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28 February 2006 LTTE block TELO activities in Jaffna Please note that the following report on the EPDP Website is an absolute fabrication and bears no resemblance to the truth whatsoever: LTTE block TELO activities in Jaffna Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) was operating for the last seven years in Jaffna following the capture of Jaffna by the army under its Operation Riviresa. The office of the TELO movement was functioning at Hospital Road, Jaffna. This office has released a communiqué last night that it has stopped its political activities in Jaffna with immediate effect. An official, who did not wish to mention his name, told that the decision was taken following a warning from the LTTE. Though parliamentarian Sivajilingam approached the LTTE to include the names of TELO candidates in the Tamil National Alliance list for the local government elections the LTTE had rejected it. It was made to understand that the LTTE had ordered the TELO activities be stopped after inquires about Sivajilingam and his propaganda to say he is from the same village of Prabakaran and tried to build up his party once again in Jaffna. It is noteworthy, that the TELO supporters destroyed the statue of Kittu at Muththirai Junction, Jaffna on the commemoration day of TELO leader, slain by the LTTE, on May 6, 2006. The fact is that the lease had run out on the property, and they were due to leave, as recorded in the lease. WE are still functioning in Jaffna, as soon as we have found new premises, we will advise of the location. All other locations (Pointpedrew and VVT office) are running as before, it is only with this one location that we are now looking to find our new premises. This news from the website is incorrect, as we do not forcibly take ownership of property, unlike other organizations. SLMC dispute: Judge refuses to hear case To the shock and surprise of the parties concerned, the Colombo District Judge who was expected to deliver the order on the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leadership dispute yesterday transferred the case to another judge citing personal reasons. Judge K.H. Sumithrapala refused to be involved any further on the application filed against the suspension of party leader Rauff Hakeem and secretary M. T. Hasan Ali. The case was transferred to Additional District judge Devika Tennakone who fixed the hearing for today. Following a plaint filed by SLMC member, Jamaldeen Ishak on February 15 the court made an enjoining order preventing the party leader and its general secretary from signing the party’s nominations list and another on Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake preventing him from accepting the SLMC list for the local council elections on March 30. The plaintiff said the SLMC had not held its Delegates’ Conference since 2004 and as such the office bearers of the High Command and the politburo including Rauff Hakeem were not eligible to hold office. On February 23, Mr. Hakeem and Mr. Hasan Ali filed a counter application asking court to suspend the said enjoining orders saying Mr. Ishak had obtained the enjoining order by misleading the court and by suppressing and misrepresenting material facts. The counsel for the counter application charged that Mr. Ishak was not a member of the SLMC and he did not reside at the address set out in the plaint. Azwer ends 49 year tie with UNP, joins Mahinda Former UNP Minister A. H. M. Azwer broke a 49-year-old membership with the party and threw in his lot with President Mahinda Rajapakse and the government. Addressing a rally at Debarawewa, after visiting the areas surrounding the proposed Weerawila Airstrip in the company of President Rajapakse on Sunday Azwer told the gathering that the President had invited him to participate in the country's development for the good of country and people. 'I clutched the hands of friendship that Mahinda Rajapakse stretched out to me." He said he had gone to Temple Trees to meet his friend of 40 years, President Rajapakse to discuss the Mecca Pilgrimage, when the President called out to him telling the Geneva delegation, that Azwer was a special guest who had come to celebrate the success of talks. He said the idea of an International Airport was initially was promoted by the UNP government but not implemented by successive governments until President Rajapakse took the initiative which would benefit the southern people especially those in Hambantota. JVP files case against UPFA The judiciary in Sri Lanka have allowed the petitioners to amend a case against the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) signed between the government and the Tamil Tigers. The petitioners, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) were allowed to site the cabinet of ministers of the current government headed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the respondents. The JVP and the JHU argued that the CFA signed between the then Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe and the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is against the constitution of Sri Lanka.The Appeals Court has been urged to rule that the CFA is invalid.The cabinet of ministers of Wickramasinghe government and the LTTE leader have initially been sited as the respondents. The petitioners requested the courts to send notice to the Tamil Tiger leader via LTTE peace secretariat in Kilinochchi.The hearing was postponed to 29 March. President awaits Newton's arrival The Media Minister is in a quandary as to how the head of state rum Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, Newton Gunaratna went to Geneva to cover the peace talks when the Minister had rejected his visit as the Head of a state media institution. When Gunaratne planned to visit Geneva as Chairman of the Rupavahini Corporation, the Minister cancelled his visit. Gunaratne is also the Director General of the Presidential Media Unit. What he had actually done was to go to Geneva as the Head of the Presidential Media Unit ignoring the opposition raised by the Minister. Gunaratne who went to Geneva not as a representative of the Rupavahini Corporation, had conducted an interview with one of the members of the Government delegation, Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and telecast it over Rupavahini. The Media Minister had come to know about Gunaratna's Geneva visit only after watching this interview. Even though he did not represent the Rupavahini Corporation, it is reported that his expenses amounting to Rs 300,000 were to be borne by the Corporation. Meanwhile the Minister has decided to lodge a complaint with the President against Gunaratne for defying his orders and the President too was said to be waiting for a complaint against Gunaratne. While the President was switching channels of his television set recently, he had suddenly come across a program of LTTE television channel, TNN. The astonished President had made inquiries as to how a Tiger television is telecast in this manner. It had been reported to the President, that the Independent Television Network had entered into an agreement with a satellite transmission centre which also facilitated the LTTE channel. On making further inquiries, the President had learnt that the agreement had been signed by former ITN chairman Newton Gunarathna. The President had immediately informed Gunaratne over the phone to meet him as soon as possible. Gunartne who had come with great enthusiasm for a meeting with the President had a rather unpleasant surprise when the President asked him as to why he entered into an agreement with a satellite centre providing facilities to the LTTE. Gunaratne had pointed out that ITN can transmit programs to the Wanni round the clock when the TNN could only telecast its programs to Colombo for just two to three hours per day. Infuriated by this response, the President had severely reprimanded Gunaratne. In an interview with a weekend newspaper after the incident, Gunaratne had said that he would rather go home if he was influenced. LTTE accused of building bunkers Violating the pledge given at the Geneva talks to observe the ceasefire agreement, the LTTE has constructed a new bunker close to the Army’s Forward Defence Line at Alainakar, in Trincomalee, Military Spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe said yesterday. He said the military had officially lodged a complaint to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission on the latest incident. Brigadier Samarasinghe said soldiers at the FDL post had on Sunday noticed about ten suspected LTTE cadres constructing a new bunker at Alainakar while another armed with a T-56 weapon was standing by. He said the construction of new bunkers in government-controlled areas was considered a gross violation of the ceasefire agreement. He also said on Thursday the soldiers informed the SLMM of the construction of two new LTTE bunkers on either side of the A-9 road, ahead of their FDL at Omanthai. World Bank funds construction of 6,000 permanent houses The World Bank has allocated a sum of Rs. 1,800 million for constructing 6,000 permanent houses and establishing Resettlement villages for those displaced in the North. This is in response to the request made to: Peter Harold, the Resident Representative of the World Bank, in Sri Lanka, by the Minister of Resettlement, Rishard Badiuddin. The UNHCR has been entrusted with the responsibility of implementing this project. Speaking on this topic, Minister Rishard Badiuddin said that a fact-finding Team is gathering facts for the UNHCR from all Refugee/Resettlement Camps. Once this is completed, they will begin constructing the houses. He said that each house is estimated to cost about Rs: 250,000. Badge for LTTE police: UNP union The Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya yesterday charged that with the participation of Police Chief Chandra Fernando and LTTE police chief Nadesan, seated opposite each other at the table, the government had given international accreditation to the LTTE police. “Mr. Fernando and Mr. Nadesan spoke to each other. This would have definitely given the LTTE police international recognition”, JSS working committee member Sunil de Silva told journalists at the Opposition Leader’s office Commenting on the talks Mr. de Silva said the government had also accepted the LTTE as the sole representative of the Tamil community despite the JVP and JHU vociferously claiming on the election platforms that it was not so. He said the government had also failed to satisfactorily solve the issue regarding the recruitment of child soldiers though the JVP insisted on taking a rigid stand on the matter. “Former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran signed the ceasefire agreement on Sri Lankan soil. Then, the JVP criticized the Norwegians as white tigers. Today, they are silent despite the government following the same path adopted by the UNP,” Mr. de Silva said. UN candidate to
press for reforms The United Nations would politically involve solving Sri Lanka’s national question, if invited by the government, he added. The government of Sri Lanka on Tuesday kicked off the official campaign by launching a campaign website for the candidacy of Dhanapala. “For all countries especially to countries like Sri Lanka, a world without a UN would be a dangerous place,” Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera told journalists. However, the minister said, it would be naïve not to point out mistakes and wrongdoings of the world body. The United Nations is to elect the next head later this year as Kofi Annan finishes his two terms in December 2006. “We in Sri Lanka are in deed proud and honoured to present Jayantha Dhanapala for the post of the Secretary General of the UN,” Samaraweera said. 27 February 2006 SLFP–UNP in the same ‘boat’ in Trinco A group of SLFPers together with some UNPers have filed nominations as an independent group to contest the Trincomalee Urban Council elections under the boat symbol, a spokesman for the election secretariat said yesterday. Assistant Commissioner of Elections for the Trincomalee district M. M. S. K. Mapa said that the independent group leader was D. H. Wimalasena, the SLFP organizer for Trincomalee. He said that Verugal Pradeshiya Sabha, in an uncleared area of Trincomalee, was secured uncontested by The Ilankai Tamil Arasukachchi (ITAK). The EPDP were contesting the balance local bodies in all Tamil majority areas and the UPFA and the UNP were to contest all 12 local bodies and the JVP all areas except where the Muslims are in the majority. The DUA will contest all Muslim majority areas. He said that out of 15 independent groups handing over nominations four were rejected. In the Ampara district according to Assistant Commissioner of Election T. M. L. D. Tennakoon, there were 18 local bodies, including the Ampara Urban Council and Kalmunai Municipal Council. Of 105 nomination lists received, 44 from independent groups and 61 from registered political parties - the PLF (JVP) UPFA, UNP, ITAK, EPDP, National congress, Sri Lanka Muslim National Congress. The Illankai Thamil Arasukachchi (ITAK), Eelam People Democratic Part (EPDP), democratic Peoples Liberation Front (DPLF) and The United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and one independent group contesting under the symbol of ship handed in their nominations to contest the March 30 Local Government Elections to 20 local bodies in the Jaffna Electoral District, Assistant Commissioner of Elections P. Kuhanathan said yesterday. He said that the UPFA would contest the three local bodies of Vellvetthurai, Chavakachcheri and Point Pedro areas under the betel symbol. The ITAK would contest all the 17 local bodies in the Jaffna district under the house symbol while 3 independent groups had come forward to contest the 3 local bodies in the Killinochchi district under the ship symbol which the ITAK were not contesting. The EPDP was contesting 17 local bodies as the DPLF under the symbols of Veena and Anchor respectively. Altogether 3 groups would contest every local body in the Jaffna district. The independent groups would contest Palali PS, Killinochchi PS and Poonagari PS in the uncleared areas. Assistant Commissioner for Election, for the Vanni district A. S. Karunanidhi said that as a result of 2 nominations one from the UNP and another from an independent being rejected the EPDP were elected uncontested to Pudukudireppu Pradeshiya Sabha in the Mullathivu district. He said that including an Urban Council there were 5 local bodies in the Vavuniya district and five in the Mannar district including an Urban Council and four in the Mannar district. In the Mannar District 6 registered parties and 2 independent groups were in the fray. All 5 nominations of the ITAK were accepted along with 5 of the UPFA,UNPs 4, DPLF 4, DPLF and EPDP 3. The SLMC’s 5 nominations were rejected. The independent groups were to contest Mannar UC and Musali PS. In Vavuniya district JHU has submitted one nominations to contest the Vavuniya South PS and Peoples Liberation Front (JVPs) will contest Vavuniya South and North Pradeshiya Sabhas.ITAK are contesting the Vavuniya UC, Verugala, Chettikulam and Vavuniya North. The UPFA 5 nominations for Vavuniya, UNP 5, EPDP 4 and DPLF 4 nominations were also accepted to contest the Vavuniya district and one independent for Vavuniya north were rejected. In the Mullathivu district the Peoples Liberation Front (JVP) and the UPFA were to contest the Karaithurai Pattru Pradeshiya Sabha while SLMC nominations were rejected. The UNP submitted nomination to contest four local bodies in the Mullaithivu district of the which one for Pudukudirruppu was rejected and EPDP’s four nominations accepted. In Batticaloa district, six political parties were in the fray including the new political party - Ashraff Congress contesting under the house symbol - said Assistant Commissioner of Elections T. Krishnandalingam. The ITAK was contesting 11 local bodies excluding the Kattandudi PS. The EPDP had two nominations of their 9 rejected and UPFA’s 7 nominations were accepted. The UNP has one of its four nominations to Kovalapattu West PS being rejected. The JVP was contesting Eruvi Pattu PS (Chenkalady) and mew Party National Congress under the symbol of House was contesting Kattankudi UC. "Illegal"
CFA "amended" in Geneva The constitutional affairs expert told journalists in Colombo that the CFA is invalid until President Mahinda Rajapaksa signs a new truce with the LTTE. The GOSL delegation arrived Colombo after two-day talks at Chateau de Bossey, Genava. The agreement in Geneva “does not give credibility to the original agreement (CFA), but this purports to explains ambiguity and doubts created by the original agreement,” HL de Silva said. "The question of invalidity remains as before." Head of the GOSL team, Leader of the House Nimal Siripala de Silva said the Geneva agreement was “ a victory” as the parties discussed the issue of child soldiers in detail. The final agreement, he said, was “an amendment” to the original CFA. “Whatever we agreed in this joint statement in Geneva amounts to an amendment to the CFA because there are new obligations the parties have undertaken,” de Silva added. Agreeing to disarm the paramilitaries was “nothing but to obey the law of the country,” according to the senior minister. LTTE "surprised"
on GOSL remarks Member of the GOSL team HL de Silva, PC, told the journalists in Colombo that the CFA is invalid irrespective of the fact that the GOSL agreeing to implement it. The agreement in Geneva “does not give credibility to the original agreement (CFA), but this purports to explain ambiguity and doubts created by the original agreement,” HL de Silva said. Thamilselvan said the LTTE team, who are scheduled to trasvel to Oslo on Monday, would bring the statement by the GOSL to the attention of the Norwegian facilitators. Head of LTTE peace secretariat S Pulithevan told BBC Sandeshaya that the two parties pledged to implement the CFA in Geneva after two-day talks. “There is no question of validity. Even in the joint communiqué the Sri Lankan government agreed to implement it,” he said. Pulithevan added that the CFA has been endorsed by the international community including the co-chairs of the peace process. Head of GOSL negotiating team, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, meanwhile suggested that the parties have agreed to amend the CFA by agreeing to the joint communiqué. But the LTTE strongly denied having agreed to amend the CFA. “We were only talking about implementing the CFA. There was no discussion about amendment or redraft or a review of CFA,” he told bbcsinhala.com. JHU rejects Geneva agreement, wants CFA amended The agreements entered into between the Government and the LTTE are a violation of the consensus reached between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the JHU prior to the Presidential poll, JHU General Secretary Ven. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera said yesterday. He said in a media release, the just concluded Geneva talks were non-binding on the Jathika Hela Urumaya. The JHU said: “The Government has issued a statement immediately after the Geneva talks. The JHU has not given its consent to the points in the statement. The JHU at the All Party Conference laid down some of the preconditions that should be mandatory between the Government and the LTTE, in any future negotiation. It was also the stand of the JHU that the Geneva talks would have a direct bearing on the LTTE travel ban in Europe and on the expected LTTE ban in Canada. “The Ceasefire Agreement which was signed by Ranil Wickremesinghe as Prime Minister was a damp squib. It was with the intention of coming out of this rut that the entire country voted for the Mahinda Chinthanaya. What we wanted was a meaningful and balanced implementation of the CFA and we were totally against supporting talks based on the same CFA. “The Government‘s accepted position was that there were no para military forces but the govt.’s under taking to disarm all such forces is a candid admission on the part of the Government that there were para- military forces. If there were groups that should be disarmed, it should be the LTTE. The Groups which had been disarmed and are under the protection of the security of the Armed Forces could not be left unprotected in the future as well. “Soon after the Geneva talks, LTTE theoretician Dr. Anton Balasingham had told international media that the LTTE would be engaged in political activities in government controlled areas. The biggest damage that was done by Wickremesinghe’s CFA was that the members of the Armed Forces were made to compromise their security within the liberated areas. What is happening now after two months of the Rajapaksa Presidency is that both the Northern and the Eastern Provinces which were liberated from the clutches of the LTTE are gradually falling into LTTE hands. The lives of the members of the security forces cannot be compromised under the guise of the LTTE engaging in political activities.” The JHU has also drawn the attention of President Rajapaksa that the voters of this country, voted for him for a durable peace. It should not be placed in danger leaving room for LTTE intimidation and threats under the guise of a pseudo peace drive by the Tamil population. “Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe should ask for the forgiveness of the nation for internationalization of the ceasefire which he signed with the LTTE which has seriously compromised national security. “We also believe that there have been drawbacks in reaching consensus on vital issues despite President Rajapaksa briefing all political parties of the developments. The LTTE despite all the pledges, is yet recruiting child soldiers while also violating human rights. The JHU implores the nation to be vigilant over future talks between the Government and the LTTE.” SL Navy seizes passes from Point Pedro fishermen Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) soldiers from a patrol craft in
the Northern seas seized fishing passes from eleven Point Pedro fishermen,
destroyed their nets and fishing accessories and chased them back to the
shores Saturday, the fishermen said in a complaint to the Vadamaradchy
North Fisheries Consortium. The SLN soldiers also threatened the fishermen the complaint further said.The incident is the recent in a series of continuing harassment faced by fishermen in the northern shores of Sri Lanka, fisheries sources said. Renegade Sri Lanka rebels refuse to give up arms(Reuters) Breakaway rebels in Sri Lanka vowed on Sunday to resist any attempt to disarm them -- defying a government pledge seen vital to avoid a return to war. The government vowed on Thursday to ensure no armed group other than government security forces carries arms or conducts armed operations, and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) want to see the state act before new talks due in April. But V. Muralitharan, alias Colonel Karuna, who now lives in hiding and was formerly seen as shadowy Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran's deputy, told Reuters on Sunday his group refuses to lay down arms and will end a unilateral ceasefire and fight the LTTE if attacked. "Without mincing our words we wish to tell (Prabhakaran) quite categorically that we have our resolve and moral right to hold onto our arms," Karuna told Reuters in a rare email interview. "No one can impose their will on us to take them from us, which we use only for defensive purposes. "Our people ... have entrusted us to defend them from the LTTE. Our people will not like us to become submissive and just hand over our weapons to satisfy the LTTE brutes." The Tigers accuse the military of helping paramilitaries to mount attacks within their territory mainly in the island's east, and singled out Karuna's group at talks in Switzerland last week as one that they want disarmed if the truce is to keep holding. They have warned that the government risks a return to a two-decade civil war that killed more than 64,000 people unless they stick by the terms of the ceasefire and rein in armed groups. RENEGADES DEFIANT Karuna wants to see the government pledge to disarm applied to Tiger rebels who are blamed for carrying out a series of deadly attacks in December and January on the military in the government-held northern enclave of Jaffna. "We are waiting to see how the sarong-clad Vanni Tigers ... who are terrorising our people and the army in the north are going to be disarmed in the Jaffna peninsula following the Geneva decision," Karuna said. "Any provocation or attack by the LTTE would lead to officially ending our unilateral ceasefire." While Karuna's group says it is based both in military and rebel-held areas, President Mahinda Rajapakse's government says it has not come across such a group, estimated to number just a few hundred people. Analysts suspect the government is at least turning a blind eye. Karuna split from the Tigers, disbanding many of his estimated 6,000 loyal fighters, in early 2004 after accusing the Tigers' northern leadership of discriminating against Tamils in the east. He has since launched a political group, Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), and plans eventually to join the political mainstream. But for now, his group is focused on keeping the Tigers in check and will only disarm when they do. "So long as the LTTE is allowed to hold onto their arms, the north and east cannot ever be transformed into democratic rule," Karuna said. "We, as a politico-military movement too will ensure to use every means to change the present status quo to liberate our people if the LTTE fails to respect the wishes of our people to enter the democratic mainstream soon." Why reject 50 candidates after selection? queries ITAK MP Illangai Thamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) Member of Parliament, M.K. Eelaventhan, in a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has queried as to why 50 candidates, including 12 Tamils, initially selected as Management Trainees for the Bank of Ceylon were later rejected for unknown reasons. According to the Jaffna district MP, applications for the post were called for in September last year following which a written examination was held and prospective candidates selected for an interview. Mr. Eelaventhan believes the selected candidates will be mentally affected due to the haphazard manner in which the selections were cancelled and urged the President to intervene and resolve the issue. Eelam Peoples Democratic Party cadres roam Jaffna islet armed Alalasundaram Satheesh, a cadre of Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), a paramilitary group working with Sri Lanka Government, armed with a hand gun and communications equipment belonging to the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), was patrolling residential areas of Jaffna islet of Delft Friday night around 8 p.m., sources in Delft said. Residents remained indoors without venturing out to get provisions in local shops, local residents said.Vadamaradchi area co-ordinator for EPDP, Razik, is also reported to be openly brandishing his hand pistol in residential areas of Delft, sources said. A general atmosphere of fear prevails in Delft areas due to the presence of armed EPDP paramilitaries, residents said Red Cross still looking for 9,000 missing Lankans Of the thousands who went missing in Sri Lanka in decades of violence, an estimated 5,000 civilians and 4,000 soldiers are still unaccounted for. Since it started functioning in Sri Lanka, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) had been handling the cases of more than 20,000 people missing, primarily as a result of the Tamil separatist conflict. “Many cases could be solved, mostly because the (missing) person could be located,” ICRC director of operations Pierre Krahenbuhl told IANS. “However, there are still around 5,000 civilians unaccounted for and around 4,000 servicemen missing in action. “The ICRC is currently finalising an extensive report on all pending files of missing persons, with the aim of handing it over to the authorities concerned this year.” Krahenbuhl, who is based in Geneva and visited India recently, said dozens had gone missing even after the 2002 Norway-brokered ceasefire between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the government. He explained that if and when the ICRC received requests from a concerned family, his organisation “tries to find out the whereabouts of the (missing) persons and visit them if they are detained. “The ICRC also regularly reminds all parties to the conflict that hostage taking and extra-judicial killings are strictly forbidden by international humanitarian law.” Asked if the ICRC expected a possible resumption of armed conflict in Sri Lanka, he said: “It is difficult, if not impossible, to speculate about the development of any armed conflict. “Obviously the ICRC hopes that the conflict can be settled in a peaceful manner. However, should open hostilities resume, then the ICRC would be prepared to offer its humanitarian services and to assist and to protect people affected by the conflict.” Krahenbuhl went on: “The ICRC has indeed made contingency plans for different scenarios, and the human resource set up and emergency stocks are constantly being scrutinised to ensure they are up-to-date. “In the event of a war, the ICRC will endeavour to maintain its current good access to the affected areas and to the civilian population.” Krahenbuhl's comments came just as the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE ended two days of peace talks in Geneva and promised to meet again in April, giving a ray of hope to the peace process. The ICRC employs 55 delegates and over 460 national staff in Sri Lanka. Its 10 offices in the north and east are at Batticaloa, Vavuniya, Jaffna, Trinconmalee, Kilinochchi, Mallavi, Mutur, Amparai, Mannar and Puthukkudiyiruppu. Krahenbuhl said the ICRC's protection and assistance activities had lessened the suffering of thousands affected by war. “Although not directly engaged in peace efforts, the ICRC's action in itself, by limiting the impact of the conflict, may be seen as a contribution to prospects for peace.” He listed some of the ICRC's achievements: * ICRC teams followed up on the cases of over 23,000 people detained in relation to the insurgency sparked by the Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP) in the 1980's and 22,000 people detained in relation to the Tamil conflict. * Along with the Sri Lankan Red Cross Society, the ICRC delivered over 120,000 Red Cross Messages between family members split due to the conflict and to reunite nearly 1,000 children and elderly persons with their family. * Over 400,000 displaced people from Jaffna peninsula benefited from ICRC assistance. * From 1990 until 2002, the ICRC escorted over 500,000 tonnes of governmental food supplies and medicine to the north from the south. * During the same period, the ICRC also ferried over 10,000 patients who required specialised medical treatment from Jaffna peninsula via the Trincomalee harbour, and then by land to Colombo and back. * Mobile Red Cross health teams provided over a million consultations to patients in rural areas in the north and east from 1994 until 2003. * The ICRC ran awareness sessions on international humanitarian law and the basic rules of behaviour in combat reached around 70,000 members of the armed forces and the police as well as over 3,500 LTTE cadres. Asked if the ICRC faced problems while dealing with Colombo or the LTTE, Krahenbuhl replied: “The ICRC enjoys a good working relationship with both sides. This is the result of a relationship built on mutual trust.” 26 February 2006 Thousands
march through Sri Lankan capital The marchers, carrying lighted candles, also celebrated an agreement last week between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, to salvage the truce, which had been threatened by a recent spike in attacks. The two sides agreed at the negotiations in Switzerland to restrain violence and to meet again in April. "We are urging the government and LTTE to commit themselves to strengthen the cease-fire and to respect the agreements reached in Geneva with a view to bring lasting peace," said rev. Madampagama Assagi, a Buddhist priest and secretary of national anti-war front, which organized the event. Between 2,000 and 3,000 people turned out to celebrate the fourth anniversary of the Norway-brokered cease-fire, which was signed on Feb. 22, 2002. Violence in Sri Lanka's volatile north has killed some 150 people since December and raised fears that the country was on the verge of returning to civil war. Yet there are signs that tensions have eased in the troubled northern Jaffna peninsula since the peace talks, with shops staying open at night and people remaining outside after dark, a rare occurrence before the two sides sat down in Geneva. GAs want polls in Tiger areas Government Agents (GAs) of the north east districts are to call on the government to hold elections in the LTTE controlled areas. A crucial meeting between the GAs of the north east and Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake will take place this week in Colombo to discuss this issue. The GAs are expected to bring pressure on the Elections Commissioner not to postpone elections but to hold elections providing adequate security and thereby enabling the people living in the LTTE controlled areas to exercise their franchise. The GAs told The Sunday Leader the government might try to use the cluster polling system defying the normal local election laws that prevent the setting up of cluster polling booths during local polls. "But of course if the government went ahead with this system, the turnout would be minimal," they said. "It is not practical for the voters in the LTTE controlled areas to travel to the government controlled areas to cast their votes. "We saw this during last year’s presidential election when hundreds of voters in the LTTE controlled areas were not allowed to come into the government controlled areas to cast their votes," GA, Batticaloa District, S. Krishnanathalingam said. He added that while arrangements were being made to hold elections in the government controlled territories, talks would also be held on the possibility of holding elections in the LTTE controlled areas. "Arrangements will have to be made to allow voters in the LTTE controlled areas to cast their votes. The only option is to hold elections in those areas," Krishnanthalingam said. An official from the Trincomalee GA’s Department also maintained that while arrangements to hold elections in the government controlled areas had begun, arrangements had to be made to allow voters from the LTTE controlled areas to cast their votes. The official said that while during every election, the north and east did not produce the correct voting figures, arrangements had to be made to allow all voters to cast their votes freely and fairly. Muslim factor
crucial to peace process: Ferial An aide to the Housing Minister who represented the government at the two-day Geneva confab said the NUA leader had raised a range of contentious issues. She demanded recognition of the Muslim community as one of the principal stakeholders. "The Muslim community is the worst affected by ethnic conflict both before and after the CFA although they were neither a party to the war nor a party to the CFA," she said. Referring to eviction of Muslims from the northern region in October/ November 1989, she accused the LTTE of ethnic cleansing. She also slammed the CFA claiming that the Muslims lost their sense of security the day the CFA was signed. Tigers to target HSZs at second round The LTTE has decided to call for the relocation of military camps in the High Security Zones in the second round of talks to enable the civilian population to return to their homes. The government and the LTTE at the conclusion of the first round of talks decided to have the second round also in Geneva, Switzerland from April 19-21 The government accepted the ceasefire agreement in toto at the first round of talks and to also disband all paramilitary groups in accordance with the ceasefire agreement. The government delegation initially called for a revision of the CFA stating it was unconstitutional and compromised national security but later relented and agreed to uphold the agreement after the LTTE threatened to walk out of the talks. LTTE Chief Negotiator Anton Balasingham told The Sunday Leader his mandate was to negotiate the implementation of the ceasefire agreement and that he told the government delegation if any attempts were made to amend the CFA the LTTE delegation would walk out. He said any attempt by the government to revise the agreement would tantamount to coming out of the ceasefire agreement resulting in the two weeks notice period for the resumption of hostilities. "I told the government delegation to think carefully of that situation," Balasingham said Presidential Advisor on the Peace Process Palitha Kohona told The Sunday Leader what was important was not a legal interpretation on the acceptance of the CFA but that the talks are on track to bring peace for the people of Sri Lanka. The LTTE Chief Negotiator further said the government by agreeing to uphold the CFA and disarm all armed groups in accordance with the CFA had attracted Article 1.8 of the Agreement which calls for the disarming of all paramilitary groups. He said the LTTE expects the government to fulfill that obligation before the next round enabling LTTE cadres to resume their political work in Jaffna and Batticaloa. Balasingham also told The Sunday Leader the organisation will at the next round call for the relocation of the security forces camps in the HSZs to enable the people languishing in refugee camps to return to their homes and livelihoods. "It is time the government addressed this humanitarian issue and we will take it up in the next round as a priority issue," he said A Wish for Peace In a joint statement the Buddhist clergy emphasised that no religious or ethnic group should be held responsible for the present crisis. The statement went onto say that the common inability to understand the underlying socio economic and political situation prolonged the crisis. Presidient Mahinda Rajapaksha also joined the Adhishtana puja. Chief Incumbent of the Ruwanwalisaya, venerable Pallegama Hemaratana Thero said that they wished both parties would soften there hard line stands on the ethnic issue in the next round of talks. “We have failed to build a social movement that support peace in the past and if we fail now the consequence would be disastrous” added Ven. Hemarathana. Mahinda clips Chandrika's wings Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga's staff has been pruned down to 27 and the treasury has notified that funds could not be allocated to pay allowances for her staff.The treasury comes under the purview of the Finance Ministry and the current Finance Minister is President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Earlier 61 employees were recruited for the ex-President's staff and after being informed that such a large number could not be allocated she agreed to reduce the number to 38. But that request was no granted and the staff was brought down to 34 and by this week it has been further reduced to 27. Former President Kumaratunga has adopted a tough stand in the face of the tussle for the party leadership between her and President Rajapaksa and she recently stated to the media that she had never thought of relinquishing the party leadership even in her dreams. Not only her personal staff but 50 commandos assigned for her security too had been reduced on two occasions, ten on each occasion and she is now left with only 30 commandos. Meanwhile the Cabinet recently took a decision to eject her security staff from 'Visumpaya', where lodging facilities were provided to them and the decision was recently conveyed to the relevant sectors by the acting Inspector General. Amidst all these, Kumaratunga shifted to her official residence at the Independence Avenue on the 23rd . However a member of her personal staff told 'Lanka e News' that she leaves for the Bandaranaike's ancestral home at Horagolla at nights as renovation activities of the new residence are still going on. SLA permits Sivarathri celebrations in Naguleswaram temple The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has given permission for devotees to spend day and night at historic Keerimalai Naguleswaram Temple to participate in religious observances on Maha Sivarathiri day, which falls on Sunday, according to Chief Priest and Trustee of the temple Sri K.Naguleswarakurukkal. The annual THER (Chariot) festival of the temple is also to be held Sunday coinciding with Maha Sivarathiri. The temple is located in the high security zone, sources said. Devotees would be allowed to travel to temple site in their vehicles.Additional buses will be put on service from the army checkpoint at Tellipalai from Sunday morning at seven a.m. to the temple site till the festival is over, temple sources said.SLA soldiers and police would be deployed in the temple area to maintain law and order, police officials said.Devotees have been requested not to bring unwanted materials to the temple premises, temple authorities said in an appeal. India will not intervene Former General Officer Commanding (GOC) the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), General Ashok K. Mehta will have no objections if the North-East Province in Sri Lanka is renamed Tamil Eelam with Velupillai Pirapaharan at its helm, so long as it is within a united Sri Lanka. He made this observation to The Sunday Leader while attending a symposium on Peace Negotiations, organised by the Foundation for Co-existence (FCE), earlier this week in Colombo. General Mehta, who commanded the IPKF from 1988 until its departure in 1991, was responding to a point raised by The Sunday Leader during a brief interview, that as LTTE Leader Velupillai Pirapaharan has set his sights on the emergence of Tamil Eelam and therefore even if GOSL - LTTE negotiations lead to a political settlement, the name Tamil Eelam has acquired a significance that is unlikely to be relinquished by the LTTE. However, General Mehta emphasised that "due to the baggage of the past, India is not prepared to get involved in the political resolution of the conflict, as it sacrificed over 1,248 of its soldiers during the peace keeping process. The sequel had left some residual bad blood in the Indian military, particularly among the officers of the IPKF, as one Sri Lankan government invited us and the next asked us to leave." General Mehta, incidentally, was a junior officer with the Indian Army when it assisted in putting down the first JVP rebellion in 1971. When this writer pointed out that the IPKF period has also left bad blood for the people of Jaffna, General Mehta stated "it could have . but we should overcome the burden of the past and look to the future." Will Sri Lanka disarm Karuna? Sri Lanka's peace process has got a new lease of life following the Geneva talks with Tamil Tiger guerrillas but Colombo is faced with a daunting task: how to de-fang 'Colonel' Karuna? It is reliably learnt that the Sri Lankan government has promised Norway to disarm Karuna, who heads the breakaway faction of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and has emerged as the biggest headache for the guerrillas. A statement from Norwegian peace facilitator Erik Solheim after the Feb 22-23 talks said the LTTE would ensure "that there will be no acts of violence against the security forces and police" while Colombo would "ensure that no armed group or person other than government security forces will carry arms or conduct armed operations". The statement is a clear reference to Karuna, who was the eastern regional commander of the LTTE when he broke away in March 2004 and has since carried on a wave of attacks against his former comrades led by Velupillai Prabhakaran. Ahead of the Geneva meeting, Karuna - who the LTTE says is hand in glove with Sri Lanka's military intelligence - gave a spate of interviews to the media from his hideout vowing to retaliate if the Tigers attacked his supporters. Karuna's armed men, estimated to number 200 to 300, are active mainly in the eastern district of Batticaloa, his home district. His group has forced the LTTE to close down several political offices in the region. Significantly, on the second and concluding day of the Geneva talks Thursday, Karuna told a Colombo media unit that as his men were active "outside the government controlled areas, they will not hesitate to retaliate against anybody who will try to deactivate them". He was also quoted as expressing confidence that the government "will not carry out that risky act". The disarming of Karuna was a key demand the LTTE put forward at Geneva in return for not attacking government troops and police personnel. In December and January, a string of deadly attacks blamed on the LTTE - but denied by the group - killed nearly 100 soldiers and sailors, putting the Norway-brokered 2000 ceasefire pact in jeopardy. But Sri Lanka watchers believe it will not be easy for the government to disarm Karuna, for more than one reason. For one, a section of the Sri Lankan establishment does not wish to lose what it feels is its biggest weapon against the LTTE by cracking down on Karuna, whose very presence is a destabilizing factor for the Tigers. Also, hardline Sinhalese parties like the JVP that support President Mahinda Rajapakse are completely opposed to any action against Karuna, and even now want Colombo to drop Norway, which they say is pro-LTTE, as the peace facilitator. IANS had reported Jan 30 that Colombo had ordered Karuna to halt attacks on the LTTE. Around the same time, Karuna declared a "ceasefire" against the LTTE but threatened to hit back if he came under attack. And since Karuna, whose real name is Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan, has given up separatism and backed calls for Sri Lanka's unity, it would be difficult for any government to move against him and that too against his will. But the LTTE has reportedly made it clear to Norway that it expects the Sri Lankan government to disarm Karuna, certainly before the next round of talks in Geneva April 19-21. The just ended Geneva talks are seen in India as an incremental progress in the peace process but no one is willing to talk about the future with confidence. "We do know one thing," one privileged source said. "The (Sri Lankan) president had hands on over what went on in Geneva. Of course, some violent incidents may still take place in Sri Lanka." Sri Lankan expat’s
body lying unclaimed: Embassy Manavakaran, who had arrived in Doha some weeks ago was battling for survival following an alleged life-threatening incident, since February 6 at the Hamad General Hospital. He passed away on February 13, despite efforts to save his life. Speaking to The Peninsula, Abeyasekera said, the embassy's efforts to contact the deceased's friends and relatives in Sri Lanka to send the body for last rites, had so far been futile. Nobody has come forward to claim the body," he saidd. Manavakaran, he revealed, worked with a reputed, local cleaning company. An Asian news portal, www.asiantribune.com, however described the victim as Manoharan who hailed from Sittandy, Batticaloa, in northern Sri Lanka. It claimed that three Sri Lankan citizens were being interogated in connection with Manoharan's death, allegedly caused after he was assaulted on his head while asleep in his room in Industrial Area, with an iron crowbar, by three assailants. The company, it was learnt, has a large complement of Sri Lankan staff, mainly employed as semi-skilled or unskilled cleaners. The firm provides cleaning services to homes and offices. The diplomat said that Qatari law enforcement authorities were investigating the circumstances that led to Manavakaran's death. "As of this date, we cannot confirm or deny that any particular person or party was involved since police investigations continue," Abeysekera, added. 25 February 2006 Swiss govt. welcomes positive outcome of talks The Swiss government yesterday welcomed the positive outcome of the talks between the government and LTTE which took place on February 22 and 23 in Geneva. It voiced the expectation that the parties to the conflict will respect the agreement they have concludedThe Swiss government said it hoped that the parties will comply conscientiously with the obligations they have undertaken in building-confidence measures. It also says that it has taken note of the wish of the parties to organise a further round of talks on April 19 and 21 in Geneva. The statement says that the Swiss government considers this “as a mark of trust” and it will examine the request favourably within the framework of its commitment to Sri Lanka. It further says that it welcomed the fact that the parties have agreed to respect the ceasefire agreement, and to take all necessary measures to avoid any acts of violence, intimidation, abductions or killings. Why have they agreed to uphold the cease-fire which they claimed was unconstitutional? -Ranil Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said in Colombo today (24) that in accordance with the joint statement issued by the government and the LTTE at the end of the Geneva talks, in which they agreed to uphold and abide by the cease-fire agreement, the stand adopted by him has been proven true and correct.He also denounced the statement made by the chief government negotiator Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva at the commencement of the peace talks that the cease-fire agreement had contravened the constitution and that it was a threat to the territorial integrity of the country. Wickremesinghe made this comments when he met representatives of the UNP trade union wing, the Jathika Sevaka Sangamaya.The Opposition Leader noted that the Geneva talks based on the cease-fire agreement and the aim of the cease-fire was to lay the groundwork for the commencement of the peace negotiations. When former President Chandrika Kumaratunga formed the Freedom Alliance government in 2004 she accepted the legality of the cease-fire agreement and so did Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Prime Minister of that government and Nimal Siripala De Silva and four JVPers as Ministers ofthat government. Even President Mahinda Rajapaka agreed to abide by the cease-fire agreement when he won the Presidential election. "When the JVP challenged the legality of the Tsunami Relief Council based on the truce agreement, the Supreme Court accepted the legality of the cease-fire. When the Sri Lankan government and the country's legal system have accepted the cease-fire agreement as legal, I condemned the statement made by Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva on behalf of the government. Mr. Wickremesinghe called on the government to spell out its stand on the cease-fire agreement and state clearly whether it accepts or rejects the cease-fire.He also urged the JVP and the Hela Urumaya, which functioned from the Operations Room in Temple Trees during the Geneva talks, to declare their true stand on the cease-fire agreement. SLMC welcomes truce talks outcome The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) yesterday welcomed the outcome of the ceasefire talks. SLMC General Secretary Hassan Ali told the Daily News that the party welcomed the agreement reached by the Government and the LTTE to adhere to the regulations of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA). "According to the information we have received, both parties have pledged to ensure the proper implementation of the CFA. It is a good move. We welcome all attempts to usher in an honourable peace to the country," he said. Ali said that the only reservation of the SLMC regarding the Geneva talks was a statement by Anton Balasingham referring to a Muslim paramilitary group in the North-East. "We are disturbed by this statement. As far as we know, there is no such paramilitary movement in the North and East," he said. The SLMC Secretary also urged the Government to make room for a separate Muslim representation at the next round of talks. "We do not believe that one person could represent the entire Muslim community at the negotiations. A separate Muslim delegation is vital for finding solutions for our grievances," he added. Swiss Foreign Ministry and ICRC meets with LTTE Mr. Bernadino Regazzoni, Switzerland’s Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Mr. Greminger, Mr. Heiniger, Ms. Gabrial and officials from Switzerland’s Foreign Office met with Mr.S.P.Tamilselvan today, 24 February 2006 at Chataeu De Bossey, Geneva where talks between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam on implementation of the Cease Fire Agreement that was signed four years ago were held on 22 and 23 February 2002. The outcome of the talks and the future steps to be taken by both parties to effectively implement the CFA were discussed in the meeting.Mr. Reto Meister, ICRC Delegate General for Asia and the Pacific also had a meeting with Mr.Tamilselvan vis-à-vis the implementation of the CFA under the current dispensation. Stay order restraining Colombo Municipal Council election. The Appeal Court today (24) issued an interim order restraining the Elections Commissioner from conducting the local government elections for the Colombo Municipal Council on March 30th. The court also issued an order on the Elections Commissioner to suspend the rejection of the UNP nomination list for the Colombo Municipal Council. Issuing the stay order, Justice Sri Pavan stated that the Colombo District Returning Officer's action in rejecting the nominations lacked accountability.The Justice also said that the constitution has not conferred any authority on the returning officer to reject the nominations. He quoted from many extracts from similar cases and the interim order was issued with the agreement of Justice Sisira de Abrew.Filing a petition in the Appeal Court challenging the rejection of the UNP nomination list for the Colombo Municipal Council, UNP General Secretary N.V,K.K.Weragoda sought a court order on the Elections Chief to accept the nominations and to suspend the conducting of the election until the petition is heard and a judgment is delivered. The petitioner has cited the Elections Commissioner, returning officer Mahinda Deshapriya as respondents among others. President's counsel Faiz Musthafa appeared for the petitioner. Solicitor General C.R.De Silva appeared for the Elections Commissioner. The petition will be taken up for hearing again on the 9th of March. TNA nominates chaiman of PS in Tiger territory, EPDP seeks support of the peace secretariat Mr. S. Saundaraja was named for the post of chairman of the Verugalaru Pradeshiya Sabha in Batticaloa district which was won by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) without a contest. Mr. Y. Nagendra was appointed the deputy chairman. The other five members of the local council are yet to be decided. Verugal area is deep in the Tamil Tiger controlled territory and only the TNA filed nominations for the local council election for the Pradeshiya Sabha. TNA supports the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Meanwhile anti-LTTE Eelam People's Democratic Party won the Pudukudiyiruppu Pradeshiya Sabha which is located in the heart of the territory controlled by the LTTE, creating a dramatic situation. TNA not contesting in the LTTE held areas in the north,Independent group list of nomination was rejected, and EPDP won uncontested. Pudukudiyiruppu is one of the main Pradeshiya Sabha in Mullaitivu district and one of the 76 local bodies in the North East. Assistant Election Commissioner for Vavuniya has notified the secretary of the EPDP to appoint a nominee for the post of chairman for the Pudukudiyiruppu Pradeshiya Sabha but the party has not responded yet. The leader of EPDP, Minister Douglas Devananda had to come to the Vavuniya District Secretariat in a battle tank to hand over the nominations due to the threats from the LTTE. A spokesman for the EPDP said that the party has requested from the Peace Secretariat of Sri Lanka to create the ground atmosphere for them to conduct their rule in this region. The Head of the Peace Secretariat Dr. John Gunaratna has promised to raise the matter in the peace talks that were held in Geneva. Fifty female Jaffna students sick More than 50 female students of Manipay Hindu Ladies College in Jaffna have been admitted to the Jaffna teaching hospital during the course of this week after they experienced high fever and headaches. The students were admitted after doctors suspected the girls might have contracted viral flu or food poisoning after eating ice cream from a street vendor following the school sports meet on Monday. “All the girls had the same symptoms of high fever and headaches while some had throat infections. We have taken blood samples and are awaiting a report from the Medical Research Institute to identify the illness,” hospital doctor Dr. Perantharajah told the Daily Mirror.The doctor however said the symptoms did not indicate the illness was of a serious nature. Tamil security force for plantation sector The Minister of Estate Infrastructure and Livestock Development, C.B.Ratnayake has decided to set up a special security force consisting Tamil youths for the plantation sector. In a highly confidential letter to his colleagues, Ratnayake has urged them to send names of 25 Tamil youths to be recruited to this Tamil force. The letter has stated that selected youths will be paid a monthly salary of 11,000 rupees. Lanka Tamils divided
over talks “Even the ceasefire is extended by one day we welcome it because it can postpone the war by one day,” he told BBC Sandeshaya. The former parliamentarian however criticized both parties for not fully implementing the clauses of the truce as agreed. TNA and HSZ “For example, LTTE continue killings, abductions and suicide attacks while the government ignores the pledge to remove High Security Zones (HSZ),” he added. Siddharthan, who supports the government, said the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) signed in 2002 is “one –sided and benefits the LTTE.” But the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), who supports the LTTE, says it is the GOSL who should take action to prevent another war. “The government should take immediate action to remove HSZs for the talks to progress,” TNA parliamentarian Nadarajah Raviraj told bbcsinhala.com. He said the HSZs are directly linked to day to day lives of the Tamil public in the north and the east. EPDP He said the Tamil Tigers would obey their pledge not to get back to violence provided the government fully implements the CFA. The Ealam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), meanwhile says the Tigers are still engaged in violence despite pledges. “Even today, the LTTE have assaulted those who went to sell Thinamurusu newspaper,” EPDP spokesman Nelson Edirisinghe told the BBC. Although the EPDP do not trust the Tigers, he said, the party’s policy might change if the LTTE abide by the Geneva agreement. USCIRF urges Hela Urumaya delegation to reconsider Anti-Conversion Bill A delegation of US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) members met Jatika Hela Urumaya (JHU) representatives yesterday to discuss the Prevention of Forced Unethical Conversion Bill. USCIRF during their discussion had raised concern over the violation of religious rights through the bill and urged the JHU delegation to reconsider its position with the Bill. They have also queried as to whether there is a greater demand for such legislature and whether large number of Buddhist were subjected to unethical forceful conversion by other religious groups. The delegates further raised fear that the proposed act would be a source of disharmony between religious groups and could trigger violence and religious riots in the country. The USCIRF representatives also queried the JHU delegation which consist the originator of the Bill, Ven. Omalpe Sobitha Thera, as to why the party failed to consult other religious groups prior to presenting the Bill to Parliament. However, responding to the complaints of the USCIRF group, Ven. Sobitha Thera pointed that there is a greater need for the Bill at the moment to prevent future disputes between religious groups and to avert religious violence. He had assured that the Bill would not be violating religious rights of any citizen in the country and had pointed that the Bill had also received the clearance of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The USCIRF earlier expressed concern over the Prevention of Forced Unethical Conversion Bill and a proposed amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka to make Buddhism the official religion of Sri Lanka. They alleged that the amendment and the Bill would violate the internationally guaranteed rights primarily of members of the majority Buddhist community as well as minority religious groups. Responding to the accusations JHU invited them to a second round discussion with their panel of lawyers on the legality of the amendment and the Bill. The Prevention of Forced Unethical Conversion Bill is in the standing committee level of the Sri Lankan Parliament and has to face the voting following the Committee Stage. Coordinated naval patrolling formalised CHENNAI: The `coordinated patrolling', which the Indian and Sri Lankan navies have taken up along the International Maritime Boundary Line, has been formalised. Officers of both navies met on Thursday to work out the arrangements, Eastern Naval Commander, Sureesh Mehta, told The Hindu here on Friday. "We have finalised something just yesterday. We are working on the modalities... we have almost got it sorted out. And it will be in place very soon." India and Sri Lanka began `coordinated patrolling' along the IMBL over six months ago on an experimental basis to ensure that there was no instance of firing at genuine fishermen and to prevent criminals from travelling freely between the countries. During the experimental stage, many limitations of the forces were studied and a working methodology was evolved. These included the crossing of the international boundary line and identification of various types of crafts in the region. Both sides routinely exchanged information on the location of their vessels and details of suspicious activities in the region. Admiral Mehta, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Visakhapatnam-based Eastern Naval Command, said with the coordinated patrol in place, "gaps" in the boundary would be "covered better." "We will go at specified times to specified places, and make sure that no untoward incident takes place." Asked if there had been any hostile activity in the region, he said nothing of importance had come to the Navy's notice. "Which means we are doing our job very well," he said on the sidelines of a national seminar on `India's Oceanic neighbours: emerging strategic issues and concerns.' The meet was organised by the Madras University Defence and Strategic Studies department and Chennai chapters of the Society for Indian Ocean Studies and the NDC Alumni Association. Joint exercises The Admiral, who inaugurated the seminar, said the Indian Navy had about 135 ships. The country had taken up joint exercises with many neighbours. Joint exercises with the PLA Navy might become a regular feature. Vice Admiral (retd.) Mihir Roy, who presided, emphasised the need to accept the fact that the United States was also an Indian Ocean power given its large fleet presence in the region. Gopalji Malviya, Head, Madras University Defence Studies Department, said Indian Ocean studies had changed a great deal over the decades. "Now non-traditional threats to security are in the forefront. Earlier, the Cold War diplomacy was reflected in the Indian Ocean politics, now it is a cooperative security." Commodore (retd.) Shekar said Madras University would confer M.Phil degree on those passing out of the NDC from this year. London terrorist
cadre arrested in Geneva –Source:The Island ‘The police officers had initially approached Ramaraj to apprehend him for anti-social behaviour,’ sources added. Only then did the police officers become aware that Ramaraj was in the country illegally. Ramaraj who did not have the legal documents to be in Switzerland had made his way to the city via Germany with the help of his contacts. Police officers were astonished when they learned from their computer records, that Ramaraj had in fact been on their most wanted list for several years. A number of the offences for which the police had been searching for him date back to the days when he was a resident in Switzerland. ‘Back then he was a notorious criminal and was known as drug dealer Mustapha,’ said a Swiss Tamil who was delighted with the news of the arrest. Ramaraj who was active with several Eastern European underworld gangs was being investigated for drug trafficking, people smuggling and credit card fraud amongst a whole host of other criminal offences, when he decided to flee to the United Kingdom and file for refugee status. ‘Together for drunk and disorderly behaviour, being in the country illegally and his past crimes, Ramaraj may be expecting to serve a lengthy prison sentence,’ said a Swiss legal expert. Meanwhile the Tamil community was visibly delighted with the arrest. ‘Perhaps the most notorious Tamil criminal in Europe has been locked up for good,’ said a Tamil businessman from the UK. Truth about TBC breakdown Startling revelations are surfacing in the "breaks in" news of the TBC radio. We, a group of failed asylum seekers are living in the UK with fear of arrest and deportation to Sri Lanka at any time. Mr.Ramraj assured us to obtain visas illegally using his association with the MP for Harrow , and the Councillor, Harrow . In fear of returning to Sri Lanka, three of us barrowed from friends and paid him `A35000 each in order to get the visa. However he could not help us in regularising our status as mentioned. Therefore we asked him to refund the money. He started to threaten us to inform the Enforcement officials of the UK Immigration Service about our status in this country. He further said that we were from the LTTE and will inform to the UK Police that we were threatening him. Despite this threat, we continued to pressurise him to get the money back. Then recently he asked us to wait in the midnight of 22nd of May 2005 in front of Domino Pizza, in Rayners Lane area. When we went there, he asked us to follow him. We went near a parked car (Metallic Green, R4 JRT) in the Warden Avenue. Then he gave us electronic equipments of possibly radio station and said that get your money from selling those equipments. The Other day we heard the news that the TBC Radio Station was broken in. Later we got to know that he made a complaint at the Harrow Police Station that the LTTE suspects broke in his radio station. In another interesting thing that the same Mr.Ramraj, one day had given money to one of another friends of us to buy a pay as you go sim card. Then Mr.Ramraj asked him to call to his Radio Station as well as to his mobile number using a phone with the same sim card frequently. Our friend was not aware as to why Mr.Ramraj asked him to do so. Now we understand that the purpose of this is to manipulate and complain to the Police about the LTTE threat and to claim insurance falsely. In the recent news in his www.nitharsanam.net, www.vizhippu.net , the same phone number has been mentioned in relation to the "LTTE threat story". We also learnt that he had a history of cheating the Insurance companies in the year of 2001 and 2003 respectively. If the UK Immigration Service and the Police can give us guarantee not to remove from the UK, we are happy to assist the Police or the relevant officials in this regard. Please public this in your newspaper. Regards T.Cheran Muslims hold protest in Mannar, Akkaraipattu Several hundreds Muslims held demonstrations in Mannar town in the north and Akkaraipattu in the east Friday afternoon after Jumma prayers against the publication of a caricature by the newspaper in Denmark defaming Prophet Mohamed. Muslim protestors shouted slogans and carried placards against Denmark and went in a procession through Sinnakadai, and Uppukulam.Representatives of Muslim council handed over a memorandum to Ms. Mehanathan, Additional Government Agent in Mannar and to Ms N.Wijeyaranee, an official of the Human Rights Commission in Mannar, sources said. In Akkaraipattu, hundreds of Muslims after Jumma prayers went in a procession with slogans and placards condemning Denmark, sources said. 24 February 2006 Sri
Lankan sides to curb violence The joint statement released was short, with sources saying it followed difficulty in agreeing wording. The talks follow a recent upsurge in violence in Sri Lanka's north and east which has cost at least 120 lives. The new talks will also be in Geneva, on 19 and 21 April. The joint statement read: "Both sides committed to respecting and upholding the ceasefire agreement and are committed to taking all necessary means to ensure that there will be no intimidation and acts of violence." The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Geneva says the Norwegian mediators called the talks very tough but also congenial. They said both sides had agreed to fully respect the work of the Scandinavian monitoring mission in Sri Lanka. 'Open and flexible' The face-to-face meeting at a secluded chateau outside Geneva was the first in nearly three years. There had been few indications of a real breakthrough. The Sri Lankan government said at the outset that while the truce had brought benefits it was "prejudicial to the sovereignty and the territorial integrity" of the country. It wants to widen the truce, making it a first step to a negotiated settlement. The rebels feel the threat to the ceasefire comes from armed paramilitary groups who they allege are supported by the government. Foreign donors had urged both sides to be "open and flexible" in discussions. Much of the $4.5bn pledged by donors to help rebuild Sri Lanka is linked to progress in the peace process and remains on hold. The BBC's Ethirajan Anbarasan in Geneva says that just agreeing to more talks must be regarded as a success. He says both sides have been talking tough and arguing from entrenched positions. Shelled Violence in Sri Lanka has continued during the talks.
Troops, in turn, denied Tamil Tiger claims they had shelled rebel positions. On Wednesday, the rebels said six men in military uniforms had attacked one of their posts in Batticaloa district, and killed one of their members. The army said it had no knowledge of the incident. At least 120 people - including about 80 soldiers and sailors and many civilians - have died in the recent upsurge of violence, which began soon after Mahinda Rajapakse assumed the presidency in November but has abated since the deal to hold talks was reached last month. The attacks on the military have been blamed on the rebels, who deny involvement. Tamil Tiger supporters say more than 40 Tamils have been killed by the security forces in a series of attacks since the start of December. Others blame some of those deaths on the rebels or other armed groups. More than 60,000 people died during two decades of conflict in Sri Lanka. The Tamil Tigers want autonomy for minority Tamils in the north and east. President Rajapakse has said the solution to the conflict lies in a unitary state. President remote-controls Geneva talks Though the ceasefire talks took place in Geneva, Temple Trees was also abuzz with the JVP stalwarts and some Ministry Secretaries joining President Mahinda Rajapaksa who was busy offering advice, time and again, to the negotiating team in Geneva. Communicating with the negotiating team after every round of talks, via the special monitoring system set up at Temple Trees, President Rajapaksa along with JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe and Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa went on cordially chatting, well past midnight, while enjoying a meal of parata and hoppers. The Daily Mirror learns that at one point President Rajapaksa even went to the extent of suggesting to the JVP Leader, in lighter vein, that he cannot be chatting only with him, in this manner but should instead get ready to go for the next round of talks with the LTTE. Disarming the Karuna faction - one of the main demands by the LTTE - was expected to figure prominently at the negotiating table. When it finally did, the negotiating team informed President Rajapaksa immediately about the matter, via the special monitoring system. In his opening statement LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham insisted the Government disarm the paramilitary groups including the Karuna faction saying they pose a threat to the Ceasefire Agreement. However the Government team in response had pointed out its inability to fully disarm all factions unless the Ceasefire Agreement was amended, reports from Geneva said. While Chandrika is pulling down the sarong of Mahinda, the JVP is pulling his leg -SB The United National Party will be rebuilt shortly so
as to offer a majestic leadership to the people of the country with the
aim of creating people who will not be subjected to sufferings, UNP National
Organizer S.B.Dissanayake said in Kandy this evening (23). He pledged to commit himself even at the risk of his life to rebuild the UNP and added that the crossing over of the frogs, fowls and centipedes should not be taken care of when an election is lost or an election is round the corner. The UNP is a disciplined party and the party nomination list for Colombo was rejected as a name been had been changed and the person responsible for the act should expelled from the party, Dissanayake claimed. While Chandrika Kumartunga is pulling down the sarong of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the JVP is pulling from his leg and soon the 24 parties in the Freedom Alliance will start fighting with each other, Dissanayake said. After the ceremony to receive him, the former Minister visited Sri Dalada Malgawa to receive the blessings of the tooth relic and while he was on his way to his native place of Hanguranketha, a large number of people warmly welcomed him right from Colombo. Child abuse: Tigers point at South The LTTE, which has often been accused of child recruitment in the North and East, on Wednesday pointed its finger to the South saying there was worse child abuse taking place in Colombo and its suburbs, though unnoticed. In a speech delivered on day one of the Geneva talks LTTE political head S.P. Thamilselvan said those who were truly concerned about the welfare of children must refrain from pinpointing the North-East and the LTTE and instead turn their attention to the serious child abuse and child slavery going on on a large scale in the South. Mr. Thamilselvan’s comments, which were released to the media by the LTTE yesterday, follow allegations from the Government and other organisations in the South stating that the LTTE continues to recruit children for armed combat. The comments were made available to the media hours before the conclusion of the closed-door talks despite both parties agreeing to refrain from releasing any statements until the discussions were concluded last evening. In his speech, Mr. Thamilselvan further said that most children who joined the LTTE ranks did so out of fear of the military-dominated environment they faced within government-controlled areas in the North and East. “There is an urgent need to be concerned about the welfare of the children affected by war and take right action to ensure that their nutrition, education and their parents’ living standards are adequate. “It is wrong to turn the problems faced by the children in the North and East into an issue to gain political advantage,” he said. He also said the Ceasefire Agreement did not have antyclause that prohibits recruitment of children and as such it was not an issue that should be addressed by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission but instead should be looked into by child rights groups like UNICEF. Karuna faction
admits they killed Tiger hours before Geneva talks A Karuna aide told the media that they fired in self-defence. “They came to attack us and our people defended themselves. We will continue to shoot for our self-defence. If they don't come [after us], we won’t,” he said. Pirapaharan felicitates Charles Anthony Brigade fighters Leader of Liberation Tigers, V Pirapaharan Wednesday participated in a ceremony at the Roy Training Camp of the Charles Anthony special brigade and presented awards to cadres completing Mortar, Artillery training, LTTE media sources from Kilinochchi said. Special Commander with the Charles Anthony Brigade, Amutab, presided the event.Pirapaharan garlanded the photograph of Major Roy, lit the lamp of sacrifice, and addressed the fighters assembled at the event.Cultural event included performance by the Charles Anthony music group, sources said. Ex-LTTE cadre shot dead in Batticaloa Mr Navarasan, a former member of the Liberation Tigers, was shot dead in Valaichenai by gunmen suspected to be members of a paramilitary group at 9.45 p.m. Wednesday, sources in Batticaloa said. The incident took place along Vishnu Kovil Road in Kiran. Mr Navarasan was in LTTE three years ago.He is married and his wife is expecting a child, area sources said. No additional details are available at this time.The body is still lying on the location where he was killed.Kiran is located 25 km north of Batticaloa. All Ceylon Hindu Congress appeals to President All Ceylon Hindu Congress has appealed to President Mahinda Rajapakse to provide sufficient transport facilities for the Hindu devotees to travel to Thiruketheeswaram, one of the historic temples for Lord Siva in the Island. The General Secretary of the All Ceylon Hindu Congress Kaudiah Neelakandan's appeal to the President: Hindu will be observing Maha Sivarathri which is the most important sacred night dedicated to the Lord Siva. Hindus of this country are relieved and happy that peace talks have commenced and they will no doubt continue to pray for the culmination of these talks in a lasting political solution to find peace in this country. Thiruketheeswaram is the most important sacred temple worshipped by Hindus for a number of centuries on Maha Sivarathri. Therefore Hindus are expected to assemble in their thousands at Thiruketheeswaram to pray on Maha Sivarathri. At the same time there will be Maha Sivarathri poojas in Hindu Temples all over the island and Hindu devotees will be going to the temples in the night to worship Lord Siva. We therefore appeal to Your Excellency to- Provide sufficient public transport to Mannar and in particular to Thiruketheeswaram and also to provide public transport services throughout that night in all parts of the island. Ensure free and safe movement of people on Sunday night enabling them to perform their sacred duty of worshipping Lord Siva; and Direct the National Water Supply and Drainage Board to defer the water cut which they have announced to be effective in certain parts of the Western Province on Saturday night and Sunday morning, which will cause inconvenience to Hindus and Hindu Temples. 'Photographer' from Lanka causes flutter at Jaya function Police apprehended a Lankan national and a relative of his for taking pictures at a government function in which Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa presented awards to 'best film artistes' at the centenary auditorium in the University of Madras here today. Police said when Ms Jayalalithaa was about to leave the hall, after presenting the awards, police personnel posted at the venue noticed Lankan national Mohamed Mafrash (40), taking pictures from the first floor of the auditorium without official permission. Police then apprehended the Sri Lankan along with his relative Meeran of suburban Palavakkam.The two were later taken for interrogation. It was revealed that Mafrash, studying Chartered Accountancy in Lanka, had come here to attend a function.He and his relative Meeran had come to Marina beach. On hearing that film personalities were attending a function, they went into the auditorium to have a look at the stars. Mafrash told the police that he took pictures of Ms jayalalithaa and other film personalities only to show them to his family members when he gets back to Sri Lanka.However, the police recovered the film role from his camera, obtained an undertaking and let them off. New Zealand pledges support to bring peace to Sri Lanka New Zealand has pledged its support to bring peace to Sri Lanka, a top New Zealand Minister said. Foreign Minister Winston Peters told visiting lawmakers from the South Asian state, “New Zealand will continue to support all efforts aimed at resolving the outstanding challenges facing Sri Lanka. “I have urged the members of all political parties to use their influence to grasp this opportunity to seek a peaceful and stable future for Sri Lanka,” Mr. Peters said. A 20-member Sri Lankan parliamentary delegation is on a visit to New Zealand, Malaysia and Australia as part of a World Bank-funded study tour. New Zealand gave 10 million New Zealand dollars (US$6.7 million) in aid to Sri Lanka after the December 2004 tsunami. SLA fires artillery shell into LTTE territory An artillery shell fired from a Sri Lanka Army camp in Vadamaradchi fell inside the Liberation Tigers controlled area 1.5 km beyond the no-man zone border in Muhamalai Thursday morning around 4:50 a.m., officials at the LTTE Peace Secretariat in Kilinochchi said. The artillery, launched from Nagarkovil SLA camp, landed between Satha Nagar settlement, a displaced people's settlement and an LTTE camp in the area, peace secretariat officials said. Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission officials were inspecting the explosion site, located between Muhamalai and Ittavil, according to the LTTE officials.The shell exploded 150 meters from the settlement. Sea Tigers threat to India's security - Report India's Home Affairs Ministry has identified the LTTE sea wing as a direct threat to Indian security. This view was enunciated in the Ministry's recent Annual Report, which contained India's first ever risk assessment of the LTTE. "This was the first time that an Annual Security Report has made such a direct statement," Defence analyst General Ashok Metta said in a symposium on 'Peace Negotiations in Sri Lanka'. Commenting on the recent remarks by Nicholas Burns, visiting under secretary of United States on the LTTE, Metta said that his country fully shares his views. "We may not be able to make a similar statement due to internal factors. What we fail to say and do would be said and done by our strategic partner," he said referring to USA. Gen. Metta who is also the Convener of the India-Sri Lanka Track II Dialogue forum asserted India's commitment to the unity, territorial integrity and the sovereignty of the Sri Lankan State, while urging Sri Lanka to find a peaceful settlement that satisfies the aspirations of all communities that consider Sri Lanka as its home country. "Make absolutely no mistake. India is committed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka," he said. However, he said the proposed Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) that hit headlines in the local media would not materialise, at least not as a written agreement. But he asserted "the content of the agreement would be implemented, Defence Pact or not." "Many in Sri Lanka are over-estimating our capacities. There is much we can do and there are certain things we cannot do," he said. He said there are internal political dimensions that shape any country's Foreign Policy and National Policy. "No Government would make Foreign Policy decisions that would risk its political survival at home," he said, clearly referring to the DCA and the pressure on the Central Government by Regional Tamil political parties. "We will not be part of the co-chairs and we would not step in to the boots of the facilitator, but we would give our full backing and support to the process," he stressed. "What we can not give on one front would be compensated on another front," he said and added that India was ready to enter into partnership in developing the war affected economy in the country. "We have pledged our support on the economic front. We have agreed to work in cooperation with the government in the North-East including areas under the LTTE control," he added. 'Maoists not linked to global terror groups' Militants in India have a "large number of sophisticated weapons", a union home ministry official said in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, but refused to link the Communist Party of India-Maoist with any global terror groups. "The Maoist problem is not a law and order one. This is a terrorist and inter-state problem," special secretary in the union home ministry A.K. Mitra told reporters after presiding over a meeting of the task force of nine Maoist-hit states. The inspector-general or additional director general-ranked officials of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra attended the meet to chalk out a joint strategy to contain Maoist violence. Mitra said: "The central government has no inputs of rebels' connection with any international terror outfits, including Sri Lanka's LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam)." He said police have recovered 650 kg explosives from rebels in Chhattisgarh - part of the 20 tonnes of explosives looted by rebels in an attack on government-owned National Mineral Development Corporation's explosives store in the state's Dantewada district on February 9. A unit of the country's elite anti-terrorism force, National Security Guard, had reached Chhattisgarh last week and would stay in the state for a month to step up anti-Maoist operations. 23 February 2006 Govt. allegations exaggerated: LTTE The LTTE’s chief negotiator Anton Balasingham yesterday rejected government allegations of 5464 ceasefire violations by the LTTE and said it was an “exaggerated figure”. Government Chief Negotiator Nimal Siripala De Silva highlighted a string of truce violations by the LTTE, including child recruitment, human rights violations and killings with a special mention of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar’s killing. Rising to respond, Mr. Balasingham rejected the allegations outright. “We cannot accept such exaggerated figures as authentic acts of ceasefire violations”, Mr. Balasingham dressed in three piece suit told the government team. Meanwhile, the situation worsened when the government found out that the LTTE had released its opening statement to the media. “This is a breach of the agreement we came to. We agreed not to release statements to the media before the talks were concluded”, a senior government official said. “So we will release our statement as well”. The government statement was made available on the Peace Secretariat web site. Breaking for lunch, the government negotiators convened an internal meeting and then telephoned Temple Trees – via the special communication link set up at the venue – to inform President Mahinda Rajapaksa of the development after the first three hours of negotiations. Sripathi in 'embassy custody' It is reported that instructions have been issued from Colombo not to involve Minister Sripathi Suriyarachchi, who went to Geneva as a resource person and consultant, in any of the talks. According to well informed sources, these instructions have been given as an unofficial request had been made by the LTTE not to involve Suriyaarachchi in talks as he was alleged to have links with the Karuna faction. It is also reported from Geneva that the LTTE has raised
objections about his participation in the talks. LTTE Auxiliary Force cadre killed in East Six gunmen who entered the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) controlled area in Pulipaynthakal, 500 meters beyond the no-go zone from Kiran, 25 km north of Batticaloa, shot and killed an LTTE National Auxiliary Force cadre around 10:15 a.m. Wednesday, LTTE's Batticaloa Political Head Daya Mohan told media. The attackers, wearing military fatigues, had come from the Kiran SLA base, he added. The attack was reported three hours before the commencement of talks in Geneva aimed at implmenting the Cease Fire Agreement between the parties to the conflict, the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the LTTE. The auxiliary force cadre killed by the attackers was Shanthakumar Narayanapillai, 28, from Thikiliveddai, Santhiveli, Daya Moh | ||
