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TAMIL NATIONAL HEROES DAY 25-JULY-2007 |
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24 July 2007 We are unable to update News for a week. We will resume News updates in August 2ndREMEMBRANCE DAY STATE TERROR BLACK JULY OF 1983 REVISITEDThe Madras Hindu of 10th August 1983“Selvaraja Yogachandran (TELO), popularly known as Kuttmuni, a nominated member of the Sri Lankan parliament who was one of the 52 prisoners killed in the maximum security Wellikade prison in Colombo two weeks ago, was forced to kneel in his cell, (where he was under solitary confinement), by his assailants and ordered to pray to them. When he refused, his tormentors taunted him about his last wish, when he was sentenced to death. (He had willed that his eyes be donated to someone so that at least that person would see an independent Tamil Eelam.) The assailants then gouged his eyes. He was then stabbed to death and his testicles were wrenched from his body. That was confirmed by one of the doctors who had conducted the post-mortem on the first group of 35 prisoners. According to S.A David,[iii] the thirty-five Tamils were then heaped in front of the statue of Gautama Buddha in the yard of the Welikade prison and when some yet alive raised their heads they were clubbed to death.The second round of killings on July 27 was lead by Sepala Ekanaike, undergoing life imprisonment for the hijacking of an Alitalia plane on its flight from Delhi to Bangkok a year previously. Sinhalese prisoners convicted of murder, rape and burglary charges were handpicked by the warders, who after plying them with liquor, let them loose on the remaining Tamil political prisoners. Seventeen prisoners were killed on this occasion.London Daily Telegraph, 26 July 1983 "Motorists were dragged from their cars to be stoned and beaten with sticks during racial violence in Colombo, the Sri Lanka capital yesterday (24 July). Others were cut down with knifes and axes. Mobs of Sinhala youth rampaged through the streets, ransacking homes, shops and offices, looting them and setting them ablaze, as they sought out members of the Tamil ethnic minority... A Sri Lankan friend told me by telephone last night how he had watched horrified earlier in the day as a mob attacked a Tamil cyclist riding near Colombo's eye hospital, a few hundred yards from the home of Junius Jayawardene, the nations 76 year old President. The cyclist was hauled from his bike, drenched with petrol and set alight. As he ran screaming down the street, the mob set on him again and hacked him down with jungle knifes.." Guardian, 26 July 1983 ''Pillars of smoke and flame rose over the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo yesterday as mobs attacked the minority Tamil community and looted their homes and stores...Some of the worst rioting erupted in the morning only 200 yards away from President Jayawardene's house... All over the city by mid-morning lorries jammed with young men shouting anti Tamil slogans, were moving into Tamil areas and into shopping centres picking out Tamil shops... Petrol was siphoned from cars into buckets and plastic bowls to speed the work of arson.. By noon Colombo resembled a city after a bombing raid. Smoke obscured the sun, main roads were blocked by burnt out vehicles.. The rioting surged into the heart of the city. In area after area Sinhalese rioters systematically picked out Tamil homes and shops, whether occupied or empty, and looted and destroyed them...'' London Daily Express, 29th August 1983 a tourist told yesterday how she watched in horror as a Sinhala mob deliberately burned alive a bus load of Tamils... Mrs.Eli Skarstein, back home in Stavanger, Norway, told how she and her 15 year old daughter, Kristin, witnessed one massacre. 'A mini bus full of Tamils were forced to stop in front of us in Colombo' she said. A Sinhalese mob poured petrol over the bus and set it on fire. They blocked the car door and prevented the Tamils from leaving the vehicle. 'Hundreds of spectators watched as about 20 Tamils were burned to death'. Mrs. Skarstein added: 'We can't believe the official casualty figures. Hundreds may be thousands must have been killed already." The Guardian, 28 July 1983 "Smoke from hundreds of shops, offices, warehouses and homes blew idly over Colombo yesterday. Any business, any house belonging to or occupied by a Tamil has been attacked by gangs of goondas and the resulting destruction looks like London after a heavy night's attention from the Luftwaffe. The sharp smell of destruction fills the nostrils and the roads beneath the feet crunch with broken glass. Cars and lorries lie at ungainly angles across the footways. In Pettah, the old commercial heart of the city, row after row of sari boutiques, electronic dealers, rice sellers, car parts stores, lie shattered and scarred... government officials yesterday estimated that 20,000 businesses had been attacked in the city." London Times, 22 August 1983 ''Considerably more people died during the recent violence in Sri Lanka than the 380 deaths the government there has admitted to, according to an aid organisation. Dr.Sjef Teuns, General Secretary of Novib, the leading private development aid organisation in the Netherlands, said between 1000 and 2000 people lost their lives. He returned to Netherland on Saturday. He accused the Sri Lanka government of serious human rights violations against the Tamil population and called the Dutch government to reconsider its development aid policy towards the country.'' Patricia Hyndman, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of New South Wales and Secretary, Lawasia Human Rights Standing Committee Report -Democracy in Peril, June 1985 ''Estimates of the number of persons killed in the week of violence vary. Official estimates are just under 400 killed. These estimates are conservative. Unofficial estimates are as high as 1500 to 2000. It is probable that many bodies were not at first discovered because they were burned in houses. Also some bodies were hidden and buried privately by people who were frightened by the prospect of further reprisals should the bodies be discovered, or scared to attract attention to themselves by reporting the deaths. At the date of our departure from Sri Lanka, September 1st, there were many people still missing or not accounted for.'' Sri Lanka - The Unfinished Quest for Peace - L.Piyadasa, Marram Books, 1988 ''The police and the government made no attempt to stop or hinder small gangs of men who went about with lists, burning the houses and flats (in Sinhala owned dwellings only the contents), grocery stores, pharmacies, textile shops, tailoring establishments, restaurants, bookshops, hardware shops, lawyers offices, studios... as well as tourist hotels. They also burnt trucks, vans and cars. They went for only those things which were owned by (Tamils)... They did this expertly.... within sight of President's House in the administrative and business centre, a few yards away from the Prime Minister's official residence, near the UNP headquarters, in blocks immediately adjacent to or opposite major police stations - taking care, on a hot, dry morning, not to start fires which would spread to adjacent Sinhalese owned or state property. Accidents and violations of 'discipline' were few.'' Patricia Hyndman, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of New South Wales and Secretary, Lawasia Human Rights Standing Committee Report -Democracy in Peril, June 1985 eye witnes and victims reported that on the streets cars were stopped by gangs and the people inside were asked whether they were Sinhalese or Tamil. Some Sinhalese words are extremely difficult for people who do not speak the language fluently to pronounce, people were tested by being made to pronounce these words. The mobs were also demanding to see identity cards to establish whether or not people were Tamils... People identified as Tamils as a result of the questioning were told to get out of their cars and their cars were set alight... In cases where any resistance was offered, killings were likely to take place... It was reported by many people that in some instances students from Buddhist schools followed on behind the first rioters and that some Buddhist monks were seen amongst the gangs'' The London Times, 2 August 1983 Tamil owned businesses account for between 50 and 60 percent of the commercial life of the capital and they have been destroyed - scientifically extracted from among their neighbours and burned." Eye witness account, Sri Lanka: Racism and the Authoritarian State - Race and Class, Volume XXVI, A.Sivanandan and Hazel Waters, Institute of Race Relations ''A most distressing aspect of the vandalism was the burning and the destruction of the houses and dispensaries of eminent Tamil doctors - some with over a quarter of a century of service in Sinhala areas...'' The Guardian, 9 August 1983 ''About 100 industrial plants were severly damaged or destroyed, including 20 garment factories. The cost of industrial reconstruction was estimated at 2,000 million rupees (£55 million). This did not include damaged shops.'' The New York Times reported in early August: ''The shells of (Tamil owned) businesses line Galle Road, the main waterfront thoroughfare advertising the names that marked them for destruction. Lakshmi Mahal, pawbroker, or Ram Gram stores and florist.. Damage estimates are uncertain and incomplete, but the total economic loss has been placed at $300 million.'' Eye witness account, Sri Lanka: Racism and the Authoritarian State - Race and Class, Volume XXVI, A.Sivanandan and Hazel Waters, Institute of Race Relations. ''Seventeen industrial complexes belonging to some of the leading Tamil... industrialists were razed to the ground... Several cinemas owned by Tamils were destroyed... Probably the worst affected area was the Pettah, the commercial centre of Colombo, where Tamil and Indian traders played a dominant role. Hardly a single Tamil or Indian establishment was left standing.'' Wide spread attacks in Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and elsewhere The attacks were not confined to Colombo alone. They spread to Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla, Bandarawela, Negombo, and many other areas where Tamils lived amongst a predominant Sinhala population."Violence also erupted in places such as Kandy, Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and Bandarawela. On each of these occasions it followed a similar pattern. The incidents were started off by people coming in from outside the districts, lists were used to identify Tamil property and systematic attacks were made on it: the local people were then encouraged to follow with further depredations..." (Patricia Hyndman, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of New South Wales and Secretary, Lawasia Human Rights Standing Committee - Report on the Communal Violence in Sri Lanka, July 1983) ''(A British tourist) said: 'Last Wednesday a taxi driver took us into Negombo... and the whole town was smouldering. All the Tamil property in the centre of the town had been burnt down. The cigarette factory had gone up together with a cinema and a garage. There was smoke everywhere and the whole area was a burnt out mess. ..there was no sign of any Tamil anywhere. We were told that Tamils were being grabbed off buses by groups of people wielding iron bars. We also saw young Sinhalese stopping cars to siphon out the petrol so they could use it to start fires.'.. '' (London Times, 2 August 1983) ''...the looting burning and killing that began last week end in Colombo spread to the cities of Kandy and Gampola in the central hills... In Kandy, 62 miles northeast of Colombo, mobs burned and sacked at least 55 stores owned by members of the Tamil minority in attacks that began Tuesday night and continued Wednesday...'' (The Guardian, 28 July 1983) "The town (Kandy), which lies at the centre of the tea and rubber plantations of the central highland area of Sri Lanka has witnessed rioting and fire bombing against Tamil owned homes and businesses for the past four nights. And the presence of the rows of burnt out shops and of the 6000 Tamils in five temporary camps shows that the communal terror which has been unleashed in Sri Lanka is much more widespread than at first reported. The testimony of similar outrages in the villages in the steep sided hills and dense green country around Kandy reinforces that impression...The Sinhala District Inspector General of Police for the central range said: 'We usually expect what we call the soda bottle effect in these things. A sudden foaming up and then going flat but that hasn't happened yet.'... Two unidentified bodies were fished from the artificial lake in the centre of Kandy and a third body was found on a railway line close to the town. The body, which had been cut and chopped, was evidently thrown from a train..." (The London Times, 30 July 1983) "...News of the extent of the violence directed at the centre of Nuwara Eliya by Sinhala mobs was somehow contained by the town's remoteness... But no point in Colombo or the surrounding suburbs matches the mess... Whole blocks have been reduced to charred rubble. Only a handful of provision shops belonging to Sinhala traders remained... Remarkably, only sixteen people died in the inferno..." (London Daily Telegraph, 6 August 1983) ''Two weeks ago (Nuwara Eliya).. became the focal point for much of the communal violence that has engulfed the island... We had already been in Sri Lanka for 10 days... before the events of 29 July. We had started in Colombo; we then fled to Kandy to escape the violence; when it followed us there we moved to Nuwara Eliya. Yet subsequent reports confirmed that the damage done to Nuwara Eliya was at least the equal of anything experienced elsewhere.. By dusk on Friday 29 July, not one building in the central street was left standing; fire had spread to the hills too, engulfing shops, homes and buses...''(Peter Hartnell, New Statesman, 12 August 1983) ''In the relatively small town of Lunugala in the Badulla District, 67 houses, 35 business establishments and two vehicles belonging to Tamils were burnt. A leading businessman and a nun were murdered.. In Badulla itself, according to a report in Virakesari of 1 October 1983, quoting the government agent, 127 houses, 252 shops, four Hindu temples, four printing presses, two cinemas, one tavern, three Tamil schools, 79 vehicles and a rural bank were destroyed. There were 20 murders. In the nearby small town of Passara, in the sam district, 63 houses, 21 shops, 16 vehicles and printing press were burnt and destroyed. There were two murders...'' (N.Shanmugathasan,Sri Lanka: Racism and the Authoritarian State - Race and Class, Volume XXVI, A.Sivanandan and Hazel Waters, Institute of Race Relations, London) ''Holiday makers who returned to Dusseldorf said hundreds of Tamils had been murdered and even their hotel waiter told them proudly, 'we have killed several of them." A business consultant said a dozen houses had been burned down near the popular seaside resort of Bentota, among them the local chemist shop...''(Oslo Report dateline 29 July 1983 in Madras Hindu) ''Fearing adverse international reaction to photographs and TV footage depicting the aftermath of the violence, the authorities yesterday imposed strict censorship on all still and moving pictures.'' (London Daily Telegraph, 2 August 1983) David Beresford reporting in the Guardian, 7 August 1983 ''...the latest incident to be reported took place (in Badulla).. The survivor's account was given by Mrs.Sivamany Ganesan, aged 36, a mother of three children who belonged to one of two Tamil families attacked. Mrs.Ganesan said that she was a weaving teacher, married to a used car salesman, living with her family atMuthieyangama Road, Badulla, a well to do street which included three Tamil homes. At about 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 27, a crowd gathered outside a bus depot 100 yards away, attacking passing vehicles. She said that her family telephoned the police to evacuate them but they did not come. The crowd then began to attack the home of a neighbour, Mr.Ramanathan, who had a shotgun and who fired a single round into the air through a window to try to frighten them away. The army then arrived.. and took up positions behind the crowd which began the attack again... 23 July 2007 Hartal in the North-East As a mark of protest to the proposed setting up of new High Security Zones (HSZ) covering the Sampur and Muttur East, and against the human rights abuses, a hartal campaign has been organized in the North and the East to be held on the 25th of July, political sources revealed.According to the source, the hartal is to be launched by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).The International Tamil Diaspora too, is expected to participate.The HSZ set up in the North has been a serious issue whenever the efforts were made to seek a peaceful solution to the Ethnic problem.Large extents of agricultural lands and dwellings belonging to the Tamil residents have come under the HSZ in the North. Sri Lankan Marxists to hold a series of public rallies Sri Lanka Marxist People’s Liberation Front (JVP) has organized a series of public rallies to explain the party position regarding the current political situation. The theme of the series of rallies is “A solution to the crisis, a real national front, a government that build up the country.” The first rally of the series will be held in Colombo on 25 July. JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva will preside the meeting. Anuradhapura district rally will be held on 27 July and prominent leaders of the JVP will address the district wise rallies that follow them. Sri Lanka Maintains Key Rate at Highest Level in Asia Sri Lanka's central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at the highest level in Asia to help bring inflation below 10 percent. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka maintained its repurchase rate at 10.5 percent for a fifth straight meeting, the Colombo- based bank said in a statement today. Ten out of 11 analysts in a Bloomberg News survey predicted the decision. One expected a 25 basis point cut. ``Inflation still is not under control and it is too early for the central bank to loosen its monetary policy,'' said Yolan Seimon, research manager at John Keells Stock Brokers Ltd. in Colombo, who predicted no change. ``High oil prices will impact inflation, and a decline in interest rates toward the end of the year now seems less likely.'' The central bank's three rate increases between September and February helped slow inflation to 13 percent in June from a decade-high of 20.5 percent in January. Higher borrowing costs and escalating violence between government forces and Tamil rebels have weakened the island's economy, which grew in the first quarter at the slowest pace in two years. Sri Lanka's economy expanded 6.1 percent in the three months to March from a year earlier, the central bank said June 29. The pace of growth slowed for a fourth straight quarter. Citigroup Inc. expects the $26 billion economy to gain 6 percent this year from 7.4 percent in 2006. Tamil Rebels Economic growth is being threatened by an increase in violence between the military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels, who are fighting for a separate homeland in areas of northern and eastern Sri Lanka. Inflation is slowing as higher borrowing costs damp money- supply and loan growth. The increase in reserve money was below the central bank's targeted limits in both the first and second quarters, according to a July 3 statement by the bank. The central bank today said consumer-price gains in July may accelerate although the ``downward trend in inflation is expected to continue thereafter.''``The tight monetary policy stance adopted by the central bank has been instrumental in yielding the desired results as reflected in the deceleration in the growth in monetary aggregates and inflation,'' it said in the statement. The yield on the 11.75 percent bond due in January 2008 was unchanged at 17.1 percent at 9:55 a.m. in Colombo, according to Commercial Bank of Ceylon Ltd. The Sri Lankan rupee was little changed at 111.78 to the dollar. `Further Deterioration' Inflation will slow to 9 percent by the end of the year, central bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said on April 30. That's higher than a November forecast of between 7 percent and 8 percent by the end of 2007. Fitch Ratings says a return to single-digit inflation is ``essential'' for the government to reduce debt-servicing costs. Fitch in April retained its negative outlook on Sri Lanka's credit rating, warning that a downgrade could result from any ``further deterioration'' in the island's security situation. In the same month, Standard & Poor's cut its credit outlook to negative from stable because of violence. President Mahinda Rajapaksa has increased spending on the army, navy and air force by 44 percent this year to a record 139 billion rupees ($1.2 billion) after the collapse of a 2002 cease-fire. That's likely to further widen a budget deficit that the Asian Development Bank estimates was equivalent to 8.9 percent of gross domestic product last year. The central bank, which raised borrowing costs by 1.25 percentage points in 2006 and by half a point in February, this month said it will continue with steps to cool inflation. Sri Lanka's borrowing costs will decline by the end of the year as inflation slows, Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera said on June 7. Two pronged SLA operation thwarted - LTTE Liberation Tigers put up stiff resistance against the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) causing heavy losses to the SLA units that launched a two-pronged offensive near Mu'l'likku'lam along the Forward Defence Line in Mannaar, according to LTTE Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthirayan. Five LTTE fighters were killed in action. The fighting which broke out at 3:00 p.m. was brought to an end around 6:00 p.m. LTTE forces were engaged in a search operation in the area, Mr. Ilanthirayan said. Next parliamentary election in 2010, Presidential in 2011, says Maithri Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday that next parliamentary election would be in 2010 and the Presidential in would be in 2011. He said that elections would not be held according to the will of the opposition and the SLFP was ready to face the challenges of the opposition. The SLFP General Secretary Mithripala Sirisena expressed these views addressing the 17th general assembly of the party held at the National Youth Centre in Maharagama. A large crowd participated in the convention. He further said that the Central Committee had decided stern action would be taken against the parliamentarians and the provincial councilors who had violated the party discipline. Addressing the convention President Mahinda Rajapakse said that although an agreement was signed with the United National Party (UNP) to work together, a strong parliament was set up eventually taking in a group of the UNP who were ready to join hands, as the leadership of the UNP could not be trusted. He further said that ironically the people who shouldered to establish a dictatorship in the party were now accusing over an internal dictatorship in the party. NGO staff shot dead in Jaffna Unidentified gunmen shot dead the field officer of Danish Refugee Council (DRC), an International humanitarian organization in Jaffna, at Aanaikoaddai Monday around 8:30 a.m, when the victim was on his way to work at DRC Jaffna office, sources in Jaffna said. The DRC field officer killed was identified as Arumainayagam Alloyisius, 26, from Sillaalai south, Pandaitharippu. Married just ten moths ago, his wife is pregnant with child.Alloysius had been a staff of Halo Trust, another International Humanitarian Organization in Jaffna , and had left when Halo Trust discontinued 17 of its staffers unannounced recently.Besides, more than 13 Halo Trust staffers had been either killed, abducted or gone missing in the past.Alloyisius too had left Halo Trust for fear of being killed.Mallaakam District Magistrate Ms. Sarojini Illankovan conducted the inquest into death.The body is kept at Jaffna Teaching hospital for postmortem examinations. Eight-kilo time-bomb found in Delkanda fair A claymore bomb weighting 8 kg was found at the Delkanda Sunday fair on the 22nd of July, around 1.30 p.m.A civilian had tipped off the Mirihana Police on this suspicious bag. The Media centre for National Security say that the bomb was concealed by a bunch of plantains and wires could be seen after it was opened.Immediately, the bomb disposal unit of the army was summoned to the scene. The army bomb disposal unit defused it preventing a major bloodbath.Security sources relate that the bomb had been made using C4 high explosives and had been timed to blast in 10 minutes. Rizana's case: Govt. recalls its envoy in Riyadh Sri Lanka's Ambassador, A.M.J. Sadiq has been recalled by the Foreign Ministry two months prior to the completion of his tour of duty in Saudi Arabia. He is set to arrive in Colombo later this month.The Sunday Times learns that the Foreign Ministry on Tuesday informed the Ambassador to return without giving reasons for Mr. Sadiq's early removal.The decision to remove him follows the ambassador's failure to obtain any official appointment for the visiting Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bhaila who left on Friday for Riyadh to discuss the possibility of securing a pardon for teenage Sri Lankan housemaid Fathima Rizana Nafeek who has been sentenced to death on charges of killing a four month old infant in her care. As a result of the failure to obtain any official appointments, the deputy minister's trip would be reduced to a private visit and until the time of his departure from Colombo only appointments with two chief priests in Mecca and Medina were confirmed. Mr. Bhaila left for Riyadh on Friday with the parents of Rizana Nafeek, almost a week after they originally planned to leave the country. Foreign Ministry's Regional Director General Ibrahim Ansar is accompanying them. Mr. Bhaila before going to Riyadh said they had not been granted permission to visit Rizana who is in a prison in Diawadami, 400 kilometers off Riyadh and that continuous attempts to get an appointment with the victim's family also had failed. But Mr. Bhaila said they would make another effort to meet the baby's family which had the power to give a pardon. The family has so far not demanded any so-called 'blood money', according to Saudi law to pardon the girl, but two ministers told parliament the the government was ready to pay the money. Fiftieth Anniversary of the Aborted Banda-Chelva Pact-By D.B.S.Jeyaraj The coming week will mark the fiftieth anniversary of a landmark event in the modern, political history of the country. It was on July 26th 1957 that the then Prime Minister Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike and Samuel James Velupillai Chelvanayagam, the leader of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchi - known as Federal party in English - signed an agreement that came to be known as the Banda - Chelva or B- C pact. The B- C pact which intended resolving, some of the major grievances facing Sri Lankan Tamils , was the first of its kind , in the post - independence history of the Country. The B- C pact recognized several key elements of the Federal Idea through a scheme of power - sharing. The story of how this aborted pact evolved, deserves to be narrated on its golden jubilee week. The 1956 elections had seen a deep polarisation between the Sinhala and Tamil communities. While the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna joint front headed by SWRD Bandaranaike swept the polls in the South the Federal Party led by SJV Chelvanayakam won six out of nine seats in the North and four out of seven in the East. One of the first acts by the new Govt was the enshrining of Sinhala as the sole official language of the Country .On June 5th Tamil Satyagrahis peacefully protesting at Galle face were beaten up by thugs as the Police did nothing. Anti - Tamil violence resulted in several parts of the Country.On June 15th Sinhala was made the only official language by a vote of 56 to 29. Federal Party convention There was much tension in the Country when the FP held its party convention in Trincomalee during August 17th - 19th 1956. FP members and supporters marched for ten days from Jaffna in the North and Thirukkovil in the South of the Eastern Province to Trincomalee . The FP convention passed a unanimous resolution incorporating four basic demands.They were - 1. The establishment of an autonomous Tamil state or states on a linguistic basis within a Federal union of Ceylon. 2.The restoration of the Tamil language to its rightful place, enjoying absolute parity of status with Sinhalese as an official language of this Country. 3.The restoration of the citizenship and franchise rights to the Tamil workers in the plantation districts by repeal of the present citizenship laws. 4. The immediate cessation of all policies of colonising the traditionally Tamil - speaking areas with Sinhalese people. The convention resolved that one years time be given the Govt to respond positively to these demands. If there was no response the FP was to commence a “direct action” campaign of non - violent protest. The deadline given was August 20th 1957.The new 1957 year dawned with much friction over the issue of “Sri” letter in vehicle number plates. The earlier system was to use English alphabet letters from the Country’s name CEYLON. (CE, Cl , CN, EY, EN etc). Now the new Govt wanted it to begin with the Sinhala “Sri”. The Tamil politicians resented this as a form of Sinhala imposition. They protested and demanded that the Tamil “shree” also be substituted. Ironically there was no letter Shree in theTamil alphabet. The Shree used was derived from Sanskrit.On January 19th the FP began an anti - shree campaign in the North - East. Vehicles began running with Tamil letters. The “Sinhala” Shree was changed into the sanskrit derived “Tamil” shree. ‘Black Day’ On February 4th the FP observed independence day as a “black day”of mourning. A Hartal paralysed normal life in the North - East.A counter - campaign began in the Sinhala majority provinces. Tamil letters were tar - brushed or blacked out on street signs and name boards. There was widespread incidents of communal friction on a minor scale.The FP also called for a boycotting of Govt ministers and deputy - ministers visiting the North - East for “official” purposes.Satyagrahis would surround places where ministers were scheduled to go and curtail movement. Cabinet ministers W. Dahanayake and M. Marikkar were mobbed in Batticaloa. Stanley de Zoysa was treated to a massive show of black flags in Mannar. Deputy minister of Labour M.P de Z Siriwardena who went by the mail train to Jaffna found his path blocked outside the railway station by youths led by the then “enfant terrible” Appapillai Amirthalingam. He returned to Colombo by the next “Yarl Devi”.With increasing communal tensions the Country seemed to be heading for a blood bath. SWRD who was arguably the most intellectual of all Sri Lanka’s prime ministers realised that the situation had to be checked and reversed. He understood that the Tamils had genuine grievances that had to be redressed. Bandaranaike the man who espoused federalism for Sri Lanka in 1926 knew that the federal idea in the form of effective power - sharing was the only solution. He now proposed extensive de - centralisation through the setting up of regional Councils.It is widely believed that the Regional Councils scheme was introduced by Bandaranaike as a result of the B - C pact. Actually, a draft bill for Regional councils was published on May 17th 1957. The B - C pact came later in July. Understanding with Tamil leaders After presenting the Regional councils bill SWRD wanted to arrive at an understanding with the Tamil leaders and modify it further.Meanwhile the FP was getting ready for its “Direct action” campaign scheduled to begin on Aug 20th. 25, 000 volunteers were registered. Some Sinhala leaders began a move to mobilise 100, 000 volunteers to combat the Tamil campaign. A major showdown seemed inevitable.It was then that saner counsel prevailed .. A meeting between SWRD and SJV was mooted. It was done on the personal initiative of the Prime Minister himself.Two Tamil lawyers P. Navaratnarajah QC and AC Nadarajah arranged for the rendezvous. Navaratnarajah was a personal friend of both SWRD and SJV. Nadarajah was a vice - president of the SLFP. From the Govt side Finance minister Stanley de Zoysa played a commendable role in promoting this dialogue. S.W.R.D could not read or write Sinhala The first meeting was held on June 22nd at the Premier’s residence in Horagolla. SWRD himself came up to Chelvanayakam’s car and helped him get out. Both men seemed to realise the gravity of the situation. Those present on this historic occasion were SWRD Bandaranaike and Stanley de Zoysa from the Govt; Navaratnarajah as an intermediary; SJV Chelvanayakam, C. Vanniyasingham, NR. Rajavarothayam, VA. Kandiah, EMV Naganathan and V. Navaratnam from the FP.The first meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere.SWRD tried to downplay Tamil fears by saying that it would take many years for Sinhala to become the official language in practice. Bandaranaike himself had given evidence at the Theja Gunawardena case that he could not read or write Sinhala. ” I dont intend making Sinhala the language of administration till I learn it and I must confess that I am a slow learner” he chuckled. He also took a swipe at Sir John Kotelawela by referring to a politician ” who learnt French between bedclothes in Paris”.The FP appreciated Bandaranaike’s position but insisted that provisionary arrangements on the status of Tamil will have to be made. SWRD concurred. When the question of power sharing arose the FP presented its case for a Federal state.The FP pointed out that SWRD’s own viewpoint in the twenties that Federalism was the ideal solution had been a source of inspiration for the party in demanding federalism. SWRD replied by saying that though he espoused federalism then he had subsequently changed his mind. Besides he had no mandate for introducing federalism.”Could not the FP think of an alternative solution short of federalism that would redress Tamil grievances and address aspirations”? he queried.The FP understood the Prime Minister’s situation and agreed not to press for a federal solution.Both parties agreed to seek ways and means of power sharing within the prameters set out by the Choksy Commission report on de - centralisation and the draft bill on Regional Councils The PM then suggested that the FP should come up with alternative proposals envisaging “massive de - centralisation” but not “federal autonomy”. The FP sgreed and departed.The FP consulted former Law College Principal Brito Muthunayagam and Alfred Jeyaratnam Wilson, the son -in - law of Chelvanayakam. Wilson then a university lecturer went on to become Political Science dean at Peradeniya and New Brunswick in Canada. Northern Ireland example Interestingly Muthunayagam felt 50 years ago that the status of Northern Ireland in Britain was the ideal model to follow.The Northern Ireland parliament was subordinate to the British Parliament but retained a lot of powers not amounting to federalism.The FP was given a copy of the Northern Ireland Constitutional Act by the Law College principal. Wilson provided copies of several federal Countries. Former Kopay MP C. Vanniyasingham and ex - Kayts MP V. Navaratnam set about drafting an alternative scheme.The FP leaders accomplished the task in three days and forwarded the draft through Navaratnarajah for SWRD’s perusal.The Ulster model influenced the draft greatly.The north - east was to be a subordinate state with a unicameral legislature and cabinet.External affairs, Defence, Currency, Stamps,Customs,Inter-Regional transport, would remain with the central government. Block grants would be made by Colombo while domestic taxation could also supplement revenue. Policing was a state responsibility. The subordinate state would be represented in Colombo through elected MP’s. There would be a central cabinet minister for Tamil affairs.The second round of talks was at SWRD’s Rosemead place residence. Chelvanayakam, Vanniyasingham, Naganathan and Navaratnam represented the FP.Bandaranaike pointed out that the proposals in essence amounted to federalism. He suggested that the scheme be whittled down in point form to emphasise administrative de - centralisation.He also objected to words like “parliament” and “cabinet” saying they smacked of a separate state. Regional Council concept The FP then returned and revised the document by summarising proposals in point form. Since the regional Council concept was a brainchild of Bandaranaike the FP replaced “Parliament” with “Regional Council”. “Cabinet” was substituted by ” board of directors”. The substance of the original proposals was retained to a great extent.Thereafter a series of discussions took place among Stanley de Zoysa, Navaratnarajah and FP leaders. The PM did not participate but proposed many changes through his representative de Zoysa. The FP was persuaded to accept most of them though they diluted to some extent the original proposals. But on one point the FP remained firm.The FP wanted the North - East to form one single regional council. SWRD was willing to allow the North to be one unit but he wanted the East to be separate with two or more units.The man who was adamant on this issue was FP strategist V. Navaratnam dubbed as the “golden brain” of the FP.Finally AC Nadarajah persuaded Navaratnam to accept a compromise. The North and East were to be separate Councils with the provision to amalmagate if so desired. Finally D - day dawned. The conclusive meeting took place on July 25 th 1957 at the Prime Ministers office in the old Senate building.Several cabinet ministers were in attendance. Many FP leaders also participated.Navaratnarajah the “facilitator” was also there. It began at 7.00 pm.The cabinet ministers were firm that the status of Sinhala as official language should not be eroded. After protracted discussion a compromise was suggested by William Silva that Tamil be recognized as the language of the national minorities.. Tamil was to be language of administration in the N- E.On the unit issue the FP consented to the premier’s stance that the North be one council and the East be divided into two or more councils. The Councils could merge if desired even cutting across provincial boundaries. Existing boundaries could be re- demarcated if necessary.When it came to powers of the council several minsters led by Philip Gunewardena refused to delegate their powers. The FP members retired to another room while cabinet ministers sorted out the issue. Subsequenty “line” ministers agreed to devolve their powers. The PM was willing to stop colonisation and also agreed to land settlement procedures satisfactory to the FP.On the question of citizenship Bandaranaike stated that he would resolve the issue through discussions with Plantation Tamil representatives. He suggested the FP should “leave it at that”. The FP complied.It was well past midnight now and July 26th had dawned. At 2. 00 am on July 26th V. Navaratnam read out in point form the agreement reached. Both sides formally agreed. Break through At 2. 30 am the members of the fourth estate, waiting eagerly for a sensational breakthrough, were called in to the cabinet room. Amid flashing cameras Bandaranaike apologised in his courteous manner “My friends, I am sorry to have kept all of you awake. But it is a historic night for you, for us and for the country”.Ranji Handy was then a Lake House journalist. The irrepressible Ranji who became Mrs. Maithripala Senanayake in later life blurted out “tell us the result please”.Then Stanley de Zoysa announced “We have reached an agreement”.SWRD then turned to SJV and said” Chelva they want to hear from you” Chelvanayakam said an agreement had ben worked out and that the details will be given by the PM.Bandaranaike then asked the press whether there was time to catch the printing deadline. Joe Segera shouted spiritedly that special arrangements had been made to print late and wanted the full details. SWRD then read out from V. Navaratnam’s notes. The press persons asked FP leaders whether they were satisfied. Naganathan, Vanniyasingham, Rajavarothayam and Amirthalingam replied in the affirmative. Chelvanayakam then stated that the FP would postpone its “direct action” campaign scheduled for Aug 20th.The press rushed out and the morning papers came out later than usual with full text of the agreement. The evening papers came out earlier than usual with more details.It may be hard to believe but the funny thing was that no pact had been signed by Bandaranaike or Chelvanayakam at that point. There was no B- C pact. It was like a gentleman’s agreement Chelvanayakam and Navaratnam returned to the FP leader’s residence at Alfred House gardens. It was there that Navaratnam pointed out that there was nothing concrete in writing that an agreement had been entered into. There would only be media reports. SJV then suggested that Navaratnam take some rest and handle the matter in the morning.Getting up early morning, Navaratnam drafted in triplicate, the terms and clauses of what is known as the Banda - Chelva pact now. It was in two parts.Part A was a summary of discussions and agreements reached. Part B was about the structure, powers and composition of proposed Regional Councils. ‘Historic agreement’ Chelvanayakam then took the copies and went at noon on July 26th to the Prime Minister’s office. It was there that the old Thomians - solomon and Samuel - endorsed the historic agreement known as the Bandaranaike - Chelvanayakam pact. It was done quietly away from the media glare.Bandaranaike had one copy and Chelvanayakam the other. Navaratnam the “draftsman” kept the third copy. Years later Navaratnam told this writer in a conversation at his son Mohan’s house in Toronto, the sad tale of how that “historic document” copy was destroyed by EPRLF militants during the Indian Army period.It was at his residence in Jaffna which the EPRLF had taken over then. Navaratnam the driving force behind the B- C pact also told me that the FP was not happy with all aspects of the agreement but compromised in a spirit of pragmatism. The veteran Tamil leader who split from the FP in 1968 and founded the Tamil Self - Rule party passed away some months ago in Montreal.In retrospect the B - C pact seems to have been one signed by leaders who realised that the ethnic problem had to be resolved if the nation was to realise its full potential. There was also a sense of urgency then to arrive at an understanding in order to contain the rising mood pf ethnic confrontation in the Country.Sadly the pact was never implemented. There was much opposition to it. JR Jayewardena and the UNP on the one hand and the Sinhala - Buddhist hardliners on the other whipped up a sustained campaign. Opposition campaign The Tamil Congress on its part also opposed the pact for its own reasons.The provocative act of sending new buses to the north with “sinhala”shree numer plates saw the FP resorting to a tar brush campaign again. This evoked counter measures in the South.200 Budhist priests and 300 others squatted outside Bandaranaike’s house on April 9th 1958 demanding the pact be revoked. Finally SWRD caved in and repudiated the pact unilaterally, tearing up a copy to symbolise it . He blamed the FP tar brush campaign for his action.Both Bandaranaike and Chelvanayakam entered into the agreement to avoid an ethnic conflagration. Yet a month after the BC pact was aborted ethnic violence erupted on a large scale. The ethnic crisis deteriorated into open war and the Country is bleeding fifty years later.The B- C pact was a golden opportunity to resolve the problem at its early stages through a solution comprising elements of the federal idea. Yet it never worked or was allowed to work.How and why the B - C pact ended in failure is a sad story that needs to be related on another occasion. 22 July 2007 APRC rejects SLFP proposals A majority of the parties represented at the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) have rejected the SLFP proposals on the unit of devolution and the nature of the state and decided to drop the word 'unitary' and keep the province as the unit of devolution in the proposed new constitution. This position of the APRC is reflected in a document titled 'Core Issues' which Chairman Tissa Vitharana has circulated among the members. Vitharana in circulating the document has said it was only the SLFP, MEP and JHU that had insisted on the unitary state concept to be included and that he would be meeting with the leaders of those parties to sort out the issue in terms of the majority view. Minister Vitharana has said all other parties including the UNP and the minority parties have accepted the Chairman's report which has specifically excluded the unitary concept and has suggested that the formulation in the Chairman's document stand. It has also been proposed by way of a compromise to replace the word 'unitary' with the word 'united.' Minister Vitharana has further pointed out that only the SLFP and the MEP supported the 'district' as the unit of devolution whereas 11 other parties maintained that it should be the Province. He has said not a single party supported the JHU position of 'local council.' The Vitharana paper also refers to the proposals made by a majority of the minority parties for contiguous provinces to merge and also to create separate units for the Muslims in the north and east and for the Indian origin Tamils in the upcountry. "A compromise solution which takes into consideration the concerns expressed by the SLFP with regard to unfair treatment of certain districts and also secessionist dangers could be achieved, e.g. by having the administrative pyramid beginning with the village instead of ending at the division level, being extended to the district level as suggested by the SLFP. This could be accommodated within the framework of the province as the unit of devolution," Vitharana has said. The Minister has also pointed out that he will hold discussions with the leadership of the SLFP, JHU and MEP on the areas of dispute but that the deliberations of the APRC will continue on the basis of the 'Province' being the unit of devolution. Meanwhile, Vitharana told The Sunday Leader the APRC was doing its best to finalise its proposals before August 15 to keep to the deadline set by the UNP for its participation. Funding cloud over eastern sunrise The government is likely to put on hold a donor forum on funding development projects in the east following a general reluctance particularly by European countries to provide new project aid, diplomatic sources said. Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera with whom some multilateral donors have had initial contact on the convening of a development forum, could not be reached for confirmation as his secretary said he preferred not to speak to the media because he was often misquoted.Diplomatic sources said the government had been considering a donor meeting in September to discuss eastern development but the Rs. 1.8 billion plan was now on hold because many donors had expressed reluctance or reservations.They said European Union countries, especially, were not in favour of getting involved in giving aid now as it might be interpreted as endorsing or condoning the continuing human rights violations and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people. But officially the EU is taking up a different position. An official of the European Commission’s Colombo office said they might consider government requests for aid connected to the new development plan for the east.“We are unaware of any development forum being organised but we will consider any request for new funding,” said Guy Platoon, Charge d’Affaires of the Delegation of the European Commission in Colombo.Asked whether EU countries were reluctant to fund new projects in the east, Mr. Platoon said; “I’m afraid I can’t speak for other donor countries. I can only give the EC position.”Earlier in the week the Treasury’s Deputy Secretary, Sumith Abeysinghe said a blueprint for a proposed development forum for the east was being prepared and would be put on a fast track following the military victory in Toppigala. He said Dr. Jayasundera was supervising the development plan including infrastructure and resettlement.Mr. Abeysinghe said he hoped that various projects would be undertaken by donor agencies such as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank (WB). The ADB’s Colombo office Deputy Director Laurence Pochard said the bank had regular ongoing programmes in the north-east and he did not think it would be giving any different budgets and programmes for the east. World Bank Country Director Naoko Ishii said the bank had not been informed of a development forum for the east and decisions regarding future assistance to the entire country were being made under a new country assistance strategy (CAS) that would cover the next three to four years. “As part of this programme, we are considering concrete programmes to provide additional support to conflict-affected areas,” she said in email comments sent to The Sunday Times. She said the bank would continue to consult with a wide variety of stakeholders—including the poor and vulnerable in conflict-affected areas—to help ensure that its assistance was appropriately targeted and sufficiently sensitive to the many complexities surrounding the conflict. According to initial estimates, some Rs. 1,800 million was needed for the projects on reconstruction of roads, irrigation schemes and electricity plants among others. President won’t dissolve Parliament President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday declared that he had absolutely no intention to dissolve Parliament and go in for a fresh general election. Delivering a hard hitting speech behind a bullet proof cubicle in Nawalapitiya, Rajapaksa attempted to quell mounting criticism against his administration by launching a scathing attack against the country’s main opposition United National Party (UNP). “Sri Lanka is probably the only country in the world which gifted territory to terrorists. They (UNP) were the ones who sealed shady secret deals with the terrorists, and now they are making absolutely baseless allegations against us saying that we gave money to the LTTE,” the President said. He also called on the opposition to stop betraying the country to foreign elements and instead of attempting to topple the government, join hands with it and work for the betterment of the masses. Rajapaksa also openly challenged opposition criticism over his controversial budget airline Mihin Lanka. “Everyone is saying there is no profit, it has been just a few months since it was launched, give me one year and I will show you the profits the airline has made.” One time UNP stalwart and now an ardent supporter of the Rajapaksa led government, Minister Rajitha Senaratne addressing the meeting claimed that when Ranil Wickremesinghe was in power, not a single project took off under him. “He did not spend even a cent for the development of the country; he did not even give a single job to the unemployed. He existed under the guise of fake peace,” the Minister who was a one time Wickremesinghe loyalist alleged. Karuna to contest Eastern mini polls The political arm of the Karuna faction, the Thamil Makkal. Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) formed by renegade former Eastern Commander of the LTTE, Vinyagamoorthy Muralithan (alias Karun) has announced plans to contest local government elections in the East.The spokesman for the TMVP, Mahesh, said his party would contest elections in the East and was eyeing the Batticaloa Municipal Council and eight other urban councils.The TMVP spokesman further said his party would contest elections islandwide in future general elections. He expressed confidence that the party would bag seats in the Colombo and Polonnaruwa districts in addition to party strongholds in the East. He said the party expected local government elections to be held before March next year. Finger pointed at military over Batticaloa gruesome killing The Honk Kong based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) yesterday alleged that a group dressed in military uniform had stabbed a 27-year old woman to death in Paduwankarai, Batticaloa early this month. “The AHRC has received information about the gruesome stabbing of a 27-year-old woman allegedly by army personnel or members of the Special Task Force (STF) in Paduwankarai, Batticaloa. Accordingly, on July 7, several personnel in military uniform had come to the house she was staying and shouted her name. When she failed to respond they stormed inside, and escorted her out. There, they had brutally stabbed her about 12 times in the presence of her mother. The victim succumbed to her injuries shortly,” the commission said in a release. On July 7, Balasuntharam Thavamani, her mother and about 20 other persons displaced by the ongoing armed conflict were seeking refuge in a single house at Paduwankarai, Batticaloa. This area has been a stronghold of the LTTE until last week when state security forces wrested the area from the rebels.Around 9:30 p.m. that night, several men in military uniform suddenly stormed into the house and shouted for the victim by her name. As the victim failed to respond due to intense fear, the personnel entered the house and forcibly escorted her out.When the victim’s mother followed them wailing and shouting, they stabbed the young woman in the presence of her mother—a distance of about 100 metres from the house. She succumbed to her death on the spot after being stabbed about 12 times.Subsequent to this killing about 35 families in the village, fearing for their lives, fled the village and went to a nearby area. Thereafter they related the ordeal to Batticaloa MP P. Ariyanenthran. They are reluctant to report the incident to the authorities due to fear of reprisals. The AHRC has urged relevant state authorities to conduct an impartial investigation and inquiry into the circumstances of the death—including an identification parade, provide witness protection and security to potential witnesses to enable them to come forward and give evidence and take immediate disciplinary and legal proceedings against the perpetrators. SLFP(M) rejects offer to rejoin govt. The SLFP Mahajana Wing on Friday rejected an appeal by the government to return to the fold and accept ministerial office. The offer was made by Highways Minister and Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle minutes after a letter sent by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga endorsing the new alliance between the UNP and SLFP(M) became public. The UNP and the SLFP(M) signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday to work as a broad Alliance to set the country on a path of democracy, peace and economic revival. Minister Fernandopulle told SLFP(M) coordinator Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi in Parliament that the whole country accepts the fact Mangala Samaraweera was the No.2 in the SLFP and that he should return to the party and take his rightful place. The Minister who spoke to Sooriyaarchchi in the presence of Ministers Ferial Ashroff and Anver Ismail also said if they were willing to reconsider their position the President would take them back to government and restore their positions. Fernandopulle also offered to negotiate a possible agreement if Samaraweera and Sooriyaarachchi were prepared to consider the proposal. However Sooriyaarchchi told Fernandopulle they have just embarked on a new journey and would not look back until the Rajapakse administration is defeated. He also said there were many more SLFP MPs waiting in the wings and the July 26 'People Power' campaign will be the beginning of a new era. Sooriyaarachchi also told several other SLFP MPs who wanted to know whether former President Kumaratunga was backing their campaign to observe the up coming developments closely. "When the UNP defectors joined the government and had a meeting they could muster only 300 people in Borella. Just watch us on July 26," he said. LTTE regional leader dies in confrontation with STF Five LTTE cadres including a regional leader were killed yesterday morning in a confrontation with the police Special Task Force. Fighting broke out between the STF personnel and the LTTE at Neriyakanatte in Kanchikudichiaru, west of Batticaloa. STF personnel on a clearing operation were confronted by a group of Tiger cadres lying in ambush. According to STF sources a LTTE regional leader identified as Ravindran was killed in the fighting along with five others. A haul of weapons including four anti personnel mines, five T-56 assault rifles and 56 Magazines were discovered by the STF personnel. “The STF did not suffer any casualties in the confrontation,” stated a news release by the police elite commandos. Meanwhile, an army foot patrol was caught up in a claymore mine explosion yesterday morning at 11 along the Mannar-Vavuniya main road. Two soldiers injured in the incident were later admitted to the Vavuniya Hospital. Ariyanenthiran refutes media speculation Tamil National Alliance’s Batticaloa district parliamentarian P.Ariyanenthiran vehemently denied media speculations that the government had made arrangements to buy over some of the TNA Eastern members of parliament following the Thoppigala victory which is said to have taken control of the entire East. “None of the Eastern TNA MPs were approached by the government with the intention of asking to cross over as reported in some media. Even if someone tried to drag us to the ruling side, they would never succeed” said Ariyanenthiran.“These are just baseless rumours that contain no truth”“We got elected to the parliament on the pledge that we will stand for the Tamil homeland. We are not going to compromise on that” he said. Referring to government’s announcement with regard to developing the East, Ariyanenthiran said, such developments carried out by the present government will only be a military-oriented one. Meanwhile the Eastern district MP said it was most likely that the Tamil National Alliance would boycott the local polls in East if the government were to hold it in the near future as announced.“We have not taken a formal decision as far as this issue is concerned. The final decision will be made once the parliamentary group leader of our party R.Sambanthan and other MPs who are abroad return” he added. Govt. to stop military offensives in the north? The government has decided to stop all offensives in the north in order to facilitate peace moves.The government will only engage in military exercises if there is an attack by the LTTE. Highly placed government sources said that the government is in touch with the Norwegian facilitators to kick start the stalled peace efforts. The government top brass is now in the process of meeting with constituent parties individually in a bid to surmount the stalemate situation. Senior officials attached to the Presidential Secretariat have recently met All Party Representative Committee Chairman Tissa Vitarana to explore possibilities of making way for peace. So far, the government has met with small time Muslim parties and was scheduled to meet with the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress last evening. They have also spoken to the Ceylon Workers Congress in unofficial terms and would meet with them next week to elaborate discussions on how to get about the peace process. The officials are also set to meet TULF Leader V. Anandasangaree, PLOTE Leader Dharmalingam Sidharthan and the JHU. The government is however yet to meet with the JVP.Meanwhile, security forces said that the north has to be handled very carefully, and the forces have no plans to acquire lands in the northern area. But what is most important at this point is to usher in peace and to strengthen the economy. “The geography of the north is completely different from the east and the demographic situation of the north is totally different to that of the east,” the source added. SSP’s son-in-law in mystery abduction Mystery surrounds the alleged abduction of a senior police officer’s son-in-law and the demand of half a million rupee ransom – with family members and police telling contradictory stories.According to sources close to family members, Ranga Indika Perera, son-in-law of Senior Superintendent (SSP) Fabian Mitchele, was abducted in Kotahena by three men who came in the now-notorious white van.They say the gang demanded a ransom of half a million rupees while police tried to trace Mr. Perera with his father-in-law alerting all police stations and emergency units. By monitoring mobile phone calls, the police said the victim was eventually traced to Mahabage but the site happened to be a house being built by him – adding a strange twist to the drama.Sources close to family members said the family was compelled by the police to tell this Mahabage house story and not make any other statement, adding more mystery to the puzzle.But, SSP Jayantha Kulathilka charged that Mr. Perera had engineered his own abduction to get media publicity so that he could apply for British citizenship. He said Mr. Perera had been detained along with a relative and a friend who took part in the alleged abduction drama for further questioning.But, the sources close to the family still insisted Mr. Perera, who returned from London recently, was abducted and the abductors demanded Rs. 500,000 for his release. Chandrika advisor to new alliance President Chandrika Kumaratunge will function as an advisor in the newly formed UNP-SLFP(M) National Alliance, according to the party sources of SLFP (M) Wing.The former President has sent a congratulatory message to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU ) signed between the two parties. President Kumaratunga is expected to return to the island next month. Her security has been beefed up following a request by her Secretariat. Sripathi appeals for more security Deposed Minister Sripathi Sooriyarachchi has again appealed for more protection on grounds that his life continued to be under threat by ‘powerful elements’. The ex-Minister who now represents the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana Wing) levelled allegations of a conspiracy against him by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his brothers including Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa. “Ever since I was sacked, there were many attempts on my life. Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the President removed all my security. I narrowly escaped a claymore mine explosion in the Kadawatha area and there were times when two or three white vans trailed my vehicle. Some even tried to kill me when I was in the prison. They are after my life,” he alleged. He went on to add that since he is provided with minimal security it might be only a matter of time that an attempt on his life would succeed. “I only have limited security. I’m not sure what will happen. But I’m not going to stop my struggle.”Sooriyarachchi said that although the state was doing nothing to protect him, the people will. “People know if I am killed President Rajapaksa is responsible. And the President knows that the public is aware that the Rajapaksa family wants me dead. So he won’t attack me directly,” he claimed. “What I want is proper security. Not only for me but for others whose lives are in danger” he said. “It is the responsibility of the state to protect its citizens but this government is doing a pretty bad job of it,” Sooriyarachchi added. 21 July 2007 Merger of North and East not ruled illegal:TELO JaffnaMP Srikantha TELO MP M. Srikantha told Parliament yesterday the Supreme Court did not rule the merger of the North and East illegal. Joining the debate on an adjournment motion moved by JVP Parliamentary Group Leader Wimal Weerawansa in the House, he said the Supreme Court only held that the procedure which was followed in merging the two provinces was illegal and not the merger. He said the North and East were temporarily merged under the Indo Lanka Peace Accord in 1987 which was a pact between two states. “Therefore, the Sri Lankan government cannot ignore the procedures that have to be implemented under it,” he said.He charged that the government is trying to handover the Eastern Province to Minister Athaullah “He is day dreaming to become the Chief Minister of the East,” he said. Military claims killing five Tamil rebels trying to plant mines in northern Sri Lanka Sri Lanka: Sri Lanka's military said Saturday it killed five suspected Tamil Tiger rebels who were trying to plant mines near a defense line in the country's north.Soldiers observed the group on Friday in Eluthumadduval village on the northern Jaffna peninsula and shot at them, an official at the Media Center for National Security said.The soldiers confirmed killing five rebels and recovered 12 anti-personnel mines during a subsequent search, the official said on condition of anonymity in line with policy.There was no immediate comment from the rebels.The incident came after Friday's pre-dawn attack by the rebels on a military post in northern Mannar district, sparking a battle that according to the military killed three soldiers and nine insurgents.Rebel military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan said, however, that they killed 10 soldiers and lost four of their fighters in the battle. The toll could not be reconciled because both sides habitually inflate each other's casualty figures and lower their own.Violence in the past 20 months has killed more than 5,000 fighters and civilians, rendering a 2002 Norway-brokered cease-fire meaningless. Neither side has withdrawn from the agreement because such a move could prompt international condemnation.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam rebels have fought the government since 1983 to carve out an independent homeland for the country's ethnic minority Tamils in the north and east who have suffered discrimination at the hands of successive majority Sinhalese-controlled governments.More than 70,000 people have been killed in more than two decades of war. Leading businessman shot dead in Jaffna city Two gunmen, riding a motorbike, shot and killed a leading businessman in Jaffna city Friday around 4:30 p.m., Police said. Tension prevailed among the business community in Jaffna peninsula following the slaying of Sellaththurai Shanmugarajah, 56, the owner of Aldi Electronics. The motive behind the killing is believed to be vengeance for his son's alleged involvement with the Tigers, sources in Jaffna said. Mr. Shanmugarajah was slain while he was going home, towards Aathiyadi, after the day's business. His electronic shop is located at Stanly Road in a tightly guarded area of the Sri Lanka Army.Shanmugarajah died on the spot. His body was taken to the Jaffna Hospital morgue. JVP calls for disarming of paramilitary forces in East The JVP yesterday urged the government to gradually disarm all paramilitary forces operating in the East enabling the people in the area to live without fear. JVP parliamentary group Leader Wimal Weerawansa who moved an adjournment motion in Parliament to pay tribute to the security forces engaged in securing the East, said these paramilitary forces should be disarmed so that the people in the area would be able to enjoy their democratic rights. Mr. Weerawansa said the paramilitary forces had to take up arms because of the LTTE and if they continued to operate in the East even after the Tigers were no longer in existence, it would create other problems.“We call on the government do dismantle these groups gradually because we understand that such a process cannot be done overnight,” he said.While stressing that the government should undertake development work in the East without delay, Mr. Weerawansa said the government should not engage in publicity stunts alone.“This government is good at carrying out publicity stunts but not at implementing development projects,” he claimed. Mr. Weerawansa said it was essential to take the message of love and friendship to the people in the East. He said that proper tribute should be paid to the security forces who fearlessly secured the East from the Tigers who were not an isolated armed gang.“International imperialistic forces who are out to take over the oil wells, in the sea around Sri Lanka is trying to stop the rise in the Asian region. Our brave forces defeated the ideologies of these forces who say there is no solution to the national issue other than a negotiated settlement,” he said calling on the government to secure the North too as it did in the East. War will continue until last Tamil falls dead: Gajendran TNA MP S. Gajendran told Parliament that the war in Sri Lanka would continue till the last Tamil in the country falls dead. He made this point during the debate on Thoppigala in the House yesterday. The TNA MP described the liberation of the East as Sri Lankan forces occupying a foreign country after invading and said if the government thinks they can defeat the Tigers in the East, it is a myth. “We will fight until the last Tamil falls dead and until then the war will continue,” he said He charged that while the President of Sri Lanka is hailed for securing the East, the people in the area are leading a miserable life. Mr. Gajendran charged that paddy harvests of the people in the area have been taken away by the forces.He called on the international community to support the TNA in its endeavour to win their rights. Man abducted in Kotahena A middle aged man was abducted by an unidentified armed gang in Kotahena last evening in the first known case since June, police said.They said the victim identified as a Sinhalese had been forcibly taken away in a van at George R de Silva Mawatha around 5.00 pm. Kotahena police Inspector Neranjan Abeywardena told the Daily Mirror the victim was yet to be identified and a probe was underway to ascertain the motive of the abduction.According to surveys done by the Civil Monitoring Mission about 132 people have gone missing since January 2006 while most of the cases were abductions and some demanding extortions. The spree of abductions and disappearances ceased since the end of June and the authorities attributed it to the capture of two groups believed to have been responsible for the abductions. Police commandos kill 5 Tamil rebels in the east, military says Five ethnic Tamil militants were killed in a clash with police commandos in eastern Sri Lanka - on Saturday, the military said. The clash erupted when the rebels attacked the commandos in Kanchikudichcharu village of Ampara district, 220 kilometers (130 miles) east of the capital, Colombo, an official at the Media Center for National Security said. The commandos recovered assault rifles, explosives and detonators from the site, the official said on condition of anonymity in line with policy. ICRC refuses LTTE bodies in Batticaloa The ICRC yesterday refused to accept bodies alleged to be that of the LTTE from the military in Batticaloa. ICRC spokesman David Vignatti said they had refused to take LTTE bodies from Batticaloa as the LTTE is not operating in the area. The military was to hand over three LTTE bodies to the ICRC yesterday in Batticaloa but the ICRC refused to accept them.The bodies are now lying at the police morgue. “Sack MK Narayanan, the anti-Tamil distortionist,” demands Tamil Nadu Academic Chandrika hits out at Rajapaksa regime The former President of Sri Lanka, Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, on Friday hit out at the policies of the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government as inimical to the interests of the country and said the newly-formed National Congress led by Ranil Wickremesinghe and Mangala Samaraweera was the need of the hour.In a letter to Mr. Samaraweera, the rebel Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) leader who was ousted from the Government in February, Ms. Kumaratunga said, “The stated objectives of the Alliance seem to reflect the essential need of the hour. I have believed for a long time that the country’s problems can be solved effectively, only through a Grand Alliance of all honest, patriotic forces.” On Thursday, United National Party chief Ranil Wickremesinghe and the rebel faction of the SLFP came under the banner of National Congress with a pledge to work on a common programme and share power in the future. As per the arrangement, in the event of the combine capturing power, Mr. Wickremesinghe would be the Prime Minister and Mr. Samaraweera is to be designated as Deputy Prime Minister. The pact also provides for sharing of ministerial portfolios between the two parties.In her first elaborate public statement through the letter on the Rajapaksa regime, Ms. Kumaratunga complained that the SLFP had changed several important policies which were followed since 1993 and lead the country to “great, new heights”. “This is a style, wholly alien to the SLFP.” She recalled that her Government in 1994 succeeded to a great extent in bringing into the Government or to support the Government, all parties representing the minority groups, and all major parties, except the UNP and the JVP. “I made continued efforts to bring the UNP too, to work with us. So, I am very glad to see that the UNP and an important section of the SLFP, have agreed to work together in a formally constituted Alliance.” Ms. Kumaratunga said the “strange new policies” that were being implemented with regard to the economy, the Tamil question and rampant corruption would not resolve the prevailing problems in any of these spheres and might even worsen the situation to a point of no return. Batticaloa journalist, 2 youths reported missing in Colombo A Tamil journalist from Batticaloa, and two youths disappeared from Colombo last week, sources in Colombo said. P. Rathakrishnan, deputy minister and Upcountry People's Front (UPF) parliamentarian Thursday, meeting with the parents of the missing, said: "abductions and extortion appear to have resumed again in Colombo and this is an issue of great danger to our people."Sakthivel Prakash, 29, a journalist from Batticaloa, Kathiravel Chanthiravel, 23, of Puthuchcheddy street, and Mahenthirarajah Vigneswaran, a student aged 28, of Kotahena were identified as the youths missing.Rathakrishnan also said that he had provided details of the abductions to the Police Commissioner conveying the fear for the safety of the abducted. "I have received 124 complaints on abductions, extortion and persons gone missing. I will not tolerate injustice even if it is my party that is responsible for the governance of Sri Lanka," the junior minister said."Permanent peace can never be achieved by war and it could be reached only through negotiations. This is the stand of the UPF," he added. Ranil should get credit for creating split in LTTE: Lakshman UNP MP Lakshman Seneviratne said in Parliament yesterday that Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe should be held in high esteem for creating a split in the LTTE through peace initiatives. Mr. Seneviratne noted this matter while speaking during the debate to pay tribute to the security forces for the liberation of Thoppigala from the Tigers.He said that Karuna broke away from the organization under these circumstances, and therefore everyone should give credit to Mr. Wickremesinghe.“I would like to request the JVP to keep that in mind before making allegations against him,” he said.He asked as to why the LTTE prevented people from exercising their franchise at the last Presidential Election if there was a deal between the UNP and them as alleged by some elements. He said security forces who have been injured during the operations in the East should realize they were injured by the bullets which were bought with the money given to LTTE by the present government. Mr. Seneviratne charged that the SLFP led PA government of 1994 sacrificed the entire East just to secure 4 percent of the LTTE held area in the North. He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa who gave money to the LTTE is considered a hero, while the Opposition leader who did not give a cent to them is considered a traitor. Quoting former Indian Prime Minister Javaharlal Nehru he said ‘the false patriot is more dangerous that any one else’. UNP MP Johnston Fernando said over Rs 40 million had been spent for the ‘Eastern Rising’ programme which was held at Independence Square on Thursday. He said the UNP would come up with all the relevant details of this wastage of public funds soon. The UNP also alleged that officers of the security forces, who were sent to schools to talk about their success, have been instructed not to talk of past military operations in the East. 20 July 2007 Sri Lanka, rebels claim high enemy kills in clash Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers launched a pre-dawn attack on an army detachment in the restive northwestern district of Mannar on Friday, and both sides claimed to have killed nearly a dozen of their foes.The incident came a day after the government staged a show of military might in the capital with a parade of tanks and troops and a fly-past by fighter jets to celebrate the capture of vast swathes of eastern territory from the rebels.It also comes after a rash of land and sea clashes, ambushes and air raids that have killed an estimated 4,500 people since last year alone."There was a confrontation in the early morning in Mannar. The LTTE fired mortars and artillery. We lost three (soldiers), and four were wounded," said military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe. "Ground troops observed nine LTTE cadres killed, and technical sources say 24 were injured." The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who are fighting for an independent state in north and east Sri Lanka, called their attack a "preemptive strike", and said they had killed 10 soldiers and that four of their own fighters were killed."One of our units raided a mini camp in a pre-emptive strike as it was a source of harassment and shelling of civilian areas," Tiger military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthiraiyan said by telephone from the rebels' de facto capital of Kilinochchi."Our men found 10 bodies of Sri Lankan army soldiers and collected military materials such as weapons."Ilanthiraiyan said subsequent army shelling had hit a civilian settlement on the Tigers' side of the front line separating government from rebel territory, wounding a mother and her 11-month-old child.There was no independent confirmation of what had happened or the death toll.Analysts say the foes have tended to exaggerate enemy losses and play down their own in a war that has killed nearly 70,000 people since 1983.And while losing their foothold in the east is a significant military defeat, the rebels have vowed to switch to guerrilla warfare tactics in a bid to cripple the economy with attacks on major military and economic targets. Analysts say there is no clear winner on the horizon. Several partners absent in President's Sunrise Leaders of several major coalition parties of the government were notable absentees at the state ceremony held at the Independence Square to tribute the security forces that liberated the Eastern Province. Despite the special request made at the government parliamentary group meeting from all government MPs to participate in this ceremony Ceylon Workers' Congress leader Arumugam Thonadaman, EPDP leader Douglas Devananda and Upcountry People's Front leader P. Chandrasekaran were absent. UNP and JVP boycotted the ceremony while MP Omalpe Sobhitha Thero represented the JHU. The diplomatic heads of India, Pakistan, Norway and other European Union countries were also invited, but did not take part in the function. The military duty officers represented the countries like USA and Japan. Parliament passes bill enabling Local Council Elections in Eastern Province With tanks, jets, Sri Lanka fetes fall of rebel east State television showed troops in the captured east watching the ceremony live as armored personnel carriers paraded through the square. Western ambassadors were conspicuously absent amid fears triumphalism will further erode any chance of a return to the peace table."The liberation of the Tamils cannot be achieved through weapons, bombs and cyanide capsules. The LTTE should realize that," Rajapaksa added, referring to cyanide vials rebels wear around their necks to commit suicide to avoid capture.Rajapaksa has said it is now up to the Tigers to decide on whether peace or more war will follow.The government plans to spend 6.0 billion rupees ($53.7 million) over the next six months to develop infrastructure like roads, schools and hospitals in a bid to win hearts and minds, a senior government official said. The government has also vowed to hold local elections in the east by the year-end to cement a civil administration there. HEAVY SECURITY Police and troops lined the streets around the square wearing triangular pink identification stickers in a bid to prevent rebel infiltrators from posing as servicemen to mount attacks.An estimated 4,500 people have been killed since last year after a 2002 ceasefire broke down on the ground and civil war resumed, and the fighting has now spread to the north.Rajapaksa this week vowed to wrest control of all terrain held by his Tamil Tiger foes following the assassination of a top government official in the restive east.Analysts say the shooting of Herath Abeyweera, Secretary of the Eastern Province, in the northeastern district of Trincomalee on Monday shows the Tigers are still a force to be reckoned with in the east, and see no clear winner on the horizon.The country's stock market has fallen sharply in recent weeks as fighting erodes investor sentiment and prompts companies to put investments on hold. I strongly believe on a solution based on power sharing within a unified Sri Lanka. Mangala Samaraweera The complete speech of SLFP (Mahajana) Wing Convenor- Mangala Samaraweeera Mangala invites SLFP Ministers and members to join newly formed National Congress Today is a historic day for Sri Lanka as we took the first step in the journey towards a new era.The United National Party, SLFP and their vision and policies and the SLFP (M Wing) _ for a program to build the country, we are joining hands today for a new journey. The convener of the SLFP's (M Wing) Mangala Samaraweera made these remarks after UNP and SLFP(M) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, at the parliament complex on July 19.Samaraweera further said that Sri Lanka marks 60 th anniversary of independence in 7 months time. We celebrate our 60th independence anniversary at a time when the country is facing a very crucial destiny.Although we are a small country, we inherits a very proud history. But our country is engulfed with crisis today and is facing a threat of being rated as a "failed state."The endless war and the ethnic conflict that has killed thousands over decades, the hopes we had at the time independence have been shattered.The country has suffered severe set back in the field of economic and politics and also in the culture and social spheres. The country is stagnating without solving any problem. We have inherited only war flames, hunger and war fear _ without any hopes for future.The situation has turned worse during the last 18 months. A family based shortsighted political culture has put the whole country into a turmoil.All the politicians since independence _ whether in the government or opposition are responsible for this crisis. However, more than any one who governed this country since independence, the family company which has been ruling this country for the last 18 months should take more responsibility for the country's downfall. Though there many reasons could be attributed to this collapse, it is useless to accuse each other as it gives only a temporary satisfaction. It would not severe the country in any way. Today our country does not want such a dishonest political culture. People of this country today are asking for a political culture based on ethics _ irrespective of communal, party and religious differences _ one would crown this country. The need of the era is to create a political culture which could bring all the communities living in this country together and ensure the brotherhood among all.It is in this backdrop, the discussion commenced between UNP and SLFP(M) for a common agreement to rebuild the country. We discussed and argued about our differences. After all, we could come to an agreement to form a broad alliance aimed at building this country We are establishing this National Congress as a broad alliance against the traditional dishonest politics, racism and one man show. We are confident that we can conquer any future challenge.This is not a trick to capture power, but to make a revolution change in Sri Lankan politics.For this, we must have a clear vision and program _ also a political commitment. Through this agreement, we have presented before the country the basic program for making such a change.We have identified that amending of the existing constitution which gives enormous powers to one person, within a stipulated time frame, is an urgent national need.We must accept that a political solution to ethnic conflict should be found. Without such a solution, we can not achieve any economic or social improvement. We must present a solution which guarantees equal human, economic and social rights for all the communities. I believe it would help to defeat terrorism which is deep-rooted in our country. We invite all progressive and political forces that love this country to join with us, at this historical moment. I invite all Sri Lankans to gather around this mass movement.On this occasion, I would like to make an appeal to Ministers and members of the SLFP. Although a majority of SLFP members approve our effort, the present leadership have suppressed their voice through the terror created within the party. I state to them that an environment where they can express their ideas and stance will be created very soon.As we enter into the 60th independence anniversary next year, we are competent that the dawn of a new era will become a reality. As we are dreaming to rebuild this country, with due respect, I invite a majority of our SLFP's Ministers and MPs to join with us. I take this opportunity extend my sincere thanks to opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who made a dedicated and honest effort to build this alliance.I express my sincere gratitude to UNP Chairman Rukman Senanayake, Tissa Attanayake, Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi and Tiran Alles and other officials in both parties. Hakeem condemns ‘Rising of East’ Post and Telecommunication Minister Rauff Hakeem informed Parliament yesterday that he participated at the government’s ‘Rising of the East’ ceremony with much reluctance, as it was a political exercise built on military gains that made the Tamils feel a “conquered people”.Addressing the House just hours after taking part in the ceremony presided over by President Mahinda Rajapaksa and attended by government members, Minister Hakeem, who is also the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) said leaders should not seek political mileage and score “brownie points” off military victories.“I attended today’s ceremony with much reluctance as I did not want to be seen as one who is opposed to the security forces”, he said during the debate calling for fresh nominations for Local Government polls in the East.Making a hard-hitting statement, he added, “War rhetoric at such ceremonies will not promote harmony. In fact they only add insult to injury to the Tamils by giving the impression that they are a conquered people. Blowing one’s trumpet to a captive southern audience won’t help unite the country. Why have a national event and choose an address to the nation to score political brownie points? ”He said civilized humans should celebrate the end of wars and not the wars. The Minister noted that he could not say such things without “stepping on toes”, but was doing so as he could not blindly applaud the vanity displayed at the ‘Rising of the East’ ceremony. “The leader of the SLMC does not want to be a cheerleader” he said, adding that when choosing between two evils, one should try and mitigate the harm caused by the chosen alternative. Quoting Ernest Hemingway he said, “The first panacea for a mismanaged country is inflation of currency. The second is war. Both bring temporary prosperity. Both bring temporary ruin. But both are the refuge of political and economic opportunists”.“The sacrifices by the armed forces are indeed laudable. But we must take note of what lurks behind. Several armed groups are patrolling areas where elections are to be held. Are we able to hold free and fair elections in such a situation? Can we disarm these groups? Can we afford to further sully our already tarnished international image by holding an election that could be rigged and would put the lives of the candidates in jeopardy? ” he asked.Mr. Hakeem noted that the decision to hold elections in the East should come from the representatives of the people in the areas and not from those holding power at the centre. “Elections must be held only when all parties agree that there is sufficient security to hold elections”, he said.He concluded by urging President Mahinda Rajapaksa to purse the path of peace and ensures the safety of liberated areas in the East, so that voters could cast their ballot without fear of intimidation or violence. No polls in the east till normalcy is restored -----TNA MP Thangeswari TNA Batticaloa Parliamentarian Thangeswari, in an interview with Virakesari, told that there should not be any polls in the east until the displaced people are re-settled, until there are no acts of violence and until normalcy is restored. She added that areas in Muthur and Echelampattu have been acquired under the pretext of establishing a high security zone. The displaced people live in Batticaloa without being resettled. How can there be polls in such a situation? she posed. She continued that even the resettled people face numerous problems. Adequate provisions have not reached these people. How can an election be held, when there are high security zones, army camps and security check points all over? Indian Navy Activates Listening Post, Monitoring Station in Madagascar, Indian Ocean India has activated its first listening post on foreign soil that will keep an eye on ship movements in the Indian Ocean. A key monitoring station in northern Madagascar, complete with radars and surveillance gear to intercept maritime communication, was quietly made operational earlier this month as part of Indian Navy’s strategy to protect the country's sea lanes of commerce. The monitoring station, under construction since last year when India took on a lease from Antananarivo, will link up with similar naval facilities in Kochi and Mumbai to gather intelligence on foreign navies operating in the region. "A naval asset with limited anchoring facilities has been activated. It will facilitate possible manoeuvres by the navy in the region," a ministry official said. While the station will also monitor piracy and terrorist activities, its primary aim is to counter the growing Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean Region. The station is India’s first in southern Indian Ocean that is gaining importance due to increasing oil traffic across the Cape of Good Hope and the Mozambique Channel route preferred by super tankers. The US already has a permanent military base with aerial assets and monitoring facilities in Diego Garcia, 1,400 nautical miles north-east of the Madagascar facility. India is looking at developing another monitoring facility at an atoll it has leased from Mauritius in the near future. While the ministry remains silent, sources say some forward movement has recently been made on the project. With berthing rights in Oman and monitoring stations in Madagascar, Mauritius, Kochi and Mumbai, the navy will effectively box in the region to protect sea lanes right from Mozambique and the Cape of Good Hope to the Gulf of Oman an official said. The navy has already made its presence felt along the African coast with regular warships deployments to monitor piracy and terrorist movements. India also inked an agreement with Mozambique last year to mount periodical maritime patrolling off its vast coast. In 2003, the Indian navy provided seaward protection for the African Union summit at Mozambique. Etihad Airways to pull out of Sri Lanka Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways said on Thursday that it was pulling out of Sri Lanka, citing a sharp drop in tourist traffic to the tropical island due to ongoing fighting between government and rebel forces.“After extensive market analysis, we have decided to discontinue our services between Colombo and Abu Dhabi from September 9,” the airline’s manager for Sri Lanka, Kumar de Silva, said in a statement.“Emotionally, this has been a tough decision for us, because Colombo was one of our earliest destinations.”Tourist arrivals in Sri Lanka plunged 30 percent to 30,810 in June as compared with 44,066 a year earlier amid heavy fighting between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels.For the six months through June, overall tourist arrivals were down nearly 25 percent to 224,791 visitors, compared to the same period a year earlier, the Sri Lanka tourism board said.Sri Lanka’s 26-billion-dollar economy earned 130.8 million dollars from tourism between January and April, a 15 percent drop over last year. Tourism is one of the main foreign currency earners, along with garments and tea. STF to recruit 1,200 personnel to protect newly captured areas in Eastern Sri Lanka The commander of the Police Special Task Force (STF) Deputy Inspector General Nimal Lewke said that 1.200 new police constables would be recruited to the STF to protect the newly captured areas in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Addressing a passing out ceremony of 270 STF personnel at the Katukurunda STF Training camp Lewke said that around 500 have already recruited and 130 are undergoing training now. He said that all the newly recruited personnel would be deployed in the Eastern Province and would be given a special training to work there. Top Army officers on shaky ground Seven Majors General of the Army are said to be continuing to hold top positions and enjoying perks despite completing maximum term in their ranks nearly three months ago.Informed sources said the top Majors General were due to retire on April 31 this year but were yet to receive extension or termination letters.It is also learnt that Army Commander Sarath Fonseka had submitted the letters to the Defence Ministry a few months ago recommending their extensions but the Ministry had not responded.There is also speculation that the letters might have been sent to the President’s office to seek President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s approval. The seven Majors General are N. Ranasinghe – Commandant Army’s Staff College, Upul Perera – Quarter Master General, Nimal Jayasuriya – Welioya Area Commander, Sanath Karunaratne – General Officer Command - II Division Panagoda, Ashoka Thoradeniya – Master General Ordnance of the Army, L.B. Aluvihare – Adjutant General and Parakrama Pannipitiya – Security Forces Commander Eastern Headquarters. LTTE Political Head and CPA meets UNICEF Head Meeting was held between the Head of UNICEF, Ms JoAnna van Gerpan, and the Head of LTTE Political Division on 19 July morning. This meeting was preceded by a meeting with the Child Protection Authority (CPA) in Kilinochchi. Ms van Gerpan represented the 1612 Task Force monitoring body as well as UNICEF at these meetings. The issues discussed are listed below. Age of recruitment: With respect to the 1612 Action Plan of the LTTE, Tamilselvan reiterated to the Head of UNICEF, LTTE’s commitment to end membership of those under the age of 18 in its organization by end of this year. The 135 cases from the northern districts that remain in the UNICEF database but are not with the LTTE: CPA raised the issue of alleged 135 cases of underage youths in the LTTE from the northern districts that remain in the UNICEF database. CPA has repeatedly requested UNICEF to validate the correctness of these cases because these are not with the LTTE ranks. UNICEF promised to complete such a process soon.Eastern cases: CPA informed UNICEF that a process has been launched to deal with the cases from the east. CPA has informed UNICEF in the past that dealing with the eastern cases has remained problematic due to the attacks by the Sri Lankan military and the resulting massive displacement. CPA said that an undercover process has now been set in motion by the CPA to trace and release these cases if they are found to be with the LTTE.Others quoting UNICEF erroneously: Two very recent biased statements by others quoting UNICEF-Sri Lanka were discussed by CPA with UNICEF at the meeting. One is an article that appeared in the 27 April issue of the Dominion Post of New Zealand. The article was written by someone from UNICEF-New Zealand. Ms van Gerpan said that if the article had been sent to her office for comments it would have been corrected but it was not sent to her. The article quoted unnamed UNICEF officials in Batticaloa but UNICEF asserted that no such communication took place. The second statement was made by Ambassador Rock in New York on 5 June where he erroneously quoted UNICEF about the number of underage recruits by the LTTE. Both were accepted as errors that will be addressed by UNICEF-Sri Lanka.Schools as safe zones for protection from aerial attacks: CPA raised the issue converting schools as safe zones for protection from aerial attacks. UNICEF raised the problem of monitoring the neutrality of areas surrounding schools that are declared as safe zones. It was suggested by CPA that consideration must be given to mark at least schools in the heavily populated areas such as Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu cities as safe zones. This was accepted as a worthy suggestion by UNICEF that could be pursued. USD200 million profit margins maintain sophisticated Tamil Tiger war The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has created one of the most sophisticated insurgencies in the world, largely due to a complex global network of financial resources and weapons that are integral to prolonging its campaign for a separate Tamil state in Sri Lanka. In a unique report on the financial operations of the LTTE, Jane’s Intelligence Review reports that with financial and procurement structures well organised and strategically positioned around the globe, the group has a profit margin that would be the envy of any multinational corporation – some USD200 to 300 million per year.The Tamil Tigers is consequently the only known insurgent organisation with its own army, navy and now even a rudimentary air force, with access to financial resources and weapons giving it the luxury of introducing bold, new dimensions to the conflict.The report details two overarching financial and procurement bodies that provide the main source of LTTE money, manpower and weapons; the Aiyanna Group and the Office of Overseas Purchases (nicknamed the KP Department). The Aiyanna Group functions as the group’s intelligence and operations body, likely to be responsible for monitoring and ensuring the organisation’s financial support and revenue streams, while the KP Department is most probably the LTTE’s procurement arm. In addition, the LTTE creates and staffs some charitable organisations, projecting its influence through this front to raise money from Tamil communities and, ultimately, convert the gains into arms.The Jane’s Intelligence Review report says that the system works as an efficient way to move funds wherever investment or procurement opportunities arise while utilising a charitable façade’s tax-free status and legitimacy.Geographically, the LTTE use a myriad of methods to maintain this formidable, non-state support structure. The southern province of Tamil Nadu in India plays a pivotal role in LTTE procurement and has become an essential transit point in the LTTE arms, narcotics, contraband and possibly human smuggling. Beyond Sri Lanka’s neighbour, Cambodia is one of the most significant single sources of weapons for the insurgent group. The remainder of internationally procured weapons are believed to originate from the rest of Southeast Asia, North Korea, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and Ukraine.The report adds that the procurement of anti-aircraft technology, given the destruction wrought by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces' aerial assets, will be the primary driver of the LTTE’s continued international fundraising campaign. (ENDS)Editor’s notes: To speak to Jane’s Intelligence Review or for a full copy of the report as it will appear in next month’s edition, please contact Leah Turner, Press and PR Officer, on +44 (0) 208 700 3922 or email leah.turner@janes.com Sri Lanka rebels forcing Tamils to join war effort -Reuters,.By Simon Gardner KILINOCHCHI, Sri Lanka, July 20 (Reuters) - In Tamil Tiger territory, youths like Rajathurai Ponnambalam are living in hiding to avoid being forcibly recruited by the rebels and sent to fight in a Sri Lankan civil war they don't believe in. Many residents Reuters spoke to during a rare visit to the rebels' heartland in the north said the Tigers are demanding every family contribute at least one member to a movement widely banned as a terrorist organisation by the likes of the United States, Britain and the European Union. They tell of how brothers, sisters, sons and daughters have been taken against their will to camps to be trained as fighters. They say they are helpless to prevent it. "They said: 'Your family does not have an LTTE member, so you must join," said Ponnambalam, who is in his 20s and gave a false name for fear of retribution from the rebels. "I did not agree, so they took me away in a vehicle." "They took me to join the group as a fighter. They showed me about training, about fighting," he added. "I don't want to join. My family depends on me." He managed to get away. Many others have not been so fortunate, or live in constant fear that they will be next. The Tigers deny they insist on recruiting one person from each family, but aid workers say the demand was made earlier this year and that the rebels have promised their staff will be exempt. "There is no strict compulsion as to every family should give a single member," Tiger political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan said in an interview during a visit to the rebel's de facto state. "There are families from which you have two or three members (who have) already opted to serve in the LTTE ... but we are very keen to ensure that not more than one person from one family is in the LTTE, because that would be minimizing their family work." AID STAFF TARGETED Families receive letters from the Tigers with names of members who must join underlined. Most international aid agencies are having to keep some local staff indoors. Some of them have not been able to leave their compounds for months. "All the NGOs in the area have great concerns towards recruitment policy. We do experience that staff of all the different NGOs are getting abducted or have tremendous pressure towards them because they want to recruit them," said Arne Bangstad, programme manager of Nordic aid agency FORUT. "We have been promised by the political wing that such recruitment should not take place and that the humanitarian status of the NGOs would be respected. But in practicality, we find that this is not really the case." Recruitment posters are pasted around Kilinochchi town. Pictures of the rebels' elite Black Tiger suicide wing pepper bus-stands and shop fronts. "Join with us. Protect our land from the Sinhalese army," the posters say next to a photograph of a rebel fighter in characteristic Tiger-striped fatigues taking aim with an assault rifle. A giant billboard in the town shows a montage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa holding a noose around the neck of a child slain in the grisly massacre of a family in the northwestern district of Mannar last year, which the rebels and military each blame on the other. The distant sound of heavy artillery fire across the front lines that separate rebel from government territory serves as a permanent reminder of what awaits those recruited. FAMILIES HELPLESS "One of my sons is in the LTTE. He joined 63 days ago. He did not join voluntarily," one elderly man confided, insisting on anonymity. "His mother is not well. After they took him her sickness got worse. What can I do, even if I get angry?" Another man says his underage daughter joined to meet the quota so that her elder brother could continue to be her family's main bread winner in a district where 70 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, earning less than a dollar a day.Similar stories abound, and fear is palpable as a new chapter in a two-decade civil war that has killed nearly 70,000 people since 1983 deepens. However families say married couples are generally exempt. The United Nations Children's agency UNICEF says the Tigers are still recruiting children despite pledges not to. UNICEF listed 1,591 outstanding cases of underage recruitment by the Tigers at the end of May. One child on its records is aged nine. A United Nations envoy and aid groups have also accused elements of the military of helping to abduct children as soldiers for a band of breakaway rebels called the Karuna faction, which is seen as allied to the government. The Tigers deny they are recruiting children -- defined as youths under the age of 18 -- and say some youngsters lie about their age to join up and fight. But not all recruitment is forced. While many ordinary Tamils say they do not agree with the Tigers' violent methods, some have been polarized by the endless cycle of death and say war is the only way to make their case for wide autonomy from the majority-Sinhalese south. The rebels want a separate state. "In the present situation, the LTTE want more cadres. We must give some kind of contribution to them," said 33-year-old clay pot salesman Kaithiravelu Ranjitharajah, tending his stall at Kilinochchi market. "My sister joined eight years ago. My brother died during the war and is a hero. Both joined voluntarily," he added, looking at his own 18-month-old son. "Let the future decide if he will join." 19 July 2007 Another 'Black July' warned Sinhala peace campaigners The incident led to an exodus of Tamils from Sri Lanka and marked the beginning of a violent campaign of Tamil youths against Sinhala-majority government.Campaigner and Attorney at Law Nimalka Fernando accused the government of provoking Sinhala chauvinists.She accused mass media and other responsible parties of not working on to build confidence among Sri Lanka's communities. Fighting for life "Nobody reports that many among Sinhala community are also campaigning for peace," she told journalists in Colombo.Not only Tamils and Muslims, Sinhala people are also affected by the ongoing military conflict, according to Chamil Jayanetti."Sinhala people are also being abducted. People will have to fight for life as nobody's safety is guaranteed," Jayanetti said.Building confidence which was lost after Black July is among the main priorities of the current generation, veteran peace campaigner Rev. Fr. Thilak Iddamalgoda said."We will not find a solution to the national question until the confidence among communities are re-established," he said. Sri Lanka feels 5.2 magnitude quake in Bay of Bengal An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale had occurred in the Bay of Bengal 510 kilometers to the East of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo, the US Geological Survey said. The breach occurred 35 kilometer below the surface of the earth at 04:27:28 Universal Time, or 09.57 am local time. Sri Lanka's Geological Survey and Mines Bureau said the quake had been felt in several parts of the island. Geologist Nishantha Attanayake told the Vimasuma.com that reports had come from Colombo, Matara and Kandy from witnesses who had felt the quake. No tsunami warning was issued. Sri Lanka's coastal regions were devastated by the Indian Ocean tsunami in December 2004. Major diplomats not to participate in the Negenahira Navodaya ceremonies Diplomatic sources say that certain leading diplomats who have been invited to participate in the official function to celebrate the Thoppigala victory will not take part in it. 'LeN' learns that the US Ambassador of Sri Lanka and the Ambassadors of the European Union countries will not participate in the official celebration. Official related to military activities will represent the Ambassadors of the European Union countries at the function. Indian High Commissioner too, who is now away from the country will not participate in the official ceremony to mark the Thoppigala victory. Meanwhile UNP and JVP the main opposition parties are also boycott this ceremony. JVP boycotts 'Rising of the East' Sri Lanka president's political ally has announced that the party is to boycott Thursday's celabration of recapturing east from the Tamil Tigers.The Peoples Liberation Front (JVP) says Sri Lanka can only celebrate when the government forces march upto rebels northern stronghold, Kilinochchi.The JVP accused the government of trying to gain political advantage over military victories.JVP parliamentarian Vijitha Herath told BBC Sandeshaya: "The celebration is aimed at diveritng attention on the current crisis faced by the government". Voting with government Government has organised a massive victory celebration, "Rising of the eas" in Colombo on Thursday.He said the party does not underestimate the hardwork done by the soldiers in capturing LTTE-held areas.The party will not take part in the celebrations in Independence Square but will honour the soldiers at a later stage, JVP MP Ramalingam Chandrasekaran told BBC Tamil Service.Sri Lanka authorities announced recapturing the last rebel stronghold in the east, Thoppigala, on 11 July.The JVP vigorously cmapigned for Mahinda Rajapaksa presidency in November 2005 elections.The party which voted with the government in extending Emergency Regulations and budget proposals later criticised the increasing cost of living.JVP was also highly critical of Rajapaksa administration offering portfolios for MPs from the main opposition, United National Party (UNP). Six Tamil carpenters from north held in Boossa without charges for more than month UNP to go to courts against the irreverent acts of the monk MPs The United National Party (UNP) has decided to initiate three judiciary actions against the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) monk MPs for the sale and transfer of the duty free vehicle permits obtained under parliamentary benefits. UNP seeks a mandamus to the Director General of the Customs to take over the vehicles sold violating the conditions of the duty free permit and to confiscate them. UNP is to file a case under the Public Property Act against the sale and transfer of vehicles. The party will also complain to the Bribery and Corruption Investigation Commission as well. UNP parliamentarian Rnge Bandara revealed at a press conference held in Colombo that these three actions will be initiated in the coming week. 'Do not transfer' Tamil suspects Sri Lankan troops recover rocket launcher from Tamil rebels A multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL) left behind by Tamil rebels in eastern Sri Lanka, where government troops last week regained control, was recovered Wednesday by government troops as they continue their clearing operations in the region, a defense ministry spokesman said Wednesday. The MBRL and five rockets were found buried in Omunagala, 320 kilometres east of the capital, he said. Tamil rebels used limited MBRL fire against government troops who captured the last stronghold of the rebels in Thoppigala last week, but the military said it used extensive MBRL fire in the offensive. Troops were continuing to search the area and have found small groups of rebels fleeing the area while some of them have surrendered to the security forces. The government has planned a state function in the capital Colombo on Thursday to mark the capture of the last stronghold of the rebels in the east. Parliament edgy on American Defence Agreement The parliament speaker was compelled to halt the Parliament proceedings for 10 minutes due to the heated situation which rose from the government’s failure to produce the attached documents related to the American Defence Agreement.The JVP propaganda Secretary and MP group leader- Wimal Weerawansha had inquired for the documents in Parliament. He also mentioned that the govt. party had assured to produce these attachments to the Parliament on the 18th July. With the govt. retorting that the documents could not be produced since the President advisor- Wasudewa Nanayakkara had gone to the Courts regarding this case, a wave of tenseness spread through the Parliament. The Parliament Speaker, who halted the Parliament proceeding for 10 minutes, called for a meeting of the Party leaders.There, the govt. had stated that they will produce the documents on the 19th of July. If the Tamils’ aspirations are not met, Tamil Eelam will become a reality---Eelaventhan in Parliament M.K.Eelaventhan, TNA Parliamentarian, told the House that if the legitimate aspirations of the Tamils are not met, then Tamil Eelam will be a reality. Leader Pribaharan will invite President Rajapakse for the inaugural function. Addressing an adjournment motion, Eelaventhan stated that the JVP is worried that the government was going to grant lands in Kanthalai to Britain to start a sugar factory. He added that Kanthalai was a land that was created by Tamil king Kulakootan but this historic truth has, now, been falsified and they say that Kanthalai tank was built by a Sinhala king. The Sinhala government caused aggression inn Kanthalai, the land of the Tamils. Now they are talking about aggression by the Britain. Now they can understand Tamils’ feelings. He continued that they have caused aggression inn Kudimimalai area and given a Sinhala name to it as ‘Thopigala’ and Sinhalese are to be colonized there. The government must put an end to all acts of aggressions. Thondamanaru bridge restored The Thondamannaru bridge in the Jaffna peninsula that was damaged in 1987 during Operation Vadamarachchi was in a dilapidated condition for the last 20 years. Following instructions from Northern Army Commander Major General G.A.Chandrasiri, Army engineers restored this bridge within two weeks and opened it for traffic on Monday. The first to roll over the restored bridge was an Army tank. An additional detour was used until now for traffic. The new bridge can bear 35 tons and is 330 feet in length and 40 feet in width. It took about two weeks for the completion of repairs following an initiative by Army Engineers on Commander Security Forces Headquarters, Jaffna Major General G.A. Chandrasiri’s directive. The new bridge named Mabey Johnson Compact 200 Bridge was opened on Monday morning following a religious ceremony attended by clergy and senior officers of the Engineers Regiment. Citigroup, Merrill Bid to Manage Sri Lanka's Overseas Bond Sale Sri Lanka, with the highest borrowing costs in Asia, has received bids from 14 banks and investment companies, including Citigroup Inc. and Merrill Lynch & Co., to help manage an overseas bond sale. ABN Amro Holdings NV, Barclays Plc, BNP Paribas SA, Deutsche Bank AG, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. were also among banks that submitted proposals due on July 16 for the $400 million bond sale, Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Nivard Cabraal said in a telephone interview today. Sri Lanka plans to sell the bonds as early as September to raise money for infrastructure projects, the central bank said last week. The south Asian island's bond offering comes at a time when investors are demanding a higher yield to hold debt on concern that losses on U.S. subprime mortgage securities may spread to other markets. ``If the markets have calmed by then, I think they will meet with strong demand,'' said Tim Condon, head of research for Asia at ING Groep NV in Singapore. ``The abundant liquidity needs to find a home. It is a new name and would carry a high yield, two strong attractions.'' The average yield, or spread, on emerging-market dollar bonds over U.S. Treasuries reached 1.73 percentage points today, up from a record low of 149 percentage points on June 1, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s EMBI Plus index. Kia Motors Corp., South Korea's second-largest automaker, and Kuala Lumpur-based MISC Bhd., the world's biggest owner of liquefied natural gas tankers, canceled their bond sales last month on widening yield spreads. Borrowing Costs Sri Lanka, undeterred by an escalation of violence between government forces and Tamil rebels, will market the bonds to international investors ''to showcase its vibrant economy,'' Colombo-based Cabal said. The central bank, which will manage the sale, will choose some investment banks to assist marketing by the end of July. Attacks by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam may stop the nation meeting a forecast for the fastest growth in almost 30 years. Cabraal and his fellow policy makers have increased borrowing costs five times in the past year to cool inflation, which rose to a decade high in January. Gross domestic product expanded 6.1 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, the slowest pace in two years, the central bank said last month. Cabraal expects the $26 billion economy to grow 7.5 percent this year as infrastructure spending limits the impact of separatist rebel violence. Growth last year was 7.4 percent, the strongest since an 8.2 percent expansion in 1978. Credit Outlook ``The funds and savings in the country would not be sufficient for the $4.5 billion projects in hand over the next few years,'' Cabraal said. ``Both the government and corporates have to be prepared to take on these projects so it is very important to have a benchmark.'' Standard & Poor's has a B+ rating for the island nation's long-term foreign-currency bonds, four levels below investment grade. Fitch Ratings has Sri Lanka's sovereign debt at BB-, or three levels below investment grade. Both ratings companies have cut Sri Lanka's credit outlook to negative from stable because of the violence. Sri Lanka sold $215.25 million of two-year dollar bonds in an auction on March 9 at an average yield of 155.241 basis points more than the six-month London interbank offered rate and a benchmark for borrowing costs, which was fixed at 5.39 percent yesterday. A basis point is 0.01 percentage point. 18 July 2007 Tigers ready for battle in Vavuniya The Tigers have held cadres in preparation for an assault by government forces from the Vavuniya forward defence line during the past six months, top Tiger military sources said, as confrontations in the last four days left scores of combatants dead in the area.Government forces and the Tigers have been engaging each other in areas north west of Vavuniya since late March, almost as soon as the western areas of Batticaloa came under government control."We have been expecting advances in the last six months, we are prepared and every time they have tried to breach our line we have thwarted the attempts," Tiger military spokesperson Rasiah Illanthriyan said.Fighting in Tampanai area left 14 soldiers dead and scores injured over the weekend. The Defence Ministry said that heavy damages were inflicted on the Tigers but did not give out figures. The area calmed after the fighting on July 14 that lasted from pre-dawn hours till 5 pm, according to Illanthariyan. However the Tigers said that they had killed five members from the government’s deep penetration unit at Palamoddai, further north of Tamapanai on July 15 and 16."They breached our line at one position and came in about 100 meters, but we regained control," Illanthariyan said of the July 14 clashes.Military spokesperson Brig Prasad Samarasinghe said that troops had been able to neutralize Tiger mortar positions which had been firing at troops. "There is mortar fire on and off, but we have neutralized their guns," he said.The military also accused the Tigers of positioning guns in the Madhu church area, that lies about 10 km west of Thampane, a charge the Tigers denied.Meanwhile latest reports filed by the SLMM say that at least 2000 families remain in the Madhu area depending on relief supplies. Cancel the big show: UNP The main opposition UNP yesterday called on the government to focus on religious ceremonies to mark the liberation of the East rather than wasting a vast amount of public funds to put up a show. The party’s Anuradhapura District MP P. Harrison told a news conference that the government should hold religious ceremonies in places like Jaya Srimaha Bodhi and the Dalada Maligawa to invoke blessings on the security forces personnel.He said Kfirs and helicopters hovering over the skies of Colombo would not do any good to any one as they should be used for military operations. “Use them for operations in the North to crush the enemy rather than for putting up a show in Colombo,” he told the government. Mr. Harrison charged the government had provided little relief to the injured soldiers who were warded in various hospitals in and around Anuradhapura. “No government official had visited these personnel and offered them even a cup of tea,” he charged. He questioned as to what the government had done for the helpless families of dead soldiers. UNP Galle District MP Gayantha Karunathilleke said the government was using the success in the East to cover up other major problems faced by the country today. He said people were facing severe hardships as a result of the rising cost of living.He said the present government which promised to build a new Sri Lanka had ended up increasing the prices of essentials. He charged the price of a domestic gas cylinder was Rs 600 when President Rajapaksa’s government took office but today it had exceeded Rs 1000 while the price of flour had been increased from Rs 27 to Rs 47. He said the liberation of the East was nothing new as the UNP was able to secure the entire East in 1993 and established several army camps within the province. “We set up camps in Kajuwatte, Kokkodicholai and several other places,” he said. He said it was the UNP which had made most sacrifices to solve the national issue 4 youths seek protection at HRC Jaffna Four Tamil youths, including two from Viyapaarimoolai in Point Pedro, have sought protection within last week at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office out of fear to their lives from Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, Jaffna sources said. The youths were produced before the Jaffna District Magistrate and placed in protective custody in Jaffna prison. Out of more than hundreds of persons who sought protection with HRC and given shelter at the Jaffna Prison, some have returned home with the permission of the Courts due to lack of space at the prison. However, several youths who left the prison on their own will have sought to reenter the protective custody af after the recent killing of two youths in Jaffna district.The numbers seeking protective custody are again, HRC officials said. East has been under govt. control four times says TNA The east has been under goverment control four times during the 30 year war, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Batticaloa parliamentarian, P. Ariyanenthiran said, and charged that the government was aiming for political gain by hyping the Thoppigala victory.He told The Morning Leader that the government was only interested in gaining political advantage by capturing Thoppigala and was not taking any interest in the plight of the people.He said that there was no importance in this feat as the area had been under the government many times previously."This is not a remarkable achievement as the government claims. In fact, the east had been in total control of the government four times during the thirty years of struggle and fighting. The government is only using this to get a political advantage," he said.Speaking on the Batticaloa TNA parliamentarians’ future plans he said that they would continue to work from Colombo until the government assures them their security."We have been continuously receiving threats from paramilitary groups and had requested the government to increase our security. Nothing has been done so far. MP Chandrakanth Chandranehru was also threatened in the presence of his security personnel in Thirukkovil. How can we go back?" he asked. Inside help in EP Secy.’s killing? A special investigation team from the Trincomalee Police yesterday arrested nine persons, including four employees of the Eastern Provincial Council, on suspicion for the killing of its Chief Secretary H.M. Herath Abeyweera on Monday. The investigators have begun questioning the suspects including the four employees who were reportedly on duty at the time of the assassination. The four employees are the driver of the slain Secretary, the office watcher and two peons. The rest of the suspects are cleaning workers, police said.According to the initial investigations, none of these suspects had noticed the presence of the armed killer within the Chief Secretary’s office. The detectives have found that the assailant had entered the premises from a rear side gate, which is not normally opened. During the incident it had been left open and the police are searching for the person responsible. It is believed that the killer, a member of the LTTE Pistol Gang had been assisted by someone from the Secretary’s office.Eastern Province DIG Upali Gunasekara said the office was well guarded by the police and the assailants would have entered the premises with the connivance of some employees. The investigation team recorded the statements of police officers on duty at the time of the killing.During inquiries, police recovered three spent cartridges from a 3.8mm pistol. According to the post-mortem, Mr. Abeyweera had been shot on the head and neck area several times and internal bleeding had caused his death. There was a hartal in the Ampara area due to this incident. JHU to demand Rs. 2.5 bn from Ranil The Jathika Hela Urumaya is planning to claim Rs. 2.5 billion as damages from Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe for what the party saw as defamation of its five Parliament members.Dismissing Mr. Wickremesinghe’s recent accusation that JHU leaders had sold their luxury vehicle permits to outsiders, the party’s Legal Advisor Udaya Gammanpila said MPs could not sell vehicle permits given to them for five years. He said none of the JHU members used the luxury vehicles imported. Thus, JHU Leader Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera, Ven. Omalpe Sobhita Thera, Ven. Kotapola Amarakitti Thera, Ven. Aturaliye Ratana Thera and Minister Champika Ranawaka would send letters of demand claiming Rs 500 million each. “We have hired the vehicles to those who can afford maintaining such vehicles and are using the proceeds to rehabilitate temples and sacred places in the North and the East and to give scholarships to needy children,” he said.Citing the Buddha’s word that example is better than advice, Mr. Gammanpila asked what ethical right the Opposition Leader had to talk about luxury vehicles when he himself had used all the luxury vehicles given to him ever since he became a Parliamentarian in 1977. Tourist arrivals drop by 30% in June Sri Lanka Tourist Board statistics have revealed a 30% drop in tourist arrivals to Sri Lanka in June compared to a year ago due to the escalation in violence.Months of heavy fighting mainly in the north and east, along with attacks near Colombo and the Katunayake international airport saw tourist arrivals fall to 30,810 in June, compared to 44,066 last year despite sharp discount offers from hotels.According to the Sri Lanka Tourist Board, for the first six months of the year, overall tourist arrivals were down nearly 25% to 224,791 visitors, compared to the same period a year earlier.Meanwhile, the Central Bank has stated that tourism earnings, a key source of foreign currency to the country, have declined 14.8% to US$ 130.8 million in the first four months of the year. LTTE attack: Captain killed, soldiers wounded At least one Army captain was killed and several soldiers wounded when a group of fleeing Tigers from Thoppigala confronted the military at the Sittaru area in Kantale yesterday evening that ended in causing heavy casualties to the Tigers.A senior military official said the military had launched the attack targeting the fleeing LTTE cadres consisting of more than 50 cadres. During the clash LTTE used Light Machine Guns (LMG) to attack the troops. During the clash, an Army captain was killed while Tigers incurred heavy casualties and had to turn back.Following the loss of Thoppigala, Tigers started to flee to the North through Trincomalee district and during the last few days several such groups came under military attack killing a large number of cadres. SLA shelling of Pu'liyangku'lam area continues Sri Lanka Army (SLA) resumed heavy artillery and rocket fire targeting civilian villages of Pu'liyangku'lam, Paalamoaddai, Kugnchukku'lam, and Navvi, in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held Vavuniyaa district from Monday 7:20 p.m until 00:40 a.m, sources in Vanni said. The shells fell along A9 road up to Pu'liyangku'lam junction, causing panic among residents, many of whom had already sought refuge in bunkers, sources added.On Sunday, SLA launched sustained rocket fire on Pu'liyangku'lam hospital twice, at noon and around 00:30 a.m, damaging the hospital, the electricity generator, and the transformer located in front of the hospital. Govt may appeal Tamil Tiger bail ruling The federal government has taken steps to challenge the granting of bail to three men facing terror-related charges, as a judge warned against political interference in the justice system.Attorney-General Philip Ruddock on Tuesday asked prosecutors to consider appealing the decision of a court in Melbourne to grant bail to two (two) men charged with supplying funds to Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers.Female supporters in the Victorian Supreme Court wept as Aruran Vinayagamoorthy, 33, of Mt Waverley, and Sivarajah Yathavan, 36, of Vermont South, were granted bail on Tuesday by Justice Bernard Bongiorno.In another court, Victoria's chief magistrate Ian Gray bailed their co-accused Arumugam Rajeevan, 40, of Old Toongabbie in Sydney.Justice Bongiorno stressed the accused men were entitled to the presumption of innocence."If that principle is abandoned or even modified for political expediency that risks the whole foundation of our criminal justice system," he said.But Mr Ruddock said later while he respected the decisions of judges and the separation of powers, the Supreme Court's decision to grant bail to Vinayagamoorthy and Yathavan may be appealed."I have asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to examine whether the decision should be appealed," Mr Ruddock said. Mr Ruddock's office could not immediately confirm whether an appeal was also being considered in Rajeevan's case.The latest government move follows its decision on Monday to cancel the visa of Indian terror suspect Mohammed Haneef just hours after he was granted bail in Brisbane, which means he will stay behind bars in immigration detention.Legal figures have accused the Howard government of undermining the independence of the court system in the Haneef case.On Tuesday, Rajeevan's lawyer Rob Stary said he was grateful for an independent judiciary and attacked the terror laws under which the three men have been charged."I would hope that the application of these very draconian and repressive laws would occur evenly throughout the community," he told reporters outside court."This is the conundrum in the Tamil community. If you charge one person, you may as well charge 30,000 people."They all support the humanitarian relief effort and they all support ... the struggle in their homeland against the oppressive circumstances." The three men are accused of supporting the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), or Tamil Tigers, through fundraising by the Melbourne-based Tamil Coordination Committee.The trio are charged with being members of a terror organisation, providing support or resources to a terrorist organisation and making funds available to a terrorist organisation.Justice Bongiorno said exceptional circumstances were made out in the cases of Vinayagamoorthy and Yathavan, who were interviewed by Australian Federal Police in November 2005 and have been in custody since May this year.He said delay was a factor, and he considered a trial starting by the second half of next year to be an optimistic assessment.There were issues with the crown case, including the admissibility of evidence from at least two political scientists relating to the LTTE, Justice Bongiorno said.Vinayagamoorthy and Yathavan both had children, jobs and had been cooperative with police, Justice Bongiorno said.In the Melbourne Magistrates' Court, Mr Gray said he would grant bail to Rajeevan.Mr Stary told Mr Gray issues existed relating to the strength of evidence likely to be given by Sri Lankan government officials.The three accused men each provided a $100,000 surety and must report to police daily and not leave Australia.Vinayagamoorthy and Yathavan are due to face the Melbourne Magistrates' Court for a committal mention on July 24.Rajeevan is also scheduled to face the same court for a committal mention on August 23. Tiger cadres still in the east despite govt. capture of Thoppigala A fraction of the Tiger cadres still remained in the east despite the government capturing Thoppigala, the Karuna group said.A spokesperson for the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) who did not wish to be quoted told The Morning Leader that the group had not started discussions with the government on laying down weapons, as the Tigers had not been completely chased out of the east.The government had previously said that the Karuna group would be disarmed once the east was rid of the Tigers.The spokesperson further added that the LTTE cadres who had not fled the area were in groups in civilian areas. "There are only a few of them left in the east. They are in the civilian areas. We know that," he said.He added that the TMVP had warned the civilians to be aware of suspicious persons in the area.The TMVP spokesperson said that it would not be able to lay down arms immediately as the Tigers were still around in the east in small groups."They might surrender to the military. But, you can’t be sure of that. Therefore, we have to be on guard in case they carry out attacks on our members," he said.He however added that there was very little chance for these Tiger groups to cause any serious damage or tension among the civilians.He added that the situation in the east was relatively calm at the moment.The TMVP earlier stated that it would only lay down arms if the government ensured security for its members to carry out political activities in the east."We have not started any discussions with the government on this issue so far. But, we have said earlier that we would lay down arms only if the government ensures security for our activities. We hope to discuss this with the government very soon," he added. Thoppis and hat tricks on Tigers My dear Mahinda Aiya, Ayubowan, Vanakkam and Assalamu Alaikum as you push ahead despite controversies for tomorrow’s Independent Day- like ceremonies in Colombo, other districts and in schools to mark what is billed as the liberation of the East while confusions and contradictions continue. Government leaders and state propaganda organs are headlining it as a historic victory and ‘Thoppi’ for the LTTE, but critics and most independent analysts see it more as a hat-trick. Not spin maestro Muttiah Muralidaran’s hat-trick of a hundred wickets at three test venues and the overall achievement of the 700th heaven, but the magic or cheap trick done with hats, rats and tigers and all that in a bloody political circus.According to reports, the national victory celebration at Independence Square and district ceremonies were worked out by your powerful advisor and brother Basil Rajapaksa at a July 4 conference with top officials of the Public Administration Ministry and others. Reports say military top brass, including the army commander, had expressed a reservation on whether the operation could be completed before the victory celebration on Thursday. But the invitations for the big celebration, show, circus or whatever it may be called had already been sent out and the government was not ready to face the humiliation of a postponement. So the ceremonies will be held as scheduled tomorrow with a twenty one gun salute ,and military and school children’s parades as on Independence Day. Meanwhile the main opposition UNP is making another serious allegation while giving more evidence on the alleged secret deal between the Rajapaksa Brothers and the LTTE prior to November 2005 Presidential election. The new allegation is that there was some secret deal to facilitate the withdrawal of LTTE cadres including top commanders and their big weapons before Thoppigala and the other areas were taken over. The charges are being made officially and repeatedly by UNP leaders while they are also reiterating their demand for the appointment of a parliamentary select committee to probe the alleged secret deal worked out with the LTTE before the Presidential election. The UNP says it has affidavits and other evidence to show that top people in the Rajapaksa camp made initial payments of up to Rs. 150 million to the LTTE in return for its enforcement of a boycott which prevented some 800,000 people from voting in the North East. The details of the UNP charges including some documents of how cabinet approval was subtly obtained for payments in this alleged secret deal were given by UNP frontliner Lakshman Kiriella on ITN’s ‘Thulawa’ political talkshow last Thursday. He repeatedly challenged the government representative, senior minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, to agree to the appointment of a parliamentary select committee to probe the alleged deal. The minister only denied the allegation and went no further. On this same programme, the JHUs Udaya Gammanpila, while defending the government more strongly than even government leaders do, also made a strange if not shocking statement about the alleged secret deal between the Rajapaksa brothers and the LTTE. He appeared to be so thrilled by the historic Thoppigala’s victory or hat-trick that some observers thought he was going slightly off balance. Mr. Gammanpila said that even if such a secret deal had been reached between the Rajapaksa Brothers and the LTTE before the Presidential Election it was a good deal, because for the first time, the LTTE had been deceived and defrauded before being eventually defeated in the East. The highly intelligent, and generally well-informed, JHU theoretician apparently chose not to speak about the LTTE’s secret agenda in working out such a deal with the Rajapaksa Brothers or the graver offence where some 800,000 people were denied their fundamental right to vote in the election. If he claims to know little or nothing about the LTTE’s secret agenda in reaching a deal, the coming months will probably make it clear to him.Sovereignty is apparently as valueless as a cheap coin when priority is given to political opportunism, personal interest and party gain. Independent analysts have often observed that the standard of Sri Lankan party politics today is, at best, third rate—personal gain or glory comes first, party interests second, and the common good of all the people of the country is pushed back to third place. So we have a third rate patriotism. Such appears to be the case in the latest controversy over the hiring of the luxury vehicles which had been given duty free to JHU parliamentarians. According to the law or the ethics of the matter the permits are given duty free so that the MPs could use the vehicles to move around in working for the welfare and the wellbeing of the people. The duty free concessions are worth millions of rupees and it means millions of rupees in valuable foreign exchange are going out of the country. When these vehicles are hired to others—probably big businessmen or others—the rich and ruling elite get more at the expense of the people. JHU leaders admit the luxury vehicles have been hired, but insist the money was used for party work. Astrological circles say that another reason for rushing ahead with the Thoppigala or hat-trick celebration is that the period after July 19 may not be good for the ruling class. The main opposition UNP appears to be seen or working on the same stars and that is one of the reasons why the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the UNP and the SLFP Mahajana wing has been fixed for tomorrow at a parliamentary committee room.Reports say the two parties earlier wanted to conduct the ceremony at the BMICH. The booking had been made through a businessman, but when government leaders found out who was planning to do what, they got it cancelled. After tomorrow’s signing, the UNP and the SLFP(M) are planning a people power rally on July 26 with leaders in the new alliance claming they will form a government by September this year. On the North Eastern front the LTTE is threatening blood and thunder, with attacks on key economic and military targets in Colombo and other areas. The JVP also is attacking the government on the soaring cost of living, corruption, waste and economic issues but it is also demanding that the government should totally defeat the LTTE by launching a major attack in the North. Some military commanders say Thoppigala has turned black July into a golden July. But huge questions and controversies remain over who has done what, and whether it will eventually end up as a sunrise or a sunset for the government. Yours sincerely, 17 July 2007 Eastern Provincial Chief Secretary shot dead in Trincomalee H.M.Herat Abeyeweera, Chief Secretary of East Provincial Council was shot dead Monday around 6.15 p.m. by an unidentified man when he was coming out of his office which is located along Inner Harbour Road in Trincomalee town. Mr. Abeyeweera, retired Government Agent of Ampaarai district had been appointed Chief Secretary to the East Provincial Council after the de-merger of the northeast provincial council following an order by the Supreme Court on a petition filed by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU).Unidentified man had fired at the vehicle in which he was travelling, police sources said.The body of the victim was handed over to the mortuary of the Trincomalee general hospital.The area was immediately closed for traffic and a cordon and search operation was conducted, sources in east port town said. LTTE hands over four bodies of the Army soldiers to the ICRC An ICRC spokesman said to 'LeN' that four bodies of the Army soldiers were handed over to the ICRC by the LTTE at Uilankulam. These soldiers were killed in the fierce fighting in Periyathampanai forward defense line between Mannar and Vavuniya.The Army spokesman said that 10 soldiers were killed and 32 were injured in Saturday fighting. Meanwhile the Air Force said that a mortar launching pad of the LTTE was destroyed in aerial attacks. LTTE says that only three fighters were killed but the Army said that a large number of LTTE cadres were injured. Meanwhile Police found four dead bodies of civilians shot at heads at Vavuniya yesterday morning. The killers have not been identified and the Vavuniya Police conducts investigations. Meanwhile the Army said that four more LTTE cadres retreating from Thoppigala were gunned down and further operations searching the fleeing Tigers were being conducted. 4 SLA elite soldiers killed, 6 wounded in Mannaar border - LTTE Liberation Tigers confronted a team of the 2nd Battalion of Sri Lanka Army Special Forces (SF), killing four and wounding 6 when the SLA SF team attempted to breach into LTTE territory in Paalamoaddai in Mannaar-Vavuniyaa border, Monday around 4:00 p.m., according to the military spokesman of the Tigers. A body of a SF soldier was recovered by the Tigers together with 3 T-56 rifles, explosives and military hardware including a night-vision equipment. Arrangements were underway to hand over the dead body of the SF soldier to the ICRC, Mr. Ilanthirayan said. The SF team that sustained casualties was withdrawn by the SLA and a search operation by the Tigers was going on, he said. Tigers have handed over 4 SLA dead bodies to the ICRC in Mannaar on Sunday. The body of a Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) soldier, killed Sunday, was handed over to the SLA through the ICRC on Tuesday. State-of-the-art radar installed at Rameswaram In a significant step that could prevent incidents of firing on Indian fishermen who stray into Sri Lankan territorial waters, Navy is installing seven state-of-the-art radars along Tamil Nadu's eastern coast from Rameswarm to Nagapattinam to monitor movements of boats. The first of the radars, that would also help curb smuggling in the Palk Straits, had been commissioned in this island by Commodore Philip Van Haltren, Naval Officer-Incharge, Tamil Nadu. Other proposed places for the radars are Thondi, Jegathapattinam, Mallipattinam, Thopputhurai, Kodikarai and Nagapattinam. The radar, manufactured in the UK, was capable of detecting even a small rowing boat, Commander of the Naval Detachment here Rathode Mukherjee told reporters here today. The recurring incidents of kidnapping and killing of fishermen allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy had been a major issuse in the state and the government had been pressisng the Centre to take up the matter with the Sri Lankan government. Mukherjee said the Navy had brought to the notice of the state government the severe power fluctuation prevailing in the island town and warned that the equipment may not work if there was too much fluctuation. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Government had warned Indian fishermen from crossing the international maritime border line. Those who crossed the IMBL would be arrested and their boats would be seized. The warning had been sent to the Indian High Commission in Colombo, and would come into effect from today, Joint Director of the State Fisheries Department Vel Pandi said here. Tamil gangster gets new shot to stay A reputed Tamil gang leader known for his love of AK-47 assault rifles has been given a reprieve in his lengthy fight against deportation in a court ruling that ordered the federal government to reconsider whether he faces torture in his native Sri Lanka.Jothiravi Sittampalam, who the government says poses a threat to the safety of Canadians because of his involvement in organized crime, has been convicted of several crimes in Canada and investigated for many more, including attempted murder.The government has been trying to deport him for six years for heroin trafficking, obstructing a police officer and failing to comply with a court order.But in a recent decision, Federal Court Justice Judith Snider ordered the government back to the drawing board. Where is this Ramesh now? The story of the above photo is one of the reveals made by one Vedan, a LTTE cadre who was arrested when he was admitted to the Trincomalee hospital with a fracture in his leg.The one consuming food on the left of the photo is the second-in-command of the LTTE military wing of the Eastern Province, Colonel Ramesh. He was also the deputy of Colonel Jeyam who was the leader of the Eastern Province after the Karuna's break away. The one in conversation with Ramesh is a disabled LTTE area leader. The photo has been taken in the last week of April this year and Ramesh is seen consuming food in a certain place in the jungle away from war tension with his firearm behind him.Vedan who was arrested at Trincomalee hospital was fleeing to North with his leader Baskaran. Injured Vedan stopped at Thambalagamuwa on the way. Baskaran and his group retreated to the Peraru jungle. They exchanged fire with a group of home guards while crossing the Trincomalee-Habarana Road. Baskaran and the group had to leave behind a laptop and some other equipment. Security forces found this photograph from that laptop.Vedan who was arrested at the Trincomalee hospital later revealed the story behind it.The government security forces officially announced the capture of Thoppigala on 11th. Ramesh and the other LTTE leaders are believed fled to North without being caught by the security forces. Vaiko slams Centre's approach to Lankan ethnic problem Charging the UPA Government at the Centre with "bitter betrayal" of Sri Lankan Tamils, MDMK chief Vaiko today demanded cancellation of its reported decision to co-ordinate communication networks between the naval forces of the two countries. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Vaiko said "The approach, attitude and activities of the Indian Government regarding the Tamil ethnic problem of Sri Lanka deeply wounded the sentiments of Tamils and I would accuse the UPA Government of committing a bitter betrayal of Tamils." He said it was an "undeniable established fact" that hundreds of fishermen from Tamil Nadu had been killed in attacks by the Lankan Navy. "The more shocking fact is that Indian Navy never tried to protect Indian fishermen from Sri Lankan Navy attacks," he alleged. The Sri Lankan Government was repeatedly saying that joint patrolling in the Palk Straits with Indian Navy would be accomplished, which he claimed was a "notorious plot to engage the Indian Navy against the Eelam Tamils." No ‘May Day May Day’ for external trade Despite the security situation and the political developments, the country’s external trade appears robust with the month of May notching record figures.The Central Bank said that exports in May reached its highest value of US$ 641 million while imports for the first time crossed the US$ 1 billion mark. The growth in exports in the first five months was 14.4% to $ 2.9 billion while imports grew by 7.5% to $ 4.3 billion.Central Bank said recording the highest monthly value in 2007, export earnings continued to grow in May 2007. Exports grew by an impressive 25.8% to $ 641 million in May 2007 as against $ 509 million in May 2006. Persistently strong demand for apparel has provided a basis for the strong trade performance in recent months. Export of apparel rose by 45.5% in May 2007 largely driven by higher exports to the US and the EU. Strong growth was also witnessed in rubber based products, machinery and equipments, desiccated coconut and pepper. Imports grew by 8.1% from $ 938 million in May 2006 to $ 1,014 million in May 2007. The growth was primarily driven by intermediate and investment goods. Rapid growth in imports of textile materials in recent months reflected in higher exports of apparel. Continuing the trend, textiles imports recorded the highest monthly value indicating continuous growth momentum in apparel exports in the future. Petroleum and fertilser also increased within this sector. Investment goods continued to grow at a higher rate in May 2007 reflecting continuation of high investments. Consumer goods declined marginally mainly due to lower imports of sugar and motor vehicles. Higher growth of exports over the growth of imports helped to improve the trade balance in May. The trade deficit reached $ 373 million in May 2007 compared to deficit of $ 429 million in May 2006. The resulting overall trade deficit in the first five months of 2007 narrowed down to $ 1,424 million as against $ 1,485 million in 2006 Private remittances up 17% to $ 1.08 b; BOP surplus at $ 250 m Central Bank said last week pPrivate remittances grew by 17.1% to $ 1,086 million during the first five months of 2007, particularly containing the current account deficit. The overall balance of payments registered a surplus of $ 250 million and the gross official reserves stood at $ 2,776 million (3.1 months of imports) by end May 2007. All must rally to save the country from the Rajapakse Co. Buddha Sasana from evil Buddhist Clergy Co.- Ranil The UNP is a People’s Party. As before, so we shall continue to protect the Institutions of Democracy in the country.Today, we are saddled with the task of protesting and fighting against the Rajapakse Bros. Co. who have shaken the very foundation of Democracy by their secret pact with the Tigers.This sordid secret deal was disclosed by none other than President Rajapakse’s erstwhile Ministers Sripathy Suriarachy and Mangala Samaraweera,,( now in their own new Party SLFP (M)) ,who were present at the scene of the actual discussions between the LTTE and Rajapakse Bros.Sripathy Suriyaachi pointed out in Parliament with actual facts that President Rajapakse in his program for the last Presidential elections had a secret deal with the LTTE to prevent the Tamil voters in the North from exercising their franchise.Accordingly, Tiran Alles who met the LTTE in regard to the secret deal agreed to pay Rs.1500 million to them. Rs. 700 million before and Rs.800 million after the elections. This Deal has been widely published, the Newspapers as well as we have made public announcements, but there have been no protests against this nor any action for defamation filed by the Govt. This means that the defamations are true.But, one event occurred, the Maubima Newspaper office was closed for exposing this, and it’s Chairman taken into custody.Tiran Alles has made a special statement to the Police as to how he introduced Emil Kanthan, the LTTE link to Basil Rajapakse, Lalith Weeratunge and P.B. Jayasundara. He had also stated very clearly how this group agreed to make the payment to the LTTE. Besides, Alles, continuing his statement has explained how this group had agreed to facilitate this payment by a Cabinet paper.A Weekend Newspaper too had given out details of this Cabinet paper. This paper has been presented on 02 August 2006. Mind you, this atrocious Cabinet paper has been signed by the Country’s President, himself. – The so called Dutugemunu the 2nd, and so called fifth in line Mahinda – Mahinda Rajapakse.Although the majority is Sinhalese in this country, this Cabinet paper was presented in English. “Rehabilitation of this Country under Jayalanka Housing Project – First phase of the North East Housing program”. It was under this title the Cabinet paper was presented. This Cabinet paper was devised to give the construction of 400 houses in Triincomalee to D.M.K.Holdings Pvt. Ltd. of 437/A, 3rd Lane,Vavuniya, and Batticaloa construction of 400 Houses to Everest Civil Engineering Services of 113/1, Mill Road, Ukulankulama, Vavuniya.A sum of Rs.750 million was allocated towards each of these projects.Both these Companies did not fulfill the normal requirements of Tender procedure.At 113/1, Mill Road, Vavuniya there is no Everest Civil Engineering Services. There is only one P.Nandana Kumaran and his wife in occupation there.Similarly, the Company, D.M.K.Holdings Pvt.Ltd; has been registered on 23 December 2005, its Directors are ShanthiKumar BishoKumar. Shanthi Kumar Gajan Kumar and the other Director, Barakawi ShanthiKumar is the wife of Emil Kanthan.Tiran Alles has in his statement to the Courts described Emil Kanthan as a member of the LTTE Intelligence Unit and a most deadly individual.At the address of this Company there is no D.M.K.Holdings Ltd; There is only an individual by the name of Varnasingham Subramaniam , who knows nothing of this Co.This Cabinet paper signed by the President facilitated the payment of Rs. 1500 million to the fictitious Companies of Emil Kanthan bypassing and flouting all Tender procedures and norms. So far not a single house has been built out of these monies paid by Mahinda Rajapakse on the Cabinet papers. Is there a Company in the Vavuniya jungles who can handle a project of this magnitude of Rs. 700 million? Can there be a Company like this Ukulankulama to whom the money was purported to be paid? Of course, there can be such Companies in Colombo, Kandy and Galle-Matara What are the qualifications Barakawi ShanthiKumar, ShanthiKumar BishoKumar and Shanthi Kumar GajanKumar have to be awarded this project? Every naked truth of this sordid secret Deal between the Rajapakses and the LTTE; and the colossal payment to the Tigers is now an open secret. Indeed ,our Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella has asked in so many words , is this Thoppigala loud ‘Circus’ and ‘Tamasha’ to cover up the greatest betrayal ever in the History of Sri Lanka by the President and his Co. making a total sell-out of this country to the LTTE ? It is the duty of the Rajapakses Govt. to provide clear answers to these questions .Instead, the Rajapakses are trying to sling mud at me. Let them be warned that they cannot find an escape route from these sinister betrayals. In those days there were many who protested against secret agreements with LTTE. They also shouted loud that this country cannot be betrayed to the Tigers. The JHU spearheaded this campaign. “Prabakaran, the terrorist and murderer is trying to make Ranil, the President. Ranil is campaigning for Presidency in collaboration with Prabakaran” alleged Champika Ranawake as stated in the Lakbima Newspaper of 28th Oct. 2005 ‘ By the reception accorded to the Tigers, Ranil has been appointed theTiger Leader of the South of United Sri Lanka.’said Aturelye Rathana Thero as reported in the Dinamina Newspaper of 31st Oct. 2005.The Lakbima Newspaper of 8th Sept. 2005 reported, Archaeological Scholar Ellawala Medananda Thero as saying “Ranil means, the one who is with the LTTE, fulfilling the ambitions of the Tigers.” “If by an unfortunate circumstance, Ranil becomes the President, people have to consume poison and die in a divided Lanka” Athureliya Rathana Thero told on 29th Oct. 2006 “Now Ranil is helping the Tigers. Ranil will come only after agreement with the Tigers” Champaka Ranawaka told this on 11th Oct. 2006 before the Press.Now, it is very clear to everyone what exactly the true picture is. Velupillai Prabakaran, the murderer and LTTE Leader helped Mahinda Rajapakse to succeed as President of Sri Lanka. It is also crystal clear that Mahinda Rajapakse gave money to the LTTE and he is bound by the LTTE on this agreement.What has Champaka Ranawake got to say on this? What has Archaeological Scholar Ellawala Thero got to say? I am asking from Hela Urumaya who was so vociferous against the LTTE, as to why they are silent?Sinhala Urumaya earlier gave over the party to the Sangha Ratne. Was this action , right or wrong ?This was done at the instance of Thilak Karunaratne and his group,.the result of this was the Party taking a religious character.All the portfolios were given over to the Buddhist clergy by a letter , and was accepted by the MahaSangha. At the polls, Buddhist priests were elected to Parliament. Kolonnawa Sri Sumangala Thero resigned from his parliamentary post, and another member was appointed..But, what did Omalpe Sobitha Thero do? He arranged for the withdrawal of the appointments and replaced them with Champika Ranawake. Actually, under the terms and conditions, Sobitha Thero had no powers to do so. In addition, Champka Ranawake has no right to take over a property of the Temple. I explained to the Parliament the other day that this was an absolute robbery of Temple premises. When I questioned them, they were dumbfounded. They could not give an answer.Will those individuals who pillage sacred Temple land and make it their own private property protect the Buddha Dhamma? These Ven. Buddhist Priests came to Parliament accusing that the Politicians and Parliamentarians are unscrupulous , breaking all laws , culture and traditions ,and destroying the country.The village folks did not believe them But, those in cities, came in their Benz cars shouting ‘Sadhu, Sadhu ‘ and voted for them.They thought when car permits are issued; the Venerable Priests will not accept them. But, that did not happen.The price of the Super luxury Benz car free of duty of Archaeological Scholar Ven Ellawala Mettananda is Rs. 35 lacs!I am a Parliamentary member from 1977, and I was a Prime Minister. Yet, I never got down a luxury Benz for my permit.Similarly, Ven Sobhitha Thero not only collected the Benz car, he also sold it .This is the story of the Ven. Clergy in Parliament. And does not stop at that There is a dent in the economy of this country to the tune of Rs. 100 million because of the Vehicle imports.according to Ravaya paper Sihala Urumaya received a licence to open a radio and Television channel from the Government to conduct a Buddhist service. According to information received, this permit has been sold for Rs. 120 million. What is Sihala Urumaya doing after blaming others? They are making a total sell-out of the Buddha Sasana. They are commercializing religion. Masquerading as protecting the Sinhala people and the country, they are chasing after to achieve their personal agendas.The so called Sentinels of the Buddhist faith cannot stoop to scandals in the name of Buddhism At least the robe and the shaven head must be respected even if they don’t care for Lord Buddha’s sacrosanct teachings.There is another Company that has amalgamated with the corrupt- tyranny nourished Rajapakse Bros. Co destroying the country.., that is this sinful immoral Buddhist Clergy Co who .in the name of Buddhism is destroying the very roots of Buddhism. 16 July 2007 Tiger aircraft sighted? A suspected LTTE aircraft had been sighted over the Kokavil area and North of Trincomalee on Friday evening, defence sources said.The radar of a Navy Dvora patrolling the Kokavil sea had detected the unidentified craft and informed the Air Force, a military source said. The object had proceeded from the sea towards land and disappeared from the radar monitor, a senior naval official said.He said the aircraft had flown towards the northern coastal area in Trincomalee and then towards LTTE held Pulmudai”. However, the Air Force said it had not detected any such movements, but was on alert to meet any eventuality. Navy official said the flight may have been a Tiger training exercise. Thousands of British Tamils back independent Eelam Nearly five thousand British Tamils demonstrated Saturday in central London calling on the UK to apply pressure to halt human rights abuses by Sri Lanka’s security forces and to recognize the right to self-determination of the Tamil people. The rally in Trafalgar square was organized by councilors of Tamil origin in the London area. The protestors were addressed by two UK parliamentarians, Mr. Keith Vaz (Labour) and Mr. Simon Hughes (Liberal Democrats) and two MPs of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA),TELO Muthalvar Mr. K. Sivajilingam and Mr. Chandrakanthan Chandra Nehru, as well as some of the organizing councilors. The rally held in the famous London landmark between 11.30 a.m. and 3p.m. Among the councilors who addressed the event were Ms. Sasikala Suresh, Mr. Thaya Idaikadar, Mr. Yogan Yogarajah and Ms. Eliza Maan.The speakers condemned the ongoing human rights abuses against Sri Lanka’s Tamils by the security forces there and urged the British government to pressure the government of President Mahinda Rajapakse to halt the atrocities.Some speakers appealed to the international community to recognize the Tamil people’s right to self-determination, saying self-rule was the only way to safeguard their wellbeing..Thousands of people attending the rally signed a petition addressed to the British government. A resolution passed at the event declared: Four bodies found in Vavuniya Fighting near Madhu Heavy fighting erupted between Sri Lanka security forces and the Tamil Tigers on Saturday in nearby areas.Sri Lanka Army (SLA) said at least 10 soldiers were killed in fierce fighting between forces and Tamil Tigers in Madhu Church area.Military spokesman, Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, said the LTTE making use of the no war zone declared for the Madhu festival were continuously firing at security forces who were compelled to retaliate. The Tamil Tigers say at least three of their fighters were killed. Parliament HSZ to be extended The present High Security Zone (HSZ) of the Parliamentary Complex in Sri Jayawardanapura Kotte is to be extended shortly to cover a wider area due to the prevailing security threat, informed sources said.A senior police official told the Daily Mirror yesterday that a top level discussion, attended by senior police and security forces officials was held recently in this regard.The official said a proposal to this effect was to be presented to Speaker W.J.M. Lokkubandara.Accordingly, areas covering the Speaker’s official residence and the parliamentarians’ housing scheme in Madiwela will be included in the new HSZ. The official said it had been discussed about a possible restriction of vehicle movement along several roads around parliament and the play ground in front of the Complex although a final decision had not been taken yet.A large number of residents are using the roads surrounding the Parliamentary Complex and the play ground. The latest move by the authorities came amidst a LTTE warning that it was aiming to cripple the country’s economy with major attacks on military and economic targets. DPU soldier killed along LTTE Defence Line A soldier belonging to Sri Lanka Army's (SLA's) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) was killed Sunday noon at Paalamoaddai, and unknown number of soliders injured during a clash along Liberation Tigers Forward Defence Line (FDL) in Vavuniyaa-Mannaar border, LTTE field officials told media. The DPU team withdrew, leaving behind soldier's body and a T56-2 rifle.The clash occurred when the DPU team was attempted to infiltrate into Liberation Tigers' territory and was confronted by the border unit of the LTTE. Number of injured DPU members are not known.Five persons, inclduing Tamileelam Health Service personnel and civilians were killed in a Claymore mine attack by a Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army inside Vanni near Mangku'lam on the 7th of July.SLA's DPU has been targetting Civil Health Service vehicles insdie LTTE controlled areas, in violation of rules of war after start of shadow war waged by Colombo and the SLA-backed paramilitaries. Co-chairs urge President to improve negotiation package The Co-chairs (US, EU, Japan and facilitator Norway) want the Sri Lankan government to offer a better political package to facilitate a negotiated settlement of the north-east conflict. They are of the view that the SLFP proposal to confine devolution to the district level would be insufficient. This assessment was recently conveyed to President Mahinda Rajapakse by German Ambassador Juergen Weerth. Germany held the rotating presidency of the EU at the time of the meeting.The Temple Trees meeting took place against the backdrop of the recent meeting of Co-chairs in Oslo when they decided to push for a negotiated settlement to the conflict and mandated the German Ambassador to present their viewpoint to Colombo.Ambassador Weerth recently briefed President Rajapakse on the outcome of the Oslo meeting with Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona resent at the discussion.The meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere a week before the fall of Thoppigala, the last LTTE stronghold in the Eastern Province. "It was a constructive meeting without any pressure being exerted on Sri Lanka," a well informed political source said. "The Co-chairs encouraged us to look for a peaceful settlement and to facilitate that with the offer of a better political package." They had called for a ``reasonable package,’’ implying that the package recently unveiled by the SLFP was inadequate. This source emphasized that the SLFP proposals should not be viewed as that of the government."They are not final and there is always the opportunity to improve them," another official said. According to these sources the decision to permit the outgoing Norwegian Ambassador, Mr. Hans Brattskar, to visit Kilinochchi was not taken at the meeting between the President and the German Ambassador. "That decision was made earlier," a senior foreign ministry official said. The official dismissed claims that the German Ambassador had a secret meeting with UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to map out a strategy against Rajapakse’s administration.The ambassador briefed the UNP leader about the outcome of the recent co-chairs’ meeting in Oslo. The meeting which took place at a Japanese restaurant triggered a blistering attack on the Ambassador by Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle. The UNP recently declared that the SLFP’s proposals were unrealistic and that the government must come out with a set of realistic political proposals. While reiterating the UNP’s commitment to the concept of one nation with adequate devolution of power to the provinces, the major opposition party believes that the province should be the unit of devolution.The question of the merger of the Eastern Province with the Northern Province should be left for resolution at direct negotiations with the LTTE, the UNP says.Mr. K.N. Choksy, the UNP’s constitutional expert, in a letter to Prof. Tissa Vitarana, the head of the All Party Representative Committee, has pointed out that the SLFPs coalition partners in the government have rejected the SLFP proposals. He said in this letter that the UNP would await a period of six weeks to enable the SLFP to place before the APRC the common proposals of the government – that is of the SLFP and its coalition partners - on the core issues relevant to the settlement of the ethnic dispute. The govt. workshop cancelled in fear of air attacks The workshop scheduled to be held today and tomorrow at Kandy 'Amaya Hills' was cancelled suddenly due to security reasons. The participation of the government Ministers and MPs was made compulsory for this meeting that was to be chaired by the President Mahinda Rajapakse. It was reported that this two day workshop was cancelled based on an information received by the security forces. Reportedly, the LTTE flew one of its aircrafts on 12th and rumors spread on two more unidentified aircrafts over the Pulmodai sky yesterday as well. When Lanka-e-News asked about the reports from the Air Force spokesman Group Captain Ajantha Silva, he said that no such report was received. When asked about the reports that the flying was recorded in radars, he replied he had no reports. Sri Lanka toasts its favourite Tamil Muralitharan Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse saluted Muttiah Muralitharan as the strife-torn nation on Sunday celebrated the spin wizard's incredible feats. Muralitharan, 35, became only the second bowler after Australian Shane Warne to claim 700 Test wickets on Saturday as Sri Lanka hammered Bangladesh by an innings and 193 runs to sweep the three-match series.Rajapakse, who was in Kandy town on official business, threw an informal celebratory dinner for Muralitharan at the presidential palace on Saturday night attended by both teams and officials.Muralitharan, a Tamil, received a plaque from the president as tributes poured in for the master bowler who needs just nine more wickets to overtake the retired Warne's world record of 708 wickets.Sri Lankan captain Mahela Jayawardene hailed Muralitharan as the best bowler in the world, a view shared whole-heartedly by the rest of the cricket-mad island nation. "We were not surprised at all that Murali got to 700," said Jayawardene. "He is, after all, the best bowler in the world and is sure to set new landmarks by the time he quits."We will remember Murali not only for his record-breaking feats but also for the man he is. He remains as humble as before and is someone to be treasured for ever."Muralitharan reached the 700-wicket mark the same day Tamil Tiger rebels killed at least 16 government soldiers in heavy clashes in northern Sri Lanka.The rebels are fighting for an independent homeland for the Tamil minority on the Sinhalese-majority island, a 35-year-old conflict that has claimed more than 60,000 lives.Muralitharan, meanwhile, set his eyes on taking 1,000 Test wickets and hopes to play for Sri Lanka till the 2011 limited-overs World Cup to be hosted in the Indian sub-continent."It is a big achievement but I think I can achieve a little bit more," Muralitharan said."I anyway knew I was going to get to 700. The challenge is whether I can take 1,000 Test wickets before I retire. I am now thinking about playing until the next World Cup." Muralitharan, a veteran of 113 Tests who made his debut against Australia in 1992, said he had worked hard over the last 15 years to become one of the most feared bowlers in the game."So many years at the top takes a lot out of you but I am still hungry for wickets and that is what matters."It took him just 12 Tests to move from 600 to 700 wickets.Sri Lanka are due to tour Australia for two Test matches in November, but Muralitharan was unsure of becoming the leading bowler in Warne's backyard."Wickets there usually help fast bowlers, but I am more concerned about winning the series, something we have not done in Australia," he said.It will be fitting if Muralitharan gets crowned in Australia where he has endured the most humiliating moments of his otherwise glittering career. The off-spinner was controversially called for throwing by Australian umpire Darrell Hair during Sri Lanka's tour Down Under in 1995. Two years later, another Australian umpire, Ross Emerson, called Muralitharan during a one-day series there, prompting a bio-mechanical analysis of his bowling action at the University of Western Australia in Perth. The International Cricket Council cleared Muralitharan and his bowling action has since not been questioned by umpires around the world. 15 July 2007 TNA condemns killing of TELO Member In a communiqué issued Friday, the parliamentary group of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) condemned the killing of Thiyagarajah, a member of Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO), by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and policemen Thursday in the district office located in Pa'ndaarikku'lam, Vavuniyaa. TNA strongly condemns the action by the armed forces forcibly entering the TELO district office located on Koyil road in Pa'ndaarikku'lam, Vavuniyaa, ransacking the building and killing a TELO member.TELO is a member party of the TNA and is a recognized political party. It is clear that the forces have taken the law into their own hands and entered the premises of the party’s district office under the pretext of a search operation.As a result of this action, the life of a father of two children has been lost in vain.We are forced to view this action as a challenge to our political rules and regulations as well as to our firmness in our policies.We expect the truth to come out regarding the death of the member of TELO. We express our deepest condolences to the family of Late Thiyagarajah. Government to take fresh peace plans to India The government is contemplating on a negotiated settlement to the ethnic conflict after they consolidate themselves in the East. Government sources told The Nation that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is awaiting the final outcome of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) report to send a high-powered delegation to India to brief them on Sri Lanka’s latest peace plans. The high-powered delegation will be led by President’s Senior Advisor Basil Rajapaksa. The Indian government has expressed the desire to talk to persons who could take decisions rather than talking to the Foreign Minister or any other ministers who would have to go back to the President and revert to them, which the Indians see as a tedious process. Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar who visited Kilinochchi last week has told the government that there is no specific message from the LTTE to the government. However he has told the government that the LTTE has expressed the view that if there are to be peace negotiations they would have to be based on the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) signed five years ago. The LTTE has requested the opening of the A-9 Road. However government sources noted that this request was expected since the LTTE tax collection has drastically reduced following the closure. Meanwhile NGO sources said that there are no signs of peace talks for the next two years as the government had launched fresh offensives in the north.The LTTE position is that there won’t be any prospective negotiations and peace moves by the government are just a delusion.The LTTE is now moving towards getting international legitimacy, already 33 members of the US Congress are supportive of the LTTE and the Tamil diaspora is also working closely with new British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. JHU monks sell their vehicle permits The MP monks of the JHU have sold the duty free vehicle permits received by them as parliamentarians in contravention of the permit regulations. The monks have said that the monies collected by selling the permits were transferred to the party account. The government offers duty free vehicle permits to parliamentarians and other state officials for official use. However, according to the relevant financial regulations, such permits cannot be sold or transferred to a third person. The law also states that a vehicle purchased under such permit cannot be sold or transferred to a third party. The JHU monks however, have sold their vehicle permits in contravention of the regulations, it is learned. JHU and Presidential Advisor, H.M.G.B. Kotakadeniya told The Sunday Leader sister paper Irudina, "Nothing is given free these days." JHU Spokesperson and Parliamentarian, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero however declined to make any comment on the sale of the permits. Kotakadeniya said the JHU monks had sold the vehicle permits to provide funds for the party and that they were not sold to drug dealers and businessmen. Referring to the sale of vehicle permits by the monks, he had also said that the JHU had not done anything against the law and that it was done in good faith. "The owners of the vehicles are the bhikkus. They have not violated the motor traffic ordinance. They can give their vehicles on a temporary basis to anyone. But the registration is under the real owner. They will get ownership only after five years. The party does not have funds. That is why the permits were sold. Some parliamentarians have even sold their permits to the Tigers. We have not sold them to drug dealers or businessmen. If the law has been violated then we can go to courts. We have not violated the law. The bhikkus don't need such luxury vehicles. But the bhikkus in parliament need some vehicle. We have given these vehicles only to people on whom we have total confidence that they would not use these vehicles for a wrong purpose," Kotakadeniya said. Govt. directs schools to celebrate Thoppigala victory The government has decided to deploy school children for the celebrations planned to mark the capture of Thoppigala from the LTTE. The government decision was communicated to the Education Ministry last week. The Deputy Education Director of Colombo on July 9 issued written instructions to all school Principals to hold celebrations in schools to mark the Thoppigala victory the same day the government has planned to hold the national celebration at Independence Square. The director has called for these events to be organised by the school principals apart from the celebrations organised by the state sector trade unions. A list of 19 items to be done during the celebrations has also been sent to the principals. According to the directives received by principals, large pictures of the forces gaining control of the east are to be hung on the stage curtain, everyone is supposed to cheer when the President is handed over the official sannasa declaring the capture of the east and the speakers are to be put up in a manner that the noise is well spread around the area. The principals were also told to give special attention to the speech made during the day and not to highlight any similarities between the earlier military gains and the recent Thoppigala victory. TNA briefs international community A Tamil National Alliance (TNA) delegation led by its Parliamentary Group Leader R. Sampanthan is currently on an European tour to brief the international community about the present political situation in the country.The TNA team comprising Parliamentarians TELO President S. Adaikalanathan,EPRLF Leader Suresh Premachandran, ACTC Leader Gajen Ponnambalam and AITK Leader S. Senadhirajah left the island last week and are expected to return next month, a TNA spokesman said.According to the spokesman their mission was to bring to the attention of the European countries the plight of the Tamils and the ongoing violation of human rights in Sri Lanka.Meanwhile TNA Parliamentarian and TELO Jaffna MP N. Srikantha told The Nation that the objective of the visit was to get the international community to mount pressure on the government.He said though the government was in a jubilant mood to celebrate the victory of Thoppigala, the Tamils were silently suffering.He said the Thoppigala intrusion by the armed forces further complicated the already complex situation in the country.He said if the government genuinely wanted to resume talks, then it should honour the Ceasefire Agreement. He said if there was any willingness to honour the CFA then the government would also have to strictly honour all the clauses enshrined in the CFA.He said if that were the case then the government would be forced to give back all the lands taken away from the LTTE.“So we see this taking over of lands as a futile exercise by the government. Certainly without the resumption of the CFA as it existed in 2002 March, there cannot be any talks with the government,” he said Radar out, authorities downplay danger Concerns have risen over the safety of flights to the country with the country’s main civil aviation radar being dysfunctional for two weeks , and authorities have tried to downplay the situation Lakbima news learnt.The radar which is mounted on Piduruthalagala has been damaged by gusty winds nearly two weeks ago. In the absence of a standby radar to track the movement of the flights, the air traffic controllers, now use an antiquated system of aircraft handling, known as Procedure Control.An air traffic controller requesting anonymity said it requires air traffic controllers to enforce a distance of 80 nautical miles between two aircraft, contrary to the usual practice of 5-4 nautical miles which should be kept between two aircraft.The Air Traffic control Unit at the Ratmalana Air Port which handles flights over the island’s airspace, is also making use of the two radars installed at Katunayake International Air Port. However, air traffic controllers complained that the detection range of the radar at the KIA is only 60 nautical miles, which resulted in flights passing a large non radar area.Sri Lanka handles civil aviation traffic from Trivandrum in India in the North to Perth in Australia and certain islands in Indonesia.“We take over from Indians when the flight leave air space over Trivandrum but flights have to go through a large non radar area; that is dangerous as far as safety is concerned,” a controller said.The defunct radar has a detection range of 200 nautical miles whereas the current radar has a detection range only up to 60 nautical miles.Lakbima news also understands that the second radar at KIA has also been used by the Air Traffic Control Unit of Ratmalana Air port. That radar has however not been commissioned, which means that it had not been tested and granted approval for use by relevant international authorities.Meanwhile, Civil Aviation authorities say it would take six months to repair the radar. SLMC calls for a general election The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has called for a general election. The party’s Secretary General, M.T. Hasan Ali told The Nation yesterday that the time was ripe for the government to call for a general election, which would showcase the mandate of the people. He made this statement in reaction to a recent decision by the government to hold local elections in the east. “Not only should there be an election in the Eastern Province, there should be a general election as well. This is the right time for the government to have an election, soon after the victory in the east,” he said.Meanwhile, the SLMC is scheduled to meet with former Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi of the SLFP-Mahajana Wing on Wednesday. The party has still not taken any decision with regard to extending support to the new wing. It was a cluster bomb, not Kfir A cluster bomb dropped by an Air Force MiG-27 attack aircraft disintegrated upon impact on the ground in Tiger guerrilla dominated Wanni prompting them to claim they had shot down a bomber. The claim was made by LTTE Military spokesman Irasiah Ilanthiriyan to the Tamilnet website. A report said: “A Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bomber was damaged by Liberation Tigers anti-aircraft cannon fire over Vavuniya forward defence line around 3.30 pm on Thursday. LTTE Military Spokesman Irasiah Ilanthiriyan said that the bomber was damaged in the cannon fire by the Tigers and parts of the damaged aircraft fell inside the Tiger territory. The SLAF aircraft crash landed….”Air Force sources said parts of the cluster bomb — a large canister containing several small bombs — had disintegrated. “The pieces were wrongly identified as parts of a Kfir. No Kfirs were airborne on Thursday. Sorties were carried out only by MiG-27s,” the source added. 14 July 2007 Sri Lankan rebels hold live-fire military drill to show off strength despite recent defeat Tamil Tiger guerrillas in green-striped camouflage assaulted a mock government fort with gunfire, rockets and explosives Friday at a secret training base in separatist-held territory in northern Sri Lanka.Rebels escorted reporters along back roads to the live-fire exercise to demonstrate they are still a powerful military force despite the government's announcement Thursday that it had won full control of eastern Sri Lanka for the first time in 13 years.The Tigers said they have simply switched from conventional warfare to guerrilla tactics in the east, noting they hold a swath of territory in the north that they run as a virtual state.''Gaining territory is not victory, it is a false hope. We will again come out and attack,'' said Lt. Col. V. Nishaanthan, who led the drills Friday.Rebel leaders said the early morning exercise was practice for coming attacks on nearby government positions. As fighters prepared for the drills, artillery shells fired by government troops exploded in the distance.Many of the fighters were in the striped fatigues that have become a rebel trademark. Others had olive green uniforms with ammunition vests. Many wore flip flops, and when they ran in formation a loud thwacking sound followed them. A few went barefoot. Reporters taken to the base had to agree to keep the location secret. The training ground was an expanse of white sand, dotted with patches of brush. Rusty bullet casings lay on the ground, showing the base had been used before, but not recently.''We can't keep a training base for a long time in this area,'' said Rasiah Ilanthirayan, the Tamil guerrillas' military spokesman, pointing to the threat of government airstrikes.The drills began with three female fighters charging a foxhole. When they reached the ditch, one shot point blank into it several times.When asked what the fighters would have done if the soldiers inside had surrendered, officials at first said they would take them prisoner. But Ilanthirayan laughed: ''It's a war. It's not kindergarten.''The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been fighting for an independent homeland since 1983. The 3 million mainly Hindu Tamils have long faced discrimination from the predominantly Buddhist Sinhalese majority in the nation of 19 million people.The conflict has killed an estimated 70,000 people on the island, which lies off India's southern tip. A 2002 truce has all but collapsed because of fighting over the past 20 months that has left 5,000 people dead. Rebels have waged conventional military operations against government troops, but have also attacked military and civilian targets in government-held areas and carried out more than 240 suicide bombings. They are listed as a terrorist group by the U.S. and European Union.''We can easily change our tactics and strategy from a conventional army to more of a guerrilla unit,'' said S. Puleedevan, secretary-general of the movement's Peace Secretariat, who escorted reporters to the base.The rebel force, a cult-like army whose fighters carry cyanide capsules to swallow in case of capture, is thought to number about 10,000. Human rights groups criticize them for recruiting child soldiers - a practice the rebels say they will phase out by year's end.The group also maintains a large flotilla that it uses for naval attacks and to smuggle weapons and goods to its part of the island. In March, the guerrillas staged their first airstrike, using a single-propeller plane to bomb an air force base next to the international airport outside Sri Lanka's capital, Colombo. Government and rebel artillery routinely shell each other along the lines divided rebel-held territory and the largely government-controlled Jaffna peninsula in the north. The Sri Lankan army also sends small units into rebel territory to lay mines and carry out guerrilla attacks, human rights groups say.The exercises Friday were geared toward more conventional fighting. During the main drill, soldiers took positions behind brush about 100 yards from the mock fort made of logs and mud and ringed by concertina wire.The attack - intended to be a nighttime operation - began with the launching of a rocket-propelled grenade, and then a cacophony of rifle fire rang out. Three female fighters in the distance - dressed in the Tamil Tiger uniform of checked shirts and black pants, their long hair braided and tied into buns - manned a .50-caliber machine gun that laid down covering fire.Fighters approached the fort in single file. Two ran ahead and pushed a long white pipe containing explosives under the first circle of concertina wire, then blew it up. Rebels said the obstacle-clearing weapon, known as a Bangalore torpedo, had been newly designed to be lighter and more powerful.The attackers then blew up a second and a third defensive wall, sending sand flying into the air and shaking the earth. The fighters then overran the fort. ''This is very crucial to first attack the enemies' front line, to make a gateway to enter into the nerve part of the military complex,'' said Nishaanthan, the training commander.Puleedevan, the reporters' guide, said the guerrilla force learned about warfare by studying Napoleon, Clausewitz, Machiavelli, the two world wars and the more recent fighting in Bosnia and East Timor as well as from its fighters' firsthand experiences.''We learn everything, whatever is available, and we are still learning,'' he said.Commanders also show their fighters films like ''Saving Private Ryan,'' ''Black Hawk Down,'' and ''Finding Nemo,'' he said, without explaining how such entertainment helps train troops.In brief interviews, several fighters repeated the group's rhetoric and praised the movement's leader, the rarely seen Velupillai Prabhakaran.Nishaanthan said he joined the rebels 19 years ago ''to liberate our Tamil people from the oppressors.'' Of the 300 people he first trained with, he knows of only 10 to 15 who are still alive, he said.Thambiraja Ravindran, 26, a platoon leader, said he joined two years ago because ''the oppressive force is committing a lot of atrocities against our people.''''We are not running as (the government) says. We are prepared to fight against all its movements and operations,'' he said. ''We strongly believe, under the guidance of our leader, that we will soon achieve our goals, and those running will be the forces of Sri Lanka.'' Sri Lanka bomb rebel camp, clash kill one Sri Lanka fighter jets bombed a Tamil Tiger camp in the island's northwest hours after a soldier was killed in a clash in the far north which left many rebel casualties, the military said on Saturday.The bombing of the Tiger position in the district of Mannar came three days after the government declared it had driven the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from their last jungle stronghold in the east after months of fighting."We bombed the LTTE camp in Mannar and it was very successful, lot of casualties," Air Force spokesman Group Captain Ajantha De Silva told Reuters.The air raids came hours after the Tigers killed one soldier and injured 11 in the northern district of Vavuniya, which borders rebel territory. "The LTTE were firing mortars and artillery and we confronted them ... there are a lot of LTTE casualties," military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe told Reuters."We also had one soldier killed and 11 injured," he said.Sri Lanka has been gripped by renewed civil war since the collapse last year of a ceasefire agreed in 2002. An estimated 4,500 people have been killed since then.The rebels, fighting for an independent homeland in the north and east of the island, said on Thursday their aim was to cripple the Sri Lankan economy with major attacks on military and economic targets.Tiger political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan told Reuters in an interview that peace was "not possible" as long as Mahinda Rajapaksa remained president, pouring cold water on international efforts to halt the two-decade conflict.The military has captured vast swathes of territory from the Tigers in the east in recent months, and now fighting is focused in the north, but analysts say they see no winner on the horizon.The conflict has killed nearly 70,000 people since 1983. SLA soldier killed, 15 amputated after fresh offensive in Mannaar At least one Sri Lanka Army soldier was killed and 20 seriously wounded when SLA soldiers attempted to move into Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled territory in Mannaar-Vavuniyaa border Saturday morning. 15 of the wounded soliders were amputated, according to military sources. "The soldiers were locked into heavy fighting along a Forward Defence Line, which they believed was a crack in enemy lines," a SLA official in Vavuniyaa, who did not wished to be named, was quoted by the sources as saying. "The soldiers were forced to confront an apparant trap," the SLA official further said. Heavy fighting was raging along the Forward Defence Line at Periya Thampanai from Friday mid-night till Saturday 01:00 p.m., informed miilitary sources in Vavuniyaa said. The LTTE is yet to release details of the SLA offensive. Thoppigala: UNP accuses govt. of double-dealing The main opposition UNP yesterday asked whether the government facilitated the withdrawal of 800 LTTE cadres who had been trapped in the Thoppigala area along with their leaders Ramesh and Jeyam as claimed by the military earlier. UNP frontliner Lakshman Kiriella told journalists there was grave suspicion on what had happened to these entrapped Tigers and their arsenal including three multi-barrel mobile units. Mr.Kiriella said they did not see the security forces destroying the LTTE manpower at large in the embattled Thoppigala area.“We have received information from reliable military sources that the government ensured a safe passage for these LTTE members to retreat to the north via Welikanda, Serunuwara, Mutur and Manirasakulam. We have reasonable ground to believe it because we did not see the LTTE manpower and heavy weapons being destroyed at large in the military operations,” he said.But the military scoffed at the charge saying they did not wish to comment on political criticism. The LTTE when asked about the allegation said it did not wish to comment.Mr. Kiriella said the UNP had the right to question on the matter as a party representing Parliament which is wholly responsible for public finances.“Even the Executive President has no powers to use public finances without approval from the House,” he said.In this context, the UNP demanded a ‘categorical reply’ from army spokesman Prasad Samarasinghe and Eastern Army Commander Parakrama Pannipitiya as to what happened to 800 LTTE cadres who were holed up in the Thoppigala jungle when army soldiers backed by the Air Force ringed it. Mr. Kiriella said it would have been a real victory for the military if they were able to ring Thoppigala and smoke out the entrapped cadres.“There is no possibility for the LTTE to withdraw without an ensured safe passage from the government because the military is occupying all other parts of the east while the navy is blocking sea movements of Tigers,” he said. The UNP asked whether this was a part of the secret pact signed with the LTTE before the Presidential Election in 2005. When contacted by the Daily Mirror, Brigadier Samarasinghe, said he would not comment on a political criticism.“Whether people believe what politicians say or not is a different matter. The best thing is to contact Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella,” he said.Media Centre for National Security Director General Lakshman Hulugalla also said Minister Rambukwella was the ideal person to clarify the matter.However, Mr.Hulugalla said some elements envious of the government’s military victories had made this criticism.“People know whether the government did a real war or not. These elements that have plunged into the bottom of political bankruptcy are envious of these military victories to make such statements,” he said. Attempts to reach Mr. Rambukwella were of no avail because he was in Kandy attending some meetings with President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Meanwhile, when asked by the Daily Mirror yesterday about UNP claims that LTTE eastern leaders Ramesh and Jeyam were given safe passage out of Thopigala, LTTE military wing spokesman Rasiah Illentheriyan simply said "no comment." The rebel spokesman however claimed that Ramesh and Jeyam were still in the east. In comments published in the Daily Mirror yesterday Illentheriyan claimed the military could have moved into Thoppigala much earlier than it did as he claimed the rebels had withdrawn from the area after a change of strategy. He also said Thoppigala was not strategically important to the LTTE as claimed by the government. Settlers 'fleeing' after woman killed AHRC statement The attackers were “Army personnel or members of the Special Task Force (STF), the Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) says.“The personnel entered the home and forcibly escorted her out. When the victim’s mother followed them wailing and shouting, they stabbed the young woman in the presence of her mother – a distance of about 100 meters from the home. She succumbed to her death on the spot after being stabbed about 12 times,” a statement issued by AHRC said.Three other people are missing in Panduvankerni since 04 July, MP Ariyanetran said. Three others missing “Relatives say Krishnapillai Rajendran, father of three, Manikappody Sivalingam, father of five, and another villager from Mavadimunnar are missing,” he told bbcsinhala.com.Over 100 families in the recently resettled villages have once again started to flee due to the prevailing situation, the legislator said.Many villagers are afraid to report the incident to the authorities for fear of retribution, while others have said “they can recognize the alleged perpetrators if they are seen again,” according to the AHRC.Sri Lanka security forces however deny any knowledge of the killing and people fleeing the area.“There is no such incident reported to the police. I checked up with the Kokadicholai police; no one has left the area,” military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said.The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian has discussed the situation with the local authorities and the UNHCR. UN: SRI LANKA’S DISPLACED NEED GREATER ASSISTANCE, SAYS UN REFUGEE OFFICIAL: A senior United Nations refugee agency official yesterday urged the Sri Lankan Government to step up its efforts to aid the displaced by allocating land and allowing them to move out of welfare centres they have been living in for over two decades.Judy Cheng-Hopkins, Assistant High Commissioner for Operations for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), met with top Sri Lankan officials this week to discuss the Government’s return programme in the east of the South Asian country.While visiting Vavuniya in the country’s north, Ms. Cheng-Hopkins reviewed UNHCR programmes to provide assistance in relocation and local integration. She travelled to the Thattankulam relocation site, where the agency has helped 130 families settle after years of residing in welfare centres, as well as Kalmadu, where another site is being prepared. She urged the Government to provide more land for such relocation sites to be built, stressing that 312,000 people have been similarly displaced for decades and need assistance. In the last three months, nearly 100,000 people have returned to their homes in Batticaloa district after fleeing earlier this year from heavy fighting between the Government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). After visiting returnees in Batticaloa, Ms. Cheng-Hopkins called on the Government to ensure the protection of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and that returns are voluntary and sustainable. Improvements in health care, education and employment opportunities in areas to where IDPs return is crucial, she added. According to the UN, clashes in Sri Lanka between Government forces and the LTTE have now affected 3 million people. Over the past year and a half, some 4,000 people are estimated to have died in the fighting. Armed group disrupting Ampara, says IASC The situation in Ampara remains tense with an “armed group” reported to be interfering with humanitarian operations, the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) said in its latest situation report.The IASC is an umbrella grouping of humanitarian agencies, including UN affiliated organizations, operating in the country.However, the IASC report did not directly mention the name of the “armed group” said to be disrupting the humanitarian operations.It also said the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and UNICEF assessed the situation at Bakmitiyawa and Pannalgama in the Damana Division and reported that many people in those areas were moving to other divisions and districts as their livelihood had been affected due to the worsening security situation in the area. UNICEF and ILO officials could not be contacted by the Daily Mirror to get more details on the issue.Last week the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) said in its weekly report that ground monitors had received complaints from civilians regarding harassment and extortion by suspected TMVP members also known as the Karuna faction both in Ampara and Batticaloa. Military spokesman Prasad Samarasingha was quoted at the cabinet news briefing this week as saying that the Karuna faction would only be permitted to operate political camps and not military camps in the east. Meanwhile the IASC report also said with the exception of World Vision other International Non Governmental Organisations (INGOs) did not have access to all three resettled divisions in the southern part of Western Batticaloa and added this was of concern for the humanitarian actors in the district.Last month UN humanitarian chief John Holmes expressed concerns over the plight of the displaced civilians in Sri Lanka saying “civilians have been assassinated and abducted "by those bearing arms in places as far apart as Sri Lanka and Colombia.”He also proposed a more systematic assessment of the reasons for the killing of humanitarian workers and for denying or restricting access to help civilians in need. This, for example, has left over 600,000 inhabitants of the Jaffna peninsula in Sri Lanka with shortages of basic necessities since August 2006, he said. Councillor denies alleged links to Sri Lankan rebels Karuna group playing cops The Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal led by Karuna Amman is carrying out the role of policeman in Kalmunai in violation of local laws, residents said. TMVP cadres have reportedly arrested a 29 year old man on Wednesday following a complaint lodged with the armed outfit which operates political offices in government controlled areas in the east.The man, a father of two, taken into Karuna custody was identified as Hidayathullah of Natpiddimunai. According to reports a Tamil woman had initially lodged a complaint with the Kalmunai police alleging that a sister of Mr. Hidayathullah had borrowed money on interest and failed to return it.The Kalmunai police intervened and advised Mr. Hidayathullah’s sister to return the money on installments. The complainant had also agreed to the settlement mode.However with the intention of getting back the whole sum immediately the Tamil woman had lodged a complaint with the TMVP, reports from the area said.TMVP cadres had subsequently arrested Mr. Hidayathullah and held him under detention until the money was returned.Reports indicate people fear communal disharmony between Tamils and Muslims in Kalmunai if TMVP cadres continue to be involved in civil activities and carry out the role of policeman. Sri Lanka Government Warns German Ambassador Government Chief Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle warned that government will have to take actions against the German Ambassador, Juergen Weerth. He said this in a press briefing at Government News Department, yesterday (13).Fernandopulle blamed that German Ambassador tries to stop aids to Sri Lanka on the request of opposition leader, Ranil Wickramasinghe.Several government parliamentarians already complained against the German Ambassador, he said. He reminded that the British High Commissioner also had to leave the country in the time of President Premadasa. He warned that German Ambassador will also have to leave country if he tried to talk about state's internal problems.Fernandopulle also blamed the opposition leader on trying to stop foreign aids. Leading LTTE extortionist nabbed at BIA A leading LTTE extortionist who tried to flee the country from the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayaka yesterday morning was arrested by the Terrorist Investigation Division.The suspect, a resident of Jaffna, was arrested by a special TID team at the BIA on information. According to TID sources the suspect is responsible for collecting extortion money from numerous persons, especially local Tamils living abroad for a longtime. The suspect had contacted them over the phone and demanded extortion money, threatening to kill their relatives living in Sri Lanka. Likewise he had collected millions of rupees by instructing people to deposit money in local bank accounts. The suspect was produced in courts yesterday and detention orders were sought to conduct further investigations; while the TID is on the lookout for several other accomplices of the suspect. S.Lanka rupee ends flat, shares fall on war threats Sri Lanka's rupee ended flat in thin trade on Friday, languishing at an all-time closing low hit the day before, while shares weakened after a new threat of attacks on economic targets by Tamil Tiger rebels. The rupee ended at 111.75/111.80 per dollar, unchanged from Thursday's close, which itself was only the latest in a series of life lows in recent weeks. Some analysts expect the rupee to weaken to around 118-120 per dollar by the end of the year. "It was a dull day and the rupee ended flat. There were hardly any activities today," said one trader. The rupee is steadily depreciating mainly due to trade-related moves in an economy that runs a hefty trade deficit because of costly fuel imports and the impact of inflation. It has lost nearly 4 percent so far this year, after weakening by around 5 percent in 2006 The Colombo All Share index closed 0.43 percent weaker at 2,463.95 points, a fall of 10.62 points, and its lowest since October 2006. It has fallen by 18.31 percent since February amid an escalating war between the state and Tamil Tiger rebels and high interest rates, which have encouraged some investors to turn to fixed deposits and bonds. The bourse is down around 9.49 percent so far this year. "High intererst rates and the violence tipped the market down," said Reshan Kurukulasuriya, vice president at DFC Stockbrokers in Colombo. The rebels, who are fighting for an independent homeland in the north and east of the country said on Thursday they are aiming to cripple the island's economy with major attacks on military and economic targets. Tiger political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan told Reuters in an interview, peace was "not possible" with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, pouring cold water on international efforts aimed at halting a deadly new chapter in a two-decade civil war. "The LTTE statement is nothing new but that makes investors more cautious," Kurukulasuriya said. Shares in conglomerate John Keells Holdings fell 0.71 percent to 238 rupees a share, while leading mobile phone operator Dialog Telekom closed unchanged at 22.25 rupees. Shares in leading fixed-line telephone operator Sri Lanka Telecom closed 2.27 percent weaker at 32.25 rupees a share after falling 1.49 on Thursday, 1.47 on Wednesday and 4.9 percent on Tuesday following a Supreme Court ruling to reduce tariffs on domestic call charges in line with proposals submitted by the regulator. Market turnover was 84.5 million rupees ($0.75 million), well below last year's average daily trading volume of around 400 million rupees. For daily technical analysis of the Colombo Stock Exchange by Reuters, please go to www.reutersindia.net/sri%20lanka.htm. Call rates rose to 15.831 percent from 14.247 percent on Thursday as calculated on a weighted average. 13 July 2007 Srilankan Army raid and ransacks TELO Head Office Shoots dead TELO member and arrested Three A long established TELO Head office is raided when their leaders are away on European campaign with other TNA members seeking support for political solution. Hundreds of Sri Lanka Army commando soldiers entered by force about 9:00 a.m. Thursday morning (12-07-2007) and Policemen rounded up and entered the premises of Tamil Elam Liberation organisation (TELO) Head office located in Pandaarikkulam in Vavuniya. An intensive search carried out by commandos and they could not access to the room of the officer-in-charge. When the SLA found his room was locked, they called for more commandos as the TELO officials did not have keys for the room. When they arrived, they shot Mr. Senkodan Thiagarajah, a father of two, on site. Then the commandos broke into the room and ransacked the office smashing all the equipments and furniture. During this time of mayhem, more reinforcements were called in. 3 TELO officials were taken away following the raid operation on the political office. TELO offices are normally provided with Police security. After their raid on TELO office, SLA alleged that a grenade was seen on the chest of the dead body. The SLA officials in Vavuniya claimed that they had located a T-56 rifle, four Police uniforms, a pistol, 3 walkie-talkies, an anti-personnel mine and 300 bullets. These are in general use by SLA or paramilitary. It is not the first time TELO became under attack. The paramilitary took over the office of TELO in Trincomalee with the connivance of the SLA on the 02.09.2006. Last year TELO Batticaloa office and previous year Trincomalee office came under grenade attack. All these offices had been searched before. SL governments approach to the parties who return to parliamentary politics is changing. TELO is now expected to be beaten into line with government line. Victory at Thoppigala seems to override their militarist approach in this case. As usual, the SLA web site states that they raided an abandoned house at remote place. On the contrary, it is a well-known office of TELO and frequented by Police and state forces and has inscription of TELO in all three languages. The harassment and intimidation on TELO officials and MPs are on the increase noticeably by the paramilitary and the Sri Lankan armed forces.Vavuniyaa District Magistrate, M. Ilancheliyan, visited the TELO office and inspected the scene where the dead body of Mr. Senkodan Thiagarajah was lying. Terrorists in Lonely House Captured –www.army.lk VAVUNIYA: ARMY TROOPS that conducted a search on an isolated house at VEPPANULAM in VAVUNIYA Thursday (12) killed one Tiger terrorist and arrested three more LTTE cadres with their weapons. Troops who initially found a plastic container filled with T-56 ammunition rounds from the inside of the house noticed a room that remained tightly locked. An LTTE cadre killed when army reacts to an attempted hand grenade attack- Vavuniya –www.defence.lk SL troops in Vavuniya gunned down an LTTE cadre who had attempted to throw a hand grenade at them this morning (12, July). The incident occurred around 10a.m when troops had searched a suspicious house at Veppankulam. The soldiers initially found few ammunitions used for T-56 riffles hidden inside a water container. On further search the troops opened a room which had been closed and found one T-56 riffle and a pistol concealed under a mattress. All of a sudden, one of the suspects had attempted to throw a hand grenade at the troops. The soldiers acting on their self defence shot down the assailant killing him on the spot. Three of the other suspect has been taken to custody. Troops have found two hand grenades in the possession of the slain suspect. Police investigations are in progress. SLA shoots dead TELO member, ransacks Vavuniyaa office-TamilNet Hundreds of Sri Lanka Army soldiers and Policemen rounded up and entered the premises of Tamileelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) district office located in Pa'ndaarikku'lam in Vavuniyaa Thursday morning around 8:30, shot and killed a TELO member, Thiyaaku, a father of two, and alleged that the victim was attempting a lob a grenade at them. The TELO is a member party of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) with 4 elected Members of Parliament. TELO officials in Vavuniyaa said that the ransack operation was a calculated move to discredit the organisation and terrorize the members of TELO. Initial reports said a grenade was seen on the chest of the dead body. Military officials in Vavuniyaa claimed that they had located a T-56 rifle, four Police uniforms, a pistol, 3 walkie-talkies, an anti-personnel mine and 300 bullets. 3 TELO officials were taken to Police station following the ransack operation.TELO offices are normally provided Police security.The victim, Mr. Thiyaaku, is from Paalaamaikkal on Vavuniya Mannar Road, TELO sources said. The TELO officials and MPs are increasingly harassed by the paramilitary and the Sri Lankan armed forces. Vavuniyaa District Magistrate, M. Ilancheliyan, visited the TELO office and inspected the scene where the dead body was lying. 'Kfir jet hit' LTTE 'False claims' "Our anti-aircraft unit shot down an SLAF Kfir that was flying over our area. It went down in smoke", he said.Ilantherian added that parts have fallen in the LTTE held area and that Tamil Tiger troops were searching for the fallen aircraft. The SL Army spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe denied the LTTE claim saying that Tamil Tigers are making false claims to cover up their defeat in the east. LTTE warns of retaliation The violence ebbed after Norway brokered a cease-fire between the two sides in 2002, but it flared up again over the past 20 months, with assassinations, airstrikes and steady fighting killing more than 5,000 people.On Thursday, Tamil Tiger militants killed a soldier after firing at a military observation post in northern Mannar district, a Defense Ministry official said.Tamilselvan said that efforts to restore the tattered cease-fire - a precondition for new peace talks - would be impossible unless the government stopped violating the agreement, a demand that would force the military to withdraw from the newly captured east. The government has also accused the Tigers of repeatedly violating the agreement.''If the government's position is that it will sit tight in the east, in the newly captured territories, that is tantamount to saying they are not interested in negotiations, therefore, war,'' Tamilselvan said. Celebration of victory But the government appeared to have no intention of giving up the area after announcing that it had defeated the last rebel resistance in the vast, barren area of Thoppigala.''There will be a big event in Colombo in keeping with the success of the armed forces in Thoppigala,'' presidential spokesman Lucien Rajakarunanayake said, adding that celebrations were scheduled for July 19.Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said on Thursday that the captured Thoppigala area remained strewn with land mines and booby traps and that soldiers were still clearing it.The rebels said that they had switched tactics and now planned to engage in guerrilla warfare in the east in an effort to make the government seizure of the area too costly to maintain.''It will be a basket, mixed tactics,'' Tamilselvan said.The military offensive to retake the east began last year as tensions increased across the country. In January, troops routed the rebels from their eastern coastal strongholds of Vaharai and Kathiraveli villages in Batticaloa district. Eros acquires Tamil distribution company Ayngaran Eros International Plc has entered into a joint venture agreement with Tamil film distribution company Ayngaran International Ltd, with an initial investment of $33 million. Eros would have a 51 per cent majority stake in the newly incorporated Ayngaran.Ayngaran has pioneered Tamil film distribution in theatre and home video formats in the international market. The transaction will give Eros access to Ayngaran's library of over 600 films, while securing rights to another 25 films under production. "We are very excited about this deal. Ayngaran is the Eros of Tamil films. This business is in the same stage as the Hindi film segment was 10 years ago, poised to expand rapidly." said Kishore Lulla, Chairman & CEO, Eros International.Eros and Ayngaran had cooperated on the international distribution of the Rajnikanth starrer Tamil blockbuster Sivaji- the Boss. The film created history by grossing over $25 million worldwide - the highest ever for any Tamil film. It featured in the British charts although it was screened in only 13 movie halls. K. Karuna Moorthy, CHairman, Ayngaran said "Aligning with Eros will allow us to accelerate our growth and become a global player in Tamil films by maintaining and building on our competitive advantage." The companies said Eros would provide an initial funding of $33 million for the new venture to take over and grow the existing business as well as to produce, acquire and distribute forthcoming Tamil films based on agreed forecasts and targets. Out of the total 1,090 films produced in India in 2006, 223 were Hindi feature films and 162 were Tamil films. Internationally, Tamil films have a huge market in the US, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Australia and the United Arab Emirates. Govt. does not want peace: LTTE The LTTE yesterday claimed the government was sending a clear message to the Norwegians that it was not interested in peace talks, by attacking a civilian settlement in LTTE controlled Alampil hours after the Norwegian ambassador had talks with the LTTE in Kilinochchi.LTTE military spokesman Rasiah Illentheriyan told the Daily Mirror the LTTE was warning the military against attempting to infiltrate LTTE controlled areas in the North. He played down the loss of Thoppigala saying it was not a strategically important location as claimed by the government.Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar, on Wednesday, heldtalks with an LTTE delegation headed by political head S.P. Thamilselvan in Kilinochchi. They discussed the current political situation in the country as well as the chances of future peace talks. Hours after the Kilinochchi discussion Air Force fighter planes bombed A'lampil on what the government media center claimed was a sea tiger base but the LTTE insisted it was a fishing settlement. It said at least 2 civilians were killed and 11 injured.“This was a clear message to Mr. Brattskar from the government that it was not ready for peace talks,” Mr. Illentheriyan told The Daily Mirror adding that the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) was yesterday visiting the site to carry out inquiries.The Norwegian Ambassador was yesterday scheduled to debrief the chief government negotiator Minister Nimal Siripala deSilva on the visit to Killinochchi and the meeting with the LTTE which was also a farewell call for the Ambassador who ends his term in Sri Lanka this month. Meanwhile Mr. Illentheriyan also claimed that the military could have easily moved into Thoppigala several days earlier than it eventually did as according to him the LTTE had “changed its tactics” in the east. He warned however the military can now “wait and see” how the LTTE responds to the eastern operation.“The government boasting about Baron’s cap (Thoppigala) but it could have easily moved in there days earlier because we did not operate any big camps there for sometime. But we are still active there. It is not a strategically important place for us. We had changed our tactics in the east but the government military can wait and see how we respond,” Mr. Illentheriyan said. He also charged that by focusing heavily on the victory achieved in Thoppigala the government was diverting the attention from Sampur in Trincomalee, another former LTTE stronghold liberated by the military, where he claims the rights of the Tamil community is being severely violated.Asked if the government will be able to capture rebel areas in the North now that the east has been cleared Mr. Illentheriyan opined that such a move will not bear fruit as the terrain is different and recalled that several military attempts had already ended in failure.“There are no open spaces in the North like in the East for the military to infiltrate and capture our areas. They tried a lot before and failed. We feel that the government operation in the east was political more than military because a right minded military leader would not have gone for the east,” the rebel spokesman said.The government Defence Ministry website quoted President Mahinda Rajapakse as saying this week the government is dedicated to wipe out the LTTE practiced terrorism from the Northern Province with the completion of the Eastern operation. 12 July 2007 A ruler who granted Rs. 757 m. to a terrorists organization has no right to sit on the President's chair - Kiriella The United National Party (UNP) seeks the appointment of the proposed parliament select committee to look into the evidence available prove that the government provided hundreds of millions of rupees to the LTTE. Making this statement at a press conference held at the official residence of the Opposition Leader, the Head of the UNP Media Unit Lakshman Kiriella said that the UNP also has an affidavit of the person who witnessed President's Senior Adviser Basil Rajapakse handed over money to the LTTE representative prior to the Presidential. Mr. Kiriella recalled the government Chief Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle's statement when ousted Minister Sripathi Suriyaarachchi revealed about this deal and requested a parliamentary select committee to investigate the matter. Mr. Fernandopulle said that if money had been given produce proof and they would appoint a select committee. Mr. Kiriella challenged to appoint the select committee as the UNP had evidence to prove the allegation. Mr. Kiriella pointed out that the President, President's Senior Adviser Basil Rajapakse, President's Secretary Lalith Weerathunga and Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundara had not responded or corrected the allegation that the government provided money and promised to disarm LTTE as a gift for avoiding 800,000 votes from north and east. He further said that the 205 April Geneva talks were started with a statement that said the ceasefire agreement was illegal but the cause took a U-turn as soon as Mr. Basil Rajapakse arrived in there and at the end of the talks the government agreed to abide to the ceasefire and to disarm paramilitary groups including Karuna faction. He said that the LTTE commenced the war as the government broke the promises. When the war was in its height in August 2006, after the LTTE closed the Mavilaru sluice gate, the President, on August 02, in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, brought a cabinet memorandum to construct 1200 housing units in north and east to compromise with the LTTE. Mr. Kiriella said that it is extraordinary to bring cabinet papers to build houses in areas such as Kilinochchi and Mullaithivu amidt a severe battle. Mr.Mahinda Rajapakse as well as JVP and JHU who opposed the move of the former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunga to build houses through the P-TOMS, until the LTTE is disarmed, were silent when a cabinet paper was passed to grant Rs. 757 million to build houses in north and east while the war was going on. The qualifications of the companies were not checked and biddings were not called before the constructions were contracted. He said that it was a violation of all the government rules and regulations. The head offices of some of these companies were tin huts and some offices were abandoned houses. The owners of one of the companies were one wife of Emil Kanthan and her brothers, said Mr. kiriella. The CID is now investigating on the politicians who had links with Emil Kanthan and if the money provided through the President’s cabinet paper has been given to the Emil Kanthan, it will reveal who had links with the LTTE, says Mr. Kiriella. As a single housing unit was constructed with this Rs. 757 million the UNP could now reveal the false heroes, said Mr. Kiriella. If a ruler had engaged in this kind of deal he had no right to sit on the chair of the President, Mr. Kiriella said. He also said that the cabinet now discusses the criminal defamation law to stop revealing these facts. Giving money to a terrorist organization in this way is not only violating the rules of the state but also the international laws. He challenged the government to appoint a parliamentary select committee as the public had a right to know the inside of this deal and warned of sever action if it was not appointed. Norway envoy in talks with Sri Lanka's Tigers Peace-broker Norway on Wednesday sent its envoy to hold talks with Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels on the future of the moribund peace process. Ambassador Hans Brattskar travelled to the rebel held town of Kilinochchi to meet with the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), officials said. Brattskar, who is ending his term in Colombo, is making a farewell call on the Tigers and is also expected to get a feedback from the guerrillas on the peace process, officials said. Sri Lanka had in June asked Norway to help revive the peace process, but later backtracked saying there was no fresh invitation to Oslo to resume a dialogue with the guerrillas Sri Lanka rebels bury 'martyrs', vow to fight on Tugging at a cyanide capsule hanging around his neck, Tamil Tiger fighter and doctor Vaman watches yet another slain comrade buried to the wails of relatives and the chorus of a rebel anthem.He says the deaths only make him stronger.Standing in characteristic Tiger-striped fatigues which conceal a prosthetic leg -- his own was blown off by a landmine during fighting in the early 1990s -- Vaman says he is ready to die to further the rebel cause for an independent state.His friend and colleague Lieutenant Colonel Tamil Vanan was one of three Tiger fighters killed a day earlier by a roadside bomb ambush inside rebel territory. The insurgents blame army troops using their own guerrilla tactics against them.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam say the three were part of a medical team conducting an anti-rabies clinic."These attacks by the Sri Lankan forces will not stop our duties," said Vaman, who is director of the rebels' Tamil Eelam Health Service. Tamil Eelam is the name the Tigers give to the homeland they seek to carve out in Sri Lanka's north and east. Suspected Tigers have launched a spree of ambushes and bombings in recent months which have killed hundreds of people, most of them troops, after a 2002 ceasefire collapsed. Political analysts say Sri Lanka can expect more dead.Nearly 70,000 people have been killed since the war erupted in 1983, around 4,500 of those since last year alone, and the blood is still flowing."We are fighting for our country's young. We have been under oppression for the last five decades, so I will fight until my last breath," said 39-year-old Vaman, who says he joined the Tigers at 18 after watching troops beat minority ethnic Tamils in his native northern Jaffna peninsula.The rebels wear cyanide capsules so they can bite into them and commit suicide to avoid capture. SEA OF GRAVES Wailing relatives collapse in front of open caskets at this 'martyrs' graveyard' near the rebels' northern stronghold of Kilinochchi."We put sand on our friend's grave, the blood they lost will get Tamil Eelam," goes the song played over loudspeakers.Tiger fighters clutching Chinese-made assault rifles stand to attention. Others bow their heads in silence, behind them a sea of simple tombstones laid in neat rows where thousands of fellow 'martyrs' are buried.President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government has captured a vast chunk of territory the rebels controlled in the east, and have vowed to push on and capture the rebel-held north too.But the Tigers are much stronger in the north and there is no clear winner on the horizon yet.The international community is increasingly agitated with both sides for a rash of human rights abuses and killings -- and for ignoring calls to halt fighting that has forced hundreds of thousands of civilians from their homes.Selvy Navaruban of the Tigers' humanitarian affairs wing joined the rebels in 1997 after watching hundreds of fellow Tamils displaced and killed by the conflict."I thought better to fight and die for our homeland than sit at home and die for nothing," she said, her hair in the traditional plaits worn by many female Tigers. "When one of our colleagues dies, they give us the strength to fight on." TRO condemns SLAF bombing of IDP fisher community Pointing out that the fisher community hit by death and injuries by Wednesday bombing raid by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir fast attack crafts was one that was receiving assistance from the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), TRO in a press release issued Wednesday, condemned the attack on civilians and urged the "International humanitarian community to pressure the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to ensure that civilians are not [made] targets of their attacks." TRO condemns the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir jet bombing of Alampil, Mullaitivu that has resulted in two civilians being killed, a 15 year-old boy and a 51-year-old woman, and 9 injured. TRO has been providing assistance to this community since it was devastated by the tsunami in December 2004. TRO built temporary shelters and provided boats, nets and other fishing equipment so that the community could restart their livelihoods. Due to the actions of the Sri Lanka Navy, which has fired upon the fishing boats in the past, the fishermen were confined to "shore net" fishing rather than the preferred deep sea fishing. Two of the buildings damaged in this SLAF bombing were built post tsunami for the storing and seasoning the catch. The humanitarian and human rights situation in Sri Lanka has reach a critical situation and TRO calls for the international humanitarian community to pressure the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to ensure that civilians are not the targets of their attacks. Over the past two years numerous TRO projects and IDP camps have been attacked by GoSL security forces. These include: 10 December 2006: 40 people killed and 100 injured when GoSL forces shelled 3 TRO IDP camps in Paalchchenai, Kandaladi and Vammivadduvan Toppigala capture a success but holding it difficult- Harry The former Air Force commander, Air Marshall Harry Goonetilleke, said that the capture of Thoppigala was a major success for the military. He observed, however, that holding the area would be very costly.“You needed around 1000 or 2000 soldiers to win the battle. But holding these areas would be very costly, as you would need to some 10,000 to 20,000 soldiers to hold the area,” Air Marshal Goonetilleke told Daily Mirror.Commenting on the government’s plan to recruit some 50,000 personnel for the three forces, Air Marshal Goonetilleke said: “The government would have to pay some 7.2 billion rupees per year in salaries alone, if they recruit this many soldiers. That is why I say it will be a costly exercise.” No respite for Lanka’s ‘abduction’ victims Chandradevi, a resident of Puttalam, around 100km north of Colombo, anxiously sits in a small office located in a busy, narrow street in Pettah, the bazaar area of the capital. The office, dedicated to taking complaints of abduction allegations is that of a Tamil parliamentarian, convener of the Civil Monitoring Commission formed last year to monitor the rise of abductions and murders.It has been one year since Chandradevi’s aunt and her cousin, former residents of the war battered northern Jaffna district ‘disappeared’ from their residence in Puttalam, a predominantly Muslim town where Tamils are a minority.“My aunt Nithyalakshmi Sivapadam, who runs a communication centre in Puttalam, was arrested last year by the police on suspicion of aiding the LTTE. She was produced in court and released on bail, on the condition that she should show up at the nearest police station every Sunday. But a day before the next court hearing, she and her son went missing. Ever since then we have been trying to locate them,” Chandradevi, one of nearly 100 Tamils crammed into the office, waiting for their turn to get their grievances recorded, told Dawn. “She did not know where to go to in order to seek help. Since there are no Tamil politicians representing the Puttalam district, she and her husband came to us,” explains Mujahid, the secretary of a Muslim minister in Puttalam who had been assigned the task of bringing the woman to Colombo to seek assistance in finding her missing relatives.“Some never give up hope. It’s over a year now since her aunt and cousin disappeared but she still hopes of finding them — alive,” he adds. Mujahid’s last visit to Colombo was three months ago, to get information about a Muslim businessman in Puttalam who had been bundled into a white van by unknown gunmen. The businessman has not been heard of since.Although Chandradevi still expects to find her relatives alive, 67-year-old Maheswari is not so hopeful.Mahesawri’s son, 39-year-old Sunendra Punyamoorthy, disappeared on April 20 as he was cycling from her residence to his own in Wellawatte, a chiefly Tamil populated Colombo suburb.“His house is a few yards away from mine. He used to come to my residence for his meals and that night he had his dinner and left for his house at around 10pm. It was the last time I saw him. Later, his neighbours told us that he was taken away in a white van, as he neared his house, by men who claimed to be police. But when we went to the police to inquire they told us that they had not taken him in,” says Maheswari, breaking down. White vans have become the dreaded symbol of death.The Civil Monitoring Commission has recorded around 150 abduction allegations but human rights sources claim the numbers of disappearances and murders run into thousands but go unreported, especially in the north and east.“There are two types of abductions. There are abductions that are carried out for ransoms and those who are taken away are rich businessmen. Most of them so far are Colombo Tamil businessmen of north-eastern (Jaffna) origin and Indian origin. Now Muslims and Sinhalese businessmen too are being abducted for ransom. But abduction for ransom is only a small part of the issue. The larger part is political. What we have had steadily from last year is the politically and militarily motivated abductions of Tamils,” alleges Mano Ganesan, Tamil parliamentarian for the Colombo district and convener of the Civil Monitoring Commission.He says that a fair number of what he describes as ‘political abductions’ are carried out in the north-east region as well as in Colombo and its suburbs. “People simply disappear in the high security zones of Colombo. Rarely are they found alive,” claims Ganesan. Despite being surrounded by bodyguards provided by the government, Ganesan says he lives in danger. In November last year Nadarajah Raviraj, a member of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), a vociferous critic of the government, was shot dead in the capital by unidentified gunmen.The international truce monitors, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), has in a recent situation report accused the army or police of being involved in some of the abductions, apart from those carried out by the LTTE breakaway faction and the LTTE mainstream.“Perpetrators are most often suspected to be members of the TMVP or the LTTE, although sometimes it is the army or police who are accused of abductions,” the SLMM report said, referring to the political party of ex-LTTE militant Karuna.The Mahinda Rajapakse administration, under fire by the international community to remedy the situation, until recently denied the occurrence of abductions.But the government defence spokesman last week said over 10 persons, including members of the police and an ex-air force officer, had been arrested on charges of engineering an abduction-for-ransom racket. AI urges LTTE and Karuna to release all child soldiers The international rights group Amnesty International (AI) is once again urging both the LTTE and the Karuna faction to release all child soldiers in their ranks. The appeal comes even as the UN Security Council working group, as was reported in the Daily Mirror this week, will once again assess grave violations against the rights of children in Sri Lanka in October while next month a report will be given to the Secretary-General regarding children affected by armed conflict. “The LTTE must immediately return all remaining child soldiers to their families and engage in transparent procedures with UNICEF to reunite remaining child soldiers with their families. UNICEF records a significant drop in LTTE recruitment of children saying that recent releases of children from its ranks outstripped new recruitment,” AI said.Nonetheless AI said many child soldiers still remain in the LTTE ranks. According to UNICEF, which has had direct talks with the LTTE on the release of underage soldiers, at least 1,591 still remained at the end of May 2007. The figure included 506 who are under the age of 18, and 1,085 who were recruited when they were under 18 but who have now passed that age.The LTTE is not the only armed political group recruiting children in Sri Lanka, Amnesty adds, saying it has also received reliable reports of increased recruitment by other groups such as the Karuna faction and refers to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) weekly report for the period 11-17 June 2007 which has recorded 34 abductions in the space of that week in the East where the Karuna faction is active. This number included 16 youth. “The head of UNICEF’s Sri Lanka mission noted that at this point the pace of recruitment by the Karuna faction is actually higher than the pace of recruitment by the Tigers,” AI said. Amnesty International said in April this year it had received reports of intensified child recruitment by the LTTE in the Wanni including in Madhu in the Mannar District in preparation for future military battles in the North.“Children have no role to play in war. The recruitment of children is a war crime. The LTTE and all other armed groups must pledge not to use child soldiers, cease recruitment immediately and return the children to their families,” AI said.The Chief of Protection for UNICEF in Colombo Andy Brookes told the Daily Mirror earlier this week that UNICEF welcomed any commitments made by the Karuna faction to stop child recruitment and to ensure that there were no children in its ranks, but also looked forward to consistent action based on those commitments.“The key is that action speaks louder than words,” Mr. Brookes said.UNCEF said it continued to receive reports from families of children being recruited and also continued to see armed children on the back of pick-up trucks in the east of the country. Anti-terror Laws Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, legal advisor and member of the negotiating team for the Liberation Tigers in Geneva, in a recent review of the "material support" provisions in US laws related to designated "terrorist" organizations, says that although the plaintiffs cannot be criminally prosecuted for providing “training,” “services,” or “expert advice or assistance from specialized knowledge” under the “material support” provision in the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act (IRTPA) of December 2004, they can be prosecuted under a Presidential Executive Order (EO 13224).US Government and other Western states, in the aftermath of 9/11, have enacted new laws, or have added provisions to existing laws assist in the "war on terror." Following legislations exist in the US for prosecuting terrorism offenders: "The Plaintiffs cannot be criminally prosecuted for being members or associates of the designated organizations or for supporting their political philosophies," according to Rudrakumaran. However, Terrorism Act 2006 of UK, makes "Dissemination of Terrorist Publications" and providing "Encouragement to Terrorism, that is to directly or indirectly incite or encourage others to commit acts of terrorism" criminal offences. Recently in Britain a Tamil youth was arrested on "charge of managing a meeting to support the Tamil Tigers."Rudrakumar points out that "In Canadian legislation, terrorist activity is defined as encompassing ten United Nations Conventions pertaining to terrorism and a catch-all clause that encompasses the use of violence that results in death, serious harm, or substantial damage to property to further a political, religious, or ideological cause. However, the legislation exempts “an act or omission that is committed during an armed conflict, and that, at the time and in the place of its commission, is in accordance with international customary law or convention international law applicable to the conflict.” Thus, according to the Canadian legislation, war, legitimate self-defense, and the legitimate use of force for the realization of self-determination cannot be considered “terrorist activities,” Rudrakumaran adds. Cut off the Tigers-The Washington Times A group of congressmen is urging the Bush administration to increase its involvement in Sri Lanka. A recent letter from Reps. David Price and Rush Holt and 48 other congressional Democrats and Republicans to President Bush calls on the administration to step up diplomatic engagement in order to help the small island nation reach a long-term peace with the terrorist rebel group the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Noting "a pressing need for a more concerted effort by the international community to bring both sides back to the negotiating table," the congressmen conclude that the United States "has the opportunity to serve as a leader of such a renewed international effort."The protracted conflict dates back more than three decades and has cost more than 60,000 lives. A 2002 ceasefire brokered by Norway fell apart last year, although it became clear that the Tamil Tigers had used the break from fighting to re-arm. Fighting has escalated, as the Sri Lankan military claims to have at last beaten the rebels out of the east, which, along with the north, has been a Tamil Tiger stronghold.Neither side, unfortunately, can boast a morally impeccable record. The congressional letter also calls on the Sri Lankan government to end the use of extrajudicial killings and disappearances in the government controlled areas. To its credit, Sri Lanka has made efforts to address this issue by creating a special commission, which, in sharp contrast to the Tamil Tiger organization, operates under the scrutiny of international observation. "When credible evidence is available," wrote Sri Lankan Ambassador Bernard Goonetilleke in a letter to Mr. Holt, "the government has taken steps to serve indictments on army and police personnel." Ten indictments were handed down against security and police forces in 2006 and 10 in 2007, according to the ambassador.What human-rights violations the government may have to answer for, however, pale in comparison to the barbarity of the Tamil Tigers, who pioneered the use of the suicide bomb and have a track record of kidnapping children and turning them into soldiers. Human-rights issues will continue to be a concern until a genuine and lasting peace can be forged, and the United States can play a significant role in facilitating this by targeting and breaking up Tamil Tiger fund-raising networks in the United States, and working with Canada and the European Union to disrupt the Tigers' financial networks there as well. These networks, which according to Human Rights Watch rely on "intimidation, extortion, and physical violence," are critical to the Tigers' ability to perpetuate their terrorist campaign, and disrupting the flow of money to the terrorist group is an important step toward forcing its leadership back to the negotiating table. Sri Lankan national held RAMANATHAPURAM: In a late night operation on Tuesday, the ‘Q’ Branch police arrested Ungu alias Jeyaratnam, a Sri Lankan national, from Seeniappa Dharga near here. A clandestine ferry service operator and smuggler who has been absconding for several years, he has been charged under the Passport Act. Ungu alias Jeyaratnam (39), son of Vediramu of Pesalai in Mannar district, was seen near the shore in a suspicious manner when a team of Q Branch personnel were patrolling there. He started running when they approached him but was overpowered. P. Mahendran, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Q Branch, told The Hindu that Jeyaratnam was an agent for transporting refugees. He owned two fibreglass boats and had ferried more than 15,000 refugees from Sri Lanka to India since 1997, according to a rough estimate. 11 July 2007 Brattskar to meet LTTE in Kilinochchi today Norwegian Ambassador Hans Brattskar is expected to leave for Kilinochchi today for talks with LTTE Political Wing Leader S.P. Tamilselvan.The Norwegians may also seek an opportunity to meet with Tiger Leader Velupillai Pirapaharan on the grounds that it would be a farewell call by Ambassador Brattskar who is concluding his tour of duty in Sri Lanka, it is learned.The Morning Leader learns the government has agreed to make available an air force helicopter to take Ambassador Brattskar and two other diplomats from the Norwegian Embassy to Vavuniya. From Vavuniya, the Norwegians will travel in their diplomatic vehicles to Kilinochchi.The government’s decision to allow the diplomatic visit to Kilinochchi to explore the possibility of resuming peace talks follows representations made by the Co-Chairs US, Japan, EU and Norway after their meeting on June 26.Since hostilities resumed between the Government and the LTTE, no permission had been granted for the air force helicopters to fly into Kilinochchi. The Norwegian Embassy on Monday at 5 p.m wrote to the Government Peace Secretariat seeking approval to visit Kilinochchi and the request was forwarded for approval to the Foreign Ministry the same day and the Foreign Ministry gave the green light Tuesday morning.The head of the Government Peace Secretariat Rajiva Wijesinha confirmed to The Morning Leader a request was received from the Norwegian Embassy and that SCOPP was going ahead with facilitating the visit. He said the letter was forwarded to the Foreign Ministry for necessary action.Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Norwegian Embassy said the Ambassador was hoping to leave for Kilinchchi today.President Mahinda Rajapakse had earlier refused a visit by the Norwegians stating it would send a wrong signal to the Security Forces who are engaged in operations against the LTTE both in the north and east. The President had also said there was no purpose in facilitating a visit for the Norwegians to Kilinochchi unless it was to meet Pirapaharan since short of a personal assurance from the Tiger leader to resume talks the visit will be meaningless.However the presidential green light came Tuesday as government postponed planned July 19 celebrations at the Independence Square to mark the ‘liberation ‘ of Thoppigala after the Army requested for more time to complete operations. Military: troops capture last Tamil Tiger rebel base in Sri Lanka 's volatile east Government forces captured the last Tamil Tiger rebel base in Sri Lanka - 's volatile east on Wednesday, the army chief said. Troops seized the Tigers' sole remaining base in Thoppigala, army commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka told The Associated Press. Thoppigala has caves and crannies that have made it an ideal hiding place for guerrillas, and government forces have been struggling to seize it for 14 years. Prelate urges Govt. to open A9 highway soon Sri Naga Vihara Development Foundation Chief and Northern province Chief Sangha Nayake Ven Meegahajandure Gunaratana Thera, yesterday called for the opening of the A9 highway, to provide an opportunity for devotees in the South to worship Buddhist Temples in the North. The Ven. Thera said it had become difficult to maintain temples including the Sri Naga Vihara, which is so dear to the Buddhists of this country. He said thousands of devotees had visited these Viharayas in the North when the A9 was opened in 2002. The Ven Thera also condemned the CID probe on UNP MP Jayalath Jayawardena, who had been responsible for the Daham Charika from the South to the North in 2002. Milinda’s visit to India off Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda who was to visit India as President Mahinda Rajapakse’s Special Envoy end July has indefinitely postponed the visit.The decision to postpone the visit follows the failure of the Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi to obtain an appointment from the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for Moragoda.The failure to get an appointment, it is learned is due to President Rajapakse not giving Moragoda the letter appointing him as Special Envoy following objections by Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama. The President had earlier agreed to send Moragoda as Special Envoy to meet the Indian Premier in a bid to iron out the strained relations over the government’s failure to honour commitments on the political and diplomatic fronts.Protocol does not provide for a Minister to meet the Premier unless he was a special envoy of the President carrying a message for the head of state.The Morning Leader learns, the High Commission had secured an appointment for Moragoda with India’s Minister of Tourism in addition to a possible meeting with the External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.Informed sources said Moragoda had on Friday informed through diplomatic channels he would reschedule his visit but had not offered any reasons.Moragoda on Saturday left to New York on an official visit. Police arrests 9 civilians in Kandy, Nugegoda Sri Lanka Police in a search operation carried out on Monday night in Polgolla, Kandy arrested four Tamil youths for not having valid documents to prove their identity and for failing to provide valid reasons for their stay in Kandy, police said. Two of the arrested are from Galaha and the other two are from Nawala, Matale and from Kundasale, Kandy.In another search operation conducted Monday in Mirihana area in Nugegoda, Colombo, five civilians including one Tamil were arrested for failing to prove their identity and are being investigated, Mirihana police said. Govt. postpones July 19 Thoppigala ceremony The government on Monday decided to postpone the planned celebrations scheduled for July 19 to mark the clearing of Thoppigala following a request by the military for more time.The government had earlier planned to hold a ceremony at Independence Square on July 19 to celebrate the clearing of Thoppigala with invitations extended to religious leaders, members of the judiciary, political party leaders and diplomats.Discussions for the elaborate ceremony is being coordinated by the Public Administration Ministry. The Morning Leader learns an official from the Ministry had on Monday called the office of the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and inquired whether he would be attending the ceremony.It is learned, Wickremesnghe’s office had informed the official that the Opposition Leader had not received an invitation for the ceremony and that he would in any event not be available on that date.The Morning Leader learns the Public Administration Ministry had on July 4 sent out letters under the signature of Secretary D, Dissanayake to the invitees seeking confirmation by July 11 on their participation at the ceremony. The letters had reached the invitees only on Tuesday, July 10.However at a meeting at the Public Administration Ministry Monday afternoon, the representative of the Army had informed the organizing committee that the Army Commander Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka had requested for a postponement of the July 19 ceremony stating at least another week’s time was necessary to capture Thoppigala.The Army Commander’s message was conveyed by Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Lawrence Fernando who said Thoppigala cannot be cleared by July 19 and that more time was needed.The Morning Leader learns a decision was thereafter taken to postpone the ceremony till end July.Contacted by The Morning Leader a spokesman for the Media Center for National Security confirmed the ceremony scheduled for July 19 was postponed at the request of the army Commander. UNP-SLFP(M) to sign MoU next week The UNP and the SLFP Mahajana Wing are expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding next week, it is learned.The decision to sign a MoU follows discussions between the two parties on an agenda for democracy and good governance.Discussions between the two parties followed after the SLFP(M) met with a UNP delegation headed by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe where a copy of the "Dare to Dream" policy document was submitted by former Minister Mangala Samaraweera for UNP’s consideration.Informed sources said the two parties have held several rounds of discussions on the basis of the document submitted and a common agenda was in the process of being finalised.A UNP source said the talks are progressing smoothly and it is hoped a MoU would be signed between the two parties next week.Meanwhile the SLFP(M) will also continue to hold talks with other parties on the ‘Dare to Dream’ document to build a larger alliance. Navy denies Pillayan link in capture of freezer truck The Navy yesterday denied reports that intelligence from former Karuna associate Pillayan had led to the capture of an explosives laden truck in Trincomalee last month and challenged anyone who could substantiate such claims.A highly charged Navy spokesman D.K.P. Dassanayake claimed some elements with vested interests were attempting to sideline the achievements of the Navy by passing the credit on the capture of the explosive laden truck to other groups.The explosive laden lorry along with the driver was taken into custody by Naval troops at Padikkiya, Tirukadalur close to Trincomalee on June 29.“The capture of the freezer truck followed our probe on another smaller freezer truck since last September. At the time we had warned the government agent and the governor about a bigger threat. Some are trying to show that the Karuna group gave us the information to capture the truck,” Commander Dassanayake said.The Navy spokesman said as a result of Navy intelligence at least 16 terrorist related incidents were prevented in Trincomalee in the recent past. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) had also said in its latest weekly report the lorry containing about 1018 kg of explosives was discovered in Trincomalee town by the TMVP. The lorry had been parked in the same spot for four days and according to the Navy, it was bound to Colombo, the SLMM said. VC’s family still living in hope The family of the missing Vice- Chancellor of the Eastern University, Prof. S. Raveendranath is yet to know his fate since he went missing nearly seven months ago.The son-in-Law of the VC, Dr. M. Malaravan told The Morning Leader that his family was still hoping that he would return but also added that they were losing hope by the day."We just want to know whether he is alive or dead. No one has come to us and said anything. We would not go against anyone," he said.He however stated that the family was sad that they have not been informed of the results of the investigations carreid out."I received a letter from one of the authorities two weeks ago, in reply to a letter I sent seven months ago, statsing they are still conducting investigations," he said.Dr. Malaravan added that he would not continue to urge for the release of the VC as it was too late now. "I have done my best," he said.Speaking on the plight of the affected family, Dr. Malaravan stated that they would have to wait until the death certificate is issued. "It is not certain whether he is alive or dead. However, the family would have to wait for six years to get the death certificate," he said.Prof. Raveendranath was abducted by unidentified persons on December 15 last year when he was returning from a conference at the BMICH.The VC had handed over his resignation from his post a few days before he was abducted. However, Dr. Malaravan said that the government had accepted his resignation only recently. Sinhalese and Muslims clash in Panadura Clashes between a group of Sinhalese and Muslims have left one person dead in Panadura.The clashes between the Sinhalese and Muslims erupted in Ambalanduwa, Bekkegama, Panadura, a few days ago. On July 9, around 8.30 p.m. a Muslim youth was shot dead, allegedly by a Sinhalese man.Speaking to The Morning Leader SSP Panadura, Sumith Edirisinghe said the clashes between the two parties first erupted because a Sinhalese man (Prasanna) together with two Muslims had started a ganja business outside a mosque in Panadura."When the Muslim community protested over the selling of ganja close to the mosque a Sinhalese man with the help of Prasanna decided to build a Buddha statue close to the mosque. This was the initial cause of the clashes between the Sinhalese and the Muslims," Edirisinghe said.Edirisinghe added that Prasanna and the Sinhalese man were asked to come to the Panadura police station for an inquiry. "The two men did not come to the police station. The Sinhalese man then assaulted a Muslim and a group of Sinhalese people attacked eight Muslim houses in the area. Subsequently an 18 year old Muslim youth was shot dead allegedly by a Sinhalese man. Three suspects were arrested. But Prasanna is yet to be taken into custody," he stated. Govt. team, parents on mission to Saudi A government team led by Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bhaila and the parents of the young Sri Lankan girl on death row in Saudi Arabia were due to leave for Riyadh late yesterday or today on a mission to appeal for the life of the girl accused of killing her employer’s child, Minister Keheliya Rambukwelle said yesterday.Young Rizana Nafeek faces a deadline of July 16 for any chance of having her death sentence revoked but with the victim’s parents refusing to accept ‘blood money’ the chances for Ms. Nafeek keep diminishing day by day.“There’s no problem about the defense fees. We can pay that. It’s the Sharia law of that country;” Minister Rambukwelle said while denying charges by the Asian Human Rights Commission that the government had refused to pay the legal costs to save the girl.Mr. Rambukwelle, who is also the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion on Monday had further discussions with the Foreign Ministry and other relevant officials on the fate of Nafeek and subsequently decided to take the parents to Saudi Arabia and make a fervent clemency plea from the Crown Prince of the kingdom.“Legal officials in Saudi have said the chances are slim but we are sending a strong team together with the parents of the girl to try our best to save her life,” Minister Rambukwelle said adding that the initial confession by the girl that she had carried out the crime made the case more complex.In May 2005, Rizana Nafeek was assigned to take care of a Saudi family’s infant child. After two weeks on the job, the child died under her care. The parents claimed Rizana had strangled the child.Rizana initially confessed to the crime while in custody but during the trial she explained that the confession was made under pressure. According to the Asian Human Rights Commission, Nafeek has said the child died during bottle-feeding and that she tried to revive the child and called for help. She was found guilty of murder with no legal representation.On June 16, a three-member bench of the Dawadmi High Court found Rizana guilty of murder of a four-month old infant in a Saudi home.In her statement to the court, Rizana also claimed at the time of her arrival in Saudi Arabia, she was 17 years old and that a recruitment agent had falsified her documents and obtained her passport by overstating her true age by six years. Canadian MP raises concern on Sri Lanka's Human rights situation Mr Mark Holland, Liberal Member of Parliament for Ajax-Pickering in a communication to Canaidan Prime Minister Harper, expressed his "deepest concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka," and supported fellow parliamentarian Dan McTeague's call to "opening a consulate in Jaffna that is capable of providing immigration services." Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister Dear Prime Minister: I am writing to you to express my deepest concern about the deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka, and also to urge the Government of Canada to take necessary measures to serve those in the northeast who cannot easily access the Canadian High Commission in Colombo.Last month’s expulsion of about 400 Tamils from Colombo has been soundly condemned by reputable human rights organizations and by the international community. I have seen statements by the Sri Lankan Ministry of Defence claiming that only those who could not provide a valid reason for being in the capital were evicted. Such statements only confirm that Sri Lankans of Tamil origin do not have freedom of movement in Sri Lanka, or free access to the capital.My constituency office staff as well as constituents of Tamil origin have told me of the great difficulties experienced by those in the northeast who need to travel to the High Commission in Colombo, especially on immigration matters. In one case, a family member of a constituent died during the long delays attempting unsuccessfully to send paperwork and subsequently to travel to the capital. For many, travel to Colombo is impossible.My colleague, Hon. Dan McTeague, has written to you to ask that Canada consider opening a consulate in Jaffna that is capable of providing immigration services. I strongly support this suggestion, if it can be done securely and without undue risk to personnel.I urge your government to take immediate steps to address this situation, and I would appreciate being kept informed of how your government is responding. Sincerely, Mark Holland, M.P. Karuna group willing to be disarmed if given security The Karuna group will lay down arms if the government assures it security to carry out its political activities in the east, Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) Peace Secretariat Head, K. Mahesh said.Speaking to The Morning Leader, Mahesh stated that there would be no need for the TMVP to possess arms if the east is completely liberated from the Tigers.He said that the TMVP would be able to work without any fear once the LTTE was totally driven out of the east."There will be no need for us to have arms if the Wanni Tigers are chased away. We are possessing arms in order to protect ourselves from their attacks while carrying out our political work," he said.He however stated that government should also provide security to their members. "We are willing to put down our arms if the government provides us the necessary security needed to carry out our political work," he said.Health and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva told the media last week that the Karuna group would be disarmed after civil administration is restored in the east. Anti-LTTE Tamil Leaders Shake Hands After Bloodshed A Sri Lankan Tamil minister and the breakaway Tamil Tigers leader have finally made up after months of low-intensity squabbles exploded into ugly fighting that left two men dead a week ago, Tamil sources said.Minister Douglas Devananda and Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan alias Karuna, who are allied separately with Colombo in the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), met Monday face to face for the first time in months, the sources said.Douglas, who heads the Eelam People's Democratic Front (EPDP), had thrown his lot with Karuna when the latter split from LTTE in March 2004. EPDP offices in the island's eastern province initially served as Karuna's propaganda units.As months rolled by, they drifted apart over political and personality differences. Amid escalating fighting between the Sri Lankan security forces and the Tigers, the differences turned vicious. The EPDP accused the Karuna group, which became completely militarised despite a political tag, of harassing EPDP cadres and families particularly in Batticaloa district, Karuna's birthplace and stronghold. Karuna activists were unhappy with what they saw as EPDP's attempts to expand its support base at their cost.Last week, the simmering tensions came to a boil when militants of the Karuna group raided an EPDP office in Chenkaladi area of Batticaloa, resulting in a firefight that killed two Karuna men and injured four. Two EPDP members were also wounded.As a consequence, Douglas and Karuna, both of whom are desperate to establish their supremacy in the Sri Lankan east following the withdrawal of LTTE guerrillas, met Monday under heavy security to thrash out their piled up differences.According to Tamil sources, it was agreed that both of them would intervene personally in the event of any future serious differences among their cadres that may have the potential to erupt into fighting. Karuna insisted at the meeting that he was not responsible for pamphlets that have appeared in his name in Sri Lanka's east asking Tamils from the north to quit the region. While Karuna hails from Batticaloa, Douglas is from Jaffna in the north.The Monday meet, the sources said, was called to prevent further divisions in the anti-LTTE front at a time when the Karuna faction has broken into two, seriously denting the halo of the man who rebelled against the Tamil Tigers in 2004.The Karuna-EPDP frictions go back a long way to the time when the former was a senior commander of the LTTE and was bitterly opposed to Douglas, who has been allied with the Sri Lankan state since the early 1990s.In recent times, both EPDP and the Karuna group also indulged in a cyber war, accusing each other of extortion and harassment of civilians including recruitment of child soldiers.Since both groups support the Sri Lankan security forces, their activities besides the allegations against them embarrassed Colombo, which is facing widespread flak over its dominantly military approach to the long running ethnic conflict.Despite the Douglas-Karuna meet, Tamil sources have their fingers crossed since the Sri Lankan Tamil militant history is replete with bloody internal and internecine fights that have consumed thousands of lives from the 1980s.Both EPDP and the Karuna group are heavily armed and are bitterly opposed to the LTTE. The politics of rambling, rumbling, and tumbling My Dear Mahinda Aiya, Ayubowan, Vanakkam and Asslaimu Alaikum, though the multi racial greeting appears to be taking a grave beating in a country plunging deeper into confusion, contradictions and chaos if not the anarchy of a failed state. In last week’s letter we referred optimistically to a ray of hope that arose from Poson when your brother and powerful advisor Basil Rajapaksa reportedly called Oslo and requested the Norwegian facilitators to resume the peace process. Apparently acting with your consent, the man who is seen as the major power behind what is widely seen as a crumbling throne also indicated that the government was ready to make arrangements for Norway’s special envoy John Hansan Bauer to visit Kilinochchi for talks with the LTTE. This was seen by most analysts as a significant shift of government policy. But after the report appeared in the Sunday Times of July 1 insiders say the JVP, led by parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa—seen by many as a warmonger—threatened to raise hell or play the devil if the Norwegian peacemakers were requested to come back and military operations toned down or stopped. The warring monks of the JHU also beat the war drums, along with other small but powerful Sinhala Buddhist pressure groups. The government’s approach was thrown, as we so often see into confusion and contradictions. No official statement was issued, but at least three ministers made comments indicating there was no move to bring the Norweigian peacemakers back. A piecemeal compromise was apparently reached by allowing Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission officials to go to Kilinochchi for talks while Norwegian ambassador Hans Bratsker is also going there, but reports say it is more to say good bye than to build any bridges because his term in Sri Lanka is ending. So it seems that the catastrophe of crises within crises, contradictions within contradictions and confusion within confusion is heading for a major explosion with few analysts being able to figure out how and where we will go to pieces in this dark night of a Black July.But if the peace process is given a death blow and military operations continue in the North and the East, with all their disastrous effect and counter effects Sri Lanka is likely to face international isolation and a crippling aid cut. The Tokyo donor conference co-chairs comprising the United States, the European Union, Japan and Norway recently warned Sri Lanka that they saw no military solution to the conflict and called for a credible political package to be worked out immediately through a consensus of all parties including the main opposition UNP. If the international call is rejected and the government pushes ahead with the war option Sri Lanka will face face the calamity of being declared as a failed state like Somalia, Sudan or Rwanda. The next step would be for the co-chairs and possibly India also to move a resolution in the United Nations Security Council for UN peace keeping troops to be sent to Sri Lanka. If that happens it would go a long way towards meeting the agenda of the LTTE and a division of the country would be inevitable. For the past few years many independent analysts have feared that the once Marxist JVP was thumping the Sinhala Buddhist war drums heavily with a secret agenda. As most International analysts agree this guerilla war like every other guerilla war in ,history is obviously unwinnable and the theoreticians of the JVP are apparently aware of it. Then why is the JVP resorting to mob psychology and hysterically screaming for war? Some analysts believe that if and when UN troops intervene and the North East is separated it is likely the JVP might decide the time is right to launch its third insurrection in the South. The previous JVP insurrections in 1971 and 1988 were eventually crushed by the armed forces. But this time many analysts believe the JVP has infiltrated key sectors to such an extent that it has reason to believe it would be successful in this third attempt. If such a calamity befalls our country we might have one killer dictator in the North and another killer dictator in the South. God save Sri Lanka. Amidst this Achcharu politics of confusion and chaos one of the few clear factors is the soaring cost of living in the aftermath of the latest hike in fuel prices.With bus fares and prices of several essential items zooming beyond the reach of millions of people, Consumer Affairs Minister Bandula Gunawardena is reported to have virtually cried out at last Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting that he cannot handle this crisis on his own. While in the opposition he appeared regularly on TV talk shows and claimed or thought he had the answers to the economic crisis, including the cost of living. But now as Minister in charge of this important subject he appears to be more like an undertaker regulating the cost of dying. What he says now is scoffed at or taken as a joke by most people. One rumour in political circles is that Mr. Gunawardena was planted in the government by UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to punch the government in the stomach from within. Even a Buddhist prelate is reported to have informed you of this story or warned you of the possibility. The increasing number of leaks from the Cabinet meetings indicate that you did not take this rumour seriously and told other Ministers to corperate with Minister Gunawardena in bringing down the cost of living. Carrying this stories of spies and double agents to spicy heights is another rumour that you yourself were planted by the UNP to drag the SLFP government into the deep blue ocean. Whoever planted whom in what, many analysts and observers believe the uncontrolled cost of living might lead to an explosive crisis, soon with mass agitation if not an uprising by millions of people. Such anarchy indeed would be the food or the cannon fodder that power strategists in the JVP are looking for or working at.Meanwhile much in line with the conflicts within conflicts and divisions with divisions, a major realignment of political forces an alliances is in the making and no one appears to be sure who will make what and who will break what. Make or break, the country is at stake. Yours sincerely Koththamalli 10 July 2007 Rajapaksa vows to wipe out the Tigers Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday vowed to “wipe out” the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from the island nation’s Northern Province like the way his Government did the “job” in Eastern Province.Speaking at a function in Trincomalee town, the heart of Eastern Province, Mr. Rajapaksa said blunting the military prowess of the Tigers was the only way to achieve permanent peace in the country.The remarks of President came amid claims by the Government and the military that they have taken control of 99 per cent of the territory in the east and it would be a matter of days before the remaining Tiger cadres holed up in Thoppigala jungles are smoked out.The pledge by Mr. Rajapaksa is a clear indication that there is very little scope for either negotiations or peace at the current juncture. Analysts believe that the military and the Tigers are geared up for a major showdown in the north in the coming days and weeks.Mr. Rajapaksa appears to have deliberately chosen Trincomalee as the venue to deliver the tough message to the Tigers. According to senior Government functionaries his regime is contemplating “celebration of liberation of the east” in a big way in the coming days. Investment planned “The idea is not only to boost the morale of the forces out in the battlefield but also let everyone know loud and clear that this Government means business. “The regime believes that the LTTE has grown into a monster it is today only because the previous Government did not have the political will to challenge the Tigers. We are convinced it is a winnable war contrary to the popular perception within and outside the country”, a senior official told The Hindu. At the function in Trincomalee, Mr. Rajapaksa said he was planning to bring in many foreign investors to develop Eastern Province since the Government was very keen to “alleviate the rural poverty and solve their unemployment, a problem untouched by any Government for over a decade”. On Monday, the military claimed that advancing soldiers had captured two more LTTE camps located in the south west of Narakamula, in Batticaloa district and recovered two 120 mm heavy mortar guns abandoned by fleeing LTTE cadres.Military spokesperson Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said the military personnel are now consolidating the defences in the newly liberated areas south west of Narakamula. In a statement, the LTTE alleged that the military has a long history of occupying temples and churches and claimed that the latest is the occupation of the famous Thanthamalai temple on a hill top in Batticaloa. “On July 8, the annual festival of this temple that will last for 16 days was started. In normal times, this festival will attract the entire Tamil population in Batticaloa”, the Tigers said. Bomb kills 8 Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka - Monitors Alleged secret deal with LTTE: Prelate demands the truth The country must know the truth about the alleged deal struck with the LTTE by the election campaigners of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the run-up to the 2005 Presidential election, National Sangha Council (NSC) General Secretary Ven. Galabodatte Gnanasara Thera said yesterday.Addressing the media at the NSC head office, the Thera said the people wanted to know the whole truth. He urged President Rajapaksa to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee to probe the allegation. “The President must use his executive powers to reveal the truth. If it is found that Sripathi Sooriyarachchi and Tiran Alles are telling lies, they must be dealt with according to the law,” the Thera said. Responding to a question by a journalist, the Thera said after reading an article on this controversy in a weekend newspaper he got more confused. “The media under state control tell one thing and the others tell something else. People are confused. The President must clear the air,” he said. The JVP and the JHU he said, campaigned for the victory of President Rajapaksa. “These two parties are silent over the issue. It is up to the President to end this controversy once and for all,” the Thera said. The entire country is focusing its undivided attention on the north-east war. Meanwhile, foreign powers, NGOs, missionaries and local agents with vested interests are causing untold damage to the rest of the country. He said a certain Mahayana sect based in a shopping complex says that it follows only the doctrine of the Buddha in its pristine purity. This particular Mahayana sect with its Head Quarters in a foreign country opposes worshiping Buddha statues, Bo Trees, stupas and Buddhist monks. It also opposes listening to the chanting of pirith and bana sermons. The members of the sect are advised to give up traditional Buddhist customs and worshiping Buddha statues in their homes. “This sect is trying to destroy and degrade our religious, social and cultural values maintained for centuries,” Gnanasara Thera pointed out.The Thera said the Anti Conversion Bill, drafted and gazetted during the UNP administration of 2002 would be the solution to this growing danger.“One of the main objectives of the JHU in contesting and entering Parliament was to pass this bill in the House,” he reminded. Temples and Sri Lankan military Sri Lanka military has a long history of occupying precincts of temples and churches, worshipped by Tamil people, for its military purpose, without giving any consideration for the cultural sensitivities of the people who use them. The latest is the occupation of the very famous Thanthamalai Hindu temple on a hill top in Batticalao. To accommodate the large number of pilgrims coming to this famous temple there are many inns built around its hill. Presently the Sri Lankan military is occupying all of these inns using them as military camps. A military camp has also been setup at the hill top next to the temple itself. On 8 July, the annual festival of this temple that will last for 16 days was started. In normal times this festival will attract the entire Tamil population in Batticaloa. With the temple and its inns now converted to military camps there are no buildings in which people can stay overnight to attend the festivals.The Sri Lankan military is also banning devotees going to the hill top to worship. It has said that only the temple priest can go to the hill top to conduct the rituals.In effect, the Tamils in Batticaloa have been permanently denied access to one of their most popular temples which forms part of their religious as well as cultural life. Is this not cultural genocide? Sri Lankan military captures rocky plateau nicknamed 'Tora Bora' Sri Lankan army commandoes seized a massive rocky plateau nicknamed ``Tora Bora'' and searched through grassy fields and brush looking for as many as 200 Tamil Tiger rebels, the military said Monday. Government forces have cleared the rebels from much of eastern Sri Lanka - and are now pushing to seize the eastern rebel bastion of Thoppigala, parts of which has been nicknamed ``Tora Bora'' after the famous mountain in Afghanistan known for militancy. Separately, soldiers found 15 anti-personnel mines buried near Thoppigala during a search for insurgents on Sunday, said an officer at the Defense Ministry's media center. The mines were later defused, the officer said on condition of anonymity in line with policy. The recovery on Sunday came as fighter jets pounded rebel mortar positions in Thoppigala. Airstrikes hit four guerrilla mortar positions, but there were no casualty figures to report, the media center. The rebels' military spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan was not available for an immediate comment. The rebels have fought since 1983 to create an independent homeland for Sri Lanka - 's ethnic minority Tamils, who have suffered decades of discrimination by majority Sinhalese-controlled governments. Assassinations, airstrikes and clashes have killed more than 5,000 people in the past 20 months, and have taken the death toll in two decades of violence past 70,000. A Norway-brokered cease-fire signed in 2002 still holds officially, and neither side has withdrawn from it fearing international criticism. Tension as EPDP-TMVP rift deepens The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) has received complaints of harassment and extortion by suspected Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP) or Karuna faction members in the east, an SLMM report said even as the rift between the EPDP and the TMVP continued to deepen.The TMVP was seen displaying banners terming the EPDP as “traitors to the nation” during the funeral on Friday of TMVP political cadre Gani alias Ariyadhas Ramesh who was killed following a confrontation between the TMVP and the EPDP last week.Funeral photographs e-mailed to the media by the TMVP Colombo office show the funeral procession with the participation of a convoy of three wheelers as well as armed TMVP cadres and school children lining up the streets. The EPDP however says following the EPDP Chenkalady office attack, which resulted in the death of the TMVP cadre, suspicion has emerged on the genuineness of the democracy claimed to have been embraced by Karuna.Meanwhile the latest weekly report of the SLMM says that according to civilians in the Batticaloa town a fear of robberies has increased lately, although the actual number of robbery cases reported to the SLMM is low and believes most of the unreported robberies are suspected to be committed by the TMVP. “Both in Ampara and Batticaloa the SLMM has received complaints regarding harassment and extortion by suspected TMVP members,” the SLMM report added. The SLMM report further states that according to civilians, cadres of the TMVP split group led by Pillayan are now more visible in the Trincomalee town. The TMVP meanwhile in an e-mailed statement urged the government to continue its efforts to establish democracy in the eastern province by taking tangible measures to provide all the facilities to the displaced people who are being resettled in the east while stressing that the democratic rights of the people can be ensured only by the elections that are to be conducted in the eastern province.The TMVP praised the security forces for liberating the east and added that the LTTE is finding it difficult to have control of areas in the east as a result of the split of Karuna from the LTTE in 2004.“Today the Wanni leadership which has no knowledge of territory (in the east) find it difficult to continuously hold the area after our break away. The Wanni commanders in the eastern area are baffled and at a loss to safeguard themselves or hold the soil,” the TMVP said. UNP blessings for the war to capture Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi - Kiriella United National Party (UNP) accused the government that the war to capture Thoppigala was a carnival held after putting the lives of the children in auction. UNP Media Unit chief Lakshman Kiriella made this expression at a press briefing held at the official residence of the Opposition Leader this morning. Mr. Kiriella launched a scathing attack at the government's effort to highlight the battle for Thoppigala in a media carnival and stated that the area was captured by the government troops on 28 April 1992. He said that he had all documents pertaining to the written handover of the command and governance of the Thoppigala Brigade Command to the Sixth Sri Lanka Light Infantry Independent Group by the Seventh Brigade of the Sinha Regiment commanded by Lt. Colnel K.M.D.U.M. Kandaragama. Mr. Kiriella also said that the demography of the Eastern Province was an equal blend of Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese communities and the LTTE could not capture the power there. He said that the security forces could capture power in the Eastern Province at any moment and the most important factor was not stationing troops there but capturing Mullaithivu and Kilinochchi. He pledged UNP’s fullest corporation for that and said that UNP appreciated the capturing of Jaffna. He also said that the international community did not raise the human rights issues when the UNP government established power in the Eastern Province in the period of 1992-94 and 300,000 people were not displaced like this. Mr. Kiriella said that the international community never said to stop war or the campaign against terror and they always urge the government to secure the human rights. He pointed out that over thousand people disappeared in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and 5000 were killed, half of them civilians. Navy say 12 senior LTTE cadres killed during sea battle off Pulmudai Navy yesterday confirmed that at least twelve senior LTTE leaders were killed and three Sea Tiger boats damaged during a sea battle on Saturday night off Pulmudai Sea.“It seems the Tigers suffered heavy casualties during the battle, as Tigers revealed the names of twelve of their leaders, including one of a ‘Colonel’ rank ,” Navy Spokesman, Commander D.K.P Dassanayake said.He said that intercepted radio communication also revealed that three Seas Tiger boats had been destroyed and two others damaged during the battle, which had lasted for more than one and half hours. Among them, there were seven women leaders, who were holding the ‘Captain’ rank in the organization. According to intercepted radio communications, ‘Colonel’ Neelan, ‘Captains’ Komalee, Vidusha, Dharsahani, Amudha, Mallawathee, Sudaroli, Jothy, Puwanaseran, Vendai and Gajendran were killed in the battle. Youth shot dead in Thenmaraadchi Unidentified armed men dressed in black and green took a rheumatic youth away for interrogation from his house at Madduvil south in Thenmaraadchi Sunday around 5:45 p.m., and shot him dead, sources in Madduvil said. Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers had searched the youth's house just around two hours before the killing. More than seven gun shot wounds were found on the victim's body.The victim was identified as Kumarakulasingam Sivanesan, 22, a chronic rheumatic patient. The killers , arriving after the SLA search party had left, took Sivanesan 300 m from his house and shot him dead.Chaavakachcheari Magistrate conducted inquiries at the site of the killing.Kodikaamam police handed the body to Chaavakachcheari hospital. Sri Lanka Muslim Congress not interested to talks with Mangala Hassan Ali, the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) said to 'LeN' that the SLMC would talk with the Sri Lanka Freedom Party - Mangala Samaraweera Faction, if only the Supreme Command of the party would consent it. Mr. Hassan Ali stated so when Lanka-e-News questioned why the SLMC was not giving a time to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party - People's Wing to discuss its political draft as requested by it. He said that attention ws paid to the request and the Supreme Command would meet within the next few days and take a decision on the meeting. The discussion with the People's Wing has been postponed since a certain group of the SLMC has impressed the leadership not to go for talks with Mangala Samaraweera as he was behind the mudslinging at the image of the SLMC leader linking to a non political personal affair when the government was new and also due to Mangala's role in taking in a breakaway group of the SLMC to the government. It is reported that this group was getting ready to protest when the Supreme Command meets. Police arrests 39 civilians in Colombo Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Police, in a joint pre-dawn cordon and search operation, arrested 39 civilians, many of them Sinhalese, in Mount Lavinia, a suburb of Colombo on Sunday. The operation covering more than 250 houses began at 3:00 a.m. and lasted for three hours, local residents said. Many of the arrested did not have identity cards, the Police claimed.Two members of an underworld group hiding in an abandoned house too were also arrested with weapons during the operation. Police said the two is suspected to have involvement in many crimes in the area. SLA artillery destroys civilian properties in Vavuniyaa north Civilians living in the areas close to the Forward Defence Line of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled territory in Vavuniyaa were relocating to safer areaa out of fear from further attacks after Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched sustained artillery barrage Sunday on LTTE controlled territories in Vavuniyaa from, causing widespread damage to civilian properties.SLA attacks originated from Pampaimadu, Kidaachchoori and Poovarasangku'lam camps.SLA in Vauniyaa has been sporadically firing artillery on the LTTE areas beginning last week.Meanwhile, SLA and the police continue to cordon off areas and conduct search operations jointly in SLA controlled Vavuniyaa town. Australian faces terror charges for Tamil Tiger fundraising SYDNEY, Australia: Australian police charged a man with multiple terrorism offenses Tuesday for his alleged role in raising money for Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels by telling donors it was for victims of the 2004 Asian tsunami.Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty said the 41-year-old man, whose identity was not immediately released, was connected to two men arrested in May for allegedly fundraising on behalf of the Tamil Tigers — listed by Australia's government as a terrorist group.The man arrested in Sydney Tuesday was charged with providing support or resources to a terrorist organization, being a member of a terrorist group and making a financial asset available to a proscribed entity.The charges carry maximum prison terms of 25, 10 and five years, respectively.Aruran Vinayagamoorthy, 32, and Sivarajah Yathavan, 36, were seized in May during raids in the Victoria state capital, Melbourne, after a two-year investigation by state and federal police.Officials allege the men collected funds for the Sri Lankan rebel group by telling donors they were raising money funds for victims of the 2004 tsunami.Keelty said the man arrested Tuesday would likely be extradited to Melbourne.The Tigers began fighting for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's minority ethnic Tamils in 1983 following years of discrimination by the majority Sinhalese.The conflict has killed more than 70,000 people. A 2002 cease-fire brought a brief respite, but fighting has increased steadily since 2005.Sri Lanka was among the hardest-hit of a dozen countries struck by killer tsunami waves, triggered by a massive undersea earthquake on Dec. 26, 2004.The 230,000 people killed in the disaster included at least 35,000 Sri Lankans, many in the Tamil-dominated northeast. 09 July 2007 Mangala off to India The SLFP Mahajana Wing, spearheaded by former Minister Mangala Samaraweera, will hold talks with India’s ruling party politicians on July 11 and 12 regarding the current Lankan political situation and their future course of action. Mr. Samaraweera, accompanied by his colleague MP Sripathi Sooriyarachchi will leave for India shortly. Besides, the duo will meet the SLMC which is a party of the ruling coalition, tomorrow to discuss their policy statement titled ‘Dare to Dream towards a New Sri Lankan Order.’ Jet fighter canon injures four at Sri Lanka air base Four airmen were seriously injured on Sunday after a canon was activated on a jet fighter near the island's only international airport, officials said.The war plane was being loaded with weapons at the Katunayake air base -- which shares a runway with the Bandaranaike International Airport -- when the explosion happened, a military official said."Four airmen have been injured and taken to hospital and there is some damage to the aircraft also," the official said declining to be named.The noise of the weapon blast was heard by residents leading police to rush a team to the area.Sri Lankan military planes have been bombing suspected Tamil Tiger positions in the east of the island on a daily basis in the past week to support ground troops conducting a major drive to take a rebel jungle stronghold.Tiger rebels have carried out attacks against the military base as well as the civilian airport, located just north of the capital Colombo. Sri Lankan warplanes bomb Tamil rebel mortar locations in the east, military says Fighter jets pounded rebel mortar positions in what the military calls the last Tamil Tiger stronghold in Sri Lanka - 's east on Sunday, hours after a major sea clash in the region. Government forces have cleared the Tamil Tigers from much of eastern Sri Lanka - , but have struggled to seize the eastern rebel bastion of Thoppigala for 14 years. The army began what it called a final push into the area in late April, but claims of imminent victory have proven premature. A fierce sea battle, meanwhile, erupted between Sri Lanka - 's navy and Tiger vessels off the country's east coast overnight, the military said Sunday. Fighting began after a flotilla of 15 rebel boats tried to attack naval vessels patrolling off Kallarawa, a fishing village in the eastern Trincomalee district, on Saturday night, said navy spokesman Cmdr. D.K.P. Dassanayake. He said the battle lasted nearly an hour, and the insurgents were believed to have suffered heavy casualties before fleeing. There was no immediate comment from the rebels. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan confirmed the sea battle but said he did not have any casualty details. He could not be reached for comment on Sunday's reported air attack. Extortionist Gajanayaka's Rs. 2.5 million credit card reveals many secrets The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has questioned the credit card section heads of the Bank of Ceylon over a credit card issued to a former Air Force official named Gajanayaka who is now in custody for the charges of abducting and extorting money from the Tamil and Muslim businesspersons of Colombo. The value of the credit card is Rs. 2.5 million. A senior official of the bank has recommended issuing a credit card to this value to Gajanayaka. The investigation teams have traced that he has transferred money through this credit card to an account in Bahamas, a Caribbean island. It is reported that the suspect has not revealed the owner of the account. Gajanayaka was arrested due to the local and international pressure over the government's lack of interest for taking action to stop the abductions and extortions. United National Party MP Lakshman Senevirathna revealed the relevant facts first in the parliament. Then the government submitted a no-confidence motion against the UNP MP. Gajanayaka was arrested, freed and re-arrested due to international pressure. Reportedly, Gajanayaka revealed a number of names of the government leaders who had connections with him. Hence, even the security forces personnel doubt that the investigations will be undermined. 'No fuel cut' for Mihin Air Army captures the house of the Eastern Province Tiger leader 'Jeyam' Media Centre for National Security says that the fighting to capture Thoppigala has now reached to the final leg. The Army yesterday captured a house suspected to be the residence of the Eastern Province LTTE leader named Jeyam, a bunker behind that house and a kangaroo court of the LTTE. The Tigers had abandoned these places and fled the area. The Defense media sources said that the area is heavily mined and booby-trapped. The Army further said that the retreating LTTE groups were facing a severe shortage of food.The war to capture Thoppigala commenced on April 24 and 702 LTTE cadres had surrendered to security forces so far. Following military equipment were taken into custody by the security forces. Anti personnel mines - 96 ,T-56 assault rifles - 21 ,40mm grenade launchers - 01 ,RPGs - 04 ,MPNGs - 06 ,Excavators - 01 ,Boom Trucks - 01 ,Water tankers - 01 ,Vans - 04 ,Lorries - 01 ,Motor bicycles - 19 ,Two wheel tractors - 01 ,Back haws - 02 ,Double cabs - 06 ,Canter trucks - 09 ,Trailers - 15 ,Tractors - 07 ,Scrapers - 01 ,Big size electric generators - 01 ,Small size electric generators - 04 ,Rice warehouses – 01 More Tiger leaders arrive in Trinco Government intelligence units have discovered that several Tiger leaders including the leader of the Batticaloa and Ampara districts, Ramesh have arrived in Kadawana in Trincomalee while fleeing the areas of Karadiyanaru and Kokkadicholai in Batticaloa.Along with this group an LTTE trainer in the East, Baskaran Master is also at Kadawana the sources have said.Information received by intelligence units said that the Tiger leaders are using jungle paths to go to Wanni without being captured by the security forces. A Tiger cadre injured and warded at Trincomale Hospital has said that the Tiger leaders were travelling in the night across Welikanda, Angodawillu in Serunuwara, Ponnankerni in Mutur and jungle roads of Manirasakulam in Kinniya. The injured cadre has also said that on June 18, a group of about 200 cadres led by Ramesh used this route to go to Wanni and early morning and on July 1 between Sinhakande and Jayapura in Trincomalee a group of home guards had attacked them. The informant taken into custody by the Trincomalee Harbour Police, Ramachandiran alias Wijidaran (23) is a resident of Patthipuram, Thambalagamuwa and was forcefully conscripted by the LTTE in 2004.During an operation at Verugal, the army had shot him in the right leg.Further inquiries regarding the informant is being carried out by Trincomalee Harbour Police. Security forces mediate to solve clashes between EPDP and Karuna faction EPDP rejects that it will not surrender to Karuna Group Resisting threats from the Karuna Group to throw the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) from the east the EPDP has stated that it will not surrender to the demands of the Karuna Group.It says: “This land belong all those democratic forces who love the people. We are not going to allow anyone who is trying to stop us from performing our obligations and prevent us our rights to be of service to our people. We hate the continuation of the grave grief of dipping hands in the blood of our brothers. We will work hard for the rights of our people. We will work hard for the rights to work for the people. We will stay in our land with the support and strength of our people. Our stay and desires depends on the peoples determinations.” Full Text of EPDP Statement:: We the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party in the interest of the people, as witness of truth, wishes to report to the people as well as to those believers in democracy.When Karuna Group broke away from the Tigers, we respected their democratic rights and we welcome them to the path of democracy.Let there blossoms hundred flowers, we with open heart we wished them. If whoever wishes to enter the democratic mainstream we wish to say that we are always ready to welcome them and wish them. When Karuna Group renege on our relationship and took a different political stance, we wish them well wherever they may be.When it split into as Karuna and Pillaiyan camps and both side started clashing, we expressed with great concern our regret over such a split.However as expected by everyone, activities of the Karuna Group up to now are not the least acceptable to anyone, however despite lapse littered in their midst, we have never confronted them with any hostile mentality. However, at times we have pointed out their mistakes forthrightly. Since of lat e we were able to feel and view Karuna Group approaching us with hostility. They openly displayed their hostility by stopping our comrades in the middle of the roads and threatening them, warning that our offices should be closed, abducting our comrades and torturing them, threatening our comrades, threatening the families of our comrades. They have never provided any acceptable reasons behind any of those hostile activities.To safeguard ourselves from threats and intimidations, our comrades were compelled to function with great care, grit and determination and managed to avert falling into their traps. We wish to point out … At the time when important EPDP functionaries of Batti – Amparai districts visited our Head office in Colombo and met and discussed with our Secretary General Douglas Devananda At the time when special representatives of our Secretary General and Minister Douglas Devananda’s were about to visit Batti-Amparai Districts for an on the spot survey of the situation of the people of those districts the incidents which should not have occurred had unfortunately had occurred in Chenkaladi. On 04 .07 07, suddenly a group of cadres belonging to Karuna Group marched into our office. Nearly 60 cadres belonging to Karuna Group came in many vehicles with lethal weapons, surrounded our comrades and started attacking them. When they tied two of our comrades, bundled them and tried to forcefully put them into their vehicle, then a tense situation arose. Karuna group charged grenade continuously and kept on shooting with their lethal weapons which resulted in two of our comrades getting seriously injured. During this critical situation, our office was compelled to undertake security measures to safeguard our comrades and to prevent the situation slipping out of control, which resulted in the unfortunate consequences of two of the Karuna Group cadres getting killed and two others injured. Subsequently the knee-jerked Karuna Group cadres fled the scene taking with them the body of one of their slain cadre. On the next day they approached us through the Army and got back the body of the other person killed and the vehicles they deserted when they fled for their safety on the previous day.At this point of time, Karuna Group has released a pamphlet in the name of Uthayasooriyan Padai - Rising Sun Force. They have made the childish declaration that they have banned the EPDP in Batticaloa and if any body violates this edict and associate with us would be severely dealt with. It should be recalled at this juncture that earlier, few days before the departure of Karuna from the Tigers, they urged that EPDP should leave from Dealt and they also agitated.We wish to point out that Karuna was the commander of the Tigers, at that time he was in Muhamalai located in the Jaffna Peninsula, holding an umbrella in his hand in the midst of a heavy shower and gave interview to media threatening us with serious consequences. We recall those days when Karuna threatened that EPDP should not only leave from Dealft, not only from Jaffna, but from the entire North otherwise Karuna swore that we would be evicted forcefully. We did not cow down to Karuna’s threat then and would not be threatened even now. Those who opposed democracy are planning to take on lease our country to do away all those who refuse to be submissive or those refuse to be party to their illegal misdeeds.Many were initially of the opinion that Karuna has left the Tigers which squeezed the throat of democratic pluralism, severed it and threw on the foot-path. Unfortunately after the attack of our office at Chenkalady, suspicion has emerged about the nature and genuineness of the so called democracy claimed to has been embraced by Karuna.Though facts remain as stated above, we who have a firm foothold in the East and has a strong people base, but unfortunately, those paper tigers, who merely hangs only for name sake in websites, have as usual spilled venom on us. EPDP is always ready to accommodate reasonable requests. Like when Karuna left the Tigers and came over, we shook hands and welcome him. In case if they are willing to adopt democratic culture, then EPDP is ready to welcome, even one more time and shake hands with them. This land belong all those democratic forces who love the people.We are not going to allow anyone who are trying to stop us from performing our obligations and prevent us our rights to be of service to our people. We hate the continuation of the grave grief of dipping hands in the blood of our brothers.We will work hard for the rights of our people.We will work hard for the rights to work for the people.We will stay in our land with the support and strength of our people.Our stay and desires depends on the peoples determinations. Eelam Peoples Democratic Party Karuna listed in new report to UN Sec. Gen The Karuna faction has been listed in a new report on child recruitment, to be handed over to UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon next month even as UNICEF and the Karuna faction traded charges over allegations of continued child recruitment.Chief of Protection for UNICEF in Colombo, Andy Brooks revealed to the Daily Mirror the UN Security Council working group would once again assess grave violations against the rights of children in Sri Lanka in October while next month a report would be given to the Secretary-General regarding children affected by armed conflict. “The Karuna faction was placed on the annex of this report as a group that recruited children last year. These are obviously important dates to watch for any armed group which is currently using children in Sri Lanka,” Mr. Brooks told the Daily Mirror. The Karuna faction, also known as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP), meanwhile charged the recent UNICEF claims that the TMVP is recruiting children was misleading and insisted that it was in no way involved in any systematic campaign to recruit children to strengthen its ranks.“We have time and again made public statements to distance ourselves from any systematic child recruitment campaign. We have invited international agencies to provide factual evidence that our movement is engaged in any systematic campaign to recruit children as our policy. We reiterate lapses have taken place in our recruitment drive, but these have been remedied in due time when any violations were brought to our attention,” the TMVP said.UNICEF however, while welcoming any commitments made by the TMVP to stop recruitment and to ensure that there are no children in their ranks, looked forward to consistent action based on those commitments.“The key is that action speaks louder than words,” Mr. Brookes said in response to the TMVP charges. UNCEF says it continues to receive reports from families of children being recruited and also continue to see armed children on the back of pick-up trucks in the east of the country. TMVP says as a responsible and fast progressing organization to become a democratic force in Sri Lankan politics, it is prepared to face public scrutiny of its conduct without being slammed to undermine its activities. The Karuna faction says unlike the LTTE-controlled Wanni areas, UNICEF officials can easily access areas Karuna control and welcomed any international effort to scrutinize its conduct.“Regarding our actions in the Wanni, it is public knowledge that UNICEF is a consistent, determined, and effective advocate with the LTTE on child recruitment,” UNICEF however said in response. MTNL close to buying Suntel of Sri Lanka New police stations in East Police department will set up a series of new police stations and police posts in the eastern province as the security forces were nearing completion of Toppigala operation to clear the province of LTTE control, police sources said.They said Batticaloa district where most of the newly cleared populated areas were situated would be given priority and three police stations had already been established in Vakarai, Vavunativu and Kokkatticholai.Two more police stations and 25 police posts are to be set up soon in the district while 5 new police stations and 9 police posts in the Trincomalee district and 2 police stations and 8 police posts in the Ampara district also will be established soon.In a letter to President’s senior advisor Basil Rajapakse, Police chief Victor Perera has said a special recruitment drive was underway to provide the required numbers to the police force and the project would be completed by October. UK to involve more in the internal affairs as the ambassador of European Union Dominick Chilcott, the UK ambassador in Sri Lanka is nominated to represent the European Union's Presidency in the country, the British High Commission announced Monday. The EU Presidency rotates every six months among member states which in turn shifted to Portugal from 1st of July. Since Sri Lanka does not have a Portugal embassy in Sri Lanka, the British High Commission will perform the duties of the "Local Presidency" at the request of the Portuguese government"The EU Presidency in Sri Lanka is responsible for coordinating the views of EU missions and their input into the formation of the European Union's external relations and foreign and security policies." British High Commission announcement further said. "As the European Union is one of the "Co-chairs" of the Sri Lankan Peace Process, the British High Commission will play an enhanced role in the Co-Chairs' work and in representing the collective views of EU member states to the government of Sri Lanka."This means the UK ambassador in Colombo who was accused of interfering in media and other sort of internal affairs, will become more involved in politics of the country, political analysts forecast. 08 July 2007 Sri Lanka sea battle claims 28 lives SLN, Sea Tigers clash in the seas off Pulmoaddai-Source TamilNet A 3-hour long sea-fight ensued between the Sea Tigers and the Sri Lanka Navy in the seas off Pulmoaddai after SLN Fast Attack Crafts (FACs) attempted to intrude into the waters south of Mullaiththeevu Saturday midnight, LTTE officials in Ki'linochchi told media Sunday. 3 Dvora FACs were damaged in the clash. Two Sea Tigers were killed in action. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Army along the Northern Front in Jaffna peninsula continued intensive artillery and Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) fire towards the LTTE controlled areas for more than 12 hours from 4:00 p.m. Saturday. 21 SLN vessels, most of them Dvora FACs, took part in the SLN naval mission. The SLN vessels were chased towards the east port harbour by the Sea Tigers amid heavy artillery fire from the Sri Lanka Army from the shores of Koki'laay, Kokkuththoduvaay, and Pulmoaddai.The damaged Dvora FACs were towed into east port harbour by the SLN, according to the Tigers. Sri Lankan military officials in Colombo are yet to realease any details of the clashes. Karuna will be disarmed after the civil administration restored in East, says Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva The Minister of Health and Nutrition Nimal Siripala de Silva says that all the armed groups roaming in the Eastern Province will be disarmed after the civil administration is restored in the Eastern Province. The Minister said so addressing a special media briefing of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, Colombo. The Minister said that the operations of the government military to liberate the Eastern Province from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) had now reached the final leg and a massive programme to resettle the Sinahala. Tamil and Muslim people in the liberated areas had started. He further said that the government would develop the necessary infrastructure and a civil administration would be granted to the Eastern Province that was under the rule of gun culture. The Minister also said that steps are being taken to hold the local government elections in the Eastern Province and the SLFP would contest the elections. The Minister said that the government would have to disarm Karuna Group or the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) after the civil administration restored and only the Police, armed forces and the license holders would be able to handle weapons thereafter. Minister de Silva said that the United Kingdom informed their citizens not to travel to Sri Lanka and now Australia had done the same to UK. He said that the international community recognizes the real nature of the terrorism only when the terrorists attack them. The Minister said that the international community was silent on terrorism and talked only about human rights whilst Sri Lanka was suffering from terrorism for two decades. He said that he believed this is the time for them to look at the terrorism from a novel point of view. Nimal Siripala de Silva further says that the Leader of Opposition Ranil Wickramasinghe who makes statements in foreign countries about the human rights violations of the country, has become the spokesman of the LTTE either knowingly or unknowingly. He said that the government had appointed several commissions to investigate the so-called human rights violations and a number of persons had been taken into custody pertaining to abductions and extortions, few bona fide steps of the government that could satisfy the international community. The Minister said that the government had proved that it would not approve the killings, abductions and disappearances not by words but by deeds. De Silva said that the jump of Mangala and Sripathi to the United National Party lap did not make any split in the SLFP ranks and there were no more SLFP MPs of their kind. Expressing his views on the peace talks, the Minister said that the government was ready for negotiations at any time. "The Tiger organization always escape from the negotiation table. We cannot hold false peace talks. The government is ready for direct talks on power devolution," the Minister said. Moragoda off to US on dual mission Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda left yesterday for the United States on a dual mission to participate in the committee meeting of the High-level Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor and to present Sri Lanka’s case to the new heads of the World Bank (WB) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Minister Moragoda told The Nation that his primary objective is to participate at the high-level commission in New York which was appointed by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. He however noted that while in New York he will make attempts to meet new WB President Robert B. Zoellick and USAID acting head Henrietta H. Fore.Moragoda said that both Zoellick and Fore have been long standing friends of his and he will try to meet them and see how he could present Sri Lanka’s case to them. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is also a member of this committee but it’s not clear whether Brown would participate in the meeting given the volatile situation in United Kingdom. Meanwhile Minister Moragoda is also likely to meet with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. Meanwhile informed source told The Nation that the international community including the Co-chairs who are closely watching the Sri Lanka situation is of the view that an opportunity should be afforded to the government to open a political track soon after they accomplish the military offensive in the East. The US government and the international community will take necessary action if things don’t work out in a proper manner. The US Congress has also urged that a special US envoy should be appointed to Sri Lanka to monitor the political situation and how the war is executed. Recently some US Congress members wrote to President George W. Bush urging him to actively intervene in the Lankan conflict. But, informed sources told The Nation that such an intervention is unlikely to happen immediately as they have decided to give an opportunity to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa led government to solve the problem amicably. He also said as far as Sri Lanka is concerned the European Union chairmanship has also been shifted to the United Kingdom and the Co-chairs have taken stock of the situation and insisted that a political settlement should be persuaded at the end of the military phase. The government has also given the green light for the Norwegian facilitators to begin work at a low key level and they would visit Kilinochchi at some point or the other. It is also learnt that Moragoda will also visit India to begin a political dialogue after he returns from the US. Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama last week had a meeting with Indian National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan.Presidential advisor Basil Rajapaksa too would visit India by month end to urge India to play a more active role in the country’s peace process. Mr. Rajapaksa will undertake his visit soon after defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa returns to the country. EPDP, Karuna faction war spreads to the web The Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) and the Karuna faction known as the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Perani (TMVP) have declared a cyber-war against each other as they prepare for local polls in the Eastern Province. Making full use of their web-sites, the two parties have launched scathing attacks, accusing each other of corruption, extortion of money and harassment of civilians.The web war is taking place after recent clashes between EPDP cadres and Karuna faction members in the Batticaloa district. One Karuna faction member was killed and his funeral was held on Friday under tight security. The Karuna faction, in a message posted on one of the three pro-Karuna websites, accused the EPDP of imposing a ‘jungle law’ in some Jaffna islands and trying to do the same in parts of the Eastern Province. The EPDP website hit back saying it had helped the Karuna faction to enter mainstream politics, but the former Tiger cadres had not “changed their stripes’. EPDP leader Douglas Devananda told The Sunday Times the rift began after he summoned party officials from Batticaloa for a Colombo meeting to discuss plans for elections for nine local councils in the East.Nominations for elections to these nine councils, including the Batticaloa Municipal Council, had been called some time ago, but the government last week sought cabinet approval for legislation to invalidate those nominations. Fresh nominations are expected to be called soon after resettlement of displaced people is completed and voter registers are updated. The first major clash between the EPDP and the Karuna faction took place when a group of armed Karuna cadres stormed an EPDP office at Kommathurai in Chenkaladi. Fighting lasted about one hour till the police and army intervened. On Thursday, EPDP and Karuna faction local leaders were summoned to the Army camp and warned to refrain from further violence.However, hours later the Karuna faction issued notices banning the EPDP from operating in Batticaloa. But Mr. Devananda dismissed the Karuna faction threat and said his party was going ahead with plans to contest the local elections. Meanwhile, residents said Karuna cadres blocked the sale and distribution of the pro-EPDP mouthpiece Thinamurasu in the east. SLMM sounds warning bells Nordic monitors have sounded warning bells declaring that Sri Lanka’s nearly three decade long armed conflict may never see the light of day if the ongoing trend between the government and the LTTE continues. The statement comes just days after the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) head Retired Maj. Gen. Lars Solberg and its spokesman Thorfinnur Omarsson held talks with LTTE peace secretariat chief S. Pulidevan and its military spokesman Ilanthirayan in Kilinochchi. The LTTE during the meeting had given a verbal undertaking assuring its commitment to the five- year old fragile ceasefire agreement. However Omarsson pointed out that contrary to the repeated assurances expressed by both parties, they have continued to violate the ceasefire agreement constantly. “Both parties blame each other for initiating the problem, and when we take up the matter with either party they claim that they were merely ‘retaliating’. If this trend continues, this conflict will continue forever, there will be no progress,” he emphasised. Omarsson also insisted that his mission was doing its best to limit the increasing trend of hostility between the two parties but still their role was very much limited in such an endeavour. The meeting between the SLMM and LTTE high-ups late last week came after a lapse of around three months.The monitoring mission has meanwhile informed the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) that it intends to hold more meetings with the LTTE on a regular basis. The intention was expressed during Friday’s meeting between SLMM officials and SCOPP Secretary General Dr. Rajiva Wijesinha. During the meeting Dr. Wijesinha had stressed the importance of clear reporting from local SLMM monitors in order to get an accurate picture of the ground situation in the conflict prone areas. Terrorist-linked trio nabbed in East London In a raid carried out during the wee hours of yesterday in a house in East London, Scotland Yard detectives nabbed two Sri Lankans who are suspected to be Tamil Tiger operatives and a Lebanese believed to be a Hezbollah operative. The three men who were arrested in Newham in East London were charged under the UK Terrorism Act which prohibits support for a terrorist organisation. The Scotland Yard detectives were said to have acted on vital information provided by Britain’s counter intelligence and security agency MI-5. A Scotland Yard official who spoke to The Sunday Times from London on grounds of anonymity said the three men were involved in funding as well as selling military information and manuals to terrorist organisations.“When our officers raided the place we uncovered nearly 200,000 pounds in cash, eight credit cards and manuals and CDs on the making of missiles and some classified details of naval weapons,” he said. “The suspected Hezbollah operative was working hand in hand with the Tamil Tigers. Our preliminary investigations have revealed that he had been involved in purchasing these manuals and CDs for the Tamil Tigers,” he said. The detectives were trying to ascertain if the three men arrested yesterday had any connection with the British Tamil Association president A.C. Shanthan who was arrested two weeks ago for financing terrorism. Tension in East over new monument A tense situation prevails in a pre-dominantly Muslim village in Ampara after a group with the backing of an extremist political party is alleged to have come and erected a Buddhist monument in the area and has demanded residents living around the site to relocate themselves elsewhere. The incident had happened on Poson poya day when a group of men had come on motorbikes and erected the statute, and later made claims that the area where they had erected the statue was an archaeological site and so the residents around the site must relocate. The issue was taken up by the trustees of the area Jumma mosque with the government agent and the divisional secretary who upon investigations found out that the Officer in Charge of the Manikkamadu police station was also behind the incident. Following the findings, steps were taken to transfer the police officer to another station, however the transfer was cancelled after this political party reportedly intervened and demanded authorities to cancel the transfer order immediately. “The move angered the Muslims in the area who claim that this political party is working towards creating unnecessary tension among the Sinhalese and Muslims living in the area,” sources told The Nation. Elections Dept. begins voter registration The Elections Department has begun the distribution of voter registration forms and is to announce this week steps to be followed by voters if they do not get their forms, Assistant commissioner P. M. Siriwardena said. He said the polls chief would announce the measures at a news conference this week and said most voters should receive their forms by next week.He said there could be delays in the distribution of forms in some areas where there was a shortage of Grama Sevakas. Mr. Siriwardena said the Department had extended the time period for completion of registers to the North and East until mid October.“The department has informed the Jaffna Government Agent to follow the names in the 2006 register. The GA is also given a sketch of a register, where the additions are made. He can compare the names from the 2006 register, when his officers visit the homes,” he said.Mr. Siriwardena also said a similar process was being followed in registering internally displaced people who were living in camps in Puttalam and Vavuniya. However, he said they would not send voter registration forms to Vakarai until the government completed the resettlement of IDPs in the area. TNA coaxed to join government The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) accused the government of threatening its members with difficult consequences if they did not join the ruling party. TNA Batticaloa MP Chandrakanth Chandranehru told The Sunday Leader that the TNA was being forced to support the government. He however added that none of the TNA MPs would cross over to the government and support it. "We will always be in the opposition," he said. Chief Government Whip Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle last week stated that the Eastern TNA MPs would have to face difficulties in going to the government-controlled areas in the east if the parliamentarians refused to join them. "We are not working in these areas anyway due to various threats," Chandranehru said. He added that he had written to the President on these issues "The Presidential Secretariat had responded to my letter stating that the President would look into the matter. However, no action has been taken so far," he added. He also stated that the TNA would insult its slain members if it opted to support the government. " None of our members will cross over till our people gain freedom," he said. Speaking on the threats the TNA MPs were facing, Chadranehru said he continued to receive threats. "The Chairman of Thirukkovil Pradeshiya Sabha, Thillainathan Uthayakumar, who was one of my coordinators was killed, as they could not get at me," he said. “We might join Mangala,” SLMC, CWC tell Govt Minister Arumugam Thondaman’s Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) have sent messages to the Rajapakse government that they will join the Mangala Samaraweera led ‘Broad Alliance’ if they are ‘not properly treated.’The majority of them who hold portfolios are not happy about facilities and perks provided to them, However, the CWC has not clearly given any indication they can join the Broad Alliance of Samaraweera. The SLMC has also not taken a decision whether to meet Samaraweera or not, and therefore their message to the government amounts so far to nothing more than a threat to leave the ruling coalition.The SLMC’s National organizer and parliamentarian K.A.Baiz confirmed that a letter was sent by Mangala Samaraweera inviting the SLMC to have a dialogue last week.“We have not yet taken a decision regarding Mangala Samaraweera’s letter” he said. MR commutes death sentence of spy soldier President Mahnida Rajapakse has commuted a death sentence to life imprisonment handed over to an Army major by a military Court Martial for spying for the LTTE, high ranking military officials said. However, Defence Spokesperson Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said that he was not aware of the decision of the Court Martial. "One Court Martial concluded recently, but we are not aware of the decision. In any case it has to be conveyed to the President who is also the Commander in Chief and he has to authorise it," he told The Sunday Leader. Several military personnel including two majors are facing court martials for providing information to the Tigers. One such procedure had concluded last week and the President's decision is to be conveyed to the army. The major had been charged under five counts including providing information to the Tigers. The death sentence is the first time such a sentence has been passed on a Sri Lankan military officer by a military Court Martial since the ethnic war broke out. Construction boom or bust? A combination of an uncertain economic scenario with rising interest rates and costs of borrowings, rising conflict and abduction-for-profit, is affecting the real estate market and dampening the condominium housing boom. Developers said property and new apartment prices were coming down while expatriate Sri Lankans are having second thoughts on investing on condos.They said among the more than 100 top Sri Lankan businessmen who are believed to have left the country due to threats of abduction-for-profit (ransom) were some property developers and investors. The land value in Kollupitiya has dropped from six million rupees per perch to 4.5 million rupees due to this situation. The Premier Pacific International Pvt Ltd, one of the big developers in the city, this week offered for sale a 153-perch block it owned at Sri Sangaraja Mawatha – in an apparent indication of the condo crisis. The Sunday Times FT spoke to property developers, real estate agents and residents of the complexes. The drop in demand of property is felt by all players in the real estate market. Nethru Nanayakkara, a realtor, said there is a definite drop in demand o apartments and condominiums. He estimated it at around 30%, adding that it was a very conservative estimate. “The interest rates are also very high so developers find it difficult to borrow from banks as well,” he added. Nanayakkara also noted a drop in the expatriate market. He explained that they buy the property to sell off later but as the situation stands, it is very difficult to get a profit. He said the Wellawatta property market which attracts many Tamil expatriates, is currently stagnating as there are no buyers and land values have dropped.Shan Kumarage, project co-ordinator of the online real-estate portal “Bhoomi”, also noted a drop in the market. “Going by the feedback we get from the brokers and buyers there is no market at all for residential property,” he said. Another property developer who spoke to The Sunday Times FT on the condition of anonymity said that local investment has dropped due to the abductions that were taking place in the country. “Tamil and Muslim businessman, who are afraid to invest money in Sri Lanka, are taking their money to India and Malaysia” he said. “The expatriate Sri Lankans are also reluctant to buy property in Sri Lanka as there is no guarantee of their investment, whereas in India there is a 30% guaranteed return of investment and the currency is also stable there unlike the fluctuating Sri Lankan rupee.” A senior official of the ICC Housing Pvt Ltd said that they are monitoring the current property market situation before venturing into new projects although they have successfully completed their Iceland Residencies project which is a new generation condominium. He added that the condominium construction industry was experiencing some difficulties during the past three months. However Ceylinco Homes International officials said its Rs 14 billion Celestial Development project which upon completion in December 2009 will house the Hyatt International Hotel and 176 luxury apartments, has already pre-sold 80% of the total 500,000 square feet of floor space that apartments under this project would take. Developers of Havelock City Project (HCP), a similar property development project valued at $ 250 million undertaken by the Shin Kwang Group which envisages the construction of a total of 1,080 luxury apartments, are however not in a hurry in pre-selling the apartment complexes. Officials there said the pre-sales would coincide with a marketing campaign that is being planned. Separately residents who bought apartments at certain complexes are facing difficulties obtaining what was promised to them. A representative of the Premier Pacific Pinnacle Residencies Association, speaking on behalf of all the residents of the complex at Duplication Road told The Sunday Times FT that the terms on which the apartments were promised to them are not being kept. She said the developer, Nimal Perera, head of the company here which is unable to meet its financial commitments, was forced to obtain a tenant for the premises on which the mall and the food court was located. That tenant – had wanted the mall and the food court removed from the premises. The residents, who were promised many facilities at the inception, are now left without any. Also, two years after moving into the premises, she has still not been given the title deed to her apartment. Perera was unavailable for comment despite leaving many messages at his office. A telephone number of the company listed in their website went to a private house! She added that although many letters have been sent to the owner of the complex, there has been no response from him thus far. According to her, although the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) was also informed as to the discrepancies in the terms, the CMA has not been able to provide them with any relief. A senior CMA official said that unless a proper management system is introduced and implemented, these problems can escalate and get out of control. 07 July 2007 We won’t respond to ‘childish’ demands - EPDP The Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) yesterday refused to comment on what it termed were “childish” demands by the Karuna faction asking that the EPDP leave Batticaloa.While refusing to say if there were threats to the EPDP from Karuna, EPDP leader Douglas Devananda’s private secretary S. Thavarasa told the Daily Mirror there was no need to respond to such reports in the first place.“Karuna wants the EPDP to leave and Prabakaran wants Karuna to leave. These are all childish reports and we don’t want to respond to them,” Mr. Thavarasa said.The Asian Tribune website reported that despite attempts by the army to patch up differences between Karuna Amman and the EPDP, leaflets were being distributed demanding Jaffna Tamils and the EPDP to leave Batticaloa.“He has directed his military cadres Thillepan, Jeyanthiran, Veera, Sinnathamby, and Riyaseelan to identify the Jaffna people living in their respective areas and force them to leave the Eastern province. These commanders have sent out letters to those parents whose children are members of the EPDP to come to their offices for a meeting to discuss about the future of their children who are enlisted as members of political parties led by Jaffna leaders,” the Asian Tribune reported.The Asian Tribune further reported that a meeting was held at the Kommanthurai Army base on Thursday to resolve the differences between the EPDP members in Chenkaladi and the Karuna Group. This was a move to defuse the tension after the Karuna’s group marched into the office of the EPDP and started attacking and firing indiscriminately at EPDP members.At this meeting Karuna group was represented by Sinnathamby, Rajan and Sinnavan. On behalf of the EPDP Eelamaran, Anton, P.Vijayan and Viji participated. The Army had reportedly severely warned the Karuna Group for intimidating and attacking the EPDP Political Office.It was revealed that Karuna group has been harassing the EPDP, the only paramilitary group established in SLA controlled areas of both North and East, to prevent EPDP cadres campaigning in Batticaloa district for the last two months. Karuna engaged in a new power struggle to grab the east from EPDP Karuna Group has formally announced the ban of Eelam People Democratic Party (EPDP) led by Minister Douglas Devananda through pamphlets distributed widely in the Batticoloa in the eastern province.. This group has also warned of severe consequence for The pamphlets are issued in the name of the “Force of the Rising Sun”. The following is a translation of the pamphlet: Our Kith and Kin of East After redeeming our soil and the people from the Vanni Tigers, our people are now returning to normal life. But those organizations under the north’s hegemony, which reject normalcy, are systematically attacking our people and the members of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal, with the view to create fear in the east. On 04. 07. 2007 they have forced the cadres of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal to get down from the bus they were traveling and not only humiliated them but also attacked them. When those organizations cadres went for talks they have fired bullets and also killed one of them. We are not only condemning the organization called EPDP which was involved in such barbarous acts but we are also banning them completely in the Eastern province.Our kith and kin living in the East, please stop all the dealings with this organization and stop all contacts with them. Also we request those youths of the East who are with them to kindly leave them and go abroad or get involved in social work. Also those parents of those youths, who are in that organization, withdraw your children from that organization and don’t be a party to treachery but try to rehabilitate them for a new future. We will not hesitate to take strong actions against those who violate this edict. Therefore our kith and kin of the East we will ensure that incidents of this nature never repeats itself and we resolve to take necessary steps to expel those cliques ruling these organizations..anyone violating the ban or associating with EPDP in the future. Thanks Force of the Rising Sun Eastern Province This is a threat directed at Minister Douglas Devananda and EPDP. They are an integral part of the People’s Alliance Government led by President Mahinda Rajapakse. Sri Lanka Government has liberated the East from the control of the Tamil Tigers. But it appears that Karuna Group has emerged to grab the political gap left vacant by the Tigers, who had fled from the east. Besides, this act of challenging a Minister in the government is seen as a threat to the government’s authority over the liberated east. Political observers note that Karuna is not an elected representative. Nor is he a part of the government. He was involved in killing hundreds of Sri Lankan Security forces. He was alleged to have killed, in agreement with Prabhkaran, 600 policemen who surrendered on the word given by Anton Balasingham , the negotiator with the Premadasa government, that they would be safe. When he broke away from Prabhkaran, accusing the Jaffna-Tamil leaders dominating the LTTE of discriminating against the eastern Tamils, he vowed to join the democratic mainstream. But after the liberation of the east by the Security Forces he has resumed the old terror tactics that he played under the command of Prabhakaran. Karuna fled the country when the Tamil Tigers attacked him on 10 April 2004. He took a long route through Nepal and ended up in Mysore. He returned back when the Government began its military campaign and made east a safer place. His tactic seems to be to make use this opportunity to ban a politic party which is a constituent member of the Government led by President Mahinda Rajapakse.It is still unclear who delegated to Karuna to take this course of action. International community has warned that Karuna group should be disbanded.It is still unclear who gave extra-parliamentary authority for Karuna to impose tax and tariffs to people in East and announce the imposition of the ban on a registered political Party. What is clear is that rival Tamil parties are now engaged in battle to occupy the vacant position held by the Tamil Tigers earlier. President writes to British PM Huge arms seizure in Sri Lanka At least four LTTE cadres were killed and a “large stock of weapons” was seized by security forces in the north and east during the last 24 hours amid stepped up security measures in view of the “Black Tigers Day”.“Black Tigers” are the LTTE’s suicide cadres and it was on July 5, 1987 that the group launched its first attack. A suicide cadre known drove a truck bomb into an army camp in the Jaffna peninsula killing 40 soldiers.The Tigers observe the day as “Black Tigers Day” and according to the LTTE’s claims 322 members of the suicide units have died in attacks till date. In 2006, the group deployed 61 suicide bombers.On the eastern front, police commandos clashed with a group of LTTE cadres in the Ampara district on Wednesday night. During the subsequent search, the troops found two bodies along with two T-56 riffles and three hand grenades. The STF suffered no casualties, the military said. Military spokesperson Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said the security forces were engaged in capturing satellite camps in the Narakamulla and Tharavi areas. His office said the fall of the last stronghold of the LTTE in the eastern province was imminent as the security forces had already reached the outer boundaries of the LTTE main base at Narakamulla.Separately, TamilNet claimed that a Karuna Group paramilitary member was killed and two Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) personnel were wounded when the two groups, attached to the Kommaathu’rai army base in Chengkaladi in Batticaloa, clashed on Wednesday evening. Jeyaraj wants CID chief summoned to Parliament Chief Government whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle yesterday urged Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara to summon the CID Director to Parliament to find out why a proper investigation had not been conducted on the threat received by UNP MP John Amaratunga.He said there was a conspiracy to discredit the government by imposing threats on opposition MPs. “It is essential to find out who is behind this conspiracy,” he said. An uproar broke out in Parliament when Speaker Lokubandara told the House that the CID Director had informed him that there was no necessity to continue with the inquiry on the death threats received by Mr. Amaratunga. Mr. Fernandopulle who protested against this urged that the investigation should be continued. “A proper investigation has to be made when a Member of Parliament is faced with death threats and the CID cannot stop an investigation in this manner,” he said. He also criticized Mr. Amaratunga for being lethargic after making a complaint to the speaker about the death threats. “You complained during the previous sessions and now you are accepting the CID decision to close investigations,” he charged. Mr. Amaratunga responded saying the CID had come to conduct an investigation to his home and he could not remember to which phone the threatening call had come since he had five phone lines. The heckling between government and Opposition MPs continued for a while after which the Speaker said he would request the CID to look into the matter once again. CID busts Kandy extortion ring The CID uncovered a massive extortion racket yesterday following the arrest of 12 suspects involved in extortion and taking ransom from businessmen, CID DIG D.W. Prathapasingha said. A special CID investigation team deployed under the direction of DIG Prathapasingha arrested the suspects who allegedly collected Rs.22.5 million from a Muslim Travel Agency owner in Kandy. The CID special team recovered weapons and money from the suspects. “After arresting the suspects, the CID special team recovered Rs.5 million from their possession,” the DIG said. He said the CID also recovered a pistol, a revolver, four swords, two motorcycles, a three wheeler and two vans from the suspects. The DIG said the CID investigation revealed that the gang leader who led many extortion rackets was operating mainly in the Central Province. “He has left the country and we suspect he is in the Middle East,” he added. “According to the information we have, the gang leader had taken part of the extortion money with him to the Middle East.” The CID recently arrested more than 16 persons involved in abduction and extortion rackets, including an ex-Air Force officer. Hakeem wants ethnic mix in police force Posts and Telecommunications Minister Rauff Hakeem said that Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had agreed for the establishment of ‘community policing’ throughout the country. Speaking at a stamp unveiling ceremony to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Ceylon Baithul Mal Fund on Wednesday he said that he discussed measures bringing about an ethnic mix into the police force with the Defence Secretary. “There is a need to have an acceptable balance of different communities in the law and order machinery as well. It had been unfortunately overlooked though it was part of the 13th amendment to devolve police powers to the periphery of the Provincial Councils are in operation, since Provincials Councils are in operation only in areas where it was really not meant in the original scheme” Minister Hakeem said.“This aspect has been overlooked and is ignored. A proper integration of all minorities is a very important element to create a very representative and equitable law and order machinery. Be it law enforcement or maintenance of law and order it could be done better by having a proper mix or reflecting the ethnic composition of a particular area in the law and order machinery” said the minister.“To my surprise the Defence Secretary agreed. He said ‘yes, we would like to introduce this. In fact we are willing to discuss, we are having discussions, with the senior officials of the British Ulster Police Constabulary in Northern Ireland to introduce the same system of having a well integrated Police force which has powers devolved to the basic community level” he added.Secretary of Defence, however had been of the view that it must be at the district level at the original stage. The minister recalled that the government adopted several measures to woo the Muslims but without much success. He attributed that to the lack of confidence the Muslim have in the government.“They first tried to see whether they could induce or try and persuade the Muslims to join the armed forces. They tried to introduce a separate Muslim Battalion but that became a failure since there was some degree of difficulty in persuading the Muslims. Lack of confidence was the main issue” he emphasized. Father shot dead, son abducted in Valikaamam Unidentified gunmen on motor cycle followed a civilian riding his motor cycle with his son, shot him dead and abducted the son Friday evening at Aavarangkaal area along Jaffna-Point Pedro road, an area in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) High Security Zone (HSZ) where troopers are always present, sources in Jaffna said. The victim was identified as S. Sivakumar, 44, a marriage broker by profession, from Naavaladi area at Vathiri in Vadamaraadchi.Sivakumar was riding home with his son from Chunnakam area when the gunmen waylaid and killed him.The killers escaped with the son and the victim's motor cycle. SLMM, SCOPP discuss monitors’ visit to Kilinochchi The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) yesterday discussed the ongoing visit of an SLMM delegation to Kilinochchi for talks with the LTTE Peace Secretariat. SLMM monitors had been unable to visit Kilinochchi in the past few months because of concerns relating security and because SLMM head Retired Maj. Gen. Lars Solberg had been out of the country, SLMM told SCOPP. The meeting was part of the regular weekly sessions between SLMM and SCOPP. The two sides agreed that the meetings so far have proved fruitful and that the parties have been able to accomplish some positive work. This, in turn, will help both SCOPP and SLMM effectively counter negative press reports about their activities, the two sides said. The meeting was positive and helped pave the way for a better flow of information and communications between the parties to the CFA via the SLMM. The SLMM informed SCOPP that it has added seven new members to its staff. Four of the seven will be based in the three districts of the Eastern Province as well as Vavuniya. The two sides discussed the importance of revitalizing the local monitoring committee meetings in the conflict affected districts in the North and the East. SCOPP Secretary General Dr. Rajiva Wijesinha stressed the importance of clear reporting from local monitors in order to get an accurate picture of the situation on the ground in those areas. Saudi Arabia: Sri Lankan teenager faces beheading within days A Sri Lankan teenager in Saudi Arabia faces beheading within days after being convicted of murder, despite having had no legal representation at her trial and reportedly being only 17 at the time of the alleged crime.Rizana Nafeek, a domestic worker, was sentenced to death on 16 June for the alleged murder of an infant in her care. She was arrested in May 2005, had no access to lawyers either during interrogation or at her trial and was believed to have confessed to the murder during police questioning. She has since retracted her confession. Despite facing imminent execution she still has no legal representation.In Saudi Arabia court proceedings routinely fall far short of international standards for fair trial, and take place behind closed doors. Defendants normally do not have formal representation by a lawyer and are often convicted solely on the basis of confessions obtained under duress, torture or deception. Rizana Nafeek is believed to have appealed against her sentence, but if her appeal is unsuccessful she could be executed within days. Amnesty International UK Director Kate Allen said: 'The death penalty is always wrong but it is an absolute scandal that Saudi Arabia is preparing to behead a teenage girl who didn't even have a lawyer at her trial.'The Saudi authorities are flouting an international prohibition on the execution of child offenders by even imposing a death sentence on a defendant who was reportedly 17 at the time of the alleged crime.'Rizana's execution must be stopped and she must be allowed proper legal representation. Saudi Arabia should also freeze all further executions and stop what has become a torrent of judicial killing in recent months.'Rizana has apparently informed the authorities that she was born in February 1988, but the Saudi authorities have reportedly ignored this on the basis that her passport indicated that she was born in 1982. According to information available to Amnesty International, no medical examination is believed to have been carried out to ascertain her age, nor was she given the opportunity to present her birth certificate, which reportedly shows that she was born in 1988. In January 2006 Saudi Arabia assured the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child that no children had been executed in the country since the children's convention came into force in Saudi Arabia in 1997. This is a weaker commitment than is required by the convention, which demands that no one is executed for crimes committed when they were under 18, no matter how old they are now.Amnesty International is raising urgent concern over the plight of Rizana Nafeek at a time when executions in Saudi Arabia have increased rapidly. In the first six months of this year nearly 100 people in the Kingdom have already been executed, including three women. Half of these have been foreign nationals, mostly from poor countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Iraq.In 2006 Saudi Arabia was known to have executed 39 people (though the true figure may have been higher), the seventh highest number in the world. This year the execution 'rate' is approximately five times higher than last year's, and Saudi Arabia is now likely to have one of the highest execution tolls for 2007 of any country in the world. Bank accounts of BTA London leader and his wife frozen A British Court yesterday froze all bank accounts of London BTA Leader Shanthan alias Krishnatha Kumar and of his wife. The Westminster Court which ruled on the matter also ordered that indictment against Shanthan be served before July 30. Shanthan not produced before British law courts in person, video footage of the suspect was screened at the Westminster Court before the ruling was made. A plea by a law firm that the suspect be granted bail was also rejected by Court. Britain's Anti- Terrorism Unit had filed 28 charges against Shanthan including extortion, operation of business enterprises, printing press and oil storages with ill-gotten wealth. Those employed at these enterprises were exclusively Tamils, it was revealed. The money earned by these business ventures as at July 2 is a staggering 4 billion sterling pounds. The money thus earned had been utilised to purchase weapons to attack the Lankan Navy from China and Israel and outfits such as PPK. Court was lenient on Shanthan's wife and permitted her to withdraw funds only for urgent reasons with the permission of the Police and to produce receipts of all such purchases to the Anti- Terrorism Unit for scrutiny. Meanwhile, Lambert who was arrested along with Shanthan is under house arrest. Lambert was arrested on charges of kidnapping for ransom and extortion. Meanwhile, another female identified as Pakyadevi is reported to be absconding. 06 July 2007 Indian army didn't want to take Thoppigala: Gen Mehta The Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF), which battled the LTTE in North-East Sri Lanka from July 1987 to March 1990, did conduct operations in the Thoppigala jungles, but made no attempt to occupy the area because it had no strategic significance, a former area commander, Maj Gen Ashok Mehta told Hindustan Times on Thursday. Gen Mehta's remarks are significant in the context of a claim by the Sri Lankan Defence spokesman, Keheliya Rambukwella, on Wednesday, that the IPKF could not occupy Thoppigala even though it had deployed 20,000 troops."Thoppigala was a vast jungle area which did not lie on any major line of communication. It was basically a hide out for the LTTE. It had hospitals, prisons and training camps. I have personally led operations to destroy these facilities. But we always came back to base, as there was no need to occupy the area. There was nothing to occupy!" Gen.Mehta, who led Indian troops in the Eastern districts of Batticaloa and Amparai, said.But this was contradicted by the LTTE's military spokesman, Rasaiah Ilanthirayan, who told an Australian radio station, that the IPKF had set up camps in Thoppigala. Cost of occupation Lankan army gung ho However, the Sri Lankan Army is gung ho about its achievements and prospects."We have already taken 700 sq.km of Thoppigala, and have only about 7 to 8 km to go before the whole place is under our control," said Army spokesman, Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe, on Thursday.But independent military observers say that the progress has been slow. There is stiff resistance by the LTTE and the terrain has been difficult. "If it is a walk over, why the did the Air Force pound the area on Wednesday and Thursday?" asked Iqbal Athas of The Sunday Times. However, no one disputes the claim that taking Thoppigala is only a matter of time, given the manpower and the weaponry with the Army. In contrast, there are only about 400 ill-equipped LTTE there. Political compulsions Observers feel that the need to take Thoppigala is political rather than military. The government's aim seems to be to take it by July 26, when President Mahinda Rajapaksa plans to celebrate the conquest of the entire East, covering a total of 5200 sq km, "something which has never happened before," as Brig.Samarasinghe said.There are plans to follow this up by holding "free and fair" local elections without the interference of LTTE terrorists and thus get the plaudits of the moderate Tamils. In July-end, Rajapaksa will be presenting the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party's plans for the country in the form of document, which is eagerly awaited because he is facing mounting challenges. There is a revolt in his party, albeit incipient. There is heightened activity of the opposition parties and increasing international censure for human rights violations. SLA Major, 5 soldiers killed in Kudumpimalai A Sri Lanka Army Major and five soldiers were killed and seven wounded Friday morning in Kudumpimalai (Thoppikkal) jungle when SLA troops confronted fighters of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), according to military sources in the Eastern city of Batticaloa. In the North, 3 soldiers were killed on Thursday when fighting erupted in Vavuniyaa-Mannaar border. 10 soldiers were wounded in the fighting on Thursday between Pampaimadu and Uyilangku'lam, informed military sources said. Military officials in Colombo claimed 15 LTTE fighters were killed in the fighting along the FDLs in Vavuniyaa on Thursday. Wounded soldiers from Vavuniyaa border were admitted at Anuradhapura hospital. Sri Lanka's planes pound Tamil Tiger rebels; rebel mortar fire kill 6 soldiers Sri Lankan warplanes pounded Tamil Tiger rebel positions in the island's volatile north and east on Friday, while rebels fired mortars at advancing ground troops in the east, killing six soldiers, the military said. Military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe said soldiers advancing into the Thoppigala region, the final rebel stronghold in eastern Sri Lanka, faced long-range mortar attacks from the insurgents around noon Friday. Six soldiers died in the attack and about five others were wounded, Samarasinghe said. He said that despite the attacks, the soldiers were closing in on getting total control of the region. ``We are in the final leg of clearing the area,'' Samarasinghe said. Air force jets also bombed rebel locations on Friday to back up troops in Thoppigala, Samarasinghe said. A second airstrike hit an identified rebel location in the northern Mannar district, Samarasinghe said, without elaborating. He did not provide casualty estimates, and rebel officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Government forces have cleared the Tamil Tiger guerrillas from much of eastern Sri Lanka, but have been struggling to seize the eastern rebel bastion of Thoppigala for 14 years. Elsewhere, soldiers acting on a tip recovered a haul of explosives and ammunition from a village north of the eastern port town of Trincomalee Thursday night, Samarasinghe said. The cache contained more than 100 bombs and 8,200 assault rifle bullets, Samarasinghe said. Many villages north of Trincomalee were under rebel control until a military assault last year, and guerrillas likely abandoned their weaponry as they fled the area, Samarasinghe said. The rebels have fought since 1983 to create an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's ethnic minority Tamils, who have suffered decades of discrimination by majority Sinhalese-controlled governments. Assassinations, airstrikes and clashes have killed more than 5,000 people in the past 20 months, and have taken the death toll in two decades of violence past 70,000. A Norway-brokered cease-fire signed in 2002 still holds officially, and neither side has withdrawn from it fearing international criticism. CJ commended for ‘noble’ sentiments expressed on Executive TELO MP, N. Srikantha, commended the CJ for a statement he made wherein he claimed the Judiciary does not do a shoddy job like the Executive, in Parliament on Tuesday. “I place on record my appreciation for noble sentiments expressed by Chief Justice at a time when the law is flouted by persons duty bound to uphold it,” he said speaking at the debate on the Judicature Bill in the House. He said Judges in the country have discharged their duty in a commendable manner except for one or two Judges in Jaffna. Srikantha said the Supreme Court intervened and ensured that the rights of those Tamils evicted from Colombo, were not violated and likewise it should also intervene to maintain the rights of Tamils who are arrested in so called search operations. Referring to the alleged assault on Thinakkural journalist K. P. Mohan, by the air force personnel, he said the said journalist will have to knock on the door of Supreme Court to find redress for the suffering he had undergone. The TELO MP alleged that he had been discharged prematurely from the hospital consequent to interference by the police After the election in the East give the North to Prabakaran for 2 years - Special Projects Minister After the conduct of Elections in the Northern province, there is nothing wrong in giving North to Prabakaran, said the Minister of Special Projects minister Mahinda Wijesekera.He said so in a media briefing in the party office of Sethsevena Yesterday.This is the first time Minister Wijesekera was present before the media, after he joined the Govt.The minister who aired his views said it is his personal view that the time is ripe that Prabakaran also should be given an opportunity to solve the problems in the North and after the East is liberated there should be a Provincial Council election and with that the North has to be given to Prabakaran for 2 years.He further said that although a majority of Sinhalese and Muslims live in the east, prevalent situation is that no Sinhalese can live in the north and 99% of the people live in the North are Tamils and therefore an opportunity should be given to Prabakaran to solve the problems of these people. Thondaman meets Samaraweera Senior Party members of the Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) and Peoples Wing of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) met Thursday morning at Sawmiya Bawan, headquarters of the CWC in Colombo, for discussions on matters related to the uncertainties in political alliances in Sri Lanka parliament. CWC delegation comprised its leader Mr.Arumugan Thondaman, Mr.Muthu Sivalingam, and Mr.R.Yogarajan. SLFP (PW) comprised its leader Mr.Mangala Samaraweera, Mr.Sripathi Sooriyarachchi and Mr.Tiran Alles, sources said.CWC is a constituent of the United Peoples Freedom alliance (UPFA) government and its leader Mr.Thondaman is holding minister post in the cabinet led by President Mahinda Rajapakse.Meanwhile another discussion between the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and SLFP (PW) scheduled to be held Thursday evening was put off for a later date, sources said.SLMC is also a constituent of the UPFA government and its leader Mr.Rauff Hakeem is holding a cabinet minister post. Mervyn, JVP rock the house Non-Cabinet Minister Mervyn Silva was yesterday caught up in a heated debate with the JVP which demanded details of the vehicles used by Mr. Silva’s ministry.The heated discussion in Parliament started when Minister Silva refused to provide details of his ministry vehicles and the rent paid for them, prompting Speaker W.J.M Lokubandara to urge all members to uphold the decorum and dignity of the House.The Speaker also expunged unnecessary utterances which went against Parliament decorum.The situation arose when the non-Cabinet Labour Minister refused to highlight details pertaining to his Ministry vehicles, citing security concerns.JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake questioned why the Minister declined to reveal such details, since Chief Government Whip Jeyeraj Fernandopulle and Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake had responded to such queries on previous occasions. Two security personnel of President and PM among arrested Extortions Among the people who were arrested in connection with abductions and extortions there are two personnel attached to the security divisions of the President and the prime Minister.The President's Security Personnel taken into custody by the CID is a Sub Inspector of Police. While the environment was being prepared to take him into custody, abruptly the sub inspector was transferred to Bambalapitiya police Station. When he was arrested His work station was quoted as Bambalapitiya.Mr.keheliya Rambukwella, media spokesman to the National Security revealed to the Media yesterday that 18 persons have been arrested in connection with abductions and extortions. Two of them are an Officer and an airman in Sri Lanka Air Force. Four are attached to the police.When questioned, it is reported that, the ex Officer of the Air Force has mentioned the name of a powerful officer of a high position in the Government. With this revelation, it is said that there was a certain drawback in the inquiring process.Mr. Lakshman Seneviratne, Badulla District parliamentarian questioned in the emergency debate in Parliament today, whether the statement being made by Nishantha gajanayake is accurately taken down and as to who is to authenticate the accuracy of the statement.There is information about the deposit of a certain amount of money in the name of a highest person of the land, in a bank account in Carribians, out of the Rs.6000 million taken as ransom and he questioned whether this has been written in the CID entries. "If so why is he not taken into custody?" he asked the Government.Meanwhile, the person who has been arrested in the case in which Mr.A.L.M.Nishthar was asked to come to a hotel in Kandy and threatened to death and got ransom of a Rs.22.5 Million, is a staffer of the Muslim Member of the ruling Party in the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council. He was arrested also with a weapon. Emergency passed 119-10 The state of emergency was extended for a further one month, yesterday, after being passed in Parliament by a majority of 109 votes. 10 members, comprising 9 TNA MPs and the Western People’s Front MP Mano Ganeshan, voted against the extension, while 119 government and JVP members supported it. The UNP once again abstained. Several opposition members and some government members were absent during the vote, which was requested by the TNA. Presenting the Emergency Motion, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake said it was necessary to extend the emergency regulations to complete the military exercise in the East and to curb the violent activities of the LTTE in Colombo and its suburbs. The Prime Minister said over 35 security and police personnel had been killed during the last month and 160 injured. In addition he said 30 civilians had been killed and 18 injured during this period. He explained that the forces had been able to forestall several attempts by the LTTE to disrupt work in the city. 'Lanka E News' editor under threat -Amnesty International Editor Sandaruwan Senadheera is the editor of Lanka E News, an online news service which reports on human rights and corruption issues in Sri Lanka. Amnesty International is concerned for his safety as he has been receiving threatening telephone calls and emails since January 2007. The most recent death threat came after the publication of a story, which criticized the government in June. On 27 June 2007, Lanka E News published a story covering the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) criticism of the Sri Lankan government’s investigation into the execution style killings of 17 Action Contre La Faim (ACF) Aid workers in Sri Lanka entitled, "Forensic evidence of killing of 17 aid workers tampered". Shortly after publication, Sandaruwan Senadheera received several intimidatory phone calls. He also received a death threat as an e mail which said, "When Journalists change the truth & keep country & nation in danger, me & all innocent people have one wish. You all get either 5.52 mm or 7.62 mm bullet one day & sooner is better." Sandaruwan Senadheera started to receive threatening phone calls and e mails from January 2007 and has filed a police complaint at Rajagiriya, Welikade Police Station in Colombo about the recent threats against him. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The human rights situation in Sri Lanka has deteriorated dramatically in recent months, as escalating violence has resulted in widespread human rights abuses and a climate of fear and insecurity. There are increasing concerns for the safety of journalists and others working on human rights issues. In the last week the defence columnist of the Thinukkural Daily newspaper K.P. Mohan was hospitalized after being severely assaulted by a group of air force personnel while he was on his way to the President's office. Journalists have faced shootings and other physical assaults, abductions, intimidation and harassment, reportedly carried out by both government personnel and members of armed groups, including the LTTE and the Karuna faction (in eastern Sri Lanka). Nine media workers have been killed since the beginning of 2006 and one more is presumed dead having been reported disappeared. Our advice to Anandasangaree: you better shut up –Source Theepori.com One of the rejected old Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) politicians, who once promised the Eelam state to the Tamil youths and ignited the separatist flame, is once again receiving prominence in some anti-LTTE media. He is none other than Veerasingham Anandasangaree, one time MP for Kilinochchi who continues to claim to be the TULF President, a Tamil political party which is now defunct. He is able to call himself the President of TULF thanks to a Sri Lankan court ruling. If not for the court intervention, he would have been overthrown from the post of President of TULF many years ago. He must be ashamed to call himself the President of a political party which has never held any party meetings for years now. But Sangaree knows no shame. That's why we prefer to call him "Shameless Sangaree". He is a person eating out of the hands of Mahinda Rajapakse and protected by about 60 Sri Lankan Army or Special Force commandos provided by Mahinda. He is now surrounded by these Sinhalese security personnel and if you telephone him, you will not hear Tamil or English words but the Sinhala words "Kowda Kathakaranne?" His latest piece is a long letter he has addressed to his beloved peace loving and patriotic citizens of Sri Lanka. Did he address any such letters to his Sinhalese brothers during his heady days as a TULF Member of Parliament? No, but instead he was spreading hatred among the Tamils against Sinhalese both inside and outside Parliament and inciting the Tamils to rise up against the oppressive Sinhala government. In his introduction he proudly says he is the winner of the 2006 UNESCO's Madanjeet Singh Prize for the promotion of tolerance and nonviolence. But, how can he hide the fact that the initial prize recommendation was made by a Sri Lankan body nominated by Mahinda Rajapakse's government? After all, it was an indirect reward given to him by his master Mahinda Rajapakse for his faithful services. Only a shameless person like Sangaree will make such a proud mention of that award. In his open letter, he accuses LTTE leader Velupillai Prabaharan as a person who will not hesitate to sacrifice one thousand lives merely to glorify himself. There may be some truth in it. But, on the other hand borrowing from the words of the Mahanayake Bhikkus he praises President Mahinda Rajapakse as one who is doing his utmost to solve the National crisis to bring peace where all communities and religious groups could co-exist harmoniously. Does he not realize that the present problem is not just the creation of Prabaharan? Does he not realize that the international community is pointing an accusing finger at Mahinda Rajapakse as a co-culprit? Is he not aware that Sri Lanka ruled by the Rajapakse family is classed by the UN Security Council along with Sudan and Somalia as one of the three worst crisis ridden countries in the world with a horrible human rights record? He should better read the records of the proceedings of the United Nations Security Council. Even US Congressmen have realized what the Rajapakse regime is doing to Tamils and have called President Bush for immediate action. Sangaree laments that the experts' committee proposals which were very much acceptable to the minority communities and international community have been rejected by unexpected quarters for reasons best known to all. However, for very well known reasons, Sangaree has failed to mention that it was his master Mahinda Rajapakse who had shot down the proposals. Sangaree is tongue tied proving right the Tamil saying "Nakundar Na Ilanthar" meaning you will not say a word against the man from whose hands you have eaten. Sangaree's past political record is full of stories of personal vendetta. Minister Kumarasuriyar was instrumental in building a modern public market for the Kilinochchi town in 1976 while Sangaree was the MP for Kilinochchi electorate. Because he did not want the credit to go to Minister Kumarasuriyar he prevented the opening of this market. It remained unopened until the race riots in 1983. Such is the petty mindedness of this man who now laments about the dead Tamils and Sinhalese. In 1982 he schemed with President Jayawardene to create the separate Kilinochchi district. He did that to spite the then TULF leader who refused nomination to his preferred candidate at the District Council elections. At that time, he was thinking of leaving the TULF and JR Jayawardene too agreed to grant Sangaree's request with the aim of drawing him into UNP. What prevented Sangaree from leaving TULF was the fear that the militant Tamil youths would kill him as a traitor. Sangaree's personal life is something we do not want to comment on. For those interested we only say that some juicy comments on the dark sides of his personal life were made by an EPDP MP on the floor of the Sri Lankan Parliament a few years ago. We do not know whether these were recorded in Hansard or were ordered to be expunged by the Speaker because the nature of those disclosures on the personal life of Sangaree was very un-parliamentary. This ageing Tamil politician, who has no electorate to represent, has now lent his services to his Sinhala majesty Mahinda Rajapakse who has made him a roving ambassador to be sent on good will errands to places like New Delhi, Chennai and Durban to spread the false message that Tamils are looked after well in Sri Lanka. Sangaree now talk about the good old days when Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims were living happily together in the then Ceylon. He was one of those Tamil leaders who stirred the Tamil youths on the path of separation in order to retain the Tamil vote bank to secure their Parliamentary seats. The 15,000 majority votes he says he received when he was elected as MP were votes for Eelam and not for his personal credentials. Sangaree should not now try to re-write history. We are all aware of Sangaree's history and the history of the Tamil political struggle. Our appeal to Sangaree is you better shut up. You may go and live overseas with your off-springs to whom we understand you distributed the UNESCO prize money award rather than living in Sri Lanka at the mercy and protection of Mahinda Rajapakse and being compelled to issue absurd open letters to please the Rajapakse clan. We are sure the LTTE will not be able to lay their hands on you because they are already weakened overseas and the hunters have now become hunted by the western governments. We wish you peaceful and happy days for the rest of your life for what ever services you might have rendered to the Tamils. Pirapaharan addresses Black Tigers in Vanni V. Pirapaharan, leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) participated in a special commemoration event marking Black Tigers Day with several hundred Black Tiger cadres attending at the event in Vanni on Thursday, LTTE officials told media in Ki'linochchi. LTTE leader addressed the Black Tigers after lighting the flame of sacrifice at 7:05 p.m. the time of the death of first Black Tiger, Captain Miller. A total of 322 Black Tigers have been killed in action from Captain Miller´s death in 1987 until 30th June 2007, according to the Tamileelam Heroes Secretariat in Vanni. Twenty years ago, on 5th July, 1987 LTTE's first Black Tiger Miller drove an explosive laden truck on Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops garrisoned in a school in Vadamaraadchi, killing more than 40 SLA troopers. Since his death, 81 Black Tigers, 63 men and 18 women, have died in action on land, and 241 cadres, 169 men and 72 women, have died at sea, according to the figures published by the Tamileelam Heroes Secretariat. Remembrance events were held in several areas in Vanni with sport events and public meetings for the past five days. The first event commemorating the Black Tiger´s week was held in Kilinochchi Central College grounds presided by the Head of Federation of Tamil Organizations (FTO) Prabhakaran at 9:30 a.m. Monday.Pon.Thiyagam, Director of Heroes Welfare Association, lit the common flame of sacrifice at the main event in Kilinochchi Monday at 9:00 a.m. Chief of Tamileelam Judiciary, Mr. Para, and several senior leaders of the LTTE, spoke at the event, according to sources in Vanni. UK Ranks LTTE as the second intensified Terror Group The United Kingdom has ranked LTTE as the second intensified terror group. The LTTE has been ranked immediately after the dreaded Al Queda. The United Kingdom already has put 44 groups on its list of terrorist organizations. As a result it will become illegal for British to be members of or encourage support for these groups. Proscription powers are a key tool in the fight against terrorism, creating a hostile environment in which terrorists find it increasingly difficult to operate, whether in this country or abroad. The 44 international terrorist organizations currently proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000 range from obscure sects to well-known groups like Hamas, Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda. In line with this positive effect towards eradicating global terrorism the UK administration is commended for the effective measures taken to nab LTTE leaders thus preventing them from using UK soil to reach their acts. A specialist on international terrorism has drawn the copycat terror tactics of Al Qaeda borrowed from the textbooks of LTTE. In an analysis of the lead given by the LTTE for other terrorist organizations to follow, he has highlighted LTTE as the mastermind sets the pattern for organization like Al Qaeda to pursue global terrorism. Karuna declares war on Jaffna Tamils resident in the East-Source Asiantribune.com Despite attempts by the Sri Lankan army to patch up differences Karuna, who is hoping to be the leader of the eastern Tamils, has declared war on the ‘Yarlapanis’, Tamils from Jaffna. This sharpens the regional differences among Tamils and brings a new element of Tamils fighting Tamils on a regional basis. Karuna broke away from the Tamil Tiger outfit blaming discrimination against the eastern Tamils by the LTTE dominated by Jaffna Tamils. Karuna’s first move in this latest twist is to issue an order to the parents of the members of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) led by Minister Douglas Devnanda demanding that their children should immediately give up their membership in other political parties.He has directed his military cadres Thillepan, Jeyanthiran, Veera, Sinnathamby, and Riyaseelan to identify the Jaffna people living in their respective areas and forces them to leave the Eastern province. These commanders have sent out letters to those parents whose children are members of the EPDP to come to their offices for a meeting to discuss about the future of their children who are enlisted as members of political parties led by Jaffna leaders. Observers are keenly watching the reaction of the Sri Lanka Government to this move. Tamil activists argue that the Sri Lankan government cannot hand over the east to Karuna after liberating it from the Tigers. They say that the Tamils have suffered enough under the Tigers. Karuna taking over the east will be like Tamils exchanging pepper for chilies, said a Tamil activist from the east. In the meantime, a meeting was held yesterday afternoon at the Kommanthurai Army base to resolve the differences between the EPDP members in Chenkaladi and the Karuna Group. This was a move to defuse the tension after the Karuna’s group marched into the office of the EPDP and started attacking and firing indiscriminately at EPDP members.At this meeting Karuna group was represented by Sinnathamby, Rajan and Sinnavan. On behalf of the EPDP Eelamaran, Anton, P.Vijayan and Viji participated. Sri Lankan Army officers severely warned the Karuna Group for intimidating and attacking the EPDP Political Office.It was revealed that Karuna group has been harassing the EPDP, the only paramilitary group established in SLA controlled areas of both North and East, to prevent EPDP cadres campaigning in Batticaloa district for the last two months.Attack on the EPDP office was led by Raja and Gnanni of the Karuna Group, who marched in with a dozen of their cadres.Karuna group cadre Gnanni, who led the attack against the EPDP, it is reported, died of gunshot injuries. Also Sivagnanam Suthaharan, 23, and Kovinthan Vishnu, 21 of the EPDP sustained injuries.Karuna cadres fled the scene leaving the dead body and six lethal weapons which they brought to attack the unarmed EPDP cadres , two motorcycles and a lorry.Yesterdasy Sinnathamby told the peace meeting held in Army base, that Raja and Gnanni marched into the EPDP office without his authority and he tendered his apology for the attack by his cadres.Earlier, Sinnathamby appealed to the EPDP delegates to release the Lorry, two motor Cycles and the assault rifles A.K.47, T 56 and also the LMG. Asian Tribune learnt that the Army which took custody of the 5 lethal weapons confiscated from the Karuna’s cadres, handed them back to Sinnathamby after obtaining a written assurance that hereafter they will never harm the EPDP cadres.EPDP released the two motorcycles and the lorry to Sinnathamby.In the meantime Karuna has released printed pamphlet in Batticoloa and Amparai districts in the name of ‘Parakum Makkal Padai’ warning the Jaffna Tamils to leave the east. 05 July 2007 Norway was not invited to restart the peace process -Keheliya Government defense spokesperson minister Keheliya Rambukwella who says that the government has not invited the Norwegian government of its representatives to restart the peace process also said that the government doesn't need to do so since its stance has not deviated from the earlier position.The minister said the media reports, which said that the government has extended an invitation to the Norwegian special peace envoy Jan Hansen Bauer to intervene and restart the peace process, are false.Speaking to the media at the MCNS he said the government will continue its approach and take all measures necessary to retain the countries sovereignty as long as the LTTE continues its approach as a terrorist organisation attempting to divide the country.Despite the situation the special envoy has no restriction of going to the North East or holding discussion with the LTTE Rambukwella said, adding that the government did not fire a single bullet until the LTTE launched a suicide attack on the army commander, questioning which country would keep watching when its army commander is being attacked.He said the Indian army which consisted of 30,000 soldiers couldn't capture the east and that over 2,700 of their soldiers were killed and 4,000 injured in the attempt, but the government security forces dominated the eastern region after making many sacrifices. LTTE dismisses moves for talks There are no immediate plans to resume a dialogue with the government, the Tigers said yesterday.LTTE military spokesperson Irasiah Illanthirayan told The Morning Leader that it was premature to comment on the peace talks as there was no environment for talks.The international community is pressurising the government to come to the negotiating table, he added."The government says it is ready for talks due to the pressure exerted by the international community. It is not doing it on its own will. Everyone knows what the government did the last time the two parties met in Geneva," he said.Illanthirayan stated that the government had to regain the confidence of the north east population before coming to talks.He added that the government had the responsibility to fulfill the pledges made during the previous rounds of talks between the government and the LTTE."The people, especially the Tamils have lost confidence in the government. The government should make sure that it fulfills the pledges before coming to the talks and win their confidence. Our Political Wing Leader S.P. Tamilselvan had also told this at a recent interview with Tamilnet," he added.Speaking further he said fighting was continuing in the Toppigala area. "All I can say is that fighting is continuing in the area," he said.Meanwhile the SLMM said that in the absence of a cessation of hostilities any dialogue would be futile. "The violence has to stop for there to be any improvement on the ground," spokesperson Thorfinnur JVP invites Mangala to join new front The JVP yesterday requested the SLFP Mahajana Wing to join a new political front led by the JVP and other progressive sections.The request was made by JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe, General Secretary Tilvin Silva and Parliamentarians Wimal Weerawansa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake to Mr. Mangala Samaraweera and Mr. Sripathi Sooriyarachchi at a meeting between the JVP and SLFP (M) at the JVP headquarters in Pelawatta yesterday.The JVP handed over a letter to Mr. Samaraweera explainingthe present political situation in the country and what the JVP intended doing in the future. The letter said that the JVP was dismayed at the way the present regime treated Messrs. Samaraweera and Sooriyarachchi. However the JVP said Mr. Samaraweera should not join hands with the UNP at any stage to spite the Government for the bad treatment he received. “Such a move would be like cutting the nose to spite the face,” the letter signed by the JVP General Secretary said. The letter appreciated the work done by both dissidents to build the UPFA alliance and the effort made to ensure the victory of Mahinda Rjapaksa at the last Presidential election. “Your decision to leave this Government that is going against the mandate it received, and is failing to identify the challenges before it while getting embroiled in an economic and political crisis, will be judged in the future by the decision you make now.“We saw through the media that you had met the UNP to discuss about future action. While commending you on your decision to leave the Government we have to express our disappointment at your meeting with the UNP. We are not challenging your right to meet the leadership of any political party in the country. We don’t think that solutions to the present problems faced by the country can be found by joining the UNP that we defeated together on several occasions in the past. If you think it is possible you are badly deceived,” the letter said. Sri Lanka jets strike Tamil Tiger bases Sri Lankan air force jets on Wednesday carried out a second straight day of bombing raids against Tamil Tiger rebels positioned in jungles in the east of the island, the military said. The raids were part of a months-old effort aimed at dislodging the ethnic rebels from their hideouts in Thoppigala, an area around the eastern lagoon town of Batticaloa. "The pilots reported that the targets were hit successfully," spokesman Ajantha Silva told reporters here. The Tamil Tigers are fighting for an independent homeland for the tropical island's minority ethnic Tamils. The 35-year-old conflict has claimed over 60,000 lives. Security forces are also on high alert this week as the rebels prepare to mark the 20th anniversary Thursday of their first suicide attack. Gotabaya out of country Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse left the country Saturday on an unscheduled visit leading to speculation it was a reflection of growing concern in government circles of the international pressure on the human rights situation.Rajapakse left the country with his family.His departure came in the backdrop of growing controversy over his role as Defence Secretary with former Port Development Minister Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi, also having made a police complaint 48 hours earlier accusing him of an assassination attempt.The UN Security Council too discussed the Sri Lankan situation last month with France calling for a more pro active role by the International Criminal Court of Justice.Last week also saw 50 US Congressmen writing to President George Bush urging for stepped up action in Sri Lanka and urging an end to extra judicial killings and human rights abuses by both parties to the conflict.The Morning Leader learns there are no immediate plans by the Defence Secretary to return to the country. However sources at the Defence Ministry told The Morning Leader there are unconfirmed reports he is expected to return on July 15. TNA parliamentarians to meet Mr. Klas Molin Deputy Director General of South Asia The Parliamentarian delegation of the Tamil National Alliance will be meeting Mr. Klas Molin, Deputy Director General, Head of division of South Asia of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden on July 5th. R.Sampanthan MP is heading the TNA delegation to Europe, comprising parliamentarians Gajendrakumar Ponnampalam,TELO President Selvam Adaikkalanathan, Suresh Premachandran and Mavai Senathriajah, is currently in Oslo. After the meeting with the Swedish Foreign Ministry officials, the delegation is expected to meet Mr. Vidar Helgesen, Secretary General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance(IDEA) on 06th.In their visit to Denmark the Tamil Parliamentarians are expected to meet the head of the Asia Pacific Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.The TNA MPs are also expected to visit Finland. Sri Lanka police arrest ex-air force officer, 5 security personnel for civilian abductions Sri Lankan police have arrested a former air force officer, a serving airman and four police officers for their alleged involvement in civilian abductions, a government spokesman said Wednesday. The suspects were arrested last month after initial investigations suggested they were linked to several abduction and extortion cases, government security spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said. He did not elaborate, saying investigations were still pending.It was not immediately clear if the air force officer was in service when the alleged crimes were committed, where the civilians were abducted from, or how many people the men allegedly abducted. No indication was given that the abductees were ethnic minorities on this island nation riven by a separatist conflict. The Civil Monitoring Committee, a group that campaigns against abductions, says at least 140 people, mostly minority ethnic Tamils, have been abducted from the capital, Colombo, in the past year, 18 of whom were subsequently found dead. Some of the abductees were released after relatives paid huge ransoms, while others never returned despite the payment of large sums, the committee says. Sri Lanka's Human Rights Commission says it has received reports of hundreds of people having disappeared from the north and east in the past year. Violence has spiked between government troops and separatist Tamil guerrillas since December 2005, claiming more than 5,000 lives and taking the toll from the two-decade separatist war past 70,000, according to European peace monitors.United Nations and many international and local rights groups voiced concerns last month over the country's deteriorating human rights, and urged the government to act to prevent abductions and killings. Govt. not in full control of east say LTTE The LTTE yesterday said that although security forces personnel dominated more areas in the east, the government has yet to gain full control of the area.LTTE Military Spokesperson, Irasaiah Illanthiriyan told The Morning Leader that clashes were still going on in certain areas in the east and that there was heavy military presence as well."Government troops and the government are making a lot of noise of what’s going on in the east and have even released media footage. If the troops have gained control in the east, then there should not be any firing taking place," he said.Denying statements made by the government that the LTTE leaders in the east were fleeing the area, Illanthirayan said the LTTE was engaged in tactical movements."It is not about losing or gaining control. As I said, if the government has gained control, then there should not be any fighting. But there is fighting going on in the east," he said.He also observed that it was not easy to gain total control of the east."It is not possible in the east and it has not been possible for past several years," he added.Illanthiriyan, citing an example of the clashes said, the clash between the LTTE and the STF in Ampara resulted in the death of one STF personnel whose body was handed over by the LTTE."The Sri Lankan troops dominate more area in the east, but have not gained control of the area," he asserted. Japan urges Govt. and UNP to workout solution Japan’s special peace envoy Yasushi Akashi has urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to bring about a final solution to the North East conflict through the All Party Conference (APC), the Daily Mirror learns.Following the Co-chairs meeting in Oslo on June 26, Mr. Akashi had contacted both leaders over the phone and urged them to go for a final solution through the APC as soon as possible, a top diplomat told the Daily Mirror.He said during the Co-chairs meeting the European Union, Norway and the US had been negative on the role of the APC, claiming it might be a one sided proposal. But, it is learnt that, Japanese envoy Akashi had protested and insisted that Sri Lanka could find a final solution for the decades long conflict only through the APC.“Mr. Akashi had argued with other co-chairs on the issue, and presented his observations during his recent visit to Sri Lanka and the outcome of meetings he held with Sri Lankan leaders,” the diplomat said.He said Mr. Akashi had told other co-chairs, who already claimed that the ongoing peace process was at a ‘deadlock’ as both the government and the LTTE were not interested in a political solution, that the APC proposal would be a collective agreement of all parties.During the discussions, the four nations had decided to insist on both the President and the Opposition Leader to speed up the finalization of the APC proposals. It is also learnt that the EU, Norway and the US had asked Mr. Akashi to discuss with both leaders in this regard. EPDP and Karuna Group clash in Chengkaladi A Karuna Group paramilitary member was killed and two Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) pararmilitary personnel were wounded when the two groups, attached to the Kommaathu'rai Sri Lanka Army (SLA) base in Chengkaladi in Batticaloa, clashed Wednesday evening around 5:00 p.m., Ea'raavoor Police said. The Karuna group has been harassing the EPDP, the only paramilitary group established in SLA controlled areas of both North and East, against carrying out campaign activities in Batticaloa district for the last two months. Five Karuna group personnel entered the premises of the EPDP camp, charged grenades and fired at their house, wouding two EPDP personnel, Sivagnanam Suthaharan, 23, and Kovinthan Vishnu, 21. Sri Lanka Army troopers providing security to both the camps had to fire at the hostile attackers to control the fight, Police said. A Karuna Group member was killed. He is yet to be identified. The wounded EPDP personnel were rushed to Batticaloa Teaching hospital. Kommathu'rai SLA base is the largest camp, located between Batticaloa and Vazhaichcheanai. The clash between the paramilitaries comes in the wake of LTTE's withdrawal of its conventional forces from its former strongholds in Batticaloa and Trincomalee and Colombo planning to conduct an election in the East. Karuna group has banned dissemination of most editions of Tamil newspapers from Colombo in Batticaloa. Both the EPDP and the Karuna Group personnel have been engaged in distributing their newspapers in the district from different SLA checkposts in Batticaloa city. TULF seeks Tamil Nadu help Leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) V. Anandasangaree has sought cooperation of the leaders and the people of Tamil Nadu, irrespective of their political affiliations, to help “liberate” the Tamil people of the North and East from the subjugation of the LTTE and to find a reasonable solution to the ethnic problem.“Tamil Nadu can play a pivotal role in finding peace for the Tamils across the Palk Straits, by putting pressure on the LTTE to accept the Indian Model, taking into serious consideration the immense hardships caused by them to the Tamils in several ways for well over 23 years.“The LTTE is the main force that deprived the democratic and fundamental rights of the Tamils in Sri Lanka and considerably eroded into their human rights also. If a public announcement is made by the LTTE accepting the Indian Model, the political solution is just at our doorstep and the country as a whole will be in a mood to accept it,” Mr. Anandasangaree said in an appeal as reported on the Government information website.He said Tamil Nadu should act “with care and caution” in its dealings with the ethnic problem and also should not “get swayed” by the emotional speeches made by some politicians who make speeches to “incite the public with no concern for the negative reflections on Sri Lanka”.“It is therefore obligatory on the part of the leaders on both sides to see that the people on either side are not prejudiced by the words and deeds of any one of them, although there is a determined effort by some parties with vested interest to keep the Sinhalese and the Tamils of Tamil Nadu far apart and keep on prejudicing their minds against each other. Tamil Nadu has to understand the various realities comprehensively and could help us to solve the problems of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.” The TULF leader said as the Indian Government also did not support the idea of a separate nation, Tamil Nadu can play a “balanced constructive role to reconcile the national interests” of India and the basic aspirations of the Tamils in Sri Lanka.“The LTTE has forfeited their credibility to speak for the Tamils of Sri Lanka by their atrocious activities perpetrated on the innocent Tamil civilians who have been living like slaves, for several years, amidst constant fear and tension. “The recklessness, with which the LTTE cadres act, is the main cause of the large scale displacement of the people.” Grenade attack on civilian home in Vavuniya Unknown assailants hurled a hand grenade at the house belonging to a Vavuniyaa trader located in Goodshed Road at 9:00 p.m. Tuesday, Police said. The explosion did not cause injuries or damage to any property, police added.Police suspect the incident to be related to ransom demand on the local trader.Threats to and extortion of money from local traders by paramilitaries have been on the decline in recent weeks in Vavuniya, and the Police are concerned at the re-emerging signs of ransom demands, civil sources in Vavuniya said. SLMM in crucial talks with LTTE The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and the LTTE were holding crucial discussions in Kilinochchi yesterday and today even as there seemed to be no let up in the escalating violence between Government troops and the rebels in the North and East.SLMM head Lars Johan Solvberg and spokesman Thorfinur Omarsson were scheduled to hold discussions with LTTE peace secretariat head S. Pulithevan and several other top rebel officials yesterday on various aspects relating to the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) and its monitoring.“This is a routine meeting but the first top level visit for some time. Several issues are to be discussed,” Mr. Omarsson told the Daily Mirror. The SLMM delegation was scheduled to stay in Killinochchi overnight and return to Colombo later today. Last Thursday the SLMM met the Government peace secretariat and discussed the need for fresh approaches to generate greater confidence in the monitoring. Both sides discussed the necessity to increase the number of international monitors within the SLMM to bring it back to its previous strength. It was suggested that the SLMM look into the reasons for the reduction of monitors in the field and endeavour to correct the situation with the LTTE declaration which had led to the departure of Nordic monitors from the European Union, being in itself a violation of the CFA. The SLMM was also asked to look into the possibility of helping to ensure the resumption by the ICRC of its sea operations to bring humanitarian aid to the North. These had been suspended last year on security grounds. The Head of Mission was in Norway recently for meetings with representatives from the contributing countries which resulted in the strengthening of the SLMM cadre.Speaking at the weekly defence briefing yesterday Government defence spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella ruled out reports of any fresh initiatives by the Norwegians to revive the stalled peace talks and insisted that the Government position on negotiations remained unchanged.There were reports earlier this week indicating that the Government had invited Norway to resume peace talks but Minister Rambukwella insists there was no such fresh request as the Government always remained committed to resuming peace talks.“The Government will continue with all measures in the best interestS of national security but at the same time we have said we have no problem with Norway continuing its peace efforts. There has not been any fresh request to Norway,” Minister RambukwellA said.The defence spokesman also recalled that while Britain and other countries took stiff action in the best interest of national security to contain terrorism those governments did not draw criticism as much as the Sri Lankan government had to face. 04 July 2007 Sri Lankan foreign minister arrives in India Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohita Bogollagama arrived here Tuesday on a two-day visit during which discussions will be held on ways to revive the faltering peace process in the island nation.Although it's a private visit, Bogollagama is likely to meet National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan and some senior diplomats in the external affairs ministry Wednesday, sources said. He is likely to press India to supply Sri Lanka much-needed defence equipment in view of the escalating violence engineered by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the island nation. India may agree to supply 'defensive equipment' to Sri Lanka, but is opposed to selling lethal military hardware due to political sensitivity of the issue in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Sri Lanka has hinted that it will approach Pakistan and China to meet its needs for military hardware if India does not meet its requirements. New Delhi has predictably opposed such a suggestion, but has conveyed to Colombo that it may supply some defensive equipment like high technology radars. 'We are a big power in the region. We do not want the Sri Lankan government to go to Pakistan or China. Whatever be their requirements they should come to us,' Narayanan was quoted saying last month in a section of the media. A proposal for coordinated patrolling of the maritime area in the Palk Straits is likely to figure in the discussions. Bogollagama heads back home Wednesday evening. Bomb scare in Vauxhall Street Regular business at Vauxhall Street in Slave Island came to a virtual standstill yesterday morning due to a bomb scare after security forces on a tip-off searched a lorry for explosives. A lorry transporting a load of tea was halted by the police on suspicion and was subjected to a thorough search for several hours by the Special Task Force Bomb Disposal Squad which was immediately summoned to the scene. Each and every part of the lorry and its consignment were searched for hours but the police could not find anything suspicious. Three Tamil nationals including the driver of the vehicle were taken in for questioning Three soldiers killed in a claymore explosion rigged on to a well Three soldiers have been killed due to a claymore explosion at Madavainthakulam area in Vavuniya at around 2.30 yesterday(3).It was stated by the Vavuniya police that a military sergeant was also present among the three and that a claymore has been set by the LTTE near a well which is used by the military for bathing.The Vavuniya police and the Army are conducting investigations on the incident. Sri Lanka jets bomb rebel bases, troops ambushed Sri Lankan warplanes pounded Tamil Tiger targets in the east on Tuesday and three soldiers were killed in a suspected rebel ambush, the military said.The ambush came hours after the air raids on a jungle area called Toppigala in the restive east when military is driving rebels from territory they have held under a now crumbling 2002 ceasefire."In support of our ground operations, the air force took two suspected LTTE targets west of Toppigala," said military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe.The soldiers were killed by a fragmentation mine, of the type commonly used by Tiger rebels, in the northern town of Vavuniya. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were not immediately available for comment.Earlier, the military said soldiers had killed four rebel fighters in an overnight clash along the forward defence lines that separate government from rebel-held territory in the island's far north. The clash in the northern Jaffna peninsula was the latest in a series of land and sea battles, ambushes and bombings that have killed an estimated 4,500 people since a new chapter in the two-decade civil war erupted last year."Troops confronted the enemy by the forward defence lines in Muhamalai. Four LTTE cadres were killed," Samarasinghe said. "Our troops can see the bodies but have not recovered them because of minefields."Fighting is now focused on the north, where the Tigers run a de facto state after the government evicted them from swathes of territory they controlled in the east.The Tigers, who see themselves as the army of the separate state they are fighting to establish, say they have now switched to guerrilla tactics and will continue to battle security forces in the east. Banning LTTE will increase its Diaspora funding: DEW Constitutional Affairs Minister and Communist Party General Secretary D.E.W. Gunasekera said yesterday that the LTTE cannot be defeated politically although it is defeated militarily. Minister Gunasekera made this point at a ceremony held to mark the 64th anniversary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka in Colombo yesterday. Mr. Gunasekera explained that there was an ethnic problem in the country and that there should be a solution to it. “There should be devolution of power within a united country,” he pointed out. He then explained that this issue had started during the tenure of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and turned into a bloody conflict during the J.R. Jayewardene The Communist Party stalwart said the problem had not been solved although both sides had been fighting for almost 25 years.“Prabhakaran is not the architect of the national issue although many think that he started it,” the Minister said. He said two new factors have emerged as obstacles to a political solution and the present impasse could be traced back to the so-called SLFP-JVP MoU. “The situation has become complex and potentially dangerous. Chauvinism has become a dominant trend in politics today,” he added. Minister D.E.W. Gunasekera however was hopeful that sanity would prevail within both the JVP and the JHU, paving the way for a political solution. “We have missed many opportunities in the past and if we miss it this time, we will have to co-exist with terrorism for ever,” he stressed.He appealed to the JVP to rediscover the problem in its true perspective, shed its feudalistic and chauvinistic thinking on the national question, in the broader interest of the country and return to the left movement.Touching on the recent happenings, he said he and several other Cabinet Ministers objected to the banning of the LTTE when the present government had mooted the idea. The Minister said Prabhakaran would have been happy if that happened as the Tamil Diaspora would have more willingly funded the LTTE. He expressed the same sentiments on the recent eviction of some Tamils from lodges in Colombo. "Four MPs' will cross over from UNP to Govt." - Minister Chandrasena Minister of Nation Building S. M Chandrasena revealed that four MP s' will be joining the government next week.He revealed this during a press gathering at the at the Ministry auditorium in Kolpitty.He further stated that these four MP s' have decided to join the government because the government has captured certain parts of the East from the LTTE and that they have vowed to carry on the government until April 2010.It was said that the government has taken steps to give these four ministers a cabinet portfolio, 2 non cabinet portfolios and a deputy minister post even though there are some issues regarding the posts that are to be given, MP Chandrasekara expresses his confidence that those will be sorted soon.He also said that due to this crossing over, the opposition leader Ranil Wickramasinghe might loose his 'opposition leadership' and that there is a possibility of him moving to another party and also that if he wants to secure his post the best thing is to support the government.For a question raised by a journalist as to whether the rumor that some of the main ministers in the government will be joining the UNP and the SLFP Mahajana wing is true, he said that all the MPs' are pleased about the president for working to take over the east from the LTTE, due to that there is no news of any minister leaving the government. He also stated that the decision taken by Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi to leave the government is considered as a foolish decision and that there isn't any one in the government who would do such silly things any more. Man arrested for robbery and abductions A young man from Kandy, Katukele who is allegedly involved in robberies, and having connections with under world gangs who had abducted Muslim businessmen to extort ransom was taken into custody by the CID in Colombo.Two suspects from Mawanella area who had maintained relations with the above suspect were also taken into custody by the CID.CID had informed Kandy police headquarters that the suspect Mohomed Farook Mohamed Jameel (23) was taken into custody.Meanwhile some young men from Kandy had made a complaint to Kandy police that the suspect Jameel had been abducted by an unidentified gang.On inquiry Kandy police Headquarters Chief Police Inspector Anuruddha Bandaranayake said that the suspect Jameel had been taken into custody by the CID. Sri Lanka on alert for Tamil Tiger attack anniversary Sri Lankan security forces are on high alert as Tamil Tiger rebels this week mark the 20th anniversary of their first-ever suicide attack with the threat of unleashing more deadly strikes. The island's prime minister has underlined fears that the ethnic Tamil guerrillas could be planning to celebrate with a bang, following the discovery in recent weeks of two trucks, each crammed with around a tonne of explosives. "The explosives in the truck were enough to destroy half of Colombo," Ratnasiri Wickremanayake told reporters shortly after the first truck bomb was found before it was detonated. In their northern de facto state, the Tigers will light coconut oil lamps and hold Hindu services for at least 260 rebels -- more than a quarter of them women -- who have blown themselves up in the name of an independent homeland. The first of these "Black Tigers" was a rebel known as Captain Miller, who drove a truck bomb into an army camp in the Jaffna peninsula on July 5, 1987, killing 40 soldiers. Initially inspired by Islamic militants in the Middle East, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have earned a reputation as the world's deadliest suicide bombers, claiming a long string of high-profile victims. As a result, the group has attracted widespread international condemnation -- and been designated as a terrorist organisation by both the United States and the European Union. Unlike their Islamic counterparts in the Al-Qaeda network, Tiger suicide operatives are driven by loyalty, and not religion. They are secular Hindus with a single-minded allegiance to their leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran. "It is difficult to fight Black Tigers because they have no respect for life -- not even their own," said retired army general Sarath Munasinghe. He describes the Black Tigers as a "protective armour" for the 35-year-old campaign to create a separate state for the island nation's ethnic Tamil minority. The deadliest suicide attack took place on October 16 last year when a Black Tiger drove a truck bomb into a transit point where 350 sailors were waiting to board busses in north-central Sri Lanka. At least 116 of them were killed. India banned the Tigers in 1992 after holding them responsible for the 1991 suicide bombing that killed former Indian premier Rajiv Gandhi, who as prime minister ordered Indian troops to disarm the rebels in 1987. Twenty years on, the Tiger recruits keep coming -- and the chosen few are entertained to a last supper with the 52-year-old Prabhakaran as a high point of a short but effective military career. Ever the masters of reinvention, the Tigers have now added an air force to their arsenal -- smuggling in light aircraft and bombing a military air base adjoining the island's only international airport in March. "Tigers are no doubt the masters of suicide bombings," said defence analyst Namal Perera. "If they use their Black Tiger expertise with the new air wing, it could have a devastating impact on the conflict." A retired top air force official who asked not to be named said he believed that the Tigers could soon use a flying bomb, even though up to now they have struck from the air and then flown back to their bases. The police and armed forces are understandably nervous. "Measures are underway to heighten our alert during the Black Tiger week," police spokesman Senior Deputy Inspector General Jayantha Wickramaratne told AFP. "We are taking all measures to eliminate the risk of terrorist attacks." "We are also seeking public cooperation for information regarding suspicious activity in their neighbourhoods." SLMM gets more monitors The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) has been strengthened with additional manpower to carry out their functions here more effectively, SLMM spokesman Thorfinnur Ommarson was quoted as saying by the Xinhua news agency. Omarsson said they will increase staff by 10 more monitors raising its strength up to 30 from the current 20 and five of them have already arrived in the country from non-EU Nordic countries. After the European Union’s decision to proscribe the LTTE as a terrorist organisation Tiger protests forced the EU monitors to abandon their mission here. Meanwhile, diplomatic sources denied reports that Norwegian Special Envoy Jon Hanssan Bauer or International Development Minister Eric Solheim was scheduled to visit the country shortly. “There is nothing on record of any travel plans by Special Envoy Bauer or Minister Solheim to Colombo,” the sources said brushing aside widespread speculation in the media. Government using CID to intimidate us: JVP The JVP yesterday charged the government was using the CID to intimidate its members in a bid to silence the party from objecting to the government’s high cost in maintaining its jumbo-sized Cabinet of more than 100 ministers.JVP parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa told Parliament that party member and Deputy Chairman of Committees Ramalingam Chandrasekeram had been subjected to such harassment when the CID had investigated the use of his official vehicles.Mr. Weerawansa charged that this act, which was a breach of the MP’s privilege, came as a result of the JVP constantly questioning details regarding the number of vehicles used by different ministers and officials.He said if the government was not behind the move, it should notify the House as to who gave the CID such an order. “We see this as an act to silence us,” he charged.However, Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle rejected Mr. Weerawansa’s allegations and said the government had no need to assign the CID to intimidate opposition MPs. The Minister requested Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara to probe the matter, but the Speaker did not give a ruling on it.MP Chandrasekeram said as Deputy Chairman of Committees his staff had been assigned two vehicles on lease.The MP said two weeks ago the CID had investigated the source of these vehicles and questioned the car sale owners from which the vehicles were leased.He said that following the investigation the CID had forwarded a report to Parliament Secretary General Ms. Priyani Wijesekera. 03 July 2007 Colombo should demonstrate CFA obligations -TNA in Oslo "It is time for Colombo to prove demonstrated commitment to February 2002 Ceasefire Agreement," said TNA who met Norwegian International Development Minister in Oslo Monday. Speaking to Media following their meeting with the Norwegian Ministers, "We emphasized the humanitarian situation prevailing in the Tamil districts and Colombo. We also brought to focus the fate of war affected, war displaced people in our homeland" TNA said adding that the dialogue between the TNA delegation and the Norwegian Minister was constructive. The TNA pointed out that since the signing of the ceasefire agreement, the IDPs are still languishing in welfare centers and refugee camps without any hope of returning to their lands. Foreign Development Minister Erik Solheim led the Norwegian delegation. The TNA delegation, led by its parliamentary group leader, Mr.R.Sampanthan(TULF), comprised parliamentarians Mr. Junior G.G.,TELO President Mr.Selvam Adaikkalnathan and Mr.Suresh Premachchandran. The TNA delegation leaving from Oslo to Other Europe Tuesday evening, sources added. Sri Lanka All Party Committee to bring a basic draft on power devolution in August Sri Lanka’s All Party Representative Committee (APRC) Chairman Minister of Science and Technology Tissa Vitarana says that a basic draft on power devolution as a solution to the ethnic problem will be released in the first week of August. The Minister said that the APRC is meeting weekly in the process of preparing proposals. He also said that the aim of the APRC is to create a common consensus among the various political parties that represent the APRC. All the political parties except major opposition United National Party (UNP) and the People’s Liberation Front (JVP) represent the APRC. The Co-Chairs of the Tokyo donor conference assisting Sri Lanka recently urged the government to bring proposals to solve the ethnic problem and also the UNP to return to the APRC and assist the process. SRI LANKA: Few can afford to buy at Jaffna's restocked markets Jaffna's town market is once again stocked, with many of its small retail shops bursting with canned and packaged goods and large bags of dried fish, lentils, dhal and rice. However, increasing numbers of Jaffna residents and the 40,000 internally displaced people in the district cannot afford them. When the A9 highway - the vital transport route linking the Jaffna peninsula to the rest of the country - was closed on 11 August 2006, the 150-plus trucks that daily delivered goods into and out of the district ceased operation. Jaffna became totally dependent on sea transport and limited air freighting for all its imported goods. S. B. Divaratne, commissioner general of Essential Services which has been running the sea transport operation, takes some pride in their shipping achievements over the past 11 months. "Adequate stocks are available in all basic food items, including medicine in Jaffna," he said. The commissioner general said 112,197 metric tonnes of essential food items had been transported by sea to Jaffna since September 2006 in more than 50 separate ship loads. While food stocks are up, the number of buyers is decidedly down. N. Pathmanathan, a shopkeeper in the Jaffna market told IRIN: "While I had shortages of food and other commodities soon after the closure of the A9, I have no problems getting goods now, it's just the costs are so much higher." In his 24 years as a shopkeeper, he said he had never seen the situation so bad. "I am only doing one quarter of the business that I did prior to 11 August 2006," he lamented. A short distance from the market at Rolex Restaurant, A. Sinnathurai, the head waiter, told a similar story. "We had to close this entire back room [half the restaurant's total space] because of a lack of customers," he said. "Business has dropped 50 to 60 per cent." According to the June Jaffna Food Security Bulletin (JFSB), a joint publication of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the UN Children's Agency (UNICEF), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), "food items are available. Market prices, however, are substantially more expensive than Colombo market prices." For example, June prices for bread and flour were 150 percent higher in Jaffna than in Colombo. Those for white rice and red rice 160 and 220 percent higher, respectively; for milk powder 110 per cent and kerosene 205 percent higher. Fishing hit High prices are only part of the problem. Since the A9 closure and with continuing security concerns on the peninsula, many of Jaffna's 600,000 residents and internally displaced persons (IDPs) no longer have productive livelihoods or reliable sources of income. The Jaffna District government agent, K. Ganesh, in a January situation report said 17,498 families, 9 percent of the population, are involved in fishing, but severe restrictions imposed by the Sri Lankan military have limited their ability to fish. "Fish production has slightly increased since the beginning of the year but is still only 10 percent of pre-conflict levels with the consequent impact affecting household livelihoods," according to the JFSB. Agriculture hit In the agricultural sector, according to the government agent's report, 96,525 families, 51 percent of the population, are farmers or farm labourers. Their ability to produce was hit hard by the lack of fertilizers and other farm inputs. In addition, some farmland was taken out of production because it was in areas designated high security zones, and some was mined. "Available land for paddy cultivation is 13,000 hectares for the last 'Maha' season, only 6,627 was cultivated," the JFSB said. And because of lack of agricultural inputs, "the average yield has dropped to 1.5 metric tonnes per hectare… compared to the usual yields of three to four metric tonnes per hectare." The situation in the livestock industry is not much better. According to FAO, the number of livestock, including poultry and cows, is only 34 percent of pre-conflict levels, though efforts are under way to replenish stock. Many livestock were killed in the conflict, and many farmers sold their stock when short of cash to buy essentials. Big price increases for fish, poultry, eggs These drops in fish and farm production have led to significant price increases. Fish, which was 150 rupees per kilo before 11 August 2006, is now 600. Chicken, which was 180 rupees a kilo, is now 700. Even an egg which was 7 rupees goes for 23 rupees - over three times the price. For many Jaffna residents, these former staples have now become luxury items. V.T. Selvaratnam, director of education for Jaffna District, told IRIN: "Given the food shortages and the high prices, even I and my family can only eat chicken once a month. How can poor families possibly cope?" An answer to that question was provided at Nanthurai welfare camp in Jaffna town. An IDP, Jasantha Arul Nasensan, who was displaced from Allaipiddy in August 2006, told IRIN: "Now we go to the market and see the pretty things," she said laughing with a group of a dozen or so other IDPs. "We do window shopping, because we don't have money to buy anything there." Media condemns attack on Thinakkural journalist In a suspicious turn of events, Thinakkural journalist K.P. Mohan who was undergoing treatment at the National Hospital in Colombo after being assaulted by a group of airmen was suddenly discharged last evening, even before fully recovering from his injuries.Mr. Mohan, who was admitted to Accident Services Unit on Thursday after being assaulted by a group of armed airmen in Fort, was treated for injuries to his neck area and right arm. His neck was in a brace while his right arm had a plaster cast due to the damages to the elbow muscle tissues. However, a visiting doctor had removed the neck brace on Saturday and the plaster cast the following day. According to Mr. Mohan, the doctor who had inquired about him from the ward doctor had discharged him last evening, despite the patient’s claims of persisting pain on the injured arm. Meanwhile, another incident occurred on Sunday morning, where an unidentified individual with a camera phone had come near the patient’s bed at around 6.20 am during the visiting hours and had behaved suspiciously. Although Mr. Mohan had complained of the incident to the police constable deployed for his protection, the PC had come to the ward only about one hour later, he said. Speaking to the Daily Mirror K.P. Mohan said because of these suspicious movements of strangers he felt a greater threat on his life. “I told the doctors about my pains, but they never listened to my requests for further treatment,” he said. He said that after cooperatiing with the security forces for a long time as a defence reporter he was ashamed of being harassed in this manner.The Fort Police have recorded statements from several airmen yesterday but further details were not divulged to the media. Meanwhile, condemning the assault on the journalist, the TNA yesterday said that it would raise the issue in Parliament this week.TNA Parliamentarian and TELO Jaffna MP S. Srikantha said, as a party, the TNA vehemently condemned the assault and harassment on journalist K.P. Mohan and would demand a reply from the government during the July session of lobby commencing from today. Media rights groups too claimed that incidents of harassment and disregarding by the security forces of the media accreditation cards issued by the Government Information Department have risen excessively. Issuing a joint statement, the Sri Lanka Working Journalists’ Association, the Sri Lanka Tamil Journalist Alliance, the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum, Federation of Media Employees Trade Union and the Free Media Movement yesterday said although the Government Information Director Anusha Pelpita had already informed the armed forces to accept the media accreditation card, the request had been in vain.K.P. Mohan, a regular defence correspondent for the Thinakkural for almost a decade is the second victim of harassment by the security forces in recent past, after Lakbima photojournalist Sajeewa Chinthaka was assaulted by a group of Navy personnel several weeks ago. Sri Lanka President seeks Rs. two billion damage from newspaper Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has demanded a compensation of Rs. two billion from the Editor-in Chief of the Lankadeepa Sinhala daily published by the Wijaya Newspapers Ltd. The letter of demand has been handed over to Siri Ranasinghe, the Editor-in Chief of the Lankadeepa newspaper by Counsel Sanath Wijewardhana on behalf of the President. The letter of demand mentions that the client has sought Rs. two billion for the damage caused by a newspaper report published in Lankadeepa on June 13 titling 'The President is going to destroy the country in the same way Hitler destroyed Germany.’ The article included a statement made by the Leader of Opposition Ranil Wickramasinghe at a public rally. The Counsel states that his client has advised to initiate legal action against the Editor-in-Chief, the Wijaya Newspapers Company and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe if the mentioned damage was not settled within 14 days. INTERVIEW-Sri Lanka rebels, renegades still recruit kids-UN Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels and a breakaway faction seen allied to the government are both still recruiting children as soldiers, despite pledges not to, UNICEF said on Monday.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who have vowed their ranks will be free of under-age soldiers by the end of this year, have recruited around 130 children since January, while a breakaway faction called the Karuna group has recruited around 70, the United Nations childrens' agency said."The LTTE does still continue to recruit children under the age of 18, despite commitments that they've made to stop," JoAnna Van Gerpen, head of UNICEF's Sri Lanka mission, said in an interview."We do see that there's been a reduction, but it's difficult to say that's because of the actual reduction in recruitment by the LTTE, or if that is because of an overall prevalence of fear within the community that prevents people from reporting."UNICEF lists 1,591 outstanding cases of Tiger under-age recruitment up to the end of May, and 198 Karuna cases.The Tigers argue that children in their ranks have lied about their age to join the fight for an independent state in the north and east of the Indian Ocean island.UNICEF has noted a sigificant drop in Tiger recruitment of children -- or youths under the age of 18 -- in recent months, and says releases of children from their ranks outstripped reported cases of new recruitment. FORCED RECRUITMENT? But the agency is worried by the Tigers' requirement that each family contribute at least one member to their forces, saying such recruitment is not voluntary and could increase pressure on children.The Karuna faction, which broke away from the mainstream Tigers in 2004 and whose armed fighters aid groups say operate freely in government-held territory in the restive eastern district of Batticaloa, is now outpacing its former comrades."They also continue to actively recruit," Van Gerpen said. "At this point the pace of recruitment by the Karuna faction is actually higher than the pace of recruitment by the LTTE.""Not only have they (the Karuna group) not fulfilled the commitments they made to stop child recruitment, but they've also obstructed UNICEF access to camps to monitor the situation. So at this point we do not feel they are operating in good faith."Rights groups and a UN envoy have accused elements of the military of helping to abduct children as soldiers for Karuna -- a claim the government has dismissed and says it is probing.But UNICEF sees no sign that President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government -- under growing international pressure amid a rash of human rights abuses blamed on security forces as a new chapter in the two-decade civil war escalates -- is tackling the issue. "The government did make a commitment to investigate possible support from the security forces to the Karuna faction that was implicitly supporting recruitment of children," Van Gerpen said."So far we have not seen any reports of progress of that investigation and we have also continued to observe children who are armed and are part of the Karuna faction moving very freely around the Batticaloa district," she added.The military has driven the Tigers out of swathes of land in the east in recent months, and the faction -- not officially registered as a political party -- has been allowed to set up political offices in areas heavily defended by the army.Both parties deny it, but analysts say Karuna fighters have worked with the army to battle the Tigers, proving an invaluable source of information on how to combat them on their own terms."Children ... are easily influenced by ideology. Physically they're still prepared to take orders from adults without questioning the rationale," Van Gerpen said."So they are a particularly susceptible group when it comes to recruitment for military factions such as the LTTE or the Karuna faction." LTTE hospital found The STF has detected an underground hospital run by the LTTE in the thick jungles of Pallikuduirruppu-Ittikulam off Sampur, an official said.The detection was made by an STF team that combed the jungles on a tip-off under the direction of SSP Kithsiri Dayananda.The underground two-block hospital building had been camouflaged with a green patch of grass grown on logs spread over the concrete roof.The STF team found mats, pillows, mattresses and an assortment of drugs inside the hospital. Among other things found outside the building was a water bowser fixed on a tractor-trailer, carrying in large letters: Methodist Church D.S.R. Sri Lanka ruling party dissidents to meet the Upcountry Tamil leader As another step of the series negotiations the Sri Lanka Freedom Party People’s Wing having with political parties, the leaders of the People’s Wing will meet the Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) on Thursday. A People’s Wing spokesperson said that its leaders Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Suriyaarachchi would discuss the Wing’s manifesto and the plans with the leader of the CWC Arumugam Thondaman. The leader of the CWC, the principal party that represents the Upcountry Tamils of Sri Lanka, traditionally has close association with Samaraweera. The People’s Wing has also sought dialogue with some more political parties including the United National Party (UNP) and the People’s Liberation Front (JVP). People’s Wing leaders met the UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe last Friday and the JVP had not responded to the request yet. 02 July 2007 Norway ready to revive Sri Lanka talks 'maximum support' The Sri Lankan government said that it is the duty of the government to provide the security of anyone coming to the country at the invitation of the government.Speaking to BBC Sandesaya Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said, "as far as the invitation and the facilities are concerned we will extend the maximum support".Violence has prevented diplomats from visiting the area. There's been an escalation of clashes between the two sides since peace talks failed last year, shattering hopes of reviving the 2002 ceasefire. US promised political solution “A political solution in two months time”, promised All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) Chairman, Tissa Vithar-ana, to United States representatives.” I told them we would arrive at a political solution in two months, when they asked me about a time frame,” Minister Vitharana told Lakbimanews referring to his communication. He said the APRC was meeting weekly and that the United National Party had agreed with the draft proposals presented by him. There are representatives from fourteen political parties participating in the on-going APRC deliberations.” It is imperative at least for the two main political parties to come to a consensus over the nature of a political solution,” he said, adding that the UNP had agreed in principle with his proposals. The Minister said that his proposals, and not those of the SLFP, formed the basis for the APRC. “Parties take up their positions in relation to each important section of my proposals and try to reach a consensus,” he said. He said the APRC waited for three weeks for the SLFP proposals, even after they were made public at the SLFP May Day rally. He said the constituent parties of the SLFP-led ruling coalition are participating in the APRC as members of the individual parties and “not as the Government”. India was earlier displeased over the SLFP proposals, which were viewed as a step backward from the 13th Amendment to the Constitution which envisaged the Provincial Council system. Richard Boucher, the US assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia who visited Colombo last month urged the government to pursue the ‘Vitharana Proposals’, in a subtle rejection of the SLFP proposals. Mangala’s invitation, TNA high command to decide Tamil National Alliance high command is to meet and take a decision over the invitation extended by Mangala Samaraweera on behalf of the SLFP-M for a meeting to discuss the current political situation. The high command of the TNA is to decide whether to send a positive or negative response to the invitation extended to them. They are also expected to determine the basis on which discussions could take place. Four civilians killed Survivor “There were eight of us and all the others fled while I went in to hiding. They spoke fluent Sinhalese and called out Sinhalese names.The survivor said that they were army soldiers and they attacked the fellow fisherman despite telling them that they were Muslims.“They beat a young boy to death “said the villager Accusations The Army Media unit denied accusations and said that this was a attack carried out by the LTTE.Deputy foreign minister Husain Bahila said that according to information received the LTTE is responsible for this attack. When questioned Bahila said that though the LTTE is not active in the area there may be a few carders with the capability to carry out an attack of this nature.Speaking to Sandeshaya a resident of Palliyagodella said that government parliamentarians had approached the villagers and told that the bodies could be released on condition that they will not accuse government security forcers for the killings. “TNA not in favour, SLMC welcomes move”Elections in East - Basil Presidential Advisor, Basil Rajapaksa was reported to have announced in Batticaloa last week of the government’s intention to hold local government elections in the Eastern province in the near future “in order to bring back democracy from the bottom level in the recaptured region”. Addressing a gathering at the inauguration of a hospital in Batticaloa, Mr.Rajapaksa said that the Sri Lankan military had been able to successfully regain most parts of the Eastern territory from the LTTE.It is reported that Sri Lankan forces in the Eastern province are now in the process of clearing the landmines buried by the LTTE members before fleeing the region. However, the Presidential Advisor’s announcement has generated different opinions from the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) - the two parties whose strong vote banks are based in the Eastern province.Coming down heavily on the decision to conduct election in the East, the TNA’s Batticaloa district parliamentarian K.Thangesvari described the move as yet another attempt by the government to undermine the political rights of the Tamils.Speaking to the (LN), she said: “thousands of people have been displaced due to the ongoing military offensives. Many have fled to India as refugees. Any election at this juncture would severely and adversely affect Tamil representation. As far as I can see this is collusion against the Tamils”“We were relieved when the Election Commission last week announced the postponement of the local government polls in the five war-torn districts of the North-East. Now the government has come up with different ideas” she added.The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress said it was prepared to face any form of election in the East. “We welcome the decision to hold elections in the East. It is the only way one can measure the popular support of a political party” the SLMC Secretary General Hasan Ali told LN “When we contested last time, our party won 11 constituencies out of the 13 areas predominantly populated by Muslims. We are willing to prove our political strength once again” Referring to the Tamil National Alliance’s aversion towards elections, Hasan Ali noted that Muslims were completely evicted from the North seventeen years ago and compelled to live as refugees scattered all around the island, yet they somehow voted for their favoured candidates.“The TNA should make use of this opportunity to go before the people and seek their mandate against the de-merger of the North-East which they oppose” Ali pointed out. Use Dignified Language, Bhagwati Tells Sri Lankan Official A former Indian chief justice who presides over an international panel overseeing probes into rights abuses in Sri Lanka has taken strong exception to a harsh attack on him by a top official in Colombo.P.N. Bhagwati said that Sri Lankan Attorney General C.R. de Silva made ‘very indiscreet observations’ while criticising reports put out by the International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP), which the Indian heads.De Silva ‘should not have made the very indiscreet observations,’ Bhagwati told IANS here. ‘He has every right to make his own submission or even to give a different opinion. As a judge, I have always welcomed dissent because dissent helps to discover the truth.‘But such criticism should be in proper language, respectful language. If it extends to abuse, it is wrong,’ added Bhagwati, 84, who headed India’s Supreme Court in 1985-86. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse set up IIGEP in February to oversee the investigations carried out by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, which came up in November 2006 to look into several high-profile human rights violations.This month, IIGEP, which also has eminent jurists from other countries, said the Presidential Commission had not made noticeable progress in investigating rights abuses and that its independence, timeliness and witness protection did not meet international standards.It also sought an international human rights monitoring mechanism to be set up in Sri Lanka or be invited to the war-torn country.In response, de Silva alleged that Bhagwati’s remarks were based on ignorance, were not in good faith and that it would have been far more prudent if Bhagwati had personally observed the proceedings of the Presidential Commission. Speaking in the Indian capital, Bhagwati found fault with de Silva’s language. ‘I don’t mind the attorney general criticising IIGEP, after all I represent the committee. It is not a personal thing. If he thinks we are wrong, he should say so in proper, dignified language.’Asked if he would talk personally to the attorney general, Bhagwati replied: ‘Why should I descend to this? I have all the support of my colleagues in IIGEP. We have the support of the (Sri Lankan) president.‘We are independent persons, what does it matter to us? I have an international reputation.’Soon after he was offered the job of heading a body of jurists from various countries to oversee investigations into growing human rights violations in the island nation, Bhagwati had told IANS in November last year that he would throw it off if there was interference in his work. Bhagwati maintained now that he had not studied the rights situation in Sri Lanka thoroughly.‘I have not really studied the situation, yet. It is just the beginning. The Presidential Commission of Inquiry has just started work.’But he made it clear that the job of international jurists, including him, was only to see if the investigations were being done properly and not to do any probing themselves. ‘Ours is a supervisory body.’Bhagwati explained that he had gone to Sri Lanka ‘twice or thrice, but every time only to organize the things’ related to IIGEP whose members, he said, were people of ‘high standing, independent and fair-minded’.Nearly 5,000 people have been killed and many more displaced in Sri Lanka since the end of 2005 in mounting violence for which the military, Tamil Tigers and Tamil groups opposed to the Tigers have been blamed. Brazen rights violations have led to global concerns over the Sri Lanka situation. Maldives jail LTTE arms smugglers The four LTTE suspects captured by the Maldivian coast guard while smuggling arms to Sri Lanka in Maldivian territorial waters mid May were sentenced to 15 years in jail yesterday by the Maldivian courts, reports from Male said.They were tried in court for crossing into Maldivian waters, disobeying orders by the coast guard, carrying arms aboard and attempting to shoot at fishermen. However, there was no immediate comment by the Maldivian Government whether the four suspects would be extradited to Sri Lanka for further investigations in keeping to a request by the Sri Lankan Government. On May 17, a Maldivian fishing trawler chased a boat of armed men in its territorial waters, under the belief they were illegal poachers. The fishermen were shot by the LTTE arms smugglers prompting the fishermen to alert the Maldivian defence officials on the matter. Arriving at the scene the Maldivian coast guard opened fire and sank the boat “Sri Krishna” carrying suspected Tigers after a 12-hour standoff at sea in Maldives’ southern territorial waters. The sinking of the vessel in Maldivian waters took a multilateral dimension when it was later revealed that “Sri Krishna” was a boat hijacked from Indian fishermen by the Sea Tigers in March. Consequently, on May 22, two teams from Sri Lanka and India arrived in Maldives for their own investigations into the incident and left the country following investigations | ||
