25 February 2011

Ban meets SL envoys

The Ministry of External Affairs confirmed this morning that Attorney General Mohan Peiris and that External Affairs Ministry Secretary Romesh Jayasinghe met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon despite denials by the government yesterday that any such meeting was to take place. Secretary Jayasinghe and the Attorney General were in New York for “legal consultations”, Jayasinghe told the Daily Mirror through a senior External Affairs Ministry official. “He (Jayasinghe) had taken this opportunity to call on the Secretary General along with Permanent Representative to the UN Palitha Kohona and Deputy Permanent Representative, former General, Shavendra Silva,” the official said. Deputy Minister of External Affairs Neomal Perera yesterday denied reports that such a meeting was to take place. Inner City press reports that when questioned on this denial in New York Kohona stated that “the deputy doesn't know anything, just ask him”. Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peries and monitoring member of External Affairs Ministry Sajin Vass Gunawardena, yesterday, were unavailable for comment. Meanwhile the head of the UN Desk of the Ministry of External Affairs C. Wijeratne refused to comment on the alleged meeting. The failure of Secretary Jayasinghe to appoint an acting Secretary to the Ministry, during his ten day absence from the country, resulted in a void to answer questions from the press.

Indian tractors go south says TNA

The government had transferred 200 tractors to two state institutions out of a total of 500 tractors donated by India for the use of war affected farmers in the North, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) charged in Parliament yesterday.The Subject Minister denying the allegations said that the tractors were being used for the preparation of lands for coconut cultivations in these areas.TNA National List MP M.A.Sumanthiran said that 100 tractors had been given to the Coconut Development Board and another 100 to the State Cashew Corporation.Mr. Sumanthiran said that another 100 tractors had been arranged to be sent to the south without giving to farmers.The government has given only 38 tractors to agricultural organizations in Jaffna and another 38 to some such organizations in Mullaitivu, he said. However, he did not detail what happened to the remaining 124 tractors.The TNA MP asked why the government had done so to a donation made by a friendly neighour for the benefit of ordinary farmers in the North where around 10,000 tractors were destroyed due to the war. While thanking India for offering to build 50,000 housing units for the people in the North, he said that the project was yet to take off the ground despite the foundation stone being laid some time ago for the pilot project of constructing 1000 housing units, during the visit of Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna.He said that this was a pledge made more than a year ago.“If they take such a long time to identify the first batch of 1000 beneficiaries, how long will they take to identify 50,000 beneficiaries? Is that 50,000 years?” he asked.Coconut Development Minister Jagath Pushpakumara replied that the 100 tractors taken over by the Coconut Development Board were being used for the preparation of lands for coconut cultivations in these areas. “We release these tractors for farmers at a concessionary rate to be used in preparation of lands. We have taken numerous steps to improve coconut production in the North. We will improve the conditions at nurseries there. As the subject minister, I visited Palai, Atchchuveli and Karainagar to seek the possibility of reviving the coconut industry, he said.

ICRC closes Jaffna office

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) yesterday announced that it had closed its Jaffna office after 21 years of service.Head of the office Florence Gillette said it was an important moment in the history of the ICRC’s work in Sri Lanka. "We remain committed to responding to needs arising from the conflict, which we will often do in partnership with the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society."The ICRC will maintain its support for the Jaffna Jaipur Centre for Disability Rehabilitation, which has been assisting amputees and other disabled people for over 20 years. The ICRC provides the centre with raw materials such as polypropylene and with technical assistance to produce mobility aids and prosthetic components.The Red Cross family visit programme aimed at maintaining family links between relatives and persons held in prisons and elsewhere will henceforth be run by the ICRC office in Colombo and the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society branch in Vavuniya."Since the ICRC began working in the Jaffna Peninsula in 1990, its humanitarian activities have included establishing a safety zone around the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, transporting patients and medical cargo by ferry between Jaffna and Trincomalee and airlifting patients between Jaffna and Colombo," said Ms Gillette."During the period when the A9 highway was not accessible to the general public, the ICRC helped make sure that public services continued to be provided in the Jaffna Peninsula," added Ms Gillette. "It escorted government vessels transporting civilians and food for the population in Jaffna. At times, the ICRC even carried the mail and school examination papers to Colombo."

Australian consortium proposes heavy industries in Trinco

The government is to establish a zone for heavy industries in Sampur, Trincomalee, following a proposal from an Australian Consortium to construct a Coke Plant, Iron Ore Palletizing Plant and Sugar Refinery, among other projects, with terminal facilities.Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwalle told the Cabinet press briefing, in Colombo yesterday, that the first phase of the project to be set up on 97 square kilometres of land near the Sampur Bay entrance, would cost US$ 700 million.Environmental safeguards, he said will be given high priority.The location for the heavy industries zone, adjoins the area that has been earmarked for an Indo-Lanka joint venture coal power plant.Rambukwalle said that on a Memorandum submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Cabinet of ministers had granted approval for Australia’s Mitchell Consortium to conduct a feasibility study and submit its report."With the end of the war, there was an opportunity to develop Sri Lanka into a commercial hub with sea port access and the various expressions of interest by multinational companies were very encouraging," he said.Rambukwalle said that the Cabinet of ministers also approved a proposal, by Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W. D. J. Seneviratne, to implement "Effective and Well Targetted District Development Plans.""This would pave the way to achieve expected development targets at Divisional, District and National levels, with the political leadership taking the lead," he said. "The purpose is to ensure efficiency and expedite the implementation of development activities."

JVP calls for withdrawal of emergency

An adjournment debate on withdrawal of emergency regulations will be held in Parliament today. The debate will be held on a request made by the JVP Parliamentarian Anura Dissanayake.Mr. Anura Dissanayake speaking to ‘Lankatruth’ said emergency regulations that were used to defeat tiger terrorism are now being used by the government to repress masses.He said in the debate special attention would be drawn regarding the current situation in the Northern and Eastern provinces and the attempt to use emergency regulations to maintain its dictatorial administration by the present regime.As the war has been over for nearly two years normalcy should prevail in the country said Mr. Dissanayake. He said carrying on with emergency regulations further is a serious threat to democracy in the country and added that it should be withdrawn immediacy.

Sri Lankans want the death penalty reinstated

Sri Lanka's state owned The Dinamina newspaper reported today that a recent survey pointed to the fact that 88% of the Sri Lankans want the death penalty enacted.Sri Lankan courts deliver death sentences but the President as the head of the state traditionally does not consent to the implementation of the death sentence.However, with the recent spate of violence, there is a public opinion that the death penalty must be enacted to arrest it.The Ministry of Prisons and Rehabilitation conducted the survey among a sample of people selected from various social strata, the Ministry sources said.The report of the survey has been handed over to the President who is the ultimate competent authority to implement the death penalty.

RG on SLAF’s pivotal role in Eelam War IV SLAF Chief steps down after illustrious career

Outgoing Air Chief Marshal W.D.R.M.J. Goonetileke says the military victory over the LTTE was a team effort, in which the SLAF played a pivotal role. The soft spoken Goonetileke said the SLAF could be proud of its achievements during the eelam war, particularly the last phase (Aug. 2006-May 2009).In an interview with The Island, at the ‘Air House’ on Wednesday (Feb. 23), the SLAF veteran said that he would shortly relinquish command and take over as the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), a post he held in an acting capacity after former Army Chief Gen. Sarath Fonseka quit the post to challenge President Mahinda Rajapaksa.Goonetileke succeeded Air Marshal Donald Perera on June 11, 2006 as the 12th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The eldest son of the 5th Commander of the SLAF Air Chief Marshal Harry Goonetileke, Roshan knew the challenging task ahead of him. The Old Peterite joined two Anandians, the then Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannogoda and Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka, who had survived an LTTE attempt on his life two months before to spearhead eelam war IV in line with war veteran Gotabhaya Rajapaksa’s strategy.  Lt. Gen. Fonseka returned after recovery only in early August 2006, after the military overwhelmed the LTTE at Mavilaru in July.In spite of Karannagoda and Fonseka clashing head-on even at the National Security Council (NSC), the combined services sustained the offensive until the LTTE collapsed on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon on May 19, 2009.  The government offensive lasted two years and ten months. It would be pertinent to discuss the role played by the SLAF under Gonnetileke’s leadership ahead of the forthcoming change in command. The media shy SLAF chief is the last of the war-time service commanders to retire in the post war era, with the affable Karannagoda being the first to go.Goonetileke will hand over command to Air Vice Marshal Harsha Abeywickrema, presently the Chief of Staff. Abeywickrema, who had been the one-time Commanding Officer of the No 5 Jet Squadron and Director Operations will be the 13th SLAF Chief. The change of command will take place on Monday (Feb. 28).Fifty-five-year-old Goonetilike will participate at the 60th anniversary celebrations of the service (formerly known as the Royal Ceylon Air Force RCyAF) on March 2 as the CDS. The RCyAF was established on March 2, 1951.Although Mi 24 helicopter gunships (acquired in 1995), Kfirs (1996) and MiG 27s (2000) along with Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (1996) had been available, the SLAF failed to maximize their use until eelam war IV erupted in August 2006 with simultaneous LTTE attacks on Trincomalee, Palaly and the Muhamalai forward defence line (FDL).Goonetileke like his counterpart in the SLN, Vice Admiral Karannagoda swiftly introduced far reaching changes in the strategy. The SLAF Chief adopted a two-pronged strategy under which the SLAF threw its full weight behind the ground offensive, while launching a campaign of its own to destroy the enemy’s fighting capability. Karannagoda, too, adopted a similar approach, which enabled the SLN to hunt down eight LTTE floating arsenals on the high seas in 2006 and 2007.Defence Secretary Rajapaksa endorsed their line of attack. The Gajaba veteran ensured all services contributed to the combined military offensive, in spite of them being given freedom to conduct operations independent of the combined military campaign.Roshan lost his brother, Shirantha Goonetileke on April 29, 1995 when the LTTE brought down an Avro as it was approaching the strategic Palaly air base.  It was the second Avro to be shot down by a heat seeking shoulder fired missile over Palaly within 48 hours, close on the heels of the sinking of two gunboats in Trincomalee.

Where were you when the LTTE shot down Shirantha’s Avro?

Air Chief Marshal Goonetileke: "I was in the United States on a staff course. One of my good friends, Roger Wijesuriya was killed on April 28, 1995 in a missile attack. My brother died on the following day. Although the SLAF and the US allowed me to return to Colombo for the funeral, after consulting my father, I decided to stay back. Roger was my senior and Shirantha my junior."Both Roshan and Shirantha represented St. Peter’s and the SLAF in rugby. Their father whom I had met on several occasions during the then President Chandrika Kumaratunga first term, had been a top rugby coach.The Air Chief’s office at the ‘Air House’ is full of memorabilia. A photograph of a smiling Harry G. with Pakistani strongman Gen. Zia-ul-Haq is on the wall. There are several dozens of photographs taken over a period of time, but one of the most interesting was a framed cartoon published by an English daily in Oct. 2008 targeting the incumbent chief over an alleged plan to acquire MiG 29s. It was no secret that those who despised the Rajapaksa administration targeted its military leadership.The SLAF suspended flights to Palaly until May 10, 1995. Jaffna-based forces depended on air and sea transport due to the loss of the overland A9 road in June 1990 at the onset of eelam war II.Although the SLAF had acquired an anti-missile capability to sustain the ‘air bridge’ to Jaffna and added Kfirs, a modern multi role fighter aircraft the following year, Mi 24 helicopter gunships and MiGs, the service never managed to fully utilize them. Although the SLAF had acquired Chinese-built fighter aircraft in 1991, it didn’t make a major difference on the battlefield.Since 1995, the Sri Lankan military suffered a series of debilitating battlefield defeats, with the loss of Mullaitivu (July 1996) and the collapse of the 54 Division headquartered at Elephant Pass (1999-2000) being the worst.The LTTE always had the upper hand in the northern theatre, though the military regained Jaffna in Dec. 1995, thanks to Operation Riviresa. The LTTE also exploited the on and off peace talks, particularly the Norwegian-arranged CFA in Feb. 2002 to strengthen its position and in Nov. 2005 it helped the then Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa to win the presidency, believing he could be overwhelmed.Once challenged, the Rajapaksas went on the offensive, with Goonetileke brought in to join the most successful combination of service chiefs and defence secretary led by the president.

The Island: What was the SLAF’s strength when you took over command in June 2006 and at the conclusion of the war?

ACM: We had about 800-900 officers and about 19,000 men at the beginning of eelam war IV. At the time, the LTTE collapsed in May 2009, we had about 1,500 officers and 35,000 men.

The Island: Why did you increase the strength of the ground forces?

ACM: As the SLA was advancing constantly, the SLN and SLAF had to hold onto liberated territory. It wasn’t an easy task. In addition to that, the SLAF had to maintain a strong presence at Morawewa, where we had to monitor and intercept north/south movements of the LTTE.

The Island: What was the turning point in the war?

ACM: The leadership given by the President and Defence Secretary was a critical factor. They being brothers made anything possible in spite of tremendous obstacles faced by the country on the war and diplomatic fronts. The decision to double the strength of the SLA and also boost the SLAF and the SLN, too, was another important reason. Additional strength allowed us to conduct a multi-pronged offensive on the Vanni front, thereby forcing the enemy to divide its rapidly dwindling fighting cadre.

The Island: In your opinion, what was the worst setback suffered in the entire war?

ACM: Our defeat at Elephant Pass in April 2002. It was undoubtedly the most humiliating battlefield defeat, which could have caused the collapse of the northern forces.

The Island: Over the years, the SLAF experienced devastating losses resulting in massive losses. The raids on air bases at one point threatened the entire war effort. What was the worst debacle suffered by the SLAF during eelam war IV?

ACM: A two-pronged LTTE strike on Anuradhapura air base in Oct. 2007 caused severe damage to our air surveillance capability. The loss of a precious Beech craft and some newly acquired Unmanned Aerial Vehicles undermined the war effort. Don’t forget that the LTTE deployed 23 suicide cadres for the assault, though they didn’t succeed in destroying our total air surveillance capability.

The Island: Did the SLAF target LTTE Political Wing leader S. P. Thamilselvan about a week after to avenge the raid on Anuradhapura?

ACM: We were hunting for LTTE leaders long before the raid on Anuradhapura and Thamilselvan was on our hit list. The Intelligence Services worked on targets and on Nov. 1 we received specific intelligence regarding Thamilselvan’s presence in Kilinochchi. We assigned a pair of attack aircraft (Kfir and MiG 27) to bomb Thamilselvan’s hideout in a ‘built-up’ area. It was an extremely difficult task, but our pilots scored direct hits. The target killing increased pressure on the LTTE. The enemy never knew how we established Thamilselvan’s presence in Kilinocchchi, thereby forcing key leaders to go underground. Their absence on the battlefield demoralized the LTTE fighting cadre. The rest is history.

The Island: At the beginning of the 2006 offensive, all three services experienced a shortage of arms, ammunition and equipment. How did you manage to acquire the required equipment?

ACM: In spite of difficulties, the government provided whatever was needed by the fighting forces. There were shortages of ammunition during the offensive, troops sustained the action until fresh stocks arrived. Some of the delays were beyond our control.

The Island: How did a decision to make available ‘real time’ intelligence facilitated offensive action?

ACM: I felt data obtained from UVAs and Beech craft should be made available to the political and military leadership to facilitate the decision making process. Earlier we used to move data from Vavuniya to Colombo and by the time we had them it was always too late to take action. But during eelam war IV, on the instructions of the Defence Secretary, we set up a mechanism to provide real time intelligence to field commanders. Our ground commanders had the advantage of ‘real time’ intelligence to call on air and artillery strikes as and when required.

24 February 2011

Third round of talks between Sri Lanka government and Tamil National Alliance on March 01

Sri Lanka government sources say that the talks between the government and the major Tamil constituency Tamil National Alliance (TNA) will continue on March 01. This is the third round of talks between the two parties. The talks are focused on seeking a sustainable solution to the problems of the Tamils and other minority communities in the island, the government sources say.President Mahinda Rajapaksa revealed to the editors of the local newspapers yesterday that the focus of the talks would be on legal and constitutional matters.The government expects the Tamil parties in ruling alliance such as EPDP and PLOTE to attend the deliberations, the President said.The first round of talks between the government and the TNA was held on January 10 and the second round of talks was held on February 3.MPs Suresh Premachandran, Mavai Senadhiraja and M.A.Sumanthiran will represent the Tamil National Alliance delegation while Ministers Rathnasiri Wickramanayaka, Nimal Siripala de Silva, and Prof. G.L. Peiris will participate for the government.

EU re-lists Sri Lanka's LTTE as a terrorist group

The European Union (EU) has re-listed the defeated Tamil rebel group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a terrorist outfit, the Sri Lankan government said Wednesday.A release from the External Affairs Ministry said the European Union has re-listed the LTTE following a comprehensive review of listed terrorist groups.Sri Lanka crushed the LTTE and ended the three-decade long civil war waged by the rebel group in May 2009.The EU officially banned the LTTE as a terrorist organization in May 2006 although the LTTE was in peace talks with the government at the time following the signing of Norway-mediated ceasefire agreement in 2002.The LTTE is banned in 31 countries including the United States, Britain, and India.

Ashes of Sri Lanka rebel chief's mother desecrated

The ashes of the mother of Sri Lanka's former rebel leader have been desecrated hours after her body was cremated, a relative said Wednesday.Kanagalingam Sivajilingam said the incident took place Tuesday night, shortly after slain rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran's mother was cremated in his native village of Valvettithurai.Sivajilingam said relatives who visited the cremation site Wednesday to collect the ashes found them scattered and three dead dogs with bullet wounds lying nearby."This a barbaric act. I won't say who did it, but everybody knows who they are," Sivajilingam said.Killing and dumping dogs, which are considered lowly and unclean, is an expression of contempt for the dead person.Prabhakaran led the Tamil Tiger rebels during a quarter-century civil war that ended with their defeat and his death in May 2009. The rebels were seeking a separate state for ethnic minority Tamils, claiming discrimination from majority Sinhalese.Prabhakaran's parents were not involved in politics but were arrested by the military days after the war ended.After the death of Prabhakaran's father in detention last year, his mother Parvathi was released and spent her last year in hospitals under Sivajilingam's care.The military, which has a large presence in the Tamil-majority north, has been accused of destroying monuments and rebel graves in an attempt to eliminate every trace of the rebels.

23 February 2011

Petition against alleged ‘forced registration’

A group of TNA Parliamentarians on Tuesday filed a fundamental rights violation petition seeking to stop what they called ‘forced registration’ of residents of Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts allegedly by the Security Forces.Jaffna district Parliamentarians Mavai Senathirajah, Suresh Premachandran, Appathurai Vinayagamoorthy and Eswarapatham Saravanapavan as well as the Kilinochchi district Parliamentarian Sivagnanam Shritharan filed their petition through Attorney Mohan Balendra.They cited Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Jaffna Security Forces Commander Mahinda Hathurusinghe, Army Spokesman Udaya Madawala, Jaffna Government Agent Ms Imelda Sukumar and the Attorney General as Respondents.They are seeking immediate termination of alleged forced registration and the practice of photographing and obtaining Rs 100 from residents in Jaffna and Kilinochchi, particularly the residents of the Kilinochchi district who were allegedly forced to sign forms printed and written in Sinhala.They complain that the stigmatization through the singling out the residents of Jaffna and Kilinochchi districts from citizens of the entire country amounts to degrading treatment, especially when such singling out results in resembling the treatment of common criminals and thus amounts to a violation of the right to freedom from degrading treatment under the Constitution.

CaFFE criticizes postponement of polls

The Elections Department’s decision to postpone Local government polls in certain areas, after nominations had been accepted, came in for criticism from the Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE).The polls watchdog referred to the decision as being akin to "hunting with the hounds and running with the hare".CaFFE said the decision to postpone elections was a violation of Article 262 of the Local Government Elections Act. "In the past, elections were not postponed just because a party concerned filed a case in a Court of law pertaining to an election related matter. By postponing the elections, the Commissioner has taken back the powers bestowed upon district level officers under the Local Government Elections Act," it said.CaFFE said that after considering various petitions the Court had postponed the elections of three LG bodies while it had still not given its ruling on the other petitions. Therefore, it asked, how the elections department could postpone elections to those bodies where the Court was yet to decide. "It appears that the Elections Department has foreseen the Court ruling. We perceive this as a politically influenced decision that will shake the people’s faith in elections and will have an adverse effect on the free and fair nature of elections," CaFFE said.It said that holding of elections on a staggered basis was an invitation to heightened election law violations. "It will also create an uneven playing field since the party in power is given the chance to focus all its State resources into a limited area,"CaFFE pointed out.

Something fishy in Indo-Lanka ties

Tamil Nadu fishermen trespass into Sri Lankan waters to largely poach paraw (blacktip trevally), prawns, sea cucumber and conch shells. Last week, 136 of them became a prized catch themselves. Lankan Tamil fishermen intercepted them and hauled them over to the police. The vigilante move and the release of the Indian fishermen in two days though they were  remanded for two weeks in jail again focused the spotlight on the festering issue of fishing in choppy Palk Strait; a month ago two Indian fishermen were allegedly killed by the Lankan navy. About the government’s denial of the killings, an Indian diplomat said it could hardly be expected that authorities will admit to killing unarmed men. The arrest and remand were read by some as a message from President Mahinda Rajapaksa to New Delhi — jail term could have been longer if the government did not lobby the country’s independent judiciary.At the same time, the early release gave an opportunity to the press to harp on how India, the neighbourhood bully, pressurised Colombo to free them; how Indian diplomats tried to coerce a Jaffna magistrate. It’s a different matter that attorney general Mohan Peiris said that the “issue wasn’t that serious’’ and it could be worked out “government to government.’’What’s more serious, is the frequency with which Indian fishermen were intruding in Lankan waters, impacting the livelihood of some 22000 families (around 80000 people) in Jaffna who depend on fishing.“They have destroyed the fishing habitat in their waters by bottom trawling (sweeping the seabed) and now want to fish in our waters. It is not acceptable,’’ Jaffna-based S Thavaratnam heading an association of 117 fishermen’s’ union, said. On Monday, fishermen wearing black bands, held a silent protest in front of the Indian Consul General’s office there.Questions were being raised about the timing of the increased incidence of incursion; suspiciously close to the Tamil Nadu assembly elections. Attacks on or arrest of Indian fishermen could indeed a whip up a pre-electoral frenzy along coastal constituencies, leading to more incursions and incidents. But that could only help Sri Lanka’s new powerful patron, who has no such bilateral issue to tackle, to tighten its net of influence on Colombo.

TN politico, two others turned back at BIA

Three Indian nationals, including a member of a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council, were refused entry into Sri Lanka by Immigration and Emigration officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport yesterday. According to sources, the trio, including TN Legislative Council member and President of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi Thol Thirumavalavan had arrived in the wee hours of Tuesday to attend the funeral of slain LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s mother, Parvathi Ammal, which was held yesterday afternoon in Jaffna.Chief Authorizing officer of the Immigration and Emigration office at the BIA, S. M. Ameerdeen told The Island that they arrived at the airport at around 2.00 a.m. but were refused permission to enter the country."Our officers at the arrivals counter were not satisfied with the details provided by the politician and his two associates and they were refused entry," he said.Ameerdeen said that they arrived in flight number SG 001 of Spice Jet and returned in flight number SG 002 of the same airline.Later, it was reported that 300 people, including Thirumavalavan, were arrested by the Chennai Police when they organized a protest near the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission Office in Chennai.

Prabhakaran's mother cremated in Jaffna

The mother of the late leader of the Tamil Tiger rebels in Sri Lanka took place on the costal town of Valvedditturai, near Jaffna.Velupillai Parvati Pillai, the mother of Vellupillai Prabhakaran, was 81.She was cremated on Tuesday with traditional Hindu rites.A relative and former parlimentarian, MK Shivajilingam, told BBC Sandeshaya that despite obstructions from Sri Lankan security forces the funeral was well attended.He said that many who wanted to pay their respect to the rebel leader’s mother were intimidated by security forces.

'Obstructions'

“Those who attended funeral were photographed and subjected to security checks and the university students who came in buses were not allowed said Shivajilingam.Mean while Thol Thirumawalavan , A member of Indian parliament and several other politicians who arrived in Sri Lanka to attended the funeral were turned away at the Katunayaka International Air port.Immigration controller Chulananda Perera confirmed the incident and said that the Indian politicians were turned away as they could not provide substantial evidence to go to the north.“They had not come through the proper diplomatic channels," said Chulananda Perera.

Jaffna Bishop commends Security Forces

Jaffna Bishop Rt.Rev Dr Thomas Savundaranayagam recently commended the Security Forces for their proactive involvement to curb organized crime and for bringing those responsible to book.The Bishop further emphasized that intensified 24 hour security and night patrolling with the help of the Army and Police had paved the way for the prevailing peaceful situation in the Peninsula."Once again law and order has been restored and unlawful acts have lessened" the Bishop said.The Bishop further assured the close co-operation of Jaffna community to ensure the people's security.

New weapons law                              

The government is to introduce a new legislation to make the possession of illegal weapons a non bailable offence, the government information department said this evening.A spokesman for the government information department told News Now.lk that the government is of the firm view that weapons should be permitted only for the institutions and officials authorized to carry such weapons.He said that while the government had recently given a grace period for those holding illegal weapons to hand over their weapons, especially in the eastern province, there are many individuals who had weapons without a licence."We had a good response during the grace period. But there are still others who have illegal weapons after the defeat of the LTTE so the government has decided to introduce a legislation to make the possession of illegal weapons a non bailable offence," the government information department spokesman said.The TMVP which operates mainly in the eastern province was among the groups openly known to have carried illegal weapons while in Jaffna the EPDP had also possessed weapons. Both groups claim to have handed over their weapons.

SL vulnerable to cyber attack-Army Chief

Army Commander Lieut. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya on Tuesday (Feb. 22) said that Sri Lanka was vulnerable to a cyber attack, though the LTTE had lost its conventional military capability.The Army Chief was addressing a conference on Cyber Warfare - 2011 at Colombo Galadari hotel. Citing several cyber attacks targeting countries in various parts of the world, the Lieut. Gen. said those interested in destabilizing the country in the post-war era could resort to a cyber attack.The Army Chief said: "Wiki Leaks is the most popular name which is talked of these days with respect to cyber warfare of 21st-century. Wiki Leaks leaked some 250,000 classified State Department cables and became a popular rebellion amongst hundreds or thousands of tech-savvy activists. You must have read a lot about Wiki Leaks, so I would not talk much about that.There is nothing you can name which does not have some connection to the cyberspace. You name anything, all the information is available in cyberspace. Every organization depends at least to some extent from cyberspace and sooner or later the dependency would reach a compelled state. More you depend more you become vulnerable.If we talk about the Sri Lankan context during the civil war, main targets were the three forces, even though civilians and economic institutions were also bombed and attacked. If Sri Lanka is going to be attacked through cyberspace who would be the targets? It would not only be the armed forces or state leaders, it would be you all as well. There are anti-Sri Lankan forces and pro- LTTE activists around the world. The numbers of pro-LTTE websites launching false propaganda are thousands in numbers and even at this moment there may be hundreds of thousands of people reading them and looking at this country with an awful eye.At this moment I guarantee that no one can launch any physical attack on Sri Lanka. Though they do not have any room in the physical space, they have plenty of room to launch attacks on the cyberspace.We know LTTE as our enemy since they have been our enemy in the physical space for almost 30 years. But the number of enemies who are looking forward to declare war on Sri Lanka through cyberspace may be much more than LTTE. We might never be able to know who they are and what their targets going to be.Cyber or Digital forensic is a very difficult activity. But having high level forensic mechanisms is compulsory in national and organizational level. For this purpose and to ensure cyber security and face cyber wars, this country and your organizations require cyber warriors. On top of all the technological aspects, development of our human resources as cyber soldiers should be the first step towards making a peaceful cyberspace for Sri Lanka.I know that you are very much aware about the technical aspects of cyber warfare. But battling a cyber war is not just a battle of bits and bytes. It is going to be a collective effort of yours and ours. We all should be in the same big picture and we all must be prepared for cyber threats which are imminent in the near future. I hope you understood the strategic points which I tried to emphasize and wish you all be the pioneers of cyber security force in Sri Lanka."

Tamil man indicted for Sri Lankan murders

The man, arrested last January, stands accused of killing three persons on behalf of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during a conflict in Sri Lanka. The first victim was a police officer killed in 2004. The other two were members of a rival Tamil group, murdered in May 2006.According to Per Zimmer, police lawyer at Kripos (Norwegian Criminal Police), the Tamil man is thought to have connections with the LTTE, and it is believed the organization contracted him.“We are investigating the matter on the basis he has had a role in the LTTE, and that he has carried out killings on its behalf,” Mr Zimmer tells Aftenposten, refusing to reveal the individual’s rank on the grounds it forms part of the police inquiry.The 34-year-old has been preliminarily indicted under Section 233 of the Norwegian Penal Code section, which states murders committed abroad can also be tried when the alleged offender lives in Norway. He has been working as a cleaner in Norway since 2007 since his application for asylum was rejected.As Sri Lankan authorities have not asked for the man’s extradition until now, the trial will be held in Norway.“We are obliged to pursue serious crimes committed abroad, thus preventing Norway from becoming a safe haven with amnesty for criminals. There are many Tamils who have been granted residence here, and we find it natural to look at this group as well”, says Per Zimmer. The accused alleges he is not guilty, claiming the Tamil Tigers put him under duress by threatening to kill his family.

SL to upgrade air-to-air capabilities

The Sri Lanka Air Force will upgrade its air to air capabilities in the near the future and encourage more research and development programmes, CDS and Air Force Commander Roshan Gunathilake said today.“We have to purchase new aircraft as well to facilitate the phasing out old aircraft. We have to train pilots properly to meet high standards of future aircraft”, he said.He also said the Air Force had developed its own unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) which was being tested at the moment. He said this local UAV would be demonstrated after testing a new engine for it. “In the 80s we developed a small indigenous aircraft. We tested and flew it. Now it’s in the Ratmalana Air Force Museum. We soon hope to build a medium range aircraft using our own resources as well”, he added.

Conflict between JHU & Govt. getting worse

Despite the government having a vision to defeat terrorism, it has no vision to solve issues of any other sector says the Parliamentarian of the JHU Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero. Ven. Rathana Thero has expressed this at an interview the Thero had with ‘Lakbima’ Sunday newspaper. The JHU which carried out a broad campaign during the presidential election on behalf of President Mahinda Rajapakse is embittered by the government’s tactics of cold shouldering the party say reports. The JHU did not participate in any of the TV political discussions before the announcement of local government elections and at the final discussion to select candidates for nominations for the UPFA Ven. Rathana Thero had publicly abused leaders of the SLFP for not including sufficient number of candidates proposed by the JHU. It is said in the media at the nomination committee attended by Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne, Secretary General of SLFP Maithripala Sirisena, its Treasurer Dulles Alahapperuma, Basil Rajapakse, Nimal Siripala de Silva and the Secretary General of the UPFA Susil Premajayanthe Ven. Rathana had said “Let’s see how many more months you could wriggle.”The JHU had presented a list of 125 names to be included in UPFA nomination lists for the forthcoming local government elections. Earlier the SLFP had agreed to give nominations for 76 from the list but at the end only 59 names had been included in nomination lists.

22 February 2011

Elections Chief’s meeting today: UNP and JVP to protest against polls postponement

The UNP and the JVP are expected to register their protest with Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake, when he meets political party representatives today (22) at the Elections Secretariat, against the postponement of elections to 60 local government bodies. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said his party would protest against the Elections Commissioner’s decision to postpone polls to 20 local bodies in Jaffna and Kilinochi simply because the UPFA had challenged the rejection of its nomination lists. Attanayake said that he along with party Deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya and Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena had already launched the UNP’s LGpolls campaign in the North and they had been warmly welcomed by the people there.SLMC General Secretary M. T. Hassan Ali said that they would raise their concerns over violence and other issues. Additional Commissioner of Elections W. P. Sumanasiri said that the Commissioner had been compelled to postpone the elections due to Court action filed by those whose nominations had been rejected in some areas. That had caused a delay in the postal vote ballot papers being forwarded to district offices on February 25.He said that except the 60 local bodies named in the legal proceedings, elections would be held to 241 bodies as scheduled on March 17. Those bodies include three MCs, 29 UCs and 209 Pradeshiya Sabas.Sumanasiri said that 320,806 applications had been received for postal voting scheduled for March 8 and 9. Polling cards would be delivered to voters on March 1 and 6, he said.

UK Minister arrives

British Minister for South Asia at Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Alistair Burt arrived in Sri Lanka this morning. This is the first Ministerial visit to Sri Lanka under the current UK administration.Minister Burt met the Minister for Economic Development, Basil Rajapakse at the Presidential Secretariat today.The two Ministers discussed trade and investment ties between Sri Lanka and the UK, as well as Sri Lanka’s progress in development. Mr. Burt emphasised the British Government’s commitment towards Sri Lanka, stating that a key part of his visit would be promoting bilateral trade between the two countries.During the meeting, Mr. Burt announced a further contribution of £3 million by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) towards demining work in Sri Lanka.He also announced that the British High Commission (BHC) in Colombo would be launching websites in Sinhala and Tamil languages today, which, along with the existing English language website, would cater to the Sri Lankan population.During his two-day visit, Minister Burt is also expected to meet with the Minister of External Affairs, the Secretary of Defence and other key local political figures; representatives of civil society groups; important members of the business community; and staff members of the British High Commission and the British Council in Colombo.The British Minister will also be visiting Jaffna, the British High Commission in Colombo said.

EU parliamentary delegation to visit SL

The European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with South Asia, led by Ms Jean Lambert (Greens, European Free Alliance, UK) will visit Sri Lanka from 21 to 25 February to hold the 6th Inter-parliamentary Meeting with the Sri Lankan Parliament, EU Delegation office in Colombo said in a release yesterday.The parliamentary delegation will be accompanied by the Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Mr Bernard Savage and other EU officials.During the visit, the cross party parliamentary delegation will also hold meetings with senior government officials, Opposition parties, civil society, UN Agencies, international community and other stakeholders.The parliamentary delegation will also travel to Jaffna and Vavuniya to visit European Union funded humanitarian aid, reconstruction and development projects. This mission will consist of meetings with government officials at district and provincial level and will be followed by field visits to demining and mine risk education, temporary shelter and permanent housing projects.

US to provide 10,200 schols

The Higher Education Ministry has implemented several programs to ensure that students entering universities are integrated to society as universal children.On the initiative of Minister S B Dissanayake the US Embassy has agreed to assist this program by providing 10,200 scholarships to improve the English knowledge and skills of undergraduates.A Ministry release said students who follow an English course at the respective universities will be selected for these scholarships on the results of an examination held at the conclusion of the course.These scholarships will be awarded by a reputed distant education institute named ‘English First: English Town’ which has 400 branches in 50 countries with a total staff of 34,000 and a student population of nearly five million.

UK announces £3 Mn for demining

Visiting British Minister Alistair Burt announced a further contribution of £3 million by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) towards demining work in Sri Lanka when he met the Minister for Economic Development, Basil Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (21).The two Ministers discussed trade and investment ties between Sri Lanka and the UK, as well as Sri Lanka’s progress in development.Minister Burt emphasized the British Government’s commitment towards Sri Lanka, stating that a key part of his visit would be promoting bilateral trade between the two countries.Mr. Burt also announced that the British High Commission (BHC) in Colombo would be launching websites in Sinhala and Tamil languages later in the day, which, along with the existing English language website, would cater to the Sri Lankan population. The websites would contain information on key aspects of the BHC’s work in Sri Lanka, including visa information and updated news releases.Minister Alistair Burt MP is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Minister for South Asia and is currently in Sri Lanka for a two-day visit. This is the first Ministerial visit to Sri Lanka by the UK coalition government.

Canadian PM visits Sri Lankan migrant ship in Vancouver

Feb 22, Vancouver: The Canadian Prime Minster Stephen Harper Monday (21) visited one of the cargo ships that brought illegal Sri Lankan Tamil migrants to Vancouver Island.Harper who is visiting British Columbia to promote his immigration reforms toured the MV Ocean Lady that brought 76 Sri Lankan migrants to Vancouver in October 2009.The Canadian PM is in Vancouver to rally support for Bill C-49, his government's immigration reforms.Harper has said that his Conservative government is cracking down on illegal human smuggling and sending a message with its reforms that abuse of Canada's immigration system will not be tolerated, Canada's CTV reported.He has vowed to bring comprehensive legislation designed to deter immigrants arriving in Canada and to impose stiff penalties for the smugglers.The Bill C-49, aimed at preventing human smugglers abusing Canada's Immigration System Act, amends Canada's Criminal Code, which contains no provisions to specifically prohibit trafficking in persons, to make trafficking in persons a criminal offence.Last August a modified Thai cargo ship, MV Sun Sea sailed to Canada with 492 Tamil migrants including women and children, some of whom are suspected of being members of the banned terrorist organization Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).In addition to Bill C-49, the prime minister says the federal government has appointed a special adviser on human smuggling and illegal migration and strengthened co-operation with international partners to combat human smuggling.Canada's opposition parties however, are against the bill saying that the bill is flawed and unconstitutional

Colombo among 10 worst cities in the world

Colombo, Sri Lanka’s financial capital, is among the ten worst livable cities in the world, according to a recent survey carried out by the reputed The Economist Intelligence Unit.According to latest livability index compiled by The Economist, the worst city to live in the world is Harare, Zimbabwe, followed by Dhaka, Bangladesh, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Lagos, Nigeria, Algiers, Algeria, Karachi, Pakistan, Douala, Cameroon, Tehran, Iran, Dakar, Senegal, and then, the best of the worst 10 cities on the index, Colombo, Sri Lanka.The following were the top 10 most livable cities as ranked by The Economist Intelligence Unit: 1. Vancouver, Canada, 2. Melbourne, Australia, 3. Vienna, Austria, 4. Toronto, Canada, 5. Calgary, Canada, 6. Helsinki, Finland, 7. Sydney, Australia, 8. Perth, Australia, 9. Adelaide, Australia and 10. Auckland, New Zealand.The Economist Intelligence Unit survey ranks cities based on 30 factors such as healthcare, culture and environment, and education and personal safety.In 2010, it was The Economic Intelligence Unit that said Sri Lanka was the 8th fastest growing economy in the world.The Urban Development Authority of Sri Lanka is now directly under the Ministry of Defence and attempts are being made to clean up and beautify the city of Colombo and enforce traffic laws strictly. Authorities are also trying to contain a Dengue outbreak.

Sri Lanka to implement official language policy

Sri Lanka's Minister of National Languages and Social Integrity Vasudeva Nanayakkara has instructed the Department of Official Languages to fully implement the official languages policy of the country, the government said Monday.The dearth of translators has affected the implementation of the language policy severely, the government said adding that the training of reserves as a remedial measure will commence within the next two weeks.The Minister has pointed out that the objective of the programme is to establish the rights of persons to function and communicate in a language of their own preference.Nanayakkara says the public officials at government institutions, especially, receptionists and other personnel interacting with the public should be bilingual.The Minister has instructed officials to commence language courses for students pursuing higher education and to open the language laboratory and the library of the Official Languages Department to those who are interested in learning languages.The government believes knowledge to communicate in all three languages Sinhala, Tamil and English will aid the reconciliation process between the communities easier.

Australian could face court over Tamil Tigers deaths

AN AUSTRALIAN citizen and senior Sri Lankan diplomat has been accused of complicity in the murders of three surrendering Tamil Tigers in an application to the International Criminal Court in the Netherlands.The man, Palitha Kohona, was the international face of the Sri Lankan government's war with separatist militants, the Tamil Tigers, and played an important role in the surrender of Tamil Tiger soldiers following their defeat in May 2009.But reports of mass killings and the extrajudicial killing of surrendering Tigers have since surfaced. Dr Kohona and the Sri Lankan government strongly deny the claims, and so far the international community has been reluctant to investigate them.However, two international Tamil organisations have made a series of war crimes allegations to the International Criminal Court involving Dr Kohona and his role in the negotiated surrender of three Tamil Tigers who are believed to have been killed.While Sri Lanka does not recognise the jurisdiction of the court, Dr Kohona's citizenship of Australia - a country which is a party to the court - means unlike other senior members of the Sri Lankan government, he can potentially be prosecuted.That does not mean that a full investigation is likely, however, as only a very few of the requests for prosecutions each year are pursued by the court.Dr Kohona became an Australian citizen in the 1980s while working in Canberra with the Foreign Affairs Department. He is now the Sri Lankan government's representative at the United Nations.During the 2008-09 civil war which led to the defeat of the Tamil Tigers, Dr Kohona was secretary of the Sri Lankan foreign affairs ministry and played a role in negotiating the surrender of Tamil Tigers.Among those who surrendered were three senior Tiger members, Mahindran Balasingham, Seeveratnam Pulidevan and a man known only as Ramesh.On May 18, the day after the Tigers admitted defeat, the three men, along with at least a dozen others, negotiated a surrender with the Sri Lankan army. They waved a white flag when surrendering to show their intent.Watched by hundreds of other Tamils, the group walked into an army-controlled area. Several minutes later shots and explosions were heard, witnesses said. Balasingham and Pulidevan have not been seen since and Ramesh was seen at a hospital months later but subsequently disappeared. The Sri Lankan government has confirmed the death of two of the men.The request, filed by the Swiss Council of Eelam Tamils and the US group Tamils Against Genocide, alleges Dr Kohona had been involved in the trio's surrender in the days before their death.''On about May 17, 2009, in the evening or night, Palitha Kohona communicated … that the surrendering [Tamil Tigers] members would be safe if they surrendered with a white flag raised,'' the request claims.A day later the three men surrendered. ''Some time after 8.15am [the trio] walked towards SLA lines with a white flag, along with 12-40 combatants and non-combatants … the SLA attacked by gunfire.''A spokeswoman for the Home Affairs Minister, Brendan O'Connor, would not comment on the case except to say: ''Australia is a party to the Rome Statute and, as such, supports action by the court to prosecute crimes falling within its jurisdiction.''Dr Kohona told the ABC yesterday the claims had no substance and were politically motivated.

Bangladesh Army Chief here tomorrow

Bangladesh Army Chief, General M D Abdul Mubeen will arrive in Sri Lanka tomorrow on a five day official visit.Military Spokesman Major General Ubaya Medawala told the Daily News that the Bangladesh Army Chief is visiting Sri Lanka on the invitation of Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya.The Bangladesh Army Chief is scheduled to meet Prime Minister D M Jayaratne, External Affairs Minister Prof GL Peiris, Chief of Defence Staff Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetileke and Navy Commander Vice Admiral P W A S Dissanayake.A guard of honour will be accorded at the Army Headquarters Thursday to welcome the visiting Bangladesh Army Chief.He is scheduled to leave on February 28.

Fishermen of the north stage demonstrations in front of the Indian consulate

The fishermen of Jaffna and their families commenced a demonstration yesterday morning(21) in front of the Indian consulate in Jaffna against the Indian fishermen poaching on our territorial waters while also destroying the nets and equipments of the Jaffna fishermen.These protestors demanded from the Indian officials that they be freed from the harassment and interference of the Indian fishermen who are not only denying their livelihoods but even causing damage to their property.Meanwhile the Indian P T I news service reported that 2400 fishermen in 600 motor boats who came into the Sri Lanka (SL) territorial waters from Tamil nadu had been warned not to come and sent back by the SL Navy.The Tamil nadu fishermen have told the P T I news service that the SL Navy had warned them not to cross the international territorial border and enter the SL territorial waters.The 21 SL fishermen who were arrested earlier by the Indian coastal guard army when they entered the Indian territorial waters were released on Monday (21) . These fishermen are from Negombo , Chilaw and Trincomalee.

Remand prison extended to Thamilini

Colombo Chief Magistrate Rashmi Singapuli ordered again for remand prison to Thamilini, until 21st of March. The suspected person was brought to the courts today under severe security by the prison officials. Inquiries regarding the suspected person Thamilini was concluded, and the inquiry report had been submitted to Attorney General was mentioned by the officials processed the inquiries.The Criminal Investigation Division Officials informed in courts that the recommendation from the Attorney General is still pending regarding the activities which should be processed in accordance with the suspected person. Magistrate Rashmi Singapuli ordered to expedite in obtaining the recommendation and ordered to extend the remand prison until the forthcoming March 21st. Meanwhile Colombo Chief Magistrate Rashmi Singapuli ordered the Court Registrar today to handover the original copy of the statement given by Tamil Eelam liberation tiger movement’s media spokesperson Daya Master according to his will to the Criminal Investigation Department. This order was given today when the cases filed against Liberation tiger’s translator George Master and Daya Master’s were taken for inquiry. The suspected persons who were permitted to go on bail presented in courts today, and the case inquiries was postponed to March 21st.

20 February 2011

Paramilitary poll panic           

Election monitors and opposition political parties claim that the increasing number of incidents of intimidation by paramilitary groups has virtually made it impossible for opposition political parties to campaign in the North and East. “People are afraid to meet or to express themselves. There is a fear psychosis. People tell us that whenever there is a small meeting -- paramilitary groups members and spies arrive. Because of that people are afraid to campaign,” said Keerthi Tennakoon, Director of Campaign for Free and Fair Elections (CaFFE.)He added that there is no freedom of expression, movement or association in the North and the East, and that people are already disillusioned about the process. Opposition politicians and media are barred from entering and operating in most of the areas while armed groups are systematically intimidating local politicians.Meanwhile JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath told Lakbima news that paramilitary groups and Police officers have been intimidating their candidates in the North and the East. They have questioned JVP candidates in Point Pedro, Jaffna and Vavuniya and in some instances have tried to force them not to work with the JVP. TNA MP MA Sumanthiran also claimed that one of their party supporters who went to the Delft Islands for election related activities is missing since last week. Although the TNA has complained to the police so far no action has been taken.

TULF wants Indian model

Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) Leader V Anandasangaree has said the Tamils have not benefited out of the 13th Amendment and hence it should be annulled immediately.Anandasangaree who is campaigning in the east told The Nation that since the Tamil national problems have not been solved even after the introduction of the 13th Amendment, the government should now seriously consider another system. He suggested the Indian model to be the most suitable for the Tamils of North and East.“The government can throw the 13th Amendment into the dustbin and consider something new. If a particular system does not pay dividends then we need to change it,” he said.Meanwhile, Anandasangaree invited all the Tamil political parties to come under one umbrella and be united.He extended the invitation to former Northeast Chief Minister Varadaraja Perumal and even Sivajilingam of Tamil National Liberation Alliance (TNLA) to join hands.When asked whether the same invitation would be extended even to EPDP’s Douglas Devananda, he said Devananda was part of the government and he did not deserve an invitation.

Sri Lanka implements reconciliation measures, shrinks high security zones

Implementing the reconciliation measures suggested by the Inter-Agency Advisory Committee (IIAC) Sri Lanka government has decided to take progressive action to release the lands occupied the military as high security zones (HSZs) in the country, especially in the North. Under the measure the government is to free 2,392 houses that have been identified for civilian occupation in more than 2,500 hectares of the land that were set apart for HSZ. The government has already released 256 houses surrounding the Palaly HSZ to civilians. Issuing a press release Saturday, the government said there is no forced settlement of anyone in any areas and every citizen is free to own or purchase land in anywhere in the country.

Sri Lanka's slain Tiger chief's mother dies

The mother of Sri Lanka's slain top Tamil Tiger rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran died at a hospital in northern Sri Lanka Sunday, a family friend said.Vallipuram Parvathi, who was believed to be in her early 80s, was being treated at the Valvedditturai hospital following a stroke last year, said a Tamil politician close to the family, who did not want to be identified.Prabhakaran's parents were captured by the military in the final stages of fighting between troops and Tamil Tigers in May 2009. Government forces killed Prabhakaran on May 18 and declared an end to the island's drawn-out separatist war which had been led by the Tigers.Prabhakaran's father, T. Velupillai, died in military custody last year, after which Parvathi was released.The UN estimates that up to 100,000 people were killed in the separatist war between 1972 and 2009, while at least 7,000 civilians perished in the final months of fighting.

SL stops dual citizenship forthwith : believed as revengeful action against bitter London tour

The immigration and Emigration Dept. has issued a special communiqué barring forthwith the granting of dual citizenship until further notice. Accordingly, all applications forwarded for approval and processing have been immediately stopped. Based on unofficial information , this measure has been taken following the President’s recent unsuccessful London tour when that country allegedly allowed the Sri Lanka (SL) Tamil Diaspora demonstrations which were staged there during the President’s tour. It is learnt that the Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse had been most determined and responsible for the action in this direction.A Sri Lankan who has citizenship of another country but has assets in this country could earlier apply for dual citizenship . The Immigration and emigration Dept. gave dual citizenship on the ground that by that there is an economic development for SL society . An individual who is a dual citizen had to pay Rs. two lakhs to the Govt. Those eligible to receive dual citizenship are citizens of Australia , New Zealand, Commonwealth, France , Sweden, Switzerland, Italy, America and Canada.Some Officials of the Immigration and Emigration Dept. say , the disconcerting element in this is , while the Govt. is avidly inviting affluent foreign citizens to come and invest in this country , is at the same time blocking them by introducing this sudden regulation merely for vindictive reasons.What is most significant in this perplexing background is both Gotabaya Rajapakse and Basil Rajapakse are enjoying dual citizenships – SL and America.

New land powers for Def. Min.

Developing or filling land in the districts of Colombo, Kalutara and Gampaha will henceforth require approval from a statutory body coming under the Ministry of Defence. New regulations to compel landowners to obtain the approval of the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLRDC) were gazetted last week.President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as Minister of Defence, promulgated them. They have come in the form of a “Correction Paper” to regulations gazetted earlier by Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Areas Development.A Planning Committee, subject to strict terms and conditions, will grant approval for development or filling of land in the three districts. The Committee will comprise officers of the Urban Development Authority, the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) and the Department of Agrarian Services. In addition, it will also comprise senior officers of the Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation (SLRDC).Both the Sri Lanka Land Development and Construction Corporation (SLLRDC) and the Urban Development Authority come under the purview of the Ministry of Defence. If the land proposed to be developed is a paddy field, the new regulations stipulate that the approval of the Commissioner of Agrarian Services is sought on the basis of recommendations made by the SLLRDC.Any individual authorised by the Chief Executive Officer of the SLLRDC shall have the power to access the declared area. Anyone who disturbs such access could be convicted under the provisions of the SLLRDC Act.Those who fail to adhere to the new terms and conditions, the Gazette notification states, also "could be convicted guilty under the provisions" of the SLLRDC Act.

Ferial picks Singapore over Australia

Former Housing Minister and National Unity Alliance (NUA) chief Ferial Ashraff is tipped to be the next Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Singapore.President Mahinda Rajapaksa recently extended Ms Ashraff the invitation and she has accepted the invitation.Ms Ashraff was given two options to choose between Australia and Singapore, but what she has selected is Singapore.The present Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Singapore is Ms Jayathri Samarakoon.The Nation reliably learns though President Rajapaksa has verbally invited Ms Ashroff to undertake the post as the high commissioner, there has not been any official intimation to her so far.The President’s verbal invitation was made about two months ago, but still Ms Ashraff has not received any official invitation in writing.Meanwhile, Ms Ashraff when contacted by The Nation confirmed that the invitation has only been ‘verbal’ and not ‘in writing.’She also said that she gave her consent to President Rajapaksa when he invited her but was awaiting official intimation in writing.Meanwhile, when asked why she was not getting involved in politics, Ms Ashroff said she preferred not to engage in politics, but to take a holiday from politics.“I prefer to be like this. I personally don’t think I can do anything big in UPFA as there are quite a number of Muslim parties and politicians helping the present UPFA. So, my role would be insignificant,” she said.

Change of rule similarly like Egypt cannot be introduced in Sri Lanka : Mano Ganeshan

Democratic People’s Front Leader Mano Ganeshan said, change of regime similarly like Egypt cannot be introduced in Sri lanka. Some opposition party politicians are day dreaming that by originating revolution similar to Egypt, they could capture the power.“Lakbima” newspaper has published a news item that United National party, Democratic National Alliance and JVP are individually dreaming, but the people of this country will face difficulties. He pointed out the opposition parties paved way to obtain two third majority for the government. Even though opposition parties are functioning individually, they cannot advance towards a revolution like Egypt was
mentioned by Mano Ganeshan.

Thamilselvan’s statue re-erected in France

A statue of former LTTE Political Wing leader Selvakumar Paramamoorthi Thamilchelvan, removed from La Courneuve, France, late last year following protests by Sri Lanka has been re-erected. An official investigating LTTE activity both here and abroad told The Sunday Island that the statue had placed at the exact location, where Tamil Diaspora activists put it up on Nov. 1, 2010 to coincide with the third year death anniversary of the LTTE’s one-time overall commander in Jaffna. The SLAF successfully targeted Thamilchelvan’s hideout at Kilinochchi on Nov. 1, 2007 about a week after a devastating LTTE commando raid on Anuradhapura SLAF base. He was 40-years at the time of his death which had a devastating impact on the LTTE.The official said Diaspora activists had quietly persuaded French authorities to move back the statue amidst a stepped-up campaign in several parts of the world to ‘sanitize’ the LTTE.External Affairs Ministry sources said that a decision by the LTTE rump to challenge the EU ban on the group in the Court of Justice of the European Communities in Luxembourg was part an overall strategy.The action is backed by what Diaspora activists called democratically elected body of Eelam Tamils in Switzerland, the Swiss Council of Eelam Tamils (SCET) Sources said that the Diaspora was now making an attempt to take advantage of the loss of LTTE’s conventional military capability to strengthen its case for recognition as a political force. The bottom line was that the Diaspora would push for de-proscription of the LTTE on the basis that it no longer retained a military capability. The LTTE fighting cadre collapsed on the banks of the Nanthikadal lagoon on May 19, 2009. Sources said that with re-erection of Thamilchelvam’s statue in France, the Diaspora could adopt similar tactics in other countries, home to large Sri Lankan Tamil communities. Thamilchelvan had been among those trained in India in 1984 and is widely believed to one of the senior commanders responsible for child recruitment and forcing every family to contribute at least one person to the LTTE fighting cadre.Sources said that an organization called Franco-Tamil association of La Courneuve had been responsible for placing the bust of S.P.Tamilselvan, sculpted by a local artist, opposite the Art gallery ‘Le Sens de l’Art’ in La Courneuve, within the district of Seine-Saint Denis.Some elected members of the Municipal Council of La Courneuve had participated at the event in last November when the statue was first unveiled.Responding to criticism over the Diaspora move, the French embassy in Colombo last year said: The Constitution of France establishes a decentralized state, in which the Government does not have the authority to intervene in the domains devolved to the local institutions and cannot oppose the activities of elected local representatives, as long as these are in accordance with the law. Moreover, the Constitution of France protects the freedom of expression and the Rights of Association. France is a key member state of the EU. Sources pointed out that both France and Italy had strongly opposed the EU ban on the LTTE as they felt the US was behind the move.The rift among EU nations was revealed by a US diplomatic cable originating from Colombo released by Wikileaks. Sources said that the Diaspora had stepped up their efforts to bring together those who had been supportive of the Eelam cause to recognize their struggle.They said that the campaign seeking international recognition spearheaded by Tamil Eelam Transnational Government (TETG) led by one-time LTTE legal advisor, V. Rudrakumaran, was taking place amidst to their efforts to force an international ‘war crimes’ probe targeting Sri Lankan political and military leaders.

Embassy officials meet in UK - Initiative to stop using Buddha images for commercial purposes

The Sri Lankan High Commission in the United Kingdom invited representatives of Thailand, Myanmar and Nepal embassies to discuss the issue of using Buddha images for commercial purposes.  Thida Aung, Minister Counsellor of Myanmar Embassy,  Rutchabhoom Boonrawd, First Secretary of Thailand Embassy and  Khimanand Bhusal, Attache of Nepal Embassy attended last week’s meeting at the Sri Lankan High Commission. The discussion centred on a restaurant in the Fulham area of London by the name of ‘Greedy Buddha’, serving Nepalese food. It was agreed that all embassies should take individual as well as collective action in this regard. The embassy officials agreed to  persuade their respective religious and cultural organizations in the UK to write to the owner of the restaurant expressing their concerns. The Nepalese embassy will mobilize its expatriates and priests against the using of Lord Buddha’s name in  an insulting manner and requested all other embassy representatives to follow suit.Saman Ekanayake, Minister (Cultural and Education), Chaminda Kularatne (Consular Affairs), represented Sri Lanka at the discussion. The meeting, which is a preamble to initiating collective action by Buddhist countries against commercialization of Buddha images, is an initiative of Acting High Commissioner P. M. Amza.

Sri Lanka and Pakistan resume air links

Sri Lanka and Pakistan will resume air links between the two countries from today, Airport and Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka announced.Accordingly, the first flight of Pakistan International Airline will arrive in Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport today at 7:30 p.m. A group of representatives of Pakistan International Airline led by its Managing Director will arrive in this flight.Sri Lanka Ministers Priyankara Jayaratna, Susil Premajayantha, and Faizer Mustafa will welcome the Pakistan representatives at the airport.The return flight to Pakistan from Sri Lanka is scheduled at 8:45 p.m.The airline will fly to Colombo three times a week on every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, starting from today.

Rudrakumaran launches fund raiser through "registration’’

In a bid to consolidate his position, V. Rudrakumaran, who has emerged as the leader of the Tamil Diaspora recently launched a two-pronged strategy to bolster strength of his so-called Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE) and also to raise funds.The US-based one-time LTTE legal advisor has offered to register Sri Lankan Tamils living overseas with TGTE for $ 15 each. The TGTE plans to issue a special Identity Card for Tamils. Rudrakumaran calls himself Prime Minister of the TGTE. Sri Lankan intelligence sources told The Sunday Island that this would help Rudrakumaran’s efforts to outshine those challenging his leadership. Sources asserted that the ongoing project would strengthen the Rudrakumaran faction both politically and financially. They said that anyone obtaining TGTE membership could end up a regular contributor to the Eelam project. But they were confident that overseas Tamils would, for good reason, be cautious about providing their personal details that are being sought. The External Affairs Ministry in Colombo believes that the latest Eelam project could lead to further divisions among Diaspora factions. Sources said that foreign governments should take action to abort Rudrakumaran’s plans. Most of the Diaspora Tamils had secured citizenship of the respective countries where they live, they said, and those who still didn’t have citizenship were mostly illegals.The LTTE launched a project to issue a special ID card in the late 90s with a view to identify those who could contribute financially to strengthen its war coffers, primarily to buy arms and ammunition. After the success of the pilot project launch in Switzerland, the LTTE gradually expand the operation to other countries. Sources said that the LTTE had used the ID system to control the Diaspora and there had been many instances of the available information being used for credit card frauds, money laundering and blackmailing etc. Some of the data gathered had even been used to produce fake Sri Lankan National ID cards in order to hide the identity of LTTE operatives, particularly those assigned suicide missions and clandestine operations. Recently Switzerland targeted Diaspora involved in illegal money collecting operations.``It’s a pity overseas Tamils are still harassed by Eelam activists despite the defeat of terrorism in May 2009,’’ one source said.

18 February 2011

Krishna speaks to Peiris, seeks release of fishermen

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna has spoken to his Sri Lankan counterpart G.L. Peiris to secure the release of 142 Indian fishermen arrested by the island Navy over the past few days.“I am hopeful that the Sri Lankan Government will take all the necessary steps to release all Indian fishermen,'' he told journalists here after a telephonic conversation with Mr. Peiris on Thursday. “Both governments must sort out the issue amicably,'' he said.“I have also conveyed my deep regret that Sri Lankan nationals and Sri Lankan fishermen have taken [the] law into their own hands and confronted our fishermen,” he said adding there was no justification for fishermen to stray into Sri Lankan waters. Sri Lankan fishermen have also to be “very cautious'' when they are getting into Indian waters. “Nevertheless, in the light of the bilateral relationship which has always been cordial, I think it is necessary that all of us must help to defuse the situation. I have suggested that the fishermen be released.”Thursday being a holiday in Sri Lanka, New Delhi was confident, Colombo would take the necessary steps the next day when the courts reopen to get all the fishermen released.“I have also suggested to the Sri Lankan External Affairs Minister that fishermen associations should get in touch with each other so that they can come to some understanding with reference to fishing in international waters,” Mr. Krishna said.

UNP begins LG polls campaign in North

Senior leaders of the UNP toured Jaffna on Thursday (Feb. 17) and launched the party’s campaign for the upcoming local government polls.They took part in a special pooja at Nallur Kovil to begin their electioneering.UNP deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya, general secretary Tissa Attanayake, MPs D.M. Swaminathan and Dr. Jayalath Jayawardena, east province opposition leader Daya Gamage and Kala Maheswari, the widow of MP T. Maheswaran, were among them.Speaking later to the party’s candidates, Mr. Jayasuriya said solving terrorism and finding answers to problems of the northern people were two totally different matters.The present regime had taken no meaningful steps so far to address the grievances of the Tamil people, he said.The UNP is the only party, which is capable of uniting all the people, Mr. Jayasuriya said, adding that a victory for the party at the LG polls would be the first step towards toppling the government.

Sri Lanka ruling party nominations rejection verdict today

Today, the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka will deliver the verdict of the petitions filed by the ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) on the rejection of party nominations to Monaragala and Akmeemana Pradeshiya Sabhas for the local government election.UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha had filed the petitions in the court.Petitioner seeks the Retaining Officers of Monaragala and Galle districts to accept the nominations of the UPFA to those local councils.It is further sought the elections for the two local councils be postponed until the petitions are heard and the verdicts are delivered.Both nominations were reportedly rejected due to the documents pertaining to the birth of candidates of the lists being incomplete.Both localities have a strong voter base for the ruling party.The local government elections are scheduled to be held on March 17.

Five suspected as White van gang Arrested in Chavakachcheri GTN reporter

The public had given information to the police regarding their vehicle which had roamed in Chavakachcheri town  Police have arrested a five member gang  suspected to be the white van gang in Chavakachcheri town area in Jaffna Thenmaraachchi, but one has escaped.The public had given information to the police regarding their vehicle which had roamed in Chavakachcheri town on Monday around 9 PM is a suspecting manner the police had then rounded up and arrested the five. The arrested were from Chilaw and other areas in the  island, but their identities or from where they entered the peninsula is not known However inquires have already started to ascertain whether they have any connection with the recent abductions robberies and killings in the Jaffna peninsula, the chavakachcheri OIC has told the GTN reporter, but no further information could be divulged until the inquiries are over, he added.Meanwhile the gang  arrested close to Chavakachcheri town, with a vehicle around 9 PM, have said they were celebrating Valentine’s day.This 5 member gang is not from the Jaffna peninsula or any area in the North  or East, if so why should they come hundreds of miles to Chavakachcheri Jaffna and celebrate the lovers day during the night, the people of the area have have begun to question.

LTTE ban to be challenged in European Court Wednesday, 16 February 2011

The proscription of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the European Union will be challenged in the Court of Justice of the European Communities in Luxembourg, said Amsterdam based lawyer Victor Koppe while giving an exclusive interview to TamilNet, Tuesday. Unlike the previous legal instances, now there is direct community involvement EelamTamils in the legal field are actively involved in making this case, and the move is backed by a democratically elected body of Eelam Tamils in Switzerland, the Swiss Council of Eelam Tamils (SCET), said Arulnithila Deivendran, the spokesperson for the SCET. The attitude of governments to negate the sovereignty of Eezham Tamils by deliberately confusing it with the LTTE, has prompted the legal action, she further said.Victor Koppe represents an Amsterdam-based law firm with wide range of expertise in International Law and European Law. Koppe, having experience in presenting cases in the tribunals on Cambodia and Sierra Leone, recently took up some cases of Eezham Tamils in the Netherlands, prosecuted for alleged involvement with the LTTE.The EU declared the LTTE a terrorist organisation in 2006, following the earlier proscriptions of the USA and Canada. The ban criminalises any activity that could be connected to the LTTE. But, there are some good arguments why the LTTE cannot be considered a terrorist organisation and why the ban in the EU is legally flawed, Victor Koppe told TamilNet. The arguments have never been heard in a European Court of Law, he further said.The LTTE is an organisation fighting for the fundamental rights of the Tamils, which is acceptable to the charter of the UN and the international treaties, is the position taken by Koppe.The EU has recently extended the ban for another six months and the ban has to be challenged within a stipulated period of two months.The ban was imposed by the EU in 2006 despite advanced opinion against it expressed by the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) of the Nordic countries constituted to monitor the Cease Fire Agreement between the LTTE and the Government of Sri Lanka.The countries that constituted the SLMM, except Norway and Iceland, were Member States of the EU.Following the ban, LTTE leader Velupillai Pirapaharan requested replacement of the SLMM officials coming from the EU Member States monitoring the CFA.

Japan's biggest bank to open branch here

Japan's biggest bank, the Bank of Tokyo Mitzubishi has decided to set up a branch in Sri Lanka after seeing the healthy development in Sri Lanka's economy.Japan has cordial relations with Sri Lanka specially in the field of commerce but no action had so far been taken to open a bank branch in this country.Senior Deputy Central Bank Governor Dharma Deerasinghe said that Japan has begun preliminary discussions regarding the setting up of the Bank branch.A team of representatives from the Bank of Tokyo Mitzubishi are due to arrive in Sri Lanka shortly to conduct preliminary arrangements.

17 February 2011

Manmohan says fishermen issue will be taken up with Sri Lanka

As Sri Lankan Navy apprehended 118 Indian fishermen, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday said India takes a “very serious view” of such incidents and would be taking up the matter with the Sri Lankan government. Mr. Singh said the Sri Lankan government had already been told in strong terms that such a behaviour was not acceptable. “I have been told that 118 fishermen have been taken into custody. We are taking up this matter with the Sri Lankan Government. We take a very serious view,” he said in an interaction with television editors here. The Prime Minister was responding to a question about the fishermen being apprehended by Sri Lankan authorities on Tuesday after they allegedly crossed over into their waters. The arrest comes close on the heels of the killing of two Indian fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy. Mr. Singh pointed out that Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao was sent earlier this month to Colombo to “make a strong demarche to the Sri Lankan Government that this sort of behaviour is not acceptable among neighbourly countries.” External Affairs Minister S M Krishna had on February 1 said use of force against Indian fishermen should be part of the history and asked Sri Lanka to take a decision that will not upset the bilateral ties. A meeting of the Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on the issue is likely to be held this month to discuss the recent killing of the Indian fishermen threadbare.

British MPs urge the Prime Minister to support an independent, international war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka

41 British MPs drawn from the three major parties at Westminster, have written to the British Prime Minister David Cameron urging him to add Britain’s support to calls for an independent, international inquiry into allegations of war crimes committed during Sri Lanka’s 25 year civil conflict (letter is attached). The MPs are all Members or Supporters of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils.This is a major issue of concern for British parliamentarians, and follows credible evidence provided by the US State Department, the European Commission and International Crisis Group, as well as the findings of the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, that war crimes could have taken place in Sri Lanka. The MPs believe it is important for the future prospects of peace and reconciliation on the island that these allegations are investigated in a robust and impartial fashion.The timing of this letter is significant. It comes as the international community awaits publication of the report of the United Nations Advisory Panel, appointed by Ban Ki-Moon to advise him on the matter of war crimes accountability in Sri Lanka.

Vice Chair of the Group, Siobhain McDonagh MP, said:

“The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have made welcome statements recently about the need for Sri Lanka to have a credible and independent way of addressing these allegations of violations human rights during the civil war. But this can only have credibility if it takes place under international auspices because serious concerns have been raised around the world about Sri Lanka’s previous efforts to investigate severe human rights abuses.“If he supports the All Party Group in this way, the Prime Minister will be sending a powerful message to the United Nations Secretary General that Britain backs an independent, international war crimes inquiry. He would also send a powerful message to the people of Sri Lanka that Britain supports human rights, justice, reconciliation and peace on the island.”

New UK visa rules                             

New details of the UK government’s radical changes to the work visa route were unveiled by the British Home Office today, the British High Commission in Colombo said in a statement.This shake-up is part of the UK government’s new annual limit on non-EU workers, which will take effect on April 6.Under the new system, employers will have to apply for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) from the UK Border Agency for a specific post if they wish to bring someone to the UK – this is a change from the current system which gives businesses an annual allocation, the statement said.The government also announced that employers who wish to fill a vacancy that attracts a salary of £150,000 or more will not be subject to the limit on the number of CoSs that may be allocated.Quoted in the statement, British Immigration Minister Damian Green said, “Britain needs to attract the brightest and the best to fill jobs gaps, but this should never be at the expense of workers already here.”“We have worked closely with businesses while designing this system, and made it clear that employers should look first to people who are out of work and who are already in this country.”“And those that do come here to work must know that we intend to make the route to settlement tougher. It cannot be right that people coming to fill temporary skills gaps have open access to permanent settlement,” the Minister said.Workers from outside the EU who want to come to Britain will need to have a graduate level job, speak an intermediate level of English, and meet specific salary and employment requirements, the statement added.

India-funded coastal railway track inaugurated in Sri Lanka

The High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, Ashok K. Kantha Wednesday participated in the ceremony to inaugurate the upgraded southern coastal railway track between Galle and Matara that is constructed with Indian funds.Sri Lanka Minister of Transport Kumara Welgama and High Commissioner Kantha inaugurated the first high-speed train on the track by travelling to Matara from Galle.According to a press release from the Indian High Commission in Colombo, the Galle-Matara project represents phase-I of the overall coastal rail project between Colombo and Matara and is part of the Government of India's assistance towards reconstruction in the tsunami-affected areas of Sri Lanka under a credit line of US $ 167.40 million.Speaking on the occasion, High Commissioner Kantha said that India was committed to working with the Sri Lankan government towards the consolidation of peace, prosperity, and development in Sri Lanka and for the further enrichment of the bilateral ties."Both countries should continue to work together in the spirit of partnership, as our destinies are interlinked," he said.The Galle-Matara railway line upgradation project, covering a distance of 42 kilometers, has been completed smoothly on schedule. The work on phase-II of the project from Galle to Kalutara has already commenced and would be completed early next year.Hikkaduwa to Kalutara South and Kalutara South to Maradana will be modernized under the 3rd and 4th stages respectively.Indian Railway Construction Company Limited (IRCON) carried out the upgradation of the Galle-Matara track to world standards. The track is capable of handling trains running up to 100 kmph.The High Commission statement said that IRCON has used local manpower for 80% work on the project.IRCON is also engaged in several other rail projects as part of the India's rehabilitation and reconstruction partnership in the north of the island. These projects include rebuilding tracks on Omanthai-Pallai, Medawachchiya-Madhu, and Madhu-Thalaimannar sectors which will enable transport connectivity in these areas.The Government of India has offered a credit line of US $800 million for reconstruction of the railway system in the north.

SL foreign policy questioned
 
A senior Sri Lankan diplomat who is also serving on the presidential war commission says the country must stop “hurling abuses” at its foreign critics and must show that it is serious about addressing issues of accountability relating to the final phase of its military operation in 2009.H.M.G.S. Palihakkara was Sri Lankan ambassdador to the UN and is part of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC), which is due to report back to the government in May on its hearings on the war’s causes and final course.Mr Palihakkara – who acts as de facto deputy chairman of the LLRC – said that all Sri Lankakn governments, and the political parties, had shown a failure of leadership and that therefore “external prescriptions become inevitable” with the country facing intense international attention.

Critical of the tone of current external relations

Giving a lecture on foreign policy challenges facing the post-war country, he was critical of the tone of Colombo’s current external relations conduct.The retired diplomat said the Tamil Tigers’ (LTTE’s) use of hundreds of thousands of civilians as “human shields” had exposed those people to humanitarian danger, causing key international players to favour intervention and a negotiated end to the conflict.

Diplomatic difficulties

The Sri Lankan government had managed to prevent the UN Security Council from blocking its military operation and had achieved victory – yet it was now facing further diplomatic difficulties.To overcome this, it was important to work with all countries, including Sri Lanka’s critics, and “show to those who voice their concern on accountability issues, that the Government is serious about addressing them”.“Most importantly, the Government needs to show the victims of the conflict, be they the victims of LTTE terrorism or of the military operations, that the government is responsive to conflict-related grievances as well as their root causes,” said Mr Palihakkara.

Criticism of the tone of Colombo’s foreign policy

“It is in this manner that one can meet the current challenge thrown at us by those critics of Sri Lanka, rather than hurling abuses at our critics.”In a veiled criticism of the tone of Colombo’s foreign policy, the retired diplomat said that diplomacy was not a “zero sum game of cultivating one or one set of friends at the expense of another”. Instead, it was about seeking common ground.This would help Sri Lanka to be a society “where peaceful dissent is seen as an enriching experience and an exciting democratic challenge, and not an act of treachery or treason”.Members of President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government frequently label dissenting voices as “traitors”.

Sloganeering

Mr Palihakkara also said that Sri Lanka’s assertion of its sovereignty should be more than just “sloganeering”.Sovereignty must entail a government exercising its authority to uphold the rule of law.If that does not happen, he said, “certain crimes go unpunished, certain offenders enjoy impunity and certain investigations waver”.International human rights groups say that past Sri Lankan investigations into human rights abuses have failed to bring anyone to justice and point out that the results of several have never been made known.Mr Palihakkara said human rights should be upheld in Sri Lanka and that the authorities should launch “humanely responsive policies” to address “the real concerns of the conflict victims’ communities, especially the minorities”.

Vaiko urge PM to ensure IAF did not participate in SLAF anniversary

MDMK leader Vaiko today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure that Indian Air Force (IAF) did not participate in the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) anniversary celebrations, saying it will fuel Tamils'' anger against the Centre.The move "would be unjustifiable, fatal wrong decision which would, ultimately fuel the sentiments of Tamils toward anger and opposition against the Government of India," Vaiko said in his letter to the Prime Minister.He said a section of media had reported that India would be represented in the celebrations in the first week of March by IAF''s Vice-Chief N A K Browne and that Sukhoi fighters and Indian parajumpers will participate in the celebrations.Vaiko said the air power was used against innocent Tamil civilians by the military (in its war against the LTTE) and recalled his earlier objections to India''s aid and help to Lankan Air force including New Delhi''s supply of radars and repairing the Palaly air base, but the government had paid no heed.Hundreds of persons including girls and children had been killed in different air strikes on places including Chencholai and Navoli, Vaiko said."Strong disgust and resentment is growing in the minds of younger generation of Tamils in the state against the Indian government for its betrayal against Tamils in Sri Lanka," he said."Under these circumstances, the latest proposal to send Sukhoi fighter jets to participate in the festivities of SLAF would be unjustifiable, fatal wrong decision which would, ultimately fuel the sad sentiments of Tamils toward anger and opposition against the Government of India," he said.He requested the Prime Minister not to send IAF for the SLAF anniversary celebrations.

MP Upeksha alias ‘Paba’ injured in an attack launched on her

Upeksha Swarnamali (Paba) the Gampaha district MP has sustained injuries following an attack launched on her, She was admitted to the Sri Jayawardena Hospital. Her face and an eye have been injured. According to Hospital sources a CT scan was done on her. She was admitted to the hospital yesterday (15) night and is now in ward 18. Her condition is not serious as revealed by the Hospital authorities to Lanka e news.It is learnt that she had been assaulted by her husband on the Valentine day (14). In this regard a complaint has been lodged with the Mirihana police women’s division.The investigations into this attack is being conducted under the instructions of DIG South Western range Daya Samaraweera. Police say this is a family squabble.Might we recall that Swarnamali contested the last General elections under the UNP ticket and after being elected pole vaulted to the Govt. side when the vote was taken in Parliament on the 18th amendment.

2,000 DMK members held during anti-Lanka protest

Chennai: More than 2,000 DMK members, including MPs and legislators, protesting the arrest of 106 Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka were arrested here on Wednesday to prevent a march to the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission. Among those arrested were Rajya Sabha MP Kanimohzi, also daughter of DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, and Lok Sabha MP TKS Elangovan. Carrying placards and shouting slogans against Sri Lanka, DMK workers had assembled near Nageswara Park in Luz area to take out a procession towards the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission here. Condemning the arrests of fishermen that took place Tuesday night, Kanimozhi said attacks on Indian fishermen by Sri Lanka continued despite several steps taken by the Tamil Nadu and the Central governments. She demanded the immediate release of the detained fishermen.

16 February 2011

UK supports peace in Sri Lanka: John Rankin

The United Kingdom yesterday assured its support for the fostering of sustainable peace in Sri Lanka. The United Kingdom yesterday assured its support for the fostering of sustainable peace in Sri Lanka.The newly-arrived British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, John Rankin after presenting his Letter of Credence to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a formal ceremony at the Presidential Secretarial, expressed his desire to build on the close historic ties between the United Kingdom and Sri Lanka.The High Commissioner offered to the President the United Kingdom’s condolences in respect of those who had suffered during the recent floods in Sri Lanka. Mr Rankin said he was pleased that the UK had been able to contribute towards the emergency response. The High Commissioner also welcomed the increased trade, investment and tourism between the UK and Sri Lanka, which are in the interests of both countries.

They want India-Sri Lanka accord implemented : Sri Lankan refugees on march to Delhi

Over 100 Sri Lankan Tamil refugees were on a march to New Delhi in a bid to urge the Indian government and the BJP to ensure that the implementation of the India-Sri Lanka accord signed in 1987, the Hindu reported yesterday. The refugees from camps in Tamil Nadu and Orissa had by Monday entered into Maharashtra through Adilabad.The Hindu report said: "The 2,005-km march which started at the Rajiv Gandhi memorial at Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on January 16, will culminate in Delhi on March 18.The rallyists belong to the Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front.ENDLF Deputy General Secretary S. Vaseekaran told The Hindu here that 3,700 Tamils had followed the Indian Peace Keeping Force personnel from Sri Lanka in 1991.Though they want to return to their homeland, the situation back home was not conducive.

Petition against Rajapaksa in US

he murder of five young Tamil students and the execution of 17 aid workers feature prominently in a petition filed against President Mahinda Rajapaksa in an US court. In January, three Sri Lankan Tamils filed the case in a Washington court alleging Rajapaksa, as the supreme commander of the forces, was responsible for these and other cases of torture and extrajudicial killings. They have demanded $30 million in damages from him.The petition, an emailed copy of which is with HT, gives examples of unresolved killings including murder of Tamil lawmakers. Among the petitioners, affiliated to Tamils Against Genocide (TAG), is the father of a 20-year-old student who, along with four friends, was allegedly murdered by the Special Task Force in January 2006 in Trincomalee. The subsequent investigation ended without resolving the infamous case.The cold-blooded execution of 17 local aid workers from Paris-based Action Against Hunger in Muttur in eastern Sri Lanka the same year grabbed world headlines. The government blamed the LTTE but under international pressure constituted a futile investigation. The petitioner, wife of a deceased, claims the government troops murdered the workers.The last petitioner claimed four family members were killed in shelling by the Lankan navy in Mullaitivu in May, 2009 days before the civil war ended.The government has maintained it did not target civilians. But rights groups have called for international investigation amid claims that there were thousands of casualties.Officials dismissed the lawsuit as an effort of surviving Tamil Tiger front groups to tarnish the country’s image.“What we are seeing now is that the same individuals or relatives of these individuals were part of these proscribed LTTE front organisations have started new groups. They continue to spread propaganda against the Government and carry out publicity stunts like this baseless law suit,’’ Lanka’s US ambassador Jaliya Wickramasuriya said in a statement.

Cops oppose Lanka minister's bail plea

The police have opposed the anticipatory bail plea of Sri Lankan minister Douglas Devananda, saying he continued to be a proclaimed offender and that a non-bailable arrest warrant was still pending against him. Justice KN Basha of the Madras high court, before whom the matter came up for hearing on Monday, recused himself from the case and asked the registry to place the matter before the Chief Justice for being posted to some other judge. Douglas Devananda, now a cabinet minister in Sri Lanka, figured among the 10 accused named by the Choolaimedu police in a murder case. According to the police, a group of Sri Lankan militants staying in the area quarrelled with the locals. In a fit of rage, one of the militants opened fire, killing one Thirunavukkarasu and injuring two others. All the 10 were arrested by the city police and a chargesheet too was filed in the case. After obtaining bail, however, all of them fled the country and the case is still pending on the files of the IV additional sessions court here. In 1994, the court declared Douglas a proclaimed offender and issued an arrest warrant. As a minister in the Mahinda Rajapaksa government, Douglas was part of the Sri Lankan presidential delegation which met the prime minister and others in New Delhi last year and the revelation that he was still a proclaimed offender created a furore. Douglas then moved the high court, seeking to quash the criminal case against him. Refusing to quash the case, the court asked him to file an anticipatory bail and then approach the sessions court for recalling the arrest warrant. In his petition, Douglas reiterated his known stand that he did not appear in court because he was under the impression that all cases pending against Sri Lankan Tamil militants had lapsed after India and Sri Lanka signed an agreement in 1987. Countering his claim and opposing anticipatory bail to him, the city police told the court that Douglas and his accomplices had been evading court appearance since 1994 and that the arrest warrant was still pending against him. It wanted the high court to dismiss Douglas' anticipatory bail plea.

Sri Lanka Election Commissioner to meet leaders of political parties

Election Commissioner of Sri Lanka Dayananda Dishanayake has summoned the leaders of the political parties contesting the local government election for a special discussion.The discussion is to be held on February 22 in Colombo. Twenty nine political parties have been invited for the discussion for which the Police Chief, the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of elections, the election monitors, and officials also have been invited to participate.Election Secretariat sources said that the main focus of the meeting would be the violation of election regulations by the candidates and the supporters and the escalation of violence.The political parties can discuss the problems they face with the election chief and the Election Secretariat urges the independent groups to discuss their issues with the Retaining Officers of the relevant districts.

2 Tamil groups to seek arrest of ambassador Palitha Kohona

Two Tamil groups are to file a legal brief to initiate war crimes investigations and an warrant of arrest against Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to the United Nations Dr. Palitha Kohona.Tamils Against Genocide in the US and Swiss Council of Eelam Tamils have decided to submit their request to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands.The legal complaint will charge joint criminal enterprise liability on Dr. Kohona over the extrajudicial killings of three LTTE members surrendering by waving a white flag to the Sri Lanka Army on or about May 18 2009.
 
Tamilnadu fishermen demand compensation

Madras High Court has reserved orders on a public interest litigation petition demanding compensation for the families of those fishermen who died at the hands of the Lankan Navy and also necessary measures to protect the interests of Tamil Nadu fishermen.The petition filed by LTA Peter Rayan, president of Fishermen Care, said since Katcha Theevu was ceded to Sri Lanka and also the rights to exploit all marine resources as per an agreement in 1976, Tamil Nadu fishermen have been facing a tough time at the hands of the Lankan navy.

Increased harresments

The petitioner say, "Of late, the Lankan navy has become more aggressive and is posing a serious threat to the life and property of Indian fishermen venturing into the sea. Several hundred fishermen have been killed and hundreds of boats and fishing nets damaged".In the circumstances Mr Rayan wanted the court to direct the state and central government authorities to restore the livelihood and customary rights of Indian fishermen in terms of the first agreement of 1974, rehabilitation of families of victims, and steps to prosecute the Sri Lankan Naval authorities before the International Court of Justice.

Negligence of Coast Guard   

Rayan also wanted the court to form a committee headed by a retired judge of the high court to inquire the negligence and failure of the Indian Coast Guard to prevent human rights violations against Indian fishermen.Sri Lankan Navy denies causing harm to Indian fisherman and the government had promised Indian authorities that the accusations are investigated.

Satellite images of Indian fishermen’s intrude to Sri Lankan waters.

Reports states the satellite images of Indian fishermen intruding the Sri Lankan sea area, is handed over to Sri Lanka by India. The images were handed over by Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne to indian High Commissioner Asok K. Kantha.The images were given by denying the accusations that Indian fishermen are being attacked in the Sri lankan sea area. Meanwhile Indian High Commissioner’s representatives, and Fisheries Minister Rajitha Senaratne had a special meeting yesterday and the fishermen’s issues were spokes states reports.

352 been identified as die-hard LTTE activists Out of 4,000 held in rehabilitation camps

The identification process was conducted with the participation of the CID, TID, NIB, Police Special Investigations Bureau, Intelligence Officers of the Armed Forces.  Out of 4,000 LTTE suspects held in rehabilitation camps located in Vavuniya and Welikanda, 352 have been identified as die – hard activists as confirmed after investigations, police reports said.A senior police official said yesterday (14) that the suspects who had been confirmed as LTTE terrorists have been classified into groups A,B,C and listed. When the LTTE organisation was active, those who were linked to bomb explosions, assassination of VIPs, transportation of bombs, explosives, arms and ammunitions, attacks on Army Camps, Naval Vessels, assassination of security personnel, the regional LTTE leaders, members of suicide corps have been identified in that manner among the 352 hardcore terrorists singled out, police sources said.Through the process of questioning the suspects held in rehabilitation camps, separately, with the information extracted, the identification had become possible, police said. He added that further investigations are being held regarding another group being rehabilitated.The identification process was conducted with the participation of the CID, TID, NIB, Police Special Investigations Bureau, Intelligence Officers of the Armed Forces.

32 travelers from the “Sun C” ship identified as tigers.

Reports states, 32 persons from the refugees traveled last August by “MV Sun C” ship reached Canada, are identified links with TamiL Eelam Liberation tigers movement. The “Daily Mirror” online had quoted this news report published in the Canadian Boarder Line Defense Council’s report.Continuous inquiries are processed even though six months have got concluded for the “Sun C” ship to reach Canada. The refugees traveled in the ship intend to live in a peaceful atmosphere was stated by the Canadian Boarder line Defense council from the inquiries held. So far 32 persons had been identified of having close links with the Liberation tigers. Meanwhile 45 human smuggling groups are connected in transporting refugees from Sri Lanka to Thailand to enter Canada reveals investigation.

15 February 2011

UK aid for Sri Lanka Flood victims

The United Kingdom has contributed 200 million rupees (USD1.7 million) of aid for Sri Lanka's flood relief efforts.The UK hopes the funds would assist the Sri Lankan government and humanitarian agencies to provide immediate relief to the flood-affected people in the North Central and Eastern Provinces."With the funding we have given through our multilateral and bilateral partners, the UK hopes to assist the Government and humanitarian agencies address the immediate needs of the people," the British High Commission in Colombo said in a statement.The contribution has been made through the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and the Consortium of British Humanitarian Agencies."The UK continues to stand by the Sri Lankan people as they seek to recover from terrible floods that has affected many areas of the country over recent weeks," Mark Gooding, Deputy British High Commissioner has said."I am relieved that the situation appears to be improving at the moment, but serious damage has clearly been caused to property, harvest, livelihoods, the mindset of people and above all, to life," he remarked.Heavy rains that lashed the country since December last year flooded the North Central and Eastern Provinces twice and caused landslides in the central hills. The deluge killed 60 people and left over 1.2 million people affected.

Bomb hoax on SriLankan flight

A Sri Lankan airline-Airbus A-340- bound to London, landed in Male this afternoon after a foreigner started alarming other passengers claiming that a bomb was onboard the flight. But, officials later found that the bomb threat was a hoax, reports said.The Sri Lankan Airlines spokeswoman, Ruvini Jayasinghe told Haveeru Daily that Sri Lankan Airlines conducts a comprehensive search of the airlines before passengers are boarded and that several security measures are followed.“We later found out that the bomb threat was a hoax and it was caused by one of the passengers in that flight. Before the flight took off to Male the regular security checks were done in the Bandaranaike International Airport,” she said.“The flight was only grounded in Male for just over an hour for a search. It later proceeded to London. The bomb hoax will not affect our operations in Sri Lankan Airlines as we have been renowned for the safety measures we adopt,” she said.The Sri Lankan Airlines flight which had 199 passengers onboard took off from Colombo on Monday afternoon and was originally scheduled to fly to London via Male.The bomb hoax occurred after the aircraft had landed in Male, when a British passenger identified as Clement Paul started alarming the other passengers by saying that a bomb is onboard the flight.Clement Paul was finally apprehended by the Maldivian authorities and the passengers in the Sri Lankan Airlines flight were evacuated by the Maldives National Defence Force that conducted a search. After the search the flight proceeded to London.

Sri Lanka Marxists give false information in nominations for LG election

A police investigation has revealed that Sri Lanka Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has acted fraudulently in compiling nominations for the local government election to be held next month.A police investigation conducted in the Gampola urban council area has discovered that the party has given false addresses as the residences of its candidates.The police have found three JVP candidates who do not reside in the places they have mentioned as their addresses in the nomination papers.Further, these three persons are not in the voters' lists of the Gampola urban council area, the police found.

Indian engineers here for railway work

More than 200 engineers, technicians and supervisors from India would be employed on the three northern railway projects, officials said yesterday. The projects are implemented under financial assistance from the government of India.Already 20 Indians had been mobilized in Medawachchiya along with construction equipment to carry out the work on the railway lines from Medawachchiya to Madhu, and from there to Mannar.     IRCON International Limited, a company of the Ministry of Railways in India, has been given the contract to construct the railway lines destroyed due to the war.Company’s General Manager of S.L. Gupta told Daily Mirror yesterday that the work was in full swing, and the formal work would begin by March 15. Mr. Gupta said that an equal number of similar officials would be recruited for the project from Sri Lanka.Besides, he said that only Sri Lankans would be employed as labourers. “Of these Indians whom we are planning to employ here, 100 are already here. They were attached to the southern railway projects which have been completed now,” he said. The train service on the developed tracks between Galle and Matara would start on February 16. The speed limit has also been increased with the improvement of tracks and signalling systems under the project. The Company was planning to use the same or even more advanced technology for the projects in the North, officials said.

AG recommends release or rehab of over 600 LTTE suspects

The Attorney General’s Department has recommended the immediate release or transfer of 676 LTTE suspects held under Prevention of Terrorist Act (PTA) and Emergency Regulations, to the ongoing rehabilitation programme.The suggestion follows inquiries by a special team headed by Deputy Solicitor General Shavendra Fernando, which interviewed those detained at Boossa and Omanthai in the recent past. Attorney General Mohan Peiris has included Senior State Counsel, Chetiya Gunasekera, Kumara Ratnam, and Dilan Ratnayaka, in Shavendra Fernando’s team. The AG’s team has recommended that those transferred from detention facilities to undergo rehabilitation under Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Brig. Sudantha Ranasinghe, too, be released subsequently.Of some 11,900 detainees, over 6,000 have been released so far after rehabilitation.The detention facility at Omanthai accommodates terrorist suspects arrested at the conclusion of the war, whereas Boossa holds suspects taken in over a period of time. Authoritative sources told The Island that the AG’s team had so far perused the cases of more than half the detainees held at Boossa and Omanthai detention centres.The AG ordered an inquiry consequent to interim recommendations made by the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) headed by former AG C. R de Silva to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.The AG heads an Inter Agency Action Group (IAAG) tasked with implementing the LLRC’s interim recommendations.The LLRC commenced its sittings last August at the Kadirgamar Centre for International Relations, Colombo 07. Sources said that the whole purpose was geared to accelerate legal and investigation process to promote reconciliation.The majority of the detainees had been forcibly conscripted by LTTE.Of the 676 LTTE detainees recommended for rehabilitation and subsequent release after completion of the rehabilitation programme,  251 are held at Boossa detention centre and 425 at Omanthai. The review of the cases of the balance LTTE detainees will be continued under the direction of the Attorney General.Sources said that the LLRC had recommended several interim measures for the benefit of the Tamil speaking people in the aftermath of the war. The LLRC recommended urgent steps to tackle the language and land issues, stripping all armed groups of their weapons, a special mechanism to handle cases of LTTE detainees and ways and means of giving their families access to them. The Interim recommendations of the LLRC specifically suggested that a review be made of laws delays with regard to LTTE detainees to expedite prosecution or discharge detainees.

'Hand over' military court report
 
A court in Sri Lanka has ordered the army chief to hand over the reports of the entire court proceedings of a military court against former commander Sarath Fonseka.Colombo High court Judge Sunil Rajapaksha has overruled objections by the Attorney General (AJ) in issuing the order.The court questioned the state counsel who represented the AJ why a high court has no right to issue orders to military courts.The judge made the order after the counsel representing Mr Fonseka made a special request when the case on alleged corruption in procuring arms for the military was taken for hearing.The counsel requested the court to consider whether another trial is needed to investigate the alleged corruption involved Hicorp Company when a military court has already issued its verdict on the same accusations.The trial has been adjourned until 09 March.Mr Fonseka, meanwhile, urged three armed forces, police and the public in Sri Lanka to join hands to defeat “insane dictatorship.”Speaking to journalists while being taken away by the guards after the hearing he said: “They made a lot sacrifices to defeat the terrorism. They will have to make a lot more sacrifices to defeat the insane dictatorship.”The former four-star general who led the war against the Tamil Tigers, lost his parliamentary seat after the second court martial convicted him of corruption in arms procurement and sentenced to jail for 30 months. Thousands of opposition supporters took part in a demonstration in the capital Colombo on 08 February to mark a year since his detention.

14 February 2011

Sri Lanka needs US$600 million for flood damage

Sri Lanka needs at least US$600 million for reconstruction efforts after the damage caused by two rounds of heavy flooding that killed 64 people and displace over one million people, amid a lukewarm response to a UN appeal for international aid.Disaster management minister Mahinda Amaraweera said the state will spend up to Sri Lankan Rs33 billion (US$ 300 million) to carry out urgent repairs to 50,000 homes and repair main roads washed away by the floods."We will spend 33 billion (SLR) out of government money," Amaraweera said.An equal amount will have to come from the private individuals for reconstruction efforts from the unprecedented two rounds of heavy flooding that killed 64 people and displaced 1.2 million people. A large number of those displaced were those who had only recently been resettled after decades of ethnic conflict between Tamil Tiger rebels and government forces that ended in May 2009.Amaraweera said the loss of rice crop was estimated at another SLR13 billion and expressed fears that the government may not be able to fully compensate farmers for their losses in January and February.Meanwhile, a UN appeal for US$51 million for immediate relief work has had a lukewarm response with only about a fifth of the money flowing in, official figures showed.UN officials said they planned to issue a fresh appeal for more international help.

A prominent businessman from Kilinochchi abducted in a white Van

A prominent businessman from Kilinochchi had been abducted yesterday (12) by a group who arrived in a white Van.S. Thiyagaraja about 54 years old , is the businessman who had been so abducted . He is the owner of Modern Stores , Ampalkalam , Kilinochchi and a number of other businesses .When he was preparing to open the shop yesterday , the group who came in the Van had got him near the Van stating that they have to talk with him. They have then forcibly pushed him into the Van unexpectedly, and they have fled in the Van .A relative of Thiyagaraja had taken a call to his mobile phone some time after he left the house for opening of the shop . Thiyagaraja had answered the phone , having stated that he was going to Colombo on some urgent work and he would not return for two or three days. But , while he was speaking he had burst out crying, when the call had been disrupted. Since that time until now , the phone has been off. His relatives have complained to the Kilinochchi police over this .

UNP to call for explanations from Sajith

The UNP has decided to call for explanations from Hambantota district MP Sajith Premadasa over his criticism of the party in public platforms recently.Its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is expected to brief the party working committee at its next meeting in early next month on the numerous complaints he had received against Mr. Premadasa.With their consent, explanations will be called from the MP regarding his conduct.Among the complaints lodged against him is one made by Colombo district MP Ravi Karunanayake.Mr. Karunanayake had made the complaint to the party’s disciplinary committee dated February 07, on an incident that took place at the local government election nomination committee meeting on January 22.

Sri Lanka Army begins arresting deserters following the end of amnesty period

The Sri Lanka Army said that 4,816 army deserters including 11 officers have surrendered during the nine-day amnesty period given for them to return.The grace period to surrender in search of de-listing without punishment began February 04, the National Independence Day and ended yesterday (12).The Army granted the amnesty for its personnel, who have not reported for work and have been absent without leave, to legally resign from the force.Military Spokesperson Major General Ubhaya Medawela told the media that the army has arrested 4,630 army deserters including 12 officers.He said the army has commenced arresting the deserters.Official figures say that there are around 50,000 Army deserters. Some of them were proven to have linked to the spate of violence that prevailed in the island in the recent past.

13 February 2011

Discussion urges US to work with Sri Lanka

An event sponsored by the American Enterprise Institute has urged the United States to work with the Sri Lankan government to encourage transparency, accountability, and equal representation of Tamils.The discussion in Washington yesterday (Feb. 11) focused on Sri Lanka’s troubled past and its prospects for future reconciliation and growth, according to an AEI press release.Lisa Curtis of the Heritage Foundation expressed hope for tolerance and open debate between Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government and the Tamils.She asserted that the US should support the country’s significant economic growth and development, especially given Sri Lanka’s strategic maritime and geopolitical role in South Asia.Dan Camp of the US Foreign Service disagreed, stating that US engagement has been purely humanitarian, while Sri Lanka seeks to maintain good relations with the United States to secure a market for its exports.He added that while Tamils outside of Sri Lanka hope to attain greater retribution, local populations are, by necessity, more concerned with basic needs and material well-being.Karunyan Arulanantham, a Tamil humanitarian activist, stressed that Tamil militancy and the LTTE emerged only after a long history of hurt and conflict.Reconciliation would require the Sri Lankan government to become accountable to the Tamil people, to allow them due share of power, and to allow them to seek official recognition of war crimes, he said.Jennifer Leonard of the International Crisis Group regretted that 18th amendment to the Sri Lankan constitution has lifted all checks on the president, allowing Mr. Rajapaksa to stall devolution of power to the northern and eastern Tamil regions.While the Lessons Learned and Reconciliation Commission hearings attempt to bring justice for ethnic Tamils, they are not an adequate forum to provide real accountability, she said.

Army once again begins to gather information in Jaffna

The Army has distributed documents in Nallur and Kopay divisional secretariat areas in Jaffna in order to gather personal information about them and the distribution of these documents has taken place without the knowledge of the Jaffna District Secretary, an official from the Jaffna District Secretariat said.The official said that although the move may have been taken by the Defence Ministry to tighten security in the area, the respective divisional secretariats have not been informed of the move.The official further said that information may be gathered with the intention of identifying persons behind the extortion, robberies and murders that had taken place in the area.

Voting unlikely for 7,000 voters at welfare camps

Seven thousand eligible voters living in welfare camps are unlikely to be allowed to vote at the upcoming local government polls, according to election observers.According to provisions in the local government elections act, the setting up of cluster polling centres and transport arrangement for voters are not permitted.Of the some 20,000 people living in  welfare camps in Vavuniya, around 7,000 are eligible voters.Election monitor PAFFREL raised the matter with the elections chief at a recent discussion.

Reds looking for Tamil votes : Somawansa mum on JVP’s change of stance

JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe yesterday declined to comment on his party’s motives for accepting the concept of federalism in the context of its implacable opposition to such an arrangement in the past. Queried on this matter, Amarasinghe politely declined to make any comment at this stage. A senior government minister who asked not to be identified said that he believed that the JVP had realized that they would lose sizeable  representation in future elections has adopted this stance with a view to winning support among Tamils to increase their popularity and voter base.Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara, leader of the Democratic Left Front, said that the JVP’s decision was most welcome and he would like to congratulate them."Things are moving very fast in the country’s politics and we are reaching a decisive stage," he said.Nanayakkara added that the JVP’s politics is based on a Sinhala nationalist ideology and the dictatorship of the proletariat and that party "must now address the dictatorship of its politburo."He made the further point that the JVP must now go one step further towards democracy though their decision was encouraging. But the Tamil people are not ready to trust the JVP which has taken this decision in the context of its Sinhala vote base and support dwindling noticeably and they have to move on to get a following among the Tamil people.This is one of the reasons that led them to the acceptance of the concept of federalism.UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake said that it was up to the government rather than the JVP to strike an accommodation with the Tamils and resolve this problem after talking to the various Tamil parties.ITAK General Secretary Mavai Senathirjah, MP, described the JVP’s stand "very progressive" and said should be wholeheartedly welcome by moderates on both sides of the divide."We are happy that the JVP has finally understood that the concept of federalism which had resolved many disputes in the world and united many countries could be an acceptable way of resolving the longstanding Tamil national question," he said.Senathirajah also said that a third round of formal bilateral talks between his party and the government was scheduled for March 1. He also confirmed reports that his party wished to initiate talks with the Venerable Mahanayakas, national parties and intellectuals in the South which could be looked forward to at a later stage.Asked about the local government election campaign, Senathirjah said "how can we talk of a campaign when the roads are inaccessible in the Vanni with our suffering people now badly affected by the floods.He also said that his party would inquire into the truth of reports that the Vavuniya District Secretary had wanted remaining IDPs in the camps to sign an agreement that they would vacate these camps by February 15.SLMC General Secretary M.T. Hassen Ali, MP, said that the JVP’s decision must be welcome as federalism has proved to be a successfully unified many countries that would otherwise have divided."I belief that some sections of the majority community have unfounded and unnecessary fears about the federal system," he said.TULF leader V. Anandasangaree said that he welcomed the position taken by the JVP and pointed out that he too had been advocating federalism or the Indian model as an alternative."I earnestly hope that the government would grasp this opportunity to accept federalism or alternatively accept the Indian model which I am confident will be acceptable to the large majority of our Sinhala brethren.

Lands in Eladumaduval sold to Sinhala businessman after evicting resettlers
 
Land in Eladumaduval, which has been identified as a high securityzone (HSZ) in Jaffna, has reportedly been sold to a leading Sinhala businessman after evicting 387 families that were resettled in the area.A 100 acer land in the Eladumaduval HSZ has been sold and 387 resettled families have been evicted claiming the area has not been properly de-mined. Although it was said these families would once again be resettled in the are after a month, the land had been sold before the lapse of the one month period. Jaffna District Secretary Emilda Sukumar said there were no state lands in the area and that Eladumaduval South was still part of the HSZ. She said that such a private transaction may have taken place since rich Tamil businessmen owned lands in the area.

“LTTE plans to target VVIPs during Assembly elections”

Central intelligence agencies have communicated specific inputs to the Tamil Nadu police that suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadre had conspired to carry out attacks on VVIPs during forthcoming Assembly elections.Highly placed intelligence sources confirmed to The Hindu on Saturday that the Ministry of Home Affairs had sent alert messages that some LTTE cadre had arrived in Tamil Nadu and were engaged in a training programme at an “unknown location.” They were in the process of procuring weapons and explosive substances to execute their plan.While claiming that LTTE men in the custody of the Sri Lankan Army had revealed “significant” presence of their cadre at Valasaravakkam in Chennai, the sources said some prominent members of the LTTE’s finance and air wings had sneaked into the State.Members of the outfit’s suicide squad had reached Nagercoil in the guise of refugees accompanying aged or injured Sri Lankan Tamils. Clandestine sailings of the LTTE and frequent arrival of refugees with the help of illegal boat operators had exposed the vulnerability of the Tamil Nadu coast, the sources said.“We received a few alert messages from Central intelligence agencies during the World Classical Tamil Conference held at Coimbatore and the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Chennai recently. Elaborate security arrangements were made and both events went incident-free. We intercepted a couple of clandestine boat operators who organised transport of Sri Lankan Tamil refugees to Australia,” a senior police officer said.Ruling out the possibility of LTTE cadre regrouping in Tamil Nadu, he said there was information about some “ex-Tigers organising human smuggling (of Sri Lankan Tamils staying in Tamil Nadu as refugees) to Christmas Islands (Australia) or Canada.”The official said Sri Lankan Tamils desirous of going to Canada or Australia were not being given exit visas. “The Government of Sri Lanka wants them to return to their homeland…but the refugees don’t want to go back. We have taken up the issue with the Sri Lanka Deputy High Commissioner. Sri Lankan Tamils staying at Valasaravakkam or Karumandapam should not be mistaken as LTTE cadre.”Tamil Nadu Director General of Police Letika Saran said there was no presence of LTTE cadre in the State. “We take every alert message seriously…police investigate and go into the finer details of every input. The Coastal Security Group police are in constant touch with ‘village vigilance committees’ and will know of any suspicious activity along the coast.”Some probable targets of the LTTE, as perceived by the Central intelligence agencies, are the Prime Minister, National Security Advisor and the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, among others, the sources said.“As of now there is no specific input indicating any design of VIP security or internal security implications…there are general inputs which are being followed up,” Additional Director General of Police (Intelligence) M.S. Jaffar Sait said.MHA reports also indicated that the alleged LTTE training and process of procuring weapons was to have been completed by December 20 last year.

Norway arrests ex LTTE member

Crime branch of the Norwegian Police has arrested an ex-LTTE member on January 26 at his work place in Norway. The 31-year-old man, living in Norway for more than 3 years, has been charged for three killings in his home country before coming to Norway, which the lawyer representing the prosecutor said could be acts of war or war-like scenario, reported a local newspaper, Bygdebladet, on 29 January. Per Zimmer, the lawyer representing the Norwegian Police told the paper that the situation prevailing now in the island had enabled them [the Norwegian authorities] to undertake investigations on the ground. While questioning whether any agency of the war crimes accused Sri Lanka would be recognized in such investigations, diaspora Tamils wonder what action would be taken against the individuals suspected in the commitment and facilitation of war crimes in the island. Citing the prosecution lawyer, the newspaper said that it was important for the Crime Branch to showcase that Norway was not a free-place where one could escape legal prosecution. The defendant was arrested at his workplace on January 26 and is being held under four weeks detention. The prosecutor had denied the defendant’s bail and contact with outside world, complained defendant’s lawyer, Jørund Knardal, to the paper. The accusation by police was based on what the defendant had said in his application for asylum in Norway back in 2007, the lawyer further said.According to the lawyer, the defendant under custody met by him has said that he had been ‘forced’ by the LTTE to undertake the acts of killing. One of his family members had been kidnapped, the lawyer told the paper.Skodje is a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county of the Sunnmøre region in Norway.

Rudrakumaran emerges as Diaspora leader

The US-based Rudrakumaran Viswanathan aka ‘Rudra’ has now emerged as the leader of the Tamil diaspora with a section of the NGOs backing his call for a referendum in Sri Lanka on the lines of the recent UN led referendum in Sudan. Following the arrest in Malaysia and deportation to Colombo of LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran’s successor, S. Pathmanathan aka ‘KP’ in early August 2009, various diaspora operatives had been trying to take over the leadership of the Tigers. ‘Rudra’ succeeded in overcoming all opposition. Authoritative sources told The Sunday Island that ‘Rudra’ had bolstered his position primarily through the setting up of Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), which won the recognition by South Sudan, the newest country in the UN system.They said that some of the NGOs, which had been supportive of the LTTE’s war, had raised the possibility of the UN stepping in to force Sri Lanka to  agree for a Sudan type referendum to divide the country on ethnic lines.Ambassador John Gooneratne, formerly of the Sri Lanka Government Peace Secretariat, said that ‘Rudra’ had referred to Sudan even during negotiations the LTTE had with the then Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government in 2003.Responding to several questions by The Sunday Island, the retired career diplomat, who had been involved in Wickremesinghe’s peace process said that superficially one could see similarities with Sudan in the pre-May 2009 Sri Lanka situation where the LTTE had control over some parts of the North and Eastern provinces."Then a minority national group in conflict with the majority group, waging a war to gain separate statehood. But, beyond that the comparison does not stand because the histories of the two conflicts are so different. But the LTTE always had their eyes fixed on what they wanted in the GOSL-LTTE negotiations that took place in 2002-2003," he said. "At the Hakone, Japan, meeting (2003) one of the points discussed was a federal constitutional structure for Sri Lanka. In fact, the GOSL side gave a very "learned" paper titled "Exploring a federal solution based on internal self determination within a united Sri Lanka," which outlined the basic elements of a federal structure as well as 16 principles which provided an overarching framework for discussion.Gooneratne also said: "Anton Balasingham’s (read LTTE) response was that he was not in a position to endorse an outline of a federal structure at that juncture. He stated that such an issue had to be discussed with the Political Affairs Committee (which, incidentally, had not met even once since it was formed) that had been appointed to study and research matters relating to political issues.``In the away-from-the- main- table, and informal discussions that ensued on the subject, among the advisers of both sides, I recall that Rudrakumaran made a reference to the case of Sudan. And the reaction was – Jeez, what kind of an idea is this?" "In hindsight, my thought is – Man! This Rudrakumaran guy was no fool. He is, as the Americans will say, one smart cookie. And he is now Prime Minister of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE)!!" Intelligence sources said that ‘Rudra’ could be planning long term strategy to exploit the division of Sudan to force UN intervention in Sri Lanka. The Sri Lankan government is banking on ‘KP’ to woo the Tamil Diaspora as part of an overall strategy to undermine ‘Rudra’ , while seeking an understanding with the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which could help President Mahinda Rajapaksa to consolidate peace won through military means.They said that the government had assured KP’s North-East Rehabilitation and Development Organization (NERDO) its fullest support to implement welfare programmes in war devastated areas. Those living abroad could now throw their weight behind post-war recovery in Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka by getting in touch with the NERDO without being deceived by three or four diaspora groups still promoted Prabhakaran’s macabre Eelam project in spite of having lost their military muscle, they said. It is no secret that ‘KP’ had been deeply involved in a desperate attempt with ‘Rudra’ to force Sri Lanka to halt the offensive on the Vanni east front. While ‘KP’ had cooperated with the government following his extradition to Colombo from Malaysia in Aug. 2009, "Rudra’ had taken the upper hand in the battle for control of the diaspora, it was pointed out. The self-appointed Prime Minister of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE), ‘Rudra’ had assured the diaspora that his project would pave the way for Eelam in spite of the LTTE losing its conventional military power in May 2009. ‘Rudra’ had asserted that the TGTE could create conditions necessary for foreign intervention similar to that of UN managed referendum in Sudan to pave the way for a new country in Southern Sudan, the sources said. Intelligence sources said that Rudrakumaran had earned the wrath of some of his former colleagues for seeking to exploit his links with those in control of Southern Sudan (Sudanese Peoples Liberation Movement) for his advantage. They acknowledged that ‘Rudra’s’contribution to the LTTE could be second only to ‘KP’, though various others were now trying to re-assert themselves. ‘Rudra’ had represented the LTTE at Thimpu way back in 1985. The LTTE high flyer stood in place for Chief LTTE negotiator Anton Balasingham at Geneva (second round) talks in the early part of 2006, though the meeting hadn’t materialized. Sources said that ‘Rudra’ credentials seemed impressive with leading role in formulating the Interim Self Governing Authority (ISGA) in 2003. His father had been a one-time Mayor of Jaffna representing the TULF. ‘KP’ and ‘Rudra’ were fighting for supremacy with Norway-based Nediyavan’s Tamil Eelam Peoples’ Assembly making a strong bid to enhance its position. A recent statement attributed to Norwegian Minister Erik Solheim that Oslo could be Sri Lanka’s dialogue partner with the diaspora should be viewed in the backdrop of ongoing battle among various LTTE factions, the sources explained. Other contenders for LTTE leadership include the Global Tamil Front based in UK under Father S.J.Emmunuel living in Rosendhal, Germany. Emmanuel, 77, had been a former Vicar General of the Jaffna Catholic Diocese. Rudra’s technique, at the time he was the International Legal Advisor and in charge of International & Diplomatic affairs of the LTTE prior to the TGTE, was to equate Kosovo and East Timor situations to Sri Lanka. This was a healthy tonic to a depressed diaspora waiting long and impatiently to reach Eelam. He made a valuable contribution to the LTTE, that endeared him to Prabhakaran, by coordinating lawyers in the defense of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, assisting in Suresh Manikkavasagam trial in Canada and challenging US decision to name LTTE as a foreign terrorist organization under Federal law.Rudra’s main asset is the continuing relationships he maintains with UN and US officials. He never forgets to drop names to show his intimacy at encounters with Tamil intellectuals.

Woman held with bomb substances

A woman was taken into custody after she was found in possession explosive substances that could be used to assemble a bomb, police said today.The suspect according to police was in possession of 170 grams of gun powder and a kilogram of Ammonia, both agents for the assembling of explosives.The woman was picked up during a routine police search of a public passenger coach at Akkaraipattu in the east. The bus was heading for the capital Colombo, police said.The woman was produced before a local Magistrate and remanded.The Akkaraipattu police are conducting further investigations.

11 February 2011

Mannaar severely affected by overflowing water from Anuradhapura tanks

Mannaar district has been facing a severe natural calamity for the first time in its history due to recent rain and flood. Almost all the villages in the district are under water. 7,807 persons from 2,667 families have been displaced from areas that come under Mannaar Urban Council and Naanaaddaan Piratheasa Chapai (PS). People from Arippu and Maanthai have been trapped in their houses as they are marooned in the flood. The Government Agent of Mannaar, N.Vedhanayagam, has declared emergency situation in the district. Vanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian and TELO Leader Selvam Adaikkalanathan has sent an urgent appeal by fax to the High Commissioner of India in Colombo to send humanitarian assistance to the people of Mannaar who are fighting for their survival amid reports from the District Secretariat that the stock of food in store is enough only for two to three days.The flood-water from the districts of Vavuniyaa and Anuradhapura due to heavy rain has deluged several areas in the Mannaar district. The water released from Malwaththu Oya from Anuradhapura flows through Aruvi Aa'ru in Mannaar district causing deluge in several villages in the district. Several houses are under water. Hundreds of cattle have been washed away. Land transport between Maanthai West where families are resettled and Mannaar town had come to halt on Tuesday. Villagers in Maanthai West have been undergoing untold hardships without food and medical facilities. Several snake-bitten victims were unable to come to town to obtain treatment, medical sources said.Boats and fishing nets and other equipment belong to fishing community of Chilavaththu’rai and Arippu have been washed away by flood. Flood has affected not only low lying areas but also highland. The water level of Malwattu Oya has risen to 20 to 30 feet due to excess water released from tanks in Anuradhapura district thus inundating several villages in Mannaar district.About 2,500 families are trapped in flood in Musali area without food and medical facilities. The fate of people marooned in Maathaakiraamam and Kugnchukku’lam in Madu DS division is not known for the last seven days, according to civil authorities.A team of volunteers with food materials, led by parliamentarian Selvam Adaikalanathan rushed to Arippu from Achchangku’lam in Naanaaddaan DS division on Monday in two fiberglass boats and they returned to the shore after four hours due to rough sea. All the six parliamentarians of the Vanni district are on the field helping flood victims with relief materials through various sources for their survival.

Sri Lanka allocates 3.3 billion rupees for flood rehabilitation

Sri Lanka cabinet of ministers today has decided to allocate 3.3 billion rupees (approximately 30 million US dollars) for rehabilitation and restoration programs in the districts affected by the recent floods and landslides. The government issuing a statement said today that a Task Force appointed under the chairmanship of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to direct and monitor the implementation of a well-coordinated and effective programme for the restoration of affected areas.

Troops give their daily rations to flood victims

East-based Army troops in their hundreds extended their humanitarian services further, offering their own food rations to flood victims yesterday afternoon on the instructions of Army Commander, Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya.Thoppigala, one of the worst affected areas in the Batticaloa district with torrential rains wreaking havoc, still remains almost cut off from the main supply routes. Troops, despite threats to their lives, reached settlements and villages to rescue a number of civilians while being dragged away or trapped in floods. By yesterday morning, the number of rescued civilians in the East rose to 1,700 including children and women.All Field Commanders in the East responded to the need and released their own dry ration stocks to feed the affected and other rescued civilians until relief supplies reached them.Army Rescue and Relief Teams with the assistance of Sri Lanka Army Medical Corps (SLMC) troops commenced a special emergency medical camp near Iranakulam, Sittandy. In the past few days, over 230 flood victims were either resuscitated, given first aid or medical treatment before some were transferred out or airlifted to peripheral hospitals in view of their worsening condition.Army troops rushed to the Mulliwattuwan tank, Thoppigala on Wednesday evening and began restoration and repair of its breached bund as a result of gushing waters. Hundreds of ground troops were almost reaching its completion by yesterday afternoon, reports reaching Colombo said. Another contingent of Army troops has already undertaken the challenge of restoring the Red Bridge in Pankudaweli on A 35 Chenkalady-Karadiyanaru Road since one side of the bridge had been completely damaged and washed away, making the road impassable to both traffic and civilians.Army troops reached Kudumbimalai, Iralankulam, Pulipanchakal, Tharavikulam, Panlodaweli, Wadduvan, Thoppigala and several other areas yesterday with 10 boats and provided dry rations to the marooned, adequate for three days.Nearly 10,000-15,000 stranded people have been taken care by the Army since other authorities find it difficult to reach those areas under water.In the past few hours ending yesterday evening, troops distributed about 1,200 cooked meal packets among victims as well as dry ration packets to over 700 families.Nearly 40,000 Army troops serving the East have been deployed in worst affected areas providing immediate relief with the coordination of provincial authorities, Navy, Air Force and the Police.

Sri Lanka Navy operating with Somali pirates, Indian report alleges

An Indian news report alleges that the Sri Lankan Navy is providing tactical support to the Somali pirates operating in the Indian Ocean and turning a blind eye to their operations.According to a report in the Indian website TruthDive, the Sri Lanka Navy appears to have forged ties with Somali Pirates for them to operate in this region once controlled by the LTTE terrorists.The report citing unidentified sources say the Sri Lankan Navy has allowed the pirates to use the coastline to fuel and berth and given refuge to keep the coast free from intrusions, apparently from Tamil Nadu.It says the Somali pirates recently captured by the Indian Navy have revealed this information.Indian Navy and Coast guard warships off Lakshadweep islands seized a mother ship of Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean last week and captured 52 men including 28 suspected pirates onboard the ship.Following the seizure, the Indian forces have increased surveillance along the Kerala-Lakshadweep-Tamil Nadu coast."Our waters are not safe like before. There are some other forces helping them (pirates). We cannot remain mere spectators," the report quoted the Indian Defense Minister Antony. The forces are yet to be identified and investigations are continuing, he has added.India's Tami Nadu state authorities have accused the Sri Lankan Navy of killing the fishermen venturing into the Sri Lankan waters.Two recent incidents of killing Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy prompted the Indian government to send its Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao to Sri Lanka in a hurry for discussions.India's External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna has brought up the issue in Thimpu when he met his Sri Lankan counterpart Prof. G. L. Peiris in when the two met on the sidelines of the SAARC Foreign Ministers' Meeting on Monday (06).Sri Lanka has vehemently denied the Navy's involvement in the killings and pointed the finger at a third party. However, Sri Lanka has agreed to further investigate the incidents and asked India to supply more evidence on the matter.

If disturbed weather continues, election may get postponed

The Election Secretariat informs if disturbed weather condition continues, the elections may get postponed. Election Commissioner Dayanantha Tissanayake said, by considering the prevailing rainfalls in the country, a decision will be taken.He said, election activities are not affected still due to the present disturbed weather conditions, and the initial assignments required to conduct the elections are processed. If disturbed weather conditions continue in any areas, discussions will be held with Returning officers and a final decision will be taken was mentioned by Election Commissioner Dayanatha Tissanayake.

There is no war in Jaffna but dead bodies pile up: bodies of two more youths found

Although the war in Jaffna has ended and Democracy is being professedly restored, the mysterious killings of the people in Jaffna had not ceased. The discovery of dead bodies due to recent killings is continuing unendingly.Even yesterday (9th ) , bodies of two youths were found.One body was discovered in Sulipuram west , Jaffna. The deceased has been identified as 28 year old Murugesu Sivanesan. The second body had been found in Keliyali east , Kokuvil Jaffna.. The deceased has been identified as Siva Sangar.According to the relatives , these two youths had gone missing from last Saturday.. Relatives of SivaSangar had reported to the police of his disappearance on the same night.Both these bodies are now lying in the Yannaya base Hospital for further investigations. The Jaffna police is conducting further inquiries into the tragedies.It is significant to note that these criminal activities are raging despite over 10000 Army security personnel and 5000 police officers being deployed in Jaffna by the Govt. for providing security to the Jaffna people. After the conclusion of the war , thousands of LTTE suspects were taken into custody and kept in remand while several others were held in rehabilitation camps , and a large number of them released by now.Murders, abductions, disappearances , extortions and looting have become common so much so in Jaffna that they are considered as a daily routine criminal activity carried out without let or hindrance. It is well to recall that the Tamil National Alliance MPs called for an adjournment debate on this issue in Parliament and forwarded full and complete details on these crimes in Jaffna.

Defence Secy, CDS at Aero India

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonetilike currently are in Bangalore for Aero India 2011.Aeronautical companies laid out their stalls on Wednesday (Feb.9) in one of the world’s hottest aviation markets, looking for a share of billions of dollars in Indian military and civilian contracts.Aero India 2011 has drawn 675 firms and around 40 official delegations from 45 countries to the southern city of Bangalore.The five-day air show comes less than a month after Indian budget carrier Indigo agreed a $15.6-billion order for 180 A320 passenger aircraft with Europe’s Airbus Industries."Today, India’s aerospace sector has emerged as the fastest growing in the world," news agencies quoted Indian Defence Minister A.K. Antony said in a speech to open the air show."We are open to joint ventures, public-private partnerships and licensed production under transfer of technology," Antony said, adding that India’s current defence expenditure — 2.5 percent of GDP — was "bound to increase over the next two decades".The Sri Lankan military said that they would hardly need major armaments or small arms and ammunition in the post-LTTE era.  The military said that since May 2009, there hadn’t been any confrontations between the Army and the LTTE remnants probably still hiding in the jungles.

Sri Lanka: Will Developmental Projects Solve Political Problems? Gulbin Sultana

Much water has flown down the Mahaveli since President Rajapaksa made his swearing-in speech, on November 19, 2010, wherein he indicated that he would adopt a developmental approach to ‘enhance Sri Lanka’s greatness in the world’, and his first task would be to ensure lasting national unity and sustainable, permanent peace in Sri Lanka. After a brief exhortation to ‘move towards a future that is trilingual’, he returned to the theme of ‘development’ and inferred that his government had “carried out development work in the North and East as never before in the history” and this process had led to “a closure of the highways to terrorism”.Rajapaksa also stated that he “strongly believe(d) that this infrastructure to banish poverty [was] major part of a political solution”. Will it really work? Or will it alienate the Tamils further? The President intends to expand roadways, install power projects, modernize all areas of employment, and turn Sri Lanka “into a hub of development” in the fivefold areas of maritime capability, aviation, commerce and trade, power and energy and knowledge. Sri Lanka, under Rajapaksa, is aiming to become one of the top thirty countries most attractive for doing business by 2014.In this regard, Rajapaksa’s entire team is busy strengthening relations with old friends (India, China, Japan, Pakistan, UK, South Korea) and cultivating new ones. During his visit to New York in September 2010 to attend the 65th UN General Assembly session, he met the leaders of Iran, Qatar, Turkey, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Portugal, Malaysia, Jamaica and Spain and sought assistance in the field of energy, infrastructure development and investment in housing and tourism. Sri Lanka is also trying to improve trade and economic relations with Kuwait, Serbia, Ukraine, Egypt, Brazil, South Africa, Oman and Singapore.President Rajapaksa received a positive response from these countries because Sri Lanka is considered one of the best places to do business with in the post-LTTE period. Sri Lanka’s economy is growing at a considerable rate and in the year 2010, the economy grew at 8 per cent, the unemployment rate fell to 4.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2010.2 UNDP’s Human Development Report 2010 placed Sri Lanka at 91 in the human development index among 169 countries surveyed. According to the New York Times it is among the top ten growth economies in the world. An additional attraction for FDI in Sri Lanka is its Free Trade Agreement with India and Pakistan whereby the investing countries can avail of the Indian and Pakistani markets.In his first term Rajapaksa vowed to end terrorism and achieved that objective. Going by that record, he should be able to achieve his stated objectives for the second term as well. Numerous development activities have been already initiated in the entire country with assistance of India, China and Japan. Some of the important development projects in the North and the East under Uthuru Wasanthaya program (Northern Spring), Nagenahira Navodaya (the Eastern Awakening) are: Iranamadu (development of road and irrigation projects), Maga Neguma (road development), NECORD, TARRP etc.Undoubtedly, these development activities will solve many of Sri Lanka’s socio-economic problems. But the question needs to be asked whether these developmental projects are good enough to resolve all the problems the country is facing today? President Rajapaksa does not seem to focus on solving the Tamil problem, which has shattered the country for thirty years and has the potential to revive yet another militant movement if the root causes are not addressed soon. Earlier on May 19, 2009, in his address to the nation Rajapaksa had promised to come up with a political solution if he was elected for a second term. However, the fact that he chose not to touch on this issue during his second swearing-in ceremony indicates that he does not accord enough importance to this issue any longer.Let us briefly dwell on the issues raised by the Tamils for a long time. One of the major causes of Tamil resentment was the government’s language policy. Rajapaksa had indeed recognized it and tried to address it with his trilingual policy. His government apparently started working on it with Indian help. It was hoped that he would take this up seriously and implement it soon. Some efforts have been taken in this regard but the pace of progress seems to be too slow to convince the targeted audience of the sincerity of his intentions. Moreover, it is still unknown how the radical parties like JHU and JVP would react to this issue. Even if Tamil language has been given official status since the 1990s, the progress on this front has been very poor. The ten year master plan announced by the government will require lot of devotion and commitment for its successful implementation. There are other factors which need to be addressed as well, such as, the lack of Tamil representation in the military and police. Reportedly, 500–600 Tamil police officers have been recruited from Jaffna peninsula for the first time this year since 1978.3 This is commendable, but no Tamils have been recruited yet into the armed forces. Another sensitive issue for the Tamils was the case of state sponsored colonization of the Tamil areas by the Sinhalese population. It seems similar kind of feeling is again coming to the fore among the Tamils. According to a recent TamilNet report, civil society circles in Jaffna feel, “Sri Lanka government is using Sri Lankan Army to grab lands in the North with the view of colonizing them with Buddhist Sinhala families”.Development activities in the Tamil majority areas should aim at winning the hearts and minds of the Tamil people. Sri Lanka does need development, but development has to be people-centred, driven by the people themselves. However, the people in these areas seem to be alienated from the developmental activities. In fact, the representatives of the Tamil Political Parties Forum (TPPF), during their meeting with President, registered their grievance that the people of the North and East were being ignored in the many developmental projects. A section of Sri Lankan Civil Society also echoes the same view.There is a widespread belief among the people of Sri Lanka that the Tamils need to have equal access to education and employment opportunities for their children which will enable them to lead their lives with dignity and without fear. The development of the North and East is important but mere emphasis on “infrastructure development to banish poverty” cannot be a “major part of a political solution”, as has been pronounced by Rajapksa. Apart from economic development, the Tamils also require social and political rights. Emphasizing on economic rights alone will not solve the problem.There is a view in Sri Lanka that “assessing Sri Lanka through the lens of the Tamil question is misleading”. However, assessing Sri Lanka’s overall development without laying due emphasis on the problems faced by a sizable section of the people will not lead to the results desired.

Amid doctors and tourists, Prabhakaran's mother pines for her children

Till the time it was demolished last year, slain Tamil Tiger chief V Prabhakaran's ancestral home in Jaffna was a star tourist attraction. Now, tourists from southern Sri Lanka are thronging Jaffna's Valvettithurai government hospital to catch a glimpse of his ailing 81-year-old mother, V Parvathi Pillai.Doctors and politicians told HT over phone from Valvettithurai that a steady stream of tourists stops-by the hospital to see a bed-ridden Parvathi, even take photographs."It's a government hospital. There's no restriction. Anybody can take photographs," Dr KM Perumal, her doctor, said.Lakhs of southern tourists have visited Jaffna since a vital road-link was reopened after years in January last year."Thousands come to see her (Parvathi) and the underground operation theatre built by the LTTE in the hospital premises. Many offer fresh fruits and milk powder to her. The hospital distributes most of it among other patients and the poor," former Jaffna MP, MK Sivajilingam, said.The patient herself is not doing too well. She was deported from India last April when she landed in Chennai for treatment.Subsequently, when she was admitted to the Valvettithurai hospital a month later, Parvathi was already partially paralysed, diabetic and had a heart problem.Lately, she has sunk into severe depression and has stopped eating. Reason: though helping financially, her three remaining children - in Denmark, Canada and India -- are not ready to visit Sri Lanka."They fear harassment. They are frightened. For example, her daughter (Jagdishwari) calls almost everyday and sends money but is not ready to come," Sivajilingam, once considered close to the LTTE, said.The government, however, has never said Prabhakaran's family living abroad would not be allowed to enter Sri Lanka."Money for treatment is not an issue. It's free in a government hospital. But drugs alone can't treat her. She wants her children to be around her," Perumal said.Parvathi's husband passed away in January, 2010.Sadly, for most of the time since then, doctors and camera-wielding tourists, not family, have been her only visitors.

UK funds project to round-up stray cattle in North

Sri Lanka has received international support for a project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to round up stray cattle in the Northern region, particularly in the former LTTE strongholds. The UN agency has launched the project in support of a government initiative to round up and return stray animals to the war displaced returning to their villages after the conclusion of de-mining operations. The government launched its pilot project in the Mannar District early last year.A spokesperson for the UN agency said that the FAO had received funds through the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to carry out the project in the Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu Districts.Ms Malika De Mel told The Island that they had constructed 16 paddocks in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts to accommodate up to 10,000 cattle. The setting up of paddocks had been a key part in their operation, under which the cattle were given supplementary feed and adequate water.According to her, cow dung collected from paddocks was distributed among farmers. She said: "The rounded up cattle are medically assessed and given the appropriate vaccines, ear tagged for identification and are handed over to original owners, identified through existing records of the Grama Niladhari offices and Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH). In addition, some farmers still have cattle vouchers for purchased animals, which help in the identification and return process. Animals with no brand marks are being distributed to newly identified returnee households having access to resources to feed and manage the cattle. To date, over 2500 animals have been rounded up and distributed to owners."The official estimated the number of cattle roaming the wild at the conclusion of the war in May 2009 at about 50,000. With the rapid re-settlement of the war displaced, action was needed to round up the cattle and hand them over to owners, she said, emphasizing the importance of providing adequate support for livestock and fisheries industries. She went onto say that as the cattle had been displaced for a  long period, they could be prone to contagious and infectious diseases; and ‘interbreeding’ among the stray cattle could produce offspring of poor quality and low production potential. "These stray herds also pose a significant threat to returnee farmer households, who have limited means of protecting their crops from grazing," she said.

Sri Lanka police arrest priest and four others for spreading false information

Sri Lanka police have arrested a priest and four others in the Eastern Province for spreading false information among a group of foreigners.Dambulla Police arrested the five persons from Batticaloa when they were giving false information to a group of foreigners on the situation of the North and East, local media reported.The police had also recovered CDs containing pro-LTTE songs and pictures of children from the North and East in the possession of the suspects.Police are conducting further investigations.

List of LTTE detainees with AG
 
The Chief Justice (cj) of Sri Lanka said that a list of LTTE suspects in detention has been handed over to legal authorities in order to initiate legal proceedings immediately.The Attorney General (AG) was ordered to use the list of detainees handed to his office by the CJ to facilitate prosecutions or to release the suspects who had been in custody since 2009.CJ Asoka Silva issued the statement on Thursday, at a hearing of a fundamental rights petition filed by a detainee.The Petitionor demanded his release from prolonged detention without trial.

Early Release

CJ Asoka Silva, hearing the petition, stated to the state counsel that he had handed in a comprehensive list of names of the detainees in custody to the AG’s office.Asoka Silva also said that it is not appropriate to hold detainees for long periods without bringing charges.Assistance from the police should be sought to expedite the proceedings, said the Chief Justice Asoka Silva.

10 February 2011

Panel will visit Sri Lanka, UN Chief says

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Tuesday that the Panel of Experts appointed by him will visit Sri Lanka but declined to give a definite date for the visit.In responding to a media query after his briefing of the Security Council yesterday, Mr. Ban said the Panel is discussing the format and their role in Sri Lanka. He said that there was an agreement with the Sri Lankan government on the Panel's intended visit."I can tell you that there was an agreement and that my Panel will visit Sri Lanka and they are still discussing about the format and their role in Sri Lanka.""They will try to go anyway," the UN Chief asserted.He will inform of their visit whenever, the Panel has made a decision, he said.The Secretary-General appointed the three-member Panel of Experts to advise him on the issue of accountability with regard to alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law during the final stages of the conflict in Sri Lanka.The Panel officially commenced its work on September 16, 2010. The January 15th deadline that has been set for the panel to submit its report was extended to middle of February.

Fresh protests in Sri Lanka over jailed leader

Thousands of opposition supporters in Sri Lanka on Wednesday held protests demanding the release of former army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka.The United National Party, the island's main opposition group, led a march through Colombo to campaign for Fonseka, who is serving a 30-month prison sentence after being arrested by the military a year ago.Wednesday's protest followed a sit-down demonstration outside the prison where Fonseka is being held.Police were on duty to prevent a repeat of Friday's violence when government supporters clashed with Fonseka loyalists.Fonseka is widely credited with leading government troops to a crushing victory over Tamil Tiger rebels and ending the island's decades-long separatist war in May 2009. However, he then fell out with President Mahinda Rajapakse.A court martial in September found him guilty of irregularities when he was army chief and also stripped him of his pension and medals.

Indo-Lanka ferry service begins in March

The ferry service between Tuticorin, in South India, and Colombo is scheduled to commence in March. It is a joint venture between the Sri Lanka Shipping Corporation (SLSC) and its Indian counterpart.Chairman of SLSC Prasad Galhena told The Island that since the institution became a profit making body, steps have been taken to enhance its activities for the benefit of the people.He said that there will be three voyages per week between Tuticorin and Colombo. A total of 500 passengers would be accommodated on each trip. He said that the fares would be affordable and each passenger could carry 100 kg of ‘baggage’. Students going to India for higher studies would be charged at concessionary rate.The SLSC also proposes to ship goods from small scale industrialists, also at a concessionary rate, while coal for the Norachcholai Power Plant is also being shipped by the SLSC. It is now considering acquiring more ships.

Katunayake AF camp attack accused abducted by TMVP

The main accused in the LTTE attack on Katunayake Air Force Camp has been abducted by a group of TMVP members who came in a white van, the Colombo high court was told today (Feb. 09).Attorney A. Vinayagamurthi, who represents the suspect’s interests, said the kidnapping had taken place on 14 December 2008.According to the lawyer, two men he had identified as Suranga and Viji at TMVP office in Trincomalee were responsible for the abduction.After considering the submissions, judge T.M.P.B. Warawewa ordered the lawyer inform the court on March 11 what action he intended taking regarding the alleged abduction.The SSP for Trincomalee too, submitted a report to the court on the incident.Of the five accused in the AF camp attack, one is in remand prison, two are dead and another is missing.

Foreign trip expenditure

External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris had spent Rs. 6.5 million for 13 foreign visits he undertook along with his entourage up to November 25, 2010 since assumption of duties in his office after the General Election in April, the same year, Parliament was informed today. This was revealed in an answer to a question posed by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake. However, his predecessor Rohitha Bogollagama had spent as much as Rs.27 million for 36 overseas tours during his 39-month period.  Late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar had spent Rs.7.7 million for four visits during four months, and late Minister Anura Bandaranaike Rs. 2.6 million for three visits during three months. Also, former Minister Mangala Samaraweera had spent Rs.6.3 million for 13 visits during 13 months.Prof. Peiris had toured in countries such as Bhutan, China, the USA, Japan, the UK, Iran, Ukraine and Maldives during that period.

British NGO pushes for Sudan type referendum in SL

UK-based NGO "ACT NOW", controlled by former British humanitarian workers deployed in the Northern and Eastern Provinces during eelam war IV, is now accusing the Sri Lankan military of massacring up to 40,000 Tamil civilians, though a UN allegation that some 7,000 civilians perished in the final phase of the war has gone unsubstantiated.The NGO, with links to the LTTE rump pushing for UN intervention in post-war Sri Lanka, raised the issue with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon following a lecture at the Oxford Union on Feb. 2 by the UNSG.On behalf of ‘ACT NOW’, Tim Martin, while alleging the massacre of 40,000 civilians in 2009 (from Jan-May 19) asked the UNSG whether he would push for a referendum in Sri Lanka on the lines of the recent referendum held in Sudan.Senior government sources told The Island that the UNSG did not care to rectify distortion of facts by the ‘ACT NOW’. Instead the UN chief said that he shared Tim Martin’s concerns before explaining steps taken by him to appoint an advisory group. Sources said that all of a sudden, the Sri Lankan military had been accused of killing 40,000 civilians on the Vanni east front, whereas those gunning for the Sri Lankan political leadership couldn’t prove the previous charge of 7,000 civilian deaths.Martin had lived in the LTTE-held area during eelam war IV and fled the country when the LTTE started retreating across the Vanni battlefields. In May 2009 he launched a hunger strike opposite the US embassy in London demanding immediate intervention in Sri Lanka while the Sri Lankan Army was wiping out the last pockets of enemy units.The Island learns that James R. Moore, who had been Deputy Chief of the US mission in Colombo during eelam war IV (2006 to 2009), questioned the basis of the UN assessment on 7,000 civilian deaths. According to a US Embassy missive originating from Colombo, Moore, now Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, pointed out that the UN had failed to verify the number of LTTE combatants among 7,000 deaths. ‘ACT NOW’ has launched a campaign to force major British departmental stores to stop retailing Sri Lankan products, particularly garments. The group is also trying to discourage British tourists from visiting Sri Lanka. ‘ACT NOW’ also pressed the European Commission to cease the GSP plus trade facility to Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the conclusion of the war. Its website said that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had alleged that the Sri Lankan government used rape as a weapon, a charge denied by Sri Lanka.

Tamil boat costs taxpayers at least $25 million

The arrival of the MV Sun Sea off the coast of British Columbia last August has cost Canadians at least $25 million, so far.The ship arrived in Canadian waters in mid-August after a three-month journey from Thailand. The ship brought 492 ethnic Tamils from Sri Lanka to Canada claiming refugee status.The government released supplementary spending estimates Tuesday morning that show the arrival of the MV Sun Sea had the biggest impact on the budget of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The agency has asked for $22 million to pay for "incremental costs relating to the mass migrant arrival of the MV Sun Sea.”The RCMP has also had to spend a small fortune because of the ship's arrival. The estimates show the Mounties want $2.1 million to cover their expenses.A further $908,000 is allotted to the Immigration and Refugee Board hearings that have been ongoing since the ship arrived. The spending estimates don't include the cost of health care the federal government provided for the refugee claimants or a reported $2 million spent to provide legal services for the passengers.Stephen Harper's government, which claimed the ship had ties to the terrorist Tamil Tiger group, responded to the Sun Sea with Bill C-49. The bill proposes several changes to the immigration and refugee act, including penalties for refugees who arrive in Canada aboard a ship such as the Sun Sea.Opposition parties have all said they oppose the bill, in particular sections that would allow those who arrive on such ships to be detained for up to one year while their identity and their refugee cases are settled. The government claims the changes would stop others from taking advantage of Canada’s immigration system. The Liberals, Bloc and NDP all claim the changes are unfair and unconstitutional.Some passengers from the Sun Sea have been released, but others remain in custody.

09 February 2011

UN is assessing the flood damage in Sri Lanka

The United Nations said Tuesday that the recent wave of flooding in Sri Lanka had hit harder on the people who were still trying to recover from the last month's flooding.The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sri Lank has reported that the magnitude and impact of a second wave of floods that hit Sri Lanka are worse than those which struck a few weeks ago.According to the latest situation report from Sri Lanka's Disaster Management Center (DMC) as of 2:00 p.m. Tuesday over 1,182,601 people have been affected by the recent floods including nearly 186,000 displaced persons.The Center reported 19 deaths and two are missing due to the catastrophic weather that has affected 18 out of 15 districts in North, North Central, East, Central, and Uva provinces.The UN agencies are supporting the government of Sri Lanka to assess the extent of the damage, and the needs for immediate relief, the UN spokesman to the Secretary-General said today.The UN says its agencies are already responding with a wide range of supplies, including food and medicine."The Sri Lanka Floods Flash Appeal has reached $7.7 million as of today, out of $50 million that had been requested, or about 15 percent," the UN said.The Flash Appeal will be revised at the end of the month, it added.

Military denies allegations by TNA MP

The military today denied allegations made by TNA MP Mavai Senathirajah that the military was obtaining money from Jaffna residents, forcing people to pose for family photographs in the Jaffna town and also forcing them to sign various forms in Sinhalese.Military Spokesman Major General Ubaya Madawela rejected the allegations as baseless. “Every citizen is obliged to register under the police ordinance and not only in Jaffna it is been conducted in places like Gampaha as well as there is a plan to implement a system of electronic identification in the near future”, he said. TNA MP Senathirajah alleged in his letter that the military is forcing people in the Kilinochchi district to sign forms written in Sinhalese that they do not understand. He also charged that these actions have caused great fear and panic among the people in the area and such incidents have also been reported in the Irupalai, Kopay and Kalviyankadu areas.However rejecting the chargers Major Gneral Medawala said they are yet to register people in Jaffna. “Why should the military make money by asking people to pose for family photographs in public places in the Jaffna town, these allegations are baseless and we totally rejects such claims”, he said. He also said that the security in Jaffna is in the best hands and the army is doing a remarkable job to ensure the security and provide assistance in development projects in the peninsula.“The Law and Order in the peninsula is carried out by the police with assistance from the army. However the army is also focused on working in development projects in the area, especially road development projects”, he said.

Sri Lanka says at least 35 percent of rice crop destroyed

Two rounds of flooding in Sri Lanka since January have destroyed at least 35 percent of the staple rice crop, the Agriculture Ministry said on Tuesday, raising the risk of food price inflation.Heavy monsoon flooding since mid-January has caused landslides and burst hundreds of dams and killed at least 57 people. In the latest round this week, rising water forced at least 193,700 people into temporary shelters.The rice crop has taken a major beating, according to preliminary government surveys, but Asian rice traders said the impact on the global market will be minimal as the country has stocks and import volumes are expected to be small."On rough estimates, more than 300,000 hectares' have been completely destroyed so the total expected production is 1.75 million metric tonnes," Agriculture Ministry Secretary K.E Karunatilake, the ministry's top civil servant, told Reuters.Total expected rice production this season had been 2.7 million metric tonnes from 739,000 hectares, he said.Sri Lanka is usually self-sufficient in rice production, having produced 3.65 million metric tonnes in 2009 against an average annual consumption of 2.34 million MT, according to data from the central bank and Census and Statistics Department.Last year it imported 52,000 tonnes of specialty rice. Despite self-sufficiency, politically influential traders are often accused of hoarding supplies.The government as of now has 188,000 MT in stock, according to the Census and Statistics Department. It had no data on private stocks, but they have historically been larger than the government supply.Current rice stocks and the potential for a larger crop in the May-September season "are likely to ease any prices pressures in 2011," the central bank said on Tuesday after holding rates steady and shrugging off inflation fears.

Sri Lanka parliament extends Emergency for another month

Sri Lanka Parliament this evening extended the emergency regulations for another with a majority of 100 votes.The bill received 121 votes in favour of the motion while 12 votes were against it.Legislators of the main opposition United National Party, the Tamil National Alliance, and Democratic National Alliance voted against the motion.

Emergency law to suppress people - Karu

The present regime uses the emergency law to postpone elections and to suppress political opponents and the public, alleges UNP deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya.He told the House today (Feb. 08) that this was despite repeated requests for a repealing of the state of emergency, which would help bring more foreign investments to the country.Sarath Fosenka, who made a pioneering contribution to gain independence for a second time is confined today to an inmate of Welikada Prison, said Mr. Jayasuriya. On the other hand, newspapers showed recently that LTTE’s acting leader KP was freely touring Jaffna with all facilities given.Just 12 hours after president Mahinda Rajapaksa’s speech at the independence Day celebration highlighting a disciplined nation, underworld thugs protected by certain government politicians attacked the peaceful protest by the UNP demanding Mr. Fonseka’s freedom, while the police just looked on, he said.He went onto say that 11 journalists have been murdered by now, with no clue whatsoever about the killing of world renowned journalist Lasantha Wickramatunga.Lankaenews website came under an arson attack and police blame a ‘bhootha’ (ghost) for the incident who is still at large, as one year has elapsed since the disappearance of its columnist Prageeth Ekneligoda.Sirasa Studio Complex came under repeated attacks, but no arrests have been made by the police up to now, he said.The UNP deputy leader said a news article in the 16 January, 2011 issue of ‘Divaina’ that police were unable to arrest 16 underworld leaders protected by politicians indicates the real situation the country is in today.Also, Jaffna SSP Neville Padmahewa has given a further example when he told the people there that no jewelry should be worn at public places and young women should not go about alone, Mr. Jayasuriya said.

LTTE Sympathizers Trying To Make War Crimes Charges Again

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne has said the government has been informed of a plan by the Tamil Diaspora and LTTE sympathizers in Europe to raise allegations of war crimes against the country.Speaking during the debate on the extension of emergency regulations in parliament today, Jayaratne has said the war crimes allegations against Sri Lanka are to be raised at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva.According to the Premier, these groups are canvassing the support of the of politicians in Europe to get the resolution included in the agenda of the UNHRC sessions in March.Jayaratne has also said the government is drafting new legislation to provide for a political solution to the ethnic issue.

Technique that tamed Tigers - Namini Wijedasa

IN May-June, on the second anniversary of Sri Lanka’s victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the defense establishment will host an international seminar in Colombo to teach the world a thing or two about terrorism. ‘Defeat of Terrorism: Sri Lanka Experience’ will be the first time ever that the military divulges specifics of its strategy against the LTTE to a global audience. Till now, whatever discussion there was of the final pitched battle against the Tamil Tigers was local with a heavy patriotic slant designed to promote a president and his government. Political posturing often threatened to overtake the conversation; even frontline military commanders chipped in to help politicians gain mileage from an agonising war that left hundreds of thousands dead, injured or displaced.The government’s exploitation of the victory to promote itself is understandable (although this tool is now decidedly wearing thin). When President Mahinda Rajapaksa decided to crush the LTTE, it was no longer a small bunch of young Tamils possessing more rage than they did weapons. The Tamil Tigers over 30 years had grown into a formidable terrorist organization that commanded ground, air and naval power; manufactured chemical bombs in the jungle and excelled in suicide attack. They had also amassed such a vast armory of weapons that troops are still digging up guns from the ground. A little politicking, therefore, was excusable. But the lack of an open and focused dialogue on strictly the military aspects of the war, with less sycophancy and more fact, has left questions unanswered about how Sri Lanka achieved success where more powerful nations continue to fail. If it isn’t hijacked by narrow and partisan political objectives, this seminar would fill a vital gap in information. It could be a welcome opportunity for the military to showcase its “humanitarian operation” (as it was labelled at the time) to free hundreds and thousands of Tamil civilians from the LTTE’s grip. Nevertheless, it could also open a can of worms. The war against the Tamil Tigers remains at the center of raging controversy about alleged war crimes by both sides. Several human rights organizations, notably Amnesty International, International Crisis Group (ICG) and Human Rights Watch, continue to hound the government over the innumerable loss of human lives.HAVING suffered a temporary setback, pro-LTTE diaspora groups have reorganized themselves to launch a fresh call for an international investigation into the conduct of the war. There is also a move to initiate legal proceedings in foreign courts against key figures including President Rajapaksa and his commanders. Sri Lanka has held off an international probe but the controversy just won’t die down. One reason for the protracted campaign against this island nation – while bigger offenders of human rights violations like the US go free – could be that there is still money to be earned from targeting the small fry. With all sessions open to local and international media, it would be optimistic to assume that nobody would comment or raise questions about human rights concerns. There are plenty of witnesses among affected civilians to events during those final bloody months of 2009 when men, women and children quivered inside a narrow strip of coastal land – trapped along with the remaining Tamil Tigers as troops closed in.The military will no doubt use the seminar to reinforce its position that no heavy weapons were used in the standoff; that it exercised a careful, no-civilian-casualty policy and that civilian deaths were predominantly caused by the LTTE.Rights groups maintain otherwise and cite “evidence” to support this. For instance, the ICG said in a report in May that the government and security forces encouraged hundreds of thousands of civilians to move into ever smaller No Fire Zones and “then subjected them to repeated and increasingly intense artillery and mortar barrages and other fire”. The organization said this lasted from January 2009 through May “despite the government and security forces knowing the size and location of the civilian population and scale of civilian casualties.” TO vehement denials by the government, the ICG said too that state security forces shelled hospitals and makeshift medical centers and humanitarian operations. There are also claims and counter-claims that the military arbitrarily executed unarmed Tamils during the war. Curiously, the LTTE, which was ruthless to the bitter end, particularly to its own people, is routinely excused from criticism. Human rights violations and abject cruelty are evidently the prerogative of non-state actors.Anyhow, it would be interesting to see whether representatives of multilateral and international organizations present at the seminar – such as the International Committee of the Red Cross and the UN – will respond to any attempts by the government to gloss over the ugly bits. At a press conference to announce the seminar, Army Commander Lt. Gen. Jagath Jayasuriya told media that Sri Lanka was the first country in the 21st century to defeat terrorism. As a result, it had a wealth of knowledge and experience in countering global terrorism. “Since May 2009, almost all countries have acknowledged our achievement and are keen to share the expertise and knowledge of the Sri Lanka Army,” he said. Army spokesman Brigadier Ubaya Medawala maintains that “we have nothing to hide... this will be a factual discussion about how we defeated terrorism.” The army will organize the seminar on May 31 and June 1-2. Top Sri Lankan military officers will present papers on, among others, counter-measures against global terrorism, terrorist trends, the combination of both political and military efforts, rapid resettlement, reconciliatory moves, nation-building and threats to national and international security concerns. A notable absentee among speakers will be Sarath Fonseka, the former army commander who led the operation. He was arrested not long after he unsuccessfully challenged Mahinda Rajapaksa at a presidential election in 2010 and has since been cashiered by a military court, is serving a jail term for irregularities in procurements for the army and has lost the parliamentary seat he won at the general election in April last year. Fonseka’s attempt to oust the president saw the wrath of the administration directly firmly against him and he has been indicted on several other charges for which hearings are in progress.

Sri Lanka: thousands attend Sarath Fonseka rally

Opposition supporters in Sri Lanka have taken part in a demonstration in the capital Colombo to mark a year since the detention of the losing presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka.He was detained after defeat by the incumbent, Mahinda Rajapaksa.In September he was moved to prison after a military court found him guilty of corruption.About 3,000 people took part in the protest, which called for Mr Fonseka's release, a BBC correspondent says.The BBC's Elmo Fernando in Colombo says that a variety of different parties took part in the one-hour rally, which was mostly peaceful and held under heavy security.Supporters of the left wing JVP, or People's Liberation Front, chanted anti-government slogans and carried placards demanding the release of Mr Fonseka who is serving a 30-month sentence after being convicted by a court martial.Among those taking part in the protest, outside Welikada jail, was Mr Fonseka's wife, Anoma, who told the crowd not to give up their struggle until her husband was released.Police closed a section of the main road outside the prison to prevent a repeat of violence on Friday when government supporters clashed with supporters of Mr Fonseka.Because he is in jail, he has lost the parliamentary seat that he won last April. Mr Fonseka still faces more court cases.

Kicking and screaming

The BBC's Charles Haviland in Colombo say thet 13 months ago it seemed that Mahinda Rajapaksa might have met his electoral match. Sarath Fonseka had led the army to victory over the Tamil Tigers but fell out with his former friend over who should take the glory for that victory.The fact that both men were ardent Sinhalese nationalists only made the election fight more bitter.But as the results showed Mr Rajapaksa winning, it became clear just how much Gen Fonseka would suffer after his electoral challenge.His campaign hotel was surrounded by troops and 12 days later, he was taken into custody by military police and an officer junior to himself.His detractors - and every government figure swiftly became one - say he was plotting a coup, and that two court martial verdicts against him show he was guilty of dabbling in politics while in uniform and corruptly securing arms deals.But Sarath Fonseka's supporters say he was detained for daring to challenge Mr Rajapaksa at the polls.The opposition says his fate points to the government's intolerance of dissent.

08 February 2011

All Jaffna HSZs to be dismantled

Defence authorities have agreed to dismantle all high security zones in Jaffna peninsula within two months, said Jaffna district secretary Imelda Sukumar.She has made the announcement at a meeting with Jaffna United Traders Association at her office.The HSZs due to be removed include the one in Palaly as well, she has said.The traders have commended the defence authorities for taking steps to stop the wave of crimes in Jaffna recently.

Sri Lanka President cancels musical shows, orders money for flood relief

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has instructed the Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage to cancel the musical shows scheduled in Kandy and Hambanthota and utilize the money for flood relief operations.The two musical shows have been planned as fringe events for the upcoming Cricket World Cup, partially hosted by Sri Lanka. Both Kandy and Hambanthota are venues for the World Cup matches.The order is only for the state sponsored events and not for the shows organized by the private media institutions, the government has told the local media.Over 1.2 million people in 18 districts have been affected by the second round of floods within two months.

‘US concern over Lanka war crimes not frivolous’

Former US envoy to Sri Lanka Teresita Schaffer ruled out American backing for Tamil Eelam and said that the concern about war crimes in Sri Lanka was not frivolous. There was evidence that the end of the civil war between the island troops and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) was brutal.At a forum on ‘US perspective on security in South Asian region with special emphasis on Nepal and Sri Lanka’ Schaffer stressed on Monday the need for genuine reconciliation by the Rajapaksa government.“If the reconciliation process is allowed to slide, then some new internal conflict may spring up,” said Schaffer, who is also the director of the South Asia Programme at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. “I don’t have any clear sense on how one can persuade the Sri Lankan leader on reconciliation,” she said.Schaffer also welcomed reconciliation efforts but said the focus should also be on war crimes. The former US envoy also said that the American ties with India hasn’t changed strategically but was on its way there.“South Asia gained importance in strategic thinking of the US during the last five years. Earlier, it was focused on Persian Gulf and Japan. Now the policy is driven by great possibilities of ties with India,” she said.Schaffer said that she did not expect the US and Indian alliance against China, but at the same time added that China was one of the factors for the alliance.

Jaffna University will lose millions of rupees because of present Acting Vice – Chancellor by John Ratnathurai

I read today’s news on public anger over the delay in appointing Jaffna’s Vice Chancellor (Feb. 05) and the earlier interview with the Minister for Higher Education, S.B. Dissanayake (The Island of Jan. 05). He complained of bad management and neglect at Jaffna university under the present VC (Acting VC since mid-December) despite the allocation of ample funds. The UGC recently transferred a great deal of funds that have been allocated to Jaffna for building purposes to the Rajarata University, because they had not be utilised by the VC as the budget year came to a close.The IRQUE Project (Improving the Relevance and Quality of Undergraduate Education) of the last seven or so years, was greatly appreciated by the people of Jaffna. Suddenly computers appeared from nowhere; so did the gym equipment, books for the library, training programmes and scholarships. For us it was boom time. Following the end of IRQUE, HETC (Higher Education for the Twenty-First Century) is the new World Bank project breathing life into dead universities.But there is a problem. To be eligible for HETC funds, a university has to complete an internal Institutional Review. Two years ago HETC officials visited Jaffna and told the VC to submit the review. Most universities had completed their reviews a year before and started receiving funds. But, the Jaffna University got a warning letter last week that until the review was submitted, the funds could not be used. Even this news leaked from Colombo rather than through the Council or Senate, which are kept in the dark. Jaffna now stands to lose hundreds of millions of rupees because of the Jaffna Acting VC.No wonder the public and the teachers’ unions are visibly angry with the VC as your correspondent correctly reported. Despite our being brought up on ideals of feminine virtue, the Jaffna GA Imelda Sukumar recently lamented the large number of abortions and illegitimate births while a woman’s rights activist stated that there had been 38 abortions at a girls’ school in this part of the country.The Higher Education Minister, in his interview, was making a case for private universities. He has used the Jaffna University crisis as an example to project all state universities as intrinsically bad, while he himself is responsible for keeping the former VC going as Acting VC. The Minister must also take some responsibility for appointing the present VC three years ago.And there lies the problem with our state universities – the appointment of persons because of their political affiliations rather than on merit. Perhaps that is why the private universities do better; not because state universities are intrinsically bad. For example the University of California at Berkeley, a state institution, is considered to have the best postgraduate programmes.It is within the Minister’s powers to rectify the situation at the Jaffna University. If after the Minister has done his part, there still exist problems with our universities, then we can look to private universities to solve our problems. Not before.

Germany indicts Sri Lanka Tamil spokesman on terrorism charges

A spokesman in Germany for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been indicted on terrorism charges, federal justice authorities said Monday in Karlsruhe.Agilan W, who now holds German citizenship, was arrested in November and indicted on January 24.Prosecutors said he was spokesman in Germany for the Tamil Coordination Commitee, a front for the LTTE, from 2004 to the end of 2009 and oversaw its public relations. Three other leaders of an alleged LTTE front were earlier arrested and indicted.No date was given for the 35-year-old's trial on a charge of membership in a foreign terrorist organization and breaching German export laws.That charge relates to his allegedly purchasing equipment worth 370,000 euros (500,000 dollars) from group funds to outfit LTTE fighters and sent this gear to Sri Lanka.The LTTE fought from its formation in 1976 till its early 2009 defeat for a secession by north and east Sri Lanka.The European Union declared the LTTE a terrorist group in June 2007. Germany indicted three other activists in the TCC, Vijikanendra V S, Sasitharan M and Koneswaran T in August.Under German reporting restrictions, first names only are given.

Expulsion of MP from Tamil party illegal, Sri Lanka SC rules

Sri Lanka Supreme Court today has ruled that the expulsion of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Ampara District MP P. Piyasena by the party is illegal.Political Bureau of TNA took a decision in November 2009 to expel MP Piyasena from the party for voting with the government to pass the 18th Amendment to the Constitution.He has said that the TNA did not conduct a disciplinary inquiry against him before taking the decision to expel him from the party.MP Piyasena who contested in last general election representing the TNA was the only member elected from the party in Ampara District.In September last year MP Piyasena voted in favour of the government's Constitutional Amendment. He later joined the government.

‘Prabhakaran’s mom ignored by kin’

Dr Mayilerum Perumal, the head of the Valvettithurai government hospital, says that the psychological state of Parvathy Ammal, the paralysed mother of slain LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, is getting worse because she is deeply perturbed by the fact that no family member has bothered to visit her in the year and two months she has been in the hospital.“Neither the son nor the daughters, or even the grandchildren, have come to see her. And this has affected her mental condition. We have no means to treat an 80-year-old suffering from depression,” Dr Perumal told Express over the phone on Monday.A graduate of Thanjavur Medical College, Dr Perumal said that he would not describe Parvathy Ammal’s condition as ‘bad’ but in the past two weeks, there had been a worsening of her condition.“She is being fed intravenously. She has completely lost the ability to speak and is not able to close her eyes completely,” added M K Sivajilingam, a former Tamil National Alliance MP and a distant relative, who has been authorised by the Sri Lankan government to look after Parvathy Ammal.Parvathy Ammal’s husband Thiruvengadam Velupillai, died in January last year in a Lankan army detention centre in Panagoda in south Sri Lanka. She has two married daughters, Vinothini Rajendran, living in Toronto, Canada, and Jagadeeswari Mathiyaparanam, living in Chennai. Son Manoharan is in Denmark.

Joint patrolling by India, Sri Lanka can end attacks on fishermen, says Congress member from Tamil Nadu

Expressing concern over continued attacks on Indian fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan navy, Congress today favoured joint patrolling by the navies of both nations to address the issue.'We are equally concerned about this issue and condemn the killings,' Congress member and party whip in the Tamil Nadu assembly, S Peter Alphonse said.Participating in the debate on interim budget, he said 378 fishermen have so far been killed in attacks.His remarks come at a time when the Congress-led UPA has been charged by opposition parties with failing to have put an end to continued attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan navy.Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh are taking steps to address the issue, Alphonse said adding joint patrolling would prove effective in ending the attacks, especially after the 'decimation' of LTTE in 2009.Last month,two fishermen were killed in attacks allegedly by the island nation's navy, a charge denied by the latter.Alphonse also demanded that the Tamil Nadu government spell out seperate policies for various natural resources to curb their 'indiscriminate use,' especially during developmental activities.For instance, fertile farm lands were being converted into real estate plots, he said, adding natural resources need to be conserved.

Sri Lanka: Sarath Fonseka anniversary rally planned

Opposition parties in Sri Lanka are promising a huge demonstration on Tuesday to mark one year since the detention of the losing presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka. He was held after losing the election to the incumbent, Mahinda Rajapaksa.In September he was moved to prison after a military court found him guilty of corruption.With jail comes the loss of the parliamentary seat he won last April and he still faces more court cases.Thirteen months ago it seemed that Mahinda Rajapaksa might have met his electoral match.Sarath Fonseka had led the army to victory over the Tamil Tigers but fell out with his former friend over who should take the glory for that victory.The fact that both men were ardent Sinhalese nationalists only made the election fight more bitter.But as the results showed Mr Rajapaksa winning, it became clear just how much Gen Fonseka would suffer after his electoral challenge.His campaign hotel was surrounded by troops and 12 days later, kicking and screaming, he was dragged into detention by military police and an officer junior to himself.

Why, then, was Sarath Fonseka arrested?

His detractors - and every government figure swiftly became one - say he was plotting a coup, and that two court martial verdicts against him show he was guilty of dabbling in politics while in uniform and corruptly securing arms deals.The defence secretary has even threatened to hang him. He has also implied that he was guilty of murdering a newspaper editor while army chief.But Sarath Fonseka's supporters say he was detained for daring to challenge Mr Rajapaksa at the polls.The opposition says his fate points to the government's intolerance of dissent.On Friday more than 100 government supporters attacked pro-Fonseka demonstrators with cement blocks, petrol bombs and iron rods.Some civil society campaigners are in two minds about the whole Fonseka affair.They never liked Sarath Fonseka when he was army chief and accused him of perpetrating a number of human rights violations.Now, however, they allege that a lack of rule of law in Sri Lanka has made him, too, a victim.

Police name Deptford fire victims as Sri Lanka nationals

POLICE investigating a fire in a block of flats have released the identities of the two women who died in the incident.Sri Lankan nationals Kunaliny Alagaratnam, 42, of Marine Tower, and Santhirapathy Tharmalingam, 59, who was visiting the UK from her native country, were both formally identified today.Post-mortem examinations at Greenwich Mortuary on Saturday confirmed that both women died as a result of the fire on Friday afternoon at Marine Tower in Abinger Grove, Deptford.Sandra Clarke, 49, of Marine Tower, was charged on February 6 with manslaughter, arson with intent to endanger life and arson, being reckless as to whether life was endangered.She appeared today via virtual link at Camberwell Green Magistrates’ Court, and was remanded to appear at Woolwich Crown Court on February 14.

Political will to settle national issue still not forthcoming despite awareness for permanent settlement By Dr. S. Narapalasingam

The Honourable Sri Lankan Judge Christopher Gregory Weeramantry, Emeritus Professor at Monash University and formerly a Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka from 1967 to 1972, a Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) from 1991 to 2000 and currently the president of the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms in his submission to the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC) on 29th November 2010 explained how Sri Lanka’s constitution blocks peace and reconciliation and the dire need for change.He told, “....without confidence and trust (of the people) that their rights will be upheld and guaranteed without fear or favour, there cannot be contentment and harmony, especially among minorities whose confidence in law and order needs to be built on firm foundations”. Reconciliation cannot succeed without trust and confidence in the fairness of the system. The distinguished judge also said: “It goes without saying that the Constitution of a country is the bedrock on which citizens build their sense of security. To build up trust and confidence among the citizens of a country, especially one which is emerging from a long and bitter conflict, it is essential that their rights and liberties be securely guaranteed by the Constitution. That is an essential prerequisite to nation building in the aftermath of conflict”.Attention has also been drawn to the incumbent President’s awareness of the need for reform and his reluctance to act accordingly. This is evident from the following statements in his submissions to the Commission: “The Mahinda Chinthana of 2010 said that while the present President had been particular1y careful when exercising the powers of the ‘Executive Presidency’, the Executive Presidency had in the past been used ‘to postpone elections, to topple elected governments, to disrupt the judiciary, to ban political parties, to suppress demonstrations and lead the country towards a violent culture, to sell state institutions at under-valued prices, to defend criminals and to grant concessions to unscrupulous businessmen’.”“This categorical statement was a very strong indictment of the Presidential system, coming as it did from the President himself, with access to all the sources of information. Indeed this Presidential statement confirmed the worst fears I had entertained, when the Presidential system was conceived, of possible abuses of Presidential power”. Moreover, “it is true President Rajapaksa gave a categorical assurance that he himself would convert the Executive Presidency into a Trusteeship, which honours the mandate given to Parliament by being accountable to Parliament, establishing equality before the law, being accountable to the judiciary and not being in conflict with the judiciary. Trusteeship is indeed a noble concept and such an assurance by His Excellency the President is most honourable and welcome. Yet it still is personal to him and does not have the force of law, however noble the intention behind it. Nor does it bind any future holder of the office”.

Devolution

This inability to reconcile one’s political interest with the real needs of the entire plural society including the ethnic minorities is also the reason for the reluctance to devolve adequate powers to the provinces. The latter is perceived as empowering the ethnic minorities and weakening the centralized Sinhala majority rule. The inherent (collective) unit in the ‘unitary’ system to which the government is committed is not the one that corresponds with the island’s real demographic and traditional settlement features. Moreover, without the commitment to real democracy (not just the superficial confined mainly to the right to vote as it is now), devolution is not considered by the majoritarians essential for strengthening the democratic process, particularly in the context of the long established diverse settlement pattern of the population. Rejection of this reality is the root of the national problem.The government’s decision to divert interest from the devolution plan in the aftermath of the military victory and triumphalism was evident from the declared intent to empower the people at the village level, implying some degree of decentralization. The Sunday Island of 26 December 2010 reported: “There is clearly no intention on the part of the centre to devolve power on the Eastern Provincial Council. This is borne out, among other things, by the recent budgetary provision to the effect that BTT should be collected by the centre and not the Provincial Councils. This is scandalous because the bulk of the PCs’ revenue comes from BTT. This is a complete violation of the 13th amendment, informed sources said. The problem of incapacity faced by the Eastern PC has been compounded by a recent central government circular that PCs need to get the approval of line ministries before statutes are passed by them which relate to the subjects of the respective line ministries”.Recently, the Institute for Constitutional Studies conducted a workshop for media personnel on ‘Twenty Two Years of Devolution - An evaluation of the working of Provincial Councils in Sri Lanka’. In his address, Dr. Jayampathy Wickramaratne “pointed out that the past 22 years of experience showed that the devolution of power was not carried out in the proper spirit of devolution. Every Government is actively involved in party politics while in office. Certain powers have been devolved to the provincial councils, but the Central Government curtails those powers by enacting its own legislation and also by way of Cabinet decisions in the guise of making National Policy”. (Daily News 20 January 2011). The complaint of the Eastern Provincial Council tallies with this general observation. There is no similar complaint from other functioning Provincial Councils for two reasons. First, devolution was introduced via the 13th Amendment as a means to solve the ethnic problem. There was no demand for it from the Sinhala polity. It was not perceived then as useful for strengthening democracy. Second, the PCs also serve lucratively the elected councillors with attractive perks and privileges similar to those bestowed to the parliamentarians.It is true the PC system as it is now is a white elephant, serving no useful purpose to the vast majority of residents. This too is another example of the costly self-serving politics unhelpful to the people and the country, except the elected politicians and their cronies. The PC concept is sound but the way the system is set to function is ineffective. No system will be beneficial to the public and the entire country unless it is free from bribery and corruption. Sadly, no serious efforts are being made to get rid of several blights in the system vital for steady socio-economic development. The nationally unhelpful political culture and poor political leadership are responsible for the predicament.Following the Indian analyst N. Sathiyamoorthy’s article – ‘It has to be Devolution, not Decentralization’- in the Daily Mirror 27 December 2010, Austin Fernando former Defence Secretary responded promptly supporting this stance. Daily Mirror published his article titled ‘It is devolution and not decentralization that is good for Sri Lanka’ in two instalments on 28 and 29 December 2010. At the very outset Austin Fernando remarked forthrightly: had any Sri Lankan put forward the same view, he/she would have been branded as traitor by the post-war patriots. The two words, ‘patriot’ and ‘traitor’ have acquired chauvinistic flavour after the resounding military victory. Real reconciliation crucial for uniting the divided people on the basis of candid admission of past mistakes and corrective actions that ensure equality, justice, legitimate rights and security individually and collectively to all citizens is still not in sight. Austin has explained the reasons for devolution (power sharing) and not just decentralisation (power delegation) and also the possibility of devolving powers under the unitary constitution. This is confirmed by the 13th Amendment. The case for devolution has been advanced from the standpoint of meaningful democracy.

Economic development as the panacea

Nevertheless, President Rajapaksa is confident of securing unity and lasting peace via economic development. The supreme leader thinks the struggle for development can also be won just like the war in 2009. Besides, the promising rhetoric and occasional reference to devolution, the post-war situation remains murky. Apparently, the government believes development that is being imposed by the centre according to its priorities is the panacea.Sustained economic development cannot be achieved solely by investment and economic incentives. National unity, continued prevalence of law and order, adherence to the rule of law, efficient public institutions devoid of bribery and corruption, dedicated managerial and technical staff, good governance which entails among others good work ethics and accountability are necessary. Reluctance to implement suitable policies for parochial reasons also undermines the development process. Monitoring steadily the progress in implementing projects and programmes as well as the utilization of the allocated funds is also intrinsic to sustained economic development. The present system lacks this kind of comprehensive monitoring.Moreover, there are no determined efforts towards creating the conditions conducive for sustained development. This is the challenge that must be overcome which is relatively easy, if the political system is also conducive. The stark truth is the destructive war alone did not hinder socio-economic development. It definitely destroyed existing structures and prevented their restoration for decades. No sensible person will think the right conditions can be created by rhetoric alone.Devolution helps to achieve balanced development beneficial to residents in all the various provinces. Not only the local needs but also the available resources in the different provinces will influence the development programme of each province under a devolved system. This is not a substitute for development from the national perspective but is an essential auxiliary. Sri Lanka is relatively a small island but in reality it has diverse demographic and other regional features. Given this natural diversity, the case for devolution is strong not only from the development standpoint but also for securing unity and lasting peace in the island. The realists know well that devolution is beneficial to all the ethnic communities not merely the Tamils and Muslims in the Northern and Eastern provinces.

Reconciliation

The politically motivated discriminatory policies and practices and the violence unleashed against the victimised and politically weak Tamils that resulted in the ethnic conflict escalating into full-scale war are the root causes for the unresolved national problem. Ignoring them in the reconciliation process is unsound, from the standpoint of winning the trust of the disadvantaged ethnic minorities. Apparently, reconciliation is being sought unconventionally, without political appeasement, recognising the regional demographic realities but mainly from the expected development benefits under the incompatible system.The Minority Rights International in its latest report titled 'No war, no peace: the denial of minority rights and justice in Sri Lanka' (posted by transCurrents on January 19, 2011) has opined that the government is doing little to resolve some of the original minority grievances that led to the conflict, such as violations of physical integrity including torture and enforced disappearances, lack of political autonomy and denial of language rights Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne in his submissions to LLRC said that the government has an obligation to protect the dignity of the minorities and ensure their rights are preserved. He also briefed the commission on the history that led to the 30-year-old war and blamed it on the politicians of that time. The Minister emphatically said that he was representing the people and not the cabinet and that his views would reflect the thoughts of the common man.Jehan Perera in his recent article titled ‘A new ethos to obtain electoral and economic victory’ opined: “War-time governance required the centralization of decision-making capacities, emergency laws and an enhanced military budget. By way of contrast, post-war governance requires a non-violent style of leadership that alone can heal the wounds of war and unfetter the economic energies of the people. When decision-making power is concentrated in a few hands, emergency laws prevail and the (large) army is entering the vegetable trade, the message being sent to potential investors is not a positive one.” One can see clearly the prevailing post-war ground situation that is in conflict with the reconciliation and peace building processes.In recent weeks there have been several distressing reports in the national papers on the tragic incidents in Jaffna, the cultural centre of the Sri Lankan Tamils.The Sunday Times 2 January 2011 reported in December alone at least four murders, two abductions and 15 robberies took place in Jaffna. In Vadamarachchi, an earth supplier was shot dead in his house, while a woman shop owner was abducted from Point Pedro the same day. In Chavakachcheri, a vehicle broker was abducted, killed and his body dumped by the roadside. In Urumparai, the Deputy Director of Education, Waligamam was shot dead in his house, and a youth there was abducted in a van. Numerous robberies at gunpoint have taken place in Jaffna. In early December, thieves went to a Hindu priest’s house at Chankanai, shot the priest and his son, and robbed the house. The priest died later.The veteran journalist, T. Sabaratnam in his column in the weekly ‘The Nation’ of 2 January 2011 also referred to the above shocking incidents as well as some disturbing activities in the East. Contrary to the supposed reconciliation process, some hostile activities have been taking place recently in the East. These smack of bringing in religion into the ethnic conflict. The temple row in Batticaloa centres round Thanthamalai Murugan Temple of Paddipalai District Secretariat division. TNA Batticaloa district parliamentarian Pakiyaselvan Ariyanethiran’s complaint “against the officers of the Archaeological Department who were obstructing the performance of daily poojas and threatening to take control of the temple and the 25 acres of land belonging to it on the pretext of conducting archaeological excavations” remains unheeded. “He had informed the Prime Minister that the temple known as Sinna Katirgamam is a historic Hindu temple and its historicity was confirmed by judicial decision of March 13, 1959”.The columnist also stated: “Three months ago Trincomalee Government Agent Major General (Rtd) Ranjith de Silva stopped the Trincomalee Town and Gravets Pradesya Sabha from effecting maintenance work in the historic Kanniya Hot Wells and the adjoining Pillayar Kovil saying that the area belonged to the Department of Archaeology. He had also ordered the removal of the name board put up by the Pradesya Sabha stating that the Hot Wells were constructed by King Ravana.The board reflected the Hindu tradition associated with Kinniya Hot Wells. Hindus believe that Ravana, the villain in the Indian epic Ramayana, built the Kinniya Hot Wells to perform the religious rites for his mother on the 31st day after her death. Hindus in the Trincomalee district perform the 31st day rites of their dead parents or relatives at Kinniya. A special madam had been constructed for that purpose.There is a move by the post-war government “to discover and restore ancient Buddhist relics in the northern and eastern provinces and name them as proof that Sinhalese lived in those places”. The reality is in ancient Lanka or E-lanka-i in Tamil, there were Tamil Buddhists in these provinces. Clearly these moves are contrary to real reconciliation process. Such incompatible moves will lay the grounds for activating the ethnic conflict which no peace loving Sri Lankan wants.The Catholic Diocese of Mannar also in their submission to LLRC stated: “We are deeply disturbed that some signboards in villages in Manthai West are only in Sinhalese and that some roads names have been given Sinhalese names. These are seen as indicators of “Sinhalization” of traditional Tamil areas and these are things that should be avoided if we are to move towards reconciliation.Building a Buddhist place of worship (Pansala) in Murunkan Town where there was a Hindu Kovil is something that has caused a lot of concern, particularly as there is no Buddhist population in this area. Erections of Buddhist statues in prominent public places in many new locations in the North have also made our people fearful of Buddhist domination of majority Hindu, Christian and Islamic areas.While being deeply respectful of Buddhism and believing in religious freedom for all religious communities all over the country, we believe the erection of Buddhist statues and places of worship in public places in the North, will not help in reconciliation efforts and in fact, may lead to further tensions and polarization amongst different religious communities.”The failure to address the immediate issues of the severely distressed families in the former war zone also undermines the credence of the reconciliation process. There are many Tamils who are desperate to know the fate of their missing kith and kin either in custody after surrendering or earlier. There have been many involuntary disappearances during the war and their fate too is unknown. For some reason the authorities did not release the lists of the names of the detainees in various places. It is a well-known fact many youths some below 16 years were forcibly recruited by the LTTE leadership to fight for Tamil Eelam. On February 3 at the joint meeting of the ministers and members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), the government team assured that the list of Tamils detained soon after the war on suspicion will be displayed. Presently, this is available only in Vavuniya. It is not certain whether the Defence Ministry concurs with this move.There are many other actions and inaction which are unhelpful for realizing reconciliation. These too were in the several submissions to the LLRC. There is no intent for some reason to expedite the normalization process. There is a political need to keep the Emergency Regulation and the armed Tamil groups operating in the North and East. They are under the influence of some Tamil politicians in the coalition government. No action has been taken to disarm them, despite the recommendation of the LLRC last year.The reconciliation envisaged by the government under the present disconcerting conditions in the North and East with no sign of demilitarization and no intention of amending the incompatible system discussed earlier is something similar to that necessitated the leaders of the left parties LSSP and CP to join the present government. Amazingly, it is the present political leadership and not the vast majority of Sinhalese who are unwilling to seek a political settlement to the ethnic problem, the nation’s destroyer. Apparently, the military victory is being exploited further for sustaining the dominant status of the regime, which some analysts have termed ‘authoritarian’. Discussion on this subject is outside the scope of this paper. But it is important to mention here even if all sections of the populace feel secure and accept this kind of regime; from the long-term perspective its suitability for Sri Lanka is questionable. The recent wide-spread uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, which pose serious threat to similar regimes in the Middle East, cannot be overlooked. The demonstrators have been clamouring for democracy, freedom and social justice.

Mistaken belief in Mahavamsa exposed

J. L Devananda’s earlier article titled, “Mahavamsa Mindset: Re-visiting Political Buddhism in Sri Lanka” has evoked an interesting debate. His well researched response to the arguments of the believers of the ‘Mahavamsa’ version of the history of ancient Lanka reveals further the many contradictions arising from the mistaken belief that the chronicle written originally in Pali depicts the island’s complete history. “The Mahavamsa (Great Chronicle of historical poem) was written not as a history of Sri Lanka (or Sinhalese) but as a history of the Mahavihara (Theravada Buddhists). The Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa speaks ONLY of Theravada Buddhists and NOT Sinhala Buddhists. The original Mahavamsa (Mahawansha), is a historical poem written in Pali, which covers a period starting from the arrival of Vijaya (543 BC) to the time of Mahasena’s rule (334-361 BC) written by the Venerable Mahanama Thero, an uncle of King Dhatusena” several centuries later.On this fundamental point, Devananda has pointedly said:”The Pali chronicles were written long after the events described took place (some of them more than 1000 years). Therefore these cannot be considered as accurate records of the events. These were written by Theravada Buddhist priests who mainly tried to convey a religious message using the events to illustrate the importance of the Theravada Buddhist religion, hence a very biased version”.His two-part article based on in-depth analysis of the subject was posted by D. B. S. Jeyaraj January 31 on his blog (dbsjeyaraj.com). In Part I, Devananda has said: “The number of ancient Buddha statues found other than in Sri Lanka was in Tamil Nadu showing a strong presence of Buddhism. The well known Tamil Buddhist epics found were Manimekalai, Silappadhikaram, Valaiyapathi, Kundalakesi and Jivaka Cintamani. The lost Tamil Buddhist works include the grammar Virasoliyam, the Abhidhamma work Siddhantattokai, the panegyric Tiruppadigam, and the biography Bimbisara Kada. Manimekalai, a purely Buddhist work of the 3rd Sangam period in Tamil literature is the most supreme and famous among the Buddhist work done in Tamil. It also talks about the Tamil Buddhists in the island/Nagadipa but, neither Manimekalai nor Silappathikaram is a historical work.The ancient Tamil literature and the excavations (archaeological findings) in Jaffna proves the existence of Tamils including Tamil Buddhists (Theravada and Mahayana) but there is no evidence what so ever to prove the existence of a separate Tamil Kingdom in Jaffna before the 13th century AD and the same goes to the Sinhalese. The temptation to consider that everything Buddhist in Sri Lanka is necessarily Sinhalese has to be resisted, as it must be remembered that the Tamils, Andhras, and Kalingas, also were at one time Buddhists, and had a very large share in the dissemination of Buddhist culture in the countries of South-East Asia”. Part 2 of Devananda’s article too contains vital information that disproves the claim of Sinhala-Buddhist nationalists that the entire island is solely indigenous to the Sinhalese. Readers eager to know about the origin of the Sinhala race and the demography of ancient Lanka are urged to read his very informative article. The patriotic Sinhalese must reconcile themselves to the reality that the traditional homeland of the Lankan Tamils is in the North-East part of the island and not in Tamil Nadu.

In conclusion

Incumbent President Rajapaksa is very well aware of the political reasons that led to the national problem. In his speech on January 10, when a sales complex ‘Lakviru Sevana’ at Battaramulla was opened to market products made by disabled war heroes, he said: “Sri Lanka as a whole had to suffer due to a protracted conflict because of betrayals, subjugations and blunders made in the past. He was of the opinion that the conflict could have ended much earlier and the devastation caused by it to both man and property could have been avoided to a great extent, if certain administrators in the past had engaged in prudent and selfless decision making on behalf of the country”. (Release of the Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka 11 January.)Although there is the realization of the imperative need to end the protracted conflict, how it will be ended is a mystery. This is an issue that concerns not any one community but all communities aspiring to live peacefully and hopefully not just for the short term but much longer for the benefit of future generations. The political will to settle this national issue is still not forthcoming, despite the awareness for permanent settlement. Instead, the setting for the blame game seems to be ready.The Rt. Rev. Duleep de Chickera, Metropolitan’s Commissary and Vicar General of the Diocese of Colombo, in this year’s Independence Day message has very aptly said, what our country needs now is a new political will Apparently, the unity that pops up normally during periods of foreign aggression (LTTE’s violence also is in this category) is expected from the articulation of the presence of conspiracies against the people and the nation. This invention has surfaced in various forms after the war, despite the ‘unity and peace’ said to be prevailing in the entire country. Before the emergence of the LTTE threat which was real, the perceived combination of Tamils living in Sri Lanka and India was said to be a likely threat to the future of the Sinhala race/nation. After proclaiming triumphantly that the ruthless LTTE including the leaders have all been annihilated, the government found some other ‘enemies’ to sustain the threat to the Sinhala psyche. This has not been difficult with some foreign governments and NGOs calling for independent investigation into alleged war crimes and demonstrations by some disheartened Tamils in the Diaspora during the recent visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to London to address the Oxford Union. A section of the Tamil Diaspora acting rashly is helping the government to find a convincing aggressor to justify the continuation of the undemocratic system and emergency rule.Had there been some positive developments in the political arena soon after the war ended, none of the war-related issues would have been this critical. The one-track approach taken to elevate Sri Lanka as a developed country soon, as mentioned earlier is unhelpful. In this context the editorial comment in the Daily Mirror 4 January 2011 is very pertinent. “Any outward mega development will be of lasting value and for the common good of all the people only if there is also inward transformation of the nature and attitude of leaders. Those in leadership and those hoping or striving to take leadership must be aware of and accept a vitally important factor for any leader- he or she must be ready and willing to be a sincere servant of the people and be prepared to make sacrifices or even suffer for the people. Any other form of leadership for personal gain or glory and to dominate people or abuse power is dead leadership and it will be a case of dust to dust or ashes to ashes”. It is illogical to urge the poor people to sacrifice without the self-sacrifice of those wielding power and the discard of the institutionalized corrupt practices.In this regard the editorial has stressed emphatically the urgent need for inner transformation. The concluding portion, very relevant to the points stressed in this article is reproduced here. “Those in leadership, whatever spiritual power they believe in, must allow that power to transform their self-centred and greedy nature into a new nature of other centeredness, sincerity, compassion and other spiritual values like forgiveness, patience and kindness, humility and meekness. When this happens, the choices they make or the decisions they take will be for the common good of all. Then and only then will we see a new Sri Lanka with lasting peace, justice and equitable distribution of wealth and resources”.It is wishful thinking to presume that the power-wielders and power-seekers in the political class will voluntarily change their unholy self-centred attitudes. Without the dynamic intervention of apolitical groups in the civil society, the much needed transformation is unlikely to materialize. The civil society is largely responsible for many politicians to have acted inconsiderately.

[The writer is Former Additional Deputy Secretary to the Treasury, Sri Lanka and UN Advisor, Development Economics/Planning]

07 February 2011

250,000 displaced by floods  

Flooding in eastern, northern and central parts of Sri Lanka is said to be threatening up to ninety percent of the rice crop.The agriculture minister said most rice fields would need to be replanted.Disaster management minister Mahinda Amaraweera told BBC Sandeshaya that at least 11 people are killed and three others are missing after the floods.He said that over 250,000 internally displaced people are housed in 689 camps.Minister Amaraweera says that those affected by damage to crop and not insured should not expect to receive a large compensation as the damage is extensive.

Crocodile attacks

Over 1.2 million from 362,128 families are affected by the floods.In Vanni, over 40 schools are closed indefinitely as welfare camps were established in the schools.Mullaitivu Government Agent told BBC Sinhala service that almost all recently resettled IDPs in the district are again displaced as a result of floods.Meanwhile, many crocodiles and snakes were noticed near lagoons in Batticaloa district.Nagappan Paramanandan, 45, was admitted to the hospital after an attack by a crocodile and IDps in the camps told the BBC that crocodiles were grabbing their livestock and pets.Flood damage in January had already driven up the price of rice and vegetables, and experts said rice shortages could be expected within weeks.The United Nations launched an urgent appeal for $51 million after the floods in January.

Government discuss with TNA due to Indian pressure

The “Lakbima” newspaper has published a news item that due to Indian pressure, Sri Lankan government is holding discussions with Tamil National Alliance. The war has come to an end in Sri Lanka, hence India is urging to find a settlement to the racial crisis, but Sri Lankan government is ignoring it, was stated.Indian External Affairs Secretary Nirupama Rao visited recently to Sri Lanka and had explain India’s motive to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse. In view of this, Sri lankan government is showing more attention towards it. On this basis, the government had begun discussions with Tamil National Alliance regarding settlement to the racial crisis, was pointed out in the “Lakbima” newspaper.

SM Krishna to meet Lanka foreign minister, fishermen issue to figure in talks

Against the backdrop of the killing of some Tamil fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, India is expected to convey its concerns and press for an end to such incidents when external affairs minister SM Krishna meets his counterpart GL Peiris in Thimpu tomorrow.Krishna and Peiris will be meeting on the sidelines of SAARC foreign ministers' conference for which both are arriving here tomorrow, sources said today.TS Tirumurti, joint secretary in the external affairs ministry who deals with Sri Lankan issues, is also coming here specifically for the meeting, the sources said.During the meeting, Krishna is expected to raise the issue of the recent incidents in which some fishermen were killed allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy and convey India's concerns, the sources said.Krishna is expected to emphasise that Sri Lankan forces should desist from using force against the Indian fishermen to ensure that the relationship is not affected.He is also likely to seek an update on the investigation ordered by the Sri Lankan government into these incidents in which the Lankan Navy had denied its involvement.The two leaders are expected to discuss steps to resolve issues related to the fishermen, who are allegedly fired upon and killed when they trespass into Sri Lankan territorial waters.There is a proposal to call a Joint Working Group on this issue this month and Krishna and Peiris are likely to discuss this too, the sources said.A fisherman was killed and two others were injured while fishing off Kodiakarai coast on January 22, in the second such incident in a fortnight.India has been angry at the repeated incidents in which the Tamil fishermen are killed, saying use of force against them was "unacceptable" and must be stopped."I hope that one thing is certain and one thing is common that regardless of whatever the circumstances are, use of force and killing fishermen has to be something part of history. It cannot be the present and the future. The Government of India is fully committed (to safeguard the rights)," Krishna had said last week.Last week, foreign secretary Nirupama Rao went to Colombo to convey India's concerns to President Mahinda Rajapaksa."The two sides noted that the Joint Statement on Fishing Arrangements of 26th October 2008, which had put in place practical arrangements to deal with bona fide fishermen crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL), had led to a decrease in incidents. They agreed on the need to discuss arrangements based on the current situation so as to strengthen the safety and security of the fishermen," said a joint statement issued after her meetings there."Accordingly, it was decided that the next meeting of the Joint Working Group on Fishing would be convened at an early date, which would, inter-alia, address various issues relating to fishing by the two sides."The Joint Working Group would also address the proposed Memorandum of Understanding on development and cooperation in the field of fisheries. It was decided as well to enhance and promote contacts between the fishermen's associations on both sides, since such contacts have proved to be mutually beneficial," the statement said.

73 Sri Lankan War Criminals in UK

Hundreds of suspected war criminals are living in Britain, despite recommendations by a UK Border Agency unit that action be taken against them.A special war crimes unit within the immigration agency has recommended action against 495 individuals in the last five years believed to have taken part in torture, genocide, crimes against humanity or other war crimes.But, according to figures provided to the all-party parliamentary group on genocide by the agency, only a fifth have been refused entry, removed or have left voluntarily, leaving 383 suspects at large. Allegations against 47 individuals were believed by the agency to merit further investigation by Scotland Yard, police confirmed.The 383 suspects include 105 from Iraq, 75 from Afghanistan, 73 from Sri Lanka, 39 from Rwanda, 32 from Zimbabwe and 26 from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are believed to include senior officials from Saddam Hussein's regime, a senior Afghan intelligence service official alleged to be involved in torture and a former police chief from the Democratic Republic of Congo, who confessed in a radio interview to overseeing torture.Despite the introduction of laws to enable more domestic prosecutions of suspected war criminals, not a single case has been prosecuted in the UK courts. There have been no investigations of suspected war criminals since the laws came into force last year, according to the Metropolitan police.

MDMK leader goes on hunger strike protesting against fishermen killings

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary, Vaiko, went on a hunger strike on Sunday to protest against the recent killings of local fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.The MDMK leader condemned the killings and also slammed the Central and state governments for not taking effective steps to stop the deaths.D. Pandian, State Secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), inaugurated the protest, which had a strong strength of MDMK activists.Pandian said that his party was confident of throwing the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam during the upcoming elections in the state."We will not only face the approaching assembly elections with full confidence, but will also form a next government in the state and after that we will provide a safe and clean government which would protect the people at large and it will also take efforts to free Katchatheevu (an island ceded to Sri Lanka by India in 1974)," Pandian said.A fisherman was killed on January 22 after the Sri Lankan Navy fired at him, after his trawler allegedly entered their territorial waters.On January 12, another Indian fishing boat was shot at by the Sri Lankan Navy. One Tamil fisherman was killed and two others were critically injured in the incident.New Delhi condemned the killings and asked Colombo to take up the matter, but Sri Lanka has refuted the allegations.imilar incidents were reported last year when fishermen complained that the Sri Lankan Navy was attacking them at sea when they accidentally sailed inside Sri Lankan territorial waters.The charges have resulted in an uproar by almost all the political parties in Tamil Nadu.

Army on drive to downsize strength

The Sri Lanka Army has launched a drive to downsize its strength and keep it at a viable level in keeping with peace-time needs, a senior military officer said. Military spokesman Ubaya Medawela said the Army would be pruned to 200,000 or less from its current strength of 220,000.He said several officers and soldiers had been taking early retirement since the war ended in May 2009. As part of the downsizing drive, the Army on Friday initiated a programme to allow deserters to formally quit the service without being arrested or penalised.“They have the opportunity to get what is due to them from the Army or pay back their dues and leave,” Maj. Gen. Medawela said. Under the new programme, deserters would be able to collect gratuity payments if they had more than ten year’s service and if they had completed 22 years in service, they were also entitled to a pension, the spokesman said.The programme would continue till February 12 and deserters would have to report to their regimental headquarters to get official clearance from the Army. Maj. Gen. Medawela, however, clarified that this was not a general amnesty. He said this was a special concession and the apprehension of deserters who failed to respond to this call would continue.According to Army statistics, some 50,000 deserters are at large. The Army had arrested about 4,200 deserters since November 1, the spokesman said adding that some 1,500 deserters surrendered during the amnesty period granted last year coinciding with the Independence Day.Since last year, the Army has stopped large-scale recruitment. “We don’t need as many personnel now but people are being recruited to fill the vacancies created by those leaving the force,” he said.

'Mobs' attack opposition protest
 
Sri Lanka's main opposition has accused the pro-government mobs of attacking a protest rally calling for the release of former army commander in the capital, Colombo.Shiral Lakthilake, a member of the western provincial council, said senior United National Party (UNP) leaders were attacked by the mobs "using petrol bombs, swords, daggers and clubs.""Senior police officers were mere witnesses while the mobs were attacking us in Borella" he told BBC Sinhala service, Sandeshaya.He said the UNP deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya and general secretary Tissa Attanayake were among those came under attack.The opposition accused the police of not taking any action to prevent the attack.The protest organised by the UNP were marching towards Welikada prison where former army commander Sarath Fonseka is kept.The UNP boycotted the independence day celebrations held in Kataragama, southern Sri Lanka, protesting against the jail sentence imposed upon the former military commander.Mr Fonseka is regarded by many as the main architect of government's war against the Tamil Tigers.Mr Lakthilake said the protesters identified many of the attackers as pro-government mobs who had taken part in previous attacks against the opposition."Many people were injured and the vehicle belong to Dayasiri Jayasekara, MP, was also badly damaged," he said.

“Thamilnatham” Journalist travelled by the “Sun sea” ship released by the courts.

The alleged Journalist from the “Eelam Natham” newspaper belonging to Tamil Eelam Liberation tigers was released by the courts, was among the 492 refugees travelled to Canada by “Sun sea” ship.The said Journalist name was not published but his code number P188 was released to identify him. The Lawyer who contested on behalf of him pointed out that while the entire Kilinochchi was under the control of Tamil Eelam Liberation tigers, the said Journalist was not in a position to work independently. Further he desired to work as a Independent Journalist was quoted by the Lawyer. The courts which scrutinize his statement, had released the Journalist from the charges was according to “National post” newspaper.

LTTE was a concern                          

India was concerned about the LTTE using human shields and had raised the matter with former British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, the latest Wikileaks cable revealed.According to the cable made public by the British Telegraph newspaper today former Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had raised the issue when Miliband visited India in January 2009 just before the war in Sri Lanka came to an end.Mukherjee told Miliband he continued to be concerned by the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and with the way the LTTE use civilians as human shields.He also said provisions need to be made to get civilians out of hot zones and that the Government of Sri Lanka needs to use devolution of authority as an element of a political settlement to the conflict.“ Mukherjee told Miliband he continued to be concerned by the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and with the way the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) use civilians as human shields. Mukherjee said provisions need to be made to get civilians out of hot zones and that the Government of Sri Lanka needs to use devolution of authority as an element of a political settlement to the conflict. Miliband noted his concerns that the Sri Lanka military may also be involved in human rights violations,” the January 2009 cable said.

Deadly German church attack swordsman is missing

German police have been searching for an escaped Sri Lankan mental health patient who made a deadly samurai sword attack on a Stuttgart church in 2005.The 30-year-old failed to return to the Bad Schussenried psychiatric hospital after being let out on leave.He had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia after the attack, in which he killed one woman and injured three other people.A doctor says he has been free of his symptoms for a long time.However, there is concern that the symptoms may return if he stops taking his medication, the German news website Suedwest Presse reports.German media suggest the man may have fled after learning he faced deportation.

'Divine orders'

A 43-year-old woman was killed in the attack on 3 April 2005.One of those wounded, a man of 25 lost a hand, which surgeons managed to sew back on.The ethnic Tamil man told his trial that he had been acting on divine orders.He had approached the chairman of the congregation and asked him: "Why are your wife and daughter so sexily dressed?" Other members of the congregation at the Church of Christ then rushed over to him."Jesus took hold of my hand and smote several times with the sword," the man said, adding that God had been speaking regularly to him since 2003. He was sentenced to psychiatric custody in December 2005.

04 February 2011

Govt, TNA for structured dialogue

The government and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) on Thursday decided to continue with ‘a structured regular dialogue’ on constitutional changes for ethnic reconciliation and lasting peace. However, the joint statement issued after the talks did not elaborate on any of the issues discussed. TNA National List MP M.A. Sumanthiran said that it was agreed to continue with the dialogue on constitutional matters case by case in an orderly fashion.However, he declined to give further details about these issues to be taken up in future meetings.He said the government made available to them a lot of information with regard to the resettlement of people in the High Security Zones (HSZ) in the North and Sampur, political prisoners and ex LTTE combatants held in rehabilitation centres. TNA MP Suresh Premachandran said the government responded positively to its request for the dismantling of the HSZs.  Mr. Premachandran said the government informed them about a data base available with the Terrorist Investigation Division (TID) office in Vavuniya on ex LTTE cadres. He said parents and relatives of these LTTE members could access this centre for information.

Egypt style protests                           

The main opposition UNP on Thursday warned that it will organize street protests similar to that seen in Egypt in order to seek the defeat of the government.UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekera, speaking to reporters on Thursday, said that a protest will be staged at Punchi Borella today, Independence day, from 7pm onwards to agitate against the government. He claimed that hundreds of people will take part in the protest and also urged the public to take to the streets and support the campaign.“We will bring to Sri Lanka what we have seen in the Middle East…We want to see the re-establishment of democracy,” Jayasekera said.Thousands of people have been protesting in Egypt calling for the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. The protest led to Mubarak sacking his government and assuring to step down in September.The protesters who launched the unprecedented challenge to Mubarak's 30-year-rule last week however did not give up and this resulted in several clashes yesterday.

What really happened when President Rajapaksa went to the USA? By Upul Joseph Fernando

Sri Lanka (SL) President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s sudden tour of the United States was shrouded in mystery. Though speculations were rife , the aims and objectives of the tour are still a secret. The secrecy notwithstanding, the outcome of it was the US based pro Tamil Tiger activist group ‘Tamils against genocide’ filing a lawsuit against Mahinda for war crime charges.In 2009 October, when the former chief of defense staff of SL , Sarath Fonseka visited the US and the Department of Homeland security of that country questioned him in connection with the SL war crimes., Fonseka fled America and returned to the Island.However when Mahinda visited the US, he did not face such an experience. It is reported that this was because he was protected by the Diplomatic immunity he enjoyed as the President of the country. Of course, Fonseka too ought to have enjoyed the Diplomatic immunity as he was the chief of defense staff then when he visited the US , but as he made a private tour he was not entitled to the diplomatic immunity.Consequently, the US Homeland security sought to interrogate him, reports say. It is argued that even Mahinda too did a private tour of America , and how come only Mahinda enjoyed the diplomatic immunity. The answer furnished by some to this question is, as Fonseka is a green card holder of the US , he is liable for questioning by the Homeland security.When all the circumstances and events surrounding the SL war crime charges are taken into account , it is very clear that a ‘hide and seek’ game is being played by interested parties. When Mahinda went to Texas, America , the US state Dept. Assist. Secretary Robert Blake was also in Texas ; when the media questioned on whether Mahinda will be meeting Blake , the spokesman for the US States Dept. did not give a direct answer and was evasive. He said , there will be no official meeting. But Blake also being in Texas while Mahinda was visiting Texas was something that was most intriguing. The US States Dept. spokesman declared that Blake was in Texas because he was to deliver a lecture at the Rice University.It is impossible to imagine that Mahinda Rajapaksa would have embarked on the US tour without Blake’s assent. The President or the SL foreign Ministry would have perhaps made sure by speaking to Blake that he would not encounter any problems the Tamil Diaspora could possibly create . The President who had a nasty experience recently when he visited London and learnt a bitter lesson would in all probability leave no room for a repetition in the US by keeping Blake in the dark.It is a well and widely known fact that during the period when Blake was the US Ambassador in SL , he maintained extremely close and friendly ties not only with President Rajapaksa but even with his family. It was reported that Blake at that time along with his family at the invitation of the President had spent a whole day with Mahinda’s family members at the latter’s ‘Carlton House’, in Tangalle at Hambantota – the native place of Mahinda. His swimming and frolicking in the sea then with Mahinda’s family members became a theme of conversation among all.There was no doubt that when Mahinda visited Texas, Blake’s stay in Texas was not by accident. According to Govt. sources both have met unofficially. It is also learnt that though President ‘s tour was professedly private , he was scheduled to meet Blake , and that was why President’s secretary Lalith Weeratunge and Foreign Minister Dr. G L Peiris accompanied him on the tour. There are also reports that when defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa went to America last year , he too had met Blake unofficially.According to Blake he had unofficial meetings with Mahinda and Gotabaya purportedly to ‘change’ Mahinda to fall in line with Blake’s diplomacy akin to UN Secretary General Moon’s ‘quiet Diplomacy’.If Blake desired he could have given a blaze of publicity prior to Mahinda’s US tour as did Mahinda receive on his London tour . Yet , Blake like the SL Govt. treated President’s tour as confidential. It would have also been no difficult task for the Tamil Diaspora to locate Mahinda’s residence while he was in America. The Tamil Diaspora in America is not as vicious or vast as that in London.However , Rudrakumaran , the Prime Minister of the Tamil Tiger transnational Govt. is in America. The SL Govt. has repeatedly urged Blake to arrest Rudrakumaran and entrust his custody to SL, but Blake has not acceded to this request. Some sources say , Blake has declared that there are no terrorist indictments against Rudrakumaran. It is also known that Blake is in constant touch with Rudrakumaran.It is obscure whether Blake made a request to Rudrakumaran not to create a stir over Mahinda Rajapaksa’s US visit , in spite of the fact that ‘ the Tamils against genocide’ filed a law suit after Mahinda left the US. All in all , why US and Blake are playing ‘hide and seek’ ` pertaining to SL war crime charges is clouded in mystery.

DMK slams Sri Lankan govt. for denying navy’s role in attack

The DMK on Thursday slammed the Sri Lankan government for denying its navy’s role in a recent attack on Tamil Nadu fishermen and demanded that a new accord be signed to establish Tamil Nadu’s rights once again at Katchatheevu, an islet ceded by India in 1974.A resolution to this effect was passed at the party’s General Council meeting headed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi. “A fisherman, N. Jayakumar, was killed brutally by the Sri Lankan Navy recently. The General Council strongly condemns the Sri Lankan government for denying its navy’s role in this attack,” the council, the party’s top decision making body said.It said efforts should be taken (by the Centre) to “establish Tamil Nadu’s rights once again in Katchatheevu”. The islet was ceded by India to Sri Lanka in 1974 by way of an accord, making it a contentious issue since then.Tamil Nadu fishermen have frequently charged the Sri Lankan navy with attacking them and killing many while fishing near Katchatheevu area, an allegation denied by Sri Lanka.On the vexed issue of ethnic problem in neighbouring Sri Lanka, the general council resolved that the Centre should take efforts to ensure for devolution of powers to Tamils, as that alone would ensure co-existence (of the majority Sinhala and the minority Tamil communities).Making a pitch for the controversial multi-crore Sethusamudram canal project, which has run into rough weather following opposition from Hindu groups and litigations, the council said the Centre should take efforts to complete it.The project was flagged off in 2005 but later found opposition following a decision to dredge Ramasethu, believed to have been constructed by Lord Rama to cross to Sri Lanka.In another resolution, the party reiterated its demand for regional autonomy and called for suitable amendments in the Constitution for this purpose. The DMK government had first passed a resolution in the Tamil Nadu Assembly in 1974 for regional autonomy.The council also adopted a resolution for making Tamil one of the official languages of India.

Sri Lanka: IMF commends performance and approves loan

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has strongly praised Sri Lanka's macro-economic performance.The lending institution says the economy appears to have fundamental strengths.It has also approved another tranche of a $2.6bn (£1.6bn) loan. The organisation backed the latest instalment of the loan - nearly $200m dollars - intending it to help the country recover from its war and from the world financial crisis.This is despite Sri Lanka falling short on its budget deficit target for the second year in succession.The IMF has also been impressed by tax reform plans announced in the budget two months ago.It praised Colombo's performance on inflation and especially economic growth, which the IMF's Sri Lanka representative, Koshy Mathai, said had remained impressive despite 30 years of war."What was miraculous was that the economy somehow was able to manage 5 to 6% growth during these past three decades," Mr Koshy said."Coming at it as an outsider, I would have expected that with a conflict that was absorbing so much, that growth would have been far diminished below that. But it wasn't."I think it speaks to some fundamental strengths in the economy - a good labour force, natural endowments."

Military expenditure

Many Sri Lankans have been badly hit by steep recent rises in the cost of basic foods. Dr Mathai admitted these were a problem, but said they were caused by sudden external shortages and that overall inflation was under control.Shortly after the loan was approved in 2009, the IMF's managing director said it was contingent on Sri Lanka considerably reducing its military expenditure and creating a social safety net for war-displaced people.Some humanitarian workers say their resettlement grants are too low and the defence budget has in fact continued to climb.However, the government argues that much of this is now going on civilian development projects.

Detainee list released
 
The government assured the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) this afternoon that the list of Tamils detained soon after the war on suspicion has been made available in Vavuniya and will be displayed in other parts of the country soon.TNA MP M.A Sumanthiran told News Now.lk that during a meeting between a government delegation and TNA delegation held this afternoon the Tamil party raised the issue of over 11,000 Tamils detained soon after the war as well as those detained during the conflict.“The government said that there is a database in Vavuniya with a list of those detained after the war. The list will be made available in other parts of the country soon. With regard to the issue of those detained during the war the government said that the Attorney General is dealing with it,” Sumanthiran said.The MP said that both sides, which had met on an earlier occasion as well, today discussed immediate concerns regarding the Tamils and also raised some fresh issues including that regarding the Tamil detainees.Both sides also agreed to have a structured dialogue on a political solution and will met again next month for more detailed discussions, the MP said.Last month President Rajapaksa appointed the high-level delegation which includes former Prime Minister Ratanasiri Wickremanayake, Ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva and Professor G L Peiris to conduct talks with the TNA.The TNA committee includes TNA Leader R. Sampanthan, General Secretary Mavai Senathiraja, M A Sumathiran, Selvam Adaikkalanathan, Sresh Premachandran and President’s Counsel Kanagaeeswaran.

UNP welcomes KP’s entry into politics

The UNP on Wednesday (2) said that it wouldn’t object to one-time chief arms procurer for LTTE Kumaran Pathamanathan, aka ‘KP’, entering politics, but the government should be ashamed of the way it had treated former Army Chief Gen. Sarath Fonseka. The UNP accused the government of adopting double standards.Addressing the media, Deputy Leader of the UNP Karu Jayasuriya said that as a democratic party the UNP welcomed anyone entering the political mainstream.However, the irony was that the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime did not practice what it preached. While retired Gen. Sarath Fonseka, who challenged Rajapaksa for the presidency at the last election, was languishing in jail, KP, who had controlled the LTTE’s clandestine international operations, was a free man, he said.Jayasuriya said that General Fonseka was being treated like a common criminal for successfully leading the assault on the LTTE, while KP who had played a leading role in the LTTE’s terror network was roaming about freely.The issue at hand was the absence of democracy and had nothing to with individuals entering politics, he said in response to reports that KP was being promoted by the government as the Northern Province Chief ministerial candidate.Jayasuriya said that the UNP would oppose any move to postpone the March 17 local government polls. He was replying to a statement by the UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha, MP, that they intend instituting legal action against the Election Department for rejecting its nominations to 34 local bodies, which could lead to the polls being delayed.The government was looking for excuses because it feared the wrath of the people, having failed to deliver on its pledges, which included a reduction in the high cost of living. On the other hand the UNP was working as a team and was confident of victory, he said.Jayasuriya said that the people were being enthusiastic and one was reminded of the situation that prevailed prior to the 1977 General Election at which the UNP secured a massive five sixth majority.The masses, especially the youth, who had been duped many a time by the Rajapaksa regime, were eagerly awaiting an opportunity to return the UNP to power, he said.Jayasuriya said that they had selected the most suitable candidates from among the thousands of applications received. Nominations had also been given to a number of those who had joined the UNP from other political parties recently.

‘Sami’ to be acquitted of charges under PTA, emergency laws

The attorney general has decided to acquit Singaporean Mutusamy Illangovan alias ‘Sami’ of charges filed under emergency laws and the Prevention of Terrorism Act.However, a case is to be filed against him for staying in Sri Lanka without a visa. ‘Sami’ was arrested in February 2008 at a Bambalapitiya lodge for allegedly having links with the LTTE.After being kept for 180 days under detention orders, he was produced before a magistrate.Giving evidence before Colombo magistrate Prasanna Alwis, the accused has claimed that he was in the country to negotiate the return of one of his ships captured by the LTTE.

03 February 2011

Meaningful settlement essential for racial crisis stated, British and Swiss officials

British and Swiss Representatives had urged a meaningful decision should be met for the Sri Lankan racial crisis. The representatives while attended an event at Jaffna, urged this request yesterday. The racial crisis could be settled if such decision is met was mentioned by them.The representatives stated, in this situation, to find a political settlement in Sri Lanka the western countries will continuously use pressure. India and China are contributing towards the economy development of Sri Lanka , hence the western countries have reduced assistance to Sri Lanka was stated.The representatives showed their grief that even though war has come to an end, the people of this country are unable to enjoy the freedom in the proper manner. Murders, abductions and sexual harassments are continuing immensely in the Jaffna region, which has not happened before, and towards this issues, a suitable settlement should be met which was requested by the British and Swiss representatives. They said, a British High Commission’s branch office will be originated in the Northern Province to educate the northern children in English.

Clinton backs 'just, democratic' Sri Lanka

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has voiced hope for a "just and democratic" Sri Lanka as she offered congratulations ahead of the war-torn island's Independence Day on Friday.Clinton said in a statement on Wednesday that the United States and Sri Lanka have historically enjoyed "a strong relationship based on mutual interests and a shared commitment to the ideals of democratic governance. “We hope to continue our efforts to strengthen this relationship by assisting in post-war reconciliation to bring about a peaceful, prosperous, just and democratic future for all its citizens," Clinton said. Sri Lanka's relations with the United States were strained in 2009 when Washington voiced concern about human rights as the army killed the top leadership of the Tamil Tiger rebels, ending decades of insurgency. After urgings by the Tamil diaspora, a number of US lawmakers have pushed President Barack Obama's administration to take a harder line on Sri Lanka, such as supporting an international probe into the 2009 violence. The United Nations has said that at least 7,000 civilians perished in the final months of fighting, while international rights groups have put the toll at more than 30,000.Sri Lanka has denied any civilian deaths and has rejected calls for an international probe. The Tigers were known for devastating suicide bombings during their decades-long campaign for a separate Tamil homeland.

Karunanidhi thanked Nirupama

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Muthuwel Karunanidhi stated, the discussion Indian External Affairs Secretary Nirupama Rao had in Sri lanka was much satisfying. Nirupama Rao, visited Sri Lanka two days before and met Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and had a discussion.She brought to the attention of Sri lankan President that Indian government is much disappointed towards the attack incidents against the Indian fishermen in the Sri Lanka sea area.Karunanithi said, Indian Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh had taken urgent action towards the appeal made by him, hence he thanked for the immediate attention.Meanwhile Karunanidhi said, Indian External Affairs Minister Krishna had affirmed that in future discussions will be held with Sri Lanka, regarding the Tamil Nadu fishermen issues.

SLFP sidelines SLMC, EPDP in Mannaar local elections

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and the EPDP, constituents of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) have been completely rejected from the lists of candidates fielded in the local elections in the Mannaar district. The SLMC led by SL Minister Rauff Hakeem was forced to file separate nominations to contest the Piratheasa Chapais (PS) of Maanthai West, Musali and Mannaar, as SL minister Rishad Bathiudeen selected candidates from Mahinda Rajapaksa's SLFP, against the assurances the UPFA had given to SLMC and the EPDP, sources in Mannaar said. The SLMC, which had to file separate nominations, didn't manage to hand over its list, which it prepared at the last minute, to contest Mannaar Urban Coucil. Tamil National Alliance (TNA), United National Party (UNP) and United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) are contesting the Mannaar UC, Mannaar PS, Maanthai West PS, Musali PS and Naanaaddaan PS.

US warned Sri Lanka about Iran – wikileaks

The revelations published by the Telegraph newspaper in London on Tuesday say the US Embassy in Colombo had expressed its concerns to the Governor of the Central Bank Ajith Nivard Cabraal and the then Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Dr. Palitha Kohona.US representatives had warned, "any arms purchases from Iran would be illegal under a UN resolution 1747 and will have serious negative consequences for US Sri Lanka relations," says Wikileaks.

Rajapaksa visit to Iran

In an official cable from the U.S. Embassy in Colombo dated November 2, 2007, the U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) had warned the Governor of the Central Bank and the Foreign Secretary, respectively. "The Ambassador and DCM reiterated that weapons procurement from Iran would be illegal under UN Security Council Resolution 1747, and would have serious negative consequences for U.S.-Sri Lanka relations".Sri Lankan authorities have asserted that it does not intend to purchase arms from Iran and the trip by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in November 2007 would be focused on trade and investment."Both Governor Cabraal and Secretary Kohona replied that Sri Lanka does not intend to purchase arms from Iran," reveals the leaked cable message.

Oil for Arms

According to the secret cable leaked to The Telegraph by Wikileaks, the Ambassador has told Cabraal that the United States urged Sri Lanka "to be very scrupulous" in entering into additional trade or investments with Iran.A source that the US embassy describes as 'well-connected and reliable,' had reported to the US authorities, about the government minister responsible for human rights affairs speaking of an oil for arms deal.

Minister for Human Rights

Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights at that time, Mahinda Samarasinghe was quoted by the source saying, "Sri Lanka would try to negotiate a contract for $200 million worth of oil from Iran at below-market prices, in exchange for which Sri Lanka would order a significant quantity of arms".The Embassy source has said that Minister Samarasinghe 'explicitly' noted that the Sri Lankan government hopes the transaction would "send the U.S. a message."The Sri Lankan government declined to comment on earlier Wikileaks cables.The US embassy in Colombo stressed in January that cables reflected "daily analysis and candid assessments," and should not be seen as representing US policy.

02 February 2011

Don't upset ties over fishermen, India warns Sri Lanka

Taking a serious note of the killing of two Indian fishermen allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, India today told Colombo that use of force against them should not be repeated and asked it to take a decision that will not upset bilateral ties.External Affairs Minister S M Krishna also directed Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao to convene a meeting of the Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on the issue around February 15 to discuss the killing of the Indian fishermen threadbare."I hope that one thing is certain and one thing is common that regardless of whatever the circumstances, the  use of force and killing of fishermen has to be something part of the history. It cannot be the present and the future. The Government of India is fully committed (to safeguard the rights)," Krishna told reporters after briefing Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi about the talks Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao had with Sri Lankan authorities yesterday. "It has been pointed out to Sri Lankan authorities that it does not happen with Pakistan or any other country and why should it happen with Sri Lanka alone," he said.Noting that India has very cordial and friendly relations with Sri Lanka, Krishna said, "So it is in this context that the Sri Lankan Government will have to revisit the question and take some decision which will not upset the bilateral relations between our two countries."

UN insists on freedom of expression in Sri Lanka

Freedom of expression and media is paramount, the United Nations said Monday when asked about reports concerning the treatment of the press in Sri Lanka.Martin Nesirky, the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that freedom of the media is vital and journalists should be able to carry out their work without fear of attack or being harassed to do the work that they need to do.Responding to query on a petition handed over to the UN office in Colombo by the wife of the missing journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda, the Spokesperson said they were not aware of a petition having been submitted.Prageeth Eknaligoda, a columnist and cartoonist for the LankaeNews website, whose office was set on fire in the pre-dawn hours of Monday (31), disappeared over a year ago in January 2010.His wife Sandhya Eknaligoda last week reportedly handed over a petition to the UN office in Colombo seeking the UN's help to find her husband.

FACTBOX - Key political risks to watch in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is counting the damage done by January's monsoon-induced flooding that displaced as many as 325,000 people, killed at least 23 and destroyed at least a fifth of the Indian Ocean nation's staple rice crop.

Following is a summary of key risks to watch in Sri Lanka:

FOOD AND FUEL PRICES

Although official numbers for inflation are low, there is almost universal agreement that food prices are among the highest in recent memory, prompted by the global rise in commodity prices, to which the island nation is acutely sensitive.The government even went so far as to use the military to begin selling vegetables directly to customers, to send a message to middlemen between the agricultural centres and the cities who are routinely accused of spiking the prices.Although there have been complaints about the cost of living since late 2009, none of it has bubbled up into serious agitation. Sri Lanka has no real history of food riots, but the opposition has threatened that it could become a possibility.Added to this, the government has yet to give a final figure on the rice crop damage from flooding, saying only that it has adequate reserve stocks to prevent any shock to supplies.The government is also removing fuel subsidies paid to the state-run power generation company, which will inevitably mean even higher power prices for consumers.The government has structured billing so most of Sri Lanka's poor and middle class will be spared big increases, but that has infuriated industrial leaders who see their costs rising.

What to watch:

Any signs of organised political agitation over food prices, and the response by the government.- Further military involvement in food distribution, or any application of subsidies which could affect the government's plans to tame its budget deficit gap under a $2.6 billion International Monetary Fund loan programme.Impact on industrial output, and if the government will give in to demands made by factory owners and industrialists that it cushion the shock.

POLICY RESPONSES

The flooding in mid-January came soon after the central bank surprised almost everyone by cutting its monetary policy rates even further and pushing commercial banks to cut the interest rate spread. Even though the government says it expects inflation to remain between 4 percent and 6 percent this year, many economists and analysts believe it will rise further than that, especially after the rice crop was damaged.The government will change its inflation basket again this year, a move the main opposition United National Party (UNP) says is a ruse to artificially lower inflation numbers and cool rising discontent over spiralling food prices.

What to watch:

-- Any shift in the central bank's monetary policy toward tightening

-- Signs that external investors or analysts a beginning to question official numbers, which could erode confidence Sri Lanka's government has worked hard to build since the end of its three-decade separatist war in May 2009.

INVESTOR PERCEPTIONS

Sri Lanka's 2011 budget, released in November, was full of tax and regulatory changes designed to make it easier for offshore investors, while doing away with the blanket tax holidays that existed under the old investment promotion scheme.Foreign direct investment fell in 2010, despite post-war economic optimism and sound macroeconomic fundamentals, plus some big-ticket tourism deals.Some analysts believe that is because the government has been inconsistent in its investment promotion message and too slow to give assurances that investments will not be subject to political interference. That has kept wealthy local investors wary of committing capital in the post-war environment.Most foreign investors have stuck with treasury securities. Even the booming Colombo Stock Exchange has seen foreign outflows since the end of the war in May 2009, partially fuelled by lack of confidence in regulatory oversight.

What to watch:

-- More big investments by private foreign companies, a clear sign of growing investor comfort

-- The pace and scope of bilateral investments from countries such as India and China, which are competing for influence

-- The enforcement of new regulations in capital markets, and whether that prompts more foreign inflows.

Postal voting for Sri Lanka LG polls on March 8 and 9

Sri Lanka's Elections Department yesterday announced that postal voting for the forthcoming local government elections would be held on March 8 and 9. The local government elections are scheduled for March 17.The Elections Department commenced the allocation of preference numbers to the candidates for the election on Tuesday.The main political parties have already commenced their campaigns for the local government elections, which are expected to increase after the allocation of preference numbers.

Sri Lanka police set up a separate intelligence unit for Jaffna

Sri Lanka Police have taken steps to set up a separate police intelligence wing for Jaffna.This intelligence wing will operate under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the headquarters of the CID, Sinhala daily The Dinamina reported quoting a senior police officer.Unofficial sources said the aim of the new measure is to arrest the wave of crimes taking place in the peninsula.People of Jaffna say that the terror prevails in the Tamil heartland even after the government annihilated the Tamil Tiger terrorism.

UNP to Boycott freedom Day celebrations

The opposition United National Party(UNP) says it will boycott forthcoming independent day celebrations.The UNP said at a new confernce that it is not in a position to join in independent day clebrations.General Secretary of the UNP, parliamentarian Tissa Attanayaka said that the government having jailed brave soldiers like Sarath Fonseka who liberated Sri Lanka is collaborating with LTTE ers.Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara who addressed the press briefing accused the government for not taking adequate action to safeguard media freedom.“The government is very good at finding what we are unto but they are unable to find out who attacked Lanka E-News” quarried Jayasekara.THE UNP says that it will conduct protests on Independence day, 4th of February.

U.S. expresses concern over attack on Sri Lanka website office

The United States Embassy in Colombo today expressed its deep concern over Monday's arson attack on the office of the Sri Lankan news website, LankaeNews."Regardless of who is responsible for this incident, such violence directed against a media institution silences voices, further threatens freedom of expression, and undermines democracy throughout the country," a statement released by the Embassy said."We understand President Rajapaksa has announced an inquiry into the incident. We urge that the investigation be conducted quickly and fairly and that all the perpetrators be brought to justice," it further said.

'LTTE bore a large part of the responsibility' - Robert Blake

"I’m not sure I’d call that a model for how I’d want to see”, Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake remarks on the view of the final phase of the LTTE-Sri Lanka war being held by “some strategists as a model for effectively putting down a terrorist insurgency,” which was mentioned in a recent New Yorker magazine article.The Assistant Secretary of State made these remarks during an NPR affiliate radio interview on Jan 27th:

Excerpts of the Interview relating to Sri Lanka:

QUESTION: In case you’ve just joined us, you’re listening to the Campbell Conversations, and my guest today is Bob Blake, Assistant Secretary of State.

I’ve got to ask you a couple of questions about your previous experience in Sri Lanka. Before you took on your current position at the State Department you were Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. While you were in that position the country was going through a civil war that had some really gruesome levels of violence and cruelty.

The first question, just a base one, what was that experience like for you in that time period?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE: It was a very searing time for the country and I think a searing time for me personally, because the government of Sri Lanka went from being involved in a peace process with the LTTE which is the terrorist organization at that time, to making a decision after suffering many attacks from the LTTE that they were going to try to defeat them militarily. Most of us believed it couldn’t be done, but they disproved a lot of the skeptics. But they did so at a very high cost. Many many civilians were killed during that and particularly at the end of that conflict. It points now to the need for very serious reconciliation and accountability efforts to take place so that the country can be unified and it can again I think realize the promise that Sri Lanka has always had.

QUESTION: You just mentioned this and I wanted to follow up on it. There’s a recent piece in the New Yorker, I’m sure you’ve read it, about the conflict by John Lee Anderson. In that piece he writes about exactly what you just mentioned, the fact that despite, one of the points I wanted to ask you about here, despite the brutality with which the Tamil insurgency was extinguished, the government’s response is held up by some strategists as a model for effectively putting down a terrorist insurgency. And the model, to quote Anderson, is “deny access to the media, the United Nations, and human rights groups; isolate your opponents and kill them as quickly as possible; and segregate and terrify the survivors, or ideally, leave no witnesses at all.” Do you think that accurately captures what was done?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE: I’m not sure I’d call that a model for how I’d want to see --

QUESTION: Exactly.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE: But I think it’s important to be balanced in this. The first thing to recognize is the LTTE bore a large part of the responsibility for this. If you read the public statements that I and the EU and the Norwegians put out during the course of this conflict, we were always careful to urge both sides to protect civilians. The LTTE --

QUESTION: Just to clarify, that’s the Tamil group, Tamil Tigers.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE: The LTTE, the so-called Tamil Tigers, have been on our terrorist list since 1997. One of the most brutal, lethal terrorist organizations in the world.

As the Sri Lankan army was pushing north into the Tamil areas, the predominantly Tamil areas that were controlled by the LTTE for more than two decades, they displaced, the Sri Lankan army displaced a large number of Tamil civilians and they all began to move northwards. The LTTE systematically refused international efforts to allow those internally displaced persons to move south. To move away from the conflict areas where they could have been given food and shelter and so forth. So they systematically basically refused all efforts and in fact violated international law by not allowing freedom of movement to those civilians. So had the LTTE actually allowed people to move south, none of this would have happened in the first place, so it’s important to make that point. I think that often gets lost in the debate on this.Secondly, the LTTE often deliberately put its heavy artillery in the midst of civilian encampments, precisely to draw fire so that people would get killed in the hopes that there would then be international outrage and there would be essentially demands on the Sri Lankan government to stop the fighting and [agree to] some sort of negotiated settlement.The Sri Lankans, not without reason, argued that the LTTE was really never interested in peace and that they had always used ceasefires as a way to regroup and rearm themselves, so they essentially refused any efforts to resume the peace process.So we faced this very very difficult situation. On the one hand we wanted to see the defeat of a terrible terrorist organization that had been responsible for hundreds if not thousands of civilian casualties. On the other hand we wanted to ensure that there were not going to be civilian casualties as a result of this. I have to say, both sides were guilty of massive human rights violations that caused the deaths of many many civilians. I think, just to say what I said earlier, which is for this country now to recover from this experience I think there needs to be a reconciliation process, there needs to be new elections that are held in the north so that a new indigenous leadership can emerge, and I think there also needs to be some sort of accountability mechanism so that the Sri Lankan nation can put this episode behind them and that they can be confident that those who were responsible for the deaths that took place will be held accountable.

SLanka journalists protest arson attack on website

Dozens of Sri Lankan journalists took to the capital's streets Tuesday to condemn an arson attack on an independent website that was blamed by its editor on the government.Reporters, photographers and employees of privately-run media joined a demonstration in central Colombo a day after the arson attack on the office of the Lankaenews.com website."Lanka E-News, the latest victim of media suppression," said a placard carried by one protester. "Condemn arson attack," said another.Unidentified attackers set ablaze the LEN office, destroying its computers and library, but the website -- which is based abroad -- was up and running Tuesday.Its editor, Sandaruwan Senadeera, who fled to Britain after receiving death threats, said he believed a powerful section of the government was behind the attack."There is a concerted effort by the government to silence websites which are not supporting them," Senadeera told AFP by telephone from London. "The situation for the media in Sri Lanka is going from bad to worse."He added: "A powerful section of the government has carried out this attack."The website had three days earlier published an intelligence report which questioned the evidence the country's defence secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, who is also the president's brother, had given in court recently.LEN's Sri Lanka-based news editor, Bennet Rupasinghe, said he did not expect an investigation announced by President Mahinda Rajapakse to be fair."I can't point a finger and say it is the work of so and so, but we have been very critical and have exposed some corrupt ministers recently," Rupasinghe told AFP during Tuesday's demonstration."What I can say is that this attack is not the work of the opposition or of any ordinary person."Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella has said the attack was the work of people trying to discredit the government.Another contributor to LEN, Prageeth Eknaligoda, disappeared two days before the January 2010 presidential election in what is assumed to be an abduction case.A total of 17 journalists and media employees have been killed in Sri Lanka in the past decade, prompting to rights groups to say many local reporters exercise self-censorship to avoid confrontations with the authorities.The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said attacks against journalists and news organisations have continued in Sri Lanka despite the end of the country's civil war in May 2009."The litany of arson attacks, assaults, disappearances, and outright killing of journalists that have gone unaddressed under President Rajapakse make it necessary for the international community to act," CPJ's Bob Dietz said."The responsibility falls to the UN to lead an effective international response to a government that has failed to protect journalists, and is itself a viable suspect in many of these acts."The LEN attack appeared similar to the July burning of private television station, Siyatha, in Colombo.

01 February 2011

President meets Nirupama over ‘fishermen issue’

President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday (31) met visiting Indian Foreign Minister Secretary Nirupama Rao at Temple Trees, where the President assured her that the Navy hadn’t carried out recent attacks on Indian fishermen.Mrs. Rao, a former Indian High Commissioner in Colombo was accompanied by Indian High Commissioner in Colombo Ashok K. Kantha. External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris, Foreign Secretary Romesh Jayasinghe, presidential secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in New Delhi Prasad Kariyawasam were also present.Sources said that Rao had informed President Rajapaksa of India’s concerns over the recent attacks on Indian fishermen.

KP to form a Tamil party

Ex-LTTE top brass Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP was playing behind-the-scene role in the formation of a new Tamil political party, sources in Jaffna said. “We believe that KP is behind the scene. Initially, it is going to be started as a neutral party,” they said. The former chief arms procurer had held meetings with civil society activists in Jaffna on Sunday.A few members of the Tamil Diaspora too had joined him during this visit which was conducted under tight security. He also had meetings with senior military officers based in the area about the   security situation. During the meeting, he had vowed to work for the good of people in the North. “KP got emotional and broke into tears at one moment when he addressed the meeting,” they said.Last week, he had addressed a group of lecturers attached to the Jaffna University. It is also learnt that a Sri Lankan Tamil domiciled   in the United States had arrived in the country a few days ago and mooted the idea for the formation of a new party. KP was arrested in Malaysia in August 2009, and then brought back to Sri Lanka. Since then, he has been in the military custody. The government said in Parliament earlier that he would be produced before a court of law once investigations and inquiries were completed.

Sri Lanka court orders CID to seek Attorney General's advice on former LTTE leaders

A Sri Lankan court has today directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to seek advice from the Attorney General with regard to the action to be taken against two former senior members of the defeated terrorist group LTTE.The Colombo Magistrate's Court has ordered the CID to seek the Attorney General's advice on the action to be taken with regard to the LTTE's former media spokesperson Daya Master and interpreter George Master, who are currently released on bail.Colombo Chief Magistrate, Rashmi Singappuli had asked the CID to inform court of the Attorney General's advice.The CID had informed court that all the investigation reports on Daya Master and George Master have been presented to the Attorney General for advice.The case is to be taken up again on February 21.

Ranil warns of revolution

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe warned yesterday that a revolution similar to the one in Tunisia would be inevitable in Sri Lanka if the price of a kilo of rice went  up to Rs 125 as expected.Addressing a rally in Gampaha, Mr. Wickremesinghe said the price of rice was slated to increase during the time of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year, as the government lacked a proper vision with regard to food security. He charged that all the heavy earth moving machinery in Dambulla and Batticaloa had been taken to the Sooriyawewa Stadium for construction work. He said this equipment could have been used in Batticaloa to widen the estuary and thus prevent the flooding. “The price of rice will go up because of such thoughtless acts,” he said. Mr. Wickremesinghe said a revolution would be inevitable if the government acted in this way.He said the UNP would take to the streets on February ninth as a first step towards overthrowing the government.Recalling that the government had repeatedly pledged employment for the youth before every election since 2009, he said one could not expect it to provide employment even in the future.The opposition leader said two years was sufficient for a government to deliver on its promises if it had the ability. He said nearly two years had elapsed since the ending of the war: “the Government has deceived the youth and I request them not to vote for it at the coming local government elections,” he said.He said that the UNP government of 1977 under the leadership of J. R. Jayawardene had been able to start the Mahaweli scheme and establish free trade zones and  thus provide employment for youth during its first term of office. He said the present government had failed to do anything similar during its first term.

News website office set on fire in Lanka

The office of a popular Sri Lankan news website, managed by a journalist who is in exile due to threats against his life, was set on fire in the wee hours on Monday by unidentified persons."About an hour ago, the LankaeNews office premise was set on fire. At about 2.00 am today, a group of unknown personnels had broken into the premises and set it on fire," the trilingual independent website www.lankaenews.com posted on its main page."By now everything that was inside the building has been destroyed," it said. The news was posted at 3.25 am in the morning.It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack.Prageeth Ekneligoda - a journalist and political cartoonist - who worked with the Lankaenews website went missing an year ago.The website, which has Sinhala, Tamil and English services, last week directed its users to a banner demanding the government to reveal the truth behind his incident to mark one year of his disappearance.According to media rights organisations, some 17 journalists and media workers have been killed in Sri Lanka in the past decade.

Marxist union seeks Rs. 700 per day salary for Sri Lanka plantation workers

Former parliamentarian of the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) Ramalingam Chandrasekara urged the authorities to grant a pay increase up to Rs. 700 per day for the workers in tea plantations.Chandrasekara, the Chairman of the All Lanka Estate Workers' Union said that the plantation workers cannot keep their home fires burning with the present salary of daily wage of Rs. 295.He urged the plantation authorities to grant a daily wage of at least Rs. 700 per day since the cost of living has escalated.The collective agreement between the trade unions of the plantation workers and the plantation employers is to end by March.The Marxist union seeks a higher daily wage from the next collective agreement.However, the Employers' Federation of Ceylon, the principal organization of employers dealing with labour and social issues, says plantation workers get a reasonable wage as they get a wide range of facilities such as housing, medical and welfare, water, pre/post natal care for mothers and infants, and child development and day-care facilities.

Jaffna SF Headquarters provides flood relief

The Security Forces Headquarters in Jaffna distributed donations worth over Rs 1.3 million among the civilians in the Chavakachcheri area at a ceremony at the Chavakachcheri Cultural Centre on Saturday.The ceremony was organized by the 523 Brigade at Nunavil commanded by Brigadier Prabhath Dematampitiya to hand over donations among the destitute families in the 523 Brigade area on the instructions of Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna Commander Major General Mahinda Hathurusinghe. During this ceremony 100 students received parcels of exercise books, pens and pencils. One hundred chicks were distributed among 10 selected families in support of the backyard poultry project initiated by the Jaffna Commander to alleviate malnutrition among children. In addition another 1,035 high breed coconut plants were distributed among 345 families.Meanwhile, 523 Brigade will donate 50 new push bicycles to needy persons and 50 CDMA telephones among 50 families which are in need of communication facilities but not in a position to purchase a telephone.

Tata Nano in Sri Lankan Roads

The Tata Nano could soon be seen on the roads of Thailand, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.Tata Motors’ chief executive officer Carl-Peter Forster said the company “will go after these markets one after another. The Nano is a raw diamond that needs polishing”.He was speaking on the sidelines of a global auto event.Last year, Theodore Huang, chairman of Taiwan’s Teco Group, which specializes in industrial motors and home appliances, had expressed his keenness to make and sell the Nano in Taiwan.According to Huang, the Nano will be priced at $5,000-6,700 in Taiwan, including local taxes. This will make the car even cheaper than the lowest-priced car in Taiwan sold for $13,400.Sources said the company was keen to start with Thailand and Taiwan, before reaching out to the other markets. Turkey, Brazil and Romania are also interested in importing the small car.