29 February 2008

MP objects to SLA video-filming residents during cordon, search

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian for Ampaa'rai district K. Pathmanathan sent an appeal to Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse and Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse protesting against the video taping of residents by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers during cordon and search operation conducted 20 February in Aalayadiveampu area in Akkaraipattu. People were also harrassed during the interrogation and these are violations of basic human rights, the MP said in the appeal. "People irrespective of their age or gender, Regional Council Members and staff in Aalayadiveampu were rounded up and made to stand in the scorching sun from 8:00 a.m to 8:30 p.m on 20 February. From morning till night they had to stay at one place without food and water. This is a gross human rights violation," the appeal said."Government officials too had been taken away during their duty time and subjected to harsh treatment by the SLA. Recently when the people of Vavuniyaa made representation to Vavuniya Magistrate against SLA video-filming them, the magistrate had given a verdict that such an act was against the law. "Does this verdict apply only to Vavuniyaa? Could law differ from region to region?" the MP questioned in his appeal."I urge the President and the Defence Secretary to immediately direct the SLA and the Police not to harass people and government officials," Pathmanathan said in his appeal. SLA has conducted cordon and search operations several times in Aalayadiveampu area in Akkaraipattu police division in Ampaa'rai district during the recent past, residents in Aalayadiveampu said.

We quit ministry portfolios to protect Muslims’ rights – Hakeem

Speaking at the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) local government election meeting in Valaichcheni, party leader Ruaff Hakeem said that he was even ready to sacrifice his life on Valaichchenai soil wearing the party cap and shawl. A politician of Valaichchenai who betrayed the Muslim community and was now enjoying a ministry portfolio had threatened that he would be slain if he came to Valaichchenai for election campaigns but he was ready to face that threat, he said. The Minister in question who was elected on SLMC ticket has now become a full time organizer of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) totally surrendering himself to that party, Hakeem said. The people of Valaichchenai had always stood by the SLMC and safeguarded the interest of the community in spite of threats from traitors, he further said.Several armed groups were resorting to violence and threats against the SLMC candidates contesting the upcoming local government polls in order to dissuade them while on the other hand efforts are being made to deprive SLMC MPs of their official security, he said."We quit the government to safeguard our dignity because the government boasted to the international community of goodwill and political alliance with the entire Muslim community. They are talking loud about development works but what the Tamils and Muslims get is only the residue," he said."The armed groups are resorting to violence and mayhem to deter our candidates from contesting the elections. They lob hand grenades, shoot, burn tyres and issue death threats. The hands of the police seem to be tied due to pressure from higher ups. Instead of taking stern action against such violence and producing the culprits in Courts, they are seeking amicable settlements. The police should file action and take them to Court. We are not going to be Opposition parliamentarians for ever. When we come to power we will give due respect to police officers who honour their uniforms and perform their duties impartially," he said."When nominations were called for the local government polls, the minister representing this region told all mosque administration committees that only the ruling party should contest and win the elections for making it possible for him to delimitate regional borders and consequently secure an independent Pradeshiya Sabha and Divisional Secretariat. It was a false pledge to prevent other political parties from contesting the elections. We challenged him to do it before elections so that the SLMC would reconsider its future plans with regard to the elections. We said that we were also ready to forgive him for his alliance with the government, if he could achieve it,".

Families of slain MP, Minister to get Rs 5 mn each

The families of slain UNP MP T. Maheswaran and Nation Building Minister D.M. Dassanayake, will be provided a "sympathetic allowance" of Rs 5 million each, the government announced yesterday.Maheswaran, was shot dead by a gunman while he was worshipping at a temple in Colombo on January 1, while Dassanayake was the victim of a remote controlled LTTE bomb explosion.The monies will be handed over to the late Maheswaran’s wife and Dassanayake’s daughter, Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa said.

Changkilian Force threatens officials to stop Jaffna census activity

Jaffna Government Agent (GA), Regional and Divisional Secretaries and officials involved in taking census in Jaffna peninsula have received warning notices signed by Changkilian Padai (Force) asking them to stop all census taking immediately, sources in Jaffna said. The note said that the census effort was launched by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) with hidden military motives, and warned that failure to comply will result in drastic actions. In 1998 and 2000, attempts to take census in Jaffna peninsula had stalled due to similar warnings by Changkilian Force.The GoSL is conducting the special census only in the north and east of Sri Lanka to reduce the facilities provided to people on the basis of population statistics and for other sinister military motives, the letters to the above officials said.The notice also mentioned that Changkilian Force had already warned officials not to engage in census taking activities in September 2007.If you are compelled by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the police to take census you have to resign your posts, the warning notice said.Census taking in Jaffna peninsula which had been stopped half-way was resumed a week ago on the orders of Jaffna GA.Census officials, assisted by Village Officers and guarded by SLA and police, have been visiting each house in their are to collect particulars.Major part of the census has been covered, Jaffna Secretariat sources said. Census officials have been forced into a difficult predicament with pressure from the SLA and police in Jaffna peninsula to carry out the census, and threats from Changkilian Force to stop census activity, civil society sources in Jaffna said.

Update from Mannar and Vavuniya fronts       

It has been more than a month since the army officially launched the operation to capture major LTTE bases in Wanni. The operation is spanned across five fronts and is spearheaded by 5 infantry divisions of the army. Out of these battlefronts, Mannar, Vavuniya and Weli-Oya areas have seen the bulk of the fighting for the past week. Current positions of SLA formations in Vavuniya and Mannar are as follows.Three brigades of the army's 57th division are spearheading the attacks from Vavuniya front. Their next major milestone is the sacred Madhu shrine which is currently in an area under LTTE control.

Brigade Starting Position- Current Position - Next Milestone
57-1 Iranai Iluppaikulam-Vauniya Mullikulam -LTTE artillery base at Palampiddy
57-2 Vavuniya North- Periya Pandivrichcan- Madhu
57-3 Vavuniya North- Vilathikulam -Madhu

The closest distance to the Madhu shrine from SLA positions in the area is 1.75KM.

In Mannar front, the 58th division (also known as task force 01 -2 Commando, 6,8,9 Gemnu Watch, 10 Singha and 10 Gajaba) are advancing towards Adampan. TF01 too has adapted a three pronged strategy similar to that adapted by the 57th division.

Brigade Starting Position- Current Position- Next Milestone
58-1 Uliyankulam South- Parappakandal North- Adampan Town Center
58-2 Manthai- Vivatennakulam -Adampan Town Center
58-3 Uliyankulam West -Palaiootru -Adampan Town Center

The closest distance to Adampan town from SLA positions in the area is 700m.
 
Air Force Pounds LTTE Artillery Commanding Center

Air Force jets bombed an LTTE artillery command centre and an underground bunker located in the PALAI area, in JAFFNA yesterday (28), at around 11.10a.m, said the spokesperson of Media Centre for National Security. This target was located at Kulampaikulama, 3Km South East of palai.Fighter pilots have confirmed that commanding center in this facility was completely destroyed and that this facility was heavily fortified and protected.

LTTE cadre killed in STF ambush - Batticaloa

A LTTE cadre was killed ambushed yesterday morning (28) by Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel in general area Vellaveli, Batticaloa.According to military reports, troops on receiving early information of an LTTE movement in the area have laid an ambush in a semi-jungle patch and gunned down a LTTE cadre at around 5 a.m. The troops have managed to recover an LTTE body which was later brought to the general hospital at Batticaloa for post- mortem and magisterial inquiry. During subsequent search operations conducted troops also found a T56 Assault rifle 01, Claymore mine (20 kg) 01, T56 Magazines 03, Detonator 01, Hand Grenade01, Wire roll 01, 9 Volt battery 01, Cello tape roll 01, Pouch 01, Bandage roll 01.

Tigers blame army for civilian deaths
 
The Tamil Tigers say Sri Lanka's military set off two roadside bombs in a rebel controlled area in Wednesday, killing eight civilians. A spokesman for the military denied they'd carried out the attacks. Fighting is continuing between the rebels and government forces in the past few days. Clashes on the island has intensified since the government pulled out of a ceasefire with the rebels earlier this year. The Tamil Tigers say the attacks on civilians took place seven hours apart in two locations in the area they control in northern Sri Lanka. According to a statement on the rebels website both the bombs targeted people travelling in trailers being pulled by tractors.

Eight civilians killed

The Tigers said eight civilians were killed and they blamed the Sri Lankan army.But the military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, denied they were responsible he did admit though that so called, deep penetration units, are operating behind the rebels lines. Last week the Tigers claimed an air strike killed eight civilians, three of them children and the air force said the target they hit was a base of the rebels naval wing. Meanwhile the military say nine rebels were killed in fighting on the frontlines in the north on Wednesday. It raises the number of Tigers killed by security forces since Tuesday to twenty four.

1660 Tigers killed in 2008

Defence ministry say, 1,660 rebels have been killed so far this year. The security forces estimate the Tigers' strength at the beginning of the year at 3,000 and revised it to 5,000 combatants this month. The ministry says 94 soldiers and police have also been killed in 2008.Casualty figures provided by both sides differ significantly and cannot be independently verified as journalists are not allowed in conflict areas. Journalists and human rights workers have restricted access to the front line and there are no independent media operating from rebel-held areas.

28 February 2008

Tigers will negotiate if A9 opens: TNA
   
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) said yesterday it could prevail upon the LTTE to return to the negotiation table in the event of a positive announcement by the Government to resume the peace process.TELO Jaffna district MP N. Srikantha told the Daily Mirror yesterday that it was all the more welcome if the announcement is accompanied by the re-opening on the A9 road as a gesture of goodwill.Mr. Srikantha said that it could thus spare the people in the North of hardships and sufferings now being experienced by them. “In such an event, we are confident that the LTTE will be bound to respond positively to such a move. The TNA is willing to play its due role in this regard,” he said.Commenting on the Government’s move to implement the 13th Amendment in full, he said that the TNA had no quarrel over the decision of the Government in this regard, and said this provision had been there in the Constitution for the last 20 years. “It was brought in when the Northern and Eastern Provinces were merged by a Presidential proclamation by President J.R. Jayewardene under the emergency regulations. What is significant was that the Government has now decided to implement the 13th Amendment while the two provinces had been de-merged by a judgment of the Supreme Court,” he said.He said that the Supreme Court, in the judgment, while declaring the legal procedure adopted to merge the two provinces was null and void, indicated that if the Government desired the merger it could be re-effected in accordance with the Constitution. “The Government, while being not at all concerned about this issue, seems to be serious about implementing the 13th Amendment in full, and now the UNP had pledged its support to this move. As far as Tamil people are concerned, the urgent need is to stop the ongoing war and resume peace negotiations between the Government and the LTTE to find a permanent and viable solution to the ethnic conflict,” he said.He said that any interim arrangement is not going to help, and while the country is engulfed in an atmosphere of violence, the immediate task would be to halt hostile activities on the part of both parties to the military conflict. 

ANALYSIS-Sri Lanka ahead in war, but don't write off rebels

Sri Lanka's government has the upper hand in a new phase of a 25-year civil war against the Tamil Tigers, but it would be foolish to write the rebels off, experts say.After opting to take the war to the rebels and formally scrapping a six-year truce, the government banished Nordic truce monitors who were cataloging violence and accused elements of the military of an aid worker massacre and other rights abuses.With no monitors, and a United Nations human rights monitoring mission ruled out by a government increasingly isolated from the international community over human rights and accountability, there are no independent battlefield accounts.Instead, the foes are locked in a parallel propaganda war and seen inflating enemy losses and playing down their own.The military issues regular statements saying dozens of Tigers have been killed, often for the loss of few if any soldiers. They seldom offer proof or show bodies, saying they have intercepted rebel radio communications.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who want to carve out an independent state in the north and east and who seem to be increasingly targeting civilians with roadside and suicide bombings across the country, laugh off the tolls.Since the start of 2006, a total of 6,486 rebels, 1,196 military personnel and 982 civilians have been killed, the military says, estimating there are now only around 5,000 rebel fighters still alive.

NUMBERS GAME

"One cannot really measure success or failure in the war purely on the strength of the statistics," Athas said. "The death toll figures are meaningless."The government says the figures show they are winning."Certainly they reflect the forward march of the forces," said Keheliya Rambukwella, a minister and government defence spokesman, dismissing suspicions that the military is playing down troop death tolls or even dumping bodies. The death toll reports help to sustain an aura of confidence President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government is projecting, seen as crucial in the battle to maintain the support of the majority ethnic Sinhalese, who dominate the south.Rajapaksa's government has a razor-thin parliamentary majority, and in the topsy-turvy world of Sri Lankan politics and cross-overs that leaves it vulnerable."(The south) bought the argument that one has to defeat terrorism, and they're willing to do the economic sacrifice for it," said Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu of independent think-tank the Centre for Policy Alternatives."But that is only sustained as long as the government will keep demonstrating that victory is both certain and imminent and that sacrifice is worth bearing," he added.And that means flying a flag in the de facto rebel capital, Kilinochchi, 205 miles (330 km) northeast of Colombo, he said.The stock market slid nearly 7 percent in 2007 due mainly to the conflict, with some businesses shelving investment plans, while tourist arrivals fell 12 percent last year. However tourists are still visiting.Compounding matters, the government is struggling to bring down inflation, which at 17.6 percent in January is running at near 17-year highs, while increased defence spending is putting additional pressure on its budget.The Tigers continue to mount attacks in the south, launching a spectacular raid on a northern air base using 21 suicide fighters and a homegrown air wing of light aircraft in October.But with improved military training and tactics, an armed forces of around 200,000-strong versus Tiger strength estimated at around 5,000-10,000, and superior fire power that includes a clutch of reconditioned fighted jets, some believe the government can utlimately defeat the Tigers militarily.But without real political devolution for the minority Tamil community, such military gains could be wasted."I think it's quite clear that at the moment the LTTE is on the back of a very long run of significant military reversals," said a foreign diplomat on condition of anonymity. "The difference really is air power.""The army has got the numerical advantage for an attritional campaign ... I really don't see a situation where we suddenly see the Sri Lankan army necessarily defeated. But you could foresee a situation where it becomes bogged down."

Clashes between Weerawanshe and Somawanshe

'Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna will be separated into two very soon as the struggles and hunger for power between the JVP Leader Mr. Somawanse Amerasinghe and it's Propaganda Secretary, Mr. Wimal Weerawanse', said inside information sources. Having personal connections with the President, Mr. Wimal Weerawanshe and his group are backing the Government while Mr. Somawanse Amerasinghe's group are heavily criticizing Mr. Weerawanse's behaviour towards the Government. This is the main reason for the separation. It is revealed that Mr. Somawanse Amerasinghe's group has already won the support of internal organizations of JVP and Mr. Wimal Weerawanse's group has won the support of affiliated organizations of the JVP. It is also stated that this already reveals Mr. Wimal Weerawanse's behaviour on the expel of Mr. Nandana Gunathilake, Member of JVP Political Bureau and his current behaviour.

Relations with CPI(M) good, says JVP

The Sri Lankan Marxist JVP party today underlined its close relations with the Communist Party of India-Marxist despite not being invited for the CPI(M) conclave in Tamil Nadu next month. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which is usually amongst the invitees for the CPI-M's Congress, has been overlooked for the left party's conclave this year in Coimbatore from March 29 to April 3."We have not been invited," said R. Chandrasekaran, a senior JVP member and the Tamil face of the party. It is being felt that the JVP supremo Somawansa Amar Singhe's recent utterances against India could be the reason for the Indian communist party not extending an invitation to the Island country's left party to attend the meeting. "Our relations with the CPI(M) will in no way be affected due to our not being invited for the conclave and it will remain good," Chandrasekaran told PTI. He maintained that the JVP will have to act in its national interest and would stick to its stand of a military option for bringing peace in the Island country in the backdrop of failure of peace overtures to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). "Have we dictated terms to India on what they should do in Kashmir. Everyone knows that despite several attempts by the (Sri Lankan) government to bring the LTTE to the negotiating table, the militant group refuses to give up arms and chooses to undertake attacks", he said. Chandrasekaran said some leaders in India are adamant on settling the ethnic conflict in the Island country only through negotiations "irrespective of the ground conditions".

EPRLF, PLOTE concerned at possible rigging

The EPRLF and PLOTE yesterday informed the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) of their concern over the possible rigging of the March 10 local government poll in Batticaloa.EPRLF leader P. Sritharan and PLOTE leader S. Sitharthan who called on PAFFREL chairman Kingsley Rodrigo raised concerns about possible election violence on the day of polling.The two parties are fielding candidates for the election as an independent group under the apple symbol.The EPDP - a party of the ruling coalition - is also a constituent of the electoral alliance. Mr. Rodrigo told the Daily Mirror yesterday that though these parties sought the maximum support from PAFFREL to ensure a free and fair election in the East, his organizations had its limitations.On Tuesday, EPDP leader and Social Services Minister Douglas Devananda also complained about violence unleashed on his party men in Batticaloa in the run up to the election. However, the PAFFREL chairman said the Government was very optimistic about the success of the forthcoming election.“I met UPFA Secretary Minister Susil Premajayantha this morning. According to him, the election campaign is going on smoothly. He is very happy about the situation,” Mr. Rodrigo said.Meanwhile, TMVP spokesman Azad Moulana said that he, on behalf his party, had already assured its fullest co-operation to ensure a violence free election.He said that the party’s armed wing is now confined to the jungle areas on instructions from the party leadership, but the EPRLF, PLOTE and EPDP wants to create trouble and hence is blaming the TMVP.“These parties do not like to have a free and fair poll. Should there be a peaceful election, the TMVP will sweep the board. So, they want to create unnecessary trouble and pin the blame on us,” he said.

8 civilians killed in SLA DPU attacks in Vanni

Eight innocent civilians riding in tractors were killed in two different Claymore attacks carried out by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit teams that had infiltrated into Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled areas on either sides of the A9 road, north of Vavuniyaa on Wednesday. The first attack, in which four civilians were killed, was reported at Panangkaamam in Moon'ru Mu'rippu GS area of Maanthai East division in Mullaiththeevu district at 1:50 p.m. The second attack was reported at 8:30 p.m. in which another four civilians were slain while they were riding in a tractor from Maruthoadai to Olumadu. The victims of the DPU attack in Panangkaamam were identified as Parthipan, 18, Shanmugalingam Thavarasa, Selvaratnam Senthooran and Kunapalasingham Jegagiritharan. All the four were killed on the spot. The victims of the second attack were identified as Vimalathas, Kandasamy, Mariyan and Vijayakumar. Further details are not available at the moment.

Polls to 're-establish' democracy  
 
The government of Sri Lanka has categorically denied accusations that the upcoming elections in the east are marred with violence.Defence Affairs spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, accused the opposition parties of trying to portray a 'bleak picture' on the overall picture in the east. Admitting he was mainly referring to the main opposition, United National Party (UNP), the minister described UNP accusation as 'a serious crime' at a time government is trying to 're-establish democray' in the east. There have been 26 minor incidents in the east since election campaign started, he said.

Fact finding mission

Political parties representing the opposition and the government alliance have expressed concern whether the security situation is conducive to conduct elections. Local elections for Batticaloa Municipal Council and eight other local bodies are to be held on 10 March. However, a group of human rights activists travelled to the north and east on a fact finding mission contradicted Minister Rambukwella's remarks. Leading activist and Counsel, Nimalka Fernando, said thousands of displaced people in refugee camps questioned the meaning of 'Neganahira Navodaya (Rising of the east)' while thousands are yet to be resettled. "And many regard the elections as a means of grabbing huge money offered to Neganahira Navodaya'," she told journalists after arriving in Colombo. Activist and Counsel Sudharshana Gunawardane said some candidates for the local polls are still carrying arms in the area.In Jaffna, prominent human rights activist Sunila Abeysekara said farmers and fisher community are the most affected by the ongoing conflict. Those who have surrendered to the authorities for their own protection are kept in two house with a very few facilities, she added."There is no prison in Jaffna. Nearly 300 to 500 people are kept in 10 rooms in two separate houses," Ms. Abeysekara said.

Britain to get tough with Sri Lanka - Minister

Britain will be pressing Sri Lanka’s hardline government for greater access for senior UN officials and would join European allies in taking a stronger position against Colombo over human rights abuses. In a meeting with Tamil Diaspora representatives at the British Foreign Office on Monday, Foreign Minister Lord Malloch-Brown said he would personally be attending the UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva next week to press the point. The government of President Rajapakse had “made political process secondary to military process,” the British Tamil Forum, a Diaspora advocacy group which attended the meeting, quoted the Minister as saying.Lord Malloch-Brown observed that there are two key issues with regards to Sri Lanka’s conduct: prosecution of war and failure to enter into serious negotiation, and human rights issues, the BTF said.“I have told the [Sri Lankan] President, Foreign Minister and visiting delegation that we do not find the political process credible or serious. We feel that we really sought to push for a political negotiation as a way forward. There is no military solution to this problem,” Lord Malloch-Brown said.“We are going to go on pushing hard to put the political negotiation back on track,” he said adding this will not be done from a bilateral position but by working closely with Europe, UN and the Commonwealth.The UK will be demanding and pressing hard for wider access by Sir John Holmes, UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, he said.The UK will also demand that all recommendations made by Louise Arbour, Head of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Ms. Coomarasamy be implemented in full. The purpose of the meeting called on Monday by the FCO was to engage with the Tamil Diaspora and understand their perspective to the conflict in Sri Lanka, the BTF statement said.It was attended by Parliamentarians from Britain’s three major parties and members from the House of Lords heard views were made by different Diaspora representatives. Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian Gajan Ponnambalam was also present and spoke as part of the Tamil community.Britain will support political solution with major devolution of power to the Tamil areas, Lord Malloch-Brown said, adding that Britain could not support independence for Tamils.The BTF argued that UK and the rest of the international community “must explicitly make their support for Sri Lanka unity and territorial integrity conditional on the Tamil people collectively being satisfied with the state’s sharing of power and its governance.”“Tamils safety and political future can only be guaranteed if the Sri Lankan state is restrained by international law,” the BTF told the meeting, adding that the international community must, on this basis, support the Tamils’ claim for independence, just as it had supported the Kosovars’.“At independence in 1948 Sri Lankan State was entrusted with all minorities’ rights,” BTF spoksman Suren Surendiran told the meeting. “They have abused the trust against Tamils, human rights, free speech, pluralism and denounce the demand for statehood.”He pointed out that in the 1977 elections, long before the armed conflict began, the overwhelming majority of Tamils voted for an Independent State as the only way to escape state repression.TNA MP Ponnambalam noted that “even though I am an elected member of parliament I cannot espouse the wishes of the vast majority [of the Tamil] due to the 6th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution [which outlaws advocacy of independence].”Mr. Ponnambalam reiterated the position adopted by the TNA when it met Lord Malloch-Brown last summer, arguing that UK should make its development assistance conditional on human rights, progress in the political negotiations and implementation of the ceasefire agreement.The UK should seriously consider trade and travel bans on Sri Lanka and the international community must take up the position that if the right to internal self determination of the Tamil people is denied any further, the right to external self determination of the Tamil people will have to be inevitably recognised, he said.Whilst Lord Naseby, an advocate of the Sri Lankan government’s stance had denounced the BTF and its views, sources at the meeting said. However the organisation had been praised by Parliamentarians and the Foreign Minister had also welcomed their engagement with the British government.“It is extremely important and absolutely correct for you as British citizens to organise and demand sympathy and support for your objectives from your local MPs. This is how the British democracy works,” Lord Malloch-Brown was quoted as telling the meeting.“I wish the Sri Lankan democracy also worked that way. I want to register that point.”Noting that “the British Tamils Forum has been labeled ‘terrorists’ and there had been some smear campaigns,” he observed: “I can draw parallel to my own experience. I have lived in the US for 21years. My wife is Irish American. We have been in the same position as you are. How do we support the change that we want in Northern Ireland while making sure that one doesn’t actually support violent acts against the British or the British Army?”“There is always a case for freedom struggle and self determination,” the British Foreign Minister said.

TULF Blames JHU and MEP for withdrawing form the APRC

The threat to withdraw from the APRC by the representative of both JHU and the MEP is shocking says the TULF president V. Anandasangaree in a press release.

Below the excerpts of his statement

I am perturbed over the decision of the APRC to postpone the meeting of the APRC due to the objections raised by the representatives of some political parties demanding the inclusion of the TMVP at its deliberations. I understand that the TMVP have claimed that they are the real representatives of the Eastern People and that no deliberations can take place representatives of the East should not be entertained. This claim is almost similar to the claims of both the LTTE and the TMVP should be rejected.The threat to withdraw from the APRC by the representative of both JHU and the MEP is shocking. The reason given for their withdrawing form the APRC is more shocking. Representatives of both these parties who have attended more than 64 meetings should have gained much experience and should not encourage anybody claiming sole representation or real representation of any ethnic group or of any part of the country. Furthermore the APRC is constituted with representatives of parties that have representation in Parliament.I needless say that the country is bleeding profusely. We must stop it and the only way to do it is to find a solution as quickly as possible and leave it to the International Community to deal with the LTTE. Innocent people are dying every day. I foresee a disastrous end to the APRC and sincerely appeal to everybody to see that the APRC Continues its task uninterruptedly.

Civil society collective calls for stop to B’caloa polls   
 
A civil society collective has called for an immediate stop to the process to hold elections for nine local government bodies in eastern Batticaloa district. After a two-day fact-finding mission to Batticaloa, they issued a report titled “Afraid to even say the word: Elections in Batticaloa” at a media briefing in Colombo today (Feb. 27th).“Batticaloa elections seem to be about legitimizing brutality through forced political authority and participation,” the report said. “The perpetrators of violence have sought to make a good impression on election monitors as they seek to legitimize their influence on local communities by entering mainstream politics while retaining their arms and using them as they wish,” the report said. “Faced with mortal fear of post-election retaliation, affected communities feel unable to report violations or even protest against them…People are not interested in elections, was a consistent statement expressed by the people of Batticaloa.” The report also calls for the appointment of the Constitutional Council and independent commissions in keeping with the 17 Amendment, disarming all armed groups and improving the freedom of movement in Batticaloa District The group had met with the displaced, victims of election-related violence and community-based and non-governmental organizations.The fact-finding mission comprised the Citizen's Committee for Forcible Eviction of People, the Commission for Justice, Peace, Human Rights and Human Development, the Community Trust Fund, the International Movement Against Discrimination and Racism, the Justice and Peace for Integration of Creation, the Law & Society Trust, the Rights Now - Collective for Democracy and two others.

27 February 2008

UNP calls on President to implement 13th Amendment

The UNP yesterday informed President Mahinda Rajapakse that the 13th Amendment to the constitution was part of the law of the country and that there was no bar to its implementation.This UNP position was brought to the President’s notice when the party met with the government delegation yesterday at Temple Trees.The government delegation comprised President Rajapakse, Ministers Maithripala Sirisena, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Tissa Vitharana and Prof. Wishva Warnapala. The UNP delegation comprised, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and MPs Rukman Senanayake and K.N. Choksy.The Morning Leader learns that President Rajapakse had at the outset asked what the UNP’s position was with regard to the APRC proposals.The UNP had said that the interim report states a final report would be issued shortly and that the party was awaiting that report.Informed sources said the President had inquired whether the UNP supported the interim report. The UNP it is learnt had told the President that if he was inquiring after the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the constitution, it is already part of the law and that no one would question its implementation.The UNP had further said that the party had submitted its proposals to Minister Vitharana months earlier and that if the final report is based on those proposals the party would support it. The President had also told the UNP delegation that the government intends holding provincial council elections in the east and asked what the party’s position would be. It is learnt the UNP informed the President that the climate was not conducive for holding elections in the east and that if the government insists on holding the elections, it will be difficult for the party to participate in it.The UNP had further called up on the President to implement the 17th Amendment to the constitution, which provided for the Constitutional Council.It is learnt the President had told the UNP that there was a parliamentary select committee studying the 17th Amendment and that once the process is completed, he would implement the amendment.The UNP however had pointed out that the 17th amendment was already part of the law of the country and he had a duty to implement it."When the select committee completes its sittings and submits the report, then at that stage any amendments can be considered. Until such time the 17th Amendment, which provides for the appointment of the Constitutional Council should be implemented," the UNP had said.

'Charge or release' LTTE suspects
 
The Supreme Court in Sri Lanka have ordered Attorney General (AG) to take steps to relase LTTE suspects if no evidence found against them.It is 'unacceptable' that these suspects are kept in remand for long periods such as 12 months, Chief Justice (CJ) Sarath Nanda Silva observed. The CJ made the re marks as a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by a resident in Jaffna, Sinnathurai Mohan, was taken for hearing. Mr. Mohan has filed the petition against keeping him for over one and half years in remand custody. The Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) informed the judiciary that about 116 Tamil nationals are currently held in remand custody. CJ Sarath Silva ordered TID to submit all the files related to the suspects to the AG.The AG was ordered to classify the files according to the charges and file charges against those there is evidence.The AG was also ordered to report on 10 March on the progress of the steps taken to implement the order.

India insists on political solution  
   
Indian President Pratibha Patil, in her customary policy statement at the beginning of the Budget Session said there could be no military solution to Sri Lanka’s ethnic issue. “There has been an unfortunate increase in violence in Sri Lanka. We are clear that there can be no military solution to the ethnic issue. It is necessary to find a negotiated political settlement acceptable to all sections of society within the framework of a united Sri Lanka,” Ms. Patil told parliamentarians at the Central Hall on Monday.The Indian policy stance on Sri Lanka comes amid protests by the JVP and other extremist sections in the country accusing India of again meddling in the affairs of Sri Lanka. Reports said the recent push for the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution as an interim measure towards a political solution was an Indian initiative. “The foreign policy of my government seeks to promote an environment of peace and stability in our region and in the world to facilitate accelerated socio-economic development and safeguard our national security. Our government has made vigorous efforts to develop friendly and cooperative relations with all our neighbours and to strengthen engagement with major powers. Since the 14th SAARC summit in New Delhi in April last year, India has made every effort to strengthen SAARC, moving it from a declaratory to an implementation phase. Progress has been registered towards the establishment of the SAARC Development Fund, the South Asia University and the SAARC Food Bank,” she said. The Indian President said commenting further on the region.

Prabha hale and hearty claims LTTE

The Tigers denied claims made by the government that its leader was ailing and that the LTTE was headed by its intelligence head, Pottu Amman.The LTTE denial came following reports that its leader, Velupillai Pirapaharan was seriously ill and as a result, his leg was amputated.LTTE military spokesperson I. Ilanthirayan told The Morning Leader that the government has been engaged in cheap and futile propaganda. "We cannot deny each and every claim made by the government. We cannot go cheap like that. However, there is no truth in all these claims," he said.He also stated that the government had made similar claims with regard to the LTTE leader during the recent past."The Sri Lankan government has made such claims in the past. It has been doing so during the last six to seven months," Ilanthirayan added.

Devananda complains to PAFFREL

With the local government election campaign in the east hotting up, EPDP leader and Minister, Douglas Devananda, lodged seven complaints with People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), regarding election violence in Batticaloa.Mr. Devananda apprised PAFFREL chairman, Mr. Kingsley Rodrigo, of the incidents when they met yesterday. Mr. Rodrigo told the Daily Mirror that the minister had expressed concern over the violence that his party men had to undergo when electioneering in the East. He said that, apart from that, the EPDP leader approved of the government holding this mini poll at this time.   He said that he would also meet UPFA Secretary and Education Minister Susil Premajayantha today to discuss election-related issues.PAFFREL has now received 25 complaints from various political parties and independent groups who are in the fray. Of them, seven relate to incidents of intimidation, five to assaults, three to bomb attacks and one to abduction. Of the political parties in the running, the SLMC has made seven complaints (the highest number) to the local election monitoring watch, the UPFA six and the TMVP three. The elections will be held to elect representatives to nine local bodies, including the Batticaloa Municipal Council.  An alarming situation was created in the area today when intelligence reports were released to the effect that 13 LTTE suicide cadres had entered the area to wreak havoc during the elections. 

Top UN Official Fails To Meet Tamil, Muslim Parties

A top UN official who was in Sri Lanka to study the worsening ethnic conflict in the island went back Tuesday without meeting leaders of the Tamil and Muslim minorities. UN Assistant Secretary for Political Affairs Angela Kane met ministers, officials, and leaders of a radical Sinhalese political party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), but avoided the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), two of the biggest political parties of the minorities.She did not meet the Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC) that keeps a watch on human rights violations, particularly in multi-ethnic Colombo.Reacting angrily, head of the CMC and MP Mano Ganeshan said that it was highly iniquitous on the part of the UN official to have met the JVP and avoided the parties of the minorities.He told IANS that while the minorities were the victims of the on-going war, the JVP, as an avowed representative of the majority Sinhalese, was goading the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to keep fighting the Tamils and not talk about devolving power to them before the war was over.'I do believe that she was wanting to meet us, but she was prevented from doing so by the government,' Ganeshan charged.He said that Kane called him up before leaving the country and apologised, saying that her programme had been tight. But he told her that it was very regrettable that she should have met a communal party like JVP, and not the Tamils and the Muslims.Kane's visit had got 'too politicised', Ganeshan said.Asked for his comments, TNA leader R. Sampanthan said he would not like to be drawn into any controversy, as the Kane mission was 'highly delicate'.The UN official, who had come as the special representative of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, following trenchant international criticism of the Sri Lankan government's handling of the human rights violations in the island, had a lot of tightrope walking to do, political circles said.On the one hand, the Sri Lankan government had convincing arguments in favour of an aggressive posture in its war against the terrorism of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), but on the other, there were rights violations that could not be overlooked.Kane had been briefed about the Sri Lankan situation by the UN agencies before she came here, and therefore, there was little new that she could have learnt by meeting the 'victims', political circles said.Her real mission was not to gather information anew but to give a powerful message to the Sri Lankan government, said a Tamil source who did not want to be identified.'We learn that the UN secretary general had wanted her to convey a message to the Sri Lankan leadership, which she did,' the source said.Kane visited Batticaloa, where the military operations in 2006 and 2007 had displaced about 250,000 people. But she did not visit the northern district of Jaffna and the rebel held Wanni.

LTTE at its lowest ebb: Report
 
Predicting that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's decline is "inevitable" in the current situation, the Jane's intelligence review has said the outfit is reeling under recruitment difficulties and international pressure over overseas fundraising and weapons procurement."With its maritime supply routes likely to become limited by its loss of land in north-west, unless a new political or military variable enters the equation, the decline of the LTTE is inevitable," it said.The think tank said even the deadly LTTE attack in October, 2007, at the Anuradhapura air base that led to the destruction of some Sri Lankan aircraft fleet, would not reverse the outfit's setbacks."The recent ground and air attack in Anuradhapura, despite its psychological impact, is unlikely to reverse the perilous position of the LTTE now at its lowest ebb since the Indian intervention of late 1980s," the report says.Indeed, the death of LTTE political head Thamilselvan in an air strike on November 2, 2007, came a day after the LTTE leadership conferred honours on the Air Tiger pilots involved in the Anuradhapura attack, it said.It says air superiority was an integral part of the government's eastern victories earlier in the year and was likely to play a vital role in the government's campaign of attrition along the north-western coast. "It is therefore likely the LTTE will attempt further attacks on Sri Lankan Airforce Facilities facilities, while committing its forces to slow the army's advance in south-western Vanni," the Jane's study said.The study observed that current guerrilla tactics of the LTTE in east have not been "numerous or audacious" enough to force the Sri Lankan forces to divert its personnel to tackle the unconventional war tactics."This means the government's northern campaign will slowly advance, seeking to bleed the LTTE by retaining artillery pressure on the Forward Defence Lines and capturing portions of uncleared territory where it can," the study said.It also raised a question mark on the deterioration of the Sea Tigers and the weak air force power of the LTTE."The denigration of the Sea Tiger fleet precludes all significant ability to dominate the coast or easily transport troops for strategic mobility. The limited aerial capabilities of the Tigers are high profile and may boost morale, but are of little tactical utility," the report said. The defence think tank, however, cautioned against completely writing off the resilient LTTE."This does not yet suggest an end to the conflict or a military defeat of the LTTE. While it may lose territory, a reversion to guerrilla warfare in the east will likely be matched by a similar tactic in the jungles of the Vanni," the report added.Weaponry will be supplied by "theft" from security forces, with the LTTE's estimated 7,000 fighters offering substantial resistance for years ahead, the journal said.The movement's end has been forecast on many occasions since its inception in the 1970s, and the group has proven "adept at jungle fighting" in previous years, it said."The current crisis could yet prove to be the catalyst for lethal new innovations on the Sri Lankan battlefield," it said.

Tyronne passes away
   
Veteran politician, Oxford scholar and leading lawyer Tyronne Fernando -- former Foreign Minister, Governor and presidential adviser passed away yesterday after a brief illness. The 67-year-old Mr. Fernando who represented the Moratuwa electorate for several years and was in the forefront of popularizing the image of his ancestor Veera Puran Appu also held several other portfolios including Media.His funeral will take place at General Cemetery, Borella tomorrow at 6 pm. Tyronne Lyle Delano Fernando was born on August 8, 1941 and hails from a distinguished family with National Hero Veera Puran Appu as his ancestor. He was the son of a distinguished civil servant and a former Home Affairs Permanent Secretary Shelton C. Fernando.Tyronne Fernando was educated at Royal College, Colombo, an MA in political science of the Oxford University, Banister-at-Law of Gray’s Inn, a diploma holder of the London School of Journalism and an Attorney-at-Law.While a 19-year-old at Oxford, Mr. Fernando had the distinction of being the first Asian to be elected General Secretary and then Chairman of the 3, 000-strong Oxford University Labour Club. Back in Sri Lanka, he practiced as a criminal lawyer for 10 years and later as Crown Counsel and is author of the book - The Trial of Pauline de Croos.He was also a film producer and among his best known were -Colomba Sanniya and Veera Puran Appu.In 1973, Mr. Fernando left the Attorney-General’s Department and went into politics after joining the UNP and entered parliament for the first time in 1977 winning the Moratuwa electorate by a majority of some 15,000 votes.

HL-Commander who cleared Thoppigala takes Army Chief to court

The Sri Lanka Army’s Eastern Commanding Officer who was responsible for the capturing of Thoppigala and other areas last year, Major General Parakrama Pannipitiya has charged that his security has been seriously compromised by Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka.Filing a fundamental rights (FR) petition in the Supreme Court last Friday (22) Maj. Gen. Pannipitiya has said that his life is in danger following the withdrawal of his security and has prayed for the re-instatement of his security contingent.The fundamental rights petition is to be taken up in the Supreme Court today (27).Maj. Gen. Pannipitiya has been transferred to Army Headquarters in Colombo under controversial circumstances and stripped of his security contingent.In his petition, Maj. Gen. Pannipitiya has charged that his life is in danger following action taken by the first respondent, Army Commander Gen. Sarath Fonseka based on an anonymous petition. Maj. Gen. Pannipitiya in his FR application has stated that he was not given an opportunity to explain or answer the allegations leveled against him. Instead he has alleged that Army Commander Fonseka demanded that he hand in his retirement papers or face a court martial.Maj. Gen. Pannipitiya has stated in his FR petition that he was under constant LTTE threat both in operational and outside operational areas. He has cited military reports to this effect. He has stated that he was informed in March 2007 that his movements were being monitored by the LTTE and was being followed in Colombo to places he frequented.Maj. Gen. Pannipitiya has stated that he was removed from his position as Eastern Commander and transferred to Colombo based on an anonymous petition alleging that he had used a Captain to manage a property that purportedly belonged to him in Puttalam and that he had hired a vehicle in an irregular manner, both of which he denies.The anonymous petition has also accused the former Eastern Commander of taking food items from the Officer’s Mess beyond entitlement. Maj. Gen. Pannipitiya has also said that although he had indicated he had no place to go he had been ordered to vacate his staff quarters with immediate effect.Maj. Gen. Pannipitiya has also said his back-up vehicles have been withdrawn putting his life in great danger.

Singaporean visitor allegedly linked to LTTE nabbed
 
The Singaporean national who was taken into custody by the Modera police on suspicion for terrorism related activities was found to be continuing to stay in the country without a passport, the police said. Police Media Spokesman DIG N K Illangakoon told the Daily Mirror yesterday the suspect was arrested on suspicion on Monday evening at a hotel in Kadireshan Street in Kotahena by a special team of the Modera police.It has now been reported that the suspect identified as M. Ilangovan who was reportedly in his early fifties had been a frequent visitor to Sri Lanka although he had failed to prove the intentions of his visits. The police found that the suspect was staying even without a passport which he had claimed having lost a few days ago. “He had last come to the country last December and is staying on and it is yet to be ascertained whether he has visa for his stay,” the police spokesman said. The suspect had told the police that he frequently visited Sri Lanka for various businesses in the country and that he had no relative or family in Sri Lanka. The DIG said the Intelligence Branch of the Modera police received information about this person for his involvement in LTTE activities during the past few months. The police are yet to ascertain how many times the suspect had visited the country and whether he had paid any visits to the North East areas in the guise of an NGO agent. The suspect is being detained at the Modera police for further investigations, DIG Illangakoon said.

Bishop appeals for violence free elections in Batticaloa

Rt.Rev.Dr.Kingsley Swampillai, Bishop of Trincomalee-Batticaloa, appealed to all political parties to extend their cooperation to help conduct a violence free election, when he addressed a meeting held in the auditorium of Batticaloa public library Tuesday morning attended by a number of Sri Lanka officials.The meeting arranged by a Batticaloa district humanitarian organization was attended by Vasantha Nanayakkara, Deputy Inspector General of Police(DIG) for Eastern province, Bishop Swampillai, high ranking officials of Special Task Force(STF), representatives of various political parties, candidates contesting in the local council elections, and representatives of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs).There were a series of discussions regarding conducting the forthcoming elections for the nine local councils in Batticaloa and during the meeting the Bishop called upon all the political parties and candidates join hands for a just and fair elections.Representatives of Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), Eeelam People‘s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) were also present at the meeting.Sunantha Deshapriya, head of the Free Media Movement (FMM) also attended the meeting.

Sri Lanka hands over rebel bodies
 
Hospital officials in the northern Sri Lankan town of Anuradhapura say they have handed over the bodies of 14 Tamil Tigers to the Red Cross. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) passes on the corpses to both sides so that they can be buried. Hospital officials say the Tigers have handed over the bodies of three Sri Lankan soldiers so far this month. There was no comment from the rebels, who are leading a decades-old campaign for independence for minority Tamils in the majority Sinhalese nation of 19.5 million people. Last month, the government pulled out of a 2002 ceasefire with the Tamil Tigers, arguing the rebels had used it to re-group and re-arm. Since then, fighting has intensified on the frontlines that surround Tiger-held territory in the north. The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 to create an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's minority ethnic Tamils after decades of being marginalized by governments controlled by the majority Sinhalese. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

JVP accuses India of cross-border terrorism

The JVP has said India is guilty of cross-border terrorism against Sri Lanka. This JVP position is stated by its leader Somawansa Amarasinghe in an interactive web site in response to a question posed by a member of the public about the JVP’s position on India. Amarasinghe has also said that "India is certainly worse than the LTTE because Indian bureaucrats were the creator of this ‘leviathan,’ this ‘monster.’" He has further said that the LTTE and other terrorist groups in Sri Lanka were all trained in India by the Indian security forces in camps in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere in India. "They were armed by India. India supported them economically, politically and militarily. India is guilty of cross-border terrorism against Sri Lanka," Amarasinghe has said. While calling on the people not to condemn Hindi cinema, Hindi songs or the Indian people, Amarasinghe has charged that a section of Indian bureaucrats are responsible for creating problems in Sri Lanka and in other countries in the South Asian region."The people of Sri Lanka remember the anti-Sri Lankan activities carried out by the former Indian High Commissioner Mr. J.N. Dixit. This type of arrogant conservative bureaucrats misled the politicians in India. They continue to mislead politicians of the present day. Mr. J.N. Dixit’s arrogance misled Mr. Rajiv Ghandi. Ultimately Mr. Rajiv Gandhi gave his life, assassinated by his mother’s creation the LTTE. He would have been living today if Indian bureaucrats respected Sri Lanka as India’s friendly neighbour and supported Sri Lanka to defeat separatist terrorism and safeguard its sovereignty," Amarasinghe has said. He has further said these arrogant bureaucrats seem to have misunderstood Indian patriotism as subjugation of India’s neighbours. "They are under the impression that India could assume the role of ‘big brother’ in the region. It is our responsibility to convince Indian bureaucrats by using every possible means that the south Asian region is not going to tolerate any further their arrogance and that they will not be successful in their attempts to make India the ‘big brother’ in the region," Amarasinghe has added.However Amarasinghe has not stated in his response that it was India who helped him escape the country in 1989 when the State was looking to arrest him for murder, robbery, extortion, arson and offences against public property.On his return to Sri Lanka from exile in the UK, Amarasinghe addressing his public rally in Panadura thanked India for helping him escape.The Morning Leader learns the Indian High Commission in Colombo has despatched Amarasinghe’s comments to the Foreign Office in New Delhi.

Sri Lankan Buddhist party slams anti-Indian move

A Sri Lankan Buddhist party has condemned the anti-India campaign of the ultra nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) saying that such a campaign will prevent India from supporting the island's fight against Tamil separatists.The Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), which has a large number of Buddhist monks, said Monday that by urging Sri Lankans to boycott Indian goods, the JVP was alienating the Indian government, whose support was necessary in the fight against separatism and terrorism by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)."We need India's support, not opposition," Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe told The Island daily.Recently, JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe had called for a boycott of Indian goods if India did not stop "interfering" in Sri Lanka's internal affairs by "forcing" the Sri Lankan government to devolve power to the minority Tamils living in the north and east of the island country. India had welcomed the Mahinda Rajapaksa government's decision to "fully implement" the devolution package contained in the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution, which, in turn, had been inspired by the India-Sri Lanka Accord of July 1987.The JVP has been organising meetings to whip up public sentiment against an alleged Indian bid to revive its hegemony over Sri Lanka.Sri Warnasinghe said that the JVP was "exaggerating" the role of foreign powers in Sri Lanka. He pointed out that although India had sent in its troops in 1987, it withdrew them in 1990, after the then Sri Lankan president, R. Premadasa, sought their withdrawal.Likewise, the Norwegian peace brokers withdrew gracefully when President Rajapaksa said that they had no role to play after the war with the Tamil Tiger rebels was resumed.Warnasinghe said that high-pitched public campaigns like the ones organised by the JVP would not stop foreign interventions, only quiet diplomacy would.The JVP's obsession with foreign interventions only showed its "bankruptcy" of political ideas and its "short-sightedness," he said.

Sri Lanka: A Youth Seek Protection with JHRC Jaffna

Jaffna - A youth from Kaithady, Jaffna was surrendered to the Jaffna Human Rights Commission (JHRC) within past 24 hours fearing for his safety and his life as he continued to receive death threats from armed forces and aligned paramilitary armed men operating with Sri Lankan Security Forces (SF), according to an official from JHRC. Hundreds of civilians of all ages have surrendered to the JHRC this year fearing for their safety and their lives according to the civilian sources in Jaffna while thousands of people were abducted or disappeared or violently killed in this year alone in the North and East (N&E) of Sri Lanka.Meanwhile, the relatives of the two school students from Kurunagar, Jaffna arrested recently by Jaffna police have lodged a complaint at the National Head office of Human Rights Commission (HRC), Colombo stating that the office of Jaffna HRC has refused to accept their complaint.Acting on the complaint of the mother, Colombo office of HRC issued an urgent instruction to the Jaffna office to record the complaint regarding the arrests of the youths, both of whom are affected by polio. In addition, the mother of a youth from Velanai in the islet of Kayts lodged a complaint at Jaffna HRC office Monday regarding her son Sathasivam Yogendiran, 32, of Velanai-04 who disappeared in Colombo on 16 February.Many other rights groups continue to cites enforced mass abductions, mass disappearances, unlawful execution style summery killings, mass murders, tortures, rapes, destruction of personal, public and cultural properties, forceful displacements and unwillingness and inability of the Sri Lankan state to take control the worsening rights situation for the citizens of Sri Lanka are the reasons for their call for UN monitoring mission.

UK issues travel advisory on Sri Lanka

The United Kingdom's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has advised its nationals traveling to Sri Lanka against all travel to the north and east of the country, as well as to Yala National Park and the areas around it. Fatal terrorist attacks throughout the country became more frequent in the first two months of 2008 and the FCO says they have occurred in places frequented by holidaymakers. The warning for Sri Lanka includes the area north of the A12 road (which runs from Puttalam in the west to Trincomalee in the east) and the Jaffna peninsula. Also, travelers are advised to avoid the districts of Trincomalee and Batticaloa, as well as the coastal areas of Ampara district.

UNP to impeach the President

The UNP yesterday charged that it would bring an impeachment motion against President Mahinda Rajapakse in the event he fails to appoint the Constitutional Council (CC).UNP MP Gayantha Karunathilake told The Morning Leader yesterday that the UNP has already taken steps to institute legal action against President’s failure, and plans were afoot to bring an impeachment motion against the President, for the intentional violation of the constitution by not appointing members to the Constitutional Council."Even the President, referring to constitutional provisions, once said that it is beyond doubt that the implementation of constitutional provisions is the basic duty of the government. In such a scenario the UNP would wish to know as to why the same President is now delaying the appointment of the CC as he is bound to uphold the constitution," claimed Karunathilake. Karunathilake further stated that Sri Lanka has now become a failed state before the international community as the Rajapakse administration has miserably failed to uphold the constitution, the highest law in the country."Blatant appointments of political favourites to independent commissions have increased alarmingly. Since all the relevant political parties have now forwarded their nominations to the President, it is the bounden duty of President Rajapakse to appoint the CC at the earliest or face serious consequences," added Karunathilake.

Sri Lankan Conflict May Affect Oil Exploration, Minister Says

Sri Lanka's government said an escalation in the conflict between the military and Tamil rebels could impact on plans to sell oil exploration rights in August. The government is seeking bids from overseas energy companies for the rights to three offshore oil blocks on the island's west coast. The operations of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Tigers' navy, the Sea Tigers, in the north and east coasts of the island could impact exploration, said Rohitha Bogollagama, Sri Lanka's Minister of Foreign Affairs. ``If we don't have safe passage and safe seas surrounding us then that affects the potential for exploratory operations,'' Bogollagama said today during an Asia-Pacific security conference in Singapore. ``We have remained resilient to the terrorist shocks.'' Sri Lanka, which imports all its oil, needs to secure its own supplies as costlier imports and military purchases have accelerated consumer prices. Surging crude oil prices raised Sri Lanka's oil import bill by 25 percent last year to $2.07 billion. A 2002 cease-fire, brokered by Norway, helped bring about uninterrupted growth in Sri Lanka's $26 billion economy. International donors, led by the U.S., Japan, the EU and Norway, have appealed to both sides to come to peace talks to prevent a resumption of war. The LTTE has an estimated 12,000 fighters, including 4,000 members of its Sea Tigers force. Its light aircraft flew 200 kilometers (124 miles) from a base in the north to attack targets near Colombo in March. Aircraft raided oil and gas plants near the city in April.

Political Settlement

The government says the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, must wish to seek a political settlement in order to end the latest round of fighting in the 30-year-old conflict. The LTTE last week rebuffed government proposals for a political settlement, saying they were the same as those they rejected 30 years ago and would leave the Tamils subservient. The Tigers say ethnic Tamils, less than a fifth of the population, are discriminated against by the Sinhalese majority. ``The position for holding talks is the belief in a negotiated settlement,'' Bogollagama said in an interview in Singapore today. ``If the LTTE too can believe in a negotiated settlement, then that is how they should respond and that is how they should come for talks.'' The Tigers on May 21 said they would enter talks only after the government ended any offensives against their territory in the northeastern portion of the island. National security is an issue that ``can't be compromised,'' and the military will not lie down, Bogollagama said on the sidelines of the conference.

Air Wing

The conflict in Sri Lanka escalated as two attempts to hold peace talks in Geneva last year failed to make any progress. The army in April took control of the eastern region around Batticaloa for the first time in 14 years after the LTTE in March sent its newly formed air wing to attack areas near the capital, Colombo. ``Both sides know at some stage that there has to be a political solution but what they are trying to do now is really to leverage whatever military gains they can make,'' Rahul Roy- Chaudhry, research fellow for South Asia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said in a June 1 interview. Sri Lanka wants to include the LTTE in a final settlement that addresses the issues of all minority group's in the country, said Bogollagama. To achieve that, the government has canvassed the international community for their support, he said. ``If we keep our reliance on what we are doing now, marginalizing the LTTE, getting the international cooperation, and having the political process aligned, and addressing the conflict from a political angle, then the effect will be greater for the LTTE to respond to a dialogue,'' said Bogollagama.

26 February 2008

Mahinda-Ranil meet today

A crucial meeting between President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Opposition UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to take place at 7.30 pm today to discuss a series of critical issues, a senior Cabinet Minister told the Daily Mirror yesterday. The meeting will focus on the present situation of the country particularly centering on a solution to the ethnic problem, he said."As far as I know this is a follow up to the invitation President Rajapaksa made to Mr. Wickremesinghe in Parliament at a recent ceremony held to unveil the portrait of late President R. Premadasa," Senior Minister and Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said.The UNP accepting the invitation said it needed the invitation in writing and it seems the President had made the invitation in writing, he said. SLFP General Secretary and Minister Maithripala Sirisena, APRC Chairman and Minister Tissa Vitarana and Minister Fernandopulle will take part in the discussion chaired by President Rajapaksa.  Mr. Fernandopulle said he was not aware of the issues the two leaders were going to discuss. Well-informed UNP sources said the party's Chairman and Parliamentarian Rukman Senanayake and senior lawyer K.N. Choksy were scheduled to accompany Mr. Wickremesinghe at today’s meeting. They also said the UNP was unaware of the subject matter of the meeting.  Political sources said the main focus of the discussion would revolve around the interim proposals of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) submitted to the President recently that proposed the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. The Opposition Leader is also expected to raise the issue concerning the appointment of the Constitutional Council as well, sources said. The UNP and the SLFP signed an MoU on October 23, 2006 after a series of discussions between President Rajapaksa and Mr. Wickremesinghe for the two parties to work together to find a speedier solution to the ethnic problem and achieve economic progress. However, the MoU collapsed within weeks after 17 UNP members headed by UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya crossed over to the government and took ministerial posts and formed the UNP Democratic Group.The two leaders once again met on January 6  last year for a discussion.

Sangaree seeks 'UN intervention'
 
United Nations Security Council should help Sri Lanka government to defeat LTTE from their strongholds, a senior Tamil politician said.Tamil United Liberated Front (TULF) leader, V Anadasangaree, told BBC Sandeshaya that the government should take control of Mulativu and Kilinochchi from the Tamil Tigers. The authorities should make sure to "minimise" civilian casualties and seek UN help in capturing the rebel strongholds, he added. The TULF leader made the remarks as he protested killing of civilians allegedly by the LTTE as well as government security forces. Mr. Anandasangaree accused the LTTE of killing most of the civilians in recent weeks.The security forces are also responsible of some of the killings, he told BBC's Elmo Fernando.The TULF leader who refused to accept LTTE as the 'sole representative of the Tamil people' said, in his view, there is no point of having further peace talks with the LTTE.

US team to inspect seized weapons

The Anuradhapura Magistrate yesterday granted a request made by a special CID investigation unit to allow the visiting US special investigation team to inspect an assortment of items of Black Tigers seized by the armed forces.The items had been in the possession of the Black Tigers who were killed by the security forces when they attacked the Anuradhapura Air Base on September 22 last year. The military items found in the possession of the dead Black Tigers which later became court productions included several firearms fitted with night vision facility, compasses and some communication equipment. Anuradhapura Magistrate and District judge Ruchira Weliwatta also ordered the court registrar to release to the CID investigation team post mortem reports of the Tigers and the security personnel killed in the battle that followed the attack.At least 14 security personnel were killed when the Black Tigers descended on the base at dawn on September 22 last year. 21 Black Tigers were killed when the security personnel retaliated.RPG launchers, mortars, pistols, T 56 rifles and 164 hand grenades were among the items recovered by the security personnel after repulsing the attack.Earlier, an investigation team from Scotland police also inspected the recovered items with the court’s permission while they were in the custody of the Government Analyst. 

Sri Lanka Army destroys Tamil Tiger stronghold in North, 7 bodies found

Sri Lanka's military sources say the Army troops have destroyed a Tamil Tiger stronghold north of Janakapura, the northeastern border of the Tamil Tiger dominated Wanni region yesterday evening. According to the sources, seven bodies of slain Tamil Tigers were found along with six T-56 riffles, one Light Machine Gun, and one GPS device. One soldier was also killed in the battle, the sources added. The sources also said that, Army has crushed the Tigers’ counter offensive using artillery fire. Quoting, Tamil Tiger radio transmission, the sources further said that five more Tamil Tigers have been killed and four suffered injuries in this counter-counter offensive.

TMVP to release manifesto

BATTICALOA: Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), contesting an election for the first time, is due to release an election manifesto this week to inform the public of their work programme. "We have prepared an election manifesto that will be issued this week. Through this we will inform our stance and how we will be governing the Batticaloa district," TMVP media spokesman Asath Moulana told the Daily News. He charged that the LTTE and some Tamil political parties were attempting to create panic and disrupt the unity among the people. "The people in Batticaloa are supporting the TMVP as we are the only political party coming out of offices and going among the people. This has upset the LTTE and other parties who are trying to create panic and tension among the public," Moulana said. Meanwhile, postal voting in the upcoming Batticaloa Local Government election has recorded a 98 per cent voter turnout amidst a relatively calm atmosphere. The local poll has paved the way for the people of Batticaloa to elect their local representatives after 14 years. "Since the postal vote marking began, we have not faced a single act of disturbance or sabotage. The election process continues smoothly," Batticaloa Assistant Election Commissioner T. Krishnandalingam said. He said all arrangements for the March 10 election have been completed. A majority of the polling centres will be set up in schools.

13 suicide bombers in Batticaloa

Alarm bells have begun ringing for the local government election in Batticaloa following intelligence reports that 13 LTTE suicide cadres had infiltrated the area, police said. This matter was discussed at length at a meeting in Batticaloa yesterday with police warning candidates to be extra cautious in the run-up to the poll. The revelation comes in the wake of a suicide bomber blowing himself up on Sunday killing two TMVP members. Batticaloa Deputy Inspector General H.M.D. Herath said special search operations were being conducted to arrest the suicide bombers. The TMVP too had told the police at the meeting that it had also received information about the presence of 13 LTTE suicide cadres in the area and their intention was to wreak havoc during the election period. At the meeting, the security authorities instructed the candidates to take notice of unknown people in their respective localities and to immediately alert the defence authorities to the presence of suspicious people. It has been revealed that some of these female suicide bombers were pretending to be Muslim women clad in salvars and Abhayas. A total of 831 candidates representing six political parties and 22 independent groups are taking part in the elections. Though police have agreed to provide two policemen for each candidate, most of them have not sought any protection. Mostly, the TMVP, EPDP, EPRLF and PLOTE candidates have requested police protection for polls campaigning. The meeting was attended by EPDP Batticaloa district co-ordinator K. Arumailingam, TMVP candidate Pradeep Master and SLMC candidate N.K. Ramlan. Commenting on the current situation in Batticaloa, TMVP spokesman Azarth Moulana said the LTTE was trying to cause the maximum damage possible to disrupt the election. "Tigers are unhappy about the government holding this election," he said.

25 February 2008

White van gang in police uniform abduct a foreigner

A group of five persons, two clad in police uniforms, came in a white van and abducted a Singapore national today (25) in Colombo.The abduction took place around 1.00 PM. A complaint has been lodged in Aduruppu Street police station in this regard. The abducted Singapore national is Mr. N. Ilango. Police Media Spokesman Deputy Inspector of Police N.K. Ilangakoon said that police is aware of the registered number of the vehicle that was involved in the abduction and two of the abductors were clad in police uniforms.Then it was revealed that the abducted person had been arrested by Modera police station and police media spokesmen also confirmed it.

Police refuses to accept complaint by TV journalist            
  
Mount Lavinia Police had refused to take down a complaint by Sugath Dharmapriya, a journalist for Derana TV, that he had been assaulted by the OIC of the same police.The police in question maintained its refusal to accept the complaint against Chief Inspector Mahesh Perera in connection with the incident on February 23rd, according to Dharmapriya.On the advice of DIG (Colombo South) Wickremasinghe, the journalist had then lodged the complaint with the Mirihana Special Crimes Unit. Police Spokesman Senior DIG N.K. Illangakoon said further that if the complainant had mentioned about the refusal of the Mount Lavinia Police to accept the complaint, then only he can take action against those responsible.However, Dharmapriya said that despite his mentioning about it, the Special Crime Unit had not included it in the complaint.The Derana TV journalist was allegedly attacked by the Mt. Lavinia Police OIC while he was covering the bomb blast at Mt. Lavinia town on February 23rd.

FR case seeking electoral register publication in Tamil  
     
A fundamental rights petition came before the Supreme Court today (Feb. 25th) against the non-publication of the electoral register of Nuwara Eliya district in the Tamil language.The Ceylon Workers Front of Walapone filed the case, citing the Elections Commissioner and several others as respondents. The petitioner notes that a majority of voters in Nuwara Eliya belongs to the Tamil-speaking category, and that they have been severely inconvenienced due to the publication of the electoral register in the Sinhala language only.The CWF seeks an SC order to the Elections Commissioner for the publication of the electoral register of Nuwara Eliya in the Tamil language as well.

Sun rises again

'Hiru Media Network' banned by the Government sometime ago has obtained a new licence and commenced their transmissions. One of the Asst. Managers of 'Hiru' told Lanka-e-news that they have started their transmissions in indoor studios and outdoor transmissions will be started by March. The licence issued to 'Hiru' was cancelled by the Minister of Media and Information saying that false news was aired by them about a LTTE attack to Ranminitenna in Tissamaharama. Chairman of 'Hiru' Media Network has submitted a petition to the courts against the Minister;s order, but it was rejected. However, there were no objections from Courts to get a new licence. After this incident, Mr. Duminda Silva, UNP member of Western Provincial Council, and brother of 'Hiru' Local Partner, Mr. Reynor Silva, resigned from UNP and joined SLFP. Then, political and media rumours spread all over saying that this crossing over is to get the licence back, but, at a press conference, Mr. Duminda Silva stated that there were no connections between his crossing over to SLFP and the cancelled licence. In the meantime, it is reported that President's son, Mr. Namal Rajapakshe is going to be appointed as a Director of 'Hiru Media Network', but so far, no such appointment is made, said the above Asst. Manager.

Police clueless over 214 abductions in Colombo - CMC  
 
Police are clueless over 214 incidents of abduction in Colombo city and suburbs since November 2006, the Civil Monitoring Committee charges. Ninety nine per cent of victims of these kidnappings are Tamils living in the same areas, a CMC spokeswoman said today (Feb.25th).The committee says that it has the names, the national identity card numbers and other information of the abducted people.When the government claimed that these persons had left the country, the CMC had gone to the Controller of Immigration and Emigration, armed with their details.He had told the committee that no persons matching the descriptions had gone abroad during the period in question, the spokeswoman said.“Fifty seven police stations have been informed of these abductions. These police stations have admitted to receiving complaints of these abductions. But, they are silent on the progress of their investigations. Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake says that the IGP has been handed over the investigations,” she added.

Govt. fish for more UNP MPs
 
Rejecting a recent UNP claim that the government would go for a snap general election, political sources said that the SLFP-led ruling coalition was busy strengthening its parliamentary group. The government has taken a commanding lead in Parliament with another UNP National List MP Vadivel Puththirasigamoney joining the Rajapaksa administration as the Deputy Justice and Law Reforms close on the heels of Reggie Ranatunga replacing dissident Sripathy Sooriyarachchi’s vacancy.The government has now secured 115 seats. Government sources said that they could also count on the support of one time JVP heavyweight Nandana Gunatilleke and JHU’s Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka.Just ahead of the vote on the third reading of the Budget last December, the government lost altogether six MPs, four representing the SLMC and two SLFP in Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Anura Bandaranaike. Since then Bandaranaike has switched sides again. The sources said Rajapakshe despite being on the opposition wouldn’t vote against the government.Puththirasigamoney said that he was a CWC member appointed to Parliament through the UNP National List. He said that he was ready and willing to work with other CWC members in the government. "I have been in active politics for 25 years," he told The Island, expressing confidence that he could work with the CWC. Puththirasigamoney had functioned as an independent MP before he accepted the President’s invitation to accept a portfolio. Political sources said with the latest crossover all eleven UNP National List MPs except K.N. Choksy had joined the government. Among them was M. M. M. Musthaffa, Deputy Minister of Higher Education who replaced Ali Zaheer Moulana on June 29, 2004 after the UNP called for his resignation over his alleged link with Karuna.The sources said there were only four Opposition members among the 29-member National List namely Choksy, M.T. Hasen Ali (SLMC), Razeen Mohamed Imam (ITAK) and Chandrakanth Chandra Nehru (ITAK).

11 SLA killed in Paalaikkuzhi, Mannaar - LTTE

Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) Operations Command in Mannaar said Sunday that 11 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers were killed and 23 SLA soldiers wounded in a five-hour fighting erupted in Paalaikkuzhi Sunday. The SLA withdrew its forces at 10:00 a.m., the Tigers said. The LTTE has put up stiff resistance amid heavy artillery firing and Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombardment, the Tigers said. The ground push by the SLA was launched at 5:00 a.m.

Tamil youth abducted in Bandarawela   
       
A Tamil youth working in a store in the Bandarawela town has been abducted around 7.30p.m last night (Feb. 24th), reports say. A gang in a white-coloured van has abducted the 20-year old victim, identified as Sadaacharan Thiruvan, reports add.The owner of the store has lodged a complaint with the Bandarawela police.

24 February 2008

PC poll in east in August

The government will hold a separate provincial council election to elect members to a newly established Eastern Provincial Council by August, Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister, Janaka Bandara Tennakoon said.He told The Sunday Leader that holding the Batticaloa local election was only a precursor to 'test the waters' and promised to make all arrangements to hold a 'free' PC poll by August. "That will be a historic moment. It will also complete a process that we have just begun."It began with the liberation of the east. Next comes the election process. It will also be the first time in 21 years that a separate PC would be created in the east. It will be a separate entity that reflects the ethnic balance of the unique province," he said.Minister Tennakoon added that all these years the northeast were amalgamated under the 13th Amendment and was considered a single entity, much against the wishes of the Sinhalese and Muslims. "The required referendum was never held in 21 years and now the Supreme Court has decided to separate the two provinces," he added.The Minister further explained that fruits of economic development, long denied to the people of the east since war broke out would now become possible when power is devolved to the province.

Three die in Sri Lanka blast

Three people were killed in an apparent suicide attack in Sri Lanka's restive east Sunday while security forces threw a blanket of security over the capital to prevent new attacks, officials said.A suspected Tiger suicide bomber riding a motorcycle crashed into another motorbike carrying two rival militants in Batticaloa district 300 kilometres (190 miles) east of Colombo."One man detonated the explosive immediately after crashing into the other bike, killing all three of them," a local military official told AFP by telephone.The two victims were from a Tamil Tiger breakaway faction that is contesting local polls on March 10.In Colombo on Sunday, police and other security forces launched a major security sweep a day after a parcel bomb aboard a private bus exploded, leaving at least 18 people wounded.Ten men, seven women and a child were admitted to hospital after suffering minor injuries in the blast in Mount Lavinia, 10 kilometres (six miles) south of Colombo, police said.Police spokesman N.K. Illangakoon said they were awaiting a report from a government analyst to figure out if the bomb was triggered by remote control or a timing device.While investigations were being conducted, security forces sealed off all entry and exit points to Colombo, paralysing the city of 650,000.Motorists had to wait in long lines at military checkpoints to have their vehicles inspected and get their identity verified.Along with the search operations, Illangakoon said police had also intensified awareness programmes to show bus and train commuters how to respond to a bomb threat.Elsewhere, government and rebel forces exchanged artillery fire across the island's embattled northern districts, killing at least 58 rebels Saturday, the defence ministry said, adding that one soldier was killed 19 wounded.According to the ministry, 1,545 rebels have been killed so far this year. The military estimates the Tigers' strength at 5,000 combatants.The military said 85 soldiers and police have been killed in 2008.Casualty figures provided by both sides differ vastly and cannot be independently verified since the government bars journalists and human rights workers from frontline and rebel-held areas.The Sri Lankan government last month officially pulled out of a truce with the guerrillas, who have fought for more than three decades for a homeland in the Sinhalese-majority island.

Northern Interim Council in limbo?

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been mum on the initial offer he made to Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) Leader V. Anandasangaree last month when he proposed the latter should take up the position of Northern Interim Council governor.The President officially made the offer to Anandasangaree on January 22, a day before the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) handed over its recommendations on how to implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution. “He suggested that I take over the post of governor on January 22, but since then no one has contacted me on the matter,” Anandasangaree told The Nation. When asked whether he would take up the position, he noted that if it will benefit the people, he was ready to take it no matter what threats he faced.“This is a very serious position; I cannot jump into the idea. I have to consider many aspects. I must also explore the possibilities of how it will benefit the people,” he said. “But if it will do any good for the people, I am willing to take it up, even if it is a threat to my life,” Anandasangaree added.However, late last month, Anandasangaree told The Nation that he would not be anyone’s mere “rubber seal.”“I cannot merely accept a position as soon as it is offered. There are so many issues that have to be looked at. But I wont be anyone’s rubber seal,” he said.

Dr. Mani’s computer taken by CID

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) this week took into custody a computer used by Dr.Rama Mani, the former Executive Director of the International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES), to check the correspondence regarding her advocating of the controversial R 2 P policy for Sri Lanka, a high ranking CID official told The Sunday Times.Initial investigations into the files contained in all the other computers at ICES have not found any reference to R 2 P and hence the CID has now taken Dr.Mani’s computer into its custody.R 2 P is described as the responsibility of the international community to intervene when a State fails to protect its civilians from mass atrocity crimes and Dr.Mani’s reference to Sri Lanka as a country which needs R 2 P has drawn strong criticism particularly from the JVP and some sections in Government.Subsequently Dr.Mani’s visa was cancelled earlier this month forcing her to leave the country even though several members of the international community including the Canadian High Commission in Colombo (which threatened to cut funds to ICES if Dr.Mani was sent out of the country), attempted to intervene on her behalf. Meanwhile several senior members of the ICES including its Chairman Prof. Kingsley De Silva and Director Bradman Weerakoon appeared before the Parliamentary Select Committee looking into the working of NGO and INGOs last week and were questioned particularly with regards to the attempt by Dr.Rama Mani to portray Sri Lanka as a country which needed intervention under an international undertaking known as Responsibility to Protect (R 2 P).The Chairman and the Director told the Committee members that the R 2 P issue that had come up was in reference to statements made by Dr.Mani in her personal capacity and not in her official capacity and that the Board of the ICES had not endorsed any such policy. The members were also questioned about the finances of the ICES and who their donors are.Meanwhile members of CARE International too appeared before the Committee and were asked about a report they had filed stating that they found it difficult to work in Vakarai, an area under Government control while stating they found it easier to work in Kilinochchi and the Wanni.

Fearing Kosovo drama in SL                           

Kosovo’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) has made the President Mahinda Rajapaksa-led government jittery, fearing a similar fate in Sri Lanka in the future. According to highly-placed sources, the Rajapaksa-led administration has kept its high ranking Foreign Service officers in New York and Geneva on red alert.“Sri Lanka feels that there is a possibility that the LTTE might declare independence from Sri Lanka,” sources said. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Government is also on alert for a possible United Nation Security Council resolution against Sri Lanka.The Nation learns that the development comes after several Sri Lankan missions in Europe and North America informed Colombo that pro-LTTE groups are lobbying UN Security Council member country officials over gross human rights violations against Tamils in Sri Lanka.The LTTE has hailed the emergence of an independent Kosovo with Western support, saying it augurs well for the liberation of “oppressed” minorities like the Tamils from the North and East Provinces of Sri Lanka.Kosovo’s independence received quick recognition from the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Germany and the United States.However, unsurprisingly, the Sri Lankan Government was the first to condemn Kosovo’s UDI.The Nation was unable to reach Sri Lanka’s UN Representative in New York Prasad Kariyawasam for comment.

UNP briefs visiting UN envoy on N-E situation

The UNP complained to the visiting Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Ms. Angela Kane of the prevailing unfavourable situation in the North and East and the grave human rights violations being committed in the area, during their meeting wth the UN envoy last Thursday. “Citing reports from several human rights organizations, Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe briefed Ms. Kane of the atrocities taking place in the Batticaloa area,” UNP MP Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena who was present at the meeting told The Sunday Times. The UN envoy is in Sri Lanka on a week-long fact finding mission as part of her regular consultations in the areas of her responsibility. The primary purpose of her visit is to review the work of the UN Country Team in Sri Lanka in all key areas. The UNP delegation which met Ms. Kane also discussed its stand on the proposals made by the All Parties Representative Conference (APRC) and the implementation of the 17th Amendment. “We informed Ms. Kane that the UNP does not have any problems with the implementation of the 13th Amendment and the establishment of the provincial councils, which was a key recommendation of the APRC proposals as it was already part of the Constitution,” Dr. Jayewardene said. However, the UNP told her that the APRC proposals did not offer anything new although most parties expected a tangible solution to the ethnic conflict, he said. The UNP also discussed with Ms. Kane the current situation on the implementation of the 17th Amendment. The Government has being dragging and delaying the establishment of the Constitution Council which is very unhealthy and detrimental to the country, he said.“However we made it clear to her that if the Government enacts the ICCPR along with the optional protocol, the UNP would support the enactment,” Dr. Jayawardena said. The UN envoy met Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama where she discussed strengthening ties between the UN and the Government, a Foreign Ministry official said. On Thursday, Ms. Kane also met UN staff and diplomats from the EU, Norway, India and the US.“During her stay Ms. Kane would review and assess UN operations in Sri Lanka including its humanitarian and development work. This is a routine visit and follows up her visit to the island last year,” UNICEF spokesperson Gordan Weiss said. Ms. Kane also travelled to Batticaloa yesterday where she met UN staff in the area. The UN envoy is also due to meet several other diplomats, Government officials and representatives of civil organizations. UNP MP Mano Ganeshan said that although he is due to meet with the UN representative a fixed date is yet to be decided. “We hope to brief her on the present political situation in the country and the problems and grievances faced by the Tamil community,” he said. Ms. Kane who arrived in the island on Wednesday morning would conclude her visit on February 26.

GL clears air in address to Delhi-based EU diplomats
 
Export Development and International Trade Minister G.L. Peiris recently briefed 16 EU envoys resident in New Delhi and concurrently accredited to Colombo on the current situation in Sri Lanka where he stressed that while the Sri Lanka Government did not believe in a military solution to the conflict, terrorism required a military response."The position of the government of Sri Lanka is that there would be a military response to the terror perpetrated by the LTTE and a political process to address the problems of the minorities," he said.Peiris said that in the midst of many challenges, the country’s economy had grown by 6.5% and Sri Lanka remained a vibrant democracy largely on account of its ability to strike the right balance between fiscal management, development and welfare. Also, the country has made tremendous progress in infrastructure and human resource development and its exports have grown by 14% last year.Diplomatic observers regarded the minister’s address to EU diplomats from countries not physically present in Colombo as a particularly useful exercise pitched to areas that were of particular concern to the country.He made the point that in the political dimension, the centrality of India’s role was manifest and the basic characteristic of a political solution would be the devolution of power subject to the protection of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.Peiris made the point that with the involvement of India in 1987 in the form of the Indo-Sri Lanka accord the 13th Amendment to Sri Lanka’s Constitution was promulgated.Subsequently there have been discussions during the past 20 years on amendments and additions to its concept and he himself had on October 3, 2000 presented to parliament what were perhaps the most far-reaching proposals to resolve the conflict. But none of these efforts bore fruit, the minister said.Offering some thoughts on why attempts by successive governments had not yielded a favourable result, one reason was the disconnect between the proposed measures and the thoughts and feelings of the public of Sri Lanka. Peiris had led the GoSL delegation for talks with the LTTE from Sept. 2002 to March 2003, he made the point that some aspects of the behaviour of the LTTE constituted another reason for the problem.

*For success, one had to inspire the confidence of the majority. The LTTE was never prepared to discuss the de-commissioning of arms as was the case of in successful peace processes in other parts of the world such as Northern Ireland.

*The LTTE insisted that it was the sole representatives of the Tamils. This claim involved a conflict with basic democratic values and assumptions.

*The LTTE did not want to participate at elections and subject themselves to the people’s mandate.

Therefore President Rjapaksa had to consider options as to how a political momentum could be generated. It was felt that the GoSL should not engage in in discussions regarding futile arrangements, which cannot be implemented, such as changing the Constitution which required a two thirds majority in parliament. Given Sri Lanka’s electoral system, it is unlikely that any government in the foreseeable future would command such a 2/3 majority.Moreover, far-reaching statutory changes may not be immediately needed, because implementation of the laws that exist through political will and sincerity would enable considerable progress to be made.Peiris said that the All Party Representative Committee had presented a proposal to government to implement the 13th amendment to the Constitution. Part of this process involves holding elections to nine local bodies in the Eastern Province where the writ of the government now lies.``Franchise represents the most basic of human freedoms and this would now become areality in the Eastern Province,’’ Peiris said. ``With the revival of the electoral process, a natural momentum could be anticipated.’’He agreed that it would not be realistic to hold elections in the Northern Province immediately but as a temporary measure and advisory committee would be established to advise the governor of the province who is the representative of the president and the government would have the advice of a committee representative of the people of the province.The minister also said that there would be forward movement on the security sphere as well stressing that the government has the clear obligation of ensuring the safety of life and limb which is the ultimate rationale of the nation state.On human rights, Peiris said that over the years Sri Lanka has developed into a caring society based on human welfare. But all civilizations had to strike a balance between security and liberty in times of turbulence. This did not mean that one had to choose between the two, but extraordinarily legal regimes derogating from normal legal principles had been adopted in times of crisis."Therefore, in the context of Sri Lanka, it is sometimes necessary to take people into custody and question them so as to find out the reasons for their presence at a particular location, their accomplices etc., in order to prevent the infliction of grave harm on the civilian population," he pointed out.Peiris stressed that GOSL wished to work closely with he UN to strengthen domestic mechanisms, but would be adverse to a monitoring mission which would essentially act as an international policeman."Such a monitoring mission may be patronizing and perceived as talking down to the GOSL. Instead, the GOSL would wish to have relations on an equal footing based on empathy, goodwill and understanding – a collaborative and supportive relationship," he said.

Batti gets ‘TMVP policemen’

The Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) has discovered a new method to protect its election candidates – by dressing up its cadres in Police uniforms in the Batticaloa district.Highly-placed sources told The Nation yesterday that the cadres have been spotted in Batticaloa adorned in Police uniforms, giving ‘protection’ to TMVP candidates, mainly its civilian candidates who are contesting the March 10 local government election. “They are out in numbers, openly travelling on foot and in vehicles with the candidates, but the ‘legally appointed’ law enforcement authorities, despite witnessing these cadres in uniform, have been turning a blind eye,” sources said on the condition of anonymity. According to reports, some cadres who are unaware of the significance of the stars on a policeman’s uniform were spotted wearing three stars, usually worn by a chief inspector. “Normally, a chief inspector is not put on field duty unless a minister or VIP is visiting his area, so it’s highly unlikely for a chief inspector to give protection to an election candidate. So it is obvious that these cadres have found these uniforms and are wearing them without knowing the significance of the stars,” the sources noted. A total of 134 TMVP candidates, including 80 civilian candidates, are vying at next month’s local government elections. Some 831 candidates in total are contesting nine local councils in the Batticaloa District.

Democracy limited, says Dayananda

Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake yesterday declared that democracy in Sri Lanka is limited to a few in the hierarchy while the majority, including ordinary people in the country, fails to enjoy the true meaning of democracy. Addressing participants at the Multi-Party Steering Committee of the Eastern Province yesterday, Dissanayake noted that political party leaders and the hierarchy enjoy the maximum use of democracy while the people at lower levels do not benefit from it.“We see many politicians, once they come into power, not visiting their supporters or listening to their grievances. Instead, they are involved in their private business. There are a very few who actually have time for the people,” he said.Dissanayake pointed out that it was the fault of the Proportionate Representation (PR) system, since it does not link the voter and the elected member.“With this system, the party leaders do not have time to educate their representatives and supporters about the internal democracy of the party and the people do not have a say in decision-making of the party as decisions are centralised,” he said.He asserted that present leaders are not real leaders as they do not talk to their supporters. Instead, they are “super imposed leaders” who have misinterpreted their priorities, he pointed out.Dissanayake also proposed that Parliament should seriously consider implementing legislation which would enable migrant workers to vote during elections.“The people employed in Sri Lankan foreign missions too are not given a chance to vote while they are working abroad. The law has to be changed, but nothing has been done so far,” he lamented.He added that the present election system should be replaced with a Mixed Member Proportionate (MMP) system. “It is difficult to centralise the supporter’s needs until Parliament changes the PR system to the MMP system. Elected candidates should be accountable for their actions,” Dissanayake said.

SLAF turns on more heat on LTTE

Jets launched from Katunayake airbase yesterday morning bombed an LTTE base 11 kms north-east of Oddusudan as the SLAF turned on the heat on the LTTE to facilitate the ongoing ground operations on the Vanni front.Fighters had zeroed-in-on the base at 6.35 am, SLAF spokesman Wing Commander Andy Wijesuriya said. He said that the targeted facility had been primarily used to house personnel and functioned as a major transit point.The single sortie followed Friday’s devastating strike on a Sea Tiger facility at Kiranchi, about nine kms south of Devil’s point (west of Kilinochchi) at 8.15 am.The spokesman said that several types of enemy craft including logistical and suicide craft had been located at the targeted base. Rejecting accusations that there were many civilian casualties, he reiterated that the target was located within a coconut plantation and there couldn’t have been any civilians there.The civilians would have moved away from LTTE bases some time back, he said, emphasizing that all targets taken from air were specific military facilities, camps and infrastructure. The military said that stepped up aerial attacks would provide critical support to the ongoing ground thrust on the Vanni and Weli Oya fronts. Jets last Thursday afternoon bombed two LTTE heavy gun positions tasked with engaging troops deployed on Vanni and Weli Oya fronts. Well placed sources said that the LTTE appeared to have shifted some of its units assigned for defenses on the Jaffna (Muhamalai-Nagarkovil) front to bolster cadres, now struggling in the Vanni.The Tigers early last week launched a desperate counter attack on troops deployed at Sirikulam, north of Yoda Wewa. The army repulsed the attack within hours, the sources said, asserting that the abortive assault revealed the enemy’s limitations.Contrary to expectations, the army had delayed a major assault on the Jaffna front although the possibility of a large scale strike couldn’t be ruled out, an official said. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, he said that the army’s Mechanized Infantry Brigade which was attached to one of the two Infantry Divisions deployed on the Jaffna front was ready to deliver a major blow on the enemy. The Mech Infantry comprising of the Infantry and Armoured Corps would revolutionize the war in the northern theatre. North of Weli Oya, Friday (22) afternoon the army confronted a group of LTTE cadres operating in an area dominated by them. The army later collected bodies of six LTTE cadres along with one multi purpose machine gun, five T 56 assault rifles and two communication sets. Army headquarters said that the bodies would be handed over to Vavuniya hospital for their transfer to the LTTE through the ICRC.On the previous day, the army lost two men and four suffered injuries in an attack on an LTTE strong point at Karampaikkulam, Vanni. Despite the initial set back, troops had pressed on with their attack and captured the strong point in the afternoon. Army headquarters said that at least four LTTE cadres were killed in the assault.Meanwhile in separate confrontations and search operations carried out on Thursday at Udayanatankulam, Periyapantrichurichchan, Mullikulam, Vilathikulam, Parappakandal and Kondampiddi on the Vanni front troops killed at least 26 LTTE cadres and recovered 369 anti-personnel mines, four T 56 assault rifles, two communication sets and ten booby traps. Five soldiers had been wounded in action and evacuated from the battle front. Meanwhile, troops recovered one 60 litre petrol can, one 15 litre petrol can, one 25 litre diesel can and one 20 litre diesel can which were to be smuggled into the LTTE-held area.

23 February 2008

Bomb blast outside Sri Lanka capital injures 18

A parcel bomb planted by suspected Tamil Tiger rebels exploded on a bus in a Colombo suburb on Saturday, wounding at least 18 people in the latest in a string of violent attacks, the defence ministry said.Casualties would have been far greater if an alert passenger had not spotted the booby-trapped package and shouted at people to get out of the vehicle, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said."I noticed a parcel left behind on a vacant seat. When no-one claimed it, I alerted the bus crew and shouted at people to get off," passenger Mervyn Silva told AFP.The driver then moved the white bus towards an isolated spot and the crew went to inform a nearby police station when the explosion took place, injuring passersby, the defence ministry said."The terrorists' beastly intention to commit carnage against civilians was foiled due to the vigilance of the civilians themselves," the defence ministry said. Terrorists is the word that the government uses to describe the rebels.There was no immediate comment from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who are fighting for independence for Sri Lanka's minority ethnic Tamils, concentrated in the north and east of the island.Ten men, seven women and a child were admitted to hospital after suffering minor injuries in the blast in Mount Lavinia, 10 kilometres (six miles) south of the capital of Colombo, the ministry said."The private bus was completely destroyed by fire from the explosion," the defence ministry said.Earlier this month, suspected Tamil Tiger rebels used a parcel bomb to blow up a crowded bus in northern Sri Lanka, killing at least 20 people.The new violence came as the defence ministry said war planes bombed a rebel military base inside Tamil Tiger-controlled territory in the northern town of Oddusan early on Saturday.Air force pilots said they had "accurately hit" and "completely destroyed" the base.There was no immediate comment from the LTTE, though the rebels said a similar air strike on guerrilla targets on Friday killed eight civilians.On Friday, six guerrillas died when troops fired at rebels who tried to infiltrate the state-run Weli Oya region. Artillery duels across the island's north on Friday also left 31 rebels and a soldier dead, the ministry said.According to the defence ministry, some 1,487 rebels have been killed so far this year. The military estimates the rebel strength at 5,000 combatants.The military said 84 soldiers and police have been killed in 2008.Casualty figures provided by both sides differ vastly and cannot be independently verified since the government bars journalists and human rights workers from frontline and rebel-held areas.The Sri Lankan government last month officially pulled out of a truce with the guerrillas, who have fought for more than three decades for a homeland in the Sinhalese-majority island.The army says it is winning the ethnic war and President Mahinda Rajapakse has promised to wipe out the rebels.

NE Bishops scheduled to meet UN special envoy 

A delegation of bishops from Northeast are scheduled to meet Angela Kane, UN Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs who arrived in Colombo Wednesday morning for a week-long fact finding mission in the island, sources close to the Bishops said.During the talks with the UN envoy scheduled to be held in Colombo, discussions will centre on the abnormal situation prevailing in North and East, war initiatives, arbitrary arrests, abductions, killings, disappearances and economic blockade, sources close to the bishops said.Kane will visit Batticaloa during her stay but will not tour conflict affected areas in the North including Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) - controlled territory in the Vanni where the UN has its offices and projects, sources in Colombo said.Ms.Kane is to hold talks with the Sri Lankan foreign minister Rohitha Bogollagama, foreign secretary Palitha Kohona and diplomats from the European Union, Norway, India and the U.S. in addition to meeting Ranil Wickremesinghe, leader of United National Party (UNP), the main opposition party.A face to face meeting with Ms Kane will help the UN envoy to learn first hand the situation prevailing in the troubled regions of the island, sources added.Kane will also meet with the all political party forum, the All Party Representative's Committee (APRC).. Kane's visit was the result of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon's concerns on the situation in Sri Lanka and escalating armed conflict in the island's north and east provinces.

Blake rules out UN peace keeping mission in Sri Lanka
 
US Ambassador Robert Blake recently ruled out the possibility of a UN peace keeping mission in Sri Lanka. In an interview in the latest edition of BENCHMARK Blake had stated "I don’t think so. First of all, there is no peace to keep! So that’s a bit of a far-fetched scheme. In terms of a role for the UN, it has to be requested by the member state in question. I have not heard that the Government is interested in any UN force at this state – quite the contrary. They’ve taken quite an active role to oppose, for example, any role by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who was interested in setting up an office here.

Excerpts of the interview

BENCHMARK: Would you support the Government’s short, sharp, strategic war to eliminate terrorism?

BLAKE: I don’t think that such an outcome is possible. I don’t know what that means really. We don’t believe that a military solution is really possible. Prabhakaran has survived up to now, since the late ‘70s, and he has shown himself to be very adept and resilient, and I think he continues to be so. We certainly don’t have any great affection for Prabhakaran, but we feel that the ultimate answer lies in a political solution, and that is why we are encouraging the Government to pursue that path.

BENCHMARK: Despite the liberation of the Eastern Province, the Pillaiyan group continues to practise terror tactics there. So are some forms of terror acceptable?

BLAKE: No. No forms of terror are okay. And we have expressed our concern over all the paramilitaries, not simply the Pillaiyan group, or the Karuna faction. And again, we think the long-term solution to this situation in the east is to not allow these groups to bear arms, and for them to be a part of the political process, and I think the Government is moving in that direction. I was pleased to see the other day that PAFFREL, which is a group that is going to provide some monitors, and is already monitoring conditions out there, said that the Pillaiyan group has laid down their arms, and are not intimidating people in the east. So that is a very good sign if it is true, and I hope it is.

BENCHMARK: Successive Governments have shied away from banning the LTTE, probably because this would effectively forestall any future prospect of talks. But with the present Government’s war on terror, why not take that step too?

BLAKE: I’m not sure that the Government will gain much in banning the LTTE at this stage. I think they have already made their point. Banning the LTTE may be interpreted in the international community as taking a further step away from a political solution. Obviously, it is up to the Government to decide what to do.

BENCHMARK: President Mahinda Rajapaksa has expressed a wish that Prabhakaran be captured alive, with a view to extraditing him to India.

BLAKE: Well, he is widely believed to be responsible for the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. So certainly, that would be fine. I’m sure he would get a fair trial in India, and we have no concerns over that. The question is whether you will be able to capture him alive or not? I’m not sure if that is possible or not!

BENCHMARK: What role does the US see India, whose previous foray into Sri Lanka was a disaster, playing in conflict resolution now?

BLAKE: India, as you say, has a long history here. People still remember that they were the ones that engineered the 13th Amendment and some of the things that are, I think, still being talked about today. In many ways, they’ve played a very crucial and salutary role here. And so, whatever role they continue to play will be positive from my perspective, and we will continue to work very closely with our friends from India.

BENCHMARK: Is there a case for a UN peace-keeping mission in Sri Lanka?

BLAKE: I don’t think so. First of all, there is no peace to keep! So that’s a bit of a far-fetched scheme. In terms of a role for the UN, it has to be requested by the member state in question. I have not heard that the Government is interested in any UN force at this state – quite the contrary. They’ve taken quite an active role to oppose, for example, any role by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who was interested in setting up an office here.

BENCHMARK: Will the US support such a mission?

BLAKE: Any such mission would be led by Louise Arbour – by her office- the United States is in favour of such an office, because we believe that there has been a climate of impunity here, and there has been a significant problem with human rights here. Sri Lanka’s own institutions have been incapable of dealing with it effectively. So we believe that the office would help to improve not only the functioning of Sri Lanka’s own systems, but help to provide a measure of protection. We favour this, but it will have to be worked out between the Government and the office of Louise Arbour. We are not really playing an active role in that regard.

BENCHMARK: Will the putative discovery of oil off the coast of Sri Lanka make a strategic difference to the interest levels of the international community vis-à-vis the country?

BLAKE: I don’t think it will have much of an impact. I went with Minister Fowzie to Houston to help lead a road show there, where we explained to a number of international oil companies about some of the opportunities. So far, no American company has bid. There were three international companies, and I have not had a chance to discuss with them why they chose not to bid. But all of them were very, very experienced in these matters. Perhaps they felt that the oil that was there was not enough to justify significant investment. Or else, perhaps they were worried about the security situation here. I’m not sure; I don’t have details of what the reasons are for the lack of bidding, but I don’t see it as a significant part of the strategic picture here.

Three new Ministers, Governor sworn in
 
Three new ministers and a new Governor for the Sabaragamuwa Province were sworn in at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday. Mahinda Wijesekara was sworn in as Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Dilan Perera as non-Cabinet Minister of Ports Development and M. Puthrasigamani as Deputy Minister of Justice and Law Rerforms. Dickson Sarathchandra was sworn in as the Governor of the Sabaragamuwa Province. Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga was also present.

Batticaloa postal voting ends

Casting of postal votes to elect 101 members to nine local councils in the Batticaloa District ended at 4 p.m. yesterday.District secretary Batticaloa, Sundaram Arumainayagam said that 72 certifying officers marked the postal votes of 934 persons on Thursday and yesterday. 4.00 pm on March 10, has been set as the deadline for the handing over of postal votes for counting.Deputy Commissioner (Elections) Mahinda Deshapriya, who is in the East overseeing the elections, said there were no notable incidents. For Thursday’s and Friday’s polls, 394 Postal vote packets had been sent to the certifying officers. Assistant Commissioner T. Krishnanandhalingam said 26 counting centres will be set up under 26 chief counting officers of these 22 will be normal counting centres, two for postal votes and two to count the votes cast by the displaced. The postal department was in the process of delivering the 274,000 polling cards and anyone who had failed to receive these cards by March 4 should call over at the nearest post office to identify themselves and claim their polling cards, the Election Secretariat of Batticaloa said.Meanwhile, the EPDP yesterday accused the Pillayan faction of the TMVP of intimidatory tactics. K. Arumalingam, Mayoral candidate from EPDP said: "The Pillayan group roams the district threatening our supporters with death in the event of losing the elections." TVMP spokesman Azad Mowlana rejected the allegations saying "the EPDP is desperate because it is already convinced it will lose." DIG Batticaloa Prasanna Nanayakkara said the police was ready to act if the EPDP would make their complaints in writing. Deputy Executive director of People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections, Rohana Hettiarchchi said there had been no major incidents expect for one grenade attack and threats. The PAFFREL has received only 25 complaints of election violence since January 25. "There was a hartal in Kattankudy on Thursday. Despite the hartal 56 of 136 registered postal voters cast their votes," he said.

Sri Lanka victory march bogged down in fog of war

The battle lines are clearly drawn in Sri Lanka with the government vowing to finish off the Tamil rebels, but after decades of bloodshed a final outcome appears as uncertain as ever.While politicians from President Mahinda Rajapakse down have buried a truce deal and promised to wipe out the "terrorists," the military is now scaling down the rhetoric."Most definitely, we can say that we are winning," army spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told AFP."But we have never said that we will finish them off. We have never set deadlines. We are fighting a terrorist organisation, not a conventional war."The army has pushed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) out of the east of the island and gone on the offensive in the north in the past year.But military sources say that the attacks on three fronts against rebel-held territory have failed to produce a breakthrough."We can weaken them," the brigadier said. "The more we weaken them, then the more they will come into negotiations. It is not possible to wipe them out."Army chief Sarath Fonseka renewed the rallying cry this month as the government ruled out any peace talks and offered instead a unilateral settlement, but he too sounded far less gung-ho than previously."I don't conduct the war looking at deadlines and timeframes," the lieutenant general said. "Can a war that has been going on for more than 25 years be completed by March?"But Fonseka had repeatedly given deadlines before, claiming the war would be won by mid-2008. Senior defence officials have also boasted that LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran will soon be dead, if he is not already.And there is confusion over casualty figures.The defence ministry releases daily death tolls suggesting the army is on a victory march, although physical evidence of rebel corpses is usually missing.The thousands of rebels declared dead in the past two years would amount to the total annihilation of the LTTE, according to the military's own intelligence estimates.Fonseka corrected himself on the numbers of LTTE combatants on February 10, noting the LTTE had 5,000, or 2,000 more than he had announced in December.Massaging the figures may just be part of the propaganda war targeting a domestic audience long since weary of the separatist conflict that has left tens of thousands dead since 1972.Commentators certainly suspect that is so. The only picture of what happens on the battlefield comes from the government, which blocks non-military access to rebel territory.Military sources note that while the army announces repeated offensives leaving high numbers of enemy dead, on the ground the rebels melt away under attack and the army pulls back when real resistance is encountered."The LTTE is offering formidable resistance on three fronts," said military analyst Iqbal Athas.He noted little to indicate the LTTE is on the run, rather just on the defensive in the north and launching occasional murderous raids into the Sinhalese-majority south.Speculation is rife that the LTTE will, as in the past, launch a spectacular bomb attack to ease pressure on the northern front.The capital has been turned into a fortress with thousands of troops, police and even the home guard deployed on the streets, 24 hours a day."The situation is very uncertain," said Sunanda Deshapriya, a director of the independent Centre for Policy Alternatives."We have never seen a government like this. Sinhalese newspapers carry only government propaganda. People believe in a military solution more and more."Deshapriya said the government has pushed its propaganda so far they have no way back."It's a politically blind government... it cannot go for peace, it needs victories." For Darmalingam Sithadthan, head of the Democratic People's Liberation Front, the army can critically weaken the LTTE and impose a political solution."I believe this can happen and this is the first time I believe it. The army is very serious about fighting," the former Tamil MP and government ally said. "The next three to four months will be a crucial period for Sri Lanka."If the LTTE could be confined to one district in the northern Wanni jungles, a settlement could be worked out, he added."The solution must be reasonable for the Tamil people," Sithadthan said, calling for devolution so the minority can look after their own development in the north and east.Former defence secretary Austin Fernando sees negotiations as the only way out.The "government thinks that we can win the war and it's madness. The LTTE thinks it can win the war and this is madness," he said.As a result, he expects the army to carry on fighting into 2009 seeking to defeat the rebels."I have never believed that war is the way. In the end both parties will have to come to negotiate at the table."

UN won’t comment on LTTE claim
   
The United Nations on Thursday refused to comment on the LTTE seeking statehood as it had not made any announcement of a Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI) despite the LTTE political head publicly seeking international recognition for a state of Eelam. When questioned at a media briefing the UN Secretary-General’s spokesperson Michèle Montas said she was aware of the LTTE seeking statehood but termed the question was hypothetical as the LTTE had not officially made such a declaration. “Well, they want to, but they have not declared that. So that is a hypothetical question,” Ms. Montas said. “I will not get more information. There will be no answer on hypothetical questions,” the spokesperson said while responding to a journalist who asked if she could get more information on the LTTE seeking statehood. Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle on an earlier occasion said there was reliable information that the LTTE would make a Unilateral Declaration of Independence on January 18. Though that turned out to be a non-event, LTTE political head B. Nadesan in a public statement last month urged the international community including the UN to recognise a separate state  under an LTTE administration as a constructive approach to end the longstanding, large scale and serious human rights violations of the Tamil people “It must be obvious to the international community that there is only one path open to regain the rights of the Tamil people and that is for the international community to recognize the sovereignty of the Tamil nation,” Mr. Nadesan said. Commenting on Kosovo’s secession last Sunday Sri Lanka had said the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Kosovo could set an unmanageable precedent in the conduct of international relations, the established global order of sovereign States and could thus pose a grave threat to international peace and security.

CID turns tables on Rupavahini assault case
 
The CID told court yesterday it had diverted the investigations on the Rupavahini Corporation assault case towards identifying those who were responsible for damaging the Rupavahini property and allegedly assaulting Labour Minister Mervyn Silva. It also focused on the Rupavahini employees behaviour in a manner that would have been a threat to the security of the Corporation. When the matter was taken up for inquiry before Colombo Chief Magistrate Nishantha Hapuarachchi, the CID said it had already recorded statements from certain employees over the incident and further statements were to  be recorded. The CID said the delay in proceeding with the case was due to the recording of statement from several employees without obstructing the daily schedules of the Corporation. It said on conclusion of the investigations the Attorney General’s advice would be sought before taking further action. Attorney  Anton Senanayake appearing for the suspect Mestriyage Upul Nuwan Gunathilaka asked court when the CID would produce the suspects who had allegedly assaulted his client. He also said the prosecution  had failed to charge the suspects responsible for the  assault on Minister Mervyn Silva. He said the Minister had visited the Corporation as part of his duty and assaulting a Minister in the Corporation was a grievous offence.   The Magistrate allowed the CID to file a further report on June 27

Tamils in Colombo are not arrested but 'caught' says Mano Ganesan

Tamils are not arrested but 'caught' at street corners, from their places of residence and business and taken away in the most inhuman uncivilized manner to unknown locations by the state police authorities. It is occurring like municipal 'dog catchers' catching 'stray dogs' with their 'dog catching gear' in 'dog pound vans'.The Catchers are the Police, Stray dogs are the Tamils, Catching gear is the Police weapons and the Dog pound Vans are famous White Vans! It is happening right in the capitol city of our country and in my electoral district. I am telling this with all the responsibility as elected Parliamentarian for Colombo says leader of Western Peoples Front and Convener of Civil Monitoring Commission Mano Ganesan MP. "Mr.Subramaniyam Gajendradas aged 36 and Vinayagasakthi Vijendran aged 35, both of 15/4 Samagi Mawatha, Kowdana, Dehiwela, south of Colombo have been 'caught and taken away' forcefully by armed men came in a white van at the night of 12th February Tuesday. Subsequently a complaint has been made by the sister of one of the victims Ms. Pushparani Ramachandiran at the Dehiwela police.When this issue was brought to my notice, I personally made enquiry with the Dehiwela police on 17th Sunday morning. When I demanded information about the disappearances and subsequent investigations of both the missing persons, the Dehiwela police officer confirmed me the details of the complaint. The officer even very politely corrected me when I pronounced term 'disappearance'. I was told that it is not just 'disappearances' but 'enforced abductions' as per the complaint lodged in the Dehiwela police. However later in the afternoon I was told by the Dehiwela police that it has been found that both 'missing' persons are being detained at the C.I.D, branch of the police in Fort. The C.I.D. had 'informed' the Dehiwela police by fax on 17th Sunday noon that they had 'taken in' the two Tamil persons for an investigation regarding some fraud case on 12th February Tuesday night. What does this is to the Tamils? The C.I.D. has very clearly contravened the accepted norms, rules and regulations in conducting this arrest let alone the civility and decency. They have failed to inform the police of the area where the 'arrested' persons were living at the time of 'arrest'. It had taken full five days for the Dehiwela police of Sri Lanka police to know that the C.I.D. branch of the same Sri Lanka police had conducted an arrest in Dehiwela police area without their (Dehiwela police) knowledge. What's more, the 'policemen' had gone for the 'arrest' in civil attire without sporting any identification numbers but with threatening firearms and also in a white van and not in any official police vehicle. And they have neither identified themselves to the householders nor provided information on where they are taking the 'arrested' people. Still the police call it 'lawful arrest' after full five days!This has not only put the innocent family members of the victims in greater mental agony but also the Dehiwela police into unnecessary confusion. The Sri Lanka police has various special units under it's umbrella such as TID, CID, Narcotics bureau and many other so called 'units' plus the Army intelligence. But there is no coordination between these various units of the same defense establishment. The 'arrests' are made shabbily and arrogantly sending fear psyche among the Tamil community. I believe it is being done systematically with a purpose. Owner of Galle Road's popular Mysore caf� in Wellawatte, Mr. Chinnaiah Chelliah was abducted on 12th Tuesday 9 pm by armed men came in a white van # 254-7853. According to the complaint some of the abductors had been in uniform. He was released blindfolded on 16th Saturday 1am in Wattala after assault and interrogation. Mr. Vellaisamy Jegan hails from Puwakpitiya in Avissawella south of Colombo was picked up in Dehiwela and released on 15th Friday night. It is said he had been interrogated by uniformed personnel. Mr. Ragul Chandrakaran of Jampettha Street Colombo 13 and Mr. Muttiah Arasaratnam of Stace Road Grandpass Colombo 14 went missing on 10th Sunday were released on 16th Saturday. We do not know if they were 'arrested and kidnapped' by the police or by 'others'. We do not know if these victims paid extortion money for their release. There seems to be information but cannot be divulged due to the terrible fear. Few months before, Mr. Kandasamy Kamaladas boarded the bus to travel from Trincomalle to Colombo with his sick mother. Prior to their departure they were arrested at the Trincomalee bus stand and released in three hours at Trincomalee police station. Later they traveled to Colombo by the night train from Trincomalee. When the train approached Ragama railway station north of Colombo at 5 am on September, 12th, 2007, few tough men entered Kamaladas's compartment. They then forcefully abducted him out of the station and put into a waiting white van. They took Kamaladas�s mother too in the van and she was thrown out of the van halfway. His crying sick mother was abounded on the street in that early time of the day relatively in an unknown location. His mother reached Colombo with the support of people of the area and reported to the CMC. When the news reached at the international level, Kamaladas was released blind folded somewhere near Dambulla closer to Polannaruwa on the third day of his abduction. During his detention Kamaladas had been kept in a place where many other such captives are being detained. He was released after severe interrogation. Chinnathamby Subesan aged 30 staying at Kinniya Lodge, Maligakande, Colombo 10 has been abducted from his place of stay at 7 pm on 14th February by uniformed armed men. A complaint has been made at Colombo's Maradana police and he is still missing. Mr. Asirwatham Suryakumar aged 22 of 134/295 Stace Road Colombo 14 had been abducted by armed men came in a white van by 12 pm 17th Sunday at Kosgas Junction, closer to the Grandpass police. Abductors had blocked his motorbike and pulled him inside the van. The motor bike which was found on the road side is now kept at the Grandpass police. He is also still missing leaving behind his aged parents and physically handicapped brother. Civil Monitoring Commission is prepared to extent all cooperation to the police for the implementation of law and order. Parliament makes laws for this purpose. Therefore the police are armed with law of the land to arrest any person. The law permits them to conduct such operations. But we in the Civil Monitoring Commission fail to understand what it is stopping the IGP in conducting arrest and interrogation in the acceptable manner instead of picking people randomly without any care for their human rights. We do not understand why the particular citizens of this country are treated like stray dogs and cattle? We fail to understand what it is stopping the IGP in conducting arrest and interrogation in the acceptable manner? We do not understand the lack of total coordination between various agencies of the defense organ of the state? Is it deliberately done on purpose to put fear into the minds of Tamil Citizens?"

22 February 2008

Tiger rebels say Sri Lankan jets kill civilians

Tamil Tiger rebels said Sri Lankan government fighter jets killed five civilians in an air raid on their northern stronghold on Friday.Fighting between the military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has intensified since the government formally pulled out of a six-year-old ceasefire pact in January, though a renewed war has been raging since 2006.The Air Force said it had bombed and destroyed an isolated rebel boat yard in the village of Kiranchi, west of the Tigers' de facto capital of Kilinochchi, on Friday morning. It declined to comment on the Tiger assertion.Five civilians were killed and seven more were injured, two of them critically, when Sri Lanka bombed a coastal civilian settlement in the Kiranchi area," the Tigers' Peace Secretariat said in an email.The Tigers were not immediately contactable by telephone.As with a Defense Ministry claim that troops killed 92 rebels in a northern offensive earlier this week and tolls from countless clashes in recent months, there was no independent confirmation of what happened or how many people were killed.President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government argues the Tigers used the truce to re-arm and were not sincere about talking peace. It has vowed to crush them militarily, and has captured large swathes of rebel-held territory in the east.But analysts say neither side is winning, with the Tigers regularly hitting back with suicide attacks and roadside bombs.The violence hurt tourist arrivals last year, which fell 12 percent from a year earlier, while the stock market slid nearly 7 percent in 2007, with some businesses shelving investment plans.The latest fighting came as U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Angela Kane visited the Indian Ocean island nation to assess world the body's operations for Secretary General Ban ki-Moon.It also came a day after U.S.-based Human Rights Watch called on the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions on the Tigers and a splinter faction seen as allied to the government for using children as soldiers.Human Rights Watch also called on the Security Council to publicly condemn the Sri Lankan government, saying it was failing to investigate cases of child abduction and recruitment in territory it controls.It also wants the government reprimanded, accusing elements of the security forces of complicity in abduction of children by the splinter 'Karuna' faction, which analysts say helped the government to evict the Tigers from the east.

International Crisis Group asks LTTE to give up separatism

An international peace advocacy group has asked the Tamil Tiger rebels to eschew terrorism, formally abandon separatism, and announce an intention to negotiate a political settlement within a united Sri Lanka. The Brussels-based International Crisis Group (ICG) in its latest report on Sri Lanka, called upon the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to "cease all attacks on civilians, suicide bombings, forced recruitment, and repression of media freedom and political dissent, and respect fully, international human rights and humanitarian law." It went on to urge the LTTE to "abandon publicly, the demand for an independent Tamil state (Eelam), and announce willingness to negotiate within the framework of a united Sri Lanka."The ICG asked the Sri Lankan government to conduct its military operations in strict accordance with international law, guarantee full and prompt access for UN agencies and humanitarian organizations with adequate supplies, to LTTE-controlled areas. It urged the government to defend UN agencies and international humanitarian organizations against "unfounded" allegations by hard line politicians and accept the call for setting up a country office of the UN Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR).Turning to the political side of the Sri Lankan crisis, the ICG appealed to President Mahinda Rajapaksa to fulfil his promise to fully implement the 13th amendment of the Sri Lankan constitution, so that the people of the north and east could enjoy the envisaged degree of autonomy. It asked the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) to submit its proposals for devolution of powers (beyond what is envisaged in the 13th amendment) by the Sinhalese and Tamil New Year' day this year, that is by mid-April. On the role of the international community including India, the US and the donors, the ICG said it should accept the fact that the peace process initiated in February 2002 had run its course, and that a new bid for peace was needed. The restart of hostilities in 2006 and the subsequent unilateral abandonment of the ceasefire agreement by the Sri Lankan government, had nullified the 2002 peace process.The report recognized that peace broker Norway had ceased to enjoy the confidence of the Sri Lankan government and the polity of south Sri Lanka, for its alleged tilt towards the LTTE.Sri Lanka's donors (US, EU, Norway and Japan who were the co-chairs of the 2003 Tokyo donors conference) should realize that they could no longer play the role of peacemakers, the ICG said."There needs to be deepened cooperation between India, the EU, and the US with the goal of eventually developing a more politically powerful contact group," it suggested.The international community should, however, convince the Sri Lankan government to accept a fully staffed UNHCHR office, able to monitor and report on rights violations throughout the country.The international community should also support efforts to bring about a power sharing system that would address the legitimate grievances of the minorities; monitor the implementation of the power sharing system envisaged in the 13th amendment; and urge the APRC to submit its proposals by mid April. The ICG urged Britain to prosecute Col. Karuna, former leader of the militant group Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), for alleged war crimes. Karuna, who had broken away from the LTTE in 2004 and set up the pro-government TMVP, is currently serving a jail term in Britain for violation of passport and visa rules. To the United Nations, the ICG said that it should recommend targeted sanctions against the LTTE and TMVP for continued recruitment of children and their use in military combat.

CPA withdraws from monitoring Batticaloa elections 

Pointing out that armed groups are allowed to participate in the forthcoming local council elections in Batticaloa, Colombo based Centre for Policy Alternative(CPA) headed by Dr.Pakyasothy Saravanamuthu announced Thursday that it is withdrawing from monitoring election related acts of violence in the district, civil society sources in Colombo said. Just and fair elections cannot be conducted under the current situation prevailing in the region and it will not be possible to independently monitor the elections, CPA sources said.CPA however has agreed to publish a report on the incidences of election violences in the district one week prior to the elections as well as a week after the election is over.The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence (CMEV) in a report issued Monday had expressed concerns of "continuing trend of paramilitary activity, reports of abduction, extra-judicial execution, intimidation and extortion attributed to 'unidentified armed men' and the inability of the law enforcement agencies to pursue investigations." Elections will be held on March 10 for the Batticaloa Municipal Council and the Pradesheeya Sabhas of Earavoorpattu, Koralaippattu, Koralaippattu North, Eruvilpattu, Manmunaipattu West, Manmunai Southwest, Poaratheevupattu, and Manmunai South. According to Assistant Commissioner of Elections, T. Krishnananthalingam, a total of 270,041 voters are eligible to vote in 285 polling stations at these elections.

Ranil wants Sripathi’s death investigated
   
Stating that Mr. Sripathi Sooriarachchi’s widow had voiced suspicions regarding the manner of her husband’s tragic death, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe called for an inquiry into it, in Parliament, yesterday. Mr. Wickremesinghe made this call when Jaffna District MP K. Sivanesan (TNA) raised a privilege issue, alleging that he had been harassed by security forces personnel, on the A9 highway, while he was on his way to Colombo on Tuesday. He said that he had been held for an hour and sniffer dogs had been used to check his vehicle The Opposition Leader pointed out that several MPs, including M/s Joseph Pararajasingham, Raviraj and T. Maheshwaran had been killed, but no proper inquires had been made to bring the culprits to book.“In addition to all this, Mr. Sooriarachchi’s wife has expressed suspicions regarding his death;  an inquiry should be held into this,” he said. Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, who responded to Mr. Sivanesan’s complaint, said that vehicles which come from Kilinochchi had to be subjected to security checks, as arms and ammunition which are used to cause destruction in the south are brought from this LTTE controlled area. He also explained that even ministers’ vehicles are subjected to security checks when they come to Parliament.

Soldier in alleged sexual harassment

Cinnamon Gardens police produced a soldier attached to the army band, before the Colombo Chief Magistrate Nishantha Hapuarachchi, on a complaint of alleged sexual harassment of a female undergraduate on Poya Day.It was alleged that the undergraduate was walking along the pavement on Reid Avenue towards Thummulla Junction, when she was accosted by the suspect who had been hiding inside an electronic teller machine cubicle near College House. The suspect had suddenly jumped on the undergraduate and attempted to molest her. When she raised cries passers-by had gathered there and rescued her and advised her to go to the police. As she was proceeding towards the police station, the suspect who had followed her had caught and embraced her. The undergraduate who gathered at the scene of the incident had rescued her and handed him over to the police. The Magistrate enlarged the suspect, Pathirage Kankani Buddika Karunaratne of Pahala Kosgama, on Rs 100,000 personal bail.

Govt. Minister backing Muslim armed group in East:UTHR
   
An international rights group has alleged that a Muslim armed group operating in the East with the backing of a Muslim Government Minister from the area was attempting to intimidate the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC).The University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR) in a public report said the impunity different armed groups enjoyed in the East was directly linked to the political backing they commanded. “Their affiliations also vary with their history. The police have acted against some and others they have not touched,” it claimed.“The government minister uses his armed men to intimidate the SLMC and reportedly to settle Muslims on land in Karuvakkeni where there is a running dispute with the Tamils in which the TMVP is also getting involved,” the UTHR said.It said the Muslim armed groups were raised to fight the LTTE and were trained by the TMVP. A leading figure of the group identified as Auto Kaleel, was a young boy attached to the LTTE intelligence. He ran away and surrendered to the Army and worked for them when the LTTE turned on the Muslims in 1990,” it said.“In 2006 the army intelligence used him to recruit scores of Muslims to be trained by Mangalan Master of the TMVP to assist the Army in ‘liberating the East’. In 2007 they moved away from the TMVP and Kaleel and his followers took on a facing of religious zeal. He was named as the leader of the gang responsible for the ritual murder of the 15-year-old girl Hidaya who was abused by a number of people, “ the UTHR said.  Commenting on the upcoming Batticaloa polls, the UTHR quoted local sources as saying that the vast majority of TMVP candidates were contesting under duress. One of the early reports said all the men of standing had changed their residences to dodge the TMVP which wanted them to contest on its behalf. In Valaichchenai, according to UTHR, the TMVP forced an ordinary man Kunalaraj to stand for election by taking away his identity card so that he could not run away. In Mandur, a painter known as Ravi was forced to stand for election. Two policemen were imposed on him for his security. Ravi said he could not stay at home as he had to earn a living. So when he goes out to work, two policemen go with him, watch him paint the whole day and they all go home. The UTHR also says child conscription, by both the Karuna and Pillayan groups, continued although relatively few cases came to light as they occurred mostly in poor areas and people were scared to speak out as the Government was party to them.

Shutdown paralyses Kaaththaankudi 

A shutdown launched Thursday in Kaaththaankudi in Batticaloa district in protest against activities of Suffi sect Muslims by orthodox Muslims paralyzed Kaaththaankudi, with all private and public institutions closed, sources in Kaaththaankudi said. The protest was triggered by the return of Sufi sect Muslims who visited their head quarters in Kaaththaankudi with heavy police escort, following the verdict of Colombo Supreme Court in favour of their writ application requesting rights to engage in their religious activities in Kaaththaankudi, the sources added. Policemen in large numbers were deployed along Kaaththaankudi Main Street while all private and public institutions including schools, shops and market remained closed.The remains of M. S. Abdul Payilvan, a leader of the Suffi sect were interned last year in his head office amidst vehement protests by the orthodox Muslims.The orthodox Muslims launched a shut down protest which lasted for ten days.The Special Judge from Colombo, Mohamed Isardeen, after holding inquiries 15 December 2006 morning, ordered Payilvan's remains to be exhumed and interred in the common Muslim Burial grounds. The Judge also directed the Police to demolish the Tharikathul Muflieen building of the Suffi sect as it had been built without the necessary permission of Kathankudy Town Council.Following this incident around 250 members of the Suffi sect left Kaaththaankudi and lived in other villages until they returned Thursday to Kaaththaankudi and visited their sect head office with police escort.They went back to their present residences after visiting their head office in Kaaththaankudi.The Muslim Ullama Board, the Muslim Religious Authority in Sri Lanka, had declared that the Suffi sect members were not true Muslims but converts.Orthodox Muslims of Kaathhtaankudi consistently maintain that the Suffi sect members should not be allowed to engage in any activity in Kaaththaankudi.Postal voting in Kaathaankudi was interrupted by Thursday shut down but transport services in the area functioned normally.

Sri Lankan Navy opens fire on Indian fishermen
 
Sri Lankan Navy personnel Yesterday opened fire on Indian fishermen who were engaged in fishing within the territorial waters of the island nation between Talaimannar and Katchativu, sources said.Nobody was injured in the incident, they said.The Navy personnel who had come in "gas-operated boats", fitted with automatic guns, opened fire at the fishermen. Scared fishermen fled the place, some seven nautical miles from the maritime border, and returned to Dhanushkodi near here, the sources said.Meanwhile, three refugees arrived here after being dropped at an islet in the sea by the Sri Lankan ferry operators. The refugees who were told that the islet was Rameswaram, were rescued by the Indian fishermen and brought here.They had paid Rs 24,000 as ferry charges. The refugees were sent to Mandapam transit camp after initial enquiries, they added.

Prabha is adept and resilient - Blake

LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran who has shown himself to be adept and resilient continues to be so, US Ambassador Robert Blake said in an interview this week.According to a transcript posted on the US embassy website, the outspoken US envoy in an interview with the TV business programme Benchmark has raised doubts over the possibility of capturing the elusive rebel leader alive. But Mr. Blake said he felt if Prabhakaran was captured and extradited to India he would be given a fair trial for his involvement in the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Ghandhi.“Prabhakaran has survived now since the late seventies.  He has shown himself to be very adapt and very resilient, and I think he continues to be so.  We certainly don’t have any great affection for Prabhakaran.  But we think the ultimate answer lies, as I said, in a political solution, and that is why we are encouraging the government to pursue that path,” Ambassador Blake said.“He is widely believed to have been responsible for the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, so certainly I think that would be fine.  I am sure that he would get a fair trail in India.  We would have no concerns about that.  The question is: are you going to be able to capture him alive or not?  And I’m not sure if that is possible or not.”The US envoy also says any move to ban the LTTE in Sri Lanka might be interpreted in the international community as taking a further step away from any kind of a political solution. “I am not sure that the government really gains much by banning the LTTE at this stage.  I think they have already made their point…But, obviously, it is up to the government to decide what to do,” he said.Meanwhile Mr. Blake stressed the US will continue to help Sri Lanka to stop the LTTE in whatever way they can recalling that even the Hillary Clinton campaign recently announced that they would not accept any kind of campaign contributions from anybody who might have a link to the LTTE.

21 February 2008

Tamil separatists hail Kosovo's independence declaration
        
Separatist Sri Lankan Tamils have hailed the emergence of an independent Kosovo with Western support, saying it augurs well for the liberation of "oppressed" minorities like the Tamils of northeast Sri Lanka. Most Sri Lankans do not relish the prospect of their small island country breaking up on the prodding of powerful Western nations. But while radicals like the Janatha Vimukthi Permuna (JVP) would like the Mahinda Rajapaksa government to take a strong anti-West stance, the liberals are urging restraint on the plea that belligerence will only provoke the West to side with the Tamil separatists when it comes to the crunch. In its editorial, the Colombo-based radical Tamil daily Sudar Oli said it was not surprising that the Sri Lankan government was the first to condemn Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) Sunday. The paper pointed out that not only Sri Lanka but other nations that faced the prospect of oppressed minority groups seceding had also got the jitters and condemned Kosovo's emergence as an independent state. It was noteworthy that Kosovo's UDI had the backing of the US and Europe, the paper said. It then went on to argue that Russia, Serbia and other nations opposed to the emergence of Kosovo as an independent country would not be able to prevent it. "Kosovo's independence is a historical necessity, an unavoidable event," Sudar Oli asserted in the editorial. Colombo, which dubbed the UDI as a grave threat, was aware that if Kosovo - with 4,200 sq miles and a population of two million - could be independent, 'Tamil Eelam' - with 7,500 sq miles and a population of four million - would have a stronger case for seeking autonomy, Sudar Oli said. Moreover, the Tamils of the Sri Lanka's north and east had declared independence as their goal way back in 1977 and had made that known to the international community. With a separate language and culture and a distinct territorial homeland, Sri Lankan Tamils had all the attributes to constitute a nation state, but the Sri Lankan state had suppressed and oppressed them, the daily said. It was not surprising that the Sri Lankan state was unable to digest the liberation of the people of Kosovo whose attributes and claims were similar to those of the Tamils of Sri Lanka, it added. "Kosovo shows that the chains of oppression will not last and that some day, they will break," the Tamil paper said.Noting that powerful and rich nations like the US, were supporting Kosovo's UDI, the liberal daily The Morning Leader said Kosovo was a "dangerous parallel" for Sri Lanka, a view shared by most Sri Lankans. Even though the Western powers unequivocally declare that they stand for a united Sri Lanka with devolutionary powers granted to the minorities, these nations also criticize Sri Lanka severely for not delivering its promises on human rights, the paper said.The UN too is displeased and has sent a special envoy to Sri Lanka to study the ground situation in the conflict-ridden country, it pointed out. "Serbia serves as a good precedent on what happens to a country which falls foul of the Western powers, which are called the international community. "The Western powers have dispensed with the time honoured laws and conventions regarding international relations of the Cold War era and are even willing to bypass the UN Charter if they wish to. "Recognition of Kosovo, a part of Serbia, as a sovereign state is the latest example," the Colombo-based weekly paper said. Not even mighty Russia can prevent the independence of Kosovo short of going to war, the paper warned."Thus the Rajapaksa regime should take heed not to take on these nations, however much it might boost the macho Rajapaksa image, with rustic yokels. "Placed in this situation, very delicate diplomacy is called for - not that of a Hambantota buffalo in a pottery shop variety," the paper said. "President Rajapaksa has shown that he is a Dale Carnegie, able to make friends and influence people. The president should exercise these talents in the field of diplomacy which would be enormously beneficial to the country," The Morning Leader urged.

Bunker battles kill 48 in Sri Lanka: military

At least 46 Tamil Tiger rebels and two government soldiers have died in intense battles for a bunker line in northern Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said Thursday.Government forces destroyed five bunkers held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during fighting on Wednesday afternoon, a ministry statement said.Thirteen guerrillas fell in one battle and 30 in a second confrontation in the Mannar region. Three more rebels were killed by army snipers in the same area, the ministry said.The clashes came hours after suspected rebels hit in the deep south, away from the usual conflict zone, killing three soldiers guarding a highway in Buttala, 350 kilometres (220 miles) south of the Tiger's de facto state.Meanwhile, the rebels issued a statement accusing government forces of using artillery in civilian areas inside rebel-held territory, injuring children and farmers."Tamil civilians ... are paying dearly for the constant shelling by the Sri Lanka military. Thousands of families have (been) displaced from their homes," the LTTE said. According to the defence ministry, 1,404 rebels have been killed so far this year. The military estimates the rebel strength at 5,000 combatants.The military said 82 soldiers and police have been killed since the beginning of the year.Casualty figures provided by both sides differ wildly and cannot be independently verified since the government bars journalists and human rights workers from frontline and rebel-held areas.The Sri Lankan government last month officially pulled out of a truce with the rebels, who have fought for more than three decades for an independent ethnic homeland in the Sinhalese-majority island.

International intelligence service avoids providing information to Sri Lanka state. Says Gota is responsible for damages after December 31

'Lanka-e-News' learns that the joint intelligence operation of five states has stopped providing information to Sri Lanka since December 31 due to the latter's poor corporation and the inaction based on the provided information.DIGOS project was launched with Euro 300 million investment not for the benefit of Sri Lanka but for safeguarding their own countries from LTTE activities. However, Sri Lanka was immensely advantaged by the exchanged information. It is reported that Colombo city was well guarded with these information and the bomb explosions in the city and the LTTE activities all over the country increased after the discontinuation of the intelligence service. The sources of the intelligence service say that they sent the final notice to the Government on December 31 and they now have suspicions over the authenticity of the Government's declared ambition to win the war. The intelligence service further states that the killings of UNP MP T. Maheswaran and Minister D. M. Disanayaka were conducted by non-LTTE sectors.DIGOS sought only one official from Sri Lanka Police to work with them with a pledge for free training and high-tec equipment. However, the Secretary of the Ministry of Defense has recommended an official of the Army, which is under Brigadier Hendawitharana. Army intelligence is lacking credibility after a official who was sent for a foreign mission was caught while selling intelligence data to a third party in secret connivance with an official of the Sri Lanka embassy of that country. The intelligence service contacted the Inspector General of Police as well but with no avail because the IGP could not surpass the powers of the Defense Secretary. The result of this tug of war was the intelligence service's change of attitude towards Sri Lanka.DIGOS officials say that the Defense Secretary is responsible for the incidents after December 31 since the country suffered a loss due to egos of individuals.A Minister who is a close associate of the President was also informed of the issue but his voice also was subdued in the shriek of the individuals who claim to have super powers.

Sri Lanka Keeps Key Rate Unchanged at 5 1/2-Year High

Sri Lanka's central bank kept its benchmark interest rate at a 5 1/2-year high in a bid to cool inflation without jeopardizing economic growth. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka maintained its repurchase rate at 10.5 percent for a 12th straight meeting, the Colombo- based bank said in a statement today. All 12 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News predicted the decision. Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal is trying to revive the island's $27 billion economy, after growth slowed to an estimated 6.7 percent in 2007 from 7.4 percent in 2006 amid escalating fighting between government forces and Tamil rebels. Interest rates are ``sufficient'' to control inflation, which will begin to slow in the second half of this year, Cabraal said in a Feb. 4 interview. ``The central bank's priority is to maintain economic growth,'' said Danushka Samarasinghe, research manager at Asia Securities Co. in Colombo. ``Higher interest rates may also have limited impact on inflation'' as consumer price gains are being driven by higher oil and food costs. The central bank in November forecast the economy to grow between 7 percent and 7.5 percent this year, the fastest pace in three decades, as the government spends money to rebuild the eastern region captured from the Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam rebels in July. Fighting has intensified after the government ended a 2002 cease-fire with the rebels on Jan. 16. The South Asian nation needs to rein in inflation to achieve 7 percent economic growth this year, Cabraal said Jan 2.

U.S. Slowdown

Manufacturers across Asia are facing slower demand for their products amid signs the U.S., the region's largest export market, is heading for a recession. Higher prices are preventing central banks in the region from following the U.S. Federal Reserve in reducing borrowing costs. Standard & Poor's last week lowered its outlook on Sri Lanka's credit rating to ``negative,'' citing weakening state finances and fallout from the end of the truce. A negative outlook increases the country's chances of a rating downgrade.``Given that inflation risks remain squarely biased to the upside we think that policy should be tightened and are penciling in 75 basis points worth of hikes during the course of the year,'' said Prakriti Sofat, an economist at HSBC Holdings Plc in Singapore. ``However the increasing uncertainty regarding the U.S. outlook could make the central bank less aggressive in hiking.''

Credit Growth

The yield on the note due March 2009 with a coupon of 7.5 percent was little changed at 18.5 percent at 9:05 a.m. in Colombo, according to First Capital Treasuries Ltd. The rupee was holding at 107.85 to the dollar. A basis point is 0.01 percentage point. The central bank is keeping monetary policy tight with its daily open-market operations to adjust the amount of cash in the banking system and controlling credit demand. Credit growth in Sri Lanka's private sector, including consumers, slowed to 19.3 percent in December, compared with 24 percent a year earlier, according to the central bank. The central bank said credit to state companies is expected ``to improve'' this year. Higher oil prices are one of the ``main risks and difficulties we are facing,'' Cabraal said on Feb. 4. State-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corp. and Lanka IOC Ltd., the Sri Lankan unit of Indian Oil Corp., raised fuel prices on Jan. 13 for the first time in almost six months to cut losses caused by record oil costs. ``Inflation is expected to moderate to lower levels during the second half of the year with the further containment of demand pressures as well as the phasing out of the one-off impact of the removal of fuel subsidies,'' the central bank said in today's statement.

UN - Sanction LTTE, Karuna group for child soldiers

The UN Security Council should impose sanctions on armed groups in Sri Lanka for using children in their forces, Human Rights Watch said today. The UN Security Council's working group on children and armed conflict meets today for the second time since February 2007 to consider violations against children committed by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Sri Lankan government forces, and the Karuna group, an armed group that split from the LTTE in 2004 and now cooperates with Sri Lankan forces. 'The LTTE and the Karuna group continue to use children to fight their battles in clear violation of international law and Security Council resolutions,' said Jo Becker, children's rights advocate at Human Rights Watch. 'The Security Council should punish their brazen violations with concrete action.' Human Rights Watch also called upon the UN Security Council to publicly condemn the Sri Lankan government for failing to investigate cases of child abduction and recruitment in government-controlled territory, and the complicity of its security forces in abductions by the Karuna group. Human Rights Watch urged the Security Council to give both the LTTE and the Karuna group 30 days to release all children in their ranks and end all new recruitment. If they fail to do so, the Security Council should impose arms embargoes, and travel bans and asset freezes on the leadership. Human Rights Watch noted that while reported cases of child recruitment by the LTTE have dropped significantly over the past nine months, the LTTE failed to release all children from its ranks by December 31, 2007, a deadline it agreed to under the terms of an action plan signed on October 15, 2007. On January 31, 2008, UNICEF reported 1,430 outstanding cases of LTTE child recruitment, including at least 196 children still under the age of 18 in the LTTE ranks. 'The LTTE has ignored repeated appeals to end its use of child soldiers,' said Becker. 'The time for Security Council action is now.' In a report on children and armed conflict worldwide made public in January, the UN secretary-general listed the LTTE for the fifth consecutive time since 2002 for violating international standards regarding the recruitment and use of child soldiers. It listed the Karuna group for the second time. In a separate report specifically on Sri Lanka issued in December, the secretary-general noted that the Karuna group continued to abduct children, and had failed to effectively engage with the United Nations to end child recruitment. Human Rights Watch is recommending Security Council sanctions against the Karuna group for the first time, due to its continual violations of international standards. 'The UN has put the Karuna group on notice, but the Karuna group has refused to end its recruitment and use of child soldiers,' said Becker. 'It must be held accountable for these continuing violations.' Human Rights Watch also criticized the Sri Lankan government for failing to thoroughly investigate cases of abduction and complicity of security forces in child abduction by the Karuna group. Reports by the secretary-general, the Special Advisor to the Special Representative to the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict Allan Rock, and Human Rights Watch have all found complicity by Sri Lankan security forces in the abduction of children by the Karuna group. The secretary-general's report on Sri Lanka found that children continue to be sighted in government-controlled territory and at the offices of the Karuna group's political party, the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). Members of a government committee appointed by Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe to investigate abductions and child recruitment visited Batticaloa last week, but reportedly met only with government officials and stayed for only four hours. 'For over a year, the Sri Lankan government has been promising to investigate the well-documented complicity between its own forces and the abduction of children by the Karuna group,' said Becker. 'Its failure to conduct a credible investigation in a timely way is simply unacceptable.'

Lankan refugees arrive in Rameswaram

Three Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, including a three-year-old girl, arrived at Arichamunai coast, following fierce fight between the Sri Lankan forces and LTTE in the island nation today.Police sources said the trio Dhava Selvi (27), her daughter Thrisa (3) and younger brother Anthony Doss (19), hailing from Vavuniya in Sri Lanka arrived here with the help of a clandestine boat operator after paying Rs 12,000. The intelligence sleuths and the local police interrogated them.

Top UN official Kane to assess situation in SL
   
A senior United Nations official was scheduled to arrive in the country yesterday on a week-long mission to examine the world body’s work in the island after a request from Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a UN statement said.The visit by Angela Kane, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, is part of her regular consultations in the areas of her responsibility, according to a statement issued by the Secretary-General’s spokesperson. “The primary purpose of her visit is to review the work of the United Nations country team in Sri Lanka,” the statement said of Ms. Kane’s upcoming visit, which follows a mission to the South Asian nation she made in February last year.Ms Kane is expected to meet with government and opposition officials during her visit including UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasingha.She will also visit Batticaloa during her stay but will not tour conflict affected areas in the North including LTTE controlled territory in the Wanni where the UN has its offices and projects. In January, the Government withdrew from a 2002 ceasefire agreement that had halted a decades-long conflict with the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). “The only way to stop further violence in Sri Lanka is through dialogue,” the Secretary-General said in a statement last month. He also urged the parties concerned “to undertake genuine efforts to achieve a peaceful negotiated settlement to the conflict.”

Batti Postal voting today

Batticaloa go to polls as a total of 934 persons eligible to exercise their franchise in the postal voting on today and tomorrow at 72 polling centers to elect 101 members from nine local councils in Batticaloa District.Security had been increased around state institutions and two policemen have been assigned for each candidate' security. All arrangements have been finalized for making the election process transparent and peaceful in the Batticaloa district, Assistant Commissioner of Elections in Batticaloa District T. Krishnanandhalingam said.For the polls on Thursday and Friday 394 Postal vote packets have been sent to certifying officers responsible for fulfilling requirements regarding the postal vote. After the postal voting, ballot boxes will be sent to the returning officers before 4 p.m. on March 10. The Assistant Commissioner said 4,200 election staff is needed for polls duties. He said 26 counting centres will be set up under 26 chief counting officers. Accordingly 22 normal counting centres will be established with two to count postal votes and another two centres to count votes of the displaced will also be set up. Sri Lanka's largest election monitoring body,The PAFFREL (The People's Action for Free and Fair Elections), head Kingsley Rodrigo said over 100 local and foreign observers would monitor the polling process today. "We have deployed ten mobile groups for these two days," he further added.

Army lose 3 men in Buttala
 
Tigers operating in the Buttala jungles shot dead three soldiers at Dambakotte at 11 am on Wednesday. Army headquarters said the troops had mounted an operation in the area to track down the attackers. The LTTE carried out a series of attacks in the Moneragala district this year causing heavy civilian losses. Wednesday’s attack was the first major attack on the army deployed in support of police in the area. A senior army official said at least two attackers had been wounded in the confrontation.

Army's H'tota commanding officer transferred  
      
The Army's Commanding Officer of Hambantota, Brigadier Sudantha Perera, has been transferred immediately after three soldiers were killed by the LTTE at Dambakote on the Buttala-Kataragama road this morning (Feb. 20th), Defence Ministry sources say.He has been replaced by Colonel Devendra Perera as the head of the army in the area.Defence authorities are yet to make any arrests in connection with a spate of killings in Tissamaharama and attacks targeting army personnel in Buttala in recent months.

Army to raise 61st division       

The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) will soon raise the 61st division, raising the number of active divisions in the army to 13. The new division will mostly consist of soldiers recruited during the period of 2007-2008. The 61st division, like the 57th, 58th and 59th divisions, will be raised as an offensive formation, a concept of Major General Sarath Fonseka. The army has been running lengthy recruitment campaigns for the past two years backed by heavy advertising through electronic and printed media. According to our sources, the responses to these recruitment drives has so far been positive. 30000 personnel were newly recruited in the year 2007 alone and another 15000 are set to be recruited in the 2008. So far, 3000 personnel have joined the army during the past two months in year 2008.In news from the northern front, Military Intelligence has now confirmed that Prabhakaran's official photographer, "Thavam", has succumbed to his injuries in Kilinochchi hospital. It is believed he was seriously wounded in the Radha base bombing on the 14th. Thavam, who joined the LTTE in 1981, has been promoted to Lt Colonel rank, the second highest rank in LTTE hierarchy.Meanwhile on the 16th, several civilians in Mahakachchikodi alerted the security establishment of a possible LTTE infiltration in Erupothana region. A group of army soldiers who were dispatched to search the area came under hostile fire on the 17th. One soldier was killed in the incident. Yesterday (18th), a claymore mine was set off targeting an army Unibuffel in the same region. 3 soldiers were seriously wounded in the incident and the vehicle too received damages. Security has been tightened in the area following these incidents fearing Thanamalvila type attacks in the region.Another electricity transformer was blown up today at 2.00AM in the Mundalama area. This is the third transformer to be destroyed in the past few weeks. The electricity board is said to have incurred a LKR 15 million loss due to the destruction of these assets. LTTE are seemingly revisiting their terror tactics in the 2nd and 3rd Eelam wars in a bid to disrupt civilian life in the south.

20 February 2008

Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence a major boost for minority rights - Paul Willms Ex- MP Third Chamber of The Netherlands

Though many international entities are reserved to call it a victory for minority rights, fearing sharp criticism from countries which are dealing with separatist conflicts, the minorities whom are currently oppressed and are demanding their freedom and self-governance have shown satisfaction with the outcome of the Kosovo independence.The upcoming weeks will be a very tense period for the international community as severe discussions will emerge regarding the procedure of the independence of Kosovo and the impact of it on other historic conflicts, which are still awaiting to be resolved.Especially the conflicts within Georgia, Taiwan, Somaliland and Northern Sri Lanka will be in the picture, as these unique minorities are still expected to strengthen the process to exercise their legitimate right to self-determination, which in many of the cases would lead to a unilateral declaration of independence. Tamils in Sri Lanka are in heavy fighting with the Sri Lankan security forces for over three decades and have shown to be successful to carve out an independent state in the North and East of the island, as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam maintaining a de facto state that covers at least a 10% of the island (including the maritime border), that is no longer under the control of the national army. However international recognition under the current circumstances is unlikely to happen unless the Tamil leadership is prepared to implement a democratic system instead of the current military regime.For Taiwan this latest event is a major boost, as a former province of Serbia has been able to achieve independence and international recognition. China maintains a very dominant factor in the world politics that makes it most unlikely that Western nations are able, due to their economical interest, to recognise Taiwan. However the Taiwanese democratic system, which is acceptable to the Western world, is far more better if you compare it to the Chinese one and therefore deserves outright recognition by the West.Russia and China are very uncomfortable with this current situation and are likely to harden their stance regarding minority rights. However Russia will do its utmost best to assist its friendly populations in Georgia to break away in the same manner as Kosovo did but it is to be seen whether Russia has the capacity to influence the international community, as it has lost significant power in the international arena during the past decade.Nevertheless a rich history as the Ceylon Tamils have, so enjoy the Somali Landers, will lay the foundation for freedom to preserve their heritage and dignity. If a state chosen to oppress minority rights by policies which are blocking the expression of the minority's culture and equal power sharing, these are the perfect components for a struggle to emerge with an uncertain outcome.

Consensus among Sinhalese essential for a solution -By Satheesan Kumaaran

In regard to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, Sinhala politicians, community leaders, businessmen, NGOs, as well as Buddhist monks, need to arrive at a national consensus. The battle between the government and the LTTE has raged for more than three decades, taken the lives of over 80,000 and driven the country into a mire of economic and political disaster. All signs are that it may never return to normalcy. A lot of work and a bi-partisan approach are called for if any improvement of the situation is to be expected. In the recent past, with the escalation of Tamil Tigers' retaliatory guerrilla attacks against the Sri Lankan armed forces within the Tamil-dominated North and the resulting in heavy casualties, the Sinhalese in the south have begun to feel the consequences and the impact of the conflict. They are being condemned by many peace-lovers because of the disrespect for the value of human life. The prospect of true peace is nearly totally shattered now in the island nation because of the regular clashes between the government forces and the LTTE. Irrespective of religion, nationality or creed, people have become utterly helpless. The obstinate and arrogant attitude of the government that the ethnic crisis could be tackled militarily, instead of through negotiations, worsens the situation day by day. Instead of spending their time and energy on empty talk, it would do well for politicians to invest their time and energy in creating a peaceful atmosphere and building relations that would gradually instill confidence among the ethnic communities. Irresponsible words of politicians in Colombo will only add fuel to the flames of destruction engulfing Sri Lanka politically, economically, militarily, culturally and socially, rather than educate communities on the importance of co-existence. Both sides blame each other for violating the truce agreement, creating a sense of fear and apprehension amongst themselves. President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government has led the country to a catastrophe exacerbated by the abrogation of the ceasefire agreement in January 2008. Now, both parties are in direct military confrontation resulting in heavy civilians casualties on both sides. Sri Lankans need to take a leaf out of the books of other civilized countries, such as those in Europe, Australasia and North America who are dedicating their time, energy and other resources to the development of their countries to keep pace with the changing world. These countries have turned their attention to finding ways and means of saving themselves from global warming and in developing technologies to protect themselves and coming generations from natural disasters. As an island country, isolated in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka should be particularly interested in this phenomenon, but sadly enough, being engrossed in the obsession of fighting with each other, no one in Sri Lanka seems to be taking the real threats seriously. India, where the average literacy rate is much less than Sri Lanka, is surpassing Sri Lanka in science and technology. China, even with the ideology of communism, has become a major economic player in the international arena. Advances that Japan and Singapore have made in almost every sphere are out of reach for Sri Lanka. Ironically, Singapore once aspired to become a Sri Lanka in the late 1940s, when Sri Lanka produced great intellectuals; the people were politically and economically conscious, and excelled in many spheres. But, that has all changed and, as a result, Sri Lanka has lost out on being a popular destination of outsourcing by industrialised countries and in the area of information technology. Brain drain on a rapid scale is making Sri Lanka poorer by the day. It is tragic that the economy has come to be propped up by remittances from blue collar workers-maids and domestics slaving in West Asia and some European countries. During the past 50 years, the older generations of Sri Lankans have produced new generations with totally different perspectives and perceptions of the other ethnic communities and this has stood in the way of understanding and appreciation of each other. Instead of looking outwards, studying and acquiring knowledge of western philosophies and scientific knowledge, young Sri Lankans are only allowed to look inwards, focusing on their own Theravada Buddhist philosophy, ignoring the works of others and shutting out any fresh air and light of knowledge from external sources. Home made systems and remedies will not always work. Sri Lankan young people are often brain-washed into believing that any system representing European imperialist legacies should not be touched. The only exception seems to be cricket, which they have embraced. In contrast, Indians are receptive to new knowledge. Schools in India are more or less westernized. India is keeping their states united by offering them political rights through a system of quasi-federalism. One could argue, on the other hand, that Sri Lanka is declining and heading towards disaster. All politicians have their share of responsibility for this because Sri Lankan politicians have been interested only in their own political and/or financial agendas. They are capitalising on and exacerbating ethnic tensions and the resultant animosity to gain mileage. People in Sri Lanka, by and large, do not realise that what Sri Lankan politicians really want is to create a society of voiceless citizens remote-controlled by a bunch of politicians. The ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka between the Sinhalese and Tamil-speaking has been a creation by the Sinhala leaders. Sons and daughters are perishing in the battlegrounds after being forced to join the armed forces to make a living and support their families. The real casualty figures are hidden from the public. Although military and political bigwigs deny these reports, it has been happening not only in very recent times but also in the past. But, the truth cannot be concealed so easily. Will Sri Lanka be able to adopt liberal-thinking and achieve near normalcy and progression rather than destruction? The answer is a cautious yes and no. Integrity based on the foundation of respect is essential. Yes, if those in power and influence change their attitudes. This is a big task in the current culture that they are used to. Buddhist monks should perform their legitimate functions in disseminating the message of peace and co-existence among the communities. Community leaders should offer proper and responsible leadership. NGOs should create awareness among the different communities. Politicians need to sink their differences in the national interest. Political consensus must be reached to offer autonomy for all the minorities in the island and to reach out to them. Each community has unique demands and those demands should be met through peaceful means and through discussion. Tell the truth to the people and let freedom of speech and the media freedom prevail. A national consensus can only be achieved when the Sinhalese embrace the minorities and win their hearts and minds. This can only be done through fulfilling the demands of each of these communities.

(The author can be reached at e-mail: satheessan_kumaaran@yahoo.com)

Why MR cannot afford to ignore world opinion 

The Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Kosovo and its endorsement by the United States of America and powerful EU countries including Britain and France is set to blast the foundations upon which Sri Lanka now wages its war against both its own nationals and what some government officials like to call Western imperialists of the international community. The recognition of Kosovo's Independent status which US diplomats called well deserved by the majority Albanians, took place notwithstanding UN Resolution 1244 of 1999 which recognises Kosovo as part of Serbia and legally reaffirmed Serbia's sovereignty over the region.  

UDI endorsed

The endorsement went ahead despite the fact that Serbians counter accused Kosovars of ethnic genocide of some 200,000 Serbians who were a minority in the region. Over 90% of the two million Kosovar population are ethnic Albanian while an estimated 120,000 Serbs live in enclaves in the region. The Albanians are mainly secular Muslims, who do not want to be part of Serbia, a predominantly Christian Orthodox nation.But perhaps most significant of all was that international endorsement came despite the fact that the current leader of Kosovo, a former leader of the separatist army - the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), was earlier branded a terrorist. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia had even carried out investigations concerning the leadership of the disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army and its involvement in war crimes during the Kosovo conflict of 1998-1999.

LTTE and KLA

Just as much as Pirapaharan is now nothing more or less than a terrorist, just as much as the LTTE like the KLA is now nothing more than a terrorist organisation, so was the Kosovo leader and his disbanded party the KLA considered terrorist in nature at the time. This change in opinion is consistent with the concept that there are no permanent enemies only permanent interests. Likewise the Rajapakse regime while filing a report on Child Recruitment at the UN this week, will be studiously blind to the evidence put forward in the 2006 Alan Rock report of child recruitment by former TMVP Leader Karuna Amman. Karuna was once a ruthless terrorist and Pirapaharan's trusted hit man before he turned hit man for the government. During his LTTE days he killed in cold blood over 600 policemen and is said to have murdered hundreds of civilians.

Suffered enough 

Meanwhile many powerful states consider Kosovo's secession justified. Albanians have suffered enough they say. Certainly it is an international political trend that could have fractious repercussions for Sri Lanka in the future, notwithstanding the fact that some interested countries like Russia, China and obviously Serbia and Sri Lanka have opposed the UDI. The Rajapakse government, in the grip of hard line JVPers and a nationalistic Sinhala Buddhist majority is now ironically siding with the Christian Orthodox Serbs in opposing independence for the majority Muslim Albanians. This is even as the international community has been applying tremendous pressure on the government to address humanitarian concerns of crisis proportions, and to seek a viable political solution including acceptable devolution of power to the north and east. 

No return

With over 6000 dead in just 24 months, over 300,000 IDPs in the war affected areas and a military drive that the government vows to continue for as long as it takes to wipe out the LTTE, the Rajapakses now choose to traverse a path of no return. For the Albanians and the former KLA leaders there were perhaps other options such as the maximum autonomy within Serbia, just as much as for the minority Tamils and the LTTE there are devolution options including federalism. President Rajapakse has however whittled down the political package to a two decade old 13th Amendment already partially in force and his solutions are gradually becoming inverse proportional to the perceived short term military victories notched up.

Justifiable secession 

In the meantime Kosovo now looms large as a lesson for Sri Lanka. A lesson that there is a real danger in pursuing a course of action that would further legitimise a call for a separate state by the LTTE. A lesson that Sri Lanka should not precipitate a humanitarian situation so untenable, a call for secession will be seen as justifiable by the international community. Western officials and analysts now argue that the violence unleashed by late Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic in the region through the 1990s has taken away from Serbia any legitimacy to govern Kosovo. The violence led the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) to intervene militarily in 1999.Ironically Serbia's Foreign Minister points out that the international community must uphold international law and take into consideration the fact that it was his government that handed over Milosevic to the West to stand trial for war crimes. Obviously this was too little too late for Serbia.

UN is dead

However the Kosovo UDI also draws attention to the fact that vis-…-vis the world community, notwithstanding the ornamental United Nations body, Mahinda Rajapakse's hawkish policies and the culture of impunity that has been unleashed in Sri Lanka in the past two years may prove overwhelmingly toxic for even future governments. Future governments however democratic or benevolent may not be able to stop the forces of separatism nourished and nurtured by years of repression and human rights abuses, which may come into fruition long after repressive regimes and leaders are either no more, or dealt with according to international law as had been the case with Milosevic.  In the meantime the Sri Lanka military continues to claim that large numbers of Tigers are being daily massacred in the violence wracked north, even as hopes of a political solution fade away and the US, EU including Germany and India reiterate calls for a peaceful solution to the conflict that will address the legitimate grievances of the minorities.

It's the economy, stupid!

George Bush senior was at his euphoric best with an approval rating of over 80% in the aftermath of his successful military action in Kuwait when a relatively unknown Bill Clinton came bouncing into the presidential race with this slogan on the economy. The rest as they say is history. Today this country, despite the misplaced euphoria about the war some still harbour in their breasts, is facing one of its most devastating economic crises since independence. Sri Lanka's trade deficit has widened by nearly six percent to 3.56 billion dollars in 2007.  Fitch Ratings project Sri Lanka's growth rate slipping to 5.8 percent for the first time since 2004, and a BB- negative outlook as increasing interest rates and astronomical inflation strangles the economy and pushes out private investment.

More loans

The Rajapakse government is now compelled to call for proposals from foreign banks to raise another 300 million dollars from a syndicated loan similar to the controversial 500 million dollar five-year bond issue it raised at 8.25 percent with the help of JP Morgan, Barclays and HSBC in October last year. Last week Standard and Poor's slashed the outlook on Sri Lanka's B+ rating to negative from stable. The country's dismal economy only demonstrates that the Rajapakse bravado in isolating Sri Lanka from the international community and donor countries will have adverse repercussions in the long term. Already Britain and Germany have slashed aid packages to Sri Lanka while the US froze funds coming to Sri Lanka from the Millennium Challenge Account. Last week Germany's Economic Cooperation and Development Minister,ÿHeidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul in an interview to the highly respected Tages Spiegel newspaper in Germany vowed to demand from the EU that it withdraws the General System of Preference Plus offered to Sri Lanka if the Sri Lankan government continues to insist on a military option to the ethnic issue. She said Germany was withdrawing half of the personnel working in development cooperation and would close the office of the German Development Bank (Kreditanstalt fuer Wiederaufbau), because the security situation in Sri Lanka was very critical. Enforcing the weight of the words of German Minister Heidemarie's comments is the assertion in a recent interview to our sister paper The Sunday Leader by the Dutch Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Ambassador Reynout van Dijke. He pointed out that a politician's statement is internationally taken as being a government statement. "Any cabinet minister who expresses his or her opinion does so in the capacity of representing the government. In European governments, we take everything seriously. Any cabinet minister is taken seriously," he said commenting on an emerging trend in Sri Lanka where politicians make statements without accountability to parliament.

No money to thieves

Be that as it may, while Sri Lanka has lost the opportunity, US President George Bush on an official trip to Africa has already signed a compact to provide a $698 million grant to Tanzania. The US President also said he requested $30 billion over the next five years for a programme for AIDS Relief. Bush also told President Thomas Yayi Boni of Benin that he chose Benin to start his African tour because its leaders were determined to fight corruption and were careful to make sure US aid dollars were properly spent. "The United States wants to partner with leaders and their people, but we're not going to do so with people who steal money, pure and simple," Bush said. The United States has given Benin $307 million in a five-year grant to fight poverty, part of Bush's Millennium Challenge Account, which provides aid to countries that practice democratic principles and sound economic policy.

Unpalatable

Words that Sri Lanka will find unpalatable considering the fact that Millennium Challenge Account funds were lost to Sri Lanka due to its overall track record. This is even as Sri Lanka stands to lose its GSP + status due to governance and human rights issues as well.  Back in the region, Gen. Musharaff's defeat in Monday's polls may have an impact on Sri Lanka especially the in flow of arms to Sri Lanka from the Muslim nation.

Devolution only solution - CBK   
 
The only way to resolve Sri Lanka's national question is devolving power to the regions, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said.Speaking with BBC Sandeshaya on the 20 anniversary of the assassination of her husband, Vijaya Kumaratunga, she insisted that there is no military solution for the conflict. "The best tribute for Vijaya is to help finding a lasting political solution based on devolution of power," Mrs. Kumaratunga said. Her late husband, actor turned politician Mr. Kumaratunga who led an alliance of socialist parties, actively campaigned for a political solution to the national question. In the early eighties, together with his wife, he visited Chennai to meet Tamil militant leaders including LTTE Supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran who was staying in Tamil Nadu at the time.

Left-wing alliance leader

Vijaya Kumaratunga was assassinated by a gunman in front of his residence on 16 February 1988. Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), that opposed any devolution of power and was very critical of Mr. Kumaratunga's policies, is widely suspected of killing the popular politician. Mrs. Kumaratunga formed a government with the JVP in 2004 after sacking the United National Party (UNP) government that signed a wide ranging truce with the Tamil Tigers. Her decision to sack Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe’s government was widely regarded by the analysts as a step backward for the peace process. Mrs. Kumaratunga came to power in 1994 promising peace and development. There was a period of ceasefire since she came to power. Her attempts to amend Sri Lankan constitution introducing devolution of power were made fruitless as the amendment was rejected by the UNP in 1995.

'War for peace'

Two main Sinhala political parties argued over technalities leading once again the country to the full scale of war.The first woman executive president of Sri Lanka is accused of continuing with the war instead of actively trying to find a political solution during her 11-year rule. "War was thrusted upon us by the Tamil Tigers, and then I had no alternative," she told BBC Sinhala.com."We however, regularly maintained contacts with the LTTE in an attempt to restart negotiations," she said.The former president whose both parents were heads of state in Sri Lanka accused President Mahinda Rajapaksa's current administration of restarting the war.

Alliance with the JVP

When questioned that the current government did not attack the LTTE positions until after the repeated provocations by the LTTE including the attempted assassination of the Army Commander, Mrs. Kumaratunga said that was not true. The Rajapaksa administration, she said, attacked LTTE positions even during the talks between the parties.She was not trying to condone the assassination attempt on Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka, Mrs. Kumaratunga stressed.Mrs. Kumaratunga is of the opinion that current politicians in Sri Lanka are not interested in finding a lasting solution to the decades-long war. "It is not mere peace that is needed. Peace and humanity is what is currently lacking in Sri Lanka," she told BBC Sandeshaya."What Vijaya possessed and many politicians currently lacked is humanity".

JVP to ask people to boycott Indian products

If India fails to stop interfering in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka, the JVP would request the public to boycott Indian products, JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe told a rally in Anuradhapura.This was the first of a series of meetings to be held island wide requesting the Government to stop forthwith any idea of devolving power to the North and East and also give up any plan to stop the war against the LTTE."The JVP has spoken so much against separation and has always opposed any move to devolve power. We stand for a unitary State," Somawansa said.Referring to the UNP, he said the party had started a poster campaign which was what the JVP did in the late sixties. He said it would take at least another 40 years for the UNP to come to power. He called upon the UNP members to leave the party and join a respectable political party."Our valiant soldiers are fighting to save the country. People are suffering in the face of the rising cost of living. But the President is feasting. We have now begun a survey to find out how many friends and relations have been employed by the President. How many secretaries and advisors he has. This should be made known to the general public. When he came to power, the President said that he was only the caretaker of the country and not its owner. It was the JVP that urged the people to vote for Mahinda Rajapaksa while a section of the SLFP was undecided," Somawansa said.He reminded the crowd what the Government was trying to introduce to the North and East was rejected by the people when it was introduced in 1987 and recalled that Mrs Bandaranaike performed a satyakriya against the 13th Amendment.

Five home guards held over pastor’s killing

A special team from the Ampara Police yesterday arrested five home guards over the killing of Pentecostal pastor, 37-year-old Neil Samson Edirisinghe. Two armed men who raided the Pentecostal Church on Sunday night shot dead the pastor and seriously injured a woman who happened to be in the Church at that time. She is now warded in the Intensive Care Unit of the Ampara Hospital.According to initial investigations the husband of the injured woman had contracted the suspects to carry out the killing. He has promised Rs 100,000 and had given them an advance of Rs 20,000. Investigations are continuing under the direction of DIG Rienzi Perera.

Getting Prabhakaran-by Raj Chengappa(India Today)

The Sri Lankan Army Headquarters in the heart of Colombo is among the most heavily fortified complexes in the country. To get to the office of Lieutenant-General Sarath Fonseka, commander of the army, one has to go through a confusing maze of security checks.For good reason-a year and a half ago, a suicide bomb attack inside the headquarters by a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) saw Fonseka seriously injured and hospitalised for months.Yet, that only steeled his resolve to wipe out the world's most ruthless terrorist organisation, whose members parade themselves as freedom fighters for Sri Lanka's minority Tamil population.(Tamils form 23 per cent of the 20-million-strong population and LTTE has been waging a 30-year war for a separate homeland for them.) Since then, Fonseka and his 1.6-lakh-strong army have inflicted body blows on LTTE.In less than a year-and-a-half, the army has wrested control of seven districts in the east and the west, which LTTE had previously controlled.The Tigers now have effective control over only two districts-Killinochchi and Mullaitivu in the north. This is a rump compared to the vast stretches of coastline where their writ once ran.The armed forces also recently succeeded in killing two of LTTE's toprung leaders-Tamil Selvam, the political head, and Shanmuganathan Ravishankar alias Charles, the military intelligence chief-in surprise strikes.They narrowly missed striking the feared chief Velupillai Prabhakaran in late December, when the Air Force scored a direct hit on a bunker, known as X-ray, that he frequented.When he didn't make an appearance at Charles's funeral, they suspected Prabhakaran was injured. Subsequently, intelligence believes that he is alive and in full command of his forces.Fonseka and his army are not willing to allow that position to continue for long. With Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse formally putting to an end, on January 16, the tattered Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) that a previous government had entered into with LTTE in 2002, the armed forces have stepped up their campaign to tighten the noose they had thrown around the Tiger's last bastion.In a major offensive, Fonseka has lined up five of the 12 divisions of his army to engage Prabhakaran and the LTTE army in a decisive operation to wipe out the organisation.The commander, who announced a policy of killing at least 10 Tiger cadres a day, boasts that of late, he has been able to double that number. With the LTTE army reduced to 3,000-5,000, Fonseka calculates that it can be wiped out in less than a year.To ensure that he meets the target, Fonseka has brought under siege the dense Wanni jungles that act like a natural fortress to the two remaining districts under LTTE's control.He has spent a good deal of time and money in training and equipping his men to fight like the Tigers. Breaking up his battalions into deep penetration units adept at guerrilla warfare, he has surprised LTTE by the capacity of his army to inflict maximum damage with minimum casualties.To stretch LTTE's defences, he has launched a four-pronged attack coming in from all directions (see chart). While the Tigers engage in conventional warfare by firing mortar, Fonseka's army moves in small bands of killer units, laying booby traps, gathering intelligence and destroying infrastructure like bridges and communication lines.Fonseka, who is not willing to rush in and strike, says, "We are taking the territory inch by inch and foot by foot while inflicting heavy casualties on them. It's only a matter of time before LTTE begins to wilt."Part of the army's strategy is to step up attacks on all LTTE leaders, with Prabhakaran being on top of the list. As Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse-the President's younger brother" says, "LTTE, being a monolithic organisation, will collapse if we strike at the head, allowing us to finish it with less casualties and destruction."The younger Rajapakse has been instrumental in transforming the way the Sri Lankan armed forces fought. A former lieutenant-colonel, who fought against the Tigers in the late-'80s and the early-'90s, Gotabaya believes "it is not the weapon but the man behind it that matters most".To make sure he has the best men, he has not only doubled the salaries of the existing rank and file in the army, but has also put aside money for equipping them with the latest weapons.Having the President for a brother helped, as there was no political resistance when he jacked up the defence budget to $1.5 billion (Rs 6,000 crore) in 2007, a 100-per cent increase over the previous year's budget. Most importantly, he let Fonseka and the chiefs of the other two forces have a free hand.Fonseka used the unfettered mandate to radically restructure his army.With photographs of lions adorning his chamber, the army commander speaks with a quiet confidence as he describes how he went about shaking up a moribund, ineffective and corrupt force into a fierce army that could take on the world's most feared terrorist organisation.He first appointed commanders who had proven themselves in military operations, brushing aside protocols of seniority. Fonseka, who pushed for extensive training of troops in jungle warfare and engineering, was given a carte blanche to buy weapons.He also started a major recruitment drive that saw close to 40,000 being inducted into the army in the past year, raising five new divisions. "We now have 25,000 new bayonets pointing at LTTE, not to mention the reserve units that can be brought into play if needed," he says.Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Air Force and Navy, too, have begun to look smart. After the surprise bomb attacks on Colombo by two light aircraft that LTTE had smuggled in, the air force has imported radar-reportedly from India-to improve surveillance.A whole squadron of MIG 27 has been added. With better ground and air surveillance and bunker-buster bombs, the air force has made successful precision strikes.The navy, too, got its fair share of change, with better patrol boats and warships that have seen it destroy much of the Sea Tigers' fleet and floating arsenal in recent months.This has severely limited the flow of arms to LTTE from the sea, thereby diminishing their fighting capability. The Indian Navy has helped by quietly blockading the Jaffna seas and passing on critical information about movements of ships to the Sri Lankan Navy. US intelligence, too, has played a role in increasing the rate of successful interdiction of ships carrying weapons.For the embattled LTTE, the options are dwindling. With the US and Europe designating it as a terrorist organisation, much of its illegal funding has been blocked.The territories it had held in the east in the past had helped it get a constant supply of fresh recruits. With Karuna, a former LTTE eastern command chief, turning against Prabhakaran, the organisation is considerably weakened. Reportedly, the Tigers are now forced to conscript very young or middle-aged people not suited for fighting. It hasn't helped that its top leaders are either in their forties or fifties, making it a middle-aged army" a far cry from the young, battle-hardened guerrilla force that could once strike back with great ferocity and win big battles against the Sri Lankan Army.Prabhakaran himself is around 53 years old, has become portly, and is said to be suffering from ailments that possibly include diabetes. An accidental bomb blast left Soosai, the Sea Tiger chief, confined to his wheelchair and also killed his son. Balraj, deputy chief of the military, is also said to be ailing.As the Sri Lankan Army's bombings get more accurate, Fonseka takes delight in the fact that he is giving Prabhakaran sleepless nights, since he has to constantly change his hideouts. The Sri Lankan intelligence believes that there is no clear line of succession if Prabhakaran is killed or incapacitated in an attack.Says Fonseka, "When a ship is sinking, there is no succession line." Pottu Amman, Prabhakaran's intelligence chief and the man who masterminded Rajiv Gandhi's assassination, is the closest to him and controls access to the LTTE chief. It was apparently a battle for supremacy between Amman and Karuna, which saw the latter leave the outfit in a huff. Of late, there has been talk of Prabhakaran passing the mantle to son Charles Anthony, but Fonseka dismisses him as "fat, lazy and incapable of taking over LTTE".Other reports say he is a computer geek and his father is using him to boost LTTE's communications via the Internet. Colonel (retd) G. Hariharan, an Indian military expert, says that after Prabhakaran, Afghan-style warlordism may arise, with LTTE fragmenting.Already, the Tigers are showing signs of desperation. They have unleashed a wave of attacks on civilian targets in a bid to take the pressure off them in the battle for Wanni.On the eve of the Independence Day celebrations on February 4, they penetrated the tight Sri Lankan security. A suicide blast at the Fort Railway Station saw 12 people, including seven children, being killed. A bomb had also been planted close to the President's Temple Trees office and only luck prevented what would have been an embarrassing blast for the Government.LTTE's plan to strike in different towns and not in Colombo alone is intended to stretch the Sri Lankan internal security forces and get them to divert some of the army units from the battle for the north.The Tigers also want to trigger ethnic riots and get the international community to pressure the Government into ending the offensive. The other option is to maintain status quo in the north, where the battle rages, and to tire the people and the Government.Already, inflation is running at over 20 per cent, and the cost of a loaf of bread has gone up from Rs 15 to Rs 35. If LTTE ensures a stalemate in the war, peoples' patience for the Government may wear thin.Meanwhile, President Rajapakse has to answer to the international community, including India. He has been told firmly that there is no military solution to the ethnic problem and that peace could return only if his Government came up with a credible devolution package for the Tamils.So Rajapakse hustled the All Party Representative Committee (APRC), which he had appointed to look into the question of devolution, into submitting an interim report. APRC had recommended the implementation of the 13th Amendment brought in by the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord in 1987, which had advised the setting up of Provincial Councils with powers to run matters related to police, education, health and infrastructure.Very little was done by successive governments to implement its recommendations. Now, the President promises to implement it in toto "as the first step" and has promised to consider any more demands that APRC may make. Meanwhile he has deployed brother Basil Rajapakse to go full speed in developing the east and forming its Provincial Council by March.This has calmed the international community that has tacitly allowed Rajapakse to continue the war. But there are growing complaints from the West about human rights violations and media censorship. Internal resistance is also growing.Ranil Wickremesinghe, leader of the Opposition and the architect of CFA, does not share the Government's optimism about the war. Nor is he enamoured by the devolution package being promised to the Tamils. Wickremesinghe told India Today: "Apart from antagonising the international community by abrogating CFA, the Government still has not come up with a credible devolution plan for the Tamils."Tamil factions, too, are critical. S. Adaikkalanathan, MP and leader of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation, says, "Unable to lay new eggs, the President is duping the Tamils, promising to hatch an egg that has rotted for 60 years."By staking his prestige on winning against LTTE, or "putting all his eggs in the war basket", as a diplomat describes it, Rajapakse has narrowed his options considerably.The Tigers may be down, but they are certainly not out. And given their past history, there is every possibility that they may bounce back and succeed in bogging down the Sri Lankan Army in a debilitating stalemate.A terror strike on an important leader could also send the President's calculations awry. People's discontent over prices may boil over before the one year the President has asked for is over.Rajapakse has embarked on a dangerous game of brinkmanship. If he succeeds in bagging Prabhakaran, he is certain to win the next elections and continue his reign. If he fails, well, the dustbin of history is never short of space.

Tamil, Muslim businessman flee country – Johnston

A number of Tamil and Muslim businessman have fled the country due to frequent ransom demands by armed groups who are openly operating in the country, UNP MP Johnston Fernando said yesterday."The gun wielding groups are abducting wealthy businessman and extracting millions of rupees in ransom money. Failure to comply means certain death.They move about freely due to obvious government patronage." There was a lull in abductions,but the menace has resurfaced – the latest being the abduction of a hotelier on February 14. The government has to take responsibility for the prevailing situation and cannot shift the blame to what they term as "unknown armed groups",he said."Everything cannot be blamed on the war. Added to the unbearable cost of living, people are being robbed of their hard earned money. All Sri Lankan’s have a right to live in peace without being harassed and killed.The culture of terror has spread throughout the country."The UNP’s spokesperson Gayantha Karunthillake, MP, said that urgent remedial action was needed to halt the armed groups who are flouting the law with impunity."Is this the Mahinda Chintana that promised to bring peace and prosperity to the country? What we are witnessing is a corrupt regime that is protecting its cronies and thugs who have created a fear psychosis among the people. This is what you call a dictatorship",he added.

Expression of support to LTTE not an offence: Karunanidhi 

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Monday reiterated that mere expression of support to the LTTE was not an offence as per an observation of the Indian Supreme Court. He admonished Opposition leader Jayalalithaa for misleading the people on this issue. He said that when a Congress member C Gnanasekaran had raised the issue and demanded action against Viduthalai Chiruththaikal Kadchi (VCK) leader Thol Thirumavalavan for organising a conference in support of LTTE, the Government could not take any hasty action as the apex court itself had said mere expression of support to a banned organisation would not be liable for penal action. When Jayalalithaa came to the House the next day and countered him saying he had misled the House by incorrectly citing the Supreme Court judgment, Law and Public Works Minister Duraimurugan read out the relevant portions of the order, but she was not willing to listen, Karunanidhi alleged.The order produced by Mr Justices S Rajendra Babu and G P Mathur stated - offence under Section 3(1) of POTA will be constituted only if it is done with an 'intent'. If Parliament stipulates that the 'Terrorist Act' itself had to be committed with the criminal intention, can it be said that a person who 'professes' (as under Section 20) or 'invites support' or 'arranges, manages, or assists in arranging or managing a meeting' or 'addresses a meeting' (as under Section 21) has committed the offence if he does not have an intention or design to further the activities of any terrorist organisation or the commission of Terrorist Acts? We are clear that it is not.

Businessman gunned down in Negombo  
       
An owner of fishing trawlers, identified as W. Christie Fernando, was gunned down in Negombo last night (Feb. 19th).Fernando, 50, had been taken away from his home at Kuda Paduwa by a group who claimed to be police in civics on an illicit liquor raid, and shot him.He had been accused two yeas ago of having links with the LTTE, and arrested by the CID.After a detention of around a year, he had been granted bail.  During his incarceration, area residents had attacked and damaged his house.A father of two daughters and one son, Christie Fernando had started life as a fisherman, and then got involved in selling dried fish.Later, he had become a key fish trader of the area, and owner of several fishing trawlers.His murder came the day after a 39-year-old Tamil national was shot dead by an unidentified group on a trishaw in Mutwal.A resident of Wellawatte, he had been working at a shop in Mutwal.

Death threats from LTTE claim TMVP

The TMVP has alleged that its candidates contesting the local elections in Batticaloa have received letters from the LTTE warning them of death unless they withdraw from the election.The TMVP has fielded 134 candidates for nine pradeshiya sabhas and the Batticaloa Municipal Council and is contesting in alliance with the UPFA for some local bodies.The Morning Leader learns, the TMVP has lodged a complaint with the Batticaloa police over the death threats received by the candidates and submitted a copy of the letter purported to be from the LTTE.

Forces hand over seven LTTE bodies

Seven bodies of LTTE cadres were handed over to the Security Forces in Vavuniya yesterday morning, Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said. A fierce fight erupted when the Forces launched an attack during its mission to liberate the Wanni on Monday morning in Mannar. "The Security Forces had launched a search operation after the confrontation prior to capturing the LTTE bunker lines north of the Giant Tank on Monday and recovered seven bodies", Brigadier Nanayakkara said. The bodies were handed over by the Security Forces at the Vavuniya Hospital yesterday morning. The bodies were later to be handed over to the LTTE through the ICRC, he added.Meanwhile, an LTTE cadre was killed by police while attempting to hurl a hand grenade at a police vehicle yesterday noon in Nelunkulama, Vavuniya. Following information received a police team from Vavuniya were deployed to arrest two LTTE cadres in Nelunkulam. "When the police team arrived at the location two Tiger cadres lobbed a hand grenade at the police vehicle from their hide out", he said. The police in return fired at the Tiger cadres. An LTTE cadre was shot dead and the other fled the area. "A pistol and a hand grenade were also recovered in the incident", he added.

Vavuniya residents petition President

Thousands of people in Vavuniya yesterday placed their signatures to a petition to be forwarded to President Mahinda Rajapaksa requesting him to allow vehicles to pass through the Medwachchiya check point. At present, vehicles are not allowed to enter or leave Vavuniya through this check point.The petition was organised by the Vavuniya UNP District Organiser Shantha Kumara Punchihewa, but people belonging to all political parties queued up to sign the petition. It is to be forwarded through the Vavuniya Government Agent.The petition said that people were undergoing immense hardship due to this closure and restricting the train services only up to Medawachchiya has further burdened the people travelling to and from Vavuniya. In addition, the prices of goods has also shot up due to lack of transport, the petition pointed out.Due to the ban on vehicular movement at the Medawachchiya check point, the health sector and other state officials are also affected and a situation has arisen where people are contemplating leaving Vavuniya to live elsewhere, the petition said.

19 February 2008

What Lanka has to gain from the US presidential election

AS HILLARY Clinton and Barack Obama take not only the Americans but also the rest of the world interested in US politics on a nail-biting minute-by-minute drama at every Democratic Party primary or caucus, the campaign assumes significance for different reasons in Sri Lanka.The Mahinda Rajapaksa government which is fighting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a group branded a terrorist organisation by the United States, is not so interested in the battle within the Democratic Party. But it probably wishes that whoever wins the Democratic Party nomination loses the presidential election in November. It is in a Republican Party victory, hope lies for the Rajapaksa administration, though none in the government would openly say it. If Obama or Clinton wins, it’s bad for Sri Lanka, say those Sri Lankans who believe that the insurgency in the north can be crushed by military means. They have a point. John McCain, the Republican Party frontrunner, has vowed to continue President George W Bush’s policies on the war on terror. Bush’s war on terror, at least in theory, is generic in nature. His global campaign against terror has benefited countries like India, Sri Lanka and the Philippines immensely. In India’s case, the United States pressurised Islamabad to ban several Pakistan-based Kashmiri groups such as Lashkar-e-Toiba following the 9/11 attacks. To the Philippines, President Bush sent thousands of Marines to join Manila’s fight against Muslim separatists in the south.Sri Lanka has been a beneficiary of the war on terror from the beginning. In the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, the UN Security Council on September 28, 2001, unanimously adopted Resolution 1373 on suppression of terrorism financing and global cooperation to combat international terrorism.Some believe that this resolution and subsequent measures the international community adopted to deal with international terrorism, prompted the LTTE to come for a ceasefire agreement in February 2002. Yet, several countries, probably in a bid to prove their commitment to fight terror, officially listed the LTTE as a terrorist organisation. Whenever some Western countries’ hardline position on the LTTE started to slacken, Sri Lanka politely, and sometimes aggressively, reminded them of their commitment to the war on terror and thus managed to maintain the international stranglehold on the rebels.
Now there appears to be genuine fears in government circles that a Democrat administration may not be as vigorous and determined as the Republican administration has been in fighting the war on terror. The fears are not totally unfounded. Both main contenders for the Democratic Party nomination see the Sri Lankan crisis as a civil war – not as a war on terror.Obama in a recent interview cited the Sri Lankan conflict as an example where the “problem of the other” existed. The “problem of the other”, according to Obama, is the inability of the people to accommodate others “who are not like us”. In Sri Lanka, he said the war raged even when “everybody there looks exactly the same.” This “problem of the other” afflicted places like Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland and the issue of race within the United States, he said.Clinton, commenting on the war on terror, called for a more nuanced approach to non-state actors and identified the LTTE as one of the groups deserving such consideration. “There are personality-driven terrorist objectives. The bottom line is you can’t lump all terrorists together. I mean, what the Tamil Tigers are fighting for in Sri Lanka, or the Basque separatists in Spain, or the insurgents in Al Anbar province may only be connected by tactics. “They may not share all that much in terms of what is the philosophical or ideological underpinning. And I think one of our mistakes has been painting with such a broad brush, which has not been particularly helpful in understanding what it is we were up against when it comes to those who pursue terrorism for whichever ends they’re seeking.”No wonder, the senator from New York is attracting campaign funds from wealthy Tamils living in the United States. An obviously shaken Sri Lankan government sent emissaries to the Clinton campaign office in Washington, DC where an official is said to have told them that they had rejected funds sent by people connected to the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), a proscribed front organisation of the LTTE.For months, the statements made by Obama and Clinton on the Sri Lankan crisis have been given top slots on pro-LTTE web sites. The Tigers must be earnestly hoping for a Democrat victory at the November elections. The wind appears to be blowing their way. These days, stories about Kosovo independence are also given top slot on pro-Tiger web sites. That the LTTE has been closely studying the Kosovo situation became evident when its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in his annual address to the Tamil people in November last year appealed to the international community to treat his struggle for a separate state called Eelam on par with the freedom struggles of the people of East Timor and Kosovo. But Prabhakaran is not unmindful of the fact that the problem in Sri Lanka is different from problems that Kosovo or East Timor faced. Each situation has its own geo-political implications and ramifications, besides the involvement of regional and international powers. Thus, as far as the Sri Lankan situation is concerned the, LTTE’s Eelam is as elusive as the government’s hope for a military victory.

U.S., major EU countries recognize Kosovo

The United States and major European powers formally recognized Kosovo on Monday, but fears of fueling secessionist movements around the world undercut their efforts to project a broader front of support for what they regard as Europe's newest state.The 27 members of the European Union were unable to agree in a lengthy meeting on a joint approach to the tiny Balkan state, which declared independence from Serbia on Sunday. Instead, foreign ministers declared it was up to each member nation to decide for itself. France, Germany, Britain and Italy were among 17 EU members that signaled they would grant recognition. But Spain and Greece, along with Slovakia, Romania, Cyprus and Bulgaria, said they would not, citing the danger of encouraging other breakaway regions. "This does not recognize international law," said Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, whose country is worried about secessionist movements of its own.The U.S. had for years considered independence the only realistic path because of the mistreatment of Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority by the Serbian government. It recognized Kosovo in a statement by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and a letter from President Bush to Kosovo's president, in which he urged Kosovo to protect its Serb minority."I support your embrace of multi-ethnicity as a principle of good governance and your commitment to developing accountable institutions in which all citizens are equal under the law," Bush wrote to President Fatmir Sejdiu. He told reporters in Tanzania today, "History will prove this will be a correct move to bring peace to the Balkans."As Europe chose sides, so did other nations around the world, their decisions based largely on how they view their own minorities. Russia, China, and the Caucasus countries of Georgia and Azerbaijan were among those that sided with Serbia against immediate recognition. Afghanistan, Turkey, Australia, Albania and Taiwan signaled that they would support it. Holding back wider international support were fears of inflaming separatist movements large and small in many parts of the world: the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia, among Basques in Spain, the Trans-Dniester in Moldova, the Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan, Turkish areas of Cyprus, the Tamil Tiger movement in Sri Lanka and many others.Kosovo's government received sufficient support to function in the world community, said U.S. officials and foreign diplomats. But the objections will complicate the impoverished state's efforts to win aid and develop trade. Serbia, which had threatened to downgrade diplomatic relations with the United States if it recognized the new state, charged that the United States had violated international law and recalled its ambassador to Washington. Serbia regards Kosovo as part of its historic homeland.Critics warned that in addition to encouraging secessionist movements elsewhere, creation of an independent Kosovo could spark renewed violence between ethnic Albanians and Serbs, and sharpen conflicts between the U.S. and Russia, a key ally of Serbia.U.S. officials, who have championed Kosovo since leading NATO in an air war against Belgrade in 1999 to halt Serbian attacks, sought to downplay such concerns. They maintained that an attempt to prevent independence would have failed, resulting in a more violent secession.In his letter Monday to the president of Kosovo, Bush cited "the deep and sincere bonds of friendship that united our people."Rice, who was traveling in Africa with Bush, warned in a statement that Kosovo's move should not be used as a precedent by leaders of breakaway regions in the former Soviet Union. The combination of civilian suffering in Kosovo and a long period of U.N. supervision made Kosovo "a special case," she said.The U.S. statement of support came after missteps by the White House. U.S. officials had planned to issue their statement of recognition after what they hoped would be a consensus EU statement.However, Bush seemed to jump ahead of the plan in an NBC interview early Monday in Tanzania. "The Kosovars are now independent," he said in remarks widely taken to mean that the U.S. had recognized Kosovo.White House officials insisted he was not formally announcing that step. But a few hours later, they confirmed it after Rice's statement. In Belgrade, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica denounced the U.S. decision. "This decision by the United States will not turn the false state into a real one," Kostunica said.

Military gains territory in Mannar
   
The military yesterday captured an area of about 600 metres square, including an LTTE defence line and a strongly built bund in Mannar, military said.“The military has captured a 600-metre area ahead of Uyilankulam as well as bunker lines in Parappakandal, north of Giant Tank in Mannar, killing a large number of rebels,” a senior military official said. He also said that at least 10 rebels and one soldier were killed during the battle and a large number of LTTE cadres wounded.He said that, at around 5.30 a,m., troops attacked and captured an LTTE bunker line by the Parappakandal-Uyilankulam-Anandkulam Road, to an extent of 600m, together with a strongly built earthen bund.Meanwhile, clashes between the military and the LTTE killed at least 49 rebels during the weekend’s fighting in the Wanni region, military said.

Ferial loses housing bank to Finance Ministry          

The Ministry of Finance has taken over a housing bank for medium and low income categories that had been under Minister of Housing and Common Amenities Ferial Ashraff. When contacted, Minister Ashraff told ‘Lanka Dissent’ that the bank should come under her purview, and not under the Ministry of Finance.The housing bank in question has been tasked with disbursing loans among medium and low income families to build houses.The minister said that her requests to reverse the action had gone unheeded. Ferial Ashraff lost her construction portfolio to Rajitha Senaratne who, along with 17 other UNP strongmen, joined the present regime some time back.Now, the housing bank for medium and low income categories too, has been taken away from her.

Armed TMVP cadres pose threat: EPRLF

The EPRLF (Vartharajah) faction which is also contesting the local government elections in the East has raised concerns about TMVP cadres carrying weapons in the run up to the poll.The newly formed party, Pathmanabha Eelam People s Liberation Front commonly known as the EPRLF (Vartharajah) faction, is fielding candidates for the March election in alliance with the EPDP and PLOTE. In an interview with the Daily Mirror, EPRLF National Organizer E. Thurairatnam said there was no need for the TMVP to carry weapons since the LTTE had been wiped out from the province. There is no strong presence of LTTE cadres in the province today. So, why does the TMVP remain armed, posing a threat to democracy, he asked. Mr. Thurairatnam who had earlier been a member of the North-East provincial council said this situation had posed a threat to holding free and fair elections in the Batticaloa district. In these circumstances we do not believe there will be a free and fair election, he said. Asked as to why they were contesting the poll in such a situation, Mr. Thurairatnam said his party took this step in the hope of strengthening democracy even amid difficulties. However, TMVP s Batticaloa Municipal Council Mayoral Candidate Pradeep Master said his party had confined their armed cadres to the jungle areas and would be contesting the poll with police protection. He said as far as he was concerned the ground situation appeared to be calm and peaceful for any political party to conduct their campaigning. Even the UNP and the TNA could have fielded their candidates. It is their democratic right, Pradeep Master said.

Two arrested over Pastor’s killing
 
A home guard and another suspect were arrested yesterday in connection with the killing of a pastor in Ampara. The pastor had been killed on Sunday night by two persons who had come in the guise of home guards. According to the police the killers had come on a motor bike to the pastor’s quarters and shot him killing him instantly. His wife and two-and-a-half-year-old son who also suffered gunshot injuries were receiving treatment at the Ampara hospital. Ampara DIG Rienzie Perera said two police teams headed by SSP Ananda Wijesuriya had been deployed to probe the killing.Earlier officials said investigations would be carried out to determine whether the LTTE or some anti-Christian group were behind it.

India will not supply lethal arms to Lanka

India on Monday made it clear that it would not supply "lethal" arms to Sri Lanka as there was a conflict raging in that country. "We have supplied non-lethal arms to Sri Lanka but not lethal arms since there is a conflict raging there," minister of state for defence production Rao Inderjit Singh said.Mr Singh said that the Indian Government’s policy of arms-export stipulated that there should be no conflict in the country to which arms was being exported.He said that arms could also be exported to countries with whom India has a joint venture on defence projects. When asked specifically about Sri Lanka, the minister appeared reluctant but spoke when the question was asked again by reporters. The comment assumes significance in the wake of reports that Sri Lanka had confirmed that it was procuring arms from Pakistan."We are facing a problem of terrorism against a democratically-elected legitimate state. In that situation, the government needs to procure equipment to resist that terrorism," Sri Lankan high commissioner to India C.R. Jaisinghe was quoted by agencies on Sunday.

Sri Lanka Likely to Keep Rate at 10.5% on Inflation

Sri Lanka's central bank will probably keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at a 5 1/2- year high in a bid to tame inflation without jeopardizing economic growth. Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Nivard Cabraal will hold the repurchase rate at 10.5 percent for a 12th straight meeting, according to all 12 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News. The decision is due on Feb. 21 at 7:30 a.m. in Colombo. Interest rates are ``sufficient'' to control inflation, which will begin to slow in the second half of this year, Cabraal said in a Feb. 4 interview. The central bank is trying to revive the island's $27 billion economy after growth slowed to an estimated 6.7 percent in 2007 from 7.4 percent in 2006. ``Given that inflation risks remain pertinent on account of high global food and commodity prices, we think policy should be tightened,'' said Prakriti Sofat, an economist at HSBC Holdings Plc in Singapore. ``However the uncertainty surrounding the U.S. outlook and the global economy will probably make the central bank more cautious in taking action.'' Manufacturers across Asia are facing slower demand for their products amid signs the U.S., the region's largest export market, is heading for a recession. Higher prices are preventing central banks in the region from following the U.S. Federal Reserve in reducing borrowing costs.

Bonds, Currency

The yield on the note due March 2009 with a coupon of 7.5 percent fell 25 basis points to 18.5 percent at 9:30 a.m. in Colombo, according to First Capital Treasuries Ltd. The rupee was little changed at 107.85 to the dollar. A basis point is 0.01 percentage point. January's 20.8 percent year-on-year inflation was Sri Lanka's fastest in at least four years. The South Asian nation needs to rein in inflation to achieve 7 percent economic growth this year, Cabraal said Jan 2. The central bank in November forecast the economy to grow between 7 percent and 7.5 percent this year, the fastest pace in three decades, as the government spends money to rebuild the eastern region captured from the Liberation Tiger of Tamil Eelam rebels in July. The government on Jan. 16 formally ended its 2002 cease- fire with the LTTE saying the rebels had used the accord to rearm, recruit and prepare for further attacks.

Crude Oil

State-owned Ceylon Petroleum Corp. and Lanka IOC Ltd., the Sri Lankan unit of Indian Oil Corp., raised fuel prices on Jan. 13 for the first time in almost six months to cut losses caused by record oil costs. Higher oil prices are one of the ``main risks and difficulties we are facing,'' Cabraal said on Feb. 4.The central bank is keeping monetary policy tight with its daily open-market operations to adjust the amount of cash in the banking system and controlling credit demand. Credit growth in Sri Lanka's private sector, including consumers, slowed to 19.3 percent in December, compared with 24 percent a year earlier, according to the central bank.

SLA blocked in three fronts in Mannaar - LTTE

Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam on Monday confronted Sri Lanka Army on three fronts in Maanaar from 4:00 a.m. Heavy fighting lasted till 7:30 p.m. when SLA movement was successfully blocked by the Tigers at Paalaikkuzhi, Kaddukkarai and Ka'rukkaayk-ku'lam according to LTTE's Operations Command in Mannaar. The SLA has suffered heavy casualties, the Tigers said. Atleast 10 SLA soldiers were killed by Tiger snipers. Sri Lanka Air Force Kfir fighter jets and MI-24 gunships were also engaged, providing support fire to the SLA forces. Meanwhile, sources in Mannaar city said tension prevailed in Tha'l'laadi as LTTE fired artillery shells fell inside the military garrison. Exact casualty figures were not available. Kfir bombers attacked Parappaangka'ndal area around 9:00 a.m. MI-24 gunships were engaged to provide fire support from the air amid heavy artillery and Mulit Barrel Rocket Fire. Meanwhile, heavy fighting lasted in Ma'nki'ndimalai in Ma'nalaa'ru region from 9:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. The SLA troops were withdrawn after heavy resistance by the LTTE, according to LTTE Ma'nalaa'ru Operations Command.

Sri Lanka missing outsourcing boom from English gap
 
Sri Lanka's Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firms have called for more investment to improve English standards and reduce education costs to get the required number of qualified people for the growing sector."If we tackle English, we may have a much larger pool of people who are employable in the BPO industry," says Ravi Abeysuriya, managing director of Amba Research, a high end investment research outsourcing (IRO) for overseas clients including Wall Street. The supply of graduates in Sri Lanka numbers in the hundreds while neighboring India turns out nearly two million per year with over 120,000 engineers which puts India in the focus of BPOs much more than Sri Lanka, BPO officials say. The industry can encourage more outsourced businesses if English language skills of students are improved as this will increase the talent pool and improve workforce standards. "The significant obstacle for operations to grow in Sri Lanka is the weakness in English and the shortage of talent," Abeysuriya told a conference for BPOs organized by the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). Without the numbers business process outsourcing companies will not come because they cannot scale up." Some 125,000 students qualify to enter university each year. But universities can cater to only about 16,000. Even after graduating only 35 percent of graduates are unemployed because of weak English skills, says Abeysuriya.

English Task Force

The lack of talent in Sri Lanka has forced Amba Research into Bangalore, India where the company has grown to over 300 employees while the main unit in Sri Lanka has only about 200. "Our suggestion is to establish a national task force for English education with Board of Investment and ICT Agency," Abeysuriya says. This will set standards and encourage investment by private-public partnerships to improve English language standards and lower education costs. "We need quite a large amount of private investment and the solution is to start vocational training centers through private-public partnerships for English and IT education." The talent pool can be further improved by bringing competition to state universities that will reduce the number of students going abroad in search of better university education. "All this is possible if we can make the education affordable. We cannot do anything unless we have a way of making students pursue this higher education." BPO officials say higher education in Sri Lanka is not affordable to all levels of society and the cost for the student should be lowered.Student loan schemes will make higher education affordable to those who are interested, Abeysuriya says. "Once they get employed (in the BPO industry) they can pay back their loans. Their salaries are very high compared to what they will get elsewhere." English literacy is the major requirement in outsourcing businesses to the Asian region as lower literacy limits the employee from effectively communicating with the employer and customers. Communication skills, business English capabilities, commercial awareness, team work and other skills which are known as soft skills are important in the BPO sector, apart from educational or professional qualifications.

Higher Skill Levels

BPO candidates lack qualifications and specialized skills to handle human resources, financial analysis and other complex processes, industry officials say. "With the drive to outsource more high value work, you need people with the right skill sets to be able to take that work on," says Rick Sturge, director, employer and strategic development at CIMA. Sri Lanka will have access to one billion dollars in foreign direct investment through outsourcing if a talent pool and high standards are maintained, Sturge says."(Sri Lanka) sits in the right place geographically, it has the right kind of robustness around IT infrastructure in the country and there is a great education history that is recognized around the world for its high quality. "You have to capitalize on it and encourage companies to come and they will come regardless of the other problems. Business is business." The global BPO industry is forecast to grow to 100 billion dollars by 2010 from 70 billion today. But with more graduates and higher resources in infrastructure and telecommunication, India will control 70 percent by 2010, with only 15 percent going to China. The driver of outsourcing is American back office operations which alone are valued at two trillion dollars. "The biggest financial prize you can get on any BPO arrangement is moving work out of US..." Sturge says."There's got to be an opportunity for Sri Lanka there."

Govt. to set up gateway for Wanni exodus

The government is to establish a ‘gateway’ for an expected mass exodus of civilians from the Wanni and facilitate the process by creating a ‘no war zone’, while challenging the LTTE to leave civilians out of the ongoing conflict.The military said if the LTTE was really concerned about the welfare of civilians in the Wanni it should allow residents in the area to freely crossover to cleared areas.“We will drop leaflets to educate the public on our strategy which includes escape routes for them like we did when liberating Sampur,” Government Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said while declining to elaborate on military tactics due to security reasons.Minister Rambukwella admitted that to minimize civilian casualties in operations to liberate the north the government was compelled to take maximum precaution and establish escape routes for civilians before making the final push.Meanwhile, military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said, “If the LTTE is concerned about the welfare of civilians in un-cleared areas, this is the time for it to allow civilians to move into cleared areas.” He said instead of allowing civilians to enter cleared areas; the rebels were preventing them from doing so. “The LTTE is deliberately using innocent civilians as human shields and blame the military when civilians are injured,” he said.Brigadier Nanayakkara also urged civilians in the LTTE-held Wanni areas to come to cleared areas without remaining under the terrorist grip. He said the military had received information that the Tigers were forcibly collecting blood from civilians in the Wanni areas to treat wounded cadres. Claiming that civilians in the Wanni region were currently undergoing severe hardship due to LTTE atrocities the spokesman said the time had come for them to walk escape into cleared areas.”Brigadier Nanayakkara said some 100 civilians had already arrived in cleared areas in Mannar and Vavuniya and action had been taken to provide them with food and shelter.He said civilians could cross over to cleared areas using the Omanthai entry/exit point as well as by the sea route in Mannar.

18February 2008

Sri Lanka dubs Kosovo independence a threat to security

Sri Lanka has opposed Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia saying that it has set an unmanageable precedent and posed a grave threat to international security.'We note that the declaration of independence was made without the consent of the majority of the people of Serbia. The unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo could set an unmanageable precedent in the conduct of international relations, the established global order of sovereign states and could thus pose a grave threat to international peace and security,' the foreign ministry said Sunday in a statement.It said that the secession was a violation of the UN Charter, which enshrined the sovereignty and territorial integrity of member states. Furthermore, the UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of June 10, 1999 had reaffirmed the world body's commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states in the region.'This action is particularly regrettable since all efforts at reaching a negotiated political settlement on the future status of Kosovo as envisaged by Resolution 1244 have not been exhausted,' the ministry said.Russia and Serbia oppose Kosovo's independence. The US, EU and France have come out in support.Kosovo is an Albanian-Muslim majority enclave in largely Christian Serbia and has been fighting for independence since the former Yugoslavia broke up into ethnic units after the collapse of Communism.Russia and Serbia are worried about the fate of the more than 100,000 Serbs in Kosovo. But Kosovo and the US say that there is no danger to them.Sri Lanka is worried that a successful secessionist movement in Kosovo may result in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) succeeding in getting independence for the Tamil speaking north and east of Sri Lanka which Tamil separatists call 'Eelam'. More than 70,000 people have died in the armed conflict over 'Eelam' in the last two decades.The fact that Western powers are supporting Kosovo's independence is an added cause for Sri Lanka worry, because the West, led by the US, is urging Colombo to go slow on the war and talk peace with the LTTE.The West has also been criticising Sri Lanka for violating human rights in the guise of fighting Tamil Tigers terrorism.Sri Lankan political commentators are divided on what Colombo should do post-Kosovo.Writing in the Sunday Leader, columnist Gamini Weerakoon feared that the anti-West stance of the Mahinda Rajapaksa government could prove to be counterproductive.But Dayan Jayatilleke, the island's envoy to the UN, has urged the government to stand firm and not to withdraw the armed forces from the north and east under pressure from the international community on any account.He recalled that the leaders of Yugoslavia had committed a cardinal error by withdrawing government forces from Kosovo and allowing an international force to be stationed there.Kosovo was put under a UN mandate. The West put Kosovo under tutelage for sometime and then 'encouraged with a nod and a wink, to secede completely', the diploamt wrote in the Sunday Island.

51 dead in Sri Lanka unrest

Heavy fighting raged in northern Sri Lanka, the defence ministry said, reporting that 49 Tamil Tiger rebels and two soldiers were killed in weekend battles.Fresh clashes erupted along the frontlines in the north of the country, the ministry said, adding that troops captured a bunker line from the guerrillas. Troops wrested control over a 600-metre stretch of bunkers following Monday's fighting, the ministry said adding that the violence erupted after a surge in clashes on Saturday. "Forty-nine LTTE terrorists were killed while 20 others were injured during the (weekend) clashes," the ministry said."Two army soldiers made their supreme sacrifice while 16 others received injuries."Government forces backed by war planes and artillery have been pounding the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for weeks, but appear to have made little progress in their effort to advance into rebel-held territory. There was no immediate comment from the Tigers, whose fight for independence has left tens of thousands dead over three decades. According to defence ministry figures, at least 1297 rebels have been killed by security forces so far this year. The military has put its own losses during the same period at 72 soldiers and police killed. Casualty figures provided by both sides differ wildly and cannot be independently verified. Journalists and human rights workers are barred from frontline and rebel-held areas.

Sangaree says will not replace Mervyn: ready to consider north governor post  
       
Tamil United Liberation Front leader V. Anandasangaree says that he is not prepared to accept the parliamentary seat that will fall vacant following the resignation of Labour Minister Mervyn Silva.The TULF leader was responding to a query from 'Lanka Dissent' regarding reports that he is to be appointed a National List MP by the government, once Silva resigns from his ministerial and MP positions.However, Anandasangaree also said that he will consider an invitation by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to be governor of the Northern Province. The offer was made on the day prior to the government declaration of fully implementing the 13th Amendment as the political solution to the national conflict, he said.He said however, his acceptance would come with "strong preconditions."When 'Lanka Dissent' inquired him about his strong preconditions, Anandasangaree said that they would be put forward once he considers the powers and the freedom he would enjoy as governor of the north.

Pastor shot dead in Ampara  
     
A pastor, identified as Neil Samson, was gunned down in Ampara town last night (Feb. 17th).The assailants had come in a motorcycle and carried out the shooting.The pastor’s wife, who was injured, and his 18-month old son, who is in shock, were admitted to the Ampara Hospital.The post mortem examination was conducted this morning.A resident of Kurunegala, Fr. Samson had temporarily taken up residence in Ampara, according to Police.

More Tamils abducted
 
Police in Sri Lanka are abducting Tamils in Colombo "like dogs", a leading Tamil politician says.Convener of the civil monitoring committee (CMC) and leader of the Western People’s Front (WPF) said: "since 12th February seven people were kidnapped by white van in Colombo". According to Mano Ganeshan, MP, the number of abductions is increasing around Colombo and its suburbs."On the 12th Businessman Chennaiya Sellaiya was abducted by people who came on a white van," he said. "He was released on the 17th but his abductors are still at large".

CID is aware

The MP added that some of the abductors were wearing police and military uniforms.CMC convener said he had made the enquiries about disappeared people from the police. "When we enquired, Dehiwala police confirmed me that some people were arrested by CID."According to Mano Ganeshan, two Tamils were kept five nights in CID without informing their next of kin."Police in the area did not know that these people were arrested, this is a violation of basic law" WPF Leader pointed out."We are not against arresting people for investigations but it should be done according to the law" he said."Government should intervene to stop these illegal abductions, otherwise all underworld gangs will start kidnapping Tamil speaking Muslims for ransoms" parliamentarian warns.

Prabakaran's official photographer killed

Military sources say that Prabakaran's official photographer Thavam has died in Kilinodhdhi hospital yesterday. He has succumbed to the injuries of a military attack. LTTE has honored him with a name given only to special persons posthumously and his rank has also been elevated to Lt. Colonel, says a Tamil language website. Thavam, born in Trincomalee, joined the LTTE in 1981. Previously he served as the chief of a Tamil language website and the technical chief of the Voice of Tiger radio. One of Prabakaran's most trusted regiment named 'Ratha' regiment was damaged in an Air Force aerial attack in the morning of February 14 killing three leaders of the regiment. 'Ratha' regiment was assigned to counter the aerial attacks of the Air Force. Thavam is believed injured in this attack.

LTTE's plot to kill President bared. One of President's translators involved

Ten Tamils and four Sinhalese have been taken into custody for conspiring to assassinate the President and his family. The President's Japanese language translator is among the four Sinhalese. The others are two Army deserters and a monk. This group of persons has been arrested following the information unearthed from one Jeyaraman Ramanathan alias Thambi alias Ramesh who was taken into custody at Kotahena the day before the Independence Day. Ramesh has been directly guided by LTTE intelligence chief Pottu Amman.The group includes a beautiful girl named Vathsala who is fluent all three languages and appeared as a receptionist. Another woman named Vadini has appeared as an Ayurvedic doctor. Vathsala has planned to be friendly with a popular singer (not the wife of Minister Dallus) who often visits Temple Trees to get entry there as a translator. There has been another plan to enter Temple Trees via a businessman who is friendly with Namal Rajapakse. Following information from Ramesh, Vathsala was arrested at kandana and Vadini at Asgiriya. They divulged further information during interrogation. The plan was to grant money to the Japanese language translator to produce a film, to invite the President for the inauguration ceremony and to assassinate him there. However, since the assassination of the President was difficult, the plans were to kill close relatives of the President like Shiranthi, Namal and Basil. Another plan was also set to kill Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. The monk in custody has provided lodging to the people in this group however unknowing their designs. Vathsala has had sexual relationships with the two Army deserters. Explosives were transported to Colombo for the plan hidden in fish.

MP killing: probe 'not efficient'
 
Police in Sri Lanka are accused of not doing enough to probe the murder of a Tamil parliamentarian.Family members of the late MP, Thyagarajah Maheswaran, say the police are yet to probe the telephone calls received by Mr. Maheswaran just before the fateful day. Mr. Maheswaran was shot dead on the New Year's day in a Hindu Temple in the capital, Colombo.

Suspect 'worked for state'

The suspect, identified as Johnson Colin Wasanthan Valentine, had worked for state security forces, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella earlier told BBC Sandeshaya. He worked in security contingent of Minister Douglas Devananda and the late MP Maheswaran as well, the Defence Affairs spokesman said. However, the brother of the late MP, Thyagarajah Thuvarageswaran, told BBC's Elmo Fernando that police are trying to conclude the killing was done by the LTTE. Mr. Thuvarageswaran said he was convinced that his brother was not killed by the Tamil Tigers."This wasn't the work of LTTE. The government clearly paved the way by reducing his security," he told BBC Sinhala.com.Earlier, police informed the courts that late MP's family was not helping the murder investigation.Mr. Thuvarageswaran however told BBC Sandeshaya that the police were only asking for Mr. Maheswaran's diary.The late MP did not maintain a diary, his brother said, adding that the police could find more details if they investigate phone calls received by Mr. Maheswaran. He accused the police of being reluctant to conduct a thorough investigation into his brother's assassination.The main opposition, United National Party (UNP), accused police chief Victor Perera of contempt of court for suggesting the killing was done by LTTE even before initial investigations.

Lakmal Silva not a paid army informant, mother challenges CID
 
While calling on the CID to bring the killers of her son to book, Mrs. Rupa Silva the mother of the slain Journalist Sampath Lakmal Silva yesterday denied claims made by the CID Head H. W. Prathapasinghe that Lakmal had been a paid army informant. Mrs. Silva told Daily Mirrror that Lakmal was not paid a cent by the intelligence units. “Since he was a free lance journalist he was living on small sums of money which was paid for the stories he used to give to several newspapers and electronic media,” she said. She explained that Lakmal used to borrow money from her on few occasions. Mrs. Silva said her son gave information to intelligence unit as he was concerned about the country and never took a cent from the government intelligence units. She also questioned as to why the CID had failed to bring the killers of her son to book if they had managed to uncover so much of information. Mrs. Silva confirmed that two members of the security forces had called him during the night he was killed. CID Head H. W. Prathapasinghe had told an English weekly that Lakmal was a paid army informant and two persons namely Waranakumara and Wijekumara who had claimed to be army corporals had called him during the night he was killed and urged him to go out of the house. It was also reported that the police had found several clues from the SMSs of Lakmal’s phone.Sampath Lakmal was killed on July 2, 2006 and his body was recovered from Jayawardene Place Dehiwala the following morning.

Jaya lying about DMK support to LTTE: Karuna

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi Monday accused archrival J. Jayalalitha of "telling a bundle of lies" about the DMK government's support to Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels, saying her "only aim is to get the DMK government dismissed".He was responding to the AIADMK leader's statements in an interview to her party's television channel, Jaya TV, Sunday night. In the interview, the former chief minister said AIADMK MPs would raise in parliament the issue of DMK encouraging the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).Accusing the central government of "lacking political will to do so", Jayalalitha said her MPs "will seek the cooperation of parties that have faith in the sovereignty of the nation and concern for national security" to "seek the dismissal of the Karunanidhi government on this count (support to the LTTE)".In a six-page statement countering the AIADMK leader's charges, Karunanidhi denied that his regime was "soft on the LTTE".He also recalled Supreme Court judges S. Rajendra Babu and G.P. Mathur's interpretation that a section (3-1) of the draconian Prevention Of Terrorism Act could be construed to be terrorism only if support to extremist outfits led to terror against the state and people, and that mere oral support was not a crime. Karunanidhi has earlier drawn flak for his ode to slain LTTE leader S.P.Thamilchelvan, who was killed in a bombing raid by the Sri Lanka Air Force in November.

17February 2008

Moon sends special envoy to SL 

United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) Ban Ki Moon is to send a special envoy to Sri Lanka this week to report on the ground situation in the country in the wake of the escalating conflict which has taken a heavy civilian toll. The decision follows a telephone discussion the Moon had with President Mahinda Rajapaksa a few days back where the humanitarian crisis and the rising civilian casualties were discussed. Informed sources said the UNSG had inquired from President Rajapaksa whether he had any objection to a special envoy being sent to report on the country situation and was told by the President he had no objection. It is learned, the UNSG had informed the President he would be sending UN Assistant Secretary General for Political Affairs, Angela Kane as his representative. Kane who is expected in Sri Lanka on February 24 is scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapakse and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse from the government side and is expected to submit a report on her findings to Ban Ki-Moon for follow up action. Germany's Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul last week in an interview to the respected Tages Speigel newspaper said while it would be encouraging for the UN Security Council to take up the Sri Lankan issue, what Secretary General Ban Ki Moon can do without a formal decision of the Security Council is send a special envoy to Sri Lanka. She said after the departure of the Norwegian monitors who were in place since the ceasefire agreement of 2002 there is nobody to document human rights violations. "The war is now again in full swing," she charged.Meanwhile Amnesty International (AI) has called on the Sri Lankan Government to make human rights the priority by allowing the organisation into the country to make an impartial assessment of its human rights record and that of the LTTE, following accusations from Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella that the organisation was biased against the government. “AI’s role is to monitor and report on human rights abuses by all parties to the conflict. The organisation has repeatedly requested that the government should facilitate this role by allowing us access to the country,” said AI Secretary General Irene Khan, in a statement issued late Friday. AI also rejected claims by the Defence Spokesman that it had “failed to utter a single word” against recent bomb attacks, and stated that in the last month alone the organisation had made several statements condemning the targeting of civilians.AI pointed out that it had condemned the attack on February 4 as well, in a statement entitled ‘Sri Lanka: Right to life of civilians disregarded as conflict intensifies.’“The situation in Sri Lanka has deteriorated and both the government and the LTTE stand accused of serious human rights abuses. All parties should immediately stop targeting civilians and uphold their commitments to international human rights law,” she said.“The rule of law continues to be undermined and the culture of impunity persists. The government must make protection of human rights the top priority. Instead, human rights defenders have also been increasingly attacked or threatened. At such a time attacking the messenger distracts from the overriding responsibility for serious action to address the problem,” the statement added.

Abductions on the rise again says Mano

The fear psychosis among the Tamils in Colombo and its suburbs is on the rise again following the recent incidents of abductions, Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC) Convener, Parliamentarian Mano Ganesan told The Sunday Leader.He said that the recent incidents of businessmen being abducted were not rumours, and added that complaints to the CMC are on the rise again."I have noted that the abductions in and around Colombo has increased the fear among the Tamils again. I wish to question the police and the state as to what action they are going to take on this issue," he said.Ganesan further said the recommencement of abductions would result in small timers also abducting persons for ransom."So far there have been complaints of three abductions. But, many have complained to us of threatening calls," Ganesan added.Meanwhile the owner of the Mysore Cafe who was abducted earlier in the week was released Friday night after he was grilled for two days over a recent visit to the East. Five to six armed men in police and STF uniform had abducted Sinniah Selliah, the manager of Mysore Caf in Wellawatte on Wednesday night.A complaint was lodged at the Wellawatte police by his brother in law following the abduction and was asked to be present at the Colombo Crimes Division to go through the file of photographs to identify possible abductors."Everything happened in a very short time and we hardly saw the faces of the people who abducted Selliah," witnesses said.According to the brother in law of Selliah, T. Sashikumar, he (Selliah) had not received threats beforehand nor had the family received any calls regarding ransom money for his release.Workers who witnessed the incident explained to The Sunday Leader that the abductors were dressed in military uniform and had arrived in a small white van (254-7853). The abductors although in uniform had not showed any identification or given any reason why they were taking Selliah away. The abduction had taken place at about 9.30 last Wednesday night, and the abductors had only said that they were from the (Galkissa) Mt Lavinia police.OIC, Mt Lavinia, Mahesh Perera told The Sunday Leader that there was no one by the name of Sinniah Selliah in police custody nor a person arrested from the Mysore Caf.

India’s covert role in Sri Lanka’s ceasefire

Now that Sri Lanka has jettisoned the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) with the Tamil Tigers, one of India’s best kept secrets can be revealed: it was New Delhi that quietly authored the process that led to the Norway-brokered pact. The dominant thinking in India and Sri Lanka, and even elsewhere, is that New Delhi has been a distant watcher to the goings on in the war-hit island barring its interactions with Colombo and countries like Norway as part of a “hands off” policy sparked off by former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s 1991 assassination.While it is true that India took a detached view of the ethnic conflict in the aftermath of Gandhi’s killing, things changed shortly after Atal Bihari Vajpayee took office in 1998 at the head of a non-Congress coalition.By 1999, the Indian state had concluded after years of study that there could never be a military winner in Sri Lanka: neither the government nor the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) would reign supreme although at that stage the rebels appeared to hold an upper hand.The Indian government then took the view that it was time for a major peace push in Sri Lanka.Supervised by National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra, the Indian establishment got into the act of ushering in peace in Sri Lanka, with just one rider: everything would be done away from media glare. Only a few would be in the know of what was being planned.Then Sri Lankan president Chandrika Kumaratunga was waging a “war for peace” against the LTTE that steadily lost steam as the Tigers hit back with a military precision that stunned the world.The stalemate was a continuation of what had happened earlier. The Indian military intervention in 1987-90 had run aground; the fighting between 1990 and 1994, mostly during Ranasinghe Premadasa’s presidency, led to no decisive result; and the war during Kumaratunga’s presidency was going the same way.The Indian establishment, however, felt that Kumaratunga was incapable of making peace. What Sri Lanka needed, so went the reading, was a leader who was ready to shake hands with the LTTE with a long-term vision to bring peace to the country.It may have been a coincidence, but political convulsions quickly rocked Colombo, destabilising Kumaratunga’s government and sparking an election in 2000 and a second election the next year.The Indian establishment felt there was a need to bring in an international player to facilitate peace in Sri Lanka, a party both Colombo and the LTTE could do business with as they appeared incapable of talking to one another.Kumaratunga’s first choice was France, but this the LTTE rejected.India by then had zeroed in on Norway. Norwegian diplomats began visiting New Delhi. No publicity was given to these brainstorming trips.Norway was picked for mainly three reasons: it was physically far removed from South Asia; it had no territorial ambitions; and it had a proven record in peace building.Kumaratunga and the LTTE eventually settled on Norway as the peace facilitator. The war, however, continued to rage.Norway’s chosen Special Envoy Erik Solheim travelled to Kilinochchi, the LTTE-controlled northern part of Sri Lanka, in November 2000 and met the group’s top leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, for the first time The next month, the LTTE offered a ceasefire and extended it, month by month, for four months. After that the Tigers again took the offensive.In July 2001, the LTTE virtually overran Sri Lanka’s international airport at Katunayake, dealing a shattering blow from which Colombo never recovered.The second of the two elections followed, and Ranil Wickremesinghe, the opposition leader, became prime minister in December 2001. Events galloped at a rapid pace, in both New Delhi and Colombo, but all under wraps.Overseen by New Delhi, a truce document began to be drafted. Norway was deeply involved in the exercise, roping in some of its veteran diplomats.Eventually, this translated into CFA. India also told Norwegian diplomats to let the LTTE know about the Indian involvement in the entire effort.On Feb 21, 2002, LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran signed the CFA. Wickremesinghe put his signature a day later.Since India never publicised its role in the developments, many Indians argued that New Delhi was letting Sri Lanka slip into Western hands!By then, India had also mooted the idea of a Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), the first such international peace monitoring body outside the UN aegis. India wanted Nordic countries - Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark and Finland - to make up the SLMM to oversee the ceasefire.The arrangement between India and Norway was that the latter would keep New Delhi informed about its peace diplomacy. At some point of time, irritations did crop up in this deal but these were quickly sorted out.The CFA was a watershed in Sri Lanka’s blood-soaked history but within months things began to go wrong.Norway came under attack from large sections in Sri Lanka. Solheim bore the brunt of the criticism, at times too personal, though he was only the best-known face of an international exercise that had India’s solid backing and he himself had no axe to grind.In May 2004, Vajpayee gave way to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who headed a Congress-led coalition government. J.N. Dixit, a former Indian envoy to Colombo during the turbulent 1980s, was named the new national security advisor.The nuts and bolts of India’s involvement in Sri Lanka’s peace process was till then known only to a few in New Delhi.Dixit’s eyes opened up when Wickremesinghe, who by then had lost power, flew to New Delhi and gave a detailed briefing about India’s deep and covert role in the entire process.It was the first time Dixit realised that India had for years pursued a pro-active policy towards Sri Lanka but quietly - in complete contrast to the public perception that New Delhi had lost interest in the ethnic conflict.Dixit was to learn quickly that this was also the case vis-

Sri Lanka military claims 20 Tiger rebels killed

Sri Lankan forces killed at least 20 Tamil Tiger guerrillas in clashes in the north of the island at the weekend, defence officials said Sunday.Government forces backed by war planes attacked Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) along the front lines in the north on Saturday, an official said.He said the air force had made attacks at targets inside rebel-held territory over the weekend, but details of casualties were not immediately known.There was no immediate comment from the Tigers who are leading a drawn out campaign for independence.The latest defence ministry figures show that at least 1,268 rebels have been killed by security forces this year. The military has placed its own losses during the same period at 70 soldiers and police killed.Both sides are known to offer wildly different casualty claims that cannot be independently verified as journalists and human rights workers are barred from frontline and rebel-held areas.

SLA push fails in Paalaikkuzhi, SLAF bombs Madu area- LTTE

Attempts by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers to push forward in Paalaikkuzhi, Mannaar Saturday morning 7:00 a.m. was foiled according to Mannaar Operations Command of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE). SLA initiated clashes supported by heavy artillery and mortar fire lasted one hour but after a pitched battle, the troops withdrew from the battle front heavy losses. LTTE cadres pursued the troops causing further losses. The details of SLA losses are unavailable.Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers flew sorties over the vicinity of Madu church Friday and again Saturday, On Friday morning 11:00 a.m., at least eight bombs were dropped in Madu 16 Housing Scheme, destroying the settlements of the internally displaced People (IDP), according to sources from Mannaar.The aerial attack continued Saturday in the dense jungle area behind Madu church destroying some trees. Bombs were also dropped close the church.

SLA closes segments of two key roads in Jaffna peninsula

Citing security reasons, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) announced the closure of a section of two major roads in Jaffna peninsula, a 400 meter stretch of Dutch road from Chaavakachcheari town to Ramalingam road in Thenmaraadchi, and another 400 metre stretch of road from Vallai junction up to Udupiddy road in Vadamaraadchi, for public transport with effect from Friday, sources said. However, the staff and students of Chaavakachcheari Drieberg College, employees of Chaavakachcheari Magistrate courts, Education department Chaavakachcheari have been given permission to use the closed part of the Dutch road during working days.In the closed Udupiddi road, several road blocks set up across the road and the general public ordered to use nearby gravel roads.The closure of these roads is due to the fear of convoy of SLA vehicles being attacked as well as to ensure the safety of the military bases in these areas, sources added. Already several roads in many parts of the peninsula including Jaffna Town, Thenmaraadchi and Vadamaraadchi have been closed causing great convenience to the public, local residents said.

Rameswaram fishermen have right to visit Katchativu :Vaiko

Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko today urged the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government to make arrangements for fishermen from Ramewaram to take part in the St Antony Church festival to be held at Katchativu by the end of this month.In a statement here, he said the fishermen had the right to visit Katchativu and take part in the festival, but they were denied entry into the island by the Sri Lankan Navy since 2002.After Katchativu was handed over to Sri Lanka in 1974, fishermen from Tamil Nadu were facing problem and prevented from visiting it, though they had rights to take rest in the island and dry their nets while returning from fishing, he said.In the year 2002, only 60 fishermen were allowed to take part in the church festival and the number came down to 11 in 2005. As per the agreement, the fishermen had the right to visit the Church in the island, but despite many agitations, they could not ascertain their rights, Mr Vaiko added.The Congress-led UPA government at the Centre and the DMK government in Tamil Nadu should take immediate steps and make all arrangements for fishermen to take part in the festival, he said.

Mervyn quits or sacked?
 
Controversial politician Mervin Silva has resigned from his post as non-cabinet Labour Minister and his seat in Parliament – amidst conflicting reports on whether he quit or was asked to quit.His letter of resignation was handed over to the President amidst reports that he was asked by the President to step down in the aftermath of his recent fiasco at the Rupavahini Corporation and the embarrassment caused to the Government by allegations of involvement with underworld elements and drug dealers.The Sunday Times learns the President has also ordered Police Chief Victor Perera to arrest Mr. Silva’s personal bodyguards who were involved in the Rupavahini incident on December 27.However, Mr. Silva when contacted by The Sunday Times said he had decided to resign and the decision was his and his alone. He was not told by the President to quit. Asked of reports that he was to be appointed to the Constitutional Council, Mr. Silva said he would like to be a member of the CC. On Friday, Mr. Silva returned his official vehicles to the ministry and told his personal staff not to report to work tomorrow.

Killed journalist was a paid military informant - CID

Sampath Lakmal de Silva, a freelance journalist and television reporter who was found shot dead in Dehiwela in July 2006 was a paid military informant, according to CID Head, DIG H.W. Prathapasinghe.DIG Prathapasinghe told The Sunday Leader on Friday that Lakmal was paid by the army for providing information, and that he had close contacts with military intelligence. Asked about the status of the investigation, the DIG said that no conclusion has been reached, and the case is still open.Sampath Lakmal was shot three times in the head and once in the chest in the early hours of July 2, 2006, and his body was found on Jayawardena Place, Dehiwela. Police recovered four empty 9mm bullet casings in the vicinity of the body. He was 24 years old at the time of his killing.The journalist had received calls from two Army Corporals, Warnakumara and Wijeyakumara, prompting him to leave his home at 10:30 pm the previous night, The Sunday Leader reliably learns.The Sunday Leader learns the two army intelligence operatives' statements were recorded by the CID with investigations also carried out on their telephone records. Media reports a month after the killing pointed out that police had recovered a log of SMS messages between Sampath Lakmal and his assassin, and that an arrest was imminent. No arrests have been made to date, although two second lieutenants of the Army's 112 Brigade, named Kuruppu and Niroshan Anthony were initially suspected of the murder, according to well informed sources. Both officers have since been promoted to the rank of captain. Despite verifying that statements were recorded from "several military officers," the CID Chief was hesitant to name any of the officers by name. He did not confirm specifically whether statements were recorded from suspects Kuruppu and Niroshan Anthony, and declined to verify the names of any suspects, stating that this might impede the investigations. The DIG said that he believes the killing was linked to Sampath Lakmal being an army informant, but refused to go so far as pointing a finger at the LTTE, stating that "there are other angles also to consider." He did not elaborate further.

Lanka procuring arms from Pak to fight LTTE
 
Engaged in an all-out military campaign against the LTTE, Sri Lanka has said it was procuring arms from Pakistan to meet the terror threat from the Tamil Tigers. "We are facing a problem of terrorism against a democratically-elected legitimate state. In that situation, the government needs to procure equipment to resist that terrorism. So we are making the purchases," Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India C R Jaisinghe said when asked about reports that Sri Lanka was procuring arms from Pakistan.Noting that the Island nation had witnessed a surge in violence in recent months, he said: "The arms and equipment purchases are for our internal security and they are certainly not because we perceive a threat from any external power."Asked whether Sri Lanka wanted military supplies from India, the envoy was not specific and broadly said, "we always look forward to Indian support. We have no doubt that we have the goodwill of India"."I think there is no doubt in the minds of Sri Lankans that we have the goodwill (of India) in our effort to preserve the undivided nature of the country and work for a political solution that is acceptable to all," he said.India has been refusing to supply arms to Sri Lanka but is exchanging political support for maintenance of the Island nation's territorial unity.With India reluctant to enhance defence cooperation with it, Sri Lanka has shown signs of turning towards Pakistan with a high-level defence delegation from Islamabad holding talks with senior officials in Colombo recently. Pakistan Ordnance Factories chief Lt Gen Syed Sabahat Hussein held detailed discussions with Sri Lanka's security officials recently, including Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, brother of Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.The island nation witnessed a surge in violence since the government formally withdrew from a 2002 ceasefire agreement last month.Welcoming Indian Navy's effort to form an institutionalised mechanism for cooperation among navies of the Indian Ocean Region, he said it is time for a paradigm shift in the approach from competitive security to collective security to thwart threats of terrorists.In a major initiative to boost maritime security in the entire Indian Ocean Region (IOR), India and 26 other countries on Friday decided to set up an institutionalised mechanism for cooperation among their navies.He said the forum holds out a better future and better security for the region."What is happening in Sri Lanka is matter of concern to Sri Lanka and the countries with which she has good relations. I think the initiative will help us ensuring security in the Indian Ocean Region," he said adding terrorists outfits would find it very difficult to use sea routes if better coordination take place among navies of the region.Sri Lanka Navy Chief Wasantha Karannagoda has recently praised India for its help in countering the LTTE.The High Commissioner said the LTTE has been very significantly weakened and door for a negotiated settlement is open to resolve the decades-old ethnic problem."They (LTTE) have been driven out of the eastern province. The dominating areas they hold in the northern region are shrinking in size. So the government have been very clear that the LTTE must understand that through military means, they are not going to succeed."The window for peace and discussion with the government is always kept open," he said.

16February 2008

Khan hits out at Keheliya
   
The Secretary General of Amnesty International Irene Khan has hit out at government Defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwelle for alleging the human rights organization was biased.  Amnesty International also called on the government to make human rights the priority by allowing the organisation into the country to make an impartial assessment of the human rights record of the government and the LTTE.“Amnesty International’s role is to monitor and report on human rights abuses by all parties to the conflict. The organisation has repeatedly requested that the government should facilitate this role by allowing us access to the country,” Khan said.

Anandasangaree to fill Mervyn’s seat           
  
Leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front V. Anandasangaree will fill the National List MP post that will fall vacant following the resignation of Labour Minister Mervyn Silva, Presidential Secretariat sources say.Anandasangaree’s name has been recommended to the president by JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa on behalf of the Patriotic National Movement, and several other people’s organizations.

Sri Lanka says jets attack northern rebel base

Sri Lankan military jets bombed and destroyed a Tamil Tiger military base in the island's rebel-held north on Saturday, the military said, in a third successive day of air raids.There were no details of casualties immediately from the strike in the northwestern district of Mannar that followed bombings on rebel positions in neighbouring Mullaittivu over the past two days, an air force spokesman said."It was a base used to launch and coordinate attacks in the Mannar area, we conducted the air raid in support of army operations in Mannar," Wing Commander Andrew Wijesuriya said."Pilots confirmed extensive damages to the base from the raid."The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were not immediately available for comment and there were no independent accounts of what had happened.Fighting between the military and the Tigers has intensified since the government formally scrapped a 6-year-old ceasefire pact last month.The government says the rebels had used the truce to re-arm and has vowed to crush them.Sri Lankan forces are trying to drive the rebels from their northern stronghold and bring an end to a 25-year civil war, but analysts say neither side is winning and predict the fighting will grind on.

Prabhakaran critically injured last year: Sri Lanka air chief

Tamil Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran was 'critically injured' in an air raid on Nov 26, 2007, said Air Marshal Roshan Goonetilleke, commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF).However, B. Nadesan, head of the political wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), said the claim was baseless.On Friday, Goonetilleke told the state-owned television network ITN that Prabhakaran's presence in the targeted site was evident in the volume of anti-aircraft fire that the raiders faced.A mobile anti-aircraft unit always accompanied the rebel chieftain where he went, the air chief said in support of his claim.It could be surmised that the rebel chieftain was hit on that day, from two facts: firstly, all the 20 bombs dropped were bang on the targeted bunkers, destroying them totally; secondly, Prabhakaran has not been seen anywhere outside since then, Goonetilleke said.'He had not even attended the funeral of Charles, his trusted chief of military intelligence,' the air chief said.But denying the incident in an interview to the Tamil daily Thinakkural, LTTE's spokesperson Nadesan said Prabhakaran's defences were foolproof and impregnable.'Nobody can approach our leader,' he said.The Sri Lankan air chief discounted the story that Prabhakaran had left the shores of the country for medical treatment.'A terrorist leader usually doesn't leave his movement at a critical juncture like this as he fears that someone else might take his place,' Goonetilleke said.Asked when the LTTE would be defeated, he said: 'Very shortly.'Earlier, the government had said the war would be over by August this year before the summit of the South Asian heads of government to be held at Kandy in Sri Lanka.But Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka had said it would be over before he retired at the end of the year. More recently, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told a foreign magazine interviewer that it would take another year and a half.Reacting to this, Nadesan said there was 'no military pressure' on the organisation's defences in the north for the government to talk of any such time schedules.He charged that the government was hiding the bitter truth from the people of south Sri Lanka, which was that the army was taking heavy casualties and burying its dead on the spot, instead of taking the bodies to south Sri Lanka for funerals.

I made Presidents. But I can do nothing if they fail

Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunga says that she who brought Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to power in 1994 made Presidents and Prime Ministers but can do nothing if they fail to proceed.The former President made these comments addressing a ceremony held to declare open a bus stand built by the Western Provincial Council in Nittambuwa.I am ready to support anyone who works towards the development of the country. I support not with an aim to come to politics again. I am not afraid to die. Death comes to a person only once, she said amidst applause of the people gathered. (120)

Thinakkural scribe complains of threat 
 
A journalist of the Colombo based Thinakkural newspaper Friday made a police complaint alleging threats to his life over his reporting of human rights, parliament proceedings and most recently the upcoming eastern elections and election related violence.Journalist A.A Mohammad Anzir in his complaint lodged at the Modera police station said he had received a letter carrying a Batticaloa address threatening his life and those of his family members if he continued with his reports. The Paris based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) just this week said the Tamil media in Sri Lanka were facing persistent threats at the hands of various groups. It said Tamil correspondents of the national and international media have been leaving the north and east and sometimes even the country, after receiving such threats. RSF said in Jaffna some Uthayan staff live and spend time holed up in their offices in the centre of Jaffna. One journalist continuously lived lived in this manner in 2007 for fear of being killed in the street. "Before 2006, we had a staff of 120 of whom 20 were journalists. Now there are only 55 of whom five are journalists prepared to face up to the risks", newspaper editor M. V. Kaanamylnaatha told Reporters Without Borders who visited the Jaffna office. Despite their growing popularity, Uthayan, Yarl Thinakkural and Valampuri in Jaffna were forced to drastically reduce their pagination and circulation. Finally after pressure, mostly from abroad, the army lifted its embargo and stocks were transported from the capital by boat.

15February 2008

JVP 'had arms deals' with LTTE
 
Sri Lanka President's political ally, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), had secret arms deals with the separatist Tamil Tigers, a senior Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officer said.Major General (retired) Vasantha Perera told Colombo district court that the JVP was angry that he conducted investigations on the alleged deals. Maj. Gen. Perera said he informed the then government and took measures to prevent further deals between the JVP and the LTTE during late 80s.

'Era of terror'

The JVP's second armed uprising against the state was crushed down by the then government led by President R Premadasa.The period was widely known as 'era of terror' as both parties terrorised people in the south with their heavy handed terrorist and anti-terrorist measures. Over 60,000 people, majority of them Sinhala youth in the south, were killed during the uprising.JVP leader, Somawansa Amerasinghe, publicly admitted that the party was responsible for at least 6000 deaths.In a television programme on 09 February 2004, JVP propaganda secretary has accused Maj. Gen. Perera of 'fleeing' from SLA camp in Kanagarayankulam as fighting escalated with the LTTE. Maj. Gen. Perera has worked at the Board of Investment (BoI) after retiring from the SLA as the accusations by Wimal Weerawansa went on air.

Sacked from the job

Mr. Perera has filed a defamatory petition seeking Rs. 50 million from Mr. Weerawansa saying the petitioner lost his job as a result of the accusations. The JVP, the petitioner says, is angry that he informed the then government the alleged arms deals between the Sinhala nationalists and the Tamil Tigers. The JVP that categorically oppose any devolution of power to resolve national question insists on militarily defeating the LTTE. The party that actively campaigned for Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 2005 November presidential elections, has constantly accused the main opposition, United National Party (UNP), of secret deals with the LTTE. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has vowed to defeat LTTE terrorism, is also accused of offering at least Rs. 1500 to the Tamil Tigers before and after the presidential elections. Sri Lanka parliament agreed to appoint a Select Committee to probe the alleged deal.Colombo district judge, Sisira Ratnayake, postponed the defamation hearing for 05 May.

Destroyed rebel naval training base in north: Lanka

Sri Lankan fighter jets bombed and destroyed a Tamil Tiger forward operating and sea training base in the island’s rebel-held far north on Friday, the military said.However, there were no immediate details of any casualties from the raid in the northeastern district of Mullaittivu, a day after the air force said it had destroyed a rebel camp in the same area.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were not immediately available for comment on the latest burst of civil war violence, and there were no independent accounts of what happened.‘We believe that it (the base) has been substantially damaged,’ said Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Andrew Wijesuriya.‘Basically its their forward operating base to launch operations in Welioya and it is also used to train sea Tiger cadres.’Fighting between the military and the Tigers has intensified since the government formally scrapped a 6-year-old ceasefire pact last month. The government says the rebels had used the truce to re-arm and has vowed to crush them.Sri Lankan forces are trying to drive the rebels from their northern stronghold and bring an end to a 25-year civil war, but analysts say neither side is winning and predict the fighting will grind on.The International Committee of the Red Cross said it was deeply concerned about the growing number of civilian casualties among more than 70,000 people estimated killed since 1983.The ICRC said 180 civilians were reported killed and around 270 wounded so far this year in bombings on buses, train stations and in the streets.

Colombo Girls School Says No to Tamil Student

Major girls school in Colombo reported rejected admitting a students with second higher marks in grade 5 scholarship examination. because she was Tamil. Sources claim that the student was rejected by Vishaka Vidayala on an order of education ministry. Principle of the school says there is a student share of 0.2% for none Sinhala Buddhist students.Sri Lanka Education ministry claimed to media that he stopped admitting this student the school, because it could cause problems under current situation in the country. Vishaka vidyalaya is one of the most popular Sinhala Buddhist Girls school in the island. Schools are categorized as per religion and language in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka - Japan funds eastern development

The Government of Japan has granted an aid package of US$ 153,533 (Approximately Rs.16.56 million) for the restoration of agriculture as well as food security projects in the Batticoloa District under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) scheme. Sewa Lanka Foundation Chairman Dr. Harshakumara Navaratne and Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya Executive Director Dr.Vinya Ariyaratne, the receivers of this grant entered into agreements with Japanese Ambassador in Sri Lanka Kiyoshi Araki at the Japanese Embassy yesterday (14). The funds will be utilized to rehabilitate an irrigation channel and a tank, develop perennial crops and home gardening and construct 15 wells in the Vavunnathivu and Vaharai DS divisions in order to support the livelihoods of returnees. The Jathika Sarvodaya Shramadana Sangamaya will rehabilitate three irrigation channels and construct 21 agro wells in the Vellaveddvan, Pavakodicheni and Karavediyaru Grama Niladari divisions under the project to ensure the long term food security of resettled communities. With the Government's efforts to restore the livelihood of the people in the district of Batticoloa affected by both the conflict and the tsunami a large number of Internally Displace Persons (IDPs) have returned to their homes since March last year (2007). The main industry in the area is agriculture and these two projects will support resettled communities to rebuild their livelihoods and will benefit several thousands of families.

A’sangaree new Governor of North?

TULF President V. Anandasangaree is likely to give serious thought to an offer made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take up the post of Governor of the North.Mr. Anandasangaree told the Daily Mirror yesterday he would convey his decision when he meets the President later this week, “I was offered the Governor’s post by President Rajapaksa some nine months ago after the Supreme Court judgment to de-merge the north east was delivered. The latest invitation came from President Rajapaksa on January 22, after APRC Chairman Tissa Vitarana submitted his interim proposals that included the establishment of an advisory council to advise the Governor of the North,” Mr. Anadasangaree said.Mr. Anandasnagaree has discussed the issue with the President on his return from London recently. President Rajapaksa is very keen on establishing the Interim Advisory Council to restore normalcy in the North,” he said.“Right now I am discussing the matter with leaders of the Tamil community,political parties and other social groups. I would also consult the main opposition UNP before meeting the President,” Mr. Anandasangaree said adding that he was receiving pleas from all quarters including social groups, Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese communities and political parties to accept the governor’s post.

Minister Ali's thugs damage houses, burn boutiques and bomb

The election coordinator of Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) M.L.A.M. Hisbullah said to 'Lanka-e-News' that intimidation of the SLMC local government election candidates and damaging the property of their supporters is spreading in the Eastern Province. He further said that the supporters of a Government Minister are engaged in violence especially in Valachchanai. His allegation is leveled at Minister Amir Ali.Mr. Hisbulla further said that two shops were burnt, three houses were damaged, four, five candidates were assaulted and a house of one candidate was bombed in Valachchanai. A candidate of Vaharai was injured and hospitalized and the Army arrested the attacker and late he was remanded. Mr. Hisbulla said that there were some intimidation from Pillaiyan Group at the beginning of the election campaign but later they were solved through negotiations. In response to Mr. Hisbulla's allegation, Minister Ali said that this kind of violence was first experienced in Batticaloa district when Mr. Hisbulla was a Deputy Minister of United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Government. Insisting that he was never engaged in violent politics, he said 32 people were injured then and he had to hospitalize them. Minister Ali said that Mr. Hisbulla who crossed over to the SLMC from UPFA wants to show power although no Muslims are with him. The Minister further said that a Sub Inspector named Amir Ali had pointed a revolver to a UPFA candidate named Ameen and threatened to shoot at him. He says that no action was followed despite the complaint he lodged in Police.

Poor “reawakening” in Tamil areas– TMVP

The TMVP charged yesterday that most development work under the government’s ‘Reawakening of the East’ programme had been done in the Muslim majority areas, and its progress in the Tamil areas was not satisfactory in the overall context.In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mirror, the TMVP’s chief candidate for the Batticaloa Municipal Council, Pradeep Master, said that the tsunami rehabilitation work had sometimes been categorised as a part of the Re-awakening of the East programme.Pradeep Master, who is also the party’s Batticaloa district organizer, cited the repairing of the ‘Kallar Bridge’ as an example of this.He said that his party welcomed the ‘Re-awakening of the East’ programme launched by the government to develop the province that was devastated by war.However, he also expressed his satisfaction over the rehabilitation and resettlement work carried out in the Tamil-majority Vakarai area under the programme.Asked whether the presence of a Muslim minister representing the area had led to this situation, he said, “Maybe.” He added that once his party had established itself as a strong political force, it too could deliver much to the Tamil community in terms of development. “The upcoming local government elections give us an opportunity to become a major force in the area,” he said. The TMVP candidate added that he had discussed this matter with senior presidential advisor and MP Basil Rajapaksa, Public Administration Minister Karu Jayasuriya and Highways Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle. “They promised to look into the matter; we hope the government will address the issue soon,” he said. Responding to a query about their fielding candidates under the UPFA’s betel leaf symbol in the Batticaloa Muncipal Council and contesting the other eight local bodies under their boat symbol, he said that they did so to develop their areas with the help of the government, upon election to office. “Out of the 25 candidates for the Municipal Council, 24 are TMVP members, while only one candidate is from the  ruling UPFA,” he said.

A furious Eelaventhan slams House administration, colleagues
 
Former ITAK MP M.K. Eelaventhan yesterday accused his colleagues of badly letting him down.The veteran politician, who recently lost his National List seat after Parliament found him guilty of missing sittings for three months without taking leave, said that the party could have easily re-appointed him. ‘They sacrificed my political career," he said, asserting that their attitude made his problem worse.Fielding questions, Eelanenhan who hailed from Colomuthurai, Jaffna, said that Secretary General Mrs Priyanee Wijesekera made a determined bid to rectify the blunder on the part of the administration. "She acknowledged the error," he told The Island. "She explained the position to the ITAK and in fact UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake pointed out to the party that the mistake could be rectified but a section of the party wanted to take advantage of the situation to replace me".According to Eelaventhan he requested his Batticaloa District colleague T. Kanagasabai to apply for leave. But the relevant official had assured him that there was no need to apply for leave as Eelavanthan had been present on October 10, last year. "The official mistakenly identified TELO MP M.K. Shivajilingham as me but unfortunately Kanagasabai accepted that," he said. Had he checked with me this wouldn’t have happened."This is nothing but absolute negligence on the part of the administration. An angry MP said that he had time till December 4, 2007 to take leave. "But I wanted to finalise everything before November 20th," he said. He claimed that the ruling coalition shamelessly asked him to abstain from the vote on the third reading of the Budget on December 14th last year. "I refused. A government heavyweight promised not to raise this issue if abstained, he said. "I couldn’t have done that. Even I lost the seat, I didn’t want to sacrifice my self respect. It was nothing but blackmail."Although the Secretary General on her own accompanied me to the Speaker to explain my dilemma, government MPs sabotaged that. "What surprising is that my own colleagues ultimately helped the government to get rid of me."He said that some of his colleagues had emphasised the importance in appointing a Jaffna Muslim in my place. If that was the case, they shouldn’t have waited till some idiotic mistake on the part of the parliament made me guilty of being absent without leave. The party nominated Razen Mohammed Imam as Eelavanhan’s replacement and the new MP took his oaths on January 18.He expressed the belief that police would be able to get to the bottom of this. Speaking to The Island, immediately after police recorded his statement, the former MP said that nothing could be worse than to see your own colleagues treating you bad. ‘I felt disappointed and angry and will pursue this issue until justice is done."He said that he had been in active politics and never heard of another MP being forced to retire for absolutely no fault of his.

Sri Lanka shares fall, high interest rates herald uncertainty
 
Sri Lankan shares ended lower Friday with transactions in Royal Ceramics and HNB non-voting shares the main feature of the day but continuing high interest and inflation rates are seen dampening investor interest in stocks.The All Share Price Index lost 20.85 points or 0.83 percent to end at 2,485.05 while the more liquid Milanka index fell 16.55 points or 0.53 percent to close at 3,132.70 with turnover only 200 million rupees. Royal Ceramics once again drew attention going up 2.75 or 6.83 percent to 43 rupees with 269,600 shares traded. HNB non-voting shares went up 2.25 to 55 rupees with 383,600 shares changing hands. Dialog Telekom ended down 25 cents at 17.72 rupees with 766,000 shares traded while Sri Lanka Telecom lost 75 cents to close at 35 rupees with 163,600 shares changing hands. Analysts said stock market investor sentiment was likely to be affected by the high interest rates and forecast high inflation levels. "The market will be affected by the high interest rates and high inflation scenario," said Harsha Fernando, chief executive of SC Securities. "Corporate earning are also going to get hit with interest rates at these levels, which will have a serious impact on corporate profitability." Investors would prefer to put their money in interest bearing instruments instead of stocks, which means turnover levels are likely to remain thin. Bartleet Mallory Stockbrokers said foreign investors were more prominent on the buying side during the week bringing the net inflow for the week to 993.7 million rupees.

Sri Lanka's first female paratroopers get their wings

First batch of female paratroopers of Sri Lanka's armed forces received their parachutists’ wings from the Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshal Roshan Gunathilake at a wings awarding parade held at Katunayake air base this morning.The seven female paratroopers of the Sri Lanka Air Force displayed their competencies by taking high altitude jumps with their male counterparts. A passing out parade of 16 air force commandos was also held parallel to the wings awarding parade.

Court orders IGP to increase security to Mano

Court of Appeal today gave an interim order to increase Western Peoples Front Leader Mano Ganesan’s security to eight personnel with a security back-up vehicle. Security of Mano Ganesan MP was cut down by the government along with those of late parliamentarian T. Maheswaran and SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem MP immediately after the budget voting in the parliament. Mano Ganesan is the Convener of Civil Monitoring Commission which is very critical of the government’s human rights record. Ms. Hina Jillani, special representative of the UN secretary general for the defense of the human rights defenders had expressed her deep concern over the reduction of security to Mano Ganesan and had said in her letter to the government that ‘She is concerned for the life and security of Mr. Ganesan, which is more at risk without adequate security. The security reduction to Ganesan is linked to his high profile work against human rights violations and may be an attempt to curtail his HR work”.Ganesan won the runner up award for his human rights campaign from the US department of state. Secretary of state Condeliza Rice made the relevant announcement in last December on the international human rights day December 10th. However Sri Lankan defense ministry headed by Gotabaya Rajapakse, himself a US citizen, reduced Ganesan’s security on December 18th.Judges Sri Bhawan and Rohini Perera ordered the IGP to increase security as an interim measure and postponed further hearings for 3rd March.

14February 2008

Sri Lanka court flays indiscriminate arrest of Tamils

Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has rapped the police for indiscriminately arresting Tamils in drives meant to nab Tamil Tiger suspects or their collaborators.A bench headed by Chief Justice Sarath Silva Wednesday asked the police to formulate rules on detention, arrest and investigation of Tamils who might be suspected of being agents of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).The LTTE has been waging an armed struggle to secure an independent Tamil state of Eelam in the north and east of Sri Lanka.The Supreme Court said the rules for detention should be submitted to it March 4.The order came on a fundamental rights petition filed by the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), a political party cum trade union representing Tamils of Indian origin in Sri Lanka.Many Tamils arrested, detained or summoned to police stations in Sri Lanka during the now frequent anti-terrorist drives are Tamils of Indian origin who come from the tea and rubber plantations of central and south Sri Lanka and who have nothing to do with the Tamils in the war-torn northeast of the island.On Jan 7, the Supreme Court had said it was a violation of the constitution to search houses without reasonable grounds. The court had come down particularly heavily on searches at night.Counsel for the CWC M.A. Sumanthiran said in his submission that the police had gone to the extent of asking the Tamils of Modera, in north Colombo, to submit details of their bank accounts.Tamils living in Maradana in central Colombo, who were waiting for their visas to go abroad for work, had been arrested. Subsequent to a bomb blast in Nugegoda, a suburb of Colombo, Nov 28 last year, Tamils living in lodges were picked up and sent to a maximum-security prison in Boosa in the island's south.Eighty-two Tamils thus taken were still languishing in Boosa, he said. And more recently, 198 Tamils were arrested in Colombo.Meanwhile, the media watchdog Free Media Movement (FMM) protested against the detention of the Associated Press photographer Gemunu Amarasinghe Feb 12 for taking pictures of a school for a story on the LTTE's threat to school children.Parents standing in front of the Isipathana Mahavidyalaya (high school) near Tamil minister Douglas Devananda's office apprehended Amarasinghe on suspicion and handed him over the police, who detained him for two hours. Minister Devananda faces threats from the LTTE assassination squad. On the same day, eight scribes were detained while covering an unruly protest at Galle. The FMM pointed out that TV journalist Aravinda Sri Nissanka was arrested Jan 23 for taking shots of pedestrians crossing the road ignoring traffic signals.Jaffna, in north Sri Lanka, has become one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists, according to media watchdog Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF).'A wave of murders, kidnappings, threats and censorship has made it (Jaffna) one of the most dangerous places in the world for the press,' RSF said Wednesday. Two Jaffna scribes were killed in 2007, it said.According to statistics available with the UN, Sri Lanka has reported the largest number of disappearances.Among the disappeared in 2007 were two journalists, Subramaniam Ramachandran of Thinakkural daily and Vadivel Nimalarajan of Uthayan daily, RSF said.The Tigers also put tremendous pressure on journalists to toe their line, RSF noted. 'The pressure might be less visible but at the same time every bit as effective,' it said. The LTTE also 'summons' Tamil journalists if it has to say something to them.

Rebel Base Air Raided By Sri Lankan Troops

According to the military, a Tamil Tiger camp located in the north territory held by rebels were bombed by Sri Lankan fighter jets on Thursday. Also another 50 rebels were killed in the clashes on Wednesday. There weren’t any details regarding the casualties from the air attack on Thursday which was called ‘Radha Base’ by the military in the village of Teravikulam, located in the northeastern district of Mullaittivu.Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Andrew Wijesuriya said: "We would term it as a military base. They use it as a lodging base for their fighting cadres. Pilots have confirmed the targets they have taken, the buildings, were completely destroyed," Reuters reports. The fighting has intensified since last month the government dropped the six-year ceasefire. The government is thinking that the truce was an excuse used by the rebels to re-arm. The LTTE are saying that they are fighting for Sri Lanka’s minority Tamil population, who they say is being persecuted by the majority Buddhist Sinhalese. About 20 percent of the 20 million people in Sri Lanka are Tamil.The defense ministry says that until now over 1,100 rebels have been killed and 80 soldiers have died since the beginning of the year.Because of the violence, investments and tourist arrivals in the country are on hold now.According to the military, 50 rebels died during clashes in the northern districts of Vavuniya and Polonnaruwa and the northwestern district of Mannar.Earlier the military declared that a rebel mine exploded in Vavuniya on Wednesday killing two soldiers and injuring six others. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said: "The pressure we are applying will be continued. Our operations against them will continue to impose maximum casualties to the LTTE and regain LTTE-held areas."Ever since the Tigers started a campaign in 1972 to form an independent state in the north and east of the country, almost 70,000 people have died.The International Committee of the Red Cross said that 180 civilians were killed and 270 others were injured this year alone in bombings which occurred on buses, train stations and in the streets.

Sri Lankan journalists march against media suppression

Hundreds of journalists marched Thursday in Sri Lanka's capital to protest harassment and suppression of the media.The march was organized by members of the Movement Against Media Suppression, who say media personnel have been killed, abducted and jailed by government-backed paramilitary groups and Tamil Tiger rebels.The group says 14 journalists and media workers have been killed in Sri Lanka in the past two years, while eight have been abducted and four others imprisoned. It says licenses for some radio stations have been revoked by the government.The movement is asking for a law to ensure freedom of information and editorial liberty at state newspapers, radio and television.Labor unions and some political parties that are members of the Movement Against Media Suppression also participated in Thursday's protest. The movement is a coalition of several media rights and civil society groups.The group says attacks on the media increased after a cease-fire between the government and Tamil Tiger rebels collapsed. The government officially withdrew from the Norway-brokered truce last month, but it had largely been ignored by both sides for the past two years.Tamil Tiger rebels have been fighting the government since 1983 to create a separate homeland for the island's minority Tamils. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

Sri Lanka Opposition launches Valentine Day poster campaign against rising cost of living

The United National Party (UNP), Sri Lanka's main opposition today launched an island wide poster campaign to against the sky rocketing cost of living. The poster campaign was organized as a surprise event after a huge media campaign on the Valentine Day.The Opposition Leader, Ranil Wickremasinghe joined the campaign by sticking posters on public properties located close to the Maradana Railway station. Speaking to the media, Mr. Wickremasinghe said that the government has failed to live up to its promises by reducing cost of living as claimed last December. The cost of living and the inflation have risen to their highest in the 60 years of independent Sri Lanka and the government has not been able to do anything about it, he said. If the government fails to address the problem by the end of March this year, the next innovative idea of his will be carried on to effect, he added. MP Ravi Karunanayaka led the poster campaign in the Rajagiriya area, while MPs Tissa Attanayake and Chandrani Bandara led the campaign in the Kundasale and Anuradhapura areas respectively.

Doctors in Mannar & Vavuniya protest travel ban  
         
Doctors attached to hospitals in Mannar and Vavuniya launched a strike today (Feb. 14th) after being refused permission to travel to the areas in their private vehicles.With the recent escalation of military offensives in these areas, the Defence Ministry restricted all forms of transport to and from the south to Mannar and Vavuniya upto the Medawachchiya checkpoint.Dr. Chandika Epitakaduwa of the Government Medical Officers Association urged the Health Ministry Secretary to intervene and settle the matter swiftly.The Health Ministry Secretary Dr. Athula Kahandaliyanage told the media that a solution will be given soon.The government’s decision to separate the northern region from the south in this manner has inconvenienced many.Reports say that the suspension of transport has led to medicine and commodity shortages in Vavuniya and Mannar.A hartal was staged recently in Vavuniya to protest this decision.

Priests deny SLA's "Shramadana" story

Rev. Fr. S.K. Devarajah, the parish priest of St. Sebastian Cathedral in Mannaar in a statement issued Thursday, said that "[T]he Sri Lankan Army occupied this church premises on their own," and added that his visit to the St. Anthony’s Shrine on the 11th of February 2008 was to ask the SLA permission to hold "Lenten pilgrimage" in the shrine, and not to request the SLA command to conduct Shramadana (voluntary work). Colombo media and SLA had earlier reported that the SLA troopers were in the Church compound cleaning the premises on the Priest's request. The statement said "the place was very clean and fit for the divine services," when the priest visited the Shrine premises on the 11th February.Brigadier Udaya Nanayakara, SLA spokesman, told BBC Tamil service Tuesday that the SLA had sent 25 soldiers to help clear church compound at the request to people and priests of the church and 6 of these soldiers were killed and 10 injured when LTTE shells hit the church.

Full text of the statement issued by the priest follows:

Having heard about the unfortunate and distressing incident of shelling that fell in the compound of St. Anthony’s Shrine, Thallady resulting the death of some soldiers and causing injury to some others besides damaging the portico of the church on 12th February 2008, I wish to offer my sympathies and prayers to the families of the victims.Following this attack I have been receiving calls from Colombo, informing me about the news in the media which connected the incident and our visit to the shrine on the previous day. In this connection I would like to give some clarifications to the general public.The Sri Lankan Army occupied this church premises on their own. Immediately after the withdrawal of the CFA, as is publicly seen, I obtained prior permission from the OIC of the Army Camp of the Church premises to visit the shrine of the 11th of February 2008 for the purpose of obtaining permission to organize Lenten pilgrimages to the shrine. On the same day we, the priest of the Mannar town had to go to Vankali for our monthly capital Deanery meeting in our Diocesan van. On our way to Vankali at 10.30am, we stopped at Thallady near the statue of St. Anthony’s on the main road and met two officers who accompanied me, the Parish Priest, my two assistant priests and two other priests to the shrine.We stood in the portico of the church and spoke with the officers for about 5 minutes explaining to them, that we want to have our Lenten pilgrimage to this shrine during this holy season, Lent to pray for peace in our land. The officers very kindly instructed me to submit the names of the participant. In our conversation with them, we never requested “sharmadana” or any other help from them. The Talk about the sharmadana never came up there. In fact we noticed that the place was very clean and fit for the divine services. However, it appears that our visit has been maliciously reported in some of the media as exposing the service personnel to danger by making them undertake sharmadana work.

Batticaloa Kachcheri ready  for postal voting

Officials manning the Elections Desk at the Batticaloa Kachcheri on Tuesday dispatched 934 postal voting packets to the respective certifying officers for March 10 elections to nine Local Bodies in the Batticaloa District. Postal voting will take place on February 21st, Chief Clerk Thillai Vasan said yesterday.He confirmed that 274,000 polling cards would be delivered to voters from February 15.He said that of the 1004 applications received before the closing date of January 25 for postal votes, 934 were eligible to vote. All late applications were rejected.

Indian giant to takeover KKS cement factory in Sri Lanka

A subsidiary of the Indian cement giant Birla is to take over the closed cement factory at Kankasanthurai (KKS) in the near future says the Ministry of Construction and Engineering Services of Sri Lanka.According to the Ministry sources, a delegation of the company is to visit Sri Lanka in the next couple of weeks to discuss the matter with the Sri Lanka government. Birla is one of the largest cement manufacturer in the world. Minister of Construction and Engineering Services, Rajitha Senarathne says 40% of the local cement requirement could be supplied if the factory is reopened. KKS cement factory located at the northern tip of Jaffna peninsula is in the high security zone. It was closed since mid 80s due to the escalation of the war. Re-opening of the factory was abandoned several times due to terrorist threats.

13February 2008

Germany proposes sanctions on Sri Lanka

Germany is proposing to the European Union the withdrawal of the General System of Preference Plus (GSP+) concessions from Sri Lanka and the slashing of development cooperation unless the government stops the war and seeks a political solution to the ethnic conflict. In the beginning of March a European Union troika is to visit Sri Lanka to take stock of the situation in the country and urge the government to seek a political solution and withdraw from the war. In a series of tough measures to be taken by Germany it also plans to withdraw half of the personnel working in development cooperation and close the office of the German Development Bank in Colombo if the government continues to pursue the war option. This tough line Germany proposes to take is disclosed by German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul in a recent interview with the German daily Tages Spiegel.The German Minister has said the international community must influence both parties to the conflict to seek a political solution and withdraw from the war. Minister Wieczorek-Zeul had said if the Sri Lankan government continues to insist on a military solution then she would demand that the EU withdraw the GSP+ concessions offered to the country. She had said this will bring economic pressure on the government of Sri Lanka."If the EU continues to accept the present situation the Plus is meaningless. The biggest portion of Sri Lanka's exports consist of textile exports. Only garment product exports to the EU markets are valued at US$ 1.2 billion annually. The other part is exported to the United States. It is also important to consult with the US, which has also taken up a very critical position towards Sri Lanka in the past weeks," the German Minister has said. The German Economic Cooperation and Development Minister has also revealed that no new agreements on cooperation have been concluded for the past two years and that projects to the value of EUR 38 million have been put on hold. She has also proposed that the UN Security Council take up the Sri Lankan issue and has proposed to Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon that he sends a special envoy to Sri Lanka to study the situation. She has further said that the decision to withdraw half the personnel working in development cooperation and close the office of the German Development Bank is because the security situation is very critical.

Aid Group Decries Sri Lankan Casualties

The number of civilian casualties in Sri Lanka's raging civil war has reached "appalling levels," the Red Cross said Wednesday.Many of the victims have been children on their way to or from school, according to Toon Vandenhove, the head of the local International Committee of the Red Cross."The number of civilians affected by the violence throughout the country, either by being directly targeted or as bystanders, has reached appalling levels," Vandenhove said in a statement.The violence has reportedly killed more than 180 civilians and injured almost 270 in the first six weeks of the year, the aid agency said.The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 for an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils after decades of being marginalized by Sinhalese-dominated governments. The fighting has killed more than 70,000 people.Violence has escalated since the government withdrew from a 2002 cease-fire last month.The 2002 truce fostered hopes for a lasting peace, but it broke down as new fighting over the past two years killed more than 5,000 people.More than 1,000 people have been killed since the government announced last month that it was quitting the cease-fire, according to the military.

Death toll mounts as Sri Lanka pushes for Tiger territory

Fighting between Sri Lankan troops and Tamil Tigers intensified in the north of the island Wednesday, officials said, but there was no sign of major gains by either side despite a rising body count. The International Red Cross also sounded the alarm over what it described as "appalling levels" of civilian casualties, saying non-combatants were being increasingly caught in the crossfire or deliberately targeted.Government forces stepped up a three-pronged attack on the mini-state run by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) but were facing stiff resistance from the ethnic rebels, defence sources said.After three days of ferocious battles in Mannar district in the northwest and Weli Oya in the northeast, security forces said they had killed more than 110 guerrillas.For their part, the Tigers said they killed 42 government soldiers and wounded another 53 in Mannar alone on Tuesday, significantly higher than the casualties acknowledged by the military.The army also said two of its soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb attack just outside territory controlled by the LTTE, which wants to carve out a separate Tamil state in the north and east of the ethnic Sinhalese-majority island.The latest government military reports bring to 1,198 the number of rebels said by the defence ministry to have been killed by security forces so far this year, against the loss of 70 government soldiers and police.No major territorial gains have been reported, and casualty figures given by the government or the Tigers cannot be independently verified as journalists and human rights workers are barred from frontline and rebel-held areas.The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), one of the few international organisations with access to the area, did however confirm mounting civilian casualties -- with 180 civilians killed and 270 wounded since the start of the year."The number of civilians affected by the violence throughout the country, either by being directly targeted or as bystanders has reached appalling levels," said Toon Vandenhove, the head of the ICRC's delegation in Colombo.The government has blamed the Tamil Tigers for a string of bomb attacks in the capital and elsewhere in recent weeks, while the guerrillas have also accused the military of targeting Tamil civilians in areas under their control.Violence on the tropical island has surged since the Sri Lankan government formally pulled out of truce with the rebels that had produced a drop in violence between 2002 and late 2005.Sri Lanka's top army general Sarath Fonseka declared over the weekend that a campaign to capture the rebel-held north was proceeding according to plan, but refused to give a timetable for defeating the LTTE."They are an organised force with a lot of experience. They have thousands of fighters. I don't conduct the war looking at deadlines and time frames," Fonseka said in the interview published Sunday in the Lakbima Sinhalese weekly."Can a war that has been going on for more than 25 years be completed by March? But, what I say is -- give us a chance."The military estimates the Tigers' strength at anything between 3,000 and 5,000. The defence authorities announced at the beginning of the year that they would be able to wipe out the rebels within six months.

A 25-kilo bomb recovered from Jaffna

Security forces recovered a claymore weighing 25 kilos and potent of causing heavy damage from Jaffna. Army Media Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that a claymore of this size was not recovered before this. The claymore contained a large number of steel pellets that could cause heavy damage, said the Army Spokesman. LTTE normally used claymores with maximum weight of eight to ten kilos so far.

Annual Press Freedom Report 2008

REPORTERS Without Borders today accused public officials around the world of "impotence, cowardice and duplicity" in defending freedom of expression."The spinelessness of some Western countries and major international bodies is harming press freedom," secretary-general Robert Mnard said in the organisation's annual press freedom report, out today (13 February) and available at www.rsf.org. "The lack of determination by democratic countries in defending the values they supposedly stand for is alarming." He charged that the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva had caved in to pressure from countries such as Iran and Uzbekistan and expressed concern at the softness of the European Union towards dictators who did not flinch at the threat of European sanctions. The report's introduction listed problems expected in the coming year, especially physical attacks on journalists during key elections in Pakistan (18 February), Russia (2 March), Iran (14 March) and Zimbabwe (29 March).The worldwide press freedom organisation voiced concern about the safety of journalists covering fighting in Sri Lanka, the Palestinian Territories, Somalia, Niger, Chad and especially Iraq, where it said "journalists continue to be buried almost every week."It also protested against censorship of new media (mobile phones transmitting photos and film and video-sharing and social networking websites) and highlighted media repression in China in the run-up to the Olympic Games there this summer."Nobody apart from the International Olympic Committee seems to believe the government will make a significant human rights concession before the Games start," it said. "Every time a journalist or blogger is released, another goes into prison. . . China's dissidents will probably be having a hard time this summer."The report includes surveys of press freedom in every region of the world over the past year and chapters on 98 countries, including European Union members and the United States.

Kidnapped businessman found at Minuwangoda

The Tamil businessman from Negombo who had been abducted on Monday night, was found in a lane in Minuwangoda last evening.The Negombo police HQI Somasiri Liyanage said that the businessman, Selvamoththy Nimalan Rajendran (42), had been on his way home after closing his communications and video shop when he was abducted. He had been abducted in front of his house by a gang and put into Toyota Hiace van, according to his wife, who had been watching from the balcony. Mr. Rajendran has told the police that there were six masked men in camouflaged clothes in the van.The men in the van had asked him questions about a well known drug dealer in the area. After questioning him, the gang had taken his mobile phone and the money he had on his person; they had later tied him up and left him on the road last evening.Negombo police are investigating.

War against LTTE, APRC process can go ahead simultaneously: Foreign Minister

The ongoing combined security forces campaign to wrest control of the LTTE-held Vanni region and the APRC process through which the government intended to implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution could continue simultaneously, Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said. In interview with The Island at his Keppitipola residence, the minister asserted that the rapid progress made by security forces against the LTTE would enable the government go ahead with political proposals which he emphasized had the unstinted support of India. The de-merger of the Eastern Province from the North on a Supreme Court directive wouldn’t be an obstacle to the political process, he said. The two-pronged approach would reach a decisive stage in the coming months as the military relentlessly press ahead with their planned offensive action. The government wouldn’t give up its right to essentially use force to tackle a terrorist problem. He also echoed Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa that there wouldn’t be fresh negotiations as long as the LTTE retained arms. He said that the signing of an agreement on the transfer of prisoners between Sri Lanka and Maldives during the Maldivian President’s visit to Colombo would be important in the context of fighting terrorism and narcotics trade. Last year the Maldivian Coast Guard arrested several LTTE cadres after sinking an Indian trawler Sri Krishna commandeered by them. Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karanngoda is on record saying that interrogation of LTTE cadres in Maldivian custody facilitated naval operations against the LTTE fleet. In fact, an extradition treaty among SAARC countries would be needed to facilitate the process, he said.Dismissing criticism directed at the government for quitting the Ceasefire Agreement and waging war against the LTTE, the minister pointed out that the triggered the latest bout of fighting. "We couldn’t have ignored their military challenge," he said. Had the government allowed the LTTE to take the upper hand, the ground situation would have been different today, he said. Once considered unbeatable on the battlefield, Tigers, he asserted had been brought to their knees and their final collapse would come sooner than later. Unfortunately some people have conveniently forgotten the way the LTTE acted after the Norwegian-brokered CFA came into operation in February 2002, he said. "The war was forced on us. Now, they have lost the capacity to off-set the battlefield losses, they are seeking an international lifeline."The minister dismissed the assertion that the Rajapaksa administration has been internationally isolated. "A blatant lie," he said. The rapid progress on the battlefield since major ground battles erupted in August 2006 wouldn’t have been possible without international cooperation, he said. "From where do you think arms, ammunition, equipment and the technology as well as services reached government forces?" he asked. In fact, the Rajapaksa administration had received unprecedented support from foreign countries to meet the threat posed by the LTTE. Fielding questions, he said that a statement issued by an individual on behalf of a country or an organisation critical of a particular issue shouldn’t be considered rejection of Sri Lanka by the international community.The minister asserted that the friendly countries had provided critical support; a case in point was the US crackdown on the LTTE. The US action had crippled some important LTTE networks and the action taken by UK, Canada, France and EU as a whole and the support extended by India had given the government upper hand in the battle against the LTTE. Without their support, the LTTE wouldn’t have been weakened, he said. The minister underscored the use of ships secured from US, India and Israel in the destruction of eight LTTE floating arsenals on the high seas since September 2006. It was a significant achievement but would it have been possible without the availability of the required ships and other services, the minister said. He acknowledged that the recent amendment to Department of State Appropriation Bill for the current financial year would be detrimental to Sri Lanka’s interests. "As I have pointed out on numerous occasions, US restrictions on defence cooperation with Sri Lanka on the basis of alleged human rights issues is unreasonable and would ultimately provide a lifeline at a time the group is under tremendous pressure, both here and overseas."The minister expressed confidence that the US wouldn’t abandon Sri Lanka at her hour of need. Maritime surveillance made available by the US late last year and the recent visit by a top level military delegation was evidence that the US would stand by Sri Lanka, the minister said. The Acquisition and Cross Servicing Agreement with the US was evidence of Sri Lanka’s commitment to the US, he said, emphasising the critical importance in maintaining good relations with the major powers. Fielding questions, he asserted that Sri Lanka’s decision to improve relations with Iran was a case in point.He said that the country was proud to contribute a large contingent of peacekeepers to UN-led mission in Haiti. Almost 1,000 officers and men serve the mission, he said. Despite large scale operations in the North, the army had been able to maintain the Haiti mission, the largest ever overseas military mission undertaken by Sri Lanka, he said. This was an achievement we could be proud of, he said.

Visa-style registration for Maradana Tamils  
       
Maradana Police have reportedly introduced a visa-style registration for the Tamil nationals living or staying in the area under its purview. The period of stay for the applicants under this system will be decided by the police, it is alleged. The relevant application calls for all personal information.The nearby Mutwal Police have issued a different application, which requests applicants to furnish even their caste and personal banking particulars, including the balance maintained. All these were revealed at the Supreme Court today (Feb. 13th) by attorney M.A. Sumandhiran, who appears for the Ceylon Workers Congress in a petition filed against the mass arrest and detention of Tamil nationals. He submitted copies of the police application forms issued to the Tamils of Maradana and Mutwal, and called them unlawful and a serious violation of human rights. When the SC inquired from the Attorney-General on this, Additional Solicitor General Palitha Fernando said his department was unaware of such requirements.After considering all submissions, the SC ordered the appointment of a committee of inquiry, comprising representatives of the AG, the DIG of Colombo and the Justice Ministry Secretary, to inquire into the charges.The court also ordered that the Defence Secretary and the IGP be informed of the measure. Attorney Sumandhiran claimed that 92 Tamils are presently in police custody after their arrests in Colombo and suburbs. The SC ordered the police to release or file action against these detainees after speedy investigations, and fixed March 04th as the date for the next hearing.

Why the 13th Amendment is a sham

WE examine some important features of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka as detailed below.

Provincial Councils

Following the Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement of July 29, 1987, the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lanka Constitution was introduced in October 1987 providing for an elected provincial council, a provincial board of ministers with a chief minister and a provincial governor. A Provincial Councils Act was also introduced. At provincial elections held on  November 19, 1988, a North-East Provincial Council (NEPC) controlled by the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) was elected. The NEPC was dissolved in 1990 and since then there have been no provincial council elections in the north-east.  The governor, though not elected, holds all the power, and the ministers, though elected, virtually have no power. There is in reality no devolution of power to the provinces.The Indo-Sri Lanka Agreement acknowledged that the Northern and the Eastern Provinces "have been areas of historical habitation of the Tamil speaking peoples." The two provinces were merged as envisaged in the agreement. The Provincial Councils Act provides for a referendum in the Eastern Province to determine whether the eastern people want a permanent merger of the two provinces. The referendum has not been held.

Provincial Governor

Under the 13th Amendment, the President appoints the provincial governor and can dismiss him/her. The governor holds executive power in the province in relation to those matters, which are within the competence of the provincial council. Since the constitution vests executive power in the president, it follows that the governor is subject to control by the president. The governor can exercise his executive power either directly or through the board of ministers or through the members of the provincial public service. The disciplinary control of officers of the province is vested in the governor. The governor will also determine terms and conditions of their employment. He/she can delegate his/her powers to a Public Services Commission (PSC), but PSC will also be appointed by him/her and controlled by him/her. In this circumstance, the board of ministers in effect becomes redundant.   

The functions of the chief minister and the board of ministers are to aid and advise the governor in the exercise of his functions. The chief minister must communicate all decisions of the board of ministers to the governor. The ministers also must respond when the governor calls for information. The governor will exercise executive power also in respect of all provincial legislation passed by the provincial council. The governor is empowered to make rules for allocation of business among ministers.  The governor can summon the provincial council, including ministers, and give instructions. 

If the council fails to comply with any instruction, the president can declare that the powers of the council will be exercised by parliament and that the powers of the ministers will be exercised by the president.  The governor has the discretion to ignore the advice of the chief minister and board of ministers.  Whether any matter requires the advice of the chief minister will be decided by the governor on the direction of the president and this cannot be called into question in any court.

Finance

Under the 13th Amendment, a Finance Commission consisting of the Governor of the Central Bank, Secretary to the Treasury and three other members each representing the three major communities, (appointed by the president), will recommend the amount to be allocated from the annual budget to meet the needs of the province. The president will decide the amount.

The provincial council cannot pass any laws imposing, altering, abolishing any taxes in the province without the recommendation of the governor. No money can be withdrawn or utilised from the provincial fund (which will include money allocated by the central government and taxes and levies) without the sanction of the governor.   

The provincial council does not have powers to borrow internally and externally, provide guarantees and indemnities, receive aid directly, and engage in or regulate internal and external trade. The power to receive aid directly was granted to an elected provincial body under the proposals of the People's Alliance (PA) in 1995. But this provision was removed in the 1997 draft constitution of the PA.  

Take over of functions

Under the Sri Lanka Constitution all powers of auditing of accounts in relation to monies received from international sources are vested in the auditor-general appointed by the president. 

If the President is satisfied that a situation has arisen in which the provincial administration cannot be carried out (for example, if the provincial council does not act in accordance with the recommendation of the governor in the case of taxes), the President can take over the functions of the governor, the chief minister and the ministers and also declare that the powers of the provincial council are vested in the central parliament. This cannot be called into question in any court.   

Advice

Under the 13th Amendment, the chief minister and the board of ministers can advise the governor only in respect of matters on which the provincial council can pass laws. Over other matters, they cannot even advise. These are as follows:

A. Police

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), who is under the direct control of the president, will be the head of all provincial police forces. A Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) will head the provincial division of the police force. The DIG will be appointed by the IGP with the concurrence of the chief minister, but if there is no agreement, the President will appoint the DIG after consulting the chief minister. The DIG will be responsible to the chief minister and under his control. But there are no provisions for the exercise of such control other than through the IGP and the president.

Recruitment to the provincial police will be through a Provincial Police Commission, composed of three members. The members are the DIG, a person nominated by the Central Public Service Commission in consultation with the president and a nominee of the chief minister. The central government, therefore, will have a majority in the Provincial Police Commission.

Offences against a public officer and offences prejudicial to national security or maintenance of essential services will not be within the competence of the provincial police force. These offences are under the jurisdiction of the national police division. This means that the national police division deals with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

B. Land and land settlement

Although this matter is in the Provincial List under the 13th Amendment, the disposal of land within the province will be under the direct control of the president. State lands will not be vested in the provincial council and therefore it will not be able to distribute land to the people in the province.

There is a long-standing complaint of the people in the north-east relating to distribution of state lands to those from outside the north-east and forcible occupation of private lands as a result of government-organised colonisation or settlement programmes.

Judiciary

Under the Sri Lanka Constitution, judicial power is exercised by parliament through courts established by law. The President appoints the judges of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal on recommendations made by the Constitutional Council.  President Rajapakse has been acting unconstitutionally by making appointments without the recommendations of a Constitutional Council. Under the 13th Amendment, a High Court is established for the province. The Chief Justice chooses the High Court judge for a province from among the High Court judges and is appointed by the President.

The High Court in each province has original criminal jurisdiction in respect of offences within the province and appellate jurisdiction in respect of decisions of Magistrates Courts and Primary Courts within the province. From the decisions of these courts, appeals lie to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Courts of Sri Lanka on matters prescribed.

The three lists

The 13th Amendment provides three lists:

Provincial Council List - The provincial council may make laws applicable to the province in respect of matters in this list.

Concurrent List - Both the Sri Lanka Parliament and the provincial council may legislate on matters in this list.

Reserved List - Only parliament may make laws in respect of matters in this list. Despite this, the central parliament will be able to legislate by a simple majority on all subjects on grounds of national policy.

The law-making powers of the provincial council do not include national policy. Parliament can also legislate in respect of any subject in the Provincial Council List if such law is necessary for implementing any treaty, agreement or decision at an international conference. This would enable parliament to legislate in respect of any matters in all three lists.

Tamil Information Centre-London

LTTE supremo Prabhakaran comes out of bunker only at night 
 
LTTE supremo Vellupillai Prabhakaran lives in a sprawling air-conditioned bunker complex located 30 feet below the ground, and comes up to the surface only at night to avoid detection, a report said on Wednesday. Prabhakaran's "extravagant underground bunker is constructed as per his instructions and equipped with air-conditioning and power generators," a newspaper reported, showing a sketch of the alleged bunker mapping. The bunker is 30-feet deep and divided into two sectors. It has a tunnel which connects to a similar bunker complex, and the rebel leader's room is tucked way in the lower-most floor has two exits, the sketch shows. A typical day for Prabhakaran, who suffers from hypertension, begins at 5 am when he is served a cup of tea without sugar or milk and is briefed about the battle front at 6.30 am, the report said quoting sources. "From a powerful radio set Prabhakaran gives instruction to his field commanders though he himself would not talk directly, and asks his confidante to do the talking. If he thinks that communications are not secure, he would insist on communicating through satellite phones at night," it said. Not in the best of health, the rebel leader's breakfast is simple and is again accompanied by tea without sugar or milk. "Three doctors attend to Prabhakaran and they continuously monitor his health conditions as he suffers from hypertension. His blood pressure is checked twice during the day," it said. For lunch, his aide prepares food without salt which he "doesn't like at all", but is compelled to eat due to his health. "He has become a vegetarian because of his illness," it said adding "he has light dinners -- mostly kurakkan (cereal grass whose seed yield somewhat bitter flour) and some gravy".

'Centre should take against Karunanidhi for LTTE support'

CHENNAI: The Opposition AIADMK on Wednesday urged the Centre to take action against Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for his open support to the proscribed LTTE and play a role in finding  a political solution to the ethnic Tamils issue in Sri Lanka. A resolution adopted at the party's General Council, the highest policy making body, said that after coming to power in the aftermath of the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the AIADMK Government headed by J Jayalalithaa had taken stern action against the LTTE, responsible for the assassination, and had played a vital role in banning it.However, after coming back to power, Karunanidhi, while remaining silent against the supporters of the LTTE, went a step ahead and offered condolence eulogising the death of LTTE political wing leader S P Tamilchelvan.Stating that this was an act of treason and would pave way for secessionism, the resolution condemned the Centre for remaining silent without initiating any action against him. Favouring a political solution to end the sufferings of Tamils in the island nation, the resolution wanted India to play a role to find an early solution to the ethnic crisis and restore peace in the trouble-torn nation. Tamil Nadu had become a haven for extremists and terrorist forces and had become an arms godown. The Police department, which had to preserve law and order, had become inept and there was no protection for the people.

TNA will not ‘touch’ 13th Amendment

Excerpts of the speech delivered by R. Sampanthan, MP in parliament on February 6, during the debate on the emergency dealing with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and the APRC process. Let me first quote from the Mahinda Chinthana under the caption “Towards A New Sri Lanka” and I quote from page 3l:“An Undivided Country, A National Consensus, An Honourable Peace”“I am deeply convinced that we need to think from a fresh perspective and devise a new approach if we are to find a sustainable solution to the conflict in the north and the east. The violent conflict and the stalemate in the peace talks over the past years have gradually led to this issue progressing beyond the north and the east to engulf the entire country.”

Some months from that statement which I read, which was in November, 2005, President Rajapakse appointed the Parliamentary Representative Committee on Constitutional Reforms and the Panel of Experts and he addressed the inaugural meeting of that body at the Presidential Secretariat on July 11, 2006. This is what the President said:

Under the heading “Devolution for the People by the People — People in their own localities must take charge of their destiny and control their politico-economic environment. Central decision-making that allocates disproportionate resources has been an issue for a considerable time. In addition it is axiomatic that devolution also needs to address issues relating to identity as well as security and socio-economic advancement without over-reliance on the centre. In this regard, it is also important to address the question of regional minorities. In sum, any solution needs to as a matter of urgency devolve power for people to take charge of their own destiny.”

President’s words

These were the words of the President, when he addressed that inaugural meeting and I was extremely happy when I read that speech and I preserved a copy of that speech. I think the President meant what he said on that occasion.

The Panel of Experts comprised of 16 persons. There were 11 Sinhalese, four Tamils and one Muslim and that Muslim gentleman was a leading legal luminary in this country. The Experts Panel got on with their task. Eleven of them, six Sinhalese, four Tamils and a Muslim, submitted their report, we could call it the Majority Report, that was the multi-ethnic report.

Three others, all Sinhalese, submitted their report and that was looked upon as a Minority Report. Two others, both of whom were Sinhalese made their observations on both the Majority and the Minority Reports. Their observations, at least in many areas or some areas, were an acceptance of the Majority Report. Eleven out of sixteen, also supported by two others in several, or at least some areas, particularly given its multi-ethnic composition, constitutes a significant majority in any democracy.

It was these reports that resulted in the JVP which was a party to the APRC walking out of the exercise. A dialogue, unfortunately, does not find a place in the political programme of the JVP except on their own terms.

The country knows about the MoU signed between the government and the main opposition UNP, the objective of which was to evolve a consensus on the national question.

Such a consensus would have ensured a two-thirds majority in parliament for the type of solution that the President outlined in the course of his inaugural address to the APRC and the Experts Panel and ensured the required approval for any solution at a referendum in the country.

Dumped MoU with UNP

Unfortunately, the President by accommodating deserters from the UNP was prepared to sacrifice the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the UNP with all its attendant advantages, and this, I think was a singularly unfortunate event, but history was repeating itself. The President in my view could have saved the situation if he was prepared to stand tall above all others, if in fact he was truly focused on a solution and looking at the issue from the point of view of the larger and long term interests of the country, because the destiny of the country was at this time in his hands.

Unfortunately that was not to be, and the official UNP consequently dropped out of the APRC process.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the APRC, a gentleman for whom I have the highest regard, was continuing with his efforts. He came up with his own report and the parties continued with their discussions at the APRC.

It was at this point of time that the President’s party, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party came up with its proposals, “A Unitary System of Government with the District as the Unit of Devolution.” The basic features of the proposals outlined by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party before the APRC was indeed a far cry from what the President stated in his inaugural address to the APRC.

The two positions that were outlined by the SLFP and by the President in the course of his inaugural address were irreconcilable. I might say with due respect, the President had plunged from the sublime to the ridiculous. There was no way in which the President could redeem himself thereafter.

Call for credible proposals

The international community had for long been insisting upon a credible set of devolution proposals that were sustainable. On January 12, the Co-Chairs issued a comprehensive statement which dealt with the need for a set of political proposals outlining a sustainable devolution programme and also makes special emphasis on the human rights situation, on the question of humanitarian access to civilians who were victims of the conflict, and in regard to access for the Co-Chairs and the facilitator to the LTTE in Kilinochchi.

This was the situation in which the President had to now deal with the nationalist parties maintaining a constant contact with him, and with the SLFP having placed these proposals before the APRC. The President could not displease the nationalist parties. He fixed January 23 as the date for the final report.

He had all along endeavoured to impress upon the international community that he was genuinely committed to an acceptable political solution. The international community was insisting on results. He was not able to deliver because the nationalist parties would not permit him to go beyond his own party’s proposals before the APRC and they were not prepared to accommodate or accept the proposals being made by the APRC Chairman and the other parties of the APRC.

The only way that the President could devise was to ask the APRC to take its own time to finalise their own proposals and seek refuge in the outdated 13th Amendment to the Constitution which was already a part of the Constitution of Sri Lanka from 1987.

The Co-Chairs and the International Community surely did not make their best efforts to achieve what already existed in the constitution as a solution to the protracted conflict. For good measure, certain clauses in regard to the implementation of language provisions which had remained moribund for over two decades were also included.

Escape route

This was the pathetic state in which the President found himself and he had to somehow device some stratagem, some escape route.

The President had made his position very clear in the Independence Day speech. 

He extended an invitation to us also on this Independence Day to join with him but we are prepared to join people only when we can repose our faith and trust in them and when we are quite certain that they will keep their word. Not merely has the President gone back on what he said at the inaugural address when he addressed the APRC and the panel of experts, he has gone back completely on what his own Tamil supporters Anandasangaree and Douglas Devananda had been advocating and he is not able to even accommodate the views of these people.

While wanting to implement the 13th Amendment, there is also a clear statement being made that the land powers and the police powers contained in the 13th Amendment will not be given. The cause of the conflict has been that there has been grave injustice in certain areas, and of those areas land and security have been vital.

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution contemplates the north-east merger. It recognises the north-east merger which had been a reality for 18 years and which had been acted upon by successive governments and successive presidents including the governments in which Mahinda Rajapakse was both a minister and prime minister.

If the 13th Amendment is to be implemented it can only be implemented in a merged north-east not in a separate north or in a separate east. That would be, in my submission, totally illegal; it will be immoral and it will be a fraud which nobody will accept. I want to make our position very clear in regard to that matter.

Making of the 13th Amendment

The 13th Amendment did not drop from the sky. It emerged as a result of very lengthy discussions that took place between the J.R. Jayewardene government in July and August, 1986 and the TULF. The government was represented by President J. R. Jayewardene, Gamini Dissanayake, Lalith Athulathmudali, Ronnie de Mel, A. C. S. Hameed, K. W. Devanayagam, Ranil Wickremesinghe and on the TULF side, there were Amirthalingam, Sivasithamparam, Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, Yogeswaran, Anandasangaree off and on, and myself. I was there regularly at every sitting.

We had several discussions over several days, from 9 in the morning to 6 in the evening, for about 10 to 15 days in July and 10 to 15 days in August 1986. That is how the 13th Amendment emerged.

Based on those discussions, President Jayewardene evolved something, but that was not acceptable to us. The moment he submitted this to the cabinet, we went and met President Jayewardene on September 29, 1987. A delegation comprising of Sivasithamparam, Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam, Yogeswaran and myself called on President Jayewardene and we told him that the draft which he had submitted to cabinet was unacceptable, unworkable, and we said that the 13th Amendment must not be passed on those lines and we wrote to Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on October 28, 1987.

Disappointment

The letter was signed by Amirthalingam, the secretary general of the TULF, Sivasithamparam, president of the TULF and by myself, the vice president of the TULF and former Member of Parliament for Trincomalee.

This is what we said:

“We feel it our duty to also express our disappointment with the proposals to solve the Tamil problem contained in the two bills – the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and the Provincial Councils Bill presented to parliament by the Sri Lankan Government. These proposals do not meet the aspirations of the Tamil people nor are in anyway, commensurate with the loss of life, sufferings and privations suffered by the Tamil people. Since 1983, the TULF has always negotiated with the Government of Sri Lanka directly, utilising the good offices of the Government of India, and through the Government of India in the hope of evolving a comprehensive scheme of devolution which the TULF could recommend to the Tamil people.

“The TULF regrets it cannot recommend the contents of these Bills to the Tamil people as being satisfactory, just and durable.”

Consequent to our representations to the Government of India, President Jayewardene who had gone to Kathmandu for a SAARC Conference in November, 1987 was requested to come over to Delhi on his return from the Kathmandu SAARC Conference.

Amirthalingam, Sivasithamparam and myself were requested by the Indian Government to be present in Delhi at that time, where extensive discussions took place between the Government of India, the officials and President Jayewardene and his team and between the President and the Prime Minister of India. There were 13 matters on which President Jayewardene agreed to make improvements to the 13th Amendment to the Constitution.

I was present in Delhi when those discussions took place. We were in touch with the Indian officials and we know exactly what happened.

Further amendments

But those 13 amendments were never brought about. That  is the truth. In fact, on the morning that we left New Delhi, we met with Shri Natwar Singh who was the then State Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Union Government at New Delhi and Shri Kuldip Sahadev who was the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and we were told the Government of India had a firm commitment from the President to make the improvements to the 13th Amendment. Kuldip Sahadev butted in and said, “We have the commitment in writing.”

That is the reality. We did not contest the elections under the provincial councils. We refused to contest because we said that the 13th Amendment is not workable and will never be a success. We will not touch it with the wrong end of a barge pole.

I want to make the Tamil position very clear on the floor of this House. You might get hold of some quislings, some mercenaries, whom you are now cultivating in the Eastern Province to contest elections on your behalf. But do not think you can fool the Tamil people. The Tamil people since 1956 have historically delivered certain verdicts at every election where they have stood for genuine autonomy, genuine self rule in the areas of our historical habitation, in keeping with what the President said in the course of his inaugural address to the APRC and the panel of experts.

R.Sampanthan,

Member of Parliament,

Trincomalee District.

Parliamentary Group Leader

Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi

(Tamil National Alliance)

12February 2008

Sri Lanka: Artillery Fire Targets Mannaar Thallaadi SF Complex - LTTE

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) opened up barrage of artillery fire on the Sri Lankan security forces (SF) in Thalladai military complex at 8:30 am and caused heavy casualties among the SF troopers. At least six SF troopers were killed while at least 10 SF troopers were badly wounded according to the military sources, but casualty among the SF troopers could be much higher, according rebel sources in Mannaar. The SF troopers recently clashed with LTTE in and around Mannaar area and used heavy artillery fire but faced the stiff resistance from LTTE cadres in all three fronts of their attacks and SF troopers incurred heavy losses and retreated to their original positions, informed sources from rebels said. SF troopers continued to fire multi barrel artillery from 8:30 am to 2:00 p.m into the rebel held area, the outgoing artillery fire deafening sounds causing panic among the civilians in Mannaar city and their daily life were disturbed due to the clashes and artillery duels between the LTTE and SF.Meanwhile, LTTE and SF troopers clashed in Kokuthoduvai area in Manalaaru when Sri Lankan Security Forces were confronted by the Tigers, at least 10 SF troopers and 25 troopers were badly wounded, according to the LTTE operations command in Manalaaru.Sri Lankan government recently unilaterally scrapped the truce pact which was signed between the LTTE and the GoSL in February 2002 under the Norway mediation. The civil war in Sri Lanka killed at least 80,000 people while half a million people internally displaced and over million people externally displaced. At least 5,800 people have been killed in last two years alone, a right group said.

Rebel artillery fire hits Catholic church in Sri Lanka, killing 6 soldiers, military says

Artillery fired by Tamil separatists hit a Roman Catholic church near a military base in Sri Lanka's embattled north Tuesday, killing six soldiers who were cleaning the building, the military said.The attack came as the military announced 42 rebels and 10 soldiers were killed in fighting across the north on Monday.About 15 shells hit St. Anthony's Church and the nearby area in the village of Thalladi in the Mannar district, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said.The Rev. Victor Sosai, a top church official in the Mannar region, said the military had not allowed civilians to worship in the church for the past two months because of increased fighting in the area.Since the fighting escalated, troops at a neighboring military base began using the church grounds to store supplies, he said.The soldiers killed Tuesday were sent by the military to clean the building at the request of church officials, who visited the church Monday, Nanayakkara said.Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not immediately be reached for comment. The two sides routinely give widely divergent accounts of fighting and death tolls.The attack came amid growing fighting between government forces and Tamil Tigers along the front lines of their civil war in the north.On Monday, soldiers destroyed 12 bunkers and killed 13 guerrillas in fighting in northeastern Welioya region that also killed 10 soldiers, the military said in a statement.Hours before, a separate battle in the same region killed seven rebels, the military said.In the northern Vavuniya region, soldiers fought a series of gunbattles that killed 18 guerrillas, while in the nearby Mannar district, four insurgents were killed, the statement said.Fighting has escalated around the rebel strongholds in the north in recent months after the government vowed to dismantle the rebel administration and crush their decades-old separatist campaign.The government earlier this year officially withdrew from a six-year-old cease-fire with the rebels. The pact had been ignored by both sides for the past two years.Tamil Tiger rebels have fought the government since 1983 to create a separate homeland for the country's ethnic minority Tamils.More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

JVP to take Interim Council to court

The JVP said yesterday it would challenge the proposed Interim Council legislation for the Northern Province in the Supreme Court if the government attempted to establish it in apparent violation of the provisions of the Constitution. JVP parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa told the Daily Mirror that Sri Lanka’s Constitution made no legal provision for the establishment of such a council.He said the government should first crush LTTE terrorism and create normalcy for people living in the Northern Province rather than taking this kind of incorrect steps.“We will definitely go to court if the government tries to set up an Interim Council,” he said.Meanwhile, when contacted by the Daily Mirror for comments, UNP parliamentarian and senior constitutional lawyer K.N. Choksy also expressed the view that other than Provincial Councils there was no provision in the Constitution for the setting up of an Interim Council. He said even if all political parties interested in resolving the national question agreed to the setting up of an Interim Council then it would have to be done with constitutional amendments which defined its composition and powers.“The Constitution already provides for an elected Provincial Council. Doing away with such a council to establish a new body will affect the franchise of the people and therefore such an amendment would require a two-thirds majority in Parliament and a referendum,” he said.

Lankan Tamil leaders reject govt package

Tamil leaders of Sri Lanka have rejected the island nation government's devolution package aimed at ending the 25-year-old ethnic conflict, saying the move was "a joke played on Tamils". The All Party Representation Committee, formed by the Mahinda Rajapakse government to counter LTTE's struggle for a separate homeland for Tamils in Sri Lanka, had submitted its report to the government last month.The committee, consisting of 14 political parties, in its report had recommended implementation of the proposals for devolution contained in the 1987 India-Sri Lanka agreement, which were incorporated in the 13th amendment of the 1978 Sri Lankan constitution. "Such recommendations (APRC's) were the ones that were rejected by the Tamils during early stages. The subsequent attempts were centered on the feasibility of enhancing the powers further," Sri Lankan Community Development Minister P Chandrasekaran told PTI."Talking about the 13th amendment at the present stage will mean a hasty retreat from the point of resolution of the ethnic conflict," he said. Echoing his views, Lankan MP M K Sivajilingam of telo Muthalvar and Tamil National Alliance (TNA), said the Sri Lankan government's move to devolve powers to region is a "joke played by them (Lankan government) on minority Tamils" who have "not been able to lead a peaceful life in their own nation". "Tamil Eelam is the only solution for the conflict," he said.

42 SLA killed in Mannaar clashes – LTTE

20 Sri Lanka Army soldiers were killed in an intensive counter-attack launched by the Tigers on SLA units that attempted to move through Paalaikkuzhi targeting Adampan on Tuesday, the Tigers said. The direct clash intensified after LTTE mounted artillery attack on Tha'l'laadi garrison and the fighting lasted till 12:30 p.m. Meanwhile, a unit of SLA troops that advanced was trapped, unable to pull back, in an open area along Paalaikkuzhi  Adampan road at 1:30 p.m. LTTE's long range snipers, who engaged the unit, gunned down 22 SLA soldiers between 4:30 and 6:00 p.m., Mannaar Operations Command of the LTTE told media. More than 53 SLA soldiers were wounded in the counter-attack in Mannaar on Tuesday, according to the LTTE. The artillery attack on Tha'l'laadi Sri Lanka Army camp was part of the counter-attack in Paalaikkuzhi, the Tigers said.

Real situation of Vavuniya under security forces blockade

Eleven days completed today (12) for the security forces blockade of traffic from Vavuniya and Mannar to South and traffic from South to Vavuniya and Mannar. People in Vavuniya and Mannar districts face immense difficulties due to the blockade. Six trains were operated from Colombo to Vavuniya and vice versa daily but today the trains operate only to Medawachchiya as the Railway Department says. However, only one train reaches Medawachchiya station.The night mail leaves for Colombo from Medawachchiya at 10.30 PM. The night from Colombo mail arrives in Medawachchiya at 4.15 AM. People of Vavuniya and Mannara cannot reach Medawachchiya station since they are not allowed to travel in private vehicles. The only means to travel from Mannar and Vavuniya to Medawachchiya are the few private buses and the seven CTB buses stranded in Vavuniya. Scarcity of commodities and medicine has commenced to develop in Vavuniya now. The residents and the hospital workers held a demonstration to urge the state to resolve the problem but they are maintaining the separation of Vavuniya from the rest of the country. The people in Vavuniya did not oppose the security measures since 1977 but they say they must have the right to travel to any direction after crossing the checkpoints. However, they have been denied that right which is enjoyed even by the people in Vavuniya and Kilinochchi districts. Following the old practice of exploiting the people of war ravaged areas, the residents around Medawachchiya checkpoint have opened two three wheeler parks that charge thrice the normal fare in daytime and fivefold sometimes in night times. Security forces have permitted to open wayside cafes in which the prices are extremely higher than the normal rates.

White vans haunt again; two abducted

White vans began to haunt again after a lapse of a brief period.The parents of a 21-year-old Tamil youth named Chandrasekaran Ragunathan complained to Kotahena police station that he was missing since yesterday (11). Meanwhile, a team arrived in a white van abducted Vimalan, a businessman of Negambo last night (11). His wife and the relatives complained to Negambo police station that he had been abducted while returning from his wife's house. He married a woman from Mannar few months ago. Later the abducted person was dropped near Minuwangoda and he had surrendered to Minuwangoda police station. Shocked Vimalan did not make any statement despite the interrogations of the police.

Is Tamil Businessman Abducted by Deputy Minister?

"A wealthy Tamil businessman in Negombo was abducted while he was on his way home from his workplace last night (Feb. 11th), by supporters of Sarath Kumara Gunaratne, a newly appointed deputy Minister of Ports and Aviation in ruling SLFP government," top level political sources told the Sri Lanka Guardian.The family of the businessman, identified as Wimalan has lodged a complaint with the Negombo Police, saying that he was seized by an unidentified group in a white van before firing shots into the air.Wimalan owns ‘Thayalan,’ a video arcade and also runs a foreign currency exchange business in the Negombo town.“No any army personnel involved with this case, it was led by the Deputy Minister,” sources told the Sri Lanka Guardian.However of late, several disappearances, murders, abductions, and extortions targeting businessmen have been reported.Many businessmen left the country after the situation worsened.After UNP MP Lakshman Seneviratne exposed in parliament about a group of extortionists, the TID arrested ex-Air Force officer Nishantha Gajanayake and several others.MP Seneviratne claimed that this particular group was known to the Defence Ministry.However, Nishantha Gajanayake and his accomplices were released on bail and subsequently acquitted of all charges against them.

Ganeshan confident judiciary can protect his life  
         
Leader of the Western People’s Front Mano Ganeshan declared his confidence in the judiciary to protect his life, when he returned to the island at the request of Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe this morning (Feb. 12th).Ganeshan, who is also Convener of the Civil Monitoring Committee, told the media at the VIP Lounge of the Bandaranaike International Airport at Katunayake that he still feared for his life. “The Mahinda Rajapaksa regime is today on the path to dictatorship. Parliament is losing its power. Only the judiciary is there for anyone to seek redress,” he said.Ganeshan also said that he grieved over the loss of MP Sripathi Sooriarachchi who had sacrificed his position and personal life for the protection of democracy. The WPF leader cast doubts over Sripathi’s death, and called for an investigation with Interpol assistance.Ganeshan left the country due to security concerns, soon after the government slashed his security following his vote against Budget 2008. A fundamental rights petition filed by him seeking the restoration of full security will be taken up again by the Court of Appeal on February 14th.

Police believe DM’s killers were Sinhala Tigers

The police following a line of investigation that points towards the possibility that Deputy Minister D. M. Dassanayaka was assassinated by Sinhala Tigers, have arrested a suspect who had both underworld and terrorist connections.Police are working on information that a number of persons from the south had been recruited by the LTTE and are still in Kilinochchi.The suspect, identified as Feroz, was arrested in connection with number of crimes committed in the Negombo area. He is being questioned over a number of incidents involving organized underworld gangs, sources said.The woman suspect arrested in connection with the claymore mine explosion at Dambulla has given details about a group of Sinhala Tigers still in Kilinochchi undergoing training with the LTTE.Lt. Col Tuan Meedin of the Army Intelligence Unit was killed by the LTTE in October 2005 with the connivance of a man from the south identified as ‘Ice Manju’ who fled to the LTTE controlled area when the police were looking for him and since then is believed to be with the LTTE at an unknown location.

Navy, Tamil Nadu on collision course

The Sri Lankan Navy and the Tamil Nadu government are on a collision course after Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Sunday charged that the Navy had indiscriminately fired at an Indian boat killing an Indian fisherman in the process. But the Navy flatly denied this charge and insisted that the facts be first verified before making any “unfounded” allegations.According to reports from Chennai, a thirty-five-year-old fisherman identified as Thangapandi from Jegadapattinam was fishing off the Dhanushkodi coast with two others on Saturday when the shooting took place.“As they neared the maritime border, Sri Lankan Naval personnel had allegedly fired at the boat, while asking them to go back. Thangapandi died on the spot and others fled from the scene taking his body with them,” officials told PTI.In a subsequent statement on Sunday Mr. Karunanidhi condemned the "indiscriminate firing" by the Sri Lankan Navy and added that he had taken steps through the Centre to draw the Sri Lankan Government's attention to this matter.However Navy spokesman D.K.P. Dassanayake vehemently denied the allegation and stressed that the alleged shooting had taken place well within Indian territorial waters, an area which was not patrolled by the Navy.“The alleged incident has taken place some eight nautical miles inside Indian waters. We have no access to that area so there is no way our Navy can be involved. The LTTE on the other hand has often strayed into Indian waters to carry out this kind of attacks before. The incident has to be properly investigated before allegations are made,” the Navy spokesman said.The latest incident comes just days after a controversy over a similar shooting incident where the Navy was fired upon, from boats operated by a group of Indian fisherman who had strayed into Sri Lankan waters, damaging at least one small Navy craft.“If we wanted to fire on the Indian fisherman we could have done it the day shots were fired at us from their boats. But we did not do that. When we raised that incident with the Indian High Commission we were concerned that allegations like what has now surfaced will come up,” Commander Dassanayake said.Reports from India speak of an uneasy calm that prevails at Rameswaram, following the latest shooting incident. Many fishermen’s associations had held meetings to discuss the killing of the fisherman while a search was on to trace the two missing boats with eight fishermen. Fisheries officials however said there was no cause for worry, as the missing boats had been traced, the Hindu newspaper reported.Indian fisherman have already been warned not to poach in Sri Lankan waters as the area has been heavily mined to avert possible LTTE sea movements in the area with reports that the Tigers might attempt to smuggle weapons and medical supplies from Tamil Nadu.

'Supplier' of explosives to LTTE arrested in Tamil Nadu
 
RAMESWARAM: The Tamil Nadu Police on Monday arrested an alleged supplier of explosives to the LTTE and seized from him 100 detonators, 83 gelatin sticks and 10 metres of fuse wire. The man had been shuttling between Tiruchirapalli and Pudukottai to procure the explosive substances, including gelatin sticks, Tamil Nadu Police's 'Q' Branch Inspector Thiagarajan, who arrested him, told reporters. Police had kept a close watch on his movements and arrested him, he said, adding the explosives were seized after he was questioned. 

Indian firm gets 900-acres from Trinco   
     
Indian realty firm Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd. will build an IT park and a special economic zone (SEZ) in Sri Lanka. The SEZ is to come up in a 900-acre plot in Kappalthurai in Trincomalee. The related agreement would be signed within 30 days, Indian Minister of State of Commerce Jairam Ramesh told the media today (Feb. 12th). The IT park, to be set up at a cost of $100 million, will be coming up near the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake. The agreement to set up the IT park was signed by Arun Nanda, vice-chairman of Mahindra Lifespace Developers Ltd, and Minister of Enterprise Development Sarath Amunugama, in the presence of the Minister Ramesh in Colombo today.

11February 2008

A fight between two for the chair of Northern Interim Council

The appointment of the Northern Province Interim Council is likely to delay further since two Tamil political party leaders are vying for the chair of it. The two leaders are Minister Douglas Devananda of EPDP and Ananda Sangaree of Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). Devananda has proposed the President to appoint one of his nominee if he would not be appointed to the position. TULF still has some ground support and a section of the Government has expressed pleasure over the return of moderate Ananda Sangaree to active politics. However, Sangaree has expressed his displeasure to the President over the taking away of police and land rights from Provincial Councils. Meanwhile, EPRLF Wardhan Group has also sought a position in the Interim Council. PLOTE leader D. Siddharthan is also believed to be appointed to the committee. In the meantime, India has reportedly decided to ask for granting all the powers provided by the 13th amendment to Provincial Councils. Setting up of Provincial Councils was proposed under the 13th amendment to the constitution following the Indo Lanka Peace Accord signed by President J.R. Jayawardhana and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. EPRLF won the election and set up a NorthEastern Provincial Council rule under Chief Minister Wardharaja Perumal. However, he later defected accusing powers were not granted and left for India for safety after declaring an Ealam state.

Eight killed in clashes N Sri Lanka 
 
Two policemen and six Tamil Tiger rebels were killed on Monday in northern Sri Lanka as clashes between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels intensified, defense officials said.  Officials from the Media Center for National Security said two police officers were killed when a police motorcycle was caught in a mine explosion triggered by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels in the Vavuniya district around 7:50 a.m. (0220 GMT).  In the Mannar district, one police officer was injured at 7:00 a.m. (0130 GMT) due to a claymore explosion while doing route clearing.   Meanwhile, six LTTE rebels were killed by government troops in Muhamalai of the Jaffna peninsula in two attacks carried out around 8:45 a.m. (0315 GMT) and 12:45 p.m. (0715 GMT) respectively.  Intensive military conflicts are underway in the north, with the government determining to defeat the LTTE before the end of this year.     The military said more than 700 people have been killed in the escalating conflict since the beginning of this year.     The LTTE has been fighting for a separate homeland for minority Tamils in the north and east for more than two decades, resulting in the death of more than 70,000 people.

Hartal against landlocking Vavuniya

All offices, banks and shops remained shut today in Vavuniya due to a hartal called by Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Traders' Organization and many other organizations against not allowing vehicles traveling south of Vavuniya. Workers of all hospitals such as Vavuniya, Settikulam and Mamaduwa and clinics struck work parallel to the hartal paralyzing health services. The life in the town was at a standstill but the outer areas were normal. PLOTE urged public not to support the hartal but people seemed ignoring it. The security was enhanced in the town. No incidents of violence were reported.

SC terminates hearing into Hakeem’s FR petition  
 
The Supreme Court has terminated the hearing into the fundamental rights petition filed by Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem against the slashing of his security. When the case came up today (Feb. 11th), Legal Director at the Police eadquarters,enior SP Gamini Dissanayake informed the court that as agreed by the Defence Secretary, Hakeem has already been provided with eight bodyguards and two backup vehicles. A panel comprising Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva and Justices Shirani Thilakawardena and Andrew Somawansa heard the petition.The petitioner alleged that his security, provided as a government minister, had been reduced after he crossed over to the opposition during the debate on Budget 2007.

want Prabhakaran alive: President
 
President Mahinda Rajapaksa says he wants LTTE leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran captured alive to face charges of crimes committed by him including the assassination of former Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi who was killed by a suicide bomber during an election rally in India.In an interview with the India Today, Managing Editor, Raj Chengappa, President Rajapaksa also reiterated he would negotiate with the LTTE only if they laid down arms and warned that if not, the government would have no option but to continue with the military operations."For the crimes he (Prabhakaran) has committed, he needs to be tried and I would like to send him to India too for he killed a leader who would have changed the face of not just India but the whole region .Either the LTTE accept a political solution by giving up arms and terrorist activities or we will have to curtail their moves. “The Government can't kneel down to terrorists. They can't have their cake and eat it too. Ceasefire will give them time again. We don't want them to strengthen themselves and attack us. We want a final solution," the President said.While the government and the military had earlier assured the LTTE would be wiped out by the end of this year, President Rajapaksa said it might take a little bit longer."We would have cleared them out of the remaining areas long ago but we also had to ensure no civilians were killed.  I would say, in a year and a half, we might be able to do it."The President, who said the defence spending of the country was 3.5 per cent of the GDP, also says he did not want to waste time on solutions that were not practical just to satisfy the international community adding that they might look good on paper but would be burnt in Parliament. In his interview President Rajapaksa also said as part of measures to resolve the conflict the government had already started taking steps to ensure the implementation of the official language policy by promoting the learning and usage of Tamil in administration. Asked if he had the support of the opposition to implement his peace proposals including the 13th Amendment, the President questioned how the UNP could  oppose it when its own government had passed the 13th Amendment. "Only the JVP is the problem. But let's not forgot that the JVP has asked for more powers for the provinces and even participated in Provincial Councils," he added.The President also ruled out Federalism saying historically the word was suspect and was linked with separatism and stressed that maximum devolution under a unitary government was the mandate that he had been given and it was only that which he would implement.

Latest mobile phone jamming devices for Parliament  

Parliament is reportedly planning to install latest jamming devices to prevent the use of mobile phones within the Chamber, after a call by the Speaker went unheeded.The measure follows the revelation that certain members use phones that can withstand two jamming equipment already mounted in the premises, parliament sources say.During a recent debate on rice prices, a key government member had used his mobile phone to get in touch with an outsider.That government member had then handed over the phone to an opposition MP, who had conversed with the outsider.All this while, the two jamming devices were functioning, according to the sources.

US warns nationals against taking buses, trains in Sri Lanka

The US State Department has 'strongly' advised Americans not to travel by buses or trains in Sri Lanka in view of a series of terrorist strikes at the public transport system in the island in recent weeks.'In light of attacks against civilian buses and trains, American citizens are strongly advised against travelling by bus or train in Sri Lanka. US government personnel are currently prohibited from these modes of transportation,' said a warning posted on the US State Department's website Sunday.Since early January, attacks by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) against civilians had increased and areas frequented by foreign tourists were among the places hit, the website said.Although Americans and US interests were not specifically targeted, Americans could become victims of violence by being in the wrong place at the wrong time, the State Department said.'Americans should avoid large crowds and public gatherings and should particularly avoid political rallies, military bases, and government and military vehicle convoys, which are frequent targets of LTTE attacks,' it warned.The website recalled that 14 civilians were killed, and over 100 injured, when a suicide bomber blew herself up in Colombo's main rail station Feb 3. On the same day, seven people were injured when a grenade exploded in a zoo in Dehiwela near Colombo. On Feb 2, a bomb planted in a bus at Dambulla in north central Sri Lanka killed 18 civilians and injured over 50.On Jan 8, Deputy Nation Building Minister D.M. Dissanayake was killed by a roadside bomb in Wattala, on the road to Colombo's international airport. The LTTE attacked a Sri Lankan army camp in the Yala national park in south Sri Lanka Oct 15.The State Department has urged all Americans arriving in Sri Lanka to register on line with the American embassy in Colombo.

Another man shot dead in Kotahena  
 
An unidentified person has been gunned down near the Galapotha roundabout, Kotahena in the early hours of today (Feb. 11th).Police say that a gang in a white-coloured van was behind the crime.This is the second murder committed in the area during the past few days.Earlier, a Tamil businessman was killed and his wife was injured after being shot by two unidentified gunmen on a motorcycle near St. Lucia’s Cathedral in Kotahena on Feb. 08th.Their assailants are yet to be apprehended. 

EPDP-TMVP showdown in Batti

The EPDP-led alliance will register its protest today at an election related meeting in the Batticaloa District Secretariat against what it termed as the failure by police to arrest TMVP activists who allegedly assaulted its supporter T. Balendran on February 6 in Arayampathi.The party which is contesting the local government election in Batticaloa, held the TMVP responsible for the incident, and charged police had not taken action against culprits despite an official complaint made.EPDP Batticaloa District Co-ordinator, K. Arumailingam told the Daily Mirror yesterday his party would register its protest at the meeting to be held in the District Secretariat today, and withdraw from it subsequently.“We want to know whether police are silent on TMVP violence or not. After the assault, our supporter was admitted to Ward Number 9  of the Batticaloa hospital. We complained the case to the Batticaloa police. Yet, there is no action,” he said.The EPDP, a party of the ruling coalition, teamed up with PLOTE and EPRLF to field candidates for the mini polls as an Independent Group.However, Batticaloa SSP, H.M.D. Herath said there was a complaint which police examined, but the perpetrators could not be identified.Meanwhile, TMVP spokesman, Azath Moulana refuted this allegation against his party saying  it was a total fabrication to sling mud at them.Mr. Moulana said this alliance unsuccessfully tried to accommodate the TMVP too on its board.“But, we requested them to contest under the TMVP’s boat symbol. They did not accept it.  Now, we are in the fray as a separate party for the elections to 8 local bodies. Today, everyone is confident  of our overwhelming victory. So, these elements are envious and make such allegations,” he said.He said his party was contesting the election to the Batticaloa Municipal Council in alliance with the ruling UPFA. “Ours is a political party that has existed only for four years. These parties have been there for over 20 years. They came to the democratic stream after the Indo-Lanka Accord. Yet, they failed to deliver anything to the Tamil people. They failed to work out a political solution. After the election on March 10, these local government areas would come under the political leadership of Pillayan,” he said.

Sripathi’s funeral on Wednesday  
       
Former minister and parliamentarian Sripathi Sooriyarachchi had been returning from Anuradhapura where he had sought information on a case against him, when he met with a fatal road accident at Thambuttegama on Feb. 09th, reports say.The relevant case, pertaining to a charge of manslaughter, is pending against him at the Polonnaruwa Magistrate’s Court. His driver Priyantha Samarasinghe, one of his bodyguards M. Gunaratne and close friend S.K.R. Silva, Executive Director of Isura FM Radio, also died in the incident. Another friend of the Gampaha district MP, identified as Lakmal, is at the Anuradhapura Hospital, while a second bodyguard, Nimal, is recovering at the same hospital, hospital sources say.On learning of the incident, Ministers Jayaratne Herath, Bandula Basnayake, S.M. Chandrasena, SLFP (M) Leader Mangala Samaraweera, Duminda Dissanayake, Tissa Atthanayake, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Johnston Fernando, P. Harrison, Ranjith Aluwihare, Chandrani Bandara arrived at the Thambuttegama Hospital. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is currently touring Singapore, has phoned Sripathi’s brother and expressed his condolences.UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and party General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that the late parliamentarian had stood against corruption and even gave up his ministerial portfolio for the cause.The funeral of Sooriyarachchi, who was a former naval officer and a lawyer by profession, will be held this Wednesday (Feb. 13th) at the Borella Cemetery.

A former Tamil militant, now a sustainability guru

One of the oldest associates of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is visiting India after two long decades in a new avatar - sustainability guru.A.R. Arular is headed to Chennai to open the India office of his Britain-based Global Sustainability Initiative (GSI), after attending an international meet here, where he spoke about the many inventions he says he has to his credit.These inventions, covering a wide canvas ranging from the humble bicycle to nuclear power reactors, are geared to contribute to 'sustainable development', Arular told IANS in an interview.His concept of a more environment-friendly bicycle involves 16 sweeping changes covering everything from the handle bar to the seat and has been contracted to a leading British firm for mass production, he said.Arular, 60, hopes to work on the bicycle concept out of the Tamil Nadu capital, which was his home from 1978 to 1986 when he was a keen participant in the Sri Lankan Tamil militancy when its tentacles expanded rapidly.Born in Jaffna, Arular graduated as a mechanical engineer from Moscow's People's Friendship University - the cradle of many revolutionaries - and was among the Tamils who got military training from Palestinian groups in Syria and Lebanon in the 1970s.He returned to Sri Lanka and met Prabhakaran, then an unknown entity who had just given birth to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Although Arular was not an LTTE member, his close association with Prabhakaran lasted many years.Once India began to patronise various Tamil militant groups, the LTTE included, after vicious anti-Tamil riots in Sri Lanka in 1983, Arular tried repeatedly to bring about unity in the ranks of the divided guerrillas but failed.Eventually, Arular left India for good in 1986, the year the LTTE virtually decimated its biggest rival group. He returned to Tamil Nadu, only as a transit passenger, on his way to Sri Lanka's northeast in 1989 when Indian troops were deployed there.Later, Arular threw his lot with the LTTE for some time but this did not last long. In 1997, he set up an Institute of Sustainability Development at Trincomalee in Sri Lanka's east coast. The same year, he wrote a seminal book on Tamil history.But the conditions there did not let the institute progress very far, and Arular left for Britain where he aggressively developed his passion for 'appropriate technology' into 'sustainable development' that led to the birth of his company, GSI.Staying on in Britain, Arular said he began to work on many inventions, including a redesigned bullock cart, a motorised wheelbarrow and a car that consumes less petrol.'GSI's mission is to develop a programme with a global perspective,' Arular explained. 'My products promote sustainable development.'Green environment may be his first love but like Tamils the world over, Arular despairs over the fate of his community in Sri Lanka, where escalating violence has left thousands dead in the past two years and where international efforts have failed to bring peace.Asked what the Tamils have gained after a quarter century of war, Arular says with a sigh: 'Nothing! We have only destroyed ourselves.' As he speaks, it appears the man still nurtures a soft corner for his old friend Prabhakaran.

LTTE stations a MBRL in Weli Oya to stop the 59th division       

About two months ago, we revealed about the possibility of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) opening another major front in the Wanni operation through the Weli Oya (Manal Aru in Eelam terminology) sector. As predicted, the front lines of Weli-Oya have been heating up due to the sporadic clashes for the past few weeks. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are offering fierce resistance to advancing troops of the 59th division, who are equal to the task. Military Intelligence (MI) reports from the Weli-Oya front indicate that LTTE has stationed one of their Multi Barreled Rocket Launchers (MBRL) in the region in a bid to prevent the army advance. The weapon is said to be a 12 barreled variant which can fire 107mm rockets over a distance of 7-10Km. A similar weapon was uncovered by the army during the Thoppigala operation. LTTE used this weapon when they staged a counterattack on 5 army positions in the eastern province in the final phase of Thoppigala operation. The damage was minimized as the full 12 barrels were not used, either because of a shortage of ammo or due to some barrels being damaged by continuous use.A significant turn of events took place in the Weli Oya front when the army's Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) ambushed LTTE's regional military commander "Lt. Colonel" Kumaran inside rebel held territory few weeks ago. Kumaran was seriously wounded but survived the assault. As per MI reports, Kumaran has been reassigned to the Weli Oya sector by orders of LTTE's senior leadership, even before his wounds are fully healed. However his reappearance has not made any drastic changes. The 59th division is still on the offensive. The tigers have been forced to follow a defensive strategy and most of the time have found themselves at the receiving end.Meanwhile 8 suspicious personnel were arrested by police today in the Minneriya region. Security has been tightened in the Minneriya town where an air base of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) is located. This airbase is home to the gunships of the 9th attack helicopter squadron, a prime target of the LTTE according to latest intelligence reports.

Mervin's no mourn order unheeded by public

Several traders in Kiribathgoda said to 'Lanka-e-News' anonymously that Kelaniya electoral organizer Minister Dr. Mervin Silva threatened them over the phone not to perform mourning acts such as hoisting white flags etc.The Minister has said that the mourners will risk their lives. The Chairman of Kiribathgoda United Sinhala Traders' Association Bevan Perera said to 'Lanka-e-News' that he had not received such threat but heard of it. Nevertheless, the members of the traders' association would put up banners and white flags etc. tonight (11) to express condolence, he said. Mr. Perera further said that MP Suriyarachchi rendered yeomen service to Kelaniya electorate in the brief period he held the post of SLFP electoral organizer. The development of Kiribathgoda town, construction of a road through the market in the town, construction of the new bridge that connects Kelaniya and Egoda Kolonnawa, improving the Waththala - Hunupitiya and Waragoda roads, putting up of a drainage and irrigation system in Kelaniya and providing a hostel for police are some of the creditable actions that are in his account. People of Kelaniya honored him with 'Kalyana Sri Janaranjana' title to pay gratitude to his service, said Mr. Bevan Perera.

Reggie Ranatunga to fill Sripathy's vacancy in Parliament

Reggie Ranatunga, the father of cricket star-turned-politician Arjuna Ranatunga, is to fill the parliamentary seat left by the accidental death of Sripathy Sooriyarachchi.Reggie Ranatunga who is currently the Governor of the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council received 54,464 preferential votes from the Gampaha District in the 2004 General Elections. Sripathi Sooriyarachchi, a former minister and a key figure in the breakaway Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana) faction and three others including one of his security guards were killed when the car they were traveling veered off the road and hit a tree. Sripathy's funeral will be held on Wednesday at the General Cemetery in Borella.

ICRC 'concerned' on Lanka violence
 
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has expressed concern about the impact on civilians of heightened violence in Sri Lanka. An ICRC statement said that since the start of the year civilian casualties had gone up as the number of indiscriminate attacks had grown in the north, east and south of the country. "Civilians and persons no longer taking direct part in the hostilities, such as sick, wounded or captured soldiers, must be protected in all circumstances under international humanitarian law," head of ICRC delegation in Colombo, Toon Vandenhove, said. Over 80 civilians were killed, in the north and the south, since the government announced withdrawing from the truce agreed with the LTTE. While the Tamil Tigers are accused of carrying out most of the attacks, security forces are accused of launching a claymore mine attack on a bus carrying school children in the LTTE-held area. The military denies the accusation.The ICRC said intensified fighting between government troops and the LTTE had increased the number of displaced persons and put humanitarian workers at greater risk. The Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tiger rebels both say that they inflicted heavy casualties on each others' forces in fierce fighting in the north on Friday.

10February 2008

UNP smells a rat in Sripathi crash

The main opposition United National Party (UNP) has expressed skepticism over the car accident that killed former Deputy Minister and dissident MP Sripathi Sooriyarachchi and his two bodyguards in Anuradhapura yesterday.The UNP, it is learnt, has allegedly suspected foul play behind the car accident. Party strongman and Attorney-at-Law Lakshman Kiriella alleged that although it was too premature to predict anything, the UNP is viewing this particular accident with “suspicion.”He hinted that this might have been a deliberate accident.Quoting villagers from the scene where the accident had taken place, Kiriella said that there had been sounds of gunshots and an explosion immediately after the accident.He said the party immediately made inquiries from party supporters in Anuradhapura and the response had been that they had heard gunshots and an explosion. “We are not too sure as to what has really happened. In fact we know that the late Parliamentarian has been travelling in a fairly big vehicle. Even if the vehicle had been speeding, it is difficult to understand how such a vehicle could have gone off the main road and hit an object that led to the killing of three people instantaneously,” the Parliamentarian said.“These are the matters that the Police must now probe and find out what exactly took place,” he added, in a sceptical tone.

Sri Lanka army chief vows to defeat Tiger rebels

Sri Lanka's army chief again vowed to defeat Tamil separatists but refused to set a deadline for the end of the decades-old conflict, saying the rebels remain a potent force, a report said Sunday.Army general Sarath Fonseka said in an interview with the Lakbima weekly newspaper that a military campaign to capture the rebel-held Wanni region in the north begun in March last year was moving according to plan.He however refused to give a timeframe for defeating the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who have fought for more than three decades to establish an independent homeland for minority Tamils in the Sinhalese-majority island."They are an organised force with a lot of experience. They have thousands of fighters. I don't conduct the war looking at deadlines and timeframes," Fonseka said in the interview published Sunday. "Can a war that has been going on for more than 25 years be completed by March? But, what I say is -- give us a chance."At the beginning of the year, in an interview with the state-run Sunday Observer, Fonseka said the LTTE had 3,000 fighters and pledged that the military could defeat them by mid-2008.But in the interview published Sunday, he increased his estimate of rebel strength to 5,000 combatants, citing new intelligence reports.On the ground, the defence ministry said at least 42 rebels and four soldiers were killed in fierce fighting in the north of the island on Saturday.In the heaviest fighting in Vavuniya district, at least 15 rebels and three troops were killed, the ministry said in a statement. Twenty-seven other rebels and one soldier were killed in separate clashes.The ministry put the number of rebels killed since the start of the year at 1,088. A total of 48 soldiers were killed during the same period, it said.The number of casualties reported by both the government and the Tigers cannot be independently verified as journalists and human rights workers are not allowed to enter the battle zone.Fonseka said the military had killed 5,000 Tiger rebels last year, without mentioning the total losses for security forces.However, he said 4,000 government soldiers had been wounded in the last two years, with half of them choosing to return to the battlefield.Fonseka, who was severely injured by a Tamil rebel suicide bomber in April 2006, told the weekly that security forces were advancing on the rebel-held town of Kilinochchi, the Tigers' political capital in the north."This time when we take Kilinochchi, we will not leave it after a while. But we must realise that the offensive is going to take time," he said.In January, the government formally ended a tattered truce with the rebels signed in 2002 as part of its aim for a military victory in the conflict, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives since it erupted in 1972.

Sri Lanka says fighting in north kills 46

Forty Tamil Tigers and six soldiers have been killed in a series of battles along the "border" that separates state from rebel-held territory in northern Sri Lanka, the military said on Sunday.Fighting in the latest phase of a 25-year civil war has intensified since the government scrapped a six-year-old ceasefire pact last month. It said the rebels were using the truce to re-arm."There was a series of clashes in Mannar which killed 11 terrorists and two soldiers, while confrontations in Vavuniya killed 19 terrorists and three soldiers also died," a military spokesman said, asking not to be named in line with policy. Seven Tiger rebels and a soldier were killed in the northern Jaffna peninsula, while another three rebels were killed in the northern district of Polonnaruwa, he added.Buoyed by battlefield victories in the east, where it has captured swathes of rebel-held terrain, the government is now seeking to overrun the rebels' northern stronghold and has vowed to defeat the separatist Tigers militarily.But the Tigers continue to mount deadly suicide attacks and roadside bombings, including in the capital Colombo, and analysts say neither side is winning.Meanwhile, tourist arrivals are down and so is the stock market, which has fallen around 3 percent so far this year after sliding nearly 7 percent in 2007, with some businesses shelving investment plans.The rebels, who are fighting for a separate state in the Indian Ocean island's north and east, were not immediately available for comment on the latest fighting.There was no independent confirmation of what happened or how many people were killed, and analysts say both sides exaggerate enemy casualty figures and play down their own.The military says it has killed 1,082 rebels since January and that 77 service personnel and 89 civilians have been killed during the same period.

Mahinda off to Geneva for UNHRC meet

The meeting of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is scheduled for March 3 in Geneva. A delegation led by Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe will attend the meeting. Sources said that although there are no specific resolutions against Sri Lanka, the government is preparing to explain its progress on many aspects on human rights, if there are queries from the European Union during the meeting. Samarasinghe will be accompanied by Attorney General C.R. de Silva, for this meeting.

Sri Lanka has highest inflation in South, Southeast Asia

The inflation rate in Sri Lanka has been reaching dizzying heights lately.  It was 21.6 per cent on an average in 2007. In November it touched an all-time high of 26.2 per cent.Sri Lanka also has the highest rate of inflation in South and Southeast Asia, points out Harsha de Silva, chief economist of LIRNE Asia, a regional development economics think tank."At the end of the last quarter, inflation in Indonesia was seven per cent; in Thailand 2.6 per cent; in Malaysia two per cent; in Singapore 2.9 percent; in the Philippines three per cent; in India six per cent; and in Bangladesh it was 11.2 per cent," he pointed out in a recent article on Sri Lanka's monetary policies."We are the champions, champions of bad policies driving people to misery," he said mockingly.The government blames it all on the high cost of oil imports. But economists like de Silva say that if rising oil prices were the reason, then other countries in South and Southeast Asia importing oil should also register high inflation. In reality, however, barring Bangladesh, all of them have registered low rates of inflation.Clearly, these countries have curbed inflation by appropriate policies and Sri Lanka has not, the economists argue.De Silva says that huge amounts of unproductive expenditure by the government, and the printing of huge amounts of money by the Central Bank (the country's apex bank) to cover budget deficits have been the root causes of the high inflation."Between May and September 2007, the Central Bank printed Sri Lankan Rs 49 billion (the equivalent of $457 million) throwing financial discipline to the winds," he said.The IMF's country report on Sri Lanka for 2007 had added that a "pause in monetary tightening during July-August had contributed to the acceleration in inflation".A recent analysis by top-level economists of HSBC had stated that inflation in Sri Lanka was largely a fiscally caused monetary phenomenon because the large fiscal requirements of the government were met by the Central Bank printing money.While the Central Bank has denied that it has been pumping too much money into the market, Deputy Minister of Finance Bandula Gunawardene admitted to the BBC in October last year that the government had resorted to printing money to cover budget deficits and that this had resulted in "excessive" inflation.In December 2007, Gunawardene said that the government had "no option" but to continue printing money to meet the deficit.Recently, the government revised the cost of living index, saying the existing one was outdated. By the new index, inflation for 2007 was 20.8 per cent and not 21.6 per cent, the government contended.While economists agree that the old index was outdated in many ways, they point out that the new index is unrealistic and is meant to ignore some important items of expenditure.Giving an example, de Silva said that the new index excluded expenditure on alcohol and tobacco, on which an average Sri Lankan household spent 2.2 per cent of its income. This was almost as much as it spent on education, which was 2.3 per cent, he pointed out.The proportion of income spent on alcohol and tobacco would keep going up because their prices would keep going up. And yet, these expenditures would not figure in the government's calculation of inflation, the economist pointed out.

Lanka bars public from school functions

Sri Lanka has banned the public from school functions in view of the threat to children from terrorists.The move, announced by the secretary to the department of education M.M.N.D. Bandara Saturday, followed a series of bomb blasts on the island, in which many school children were killed, The Sunday Times reported.Bandara said the measure was meant to prevent unknown persons from entering schools with bombs. However, school managements can invite parents and politicians to prize giving ceremonies, he said.In a survey of the new security measures in schools, the newspaper said that in Galle, in south Sri Lanka, all school functions involving the presence of outsiders, including parents, were cancelled.In the north-western province, outsiders were barred from entering schools after school hours.Every morning on school days, a team of select parents, teachers and prefects would check the school's premises thoroughly, before letting students in.The government was planning to ply special buses for schools, to prevent students from boarding public buses, Asoka Jayasinghe, director of education in the north western province said.The central government said recently that public buses would be plated with armour to withstand blasts.The Sri Lanka police have, for some time, been warning that terrorists are planning to approach schools pretending to be ice cream vendors, and have asked people to be wary of such people.A few days ago, the Sri Lankan government had barred the public from taking heavy bags with them when travelling by public buses. Only handbags were allowed. Newspapers had published pictures of buses with empty overhead racks.The ban on carrying heavy luggage followed the discovery that the bomb which shattered a bus in Dambulla earlier this month had been kept in a bag in the luggage hold.Meanwhile, in Colombo, the much-awaited mega exhibition named 'Deyata Kirula' (Crown of the Country) was held amid tight security. Stalls exhibiting weapons used by the security forces and those captured from the Tamil Tigers, proved to be big draws.But all roads leading to the venue, Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall, were closed to vehicles. Only those vehicles which belonged to residents of the area were allowed. The government had banned schools from bringing their students in buses to see the exhibition.

Armour plates for NE buses
   
The Transport Ministry hopes to utilize blast proof armour plates to reinforce 20 long distance buses, bound for destinations in the North and Eastern provinces, the Transport Ministry said yesterday. “The army is providing armour plates to be fitted on the buses to minimize the impact from possible claymore mine and pressure mine blasts,” Ministry Secretary Nihal Somaweera said.He said the Central Bus Stand in Pettah would have separate entry and exit points where parcel checks and body checks would be carried out with the assistance of the Army and Police. “The National Transport Commission (NTC) will coordinate security measures with private bus owners to curtail overcrowding of buses. This is a sequel to numerous complaints received from commuters. Overloading will be monitored by NTC units,” Mr. Somaweera said. All CTB depots have been given a March deadline to affix the CTB emblem on its buses inline with the new quality improvement measures being implemented.

CP contradicts itself on 13th Amendment implementation

A serious contradiction within the Communist Party (CP) over the implementation of the 13th Amendment has arisen with the Party General Secretary supporting the move and the Deputy General Secretary totally opposing it.The General Secretary, Constitutional Affairs Minister D.E.W. Gunesekara, in his statement to Parliament on February 6 has welcomed the move by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to fully implement the 13th Amendment.In his speech made in Parliament the Minister has stated that President Rajapaksa was attempting to implement what all his predecessors had failed in, sabotaged or remained indecisive to implement.“The benefits of the 13th Amendment never reached the people in the north or east. In this situation President Rajapaksa has embarked on a new attempt, where all his predecessors have failed. Admittedly, even the moderate Tamil people may feel that these proposals are inadequate at this stage of political development. But don’t forget that President Rajapaksa is attempting to implement what his predecessors failed to implement,” the Minister said in Parliament last week.However, the CP’s Deputy General Secretary S. Sudasinghe, in a press release to the media, has criticised the 13th Amendment and stated that it was an established fact that the national question cannot be solved solely through the implementation of the 13th Amendment.“If the provisions of the 13th Amendment were sufficient for the purpose, there wouldn’t have been a national question by now. This problem has dragged on for the last 20 years and fuelled the military conflict, which is still raging, because the 13th Amendment was not acceptable to the Tamil people as a solution to their problems,” Sudasinghe stated.“It was in recognition of this reality that the All Party Conference (APC) was convened in 2006 and the APRC was set up to bring a suitable set of proposals for a solution,” he added, in a release.

Lankan army team on secret mission in Pune
   
A high-level team of officers from the Sri Lanka military intelligence corps (MIC) and army were brought  into Pune five days ago for advanced intelligence training at the Indian Army's various high-security institutions, the Times of India reported today. The initial phase of the training at the National Defence Academy (NDA) got over yesterday. The team is expected to be briefed on advanced electronic warfare, command, control, communications and computer intelligence at the Military Intelligence Training School and Depot (MITSD), the only institution of the Indian Army which imparts training in all aspects of intelligence, the newspaper said.

STF and Police to provide security for Batti poll

The Special Task Force (STF), in collaboration with the Police, will provide the necessary security for the Batticaloa local government election, which is due to be held on March 10.STF personnel already deployed in the district will be used for elections in addition to the Police force in the area, STF Commandant DIG Nimal Lewke told The Nation. “There is no need to send special STF personnel to the Batticaloa District from other areas. The personnel already serving in those areas will provide the required security to hold the local government election. It is mainly the Police force that will handle election-related security,” DIG Lewke said.He added that a large contingent of Police personnel had already been deployed in Batticaloa for special election duty. “Since there are enough STF camps covering the area, we do not need a special arrangement. We have increased the number of mobile patrols to ensure public security,” said the STF Commandant. Meanwhile, Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that matters pertaining to election security were generally handled by the Police, as per the laws governing polls.“The Police provides security for polling booths, candidates and officials who are on election duty. The Police can request support from the security forces for the election after informing the Election Commissioner. Although the military does not traditionnaly guard polling booths, they can assist in providing security for candidates and things like that,” the Military Spokesman said.

09February 2008

Sri Lanka MP Sripathi Sooriyarachchi killed in road accident

Parliamentarian Sripathi Sooriyarachchi was killed this afternoon in a fatal road accident at Madagama, in the Galgamuwa area. According to police sources, the vehicle carrying MP Sooriyarachchi crashed into a tree around 1.15 PM after it slipped off the road at high speed. The vehicle was traveling from Anuradhapura to Colombo via Thambuththegama, said sources. Two of the MP’s bodyguards have also been killed and another three who were in the vehicle have suffered serious injuries. The injured have been admitted to Kurunegala hospital, sources added. Police said the road has been slippery due to rain, and the MP’s vehicle seemed to have lost control while taking a sharp turn at a very high speed.Sripathi Sooriyarachchi MP was a former minister and a key figure in the breakaway Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana) faction. He was also a reputed lawyer and a retired Navy officer.

SLA captures south of Adampan tank  
     
Troops have captured the area south of Adampan tank, Mannar, overrunning LTTE defences yesterday (February 8), defence sources say.Two soldiers and 12 LTTE cadres were killed in the confrontations while five soldiers were injured, sources add.However, citing the LTTE Operations Command in Mannar, the ‘Tamilnet’ website reported that said at least 22 SLA soldiers were killed in two separate counter-attacks in Paalaikuli, in its attempt to move towards Adampan yesterday.Tiger casualties were minimum, no cadre was killed in two days fighting in Mannar, the LTTE Operations Command had said.‘Fighting raged from 9:00 a.m. till 3:30 when SLA attempted to advance through Paalaikuli. Sustaining heavy casualties, the SLA hastedly abandoned the operation leaving behind military hardware at 3:30 p.m. Assault rifles, rounds and holsters were seized by the LTTE,’ the website said.. ’Tigers also mounted another attack on the withdrawing SLA soldiers in which 11 more soldiers were gunned down in no-man area between 3:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.’ Tamilnet said.‘The SLA was mounting close range mortar attacks to enable their troops to locate their dead bodies,’ it added.A SLAF helicopter landed at least six times to airlift the wounded soldiers, and the SLA hastily abandoned the operation leaving behind military hardware, the website added.

Claims of heavy casualties in Sri Lanka

The Sri Lanka military on Friday claimed to have made some territorial gains along the Forward Defence Lines (FDLs) in Mannar district amid reports of heavy fighting and casualties.The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and the pro-LTTE TamilNet gave conflicting versions of the continuing battles. Both claimed to have inflicted heavy casualties on the other side. There is no way the reports could be verified independently.A statement by the Defence Ministry claimed here that at least 39 cadres of the LTTE were killed and the troops advanced into a general area south of Adampan Tank in Mannar, forcing “terrorists to flee”. In the first confrontation, the military said 12 Tiger cadres were killed. The ministry said that two soldiers were killed and five others were wounded in the pitched gunfire exchanged between troops and the LTTE.It claimed that at least 27 LTTE cadres were killed and over 23 injured as troops moved further into LTTE-dominated areas in Muhamalai, Vavuniya, Mannar and Welioya on Thursday.Fighting erupted between the LTTE and troops at the Nagarkovil FDL where LTTE elements were driven off the trench lines with “soaring casualties”.Troops advanced into LTTE defences in Periyapantrichurichchan and attacked two bunker defences, killing six Tiger cadres. TamilNet, however, claimed that at least 13 soldiers were killed and 28 wounded in clashes in the past three days in Mannar. Quoting the LTTE’s “Operations Commands”, the web site said six soldiers were killed when the army launched a ground push in Adampan.It said, “Two operations by SLA teams were thwarted while they were engaged in placing claymore bombs in Valaiyankaddu and Pa’ndivirichchaan areas”.

Businessman gunned down in Kotahena

A Tamil businessman was killed while his wife was seriously injured when two unidentified gunmen  opened fire at the couple near St. Lucia’s Cathedral in Kotahena last night, police said.They said the businessman identified as 60-year-old Pulendran Veerasubramaniam and his wife Umadevi were returning after buying some medicine from a pharmacy in their Pajero when they were confronted near the church.The armed duo had reportedly followed the businessman’s vehicle.The businessman was found killed on the spot while his wife was rushed to the National Hospital.Kotahena police said a special team was deployed to track down the assassins while the motive behind the shooting was not clear immediately, though there was belief that it was due to an unsettled dispute.

Bogollagma challenge to the President

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has canceled the appointing of three persons to the diplomatic service by Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle as the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs.The President appointed Fernandopulle as the Acting Minister while both Foreign Minister and his deputy were away from country and appointed former Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs H.M.G.S. Palihakkara as UN permanent representative, President's Counsel Daya Perera as High Commissioner of Canada and Senaka Walgampola as High Commissioner of Australia through Fernandopulle.It is said that Minister Bogolagama was delaying the appointments of these persons annoying the Presidential Secretariat. The appointments were to be approved by the cabinet yesterday but the Minister did not produce the documents for approval.Minister Bogollagama has said that he as the Minister of Foreign Affairs would do what he want. His action is analyzed as a direct challenge to the President and the Presidential Secretary Lalith Werathunga who were behind the appointments. It is reported that the Minister is breeding an animosity with the Presidential Secretary since recent times.

A monk, an Army senior and three others questioned regarding bomb explosions in Colombo

Police is questioning a monk of a Colombo temple in relation to giving lodging to LTTE members.A special police team has taken an Army Captain and a soldier for having close association with LTTE cadres including Ramesh alias Charles who are suspected for bomb explosions in Colombo. The monk's name was also exposed with the names of the Army officials who were arrested following information gathered from three male cadres and one female cadre arrested recently from Mattakkuliya.Police is yet to decide if the monk should be taken into custody and produced before court. Investigations revealed that Ramesh had pledged these Sinhalese to pay Rs. Seven million in return to assisting the bomb explosions.

08February 2008

Tamil Tigers cannot be crushed: TELO MP 
 
Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrillas can never be vanquished militarily, a visiting Tamil MP has said, calling for an Indian role to bring peace to the island nation.M.K. Shivaji Lingam of the TELO Muthlvar(Leader) and Tamil National Alliance (TNA) also said that the escalating violence in the war-hit country was only adding to the unending human misery, principally among the Tamil community."It is impossible to crush or destroy the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) militarily," said TELO Jaffna MP Shivaji Lingam, a day after he took part in a demonstration here urging India to stop its military backing to Sri Lanka.The LTTE campaign for a Tamil homeland, he said, "has become a people's struggle. Even ordinary villagers are now armed. They volunteer for duty round the clock to check the military's deep penetration units in LTTE areas."Shivaji Lingam, a member of the TELO and Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the biggest Tamil grouping in the Sri Lankan parliament, said he expected the war now raging in the country to continue."The LTTE will never give up," he said. "Even if the military takes over LTTE areas, the Tigers will fight on. But it won't be easy for the government to do that anyway.
"The government had wanted to crush the LTTE about 10 years ago. What could not be achieved 10 years ago cannot be achieved today. Today, the LTTE is more powerful militarily," he added.Shivaji Lingam, however, admitted that the Tigers had suffered serious reverses in the country's east, where the guerrillas have been driven out of their strongholds, and that Colombo was strong too - militarily. Shivaji Lingam, who comes from the same region in Jaffna that is home to LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, was once opposed to the Tigers. Over the years, he, like many others in Sri Lanka, has come to see the Tigers as the true representative of the Tamil minority.Shivaji Lingam spoke of the many difficulties faced in the war-hit northeast of Sri Lanka where thousands have been killed since the end of 2005.After rejecting the 2002 Norway-brokered truce it signed with the Tigers, the government has now vowed to kill Prabhakaran. But it says that it is committed to a political solution.Shivaji Lingam said the Tamils had no faith in the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa."How can we ever trust them?" he asked. "The government is not steady (vis-à-vis a political solution). After so many years, they are still talking about a unitary state when Tamils are for a federal system."The TNA MP said even as the US, China and Pakistan actively supported Sri Lanka, killings, kidnappings and bombings - blamed on the LTTE, the government and pro-Colombo Tamil groups - were steadily rising."The situation in (government-controlled) Jaffna is so bad that Tamils who fear they will be murdered are preferring to go to jail than live in the open," he added. "Many are taking shelter at human rights offices."The Tamils, he said, could not understand why India was silent over the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka."India should get involved and bring about a political solution," he argued. "If it cannot do that, it should recognise the Tamil liberation struggle."

Sri Lanka says kills 30 rebels as fighting grinds on
 
Sri Lankan troops have killed at least 30 Tamil Tiger rebels including an area leader in fresh fighting in the island's north, the military said on Friday.Thursday's clashes along a "border" that separates government from rebel territory in the far north was the latest violence in a 25-year civil war analysts say neither side is winning."Navy troops attacked a group of terrorists in Peraru in Trincomalee (in the northeast). A search found two LTTE dead bodies and one of them is an area leader," a military spokesman said, asking not to be named in line with policy.Troops also killed 28 Tiger rebels and wounded 24 others in clashes in the northern districts of Jaffna, Vavuniya and Mannar, he added, saying one soldier was killed and eight were wounded.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who are fighting for a separate state in the Indian Ocean island's north and east, were not immediately available for comment.There was no independent confirmation of what had happened or how many people were killed, and analysts say the foes exaggerate enemy casualty figures and play down their own.Fighting between the military and the rebels has intensified since the government scrapped a six-year ceasefire pact last month. It said the rebels were using the truce to re-arm.The military has captured large swathes of territory from the Tigers in the east of the country in recent months, vastly outnumbers them, and is now seeking to overrun their northern stronghold.But observers see no clear winner on the horizon. The violence has forced some businesses to put investment plans on hold and helped push the stock market down around 7 percent in 2007 and another 3 percent so far this year.Bus bombings and suicide attacks blamed on the Tigers are increasingly focused on civilians, as in earlier stages of the war. Experts say are targeted because they are less well protected and so easier prey.Thousands of people have been reported killed in recent months. The conflict that has killed an estimated 70,000 people since 1983.The bulk of fighting has been in the far north in recent months, well off the tourist track. But attacks are increasingly scattered, prompting some foreign governments to issue travel advisories.

Britain warns its citizens against visiting Sri Lanka

Britain's Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) yesterday warned British citizens against visiting Sri Lanka claiming that ‘there is a high threat from terrorism in Sri Lanka.’The travel advice has been reviewed and reissued with an amendment by the FCO but the overall level of the advice has not been changed.In the travel advisory, FCO said that “We advise against all travel to the north and east of Sri Lanka, and to Yala National Park and the areas around it. And there is an increasing risk of British nationals being caught up in an attack.”It also said that in 2008 fatal attacks have become more frequent. “They have occurred in Colombo and throughout Sri Lanka, including in places frequented by expatriate and foreign travelers. Further attacks may occur at any time.” Due to the heightened security in Sri Lanka the travelers have been advised to comply with government and security force instructions.

Tigers seize SLA weapons in Naakarkoayil clash

Heavy fighting erupted between the Sri Lanka Army and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam Thursday morning at 5:00 a.m. when an SLA unit, using tanks with artillery support fire, attempted to move towards LTTE Forward Defence Line at Naakarkoayil in Jaffna. The SLA sustained heavy casualties in the one-hour fighting, LTTE's Northern Forces Operations Command told reporters who were taken on a tour to Naakarkoayil FDL where the Tigers displayed ammunition and an assault rifle seized by them. One T-56 assault rifle, ten Rocket Propelled Grenade (RPG) shells, four torpedoes (land explosive devices), twenty-five hand grenades were among the military hardware seized by the Tigers.Casualty details were not available.

Sinhala woman who brought Dambulla bomb arrested

The woman who had brought the bomb which exploded in a private bus at Dambulla on Saturday, was arrested by Dambulla police yesterday, while she was undergoing treatment for burn injuries at the Dambulla hospital. Police investigations had revealed that the suspect, who is a Sinhala woman, had been born in Kengalla, Kandy, but had lived in Killinochchi since the age of 14. Dambulla HQI, Tissa Lal De Silva, said that although the suspect was Sinhala she could not speak Sinhala properly and it was suspected that the bomb had exploded while it was being taken to Anuradhapura to be set off near the Ruwanweliseya. Police said that the suspect had come with her mother. She had kept the parcel at the front of the vehicle. She and her mother had not sat next to each other on the bus. Both of them had sustained injuries due to the blast and been admitted to the Dambulla hospital. Police said that the suspect had been identified as 48 year old P.G. Hemalatha. The suspect had told police that she went to Killinochchi with a Tamil youth at the age of 14 and that she has two sons who are members of the LTTE. Police said that the woman’s first visit to Kengalla, after she left, was eight years later. Thereafter she had visited her village on several occasions and had even constructed a house there. She had come to Kengalla this time on January 24. Police said that her mother, who is aged between 65 and 70, was undergoing treatment at the Kurunegala hospital. Police also said that this bomb had exploded in the bus by accident. It had been intended for a target in Anuradhapura.

Pasilan 2000 in Eelam War     

Our speculation about the LTTE’s production of Pasilan 2000 is that the LTTE imported Type 63 130mm MLRS (early version of 130mm Type 82) which is no longer used by PLA, and installed as single tubes on their tractors allowing for greater camouflage and conceal of the weapon and less chances of damage in a single air strike. The rocket has since then undergone some modifications. Pasilan 2000 is not heavily used for ground attacks currently, but if imported artillery and rockets run out, the weapon could become a significant counterbalance to SLA's MBRL and a hindrance to troops. Pasilan 2000, shown in the above picture has been known as a mortar or arti-mortar like the 122mm canon, successor to the ‘BABA mortar’ used by the LTTE for ground operations since 1980s. A factory manufacturing Pasilan 2000 and other IEDs was destroyed in an air-raid on 16th January 2008 at Puthukudiirippu.However, latest ground intelligence indicates that Pasilan 2000 has been developed with characteristics similar to a rocket launcher. The way the tube is installed in the above picture is similar to the positioning of rocket pods. The length and caliber of the barrel indicates Pasilan 2000 system has common features to the Chinese made Type 82 130mm 30-tube MLRS (introduced by the Palestinian Liberation Army (PLA) in the early 1980s) rather than rail-guided Katyusha variants such as the Qassam Rocket. The rocket weight for Type 82 is around 25-30kg, and the Pasilan 2000 warhead has been known to have the same weight. Recent intelligence reports have cautioned that the latest variant of Pasilan 2000 may have a range of upto 25kms.Our speculation about the LTTE’s production of Pasilan 2000 is that the LTTE imported Type 63 130mm MLRS (early version of 130mm Type 82) which is no longer used by PLA, and installed as single tubes on their tractors allowing for greater camouflage and conceal of the weapon and less chances of damage in a single air strike. The rocket has since then undergone some modifications. Pasilan 2000 is not heavily used for ground attacks currently, but if imported artillery and rockets run out, the weapon could become a significant counterbalance to SLA's MBRL and a hindrance to troops.

Chinese T-82 130mm MLRS used by PLA

The Type 82 130mm 30-tube multiple launch rocket system was introduced by the PLA in the early 1980s as a successor to the ageing Type 63 130mm artillery rocket system deployed at division artillery level. The system is carried by a 6X6 truck with 30 launch tubes grouped in three rows each with 10 tubes. The rocket system made some modest improvement over the Type 63, but is inferior to the Type 81 122mm artillery rocket system. Only a limited number of examples were built before it was replaced by the Type 81. Some Type 82 rocket systems are still in service with the PLA reserved forces

Two siblings abducted, one shot dead, in Jaffna

Unidentified armed men in a white van abducted a brother and sister Wednesday night, while Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers shot and killed another brother who tried to escape from the abductors near Chunnaakam Railway Station, according to a complaint registered with Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna by the parents Thursday. The abducted are identified as Balendran Priyatharshini, 22 and her brother Balendran Pirapakaran, 21.SLA troops, after shooting dead their brother, told the parents that they are taking the body with them, the parents said in the complaint.The family are originally from Thunnaalai, Karaveddi in Vadamraadchchi and had moved to Chunnaakam due to death threats from SLA troops and SLA-backed paramilitaries.

UNP condemns Govt. link with armed group

The main opposition UNP yesterday said the government had created world history by signing a MoU with an armed group for the purpose of contesting the Local Government elections in the East.  UNP front-liner Lakshman Kiriella told a news conference that by signing the MoU with the TMVP – a breakaway faction of the LTTE -- the government had agreed to field a combined list for some local bodies in the province. “This is the first instance that a mainstream political party has arrived at such an agreement with an armed group,” he said. Mr. Kiriella accused the TMVP of terror tactics in the East where more than 68 people including 18 candidates have been abducted in the areas where the elections were due to be held in March. “Under these circumstances how is it possible for any political party to contest the elections,” he asked. Recalling the 1988-1989 period when the first provincial council election was held, Mr. Kiriella said the situation then was different as no political party had signed any MoU with the armed group operating all over the country at that time. He said the government’s commitment to crush terrorism was questionable as it had weakened one terrorist group in the East while permitting another such group to function freely in the area. Mr. Kiriella said the TMVP was facing charges both locally and internationally over the killing of several parliamentarians, blackmailing MPs from casting their votes at the budget debate, abductions, extortion and child recruitment. He reminded the House that it was the UNP government which first weakened the LTTE in the East by facilitating the Karuna -- Prabahakaran breakup in 2004 and revealed that more than 6000 LTTE cadres joined Karuna-led breakaway faction thus weakening the LTTE. “Therefore the credit for weakening the Tigers in the East should go to UNP regime and not to the present government,” he pointed out. Mr. Kiriella explained that war could be waged by using conventional military forces or by using strategic skills and the used the second method to crush the LTTE in the East.

Theepan silent after air strike       

On the 30th of January, soldiers of the 53rd and 55th divisions of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched a pre emptive strike on LTTE FDL on Nagarkovil, Muhamalai and Kilali. More than 30 LTTE bunkers were destroyed in the fierce fighting that continued for some time. Just a few hours after the limited operation, the Air Force bombed an LTTE operations center south of Muhamalai. This base was supposed to be the command center of senior LTTE leader Theepan. Army intelligence units intercepting LTTE communications observed Theepan's radio chatter stop following the air raid. He has not spoken through radio since then. Theepan's radio silence may not necessarily mean that he was injured or killed in the air strike. It could just be a security measure to avoid further exposure. However a similar set of events occurred when air force bombed the hideout of LTTE's then eastern commander Sornam's bunker during Vakarai operation. Sornam, wounded by the air strike, maintained radio silence until he escaped to Wanni through the jungles of Trikonamadu.LTTE has assigned two of its senior leaders to the defence of Muhamalai and Nagarkovil defence line following their failed attempt to capture Jaffna in 2006. Since then, Theepan has been credited with thwarting two major army offensives from the Muhamalai front, once in 2006 and again in 2007. He's usually referred to as "Special Commander Theepan" by LTTE media

Pro- Government Devananda says ready to give up portfolio to take up IAC Chair

EPDP Leader and Social Services Minister, Douglas Devananda yesterday said he would consider it if an offer was made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to him to take up the post of Chairman of the Interim Advisory Council (IAC) to be set up in the North.Asked when he was going to tender his resignation from his ministerial portfolio, the EPDP leader told the Daily Mirror it would depend on the response of the President. “I have a vision and a mission to serve my people in the north-east who have suffered under the LTTE for decades. As one of the mainstream democratic political parties in the North-East the EPDP has an obligation to liberate not only the Tamils but also Muslims and Sinhalese from the grip of terrorism. Hence, I am willing to face any challenge and take any responsibility to achieve that goal,” Mr. Devananda said.Commenting on the composition of the IAC he said though the APRC proposed a five members the President has the discretion to appoint any number of members to the council However he said he hoped the EPDP would have a say in nominating members to the IAC. Asked about the delay by the government to nominate members to the IAC, Mr. Devananda said President Rajapaksa was in the process of consulting all the stakeholders before naming members to the Council. “President Rajapaksa had a genuine desire to bring civil administration to the north and restore peace, law and order in the province,” he stressed.He maintained that President Rajapaksa would constitute the IAC soon as a delay in nominating the members to the IAC would not auger well for the momentum created with the presentation of interim proposals of the APRC by its Chairman, Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana more than a fortnight ago should be maintained. Meanwhile, Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma told Daily Mirror the President would definitely constitute the IAC this month. The SLFP Central Committee meeting scheduled for last afternoon was to discuss matters pertaining to the IAC and to submit the outcome to President Rajapaksa.

07February 2008

Britain seeks 'political process' to end Sri Lanka bloodshed
 
Sri Lanka's former colonial ruler Britain has called for a "political process" to end Sri Lanka's spiralling violence and condemned the latest wave of bombings against civilians. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband in a statement released here said that the Sri Lankan government's unilateral withdrawal from a ceasefire with separatist rebels did not mean both parties should stop protecting civilians. Scores of innocent people have been killed since the government pulled out of an already moribund Norwegian-arranged ceasefire with Tamil Tiger guerrillas last month. "Violence can never provide an answer to Sri Lanka's problems," Miliband said. "A sustainable solution to Sri Lanka's conflict can only emerge through a just political process involving all communities."Sri Lanka's government has said it wants to crush Tiger guerrillas by mid-year after making territorial gains in the east of the island last year and confining the rebels to their de facto mini-state in the island's north. Fourteen bus passengers were killed in a roadside bomb attack on Monday as the country marked its 60th anniversary of independence. "I call for an immediate end to practices which target civilians or put them in peril," Miliband said.Sri Lanka blamed the Tigers for a spate of bomb attacks against buses, a train station and villagers, while the Tigers have said government commandos and war planes are killing civilians in their territory.

'Rising threats' to S Lanka media 
 
Rights group Amnesty International says threats to journalists have increased dramatically in Sri Lanka. The human rights group says threats to freedom of expression have gone up as the country slides back into civil war. It says that in the last two years at least 10 media workers have been killed. Others have been abducted, detained, or have disappeared. Most of those targeted have been Tamil journalists working in conflict areas in the north and east of the country. In the south, Sinhalese journalists have faced intimidation - especially those reporting on corruption, Amnesty says.

Impunity

Amnesty International says there is a climate of impunity where those responsible are not punished. The group says Tamil journalists working in the conflict areas in the north and east are under severe threat from the security forces and armed Tamil groups who appear to be acting with their consent. It says the Tamil Tigers have completely stifled dissent in areas they control. Amnesty has called on Sri Lanka's government to respect its obligations under international law, and on both the government and the rebels to end attacks on journalists.

12 candidates abducted

The UNP charged yesterday in Parliament that 28 persons including 12 candidates have been abducted in the Eastern Province after nominations were called for the local council elections.UNP Parliamentarian Lakshman Seneviratne made this charge while speaking during the emergency debate yesterday.Mr. Seneviratne said that 68 persons had been abducted in the east during the past three months.He said that the UNP decided not to participate in the election given such security concerns.Commenting on the release of Nishantha Gajanayake from the remand prison, he said that a senior military official had come forward to secure bail for Mr. Gajanayake who was arrested for his alleged involvement in abduction cases.“This person was arrested after I made a revelation in Parliament on June 6, 2007,” he said.There was a serious trend of abducting Tamil persons in the country, and it was stopped after my revelation in this regard, he said.“ However, it is of serious concern to see a senior military officer attempting to secure bail for such a person,” he said.He said that the Army Commander would not approve such a thing at all.“There should be an inquiry into this matter immediately,” he said.

Emergency extended
 
Extension of the State of Emergency, countrywide for one more month, was passed by Parliament yesterday (6) with 103 voting in favour and 19 against.The government and JVP members present at the time voted for the extension of the Emergency while the UNP abstained. The Tamil National Alliance and the two members of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress voted against.

India investigating attack on Navy

 Indian authorities said yesterday they had launched an investigation into the reports that Indian fishing trawlers had fired at Sri Lanka Navy boats in the seas off Talaimannar on Monday.“We have received information from the Sri Lankan Navy regarding the incident, and are inquiring into the matter,” Dinkar Asthana, spokesman for the Indian High Commission in Colombo told the Daily Mirror.However he declined further comment, as the inquiries were still under way.The Navy said that Indian fisherman, who had entered Sri Lankan waters on Monday night, had opened fire on Navy patrol vessels, which had approached their boats to investigate their illegal presence in the area.A spokesman for the Navy said that they suspected that Sea Tigers may have been involved in the incident, as the LTTE often used Indian fishing boats as cover to launch attacks on Navy vessels. “They mingle with Indian fishing boats to avoid detection, and launch attacks, endangering the lives of the Indian fishermen in the ensuing retaliatory fire,” the spokesman said.Navy radars had detected approximately 400 Indian fishing trawlers in Sri Lankan territorial waters north of Talaimannar at the time of the incident, the spokesman said.He said that the Indian High Commission in Colombo had been informed of the incident, and it was requested that appropriate action be taken to avoid a ‘disastrous’ situation.Reports said that at least seven sailors were missing after the incident.

“No fisherman involved in shooting incident”

RAMANATHAPURAM: “No fisherman from Rameswaram was involved in the shooting incident that reportedly took place in the Sri Lankan waters off Talaimannar on Monday,” Collector R. Kirlosh Kumar told The Hindu here on Wednesday.He was speaking after receiving preliminary inputs from an enquiry committee set up to verify the claims of the Sri Lankan Navy that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam carried out an attack on its boats from an Indian trawler. “Besides denying involvement in the reported shooting incident, the fishermen told the enquiry committee that they had no knowledge about the incident and had not heard any noise of shooting or explosion in the area where they were fishing,” Mr. Kumar said. “The question is whether the LTTE launched the attack on the Sri Lankan Navy under the guise of fishermen or not. We need some inputs such as boat names, numbers and others to investigate the allegation. However, we don’t have any inputs except the reported incident,” he said. The Collector said detailed enquiries were conducted with several fishermen who had ventured into the sea on Monday. He said fishermen did not venture into the sea from Rameswaram on Wednesday, as various fishermen associations voluntarily came forward to keep off from the sea till Saturday.

Separate probe

The Indian Navy, Coast Guard, Intelligence Bureau, ‘Q’ Branch, police and other security agencies questioned several fishermen about the Sri Lankan Navy’s claim. Fishermen have been strictly warned not to cross the International Maritime Boundary Line.

Stop military support to Sri Lanka, PDK urges India in Delhi march

Several hundred activists of the Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (PDK) marched towards the Indian Parliament Wednesday morning demanding the Indian Government to immediately stop military aid and assistance to the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL). As a part of the protest, the activists, including 100 women and children, dressed as wounded Tamils marched from Jantar Mantar to Parliament Street and submitted a memorandum at the Prime Minister's office. PDK President Kolathur Mani said that the Tamil Nadu government refused to grant permission for a rally in support of Eelam Tamils led them to hold a major demonstration in the national capital. He pointed out that Indian Finance Minister P Chidambaram and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee have always stressed that the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka cannot be resolved a militarily, and could only be solved through dialogue.Kolathur Mani further said that his organization was involved in collecting one million signatures from the Tamil Nadu people to seek an end to all aid and assistance to the Sri Lankan forces by India. He blamed the Rajapaksa government for the killing Tamil parliamentarians. He argued that the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu were hurt because of Indian support to Sri Lankan forces.PDK general secretaries, Viduthalai Rasendiran and Kovai Ramakirutinan also took part in the march. The leaders condemned the closure of the A-9 highway to Jaffna for the past two years has added to the misery of the island's Tamils who have become refugees in their own land. They criticized the GoSL for blocking food and medicine supplies to Tamil areas.The activists shouted slogans against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the "genocide of Tamils."

Hartal against 'LTTE bomb attacks'
 
A Hartal protest called by a Tamil political party has paralysed the northern Sri Lankan town of Vavuniya on Wednesday.The protest was called by political party turned former militant group PLOTE against recent bomb attacks targeting civilians allegedly by the LTTE. Shops and government offices were closed and the town was deserted as a result of the Hartal.S Kannan, PLOTE political wing leader for Vavuniya, told journalist Dinasena Ratugamage that the protest was organised against the bomb attacks in Colombo, Dambulla and in Thachchanamaradamadu.

'Deliberately targeting' civilians

The PLOTE leader accused the Tamil Tigers of deliberately targeting the civilians.At least 18 people died and 50 more sustained injuries on 02 February after an explosion hit a civilian bus in the central Sri Lankan town of Dambulla. Military authorities accused the LTTE for the blast, which occurred at Dambulla bus station. At least 11 people have been killed and nearly 100 injured in a suicide attack at the main railway station in Sri Lanka's capital Colombo.Seven school children are among the dead, officials said.A female suicide bomber blew herself up as a suburban train pulled into a station platform, police said.

School children killed

Eleven schoolchildren are among at least 18 people killed in a bomb attack on a bus in in Thachchanamaradamadu, near Mannar on 29 January, the Roman Catholic church says. The LTTE accused Sri Lanka military of the attack.Denying any such attack military spokesman, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, accused the Tamil Tigers of attacking civilians in LTTE-held areas. Asked about accusations that PLOTE is involved in killing people in the past, Mr. Kannan said his organisation "never attacked" civilians. "All communities; Tamil, Sinhala or Muslim are very well aware that PLOTE did not target civilians," he said.Those who wanted to travel to the city were seen turned back by a group of young people.

Indian oil explorer bids for Lankan lots

CAIRAN Energy  India  private Limited,  an energy  giant  operating  in India, one of the bidders for oil exploration in Sri  Lanka yesterday  said that the company  is looking  forward to invest   US$200 million on oil exploration in Sri Lanka. A New Delhi  based senior  company  official told  Daily FT yesterday that  the company is  looking forward to come to Sri Lanka  in a big way  if  the company becomes  a successful in its bid.According to CAIRAN  sources  the company  had made  its bid  on two blocks in the Mannar basin North West of  Colombo.“Initially we are hoping to invest  US$50 million each  on the two blocks and  hope  to invest  the rest  on the  exploration  process alone,” a New Delhi based  senior  company  Official  told Daily FT. “Setting up an oil exploration  process  is  all about   sinking money.  It is  a  very expensive process   and  if you are  to do the   drilling  for  at least for  two to three years , then  you require a minimum investment of  US$ 200 million. On the other hand if any discovery is made  it may take   at  least  seven  years to make   a proper oil  production industry in Sri Lanka,” the official  said. The company said that  according to information they have  and the based   on their  past experience, the  company   might have to drill  at least three to four kilometers  deep  in the sea to  make  any  good findings. “For that we have to set up   off-shore  drilling platforms for the process,” he said.  Speaking on the benefits that Sri Lanka can gain in the  oil  industry the company official said   that   the biggest  benefit  is that   Sri Lanka   does not have to spend a  single  cent on  oil exploration and   once a discovery is made  the Sri Lankan government will get 10%   on the  shares of the each block. “Its not  only  oil we are  talking about here.  There is  natural gas resources underneath of in the deep sea. So  if we can  tap that also  we  could  end up  producing natural gas as well,” he said. The other benefits that  Sri Lanka  gets include the  increase in   tax  revenue from the oil produced, royalty fees, local employment and s boom in the  construction industry. Commenting on the  current  situation in the  country  the  company official   said that  oil exploration is based on  off shore  activities in the deep sea.  “Therefore the issues on the land  really  does not matter to us. And we hope that  in the long term there will be  stability in the  country  and  we are looking forward  for that  as well.Cairn Energy PLC is an Edinburgh-based oil and gas exploration and production company listed on the London Stock Exchange. It was first listed in 1988. It is one of the largest independent Exploration and Production companies in Europe and is listed in the FTSE top 100 stocks on the London Stock Exchange. The current market capitalisation of Cairn Energy PLC is $ 6.6 billion and the current market capitalisation of Cairn India is $ 9.6 billion and is listed on the Nifty top fifty stocks on the Bombay Stock Exchange.      The company currently operates more than 80,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.    Cairn India limited (“Cairn India”) is now an autonomous business listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and the National Stock Exchange of India and has interests in a total of 15 Indian acreage blocks. Cairn retains a 69% interest in Cairn India.  Cairn has further assets in Bangladesh, Nepal, Northern India, Greenland, Tunisia, Peru, UK (West of Shetlands), Albania, Australia, and pending licence awards in Spain and Sicily. The Group holds material exploration and production positions in west India, east India and Bangladesh along with new exploration rights in India and Nepal.Cairn has focused its activities on the geographic region of South Asia for more than a decade, which has already resulted in a significant number of oil and gas discoveries.  In particular, Cairn made a major oil discovery (Mangala) in Rajasthan in the north west of India at the beginning of 2004. Cairn has now made more than 20 discoveries in Rajasthan block RJ-ON-90/1. In all the company has made more than  40 hydrocarbon discoveries in South Asia. Cairn India is headquartered in Gurgaon on the outskirts of Delhi, with operational offices in Chennai, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan.

06February 2008

TNA MPs' obstructed from coming to p'ment

TNA legislator, Sivanathan Kishore yesterday (5) complained to Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara of having his parliamentary privileges breached by the security forces when he was prevented from travelling to Colombo to attend parliamentary sessions. He complained that he was stopped in Medawachchiya on February 4 and instructed to travel beyond that point in a different vehicle. He said that he was informed that a new security system was in place only at this point and this meant having to travel in different vehicles from Medawachchiya. He also informed that his house came under a grenade attack for the second time recently whereas the first attack that occurred on September 26, 2006 was not investigated into. "Five grenades were lobbed at my home and no arrests were made. There were no inquiries," he said. The MP requested that the security concerns of legislators' be referred to the Prime Minister to take urgent action and to enhance security for MPs. "We live under constant threat. The MPs can't now even travel home in their own vehicle. The same plight befell MPs Kanagaratnam and Sivanesan who were simply refused permission to proceed beyond the Omanthai check point," Kishore added. Intervening, TNA Parliamentary Group Leader, R. Sampanthan said both MPs have been refused permission to travel beyond Omanthai citing new security measures introduced which were not only a breach of privilege but an insult to parliament. Leader of the House, Nimal Siripala de Silva in response said that the government was not aware under what circumstances security clearance was not given to