28 February 2009

Grab LTTE ceasefire offer to rescue civilians, India tells Sri Lanka

Amid mounting concern over the plight of 70,000 civilians trapped in the conflict zone, India Friday made a renewed appeal to Sri Lanka to seize the Tamil Tigers rebels’ ceasefire offer and spur safe passage for Tamil civilians where they can get humanitarian aid.“While this (ceasefire offer by Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam - LTTE) may fall short of a declaration of willingness to lay down arms, it is our view that the government of Sri Lanka should seize the opportunity presented by the offer to bring about a pause in the hostilities,” External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said. “The government of India would, therefore, appeal to the government of Sri Lanka to immediately work out safe passage for trapped civilians to secure locations,” Mukherjee said. “This would require the cooperation of the LTTE,” he underlined reading out from a statement. Early this week, Colombo rejected calls for a truce with Tamil Tiger rebels, demanding first an unconditional surrender by the LTTE guerrillas. International organisations, including the UN, have made repeated appeals for the cessation of hostilities in Sri Lanka. Colombo, however, sees the LTTE’s ceasefire call as a desperate plea “to save their miserable skins.” The Sri Lankan government believes the battle against terrorism has entered its last lap with the Tamil Tiger rebels losing most of their strongholds to government forces. “Though pressure is exerted in various ways by the international community, the government will not stop the war on the Tigers until they are defeated,” Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake said Friday. The hardline stand has only added to the miseries of thousands of civilians trapped in northern Sri Lanka. With the suffering of civilians on mind, Mukherjee underscored India’s “grave concern over the humanitarian crisis that is building up with every passing day in Sri Lanka.” “There are reports that over 70,000 civilians are trapped in the conflict zone in Sri Lanka and there is acute shortage of food, water and medicines,” he said. “The pause in hostilities must be utilized to facilitate the movement of Tamil population out of the war-affected areas to secure locations where proper rehabilitation is possible,” he said. These safe locations will ensure, he stressed, that international aid organisations like the International Council of Red Cross (ICRC) have free access to provide medical and other forms of humanitarian aid. India Thursday announced it would send an emergency medical unit to provide medical assistance to internally displaced people in northern Sri Lanka. Such relief to civilians, the minister stressed, must be followed up by “a proper devolution of powers to the provinces, with assurances of equality and equal rights to all citizens, particularly the Tamil people, within the constitutional framework of Sri Lanka maintaining its territorial integrity.” “I sincerely hope that the government of Sri Lanka and all others will respond to this sincere appeal that is made in the interest of all sections of the people in Sri Lanka,” Mukherjee said.

LTTE's last urban area captured: Lanka Army

Sri Lankan forces moved to take control of the last urban area held by the retreating LTTE as troops captured an advanced satellite communication centre in the embattled north where heavy fighting killed at least 27 guerrillas, the defence ministry said on Saturday.  Displaced Tamil civilians are safe: UNThe Army has won a string of major victories over the LTTE rebels in recent weeks, as the military said they were ready to inflict a "decisive blow" to the guerrillas. "The multi-pronged military surge towards Puthukkudiyirippu town continued with increasing LTTE battlefield loses as troops are now reportedly positioned to take control of the Puthukkudiyirppu junction,” the Defence ministry quoted ground sources as saying. Sri Lankan troops of the 58 Division, which entered Puthukudiirippu town perimeter, found LTTE's high-tech satellite communication centre yesterday. They came cross the huge gadget while advancing into the built-up area amidst stiff resistance from LTTE yesterday, the Defence Ministry quoted military sources as saying. As troops encircled Puthukudiirippu, the LTTE's last remaining stronghold, the LTTE fighters withdrew from the area leaving behind high-tech satellite relaying machines used for international communication, it said. Lankan soldiers recovered a large quantity of explosives, weapons and ammunition from bases abandoned by the guerrillas as they pushed into Puthukkudiriruppu town, the ministry said. The UN has voiced concern for the thousands of civilians pushed into a shrinking pocket of land in the north Sri Lanka. The world body estimates that some 200,000 people are being squeezed into a narrow 14-square kilometre patch of land on the coast in Wanni which the Sri Lankan government has declared a "no-fire zone." Meanwhile, LTTE suffered heavy damages in fierce fighting reported in north of Kombavil area in Pudukudirippu, military sources said, adding five bodies of Tamil Tigers were recovered. The troops have reportedly gained control over sections of the LTTE built anti-armour barriers and a series of bunkers while seizing two LTTE attack boats, military sources from the Mullaittivu battlefront reported. The crafts had sustained damages due to artillery attacks, the sources said, adding that LTTE's sea wing chief Soosai commanded the rebels resistances. According to intercepted LTTE communication, 13 rebels were killed during the confrontations. “Soosai had operated from an undisclosed location in Puthukkudiyirippu, pulled up the LTTE ground leaders for failing to stall the military advance,” the defence ministry claimed. "If they (Army) inch further we are done for ever," the ministry quoted him as saying in intercepted LTTE communication. The Lankan Army captured another LTTE's anti-armour earth bund (some 1.5 km long) in Pudumatalan area in Mullaittivu this morning, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said. “About ten LTTE boats had also been destroyed when the Tamil Tiger rebels unsuccessfully attempted to defend the earth bund with reinforcements arriving by boats,” it said. Meanwhile, LTTE cadres suffered heavy damages during a confrontation yesterday at Pudukudirippu in Mullaittivu yesterday, the MCNS said, adding nine bodies of rebels were recovered from the area. Fighting, which has escalated in the past two years, further flared after the government in January 2008 pulled out of the 2002 cease-fire pact with the rebels. The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 for an independent state for the minority ethnic Tamils, alleging marginalisation of the community for decades by governments dominated by the Sinhalese. Over 70,000 people have been killed in the civil war in the Island nation.

UN Security Council fight for Sri Lanka

The UN Security Council took up the fighting in Sri Lanka for the first time on Friday as a senior UN official reported that dozens of people, at least, were being killed every day. Council members, meeting in closed session, appealed to the Sri Lankan government to exercise maximum restraint and to the Tamil Tiger rebels, or LTTE, to lay down their arms and abandon the use of violence to pursue their political aims, the council president said. Sir John Holmes, the UN's humanitarian coordinator, reported on his recent trip to the island under the agenda item "other matters" after Russia dropped its objections to the Security Council discussing the conflict between government forces and Tamil Tigers. Sir John said 200,000 civilians were trapped by the fighting, and cited "credible reports" that the Tamil Tigers had shot at some trying to flee. He said he had urged the government to call a temporary halt to hostilities or establish a humanitarian corridor to allow people to leave, if it could be agreed. "I also urge the Government of Sri Lanka to hold back from any final military battle in order to allow time for the civilian population to get out safely, one way or another," he said. The briefing followed a behind-the-scenes row over whether the Security Council should discuss Sri Lanka at all. Britain and other Western nations pushed for the briefing as a way to highlight the heavy civilian casualties. But Russia, which fears UN intervention in Chechnya, initially argued that the council should not interfere in the "internal affairs" of a UN member state by taking up Sri Lanka. It was backed by council-member Vietnam. This month's Japanese presidency of the 15-nation council, which has the power to impose sanctions, reassured Russia that Sri Lanka would not be put on the council's formal agenda. The meeting ended with no UN action, but agreement that the Japanese ambassador, Yukio Takasu, could summarise the discussion to the waiting press. "We share all serious concern about the humanitarian situation in Sri Lanka, particularly in light of the large number of internally displaced persons," he said. "The nature of the conflict here is very clear. The government of Sri Lanka is struggling against a group of people who are using military offence and sometimes the presence of internally displaced persons for advantage of the military offensive," he said. "Some members mentioned that ... LTTE has been considered as a terrorist organisation." "We understand that the government has been taking certain precautions... but the fact of the matter is that there are still a lot suffering and damages of civilians. "We very much hope that the government continue to exercise maximum restraint and comply with international law and try to avoid the suffering and damage on the civilians." "Much stronger concern should be placed on the behaviour of the LTTE, Tamil Tigers. We are very much concerned they are not accepting free access to the area," he said. "I think there is a convergence of views among the members that we should appeal strongly to the LTTE that they lay down their arms and stop the violence in pursuit of their political aims," he said. Sir John visited Vavinuya, just south of the fighting, where 36,000 refugees have taken shelter, but he was not able enter the area controlled by the LTTE.The government, he said, had assured him that it wanted to return 80 percent of the refugees to their homes by the end of the year, once de-mining is completed. Stepping beyond his humanitarian mandate, Sir John also urged the Sri Lankan government to take "the historic opportunity to move swiftly, after the end of the fighting, to tackle underlying political issues, and move to a generally acceptable devolution settlement on a fully democratic basis." Sir John Sawers, Britain's UN ambassador, voiced satisfaction that the briefing had taken place. "We, the United Kingdom and I personally, have been working for some time to ensure that the Security Council gets a full briefing on the situation in Sri Lanka," he said. "We have a situation of the LTTE, which for us is a proscribed terrorist organisation, being under pressure, but there is also a very growing humanitarian problem there which is of great concern to us. "We have called for a halt to the fighting for humanitarian reasons and we firmly believe that the only solution in Sri Lanka is a political settlement in which the LTTE lay down their arms and enter into a political process which provides for respect for all the communities in the country."

International appeal for safety of Civilians
 
UNHCR has requested the government to allocate more land for the Internally Displaced thousands who may cross over to government controled areas."So far over thirty six thousand people have crossed over" Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Resettlement & Disaster Relief Services told the BBC. "UNHCR is urging the government to continue to make necessary preparations to receive and accommodate the large numbers expected in the coming weeks or months," UNHCR spokesman William Spindler told journalists. According to relief agencies, tens of thousands of civilians are still trapped behind the front line.

300 acres for relief work

"Given the magnitude of the civilian population still trapped inside in the LTTE territory, and expected to flee into government-controlled areas as military operations advance, UNHCR has requested the government of Sri Lanka to provide another 300 acres to bring the total potential reception capacity to 85,000 persons," Spindler said. Earlier, the United Nations said around 30,000 people had recently crossed into government-held territory and the authorities were providing them with urgently needed services. UN's World Food Programme[WFP] said it had been able to make its first food deliveries to the embattled Wanni area since January 16 by using a Red Cross boat.

Food by boat

Forty tonnes of food, enough to feed 80,000 people for a day, was delivered to a government-designated "safe zone" in the area on Friday, said WFP spokeswoman Emilia Casella told the media. "Now we have an objective to be able to deliver through these boats up to 300 tonnes of mixed food per week," she added.Human Rights Watch reported last weekmImage that an estimated 2,000 civilians have been killed in the recent fighting. Five civilians who were wounded in air strikes and artillery fire Friday died, Dr. Thurairaja Varatharajah said from a hospital in the war zone. Forty-one others are being treated for their wounds, he said.

Desperate and unacceptable

Meanwhile, the group Doctors Without Borders expressed outrage that so little has been done for the civilians trapped in rebel territory, calling their condition "desperate and unacceptable". The voluntary organization for doctors urged the government and rebels to ensure the safety of civilians and allow them access to humanitarian assistance. It said 90 percent of the injured people who arrive at its hospital in northern Vavuniya town, just outside the war zone, have gunshot or shrapnel wounds from fleeing rebel territory.

LTTE high-tech satellite communication center captured 
 
Troops of 58 Division who have entered in to Puthukudiirippu town perimeter have found LTTE's high-tech satellite communication center yesterday, 27 February, while further advancing into the built-up area amidst stiff resistance of LTTE, Defence Ministry said. Troops were able to located the LTTE's high-tech communication center having modern satellite relaying machines. It was located at west of Puthukudiirippu area. Computers, computer accessories, switches, telephones which were believed to be used for international communication through satellite were also found from the scene, military sources said. As troops encircled the LTTE's last remaining stronghold, Puthukudiirippu, LTTE had to withdraw from the area leaving behind this high-tech satellite relaying machines used for international communication.

Shooting down of jet over M’tivu denied

The SLAF yesterday denied a Tamilnet claim that a jet launched from Katunayake, engaged in bombing mission over Mullaitivu, was shot down.SLAF spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara told The Island that there was absolutely no truth in the LTTE claim. The Tamilnet said that the jet was shot down over Mullaithivu Friday at 11:25 a.m. Quoting sources based at Ira’naippaalai, the pro-LTTE website claimed that civilians had seen the mid-air explosion as it was diving to attack an unidentified target.

Pottu Amman active on ground
   
LTTE’s Intelligence Chief Pottu Amman is believed to be active on the ground as fighting raged in Puthukudiyirippu.It is reported that he has even called for urgent assistance from other LTTE leaders requesting more weapons to the Puthukudiyirippu battlefield.According to ground military information, the army had monitored a conversation between Pottu Amman and another unknown senior leader over radio communications on Thursday. In that conversation, Pottu Amman had sought replenishments of small arms as they came under heavy military attack. It is also reported that Pottu Amman was leading the battle in the Iranapalai area north of Puthukuduirrippu.Earlier, reports said all second level LTTE leaders had been called to the battle front with most of their senior leaders being killed by the military.Civilians, who fled the Puthukuduyiruppu area few days ago, told the military that on February 4, they had seen Pottu Amman in the Matalan area in Mullaitivu recruiting people.

LTTE row: MDMK chief Vaiko, partymen held during protests
 
TUTICORIN: MDMK chief Vaiko and some of his partymen were on Saturday arrested when they attempted to show black flags to external affairs minister  Pranab Mukherjee. Vaiko and his party members were protesting against Centre's "inaction" on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue. The protesters were arrested while trying to show black flags to Mukherjee who was here to lay the foundation stone for a power project, police said. 

French government to support Sri Lanka

The government of France has expressed its willingness to provide humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka, especially for the Northern region of the country, the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka said. French Foreign Minister Dr. Bernard Kouchner has expressed his government's willingness to support Sri Lanka during a special telephone conversation with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama yesterday evening. According to the Foreign Ministry, Dr. Kouchner has expressed his satisfaction at the imminent conclusion to the conflict in Northern Sri Lanka and inquired on how best France could extend humanitarian assistance.Kouchner has pointed out the possibility of making available the services of the French Red Cross to Sri Lanka. The two ministers have agreed to further discuss the related modalities with regard to the French offer, Foreign ministry said in a statement. During this conversation Sri Lanka Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has informed his French counterpart of the current situation in Northern battlefields, especially, the LTTE's use of civilians as human shields.

Lankan Tamils should get protection- A.R. Rahman
   
Indian music composer A.R. Rahman, who made a triumphant return home on Thursday after winning two Oscars for the music of the film "Slumdog Millionaire", skirted the issue of Sri Lankan Tamils caught in the crossfire between the army and the rebel Tamil Tigers."Neither the Oscar ceremony nor this stage are forums to raise political issues. While I may be personally against any harm to any human being, I also feel that Tamils should get protection in a peaceful atmosphere in Sri Lanka, I am above politics," Rahman said. With his trademark humility and simplicity, the composer said the song, "Jai Ho", which won an Oscar, may not have been his best to date. As for his future plans, he said: "I would continue to work in Tamil films - as much as I do in Hollywood - provided the projects excite me.

Canada takes back deported SL gangster
   
Canadian officials acknowledged yesterday that they helped bring a "dangerous" gang member to Toronto from Sri Lanka this week, two days before the Canadian government unveiled its new anti-gang strategy.Panchalingam Nagalingam, who was deported in 2005 because of his involvement in a violent Toronto street gang, arrived back on Tuesday morning, and Canadian officials say they facilitated and paid for his return. The circumstances have one official lamenting that the government is "in the business of putting gangs and gangsters out of business, not in bringing them back to Canada."Police were furious yesterday and immigration officials were at pains to explain why Canada had paid to fly a gang member, once charged with hacking two people in the head with a meat cleaver, back to Canada more than three years after he was deported to his native Sri Lanka.A spokesman for Jason Kenney, the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, said the government was outraged that it was forced to return Mr. Nagalingam to Canada because of a legal agreement entered into by the previous Liberal government.The Ministry of Justice agreed in December, 2005, that it would allow Mr. Nagalingam to return to Toronto if the courts ever overturned a decision that found he was a danger to the public, officials said. The Federal Court of Appeal did just that in April, 2008, ruling that the judge who decided Mr. Nagalingam's case had made a procedural mistake.Canadian officials started discussions about Mr. Nagalingan's return to Toronto last June, after he went to the Canadian High Commission in Colombo and said he feared for his safety. He was given a temporary residency permit in January that allowed him to enter Canada, but it was cancelled upon his arrival at Pearson Airport."We are very disappointed by the outcome of the court's decision. And we are outraged that we are forced, because of a legal agreement negotiated by the previous Liberal government, to return this dangerous individual to Canada," said Alykhan Velshi, Mr. Kenney's spokesman."The agreement made under the previous Liberal government was not required by law and is very unusual; however they made it anyway and, sadly, we are bound by it." He added that "because of the Liberals' agreement which we were legally bound to implement, we unfortunately had to pay for his return flight.""Since being returned to Canada, Nagalingam has been held in detention, where we will strenuously argue that he should remain," he added.A 36-year-old Sri Lankan citizen, Mr. Nagalingam was a member of AK Kannan, one of two warring gangs that engaged in extortion, drug trafficking, weapons dealing, attempted murder and murder in Toronto. The gangs were responsible for dozens of shootings, one of which killed an innocent bystander at a doughnut shop.

27 February 2009

Menon to discuss humanitarian situation with President

Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon is expected to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa to discuss the humanitarian situation in the north amidst concerns being raised in India over the plight of civilians caught up in the conflict.Foreign Ministry sources told Daily Mirror that Mr. Menon will also speak on Sri Lanka’s stance on a political solution to the ongoing conflict and will urge the government to ensure the safety of the civilians trapped in the north. “Under the present climate, India is very much concerned about the fate of the civilians trapped in the north. India is expected to voice its concerns to the government once again through the Indian Foreign Secretary who is expected to meet President Rajapksa,” sources said.Sources added that a meeting between External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and President Rajapaksa had been scheduled soon after the SAARC Foreign Minister’s Summit in Colombo to discuss the country’s humanitarian issue but due to his last minute cancellation Mr. Menon had replaced Minister Mukherjee’s at the meeting. Minister Mukherjee who was expected to arrive in the country on February 26 changed his plans last minute and said he would be sending Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed instead to take his place at the Summit. Meanwhile, India has asked Sri Lanka to work out the logistics to evacuate the civilians caught in the fighting and has promised to give all help including medical care and humanitarian relief. Following reports that the LTTE was willing to discuss international appeals to permit the IDPs caught in the conflict zone to leave for safer areas, India has called upon the Sri Lankan government to work out appropriate and credible procedures for their evacuation to safety. The process of moving the IDPs must involve international agencies and the sanctity of the safe zones respected by both sides, said the Indian Ministry of External Affairs. “We understand that small numbers of medical evacuees have indeed been brought out of the conflict zone for the last few days by sea. We would urge all concerned to make it possible for much larger numbers to be brought out both over land and by sea. India is ready to provide all necessary help to facilitate the process of bringing innocent civilians to safety and to meet their humanitarian needs for relief materials, medicines and medical care,” a Ministry statement said. India is working out the modalities with Colombo to arrange for early dispatch of medical help and medicine to reach the sick and injured.On Wednesday, Minister Mukherjee said the Indian government had expressed its intention and requested the Sri Lankan government to facilitate the process of evacuation in the context of the announcement by the LTTE so that the civilians could be brought to the safe zone, both through the sea route and through the land route.Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Minister Mukherjee said the evacuation could be carried out in the presence of international observers.

At the gates of the grand finale of Eelam War IV
 
Teams from the 58 Division spearheaded by Commandos managed to enter the main built-up area of the Puthukudirippu Town last afternoon but the Town could not be completely cleared due to stiff resistance from small teams of hardcore LTTE fighters who are moving about and engaging the Army in hit-and-run waves even as we speak. Fighting is raging in visible-range as infantry units fight almost face-to-face with the Tigers at times. Beyond visual range or Trajectory Weapons like the LTTE's heavy guns have fallen silent. 120mm mortars seems to be the only heavy artillery the Tigers have and these are being fired occasionally from civilian settlements in the general area Mathalang and even from the designated No Fire Zones. 130 and 152 fire has ceased almost completely.Tigers aren't the only ones who have limited the heavy firepower. Whereas the LTTE has abandoned its heavy guns due to lack of shells, SLA has limited theirs due to concerns of civilian safety. Clearing Puthukudirippu might take weeks as the Tigers have painstakingly booby trapped all buildings, including houses that FIBUA teams could potentially use for cover and tactical advantage. Despite all obstacles the indicators are that the Tigers might withdraw further towards civilian settlements tonight or tomorrow morning. Capturing Puthukudirippu permanently is a matter of time. Ground sources claim that the Tigers might attempt one massive attack tonight or early tomorrow morning. If this attack doesn't come, it could come soon after the Town is secured.We are fast approaching the final hours of Eelam War IV. The ball is in the LTTE's court now to try and prevent it. If the LTTE does not come up with a miracle within the next 12hrs, the next alternative for the Tigers is to either die at the hands of the SLA or hide among the civilians.

Sri Lanka editor accused of aiding rebel airstrike

Sri Lankan police arrested the editor of a Tamil-language newspaper in the middle of a funeral Thursday, accusing him of aiding a rebel air attack on the capital last week. The arrest of Nadesapillai Vithyatharan came as the government faced growing criticism for a recent spate of attacks on journalists viewed as critical of the offensive against the Tamil Tiger rebels in the north.Last month, a prominent newspaper editor critical of the war was killed by gunmen, a private TV station was attacked by assailants armed with guns and grenades and another editor was stabbed.Opposition officials and media activists have accused the government of a role in the attacks, an allegation the government denies.Vithyatharan, editor of the reputedly pro-rebel Sudar Oli newspaper, was attending a funeral near Colombo Thursday when three uniformed police officers drove up in a van, pulled him from a crowd of mourners standing near the coffin, and drove away, said E. Saravanapavan, managing director of the newspaper."We were trying to push him inside and they were trying to drag him the other way," he said.Lakshman Hulugalle, a defense spokesman, said Vithyatharan was being held in connection with the rebels' kamikaze attack on Colombo last Friday, but that it was too soon to know if he would be charged. He defended the conditions of the arrest."There was nothing harsh in the arrest because he's a wanted person," he said.Saravanapavan said the arrest came a day after police came to the newspaper's offices and demanded everyone's name and address. They did not explain the reason for the demand, he said.Reporters Without Borders demanded Vithyatharan's immediate release."What is this respected Tamil editor accused of? Outspoken coverage of the situation in Sri Lanka, including the fate of its Tamil population," the group said in a statement.Meanwhile, army troops and the Tamil Tiger separatists fought fierce battles in Puthukkudiyiruppu, the last rebel-held town, the military said.The military has driven the rebels out of much of the de facto state they controlled across the north and boxed them into a tiny strip of land along the northeastern coast. If Puthukkudiyiruppu falls, the rebels will be confined to a few villages and jungle areas, along with tens of thousands of civilians still trapped in the war zone.In a speech Thursday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa accused the rebels of increasing their forcible recruitment of children as they grow more desperate in the face of the military onslaught.The rebels have been fighting since 1983 for an independent state for minority Tamils after decades of marginalization by governments dominated by the Sinhalese majority. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the fighting.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), issued the following statement immediately after the incident was reported on Thursday, Feb 26th:

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) calls on the Sri Lankan Government to immediately activate all efforts to locate N. Vidyatharan, editor of the Tamil daily Sudar Oli, who was reportedly abducted from Mahinda Funeral Parlour in Mount Lavinia, Colombo, this morning.According to local reports, Vidyatharan was attending a funeral when he was forced into a van by people wearing police uniforms. Police have reportedly confirmed they believe Vidyatharan was abducted but denied police involvement in the attack.Sudar Oli managing editor Mr Saravanpavan received a call from Vidyatharan about two hours after the abduction to acknowledge he was alive. Vidyatharan did not provide further details.The IFJ fears Vidyatharan’s safety is still in grave danger.On February 16, Vidyatharan was questioned for more than eight hours by the CCB, a government intelligence unit, in relation to news reports published in Sudar Oli about civilian casualties in the conflict between the Sri Lankan military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Vanni.Sudar Oli is published by the Uthayan newspaper group which also publishes the Uthayan Tamil daily in the troubled Jaffna region.Nine staff from the Uthayan newspaper group have reportedly been killed in the past 3 years, a local source said.“All available resources must be employed immediately to search and locate Vidyatharan,” IFJ General Secretary Aidan White said.“There is no doubt that there is a major crisis of safety for all journalists working in Sri Lanka and any attack or threat must be treated as serious and potentially life-threatening.”The IFJ encourages all affiliates and members of the international press freedom and human rights communities to take immediate action by making urgent inquires about Vidyatharan’s whereabouts and safety to:

President of Sri Lanka
Hon Mahinda Rajapaksa
Fax: +94-11-244-6657

Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights
Hon Mahinda Samarasinghe
Tel: +94-11-2681979, +94-11-269-5013
Fax: +94-11-2681978. +94-11-268-1980

Inspector General of Police
Jayantha Wickremaratne
Tel: +94-11-242-1750
Email: igp@police.lk; police@police.lk

India to send emergency medical unit to Sri Lanka

India Thursday said it would send a full-fledged emergency medical unit to help civilians wounded in the conflict in Sri Lanka and work with Colombo to spur reconstruction process in that country.'India and Sri Lanka have agreed to work together to address the urgent medical needs of these civilians,' external affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash said in a statement here.'In this connection, India will immediately send a full-fledged emergency medical unit with hospital to Sri Lanka,' he said.This emergency medical unit will comprise doctors, surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses and support staff and necessary medical equipment and supplies. 'This would be augmented further depending on the requirement,' the spokesperson added.'India will also work with the government of Sri Lanka in the rehabilitation and reconstruction process in the northern and eastern Sri Lanka.'The decision to send emergency medical assistance came after New Delhi discussed with Colombo ways to help the civilians caught in the conflict between government troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).Thousands of civilians remain trapped in a small chunk of territory still held by the LTTE. Early this week, Colombo turned down an appeal for a ceasefire by the Tamil Tigers.

"Die with us" rebels tell Sri Lanka's refugees

VAVUNIYA, Sri Lanka (Reuters) - The Tamil Tigers gave V. Rasamalar no choice in how she would die -- the separatist rebels told her she would die alongside them in Sri Lanka's war zone.But the mother of two escaped heavy fighting and fled to an army-controlled area. She and her children are now living with about 1,000 other refugees in a military-run transit camp in the northern city of Vavuniya."The organization said we were going to die anyway if we crossed to the army-controlled area and told us to die with them," said 48-year-old Rasamalar, who fled the northern town of Udayarkattu when soldiers fought their way into it.More than 36,000 Tamils since January 1 have fled to government-controlled areas, running from the final battles of a 25-year-old war and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels who tried to force them to stay."After a long time, at least me and my two children are relieved from hearing the sound of shells and life in a bunker," she told Reuters at a school converted into one of 15 temporary homes for Tamil refugees.On the run for weeks or months, refugees say they faced the wrath of the rebels, constant combat, perpetual fear and little food or water."There is scarce food. Even 15-year-old youth are being forcibly recruited by the LTTE. We were not allowed to leave the war zone. This is the situation of over 200,000 Tamils in that area," S. Selvekumar told Reuters.Formerly a security guard for an international aid agency, Selvekumar escaped at night in a boat that was rescued by the Sri Lankan navy. But he left his sister behind and still does not know now where she is.

"DON'T KNOW THEIR FATE"

Aid agencies estimate that 200,000 Tamils are now squeezed into a 12-km long stretch of land on the northeastern coast which the army has declared as a no-fire zone. The government says there are no more than 70,000 people there, along with the LTTE.Soldiers are less than 5 km (2 miles) away, and commanders expect they will face a final showdown with the Tigers there -- one in which they will have to fight carefully to prevent any civilian casualties.Ariyakutti Velayutham, a 72-year former manager of a Hindu temple who escaped on a Red Cross ship bringing out sick and wounded people, now spends his days fearing for the safety of his children and grandchildren."I do not know the fate of my two sons, a daughter, and a grandson who had been hiding from being forcibly recruited by the LTTE," he said in the presence of government officers.He said the LTTE had fired artillery from populated areas, "compelling the army to target us." The military denies targeting civilians, but has acknowledged some may have been killed."There were radio messages by the LTTE saying that once we got into government-controlled areas, females would be raped and males would be tortured, but nothing has happened," he said.  Some refugees complained that life in the refugee camp is just as hard as life in LTTE territory."I sometimes feel that we are now imprisoned in this refugee camp, after being held as prisoners by LTTE for a long time," 42-year-old S. Babu told Reuters.At one camp, Reuters saw more than 100 refugees trying to speak to relatives over a camp wall.The government says the restrictions are temporary, to give them time to weed out LTTE infiltrators and to ensure the rebels do not try to repeat a suicide attack that killed 30 people on February 9 at a refugee registration center.The government plans to transfer most refugees to temporary villages with schools and other facilities, with homes for each family. The government says people will be placed with others from their home areas.

Sampanthan asks why TNA MPs not allowed to meet IDPs

Tamil National Alliance leader and Trincomalee District parliamentarian R. Sampanthan has written to President Mahinda Rajapaksa asking him why the elected representatives of conflict zone or even after their arrival in Government controlled territory. "What is the Government seeking to conceal by such actions?" Sampanthan queried.Referring to his recent summons by the CID for recording his statement, Sampanthan said that he recently held a media conference pertaining to the position of the Tamil civilians in the war zone in the Mullaitivu District and those who crossed over to Government held areas.He has said that certain Government TV channels made slanderous references to him, while commenting on the media conference and on the interview the CID had with him. He said it was a malicious effort to create an environment hostile to him with the objective of suppressing the truth."I do not know what further developments there could be and I consider it my duty to keep you informed of the above, so that much improper conduct by some in your Government would be brought to an end," Sampanthan said in his letter.He said that after his press conference, the CID visited his residence in Colombo on February 23 and wanted him to be present at the CID head office on the following day to record a statement. When he visited the CID the officers there who questioned him had been very courteous.Two days after the press conference, the Human Rights’ Watch in a comprehensive report confirmed the substance of the statements he made at the press briefing on February 17."Some in your Government may have been irked by what transpired at the conference and this so-called investigation, despite the courtesy extended to me by the CID, constitutes an unwarranted interference in my freedom of thought and action as a democratically elected representative of the people and leader of the political party which very substantially and democratically represents the affected people," he has said.Sampanthan alleged that the democratically elected representatives of the Tamil people are being prevented from having any direct contact with the displaced Tamil people either in the conflict zone or even after their arrival in Government controlled territory.

Suicide bomb factory and swimming pool found in Sri Lanka's last rebel stronghold

Sri Lankan troops advancing into the last remaining rebel stronghold of Puthukkudyiruppu amid fierce fighting have captured a LTTE suicide bomb factory and the Sea Tiger leader Soosai's camp yesterday, the military said.Infantrymen of Army's 58 Division after days of fighting captured the suicide bomb manufacturing facility and an adjacent camp believed to be the Sea Tiger leader's camp located west of Puthukkudyiruppu.The Sea Tiger leader's camp has been destroyed by previous aerial bombing, the defence sources said. Out boat motors and many other equipment used by the Sea Tigers were at the camp, military sources added. Fierce fighting continued in the area as Tigers have put up stiff resistance, sources said. Monitored LTTE radio communication indicated heavy LTTE casualties, they added.Troops of 58 Division advancing towards Puthukkudyiruppu built-up yesterday found a swimming pool believed to be used by the high profile LTTE leaders.According to the defence sources, the 50 feet long, and 30 feet wide pool had a diving platform. The pool, well concealed with nets and canopies, was surrounded by cabanas, the defence sources revealed.The military said today the LTTE hiding area is now shrunk to a 58 square kilometer area and the troops have encircled the area.

TID grill FMM chief

Convener of the Free Media Movement Sunanda Deshapriya questioned by the Terrorist Investigation Division yesterday yesterday rejected a statement made by one Prakash arrested by Police at the Katunayake International Airport last week.Prakash, a one-time Batticaloa based journalist, had arrived at the Airport to catch a flight to Singapore when he was arrested on suspicion and had said that he was a journalist and had shown an international journalist identity card. He had claimed that he was a good friend of Sunanda Deshapriya. However the latter when questioned by the Police denied any knowledge of the suspect arrested.Further inquiries had revealed that Prakash was suspected to have cheated several people in East Sri Lanka to part with large sums of money on the promise of migration to Western countries and had attempted to escape to Singapore when arrested.Subsequent investigations had revealed that the international journalist identity card produced by the suspect was a forgery.The suspect is now being held in custody under detention orders for further questioning by the TID.

More doctors go North

The Government Medical Officers’ Association said there were 227 doctors serving in welfare camps and hospitals in the North, East and North-Eastern provinces. They had completed their internship this year and volunteered to serve in Trincomalee, Polonnaruwa, Vavuniya and Mannar. Spokesman for the GMOA Dr. Upul Gunasekara said ten more doctors would leave from the South for Vavuniya today (27). The doctors are being deployed to the North on a roster basis, he said. "We are providing our fullest support to assist internally displaced persons arriving in Vavuniya," he said. The Coordinating Centre set up by the GMOA last week has been synchronizing its services with assistance from the Health Ministry, the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Defense (MOD). The MOD is providing the necessary clearance and security for doctors going up North while the Health Ministry has mainly been assisting with food and lodging. The WHO has assisted in providing transport for doctors and other medical staff. Dr. Gunasekara said they had received over two million rupees worth of drugs and medical equipment from private pharmaceutical companies which would be handed over to the welfare camps and the hospital in Vavuniya and Mannar next week. "These are also our people, and right now they need our support more than anything," he said. A large quantity of drugs is needed for patients suffering from respiratory and cardiac diseases. And the GMOA Coordinating Centre has had a tremendous feed back from private drug companies who have come forward to provide the required drugs, he said.

26 February 2009

India should take lead to end ethnic problem in SL: TELO Leader ShivajiLingam

Sri Lankan Tamil parliamentarian and TELO Leader Shivaji Lingam on Wednesday made an appeal here to India to take initiative in finding a just political solution to the ethnic strife in the island nation.Complaining that India was not doing enough to the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils, Lingam said India should do more to stop what he calls "genocide" in the war-torn northern parts of Sri Lanka.Lingam, who is here to thank the members of 'Aathi Tamiliar Peravai' who were on hunger strike to support the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils told PTI that there could not be any solution through armed conflict.Only political dialogue could find a solution to the vexed issue in the island, he added.Everyday 100 people are dying and in the last two months 2,500 people died and around 25,000 people are injured including 6,000 who are critical, he claimed.Aerial bombings and artillery shelling continues and there is no protection to Tamils in Sri Lanka and "I appeal India to help stop the genocide and initiate peaceful talks." "It is unfortunate that there is no public support from any country. In India although A B Bardhan (CPI) and BJP leader L K Advani supports the cause of Tamils, the UPA government including Congress and DMK do not support us and are indifferent to the killings of innocents," he said.

Fierce battle in Puthukudiyiruppu

Troops entered the LTTE’s last bastion Puthuku-diyiruppu township last Tuesday following a fierce battle. They captured one of the LTTE’s cache of weapons and a highly fortified camp. LTTE territory in Mullaitivu is now confined to a mere 66 square kilometres. Task Force IV advancing from west of Puthukudiyiruppu area crushed Tiger cadres’ resistance inflicting heavy damages to the Tigers. “Troops captured a highly fortified camp and a massive arms and ammunition cache on Tuesday around 4.30 pm,” Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said. “This was the first time troops unearthed such a large stock of arms and ammunition at one place during the Vanni operations,” he told the Daily News. In a subsequent search operation, troops found 45 of 80mm mortar barrels, 15 of 80mm bi-pods, 32 base plates, 14 of 60mm mortar launchers, 43 of 60mm mortar barrels, 25 of 2” commando mortar barrels, three 120 mm artillery barrels, three .50 weapons, a Carl Gustave (RL) weapon and a large stock of T-56, T-81 and 303 riffles. According to defence sources, the Puthukudiyiruppu township was surrounded by troops from the northeastern edge to south on Tuesday evening. “The LTTE is confined to a mere 60 square in the Mullaitivu jungle,” sources added. Meanwhile, troops of the 58 division advancing from the west and northwest of Puthukidiyiruppu launched heavy fighting against the LTTE on Tuesday. The Tigers fled the area leaving bodies, arms and vehicles. Brigadier Nanayakkara said troops recovered eight LTTE bodies, 14 T56 assault riffles, an I-com set, an RPG, a claymore mine and three backhoe machines.

APRC final document ready

The abolishing of the Executive Presidency and reverting to the Westminster System are the major proposals among others in the All Party Representative Committee’s (APRC)’s final document, Chairman Science and Technology Minister Tissa Vitharana said.Speaking to the Daily Mirror yesterday Minister Vitarana said the document that contains a political package to be implemented through a new Constitution needs to be ready when the ongoing military operations come to an end shortly as the Government’s intention is to resolve the ethnic problem through a political settlement. Over the last two weeks most difficult questions have been discussed and indications are that this document is acceptable to all the representatives of the political parties participating in the APRC, he said. “Naturally, this will not be the ideal solution or the stand taken by each political party at the beginning of deliberations. But a set of proposals that would address the main grievances of the Tamil speaking people to a reasonably satisfactory degree has been achieved according to my assessments,” Prof. Vitarana said. The problems that have arisen in trying to implement the 13th Amendment will not arise as a result of the clear separation of power between the centre and the province. By doing away with the concurrent list the centre and the province can exercise the powers without interference by the other, Minister Vitarana said.Further, adequate funds will be provided through a suitable mechanism to enable the province to properly exercise the powers that are being allocated. In addition, there are clearly defined powers that will give adequate financial and administrative support to the level of local government together with the implementation of Village Committees at the level of local government. This will help to strengthen the local government bodies.To strengthen local government, the Village Committee system will be restored. The Divisional Secretariat will be made the executive arm of the Pradeshiya Sabha.It is expected that through a uniform system that benefits all the people in all parts of the country, the provinces of the Tamil speaking people in particular would be addressed. Suitable changes will be made to ensure that the undue concentration of power that has been a feature of the Executive Presidential system will be removed, Prof. Vitarana said.The new Constitution will also pave the way for the setting up of an Upper House. The Upper House will comprise eight representatives each from the provinces, a safeguard to ensure that no legislation seeking to take away devolved power is enacted. Any such legislation has to be passed at a joint Parliamentary session. It is speculated that the passing of the new Constitution incorporating the APRC proposals will not be a difficult task for the Government as the main opposition UNP pledged its support to the Government only last week to obtain a two thirds majority.

TN Police seize diesel, drugs bound for Lanka

Tamil Nadu police yesterday seized 200 litres of diesel and a packet of drugs suspected to be meant for smuggling to Sri Lanka and arrested one person in this connection at the Chinna Muttam fishing harbour. Following a tip off, a police team went to the fishing harbour and found 200 litres of diesel in 10 cans, a packet with 150gm of drugs and a letter with instructions on delivery along the seashore. One person has been arrested in this connection, the UNI News Agency said.

'More civilians may have died in Lanka than in Gaza'

Sunanda Deshapriya, a journalist, peace activist and the person behind the free media movement in Sri Lanka, has been in India from January 18. The killing of senior journalist Lasantha Wickrematunge has forced many journalists and activists from Sri Lanka to take refuge in Europe and India. Influenced by the French and the Cuban revolutions, the Vietnam war, the Naxalite movement, Deshapriya started his life as a militant and was jailed for seven years from 1971. In fact, he says he and his group started the armed struggle in Sri Lanka. "I would say we gave birth to Tamil militancy." Disillusionment with armed struggle made him change and he became a peace activist. He understood that revolution was not possible in the 20th century with powerful and sophisticated States everywhere. He calls himself a social democrat now. In this exclusive interview, he talks to rediff.com's Shobha Warrier about the current situation in Sri Lanka. It was reported that you have taken refuge in India. Is it true? Well, I would like to put it this way. I have taken time out because of the situation in my country. It has become very volatile after the killing of Wickrematunge and the attack on the MTV MBC network. How difficult was it to take the decision to move from one's own country to another? It was not easy at all because this is the first time I have done this in my 30 years of life as a peace activist and editor. Has the accusation of money swindling against you anything to do with the decision? No. Not only me but 11 other journalists also have left the country after Wickrematunge's killing. It was a collective decision to use the money for some other purpose, and no money was used for any personal interest. Given the situation, it became a political accusation for the whole movement which is very unfortunate. They tried to mingle the personal and movement together. We all felt later that we should have done it in a proper way. But the fact is not a penny was used for personal purpose by anyone. None of the accusations has been proved. There was no investigation actually; all this was done by the State media. Is it to suppress the freedom of the movement that such accusations were hurled? Well, the end result was that. Media freedom has suffered in the last three years. All of us in the media, Tamils, Muslims, Sinhalese, trade union leaders -- all stood united and we became a kind of opposition. The campaign for press freedom became a focal point for everyone to rally around in the country. Other unfounded accusations also came in when we provided safe houses and safe travel for journalists. The end result of all this was the weakening of the campaign for media freedom. Today, there is virtually no campaign within the country for press freedom. Did you start the free media movement because there was suppression? In 1991, the United National Party government tried to take control over the media. Then, we -- a lot of editors and senior activists -- came together and started the free media movement. Now, some of them have joined various political parties; some have joined the government. You know this happens to every movement. Only a few of us remain in civil society, not joining any political party -- that was our main strength.

DMK defends Centre's approach on Sri Lankan issue

The ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu yesterday virtually defended the Centre's approach on the Sri Lankan issue, it would be more appropriate if India urge other countries to press for a ceasefire in the island nation."A motive can be attributed behind any such efforts by India, since we are Sri Lanka's immediate neighbour. India should rather urge countries like US and Norway and others to press Sri Lanka for a ceasefire," Finance Minister K Anbazhagan said in the Assembly on Wednesday.Referring to President Pratibha Patil's address to the joint session of Parliament recently, he said India had called for a politically negotiated settlement within the framework of a unified Sri Lanka.Anbazhagan said Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi was "concerned" over the issue and had given calls for a ceasefire.

US Senate Panel Discusses Sri Lanka 

A U.S. Senate committee Tuesday focused its attention on the situation in Sri Lanka, where the military is engaged in an intense battle with Tamil Tigers as the two sides struggle for control of what is believed to be the last of the rebel strongholds. Witnesses at the Senate hearing decried the actions of both sides in one of Asia's longest running wars. Anna Neistat, senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, told a Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing that human rights violations are being committed by both sides in Sri Lanka's 25-year-old conflict.She described a deplorable situation in the so-called safe zone, established by the government to protect refugees. "We received several detailed accounts from people who stayed within the safe zone, and these accounts suggest that the shelling by Sri Lankan forces killed dozens if not hundreds of people inside there," she said.But Neistat is equally critical of the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE. "The LTTE has deliberately prevented civilians under its control from fleeing into the government controlled areas. We have documented several incidents where LTTE forces fired at fleeing civilians, killing and injuring dozens. We also documented cases where the LTTE effectively used civilians as human shields to protect their positions from attack. This is a war crime," she said.Other witnesses described what they called the Sri Lankan government's growing assault on dissent."Many Tamils have been abducted and have simply disappeared. It is sad to say that it is almost a certainty that these attacks have been carried out by elements of the government. Impunity seems total. Nobody has been prosecuted for any of these incidents," said Jeffrey Lunstead, a former U.S. ambassador to Sri Lanka.Lunstead also noted that journalists have come under attack, a point echoed by Bob Dietz, Asia Program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists. "Top journalists have been killed, attacked, threatened and harassed since the government began to pursue its all-out military victory against the LTTE. Many local and foreign journalists and members of the diplomatic community firmly believe the government is complicit in these attacks," he said.Ambassador Lunstead said the world community could play an important role in shaping Sri Lanka's future. He recommends that international donors impose conditions on economic aid to the government of Sri Lanka. He says those conditions should include an improvement in the country's human rights record, the resettlement of displaced persons and a devolution of power from the capital, Colombo, to local areas to allow all Sri Lankans to have a greater say in how they are governed.Anna Neistat of Human Rights Watch is urging the United Nations Security Council to hold a special session to address Sri Lanka's humanitarian catastrophe. Senator Bob Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat, chaired the hearing. He called for both sides in the conflict to come to a political settlement. "Should the war end and the broader Tamil population continue to face systemic discrimination by and inadequate representation in the Sri Lankan government, the Tamil Tigers may once again be driven underground to carry out acts of terror, perpetuating another go-around in this vicious cycle of violence. So far, there are few indications that a political deal is imminent. The government of Sri Lanka will not negotiate directly with the LTTE, but it does not appear the government has much interest in finding alternative Tamil interlocutors, nor have the Tamils presented credible alternatives to the LTTE," he said.Sri Lanka's military says its forces advanced Tuesday into the last rebel stronghold in northeastern part of the country.The LTTE has said it is open to a limited cease-fire and a political solution, but has rejected calls to disarm. The government has rejected anything short of the rebels' unconditional surrender.

'Political settlement with LTTE must dash Tamil Eelam dream'

Disapproving any ceasefire with the LTTE, a Sri Lankan opposition Marxist party on Wednesday said that any political solution to the conflict must "completely dash" rebel dream of a separate Tamil Eelam.  "There should be no ceasefire agreement with the LTTE as only a small portion of area remains with the Tiger rebels which would also be captured," opposition JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath said. Stressing that the rebels would be "finished" soon, he said that Tiger rebels must be "completely" disarmed "to ensure the LTTE doesn't restart the confrontation against the security forces and the government." Any such agreement is irrelevant at this point of time when the Tigers are on the brink of total defeat, he said. Herath said the acceptable political solution should be aimed at "completely dashing" any dream of the LTTE for a separate Tamil Eelam. "The dream of the LTTE for a separate Tamil Eelam should be made completely unsuccessful through the political solution," he said. The JVP leader said while his party hugely welcomed the military victory of the security forces over the LTTE, but is was also important to find a viable political solution. "We should not only win against LTTE military but also politically through a flawless political solution to the whole issue," he said. Stressing that the political solution should address the needs of the Tamil civilians, Herath said the military success against LTTE should be followed by a political solution that carried a clear political message for the welfare of the Tamils. Herath said the Pro-tiger Tamil National Alliance (TNA) party should ask the LTTE to release civilians held in their controlled areas. "The TNA should pressurise LTTE to release the civilians to ensure people are able to freely move into the liberated areas," Herath said. Herath said the Tamil civilians in the Wanni wanted to mix and maintain close ties with the Sinhalese and people of other communities but the LTTE was preventing them from doing so. "The only obstacle for the Tamils in Wanni for free mingling and having good relations with the Sinhalese and other people has been LTTE," Herath said adding the TNA could contribute by persuading the Tiger rebels not to prevent the people from moving out of the rebel held areas.

Chidambaram doesn't rule out ISI attempts to infiltrate

New Delhi: Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday said that though attempts of infiltration by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) cannot be ruled out, the country's security mechanism is prepared to act upon any smallest intelligence in this regard.Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Chidambaram said despite looming concerns of agencies attempting to infiltrate terror related activities into Indian territory, India has intimated all the State Governments to get their acts together.We are aware that ISI has a rather long arm and can reach out to other parts of South Asia. Our coastal vigilance in coastal Tamil Nadu and coast of Kerala has been significantly strengthened in the last couple of months. We have strengthened both our central intelligence as well as we have asked the State Governments to strengthen state intelligence. They have been strengthened, he said. All applicants for visas holding Sri Lankan passports are subjected to scrutiny today. There is no specific report today of any ISI agent or ISI instituting agents attempting to infiltrate into India, but I do not rule out that. All I can say is that internal vigilance is price of liberty, we are vigilant. The slightest information or smallest intelligence is immediately acted upon, Chidambaram added. Chidambaram also told the House that all the elements which are of relevance and can be adopted into Indian condition have been implemented after an Indian intelligence team which has come from the United States after studying their security mechanism, post September 11 terrorist attack.We are also working with security agencies of other countries. Israel is one of them, but Israel is not the only one. There are other countries which have offered to work with us. I may mention United Kingdom and Germany.We are learning everyday. I can say with some humility, we are improving everyday, but there is still some distance to go. I think by March 31 connection between Multi Agency Centre, subsidiary MAC and special branch of police will be established, he added.Giving details of the bomb blasts and major terror attacks in Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Guwahati and Mumbai between January 2008 and January this year, the Home Minister said all cases are under investigation and he is personally monitoring them. A total of 443 people were killed and 1647 others were injured in terrorist attacks including bomb blasts during that period, he said.

TMVP completes disarming

Against speculative crossfire on the longstanding issue of disarming by a government ally, the TMVP said yesterday its cadres had fully disarmed and the party would now focus on their rehabilitation.TMVP spokesman Azath Maulana said none of its members whether seniors or juniors would follow their former comrade Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman and join the SLFP but would continue to support the UPFA government. “The TMVP is the political voice of the Tamil people in the East. We will not abandon this mandate and join the SLFP. However we will continue to maintain a strong relationship with the SLFP as the TMVP is part of the UPFA government,” Mr. Maulana said. He said that as a result of recent talks the TMVP held with Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and officials of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), the cadres who had now disarmed would be provided vocational training by the IOM for suitable employment and it was in the backdrop of this assurance that the TMVP decided to fully disarm its cadres. “The Defence Secretary and the IOM assured our cadres that if we disarm, the IOM will take full responsibility in training them. It is on receiving this guarantee that our politburo decided on disarming. This move has made our cadres happy,” Mr. Maulana said.He said the cadres who were carrying weapons for their safety and security had also disarmed because with the LTTE’s defeat in the North the risk of our cadres being attacked by the LTTE was minimal. “The LTTE has now lost and terrorism has almost been wiped out from the country. Therefore we do not need weapons anymore. As a democratic political party we have to disarm sooner or later,” Mr. Maulana said. TMVP leader and Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan had earlier said his cadres did not need to carry weapons because on par with other political parties, his party offices and cadres too were provided police protection due to threats received by the LTTE in the past.“The LTTE has been defeated by the government and most of its cadres had fled or dispersed. However if we need more protection, the government has assured us that our security will be strengthened,” Mr. Chandrakanthan had said.

25 February 2009

SLA enters Puthukudirippu built-up area
 
Earth bunds constructed by the Tigers to guard Puthukudirippu have fallen thanks to the newly formed TF-8, 58 Division and the 53 Division. The first bund erected across Perawil in Puthukudirippu West was completely overrun by yesterday, the second bund erected to the south of Puthukudirippu was also breached. TF-8, backed by the 53 Division, are now inside the trench and pitched battles have erupted there. LTTE has deployed two Battle Tanks, one clearly identified by soldiers as a T-55 to counter the armoured onslaught from the SLA. Army fears the Tigers might use the tanks for a suicide mission towards the end. The forward advance is again hampered by the trapped civilians. The flow of civilians into government controlled areas had now ground to a complete halt.Following the breach of the two earth bunds, the SLA is now in the Puthukudirippu built-up area west and south of Puthukudirippu Town Center. Puthukudirippu jungles are now behind them. Special teams trained at Maduru Oya in FIBUA or Fighting In Built-Up Areas have been deployed to capture Puthukudiirippu Town.The LTTE, who once claimed very proudly that it doesn't fight for 'real estate', is now fighting for every inch of that same 'real estate'. Once famous LTTE leaders like Theepan, Sornam, Bhanu et al. have been relegated to defending the remaining real estate one square kilometer at a time.The 57, which performed a herculean task in the fighting upto Kilinochchi and Task Forces 3 and 4 in Oddusudan etc. have received a well deserved break and are now placed in the reserve. Many of the high performing officers and men of these Divisions have been approved leave and a well earned rest.Another Unit that's enjoyed relative peace during the Vanni Operation has been the Special Forces whose powerful attack teams were called in only on a handful of occasions as the other Divisions took the fight effectively to the enemy. The 59 Division, which was somewhat unsuccessful in the last battle has been placed on a defensive role to guard particularly the entry-exist routes to and from Mulaitivu by the Commander.

Karunanidhi threatens to commence hunger strike

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK Leader, M. Karunanidhi alleged that those who were not with the DMK on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue were trying to break the alliance for their political benefits.He stated that various parties not with the DMK were trying to mislead the people and called upon the people to be aware of them."That is why they are trying to break the alliance between the DMK, Congress and other parties by spreading false propaganda among the people and infiltrating the peaceful protests in the state to turn them into violent ones."Karunanidhi last week had threatened that he would commence a hunger strike if the Tamil Nadu police and lawyers fail to come to an amicable settlement.The relationship between a section of the lawyers and the police became hostile following the attack on Janatha Party President Subramanian Swamy by some lawyers on February 17.Violence broke out between the two when the lawyers protested against the arrest of some of the lawyers in the attack on Swamy. Karunanidhi said that there were political parties trying to disrupt the protests against the violence on Sri Lankan Tamils and warned the police and the advocates not to be misled by those parties. Swamy is known for his anti LTTE sentiments. "It is not important to those friends that Tamils in Lanka be protected. They only want to use the issue to further their politics.""My request to the educated lawyers and police friends is not to fall prey to their designs," he added.

TNA Parlimentary Group leader Sampanthan quizzed

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) yesterday recorded a statement from TNA Parliamentarian R. Sampanthan over various statements and speeches made by him against the Government through the local and international media. Police Spokesman SSP Rajith Gunasekera said Sampanthan has been interrogated for over three hours regarding his speeches and statements against the Government. Being a Parliamentarian, Sampanthan has harshly criticised the Government and the Armed Forces. He has also issued various statements in favour of the LTTE which is a proscribed terrorist organisation in Sri Lanka. SSP Gunasekera said he recorded statement will be forwarded to the Attorney General and further action would be taken against him on the advice of Attorney General.

Sri Lanka should take efforts for political settlement: Karat

The CPI(M) on Tuesday asked the Sri Lankan government to immediately take steps for a political settlement of the LTTE crisis and provide autonomy to the North Eastern province under the constitutional framework of that nation. "Sri Lanka should implement the 13th amendment (devolution of powers as agreed upon) and ensure an autonomous province in the North East," CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat told reporters at the airport here. Karat said the Sri Lankan government has not responded to appeals made by the international community to cease the fighting and protect civilians trapped in the war zone. He said India should also make serious efforts and impress upon Sri Lanka to immediately halt the fighting, so that civilians trapped should be protected. When it was pointed out that Sri Lanka has rejected the LTTE proposal for a ceasefire without laying down arms, he said that his party was not seeking a ceasefire. They should stop fighting for certain period and allow civilians to shift to safer places from the war zones, he said.

Sonia launches relief plan for Lankan Tamils
   
NEW DELHI: In a move to allay resentment in Tamil Nadu against India’s “hands off” policy on the Lankan Tamils’ issue, Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi instructed southern party units to collect relief material for civilians trapped in the fighting between Sri Lankan security forces and the LTTE. Times of India in a report said Ms. Gandhi also instructed her colleagues to work out with foreign ministry officials the modalities of providing relief supplies to the affected population. The move coincides with increasing signs of turmoil suggesting that the plight of Tamil civilians may have started touching a populist chord in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu initially appeared lukewarm to LTTE's rout at the hands of Sri Lanka's army, but a persistent campaign involving politicians like MDMK Chief Vaiko and joined by lawyers leading to violence at Madras High Court seemed to have brought about not just sympathy for the Lankan Tamils but also resentment against the neutrality observed by the Indian government.  Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK leader Muthuvelu Karunanidhi has also drawn criticism. While Tamil Nadu is an important battleground for the Lok Sabha elections, there are limits to what the government can do with regard to the fighting in the island nation. Besides the fact that the LTTE is a proscribed organization whose chief is an accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, India cannot afford to lean on the Mahinda Rajapaksa government in Colombo to make any concession that it is not ready to make itself in Jammu and Kashmir. The hardening of global opinion against terror — a welcome development from India's point of view -- and the loss of whatever sympathy the Tigers once had in international capitals have eliminated leeway for New Delhi to do anything more than express sympathy for the distressed Tamilians.

SAM found at Thoppigala

Police detected a Surface to Air Missile (SAM) in the Thoppigala jungles, nearly new and primed for firing. They believe that this missile was smuggled into Thoppigala after it was liberated from the LTTE earlier last year.Terrorists may have targeted either a plane or a helicopter carrying a VIP to the combat areas, through the SAM. The area was extensively searched yesterday to ascertain whether any other missiles had been smuggled into Thoppigala. The detection was made on tip off received by Superintendant of Police Vaas Gunawar-dena of Trincomalee.

A9 to reopen next month
   
The A9 road which connects Kandy and Jaffna via Omanthai - part of which was under LTTE control and later closed following the latest fighting in the North - is expected to re-open for the public next month. Well informed Defence sources said the road might re-open as early as the first week of March but Government Defence Spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said an exact date could not be given, yet there was every chance that it will reopen next month. “Forces are clearing the road of landmines and we are doing everything possible to open the road for the public as soon as possible. Due to President Rajapaksa’s keen interest in opening the road soon, there is a possibility that it can be opened next month,” Minister Rambukwella said. Deputy Highways Minister W.B. Ekanayaka also said the road would be opened soon due to the  ongoing speedy clearing operations by the Forces. Minister Ekanayaka however said he had not been informed of a date on which the road would be opened by the Defence Ministry. “I am sure it will be soon,” he said. The A9 road which had been opened in the first week of January was closed recently due to escalation of hostilities. The opening had drawn positive remarks by Tamil leaders who said the economy of the northern peninsula would improve and prices of consumer items would come down. They added that the opening of the road was a sight of relief to the Tamil people as most could travel to Colombo without difficulties via the A9.

Sri Lanka Tiger chief unlikely to surrender: defence chief

COLOMBO - The elusive leader of Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels is not expected to surrender despite losing his de facto state and may instead try to flee by boat, the country’s top defence official said Tuesday.Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, 54, could use a human smuggling ring to escape by boat, Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse told AFP in an interview at his tightly guarded sea-front office. He accused the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of holding an estimated 70,000 civilians as a human shield for Prabhakaran and senior aides who, he said, were widely expected by the military to try to escape.“They can try to escape by boat although we have a big naval blockade,” Rajapakse said. “It is a difficult task, but there is a possibility they will be able to do it.”“He is still there (in the country). I don’t see why he should commit suicide or surrender. After fighting for over 30 years, I don’t think he will take the cyanide capsule, he will try to escape.”Rajapakse said the Tigers were preventing civilians from leaving the narrow, 75-square-kilometre (28-square-mile) area still under their control to ensure no heavy weapons would be fired into the area.“He (Prabhakaran) must be looking at human smuggling operations to get out of the country,” he said.“That is a viable option for him. After Prabhakaran escapes with about 40 or 50 of his senior men, the Tigers will allow civilians to leave (the conflict zone),” he said.The defence secretary’s comments came as government troops advanced on the last urban area in the north of Sri Lanka still in the hands of the Tamil rebels, who have been waging a lengthy battle for a separate state.

The return of Mukherjee

Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee will pay another visit to Sri Lanka where he will attend a meeting of SAARC Foreign Ministers. Mukherjee is scheduled to arrive on February 27, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hussain Bhaila said.During his stay, the Indian Minister is expected to hold talks with Government Leaders but according to Bhaila there has been no request for a one on one with President Mahinda Rajapaksa. All visiting Foreign Ministers are scheduled to have breakfast with the President and therefore they are expected to meet but whether specific issues will be taken under discussion is yet unknown. The Deputy Minister stated that a visit schedule was yet to be released from the Indian High Commission. 

Ranil under pressure to step down from leadership

A group of UNP legislators are currently gathering signatures to urge the UNP leadership to summon a special parliamentary meeting to discus the UNP’s future and request the party leader to immediately step down from the position.The group is now agitating that UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe should appoint a leader for an interim period and immediately step down allowing a new leadership to emerge.One of the signatories to the letter told The Morning Leader that so far eight signatures have been placed including some UNP frontliners, and the leadership should now concede that the baton must be passed on prior to facing any other election.The top UNP source confirmed that post Central and North Western Provincial Council elections, the majority of the members have reached a consensus that the present leader should not be allowed to lead the party at forthcoming elections.They also fear that in the event a presidential election precedes a general election, Wickremesinghe will perform poorly against incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse thereby further devastating the UNP that had steadily lost its parliamentary members to the government and crucial grassroots support.Another signatory from the North Western Province (NWP) said the name of UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya would be proposed as the interim leader until the party revamps itself and paves the way for young leaders to emerge.The ginger group members also maintain that if the UNP leadership rejects the proposal, they would feel compelled to break ranks and sit as a separate opposition group in parliament.The MPs feel confident that the beleaguered leadership may agree to an interim agreement given that the party may be split once again, if the proposal is rejected.One ginger group member told The Morning Leader that the UNP had failed to stem the party’s erosion and a leadership change was necessary at the moment. He added that the party’s stance on the war and some members’ ridiculous approach to the military successes have caused a further erosion in public support at village level.The ginger group members maintain that a major overhaul was necessary for the UNP before facing either a general or a presidential election and the party leader’s refusal to evolve, to accommodate views of others and the general lack of internal democracy has caused senior members to leave the party.According to top UNP sources eight members have so far placed their signatures to the letter calling for a special parliamentary group meeting to discuss the party’s future. The only non-parliamentarian to have placed his signature is UNP National Organiser, S. B. Dissanayake who topped the preferential votes list at the recently conclude Central Provincial Council election.Wickremesinghe when contacted by The Morning Leader did not wish to comment on the letter.

India urges Lanka to evacuate trapped civilians  
 
In the wake of reports that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam might allow civilians to leave the conflict zone, India on Tuesday(24) asked the Sri Lankan government and others to work out 'appropriate and credible' procedures for their evacuation and expressed readiness to help in this direction. "We have seen reports that the LTTE has declared its willingness to discuss international appeals to permit internally displaced persons caught in the zone of conflict to leave the area for safety," External Affairs Ministry spokesman Vishnu Prakash said in New Delhi. "In this context, India appeals to the Sri Lankan government and to all concerned to work out appropriate and credible procedures for the evacuation of IDPs to safety, which would include the international agencies being able to oversee the movement of the IDPs," he said. He said small numbers of medical evacuees have already been brought out of the conflict zone over the last few days by sea. "We would urge all concerned to make it possible for much larger numbers to be brought out both over land and by sea," Prakash said. "India is ready to provide all necessary help to facilitate the process of bringing innocent civilians to safety and to meet their humanitarian needs for relief materials, medicines and medical care," the spokesman said. He said India is working out modalities with the Sri Lankan government to arrange for early dispatch of medical help and medicine to reach sick and injured civilians. 

Put an end to conflict, US to Lanka, LTTE
 
WASHINGTON: Concerned over the "hostilities" towards civilians in the conflict-hit northern part of Sri Lanka, the United States has asked the  island government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to hold negotiations to end the fighting"We want the government and the LTTE discuss ways to end the hostilities," said Robert Wood, acting spokesman of the State Department. He said one of their primary concerns is the humanitarian situation. "We're worried about IDPs (internally displaced persons), what happens to them, we are worried about civilians that are caught up in the hostilities that are going on," Wood said. When asked if the US would like to have a negotiated solution and it does not think that this should end militarily, Wood said: "Eventually you need to have a political framework that deals with some of the questions that are being put forth by various parties in the country.""We just want to see, again, an end to hostilities. We want to see civilians protected as best they can be protected in this conflict. We want to be able to deal effectively with the humanitarian situation that we're very concerned about," he said. Asked if the US is calling for a ceasefire, he reiterated the US wants an end to the hostilities. "Well, look, again, we're getting ahead of the game here. What we're trying to do with this, as I said first off, is to deal with the concerns we have about IDPs and the humanitarian situation. That's our foremost objective, to deal with those issues." He said, "We obviously want to see an end to that conflict and for that to happen, there has to be a discussion of the issues that are - you know, that are coming between the two sides." Both the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the South Asia Bureau in the State Department are communicating with the government of Sri Lanka in this regard. "There are other parties in the international community that are engaged in trying to do this," he added. When asked if the US would like to end negotiate between Sri Lanka and LTTE, Wood said: "As far as I know, we have not been asked to do that. This is something - there is a process that has been put forward to try to help end this conflict. We will do what we can to support efforts to end the conflict. But in the end, the two sides have got to, as I said, discuss ways of ending this conflict and bring a cessation to hostilities."

Children vulnerable to SLA shelling in new 'safe zone'

Every shell being fired by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) into the 'safe zone' inflicts civilian casualties as the entire area is tightly populated, reported TamilNet correspondent on Tuesday. A single artillery shell fired around 5:00 a.m. on Tuesday claimed the lives of 6 civilians, including two teenage boys. The attack has taken place near the makeshift hospital at Puthumaaththa'lan. Many of the wounded were children among the 98 injured civilians admitted Sunday and Monday, according to medical authorities. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired an artillery shell Tuesday morning around 5:00 a.m. in the vicinity of the only functioning makeshift hospital inside the 'safety zone', killing 6 Tamils who had displaced from Ira'naippaalai and settled there Monday night. Four of the six victims killed Tuesday morning, identified as relatives, were N. Iyalavan, 12, Sreetharan Kirithas, 17, Jeyabalasingam Parthipan, 20 and V. Kamalesvary, 40. They had moved into Puthumaaththa'lan only Monday night from Ira'naippaalai. The other two killed were yet to be identified and their dead bodies were taken to Puthumaaththa'lan hospital, situated nearby. On Monday, 3 dead bodies of civilians were brought to the hospital with 11 wounded, including many children. 10 more civilians were feared killed Monday, according to medical authorities. But, according to local media reports 32 civilians were killed on Monday.

24 February 2009

EU for immediate truce in Lanka

BRUSSELS: The European Union called Monday for an immediate ceasefire in Sri Lanka, urged the Tamil Tigers to lay down its weapons and stressed that the conflict cannot be resolved by military means. "The EU is deeply concerned about the evolving humanitarian crisis and vast number of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) trapped by the fighting as well as continuing reports of high civilian casualties," said the EU foreign ministers at their regular monthly meeting here. "The EU calls for an immediate ceasefire, thereby providing for the establishment of full and unrestricted access, allowing humanitarian aid to be safely delivered and allowing civilians to leave the conflict area," EU Asia News quoted their statement as saying. The EU also condemned the use of violence and intimidation to prevent civilians from leaving the conflict area by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The EU remains convinced, said the ministers, that the long standing conflict in Sri Lanka cannot be resolved by military means. "A military defeat of the LTTE will only reemphasize the need to find a political solution in order to ensure a lasting peace," noted the statement. It called on the LTTE to "lay down its arms and to renounce terrorism and violence once and for all, end the inhuman use of child soldiers and forced recruitment, and participate in a political process to achieve a just and lasting solution". The EU ministers said they were deeply concerned about grave violations of human rights, in particular the cases of enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings as well as harassment, intimidation, attacks on the media and human rights defenders and the climate of impunity. "The EU calls on the Sri Lankan authorities to take decisive action to tackle human rights abuses, to guarantee press freedom and to disarm paramilitary groups in government controlled areas."

Army breaches PTK earth bund
   
After fierce fighting the army gained control over sections of the LTTE built earth bund at Kombavil area in the Northwest of Puthukkudiyirippu.The defence ministry said the LTTE had put-on stiff resistance which were successfully neutralized by the advancing 58 Division infantrymen. The LTTE built an earth bund running North to South fortifying the Iranapali area, which is considered a key LTTE foothold in Northeast Puthukkudiyirippu. Troops later receovered three LTTE bodies and several T-56 weapons.Security forces have now encircled the Puthyukkudiryirippu town and positioned in some 400 m striking distance, the ministry said. The 58 Division and Task Force- 8 troops are now leading the two main offensive fronts into the last LTTE stronghold.

Sri Lanka rejects Tamil rebel call for truce    
 
Sri Lanka's Tamil rebels, facing likely defeat on the battlefield, appealed for a cease-fire Monday - a call immediately rejected by the government as a final effort by the separatists to "save their miserable skins."The Tamil Tiger rebels have lost most of their strongholds to government forces and are trapped on a sliver of land in the northeast along with tens of thousands of civilians. The government says it will soon take the remaining rebel territory."We are ready to discuss, cooperate, and work together in all their efforts to bring an immediate cease-fire and work towards a political settlement," the Tamil Tigers' political chief Balasingham Nadesan wrote in the letter to the United Nations, which also was sent to Britain, Japan, Norway and the United States.But Nadesan rejected international calls for the rebels to lay down their arms, saying the weapons "are the protective shield of the Tamil people and their tool for political liberation."President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said his government will only accept an unconditional surrender."Instead of surrendering as the entire international community and the Sri Lankan government has called them to do, (the rebels) are calling the very people who have asked them to surrender, to save their miserable skins," Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona said Monday in response to the rebel letter.The two sides agreed to a cease-fire in 2002 that many had hoped would be the start of a peace process to reach a political compromise and end the civil war that has plagued this country since 1983 and killed more than 70,000 people.But peace talks broke down and new violence flared three years ago. In 2008, the government officially scrapped the cease-fire agreement and pledged to destroy the rebel group.U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters in New York on Monday that the United Nations deplores the increasing civilian casualty toll, and that the two sides must resume peace talks.With the military sweeping across rebel territory in recent months, the Tamil Tigers have repeatedly called for a new truce, but the government has refused.In his letter, Nadesan also urged the international community to reconsider its opposition to the rebels' demand for an independent state for Sri Lanka's ethnic minority Tamils.Jehan Perera, a political analyst from the National Peace Council, said the rebel call for a cease-fire showed they were trying "everything militarily and politically" to stave off defeat.Perera said the two sides should consider the plight of civilians caught in the war zone and agree to a truce. But he said the rebels must be prepared to drop demands that the government does not consider negotiable, such as an independent Tamil state.In Brussels, European Union foreign ministers on Monday called for an immediate cease-fire but said the rebels should "renounce terrorism and violence once and for all" and push for political talks with the government.The EU says the government must also stop its human rights abuses.Human Rights Watch said last week that some 2,000 civilians have been killed in recent months and accused both sides of committing war crimes.On Friday, two rebel aircraft staged a suicide attack targeting the country's air force headquarters and an air base. The government said it shot down the planes before they reached their targets.

We are like Jews, says LTTE's suicide bomber
   
In two letters purportedly written in Tamil by a suicide bomber Colonel Rooben, has urged the Tamils of Tamil Nadu and the Vanni area of Sri Lanka to join the outfit's military battle against the Lankan government.The young fighter who had Piloted one of the LTTE aircraft  has written two separate letters addressing the people of Tamil Nadu and the Tamil people of Vanni area.  The purpose of the letters, it seems, is to evoke the youth to join the LTTE. In a candid remark, he says, "We [LTTE] have enough armaments. What we need is man-power."One of the letters is reproduced on a popular LTTE sympathizers' network Tamilnet. The letters are also carried on LTTE website puthinam.com.The letter reportedly says, "You are aware that our expatriate Eelam Tamils are very active on conducting  non-violent protests, including the extreme self-sacrifice of self-immolation, worldwide to show solidarity with us. While the enemy is single-mindedly on a mission to destroy us, I urge you to strengthen our leader's hands, and join this inevitable last battle against our enemy." The letter, quoted by Tamilnet, also compares Sri Lankan Tamils struggle for Tamil Eelam with Jews struggle for their homeland.Before embarking on the suicide mission, Rooben left behind the letters which have been released by the LTTE after his, reportedly "failed" mission in which he died when the Sri Lankan forces shot down the plane he was flying.He said, "The intensity of destruction unleashed against our people exceeds that of the similar acts by Adolph Hitler engineered to exterminate Jews. I am grateful for your continued fight against our enemy, especially amid the recent atrocities in hospitals and safe areas by the genocidal State armed forces."He also explains that he joined the LTTE during his college days. He alleges in the letter that "the Sri Lanka Army is not discriminating different age-groups while it slaughters our people."In a chilling display of his determination to fight the war against the State, he wrote before going on a suicide mission, "Dear beloved people of Vanni, while we march with explosives inside the lion's den, let's show the strength of the Tamil people. I have never dreamed of wasting one's precious life; However, I feel privileged and proud that I can become a Black Tiger to earn respect for my people and my homeland."

Sri Lankans who escaped war zone now fenced in

Devi Segaram kept on the run for two years, forced to move time and again to stay ahead of the civil war sweeping across northern Sri Lanka. Then there was nowhere left to shelter.So, two weeks ago, the teacher and her daughter joined hundreds of other ethnic Tamils to make a dash for safety just before dawn, sprinting across open fields and braving rebel gunfire to reach government lines.They joined more than 30,000 other civilians who have fled the war zone and are now living in camps, penned in by razor wire and watched over by soldiers of the Sinhalese-dominated government.Speaking to journalists during an army-organized visit Monday, refugees told harrowing tales of months spent huddling in bunkers while government troops and the Tamil Tiger rebels pounded each other with artillery. Many moved repeatedly, forced deeper into rebel-held territory as government troops pushed northward.People said the rebels have grown increasingly desperate over the government onslaught that has left them near defeat after a quarter century of civil war. Rebels are forcibly conscripting civilians and trying to keep tens of thousands of others inside their territory as human shields, refugees said.While the civilians said they were happy to be safe from the fighting, many expressed frustration at the restrictions that the government has put on them. They are confined to the camps and visitors are turned away. Soldiers patrol the compound."We are not getting freedom," said Linga Thevan, a 54-year-old farmer living at the Manik Farm camp, about 6 miles (10 kilometers) north of the town of Vavuniya. "Emotionally, we are in a swamp."Segaram, the 52-year-old teacher who fled with her daughter, said she is just happy their ordeal is over.When the war heated up in 2007, she was driven from her house in the Mannar district, on the southern edge of rebel territory. She and her daughter, now 21, fled to a Christian shrine in Madhu. But they were forced to move again as the front lines rolled over the shrine.Over the ensuing months, the war forced her to move repeatedly. She was displaced at least 10 times, she said."You can't stay. There were constant bomb blasts. We left everything behind," Segaram said.Once the army cornered the rebels inside a sliver of land in the northeast, nowhere seemed safe. On the night of Feb. 6, Segaram and her daughter hid in a field with some 1,000 people waiting for rebels to leave the area. Just before sunrise, they began running. Four or five rebels demanded they stop and fired in the air, she said. When the group ignored the warning, the fighters shot at their legs, she said.She and her daughter ran for a half hour before reaching government lines. "We were joyous," she said.Another Tamil at the camp, Ramalingam Rajivan, said his flight to safety was tinged with sadness. He escaped, but it was too late for his brother.The two men were visiting their grandmother in rebel-held territory in 2006 when the Tamil Tigers decided to seal the area, trapping the brothers.Soon after, the rebels sent a letter demanding the family send one member to become a fighter. They ignored the summons, but rebels came and dragged away his 21-year-old brother, Priyadarshan.A few weeks later his brother died in battle, Rajivan said. "They didn't give us my brother's body. They just gave me a picture," he said.Rajivan, 28, was repeatedly displaced by the fighting. A few weeks ago, he and 47 others trudged through rice paddies in the rain until they got to the front lines, yelled that they were civilians and raised their hands, he said. Aid groups estimate 200,000 civilians are still trapped in the shrinking rebel territory. Health authorities say dozens are being killed by government shelling and rebel gunfire every day.More than 30,000 people have crossed over, and most are being held in temporary transit camps, mainly in schools. At one such site, 142 people are packed into a long shed of corrugated tin, sleeping on thin mats. Benches along the wall hold what little they own: pots, small stacks of clothes, jerry cans for water, a radio.The more permanent Manik Farm camp houses 2,800 people but is being expanded to house up to 200,000 for several years. The government says it needs that time to rebuild infrastructure and remove land mines so the refugees can go home.The camp site, dug out of recently leveled red earth, is filled with neat rows of aluminum sheds with thatched roofs. They are subdivided inside into individual residences.During the media tour, workers were assembling wooden frames for more sheds amid the screech of a saw slicing through corrugated metal sheets.One building is being used as a kind of strip mall, with a post office, two banks and a welfare center. Nearby, mothers cradling babies lined up to see a doctor. At the school, students sat at desks scattered under trees, while others studied in dark, mud and thatch rooms.Soldiers stood guard everywhere.Many residents said they are treated well, but complained about not being able to leave."We are OK, the facilities are not so bad, but we can't see our relatives," said Perumal Rajendran, 31.N. Satish, a 40-year-old from the northern city of Jaffna, said he had not seen his wife and seven children since the rebels sealed him inside their territory three years ago. Now he feels trapped again."I want to get out of here and see my family as soon as possible," he said.P.S.M. Charles, the top government bureaucrat in the district, said the restrictions are to protect the civilians."It is not a detention. We are keeping them in the safest area," she said.People older than 60 are being allowed out, and the government hopes to eventually ease the restrictions for everyone, she said.People in the camps still live in fear of both sides. Some looked warily at soldiers when they talked with journalists. One woman spoke in a whisper as a crowd gathered, saying she was afraid rebels had infiltrated the camp.A military spokesman, Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, said there are several hundred people in the camps who are suspected of having been rebel fighters. "We know that they are terrorists and they have been admitted, but we have left them alone to rehabilitate themselves," he said.

Tamils In US Protest Lanka 'Genocide' 

WASHINGTON - Tamils in the US held a demonstration in front of the state department and the White House here on Friday protesting against the "genocide" against their community in Sri Lanka. 'Tamils Against Genocide', a pro-Tamils organisation, will organise a rally and hunger strike to urge US President Barack Obama to bring an end to the "genocide" in northern Sri Lanka, where the Army and LTTE are engaged in a war. "Tamils have been systematically attacked and brutalised since the government ordered international aid agencies out of the region last September," the group said in a statement. "Tamil civilians have come under intensive artillery shelling, aerial bombardment and gunfire in the conflict zone in Vanni, with hundreds being killed daily," it said. Tamil Americans and their friends would descend on Washington to fast in solidarity with Tamils in Sri Lanka, who are experiencing a food crisis according to the World Food Program, it said. "The Sri Lankan government has completely refused access to this (northern) region for humanitarian aid, food convoys, medical supplies, journalists and other international observers," the group said.

Sri Lanka Tiger rebels say would accept ceasefire

Tamil Tiger rebels told the U.N. and international community on Monday that they are willing to accept a ceasefire with the Sri Lankan government, as Asia's longest-running civil war may be nearing an end.But the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rejected calls to lay down arms and surrender, saying keeping their weapons is necessary to ensure survival for the ethnic minority Tamil people in the Indian Ocean island nation.The rebels said in a letter to the United Nations and international community -- including the United States, European Union, Japan and Norway --that Sri Lankan forces use heavy weapons like artillery and multi-barreled rocket launchers which the Tigers say are killing 50 to 100 Tamil civilians daily."Already more than 2,000 civilians have been killed and more than 5,000 have been injured. It is painful to see the world maintaining silence on this immense human suffering as if it is amused by what is going on," said Balasingham Nadesan, the political head of the rebels."In this situation, the LTTE is ready to accept the calls for a ceasefire issued by the international community with the good intention of ending the human suffering. The LTTE desires that this effort for a ceasefire ... grow further into peace talks to seek a political solution to the ethnic conflict."The United States, EU, Japan and Norway, which have been key players in the tattered peace process, urged the Tigers in early February to consider surrendering, renounce violence, accept a government offer of amnesty and participate "as a political party in a process to achieve a just and lasting political solution".But the rebel statement said the international community should act to stop "the genocidal attacks on the Tamil people" rather than call for the laying down of the arms, and should also press the Sri Lankan Government to seek a political solution.Sri Lanka denies rebel claims civilians are being targeted, and says it is the rebels themselves who are committing genocide by not allowing Tamil civilians to leave and depriving them of their rights."They are the people causing destruction to the entire Tamil community by killing thousands ... including Tamil political opponents," said defence spokesman and government minister Keheliya Rambukwella.The Tiger statement, a copy of which was emailed to Reuters, came after the military shot down two Tiger airplanes on Friday as they raided the capital Colombo. Two people were killed and at least 53 wounded when one slammed into a government building.The attack showed the Tigers still had the ability to strike far from the shrinking war zone, where troops have rapidly encircled them in just 73 sq km (28 sq miles) of jungle in the drive to end the separatist war that began in 1983.But the military proved it could down planes from a ramshackle Tiger air squadron that had flown nine previous sorties since debuting in 2007.More than 50,000 soldiers surround the Tigers in the northern war zone. Estimates of the rebel fighters still in action range from 500 to 2,000. The military says heavy fighting continues.Tens of thousands of civilians are trapped in the zone, many forcibly kept there by the LTTE and others fearing heavy shelling, according to people who have escaped.

23 February 2009

CM urges PM to send medical aid to Lanka civilians

CHENNAI: In an urgent letter to the Prime Minister, Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi on Sunday asked the Centre to send immediate medical  assistance on humanitarian grounds to Sri Lanka to treat thousands of wounded civilians who have come out of the country's war zone. Karunanidhi also offered to send doctors to set up medical camps and treat the 36,000 Tamils who had managed to leave the combat area and are now housed in make-shift camps in government-controlled areas in the island's north. "About 10,000 people among them are suffering from injuries inflicted in the cross-fire and the rest of them from various sicknesses and diseases. Providing them medical care and attention requires massive infrastructure and logistics," he said in a letter faxed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, with a copy to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Describing the situation as critical and alarming, and one that called for immediate intervention, he said it would be appropriate for the Union government to send immediate medical assistance on humanitarian grounds to Sri Lanka. "Tamil Nadu is also willing to supplement this effort by rushing substantial number of experienced and trained physicians, surgeons and paramedical staff with required medicines and equipment to support the setting up of medical camps," he said. He wanted the Prime Minister's intervention to work out the modalities with Colombo and to arrange for early despatch of medical teams and medicines. The DMK has in recent days been vocal on the plight of Tamil civilians. A forum floated by it for the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils has met the President and asked for steps to bring about a ceasefire. It has also called for UN intervention in this regard. The DMK's youth wing held a human chain programme to call upon both warring parties to halt the ongoing war and prevent the killing of innocent civilians. 

Pranab to push bilateral agenda with Lanka, B'desh at SAARC meet
 
NEW DELHI: The forthcoming SAARC ministerial in Colombo will give foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee a unique opportunity to push the bilateral  agenda with two of India's closest neighbours, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Pakistan and Mumbai may get dimmed a little, partly because Pakistani foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi may not attend, and the investigation ball is in India's court now, though India will make a determined pitch to Pakistan to work on terrorism. Despite Tamil Nadu erupting into violence and suicides, the UPA government has stuck to its clear distinction between the LTTE and the civilian Tamils. Mukherjee announced on Friday that India was ready to evacuate civilians caught in the crossfire and being used as human shields by the LTTE. Though the LTTE is slowly progressing towards its end, the Tamil issue remains -- and India hopes to convince the Lankan government to take up the political devolution effort in a more comprehensive way.After initial hiccups, India has developed a kind of grudging respect for Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse. India's achievement in this period has also been to turn the Lankan government more accepting of India's interventions. India now conducts almost all its business through the government which has raised comfort levels hugely. India will spell out its determination to rebuild and rehabilitate the northern areas of the island country, after the military campaign is over. On Bangladesh, India had put all its chips on the table when Mukherjee met his counterpart Dipu Moni in Dhaka last weekend. Bangladesh responded by promising to return Anup Chetia. India will not push this which will involve some formalities between the two home ministries. But this gesture has been received with a lot of pleasure in the government. In Colombo, Mukherjee will get a sense from Moni about the possible outcome of the high-level task force on India, but will stress the Indian decision to be a facilitator for Bangladesh's economic development. India sees this as a paradigm shift in its approach to Bangladesh, though realistically, all the constraints in the Bangladeshi side that prevented closer ties with India continue to exist. How the Awami government overcomes these obstacles and what India can do to help them along will determine the course of India's future with Bangladesh, certainly, if India is to prevent Bangladesh from falling into the arms of a willing Beijing. On the SAARC front, terrorism and economic ties will be high on the agenda especially in the backdrop of the global financial crisis. The ministerial meet of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Maldives, Bhutan and host Sri Lanka will be preceded by official and foreign secretary level discussions. India will seek ratification of the SAARC Convention on Terrorism. India is expected to press for concrete and sincere cooperation by Pakistan to end cross-border terrorism as the meet comes just three months after the deadly Mumbai terror strikes. 

Japan slams LTTE

Japan's Ambassador at the UN Yukio Takasu, this month's president of the UN Security Council, decried the Tamil Tigers for "using humanitarian issues to promote their military offensive." Mr. Takasu said "I don't want to say human shields," but France's Jean-Maurice Ripert used the term, when asked by Inner City Press for France's position during a press briefing at the UN, according to Inner City Press.He said France was very concerned about "violations by both parties." Inner City Press asked, ‘should it be discussed in the Council,’ ‘I don't know,’ Ripert said, we'll see when Holmes gets back.  In the UN, certainly, he said. Former Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson told Inner City Press that the killing of civilians there, including by the government, is "shocking."  Mary Robinson, at the UN for an event on social justice, took questions at a press conference on Friday afternoon. Inner City Press asked for her views, as former High Commissioner on Human Rights, of the current situation in Sri Lanka.  She analogized it to Darfur and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, saying "we diminish the value of life... if we don't question the disproportionate use of force." Inner City Press asked Ms. Robinson to explain why not only Gaza, but Darfur and the DRC, are on the Security Council's agenda, and received cease fire calls from Ban Ki-moon.  Ms. Robinson answered that that it appeared that Sri Lanka's government was convincing that it was on the verge of victory.

DMK worker who set himself on fire dies

CHENNAI: The DMK worker, who set himself ablaze while participating in the human chain organised on Saturday to urge the Sri Lankan government and  the LTTE to halt the ongoing war, died early on Sunday. The body of S Sivaprakasam was handed over to his family after an autopsy at the Kilpauk Medical College Hospital (KMCH). It was taken to his house at Gandhi Nagar, Taramani and then to a cremation ground in Kanagam. An ardent DMK cadre, Sivaprakasam was a Metropolitan Transport Corporation who had recently taken voluntary retirement. The head of a party forum named after former MP Chittibabu, he was at the Halda junction near Guindy to participate in the human chain. Around 3.40 pm when the cadres started assembling, he was talking to others. Suddenly, he poured kerosene on his body and set it afire. "With flames raging, he raised slogans against the genocide of Tamils," said Mandaveli Natarasan, a DMK functionary, who tried to douse the fire. After first aid at a private hospital, he was moved to the KMCH. Sources said, Sivaprakasam lived with son Sivakumar here while his wife Manorama stayed with daughters Selvi, Devi, Sujatha and Shanthi in Cuddalore. "My father often spoke about the Sri Lankan issue and was shocked on seeing the clippings about the killing of children by the Sri Lankan army," said Sivakumar. The state has witnessed protests since the Sri Lankan military made major inroads into LTTE-controlled areas in the island's north. On January 29, Muthukumar, 26, set himself ablaze at Shastri Bhavan, leaving behind a letter condemning India's alleged assistance to Colombo in the war. More such incidents followed. Ravi of Pallapatty, Ravichandran, a Congress worker, in Sirkazhi, the DMK's Amaresan in Chennai and the VCK's Tamilvendhan in Cuddalore committed suicide. The trend spread to Geneva, where a Sri Lankan Tamil burnt himself in front of the UN office, and Malaysia, where two youths perished the same way. 

250 LTTE cadres surrender: Minister

Around 250 LTTE cadres have so far arrived in the cleared areas during the past few weeks and surrendered to the military, Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said yesterday. Mr. Samarasinghe told Daily Mirror these cadres had owned up themselves as LTTE cadres.Meanwhile, Army Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that 20 of them identified as hardcore fighters were referred to the rehabilitation centres after a screening process. The Brigadier said the existing ones were at the welfare centres with the other internally displaced persons.  “We are giving prominence to the hardcore fighters when rehabilitating.  There are young men and women among these surrendered members.  They have admitted that they served the organisation for a long time,” he said. 

22 February 2009

Political solution only way out in Lanka: India

India has expressed concern over the latest turn of events in Sri Lanka, particularly the air raids by LTTE over Colombo, and appealed to the govt and the militant organisation to come to a peaceful negotiated settlement.It also said unless there was a congenial and peaceful atmosphere, attacks and counter-attacks would continue.“An LTTE plane has been shot down. This is of concern. Political solution has to be found to the LTTE issue and military action will not do,” External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukhjerjee, told reporters at Berhampore (WB) on Saturday.Maintaining that “a political solution is the only way out, he said “The two sides should sit across the table for a negotiated settlement of the issue.“And, for that a congenial and peaceful atmosphere has to be created. Till that is not forthcoming, attacks and counter-attacks will continue to hit the country.Stating that India’s stand was ‘very clear’, Mukherjee said “we are concerned. We are concerned for the huge Sri Lankan Tamil population who have been caught in the crossfire. They are being killed and their normal life is seriously affected.”He said India would appeal to Colombo to ensure that the rights of the minority Tamils were protected.Mukherjee was in Berhampore for a credit camp of UCO Bank at Raghunathganj in Murshidabad district.Recalling the treaty signed in 1987 between the then Sri Lankan President and late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Mukherjee said “The decisions arrived there should be implemented. The decision for decentralisation of power and more powers to the provincial council …. should be followed.”Mukherjee said the Tamils and other ethnic minorities in Sri Lanka must have an arrangement where there legitimate aspirations should be fulfilled within the framework of the Sri Lankan Constitution without affecting the territorial unity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka.He said India expected a devolution package can be evolved fulfilling this criteria and the present impasse overcome. That should be the basis of restoration of normalcy, he added.

Lankan troops encircle last rebel enclave

Heavy fighting that broke out between the Tamil Tiger rebels and the advancing ground troops in Sri Lanka's northeastern Mullaitivu district has left scores of LTTE cadres killed and dozens wounded, military authorities here said Sunday.The defence ministry said that fierce fighting erupted Saturday in the west of Puthukkudiyiruppu and east of Ampalavanpokkanai "as the counter terrorist operations entered its last phases in Mullaitivu".Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the troops advancing from several directions have stepped up pressure on the last strongholds of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the territories held by them were shrinking day-by-day."The LTTE has now been confined to a land stretch of just 73 sq km. The LTTE is suffering heavy losses and the troops have recovered 65 bodies of the LTTE cadres in these areas during the past six days," Nanayakkara told reporters Sunday.He said that the army's 55 and 58 Division troops and a Task Force were currently engaged in this offensive operation around Puthukkudiyiruppu areas and 11 bodies of LTTE rebels were recovered Saturday, along with a large haul of weapons.Defence spokesman and Minister of Foreign Employment Keheliya Rambukwella said that the rebel chief Velupillai Prabhakaran and his men "are now in total disarray" after his strategy to cause maximum destruction (to the government and the armed forces) using light-wing aircraft had ended in failure."We believe this (plane strikes) is the last and the best weapon that the LTTE had. The abortive attempts made by these two planes Friday night proves one point - the LTTE is desperate and using its last resort," Rambukwella said, hailing the shooting down of the LTTE planes as a major success to the country and its armed forces.Two LTTE improvised Czech-built Zlin-143 aircraft were shot down by the military Friday night as they tried to bomb targets in Colombo.

Lanka ex-PM: Army faces major casualties

New Delhi: The three-decade-long Sri Lankan conflict has not only bled the country’s economy but also failed to heal the divisions among its communities, former Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe, now visiting New Delhi, said in an interview to this newspaper.Colombo’s triumph in "conventional warfare" over the Tigers has, however, caused its armed forces heavy casualties. When asked about casualties in the Army, a closely-guarded secret in that country, Mr. Wickremesinghe said: "It is very high... The government does not want to announce it (death toll and injuries) thinking that this will demoralise the Army, but I don’t think so... The armed forces know what the casualties are."It is learnt that "The bodybags are on the rise. The government does not want to reveal the figures... but I think it is an indication of the enormous sacrifices being made by soldiers in this operation."He went on to add that the "sacrifices made by the armed forces should come out into the open... only then will people realise their contribution," and added: "This information is not coming out as the government is interested only in safeguarding its own interest."The former Prime Minister said despite the military establishing its superiority in conventional warfare, its battle with the LTTE in the Mullaittivu jungles could drag on for long. The LTTE, he added, had "opted out of conventional warfare, realising that they cannot win".Mr. Wickremesinghe said the Tigers had retreated deep into the Mullaittivu jungles and felt it could continue with its guerrilla campaign "as long as it has the support of the local population". He added: "The government has to take a political decision to win over the people, and eliminate the LTTE’s support base."He, however, maintained that the ongoing military offensive to consolidate government control over one territory "is not opposed by us. We stand for it." He said that in the 2005 presidential elections, the United National Party (UNP) had put forward a proposal that a "political solution was necessary to end the conflict". He recalled, "But the LTTE asked the Tamils not to vote in the elections and therefore the solution we put on the table was rejected and we lost." Virtually indicating that the LTTE has brought the war on itself, Mr. Wickremesinghe said: "Thereafter, dealing with the LTTE was the responsibility of the new President."Meanwhile, despite the sustained offensive, LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran is alive and hiding in the dense, impregnable Mullaittivu jungles. "Prabhakaran is alive and hiding in the Mullaittivu jungles. Reports and information indicate that he is not leaving the country," the former PM revealed. He also maintained that most of the LTTE equipment has not been discovered yet."Some military officers feel that they are concealed and there could be some difficulty to locate them, though they have found a submarine and other light arms." He said the Army was "considering how it could fight inside the Mullaittivu jungles", adding, "There is, however, always an element of luck."He admitted that there "was some kind of support to the LTTE by the people and till the government took any positive step to usher in confidence, people, albeit, "reluctantly, will provide support to the LTTE".Asked whether a dead Prabhakaran could be a major cause of concern for the country, he replied: "If the social and economic issues are not settled, even if the whole of the LTTE disappears, there is room for another organisation to spring up." He pointed out that a "lot of support to the LTTE is coming from outside and that kind of infrastructure is still available". He described Prabhakaran as a "child of a problem and as long as the problem stays, there will be someone else to take up the issue".As the battle rages with censored information, Mr. Wickremesinghe maintained that the "priority was to evacuate the 200,000 civilians trapped in the LTTE-controlled area of the battle zone". He said this was a "humanitarian issue". Though he felt that with the "kind of military operation going on, this might sound difficult, but is not impossible". He asserted that Sri Lanka has to rescue the trapped civilians to "fulfil obligations under international humanitarian law". He claimed that the LTTE has refused to allow people to cross over to the government-controlled areas and was being condemned for that. "But we cannot be judged by similar criteria. If the government does not take any step, it could lead to another major crisis," he said.

LTTE Air Raids On Slaf Set-Ups In Colombo - By B. Raman

"The LTTE must be trying hard for mounting kamikazee type attacks on military---particularly Air Force ---targets in Colombo similar to its raid on the SLAF base in Anuradhapura. The fact that it has not succeeded so far would indicate that the physical security for such establishments is strong and that the LTTE is facing shortages of the required materials for such attacks. One notices that the LTTE has not yet used all the weapons in its arsenal. It has apparently retained for itself an element of ultimate surprise."

---- Extract from my comments of January 1, 2009, in response to a query  from a Sinhalese journalist.  

According to web accounts of  pro-LTTE websites, two so-called Black Air Tigers of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) carried out kamikazee style suicide 'dives" into the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Headquarters on the Slave Island  in Colombo and into the SLAF base at Katunayaka between  9-20 and 9-45 PM on February 20,2009, killing two persons and injuring 51 others. The pro-LTTE web site Tamilnet has released a photograph of the two so-called kamikazee pilots----- Col. Roopan and Lt. Col. Siriththiran---- with  Velupillai Prabakaran before they embarked on their kamikazee mission. According to the LTTE version, the maximum number of casualties was in the Slave Island---two killed and 45 injured. Only six were injured in the attack on the SLAF establishment at Katunayake.

2. There are no reports of either of the aircraft involved in the mission having carried explosives in order to add to the destruction effect. Whatever damage was caused was by the remaining fuel in the aircraft---- which could not have been much--- and the resulting fire. The aircraft, which had been tasked to crash into the SLAF headquarters, actually crashed into one of the top floors of a building located in front of the SLAF headquarters building in which the offices of the Inland Revenue Department of the Government are located. It is evident from available details that heavy anti-airaft fire from the SLAF building made it difficult for the pilot to crash into the building. He, therefore, crashed his plane into the building of the Inland Revenue Department.

3. While pro-LTTE web sites have projected the crashing of a second aircraft into the SLAF base in Katunayake also as a kamikazee style attack, the Government's version that the plane was actually shot down by anti-aircraft fire from the ground before it could reach its intended target carries greater credibility.

4. During the current offensive in the North, the advancing Sri Lankan Armed Forces could not lay hand on the remaining LTTE arsenal at Kilinochchi. The LTTE's withdrawal from Kilinochchi was pre-planned and orderly. Before the Army captured it, the LTTE managed to remove from Kilinochchi  everything that it had accumulated there, including not only its arsenal, but also the electrical and other fittings in its offices.

5. The LTTE's subsequent withdrawal from Mullaithivu was less orderly. It did not have the time to remove the fittings. While it managed to shift most of its arsenal, it could not move some heavy items such as artillery pieces and boats under construction. These fell into the hands of the army.

6. It managed to move well in time its aircraft holdings and its reserve of aviation fuel. Though the Army claimed to have captured from the withdrawing LTTE all but one of the air strips, which it was suspected to be using, it could not lay hand on the aircraft and the fuel reserve. The assumption was that the area under the effective control of the LTTE  having been reduced to less than 100 sq.kms, it would no longer be able to assemble the aircraft and send them on an offensive mission without its preparations for doing so being detected by the Armed Forces. The Armed Forces must now be having their electronic intelligence (ELINT) collecting stations at Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu. If they were functioning satisfactorily, the LTTE pilots should not have been able to assemble their planes, take off and reach Colombo.

7. The fact that they were able to do so would indicate that the ELINT capability of the SLAF is poor or that the Black Air Tigers had taken off from a place not within the ELINT range of the SLAF stations. Such a place could be in one of the uninhabited islands in the seas between Sri Lanka and the Maldives group.

8. Many of the analyses on what are the options available to Prabakaran and the LTTE if and when the Army ejects the LTTE from the shrinking territory under its control have been focussing on the possibility of Prabakaran and his officers shifting to some place in S-E-Asia or in South Africa. Even if individual leaders and officers manage to sneak in there, they would not be able to shift their remaining arms and ammunition, planes, artillery pieces and other equipment there.

9. For the LTTE to be able to stage a come-back one day, it needs a beach-head out of the reach of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces where it can re-group, re-train and re-plan and wait for an opportunity to strike back from the beach-head. The jungles in the Wanni area could provide such a beach-head for a small number of men with light arms and ammunition. They cannot provide a beach-head for planes and artillery units. Only an uninhabited island out of the reach of the SLAF can.

10. If one presumes for analysis sake that the LTTE planes that attacked the SLAF set-ups in Colombo must have come from an uninhabited island, the question would arise whether the limited fuel they would have carried could have helped them to reach up to Colombo. Since it was a kamikazee mission, they would not have needed fuel for a return journey.

11. Whatever be the fact as established ultimately, it is important that all the uninhabited islands  in the Maldives area and in the Lakshadeep ( Laccadives and Minicoy) area of India are kept under effective watch to prevent the LTTE from setting up a beach-head on any of them. 

Karuna reaches deal with President
 
Vianaygamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna has put forward three main conditions including the halt of government-sponsored colonization programmes in the Eastern Province before he joins the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).An understanding between Mr. Muralitharan and President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been reached, Karuna aide Tachchinamoorthy Kamalanathan said. In terms of the deal, any colonization prorgramme should be in keeping with the pre-1983 ethnic ratio of the province, he said.The formation of a separate administrative unit in the East for the Tamils and Muslims under the 13th Amendment has also been agreed upon, the Karuna official said. Minister and UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha said Karuna had promised to register with the SLFP as many as 2,000 members including some of the former fighters.He said that some of them would soon be appointed as district organizers in the east. However he declined to comment about the agreement reached between the President and Mr. Muralitharan.The third major factor in the agreement relates to TMVP members joining the security forces. A few days ago, some 250 former TMVP cadres joined the army. The Sunday Times learns that they would not be given military duties in the north, but would be deployed in the east.The decision by Karuna to join the SLFP comes after several unsuccessful attempts by him to convince Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan to reshuffle the TMVP and appoint new members to the party hierarchy.

Australia charges freedom fighters

“One quarter of a million people are trapped between a concentration camp and a war zone”, said Nish Vivekananthan, a young Tamil speaking on the current situation in Sri Lanka, at a public meeting on February 19 in Footscray. Vivekananthan was referring to the detention centres set up by for the Sri Lankan Army. The Sri Lankan government says it will be compulsory for people fleeing the area to live in the “welfare villages”. Anmesty International has accused the army of taking hostages by allowing people to leave the camps only if a relative stays behind. People in north-east Sri Lanka have been carpet-bombed and the Red Cross safe zone has been repeatedly bombed, along with five hospitals in the last fortnight. The meeting included a screening of The Cold Hard Truth, a harrowing compilation of recent footage from Tamils in the conflict zone, uploaded to relatives elsewhere in the world through the internet. The only other coverage from the conflict zone is from journalists escorted by the military. The meeting was also addressed by Rob Stary, the criminal defence lawyer for Aruran Vinayagamoorthy and Sivarajah Yathavan, who are in jail charged with collecting humanitarian aid for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam [LTTE]. The Australia Federal Police allege that the LTTE is a terrorist organisation and that, therefore, it is illegal to collect money of its behalf. By the time their court case finishes, Vinayagamoorthy and Yathavan will have been in jail for two years. Stary said, “the government might as well charge the other 33,000 Tamils in Australia, many of whom view the LTTE as their representative organisation, which supports their aspirations of national liberation”. Stary stressed that the LTTE is not a proscribed organisation under Australia’s anti-terrorism laws. “Charges were laid at the behest of the Sri Lankan government and have nothing to do with the Australian community.” Stary noted that the government has not charged other representatives of national liberation movements in Australia such as Kosova or Tibet. Nor has it charged representatives of Israel for its attacks on Lebanon and Palestine. He noted that there were attempts to scare the Tamil community from attending the meeting on the basis that it supported self-determination for the Tamils.

Indian pat on Pillayan’s back as battle with Karuna hots up?

As the battle between Karuna Amman, UPFA MP, and Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan, Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council hots up, India has stepped in with additional development assistance for Pillayan. The two LTTE breakaways are engaged in a running battle for supremacy in the Eastern Province with Pillayan seeking Indian assistance to strengthen emergency relief measures undertaken by his administration. A recent three-day visit by Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad and his deputy, Vikram Misri to the Eastern Province emphasized the importance of India’s relationship with the EP administration.The Indian High Commission said that discussions were held on development plans for the Eastern Province and ways in which India could contribute to the development of the region. Among the projects which would receive Indian support were a rail bus service to connect Trincomalee and Batticaloa, education and health services, the HC said.The Indian delegation also visited the proposed site at Sampur where NTPC-CEB joint coal fired power plant is to be established as well as the Lanka IOC facilities in Trincomalee.Among the officials met by the delegation during its visit was Ms. Sivageetha Prabhakaran, Mayor of the Batticaloa Municipal Council. Mrs. Prabhakaran was widely believed to have been Karuna’s choice as the EP Chief Minister.India has also donated 11 buses to the EP administration, the Batticaloa MC and the Kattankudy Central College.Government sources said that the Rajapaksa administration was keen to ensure peace between former LTTE combatants to ensure smooth functioning of the EPC. The sources acknowledged that their dispute could jeopardise government’s efforts to restore normalcy in the EP.With major battles on the eastern flank rapidly coming to an end the government is of the view that EP should be stabilized as soon as possibly. The JVP has repeatedly accused the government of allowing an administration friendly to India in the EP, thereby jeopardizing national security interests. A senior government official told The Sunday Island that the JVP would shortly run out of slogans. The debacle they suffered last week at the Central and Wayamba PC elecions highlighted the JVP’s dilemma, he said, adding that the government wasn’t bothered about what its former ally said.

Village attacked, 10 killed
 
Ten civilians including children were hacked to death by suspected LTTE cadres while four others including two children sustained serious injuries in an attack at Rathmalgaha Ella, near Rathugala in Inginiyagala yesterday evening, the Defence Ministry said.The civilians who are mainly chena cultivators had also been shot at. Army and Police Special Task Force (STF) personnel launched a search operation in the area to hunt down the attackers. Reports from the area said the death toll could be higher.

A show of solidarity for Sri Lankan Tamils

CHENNAI: The DMK youth wing on Saturday formed a human chain in the district headquarters across the State urging both the Sri Lankan Army and the LTTE to lay down arms and return to the negotiation table to find a political solution to the ethnic crisis.“Laying down arms is important to save the remaining Tamils who are facing extreme difficulties,” said Local Administration Minister and youth wing leader M.K Stalin. He along with his family members participated in the human chain in front of the Anna Arivalayam.DMK MP Kanimozhi said the Indian government should take up the issue with the United Nations so that a political solution to the problems of the Sri Lankan Tamils could be found.She alleged that some political parties were politicising the issue to create trouble for the DMK government. “It is above politics. All political parties should come together to raise their voice in support of the Sri Lankan Tamils,” she added. Former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran and Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission Chairman Vincent Chinnadurai participated.In Tiruvallur, Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami, Fisheries Minister K.P.P.Samy, DMK district secretary EAP Sivaji and others participated. In Kancheepuram, Labour Minister K.A. Anbarasan led the agitation.

Towards a one party state

For the first time in a quarter of a century the country has changed. Changed, obviously not in the sense that we now enjoy free incoming mobile phone calls where we didn't five years ago, but in terms of the first profound shift in the island's power dynamics since the beginning the ethnic conflict. For the last 25 years power in the island has been shared by the UNP and SLFP in the political mainstream, the LTTE in the north and the JVP, which remained a credible political force in the south. Today however all the these groups with the exception of the SLFP have been effectively broken - eliminated from the political equation. The power dynamics on the island therefore have been radically altered. Where once there were various competing interests, today one party (or is it one family?), has emerged as the only effective source of political power in the island.

Once party rules         

Sri Lanka has become by default a one party state. Not only because of the government's military victories, its ruthless suppression of the media, and its (mis)use of nationalist propaganda but also because of the effective implosion of established democratic sources of opposition (the UNP and JVP).With the elimination of the LTTE as a political and military force apparently imminent the UPFA will be left the principle - to an extent the only viable political force on the island. The emergence, in the aftermath of a successful military campaign, of the UPFA as a political colossus was the outcome dreaded by a range of liberal groups, civil society movements, and NGOs. But perhaps the end or at least the truncation of democracy on the island should come as something of a relief. The simple truth is that 'multi party democracy' has been a catastrophic failure in this country. Sri Lanka's post independence history has seen one of the wealthiest and best educated societies in Asia degenerate to a point where it hovers inches away from being classified as a definitively failed state. In many respects democracy has been more of a burden than a blessing to this nation and looking back its hard to find much to mourn in the passing of the status quo ante. What is important to understand however are the dynamics of the current situation. Sri Lanka stands on the verge of becoming a one party state. With effective political power in the hands of a single ruling coalition that enjoys the support of the military, the majority religious/ ethnic group and a hugely effective propaganda machine.In the face of relentless state sponsored harassment and intimidation the 'free' media has been compelled to resort to self censorship in order to survive. Parties representing ethnic minority groups have been left with no option but to support the ruling party as opposition would leave them entirely voiceless - TULF, TMVP, the up country parties have all thrown their weight behind the ruling UPFA. The situation bears some resemblance to Malaysia where the Barisan Nasional dominated by UMNO has held power since independence with the support of smaller Chinese and Indian partiesWhile those committed to democracy and devolution will find this transition to authoritarian, centralised rule truly horrifying the simple reality is that every nation in Asia that has made the transition from developing to developed world status - Korea under Park Chung Hee, Taiwan under the KMT, has done so, partly or largely under dictatorships and/or a broadly one party state system. Even the UK and Western European nations only made the transition to the universal franchise in early 21st century at which point they where already industrialised and the institutions of the state were already well developed.

 The problem of democracy

 The problem of democracy is that it is essentially conservative, relying as it does on a balance of power. This division of power tends to preserve the status quo and prevents any one party or individual from becoming sufficiently powerful to radically alter the status quo. In countries where administrative and economic systems already function effectively this is generally a sound policy, however in the third world where systems are often undeveloped and radical change is absolutely necessary the democratic system can be an encumbrance. At least where development is concerned.  Witness China's regeneration of its cities for the Olympics - tearing down urban slums, commissioning extraordinary stadiums, ruthlessly regulating traffic and pollution - its amazing what you can do when you don't have to worry about elections, law suits, and a critical press. In Sri Lanka the result of imposing democracy on a third world society with no history of self rule, let alone democracy was that the island's central government remained fundamentally weak without the power to drive reforms and establish the institutional framework that is the basis of a stable nation state. The combination of a weak state mechanism and democracy also led to massive corruption and a political system built on opportunism rather than principles and policies.Perhaps the best example of the extraordinary weakness of the nation's central government is the simple fact that a Tamil fisherman with an 8th grade education was able to seize and hold one third of the country, as his own de facto fiefdom for almost two decades.  Today however with the imminent demise of said fisherman Sri Lanka's problem of democracy appears to be heading towards a sudden and unexpected solution; victory.

Absolute power

Should the government succeed, as seems increasingly inevitable, in crushing the Tigers then the UPFA will become by some margin the most powerful government in the nation's history simultaneously solving both the country's ethnic conflict and its problem of democracy. Buoyed by enormous popular support as well as the support of the army the present government already enjoys unprecedented power and, in contrast to every previous government, its writ will run in every town and village in the country.The media, an important check on the power of government has been effectively muzzled and the independence of that other bulwark of democracy, the judiciary will come to an end when the President appoints a compliant successor to the intransigent incumbent - Sarath Silva. In the current climate elections will only see the government become more powerful - witness the recent Wayamba and Central Province polls. In fact the government's present strategy which appears to be to call a general election once it has control of all the island's provincial councils , will quite possibly see the UPFA build a coalition that commands a two thirds majority in parliament. At which point the power of the administration will be essentially absolute.

A whole new world?

We have entered what is effectively a whole new world. A world where the media can be silenced and the government can use emergency regulations to expel citizens from the capital, and detain individuals essentially without trial. In fact with a two thirds majority a compliant judiciary, and no dissenting voices in the media the government will be free to do anything it wants. But while these are worrying developments we simultaneously find ourselves in a world where long term development initiatives and the prospect of stability have suddenly become more of a reality. A secure government has more incentive to pursue long term policies rather than short term goals. So far the government has used its overwhelming power to unify what has been a partitioned nation - the prospect of being able to travel by car or bus to Jaffna without having to cross a border at 'Eelam' is undeniably progress.One need only look at the Hambantota port project, the Upper Kotmale Dam, and the various flyovers now appearing around Colombo to see the government is making a concerted effort to carry out the sort of infrastructure projects pursued in the past by other authoritarian regimes in Asia. Road and port building programmes were central to government economic strategies in China, Korea and Malaysia. Across Asia the sacrifice of democratic freedoms has been compensated for by economic development, a price that many Sri Lanka would be willing to pay. However the danger inherent in a one party system is of course that there are no guarantees. Once established an authoritarian regime is much more difficult to displace than a standard elected administration - and while they can bring development, dictatorships can also precipitate disaster.

Malaysia or Myanmar?

There is a chance therefore that the current administration will use the power its has amassed to chart the country on a course somewhat analogous to that plotted by Malaysia 30 years ago.  Alternatively however we could find the government's militaristic tendencies, its corruption and contempt for human rights, lead the country towards increasing isolation and a future as a budding Myanmar. The government's huge expenditure on infrastructure projects and the fact that the business community has been allowed to function relatively freely suggests a more Malaysian approach - nationalist/capitalist /authoritarianism. Of course as in Malaysia, businesses are free only so long as they remain apolitical and supportive of government policies. And of course allies of the government are rewarded with lucrative contracts - but this is little different to the situation that existed in Thailand and Malaysia during their tiger economy periods.Given power's innate tendency to corrupt the amount of power this government has amassed virtually guarantees massive corruption. But the reality is that the political system in the island was corrupt long before the emergence of the current regime. And as has been demonstrated in East Asia development can occur in spite of corruption. So long as politicians content themselves with creaming off a reasonable percentage of the economy . In fact as long as the ruling elite can suppress utterly kleptomaniac tendencies (Mugabe, Marcos) dictatorships have proved to be the best model for economic growth - Korea for example enjoyed its best economic performance under the repressive Park in the '70s. A regime's greed can even be a motivating factor, the more infrastructure projects there are and the more economic growth there is the more money is available for politicians to cream off. Those who are dreading Sri Lanka's transformation from dysfunctional dictatorship to an incipient dictatorship/ guided democracy can therefore take heart in the fact that dictatorship has arguably the best record of poverty alleviation and economic development of all systems of government. Of course however the picture isn't entirely rosy - while Malaysia, Singapore and China made enormous progress under one party rule Sri Lanka's current system seems to be less one party rule and more one family rule. historically a very dangerous path. Also corruption is sustainable so long as it is limited - and while they certainly indulged in some corruption cronyism and nepotism Mahathir & Co. did not waste billions on egoistic projects to found their own airlines. Some of this government's more draconian tendencies, its obsession with citizen registration, mobile phone registration, the use emergency of powers, and militaristic propaganda is genuinely worrying. Its flirtation with thugs and thuggery also call into question the extent of its commitment to development. Again what's crucial is intention - the government has the power to implement radical change but what path the country ultimately follows will depend on how it chooses to use this power. That is the danger of a powerful government unfettered by checks and balances - our future rests entirely in its hands.

21 February 2009

Colombo air attack was a suicide mission: LTTE

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have claimed responsibility for the late Friday air raid over the capital Colombo that left at least two people dead and 50 injured. The two-light wing aircraft were on a suicide mission, a pro-rebel Website said. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have claimed that two men from their elite Black Air Tiger suicide squad piloted the two light aircraft that carried out the attack on the headquarters of the Inland Revenue department in the heart of the capital, causing a huge explosion. The Tigers have claimed that the targets were Sri Lankan Air Force facilities in the heart of the capital as well as the main airbase adjoining the country's only international airport, located about 28 km north of here. Although the pro-LTTE Tamilnet.com said the attacks were "successful", the defence authorities here said the guerrillas had clearly missed the intended targets because of the swift action of the air force and intense anti-aircraft fire from the troops on the ground. One of the Tiger aircraft was shot down near the Katunayake International Airport while the other crashed into the multi-storeyed Inland Revenue building, located close to the air force headquarters in Colombo. "Why should they attack the Inland Revenue department building complex? They must have come for some other targets, but the successful anti-aircraft gunfire from the ground have failed their mission miserably once again," Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told IANS. The military has recovered the wreckage of the aircraft and a body of the LTTE pilot from Katunayake area. The military, quoting initial investigation, said in a statement that that the pilot, whose body was found intact, had a large quantity of explosives and bombs inside the aircraft. "The dead Tiger pilot was carrying two cyanide capsules and a powerful bomb with his seat," the statement said. Tamilnet published a photograph of the two suicide pilots together with Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, claimed to have been taken shortly before embarking on their mission. It also said the two planes were piloted by a self-styled 'Colonel' Roopan and 'Lieutenant Colonel' Siriththiran. This was the seventh LTTE air attack since March 2007 in its tiny aircraft, which are believed to be Czech-built Zlin - Z-143. But this is for the first time they lost both aircraft during their mission outside the areas held by them in the north. Latest military details reveal that the first light aircraft, though believed to have dropped a bomb on the Inland Revenue Department Headquarters, "has apparently crashed on to the floors between third and 12th amid air defence system, which might have struck the hovering aircraft". "Detection of parts of strewn pieces of flesh, said to belong to the Tiger (LTTE) pilot, found on some floors proved that the pilot would have lost control of it after hit by Air Defence Systems," the military statement said. "Investigating teams have so far collected one arm belonging to the Tiger pilot who had been blown to pieces along with the crash or counter fire and the explosion that followed," it said, adding that the extent of the damage to the Inland Revenue building was yet to be evaluated. The last Tamil Tiger air attack was on Oct 29 last year when two LTTE light-wing aircraft flew out of their hideouts in the north and dropped bombs on a power plant station at Kelaniya, Colombo, and on a military base in the north-western Mannar district simultaneously. Sri Lankan troops operating in the northern battle-zone last month captured at least six airstrips and tarmacs in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts, which had been under the control of the rebels over the past one decade. The advancing Sri Lankan troops have cornered the rebels in an area of less than 100 sq km in the north-eastern Mullaitivu district. The military has accused the rebels of holding thousands of civilians as human shields.

Troops find another luxury bunker

Another luxury three-storey underground “mansion,” believed to have been used by LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, was found by the military, West of Puthukkudiyiruppu, as the Army gradually encircled the LTTE’s last redoubt in Puthukkudduyirppu town, the military said.“This well built bunker is a luxury building and definitely was one of the hideouts of the LTTE leader,” a senior military official said.He said that the road leading to the underground mansion had been carpeted and it had been declared a restricted area.In the recent past, the military have found several underground bunkers used by the LTTE.The military said that troops were now poised to liberate the Puthukkudiyiruppu area.“The army is poised to liberate the last town under terror clutches, as the military is gradually encircling the Puthukkudiyiruppu build-up,” the Defence Ministry said.Puthukkudduyirppu town is located on the A-35 road (Paranthan-Mullaittvu), about 35 km from Paranthan. The Tiger build-up stretches across an area of approximately 25 square kilometres, of which about 20 square kilometres is North of the A-35. On Thursday 58 Division troops were engaged in heavy fighting with the LTTE to the North, North-West and West of Puthukkudduyirppu. Troops of Task Force 4, manoeuvring from South-West of Puthukkudduyirppu, have established their positions just 2-3 km short of the Western perimeter of the Puthukkudduyirppu build-up. Troops of 58 Division were in control of the entire Ampalavanpokkani area by last afternoon. Troops of 10 Sri Lanka Light Infantry and 6 Gamunu Watch had crushed the last LTTE strongholds in the area in an offensive launched last morning.The ministry said that the LTTE had been firing 122mm shells at the troops from guns positioned in the no-fire-zone. Troops are now moving further South towards the Northern borders of the Puthukkudiyiruppu build-up. Ampalavanpokkani is a remote village situated on the West bank of Challai lagoon, about 8 km north of Puthukkudiyiruppu junction.

BJP expresses concern about Tamil civilians in Lanka 

BJP today expressed concern over the plight of Tamils in the war-torn northern Sri Lanka and accused the UPA Government of being "insensitive" while dealing with the issue."The Congress-led ruling coalition at the Centre had been extremely insensitive over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, senior party leader M Venkaiah Naidu said here. "We have no sympathy with the LTTE but are concerned about the plight of civilian Tamils in the island nation," he told reporters here. Describing the interim rail budget as "disappointing".Naidu said the Railway Ministry has shown a surplus of Rs 90,000 crore which only indicates that it had not spent enough money on new projects and passenger amenities.He said the BJP's Central Election Committee will meet on February 26 for finalising the list of candidates."BJP would it alone in Andhra Pradesh in the upcoming elections though Nava Telangana Party has approached us for an alliance," Naidu said."We will take a final decision on alliance with the Telangana party after March 8," the BJP leader said.BJP's vote-share and number of seats in Andhra Pradesh would certainly increase in the coming elections, he said.

Indian Air Force on alert after Colombo raid: report

The Indian Air Force was placed on alert on the southern coast of the country Saturday following a deadly Tamil Tiger air raid on the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, a report said.The Press Trust of India news agency quoted air force sources as saying coastal radar and air defence units were keeping a "round-the-clock vigil" for aerial threats, given the area's proximity to Sri Lanka.A narrow strip of water separates the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka, and India has said that any air or sea capability of the Tigers would be a threat to its national security.Mobile radars were already in place to protect sensitive infrastructure from possible Tamil Tiger attacks, the news agency said.An air force spokesman contacted by AFP declined to comment on the report.The Kamikaze-style suicide attack targeting air force facilities late Friday night killed two people and injured 58 after one of two rebel aircraft crashed into a tax office in Colombo.The Sri Lankan army said it shot down the second aircraft before it could do any damage.The pilots of the aircraft both died.Sri Lanka's Tamils share close cultural and religious links with the 62 million Tamils of Tamil Nadu, also home to thousands of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.India has adopted a hands-off approach since a disastrous military intervention in the 1980s, and banned the Tamil Tiger movement after holding it responsible for the 1991 assassination of former premier Rajiv Gandhi.

Protection of children caught in Sri Lankan conflict "first priority" : UN Official   
   
The UN official charged with the welfare of children in armed conflict has urged that priority attention  be given to the fate of children in northern Sri Lanka, where Government forces are battling the separatists Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam  (LTTE). "Images of children killed, maimed and wounded from the Vanni area of Sri Lanka are truly disturbing," Radhika Coomaraswamy, Secretary‑General Ban Ki‑moon's Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict, said in a statement Friday, referring to the area in which some 250,000 civilians are trapped by the fighting. Ms. Coomaraswamy said that the LTTE must release the civilians to safety, especially the children, and the Government must be more careful with its artillery fire and aerial bombardment to avoid civilian casualties. She stressed that the international community has a duty to work with the Sri Lankan Government to ensure that the treatment of internally displaced children meets international standards, adding that child soldiers must be rehabilitated, not punished. The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has voiced alarm over the LTTE's stepped‑up recruitment of child soldiers, having recorded some 6,000 such cases between 2003 and the end of last year. UNICEF said it is also concerned over the high number of children sustaining injuries "including burns, fractures, and shrapnel and bullet wounds" in the Vanni region, from which many wounded children have been evacuated in the past two weeks. Also Friday, UN Under‑Secretary‑General for Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes travelled to Vavuniya in northern Sri Lanka, on the second day of his three‑day visit to the country, to assess the condition of people who have recently fled the conflict zone. Accompanied by Basil Rajapakse, Senior Advisor to the President of Sri Lanka, Holmes visited two sites for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and met with local authorities and representatives of humanitarian agencies working on the ground, a UN spokesperson said.

Sri Lanka airport resumes normal schedule following rebel air raid

Sri Lanka government said the country's only international airport, Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), is operating normally with its scheduled flights this morning. Following the LTTE air attack on Sri Lanka capital Colombo last night airport officials have diverted some flights to neighbouring India and some were cancelled immediately.According to the Duty Manager of BIA, three flights, Singapore flight scheduled to take off at 10.35 p.m., Bangkok flight at 12.25 a.m. and Chennai flight at 2.20 a.m. were cancelled by the Ministry of Aviation. Sarath Kumara Gunaratna, Deputy Minister for Aviation confirmed that the normal proceedings of the airport are now underway. The airport officials have allocated a special telephone line (0112252861) to check the flight details for passengers who wish to leave the country during the day.

2 rebel planes shot down in raid on Sri Lankan capital, building hit

Two rebel aircraft launched a surprise raid on the Sri Lankan capital late Friday, an act of defiance by the beleaguered Tamil Tiger rebels in the face of a punishing military offensive in the north.The military shot down both planes, one of which crashed into a government office building, killing one person and wounding more than 40 others.The raid was an embarrassment for the government, which has driven the rebels out of most of their northern strongholds and said it was on the verge of destroying the group.The attack was the first air raid in Colombo since the rebels bombed a power station on the outskirts of the city in October.The military said two weeks ago that it had captured the rebels' last hidden airstrip in the north, effectively grounding its tiny air force. But the raid Friday proved the Tamil Tigers retain the ability to launch paralyzing attacks across the country even as their ground forces are under siege in a small patch of territory in the northeast.Two of the rebels' planes approached the capital just after 9:30 p.m., military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said.The government immediately shut off all power in the capital, and searchlights criss-crossed the sky. Anti-aircraft fire rippled across the city, tracer rounds flew overhead and flares lit up the night.Anti-aircraft fire felled one of the planes, which crashed into a tax office in the centre of the city, said the air force spokesman, Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara. The crash killed one person and wounded 43 others, said Dr. Hector Weerasinghe of Colombo National Hospital.All the front windows of the high-rise building were shattered, and furniture seen inside was charred and splintered.The second plane was shot down near an air force base in the town of Katunayake, he said.The military did not explain how the rebels were able to launch their aircraft.Witnesses at the international airport north of the capital said they heard explosions and anti-aircraft fire and were herded into the lobby, but the facility was apparently not attacked.The rebels are believed to have three or four light aircraft, which they have used sporadically for surprise raids on military bases and other facilities.Their most brazen attack two years ago targeted the air force base next to the airport and killed three airmen. In October 2007, rebel planes pounded an air base in the northern town of Anuradhapura as suicide attackers raided the base from the ground, in an assault that destroyed eight government aircraft.The airstrikes have boosted morale for the rebels in recent years, though they have caused more fear than damage.The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 for an independent state for minority Tamils after decades of marginalization by the Sinhalese majority.The government has vowed to destroy the group and end the war, which has killed more than 70,000 people.Friday's air raid came amid rising concern for civilian casualties in the northern war zone.The activist group Human Rights Watch said civilian deaths have skyrocketed in the past two months as government forces indiscriminately shelled the war zone and the rebels fired on families trying to flee.The New York-based rights group said some 2,000 civilians have died in the recent fighting and called on both sides to immediately stop "the ongoing slaughter of civilians."Aid groups estimate about 200,000 civilians remain trapped in the shrinking war zone along with the rebel fighters. The government says less than 100,000 civilians are there and that more than 30,000 have managed to flee in recent weeks.John Holmes, the UN's top humanitarian official, toured displacement camps near the war zone Friday and met civil, military and aid officials in the region, Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said.Human Rights Watch accused both sides of war crimes. It said the military was routinely shelling hospitals, heavily populated areas and government-declared "safe zones." It also accused the rebels of attacking fleeing civilians and forcing those remaining - including children - into combat or deadly labour along the front lines."This 'war' against civilians must stop," James Ross, legal and policy director at the rights organization, said in a statement.About 14,000 Tamils from across Europe, meanwhile, protested in Geneva in front of the United Nations on Friday, demanding that the global body intervene to stop the bloodshed in northern Sri Lanka.The Sri Lankan government has repeatedly denied causing any civilian deaths. The rebels have denied holding civilians as human shields or shooting at those who flee.Human Rights Watch accused the government of secretly screening those fleeing to remove potential rebel sympathizers and detaining others in internment camps with the goal of keeping their ordeal from public scrutiny.

Puthukudirippu about to fall
 
The Army has only 400 meters to reach the Puthukudirippu Town center. Heavy fighting raged on as both sides clashed for this final bastion. SLA is using heavy armour extensively as Tigers had removed civilians from the Town yesterday. The town is expected to fall within the next 48hrs.However, Tiger teams have infiltrated along the A-9. An STF ambush party was counter ambushed by Tigers in the general area north of Vavuniya at Puliyankulam.Regarding the Zlin 143 attack, there is no confirmation of a pilot captured alive. Sources say the first plane downed on the IRD building following anti-aircraft gunfire. over 40 persons, majority civilians were injured in the downing of the plane. One person later died. The other plane went down at Anamaduwa following F7 attack.

20 February 2009

Lanka ready to accept India’s offer: envoy

NEW DELHI: A day after New Delhi asked Tamil Tigers to lay down arms, Sri Lanka yesterday conveyed its willingness to accept India’s assistance in evacuating civilians caught in the conflict in the island nation.“The plight of the civilians is of foremost concern to the Sri Lankan government as well. It is a sentiment we share with India,” Sri Lanka’s high commissioner to India C R Jayasinghe said here.  “India has formally indicated its interest in evacuating civilians. We are open to accepting logistical help from friendly countries like India,” the envoy said. Colombo, however, underlined that such a decision will depend on the realities on the ground.“The details of such an evacuation plan can be worked out later. It will be contingent on the situation on the ground. The LTTE is creating obstruction in the government’s plan to move civilians to safety,” the envoy said. “We are committed to ensuring the safety and security of all civilians,” he said.  The envoy welcomed External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement in parliament on Wednesday on the situation in Sri Lanka in which he asked the LTTE to lay down arms and offered India’s assistance to Sri Lanka in evacuating civilians trapped in the military conflict. “It’s a constructive statement. It reflects very accurately ground realities. It’s a forward-looking statement that shows the path ahead for peace and reconciliation,” he said. In one of the most scathing statements ever against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Mukherjee recalled that it was an outlawed group in India and accused the Tigers of having “done much damage to the Tamil community.”  “As the conflict enters what may be the final phase of military operations, the LTTE would best serve the interest of the Tamils by immediately releasing all civilians (in its zone) and laying down arms,” he said.“India is ready to facilitate the evacuation of civilians trapped in the area of conflict, working with the government of Sri Lanka and the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) who would take responsibility for the security, screening and rehabilitation of these internally displaced persons,” Mukherjee said. Thousands of Tamil civilians have been trapped in a small area in Mullaitivu district where the military has ringed the LTTE guerrillas. International rights groups have accused the military of shelling them and the LTTE of preventing them from leaving the area. Both have denied the allegations. Mukherjee also stressed that even while India wants the conflict to end in Sri Lanka, it cannot direct “a foreign nation” on how to conduct its affairs.Mukherjee’s remarks on Sri Lanka, however, came in for pointed criticism from Tamil Nadu MPs who accused the Indian government of speaking “in the language of the Sri Lankan government” and selling arms and ammunition to Colombo to kill innocent civilians.Pattali Makkal Katchi MP M Ramadoss said Pranab must withdraw the statement.“(He should) either withdraw the statement or give an explanation,” Ramadoss told the Lok Sabha. “It is an irresponsible statement. We want to know whether the statement is his personal view or the government’s view,” he said. Uproar over this and several other issues forced Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to adjourn the house earlier in the day.  Ramadoss also said that Mukherjee’s statement was “contradictory to what President Pratibha Patil said in her address to the joint session of parliament.”  Patil delineated India’s position that there should be a negotiated settlement in Sri Lanka.  “The president’s speech was satisfactory to us. But the foreign minister’s statement is a distortion of facts. It is contrary to what the president said,” Ramadoss said.  Varkkala Radhakrishnan of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) protested against Ramadoss’s demand, saying that a party which supports the government had no right to ask the government to withdraw a statement made in parliament.

LTTE lost Amplavanpkkani  
 
Sri Lankan army has captured another LTTE ruled remote village Amplavanpkkani today (20) morning army sources report. Ampalavanpokkani is a remote village situated on the western banks of the Challai lagoon, about 8 km north of the Puthukkudiyiruppu junction. According to the battlefield sources, Army 58 Division elements manoeuvring from the North are in the process of dominating Ampalavanpokkani area situated just 2 km from the northern parameters of the Puthukkudduyirppu built-up. Also, the elements of the same division manoeuvring from the North and the Northwest have positioned themselves just 3-5 km from the built-up. Yesterday's (Feb 19) battlefield reports indicate that 58 Division troops have been engaged in heavy fighting with the LTTE in the north, northwest and west of Puthukkudduyirppu areas. The locations of the fighting can be placed on a curved line drawn counter clockwise from north of Puthukkudduyirppu built-up to the west, up to the A-35. Troops found three bodies of LTTE cadres, seven T-56 riffles, and three radio communication sets, during subsequent searches. Meanwhile troops of the Task Force 4, manoeuvring from the Southwest of Puthukkudduyirppu, have established their positions just 2-3 km short of the western parameters of the Puthukkudduyirppu built-up. According to the battlefield reports troops carried out daylong assaults at the LTTE locations situated south of the A-35 yesterday. The newly formed Task Force 8 solders inducted to the battlefield form the South of the Puthukkudduyirppu built-up, too have started moving northwards , the reports further indicate.

Sri Lanka, LTTE Must Protect Civilians, UN Envoy Says

Sri Lanka’s army and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam must protect civilians caught in the conflict in the north, United Nations envoy John Holmes told government officials in Colombo. Holmes, the undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, “stressed in his meetings that civilians must be allowed to leave the affected area and that all parties must respect international humanitarian law,” the UN said in a statement. The envoy met with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and Defense Minister Gotabhaya Rajapaksa yesterday at the start of a three-day visit to the South Asian island nation. The UN says as many as 250,000 people are caught in the fighting and are in need of food and medicines. Sri Lanka’s government says the Tamil Tigers are holding about 70,000 people against their will in the north as the group faces defeat after losing its main bases since January. The Tamil Tigers accuse the military of shelling and bombing civilian areas and say people remain in LTTE-held areas on their own free will and don’t want to be placed in government-run transit camps. Holmes, who is scheduled to visit displaced people in the northern town of Vavuniya today, called on the LTTE to allow civilians to leave and to stop the forced recruitment of people in the north, the UN said. The LTTE two days ago rejected a statement by the UN’s office in Sri Lanka that it is again recruiting child soldiers.

Civilian Deaths

The Tamil Tigers and the army are responsible for an increase in civilian casualties in the past month with an estimated 2,000 people killed and 5,000 wounded, Human Rights Watch said in a report today, citing independent monitors in the conflict zone. “With each battlefield defeat, the Tamil Tigers appear to be treating Tamil civilians with increased brutality,” James Ross, the New York-based group’s legal and policy director, said in an e-mailed statement. “Sri Lankan forces are shelling hospitals and so-called safe zones and slaughtering the civilians there.” The LTTE should stop shooting at civilians trying to flee to government-controlled territory and move its fighters away from populated areas, Human Rights Watch said. Those who managed to escape are being held in “squalid” military-controlled camps with little access to the outside world, it said.

President’s Invitation

President Mahinda Rajapaksa invited UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to send an envoy to see how his government is dealing with the humanitarian crisis, the Defense Ministry said. Rajapaksa told Ban two weeks ago that the military is carrying out its offensive against the rebels “without harassment to the civilian population.” Tamil Tiger forces have been driven into an area of the northeast in Mullaitivu district and now control less than 100 square kilometers (39 square miles) of territory, the Defense Ministry said on its Web site yesterday. Soldiers advancing in Puthukudiyiruppu captured the largest LTTE fuel distribution center found in the area, it said. Sri Lanka’s government has reached the final and most difficult phase of its battle to eliminate LTTE terrorism, Bogollagama said at a news conference with Holmes in Colombo yesterday. Military operations are undertaken with the aim of maintaining a zero civilian casualty level, he said, according to a report on the ministry’s Web site today. The UN is ready to help with rehabilitation and reconstruction programs in the north, Holmes said.

Displaced People

The government says more than 30,000 civilians arrived in government-controlled areas this month. Last week, it created a safe zone in a 12-kilometer-long stretch of coast north of Mullaitivu and sent two ships with food and medicines to the area earlier this week. At least 34 civilians were killed in air strikes along the Iranaippaalai-Ananthanpuram road in the northern Wanni region, the TamilNet news agency reported yesterday, citing its correspondent in the area. India earlier this week called on the LTTE to surrender and allow civilians to leave. Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India supports a negotiated settlement in Sri Lanka and stands for an “undivided” country with rights for its minority Tamils. India’s lower house of parliament adjourned its session yesterday after protests by Tamil parties demanding an end to Sri Lanka’s military operations. The LTTE, designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., the European Union and India, is fighting for a separate Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka’s north and east.

Chandrika disapproves of military campaign in Sri Lanka

Former Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga on Thursday appeared to disapprove of the manner in which the military campaign is being pursued in northern part of the island nation. "I don't believe in bombarding people and killing thousands of civilians and rendering hundreds of refugees," Kumaratunga told reporters here when asked how she would have dealt with the situation and LTTE chief V Prabhakaran. While the Sri Lankan army is on the verge of vanquishing LTTE and retrieving territories from Tamil tiger's control after 23 years, several civilians have got killed in the conflict, which has triggered concerns. At the same time, she was not willing to give entire credit to the Mahinda Rajapaksa government for the victory against LTTE, saying her government had done two-thirds of work and the present dispensation had only completed that. "We had taken over roughly 70 to 75 per cent of the land area held by LTTE... They have cleared the rest of the 30 or 25 per cent of the land... This present government has finished the operations that we had started with weapons we bought," said Kumaratunga, whose government preceded the present dispensation.

End ‘war’ on civilians Source: Human Rights Watch (HRW)

The Sri Lankan government should immediately cease its indiscriminate artillery attacks on civilians in the northern Vanni region and its policy of detaining displaced persons in internment camps, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. Since early January 2009, civilian casualties have skyrocketed in the fighting between the Sri Lankan armed forces and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The 45-page report, "War on the Displaced: Sri Lankan Army and LTTE Abuses against Civilians in the Vanni," is based on a two-week fact-finding mission to northern Sri Lanka in February. The government has prohibited journalists and human rights monitors from going to the battle zone in the Vanni, making access to information difficult. "This 'war' against civilians must stop," said James Ross, legal and policy director at Human Rights Watch. "Sri Lankan forces are shelling hospitals and so-called safe zones and slaughtering the civilians there." Human Rights Watch also called on the LTTE to allow civilians to leave the war zone, stop shooting at those who try to flee to government-controlled territory, and cease deploying forces near populated areas. Human Rights Watch said that both the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE were responsible for the dramatic increase in civilian casualties during the past month – approximately 2,000 killed and another 5,000 wounded, according to independent monitors on the ground. As the territory held by the LTTE has decreased – now a short, narrow strip on the northeast coast of the island – displaced persons under their control have been dangerously forced into a smaller and smaller space. In violation of the laws of war, the LTTE has refused to allow civilians to flee the fighting and repeatedly has shot at those who have tried to reach government-held territory. The LTTE continues to subject civilians under their control, including children, to forced recruitment and deadly forced labor on the battlefield. "With each battlefield defeat, the Tamil Tigers appear to be treating Tamil civilians with increased brutality," said Ross. "They've shot at those trying to flee and stepped up forced recruitment and forced labor." The Sri Lankan government has indicated that the ethnic Tamil population trapped in the war zone can be presumed to be siding with the LTTE and treated as combatants, effectively sanctioning unlawful attacks. Sri Lankan forces have repeatedly and indiscriminately shelled areas crowded with displaced persons. This includes numerous reported bombardments of government-declared "safe zones" and of the remaining hospitals in the region. The plight of the region's civilians has been made worse by the government's decision in September 2008 to order most humanitarian agencies out of the Vanni. Government efforts to bring in food, medical supplies, and other relief – with a minimal role for the United Nations – have been insufficient. Continued fighting, lack of oversight, and the manipulation of the delivery of aid by government forces and the LTTE have all contributed to the continuing humanitarian crisis. Displaced persons in the Vanni who escape to what they hope is safety within government-controlled areas are instead put in internment centers masquerading as “welfare villages” in Vavuniya and nearby locations. The displaced persons, including entire families, detained in these military-controlled, barbed-wire camps are denied their liberty and freedom of movement, Human Rights Watch said.“All civilians who manage to escape the Tamil Tigers are held by the government in squalid military-controlled camps and hospitals with little access to the outside world,” said Ross. “The government seems to be trying its best to keep its role in their ordeal away from public scrutiny.”The government for security reasons should be openly screening new arrivals, but it is instead secretly taking away apparent LTTE suspects to arbitrary detention or possible enforced disappearances. Impartial humanitarian agencies should be permitted to monitor the screening process.The hospital in Vavuniya mirrors the town’s internment centers. When Human Rights Watch visited, it lacked even the most basic necessities: many of the hospital beds had no sheets, blankets, or pillows. Despite the obvious lack of capacity to attend to the needs of the wounded, the hospital personnel reportedly were instructed by the authorities not to ask for any assistance from the international agencies, and very few agencies were allowed access. Relatives have had difficulty seeing patients, and some have later been visited by the security forces.Human Rights Watch called on both the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE to act immediately to stop the ongoing slaughter of civilians. Both parties should establish a humanitarian corridor and respect the laws of war. The LTTE should allow civilians to leave the war zone, and the army should stop shelling near densely populated areas, safe zones, and hospitals. Displaced civilians who reach the government side should be assisted but not interned. And the government should permit independent media and human rights organizations to go to the conflict area.

Sri Lanka troops capture Tiger diving gear: military

Security forces have captured diving equipment and underwater "scooters" used by suicide bombers after heavy fighting with Tamil Tiger rebels in the island's northeast, according to the defence ministry. Troops seized the equipment after five hours of fighting at the village of Ampalavanpokkanai on Thursday, the ministry said in a statement. Government forces are keeping up a major offensive against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) guerrillas who have been cornered in a narrow strip of coastal jungle area in the district of Mullaittivu. The fighting has raised concern for the tens of thousands of civilians trapped in the conflict zone. The LTTE in a statement Friday accused the military of killing 34 civilians in shelling on Thursday. Sri Lanka's military has denied targeting civilians. Independent verification of claims and counter claims is not possible as the island's authorities have restricted access to the region by relief agencies, diplomats and independent journalists. There was no immediate comment from the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has a limited presence in the area. However, the ICRC said earlier this month that "hundreds" of civilians had been killed in the crossfire.

SRI LANKA: Displacement to worsen, aid agencies warn

 Outside the primary school in Vavuniya, northern Sri Lanka, the warning signs are everywhere. Scores of civilians caught up in the crossfire between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who have been fighting for an independent Tamil homeland since 1983, stand in the midday heat awaiting assistance.“We barely got out alive,” one woman from Kilinochchi town told IRIN, recalling in vivid detail her escape along with hundreds of men, women and children into government-held territory one week earlier.“We had to think about our children. We had to flee,” said a Tamil man, who, with his wife and two children, fled with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. The school is one of 16 government transit sites set up to help fleeing Tamils since the beginning of this year.But what is proving particularly difficult is that these facilities are now effectively closed off. Access to aid workers and family members remains limited, while those inside are prevented from leaving. Even mobile telephone communication is barred.Many of those arriving had not eaten for days and seemed dazed, while children suffering from chest infections lie naked on classroom floors coughing.  

Worse to come

Yet despite these dire conditions, things are only going to get worse, warned aid workers, who are already struggling to cope. In this scenario, maintaining international standards of humanitarian assistance for those inside will prove impossible, said aid workers, who asked not to be identified.At 18 February, some 35,000 conflict-displaced or more than 8,000 families had arrived, with many more expected. “In the last 10 days there has been a very sharp increase in the number of people coming out,” UN spokesman Gordon Weiss told IRIN in Colombo, about 230km southwest of Vavuniya. “We expect it to increase still further.” According to the UN, more than 200,000 people remain trapped in the war zone in and around the north-eastern town of Mullaithivu, where fighting to the north is intensifying. And while the government, with the support of international agencies and NGOs, is providing humanitarian assistance, it too is feeling the strain. Originally designed to accommodate people for seven to 10 days, the transit sites, mainly schools and other public buildings, are overcrowded and ill-equipped. Even more controversial, however, is what happens after the arrivals have been screened by the authorities for security purposes. The government plans to build two camps or “model villages” for the newly displaced, but with international assistance largely dependent on government assurances over how such camps will be run, the proposal is proving contentious. On 13 February, the British government said it would not fund any open-ended camps.Human rights activists are concerned the camps will be used to detain Tamils the government fears are associated with the LTTE. The government, however, describes them as “welfare villages”, complete with post offices, banks and libraries, where more than 200,000 civil war-displaced would be housed for up to three years. “The principle is still that civilians should be treated as civilians,” Weiss emphasised. “That’s the bottom line.” Outside the first such “village” at Menic Farms, a 1,000 acre (404ha) site outside Vavuniya, residents are heavily guarded, kept out of sight of visitors, and access by outsiders is restricted.  “You cannot treat civilians who are entitled to equality under the law of Sri Lanka, never mind international principles, cooped up behind barbed wire,” Weiss said, reaffirming the need for further clarification from the government“People are waiting for better definition of what the government’s plans really are,” he said.

U.N. Geneva staff sent home mid-day over protest
   
About 20,000 Tamils from across Europe are expected to protest in Geneva today against the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka. U.N. staff in Geneva said they had been told to go home from mid-day. Security was being tightened at the Palais des Nations, where 1,600 people work, a U.N. statement said.Police in the Swiss city, which is home to the U.N. European headquarters and to many Tamil immigrants, said 200 buses from across Europe were expected to bring protesters in.Demonstrators were expected to wind through Geneva in the afternoon and then rally in the public square in front of the U.N.'s Palais des Nations complex, where Tamils held smaller protests in past weeks as fighting intensified in Sri Lanka.A Tamil man in his mid-20s killed himself by pouring gasoline on his body and setting himself alight during one demonstration last week.U.N. staff in Geneva said they had been told to go home from mid-day. Security was being tightened at the Palais des Nations, where 1,600 people work, a U.N. statement said.

UNP will support govt. to get 2/3rd majority to amend constitution – Luxman Kiriella       

The UNP will support the government to get 2/3rd majority in the Parliament if a constitution that could create communal harmony and develop the country is presented says UNP Parliamentarian Luxman Kiriella. Speaking at a media meeting held today Mr. Kiriella said the government has asked the people to give it 2/3rd majority to amend the constitution. The 1972 constitution was adopted with a 2/3rd majority but it didn’t contain the views of the minority communities. Also, the 1978 constitution was passed with the 2/3rd majority of the then UNP government. It too didn’t contain the sentiments of minority communities or the opposition.  Hence, when formulating a new constitution not only the viewpoint of the government but also the sentiments of the opposition as well as minority communities should be considered. Only then a just constitution that would build communal harmony and develop the country could be formulated said the UNP Parliamentarian. Speaking further Mr. Kiriella said, “We should remind ourselves of the mistakes we made in 1972 and 1978 so that we would not repeat them. When creating a new constitution the solution for the ethnic questions should be addressed and clearly defined. However, APRC which consists of only political parties that represent the government has not been able to come to a common stand. Hence, the political parties that represent the government should first come to a common agreement on the North-East issue.”

Army Commander evaluates security in Jaffna

Army Commander Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka, met Commander, Security Forces Headquarters Major General Mendaka Samarasinghe, Jaffna and senior ground commanders in 51, 52 and 55 Divisions yesterday morning during a visit to Jaffna, to assess the security situation there. Major General Samarasinghe briefed the visiting Army Chief on the overall general security situation and concerns in the Peninsula. Divisional Commanders and respective ground commanders afterwards contributed to the discussion and told the Army Commander about arrangements now in place to receive more and more Wanni civilians entering the peninsula in the future. To-date, an estimated 2000 displaced people have taken shelter in the peninsula after vacating Tiger-held areas in the Wanni. Lieutenant General Fonseka emphasised the need to maintain the security measures in the region without leaving any room for the LTTE to infiltrate and cripple normalcy. He also discussed of facilitation of traffic on the newly-liberated A-9, Jaffna-Kandy Highway, once de-mining and removal of all LTTE body traps are brought to a completion. Lieutenant General Fonseka also wanted his ground commanders to conduct frequent searches in suspicious areas without causing any inconvenience to the public as fleeing Wanni Tigers or their proxies would stoop so low as to do anything disruptive to disturb peace and civil life. Major General Mendaka Samarasinghe received the visiting commander and his senior officers from the Army Headquarters on arrival in Palaly.

Madras HC clash rocks Tamil Nadu Assembly

The issue of violent clashes between lawyers and police in the Madras High Court rocked Tamil Nadu Assembly on Friday.As soon as the proceedings started, opposition members demanded that Question Hour be postponed to discuss Thursday’’s violence in which more than 100 lawyers were injured.Speaker R Avudiyappan declined to postpone the question hour, saying he would consider the matter later even as the members of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) staged a walk out, followed by Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), Communist Party of India (CPI) and CPI-M members.Meanwhile, the Madras High Court has ordered a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into Thursday’’s violence.Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has sought the co-operation of the acting Chief Justice of the Madras High Court to find out the main reason behind the incident.Over 100 lawyers were injured outside the Madras High Court after the police lathicharged them for attacking Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy. The trouble began when advocates who had gone to the police station within the court premises to lodge a complaint against Janata party president Subramaniam Swamy.The lawyers have been demanding the Central Government’’s intervention in stopping the war in Sri Lanka.

19 February 2009

Tamil forum seeks Sonia’s intervention

NEW DELHI: Members of ‘The Sri Lankan Tamils Welfare and Rights Forum,’ on the second day of their campaign here for the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils, met Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee jointly at the Parliament House and sought their intervention to stop the war in the island nation and work out a political settlement.The forum members, led by Tamil Nadu PWD and Law Minister Durai Murugan, asked the two leaders to take the issue to the U.N. General Assembly and Security Council to protect the ethnic Tamils. They also wanted an international peacekeeping force sent there urgently.Later, Mr. Durai Murugan told journalists that Ms. Gandhi assured them that the UPA government would do whatever possible on the issue. Ms. Gandhi’s political adviser Ahmed Patel was present during the meeting. PMK founder S. Ramadoss met Mr. Mukherjee separately and highlighted the need for India’s immediate intervention in the Sri Lankan affairs. However, he seemed to be not satisfied with the response given by the Minister and returned to Chennai in the evening.

Sri Lanka fighting kills 38 civilians 

Government artillery attacks and air raids inside Sri Lanka's northern war zone killed at least 38 civilians Wednesday and wounded 140 others, the area's top health official said. Dr. Thurairaja Varatharajah said 13 members of one extended family were killed in their sleep early Wednesday when artillery shells exploded on their home in a village inside a government designated "safe zone" in rebel-held territory. The bodies were brought to the makeshift hospital Varatharajah is running out of a school in the area, he said, adding that the shelling appeared to come from government-controlled areas to the south. Hours later, air force jets launched a pair of airstrikes in the area that killed 25 more civilians, whose bodies were brought to the hospital, he said. Witnesses in the area told him that as many as 80 civilians may have been killed in the strikes. Several people also have died of disease without medicine to treat their ailments and hundreds need to be evacuated, he said. Military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara denied targeting civilians, saying that the military only hit Tamil Tiger rebel positions. "Some air targets were engaged, but they are all LTTE locations," Nanayakkara said, using the acronym of the rebels' formal name, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. "There are no civilians where we are conducting operations, and these are fabricated stories." Government forces have in recent months captured the rebels' main strongholds in the north and cornered them into a small sliver of land on the island's northeastern coast.But reports of rising civilian casualties have grown, with aid groups accusing the government of shelling the overcrowded war zone and the rebels of using the civilians as human shields and shooting at those trying to escape. Both sides deny the accusations. Aid groups say some 200,000 civilians are trapped in the small territory along with the rebels but the government puts the number less than 100,000. The government last week demarcated a 7.5-mile-long (12-kilometer-long) strip of land along the northeast coast as a refuge for civilians trapped inside the war zone. Varatharajah said that his hospital is again overcrowded with patients with more people seeking treatment for diseases caused by poor hygienic conditions, in addition to hundreds of wounded patients. He said 11 people, including four infants and an 8-year-old child, have died since Monday without proper treatment for diseases like diarrhea, pneumonia meningitis and a lack of post-surgical care, as the makeshift hospital struggles with a serious drug shortage. About 350 people, including 12 children and 25 adults who need emergency care, need to be sent to better hospitals outside the war zone, he said. The Red Cross has so far carried out three sea evacuations of more than 1,000 patients and their relatives. The government has repeatedly denied reports of drug shortage. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan naval boats Wednesday accompanied an emergency Red Cross shipment of food aid for tens of thousands of civilians trapped in the war zone. The Red Cross said it was sending 30 tons of dry rations to the civilians in the north. Rebel political chief Balasingham Nadesan on Wednesday accused the government of creating a humanitarian crisis in the area. He denied U.N. accusations that it was recruiting child soldiers and holding the local civilian population as human shields against the government offensive. "The U.N. is accusing the wrong side in addressing the concerns of the people," he told the rebel-linked Web site TamilNet. He also appealed for a truce, saying "the war has to be stopped immediately, paving way for negotiations." Defense spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella rejected new calls for a cease-fire. The Tamil Tigers have fought since 1983 for an independent state for the country's ethnic minority Tamils. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the violence.

Sri Lanka Invites UN Envoy to Visit Civilians Displaced by War

Sri Lanka invited a United Nations envoy to visit civilians displaced by the civil war and called on the international community to press Tamil Tiger rebels to release an estimated 70,000 people held in the north. John Holmes, the undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs, will begin a three-day visit to the country today, the government and the UN said. The military will continue its drive to defeat the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and “rescue the civilians being held hostage,” Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said yesterday, according to the government. “The onus is now upon the international community to exert its utmost pressure on the LTTE to free the civilians.” The UN and international aid agencies say as many as 250,000 people are in conflict zones in the north and in urgent need of food and medicines. Sri Lanka’s government says it is trying to protect displaced people while the LTTE accuses the military of shelling and bombing civilian areas. Holmes will visit displaced people in the northern town of Vavuniya, the UN said in a statement on its Web site yesterday. President Mahinda Rajapaksa told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon two weeks ago the military is carrying out its offensive against the rebels “without harassment to the civilian population.”

Civilians Flee

A total of 35,840 civilians have fled rebel-controlled areas since March last year with 30,337 of them reaching government- controlled areas in this month alone, Bogollagama said in Colombo yesterday, according to a transcript on the Defense Ministry’s Web site. The army says it has driven the Tamil Tigers from their main bases since January into a 100-square kilometer (39-square mile) region near the port of Mullaitivu in the northeast. “Mindful of the paramount need to avoid civilian casualties, the government has shifted the no-fire zone to the Mullaitivu coastline, where the LTTE has herded the hapless civilians,” Bogollagama said. Two ships were sent yesterday to the Mullaitivu safe zone from the eastern port of Trincomalee carrying food and medicines, the government said. The LTTE has denounced the safe zones as an “illusion of security,” saying they are being repeatedly shelled by the military. Air strikes in Iranaipalai yesterday killed at least 21 people, and as many as 100 may be dead, the LTTE’s Peace Secretariat said in an e-mailed statement early today. The TamilNet news agency in the north said 50 people were killed. The report is a “fabrication,” Agence France-Presse cited Brigadier Udaya Nanayakka, a military spokesman, as saying.

Insufficient Aid

The LTTE criticized the government’s aid, saying the 100 metric tons of supplies brought by sea isn’t adequate for people who have been living with food shortages for the past six weeks. It also rejected a statement by the UN’s office in Sri Lanka that the group is again recruiting child soldiers. While the UN “is able to report on child soldiers, it has not been able to report on the number of civilians killed by the Sri Lankan military,” it said. Civilians remain in LTTE-held territory of their own free will, B. Nadesan, the group’s political chief, told TamilNet two days ago. India yesterday called on the LTTE to surrender and allow civilians to leave. “As the conflict enters what may be the final phase of military operations, the LTTE would best serve the interest of the Tamils by immediately releasing all civilians and laying down arms,” Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee told parliament.

Negotiated Settlement

India supports a negotiated settlement in Sri Lanka and stands for an “undivided” country with rights for its minority Tamils, Mukherjee said. India will work with Sri Lanka to help with reconstruction and the rehabilitation of civilians in the north and east of the country. India is ready to help with the evacuation of civilians, working with the Sri Lankan government, Mukherjee said, according to an e-mailed statement. The International Committee of the Red Cross would take responsibility for the security, screening and rehabilitation of the refugees, he said. The LTTE, designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., the European Union and India, is fighting for a separate Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka’s north and east.

Troops make further inroads at Puthukkudiyirippu: LTTE confined to mere 100sq.Km's

Following days of intense fighting security forces have made decisive inroads into the LTTE's remaining garrison township at Puthukkudiyirippu, entrapping LTTE to a mere 100sq.km area in the Mullaittivu jungle. According to available battlefront information, the 53 Division troops have breached the LTTE forward defences and now positioned some 800m south of Puthukudiyiruppu town, yesterday (Feb 18). Troops are also making all efforts to secure safe passage for the people fleeing from the LTTE enclaves towards the liberated areas. Following the declaration of the new safe zone, over 35,700 people have fled from LTTE and sought protection with security forces, while a total of over 1600 people including sick and wounded were evacuated from Mullaittivu by the Sri Lankan Navy for treatment at the government hospitals at Trincomalee.  Meanwhile, the multi-frontal surge into the non-liberated territory continue with rapid advances by the 53 Division, 55 Division, 58 Division, Task Force - 2 and Task Force- 4 troops. On Wednesday (Feb 18) evening, the Northern flank of TF-4 has linked up with the 58 Division troops, military sources said. The TF-4 troops after gaining control over a section of the A-35 Paranthan - Mullaittivu main road are now moving from the South and West to clear the entire road, security sources said.  Separately, 58 Division troops have uncovered 5 LTTE bodies, four T-56 assault riffles and an LTTE manufactured mortar gun in general area East of Thevipuram, while troops also confirmed destroying an LTTE heavy mortar launching pad in the same area.  According to intercepted LTTE transmissions, a senior leader operating in-charge of the LTTE's forward defences at Puthukkudiyirippu was also killed during a confrontation with military recently.  Meanwhile, TF-2 and 58 Division troops at the Uddayarkattukulam junction are also advancing North of A-35 main road. According to military reports, the 55 Division troops are forcing towards Amparavan and Kukarayan area, south of the Chalai lagoon.

Sri Lanka stands firm in row over British envoy

Sri Lanka's cabinet refused to withdraw its opposition to a British special envoy despite fresh talks between the two sides on the island's growing humanitarian crisis, a minister said Thursday.Ministers who met on Wednesday evening took up the British request to send special envoy Des Browne to assess the unfolding plight of civilians trapped in the island's northeastern war zone, a minister who declined to be named said."The cabinet rejected the fresh calls to accept the British special envoy on the basis that there had been no prior consultation and that there was no real need for his visit," the minister said.Sri Lanka's foreign secretary Palitha Kohona confirmed that there was no shift in Colombo's position regarding Browne's nomination by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown."Our position remains unchanged," Kohona told AFP.The appointment announced last week caused a diplomatic row between London and its former colony. Sri Lanka described the move as "unilateral" and an interference in its internal affairs.British Foreign Secretary David Miliband telephoned his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama after the row and said discussions were continuing on the appointment.Although Browne was unwelcome in Colombo, the Sri Lankan government invited UN humanitarian chief John Holmes.Holmes plans to discuss the humanitarian situation arising from Colombo's military offensive against Tamil rebels with representatives of the government, UN member states, the Red Cross and non-governmental organisations.UN deputy spokeswoman Marie Okabe confirmed that Holmes will also meet with people displaced by the conflict.Sri Lankan officials said Holmes, who begins his visit Thursday, would look at arrangements for thousands of civilians caught in the war zone.Holmes's visit comes after UN-appointed experts expressed concern earlier this month over "rapidly deteriorating conditions" and the "significant number of civilian casualties."A pro-government Tamil legislator said on Tuesday that 288 civilians had been killed during one week this month while nearly 800 were wounded in crossfire in the shrinking territory still under rebel control.

LTTE fighting fiercely for its last bastion
 
Heavy fighting erupted at Puthukudirippu over the last two days. Around 200 casualties are reported from the Army, which includes around 25 soldiers KIA as the Army takes on close to 600 hardcore Tigers backed by a growing softcore comprising mainly of forcibly recruited civilians.Fighting erupted particularly along the A-35 Parantan-Kilinochchi-Mulaitivu road on the western flank as TF-4 attempts to recapture the road from the Tigers. Fighting was also concentrated around an earth bund and trench line built by the Tigers to guard the strategically located town of Puthukudirippu.Recent changes to the battle-hardened leadership in the Army's frontline fighting Divisions including 57, 58, 59, TF-2,3 and 4 at the Bridage Command-level and the fact that the Tigers are fighting for their last bastion have contrbuted to the complexities on the ground.The Tigers, who have been fighting for the last 25yrs cannot be expected to fold particularly with its back against the wall that easily. However this IS the Tigers' last bastion and it WILL fall. The flow of civilians into government areas has been severely hampered by the fresh fighting, particularly after the attack behind the 59's line early this month. Both the Tigers and the civilians have nowhere else to go and right now, the fiasco can end only in the way the LTTE intend it to.

India offers Sri Lanka evacuation 

India has said it ready to help in the evacuation of tens of thousands of civilians caught up in the fighting in Sri Lanka. Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee also told parliament the Tamil Tiger rebels had "done much damage" to the Tamil community and should lay down arms. The UN and Red Cross have expressed deep concern for the trapped civilians. The Sri Lankan navy has escorted a new convoy of food to the area but it is only a fraction of what is needed. Meanhwile, the defence ministry says the army is continuing to take rebel areas in the shrinking zone the Tigers control and the government has again ruled out a ceasefire. Pro-rebel sources on Wednesday accused the air force of killing 100 civilians in a cluster bomb attack. No independent journalists can reach the conflict zone so claims by either side cannot be independently verified.

Uproar

In his statement to the Indian parliament, Mr Mukherjee said the plight of about 70,000 trapped civilians was a "serious source of concern to us". He said India was "actively engaged to prevent a further deterioration of humanitarian conditions" and had sent relief supplies to civilians. Mr Mukherjee added: "The government of India is ready to facilitate the evacuation of civilians trapped in the area of conflict, working with the government of Sri Lanka and the International Committee of the Red Cross, who would take responsibility for the security, screening and rehabilitation." Sri Lankan defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said that it welcomed the offer from India "provided it is done within the framework the we have set up already". Mr Mukherjee said India continued to back "a negotiated political settlement" but that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) remained "a proscribed organisation in India [that] has done much damage to the Tamil community". His comments sparked anger among MPs of two regional parties from India's Tamil Nadu state and the uproar forced two adjournments. There are about 62m Tamils in the state and they have close links to Sri Lanka. In the 1980s India sent troops to enforce a peace deal but they ended up fighting the Tigers and were withdrawn in 1990. Concerns for civilians has led to a new convoy of food aid being sent by sea. About 30 tonnes of rations were despatched, accompanied by Sri Lankan navy vessels. However aid workers say civilians are facing severe shortages of food, medicine and clean water and that a minimum of of 2,500 tonnes of food a month are needed. Meanwhile the government has again rejected calls for a ceasefire. The Tamil National Alliance, which has 21 MPs in parliament, made the call but Mr Rambukwella said: "We have taken a policy decision to completely root out terrorism. There will be no ceasefire with the LTTE." The army said it had captured another rebel village and recovered 28 rebel bodies since Monday amid heavy clashes.

Denial

On Wednesday, a regional health official, Dr Thurairaja Varatharajah, told Associated Press at least 38 civilians had been killed in government artillery attacks and air raids. And the rebels accused the air force of killing 100 civilians and injuring another 70 with cluster bomb attacks on Aananthapuram. Mr Rambukwella denied the accusation. The rebels' political chief B Nadesan also denied UN allegations that the Tigers were stepping up the forcible recruitment of child soldiers. "We categorically deny the recruitment of anyone below an 18-year limit," he told the pro-rebel TamilNet website. He also said criticised the UN for "not taking effective measures to protect the life, security and interests of innocent Tamil civilians". "Instead, the UN is engaged in fruitless exercises of accusing the wrong side." About 50,000 soldiers are pressing the Tamil Tigers into a patch of north-eastern jungle after taking the key areas of Kilinochchi, Elephant Pass and Mullaitivu. The Tigers have been fighting for a separate homeland in the north and east for a quarter of a century.

Narayana Murthy quits as IT advisor to Lanka

Bangalore: Within days of his appointment as International Advisor on Information Technology to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, IT czar N R Narayana Murthy on Wednesday quit from the post citing personal reasons.In a letter to Rajapaksa, Murthy, chief mentor of Infosys Technologies, said he has decided to withdraw from being the advisor due to personal reasons but did not elaborate.In his letter, details of which were made available to the media here by Infosys, Murthy thanked Rajapaksa for the invitation to be the IT advisor and for the courtesy shown to him during his recent visit to Sri Lanka.Last Saturday, Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona announced Murthy's appointment in Colombo and said he (Murthy) has accepted it.Rajapaksa made the appointment after inviting Murthy as the chief guest to the ceremonial launch of '2009-Year of English and Information Technology' at the Presidential Secretariat in the Sri Lankan capital.Speaking at that event, Rajapaksa said India's success in the field of IT in recent years has highly inspired Sri Lanka. "It is for this reason that we have turned to India in addition to other countries for technical support to strengthen our own endeavours," he said.

LTTE aircraft manufacturing plant captured
   
Several partly-burnt pieces of a fuselage and a rotor blade of a helicopter that could have been experimented with by the LTTE for their clandestine aerial operations were among the latest discoveries in the newly captured areas of Waddakachchi yesterday, the Army said. Those parts, some of which had been mounted on logs, probably for practical testing operations, had been set on fire before the Tigers vacated the area in the face of army advances. Scraps of paper with aerial maps, engineering sketches, aircraft plans and manuals, plus foreign brochures with pictures of light aircraft were also among the items found by the troops in the workshop type huts that lay to the south of the Waddakachchi jungle.Lathes, sheets of aluminum, engine parts, nuts and bolts and a stock of other tools and accessories were among the items recovered by the troops on search operations.

Lok Sabha adjourned following protests

The Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon Thursday following protests from various parties on different issues.A large number of MPs trooped into the wall of the house as soon as the proceedings began at 11 a.m., forcing Speaker Somnath Chatterjee to adjourn the house at 11:15 a.m.While Dalit MPs of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) were protesting against the SC/ST (Reservation in Post and Services) Bill 2008, MPs of MDMK and PMK rushed to the well of the house protesting the policy of the government over the civil war in Sri Lanka.The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha during the last session and the government was planning to introduce it in the Lok Sabha.The speaker tried repeatedly to pacify the agitating members and at one point of time said: "You are insulting the people of the country and wasting public money. You are behaving in a condemnable manner".Others who joined the protest on various issues also included MPs of Telugu Desam Party from Andhra Pradesh over the Satyam scam. Republican Party of India MP Ramdas Athwale also joined the BJP and BSP protest.

Ex-warlord sees prolonged conflict in Sri Lanka

 Colombo, Feb 19: Sri Lankan troops face another 18 months of fighting even after they have all Tamil Tiger territory under their control, a former rebel has warned.  The man known as "Colonel Karuna," who led an unprecedented split in the movement in 2004, says the Tigers will revert to guerrilla warfare after they lose control of the small enclave they still occupy. "I think it will take at least another one to one-and-a-half years for the army to entirely clear the north of terrorists," Karuna said in an interview inside a heavily-guarded hideout in Colombo. Following his defection, Karuna helped the Sri Lankan army to drive rebels out of the eastern district of Batticaloa, in what was one of the biggest military successes in 2007. Troops have since moved north, taking vast swathes of land from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and have cornered them in a small jungle patch along the northeast shoreline. "The military is now equipped with high-tech gear. So when it came to the north, I shared insights with them on overall areas like civilians, ground realities, what areas were densely populated," he said. Karuna -- a nom de guerre for Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan -- headed the Tigers' eastern province and was widely seen as the second most powerful figure in the now battered LTTE. "From my experience, the LTTE does not have good leaders now to spring offensive attacks on the military. I broke away with about 60 per cent of their fighting capacity and they have not recovered since." Karuna, 42, has now swapped his Tiger stripes for business suits and last November entered Parliament as a member of President Mahinda Rajapakse's ruling Freedom Alliance. "I believe this should be one country and we should have one leader," said the ex-warlord who was dressed in matching grey pin-stripped shirt and trousers, picked out from one of Colombo's men's stores. "Tamil people are fed up with the war. They want to live comfortably, enjoy good infrastructure and enjoy some entertainment. You can't do that by fighting with (majority) Sinhalese people," he said. The former rebel accused 54-year-old Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran of being a "mad man" who is currently holding tens of thousands of civilians as a human shield. "He never even comes out to the battlefield. If he truly cares for our Tamil people, he should let the civilians go and fight the army face-to-face. But instead, civilians are being killed and they are getting injured," he said. "I saw gradually that he (Prabhakaran) turned our liberation movement into a terrorist movement," said Karuna, who served as a member of the LTTE's peace negotiating team in 2002 and 2003. "I later realised that people need peace and development, not a separate state." The moustachioed politician said he wants more ethnic Tamils involved in the reconstruction of the war-torn areas. "Language is a problem. Tamil people don't understand good Sinhalese and Sinhalese people don't understand Tamil. We need Tamil-speaking people to run Tamil populated areas." Karuna became an embarrassment for Colombo after he alleged that he was given a false diplomatic passport by Sri Lankan authorities to travel to London. He was jailed in Britain for nine months and then deported to Sri Lanka, where he took up mainstream politics. But he now faces problems with his own supporters who want him out of the political grouping he founded after breaking away from the Tigers. Unperturbed, Karuna says he plans to take up membership of the ruling party and to play a bigger role in the administration of the Tamil areas as a minister in Rajapakse's cabinet.

Tamil diaspora doctors prepared to enter Vanni, demand access

Doctors organised in charity and aid organisations in Australia and Norway have urged their foreign ministries, United Nations Secretary General and the ICRC to secure urgent permission from Sri Lankan authorities to facilitate safe passage of their convoy of doctors and medical supplies. Dr. V. Manomohan, the president of Australian Medical Aid Foundation (AMAF) and Dr. T. Sivakanesan, the coordinator of Norwegian Tamils Health Organistaion (NTHO) said Wednesday that their organisations that have rendered medical aid for a long time, especially in the aftermath of Tsunami, have the necessary skills, manpower and resources to engage immediately in the medical aid, given that a safe passage is provided to their medical units.The convoy of Australian doctors was prepared to take medicines and equipment for emergency medical treatment that is vital for the care of the civilians in the region.Meanwhile, Dr. Sivakanesan of the NTHO said it had a medical unit comprising 20 personnel, including doctors and other health professionals, for immediate departure provided a safe passage to reach the civilian area where only 6 doctors are struggling to cope with the humanitarian crises. The Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon, Mr. Stephen Smith MP, the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) have been requested to secure urgent permission from Sri Lankan authorities to facilitate the safe passage of the convoy of doctors and medical supplies, according to Dr. Manomohan. Hundreds of wounded civilians are struggling for their lives without medicines as Colombo has refused transportation of medical supplies since December 2008. The decision by diaspora medical experts comes after Sri Lankan Director General of Health services, Dr. Alit Mendes, confirmed to the BBC on 11 February 2009 that the Sri Lankan Ministry of Health had issued orders to doctors and other health staff to leave Mullaiththeevu district immediately. This order comes despite repeated reports by the ICRC and the UN claiming their local health staff in the conflict zone are overwhelmed and desperate medicines and medical assistance are required in the region."When civilians are desperate for help and when the government of a country denies the basic of medical and aid relief to its people, it is the moral responsibility of the international community, especially those in the health profession to fill in the void," said Dr. V. Manomohan.

A Harrow Tamil martyrs himself to protest against the Sri Lanka government

A TAMIL from Harrow poured petrol over his head and burned himself to death in protest at the civil war which is devastating large parts of the population of Sri Lanka. Murukathasan Vanakulasingam left his family last Tuesday to fly to Switzerland and take part in a mass protest against the attacks on Tamils by the Sri Lankan government. But on Thursday night, hours before he was expected to fly home and return to his job, the 27-year-old computer science graduate set fire to himself outside the gates of the United Nations headquarters in Geneva. He left a letter ten metres away, explaining he had sacrificed his life to draw attention to the plight of his fellow Tamils who are caught up in an increasingly bloody civil war. Murukathasan's family found out about his death when it was reported on websites, and they spoke to the Harrow Times about the anguish of finding out he had taken his own life. His sister Arumdevi, 24, said: “All he did for the last few weeks was watch television and get angrier and angrier that nobody was doing anything about how many people are dying. He was very sad. “Everyone is calling and saying he is equal to gold, they are praising what he has done.” Murukathasan lived with his family in Grange Avenue, in Belmont, since 2000, and had been working for the last few months as a cashier at the local Sainsburys. He was expected back at work on Friday, but when he did not return, his family started scouring the Internet for any news of him. The protest Murukathasan went to join was sparked by reports 120 Tamil women were forced by Sri Lankan soldiers to abort their children. The government and Tamil Tigers, a separatist guerilla organisation, have been embroiled in a 25-year civil war, with the Tigers fighting for an independent state in north and east Sri Lanka. In recent months, the country's government has started an aggressive crackdown to try to win the war, but this has led to the deaths of many Tamils. His brother Velmurugam, 24, said his brother should be remembered as a martyr who died for the people of his country. He said: “He wanted to protest about what he was seeing happen in Sri Lanka, but nobody knew he was going to do this. “We are sad because we have lost a life, but we are very proud of what my brother has done. “There is a genocide going on, 100 people are dying every day. But the international community doesn't want to do anything about it. “We want there to be freedom for the people of Sri Lanka because that will be the price of his sacrifice.” Murukathasan's father has flown out to Geneva to identify the body and bring his son home to Harrow, and his mother Puveneswary has been inconsolable since hearing of her son's death. The Tamil community is planning a memorial service and funeral in Harrow, when it is thought as many as 50,000 could come to pay their last respects. Councillor Thaya Idaikaddar, who represents Roxeth ward and is a leader in the international Tamil community, said: “Even though I appreciate and admire his courage and what he has done, I am pleading with people not to do it. “We don't want any further incidents like this, we don't want any more loss of human life.”

18 February 2009

We are deeply sad, puzzled: LTTE Political Head

"We are deeply sad and puzzled at the attitude of the apex institution of humanity, the United Nations, in not taking effective measures to protect the life, security and interests of innocent Tamil civilians," said LTTE's Political Head B. Nadesan on Tuesday. "Instead, the UN is engaged in fruitless exercises of accusing the wrong side, without coming and seeing what is happening by themselves," he said. When stopping the war is the need of the hour, allowing it and lamenting civilian sufferings is a faulty policy, Mr. Nadesan said, adding that indicting the defensive LTTE and exploiting the plight of civilians for the agenda of those who are waging the war will not bring in any positive results. Mr. Nadesan's response, when contacted by TamilNet on recent statements of UN Colombo office and the UNICEF, follows: The ongoing war is the cause for all evils and human sufferings about which all sane human beings are concerned of.Therefore, the war has to be stopped immediately, paving way for negotiations.The LTTE has not started the war and is always prepared for negotiations.The International agencies and world governments, concerned about the plight of civilians should therefore prevail upon the Sri Lankan government to stop the war.Unfortunately, the International Community is adopting an ironical line of allowing the war and at the same time worrying about the plight of the civilians.The Colombo government verbally says that their war is against the LTTE, but in truth it is fighting a war for complete Tamil subjugation.LTTE has to respond defensively to protect Tamil interests.The policy of double standards of justifying Colombo's war and worrying about civilian casualties is fundamentally flawed.The UN should work hard to change this faulty equation, which will only help to ensure human life, dignity and assertion of human rights, not only in the conflict zone, but in the entire island.The immediate concerns of the civilians in Vanni are freedom from the fear of attack, medicine, food, potable water and freedom to get back to their villages and homes without fear. The LTTE is in no way acting against these concerns. The UN is very well aware that Colombo is not heeding to the demand of even a temporary truce. It is not allowing the supply of food and medicine. It is herding people to a land where potable water is a scarcity and it is planning to keep the people in concentration camps rather than creating a situation for their return to their villages. Therefore, the UN is accusing the wrong side in addressing the concerns of the people.Another important concern raised by international agencies is the plight of children. LTTE has always been favourably responding to the international concerns in desisting from child-recruitment. We categorically deny recruitment of anyone below 18-year limit.The ground situation at the moment is death and disabling injury to thousands of children. Malnutrition is another. Above all, the most serious threat is that anyone in the teens to be suspected by the Sri Lanka Army and either getting killed or tortured and imprisoned.There is no protection or guarantee from any international agency for the children who get into the hands of hostile Sri Lankan army. Already we come to know that even small children who are admitted in the hospitals are separated from their parents or guardians.If this brutal war and the war psychosis are allowed to prevail upon the people, there could be a situation tragically forcing everyone in the society to respond in order to save themselves. Therefore, the International Community should act immediately with responsibility and with judicious decisions in arresting the ongoing catastrophe to the civilians of Vanni.All concerned are very well aware that the civilians stay in our territory at their own will.This is what pinches the Colombo government which is bent on taking every effort to terrorise, inflict death and injury, and deny essentials of life in order to capture them.In the process, the Colombo government doesn't hesitate in deliberately and extensively using even prohibited weapons such as firebombs and cluster bombs on civilian targets. The international agencies and media adopt a faulty diplomatic policy that whenever they want to come out with any criticism of Colombo government, they first attack the LTTE at length and finally come up with their point against the Colombo government. This appeasement doesn't work well in handling the ongoing crisis and the international community has to come out in no uncertain terms in their indictments and effective action against the Colombo government.

SLA artillery fire hits new 'safety zone', 108 killed, 200 wounded

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched indiscriminate artillery barrage into the newly announced 'safety zone' killing at least 108 civilians and causing injuries to more than 200, according to initial details from the medical sources in the area. Every shell that hit the area seemed to have caused casualties, said a doctor at the makeshift hospital at Maaththa'lan. More than 100,000 people have been forced into a plain and narrow strip along the coast, north of Mullaiththeevu town, without potable water. Meanwhile, relentless artillery barrage by the SLA has boxed Theavipuram and Va'l'lipunam villages within the old zone, trapping thousands of civilians preventing them from moving to the new 'safe zone'. The artillery barrage lasted from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. and targeted Maaththa'lan, Pokka'nai, Mu'l'livaaykkaal within the safety zone and Ira'naippalai.Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) fighter jets have also attacked Ira'naippaalai, the new centre for humanitarian and basic facilities, located between the new and old safety zones. On Tuesday, at least 15 people, fleeing from the old 'safety zone' towards Maaththa'lan, were killed in artillery barrage.

Troops gain control of Puthukudiyiruppu West

Troops of the 58 Division yesterday took control of the west of Puthukudiyiruppu in Mullaithivu and recovered 14 bodies of LTTE cadres following clashes in the area, the Defence Ministry said."According to the reports, infantrymen of 6 Gemunu Watch (6GW), 8GW, 12GW, 11 Sri Lanka Light Infantry (11 SLLI), 10 SLLI, and 7 Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment (7SLSR) have been engaged in pitched battles with the terrorists since last morning (February 16)," the Ministry added. The Ministry said that troops had moved from north of A-35 Paranthan-Mullaithivu Road "crossing several waterways and eliminated terrorist strongholds on their way before they reached their current positions." "According to available information, troops have collected 14 bodies of LTTE cadres during yesterday’s clashes while another 9 bodies along with 9 T-56 weapon have been collected today." Troops of the 571, 572 and 574 Brigades operating in the Visvamadhu area had also captured several items including weapons and vehicles left behind by the LTTE.

LTTE ready for ceasefire, says TELO MP Srikantha

Rebel Tamil Tigers are ready for ceasefire if the Sri Lankan government is willing to halt its military offensive against them, TELO political party said on Tuesday. "We have been told by the LTTE that they are willing to accept a ceasefire if the government ends the offensive against them and will hold talks on the Tamil issue", a senior member of the Tamil National Alliance and TELO Jaffna MP Nallathamby Srikantha told reporters here. "Our party appeals to both the LTTE and the government to hold negotiations and to agree for a ceasefire as this will ameliorate the lot of the Tamil Civilians in Wanni", he said. Meanwhile, the Parliamentary leader of the 22 member TNA party, V Sambanthan said it was not true that the LTTE was stopping the Tamil civilians from leaving the rebel held areas in the Wanni. Sri Lankan parliament has 225 members directly elected by the people. Sambanthan alleged the government was "determined" to continue the war on Tamil people in Wanni in the north. Claiming that around 50,000 Tamil Civilians have moved over to the government controlled areas in the northern Wanni, Sambanthan said he wondered how the government can levy this allegation as it would not be possible for people to leave those areas without the approval of the LTTE.

Sri Lanka rebels sign up child soldiers for final battle: UNICEF

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers have stepped up conscription of child soldiers, the United Nations agency for children said on Tuesday, as the rebels prepare to face a final onslaught by the military.Government troops are on the verge of crushing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and ending their 37-year campaign for an independent Tamil homeland after a series of victories across the northeast of the island."We have clear indications that the LTTE has intensified forcible recruitment of civilians and that children as young as 14 years old are now being targeted," Philippe Duamelle, UNICEF's chief in Sri Lanka, said.The Tigers, who are encircled in a small patch of jungle, have a long record of using child soldiers, and have recruited more than 6,000 since 2002 according to UNICEF."With a growing number of children being recruited by the LTTE and scores of children being killed or injured in fighting, UNICEF today expressed its gravest concerns," the agency said.The Tigers pledged ten years ago to end employment of child soldiers but have repeatedly failed to fulfil the promise.The rebels did not immediately react to UNICEF's claims, though they did lash out after being accused on Monday of shooting civilians who try to escape the bloody conflict.The United Nations said "a growing number of people trying to leave have been shot and sometimes killed" as they sought safety by fleeing rebel territory to government-controlled areas.A front organisation for the Tigers countered those allegations by saying the UN had failed in its duty to protect innocent people.The UN was "withdrawing even the remaining few local staff from the conflict zone (and) completely shedding its responsibility of caring for the civilians trapped here," said the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO).The TRO, which is outlawed in several countries, including the US, said in its statement that the UN was trying to hide "their own failures".Tiger leaders have always denied charges that their fighters kill civilians or are holding thousands of them as "human shields".The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) reported that families were arriving at a designated "safe zone" inside rebel territory "in a state of utter exhaustion and despair, hoping to be treated and rescued"."But the reality is that there is an almost complete lack of medicine and relief items there," said Paul Castella, head of the ICRC in Sri Lanka, on Tuesday."We did save lives today but many people remain behind, helpless and anxiously waiting to be evacuated. It is now a matter of life and death."The UN, the United States and Britain have asked the Tigers to allow civilians to leave the conflict zone while urging the government in Colombo to declare a temporary truce. Both have rejected the calls.On Saturday, the defence ministry accused the Tigers of a grenade attack that killed a woman and wounded 13 people who were trying to flee the shrinking area still under rebel control.

Muralitharan to join SLFP

The tug-of-war between the Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan and the UPFA Parliamentarian Vinyagamoorthy Muralitharan seems to be intensifying. with majority of TMVPers in the line to take SLFP membership, Vinyagamoorthy Muralitharan, MP said that their main intention was to strengthen the hands of President Mahinda Rajapaksa who can solve the national problem soon. Muralitharan, the LTTE’s former Eastern military leader, said that the people of the East were happy with the development and resettlement programs of the UPFA Government. Few weeks after he was sworn in as a UPFA Parliamentarian he announced his decision to ‘erase off’ the word ‘Tiger’ and the ‘Tiger’ symbol from the TMVP amidst strong protests of the Chief Minister Chandrakanthan. Muralitharan said the only politician that could resolve the problems faced by Tamils was President Rajapaksa and majority of the Easterners, including the intellectuals were in support of the UPFA government. “I have decided to join the SLFP according to their wish and their advice,” he said. He told the Daily News that as the world is in favour of the President’s efforts to crush LTTE terrorism and rebuild a new peaceful nation, it is the duty of all people to strengthen his hands to end terrorism. He said that small political parties could not find solutions to most of the burning issues that need a strong political commitment. “The only party which fits into this category is the SLFP and that is why I have decided to join the SLFP. Over 95 per cent of the Easterners are with me”, he said adding that all TMVP political offices in the Eastern region would be soon converted into SLFP offices. According to Muralitharan, senior TMVP members such as Mangala Master, Iniya Bharathi, Jeyam and Markan are to take the SLFP membership. Muralitharan said that he was no longer a TMVP member and Chief Minister Chandrakanthan and few of his supporters will only remain in the TMVP. “I hope he and his team will also join the SLFP, soon,” he said. The TMVP group, which is to take the SLFP membership will meet President Rajapaksa soon to discuss their political future. When contacted, the TMVP authorities, said that the TMVP is a strong political party and except Muralitharan no other member would join the SLFP. According to TMVP sources, the Party has decided to expel its leader from the party.

Crushed JVP warns of major crises

The JVP, whose vote bank was slashed at Saturday’s Provincial Council elections, said yesterday the polls results were of no significance as they would not help resolve the social, political and economic crises facing the country. JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe told a news conference the government had turned the Central and North Western Provincial Council elections into a virtual referendum with the people asked to express their views on the military victories.He said the government with the help of the state media bombarded the people with pro-government propaganda on military victories while carefully avoiding the other pertinent issues in the political, social and economic fronts – issues that would eventually lead the nation into insurmountable crises if not properly handled. Mr. Somawansa said the government had neglected the erosion of democratic values by avoiding the setting up of Independent Commissions – the Constitutional Council, Election Commission, the Police Commission and the Public Services Commission. “Government politicos including the UPFA leadership contributed directly or indirectly to the violation of election laws by unduly influencing the people in many ways. Therefore this election is a far cry from being free and fair,” he alleged.He charged that discussions were proceeding on the granting of Police and Land powers to the provincial councils. “The government is on the verge of devolving power by neglecting its mandate at the presidential election,” Mr. Amarasinghe said and added that power would be devolved to some armed groups which have not given any assurance they would disarm and as such the government could not defeat separatism even if the LTTE had been defeated. He said the Colombo Tea Auction and the rubber trade had come to a standstill while the government had secretly agreed to pay billions to foreign banks as a result of the controversial oil hedging deal.Mr. Somawansa said the present government was the weakest administration this country has ever had despite the election victory. It is made up of a large number of small groups paying lip service to patriotism. “In such a situation the election result will not do any good for the country,” he said.JVP front-liners said the situation would be quite different at the Western Provincial Council election as the population in the Western Province has better access to different media and therefore were well informed. “The JVP will take the lead in changing the mindset of the people at the upcoming elections,” Mr. Somawansa said.

Human chain across State seeks ceasefire in Sri lanka

CHENNAI: The Sri Lankan Tamils Protection Movement on Tuesday formed a human chain across the State, demanding immediate a ceasefire in Sri Lanka.CPI state secretary D. Pandian, Tamil Nationalist Movement leader P. Nedumaran, PMK president G.K. Mani, Viduthalai Chiruthigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan, MDMK treasurer M. Kannappan and the PMK MLAs joined the chain at Tambaram. MDMK general secretary Vaiko took part in the protest at Tiruchi. A similar protest was held in Puducherry linking Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Nagapattinam and Rameswaram.Talking to reporters, Mr. Pandian said the Sri Lankan government had forced 10 lakh Tamils to live as refugees in many countries. “Indian government should immediately intervene and stop the war.” Mr. Vaiko said that the international community must put pressure on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to declare a ceasefire. “The Indian government is equally responsible for the present situation in Sri Lanka.” Rallies in support of the Sri Lankan Tamils will be held in Coimbatore and Madurai on February 18 and 24 respectively.

Full extent of LTTE Puthukudirippu attack
 
The full extent of an LTTE plan and series of coordinated attacks at Puthukudirippu has come to light. The attack, which started as an infiltration on January 31st, went on till the Independence Day on 4th February. The objective of the LTTE was to push the Army back to Oddusudan. We have now fully pieced together the exact extent of the various attacks that took place during this period, particularly from the 2nd to the 4th of February.On 31st January, a small 30-man LTTE team belly-crawled through a muddy lagoon in the Nanthi Kandal lagoon undetected by 59 Division sentries. The muddy lagoon was almost impassable and was hence largely unmanned. LTTE teams, well versed in the area having operated in the area themselves, took maximum advantage of their knowledge of the terrain.The team infiltrated the SLA dominated area a few kilometers. Fortunately for them and rather unfortunately for the army, 3 bus loads of unsuspecting soldiers on leave who had just received their pay, were boarding the buses unarmed. The Tigers waited for the buses to move and blasted several powerful claymore mines while firing RPG-7s at the buses killing around 60 soldiers.In another separate series of attacks, Tiger suicide bombers disguised as civilians approached the 59 Division FDL manned by 7 Gemunu Watch. The FDL was nothing but a series of checkpoints along the Puthukudirippu-Oddusudan road and former LTTE trench lines manned by small SLA teams. The suicide bombers detonated their lorry bombs killing the sentries instantly and immediately afterwards, wave after wave of Tigers started attacking 7 GW and the reinforcements from TF-4. At the same time, trucks mounted with 30mm canons forced their way along the road towards TF-4 dominated areas. The Tiger plan was to recapture Mulaitivu and raise the Eelam flag on 4th of February in defiance of the government's elaborate Independence Day celebrations on the same day.But the Tigers' expectation of a complete military reversal never took place. 7 GW soldiers fought to the very end, with one soldier launching a suicide attack using a couple of Claymore mines strapped on to himself. The 59, which has only 3 committed Brigades, was immediately reinforced by the 57, which had 2 Brigades in the reserve. Additionally, the 57 Division Commander Maj. Gen. Jagath Chula Dias, perhaps the most respected Commander alongside Prasanna Silva, took over the reigns. The 53 Division was also brought in, which was placed in reserve since the recapture of Elephant Pass.The fiercest attack came in waves particularly on the night of the 3rd. Tigers managed to capture 2 T-55 battle tanks, but were unable to take them away, so they destroyed it with RPGs. But by 2nd February, the 3 Special Forces, which was in reserve throughout the Vanni Humanitarian Operation, swung into action.Special Forces teams infiltrated the area and launched deadly attacks while assisting normal infantry troops to hold the line from falling beyond 3kms from the original FDL. Over 1,000 LTTE cadres bore down upon them, but the unit held itself and all other units together as usual in heroic fashion.The CO of the deployed Special Forces teams, a Major, led the counter-attack from the very front. An experienced SF captain and several other soldiers sacrificed their lives in the process. This was how the rest of the country was able to celebrate Independence Day 2009 with their head held high.

17 February 2009

Civil society groups call for Indian intervention in Sri Lankan crisis

Members of various civil society groups Monday demanded that the Indian government pressurise Sri Lankan authorities to take steps to save lives of nearly 250,000 Tamil civilians caught in the fighting in the north of that country. "The ongoing war between Sri Lankan government and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in north Sri Lanka has posed a great danger to around 250,000 civilians, who are Tamils, caught in the midst of war," Tapan Bose, general secretary of South Asia Forum for Human Rights, told reporters here. Members of various civil society organisations, journalists, researchers and activists were present on the occasion. They later submitted a letter with their demands with the foreign secretary Monday. "It (the war) has led to loss of life, property and liberty of common people. But inspite of protests on an international level, the situation remains unchanged," Bose said. "There is no meaning of assurances given by Sri Lankan government to the Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee. The Indian government has completely ignored the right of Sri Lankan Tamils," he added. "The Indian government should pressurise the Sri Lankan government to restore democracy and human rights of Tamils caught in the war. New Delhi should intervene for humanity and for interest of South Asia," he added. "The Sri Lankan government is not interested in devolution of power and India has to take a call on this," Bose said. They also voiced their concerns over freedom of media in Sri Lanka. "Sri Lanka's failure to protest freedom of media, particularly in taking action against sections of Sinhala right wing organisations, who have been killing and terrorising independent media persons demonstrates the authorities' lack of concern for Tamil and Muslim citizens caught in the war," said Sukumar Muralidharan, the south Asian co-ordinator of International Federation of Journalists. "The government is calling journalists traitors and terrorists. Due to these kinds of problems, around 35 media persons have left Sri Lanka and have come to India," he said. "We want the Sri Lankan state to protect media personnel and uphold the freedom of expression," he demanded.

Tamil Protest Stops Traffic In Downtown Core

About 1,000 Tamil protesters blocked traffic into a downtown intersection Monday night where they had gathered to protest what they call genocide in their homeland.The rally was organized by Tamil Canadians who are upset over Sri Lanka's crackdown on Tamil rebels. But as the crowd swelled, people spilled into the intersection of Front and John streets.Officers from several divisions were called in to help control the peaceful crowd, which soon started to disperse.

Sri Lanka rebels hit back after UN claims

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels lashed out at the United Nations on Tuesday after it accused them of shooting civilians who try to escape the island's bloody ethnic conflict. The UN said the Tigers have detained tens of thousands of non-combatants inside rebel-held territory and have "shot and sometimes killed" those crossing the battle lines to seek safety. A front organisation for the rebels, who have been cornered in the jungle by government troops, countered the allegations by saying the UN had failed in its duty to protect innocent civilians. The UN was "withdrawing even the remaining few local staff from the conflict zone (and) completely shedding its responsibility of caring for the civilians trapped here," said the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO). The statement, released on the pro-rebel website Tamilnet, came after the UN on Tuesday said that "a growing number of people trying to leave have been shot and sometimes killed." Tiger leaders have always denied charges that their fighters kill civilians or hold them as "human shields." The UN also accused the rebels of recruiting 14-year-old child soldiers, and of detaining 15 UN staff and 75 of their dependents inside the conflict zone. Sri Lanka's government has accused the UN, relief agencies, Western diplomats and the international media of supporting the Tigers. Government forces, who are on the verge of crushing the rebels' 30-year campaign for an independent Tamil homeland, have said they are moving slowly, out of consideration for civilians.

UN helping Sri Lanka in genocide: Canadian Tamils

Refuting a United Nations report from Colombo accusing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) of stopping civilians from leaving the conflict zone and killing those who tried to flee, the Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC) said Monday such statements only helped Sri Lanka in its genocide against Tamils.   ``In the past, the UN has denied such statements. We will wait and watch for their official reaction in New York. But if it is true, such statements only help Sri Lanka,'' Canadian Tamil Congress spokesman David Poopalapillai told IANS.``The UN should go to the conflict zone to know the ground realities, and not issue statements sitting in Colombo. Civilians are being killed by the Sri Lankan forces in their genocide against Tamils,'' he said.Poopalapillai said, ``The UN is not acting like an international organization any more. Their accusations (against the LTTE) are aimed at hiding their own failure to bring about ceasefire in the conflict zone.``Tamils have been asking the UN to step in to bring about a ceasefire to end the misery of the civilians, but they (UN) have done nothing. They should have gone to the war zone, rather than issue statements in Colombo.''The Tamil leader said, ``If the UN wants, it can stop the genocide, the onslaught against innocent Tamils. Rather than make such misleading statements, it should lose no time to save Tamil lives.''In a statement Monday, the office of the UN resident and humanitarian co-coordinator in Colombo said, ``The LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) continues to actively prevent people leaving, and reports indicate that a growing number of people trying to leave have been shot and sometimes killed.''About 300,000 Sri Lankan Tamils in Canada are the biggest group of the ethnic community outside their country. The Tamil Tigers enjoyed considerable support among them till it was banned by Canada in 2006.

Tigers killing civilians fleeing war zone: UN 
 
Tamil Tiger guerrillas have prevented tens of thousands of civilians from leaving Sri Lanka’s war zone and those trying to escape have been “shot and sometimes killed,” the UN said yesterday. The rebels are holding non-combatants in the small patch of jungle in the north of the island where they have been cornered by government forces, it added. “A growing number of people trying to leave have been shot and sometimes killed,” the UN office here said in a statement, adding the Tigers were also recruiting child soldiers as young as 14 years old. It urged both the Tigers and government forces to find a humane solution so that civilians, including children, could be spared more loss of life due to disease and the fighting. The UN said it welcomed last week’s declaration of a larger “safe zone” for civilians along a narrow strip of coastline in the island’s northeast, but noted there had been fighting even within that area. “This fighting led to the deaths and injury to yet more civilians,” the statement said. “The UN calls for the Sri Lankan forces and the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) to refrain from fighting in areas of civilian concentration.” The UN said 15 of its local staff and 75 of their dependants were also not allowed to leave the conflict area by the Tamil Tigers, who had forcibly recruited one of the UN staffers. “We are especially concerned that one staff member was reported forcibly recruited into the LTTE yesterday (Sunday),” it said. “The UN calls on the LTTE to immediately release him, to desist from further recruitment of civilians, and to permit passage for people who wish to leave, especially the women and children.” Tens of thousands of civilians in the rebel-held area were experiencing serious shortages of food, medicine, and clean water, the UN said. “Efforts to bring in more food and medicines have not yet been successful, and it is imperative that these needs be met.” The International Committee of the Red Cross had said a “humanitarian catastrophe” was unfolding in the region where the government says civilians are being held as a human shield by the Tigers. The UN, the US and Britain have asked the Tigers to allow civilians to leave the conflict zone while urging the Colombo government to declare a temporary truce. Both have rejected the calls. On Saturday, the defence ministry accused the Tigers of a grenade attack that killed a woman and wounded 13 people who were trying to flee the shrinking area still under rebel control. The Tigers have denied charges that they are attacking civilians and they say the civilians are staying in the area of their own accord. Claims by either side cannot be verified as the government severely restricts independent access to the war zone.

DMK renews demand for ceasefire

The DMK is back to square one on the demand for a ceasefire in Sri Lanka. The party which had, on November 7, 2008, called upon Lankan government and the LTTE to stop the war simultaneously, has on Monday, renewed the demand after three months. DMK youth wing secretary and Local Administration Minister MK Stalin has called for formation of a human chain on February 21 urging the Lankan government and the LTTE to stop fighting immediately. The Sri Lankan Tamils Welfare and Rights Forum formed by the DMK has welcomed Stalin’s announcement and expressed its support. DELHI-BOUND: The sub-committee of the Sri Lankan Tamils Welfare and Rights Forum, headed by PWD Minister Durai Murugan, will leave for Delhi on Tuesday to urge the Centre to take speedy steps in finding a negotiated political settlement to the Sri Lankan ethnic crisis. According to the proposals, India should appeal for deploying International Peace Keeping Forces and secure civil and political rights for the Tamils. The Central government should also appeal to the SAARC nations to call upon the Sri Lankan government to provide equal rights to the Tamils.

India reiterates support for devolution  
 
The Indian government has reiterated its support for the devolution of power based on Indo-Lanka accord.Indian High Commissioner Alok Prasad who visited Batticaloa on Monday said India supports "Sri Lanka government's decision to fully implement 13 amendment to the constitution". He reiterated India's support for the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) established after elections held in May, last year.

Rail Bus service

"We look forward to working with the EPC in the development of the east," he said.Chief Minister of the province, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (Pillayan), Provincial Ministers Hisbullah and Navarathnarajah, Batticaloa Mayor Sivageetha Prabhakaran and other officials attended the event. Mr. Prasad added that India is also helping to establish a Rail Bus service between Batticaloa and Trincomalee.In a personal note, he said he has a special link with Sri Lanka, Batticaloa in particular, as his grandfather was a Government Agent in Batticaloa under British colonial rule.He also went to Amparai as a part of his official visit to the region.

ICRC evacuates 440 sick and wounded from the Vanni
 
For the third time in a week, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has evacuated by ferry patients and their immediate families from Putumattalan to Trincomalee, where they are receiving medical treatment. A total of 440 people were taken to Trincomalee in this latest operation. "Families continue to arrive in Putumattalan in a state of utter exhaustion and despair, hoping to be treated and rescued. But the reality is that there is an almost complete lack of medicine and relief items there," said Paul Castella, head of the ICRC delegation in Sri Lanka. "We did save lives today but many people remain behind, helpless and anxiously waiting to be evacuated. It is now a matter of life and death." "The support of civil and military authorities and that of the local community has ensured the success of these evacuations, but for many more people in the Vanni and in Putumattalan the situation remains critical," said Morven Murchison-Lochrie, an ICRC doctor who took part in the operations. In Putumattalan, an ICRC team continues to support Ministry of Health staff who are providing treatment for the sick and wounded as best as they can. At Trincomalee Hospital, the ICRC has a surgeon, an anaesthetist and a nurse helping Sri Lankan colleagues cope with a huge influx of patients. The ICRC continues to be present and active in the Vanni with the agreement of both parties. It remains committed to working in close proximity to displaced people in order to continue to meet their need for humanitarian assistance.

Karuna quits TMVP

With the TMVP deadline expiring today for parliamentarian Vinyagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman to show cause why he described the Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan as incompetent and the members as barbarians, Mr. Muralitharan yesterday asserted he had no intention of explaining or being a member of the party any longer.Mr. Muralitharan told Daily Mirror he together with some party seniors had quit the TMVP and would hold talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa next week for the purpose of obtaining SLFP membership. “I have quit the TMVP along with a lot of other members. We no longer identify ourselves with it. Instead we are waiting to join the SLFP and as soon as we get permission from the President, we will convert all our TMVP offices to SLFP offices,” Mr. Muralitharan said.He said with most of the TMVP senior members supporting him, the only ones left in the TMVP were Mr. Chandrakanthan and a few of his supporters. Mr. Muralitharan said some of the others who would obtain SLFP membership were Iniya Bharathi, Mangalam Master, Jeyam and Markan.However the TMVP  dismissed reports that other members,apart from MP Karuna,  had left the TMVP .The TMVP also said it had met last evening to discuss Karuna Amman’s failure to show cuase over his comments on some of the TMVP members and had decided to remove him from the party. Last week TMVP members said Mr. Muralitharan would be ousted from the party if he failed to explain by today the disparaging statements he had made on the party leader and the members and that his party membership would be cancelled. But he is yet to officially inform the party he had quit.  “After February 17 he will no longer be a member of the TMVP if he does not give us an explanation. After that what he does is his decision,” a TMVP source said. TMVP Spokesperson Azath Maulana told the Daily Mirror that with Mr. Amman’s chances to show cause expiring last night, he has been removed from the party with immediate effect.However, TMVP General Secretary A. Kailesvararajah said the TMVP Central Committee will meet today and take a final decision on the future course of action to be taken against Mr. Amman.

PC Polls: No Muslim members among UPFA winners

A significant feature at Saturday’s Central and North Western Provincial Councils polls was the non election of a single Muslim candidate on the UPFA list in the four districts where the results were announced. Eight Muslims were elected on the UNP list in the Kandy and Kurunegala districts with one Tamil also elected from Kandy while the UPFA failed to get even a single Tamil candidate elected in the districts of Kurunegala, Matale and Kandy.In Kandy, M.R.M. Humjad was placed second in the UNP list securing 27,421 preferential votes next to the party’s chief ministerial candidate S.B. Dissanayake who received a record 181,781 preferential votes with Muslim candidates J. Lafir placed third, M. Marjan eighth and M. Fahi tenth in the list. Immediately next to UNP’s North Western chief ministerial candidate Samal Senarath who heads the preferential votes’ list is Muslim candidate Rizvi Javi Harsha with 22,663 votes followed by A.H.M. Alevi, A.L.M. Nazeer and M.Thasleem. Meanwhile, the government which fielded 11 Tamil candidates in the Central Province got three elected in Nuwara-Eliya with all of them from the Ceylon Workers’ Congress, contesting under the UPFA’s betel symbol with five out of seven candidates elected on the UNP list in the same district being Tamils. Both parties failed to obtain Muslim representation in Nuwara-Eliya.  Non-Cabinet Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardane when asked why no Muslims were elected from the UPFA list said it was because of the lack of unity among the Muslim candidates while canvassing.“There was a collective approach by the UNP Muslim candidates for the preferential votes. So, the party got most of their members elected. Our candidates did not do so. I personally observed it in Kandy,” he said.SLMC general secretary Hasan Ali said the minority communities had rallied round the UNP, and it was the main reason for their candidates being elected.“I am talking on behalf of the Muslim community. We support the elimination of terrorism. Yet, there should be a political solution to address the grievances of the minorities. The government is not doing it properly,” said Mr. Ali whose party allied with the UNP at the Central Provincial Council polls.
 
One complete LTTE 130mm artillery gun found 
 
Troops of 5 Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment found two 130mm artillery barrels last morning (16 Feb), were able to locate the remaining accessories of one complete artillery gun including the wheels of the gun carrier by the evening, defence ministry said. Troops on search and clear operations in west of Puthukkudiyiruppu, who observed newly planted bushes and soft soil, have excavated on suspicion as LTTE had buried fuel barrels in this area before their withdrawal in the wake of troops' advances. The two 130mm artillery barrels had been buried in 250m distance and they had been applied with grease and covered up with polyethylene covers before they were buried, defence ministry said. Further search and clear operation are now being in progress to locate the remaining accessories of another 130mm artillery gun believed to be hidden in the surrounding area. This is the first time troops were able to locate the LTTE's 130mm artillery guns during the Wanni liberation offensive. 

Major IAF exercises from tomorrow

BANGALORE: The Indian Air Force (IAF) will be conducting from Wednesday major operational exercises for eight days across the southern peninsula, including over key offshore installations on the east coast, and the Lakshadweep and Minicoy Islands in the south-west. Called ‘Dakshin Prahar 09’ (Southern Attack) the exercises are being coordinated by the Thiruvananthapuram-headquartered Southern Air Command (SAC). It comes in the background of the heightened threat perceptions in the southern peninsula following the 26/11 attacks using a sea route to enter Mumbai and the acquisition of nascent aerial capabilities by the Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka, who theoretically have the capability of striking at India’s two nuclear facilities in Tamil Nadu. ‘Dakshin Prahar,’ which was held once before in December 2007, will focus on a geographic area below Goa in the west, Hyderabad in the centre and Vishakapatnam in the east. The vast area will require IAF fighter pilots to fly four to six-hour-long sorties, using air-to-air refuelling from strategically placed Il-78 air tankers. Also, with network-centric warfare the new operational mantra, the IAF’s air defence units/radars across the peninsula will be inter networked, with the Air Defence Direction Centres at Hyderabad and Chimney Hills (Bangalore) coordinating the action. The exercise will also see the validation of the IAF’s concept of flexi airspace use, where the IAF’s assets are linked with those of the civil aviation authorities. Aircraft taking part in the exercises are the Su-30MKIs, Mirage 2000s, the recently upgraded maritime strike Jaguars, which will come from units in Pune, Bangalore and Goa respectively. Transport, communication and logistic support will be provided by the IAF’s workhorse the AN-32s, Avros and Mi-8 helicopters.

16 February 2009

India not for LTTE dictatorship in Lanka's north: PC
 
CHENNAI: Categorically stating that handing over power to LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran was not a solution the Sri Lankan ethnic crisis, Union  home minister P Chidambaram on Sunday said India's efforts would never end up creating a dictator' in the island's north-east. At a public meeting organised by his son Karti Chidambaram to explain the Congress party's stand on the sensitive issue, Chidambaram said the LTTE had never been the sole representatives of 40 lakh Sri Lankan Tamils. "India has no moral responsibility to pressure the Sri Lankan government to hold talks with armed militants,'' he said. India's stand was clear. Just like the Centre was not in a position to negotiate with armed groups operating in Nagaland, Mizoram, Assam and Jammu & Kashmir, Sri Lanka too would not initiate a dialogue with armed militants. Quoting President Pratiba Patil's speech, the home minister said the Centre would definitely arrange for a ceasefire if the LTTE declared its willingness to lay down arms simultaneously with Colombo suspending military operations. Asking what was wrong with India's policy, he appealed to the LTTE to lay down arms as no state, president or prime minister would negotiate with armed groups. Chidambaram clearly hinted that post-war negotiations would involve not just the LTTE but leaders of the East and Central provinces as well. The 13 lakh plantation Tamils of Indian origin have their own leaders, the 13 lakh Tamils in the East did accept the LTTE's leadership once but, frustrated by the outfit's violent attitude, the Eastern province now had its own democratically elected chief minister. The LTTE as a movement existed only for the northern Tamils now. "Talks will be on the basis of the 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord and it will be aimed at solution for all communities, and not for creating a dictatorship," he said. The LTTE's biggest mistake was in clinically eliminating many Sri Lankan Tamil leaders. And then, it committed the blunder of assassinating Rajiv Gandhi, he said and noted that there were many Tamil leaders still left to pursue the path of democracy in Sri Lanka. Reminding the people that the Tamil language was the binding and uniting force of Tamils living across the world, Chidambaram said some political parties championing the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils in the state did not even exist in the mid-1980s when he was handpicked by late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi to hold talks with armed Sri Lankan Tamil groups, including the Tigers. 

Sri Lankan sinks two LTTE boats

The Sri Lankan Air Force sank two attack craft of the Tamil Tiger rebels in air strikes Sunday, the defence ministry said."Sri Lankan Air Force MiG-27 fighter jets launched precision air strikes at identified Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) attack craft sinking two, while destroying another, north of the Mullaittivu lagoon at around 1 p.m. (0730 GMT)," the ministry said in a statement. Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said the three LTTE craft were located near the wreck of the Farah-III, a Jordanian cargo vessel which was hijacked by the LTTE Dec 23, 2006. Government troops are on a full-scale military offensive against the LTTE, which the government said has been cornered in an area less than 200 square-km in the Mullaittivu district. Meanwhile, the international community has expressed concern over the safety of the civilians trapped in the battle zone and urged both parties to respect international humanitarian law.

Sri Lanka: Comeback of Sinhala chauvinism

Sri Lanka, one of the major SAARC members, is running through a chauvinistic attitude to the Tamil, largest ethnic minority group of the country. It is not very far past that Government of Sri Lanka believed that Tamil issue should be resolved through political initiatives. Presently, as Army achieved a land mark military victory over LTTE, the Tamil guerrilla outfit, government feels that northern conflict could be resolved by military offensive. It is the attitude contradictory to the rights of Tamils and it could be said that it is a comeback of Sinhala chauvinism of the era of “Sinhala Only Act”.Despite low trend in world economic growth, the conflict trodden country has achieved a significant level of progress in terms of wealth accumulation. And Sinhalese, the majority of the nation, took the advantage of wealth accumulation processes as the minority Tamils are far away from the formal state activities. In these processes, Sinhalese are getting advantage because they have opportunity to access in all inter-country economic activities under the passive or active patronage of state. Besides, political power system and state machinery are also mostly controlled by the majority community. As a result wealth and power make Sinhalese chauvinistic about the minority ethnic groups living in Sri Lanka including Tamil. Conflict between Sinhalese and Tamil is not a phenomenon of modern time. It had been started from 8th to 6th BCE as stated by history of South Asia. History told that one Bengali prince (other opinion Kalinga prince) conquered the island of Lanka and after that the conqueror prince married local princess that made the tow rival friends and it began a new era of civilization in that island. Historians said that Lanka always faced invasion of ethnic groups from southern India from that time. It should be mentioned that invasion of that period in Indian sub-continent from north to south, south to north and east to west, west to east was an overlapping process of races, groups and tribes among other, which made the way to establish a centre-controlled state in south Asia. Anyway conflict came out in Sri Lanka (the then Ceylon) between Sinhalese and Tamils at British era. At that time language of administration was English. Maximum of English language schools were in the northern part of the island state and Tamil had the maximum accessibility to those schools. As a result, in British administration, Tamils were privileged for administrative posts; Sinhalese representatives in administration were form elite circle only. After the independence of the country, as the majority community of country, Sinhalese emerged as the key political player and some of the Sinhalese representatives said that Tamils were privileged in the British administration, so in the independent country they might not be privileged again. This was the first chauvinistic attitude surfaced in Sri Lanka socio-political sphere of influence. And “Sinhala Only Act” was the outcome of this chauvinism. This act of politician pushed the country to a communal conflict in 1950s and finally to a civil war. From 1983 Sri Lankan conflict recognized as civil war by international community. In first phase of conflict, Tamil politicians were not in the play ground of armed conflict but the young armed Tamils were getting their moral support. In second phase, LTTE and other Tamil armed groups were in the field for a separate state for Tamils. At that stage Tamil guerrilla outfits were engaged in internal war as well. At one stage of this process LTTE emerged as only politico-military organization of Tamil people living in Sri Lanka. When grouping and regrouping process was going on, India involved in the Lankan conflict for many reasons. Assassination of Indian Prime Minister was the most painful consequence of Indian involvement in Lankan crisis. By mid-2000 many international rights groups came forward to address the issue as more than one million people were displaced and thousands of other died or wounded due to the civil war. By the end of 2001, a peace effort concluded by signing a ceasefire between government of Sri Lanka and Tamil Tigers. For many causes the ceasefire agreement broke and finally government went for withdrawal from ceasefire. Again the Lankan authority and LTTE involved in military operations that caused agony to common people, mainly who are living in northern Tamil populated area. At this point of time, Lankan government feels that military offensive is the only solution of Tamil issue. And, of course, it is the reflection of majority Sinhalese community; the elites among Sinhalese are more chauvinistic on the issue. As of the latest media reports, LTTE is in a cornered situation. Even this politico-military organization of Lankan Tamils has no more strength to face government military offensive. It could be told that LTTE is in the end of its existence. But Tamils could not be eliminated from their legitimate and historical homeland. So, this issue must be addressed politically. Chauvinism is not the solution. As an expectation form a peace loving one, it should be said that no comebacks of chauvinism.

Lankan army killing civilians, says LTTE

The LTTE has released gory footage of civilain casualties blaming the Sri Lankan army for their deaths. While, the Sri Lankan government calls it vile propaganda, the Tigers claim this is the reality. The video footage released by the LTTE shows bodies of hapless civilians caught in the crossfire. However, the footage cannot be verified by TIMES NOW. LTTE claims these pictures expose the Sri Lankan army’s onslaught on innocent civilians. Caught in the cross-fire are the civilians who say they have nowhere to go. “We had all gone to sleep. At 8 pm, they struck. I took my three children to a nearby village. When I came back to my village, most people were dead. My mother, brother and sister were among them. Innocent people are dying, foreign countries should interfere,” a civilian in the war-torn region of Sri Lanka said. Another civilian said, “Is there no one to see this injustice? This is a planned attack to eradicate us.” The LTTE is sharpening its claws after the Lankan government blamed it for targeting fleeing civilians. The Lankan government had earlied released pictures that showed the blood trail left after a suicide bomber struck in a relief camp. Meanwhile, weary of a backlash at home, the Indian government has made all the right noises. “The Sri Lanka army should stop military action and simultaneously the LTTE should lay down its arms,” Home Minister P Chidambaram said yesterday. In spite of strong protests in Tamil Nadu over the past few weeks, the Congress is in no mood to bow down to political pressure. Home minister telling the LTTE that there cannot be talks till they lay down arms. This statement also clearly intended at putting the pro-Tamil parties on their backfoot.

UK Police Charge Man, Reportedly Tamil, With Arson

U.K. police have charged a man with arson and affray after he reportedly tried to set himself on fire outside Prime Minister Gordon Brown's Downing Street offices, they said Sunday.Sivsubarmazam Loges-Waran, 41, of Gloucestershire in western England, is due in court Monday "charged with arson with intent to endanger life and affray following an incident at Downing Street" in London Saturday.Police said that at about 4 p.m. (1600 GMT), a man had entered the private street "having poured liquid on himself."A spokesman said he didn't actually set himself on fire and was subsequently arrested.The Guardian newspaper reported that the man was a Tamil opposed to the Sri Lankan government's treatment of the country's Tamil population. A police spokesman confirmed the suspect was of Asian appearance but gave no details.A U.K. resident of Sri Lankan origin burned himself to death outside the U.N.'s European headquarters in Geneva Thursday in protest at the south Asian conflict, local police said.

Sri Lanka urged to halt fighting to help civilians

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has been urged by a grouping of the Tamil diaspora to halt military operations for a while to help civilians trapped in the Tamil Tiger zone to escape.The Tamil Forum for Peace has asked Rajapaksa to “unilaterally declare an immediate cessation of hostilities for a specified period to enable safe passage to the innocents trapped in the small area under (the) control” of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). “We also call upon the international community to exert pressure on LTTE to release the civilians it is forcibly holding as hostages,” it added. The appeal follows reports of heavy casualties the Tamil civilian population has suffered in a small area of Sri Lanka’s Mullaitivu district still held by the LTTE. “The LTTE may be holding them for their own safety and may be ready to sacrifice them for propaganda purposes to turn international opinion against your government,” the statement said. But it added that “the safety of all civilians trapped in the fighting zone is paramount and necessary and saving their lives is the only morally right thing to do at this juncture”. The statement added: “Such a move on your part will certainly help to create the belief that even as you are fighting the Tigers, (the war) is not directed at the Tamil community and (you have) the humanitarian concerns and sufferings of the Tamil civilians uppermost in your mind.”

British Singer M.I.A. Gives Birth To Boy

British pop singer M.I.A., who performed at the Grammy Awards last Sunday despite experiencing labor contractions, has given birth to a baby boy, she said on her MySpace page.The unnamed baby was born on Wednesday, and is "healthy, fine, beautiful and the most amazing thing ever on this planet," according to her Web posting on Saturday.The baby's father is musician Benjamin Brewer, son of Canadian liquor scion Edgar Bronfman, chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group. The location was not disclosed.M.I.A., 31, whose real name is Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam, was born in Britain but raised in Sri Lanka, where her father on of the founder member of EROS agitated for an independent Tamil state.

Navy rescues 77 Tamil Civilians in the North-eastern Seas 
 
Sri Lanka Navy rescued, on three occasions, seventy-seven (77) Tamil civilians who were fleeing from the LTTE control area in overcrowded fiber glass dinghies on the 15th February 2009 in the North-eastern seas said Media Centre of National Security. The first group consisting of 34 civilians was rescued around 01.50 a.m. midnight whilst the second group of 19 civilians was rescued in the early hours around 05.00 a.m. The last batch which comprised of 24 Tamil civilians was rescued around 08.00 a.m. All were safely brought ashore and provided with food and refreshments. Those who were found sick and weary were provided with immediate treatment by the Naval medical personnel.Sri Lanka Navy has made special arrangements to receive innocent Tamil civilians fleeing from the LTTE clutches. Naval personnel and vessels along with stand-by rescue and medical teams are on special deployment for this humanitarian assistance mission in the North-eastern seas. 

ENDLF Appeal for Indian intervention to save Sri Lankan Tamils

As a political party representing the Sri Lankan Tamils, Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF) wish to make an urgent appeal for immediate Indian intervention to save over a quarter million Tamils trapped in the ongoing fighting in Northern Sri Lanka.Sir,You may be aware that our party is one of the two Eelam Tamil liberation organisations which accepted the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord and formed the first North East Provincial government. Though we had reservations about some of the terms of the agreement, we accepted the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord after an assurance by the late Indian Prime Minister Mr Rajiv Gandis that India will ensure the restoration of the lost rights of the Sri Lankan Tamils. Unfortunately with the withdrawal of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), India abruptly ended its role in the Tamil conflict. Our party leaders and cadres were repatriated to India when IPKF withdrew from Sri Lanka. After we were brought to India, the late Congress leader Mr Rajiv Gandhi assured us that the Congress Party would stand by the Sri Lankan Tamils and would even help create a separate state if the rights and security of the Tamils could not be ensured within a united Sri Lanka. We the Eelam Tamils hope that the late leader's assurance would be honoured by the Congress government and India would find a Permanent settlement of the Tamil problem. The Sri Lankan Government is now engaged in a genocidal war against the Tamils in the guise of fighting LTTE terrorism. The quarter million Tamils trapped in Mullaitivu have nothing to do with the LTTE. The Sri Lankan government is conducting indiscriminate shelling and bombing. Even hospitals are being targeted and scores of Tamils are being killed daily. We believe that if India does not now directly intervene in the Sri Lankan conflict, it will be too late to save the Tamils. We urge India to secure an immediate ceasefire and to mediate a settlement of the conflict. We believe that the presence of an Indian peace keeping force is necessary for the supervision of a ceasefire and the evacuation of the trapped Tamil civilians. While requesting India to lead negotiations for the settlement of the Sri Lankan Tamil problem, ENDLF is of the firm believe that the following be recognised as the basis of any negotiated settlement:

1)      North East Sri Lanka is the traditional homeland of the Tamils and all Sinhala settlements planted in the homeland of the Tamils by successive Sri Lankan governments since 1948 should be removed;

2)      The safety and security of the Tamils could be assured only in a separate state. However as an interim measure, a state government for a unified Northern and Eastern provinces with full autonomy could be established within a united Sri Lanka as was envisaged under the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord;

3)      India and the international community should recognise the right to external self determination of the Tamils if internal self determination could not be guaranteed.

4)      India and the international community should guarantee the implementation of any negotiated settlement as the Sri Lankan government could not be trusted given its past records of tearing up internal and external accords agreed on the settlement of the Tamil problem.

The cost of war and the price of victory in Sri Lanka

Back to Sri Lanka today and a full interview with Sri Lanka's foreign minister Mangala Samaraweera who left the Sri Lankan government in February 2007 after falling out with the country's President, Mahinda Rajapakse. Since leaving office Mr Samaraweera, who was also Mr Rajapakse's Chief Campaign Co-ordinator during his successful 2005 presidential campaign, has become one of the most outspoken critics of a regime he was instrumental in getting elected. With that important piece of local political background in mind, here's what he had to say about recent events in Sri Lanka, accusing President Rajapakse of seeking to create 'a Sinhala Buddhist supremacist, Burmese-style junta' in Sri Lanka and urging the US and other Western governments to consider travel bans on key figures in the Sri Lankan government for human rights and other violations.

 He concludes by highlighting his fears for his own safety.

 An interview with MANGALA SAMARAWEERA, former foreign minister of Sri Lanka.

 Your reaction to the killing of Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickrematunge? Who do you believe was responsible?

The killing of Lasantha Wickrematunge, along with the claymore bomb attack on MTV [a private Sri Lankan TV station] 48 hours prior to it, are a part of a systematic campaign to destabilise democratic institutions and to intimidate/silence and eliminate dissenting voices in Sri Lanka by supporters of the Rajapakse administration. Although there isn't any concrete evidence so far, it is an open secret that extra judicial death squads have been operating with impunity since 2006.

 The notorious white van abductions, the murder of Pararajasinham MP, RaviRaj MP, the brutal assault on journalist Keith Noyer (for writing an article critical of [the Sri Lankan Army chief] General. Fonseka), the murder of General Janake Perera have all been attributed to this group called the K9 group and lately this same squad under the name of 'Mahasona group' sent threatening letters to 'unpatriotic elements' (individuals critical of the Rajapase regime) warning them of dire consequences if they do not stop criticizing the Rajapakse regime. Within Army circles these killers are also known as 'Gota's sinha mafia'.

 In fact, I, as Foreign Minister raised the issue of such groups operating with impunity with the President in 2006, subsequent to the international outrage over the killing of four students in Trincomalee followed by the execution of 17 aid workers of the French agency Action Contre Le Faim (ACF). He removed me from the cabinet two months later the state media labelled me a ' Tiger [LTTE] sympathiser.'

 Lasantha Wickrematunge was also in the process of compiling a dossier on these killer groups operating in support of the state and Lasantha told some of us that he was in possession of a tape giving details about Janake Perera's murder last year. Although Gotabaya [Rajapakse, the Defence Secretary] took an injunction to stop Lasantha from publishing the allegations, Lasantha continued to expose the corruption fearlessly.

 At the very beginning of 2006 Lasantha was abused and threatened by the President over the telephone and Lasantha published a transcript of the whole conversation in the [Sunday] Leader the following week. He published numerous other corruption allegations.

 Despite many efforts to woo Lasantha by the President in recent times, he continued his mission with an almost religious zeal. Lasantha was perhaps one of the very few journalists who could not be bought up with perks and privileges nor could he be subjugated through fear and intimidation.

 With the media-generated euphoria over the so called "glorious victories" in the north, the government seems to have found the moment to stifle democratic dissent in the south. It is also interesting to note that the Government deferred the announcement regarding the fall 'fall' of Elephant Pass on the 6th to 9th January; the morning after Lasantha was killed.

  Today democracy is under siege in Sri Lanka and an Orwellian type of nightmare is unraveling here and 1984 seems to be dawning on us in 2009; the Government seems to have fast forwarded that process and some more incidents of this nature closely synchronised with the military push in the North can be expected in the weeks ahead.
 
 If, as seems likely, the Sri Lankan armed forces secure a military victory over the Tamil Tigers (LTTE), to what extend will this resolve Sri Lanka's ethnic divisions?

  Despite many significant military victories in the past the war still rages on and has entered its 26th year. The armed forces 'liberated' the whole of the Eastern Province and held local Government elections after many years in 1992; Pooneryn was recaptured in November 1993; in one of the most significant victories, the army re-captured the City of Jaffna on 5th December 1995 when Prabhakaran [leader of LTTE or 'Tamil Tiger' rebels] was using the Kachcheri (the GA's office) as the LTTE headquarters and still remains under government control; Killinochchi was recaptured by the army in September 2006.

 Today the government is re enacting the same scenario again, belittling or totally ignoring the earlier victories, using the war to whip up nationalistic fervour and as a smoke screen to hide the unprecedented waste (the worlds largest cabinet etc.), corruption and nepotism. However the most disturbing trend is systematic witch hunt against democratic institutions and dissenting voices in the pretext of fighting terrorism; even diplomats from friendly countries as well as senior UN officials who raise their concerns are called 'Tiger sympathisers' by the state run media.

 Unlike in a war with an external aggressor, in a conflict of this nature - a conflict between two ethnic groups within one country, there are no winners and losers. I strongly believe that the only way to defeat terrorism and to usher in a lasting peace is to address the genuine grievances of the Tamil people. The majority of Tamils do not demand a separate state; a convincing power sharing arrangement within an undivided Sri Lanka is what they seek. Therefore the most potent weapon in defeating the separatist terror of the Tamil tigers is to come up with political solution acceptable to all the peoples of Sri Lanka. Sinhala chauvinistic politics has always been the raison d'etre of extremist Tamil politics and the openly Sinhala supremacist policies of the present regime are driving even the moderate Tamils to extreme positions. Even if Prabhakaran is eliminated , many more Prabhakarans may have been created by now to continue Sri Lankas tragedy to another generation.
 

 What mistakes do you think the Rajapakse administration have made during their first term? And what things have they done correctly?

  The most significant mistake is the squandering the great degree of international goodwill Mahinda Rajapakse had as he assumed power in 2005; he was perceived as a pragmatic leader with a liberal background. However with the advent of Gotabaya Rajapakse as Defence Secretary, the hawks gained the upper hand and today his most trusted confidantes, in addition to his brothers are Wimal Weerawana and Champika Ranawake who are also xenophobic nationalists who advocate a Sinhala Buddhist supremacist authoritarian regime. As a result Sri Lanka has lost the support of many countries who have been supportive for decades and the present regime is gravitating more towards countries with rather dubious democratic credentials.

 The single mindedness in fighting terrorism could have been a positive factor had it been accompanied by a strategy to win the hearts and minds of the Tamil people. Unfortunately even the All Party Conference [a cross-party group set up by President Mahinda Rajapakse to explore constitutional reform in Sri Lanka] is a charade to keep International - especially Indian - pressure at bay. The very fact that the terms of reference of the All Party Conference specifically states that any recommendations must be within a unitary constitution, precludes any genuine power sharing arrangement acceptable to the Tamil people.
 

 Do you believe that Sri Lanka is currently a free, democratic country? If not, why not?  

 Sri Lanka, as I said earlier, is a democracy under siege by the all powerful executive Presidency. In a gross violation of the constitution the President has sabotaged the 17th amendment to the constitution in order to paralyse the Constitutional Council. As result the Police force has been completely politicized and the IGP [Inspector-General of Police] and the AG [Attorney-General] have become absolute puppets subservient to the interests of the President. The Election's Commission is also at a standstill. Even the Supreme Court, especially the Chief Justice, is being intimidated and is under severe pressure from the executive. When the present CJ [Chief Justice] retires in June, the President will appoint a person subservient to his interests if the Constitutional Council is not in place by then. That could well be the death knell for democracy in our country.
 
In the current climate, do you believe that the next round of Sri Lankan national elections (General and Presidential) can be free and fair?

  In the context mentioned above, the upcoming elections will certainly not be free and fair. That is why I am pushing for a wider coalition for democracy bringing together different political parties as well as other civil society groups to contest the next General and Presidential Elections. Such a people's movement supported by International monitoring would help to overcome the intimidation tactics which the government will resort to at the next elections.
 
Do you believe that the international community, particularly the UK and the Commonwealth, has done enough to prevent the current deterioration in fundamental freedoms in Sri Lanka?

  The international community certainly could do more; simple statements of condemnation are not enough. Those accountable for the culture of impunity must be made more responsible and answerable. In fact, the principal actor behind this culture of impunity, Gotabaya Rajapakse is a US citizen. Sarath Fonseka [the army commander] is a US resident and a green card holder. The West may have to consider travel bans on such individuals and many Sri Lankans are curious to know what actions the US will take against these people who are systematically undermining Asia's oldest democracy.
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Do you think that Sri Lanka's current dealings with China are in the best interests of the country?

  Sri Lanka has had very cordial relations with China since diplomatic ties were established in 1957. It in our best interests to maintain and strengthen our ties but it should be handled in a manner which takes into account the Geo-political concerns of our immediate neighbour, India.

 Your comment on the handling of the effective re-nationalisation of Sri Lankan Airlines and the Mihin Air budget airline scandal

 The 'renationalzation' of the Sri Lankan is proving to be a costly mistake. The strategic partnership with Emirates, along with the privatization of Sri Lanka Telecom in 1998 were hailed as model privatizations by the World Bank. Already Sri Lankan is struggling to survive and with decreased revenues, the Treasury will have to start subsidising the Sri Lankan again.

 Mihin Air, [a lo-cost airline set up by the Sri Lankan government] perhaps is the most scandalous misappropriation of public funds in Sri Lanka's history. Without any accountability to Parliament, millions in State funds (especially money from the Employer's Provident Fund and the Employee's Trust Fund) has been squandered on this budget airline with the President's name in classical Sinhalese.

  A budget Airline is needed, but it should be handled by the private sector. As the aviation Minister in 2005, I had agreed to issue three licenses to operate budget airlines to the private sector but when Mahinda Rajapakse became President, he gave instructions to stop the issuing of these licenses. A future administration will certainly have to appoint a commission of Inquiry to look into this.

 What more could the international community, including Europe and the US, do to help Sri Lanka at this time?

 The President and his brother, the Defence Secretary, must be told clearly that they will be held responsible for the culture of impunity prevalent in Sri Lanka today. Travel bans on key figures, suspected of gross human rights violations can be a strong deterrent and the US can play a more pro active role in pressurising the Defence Secretary, and holding him accountable for the culture of impunity as he is a citizen of USA.

 Can you give your version of why you left the Rajapakse government? And why you now regret your role in bringing Mahinda Rajapakse to power?

 My relations with the Rajapakse's began to sour after the killings of 5 students in Trincomalee , followed by the execution of 17 [Action Contre Le Faim] aid workers in 2006. As the Foreign Minister, I emphasised the urgency of taking action against the perpetrators of these crimes and on the dangers of allowing a culture of impunity to take root. In one of several meetings I had with the President and his brothers, the Defence Secretary [Gotabaya Rajapakse] actually accused me of trying to demoralise the Army! As my request fell on deaf ears, I finally put down my concerns down in writing and sent it to the President on 13th December 2006. I was removed as Foreign Minister six weeks later and finally removed from the Cabinet on 9th Feb. 2007.

 Since then I was again invited to rejoin the Cabinet, by the President himself several times and as well as by intermediaries. In writing I gave a list of conditions to be fulfilled, if I am to join the government but it became obvious that the Rajapakses were not interested in changing their policy direction of wanting to create a Sinhala Buddhist supremacist, Burmese-style junta.

 Today, we have a truly evil regime and as the Chief Campaign Coordinator for Mahinda Rajapakse during the Presidential campaign, I too must bear the burden of guilt and shame for unleashing one of the darkest regimes in post-independence Sri Lanka.

 Like in all good horror films, the beast I was instrumental in creating, is now prowling to devour me. 

15 February 2009

Sri Lanka braces for bloodier Tiger battles

Sri Lanka's government hoped Tamil Tiger rebels could be defeated in days, but both sides are now warning bloodier battles may lie ahead -- and civilians are likely to pay a heavy price.Security forces have cornered the retreating Tigers in the north of the island after over three bloody decades of fighting, the rebels' de facto state has been smashed and Sri Lanka's army says there are only 700 guerrillas left.Only last month it seemed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), or Tamil Tigers, and their often brutal campaign for an independent homeland were all but defeated.But like on previous occasions when the guerrillas appeared to be on their knees, the government says the Tigers are putting up strong resistance -- including using civilians as "human shields."They have launched ferocious counter-attacks since the beginning of this month in a bid to regain some of their lost territory and save their remaining heavy weaponry, defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse said."There were very heavy attacks from the first to the fourth of this month. We suffered casualties," Rajapakse told the Sinhalese-language Sunday Lankadeepa weekly."But we repulsed the attacks successfully."The ever-bullish Rajapakse, who is President Mahinda Rajapakse's younger brother, said the government believed that Tiger supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, 54, had lost his ability to launch major attacks.But he said Prabhakaran would use civilians trapped in the war zone as his "final trump."In the latest incident targeting civilians, suspected Tiger rebels lobbed a grenade and opened fire at a bus transporting refugees out of the conflict area on Saturday, killing one woman and wounding 13, the defence ministry said.Claims by either side cannot be verified as human rights groups, diplomats and independent journalists are not allowed to report freely from the conflict area.But as security forces encircle the rebels in a 100-square-kilometre (38-square-mile) coastal jungle area -- less than two percent of land they controlled two years ago -- concern has mounted for non-combatants.The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said that "hundreds" of civilians had been killed and many more wounded since fighting intensified from January.It has not said who was responsible for the civilian deaths."We are now entering the toughest phase of fighting because it is done in an area where there are lots of civilians," said retired army brigadier general Vipul Boteju."The civilians are the last weapon in the Tiger armoury."A serving general who declined to be named agreed the fighting would be harder from now on because of the heavy concentration of civilians trapped in the conflict area."The Tigers are slowing us down by holding civilians with them," he said.There have been calls, led by the US and Britain, asking the Tigers to allow civilians free passage out of the conflict zone, but the guerrillas have insisted that men, women and children were staying of their own accord.However, the ICRC has warned that a "humanitarian catastrophe" was unfolding. It provoked calls from the United Nations, US and Britain for a limited truce which was swiftly rejected by Colombo."What we are asking the international community is to pressure the Tigers to free the civilians," Sri Lanka's foreign secretary Palitha Kohona said. "The Tigers are using a human shield."Even beyond the end of the conventional military campaign, Colombo knows Tamil guerrillas will continue to menace the island."Just because we capture territory that does not mean the end of the war," Rajapakse said. "The LTTE will not give up easily. For over 30 years they have grown here and abroad. They can start again."My next step is to bring stability and then consolidate peace."Most analysts believe that the Tigers are likely to go back to the classic guerrilla tactics they adopted after they formed the LTTE in 1972.Earlier this month a female Tamil Tiger suicide bomber killed 30 people and wounded 75 at a camp for civilians who had fled the war zone.Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the authorities may have to maintain tight security and road blocks in the country for another two years even after the Tigers are crushed.

Six schools closed in Vavuniya District

The arrival of IDPs from the Wanni to Vavuniya has resulted in the closure of six schools. Students are facing difficulties and are finding it difficult to continue with their studies after the closing of the six schools.The six schools namely Chettikkulam M.V, Nerukkulam M.V, Vavuniya Muslim Vidyalayam, Koyilkulam Hindu College, Gamini Maha Vidyalaya, Poonthottam M.V., were converted into welfare centers in Vavuniya.Nearly 32,000 refugees have arrived in Vavuniya, which is the reason for the setting up of six additional Welfare Centres totalling to 12. The College of Education and the Technical College of Vavuniya were also closed down due to the IDP issue.According to informed sources the Government has taken action to start Ordinary Level, Advanced Level and the Grade five scholarship classes this week. Meanwhile, around 10 International Non Governmental organisations are involved in the humanitarian activities.

Sri Lanka ruling party achieves another milestone in its polls history

Sri Lanka's ruling party, United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has swept into the power with a heavy majority in the Central and North Western provincial council polls held yesterday to select 106 councilors for another four-year term. Ruling party secured the Central Provincial Council with a clear majority receiving 650,803 votes with 34 seats, while the main opposition, United National Party (UNP) received a total of 422,125 with 22 seats. The Marxist People’s Liberation Front (JVP) managed to get only 15,416 votes from the Central Provincial Council and didn't win a single seat. The fate of the North Western Provincial Council election to select 50 councilors is yet to be determined as the overall results in the province will be late due to the Election Commissioner's decision to annul the results in one of the polling stations in Puttalam District over irregularities. A re-poll has been ordered by the Election Commissioner for the annulled polling center, Nayakkarchenai Tamil Vidyalaya in Puttalam District. The date for the re-poll will be announced by the Election Commissioner shortly. However the power is tilted towards the ruling party in the Provincial Council as the UFPA has secured the Kurunegala District and all the other electorates in the Puttalam District with a heavy margin of votes.The main opposition this time lost most of its traditional strongholds in the Central province and the UNP managed to win only two electoral seats, Mahanuwara and Nuwara Eliya - Maskeliya in Central Province. Showing a clear recession in its poll history the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has won one seat in Kurunegala District, the only seat they won from both provinces.Sri Lanka's independent election monitoring groups said the elections were free and fair with a good turn-out. Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE) reported 43 election violations yesterday but said the election was relatively free of violations. Political observers said it was the most peaceful poll held in recent times. No major incidents of violence have been reported from the five districts Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Kurunegala, and Puttalam. The Election Secretariat said the estimated voter turnout was approximately 65% when the poll closed at 4.00 p.m.However, the opposition party said there were some election violation incidents in some parts of the two Provinces and they have lodged a complaint yesterday evening saying the election was highly corrupted. A victory for the ruling party is seen as an endorsement of President Rajapaksa's military campaign to liberate the country from the Tamil Tiger rebels. A majority of Sri Lankans support the government in its efforts to end the Tiger terrorism militarily while insisting on a political solution to the decades-old conflict to address the genuine grievances of the Tamil minority.

Red Cross Is in Talks to Resume Sri Lanka War Zone Food Convoys

The International Committee of the Red Cross is in talks with the Sri Lankan government and Tamil rebels on resuming food convoys to civilians caught in war zones after halting deliveries last month amid increased fighting. The ICRC is also seeking to ensure safe passage for civilians from Mullaitivu district, the last area held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Sophie Romanens, a spokeswoman, said today by phone from the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo. The last ICRC-escorted convoy, carrying food provided by the World Food Programme, went into the areas on Jan. 29, she added. At least 250,000 civilians are trapped in conflict zones on the Asian island, threatening to cause a humanitarian disaster, the United Nations and aid agencies have said. A further 30,000 have fled to the government-held Vavuniya district, according to the United Nations Children Fund, which is helping them. The ICRC hasn’t evacuated anyone from conflict zones since Feb. 12, when it removed 400 wounded and sick civilians, along with their families, from Puttumatalan village in Mullaitivu district, Romanens said. Two days earlier it removed 345 people and their families. Tamil Tigers yesterday attacked a bus carrying civilian evacuees, killing a 60-year-old woman and wounding 13 people, the Defense Ministry said. The rebels threw a grenade and then opened fire on the vehicle, which was heading to the government- held town of Vavuniya from the northern district of Kilinochchi, according to the statement. Velupillai Prabhakaran, the LTTE leader, who is still in the country’s north, will continue to hold civilians until the military captures him, the Sunday Observer said today, citing two suicide bombers detained by the military.

Tamil Tigers

The Tamil Tigers are now confined to about 100 square kilometers (39 square miles) in the northeast Mullaitivu district after being driven from their main bases in the north and east of the country by government forces. The group is fighting for a separate homeland for Tamils in the South Asian nation. Last week, the rebels accused the government of blocking access for international aid groups and of harassing refugees in camps. The government on Feb. 13 declared a 12-kilometer-long (7.4 miles) safe zone for civilians on the northeastern coast to allow access for aid. Sri Lankan warplanes yesterday destroyed a hideout of the rebels’ naval suicide bombing unit in Vellamulla Vaikkal in Mullaitivu district, according to a Defense Ministry statement. The LTTE wasn’t immediately available for comment. Separately, the government also held local polls in five central and northwestern districts yesterday. President Mahinda Rajapaksa wanted to turn the election into a referendum on his handling of the battle against Tamil Tigers, Agence France- Presse reported. No results have been announced yet.

Prabhakaran still in Lanka, say surrendered rebels

Sri Lanka's elusive Tamil Tigers leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is still in the country's north, two suicide cadres who have surrendered to the military were Sunday quoted as saying.Prabhakaran, facing the most serious crisis since Tamil insurgency broke out over a quarter century ago, remains holed up in the rapidly shrinking territory still held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the state-run Sunday Observer quoted them as saying. "Prabhakaran is still in Wanni (LTTE held area) and will continue to hold innocent civilians until the military captures him," one of the two suicide bombers said. The daily said the two guerrillas, Kanakasuthasan Suthas alias Shanker and Thillainathan Thivakaran alias Thamil Alai, had made surprising revelations to the security forces. "According to them, with the battle hotting up, Prabhakaran had sent his wife and their youngest son, 10-year-old Balachandran, to a safer location," it said.Prabhakaran, who founded the LTTE in 1976, is known to have deep underground caves and bunkers in the forests of Mullaitivu, from where he oversaw the war against Indian troops in Sri Lanka in 1987-90. The two "Black Tigers" in their early 20s surrendered to the 57 Division Jan 28 after failing to blast the bund of the giant Iranaimadhu Tank in Mullaitivu district. The two, well-trained in under water operations, were detected near the Iranaimadhu tank just days after the LTTE exploded another tank at Kalmadukulam, also in Mullaitivu. The Iranaimadhu tank is where a sea plane carrying LTTE's late political advisor Anton Balasingham and wife Adele landed in 2001. According to the Sunday report, the revelations by the surrendered suicide cadres "confirmed that the LTTE had more terror plans in their hand to reverse the security forces victories" even at this stage when the Tigers have been cornered in a small stretch of land in Mullaitivu district. They said they were briefed about their mission by Charles Anthony, the elder son of Prabhakaran who they added headed the IT unit of the LTTE Jan 23. "Sea Tigers leader Soosai (was) also there when Charles Anthony briefed them," the Sunday Observer said, adding the two suicide cadres were trained to swim more than 10 km at a stretch under water. Before they were taken to Vishwamadhu for the mission, it said the suicide cadres "had dinner with Prabhakaran in December at an unknown location". The menu at the dinner included mutton and string hoppers. "Charles Anthony explained his plan to the Black Tiger cadres through a computer presentation," the report said. "They (were) asked to explode the tank bund at a depth of 20 feet to cause maximum damage," it said. The the were provided claymore mines, diving kits, chargers and satellite phones. "Charles Anthony and Soosai had estimated that 5,000 soldiers would die in the floods following the blast of the Iranaimadhu tank bund," it said quoting the suicide cadres.

Govt. to resettle Muslims in Jaffna

The government is making plans to resettle the Muslim people who were displaced from Jaffna in 1990, following a group of representatives expressing their interest in returning home.Their intentions were notified by a group of representatives that met with Social Services and Social Welfare Minister Douglas Devanada in his Jaffna office last week. They requested the Minister to assist them in re-establishing their homes in newly cleared areas with government assistance to construct homes being the main request. “The group of people who met me was made up of men, women and children who were forced to leave their homes with little more than the clothes they were wearing almost two decades ago. Since then, their houses have been looted and completely destroyed. Part of the initial group that was living in welfare camps in Puttalam have returned and are in an area called Muslim Wattaram. However, they need money to build permanent homes and dry goods to live on until they can return to their abandoned livelihoods,” he said. Minister Devananda insisted that he would assist them, but noted that a time period could not be given for completing the resettlement process. Infrastructure development was also earmarked along with rehabilitation of Huseniya College and Ikra pre-school for the benefit of the children. However, Resettlement and Disaster Relief Services Minister Rishad Bathiudeen maintained that rehabilitating the Muslim IDPs of Puttalam was not part of the initial Rs.500 million resettlement plans and that it was targeted towards dealing with recent IDPs from the north. “The resettlement process will come after the recent IDPs are rehabilitated. After that, anyone who wishes to return can do so. But our priority for the moment is taking care of the people who have lost their homes during the recent spate of fighting,” he said.

Muralitharan(Karuna) yet to show cause to TMVP

The TMVP is yet to receive a response from MP V. Muralitharan on his statement against the Eastern Province Chief Minister S. Chandrakanthan and the party.Muralitharan, the founder of the TMVP was sidelined by the party following his return from the UK last year.Muralitharan earlier this month stated that Chandrakanthan was not fit to be the Chief Minister and that the TMVP cadres still had the mentality of barbarians.TMVP General Secretary E. Kaileswararaja said that Muralitharan had not explained his conduct to the party.The central committee of the party, which convened on February 3, soon after the controversial statement, gave Muralitharan time till February 17 for him to come out with an explanation regarding his statement..

Genocide in Sri Lanka

THE BARRAGE of media reporting of the grim conflict in Sri Lanka has captured popular imagination, but has overlooked the grisly Sinhalese Buddhist genocide of innocent Hindu or Christian Tamil civilians by a US dual citizen and US green card holder. The two should be investigated and prosecuted in the United States.Acting on behalf of Tamils Against Genocide, I recently delivered to US Attorney General Eric H. Holder a three-volume, 1,000 page model 12-count genocide indictment against Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Sarath Fonseka charging violations of the Genocide Accountability Act of 2007. Derived from affidavits, court documents, and contemporaneous media reporting, the indictment chronicles a grisly 61-year tale of Sinhalese Buddhists attempting to make Sri Lanka "Tamil free."Rajapaksa and Fonseka assumed their current offices in December 2005. They exercise command responsibility over Sri Lanka's mono-ethnic Sinhalese security forces. On their watch, they have attempted to physically destroy Tamils in whole or in substantial part through more than 3,800 extrajudicial killings or disappearances; the infliction of serious bodily injury on tens of thousands; the creation of punishing conditions of life, including starvation, withholding medicines and hospital care, humanitarian aid embargoes, bombing and artillery shelling of schools, hospitals, churches, temples; and the displacements of more than 1.3 million civilians into camps, which were then bombed and shelled. This degree of mayhem inflicted on the Tamil civilian population because of ethnicity or religion ranks with the atrocities in Bosnia and Kosovo that occasioned genocide indictments against Serbs by the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.During the past month, a virtual reenactment of the Bosnian Srebrenica genocide of more than 7,000 Muslims has unfolded. Sri Lanka's armed forces employed indiscriminate bombing and shelling to herd 350,000 Tamil civilians into a government-prescribed "safety zone," a euphemism for Tamil killing fields. There, more than 1,000 have been slaughtered and more than 2,500 have been injured by continued bombing and shelling.As a preliminary to the horror, roads and medical aid were blocked, and humanitarian workers and all media were expelled. During a BBC radio interview on Feb. 2, Rajapaksa declared that outside the "safety zone" nothing should "exist." Accordingly, a hospital has been repeatedly bombed, killing scores of patients. Rajapaksa further proclaimed that in Sri Lanka, any person not involved in fighting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is a terrorist. The United States assailed and sanctioned Serbia for noncooperation in apprehending genocide defendants Slobodan Milosevic, Radovan Karadzic, and Ratko Mladic. The United States should be no less scrupulous in prosecuting suspected genocide by its own citizens or permanent residents. Further, under Article 5 of the Genocide Convention of 1948, ratified by the United States Senate in 1986, the United States is obligated to provide "effective penalties" for genocide. That imposes an obligation on signatory parties to investigate and to prosecute credible charges - a benchmark that has been satisfied by TAG's 1,000-page model 12-count indictment of Rajapaksa and Fonseka.The predictable defense of counter-terrorism will not wash. Not a single Tamil victim identified in the model indictment was involved in the war between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The lame excuse of defeating terrorism was advanced by Sudanese President Omar Bashir to a genocide arrest warrant over Darfur issued by chief prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo of the International Criminal Court. The chief prosecutor retorted that although Bashir's pretense was counterterrorism, his intent was genocide.The State Department lists Sri Lanka as an investigatory target in the Office of War Crimes. The New York-based Genocide Prevention Project last December labeled Sri Lanka as a country of "highest concern." President Barack Obama has made the case for military intervention in Sudan or elsewhere to stop genocide. All the more justification for the United States to open an investigation of the voluminous and credible 12 counts of genocide against a United States citizen and permanent resident alien assembled by Tamils Against Genocide.A genocide indictment would probably deter Rajapaksa and Fonseka from their ongoing atrocities against Tamil civilians. There is no time to tarry.

President to call Tamil political parties on road map for political process in Vanni

In a surprise movePresident Mahinda Rajapakse disarming his critics in India, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to call a meeting of TNA, TULF , EPDP, CWC and other Tamil political parties of Sri Lanka on 'democracy' road map for the 'liberated areas'. The meeting will take place in about a week and may coincide with the army virtually liquidating the Tigers in their very Vanni stronghold."We needed a military solution to evict the terrorists from the country. The government took up the challenge to liberate our country from Prabhakaran menace. Our heroic soldiers have almost liberated f Vanni and already 95 percent is free. In a few days our security forces will free the entire Vanni. So, it is time we address the problem politically", the President told the Asian Tribune in an exclusive interview.He made it clear that leaders of all Tamil parties would be invited 'without any discrimination’ unmindful of their previous political links in the past."There will be no discrimination. Leaders of all Tamil parties will be invited. Yes, despite their previous leaning towards LTTE. Where is LTTE now? I want to hear them on how to go about restoring the political process in Vanni. This is very urgent. We cannot delay (the process) ', the President stated candidly.Leaders of Tamil National Alliance (TNA), Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), Tamizh Democratic National Alliance (TDNA), Pathmanabha Eelam Revolutionary Liberation Front (PERLF), Up-Country People's Front (UPF), Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDF), Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization, (TELO), Ceylon Workers' Congress (CWC), will be invited besides Deputy Ministers Suresh Vadivel, Parliamentarian Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, Vadivel Puttirasigamani and others.Shortly after coming to power, President Rajapaksa had set up an All Party Representative Committee (ARC) to examine issues related to devolution of power and 13th amendment to the Constitution. Though it has done some work, ARC has not made much headway in the absence of consensus. However it is expected to deliver soon. Asked about the rationale for his new initiative, Rajapaksa said, 'I am of the opinion that we have to urgently consider ways and means of brining the people of Vanni into the democratic mainstream' Elaborating, the President said, 'Unless we take quickly some steps to give voice to the people and rehabilitate the displaced families, the sacrifices of army will have no meaning. Our victories will be wasted'. He added that political process and rehabilitation should go hand in hand for 'stability' in the country.Answering a question, President Rajapaksa said, 'it is time we come up with plans for development of the North and share the dividends of the war (to end LTTE terrorism) with the people particularly in the North'.Referring to the progress of War against terrorists, Rajapaksa said it (the war) has reached the final stages and that was the reason why the government has started focusing attention on people's needs. 'Remember they lived with fear without basic facilities under the Tigers since 1996. LTTE held them as hostages'.Housing, the President said, would receive 'top priority' as a part of resettlement and rehabilitation of people displaced due to the war. Infrastructure will be created expeditiously and drinking water, medical cover, and schools and other basic amenities will be provided.Already the Cabinet has approved a Memorandum to construct 8000 semi-permanent houses for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) entering the Government controlled area.. Five welfare villages have been identified for to settle people coming out of Killinochchi, President told the Asian Tribune when asked for details of the plans underway.Asked whether the government would make an appeal to the diaspora for contribution, Rajapaksa replied: "Why only diaspora? Our people in Western countries? Every one of us in Sri Lanka should consider our paramount duty is to help in whatever way possible our Tamil brethren who are being liberated. It is our bounden duty".Answering a question about Prabhakaran, the President said, 'Our invitation to Prabakaran and his main is still there. If there is going to be change of heart, Government will welcome them'. He regretted that the LTTE leader did not respond to our appeals to lay down arms and come to talks. "We have already appealed to Prabhakaran and his men to lay downs their arms. We invited them to join the mainstream and come forward for talks. Unfortunately our appeals fell on their deaf ears and the Government was forced to take military action against them.

Govt. Minister barred from taking part in future election activities

A government minister was yesterday barred from participating in any election activities in future due to complaints made on his failure to abide by election laws.Livestock Development Deputy Minister K.A. Baiz was barred from taking part in election activities in future by the Elections Commissioner, election monitors said.Chairman, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), Kingsley Rodrigo told The Sunday Leader that the Minister was barred from participating in election activities following complains made against him and his supporters at the Provincial Council polls that concluded yesterday.Rodrigo said that Baiz had continued to canvas for votes through Puttalam FM radio after the deadline for campaigning was over. All parties were asked to stop campaigning by midnight Wednesday.However, Baiz denied involvement in any activity that was in violation of the election laws.He told The Sunday Leader that he was not informed by the Elections Commissioner of any decision barring him from participating in election related activities in future.Monitors also said that the voter turnout for the North Western and Central Provincial Council elections yesterday was less than expected.Rodrigo said that around 60% had turned out to cast their votes."Around 60% cast their votes in the Central Province while around 55% cast their votes in the North Western Province," Rodrigo said. He added that the people to were not interested about the elections.PAFFREL had recorded around 40 incidents of election violence out of which 15 were confirmed."The percentage of the people who came to vote shows that they too were not interested in the whole election process. But on the whole, we see this election as a positive one," Rodrigo added.Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CAFFE) also said that the polls were held with less violence. Citizens of the North Western and Central Provinces were less enthusiastic when exercising their franchise."We observed that the citizens of the North Western and Central Provinces were less enthusiastic when exercising their democratic right to vote during this election."CAFFE also said there was a low level of election related violence during polls yesterday. "However, the right to vote of significant sections of the population in the North Western and Central Provinces was denied due to technical issues. Furthermore, one party had an unfair advantage over the other parties leading up to this election."

Sangaree awaits govt. response

TULF Leader V. Anandasangaree yesterday said that the government had not yet responded to his request to release details of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and that he would ask for a meeting with the President next week to personally make his concerns known. He sent a letter detailing his requests to the President early least week. The letter called for the identities and addresses of the IDPs to be released since concerned relatives living abroad were desperately trying to trace their loved ones. Anandasangaree noted that he had been inundated with calls from frantic relatives who had no way of verifying what had happened to their family members. He also wanted the government to release sick and elderly people to the care of their families living outside IDP camps and to give access to humanitarian agencies.

14 February 2009

Tigers welcome India’s stand

The LTTE have welcomed India’s latest stand that the government of Sri Lanka should suspend its military operations against the Tigers, and that the Tigers, in turn, should declare their willingness to lay down arms and begin talks with the government.In a reaction to Indian President Pratibha Patil’s address to the joint session of the two Houses of Parliament on Thursday, the pro-LTTE Tamilnet website said that India had accepted that the LTTE was a partner in any future negotiations to resolve the Tamil question in Sri Lanka, and that the LTTE need not lay down arms before beginning talks. India had asked the LTTE only to “declare its willingness’ to lay down arms ahead of the talks. This would allow room for both the parties to actually end the war only after reaching a mutually accepted position in the negotiations, Tamilnet said.Patil had told the Indian parliament: “We are concerned with the plight of civilians internally displaced in Sri Lanka on account of the escalation of the military conflict.We continue to support a negotiated political settlement in Sri Lanka within the framework of an undivided Sri Lanka acceptable to all communities, including the Tamil community. I would appeal to the Government of Sri Lanka and to the LTTE to return to the negotiating table. This can be achieved if, simultaneously, the Government of Sri Lanka suspends its military operations, and the LTTE declares its willingness to lay down arms and to begin talks with the government,” The website described the expression: “within the framework of an undivided Sri Lanka acceptable to all communities, including the Tamil community” as being “ambiguous”, and that it could mean acceptance coming from the Tamil people for an undivided Sri Lanka. In other words, there could not be settlement within a united Sri Lanka without the consent of the Tamils.

Official says 40 civilians die daily in Sri Lanka war     

The top government health official in Sri Lanka's northern war zone says 40 civilians are killed every day and more than 100 others wounded in the fight between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels.Dr. Thurairajah Varatharajah says the makeshift hospital he is running out of a school in the coastal town of Putumattalan is overwhelmed by the casualties.Most of his doctors and nurses have fled the war zone and the facility is running out of some essential medicines.Varatharajah says civilians in the area have been suffering heavy casualties for three to four weeks.Aid groups have estimated more than 200,000 civilians are trapped in a tiny strip of land still controlled by the rebels along the northeastern coast.The military and the rebels deny attacking civilians, but reports from aid workers, health officials and evacuees implicate both sides.

Downing Street red-faced after Sri Lanka condemns 'envoy'

Britain was tonight embroiled in a diplomatic row with Sri Lanka after Downing Street mistakenly thought it had been granted approval to appoint a special envoy to focus on the country's deteriorating humanitarian situation. The Sri Lankan government has angrily labelled the appointment of Des Browne, the former Defence Minister, as "extremely unhelpful" and warned of "major repercussions" for relations between the two countries. Anxious to win its decades-long conflict against the separatist Tamil Tigers in the northeast of the country, it has brushed aside concerns over the humanitarian impact of its escalating battles. Human rights organisations have warned that, as Sri Lanka's military pins the rebels down to a strip of jungle, around 250,000 people are stuck in the conflict zone and are being caught in the midst of the fighting. Downing Street sources told The Times that David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, had spoken to President Mahinda Rajapaska before making the announcement and believed he had been given the green light. This morning, Mr Miliband was on the phone to his opposite number in Colombo to try to soothe Sri Lankan worries. It is understood that the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister, Rohitha Bogollagama, is now reporting back to his government colleagues and will have further discussions with Mr Miliband over the weekend. Last night, Mr Bogollagama condemned the appointment, saying: "It is tantamount to an intrusion into Sri Lanka's internal affairs and is disrespectful to the country's statehood." The stand-off came amid mounting tension between Sri Lanka and the international community over the impact of the government's war against the rebels. The military says that it is close to defeating the Tigers - a listed terrorist organisation in the United States, the EU and India - and accuses the rebels of using civilians as human shields. Britain also expressed concerns last night about the Sri Lankan government's proposal to set up five camps to hold 200,000 mostly Tamil refugees from the conflict zone for up to three years. "We do not believe current plans represent a sufficient solution by international humanitarian standards," a spokesperson for the Department For International Development told The Times. "Prolonging the displacement of this very vulnerable group of people is not in anyone's interests." Sri Lanka is calling the camps "welfare villages", but prominent Tamil critics have denounced them as "concentration camps". Sri Lankan authorities have also accused Western rights groups, aid workers, diplomats and journalists, including those from the BBC, of being prejudiced towards the Tigers, and "sensationalising" civilian casualties. Announcing his appointment, Downing Street had said that Mr Browne intended to focus on "the immediate humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka and the government of Sri Lanka's work to set out a political solution to bring about a lasting end to the conflict". It said in a statement yesterday: "As special envoy, he will work closely with the Sri Lankan government, leaders from all communities in Sri Lanka, international agencies and the wider international community."

Tamil man sets himself ablaze outside UN office

A man of Tamil origin committed suicide outside the United Nations' Geneva office by setting himself on fire, UN officials confirmed Friday.The incident took place the night before, they said. In terms of security, they felt it imposed no threat on the UN as it occurred outside the building.Last week, thousands of Tamils gathered outside the UN to protest the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka and asking the world body for humanitarian assistance.Several hundred people congregated late Friday on the spot where the man burned himself.

UPA government should be sensitive to Sri Lankan Tamils: BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of being 'insensitive' towards the cause of the Sri Lankan Tamils."The decades-old ethnic conflict of the country (Sri Lanka) can not be resolved by using brutal force and the central government is behaving insensitively towards the issue," BJP's prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani said. Advani was addressing activists and leaders of the MDMK and pro-Eelam organisations who were on a day-long fast here under the leadership of MDMK leader Vaiko. The focus of the entire nation should be towards ending the sufferings of the innocent and Tamil civilians of the island country, Advani added. The activists began their fast here to express solidarity with thousands of civilians who are trapped in the on-going war between the Sri Lankan army and the LTTE in the island's northern region. "We (BJP) want that the issue should be resolved through negotiated political settlement rather than the brutal use of force," Advani said. Strongly condemning the bombing of the hospitals, he said: "This is for the first time, I am hearing of hospitals being bombed and patients being killed." "I personally call upon every Indian to be associated with the cause of the Sri Lankan Tamils as it is not only the issue of the Tamils of Tamil Nadu," he said.

LTTE welcomes appointment of British Special Envoy

Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) has welcomed the appointment of Des Browne as Special Envoy to Sri Lanka by the British Prime Minister on Thursday. In a letter addressed to Mr. Des Browne, LTTE's Head of International Diplomatic Relations S. Pathmanathan said the British government had a moral responsibility to intervene to stop the genocide being committed by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) on Tamil civilians in the island of Sri Lanka. The LTTE remained committed to a peaceful solution to the conflict and honoured the February 2002 peace pact, the letter addressed to Mr. Des Browne said. Britain named a special envoy to Sri Lanka on Thursday to help bring about a political solution to the island’s long-running conflict and to ease hardships to Tamil civilians trapped in the Vanni warzone. Sri Lanka swiftly rejected the appointment of the special envoy as “an intrusion into internal affairs” and said the British move was "disrespectful to the country's statehood."Mr. Pathmanathan, a senior leader of the LTTE is working abroad with required mandate from the LTTE leadership to represent the movement in any future peace initiatives and to function as the primary point of contact for engaging with the international community.

Teen fasts to publicize plight of Tamils in Sri Lanka
 
The petite 17-year-old is the youngest of eight ethnic Tamils in the country who are fasting to call attention to the plight of their countrymen in Sri Lanka, an island nation off the coast of India where some 300,000 members of the Tamil minority are trapped in the fighting between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil rebel army."They are struggling to survive and I am trying to protest," she said in a telephone interview. Her friends have tried to talk her out of it. But she has pressed on, subsisting on water, vitamins, and Gatorade as part of a protest called Starving for Peace, organized by members of People for Equality and Relief in Lanka, or PEARL."I was lucky enough to be born here, away from the bombs, away from the death, and away from the extremist government that treats you like a second-class citizen because of the language you speak," she said. "If my family wasn't lucky enough to get out of the country . . . I might have been suffering the same fate."Suntharalingam was born in Boston, but her mother moved to the United States from Sri Lanka in 1989 with her husband, eventually joining roughly 350 Tamil families in the Boston area. Suntharalingam learned to speak Tamil before she could speak English, and her mother cooks Tamil food every day.Suntharalingam stays connected to Tamil culture by participating in the Boston Thamil Association of New England, and through the stories her mother and uncles tell, Suntharalingam said. Three years ago, she traveled to Sri Lanka to attend one of her uncle's weddings."I've grown up purely Tamil," Suntharalingam said. "It kind of runs through me."Tens of thousands have died in the conflict between the Sinhalese majority, which makes up 74 percent of Sri Lanka's 21 million people, and the Tamil minority, constituting about 10 percent.Tension between the two groups has existed since Sri Lanka became independent from the British in 1948, but the situation erupted into all-out war in 1983, when the rebel Tamil Tigers began fighting for a separate homeland using suicide bombings as a tactic. The Sri Lankan government responded with a brutal crackdown on ordinary civilians.In 2002, the government and the Tamil Tigers formalized a cease-fire. But last month, the Sri Lankan government began a massive offensive that has shrunk rebel-held territory - once estimated at 7,000 square miles - to just 80.In recent weeks, hundreds of noncombatants are believed to have been killed in the fighting; the Sri Lankan government has reportedly bombed hospitals, and a Tamil Tiger suicide bomber blew herself up at a refugee camp. The Sri Lankan military has been reluctant to let World Food Program convoys into the war zone, insisting that a humanitarian pause would let the rebels regroup or escape.That prompted Suntharalingam and other youths involved with PEARL to plan a hunger strike to pressure the United Nations and the Obama administration to help the Tamils.At first, her mother did not believe she would be able to last very long because she loves to eat. Now she worries aloud that her daughter will grow so thin she will "disappear." But her mother supports the cause."As a mother it's difficult," said Suntharalingam's mother, Suba, who is vice president of the Boston Thamil Association. "Even though she was born here and lives here, she was feeling for others' suffering. You have to be proud about it."Suntharalingam's last meal, a Burger King Whopper, was at midnight Feb. 2. Since then, the gnawing in her belly has not been nearly as bad as she expected. Her mind is not as sharp in class, however. She has taken to watching her step dance practice after school, rather than joining in. When she gets home in the afternoon, she runs upstairs and shuts the door, to keep out the smell of her mother's wonderful cooking. Every other day, she joins a supportive conference call with the others who are fasting. She has blogged about her experience on PEARL's website."It would be nice for people to understand that if our people are gone and our country has disappeared, then there won't be a Tamil culture to go to," she wrote. "We all have to take action immediately to save our country, our people, our language, our identity."Suntharalingam's group plans to fast until they have forfeited 10,000 meals cumulatively - each meal representing 30 of the estimated 300,000 Tamils trapped in the war zone. On PEARL's website, people can pledge to fast a meal themselves, deducting from the total. So far, more than 1,100 Americans, including dozens of Bostonians, have pledged to forgo meals.Suntharalingam, who wants to become a doctor, plans to travel to Sri Lanka after graduation. For now, she said, her fast will continue."As long as I can. I'm hoping a month," she said.

Narayana Murthy appointed Sri Lankan President’s IT advisor
 
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday appointed N R Narayana Murthy, chairman of India's Infosys Technologies, as his  international advisor on information technology, the president's office said. Rajapaksa made the appointment after inviting Narayana Murthy as the chief guest to the ceremonial launch of '2009-Year of English and Information Technology' at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo on Friday. It was launched as a major initiative of the government to meet the demands of the 21st century in skills and capacities, mainly at the rural sector. Infosys is a global consulting and IT services company based in India. Narayana Murthy, who has stepped down as its CEO but continues as chief mentor and board chairman, has received numerous prestigious awards and honours, including Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian award of the Indian government. Speaking at the event, Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka was "greatly inspired by the dramatic success of India" in the field of IT in recent years. "It is for this reason that we have turned to India in addition to other countries for technical support to strengthen our own endeavours. We are honoured by the presence today of Narayana Murthy, the 'father of IT in India' and the chairman and mentor of the world famous Infosys," President Rajapaksa said. He said Narayana Murthy's address at the ceremony had given a wider perspective on empowering rural people with knowledge in IT. Rajapaksa expressed confidence that his association with Sri Lanka's national initiative would continue in the future as well. The president said his government lays emphasis on the unmistakable need to urgently equip people, especially the youth, with proficiency in the English language and to provide them with access to computers and Internet through rapid development of use of IT. "With the liberation of our people from the clutches of terrorism which destroyed our country for more than 25 years, year 2009 will also be our country's Year of Peace, our country's Year of Reconciliation, and our Year of true Independence," Rajapaksa said. "English and IT shall, therefore, be used by our government as instruments of rural empowerment; as powerful tools that could make the villages of our country a meaningful part of the global village," the president said. Present among the key invitees were Abhai Maurya, vice-chancellor of the English and Foreign Languages University of Hyderabad, which has already launched a re-training programme for Sri Lanka's English teachers with the assistance of the government of India. 

First police station in former rebel capital of Sri Lanka opens

Sri Lanka government has taken measures to reestablish the police station in Kilinochchi, the former rebel capital, nearly after a decade. Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police Mahinda Balasooriya who visited the place recently said the Kilinochchi police station is the first of twenty police stations scheduled to be established in the Wanni region. According to the Senior DIG Balasooriya the Kilinochchi police station is opened in the building where the rebels' pseudo police chief Nadesan used to run his police.He said the other nineteen police stations will be established in the Wanni region in very near future.

INDIA  Catholic priests urge India to intervene in Sri Lanka

A forum for Catholic priests in India says the country should intervene to save innocent people in neighboring Sri Lanka.The Conference of Diocesan Priests of India says India cannot remain silent when genocide is reported in various parts of the globe. The priests noted that India's democracy is based on the high moral principles gained from a freedom struggle that set an example to the world.About 60 priests attended the annual meeting in Bhopal, a central Indian town. The conference is the official association for diocesan priests of the 128 Latin-rite dioceses among the 160 Catholic dioceses in the country. The other dioceses belong to the Oriental-rite Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches.A statement from the conference's Feb. 3-6 meeting said its members feel anguished at the terror unleashed against innocent people in Sri Lanka as well as in Gaza.India and other nations must work to bring an immediate end to the war in Sri Lanka and to resume a political process that would protect the human rights of the Tamil people, the statement said.The priests also want India to "extend humanitarian assistance to the battered Sri Lankan Tamils." Media reports say hundreds of Tamil civilians, including Christians, are caught in the ongoing fighting between Sri Lankan government forces and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

UN force needed in Lanka: MEP

A leading member of the European Parliament says the situation in Sri Lanka is now so critical that the UN must send a peacekeeping mission to prevent a civilian massacre.Robert Evans, Chairman of the European Parliament Delegation for Relations with South Asia, called on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to send a peacekeeping mission as soon as possible."All the evidence suggests that about a quarter of a million people are not just stuck in limbo, but could be caught in a ghastly bloodbath," said Evans, who belongs to Britain's ruling Labour party.Evans said Tamil civilians have a "natural reticence and fear" of accepting a Sri Lankan government offer "to come over to their side"."They are terrified of Sri Lankan troops and their 'holding camps'. Equally there are stories suggesting that the LTTE has or might shoot anyone who tries to escape from the areas that remain under their control. "There could be as many as 250,000 men, women and children massacred in the next few days unless the international community acts immediately," he added.Evans said he has discussed the worsening situation in Sri Lanka with Foreign Office Minister Mark Malloch-Brown, and European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner and was in Oslo on Tuesday meeting Norwegian minister and former peace negotiator Erik Solheim.

13 February 2009

India appeals to Govt, LTTE to resume negotiations
   
Conveying concerns over the “plight of civilians” displaced in Sri Lanka due to the military conflict, Indian President Pratibha Patil yesterday appealed to the Sri Lankan government and to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to return to the negotiating table for a negotiated settlement. “This can be achieved if, simultaneously, the Government of Sri Lanka suspends its military operations and the LTTE declares its willingness to lay down arms and to begin talks with the government,” she told the Indian parliament.In her address to the joint session of the two houses of parliament, the president also focussed on Indias improving relations with neighbours in South Asia, and underlined that although ties with Pakistan made “considerable progress” over the last five years, the continuation of terrorism has eroded this process. Underscoring Indias independent foreign policy, the president also spoke glowingly about Indias global nuclear deal that ended 34 years of nuclear isolation and New Delhis transformed relations with Washington. “The opening of such cooperation with India is a vindication of Indias impeccable record on non-proliferation and our long-standing commitment to universal, non-discriminatory and comprehensive nuclear disarmament,” the president said while alluding to Indias re-entry into the global nuclear mainstream after the September 6, 2008 waiver by the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). “The conduct of our foreign policy has enhanced Indias stature in the world. My government’s foreign policy has been imbued with the values that our nation rests upon - of independence of thought and action, ensuring a democratic, just and equitable world order and the rule of law,” Patil said. “Indias views on the major international issues of our times are not just heard, but are now being actively sought,” she stressed. “My government worked actively with the international community to address key global challenges of terrorism, energy and food security, climate change and sustainable development, the global economic and financial crisis, and the reform of international institutions, including the United Nations, to reflect contemporary realities,” the president said.

Tigers abandon more heavy weapons as army eyes last major LTTE town

The LTTE rapidly retreating on the Vanni front had abandoned four more 120 mm and two 81 mm mortars as its once renowned ‘artillery and mortar units’ gradually collapsed under relentless military action. The army is now poised to overrun Puthukudirippu, the last major town situated along the Paranthan-Mullaitivu A 35 road. The 58 Division advancing on LTTE bases north of A 35 road on Wednesday (11) them along with one 120 mm mortar tube, four bipods of 120 mm mortars, six bipods of 81 mm mortars, six base plates of 81 mm mortars, one light machine gun and two rifles after overrunning a well fortified LTTE base.The area under LTTE control is now down to about 140 square kilometres. At the time major battles erupted in August 2006 in the Eastern theatre, the LTTE had approximately 15,000 square kilometres under its control.The army said that 9GW (Gemunu Watch) had captured the artillery at the base situated at Sinna-villu, north-east of Kuppilankulam.The 58 Division commanded by Brigadier Shavindra Silva had been engaged in heavy clashes at Kuppilankulam and Tamarankulam over the past few days. Despite some of the fiercest resistance offered by the LTTE north of the road, the Division had gradually forced the LTTE to give up some its precious armaments. Wednesday’s recovery was made close on the heels of the seizure of one 152 mm artillery piece and three 120 mm mortars also by the 58 Division on the eastern flank.Meanwhile fighting continued in the Tamarankulam area where 12 GW, 7 SR (Sinha Regiment) and 19 VIR (Vijayaba Infantry Regiment) caused heavy losses on the enemy. The army said that troops had recovered four LTTE bodies along with five T-56 assault rifles, two claymore mines, six electrically operated mines and one radio communication set. Tamarankulam is situated about 5 km north of A-35 and 3 km west of Chalai lagoon. The army said that during Wednesday snipers deployed in areas close to the LTTE-held area had shot dead 23 LTTE cadres.Airforce headquarters said that LTTE-held area was under constant surveillance to thwart gathering of reinforcements and the movement of heavy weapons within the area dominated by the LTTE. A senior Airforce official told The Island that the Katunayake-based jet squadrons would take on targets depending on the ground situation. The civilian presence in what he called the rapidly shrinking LTTE-held area would make it extremely difficult to deploy jets, he said. But the Hingurakgoda-based No 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron would continue to provide close air support, he said.The navy continues to maintain tight surveillance off the Mullaitivu seas to thwart Sea Tiger activity. The 55 Division gradually pushing towards Mullaitivu will seal off the enemy’s access to the sea on the north-eastern coast when it links up with the 59 Division. The navy has thrown a sizeable force to implement what an official called a permanent blockade.

Cabinet rejects special UK envoy
 
The Cabinet has rejected the appointment of a special envoy to Sri Lanka by the British government, Daily Mirror learns. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had appointed Des Browne MP as his Special Envoy to Sri Lanka yesterday.  The official announcement was made late last night. However, well informed government sources said that Cabinet, which had been informed of the move earlier in the day by the British Prime Minister, had decided to reject it on the grounds that such an appointment would be an infringement of Sri Lankas sovereignty. The British High Commissioner in Colombo had also reportedly discussed the matter with Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama yesterday before the official announcement was made. Daily Mirror learns that the Foreign Ministry was later tasked by Cabinet to notify the British Foreign Office of the Sri Lankan government’s stand on the appointment. The British government said that, in his new role, Des Browne would focus on the immediate humanitarian situation in northern Sri Lanka and the Government of Sri Lanka's work to set out a political solution to bring about a lasting end to the conflict. As special envoy, he will work closely with the Sri Lankan government, leaders from all communities in Sri Lanka, international agencies and the wider international community.  However, there was no direct mention of whether the special envoy would seek to engage with the LTTE. Speaking of his appointment, Des Browne had said he welcomed the opportunity to act as the Prime Minister's Special Envoy and was looking forward to contributing to the UKs efforts to improve the serious humanitarian situation and liaising with all parties that may have a role to play in taking forward work on a sustainable political solution in Sri Lanka. British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, had last week called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the conflict in Sri Lanka, as the death toll continued to rise and conditions for the civilian population deteriorated. He had said that, if peace were to be sustainable, there needed to be a new drive for political engagement by the Sri Lankan Government with all communities in Sri Lanka, to address their legitimate concerns. The British Foreign Secretary had also said on his blog website that he had spoken to President Mahinda Rajapaksa two weeks ago about his concern regarding the humanitarian situation in the North.  “News today of further fighting and no sign of the ceasefire that the Government proposed, renews that concern.  Reports of deadly attacks on international medical centres are rightly at the top of the news,” he said.

In Sri Lanka, Tamil women suffer the worst of war

In one of the biggest hospitals in Sri Lanka's north, many women patients wonder why they survived the fighting between the Tamil Tigers and the military that killed so many of their friends.A woman in her late 40s frequently breaks down as she lies on a bed in a hospital in Mannar, clutching her son of two-and-a-half years who has lost a leg. Her two other children are missing, residents in the region say.She was among the large number of Tamils escaping from Kilinochchi, the former political hub of the Tamil Tigers, last month when a shell probably fired by the army exploded, ripping apart her son's leg below the knee.Losing no time, she handed over her other two children, a six-month-old son and a daughter of seven years, to a friend as she tried to find help to save her bleeding and wailing son.She managed to reach the hospital in Mannar, where she remains warded. She has no idea where the other children are - and whether she will see them ever again.She also has no news of her husband, who left their home long ago after the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) ordered him to serve their civilian militia.Another patient at the hospital is a girl of 16 years who is left with only her upper torso. A resident of Mullaitivu district, both her legs came off in an aerial bombing seemingly targeted at the LTTE.There is also a 22-year-old woman, seven months pregnant. Half her body got burnt when her house in Kilinochchi caught fire in aerial bombing. Her breasts are charred.Remarkably, all these women are officially under detention at the hospital although some cannot even stir on their own. Since they came from areas the LTTE ruled for years, the doctors have been forbidden from discharging them.Human suffering shows no signs of abating in Sri Lanka's bleeding war. Most of the pain is being borne by Tamil civilians, many of whom are destitute after repeatedly fleeing their homes.As the Sri Lankan military remains poised to seize the last stretch of land held by the LTTE in Mullativu, civilians are fleeing from there in hundreds, desperate to get away from it all.Medical personnel say that many of the patients in Mannar are traumatised after seeing scores of bodies along the road as they fled the fighting. Many bodies were torn apart.Many of the injured, reports say, simply bled to death because no help was available.One woman told the doctor: 'It is worse than the tsunami. At that time many came to help us. Now there is nobody.'Hospitals in the northern districts of Mannar and Vavuniya every day receive dozens of wounded civilians. The really critical cases are sent to Anuradhapura, at the edge of the war zone.Most victims are children, women and elderly men. While the Vavuniya hospital has all kinds of patients, the ones at Mannar are mostly amputees - those without hands and legs.Once out of the conflict zone, and left with nothing but the clothes they are in, the injured are dependent on the military and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for survival.There appears to be no precise count of how many have been wounded in aerial bombings and shelling. Tamils from outside have no access to army-seized Kilincochi where hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Tamils from Mullaitivu have taken refuge.Civilians who have not been injured are taken to detention centres in Mannar, Vavuniya and Jaffna to find out if they are indeed non-combatants or LTTE fighters in disguise.

Action in Sri Lanka Humanitarian aid must be delivered to the Tamil people

Sir, I agree that there should be an immediate, unconditional ceasefire by both sides in Sri Lanka (Bronwen Maddox, World Briefing, Feb 12). However, I also believe that the time has come for the UN Secretary- General, Ban Ki Moon, to demand that a United Nations peacekeeping mission be allowed access to the country to avoid a civilian bloodbath. Reports from the country say that the remaining doctors and medical staff in the LTTE (Tamil Tiger)-controlled area in the north of Sri Lanka have been ordered to leave. The Sri Lankan Government has urged Tamil civilians to come over to its side, but there is a natural reluctance and fear of such a move. Equally there are stories suggesting that the LTTE will shoot anyone who tries to escape from the remaining area under its control. The Tamil people have seen so much death and destruction. They are terrified of Sri Lankan troops and their “holding camps”, not to mention their different language. There could be as many as 250,000 men, women and children massacred in the next few days, unless the international community acts immediately. In addition, I am calling on the United Nations and the international community as a whole, to demand that the Sri Lankan Government allow humanitarian aid to these people and full access for the world press and media corps. Time is running out. This help must be delivered as a priority.

Army declares new safe zone
   
The army yesterday declared a new 12-km long ‘Safe zone’ along the western boundary of the Mullaitivu lagoon and urged the civilians to move into this area at the earliest.The army said this decision was taken following the outbreak of heavy fighting in areas earlier demarcated as safe zones and with thousands of people moving towards coastal areas during the last few days.“The LTTE used the areas earlier demarcated as safe zones to mount their weapons and fire at the troops,” a senior military official said adding that these developments led to shift the safe zone to a new location.The new safe zone is a 12-km long strip from the northwest of Vadduvakal to the west and north of Vadduvakal to the eastern coastal boundary, and runs up to Palamattalan south on the western side. On the coastal belt up to the extreme north, the eastern strip ends at the southeast of Palamattalan. The area between the northwest of Vadduvakal to the north of Vadduvakal that touches the eastern sea boundary is about two km wide and the extent at the northern end of the strip, touching Palamattalan area is about 1 km wide.The entire un-cleared coastal area from the north of Vadduvakal in the demarcated zone includes the tiny villages of Vellamullavaikkal, Karayamullivaikkal, Velayanmadam, Ampelavanpokkanai and Putumattalan in the 12 km-long strip.The army headquarters said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was informed about this new safe zone.On January 21, the military declared a 30 square kilometer area on the north of the Paranthan- Mullaitivu road as a ‘Safe Zone.’

TN CM welcomes Pratibha’s call

President Pratibha Patil’s appeal to Sri Lanka to suspend military operations evoked mixed response from political parties in the State on Thursday.In his first official statement after his spine surgery, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi welcomed her call to the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE to find a solution through negotiations. “The President’s statement gives immense pleasure and joy to me,’’ Karunanidhi said. However, the President’s words gave little solace to PMK founder S Ramadoss. The Centre should move on to the next step if the Lankan government failed to act on India’s request, he said.In a statement here, the PMK leader said the demand made by the people of TN for a ceasefire in Lanka had at last, bore fruit to a small extent. If Lanka failed to listen to the words of India, then the Centre should withdraw all its technicians now in Lanka and warn that India would not extend any assistance to encourage war in that country, he said.India should also come forward to extend food and medicines to the people affected by war in Sri Lanka through international organizations, the PMK leader said and added that these steps would make Lanka accede to the ceasefire demand.

Black shirt protest by TN MPs on Lanka issue

India's Sri Lanka's policy came under flak in Parliament during the President's address today with eight members from Tamil nadu recording their protest by turning up in black shirts.These MPs belonged to the CPI(2), PMK(4) and MDMK (2). Mid-way through the address of Ms Pratibha Patil, MDMK members Krishnan and Ravichandran raised slogans against the country's policy in Sri Lanka where the military offensive against the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) still continues.Earlier, the presidential address was interrupted by Mr Shariqur Rahman Warq of Samajwadi who protested against the plight of minorities in the country.It was the first time External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee acted as stand-in Prime Minister for Dr Manmohan Singh who is still convalescing after his bypass heart surgery. He sat alone in a front bench and followed the President when she left the Central Hall after delivering a 75-minute address.Ms Patil began her address to a joint sitting of Parliament by greeting Dr Singh on behalf of all MPs, saying they were happy that he is recuperating fast."We wish him a speedy recovery for continuing with his onerous responsibilities," she added.Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari, also Chairman of Rajya Sabha, who laboured through opening and last paras of the President's 31-page speech in Hindi, also wished Dr Singh speedy recovery.

Burnt bodies of 2 Tamil youths recovered in Vavuniyaa

Bodies of two Tamil youths burnt beyond recognition were recovered from Chamayaapuram in Kaneasapuram area in Vavuniyaa district Wednesday morning by the Vavuniyaa police. Both had been abducted by unidentified armed persons few days ago from their residences, according to the relatives in statements to Vavuniyaa police.  The bodies had been found lying along Ma'nipuram Road in Ganeshapuram area. Both bodies had been identified by their relatives as of 31-year-old Selvaretnam Sathananthan and 26-year-old Saravanamuthu Sathiyanathan (26) of Naampanku'lam in Oamanthai, police sources said.The police suspect that both youths were shot dead before being burnt. Bodies were handed over to their relatives after postmortem examination held in the Vavuniyaa general hospital Wednesday evening.

12 February 2009

S Lanka civilian attacks denied 
 
The Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels have both denied accusations of inflicting civilian casualties in the north-east. The army said it was not responsible for the shelling of a makeshift hospital which the Red Cross (ICRC) said had killed 16 people on Monday. The Tamil Tigers denied shooting dead 19 fleeing civilians. Meanwhile the ICRC says a boat carrying 240 wounded civilians from the war area has arrived safely in Trincomalee. "The boat arrived from Putumattalan on Tuesday night," an International Committee of the Red Cross spokeswoman told the BBC. "Because it took all night for the wounded and sick passengers to disembark we cannot return to collect another 160 patients waiting to be transferred from the war area until Thursday." The ICRC said at least 16 patients were killed on Monday in shelling of the centre treating wounded civilians in Putumattalan. "We are shocked that patients are not afforded the protection they are entitled to," ICRC head Paul Castella said. He did not say who was behind the shelling. The government has strongly denied that it was involved. "We did not fire at this location on Monday and it is quite possible that the Tamil Tigers attacked them," military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara told the AFP news agency. The military in turn accused the rebels of gunning down 19 civilians and wounding another 75 who tried to escape from the dwindling territory they still control. But that allegation was "categorically denied" in a statement released by the Tigers on the pro-rebel TamilNet website. It said that Sri Lankan army commandos were responsible "in their attempt to forcibly move civilians" away from the conflict areas. "Sri Lankan military machinery, which has relentlessly killed and maimed thousands of civilians during the past four weeks, is now engaged in a propaganda drive to divert the mounting pressure on the Colombo government by the international community," rebel spokesman C Ilamparithy was quoted by TamilNet as saying. Because independent journalists are forbidden by the government from travelling to the war zone, it is impossible to verify the claims of either side. The rebels are now restricted to an area of less than 100 sq km (38 square miles) and analysts say they are close to military defeat. The ICRC says the recent fighting has claimed hundreds of civilian lives and trapped tens of thousands of people. The director general of health services Ajith Mendis told the BBC Sinhala service the ministry of health had issued an order for doctors and hospital staff to leave the conflict area to work in government-controlled areas. The government has rejected international calls for a ceasefire, demanding the rebels lay down their arms. The Tigers have said they will not do so until they have a "guarantee of living with freedom and dignity and sovereignty". The rebels started fighting in the 1970s for a separate state for Tamils.

TMVP disarming

The TMVP says it has begun to disarm its cadres in line with its recent policy and hopes to complete the process very soon.Eastern Province Chief Minister and TMVP Leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan told the Daily Mirror that as an initial step the party had begun disarming its military wing and its cadres were now receiving vocational training and preparing for overseas employment. “We have begun to disarm the cadres. There is no need for our cadres to have arms now. We hope to complete the process soon,” Mr. Chandrakanthan said.Mr. Chandrakanthan added that on par with other political parties, his party offices and cadres too had received police protection due to the threats they had received by the LTTE. However he added that such threats had become less in the past weeks due to the defeat of the LTTE in the North. “The LTTE has been defeated by the Government and most of its cadres have fled. However despite this if we need more protection, the Government has assured us that our security will be increased immediately,” Mr. Chandrakanthan said. He added that while most of the military wing had now disarmed, some of his political cadres would continue to hold weapons for self security. He said that these cadres too would disarm in time. The Daily Mirror learns that soon after the cadres disarm, Army and police protection is to be provided to the senior leaders of the party who face threats. The Daily Mirror also learns that following the disarming of the TMVP, most of its cadres are expected to join the Army and the police force.Meanwhile the Eastern Province Chief Minister also said that civilians who fled the East as a result of the conflict are being resettled in a two stage process.“We are first focusing on the people who fled from the recent fighting. After that we will look at the people who fled soon after the 1983 insurgency. All those who return will be taken care of and we will also look at inviting those who are in camps in India to come back,” he said.

Doctors leave Mullaitivu
 
The ministry of health has issued orders to doctors and other health staff to leave Mullaitivu district immediately.Director General of Health services Dr Ajith Mendis said that the staff was asked to leave as they would not be able to function as usual due to the on going conflict. He told BBC Sandeshaya that doctors from Puthukudiyiruppu hospital in Mullaitivu district have already arrived in Vavunia.“If intense fighting is going on the best thing is to move out of the area” said Dr Mendis. He further said that doctors have been asked to move out with the help of the ICRC. “This is a very unusual situation and changes to the mode of operation have to be made” added Dr.Mendis. He said that two surgeons have been sent to Trincomalee to help the medical staff there to treat patients who were evacuated from Pudukudiyiruipu.

US designates Tamil group

The United States has frozen the assets of a U.S.-based charity that officials say provided money to the Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka.The Treasury Department said in a statement Wednesday that the Maryland-based Tamil Foundation has acted as a support network for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The U.S.  government considers the Tigers a terrorist group.The Treasury designation freezes the Tamil Foundation's U.S. assets and prohibits Americans from engaging in any transactions with the group.Treasury official Adam Szubin says the Tigers have «relied on so-called charities to raise funds and advance its violent aims.The rebels have been fighting since 1983 for an independent state in the north for minority Tamils

BJP not for LTTE, says Thirunavukkarasar

CHENNAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party’s participation in the Sri Lankan Tamils Protection Movement (SLTPM) is based on the understanding that the Movement will not support the Liberation Tigers of Tamils Eelam, according to S. Thirunavukkarasar, national secretary of the party. “The BJP is not for the LTTE. There is no compromise on this issue,” Mr. Thirunavukkarasar said, in response to a query. Some of the constituents of the Movement are known supporters of the LTTE. Explaining the party’s position on the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, he said it was for “zero tolerance against violence on innocent Tamil civilians.” The problem should be resolved peacefully and at the earliest through negotiations. He referred to the political resolution adopted at the recent national council’s meeting at Nagpur and the presidential address by Rajnath Singh at its inauguration. The essence of the resolution and the address was that while respecting the sovereignty and integrity of Sri Lanka, the party wanted devolution of powers according to a federal structure as envisaged in the 1987 India-Sri Lanka accord. Power should be provided to Tamils under the 13th Constitutional Amendment of the Sri Lankan Constitution. Mr. Thirunavukkarasar said he and State BJP president L. Ganesan had discussed the party’s approach with Mr. Singh and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha L.K. Advani. It was with their approval that the State unit was taking part in the deliberations of the SLTPM. Making it clear that different parties had come together under the umbrella of the Movement only to highlight their concerns on the Tamils, the BJP leader denied that there were political considerations. Despite being poles apart ideologically, the BJP and the Communist Party of India had decided to be part of the movement because of the convergence of their views on Sri Lankan Tamils issue.

LTTE printing press and grenade plant found in Mullaitivu

Sri Lankan troops consolidating their positions in Mullaitivu on Wednesday morning located a huge LTTE printing press, the military said.Troops of 58 Division conducting consolidating and search operations in the general area Sugandhirapuram in Mullaitivu came across the huge printing press and a grenade manufacturing factory adjacent to it. A few printing machines were also found inside the premises, defence sources said. Meanwhile, troops of Task Force 4 conducting search and clear operations today in south of Puthukkudyiruppu found a 12 feet long printing and cutting machine used by the LTTE.

TNA to be invited for APRC

The Tamil National Alliance (TELO,TULF,EPRLF and ACTC) is to be invited to the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) which is poised to complete their deliberations towards a future power sharing mechanism for Sri Lanka, APRC Chairman Prof. Tissa Vitharana said. He said: "I feel that the TNA should now realise the genuine needs and aspirations of Tamils should be expressed, not just the needs of the LTTE. " With the emerging developments in the North, Prof. Vitharana said he was of the view that the TNA should play a more positive role towards finding a permanent political solution to the North and East issue. He said a formal invitation will be dispatched by the APRC inviting the TNA to take part in deliberations to add their input to the process that would lead to a new constitution with more powers to peripherals. A majority of Tamil political parties represented in Parliament, EPDP, CWC and Democratic People's Front (formerly Western People's Front) are actively participating in the APRC discussions which is expected to be finalised within four weeks. In addition, TULF Leader V. Anandasangaree and EPRLF P section Leader Siddharthan are constantly being updated of the developments within. APRC also hopes to renew its invitation to hardliners like the JVP and the JHU who had been pressing for a military victory over the LTTE before going for a political solution, he said. "What we plan to do is to continue the current process and hand them the final draft for their inputs before it is submitted to the President."

Tamil MP staying in Wanni for the last six months

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Sathasiwam Kanagarathnam who represents Wanni has not reached Colombo for the last six months as he wants to look after the well-being of Tamils in Wanni, his party sources said.According to a senior member of TNA, Chandrakanthan Chandraneru the main goal of this action by Kanagarathnam is to live with the Tamil people who are facing severe difficulties in Wanni. He has already obtained leave from the parliament for his extended absence from parliamentary sessions and is currently staying at Mullaitivu, the source added. MP Kanagarathnam has told the party that he would reach Colombo again when the Tamil people of the area get liberated.

'Without Me, They Couldn't Win the War'

Dressed in their Sri Lankan army fatigues and clutching automatic assault rifles, a half-dozen bodyguards fanned out over the lawn of a seaside hotel to form a ring of security for their client: Karuna Amman, formerly a top commander in this country's rebel army. Colonel Karuna, his nom de guerre, was widely seen as the second most powerful figure in the now-beleaguered Tamil Tigers rebel group, also known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which has waged a 25-year uprising for a separate homeland for Sri Lanka's ethnic Tamil minority. He broke ranks five years ago and joined Sri Lanka's government, taking at least 6,000 troops with him, he says. Known across this Indian Ocean island nation as the "Tiger Who Lost his Stripes," Karuna, 42, sees himself as one of the architects of the Tamil Tigers' expected demise. The Sri Lankan army has taken one rebel-held town after another and appears closer to winning the war than at almost any time since the insurgency began in 1983. "All the world knows that without me, they couldn't win the war," said the stocky, mustached renegade, whose real name is Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan. He wore a yellow pinstriped shirt and gray slacks during a rare interview at a heavily guarded hotel on the outskirts of Colombo, Sri Lanka's capital. "I know all the hideouts and tactics," he said. "And without my manpower, the Tigers lost their grip. That's why I am world-famous." Once a teenage bodyguard of the Tigers' elusive chief, Velupillai Prabhakaran, Karuna rose to become part of his inner circle, commanding forces in Sri Lanka's wild east, as its jungle terrain is known. Karuna later was credited with leading the Tigers' capture of the strategic Elephant Pass, an important military base in the Jaffna Peninsula, giving the rebels a firm grip on the island's northern tip. Karuna, who was popular with the soldiers, said he showed his troops movies and documentaries of World War II battles, including the Stalingrad drama "Enemy at the Gates," which he had translated into Tamil, "for motivation." He studied the military tactics of Nazi Germany's Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, famous for his command of German troops in France and North Africa, he said. During a two-hour interview this week, sitting among the banana palms on the hotel lawn, Karuna called Prabhakaran "a mad totalitarian who people think is an ironman, but he never even comes out to the battlefield." Karuna disapproved of Prabhakaran's use of suicide bombers, mainly because they often killed innocent bystanders. "He turned our liberation movement into a terrorist movement," he said. "I grew to realize that a separate homeland was never going to happen. He just shouted at me and called me a traitor. I realized that peace and development were the only two important things." Karuna said his conversion occurred while he was negotiating with the Sri Lankan government during several rounds of peace talks. Several Tamil Tiger news outlets, however, say that the real reason Karuna broke away was because of his alleged financial and personal misconduct. They called his defection a "temporary aberration." Still, soon after breaking ranks, Karuna began fighting alongside government forces against the Tigers, helping the security forces recapture parts of the eastern region in 2007. Sri Lankan army officials played down Karuna's role as a tactical adviser, but the country's military spokesman did say that they gained an important tactical advantage when Karuna split with Prabhakaran, dividing the rebel army. "Karuna coming into the mainstream certainly showed the fighters under him that their leader could become part of the political process," said Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, the military spokesman. "That did send a message." Karuna was recently appointed a member of Parliament, supported by President Mahinda Rajapaksa's ruling United People's Freedom Alliance, and he hopes to soon be given a minister post for developing Sri Lanka's east, where his family hails from. In this deeply divided nation, Karuna is held up as an example of a way forward for a more inclusive government, which has offered amnesty and job training to Tamil Tigers who surrender. "We will, in part, use the example of the east as a blueprint for resolving tensions in the north," said Palitha Kohona, Sri Lanka's foreign secretary. "We will also integrate Tamil speakers into government offices and as policemen. It will take time for the Tamil and Sinhala communities to be able to forget the past. But once you give equal economic incentive, the country has so much potential and is bound to take off." But some doubt that Karuna is much of a role model for a united Sri Lanka. He served nine months in jail in Britain in 2007 on charges of traveling with a forged passport. Amnesty International has questioned Karuna's appointment to Parliament, accusing him of war crimes, including torture. UNICEF and Human Rights Watch also accuse him of recruiting child soldiers, although Karuna denies all of those allegations. "He's yet to prove that he's more than a renegade," said Mano Ganesan, a Tamil member of Parliament. "We don't know if this is just a big show. He will have to really prove himself as a reformed leader who really is a part of the democratic process and is looking out for the Tamil people." The Tamil Tigers are fighting for a separate state for the nation's ethnic Tamil Hindu and Christian minorities after what they see as decades of marginalization at the hands of governments controlled by the Sinhalese Buddhist majority. The conflict's roots stretch back to when the British colonized Sri Lanka with the help of Tamil administrators, giving Tamils, then about 15 percent of the population, political power far beyond their numbers. After independence in 1948, the Sinhalese gained back power, often with a nationalist program that Tamils say excluded them from government posts. During recent fighting, the government and human rights groups have accused the Tamil Tigers of holding hundreds of thousands of civilians hostage to use as human shields against the government's offensive. The rebels deny the allegation and accuse the government of shelling civilians. Karuna watches from his ever-shifting number of hideouts, since he constantly fears he will be murdered. He predicts that the end for the Tamil Tigers is near. "When we were in the east, the people helped us with foods and medicines. Now the people totally hate the [Tigers] for using them as human shields. Now they have no community support," he said, leaning back in his plastic chair. "That's why they won't bounce back."

11 February 2009

Canadian MPs' genocide claims upset Lanka
 
Sri Lanka has expressed its anguish over remarks by some Liberal lawmakers in Canada , who termed the island nation's military offensive in areas held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam as 'genocide'.An emergency debate was held at the House of Commons on the worsening situation in Sri Lanka in which over 300,000 civilians, mostly Tamils, are trapped in the conflict. "There are a few Liberal MPs who used the word genocide in the parliamentary debate," Sri Lankan Consul-General Bandula Jaysekara told rediff.com in a telephone interview."By using this word they have helped the Tamil Tigers create genocide in Sri Lanka for many years. They have no right to do that because we are two friendly countries. But these MPs are doing it because of their vote banks. They want to get elected because of the votes of Sri Lankan Tamils in certain federal ridings. These MPs are in the pockets of those people (Tamils)." He singled out Liberal MPs Jim Karagiannais, Judy Sgro, Robert Oliphant, Albina Guarnieri and Derek Lee.  Speaking in the House of Commons, Karygiannais said he held a round table about the situation in Sri Lanka and the participants wanted the Canadian government to 'condemn immediately the slaughter and genocide of innocent Tamil civilians in the northern part of Sri Lanka by the army; break its silence about the genocide in Sri Lanka and call upon the Untied Nations to immediately invoke an internationally sponsored ceasefire; for the LTTE to lay down its arms, and for the Sri Lankan army to return to their barracks."Robert Oliphant (Don Valley West) claimed 'genocide is occurring and the global community must take action. Tens of thousands are dead, towns and villages have been destroyed and this growing crisis has disproportionately affected the minority Tamil population in the northern and north east parts of the Island."Oliphant claimed there was a 'shelling of civilian areas.' He later reportedly defended the use of word 'genocide'. Intervening in the debate, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lawrence Cannon said: 'Canada calls upon the government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to declare and to honour an immediate ceasefire to allow full, safe and unhindered access, the evacuation of the sick and wounded and the delivery of much needed humanitarian assistance to civilians.'However, the Sri Lankan consul-general ruled out the possibility of a ceasefire saying, "Ceasefire has taken place earlier. Peace talks have taken place and every time the Tamil Tigers regroup and rearm themselves. When the East was liberated none of these guys (Liberal MPs) spoke."The motion for emergency debate was moved in the House of Commons by NDP leader Jack Layton that called on the Canadian government 'to use all diplomatic means to put pressure on the government of Sri Lanka and its military to respect the human rights of the civilian Tamil population' and 'ceasing all violence against Tamil civilians and halting all government policies and actions aimed against the Tamil minority of Sri Lanka'. The motion was carried unanimously in the House of Commons.

LTTE fighters kill 17 citizens, army says

Tamil Tigers killed 17 civilians and wounded 69 others Tuesday, apparently to prevent them from fleeing Sri Lanka's war zone, a government official said. Sri Lankan army spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said survivors of the attack said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam militants opened as the civilians tried to flee the Wanni region to seek shelter with government security forces, the Press Trust of India reported. Nanayakkara said the incident happened in the Udayarkattu area in Pudukudiyyrippu in the northern Wanni region. He said the victims were carried by the group of about 1,000 civilians. On Monday, a female suicide bomber killed 29 people and injured 64 others when she detonated a device at a refugee center.

SL Army 57 Div reach Kuravilkulam Junction - Mullaittivu

Sri Lanka Army 57 Division troops have entered Kuravilkulam built up located 16 miles west of Paranthan down the A-35 road (Paranthan- Mullaittivu) on Tuesday afternoon (Feb 10). According to the battlefield sources, soldiers of 8 Sri Lanka Light infantry (8 SLLI) commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ipsitha Dissanayake have manoeuvred from south of the A-35, crossing the Theravil Aru (canal) and captured the Kuravilkulam junction during the morning hours. The infantrymen encountered stiff LTTE resistance as they marched across the open ground before they have reached the Kuravilkulam junction, said the sources. During subsequent search operations, troops have found a forty-foot container full of ammunition used for multi purpose machine guns (MPMG) and T-56 riffles. The fighting is continued as troops are now engaged in moping up operations to neutralize remaining LTTE pockets, the sources added.

Relentless shelling expels civilians from 'safety zone'

Thousands of civilians were seen Monday fleeing in all directions from the 'safety zone' as mortar, artillery and Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) rockets hit the entire area demarcated by the Colombo government as safety zone. At least 36 civilians were killed and 76 wounded throughout the day in Va'l'lipunam, Chuthanthirapuram and in Maaththa'lan. The entire 100-houses-scheme located in Chuthanthirapuram was burning following MBRL attack with shells that caused immediate fire. Many had fled the 100-houses-scheme already and the remaining stayed inside the bunkers throughout the barrage. The settlement, initially set up for refugees from Mannaar, is located on Udaiyaarkaddu Chuthanthirapuram Road.Several thousand people were fleeing safety zone further into LTTE controlled areas. But, not all have fled the security zone as most of the casualties were reported on the roads on Sunday. Casualty figures from 100-houses-scheme was not known. 6 civilians were killed and 12 wounded when they were fleeing Chuthanthirapuram and Theavipuram.4 dead bodies of civilians were brought to Chuthanthirapuram hospital. At least 16 civilians were killed in Maaththa'lan and 49 were reportedly wounded. Five members of a single family were among the victims, the reports said. 7 civilians, including 3 children, were rushed to hospital with serious burn injuries following the artillery and MBRL barrage. 3 more civilians were killed in Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) attacks and 15 sustained injuries.

Devolution of powers in Lanka only way out: Pranab

India today underlined the urgent need for credible devolution of powers in Sri Lanka, saying it is the only way forward to ensure resolution of problems afflicting the island nation.External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who received a telephonic call from Canadian Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon, told him that India remains concerned over the condition of civilian population in northern Sri Lanka.Mukherjee noted that the "safety and security of the civilians and the internally displaced persons continued to be a source of concern," the External Affairs Ministry said.He said the only way forward would be to ensure credible devolution of powers at the earliest.Mukherjee also called up Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith to convey deep condolences and sympathies to the families of the deceased and victims of the bushfires in the State of Victoria and expressed India's readiness to provide any assistance in the disaster relief and management that Australia may require.

Red Cross evacuates 240 wounded civilians from LTTE-held areas

Amid heavy clashes in Sri Lanka's northeastern Mullaitivu district, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Tuesday evacuated 240 sick and wounded civilians from rebel-held areas using a ferry, an official here said.ICRC spokesperson Sarasi Wijeratne said that the 240 people in the war-zone boarded an ICRC-chartered ferry off Puthumathalan, a narrow coastal strip still under the control of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in Mullaitivu district.'The local fishermen's union has given help by providing their fishing boats to transfer these 240 sick and wounded people from the shore to the ICRC ferry. It was a difficult process,' Wijeratne told IANS.The spokesperson said the ferry was now on its way to the eastern port city of Trincomalee with the patients.The ICRC said the sea evacuation of the sick and the wounded was done with the agreement of the parties to the conflict - the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE.'There were 400 sick and wounded people and today we were able to evacuate only 240. We are planning a similar evacuation operation tomorrow,' she said.Military sources said that 30,329 civilians trapped in the LTTE-held areas have entered the government-held areas of Mullaitivu since January to date, despite desperate efforts by the LTTE to prevent them from going across.The military said at least 19 civilians were killed while 75 were wounded Tuesday when the LTTE opened fire at hundreds of displaced civilians fleeing the war-zone.On Monday, at least 20 soldiers and eight civilians were killed in a suspected LTTE female suicider's bomb attack.

Sri Lanka Eastern Province Chief Minister blames government

Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan yesterday blamed the government over lack of attention to the Eastern PC. During a special discussion held with the Muslim businessmen of Batticaloa, Chief Minister has blamed the government over the issue, sources said. Chief Minister Chandrakanthan said that although eight months passed since his election to the provincial council he was not granted permission to do any development work in the province by the central government. According to the Chief Minister the peace secretariat established to develop the national unity in the Eastern region was also not granted permission for any legal activity.

The Indian stand

IT was no secret that New Delhi was initially against the Sri Lankan government’s decision to go all out for a military solution to the long-running civil war. The Indian government, like the rest of the international community, had consistently called for a political solution. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told Parliament in October 2008 that “there was no military solution to the ethnic conflict” and urged the Sri Lankan government to find a peacefully negotiated political settlement. The considered opinion in the Indian political and military establishment was that in any case, the Sri Lankan government would not be able to achieve a military victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).But in the past one year, the situation has dramatically changed on the ground. As Sri Lanka celebrated its 61st independence day on February 4, President Mahinda Rajapaksa announced that the Sri Lanka Army would achieve a total victory over the LTTE within a matter of days. However, reports of mounting civilian casualties have caused widespread international concern, especially in India, over the military offensive.Pranab Mukherjee travelled to Colombo in the last week of January to convey the Indian government’s concern about the humanitarian situation in the north of the island. More than 250,000 people have been displaced from their homes.Also in the last week of January, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said a major humanitarian crisis was unfolding. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he was “deeply concerned” about the safety of civilians caught in the intensified fighting. He urged the LTTE to allow civilians in the conflict zone to move to more secure areas and called on the government to ensure that civilians arriving from conflict areas were treated “in accordance with international standards”. The Tamil parties represented in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in New Delhi had started to get restive. There was even talk of some Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Ministers at the Centre resigning in protest. The assurances given by the Sri Lankan President to Pranab Mukherjee in Colombo seems to have satisfied the major parties in Tamil Nadu. Mahinda Rajapaksa promised that the Sri Lanka Army “would respect the safe zones and minimise the effect of the conflict on Tamil civilians”. After the Indian Minister’s visit, the Sri Lankan government also announced a 48-hour truce to allow civilians to leave the war zone. Colombo made it clear that it was not a “ceasefire” but an ultimatum to the LTTE to allow civilians to leave the war zone. Rajapaksa also told Mukherjee that his government remained committed to the implementation of the 13th amendment to the country’s Constitution, which was part of the India-Lanka Accord of 1987. If implemented, it will result in considerable devolution of powers to the Tamil-majority north. The 13th amendment had also envisaged the creation of a merged province in the northeast. Mukherjee said at the end of his visit that the President had promised to “explore the possibility of going further and improving upon the devolution proposals”. Before embarking on his trip to Colombo, Mukherjee told the media that he had “no sympathy for any terrorist activity indulged in by any organisation, particularly the LTTE, a banned organisation in India”. The Sri Lankan government has been insisting that the ongoing war is one of democracy versus terrorism. Mukherjee expressed India’s “readiness to participate in the reconstruction of northern Sri Lanka”. A statement issued by Mahinda Rajalaksa’s secretariat also said that both countries would work together on a reconstruction plan for these areas. Rajapaksa also said in an independence-day address to the nation that Tamils would be given “equality and all rights” once the LTTE was eliminated. But the targeting of civilians areas, including the lone functioning hospital in LTTE-held territory, has continued unabated. In one such attack in the first week of February, cluster bombs were used, which resulted in the death of more than 50 civilians. An ICRC statement said that the bombs had been dropped on the hospital. The “safe zones” established for civilians fleeing the fighting have been bombed indiscriminately, according to the ICRC. The Sri Lankan government and the LTTE continue to trade charges, each side blaming the other for the rising civilian casualties. There have been big demonstrations in London, Paris and Toronto, which have large Sri Lankan Tamil populations, against the Sri Lankan government’s military tactics. Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store condemned the war and said it had caused “unacceptable suffering to civilians”. He said that both the government and the LTTE had a “responsibility to protect the civilian populace and prevent more civilian deaths”.The European Union (E.U.) has urged Colombo to take “decisive action to tackle human rights abuses” and “guarantee press freedom”. The E.U. also expressed the hope that the government “will now give priority to outlining and implementing an ambitious and sustainable political solution which can put Sri Lanka on the path towards peace and reconciliation between communities”. Both Norway and the E.U. were significant players in the Sri Lanka peace process, which broke down last year.The Sri Lankan government has not taken kindly to any criticism of its military onslaught. The Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who also happens to be the President’s brother, has used strong words against foreign journalists and diplomats based in Colombo for their views on the civil war. He accused them of sensationalising the hardships of civilians in the embattled north and even threatened the Swiss and German ambassadors with expulsion. The government has not allowed the media to enter the war zone for first-hand reports.That the Congress, which leads the UPA government, has no sympathy for the LTTE is well known. After the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the LTTE was declared a terrorist organisation in India. Most governments in the world have followed suit. The going for the LTTE has become even more difficult after the events of September 11, 2001. The United States was quick to put the Tigers on the terror list. Canada, the United Kingdom and France, which have sizable Sri Lankan Tamil populations, have also proscribed the LTTE.Many observers of the Sri Lankan scene believe that the dramatic military successes of the last two months would not have been possible without the tacit support of its immediate neighbour. According to reports in the media, India’s National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan told the Sri Lankan Defence Secretary that Lt. Gen. Fonseka was the “world’s greatest army commander”. The remark came after Fonseka uprooted the LTTE from its strongholds. The Sri Lankan government had projected Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon’s visit in early January as a mark of approval of its military action.India had supplied sophisticated radar systems and other unspecified military equipment to Sri Lanka. In late 2008, Mukherjee told Parliament that Sri Lanka’s security was intertwined with that of India. “In our anxiety, we should not forget the strategic importance of that island, and it is not only their security, it is closely connected with our security,” he said. He went on to add that India would be willing to meet Sri Lanka’s security requirements provided the country “does not look around” for weaponry from other countries. Because of the initial Indian reluctance to supply lethal weapons, Sri Lanka had gone in for big defence purchases from China, Pakistan and Israel. India was particularly unhappy with Pakistan and China entering into what it considers its own sphere of influence. “What type of security arrangements should be made, what type of assistance they [Sri Lanka] will require and what is their security requirement – there should be some common assessment because they are so close to us. Surely, we would not like to have international players in our backyard,” Mukherjee had told Parliament.•

Government Dummy Annada Sangaree request SL government to ban TNA 
 
Pro Government Tamil United Liberation Front Leader V. Annanda Sangaree told 'Lanka-e-News' that he request Sri Lanka government to ban Tamil National Alliance due to in capacitate of giving life assurance to Tamil people who are fleeing from conflict zone to safe areas.TNA should request LTTE to render Tamil people to come safe areas form war zone. Mr. Sangaree emphasizes.He also blamed to Tamil Nadu state government stating Chief Minister Karunanidhi and TNA both side have shown their direct support to LTTE.

Sri Lanka questions timing of U.N., BBC criticism

Sri Lanka's government on Tuesday questioned the timing of U.N. criticism of the island nation's human rights situation and defended selective use of British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) programming on state radio stations.On Monday, the BBC said it would no longer provide FM radio programming to Sri Lanka's state broadcaster [ID:nL9595891], and a panel of U.N. experts said journalists, rights defenders and lawyers in Sri Lanka lived in a "climate of fear". [ID:nL9567831]The dual criticisms came as the government has cornered Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) separatists in the Indian Ocean island nation's north and battles to finish a civil war that has raged off and on since 1983.And the criticisms came on a day when what the military said was a disguised LTTE suicide bomber exploded herself at a registration centre for refugees, killing 29 civilians and soldiers and wounding 90.Rajiva Wijesinhe, the secretary of Sri Lanka's human rights ministry, said the U.N.'s timing risked confusing issues relating to the conduct of the war with human rights matters the government was already working to fix."Issues elsewhere, we have to address. But the two issues should not be confused," Wijesinhe told reporters on Tuesday.Critics say the government has used the war as an excuse to stifle opponents. The government says it defends free expression, but in a time of war matters of national security must take precedence.Sri Lanka has had a long history of censorship, and violence against critics and journalists that is rarely prosecuted.President Mahinda Rajapaksa has vowed to break that pattern and pledged full investigations into three attacks on the media which drew international condemnation this year.Hudson Samarasinghe, chairman of the state-owned Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, said he had received no formal notice of the suspension, which the BBC said would remain until its programmes were aired without what it called interference.But he said SLBC had the right to do as it wished after paying for programming from outside sources."This is the voice of the nation," Samarasinghe told Reuters. "I don't have the freedom to air the voice of Prabhakaran who wants to divide the country."He was referring to BBC broadcasts in November that included Tiger leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran's annual address, which state media are prohibited from broadcasting.

Mano Ganesan attacked

The Leader of the Western People’s Front, MP Mano Ganesan was allegedly attacked by a group of Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) supporters yesterday at Agarapathana. Campaign for Free and Fair Election (CaFFE) Spokesman, Keerthi Tennakoon told The Bottom Line that this has been the latest attack on opposition political parties by CWC supporters.“Ganesan’s vehicle was attacked and the Police had advised him not to precede his journey beyond that point as it was not safe. The campaigners of the CWC have been repeatedly attacking the supporters of other parties. Making the situation worse, the law enforcement of these areas are acting in a very lethargic manner in responding to such incidents,” said Keerthi Tennakoon. Tennakoon added that a large number of such incidents have been taking place in the Nuwara Eliya area but the Police have not yet been able to arrest a single person responsible for these acts of violence.

Navy nabs five Indonesians  fleeing North

Five Indonesians who were in the company of the LTTE in the North and aiding and abetting them were nabbed by the Sri Lanka Navy when they were escaping to India in an Indian trawler, Sri Lankan Naval sources said Along with the Indonesians,two LTTE cadres and two Indians were also taken into custody..A large amount of cash, foreign passports, navigational certificates, photographs taken with foreign Naval officers were also taken into custody from the Indonesians by the Sri Lankan Navy According to investigations it is suspected the Indonesians were attached to the Sea Tiger unit and were helping the LTTE in building boats and submarines On questioning the Indians they have said that they were Indian fishermen and a group of LTTE cadres had forcibly loaded the Indonesians into their boats and had directed them to take the Indonesians to Nagapattinam , a town along the South Indian coast On the two LTTE cadres detected in the Indian trawler, sources said their identities have still not been established but it is suspected they could be two important LTTE cadres escaping to India.

Govt. must take immediate measures to avert currency crisis - Economist

Sri Lanka should take immediate action in order to arrest the looming of a foreign exchange crisis or will have to face a painful full blown currency crisis. “There are several options available to us in order to avoid this potential crisis, which are all short term measures. However, if all these initiatives fail there will be a major painful depreciation, which we will not be able to control,” Dr. Sirimal Abeyrathne of the Department of Economics of the University of Colombo told The Bottom Line. “This is fundamentally a problem of the economy and not the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) as many uniformed persons think. Central Bank is a mere manager of our foreign exchange reserves which has to be earned by our country through foreign transactions.” He said.“So what has happened is that we haven’t increased our exchange earnings side significantly through export promotion and have come to this critical situation because of that, combined with other factors like the global financial crisis.” “We have, as at now, foreign reserves enough for nearly six weeks of imports which translates into approximately Rs. 1.5 bn, to my understanding.” Dr. Abeyrathne said. “One option is to allow natural depreciation of the Rupee and the second is utilising foreign borrowings to fill the gaps. The Third one is imposing import restrictions. However, we are not in a position neither do we have scope to adopt more import restrictions as already we have lots, in the name of stimulating domestic industries.” Dr. Abeyrathne said that although interest rates are coming down all over the world it was difficult for Sri Lanka to go for borrowings due to the global liquidity shortage. “Although the debut Dollar Bond issue was oversubscribed subsequent issues were not easily oversubscribed. That’s why I believe, that the government is targeting particular groups like the Sri Lankan diaspora, but that too rests purely on speculation. For all those looking for higher returns, high interests rates prevalent here would be an incentive.” “The International Monetary Fund (IMF) provides assistance in the form of short term finances as it had done for many other countries. However, Sri Lanka prefers diaspora rather than go for institutional borrowings, to fill its coffers,” he added. The general perception among Sri Lankans was that terms and conditions of multilateral lending agencies were being harmful to national economy, Dr. Abeyrathne opined. “There are borrowing options which are traditional such as borrowing from donors and multi-lateral agencies as well as non-traditional ones such as borrowing from diaspora or even from countries such as India, China and Middle East which are less affected from the global crisis. As we know several times India has come forward in the past, like with the Indian Credit Line for instance.” “Although not popular in a political sense, the best option now available as far the short term measures are concerned, would be to allow natural depreciation to take place. This will have minimum impact on local prices due to prevailing low global prices. Already a part of falling prices have been beneficial to fill the budget deficit. However, we don’t think that policymakers would consider depreciation as a possible outcome.” Dr. Abeyrathne added. “However if any of these options are successful temporarily we will be able to manage the situation.” He said.

AI roars against Tiger suicide bombing

Amnesty International (AI) yesterday condemned the actions of the suicide bomber, reportedly dressed as a civilian, who blew herself up in Vishvamadu on Monday killing 28 people and wounding dozens of others at a check point for civilians fleeing the conflict zone. The AI said that such tactics violated the international legal prohibition on perfidious attacks and exposed civilians to increased danger. “Blurring the distinction between civilians and combatants means that thousands of ordinary people, desperate to flee the conflict area, are at greater risk of reprisals and getting caught in the crossfire,” AI’s Sri Lanka expert Yolanda Foster said. She said the LTTE had a long history of using suicide bombers and have, in the past, targeted civilians. The LTTE has not claimed responsibility for Monday’s attack.  “The Tamil Tigers must immediately and publicly disavow the use of tactics such as suicide bombers disguised as civilians. It is important to remember that the use of such attacks by one party to an armed conflict does not excuse unlawful attacks in response. This perfidious assault should not be used as an excuse by the Sri Lankan military to abuse displaced civilians who should still be treated in accordance with international law,” Ms. Foster said. “The Sri Lankan security forces must still make sure that their actions are directed against military targets and not civilians.” The government has restricted media access to conflict areas making it impossible to verify accounts of what is happening on the ground.  “In a war with no witnesses, it is the civilians who pay the price for both parties disregard for international humanitarian law,” the AI said.

SCOPP hits out at AI

The Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) yesterday said it regreted the disregard shown for human life by the Amnesty International in its statement on the suicide bombing that killed 28 Sri Lankans.SCOPP said the statement seemed largely to be the work of Yolanda Foster, now described as AI's Sri Lanka expert. SCOPP said the AI statement was obviously intended to draw attention to what the Sri Lankan forces might do.“The word 'still' implies that Yolanda understands that the security forces do direct their actions against military targets, but Yolanda's shaky command of the English language means that that sentence is at best a Freudian slip in her relentless targeting of the Sri Lankan forces.SCOPP said.

Tamil lobby Counsel files indictment charges with US Attorney General

A 12-count indictment on charges for genocide has been filed with Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice last Saturday, against Sri Lanka’s President’s brother Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Army Commander Sarath Fonseka.Bruce Fein, Former Deputy Asst. Attorney General during the Reagan Administration, filed the indictment under the U.S. Genocide Accountability Act of 2007 (GAA).  Both are charged with command responsibility for genocidal deaths perpetrated by their subordinates in the Sri Lankan security forces.Fein asserts that this is the first genocide investigation and prosecution under the GAA. The GAA applies to genocide irrespective of the place of its occurrence. Rajapaksa and Fonseka are U.S. citizen and green-card holders, respectively.The indictment charges Rajapaksa and Fonseka with genocide of Tamils in twelve discrete geographic areas of Sri Lanka between December 6, 2005 (when both men assumed their government positions) to the present.  The indictment chronicles more than 3,750 extrajudicial killings, with 10 000 suffering bodily injury and more than 1.3 million displacements. Fein states, “These numbers far exceed displacements in Kosovo which lead to genocide counts before the Intl. Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.”Fein, counsel for the groups Tamils Against Genocide and newly formed Tamil Legal Defense Fund, expects that the filing of the indictment will prompt victims’ families to file suits against Rajapaksa and Fonseka on behalf of victims under the Torture Victims Protection Act of 1991.

Govt. turns down request by diplomats to visit Wanni

Requests made by the ambassadors of Switzerland and Denmark to Sri Lanka to visit the Wanni has been turned down by the government.Foreign Ministry Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona told The Morning Leader that the requests were turned down due to security concerns following the explosion at the Visvamadhu IDP centre in Mullaithivu on Monday. He also noted that the government had to be cautious as the Italian ambassador to Sri Lanka was injured last year during his visit to the Eastern Province following an LTTE attack.When questioned about the plight of the large number of foreign journalists who are currently in Colombo waiting for the Government to grant permission to visit the IDP camps in the Wanni District, Dr. Kohona said that arrangements are being made by the government to send them to the Wanni shortly. Officials at the Swiss embassy declined to comment on making a request to the government.

Suspect in Janaka Perera killing arrested

A suspect was yesterday arrested around 5.15 a.m by Medawachchiya Police in the Siyambalagaskada area in Neriyakulam, in connection with the assassination of (Retd) Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera.Police Spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekera told The Bottom Line that, the arrested suspect had brought the suicide bomber who blew himself up during a function held to declare open the new UNP office in Anuradhapura. The suicide bomber, suspected to be a resident of the Settikulam area, was brought from Settikulam up to Medawachchiya. The arrested suspect, Abusali Jabir (21) is a resident of Neriyakulam area in Mankulam. Late Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera’s wife and 20 others, including UNP Organiser in Anuradhapura, Dr. John Pulle and his wife were killed in the attack and over 35 injured.

Land mine blast kills 3 SLA soldiers in Ampaa’rai

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) triggered a landmine killing 3 Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and seriously injuring 2 soldiers Tuesday around 1:45 p.m when they were engaged in road patrol at Pannalakamam area in Ampaa’rai district, LTTE sources in Ampaa’rai district said. Meanwhile, a policeman was killed and a home guard injured in a grenade attack on the sentry post located at Veeramunai junction Tuesday around 3:30 p.m in Chammaanththu’rai, the sources added.

10 February 2009

Female Suicide Bomber Kills 28 in Sri Lanka
 
A suspected female Tamil Tiger suicide bomber blew herself up while she was being frisked by soldiers processing civilians fleeing from Sri Lanka's northern war zone on Monday, killing at least 28 people and wounding 60, the military said. The blast took place at a crowded refugee camp in Vishvamadu, a town in the north of the Indian Ocean island which was recently captured by the military, part of its ongoing offensive to corner the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and end a 25-year war, said military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara. An estimated 20 soldiers were killed along with at least 8 women and children, he said. "A large number of civilians are coming in seeking protection from the army," said Nanayakkara. "When we were checking this female -- by a woman soldier -- she exploded herself. It shows their desperation at this stage in the war." The suicide attack also showed the complicated nature of the conflict along with increased concerns about the ever-shrinking space for civilians during the final battles of the war. The International Committee of the Red Cross estimates that 250,000 people are trapped amid the fighting, although the government says that number is far lower. The rebels could not be reached for comment since communication to the north is severed. Journalists are not permitted to travel to the front lines of the war, so reports are difficult to verify. "What we do know is that this northern population has been displaced several times and they are now cornered in a very small area. This now means these people have no space to go to," said Sophie Romanens, a Red Cross spokeswoman in Colombo. She added that 400 sick and wounded civilians who were moved from a shelled hospital last week still need to be moved to a functioning hospital. They are huddled in a community center in Puttumatalan, about three miles from the hospital. "Many patients are outside," Romanens said. "They've had to hang IV drips from the trees. We are repeatedly asking both sides to grant safe passage so medical assistance can take place." Civilians have been fleeing the war zone in recent days, with 4,700 leaving Sunday, bringing the total number to have escaped to 20,000 this year, Nanayakkara said. President Mahinda Rajapakse has refused U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's calls for a "temporary no-fire period" to allow more civilians to evacuate the combat zone. Rajapakse warned rebels at a festive rally this weekend to surrender or face death. He called his effort " a humanitarian one," saying the government will protect civilians and that more lives will be saved if the war ends quickly. "They must let the civilians go and then unconditionally give themselves up," the president told cheering supporters in the northwestern district of Kurunegala, who handed him lotus flowers. "I must warn them we will not halt our operations against terrorism until we reach our final objective." The Tamil Tigers have waged war since 1983 for a separate state for the nation's ethnic Tamil Hindu and Christian minorities, who claim decades of economic and racial discrimination at the hands of the governments controlled by the Buddhist Sinhalese majority. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the fighting, which has left the palm-fringed island a maze of checkpoints in the south and a north and eastern countryside of charred huts and refugee camps. The Tamil Tiger have a squad of elite forces known as the Black Tigers who are used for suicide missions. The Tigers are credited with pioneering the suicide jacket, a bomb-laden vest. The United States has labeled the Tigers a terrorist organization because of their use of hundreds of suicide blasts, increasingly in busy urban areas like railway stations and playgrounds. In the past few months, the Sri Lankan military has boxed the Tamil Tigers into an increasingly tight corner on the island's northeast coast, where rebels operated a de-facto state-within-a-state. The government appears closer to winning the war than at almost any time since the insurgency began, according to some analysts. Still, a military win will be just the first step in what will likely be an arduous process of healing a deeply split nation where Tamils have felt like they were treated as second-class citizens and with increasing suspicion, said Kumar Rupasinghe, chairman of the foundation for Co-Existence in Colombo. "The problem is very tough since the traumatized northern population has had their fortunes tied to the Tigers for so long," Rupasinghe said. "We are pushing for a collective rehabilitation, with the government reaching out with economic and psycho-social programs. Otherwise, the camps can be converted into the next insurgency."

Tragedy of civilians as international mechanism backs out-Source TamilNet

Eight died and forty injured among fleeing civilians, reportedly caused by a human bomb according to news released by Sri Lankan military Monday. 15 military personnel also died and 24 injured in an 'IDP rescue centre' north of Visuvamadu, the military said. There were children among the dead as seen in the video released by the Sri Lankan military. The US Embassy in Colombo was quick to condemn the LTTE, based entirely on the Sri Lankan military version of the story. What exactly happened is difficult to be asserted since no independent source is available in the war frontier to verify the claims or the sequence of the tragedy.There are reports that nearly 4000 civilians were forcibly chased towards the side of the military by a unit of SLA which came near the side of the safety zone. Everyone including the civilian side, international humanitarian agencies, international media and several countries, except only the Colombo government, have been demanding all these times for an International Rescue Mission and independent monitoring agencies. However, no power in this earth is being able to materialise that."Such a tragedy of the already suffering civilians could have been averted easily by the presence of an effective International Rescue Mission," said a Colombo based NGO official. For nearly three weeks now, when the Sri Lanka Army has been deliberately firing artillery at civilian targets and at hospitals, using cluster shells and killing even patients to the full knowledge of the ICRC, the international agencies didn't know 'from where the shells were coming'. There were no comments or condemnation from the US Embassy either for the virtual genocide that was going on and is continuing to this hour.

UN deplores suicide attack in northern Sri Lanka

The United Nations has condemned yesterday’s suicide attack at a registration centre for civilians fleeing the fighting in northern Sri Lanka, which killed and wounded many civilians, including children. The attack comes amid a growing humanitarian crisis in the northern part of the South-East Asian nation, where some 250,000 civilians are trapped by fighting between Government forces and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Yesterday’s incident reportedly involved a female Tamil Tiger rebel who blew herself up at a registration centre in the Vishwamadu area of Mullaitivu district.The UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator in Sri Lanka said in a statement. The UN reiterates that civilians must be distinguished from combatants, and protected from the fighting “It calls once again on the LTTE to separate its forces from civilians under its control.”The statement noted that those killed had already been forced from their homes by fighting, and had endured terrible hardships. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other senior UN officials have repeatedly called on both the rebels and the Government to do all in their power to ensure safe passage for those fleeing the conflict zone, and to ensure the protection of civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law.

BBC suspends Sri Lanka programming over 'interference'

The BBC has suspended its FM programming to Sri Lanka's national broadcaster because of what it claimed was "deliberate interference", it said Monday.In a statement, the BBC said its programmes and news reports in English, Sinhala and Tamil had been blocked by the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), and had not been broadcast to listeners in the island nation.The BBC's accusations come as Sri Lanka's military has attempted to crush Tamil Tiger rebels, whose decades-long armed campaign for an independent homeland has recently suffered huge territorial losses during a major army offensive.The broadcaster said it had expressed its concerns over the interference directly to SLBC chairman Hudson Samarsinghe in letters and meetings through December and January."We are dismayed that the BBC?s programmes in the English, Sinhala and Tamil languages have been interrupted on the SLBC network," said Nigel Chapman, director of the BBC World Service, the BBC's international radio arm."We have no choice but to suspend broadcasts until such time as SLBC can guarantee our programming is transmitted without interference."The BBC's programming will still be available to Sri Lankan listeners, however, via short-wave radio, over the Internet and on Sri Lanka's commercial broadcaster MBC.With government forces pressing forward, the military said the area under rebel control had shrunk to less than 100 square kilometres (38 square miles).In the latest military assault, Sri Lankan war planes bombed a suspected jungle hideout where Tiger rebels had a fleet of boats.

One time rebel leader of Sri Lanka to join SLFP

One time area leader of the LTTE rebel outfit and founder of the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) party parliamentarian Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman says he will join Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in near future. Making a special statement to the media MP Muralitharan said that he will obtain the membership of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party within next three weeks. According to MP Muralitharan he has already discussed the issue with the President and other leaders of the SLFP. He hopes to convert all his political party offices in Trincomalee, Batticaloa, and Ampara districts as SLFP offices after obtaining the membership in the ruling party. MP Muralitharan hopes to get a ministerial portfolio in the government following the crossover. He said the main goal of his decision is to join the government's efforts on developing the Eastern Province and to speed up the process. Finally he said that Eastern Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan will be alone in TMVP following his crossover as a large number of party supporters are getting ready to join with SLFP.

20 rehabilitated tiger members to Kuwait       

A programme is being implemented by Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment to send members of tiger organization who surrendered to Security Forces for foreign employment after getting them rehabilitated. According to Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment the first such group consisting of 20 rehabilitated tiger cadres would be sent to Kuwait within the next few days. The Chairman of Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment states more groups of rehabilitated tiger cadres would be sent to a few other countries in the Middle East and the Bureau would establish provincial offices in Jaffna and Vavuniya to expand the programme after the ongoing operations in the North. He said the present office at Trincomalee would be upgraded to a provincial office and facilities that are available in the head office would be available in a few weeks time.

Defeated Not Out  

We have not lost our hopes yet," says Vaanan, a Sri Lankan Tamil living in Canada. "Like Jews who often greet each other with the 'we will soon meet in Jerusalem' phrase, we still greet each other with 'we will soon meet in Tamil Eelam'. This is a struggle and defeats are common. We are not going to give up."Vaanan may echo the sentiments of the Tamil diaspora. But those closer home know that the 25-year-long civil war is nearing an end. The army is closing in on the last areas held by the Liberation Tigers in the north. The government, sources say, proposes to repeat what it did in the east after its 'liberation'-hold elections and appoint a chief minister. Douglas Devananda, Sri Lankan social welfare minister, is eyeing the post of chief minister of the north. His party, the Eelam People's Democartic Party, held a large rally in Jaffna to "demand that the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) let the civilians out of their clutches."Some say the Tamils in the east got a raw deal. "Pillaiyan, who belonged to estranged LTTE leader Karuna's Thamizh Makkal Viduthalai Puligal party and was elected CM, has said that he enjoyed no rights. Tamils suffer untold miseries in the area," says a Tamil journalist in Sri Lanka. "It is two years since we have been 'liberated'. There is no sign of development. We live in fear," says Karunakaran, an engineer in Batticaloa. Kumar David, a leader of the Democratic Left Front in Sri Lanka, says another "quisling would be appointed in the north and that would only mean more woes for the Tamils." The fear that the Mahinda Rajapaksa government would continue to treat Tamils as second-class citizens makes many Tamils feel that the struggle will continue, albeit in other forms. "I do not think the LTTE is finished. We have to see how they come out of it. The struggle will become political. The expatriate community will take it forward by holding dialogue with international communities," says V. Guhanendran, a founding member of Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students, who represents Solidarity for Peace in Sri Lanka, London. "In the 1980s, Indira Gandhi had to intervene because she knew that Tamils were treated badly. The situation has not changed now." David says Tamils can enlist the support of the Sinhalas only by participating in the political problems of the south. "Hopefully, parties like the Tamil National Alliance would do it," he says. Won't the absence of LTTE chief V. Prabhakaran be a major handicap? Says David: "It would be bad for them, but I do not think that would stop them from fighting in whatever way they could." Sunanda Deshapriya, a media activist in Sri Lanka, says the LTTE could become a guerilla force. "After the war, the government will either decide to give Tamils their due rights-which is unlikely as Sinhala nationalists in the government would reject such an idea-or try to make Sri Lanka a strong single-party nation like Malaysia. That is detrimental to the Tamils. For them, it would soon be a do-or-die situation." Though Rajapaksa told External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee that he would take up devolution of powers after the war, critics think otherwise.The LTTE appointed Selvarasa Pathmanathan as head of the newly created international relations department. David says the LTTE is the only liberation movement in the world to be isolated. "Every liberation movement had the support of one state or the other. The LTTE is isolated because of the mistakes it had committed. It is time they learnt from their mistakes," he says.In Tamil Nadu, sentiments are high in favour of the LTTE after the self-immolation of Muthukumar, a 28-year-old DTP operator at a Tamil magazine run by the PMK trust, on January 29. "The suicide could have been averted if the Indian government was more sensitive to the issue," says Dyanchand Carr, president of Asian Centre for Peace and Development. Muthukumar's death has brought pro-Eelam leaders of different camps together. MDMK leader Vaiko, who is in alliance with the AIADMK, the PMK's Ramadoss, who is dilly-dallying on his alliance with the DMK, and the VCK, which is in the DMK alliance, the Tamil Nationalist Movement led by Pazha Nedumaran and other like-minded parties have come together to form the Protection Committee for Sri Lankan Tamils.  The DMK made a dramatic turnabout. The party said it was happy with the "outcome of the visit of Pranab Mukherjee to Colombo" and claimed that the 48-hour truce announced by the Sri Lankan government to facilitate safe passage of Tamil civilians from the war zone was the result of Mukherjee's visit. The DMK condemned the LTTE for "ignoring the call for truce." Also, it said the call for a bandh on February 4 by the Protection Committee for Sri Lankan Tamils would go against the Supreme Court ruling against bandhs and that the "government would be constrained to take all necessary steps to ensure people had a normal life."Observers say the change of stance is an indication of desperation on the part of the DMK to save its ally Congress. Also, Sri Lankan Tamils will not be a  poll issue. While Muthukumar's self-immolation has inspired civil society to protest for the Lankan Tamils, it remains to be seen if the protests will pick up or lose steam. 

Security forces enter Sugandirapuram: 7 LTTE bodies uncovered - Mullaittivu

Troops of the 58 Division pushed through the LTTE barricade at Sugandirapuram, North of Irruttumadu and entered the township on Sunday (Feb 8), despite intermittent LTTE resistance attacks. According to military sources, troops have uncovered 7 LTTE bodies, 5 T-yle dictatorship or rule by a military junta like that of Burma" committed to snuffing out dissent, according to the widow of Lasantha Wickrematunga, the crusading Sri Lankan editor who was shot dead last month.

Political solution to national problem the only way: Vitharana
   
A political solution to the national problem is an imperative even after eliminating terrorism. Even if Prabhakaran is destroyed, another Prabhakaran may enter the scene if we failed to solve this problem for good, said Science and Technology Minister Tissa Vitharana who is also Chairman of the All Party Representative Committee.The minister was addressing the annual general meeting of the Wayamba Lanka Human Rights Organization held recently at the Community Centre, Pannala. Dr.Vitharana said: “A solution worked out by the government should necessarily carry the consent of the UNP. Because a solution offered without the consent of the two major political parties will not be acceptable both to the Tamils in general and the international community as a whole who are taking an active part in finding a solution to this issue.”The minister also said the JVP, JHU and MEP continue to hold different views on the matter. However, most of the political parties in the main stream see eye to eye on almost all major issues. “I am confident that we will be able to produce a final solution with the proposals of the dissenting parties also incorporated into it,” said Dr.Vitharana.Referring to the retrenching of workers of Kabool Lace factory at Mattegoda, the minister said the global meltdown is affecting the country’s exports today. And, as a result it is difficult to meet the demands of the affected workers.President, Wayamba Lanka Human Rights Organization T.H.S. Tennakoon said that the end of the war on terrorism is imminent and the next task is the reconstruction of the devastated Northern Province. A massive task lies ahead. Paddy fields and farms long neglected in the North have to be cultivated. The damaged infrastructure has to be restored. Thousands of families living in abject poverty and misery due to the hostilities have to be rehabilitated.  All political parties and voluntary organizations should rise to the occasion putting aside all differences,” said Mr. Tennakoon.Three resolutions, one of them calling on all political parties to co-operate with the authorities to ensure a free and fair poll at the Wayamba February 14 polls were unanimously passed.  The other two resolutions called on the government to implement a political solution, which ensures the integrity of the country, and to provide relief to workers of the Kabool Lace factory, Mattegoda, who lost their employment.

US condemns attack

The United States condemns yesterday's suicide attack on a Government centre that was registering Internally Displaced Persons who had managed to exit the conflict area in Northern Sri Lanka. This apparent effort by the LTTE to discourage Tamils from leaving the conflict area killed and wounded many Tamil civilians, states a US Embassy press release. The United States calls on the LTTE to allow all civilians freedom of movement. The United States also urges the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure that all IDPs who leave the conflict area are registered and transferred in a transparent manner to temporary camps in accordance with international standards.

Sri Lanka risks becoming next Zimbabwe, widow warns

Sri Lanka is on the road to a "Zimbabwe-style dictatorship or rule by a military junta like that of Burma" committed to snuffing out dissent, according to the widow of Lasantha Wickrematunga, the crusading Sri Lankan editor who was shot dead last month.Speaking from an undisclosed location, Sonali Samarasinghe told the Guardian she had had to flee the country after the government "did nothing" to catch her husband's killers.A month after he was murdered on his way to work by a gang on motorbikes, the police have still not published a description of the murder weapon or asked for help in tracking down the assassins, she claimed."I was increasingly under threat. His murderers knew me. They saw my face. They knew I was working with Lasantha on investigations. I went into hiding and then decided to leave Sri Lanka. It was too poisonous and dangerous to stay," she said.Almost 30 journalists have left Sri Lanka after being "threatened". Reporters have been detained without charge and last month the biggest private television station was ransacked for not beaming enough "patriotic broadcasts".Samarasinghe said the government was determined to wipe out Tamil Tiger guerrillas and bring an end to the 26-year-old civil war but had also embarked on a campaign to silence criticism."We are being labelled traitors and terrorists by state media for expressing concern for civilians killed in a warzone. Sri Lanka is sliding towards some kind of mono-ethnic dictatorship where minorities and dissent is not welcome. It could soon be Zimbabwe or Burma," said Samarasinghe.Her husband edited the Sunday Leader, a newspaper that had been a fierce critic of the president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, and questioned the cost of the military campaign against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) separatists. Yesterday, a female Tamil Tiger suicide bomber killed 20 soldiers and eight civilians as fighting flared in the north of the country.Wickrematunga had known the president for decades but it was only last summer that the two became close – brought together by a "soothsayer" called Eliyantha White who claimed to have mystical healing powers. Samarasinghe said: "It was mumbo-jumbo but Lasantha trusted him, said he had helped with high blood pressure. Before that Lasantha had refused to meet the president but this quack convinced him to go and see Mahinda."Despite the burgeoning friendship, Wickrematunga continue to expose corruption and human rights abuses – especially by the defence ministry run by the president's younger brother, Gotabaya . It was after Wickrematunga's last dinner in December with the president that he became "worried and anxious".Samarasinghe said her husband had told the president he had proof of who had killed a decorated war hero turned politician, Major General Janaka Perera. The former soldier and one-time diplomat had entered politics and become a determined foe of the government's "total war" strategy. He and his wife died in a bomb explosion in October."Lasantha was being taken to court by the defence ministry. He told the president he had evidence against the defence ministry about who killed the general and he would use it in open court and then be able to report on it as it would be part of trial proceedings. He told the president that taking him to court was a mistake," said his wife.However, Wickremetunga had become agitated in the weeks that followed and believed his life was under threat. He attempted to shield himself by inviting the president to his wedding reception in late December but the president never attended."He had serious threats from the government, which he had communicated to me. He was upset about the court case. More than ever, I had never seen him so upset. He was angry and deeply worried but he knew who killed the general. We invited Rajapaksa so that people would know we had friends. But he never came."The evidence about the general's killing, said Samarasinghe, was with a lawyer in Colombo. She said her husband wrote the "finger from the grave" editorial in which he said if he were murdered the government would be behind it."Lasantha was killed on Thursday and on Friday a colleague found it on his computer in the office," said Samarsinghe. "I decided to put it on the front page. It was a fitting reply."

09 February 2009

India preparing development plans for Northern Sri Lanka
   
As Sri Lankan forces are on the verge of recapturing last of the LTTE-held territories, India is chalking out a reconstruction and developmental package for the northern parts of the island nation.The package, which is expected to include a number of power and infrastructure development projects besides capacity-building activities, will be implemented in association with the Sri Lankan government in the region that is being freed from LTTE clutches after 23 years. Details like the number of projects, their volume, the exact format are being worked out, sources told PTI."The aim is to enable the people of northern Sri Lanka, who are in an impoverished condition due to two decades of war, to stand up on their feet," they said. The intent is to lay strong and sustainable foundations of peace in Sri Lanka's north and provide for comfortable conditions for the people there to live in, the sources said. The reconstruction package could be on the pattern of activities being undertaken by India in Afghanistan and various other countries. India has many projects in Afghanistan which cover power sector, infrastructure, social empowerment and capacity building.

ICRC’s cooperation sought to save civilians

Health Ministry Secretary Dr. H. A. P. Kahandaliyanage in a letter to the Head of the ICRC Sri Lanka requested him to work jointly with the Government in achieving the common objective of saving civilians and the sick and the needy from the clutches of terrorism enabling them to enjoy the freedom and the privileges afforded to all citizens in the rest of the country.Dr. Kahandaliyanage’s letter to Mr. Castella was in response to a newspaper article (not of the Upali Group of Newapapers) quoting an ICRC allegation against the Government for the alleged plight of patients and civilians in the uncleared areas of Mullaitivu due to the risk involved as a result of fighting between the security forces and troops and lack of medical and other supplies.The Health Secretary in his letter had drawn the attention of the ICRC to the fact that the Government is trying its best to protect the civilians and patients who are stranded due to the conflict.Therefore the Government expects the ICRC as a neutral organization to assist the Government to move the patients, medical staff and civilians so stranded,to reach the facilities made available by the Government in Vavuniya.The Government requested the assistance of the ICRC to enable the trapped patients and civilians to reach the declared no fire zone of Kilinochchi or Vavuniya but said the ICRC on their own had decided that they should go to Puthumattalam, which is away from the declared safe area in Vavuniya."Therefore the responsibility for the present plight of these IDPs lies solely lies with the ICRC for having deviated from the best possible route arranged by the Government for evacuating the patients and medical staff from Puthukidiiruppu:" Dr..Kahandaliyanage had further said in his letter to the Mr.Castella.

Refugees eager to join LTTE

A number of youngsters in the refugee camps here prefer to go back to Sri Lanka and join the LTTE in the war instead of living in India ‘as slaves’.According to sources, the young refugees who have access to various daily newspapers and news channels are enraged over the atrocities committed by the Lankan army and are willing to strengthen the LTTE.Most of the refugees lead a miserable life at the camps and feel that they were enslaved by the various rules and regulations. Also they find it hard to live with the government’s monthly dole of Rs 400 for the head of a family, Rs 279 for other family members and Rs188 for those below 15 years. The government also provides rice at 55 paise per kg, five litre of kerosene for Rs 45 and half a kilo of sugar at Rs 8 for the inmates of the camp. To supplement their income, the refugees also do construction works and fishing.Many of the refugees allege that the camp staff demanded bribe whenever they came late to the work spot or during family functions. Also during VIP visits to the district, they are not allowed to go out of the camp. A refugee from Vavunya said that they escaped from the Lankan army only to be chained in the camps with various rules and regulations. “We are not terrorists”, he added.Pirasanth (name changed), hailing from Jaffna, said the youth cannot lead a peaceful life here and wanted to go back to Sri Lanka.According to intelligence sources, the influx of refugees has reduced to a large extent after security was tightened along the sea route. An intelligence officer said no one had sought permission to return to Sri Lanka till now and he denied any talk among the refugees regarding their willingness to join the LTTE. However, he added that the movement of the refugees in the camps was being carefully monitored.

Infants auction centre raided:10 day old sold for Rs 25,000

A secret location at Bodhiraja Mawatha in Maligawatte where a business of auctoning infants to childless parents that had been carried out for quite some time was detected yesterday (8) by the Colombo Central Intelligence Bureau. A mother of three children and eight other women suspects along with a 10 day old infant girl were also taken into custody When the Police party raided the place the 10 day old infant was on the verge being auctioned for a sum of Rs 25,000, Police said.."It was an auction. The highest bidder gets the infant, according to our preliminary investigations. That is how there had been several other other women in the place and they were unknown to each other,"a senior Police source said.The mother of the infant had served in the Middle East and had returned three months ago to the country and had delivered the infant 10 days ago.The mother of the child is from Matugama. And she intended to go abroad again.There had been brokers involved in fetching buyers to the woman who ran the auction house at Maligawatte, Police investigations revealed.Colombo Central Intelligence Bureau Chief Senior Superintendent T.S.Raji is heading investigations assisted by Maradana OIC CI Amal Sirimanne, IP Nishantha Sanjiva, Jayawardena, PS 17644, Dissanayake., PS 176124 Wahid, PC 17361, Gunawardena and PC 54578 Kulasekera.

Treasure hunt: Top military officer arrested

A Major General of the Army and two others had been arrested while digging for treasure on a rock near the Danaw Kanda hermitage in Weliweriya, police said yesterday. The police had recovered an electric powered rotor hammer drill, crow bars, gun powder and a tray of offerings that were used by the treasure hunters. Also the service pistol belonging to the Major General was taken into police custody along with a magazine and 13 bullets and a van in which the three suspects had come in.Police said a team had gone to the place on Saturday afternoon following a telephone call saying that a group with a T56 weapon was engaged in digging a treasure at Danaw Kanda. The police team had taken steps to arrest the three suspects and bring them immediately to the Weliweriya police station.The police said they had recorded statements from the three suspects and steps would be taken to produce them before the Gampaha Magistrate. Army sources said there was a case pending in the military court against the arrested Major General. Of the other two suspects one was a businessman owning a motor spare parts shop in Kotahena and the other a director of a company at Malwatte Road in Fort. Further investigations are conducted by Weliweriya OIC Chief Inspector Roshan Rajapakse.

08 February 2009

Lanka should make distinction between LTTE, civilians: Pranab
 
Maintaining that India has no sympathy for the terrorist organisation LTTE, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said the Sri Lankan forces should make a distinction between LTTE and Tamil civilians and not fire at ’safe zones’.At a Congress conclave here, Mukherjee said India has been demanding extradition of LTTE chief V Prabhakaran every year.“We have no sympathy for LTTE which is a terrorist organisation. It has been banned here, in Sri Lanka and many other parts of the world,” he said at the conclave which was attended by Congress President Sonia Gandhi.He said India has asked the Sri Lankan government to ensure that Tamil civilians do not get victimised in the fight between security forces and LTTE.“Please make a distinction between LTTE and Tamil civilians,” Mukherjee said addressing the Sri Lankan government.He said that after his visit to Colombo recently, the government there announced a 48-hr ceasefire and asked civilians to move to ’safe zones’ from the LTTE-controlled areas so that they can be provided food and security. “Don’t fire in the ’safe zones’,” the minister urged Sri Lanka, adding humanitarian help should also reach civilians.Mukherjee said the Sri Lankan government should implement the Indo-Sri Lanka accord, signed in 1987 during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure.The External Affairs Minister conveyed similar views to his Danish counterpart Per Stig Moller, who called him up to discuss the current situation in Sri Lanka and express concern over the condition of civilians in northern Lanka.Mukherjee told Moller that safety and security of civilians and internally displaced persons (IDP) in the LTTE-controlled areas continued to be a source of concern.He said India was doing its best to ensure that the civilians are moved to safety.Mukherjee drew his attention to India’s humanitarian assistance of food, non-food and medical supplies for these affected IDPs and civilians and said the Sri Lankan government had assured that the material would be provided to the affected people.The way forward, he said, must include credible devolution of powers, early return of democracy and rehabilitation and reconstruction of affected areas.

Sri Lanka navy destroys 2 rebel boats 
 
The Sri Lankan navy says it has destroyed two Tamil Tiger rebel boats off the north-eastern coast 10 nautical miles north east of Mulathivu today (08th February 2009) around 0600 hrs.killing at least six rebels. Navy spokesman Capt. D.K.P Dassanayake said. Navy’s Fast Attack Craft deployed in the inner barrier in the surveillance and patrolling in the North- eastern seas, intercepted two low profile LTTE boats launched from Palamaththalan, Mulathivu and destroyed them completely directing heavy gun fire. Subsequently, two LTTE bodies were recovered and six carders are believed to have been killed. There was no immediate comment from the rebels.

Congress, DMK join hands on Sri Lankan Tamils issue

CHENNAI: The Sri Lankan Tamils Welfare and Liberty Peravai, an umbrella organisation formed by the DMK, on Saturday launched a campaign with the active participation of the Congress, demanding a political solution to the crisis in Sri Lanka. Members of the Peravai took out a rally, which started from Royapuram and culminated in a public meeting near the Mint Clocktower. It was flagged off by Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan and Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation G.K. Vasan. Union Minister T.R. Baalu, TNCC president, K.V. Thangkabalu and Fisheries Minister K.P.P. Samy came in an open jeep. Addressing the meeting, Mr. Anbazhagan said as of now there was no better option than pressing the Centre to intervene and stop the war and find a political solution to the problems of Sri Lankan Tamils. “Sri Lanka cannot ignore the voice of India, a big neighbour, if the Centre makes consistent efforts,” he said and explained that Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi was fully aware of the implications, which was why he was avoiding a confrontation . The DMK was not interested in weakening the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre because there was no guarantee that the new regime would listen to the views of Mr. Karunanidhi and protect the interests of the Tamils. “We don’t want to lose the government in Tamil Nadu and we are equally firm that the Congress government guided by Sonia Gandhi should continue at the Centre,” he said. Mr.Thangkabalu said that the Congress and the DMK were working together to find a durable political solution to the Sri Lankan Tamils problem. MGR Kazhagam leader R.M. Veerappan said former Chief Minister M.G.Ramachandran wanted to work with the DMK leaders to find a solution to the Sri Lankan issue, and had asked the then Speaker K.Rajaram to speak to Mr.Karunanidhi to give up plan to resign from Assembly. Dravidar Kazhagam leader K.Veeramani; Tamil Maanila Indian Union Muslim League leader K.M. Khader Mohideen; Jananayaka Munnetra Kazhagam leader Jagatrakshakan; and Gingee Ramachandran, MP, participated.

Tiger leaders flying out

A separate unit of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) has been set up at the Bandaranaike International Airport to apprehend LTTE cadres and their leaders who were trying to flee the country in the face of military operations against the LTTE, sources said. The unit, under the command of an ASP, keeps a 24 -hour watch at the airport on all passengers traveling out of the country.Sources reveal that this unit has already apprehended around 20 suspected LTTE cadres who had tried to flee the country in disguise. A senior police officer told Lakbimanews that an LTTE cadre who posed as a journalist was also among those arrested, and that steps have been taken to hand all those apprehended over to the Terrorist Investigation Division for further investigations. Speaking further, the police officer said that this special division of the SIS was also tracking LTTE cadres entering the country from overseas and that this was being done with the collaboration of foreign intelligence agencies.

Britain deplores stoning of Sri Lanka aid offices

The British government said it deplored Friday’s stoning of the Red Cross offices in Colombo, saying the ICRC was a neutral body carrying out vital work to protect Sri Lankan civilians.A stone-throwing mob attacked the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Sri Lanka’s capital as Colombo accused the agency of inciting panic over civilian deaths from fighting with Tiger rebels. "I deplore the attack by a mob of demonstrators on the ICRC office in central Colombo today and acknowledge the government of Sri Lanka’s swift response in dispersing the demonstrators," said Britain’s International Development Minister Mike Foster. "It is imperative that the ICRC, internationally recognised as a neutral organisation, be allowed to continue unhindered in its vital work protecting civilians in the conflict zone. "The British government has recently allocated a further 2.5 million pounds (3.7 million dollars, 2.9 million euros) to help organisations like ICRC protect and deliver vital humanitarian assistance to civilians caught in the conflict."

Over 10,000 civilians cross over in two days

More than 10,000 persons have crossed over to government controlled areas the last two days, defence officials said.Military spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told The Sunday Leader that 5,000 people had crossed over to government held areas on each day (Friday and Saturday).The civilians had crossed over into the Dharmapuram and Vishvamadukulam areas in the Wanni, Nanayakkara said.This is the largest crossing over of civilians from the LTTE controlled areas in the Wanni after the capture of Kilinochchi.Nanayakara said that the IDPs were kept in four camps in Vavuniya. There are altogether six camps for the Wanni IDPs. He said there were four camps in Vavuniya, one in Mannar and one in Jaffna.Meanwhile, the ICRC has expressed grave concern over the plight of people in the Wanni in view of the irregular flow of humanitarian aid to the region.The last convoy of humanitarian aid was sent to the Wanni on January 29 and since then, there had been no flow of essential commodities to the people in the region."The situation in the Wanni is of grave concern. There has been no flow of humanitarian aid into the area since January 29," ICRC media coordinator Sarasi Wijeratne told The Sunday Leader.The Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital that was shifted to Puthumathalan is continuing to function with the government staff and around 20 ICRC members.Wijeratne said around 400 patients were receiving treatment at the hospital. She said that there is a lack of drinking water in the area. There were 300 patients at the hospital at the time of shifting.The ICRC has also continuously stressed to both parties the importance of a safe passage for the sick and the wounded people in Wanni to be moved into government controlled areas.

More than 180 killed in Sri Lankan bombardment within 48 hours

More than 120 civilians were killed in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) shelling Friday and Saturday inside the safety zone in Chuthanthirapuram, Iruddumadu, Udaiyaarkaddu and Theavipuram within the last 48 hours. At least 59 civilians were killed Friday and more than 62 killed on Saturday. Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombed Puthukkdiyiruppu (PTK) Ponnampalam hospital killing 61 patients on Friday. Casualty figures from SLA shelling in Puthukkudiyiruppuu were not available. Civilians were seen moving towards PTK on Paranthan Road amidst heavy shelling that targeted the road on Friday. At least 8 dead bodies were seen along the road Saturday morning. A bus was seen abandoned after it was damaged by shelling. Two tractors had got fire in the shelling. Four bodies were recovered along Vaakeesan Road, the alternative road to PTK from Udaiyaarkaddu.An indiscriminate artillery barrage, deploying artillery-fitted cluster shells, claimed the lives of 9 civilians Friday night after 11:45 p.m. on Theavipuram inside the safety zone. The shelling also hit the makeshift hospital in Chuthanthirapuram, killing an employee of the hospital Saturday.

Two soldiers killed: verdicts of homicide

The inquests into the death of two soldiers in the battle front were held by City Coroner Edward Ahangama on Friday (6).Senerath Mudiyanselage Dhanuska Pushpakumara (21), a native of Pahalagal Kumbura , Navala in Welimada was killed while storming LTTE bunkers in Kilinochchi. It transpired at the inquest that on the day of the incident, the deceased with a company of soldiers had advanced for about 600m when he was injured by a hand grenade attack. He was later admitted to the Anuradhapura Hospital, but succumbed to his injuries.In the second incident, soldier Sarath Kumarasinghe Dissanayake (26), a native of Anuradhapura was killed by a motar bomb when he, with a group of soldiers, had advanced for about 100 meters towards LTTE bunkers in Pudirippukudi in Mullaitivu, Corporal Hendanayakage Premasiri said in his evidence. In both incidents, police with the concurrence of the army informed that the suspects could not be apprehended,Verdicts of homicide were returned. PC 27689 Pathirana assisted in the inquests.

SLMC final decision put off

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) will be holding the final high command meeting on February 20 to decide whether they will be contesting alone or on the UNP ticket in the upcoming Western Provincial Council (WPC) Election. General Secretary of SLMC, Hassan Ali told The Nation that although they were supposed to take the final decision yesterday (7) yet they failed since the party organisers requested more time as they wanted to know the views of grass root-level supporters. “Even in the past we have considered the views of our party supporters before we decided to contest with any party. It was the same process before we decided to contest with the UNP in the Central and North Western Provinces, so this is the very same process we are using to decide whether we are going to contest on the UNP ticket in the WPC elections or alone as an individual party,” he said. He also said that a majority of Colombo District party organisers were of the view that the party should contest alone instead of tying up with another party.“We are going to take a decision after studying all the views of our supporters as they are the strength of the party and we cannot neglect their ideas,” Ali asserted. Ali noted that the SLMC contested on its own for the WPC Election in 2004 and several members were elected to the Provincial Council, therefore the members of the party will be deciding what kind of a step should be taken and how it will be affecting the party and its activities in future. Meanwhile, a prominent Muslim UNPer who has held several cabinet posts and currently an active member in the party Select Committee has refused to stand as the Chief Ministerial (CM) Candidate in the WPC election, even after a request made by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. He had refused saying that he is not into active politics ever since he resigned from his MP’s post.

Foreign reserves for 3 months only

Economists say that Sri Lanka’s foreign reserves have dwindled to such an extent that they are only sufficient for 3 months of imports. According to data from the Central Bank, the estimated official reserves; namely foreign assets belonging to the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, the government and commercial banks totaled US $2,608 million. The Central Bank says that this amount is only sufficient for 2.2 import months. But economic analysts say that a country’s economy is in danger if a country does not possess foreign assets sufficient for at least 5 months of imports. They say that having reserves sufficient for 10 months is safer.But the country’s current reserves aren’t even sufficient for 3 months. This means that Sri Lanka does not have funds for imports beyond a quarter year.The Central Bank has proposed a number of solutions to solve the problem. Main among them is the plan to give Sri Lankans living overseas the chance to invest in treasury bonds and bills, thereby earning US $500 million in foreign exchange by the end of the year. Nevertheless, economists point out that it will be difficult to achieve a target beyond US $100 million in light of the present world economic crisis. They warn that in the event of this plan failing to raise foreign assets, it may be necessary to devalue the rupee in relation to the dollar. However, the Central Bank continues to emphasise that it will not devalue the rupee.

Russia shoots down move against Lanka
 
Mexico attempts to raise issue at UN Security Council; the move reminiscent of Argentina’s action in 1980s Russia has shot down a proposal by Mexico which called for a briefing to the United Nations Security Council about the situation in Sri Lanka, diplomatic sources said. They said Mexico, which became a member of the Security Council this year, made the request at a closed-door meeting on Thursday, but the move was formally opposed by Russia, which argued that the Sri Lankan issue was not on the agenda of the Council.A senior Foreign Ministry official in Colombo said that what Mexico had suggested was at an informal meeting and it was not of great concern. “This is a very long way off from Sri Lanka being even taken up for consideration by the UN Security Council in the current context,” the official said.However, H.M.G.S. Palihakkara, Sri Lanka's Permanent representative to the UN in New York, would meet the Mexican representative and brief him “adequately” on the situation in Sri Lanka, he said.“Ambassador Palihakkara will handle the situation. We are confident the issue will not come up at the Security Council,” the official said. The UN-based Inner City Press reported that this month's Council president, Yukio Takasu, had said he would engage the two sides -- Mexico and Russia -- in bilateral consultations on the issue. It indicated that Mexico could raise the issue again next week. The report said that Russia might not be the only Permanent Five member of the Council wanting to keep Sri Lanka off the Council's agenda. Inner City Press had asked British Ambassador John Sawers, when he spoke about Sudan's assault of a South Darfur town held by rebels of the Justice and Equality Movement, to explain the difference between Sri Lanka and Sudan. “They are not comparable,” Ambassador Sawers said, adding that the LTTE was on the sanctions list.Asked what would have prompted Mexico to make such a request, the Foreign Ministry official said that it was “puzzling” as Sri Lanka had friendly diplomatic relations with that South American nation. He said a junior level official might have made the request unaware of the Sri Lankan situation. Sri Lanka has no embassy in Mexico City but its ambassador to Washington is accredited to Mexico. Another possible reason the official cited was Mexico’s growing interest in humanitarian and human rights issues. “Any member of the Security Council can ask for a briefing from a member state. It is like an expression of interest and there is no cause for worry,” he said.However some years ago, another Latin American country, Argentina, kept raising the Sri Lankan issue at various UN human rights forums, especially in Geneva. Sri Lankan authorities at that time believed India which took a pro-LTTE line at that time might have been behind Argentina’s moves as Argentina had no interest whatsoever in what was happening in Sri Lanka otherwise.A retired diplomat in Colombo pointed out that Sri Lanka had in the past backed Britain at the UN when it went to war with Argentina over the Falkland crisis and this would have been a motivating factor for Argentina to spearhead a campaign against Sri Lanka.

Defence Secretary leads delegation to Indonesia

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa led a delegation to Indonesia where he had extensive discussions with Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla, Foreign Minister Dr. N. Hassan Wirajuda, Secretary General of Foreign Ministry Imron Cotan and Minister of Defence Prof. Dr. Juwono Sudarsono.The delegation also met with Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, Chief of TNI General TNI Djoko Santosoa, Chief of Army General TNI Agustadi Sasongko Purnomo, Chief of Navy Admiral TNI Tedjo Edhy, Chief of Air Force Air Marshal Subandrio and Deputy (i) for State Intelligence Agency (BIN) Burhan Muhammad.On the last day of the visit, the delegation visited the Commandant of the Staff College in Bandung and Air Craft and Helicopter manufacturing plant in the same location.Bilateral Defence Cooperation has increased following this visit. Rajapaksa also visited the Sri Lanka Embassy in Jakarta, took part at a flag hoisting ceremony and addre-ssed all members of staff of the Embassy and posed for a group photograph.

India stands isolated in the region: D Raja 

Accusing the UPA Government of compromising with India's independent foreign policy due to its closeness with the US, the CPI today alleged the country stands "humiliated" before the neighbours, especially Pakistan and Sri Lanka, who do not listen to New Delhi's words.Party secretary D Raja alleged New Delhi stood "isolated" in the region as nobody is ready to listen to it and the frustration is evident from the statements made by senior ministers.He cited Pakistan's response to India's demand to act against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks and Sri Lanka "not listening" to India on the Tamil issue to drive home his point."None of our neighbours listen to us. We stand isolated and feel humiliated. India is losing all its moral authority once it had in the region because of its closeness to the US imperialist powers now," he told PTI."Statements made by (External Affairs Minister) Pranab Mukherjee, NSA M K Narayanan and Home Minister P Chidambaram on the Mumbai attacks are the ones which come out of desperation that Pakistan is not responding to it," Raja said.Accusing the UPA of providing military aid to Sri Lanka, Raja asked the Congress to come clean on the issue."If they are not providing arms to Sri Lanka, let them make it clear. Why India has not yet reacted to reports that military aid is being given to Sri Lanka," he said.

Five Majors General, 95 Lt. Colonels

Ninety five majors in the Sri Lanka Army have been elevated to the rank of lieutenant colonel from February 3. Their elevation in rank has been announced by a release issued by Lt. Col. A.S. Hewavitarana of the Military Secretary’s Office of the Army Headquarters.

M.P. Tennakoon, M.C. Fernando, V.J. Panathwala, N.I. de Silva, G.D. Boteju, N.B. Herath, G.J.Wijewardene, A.N.Amarasekara, E. Nihal, M.K.Samarasinghe, D.M.Jayasuriya, H.S.Ariyaratne, H.K.Wijesundara, R.D.Karunaratne, E,P.Hennedige, P.K.Jayawardene, H.N.Sirisantha, D.U.Kumarasiri, J.P.Gamage, C.D.Ranasinghe, S.P.Wijeyagunatilleka, M.P.Stephan, M.U.Ekanayaka, S.R.Dias, I.P.Kandanarachchi, I.P.Nanayakkarawasam, C. Ranaweera, T.B.Dissanayake, W.K.Herath, D.L.Sarathchandra, W.G.Dias, M.C.Rattilleka, E.U.Senaratne, C.N. Warakagoda, P.A.Gunawardene, S.K.Jayawickrema, I.T.Kuruvita, N.A.Dissanayake , P.D.Dissanayake, K.G.Sirishantha, M.K.Jayawardene, T.D. Ratnasekara, R.M.Mathindra, Y.R.Perera, A.C.Gunaratne, A.N.Jayasinghe, D.G.Jayasinghe, S.Priyankarage, M.H.Ekanayake, D.P.Edirisinghe, J.P.Salwaturearachchi, R.B.Fernando, M.C.Jayaweera, A.S.Gajadira, R.K.Hettiarachchi, P.H.Gamage, M.D.Herath, P.K.Hewawasam, S.T.Fernando, E.P.Weerasinghe, A.L.Ilangakoon, D.P.Haturusinghe, P.R.Weerakoon, S.K.Sanjeewa, K.A.Samarasiri, P.Wimalasiri, G.S.Tennakoon, C.R.Jayasuriya, S.A.Fernando, R.B.Benjamin, R.B.Aluvihare, R.S.Palayangoda, D.W.Nanayakkara, M.M.Rodrigo, A.M.Muthalib, P.C.Wickremesinghe, T.H.Senaratne, U.P.Gunaratne, W.M.Fernando, A.A.Udaya, K.C.Wijethunga, D.N.Chandrasena, D.P.Jayasinghe, T.C.Mettananda, P.Gunasekara, S.U. De Silva, S.U,Jayaratne, A.P.Ediriweera, P.P.Pakshaweera, K.C.Prathapasinghe, A.S.Wickramasena, T.S.Balasuriya, A.M.Premaratne, P.M.Ariyaratne, and S.D. Perera were promoted accordingly. In addition, Brigadiers Mahinda Haturusinghe, Jayanath Perera, Mohan Jayawardene, Samantha Suriyabandara, and Channa Gunatilleka, were promoted as Majors General on an order signed by the Military Secretary, Maj. Gen. Deepal Alwis.

Jayalalithaa decides not to celebrate her birthday

AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa on Sunday announced that she would not be celebrating her birthday this year, in view of the situation in Sri Lanka. Jayalalithaa, who will be turning 61 on February 24, in a statement here also urged her party supporters to refrain from any festivities and celebrations. 'If at all you want to do something on that day, assist the needy. At a time when Sri Lankan Tamils are being killed, I have decided it is not appropriate to celebrate my birthday. I request party cadre not to meet me on that day', she said. Last year, top Tamil actors Rajnikant and Kamal Hassan had also refrained from celebrating their birthday and urged their fans to stay away from any celebrations. Asserting her tough stand against the banned LTTE, the former Chief Minister however said that her party stood for the immediate cessation of Army offensive so as to stop the killing of innocent civilian Tamils. Her party had adopted a tough stand against LTTE after the killing of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi at Sriprembudur near here in 1991, she said. She also described as drama Chief Minister M Karunanidhis initiatives in the Sri Lankan Tamils issue, such as adopting resolutions in the Assembly, calling for Centres intervention to ensure ceasefire in Sri Lanka, besides MPs resignation episode and human chain.

Pro-Tiger party leader says LTTE not totally defeated

Asserting that the LTTE has not been "vanquished", a senior leader of a pro-Tiger party has said that his group will oppose any  "repressive" role by India in the resolution of the 25-year-old conflict in the island. Asked whether the ongoing offensive against the LTTE was to the satisfaction of the Indian government, Suresh Premachandran, EPRLF Leader and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, said "I think so." "There must be some happy sentiments as the war is stepped up." the EPRLF MP said. Premachandran claimed that India did not appear worried about the departure from the merger of east and northern Sri Lanka as provided under the 1987 Indo-Sri Lanka accord. The Eastern Provincial Council elections were successfully held in May last year to restore democracy in the region after it was captured from the LTTE in July 2007. "They (India) should realise, it is a serious departure from what they brokered. What is more, if the role India seeks to play in the resolution of the confli