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31 July 2008 Manmohan Singh to hold talks with SLMC and TNA Member of European Parliament envisages converting Tamils to Buddhism "Frequently now I wonder whether Sri Lanka would have been a much more peaceful and much more homogeneous place if say 40% or so of the Tamil speaking population had been Buddhists and not exclusively Hindu or Christian. Is taking the Buddhist religion to Tamil people such a difficult task?" wonders Niranjan de Silva Deva-Aditya, Member of European Parliament (MEP) from U.K. and Honorary Ambassador-at-Large for Sri Lanka, in a statement after his recent visit to Sri Lanka as Vice-Chairman of the EU delegation. The Sinhala speaking MEP is tagged with a title, 'Vishwa Keerthi Sri Lanka Abhimani' (universally famous pride of Sri Lanka), bestowed onto him by the Buddhist clergy of Sri Lanka. The Conservative MEP, Mr. Niranjan de Silva, who is popularly known by his shortened name Nirj Deva, is also a member of the EU committees on Foreign Affairs, delegation for relations with India, delegation for relations with the countries of ASEAN and committee on development. The recent EU delegation to Sri Lanka, led by Robert Evans, Labour MEP and Chairman of the European Parliament's Delegation to South Asia, came down heavily on the Sri Lankan government, in its report last Friday.According to observers, the aim of the statement on Tuesday by Mr. Nirj Deva, was to clear him from the wrath of Sinhala extremists and media for being a part of the delegation and to reassert his sympathies with the Sinhala agenda. Mr. Nirj Deva has extensive business interests and owns property in Colombo. The delegation was forced to cancel its main program of visiting Trincomalee due to failure in deliberations between the delegation and the government in facilitating travel to Trincomalee.Briefing on the cancellation, Mr. Evans has said: “The last minute cancellation and a catalogue of chaos and confusion meant that the delegation did not fly to Trincomalee, despite repeated assurances and endless complications resulted in the party being turned back from Ratmalana Airport destroying months of preparation, time and expense."The report of the delegation read out by Mr. Evans at the press conference on Friday while condemning LTTE's violence and urging them to come to the democratic process, accusingly pointed out the Sri Lankan government's deficiency in defending human rights. The press briefing welcomed the beginnings of the democratic process in the East, but expressed concerns about disarming the 'former paramilitaries' and the continued use of child soldiers by them. On All Party Representative Committee (APRC) initiated by the Sri Lankan government to come out with constitutional means to resolve the Sri Lankan crisis, the delegation's view put forth by Mr. Evans was that the APRC is incomplete without the participation of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).Talking about threatened media, Mr. Evans mentioned the killing of 12 journalists and the continued detention of M. Tissainayagam. There was a veiled warning that Sri Lanka will not qualify for the GSP+ trade concessions, the way the pre-requisites such as human rights and other international conventions are handled at present by the government.Nirj Deva, who was part of the delegation, differed with the Chairman later. Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Nirj Deva, hit out at the EU delegation head for coming to Sri Lanka and attempting to preach democracy, reported Daily Mirror. He even apologised on behalf of the British Conservative Members of European Parliament for diplomatic failure in engaging Sri Lanka. Contradicting the spirit of the EU report, Nirj Deva, in his 9-page statement, sympathetically 'advises' the Sri Lankan government to sort out at least one or two human rights cases so that it can be in the good books of the International Community. He was hinting at the cases of the killings of 5 youth and 17 aid workers in Trincomalee. He appreciates the 'mature parliamentary democracy' and 'visible independent judiciary' in Sri Lanka. He says that the Government of Sri Lanka's "remarkable achievement" in resettling "over 90%" of the Internally Displaced People of the East in a short time should be acknowledged.The facts and figures brought out on 23rd July by TNA leader R. Sampanthan in the Sri Lankan Parliament on the plight of IDPs and planned Sinhalicisation in the East in recent times totally contradict the claims of Nirj Deva. Mr. Nirj Deva is a dual citizen of U.K. and Sri Lanka. He is proud of his Sri Lankan heritage. He claims that he has great affection for Sri Lanka. He also cites to his Rajput origins from North India. "It is an irony that having so much attachment to his own 'identities', he fails to see that it is an insult and perhaps a blasphemy to expect the Tamils to change an identity of theirs, just because the Sri Lankan state has failed in coming out with a viable model of nationalism," commented a leading Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian to TamilNet. "This is in line with the Sri Lankan state thinking that by Sinhalicising and Buddhicising the Tamil homeland the Eezham crisis could be resolved.""The views of such politicians in handling Sri Lankan affairs at such a crucial stage of the crisis, gravely undermines the credibility of the European Union," he further said. Sri Lanka seeks nuclear reactors from India Mundampiddy regained, section of the Thunukkai -Vellankulam road captured Security Forces have taken full control of Mundampiddy, marking the liberation of LTTE defences south of Vellankulam while capturing a section of Vellankulam-Thunukkai road from the east of Vellankulam, defence authorities said Tuesday (29) citing reports from Mannar-Vavuniya fronts.Troops operating north of Illuppaikaddavai have taken control of the LTTE defence line south of Vellankulam. According to sources the LTTE defence line was established covering the two branches of the Pali Aru flowing to the sea from south of Vellankulam.The Forces also captured areas east of Vellankulam as they captured the Vellankulam –Thunukkai road which was used by the LTTE as a main supply route to feed their cadres operating north of Mannar along the North Western coast. Military sources also added that this is the first instance after the early 1990's that the Security Forces captured a section of the Thunukkai -Vellankulam road. These claims could not be verified independently. Military: Sri Lanka bombs rebel base Sri Lankan air force jets bombed and destroyed a base used by Tamil Tiger rebels early Wednesday as new battles in the civil war killed 24 people, the military said. The airstrike targeted a training center used by the so-called Black Tigers and took place deep inside rebel territory, said military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara. The pilots confirmed destroying the base, he said. Other fighting Tuesday across the front lines in the north killed 20 rebels and four soldiers, he said. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan was not immediately available for comment. Both sides routinely exaggerate enemy casualties and underreport their own. Independent verification of the fighting is not possible because journalists are barred from the war zone. The new fighting erupted despite the rebels' declaration that they would observe a unilateral cease-fire starting Saturday in honor of an upcoming summit of regional leaders in Colombo. The rebels have said, however, they would defend themselves if the government attacks. The government has rejected the cease-fire gesture and continued its offensive against their de facto state in the north, saying the rebels are trying to buy themselves time to regroup after a series of battlefield losses. The Tamil rebels have been fighting for an independent state in the north and east since 1983, following decades of marginalization by governments dominated by the Sinhalese majority. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict. Fighting escalated in recent months after the government vowed to crush the rebels by the end of the year. Top LTTE operative arrested in India A qualitative-quantitative improvement in the Army TNA MP’s Bodyguard Shot in Kalawanchikudy 30 July 2008 Indian PM won’tmeet Pillayan THE Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh will not meet the Chief Minister of the Eastern Province, S. Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan but will meet Tamil National Alliance (TELO,TULF,ACTC and EPRLF) Leader R. Sampanthan and Tamil Democratic National Alliance (TDNA) Chief, V. Anandasangaree. The Morning Leader learns the TMVP, the party of Pillayan had made a formal request on behalf of the Chief Minister to meet the Indian Premier during the SAARC Summit. Informed sources said the Prime Minister however will not meet Pillayan but an audience may be given to him by Secretary to India’s External Affairs Ministry, Shiv Shankar Menon. The JVP had earlier alleged India backed and pressed for Pillayan’s appointment as Chief Minister of the Eastern Province to get an economic stranglehold in the area, a charge New Delhi has scoffed at. It is learned the Indian Prime Minister will however meet a TNA delegation led by Sampanthan and a TDNA delegation headed by Anandasangaree. Further the Indian Prime Minister will also have discussions with UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, CWC Leader Arumugam Thondaman and Muslim Congress Leader Rauf Hakeem on the current political developments in the country. Informed sources said the Indian Prime Minister will not meet Pillayan to send a signal the Indian political establishment was still not ready to accept the TMVP’s political authority in a demerged Eastern Province and due to allegations of child recruitment and the party continuing to function as a para military outfit. The sources said a meeting at an official’s level was under consideration to impress upon Pillayan to fall within democratic norms if he is to get formal recognition from the Indian political establishment. SLAF fighter jets bomb Vanni Two Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers dropped at least four bombs Wednesday morning between 6:20 and 6:35 a.m. targeting a location southeast of Ki'linochchi, according to initial reports. The aerial strike comes as the Sri Lankan government has rejected to respect the unilateral ceasefire announced by the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in connection with the SAARC summit taking place in Colombo from 26 July to 04 August. A surveillance aircraft was circling over Vaddakkachchi and Ira'naimadu area from 3:00 a.m. before the bombardment took place. Further details were not available at the moment. Mannar Bishop asked to take over Madhu Shrine CWC big guns get suspended sentence for Contempt of Court Minister of Youth Empowerment and Socio Economic Development, General Secretary of the Ceylon Workers’ Congress Arumugam Thondaman yesterday received a 6-month jail sentence suspended for three years for contempt of Court.The sentence was handed down by Nuwara Eliya District Judge Ms Amali Ranaweera. Deputy Minister Muththu Sivalingam and former Provincial Council Member P. Radhakrishnan, co-defendants in the case, also received the identical sentence and fined Rs 1,000 each.The plaintiff in the case was former Parliamentarian and General Secretary of the Lanka United Workers’Front (LUWF). His charge was that despite a Court order made in 2006 declaring that S. Sathasivam was the rightful owner of a trade union office, the three defendants had trespassed into his office violating the Court order.Senior Attorney-at-Law Daya Perera appeared for Minister Thondaman and the two other defendants. Attorney-at-Law Sivan Jothi Yogaraja appeared for the LUWF. President Rajapaksa pardons Thondaman President Mahinda Rajapaksa granted a pardon to CWC leader Arumugam Thondaman -- who was found guilty of contempt of court and imposed a suspended sentence by the Nuwara Eliya Magisrate last morning. “Under section 34 of the Constitution, the President has granted a pardon to Mr. Thondaman,” an official from the Presidential Secretariat told Daily Mirror. The order was issued against Mr. Thondaman and two others last morning. The President granted the pardon that same evening.The Nuwara Eliya Magistrate had imposed a suspended sentence on Mr. Thondaman, Minister Muttu Sivalingam and CWC Provincial Councillor, V. Radhakrishnan after they were found guilty of contempt of court yesterday.Magistrate Amali Ranaweera imposed six months simple imprisonment, suspended for three years, on the three accused who had been charged with forcibly entering the former CWC office at No 21, Lady McCallum Road, Nuwara Eliya. The order was issued following a complaint made by Mr. S. Sathasivam, the secretary of the Ceylon Workers United Front (CWUF). The court also imposed a fine of Rs. 1000 on each of the accused and discharged the six other accused. In 2000, the former Deputy Chairman of the CWC and the present secretary of the CWUF had a dispute. On August 31, 2000 the Nuwara Eliya Magistrate issued an order directing that Mr. Sathasivam be allowed to use the said building. Later the CWC filed an application in the Court of Appeal against the said order. Meanwhile, a group of CWC members had forcibly entered the said building and Mr. Sathasivam had complained to the magistrate that the CWC had violated the court order and thereby the accused had committed contempt of court. Release order for Tamils detained without charges The Supreme Court yesterday (July 29th) ordered the release of Tamil detainees held in remand without charges, on a fundamental rights petition filed by the Ceylon Workers’ Congress. The FR petition was filed by the CWC in order to seek redress to Tamil nationals who were being rounded up and remanded presumably on suspicion of terrorist connections, but without charges being filed.The three member bench comprising of CJ Sarath N. Silva and Justices Shirani Thilakawardne and Sri Pawan, ordered all detainees be provided with necessary welfare and legal assistance. The Supreme Court also ordered that they be arranged through the Special Magistrate’s Court at Welikada prison for early release if there are no charges against them. It was revealed in Courts that 1,200 Tamil youth are held in remand custody without charges being filed against them.It was further ordered that the Special Committee appointed by the SC be given adequate publicity for the affected public to seek advice and assistance. The Committee comprises of representatives of the Attorney General, the IGP and two representatives of the CWC. CPI asks govt to renegotiate Katchativu pact with Lanka Left parties may have distanced themselves from the DMK in Tamil Nadu in the backdrop of the recent trust vote in Parliament, but that has not stopped them from toeing the Dravidian party’s line on several issues, especially diplomatic relations between India and Sri Lanka. The CPI on Tuesday asked the Centre to renegotiate the Katchathivu agreement of 1974 with the island nation, a demand which has been raised by the DMK, who maintain that the Katchathivu island should be taken back from Sri Lanka. The DMK has stepped up the demand in the wake of Indian fishermen being killed, allegedly by the Sri Lankan armed troupes. ‘‘This is a national issue. Not just of Tamil Nadu,’’ CPI national secretary D Raja told a press conference here on Tuesday, maintaining that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh must raise it at the Saarc summit beginning Friday at Colombo. Political circles, however, see the CPI move as an effort to grab the space used by the DMK and the MDMK in taking up the cause of Sri Lankan Tamils and fishermen from Tamil Nadu. Recently both the CPI(M) and the CPI had decided to snap their ties with the Sri Lankan Sinhalese party JVP, apparently to strengthen their base at Tamil Nadu. ‘‘The UPA government should reopen and renegotiate the Katchathivu agreement to ensure the rights of the Indian fishermen. The matter should be taken up on the sidelines of the upcoming SAARC Summit in Colombo,’’ Raja added. ‘‘The 1974 Katchathivu agreement, which allowed Indian fishermen to rest, fish and dry their nets on the islands, was amended by a 1976 executive order which took away those rights,’’ he complained. He said in Kanyakumari district alone, 67 fishermen had gone missing in the Palk Straits and the Centre is yet to react on it. LTTE tests boundaries as Wanni becomes untenable Entire population evacuates, 55 schools closed as Mannar falls to security forces In the wake of the intensified military onslaught and government forces taking control of virtually the entire Mannar district, over a hundred thousand people have evacuated their homes and moved to the heartland of LTTE-controlled Kilinochchi district as displaced refugees while about 55 schools in the Wanni region have been closed to accommodate the families, Tamil media and education ministry sources told the "Lanka-e-News".People in Mannar-Kilinochchi and Mannar-Mullaitivu borders are also evacuating their homes and moving as displaced refuges, the sources also said. Thirty-five (35) schools in the Mannar Madhu zone and 20 schools in both the Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi districts have been closed, the sources said. INGOs are quoted as having said that second term exams cannot be held and the education of several thousand students has been affected. The UNHCR and other international NGOs have expressed concern over difficulties encountered by them in transporting relief assistance to the affected people, primarily due to restrictions and slow pace of checking at the security forces' Omanthai check-point, the sources said. Sri Lanka: Some Thoughts on LTTE's Military Response - By Col R Hariharan (Retd.) During the last one week, Sri Lanka army has kept up its momentum of advance. According to defence sources, the troops of 57 Division are on the periphery of line Tunukkai-Mallavi, west of A9 highway. We can expect them to secure the line from Vellankulam on the coast to Mallavi during the course of the week The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)'s failed attempt to dislodge the security forces in area South of Vavunikulam tank by last Wednesday is significant. Vavunikulam is astride the Vellankulam-Mallavi-Mankulam road axis and provides a take off point to build up the threat to Mankulam on A9. Even if the LTTE had succeeded, at best it would have bought a few more days of respite. However, the fact is that the LTTE was beaten back at Vavunikulam with a body count of 29 LTTE dead.The LTTE counter attack probably did not have either the force levels required to stall the advancing troops or the fire power to unnerve them. The overwhelming size of the security forces offensive has cast the odds heavily against the LTTE. By present reckoning the LTTE at present can respond only fight defensive battles to save its shrinking territorial assets rather than mount a forceful offensive. The LTTE has to halt the troops in their tracks in a series of delaying actions, or build a major offensive to cut the advancing military's long line of communication at a place of its choosing. So can the LTTE do it? And if so, where will it do? These are questions which Sri Lankan operational planners must be looking at. It seems from the Sri Lanka Army Commander Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka's statement that he expects the LTTE leaders to be huddled in their Vanni bunkers in a bid to save themselves when the LTTE Heroes Day comes in November 2008. He probably implied that the security forces would secure the territory west of A9 road by then. The build up of a three-division offensive on a broad front extending the whole of Mullaitivu district from Vellankulam on the west to Welioya on the east could aim at making a sweep from west to east to make the line Pooneryn-Kilinochchi untenable for the LTTE to hold in the coming month. However this military conjecture is only one of wide options open to the security forces now.The LTTE appears to be responding in the way it knows best. Strategically, make a play internationally with an eye on drawing the overseas Tamil support, kindle Tamil Nadu's latent sympathetic embers, and step up killings and mayhem around Colombo and the heartlands of Sri Lanka. On the tactical front its actions are hazy and uncertain. The LTTE's damatic announcement on July 21 to "observe a unilateral ceasefire that is devoid of military actions during the period of the SAARC [South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation] conference from 26th July to 4th August and give our cooperation for the success of the conference" is undoubtedly part of this strategy to buy time and aspire for a sympathetic audience when international attention focuses on the 15th SAARC summit conference is held in Colombo.Apparently the LTTE gesture was laudable and would be welcomed by the people of Vanni who have been suffering immensely in the conflict. Tactically it would be unacceptable to the security forces when their offensive had made substantial progress and pose a real threat to the LTTE stronghold at Pooneryn/ Kilinochchi in the near future. A ceasefire even for 10 days would break the momentum of Sri Lankan advance. That would provide a vital breathing space for the LTTE forces now under tremendous pressure to recuperate their losses, tighten up defences and be prepared to respond to the security forces better. So it came as no surprise that the Sri Lanka government rejected the LTTE's unilateral ceasefire announcement. In any case past experience of the LTTE misusing such ceasefire periods does not endear anyone fighting it to accept such offers. (Even Indian army experience of such 'LTTE ceasefire' was similar). When the LTTE was fighting the earlier episode of the Eelam War, it declared one such unilateral ceasefire on December 24, 2000 that continued up to April 2001. Even then the Sri Lanka government was cautious in its response, despite international efforts to initiate mediation. Barely three months later, in July 2001 came the daring LTTE Black Tiger raid on Katunayake airport crippling the civilian airlines and destroying substantial air force assets shocking the whole nation. Armies the world over go by lessons of war learned with their own blood and sweat. And Sri Lanka is no exception.As far as the international audience is concerned, the number of ears sympathetic to the LTTE is dwindling. The global attitude to terrorism has changed. For all intents and purposes many nations consider the LTTE a terrorist organisation regardless of semantic arguments. Its international credibility is perhaps at the lowest now thanks to the nerve wracking experience of nations in handling terrorists of various kinds. Even those nations that do not call or consider the LTTE a terrorist body are cautious about coming out in support of the LTTE as they used to do in the 90s. So in reality the LTTE probably had no great expectations of any positive international response to its announcement. The LTTE's strategic campaign among expatriates works best on an audience prone to be sympathetic to its cause. To augment its support base the LTTE will have to win over those who respond to the cause of Tamil autonomy but find the LTTE style of working abhorrent. This is what the LTTE is attempting among the Tamil expatriates at the large Pongu Thamizh public gatherings marshalled in key European capitals with strategically positioned LTTE flags and Prabhakaran portraits to catch the visual media. To make this strategy work the LTTE will have to do more than use its muscle power it had exercised among the expatriates all these years.The LTTE's autocratic style has limited political appeal for expatriates who are enjoying the fruits freedom in democratic societies where they live. However, all these years they were impressed with its innovative conventional and unconventional operational skill. However, that fundamental military credibility on which the LTTE's reputation is built has now been shaken in the Eelam War-4. So the LTTE has to prove its military muscle in the war; and so far this is being weakened further with every success of the security forces. The best option for the LTTE is to look for an external power to bale it out of the war mess. In the past India, which has been sympathetic to the cause of Sri Lanka Tamil autonomy, did intervene in their favour till the LTTE shot itself in the foot when its assassin exploded the suicide bomb to kill Rajiv Gandhi. There were reports of India planning to induct substantial strength of Indian forces for the security of its Prime Minister during the SAARC conference. Immediately, the anti Indian lobby in Sri Lanka became vocal in their objection. Though the LTTE did not do so, it must have been really worried because Indian military intrevention for whatever apparent reason was the last thing it would like. So the LTTE's unilateral ceasefire announcement was also probably prompted by this desire ease India's apprehensions.The ceasefire was also timed to coincide with the increasing incidents of Indian fishermen coming under the attack of Sri Lanka navy reported in Tamil Nadu. Such reports are stirring up the sentiments of Tamil population in India. When public sentiments are roused the technicalities of Tamil Nadu fishermen poaching in Sri Lanka waters or smuggling essential goods for the LTTE in the war zone are not considered germane to the larger interests of Tamils. So the LTTE stands to gain as long as this issue is on the boil. And as the battle progresses, we can expect the LTTE to offer more incentives for Tamil Nadu fishermen to lure them to smuggle supplies vital to survive and fight. With the security forces dominating the Mannar coast more and more such efforts could spark more flashpoints of attack on fishermen. How the Tamil Nadu government responds to such incidents is going to become crucial in the coming weeks. The Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi extended the whole hearted support of the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) to the ruling coalition in Delhi when the recent vote of confidence for the Manmohan Singh government came up in Indian parliament. Having proved his credentials as a dependable ally, with the parliamentary polls coming up after four months the DMK leader can be expected to retain his strong links with the Congress party to fight his bệte noire Miss J Jayalalitha of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK). As the elections get closer, he will have to reiterate his credentials as a leader of the Tamils sympathetic to Sri Lanka Tamil cause. So the LTTE will have a difficult task to do the extra mile to enrol even his covert support unless it looks like the winning side in the war.So the LTTE's war is looking loaded against it both strategically, and tactically. Can Prabhakaran pull the rabbit out of his hat to turn the war? And it is a tough take for anyone because that is a 64 dollar question. US to provide 430 mn dollars for undersea power transmission The United States Energy Aid Fund (USEAF) will provide USD 430 million for proposed high tension under sea power transmission line from Madurai in South Indian to Talaimannar. This power supply project from India is in response to a request made by the Sri Lankan government during the 14th SAARC Summit held in New Delhi last year. Under the Indo-Lanka Regional Co-operation agreement, the project will supply 1,000 MW of power to Sri Lanka. The government is optimistic that Sri Lanka will be able to supply power to India after 2015 as the major power-generation plants now being built would be commissioned by the, Power and Energy Minister W. D. J. Seneviratne told The Island.Seneviratne said that Sri Lanka was beginning to experience unexpected power crisis as 56 per cent of power-generation plants were being operated using costly diesel.He said that the Indo-Lanka Power Transmission Line would avert a major energy crisis in Sri Lanka to a great extent and the government was constrained to impose some restrictions on power consumption by domestic, industrial and transport sectors. The Energy Ministry was able to utilise some alternative energy sources for power generation. Minister Seneviratne said that around 300 houses in Galigamuwa in Madalla Divisional Secretariat area in the Monaragala would be supplied with electricity through solar power, which was 100 per cent environment friendly. He emphasized that the ongoing SAARC Summit, under the Chairmanship of Sri Lanka, would take important decisions on the development of energy sectors of the South Asian countries. The Summit would discuss effective energy conservation, fuel rationalization on transport, ways of meeting the electricity demands and supplying of uninterrupted of electricity to all people. 29 July 2008 Israel cancels export of military armaments to Sri Lanka? -Report Mahanayaka Thera supports media Losing democratic rights Poddala Jayantha said, “suppression of media has left public without reliable information and this is a sign of losing democratic rights”. The journalists requested the prelate to intervene and advise the politicians against the attacks on free media.“Maha Nayaka Thero is aware of the incidents and told us that he will request the president to take action to stop attacking media”, said Poddala Jayantha Journalists working for state television network were attacked following an incident involving Minister Mervin Silva last December. Human Rights organisations have blamed the government for not arresting the perpetrators and punish those responsible for the attacks. LTTE to hand over dead body of SLA DPU soldier LTTE officials in Ki'inochchi on Monday said a unit of the Peoples Force of Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (PF-LTTE) had recovered the dead body of a Sri Lanka Army Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) soldier who was killed following the recent attack in Kokkaavil where Deputy Planning Director of Poonakari Divisional Secretariat, Santhalingam Vimalakumar, was slain in a Claymore attack on Friday. Meanwhile, four of the thirty dead bodies were handed over to the LTTE through the ICRC by the SLA, were not identified as belonging to LTTE fighters, the Tigers said. LTTE's NGO and U.N. Liaison Officer M. Pavarasan has said that the faces of some of the identified LTTE fighters dead bodies were not in a preserved state. The LTTE was making preparations to handover the dead body of the SLA soldier who was clad in LTTE uniform when he was confronted by the Peoples Force of the LTTE. The LRRP of the SLA is known as Deep Penetration Unit (DPU). LTTE given back bodies of fighters Indian govt. failed to protect fishermen – Vaiko SLA offensive repulsed in Paalamoaddai - LTTE Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials in Vanni told media Monday that a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) ground movement in Paalamoaddai in Vavuniyaa into LTTE controlled territory was repulsed by the Tigers after confrontations that lasted from 3:35 p.m. till 4:45 p.m. Five SLA soldiers were killed and seven wounded in the confrontations, according to LTTE officials. The fighting broke out when the SLA forces entered the LTTE territory after heavy shelling. LTTE fighters engaged in defensive fighting and pushed back the SLA troops at Paalamoaddai, the Tigers said. Karuna welcomes India to East TMVP leader Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman said yesterday he welcomed Indian investments to develop infrastructure projects in the Eastern Province. In the backdrop of sharp attacks by the JVP, JNP and other parties on India’s alleged plans to get a foothold in the Eastern Province, Karuna told Daily Mirror investments whether from India or elsewhere should be directed through the central government.India has invested heavily in the Trincomalee oil farm, coal power and other projects Karuna who was recently deported from Britain after serving a prison term there for illegally entering that country, said as a first step towards rehabilitating TMVP cadres, some 200 would be recruited to the Civil Defence Force by the end of next month and documentation had been completed in this regard. “If there are people with required qualifications, they will be absorbed into the Sri Lanka Police Service later. We had negotiations on this with the Defence Ministry,” he said. Referring to the All Party Representative Committee (APRC), Karuna said his party was currently preparing its devolution proposals to be handed over to the Committee and noted that he would not insist on police powers for the province, but would demand adequate powers for education, lands and development work. “I am planning to meet various ministers to discuss development activities in the eastern province. Recently, I had talks with Provincial Health Minister M.L.A.M. Hizbullah,” he said and added that he would be making arrangements to resolve the paddy lands issue between Tamils and Muslims as communal harmony was vital for the development of the east.Referring to the teacher shortage in the East, Karuna said Education Minister Susil Premajayantha handed over appointments to 480 graduates in Batticaloa yesterday and he assured that 125 voluntary teachers in the area would be made permanent soon. The East being secured shut TULF Leader V.Anandasangaree asks the LTTE to lay down weapons and enter the democratic path TULF Leader V.Anandasangaree sent an open letter to the leader of the LTTE V.Pripaharan and asked to declare five declarations to end the ongoing civil war and find a solution for the ethnic issue.He asked a permanent unilateral ceasefire, lay down arms to find solutions for the ethnic problem, give up idea of the separatism, accept seven heads of the SAARC countries as arbitrators and accept their solutions to form a united Sri Lanka.He said he would talk to the President of Sri Lanka to find a best solution and follow a long tern ceasefire. In his letter he mentioned the international community has rejected the LTTE claim for separatism.If you agree to give up demand for separatism the whole world and the SAARC will intervene and help to solve the ethnic problem, he said. This is the golden opportunity to give up the armed struggle and enter the democratic path .The happenings of the Eastern Province can be taken as a good example for the LTTE to come into the democratic path .You will be welcomed to take part in the administration .I will do my best to help you to come into the democratic path, he said.He said the country would gladly agree to change their present attitude and help to find a satisfactory solution.I am not aware into whether the ethnic issue of ours is in the agenda of SAARC conference. But terrorism will certainly be a subject for discussion and therefore discussion of the ethnic issue will become unavoidable. I will make a request to the president Mahindha Rajapaksha to take up the issue of the Sri Lankan ethnic problem for discussions with other heads of the SAARC countries, he said. Norwegian aid group rejects allegations it supports Tamil rebels Oslo - A Norwegian aid group Monday rejected allegations that is has given trucks to Tamil rebels fighting the government of Sri Lanka, reports said. Sri Lanka's Defence Ministry posted an article on its web site Sunday stating that Norwegian People's Aid had given trucks and other vehicles to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The article said the LTTE was using the vehicles' for its military operations in the North, and intends using them for disinformation activities, too.' Norwegian People's Aid secretary general Petter Eide rejected the allegations, saying 'the trucks were stolen,' Norwegian news agency NTB said. 'These allegations are just fabricated. The vehicles were stolen, taken by force,' Eide added, saying the aid group had no interest in equipping the LTTE. Norway in 2002 helped broker a ceasefire agreement that has since collapsed. No to Indian intervention- JVP Terrorism, food security & energy Sri Lanka is hosting the fifteenth South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) summit from 27th July to 3rd August and the heads of the member states will meet on 2nd and 3rd August in Colombo. JVP said it is not against the SAARC summit but would not let it become a platform for the government to sign deals that are not beneficial to Sri Lanka. According to the foreign ministry of Sri Lanka terrorism, food security and energy issues will top the agenda of the 15th Summit. The foreign ministry said that the summit is set to adopt four agreements; SAARC Development Fund, South Asian Standards Co-ordination, South Asian Mutual Legal Assistance on Criminal Matters and Protocol of Afghanistan’s accession to South Asian Free Trade Agreement. National security JVP which claims India is trying to intervene in the internal affairs of Sri Lanka said it will fight against the Indian hegemony. “Indian economy is gaining control over our mineral resources, oil reserves and electricity,” said JVP propaganda secretary, Vijitha Herath. “This is a serious threat to our national security.“India, not only trying to control the natural resources but also to influence the policies of Sri Lanka,” Herath added. According to JVP Indian intervention is greater today than the time of President J. R. Jayawardena and said it will use all democratic means to defeat the Indian supremacy in Sri Lanka. 28 July 2008 TNA for APRC Only after agreeing with UNP All Party Representative Committee Chairman and Minister Tissa Vitharana said yesterday he would invite the TNA for the APRC only after reaching consensus with the UNP regarding the political package for the resolution of the North-East problem. Professor Vitharana was commenting on a statement by European Union delegation saying the APRC was incomplete without the TNA.He said political parties in the APRC had now reached consensus on 90 per cent of issues related to power devolution, and even the UNP had agreed to consider coming back to the Committee once the remaining ten percent was completed. “After we finalise the process, we will invite the UNP. Once there is a common approach for the problem between the two major parties in the country, we can consider the accommodation of the TNA. Otherwise, I am not ready to include a party which is succumbing to the pressure by the LTTE, in the committee at this hour,” he said.He said he held talks with the EU delegation that visited the country recently, and explained this matter to them. “However, I invited the TNA earlier. At that time, they declined to accept it,” he said. The APRC has presently suspended its deliberations in view of the SAARC summit. The TMVP has also become a party to the committee today. Asked about the issues for which political parties are yet to see eye to eye, he declined to comment. Sri Lankan Army Says Troops Capture Tamil Tiger Satellite Base Sri Lankan troops captured a Tamil Tiger satellite base in the country's north and seriously wounded a rebel commander in separate fighting, the Defense Ministry said. Soldiers secured the Sugandan base north of Kiriibbanwewa in the jungles of Mullaittiuvu yesterday following days of ``heavy confrontations'' with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eeelam, the ministry said on its Web site. An LTTE area leader, identified as Veandan, was wounded during a failed rebel offensive north of Janakapura, according to the statement. The LTTE didn't immediately comment on the incidents on its Web site. Sri Lanka's army is driving LTTE forces from camps in the north after capturing the eastern region a year ago in the worst defeat for the rebels in their 25-year fight for a separate homeland. The insurgency has killed more than 70,000 people. The LTTE, which is designated a terrorist organization by India, the U.S. and the European Union, has declared a 10-day cease-fire to coincide with a summit meeting of South Asian leaders in Colombo later this week. President Mahinda Rajapaksa said July 13 his government is ready for talks with the LTTE if the rebels disarm. More UNP, JVP stalwarts pledge support to Govt Former Anamaduwa UNP stalwart and Opposition leader of the North Western Province Asoka Wadigamangawa and former Private Secretary of JVP Parliamentarian K.D. Lal Kantha, Shean Padmakumara joined the Government pledging their fullest support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Government. Addressing a mammoth rally in Anuradhapura Saturday, Wadigamangawa stated that he was fully confident President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the only leader who could defeat terrorism and take the country on the development path. “I would render my fullest support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa and strengthen his hands and his Government,” he said. Shean Padmakumara who also pledged his support to President Rajapaksa and his Government, addressed the rally and asserted that he had no faith whatsoever in the present JVP administration which was in total disarray, and therefore made the decision of joining the Government. Seven other members from the opposition UNP and JVP parties, including former Chairperson of the ‘Lak Wanitha’ in the Kalawewa electorate, Anula Rajapaksa also joined the Government, pledging their assistance to President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The six others who joined the Government at the rally were, former UNP’er from Tiruppamma, Tissa Wijesinghe, JVP’er from Maradankulama Ajith Senadeera, Cyril Rajapaksha of the University Shishya Bala Mandalaya, JVP Provincial Councillor Susitha Nihal Jayasinghe, Palagala JVP Provincial Organizer Janaka Dissanayake and UNP member for Medawechiya M.A. Justin. SLA shelling targets Theavanpiddi, civilian killed A civilian was killed and two wounded Sunday when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) launched artillery and mortar barrage as displaced civilians were engaged in transporting their movable properties at Thevanpiddi, one of the topmost localities of Mannaar district. The SLA launched a day-long intense shelling barrage from 7:00 a.m. targeting Thevanpiddi where the statue of Our Lady of Madu was placed for the past 12 weeks. The shrine was taken on an ambulance by the Church authorities via Omanthai to Mannaar Bishop's House on Friday. The victim, V. Selvakumar, was an IDP who was engaged in relocating his belongings. The wounded were identified as V. Thomas, 26, and Nantharoopan. Thevanpiddi is located 31 km northeast of Mannaar city and 37 km southwest of LTTE controlled Poonakari (Pooneryn).Meanwhile, Mannaar Bishop's House is still waiting for a favourable response on its demand for a de-militarized peace zone in Madu covering the area of 2.5 km radius around the Madu Church. Abandoned bag found with Kilinochchi address 2 Indian warships anchored near SL Two Indian warships INS Ranvir and INS Mysore will be anchored just outside Sri Lankan territorial waters to provide security to the Indian Prime Minister and other high ranking officials who will be in Colombo to attend this week’s SAARC Summit.“The two ships will only operate just outside the Sri Lankan waters and the Sri Lanka Navy will provide security in the Sri Lankan waters during the summit,” a top defence official said.“They will be called in the event any emergency situation arise during the period of the summit,” he said.The official also said the Sri Lanka Navy’s Off-shore patrol vessels and a fleet of Fast Attack Craft were already deployed to meet any emergency situation that arise during the summit. “The ships would stay until the end of the summit,” he said. The ships INS Mysore a Delhi-class destroyer and INS Ranvir a Rajput-class destroyer will be equipped with Sea King and Chetak helicopters.The 6,900-tonne Delhi-class destroyer, with a 360-crew, for instance, is a power-projection warship capable of operating even in an NBC (nuclear-chemical-biological) environment, with a wide array of missiles and weapon systems.Indian military bases along the coastline, like Ramnad in Tamil Nadu, will also be on high alert to meet any contingency during the summit, reports said.Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Navy activated a tight security blanket with deploying a large naval fleet in the West coast during SAARC summit period. A senior navy official confirmed that a fleet consisting Off-Shore Petrol Vessels (OPV), Fast Attack Craft (FAC-Dvora), Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC), Fast Gun Boats (FGB) and newly set up Rapid Action Boat Squadron (RABS) will carry out sea patrolling around the clock.In addition to the sea coverage, two boats team from RABS were also deployed for the inland waterfront security. Two teams each consisting more than five boats of the RABS had been deployed in Diyawanna Oya and Beira Lake security. 27 July 2008 Government censures EU delegation Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama yesterday criticised the European Parliament’s delegation for taking hasty decisions on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka. He also declared that the EU delegation’s claim that it was prevented from visiting the east was a misinterpretation of what really occurred.“To know the real situation in a country, one has to visit areas and meet people. The EU delegation had confined itself to Colombo and only met people with their own political agendas,” the Minister said, addressing reporters in Colombo.“Since they have confined themselves to Colombo and seen the country situation through the eyes of others, they are in no position to make an accurate assessment of the situation,” he added.The Minister also denied the EU delegation’s statement that its plans to visit the east and observe the implementation of democratic process were brought to an end by the last minute cancellation of its flight at the airport. “A press release issued by the delegation said, ‘the last minute cancellation and a catalogue of chaos and confusion meant that the delegation did not fly to Trincomalee. Despite repeated assurances, endless complications resulted in the party being turned back from the Ratmalana Airport.’ This is not what really happened,” the Minister said. Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry Secretary Palitha Kohona added that the Parliamentary delegation’s statement that it was turned back at the airport was false.“The flight was scheduled to depart for the east at 1:30 p.m. but they left the airport at 1 p.m. when the authorities were completing the check-up. The delegation was never turned back,” Kohona said.He added that the government did all in its power to facilitate the EU delegation’s visit to the east and even offered to charter an aircraft belonging to the government.“But it was the delegation that refused our offer,” the Minister said. “They wanted to use a private plane from South Africa and although it is not a plane ‘catalogued’ in Sri Lanka, the Defence Ministry contacted the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka (CAASL) asked them to allow the 1989 Beech King Air B 200 aircraft belonging to a private company to fly to transport the delegation to China Bay,” he said. The Minister added that the aircraft had arrived in Sri Lanka from South Africa only on July 20 with an operating crew that was inexperienced with the route. “The CAASL was compelled to stipulate that the director of operations of the private company was required to complement the crew of the said flight.”The Minister also stated that Sri Lanka was doing its best to implement democracy and had made significant improvements in the last few years.He made this statement in response to the statement made by the European Parliament’s delegation for relations with South Asia; that it was very concerned about the human rights situation in the country. At media briefing on July 25, the Chairman of the delegation, Robert Evans said that they had heard repeated tales of human rights violations.“The Sri Lankan Government needs to pay more attention to the repeated tales of human rights violations. The military is immune from prosecution and over 500 members of the military had been investigated for such abuses,” he said.“If the government wants to create a sense of security, it should take serious action against these HR violations,” he added. Lobbyists get millions to stop sanctions The government has sought the services of international lobbyists in the form of lobbying companies, at the cost of millions of rupees in order to stave off foreign sanctions on Sri Lanka. Lakbimanews learns that the government has recently signed such a deal with an American firm to obtain ‘lobbying services’ at a cost of Rs.65 million (US $ 600,000) for a one year period in order to persuade some congressmen in the US Senate, to desist from taking action against Sri Lanka. Meanwhile, leader of the European Union Parliamentary delegation Robert Evans warned on Friday that the Sri Lankan Government will have to face consequences, due to its deteriorating human rights record. The law firm Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP (BHFS) which signed a deal with Sri Lanka will advise and assist the government with issues relating to Sri Lanka and the United States of America. Proposed activities include arranging meetings and consultations for representatives of Sri Lanka with members of congress and executive branch officials in order to enhance “US awareness and understanding of Sri Lanka and to strengthen the relationship between the two nations.’’The Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington called for tenders on the instructions of Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha T.B. Kohone. Though several reputed US firms have submitted expressions of interest, doubts have been raised as to why BHFS has been selected ignoring many bidders who have a good track record in the field. Former Sri Lankan Ambassador in Washington DC, Bernard Goonetileke has released the initial payment of US $ 300,000 on May 21, 2008 to BHFS for the first six months. The ministry is making arrangements to pay the balance US $ 300,000 before end of July, sources said. Sources say that the next payment should be paid after an evaluation on work already completed by the BHFS LLP.However, political sources also express their concern as to why the Foreign Ministry has kept this deal concealed not only from the citizens and the Parliament of Sri Lanka but also Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama. Obama maintains silence on LTTE Despite his pledge to defeat the Taliban and al Qaeda terrorism in Berlin last week, White House hopeful Senator Barack Obama continues to remain mum on the LTTE, defined as the world’s most ruthless terrorist organisation by the FBI.Last January, Senator Obama characterised the conflict in Sri Lanka as a “vicious civil war” at the ‘Candidates@Google’ meeting.He described the Sri Lankan crisis as the inability of people to accommodate others “who are not like us,” and mentioned Sri Lanka as an example, pointing out that war rages even when “everybody there looks exactly the same.”After his comment, the Consortium of Sri Lankan Expatriates, in a letter addressed to Senator Obama, urged him to review his stand on Sri Lankan conflict in the name of democracy and fair play.They pointed out that following the Senator’s comments, it appeared that Senator Obama had been misled either by the Tamil Tiger terrorist lobby or misguided by the media.However, Senator Obama or his office is yet to respond to the letter sent to him by the Sri Lankan consortium. The Nation learnt that the Obama camp has been continuously lobbied by the US-based pro-LTTE supporters during the last few months. As a result of this claimed bond between two groups, prominent LTTE supporter and Leader of India’s Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) Party, Vaiko also briefly met Senator Obama at a function in Chicago on July 11.Meanwhile, Senator Obama’s supporter, Democratic Congressman Danny Davis from Illinois, sent a letter of support which was read on July 25 on the human rights situation in Sri Lanka at a rally in the US capital, organised to commemorate the 25th anniversary of ‘Black July.’ The rally was organised by People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL) and US Campaign for Burma (USCB). TMVP seeks entry into Army, Police The Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), currently headed by Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna, has asked the government to enroll 1,000 armed cadres to the Police and armed forces, a party spokesman said yesterday.TMVP spokesperson Azad Moulana said they had made representations in this regard to the Defence Ministry and were waiting for a favourable response.At least 1,500 TMVP cadres -- formerly armed militants -- were now going through a rehabilitation process with the coordination of the state, various NGOs and other groups to make them ready for duties in the state security forces, he said.“The TMVP will be satisfied if the cadres are first recruited into the Civil Defence Force or (Grama Arakshayas) since it will provide them an opportunity to begin work at the village level. This experience could help them later on if they are taken in to the police or other security force services,” Mr. Moulana said. He said another batch of TMVP cadres would be heading for South Korea shortly to take up employment once the rehabilitation process was completed. Civil Defence Force Commandant Sarath Weerasekera said he was aware of a move to recruit TMVP cadres but a final decision would be taken by defence authorities. “As of now I have not received any orders to that effect” Rear Admiral Weerasekera said. He said the CDF was ready to take TMVP cadres as they had now shunned the separatist cause and were helping the Government in its fight against the LTTE. “Naturally they are now terrorist targets and we should look into their welfare as well,” the commandant said. Military spokesman Udaya Nannayakara said any Sri Lankan, TMVP or otherwise, was always welcome to the security forces, provided he or she met the required standards such as education, fitness and so on.He said defence authorities were, however, yet to take any decision on recruiting TMVP cadres. Karuna goes back to school TVMP leader Karuna Amman is attending tuition classes to catch up on his Sinhala.“My main aim is to master the Sinhala language before I get elected to parliament at the next general election”, Amman said. When asked about his language competency, he said that now he is proficient in English and wants to master Sinhala before he enters parliament. He says that the people of this country should have the facilities to learn each others’ languages, which could help bridge the gap between communities. UNP to oppose stripping CBK's civic rights on principle The UNP has decided to oppose any move to deprive former President Chandrika Kumaratunga of her civic rights through parliament on a matter of principle.The decision to oppose moves to strip Kumaratunga of her civic rights was taken at a discussion of the party's political affairs committee last week.The Sunday Leader learns the issue was mooted by Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on the basis of a principle established in 1998.It is learned, UNP MPs Lakshman Seneviratne and Ravi Karunanayake had said the party should not defend Kumaratunga but the principle established in 1998 with which the committee had agreed.Wickremesinghe had told the committee that in 1998, when the PA Government introduced a motion to nullify the civic disability imposed on former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, the then President, Chandrika Kumaratunga had given an assurance that the Special Presidential Commission law will not be used in the future to deprive a person of his or her civic rights and based on that principle the UNP did not oppose the motion.The UNP Leader pointed out that President Mahinda Rajapakse as a minister of the PA Government also supported that motion in parliament."It is that principle we want upheld and did not participate in the debate on Mrs. Bandaranaike's motion and state our case. But if the President wants to now go back on that accepted principle, then we must have the right to place in parliament the issues that led to his former leader, Sirimavo Bandaranaike's civic rights as well in the same debate," Wickremesinghe said. 28 LTTE bodies handed over LTTE casualties over 100. 18 SLA also killed. Army collects pieces of LTTE remains in sacks. LTTE casualties in the Vavunikulam battle is over 100 killed and at least another 100 injured, sources in the Army confirmed to DefenceWire a few hours ago. After this battle, Tiger leaders have been requesting their cadres not to engage in and further fighting with the Security Forces saying that they have now 'reverted back to a unilateral cease-fire'.The number of LTTE casualties has increased after mop-up operations to route a remaining team following the two main confrontations at Vaunikulam, namely for the bund and against a retaliatory attack to save trapped Charles Anthony units. The Sri Lanka Army lost 18 men, including a junior officer.The Deputy Leader of the Charles Anthony unit, named Pallavan, was a very prominent leader in the LTTE involved in defending Thoppigala alongside 'Col.' Jeyam and a team of LTTE's 'Special Forces'. Pallavan is an eastern cadre, whose loyalty to the LTTE leader was so high that he was given the reins of Charles Anthony unit, which comprises of mainly northern cadres.Meanwhile SLA clearing operations south of Mallavi have amassed several sacks of hands, fingers and limbs of dead tigers, whose corpses have been reduced to rubble in Thursday's firefight. Large blood stains are visible in dry patches of earth. The stench of the rotting corpses has attracted wild carnivorous animals. Field Commanders confirmed that at this rate, the Army will be able to reach Kilinochchi within the next three months. Meanwhile troops from 4 Special Forces last afternoon ambushed a tractor load of Tigers Northwest of Weli Oya. The exact number of LTTE casualties is not clear. The Navy, after a long silence on Thursday ventured into LTTE controlled areas south of Mulaithivu and engaged an LTTE boat movement using small teams of the Special Boat Squadron, Dvora FACs and a Fast Missile Cruiser. Navy confirmed 3 boats out of 10 were completely destroyed along with the crew. Army deserters arrested for entering Yala sanctuary Six deserters of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) were arrested by the SLA soldiers and Wild Life department officials when they were entering the Yala sanctuary which has been declared out of bound for civilians due to security reasons, sources said. Several army and police checkpoints have been established to prevent outsiders entering the Yala sanctuary following the attack on civilians and buses carrying passengers along Buttala –Kathirkaamam road. The government security establishment suspects the LTTE cadres are behind such attacks. Hence they tighten the security of the sanctuary.On Friday the security forces and wild officials arrested six army deserters stealthily entering the sanctuary with shot guns and other weapons for hunting, police sources said.Tissamaharagama Magistrate ordered remand when they were produced in court Friday. A special police squad averted a major disaster when a suicide bomber who is alleged to have been sent to Colombo to target the SAARC summit was arrested.The suspect was apprehended in Wellawatte on a tip off along with his motorcycle, a senior police official said last night.The alleged bomber has been entrusted to attack a VVIP on the eve of the summit in order to scuttle the proceedings. Detectives were able to nab the suspect with 30 kilos of C4 explosives, police further claimed. Under interrogation, the man told police that he was asked to ‘take out’ a target before or during the SAARC summit.Police investigations have found that the suspect had contacts with another LTTE operative who was apprehended on July 14. War is main job at a Sri Lankan village IYATHIGEWEWA, Sri Lanka - Iyathigewewa is a classic company town. But its young residents do not head to work in the local mine or factory - they go to war.With no other job prospects in this impoverished, remote northern village about 27 miles south of the front lines, about half the men of fighting age have enlisted in the army, navy, police or other security branches."When we want to find a job, the easiest thing is to join the security forces," said Sisira Senaratna, 38, a 16-year police veteran who has two brothers in the army and another in the police force.After a quarter-century of civil war between government forces and ethnic Tamil rebels, fighting is so entrenched in this Indian Ocean island that it has become a career for tens of thousands seeking a path out of rural Sri Lanka's brutal poverty.The Tamil Tiger rebels have been accused of filling their ranks by forcibly recruiting at least one member of each family in their de facto state in the north. With the military promising to crush the rebels, its appetite for more recruits is huge. The Defense Ministry recently sent a nationwide text message calling on "Young Patriots - come join with our armed forces and be a part of a winning team."Kadirage Leelawathi's entire family had answered the call.Her husband joined the army 20 years ago after failing to scrape a living from his tiny farm. The family lived in a clay hut with a floor made of cow dung and used kerosene lamps for light, she said. They could only afford to eat meat once a week."We couldn't make ends meet with three children," she said. "With the little money he earned from farming, we had a hard time even sending the kids to school."With his army salary, they built a two-bedroom concrete house with electricity, running water, a telephone, a 21-inch color TV and a 20-foot antenna piercing the sky.Her eldest son dreamed of becoming a Buddhist monk but grew disillusioned with the clergy and joined the navy five years ago. Her next son, seeing his father and brother serving, enlisted in the army two years ago. Seven months ago, her youngest son joined the paramilitary home guard, which protects villages in the north from rebel infiltration.With the fighting escalating, Leelawathi said she is worried about her family: "But there's no option. What can we do?""If there were any other job opportunities, they wouldn't go," said her sister-in-law, Kiriyage Kamalawatee.The economic situation was not always so bad.In 1952, Iyathigewewa's 430 acres of farmland were enough for its 30 to 40 families. But many parents had 10 or more children, and the population explosion soon overwhelmed the village.Parents divided their modest farms among their offspring, who subdivided them among their own children. Many of the 375 families living here are left with slivers of land far too small to support a family.Without the option of pushing plowshares, the youth of Iyathigewewa picked up swords.The village's first recruit joined the army in the late 1970s. A trickle of youth followed, eventually becoming a flood.Now, 175 of Iyathigewewa's 1,161 residents are in the security forces, where many earn a solid living of $230 to $280 a month. That money has brought relative prosperity to the village.Its small shacks have been replaced by modest concrete houses filled with kitchen appliances. Motorcycles and shiny, red three-wheel vehicles purchased with army salaries shoot down the only paved road."The way the village is now, economically, that is because of the military," said Susil Premaratne, a village councilman.But the fighting has taken its toll, robbing the village of 16 of its men.Kalu Hamy's son, Premasiri, was killed in a land mine explosion in the eastern town of Trincomalee in 1991. Another son, Piyadesa, disappeared several years later after a battle near the rebel-held town of Kilinochchi. Her grandson was shot and killed in a 1998 ambush in the town of Vavuniya.They joined the army in search of money and meaning for their lives, but the sacrifice wasn't worth it, the 72-year-old woman said, her voice cracking with grief."I would never let my children or grandchildren join the military again," she said.Nishan Keerthiratne, 35, disagrees. With no job prospects, he joined the infantry in 1990. Two years ago, a mine hanging from a palmyra tree exploded over his vehicle, damaging his spinal cord and paralyzing him from the chest down.Now, he spends his days fighting bedsores as he lies on a rattan bed in his kitchen, the only room with sunlight and a breeze in his small home."I looked after my family, I served my country and I was able to raise our standard of living," he said. "I have no regrets." JVP defectors in secret talks for return The JVP is in secret talks with several members of Wimal Weerawansa's National Freedom Front (NFF) for their return to the party fold The Sunday Leader learns.It is learned two rounds of talks have been held between the JVP leadership and the disgruntled NFF members on the timing of their return to the party.Informed sources said the NFF members decided to open negotiations with the JVP after Weerawansa failed to deliver on the promises made with regard to public office and other benefits allegedly promised by the government.It is learned Weerawansa's failure to get the deputy speaker's post and chairmanship of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) for NFF nominees from the government were central to their discontent.It is learned some members may return to the JVP before the provincial polls scheduled for August 23 if the negotiations are successful. Kilinochchi District Secretariat official dies in claymore attack Deputy Director Planning of the Pooneryn Division, and a Development Officer in the Kilinochchi District Secretariat was killed last Friday due to a claymore attack in Oddisuddan.The victim, Santhalingam Vimalakumar (33) was on his way to Vavuniya on an official engagement when he came under attack.Vimalakumar was the president of the organisation serving the needs of government officials without land in the Kilinochchi District.The attack on the government official in the LTTE-controlled area is the first incident since the LTTE had announced a unilateral ceasefire last Monday in view of the upcoming SAARC Summit.Nagalingam Nanthakumar, Divisional Secretary of Thunukkai division of Mullaithivu District was killed in a similar attack while travelling to his office last month. Pro Tiger websites stated that the attack was carried out by the Deep Penetration Unit of the Sri Lanka Army.The military has in the past denied such allegations and has held the Tigers responsible for attacks within its territory. Killinochchi and Mullaitivu, like the East, will be liberated soon -- President Addressing a rally in Anuradhapura in support of the United People's Freedom Alliance candidates contesting the North Western Provincial Council election yesterday (26), President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that no period in history since the time of King Parakramabahu the Great has seen a development drive as the present one launched by the Government.The President also pledged that just as the East was liberated from the clutches of terrorists, so too will the last remaining strongholds of the LTTE, KIllinochchi and Mullaitivu, be liberated so that people living in those areas too can benefit from the Government's overall development strategy. He further pointed out that what was happening in the North was nothing more nothing less than a humanitarian mission to reaffirm the right to life of all peoples, Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslims and others. He also praised the heroic efforts of the security forces, observing that they have already weakened considerably the strike capabilities of the LTTE and that theirs is a mission to recover a free and independent nation for all peoples. President Rajapaksa said that the Government has focused on developing irrigation infrastructure in the country and in this regard several projects will be initiated in the province to rehabilitate tanks and other structures on the 14th of next month at a cost of Rs.7200 million.Bertie Premalal Dissanayake, the former Chief Minister of the North Central Province observed that today the entire country is fast rallying around the President's vision and programme of action and expressed confidence that the UPFA will win the Provincial Council by a majority of over 100,000 votes.Ministers Maithripala Sirisena, Susul Premajayantha, Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, NImal Siripala De Silva, C.B. Ratnayake, Tissa Karalliyadda, Felix Perera and Mervin Silva were also present, along with the former Opposition Leader of the Wayamba Provincial Council, Asoka Wadigamangawa, who crossed over from the United National Party. 25 July 2008 REMEMBRANCE DAY STATE TERROR BLACK JULY OF 1983 REVISITED The 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... Mrs.Ganesan said that a son of Mr.Ramanathan, aged about 15, climbed onto the roof of their house... and was shot by a soldier from the street and fell to the ground. She fled to her aunt's house nearby with her children, hiding with them in the bathroom. She heard firing and then an explosion. They ran out of the bathroom to find that the house was on fire... On the main road in front of Mr.Ramanathan's house there was a pile of bodies including those of her husband, brother in law, father in law and her sister in law's husband... her husbands intestines (were) falling out and his head staved in... The Ramanathan menfolk had been hacked and beaten to death by the crowd she said... Diesel oil was then poured over three lorries, a van and a motorcycle parked around the house. A brand was lighted and handed to Mr.Ramanathan's daughter who was made to set... the vehicles on fire...'' Impunity, a debilitating fixture in state culture 25 years after Welikada massacre - by Rajan Hoole -commemorative Article for Black July 83- Colombo’s Welikada high security prison was the scene of two massacres of Tamil political prisoners during the communal violence of July 1983, first after lunch on July 25 claiming 35 prisoners and second, about 4.00 PM on the July 27 claiming a further 18. On both occasions Secretary of Justice Mervyn Wijesinghe asked Colombo Magistrate Keerthi Srilal Wijewardene to hold inquests with the assistance of Tilak Marapone and C.R. de Silva (the present AG) from the Attorney General’s Department. No culprits were identified and the case was hushed up.The massacres made life a living hell also for those on the spot, who driven by moral aversion tried unsuccessfully stop them, but were not even allowed to clear their names. The inquest One of them, Superintendent of Prisons (SP) Alexis Leo de Silva, upon hearing the alarm on the 25th, rushed into the mob in the Chapel Section with ASPs Amarasinghe and Munaweera, followed by Deputy Commissioner (DC) Cutty Jansz, but to little avail. Leo felt very angry that the army unit at the prison headed by Lt. Mahinda Hathurusinghe, 4th Artillery, did nothing to stop the murder, and later also blocked emergency hospitalization of injured survivors. A lieutenant would hardly have dared to override DC Jansz and doomed the survivors, without prompting from Army HQ. While some prison staff protected Tamils, others, including a jailor, attacked the survivors in the compound.At the inquest on the 26th, Leo wanted to place the truth on record. Magistrate Wijewardene left out chunks of his testimony. Leo’s son Lalanath de Silva recently told us, “An AG’s department counsel called my father outside the room where the inquest was being held and attempted to persuade my father to go along - pleading that the truth would place Sri Lanka in a very adverse position internationally.” At one point the Magistrate became so angry that he refused to take down Leo’s testimony.The Police under Detective Superintendent Hyde Silva questioned the survivors on the 26th following the Magistrate’s order. To Suriya Wickremasinghe of the Civil Rights Movement belongs the credit for painstakingly seeking out survivors of the massacres, interviewing them and keeping the issue alive. She told us that survivor Manikkadasan in his statement to the Police, blamed two jailors of active complicity. A thin jailor warned him that mention of names might lead to similar jeopardy from inmates. Eyewitnesses Suriya believes that the second massacre owed to earlier survivors being also eyewitnesses. On the 27th Lt. Nuvolari Seneviratne of Army Engineers commanded the platoon outside the prison. Hearing a commotion where the survivors had been re-housed, Nuvolari radioed the Duty Officer (DO) at Army HQ. He told the Junior DO who answered that he wanted authority to go into prison and disperse the mob. The Junior DO gave him a telephone number and asked him to phone the DO (a colonel). Nuvolari used the coin phone at the entrance to ring the number at Army HQ. The DO told him to stick to standing orders and stay outside prison, or would face court-martial if he went in. Nuvolari asked for the Army Commander. He was refused, being told the Commander was with President Jayewardene, and relief was being sent to deal with the problem. (Cutty Jansz had also phoned Army HQ.) The relief, commandos under Major Sunil Peiris, promptly went in and saved 19 of the 37 prisoners. Nuvolari felt the deaths to be sheer murder, which his platoon could have prevented if not constrained by HQ. At the second inquest, the AG’s men, Marapone and de Silva, were keenly selective. Leo who was in prison the whole day, had at the first forebodings asked DC Jansz to expedite the removal of the survivors to safety. As if by design, the attack began when he went for a late snack in lieu of lunch, causing him to rush back. Neither he nor his ASPs were called upon to testify at the inquest.The AG’s men and Magistrate tried to frame a jailbreak attempt that supposedly left inadequate resources to prevent the massacre. The AG’s men and Army’s lawyers importuned Lt. Seneviratne to tell the inquest that he was outside the prison controlling a jailbreak. He refused. The world had crashed around the 22-year-old sportsman from Trinity College who joined the Army with high hopes. Major Sunil Peiris stepped in saying not to harass Nuvolari and if he won’t, he won’t, and if their object was having someone from the Army testify, he would.To a leading question, Major Peiris answered with professional precision, “I did not notice any prisoners attempting to break out. Therefore I gathered that the attempted mass jail break had been contained before our arrival!” Undeterred by Peiris’ refusal to perjure, the Magistrate summed up, “...prompt and efficient steps taken by the special unit of the Army under witness Major Peiris had effectively prevented the jail break ... and helped quell the mob which might otherwise have caused [even greater death].” Taming scandals and condemning posterity In July 2001, President Kumaratunge appointed the Presidential ‘Truth’ Commission on Ethnic Violence headed by former Chief Justice Suppiah Sharvananda, with S.S. Sahabandu and M.M. Zuhair. Suriya Wickremasinghe had repeatedly been thwarted in her efforts to obtain from the Police, testimony they received from the survivors of the first massacre. The Commission, which relied heavily on Suriya’s work, could have followed this up to further its investigations, but did not.Tamil survivors named to us Jailor Rogers Jayasekere, Jailor Samitha Rathgama and Location Officer Palitha as the protagonists on the ground. Senior prison officials have indirectly affirmed Jayasekere’s culpability. His family were strong UNP supporter from President Jayewardene’s old Kelaniya electorate, shared in 1983 by Ranil Wickremasinghe and Cyril Mathew. Rumours charged that gangsters under Gonawala Sunil of Kelaniya UNP fame were brought into prison to assist the second massacre. Vehicle check Nuvolari Seneviratne’s testimony bears relevance here. His soldiers at the entrance checked the vehicles going into the prison to ensure they were the government’s. Jail guards just inside the entrance did the identity checks. The soldiers at the entrance told Nuvolari that some of the official vehicles entering took underworld figures, but exited without them. Asked who the underworld figures were, Seneviratne replied, “I did not see them myself and there is no way my men would have known them. But the jail guards knew them as persons in and out of jail. They told my men.”During the second massacre, Journalist Aruna Kulatunga wrote recently, he saw airline hijacker Sepala Ekanayake coming out of the prison gates screaming “kohomada ape wede” (How is our job?), felled by a thundering blow from Major Sunil Peiris. Peiris had told me something more, that Sepala was carrying a severed human head.Senior prison staff dismissed this as fantasy. I published it in my book Arrogance of Power, since I knew Peiris. I had checked back with Peiris, who, a little hurt, explained, ‘You know your Bible? It was like John the Baptist’s head on a charger’. It happened before Peiris saw the scene of crime. Peiris’ action makes sense only if Sepala’s utterance, reported also by Kulatunga, drew his attention to something revolting. Peiris’ testimony at the inquest speaks for truthfulness and accuracy that are hallmarks of a good officer. Nuvolari’s refusal to perjure again stands his testimony in good stead.About when Peiris’ party arrived, Nuvolari’s men drew his attention to a fresh hole in the prison wall near the cricket ground. Upon inspection he saw an Air Force truck standing by. No words were exchanged. The Army’s legal unit also removed Nuvolari’s standing orders and the logbook with records of vehicles entering. On 27th, the Tamil detainees fought back, some attackers were mauled and soldiers shot some, but there is no account of casualties. SP Leo de Silva felt impelled by his honour to place the truth on record. His later investigations were stalled by an order from Commissioner Delgoda. Then Justice Minister Nissanka Wijeratne threw Leo out of service at the age of 56 by refusing a routine extension. The total cover up and a diversity of coherent testimony pointing to the nefarious deployment of broader resources, gives surely the lie to representing the massacres as an outburst of subaltern patriotism. No perpetrators were named and Sepala walks free. Is it not because they have beans to spill? Whether or not directly intended, what our commissions and AG’s Dept. achieve is to protect the State’s inbuilt abuses that have gone over tolerable limits. The blame for its repeated crimes is invariably shuffled off to subaltern sectors. The routine official prevarication also leads to Sinhalese seeing the ethnic problem as Tamils making mountains of molehills, and the solution as being to knock them about, pat them on the head and give them sweets to suck.Regrettably, few Sinhalese would be shocked that Attorney General C.R. de Silva guides important commission proceedings such as the ACF investigation. He, or Marapone, tried to stop Leo de Silva 25 years ago, pleading that ‘the truth would place Sri Lanka in an adverse position internationally’. Lanka would have redeemed itself had all such crimes been faced squarely long ago, rather than make fixers of truth a permanent feature of the State. On a further point, the prison murders of rising Tamil leaders Dr. Rajasundaram, Kuttimani and Thangathurai led to the fracture of the original Tamil youth leadership and the rise of Prabhakaran. That is another intricate story. 24 July 2008 Sri lankan Govt. welcomes Manmohan’s victory The Sri Lankan Government said yesterday that the stabilization of the Indian Government would be advantageous to Sri Lanka’s ongoing military exercise. Commenting on the Indian Government led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh winning the trust vote in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, SLFP General Secretary and senior Minister Maithripala Sirisena told a media conference that Sri Lanka was happy about the outcome. Minister Sirisena said that had the Indian Government been defeated, there would be instability not only in India but also in the entire South Asian region. “This outcome is a blessing for Sri Lanka. It is not a secret that India helps our military operations,” he said. Mr. Sirisena said, “Had the Indian government lost this vote, an election would have to be declared. In the run-up to an election, no country can make vital policy decisions. Sri Lanka will also feel its pinch in such a political situation in India which is the regional giant.” Referring to the issue of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi proposing to the centre to take over the Kachchativu island from Sri Lanka, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the Government does not maintain diplomatic relations with a state government of a country. “We will deal only with the central government,” he said. The Minister said that the government would deal with such issues in a professional manner. “We will not act like a bull in a china shop,” he said. He said that the Government is concerned about the domestic problems faced by the Indian central government with regard to this matter. Mr. de Silva also commented on the issue of Indian fishermen. Asked how the Government would tackle this problem, he said that this had been a long- standing issue. “We cannot put up walls in the sea to demarcate boundaries. Fishermen come to fish. We are vigilant about possible LTTE activities being committed in the guise of fishing,” he said. Therefore, he said, this could be considered a ‘logistic problem’. TN Police break LTTE supply chain The Q Branch of the Tamil Nadu police on Tuesday busted a major LTTE procurement network, seizing five imported Yamaha outboard motors with a 40-horse-power capacity each. Three persons, including a Sri Lankan from Manalmelkudi in Pudukottai, were arrested. The Q Branch team arrested Kumargurubaran (28), a resident of Chennai, Ramesh (37), of from Ramanathapuram, and Manamohan (28) from Pesalai, Sri Lanka, near the Kattumanadi bus stop near Manalmelkudi on Tuesday. The motors were meant to be transported to Sri Lanka for the LTTE in a boat kept ready by Ramesh. "The gang had transported the motors from Chennai to Pudukkottai and was planning to take them by sea to Sri Lanka. We are yet to ascertain whose name the import consignment had been booked under and who collected it from the Chennai Port. There are more persons involved in the procurement of the motors and the investigation is on to find them," a senior police official told The Times of India. Police said Manamohan was the key player in this procurement network, co-ordinating the operation. "He arranged for the payment and co-ordinated the procurement. The seized motors are worth around Rs. 7 lakh in the market," the official said. The outboard motors are essential to convert conventional craft into high speed boats. The Sea Tigers use them in their strike boats. Ramesh, who is among those detained, has a history of cases against him relating to smuggling goods to Sri Lanka. "He was arrested on a few occasions earlier while attempting to smuggle goods to Sri Lanka. We are now checking the back ground of the other two accused," the official saidd.With the increased vigil by the law enforcement agencies in Tamil Nadu to check smuggling of goods to LTTE from Tamil Nadu, nearly four to six cases are being detected every month as against one case a month or even one case every two months couple of years back. "The smuggling for LTTE has been going on in Tamil Nadu. But, of late, we have been detecting more cases. However, LTTE is now more dependent on the supply from India as they are suffering huge losses from the war. They use to procure goods from South East Asia when they had their boats moving around without much trouble. Now the Sri Lankan Navy has not only inflicted considerable damage on their fleet but has stepped up vigil on high seas, restricting their movement," the official said. The LTTE has been procuring explosives, detonators, resin, boat parts, chopped coir mats for building boats, chemicals, clothes, adhesives, walkie-talkies, GPSs and mobile SIM cards from India. "They procure these things from all over India and smuggle it via villages along the east coast. The smuggling cases are more in Tamil Nadu because of its geographical proximity. Apart from the procurement for LTTE, there is commercial smuggling also happening between Sri Lanka and India. It is mainly to make profit using the wide differences in pricing of some items in both countries. Smuggling of beedi bundles are mostly for commercial purposes," the official said. US Tamils to hold Black July rally, vigil People For Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL), an advocacy group composed of over 1,800 Americans concerned about the crisis in Sri Lanka, is organizing a protest rally and vigil in Washington DC on Thursday at 12 pm to remember the victims of Black July 1983, an ethnic pogrom, where organized mobs backed by the Sri Lankan government killed approximately 3,000 Tamil civilians, displaced several thousand Tamils and destroyed over $300 million worth of Tamils’ property. The rally will be held at the Russell Senate Park, at the intersection of Constitution Avenue and Delaware Avenue, Washington DC, according to the organizers. US Campaign for Burma is also joining the rally to remember the victims of the Burmese uprising on 8-8-88. The joint rally will protest China against its military support to Sri Lanka and Burma whose governments are accused of committing grave human rights violations.Members of Congress and human rights representatives are scheduled to speak at the rally. Speakers include Lucie Morillon, Director of the Washington Bureau of Reporters Without Borders, Nick Gaw, Executive Director of STAND, and Chad Hazlett, Director of Civilian Protection at Genocide Intervention Network.The rally will be followed by a silent vigil to remember the victims and honor the survivors of Black July.The vigil starts at 3:30 pm. Survivors of Black July will speak about their experiences during the pogrom and testimonials of survivors will be read at the event, according to organizers of the rally and vigil. For the sake of future operations Representatives of European parliament meet JVP Leaders A European parliamentary delegation headed by Jonathan Evans met leaders of the JVP including the its Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe at the JVP Head Office at Pelawatta today (22nd). The political situation in the country and the democratic process was discussed while special attention was drawn to the 17th amendment to the Constitution. As a party that mediated in bringing forth the 17th amendment, the JVP would always endeavor to get it implemented said Mr. Amarasingehe. However, the government without implementing the democratic reforms is wading on a dictatorial path he added. Though there had been a minor obstacle in naming a representative for minority parties the issue had been resolved and a representative of the minor parties has been named. However, the President has not appointed the representative Mr. Amarasinghe had pointed out. Mr. Amarasinghe has handed over a draft of the road map compiled by the JVP for the solution of the national question in Sri Lanka to Mr. Evans and apprised the delegation regarding undemocratic acts of the government citing repression against the media and attacks by police on students and Buddhist priests. Mr. Amarasinghe had expressed the importance of the 17th amendment to avoid such incidents in the future. Thirteen members of the European Parliamentary delegation were present at the discussion and the Deputy Chairman of Committees in the Parliament Ramalingam Chandrasekar and JVP Parliamentarian for Colombo District Sunil Handunneththi too were present. National Post Editorial Board: Sri Lanka’s ‘Black July’ riots, 25 years later, and the rise of the Tamil Tigers Twenty-five years ago this week, as many as 1,000 Sri Lankan Tamils were killed in what came to be known as the “Black July” riots. Majority Sinhalese nationalists, including Buddhist monks, went door-to-door in Sri Lankan cities looking for Tamils (who are predominately Hindu). The Sinhalese mobs dragged their victims into the street and either beat them to death with clubs and pipes or placed gasoline-soaked tires around their necks and set them alight, then stood back and watched as they burned alive. Almost all those killed were innocent civilians, including many women and children. Few, if any, were Tamil Tiger terrorists, whose ambush killing of 13 government soldiers set off the carnage on July 23, 1983.Thousands of Tamil homes and shops were also looted, then burned to the ground. More than half of the nearly 250,000 Tamils now in Canada — the largest expatriate Sri Lankan Tamil population in the world — came here as part of the exodus that followed these infamous pogroms.The friction between Tamil and Sinhalese residents of the island once known as Ceylon goes back centuries. During British rule, Tamils held most of the senior indigenous positions in commerce, the professions and the bureaucracy. This is partly the result of their greater willingness than their Sinhalese countrymen to accept missionary education and British institutions, and partly because of British unwillingness to integrate Buddhists into the upper echelons of society and imperial government. After independence in 1948, however, Sinhalese majority governments implemented a form of reverse discrimination known as the “policy of standardization,” which made Sinhalese the sole official language and brought most businesses under state control, then reserved most major government jobs and contracts for the Sinhalese.The result was a marginalization of Sri Lanka’s 3.2 million Tamils and a rise in Tamil militancy, particularly after the bloody mayhem of July, 1983. Over time, the Tamil Tigers developed into a combined insurgent army and terrorist group based in the northern and eastern parts of the country, which the Tigers seek to transform into an independent Tamil homeland known as “Tamil Eelam.” During the country’s on-and-off quarter-century-long civil war, nearly 70,000 people have died, many of them Tamils. Reports claim Sri Lankan security agents routinely resort to torture of Tamil prisoners. In other cases, suspected Tigers routinely have “disappeared” while awaiting trial. Yet despite all this, most of the world has little sympathy for the Tamil cause. And the reason is simple: The Tamil Tigers are just as brutal — and in some cases, far more brutal — than the Sri Lankan government itself. Over the years, the Tigers have executed dozens of suicide bombings and terrorist attacks. (A Tiger suicide bomber killed Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991, for instance, while a Tiger assassin murdered Sri Lankan president Ranasinghe Premadasa in 1993.) The Tigers’ other crimes include blocking reconstruction aid to the tsunami-ravaged east coast, abducting Sinhalese civilians and forcibly recruiting child soldiers from Tamil families. Sadly, the Tamils’ thuggish mindset has infected the Canadian Tamil community as well: Tiger front organizations have extorted millions of dollars from Tamil businesses in Toronto and other cities, often threatening harm to relatives back in Sri Lanka if business-owners fail to comply. Given all this, Stephen Harper’s government was entirely correct to put the Tigers — and its front organizations — on Canada’s list of outlawed terrorist organizations.Too many Tamils — both here and in Sri Lanka — equate support for political independence with support for the Tigers’ brutal methods. As a result, the world has forgotten the many genuinely horrible injustices wrought upon the Tamils. This is the fate of any group that puts its faith in terrorism instead of politics. “We want Tamil Eelam” – British Tamils Chant at the Candlelight Vigil Over two thousand people, largely Tamils turned up with a relatively short notice outside the British Parliament last night (23 July 2008) between 8 pm and 10 pm holding candles to mark respect and as remembrance of over 3,000 Tamils who were slaughtered during Sri Lankan State sponsored riots, 25 years ago.This show of strength and will of the Tamil Diaspora was organised by the British Tamils Forum in association with the Tamil Councillors & Associates. Age, Religion, Language or Gender were no barrier as from grand parents to babies in push chairs, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus to Tamils, Sinhalese were all present at the scene. People from all walks of life made an effort to participate. Through a series of chain mobile texts and emails people were contacted since last Sunday to inform of this candlelight vigil. To have reached over two thousand people in just over two days is a remarkable achievement and it also shows the feelings amongst the Tamil Diaspora wanting to show solidarity, resolve and strength with its brethren back in Sri Lanka.Although the parliament was in recess for summer vacation since 22 July, a few members of parliament from the main political parties made an effort to show solidarity. The current and former Chairmen of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils (APPG – T) Hon Virendra Sharma MP and Hon Keith Vaz MP were accompanied by Hon Andrew Pelling MP and others. Young and old, male and female joined together and stood in silence. This candlelight vigil was organised as part of a series of events to mark ‘Black July’ here in the UK. Starting with Pongu Thamil on 12 July, a photo exhibition depicting 60 years of oppression of Tamils in Sri Lanka within the British Parliament on 16 July and this vigil was to coincide to mark the 25 years anniversary since the 1983 riots.Leaflets were handed out during rush hour at various points such as outside tube stations to raise awareness of the British Public of the continuous human rights violations carried out by the Government of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan families count cost of war It was 25 years ago this week that a minor insurgency in Sri Lanka began to turn into a full-scale civil war. An attack by Tamil Tiger rebels in the north sparked rioting across the country targeting members of the Tamil minority. The events came to be known as Black July. More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict. Now the army says victory is finally in sight. In recent weeks the pace of the advance has quickened, but the Tigers deny they are facing defeat. The army is recruiting hard, especially from rural areas. Not long ago the Defence Ministry sent out a text message to mobile phones nationwide. "Young Patriots," it read. "Come join with our armed forces and be a part of a winning team." Earnings and tragedy Over the years war and the army has become a way of life for many families. Take the village of Veruppamkulam, midway between the capital, Colombo, and the Tamil Tigers' northern stronghold. Some 125 families live here and all but a handful have at least one person in the armed forces. The war has brought them some relief from the poverty of rural Sri Lanka. There are brick houses, complete with colour televisions. Some have shiny new Bajaj three wheeler scooters parked outside, others have Indian motorbikes. Last week the roof was being put on a house being built by a military family. The man overseeing the work said 47 of his relatives were in the forces. When the conflict began, he said, they were living in shacks. Fighting has become the best career option for young men. There is little other work in the village. Nuwan Charmara Dinepala, 18, planned to go to the army camp to join up the next day. "I can't stay at home. I have nothing to do, no job," he said as he took a break from a game of cricket with his friends, many of whom were soldiers at home on leave. The war has also brought tragedy to Veruppamkulam. There are graves of fallen soldiers in the village. One headstone features a map of the island and a Sri Lankan flag. KB Leelawatti has only photographs as reminders of her two soldier sons. They were killed within months of each other, aged 22 and 23, and their bodies were never recovered from the battlefield. "I am happy because they sacrificed their lives for the country," she said tears steaming down her face. "On the other hand I am so sad to have lost them. And it's not only my children, so many young Sri Lankans have joined the forces to go to war." 'Houses burning' This month became known as Black July back in 1983 because the explosion of violence was so bitter. The Tamil Tigers attacked an army convoy in the Jaffna peninsula, killing many soldiers. The next day rioting broke out in Colombo and mobs attacked members of the ethnic Tamil minority. The violence quickly spread. No one really knows how many Tamils were killed before the situation was brought under control. Estimates range from 400 to 3,000. Many thousands of Tamils left the island. Others stayed, including Kaderaveil Sunder, a shopkeeper in Colombo. "Houses were burning, everywhere there was fire," he said. "We were hearing the sounds of the fire brigade going here and there. Police... we couldn't see and we were very frightened because we thought we might get killed. "Thank God [Sinhalese] people came to help us who were known to us. And that's how we escaped from the situation." Tamil arguments Twenty-five years on much has changed as the war has ebbed and flowed across the island. A ceasefire signed in 2002 was finally abandoned after breaking down on the ground two years ago. The government says its forces, which are advancing into the north, have already driven the Tigers from the east. Provincial elections have been held in the east that the government says will be the basis for limited devolution intended to end the conflict. They were won by a government alliance including a breakaway faction from the rebels which still hasn't given up its guns. A former Tamil Tiger child soldier is now chief minister of the Eastern Province. "The fact that the present chief minister in the Eastern Province is a Tamil doesn't resolve the Tamil question," said R Sampanthan, the leader of the pro-Tiger Tamil National Alliance grouping in parliament. "The Tamils want political power in their hands. Tamils want the principle of self-determination accepted in the areas of historical habitation. "There may be Tamil militants, or ex-militants who are under compulsion to make common cause with the government, to appease the government, to placate the government. This is no solution to the Tamil question." Back in Veruppamkulam, as evening drew in, people gathered at the Buddhist temple for prayers that would last all night. Some mourned lost sons. Others worried about their loved ones on the frontlines. The government says an end to the conflict is coming soon. But people in the village have heard that promise before. KB Leelawatti believes the war should stop. Otherwise, she asks, how many more mothers will have to mourn? 23 July 2008 Madhu statue brought to Mannar Following the LTTE’s announcement of a unilateral ceasefire, in a surprise development, the venerated Madhu statue was brought to the cleared areas in Mannar from the uncleared areas yesterday.The statue is now being kept at the Bishop’s house for the public to view.The statue was taken into the LTTE-controlled areas and was kept at St. Xavier’s Church, Thevanpitti, 70 km. northwest of Madhu since April 3 this year due to heavy artillery firing near the shrine premises.The statue was brought to the cleared areas in Mannar within 24 hours of the unilateral ceasefire declaration by the Tigers in view of the upcoming SAARC summit. Wanni in crisis; TRO appeals to the world The pro LTTE humanitarian organisation, Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), a supposedly banned organisation in Sri Lanka has appealed to the government to allow unimpeded access by humanitarian agencies and humanitarian emergency relief including food, medicine fuel and construction materials and to ensure that civilians are not targeted by artillery and aerial bombardments in the military’s onslaught against the LTTE.In a statement, the organisation which was banned by the government late last year also urged the International Community to hold the Sri Lankan government accountable for violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL) ensure that humanitarian assistance and access are unimpeded.The organisation said that as a result of artillery shelling and aerial bombardment by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and Air Force (SLAF) 12,504 families (45,338 persons) have been displaced within the Wanni (the “Wanni” consists of the districts of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu and parts of the Mannar and Vavuniya districts) since the end of June.“The humanitarian situation in the Wanni is becoming critical due to the resumption of war and limited access to the conflict areas that the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) allows to international NGOs, the UN and the media. Additionally, the GoSL has placed severe restrictions and embargoes on the transportation of essential items such as food, medicine, fuel, and construction materials to the Wanni. The ability to address the humanitarian needs that have resulted from the GoSL military offensives and aerial bombing is severely limited as a result of these restrictions and embargoes,” TRO said in its statement. Govt. rejects LTTE ceasefire Indian influence The LTTE statment said: "On behalf of the people of Tamil Eelam, we extend our sincere good wishes to the fifteenth conference of SAARC that aims, to improve the economic development of the vast South Asian region and to create a new world order based on justice, equality and peace". Some anaylists say India had influenced the rebels to avoid confrontation during the summit for which Indian Prime Minister is due to take part. The Tamil Tigers were found guilty of assasinating former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Ghadhi in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They also express friendship to the outside world. "We are always keen to develop friendship with the countries of the world and our neighbouring countries in our region. We are sincere in our efforts to create the external conditions in order to build these friendships. We wish to express the good will and trust of the Tamil people". Extending goodwill to Sri Lanka The stateman say the Tamil Tigers are declaring the ceasefire for the duration of the summit. "As a sign of this goodwill, our movement is glad to inform that it will observe a unilateral ceasefire that is devoid of military actions during the period of the SAARC conference from 26th July to 4th August and give our cooperation for the success of the conference". However they do not rule out defensive action, "At the same time if the occupying Sinhala forces, disrespecting our goodwill gesture of our people and our nation, carry out any offensives, our movement will be forced to take defensive actions". At the same time the LTTE extends goodwill to all member nations including Sri Lanka. "We wish for the success of the SAARC conference and we also extend our goodwill and support to the countries of our region, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives". There were huge security operations launched by Srilankan authorities who feared attacks by the Tamil Tigers during the forthcoming summit. 2 Tamils abducted in Dehiwela Two Tamil men were reportedly abducted by a group in a white van at Galle Road on Dehiwela last night (July 21st). Both have been employees of FJC Creations, a printing house, located nearby.One of them has been identified as Muttukumar Selvaraja, aged 28 and a resident of Vavuniya.He has been working at FJC Creations since 1998, but had gone for overseas employment for two years from 2003, and returned back to his previous employer.Selvaraja has been staying in a room at the printing house.The other abductee, Palaniandy Shanmugaraja is 37-years of age and father of two daughters.He has been living in a house near his workplace.After the day's work, the two had been having a chat in front of the printing house, when they were taken.Their families have lodged complaints with the Dehiwela Police.Commenting on white van abductions, Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella has said that the media was exaggerating matters, and that the only solutions were to ban the import of white van or to repaint all white vans with another colour.The security authorities are also blamed for the white van abductions taking place with the intention of robbery, he said. However, the Civil Monitoring Committee is reporting that it has received complaints of five white van abductions in Colombo and suburbs this month alone.Several similar incidents have been reported from Puttalam and other areas. "Restrictions at Vavuniya, Omanthai detering relief supplioes to the displaced"- Jaffna Bishop Jaffna Catholic Bishop Rt.Rev. Thomas Soundaranayagam who yesterday appealed to President Mahinda Rajapaksa insisting on protection of innocent civilians in the ongoing military onslaught in Kilinochchi and requesting adequate humanitarian relief measures to the large number of displaced families told the 'Lanka-e-News' Tuesday (22) that the unfortunate families were languishing in jungle areas without shelter, food, medicines and other basic facilities. The Bishop said that Vavuniya was a major bottleneck where per day only 10 food convoys were being permitted to enter the war torn areas resulting in an acute food shortage among the displaced families while more families, on an average of 500 families per day, were getting displaced due to the ongoing military onslaught. Families along the A 32 Mannar-Pooneryn Road were getting displaced in large numbers and they were languishing in jungle areas without shelter, basic requirements, food and medicines, he said. A strict restriction on fuel supply to NGO/INGO convoys and vehicles, including convoys of the UNHCR and ICRC, is in force at Omanthai and Vavuniya deterring transport of relief supplies, he said adding that restrictions were imposed on transport of aluminium and plastic vessels/ utensils which are badly needed for the use of the displaced families, he said. The displaced families are also desperately in need of vehicles to move their belongings to their present dwellings, he said. Meanwhile, Kilinochchi Govt. Agent N.Vedanayagam told the 'Lanka-e-News' that 3500 families comprising 14,000 persons from Kiliniochchi district and 2000 families comprising 8000 persons were living as displaced people. He said day by day the number of increasing by about 400 to 600 families per day. The displaced families were being provided 400 grams of rice per day, per head, under auspices of the World Food Programme, he said. The families were mostly coming from Vellankulam area in Mannar North, he said adding that they were planning to put up shelters for the displaced families with the help of INGOs and NGOs. Woman nabbed with substance akin to C-4 explosives A middle-aged woman was arrested at the Phothanagama police check point near Anuradhapura with a substance similar to C-4 explosives. Under interrogation by the Anuradhapura police, she said she was from Oddusuddan and was travelling from her sister’s home in Jampettah Street in Colombo. The explosive type susbstance was detected in the sole of a new pair of shoes she was carrying in a bag.North Central Provincial Chief Ministerial Candidate Major General Janaka Perera, on hearing of the detection claimed that the woman may have been dispatched to assassinate him but Police said all aspects are being gone through and they are unable to arrive at any concrete conclusion immediately.Major Perera recalled previous incidents where the LTTE assassinated Major General Algama at a UNP election rally and UNP presidential candidate Gamini Dissanayake at Grandspass at an election rally. The detection of a woman with some substance suspected to be explosives cannot be just dismissed, he said. “Govt. behind EPDP's abductions" –Mano Ganeshan Commenting on the arrest of seven EPDP members in connection with the abduction and murder of a Tamil businessman from Eravur and the subsequent detection of the van involved at the EPDP Chenkalady office, Civil Monitoring Committee chairman and human rights activist Mano Ganeshan MP said that the government should be held’ totally responsible for all such abductions’. He said that apparently the government had used the EPDP and other such groups for abductions and now sidelining its longtime ally EPDP, giving prominence to its new ally the TMVP which captured power in the May 2008 provincial council elections. The Eravur police arrested seven (07) suspects attached to the EPDP office in Chenkalady, Batticaloa in connection with the abduction and murder of the Tamil businessman and also traced at the EPDP office the white van believed to have been used for the abduction. The Eravur police have told that altogether 12 EPDP members were involved in the abduction and murder, according to intelligent reports they have received. Two of the suspects who were lately arrested were produced before the Batticaloa Magistrate’s Court yesterday. 22 Black Tigers killed in air raid at Mulathivu -Air Force spokesman Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said that 22 LTTE suicide bombers (Black Tigers) were killed in the air raid carried out Tuesday morning (July 22) at the Uddayarkattukulam LTTE camp. Citing Air Force intelligence sources , he said that the group of the slain LTTE cadres had been engaged in a rehearsal of a major suicide operation at the time of the air raid.Air Force fighter jets launched an air strike targeting pre identified LTTE special operation training facility located Northeast of Uddayarkattukulam in the Mullaittiuvu district around 8.15a.m. The Air Force sources said, targeted camp was providing training for LTTE cadres in special operations. LTTE 'DPU' captured Indian government survives vote Tight vote Two days of debate on the nuclear accord ended in uproar amid opposition allegations of vote buying. Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members waved fistfuls of money in the air, alleging that they had been offered bribes to abstain. day" for the Indian parliament, adding: "Nobody will be spared if found guilty." The prime minister has promised his party will co-operate in an inquiry into the claims.With the left withdrawing support, the government could rely on only 226 members in the 543-seat parliament, and needed 46 more to be absolutely sure of a majority. India's media was awash with reports of alleged defections and desertions among MPs ahead of the vote. Under the accord, India, which has not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, would gain access to US civilian nuclear technology and fuel. In return its civilian nuclear facilities would be opened to inspection. Nuclear weapons sites would remain off-limits. The communists fear the accord could give the US too much influence over Indian foreign and nuclear policy. The main opposition Hindu nationalist BJP fears that the deal could compromise India's ability to test nuclear weapons in the future. India is under pressure from Washington to sign the accord before the US presidential election in November. Last week, Indian officials met members of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the world nuclear regulatory body, in Vienna to discuss plans to safeguard India's civilian nuclear facilities. The IAEA's approval of the plan is a key condition for enacting the deal. If the IAEA signs the agreement, the deal will go to the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, which regulates global civilian nuclear trade, for approval. It must then be approved by the US Congress before President Bush can sign it into law. Critics of the deal fear assistance to India's civil programme could free-up additional radioactive material for bomb-making purposes. 22 July 2008 LTTE announces unilateral ceasefire during SAARC summit The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) on Tuesday announced that the movement would observe unilateral ceasefire during the period of SAARC conference from 26th July to 04 August, giving cooperation for the success of the conference. Conveying goodwill and trust of the Tamil people, the LTTE Political Wing, in a press statement issued from Vanni said it wished for the success of the SAARC conference, extending the movement's support to the "countries of our region, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives." Full text of the announcement by the LTTE follows: LTTE Political Wing Ceasefire announcement On behalf of the people of Tamil Eelam, we extend our sincere good wishes to the fifteenth conference of SAARC that aims, to improve the economic development of the vast South Asian region and to create a new world order based on justice, equality and peace. For sixty years, the Sinhala leadership is continuing to refuse to put forward a just solution to the national question of the Tamil people. The Sinhala nation is not prepared to deal justice to the Tamils. The politics of the Sinhala nation has today taken the form of a monstrous war. Because the chauvinistic Sinhala regime is putting its trust in a military solution, the war is spreading and is turning more and more intense. Sinhala nation is intent on occupying and enslaving the Tamil homeland. Our military is only involved in a war of self defence against this war of the Sinhala nation. Behind the smokescreen of war, the Sinhala regime is heaping misery on the Tamil people and is killing them in large numbers. The brutal truth of the gradual destruction and oppression of the Tamil people is being blacked out. The just struggle of the Tamil people is being hidden behind an iron curtain in the name of news censorship. A false propaganda is being spread to tarnish, the freedom movement of the Tamil people and the path it was adopted for its self. This has resulted in misleading views and incorrect opinions about our freedom struggle. We are deeply saddened by this. We are always keen to develop friendship with the countries of the world and our neighbouring countries in our region. We are sincere in our efforts to create the external conditions in order to build these friendships. We wish to express the good will and trust of the Tamil people. As a sign of this goodwill, our movement is glad to inform that it will observe a unilateral ceasefire that is devoid of military actions during the period of the SAARC conference from 26th July to 4th August and give our cooperation for the success of the conference. At the same time if the occupying Sinhala forces, disrespecting our goodwill gesture of our people and our nation, carry out any offensives, our movement will be forced to take defensive actions. We wish for the success of the SAARC conference and we also extend our goodwill and support to the countries of our region, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. Sri Lankan rebels say peace talks 'impossible' Sri Lankan rebels said Monday that a new round of peace talks on ending the country's 25-year-old civil war is impossible as long as the government presses ahead with a military offensive.President Mahinda Rajapaksa said earlier this month he was prepared to restart long-dormant talks with the Tamil Tiger rebels if the group lays down its arms and ceases bombings and other attacks across the country.Balasingham Nadesan, the head of the rebels' political wing, said Rajapaksa's conditions were "naive" and "impractical" and there was no way the two sides could negotiate while the fighting continued to rage."It is impossible to hold peace talks when one party, the government of Sri Lanka, is undertaking large-scale military offensives," he told The Associated Press in an e-mail interview from the rebel stronghold of Kilinochchi in the north.Presidential spokesman Lucien Rajakarunanayake said the military would end the offensive if the rebels disarmed."The government offensive is to eradicate terrorism from the country. If there are signs terrorism is not functioning, then there is no problem," he said.The government has claimed a series of military victories in recent days against the rebels. Troops seized an important coastal base used by the rebels' naval wing last Wednesday and pushed deeper into the north Sunday, taking control of a rebel base in the village of Illupakadavai.However, Nadesan said he did not consider the offensive a threat to the rebels' fight for an independent homeland for the country's ethnic Tamil minority."We have always used many different tactics and strategies to deal with such offensives," he wrote. "We have repeatedly demonstrated our ability to convert the Sri Lankan government offensives into our favor."The Tamil rebels have been fighting for an independent state in the nation's north and east since 1983, following decades of marginalization by governments dominated by the Sinhalese majority. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict.A 2002 Norwegian-brokered cease-fire broke down 2 1/2 years ago amid new fighting. The government seized control of the Eastern Province from the rebels last July.In January, it officially pulled out of the cease-fire and expelled Nordic truce monitors.Nadesan said recent fighting had displaced about 150,000 people in rebel-held territory. Many of the recently displaced people lack adequate food, shelter and clean water, he said.Human rights workers have privately accused the government of preventing the movement of some essential items, including cement and gasoline, into rebel-held territory.Rajakarunanayake denied that accusation."That is totally incorrect," he said.Nadesan, former head of the rebels' police force, was made the Tamil Tigers' political chief after his predecessor, S.P. Tamilselvan, was killed in an airstrike last year.The group has been responsible for hundreds of bombings and other attacks on civilian and military targets throughout the country. It is listed as a terror group by the United States, EU and India.When asked if the rebels remained committed to attacks inside government-held territory, Nadesan said they had not changed their position."Our forces will undertake any military actions that are needed to evict the occupying Sri Lankan armed forces from our homeland," he said. Nine EPDP members arrested for murder Govt to go ahead with Sethu The Union government is likely to go ahead with the contentious Sethusamudram Project. Sources disclose that the government will defend the project when the case comes up for hearing on Tuesday and will reply to petitions demanding that the Ram Sethu or the Adam’s Bridge be declared as a national monument and World Heritage site. The 3,500 crore project started in July 2004 ran into controversy when Hindu groups started to protest the dredging across the Sethusamudram canal as it destroyed the Adam’s bridge, believed to be the passage created by Lord Rama to rescue his wife from the hands of demon King Ravana in Sri Lanka.Environmentalists too opposed the project alleging it destroyed the biosphere reserve in the area laden with coral reefs.Many religious activists and political parties including Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy moved the Supreme Court in 2007 seeking a stay on the project. The Supreme Court gave an interim order staying dredging operations across the Ram Sethu area in August 2007, but the Union government has continued dredging in other places across the canal.The affidavit filed by the government containing a report by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) saying that there was no historical or scientific evidence of the existence of the bridge and that the characters of Ramayan are merely fictional incited protests throughout the country The BJP attacked the government that it hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus. It led to the suspension of two ASI officials and the government withdrew the objectionable portions of the affidavit.After hearing the petitioners during a five-day hearing during May 2008, the Supreme Court has asked the government as to why the Ram Sethu bridge should not be declared as a national monument and a World Heritage site and file an ASI report on the issue. Not willing to run into any more controversies this time the government is likely to ask for more time to file a reply and a report by Archaeological Survey of India when it comes up for hearing on Tuesday. Sri Lanka Government to give a second thought on CEPA Sri Lankan government has decided to delay the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India.It is reported that the CEPA which is interpreted as a second stage of the already signed Indo-Lanka Free Trade Agreement, would enable investments and services to free flow between the two countries.However, due to country wide lobbying made by concerned parties including the trade chambers, businessmen, and certain state departments, Sri Lanka Government has decided to postpone the signing of the framework agreement during the SAARC summit in Colombo. Opposing parties fear that the agreement would increase the trade deficit with India. Indian media reports said that Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna has said that Sri Lanka should not sign the deal, as they believed it favoured India. Sri Lanka: War after the fall of Vidattalthivu– Part 1 By Col R Hariharan (Retd.) Keeping up the momentum of their offensive, Sri Lanka army's 58 Division and Commando troops advanced another 10 km to the north to capture Illuppakkadavai on Sunday July 20, 2008 close on the heels of their success in capturing the Sea Tiger base of Vidattalthivu on the Mannar coast on July 16, 2008. According to Defence sources, the Commandos pursued and attacked the cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fleeing Iluppakkadavai, three km to the north on the A32 Mannar- Pooneryn road.The rapid progress of the Mannar offensive and its quick successes send clear signals of the intention of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa to fight the LTTE unto finish despite his recent statement in India about his readiness to talk to the LTTE. At best the statement was a palliative to mollify ruffled sentiments in India where the LTTE enjoys a love-hate relationship in Tamil Nadu. (And the scale still appears to be weighted against 'love'.)The military victories should enable the President, who had been beleaguered by issues of high inflation, food shortages and financial tight squeeze due to war expenditure, to more confidently host the forthcoming summit of South Asian nations at the 15th SAARC meet in Colombo. The demonstrated military strength of a leader always sends a stronger message than words. In his case it would show his determination to pursue military objective first, regardless of the subterranean rumblings about it among the international community.The capture of Vidattalthivu and Iluppakadavai are hard earned victories that have come about not a day soon. Though Adampan was captured on May 8 after prolonged efforts to penetrate its satellite defences, obviously it was the breakthrough at Periyamadhu on the eastern side that had enabled the security forces to speed up their offensive. The fact the offensive troops have kept up their momentum to secure Iluppakadavain, a well established LTTE location, in four days shows that the army is overcoming its past weakness of slowing down after every success.Apparently the operational plans now had been reworked and better orchestrated than the half-hearted efforts that got bogged down for quite sometime around the Giant's Tank on the flank of Adampan last year.Though 200 cadres of the LTTE managed to pull out of the Vidattalthivu base before the security forces took it over, the operation was a difficult one as it involved reducing well fortified defences built around the base with a network of defensive positions on three sides providing depth to it. This was the reason why its capture took so long as it involved reducing the satellite defensive positions on the south and east. No doubt the injection of additional troops of the newly raised 61 Division and the linking up of 57 and 58 Divisions had boosted the chances of success in the Vidattalthivu-Iluppakadavai offensive.With these successes, not only the LTTE's clandestine logistic umbilical chord from Tamil Nadu coast is cut, but the manoeuvring space of the LTTE to switch troops from east to west and ability to coordinate operations on more than one front are also reduced. As against this, the security forces have now gained a decisive advantage with the linking up of forces operating on a wide front from the key road junction at Iluppakadavi to areas west of Mankulam on the A9 highway.After the fall of Iluppakkadavai, the Nachchikuda LTTE base located 17 km further to the north becomes an important objective in the security forces offensive towards Pooneryn. Sea Tiger operations from Nachchikuda in tandem with Vidattalthivu had been a thorn in the flesh of Sri Lanka navy. The shallow waters of Vidattalthivu and the hundreds of Indian fishing boats in the vicinity had enabled the Sea Tiger boats to carry out sneak operations with little interference.As the Sea Tigers would be handicapped after the fall of Vidattalthivu, the navy should be able to control if not totally curtail sea movement across Palk Bay and Nachikuda either towards island territories off Jaffna or to the Tamil Nadu coast. It would also help the navy in providing better support to its outposts and detachments operating along the coast from the Mannar salient to Delft island. The land offensive building up against Nachchikuda might well turn out to be a combined army-navy operation. The offensive patrolling operations of coastal patrol vessels of the navy reported in the seas around Vidattalthivu and Nachchikuda on July 20 indicate the likelihood of greater naval involvement in operations against Nachchikuda and more importantly in Pooneryn later.However, before Nachchikuda is taken the security forces will have to secure and consolidate their hold on line Vellankulam-Tunukkai-Malavi on the road branching off from A32 to Mankulam. (This would probably involve further advance on a broad front for about 4km.) In the present operational situation, the Mankulam-Vellankulam axis to the east of A32 provides perhaps the best opportunity for the LTTE to launch a counterattack to dislodge the security forces as they are stretched now with the rapid advance. So we can expect the 57 Division sector to the west of A9 road become active in the coming week.The A32 provides an alternate route to Jaffna from Pooneryn across the Jaffna Bay. Pooneryn's location on the western flank of A9 road can bring the war closer to Kilinochchi. Even if Pooneryn is not captured, the successes of the security forces on A32 road have increased their options to further progress their offensive because they will be operating on a wide front with a choice of multiple thrust lines with the advantage of secure flanks.In spite of the quick successes, Lt Gen Sarath Fonseka, the Army Commander is understandably cautious about the course of operations in the future. This is evident from the interview he had given to the Sunday Observer on July 20. His guarded approach had enabled him to carefully plan and conduct his operations probably at a time of his choosing. So he usually avoids coming up with rash promises on operations unlike some politicians. Perhaps he remembers that nearly a decade ago when the LTTE was not having so of much fire power, it had upstaged the Sri Lanka security forces in the same sector though they had scored initial successes. It is interesting to see despite the official claims of killing 9000 LTTE cadres in Eelam War-4 he still credits the LTTE with a strength of 5000, which appears to be a realistic assessment. This strength includes hardened elements as well as raw inexperienced and ill trained hands. How they fare against the armed forces will be seen in the coming weeks. 21 July 2008 Japanese FM to visit Sri Lanka TOKYO, (Jiji Press) Japan's Foreign Minister, Masahiko Komura is considering visiting Sri Lanka, India and Uzbekistan for eight days from August 1, informed sources said Friday. In Sri Lanka, Komura plans to attend a summit meeting of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation that will be held in Colombo, the country's biggest city. SAARC consists of eight South Asian countries including India and Pakistan. Japan has taken part in its summit as an observer since last year with such countries as the United States, China and South Korea. In India, Komura intends to hold talks with his Indian counterpart Pranab Mukherjee to confirm the two countries' efforts for an early conclusion of their economic partnership agreement. Komura also hopes to lay the groundwork for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's planned visit to Japan by the end of this year. If South Korean Foreign Ministe, Yu Myung Hwan attends the summit, Komura may hold talks with him. In Uzbekistan, Komura plans to meet with Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov, with the two expected to agree to strengthen bilateral economic ties. Since Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda may reshuffle his cabinet in late July at the earliest, however, a senior Foreign Ministry official said the plans are still fluid. Fitch downgrades Seylan Bank’s National Rating; Revises outlook to stable Fitch Ratings Lanka has downgraded Sri Lanka-based Seylan Bank Plc’s (Seylan) National Long-term rating to ‘BBB+(lka)’ from ‘A-(lka)’ (A minus(lka)). At the same time, Fitch has downgraded the ratings of the bank’s subordinated debentures to ‘BBB(lka)’ from ‘BBB+(lka)’. The Outlook has been revised to Stable from Negative. Consequent to the ratings being assigned a Negative Outlook in April 2007, the downgrade reflects the increased challenges faced by the bank in absorbing credit losses in a weakened macroeconomic environment, in the form of its relatively low capital cushion, its relatively low profitability, and challenges in raising fresh equity capital. The ratings, however, also recognise the support element derived by Seylan as one of the six largest and systemically important banks in Sri Lanka, as defined by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), and its yet strong customer franchise. Seylan’s gross NPL ratio declined to 12.6% at FYE07 and 13.1% at Q108 from 11.3% at FYE06 despite increased recovery efforts, reflecting the effect of the challenging macro economic environment, and remains considerably weaker than that of its peers. Both specific and total (including general) provision coverage remained low at 35.2% and 38% at FYE07. Consequently, solvency, as indicated by the net NPLs/equity ratio, deteriorated to 84.4% at FYE07 and 88% at Q108 from 75.5% at FYE06. Fitch believes that there could be a further deterioration of these ratios on account of a probable decline in asset quality in the face of the challenging macroeconomic environment. Management indicates that the bank already adheres to the more stringent regulatory classification standards imposed by the CBSL effective in FY08. Seylan’s profitability as measured by ROA remained below that of its peers and Fitch believes that the bank’s core profitability will be further constrained by contracting interest margins, increases in its already high operating costs, and increased credit costs. Seylan consciously reduced loan growth to 4.1% and dividend payout to 26.8% in FY07 (14.1% and 40.7% respectively in FY06), while loan growth in Q108 was further reduced to an annualised 1.6%. Consequently, the bank posted a consolidated total capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of 12.72% at FYE07 although this ratio decreased to 11.68% at Q108 under the Basel II framework mainly due to the additional charge for operational risk. Govt: officials attacked journalists – FMM Under sea jetty of LTTE located Security forces have reportedly located an under sea jetty of the LTTE from the newly captured Vedithalthivu. The jetty is 15 meter wide and 150 meter long. It was built to protrude from Vedithalthivu jetty to sea. In this around 200 Sea Tiger boats can be anchored without been seen. This jetty can reportedly be the world’s first of that kind. Security forces have thoroughly checked the Sea Tiger base in Vedithalthivu now and it is reported that the 30 acre site included two training camps. One year after ‘liberation’ and the east still lives in fear 20 July 2008 India said “CEPA or interference?” Mystery and talk of intrigue surrounds the CEPA (Comprehensive Economic Partnership) agreement that was to be signed during the forthcoming SAARC summit.The government has now decided to postpone the signing or to call it off. What’s definite is that there will be no signing of CEPA during SAARC. Reports are that the government’s coalition partners were angered that “India was trying to use CEPA as a bargaining chip to ensure Indian non-interference in the government’s forward march in the Wanni.’’The army commander announced this week that his troops are poised now to march into Killinocchi, the Tiger heartland. Other sources said that though the government agreed to CEPA, a free trade agreement with India, it has now reneged on this agreement due to pressure from the coalition partner, particularly the JHU. Earlier nationalists such a Gunadasa Amarasekera of the “Jathi Hithaishee Viyaparaya’’ said CEPA was a secret agreement being foisted on the country, where Sri Lanka stands to lose badly due to unfavourable terms of trade. The government trotted out a lame excuse that CEPA will not be signed as ‘’cabinet approval has not been obtained.’ However, CEPA was negotiated and about to be signed after the government definitely decided to go ahead with it, and this abrupt turnaround, sources say, was due to immense political pressure and the perception that Sri Lanka is caving into India in order to secure certain conditions such as ‘’non interference on the war front.’Earlier this month a powerful Indian delegation of three VVIP officials was in Colombo sparking speculation that they were here to stop the army’s march towards the Wanni. Illuppakadavai captured-Defencewire Troops from the 58 Division (Task Force 1), spearheaded by Commandos today reached the Sea Tiger camp at Illuppakadavai. A heavy firefight ensued today for nearly two hours. Tigers received a severe beating and survivors took tail. Exact number of casualties is unavailable.The next targets lying in the 58s path are Vellankulam (7km), Nochchikudah (7km), Pallikuda and Pooneryn (20kms). The objective will be the latter, while the three former locations also have some significant sea Tiger Activity.As Vellankulam ends, the Kilinochchi District begins. Thevampiddi Church to where the Our Lady of Madhu statue was removed to is also situated in Vellankulam. Thevampiddi is a small coastal village on the A-32. The 58 advance towards Vellankulam will happen simultaneously to the 57 advance towards Tunukkai and Mallavi on the eastern flank.Sea Tigers have been at the receiving end lately, with cadres being killed and assets destroyed on a regular basis. The latest and most serious damage comes from an attack on the Sea Tiger base at Chalai in the Northeastern Coast.A group of fighter jets from the number 10 fighter Squadron carried-out a precision strike upon detection by UAV of a flotilla of Sea Tiger boats setting out to sea from Chalai last week. As the flotilla exited Chalai, jet bombers dropped their lethal cargo. The UAV saw a massive explosion .One large boat was observed doing a semi-somersault before disintegrating as the impact from the bombs hit the water. Later, fishermen from the area confirmed that three large LTTE vessels of the type captured some time back were completely destroyed and sunk in the sea. All three vessels were large vessels probably manufactured for specification to the Sea Tigers in a Southeast Asian country. IDP's living under trees in the Wanni Displaced people in the Wanni are left to seek shelter out in the open, under trees, the latest humanitarian update filed by the UN and other agencies said. "According to field reports, displaced persons are sheltering under trees with limited access to basic facilities. UNHCR and UNICEF have distributed tarpaulin sheets to over 1,000 families so far, "the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) an umbrella organisation of UN and other humanitarian agencies said yesterday in the update referring to areas of the Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Mannar districts that are under the control of the Tigers. "Supplementary food packs are being provided by DRC, World Vision and ZOA and two week's dry rations (rice and a small quantity of wheat flour) are provided by the GAs to newly displaced families," it was also stated.As fighting continued in areas north and north east of Vidattalativu, gained by the security forces last week, humanitarian facilities including a hospital and a food warehouse and schools have been shifted further away from the areas of confrontations. "Following the latest displacements in Manthai East and Thunukkai divisions in Mullaitivu district, the Health Department is making arrangements to shift the Mallavi government hospital to Akkarayan where thousands of IDP families mostly from Mallavi are settled. WFP also relocated its warehouse from Mallavi to Kilinochchi this week," the report said. Mallavi lies about 15km north of Periyamadhu that is now under the control of government forces. There are over 106,000 IDPs in the two districts of Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu and an additional 24,000 in Mannar, parts of which are under government control. The report said that civilian population in the Mantai area in Mannar where the most recent fighting was concentrated was moving north. "The statistical update received from the office of the GA Mannar (14 July 2008) indicates that there are 6,652 families (24,244 persons) registered as displaced within the District. The situation in Manthai West is changing rapidly with the population moving north, away from hostilities," the report said Thirty schools in the Madhu and Manthai divisions too have been moved to alternate locations affecting the studies of 6,900 students, the report said. The latest IASC report follows a similar, but more detailed report filed by the University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna) two weeks back that said that civilians in the Wanni were getting increasingly caught in the fighting as well as high handed Tiger tactics like forcible training and recruitment. Ironically, the IASC report said that the situation in the three north eastern districts of Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara remained calm. Eezham exhibition impresses UK parliamentarians A photo exhibition on '60 years of oppression of Tamils in Sri Lanka,' held at the premises of British Parliament on Wednesday brought in 'positive responses' from the Lawmakers cutting across party lines and other dignitaries, according to British Tamils Forum, the organisers of the display. The exhibition was to mark the 50th year of the first ethnic riots against Tamils in Sri Lanka in 1958 and to mark the Black July of 1983 anti-Tamil pogrom. Many British parliamentarians, including Vernon Coaker, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Home Office, attended the exhibition, which was opened by Ms. Joan Ryan MP. 'UK government must act for fairness in Sri Lanka', 'very interesting exhibition that demands assertion', 'we must raise an alert to the world', 'your bravery will be rewarded', 'interesting exhibition making the clear case for self determination', 'very thought provoking and interesting comparison to the situation in Kosovo', 'very supportive of your struggle', 'people need to know about this struggle,' and 'we build a nation,' were some of the comments found in the visitor's logbook kept at the exhibition.'The most important thing is to work towards a peaceful solution that can only be achieved through mutual respect,' a comment said. Almost all the comments were either supportive or appreciative and sympathetic, except for the one by the chairman of the All Party Sri Lanka Group, which read that the 'propaganda of Tamil Eelam is too dated', according to TamilNet correspondent in UK.The All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Tamils sponsored the exhibition.Three Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians from Jaffna and Batticaloa, Padmini Shithamparanathan MP, S. Gajendran MP and S. Jeyanandamoorthy MP, who were on a visit to UK, also visited the exhibition. DMK vs Sri Lanka: Hook support from other parties Urging members of all parties to unite and fight for the cause of Tamil fishermen, Chief Minister M Karunanidh yesterday said the Centre should help get back the rights of Tamil fishermen in Katchatheevu.A State-wide fast was observed by the DMK yesterday to press the Centre to take up with the Sri Lankan government the issue of ‘frequent’ killings of Indian fishermen allegedly by the island navy.Interestingly the fast organised by the ruling DMK throughout the State provided a platform for the senior DMK leaders to launch an attack on DMDK leader Vijayakanth, heap laurels on their party chief and also show their might in assembling huge crowds.In Chennai, the fast was presided over by Arcot Veerasamy and senior DMK leaders and cadres took part.Speaking on the occasion, Karunanidhi said, ‘the protests for the cause of Tamil fishermen have been continuing for the past five decades. We should understand the travails and difficulties our fishermen are facing at the hands of the Sinhala Navy.’‘When the rights of our fishermen are not respected, we are forced to protest in a peaceful and non-violent way. However, the Sri Lankan government pays no heed to all our protests and continue to act in an arrogant manner’, Karunanidhi said and added, ‘now we are compelled to knock on the doors of the Centre’.‘Fear looms large on the families of the fishermen over their safety. Sri Lankan army is ruthlessly killing Tamil fishermen, who are venturing out into the sea. It has become a daily routine. We took several efforts to prevent such atrocities,’ Karunanidhi added.On allegations that DMK was responsible for giving Katchatheevu to Sri Lanka, Karunanidhi recalled that in 1971 when the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi signed a pact with Sri Lankan government in this regard, the DMK had passed a resolution urging the Centre to reconsider the agreement.‘Former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa too had passed a resolution in 1991 to retrieve Katchatheevu. In this issue, all the parties stand united,’ he said.‘Unfortunately only during the 1976 emergency, the rights of Tamil fishermen in Katchatheevu were lost. We are now fighting to get back our rights. Everyone should join hands cutting across party lines to champion the cause’, he said.Meanwhile, launching an indirect attack on the DMDK President Vijayakanth, Arcot Veerasamy said, ‘some political infants have unleashed verbal abuse on Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to desperately gain an identity in politics. ‘Everyone knows the sacrifices and struggle of Karunanidhi on the fishermen issue. He voices his support whenever Tamils face troubles anywhere in the globe.’State Minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, DMK MPs, MLAs, former Ministers Indirakumari, S Madhavan, Chennai Mayor M Subramanian, State Planning Commission Vice President Naganathan and representatives of various fishermen association took part in the protest.In Madurai, the fast was presided over by M K Azhagiri, elder son of Karunanidhi. Several hundred party cadres including District Secretary Velusamy attended the fast. Azhagiri’s daughter Kayalvizhi was also present.At Mamallapuram, the fast was presided over by State Minister Durai Murugan. Speaking on the occasion, Durai Murugan said, ‘there is no need to hold a similar protest in New Delhi. Karunanidhi has the power to control Delhi from Chennai’.External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has assured Karunanidhi of early action over the attacks, he said. Opposition unhappy about foreign view of government-Karuna nexus The UNP-led Opposition at logger heads with President Mahinda Rajapaksa over his cosy relationship with the armed breakaway LTTE faction headed by ‘Colonel’ Karuna Amman is seriously disturbed over the international community’s readiness to strike a working relationship with the group."We are disappointed," a UNP MP told The Sunday Island. The international community shouldn’t have contacted the TMVP now in control of the first Eastern Provincial Council, the Batticaloa Municipal Council and all Pradeshiya Sabhas in the Batticaloa District. This would only encourage the Rajapaksas and their newly found ally to step up the combined security forces campaign in the Vanni.But Karuna who recently returned after serving a shortened prison term for violating British immigration laws is expected to keep a low profile.The government has prohibited foreign governments sending representatives to Kilinochchi after the August, 2005, assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in Colombo. The government recently rejected an LTTE call to arrange Norwegian representatives to visit Kilinochchi to explore ways and means of kick starting peace negotiations.The Tamil National Alliance, the SLMC and the JVP, too, criticised the international community for having contacts with the TMVP as the group hadn’t de-commissioned its weapons. They said the Rajapaksas would take advantage of on and off meetings between the international community and the TMVP to strengthen their government which was pursuing a military solution. They accused the international community of taking a contradictory stand on the issue. On one hand, the international community wanted the government to disarm the TMVP while on the other hand, an undemocratically elected administration was being international endorsement, the JVP said.In the run upto the EPC polls, JVP frontliner Anura Kumara Dissanayake accused India of promoting the TMVP-Rajapaksa relationship at the expense of the vast majority of people wanting the restoration of democracy.The criticism comes hard on the heels of Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the EU Ravinatha Ariyasingha’s declaration that a visiting EU delegation would meet with EP Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan this week. This would be the first direct contact between the EPC administration and the EU, a Foreign Ministry official said, expressing relief that the EU had changed its previous stance. Government sources expressed the belief the change of the international opinion had been influenced by rapidly deteriorating LTTE military power in the Vanni region where the army was on the advance on a wide front on both west and east of the A9 road.The EU Parliament’s Delegation for Relations with the Countries of South Asia in Brussels would be headed by its Chairman Robert Evans, Socialist Group member of the UK and would include a cross section of the political groups and member states represented within the EU. Last month, Sri Lanka declined to take a visiting EU delegation to the East after it refused to meet the newly installed ECP administration. British Minister Lord Malloch Brown and the Netherlands Ambassador in Colombo Reynout Van Dijk last week met Chandrakanthan in Trincomalee. This followed US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Even Feigenbaum, US Charged’ Affairs James R. Moore and USAID Mission Director Rebecca Cohn appearing on one stage with President Rajapaksa and Chandrakanthan on July 1 at the opening of the new bridge built over Arugambay. The USAID’s flagship tsunami aid project had cost USD 10 million.UPFA General Secretary and Minister Susil Premjayanth said the government fielded a TMVP candidate on the government list for the North Central Province at the August 23 election as they were confident of working with the group. "We have every confidence in them," he said, describing the move as an extension of the government-TMVP political relationship.The decision to accommodate Batticaloa Mayor Ms P. Sivageetha of the TMVP on the Consultative Committee on Humanitarian Assistance (CCHA) had facilitated its relationship with the Colombo embassies, the sources said. Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samaraweera had paved the way for the TMVP entry by inviting Ms Sivageetha to attend a CCHA meeting held in Colombo on April 29 with the participation of US Ambassador Robert Blake and UNICEF Country Director Philippe Duamelle. The CCHA chaired by Samarasinghe had brought the US, EU and UN together, the sources said, adding Ms Shivageetha during the April meeting was given the opportunity to address the gathering.In her address, she had urged the donors to work through the newly elected Batticaloa MC. SL to counter US Resolutions Sri Lanka is planning to launch a counterattack against the recent United States Resolution 1338, which calls for an international Human Rights (HR) monitoring mission to help maintain law and order in the embattled island. This is apart from several other demands, which include an end to the ongoing military onslaught and the culture of impunity in the face of growing HR violations. Highly placed sources said that, Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry officials have already started to counter the recent Resolution tabled in the US Congress on Sri Lanka, and is hoping to approach US Congress Foreign Affairs Committee members to present the Sri Lankan government’s point of view on the recent Resolution against the island.Despite attempts by the US Congress to impose the Resolutions, Foreign Ministry officials claimed that it was unlikely that there would be any ‘real’ impact on the country by the motions. However, it is learnt that pro LTTE lobby groups and activists in the US, have received a significant boost from Resolution 1338, which urges the Sri Lankan government to pursue a political solution, rather than a military one, tabled in the US Congress , last week.Resolution 1338 has been referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, a powerful legislative body charged with oversight of US government policy concerning foreign relations issues.The Nation learns that pro LTTE lobby groups have been working for months, campaigning for such a Resolution. Pro LTTE groups such as “Tamils for Justice” have already declared that Resolution 1388 is a huge setback to the Sri Lankan Government.Resolution 1388 on Sri Lanka, sponsored by Congressman Brad Sherman of California and co-sponsored by Congressmen Frank Pallon Jr. of New Jersey and Jerry Weller of Illinois, called on the United States Government and the international community to support a transition to sustainable peace in Sri Lanka, by encouraging an International HR Monitoring presence, protecting the work of civil society and media, facilitating access of humanitarian operations, and retaining democratic principles in which rule of law and justice pervades. The Resolution on Sri Lanka also called to recognise the 25th anniversary of ‘Black July’ and mourn its victims and the victims of the ongoing violence in Sri Lanka that has followed.Expressing concern for HR and humanitarian crises presently occurring in Sri Lanka, it condemned the denial of adequate humanitarian aid to the civilian population and attacks on the media with impunity.It also condemned the continued attacks on civilian populations by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and urged for the immediate cessation of violence, and called on the LTTE and the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) to immediately end all recruitment of children as soldiers and to release all child soldiers currently in their ranks.It also urged the Government of Sri Lanka to pursue a political resolution, rather than a military solution to the conflict, investigate and prosecute the numerous disappearances and attacks on humanitarian workers and the media, to take immediate steps to address the legitimate grievances of the Muslim, Tamil, and all other minority communities, and to provide safe living conditions for internally displaced people.It also called on the President to publicly urge Sri Lanka to accept an International HR Monitoring presence on the island, which would deter, monitor, investigate and report attacks. Discovery of human skeletal remains in Batticaloa The Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) yesterday urged the government to conduct a comprehensive and independent investigation into the human skeletal remains unearthed from an unmarked grave at a camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at Palameenmadu in the Batticaloa district last week.TMVP spokesman Azad Mowlana, who is also the party representative to the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) said that the only way the government could instill confidence among the Tamil people and erase the doubts that have surfaced among them regarding this shocking find, would be by ensuring an impartial and thorough investigation.These investigations should be start immediately by giving priority to carrying out DNA and other tests, when and where needed, he said.Initial investigations had revealed that the deaths had been caused around five months before the Government abrogated the Ceasefire agreement at which time the LTTE was still active politically in the East, he said."The Tamil people have doubts about the identity of the culprits involved in these killings".The Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in charge of the East, Nihal Samarakoon told The Sunday Island yesterday that the skeletal remains had been forwarded to the Government Analyst on a Magisterial order to obtain DNA and other reports to proceed with this investigation. EU delegation arrives today A Parliamentary delegation of the European Union will arrive here today to assess the situation in the eastern parts of the country, especially after the recent Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) election.The delegation includes a cross-section of political groups and EU member-states. The delegation’s six-day visit would include meetings with key members of the cabinet, political parties and the media.The visit assumes importance as the issue of extension of GSP plus concession to Sri Lanka’s textile sector is coming up for review shortly.The Foreign Ministry said Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the EU, Ravinatha Aryasinha, briefed the delegation in Brussels on Wednesday. Police earplugs on Jaffna phones Plan to strip CBK's civic rights in motion Moves are afoot to strip former President Chandrika Kumaratunga of her civic rights, The Sunday Leader learns.It is learnt that the decision to remove her civic rights was taken following various statements made by her against the government placing it in difficulty. Provincial Council Minister Janaka Bandara Tennekoon had earlier proposed to the Central Committee of the SLFP to sack Kumaratunga from the party following an address she made at the inaugural convention of the SLFP (M).However the proposal was shelved following President Mahinda Rajapakse's revealation he had set in motion a plan to get the former President stripped of her civic rights .Informed sources said Minister Tennekoon had told several confidants he decided not to move his proposal at the central committee for Kumaratunga's ouster from the party following an assurance given by the President that a bigger plan was in operation on stripping the former President's civic rights.According to party inside sources, the decision to knock Kumaratunga out of the political arena for seven years is to ensure that in the unlikely event of President Rajapakse being incapacitated to function in office in terms of the constitution, she will not be able to take control of the party through Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake who is a loyalist of the Former President.The civic rights of a citizen can be stripped through a vote in parliament following a motion or being fined and sentenced by a court. East facing financial crisis Eastern Province Governor Vice Admiral Mohan Wijewickrama in a letter to President Mahinda Rajapaksa has requested for more funds to develop the province.During the budgetary allocation last year, money was not allocated to the newly elected Eastern Provincial Council and therefore, it is believed the council is severely short of funds to maintain the newly elected council members and to engage in development work.In his letter, Wijewickrama has pointed out that without adequate funds from the central government, development work cannot be carried out.The war battered Eastern Province according to informed sources is in need of additional money to rebuild houses, shops, places of religious worship, irrigation tanks and roads.In addition, the council also is in need of money to rehabilitate and resettle the displaced people.Meanwhile, Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillaiyan and four other provincial ministers have sought an early appointment from President Rajapaksa to discuss various matters.The delegation led by Pillaiyan is expected to draw attention to the important matter of lack of finances to improve the province.Sources said President Rajapaksa has still not consented to meet the delegation as he was busy over the forthcoming SAARC Summit. Tamil woman to be next U.N. human rights commissioner The United Nations secretary-general is to name South African Judge Navanethem Pillay as the next U.N. human rights commissioner today, reports quoted diplomats as saying. The daughter of a Tamil bus driver in Durban, she experienced human rights violations firsthand. Pillay earned a law degree at Harvard, but for 28 years during apartheid, she was not allowed to set foot in a judge's chambers as a lawyer because of her South Asian origins. In 1995 she became the first woman of color to become a judge on the High Court. Pillay, born in 1941, also served as a judge on the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda prosecuting crimes related to that nation's genocide. She presided over landmark cases in international law that established rape as a war crime, convicted a former head of state for atrocities committed during his rule and prosecuted media for inciting genocide. She has served for five years on the International Criminal Court at The Hague. A report in Thursday’s Los Angeles Times said: Pillay may not be as outspoken as the current commissioner, Canadian Judge Louise Arbour, who often shamed governments and leaders that Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon would not criticize by name. Arbour took the forefront on issues such as the United Nations' opposition to capital punishment when Ban said he supported each state's right to decide whether to use it, and has criticized the United States for skirting international law in its fight against terrorism. Human Rights advocates wonder whether Pillay will stand up to big powers when they violate human rights, or push her native South Africa on controversial issues, such as human rights violations in neighboring Zimbabwe and elections there that the U.N. has declared illegitimate. "The challenge for her will be to use the bully pulpit and be a strong advocate for human rights," said Kenneth Roth, the executive director of Human Rights Watch. "As a judge, she has no experience with that." But Pillay's colleagues say that she has her own firm, discreet way of achieving results, a quality that fits well with Ban's philosophy of behind-the-scenes persuasion. UK jails Samurai ‘beheading’ gang Seven men have been jailed for an attack in which four of them tried to behead a man using samurai swords. The gang members, from Newham, east London, ambushed a group of six men in Alperton, north London, in August 2006. Armed with swords, pickaxe handles and pieces of wood, four tried to behead a 20-year-old man, the Old Bailey heard. The four were sentenced to life for attempted murder. Two others were found guilty of grievous bodily harm and all seven were guilty of violent disorder. The court heard the seven armed Tamil gang members carried out the attack in Braemar Avenue on August 28, 2006. The unnamed 20-year-old was struck on the head with a bottle. When the victim fell to the ground, Kirubananathrada Gunaratam, Santhurajah Thavapalasingham, Sabesan Sivaneswaran and Aramugan Paratheeban attempted to behead him. The 20-year-old used a cricket bat to defend himself but his left arm was partially severed in the attack. The gang fled when Police arrived at the scene. Gunaratam, 32, and Thavapalasingham, 21, were sentenced to life for attempted murder, to serve a minimum of 12 years. Sivaneswaran, 20, and Paratheeban, 24, were also sentenced to life for attempted murder, to serve a minimum of eight and nine-and-a-half years respectively. Edward Jeganathan, 26, and Selvarajah Mayuran, 28, were sentenced to nine and five years respectively for grievous bodily harm and violent disorder. Santosh Panthaplavil-Sasidharan, 26, was imprisoned for three years for violent disorder. 18 July 2008 Europe backs Tamil asylum seeker ill –treated The asylum seeker told courts that he was ill –treated during detention and beaten by batons.In its judgement the court took into account what it described as the systematic use of torture by the military in its efforts to combat the Tigers. It's understood that the verdict could set an important precedent for several other similar pending cases brought by Sri Lankan asylum seekers. Two consecutive air raids targeting LTTE heavy weapons and boats - Mullaittiuvu Sri Lanka Air Force carried out two consecutive air raids targeting LTTE heavy weapon deployment and LTTE logistic boats in the Mullaittiuvu lagoon area this morning, July 18. Air Force spokesperson, Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara, speaking to defence.lk said that SLAF fighter jets raided LTTE's heavy weapon deployment in 2km west of Mullaittiuvu lagoon around 6.10 a.m. Further speaking he added that the second air bombardment carried out around 6.20 a.m targeting 3 large-scale LTTE logistic boats at Mullaittiuvu lagoon. Citing the pilots, spokesperson confirmed that 2 boats were completely destroyed while the other is still in flames. Body of abducted Devadasan unearthed The body of Devadasan Suresh Kumar who was abducted by an unidentified gang suspected to be attached to the EPDP was unearthed in the compound behind the EPDP office in Chenkaladi yesterday morning. Eravur police on a tip off raided the EPDP office in Chenkaladi and searched the land where they found a buried spot.The police dug and unearthed an unidentified body which was later found to be of the abducted Devdasan. It was later identified by the victim’s wife. Meanwhile six EPDP members who were at the office were taken into custody on suspicion. Police are conducting investigations, Police Media Spokesman SSP Ranjith Gunasekara said. The body is currently being kept at the Batticaloa hospital morgue. Air Force raids Tiger gathering Sri Lanka Air Force MI-24 helicopter gunships raided an LTTE gathering point in the general area of Iluppaikkadavai, five Km north of Vidattaltivu, yesterday afternoon. Air Force spokesperson Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said the close air support mission to support ground troops was launched around 12.15 p.m after observing a gathering of the LTTE cadres by the air surveillance. LTTE have asked for more vehicles to evacuate their casualties, the spokesperson added. As the Army Task Force 1 and the Commando Brigade operating on the Mannar warfront liberated strategically important Vidattaltivu, LTTE have started to withdraw towards Iluppaikkadavai, North of Vidattaltivu, defence sources said. Mysterious presence of Indian in Tiger territory A chance detection of a boat trying to move through an SLN cordon now in place in the Gulf of Mannar has revealed the presence of some Indians in the LTTE-held area in the Vanni.An Indian holding passport (ETN/059/001/355/2001) was among seven persons attempting to cross the Indo-Lanka maritime boundary on Wednesday. Selvam Sudesh Kanan has claimed that he along with three other Indians arrived in the LTTE held area in the Vanni on January 10, 2003.His boat would most probably have escaped if a special naval cordon had not been in place to discourage the Tamil Nadu fishing fleet from poaching in Sri Lankan waters. The SLN has placed the cordon following the detention of nearly 290 Indian trawlers poaching in Sri Lankan waters on July 2, which triggered protests in the Tamil Nadu.After initial questioning in Mannar, the SLN had moved the Indian overland to Colombo to be handed over to the Indian High Commission.Although the government has accepted Selvam’s claim that they were detained by the LTTE used as forced labour, the mystery surrounds the failure on the part of their families to raise the issue with the Sri Lankan mission in Chennai. The Tamil Nadu media, the Indian High Commission or the Norwegian-led truce monitoring mission deployed in the Northern and Eastern Province had not raised the issue, the sources said.Sources pointed out that although Selvam had a valid Indian passport, he hadn’t entered Sri Lanka through the Bandaranaike International airport. "The bottom line is that he had entered the Vanni mainland clandestinely," an official said. He asserted Selvam’s explanation could be a blatant lie. The possibility of the Indian being with the LTTE for some other reason couldn’t be ruled, he said. The fall of Vidattaltivu to Task Force I against the backdrop of rapid deterioration of LTTE firepower on the region west of the Kandy-Jaffna A9 road would have prompted the Indian to leave, the sources said.The Navy on Thursday handed over the suspect to the Indian High Commission. With the army making rapid progress on the Mannar and Vavuniya fronts, the LTTE would face tremendous difficulties in maintaining sea line of communications with Tamil Nadu through the Gulf of Mannar, the military said. After losing Vidattaltivu, the LTTE has relocated its units in and around Illuppaikkadavai, Mundampiddi and Vellankulam to resist the army advance on the Mannar-Pooneryn A 32 road, the sources said. There could be approximately 600 cadres operating in these villages, the sources said, asserting the LTTE would attempt to make a stand on the Mallavi-Tunukkai road stretch on the Vellankilam (on the north-western coast)-Mankulam (key junction on the A9 road).The boat intercepted by the SLN as it attempted to reach the Indian waters is believed to have left Mundampiddi.Thursday afternoon, Mi-24 helicopter gunships attacked an LTTE gathering point 11 kilometres north-east of Illuppaikkadavai. PMK wants India to boycott SAARC summit Indian political party Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) party has urged New Delhi to reconsider its decision to participate in the 15th SAARC summit in Colombo next month. PMK MP M. Ramadoss requested in a letter to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to summon the Sri Lankan Ambassador to express concerns over 'atrocities' of its Navy on fishermen.He pointed to the recent killing of two fishermen of Nagapatnam district allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy. One fisherman was seriously injured in the firing, he said. However, the Sri Lanka Navy has denied the shooting or killing any Indian fishermen. Vavuniya welfare camp gutted in fire A welfare camp housing more than 1,000 people in Vavuniya has been gutted in a fire. The blaze broke out at the facility at Poonthottam around 9.30 am today (July 17th).Five inmates suffered burn injuries, while all the people have been left with only the clothes they are wearing.Initial attempts to put out the fire, with assistance of the police, had failed.By the time army firefighters arrived in the scene, the welfare camp was completely burnt down. 17 July 2008 Indian troops to protect PM Singh in Colombo - Govt. Three thousand Indian troops will accompany Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his protection during his stay in Sri Lanka to attend next month's SAARC summit, Minister of Media, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said today (July 17th). Noting that it would not do to offend the region's super power, the Minister said the government was compelled to make allowances. The arrival of the Indian troops would also lessen the security responsibilities of the government, he said.Minister Abeywardena also said that 75 per cent of the SAARC budget amounting to nearly Rs. 2,880 million is reserved for the provision of security for the visiting heads of state.Local media has reported that India would send three helicopters for use by its premier, including two combat helicopters for his security.In addition, New Delhi is to deploy three warships armed with the latest equipment, including anti-missile systems, in the Sri Lankan waters for the duration of the SAARC summit a the BMICH. Mass grave in Batticaloa British Minister brings gloomy news At a meeting with Eastern Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan and other councillors in Trincomalee Wednesday, visiting British Minister Malloch Brown, said that there were human rights violations in Sri Lanka, and therefore he could not guarantee the extension of the GSP+ facility given to Sri Lankan exports to the European Union under these circumstances.The British Minister held talks with the councillors on a wide range of issues and UNP member Daya Gamage who is also the proprietor of several garment factories emphasized the need to extend this facility citing that it would otherwise cause a crippling effect on the apparel industry here.Provincial Minister M.L.A.M.Hizbullah told the British delegation that the 13th Amendment to the Constitution which provided for the establishment should be implemented in full. He said that police and land powers are yet to be given to the provincial councils.The councilors said they had not received sufficient funds from the Government to start development work in the province.The Chief Minister said at the meeting that he was very much interested in establishing durable peace in the East which was devastated by the decades-long war. He said that his province was under developed.Provincial Chairman M.K.D.S.Gunawardane took up the issue of accommodation of Sinhala medium students to the Eastern and South Eastern Universities, and said the need was to establish yet another university in the East to improve education opportunities.British High Commissioner Dr.Peter Hayes also participated in the meeting meant for identifying problems faced by the newly established Eastern Provincial Council. Sri Lanka President vows to continue the journey towards liberating the Nation Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the journey towards liberating the Nation would be continued despite all odds. Addressing the chairmen and the vice chairmen of the North Central and Sabaragamuwa provinces on Tuesday, he said that he would safeguard and lift up the faith and trust laid on him by the people at the presidential election calling on him to liberate the country. He said that people asked him nothing but to liberate the country and therefore it is exactly what he is doing. Also, he added that every citizen should put forward the country before everything else. During his speech President Rajapaksa criticized the opposition United National Party’s decision to appoint two outsiders as chief minister candidates to the provinces. He said that it is an insult to the leaders in the province and also against the very idea of establishing a provincial council. We no longer need to carry arms - Karuna Members of the Thamil Makkala Viduthalai Pulikal no longer need to carry arms as they are totally satisfied with the security given to them by the Government, the leader of the TMVP Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman told the Daily News yesterday. In an interview over the phone TMVP leader Muralitharan said that he has already discussed with the defence authorities to bring his qualified and willing cadres to the Security Forces, Police and Home Guards. “We have already started that process of recruiting our cadres to the Security Forces and the Police from the Trincomalee district”, he added. “Now we have entered into mainstream politics and there is no need to have arms. I have instructed the cadres, who are not willing to join the Security Forces and the Police to reunite with their families”, he added. The TMVP leader is now in Batticaloa to meet their area leaders and ground level membership to discuss future political programme. He said that the TMVP is working on a good political programmes to take the TMVP at National Political level working towards sending at least ten of their Members to Parliament including himself. Muralitharan has also met the DIG in Batticaloa and the ICRC delegation Head in Batticaloa to discuss matters relating to the abductions and child conscriptions. “Some groups have levelled unfounded allegations against us and I have discussed the situation with them”, the TMVP leader added. The TMVP leader also said that the LTTE is not in a position to turn the tide against them as Defence Secretary Gotabahaya Rajapaksa and Army Commander Lt. General Sarath Fonseka has already inflicted heavy damage on the LTTE who are running for covers. LTTE withdraws from Veduthalthivu Take up fishermen’s issue at SAARC meeting: CPI CHENNAI: The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Wednesday urged the Centre to raise the killing of Tamil fishermen, allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, at the South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation (SAARC) conference to be held in Sri Lanka between July 27 and August 3.“The Indian government has not done anything adequate to stop the kidnappings and killings. India should arrive at some agreement with the Sri Lankan government in the interests of the fishermen. Otherwise, what is the point in having SAARC?,” CPI’s national secretary D. Raja asked.The Communist leader told The Hindu that it was usual for fishermen to stray into the waters of another country and go to areas where prospects of fish yield were high. “There must be some understanding between the two countries. There have been occasions when Indian fishermen have strayed into Pakistani waters. But, the Pakistan Navy never resorted to firing. We are able to get the fishermen released through negotiations. But, Sri Lanka is adopting an inimical attitude towards India,” he alleged.Mr. Raja said the time had come for India to reopen the agreement over Kachatheevu in the wake of continuous attacks on Tamil fishermen. “It is strategically important for us. We cannot just contend with the provisions of the agreement that allow our fishermen to dry their nets and take rest in Kachatheevu. India must see that Tamil fishermen’s right to fish in that area is established.” Seeking a political settlement of the ethnic crisis, Mr. Raja said the CPI would organise demonstrations before the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission on July 30 against the killing of Tamil fishermen. 48 small businesses lost to SAARC security Forty eight small scale business places at Kotte Road in Rajagiriya were dismantled this morning (July 16th), purportedly for the safety of foreign dignitaries attending next month’s SAARC summit in Colombo. After a very short notice, the Urban Development Authority and the Welikada Police had come, armed with a court order and backhoes, and razed the buildings to the ground.These traders say their livelihoods that had provided for them for the past 20 years, are gone now.Many have also lost a place to live, as they had used the buildings as their dwellings as well. Former Kotte Mayor Chandra de Silva had constructed these buildings.Traders had been paying electricity and water bills as well as taxes to the municipal council.The present mayor had said that she could do nothing as the order had come from a very high place. 250 more families in Slave Island to be evicted More families have been ordered by the defence Ministry to leave their houses at Slave Island, as a security measure for next month's SAARC summit in Colombo. The latest eviction order to nearly 250 families living in Elephant House Watta, came after a similar notification to residents of adjoining Glain Place early this week.These people have been living in these areas for as long as 70 years and some have even made permanent houses. Despite the order, they have not been offered any alternative housing. In addition, distraught parents question the education of their children, who attend nearby schools.Glain Place and Elephant House Watta house nearly 1,000 families.These people charge the government is trying to send them to wooden shanties near Thotalanga, which are uninhabitable even by animals.They say that they have no option by to jump into a train with their whole families if they are forced out of their homes. LTTE threat: warships and copters for PM's security cover in Lanka NEW DELHI - India will not take any chances when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visits Colombo early next month for the Saarc summit. It is looking to dispatch no less than three warships, including two frontline guided-missile destroyers, to Sri Lankan waters as security cover for the PM and his entourage from the muchfeared Tamil Tigers. With National Security Adviser M. K. Narayanan personally looking into the PM’s security at Colombo for the August 2-3 Saarc summit, due to the “high threat perception” from the LTTE, hectic consultations are in progress between India and Sri Lanka for fool-proof security arrangements. With the Tigers known to use suicide bombers, there is no room for a mistake. With the LTTE having both air and naval wings and even resorting to trained deep-sea divers for underwater suicide missions, Indian security experts obviously do not want to take chances. What must be also weighing on the minds of Indian agencies is the LTTE’s success in using light aircraft for bombing a military airfield near Colombo and being able to avoid detection by radar. Sources said the Special Protection Group (SPG) contingent, which provides “proximate security” to the PM, will be “much larger” this time compared to other foreign visits. While the eight-day summit will begin on July 27, the PM will attend it only on the last two days. Apart from Sri Lankan security personnel, the security cover will be bolstered by three Indian warships, including a Delhi-class destroyer and a Rajput-class destroyer, equipped with Sea King and Chetak helicopters. There is even talk of IAF helicopters being deployed in the skies over Colombo for aerial surveillance of high-security zones, like Colombo Fort and Kolpetty areas, apart from strengthening air defence cover around the summit. The Indian armed presence is bound to attract some criticism in Sri Lanka where already a section is up in arms over the high costs for security, including hundreds of bullet proof vehicles. Some nationalist groups are upset with reports that Indian security personnel will “swamp” Colombo when the PM is there. "Electroal system" should change 16 July 2008 TNA: Jaffna Pass system violates basic human rights Maavai Senathirajah, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Jaffna in a letter to Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse, protested that procedures instituted by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officials for Jaffna residents to obtain a “Pass” to travel out of Jaffna require several days, and are causing “tremendous hardships” to the public and demanded immediate withdrawal of the pass system. He accused Colombo of suppressing freedom of movement and of grossly violating basic human rights. Full text of the letter follows: His Excellency Mahinda Rajapakse, Your Excellency, URGENT APPEAL FOR THE REMOVAL OF THE ARMY PASS SYSTEM TO TRAVEL OUT OF JAFFNA PENINSULA. I am in receipt of spate of representations from the residents of Jaffna with regard to the untold hardships, immense inconveniences and much time consuming procedure which is being adopted on those who venture to travel out of the peninsula.I feel it is appropriate to apprise you briefly with regard to the difficulties which are being encountered by such applicants for the “permits.” They are required to perfect about ten forms. For this purpose they are compelled to waste their precious time, energy and money. They are required to wait in the queue for unlimitedly long time in front of the army camps braving the hot sun, rain, dust and other unfavorable and injurious whether conditions, half-starved and other physical strain.On their way if they happen to encounter passing of army convoy, they are prevented from proceeding further but to confine themselves in a nook and corner for long time until the end of such convoy of the fleet of army vehicles.This tedious process takes number of days to procure the permit and therefore the very purpose of obtaining this permit ends up in losing the very purpose of this permit, at time. The applicants venture to obtain this permit to travel out of Jaffna, not to made pleasure trips, but for very urgent purposes such as attending funerals, visiting the ailing and sinking kith and kin, to go abroad on receipt of visa, to meet their relatives who await their arrival in Colombo and other outstations to render financial and other assistance urgently required by them in order to tide-over their pressing difficulties, sending off their kith and kin and dear and near, who leave this shore for good and so on.So, the prevailing “pass system” is undoubtedly causing tremendous hardships to the applicants and some times deprive them of the very purpose of their attempt to obtain pass/permit.Hence it is needless of point out that it is a practice of suppression of freedom of movement and gross violation of basic human rights. I, therefore, being the Member of Parliament of Jaffna District, feel duty bound to lodge my vehement protest against this inhuman pass system and demand the immediate withdrawal of same to bring relief and redress who deserve the right of travelling out of the peninsula as and when necessary. I most eagerly await your urgent response to this agitation. Thanking you, Yours Sincerely MAVAI. S.SENATHIRAJAH,M.P., Army captures LTTE Sea Tiger Base Vidattaltivu Srilankan Army 58 Division and Commando Brigade had captured the strategically important Vidattaltivu town this morning (July 16), said the defence sources in the Mannar warfront. According to defence sources, Vidattaltivu is the biggest town situated on the North- Western coast of the Island, 20 km North of Mannar and is the main Sea-Tiger base cum the logistic hub of the LTTE in the West. This is the first time after the departure of Indian Peace Keeping Force in 1987 that troops have dominated the area , the sources added. Defence observers are in the view that the lost of Vidattaltivu would cast a fatal blow on LTTE as it has lost the most important Sea-Tiger base in the present context.Fierce gun battles took place in the area over the last few weeks despite LTTE resistance According to them the LTTE have no other option than to shift their Sea-Tiger assets to a makeshift camp further Northwards with the lost of its well-established sea borne operation base. These reports could not be verified due to the absence of alternative sources. US Congress moves for Int’l. Monitoring Mission in Lanka A resolution has been tabled in the US Congress calling on the United States government and the international community to encourage the deployment of an international human rights monitoring mission in Sri Lanka and help maintain law and order in the embattled island nation.Resolution 1338, sponsored by Representative Brad Sherman of California, and co-sponsored by Congressmen Frank Pallon Jr of New Jersey and Jerry Weller of Illinois, has messages for the Sri Lankan government, TMVP, LTTE and the US President. The preamble clauses accuse the TMVP of being "formally allied with the government" and continuing to "commit serious human rights violations and criminal acts with impunity.""All sides to the conflict" were accused of human rights violations "including extra-judicial killings, shelling and bombing of civilian areas, unnecessary prevention of the delivery of humanitarian aid, undue restrictions on the freedom of movement of internally displaced persons, and widespread impunity for serious human rights violations." It "condemns the continued attacks on civilian population by the LTTE," "urges the immediate cessation of violence" and calls upon both the LTTE and TMVP to "immediately end all recruitment of children as soldiers and to release all child soldiers currently in their ranks."The Sri Lankan government is urged to stop the war by pursuing "a political resolution, rather than a military solution" and to "allow necessary relief supplies to reach the Northern Province unhindered." Echoing the sentiments of both the annual State Department report on Human rights in Sri Lanka and recent murmurs from the French government, Resolution 1338 also insists that the government "investigate and prosecute the numerous disappearances and attacks on humanitarian workers and the media" and take "immediate steps to address the legitimate grievances of the Muslim, Tamil" and other minority communities whilst providing "safe living conditions" for IDPs.The resolution also recognized that the 25 year long war "has seen the deaths of over 75,000 primarily Tamil people and the emigration of as many as 1.5 million civilians, who were forced to flee the fighting." Also highlighted was the fact that the "breakdown of the 2002 ceasefire" caused the "killing of hundreds of civilians and internal displacement of over 200,000 people since mid-2006."The government has "severely undermined the chances of a renewed peace process," the resolution states, by pursuing a "military solution to the conflict," which has caused an "increased numbers of disappearances" and justification for "severe restrictions on humanitarian aid workers."If the resolution is passed, Congress would be calling on President George W. Bush, or his successor, "to publicly urge Sri Lanka to accept an international human rights monitoring presence on the island, which would deter, monitor and report attacks," an idea that the incumbent government has thus far stiffly resisted.The bill was referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, a powerful legislative body charged with oversight of US government policy concerning foreign relations issues, including the "review of sectarian violence and prospects for peace in Sri Lanka."The sponsor of Resolution 1338, Representative Brad Sherman, sits on the 49 member House Foreign Affairs committee and its sub-committee for the Middle East and South Asia. Sherman is also the chairman of the subcommittee on Terrorism, Non-proliferation and Trade. Sri Lanka's Central Bank Holds Benchmark Interest Rate at 10.5% Sri Lanka's central bank kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at the highest level since 2002 to bolster economic growth, even as inflation accelerated to the fastest pace in at least four years. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka maintained its repurchase rate at 10.5 percent for a 17th straight meeting, the Colombo- based bank said in a statement today. All 14 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News predicted the decision. Sri Lanka's interest rates are supporting growth and the central bank is maintaining the ``tightest'' monetary policy in decades to help control inflation, Governor Nivard Cabraal said July 2. Consumer prices in the capital Colombo rose 28.2 percent in June from a year earlier, the fastest pace in Asia, as bus fares on the island rose by as much as 27 percent in May and train fares nearly doubled last month. ``The central bank would probably use the recent slowdown in growth as an excuse not to raise rates, even though a much sharper slowing of the economy is required to ensure macroeconomic stability,'' said Ashok Parameswaran, senior emerging markets analyst at Invesco in New York. Sri Lanka was well within a revised, tighter target for money-supply growth in the second quarter, which would help in ``curtailing demand-driven inflation pressures in the economy,'' the central bank said July 1. Consumer price gains are expected to ease from about August, it said. Credit Growth The central bank has also kept monetary policy tight by reducing the amount of cash in the banking system and controlling credit demand. Credit growth in Sri Lanka's private sector slowed to 15.1 percent in April from a year earlier, the lowest level since the end of 2003, according to the central bank. June's higher inflation rate was expected and due to an increase in fuel and transport costs in May, the bank said. Railway, education, health and postal employees stayed away from work July 10 to demand a 5,000 rupee ($46) monthly pay rise. Economic growth slowed to 6.2 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, from 7.6 percent in the previous three months. Escalating violence, including bomb attacks in Colombo, curbed spending. Sri Lanka's inflation may slow to 14 percent by the end of this year, central bank Deputy Governor W.A. Wijewardena said on May 15. The increase in prices will ease to ``around 8 percent'' by the end of 2009, he said. The central bank said in January it was targeting annual inflation of about 10 percent for 2008. TIGERS WILL NOT DISARM FOR TALKS While reaffirming its commitment to resuming peace negotiations with the government, the LTTE yesterday laid to rest any hopes of its disarming before such negotiations took place, as had been insisted on by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. LTTE Military Spokesperson, Rasiah Illanthariyan said the conditions put forward by the government were unrealistic, noting that it was the government that had so far hindered the immediate resumption of peace talks. “We have always been ready for talks, and we have even conveyed this to the Norwegians and the international community. But we cannot disarm for the sake of a ceasefire agreement. That is out. If the government wants talks, they have to take us as we are; since we are not the ones who abrogated the six-year long ceasefire agreement with which we had no problem,” Illanthariyan said. Speaking to reporters in India on Saturday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa had made a fresh offer of peace talks to the LTTE. "I am ready today, I am telling you. Let them keep their arms, because whenever they are weak they are ready to talk. We can settle this by talking to each other," President Rajapaksa had said. LTTE Political Wing Chief, V. Nadesan had also said last week that the LTTE was ready for a ceasefire and accused the government of unilaterally abrogating the six-year long agreement. Meanwhile, responding to President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s statement at Temple Trees on Monday, the LTTE said that it would not lose its battle for Eelam, and challenged the government to enter the Wanni and face defeat. Illanthariyan said the President’s military approach to overcome the LTTE would never succeed as the cadres were “as strong as ever”. Addressing members of the Federation of Self Employees (FOSE) at the Temple Trees on Monday, the President claimed to be victorious in the war against terror and said the government would restore democracy and peace in the North -- as it had in the East -- and save the people from the “jackboot” of the LTTE. President Rajapaksa had also said that the LTTE were playing for time and, since they were weak, were prepared to go for talks in order to have a respite to regroup and gather strength to fight on. Govt declares 3-day public holiday to facilitate SAARC As part of security measures to thwart an LTTE attack targeting the SAARC summit, an unprecedented security measure would be taken, police and military officials said.A key element in the proposed security plan would be the establishment of four high security zones covering the city, Parliament and the Bandaranaike International airport, they said. According to the measures, tight security measures would be implemented on July 30 and 31 with severe restrictions imposed on the movement of private vehicles as well as public transport. All trains on the Southern line coming to Fort would be stopped at Bambalapitiya, while trains on all other lines would be stopped at Maradana. The SAARC deliberations would begin on July 27 and end on August 3 with the issue of the joint declaration, officials said. According to a police headquarters statement issued last evening, the government has declared August 1, 2 and 3 public holiday. Peace process: S. Africa ready to join Norway as facilitator SLAF MI 24 hit LTTE targets Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) pilots yesterday pounded an alleged LTTE meeting point in Mannar, although casualties and damages were not immediately known. The SLAF attacked a rebel area one kilometre north of Viddithalthivu area in Mannar, around 3 p.m. yesterday.Air Force Spokesman Wing Cmd. Janaka Nanayakkara, said that, they attacked the LTTE gathering point with MI 24 helicopters. The air strikes were launched in support of advancing ground troops at the Mannar front. The Media Centre for National Security confirmed that the air strikes were a success. Melbourne business college chief arrested over Tiger offences Israeli boost for SLAF surveillance capability The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) has taken delivery of an advanced type of UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) from Israel. Authoritative sources said the acquisition of UAVs would compensate for the loss of equipment in the LTTE raid on the Anuradhapura SLAF base last October. The recently acquired UAVs have been deployed in the northern theatre with the focus on the 12 kilometre front which runs through Kilali, Muhamalai and Nagarkovil on the Jaffna east coast. Capable of day and night operations, the latest addition would considerably improve the SLAF’s capacity to detect an LTTE build-up against the armed forces deployed in the Jaffna peninsula.The deployment of UAVs was of critical importance to the ongoing SLAF campaign against LTTE positions in the Vanni, sources said. The SLAF action was two-fold, they said. Operations were being carried out in support of the ground offensive and to destroy conventional capability of the enemy.The first deployment of UAVs by the SLAF took place in 1996 during Air Marshal Oliver Ranasinghe’s tenure as the Commander. The MI 24 helicopter gunships and Kfirs, a modern multi-role fighter aircraft with a formidable weapons platform, too, were first acquired that year.However, UAVs wouldn’t compensate the loss of a surveillance aircraft in the Anuradhapura attack, the sources said.Israel remains a key armaments supplier to Sri Lanka with security forces acquiring ships, Fast Attack Craft, jet air craft and UAVs among other equipment. The two countries set up full diplomatic ties n 2000 immediately after the fall of strategic Elephant Pass base.With the ground offensives west and east of the Kandy-Jaffna A9 road now threatening the very survival of the LTTE as a conventional fighting force, the Kilinochchi leadership was likely to explore the possibility of mounting a major attack, military sources said.Despite a severe shortage of experienced cadres to face the army on the Mannar, Vavuniya and Welioya fronts, the LTTE is believed to have deployed over 1,000 cadres equipped with artillery and mortars on the northern front to meet a possible thrust across Muhamalai. The sources said that as long as the army retained 53 and 55 Divisions in the Jaffna peninsula, the LTTE would have no option but to commit a sizeable force to check a ground offensive spearheaded by the elite Mechanised Brigade.The pro-LTTE Tamilnet recently reported the deployment of what it called a new generation of UAV by the security forces over the Jaffna theatre to monitor LTTE movements by night. TMVP to propose devolution plan Karuna Amman led Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), is to submit a power devolution proposal to the All Party Representatives’ Committee (APRC), aimed at resolving the island’s long drawn out NE conflict, amidst Parliamentary opposition groups charging that, they were being sidelined in the APRC process. Minister of Science and Technology and Chairman, APRC, Prof. Tissa Vitharana, told reporters that, the TMVP would submit the proposal soon to the APRC. “In addition to its proposal already submitted, the TMVP is to submit a further proposal based on Devolution of Power,” Xinhua quoted Vitharana as saying.Vitharana said that, the APRC met on Monday after a long layoff, waiting for the nomination of TMVP representatives to resume sittings. The APRC was set up to formulate a solution among the south based political parties, to solve the island’s long drawn out separatist armed conflict. The TMVP is a breakaway group of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, which has been fighting against the government for more than 30 years. Since its breakaway in 2004, the TMVP has converted to a Tamil political party. No go for APRC due to JHU, MEP boycott The All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) meeting on Monday was a non-starter due to a boycott by the JHU and the MEP. The JHU and the MEP had earlier announced they would not participate at future APRC meetings until the TMVP was represented in the committee.It is learnt that Monday’s meeting was attended by TMVP’s Mayor of Batticaloa Sivageetha Prabakaran, but there was no show by the JHU or MEP resulting in the meeting being postponed.The Morning Leader learns the JHU and MEP had informed APRC Chairman, Minister Tissa Vitharana that they will have to communicate with their respective executive committees that the TMVP was now a member of the committee and obtain approval for their future participation. The next meeting of the APRC was fixed for August 11.It is learnt the long date for the next meeting was due to all offices of the BMICH being closed due to the security arrangements in place for the SAARC summit. Ex-Tamil Tiger Commander Karuna Amman returns to East Ex-Tamil Tiger Commander of East and leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), Karuna Amman yesterday toured Batticaloa. Karuna said that the aim of his visit is to thank the people who voted his party to victory in two elections in his absence and to streamline the administrative matters of his party. Speaking to the media he said that there is no leadership dispute in his party or between him and Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, the present Chief Minister of the province. He further stated that he would even resign from his post if he finds another individual who is more suitable than him for the party leadership. He also expressed his gratitude towards the President and the Defence Secretary for helping his party to progress in democratic stream of politics. He added that his intention is to ensure democratic rights of the Tamil people. 15 July 2008 Brown to discuss progress on APRC Thondaman wants plantation salaries increased Minister of Youth Empowerment and Socio Economic Development Arumugam Thondaman requested the government to take steps to get the wages of the plantation workers increased. At a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapakse at Temple Trees with Labour Minister Athauda Seneviratne also present Minister Thondaman said the plantation workers were undergoing severe difficulties to meet the cost of living due to the increased prices of essential commodities, the Ministry of Youth Empowerment said yesterday (14)."The CWC had made several pressures to the Government and companies to disburden the cost of living of the estate sector workers with persevering enthusiasm for the past few years," and strove to uplift their living conditions. We anticipate the government will relieve the burden of the cost of living and take steps to give them a wage increase the Ministry said. RAW for security of SAARC summit! Alleging that three heads of state have become terrorist targets and they should be provided with special security, security sections have prepared a programme to deploy India's 'Research and Analysis Wing' (RAW) for security matters in the country. The massive programme jointly prepared by Sri Lanka government and the defence sections in the country has planned to use sophisticated intelligence equipment to monitor telephone networks, high power jammers, mobile jammers etc. and this intelligence operation would be conducted under the guidance of RAW. Moreover, the government has allowed a group of 'Black Cats' an elite striking group of Indian Security Forces, to be deployed in Sri Lanka under the pretext of providing security to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who is scheduled to participate at SAARC summit. Also Indian helicopters equipped with high tech instruments have been permitted by the government to engage in monitoring missions. Already Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has declined to participate at SAARC summit due to the incongruous mediation by India. UNP organiser killed at Anamaduwa Prosecute Sri Lankan Navy personnel: PMK PUDUCHERRY: The Pattali Makkal Katchi on Monday flayed the recurring attacks on Indian fishermen and demanded prosecution of the Sri Lankan Navy personnel who were involved in such “unlawful attacks.”In a letter to Minister for External Affairs Pranab Mukherjee, leader of the PMK’s Parliamentary Party M. Ramadass referred to the recent attacks by the island Navy including the one on July 11. The United Progressive Alliance government “should not push the fishermen community to the brink of such a helpless situation,” he said. The Centre should evolve and implement a comprehensive policy to protect the fishermen of Tamil Nadu from the “indiscriminate attacks of the Sri Lankan Navy,” he said.Mr. Ramadass said the Ministry of External Affairs should summon the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to India and express concern to the island government and impress upon them the imperative need to issue orders of prosecution of the Navy personnel who had indulged in such heinous crimes.With a view to preventing the “unlawful entry” of the Sri Lankan Navy into the Indian waters, the Indian Navy should patrol the border round the clock, he said.Mr. Ramadass stressed the need for installing lamps to demarcate the Indo-Sri Lankan border in the night. “Under any circumstance, the Sri Lankan Navy should be kept 100 m away from the Indian border and should be prevented from entering the border,” Mr. Ramadass said.If Sri Lanka failed to take action to stop the atrocities against the Indian fishermen, the Centre should “reconsider its decision to participate in the forthcoming SAARC meeting” slated for August 2 and 3 in the island, Mr. Ramadass said. In the event of participating in the meet, India should “express its concern strongly over the plight of Tamil Nadu fishermen to the Sri Lankan government and persuade it to take permanent measures to curb these inhuman acts.” Ex-rebels’ party to support Rajapaksa Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikkal (TMVP), the LTTE rebel group-turned-political party, has formally joined the All-Parties Representative Committee (APRC) constituted by Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to find a solution to the ethnic conflict.The TMVP was invited to join the APRC by its chairman Tissa Vitharana, after its impressive performance during the election, held in May, in the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC). Minister Vitharana said the TMVP had nominated Batticaloa Mayor Sivageetha Prabhakaran to represent it at the APRC. The committee is expected to meet next week.The APRC has not been convened for a while after the Jathika Hela Urumaya and Mahajana Eksath Peramuna suspended their participation pending the accommodation of the TMVP in the committee, said Mr. Vitharana. The committee’s activities would be “accelerated as the committee now has representatives reflecting almost the entire spectrum” of political views in the country, he said.Separately, the military has claimed 19 LTTE cadre were killed and 20 injured in clashes in Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar and Welioya. The Defence Ministry said troops confronted the LTTE while “consolidating operations in the newly liberated areas” in Vavuniya. Three soldiers were injured in the fighting. Karuna restored as TMVP leader The politburo of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) has unanimously agreed to reinstate Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman as their leader.Following a discreet meeting with Karuna Amman in Colombo on July 12th, Chief Minister of the East Provincial Council, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan has agreed to hand over the party reins to its former leader.At a TMVP politburo meeting that was held afterwards, all 13 politburo members unanimously agreed to this decision, party spokesman, Azad Maulana says.Pillayan, who rebelled against Karuna Amman, became the leader of the TMVP around mid-November last year, after seizing power of all the party’s political offices.He remained as the TMVP leader for eight months since then.Political sources say that a plan to appoint Karuna Amman as a Parliamentarian was also discussed.Karuna is also to tour the Eastrn region shortly, sources add.Politburo members including TMVP spokesman - Azad Maulana, Batticaloa mayor - Shivageetha Prabhakaran, Jeiyam, Pradeep Master, Markan, Jeevendran, Baradi, Sinnathambi, Mangalam Master, Rudra Master, and party secretary THaileshwara Raja alias Chuti attended the event. Elite units kick in SI, PC among arrested robber gang A Sub Inspector and Constable attached to a Kandy police station were among 15 suspects arrested in connection with a number of robberies by the Galkiriyagama police. When the two police personnel were arrested in the company of another suspect they had in their possession Rs.250,000 cash. The SI who broke down crying and telephoned a senior police officer of Kandy pleading for his release saying he was innocent, Kandy police said.The SI with two constables had gone to Galkiriyagama area, outside his area of duty, to arrest two persons alleged to have robbed treasures from archaeological sites and they had taken Rs.250,000 rupees that one of the treasure hunters had in his possession. They had retained the money with them without giving it to the police station. The Kandy police were not informed about the raid outside its area of jurisdiction, a senior police officer said.The suspects had also not made entries in the police station stating they were going to arrest suspect treasure hunters, a senior police officer said.The SI and the two constables were interdicted yesterday (14). One of the constables was absconding Kandy police said.Police said the SI was a graduate and had sat the examination for recruitment of Assistant Superintendents of Police .Recently the Wattegama Police arrested an Inspector of Police returning with venison after hunting prohibited wild life at the Vanathavillu Wild Life Sanctuary. Own helicopters for India, Pak & Afghan leaders Leaders of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan are to bring their own helicopters for use during next month's SAARC summit in Colombo, reports say. They will have their own helicopters, while two other helicopters each, with armed soldiers, will protect them during their air travels while in the island.Sources at the Foreign Ministry said the Sri Lanka Air Force would transport all heads of state to the meeting from the airport to the venue, the BMICH. Tamil Assistant Registrar of Kelaniya University reported missing The Assistant Registrar of the Kelaniya University, R.Rajeswaran, has been reported missing since July 4. He left for work on that Friday morning but failed to return home, according to a complaint lodged with the Wattala Police by his wife Vasanthini, a teacher at Puthukkulam Maha Vidiyalayam in Vavuniyaa. Vasanthini said she and her husband have been living in a rented out house at Alwis Town in Wattala. Three days after her husband went missing two unidentified men came to her house on July 7 and warned her. President wants democratic governance in the North President Mahinda Rajapksa's policy was to bring democratic governance back to the to the North and to conduct Provincial Council elections in the North as soon as possible. His effort in the Eastern Province had borne fruit and the international community had praised his commitment in the Eastern Province, Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs Karu Jayasuriya said at the Governor's meeting held in Colombo last Saturday (12). Already the government had taken steps to establish democracy in the areas liberated from the terrorists. Armed groups were taken back to the democratic stream and he was trying to give more powers by decentralizing powers vested in the Central government, he said.Fiscal discipline was necessary for the smooth functioning of the Provincial Councils and it was important to recruit personnel for administrative and teaching jobs from within the province itself so that provincial council will be able to function as a devolved unit of administration, the minister said.Deputy Minister of Public Administration Chandrasiri Gajadheera said it was important for the Governors and Chief Ministers of the Provinces to work in close collaboration now more than before.The Governors explained their problems in filling vacancies in the provincial services and the ministers agreed to look into them with a view to redress these problems. SC orders to reason videoing of Tamils The Supreme Court ordered the Attorney-General to produce reasons today (July 15th) for videoing Tamils in Kimbulahela area in Colombo 15 recently.The SC issued the order today, after considering the Fundamental Rights petition filed by the Ceylon Workers Congress that argued sporadic arrests of Tamils in the Colombo area violated their rights Appearing on behalf of the petitioners, senior lawyer, M.A. Sumandiran said that nearly 800 Tamils living in the Kimbulahela area were videoed individually in the early hours of July 02nd after being taken to a nearby playground.This has violated citizens’ right against brutal treatment, the lawyer said.The lawyer also said that he also complained to the SC that the Mutwal police was collecting illegally details on their bank accounts when arresting Tamils.A bench comprising the CJ and two other justices took up the case.Justice Nimal Gamini Amarathunga noted the charge against the police as serious.‘Lanka Dissent’ reported this incident and on contacting Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara, we were told that though police had conducted a routine in the area, no videoing had taken place. Hundreds get quit notice on security grounds Notice had been issued to around 350 occupants of lands close to key defence establishments in the Kompannaveediya area to immediately vacate the lands within a stipulated time. Security concerns have been stated as being the cause for the eviction notice an official said. A spokesman for the Urban Development Ministry said “letters had been sent to almost all house holders and business establishments in Glennie Passage, Kompannaveediya, asking them to vacate the lands within seven days starting July 10, on grounds of security and that the constructions are unauthorised structures. The Daily Mirror also learns the Defence Ministry had issued notices to some 160 occupants in the land belonging to the Ministry, located near railway department’s reservation land along Sir Chittanpalam A. Gardinar Mawatha and Uttarananda Mawatha.The letter stated “This is to issue notice that all unauthorized structures should be removed within seven days as use of state owned property is prohibited as well as due to the current security concerns”. The spokesman for the Urban Development Ministry added the Railway Department and the Colombo Municipality, had also issued similar notices to the persons illegally occupying the land.“During last two years several official requests were made to the people illegally occupying the said lands to vacate them, but none hve heeded the request” he said adding “they have been offered compensation and houses in Dematagoda.”He added some people had agreed to vacate these lands and arrangements made to provide accommodation and compensation.The Defence Ministry, Air Force headquarters and the Army Headquarters are located in close proximity to this area. India trained 29,000 Tigers, claims Singala chauvinistic Minister Table CEPA in Parliament - Wimal Chairman of the National Freedom Front (NFF), Wimal Weerawansa yesterday (July 14th) said that the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) should be tabled before Parliament prior to its signing with India. Speaking at a media briefing at the party headquarters, Mr. Weerawansa said that the pact could have a negative impact on the local economy, and that it should not be sent for cabinet approval without a debate in the House.The issue has not been discussed in Parliament or been take up at advisory committee level, he added.According to the CEPA agreement, the two neighbouring countries could trade goods and services free of import levy.Noting that this will enable Indian workers to get employment in Sri Lanka without any restriction, the NFF leader said that Sri Lankan workers would not have that opportunity.The CEPA cannot be expected to benefit the local economy, he added.Recalling that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has said that he was the guardian and not the owner of the country, Mr. Weerawansa said that a decision crucial for the economy can only be taken by the country’s owners. 14 July 2008 India chases the Dragon in Sri Lanka –By Sudha Ramachandran BANGALORE - Gripped by civil war for over two decades, Sri Lanka is fast becoming a battleground for the two Asian giants - India and China. The looming struggle for influence has Delhi worried as the stage is on India's southern doorstep. Separated by a narrow stretch of water, the Palk Straits, India and Sri Lanka have generally had good relations, although India has wielded significant influence on the island for decades. That influence is now being steadily eroded by China, Pakistan and a host of other countries. China's military ties with Sri Lanka have strengthened, as has its role in the Sri Lankan economy. Last year, Sri Lanka and China signed a US$37.6 million arms deal for the supply of ammunition and ordnance to the Sri Lankan army and navy. According to the Times of India, China is also supplying Sri Lanka with Jian-7 fighters, JY-11 3D air surveillance radars, armored personnel carriers, T-56 assault rifles, machine guns, anti-aircraft guns and rocket-propelled grenade launchers and missiles. Chinese economic assistance to Sri Lanka grew five-fold last year to touch $1 billion, thus displacing Japan as Sri Lanka's largest donor. There is also a visible increase in China's presence across the island. In the capital Colombo, China is funding the construction of a performing arts theater. At Norochcholai in Puttalam district, north of Colombo, it is constructing a coal power plant and in the Mannar area China has been awarded a block for exploration of oil and gas. And at Hambantota, 230 kilometers south of Colombo, the Chinese are building a port at an estimated cost of $1 billion - over 85% of the project is being funded by the Chinese. The four-phase project is scheduled to be completed in 15 years and work on the first phase began last year. The second phase envisages construction of an industrial port with a 1,000-meter jetty and an oil refinery. The entire project will include construction of a gas-fired power plant, a ship repair unit, a bunkering terminal, an oil refinery and storage facilities for aviation fuel and liquefied petroleum gas, reports the Daily News, a state-run English daily from Colombo, adding that although Hambantota port has been planned as a service and industrial facility, "it could be developed as a transhipment port in the next two stages to handle 20 million containers per year". China's rising profile and presence in Sri Lanka has India worried. For one, China's proximity to Indian shores has implications for India's security. "The semi-permanent presence, which the Chinese are now getting in Sri Lanka, will bring them within monitoring distance of India's fast-breeder reactor complex at Kalpakam near Chennai, the Russian-aided Koodankulam nuclear power reactor complex in southern Tamil Nadu and India's space establishments in Kerala," writes B Raman, retired chief of the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency. Besides, there is the impact that Chinese (and Pakistani) arms supplies are having on the Sri Lankan government's approach to the ethnic conflict in the country. Unlike India, which is in favour of a negotiated political settlement to the conflict, neither Pakistan nor China is averse to the Sri Lankan government persisting with the military option in tackling the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). And while India - due to domestic political compulsions as well as its commitment to a political solution - has been reluctant to provide the Sri Lankan armed forces with offensive weapons, Pakistan and China have had no such inhibitions. They have met Colombo's wish-list for weapons and this has in turn emboldened the government to persist with military operations, including aerial bombing of Tamil areas. Indian analysts have often pointed out that it is India's reluctance to supply offensive military hardware to the Sri Lankan government that has prompted Sri Lanka to turn to the Chinese and the Pakistanis. The two have been more than willing to meet Sri Lanka's demands with regard to military hardware. It is not surprising therefore that a grateful Colombo has warmed to Beijing. Indian officials are drawing parallels between Sri Lanka and Myanmar. It was India's refusal to do business with Myanmar's generals for years that laid the space open wide for the Chinese to fill. While India and the world ignored the junta, China quickly expanded its economic and defense ties with Myanmar, cementing its influence over the generals. (India is now playing catchup, see Myanmar signs up energy partners Asia Times Online, July 10.) Similarly, in Sri Lanka, with India reluctant to supply the weaponry that the Sri Lankan armed forces want, it has created a vacuum that China and Pakistan are happily filling. Unlike India and the European Union, which tick off the Sri Lankan government about abductions and aerial bombing of Tamil areas, China and others are willing to meet its military needs, without asking any questions. Like Myanmar, Sri Lanka today can ignore calls for a negotiated settlement to the conflict thanks to the economic and military support it receives from countries such as China, Saudi Arabia and Iran. If China's naval cooperation with Myanmar - the reported lease of Coco Island near India's Andaman Islands and its work in modernizing several Myanmar ports - has given the Chinese access to the Bay of Bengal and a presence near the vital Malacca Strait, the massive Hambantota port project on Sri Lanka's southern tip will give Beijing a significant presence in the Indian Ocean. This is a critical waterway for global trade and commerce, with half the world's containerized freight, a third of its bulk cargo and two-thirds of its oil shipments traversing it. Indian analysts have often drawn attention to China's encirclement of India, its deepening engagement with all of India's neighbors. This encirclement has now increased with huge Chinese involvement in Gwadar port in Pakistan, ports in Myanmar and now Hambantota in Sri Lanka. China's "string of pearls" is tightening around India, says a former Indian intelligence official, referring to the string of bases in Asia in which China has a presence. India is understandably worried. Last month, a high-level delegation visited Colombo. Among other issues, India is said to have discussed its concern over the growing Chinese presence in Sri Lanka. Reports in the media say India is stepping up its military support to the Sri Lankan armed forces. The Times of India reports that India is "virtually throwing open the doors of its different military institutions to train Sri Lankan armed forces in counter-insurgency operations" and is offering them "specialized naval courses in gunnery, navigation, communication and anti-submarine warfare". The "twin strategy of arms supplies and military training, coupled with intelligence-sharing and coordinated naval patrolling is primarily aimed to counter China's ever-growing strategic inroads into Sri Lanka," it says. As in Myanmar, where India has dramatically toned down its criticism of the junta over the past decade and prefers to call for reconciliation rather than harping on restoration of democracy, in Sri Lanka, too, Delhi seems to be slowly looking the other way - at least in public - with regard to Colombo's human-rights violations. At a recent United Nations human rights review in Geneva, India - unlike several Western countries which attacked Sri Lanka on its rights record, citing arbitrary arrests, abductions, involuntary disappearances, etc - focused on the positive aspects of the Sri Lankan situation. India fully backed Colombo by drawing attention to the "active role" it is playing in the UN Human Rights Council. Clearly, the Sri Lankan government has - like the Myanmar junta - learned to exploit the China-India battle for influence to its advantage. But it is not just the government that's playing the field. China appears to be flirting with both the government and the LTTE. A recent report in Jane's Intelligence Review says the LTTE has not only purchased small arms and ammunition from the Chinese but also heavier weapons such as mortars and artillery. While it is likely the LTTE purchased the Chinese-origin weapons from the black market, the possibility of Beijing playing the field cannot be ruled out. In which case, it is not India alone that should be worrying about the growing Chinese presence in the island. The Sri Lankan government has reason for concern. Army elites capture 2 LTTE bunkers; 7 LTTE killed in clashes in Mannar Sri Lanka Army elites launched an attack at two well-fortified bunkers manned by LTTE in the Palaiveddnmoddai area, 7 km East of Vidattaltivu around 11.30 this morning (July 13), said the defence sources on the Mannar battlefront. The soldiers have captured the two bunkers crushing down the fierce retaliation by the LTTE and later observed remains of 7 of LTTE cadres killed in the battle , the sources further said. Five bodies of the slain LTTE cadres have been recovered by the soldiers and action would be taken to hand them over to the LTTE through ICRC, the sources added. Sri Lanka: Heavy Fighting in Vavuniya Kills 7 SF Injures 15 The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fiercely attacked the Sri Lankan security forces (SF) when they tried to advance into Palamoddai area in Vavuniyaa on Sunday. The attack which started at 12:00 p.m and lasted till 4:30 p.m was thwarted by the LTTE. At least 7 SF troopers killed and 15 other SF troopers wounded in the LTTE attack, according to the sources in Vanni Heavy fighting between the LTTE and the SF raged within past few months using Multi-Barrel Rockets, artillery and mortar fire mounted attacks on the LTTE position the Manaar, Weli Oya, Vavuniya, Muhamalai and Killali area and tried to advance into the LTTE held area. The LTTE had thwarted all the attempts of the SF into the LTTE held area attacks and the LTTE continued to offer stiff resistance killing hundreds of SF troopers.The civil war in Sri Lanka killed at least 215,000 people according to the surveys done by the UN World Health Organisation and data released by them recently. So far in the Sri Lankan conflict most of them were ethnic Tamils while half a million people internally displaced and over million people externally displaced. At least 5,800 people have been killed in last two years alone, a right group said. Lanka probes shooting Indian fishermen DMK high-level panel to meet on July 17 CHENNAI: The DMK’s High Level Policy Implementation Committee will meet on July 17 to discuss the recent incidents of firing against Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy.A press release issued by K. Anbazhagan, DMK general secretary, said the meeting will be chaired by Chief Minister. The meeting will formulate an appropriate response to this and convey the same to the Centre. JVP: Attackers fled leaving behind vehicle The JVP has lodged a complaint with Kegalle police over an assault on a group of party activists near the Kegalle public ground in the early hours of Sunday.A JVP spokesman said the ruling party supporters had pounced on supporters decorating an office of D. A. Buddhasena contesting the Sabaragamuwa PC on the JVP ticket. Seeing the attackers, several JVPers had rushed to the scene, thereby forcing the attackers to flee leaving behind their vehicle (SG-GP 6884).The spokesman said the gangsters had used another vehicle (LA 2296) to escape from the pursuing JVPers. The Kegalle police said that it had received a complaint from the JVP. SLMC General Secretary to resign from EPC It was reported yesterday that a 19-year-old supporter of a former minister of the Sabaragamuwa PC had been shot dead in the Mawanella police area. His death was attributed to a clash between supporters of two UPFA candidates contesting the Sabaragamuwa PC. Mawanella police confirmed the killing but rejected the claim that the victim had been involved with the UPFA. "He was definitely not a UPFA supporter," a spokesman said. According to him, while some people were on the booze, a galkattas (improvised gun) belonging to one of them had gone off accidentally. Iran displaces Japan as top SL donor Iran emerged as the biggest lender to Sri Lanka, displacing traditional top donors Japan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), in the five months up to May 2008, aid commitments disclosed by the finance ministry shows. Germany, which had earlier said it was cutting off aid to the island owing to displeasure with the ethnic war and allegations of government human rights abuses, was not in the top list of donors. Earlier in the year top Japanese official said his government may "review its aid policy" to Sri Lanka. Japan and ADB in which it is very influential, are the biggest lenders to Sri Lanka. Aid commitments up to May means this would have almost halved if not for 450 million dollars of Iranian support, the report shows. Total commitments made by lenders and donor agencies to Sri Lanka during the period of January to end-May 2008 was 1,049 million dollars in 2008, of which project loans accounted for 959 million and grants for 90 million US dollars. Aid commitments in the same 2007 period were 874 million dollars.Iran committed 450 million dollars for the Uma Oya multi-purpose hydro-power and irrigation project, followed by Denmark with 155.2 million dollars for the eastern Oluvil port project and a water treatment plant near Colombo. India committed 109.2 million dollars, mostly to finance imports from the country. In the same period last year, Japan topped the list of lenders with commitments of 362.8 million dollars followed by ADB with 300 million dollars. China committed 66.1 million dollars and Germany 17.2 million dollars last year. Both India and China usually give high interest loans with short pay-back periods. Western donors, Japan and multilateral agencies usually give very long term loans at rates usually below the inflation of the lending currency. The negative real rate results in large real losses to the tax-payers of the donor country. In a loan with a 30-year pay back period, Sri Lanka could make gains of around a third or quarter of the loan. The island has been relying more on commercial loans in recent years, but with a global market turmoil and credit downgrades in the face of weak fiscal policy, commercial loans are getting less easier to get. In the first quarter the government only got 150 million US dollars when it went to the market to get 300 million dollars in syndicated loans. Commercial loans are needed for budgetary support as Sri Lanka finds it difficult to qualify for cheap 'programme loans' from multilateral lenders due to impractical 'home grown' economic policies that have resulted in the expansion of the state. Short-term populist economic policies pursued in recent years have brought very high inflation to the country. In 2008, The Asian Development Bank committed 90 million dollars, World Bank 43.1 million, Japan 42.2 million, France 23.3 million and the Saudi Fund 23 million dollars up to May this year. Actual foreign loan disbursements up to end-May 2008 were 368 million dollars of which project loans accounted for 335 million and grants for million dollars. The total foreign aid disbursements up to May last year came to 331 million dollars of which 219 million were project loans and 112 million dollars in grants. Pakistan President not to attend SAARC in Sri Lanka Pakistan embassy of Sri Lanka confirmed yesterday (13) that the President Musharaff would not participate in the SAARC summit to be held in Sri Lanka since July 27 to August 03. Prime Minister Yusuf Raza will represent the Pakistan state head for the summit. A spokesman of the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry said to Lanka-e-News that the Pakistan Premier representing the state head was alright since he is the present head of the government.However, the local media speculated in recent days that the Pakistan President would not attend the SAARC summit due to security reasons since around 1500 Indian troops are expected for the security of the Indian Prime Minister. When this issue was discussed in the parliament, Government Chief Whip Nimal Siripala de Silva said that such a big Indian contingent would not arrive in Sri Lanka. India confidence vote date is set The leaders of India's coalition say they will seek a parliamentary vote of confidence on 22 July. Their decision follows the withdrawal of communist support for the Congress party-led coalition. The communists withdrew support in protest at the Indian government's decision to push ahead with a civilian nuclear deal with the United States. If the government loses the vote India faces early elections and the nuclear deal would probably be scuttled. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government would call a parliamentary confidence vote on July 22 that will determine its fate and the future of a controversial nuclear deal with the United States, a party official said Friday.Singh met with his coalition partners on Friday to assess their strength ahead of the vote, following a withdrawal of support by key communist allies."I have no doubt that we shall prove our majority," the Press Trust of India news agency quoted Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi saying at the meeting.India's Cabinet was meeting later Friday to set a date for the confidence vote. It's expected to recommend a date in the third week of July, said the party official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to reporters.Singh's government would have to put off the U.S. deal and face early elections if the confidence vote is defeated. His five-year tenure ends in May next year.The governing Congress party says it has secured alternative parliamentary support from new allies after the communist parties, which normally vote with the government, said they would not back the nuclear deal.The communists say the deal would undermine India's weapons program and give Washington too much influence over Indian foreign policy. The government denies the charge.If ratified, the agreement would reverse three decades of U.S. policy by allowing the sale of atomic fuel and technology to India, which has not signed international nonproliferation accords but has tested nuclear weapons. India, in exchange, would open its civilian reactors to international inspections.The nuclear agreement also must be approved by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. nuclear watchdog organization, and the Nuclear Suppliers Group of countries that export nuclear material before the U.S. Congress can approve it. 13 July 2008 First Indian military contingent here Tuesday The first contingent of a three thousand strong Indian military team providing security for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his delegation, will arrive in Colombo on Tuesday. This first contingent is expected to be about 1000 military personnel. Another contingent is scheduled to arrive on the 20th of this month. Two Five Star hotels in Colombo have been fully booked for two weeks for the accommodation of these Indian military personnel, Lakbimanews learnt. The last batch of the Indian military personnel will arrive later this month aboard an Indian naval vessel. This vessel will be anchored in the Colombo port as long as the Indian delegation stays here. Troops aboard the ship will disembark only in an emergency, well placed defence sources said.Earlier, the Sri Lankan government acceded to the request by India, Pakistan and Afghanistan to bring in their own troops for the protection of their VIPs. Accordingly, Lakbimanews understands that helicopters for transport of VIPs, along with bullet proof vehicles, would be sent to Sri Lanka and manned by their security personnel.A five hundred strong contingent of Pakistani military personnel is expected to arrive with President Pervez Musharaff. The Afghan contingent is expected to be less than hundred. APRC awakens from deep slumber The All Party Representative Committee (APRC) will end yet another snoozing epoch this week when it recommences sittings tomorrow, with the latest entrant to the committee from the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) also slated to attend tomorrow’s meeting. Batticaloa Mayor Sivageetha Prabhakaran is expected to represent the TMVP at tomorrow’s meeting, which has been convened after more than a month of idleness. Meanwhile, the committee is also set to extend an invitation to the three main opposition parties – United National Party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Tamil National Alliance – urging them to participate in the committee’s deliberations, which aims to find a solution to the country’s decades-long ethnic conflict. While highly-placed committee sources maintained that the issue of inviting the UNP, JVP and TNA would be taken up at this week’s meeting, APRC Chairman Prof. Tissa Vitarana maintained that the committee would not extend an invitation to the three opposition parties just yet but that it would do so in due time. “This is a process and the invitations will be sent out in due time, initially to the UNP and then to the JVP and TNA further down the line,” he said, adding that he could not give a time frame outlining when the parties would be invited. He noted that until then, the committee, which primarily includes pro-government allies, would continue deliberations. “Once complete agreement is reached on the whole document currently discussed, then we will invite the UNP to come into the process, following which the JVP and TNA will be extended an invitation,” he said. However, The Nation reliably learns that several committee members, including Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) representative Nizam Kariapper, is set to push for the immediate inclusion of the three opposition parties to the committee.Some members were also of the opinion that there was no logic in letting the TMVP be a member while more important parties, which also had representation at Parliamentary level, were left out.Meanwhile, Vitarana also said that he would not be setting a deadline and would let the process take its due course.“The talks in Northern Ireland took six years. We have just been meeting for a little over one year. We are discussing very tricky matters, and there are divergent views. I cannot keep to a deadline; I have to let the committee take the required time to reach consensus. One must understand that we are deliberating on a very sensitive matter,” he added. Madhu festival sans Our Lady Government’s intention clear - they want me killed by LTTE President Mahinda Rajapaksa is using all aces up his sleeve to win the forthcoming North Central Provincial Council election. Finally, it seems, he decided to railroad disabled soldier Upali Wijekoon to use against Opposition chief ministerial candidate General Janaka Perera.Wijekoon is the only survivor of the blast which killed Lt. General Denzil Kobbekaduwa, Major General Wijaya Wimalaratne and many other military officers in Kayts Island in 1992. Wijekoon was not a combatant soldier but was a personal assistant to General Wimalaratne.The desperation of the UPFA can be gauged by this single act of using a soldier against a General possessing an unblemished military record. General Perera fought against the LTTE most of the time in his 35- year military career. So far none of the Generals in the Army have been able to approximate his track record. For instance under his command 503 LTTE cadres were killed at the historic Weli Oya battle in July 1995 while the Army lost only two soldiers. He established another record by eliminating 311 LTTE cadres at the Achchuveli battle in October 1995 in which the Army lost only 19 soldiers. NPC elections Earlier many emissaries of the President went to Perera’s house and offered him diplomatic posts if he prepared to withdraw his candidacy at the NPC elections. But the tougher-than-tough General, who had been sidelined by the Rajapaksa administration for years, had pointedly refused such offers.Thereafter, the Government had deliberately risked Perera’s life, by making it easy for the LTTE to access him and also by not providing adequate security. As a former General of the Army who is in the main hit list of the LTTE, and as the Chief Ministerial candidate, General Perera is entitled to security. Although he has brought these threats to the notice of the authorities, the Defence Ministry has ignored him.But UPFA Chief Ministerial candidate, Berty Premalal Dissanayake has been given 30 special operational platoon soldiers for his security eliminating any risk at all, Perera said.“The intention of the Government is very clear. They want to put my life at risk and get me killed” by the LTTE, he noted. “But if anything happens to my life the Government is responsible”, General Perera emphasised. ASP Dehideniya from the Counter Terrorism Branch of Police had visited the General and had told him that his life was in danger —- as the LTTE has listed him as a prime target, according to intelligence sources. Threatened In addition, his wife and daughters have also been threatened by various persons with bodily harm unless they get General Perera to withdraw from the chief ministerial race. When contacted General Perera admitted that he and his family received offers for various political positions, but after declining such offers they now receive only death threats, he said.The higher authorities in the Government are talking about defeating the LTTE and want people to be more patriotic. But they have put a life of a man who fought hard to defeat the LTTE on line. So people should understand their notion of patriotism, General Perera said.However, the General thinks that Upali, the disabled soldier is being used by the Government fearing abject defeat. “I feel sorry about this boy. Once I become the Chief Minister, I will help him. I have nothing against him though he contests me. I consider all soldiers as my sons”, the General remarked. Extortion gang arrested in Trinco A group accused of extorting money from businessmen in the Trincomalee area was apprehended by the police yesterday. Police Spokesperson SSP Ranjith Gunasekera told The Sunday Leader that the gang consisting of three youth included a girl below the age of 22 years. He said that the group had been allegedly involved in carrying out many extortion cases in Trincomalee, which were initially blamed on the LTTE and the TMVP. Gunasekera said that the police would get a detention order to keep the suspects in police custody in order to continue with further inquiries. UNP’s Batti chief says grenade was thrown by unknown motorcyclists Karuna and Pillayan in 5-hour talks SLAF attacks LTTE bunker line and machinery storage centre The Air Force yesterday attacked an LTTE bunker line and machinery storage centre some three and half kilometres south of Thunkkai in Mullaitivu.The attack was launched using fighter jets, Air Force Spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara told The Nation.Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry website said that a bulldozer which was at the storage centre had been destroyed and few other machinery had also been damaged during the attack. At the time of the incident, the LTTE had been carrying out heavy construction work.Commander Nanayakkara said that the damages caused by the attack could not be determined and that they were awaiting Intelligence reports. British foreign official to visit Sri Lanka tomorrow The British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for the Africa, Asia and the UN, Lord Mark Malloch-Brown will arrive in Sri Lanka tomorrow (14) for a four-day official visit.During his visit Lord Malloch-Brown is scheduled to hold discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe, and other government officials.He is also scheduled to visit the Eastern Province and meet the newly appointed Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chanthirakanthan.This is Lord Malloch-Brown’s first visit to Sri Lanka after becoming State Minister. He has visited Sri Lanka twice before as Deputy Secretary-General of the UN. Aerial attack and artillery fire cause extensive damages in Mallavi and Manthai East A 20 year old female student, Murugesu Indravathana, was injured in the aerial attack carried out by the Sri Lanka Air Force yesterday over Mallavi and was admitted to the hospital. Livestock were killed in this aerial attack. At the same time, indiscriminate artillery fire towards Manthai east area yesterday and the day before damaged the Assistant Government Agent (AGA) building of Manthai East AGA division. Also damaged were Pandiyankulam MV School and another public building of a local NGO. Two houses of civilians were also damaged.In the meantime most of the people from this area have displaced and the rest are continuing to displace. Wimal and group admit in writing to represent NFF in parliament The JVP is to take steps to expel from parliament 12 members of the National Freedom Front (NFF) headed by Wimal Weerawansa who quit the party in April.The JVP’s decision to take action against the 12 NFF members was made following a letter sent by the NFF members to Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara admitting that they represented the NFF in parliament and not the JVP.The JVP that contested the 2004 general election under the UPFA banner managed to send 39 of its members to parliament with the right to disciplinary action being held by the respective party secretary.In the letter sent to Speaker Lokubandara by the NFF members dated July 9, they have said that after entering parliament under the UPFA, the group now represented the NFF in the House. They have said that the decision has also been communicated to the UPFA secretary general and that he had accepted it.The NFF members had requested the Speaker to make the necessary arrangements with the chief opposition whip to allocate time for speeches to be made by the party.The JVP defectors have declared total independence by calling for their recognition as members of a newly formed party. However, the UNP defectors who joined the government still function as members of the UNP to maintain they still represent the party they were elected from so that they do not have to relinquish their parliamentary seats. The NFF members have therefore fallen into a trap set by the government, JVP sources said.It is learned if the 12 JVP members lose their parliamentary seats, they will be replaced by 12 SLFP members who are next on the list. "That is why the UPFA General Secretary has agreed to Weerawansa and group committing themselves in writing to the position they now represent a new party," JVP sources also said.The 12 NFF members who have signed the letter to the Speaker are Wimal Weerawansa, Nandana Gunathileka, Piyasiri Wijenayake, Mohomad Mussamil, Anjan Umma, Deepal Gunasekera, Achala Jagoda, Jayantha Samaraweera, Weerakumara Dissanayake, Padma Udayashantha, Samansiri Herath and Nimal Premawansa. SLA deploys night recon flights to deter LTTE troop buildup Sri Lanka Security forces, in a new security plan to reinforce defences in the Northern Forward Defense Lines (FDLs), have been deploying Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopters and new generation Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in reconnaissance missions along the FDLs during nights, sources in Jaffna said. Jaffna residents have reported seeing spy aircrafts near Vadamaraachi East and West, Kaangkeasanthurai, and near Jaffna lagoon, during the last few days. Residents in Kilaali, Naakarkoyil, and Mukamaalai said that the air-crafts stay in the recon mission for long hours, starting late at night, and continuing through mid-night into 2-3:00 a.m. before returning to Palaali military base.SLA have been firing continuous barrage of artillery towards the Liberation Tigers controlled areas while the air-crafts air-borne above the FDLs.Military observers in Jaffna said that both parties, the SLA and the Liberation Tigers, may be anticipating an imminent breakout of fighting, and that the SLA may have instituted the new spy-missions to deter large troop build-up by the Liberation Tigers.Although Palaali military command has not disclosed any details of the new activity over the air, observers said that several helicopters and UAVs are stationed at the Palaali air-base to facilitate the new air-reconnaissance plan. Grand finale for Pongku Thamizh in London Around 30,000 people attended the Pongku Thamizh rally in London at the Rorehampton Vale sports ground on Saturday, choking traffic in one of the highways, said the organisers. The event was addressed and messaged by a number of British parliamentarians cutting across party lines, international representatives of liberation movements, rights activists, and politicians from Tamil and Sinhala communities. Even by conservative estimates, nearly 150,000 Tamils of North America, Europe, Africa and Australia have so far demonstrated their support to the cause of Eezham during the last one-month through Pongku Thamizh 2008. The overwhelming response of Diaspora Eezham Tamils to the call of Pongku Thamizh was not only impelled by the stepped up sufferings in Sri Lanka, but also was due to suppressed anger over the attitude of the International Community, opined an independent observer reading the mood of the people who attended the London rally.Dr Bajram Rexhepi, the Mayor of Mitrovica in Kosovo, spoke of the similar history between the Tamils and the Kosovans. He mentioned that though they had international support, the intransigence of the Milosevic government meant that Kosovo remained oppressed until they fought for their freedom. Mentioning that the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) was identified as a terrorist organisation by a number of countries, he said his country was finally freed in 1999, but even then they had to prove that they would not abuse their people’s human rights, which they finally succeeded in doing in February this year. “It was not easy,” he said, adding that “we will show solidarity and support for your struggle.”Professor Thiyagaraj Dasaratha Chetty of the African National Congress restated his government’s position that there can be no solution without the involvement of the two principle parties and that no solution can be imposed from outside. The Liberation Tigers are engaged in an armed struggle as a response to structural failures and though two states may be the answer, that too has problems that need to be addressed, he said. The South African government is willing to help with all efforts that lead to reconciliation and peace, he said. Liam MacUaid, editor of Socialist Resistance and a member of Respect, spoke of his family’s experience of being forced to leave their home (in Belfast) at the end of the guns of an occupying army. He expressed the solidarity of the workers with all oppressed people, such as the Tamils. A message of support from Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne of the Nava Lanka Sama Samaga Party (NSSP) was read out by local party member Sashie Peiris, in which he expressed his regret at being unable to attend, and his support for the Tamil cause.Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrats Foreign Affairs spokesman expressed the need to ‘get the message’ to the Sri Lankan government that they need to get back to the peace negotiating table. He also called for an end to the human rights abuses in Sri Lanka. Andrew Pelling MP (Conservatives) said the problem in Sri Lankan can only be resolved by negotiation and called on the parties to come back to the table.Welcoming the efforts by Britain that resulted in Sri Lankan being removed from the UN Human Rights Council, Virendra Sharma MP (Labour) stressed that there was no quick fix. “Sri Lanka is not just a failed state”, he said. “There is no cure.” Mr Sharma said he understood that the crowd felt Tamil Eelam was the only solution and promised to work with the British government to force the Sri Lankan government to take steps towards solving the conflict.Mike Griffiths MP (Labour) said while he understood the Tamil suffering, there was great ignorance of it among the British populace. Stating that many peoples cry for self-determination, he said Tamil raises are raised too in the same cry at events like the Pongku Thamizh gathering. Pledging to re-double his efforts to restore peace in Sri Lanka, Mr. Griffiths called on all those gathered to do the same.Comparing her experiences as a migrant to Britain, Siobhan McDonnagh, Labour MP, spoke of understanding Tamil experiences and thanked the Tamils for their contributions in Britain. Baronnes Sarah Luxford MEP (Liberal Democrats) called for there to be many more opportunities to hear Tamil voices expressing their opinion. “It is deeply important to anyone concerned with human rights and justice that we get a political solution that recognises the cultural and linguistic identity,” she said. She urged all parties to return to the negotiating table and called for an end to human rights abuses.Dawn Butler MP (Labour) spoke of seeing the Tamils “walking with purpose for a purpose” to attend the event. Stressing that governments must listen to the sound of so many Tamil voices, she stated her belief that change was possible. “We will make a change together,” she pledged.Messages of support were also received from Tony Benn MP (Labour), Robert Evans MEP (Labour), Stephen Hammond MP (Conservatives), Simon Hughes MP (Liberal Democrats), Susan Kramer MP (Liberal Democrats), Joan Ryan MP (Labour) and Roy Padayachie (South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Communications). Independent sources verified that more than 25,000 people attended the event though the estimation by the Metropolitan Police was 10,000. A small number of police were present, as were security officials organised by the event organisers to ensure the event was peaceful and crowd control was maintained.Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian S. Jeyananthamoorthy said that Tamils have historically ruled themselves, and that this has been denied them since the colonial times. “Tamils are fighting now to reclaim what is ours,” he said.S Kajendren, TNA MP for Jaffna, spoke of the war currently being fought on Tamil soil. “The Tamils are not terrorist,” he said, expressing the hope that the freedom of the Tamil people would be achieved soon.Thaya Iddaikarar, British Tamil Councillor, compared the Tamil struggle to the sacrifices the British people were prepared to make in their defence of the Falkland Islands. Solicitor Matt Foot expressed his shame at being a British citizen when the government, elected on an ethical foreign policy, banned liberation struggles like the LTTE and the PKK. “Seeing you gives me hope that we can fight,” he said. Other speakers included Suresh Krishna, of the Tamil Councillors Association, former Kingston Mayor Yogan Yogananthan, Merton Mayor Martin Whelton, The event began with the lighting of the common flame of sacrifice by the parliamentarian for Batticaloa, S. Jeyananthamoorthy, followed by the traditional moment of silent respect. The folk dance drama that followed was an interactive event, with full participation. Expression of support for Tamil Eelam were greeted with overwhelming applause from the audience, and chants of “We want” roused the crowd to its feet with responses of “Tamil Eelam”.The programme also included traditional Nathaswaram music, the broadcasting of a poem by poet Puthuvai Ratnathurai, and dancing by local youth to Pongku Thamizh songs. David Pararajasingham of the British Tamil Association delivered the welcome address, before the politicians took to the stage to express their support.Arriving from across the British capital, with some making the journey from outside London, Tamils gathered to reinforce the global call for “motherland, nation, self-rule”. The traffic congestion attendees blocked the main A3 road leading to the event, with the traffic backed up for over a mile even after the event had begun. As a balloon flew overhead expressing the sentiment that “Tamil Eelam must be free”, mini stages set amongst where the Tamils were gathered commemorated the great rulers of the Tamil kingdoms in Jaffna, including Sangkiliyan, Ellalan, Pandara Vanniyan and Princes Kuruvichchi Nachchiyar.As is now common at all Tamil events in London, a food stall provided traditional foods and soft drinks, while children were entertained with face painting, balloons and flags. Shops around the grounds also sold Tamil Eelam t-shirts and umbrellas.The large crowd, waving the red and yellow flag in the Tamil colours, braved the weather to turn out in force, with most staying through to the end despite periodic bouts of rain. The red, black and yellow Tamil Eelam umbrellas were not only colourful, but also useful in the British weather. 12 July 2008 Doctors of K’nochchi Hospital inconvenienced - ‘Ravaya’ Doctors of the Kilinochchi Hospital, who provide medical facilities to the entire Kilinochchi District and a part of the Mulativu District, are facing severe inconveniences, the ‘Ravaya’ reports.Citing the Kilinochchi Medical officers Association, the ‘Ravaya’ says that though the hospital requires services of 60 doctors, there are only 14 at the present and no specialists at all.They further say that due to the large number of vacancies in the non-medical staff, the doctors are required to cover them as well.According to the ‘Ravaya’, these doctors are required to work continuously especially after the area has become a frequent target of the security forces since January 2008.Due to this, they are unable to unite with their families who are far away or to continue their post-graduate studies, the news report says.Citing the Kilinochchi Medical officers Association, it adds that the doctors, who live a life of fear as claymore bombs continue to target health workers and ambulances are further inconvenienced by the escalating prices of necessity goods in the area.Amid all these inconveniences, the doctors say that their sole request to the government is to relieve them of problems pertaining to water and electricity supplies to the hospital.If unable to do so, they request the government to grant them temporary transfers to other areas. Kalmunai OIC commits suicide over transfer orderby Norman Palihawadena The Officer in Charge of the Kalmunai Police Station Chief Inspector W. C. Wijetilleke (57)committed suicide at dawn yesterday by shooting himself with a T-56 service rifle inside the police quarters, police said.Sources said initial investigations revealed that the OIC was distressed over a transfer order received on Thursday night. Earlier in the day, a high ranking Police officer of the Ampara division had reprimanded him over his inability to arrest the suspects involved in the killing of three men on Thursday morning. Three mattress traders from Mawathagama were shot dead in Kalmunai on Thursday morning and till late in the evening Police were clueless about the suspects. According to sources he was reprimanded over this incident and had received orders to go to Ampara on Friday.According to Police sources, Wijetilleke, a father of two, is from Divulapitiya and rose up to the rank of Chief Inspector after joining the Police Department as a constable. He was an honest and hard working officer, sources said.On hearing of his transfer, an ASP in Ampara had inquired from him about it. Wijetilleke had explained that in Ampara he would have to work under an officer junior to him and expressed his displeasure over this transfer. However, the ASP had consoled him and promised to sort out matters once he arrived in Ampara on Friday Wijetilleke had written a note before his death requesting his colleagues to hand over some cash he had in the almirah to his family.Inspector Jameel, who was in the adjoining room, on hearing the gun shot at 4.30 a.m. had broken open the door of the deceased’s room and found him bleeding. He had apparently sat on the bed, kept the T-56 weapon between his legs and pulled the trigger. Ten-member JVP delegation in China A ten-member JVP delegation led by MP, Sunil Handunnetti is currently in China on a study tour about its socio-economic sector particularly in the agricultural field. The delegation also includes Ampara District MP, Wasantha Piyatissa. The party’s Kurunegala District MP, Bimal Ratnayake told the Daily Mirror yesterday this visit was offered to the JVP for the third time under its understanding with the Communist Party of China.MP Ratnayake said the delegation would study various aspects of the economic development of China. “They are supposed to return on July 20,” he said. Indonesian ex-general jailed in US for attempting to supply weapons to LTTE A retired Indonesian Marine Corps General was sentenced in the US to 30 months imprisonment on a charge of attempting to funnel weapons to the LTTE, the Baltimore Sun reported on its website yesterday. It said: "A retired Indonesian Marine Corps general was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in prison for orchestrating a deal in Baltimore to smuggle hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of high-tech weapons to rebels in Sri Lanka whom the U.S. government considers terrorists."Erick Wotulo, 61, whom authorities considered the mastermind of the operation, is to be deported after serving his sentence in federal prison, according to the ruling by U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake."Authorities who conducted a three-year investigation of the deals said undercover FBI agents posed as weapons dealers, put up a Singapore arms broker in a four-star Inner Harbor hotel, arranged for him to attend religious services at a mosque in Laurel and invited him to test-fire machine guns at a Harford County firing range."The FBI's ruse led representatives of Sri Lankan insurgents to transfer $700,000 to the undercover agents as a down payment for millions of dollars in military-grade hardware, including sniper rifles, submachine guns, night-vision goggles and grenade launchers. The dealers also inquired about buying unmanned air vehicles and surface-to-air missiles. "According to prosecutors, Wotulo and several cohorts conspired in 2006 to export the restricted material on behalf of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, known as the Tamil Tigers, a group that has conducted a long, violent struggle against the Sri Lankan government to establish an independent Tamil state. The State Department labeled the Tamil Tigers a foreign terrorist organization in 1997. The paramilitary organization cannot legally raise money or buy sensitive military equipment in the United States."Terrorists must not be permitted to use the United States as a source of funding or equipment," Maryland U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said in a statement after the sentencing. "We will continue to utilize all possible means to prevent terrorism, including undercover operations targeting people who attempt to obtain munitions in violation of our laws."Wotulo's lawyer, Gregg Bernstein, did not respond yesterday to messages seeking comment.Central to the plan to acquire arms and munitions for the Tamil Tigers was the Aug. 2, 2006, transfer of $250,000 into a bank account in Maryland, prosecutors said. The next month, they said, two of Wotulo's associates, Haniffa Bin Osman and Thirunavukarasu Varatharasa, arrived in Saipan to meet with undercover officers and inspect the weapons that had been ordered for the Tamil Tigers.An additional $452,000 payment for the weapons was made on Sept. 28, 2006, prosecutors said. The next day, Varatharasa, Wotulo and Bin Osman met with undercover officers in Guam and were arrested.Another associate, Haji Subandi, 71, a citizen of Indonesia, was sentenced in December to 37 months in prison for his role in the conspiracy, as well as for two counts of money laundering and attempted exportation of arms and munitions. Varatharasa, 36, who is Sri Lankan, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for conspiracy and attempted arms exportation. Bin Osman, 55, from Singapore is scheduled to be sentenced in August on conspiracy and money laundering charges." Tamil Nadu govt opposes Nalini's early release Even Priyanka Gandhi's visit to the Vellore prison does not seem to have worked for Rajiv Gandhi's assassin, Nalini Sriharan. ( Watch ) Belying expectations that the Tamil Nadu government might adopt a lenient stand on Nalini's plea seeking early release from prison, the state told the Madras high court on Friday that it was not in favour of it. Priyanka's meeting with the life convict (Nalini) in prison on March 19 has nothing to do with the premature release of the prisoner, said a counter-affidavit filed by the home department in response to Nalini's writ petition. Nalini and 26 others convicted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case were awarded death sentences by a designated court in January 1998. The Supreme Court later upheld death sentences for four of the 26, including Nalini and her husband, Murugan. In 2000, the Tamil Nadu governor commuted her sentence to life on the basis of a state cabinet recommendation and an appeal by Sonia Gandhi. Nalini, who has served 17 years in jail, had recently moved the Madras high court seeking an early release. Although there is no settled legal convention on the actual term of a life convict, prisoners in Tamil Nadu are considered eligible for remission after completing a minimum of 10 years in jail. Dismissing as baseless the apprehensions expressed by the Janata Party president, Subramanian Swamy, that the government would not oppose Nalini's petition, the affidavit filed by the Tamil Nadu home department said, "The government has already rejected the premature release plea of the life convict based on the merits of the case, and the government would file a counter-affidavit soon opposing her premature release." When the matter came up before Justice S Nagamuthu on Friday, advocate-general G Masilamani said the government was duty-bound to defend a October 31, 2007, order rejecting Nalini's plea for early release. "This government is capable of defending itself and its orders. This is a political government established as per the democracy and the Constitution, and it will uphold the rule of law," he said. White van abduction: Mano tells IGP to take action Amnesty condemns Buttala attack 'Brutal' attack At least four people have been killed and 25 others wounded when gunmen ambushed a crowded passenger bus in Sri Lanka, the army has said. The attack took place in the southern town of Buttala, 240km (150 miles) south-east of the capital, Colombo. Unidentified gunmen hiding by the side of the road began firing at the bus as it passed, officials said. They blamed the attack on Tamil Tiger rebels who are fighting for an independent homeland in Sri Lanka. 'Sped through' "A group of gunmen hiding by the side of the road near Buttala raked the passing civilian bus with gunfire," news agency Associated Press quoted military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara as saying. "The bus driver sped through the ambush, only stopping when he reached safety," he said. "Two females and a 12-year-old child were among the victims killed in this attack and their bodies have been laid at the hospital," the defence ministry said in a statement. An injured civilian succumbed to injuries at the hospital, taking the number of dead to four, the statement said. The wounded have been admitted to nearby hospitals, officials said.In January, 26 people died in a bomb attack on a bus in the same area. There has been no immediate word from the rebels, who have carried out a number of attacks in the south in recent months. Buttala is in a Sinhalese-dominated area, far from the rebels' stronghold in the north. SRI LANKA: LTTE Fishing in Tamil Nadu Waters - By Col R Hariharan (Retd.) The political chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) B Nadesan has been vocal in talking to the media ever since the election in the eastern province concluded. In these "medialogues" the LTTE's concern on the political and military developments taking place in Sri Lanka was evident. The successful implementation of the 13th amendment in the eastern province would pave way for restoration of peace and security there. And that would be political loss of face for the LTTE. (Fortunately for the LTTE, this does not appear to be happening with the required alacrity.)In the two successive interviews in Indian media (to the populist Chennai Tamil weekly Kumudam and the other to the Times Now TV) Nadesan has touched upon developments in the India-Sri Lanka relations and in Tamil Nadu 'Eelam' politics. The reasons for this sudden LTTE interest in India and Tamil Nadu are not hard to understand.The low profile visit of a high level Indian delegation that included the National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan to Colombo last June gave rise to a lot of speculative stories. The visit ostensibly to discuss security and other issues connected with the forthcoming SAARC conference spawned stories of induction Indian troops and gun ships to Colombo for 'security cover.' The unconfirmed report ruffled the dovecotes (or is it hawk perch?) of anti-India lobby in Colombo, with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) joining in to raise the decibel of protest against any such move.To the LTTE, now beleaguered in the ever decreasing constricted domain in the north, the entry of Indian troops into Sri Lanka under any excuse would be bad news. The 'follow up visit' of Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa to Delhi taking place now must have further added to LTTE's worry about India.With a regime not friendly to the LTTE in power in Delhi, the LTTE had not been keen on India's intervention. That stand still appears to remain unchanged. In a Daily Mirror interview on June 12, 2008 Nadesan parried a pointed question on LTTE's stand on India playing a role as peace facilitator and spoke about India giving consistent support to the Norwegian facilitated peace process. He was only reiterating what other leaders of the LTTE had said in the past on the subject. On the other hand, the LTTE appears to be evolving a strategy to kindle the interest of the people of Tamil Nadu in the Eelam war which had been lukewarm at best. With the parliamentary polls around the corner in India, in LTTE assessment probably this was the right time to revive the subject in Tamil. LTTE's idea was to enrolling the support of the people of Tamil Nadu to bring about a change in Indian policy on Tamil struggle (read LTTE). The LTTE ideologue V Balakumaran was the first to speak on this subject in recent times. In an Australian Tamil radio interview last month, Balakumaran while hoping India would change "its current policy towards us one day," said "we believe firmly, our strong cultural ties to our brothers and sisters in India will help their policy makers to select a just and fair path towards our people."That inevitably brings the question of attitude of Tamil Nadu leaders towards the LTTE. The political fate of Tamil Nadu is decided by veteran leader of Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) M Karunanidhi now in power and J Jayalalitha, the supreme leader of the rival All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIDMK) sitting in opposition. Karunanidhi had been distancing himself from the LTTE after it was involved in killing Rajiv Gandhi, the former Indian Prime Minister, near Chennai in 1991. It was probably his way of absolving his past espousal of the LTTE cause even as Indian troops were fighting them. But Rajiv killing ended in DMK electoral rout and the LTTE became an untouchable.The LTTE appears to be making a studied appeal to M Karunandhi to come to the help Eelam Tamils (read LTTE) now suffering in the Sri Lanka war. In the Kumudam interview, Nadesan was all praise for Karunanidhi. Describing him as a person "with love for Tamil language and a man with full of Tamil sentiments," he said he had a deep interest in the Eelam Tamil affairs. "As blood is thicker than water, seeing the despicable situation of Tamils in Eelam, he remains emotively firm [on this issue]. We fervently hope that the Kalaignar's personal emotions of would turn into the emotions of the great organization DMK and along with the other political parties in Tamil Nadu."Nadesan further added that it was a mistake to say that Karunandihi was running an administration very strict on the LTTE because of the Central Government pressure. It seems the LTTE was prepared to grin and bear the past as far as Karunandihi was concerned. Nadesan made this clear when he said "Whatever said and done, it is not a wrong idea for us to expect that the Kalaingnar should consider beyond the borders of India's national as well as regional political confines, but it is important that he should come forward to help the liberation of the Eelam Tamils." The LTTE probably does not want any other adverse issue related to the LTTE be raked up at this stage in Tamil Nadu. The most adverse issue is LTTE's assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. It is an indelible black mark on LTTE however much the LTTE acolytes may speak of hidden hands and plots. The issue suddenly came to the limelight a few months back when Mrs Priyanka Vadra, the daughter of Rajiv Gandhi had a low profile meeting with Nalini Murugan, who is completing a life term of imprisonment in Vellore prison for her role in the Rajiv Gandhi's murder. Her death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment at the intervention of Mrs Sonia Gandhi, the ruling Congress party president. Nalini has appealed for release from prison as she has completed 14 years of imprisonment.Priyanka-Nalini meeting brought out the feeling of contrition in Nalini for her role in the black deed. According to media reports at that time, Nalini felt as if "all my sins have been washed off by Priyanka's visit... I feel she has pardoned me by calling on me at the prison... I am indebted to her all my life." This is hardly the image of an avenging killer fighting for the cause of Eelam. So when the TV interviewer raised the issue of Nalini's release, Nadesan said the release would 'recognise' the legitimate aspirations of Tamil people. "We firmly believe holistic changes will take place and Indian government will recognize the legitimate aspirations of Tamil people and their freedom struggle," he added.The legitimate aspirations of Tamils are well recognised both in India and Tamil Nadu. It does not require the release of a person convicted of complicity in murdering an Indian leader who had great sympathy for the Tamil cause. And his memories still occupy a special place in Tamil Nadu. Nalini's release would only churn up more dirt on LTTE'sdeeds in Tamil Nadu which are already causing concern to law enforcing machinery.In any case the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister has his cup full even without taking up the Eelam cause at the behest of the LTTE. The survival of the present ruling coalition in Delhi, where he wields a lot of influence, is at stake. There are reports of back end proxy skirmishes between his two sons to seek a place in the sun in the pecking order of succession. The rising prices of essentials are hitting the roof top after the petrol prices were hiked. And he will have to work out a fresh strategy for the parliamentary election to hold on to his coalition flock, after the Patali Makkal Katchi (PMK) a minor coalition partner broke away.The AIADMK under Jayalalitha is flexing its biceps to take on the DMK in the parliamentary poll. If the Eelam issue is taken up by the DMK leader, the AIADMK chief well known for her anti-LTTE stance will strike back.Past elections had shown that the time for the Eelam cause as a "vote catcher" in Tamil Nadu was over. The LTTE would do well to rethink its Tamil Nadu strategy. It should study and understand Balakumaran's advice in his radio interview. He said, "while support of the international community is necessary for achieving the goal of liberation, Tamil people should clearly understand that policies of the International community towards different nationalist struggles are often inconsistent and motivated by self-interest." So probably the LTTE has to plough its own furrow now, because support from India and Tamil Nadu will require a total change of its act. `No Indian Army contingent to guard PM during SAARC Summit` 11 July 2008 President off to India President Mahinda Rajapaksa is scheduled to visit India today for talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other top Indian officials, on the upcoming SAARC summit and issues relating to the Sri Lankan conflict.His visit comes after a top Indian delegation visited Colombo recently to discuss the political environment in the country and other issues -- including the security in place for the SAARC summit.“The Sri Lankan President’s visit to India is a follow up visit to the one undertaken by an Indian delegation to Colombo recently. He is scheduled to discuss SAARC matters, among other things,” Indian Foreign Ministry sources said.An Indian delegation led by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka to take part in the SAARC summit later this month.A delegation of top Indian government officials, including National Security Advisor M. K. Narayanan, flew to Colombo last month in an apparently unscheduled visit, triggering speculation over the reasons for it. Accompanying Narayanan were Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh. Though the High Commission of India said the visit was in connection with the upcoming SAARC summit beginning end-July, Sri Lankan officials said the trio were here to continue a dialogue on issues of mutual interest. India's embattled coalition government is in talks with other parties in a bid to win a confidence vote sparked by the withdrawal of support by left-wingers.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Congress-led administration lost its majority after a bloc of leftists and communists stopped backing the government because of their opposition to a nuclear deal with the United States.Singh was to call on President Pratibha Patil later yesterday, to fix a date for the confidence vote, a government spokesman said. Meanwhile, Congress party leaders lobbied smaller parties and independent lawmakers to try to cobble together a majority.At present Congress and its allies have 225 assured seats in India's directly elected 545-member lower house following the withdrawal of support by 59 left-wing lawmakers -- but this is way short of a simple majority . Lal Kantha claims strike a success, but admits failure to mobilize more JVP trade union leader MP K. D. Lal Kantha claimed yesterday’s token strike was a success but in the same breath admitted that they failed to muster the entire work force into the agitation. "The token strike was successful in our view. We earlier said that public, private and estate sectors would participate but at the last moment we decided to limit private sector participation only to a demonstration level. We think around 70 per cent of the public sector and a large number of estate sector workers were on strike," he told a press conference held at the National Library Auditorium. He admitted that the unions failed to mobilize workers into action and attributed it to the government’s pressure and influence. "In some places we could not get a single worker out, but we managed to register our protest. We gained a lot of experience.This is only the first step of our agitation. We experienced both negative and positive outcomes and there were setbacks. We hope to eliminate the negative factors in future and we now know our weaknesses and strengths," he said.The effect of the strike was not felt by people since there was a continuous supply of electricity and water. Transport was also available. "We managed to get 10 per cent of CTB workers out on strike. We did not want to cut down water and power and get transport stalled since we do not want to oppress the public. If we did that the public would have been inconvenienced and their anger would have been been aroused against us. We are a responsible trade union movement and did not want to go that far but if we wanted we could have definitely done that," Lal Kantha said.The National Trade Union Center had called for a token strike with several aims and most of them were achieved. "We wanted to assess how the government, workforce, administrations and security forces would respond to a strike situation. Now we have witnessed that. We saw how the government controlled media was converted into SLFP controlled media. We observed how the police and forces were used to disrupt our action. The strike gave us the opportunity to study the levels of participation by workers. We had got that assessment and it would be useful in our future struggles," he said. "The UNP’s Jathika Seveka Sangamaya had come forward to support the strike though the NTUC did not invite them. Private bus owners too promised to join forces on condition that NTUC include the demand of provision of subsidized fuel for passenger transport services. "We started with 366 unions and this was increased to 660 unions. We did not stage a proper organized union action which we may do in the future, "Lal Kantha said He thanked workers, unions and other social forces that helped the NTUC’s call for a token strike. "We thank the private media which maintained balance reporting right from the beginning of this issue", he said. LTTE ready for ceasefire and talks - Nadesan Sri Lanka shutdown makes little impact A nationwide shutdown called by the Sri Lankan opposition yesterday to demand an increase in salaries of public and private sector workers as well as postponement of provincial elections seemed to have little impact on the island nation. The shutdown was called by the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which is demanding that the government raise the salaries of public and private sector workers by Rs 5,000 in view of the rising cost of living. It is also demanding the postponement of elections in Sabaragamuwa and North-Central provinces, full implementation of the 17th amendment and reduction of the number of ministers in the central council to 35 from 105. The main opposition United National Party (UNP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) are also supporting the shutdown. JVP's trade union leader K D Lalkantha on Wednesday claimed that the strike by over 800 trade unions affiliated to the party "would cripple transport and healthcare services and hit power and water supply". However, public transportation in the national capital was not affected by the shutdown and there were no reports of untoward incidents. Accusing the government of threatening and harassing public sector employees to prevent them from taking part in the trade union activities, the JVP warned that the party would take "more drastic action next week" if the government doesn't meet its demands. Sri Lanka's rogue Minister barely escapes another calamity Sri Lanka's controversial Labour Minister Mervyn Silva narrowly escaped from yet another experience similar to what he faced at the Rupavahini a few months back, when he visited the Colombo National Hospital (CNH) on Wednesday, a report said.Reportedly, the Minister had gone to the kitchen of the hospital and tried to intimidate CNH employees to refrain from participating in the token strike yesterday.When the agitated hospital employees tried to surround him the Minister had fled the scene with his bodyguards.In December 2007, the Minister was severely assaulted by the state-owned television station, Rupvahini Corporation employees when he tried to threaten the news director. Three men shot dead Three men in the early twenties from Mawathagama were shot dead by an unidentified gang in Kalmunai yesterday, police said.Police spokesman Ranjit Gunasekara said the three men had been travelling in a lorry loaded with mattresses for sale at the time of the incident. SSP Gunasekara said the vicitms had been travelling to Kalmunai regularly on business.The victims, a driver and two salesmen attached to a mattress manufacturing company in Mawathagama were identified as Wasantha Premakumara, Indika Jayasekara and Asanka Buddhika.Kalmunai Chief Magistrate had visited the scene and ordered a post mortem. JVP opposes Indian troops providing security for SAARC summit The JVP on Wednesday registered its opposition against deploying Indian forces for the security of Indian participants in the forthcoming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) meeting in Sri Lanka."India has an inferiority complex against our troops because her army suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of the LTTE but our troops had proven far better by almost sweeping off the LTTE. They want to look down on our troops because of this. That is the plan behind their proposal to bring Indian forces for their security," J.V.P. MP K. D. Lal kantha told a press conference in Colombo.He said that his party was against allowing the Indian troops coming in and this was a humiliation to our troops who had proven better against LTTE. "They would be brought here to exhibit their acrobats on the money of our taxpayers. The estimated cost for the SAARC summit is Rs 2,880 million, and a large sum of this would be spent on a foreign force. We are against this," he said.He also wanted the government to spend the funds on the local security forces so that it could bring better results. "We ask the Government why it had agreed to the Indian Government’s demand at the cost of humiliating our troops. Do not give into these failings or we would be compelled to take action to prevent this shameful act." Lal kantha said. He said that when the JVP asks the government to increase the salaries of employees the government says it has no funds but it had funds for events like SAARC.The JVP in latter 1980s opposed and fought against the presence of the Indian troops who were brought in as a result of the Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987. However, during the last two years the JVP demanded that Norway and Scandinavian nations must be replaced by a friendly nation to facilitate the peace process. India, Sri Lanka trade deal soon India and Sri Lanka are set to sign the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) when the heads of the two governments meet during the coming SAARC summit, a top Indian bureaucrat confirmed on Wednesday.The text of the agreement which is only the second such agreement India would sign after the one with Singapore has been frozen and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Mahinda Rajapaksa would ink it on the sidelines of the summit on August 1, India’s commerce secretary Gopal K Pillai said. “India has emerged as the largest and most balanced trade partner of Sri Lanka and CEPA would be implemented in a phased manner over the next three years,” Pillai said. He added the CEPA would focus on services and investments and take forward the Free Trade Agreement which the two countries had signed in 2000 and which dealt with only trade in goods.“Twelve rounds of technical-level negotiations have been held on CEPA starting February 2005,” Dr Saman Kelegama, part of the CEPA joint study group and executive director of the Institute of Policy Studies in Sri Lanka, told HT.According to the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), before the agreement, the trade between the two countries was $500. By 2007, it had already jumped to $2.5 billion and is expected to double by 2010. Bulk of the exports to Sri Lanka includes petroleum products and transport equipments (almost 50 per cent), while primary and semi-finished iron and steel is also a fast growing export item. 10 July 2008 Mr. IGP If you want that 57-0662 white van it involving abduction please contact your Pettah police Heavily armed men numbering twelve (12) came asking for Punyavadhan Pathmanathan and tried to abduct him from Everest Lodge, Kadiresan Street, Pettah, Colombo 11, Sri Lanka on thuresday, 09th July, 2008 morning at 5 AM, reported to Civil Monitoring Commission by grieving Pathmanathan and his Mother Naduvilan Deivanai. Tamil young woman Naduvilan Saraswathi, aged 31 was abducted by armed men on 29th April, 2008 from the same location. It has been reported to CMC. She is missing as at date and her whereabouts are not known yet. This disappearance has been reported to the Pettah police station. Missing Saraswathi’s aged mother, brother and family are staying at Everest lodge, Kadiresan Street, Pettah, Colombo 11 hoping for the return of Saraswathi. As per complaint made to the CMC Convener and Colombo district’s Member of Parliament Mano Ganesan MP by the victims, today 09th morning armed abductors had arrived at Kadiresan Street and tried to abduct missing Saraswathi’s brother Punyavadhan Pathmanathan, a 27 year old Tamil youth. However the mother Naduvilan Deivanai, aged 67 had come running and started crying loudly. The abductors had then introduced themselves as personnel from Pettah police station which is 200 yards away from the place of incident. The old aged but adamant mother had then demanded she be also taken with the son to the police station. While this commotion was occurring other residents had telephoned Pettah police station and complained that ‘some are trying to abduct residents’. Subsequently police personnel from nearby Pettah police station had arrived at the scene within minutes and spoken with the abductors. And then the abductors had got into their white van and got away. The white van number is 57-0662. A complaint of today’s incident is being made by Pathmanathan and Deivanai at the time of this release. It is made to the nearby police post at Wolfendhal Street under Pettah police station. Maithripala claims UNP-JVP plot to topple govt. Minister Maithripala Sirisena has described the work stoppage planned for tomorrow (July 10th) as a conspiracy by the UNP and the JVP to topple the present regime. The ulterior motive of the strike is to bring down the government, he told Parliament, adding that this attempt to persuade the people to join the trade union action to cover up own faults would fail.Also speaking here, Leader of the House Nimal Siripala de Silva said no allowances would be made for influencing the government through strikes.The present regime is open for dialogue and constructive criticism only, he said.Police have been ordered to act strictly against any move to intimidate workers who report for duty tomorrow.The strikers would have no place in their workplaces, and they could strike from their homes, the minister added. TNA support JVP strike Real need to fight "There is a real need for them to fight for their demands", Sampanthan said.Working class are the most affected with low wages, higher expenses and rising cost of living, he said.Sambanthan said though the government has increased government servants' salaries by Rs.1000 it does not make a significant difference; and he said that they are going to get that even after some reduction. He said it is not possible to reject when the working class and the oppressed masses make a demand.War may be a reason but it is not the only reason for the rising cost of living. There are other unwanted government spending too", he said. The war would not need to be continuing had there been an acceptable solution to the ethnic problem; or at least proposals put forward by the government meeting the rights of the Tamil people. Protest of common suffering The proposed strike is a protest to show the common suffering of the poor masses and their helplessness and, therefore, TNA appeal to all trade unions to join it irrespective of differences. "Tamil people are in support of this strike", Sampanthan added.The Sri Lanka Rupavahini Coporation(SLRC) and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Coporation(SLRC) on Tuesday staged a protest in support of the JVP strike on July 10. They say that that out of the Rs.1000 allowance given to employees by the president they receive only about Rs.600 and the rest is set off against the cost of living allowance. Media support Five main media trade union bodies led by Free Media Movement have said that the proposed one day token strike is the exercise of a democratic right of the people.The Sri Lanka Working Journalist Association (SLWJA), Federation of Media Employees Trade Union (FMETU), Sri Lanka Muslim Media Federation(SLMMF), Sri Lanka Tamil Media Association (SLTMA) and Free Media Movement( FMM) said that they are in full support of the trade union action planned by the JVP. Sri Lankans May Turn Against War Strategy, Defense Analysts Say Sri Lanka's government needs to deliver on its vow to cripple the rebel Tamil Tigers this year or lose support for a conflict that is slowing economic growth, defense analysts said as labor unions plan a general strike today. ``People say they'll suffer the hardships as long as the government can finish the war,'' said Iqbal Athas, a Colombo-based correspondent for Jane's Defence Weekly. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's ``military machine has yet to be badly dented'' and the group may have at least 10,000 fighters. President Mahinda Rajapaksa's government pledged to defeat the LTTE in the northern Wanni region this year after evicting them from the east a year ago. The Tamil Tigers operate from jungle bases in the north, where they repulsed a major army offensive in the late 1990s. Pressure on the government to negotiate with the rebels may build if military operations stall. Workers in ports, transport and agriculture are among those planning to strike today over cost of living increases after consumer prices in the capital, Colombo, rose the most in at least four years and at the fastest pace in Asia. The war is weighing on the economy, Sri Lanka's Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal said last week at a business forum. The International Monetary Fund has said the nation's economic outlook ``depends critically'' on an end to the civil war. Spending Slump Economic growth slowed for the first time in a year in the first quarter as the escalating violence, including bomb attacks in Colombo, curbed spending, while consumer prices in Colombo rose 28.2 percent in June from a year earlier, the statistics department said at the end of last month. ``People are expecting the war to be over sooner rather than later,'' said Pramod De Silva, editor-in-chief of the state-run Daily News. ``They will welcome either a military or a political solution as soon as possible.'' The military's efforts to control terrorism in the north have allowed people in the south to consider strike action, Rajapaksa said in comments yesterday, the newspaper reported. Some groups are using the stoppage to ``gain political mileage,'' he said. Losing control of Eastern Province was the worst defeat suffered by the LTTE in its 25-year struggle for a Tamil homeland in the north and east of the island nation. The Tigers will have a hard time regaining the region, Athas said. Sri Lanka has a 100,000-strong army. Northern Bases The Tamil Tigers are confined to just two northern districts in Wanni, Sri Lanka's Defense Affairs Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said in a telephone interview from Colombo. The government is on course to delivering a major blow to the ``terrorists'' this year, he said. ``Everything is going according to our strategies and plans.'' The Tamil Tigers have lost the ability to fight as a conventional army after being weakened by recent government offensives, Army Chief Sarath Fonseka said earlier this month. The military is making progress toward eliminating the Tigers by mid-2009, he told reporters. The war may have reached a stalemate, said Athas. Attacks are on the rise in all three ``cleared'' eastern districts, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Amparai, and the Tamil Tigers have been ``periodically'' targeting the northern Jaffna peninsula, mostly under the government's control. Attacks in South The rebels have also launched attacks on civilians in the Sinhalese-dominated south of the island, demonstrating that they can operate deep within government territory. Last year, the rebels showed they had developed an air capability, using light aircraft to bomb a military base near Sri Lanka's main international airport. The air wing consists of five propeller-driven aircraft, the military says. The military has targeted Tamil Tiger leaders since taking over the Eastern Province, killing the group's political chief, its military intelligence leader and the head of the naval unit, known as the Sea Tigers. The LTTE accuses the air force of bombing civilian areas and says the land and air attacks amount to genocide. The LTTE said last September that any peace process must be based on a homeland for the Tamil people, in the same way the ethnic-Albanian majority in the former Serbian province of Kosovo gained independence. Tamils make up 11.9 percent of Sri Lanka's 20 million people, according to the 2001 census. War Reporting Sri Lankan journalists are facing increasing attacks over their reporting of the conflict, according to Amnesty International. Hundreds of local reporters and cameramen protested outside Rajapaksa's home last week demanding an end to a spate of killings and assaults on journalists, Agence France- Presse reported. Some journalists fear a crackdown if the victory promised by the government doesn't materialize. ``The media has come under very staunch criticism for expressing views which are not of the government,'' said Athas. ``Anybody who doesn't tow the line is called a traitor. You can draw the inference on what's going to come.'' A journalist and member of the British High Commission staff were assaulted in Colombo last week. The U.S. embassy condemned the attack and other recent violence against journalists. Alleged human rights violations against journalists by the government are being ``blown totally out of proportion,'' Rambukwella said. The sources of such allegations are largely non-governmental agencies with LTTE sympathies, he added. Military: Sri Lankan air force attacks rebel boats as fighting kills 21 Sri Lanka - air force jets attacked a Tamil Tiger flotilla off the coast of northern Sri Lanka - early Wednesday, destroying one rebel boat, while infantry clashes in the north killed 19 insurgents and two soldiers, the military said. The military has increasingly used airstrikes to try to weaken the rebels as part of its ongoing offensive against the Tamil Tigers' de facto state in the north. About 8 a.m., air force jets operating on information provided by the navy, attacked boats from the rebels' navy off the coast of the northern Mullaitivu district and completely destroyed one vessel, said air force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara. Meanwhile, infantry clashes across the war-ravaged north killed 19 rebels and two soldiers Tuesday, military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara said. He said army troops attacked and captured a rebel bunker in the Vavuniya district after a clash that killed eight rebels. Another rebel died elsewhere in Vavuniya, he said. Separately in Vavuniya, two soldiers were killed when rebels attacked an army's foot patrol. In the nearby Welioya region, troops captured four rebels bunkers after fighting that left 10 rebels dead and 10 soldiers wounded, said Nanayakkara. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be reached for comment. It is not possible to get independent accounts of the clashes because journalists are barred from the war zone. Each side commonly exaggerates its enemy's casualties while underreporting their own. The rebels have been fighting since 1983 to create an independent state for ethnic minority Tamils, who have been marginalized by successive governments controlled by ethnic Sinhalese. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict. JVP warns Govt against sabotaging strike The JVP yesterday warned that it would launch a two-day general strike next week if the Government made an attempt to suppress today’s work stoppage. JVP trade union wing leader MP K. D. Lalkantha, who is also the chairman of the National Trade Union Centre, accused the government of resorting to strong arm tactics to break the strike. "We are exercising one of the rights guaranteed by the Constitution. The Government has let loose police and thugs upon our union leaders and started spreading false news items and rumours to sabotage the strike. If this continues on Thursday, too, we would then go on a two-day general strike on Tuesday(15) and Wednesday (16). He did not rule out the possibility of JVP extending the two-day strike depending on the Government’s reaction. Hakeem resigns EP PC seat Army promotion for Mendis after Asia Cup victory Sri Lanka's new spin sensation Ajantha Mendis has been given a double promotion in the army after his exploits in the Asia Cup final, officials said on Wednesday. Mendis, 23, a gunner, was promoted to 2nd lieutenant by President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is also commander-in-chief of the armed forces. Mendis destroyed India with record-breaking figures of 6-13 as Sri Lanka won Sunday's Asia Cup final in Karachi by 100 runs. It was the best bowling performance in the continental tournament, surpassing Pakistani Aaqib Javed's 5-19 against India in Sharjah in 1995. Mendis, who hails from the Colombo suburb of Moratuwa, finished with 17 wickets in the tournament. "I am delighted to have played a part in Sri Lanka's victory," Mendis said after returning from Pakistan. "I just want to bowl as best as I can every time I come to the bowling crease. I did that on Sunday." The young Mendis uses an unusual grip in which he appears to squeeze the ball out of his fingers, bowling off-spin, leg-spin, googly, the top-spinner and the flipper. India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the first to concede that Mendis was simply unplayable. "We just could not read him and we knew he was a surprise bowler," he said. "You need to be there in the middle to understand what he bowls. It was tough to pick his deliveries. It is not that the batsmen played badly, they played expecting something and the ball did something else." India will face Mendis again when they tour Sri Lanka from next week for three Tests and five one-day internationals. Karuna will be quizzed if necessary Government Defence Spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday said that the renegade LTTE leader Karuna Amman will be interrogated only if there is a necessity pertaining to his involvement in the mass killing of over 400 policemen in Mutur in 1990.Responding to a question asked by a journalist at the weekly defence media briefing at the Media Centre for National Security, Minister Rambukwella said a commission has been already appointed and inquiries are being conducted. When asked whether Karuna will be interrogated since he has returned to the country the Minister said if the information related to the case made it necessary to do so, Karuna will be questioned as well.In an interview with the Daily Mirror this week Karuna admitted that the policemen were in his custody at the time he was still part of the LTTE but added that they were killed after he handed them over to LTTE intelligence chief Pottu Amman.“They were not supposed to be killed. I was told to hand them over to Pottu Amman to be taken to Jaffna. Later I learnt they were shot dead on the way to Jaffna. I had no direct hand in their killing. Yes it was something that should not have happened but I was not directly involved,” Karuna said. 09 July 2008 Vitarana invites UNP,JVP,TNA to APRC SCOPP chief cannot rule out Govt. hand in abductions Head of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP), Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha has said it was not possible to say that the government was not involved in the abductions taking place in the country.Prof. Wijesinha addressing the media on Monday while admitting that abductions were taking place in the country had said it was not possible to directly say that the government was not doing it."As I said, abductions can be carried out in various ways. We cannot directly say that the government is not doing this," he had said.Prof. Wijesinha who is also Secretary to the Human Rights Ministry had said that the abductions could be carried out by the TMVP, PLOTE or the EPDP."It can also be the LTTE. Then there can be another issue," he had said.According to Prof. Wijesinha, these abductions could happen without the sanction of the party leaders and had emphasized the need to put a halt to it."However, it is not easy to stop this," he had said.Prof. Wijesinha had further stated that while there was a responsibility to find a solution to the human rights issue, the fight against terror could also not be stopped during the process.Civil Monitoring Commission (CMC) Convener and Colombo District Parliamentarian, Mano Ganesan stated that the government had confessed to carrying out abductions. Referring to the statements made by SCOPP Secretary General Rajiva Wijesinha, Ganesan said that the government has now admitted of abducting persons."He (Wijesinha) represents the government. He has stated that the government could have carried out abductions. We look at this as a confession by the government. He said that the abductions could have been carried out by EPDP, TMVP, PLOTE or even the LTTE. The EPDP and TMVP are part of the government. He had also stated that these abductions can be carried out without the knowledge of the party leaders," he said. Lay down arms for talks - Govt. tells LTTE The Sri Lankan government has ruled out a resumption of negotiations with the LTTE until it renounces terrorism and lays down arms, said Government Peace Secretariat chief, Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha. Speaking at a press briefing in Colombo monday (July 07th), he said that though the Tigers have conveyed their readiness for peace talks through certain media, they have not steadfastly announced this decision to the governments of Sri Lanka and Norway. Since the LTTE is not the sole representative of the minority ethnic groups, future peace talks will include all minority representatives, Mr. Wijesinha added.Unlike in the days of the World Wars, our security forces render a far superior service and give special priority to protect civilians, he further said. "Certain international organizations publicized propaganda to obstruct the military operations against terrorism. However, we have intervened and controlled this situation. Certain allegations regarding war offensives targeting civilians and human rights violations have proved to be false," the Peace Secretariat chief added."Such propaganda is aimed at halting military offensives. Though the government is waging war against terrorism, it firmly believes that the people of the war-torn areas must be given a political solution," he added."We are aware of such allegations. It is wrong to point the finger at the government for every single abduction as it is well known that several groups including the LTTE have a hand in this. Sometimes even the leadership of these organizations might be ignorant of such incidents. This could happen even in the military," Prof. Wijesinha said. Sri Lanka extends emergency Sri Lanka parliament yesterday extended the state of emergency by another month.It was passed with 111 members voting in favour and 14 against in the 225-seat parliament. The main opposition United National Party abstained from voting. Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickramanayaka, moving the motion told parliament that it is a requirement to extend the emergency due to current situation in the country. Media persons are attacked by a special squad under Army Commander Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera revealed in the parliament yesterday (08) that the media persons who criticize security forces and expose the frauds in them are attacked by a special squad under Army Commander. Making a special statement on intimidations, abductions and killings of media persons, Mr. Joseph Michel Perera said that he received information from Army itself and challenged to arrest the culprits if he was wrong. The Chief Opposition Whip further pointed out that the state had so far failed to bring at least single culprit before judiciary who were involved in the spate of intimidations, abductions and killings of media persons and other people in Colombo and in the north and east. He said that by allowing these acts to proceed, the government had created a feeling that the government assisted them. Mr. Perera pointed out that Nishantha Gajanayaka, who was arrested after he was named by MP Lakshman Senevirathne as the person responsible for a number of abductions, was released on bail recently by courts and a senior Army official granted him personal bail. Pointing to the contradiction between the statements of the Inspector General of Police and the Police Media Spokesman on white van killer squads, the Chief Opposition Whip challenged the police to name and to initiate legal action on the journalists who got them falsely attacked to seek visa to leave the country. He said that if they failed to so, they were not suitable for the posts and he would inform through the parliament to the National Police Commission to remove them from the posts. Mr. Perera pledged to prove in the future that the current regime was emanating violence covering to war. Sri Lanka government imports 31 bulletproof vehicles Government of Sri Lanka has imported 31 bulletproof motor vehicles since the term of the 13th parliament started on April 22, 2004.Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardena informed this to the parliament yesterday in response to a question asked by UNP MP Ravi Karunanayaka. MP Karunanayaka also asked whether the government provided any bullet-proof vehicle to newly appointed Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan.Minister Gunawardena, responding to the question said that the government can not reveal whether Chief Minister Chandrakanthan was given a bullet-proof or any other type vehicle, due to security reasons. According to sources, 12 vehicles were imported at a cost of US $ 1.82 million, another 15 motor vehicles at a cost of US $ 5.84 million followed by 4 more at a cost of US $ 13 million. However, the allocation of these specially designed motor vehicles imported using public funds was not disclosed. 112 troops killed, 793 wounded in June - Sri Lankan PM Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, the Sri Lankan prime minister Tuesday opening the debate in the parliament on the motion seeking approval to extend the State of Emergency for another month revealed that one hundred and twelve Sri Lankan armed forces personnel were killed and seven hundred and ninety three were injured in the battlefield against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in June. Forty-three (43) civilians were killed and sixty-one (61) injured during that period, he added."Our troops have been advancing towards the territory of the LTTE with the determination to defeat terrorism in the country. The troops will not withdraw under any circumstances from the battle field," proclaimed Mr. Ratnasiri Wickremanayake. Deputy Speaker appointed UPFA Puttalam District parliamentarian Priyankara Jayaratne was unanimously elected to the post of Deputy Speaker in parliament yesterday.Jayaratne replaced Geetanjana Gunewardena who resigned from the post of Deputy Speaker citing conflict of interest after his party leader and sibling Dinesh Gunewardena was appointed Chief Government Whip.Jayaratne entered parliament to fill the vacancy created by the demise of non-cabinet National Building Minister D.M. Dassanayake in January.Jayaratna who contested the 2004 general election from the Puttalam District under the UPFA obtained 33,144 preferential votes. He is the son of former SLFP minister, D.R. Jayaratne. PKK runs guns to LTTE- Turkish military chief Jets pound suspected LTTE base amid fighting Amid reports of sporadic clashes between the advancing government troops and Tamil Tiger guerrillas, Sri Lanka’s air force bombed a suspected rebel training base Tuesday, officials said. “The air force launched two successive air raids targeting LTTE logistic facility in Paranthan (in the north). The first attack was launched around 10.15 a.m while the other around 1.30 p.m.,” the defence ministry said.Details of the damages caused were not immediately known.According to the ministry, two soldiers were killed and another was wounded at Arasadikulam in Vavuniya Tuesday when the troops confronted with a group of cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).“The army foot patrol was along the Arasadikulam-Gandhinagar route when a group of terrorists directed small arms fire killing two soldiers instantly. Soldiers mounted counter attacks at the terrorists forcing the group to flee the area,” the ministry said. In a separate report, the defence ministry said at least 18 Tamil Tigers and two soldiers were slain and over 30 wounded in sporadic clashes Monday in the Vavuniya, Mannar and Weli-Oya battle theatres. “The security force personnel engaged in counter terrorist offensive operations are inching further towards LTTE areas, inflicting damages to the enemy,” it said. India-Sri Lanka pact on prisoner swap soon India and Sri Lanka are in the process of finalising a bilateral agreement on exchange of prisoners of both countries. The envisaged pact is on the same lines as the India-Pakistan agreement on exchange of prisoners.A senior official in the Indian High Commission said the draft of the proposed agreement was in the final stages and it was up to the two governments to decide.The official said the proposed agreement would benefit 43 Indians languishing in Sri Lanka jails. Most of them have been convicted on charges of drug trafficking and under the Sri Lankan laws, they face life imprisonment. 08 July 2008 Nationwide telegram campaign No government support The campaign urges authorities to speed up investigations over attacks on media, arrest criminal gangs that threaten media freedom, safeguard media freedom in order to save democracy, create conditions for the media to report without fear and not to victimise the families of media personnel. Parliamentarians and Provincial Councillors from opposition parties and trade unionists have joined the campaign to send telegrams to President Rajapaksa. The government earlier appointed a ministerial committee to look into threats against media but no politician from the governing coalition supported the campaign. However, huge support for the campaign by the general public indicated a complete shift in public opinion on freedom of expression, SLWJA General Secretary Poddala Jayantha told BBC Sandeshaya. Press freedom 'predators' At least twelve media personnel were killed during the last three years in Sri Lanka.Many other journalists were abducted, assaulted and threatened but the perpetrators of those crimes are yet to be brought to justice. The Defence Ministry and Army commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka are accused of creating a climate of fear for journalists by calling those criticise the war as "traitors". International watchdogs have Sri Lanka on the third place among the most dangerous countries in the world for media.Paris based Reporters Without Borders (RSF) described Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran as "press freedom predators". CID queries 2 JVP MPs on LTTE suspect JVP MPs Vijitha Herath and Ramalingam Chandrasekara were summoned to the CID monday morning (July 07th), where they gave separate statements regarding a LTTE suspect. The suspect is K. Devadasan, an ex-additional director of the State Film Corporation.When contacted, Mr. Herath told 'Lanka Dissent' that the CID had wanted to know from him, as former Cultural Affairs Minister, as to how Devadasan was recruited to the SFC.Devadasan had all the necessary qualifications, and was appointed on a recommendation by a group of artistes, the JVP MP has told the police, adding that he has never had any connections with the JVP.He had been a producer of short films and an importer of foreign films, Mr. Herath has said.Devadasan had also served as president of 'Chalana Chitram' art association.The then additional secretary to the Defence Ministry Sunil S. Sirisena had also approved the appointment, along with other appointees to the SFC, who include Dr. Ariyaratne Athugala, Dr. Tudor Weerasinghe, Sena Nanayakkara and Vincent Kumarapeli.Noting he had been questioned over an appointee - who is now suspected of having connections with the LTTE - during his office as a minister, Mr. Herath remarked the then IGP should be queried over the enrolment of constable P. Nadesan who is now Tigers' political wing leader.Mr. Herath described the questioning as part of a conspiracy by the government against the JVP. Historic oil exploration deal signed with India COLOMBO: The epoch-making Petroleum Resources Agreement was inked between Sri Lanka and India for the exploration and production of oil in Northern Sri Lankan waters in the Mannar basin, at Temple Trees yesterday with President Mahinda Rajapaksa presiding. This historic agreement signed between Sri Lanka and India will now pave the way for the exploration and production of natural gas and hydrocarbon resources yet untapped by the nation. The agreement was signed by Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Minister A..H.M. Fowzie for Sri Lanka and Indrajit Benerijee, the Chief Financial Officer of Cairn (Pvt) Limited of India. A ‘Bonus Cheque’ of US $ one million was also handed over to President Rajapaksa, following the inking of the agreement. Minister Fowzie addressing the participants at the signing ceremony, asserted that it was a ‘ray of hope’ in relieving all Sri Lankans from the ongoing global fuel crisis which has also plunged the whole world into a ‘coma’. He thanked President Rajapaksa for his unstinted and concerted effort and his foresight in making this milestone venture a successful reality. The Chief Financial Officer Cairn (Pvt) Limited Indrajit Benerijee noted that they were delighted to participate in this great venture as the first ‘Licencee’, to make Sri Lanka less dependant on oil imports. Benerijee said the best practices and technology available in the sphere would be deployed in the process. In accordance with the agreement signed, Cairn India Limited will commence its exploration activities in Block SL2007/01/001 in the Mannar Basin which covers 3400 sq. km, at depths between 200 to 1,800 metres within six months from today. The exploration spending schedule of the company in the next three years is expected to be US$ 112 million. Once commercial extraction commences, the oil company will be allowed upto 65 per cent of the revenue to cover its investment. The Government will receive a 10 per cent royalty, a US$ 50 million Production Bonus, the profit share based on the investment multiple and a 15 per cent tax on ‘Contractor Profit’ and other taxes. The Exploration Licence is deemed to be valid for eight years and divided into three stages of three, two and three years. The Government of Sri Lanka will receive all exploration data and the contractor will be required to support education and the staff training, support environmental studies and transfer the related technology to Sri Lanka. Omanthai check point re-opened TU leaders dismiss warning Govt. fears imminent major LTTE attack The government yesterday warned the public to be vigilant against a possible major attack by the LTTE ‘in the next two days’. Media Minister, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena told reporters that intelligence agencies had said the LTTE could undertake the attack in the next two days."We have received information and it is our duty to protect the state institutions," Abeywardena told reporters. However, trade union leaders dismissed the warning as a ploy to disrupt the scheduled one-day strike called by them later this week. The left-wing People's Liberation Front (JVP), backed by the main opposition United National Party, has given a call for a strike on July 10 to protest against the high cost of living and other issues. The government maintained the trade unions must not organise strikes at a time when the government has reached a decisive stage of its military campaign against the terrorists. The police claimed that public cooperation was needed to protect civilians in view of threats from the LTTE. The police said the terrorists might try to disrupt life in the south of the island in view of the provincial elections in the North Central Province and the South-eastern Sabaragamuwa Province scheduled for August 23. After taking control of the entire Eastern Province from the LTTE in July 2007, the troops are currently battling the LTTE in the north. Ex-IRA man warns Sri Lanka's rivals "One thing is certain," insists Martin McGuinness in his office at Belfast's Stormont Castle. "The resolution of the conflict in Sri Lanka can only happen at the negotiating table. Nowhere else." "Both the government and the Tamil Tigers believe that they can have more victories over each other possibly in advance of peace negotiations. I have to say, I think both the government and the Tamil Tigers are foolish if they believe that." Mr McGuinness' words carry authority. He is a former IRA fighter (some believe a onetime senior IRA commander), who led his movement through a complex peace process, and is now deputy first minister in a power-sharing devolved government in Northern Ireland. He has made the transition that few achieve - from insurgent leader to a key figure in a democratic political system. The peace process in Northern Ireland has delivered an end to shootings and bombings which had claimed more than 3,000 lives. The IRA first decided to observe a ceasefire and then to decommission its weapons; a power-sharing system later brought together politicians who had for decades been bitter enemies. It took almost 20 years to achieve, and divisions between Northern Ireland's Protestant majority and the community that Martin McGuinness represents, the Roman Catholic minority, remain deep. But Northern Ireland's move away from decades of civil strife has attracted international attention. Mr McGuinness has travelled the world talking about conflict resolution and how to achieve reconciliation. He has visited Sri Lanka on a number of occasions, visiting both the capital Colombo and the rebel-held territory, and has talked to both sides in the island's bitter and long-running separatist conflict. "What I have said to both the government and the Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka," he told me, "is that the conflict should be brought to an end." "There should be a meaningful process of peace negotiations and they should give up any notion whatsoever that they are going to have spectacular, conclusive military victories over each other. "Yes, they will have spectacular military victories. But they will not be conclusive," Mr McGuinness said. An uneasy ceasefire that staggered on for several years is now clearly over, and the Sri Lankan army has recently suggested that the Tamil Tigers are facing military defeat. Many analysts believe, however, that the separatists - one of the world's most tenacious armed groups - are unlikely to be vanquished on the battlefield. The Northern Ireland politician, who has served time in jail for paramilitary offences and is also an elected British MP (though he has never taken his seat at Westminster), argues that around the world, achieving an end to conflict requires leaders who have the foresight to engage in dialogue with their enemies. I asked him what words of advice he offers those who seek to emulate Northern Ireland's example - from profound civil conflict to peace. "The first thing I tell them," he responded, "is we can't solve their problems - the only people who can solve their problems are themselves. "The most important ingredient in any peace process, or conflict resolution process, is leadership. The willingness of leaders to be courageous, and to recognise that the only way to resolve conflict is by sitting down, respecting one another in dialogue and discussion," he said. The Northern Ireland example also, many would argue, underlines the need to compromise. The IRA was fighting for a united Ireland. The peace process has greatly increased the political power of the Catholic minority and has established all-Ireland institutions, but the region remains part of Britain. Emergency food security assessment By WFP in Jaffna TELO MP Sivajilingam seeks referendum to decide Tamil Eelam Let the International Community hold a referendum to get the will of Eezham Tamils for an independent homeland if it is not convinced of their sentiments shown explicitly through the events of Pongku Thamizh all over the world. Australia supported such a referendum in East Timor, said TELO Muthalvar and Tamil National Alliance MP, Sivajilingkam to TamilNet, when he came to address the Pongku Thamizh event held at Sydney on Monday. Speaking at the event, Mr. Gnanam Sivathamby, a former principal said that the International community is ignorant of the fact who are the terrorists and who are the terrorized in Sri Lanka."We do not want war. The Tamils are a peace-loving people. We want a peaceful solution. But, we want peace with justice and freedom", said a young member who spoke at the event."We have witnessed too much discrimination, too much blood shed and too little justice. It is too late and we have come too far to compromise on Thamizh Eezham" spoke another young member.Over 3000 Tamil Australians gathered at Mason Park in Sydney Sunday afternoon for the event, which was largely organized and addressed by the Tamil youth of Australia.Many of them attended were clad in Red and Yellow and carried pictures of the LTTE leader Pirapaharan.A similar event was held in Melbourne on Saturday. 07 July 2008 Twenty rebel MPs of UNP meet secretly It is reported that twenty MPs of United National Party (UNP) led by reformists Lakshman Senevirathna and Johnston Fernando met recently in a location close to Colombo and vowed to continue the internal struggle until the victory. A MP who participated in this discussion said to Lanka-e-News that it was decided to pledge the team’s fullest support to the party at the Provincial Council elections in North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces. The MP further said that they had learnt that the UNP received between Rs. 15 to 20 million per month from local and foreign donors and some of them had enquired about the outcome of those donations. The MPs decided to urge the party leadership to appoint a committee to look into what happened to the moneys. MIG arriving after attacking tiger positions damaged in landing SLAF MIG fighter jet arriving after a mission to strike tiger positions in Killinochchi has met with an accident when landing. Though none of the crew was injured a wing of the jet has been slightly damaged. A meeting place of senior tiger leaders at Wattakachchi area north of Iranamadu Tank was attacked by the Mig at about 3.30 p.m. yesterday and the accident had occurred when the MIG was trying to land on its arrival. Civilians wounded in SLAF bombardment At least four civilians were wounded at Vaddakkachchi, around 7 km from Ki'linochchi Sunday at 4:20 p.m. when two Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked a residential area twice, Tamileelam Police officials told media in Ki'linochchi. Six houses have sustained serious damage in the aerial attack, according to initial details. The wounded were rushed to Ki'linochchi hospital. A 67-year-old civilian, Maniyar Sellathamby, and a 24-year-old male, identified as Rooban, were among the seriously wounded.The bombardment has taken place at Naavalar Veethy in Vaddakkachchi, a GS area in Karaichchi division of Ki'linochchi district. The attack was reported 100 meters away from the Multi Purpose Cooperative Society and 200 meters from St. Soosaiyappar church. Delilah PALM Jaya threatens agitation on fishermen problem AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa has threatened to launch a massive agitation if the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre and the DMK Government in Tamil Nadu failed to find a permanent solution to the problems faced by fishermen at the hands of the Sri Lankan Navy, according to Indian Express.In a statement here, Jayalalithaa urged Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to serve an ultimatum to the UPA Government in which the DMK is a key consituent, to find a long lasting solution to the fishermen’s problems, instead of writing to the Centre or talking to the Prime Minister over telephone. Condemning the Navy’s atrocities, fishermen in Rameswaram had launched an indefinite strike and announced a massive agitation for July 10 at Pamban, she said.Responding to Jayalalitha’s criticism, the Sri Lankan military said there had been numerous instances of Tamil Nadu fishermen facilitating the movement of LTTE cadres and supplies through the Gulf of Mannar. The enemy’s dependence on this route had increased after the destruction of eight floating LTTE arsenals in four separate engagements on the high seas, the navy said.The detections made by the Indian navy, Coast Guard and other security agencies including the ‘Q’ branch had revealed LTTE attempts to make India a major supply base, the sources said. The navy last week rounded up approximately 290 Tamil Nadu fishing craft poaching in Sri Lanka waters in the Gulf of Mannar. "We deployed a sizeable force to carry out the operation," an official said, adding the poachers were trapped north of Talaimmanar and south of the Delft Island. The navy had prevented them from getting back to the Indian waters.Dismissing accusations that the navy had harassed Indian fishermen, the Colombo foreign office emphasized that the presence of Indian trawlers was a serious security threat. Although, the number of Indian fishermen collaborating with the LTTE was negligible, their support had allowed the enemy to bring in much needed supplies. Government wants ICRC back at Omanthai The military expresses confidence the ICRC will return to the Omanthai entry/exit point to facilitate the movement of civilians.The ICRC functions as a neutral intermediary to facilitate the movement of civilians to and from the LTTE-held territory and supplies to people living in areas under the LTTE control.Security Forces Commander (Vanni) Major General Jagath Jayasuriya said the ICRC had withdrawn on July 1. Despite their absence, the army had allowed ambulances carrying 18 seriously ill patients from the LTTE-held territory to reach Vavuniya and Anuradhapura hospitals on humanitarian grounds, he told The Island, yesterday.Although the ICRC quit the post, its representatives had been present when the army allowed 15 patients to come in. Three patients had been allowed in without the ICRC presence. ICRC spokesperson Sarasi Wijeratne said they would return as soon as the security in the area for civilians was assured by the authorities.The ICRC officials withdrew from the Omanthai crossing point in May 2007 again as a result of threats to civilians and ICRC personnel. The ICRC had vacated the post shortly after SLAF jets pounded what Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara called an LTTE's gathering place about four kilometers north of the entry/exit point in Vavuniya this afternoon, July 01. The SLAF spokesperson said the attack had been ordered after aerial surveillance had clearly established the LTTE’s presence. "There were some vehicles," he said, asserting the targeted group was probably on its way to the Weli Oya front.Major General Jayasuriya said troops on the Vanni fronts were making rapid progress with the 57 Division’s fighting elements operating about 37 kilometers north of Paraiyanakulam on the Medawachchiya-Mannar main road. He said the 57 Division was spearheading the advance into the western part of the Vanni under LTTE control. The Task Force 1 is deployed west of the 57 Division and Task Force 11 to the east with the 61 Division taking over the area previously held by the 57 Division.With the army poised to strike Vidattaltivu, the LTTE was believed to have begun transferring some of their equipment further northwards, he said, asserting the enemy would give up more areas on the Vanni front. But resistance remained high on the Weli Oya front, where the 59 Division had been making gradual progress. Few govt. elements trying to split TMVP’ Sri Lankan rebels say they are not weak The political leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), P. Nadesan, categorically denied claims that the Tigers have been weakened. “It was a vicious propaganda by the Sri Lanka Government,” he said in an interview with a newspaper. He also urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi to come forward and assist their struggle to establish a Tamil Eelam state. He also expressed “regret” that India was providing help to the Sri Lankan Government. “The 80 million Tamil people in the world expect the Indian Government [to] understand the atrocities of the Sinhala Army and stop providing military hardware to Sri Lanka,” he claimed. Earlier, LTTE renegade leader Karuna Amman claimed that in the face of the government forces, the LTTE is very weak. Rs. 500 m from US for Trinco General Hospital The United States of America has agreed to provide Rs. 500 million financial assistance to develop the General Hospital in Trincomalee on Healthcare and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva’s request. The Health Minister addressing US officials recently in Washington, said the Sri Lankan Government had taken several steps through the Eastern Resurgence Programme to develop the Eastern Province. Therefore, I invited the US Government to help develop the Eastern Province, the Minister said. On the Minister’s request, the US Government agreed to donate Rs. 500 million to develop the Trincomalee General Hospital. The financial assistance will be provided through the Americares International Organisation. Bilateral agreements were signed at the Health Ministry on Friday. Minister de Silva and Liza Hilmy, Director of Americares International Dr. Nihal Jayathileke, Acting Secretary of Ministry of Health and Dr. Ajith Mendis, Director General of Health Service also participated. Sri Lanka Tigers pay homage to 356 suicide bombers Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers on Sunday commemorated 356 men and women who have staged suicide attacks since the tactic was first used by the rebels 21 years ago.The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said they held ceremonies in guerrilla-held Wanni region on Saturday to mark the 21st anniversary of the first suicide truck bombing by a cadre known as Captain Miller. The elusive Tiger supremo, Velupillai Prabhakaran, 53, led the remembrance ceremonies at an undisclosed location with the participation of his elite "Black Tiger" suicide cadres, the pro-rebel Tamilnet.com web site reported. "Three hundred and fifty six Black Tigers have laid down their lives, 254 of them in sea operations, during the last 21 years since," Tamilnet said. Last year, the Tigers commemorated 322 suicide bombers who perished in attacks. Their figures showed that 34 suicide bombers had carried out attacks in the past year. An attack on a key air base in October was the worst, with 21 suicide bombers destroying a fleet of aircraft. One rebel later returned to the north with video footage of the attack, while the others were shot dead or blew themselves up. Sri Lanka has been wracked by civil war for more than three decades. The rebels are fighting for an independent homeland for minority Tamils on the Sinhalese-majority island in a conflict that has claimed thousands of lives. Although not credited with starting the lethal method, the Black Tigers have staged some of the world's most brazen attacks and are described as the most effective unit of its type anywhere in the world. The Tigers used a large number of suicide bombers to destroy a large fleet of military aircraft at a base in July 2001 and went onto the adjoining international airport and bombed six civilian airliners parked there. The guerrillas boast that there is a scramble to go on suicide attacks, given that the chosen few are entertained to a last supper with the supremo -- a high point in a rebel's short but effective career. Sympathisers say Prabhakaran is a charismatic leader who motivates his cadres to lay down their lives for his cause. Even those who are not in the Black Tiger squads carry a cyanide capsule to commit suicide in case they are captured. 06 July 2008 Wanni facing starvation after Omanthai closure The continuous closure of the vital Omanthai entry/exit point was pushing the humanitarian situation in the Wanni to breaking point with essential supplies to at least 200,000 civilians held back, government officials in the Wanni warned. The ICRC which pulled out of Omanthai on July1 after a heavy exchange of artillery and aerial fire near the northern end of the cross-over point said that officials would only return to the point after security guarantees were obtained from both parties. "Omanthai remains closed, and as soon as we have security assurance from the authorities it will reopen. The safety of the civilians using the cross over point and the ICRC officials is of concern to us," ICRC Spokesperson Sarasi Wijeratne told The Sunday Leader. Nagalingam Vedanayagam, the government agent in Kilinochchi said that supplies to civilians would only last for two weeks and prices would sky rocket even before that if the closure continued. Dr. T. Sathyamoorthi, Director, Kilinochchi Hospital said that drugs were only available for a month and new supplies were waiting at Omanthai to be delivered to Kilinochchi. He also said that patients needing urgent medical assistance were allowed to go to Vavuniya on special permission.According to statistics at the Divisional Secretariat there were 195,000 persons in Kilinochchi and 220,000 in Mullaithivu by January 2008. However humanitarian agencies said that the figure could be lower now with several thousands having fled the Wanni. The government military and the Tigers both said that they had given security guarantees to the ICRC over Omanthai last week. LTTE Media Coordinator Daya Master said that the Tigers had already assured their cooperation to ensure the security of the ICRC in writing.Daya Master stated that the assurance was given the following day Omanthai point was closed, and that the letter was handed over by Thiagaraja alias Pavarasan, Coordinator, Secretariat of UN Agencies and Non Governmental Organisations. Military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the military would ensure the safety of the ICRC working at the entry exit point.He stated the ICRC did not face any problems due to the military, but only because of the LTTE."We do not know whether the ICRC has got back to the military on its position, as the ICRC liaises with the commander in the area." Sri Lanka says 20 killed in new fighting Sri Lanka --Nineteen Tamil Tiger rebels and a Sri Lankan soldier were killed in a new round of fighting in the island's restive north, the military said Sunday.Battles broke out Saturday on the northern front lines of the Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mannar and Welioya regions as soldiers tried to push into the rebel stronghold, a military official said.The worst clashes were reported in several villages of Vavuniya district where 12 rebels were killed, the official said on condition of anonymity, in line with government rules.Three rebels were killed in Mannar and four rebels and a soldier were killed in Welioya, the official said.Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be immediately reached for comment and it was not possible to verify the military's claims because reporters are barred from the war zone.Each side is known to exaggerate casualties inflicted upon the other, while underreporting their own losses.The government earlier promised its soldiers would capture rebel territory and dismantle their de facto state by the end of 2008. However, the country's army commander told reporters last week it could take another year to defeat the guerillas.Tamil Tiger rebels have fought since 1983 to create an independent homeland for the country's ethnic minority Tamils who have been marginalized by successive governments controlled by majority ethnic Sinhalese. More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict. Two top Indian diplomats in Sri Lanka to be replaced soon Indian High Commissioner for Sri Lanka Alok Prasad and his Deputy High Commissioner K. Manikkam will be replaced soon. According to Foreign Ministry sources, even though High Commissioner Prasad has yet to complete his diplomatic appointment in Colombo, the Government of India is looking at replacing him in the next few months. Deputy High Commissioner Manikkam, who has already completed his diplomatic assignment in Colombo, is expected to fill a vacancy at the Indian Foreign Ministry. Pillayan ready to make way for Karuna SLMC to say no to SB today The SLMC high command is expected today to turn down a request by the UNP to nominate party national organiser S.B. Dissanayake to Parliament on the national list.The SLMC which contested in alliance with the UNP at the 2004 general election has one national list slot available on the UNP list following the resignation of Basheer Segu Dawood to contest the Eastern Provincial Council election.Another national list slot rendered vacant on the SLMC list following the resignation of General Secretary Hasan Ali is to be filled by party leader Rauf Hakeem.The Sunday Leader learns UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe had requested the SLMC to agree to the nomination of Dissanayake to Parliament on the national list seat that was allocated to Segu Dawood. It is learned Wickremesinghe had also sent a UNP delegation to make representations to the SLMC on behalf of Dissanayake. The Sunday Leader learns Segu Dawood and Hasan Ali resigned their Parliamentary seats to contest the provincial council election on an assurance given by the UNP leader to Hakeem that the two national list seats will be kept open for SLMC nominees.A top SLMC source said the party High Command is to meet at 10 a.m. today to take a decision on the UNP request but that an overwhelming number were opposed to conceding the national list slot to the UNP irrespective of the person for whom it is sought."The SLMC sacrificed its portfolios and positions and joined the Opposition during the budget on a matter of principle and we went further at the provincial council election and our leader, General Secretary and Chairman resigned from Parliament to contest the election to further those principles and it is shocking the UNP can now ask to even consider sacrificing the national list seat too," a top SLMC source said.The source added there will be a rebellion against the SLMC leader if he concedes the seat to the UNP and added if the UNP does not honour its commitment and appoint a SLMC nominee to the national list vacancy, there can never be a future alliance between the two parties since there will be a total breakdown of trust. Five villages in Polonnaruwa to boycott election They would take a decision to boycott forthcoming election to elect members to North Central Provincial Council if their villages are not provided with electricity say 363 families in five villages in Pollonnaruwa District. The villagers of Yaya 16, Yaya 17 and Yaya 18 together with that of Dambulkelle and Puwakgahaulpatha in Bakamuna Divisional Secretariat in Minneriya electorate have been carrying on a continues fast opposite Kottapitiya Post Office since 29th of last month. L.B. Athikola, M.M. Ekanayake, Chandra Liyanagedera have been admitted to hospital at Bakamuna after being unwell due to the fast. The villagers point out that the villages, begun under agricultural colonies scheme in 1948, have not been provided with electricity for the last 60 years. They say when an election was due politicians give false promises and after the election everything was forgotten. This time they would not be deceived say the villagers. EROS joins chorus against Karuna Lanka wants blackout on Black July Bombshell bag in VIP neighbourhood Emergency meeting of TMVP Political Bureau held! Karuna wants full implementation of 13th Amendment Q: Why did you travel to Britain on a forged passport? A: I did that for security reasons. I wanted to visit my family in London. I had no intention to stay there. When I was arrested I told the British authorities that I was forced to use a different name as I feared for my life. Q: What are you immediate plans? A: Since I left Sri Lanka, there have been disputes in our party. I want to restructure the party by appointing a committee comprising 10 senior members and a working committee to make it more people-focused. Q: Your deputy and present Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan told us he was prepared to step down in favour of you. Are you hoping to be the chief minister? A: I never wanted to be the Chief Minister. My intention is to contest the next Parliamentary elections from the Batticaloa district. Our party members will contest elections in other districts, including the upcountry as well. Q: How do you view the recent Eastern Provincial Council elections? A: The Government should have held the elections after resettling all the displaced people in the eastern province. The victory could have been more resounding if the displaced had been resettled in their original places. Q: Your party is now in power. What will your party do to get the 13th Amendment fully implemented? A: We know the provincial council system will not bring a solution to the Tamil problem, but we cannot miss this opportunity. If we miss this opportunity the power will go to other parties. Our party will also attend the next sittings of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) and demand the full implementation of the 13th Amendment. Our aim is to allow the people in area to benefit from the resources in the province. Q: Your party has tied up with a breakaway JVP group that is opposed to the full implementation of the 13th Amendment. So how useful are such political alliances? A: We are ready to work with any political party to win the rights of our people. To prove this we are fielding a senior member of our party at the North Central Provincial Council elections. Q: How do you justify your cadres carrying arms in the east? A: Our cadres are carrying weapons to defend themselves. But we are urging them to join the Police. Once the 13th Amendment is fully implemented with police powers also being devolved, this problem would be solved. Q: How confident are you that this government will solve the ethnic question? A: We have been fighting for several years to win our rights. We believe that this government will look into our demands. Q: There are abductions, extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses in the east. Any comments? A: There are several groups operating in the east. We have discussed this matter with defence officials. The President has to pay attention on this. My senior cadres are complaining about this to me. If these groups are not stopped, we will rally our people to stage non-violent protests. Q: There were reports that you would rejoin the LTTE. A: That will never happen. 05 July 2008 India urged NE merger: UNP The high powered Indian delegation that recently visited Sri Lanka urged the government to re-merge the north and east, the main opposition claims.The United National Party (UNP) says India strongly advised Sri Lanka to provide a political solution to the national question based on the 13 amendment to the constitution. The merger of the north and east provinces under the Indo-Lanka agreement, was ruled illegal by the Supreme Court, last year.The government was also urged to get the consensus of southern political parties through the All Party Representative Committee (APRC). National Security Advisor MK Narayanan, Defence Secretary Vijay Singh and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon made an unannounced visit to Sri Lanka last month. War deadline extended The delegation held talks with President Rajapaksa, his two brothers, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya and Senior Advisor Basil and President’s Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga. In a very unusual move, both parties were tight lipped over the talks and no photos were released to the media.UNP parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella accused the government of waging war against the LTTE in an attempt to divert attention on government’s failure to find solutions to burning questions. He told journalists in Colombo that the government is extending the deadline to defeat the LTTE as it has no solution for the failing economy. President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Mr. Kiriella said, earlier pledged to complete the war “before2008 Sinhala, Hindu new year”, which was in April. Karuna travelled as 'Anthony' Sri Lanka Army commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka, who pledged to defeat the LTTE before August this year, is now saying it will take one more year, the UNP MP added. Gen. Fonseka told foreign correspondents last week that the LTTE is already defeated as a conventional army but it will take another year for the final victory. Commenting on Karuna Amman’s deportation to Sri Lanka, Mr. Kiriella accused the government of providing another false passport for his return. Karuna Amman earlier told British court that Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, provided a diplomatic passport for him to travel to UK. UNP says he was given another false passport, bearing the name Anthony, for Karuna to come back to Colombo.When questioned by BBC Tamil Service on Friday, Col. Karuna refused to reveal his travel arrangements. Army captures Michael Base Mullaitivu town 20 km away The army advancing on the Wili Oya front captured the well-fortified Michael Base of the LTTE, located seven km north of Jankapura yesterday after a fiercely fought battle which lasted three days. The LTTE is believed to have lost over 20 cadres in offering heavy resistance with many more injured but no exact figure could be given as the troops were still consolidating their positions and defusing mines, according to ground commanders. The army didn’t suffer any casualties.The main compound of the Michael base with many outposts encompassed about 4 Sq. Km The offensive to destroy the strategic Michael Base, considered impregnable by the LTTE, began on Wednesday. The army came in for heavy resistance from the LTTE combatants taking refuge in well-protected bunkers which the outfit had built over the years. The army described the areas as a deadly minefield, where they had to advance very cautiously. Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the fleeing Tigers had exploded some of the underground bunkers. He said the sprawling military facility had three living quarters, which, too, were blasted by the LTTE before retreating into the jungles. The base is believed to have been used by senior LTTE leaders tasked with preventing the army from reaching Mullativu, which is 20 km away from the Michael Base.The offensive is part of the on-going military onslaught to bring the Wanni under the army control. The Weli Oya operation is being conducted by the army’s 59 Division commanded by Brig. Nandana Udawate. It has captured an area of 57 Sq. Km. In the Weli Oya offensive, 827 LTTE combatants have perished so far. The army has lost 70 men.Last months, the army captured an LTTE camp known as the Munagam Base consisting of several strong underground bunkers and training facilities. LTTE Recce teams target 59 Division Mano requests British government assistance Bring Karuna to justice: TELO MP Srikantha S.B. Disanayaka to parliament from national list ? United National Party (UNP) is planning to appoint former Minister S.B. Disanayaka to parliament from national list. UNP General Secretary Thissa Aththanayaka has written to Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) leader Rauf Hakeem that the party needs to appoint Mr. Disanayaka from one of the vacant slots of national list. The two seats went vacant as SLMC MPs Baseer Segudavud and Hasan Ali resigned from the parliament to contest the Eastern Provincial Council election.When Lanka-e-News enquired from Mr. Thissa Aththanayaka he verified that such letter was sent to the SLMC leader. However, no response has been received so far. It is reported that a discussion was held in this regard between UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe, SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem and Mr. S.B. Disanayaka.Mr. Disanayaka will be appointed to the parliament next week if Mr. Hakeem consents to the proposal. Pillayan has 'no time' for Karuna Eastern CM post The CM earlier told BBC journalist Swaminathan Natarajan in Batticaloa that the Chief Minister post will be handed over to Karuna once he returns to Sri Lanka. The Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) elections were held on 10 May while Col. Karuna was serving a prison sentence in UK.Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan widely known as Karuna Amman returned to Colombo after serving half of the prison sentence in UK for an immigration offence. However Mr. Chandrakanthan told BBC Tamil Service on Friday that there was no need to hand over his reigns to party leader.He accused the media of creating an issue out of CM post.The TMVP, the CM said, will discuss it if such a need arises.CM Pillayan said he would meet Karuna at a later stage.There have been media reports earlier of a split in the TMVP between Karuna and Pillayan factions.Karuna Amman, former LTTE commander in the east, broke away from the LTTE in April 2004. Ensure our safety, say Sri Lanka Government employees in Kilinochchi Hundreds of Government employees from the District Secretariat, hospital, schools and Zonal Education office marched down the A9 road to the Kilinochchi District Secretariat on July 2nd drawing attention to their concerns of safety and security in the region.Reports from Kilinochchi say their march was prompted following the death of Thunukakai Additional Government Agent (AGA), N Nanthakumar, on 28 June in a claymore mine attack.The marchers called the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), as their employer-must take steps to ensure their safety in the district.However, GoSL calls the areas that are still under the control of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as ‘un cleared’ areas; in the meantime several International Non-Governmental organizations (NGO) have constantly pointed out to the numerous vulnerabilities faced by the people in those places. A press report on The website of the LTTE Peace Secretariat says: “The marchers said that their working environment is a lot harsher than those working in other districts and that they are also expected to serve the people who are facing a lot of hardship. They said that they do long hours to serve the people while facing insecurity for their life. They listed the names of Government employees who were killed in such manner while they were on duty.Nedunkerni AGA survived such an attack but his driver was killed. An ambulance carrying doctor and other hospital employees were killed in such an attack. In an attack on an ambulance of Poonahari hospital the driver was killed. In the attack on the vehicle belonging to the District Medical Officers, two Government employees were killed.In an attack on a school bus in Madhu a school principal and teachers were killed. The latest in this series of killing of Government employees is that of Thunukkai AGA said the marchers.” LTTE 'very weak' : Karuna Replacing Chief Minister He appealed to all communities, Sinhala, Muslim and Tamil, to help the government to defeat the LTTE which he described as a 'brutal terrorist group'. The leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) said he is 'very happy' that his deputy is appointed as the Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council. (EPC) Col. Karuna insisted that he has no plans to replace TMVP deputy leader, Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan known as Pillayan, as the new Chief Minister. "We are not only representing the eastern Tamils. We represent all Tamils in Sri Lanka," he said.Mr. Pillayan earlier told BBC Tamil service that he would offer the post to Karuna Amman, if he returns to the country. Meeting President Rajapaksa Karuna also revealed that he would meet President Rajapaksa and the ministers in his administration in the near future."We are a party in the government alliance. Everybody knows that," he said.International human rights groups urged British authorities to charge Karuna for war crimes while he was in British custody.Human Rights Watch (HRW) has strongly criticised decision by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that there was no sufficient evidence to charge him. Director General of Amnesty International (AI) earlier told BBC Sandeshaya that Sri Lanka government should charge him for alleged gross human rights violations. Karuna and TMVP are accused of serious rights violations committed while he was a senior leader of the LTTE and later with working as a paramilitary supporting Sri Lanka military. Karuna says he was only following orders by LTTE leaders, Velupillai Prabhakaran and Pottu Amman. 19 illegal armed camps in Polonnaruwa - UNP Nineteen illegal armed camps have been set up in Polonnaruwa with the intention of rigging votes at the upcoming North Central PC polls, said UNP General Secretary, Tissa Attanayake. Speaking at a media briefing at Cambridge Terrace yesterday (July 03rd), the UNP General Secretary said that violence has been unleashed even before nominations are handed in. Noting that the government hopes to gain victory through state terror and violence as in the East, Mr. Attanayake said that a complaint would be lodged with the Elections Commissioner on the matter.The Elections Commissioner would also be notified of attempts to use state property by the government in its campaigning for the election, he added. 2 PC polls on Aug. 23 Polls for the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils will take place on August 23rd, a senior official of the Elections Secretariat told 'Lanka Dissent.' Nominations for the elections closed at noon today (July 04th), with Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake having said earlier there would be no period given to file objections.Only the correctly submitted nominations would be accepted, he had said.The government dissolved the two PCs ahead of their scheduled dates of terminations, which was challenged by the UNP and the JVP in the court.However, the Supreme Court rejected the petitions.The two parties still maintain that these elections should not take place.Further, instead of PC polls, the UNP wants a general election held to test public opinion.However, several parties led by the UPFA, the UNP, the JVP as well as independent groups had filed nominations by noon today.The UPFA has named Berty Premalal Dissanayake and Mahipala Herath - both former chief ministers - as its chief ministerial candidates for the NCP and SP respectively. The UNP is fielding retired Major General Janaka Perera as its key candidate for the NCP, while the decision on Sabaragamuwa is expected to be taken in a few days' time.The JVP has Wasantha Samarasinghe and Chameera Koswatte as its chief ministerial candidates. Sri Lanka urged to punish Karuna for war crimes Human Rights Watch yesterday urged Sri Lanka's government to investigate and prosecute renegade former Tamil Tiger leader Karuna Amman for war crimes, after Britain failed to do so because of a lack of evidence.Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, also known as Colonel Karuna, returned to Sri Lanka after serving a six-month jail term in Britain for immigration offences.Human rights groups had hoped he would face additional war crimes charges but British authorities released him in May, saying there was not enough evidence to convict him of other offences.The former eastern commander and second-in-command of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has been accused by rights groups of torture, abductions, killings and child soldier recruitment both before and after splitting from the mainstream rebels in 2004.Unicef has accused his group of kidnapping children, including from camps of survivors from the 2004 tsunami, as troops stood by."Now that Karuna is back in Colombo, the spotlight is on the Sri Lanka government to do the right thing or be deemed complicit in his crimes," Brad Adams, HRW's Asia director said. 04 July 2008 Tigers committed to violence, only political challenge can stop them - TNA leader | ||
