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31January 2008 LTTE calls for recognition of separate state Bicycle bomb blast kills 3 in Jaffna A bomb explosion has occurred in the Thirunalveli Ariyapadam market area in Jaffna at around noon today (Jan. 31st), reports say. Around six civilians were rushed to the Jaffna Hospital with serious injuries. Three of them succumbed to the injuries, hospital sources say. Security authorities believe that the bomb had been fixed to a bicycle. India trying its ’87 pranks again – JVP India violated the territorial sea and air space of Sri Lanka in 1987 when the army was defeating the LTTE terrorists during the Vadamarachchi Operation. It was once again trying to stop the victories of the armed forces as it did during the time President J. R. Jayawardene was in power. At that time India made him sign the Indo Lanka Accord and accept the Provincial Council System, JVP parliamentarian and trade union leader K. D. Lalkantha said yesterday (30).He was addressing the 8th anniversary conference of the State Priniting Worker’s Union at the Government Press Auditorium Borella.He said India does not like to see the Sri Lanka army defeating the LTTE because it was the godfather of the LTTE terrorists. "It cannot get over the fact that our army was defeating the LTTE which, India with world’s sixth the largest army, could not defeat. India does not want to see the Sri Lanka Army getting credit for defeating terrorists," he said President J. R. Jayawardene’s arm was twisted and he was coerced to accept the Provincial Council system in 1987 but it was an illegal and undemocratic political intervention by India. The Provincial Council system had become a white elephant and it had deteriorated our education system, health and public transport services and had brought disaster to our country. Lal Kantha said the Government should vanquish terrorism from the country but it had to give the people in the North and East their basic rights. However parceling out separate regions on the ethnic lines, like one region for Muslims and anther for Anandasangaree or Douglas Devananda was going to create a worse confusion than at present he noted.India was trying to interfere politically and also economically trying its best to control Sri Lanka. The Government was now considering the handover of the Trincomalee oil tank farm, and open an Indian oil refinery and open up 154 new fuel filling stations throughout the country with the assistance from Indian Oil Company. Ceylon Electricity Board will like this idea as they can get fuel to run their power plants but in the long run India would have the upper hand to control our economy he said.Sri Lanka was an independent sovereign state and no one had a right to interfere in our internal affairs. Just as we do not interfere in their internal problems like Kashmir we don’t want India to interfere in our affairs though she is called our Big Brother, he said. Another committee on 13th Amendment The government decided last evening to appoint a cabinet sub-committee, headed by the Prime Minister, to seek out ‘ways and means’ of implementing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in full.The All Party Representative Committee (APRC), in its interim report submitted to the President on January 23, recommended the implementation of the 13th Amendment as an initial step towards resolving the ethnic conflict.The decision to appoint this sub-committee was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by the President last evening. The committee comprises the leaders of the political parties that are in the ruling coalition. Viyattankulam Falls as Troops Encircle Adampan Srilankan troops advancing east from the general area Manthai and Thiruketheeswaram Kovil yesterday captured the village of Viyattankulam situated less than 1km west of Adampan Town. The SLA also destroyed 6 LTTE bunkers at Pallaikuli along the Uylankulam-Adampan road. 5 Tiger bodies were recovered from this attack. SLA claims it killed at least 21 Tigers in these attacks. SLA advance from Manthai and Uylankulam towards Adampan.The bodies of two wildlife officers have been found at a tourist bungalow at Wasgamuwa Wildlife Sanctuary yesterday. The two officers had been shot dead by unidentified gunmen, suspected to be from LTTE. Police and SLA are conducting search operations in the area. If the attack was conducted by LTTE, the security to Kandy, Matale and Polonnaruwa could be jeopardized. The forest cover at Wasgamuwa, which is around 40,000 hectares, extends as bush into Wilgamuwa, Laggala and the Mahiyanganaya-Kandy Road and can potentially shelter small attack teams. The Wasgamuwa Park is a vital part of Sri Lanka's eco-tourism industry. Three siblings shot dead in Thenmaraadchi Armed men who came on motorcycles shot and killed three siblings at Choalaiyamman Koayiladi in Ma'nduvil in Thenmaraadchi in Jaffna Peninsula, Wednesday night around 8:00 p.m., sources in Chaavakachcheari said. The attackers, alleged to be members of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Field Bike Squad, surrounded the house, ordered the members of the family to go inside a room for inquiry and sprayed bullets on them, killing two, including a mother of two children while the children narrowly escaped from the bullets. The victims were identified as Palasundaram Baskaran, 30, Thushyanthan Paleswari , 21, mother of two, and Palasundaram Parthipan, 19.Baskaran and Paleswari were killed on the spot. Parthipan succumbed to his injuries hours later, caused by the lack of timely medical attendance. The killings have taken place in the same area where recently three bodies of youths abducted and shot dead had been dumped by the killers.The centuries old Chaiva temple located in Choalaiyamman Koayiladi is a much venerated temple with historic significance.Chaavakachcheari police and Divisional Magistrate Court are investigating into the killings. TN 'bans' support to banned LTTE Chennai, Jan. 30 The Tamil Nadu government today declared that expression of support to banned organisations like the LTTE in any form would be an offence under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and warned of action against those who violated the law.Announcing this in the State Assembly, Public Works and Law Minister Duraimurugan, said after a detailed discussion at a high- level meeting, chaired by Chief Minister M Karunaidhi, it was decided to invoke ''The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967) against those who express support to the the banned outfits. A day after announcing in the Assembly that the government was open for enacting a special legislation to curb the expression of support to banned outfits, the Chief Minister discussed the issue with senior civil, police officials and Advocate General and decided to invoke the above existing law, he said.Besides himself, Finance Minister K Anbazhagan, Chief Secretary L K Tirupaty, Advocate General Masilamani, Home Secretary, Law Secretary, Director General of Police, Addtiional DGP (Intelligence) took part in the discussion, Duraimurugan said.Under the Unlawful Actitivies (Prevention) Act, it would be an offence to offer support to any banned outfit by organising campaign meetings, distributing phamplets, pasting wall posters, holding demonstrations, taking out rallies and observing fast, he said.Those who violated the law, whether they were individuals or functioning under the banner of an association or organisation should take the government's announcement as a warning and desist from expressing support to banned outfits, Duraimurugan said. ''Those who violate the law will be subjected to penal action under the law'', he warned. Police seize body armour in Medawachchiya A large stock of protective jackets, of a type worn by de-mining personnel, were seized by police at a roadblock in Medawachchiya, last afternoon, while being transported in a lorry without the necessary documents. Police searched a lorry belonging to an NGO named Solidar, which was transporting domestic utensils, on suspicion, and found 67 protective jackets hidden in a cardboard box amidst other items. The driver and the cleaner of the lorry, who are Tamil nationals, had been taken into custody since they failed to produce the documents necessary for the transportation of these items. OIC Medawachchiya Police Anura Kodituwakku, told the Daily Mirror that the items were being transported from a storeroom in Anuradhapura to a warehouse in Nellikulam, Vavuniya. The suspects are being detained for further investigations. Japan welcomes APRC proposals Japan has welcomed the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) proposals. A statement issued by the Japanese Foreign Ministry said the Government of Japan appreciates this as an important step towards the political solution of the conflict. The Government of Japan sincerely hopes that the devolution will be duly implemented in accordance with the proposals,” it added. “The Government of Japan notes that the final package for a lasting and durable solution will be formulated in the APRC process soon. The Government of Japan strongly hopes that a final political solution will be achieved in a manner that all the parties concerned including the LTTE will be involved,” the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. It said the Government of Japan, by dispatching peace envoy Yasushi Akashi to Sri Lanka from January 13 to 15, reiterated its appeal to those concerned that efforts should be made not for a military solution but for a political solution through dialogue.“The Government of Japan intends to observe closely the situation in Sri Lanka , and continue to support with the international community the efforts of the Government of Sri Lanka towards the political solution of the conflict.” VCK leader justifies demand for lifting ban on LTTE Thol Thirumavalavan, President of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), an ally of the ruling DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) in Tamil Nadu, today justified his demand for lifting the ban on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).Defending his stand, the Dalit leader, talking to newspersons here, said his demand to seek lifting of the ban on LTTE and recognise the organisation as people's movement, was his individual freedom of expression and democratic right. "This is our stand. If the law seeks to punish us for taking the stand, we are prepared to face it," Mr Thirumavalavan said, even as the State Government announced that those who expressed support to banned organisations like the LTTE would be punished under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.Flaying the Sri Lankan Navy for placing the sea mines on international waters, the VCK leader urged India to launch a war against Sri Lanka to protect Indian fishermen.The Centre should also take steps to get back Katchativu, which had been handed over to the Island Government. Though Indian fishermen had the right to use the island for drying their nets and taking rest, they were seldom allowed to go near it, he said.Thirumavalavan, who led an agitation against the Centre's order, prescribing a minimum of 60 per cent of marks for scheduled caste candidates to avail scholarships said this would ruin the career of students and deny them opportunities to take up higher studies.To press the Centre to withdraw the Government order, the VCK would organise protest demonstrations in district headquarters, throughout the State on February five, he said. While protecting killers, drug dealers: While Minister Mervyn Silva and his bodyguard "Kudu Nuwan" who assaulted Rupavihini News Director T.M.Chandrasekera are being protected by President Mahinda Rajapakse,a group of thugs have assaulted the institution's News Producer Hemantha Mawallage who dared to criticise the attack on his colleague,Gampaha District UNP MP Jayalath Jayawardena said on Tuesday.He,told a news conference in Colombo that Mawallage was lying at the National Hospital in a serious condition after being assaulted and stabbed for exercising his democratic right to freedom of speech."It is in this environment that the government has the audacity to invite us to participate in its independence day celebrations.How can we celebrate freedom when democratic rights are being stifled with impunity?"The attack on Mawallage proves that there is no freedom in this country.Those who speak out against the wrongs and injustices committed by the government are killed or end up with broken limbs and bones,Jayawardena said."The Pesident has lost control of not only his cabinet of ministers but the law and order situation in the entire country."Urging the media not to be intimidated by government goons,Jayawardena said that the UNP will continue to agitate for the restoration of media freedom."Do not forget that the draconian criminal defamantion law was repealed during our rule.The UNP does not believe in empty slogans.We always deliver on our promises." HL:Fraud scheme may have funnelled funds to Tamil Tigers, police say TORONTO _ A routine traffic stop has sparked a widening probe of a debit-card fraud that Toronto police suspect may have funnelled funds to the outlawed Tamil Tigers. After a motorist failed to halt at a stop sign Monday, police in east end Toronto searched his rented vehicle and found plastic cards carrying the debit data of bank customers in the United Kingdom. Now four men face multiple charges of attempting to loot bank accounts in Britain. The four two of them visitors from Britain and two of them Toronto residents are all of Sri Lankan origin. Det. Scott Whittemore says that in visits to two homes, police discovered calendars and posters promoting and Sri Lanka's insurgent Tamil Tigers, a group outlawed in Canada. While voicing support for the group is not an offence, providing it with material support has been illegal since April of last year. Police are investigating whether any of the four men has financial ties to the Tigers. Such connections are always hard to prove, Whittemore said Wednesday. In March of last year, a report by the New York-based Human Rights Watch went further than merely asserting that Canadian money is fuelling the insurgency. The report stated that in Toronto, Tamils acting on behalf of the Tigers have committed widespread extortion and intimidation against their compatriots. ``Families were typically pressed for between $2,500 and $5,000,'' the report's authors wrote, ``while some businesses were asked for up to $100,000.'' Lankan air force targets LTTE base; 67 killed Child recruiting continues - UN child soldiers in Sri Lanka According to the information received by UNICEF, in the period between October 2006 to August 2007, Tamil Tigers had recruited or re-recruited 339 children. It says that 41% of them were from Batticaloa. "Among the 6,221 children registered on the UNICEF database as having been recruited since 2001, 1,469 cases remain outstanding, including 335 chidren under 18 as at August 2007". The report says. UNICEF has also received confirmed reports that 246 children had been recruited or re-recruited by Karuna group during the reporting period. Regarding specific issues of concern, the Secretary-General points to the close link between child recruitment and internal displacement, noting that the lack of security around refugee and internally displaced person (IDP) camps and the “convenient concentration of vulnerable children” make these camps “prime recruiting grounds.” Karuna faction recruiting in IDP camps Ban Ki-moon also accuses the Karuna faction of such activities. "There have been reports that the Karuna faction have abducted and recruited children from IDP camps in Sri Lanka, while in the DRC, children have been recruited from camps in North Kivu Province by forces loyal to rebel leader Laurent Nkunda". Another concern is the escalation in “systematic and deliberate attacks on schoolchildren, teachers and school buildings” in certain conflict situations, including Afghanistan and Iraq, which warrants increased attention and action by the global community, the Secretary-General states. War Criminals to International courts Report says, "according verified reports, 46 children were killed and 79 maimed owing to the conflict".It also blames for Sri Lanka Military and the Tamil Tigers for bombing and shelling of schools and the death and injury of students and teachers. Mr. Ban says the Security Council should consider a range of measures, including bans on military aid and travel restrictions on leaders, targeting parties to armed conflict who continue to systematically commit grave violations against children. He also encourages the Council to refer violations against children in armed conflict to the International Criminal Court (ICC). In this regard, he points to “important precedents” set to end impunity for crimes against children. 30January 2008 Madhu blast death toll rises to 20 Children die in S Lanka bus blast Heavy fighting The incident came as the military said that it had captured territory in the north-west and killed 22 Tamil Tigers. Military spokesman Brig Udaya Nanayakkara said that the Tigers were being "hammered on all fronts" and were trying to tarnish the image of the military and the government. The army said that more than 40 rebels and three soldiers were killed on Monday. The BBC's Roland Buerk says that the heaviest fighting is taking place on front line around Mannar. On Tuesday soldiers pushed across the defences there, according to the military. The military said that it had captured small areas of land fortified with more than a dozen bunkers in two separate battles. Our correspondent says that the government refuses to allow reporters into the conflict areas and the casualty figures cannot be independently verified. The civil war has intensified in Sri Lanka since earlier this month, when the government pulled out of a ceasefire with the rebels, who want an independent state. The military is hoping to wipe out the Tigers by the end of this year. President Mahinda Rajapaksa says he will also produce a political solution to resolve the Tamil minority's complaints of discrimination. Tamil Tigers say Sri Lankan offensive beaten back Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels said they have beaten back a major offensive by government forces in the northern Jaffna peninsula.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they resisted a pre-dawn three-pronged assault in the area, one of several areas from where government troops are trying to push into the rebels' northern mini-state."A Sri Lankan attempt to attack the LTTE forward defence lines along Kilali, Muhamalai and Nagarkovil in Jaffna... has been thwarted by LTTE defenders," rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiriyan said in a statement.The statement said the Tigers had captured rocket propelled grenade launchers from retreating government forces, but gave no details of casualties.Earlier this month the Sri Lankan government pulled out of a Norwegian-brokered truce, arguing the rebels were not interested in peace and asserting that it has the upper hand in the long-running civil war.Fighting has since escalated in the north of the island, with the defence ministry claiming progress on the ground and colossal rebel casualties.In its latest report, the ministry said at least two rebels were killed in fighting in the northern district of Vavuniya on Tuesday.The pro-Tiger Tamilnet.com meanwhile said the guerrillas killed five government soldiers and wounded 15 in fighting in Mannar district on Tuesday.The Tigers had also accused the military of setting off a powerful roadside bomb inside rebel-held territory on Tuesday, reporting that 18 people, including 11 school children, died in the attack. The military denied the charge.At least 817 rebels and 30 soldiers have died since the start of January, according to defence ministry figures. Fighting has also claimed at least 85 civilians in the same period, according to both sides.The government and the LTTE are known to give wildly varying casualty figures which cannot be independently verified. Sri Lanka does not allow media personnel to visit the frontline areas and rebel-held territory.Tens of thousands of people have died since the LTTE launched its campaign to carve out an independent homeland for minority Tamils in the majority Sinhalese nation in 1972. APRC recommendations rich with vision - GL The recommendations of the All Party Representative Committee presented to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, by the Chairman of the Committee, Professor Tissa Vitarana, are enriched with an important vision that will usher in peace in the country besides tremendous development islandwide, Export Development and International Trade Minister Professor G. L. Peiris told the Ven. Tibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Mahanayake Thero of Malwatte yesterday.Prof. Peiris, briefing the Mahanayake on the recommendations of the APRC, said that devolution of power to the Provincial Administration was an important aspect.The country’s development depends on regional level development. With the devolution of power to the local bodies the local political leadership is left to plan policies for the development of the respective provinces without depending on policy making in Colombo, he said.Social and economic benefits are numerous since the local leadership has the freedom to plan development based on the resources available in the locality, he saidCiting an example Prof. Peiris said that the Kandy and Matale districts are rich in minor export produce and the Nuwara Eliya district is a vast source of tea. The Central Provincial administration, enjoying devolved power, has the liberty to plan its economic policy, based on the available local resources.Similarly, the local political leadership is empowered to frame laws and economic plans for the development of the respective regions. The people of the Eastern Province are to elect their representatives shortly. This will help the people in the East to develop their province through their political leadership.At this stage the Most Venerable Mahanayake Thero said that some political groups were reluctant to enter the fray due to the existing security situation.Prof. Peiris responded saying that necessary steps would be taken to restore democratic rights.The Mahanayake Thero expressed the hope that the proposals of the APRC when implemented would bring back peace and amity to the country.The prelate wished that all political groups would give serious thought to the implementation of the most suitable plans and policies to ensure development. High casualties reported as heavy fighting rages in North Heavy clashes were reported along the northern front lines in the last two days with both sides making contradictory claims on the number of casualties as the propaganda war also intensified.The government said that clashes were reported in Mannar, Muhamalai and the Welioya sector with heaviest fighting reported from the Palaikuli area in the Mannar just south of the strategic Adampan junction.The Defence Ministry said that over 18 Tigers were killed in the area in the fighting in the area in the last three days. The Media Center for National Security meanwhile said that nine Tigers were killed in Welioya and an additional four in Killali on January 28 and 29. The Tigers claimed to have killed 35 soldiers and injuring 75.The Government said only one soldier was killed.Government forces are closing in on Adampan, that lies on the connecting road to Vidalathivu, the main Tiger supply base on the north western coast according to the Defence Ministry. Yesterday the Ministry said that forces had taken control of Viyattankulam, a village just west of Adampan. It said that 22 Tigers had been killed and 16 bunkers destroyed.However the Tigers said that cadres had pushed back the government offensive at Adampan and that the security forces had reverted to small-scale skirmishes in the area. They said six small clashes had been reported in and around the Giant Tank area that lies east of Adampan on January 29.Meanwhile the pro-Tiger Tamilnet said that the military was burying dead soldiers close to the battlefield."Dead soldiers, except officers, were being buried in Mannaar. The number of SLA soldiers losing legs in LTTE laid booby traps have increased, forcing SLA to transport only the wounded from the battle zone. Recently, a high ranking officer was killed in a heavy fighting with the Tigers in Paalaikkuzhi area. Tigers claimed that at least 35 troopers were killed in the clash. 75 were wounded," Tamilnet said. Sri Lanka: Paalakulli Attacks Repulsed – LTTE Mannar - Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan security forces (SF) clashed in Paalaikulli area in Mannar, Vilathikulam, Vavuniya area and Killali area when SF troopers tried to advance into the LTTE held area using heavy artillery and mortars on Tuesday. The LTTE repulsed the attacks by the SF troopers, at least 5 SF troopers were killed and 15 SF troopers were wounded, according rebel sources in Mannar. The SF troopers and LTTE clashed six different battlefronts in the Mannar and Vavuniya area as SF troopers used heavy artillery fire but faced the stiff resistance from LTTE cadres and SF troopers incurred heavy losses and retreated to their original positions, informed sources from military said. Sri Lankan government recently unilaterally scrapped the truce pact which was signed between the LTTE and the GoSL in February 2002 under the Norway mediation. The civil war in Sri Lanka killed at least 80,000 people while half a million people internally displaced and over million people externally displaced. At least 5,800 people have been killed in last two years alone, a right group said LTTE artillery attack does not deter normal flights – SLAF Despite Monday morning’s LTTE artillery attack, on the Palaly Air Base, targeting the aircraft flying the Defence Secretary, Army Commander and Chief of Defence Staff, compelling it to return to base, both, civilian and military aircraft, resumed normal services from that afternoon itself, Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Andy Wijesuriya said.The shells missed the Air Base.LTTE directed 15 rounds of artillery fire on the Palaly Air Base forcing the pilot to divert the aircraft and return to Colombo without landing. However around 11.45 am on Monday Air Force jets located the LTTE artillery at Kalmunai Point in Pooneryn and destroyed the gun emplacements, Air Force sources said.The Russian built AN-32 aircraft flew Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Chief of Defence Staff Donald Perera and Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka for the inauguration ceremony of the Mechanised Infantry Brigade at the Palaly Air Base on Monday morning.Asked whether the Air Force pounded the same LTTE artillery gun position once earlier in Pooneryn, Andy Wijesuriya said that it cannot be confirmed since the LTTE keeps moving its gun positions from place to place.Certain high ranking military officials, asked on Monday about the incident, denied any knowledge of the LTTE artillery attack on the Palaly Air Base and some even denied that the top military trio had left Colombo for Jaffna. When newspapers were groping in the dark to get confirmation on the incident it was Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa himself who confirmed the incident and said that the aircraft was compelled to return to Colombo amidst intense artillery fire by the LTTE. TMVP wants protection The TMVP was facing new threats following its decision to bar its military cadres from civilian areas in the east, TMVP spokesperson Azath Moulana told The Morning Leader.He added that the TMVP had requested the government for more security following killings and abduction of its members in the east last week."The government has agreed to provide us with more security following these incidents," Moulana added.The TMVP on January 18 ordered all its military cadres to confine themselves to the jungles and not to enter any civilian areas in the east until the end of the local government elections."Now we are under more threat as most of our military cadres are in the jungle areas. We have requested the government for more protection to our members. The government has agreed to do so," Moulana added.Several political parties including the main opposition UNP and the TNA decided to boycott the elections due to the prevailing security situation in the east.Moulana however stated that the situation was conducive to conduct the election despite these incidents."The incidents took place in Ampara. The poll will be held in Batticaloa. The security has been tightened in Batticaloa. Therefore, the election can be conducted as scheduled. There is no need to delay," Moulana added. Fisherman shot in deep seas off Dondra A fisherman sustained injuries when his boat came under fire from an unidentified craft in deep seas off Dondra Point in the South, reports say. He was among five fishermen who went out to sea from Devinuwara yesterday (Jan. 29th).Around 60 nautical miles off Dondra Point, they had hailed the unknown boat, when one of its occupants fired at the fishermen, wounding one.According to reports, the Navy has brought the wounded fisherman ashore for treatment. Sri Lanka: Where journalists live dangerously Sri Lankan journalists are going through a trying period. Government leaders are taking a hard line on media freedom, with even senior media persons facing death threats and murderous assaults. Media watchdogs, both national and international, have publicised serious incidents of intimidation by the state and other agencies directed against media organisations. But President Mahinda Rajapaksa denies any repression. "The media here is free. Newspapers are full of criticism against the government," Rajapaksa pointed out recently. However, incidents of intimidation abound. The latest scary case was the stabbing of Suhaib M Kassim, the associate editor of the state-owned Tamil daily Thinakaran at his house here on Monday. The watchdog Free Media Movement (FMM) said the attack on a senior journalist like Suhaib demonstrated the "vulnerability" of journalists in "highly militarised" Sri Lanka. Last week, two unidentified men stabbed journalist Lal Hemantha Athula Mawalage of the state-owned TV station "Rupavahini" while he was on his way home. Mawalage had come into the limelight when he delivered a fiery speech against the controversial Deputy Labour Minister Mervyn Silva, who had stormed into the TV station and assaulted news director T M G Chandrasekhara December 27. Angry TV station staff then beat up minister Silva. The incident was shown on all TV channels to the embarrassment of the Rajapaksa government. While the minister went scot-free, Chandrasekhara was transferred to the post of director of research. The media reported that Chandrasekhara sought the transfer "citing threats to his life". The FMM said that on January 7, three leading journalists with MBC TV and Radio Network that covered the Rupavahini episode were threatened with death by the underworld. MTV head Chevaan Daniel, Sirasa TV director Kingsley Ratnayake and its news director Susil Kedelpitiya lodged complaints with the police about the threats. Earlier, a young journalist with The Sunday Leader, Arthur Wamanan, was arrested for exposing the minister's alleged corruption. Two top journalists of the Jaffna-based Tamil daily Uthayan are too scared to go home because they face threats. The resident editor and the news editor have had to practically live in the office since May 2006. "I can go out only with police escort," news editor Kuhanathan told IANS. He would not identify the source of the threat. Tamil journalists who get into trouble are routinely suspected of being supporters of the Tamil Tigers. Over all, critical journalists, no matter what the ethnicity, are dubbed "traitors". Indeed, some Sinhalese journalists have been arrested for suspected links with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), leading to a new term "Sinhala Koti" or "Sinhalese Tigers". In a letter to President Rajapaksa this month, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said the charge of "traitor" was made against Tamil TV journalist Sri Ranga Jeyaratnam by Tamil cabinet minister Douglas Devananda. Army commander Lt.Gen. Sarath Fonseka told the state-owned media January 2 that a few scribes were indeed traitors and that they were the "real obstacles" in the war against terror. Last year, the defence ministry's website had for many days carried an article making insinuations against Iqbal Athas, the defence correspondent of The Sunday Times. Athas was accused of "assisting in the psychological operations of the LTTE terrorists". The CPJ told President Rajapaksa: "Verbal, written and physical assaults on journalists are attacks on the very fabric of a democratic society. We call on you to make sure that members of your government desist from such acts." This has had no impact. Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake said on Monday that sections of the media were "taking a sadistic delight in denigrating their motherland". And in an interview to the Sinhalese daily "Iirida Lankadeepa" last week, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa - a brother of the president - called for censorship on military news. "I think there is no need to report anything on the military. People do not want to know the quantity and kind of arms we acquire. This is not media freedom. I will tell without fear that if I have power I will not allow any of these things to be written. "Everything in this country has become prostituted. Like peace, even the media is completely prostituted," Gotabhaya thundered after naming two leading media institutions as the principal culprits. C4 explosives detected in WHO vehicle The Police seized C4 explosives and detonators from a vehicle attached to the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday evening at Thekkawatte check point in Vavuniya. A vehicle attached to the WHO and belonged to the Health Department was returning from Killinochchi to Colombo was stopped by Police and subjected to a search operation at the Thekkawatte check point in Vavuniya at around 5.00 p.m. “While Police were checking the vehicle observed a pair of sandals under the driver’s seat and the suspected pair of sandals were unusually heavy,” Police Media Spokesman Senior DIG N.K. Ilangakoon said. “Around 6kg of C4 explosives were concealed underneath the pair of sandals. Police also recovered two detonators, two barrels of surgical spirit and collection of stationeries inside the vehicle,” he added. The driver and his assistant were arrested by the Police. Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver was working for the Health Department for five years and was a frequent visitor to Wanni on official purposes. “A sister of the driver believed to be working for the LTTE,” DIG Ilangakoon remarked. JVP battle goes to court Sampath Dimuthu Ketapearachchi, an associate of JVP Colombo District Parliamentarian Sunil Handunnetti has lodged a complaint with the Welikada police on threats to his life by members from the JVP for allegedly leaking information of internal party conflicts to the media. The Welikada police yesterday reported facts to court and obtained approval to proceed with the investigation including approval to verify necessary telephone records. Ketapearachchi on Sunday lodged the complaint with the Welikada police that several JVP members attached to local government bodies as well as several other members of the party had threatened him with death for allegedly leaking information of Handunnetti's unofficial house arrest and various deals of the party. In his complaint, Ketapearachchi had named JVP Colombo District Organiser, Priyantha, Western Provincial Council Member Mohamed Nafli, and Colombo Municipal Council Members Ravi and Hemantha as arriving in a vehicle bearing number JH 5045 and threatening to kill him and dump his body in the Diyawanna Oya. Ketapearachchi told The Morning Leader that the reason he lodged a complaint with the police was due to the threat posed to his life by the JVP. He said that he has so far worked to save Handunnetti from his present plight. According to him, Handunnetti who had raised a voice against the JVP's business deals was being considered a stumbling block to the party's progress by several senior members. "Handunnetti knew that he would one day be a prisoner of his own party and he told me that in such an event, I had to go to the media with the details he had given me. That is what I did," Ketapearachchi said. Meanwhile, on Monday, the Welikada police had filed a case in the Magistrate's Court No.4 in Colombo on the alleged threat to Ketapearchchi's life by members of the JVP. The Magistrate's Court directed the police to probe the telephone calls received by the complainant and report back to court. Soldier killed by mine blast A soldier, who was a member of a reconnaissance unit in the Muhamalai Forward Defence Line, died when he stepped into a booby trap, City Coroner Edward Ahangama was told yesterday at the inquest into the death of H. G. Buddika (24) of the Gajaba Regiment. Giving evidence at the inquest Colonel Wijendra Gamlathlage Chaminda Wijesuriya said that on the day (24) of the incident the reconnaissance unit was moving stealthily towards LTTE bunkers when a Johnny mine was accidentally trampled by Private Buddika. There was an explosion and the deceased lay injured. Two others of the unit were killed. The Johnny mine was connected to an 81 mm shell which caused a secondary blast. The injured were dragged towards the camp. The injured soldier, who was in a semi-conscious state was initially admitted to the Palaly Hospital and later to the National Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. A verdict of homicide was returned. PS 27689 Pathirana assisted the inquest. Remembering the ‘father’ of non violence By Lloyd. R. Devarajah As I was playing truant and was very poor in my Tamil, I left St. Peter’s College Bambalapitiya where I was a student from 1937 and joined Jaffna College, Vaddukoddai on January 17, 1948. Jaffna College which was my father’s alma mater was founded by American missionaries in 1822.Two weeks after I joined the college as an outstation boarder, Alagan Kadirgamar who was the secretary of the college Young Men’s Christian Association asked me to be in charge of its radio as he was going home to Chavakachcheri for the weekend. Alagan Kadirgamar on leaving college, joined the Colombo YMCA in the 1950s and rose to the position of general secretary and later, the national secretary of this international organisation. Crucial It later transpired that, that was a crucial and epoch-making weekend. It was Friday, January 30, 1948 when I was entrusted to be the temporary custodian of the college YMCA radio set which was being operated on a car battery. The college had two Homby-Rustom generators to supply electricity to the entire college as well as the campus where most of the staff lived. But these generators function only from dusk to dawn.Some of the boarder’s sought shelter in the YMCA building from the slight shower that interrupted their evening games. I tuned the radio to Radio Ceylon (English Service) for the 5 to 5.45 p.m. Yours For The Asking listeners’ request programme.As that programme ended, some of the boarders wanted me to switch to another programme. Whilst I was twiddling with the radio knob as I was not yet familiar with it I managed to hear very faintly an announcement from an unidentified Indian radio station: "Gandhi was shot by a youth. He died peacefully a short while ago." The time was 6.04 p.m. I and some of those around me couldn’t believe what we had heard. After a long silence which lasted about three or four minutes, religious music came on air.The radio programme was then interrupted and an announcement, punctuated with sobs, came over the airwaves. It said: Mahatma (Great Soul) Gandhi, the spiritual leader of millions of Hindus had been shot dead by a fanatic and that he succumbed to his injuries. Later, the station identified itself as All India Radio, Trichinopoly.After this confirmation, the tragic news spread like wildfire round the college campus, its environs, and also some of the neighbouring villages and hinterland. Luxury It should be noted that 60 years ago, the radio was a luxury and only a few owned or possessed one. In Colombo too, it was a rarity and worse still, in the rural areas television was virtually unknown then. Television became popular in the late 1950s in the Western world and came to Sri Lanka only in 1979.Crowds then gathered at the college YMCA hall within minutes of the sad news breaking. As the hall could not accommodate such a large crowd, the powerful Zenith All-World Radio (with about 10 to 12 piano keyboard like press-button studs) was brought out into the terrace and placed on a wooden bench. Mats were spread and the whole area around the YMCA was floodlit for the benefit of the several hundreds who had gathered there. A freshly-charged additional car battery was pressed into use for the benefit of all the listeners.It was not long after when the now well known Indian song Raghupathi Ragava Rajaram came over the airwaves. Appeal The then Indian Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, and other leaders such as Sardar Vallabhai Patel spoke to the nation that same fateful night. They appealed to the Indians to uphold the principles of universal brotherhood, communal love and tolerance, and non-violence for which Gandhi had lived and died.Pandit Nehru who spoke with great emotion said: "The father of the nation is no more. Now that the light has gone out of our lives I do not quite know what to tell you and how to say it. Our beloved leader is no more. The light has gone out of our lives and there is dark ness. I do not know what tell you and what to speak."Our beloved leader Bapuji, the father of the nation is no more. We will never see him again. A mad man has killed Gandhiji." Six decades ago Sixty years ago on Friday, January 30, 1948, five days before Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) won her Independence from British Colonial rule, Gandhi, the Hindu spiritual leader and champion of a free united India and communal peace, was shot dead by a Hindu nationalist in New Delhi. Gandhi was walking with his two grandnieces — Manu and Ava through the garden of Birla House about 5.00 p.m. that fateful day to the place where he conducted a daily prayer meeting when a youth — Narayan Vinayak Godse, 25 years, editor of Hindu Rastra fired three shots with a pistol at point blank range. The Mahatma fell with severe injuries in the chest, stomach and groin. Rastra (Nation) in Poona, stepped into Gandhi’s path, bowed down and worshipped him and He was then gently carried into Birla House where he died at 5.47 p.m. the same day.The assassin was disarmed and pummelled by the crowd that had gathered to hear the Mahatma at the prayer meeting. Informed The news of the death of the Mahatma was first flashed to Earl Mountbatten who was then Governor General of India, and then to King George VI.Mahatma Gandhi (his full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi) born on October 2, 1869 was trained in law in England. He began advocating self-rule, non violence, pursuit of native handicrafts, removal of untouchability (which forced millions of the poor to remain menials by heredity) in 1919. In 1930, he launched a "civil disobedience" including the boycott of British goods, and rejection of taxes without representation. India won her Independence from British rule on August 15, 1947.The following morning (Saturday, January 31, 1948) a special edition of the Times of Ceylon announcing the death of Gandhi (which was put out the previous night in Colombo over radio) was flown to Jaffna. A copy fetched the then fabulous price of Rs.5 owing to the demand. 29January 2008 Gotabhaya, Fonseka forced to return as LTTE target Palaly An aircraft flying Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Army Commander Sarath Fonseka to Jaffna came under intense LTTE artillery attack when it was about to land at the Palaly Air base around 9.30 a.m. yesterday and had to return to Colombo, highly placed Defence sources said.The duo was due in Jaffna yesterday to officiate at the Commissioning of a Mechanised Infantry Brigade, when their chopper came under attack. It was soon learnt the LTTE was directing artillery fire from Point Kalmunai in Pooneryn. The Air Force immediately bombed the area and the artillery fire ceased, the sources said.Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told The Island that he along with the Army Commander had wanted to make an inspection tour of the peninsula but when nearing Palaly, the pilot realized that the air base there was under artillery fire and they decided to return to Colombo.Several aircraft were in and out of Palaly in the recent past and defence authorities are baffled at yesterday’s attack. The question troubling them is whether the LTTE had prior knowledge of the visit.A total of 15 artillery rounds had been fired targeting the air base. Att the time this edition went to press there were no reports on damage to the structures or the runway at Palaly. Air Force pounds LTTE gun positions in Paranthan UNP to boycott February 4 celebrations The main opposition UNP yesterday decided to boycott the national Independence Day celebrations organized by the government, maintaining there was no freedom for people in the country today.UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told a news conference that instead the party would organize religious programmes at Buddhist and Hindu temples, Churches and Mosques.Mr. Attanayake said the main religious ceremony would be held at the Sri Dalada Maligawa with the participation of party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at 9.00 am on February 4. “We are asking people to go to nearby temples at 8.30 am on Independence Day and perform religious rituals. We have organized similar programmes at other religious places of worship as well,” he said.He said the UNP strived to gain freedom for the country under the leadership of late Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake.“The sincere efforts of the UNP to ensure a true sense of freedom for all Sri Lankans in the post-independent era have been scuttled by subsequent governments. Only after 20 years has this government realized the value of the free market economy introduced by the UNP.It has also taken this government some two decades to understand the importance of the Indo-Lanka Accord in resolving the national question,” he said.He said similarly the value of the ceasefire agreement would also be realized by this government 20 years later.UNP front-liner Jayalath Jayawardane said the government had stifled media freedom when the country was on the eve of its 60th Independence Anniversary.Referring to the knife-attack on Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation news producer Lal Hemantha Mawalage, Dr. Jayawardane said the government was using underworld characters to persecuted media personnel with increased intensity.He warned that the fate that befell Mr. Mawalage would befall other journalists tomorrow under this government which was moving towards ‘dictatorship.’ PNM opposes 13th Amendment The Patriotic National Movement (PNM) does not approve the so-called 13th Amendment, which paves the way for provincial rule, as it will not resolve administrative problems, PNM General Secretary Wimal Weerawansa told the media yesterday. He said the government has fallen easy prey to India’s manipulation on administration of the North and East. The provincial council system, he said would aggravate the existing issues and will empower the LTTE to strengthen its territorial powers.Weerawansa said that the 10-page proposals on the 13th amendment, prepared by Prof. Tissa Vitarana, had been reduced to just 2 pages by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The APRC proposals would have only strengthened the LTTE. The Provincial council system, introduced in 1987 under the 13th Amendment, had done more harm than good to Sri Lanka.He said that although the provincial council system was in operation in certain provinces such a system in the North and East would have been a completely different. “It would have promoted separatism. The government was trying to introduce an interim government in the North and East in which the LTTE could substantially strengthen its power. By court order the North and East had been separated, but under the implementation of the provincial council system the North and East could be merged again.”Referring to international organisations which support the LTTE, Weerawansa said that UNICEF and WFO had been supportive to the LTTE and a lorry load of high protein biscuits carried by World Food Program had been taken into custody by the security forces recently. It was revealed that the WFO had carried the high protein biscuits to feed the LTTE guerrillas in the dense forests. The WFO officials had carried the stock of high protein biscuits on the pretext of feeding children suffering from mal-nutrition in the war-stricken areas.PNM President Dr. Gunadasa Amarasakara said that instead of implementing provincial council administration in the North and East the government should commence resettlement of Tamils and develop infrastructure facilities. The set of proposals introduced by Prof. Vitharana was an illusion because it would never resolve the core issues. The PNM would also denounce the Indo-Lanka Pact because it contained some conditions pernicious to the administrative aspects of the Sri Lankan government. “For example, some of the conditions in the pact included that the North and East should be considered as the Tamil homeland and all Tamil terrorists taken into custody should be released. The PNM would never approve of these conditions. The government must take immediate action to expel foreign organisations engaged in anti-government activities in Sri Lanka.” High-tech radar scrapped by Ottawa sold to Sri Lanka Thinakaran Associate Editor attacked Tamil daily Thinakaran Associate Editor Suhaib M. Kasim has been attacked and stabbed by a group of five unknown persons who entered into his house at Maligawaththa a short while ago. Hospitalized with serious injuries, he has had to undergo a surgery, hospital sources reveal.Talking to Lankadissent his family members said that he had been transferred from Thinakaran Daily to a training section on the whims of the Lakehouse Chaireman. India bolsters TN coastal security Amid speculation that LTTE cadres may sneak into Tamil Nadu due to intensified clashes between the Army and the Tigers, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard have strengthened security along the coast by deploying more ships and helicopters. A Naval Defence Boat T-60 and Coast Guard ship Razia Sultana were deployed in the Palk Bay while speed boats had intensified patrolling, Naval officials stationed at Rameswaram base said. They said both Navy and Coast Guard had drawn up a comprehensive security arrangement, which included sorties by naval helicopters and high speed boats. The newly deployed vessels had been fitted with radars and 30 MM Medak guns and 12.7mm guns. The new security arrangements were made amid rumours that some LTTE cadres could enter India due to heavy fighting in northern Sri Lanka. The ships were also expected to prevent Indian fishermen from entering Lankan waters. Naval officials said that instances of Indian fishermen crossing into Lankan waters had been reduced. TN fishermen protest sea mines The government of the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu pledged to press the federal government to take up the issue of fishing in the environs of Kacha Theevu.Senior Tamil Nadu minister Arcot Veerasamy made the remarks after opposition legislators expressed their displeasure over the continued attacks on Tamil Nadu fishermen allegedly by the Lankan Navy. The legislators expressed support to fishermen's demand that their traditional rights to fish in the Kacha Theevu region be recognised by Sri Lanka. Minister Veerasamy said the government would appeal to the Centre to intervene and put an end to harassment of the Tamil Nadu fishermen. The legislators had also referred to reports that the Sri Lanka Navy had mined the waters in the Kacha Theevu region in an attempt to curb the movement of Tamil Tiger rebels. Legislators say the lives of the Tamil Nadu fishermen were in danger now as they traditionally ventured to that region in pursuit of the lucrative prawns, but the minister chose not to comment on the mining reports. However he said efforts were afoot to arrange the release of 21 Tamil Nadu fishermen detained by the Lankan Navy a few days ago while crossing over to the Lankan side of the ocean. Fishermen of Rameswaram on the southeastern coast have been keeping away from the sea for three days now protesting attacks on them and the reports of mining. Gota turns villain with the power of his brother "MP Maheswaran had business engagements with LTTE and finally got killed by them. The investigations and DNA tests have definitely proved it. If the suspect was not caught, theat killing could also go to the account of the Government," says Defense Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse in an interview with Lankadeepa newspaper on 27 January. Mano Ganeshan also need no security since he has links with LTTE. Only two Tamil leaders are spared. They are Ananda Sangaree and Douglas Devananda. We have to protect them somehow," he says. "Only a brother of a President can handle a situation like this. It should be put into the constitution that a President's brother should be appointed the Defense Secretary," says Gotabhaya Rajapakse. He says in the interview that the decapitation of will demolish the LTTE stating that several LTTE heads like Pottu Amman, Susai should be eliminated. In response to a question by the newspaper if the Government is highlighting the military operations to cover the people's problems, the Defense Secretary accuses the state media for incompetence.When asked if the Media Center for National Security (MCNS) claims that scores of Tamil Tigers are killed daily, he says that information prove that there are 10 to 15 funerals in Vanni each day. "Photos of those who were killed in Muhamalai are being handed over to the families now although bodies are not given. Kilinochchi and other hospitals are filled with injured."When Lankadeepa asks about the allegation if Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse, another state official, wieldss more powers than the other officials, Rajapakse says, "What is wrong? I have not misused power. I have used my powers to strengthen the police and armed forces. They work like this because of the super powers I have." "Likes of state officials nearing to retire and cannot decide to attack cannot do this job. I can talk to the President at any hour and discuss anything."What kind of assistance he expect from the international community, asks Lankadeepa and Gotabhaya Rajapakse says that international community is trying to give the LTTE more chances and to extend the problem. "They pressure the Government and not the terrorists. The countries that banned LTTE should sustain LTTE's fundraising and arms deals as well. Instead, they work against the Government elected by people. It looks like they have some other objectives."Gotabhaya Rajapakse says that the LTTE has to be banned and he does not know why it is not done. He says that the cabinet is responsible eventually for that. Commenting on media, he says that today some journalists write to show off causing heavy damage. "Weapons are not the important in a war. The man behind the weapon is the important. His mentality needs to be built up rightly. Journalism should not target to break up their mentality. Newspapers that are published because they have money and to make the nephew President are not in journalism," he says. "The opposition leader who named me 'Ugly Gota' before the diplomats later asks for security from me. What is the meaning of this? "he asks. When asked if the media no supportive, Rajapakse says that no military information such as what kinds and numbers of weapons and what were purchased were not necessary for the public. He says that he will not allow to publish them if he has power. He says that he has proposed the President to bring a censor with stern punishments. Rajapakse says that criminal defamation laws are needed to be re-introduced. TNA legislator to 'resettle Muslims' LTTE apology Parliamentarian Rajeem Mohammed Imam recalled the open apology from the LTTE and said people like him have accepted that.All TNA parliamentarians have unanimously assured their full cooperation in this regard, said the new MP.The TNA has also asked him to look after the welfare of the displaced Muslims and their resettlement."Only based on the fullest assurances of all these support regarding the resettlement of the displaced Jaffna Muslims by the TNA I have accepted this post," says Rajeem Mohammed Imam. He will use all the opportunities and influence as a member of the parliament, MP Imam said, towards the welfare of the Muslim community. He also feels proud that he is the only Muslim member among the TNA.He plans to hold a meeting with the displaced Muslims in Puthalam immediately after being sworn in as an MP from the National List of the TNA. Maheswaran killing witness under threat Colombo Additional Magistrate Ravindra Premaratne ordered an immediate investigation into a complaint by a witness in the T. Maheswaran assassination that he was threatened. He directed the Police to take steps to protect the witness. The Magistrate also ordered that the report of the outcome of the probe into this alleged threat be submitted to Court on February 1. When the case was taken up, a suspect, who was taken into custody by Police, after he was injured by the shooting of the late MP’s bodyguard at a Kovil in Kotehena, was not identified by the witness at the identification parade which was held for the second time. The Colombo Crimes Detection Division (CCD) informed the Court that when the witness was on his way to the Court an unknown person in a three wheeler had warned him not to attend Court. The CCD further informed Court that at the initial stages of investigations three persons had informed that they could identify the suspect. Furthermore, the late MP’s wife or those who were represent the MP‘s interests have not extended any assistance to investigations. Their statements and protests could be detrimental to the on going investigations, the CCD said. 28January 2008 JVP rejects solution based on Indian model The JVP yesterday rejected APRC (All Party Representative Committee) call for a series of measures to achieve maximum and effective devolution of powers to the provinces in the short term.JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe said that Minister Tissa Vitarana’s so called APRC was no APRC at all. How could they categorise it as an all party committee when the JVP and the UNP weren’t represented. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which recognised the LTTE as the sole representatives of the Tamil speaking people, too, boycotted the committee.Addressing the press at Savsiripaya auditorium, Amarasinghe asserted that except the SLFP, other parties which endorsed the proposals were in fact no political parties. They were ‘three wheeler’ parties and their endorsement wouldn’t mean a thing, he said.Severely criticising President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s approach to solve the national problem, the JVP leader accused the government of reviving the long dead Indo-Lanka Accord of July 1987. He urged the government not to revive the accord forced on President JR Jayewardene by India at gunpoint as it would never facilitate a negotiated settlement. The president had conveniently forgotten the tough stand taken against the Indo-Lanka Accord by the SLFP, he said. The UNP killed 140 civilians who marched on Colombo against the Accord, the JVP Chief said, emphasising that the need to destroy the LTTE before tackling political issues. "In our road map for durable peace, the annihilation of the LTTE comes first," he said. Along with that, the restoration of democracy, compensation to victims of violence irrespective of their ethnicity and eradication of the ‘separatist movement’ would be necessary, he said. This could be followed by elections to provincial councils and local bodies, he said, while emphasising the importance of a countrywide census after the annihilation of the LTTE. Vitarana said that their recently unveiled proposals would be followed by a set of proposals that would be the basis for a solution to the national problem. "After, 63 sittings, over a period of 1 1/2 years, the consensus document is being finalised and it should be possible to hand it over to the President in the very near future. The outcome would be a basis for appropriate constitutional arrangements. Their implementation would of course require amendment of the present Constitution, and in respect of some Articles, approval by the people at a referendum. This would of course take time, once a favourable climate is established"Amarasinghe strongly rejected the move to establish an Interim Council for the Northern Province in terms of the Constitution. This would cause chaos, he said adding that the JVP was totally in disagreement with the assertion that the Interim Council should reflect the ethnic character of a particular province, in this case the Northern Province.In short, the JVP would accept the implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Constitition, he said. Vitarana called for maximum devolution of powers to the provinces under the 13th Amendment. Amarasinghe said that the implementation of the amendment in respect of legislative, executive and administrative powers, overcoming existing shortcomings would be detrimental to the national interest and the JVP would do everything possible to thwart the move.Responding to a query raised by The Island, Amarasinghe said that the JVP’s armed struggle against the State and that of the LTTE couldn’t be compared. The JVP was a democratic party and it never resorted to any illegal activity before the then UNP administration of JR Jayewardene proscribed the party, he said. Applauding the security forces, which twice put down JVP inspired armed campaigns, the JVP leader expressed satisfaction over the status of the ongoing action against the LTTE. He also launched a scathing attack on UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Loise Arbour for being biased towards the LTTE. He emphasised that their protests directed against Ms Arbour shouldn’t be construed as anti-UN.Briefly discussing the humanitarian disaster in US occupied Iraq, Amarasinghe challenged Arbour to criticise the US led allied action there. She was silent on the situation in Iraq, he said.The JVP would oppose any effort on the part of the UN to bring Sri Lankan security forces before international court for human rights violations. JHU outlines reasons for supporting APRC proposals The Jathika Hela Urumaya said yesterday it has decided to support the APRC proposals as there was a need to establish a democratic climate for the people living in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. The proposals of the All Party Representative Committee are centred on the 13th Amendment to the present Constitution which gave effect to the establishment of the Provincial Councils. The Leader of Jathika Hela Urumaya, Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera said: “We decided to back the implementation of these proposals as it will bring the civilians in the North and East into the democratic main stream.” Democracy has been denied to these civilians by the LTTE terrorists, the Thera explained. “However, we do not believe that the 13th Amendment or the Provincial Council envisaged by it is going to be the answer to the problem,” the Thera added. The system of Provincial Council is a White Elephant and is not suitable for a country like Sri Lanka considering the colossal funds it calls for the sustenance of Ministers and authorities under that system. “We believe in a unitary administrative structure for the entire country for the benefit of everyone,” the Thera said. “Our decision to support the APRC proposals is like having to drink bitter medicine to recover from a current illness,” the Thera said. “This was something the time has demanded from us in the fight against terrorism.” When the provisions of the 13th Amendment was first brought by the late President J.R. Jayewardene in 1987 to form the North and the East as a single Province, the LTTE opposed them. During Jayewardene regime, J.R. Jayewardene did not have a need as such to defeat terrorism, and the decision to establish Provincial Council seemed tactical, said Medhananda Thera. “Under the reign of President Rajapaksa the fight against the LTTE terrorists is clear and the Security Forces have cleared the entire Eastern Province and have moved to clear the Northern Province to defeat terrorism. We will support the APRC proposals with the hope that the LTTE will lay down their arms and peace is established in the country with the defeat of terrorism,” the Thera said. LSSP divided over proposals, slams APRC chief IAC will not be established soon: Rajitha The Interim Advisory Council (IAC), one of the key requirements in the APRC proposals handed over to President Mahinda Rajapaksa last Wednesday by Prof. Tissa Vitarana would not be established immediately as expected, Engineering and Construction Services Minister, Dr. Rajitha Senaratne said yesterday.Addressing the media at the Information Department he said all sections in the democratic setup in the north have to be consulted before naming the members of the IAC. “Not only the sentiments of Tamils, but Sinhalese and Muslims have to be considered as the IAC is to represent all ethnic hues in the North. The solution to the ethnic conflict suggested is to hold local government and Provincial Council polls in the east and then institute the IAC in the north until elections could be held in the province,” he said. “When the Eastern Provincial Council was to be set up under the Indo-Lanka agreement there was much argument on the naming of the Chief Minister when the then government suggested the name of the District Secretary of Trincomalee to the post. “There was a protest against naming him as the Chief Minister and the establishment of the PC was delayed. Therefore, the government has to take into account the interests of all stake holders prior to setting up of the IAC,” Dr.Senaratne said.Commenting on the APRC interim proposals he said devolution of power under the 13th amendment to the Constitution had begun in its true meaning only now. Almost all political parties and political leaders have accepted the 13th amendment and power devolution at some stage. Even the LTTE and 18 Tamil political parties have accepted it in the past. Only the UNP, TNA and the LTTE were opposing the proposals of the APRC that suggest devolving maximum power under the 13 agreement, he stressed.“What we cannot understand is the opposition of the UNP. It was the UNP under J.R. Jayewardene that introduced the 13th amendment to the Constitution as a remedy to the ethnic conflict. India and the rest of the international community supported it. There was no question of devolving power as suggested under the APRC interim proposals including police, lands and judiciary,” he emphasized. What the people in the north and east were demanding was security and an opportunity to develop their province by themselves, he added.Taking swipe at opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, he said Mr. Wickremesinghe was playing the role of J.R. Jayewardene who opposed the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayagam agreement and Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike when she opposed the Indo-Lanka agreement. TNA wants Japan to twist Mahinda’s arm APRC meeting today will work towards final formula The All Party Representative Commitee (APRC) which endorsed the government’s move to implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution will meet again today in its deliberations to evolve a final power devolution formula.Last week the APRC submitted a report which contained interim proposals for the resolution of the ethnic conflict to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The Committee which withstood various strains since its inception in 2007 will have its 64th session today in its endeavour to work out a final power- sharing arrangement in agreement with the political parties in Parliament.Asked for comment on the present status of the committee SLMC representative to the APRC Nizam Kariapper said that the report presented last week should not be considered an APRC report. Mr. Kariapper said that it was merely the committee’s endorsement of the President’s wish to implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution as an initial step in resolviong the problem.He said that the APRC would continue to meet in its deliberations to wrap up a power devolution package. UK gets tough with illegal immigrants New figures have shown that 20 illegal immigrants every week were deported from the East of England in the last nine months of 2007. Examples of recent cases in Norfolk include the arrest at a Tamil pilgrimage on the north Norfolk coast in July of nine failed asylum seekers from Sri Lanka. In November, four illegal immigrants were caught at the Bombay Nite restaurant in King Street, Yarmouth and at the Spice Indian takeaway in The Street, Stalham. The Border and Immigration Agency (BIA) has revealed that since it was created last April, over 900 enforcement operations have been carried out in the region, resulting in over 500 arrests and 800 illegal immigrants being sent back to their home countries. BIA regional director Gail Adams said: “We are determined to stamp out illegal immigration. That’s why there are very strict rules about who can live and work in the UK and it’s becoming much harder to break them. “We are removing significant numbers of immigration offenders including foreign criminals, asylum cheats, those who have tried to stay in the country after their visa has run out and illegal workers, but we are not complacent. We intend to make 2008 even more difficult for illegal immigrants in the East of England than last year.” Earlier this month, Immigration Minister Liam Byrne announced new border protection initiatives to ensure only those with the skills the UK needs are allowed to work; on the spot fines of up to pounds 10,000 per illegal employee for employers who don’t make the correct right-to-work checks and to begin issuing compulsory ID cards for foreign nationals. Sri Lanka SF Lost 15 in Mannar Attacks Thwarted by LTTE Mannar - Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan security forces (SF) clashed in Perriya Pandivirichan and Mullikulami, Mannar area when SF troopers tried to advance into the LTTE held area using heavy artillery and mortars on Sunday noon. The LTTE repulsed the attacks by the SF troopers, at least 15 SF troopers were killed and 30 SF troopers were wounded in Periya Pandivirichan area alone, according rebel sources in Mannar. The SF troopers and LTTE clashed in the area which lasted over five hours with the support of artillery fire and faced the stiff resistance from LTTE cadres and SF incurred heavy losses and retreated to their original positions.Heavy fighting between the LTTE and the SF raged within past few months backed by Multi-Barrel Rockets, artillery and mortar fire mounted attacks across the many front lines area in the north bordering the De Facto state of the LTTE.Sri Lankan government recently unilaterally scrapped the truce pact which was signed between the LTTE and the GoSL in February 2002 under the Norway sponsor, which automatically also ends the monitoring mission. Sri Lanka continues with its military options against the warning from the International community and many rights groups. The International Community repeatedly urging both parties to find a negotiated settlement to the genuine grievances of the minority. The civil war in Sri Lanka killed at least 80,000 people while half a million people internally displaced and over million people externally displaced. At least 5,800 people have been killed in last two years alone, a right group said. 2 TMVP members shot dead in Poththuvil Unidentified gunmen riding a motorbike shot and killed Sunday around 12.25 p.m, two members of the political wing of Tamil Makkal Viuthailai Pulikal (TMVP), as they were riding on another motorbike from Poththuvil to Thirukkoayil, in Ampaa’rai district. The killing occurred in Oo’ra’ni, Poththuvil, near the 330th mile post area, police said. The victims were identified as Sathees, the member in charge of TMVP Thirukkoayil TMVP office, and his assistant, Kajaroopan.The attackers escaped from the site of the killing.Police recovered the bodies Sunday evening and handed them over to Ampaaa’rai Hospital for inquest. TELO Secretary General turned back for 'Tiger links' The immigration authorities at the international airport in Madras turned back a TELO Secretary General Thursday night on suspicion that he might have LTTE links. Middle-aged Nityanandan Indrakumar had to take the return flight back to Colombo after failing to convince the immigration officers that he had nothing to do with the Tamil Tigers and was in fact, the secretary general of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), a recognized political party in Sri Lanka with four MPs in the Parliament."Indrakumar came with his wife and three children by Air Lanka UL123 Thursday night. The immigration officers at the airport told him that only his wife and children were permitted entry and he should go back to Colombo. He pleaded he was the leader of a recognized political party, which has been pro-India since its birth almost 30 years back. But the officers would not relent. This is unfortunate," said Mr Sivajilingam, TELO parliamentarian. He said Indrakumar went back with his wife and children by the return UL flight. "We do not send back anyone unless the documents are fake or the person is banned entry by the Union home ministry. The immigration officials themselves have no great role in these matters," said a senior immigration officer. He said he would look into the present case when his office opens on Monday. The TELO President Selvam Adaikalanathan said he would take up Indrakumar's case with appropriate Indian authorities as he was denied entry despite carrying travel documents and the visa stamped by the Indian High Commissioner in Colombo.The High Commissioner in Colombo has also come under attack, but in a different case of alleged discrimination in refusing visa to a Sri Lankan journalist, who wanted to fly to Chennai for participating in a conference on human rights. Mr Gnanasiri Koththigoda, chief editor of the Sinhala monthly Haraya (meaning Essence) was denied the visa "because his profession was stamped as journalist in his Sri Lankan passport," said his colleague Ranath Kumarasinghe, who was, however, allowed to travel to participate in the Chennai meet on human rights.Both Mr Koththigoda and Mr Kumarasinghe belong to the Nava Sama Samaj Party (NSSP), a prominent Left party in Sri Lanka, and had accepted the invitation from the Chennai-based human rights outfit Manitham to participate in a conference on Violence against the Sri Lankan Tamils."We are both journalists by profession and work at Haraya. I got the visa but Gnana was refused because of the journalist stamp on his passport. Are journalists terrorists?" asked Mr Kumarasinghe.Manitham director Subramaniam said he would petition the National Human Rights Commission seeking action against the Indian Mission in Colombo for denying visa to Mr Koththigoda. 27January 2008 TNA rejects IC as political fraud The Tamil National Alliance the largest Tamil party in parliament Friday criticized the proposed interim council (IC) for the North, as a carefully calculated political fraud to hoodwink the international community that has been insisting on a credible political package to resolve the longstanding ethnic conflict. Jaffna district TNA parliamentarian and TELO central commitee member N. Srikantha said to deal with such a national question -- that had led to a military conflict which claimed some 80,000 lives in addition to incalculable damage to property -- the government had come up with an interim solution. He said to say the least it was nothing but a combination of political deception and dishonesty coupled with the blatant refusal to acknowledge and accept the glaring realities that underlie the reasons for the ongoing war. “The President and the government hope that something favourable can be achieved by this amateurish approach to the national question but I am constrained to state that they are bound to be sadly disappointed,” Srikantha said. “What is needed today is a comprehensive approach to meet the challenge of finding a permanent and viable solution to the ethnic conflict.” “In resolving this crisis, the fundamental factors that led to the ethnic conflict ending up in a prolonged war should be taken into account. It is quite easy to work out a solution on paper but that won’t end the conflict. What matters is whether what is on paper can be translated into a practical form that will eradicate the underlying causes of the deep-seated crisis,” he said. Srikantha said there could be no halfway road in this regard. “The question now is pure and simple. Are we ready to rise to the occasion and put our shoulders to the wheel and solve the crisis once and for all or continue to engage in petty, selfish and irresponsible political moves that would inevitably and unavoidably have its own impact on this long suffering country and push it further down the path of death and destruction,” he askedMeanwhile, Chairman of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana Friday asserted that maximum power would be devolved to the North and East, in implementing the 13th Amendment while maintaining the unitary framework of governance. “This certainly would not be the final proposal and will not be a universal panacea for all ills in the country. It will however be a firm and reliable foundation to build and develop a new Constitution for the Nation. It is a long-term process, requiring a step-by-step approach. “We will strive to implement to the optimum, what we could, under the existing Constitution and mechanism, amending it where necessary,” Minister Vitharana said. At a special media conference to brief journalists on the recent developments regarding the APRC, he underscored the importance of the outcome of the APRC draft proposals inked by 14 political parties which had met on 63 sessions over 18 months to resolve the ethnic conflict. He was of the view that on the determined and relentless efforts of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to solve the national issue, an exemplary and a new political culture had been created by the stakeholders of the APRC, who had reached a 90 per cent consensus following lengthy discussions for long hours, setting aside personal and petty political gains for the sake of their Motherland. He pointed out that some of the proposals need a two thirds majority in Parliament for implementation and therefore would need the assistance of the UNP too. The implementation of some of the proposals would need the mandate of the people via a referendum. Higher Education Minister Wishva Warnapala expressing his views stated that the prime objective of the APRC proposals were to provide a permanent and sustainable solution to the national issue, as envisioned in the realistic ‘Mahinda Chintana’, protecting the sovereignty and the territorial integrity of the country. The discussions and deliberations which filled a verbatim report of over 11,000 pages, could be considered as an intellectual property and the initial phase of a Constitution which has to be built up gradually. “It is a proposal which strives to give a quick and instant response to the present political environment and burning issues in the North East, via the existing 13th Amendment. It would be a prelude built-up in an intellectual atmosphere, leading into a new Constitution. It is a classic beginning to a long process. They are in no way solely SLFP proposals as alleged by UNP Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella recently,” he added. He claimed that issuing statements and slogans were easy tasks for certain political parties. Constructive criticism and the suggestions of suitable solutions for the issues were not forthcoming from them. He said that an Interim Council would be established to expedite Eastern Development and to create a conducive environment to hold elections there. An Advisory Council including regional leaders selected and represented on a ethnic character, would be set-up to fulfil the aspirations of the minorities. Issues such as ‘language’ which had been overlooked in the past, should be implemented to the very letter as per the 13th Amendment. EPDP Representative Maheswari Veluwethan, JHU Representative Udaya Gammanpila and several others also expressed their views. Police cordon for Colombo Nearly 800 additional Police personnel have been deployed in Colombo alone, in addition to the 2000 currently on duty in the city. Colombo DIG Nimal Mediwake told The Nation that the security in the Colombo city area and suburbs has been tightened to ensure public security. Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said, “We have adopted new security strategies to comply with the current security situation. We have already strengthened the security at important places including the World Trade Centre, ports and the Central Bank, which are commercial centres within the heart of the city that are possible high targets of the LTTE,” he said.The Police has also introduced a new programme identified as a ‘collective effort,’ comprising both the Police and public, to enhance the security in the city. Police Spokesman DIG N.K. Illangakoon said that new methods of search operations and road clearing are also being utilised. He added that more civilian security force members have been deployed to Colombo suburbs. UK WRONG, I NEVER HELPED KARUNA - GOTABHAYA Defence Secretary Gota-bhaya Rajapakse yesterday denied allegations that he helped former Eastern Tiger Commander Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna to obtain a fraudulent diplomatic passport.The powerful Defence Secretary is embroiled in a controversy after British prosecutors said on Friday that he had assisted Karuna to obtain the passport. “I haven’t helped him (Karuna). It is wrong for the British Judiciary to make public these claims without verification,” he said.“I wish that the British legal system would have been much better and dispalyed some fair play,” he said. He told the Lakbimanews that neither he nor any agencies of the Sri Lankan government had been asked by their British counterpart about the authenticity of allegations levelled against him.“This is an infringement of my human rights,” quipped Rajapakse.On Friday, reading Karuna’s statement at the Isleworth Crown Court in West London, the prosecution said President’s Rajapaksa’s younger brother was known to him (Karuna) since he defected from the LTTE. Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, ‘arranged everything’ for him to come to UK using a diplomatic passport, Karuna has told British immigration authorities, according to the prosecutors. According to the statement, the passport was given to him only once inside the plane bound for UK.British prosecutors said Karuna pleaded guilty to a criminal offence under British immigration law, but said it was the Sri Lankan government that arranged a diplomatic passport for him. Karuna sat behind a protective screen inside the courtroom. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse however said he doubted whether Karuna himself made the confession. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama earlier denied the involvement of the Sri Lankan Government in issuing a diplomatic passport to the renegade Eastern leader of the LTTE. However, The British High Commission has announced that the Visa had been granted based on a Third Party Note issued by the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry. JVP will take to the streets against 13th Amendment The JVP has threatened to take to the streets against the establishment of the Interim Council and the implementation of the 13th Amendment as proposed by the All Party Representative Committee.JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake told Lakbimanews that the Government has no right to hand over the administration in the North and East to the “proxies of terrorists”. Ratnayake was referring to the Tamil National Alliance.He said that in the wake of continued military defeats, the LTTE has changed their plans and now plots to grab power by other means. He said that the JVP since 1987 opposed the 13th Amendment and its implementation. He said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was a leading figure in the SLFP who agitated against the signing of the Indo- Lanka pact. He said the JVP has no option but to scuttle any effort by the President to implement the 13 Amendment. Bodies hard to identify: hospital The bullet-riddled bodies of 16 men found dumped in shallow graves in a government-controlled area in Sri Lanka were hard to identify because they were badly decomposed, a hospital official said. The victims of what appeared to be execution-style killings were found on Thursday evening by villagers in the Anuradhapura district 206km (130 miles) north of the capital Colombo. The men had apparently been blindfolded, bound and shot, and were buried in two adjoining graves, one at least two weeks old, the other one week old, the official said. The hospital completed autopsies on eight of the bodies yesterday and hopes to finish the rest today. The victims were wearing civilian clothes and appeared to be aged between 25 and 40, officials said, adding that no one had come forward to claim any of them. The hospital declined, however, to reveal sensitive details as to whether the victims were ethnic Sinhalese or Tamils. Sri Lanka’s defence ministry earlier blamed the killings on Tamil Tiger rebels, who control a large area further to the north and have been fighting for independence from the island's ethnic Sinhalese majority since 1972. In a statement, the ministry said the victims were believed to be civilians who had been searching for their cattle, only to be killed by “suspected LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) terrorists.” But local residents said there had been no reports of such a large group going missing in the area. In October, police found the bodies of two people blindfolded and shot in the head, while another body was found dumped in a lake near Colombo.There has been no claim of responsibility for any of the execution-style killings, and the identities of victims have not been discovered or disclosed. Earlier last year, several minority ethnic Tamils were found dead in and around the capital and elsewhere. A separate government probe found 430 civilians had been killed during a five-month period up to February 2007, though it was not broken down into ethnicity. Since then, no official count has been given. Rupavahini Journalist cut with sharp knife Two thugs in a motorcycle had attacked Lal Hemantha Mawalage, a senior news producer of the Rupavahini Corporation at the Athurugiriya Cross road when he was returning home. He has been admitted to the Accident Ward of the Colombo National Hospital with serious injuries.Forcing Mr. Mawalage’s vehicle to stop, they had dragged him out and attacked with sharp instruments.Journalist Mawalage was taken to the operation theatre at about 11:00 SLT on Saturday.Mawalage took an active part in protesting Minister Mervyn Silva's threats to SLRC journalists on 27 December, last year.Speaking after the surgery, he told journalists gathered at the hospital that he was continuously harassed and regularly received death threats. Death threats He vowed to even 'sacrifice his life' for the SLRC that helped made him a television star."I didn't come out to assault anybody on that day. I came to protect the SLRC," Mawalage told the journalists refering to the incident where minister Silva was assaulted by SLRC workers. Angry SLRC workers assaulted Minister Silva on 27 December Angry SLRC workers assaulted the minister and his henchmen after the minister's supporters assaulted SLRC news director, TMG Chandrasekara. An SLRC worker who did not want to mention his name due to fear, told BBC Sandeshaya that the SLRC workers regularly received threats after the incident. Mawalage has made a formal complaint to the police hours before the incident on Friday "as he could not bear any longer the threats against him," the SLRC worker said. "Sometimes, when they go to cover events, some people have publicly threatened our producers and drivers. It is very clear that all these people who have threatened SLRC workers are behind this attack on Mawalage," he added. A group of thugs, he said, threatened the SLRC team that went to cover the funeral of former minister DM Dassanayake in Puttalam, few weeks ago. Terror kits in abandoned toilet Seven persons were taken into custody on suspicion yesterday after police recovered two suicide kits in an abandoned toilet at Panahe Watta (50th Colony) at Wolvendhal Street in the Pettah Police area Saturday morning.One of the kits had been fully assembled and ready for use while the other was in parts, Police said. Each kit contained ten kilos of explosives and would have caused considerable damage if they had been used, Police said. Several detonators were also found at the same place.The Defence Ministry said the discovery was made possible because of information provided by members of the area’s civil vigilant committee. LTTE denies hand in southern killings The Tigers last week denied any involvement in the attacks against the civilians in the south. LTTE's denial came 48 hours after President Mahinda Rajapakse told the media he did not believe the LTTE were behind the bomb attacks in Colombo or the attacks in the south. The President said he believed it was the work of a political group and interested business parties. LTTE military spokesperson Rasiah Illanthirayan said the government's allegations against the LTTE on civilian attacks were totally false. "The LTTE has no connection at all with the civilian attacks in the south," Illanthirayan said. Ilanthirayan also said that the government continued to attack civilian areas in the Wanni. "The LTTE is being accused of carrying out attacks on civilians in the south, which is totally false. At the same time, the Sri Lankan government forces continue their strikes on civilian areas in the Wanni," he said. One civilian was killed and three were injured due to air strikes in the Krishnapuram area, Ilanthirayan added. He stated that Krishnapuram was populated with up-country people who had settled in the area in the 1980s. Speaking on the discovery of 16 bodies in Kebethigollewa last week, Ilanthirayan stated that the discovery could contain the answer to the disappearances of civilians in Vavuniya and Colombo. "That is our view. It was reported that the recovered bodies were of youths. This might be the answer to the disappearances of civilians in the north and south." Attacks on civilians intensified in the south following the abrogation of the Ceasefire Agreement by the government. However, the Tigers had expressed their willingness to be a part of the CFA despite the government's decision to withdraw. 26January 2008 India for political settlement on Tamil ethnic issue: Envoy With the Sri Lankan military stepping up is offensive against the LTTE, India on Saturday said it desired a "political" solution to the 25-year-old Tamil ethnic problem that is acceptable to all sections of the Sri Lankan society. Maintaining that New Delhi was committed to the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the island country, Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Alok Prasad said a political settlement acceptable to all communities in the Island Country should be found. "Our firm belief is that the ethnic issue in Sri Lanka has to be resolved through a political settlement acceptable to all sections of the Sri Lankan society and consistent with the principles of democracy, pluralism and human rights," he said in a statement on the occasion of 59th Republic Day. He said being a close friend of Sri Lanka, "we have an abiding interest in peace, stability and development in this country so that it is able to harness the fruits of development taking place in our region and beyond". Fighting in Sri Lanka has intensified since the government scrapped the 2002 ceasefire with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam this month. The head of the Indian mission said the political leadership on both sides continues to nurture the friendship that has spanned over two milliennia. This is through sustained interaction and sharing of views on development "in our respective countries and in the world at large," the High Commissioner said. S. Lanka planes bomb rebel positions Sri Lankan planes have bombed rebel naval headquarters, targeting a gathering of Tamil leaders, while ground battles have killed 10 rebels. Pilots confirmed hitting the compound but did not provide details about the fate of the rebel naval leader known as Soosai. Soosai, a powerful leader in the rebel group, is deemed close to the outfit's reclusive leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran. The air raids on rebel-held Kilinochchi were the latest engagement in an intensification of the 25-year civil war following the official scrapping of a truce with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam last week. The military said ground battles a day earlier in the northern districts of Vavuniya and Polonnaruwa and in the northwestern district of Mannar had killed 10 Tamil Tiger rebels. The Sri Lankan government scrapped the 2002 truce officially on January 16, deepening fears of an escalation in the fighting. The military said more than 40 civilians, 47 soldiers and over 625 rebels have been killed in fighting since then. About 70,000 people have been killed since the war erupted in 1983. Batticaloa mini poll on March 10 The elections to nine local councils in the Batticaloa district will be held on March 10 with six political parties and 22 independent groups in the fray. The Batticaloa Returning Officer had received 61 nomination papers filed by the political parties and independent groups, out of which nine were rejected.Among the political parties contesting the election, the ruling UPFA handed over nominations to five local bodies including the Batticaloa Municipal Council while the TMVP submitted nominations to eight Pradeshiya Sabhas. The SLMC is contesting the elections in four local bodies and the Eelam Democratic Front in eight bodies. The Jathika Sanwardana Peramuna and the National Congress had handed over nominations to some local bodies.Meanwhile, SLMC Elections Coordinator A.L.M. Hizbullah said a meeting was to be held in Batticaloa yesterday to discuss matters regarding the upcoming poll..Mr. Hizbullah said the police agreed to provide from today two policemen as security to each candidate contesting the election. In the eastern province, 270,471 voters are eligible to exercise their franchise at this election. Of them, 54,948 voters comes udner the Batticaloa Municipal Council. The number of voters in Eravur Pattu is 45,336, Koralai Pattu 41,856, Koralai Pattu –North 12,419, Manmunai South and Eruvil Pattu 38,386, Manmunai Pattu 18,759, Manmunai West 15,771, Manmunai South-West 14,880 and Korativu Pattu 28,116. Tamil Tigers accuse Sri Lanka of bombing civilians Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels accused the military of bombing a civilian settlement yesterday in the rebel-held northern territory, killing one person and injuring five others.Sri Lanka's airforce supersonic fighter jets dropped eight bombs in Kilinochchi, 330 kilometres (208 miles) north of Colombo, the rebels said in a statement."More deaths were avoided as people took cover in their backyard trenches," the rebels said.The defence ministry countered that the warplanes had bombed a rebel transport base in Kilinochchi."The air raid was launched based on information received through intelligence sources and air surveillances conducted for a long period," the ministry said, adding "pilots confirmed that the target was hit accurately."Meanwhile the military claimed killing 41 Tamil Tiger rebels in separate clashes across the island's embattled north since Thursday morning.Sri Lanka's defence ministry has said government forces have killed 636 rebels since the beginning of January, while 26 soldiers have died.The claims cannot be independently verified since journalists and human rights workers are not allowed access to the embattled region.Tens of thousands of people have died since the rebels launched a separatist campaign to carve out an independent homeland for minority Tamils in the majority Sinhalese nation in 1972 Rebels killed in N Sri Lanka as election candidate reported missing | ||
