucrats intervene in Sri Lanka as if Sri Lanka was an Indian county. He said that certain people accuse the JVP for being anti-Indian and added if it was so India's wrong foreign policy was responsible for such a situation. General Secretary of the JVP Tilvin Silva addressed the seminar on the recent Indian intervention in the economy of Sri Lanka Protest against Pillayan violence A protest demonstration will be held later today (Aug. 15th) against violence being unleashed in the North Central Province by armed followers of East Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan.The TMVP party of Pillayan is contesting upcoming polls for the province on the UPFA ticket.The demonstration against them will take place at Manampitiya Hospital Junction.The protestors will allege the group of hindering campaigning by other parties, adding that its armed followers have encamped at Egodapattuwa in Polonnaruwa. Tigers busy expanding second runway in Mullaitivu The LTTE is in the process of expanding a second runway capable of accommodating heavy aircraft in Mullaitivu as government troops backed by air, artillery and armour battle through fortified enemy defences on the western and eastern flanks.The military has irrefutable evidence that the LTTE is engaged in the construction of the air strip in spite of the unprecedented army build-up on the multiple Vanni fronts where ground forces have inflicted massive losses on the Tigers. Although fighter aircraft had targeted the runway recently, the LTTE seemed to be going ahead with the construction determinedly, a highly placed military official said. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he asserted that the LTTE would have made use of every available heavy earth moving machine for the construction work.Israeli-built Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), acquired by Sri Lanka, have enabled the SLAF to keep LTTE activity under observation.The military said the second runway could accommodate large aircraft. It was definitely not needed to launch two or three small aircraft operated by the LTTE, the military said. There have been several SLAF sorties directed at the first runway located at Iranamadu since the strike launched on May 11, 2006. The government ordered the strike immediately after the LTTE attacked an SLN convoy on its way from Trincomalee to Kankesanturai. Although the SLN lost a Fast Attack Craft, it thwarted the LTTE’s attempt to blast a passenger vessel carrying over 700 off-duty personnel.The military said the second runaway seemed both longer and wider than the Iranamadu strip.Both runways are located east of the A9 road. With the army expanding offensive action, particularly in the western part of the Vanni region, the Sea Tigers have been forced to shift its assets onto the Mullaitivu theatre. An authoritative navy official said Sea Tigers had moved the bulk of their assets, including a range of craft overland across the Vanni mainland to Mullaitivu as they retreated on the western flank. Three fighting formations, namely the Task Force I, 57 Division and Task Force II (deployed west of the A9) are on the offensive on the western flack while the 59 Division is advancing on the eastern flank. The Task Force I has already secured a 52 km stretch of the 82 km Mannar-Pooneryn coastal road, thereby bringing enemy targets deep inside LTTE territory, within the army’s strike range. The military said the navy and the SLAF would focus on the Sea Tiger assets deployed in the Mullaitivu theatre . On August 6, SLAF jets launched from the Katunayake air base destroyed four large LTTE craft, which one military official confidently asserted was about 50 feet long. But another said they were shorter than the 50 but definitely bigger than the medium size (23-foot-long) craft. The military said one of the four had been destroyed in the water and the rest after the LTTE moved them to safety. A second air strike had hit the camouflaged boats after the SLAF accurately located the hideout.With the LTTE on the retreat across the Vanni region, the army has stepped up operations deep inside LTTE territory. Small groups of men conducting clandestine operations had restricted the movement of senior LTTE cadres. The SLAF has been called in to mount emergency evacuation of personnel of deep penetration units on a number of occasions. The SLAF had met the challenging task by utilising available assets, with the last emergency evacuation carried out late last month. Enhanced coordination among the three services over the past two years had facilitated the longest military campaign, the military said. Cyclone hitsTrinco A sudden cyclone which traveled across Trincomalee around 3.30 pm yesterday caused havoc, destroying 14 houses and partially damaging a further 22. The Disaster Management Center said 24 electricity lines were down plunging the area into darkness. Traffic flow in the area was also disrupted while five electrical towers were also damaged bringing the main supplying line to the ground. Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) General Manager Ranjith Pulleperuma said CEB workers were busy restoring the towers and the lines , however to restart supplying the area could take a considerable amount of time. In addition phone lines were also off and there was a minor flood situation in the area as well. 14 August 2008 Desperate plight of Tamil civilians The claims and counter claims by Sri Lanka's warring parties in the current fighting have overshadowed civilian suffering and misery in the northern region. Trapped between the advancing Sri Lankan military and Tamil Tiger rebels, who are fiercely resisting the offensive, thousands of Tamils living inside rebel-held territory have been made homeless and are wandering from place to place in search of safe havens. No-one knows exactly how many civilians have been displaced since the fighting began last year, but it is estimated that more than 150,000 people are depending on the government and aid agencies for food and shelter in the north. The UN refugee agency - UNHCR - last week warned that thousands of displaced people are in danger because of dwindling emergency aid stocks in the north. The agency estimates that more than 60,000 people were displaced in July alone as a result of intense battles between the army and the rebels. According to the UNHCR, supplies of food, shelter materials, water and fuel for transportation of civilians are running "dangerously low" for those attempting to escape the crossfire. Stiff resistance It is clear that the army has made significant gains in the last few months. The Mannar district has now come under the control of the security forces and the rebels are in danger of losing strategically important naval bases and towns in other districts as well. Unless there is a military debacle, it is possible that the government troops will gradually claw their way into the key rebel-held town of Kilinochchi sooner or later. The strategy of the armed forces is clear. Heavy artillery shelling, prior to an operation, drives away the civilians and then they make their advance. They have also opened many battle fronts to spread out the rebel fighters. Naturally, their air power and numerical superiority give them a clear edge. However, despite recent losses the Tamil Tigers still hold considerable fighting ability to launch surprise counter attacks. Contrary to some military claims, their core fighting formations are said to be still intact and they can easily adapt themselves to protracted guerrilla warfare. That's why the Sri Lankan forces want to go after the Tamil Tigers instead of capturing only the territory. "You can't just push them into the jungles and wait. You have to search for them and completely eradicate them. Only then peace can come," the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapakse, told a British newspaper recently. Obviously, this would leave many Tamils in rebel-controlled areas in further danger. "The rebel military installations and civilian areas are mixed. If the army advances further and confines the rebels into a smaller region then civilian vulnerability will increase," says Sri Lankan analyst DBS Jeyaraj. Civilian plight The other option for the trapped civilians would be to leave the rebel-held areas. But there are hardly any avenues. The key roads are blocked due to the conflict and passages through interior roads are dangerous due to possible roadside bombs and landmines. Also, it is not clear whether the rebels would allow them to leave. With children, women, cattle and some belongings, people are moving from one area to another in large numbers, as there are no safe havens or established refugee camps. Likewise there are no toilets or bathing facilities and people sleep in the open despite the sweltering heat and mosquitoes. The efforts by humanitarian agencies to deliver more aid are hindered by strict restrictions on the transport of goods into the region. But the government says enough supplies are being sent to the rebel-controlled territory. "There are no restrictions and there is no shortage. We send food and other essentials as per the request of the senior government official in those areas," says Sri Lankan army spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara. No international support No one knows when or how the conflict will end. But Tamils feel that the international community could have done more to help them. "The silence of the international community, especially by neighbouring India, over the displacement and suffering of Tamils is disturbing," says Mr Jeyaraj. With no sign of a let up in the fighting, aid workers and Tamils fear that human suffering is set to increase in northern Sri Lanka. Govt. focused on violence in pursuit of winning this election –CaFFE For the second week running the Campaign for Free and Fare Elections (CaFFE) has witnessed an increase in election related violence in Anuradhapura and this has taken on a retaliatory nature said the CaFFE media sporksman Keerthi Tennakoon.Addressing a press conferance held yesterday in Colombo he further said, the provincial councils were created on the basis of devolving power to the common people. But the government has stopped focusing on common people. Instead, they have focused on violence in pursuit of winning this election and they have undermined law and order to do so. By doing this, they have harmed the basic principles of power devolution. This same trend continues in Rathnapura, in which the Nivithigala Fiasco was a disturbing example of this situation. It was also a good example of in-action by law enforcement officers. Due to the violence that was being committed against the JVP, it decided to organize a protest against election violence in Nivithigala. During this protest they were again attacked and they defended themselves against this attack. When the perpetrators of this incident were supposed to be brought to justice, it was only the JVP supporters including two female supporters that were taken into custody by the police. This clearly shows the political bias of law enforcement officers. However, the judicial courts interfered in this case in an exemplary manner. CaFFE welcomes the actions taken by the court and sees this to be a commendable decision. The judiciary must play its role to curb and ultimately stop election related violence. During the Eastern provincial elections CaFFE went to the courts against law and order agencies who failed in their duties to protect law and order. The Supreme Court has now fixed a date for this hearing. This shows that the judiciary is keen to defend Democracy and because of their leading example it is also good to see that political parties are turning to the legal process to see that justice is done in relation to their Democratic rights. CaFFE would like to state that if we find evidence, we will definitely go the courts against officers who failed in their duty to protect Democracy, law and order. Sri Lankan Air Force jets bomb suspected LTTE targets Sri Lankan Air Force fighter jets, on Thursday bombed four suspected LTTE targets in the rebel-held Mullaitivu district where the advancing troops have been locked in heavy fighting with the rebels for the past few months, military officials said in Colombo."Our fighter jets bombed four LTTE targets located one kilometre east of Thunukkai in support of the advancing troops around 7.30 a.m. on Thursday. The LTTE cadres were using these targeted positions to mount counter-attack against the military advancement," air force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara told IANS."The targets were hit accurately, but the damages caused to the LTTE due to the air raid were not known immediately," Nanayakkara added. The fresh air raid has come a day after the military claimed to have wrested control of two key villages in the north such as Kalvilan and Mulangavil from the LTTE after heavy fighting. The military sources described as "a major victory" the capture of Mulangavil, located on the Mannar-Pooneryn road, as it was considered the second most important township in Kilinochchi district where the administrative bases of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are located. The rebels remained tight-lipped on the fresh military claims. Meanwhile, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said Thursday that a total of 14 LTTE guerrillas and a soldier were killed and over 20 wounded on both sides during separate clashes throughout on Wednesday in the north.Over 5,000 people have been killed due to fresh violence since December 2006. Punthottam refugee camp caught in fire again Around 80 shanties in Unit 03 of Punthottam refugee camp in Vavuniya were burnt to ashes yesterday (13) around 11.30 AM. Around 140 houses were burnt in a similar fire on July 17 in Unit 07 of the refugee camp. Police and the Fire Unit of the Vavuniya Urban Council distinguished the fire. Houses, furniture, household equipments and documents of the refugees were destroyed in fire. However no one was injured. The cause of the fire is yet to be found. The re-displaced refugees have been temporarily housed in Punthottam Government School and the District Secretariat has taken measures to provide them with relief. Sri Lanka: ICRC assists thousands of displaced civilians as conflict escalates Latest report on ICRC activities in the field (June – July 2008)Tens of thousands of people have fled areas affected by fighting in the Mannar and Kilinochchi districts following an escalation of hostilities between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in northern Sri Lanka.Among those displaced – most of whom headed towards Kilinochchi – are people who have had to abandon their homes several times in recent months.Access to food, shelter, sanitation and clean water is an urgent priority.Although health facilities in the area are struggling to cope with the increased demand, they have so far been able to meet the population's basic needs.However, the evolving situation will require continuous monitoring.In the Vanni – where it works closely with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society – the ICRC has distributed relief items to those most recently displaced, providing over 16,500 people in Thunukkai, Karachchi, Oddusuddan, Puthukkudiyirippu and Pooneryn with approximately 4,300 family-sized hygiene kits, 1,480 baby-care parcels and 860 emergency household kits containing bed linen, towels, sleeping mats and mosquito nets.Temporary shelter materials, including cadjans, timber frames and wooden poles, were also distributed to the displaced, including those living with host families to help them accommodate their relatives.Although the upsurge in fighting is making it increasingly difficult for humanitarian workers to gain access to certain areas, the ICRC will continue to provide assistance to those affected by the conflict.In order to ensure prompt and effective assistance, the organization is coordinating its action with other humanitarian agencies both in Colombo and in the Vanni."Many people have received basic humanitarian relief but as the number of displaced persons increases, so do their needs," said Anthony Dalziel, the ICRC's deputy head of delegation in Sri Lanka."We are committed to staying the course and helping all those who have been affected by the most recent wave of violence in Mannar and the Vanni." Sixth round of war-surgery seminars In July, the ICRC held a sixth round of war-surgery seminars for Sri Lankan medical practitioners in Jaffna and Anuradhapura.The purpose of the seminars is to upgrade the treatment and management of war wounds by spreading knowledge of the latest surgical developments in this field.Some 50 surgeons, doctors, nurses and physiotherapists working in conflict areas attended the seminars in 2008.They include practitioners both from referral hospitals that routinely deal with war wounds and from rural hospitals."The seminars, conducted by two experienced war surgeons, provide an opportunity for medical specialists to discuss cases, exchange ideas and increase their understanding of how best to deal with emergency situations arising from conflict," said Morven Murchison, head of the ICRC's health team in Sri Lanka.Omanthai crossing point Acting as a neutral intermediary, the ICRC is present at the Omanthai crossing point six days a week to facilitate the passage of civilians and their vehicles between government-controlled and LTTE-held areas.After a security incident on 1 July, ICRC staff temporarily withdrew from Omanthai, but they returned to the crossing point on 7 July after obtaining safety assurances from both the government and the LTTE.Apart from this brief interruption, the ICRC has been present at the checkpoint throughout the year.In June and July it facilitated the passage of nearly 44,000 civilians and 5,360 vehicles.Over 350 ambulances carrying more than 1,800 patients made the crossing during the same period.The ICRC also facilitates the transfer of mortal remains of fighters from both the Sri Lankan armed forces and the LTTE.In June and July it transferred the remains of 120 fallen fighters, thus helping to establish the fate of many who would otherwise have remained unaccounted for.Efforts to upgrade the cold-storage facility at the Padaviya hospital, which is used to help preserve bodies pending their transfer, are ongoing.Protecting civilians and persons held in connection with the conflict The ICRC has continued to monitor possible violations of international humanitarian law affecting civilians throughout the country and to discuss its findings with the parties to the conflict.With the cooperation of both government officials and the LTTE, the ICRC has visited a growing number of people arrested in relation to the armed conflict.The aim of its visits is to monitor the treatment of detainees and their conditions of detention.In June and July, ICRC delegates carried out more than 180 private interviews with over 1,200 security detainees in over 140 places of detention in areas under the control of the government.During the same period, ICRC delegates delivered family messages to five security detainees held by the LTTE in the Vanni.The ICRC provided the families of nearly 765 detainees with financial aid so that they could visit their relatives in various places of detention.Over 100 newly released detainees also received funds enabling them to return home by public transport.Restoring family links Together with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, the ICRC helps families split up by the conflict to keep in touch through Red Cross messages.In June and July, the ICRC collected nearly 300 such messages and delivered 200.In June and July, the ICRC also: improved access to health care Over 145 patients benefited from the services of the Jaffna Jaipur Centre for Disability Rehabilitation.Ten patients received crutches and other walking aids while six patients received wheelchairs.Almost 180 patients requiring specialized medical care, accompanied by 120 caregivers, were transported on ICRC-chartered flights between Jaffna and Colombo.Nearly 60 doctors took these flights, either accompanying patients or to fulfil official duties.assisted displaced people and returnees Batticaloa district: The ICRC supplied more than 7,400 returnees with food parcels and kitchen sets, and with personal hygiene and baby-care items.Almost 2,000 returnees were given fishing nets, casting nets and agricultural implements, including a water pump, to help them resume their livelihoods.In addition, some 600 personal hygiene kits and 75 baby-care parcels were distributed to over 2,000 internally displaced people.Trincomalee district: Around 7,900 returnees received over 1,300 food parcels, over 1,000 personal hygiene kits, over 1,600 tarpaulins, and jerrycans.In addition, they were given emergency kits containing bed linen, towels and mosquito nets, and kitchen sets with cookers and cooking utensils.A total of 185 bicycles were also distributed to returnees.Kilinochchi district: Close to 800 returnees received over 4,000 kg of seed, including tomato, pumpkin, brinjal, bitter gourd, onion, long bean and spinach seed.They were also given five water pumps, 40 loads of manure and agricultural tools.Vavuniya and Mannar districts: Over 960 individuals received 65 baby-care parcels, almost 380 personal hygiene kits and tarpaulins, and about 40 emergency kits.Some 900 residents of Cheddikulam DS division were given over 40,000 kg of fertiliser.Jaffna district: The ICRC distributed 30 personal hygiene kits, 650 baby-care parcels and 20 tarpaulins to more than 2,900 residents.Around 460 host families were given baby-care items.improved living conditions and access to water Ampara district: Six wells were repaired or cleaned in Pokurugama and three hand pumps were repaired in Dehiattakandiya.Batticaloa district: Fifteen bathing wells were cleaned and chlorinated.Ninety replacement tarpaulins were distributed among returnees living in Kiran and Mavadivembu sites.Around 55 toilet brushes and 20 garbage bins were distributed to maintain sanitation.The ICRC donated two 5,000-litre water tanks to the Vavunativu Pradeshiya Sabha.Jaffna district: The ICRC completed the construction of the apron at the Masiyapitti Welfare Centre.Wells were repaired or cleaned on Pungudutivu and Mandaitivu islands and in Velanaicharti.Renovations of the ward and kitchen of Thellippalai Hospital were completed.Kilinochchi district: Twenty-five wells were cleaned and repaired in Ganeshapuram, Alankulam, Barathinagar, Thirunagar, Manthai West and Karachi DS division and at the Anaivilunthan school.Nearly 350 units of shelter material were distributed in 12 villages in Thunnukkai and Putukkudiyirippu.Almost 90 shelters were built in Thunnukkai.The ICRC donated three incinerators to the Vellankulam health-care facility in Mantai West.Trincomalee district: Forty-six shelters and three wells were built (two wells were also cleaned) and around 170 tarpaulins were distributed among returnees in Sennakulam, Paddalipuram,Sumedankarapura and Veeramanagar.Three toilets were built in Neenakerny.Ten wells were built and cleaned, and three water tanks were installed, in Thangapuram and Indikatugama.Vavuniya and Mannar districts: The ICRC distributed nearly 70 family tents to accommodate some 230 newly displaced people in Kalimoddai.Twenty garbage bins, two bathing areas and four 5,000-litre tanks were also provided.The ICRC is renovating Cheddikulam Hospital and has donated a generator to Mannar Hospital.enhanced respect for international humanitarian law As part of its efforts to increase respect for international humanitarian law, the ICRC conducted nearly 50 information sessions about the law for over 2,000 people, including civilians, members of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization and the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam and government security forces.provided support for the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society The ICRC continued working to enhance the ability of the Sri Lanka Red Cross to maintain family links and spread awareness of the principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.The Sri Lanka Red Cross successfully operated a night ambulance service in Jaffna and Vavuniya with ICRC support.In July, the ambulances transferred over 110 patients to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital. For further information, please contact: tel.: +94 11 250 33 46 or + 94 777 289 682 Transformer set fire in Jaffna Unidentified persons during curfew hours Tuesday day night set fire to the main electricity transformer on Aadiyapaatham road, Kokkuvil in Valikaamam, completely burning the unit, sources in Jaffna said. Electricity supply to the area was cut off and Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops, deployed in large numbers, cordoned off and searched the area. SLA soldiers cleaned the site Wednesday and constructed sand bags ramparts around the transformer in Kokkuvil.Troops were posted permanently to guard the transformer and new check posts were set up in the vicinity.Electricity Board workers repaired the transformer Wednesday.Unknown persons had fired at the Electricity transformers in Vadamaraadchi and Thenmaraadchi earlier cutting off electricity supply. These damaged units have now been repaired and are being guarded 24 hours by SLA troops.Last Thursday unidentified armed men opened rapid fire on the main electricity transformer at Arasadi Chanththi in Karaveddi, Vadamaraadchi along Nelliyadi-Kodikaamam road, damaging the transformer and cutting off electricity supply to the area.Three weeks earlier a similar gun attack was made on a transformer in Meesaalai in Themaraadchi cutting off electricity supply.The attacks on electricity transformers took place after a Chinese firm which has entered into a contract with Sri Lanka government to generate and supply electricity to Jaffna peninsula began preliminary work from the firm's worksite in Chu’n’naakam. TMVP still holding child soldiers: UNICEF 5000 Tigers left for eradication — Army Shielding his brow from the midday sun, Father Emilianuspallai surveys the grounds of the Madhu Church — Sri Lanka’s holiest Roman Catholic shrine and the army’s latest prize in its 25-year conflict with the Tamil Tigers. Since recapturing the 400-year-old shrine of Our Lady of Madhu in April, the army has repaired the shell damage to the church roof. It has whitewashed the outhouses that it says the rebels used as a regional headquarters and cleared the booby traps they left behind. Father Emilianuspallai has his church back. All he needs now is a congregation and a permanent end to a conflict that has killed 70,000 people and engulfed this pilgrimage site on the front line. Madhu’s 30,000 residents have all fled. The only inhabitants now are soldiers peering nervously from bunkers and jungle hideouts. The prospects for a lasting peace look uncertain at best. "This holy site has become a place of continuous war," Father Emilianuspallai said. Top of Form Bottom of Form Under Tiger control for most of the past decade, Madhu is a powerful symbol of the territorial gains the army has made since launching a massive assault on the rebels’ northern jungle strongholds in January. It also illustrates the enormous challenges facing the government as it tries to fulfil a vow to defeat the Tigers by the end of the year — and to convince the Tamils in the north to embrace a political settlement. Gotabaya Rajapakse, the Defence Secretary and brother of the President, Mahinda Rajapakse, insists that the army is on target to capture Kilinochchi town, the Tigers’ capital, in the next four months. "It’s possible by the end of this year," he told The Times. "You can’t just push them into the jungles and wait. You have to search for them and completely eradicate them. Only then can peace come." The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been fighting since 1983 for a homeland for Sri Lanka’s mainly Hindu Tamil minority, to protect it from discrimination by the ethnic Sinhalese majority, which is mostly Buddhist. Unfeasible military solution A ceasefire brokered by Norway in 2002 started to unravel in late 2005 and was scrapped by President Rajapakse in January. Critics now accuse him of pursuing an unfeasible military solution — and condoning widespread human rights abuses in the process. While reported abuses continue, even sceptics concede that the army is making startling advances in the north, having driven the Tigers out of the east last year. A peace plan for the east also appears to be holding, after the defection of a splinter faction of Tigers, the Karuna Group, which has transformed itself into a political party. "On the face of it, the government has made great strides: they (the Tigers) are really hemmed in this time," said Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, of the Centre for Policy Alternatives. "I’m just not sure the military progress can be translated into political progress." The army says it has shrunk the Tigers’ territory from 6,500 to 5,000 sq.km and reduced their forces from 13,000 to 5,000 "cadres." Last month it captured one of the Tigers’ main naval bases. Last week it entered Kilinochchi District. Yesterday it announced that 115 rebels had been killed at the weekend and government aircraft were bombing Tiger positions in the far north. At what price? With journalists barred from the conflict zone, it is impossible to tell if the Tigers have suffered losses or retreated to avoid confronting the army. But if the army is on the point of victory, the question is: at what price? Madhu, for example, has been recaptured, but the locals — mostly Tamil farmers — have all fled to India or rebel-held areas. Even if they do return, their homes are destroyed, the local economy is non-existent and the army’s heavy-handed tactics have fuelled resentment in the Tamil community. In a tea shop in Chettikulam, the neighbouring district, a group of Tamils talked in hushed tones about the daily searches they endure. "My wife is on edge from the moment I leave home until the moment I return," said Nadarajah Rajan, 42, a tractor driver. He said that a close friend who was a farm labourer disappeared six months ago after security forces went to his house to question him. Human rights groups accuse the government of condoning hundreds of such "disappearances" as well as recent attacks on journalists and other critics of the government. "All these things need to be stopped. The government needs to take action against the perpetrators," Richard Boucher, the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, said on a visit to Colombo last week. Could cost tens of thousands of jobs The European Union has gone further, threatening to withdraw the trade benefits that allow Sri Lanka to export garments to the EU duty-free. That could cost tens of thousands of jobs. For the moment, the government seems to enjoy widespread political support from the Sinhalese majority, but with inflation near 30 per cent, if it fails to defeat the Tigers by January and loses the EU trade benefits at the end of the year, analysts say that the national mood could change quickly. "People are giving them the benefit of the doubt for now," said a Sri Lankan business leader. "The worry is that what seems like a passing phase might become a way of life." China’s Influence in India’s Neighbourhood Col R Hariharan (Retd.) China is aiming to quadruple its per capita GDP to $ 3200 by 2020 from $ 800 per capita attained in 2000. This would imply an average annual economic growth of 7.2% till 2020. In order to attain this, China will have to keep meeting the enormous appetite of its manufacturing economy for raw material and energy resources. On the other hand, it has to open up new markets for Chinese products while keeping the competitive economies of Asia and Americas at bay. Though this might be viewed as an exercise in international trade, it has to be driven by international relations backed by strategic defence capability. Conscious of these imperatives, China’s international relations are developing on twin tracks: gaining sources of raw material across the globe, and increasing its strategic power projection. It is on a fast track development of missile capability and submarine fleet. According to some analysts China would be able to match the defence capability to of the U.S. by 2050. This is evident from the progress of the military modernisation programme of China which is making forays into space warfare, enhancing nuclear deterrence, naval expansion and acquiring rapid reaction and deployment capability. China’s single minded pursuit for accessing resources has increased its visibility in Asia, Africa and South America. This has also made China support some of the most notorious regimes shunned by the rest of the world including Myanmar, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. At the same time it has embarked upon strategic infrastructure development in friendly countries that would improve China’s strategic reach. This is reflected in China’s growing influence in South Asia where its presence is being firmed up in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, and possibly in Nepal at a future date. This has been a cause of security concern not only for India but also for the U.S. China’s interest in South Asia South Asia’s geographic location, midway between the oil rich Middle East and the South East Asian regions, lends it strategic importance. South Asia borders most of China’s sensitive southern boundary. This gives China the strategic option of opening direct access through South Asia to the international sea lanes of Indian Ocean. The Indian Ocean region has always been the scene of power play between Russia, the US and the West, and the theocratic Islamic states because 75 % of global merchant shipping passes through it. In recent times, South Asia has also become a source of inspiration for Jihadi terrorism and separatism in China. Western parts of South Asia bordering China had been the fountainhead of Jihadi terrorism inspiring fellow Muslims across the borders in Xinjiang province. Similarly, the presence of large number of Tibetan refugees in India and Nepal with strong anti-Chinese sentiments had always been a source of potential trouble for China. On the other hand, South Asia holds a number of attractions for China. The region has a growing economy of over 1.5 billion people in different stages of economic and social development. Its huge, young population represent an enormous and untapped market for Chinese goods. Major political, economic and social problems within and between South Asian nations offer fertile ground for increasing China’s influence through political, military and economic means. The region has considerable natural resources including coal, iron ore, natural gas and oil waiting to be fully exploited. The India factor In developing its relations with South Asian nations China has to contend with Indian sensitivities. India borders seven of the eight South Asian nations and dwarfs them both geographically and population wise. This makes it easy for India to physically influence, if not intervene, its neighbouring countries. India’s huge population forms the bulk of South Asia’s teeming millions. Historically, strong Indian influence has been permeating the social, cultural and religious life of its neighbours. As a result India wields a strong political clout unmatched by any other county in this region.India nearly a decade long economic boom ago is pushing it into the realms of becoming a global economic power by 2050. India’s technology training institutions, churning out large number of engineers and professionals, are making India a reservoir of qualified technology professionals. This has also enabled India to become a world leader in software development. India’s traditional entrepreneurial skill, coupled with sizeable natural resources, gives it a strong economic clout in the region. As India’s share of global trade increases, Indian industrial houses are nursing ambitions to become global players. India is also striving to expand its manufacturing base. It is also in the quest for oil and gas resources all over the world, though on a much smaller scale than China. The Indian growth model, despite operating within the constraints of being the largest functional democracy in the world, offers a strong contrast to the Chinese single-party model of monolithic development. India’s democratic polity has given it political stability unmatched by most of the other South Asian nations. Its large and modern armed forces serve as guardians of democracy. This is in stark contrast to some other countries of the region i.e., Pakistan and Bangladesh where armed forces had usurped power and throttled democracy. The failure of India and China to amicably resolve rival territorial claims along the largely unmarked boundary following China’s occupation of large chunks of territory in Aksai Chin and other border areas resulted in the two countries going to war in 1962. The 1962 war had kindled strong suspicion in India about China’s strategic intentions in the region. It had also generated anti-Chinese feeling in India that persists to this day. Despite many rounds of talks between the two countries, the border dispute remains unresolved and continues to cramp the free articulation of Sino-Indian relations. A major irritant for China in India is the presence of the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama and his followers in exile, who are the visible face of Tibetan freedom. The presence of a large Tibetan refugee population in India clamouring for Tibetan independence is major cause of security concern for China. The Tibetan issue continues to be another rider in the development of smooth relations between India and China. In recent years China’s has been viewing with growing concern India’s emergence as a dominant regional military power with nuclear weapon and missile capability. Its large armed forces are being modernised and the Indian navy is on way to acquire blue water capability. The progressive growth of India-US security synergies, adding strength to the strategic security reach of both the powers, has further fuelled China’s security concerns. These strategic factors coupled with the growing economic muscle have made India a potential challenger to the growth of China’s influence on the South Asian turf. In tandem with the U.S., India could also become a formidable contender for power in other parts of the world in the coming years.At the same time, India also holds some positive attractions for China. Its growing economy and very large middle class provide an attractive consumer market for Chinese goods. For the resource hungry China, India’s large coal, manganese and iron ore reserves are useful. India also finds doing business with China an attractive proposition and India-China two-way trade had been booming despite the frosty relations. It is set to reach $ 25 billion by 2010. China’s South Asia strategy The Chinese have tried to maintain cordial and correct relations with India despite frequent reiteration of their territorial claims. China has also been expanding the areas of cooperation with India on issues affecting the interest of both the countries. A small beginning has been made in conducting joint training exercise between two armies of the two countries. This strategy has enabled China to keep India’ concerns at bay, even as it increased its influence in India’s neighbourhood. Though the shadow of India continues to loom large over its neighbours, China has succeeded in improving bilateral relations with each one of them. The very size of India and its seemingly all pervading soft power kindle a sense of disquiet if not fear among some of India’s neighbours. This ‘Indian bogey’ is also used as a pet ploy in the political gamesmanship of countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal. Though India had taken remedial measures, for historical reasons the ‘bogey’ is likely to continue to hobble Indian articulation in the region. China appears to have leveraged itself as the answer to ward off the Indian enigma in these countries. For instance, Pakistan and Bangladesh have inherited a historical sense of insecurity about India after Pakistan was created in 1947. This provided a convenient foothold for China to step in. India’s economic domination of its neighbours has invariably resulted in lopsided trade imbalance tilted in India’s favour. Building better trade relations with China offers a way for them to balance this tilt. There is widespread fear of Indian cultural melange submerging the national and ethnic identity of some of the small neighbours. These fears are compounded by the physical threat posed by India’s large armed forces.. In the case of Nepal and Sri Lanka this fear is latent though they have enjoyed friendly ties with India most of the time. China appears to have prioritised its relationship with Pakistan and Bangladesh occupying the top slot. These two nations have built symbiotic relations with China over the years resulting in the creation of infrastructural and military assets that would come in handy for China, when required. They are followed by Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Maldives in the Chinese order of priority. Development of China-Afghanistan relations is hobbled by two factors: China’s multi-faceted relationship with Pakistan, and Kabul’s close relationship with India. Afghanistan has always enjoyed a cordial relationship with India, except perhaps during the period of Taliban rule. Their relationship is driven by historicity as much as their strategic synergies where they see Pakistan ranged against them. India’s liberal development aid to the Karzai government and the involvement of Indian development task force in executing vital infrastructure projects in Afghanistan underline the strong bonds being built between them. Moreover, Afghanistan’s survival preoccupation while combating Jihadi terrorism and the all pervasive American presence there has left limited space for China to develop better relationship. But despite this setting, Afghanistan remains a vital part of China’s energy infrastructure linking China with Pakistan, Iran and the oil rich Central Asian nations. So it came as no surprise when China secured in May 2008 the $3.5 billion Aynak copper field project in the remote Logar Province, making it the largest foreign direct investment project in the Afghan history. The Aynak copper field probably contains ore worth up to $88 billion. Significantly, the Chinese bid included the cost of building a 400 MW coal based power plant and a railway line from western China through Tajikistan and Afghanistan to Pakistan. China’s readiness to make such a large investment in a troubled region underscores its strategic significance for her, apart from its value in developing Western China. Bhutan has always enjoyed cordial relations with India. China has territorial claims in Bhutan which would probably be settled only when India and China resolve their border dispute. This ‘India factor’ and Bhutan’s strong religious and cultural affinity with Tibet appear to be in the way of China’s efforts to enhance its influence. However, in the coming years this could change when Bhutan from royalty ushers in multiparty democracy. China’s effort to increase its influence has three facets – economic, military, and political. The emphasis and combinations vary from country to country conditioned by situational priorities. Both Pakistan and Bangladesh are visible examples of China building a win-win relationship using political, economic and military leverages. The economic aspects include extending loans on low interest and commercial terms, aid, project financing, infrastructure financing etc. Chinese aided projects invariably have visible national impact. Some of these projects include the Gwadar port complex in Pakistan and the proposed port project at Hambantota in Sri Lanka, and the construction of six vital bridges across major rivers in Bangladesh. Most of these projects have the potential to add to China’s strategic access and mobility in the region. For example the new extension of the Xinjiang railway up to Kashgar about 500 kilometers (via the Karakoram highway) from the China-Pakistan border is complimentary to the project to widen the Karakoram highway. It is significant that China is also involved in the construction of a rail line to link Gwadar with Pakistan-Iran railway line. Similarly, the extension of railway line in Tibet from Lhasa to Indian border region has strategic connotations to the Chinese assistance in developing lateral communications in Bangladesh. China’s military initiatives in the region are quite a few. Briefly, it comes in three forms: weapons sale, military training, and providing access to weapon technology. Of course military relationship between Pakistan and China goes much beyond these limitations and include sharing of nuclear and missile technology. These are well documented. China used Pakistan’s urge to develop nuclear capability to build enormous strategic bonds that have grown over the years. India’s military intervention was the key factor that enabled Bangladesh gain independence in 1971. When Bangladeshis were fighting for independence China had supported Pakistan. But it had no hesitation in changing its stance when the independent Bangladesh came into being. When a military coup overthrew the Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s regime, China got cosy with the military dictatorship. With the Bangladesh armed forces equipped now mostly with weapons and armament of Chinese origin, China is firmly established in the country’s strategic security initiatives. As a result India finds it difficult to involve Bangladesh even in projects that are useful to both the countries and the region. Large scale Indian investments in Bangladesh have been discouraged while China has been awarded a project connected with the development of Chittagong port. The key to China’s success in Bangladesh is the fear of Indian domination (‘hegemony’ to use the ideologically correct term). We see this happening all over in Sri Lanka. China is using the space provided by India’s reluctance to sell weapons to Sri Lanka for political reasons to increase its influence in Sri Lanka’s strategic spectrum. So the possibility of the Hambantota project ending up as a remake of the Gwadar episode in Pakistan is very much there. China’s strategy in Nepal has probably been reworked to handle the Maoist dominated democratic regime now in power. China had supported King Gyanendra of Nepal when he was fighting the Maoists. When the Maoists overthrew him, China changed sides overnight. It increased the aid to the Maoist regime by 50 percent to 120 million Yuan over the 80 million Yuan given to the Gyanendra regime. The democratic regime’s readiness to suppress the peaceful protest of Tibetan refugees in Kathmandu recently when the Olympic flame was brought in showed its readiness to please the Chinese. If China’s influence expands rapidly in Nepal, it holds serious portends for New Delhi’s strategic security calculations. Having gained a strong foothold in India’s neighbourhood, China is poised to increase its strategic clout enormously in this region. This is likely to haunt India’s strategic security planners in the coming years. 13 August 2008 Sri Lanka doesn't have Tamils on its side: India Sri Lanka may win the battle against the Tamil Tigers but not the war as 'they haven't got the Tamil population on their side', India's National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan said in an interview published Tuesday.In comments that are bound to prove explosive in Sri Lanka, Narayanan told The Straits Times newspaper: 'I know the Sri Lankan government will be unhappy (at this advice).'Narayanan was asked to give his assessment if the dragging war in Sri Lanka was nearing an end.He said: 'The (Sri Lanka Army) has made a lot of progress in the last few weeks. But even if they win the battle I am not sure they will win the war. I think they haven't got the Tamil population on their side.'I know the Sri Lankan government will be unhappy (at this advice) but we are not interested in preaching to them and that is the best advice they could get. India can give this advice better than the Norwegians or any other country. These are people that we know, we understand. Do they want a situation like many countries have faced?'Stating that Iraq was a good example, Narayanan said: 'What we are telling them is, get the Tamils on your side by greater devolution of power. For them to be part of Sri Lankan state, they need the huge Tamil minority on their side.'Obviously the Tamil Tigers have been weakened, they have met with heavier casualties than previously.'He said recruitment had become difficult, so younger and younger elements were coming into it. 'All signs are that they (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, LTTE) are having problems. They are also hurting because of the ban in many Western countries, so they have problems in fund collection, movement of arms.'What the Sri Lankans are not factoring in is the great deal of sullenness in the Tamil man. There are accusations of profiling even in Colombo.'Our argument is: unless you give Tamils a feeling they have the right to their own destiny in many matters you will not succeed. LTTE's capacity to carry out terrorist attacks is not diminished.' Troops Capture Kalvilan -SL Army JHU pulls out of APRC The Jathika Hela Urumaya has pulled out of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) pursuant to a decision at its Central Committee meeting yesterday (Aug. 11th). Its Propaganda Secretary Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe said the decision had been taken due to certain government affiliate parties’ submission of proposals for the resolution of the ethnic issue, that are against ‘Mahinda Chintana.’He told ‘Lanka Dissent’ that these proposals were having an adverse effect on the military offensives for the liberation of the Northern Province, and warned that they would lead to a collapse of national integration.The JHU has called for the immediate convening of the All Party Conference (APC), which is representative of all parties except the Tamil National Alliance(TELO,TULF,ACTC and EPRLF).The APRC comprises representatives of these parties and is chaired by Prof. Tissa Vitarana.The JHU and the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna briefly boycotted its deliberations, after most parties opposed their proposal that the TMVP be included in the APRC.The two parties returned to the committee after the TMVP was allowed representation after the eastern provincial council polls, and it named Batticaloa mayor Sivagita Prabhakaran as its representative. Bishop’s House unaware of Madhu Shrine opening The Bishop’s House in Mannar has not been informed of the temporary opening of the Madhu Shrine in view of the August feast.According to Defence Ministry reports, the shrine was opened temporarily yesterday (12). The Defence Ministry yesterday said that the shrine would be open till August 17.Officials at the Mannar Bishop’s House said however that the government had not officially informed them of such a measure to temporarily reopen the shrine for devotees to pay homage.The military is providing food and other facilities for the devotees who visit the shrine during this period, the Defence Ministry further said."During this period 200 devotees will be daily given an opportunity to pay reverence to the statue of Our Lady of Madhu replaced in her abode in the church only at noon," the Defence Ministry also said.The devotees are taken on special buses from the Medawachchiya checkpoint at 6 a.m. and are brought back in the afternoon, Military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told The Morning Leader.Brigadier Nanayakkara also said that the Shrine would be closed again after August 17."There are several other arrangements to be done in the area. De-mining activities have to be completed in a few areas. We also have to complete arrangements for the basic facilities," he said.The Catholic officials decided to cancel the August feast, as the groundwork in the area had not been completed.The Sacred Madhu Statue was enthroned at the Shrine on Monday. Officials said that there was not even a boutique for the devotees to buy food or drink.The feast will be commemorated by conducting special services in the parishes belonging to the Mannar Diocese. Kilinochchi will fall this year: Gota Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday expressed confidence that the Army was on target to capture the Tiger stronghold of Kilinochchi within the next four months. The Defence Secretary told The British Times Online publication that the mission could be fulfilled by the end of this year. “You can't just push the Tigers into the jungles and wait. You have to search for them and completely eradicate them. Only then will peace come,” he said. The army meanwhile said it had captured the Kalekuda jetty situated about 2 km north of the Mannar-Kilinochchi district boundary during operations on Monday. According to the military, following a massive attack launched at the location the LTTE had abandoned the jetty along with some belongings including several sea tiger boats.“This place, used by the LTTE to facilitate its sea movements and engage in smuggling, gives an adequate view of the LTTE Nachchikudah Sea Tiger base, located about 2 km northwards,” the army said. Meanwhile the Defence Ministry said troops engaged in the Wanni operations pushed further northwards along the Mannar-Pooneryn (A-32) main road after opening a new front on the South-western border of the Kilinochchi district. During the operations on Monday troops deployed in the Adampankulama area observed a cluster of LTTE boats and engaged them with artillery and mortar fire destroying one boat and killing at least a few LTTE cadres. A soldier was also killed in the confrontation. Troops of the 57 division operating on an adjacent front on the Western border of the Mullaittivu district carried out their operations aimed at dominating the strategically vital Tunukkai and Mallavi areas, the Defence Ministry said. Pitched battles continued in the Mullaitivu forest on Monday as troops marched further northwards towards Mullaitivu. Troops claimed that at least six LTTE cadres were killed, eight wounded and nine more either killed or injured during clashes North of Andankulama, West of Ulathuvely and Kokkuthuduvai areas, the Defence Ministry said adding that three soldiers were also killed and five injured. Tissainayagam indicted The Attorney General has indicted Sunday Times columnist J. Tissainayagam under Emergency Regulations for aiding and abetting a terrorist organisation, The Morning Leader learns.It is learned Tissainayagam has been indicted under the Emergency Regulations for failure to account for some of the finances received to fund his website ‘Outreach.’A top source at the Attorney General’s department confirmed to The Morning Leader the journalist was indicted and that the indictment was sent to the High Court last week.Contacted by The Morning Leader, Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe also confirmed that he was informed by the Attorney General that Tissainayagam was indicted last week.The journalist has been held under a detention order for over 155 days by the Terrorism Investigation Department without trial.Legal sources said, with Tissainayagam’s indictment he will continue to remain in detention but will now be able to defend himself in the High Court. Indian Scholarships for Diaspora (PIO) Children To assist children of Persons of Indian Origin (PIOs) and Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in pursuing Undergraduate courses in Higher and Technical fields in India, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs of the Government of India, introduced a Scholarship Programme for Diaspora Children (SPDC) in 2006. Under this Programme, 67 PIO/NRI students were granted scholarship during the academic year 2006-07, while 81 students were granted scholarship in the next academic year. The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs seeks application for the Scholarship Programme for the academic year 2009-10. The highlights of the scholarship are as follows: • 100 scholarships are being offered for Undergraduate courses in disciplines including Engineering/Architecture/Technology, Humanities/Liberal Arts, Commerce, Management – BBA/BBM, Journalism, Hotel Management, Agriculture/Animal Husbandry, Science, Law etc. • The Programme is open only to PIOs/NRIs from the specified 40 countries including Sri Lanka. • The last date for receipt of duly filled in prescribed application form by Educational Consultants India Limited (Ed.CIL) is September 9, 2008. • Candidates would be selected on the basis of a common entrance test to be conducted by Ed.CIL on October 26,, 2008 at the High Commission of India, Colombo. Exact timings would be intimated later. Candidates would also have to fulfill the entire criterion prescribed for the purpose. • The amount of scholarship admissible would be 75% of Institutional Economic Cost (IEC) or US$ 3,600 (US$ Three thousand six hundred), whichever is less. IEC includes tuition fee, hostel fee and other institutional charges. For further information, please visit Ed.CIL websites www.edcil.co.in; and www.educationindia4u.nic.in Won’t halt war until Prabha begs from President The government's military offensives will not be halted until LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, carrying a white flag of surrender, kneels down before the President and begs for a ceasefire, said defence spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella. Minister Rambukwella said this stance of the government would not change under any circumstances, speaking at the opening of his coordinating office at Menikhinna town.He said, "The LTTE has been demanding an Eelam from the beginning. Protecting itself by the ceasefire agreement, it continued to attack the security forces. After exercising patience and overcoming international opposition, the government is now fulfilling its responsibility by crushing it."The portrayal of LTTE terrorist leaders as generals and colonels have collapsed now, he added. 12,000 displaced Wanni families without shelter Most of the newly displaced 12,000 families in the Wanni continue to be without shelter, but access had improved in the last week, relief agencies and officials said. The government agent for Kilinochchi, Nagalingam Vedanayagam has already requested shelter material for 12,000 displaced families who have fled the fighting in the last two months. "The situation will get worse when the rainy season starts by the end of September. We can only provide 10% of the IDPs with shelter. The others will have to find homes or shelters on their own," Director at the Kilinochchi Hospital, Thangamuthu Sathyamurthi told The Morning Leader yesterday. The latest Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) situation report said that so far 2000 temporary shelters had been committed by agencies. "As of July 30, the total number of IDP families registered in the Kilinochchi District was 25,908, of which nearly 12,000 were displaced during June and July. With continued displacements into Karachchi (south of Kilinochchi) this figure is expected to increase," the report said. The report warned that IDP movements north was unlikely to ease anytime. "The battles continue around Vellankulam in Kilinochchi and Oddankulam, Kalvilan area and around Mallavi in Mullaitivu District. Shelling close to Kanakarayankulam and Jeyapuram has resulted in restricted movements. Displaced populations are moving north towards Akkarayan," it added. Unbecoming of a diplomat - V. Anandasangaree V. Anandasangaree, President of the Tamil United Liberation Front, has given his piece of mind to Dr. Dayan Jayatillleka, who serves as a diplomat - Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva. The TULF leader, a veteran moderate Tamil politician, reminded Dr. Dayan Jayatillleka, that in fairness to the Sri Lankan society, being a Diplomat he should avoid writing anything and calling it as, “The views expressed here are the writers personal ones”.He further added that, “unfortunately since Dr. Dayan is now on a very important diplomatic assignment, I had to exonerate myself from his allegations, which the International Community would have believed as coming from the Ambassador representing Sri Lanka. It could also be interpreted as Government views. His unwanted comments had considerably damaged my reputation as a moderate senior Tamil Politician of some standing. Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka should have diplomatically avoided getting involved in defence of Hon. Douglas Devananda.”Anandasangaree further pointed out, “Let Dr. Dayan not makes things worse by dragging in, His Excellency the President into this mess created by him. I am contended that I have done some good to His Excellency the President by giving him a timely warning. The President is fully aware that Democracy had been kept in pitch Dark in the North, for a considerable period. The people who had lost their democratic rights now want to enjoy all rights “ Given below the full text of the Press Release - Reply to Dr. Dayan Jayatillleka – The Island dated 12.08.2008, by V. Anandasangaree, President – TULF: Reply to Dr. Dayan Jayatillleka I am surprised at the response of Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka to my reply appearing in The Island of 31st July 2008. He has deviated from his original subject of “In defence of Hon. Douglas Devananda” to a new subject. “In defence of devolution within a Unitary State”. Having said all that appeared in his imaginations about me, some of which are far from the truth, he is now trying to explain to me about devolution in a Unitary State, which is a subject discussed or debated almost everyday in the media. Further more I wish to tell him that I have a clear understanding of the difference between a Federal Constitution and a Unitary one. Enough had been also said for and against these two doctrines but my problem is devolution of power in a Unitary State in relation to our country and the problem we face.I do not want to enter into a debate on this subject either with Dr. Dayan or with anybody else. My ideas are not new. I had been writing all these years very carefully without hurting anybody and without causing embarrassment to anyone or getting into any controversy. I have written hundreds of articles making my views known to the people of Sri Lanka. I had also repeatedly and convincingly given my reasons for holding those views explaining clearly as to why I take this stand. Hardly anyone including Dr. Dayan criticised me all these years for holding views against the Unitary Constitution in relation to Sri Lanka. There was absolutely no need for Dr. Dayan to defend me at any time. Anything good he said about me in the past was spontaneous and in appreciation of my views. It is he who has changed now and not I. Even those writers who had views radically opposed to mine had very politely drawn my attention to their views and to the disadvantages of the system I support, as they understood it.Contrary to this approach Dr. Dayan’s outburst appears to me as something gushing out from his heart due to some sentimental compulsions. Dr. Dayan must be the last person to criticise me for my views, as a journalist, because he knows very well my views for a number of years and had more than once, sincerely suggested to the authorities, that my participation in finding a solution to the ethnic problem, will help. I should have under normal circumstances ignored his reference to me. But unfortunately since Dr. Dayan is now on a very important diplomatic assignment, I had to exonerate myself from his allegations, which the International Community would have believed as coming from the Ambassador representing Sri Lanka. It could also be interpreted as Government views. His unwanted comments had considerably damaged my reputation as a moderate senior Tamil Politician of some standing. Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka should have diplomatically avoided getting involved in defence of Hon. Douglas Devananda. I wish to tell Dr. Dayan that I do not dispute his right to say any thing in praise of Hon. Douglas Devananda. But he should not have unnecessarily dragged me into this controversy to boost him at my expense. He should know that I could have written much more about him but I did not do so for reasons best known for everybody. Dr. Dayan should know that I am not running after positions but only want to re-install Democracy, which got eroded to a great extent with Hon. Devananda’s entry into Parliament in 1994, with eight others, obtaining a total of only eight thousand odd votes, out of a total of over five hundred thousand votes. Let Dr. Dayan not make things worse by dragging in, His Excellency the President into this mess created by him. I am contended that I have done some good to His Excellency the President by giving him a timely warning. The President is fully aware that Democracy had been kept in pitch Dark in the North, for a considerable period. The people who had lost their democratic rights now want to enjoy all rights I plead with Dr. Dayan to leave me alone to continue with my task I am engaged in, at very grave risk to my life. I humbly request him to go through a few of the many articles written by me and he is sure to find the answers that he wants. As to who is a moderate acceptable to all can be left to the people to decide. I may be wrong, but I am of the opinion that in fairness to the Sri Lankan society, Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka being a Diplomat should avoid writing anything and calling it as “The views expressed here are the writers personal ones”.Mr. Stanley Weerasinghe of Pannipitiya wants to know something about me. I request him also to enjoy the liberally of criticising me after reading atleast some of my articles most of which appeared in the form of letters. Only then one will know what I really say and why I say so.Once again I reiterate that whatever solution found should be within a United Sri Lanka and a permanent one acceptable to all, without leaving room for any future agitation. I love this country as my own where I like to live and breath my last peacefully, which is possible only in a contended society where we all can live as Sri Lankans, enjoying all rights equally with the others and not as Sinhalese or Muslims or Tamils. If I am wrong in yearning for it I many be hanged at Galle Face. I do not want to reply anybody anymore on this subject. V. Anandasangaree, MR meets Chinese officials President Mahinda Rajapakse, while on his short visit to Beijing to attend the opening ceremony for the 2008 Olympics, held several key discussions in the Chinese capital, the Foreign Ministry stated yesterday.The President met Chinese President Hu Jintao on August 7, where the two world leaders discussed matters of mutual concern. President Jintao expressed his appreciation to the Sri Lankan President for the humanitarian assistance provided by Sri Lanka in the wake of the devastating Sichuan earthquake and thanked him for his gesture of personally visiting the shattered province to convey his personal sympathies to the people in the quake hit area.President Rajapakse briefed President Jintao on the progress of ongoing Chinese funded development projects in Sri Lanka and sought support for further projects including the Katunayake Expressway, Puttalam Coal Power project (phase two) and the Hambantota Harbour.At a follow up meeting President Rajapakse held with Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming, the Chinese government pledged funding for these new projects, a release from the Sri Lankan embassy in Beijing said.President Rajapakse apprised Minister Deming of the special investment zone allocated near Mirigama for Chinese entrepreneurs. The minister while expressing interest replied that Sri Lanka would be a "preferred destination" for the relocation of Chinese enterprises, "especially in the textile and light industries sectors."The President also met with the head of EXIM Bank of China, which is bankrolling the many Chinese sponsored development projects in the island. President Rajapakse thanked President, EXIM Bank, Li Ruogu, for the bank’s speedy arrangement of funding for the Hambantota port project and discussed the financial arrangements for upcoming development projects. 12 August 2008 Govt. allows limited access to Madhu church At a special meeting called by President Mahinda Rajapaksa last evening (August 11th), it has been decided to allow 200 devotees per day to visit the sacred Madhu Church in Mannar from August 12th to 17th.Ministers Milroy Fernando, Sarath Gunaratna, President Advisor - Basil Rajapaksa, Army Commander- Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka and IGP - Jayantha Wickremerathne attended the meeting.Speaking to ‘Lankadissent’, a senior official of the Government Information Department said that the restrictions are imposed as only a limited area around the Madhu Church is cleared of land mines.Security forces have taken steps to provide food and other needs for the pilgrims, he added.A special SLTB bus service transporting pilgrims will depart from the Medawachchiya checkpoint at 6.00 a.m. and return by 6.00 p.m.Without prior notification, the statute of Our Lady of Madhu was restored at the Madhu Church on August 09th, after being temporarily housed at the Mannar Bishop House.After being moved to the St. Saviour church in Vellankulam on April 04th, the statue was brought back on July 22nd. Sri Lanka : New battles kill 26 rebels, 6 soldiers New fighting between government forces and Tamil Tiger rebels across Sri Lanka - 's embattled north killed 26 rebels and six soldiers, the military said Tuesday. The fighting took place Monday along the front lines in the Vavuniya, Kilinochchi and Welioya regions, said Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, the military spokesman. In the worst clash, soldiers attacked rebels in Kilinochchi with artillery and small arms, triggering a battle that killed nine guerrillas and three soldiers, he said. Scattered battles in nearby Vavuniya killed 10 rebels, while fighting in Welioya killed seven rebels and three soldiers, Nanayakkara said. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan was not available for comment. Both sides routinely exaggerate enemy casualties and underreport their own. Independent verification of the fighting is not possible because journalists are barred from the war zone. Fighting has escalated on the Indian Ocean island in recent months, with the military stepping up ground assaults and airstrikes on the rebels' de facto state in the north. The Tamil Tigers have been fighting for an independent state in the north and east since 1983, following decades of marginalization of ethnic Tamils by governments dominated by the Sinhalese majority. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict. Abducted girl escapes in Vaazhaichcheanai One of the five girl students abducted by unidentified armed men in a van Saturday in Paddiruppu area managed to escape when the van stopped at Kiraan Aachchiramam area in Vaazhaichcheanai police division in Batticaloa district, sources in Vaazhaichcheanai said. The fate of the other four girls remains unknown. The girl who escaped, while going to a private tuition class on Saturday, had been stopped by the abductors in the van who tried to give her a handbill and when she extended her hand to get it she was pulled forcibly into the van and driven away.Escaping from her abductors at Kiraan in Vaazhaichcheanai police division, the girl had phoned from a telecomunication centre to her parents who came to Kiraan and took her home.The other four girl students are from Vellaave’li area in Batticaloa district, the escaped girl told her parents.Last week a nineteen-year-old Tamil girl who was abducted by an unidentified armed group on Tuesday evening in Batticaloa town escaped at Cinnamons Garden in Colombo 6 August while being taken in a bus along with some abducted girls from the east. Incidents of young girls being abducted in Batticaloa district have increased at an alarming rate causing fear and anxiety among the parents. Troops Capture Kalekuda LTTE Jetty –SL Army Mullaiththeevu residents protest against SLA attacks Residents of Mullaiththeevu staged a protest march Monday condemning the recent Sri Lanka Army (SLA) artillery attack on Mullaiththeevu town injuring Mullaiththeevu Government Agent, on Mullaiththeevu hospital, the killing of Thu’nukkaay Assistant Government Agent, Nanthakumar and Ki’linochchi Development Officer in SLA Deep Penetration Unit attacks. The demonstrators voiced their protest against the indiscriminate Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombings of areas near schools during examination time and on civilian settlements in Vanni. A memorandum to be forwarded to the United Nation Secretary General was submitted to Mullaiththeevu Additional Government Agent, Parthipan, by Mullaiththeevu Traders’ Association president, Mano, on behalf of the protestors. The target of the artillery attack of the Sri Lanka Army in the early hours of Friday in Mullaiththeevu was a residential enclave located within 500 meters radius of the Mullaiththeevu General Hospital, housing the Mullaiththeevu Government Agent (GA), the Medical Superintendent (MS) and many other government officials, who coordinate the essential services of the district. Massive hunt for armed men in Elapatha Govt. holding secret talks with LTTE: UNP The, UNP charged yesterday government was engaged in secret peace talks with the LTTE. UNP front liner Ravi Karunanayake told a news conference secret talks were being held between lower ranked government officials and the LTTE. He said talks began after the visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the recently concluded South Aisan summit this month. Mr. Karunanayake explained that the government was using the war as a tool for its political propaganda. Dismissing accusations that the party was silent on the issue of war and the ethnic conflict, he said the UNP was silently watching the government’s attempts to solve the national issue. He added when the party was in power it had successfully prosecuted the war defeating the LTTE at Vadamarachchi, securing the east prior to the 1994 election. “Who helped the LTTE take over the east after that” he asked. The UNP MP said government had failed to keep its dead lines to end the war. “The government claimed the war would end in March 2008, but some military officials have said it will go on for another 20 years” he charged. Diabolical lie: Minister The government yesterday vehemently denied UNP claims that it was holding secret talks with the LTTE. “It is a diabolical lie by the UNP,” senior Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said. The Minister led the government delegation for peace talks with the LTTE in Geneva a few years ago. Reiterating that the government would not talk to the LTTE unless it gave up arms, the Minister said even President Mahinda Rajapaksa clearly stated that the government would stick to its position of not negotiating with the LTTE unless it laid down arms.The minister charged that it was the UNP that held secret talks with the LTTE. “It was the Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government that entered into a secret pact with the LTTE, without even informing parliament,” he said and added that the UNP continued to support the LTTE even now. India warns SL it might not win war with LTTE Prabha may plan a chemical weapon attack: Karuna 11 August 2008 TULF opposes Douglas's North task force TULF leader V. Anandasangaree has intimated Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh of his objections to the Northern Province development coordinating task force under Minister Douglas Devananda, said political sources.At a meeting with the Indian PM on the sidelines of the recent 15th SAARC summit in Colombo, the TULF leader had strongly criticised the government minister's actions.The task force, formed on a proposal by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, is not a necessity, Mr. Anandasangaree has said, adding that an interim committee could administer the north.He has also warned that handing over the province to the armed EPDP, which is led by Minister Devananda, would spell disaster for the Northern people, and will be like 'out of the fry pan into the fire.'The Northern Province development coordinating task force also has Minister Risath Bathiudeen and Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa as members. Army steps up pressure on northern front Deputy British HC briefed on Vanni situation With the LTTE retreating on the Vanni front, the Colombo based diplomatic community is keen to re-evaluate the ground situation amid reports of rapid depletion of LTTE units resisting the advancing army west of the Kandy-Jaffna A9 road.The LTTE, struggling on the Vanni front, is widely believed to be re-deploying its units, artillery pieces and mortars to resist the army on multiple flanks while maintaining a sizeable force on the northern front.In the northern theatre, the army’s Forward Defence Line (FDL) stretches for about 12 km on the neck of the Jaffna peninsula across Kilaly, Muhamalai and Nagarkovil on the Jaffna east coast. The British Deputy High Commissioner Mark Gooding has met with Maj. General Jagath Jayasuriya, the senior officer in charge of overall action on the Vanni front to discuss the situation. Army headquarters has arranged the meeting immediately after the British High Commission sought Defence Ministry approval to visit the area.Army headquarters said the Vanni Security Forces Commander had briefed the diplomat on the entire range of issues, including ways and means of helping people seeking refuge in government held areas. Gooding’s visit followed Wednesday’s meeting between Maj. Gen. Jayasuriya and Chief UN Security Advisor Criss Duodied in Sri Lanka. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has repeatedly expressed concern over the LTTE taking advantage of INGOs including UN agencies. He reiterated his concerns in a recent interview with The Island, after the shocking revelation that the LTTE had commandeered nine vehicles belonging to Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) active in the LTTE-held area. Meanwhile, in the early hours of Sunday, the army raided LTTE frontline positions at Kilali. Army headquarters said that the 53 Division had killed at least 15 LTTE cadres and wounded many others, before returning to their positions.Yesterday’s was the second large scale raid on the northern front. Late last week, the army carried out a multi-pronged assault on LTTE frontline positions at Muhamalai killing several LTTE cadres. Maithripala slams Mahinda Minister Mervyn Silva He made the comments at a gathering, at his residence in Polonnaruwa, to welcome a group of alleged defectors from Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) to the SLFP. It is highly unusual in Sri Lanka for a senior Cabinet minister to criticise his own government. Mr. Sirisiena however has strongly criticised the conduct of the controversial minister Mervyn Silva.He told journalists in Colombo on Tuesday that ‘the god will punish’ Minister Silva for his continuous attacks against media personnel. Sri Lankan and international media watchdogs accused President Rajapaksa of failing to take action against Minister Mervyn Silva despite clear evidence over his involvement in many such incidents. Special Task Force recovers weapons, explosives in Batticaloa Special Task Force (STF) commandos of Sri Lanka Police have recovered a large haul of weapons and explosives buried by the LTTE in Batticaloa, Shanthimale and Nallathandiyaode areas in a search and clearing operation yesterday. The STF has recovered a 15 k kilogram land mine (15kg) 119,000 T-56 cartridges, 70 mortar shells, 216 chargers for 82 mm mortar shells, 72 mortar cartridges, 69 mortar safety fuses , 200 M16 cartridges and 22 T-82 hand grenades from several locations in Batticaloa, Shanthimale and Nallathandiyaode during the search operation. The search and clearing operation was conducted acting upon information received by the STF, said STF sources. SLAF airstrike kills civilian, 6 wounded in Visuvamadu Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked on Saturday a populated village, known as 'Redd Barna' settlement, in Visuvamadu after targeting an irrigation tank in the area. A 40-year-old civilian, who was working at his paddy field was killed and six civilians were wounded, according to medical sources. The SLAF has stepped up indiscriminate bombardment on civilian settlements as the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells have targeted Mullaiththeevu and Akkaraayan hospital zones. At least five civilians were killed and more than 25 wounded in artillery and air-strikes carried out by the Sri Lankan forces in Vanni on Friday and Saturday. The attack on 'Redd Barna' settlement in Visuvamadu was carried out around 10:20 a.m. on Saturday. Two bombers dropped 12 bombs in three rounds in the air-strike that lasted for 15 minutes. Three houses were destroyed. The civilian, Thevarajah, succumbed to his injuries while he was being rushed to Tharmapuram hospital with six other civilians. P. Thavapalan, 46, father of four from Visuvamadu had to have his hand amputated, according to medical sources.The other wounded were identified as 18-year-old Subramaniam Thusanth from Muththaiyankaddu, 24-year-old Ponnusamy Kokulan from Visuvamadu, 32-year-old S. Kannan, father of three from Thearaavil in Visuvamadu, 21-year-old S. Satheesvaran and 21-year-old Ratnam Balakumar from Punnai Neeraavi in Visuvamadu.Cultivated land and trees including many coconut palms were destroyed in the attack that has taken place 300 meters from Paarathi Viththiyaalayam school in the Redd Barna settlement.A teacher and a mother were killed in Ira'naippaalai located along the Puthukkudiyiruppu - Maaththa'lan Road in Mullaiththeevu district. An irrigation tank in Visuvamadu was targeted in the SLAF bombardment. On Friday, a child was killed and more than 18 wounded in artillery shelling that targeted the residences of administrative and medical officials near Mullaiththeevu hospital. The GA of Mullaiththeevu district and the wife and a son of the Medical Superintendent of the hospital were wounded. One internally displaced civilian was killed Friday evening when artillery shells fired by the SLA exploded 400 meters near Akkaraayan hospital located in the Karaichchi division of Ki'linochchi district. Tension prevailed in the area as several IDP families who had sought refuge there were forced to flee the shelling. Punish Mervyn & become god, JVP tells Maithripala President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Minister Maithripala Sirisena could attain godly status by holding a proper disciplinary inquiry against Minister Mervyn Silva, said JVP Parliamentary group leader, Anura Kumara Dissanayake.At a press conference at Colombo Nippon Hotel yesterday (August 10th), Mr. Dissanayake was responding to the SLFP General Secretary’s recent statement that God would punish Minister Silva.It is a joke to ask the public to obey the law when the first citizen himself is violating it, the JVP MP said.Noting that the time has come for all to unite setting aside all differences for the sake of democracy, he invited all journalists, media institutions and the public to do so.JVP Colombo District parliamentarian, Lakshman Nipunarachchi and member of the party's Central Committee, Nalinda Jayatissa also attended the media briefing. Claymore attack kills homeguard in Ampaa'rai A Claymore ambush at Chava'lakkadai in Ampaa'rai district Monday morning killed a homeguard, who was engaged in a road clearing patrol with Sri Lankan Special Task Force (STF) commandos, Police said. Another homeguard was wounded in the attack. The homeguard killed in the ambush was identified as Ahmed Lebbai Mohmed Thatheer, 37, The attack took place around 10:00 a.m. Residents in the area said the Sri Lankan forces launched a search operation in the area and that young passengers were beaten by the STF. Sangaree: Stop air raids to avoid Civilian Causalities: LTTE must lay down their arms In an appeal V. Anandasangaree, President of the Tamil United Liberation Front has urged the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Sri Lanka Government to act with restraint in the ongoing war where thousand are being displaced and languishing in the Vanni region under the control of the Tamil Tigers. He further urged the Sri Lanka Government to stop forthwith the air-raids at least now to avoid further civilian causalities.He further said in his press release, if the LTTE do not act with restraint they have nothing to lose but the Government by shirking its responsibility of protecting its citizens wherever they live, cannot afford to lose its credibility.Further more Anandasangaree castigated the LTTE for taking all the Tamils of the North and the East for a ride. He urged, “Now knowing fully well that they can’t achieve what they promised, the LTTE must be honest enough to declare a ceasefire unilaterally and agree to come to the democratic fold, laying down their arms. Given below the full text of the Press Release of V. Anandasangaree, President of the Tamil United Liberation Front: Plea to the LTTE and the Government forces to act with restraint. It is distressing to note that due to shelling in the neighbour-hood of the Mullaitheevu Hospital, a child of one and a half years was killed and about 18 civilians including the Government Agent of Mullaitheevu injured; some seriously. In another incident it is understood that due to aerial bombing two civilians were killed along with two others seriously injured. About 10 houses were partly or fully damaged. One should lose a child or Member of his family under similar circumstances, to feel the agony of the loss.Who are these victims? What harm have they caused to the society except that they are caught up in an area under the control of the LTTE? If we can’t find salvation for these people and give them a breathing space we do not deserve to call our-selves followers of Buddhist Principles. We have people in our country who argue that the war should continue irrespective of what happens and continue to obstruct any settlement. Unfortunately this is the situation. As a patriotic citizen I love my country and its people and I do not want one life lost in vain. We have lost a hundred thousand lives, if properly accounted for.The on-going war between the Government forces and the LTTE has virtually displaced more than 50% of the people from their homes both in the North and the East. They have undergone immense hardships with no proper food, clothing shelter and proper medical care. They have lost almost all their possessions. The victims are all innocent civilians. The LTTE took all the Tamils of the North and the East for a ride. Now knowing fully well that they can’t achieve what they promised, the LTTE must be honest enough to declare a ceasefire uniterally and agree to come to the democratic fold, laying down their arms. The Government for its part also should act with restraint and stop forthwith the air-raids atleast now to avoid civilian causalities. If the LTTE do not act with restraint they have nothing to lose but the Government by shirking its responsibility of protecting its citizens wherever they live, cannot afford to lose its credibility.Very soon there will be mass scale displacement in Kilinochchi where several thousands had already been pushed in under compulsion. The total number displaced will soon swell to several thousands. All the schools, community centres and vacant buildings available in Kilinochchi won’t be sufficient to accommodate all the displaced ones. Food and sanitation will have to be looked into. The LTTE should now open its iron gate to allow the people to get into the Government controlled areas from all directions. Many people, who were squeezed into Kilinochchi from Jaffna if allowed to go into the peninsula, can occupy their own homes there.The Government itself should open its side to allow the people to escape from the LTTE area to get in to areas under its control. I plead with both parties to the war to act with restraint. I am surprised to see Parliament granting 3 months leave for two Members of Parliament of the TNA to continue their tour or to stay abroad. V. Anandasangaree, 07 August 2008 Sri Lanka Army commander warns newspaper to censor defence columns Sri Lankan media associations today expressed their deep concern over Sri Lanka Army Commander who is noted for alleged human right violations threatening another staff journalist of a national newspaper to discontinue her weekly defence column. It has been reported to the our organisations that Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka had told staff journalist Indika Ramanayake of Lankadeepa news paper that he would not cooperate with the newspaper if it did not stop the two regular and defence related columns. The regular columns in question are a defence analysis by Duminda Sanjeewa in Sunday Lankadeepa and a Sinhala translation of the security situation column by Iqbal Athas, associate editor of the Sunday Times. Lt. Gen. Fonseka had made the statement when staff journalist Ramanayake had called him on 5th of August to seek his permission to obtain certain information from another officer. The five media organisations strongly condemning the reported warning by the Army Commander said they consider this incident as an indirect intimidation aimed at media censorship. `When a military officer of highest order such as army commander makes such a request it automatically becomes an indirect order and creates fear among the journalists mentioned. Further this request, or rather order, is a breach of the people`s right to information. This is the context we express our disappointment over this incident, the associations said. Postal voting today and tomorrow Election Authorities said yesterday that all arrangements were in place for the conduct of postal voting at the forthcoming provincial council elections for Sabaragamuwa and North Central today and tomorrow from 8.30 a.m to 4.00 p.m. at relevant work places.According to Authorities there are 51,057 eligible voters from both provinces with 33,336 from North Central and 17,721 from Sabaragamuwa. Public Officers who are unable to cast their vote on the election day due to their official functions have been as in the past provided with this facility. However eligible postal voters who are unable to cast their ballot during the two allotted days due to valid reasons have been given permission to exercise their franchise until election day (August 23). One of the salient features related to this years PC polls is the large number of rejected requests for the facility which stands above 11,000 due to various anomalies. Meanwhile Authorities said that special security arrangements would be in place at Government institutions where the postal vote is scheduled to take place. The postal voting process is to take place under the supervision of relevant certifying officers and under instructions of the Asst. Elections Commissioner in the area. Madhu statue handed over Sri Lanka`s Parliament grants nod for emergency extension The resolution was passed with a majority of 72 votes. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna , the Jathika Nidahas Peramuna and the Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka thera voted with the Government. Only the Tamil National Alliance opposed(TELO,TULF,ACTC and EPRLF). United National Party members were not present when the vote was taken up. Meanwhile, oining in the emergency debate, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake expressed concern that continuous appeals had to be made to Sri Lankans to obliterate terrorism, although SAARC leaders were united in vanquishing the common enemy. The Prime Minister said the regional leaders united to defeat this common enemy but he is concerned that repeated appeals had to be made to all those who are living in this island to support the routing of the terrorist. The LTTE announced a ceasefire during the summit period. Sri Lankan MPs clash over CEPA with India Sparks flew in the Sri Lankan parliament as supporters and critics clashed over the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India.India announced in July that the CEPA would be signed on the sidelines of the SAARC summit that ended here Aug 3.But Sri Lanka, coming under pressure from the radical Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), postponed the event indefinitely claiming that it needed time to discus the deal with local stakeholders.If the JVP and its breakaway group led by its former propaganda secretary Wimal Weerawansa breathed fire on the deal and urged the government to abandon it, the Tamil National Alliance (TELO,TULF,ACTC and EPRLF) urged the government to go ahead with it without 'succumbing to political pressure'. The house took up the issue Tuesday during an adjournment motion moved by MP Wimal Weerawansa, who argued that the proposed agreement would deal a crippling blow particularly to the service sector of Sri Lanka's economy.According to media reports, Weerawansa expressed fears that the deal, the first of its kind in Sri Lanka, would leave local enterprises in doldrums because of the possibility of Indian investors gaining the upper hand, according to the provisions of the deal.Bimal Ratnayake of the JVP charged that the government had decided to sign the deal with India in a hurry without consulting the 'true industrialists' in the country.'Today Mahinda Rajapaksa government has knelt before India and is betraying us to India. Today Chinese involvement in Sri Lanka has increased by 10 fold and India is not happy with this situation,' the state-run Daily News quoted JVP MP Ratnayake as saying.Udawatte Nanda Thera, a MP from the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) -- an influential party of Budhist monks -- has said that the Sri Lanka had benefited 'very little' from the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Indi and added that CEPA would mean a one-way traffic for Indian entrepreneurs.Joining the debate, the parliament group leader of TNA, R. Sampanthan, claimed that the country 'is in a terrible situation with regard to economy and national problem' and stressed that the CEPA should be signed considering the economic benefits to both the countries.'India is ready to contribute to smaller countries in the SAARC region in a much bigger way. We should go forward,' he said.Colombo district MP of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) Ravi Karunanayake has hailed the CEPA as one that 'would help Sri Lanka tremendously', but stressed the need for consultation with the country's chamber of commerce to accommodate their views.Responding to questions, Minister of Export Development and International Trade, G.L. Peiris, dispelled the views that India had forced Sri Lanka to conclude the deal in a hurry.'India has granted a lot of duty free concessions to Sri Lanka and we are aiming to widen and deepen the market access to India. Through this proposed agreement we have access of eight million pieces of fabric to the Indian market,' Minister Peiris said.So far India has signed such CEPA only with Singapore in 2005. It is holding talks with South Korea, Japan and the European Union to enter into the same.India signed a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Sri Lanka in 1999. As a result, Sri Lanka's volume of trade with India increased from $49 million to $516 million. India's trade volume with Sri Lanka has increased from $549 million to $2.7 billion between 1999 and 2007. Air Force attacks Tiger base in Nayaru –SL Air Force Air Force fighters destroyed two LTTE boats in a fresh air attack carried out targeting a sea Tiger base in the Nayaru lagoon, Mullaitivu yesterday morning causing heavy damage to the Tigers. Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said the Air Force fighter jets pounded targeting a Sea Tiger base located in the Nayau lagoon and destroyed two Tiger boats. "The air raid was carried out following reliable information of LTTE movements in the area", he added. The Air Force fighters confirmed that the air sorties were effective and caused heavy damage to the LTTE. Meanwhile, Military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said that in a pre-emptive attack troops manning the Muhamalai Forward Defence Lines ambushed LTTE bunker lines and killed five Tiger cadres and injured 25 others yesterday. The Security Forces ambushed the LTTE bunker lines ahead of the Security Forces FDL's in Muhamalai around 2.30 am. "The attack was launched on seven flanks by the Security Forces and the surprised Tiger cadres scattered and retreated from their bunker lines. The LTTE faced a severe beating in the fierce fight that lasted until 3.00 a.m. and troops killed five Tigers and injured over 25 others," Brigadier Nanayakkara said. These reports could not be verified due to the absence of alternative sources. No aid for New Zealand TRO, says Kiwi FM NEW ZEALAND: The New Zealand Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) will not get any Government money while it is on the US blacklist, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters said. Peters insisted that taxpayer tsunami money did not find its way to Tiger coffers. "Not these funds because they were so small, and also the New Zealand aid did its job in terms of finding out that it was going to be expended and expended in the appropriate way," he said. Concerns have been raised about the use of New Zealand taxpayers' money after ONE News discovered the TRO was blacklisted by the US for alleged links to the Tigers. In 2007, the US froze the funds of the TRO, claiming it was a front group raising money for equipment and weapons. "We'd be very concerned if there was any suggestion that New Zealand taxpayers' money was going to an organisation that was purely a front for a group that was widely acknowledged as a terrorist entity," said National MP Murray McCully. The US also alleges the charity's headquarters is siphoning off money meant for tsunami relief into Tiger coffers. ONE News understands that the New Zealand Government has given the local TRO over $120,000. Minor earth tremor in South Iran willing to share nuclear technology with Sri Lanka Iran is willing to share nuclear technology for peaceful purposes with Sri Lanka, the country’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, who was in Colombo to attend the 15th SAARC Summit told The Island. He said that Iran and Sri Lanka are long standing friends and Iran was willing to assist in all fields, including uranium enrichment for peaceful purposes.Asked about allegations that Iran, was helping Sri Lanka because it has no friends in the world, Mottaki dismissed them as ridiculous. "Ours is a friendship based on mutual trust and understanding. To impute ulterior motives is michievious to say the least." he said"Iran is sincerely committed to the development of Sri Lanka, whom we consider to be a true friend, he said. "Our commitment has already been proved by a pledge of over US$ 450 million in assistance for several Sri Lankan projects, including the Sapugaskanda oil refinery and Uma Oya irrigation scheme," Mottaki said.The reciprocal visits of Presidents Mahmoud Ahamdinejad and Mahinda Rajapaksa to each others countries, bear ample testimony to the solid friendship that has stood the test of time, he observed. "Iran, wants to expand economic and commercial ties with all SAARC members including Sri Lanka. We can help the region develop its energy resources and food production among other things."Calling for the establishment of an Asian Parliament on the lines of the European Parliament, he said that it could be the first step towards greater integration, which is so vital for development. July death toll is 130, claims PM 'Claim that east was liberated not true' Kalmunai Magistrate S.M. Abdullah who on July 29 held the inquest into the death of Kalmunai police HQI W.C.Wijetillake, who committed suicide by shooting himself mid last month, disclosed that according to a log book entry by the deceased 'the claims that the east was fully retrieved from the LTTE was not true'. Disclosing details of another entry in his log book by the deceased, the Magistrate said that he (the deceased) decided to commit suicide because he was hurt and humiliated because of a transfer order which required him to work under an officer who was much junior to him in rank. According to the log book of the deceased, he strove to remain a honest police officer and anticipated similar tendencies from his police team. He built up very good public relations and good public rapport. People knew well about him and his good intentions, he had stated in the log book, according to the Magistrate. Circulars that were sent out to him by the DIG were very much demoralizing and distressing, the deceased had further stated in his log book, the Magistrate revealed. IP Jameel, Sergeant Shantha and son of the deceased Rohan Wijetillake have evidence at the inquest. A further inquiry on the matter has been fixed for August 12. 06 August 2008 India calls for 13th Amendment plus plus Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for the implementation of a 13th Amendment plus plus formula to resolve the ethnic conflict, The Morning Leader learns. The Prime Minister made this call during his visit to Sri Lanka to attend the SAARC Summit last week.The Indian Premier who expressed his position to President Mahinda Rajapakse during their one to one discussion on Friday, August 1, had also reiterated New Delhi’s position to the CWC delegation led by Minister Arumugam Thondaman when they met on Saturday, August 2.Informed sources said the CWC had welcomed India’s position that there is no military solution to the conflict but only a political solution and called on Prime Minister Singh to pressurise the Rajapakse government to accept the final proposals of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) and implement them.It is learned Prime Minister Singh had informed Minister Thondaman India believes there should be a 13th Amendment plus plus solution and that the implementation of the 13th Amendment should only be a temporary arrangement until the APRC finalises its proposals.Prime Minister Singh had also said it is up to the APRC to come out with a set of proposals that are 13th Amendment plus plus.Meanwhile India has also made arrangements to deliver 50 buses to the estate sector to link the estates with the towns.The buses are to be given to a cooperative owned by the estate workers, it is learned.The minority political parties including the TNA, TDNA and the EPDP also called for India’s support to push for a 13th Amendment plus plus formula. Heavy fighting continues in north Heavy fighting was reported in the Mannar-Vavuniya and Welioya sectors in the last 72 hours government military and the Tigers said. The Defence Ministry said that troops had continued to advance north in Mannar, Vavuniya and Welioya. It said that over 50 Tigers had been killed in the fighting. Troops advancing in the Welioya areas had come across a 150 metre firing range used by the Tigers and a mortar pit used to fire 130 mm mortars. The Ministry said that 13 soldiers had been killed and 18 injured in the fighting. Meanwhile the army said that the Tigers had lost a senior cadre named Kumaran Master during the fighting in the Palamoddai area north west of Omanthai in Vavuniya on August 4.The Tigers said that 10 soldiers had been killed in the fighting in the Palamoddai area. Quoting Tiger military sources Tamil Net reported that Tigers had twice repulsed attempts by government forces to advance north of Vellankulam on August 3. Troops had tried to move north around 8 a.m in the morning and again around 4 p.m. Tamil Net also reported that the Tigers had displayed small arms and ammunition captured in the Vellankulam fighting on August 4 in Kilinochchi. Nallur Kandasamy annual festival commences today with ‘Kodi Etram’ The annual festival of Nallur Kanthasamy Kovil (Temple) in Jaffna commences today with Kodi Etram - the ceremony of flag hoisting to mark the beginning of the temple festival. The festival will commence at 10 AM, in the morning. According to tradition, Nallur Kanthasamy Temple is said to be one of the few temples in the peninsula that practices rites and observances according to Saiva agama traditions, and reflected with regularity, splendor and pageantry.Nallur Kanthasamy Kovil is one of the most important temples in the Jaffna peninsula. The annual festival used to commence on the sixth day of the Adi Amavaci – New moon in the month of Aadi (July) and would last for 25 days. The temple festival will be held for the next 25 days. Unlike earlier annual festivals, according to the temple authorities, this year too the festival is to be held with subdued version of the pageant and pageantry.In the meantime, due to the commencement of the Nallur Kandasamy Kovil’s festival the curfew hours has been reduced by another half an hour. Accordingly, from today onwards, the new curfew hours will be in force daily from 9 PM to 4 AM for the next 25 days. The day pooja (adoration of deities with rituals) is to be held with the temple deity taken into procession within the inner court of the temple. The evening pooja during the festival days will be held with the deity taken in procession at 4.45 pm. Temple authorities revealed that the day’s pooja will be over by 5.30 pm in the evening . Today, the temple flag will be brought in procession from the ‘Theradi Murugan matt’ located at the Sattanathar Street, to be used for the hoisting.The annual festival is expected to draw tens of thousands of pilgrims from all corners of the country and also this year, a few dozens of Tamil expatriates from Western countries are expected to arrive for the festival. Nallur Kanthasamy Kovil is one of the most important temples in the Jaffna peninsula. The annual festival used to commence on the sixth day of the Adi Amavaci – New moon in the month of Aadi (July) and would last for 25 days.Many devotees carry kavadi, an act of paying penance. A kavadi is a decorated arch with two milk pots to be offered in the worship. Many carriers also pierce their body with small silver spears and hooks. Rolling around the temple on the hot sand is also a common practice of penance. Normally fifty temple priests conduct different activities on each of the 25 days of the festival, beginning with the flag raising through a series of very elaborate ther - chariot processions to the final theertham "water cutting" ceremony to immerse the deities in the pond and mark the festival's end.Historians say that Nallur Kovil is closely intertwined with the history of Jaffna. Prof.Gunrarasa of Jaffna University in his book on the Temple says that it was originally constructed in a piece of land called Kurukal Valavu in A.D 948. The Kovil was destroyed in AD 1450 during the invasion by the Sinhalese King Shenpakaperumal (Sapumal Kumaraya).Sapumal Kumaraya defeated King Arya Chakkaravarthi, destroyed his palace and the original Nallur Kovil . But upon becoming Buvaneka Bahu VI, he sought to make amends by building a new temple in 1467 at a nearby location, says Shanmugapriya in Nallur Kanthaswamy: A Spiritual Experience.S.Pathmanathan in his Hindu Temples of Sri Lanka wrote that the temple established by Buvaneka Bahu continued to flourish even after he had lost authority over Yappanam (Jaffna) and the Tamil Kings who were restored to power around 1467 extended royal patronage, until they were displaced around 1620 by the Portuguese.Philip de Oliveyra, the Portuguese commander, who took control of Yalppanam in 1619 ordered the Nallur temple razed down in 1621.Thereafter according to C.S.N avaratnam in A Short History of Hinduism in Ceylon, for nearly 170 years there were no temples for the Tamils to worship in that locality. Later, the Dutch in their latter period became more liberal. Some pious people applied for permission to build a temple and permission was granted in 1773.The temple was again reconstructed in 1734 during the time of Dutch rule by Irakunatha Mappanar Mudaliyar in the piece of land that belonged to the old Kanthaswamy Kovil. Rajitha slams PNM over 13th Amendment Housing Construction Minister Rajitha Senaratne slammed the Patriotic National Movement (PNM) yesterday for criticizing the government’s decision to fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution stating the organisation was seeking to help the LTTE.The PNM and its President Gunadasa Amerasekera on Monday accused Government Ministers Rajitha Senaratne and Dilan Perera of undermining the security forces and the war effort by calling for the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.President Mahinda Rajapakse last week assured Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh the government would comprehensively implement the 13th Amendment and proceeded to include the assurance in the joint statement issued after the one to one meeting between the two heads of state.Senaratne said the 13th Amendment was already a part of the constitution and every citizen was duty bound to uphold the constitution."What the PNM is asking us is to go against the constitution. That is what the LTTE is also doing. By such statements they are trying to help the LTTE’s cause," Minister Senaratne charged. He said when they as MPs took their oaths in Parliament they pledged to uphold the constitution and added the 13th Amendment was part of the Constitution."Wimal Weerawansa is also in the PNM and I listened very closely when he took his oaths and he too pledged to uphold the constitution. He did not say he would uphold the Constitution minus the 13th Amendment. As for Gunadasa Amarasekera, the question of taking the oath did not arise since he had retired from public service by that time. These are statements made to justify their existence and aimed at justifying the LTTE’s cause," Senaratne charged. Thousands of civilians flee fighting in the north Thousands of civilians fleeing recent fighting in Mannar area further north towards Kilinochchi, run the risk of being caught in the fighting if the military advances continue. Close to 30,000 civilians have fled the fighting in Mannar in the last two months and government and humanitarian agencies have faced access difficulties in reaching them. They have also warned of shortages due to lack of supplies. "The general security situation in Kilinochchi and Mulaithivu Districts remains tense and unpredictable due to ongoing military operations and exchange of mortar/artillery shelling around the northern and southern FDL areas, claymore mine attacks and air attacks deep inside the Wanni area. The bulk of artillery activity remains confined to the main battle areas along the northern and southern FDL areas," the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) an umbrella organisation of UN and other agencies working in the north east said in its latest weekly update."Fighting continues north of Illupaikkadavai in Mannar and Oddankulam, Kalvilan and around Mallavi, Thunukkai in the Mulaithivu District. Shelling continues close to Koddaikaddiyakulam, Vellankulam and Mulankavil areas. Affected populations continued to displace north towards Akkarayan." The ICRC said that they had access to the IDPs and had distributed emergency supplies as well. According to figures maintained by the UN there were close to 30,000 IDPs in Mantai and Thunkkai by end of June. Heavy fighting in the last month in the areas has forced many to flee north. "We don’t know if the Tigers are not allowing the civilians to come to areas under government control, we have no information like that, but they must be," military spokes person Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara told The Morning Leader. The only available exit from the Wanni is the Omanthai crossover point through the A9. "They can come through Omanthai," the military spokesperson said. However on August 3 afternoon, the Omanthai crossover point closed down temporarily. It was functioning as usual yesterday. The ICRC that maintains a presence at Omanthai said that they had access to crossover point and that it was functioning smoothly. Information on the IDP situation in the Wanni has been slow to obtain due to lack of phone lines. From July 23, all land phones to the Wanni have remained out of order, though according to the ISAC report phones within the Wanni were working. According to the IASC report there were over 130,000 IDPs in the two districts of Kilinochchi and Mulaithivu. Virakesari Celebrates its 78 Years of Anniversary ‘Virakesari’ which is one of the leading Tamil Newspapers in Sri Lanka is completing seventy eight years of publication.In the annals of journalism in Sri Lanka Virakesari, Express Newspapers (Ceylon) Ltd, has occupied a prominent place and has been instrumental in furthering greatly the progress of our country as well as its cordial relations with other nations of the world.An independent policy without fear or favour, dispassionate consideration of men and matters, its exposition of sound political policies and foresighted statesmanship have been some of the remarkable traits of this esteemed newspaper.Founded by P. R. Subramaniam Chettiar, who came to Sri Lanka (Ceylon) to fulfil his ambition of publishing a paper with its distinct voice of its own. His aspiration became a reality in 1930 when he first published "VIRAKESARI", a paper that has gone on to become the premier voice of Tamil readership of Sri Lanka and as well as worldwide. Chettiar guided the publication of this paper for over twenty years laying the foundation for a strong and progressive future, renowned for founding principles of accuracy and neutrality.As a leading Tamil newspaper establishment its core purpose is to enhance and enrich society by collecting, reporting and distributing quality news and information to our valued reading public.Further Virakesari is one of the widely read publications in Sri Lanka with over 76,000 copies circulated of the daily Edition and 113,000 copies of the Weekly edition. Indeed our editorial policy and Technical know-now is what has led to such success. In fact, Virakesari provides readers with diverse range of information on different topics while providing advertisers with the loyal and involved readership.The readership of Virakesari is made up of a number of strata of society and also a number of influential members of both the public and private sector subscribe to the publication of the Express Newspapers (Ceylon) Ltd, which include eleven publications namely Virakesari Daily, Virakesari Weekly, Mithiran Varamalar, Metro weekly and Daily, Virakesari On-line, Genius, Sugavalvu, AutoMag, Jothidakesari and Home Builder.Express Newspapers (Ceylon) Ltd has now become a leading print media establishment in Sri Lanka of printing and publishing magazines in all three languages and has well established a name within a reach of three million readers across the country Express Newspapers (Ceylon) Ltd has also made great strides in the information Technology field. The company has recently upgraded its typesetting and graphic department with the latest technology in Editorial and page layout. Further, the Virakesari was voted as the ‘BEST DESIGNED NEWSPAPER’ at the Journalism awards for excellence in 2005 by the EDITORS’ GUILD and the Sri Lanka Press Institute. Further, we wish to mention in this instance that our Journalists were also presented with several prestigious awards for the past three years for their remarkable contribution in relation to editorial and business matters.Besides, in order to ensure the distribution of its publications the company has setup eleven Branch offices covering almost all areas where the Tamil speaking population resides to provide valued service to the reading public.‘VIRAKESARI’ today stands not merely as an institution, a kingdom of mathematical wisdom but also as resilient tradition and an indomitable spirit destined to remain strong and sound for Millennium. Petrol station cashier jailed for 'village of the scammed' fraud A petrol station worker has been jailed for his part in a scam to defraud almost every resident of a country village. Abdul Samad Mohamed Raik used a fake card reader to clone the bank cards of hundreds of locals and passing customers in the Leicestershire village of Houghton-on-the-Hill.The details of more than 500 cards customers were used to steal a total of £175,000 pounds in a global fraud allegedly driven by links to a Sri Lankan guerrilla group. Residents of the village were unaware of what had happened until learning from their banks that their accounts had been plundered in countries including Australia, India, Canada and the Philippines. Raik, 33, claimed he became involved after running up a debt with a loan shark who was linked to the Sri Lankan guerrilla group the Tamil Tigers. Raik, a Sri Lankan national, told police he was given the cloning equipment and ordered to use it to pay off what he owed - and more besides. Justin Wigoder, prosecuting, told Leicester Crown court that the owner of Houghton Garage, Jim Funnell, was unaware of the scam, carried out between October and December last year. Raik, of Rushey Mead, Leicester left his job when the scam was discovered and gave himself up to police in March. He admitted obtaining property by deception and was jailed for two years and nine months. Sentencing, Recorder Duncan Smith said: "It was a gross breach of trust to your employer, who relies on the good faith of his staff and on the custom his customers bring him. "It was a huge fraud. One doesn't know how badly his business will be affected or if some people will choose to go elsewhere for their petrol." At the time, residents admitted they were amazed by the extent of the cloning, which affected almost every house in the village and led to them rechristening Houghton the "village of the scammed". MI-24 helicopters raid LTTE gathering place 57 follows 58 into Kilinochchi Two more LTTE operatives held in Chennai Two more cadres of Sri Lanka’s Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were arrested early Wednesday here and sent to judicial custody, the police said. K. Uma Ramanan, 33, and A. Amalan, 27, who hail from Jaffna in Sri Lanka, were found in possession of an unspecified quantity of ammonium nitrate, a chemical fertiliser that can also be used as an explosive, besides cables and detonators, police sources added.The arrests follow Tuesday’s arrest of Selvam, another operative of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).After Wednesday’s arrests, the total number of LTTE operatives taken into custody the past week has touched 10. This follows a fresh drive against LTTE suspects. The LTTE is engaged in a bitter campaign to form an independent Tamil state in Sri Lanka, which is separated from Tamil Nadu by a narrow strip of sea. Narayanan’s taxi ride proved security excellence : Keheliya JVP against Indo-Lanka deal The JVP yesterday urged the government not to enter into any agreement with India to build power plants in Sri Lanka without first ensuring ownership.JVP Parliamentarian Bimal Ratnayake alleged the proposed under-water power cable to be built connecting Madurai in India and Thalaimannar was not simply a project to supply power but a political and economic plot by the Indian government to take control of Sri Lanka.“India is now trying to dominate the power and energy sector of the country through the proposed Sampur coal power plant and the power sharing scheme between South India and Sri Lanka through the proposed submarine electricity cable. Agreements were also signed giving authority to India to drill off-shore oil wells, to buy the Kankesanthurai Cement factory and to build the coastal railway track,” he said.Mr. Ratnayake stressed these agreements posed a serious threat to national security.“India is the main shareholder of the special economic zone in Trincomalee and now dominates the fuel market as well. When the agreement on sharing electricity between the two countries comes into force, India will be in a position to leave the entire country in darkness whenever it wishes to,” he said.“The Sri Lankan government last week said it was a plan to supply electricity to some areas of Southern India. It’s a pity that the government makes such ridiculous statements as it has failed to provide electricity to most of the rural areas in Sri Lanka, let alone provide electricity to South India,” Mr. Ratnayake added.He said India was now attempting to create a situation where all neigbouring small countries depend on its power generation and this agreement was also part of it. “The recent political crisis in India where the present Congress government nearly faced defeat took place because of the Indian government’s thirst of dominating the region.” “The Indian government took such a risk and entered into a pact with the USA on generating nuclear power because they give priority to defeat any attempt of a smaller nation in the region to stand on their own in power generation. Thereby they can intervene into the matters of those countries politically,” he said.The consent was given for drawing a 1000MW transmission from India to Sri Lanka and an Indian company is already constructing a 500 MW thermal power plant in Trincomalee. Under this situation India will dominate 50% of power supply of the country and will acquire the authority to increase electricity prices and electricity disruptions whenever they feel the necessity to do so, to bend the Sri Lankan government to their will after building the proposed submarine electric cable as well.Mr. Ratnayake said Sri Lanka did not have a pleasant history or had never benefited from the agreements entered into with India. “For instance, if we take the recent instances the agreement entered into with the Indian Oil Company only resulted in putting more burdens on the ordinary people in the country and has even gone beyond the control of the government.”“Petroleum Resources Minister A.H.M. Fowzie has been threatening that the government will acquire the filling stations back to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation if the IOC failed to abide by the government regulations. But the situation will not be that easy if Sri Lanka gives more than 50% of its shares in the energy sector to India as there is no way of countering any possible disruption without having an alternative. Coming up with an alternative could also not be done in haste and only wonders have to happen to save Sri Lanka if the CEPA agreement took place as it will be the biggest and irreparable mistake,” he stressed.He said this was a time where no country dares to jeopardize its energy sovereignty and urged the government not to betray the country’s sovereignty to India by just telling “fairy tails” to the ordinary people of the country. 05 August 2008 Sri Lanka, worst HR violator in South Asia - ACHR The Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR), in a comparative assessment of the human rights records of South Asian governments, says Sri Lanka, with 52 points, is the worst human rights violator in the region.ACHR's South Asia Human Rights Index 2008 finds Bangladesh is placed second (45), followed by Bhutan (43), Pakistan (41), the Maldives (23), Nepal (24) and India (24). Afghanistan has not been included for indexing purpose, as its security is ensured by international forces over which the government of Afghanistan has no mechanism to establish accountability - a necessary condition for indexing. The indexing system is based on comparative assessment of nine thematic issues crucial for the enjoyment of human rights: political freedom, right to life, judiciary and administration of justice, status or effectiveness of national human rights institutions, press freedom, violence against women, violations of the rights of the child, violations of the rights of the minorities and indigenous/tribal peoples and repression on human rights defenders. While Sri Lanka is the worst in the region, the report also underlines that all countries in the region have very poor records. The regional analysis also shows a high level of commonality in human rights patterns. Discrimination is endemic, institutionalised and in many cases legalised. Human rights violations are integral to counterinsurgency operations conducted by the military and paramilitary forces. Human rights violations are routinely perpetrated in detention. Security laws tend to be poorly framed, routinely abused and used as blanket cover to silence legitimate dissent rather than tackle security. These facts are not the assertions of Asian Centre for Human Rights but repeatedly confirmed by national, regional and international NGOs, bar associations, media organisations and the various UN bodies established to monitor human rights.South Asia requires reforms: (i) reform of archaic and punitive criminal and penal laws and the regime of sovereign immunity for the government and its personnel; and (ii) reform of the official mindset with regard to human rights.Reform will not happen if human rights violations, committed both by the security forces and armed groups, are not promptly, thoroughly, independently and impartially investigated and those responsible brought to justice, the system which allowed them to commit those crimes remains intact. Sri Lanka: No. 1 Violator With 52 points, Sri Lanka is South Asia’s worst human rights violator. Sri Lanka had the worst human rights records for violations of the right to life, the rights of the child, attacks on human rights defenders and violations of the rights of the minorities. On press freedom, it ranked second worst violator only after Bhutan, which has no independent press. These increased violations are a direct consequence of the war.Civilians in Sri Lanka are deliberately targeted by all sides to the conflict. “Discrimination lies at the heart of the war with the Tamils and the introduction of restrictions on Tamils traveling to Colombo are a powerful symbol of government intent. The political ramifications of the exclusion - not least in terms of prospects for a peaceful settlement of the conflict - of an entire ethnic group from the nation’s capital are of deep concern.” – stated ACHR. In Sri Lanka, attacks on freedom of expression were of particular concern and led the killing of seven journalists in 2007. There are no precise figures on the number of civilians killed because reporting on war is banned. “The beginning of any solution is good information. Not only is Sri Lanka’s conflict resulting in systematic violations of human rights of civilians, but by deliberately oppressing journalists and freedom of expression, this measure closes off any means for the government to have access to independent information and understand the extent of the problem and the negative consequences of its own actions.” - said Suhas Chakma, Director of the Asian Centre for Human Rights. In April 2007, Police Chief Victor Perera stated that the Police have to go beyond the law to combat crime. “This is an extraordinarily dangerous and irresponsible instruction to a police force with a reputation for high levels of discrimination, human rights violation and disregard for the rule of law”.The results are there: disappearances began to rise again: 540 persons disappeared across Sri Lanka from January to August 2007 with ethnic Tamils suffering disproportionately –78.89% compared with 1.85% (Sinhalese) and 3.52% (Muslims) with 50% of the cases being reported from Jaffna district alone. “Sri Lanka’s Human Rights Commission became the first one in South Asia to be downgraded to Observer Status by the International Coordinating Committee of National Institutions the international body governing National Human Rights Institutions citing government influence on its independence. The Sri Lankan Human Rights Commission is the worst one in South Asia” “In no other South Asian country, so many human rights defenders have been killed. By September 2007, at least 43 aid workers were killed and 14 others were missing in Sri Lanka since the escalation of the conflict.” – asserted Mr Chakma. Sri Lanka has the highest number of child soldiers in South Asia with 6,248 recorded cases of recruitment of by the LTTE and 453 cases by the Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), the Karuna faction. “It is government policy to allow the Karuna group and the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) to recruit child soldiers.” – stated ACHR. In Sri Lanka, LTTE territory shrinks and shrinks Amid continuously shrinking Tamil Tiger territory, the Norwegian-sponsored peace process is on hold in Sri Lanka with no signs of resuming any time now. Less than three years after it took on Colombo with aggressive war mongering, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is desperate for fighters, say Tamil activists and diplomatic sources. According to Tamil sources in the island’s troubled northeast, the LTTE is appealing to Tamil families to contribute at least one member each, irrespective of age and gender, to take on the advancing military.The LTTE now controls about 4,000 sq km - or just six percent of Sri Lanka’s land territory. And the population under its control is said to be about 250,000 - a mere 1.25 percent of the country’s total.This is a far cry from 2005 when it controlled a vast area in Sri Lanka’s north and east. However, soon after President Mahinda Rajapaksa took power in November that year, the LTTE took the offensive, stoking a war that rages to this day. Military officials say that the LTTE’s ability to counter-attack in a major way has been seriously eroded over the past year. The loss of the east has meant that the LTTE has lost valuable training ground and a region where it recruited cadres to wage war.While Sri Lankan leaders admit that it will be impossible to crush the LTTE as long as a sense of Tamil nationalism exists, the LTTE appears to be on the retreat in the north. But those who have known the LTTE warn that it will not give up, come what may.Western diplomats say that Norwegian facilitation will remain on hold as long as fighting rages. There is unlikely to be any advancement in the peace process in the near future.Although Norwegian diplomats do not travel any more to LTTE areas, they are in touch with the Tigers through other means. Norway is also in close touch with India, which everyone agrees matters the most in Sri Lanka.Most diplomats feel that neither Colombo nor the LTTE desire talks. Colombo certainly thinks it is winning the war. And although the pro-LTTE media makes noises about the need for a dialogue, there is no guarantee the LTTE wants that.In any case, calls for peace talks are dismissed in Colombo as a disguised pro-LTTE stand. The state refuses to listen to hectoring on human rights. Western activists are told that they cannot cross a line. If they do, reaction is swift.Sri Lanka knows it needs to keep India on its side. For the first time in a long time, the Indian state does not seem to be making any bones about being neutral in Sri Lanka. Despite pro-LTTE noises in Tamil Nadu, India refuses to publicly criticise anything it feels is going wrong on the Sri Lankan war front.The refugee flow into India is manageable. New Delhi is also relentlessly pursuing the LTTE in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere so that it does not source war materials from India. This is music to Colombo’s ears.In Sri Lanka, the two most key anti-LTTE Tamil leaders, former Tiger commander Karuna and his deputy and Eastern Province Chief Minister Pillayan, appear to have made up. Residents in the east say that Karuna will be in charge of party affairs while Pillayan will handle only affairs related to the provincial government.Karuna’s men are reportedly looking for 300 ex-LTTE cadres they believe are hiding in Colombo. It is trying to hunt them down in the Tamil areas of the capital with the help of the security forces.At the same time, Sri Lanka seems to be in no hurry to unveil a political package that would be acceptable even to Tamil moderates.It is amidst this complex scenario that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh met an array of Sri Lankan political forces in Colombo Friday, ahead of the SAARC summit. Those he met included Tamil groups opposed to and sympathetic to the LTTE. To everyone he had one message: India would like democratic forces to prevail in Sri Lanka’s northeast. Tamil Eelam Police warn road users of increased risk of accidents Tamil Eelam police issued a notice yesterday warning road users of increased risk of accidents on the road due to sudden increase in the number of road users as a result of large scale displacement. In the notice, the Head of Tamil Eelam Police – Transport Division, R Ramanathan, brought to the attention of the road users the most essential rules that must be strictly followed and warned maximum punishment for those who break these rules.One accident on A9 road involving two motorbikes, seriously injuring a 39 year old mother, was already reported this week.In the meantime the displacement of people continued in Vanni. Calls to the agencies to fast track and also increase the assistance to the IDPs continued to be made.With the start of the GCE AL examination, concern about problems faced by the IDP students, sitting the examination, was top most in the minds of authorities in the Education sector. Troops capture camp and bunkers on their march towards Mullaittiuvu –SL Army 2 well fortified bunkers, a small camp and a firing range of LTTE were captured by troops of the 59th Division of S.L. Army yesterday (4th) in their forward march through Mullaittiuvu forest. The two bunkers were captured around 1PM following a clash that occurred in the Niththikaikulam area, 9 Km North of Janakapura. Another LTTE camp with an area of about 3-4 acres of land was captured by advancing troops last morning. Sources reveal that the camp has several underground bunkers, trenches, a well, toilet facilities and several buildings that had been demolished due to the indirect fire. Also, troops found 150 m long firing range and a mortar pit that had been used for a 120mm mortar gun in the close proximity to the camp. LTTE are fast retreating towards tigers' main bastions in the Mullaittiuvu said these sources. Meanwhile, 6 LTTE were killed, and 7 others injured in yesterday's clashes that flared up in the North of Kiribbanwewa, and Janakapura in Welioya area. These reports could not be verified due to the absence of alternative sources. Fein to lead criminal prosecution of Sri Lanka officials on charges of Genocide Bruce Fein, the former associate deputy attorney general under President Ronald Reagan, said he will lead the effort to "seek justice and criminal indictments against the Government of Sri Lanka officials for genocide." Fein has been engaged by a newly formed organization Tamils against Genocide, as publicized in a press release on Monday.The prosecution will target Gotabhaya Rajapakse, Sri Lanka’s Defense Secretary, and brother of Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sarath Fonseka, Lt. General in Sri Lanka’s Armed Forces, and Basil Rajapakse, senior Presidential Adviser, Member of Sri Lanka’s Parliament, brother of Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa for crimes under the legal doctrine of "Command Responsibility," the attorney said.The three defendants are U.S. citizens or green card holders."Tamils Against Genocide will demonstrate to United States authorities that the legally admissible evidence of genocide or companion crimes against the three United States citizens or green card holders equals or exceeds the genocidal atrocities laid at the feet of Serbia’s Slobodan Milosevic, Bosnian Serb Radovan Karadzic, Bosnian Serb Ratko Mladic, and Sudan’s Omar Bashir," the press release said.The Government of Sri Lanka has employed an American firm - Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP (BHFS) to obtain 'lobbying services' at a cost of approximately Rs.64.2 million (US$600,000) for a period of one year with effect from June 1, 2008, according popular Colombo weekly, Sunday Leader.Further, new Sri Lanka's Ambassador to U.S, Mr Jaliya Wickremasuriya, a cousin of Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse, presented his credentials to U.S. President Bush on 28th July 2008. When TamilCanadian asked about these developments, the Chairman of “Tamils Against Genocide” said that these government actions will have little impact in slowing down the prosecutions. 27kms to Pooneryn Uncertainty over Madhu Feast The annual feast of our Lady of Madhu is still in the balance as no official announcement has been made about holding the feast on August 15. informed sources said no decision had been taken regarding the return of the statue of “Our Lady of Madhu” to the shrine either. However, Minister Milroy Fernando said the mass would be said as it was a day of obligation and a holy day for Roman Catholics the world over and added anyone could go to the Shrine as the situation in the area was calm. It has also been reported that the Bishop of Mannar, the Rt. Rev Rayappu Joseph had requested all parties concerned, including the government and the LTTE, not to play politics with the Madhu Shrine. It was reported that the bishop had made this request to the group of ministers who visited the shrine recently. Source also said that the decision on whether to hold the Madhu Feast would be taken by the Bishop of Mannar as he was the custodian of the shrine. The Madhu church came into the limelight after the sacred statue of “Our Lady of Madhu was moved to a church near the Kilinochchi border after the outbreak of hostilities between the security forces and the LTTE earlier this year. It was moved to the Mannar Bishop’s House late last month. Meanwhile, UNP MP Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene, who is to leave for Mannar next week, had written to Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa requesting permission to visit the shrine. He had informed the defence secretary that that he would be attending a retreat from August 14 to 16 and asked for adequate security. 04 August 2008 Indian PM rejects Presidents request Indian Premier Manmohan Singh has refused to declare open the memorial that was built at Pelawatta with the mediation of President Mahinda Rajapakse in memory of the Indian troops who lay down their lives during the 1987 period. The government had planned to get Indian Premier to open the memorial after concluding the SAARC summit. The rehearsals for the opening ceremony were carried out by Security Forces yesterday. The top Indian bureaucrats including M.K. Narayanan, Chief Defense Advisor to Indian Government too had inspected the construction of the memorial when they visited Sri Lanka a few weeks ago.Political analysts state the refusal of the Indian Premier to declare open the memorial would have been greatly embarrassed President Mahinda Rajapakse. Minister Chandreasekearan submits memorandum to Indian Premier The Indian Government having given its due consideration for the issues of Indian diaspora, has taken a keen interest in their well-being and aspirations which our party appreciates. The population of the PIO is 1.5 million in this small island and more than two third of them live in the plantation sector, and the rest are scattered and living among the majority community. Originally the PIO were confined to the plantations and very little social mobility had taken place during last two centuries. But in recent times, due to the efforts of the Sri Lankan and Indian Governments as well as the structural changes in the plantation sector; some mobility has taken place among the members of this community. But still PIO are identified as one of the most underprivileged and disadvantaged communities in respect of all aspects of socio-economic conditions. In this context, India has concluded several agreements with Sri Lanka in respect of the People of Indian Origin (PIO). However, there is a feeling among them that the good intentions of these agreements were not fully realised and they were not benefited. The Sri Lankan political commentators were also of opinion that the Government of India’s support to the PIO at the time of victimisation and hardships was not significant to safeguard the interest of PIO in Sri Lanka. In this context, not it has become very important to build-up a fresh and fruitful relationship between the Indian Government and the PIO community in Sri Lanka. It has become necessary for us to create opportunities for the exchange of ideas and develop strategies for the well-being of this community. With these feelings and trust we would like to bring the following matters pertaining to PIO community to the attention of the Indian Government. 1. As a result of the protracted war situation in Sri Lanka, as a Tamil minority community, the PIO, is undergoing several hardships and thereby unable to lead a peaceful life. We request the Indian Government to take necessary steps through appropriate diplomatic channels to monitor and ensure the peaceful and safe life for the PIO and other Tamil speaking communities. 2. We seek the moral support of the Government of India in our endeavour to preserve and foster the special identity for PIO among the Tamil community. 3. We urge the Indian Government to look into the possibility of providing opportunities for IT, Vocational and Technical Training and higher education for youth of PIO community. 4. We also seek assistance for the preservation and promotion of the cultural traits and forms of the PIO. 5. We have made very strong representations to the Sri Lankan Government to establish an Upcountry University with PIO identity. We seek assistance from the Indian Government for the establishment and development of this university. 6. We very much appreciate the efforts of the Indian Government to assist the establishment a PIO university in India. We request the Indian Government to consider providing opportunities for PIO students and academics in Sri Lanka to benefit from this university. 7. We seek representation in the PIO advisory council for our community which is expected to be established soon. 8. The Mahatma Gandhi Sabha at in the Upcountry has undertaken to setup a Mahatma Gandhi International Centre in memory of Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to Matale in 1927. The party respectfully urges the Indian Government to provide necessary assistance to make this proposed centre a reality. 9. The condition of war has caused enormous problems to the livelihood and life of the fishermen in Tamil Nadu and North-East of Sri Lanka. We hope that India is fully aware of the adverse impact of the war situation on the livelihood and life both parties. As our concern spreads among the Tamil communities living through out the world the above matter also brought to my notice even from Tamil Nadu, India. It is our request that India should play a crucial role in the resolution of issues confronted by the fishermen communities in both countries. In view of the issues briefly described above we are requesting the Prime Minister to grant an opportunity to our party delegation to make a visit to New Delhi to discuss matters related to PIO in detail with the Indian Government. 'Sole Representative', Who? by N. Sathiyamoorthy Reports quoting Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, on stopping the "war only when (LTTE leader) Prabhakaran is made to kneel at my feet", if not just a pep-talk to an injured soldier, should leave a bad taste in the mouth. Conversely, the soldier's anxious query against an imminent ceasefire,should be a reflection on the mood of the masses, whose trust in the LTTE had never been great.In a situation in which there are persistent demands also for ending a militarist approach and reviving the path of negotiations, it raises more questions than answers.For his part, Minister Tissa Vitharana has reiterated the Government's position on the peace process. According to Vitharana, the LTTE-sympathetic Tamil National Alliance (TNA) could be involved in the negotiations process only after evolving a 'southern consensus'. Significantly, Minister Vitharana referred to the United National Party (UNP), the main Opposition, whose presence and participation was required for evolving a sustainable consensus over the longer term. By contrast, the Government has never really made any reference of the kind to the Left-leaning Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). Yet, at every turn, Government leaders have implied that a JVP attestation was a pre-condition for any political package on power-devolution.The dichotomy is striking, considering that the JVP, all along, had been opposed to any meaningful power-devolution model that would be acceptable to the Tamil community, even independent of the LTTE. Whatever 'mechanism' that the JVP would want to put in place for implementing such programmes it could well be an antithesis to what the party has been preaching all along on the devolution front. Not only would the party had to address the unmet aspirations of the masses, but in doing so it should also evolve grassroots-level 'mechanisms' that the "status quo parties" sharing power between them had not put in place all these years.Across the ethnic divide on the Tamil side, the dichotomy is even more striking. The Government might even be justified in concluding that the TNA's presence and participation would only disrupt the APRC proceedings,It goes without saying that the presence of the non-TNA Tamil groups, including the fledgling TMVP from the East, would imply their attestation of any consensus emerging out of the APRC process. Yet, with the Government hazy about talking to the LTTE, any consensus proposal emanating from the APRC could be 'negotiated' only with the TNA, if the latter is ready to play the part. It is one thing for the Government to negotiate a power-devolution package with the Tamils, the TNA and the rest in this case, and another to hand down even the very same package, unilaterally. While the Sinhala-majority Government might still be the hound, the Tamil polity and society need to acknowledge that theirs is not a hare either for them to run with.It is in this context that on issues such as re-merger, the Government may need to take a more pragmatic view that also reflects the larger sentiments in the East. After all, if the Supreme Court in Sri Lanka could annul the merger,, citing reasons that are technical, and with that annulling the merger clause in the bilateral agreement between two sovereign Governments, the counterpart in India could well review the 'Kachchativu Accords', likewise. That is what the sum and substance of the recent statement of J Jayalalithaa, the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is all about, when she says that her AIADMK party would consider seeking a judicial annulment of the 'Kachchativu Accords'. Going beyond the legality of the domestic laws involved, it could all reopen an unmanageable discourse on international relations and agreements – and could cut either way, or both ways, and going far beyond the two South Asian neighbours. LTTE position on Iranathivu Island destroyed Four Sea Tigers were killed and their craft was destroyed on Saturday around 3.p.m. in a joint operation by the Navy’s Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS) and the Special Boat Squadron (SBS) on the Iranativu island, 12 nautical miles north west of Vellankulam, captured by the army on the same day. Navy had captured two Sea Tiger boats and two Out Board Motors left behind by the fleeing Tigers, unable to face Naval fire a spokesman for the Navy said. The Navy had destroyed a makeshift sea tiger camp in the island in an area 10 km north of Nachchikudah he added. "The elite squadrons patrolling the seas of North West Coast had spotted a suspicious movement and subsequently observed the movement of LTTE boats and cadres on the island. Naval troops swiftly moving in to action landed on the island, destroyed the makeshift camp which had been a landing point for some of the sea tigers boats operating under the cover of Indian fishing craft to smuggle in arms and ammunition," he said.From the Iranativu Island the arms and ammunition were transported to places such as Nachchikudah he said. With the capture of this island it would be a huge blow to the Tigers as they had lost one of the key smuggling centres, the spokesman said.In the subsequent search operation, the Navy recovered a stretcher, a haul of medical items, two cans of fuel and a tent.There were two dinghies left behind by the Tigers believed to have been used for extorting money from local fishermen as ‘taxes’ for fishing in the areas, the Navy said. Sri Lanka political parties in joint call for media safeguards Sri Lanka's major opposition political parties have backed calls for an end to government intimidation of the media and demanded it ensure the safety of journalists.Eleven political parties have signed a joint statement defending media freedom in Sri Lanka and requesting the authorities to safeguard media freedom and guarantee the safety and security of journalists. The call came in response to increasing attacks on and intimidation of journalists critical of the government and the military. "Media freedom is an essential feature of a vibrant democracy," the statement by the political parties said. "An independent and professional media able to function without interference or influence from government and other partisan influences and exists for the social, political, cultural and economic betterment of polity and society is an integral part of democratic governance." However, it said, independent media and journalists in Sri Lanka today are terrorized through a spate of killings, abductions, assaults, arbitrary arrests and detentions. "They are subject to violence, both physical and verbal, to a degree that is unprecedented." The political parties said they endorse and affirm the issues raised previously by five media organizations about intimidation of the island's media. "We note that the government has failed to complete or conclude any of the investigations on attacks, threats and acts of terrorism against the media and journalists during the past two years," the statement said. It said there was no progress in the probe into an attack by a junior government minister, Mervyn Silva, on a senior journalist at the state-owned Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation television station on December 27, 2007. This was despite an assurance by President Mahinda Rajapaksa of an impartial probe. Threats against the private 'Sirasa' media network by de Silva have continued with "complete impunity", it said. The statement said the parties "note with dismay" that the official website of the Defense Ministry has labeled media institutes, editors and journalists as traitors, requesting soldiers to treat them as they would terrorists. "The same website has also demanded that media adopt self-censorship in the name of 'national security' and the 'fight against terrorism', openly calling for the (violent if necessary) curtailment of media freedom as a necessary sacrifice in defense of larger freedoms," the statement said. The political parties said they "find utterly unacceptable and reprehensible the thinly veiled death threats" made on May 26, 2008 by the Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa against the President and Secretary of the Working Journalists’ Association of Sri Lanka, Sanath Balasuriya and Poddala Jayantha, if they did not give up their media activism. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former army officer, is the brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The statement also condemned the continued detention of journalist J.S. Tissainayagam for over 135 days by the police, without any charges and the labeling of Tamil female journalist, M Parameshwarie as a terrorist by senior government figures despite her being cleared of any such charge by the Supreme Court. The statement was signed by the main opposition United National Party, Upcountry Peoples Front, Lanka Sama Samaja Party Sri Lanka freedom Party - peoples faction, Western Peoples Party, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, Tamil National Alliance, United Socialist Party People's Liberation Front (JVP), Democratic Left Front and the Left Front. Mastermind Behind LTTE Smuggling Operations Arrested BJP not to allow demolition of Ram Setu BJP President Rajnath Singh has said that he will not allow the UPA Government to go ahead with a Sethusamudram shipping canal project which hurts Hindu sentiments. Addressing a rally here on Saturday, Singh said that the State and Central Governments were pursuing the project without searching for any viable alternative. “A solution can be found without demolishing the Ram Setu but it looks that the state’s ruling Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) and Central Government, which are allies are adamant on demolishing it at any cost. But we will not allow them,” he added.On July 30, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it is seriously considering the possibility of pushing the Sethusamudram shipping canal project through an alternative alignment to avoid any damage to the Ram Setu. Senior Advocate Fali S Nariman had told the bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan that he had received a letter from the Prime Minister on the suggestion put forward by the apex court on the issue of exploring the possibility of an alternative alignment between Dhanushkodi and Rameshwaram Island. Earlier, the Centre had filed a affidavit in the apex court on the project seeking vacation of its interim orders on putting on hold any damage to the ancient “Ram Setu.” The 60-page affidavit, cleared by the Cabinet Committee of Political Affairs (CCPA) that is chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said the government respects all religions, but was of view that it should not be called upon to respond to issues of faith except in recognizing their existence. The amended affidavit assumes significance as it has been filed after the Centre withdrew its two affidavits in which it had questioned the existence of Lord Ram and “Ram Setu”, in September. Following an outcry led by the Sangh Parivar over the controversial affidavit, the apex court on September 14, 2007 had allowed the Centre re-examine the materials afresh to review the Rs 2,087 crore project. However, it had continued the operation of its August 31 interim order restraining any damage to “Rama Setu” or Adams Bridge, a mythical bridge situated south-east off Rameshwaram, connecting the Talaimanar coast of Sri Lanka. The court in its interim order had allowed the dredging activity for the project to the extent that it did not in anyway damage the “Rama Setu” or Adams Bridge. Indian National Security advisor travels in Colombo without security Demonstrating a serious security lapse at the SAARC summit in Colombo, India’s National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan, had to face a bitter experience yesterday at the end of the first day SAARC Leaders meeting, as he had to go to the Hotel where he was staying using a hotel cab without any police escort. Informed sources said that though he was brought to the SAARC venue at BMICH in the morning from his hotel, the Taj Samudra, at Galle Face, at the end of the meeting there were no security vehicles or others to escort him back to the hotel. Then he approached a taxi with the Taj Samudra name and logo on it which had transported someone else to the conference venue, and persuaded the driver to take him back to the hotel. Security at the BMICH, the conference venue, and all motorcades travelling to and from the BMICH, come under the scrutiny of the Presidential Security Division (PSD). Later PSD Chief Deputy Inspector General S. M. Wickremasinghe met Mr. Narayanan and extended an apology. Two Indian Warships are anchored just outside the Sri Lankan territorial waters in order to provide security to the Indian delegation. Vasu in hot water Presidential Advisor and Opposition Leader of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) is in hot water over his dissent against the forcible eviction of residents in Slave Island, political sources said yesterday. The sources said he may be under fire against his decision to walk out of the CMC sessions protesting against the eviction of occupants of unauthorized structures in Slave Island recently. Mr. Nanayakkara staged a walk out of the CMC sessions with the SLMC, UPF and WPF members protesting against the eviction of people in Slave Island for the SAARC summit. UPFA Councillor Ariyaratne Wedage who slammed Mr. Nanayakkara at the sessions after he staged a walk out said the latter had been carrying tales to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Mr. Wedage charged that Mr. Nanayakkara had told the President that he (Mr. Wedage) is destroying the UPFA. However Mr. Wedage said President had not believed Mr. Nanayakkara as he had not questioned him on the matter to date. “We are the real party men and not the ones who joined the party recently,” he further said. Mr. Wedage questioned as to where Mr. Nanayakkara was when the UNP regime demolished shanties and gave houses only to its party men. “I am one of the persons who fought against it while some were silent,” he added. However Mr. Nanayakkara scoffed at the reports stating that he had no problem with the President as he had explained everything to him, especially on the forcible eviction of the Slave Island dwellers. He said he had met the President after the CMC sessions. “I blamed the President and told him that injustice had caused to the Slave Island shanty dwellers as he had got advice from the wrong people,” he said. He said the President had advised him to discuss the issue with the Minister of Urban Development Dinesh Gunawardene. Mr. Nanayakkara said he had met the Minister on the advice of the President and moves are underway to bring the Slave Island people to Dematagoda where permanent houses are being built for them. He said supporting the President is not becoming his ‘Yes’ men but to put him on the right track. ‘Killing Rajiv was a mistake, real conspirators still at large’ Calling Rajiv Gandhi a “great leader” and a “loss” to the country, Nalini, the lone surviving member of the five-member squad behind the assassination, said, “I regret the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.” When asked whether the real conspirators have been brought to book, Nalini, whose interview was mailed by her lawyer Elangovan in reply to a questionnaire sent by the PTI, said, “No, as the real killers Sivarasan, Suba and Dhanu were already dead.” Dhanu, a suicide bomber, had carried out the attack at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on the fateful night of May 21, 1991, killing Rajiv Gandhi and 15 others on the spot. During the course of investigations, pictures clicked by S Haribabu, an LTTE photographer who was also killed in the blast, exposed the role of Nalini and others. Arrested about a month after the assassination, Nalini was sentenced to death after being convicted on 16 counts of murder. However, her sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment after the intervention of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who pleaded for clemency on account of Nalini’s young daughter who was born in jail. Nalini said in her e-mail reply through her lawyer that her meeting with Priyanka Gandhi, who had come calling to visit her in jail in March, was “historical”. Elangovan, while describing the meeting of Nalini and Priyanka as “unique”, added that “the real reason behind the meeting is still to be revealed by Priyanka”. “The meeting is unique. There is no comparison to it in the world history. Priyanka and Nalini did not know each other prior to the meeting. It is unexpected for a daughter of an assassinated victim to meet an accused who has been sentenced for life,” he said. Elangovan further said, “Whatever may be the reason (for not coming out with real reason behind the meeting) the courage and the generosity of Priyanka should be appreciated. The outcome of the meeting in no way helped Nalini.” Nalini, whose petition for premature release is pending before the Madras High Court, said the Gandhi family, especially Sonia Gandhi, has been kind to her. Her husband Murugan, an LTTE supporter sentenced to death for the same crime, is presently lodged with her in Vellore jail in Tamil Nadu. Nalini said that if she is ever released from jail, she does not fear for her safety. About her daughter Megara, who has turned 15, she said she wants her to be a “software engineer” when she grows up. Megara, who is living with her grandparents in Sri Lanka, was recently given permission by the Madras High Court to come to the country for further studies as it ruled that she was an Indian citizen because she was born in India. 03 August 2008 Sri Lanka should reach out to the Tamil community: US The Bush administration’s point man for South Asia, Richard Boucher, has said that while Washington fully recognises the terrorist threat Sri Lanka continues to face from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), it should continue acting like a democracy and protect all of its citizens. Boucher is leading the United States observer mission to the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in Colombo. In an exclusive interview with rediff.com, Boucher, who is the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian affairs, said, “We recognise the threat, we recognise that we have to fight against terrorism, but we also think very strongly as we always have that Sri Lanka is fundamentally a democracy and that a democracy needs to be extended to all its citizens.” Thus, he argued, “The people in Sri Lanka need to enjoy the respect for their human rights, and enjoy the benefits of government.” Boucher noted, “We are working with the government of Sri Lanka, with the people of Sri Lanka, to try to ensure that human rights are respected, that abuses are investigated thoroughly, that people who are involved in abuses aren’t given any favour or position or support, that children who have been taken as soldiers are let out and allowed to go to school.”During the SAARC summit, US will “talk about democracy and economic growth, but we’ll also talk about some of the problems facing Sri Lanka and hopefully see some progress towards solving these.”Asked if the US was disappointed as the peace process between the government and the Tigers now seemed to have hit a roadblock, Boucher said, “We have had these periods before. It has not always been positive and with great momentum. We have had periods when it looked frozen, we have had periods when they were fighting and killing—I hate to see it, I mean these bus bombings are horrible and the things that are happening to ordinary Sri Lankans and what they have to put up with.”However, he added, “Whatever is going on in the peace talks, the democratic government has a responsibility to all of its citizens. As military gains are made, as the areas are opened up and come under government control, all the citizens there need to benefit from democratic government and respect for their human rights—Tamil community, Muslim community.” “The government needs to reach out to them,” Boucher said, and argued, “It is pushing forward in military areas. It needs to push forward in political areas as well and in the end the political arrangements in the island need to have a place for all citizens.” The senior diplomat feels that there is a need for a political solution “alongside whatever is going on militarily and we hope the Tamil Tigers will see that as well.”But, Boucher reiterated, “It doesn’t take any of the responsibility away from the government. In fact, the Tamil Tigers are not actively promoting a peace agreement now, but it doesn’t take any of the responsibility away from the democratic government to reach out to all its citizens and provide them with the benefits of democracy.” Army captures Vellankulam The armed forces yesterday captured Vellankulam an area located 10 kilometres away from Mannar, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nannayakara told Laknimanews. However the spokesman could not confirm the number of army casualties. The official website of the Media Centre for National Security said: “Seven (07) LTTE cadres were killed and a body of a female member, a T81 rifle and an I- Com set was recovered by Troops after a fierce attack in Vellankulam area, Mannar”“Meanwhile Three (03) more terrorists were killed in the same area on Friday. Two soldiers were also killed in action and one soldier was wounded in action in the same incident at Vellankulam. Another soldier was wounded in action in a confrontation at 9.30 on Friday morning in the same area” the MCNS report added. Meanwhile, LTTE claims that they thwarted a three-pronged Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensive, which was launched from Vavunikku’lam and Paalaiyadi targeting Mallaavi on Friday killing 30 soldiers. But Brigadier Nanayakkara refutes such claims and said that Army lost only 11 soldiers. President promises India full implementation of 13th Amendment Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday urged President Mahinda Rajapakse to speed up a political solution to the ethnic conflict and reiterated New Delhi's position that there is no military solution to the conflict.The Indian Prime Minister also reminded President Rajapakse of the earlier time tables given to conclude the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) proceedings and stressed the importance of presenting the final proposal at the earliest.President Rajapakse had a one to one meeting with Prime Minister Singh at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday prior to the bilateral discussions between the two countries.The Sunday Leader learns President Rajapakse had assured the Indian Prime Minister that he would fully implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in the Eastern Province including provisions of land and police powers while concluding the APRC sessions at the earliest.The Indian Prime Minister had also stressed India's concerns with regard to the killing of Indian fishermen by the Sri Lanka Navy.President Rajapakse however had said that India should discourage Indian fishermen from crossing the international line of demarcation since the LTTE uses it as a cover for their activities.At the conclusion of the bilateral sessions, a statement was issued where references were made to the assurances given by President Rajapakse to implement comprehensively the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and conclude speedily the APRC proposals."President Rajapakse also reaffirmed the commitment of his administration to implement comprehensively the provisions of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in the Eastern Province, and said that parallel to this process, the APRC is expected to submit recommendations to forge a further political consensus for a solution to the current crisis," the join statement said.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Singh also met UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Taj Samudra Hotel on Friday evening where the current political situation in the country and Indo-Lanka cooperation were discussed.Wickremesinghe stressed the UNP's commitment to a political solution, which the Indian Premier welcomed.The Indian Premier also met former President Chandrika Kumaratunga yesterday at India House.Further to these meetings, Singh met delegations from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), All Ceylon Muslim Congress (ACMC), Ceylon Worker's Congress (CWC) and the Tamil Democratic National Alliance (TDNA) led by V. Anandasangaree.Requests by the JHU and the TMVP Chief Minister S. Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan to meet the Indian Prime Minister were turned down. Indian sources said given the unfair criticism levelled against New Delhi by the JHU, it was decided no point would be served by meeting the JHU.The decision of Prime Minister Singh not to meet Pillayan it is learnt is because the TMVP continued to operate as a para military organisation. India However offered for Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon to meet Pillayan. The TMVP, informed sources said rejected this offer and informed the Indian High Commission that if Pillayan was not given an audience with Prime Minister Singh, he did not wish to meet with any other member of the delegation.The JVP neither asked nor was offered a meeting with the Indian Prime Minister. Bitter battles off Mallawi Prabakaran will be made chief minister! – Luxman Yapa Abeywardene Prabakaran will be made the chief minister if he renounces terrorism and lays down arms says Minister Luxman Yapa Abeywardene. He said this addressing a gathering at a ceremony held yesterday (2nd). Karuna Amman's colleague Pilleyan was made the Chief Minister for Eastern Province once he lays down his arms pointed out Minister Yapa adding that it was the correct thing to do. Prabakaran, who has become desolate now has only one solution and it is to lay down his arms. If Prabakaran lays down his arms this government was prepared to offer him the chief ministerial post of the Northern Provincial council said the minister. Many political analysts say the government's readiness to offer chief ministerial post to Prabakaran is not surprising as Rajapakse government has a long record of protecting fraudsters, criminals and condone even those sentenced by courts. Singh's missing security causes stir A major security lapse by Sri Lanka's security detail for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh caused panic among the Indian authorities at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday with Indian security forced to move in to restore calm.The Sunday Leader learns that after Prime Minister Singh concluded his meeting with President Mahinda Rajapakse at the Presidential Secretariat and returned to his vehicle, it was discovered that the Sri Lankan Personal Security Officer assigned to travel in the Premier's car, SSP Kapila Jayasekera was missing.Informed sources said with Singh having to rush for his next appointment, an Indian Security Officer who was in a back up vehicle had rushed and got into the Premier's vehicle following which the convoy had started moving.It is learned, SSP Jayasekera had then rushed to the scene and observing that the convoy was moving stated running behind it and tapping on the window of the vehicle to stop the Premier's vehicle causing panic among the security detail.Sources said President Rajapakse had questioned the SSP after the incident and told him to be more alert in the future. Manmohan meets Thondaman A special meeting between Indian Premier Manmohan Singh and CWC Leader Parliamentarian Arumugam Thaondaman was held last evening. According to CWC sources the Indian Premier has promised to be attentive in issues confronted by Tamil people of Indian origin and extend support for their betterment and development. He had promised to make available 20 buses to ply between estates and towns said CWC sources. Monk in sexual abuse case given bail A person said to be a monk, who is accused of sexually abusing a young woman who was serving as an advisor to a higher educational institution, has been released on bail.Colombo Fort Magistrate and Additional District Judge Namal Bandara Balalle ordered his release on a Rs. 10,000 personal bail and two Rs. 200,000 sureties.The accused, Kovulwewe Vanaratana, has been warned against intimidating the complainant. He had been produced before courts by the Police Women and Children’s Bureau on a complaint by the alleged victim.The two had become friendly in India, where the woman had been pursuing higher studies, and upon return to Sri Lanka, the monk had tried to renew their close relationship, the complaint said.He had then allegedly taken her to a temple in Colombo and sexually abused her. Ferial appointed to C’wealth Committee Minister Ferial Ashroff has been elected Asia region representative of the Steering Committee of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians.This is the first time that Sri Lanka has been chosen to the position.Incumbent Kashmala Tarique of Pakistan ends her term in September, when Mrs. Ashroff will assume the responsibility. 30,000 displaced in the Wanni due to fighting Thirty thousand persons have been displaced in the Wanni due to fighting and air strikes in the last two months and the region was also experiencing a shortage of medicines and other supplies, the latest UN reports said last week. "Due to intensified military operations and air strikes, approximately 30,000 people have been displaced in LTTE-controlled Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu over the past two months," the World Food Programme (WFP) said in a Hot Spots report released in Geneva last week. Catholic Bishop of Jaffna Rev. Thomas Saundranayagam told The Sunday Leader that the slow movement of supplies into the Wanni through Omanthai in Vavuniya had been compounded by the mass displacements in the last two months. "Most of these persons are from the Mannar District and they have now moved into the Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi Districts. When they first moved into the Akarayan area (south of Kilinochchi) there was no one to take care of them," he said. The Bishop said that the only way the situation could be eased was to either keep supplies moving or to allow the displaced in the Mannar District to return to their villages, now under government control. "The displaced should be provided with a corridor to get back to the Mannar District. The rains are also coming and things will be very hard for them if they remain without proper supplies like shelter and food." UN agencies had earlier warned that since fighting intensified in the Mannar region in the last three weeks thousands of civilians had begun to flee deeper into Tiger held areas. The Inter Agency Standing Committee (ISAC) an umbrella organisation of UN and other relief agencies said that at least 5000 families were expected to flee the fighting and some of the displaced had been reduced to seeking shelter in the open. A report on the progress in tsunami reconstruction presented by the UN Secretary General's office to the UN Economic and Social Council two weeks back said that fighting and restrictions had made it impossible for agencies to move supplies into some areas. "Security concerns have posed operational hurdles across a range of sectors, making it difficult or impossible for international aid partners to move or deliver assistance and supplies. Restrictions on transportation of certain construction materials, such as cement and steel, as well as difficulties in accessing certain areas have hampered recovery," the report said. The report added that the resurgent conflict had set back tsunami reconstruction in the north east where 64% of the needs were reported and affected the livelihoods of 2.5 million people. "In addition, restrictions imposed on the movement of civilians, United Nations and non-governmental organisation vehicles in parts of the north led to a shortage of drugs in local hospitals and clinics." Sri Lanka was also one of the countries that received funds from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) last week along with Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iraq and Syria. Four million dollars was allocated to Sri Lanka to support on going projects. According to the Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) US $ 195 million is needed for humanitarian projects in the country for 2008. The agencies are currently facing a deficit of US $ 130 million with only US $ 64 million committed thus far. 02 August 2008 No north PC under present regime – TELO Leader TELO Leader and Tamil National Alliance MP M.K. Sivajilingam has claimed that the present regime would never be able to hold polls for the north, despite a promise to that effect by President Mahinda Rajapaksa after gaining control of the province from the LTTE, 'Ravaya' reports. Mr. Sivajilingam has told the newspaper that he would challenge the government to conduct elections for the north before the end of the year.He has also asserted that the government had won elections in the east by thuggery, and that that would not be possible in the north.Despite declared intentions of certain government politicians to win the war and to restore peace within this year, the army commander wants two more years to end fighting and further two decades to achieve the final objectives.The TELO MP has also said that the party would contest from all districts in the event of President Rajapaksa deciding to hold snap polls. India has to act in Sri Lanka, TNA(TELO,TULF,ACTC and EPRLF) tells PM A Tamil political party sympathetic to the Tamil Tigers has told Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that India has to play a role in ending the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka. Accusing Colombo of causing misery to civilians by relentlessly pursuing war against the Tigers, a team of MPs from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) told Manmohan Singh here late Friday that the global community also expected India to act.“India has a role to play. India’s role (in Sri Lanka) is primary. And India should play that role,” TNA team leader R. Sambandan, a 75-year-old MP from Trincomalee, told IANS, giving a gist of what he and his other colleagues told Manmohan Singh.Sambandan said the international community, which too favours peace in Sri Lanka, was deferential to India and did not want to take any step without New Delhi’s approval. “So India has to play a role,” he said.Sambandan said during the 15-20 minute meeting, the TNA briefed Manmohan Singh at length about the situation in Sri Lanka, in particular the northeastern region where the military is locked in fierce battles with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).“We had a very good and cordial meeting with the prime minister,” Sambandan said. “The prime minister listened to us very patiently, very attentively, and he appeared very concerned.”Manmohan Singh, the MP said, told them that India had consistently taken the stand that there can never be a military solution to the conflict, which has claimed over 70,000 lives since 1983, and that there has to be a negotiated political settlement.The Indian leader also reportedly told the MPs that any political solution would have to be largely acceptable to the Tamil people and to everyone else in Sri Lanka.According to Sambandan, Manmohan Singh also said that India was concerned about the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and had voiced its concerns to the government in Colombo.Sambandan alleged that the Sri Lankan military offensive against the LTTE was largely affecting the civilian population, leading to deaths, serious injuries and mass displacement in the island’s northeast.“The situation is alarming,” he said. “We are concerned that the government is not interested in finding a political solution that may be acceptable even to the Tamil moderates.”He also expressed the TNA’s vehement opposition to the de-merger of Sri Lanka’s north and east, which constituted one Tamil-majority province until a Supreme Court ruling forced it to be split into two as it existed before the India-Sri Lanka accord of 1987.Asked if the LTTE would ever accept a negotiated settlement, Sambandan said he told Manmohan Singh that Colombo had never come up with a political solution that could pose a political challenge to the LTTE. “If that comes up, they can’t say no,” the TNA leader said. Troops move into Kilinochchi Opposition leader meets indian premier 30 SLA killed, offensive thwarted - LTTE Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam officials in Vanni told TamilNet that their defensive formations at Mallaavi thwarted Friday a three-pronged Sri Lanka Army (SLA) offensive, which was launched from Vavunikku'lam and Paalaiyadi targeting Mallaavi. At least 30 SLA soldiers were killed and more than 60 troopers sustained injuries in an intense fighting, according to the Tigers. An SLA troop carrier rushed to transport the casualties was seized by the Tigers. The SLA attempted to break the LTTE defence with the support of helicopter gunships and intense artillery and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire while engaging the ground forces on three fronts. The fighting broke out at 5:30 a.m. and lasted till 7:00 p.m. when the SLA was pushed back. The Sri Lankan soldiers have left behind arms and ammunitions, the Tigers said. LTTE officials did not provide details on their casualties.Mallaavi is the fourth largest town in LTTE controlled Vanni. 31 die in Sri Lankan Army-LTTE clashes on SAARC summit eve At least 13 Sri Lankan soldiers and 18 Tamil Tiger rebels were killed and over 50 wounded in clashes in the northern Wanni region as South Asian leaders arrived in Colombo for the 15th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) summit, an official said on Saturday.Military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas and army soldiers clashed at Mallavi in Mullaitivu district on Friday."Eleven soldiers and nine LTTE cadres were killed during the fighting that lasted throughout Friday. The LTTE offered heavy resistance as the troops are inching forward into the rebel stronghold," Nanayakkara told IANS.Twenty soldiers and 27 LTTE cadres were also wounded during this clash at Mallavi.In separate clashes at Vellankulam in the north-western Mannar district, two government soldiers and nine rebels were killed Friday. The troops recovered the dead body of a rebel along with a few firearms, Nanayakkara said.Meanwhile, the pro-LTTE puthinam.com website claimed that 30 government soldiers were killed and 60 more wounded in the clashes in Mallavi. It also claimed that the rebels had captured an army vehicle along with some military hardware.However, Nanayakkara dismissed the report, saying they were "not true".Fresh violence erupted as leaders of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Pakistan arrived in Colombo for the SAARC summit amid tight security. The leaders will meet August 2-3 to thrash out agreements on various regional issues, mainly in the spheres of trade, education, culture and tourism.The European Union (EU), Japan, China, South Korea, Iran, Mauritius, Australia, Myanmar and the US will participate as observer states.The LTTE had announced a 10-day unilateral truce between July 26 and Aug 4 as "a goodwill gesture" for the SAARC summit, but the ruling coalition led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa rejected the offer as "a trap". India for political solution: Singh Army deserters number 9,500 - Ravaya 'Ravaya' reports that 9,500 soldiers have deserted their ranks in the Army since the launch of military offensives in the north and the east. Military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara has told the newspaper that the total number of desertions had stood at around 15,000 by January this year.Around 4,000 of them had reported for duty during a period of amnesty, he has said.After the offer of yet another reprieve, President Mahinda Rajapaksa made an open appeal recently to the deserters to rejoin the army, to which around 1,500 personal had responded.Thereafter, the army launched an operation island wide to arrest its deserters.Since the resumption of hostilities, an estimated 25,000 soldiers had deserted their ranks, all of whom had later been allowed to resign officially. The latest desertions are by those who had joined the army recently, the newspaper added. We are sympathetic to Tamils, says PM India is sympathetic to Sri Lanka’s Tamil community on humanitarian grounds, a Tamil politician quoted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as saying Friday.D. Sitharthan of the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) called on Manmohan Singh at the Taj Samudra Hotel along with two other Tamil politicians, V. Anandasangaree and T. Sritharan.Sitharthan said he and his colleagues, who constitute the Tamil Democratic National Alliance, told Manmohan Singh about the situation in Sri Lanka, where violence linked to the ethnic conflict shows no signs of abating despite claiming over 70,000 lives. After listening to them, Sitharthan quoted the prime minister as saying: “At least on humanitarian grounds, we are very sympathetic to Tamils and will do whatever is possible for their welfare.”Sitharthan described their meeting as “constructive” and “fruitful”. “The prime minister listened to us attentively,” he said.According to Sri Lankan sources, the Indian leader also met leaders of several political parties in the country. Tamil Nadu opinion poll calls for independent Eezham A majority of voters decided that an independent Thamizh Eezham is the solution to the Sri Lankan crisis and solicited support to the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in a significant opinion poll conducted by Ananda Vikatan, a popular weekly of Tamil Nadu state in India. The outcome of the poll and its appearance in an influential media, foretell shifting paradigms in Tamil Nadu scenario, according to observers. The results of the opinion poll appeared in the Tamil magazine this week. Out of 12 issues raised by the weekly, 4 were responded with opinion of absolute majority: India to retrieve Kachchatheevu from Sri Lanka (65.76%), urging India to involve in Sri Lankan crisis (62.9%), independent Thamizh Eezham as correct solution (55.44%) and support to LTTE (54.25%). On the question of LTTE leader V. Pirapaharan's accused involvement in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, 43.02% assented to his arrest while 40.07% felt that he should be forgiven, and 16.90% considered him innocent. A considerable number of voters (43.14%) disagreed with LTTE's assassinations of dissenting Tamil politicians, while the remaining either felt that it was inevitable or that they were not in a position to pass a judgement. 46.24% of the respondents were proud about LTTE possessing a standing army, navy and air force and only 18.59% of the voters felt that it was a danger to India. The news of majority opinion supporting the LTTE is being flashed in a mainstream media of Tamil Nadu at a time when the LTTE, and any form of support to it, are stringently banned in India. Karuna regrets Manmohan won’t meet TMVP TMVP leader Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman yesterday said he regretted that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could not give his party an opportunity to meet him during his stay in Colombo to attend the SAARC summit. Karuna told the Daily Mirror, his deputy and Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan was planning to discuss certain vital issues with the Indian Prime Minister. He said he would write to the Indian High Commission in Colombo in this regard.“Ours is an important political party which emerged victorious at the local government and provincial council elections held in the East. We deserve being given a chance to meet him,” he said adding that his party was surprised that it received no positive response from the Indian authorities.He said even the TNA which he cited as a pro-LTTE party had been given an appointment to meet Dr. Singh who arrived in the country around noon yesterday to attend the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo. During his stay here, he is expected to hold talks with several political parties including the main opposition UNP.Earlier, the TMVP leader said he would welcome Indian investors in the eastern province. 01 August 2008 Jayalalithaa fires salvo on Katchchathivu Tamil Nadu Opposition AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa Jeyaram yesterday threatened to challenge in the Indian Supreme Court the validity of the 1974 Indo-Sri Lanka pact handing over Katchchathivu Island to Sri Lanka if the UPA government failed to take action over the secession. Quoting an Apex Court judgement in the Berubary union case on exchange of enclaves in Kutch with Pakistan, Ms. Jayalalithaa said according to the court ruling the ceding of Indian Territory to another country resulted in the “diminution of the territory of the union” and therefore should be endorsed by parliament through a constitutional amendment."Since no such step was taken by the Indira Gandhi government or any subsequent governments, the Dr Manmohan Singh government should seriously consider moving the Supreme Court to test the validity of conceding Katchchathiu to Sri Lanka. If the Prime Minister is not willing to do this, I will move the Supreme Court for a direction to the government of India to do so or pray that the Apex Court set aside the ceding of Kachchathivu to Sri Lanka by the Indira Gandhi Government', she said. Ms. Jayalalithaa said her party had always held that the ceding of Katchchathivu, an uninhabited island, was a monumental blunder and had insisted that the attacks on Indian fishermen would cease only if the country got the islet back. "But the Central Government has repeatedly turned a deaf ear to our many protests. It appears to care less about the problems of Tamil Nadu and the Tamil people," she lamented. Meanwhile about 80 fishermen from Tamil Nadu were allegedly assaulted by Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the Palk Strait, near Katchchathivu island, early last morning, the Indian media reported, quoting officials in Rameshwaram. However Sri Lanka Navy spokesman, Commander D.K.P. Dassanayake, denied allegations of Navy involvement in the incident, adding that they had not received reports of any such incident up to last evening. “We did not receive any reports of incidents involving Indian fishermen within Sri Lankan territorial waters today. We don’t know if such an incident occurred outside Sri Lankan waters. If so, it could have been the work of the LTTE to tarnish the image of Sri Lanka during the SAARC Summit. The LTTE has done things like this before as well,” Commander Dassanayake said. According to the Indian media, the incident occurred in the midst of protests staged by political parties in the Indian state – which have been going on for the past few weeks -- demanding that the Centre take up the issue of recurring incidents with the island nation and provide adequate security to Indian fishermen. Quoting the fishermen, the officials said about 80 of them, sailing in 20 boats, were assaulted with clubs while they were fishing around Katchchathivu island, which was ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974. Many fishermen had to abandon their boats and jump into the sea to escape the assault. They remained in the water for more than one hour, then got back into their boats and returned to shore. The ruling DMK and many other political parties, including AIADMK, CPI and MDMK have held protests over similar incidents in the past. Top female Tiger commander and her bodyguards killed in battle, Sri Lankan military says A top ranked female leader of the Tamil Tiger rebels and three of her armed bodyguards have been killed during heavy fighting between the Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tigers, the military said today.Citing monitored LTTE radio transmissions, defense sources said, Kumaveri Thangeamma, a self-styled Lieutenant Colonel and the head of the women's wing of the LTTE in the northern region of Mullaitivu was killed yesterday afternoon in Janakapura along with three other female cadres who were providing escort to the leader. UK student visa must be sponsored Mutual benefits The new licensing system, to be implemented next year, will replace the existing register of education training providers operated by the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. This was introduced only in 2004 as part of a crackdown on bogus colleges, but is regarded as ineffective. In January it emerged that 256 of the 2,000 institutions on the register had been inspected since 2005 and 124 of them, almost half, had been struck off. In a "statement of intent" announcing the new rules, the Home Office borders and immigration minister, Liam Byrne, said international students brought many benefits to the UK. These included £2.5bn to the economy in tuition fees alone as well as cultural benefits, returning home with "an enhanced appreciation of British life". "So we want good students. But we want to shut down bogus colleges operating 'courses' which are really a means to low skilled employment," he added. Higher Education Minister Bill Rammell said: "I will not tolerate the minority of individuals who seek to damage the quality of our education system through bogus colleges. This is why we have introduced tighter checks to the current Register of Education and Training Providers. "The new system will toughen this process further and give extra protection from the damage bogus colleges can cause." Mr Byrne also said students acquired "a good command of the English language" while in the UK. Concerns have been raised recently on this score by academics and other students who say sometimes overseas students are being awarded qualifications despite having little English. Work after study The chief executive of Universities UK, Diana Warwick, said: "Universities agree with the principles of the new system and welcome the plan to link visas to specific institutions. "But we have been keen to ensure that there is sufficient time for the new processes to be understood by prospective students overseas and by colleagues in universities as well as to ensure rigorous testing of the new IT system that will underpin the points-based operation." She said universities also liked the doubling of the time people may work in the UK after completing their studies. "These arrangements will allow international graduates to apply to stay in the UK to work for up to two years after graduation," she said. "We know international students are keen to build on their academic qualification with a period of work experience in the UK and post study work will ensure the UK remains an attractive destination for international students." The government is consulting people on the changes with a view to publishing an implementation plan in October. Tigers have shifted base to Kerala: DGP CHENNAI: Faced with strict vigilance along the Tamil Nadu coast and continuous monitoring of LTTE sympathisers in the state, the Tamil Tigers have shifted their smuggling base to Kerala, said Tamil Nadu DGP K P Jain.He said this at a press meet here on Thursday in response to a question on increasing LTTE activities in the state. Besides, Jain pointed to the arrest of a sea Tiger, Daniel alias Thambianna of Kilinochchi, who operated their entire smuggling activities from Tamil Nadu.Recalling that police seized a boat built by the LTTE at Munambam near Kochi for smuggling, a senior police officer told this website’s newspaper that the Tigers used Kochi and Tiruvananthapuram coasts for building their boats.The two states are not engaged in any joint operations to curb LTTE activities, the senior police officer said adding that the Tigers used Maldives as well due to its proximity to North Sri Lanka.Terrorist activities in State ‘under control’ Jain said the recent arrests showed that terrorist activities were under control in the State. About the seizure of SIM cards and mobile phone from Abdullah in Puzhal Jail, he said a special vigilance team had been formed in the jails and several cell phones were already seized. The Government has already sanctioned the installation of jammers in jails, he added. Inflation dips for the first time this year Two Indian journalists detained in Sri Lanka Two Indian journalists who are in the country to cover the India-Sri Lanka Test series were briefly detained on wednesday in Galle on security grounds, the Free Media Movement said.The FMM said in a statement that it was relieved that both of them were released without much delay. Indian Techvision cameraman Ali Ekram of RP TV was detained by police while doing a story on the Galle cricket stadium's backdrop, the Old Dutch Fort. “He was released after other journalists covering the test match intervened,” it said.Another TV journalist Mustaque Ali working for Zee News was detained by a group of fishermen while he was filming the beach close to the Galle Fort.The FMM said it hopes that Galle cricket authorities will take necessary steps to ensure safety of the journalists in light of the two incidents. “Arrested Lankan a close aide of senior LTTE leader” RAMANATHAPURAM: The Special Branch police here, which busted a network of procurement team of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, has revealed that Vijayaneethan alias Naveen (26), one of the four Sri Lankans arrested on Tuesday at Uppur, is a close confidant of LTTE’s Sea Tigers wing chief Colonel Soosai. Soosai, otherwise known as Thillaiyambalam Sivanesan, is a senior leader in the LTTE.Interrogation revealed that Naveen was the son of Soosai’s brother Sivasekaran and belonged to the Sea Tigers. He was an expert in seaborne attack against enemy targets because of the extensive training he received from Soosai.Naveen joined the LTTE at the age of 13 and was active in the organisation for more than 10 years, till he left the island in 2006. He was living with his wife and two children at a refugee camp in Tiruvadavur in Madurai district. He stayed a few weeks in the Mandapam camp before being shifted to Tiruvadavur. When he was caught by the police team, he was trying to mesmerize the police personnel by narrating the struggle of LTTE. When asked whether he had links with another LTTE procurement leader J. Thambi Annan alias Daniel of Kilinochi, who was arrested by the ‘Q’ Branch police, the police officer said though there was no information about any link so far, Naveen had to be thoroughly interrogated.However, he had good contacts with several refugees living in camp at Kottapattu in Tiruchi and at other camps across Tiruchi district. Prior to this case, there was no case against him in Tamil Nadu, the officer added. If govt. wins Tamil Confidence, Prabhakaran could be eliminated – Rajitha If the government wins the trust and confidence of the Tamil community Prabhakaran’s reign of terror can be eliminated. The government has realised the core issues of the problems faced by the Tamils and that is why all the democratic powers were vested with Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, Chief Minister of the Eastern province, Dr.Rajitha Senaratne, Minister of Construction and Engineering Services said at discussions he had with the Mahanayakas of the Asgiriya and Malwatte Chapters recently.Minister Senaratne said that the Mahanayakes of the two Chapters had appreciated the action taken by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the LTTE’s ceasefire announcement for the SAARC Summit. The government would never place trust and confidence in the LTTE because the LTTE had, on many occasions, strengthened its military power on the pretext of observing ceasefire.He pointed out that 1987 peace negotiations were held in Thimpur in Bhutan with the participation of 18 groups from the North and East representing various Tamil interests. Of the 18 groups 17 had expressed their willingness to accept the democratic approach to the conflict, all except the LTTE. ACMC invited to meet Indian PM The visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet the breakaway SLMC faction, the All Ceylon Muslim Congress, a key partner of the SLFP-led coalition government.The sources said this was the first formal recognition of the ACMC by India. The ACMC played a critical role in the formation of the Eastern Provincial Council by contesting the first election alongside the renegade LTTE group which styled itself as the TMVP, on the government ticket. ACMC parliamentarians, Rishad Bathiudeen (leader), Amir Ali and Najeeb A Majeed have been invited for the meeting. The ACMC delegation would be joined by M. L. A. M. Hisbullah, a senior member of the recently elected Eastern Provincial Council, the sources said. The Indian Premier on the sidelines of the SAARC would also meet the SLMC and the TNA leaderships. Air Force denies Bell helicopter hit by LTTE JVP factions clash The JVP breakaway faction National Freedom Front’s (NFF) media coordinating secretary yesterday listed a series of assaults on its members by JVP activists countrywide.An NFF member D. P. Prasad Pushpakuamra was brutally assaulted by JVP member Ranjith Cooray in Bibile on 21 July and requiring hospitalisation.Subsequent to the attack on Pushpakumara, the assailant had visited his residence on the following day and threatened him saying that Bibile was out of bounds for him.An entry has been lodged at the Bibile police station.In another incident another NFF Kaduwela Pradeshya Sabha member Prabath Dharshana and NFF activist Chamal Wijeweera has been attacked when was pasting posters close to the clock tower in Malabe, He was hit with nailed clubs by JVP Kaduwela Pradeshya Sabha member Asitha Niroshana and JVP activist Lalith Perera, the coordinating secretary said.The victims are under treatment at the Koswatte hospital. A complaint has been lodged at the Talangama Police. In Rawathawatte NFF branch Chairman Suresh Indika and a group its members who were pasting posters have been assaulted by Moratuwa JVP Municipal Councillor Thuminda Anusha Kumara and a person called Dahanayake threatening them with death if they continue to engage in politics in Moratuwa area.A complaint has been lodged at the Mt Lavinia police station.
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