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13 January 2006 Landmine kills nine sailors in Sri Lanka Nine sailors were killed and eight others wounded in a mine explosion set off Thursday by suspected Tamil rebels in northern Sri Lanka. The security force members were killed in the Chettikulam area, in Vavuniya, 220 km north of the capital, Thursday afternoon while travelling in a bus, a military spokesman here said. The sailors were on their way to the northwestern coastal area for duty. The northern Vavuniya town is considered the gateway to the Wanni district held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Thursday's incident was the worst within the northern Vavuniya district. In escalating violence by the LTTE in the past six weeks, 13 sailors were killed when a Naval craft was sunk, 26 soldiers died in three separate incidents in the northern Jaffna peninsula and 13 sailors were killed in the northwestern area. Tamil rebels have stepped up attacks on the security forces despite fresh efforts by the newly elected President Mahinda Rajapakse to get the rebels back to the negotiating table for Norwegian backed peace talks. The international community too has called upon the LTTE to return to the negotiating table. Meanwhile, life in the port city of Trincomalee, 240 km northeast of the capital, was brought to a standstill Thursday due to separate protests organised by pro-Tamil groups and their rivals led by the majority Sinhala groups in the region. Shops were closed and transport came to a halt. The situation was expected to remain the same for the next three days as both organisations have called for a three-day campaign. The Tamil rebel front organisations had called for the protest against what they called attacks by the security forces on civilians, including the killing of five youths who have been described as students, but disputed by the military as rebels. Lanka heats up, TN boils :Source-Tehelka The Tamil trouble could wash up on our shores again Yet again, Tamil Nadu is on the boil over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue. Though not identical, the current situation is reminiscent of the atmosphere that prevailed in the state in the early eighties when public opinion was fiercely against the Sri Lankan government. The state witnessed widespread protests in the aftermath of the massacre of 35 Tamil prisoners in the Welikade prison in Colombo on July 25, 1983. Subsequently, in organised violence against the Tamils, several lives were lost. Political parties in Tamil Nadu then had demanded India’s military intervention to stop the genocide. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who set up a Sri Lankan Relief Fund with government money, remarked, “What is happening in Sri Lanka is nothing but genocide.” With the election of Mahinda Rajapakse as President and
reports of violence against the Tamils, passions are running high once
again in Tamil Nadu During his recent India visit, Rajapakse could not set foot on Tamil Nadu, as Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, concerned about protests in the state against his visit, and intelligence inputs, cancelled the appointment at the last hour. The Dalit Panthers of India had threatened to hold a demonstration to protest against Rajapakse’s visit to Chennai. PMK, MDMK, and Dravida Kazhagam, were equally opposed to him. These parties look at Rajapakse, who belongs to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, as a Sinhala chauvinist and anti-Tamil. To a large extent, this image has stuck because of his party’s alliance with the radical Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, which has been involved in riots against Tamils, and the Jathika Hela Urumaya. His rejection of autonomy to the Tamils, commitment to a unitary constitution, expression of reservation over the 2002 ceasefire agreement with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), and hostility towards peace-broker Norway had reinforced the hawkish image. Incidents of army excesses against the Tamil population in Sri Lanka have increased after Rajapakse assumed office. So have indiscriminate arrests of Tamils and cases of disappearances. The most gruesome incident of all was the rape and killing of a Tamil girl, Tharsini, in Punguduthivu near Jaffna in December by suspected navy personnel. It is one reason for the LTTE stepping up attacks against the navy. The brewing trouble could once again wash up on Indian
shores and that will be bad news for New Delhi as well. So while being
aware of international obligations and of Sri Lanka’s acute sensitivities
on running its affairs as a sovereign nation, India may have to play a
role somewhere. Talking to Rajapakse on its perceptions of the Tamil problem
and its implications on India could be a start. Dr. Upul Jayawardena, the medical officer in charge of the Neriyakulam hospital in Vavunia district said that soldiers transporting the wounded to Anuradhapura and Medawachchiya hospitals have opened fire along the road. "I had ordered the transfer of the casualties from the Neriyankulam hospital situated about one Kilometre from the blast scene," Dr. Jayawardena told BBC Sandeshaya. Lankadeepa staff correspondent Athula Bandara who visited the scene reported that the person killed by the alleged shooting by SLA troops is a homeguard named Jayasinghe. Several others have also been injured. The blast in the Medawachchi - Mannar road was blamed on Tamil Tigers by the Sri Lankan military . Reports from the area say that people are leaving the surrounding Tamil villages since the blast and the shooting. 12 January 2006 Bala coming for talks? There is speculation that LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham may arrive in the country later this month to take part in the scheduled talks between the visiting Norwegian Minister Erik Solheim and the LTTE in Kilinochchi. Mr. Solheim is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka on January 23 for crucial talks with the government and the LTTE to formulate a framework for the resumption of peace talks and a venue for both parties to meet. Unconfirmed reports indicated that Mr. Balasingham, who is residing in London, will seek permission from the government to travel to Kilinochchi via the Bandaranaike International airport to be part of the LTTE delegation to meet Mr. Solheim. There is speculation that Mr. Solheim may meet the elusive rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran during his upcoming visit for which the LTTE will be keen to have Mr. Balasingham’s presence. However government sources said that so far there has not been such a request while the LTTE media unit said there was no confirmation of Mr. Balasingham’s visit. When asked by the Daily Mirror if a request was made to the facilitators to make arrangements for Mr. Balasingham to attend the Kilinochchi talks, the Norwegian embassy in Colombo said it did not wish to comment. Tension in Trinco
According to a complaint made by Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian R. Sampanthan to the Sri lanka monitoring mission the farmer has been beaten up to death by army personal and home guards. The farmer is said to have been attacked while on his way to the paddy field in Manakattukulam, a hamlet close to Trincomalee. In another incident a grenade thrown into a police bunker on Tuesday night a constable has been injured says the Uppuvali police. Two de-mining workers abducted in Point-Pedro Two demining workers, Tharmasiri and Kandeepan, employed by the humanitarian Danish De-mining Group, DDG, were abducted by unknown armed men who came in a white Hiace van Wednesday early morning in Point Pedro, sources in Jaffna said. The workers were on their way to de-mining in their motorbikes. The abduction occurred close to the Sri Lanka Army's (SLA's) High Security Zone (HSZ) about 100 meters from the SLA 52-4 Brigade camp in the area, civilian sources said. Thambiah Tharmasiri and Narayanamoorthy Kandeepan were abuducted at 5:20 a.m. Wednesday on Odaikarai lane while they were on their way to work in Kuppilan, close to the High Security Zone near the Palaly Military Base, sources added. District Coordinating Office of the Jaffna District Secretariat, in-charge of the de-mining activities in Jaffna District, has confirmed that two de-mining workers were missing. Four de-mining workers of another De-mining group, HALO Trust, are already reported missing. They are suspected be either abducted by the gunmen, or in the custody of the SLA troopers or the Sri Lankan Police in Jaffna District, according to local media sources in Jaffna. HALO Trust recently resumed its duties following the reported attempt by the Sri Lanka Army to relocate HALO Trust's vehicles to High Security Zone following an incident where de-mining data maps and computer equipment were driven away in two vehicles by unknown armed men in December. Rights group takes Defence advisor to task The Hong Kong based human rights regional body has urged that Defence Ministry advisor on police matters H.M.G.B.Kotakadeniya must express loyalty to the Sri Lankan Constitution or resign. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said any person who openly calls for the Constitution to be contravened, or connives to sabotage its provisions, does not deserve to hold public office. Mr Kotakadeniya is reported as having said that the IGP will now be able to appoint and transfer police, since the National Police Commission (NPC) has ceased to function due to the continued delay in appointing a new Constitutional Council, which is itself responsible for the composition of the NPC. The AHRC statement said: “What authority does this advisor have to confer powers on the IGP? Do his powers exceed those of the Constitution of Sri Lanka? Presumably not, as neither the Minister of Defence nor the President of Sri Lanka have such powers. In fact, they are duty-bound to uphold its provisions. Yet, the constitution has, under its 17th Amendment, allocated the powers of police appointments and transfers to the NPC, not the IGP. And nowhere is there anything written about a role in policing for the Ministry of Defence. “The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the statement attributed to Kotakadeniya as irresponsible and against the best interests of a people struggling hard to regain lost rights due to the extreme politicisation of their institutions. As a former deputy inspector general of police and law graduate, the advisor surely understands basic legal principles. Ironically, he once made headlines by crying out against politicisation of the police when he was denied the IGP post, despite having seniority. Yet his statement now reminds us of the bad days when Ministers freely manipulated the policing system with the intent to obtain political and personal goals. “Kotakadeniya has also chosen to ignore a UN treaty body that has called for the immediate appointment of members to the Constitutional Council and the National Police Commission”, the statement said. The statement added “There are now serious efforts afoot to return to those days. There are strong grounds for suspicion that a scheme exists to sabotage the 17th Amendment and re-politicise the police, among other key national institutions. Kotakadeniya may be set to take the lead role in wiping out the National Police Commission(NPC) and constitutional safeguards against the abuse of public authority by politicians. “The Asian Human Rights Commission demands that Kotakadeniya openly repudiate his statement and make a public avowal of his loyalty to the constitution. “If he does not, he must resign. It also call for strong public efforts to oppose a return to the days prior to the establishment of the National Police Commission when the Ministry of Defense felt that it could run roughshod over the rights of the Sri Lankan people and do with the police force as it pleased”. Puthur trader shot dead In the escalating shadow war against traders in Jaffna district, Thambu Nadesu, who runs a business near the Puthur junction on the Jaffna - Point Pedro road was shot dead allegedly by Sri Lanka military intelligence operatives Tuesday around 11.30 p.m. civilian sources said. His body was found inside a banana field near the Amman temple in Siruppitty along the Puthur-Nilavarai road. Nadesu was an active organisor of the civilian protest against an attempted rape of a woman in the area allegedly by Sri Lanka Army soldiers on October 28. Fifty-years-old Thambu Nadesu, from Saraswathy Lane in Puthur East, was asked to come out of his house for investigatations and was shot outside his house, villagers said.Nadesu is a close relative of Nirojan Tharmarajah (20) who was shot dead by the SLA in October 2005, when SLA opened fire when people protested against attempted rape of a woman in the area by the SLA soldiers.Puttur East is located 15 km northeast of Jaffna town. If war breaks out Tiger ‘air force’ will attack, says ‘Colonel’ Banu If Eelam War 4 started the LTTE ‘air force’ will also attack, LTTE’s ‘Colonel’ Banu said at a meeting in Batticaloa. “The LTTE already has strong forces. The Sri Lankan Government is not taking any practical steps to meet the aspirations of the Tamils, but is wasting its time trying to destroy the military strength of the LTTE. The LTTE has lost 200 cadres during the ceasefire and our supremo Prabhakaran is at the end of his patience. The LTTE is ruling over the territory captured by it. Fighting is necessary to obtain our rights”, he said. Meanwhile Muslim families have reportedly left Jaffna district. After the ceasefire came into operation 300 Muslim families resettled in Jaffna but now only 15 families are left. Only 35 students are studying at Osmania College, Jaffna. Many Muslims have left as business is dwindling. Some tea boutique and textiles shop owners are still staying. Meanwhile, a pro-LTTE website has reported that 3000 families have left Jaffna for Kilinochchi and 150 families have left from Trincomalee,and Mutur area for the Wanni. LTTE is not Al
Qaeda"-TNA He said “we denounce violence and should remember that both parties are responsible” Development In his address to the American Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka Ambassador Lunstead said there can be a role for the LTTE in future development of Sri Lanka only if it returns to the peace table and renounces terrorism. The parliamentarian stressed that the LTTE has always attempted to participate in the development process and it is the government that has not been able to accommodate them. “The LTTE participated in a number of consultations on resettlement but nothing has happened .The government has not been able to implement even the P-toms presented by them for Tsunami rehabilitation” When asked about the deadlock on the peace talks due to disagreement on the venue between the government and the LTTE Sampanthan said that both parties should come to an agreement soon. He said, “that's what the people want” The Government says its willing to participate in peace talks held in any where in Asia while the LTTE says that initially talks should be held in Oslo, Norway. Woman shot and killed in Thenmaradchi Unknown gunmen shot and killed a 31-years-old woman in
Thenmaradchi Wednesday noon at the grounds of Panrithalaichi Amman Temple.
The victim, Pavalarani, was abucted from her house in Mattuvil East, 6
km north of Chavakacheri, Wednesday morning by the gunmen, civilian sources
said. 'Work to implement
CFA' Australia Raising concerns about "persistent violations of the Ceasefire Agreement," it has condemned the Tamil Tigers for attacks in early December which killed fourteen members of the Sri Lanka Army. "Australia welcomes the restraint shown by the Government of Sri Lanka in not retaliating against these provocations," says the Australian minister. It also has condemned the recent killings of civilians in eastern coastal areas of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan security forces have been accused of killing five students by shooting in Trincomalee , although the army deny any involvement and the government has announced an inquiry into the deaths. Clothing store owner killed in Chavakachcheri P. Sivasankar, 28, from Meesalai and owner of a clothing store in Chavakacheri town was shot dead at 5.30 p.m. Tuesday on Dutch Road by gunmen suspected to be Sri Lanka Army (SLA) intelligence, sources in Jaffna said. Sivasankar, originally from Erlalai in Valigamam, was displaced from his home town, married and settled in Meesalai, sources said. Sivasankar closed his shop after business on Tuesday and was going towards his home when the suspected intelligence operatives following in a motorbike shot him before escaping the scene, witnesses said.The body was transported to Chavakachcheri Teaching Hospital for postmortem examinations.Meesalai residents said two of Sivasankar's in-laws who owned the Clothing Store received death threats from SLA intelligence for several months. Both left Sri Lanka fearign for their lives and have now taken refuge in Tamil Nadu.Sivasankaran used to work as a helper at the Clothing store owned by the in-laws. Meesalai residents said Sivasankaran was likely killed as retaliation for the escaped in-laws. Sinhalese Chauvinist Group Wants Trinco Student Investigations Halted A Sinhalese Chauvinist organization called “Northeast Sinhalese Organization” had requested the President to halt the current investigations on the deaths of five Tamil students in Trincomalee. The group had charged that the government only conducts investigations when Tamils were being killed. The group had also said that the government had kept silence when Northeastern Sinhalese were killed by the LTTE. “These investigations will weaken the strength of security forces. This will be a bigger crime than the millennium city betrayal and we demand the immediate halt of the investigations.” the group in a letter to the President said. The group had also charged a third force not the security forces in Trinco behind the student killing. However, the group had not clarified why the group wants investigations to be halted if a third force is involved in the killing as the investigations will expose whoever perpetrated the crime on Trinco students, according to political observers.
A school girl, yet to be identified, was forcefully taken away by four Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers when she was walking home along PaalPannai Road (Milk farm Road) from school between Kondavil and Thirunelvely junctions in Jaffna at 2 p.m. Tuesday, residents of the area who witnessed the incident said. Jaffna Magistrate Ms Srinithi Nanthikesan and the members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission were informed of the incident.Residents of the area and a youth witness who saw the girl dragged by the SLA, searched the shrub area near where she was abducted for signs of evidence.Troopers who came to the scene around 5 p.m. with an SLMM member fired in the air to disperse the crowd who were searching the the area.Tension prevails in Kondavil, Thirunelveli area. Sunday Leader Editor threatened with death by His Excellency 'Lanka e News' reports with disgust and dismay an incident where Sri Lanka's President, Commander in Chief His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa threatening 'The Sunday Leader' Lasantha Wickrematunga with death. The President who had called Wickremetunga's mobile phone
had threatened to destroy and kill him and had heaped abuse on him, Wickrematunga
told 'Lanka e News' Wickrematunga added the he will lodge a written complaint with the Inspector General of Police and brief all Colombo based diplomats, the international community and international human right organizations about the death threat made against him by the President and added he had already sought legal advise regarding his safety. After making the threatening phone call to Wickrmetunga,
the President contacted Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe over the
phone and told him that he should ask his friend to be more careful. In a very significant speech here on Monday, United States ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead warned the LTTE saying that if it returned to war, it would find the cost to be "high". Lunstead said that the rebel group would be facing a US-assisted, "stronger, more capable and more determined Sri Lankan military." "Through our military training and assistance programmes, including efforts to help with counter-terrorism initiatives and block illegal financial transactions, we are helping to shape the ability of the Sri Lankan Government to protect its people and defend its interests," Lunstead told the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM). "Let me be clear, our assistance is not given because we anticipate or hope for a return to hostilities. We want peace. We support peace. And we will stand by the people of Sri Lanka who desire peace." "If the LTTE chooses to abandon peace, however, we want it to be clear, they will face a stronger, more capable and more determined Sri Lankan military." "We want the cost of a return to war to be high," the envoy stressed. While slamming the LTTE, he congratulated the Sri Lankan government for its continued restraint in the face of provocations by the terror group. LTTE bottles up Tamils's aspirations The US ambassador charged the LTTE of misleading the Tamils and said that instead of leading the community to peace and prosperity, it was blocking their path to peace and development. He questioned its legitimacy. "The LTTE's current actions call into question its leadership of the Tamil people. What kind of leaders block their people from realising their most fundamental democratic aspirations?" "What kind of leaders allow their people to continue to suffer from a lack of investment and industry?" "What kind of leaders continue to pursue violence when the clear benefits of peace are obvious?" Lunstead asked. "These are not acts of leadership. They directly undermine LTTE claims to legitimacy and they keep the aspirations of the Tamils bottled up," he said. "We are helping to shape the ability of the Sri Lankan government to protect its people and defend its interests," he asserted. LTTE invited to participate in development The envoy then went on to invite the LTTE to participate in Sri Lanka's development in a peaceful atmosphere. But made it clear that first, the group will have to abjure violence and return to the negotiating table. "There can be a role for the LTTE in the future development of Sri Lanka, but only if it returns to the peace table, renounces terrorism in word and deed and becomes a responsible participant in Sri Lanka's future. And this will lead to a better life for the Tamils and all Sri Lankans in the North and East," Lunstead said. 10 January 2006 ELEVEN
TAMILS KILLED AT FOURTH INTERNATIONAL TAMIL CONFERENCE IN JAFFNA - 1974 Remembering those who sacrificed their lives at the 4th International Conference Seminar of Tamil Studies in Jaffna, 10 January 1974 "...All together eleven lives were sacrificed on that day. I would consider that day the 10th of January 1974 was the day when the Tamil Eelam struggle became the struggle of the Tamil people..." It is twenty seven years today since the 4th International Conference Seminar of Tamil Studies took place in Jaffna viz on 10.01.1974. The whole of Jaffna peninsula was in a festival mood through out the period while the conference was taking place. All roads and lanes were decorated with Banana plants, coconut trees, casuarina branches etc. Pandals were erected on the roads and the traditional Thoranams were hung along the roads for miles and miles. People behaved as if a wedding was taking place in their own homes. I would call it a period of awakening of Tamil awareness. The seminar was conducted mainly in the Veerasingam Hall and Tamil scholars from all over the world submitted papers at the conference that lasted almost ten days. On the last day a public meeting was arranged by the organisers to enable the public to listen to the speeches by the scholars. A massive stage was erected in front of the Veerasingam Hall and over fifty thousand people congregated on the esplanade. It was a great experience to listen to the speeches by the scholars, as their utterances were very informative. We felt proud to hear that Tamil was one the three oldest languages of the world we live in. Every Tamil who listened to the lectures felt proud to be born a Tamil. While Professor Naina Mohamed from India was delivering his lecture tragedy struck. Several vans and jeeps filled with armed policemen drove in and started shooting at random and hitting people with their batons and riffle butts. People began to run aimlessly. There was a stampede. I saw the policemen chasing the innocent and scared people and trampling over those fallen on the ground. I put my youngest son on the ground and tried to safeguard him by crouching over him. At that time one policeman hit me on my left elbow that hurt me for months thereafter. I had five children with me, out of them two of our sons went missing in the crowd. There were some youngsters trying to lower down girls and ladies into the ditch surrounding the Jaffna Fort with a view to safeguard them from the police attack. And another set of our boys, were helping these girls and ladies to climb out of the ditch near the Muniyappar Temple. I told my wife and my two daughters that I would pick them near the Temple and crawled along with my youngest son to my car. I put my son in first and crept into the car - an old Ford Anglia - and started driving on the esplanade towards the temple. I felt sorry that I had to drive over abandoned bicycles. My eldest son - 12 years old - who was hiding under a truck saw my car and ran behind it and caught us up at the temple. It was a big relief to see him alive. But we were terrified to hear that our other son, who was only 10 years old, had gone missing. We loaded the car with four more girls known to us and drove home after dropping those girls at their respective residences. When we arrived home we were overjoyed to see our second son had already found his way home. While remaining at the esplanade I saw the police shoot at the electric wires that fell on the crowd and nine innocent lives were lost on that night. This included a good friend of mine Mr. J.F.Sigmaringham (St.John's College), a great teacher, social worker and an outstanding co-operator. Earlier on the same day two more civilians died of electrocution during a procession on the Hospital Road. These two deaths were attributed to the non co-operation on the part of the then mayor of Jaffna, who was a stooge of the government - a Quisling. All together eleven lives were sacrificed on that day. I would consider that day the 10th of January 1974 was the day when the Tamil Eelam struggle became the struggle of the Tamil people. Even though the name of the Tigers were not widely known at that time I saw a few youngsters standing up to the policemen and fighting them by throwing with aerated water bottles and stones. I can still visualise those bottles crashing the windscreens of the police jeeps. It was touching and encouraging to note slightly elderly men collecting empty bottles and stones and handing them over to the youngsters who were attacking the police. I take it, that was the birth of the Ellai Padai and Uthavuppadai of today. A struggle that started with empty bottles has grown to the extent of using 152mm calibre artilleries, T56 riffles, Basukas, RPG launchers, Multi Barrel Rocket Launchers (MBBL) etc. etc. The few hand full of youngsters of the 10th of January 1974 are now transformed into a conventional army facing the might of the 125,000 strong Sinhala army. Let us resolve that we extend our support unreservedly to establish peace, safety, security and dignity to our people back in Tamil Eelam. I request all readers of this article to devote a few minutes in silence today to pay our respects to the eleven Tamils, who sacrificed their life on the 10th of January 1974 for our cause. They are among our MAVEERAR. May their souls rest in peace. South Africa emerging as alternative for talks While there is still no compromise on the venue for peace talks with the LTTE, the government is pinning its hopes on Norwegian Minister Erik Solhiem’s visit later this month to facilitate an agreement between the two parties. The Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) said a clear picture on where the parties would meet to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire agreement would emerge only after Mr. Solhiem met the LTTE leadership during his visit to Kilinochchi. “There has been talk for some time now that South Africa may be a possible venue. However nothing has been decided upon yet. Everything will be clear only once Mr. Solhiem meets the LTTE and the government”, a SCOPP source said. South Africa emerged as a possible venue during talks with Christian religious leaders and the LTTE political leadership with the government and the rebels being at loggerheads over Oslo. The SCOPP source said any progress on the stalled talks would depend on the outcome of Mr. Solhiem’s visit as there were no plans for contacts between the government and the LTTE prior to the Norwegian Minister’s visit. Mr. Solhiem is due to arrive in the country on January 23 for talks with the government, the LTTE and other political parties and organisations. Sri Lanka President
meets Donor Co-Chairs President Rajapaksa met with the Japanese Ambassador Akio Suda, European Union Ambassador Julian Wilson, United States Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead, Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar and Netherlands Ambassador Reynout van Dijk today at the Presidential Secretariat. The Co-Chairs commended the President’s stance on peace despite recent unfortunate incidents and vowed to put pressure on the LTTE. Earlier President Rajapaksa had explained that the government is committed to an honorable peace and warned the LTTE not to take his flexible policy for granted. “We as a government still maintain a neutral policy over the LTTE’s crime. But it does not mean that our government is weaker,” he said at a public rally in Kalutara yesterday. President in a discussion with all southern parties President Mahinda Rajapaksa held a discussion with all southern political parties today (9) at Temple Trees with a view to forge a consensus for initiating direct talks with the LTTE on a final solution. All parties represented in Parliament except for the
Tamil National Alliance participated at the discussion. It was decided at today's meeting to fix another meeting on 19th to extensively discuss matters related to a final solution. In addition to political parties, civil and religious organizations too will be invited to join this discussion. While the President was today engaged in discussions with southern parties to forge a consensus, he yesterday said that no one should consider his patience as a sign of weakness. In the wake of the President's comments, posters sprung up today in Colombo and the suburbs with the caption "Should Tiger Terrorism be tolerated or destroyed?" The poster has been put up by the National Movement Against Terrorism which is linked to the Jathika Hela Urumaya. Army patrol ambushed A soldier was killed and an army sergeant seriously injured when an army patrol was ambushed by suspected LTTE cadres at Mainathivu in Trincomalee on Sunday night, police said yesterday. The body of army private Ranjith Kumara 22 of Balangoda is at the Muttur hospital mortuary while the sergeant with head injuries was rushed to the Trincomalee hospital. According to reports one of the attackers was also killed when the troops returned fire. During a search operation launched soon after a machine gun was recovered from the scene. Meanwhile earlier on Sunday suspected LTTE cadres had attacked the Pansalwatte army detachment at Muttur. Two soldiers were seriously injured and admitted to the Navy Hospital. Sri Lanka cancels nominations for North East poll The Sri Lankan government says the nominations for the local government polls in the North and East, which were postponed twice, have to be cancelled. Speaking at a press conference, Minister of Local Government Janaka Bandara Tennekoon said this decision was taken at a meeting at his Ministry, attended by Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake, Ministers Dinesh Gunawardena and D.E.W. Gunasekara and Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga. Mr. Tennekoon also said the draft Cabinet paper on this matter will be presented at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow for approval. Emotional family reunion for couple following daughter's visit Vellore, Tamil Nadu: It was an emotional family reunion for the couple, Nalini and Murugan, who were serving detention in the Central Prison here in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, when their only daughter visited them last week, after a gap of nearly nine years. Fourteen-year-old Arithra alias Megara, who was presently under the custody of Murugan's mother in Sri Lanka, arrived here last week after the Indian Government granted her visa following a legal battle waged by Nalini. The teenager, accompanied by Nalini's mother and brother, visited her parents on Thursday last. her visit had been kept a close-guarded secret. The meeting was very emotional as both the mother and daughter broke into tears on seeing each other, prison sources said. While Nalini was serving a life term after the President commuted her death sentence following Congress President Sonia Gandhi's intervention, Murugan was awarded capital punishment in the assassination case. His mercy petition was still pending before the President. Arithra was born at a Government maternity hospital in Chennai in 1992 when Nalini was detained at the Poonamalle Prison during the trial proceeding. Gnanakone to sue Sri Lanka’s Defense Ministry, IGP Mr. Charles Gnanakone, an Australian citizen who was arrested while in Colombo and detained by the Colombo Crimes Division of the Sri Lanka Police in connection with the murder of Mr.Lakshman Kadirgamar, before being released by an order of the Court of Appeal, has given notice through his lawyer to the Defense Secretary and the Inspector General of Police of Sri Lanka, that he intends to sue them for millions of rupees in damages for unlawful arrest and detention, legal sources said. Mr. Gnanakone is seeking rupees one hundred million as damages from the State. Ms. T.Gowry Shangary, Attorney-at-Law, has sent notice to the Defense Secretary and the Inspector General of Police Monday in regard to this. The Defense Ministry arrested Mr. Gnanakone. Later the IGP ordered his detention. In the notice sent to the Defense Secretary and IGP Monday, the lawyer states: ”I am instructed by my client that you with other officers of the Colombo Crimes Division detained my client on 10th October 2005 illegally, unlawfully and without any cause whatsoever, until he was released consequent to an order of the Court of Appeal on 30th November 2005. The detention is not only unlawful and unjustified, but also malicious and without any reasonable or probable cause. I am further instructed to state by reason of the aforesaid acts my client sustained damages, which he reasonably estimates at Rupees one hundred million. ”I am instructed to give you notice and I do hereby give you notice that my client will be instituting action in the District Court of Colombo after the expiry of the period of one month from the receipt hereof against you and the Attorney General as representative of the State, for the recovery of the said sum of Rupees one hundred million as damages, interest thereon and cost of the lawsuit.” Media associations to hold demonstration against harassment The Sri Lanka Working Journalists Association, Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance, Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum and Media Employees Trade Union Federation have decided to hold a demonstration in front of the Fort Railway Station in Colombo Thursday evening against the security forces for harassing Tamil media persons and media institutions using the Emergency Regulations, sources said In recent times search operations at media institutions and arrest of journalists and other harassment, particularly targeting Tamil media institutions and media persons, are on the increase. Security forces refuse to accept media accreditation cards by the Department of Information when they arrest Tamil media persons. The security forces had assaulted Tamil media persons who were covering a demonstration in Jaffna recently and were not accepting their media accreditation card. Photographers of two Tamil dailies have been subjected to inquiry for taking photographs of Tamil people when they were arrested and detained in Colombo police stations. Security forces searched offices of two Tamil dailies published in Jaffna recently, said a press release issued by these five media associations Monday. "Hence we have decided hold a demonstration in front of the Fort railway station on Thursday evening to oppose using the Emergency Regulations against the Tamil media institutions and Tamil media persons and demanding the security forces to accept the government media accreditation cards," said the press release. SLA attack on LTTE sentry said repulsed The deep penetration unit of the Sri Lanka Army, backed by paramilitary groups, entered the no-man zone in Vavunatheevu and attacked the LTTE sentries in the area at 7:30 p.m. Monday night, but the LTTE returned fire and the attackers withdrew, LTTE sources in Batticaloa said, quoting Mr. Thayamohan, the political head of the LTTE in Amparai. The sources said that there were no LTTE casualties. Sri Lanka Army sources claimed, however, that two LTTE cadres died and four were injured.LTTE sources said that there were ten LTTE cadres manning the sentries at the time of the attack.Vavunatheevu is about 5 km west of Batticaloa town.Earlier in October, a convoy of LTTE vehicles faced an attack by the paramilitaries backed by the SLA close to the same location, the sources said. Youth shot dead in Jaffna Pancharatnam Pranavan, 24, was shot dead by unknown gunmen in front of a video store located in Aadiyapatham Road that links Thirunieveli and Kalviyankadu near Jaffna town Monday at 2 p.m., sources in Jaffna said. Pranavan was followed by the gunmen while he was on his way to obtain copies of video tapes. The motives for the killing is not yet known.Kopay Police has transferred Pranavan's body to Jaffna Teaching Hospital for postmortem examinations, medical sources said. Maize vendor shot, injured in Akkaraipattu Mr Ratnam Karunakaran, 32, also known as Sinappodiyan, was shot and seriously injured by unknown gunmen on Monday evening 3.30 p.m. at Piscal Junction, a predominantly muslim area in Akkaraipattu along the Akkaraipattu-Kalmunai main Road. Karunakaran was selling maize at the time gunmen shot him, sources said. Karunakaran was initially rushed to the Akkaraipattu Hospital and later transferred to Kalmunai Base Hospital, medical sources said.Motives for the shooting are not clear, Akkaraipattu police said.Akkaraipattu Police is conducting investigations.Akkaraipattu is locagted 64 km south of Batticaloa town. FMM condemns
SLA searches of Jaffna press Another Newspaper office in Jaffna searched by Sri Lankan Army Free Media movement express its disappointment and condemns the search of the office of Jaffna Tamil daily Yal Thinnakkural. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers cordoned off and searched the office of Jaffna daily Yarl Thinakkural on 05th Friday 2.45 p.m. According to information received by FMM SLA searched editorial section, press section, administrative section and advertisement section. According to Tamil Net, SLA came after a photographer who was taking pictures of events unfolding after a grenade attack on military sentry point but the man escaped. Angered by this SLA troopers claimed that the said photographer worked for the Thinakkural daily and decided to search the office. In any case, cordon and search operations of newspaper offices will have an adverse effect of freedom of expression and journalist rights in Jaffna. This is the second such operation conducted by SLA in Jaffna within short period. In the mean while Sri Lanka Tamil Media Alliance in a statement issued today complained that senior photographer Tamil daily Veerakesari Mr. Joy Jeyakumar was summoned to the office of the Colombo CID on January 5th for inquiry. He was questioned by CID officials from 10.30 a.m. till 11 a.m. on whether the photographs published on the arrest and detention of Tamil residents in Wellawatte Police Station in Colombo in the Sunday issue of Veerakesari of January 1st were taken by him or supplied by others. This also a clear violation of journalists right to information and could be regarded as another instance of intimidation of Tamil journalists by government security forces. FMM urge the authorities to look in these complains without delay and instruct security forces to respect freedom of information rights of all and journalist right to cover all issues of public interest. Sunanda Deshapriya - Stop this killing for killing Church leaders make strong plea for immediate end to
senseless violence The Church Leaders said: “The people of this country must take serious note that the culture of violence is spreading dangerously and indiscriminately. No one seems to be able to stop the spiral of killing for killing. No one even takes responsibility for wanting to stop this trend. Different but equally tragic incidents are reported almost daily from various parts of the country, and the North and East in particular. As if by design, the centre shifts from Jaffna, to Colombo, to Batticaloa, to Mannar, and now after a period of some calm, to Trincomalee. “The recent deaths of young students in Trincomalee have filled the hearts of people with deep sorrow and even indignation. Some newspapers reported that the post mortem verdict stated that they had died of gunshot injuries. Other versions claim that they died of a hand grenade explosion. The truth will emerge only through an independent commission acceptable to all parties. But whatever the truth, this heinous act that has snuffed the lives of young men in their prime must be condemned without reservation by all just and peace loving persons. “These were Sri Lankan young men who died in an area under the control of the Government of Sri Lanka. Consequently we welcome the decision of the President to inquire into these killings. We urge that this inquiry be comprehensive and that the families, friends and teachers of these young men as well as competent forensic experts be heard and the public informed of its findings. For a start the post- mortem report should be released. Such immediate and impartial action brings some sense of justice to loved ones who can never be fully compensated for their loss. To know how and why their sons were killed helps the
process of mourning and healing. “We reiterate and totally agree with the several voices that have condemned all killings whether innocent civilians, service personnel, LTTE cadres or cadres of other groups. We similarly call for an end to these continuing and senseless killings in our country. The killing of any human is a judgment on us all. Whatever the rationale or ideology, any killing is an indication of our failure to live with differences and our inability to find a non-violent, inclusive and civilised way to deal with grievance and conflict. We are sorry that decades of bloodshed, deprivation and suffering have not provided the counter spirituality and resolve to respect human life and the dignity of our brothers and sisters of the other ethnic group, religion or political ideology”. The Statement of the Ecumenical Intervention for Peace has been approved by the following Church Leaders. Catholic Bishop’s Conference President and Kandy Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Vianney Fernando, CBC Vice President and Mannar Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph, Colombo Archbishop Most Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis, Chilaw Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Frank Marcus Fernando, Jaffna Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Thomas Savundranayagam, Trincomalee/Batticaloa Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Kingsley Swamipillai, Kurunegala Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Raymond Peiris, Rt. Rev. Colombo Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Manus Peiris, Badulla Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Winston Fernando, Galle Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Harold Anthony, Anuradhapura Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Norbert Andradi, Chilaw Coadjutor Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Valence: Mendis, Ratnapura Diocese Administrator Very Rev. Fr. Damian Fernando, Administrator. Church Leaders of the National Christian Council of Sri Lanka - Sri Lanka Baptist Sangamaya Chairperson and SL National Christian Council President Rev. Kingsley Perera, Kurunegala Bishop Rt. Rev Kumara Illaugasinghe, Colombo Bishop Rt. Rev Duleep de Chickera, Methodist Church President Rev. W P Ebenezer Joseph, Dutch Reformed Church President Rev. C.N. Jansz, Presbyterian Church Moderator Rev. K Piyadasa, Moderator’s Commissary Church of South India – Jaffna Diocese, Rev. P.R. Navendrananugoolan, Salvation Army Territorial Commander Colonel Roy Frans, and SL National Christian Council General Secretary Rev. Dr. Jayasiri Peiris.. 09 January 2006 Sri Lankan MP seeks India's involvement in peace talks India should directly involve itself in the peace talks between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE, Upcountry Tamils Front of Sri Lanka, a party of Sri Lankan Tamils of Indian origin, has said. Its president and Sri Lankan MP, P Chandrasekaran told reporters here on Saturday that India, which had close cultural and ethnic relationship with Sri Lanka, should not shirk from its "responsibility of finding a solution to the ethnic strife in the island republic". When Norway, which had no stakes in Sri Lanka, had engaged itself in the peace talks there, why India, which was the closest neighbour of Sri Lanka, should not involve itself in the peace process, Chandrasekaran, a former Sri Lankan Minister, asked. Don’t mistake my patience for weakness: President President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday vowed to ensure the safety of all citizens of the country while cautioning that his patience should not be misinterpreted for weakness. Addressing a ceremony in Horna, the President said patience was instilled in him due to the influence of Buddhism and the Daham Pasalas he attended and his patience should not be seen as a sign of weakness. The President said the LTTE should realize that he was not ruling the country in a naïve or careless manner.“It is my responsibility to guarantee the safety of all citizens of this country. As the Head of State I am dedicated to peace in the country and I will do my best to achieve this goal,” the President said. The President also said we should create an environment where the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslims and others could live without fear or suspicion. “At the last Presidential elections we said that we would work towards that goal. I assure you that we will go the extra mile to fulfill that pledge. I stressed that I was prepared to solve the ethnic conflict through discussions in a peaceful manner. I even said that I was prepared to meet LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran personally for talks. My stand has not changed today,” President Rajapakse said. “Nobody should think that I could be pressurized by acts of violence or terrorism. I am firm in my pledge, “ he said. The President said illegal activities and ceasefire violations should be brought to the notice of the international community. “Since I am bound to ensure a peaceful atmosphere in the country, I will not allow any elements to create confusion in the country by indulging in illegal activities. In this country there is one faction which is happy when soldiers and armed forces personnel are killed in action. They even blame me for those acts. But they should realize that the attacks are aimed at our motherland and not at an individual,” he said. The President was speaking at a ceremony held to mark the conferring of the Chief Adikarana Nayake post of the Raigam Salpiti Hewagama Korale Ven. Danbara Amila Thera. Abducted men found dead in Vavuniya The bodies of two men who were abducted by unidenfied
persons, Sunday night were found with gun shot injuries at Skanthapuram
cemetary, 6 km. southwest of Vavuniya, Monday morning, police said. Mr. A.M.C. Abeysinghe Bandara, OIC, Vavuniya Police said the bodies are yet to be identified. Shots fired by men in army uniforms- Survivor The students were fired at last Monday (2) in Trincomalee by a group wearing uniforms similar to the Army, one of the two students who survived the attack was reported to have told Trincomalee magistrate P.Kamalan. The Magistrate visited the hospital last week end and
recorded the statement from the student. Five students were killed in the incident. Security forces initially claimed that the students died when a bomb they had brought went off accidentally. However at the magisterial inquiry into the deaths, it was revealed that the students died from gun shot wounds. It is reported that the condition of the other student remains critical. Battered and bruised reporter appeals to President for redress A Provincial Journalist, Vincent Jeyan, Jaffna correspondent for Associated Press, Lake House and Shakthi FM, alleges that members of the Security Forces assaulted him, while two others fired at him, alleging that he was a member of the LTTE, when he was covering a protest rally. In letters to President Mahinda Rajapakse and all frontline media organisations, he states that he was assigned to cover a protest rally of the Jaffna University on December 19, last year, where he was taking photographs from the front of the moving crowds and all the photographers felt assured that they would be able to carry out their duties without fear as the members of the Armed Forces stationed at the Parameswara junction had retreated. Jeyan, in his letter states that, contrary to his belief, suddenly, the soldiers started firing and moved towards the crowd, while ordering him to run. He states that he was not willing to run, as he feared he would be in the firing line. It was then, that he identified himself to the soldier, after which the soldier who had fired at him, went to a nearby building to take cover! When the firing had stopped, he returned to the road, when another soldier had ordered him to run and an officer, standing nearby, had attacked him with poles, chains and rifles. He had also been kicked and shoved, and his bag had also been torn. His cellular phone, his wallet containing Rs. 2200, an Automated Teller Machine Card and a diary containing telephone numbers, had also been taken away. His camera worth Rs. 80,000 and other equipment had been badly damaged. Right throughout the assault, the soldier had accused him of being a member of the LTTE. There was no due regard for the Media Accreditation Card issued by the Director of Government Information. The media personnel who had been present, had been asked to run in front of military vehicles as cannon fodder. He also alleged that he had been attacked previously in 2005, but similar complaints to former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, during her tenure as head of state, had been of no avail. The letter has been copied to the Prime Minister, the Media Minister, the Justice Minister, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, the Press Complaints Commission and the Free Media Movement. Tigers have no control over Lankan waters : SLMM THE Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) yesterday reiterated that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has no control over the territorial waters in any part of the island. SLMM Chief Hagrup Haukland told the Daily News that following the Navy complaint on the attack on their Israel-built fast attack Dvora vessel on Saturday, the SLMM was investigating the incident. "The Navy has complained that the attack has been carried out by the LTTE. SLMM monitors had met the LTTE 's representative Elilan in Sampur, Trincomalee on Saturday and inquired about the attack in Trincomalee. However the LTTE representative denied their involvement. The SLMM has even contacted Killinochchi and urged their explanation over the incident. "Unlike in the land areas in the North and East, the LTTE has no control at all over the territorial waters around the island. The LTTE has its militant wing called Sea Tigers and claim that they have control over the North-Eastern waters. But that claim is against international law and nothing is mentioned about the LTTE having control over the North and East waters in the Ceasefire Agreement," Haukland said. The Navy yesterday launched a search for the missing 13 crewmen. The Navy top brass were in Trincomalee yesterday overseeing search operations. Air Force aircraft were making reconnaissance flights in the area where the vessel went down. Meanwhile, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had a lengthy meeting with President Mahinda Rajapakse on the current situation in the North and East Saturday. The TNA delegation requested President Rajapakse to do his best to resume the talks with the LTTE to create a trouble-free North and East. The President expressing concern over recent incidents in the North and East said he would take steps to bring the situation under control. The TNA delegation led by TNA Parliamentarian R.Sampanthan comprised other TNA Members of Parliament Suresh Premachandran, N. Raviraj and Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam. LTTE should be exposed says JVP The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna in a press release issued on the suicidal attack on the Dora Fast Attack Craft Friday night of says that the Tigers launched this attack while publicly pretending to stand by the ceasefire agreement. In fact recently when the terrorist leaders met the envoys of countries named as co-chairs at Killinochchi they had assured that they would protect the CFA and will abide by it. Any body in his proper senses could understand that the Tigers were breaking the agreement since the day it was signed. The statement further says that the administration of the Mahinda Rajapakse should give due weight to this violent massacre and should explain to countries the true nature of the incident and take decisive steps to defeat the Tiger terrorists in what ever form deemed necessary "Prabakaran and I will both die in Sri Lanka"-President The President is reported to have eased his hard line stand on conducting peace talks in Oslo at a discussion held yesterday with Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians. The President has requested TNA members to send a group to talk with the LTTE to persuade them to return to the negotiating process. "Both Prabakaran and I are going to die in Sri Lanka So there shouldn't be any arguments over holding talks in Sri Lanka", " No way will I go to Oslo" President has said However when TNA parliamentarians proposed that Oslo should be the venue of the first round of talks, even though the President did not agree, he has not shown much dissent either. The TNA MPs have appealed to the President to look into long term benefits that could be gained from holding talks in Oslo. Meanwhile the President has also given an assurance to TNA legislators that he would not let murderers of Pararajasingham and five students to get away. The TNA was represented at the meeting by R.Sampanthan, Suresh Premachandran, N. Raviraj and Gajendra Ponnambalam. Associated with the President were Minister maithreepala Sirisena and Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga. Cancel CFA If You Can – Ranil Challenges JVP and JHU The leader of the opposition in a rally addressing UNP supporters in Gamapaha challenged the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and Jathika Hele Urumaya to cancel the ceasefire and come out with their alternatives to the CFA. He said these comments yesterday while addressing a rally organized by the UNP deputy leader Karu Jayasuriya in Gamapaha. “During the time of UNP government, we were sinking LTTE ships. Today the LTTE is sinking our ships. We condemn these LTTE attacks, however, government must come forward with a plan to prevent these attacks” he said. He also said that peace process should be continued by the government with the support of international community. He blamed that the agendas of JVP and JHU are hindering the process even though several Ministers in the government actively seek the continuation of the peace process. He said that government has rights to destroy illegal boats coming to the country. He said his attacks against LTTE boats and ships were carried with the support of Indian Navy. He also questioned the JVP silence on LTTE killing. “Those days, JVP was going in streets against LTTE killings, why are the silent now?” he questioned. A Presidential Commission to probe 400 million fraud of Sandagiri-another shady deals bared The President has decided to appoint a presidential commission to probe a transaction to procure fifteen 30 mm guns from Israel which resulted in a loss of 400 million rupees to the government by former Navy Commander and present Chief of Defense Staff Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri. Guns over 20 years old were to be purchased as brand new guns under the procurement agreement entered into by Admiral Sandagiri with an Israel Company. However the deal was called off by the present Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasanatha Karannagoda soon as he assumed office. He had briefed the Defense Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa on the threat posed to the national security if these outdated guns were fitted into naval boats to fight with ultra modern weaponry of the LTTE. When the proposed commission is established several other shady deal of Sandagiri also come into light. Some of the are listed below. 1. Paying 3 billion rupees to a Colombo company to manufacture 10 high speed boats. (No technical assessment report or proper consultation has been made in hi regard,) 2. Spending 22 million rupees to renovate the official residence of navy commander located at Bullers road. ( This house was occupied by President Kumartunga's Secretary,Kusumsiri Balapatabndi until his appointment as Australian High Commissioner, then new pantry cupboards and bathroom fittings have been fixed and the roof had been repaired using staggering 22 million rupees which would have sufficed to construct two new luxury houses) 3. Dubious expenses Rs. 10 millian on reconstructing navy buildings damaged by the tsunami. Meanwhile an English weekend today reported that the India's Research and Analysis wing (RAW) has alerted local intelligence services that a highest ranking defense officer is assisting a plan hatched by the LTTE to assassinate Navy Commander rear admiral Wasantha Karannogoda. The report further said that RAW has informed government intelligence services that the defense officer in question has passed vital information on the movements of the Navy Commander to an LTTE cadre known as 'Rajan' through a woman of Puttalam who has direct contacts with the LTTE hierarchy. Take Kachatheevu on lease, Jaya tells Centre CHENNAI: Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today demanded that the Centre take Kachatheevu on lease in perpetuity, even as she drew Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s attention to the recent attack on four Tamil Nadu fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy personnel in the small hours of Sunday. The Chief Minister pressed for this demand as a long term and permanent solution to the persisting and indiscriminate attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy. Jayalalithaa who shot off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday asked the Prime Minister to take up the issue of indiscriminate attack on poor fishermen belonging to Tamil Nadu on the high seas with the Government of Sri Lanka and register a strong protest against this inhuman act perpetuated by the Sri Lankan Navy. She further stated in the letter, “You will agree that such indiscriminate and murderous attacks on poor fishermen who venture into the seas in search of their livelihood is against all canons of natural justice and violates human rights. The Government of India must therefore find a final and lasting solution to this problem since it involves the question of the traditional rights of our Tamil Nadu fishermen.” In the letter she has stated, “It was brought to my notice that four fishermen of the Rameswaran Coast of Tamil Nadu who set out into the sea in a mechanised boat on Saturday while fishing near Kachatheevu were attacked by Sri Lankan Navy personnel who opened fire at them at about 3 am on Sunday and even took away their fish catch. One fisherman namely Andrews, sustained bullet injuries even while the remaining three escaped. The wounded fisherman is undergoing treatment at the Government Hospital, Rameswaram. Jayalalithaa reminded Manmohan Singh the number of occasions she has written to him about the indiscriminate attack on Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy taking place in the Palk Bay Region where the island of Kachatheevu is located. “I am distressed to write to you again about yet another such incident which took place on Sunday.” The fishermen of Tamil Nadu depend essentially on fishing in the waters around Kachatheevu for their livelihood, Jayalalithaa said and added, “I have been repeatedly drawing the attention of the Government of India to the incidents of violence against Indian fishermen in the Palk Bay around Kachatheevu island urging that the traditional rights and privileges of the Indian fishermen to carry on their normal occupation of fishing in these waters must be recognised early and a suitable working arrangement devised.” No militarily
assistance to Sri Lanka without a federal constitution Former India’s Minister of Justice and the Leader of the Janata Party has attached two conditions for the Indian Government to support Sri Lanka militarily, which is on the vege of a renewed civil war. Dr. Swamy’s preconditions are as follows : First, the Lanka government must now unilaterally implement an India-type devolved Constitution, loosely called a federal Constitution. This will satisfy the Tamils. Second, the Lanka government permits India to have in Colombo a cantonment area for two divisions of Indian troops and a squadron of the IAF so that Sri Lanka will not be able to betray India as President Premadasa did in 1989. In a statement made to the press, Dr.Swamy slammed the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha for having cold feet in meeting with the President of Sri Lanka. He further alleged that the Tamil Nadu CM did this simply to appease the pro-LTTE parties in the state. He said, "The TN CM Ms. Jayalalitha, according to uncontradicted media reports, made the Centre cancel President Rajapakshe’s proposed visit to Chennai." "This was, it is said, to appease the pro-LTTE parties in the state. This action was retrograde and cowardly on part of the Chief Minister," Janata Party leader lashed out. Dr. Swamy pointed out, "Why should she have been afraid when DMK nominee in the Union Ministry, T.R.Balu did not feel ashamed to meet the Sri Lanka President?" In his statement he further revealed that the former External Affairs Minister, Mr. Natwar Singh should not take submissively his unceremonious dumping [being removed from the Congress Working Committee] by Ms. Sonia Gandhi. He urged. "Instead he should become 'a whistle blower' in the national interest. Taking money from the terrorist dictator, Saddam Hussein, by accepting oil vouchers is a heinous anti-national act that should be exposed." Dr Swamy further said, "Moreover, not a drop of the allotted oil came to oil-starved India, but instead went to Italy through subsidiaries of Masefield AG Company. If Mr. Singh performs this national duty, then opposition parties will stand up for him." 08 January 2006 Two SLA soldiers injured in Kopay grenade attack Unknown gunmen riding in a motorbike hurled grenaded at a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) foot patrol near the Sub office of Valigamam east Pradeshya sabha building along the Jaffna Point Pedro road in Kopay at 1.15 p.m. injuring two soldiers, sources in Jaffna said. Military sources said that the condition of one of the soldiers remains serious. The injured soldiers have been moved to Palaly Military Hospital.Soldiers fired at the assailants after the grenade attack but both of them escaped unhurt, sources said.All vehicular traffic was suspended for mor than two hours following the attack, Kopay residents said.SLA troops have cordoned off the area and are conduct searches. Meanwhile, SLA soldiers are forcing the households between Kopay and Nallur along the Jaffna Point-Pedro road to fly white flags, residents said. Civil society sources said that since the widespread attacks on the army troopers are being blamed on citizen malitia in Jaffna, the SLA wants civilians to show they are not involved in the attacks by flying white flags. Jaffna district magistrate Ms Srinithi Nanthisekaran told the press that SLA Commander in Jaffna Major General Chandrasiri had told her that the flags are being flown voluntarily by the residents and that SLA has not forced the households to fly the flags. No Defence Pact with Sri Lanka-Indian Defence Minister India says it has no intention of signing a Defence pact with Sri Lanka. On behalf of the Indian government, this statement has been made by Indian Defence Minister Pranab Mukherji.After a meeting with Dravida Munnethra Kalaham Party leader M.karunanidhi, Mukherji told reporters in Chennai that India has no intention of intervening in internal affairs of SriLanka or other countries in the region. Two influential constituent parties oft the ruling Indian coalition, the DMK and MDMK parties have voiced their strong disapproval to any kind of defence agreement with SriLanka. White Pigeon delegates meet EU parliamentarian Executive Director of Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), K.P. Regi, Chairman of White Pigeon, Dr N S Moorthy, and Evelyn Rodriguez, a volunteer at White Pigeon met with Jean Lambert Member of European Parliament (MEP). at her offices in London Friday, sources in UK said. The delegation briefed Ms Lambert on the details of the displaced Tamils in the NorthEast due both to war and the tsunami, and updated her on the recent developments where TRO is assisting the families fleeing violence in Jaffna into LTTE controlled areas.Ms Lambert appreciated the humanitarian work by TRO and the White Pigeon helping landmine victims, thanked the delegation for keeping her informed and assured the delegation that she will make the information available to other EU parliamentarians.White Pigeon is a registered British Charity and TRO is an NGO registered with the Government of Sri Lanka and works exclusively in teh NorthEast. Sri Lankan Navy bars Tamil fishermen to go to sea, say rebels –Source:AP The Tamil Tiger rebels accused the Sri Lankan Navy Sunday of barring Tamil fishermen from going to the sea, a day after suspected insurgents rammed a fishing boat packed with explosives into a navy vessel, killing 13 sailors. ``The Sri Lankan Navy has banned fishing for Tamil fisherman in most sections of the north seas'' off the Jaffna Peninsula, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam said on their Web site. The blockade forced about 1,000 families to move to rebel-held areas and was reminiscent of the navy's tactics before the government and the Tigers signed a truce four years ago to halt the island's civil war, it said. Navy officials couldn't be immediately reached for comment. The government has blamed the rebels for Saturday's attack on the navy vessel off the northeastern coast, the most serious of recent attacks that has put the truce of the verge of collapse. ``The incident has brought the cease-fire under pressure like never before,'' Hagrup Haukland, chief of the Norwegian-led Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission overseeing the Oslo-brokered 2002 truce, told The Associated Press on Saturday. ``The question is how long the Sri Lankan security forces can take it,'' Haukland said. The rebels began fighting in 1983 for a homeland for Sri Lanka's 3.2 million ethnic minority Tamils, claiming discrimination by the island's 14 million Sinhalese. The war claimed 65,000 lives. Saturday's attack killed 13 sailors and brought the death toll of security forces to 58 since Dec. 4, when a wave of anti-government attacks began. Authorities have blamed the Tigers, who have denied responsibility. A similar 1995 attack in Trincomalee harbour _ near Saturday's incident _ shattered a brief truce between the two sides. Defense Ministry spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe, said the two survivors told investigators the attacking boat emerged from a fleet of fishing boats. ``They say that the attacking craft emerged and collided with their vessel, triggering a huge explosion.'' Samarasinghe said. Erik Solheim, the Norwegian official who brokered the Feb. 2002 cease-fire, was scheduled to visit Sri Lanka in late January to try restarting government-rebels peace talks, stalled due to disagreements over rebel demands for autonomy. SLA informant shot dead in Point Pedro Sinnarasa Rasaiah, 47, from Vinayaga Mudaliyar (VM) Road in Point Pedro town, and owner of a bakery, was shot and killed at 3.30 pm.m Sunday by unknown gunmen who forced entry into the bakery located within 100 meters of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) 52-4 Brigade Head Quarters within the High Security Zone (HSZ) encompassing the Point-Pedro harbor, sources said. Residents allege that Rasaiah was a military informant. Point Pedro Police has taken the body to the Point Pedro General Hospital in Manthikai for postmortem examinations. The brazen killing within the HSZ, the third murder to take place in the last two days, has shocked the residents of the town. Tension prevails in Point Pedro town and suburbs. Iyathurai Baskeran, 27, an LTTE supporter displaced from Kudathanai was found shot to death in Katkovalam Saturday, and on Thursday night Mathan, an EPDP supporter was found stabbed to death in Thumapalai, Point Pedro. Postpone polls or hold in LTTE areas too, says TNA The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) criticising the government's plan to hold elections in the north and east says the government should either postpone elections or hold them in the LTTE controlled areas as well. TNA Convener and Jaffna Parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran told The Sunday Leader that the climate to hold local authority polls was not conducive and if the government insisted on holding polls it should do away with the cluster system and move into the LTTE areas to hold free and fair elections. "It is utterly unwise to hold elections in the north and east. The government knows it well that it is not practicable. But still plans to go ahead. We are strongly opposed to it," he said. He said the dire need of the hour is peace talks and not elections in the country. He said the people of north east were not interested in participating in any polls and added they opted for peace. "Why can't Mahinda Rajapakse's administration focus on peace talks. We feel the plan to hold elections is an attempt to divert the attention of the public. This is very unfair," he said. Newspaper Society calls for security The Newspaper Society in a statement on the alleged conspiracy to assassinate Maharaja Group chairman Killi Rajamahendran said it was concerned for the safety of the media personnel and called on the government to ensure the rule of law in the country. The Newspaper Society is dismayed at the several attacks on and threats to journalists and media houses in the recent past. The latest is the revelation of a conspiracy to assassinate the chairman of a media organisation controlling both TV and radio stations. If the details are true then it bodes ill for media freedom in Sri Lanka. We hope that the government will take serious cognizance of the statements allegedly made according to the report, and spare no pains in verifying the truth of these statements. The Newspaper Society expresses its concern for the safety of all media personnel and calls upon the government to ensure that the rule of law prevails in this country, in keeping with the democratic liberties and rights enshrined in the Constitution, stated the media release Man shot dead by SLA in Eravur Kandasamy Shanmuganathan, 31, a civilian, was shot dead by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops Sunday morning at 10.30 a.m. in Eravur Vantharumoolai in Batticaloa. The incident took place in front of the Pathini Amman Temple iin Thevapuram sources said. SLA said they killed the man in self-defence when he tried to attack them, but the residents of the area said that Mr Shanmuganathan was on his way to buy provisions in a shop when he was killed. Police took the body to Chenkalady Hospital at 4 p.m. for postmortem examinations.Vantharumoolai lies 18 km north of Batticaloa town. Govt. wants TRO banned in US Sri Lanka has formally raised a red flag about the functions of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) in the United States, setting in motion a process that is hoped to slap a ban on the pro-LTTE outfit, senior government officials said. The alarm bells about TRO operations were rung at the highest level during meetings Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera had with State Department officials in Washington over the past few days. TRO is listed as a ‘charity,’ but also functions
as the LTTE's main aid arm. The TRO operates in over a dozen other countries, including Britain, Canada and Australia, where the LTTE is banned or there are restrictions on fund raising for the group. The TRO raised millions of dollars in donations for tsunami relief and rehabilitation efforts in the north and east, with special focus on areas controlled by the LTTE. But doubts have been cast if all the millions of dollars were indeed channelled for much-needed tsunami recovery. The organization began operations in 1985 and its headquarters is now based in the rebel capital of Kilinochchi. A special team of officials were included in Mr. Samaraweera's delegation to Washington to take up this issue with state authorities. The background of the TRO, its operations and links to the LTTE were presented at several forums. TRO operations were also taken up at the functional level with US legal and justice departments. Colombo had prepared a dossier with details of activities of the TRO with the help of local intelligence officials and diplomats. Among them was documentation to indicate that some of the funds channelled to TRO had ended up in Ukraine, a nation from where the LTTE purchases some of its weaponry. Details were also provided about how much money the TRO claimed to have channelled to Sri Lanka and how much actually ended up in the island, the officials said. The details were handed over to State Department officials and discussed extensively during talks between the Lankan delegation and Stuart Levey, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Crimes of the US Department of Treasury on Thursday. The issue was also taken up with Frank Urbancic, deputy coordinator for Counter-Terrorism, Department of State the same day, which was followed by Mr. Samaraweera having a two-hour meeting with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. The deteriorating security situation in Sri Lanka was also discussed with Ms. Rice. Mr. Samaraweera had assured the US of President Mahinda Rajapakse's commitment to a negotiated settlement, efforts to lessen rising tensions with the LTTE and efforts to build a southern consensus. There was concern among State Department officials about Mr. Rajapakse's perceived hawkish administration and its path toward peace, especially in the light of how much influence hardline nationalist parties like the JVP and JHU can have on policy. According to Washington sources, several American officials who were present in Sri Lanka during the two JVP insurrections are now holding high office in the State Department, and were eager to ascertain the direction Sri Lanka's new leader hoped to take. The Lankan delegation also held an hour long meeting with Eric S. Edelman, Under Secretary of Defense at the Pentagon. Mr. Samaraweera also met with Assistant Secretary for South Asia Christina Rocca. Although the TRO did execute some valuable work in Sri Lanka's north and east, there were doubts cast if all the money raised, was indeed utilized for tsunami recovery or channelled elsewhere. In November last year, almost a year after the deadly tsunami struck Sri Lankan shores, a TRO branch office in Melbourne, Australia, was raided and investigated over allegations that it was funding terrorism propagated by the LTTE. After the probe, the allegations were referred to the federal police. Another fundraising group, the Tamils Co-ordinating Committee, believed to be linked to the TRO, was also raided. The amount of money collected by Australia's Tamil Sri Lankan community, many of whom support the LTTE's cause, increased markedly following the tsunami. Federal police were examining evidence seized in the raids to see if any donations collected were channelled into terrorism. The TRO's executive director, Melbourne Rajan Rasiah, said at the time, that $1.1 million raised by the TRO in the wake of the tsunami was distributed in northern Sri Lanka with the ‘permission, approval and support’ of the Tamil Tigers. The raids were conducted despite the fact that the LTTE is not a proscribed terrorist organization under the criminal code. However, because a United Nations charter lists the Tigers as a terrorist group, Australian authorities can act to prohibit an organization dealing with funds that are declared by the UN to be ‘freezable assets’. In an interview with the Washington Times, Mr. Samaraweera said he had urged the US to shut down front groups and charities as well as take measures against Tamil exiles financing the Tigers. Referring to the LTTE as the ‘godfather of modern terrorism’ Mr. Samaraweera said, "The United States must realise that it is not dealing with a liberation movement but a ruthless killing machine more dangerous than al-Qaeda." Colombo wants Washington to clamp down on financing of the LTTE, a move it hopes would be followed by Europe. "Tea and sympathy are no longer enough," Mr. Samaraweera was quoted as saying. TRO currently operates offices in Switzerland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Britain, Italy, the Netherlands, France, Malaysia, Canada and New Zealand. The tough moves by the Government comes amid escalating violence by the rebels against the armed forces, with fears of full-scale war breaking out sooner rather than later. Tamil Resurgence Convention to be held in Muttur east Tamil Resurgence Convention (TRC) is to be held on January 10 evening at Kadatkaraichchenai, a village in the LTTE held Muttur east. This is the first convention to be held in the New Year 2006 in the northeast. The main objective of the TRC is to seek the international community to recognize the self-determination rights of the Tamil-speaking people in the northeast province, organizers said.Tamil people living in villages in the LTTE held Muttur east, Eachilampathu division and Vakarai division are expected to participate in the event in large numbers, sources said.Organizers of the TRC are currently conducting awareness campaign at village to village level to mobilize support for the TRC, sources said. Dalai Lama’s visit: President tells organisers to reconsider plan An emissary from President Mahinda Rajapakse’s office yesterday requested the organisers of the 2550 Buddha Jayanthi celebrations to desist from inviting the Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama to take part in the celebrations in the country later this year. The official who visited the organisers had said inviting the Dalai Lama to the country at a time like this could cause an embarrassment to the Government given the high profile nature of the Dalai Lama. In response, the organisers had requested a meeting with
President Rajapakse shortly to explain to him the thinking behind inviting
the Dalai Lama to the country and were assured of a meeting shortly with
the President. The visit by the Presidential emissary came days after an official of the Chinese Embassy in Colombo called on the organisers of the event and requested them to re-think the decision to invite the Dalai Lama. An Embassy spokesman said they had taken up the issue with the organisers of the event and not the Government as the “Government is aware of the position of the Chinese Government on the matter.” The official who met the organisers last Thursday said
that relations between the two countries could suffer if the Dalai Lama
was allowed to visit Sri Lanka. The Dalai Lama, who lives in India, is due to attend a ceremony in Buddha Gaya next month with President Mahinda Rajapakse and Chief Justice Sarath Silva also scheduled to attend the same ceremony. 07 January 2006 Suicide attack sinks Sri Lankan navy gunboat –Source: France-Presse Suspected Tamil Tiger rebels blew up a Sri Lankan navy
gunboat Saturday with 15 sailors aboard in a suicide attack that inflicted
the single biggest loss on the military since a truce was declared in
2002, the defense ministry said. "There were two gunboats in the area and one saw the other being attacked," defence ministry spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe said. "The boat exploded and we believe it is an LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) suicide attack." Two officers and 13 sailors were aboard the Israeli-built Dvora class gunboat that was on a routine patrol outside Trincomalee harbor, a main base for the island nation's navy, the spokesman said. A search was still underway for the bodies of the 10
missing sailors, officials Tamil Tiger guerrillas are known to have carried out suicide attacks against dozens of naval craft in the past using small boats packed with explosives. Saturday's attack was the first sinking of a high-powered naval gunboat since a Norwegian-brokered truce between Colombo and the LTTE went into effect from February 23, 2002. There was no immediate reaction from the Tigers to the latest attack against the navy, which added to a string of losses suffered by the security forces since last month, when violence spiked in the island's troubled northeast. Three sailors aboard a smaller naval patrol craft were killed 16 days ago in a sea battle with rebels off the northwestern town of Mannar. Following that incident, the Tigers accused the navy of attacking them first and maintained they acted in self-defense. However, Scandinavian truce monitors said the rebels had violated the fragile ceasefire. In April 1995, the Tigers infiltrated the tightly guarded naval facilities in Trincomalee, located 260 kilometers (160 miles) northeast of the capital Colombo, and blasted two craft that were anchored there. On Saturday, two gunboats -- P473 and P476 -- were out together on patrol when P476 was attacked while it communicated with ground-based commanders about a flotilla of fishing boats in the area, officials said. Tensions have been running high in the region since the killings of five students, allegedly by government forces, on Monday. Residents said shops and offices were shut and public transport at a halt in Trincomalee on Friday, a day after the funerals for the five students. A local group known as the Pongu Thamil Organization had called the strike to protest the killing, residents said. The government has ordered a full-scale probe into the killings "to establish if there had been an accident or any excess by the security forces." Colombo has pledged "stern action" if there was any wrongdoing. Military officials said the strike was peaceful, but an army foot patrol was attacked with a hand grenade in the heart of the town late Thursday, wounding three soldiers. There has been a spate of deadly bomb attacks against troops and police in the embattled northeast since last month in violence linked to the decades-old conflict between the majority Sinhalese population and minority Tamils. Saturday's attack raised to 115 the number of people killed since December in the latest upsurge in violence. Scandinavian truce monitors warned last month that war may not be too far away in Sri Lanka unless the violence was halted immediately. "This spiral of violence is not conducive to a badly needed high-level meeting between the parties," truce monitoring chief Hagrup Haukland said. "If the trend of violence is allowed to continue, war may not be far away." Two LTTE cadres die in SLA's claymore attack in Trincomalee The Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army
(SLA) in Thambalakamam jungle has killed two cadres of Liberation Tigers
Friday early morning around 2 a.m in a claymore mine attack. The attack
took place inside the LTTE held area, Elilan, Political Head of the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for Trincomalee district, told TamilNet Saturday.
Senior PLOTE cadre shot, injured in Jaffna A senior member of Peoples Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Kennedy, was shot and seriously injured by two unknown gunmen at the bicycle park in front of Jaffna Teaching Hospital at 10.15 a.m. Saturday, sources in Jaffna said. He was immediately admitted to the emergency operating unit of the Jaffna Teaching Hospital with life threatening gunshot injuries, medical sources said. Hospital sources said that Kennedy received injuries to this chest and neck areas.The gunmen came in bicycles and used micropistol to shoot at the victim before escaping in bicyles, sources said. Protest
against arbitrary arrests Hundreds of peace activists and trade unionists gathered in Colombo on Friday urged the authorities to stop violence against civilians. The protest against ‘arbitrary arrests under Emergency Regulations’ was organised by Western Province Peoples Front (WPPF). Stressing that the Tamil people do not need another war, WPPF leader Mano Ganeshan urged the authorities to let the Tamils in the capital to live without harassment. Some 900 people have been detained in the capital last week in searches in five predominantly Tamil dominated districts. All but 50 of them released without charges, later on the day. Inspector General of Police (IGP), Chandra Fernando, however denied that the government targeted minority Tamil community. He told BBC Sandeshaya (bbcsinhala.com) that the police were looking for criminals and underworld gangsters. However, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Nadarajah Raviraj said the police should abide by the law of the country in their security operations. TNA, New Left Front, New Democratic Party, USP, Muslim United Liberation Front and a number of trade unions participated in the protest on Friday. Security forces are accused of shooting dead five Tamil students in Trincomalee, a charge the Sri Lanka military deny. Tamil Tigers are accused of killing more than 40 security service personnel since President Mahinda Rajapaksa came to power in last November. The LTTE deny any involvement but the analysts say few
believe their denial. President Mahnda Rajapaksa has cast doubts whether the widespread killings and attacks in the Eastern province are an attempt by the military to tarnish the government's image or to overthrow it. At the national Security Council meeting held early this week, the President had consulted the three service chiefs and the IGP in this connection. The President asked them whether the Army is behind the series of killings in the Eastern Province and had once again reiterated his commitment to find a negotiated political settlement to the ethnic conflict. When the murders of five students in Trincomalee came up for discussion he President had become rather annoyed and questioned Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa as to why Special Task force Personnel were dispatched to Trincomalee just three days before this incident . The President is reported to be critical of the Defense Secretary's action. The Defence Secretary is a brother of the President. During the Chandrika administration, a tense situation broke out in Trincomalee over a Buddha statue and I only died down after the transfer of Brigadier Hendwitharana who was in charge of the intelligence operations there. The JVP strongly objected to the transfer of the Brigadier who was finally posted to an overseas diplomatic mission. It had been reported to the former President that he had had close links with the JVP from his school days. Two recent incidents-the assassination of Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham during Christmas night service inside a cathedral and the killing of five students in Trincomalee on the very day Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera commences his American visit, severely inconvenienced the government as well as the President. It is significant that the LTTE was not involved in either of the incidents. Meanwhile reports of LTTE's plan to recapture Jaffna have also been discussed at length at this meeting and it was decided to tighten the security at Palali,Kankasantuai and Jaffna Army camps. The Security Council has also focused on the arrival of a ship to seas off Miulaitivu carrying an arms shipment to the LTTE. Chief of Defense Staff Admiral Daya Sandagiri had pointed out that the ship was ferrying ultra modern weapons which the LTTE did nothae earlier. Indian Navy authorities have alerted their Sri Lankan counterparts of this ship. SLA arrests 10 youths in Mannar Ten youths, nine tamils and a muslim, were arrested in Uppukulam, in the northwestern district of Mannar during a joint house-to-house search by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and police, Friday. The operation began around 6.30 a.m. and lasted till noon, sources said. The arrested were interrogated by the SLA troops and were later handed over to the police. Every house in the village was searched during the operation, villagers said. Trincomalee suburbs tensed as SLA builds new sentry Tension prevails in Anpuvallipuram and Abeyapura, suburbs of the Trincomalee town located off about 2 km northwest along Trincomalee-Kandy highway following attempts by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) to set up a new sentry since Friday afternoon. Tamils live in Anpuvallipuram and Sinhalese reside in the adjoining suburb Abeyapura. The new sentry near the junction, which leads to Anpuvallipuram has drawn the opposition of Tamil families, civil sources said. SLA soldiers fired in air to disperse Tamils who gathered Friday morning at the site to protest against the construction.SLA arrested five Tamil youths during the protest, residents said. Members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) led by its Trincomalee head Mr. Arthur Tveiten tried to rush to the scene on hearing the mounting tension but could not reach the site due to firing, sources said.However they contacted the SLA authorities and succeeded in getting the arrested youths released, sources said.Later Tamil residents of Anpuvallipuram complained that SLA soldiers accompanied by Sinhala home guards had conducted a house-to-house search.Tamil residents further alleged that home guards were rude and intimidating, sources said. On receipt of this information Mr.R.Sampanthan, Trincomalee district parliamentarian promptly contacted the SLA General Officer Commanding (GOC) in Trincomalee Major General Tissa Jayawardene and requested him to stop erecting new sentry. He also requested the GOC to take immediate steps to defuse the tension. Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee district parliamentarian also contacted Major General Tissa Jayawardene and informed him of the alleged intimidation by home guards to Tamil families in Anpuvallipuram. Mr.Thurairatnasingham brought to the notice of the army authority that several Tamil families in the village will be forced to vacate their homes if this trend continues, sources said. SLMM is closely watching the developing situation there, sources said. Underworld Links With Major Politicians? The leading politicians in the UPFA government are having links with various underworld leaders in Colombo and Southern areas, according to sources. This is contrary to the policy taken by the President Rajapakse to uproot the underworld in Colombo with in few months. In a latest revelation, several media organizations had alleged that leading politicians including Prime Minister are behind an assassination plan to kill the chief of the Sirasa media organization. Government had so far failed to comment officially on the issue although President Rajapakse had ordered a top level investigation on the issue. Two killings in Jaffna Two Tamil youths were killed in two different incidents in Vadamaradchy and Valigamam area Thursday night. Thabendran Mathan, 28, a long term employee at the Point Pedro Urban Council was abducted from his home by unknown men and was stabbed to death Thursday night, sources in Jaffna said. The body was discovered along Thumpalai Road near 2nd Cross Street, 1 km east of Point Pedro town with severe cut wounds, sources said. Mathan who is a father of two children, had previously made complaints to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) that he had received death threats from an armed paramilitary group.Point Pedro police has transported Mathan's body Point Pedro Hospital in Manthikai, medical sources said. Meanwhile, Thangarajah Pradeeshkumar, 32, who lives close to a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) garrison in Uduvil near the boundry of High Security Zone, was shot dead Thursday around 10 p.m., sources said. Unknown gunmen had called Pradeeshkumar to come outside his house in Uduvil Road, shot him dead and escaped. Chunnakam police is expected to transport his body to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, security sources said. Sri Lanka calls on US peace help Sri Lanka's foreign minister has called on the United
States and other nations to help persuade the Tamil Tigers to return to
peace talks. He made the comments after meeting the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, in Washington. There has been renewed violence in Sri Lanka over the past month. Concern is mounting that the ceasefire signed in 2002 between the Tamil Tigers and the government is breaking down. It was signed after two decades of fighting in which more than 60,000 people died. SLA searches Thinakkural office amid grenade attacks in Jaffna Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers Friday 2.45 p.m. cordoned off and searched the offices of Jaffna daily Yarl Thinakkural amidst escalating incidents of harassment of Jaffna media by the SLA soldiers, sources said. SLA conducted searches inside the building including editorial section, press section, administrative section and advertisement section, media sources said. Thinakkural officials said that the SLA obtained permission from the adminstrators, and then asked all employees to vacate the building before conducting the search. The search followed an incident earlier when the SLA sentry near Sivankovilady in KKS Road came under grenade attack by unknown men, sources said. The grenade did not explode, but the businesses around the area started to close. SLA came after a photographer who was taking pictures of events unfolding but the man escaped. Angered by this SLA troopers claimed that the said photographer worked for the Thinakkural daily and decided to search the office, sources said. Meanwhile, there was another grenade attack on the SLA sentry at the Nallur Kovil Road at 4.45 p.m Friday, sources in Jaffna said. Details of the incident are not yet known. Minister’s security turn outlaws Pistol-packing security men, allegedly attached to a Cabinet Minister from the Gampaha District had, after a enjoying a full meal at the Light House Hotel, Mabole in Wattala in the early hours of yesterday (6), brandished their weapons and refused to pay their bill of Rs. 1,800. They also demanded and took Rs. 1,000 from the proprietor. The proprietor has complained to the Wattala police that the group had entered the hotel in the small hours and left around 3.00 a.m. As they were carrying firearms he had given the money fearing they would turn violent. ‘The Island’ attempted to contact the minister to who the errant group is attached, but he could not be contacted. Claymore defused in Eravur Sri Lanka Army (SLA) bomb squad Friday 1 p.m. defused a claymore mine found in Puthukudiyiruppu in Eravur along Batticaloa-Valaichenai highway at Thuraichsamy junction, security sources said. The Road Monitoring Patrol of the SLA located the Remote controlled bomb was buried along the roadside. Eravur police said Army convoys that travel along the road might have been the likely target. Additional SLA troops have been brought to the area and heavy checking is ongoing, sources said. Puthukudirppu is located 12 km north of Batticaloa town. Eastern varsity
academics not allowed to carry out duties -FUTA Though the University functions there is no environment conducive to disseminate knowledge or to engage in research. "The Federation requests the Minister of Education and the government to look into the conditions prevailing at the Eastern University and make sure that the university teachers and others could work in undisturbed surroundings," the statement said. Batticaloa woman found knifed to death Ms Mahenthiran Kumutha, 28, a resident of Kali Kovil Road, Sinna Urany in Batticaloa was found dead with severe wounds to her neck near Sinna Urany Police post, about 300 meters from New Boundary Road Batticaloa town, sources said. The victim worked as a clerk in the Irrigation Department. Sinna Urany is located nearly 4 km north of Batticaloa town.Dead body was found 50 feet away from the road inside bushes. A cell phone and a knife were recovered by the police.Batticaloa Police said that investigations into the killing are on going and suspect that the victim was kidnapped from her house before being murdered.Area residents said they suspected the Armed Forces to have carried out the murder. Educator missing from Nelliady HSZ Rasaratnam Thevachandran, 29, a father of two children and Director of a popular private educational institute in Nelliady, 4km south west of Point Pedro town, has gone missing from Tuesday, 03 January, sources in Jaffna said. The Modern Education Center where Thevachandran worked is close to the Nelliady Police station, Sri Lanka Army (SLA) 52-4 Brigade Civil administration secretariat, and Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) offices located in the central part of Nelliady town. Students at the Institute said that Mr Thevachandran was present at the tutory on Tuesday, and stayed in the building after the tuition classes ended for the day at 9 p.m. to finish up some administrative work. When Mr Thevachandran failed to return home his relatives had gone in search of him and found his motor bike in the building premises unattended. Thevachandran's relatives filed a complaint of his disappearance with the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission and with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), Thursday. The complaint said that since Thevachandran disappeared from inside a secure area that contained Sri Lanka Police, SLA and EPDP buildings, the police, SLA officers and EPDP cadres are complicit in Thevachandran's disappearance. SLN bans fishing east, west of KKS harbor Sri Lanka Security Forces have banned fishing on seas east and west of Kankesanthurai Harbor High Security Zone (HSZ), stripping nearly six hundred fisher families from their livelihood, said K Thavaratnam, president of Jaffna District Consortium of Fisheries Unions. According to Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) officials the ban will be lifted only when violents incidents subside and Jaffna district returns to normalcy, Mr Thavaratnam further said. The new fishing ban affects shores from Thondamannar to Valvettiturai, to the east of the KKS harbor, and from Senthankulam to Mathakal, to the west of the KKS harbor, Mr Thavaratnam told TamilNet. The Consortium of Fisheries Unions has registered complaints with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and with Jaffna Government Agent (GA) Mr Ganesh. The SLN commanders in Jaffna had told the Jaffna GA that the new ban was instituted due to security considerations of the harbor and will be in effect until normalcy returns, the GA said. Meanwhile, many affected fishing families are planning to move to Liberation Tigers controlled Vadamaradchy east or to Mullaitivu where they will be able to fish and earn a living, sources said. 06 January 2006 Thousands
attend student funeral Shops and offices in Trincomalee also closed on Tuesday. R G Dharmadasa reporting from the north-eastern town in Sri Lanka said that there's a tense atmosphere in the town. A post mortem showed the students had gunshot wounds. The Tamil Tiger rebels have accused the Sri Lankan security forces of killing the students, although the army deny any involvement and the government has announced an inquiry into the deaths. After a call by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to bring the killers to justice the government appointed a committee of inquiry. R. Sampanthan, parliamentary group leader of the TNA told BBC Sandeshaya (Sinhala Service) that the killing was “state terrorism unleashed on the Tamils”. Speaking to journalists on Thursday, government spokesman Nimal Siripala de Silva said that that "any oversight or abuse of power will be dealt with severely". Elsewhere, military officials said one soldier was wounded when an anti-personnel mine exploded near the northern town of Vavuniya. The military blamed the attack on the Tamil Tigers, but there has been no comment from the rebels. The incident is the latest in a series of attacks that targeted army personnel last month, raising concerns about the peace process in Sri Lanka. LTTE informant was in Sri Lanka President's delegation, Indian officials warn Indian officials say Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa's security was jeopardised when a LTTE informant traveled with his delegation to India at the end of December. Indian intelligence sources have revealed to Sri Lankan authorities that the suspected LTTE informant traveled with the President and participated in key meetings with Ministers during President Rajapaksa’s three-day visit to neighboring India. “He traveled as a media personnel representing a private TV channel in Sri Lanka,” Indian security officials informed Sri Lankan authorities. “We have recorded his all telephone conversations throughout the visit and found he had passed some information to the LTTE links,” the report added. A Defence Ministry source confirmed the Indian warning but refused to give more details. Four army posts destroyed while funeral processions proceeding Two Army posts were set on fire and another two were attacked while bodies of students assassinated in Trincomalee on Tuesday were being taken to the cemetery. Bodies of the students were placed in a special podium built at the Koneshwara Hindu College grounds for the public to pay last respect. Our special reporter said over a crowd of 5000 including school children, teachers and parents braved a heavy downpour to participate in the funeral procession. Govt. 'Will put
pressure on Solheim' Health Minister Nimal Siriplala de Silva told journalists on Thursday that the government is "awaiting the arrival" of Norwegian peace envoy to "put more pressure on him and to try to see whether we could persuade," on having talks on a venue preferred by the government. "Let us compromise," he said. The Norwegian International Development minister Erik Solheim is due in Colombo on the last week of January in a bid to bring the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers to have talks on consolidating the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA). Efforts to bring the two parties to the table are faced with a deadlock due to a dispute on the venue. The Sri Lankan government insisted that the meeting must be in no man's land within Sri Lanka but later agreed to move to an Asian venue. Tamil Tigers who insisted that talks must be in rebel held in land have now accepted the offer by the facilitator to hold talks in Oslo. The government minister who is also it's spokesman who said that the government views the peace talks ''with an open mind'' told that the visiting envoy "must persuade the LTTE". "The role of the facilitator is to persuade the two parties to bring them to a common stand," he added. Sun was killed before father's own eyes-Daya Master The LTTE has condemned the killing of six students at Trincomalee and warned that the security forces would face serious repercussions of these killings. This has been stated in a press release issued in Tamil
by the LTTE political wing last night. Speaking to 'Lanka e News' about the killings of students, LTTE media spokesman Daya Master said that one of the students died from gun shot wounds before his father's own eyes. When 'Lanka e News' pointed out that the student's father could become an eye witness as a special CID team has been dispatched toTrincomalee on the orders of the President. When asked whether the LTTE would coerce him to give evidence, Daya Master answered in the affirmative. "But we do not trust police investigations of the government." Daya Master said. He recalled that several investigations had been conducted by the police on similar incidents earlier as well but added their results are yet to be seen. The implementation of the cease-fire agreement is the responsibility of the government, and if the government forces act in this manner violating the cease-fire agreement it is the responsibility of the government to declare that the cease fire has been abolished or about to be abolished. One youth killed, three injured in Valaichenai grenade attack Mr Kunam Thanus, 22, was killed and three others seriously injured when unknown gunmen hurled a grenade and fired gunshots at the youths Thursday night at 8 p.m. near a tailor shop in Kanagaratnam Road, Valaichenai, sources from Batticaloa said. The incident took place near Hindu collage in Valaichenai.Mathanraj, 20, Sarathkumar, 20, and Kala, 58, were identified were identified as the injured.The injured were rushed to Valaichenai hospital and later were transfered to Batticaloa hospital, medical sources said. The body of Mr Thanus is lying in the Valaichenai hospital mortuary pending postmortem examinations.Reason for the killing was not clear, Valaichenai police said.Valaichenai is located 32 km north of Batticaloa. Won’t revert to war says LTTE Jaffna LTTE political leader Illamparathi has assured they have no intention of reverting to war, and were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Norwegian facilitators to lay the groundwork for the early resumption of peace talks. Mr. Illamparathi gave this assurance to TNA parliamentarian S. Gajendran when he met the Jaffna political leader on Wednesday. Mr. Gajendran told the Daily Mirror the LTTE was not preparing for war but was prepared to resist attacks from the armed forces. “We mainly discussed the volatile situation in the Jaffna peninsula. Security forces have unleashed violence on innocent civilians. If the situation continues, agitation from people against the presence of armed forces in their homeland will grow in intensity”, he said. Meanwhile, TNA MP Gajendran Ponnambalam said more than one thousand families have already left the Jaffna peninsula in view of the deteriorating security situation’ in the area. “We have received information about more families planning to leave”, he said. When asked whether this exodus was being inspired by the LTTE, Mr. Ponnambalam replied: “The LTTE leadership has not asked the people to evacuate as far as I know”. Grenade attack injures woman in Trincomalee A Sinhala woman was injured when unidentified men threw
a grenade at a sentry point located near the Abeyapura Sinhalese settlement
near Trincomalee town, Thursday night, sources in Trincomalee said. Meanwhile, soldiers of the State armed forces who withdrew from the sentry points located along the route through which the funeral procession of slain five Tamil students went Thursday morning, returned Thursday evening and were seen reconstructing sentry points destroyed earlier in the day, sources said. Shots fired at Chandra’s car Unidentified gunmen shot at the vehicle of Subash Chandra
Fernando, the brother-in-law of former JVP leader Rohana Wijeweera at
Wellawatte last night, police said. Norway decides to withdraw support to EU terror list The Norwegian government yesterday announced it was withdrawing its support to the EU list of banned organisations to effectively carry out its peace facilitation in conflict-hit countries including Sri Lanka. Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre told a Norwegian newspaper that Oslo was making an important contribution to international peace and security through its involvement in peace processes. “Our efforts have won the recognition of the international community, including the EU and the United States. The government wants to intensify these efforts and we must therefore avoid a situation that makes it more difficult for us to have contact with any of the parties to a conflict,” he said. The LTTE is part of the EU list of terror organisations and last year a travel ban on EU states was issued against the rebel outfit following the assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar.Although Norway is not a member of the EU it aligned itself with the EU list of persons, organisations and entities set out under a common position on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism. Mr. Gahr Støre said following an overall assessment, the government had decided that it would no longer align itself with any other list other than those published by the UN. The foreign minister however stressed there should be no doubt that Norway clearly condemned all forms of terrorism and that his government’s decision did not imply any other change in its cooperation with the EU on measures against terrorism. “We believe that the role Norway can play in various peace processes means we act in accordance with the UN list, and so we cannot be linked to other lists. We will continue to have a close cooperation with the EU on terror, but we are not a member of the EU and have not had a part in composing their lists," Mr. Gahr Støre said. Man without National ID card, shot dead by SLA Rasaratnam Kuganenthiran, 24, also called Sinnathamby, a resident of Puthukkulam in Kiran Batticaloa was shot dead by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers Thursday 9.30 a.m. in front of the offices of a local NGO, Thadagam, on the Korakallimadu Batticaloa-Valaichenai Highway, sources in Batticaloa said. Sources said the Mr Kuganenthiran did not have the National Identity card in his possession. SLA soldiers involved in the shooting had told the Eravur Police that they fired in self-defence when the man tried to attack the soldiers, Police said.Mr Kuganenthiran is a father of one year old child.His body is still lying in the location where he was shot dead at the time of filing this report.No other details are available at the moment.Kiran lies 25 km north of Batticaloa town. Indian national shot dead in Colombo An Indian national was gunned down last night at Dehiwala by an unidentified gunman, police said. The victim had been identified as Arun Prasad, but police said they do not have any other details about him. Mr. Prasad succumbed to his injuries after admission to the hospital. Police also said they have launched an investigation into the incident to learn what the victim was doing in Colombo and to arrest the attacker. Claymore attack on SLA tractor in Vavuniya, 2 wounded Two SLA soldiers were wounded in a Claymore attack on
a SLA tractor at Thevakulam, near Ichankulam northwest of Vavuniya around
9:45 a.m. Thursday. One SLA sergeant with serious wounds was rushed to
Vavuniya Hospital, Police said. Seven soldiers were traveling in the tractor.
Postponing NE local elections requires new legislation Mr.Dayananda Dissanayake, Commissioner of Elections said
Tuesday that he has no authority to postpone the elections to the local
authorities in the North and East. Only District Returning Officers are
empowered to change dates of holding local elections, Mr Dissanayake said
at a press briefing held Tuesday at the auditorium of the Department of
Elections. Local government elections in the NorthEast are scheduled to be held in February as the extension given to the local governments lapses on January 25. NorthEast local elections have been postponed since 1994 after accepting nominations from parties and independent groups. About twenty percent of candidates who have submitted their nominations in 1994 have died. About nineteen percent of candidates have joined other political parties leaving the parties on behalf of which they submitted nominations to contest the 1994 elections. Nearly half the territory of local bodies in the North and East is not in the government controlled area. Some local bodies are completely not in the government-controlled area, said Mr Dissanayake. Revised voters registeres-2005 would come into effect only after May this year. Therefore, the Local elections should be held using the 2004 voters' registers before April this year, he said. MNA calls for merger of three electorates in the East Leader of the Muslim National Alliance, Nazeer Ahmed
has called on the Government to bring together Pottuvil, Sammanthurai
and Kalmunai electorates under one administrative unit. Justifying his call for the merger the MNA leader said in the past the Batticaloa district extended from Vihara to Thirukkovil but was divided to make room for what is now Ampara. This was done to facilitate Sinhala colonization of the region. 'There is no reason why the same cannot be done to accommodate the people of Pottuvil, Samanthurai and Kalmunai especially when one considers the increase in population'. Elaborating his stand further Ahmed pointed out that Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Mannar and Kilinochchi electorates in the North are districts by themselves. Nazeer Ahmed called upon the government to give quick effect to the agreement it has signed with the Muslim National Alliance 'so that inconvenience of the people of the region could be eased soon' Do what you are asked or go home-President raps Anura President Mahinda Rajapaksa has asked Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike to expel Tourist Board Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara or be prepared to leave the portfolio and if he is unable to do so, 'Lanka e News' has reliably learnt. Udaya Nanayakkara is a brother in law of Minister Bandaranaike as he was married to anura's elder sister Sunethra. Although the two are legally separated now Nanayakkara remains a close family friend of the Bandaranaikes. During Chandrika Kumaratunga administration, Nanayakkara was appointed Chairman of the Tourist Board while Anura was serving as Minister of Tourism. He was more close to Chandrika than Anura and was appointed Chairman of tourism Board on the recommendations of Chandrika. When President Rajapaksa assumed office he requested all chairman of Board of Directors of corporations to resign and some were reappointed on the instructions of the President but is reportedly not approved the reappointment of Nanayakkara. The Secretary to the Tourism Ministry Ramanujam has earlier stated that he was aware that Nanayakkara has been appointed as Chairman of Tourism Board. Minister Bandaranaike was outraged by the Ramanujam's statement and sent a letter severely reprimanding him for making statements to the media about the affairs of the Ministry. 'Lanka e News' has reliably learnt that Minister Bandaranaiake has refused to accede to the request made by the President to sack Nanayakkara. The President has retorted by saying that Bandaranaike should also be prepared to leave if he cannot expel Nanayakkara. Minister Anura Bandaranaike left of United Arab Emirates today to participate at the funeral of the Vice President of that country. He was accompanied by Minister A.H.M.fowzie and A.L.M.Athaulla. MGR fans in LTTE-held
area seek Jayalalitha’s support In a memorandum sent to the AIADMK Supremo, the Kilinochchi MGR Munnetra Kazhagam (KMGRMK) has said that she should realise that the Tamil people of Sri Lanka are living in fear of losing their lives. She should recognise their feelings and support the LTTE, it pleads. It is significant that Kilinochchi is the headquarters of the LTTE in Sri Lanka. An appeal of this sort can never be made unless the LTTE itself wanted it. "The Ceasefire Agreement exists only on paper. It is a dead letter because of the actions of the Sinhala government. Every day, the Sinhala government is killing people and harassing the Tamils through cordon and search operations. An undeclared fascist rule has been imposed on the Tamils of the North East, the hill country and Colombo city," the memorandum said "We hope you will understand the feelings of the Tamils under these circumstances and will continue to support them." "We were very enthused when we learnt that you had sensed the feelings of our brothers in Tamil Nadu and did not agree to meet the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he was on a visit to India recently." "You should fulfill the historic responsibility of bringing the Tamils of Sri Lanka and India together in action. You should also see that the people of Tamil Eelam secure the same kind of autonomy that Tamil Nadu and other Indian states enjoy, so that they are able to live in peace," the memorandum further said. The Tamils of Sri Lanka are happy that there is a growing movement in their favour in Tamil Nadu and that even the anti-LTTE Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa did not consider it proper to meet Rajapaksa, who the Sri Lankan Tamils consider a hard line Sinhala nationalist or a "chauvinist". MGR-Prabhakaran link It is not surprising that the appeal should come from an MGR fan club in Kilinochchi. MGR, who ruled the Tamil film world from the 1950s to the 1980s, was also immensely popular among Sri Lankan Tamils. He was liked particularly because he fully backed the LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, even giving him millions of rupees during his sojourn in Chennai in the 1980s. Tamil Nadu poet's call for self-determination in TN The various meetings and seminars held in Chennai in support of the Sri Lankan Tamils in the past week, have been fully covered in the Tamil press in Sri Lanka. On Wednesday, Thinakkural daily carried on the edit page, a speech made by the radical Tamil Nadu poet Inquilab, in which he said that it was time the people of Tamil Nadu were also made aware of their right to self determination. The right to self determination was a fundamental one, in as much as, it gave an ethnic group the right to leave a federation or a union if it thought it was necessary, the Tamil nationalist poet said. A union based on recognition of the right to self-determination was the most democratic one, Inquilab argued. According to him, Mahatma Gandhi in India and Lenin in the Soviet Union, had favoured a union of ethnic groups based on the right to self determination for each of them, but after their death, the leaders of these countries threw the concept out of the window. LTTE not to promote separatism in India However, the LTTE itself has made it clear that it is fighting only for the Tamils of North East Sri Lanka, and is not interested in promoting separatism in Tamil Nadu or anywhere in India. In an interview to the clandestine Voice of Tigers radio at the end of December 2005, the group's ideologue KV Balakumaran said that the LTTE would give moral support to ethnic groups in India which were fighting for their rights or greater autonomy, but it would not support separatism. "We would not act against India's interests, nor will we support separatist movements in India," Balakumaran said. Nevertheless, the rise of regionalist forces in India and their growing power at the Centre, were a welcome development as far as the Sri Lankan Tamils and the LTTE were concerned, the ideologue said. Indian Central governments, he noted, had become more sensitive to and accommodative towards regional and ethnic aspirations because rule by a single, all-India nationalist party, had been replaced by coalition governments comprising many regional/ethnic parties. 05 January 2006 Trinco mourns as hartal enters second day As the hartal that paralyzed life in Trincomalee town entered the second day, the organization calling itself the Tamil resurgence movement, declared yesterday as a day of mourning for the five students. Shops, government offices and schools remained closed and streets were empty in the absence of public transport and traffic. People stayed indoors given the volatile situation. Black flags flew over most buildings in the town. The funerals of the five students, who the Tamil organization charges, were shot dead by security personnel despite a vehement denial by the authorities, are due to be held today. The military authorities had earlier said the five youths were killed when a bomb they tried to hurl at the security personnel exploded prematurely, fatally injuring them. As the controversy over the cause of death raged, President Mahinda Rajapakse called for a report on the incident from IGP Chandra Fernando who had ordered a probe into the incident by a police team led by a DIG. IGP Fernando, when contacted by the Daily Mirror said the post mortem revealed the five students had suffered injuries caused by both shooting and bomb blast. Meanwhile, SSP Trincomalee H.N.B. Ambanwela visited the scene of the tragedy and conducted an investigation. According to police no untoward incidents were reported up to noon yesterday except three unsuccessful hand bomb attacks on an Army bunker at Uppuveli. No one was injured in these attacks. A new Tamil students organization styled the ‘North-East Tamil Student Group’ has also distributed pamphlets charging that the security personnel had shot dead the five students. Probe on deaths In a statement the Ministry said “initial reports from Trincomalee revealed that an accidental explosion of a hand grenade, held by a group of young men on the beach, killed five of them and injured two others on Monday night”. However, the Ministry said “after the post-mortem inquiry into their deaths disclosed that there were also wounds caused by gunshots, it has been decided to hold a full scale probe into the incident”. Sri Lanka to probe
Tamil killings Tamil groups blame security forces but they deny any involvement. Two survivors have said their attackers wore military fatigues. The killings come amid worsening violence in the north and east linked to Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict. 'Revenge' In Trincomalee on Wednesday tensions were high and shops closed in protest at the killings. They followed a series of mine attacks blamed on Tamil Tiger rebels in December in which more than 40 military personnel died. The Tigers denied responsibility, but the BBC's Dumeetha Luthra in Colombo says few in Sri Lanka believe them. She says some observers believe the killing of the Tamils in Trincomalee could have been revenge. Concern is growing that the country may be sliding back to war after years of conflict in which more than 64,000 people died. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera is in Washington for talks. He meets US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday. SLA's Deep Penetration Unit responsible for Claymore attack - LTTE LTTE's Political Head of Mannar District, Mr. Iniyavan, said Wednesday that there were two Claymore mines bound to a tree and wired to a triggering device operated a few meters away from the spot where LTTE Vavuniya West Political Co-ordinatar Major Jeyanthan was killed with a civilian supporter riding in a motorbike Tuesday. "A deep penetration unit of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) is known to operate from the Iranai Illuppaikulam SLA base," Iniyavan told TamilNet after showing the site to Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) members Wednesday morning. The Claymore explosion that claimed the life of Maj. Jeyanthan, took place 4 km near Chinnavalayankattu, 47 km east of Mannar. LTTE Commander Mahenthi and Iniyavan showed the location to truce monitoring official Joakim Robertsson from the SLMM Mannar District Office (DO2) Wednesday morning at 11:30, he said. Iniyavan further said that the Tigers had registered the activities of the "deep penetrating units" operating from Iranai Illuppaikulam SLA base charging that these units were "re-engaged" in reconnaissance missions and ambush operations in violation of the Cease Fire Agreement. Millionaire businessman 'Atlas Bala' dead Millionaire businessman N.Balendara alias 'Atlas Bala' who was admitted to the Colombo National Hospital yesterday with fatal gun shot injuries after being shot at by an unidentified gunman at Wellawatta succumbed to his injuries today. He owned luxurious Atlas bus service plying between Colombo and Jaffna. He was also a leading container transport service operator at in Colombo port. He was believed to have close links with the LTTE and said to have extended financial assistance to the organization. One of his sisters is married to a prominent LTTE activist and his son Kantheepan is an announcer at Shakthi FM radio. SLA fire seriously injures two Jaffna youths Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers indiscriminately fired at youths near Ainthusanthi (Five Junction) in the outer perimeter area of Jaffna town Wednesday 11.45 p.m. seriously injuring Rasaratnam Kandeepan, 25, from Urumpirai west, and Poolokasundaram Selvakrishnar, 30, from Manvetty Navanthurai, sources in Jaffna said. Both have been admitted to the emergency ward at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital, sources said.In a previous incident at the same junction on 22 December gunmen and SLA troopers had exchanged fire JVP rejects Oslo’s offer for talks The JVP yesterday rejected Norway’s offer for talks about Oslo’s role in the peace process and the criticism levelled at Minister Eric Solheim. JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa said his party would discuss any issue with Norway apart from the peace process until Norway stepped-down from its present role as facilitator in the country’s peace process. “We consider Norway as an opponent party of the Sri Lankan state. There is no doubt about its partiality to the LTTE and that’s why it has become the favourite lot of the LTTE. We don’t want to discuss or waste our time on anything that has already been proven,” he said. 'No instructions
on Chemmani' CID Police informed court that they are waiting instructions as the findings of the investigation has been already handed over to the AG. The magistrate who said that it is "unacceptable" that an inquiry takes so long, directed the CID to expedite the conclusion of the investigation. CID pointed out that DNA test results on the remains of the deceased are also due from India. The courts ordered police to be report the progress to court on May 17th together with instructions from the AG and the DNA results. Six soldiers who are charged with abduction and murder of Tamil civilians who were later allegedly buried in were also ordered to appear in court on that day. hundreds 'missing' Excavations in 1999 at a site in Chemmani near Jaffna revealed human remains. The excavations was witnessed by four international observers, including two from Amnesty International. Authorities were led to the site by a former soldier, Somaratne Rajapakse, who was sentenced to death for the rape and murder of a Tamil teenager in 1996. Post 1995 The ex-soldier told a court that hundreds of Tamil civilians were buried in Chemmani by the Sri Lankan army after the takeover of Jaffna. After the security forces captured the Jaffna peninsula from the Tigers in 1995-96, they detained large number of local Tamils on suspicion of being involved with the rebels. More than 600 of those who were held are missing and observers say it is unlikely that they are still alive. The Sri Lankan military has denied allegations that government troops killed hundreds of Tamils and then buried them in mass graves. Government tight lipped about alleged plot to kill media tycoon Maharaja Despite a complaint lodged with the Inspector General and the top government officials on the alleged plot to kill Mr. Raja Mahendran, who the owner of Sirasa, MTV and Shakthi media network-the Chairman of the Maharaja group of companies, it is reported that investigations are still to be launched in this connection. About three weeks back, the Chairman of the Maharaja Group had informed prominent government figures about the alleged plot and subsequently the IGP had contacted him over the phone to discuss the murder conspiracy. However Human Resources Manager of Maharaja Group, Priyantha Serasinghe told 'Lanka e News' despite queries made by the IGP, Police have still not recorded any statement either from the Head of Maharaja or from the alleged suspects. A former senior Army officer currently serving a jail term, an Army deserter, a high ranking Army officer and a politician are alleged to be involved in the conspiracy. A week end newspaper exposed details of the alleged plot last Sunday and according to the newspaper report the politician involved is Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremenayake. According o the same report the contract to kill the media tycoon has been handed over to underworld kingpin Prince. Sirasa media network was highly critical of the government at the last presidential election and gave wide publicity to the campaign of Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. As a result the media network earned the wrath of government Ministers and JVP Propaganda Secretary was one of the fiercest critics of Sirasa TV. Moreover Deputy Minister Mervyn Silva publicly branded owners of Maharaja Groups as pariahs and threatened to sent them packing to India. Wife dead, Husband injured in gunfire in Batticaloa Mrs Sepamalai Victoria, 32, was killed and her husband Vadivel Manokaran, 40, was injured in gunfire Tuesday night at 8.30 p.m. in Sethukkuda Batticaloa. The couple was talking in front of their house when the incident happened. The exact cause of gunfire and the motive behind the shooting is yet to be established, Police said. Both were rushed to the Batticaloa Hospital and Manokaran's condition is serious, medical sources said.Batticaloa Police is conducting investigations into the incident.Sethukkuda is in Puthur near Batticaloa Airport and is located 2 km west of Batticaloa town. Hundreds flee army held areas Heeding Kilinochchi’s summons for all families supporting or connected to the LTTE to return to rebel territory in the Wanni, residents and sources in the Jaffna peninsula confirmed yesterday that over 250 families had abandoned their homes in the area. Sri Lanka army officials however insist that only 90 families had left the peninsula Wanni-bound, a claim corroborated by the Mullaitivu and Jaffna Government Agents. Eyewitnesses however reported that hundreds of civilians, carrying their belongings in boxes and bags were fleeing the peninsula, allegedly fearing clashes between the LTTE and the army. The LTTE recently called on all Jaffna residents with connections to the organisation to return to the Wanni, warning of military attacks and a resumption of hostilities in the near future. Sources in Jaffna told the Daily Mirror that over 200 families had left the peninsula during the past two weeks and sought refuge in rebel controlled Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu districts. Many are said to be family and friends of LTTE cadres fighting in the North and East and fleeing what they termed as a military operation against “Maveerer families” or families who have given a loved one to the organisation or maintain close ties with the rebels. These families say the military is on the lookout for anyone either related or linked to LTTE cadres. They fear that the army will target them during their search operations and have begun to seek refuge with the LTTE, a source in Jaffna said. The army stepped up search and arrest operations in the Jaffna peninsula following the recent Claymore mine attacks in Jaffna and Mannar which killed over 20 soldiers.Speaking to the Daily Mirror, military spokesman, Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said according to their information, only 90 families had left Jaffna so far. He claimed all of these families had links to the LTTE. Brigadier Samarasinghe said that these 90 families had taken all their belongings and abandoned their homes in the peninsula to cross over to LTTE territory. He charged that it was in the houses of these families that the LTTE was amassing weaponry with which they were taking out Sri Lanka military targets. The Brigadier said that it was in these houses, troops were finding weapons. He said it was at the house of one of these families in Kondavil, troops found hand grenades and other weapons a few days ago. According to sources, the military permits families fleeing Jaffna to cross into rebel controlled areas via the Muhamalai check point, but occasionally grills families who attempt to cross with virtually all of their belongings. Jaffna Government Agent (GA) K. Ganesh said despite claims that hundreds of families were evacuating the peninsula, statistics he received showed that the actual figure was much lower. Mullaitivu GA Mrs. Imelda Suhumar told the Daily Mirror that so far 95 families have registered with her office seeking refuge for security reasons. The actual number may be higher she said as there are those who have not given their details to our office. sWe are trying to gather more information on how many may have come. She said the UNHCR was also seeking information on the families.The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) says it does not have confirmation of civilians leaving the Jaffna peninsula but warned that the situation in the north was extremely grim. SLMM Spokeswoman Helen Olafsdottir said that civilian life was being gravely disrupted by the recent outbreak of violence in Jaffna. Meanwhile Indian news agencies reported that several refugee camps in Tamil Nadu, that once housed Tamils who fled the war in Sri Lanka, are once again being prepared for a possible influx of refugees. Most of the Tamil refugees returned to Jaffna following the dawning of peace between the government and the LTTE in 2001. The evacuation of the peninsula has resulted in fears that there could be mass exodus of Jaffna as there was during the military’s Operation Riviresa in 1995. Some 500,000 people fled the area on the orders of the LTTE as the Sri Lanka army was advancing to regain control of the rebel-held region.International agencies have called the October 1995 exodus--one of the worst humanitarian crises in Sri Lanka,and one of the largest displacement of human beings in a single day anywhere in the world. LTTE weapons ship in Mullativu, Sri Lanka President summons commanders Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has summoned the security forces commanders amidst rising fears of a return to war. Intelligence reports meanwhile confirmed that a LTTE ship with a large quantity of weapons and ammunition is now at sea off Mullativu. “President orders to increase the security in North and East,” Presidential Secretariat sources told ColomboPage. It is reported that the Navy and Air Force have started a joint operation to stop the alleged ship and have urged Indian authorities to support their initiative. Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda has briefed the President on the latest development in the Eastern Command and discussed the strategy as well, sources added. Over the last few days, the LTTE has openly violated the Ceasefire Agreement and shown interest in returning to war against the security forces, sources claimed. SLMM, Army at loggerheads over evidence As the security situation was weakening in Jaffna, relations between the SLMM and the military also appeared to be strained, with the monitors accusing the armed forces of withholding evidence linking the recent wave of attacks to the LTTE. The SLMM and the army were at loggerheads yesterday after the military claimed it had evidence to prove the LTTE was behind most of the recent violent acts in Jaffna while the SLMM said such evidence was never furnished to them. Military Spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe said while the ground commanders in the Jaffna peninsula had information linking the attacks to the LTTE, the details would be furnished when the monitors refer the matter to them during an impartial inquiry they are supposed to be conducting. SLMM spokeswoman Helen Olafsdottir expressed outrage at the army spokesman’s statement saying the monitors had often urged the military to provide any evidence it may have if it was to implicate the LTTE. “The army often releases statements claiming to have evidence to prove that the LTTE is behind attacks. If the army has such evidence against the LTTE then it goes without saying that such evidence should be forwarded to the ceasefire monitors for inquiries. They shouldn’t wait for us to ask for it,” she said. Brigadier Samarasinghe said the military understood the SLMM had its own limitations with regard to ruling on these attacks, and said there were certain situations in which the SLMM could not gather necessary information to make a ruling. Miss Olafsdottir said the SLMM would be contacting the army hierarchy to demand the evidence they claim to possess against the LTTE. Election Commissioner
advised to hold Provincial and Local govt. elections Provincial Council and Local government minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon has told the Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake to hold the elections for all local bodies on the same day under the preferential system . .The minister has taken steps to cancel nominations received earlier for some Municipal councils, Urban councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas where the elections were postponed due to unavoidable and emergency situations in the North East areas. In a cabinet memorandum submitted in this regard it has been stressed that there were 71 local government bodies in North East and at the local government elections held on 20 March, 2002 Members for three local bodies were elected . On 25 March 2002 for elections were held in 8 local bodies in the Ampara district. Nominations were called thrice for 7 local bodies in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts, yet no one had handed over nominations. Nominations were called for the balance 53 local bodies but due to emergency and unavoidable circumstances elections were not held for them to date. Under the powers vested in the Commission of Elections under the Elections Ordinance elections for these 53 local bodies were postponed from time to time Nominations for these local bodies were received in 2002. The Elections Commission has pointed out that a majority of the registered voters in some of these areas had gone abroad or were living in refugee camps. Meanwhile nearly 22 candidates who had handed their nominations had died and the nominations were therefore cancelled. The minister in his cabinet memorandum has recommended to amend the Local Government Elections Ordinance due to the minimum age limit of some candidates who were in the minimum age group and handed over nominations had exceeded 35 years limit. Also a considerable number of candidates had died, displaced or switched their political allegiances, gone overseas. 04 January 2006 Dramatic peace move by President Weeratunga may visit Kilinochchi Amidst growing tension in the North, President Mahinda Rajapakse is reported to be considering a dramatic peace move and a top-level team headed by Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga may go to Kilinochchi for talks as early as this week, informed sources said yesterday. During the presidential election campaign, Mr. Rajapakse though generally taking a hardline, had repeatedly offered to hold direct high-level talks with the LTTE and said he himself was ready to meet LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. The sources said the bold new peace move was being actively considered by the President’s inner circle including top ministers. Presidential Secretary Weeratunga is regarded as the closest confidant and most powerful advisor to the President and his talks in Kilinochchi might pave the way for the highest level meeting. However, LTTE spokesman Daya Master said yesterday there had been no official request for such a high-level meeting in Kilinochchi. He also sounded a pessimistic note by saying the situation was too volatile for such a direct high-level meeting. The President’s move came a few days after Norway announced that its minister and former special peace envoy Erik Solheim would be making a four-day peace mission to Sri Lanka from January 23 in a bid to save the peace process and revive the talks between the government and the LTTE. LTTE Major killed in Claymore attack Major Jeyanthan, Liberation Tigers Vavuniya West area political head and a civilian, Mr. Vinotharan Thevarasa, were killed when a Claymore mine exploded hitting the motorbike in which they were riding in LTTE controlled area at Valaiyankattu in Mullikkulam, 45 km south of Mannar town, LTTE sources said. The Claymore mine was allegedly exploded by a group of Sri Lankan soldiers around 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, according to the sources. The LTTE official, Maj. Jeyanthan, killed in the Claymore attack was a disabled cadre who had lost one of his legs, the sources added. The bodies of Major Jeyanthan and Vinothan were taken to Kilinochchi. Tamil businessman shot, injured in Wellawatte Mr Balenthiran, a Tamil businessman and father of two children, was shot and seriously injured by unknown gunmen on Tuesday night 10.30 p.m. at Wellawatta in Colombo, near the Rolex Bakery, sources in Colombo said. He was rushed to the Kalubowila Hospital in critical condition and is expected to be transferred to Colombo General Hospital, medical sources said.Motives behind the shooting is not known.Sources say that the gunmen came in a white van and drove away after the shooting.Mr Balendran is the owner of Atlas travels which serves Colombo-Jaffna travel service, according to sources.His father, Mr Kandipan, is an announcer at the Shakthy Radio. Oslo offers talks with JVP Norway yesterday expressed keenness to have bilateral talks with the JVP over the allegations by the party that Norway and particularly its minister Erik Solheim, were biased towards the LTTE and complicating the peace process. Norwegian embassy spokesman Tom Knappskog told the Daily Mirror that although Olso was directly dealing only with the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, it was ready to discuss concerns raised by the JVP on the role of the facilitator. “Norway came in as a facilitator to Sri Lanka on the request of the government and the LTTE. So we are answerable only to the two parties of the ceasefire agreement. However, we will be more than happy to meet with the JVP to discuss various concerns raised by it on our role,” Mr. Knappskog said. The JVP has often accused Oslo of being biased towards the LTTE and in a statement last week condemned remarks made by Norway’s International Development Minister and former special envoy Erik Solhiem on the current situation in the North. Mr. Solhiem had expressed his government’s concerns over the situation in the North and urged both the government and the LTTE to resume direct talks without making the venue an obstacle. The JVP insists that the venue for the talks has to be carefully thought out and was critical of Mr. Solhiem for noting otherwise. When asked to comment on JVP MP Wimal Weerawansa branding Minister Solheim as a “white Tiger” the embassy spokesman said Oslo would not be willing to get into a debate on such comments made by a political party but would rather meet and iron out issues. Mr. Knappskog said that apart from the JVP, Oslo was also prepared to meet other Sinhala, Tamil or Muslim political parties to gather their viewpoints in relation to the peace process in Sri Lanka. Bombs hurled at Sinhala home and Army bunker in Trinco Army sources said two grenade explosions rocked violence torn Trincomalee around 8.30 tonight. The bombs were thrown at a Sinhala home and an Army bunker close to the Trincomalee town, but no injuries were Army sources reported. Sources from Trincomalee said the Sinhala home that came under attack today has constantly been frequented by members of the Karuna faction. Chief Hindu priest shot dead in Kiran Sellathamby Visagaratnam, 55, Chief priest at the Santhively Kannagi Amman temple was shot dead by unknown gunmen on Monday night at 10-30 pm at Alaiyadychcholai in Kiran Valaichenai, sources in Batticaloa said. The priest was sleeping in his hut inside the Liberation Tigers controlled region of Kiran when he was shot, the police said.The priest has four children.The body has been taken to Chenkaladay Hospital for postmortem examinations, hospital sources said. Sri Lanka rejects LTTE's offer for prisoner exchange The Sri Lankan government has turned down the LTTE’s offer for a prisoner exchange. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake says it is impossible for the government to exchange prisoners with a terrorist organization, meeting all their demands. He made this comment after relatives of three policemen detained by the LTTE asked him to consider the Tigers’ request. The relatives met the Premier last week to discuss the policemen’s release. After meeting with the LTTE, inter-religious leaders conveyed to the government that the LTTE is willing to exchange the policemen for LTTE members taken into custody for violating the law and order. “Every possible step would be taken for their release through the influence of international organizations,” Prime Minister Wickramanayake said. He also stated that the government is continuously engaged in this effort, although it is not possible for it to exchange prisoners. The policemen, attached to the National Child Protection Agency, were detained last year for entering a LTTE-controlled area in order to arrest an absconding pedophile. Two SLA soldiers wounded in grenade attack in Batticaloa Unidentified attackers riding in a motorbike lobbed a
grenade on Sri Lanka Army troopers seriously wounding two soldiers who
were on duty at a checkpost on Bar Road in Batticaloa town, near Batticaloa
Railway station. The attack took place around 01:45 p.m. Tuesday, Police
said. SLA soldiers and policemen cordoned off and searched the area following the grenade attack. Soldiers injured in Jaffna Police said the gunmen who were hiding in the shop had shot the Army men. Following the incident shops and other establishments along Kashthuri Road in Jaffna were closed. PLOTE member killed Meanwhile, the body of Krishnamoorthi Thirunawakarasu alias Mani who went missing from Weppankulam, Vavuniya has been found in a jungle area between Vavuniya- Medawachchiya Roads. Police said two identity cards, driving licence and some letters of Peoples Liberation of Tamil Ealam (PLOTE) confirmed that it was the body of Thirunawakarasu. PLOTE accused the Tamil Tigers of abducting Thirunavukarasu on Saturday evening. Meanwhile, the relatives of the three policemen under LTTE custody were in Killinochchi on Tuesday to witness the hearing of their case in LTTE courts. The case was postponed saying that the investigations
are not complete. He recalled that two directors who served in the same capacity before Sanoon had also contributed immensely to uplift Muslim education in the country. They were M. M. Kudoos and M. Kaleel. ‘They too had done a good job’ aid the MNA Deputy Leader and former Member of Parliament. Uthman Lebbe called upon the authorities to find a suitable to fill the vacancy. He notified the government there might be pressure to fill the vacancy with a political appointee and cautioned the Minister Premjayanth not to succumb to such pressure. He went to urge the Minister to appoint a director only on merit so that the good work carried our by the previous directors would be continued without a break. TNA accuses Security forces of killing Tamil youth in Trinco The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Tuesday charged that the State armed forces have killed five Tamil youths in Trincomalee town and injured two others. "The five youths killed came by their death as a result of gunshot injuries. The terror of the State's armed forces has been unleashed against the Tamil people. It would be futile for the State to think that the Tamil people can be suppressed in this way," TNA said in its press release issued Tuesday. The full text of the press release follows: Five innocent Tamil youth have been deliberately shot and killed in cold blood by security forces around 7.45 p.m. on 2nd January 2006 on the road close to the beach abutting Dockyard Road and the road leading to Fort Frederick at Trincomalee. Two other innocent Tamil youths sustained serious injuries at the same time and place caused by a grenade explosion. The Tamil youths killed are: (1) Thangathurai Sivanantha (Engineering student-Moratuwa University (2) Logithasan Rohanth (3) Shanmugarajah Sajeenthiran (4) Manoharan Rajeehar and (5) Yogarajah Hemachandran. Youth 2 to 5 have completed their GCE (Advanced Level) examination and were awaiting either admission to university or employment. The two Tamil youths grievously injured are Pararajasingham Kokilaraj who has completed the GCE A/L examination and Yogarajah Pookulanlon who has been admitted to the Engineering Faculty. It is customary for people to assemble at the beach or close to the beach in the evenings. These youths were together engaged in a conversation and enjoying the fresh air. From a three-wheeler which went past them a grenade was thrown causing an explosion and injuries to the youths. Following the grenade explosion an armed services vehicle arrived at the spot, from which armed services personnel alighted. The five youth who have been killed were severely assaulted, and though initially they were put into the vehicle, they were later pushed out of the vehicle and shot. Three of them sustained gunshot injuries on the head, while the other two sustained gunshot injuries to the abdomen and chest. The five youth killed came by their death as a result of gunshot injuries. The armed services vehicle left the scene immediately thereafter. Civilians were prevented by other armed services personnel on duty from going to the scene. It was after some considerable delay that the dead bodies and in the injured persons were taken to the General Hospital, Trincomalee. This has been a brutal and unwarranted attack on innocent Tamil youth, all of whom have been engaged in higher studies. The terror of the State's armed forces has been unleashed against the Tamil people. It would be futile for the State to think that the Tamil people can be suppressed in this way. The Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchchi (The Tamil National Alliance) strongly condemns this cowardly and despicable act We call upon the President and the government to immediately have the offenders arrested and brought to justice. The armed forces have been authorized according to reports to open fire against any one who attacks them. In this instance, no one carried out any attack against the armed forces. There is nothing to suggest that such an attack was carried out against the armed forces. The armed forces carried out a deliberate attack against innocent civilians and fled the scene. We call upon the President and the Government to take immediate action to prevent innocent Tamil civilians being terrorized by the armed forces in this manner. The death of these five innocent educated Tamil youth and the grievous injuries caused to two others, would indeed be a great loss to their families. Parents with children of about the same age should be able to realize how immense such a loss would be to their respective families. We extend our very sincere and deep felt sympathies to these families. Sgd: R.Sampanthan 03 January 2006 Five
youths killed in Trincomalee The north and the east has been tense during last weeks as attacks escalated against the security forces. More than 40 soldiers were killed and many more injured in bomb blasts in Jaffna and surrounding areas. Tamil National Alliance(TNA) parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham was killed in Batticaloa during the Christmas Mass. DMK committed to protecting Sri Lankan Tamils: Karunanidhi The DMK Monday said it was committed to "protecting
Sri Lankan Tamils from atrocities". "The prime minister is not averse to the demand," Karunanidhi said after a meeting with allies at the DMK headquarters here. The DMK heads a bloc of parties from Tamil Nadu supporting the central government. "The United Progressive Alliance government's decisions are DMK's too. However, we are firm that Sri Lankan Tamils should be protected from atrocities", he said. The MDMK and PMK have repeatedly urged the Indian government not to provide military backing to Sri Lanka. MDMK leader Vaiko, expressing disappointment with New Delhi's stand on Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse's visit to India, had said Sunday: "... the Sri Lankan army has been guilty of ceasefire violations. Rather than taking a partisan stand, India should have urged the country to get on with the peace talks immediately." No 'unitary', no support-Hela Urumaya The Hela Urumaya will definitely withdraw its support to the President, if he shunned the unitary state concept, policy formulator of the party, Patalee Chanpika Ranawaka warned. He reiterated JHU's stand that Norway should be chased away from the country. However the decision whether to keep Norway or not lies with the President, but he has no such liberties with 'unitary' concept, Ranawaka asserted. What really happened at the 2005 presidential election was that Rajapaksa joined the national movement built by Hela Urumaya and not Hela Urumaya joining the Rajapaksa campaign, he explained. The JHU reached a 12 point national consensus with Rajapaksa and the Mahinda Chintana was based on that agreement and as long as the President functions within that framework, the JHU will continue to support him, but if he goes against that agreement, the JHU would oppose him and would make the public aware of the situation, Ranawaka stated and added that the JHU supported Rajapaksa not to build a 'Dharma Rajaya' (virtuous society) but to create s formidable leadership that could face up to LTTE terrorism while upholding the unitary state. "Minister Mangala Samaraweera did not consent to a united country while in India. If he did so we would have withdrawn out support at that moment itself. Not even the President, let alone Mangala, could sign such an agreement with India. If he did so, his mandate too will become null and void from that moment itself" Ranawaka further said. Air Force ready to shoot down Tiger aircraft, if any The Air Force will not hesitate in neutralizing the LTTE’s air power if and when the need arises Air Force Commander Air Vice Marshall Donald Perera said yesterday. "We should not think the LTTE has built an airstrip and acquired two light aircraft for the fun of it," he said adding that the Air Force had definite information on the light aircraft in the possession of the LTTE. There was also information that a second airstrip is being built by the LTTE also in a location within the area under their control in the Mullaitivu district. He said should the LTTE try to fly its aircraft the SLAF will not hesitate to shoot them down. He said the SLAF staff committees had discussed the subject in depth and personnel of the SLAF had been briefed about the action necessary to be taken in the event of a contingency related to the aircraft in the hands of the LTTE. Defence Intelligence has gathered information about the airstrip built by the LTTE at Iranamadu, in the rebel controlled area, as well as information about their possession of two light aircraft. Two Vadamaradchy women complain of sexual assault by SLA Two women from Malusanthi, a village located 3 km southeast of Point Pedro town on the Jaffna Point-Pedro, road registered complaints with the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commision (SLHRC) offices in Jaffna Monday that they were sexually assaulted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers around midnight Sunday, sources in Jaffna said. The SLA troopers had allegedly taken the man occupant of the house outside for questioning and in the meantime other soldiers inside the house had sexually assaulted the two women, the complaint said. When the women screamed to fight back the attackers the troopers threatened to kill the man, the complaint further said. The complainants requested the SLHRC to provide adequate saftey from future attacks.Civil society sources in Jaffna allege that SLA troops are arresting increasing number of women during middle of the night for interrogation and are sexually assaulting them.Number of complaints registered with the SLHRC has shown alarming increase in sexual assaults in the last several weeks, according to officials of the SLHRC. 'No evidence'
on Kadirgamar suspects Officers from the crime division of Colombo police told the magistrate that they would not oppose releasing the two suspects, K.Thirukumar and S. Sivaranjan, on bail. International condemnation Pointing out that only a High court can release suspects of a murder trial on bail, the magistrate ordered the police to produce the report on Wednesday. Minister Kadirgamar was shot dead in his private residence in Colombo, in August last year. The murder was internationally condemned. The government accused the Tamil Tigers of killing the minister, who led an international campaign against the LTTE, but the rebels denied any involvement. Magistrate Weerawardhana further remanded seven suspects of the trail until 16 January. Sri Lanka Foreign Minister off to United States Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera is leaving for the United States on a three-day official tour. During his stay in the USA, he will meet Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and a few other dignitaries, Foreign Ministry sources said. “Minister Samaraweera’s visit is scheduled just after his returned from India and is more significant as far as Sri Lanka’s peace process is concerned,” a Foreign Ministry official said. The USA has warned the LTTE against escalating violence in the North and East, urging them to renounce violence altogether. The LTTE has allegedly killed 60 security force members after President Mahinda Rajapaksa took over the country’s top political job. Police Department to be modernized A central automated finger printing system with Swedish assistance is to be set up connecting island-wide police stations to expedite investigations on criminals and terrorists, the Inspector General of Police said. IGP Chandra Fernando told Daily Mirror yesterday that the system will be introduced within this year and is expected to cost Rs.700,000,000 million. The system will expedite police investigations and will minimize criminal activities in the country he said. Under this system all police stations will be provided with computers and other facilities to carry out DNA tests and finger print matching instantly.. According to the Police Chief, the new system will help the police to identify any suspect, who had been listed as an accused in earlier cases. He expected the system to be introduced soon. He said presently police carry out finger print tests manually, but the new system would bring the force up to international standards. The IGP said that within a year the Police Department would be modernized and recruit 2,500 more policemen. He said that within the first three months 1,000 cadres would be recruited, while another 1,500 would be recruited by the end of the year. According to the IGP, all police stations would be provided with new vehicles and other electronic equipment including new communication systems. Plans were also underway to upgrade police stations to make the stations more public friendly and sophisticated he said. Mannar youth missing Mr.Navaratnam Thiyogu Vasanthakumar, 25, who was taken away by three masked men on the 26 December night has not returned home yet, his wife, Ms Siromi, 23, mother of four year old girl Monday lodged a complaint with the Mannar Citizen Committee, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and the Sri Lanka Human Rights Commission (SLHRC), civil society sources said. Mr.Vasanthakumar is a native of Silavathurai in Mannar district but later he shifted his residence to Talaimannar Pier area, sources said. According to Ms Siromi, three masked men had entered her house that night and asked her husband about the house of one Mr Bosco. Thereafter the masked men had asked her husband to accompany them. The Mannar Police and the Sri Lanka Navy have denied any involvement with the arrest and disappearance of Mr.Vasanthakumar when the complainant approached them, sources said President orders probe into DIG barring media President Mahinda Rajapakse yesterday ordered Inspector
General of Police Chandra Fernando to hold a special inquiry in to Sunday’s
incident where a person, who claimed to be a DIG barred mediamen from
covering his visit to the Sacred Sri Dalada Maligawa. On Sunday a group of journalists, who were assigned to cover the President’s visit to the Sri Dalada Maligawa, were turned away because they did not have the 2006 media accreditation cards. Civilan shot dead in Eravur Unidentified gunmen, riding in a white van, shot and killed an owner of an electric workshop at Vantharumoolai, 5 km northwest of Eravur, Police said. The shop owner was at his workshop located on Batticaloa - Valaichenai main road when the gunmen shot and killed the victim with a T-56 rifle around 9:30 a.m. Monday. The victim, Veerasingham Prapaharan, 35, was a supporter of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, according to civilian sources.The gunmen fled the site in their van on the main road, civilian sources added.Veerasingham's shop is located in a tight security area of the Sri Lanka Army and the Police. Some in Sri Lanka see civil war on horizon When the clock strikes midnight, Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels change a note at the top of their Web site. The cease-fire agreement "enters into 1409 days today," it read Monday. What many Sri Lankans are asking, though, is when will the updates stop - and the cease-fire end? In a surge of violence, 45 soldiers have been killed and 71 wounded in December ambushes blamed on the rebels. Government troops have killed seven suspected rebels. The two sides have traded accusations about the slaying of a pro-rebel lawmaker at Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve. Residents of this island nation worry the tit-for-tat killings could become all-out war. "Very definitely, there are indications" of a return to war, said retired Air Marshall Harry Goonetilleke. The two-decade war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Sri Lankan military ended with a 2002 truce after 65,000 deaths, 1.6 million people displaced and large parts of northern and eastern Sri Lanka under Tiger rule. But after six rounds of peace talks, negotiations ended in April 2004. An uneasy peace has held ever since. The last talks failed over the rebel demand for autonomy, which the government believed could be a major step toward dividing the nation of 19 million into one state for majority Sinhalese and another for the minority Tamils. President Mahinda Rajapakse won Nov. 17 elections on a pledge that he would never allow the country to be divided. The Tigers have already created a de facto state in
the island's north and east, home to most of the country's 3.2 million
Tamils, complete with their own military, judicial system and even traffic
police. "The LTTE appears intent on forcing a war upon the government" said Jehan Perera, an independent political analyst. "The LTTE is making it evident that it is prepared for war." The rebels may want war now because they may be ready
for it - while the government is not. The rebels have held back from war, at least in part, because of their wish for recognition as a political movement. Many countries, including United States and India, now call them terrorists. "The LTTE's strong desire for international recognition is a factor that needs to be built into any government strategy" for talks, said Perera. The rebels have denied any involvement in recent killings and say they are ready for talks. They accuse the government of trying to isolate them from the international community. However, the careful planning and execution of recent attacks make the Tigers the main suspects, given their expertise. The rebels are considered a formidable military machine. They recruit boys as young as 13 and make members wear cyanide capsules around their necks so they can commit suicide if captured. They run training camps and equip their 3,000-4,000 fighters with tiger-striped uniforms and sophisticated arms. And they have tens of thousands of sympathizers. On the other hand, the Sri Lankan government is cash-starved. In the 2006 budget, the defense allocation of $892 million has little set aside for new weaponry, said Goonetilleke. The new military commander, Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka, admits that much of the military hardware is obsolete. The rebels draw their funds from an estimated 800,000
Tamil expatriates, including many who fled the country after the 1983
anti-Tamil riots that also saw the beginning of the civil war. 01 January 2006 Indo-Lanka defence deal dumped India and Sri Lanka seem to have dropped the much-touted Defence Cooperation Agreement, the parameters of which were agreed between the two countries at Heads of Government level in November 2004. The joint statement issued following the state visit to New Delhi by President Mahinda Rajapakse this week does not contain a reference to this proposed agreement. This agreement was worked out between former President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi in November 2004. "During the discussions on the Defence Cooperation Agreement, it was resolved that a bilateral Defence Cooperation Agreement and the MoU on the rehabilitation of the airfield at Palaly would be signed between the two Governments on mutually convenient dates," the Indo-Lanka joint statement of November 8, 2004 issued in New Delhi and Colombo stated after President Kumaratunga's state visit to India. Last Friday's joint statement following the Rajapakse-Singh summit talks made no mention of this, questioning the continuity of such discussions at heads of government-level no less. Nor has the subject figured during pre-visit diplomatic consultations, The Sunday Times has learnt. It is well known that the pro-LTTE lobby in Tamil Nadu, which is part of the Manmohan Singh coalition in New Delhi, has successfully thwarted the Indian government from pursuing this agreement. The Sri Lanka government that was nudging the Indian side to sign this agreement, it seems has just dropped the issue to placate the Indians. Ironically, this was after President Kumaratunga's then Defence Secretary, Cyril Herath discussed the contours of such an agreement with his Indian counterparts during a visit to New Delhi. Thereafter, then Indian Defence Secretary was due in Colombo whilst en route to Thailand to sign the agreement. Another shift in the positions has been on the Sethusamudram Canal Project. The November 2004 joint communiqué referred to an agreement that "an exchange of views on the economic and environmental aspects in relation to Sri Lanka would be arranged between the technical experts of India and Sri Lanka". Ignoring this solemn pledge following the Kumaratunga-Singh summit talks, and before any "exchange of views on the economic and environmental aspects in relation to Sri Lanka" was arranged, the Indian government went ahead by cutting the first sod for the project in the state of Tamil Nadu on July 2, 2005. Prime Minister Singh who was a party to that agreement with President Kumaratunga himself did the honours at the ground-breaking ceremony for the canal project. The Indian government reacted to Sri Lankan economic and environmental concerns expressed by then Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar by saying that New Delhi would still study these concerns. Mr. Kadirgamar had then expressed reservations that India had proceeded with the canal project without informing Colombo despite the November 2004 pledge. Friday's joint communiqué has now shifted from the original position taken up by the two governments in November 2004, with the Sri Lankan side also made to concur with India to the notion that "the project would bring in its wake development opportunities". The only other reference to the subject came in an oblique way when Indian defence officials sounded out Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapakse on the prospects of their involvement in the development of the Kankesanthurai harbour -- a factor that would have given them leverage with the ongoing Sethusamudram project. There was a further surrender on this controversial point,
when Sri Lanka conceded to the study of the environmental (the economic
aspects in relation to Sri Lanka has been dropped now) concerns "as
and when necessary". JVP Up In Arms Against Dalai Lama The Marxists Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna is leading a major campaign against the visit of most Ven. Dalai Lama to Sri Lanka, according to sources from foreign ministry. The leader of the JVP, Somawansa Amarasinghe and several other JVP leaders had already started a campaign against his visit to the foreign ministry. The JVP is believed to be appeasing its communist ally China who has a brutal past of repressing the Buddhists in Tibet. According to reliable source, JVP had instructed its media personnel to link Dalai Lama’s visit with UNP efforts to mar diplomatic goodwill between China and Sri Lanka. Dalai Lama had been using nonviolence to counter the Chinese state terrorism for decades and a renowned Buddhist spiritual leader with over millions of ardent devotees all over the world. Give peace a chance- Jaffna Bishop "In the dawning of the new year 2006, the Government
of Sri Lanka, Liberation Tigers and all communities must resolve to give
peace a chance," said Bishop of Jaffna, Thomas Saundaranayagam, in
a new year message delivered Sunday in Jaffna. "Reconstruction efforts after the devastating tsunami, and other rehabilitation efforts to recover from the destruction after the wars, have been hampered by unacceptable delays. "Meanwhile, a new President has been elected to lead Sri Lanka. Although he has promised to bring peace to the people, the current situation has not given hope for must optimism. "In Jaffna district, Sri Lanka Army presence, number of sentries and random checking of civilians have all increased. People fear a war is imminent. "I pray for thoughts of peace and happiness to fill peoples' hearts, and the fear of war to disappear. A climate of peace where people can lead their lives with dignity and in peace should prevail. "Parties should genuinely commit to the Memorandum of Understanding. Peace process should accommodate and advance just and fair demands of the Tamil people. "I wish and extend my sincere New Year greetings to all Tamil people and everyone in the World," said Bishop Saundaranayagam in his new year message. Govt. must take back lands from the LTTE says Kotakadeniya Advisor to the Defence Ministry on Police Affairs and former DIG, H.N.G.B. Kotakadeniya says the government must take back the lands illegally acquired by the LTTE in the north and east. He told The Sunday Leader that if President Mahinda Rajapakse was committed to solving the ethnic crisis under a unitary state, the security forces must first take back the lands that have been wrested by the LTTE and give the Tamils protection. "The LTTE robbed the lands belonging to the state. As much as the Tigers did it illegally, the government too must take back the lands by force," he said. He said the lands had to be taken back even by waging war with the LTTE. "There would be human sacrifices. But cannot be helped during a war situation," he added. Gunmen attack SLA patrol, 2 wounded in Jaffna Two Sri Lanka Army soldiers were wounded when unidentified gunmen lobbed a handgrenade and opened fire at an SLA patrol in Varani, northeast of Jaffna in Thenmaradchi at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. The attack took place between Varani market and the SLA's 52-4 Brigade Head Quarters in Varani, SLA sources said. The attackers lobbed a handgrenade 100 meters away from the main entrance of the Brigade HQ, sources added.The soldiers wounded in the attack were rushed to Palaly Military Hospital with serious wounds.All roads in the area were blocked following the attack. India wants President to strike deal with UNP Indian Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh called on President Mahinda Rajapakse to work closely with the main Opposition United National Party and develop a consensus to forge a lasting settlement to the ethnic issue. The Indian Prime Minister's advise came during their meeting in Delhi after President Rajapakse explained his plans to settle the issue though maximum devolution of power whilst preserving the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka. President Rajapakse was also told by the Indian Premier, his government would support the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity within a united and undivided Sri Lanka. However, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh explained India's inability to get directly involved in where in Sri Lanka's peace process by assuming the role of a co-chair. The President was also told of the political consideration and alliances in India with the south which made it difficult for it to get directly involved in the peace process or offer military assistance. UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who met with the Indian Prime Minster prior to the presidential election has assured he would if elected work with the SLFP to forge a southern consensus in terms of the Oslo Communique within a United Sri Lanka. The Indian Prime Minister had recommended Wickremesinghe's offer to the President. The UNP leader it is learnt is also scheduled to visit India next month where a meeting with Prime Minister Singh is on the cards. During President Rajapakse's visit, India had also arranged a briefing for the Sri Lankan delegation on her model of federalism. In a joint statement issued after the President's visit this fact was specially adverted to at the request of the Indian side. "The Sri Lankan side thanked the Indian side for the presentation during the presidential visit on distribution of powers between center, states and local government in India" the joint statement read. The statement, while silent on any agreement to preserve the unitary character of the state said the two sides agreed that an enduring solution can only emerge through internal political processes that promote consensus and reconciliation. India reiterated its support for a process of seeking a negotiated political settlement acceptable to all sections of Sri Lankan society within a framework of an undivided Sri Lanka and consistent with democracy, pluralism and respect for human rights, the joint statement added. India also reiterated its abiding interest in the security of Sri Lanka and its unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. PLOTE cadre abducted in Vavuniya Krishnasamy Thirunavukarsu, 26, also called Mani, a paramilitary operative of the People's Liberation Organisation of Thamil Eelam (PLOTE), was abducted by unknown persons at 10.30 p.m. Saturday from his home in Veppankulam in Vavuniya, Police sources in Vavuniya said. Reports from Vavuniya said, the intruders announced themselves as Vavuniya Police and when Mr Thirunavukarasu opened the door, he was subdued and driven off in a vehicle. Solheim coming despite JVP protests Norwegian Minister for International Development Erik Solheim will arrive in Sri Lanka this month despite JVP protests against his continued participation in the peace process. The pending visit clearly indicates that the government, having reaffirmed Norway’s role as facilitator, will have to deal with Solheim whether the Marxist party or any other allies like it or not. "Sri Lanka has clearly told Norway that she would like to deal with the Norwegian Government as an institution," said a senior Sri Lankan diplomat, speaking of anonymity. "Our contention is that there should be professional approach to the peace process, not a personalised one." "Norway understood that," he continued. "They also said, however, that if the Sri Lanka Government accepted Norway as a facilitator, then Norway should be able to decide who should represent them." Nevertheless, Norway has agreed "as a gesture" to appoint an additional special envoy. This would broad base Norway’s work here. However, that selection will be made only after Solheim’s January 23 visit. The JVP last week lashed out at Solheim, protesting against what they claimed were attempts to issue orders to the government of a sovereign nation. They accused him of "placing a sovereign state and a murderous terrorist organisation on an equal status". They also speculated that the Norwegian minister may be indirectly affiliated with the LTTE. The JVP were referring to a statement Solheim had issued earlier last week, where he said: "The Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE have the responsibility for safeguarding the Ceasefire Agreement. "The two parties to the CFA must meet urgently to discuss ways and means to strengthen the implementation of the Agreement," he said. "The focus should now be on the need to stop the bloodshed and prevent further loss of life. The CFA must be upheld to prevent the further escalation of violence. "The GOSL and the LTTE should put aside the discussion on venue and meet face to face as soon as possible." The JVP lamented that Solheim had not expressly condemned the activities of the LTTE. "Mr Solheim has not noticed that the Tiger movement has conducted attacks, on more than one occasion, targeting government army and police officers`85 in the recent past." "The whole world has appreciated the amazing patience and discipline of the Sri Lanka Government security forces over these provocations. Even a small child could understand that a serious situation would have escalated if the security forces did not maintain that patience and discipline. "In the circumstances, Mr Erik Solheim, as the peace coordinator, emphasising an equal responsibility of maintaining the peace process by Sri Lankan Government and the Tiger movement, without condemning the serious terrorist activities continuously carried out by the Tiger movement, is not reasonable. "A similar emphasis could be made only by someone who is affiliated at least indirectly with the Tiger terrorism." The JVP has demanded an apology from Solheim but none has been forthcoming. Meanwhile, foreign ministry sources confirmed that Norway had announced Solheim’s visit only after getting the nod from Colombo. The JVP had requested President Mahinda Rajapakse at a meeting on December 21 to remove Solheim from the peace process. Analysts noted that despite the tense security scenario, Solheim’s visit has been scheduled to begin only on January 23. They also commented that there doesn’t seem to be an undue hurry on the part of both sides to rush the trip in the context of the present situation in the north and east. Mannar Police interrogates, detains photographer Mr.Thevarajah Kirubakaran, 29, father of one child and a photographer by profession, was taken into custody by the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) on December 29 at the site where a claymore mine was recovered near the Mannar Bishop's House and is being detained in the Mannar Police Station for further investigations. SLN handed over Mr.Kirubakaran to the Mannar Police on December 30, human rights sources said. According to police sources, Mr.Kirubakaran is from Jaffna and was arrested near the scene with a camera in his possession. His wife Ms Santhalaksmy, 26, of Aandankulam in Mannar district was refused permission to see her husband at the Mannar police station. Mannar Police has told her that Mr Kirubakaran will be produced in Mannar Magistrate Court on completion of the investigation, civil sources said. Retired Brigadier
promoted Fernando, from the Mechanical Engineers, a batch mate of Defence Secretary (Retd) Colonel Gotabhaya Rajapakse, was also in the presidential delegation to New Delhi. Contrary to speculation Gotabhaya Rajapakse is unlikely to see himself promoted to the rank of Major General. Successive governments offered promotions to security forces and police officers and in some instances retired officers were recalled to the services to the disenchantment of the serving officers. Two Mannar fishermen reported missing Mr.Jeyaraj Terrance aged 25, father of two children and Mr.Sanmugam Govindan aged 36, both fishermen from Kitaspathiri, Pesalai in Mannar district have been reported missing since December 28, sources from Mannar said. According to complaints lodged with the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Mannar and Mannar Citizen Committee by Ms Subashini (25), wife of Mr.Terrance and Ms. Shanmugavelu (56), mother of Mr.Govindan, both had gone for fishing in Mannar Sea in a fibreglass boat on December 28 but have not returned yet, sources said. However, both fishermen had handed over their day catch to fellow fishermen who were returning to the shore on December 29 around noon in mid-sea, stating that they would be back following day, complainants said.But both fishermen have failed to return on December 30 and December 31 till noon, complainants said.Complaints had been lodged with the Talaimannar Police Station on December 29 regarding this matter, sources said. SLA conducts house-to-house search in Ilavalai Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers cordoned off and conducted
a house-to-house search Mailankudal area in Illavalai 12km north of Jaffna
town Saturday for nearly four hours from 7 a.m, sources from Jaffna said.
The search area included Mareesankudal where two vehicles belonging to
Halo Trust, robbed Tuesday from the Organization's offices in Nallur Jaffna,
were later found abandoned. Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor of Jaffna Campus, Prof Mohanadas has informed that the lectures at the University will recommence on the 2nd January, Monday. This will be the first day after the recent student unrest after the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers attacked the student and staff during a peaceful protest near Parameswara Junction last week. Vectone Sinhala
team resigns The Vectone television, managed by a British-based Sri Lankan entrepreneur, has terminated its Tamil channel last month. The bbcsinhala.com learns that although nine-member Sinhala team has tendered their resignations, the management is yet to decide whether to continue with the channel. Vectone media group started its Sinhala television programmes in September this year. Churchill may
have let Gandhi die But his ministers persuaded him against the tactic, fearing Gandhi would become a martyr if he died in British hands. Gandhi was detained in 1942 after he condemned India's involvement in the war but never went on hunger strike. Many British officials initially took a hardline stance to the possibility of such action. The Viceroy of then British-run India, Lord Linlithgow, said he was "strongly in favour of letting Gandhi starve to death". But senior government figures, such as former foreign secretary Lord Halifax argued: "Whatever the disadvantages of letting him out, his detention would be much worse." Eventually in January 1943, ministers decided that although they could not give into a hunger strike publicly - they would be willing to release the spiritual leader on compassionate grounds. "He is such a semi-religious figure that his death in our hands would be a great blow and embarrassment to us," said Sir Stafford Cripps, then Minister for Aircraft Production. Failing health But Churchill had said he would prefer to keep Gandhi locked up and let him do "as he likes". However, he added: "But if you are going to let him out because he strikes, then let him out now." Gandhi was eventually released in 1944 because of fears his failing health meant he could die in British custody. He was assassinated on 30 January, 1948, aged 78, after Indian independence. The full papers are on display at the National Archives in Kew, south-west London. ehk;;
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