30 June 2008

Indian PM rejects invitation to open IPKF memorial

India has rejected an invitation by the Sri Lankan government that its Prime Minister declare open a memorial for Indian soldiers who died while on a peace mission in the island under the Indo-Lanka accord. Colombo had hoped that Indian premier Manmohan Singh would unveil the monument during his visit to the country to attend the SAARC summit next month.Three top Indian officials who were in the island last week inspected the memorial under construction in front of the Parliamentary Complex at Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.They traveled to the location on an Air Force helicopter, and decided that the Indian premier would not be safe if he visited the site.

Govt. move to quash Chandrika’s civic rights?

The Mahinda Rajapaksa regime is moving to quash the civic rights of the ruling Sri Lanka Party’s Senior Patron and former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, ‘Lanka Dissent’ learns through reliable sources. After retirement as head of state, Mrs. Kumaratunga spent most of her time overseas and kept away from politics, before coming into the limelight once again as a result of her controversial speech at the first delegates’ conference of the SLFP Mahajana Wing on June 12th.Thereafter, Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon told the media that he would propose to the party’s Central Committee to suspend the ex-president from SLFP membership for her remarks concerning the party and President Rajapaksa.Again, delivering the Felix Dias Bandaranaike Memorial Oration on June 26th, she made a scathing attack against the prevailing political situation.Now, according to reliable sources, quashing her civic rights has been mooted to the president by senior government leaders and a group of senior lawyers in the SLFP as a means of preventing her possible comeback to politics to challenge the present regime.These lawyers have reportedly handed over a document to Mr. Rajapaksa about how an ongoing Supreme Court hearing against Mrs. Kumaratunga could be used for this purpose.This case relates to the ex-president’s alleged use of executive powers to handover 140 acres of prime land from Battaramulla, owned by the Urban Development Authority, to a businessman.Her late mother, Sirimavo Bandaranaike had lost her civic rights during the J.R. Jayewardene regime, over an alleged land deal at Horagolla.

EPDP won’t budge from TMVP territory

The Eelam People’s Democratic Front (EPDP) has vowed not to budge from the Eastern Province, where the breakaway LTTE faction, the TMVP, now at the helm of the Eastern Provincial Council is seeking political dominance over rivals.An EPDP spokesman accused the TMVP of exerting pressure on its cadres deployed in the East to leave the province. Claiming that there had been a series of attacks on its men, the EPDP alleged the body of Kaliappan Gunaseelan (29) allegedly abducted by TMVP cadres on June 19 had been found by Valaichenai police. The body had been found near a pond at Vinayaakapuram.The EPDP alleged a gang led by a person identified as Ajith had taken the father of one at gun point. At the time of the abduction, he had been on his way from the EPDP office at Kaluwankerni to get some water from a nearby well.The EPDP accused the local police of refusing to conduct a proper investigation. The police had swiftly moved against the EPDP after the TMVP called for police assistance. Tamil and security sources likened the TMVP’s action to that of the EPDP in the Jaffna islands. Since the EPDP had moved into Jaffna islands during Ranasinghe Premadasa’s presidency in the 1990s, it had brazenly thwarted attempts by rival Tamil parties to conduct political activity.

4 Special Forces Formed

The 37th Intake of the Sri Lanka Army's Elite Special Forces Brigade comprising 308 Special Forces soldiers (and two officers) passed-out at Maduru Oya yesterday in a gallant and action packed day of demonstrations of skill attended by high-ranking officers from the Special Forces and the family members of the men.The large numbers being attracted to the Special Forces and the fresh influx of soldiers to the unit has moved the Military to form its 4th Special Forces Regiment. 4SF was formed and deployed recently at Maduru Oya comprising 2 Squadrons of 153 men each.4SF will be a partial Regiment until the end of this year when around 400 more Special Forces are to join the unit. 600 men, including 10 Officers are currently undergoing training. 10 new officers from the SF joined the mother unit following last April's passing-out.A Special Forces Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army comprises of 4 Fighting Squadrons (One Battalion) of 153 men each and one Admin. Squadron. This unit draws, by far, the largest number of recruits in recent times.

House ban on laptops to thwart LTTE infiltration

Fearing the LTTE would use someone to smuggle in an explosive device to Parliament to carry out an assassination, the government has prohibited all members from bringing in electronic equipment into the House.Acting on the instructions of security services, Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara has informed ministers, deputy ministers and members of the unprecedented decision to prohibit laptops and similar equipment in Parliament. The Parliament security has been instructed to strictly impose the latest security measure. In a recent letter to members, the Speaker said they could use the cyber café located in the library on the ground floor as the ban on laptops and similar equipment would be in force until the improvement of the security situation.Authoritative sources said the LTTE had the expertise to turn out a high tech bomb to target an individual.Referring to the August 1987 JVP hand grenade attack on the UNP parliamentary group in Parliament which killed Matara District MP Keerthi Abeywickrema, the sources said the LTTE would explore ways and means of striking at the SLFP-led ruling coalition. The sources said the stepped-up military pressure on LTTE’s Vanni bases would prompt attacks on politicians. It would be part of their strategy to off-set battlefield losses and trigger chaos in the South, the sources said, asserting the attacks could be directed at disrupting the forthcoming SAARC summit.Two army divisions and two task forces are on the offensive across the Vanni and Weli Oya regions where the LTTE is trying desperately to halt the army.Tightening of security at Parliament came to light hard on the heels of the alleged assassination attempt on Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake at a recent function at the BMICH.The sources said the recent arrest of former head of the Tamil Section of the National Film Corporation Kanagasabai Devadasan alias Nadan revealed the LTTE infiltration of the JVP. He is alleged to have planned an assassination attempt on the Prime Minister.The sources said investigators would try to establish the time Devadasan had joined the LTTE. What we really liked to know is whether he joined the LTTE willingly or was forced to carry out clandestine activities.Well informed sources said this was a clear case of the LTTE infiltrating a political party. The person who had asked the then Cultural Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath to accommodate Devadasan on the NFC, too, would be an LTTE contact, the sources said. Nadan had taken over the Tamil Section on March 25, 2004 until he quit on March 8, 2006. He had also contested election to the Western Provincial Council on the NSSP ticket in 1998 and Jaffna on the United Socialist Party ticket in 2001.

DPU Claymore explodes claiming the life of attacker

A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was killed while he was engaged in setting up a Claymore mine in Vannearikku'lam in Karaichchi division of Ki'linochchi, Sunday morning around 9:30, Tamileelam police officials in Ki'linochchi said. The SLA DPU team that hurriedly withdrew from the area, had left behind the dead body of the SLA soldier, 2 km away from the site of the blast. Police said a bus carrying civilians was approaching the area when the explosion took place. TamilNet reporter visited the site of the explosion located on Akkaraayan Jeyapuram road.

Pillayan to seek police powers

The TMVP will seek police powers for the Eastern Provincial Council to combat LTTE activities and other violence in the province, said its Spokesman Asad Moulana. The related proposal will be tabled before the All Party Representative Committee as soon as the party obtains representation there, he said.Party leader and East Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan will decide who would represent the TMVP at the APRC, Mr. Moulana said, adding that it would most probably be either himself or Batticaloa Mayor Sivagita Prabhakaran.According to the TMVP spokesman, civilian life has now returned to normal in the province, and special arrangements are in place, after consultation with law enforcement authorities, to contain harassment of the public by various groups.

Thu'nukkaay DS killed in DPU attack

The Divisional Secretary (AGA) of Thu'nukkaay division of Mullaiththeevu district was killed in a Claymore attack carried out by the Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Tamileelam Police officials in Mullaiththeevu told media. The DS, Mr. N. Nanthakumar, 36, father of three-month-old baby girl, was killed on the spot in the attack which was reported at 4:50 p.m. Sunday. The remains of the deceased Division SecretaryThe DPU attackers targeted Mr. Nanthakumar's motorbike at a locality between Ampalapperumaa'l Ku'lam and Koaddaikaddiya Ku'lam. Mr. Nanthakumar was a resident of Skandapuram GS area in Karaichchi division iof Ki'linochchi district. The dead body was taken to Akkaraayan hospital.

Another group of JVPers to join JNP

Another group of People’s Liberation Front (JVP) cadres are to join the National Freedom Front (JNP) on Monday (30) at the JNP’s inaugural rally scheduled to be held in Nugegoda. A politburo member of JNP said to Lanka-e-News that they had held several successful rounds of talks with these JVP MPs. Further, a group of Provincial Council and Pradeshiya Sabha members are to join the JNP in future, sources said.

Troops regain Mannar Rice Bowl

MANNAR: The 58 Division of the Sri Lanka Army operating on the Mannar front yesterday successfully completed operation ‘Rice Bowl’ after capturing over 120 square kilometres including 105 square kilometres of the most fertile land in the country. General Officer Commanding of the 58 Division Brigadier Shavendra de Silva told the Daily News that the troops attached to 58 Division completed this almost nine month long operation to secure the Mannar ‘Rice Bowl’ killing 2,058 Tiger Cadres and inflicting injuries on 1,208. “The Mannar ‘Rice Bowl’ is one of the most fertile lands in the country which produced the biggest paddy harvest in 1991,” the Brigadier added. With the capture of this entire ‘Rice Bowl’, troops have reached four kilometres South of Vedithalthivu the biggest Sea Tiger Base on the North Western coast. According to Brigadier de Silva the completion of Operation ‘Rice Bowl’ also marked the liberation of 153 irrigation systems including tanks, canals and waterways fed by the 23 square kilometre Giant Tank. The troops have been able to liberate populated areas in the Mannar district with the liberation of more than 20 civilian habitations. They include Manthai, Manthotta, Adampan Palakkuli, Karukkandalkulam, Vellankulam, Vaddakandal, Alamkulam, Andankulam, Parappakadattan, Tenvedaiyan, Minnukulam, Uyilamkulam and Oddupalan. “Troops of the 58 Division had to cross massive open areas across fallow paddy lands to capture some of the strategically important military bases like Andankulam and Parappakadattan,” the Brigadier explained. It also marked the liberation of the Vyilamkulam-Andalankulam road connecting to the Mannar Pooneryn A-32 road at the 12th mile post and the Vyilamkulam - Adampan - Pappamoddai road used as the main supply routes to the LTTE operating in the Mannar ‘Rice Bowl’. The completion of Operation ‘Rice Bowl’ has become a morale booster for the troops. The soldiers attached to the 58 Division are further advancing towards the North after the successful completion of Operation Rice Bowl.

CoI to probe killing of 401 policemen 18 years ago

The government is to appoint a special Presidential Commission of Inquiry to investigate the killing of 401 policemen by the LTTE in the eastern province 18 years ago. To be appointed next week, the CoI will comprise three retired judges.It will probe who gave the order to surrender, the reaction of senior police officers to it and the failure to send troops to save the police from the LTTE.The then government on June 11, 1990 ordered all army and police personnel deployed in the east to give up to the Tigers.Accordingly, all the police surrendered and subsequently were murdered in cold blood by the LTTE, while the soldiers rejected the order and continued to fight the Tigers.

29 June 2008

Lanka calls for int’l support

The Sri Lankan Government last week urged the international community to recognise that democracies could not take extra constitutional measures and that political solutions to conflicts required discussion, debate and compromise before consensus was reached.Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States Bernard Goonetilleke outlined this position on behalf of the Sri Lankan Government in his commentary published in The Washington Times last week.Goonetilleke, one of the country’s most reputed and most experienced Foreign Service officers, stated that more than benevolent advice, Sri Lanka needed international support for combating terrorism and seeking a lasting solution.“That includes persuading the LTTE to return to negotiations unarmed – parallel to Maoist rebels in Nepal – and to hang in there until a consensus is reached. It also includes curbing activities of LTTE front organisations on their soil, particularly their fundraising capacity. The support of the United States and Canada in outlawing the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation and the World Tamil Movement is deeply valued,” Goonetilleke said.He also pointed out that the government had agreed to implement in full the 13th Amendment to the Constitution as a precursor to other power-sharing proposals, which India, the United States and other countries had welcomed.“Following the success of the Provincial Council elections in the Eastern Province in May (where people were free to vote after 20 years under LTTE control) and the appointment of S. Chandrakanthan, Tamil leader of a breakaway LTTE group, as Chief Minister there, the LTTE’s claim of being the sole representative of Tamils is irretrievably shattered. This development is tangible proof that democracy is a viable alternative to Tiger hegemony,” he emphasised.Goonetilleke also pointed out that the demand to disarm paramilitaries was illogical in the event the LTTE, the most menacing of armed groups, was excluded. “Moreover, to wean the youth away from hopelessness and violence, the economic desolation of the east needs to be countered by developing infrastructure and encouraging investment. That transformation will send an unmistakable message to the Tamils still languishing in the Tiger lair in the north. Only such action will drive home the message that seizing power through terrorism, as Tigers currently seek to do, is unacceptable to the civilised world,” the Sri Lankan Ambassador to the US maintained.

LTTE will be "finished off’’ says President

With elections to the North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provincial Councils now set to take place in August, the government is expected to go flat out on the Vanni and Weli Oya fronts where the army is making significant progress. In support of the offensive, the SLAF has stepped up attacks with Mi 24 helicopter gunships increasingly called to action, sometimes in the night. President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday signaled his government would go all out to regain the remaining parts of the Vanni region held by the LTTE. Addressing a public rally at Beruwela after the opening of a fishery harbour built with Chinese aid, the President declared his forces were on the offensive in the Vanni smashing through LTTE bases. To the applause of the crowd, a confident President said the LTTE would be finished off.The presidential declaration came hard on the heels of some misinformed media reports that India had asked Sri Lanka to halt military action.Although the government and the military had emphasized there wouldn’t be any political objective in the Vanni action, some battle-field victories would be definitely to the advantage of the government struggling on the economic front, political sources said.Task Force 1 on the Mannar front, 57 Division on the Vavuniya front, Task Force 11 west of A9 and 59 Division on the Weli Oya front are on the offensive with the 57 Division making rapid progress.Army headquarters said their forward defence lines now extend to about 115 kilometres across the Vanni mainland from Mannar on the north western coast to Kokkuthuduwai on the eastern coast.Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said the area under LTTE control was rapidly shrinking as troops advanced further into the LTTE-held territory. "They are losing ground both east and west of the A9 road," he told The Sunday Island as the Task Force 1 reported the capture of Parappakkadantan, about four kilometres from the northern edge of the Yoda Wewa on Saturday afternoon. On the previous day, the Task Force 1 secured Alkaddiveli, a village situated between Parappakkadantan and Andankulam.Fielding questions, the Brigadier asserted the army had overwhelmed the LTTE in several confrontations during the past week. The loss of Andankulam town on the Uiylankulam-Nedunkandal road and about two kilometres north of Karunkandal Friday evening could not have come at a better time, he said. Although, the LTTE appeared to have no shortage of ammunition at the moment, they were on the retreat on all the fronts, he said. The Task Force 1 had been involved in the action. He said Thursday’s confrontation at Chiraddikulam between a strong LTTE group and fighting elements of the 57 Division had caused heavy losses on the enemy. "It was perhaps the focal point in last week’s battles," he said.Chiraddikulam is situated about 4 kilometres north-east of Nedunkandal close to Mundumurippu-Mallavi in the general area north of the Madhu sanctuary. According to him, troops had recovered bodies of 25 hardcore LTTE cadres along with a sizeable stock of arms and ammunition without losing a single soldier.The military spokesman said Viddathalthivu on the north-western coast is rapidly coming within their reach.Although the area captured by the Task Force 1 is insignificant when compared with the 57 Division which had secured almost 700 square kilometres, the action undertaken by troops on the Mannar front is of strategic importance as their success would cause the closure of a vital supply route.The enemy’s Gulf of Mannar supply route would be useless unless Sea Tigers retained land bases on the north-western coast, a navy official said.The Brigadier said the Task Force 11 operating in the Palammoddai area west of the A 9 road, too, had caused losses on the enemy. Although the newly created fighting formation hadn’t brought any area under its control, confrontations were taking place, he said. On the Weli Oya front, the 59 Division is facing fierce resistance as it advanced into the enemy territory. The Division had moved from Janakapura, Kiriibbanwewa, Anandakulama and Kokkuthuduwai.

Wimal-Pillaiyan in ‘historic’ pow-wow
 
National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa yesterday appeared to have found a new political ally in the shape of Eastern Province Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillaiyan, who pledged his support to the NFF if it decided to compete in the Eastern Province.In an event which resembled the reunion of two long-separated brothers amidst surprising ‘closeness,’ the Eastern Province Chief Minister who later addressed the media, briefly said that the discussions between the two parties had turned out successfully and that the TMVP would support the NFF if the occasion demanded.“If the NFF decides to take part in elections in the east, we will support them. We plan to meet again in the future for further discussions because the discussions we had today were highly successful,” Pillayan said. Similar sentiments were echoed by NFF Leader Weerawansa. “This was our first meting with TMVP Leader Pillaiyan and we hope to meet again in the future to discuss the political situation prevailing in Sri Lanka,” Weerawansa added. Meanwhile, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP K.D. Lalkantha said that this new “friendship” between the two was nothing that was unexpected since Weerawansa had been acting like a TMVP member during the last few months.“Wimal has the freedom to meet anybody he wishes to. However, this was something that was waiting to happen. Wimal has been supporting Pillaiyan and the TMVP for the last few months. He justified the armed Pillaiyan’s victory at the Eastern Provincial Council election so this we believe is a step taken by Pillaiyan to express his gratitude to Wimal,” Lalkantha added.

JVP rejects invite to meet President

The JVP has declined an invitation by President Mahinda Rajapakse for a discussion on the government’s economic policies and the issues faced by trade unions.The President had in writing invited the JVP affiliated National Trade Union Centre (NTUC) for a discussion on June 29 to discuss the issues faced by the trade unions.The invitation was sent last week following the declaration by the NTUC that trade unions representing the public, private and estate sectors would launch an island wide general strike on July 10 based on three demands.JVP parliamentarian and NTUC Head, K.D. Lalkantha has in writing declined the President’s invitation and said that since Rajapakse had failed to respond to a request for a discussion to discuss the demands of the working people, the NTUC has decided to launch an islandwide general strike on July 10.He had further said that in such a backdrop it would be inappropriate to attend a discussion on the government’s economic policies and the issues faced by the trade unions, and especially since such a discussion had not been requested by the NTUC. "We also believe it to be a futile act to discuss the issues faced by the trade unions at a time when the burning issues of the working masses remain unresolved," Lalkantha has said in the letter. Lalkantha has also said that the NTUC has therefore decided not to attend the discussion on June 29.Already over 400 trade unions attached to the public, private and estate sectors have endorsed the decision to launch a general strike on July 10. The strike will be based on three demands. The three demands are the increase of the salaries of public, private and estate sector employees by a minimum of Rs. 5,000, the payment of the promised Rs. 2.50 for each rising cost of living index point and the reduction in train fares that have been increased by over 100%.Addressing a special convention of trade union representatives earlier in the week, Lalkantha said there was no turning back from launching the strike, as the government was not going to address the issues faced by the working masses. "The government has not shown any positive signs and they would not definitely respond positively to our demands. Therefore, we will go ahead with the strike and that would be the first step to win our demands," he said.

Minister Peiris battles for EU trade concessions but human rights under spotlight

Up to 100,000 jobs depend on the European Union extending the so-called GSP+ trade concessions to Sri Lanka, according to the country's International Trade Minister, GL Peiris, who is on a visit to Paris this week. But the deal depends on Europe approving the country's human rights record and some EU members are critical of the government's performance. Sri Lanka is among a number of Asian countries which have benefitted from the Generalised System of Preferences, known as GSP+, for several years.This means that Brussels drops quota restrictions and duty on imports from developing countries but those countries must fulfil so-called "good governance" conditions on issues such as sustainable development and human rights.For Sri Lanka, as with Bangladesh and India, the key sector is textiles, which were protected by the Multi-Fibre Agreement until 2005 and have since been subject to GSP+.Peiris believes that "at least 100,000 jobs" depend on textiles, "mostly in the rural areas of Sri Lanka"."Many of the people who work in these garment factories are women, who have become the breadwinners of their families," he adds.But, while he is confident that employment conditions come up to the EU's required standards, Peiris may face criticism of the government's conduct in the decades-long war with the Tamil separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the LTTE.A coalition of Sri Lankan NGOs successfully opposed the country's reelection to the UN Human Rights Council,accusing the government of failing to prevent disappearances, extrajudicial killings and torture.New York-based Human Rights Watch is among many groups that accuse defectors from the LTTE who now collaborate with the government of abducting children to become soldiers. Peiris says that the government was right to form an alliance with the group, one of whose factions, led by Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan, known as Pillayan, recently won elections in the Eastern Province."If European history adds up to anything at all, it indicates the importance of drawing into the democratic mainstream people who have lived by the sword earlier," Peiris says.Peiris was chief government negotiator in talks with the LTTE, which broke down in 2006.

Army gains control of Parappakkadanthan

The Army gained full control of the village of Parappakkadanthan in Mannar yesterday afternoon.Parappakkadanthan is a village located north of Giant’s Tank in the east of the Andankulam area, which the Army captured on Friday. According to information, the captured area is a developed area Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the troops were able to capture this area after heavy fighting with the LTTE and the 58 Brigade was engaged in the attack. He said that the Army had gained the control of a large area belonging to the rice bowl of Mannar. All LTTE ground access from the north to Mannar has been cut off. The captured area includes the Alkaddiweli Cemetery, located between Andankulam and Parappakkadanthan, used by the LTTE and several building complexes. The area also reportedly included a large LTTE training camp and the hideout of the LTTE Leader Bhanu. According to Brigadier Nanayakkara, the Army had captured a very important area since LTTE Leader Bhanu had led the Mannar battle.

India to look after its own security

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka later next month, has decided to rely on his very own specialised Indian security for protection during his stay in the island.Highly-placed sources said that the highly-trained Indian Black Cats would provide the necessary protection to the Indian Premier during his visit here to participate at the forthcoming SAARC Summit. It is learnt that the Indian Government would also dispatch a bulletproof vehicle and helicopter to Sri Lanka just days prior to She summit for Singh’s sole use. “Apart from the security and vehicles, the Indian Government has also proposed for Indian naval officers to keep vigil on Lankan waters during their Premier’s visit to the island,” sources added. It is reported that the Black Cats would bring their very own fighter equipment with them, including technically savvy fighter gear and vehicles.India’s concern for the Prime Minister’s security stems from the unfortunate incident that took place in July 1987, when Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was in Colombo to sign the Indo-Lanka Accord with then President J.R. Jayewardene.Meanwhile, speculation is rife that Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, who is also scheduled to attend the regional Summit, would be relying on his own security as well.

Device to detect container explosives

The University system of Sri Lanka is endeavouring to design an easy explosive detection device to examine fuel bowsers and containers, using police sniffer-dogs, said SP Mahinda Ekenayake, Director, Police Sniffer-dog Division.The intended device will enable the sniffer dogs to smell for explosives and drugs from one point of the vehicle.Explaining the mechanism of the intended new device, the Mahinda Ekenayake said it has already been invented and is the first of its kind in the world. “Our division intends to obtain Patent Licence for its use”. SP Mahinda Ekanayaka further said, mechanical defects detected in its operation are being referred to the Toxic Division of the Peradeniya University for examination by a team of experts under Dr.Bandara and Dr.Udaya Kankanamge of the Technical Engineering Division of the Moratuwa University.The Police Sniffer dog Division OIC CIP Lal Seneviratne said that the new device will also be helpful to the Narcotics Bureau flying squad to conduct raids relating to dangerous drugs.

94 persons missing since January this year

A monitoring activity by a deputy minister has revealed that some 94 persons, all of them ethnic Tamil, are reported missing during the period of January 2008 to date.According to Deputy Minister of Vocational Training, P. Radhakrishnan, a total of 147 were reported missing while 38 have returned home subsequently. Some 15 are believed to be detained, he said.The Deputy Minister who also took up the case of the Sea Street jewellery shop owners being extorted thereby forcing them to flee the country now claims that though the reasons and the parties that were involved in these enforced disappearances were unknown, it proved that the community was under threat."However, I must hasten to add that we don't hold the government responsible for these atrocities. We still have no information on the culprits."Radhakrishnan added that all necessary steps should be taken to ensure the personal security of innocent civilian victims.Meanwhile, Convenor, Civil Monitoring Mission (CMC), WPF Leader and Colombo District MP Mano Ganesan blamed the international community for failing to exert sufficient pressure on the government to ensure adherence to human rights and show respect to the law.He added that the continued incidents showed that enforced disappeared still occur, and added that these incidents have given the lie to the government's claims and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe's rhetorical assurances to the international community.

Jaffna University to enjoy its very own swimming pool

The Tharunyata Hetak organisation led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son Namal Rajapaksa has taken steps to provide a fully-fledged swimming pool for the Jaffna University.Tharunyata Hetak Chairman Namal Rajapaksa handed over the cheque to fund stage one of the project to Army Commander Sarath Fonseka recently at Temple Trees, who in turn handed it over to Jaffna GA K. Ganesh and Acting Director of the Physical Training Section of the University, K. Ganeshanathan.The proceeds of the Carlton Super Cross Tournament at Tangalle will be used to fund the project.The object of the Tharunyata Hetak organisation is to provide opportunities to young men and women, regardless of their communal, religious or political differences, in order to improve their talents and skills and to use their potential for the country’s development.The organisation has launched a series of programmes to improve sports and athletics in schools and at the sports clubs level.Addressing the ceremony, Chairman Namal Rajapaksa said his organisation was planning to promote goodwill between the youth in the north and the south by providing equal facilities and opportunities to the north.He expressed hope that the young men and woman in Jaffna would have the opportunity of improving their skills in the field of sports following the completion of the swimming pool project.

65th Anniversary of the Communist Party on July 04

The 65th Anniversary of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka will be held on July 04 (Friday) at 3.00 pm at the Maharagama Youth Centre Auditorium General Secretary Dew Gunasekara said.This coincides with the 75th Anniversary of the Suriya Mal Movement which falls this year. The celebration will be presided over by Raja Collure, Chairman of the party.The chief guest will be Sitaram Yechury, political bureau member and secretary, international relations of the Communist Party of India (Marxist). He is a member of the Indian Raja Sabha.He will deliver a lecture on “21st century challenges and prospects - political trends, with special reference to South Asia and Latin America” General Secretary, Dew Gunasekera will also speak. Leaders of the UPFA and PA have been invited to the event.The Communist Party was founded on July 03, 1943 when its precursor, the United Socialist Party founded in 1940 was banned by the colonial Government. The Communist Party’s first Chairman was Ven.Udakendawala Sri Saranankara Thera, (Lenin Peace Winner) and its first General Secretary was Pieter Keuneman.The Founding Leader of the Party was Dr.S.A.Wickremasinghe, the first Leftist elected to the Sri Lankan Legislature. He was a pioneering leader of the All Ceylon Youth Congress (1931) Suriya Mal Movement (1933) and the LSSP (1935).

Conflict essentially a problem of ours - R. Sampanthan

Q: You have met the high level Indian delegation which came to Colombo last week. What was the outcome of the meeting?

A: We basically exchanged views about the present situation in Sri Lanka.

They emphasized a political solution to the conflict instead of a military one. They said they want to contribute their best efforts to a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Q: You were advocating an Indian intervention to solve the national problem throughout but at the end of this meeting with them, according to the Tamilnet, you have said that “Tamils believed all these days that they were the natural allies of India but it is not so today”. What do you really mean by this?

A: I do not know whether I was quoted correctly. I did emphasize the fact that the Tamil people in Sri Lanka were natural allies of India. We have strong cultural and linguistic affiliations but the Tamils were somewhat disappointed as to what the India had been able to achieve in the past was done away with. As a representative of my people I had to convey the true feelings of the Tamils to the Indian official representatives. I only performed my duty.

Q: Do you think that India has a vital role to play in resolving the conflict?

A: I think that India is a country which by virtue of its proximity, its status as a regional power and its friendship with all people Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims in Sri Lanka, India it is probably the best equipped to solve the problem. But it also depends on how the three communities are prepared to resolve the problem. Because, this is essentially a problem of ours and not a problem of theirs’. The role of international players can only be able to do to a certain extent. They cannot do anything and everything. We have to contribute to solve our own problem.

Q: The government is confident that peace can be brought through the 13th Amendment. Those who represented the TULF in early discussions to formulate this Amendment have later strongly opposed it. Do you still hold the same view?

A: When the government came into power they accepted a political solution agreed by all the communities in Sri Lanka which need to be brought to resolve this problem. The government took certain steps by appointing the APRC and the Experts Committee.

They made their own reports and all were far beyond the 13th Amendment, including the report of the APRC’s chairman. So I must tell very frankly the government itself realized the limitations and initiated a process to get the views of all the political parties. However, the government is now trying to implement it as a solution. I think the government is not honest.

I strongly believe that the 13th Amendment is not a solution and never be a solution to the conflict because this was rejected by us in 1988, which is inadequate to address the grievances of the Tamils.

Q: You emphasized the fact that a solution should be found beyond the 13th amendment. So what are the solutions that you are suggesting?

A: Since the Sinhalese are the absolute majority, they constitute over 75 percent of the population. So there is nothing that they have to be feared about.

Ultimately the Sinhalese will rule this country because they are the majority, but there are certain parts of the country, especially the North and East where the Tamils have historically lived. That is why even under the 1972 and 1978 Constitutions Tamils have been given a special place, Tamil language has been given special place in the North and East because the Tamil speaking people have predominantly lived in the North and Eastern parts of this country.

We have been all along demanding from the time of Chelvanayakam that there must be a Tamil linguistic region. And if that is achievable we all want a united country. We do not want the country to be divided.

The Sinhalese and Tamils are not the same though we have a lot in common. But we have our differences. We want to preserve our cultural and linguistic identities within a framework of a united Sri Lanka. And Sinhalese can give this to us, because they are the majority. And, if it is given to Tamils, we will help to develop the whole country.

Q: You were a senior lawyer and politician respected by all the communities. Why do you want to promote a ‘mono ethnic separate state’ for Tamils, which is the dream of the LTTE?

A: No, I will not say that it was the dream of the LTTE. After Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa became the President in November 2005 in his first speech that Prabhakaran made, he said ‘’You are supposed to be a pragmatic person”.

Please come up with a set of proposals that will satisfy the aspirations of the Tamil people’’. Where is that set of proposals? If there is any I can catch Prabhakaran by the ear and tell him that ‘if there are some we can accept, talk about and work on it’. The President Rajapaksa appointed the APRC and started to formulate.

Then he suspended the whole thing and went back to the 13th Amendment which was 20 years old. Why? Because the JHU, MEP and a section of the JVP put pressure on it.

What had happened to P-TOMS? The LTTE was prepared to work on the P-TOMS.

There was the ISGA agreement. Then we could bring the LTTE into the political mainstream. Without coming up with a set of proposals, which even Sampanthan can accept, how can you come to a conclusion that the LTTE is for a mono-ethnic state?

Q: Do you believe that having a separate state for Tamils would solve their problems?

A: We have always been opposed to separation. In the 1970 Parliamentary Elections the Federal Party in its manifesto asked the Tamil people to oppose any one who contested on a separatist platform. Because there was no acceptable political solution. We do not think a separate state is an imperative demand. The question of separate state comes to the fore only in the context that there is no acceptable alternative. This is our position.

Q: A large number of your contemporaries in Tamil politics such as Amirthalingam, Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam and Yogeswaran were brutally assassinated by the LTTE. For some time you were in the forefront to condemn the LTTE. How come you have changed your mind and remain a so-called proxy of the LTTE?

A: Killing of Amirthalingam, Yogeswaran and Tiruchelvam cannot ever be justified. They were wrong and they should have never been killed. That is my view that day and that is my view even today. That will always be my view. There is no question about it. But I cannot be looking at the past. I have to look at the future. If I live in the past the problem will never be solved.

The past is past. Because of lapses on the part of the successive governments the LTTE has intensified its struggle.

I have not changed and I am still the same and I am only doing what the time demands.

Q: All the senior Tamil politicians, including you, Mr. Anandasangaree and Minister Devananda are in different camps today. How genuine are you in solving the grievances of your own people and do you agree that all these actors are misleading the ordinary masses?

A: Minister Devananda is already in the Government. He has been with the UNF, SLFP Government. As far as we are concerned today out of 23 MPs from the North East 22 are from our Party. Out of the 16 MPs from the North 15 are from the TNA. The only Tamil who represents the EPDP is Minister Devananda. Some people are saying that there was violence at the election and I am not saying that it was totally violence free. It was a much better election compared to the last Eastern PC election.

Tamil people are very sensible people. What they want is their children’s education, to save little money, look after their properties and mainly they want peace. If there is peace in this country it will flourish.

Q: But still you did not answer my question. Are these political actors misleading the Tamils?

A: No. I do not say that. Anandasangaree is totally anti LTTE. But in all other matters he was with us. He got federalism, he got a merged North East. There is no difference. I only tell him that the LTTE may longing for many matters but we need to solve this problem. So we cannot throw them out.

Q: You said you are for non-violence. But by helping the LTTE your are eating your own words.

A: Remember this is not helping the LTTE. This whole struggle is to bring about a peaceful solution to end the sufferings of Tamils.

Q: Though you support non-violence, you will unwillingly represent the views of the LTTE when you approve their ways to win the demands by terror?

A: I do not agree with their violence and I cannot accept their bombing of buses and railways killing innocent people. When the government bombed their areas in Wanni and people were killed and the LTTE will come and do some damage here.

Q: Do you want to justify the LTTE way of taking revenge?

A: No. I am against violence by both sides. But politically if the government want to solve this problem the LTTE must also be on board.

Q: But the interest for negotiation should come from the LTTE. They were given a chance for table their views but they used them tactically to come up.

A: Don’t say that they are not prepared. Their position still is that the government has not come up with anything. The simple position of the LTTE is that the Sri Lankan government had never come up with anything and will never come up with anything. So until then they have to fight.

Q: People claim that the TNA is the mouth piece of the LTTE. Is it correct?

A: No. I don’t say that we are the mouth piece of the LTTE. I am a democratic politician who belongs to the old political era, the Federal Party and the TULF. And I have not changed a bit. I am the same. I totally oppose all forms of violence. I am for a negotiated settlement for the Tamil question.

I want peace in Sri Lanka and I want all the people in Sri Lanka to be happy citizens of this country. The armed struggle would have never started and the LTTE would never come into existence if this problem was settled during Chelvanayakam’s or Amirthalingam’s time. Without implementing the Bandaranaike-Chelvanayakam Pact or the Dudley-Chelva Pact you are saying Sampanthan is the mouth piece of the LTTE.

No point in saying that. The persons who must accept responsibility for situation prevailing in this country today are the persons who have opposed and who are even now opposing an acceptable peaceful resolution to the conflict. They are the persons who should take the responsibility and not anybody else.

That is why I have always been advocating that the two main parties - SLFP and the UNP should come together and work together to find a solution to the national question. We are still for a peaceful solution.

Q: How do you define this conflict - is it an ethnic conflict or a conflict to defeat terrorism?

A: I say this is an ethnic conflict which came up due to ethnic discrimination, ethnic exclusion and ethnic inequality. The Tamil people were excluded from governance, employment opportunities and resources in their own territories. In 1950s, 1960s and 1980s only the Tamil people became the victims of violence. They were denied their rights. They were discriminated.

Q: But just now you have said that ‘Past is past’. Can you say that there was no ethnic conflict in that era. Can you point out a single occasion that a Sinhalese went against Tamils or an event that they were discriminated because of their being Tamils today. So how can you claim that still it is the ethnic conflict?

A: Yes, of course it is still the ethnic conflict. As long as the causes of ethnic conflict remains unaddressed and when there is no acceptable solution by political means the conflict continues.

When violence takes place in a another dimension, the ethnic conflict remains basically a conflict.Why am I in politics? Not because I want to support the violence of the LTTE but the grievances of the Tamils have not yet been solved. The LTTE tells me “that your method wont bring anything to Tamils. You have been trying it for the past so many years but you have failed. The Sri lankan government will never solve it. So we must follow our methods”.

Q: But the Tamil militancy have failed to addresse the grievances of the Tamils so far and even the international community has rejected it.

Therefore how do you alien with the views of the LTTE, which hardly shown any interest in a negotiated settlement?

A: It is not a question of agreeing with the LTTE. It’s a question of working out for something honour and reasonable basis which is an acceptable solution to all the people in this country and to the international community. And also a solution that bring the LTTE into the peace process.

The LTTE thinks that such a process would never emerge.

When they read this interview they will say that Sampanthan is mad. I am scolding them telling that if the government tabled something reasonable that they should give up arms. They asked me “ Sir do you think that we like to remain in jungles. No. we like to live like others in town. But do you think that the government will do so, Sir?”.

Q: All along the LTTE claimed that they are the sole representatives of the Tamils. But this has become a myth as Pillaiyan taking the Eastern power. How do you see the newly established provincial Council administration?

A: I do not recognize a separate Eastern province. Separate eastern province is a violation of the Indo-Lanka agreement. It is a violation of the international treaties. It is the duty of the incumbent government to rectify the merger and bring about a proper merger.

So I do not recognize a separate Eastern province. Eventually the representatives who have chosen by the people.

Q: So you do not believe that the LTTE is the sole representative of the Tamils?

A: Anybody can say anything. When there is a final acceptable solution, the people have to chose their representatives.

Q: Is that true that some of the TNA MPs are to join the TMVP?

A: No, not that to my knowledge. I do not think TNA MPs will move to the TMVP.

What you can do by becoming Provincial Councillors. Even Chandrika Kumaratunga said when she was the Chief Minister of the Western Province, that she does not have power more than a peon.

Q: You are constantly in touch with Wanni. How do you see the present situation, where people are suffering under the clutches of the LTTE?

A: I won’t say I am constantly in touch with Wanni. People are suffering, especially due to bombing. People do not have employment. Basically you have to ask them whether they are happy. But people are carrying on. Their only hope is that the war will come to an end and they will get a peaceful solution to this question. They do not believe in war.

Q: The Military is attacking Wanni successfully and do you think that the LTTE can hold ground in future?

A: I am not a military person to comment on this. So I do not know whether army or the LTTE will win. But what I can say is ultimately in a war nobody will win. All sides are losers.

Q: The military is accused for carrying out offensives and don’t you think that the continuous violence of the LTTE has led the government to adopt a military approach to defeat terrorism?

A: As I said before the LTTE’s manifestation is for an acceptable political solution and if such evolved I think there will be no justification for the existence of the LTTE. Without such on table trying to marginalise the LTTE through military means in my view is not helpful at all. That will only cause immense sufferings to Tamil civilians.

Q: But as long as the LTTE continue their terror, the military offensives will continue and people from both sides will compel to suffer.

A: As along as the government delay a political solution and resort to a military action on the account of its failure to adopt to a properly acceptable political solution people will suffer.

Q: There is a general impression that the TNA is only listening to Prabhakaran and not in a position to make him to listen to them. So do you believe that there is no democracy in the political approach of the LTTE.

A: I do not accept this statement that the TNA only listens to Prabhakaran. We are prepared to think independently and we think independently. But if the government or any one else expects us to influence the LTTE, first there must be an acceptable political solution on the table. It should be reasonable to the government. Until then expecting us to influence the LTTE is absurd.

Q: Do you think that we need foreign mediation like Norwegians in the peace process?

A: On one hand they are welcome but first of all we should have the feel the need and we should be genuine. We are the people of this country and we should be together. There is no necessity for Norwegians to tell us how to solve the problem. Why they had to intervene because we failed to solve our own problem. If we could handle there is no need for Norwegian intervention.

Q: The LTTE was asked to lay down arms and come for peace talks. What is your comment?

A: If you ask them to lay down arms before offering anything for them they won’t do that. Even in Northern Ireland they started laying down arms only after the Good Friday Agreement. Even in Ache they laid down arms after the agreement. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which had a meeting with the high profile Indian delegation in Colombo, last week, said the Tamils were disappointed with India as it had done away with all what they had done for Sri Lankan Tamils in the past. While tagging India as just a spectator, the TNA Leader R. Sampanthan told the ‘Sunday Observer’ that the Indian bureaucrats whom he met had shown their willingness to continue with their best efforts to find a peaceful solution to the conflict. Sampanthan, declining to say whether the LTTE is the sole representative of the Tamils or not, said that it should be decided by the Tamil people themselves. “Anybody can say anything but people have to decide”, he said. The TNA leader who strongly believes in more on a locally-drawn solution but has no faith in Norwegian facilitation, says that the two main political players - the SLFP and UNP - can resolve the national problem better if they fall in line. “That is why I always advocate the fact that they should work together”, reiterating that government should table some proposals beyond the 13th Amendment to put an end to the sufferings of Tamils.

27 June 2008

Sri Lanka needs to do more on devolution, says India
   
India has told Sri Lanka that it needs to do more on power sharing to end its dragging ethnic conflict, a senior official said Thursday. The official said while Colombo needed to be patted for deciding to implement the 13th amendment of the constitution hat heralded the provincial system, it was not enough.The 13th amendment came about in the wake of the India-Sri Lanka accord of 1987 that sought to end Tamil separatism.The official said there were “other things” Sri Lanka could do, but he did not elaborate. “We have said, we welcome it (13th amendment) as the first step. But more needs to be done, within a united Sri Lanka (and to the satisfaction of) all communities.”The official said this was the message a high-level Indian delegation led by National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan conveyed to Sri Lankan leaders over the weekend. Neither Sri Lanka nor India had until now said what transpired in the meetings Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon had with President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The other member of the Indian team was Defence Secretary Vijay Singh.IANS had, however, reported Monday that India was pushing hard for a broader devolution process in Sri Lanka and that Colombo needed to go beyond the 13th amendment to the constitution. India’s message to Colombo is that while there can never be a military solution to the ethnic conflict, New Delhi would assist it wholeheartedly if it forges ahead with a genuine and broader devolution process.The official explained yesterday that the 13th amendment of the constitution was written “at a time when life was much easier for Tamils. But the conflict has made things more difficult. It’s a more complicated thing”.But the official clarified that any devolution process in Sri Lanka had to encompass all communities in the war-torn island nation.The official admitted that Sri Lanka had considerably weakened the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) but “it is still a very difficult situation… The problem remains.”The official said the Indian delegation also discussed with Sri Lankan leaders issues sensitive to the two countries as well as the coming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in Colombo in August.Sri Lanka conveyed to the Indian officials the election of a new provincial council in the island’s east, which the military captured from the LTTE last year.

Police attack on protest  angers Buddhist monks

The police yesterday baton charged a group of Buddhist monks near the public library after a tear gas attack failed to disperse them.Several monks were injured and police detained over a dozen members of the Inter-university Bhikku Federation.Police said anti-riot squads were ordered to disperse the unruly crowd after the protesters had refused to leave the area. Eyewitness said yesterday’s was one of the biggest attacks on a Colombo protest.The National Bhikku Front said the police went on the rampage as the monks were on the way to Temple Trees to hand over a petition. "We wanted to draw the President’s attention to the deteriorating situation at Buddhist educational institutions at Anuradhapura and Homagama and the University of Colombo," Ven. Athnanayale Samitha thera told The Island yesterday evening.He said they launched the protest as the government had turned a blind eye to their problems. Severely criticising the government for what he called an unprovoked attack on the Maha Sangha, Ven. Samitha said they expect the Mahanayaka Theros and MP monks to reveal their position.He emphasised theirs was definitely not a political stunt. "It  was a peaceful protest," he said, warning the government they wouldn’t be deterred by police attacks.The JVP said the government would continue to attack all its opponents and any party or group which it considered a threat to its interests. JVP heavyweight Lal Kantha said this was a dangerous situation. Referring to recent attacks on JVP activists at Arachikattuwa in the presence of police, the MP said the government was rapidly transforming itself into a dictatorship.

Heavy fighting in Vavuniyaa front

The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) officials in Vanni told reporters Thursday that their fighters confronted the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) from 8:30 a.m. till 3:20 p.m. at Paalamoaddai in Vavuniyaa claiming that 8 SLA troopers were killed and 24 wounded in repeated clashes. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Army officials in Colombo claimed that their troops have brought Periya Madu in Maanthai West of Mannaar district, under their control. The bordering Maanthai East division comes under Mullaiththeevu district.

Army captures LTTE stronghold in Mannar
   
The defence ministry said that the army had captured the Periyamadu village, one of the LTTE strongholds in the Mannar front and also gained full control over seven square kilometres in the area yesterday.Earlier, on June 14, troops captured the entire bund of the Periyamadhu tank which is about 2.5km long. Immediately after capturing the Periyamadhu tank area troops marched towards the Periyamadhu village, the ministry said.Fierce gun battles took place in the area over the last few weeks despite LTTE resistance. However, the ministry said that no details of the casualty figures were available. Meanwhile, in another front, troops captured 2.5km along the Chalmpan - Marattikannaddi road. Due to the capture the Mannar to Pooneryn supply route of the LTTE has been cut off. Twelve LTTE cadres were killed while no casualties were reported to the army due to the confrontations, the ministry said.

LTTE training base destroyed

Air Force MI-24 helicopters and fighter jets carried out air sorties targeting a LTTE training base and Forward Operating base yesterday morning in Mannar. Air Force spokesman Wing Commander Janaka Nanayakkara said MI-24 helicopters destroyed an LTTE Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Marattikannadi last morning. “The target was located 2 km north of Andalkulam. The air raid was carried out in support of the Army 58 division advancing in the Mannar front,” he added. Meanwhile, Air Force fighter jets pounded at an LTTE training base in Vellankulam area at around 6.10 a.m. “The target was located 20 km north of Vidattaltivu on the Mannar front,” Wing Commander Nanayakkara said. The air raids were conducted effectively following accurate and precise information from ground intelligence and air surveillance.

SLA shells A9 gateway to Vanni

A 52-year-old civilian was wounded when four artillery shells fired by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) hit the Pu'liyangku'lam entry, exit point to the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled area in Vavuniyaa Thursday around 12:30 p.m., Tamileelam Police officials told reporters in Ki'linochchi. The civilian passenger who sustained injuries was on his way to Vavuinyaa and had reached the gateway when the shells hit the area. Tension prevailed as passengers in buses were forced to seek safety following the attack. The gateway is kept opened from 9:00 a.m. till 5:00 p.m. during the week days for public with the assistance by the ICRC.

MK has lost ‘world Tamil leader’ status

By barring Sri Lankan Tamil refugees from owning property in the State, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has forfeited his status as the leader of the world Tamils, says P Chandrasekaran,a Sri Lankan minister for community development and leader of the Indian Origin Tamils.In a letter to Karunanidhi, the leader of the Up Country Peoples' Front (UPF) said the CM had done what was not attempted even by the West.Chandrasekaran said it had brought Karunanidhi down from the high pedestal of being the leader of the world Tamils. Meanwhile, Tamilnet,a pro-LTTE website, posted a comment piece, which said it was time the TN Assembly passed a resolution recognizing the Sri Lankan Tamils' right to self-determination.The article, written by "Chivanadi" said the Congress was incapable of helping Sri Lankan Tamils. The BJP might be a "much better" bet for Tamils as there were "parallel politicians and enough room for the role of politics in it", it added.On another front, the Sri Lankan Defense Ministry reacted sharply against MDMK leader Vaiko's call to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to boycott the SAARC Summit due to be held in Colombo on August 1 and 2.A letter to Vaiko posted in its website described him as an "overly ambitious politician" cynically communalising the Lankan Tamil question as a strategy to "fast track" his political progress. Vaiko was only doing "irreparable harm" to society and causing "immense suffering" to people, it said.

Sri Lanka to borrow US$ 13.8 million from World Bank for public sector building capacity project

Sri Lanka announced yesterday that it would borrow Special Drawing Rights (SDR) of 13.8 million dollars from the World Bank as per the terms for the implementation of the Public Sector Capacity Building Project. Cabinet has granted approval to a memorandum submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his capacity as the Minister of Finance and Planning to enter into a financing agreement with the lending arm of World Bank, International Development Association (IDA) in this regard. The loan negotiations have been concluded with the World Bank to obtain credit of SDR 13.8 million dollars (approximately 2.5 billion rupees) from IDA for the project.The development objective of this project is to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and productivity of the Census and Statistics and the Department of the Auditor General.The IDA loan is interest-free but subject to a maximum commitment charge of one-half of one percent (1/2 of 1%) per annum payable on the un-withdrawn financial balance and a service charge of three-fourths of one percent (3/4 of 1%) per annum payable on the withdrawn credit balance. The credit is repayable in 20 years with a grace period 10 years.

No change in curfew in Jaffna - SLA

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) announced Wednesday night over its radio in Palaali that the curfew hours will be extended, the new hours being 7:00 p.m to 5:00 a.m daily with effect from Thursday night. But, later on Thursday the SLA announced that the curfew will be between 9:00 p.m. to 4:30 a.m., as usual. Artillery fire exchanges that took place between the SLA at Palaali and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) from their territories Wednesday evening may have caused the initial announcement, residents said. Shells launched by the LTTE on Palaali SLA military complex Wednesday evening fell and exploded around the complex, informed sources said.

‘Missing’ Umma surfaces at NFF hq.
  
The JVP Gampaha District parliamentarian, Anjan Umma joined the National Freedom Front this morning (June 26th), after she was reported  ‘missing’ subsequent to her decision to function independently in Parliament. Mrs. Umma was cordially received by the NFF Chief Secretary, Nandana Gunatillake at the party headquarters, where she engaged in a discussion with its leaders.Later, addressing awaiting journalists, she said that today was one of the happiest days in her political career and she was given a new lease of life after the disappointments and problems she underwent in the JVP.Also speaking here, leader of the NFF, Wimal Weerawansa invited other JVP MPs to join them instead of remaining in a party that is reaping defeat after defeat.

Vavuniya Field Hospital Receives Army Chief

Commander Of the Army Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka with several senior officers at the Army Headquarters Thursday (26) morning made a special trip to visit injured War Heroes in the Vavuniya field hospital. The Army chief spoke to those wounded War Heroes and shared a couple of thoughts with them while inquiring into their specific needs, if any. He also instructed medical authorities in the hospital to provide all medical requirements for those inmates without fail. Commander, showing his fatherly care towards his brave soldiers listened to their opinions on ongoing clearing operations and inquired into their welfare measures. . During their powwow with the Commander, soldiers under treatment expressed their readiness to re-join their fellow-mates on the battle front soon after their recovery and vowed to fight against the enemy. Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka wished them well before he departed to the Security Forces Headquarters Wanni (SFHQ-W) at the end of the hospital

Jayantha next IGP

Senior DIG Jayantha Wickremaratne will assume duties as the Inspector General of Police on July 2. He will be the 31st IGP of the country. He succeeds Victor Perera who retires on July 1.Wickremaratne joined the Police force as an ASP in 1974 and served as SP and DIG. During his service in the anti narcotic bureau he was responsible for netting in several notorious drug barons.An old boy of Thurstan College, Colombo, he hails from Wigoda, Bemmulla in the Gampaha District. He graduated from the Sri Jayawardenapura University with an honours degree in Public Administration.

Prabha gets personally involved- Defencewire

Military Intelligence has observed a higher level of involvement of LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran in organising LTTE defensive and offensive formations in recent times. Analysts accredit this to two factors, the first being the importance of this war to the organizations survival and the second being a dearth of experienced cadres.The same degree of urgency and determination is not being demonstrated by some quarters of the Army. Although Lt. Gen. Fonseka has a good plan and ample confidence in his own ability, appointment of certain stooges into crucial positions may prove futile at the end.COs of a battalion have demonstrated more courage and determination than some of the present-day Brigade Commanders in the Army. Some of them are reluctant to take risks or formulate bold plans. COs, who have command over only one battalion have taken the initiative over some Brigade Commanders despite the latter having command over three battalions.The region hardest hit by the dearth of leadership is Weli Oya and the 59 Division. The stand-by or battle-preparedness of certain Brigade Commanders is very low, which is starting to slow the pace down in this crucial area. What happens in Weli Oya is directly connected to the East and what happens in the East is directly connected to the South.The area the 59 is concentrating on is much more crucial than the areas of operations of the 57, 58 and Task Force 2 (58 is Task Force 1. Task Force 2 is operating east of the A-9). A Task Force is smaller than a Division, with around 3000 troops. A Division in the Sri Lanka Army has around 7000 troops). The terrain, the defence-in-depth and the strategic importance of Weli Oya cannot be easily ignored.Another issue plaguing the Military in this area is a lack of understanding between the Sri Lanka Army and the Sri Lanka Navy. Alampil and Kililai Lagoon are important strong-points of the LTTE Sea Tigers and any attempt to capture these areas must be done from both land, air and, of course, the sea.

26 June 2008

TMVP demands police and land powers

The TMVP is to put forward political proposals to the All Party Representatives’ Committee (APRC) demanding police, land, educational and financial powers for the provinces, which it cited as the unit of devolution when evolving a political solution to the ethnic conflict. Some TMVP activists belonging to the Tamil diaspora in Europe had advised the party hierarchy to work out political proposals on these lines.Party spokesman Azad Maulana told Daily Mirror yesterday that his party leader, EP Chief Minister Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan would choose the party’s nominee for the APRC soon.Mr. Maulana said that the TMVP politburo was currently having discussions on the choice of the nominee.“The party is giving serious thought to appointing either Batticaloa Mayor Sivageetha Prabhakaran or me as the APRC representative. But the chief minister will take the final decision,” he said. He said that the party’s political proposals would be submitted only after attending two or three APRC sessions. The APRC has presently suspended its deliberations pending TMVP participation. Asked for comments, its chairman, Science and Technology Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was thinking of reconvening the All Party Conference. Prof. Vitharana said that the APRC could resume its sessions only after this conference.

Another Eastern Insurgency?
 
LTTE is preparing for a long insurgency campaign in the Eastern Province again. Details of this plan have emerged with a recent speech given by the LTTE's 'Special Commander' to the East, Keerthi. Random sporadic attacks have also increased.Keerthi, in his address had claimed they were waiting for an opportunity to launch a massive attack on military installations and targets of opportunity in the East. This threat comes in the wake of renegade LTTE fighter and present-day Chief Minister of the East, Pillayan alias Kubeiran and his followers have removed themselves from the war effort and are spending much of their time inside small camps in the interior of Polonnaruwa and Batticaloa or engaging in political campaigns.Last Sunday, the Sri Lanka Army overran a landing point of the LTTE situated inside Pulmoddai Jungles and recovered a wide array of survival equipment, dry rations etc. Jungle paths from the landing point had led into the Somawathi Wildlife Sanctuary. From here Tigers would cross into Kumburupitiya/Kmburupiddi and cross the Trinco-Habarana/Habarana-Kantale road in small groups at night.Military Intelligence claim that some Muslim woodcutters are engaged in a racket, particularly in Batticaloa, of transporting various goods to Tigers hiding inside the jungles of Paduwaankarai. The Sri Lanka Army, except for a few Military Intelligence units, has removed itself for the most part from the East. The Special Task Force and the Air Force are in control of much of Batticaloa and Ampara.The Sri Lanka Navy handles security in the Trincomalee Town and Gravets area, but the Sri Lanka Air Force is in control of the vital Habarana-Trincomalee road. A key strong-point of the Tigers has been the village of Thampalakaamam/Thambalagamuwa, whose Tamils are still mainly pro-LTTE.Tiger crossings from the Naval Headworks Sanctuary to Sittaru is allegedly facilitated by LTTE contacts at Thambalagamuwa. A few weeks ago, an LTTE Intelligence head called Palilan was shot dead in this area by MI.Sources told this site that less than 30% of the villagers in Thambalagamuwa had participated in the recent election in the East. It is estimated that several hundred Jeyanthan Brigade cadres have arrived in the East in small batches, thanks to this network of jungles and safehouses.

Protests planned against Manmohan Singh’s visit to Lanka

The upcoming visit of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has created a lot of political instability in Tamil Nadu with opposition parties now preparing to stage street protests, the MDMK said yesterday.The Daily Mirror learns that the MDMK will take a decision on whether to hold a protest against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s decision to visit Colombo for the upcoming SAARC summit, once the party leader Vaiko arrives back to Tamil Nadu from his visit overseas. According to party members, Vaiko is currently on a visit to the USA.“A lot of political parties, including the MDMK are against Prime Minister Singh’s visit to Sri Lanka. This decision has created political instability in the area. We do not want the Prime Minister to attend the SAARC summit because despite repeated calls, the Sri Lankan government has failed to reach a political solution for the Sri Lankan Tamils,” MDMK party member Arunagiri told Daily Mirror. A spokesperson from Chief Minister M. Karunanindhi’s office maintained that Prime Minister Singh’s visit to Sri Lanka for the upcoming SAARC summit had created controversy and sparked issues amongst political parties in Tamil Nadu. The spokesperson added that the Chief Minister himself was concerned about the Prime Minister’s visit as the Sri Lankan Navy had frequently attacked the Indian fishermen in high seas.“The Chief Minister wants the Indian government to explain to the Sri Lankan government the agony caused to the fishermen. This is not an issue to be ignored,” the spokesperson said.Both the Chief Minister and Vaiko sent two separate letters to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday on different issues with regard to Sri Lanka.In his letter, the Chief Minister urged the Prime Minister to protect the lives of the Indian fishermen from the Sri Lankan Navy and ensure their livelihood, while Vaiko in his letter condemned the alleged brutal attacks on Tamils in Sri Lanka and urged the Prime Minister to abstain from taking part in the forthcoming SAARC meeting in Colombo in August.

DPU mine attack kills student, 4 wounded in Vanni

A 16-year-old student, who was moving with his father and another family on a tractor due to increased artillery shelling by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) was killed in a mine attack at Annatheavan madu, Kuzhavisuddaan in Nedungkea'ni Wednesday morning around 9:30, Tamileelam Police officials told media in Vanni. The TE Police blamed the SLA Deep Penetration Unit for the attack that has injured the victims father and three brothers of another family. The student killed was identified as Senaathirajah Senthooran. His father, Senaathirajah was wounded in the attack which targeted their tractor in which they were moving things from their house. The wounded brothers of the victim were identified by the Tamileelam Police as V. Pradeepan, 23, V. Prathapan, 16 and V. Prakash, 15. The wounded were rushed to Mullaiththeevu hospital.

CBK's land deal 'corrupt'
 
The Supreme Court in Sri Lanka has accused the former president of involved in corruption in providing a prime land for a private company.Chief Justice Sarath Silva made the observation as a petition against selling 32 acres near the parliament, in Jayawardhanapaura, Kotte, to Asia Pacific Golf company. The land was sold to the company during President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga’s tenure for Rs. 320 a perch, the court was informed.

'From socialism to capitalism'

Accusing Ms. Kumaratunga of 'pushing herself towards capitalism from socialism' CJ Sarath N Silva said the public would not vote for such corrupt politicians. Two retired government officials, in a petition, have requested the Supreme Court to annul the deal that has caused a loss of Rs. millions to the state. The CJ also accused the Urban Development Authority (UDA) of supporting Ms. Kumaratunga for the ‘corrupt’ deal.He observed that it is better to dissolve such institutions that do not save Sri Lankan public.Sarath Silva, the then Attorney General, was appointed as the CJ by Ms. Kumaratunga despite serious reservations from civil activists. The Supreme Court was hearing two petitions filed by Ravaya editor, Victor Ivan, against Mr. Silva at the time of the appointment.

S.Lanka shares edge down after 3 days of gains

Sri Lankan shares inched down on Wednesday after three days of gains driven by hopes of a resumption of peace talks, while the rupee strengthened slightly.The Colombo All-Share index .CSE fell 1.41 points or 0.06 percent to 2,479.92.The market had risen 2 percent from Thursday, when it had ended at a five-month low, as investors speculated a trip by Indian officials last week may be a sign of efforts to restart peace talks. Sri Lankan officials said that was not the case."The investor sentiment was negative after the government stance on peace talks," said Dharshi Ganeshan, a research analyst at Barleets Mallory Stockbrokers."Investors were hoping (for) a peace move the last few days, but the fresh statement by the President had an impact on the sentiment."Local media had reported President Mahinda Rajapaksa said peace could be achieved only if the rebels laid down their arms. Diversified conglomerate Hayleys HAYL.CM, which accounted for over 65 percent of the day's turnover, closed 1.33 percent firmer at 133.75 rupees a share.
Top conglomerate by market capitalisation, John Keells Holdings JKH.CM fell 0.44 percent to 112 rupees a share, calculated on a weighted average Shares in Asiri Central Hospital ASHA.CM fell 17.14 percent to 58 rupees, and conglomerate Bukit Darah Company BUKI.CM closed down 1.54 percent at 1,600 rupees, both on thin trade.Market turnover was 550.15 million rupees ($5.1 million), higher than last year's daily average of 400 million rupees.The rupee <LKR=> edged up to 107.64/67 per dollar from Tuesday's close of 107.67/70 on dollar sales by banks.The central bank sold 182-day treasury bills at 18.17 percent and 364-day bill at 18.53 percent at a weekly T-bill auction [nCOL1222081].The central bank suspended auctions of 91-day Treasury bills on Wednesday for a third time in June to try to shift demand to longer maturities [nCOL200486].The interbank lending rate CLIBOR fell to 13.410 percent from Tuesday's 14.533 percent. ($1=107.655 rupees)

Torture endemic in Sri Lanka police-rights group

Torture has become endemic in Sri Lankan police stations and there seems to be no political will to stop it, an Asian human rights group said on Wednesday.The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission said torture was standard procedure both in investigating ordinary crimes and as part of the civil war with Tamil Tiger rebels.The government said the allegations were baseless.Despite thousands of complaints, the commission said the attorney general's office had only launched three prosecutions against alleged official torturers."Torture is a way of life at all police stations in Sri Lanka, whether the alleged crimes investigated are those relating to petty criminal offences, serious crimes or offences under the emergency and anti-terrorism laws," the commission said in a statement.Rights watchdogs have reported hundreds of abductions, disappearances and killings blamed on government security forces and Tamil Tiger separatists since a bloody civil war, in which 70,000 people have died since 1983, resumed in 2006.The commission also said investigations into torture were being politically prevented to protect Sri Lanka's human rights record, and that the lack of political will to eradicate torture affected the entire administration of justice.International observers quit the island earlier this year, saying a probe into a string of high-profile killings, including the massacre of 17 local aid staff in 2006, was going nowhere.The UN Human Rights Council has called on Sri Lanka to investigate allegations of killings and disappearances and prosecute those responsible, including members of the security forces.Fighting between government forces and Tamil Tiger guerrillas has intensified since the government formally pulled out of a six-year-old ceasefire pact in January.The Tamil Tigers, who are fighting for an independent state for minority Tamils in the north and east of the island, have hit back with a campaign of suicide attacks.

Defeat anti-war forces: JVP
 
The attempts by the Indian and Sri Lankan governments to stop the war should be defeated says Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP).JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said the aim of the high powered Indian delegation’s visit to Colombo last week was to force the government to stop the war against the LTTE. Indian National Security Advisor MK Narayanan, Defence Secretary Vijay Singh and Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon made an unannounced visit to Sri Lanka last week.

Indian delegation in Colombo

The Indian team held discussions with President Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhatya Rajapaksa and leading Tamil politicians in Sri Lanka. Both the Sri Lankan and Indian governments were tight-lipped over the outcome of the talks.Leader of the Left Front, Dr. Vickramabahu Karunaratne, told BBC Sandeshaya on Tuesday that the Indian delegation has urged Sri Lanka to re-start talks with the Tamil Tigers. “The mysterious silence of the government means they are prepared to work as India wishes,” Tilvin Silva told journalists in Colombo. It will not be easy for the government, Mr. Silva said, to change the war strategy as the country will not help the move. “The government will gradually change the war strategy so that the people will not rise against it,” he added.

JVP MP tried to contact LTTE’s ex-director NFC several times

Police investigating an LTTE attempt on Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake’s life said the former director of the National Film Corporation, now in custody in connection with the attempt, had received several calls from a JVP MP shortly after his arrest.Investigators said that the suspect received five calls within minutes of the police arresting him late last week. They said the suspect’s mobile phone had registered the MP’s number. Police would shortly obtain permission from Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara to question the national list MP. Investigations have revealed that the then Cultural Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath had appointed the suspect to the NFC directorate on the recommendation made by his colleague, sources said. According to the investigators, the suspect had links with the LTTE and made use of his appointment to facilitate several LTTE operations in Colombo. The suspect had been a director of the National Film Corporation during Vijitha Herath’s tenure as the Cultural Affairs Minister in the 2004-2005 period.The suspect had admitted that he was a JVP member and attended classes in 1975 in Jaffna and had links with the party and LTTE.Earlier in the day, at a press conference, JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva said that the LTTE suspect was not a member of the JVP. "There was no Tamil unit in the NFC when our comrade became the Cultural Affairs Minister. We recruited the person in question to commence a Tamil unit.He was not a member of our party. There are many people who participated in our classes but all of them are not our members.""We were suspicious of this person and sought clearance from the police intelligence but they never responded to request. In fact, at that time, Sunil S. Sirisena, additional Secretary to the Ministry of Defence had been the Chairman of the NFC," he said.However, the sources in the State Intelligence Service denied the excuse made by the JVP and said that they had never asked for such clearance on the suspect. Silva said his statement at the press conference was made on the assurance given by MP Herath that he had called for clearance.When contacted, MP Herath said he had no documentary proof to prove the request because it was made in 2005 and the documents were in the NFC’s possession. An LTTE intelligence wing cadre, under interrogation, had implicated the former NFC director. The police had kept the arrest of the intelligence wing cadre under wraps until they arrested the former NFC director. Investigators had recovered 9.5 kilograms of high explosives and a stock of steel balls from the suspects who revealed details of bombing operations mounted by the LTTE in the city and its suburbs. They had led the investigators to a shop on the top floor of a supermarket in the Kotahena police area where the intelligence wing cadre had turned out a range of explosive devices, particularly suicide kits.

Govt accuses LTTE of recruiting children

The secessionist organisation the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) continues to use child soldiers in its battle against the Sri Lankan armed forces, the defence ministry said on Wednesday. It added that the LTTE forcibly recruit children and teenagers to fill up their fast-depleting ranks. Quoting defence intelligence sources, the ministry said personnel of the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) recovered three “obituary posters” giving the name, rank and unit of 150 LTTE cadres, including those of several child soldiers in the Karakakulam area in the northern part of the country. They found the posters after capturing the office of an LTTE regional leader. The defence ministry said the pictures included “five self-styled lieutenant colonels, nine majors, fourteen captains, fifty-one lieutenants, forty-one second lieutenants and thirty others without rank.” An intelligence unit officer speculated that the posters might have been to convince the parents of the dead that their children had been given very high status or rank in the outfit. The cadres without any rank appeared to be in their early to mid teens. The posters also showed that the LTTE cadres were killed at various locations in the Jaffna and Wanni theatre of operations from 17th February to 10th March this year, according to the intelligence officer's report. “It is a well known fact that LTTE is forcibly taking young children from their parents to be trained as terrorists. So, aggrieved parents are now rallying against the LTTE leadership in the Wanni for robbing their loved ones from them,” he added.

EPDP Eravur leader arrested in connection with abduction     

Clarifying reports that claimed that an EPDP leader of Eravur was in Police custody, the OIC of the Eravur Police alleged that he was detained in connection with the abduction of a businessman. OIC S.B. Rathanayake said that a businessman named Devadas Suresh (31)  has been abducted and later assaulted at the Eravur EPDP office. Police investigating the complaint made by family members of Mr. Suresh has taken the suspected into custody for questioning, the OIC added.According to Eravur Police the suspected, Darmalingam Illamaram alias Ravi, is alleged to have touched Mr. Suresh for ransom. Earlier the EPDP office has taken a motorbicycle owned by Mr. Suresh by force. A second motorcycle had been demanded, apparently, and since this was not given, Mr. Suresh had been abducted along with the bike. The suspect has also been accused of committing a murder at an earlier incident in Chenkaladi."The EPDP member is attached to the Eravur office of the party not to Vakarai," the OIC added, correcting earlier reports in certain media. 

Sri Lanka: Army opens a new front west of A9       

The army had opened a new front on west of Jaffna-Kandy road to flank 57 Division.Military spokesman Brigadier Uadaya Nanayakkara said the newly created Task Force 11 would advance northwards while the 57 Division stepped up pressure on the LTTE holding on to Periyamadu, about 16 kilometers north of Madhu.The 57 Division and Task Force 11 would advance on the uncleared areas, the newly created 61 Division would be deployed on a holding role in areas captured by the 57 Division. The 57 Division had regained about 600 square kilometers since it launched operations last year. The Division 57 is about 26 kilometers north of the Vavuniya-Mannar main supply route and the Task Force 11, too would be able to make good progress, Military spokesman said. The Task Force 1 on the Mannar front had advanced up to Adampan and on yesterday captured a further three square kilometers in Adampan general area.

Suspicious powder shuts U.S. embassy in Sri Lanka
 
The U.S. embassy in the Sri Lankan capital, Colombo, was closed on Wednesday after a "suspicious powder" was found in the premises, the embassy said."The suspicious substance will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Until the results are received and a determination is made that the substance does not pose health or safety risks, the embassy will be closed to the public," it said in an e-mailed statement.The heavily-guarded embassy has thrice been closed in the past after suspicious powder was detected but on each occasion it turned out to be a false alarm.A Sri Lankan police officer said no formal complaint had been received on Wednesday.The consular section will remain available to provide emergency services to American citizens during the closure, the embassy statement said.The United States supports a political solution to end Sri Lanka's 25 year civil war that has killed more than 70,000 people.

25 June 2008

“LTTE must lay down arms”

Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa said on Tuesday his government would not “hesitate to work” with the LTTE if the Tigers were ready to lay down arms.At a meeting with “religious dignitaries” who called on him, Mr. Rajapaksa has been quoted by his Secretariat as saying it was not his intention to go to war with the people of the country.“The President assured that he was not at all prepared to compromise the security of the country and people and was not ready to hand over the country to a terrorist organisation,” said a statement by his Secretariat.It said the gathering “commended the efforts” by the President to bring a lasting solution to the ethnic issue by setting up an All Party Representative Conference. It requested him to include religious and political leaders too in the conference.The statement said the religious dignitaries told the President that certain groups were propagating “baseless allegations locally and internationally against the government and bringing disgrace” to the country.

33 killed in Lanka clashes

At least 31 LTTE cadres and two soldiers were killed in fierce clashes in Sri Lanka's embattled northern region where army captured a portion of the rebel-held territory, officials here said on Tuesday.As many as ten LTTE cadres were killed in confrontations with security forces as troops brought under their control areas in Mullikkandal, Minnaniranchan and Marattikannadi in Mannar region, the Media Centre for National Security (MCNS) said.The army also said it had captured three square kms of area in north of Adampan in Mannar.Another three Tiger rebels were killed in two different confrontations in Periyamadu in Vavuniya yesterday, the MCNS said.While three rebels were shot dead in Nedunkandal in Mannar, two others were killed in Anandakulam in the region, the military said.Two LTTE cadres were killed in Sirimullikulam in Mannar yesterday, the MCNS said, adding another rebel was gunned down in Weerapirayan area in the region.At least three LTTE cadres were shot dead and 18 others injured in different incidents in Kiriibanwewa in northeast Welioya, the military said.

TMVP accuses EPDP of extortion

The TMVP yesterday accused the armed cadres of the EPDP of stopping civilian vehicles forcibly and compelling them to buy the party newspapers in Batticaloa.TMVP spokesperson Azath Moulana told The Morning Leader that the EPDP cadres forcibly sold the Thinamurasu newspaper published by the EPDP to civilians in several areas of Batticaloa."This has been going on for several days in the area. Even a person who earns Rs. 200 a day is forced to pay Rs. 20 for the newspaper," he said.He added the EPDP should have handed over all its weapons to the government, according to the ceasefire agreement signed between the LTTE and the then UNF government in 2002.He added the government had still not given back the weapons, though the CFA was withdrawn.

New US defence attaché meets Defence Secretary

The newly appointed defence attaché of the US Embassy in Sri Lanka, Lt. Col. Lawrence A. Smith paid a courtesy call on Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at the Ministry of Defence in Colombo yesterday morning (June 24th). Lt. Col. Smith was accompanied by the departing US defence attaché Lt. Col. James E. Oxley. The Defence Secretary bade farewell to the departing defence attaché.

Karunanidhi, Vaiko protest attacks on Indian fishermen

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressing concern over the Sri Lankan navy repeatedly opening fire on Indian fishermen in the waters between the two countries.A copy of his letter was given to the media here by the Chief Minister's office.In his letter, Karunanidhi urged the union government to ensure that the "rights and privileges of the Indian fishermen to carry on their normal occupation of fishing in the waters of Katchatheevu (an island in Palk Strait)) must be recognised and restored".Reminding the government of the 1974 and 1976 agreements between India and Sri Lanka, Karunanidhi said, "Fishermen were allowed to dry their nets in Katchatheevu but were prohibited from fishing in Sri Lankan territorial waters around Katchatheevu following executive instructions", which, he pointed out "did not flow from the two agreements"."...they were executive instructions and cannot supersede the provisions of the legally valid agreement entered into by the two countries", Karunanidhi said.The executive orders have caused a great deal of hardship to Indian fishermen over the years as their "traditional rights" in Katchatheevu have been denied them."Time and again our fishermen have been arrested, attacked and shot dead in these waters. Each one of these incidents has shocked the people of the state and rocked the legislative assembly," the note said."I urge the Government of India to take necessary steps to protect the precious lives of Indian fishermen and also to ensure their livelihood," Karunanidhi said in his letter.MDMK general secretary Vaiko too wrote to the prime minister Tuesday, urging him to boycott the forthcoming SAARC meeting in Sri Lanka because of the attacks on ethnic Tamils in the neighbouring country.

Sri Lanka to investigate claims of threats to media

Sri Lanka has appointed a ministerial-level committee to investigate allegations that local journalists trying to cover the country's civil war have been threatened and harassed, a senior government official said Tuesday.The investigation follows complaints from both Sri Lankan and foreign human rights groups that the government has been orchestrating much of the alleged intimidation.Cabinet minister Sarath Amunugama said the committee, appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, will also help reporters gain access to government officials to verify stories as well as protect the independence and safety of journalists."The media felt that they were under too much surveillance ... we can't deny there was a feeling like that," said Amunugama, who will head the committee. Last week some 29 international rights groups wrote to U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon seeking his help to persuade Sri Lanka to "immediately stop all actions which undermine the independence and safety of the news community." Earlier this month the European Commission said it had also raised the issue with the Sri Lanka government. Free Media Movement, a local rights group, said at least 100 reporters have been attacked, 25 journalists have fled the country and several others have gone into hiding in the past two years.Sri Lanka's civil war has been raging since 1983. More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict.    

Batticaloa traders appeal for closure of EPDP office

Traders of Chengakaladi area closed their shops for the second day in protest against the forcible abduction of a fellow trader, Thursday around 3:30 p.m. Armed men of Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) in a white van allegedly carried out the abduction, according to complaint made by the victim’s relatives with Ea’raavoor police, Human Rights Commission (HRC) and the Red Cross Society. Meanwhile, representatives of Chengkaladi Traders Association met Pillayan Tuesday, and appealed to him to close the EPDP office in the area. The shut down followed the distribution of the handbill issued by the Traders of Chengkaladi calling for the immediate release the fellow trader, sources in Chengkaladi said. The abducted trader is identified as Thevathas Sureskumar, 35, a family man and a resident of Aa’ndaangku’lam, Chengkaladi in Ea’raavoor police division in Batticaloa district.Sureshkumar’s wife Vijeyaluxmi had gone to the EPDP office and pleaded for his release but since he was not freed Vijeyaluxmi lodged a complaint with the police stating that her husband was abducted in front a fueling station, source added.Acting on her complaint police have arrested three EPDP men and kept them in detention.

Malaysia frees Sri Lankan in nuclear parts case

MALAYSIA has freed a Sri Lankan businessman suspected to be the middleman in a nuclear parts network run by Pakistan’s disgraced top nuclear scientist, security and government officials said on Sunday. Buhary Syed Abu Tahir was released after four years in detention. He had been held under Malaysia’s tough Internal Security Act (ISA), allows authorities to detain suspects without charges or trial indefinitely. Tahir, accused by Washington of helping Pakistani Abul Qadeer Khan to sell illicit nuclear technology, had been in detention since 2004 after a police report detailing his involvement in the nuclear black market scandal. ‘Mr. BSA Tahir has been released from Kamunting in the last few days,’ a government official told reporters, referring to a detention camp in northern Malaysia. Dozens of suspected militants are being held at the camp. A regional security official confirmed Mr. Tahir had been released earlier this month. ‘But he’s been placed under restricted residence and that he has to report to the police station weekly,’ the official said on condition of anonymity. Malaysia’s Home (Interior) Minister Syed Hamid Albar could not be immediately reached for comment. Mr. Khan has been kept under house arrest in Islamabad since 2004.

India to expand military ties with Sri Lanka - Times of India

India is likely to further bolster military supplies to Sri Lanka, alarmed as it is with the way Colombo continues to turn to China, as also Pakistan to some degree, to obtain weapon systems and platforms, 'Times of India' reports. The arms supplies will be "largely" defensive in nature, in keeping with the policy to supply mainly "non-lethal" equipment to the island nation, it adds. India believes there cannot be a "military solution" to the bloody ethnic strife in Sri Lanka, and is concomitantly pushing for a dialogue process and devolution package for the Tamils without disrupting the country’s territorial integrity. The need for renewed political efforts was, once again, conveyed to the Mahinda Rajapaksa government by the high-level delegation led by national security advisor M.K. Narayanan, which also included Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, to Colombo over the weekend. But at the same time, India cannot ignore the deep inroads being made into its own strategic backyard by China, which is providing Sri Lanka with a wide array of "cheap" arms and ammunition to bolster its ongoing battle with LTTE. "The story of Myanmar is being repeated in Sri Lanka. China is already all over the island nation, with a flurry of arms deals, oil explorations and construction projects like the Hambantota port," said a senior official. Sources said the Narayanan delegation also expressed India’s disquiet over Sri Lanka continuing to source weapon systems in a major way from China and Pakistan. Towards this end, during the wide-ranging discussions on "mutual concerns" with president Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, among others, the Indian delegation promised "all help" in the military supplies, intelligence and training arenas. Interestingly, Narayanan has earlier publicly asked Sri Lanka to desist from seeking arms from China or Pakistan, holding that India as "the big power" in the region would meet its legitimate defence requirements. But, due to political sensitivities in Tamil Nadu, India has so far supplied "defensive" weapon systems to Sri Lanka, ranging from 40mm L-70 anti-aircraft guns to ‘Indra’ low-flying detection radars, primarily meant to thwart aerial strikes by LTTE. Both China and Pakistan have gleefully jumped into this vacuum in recent times to quench Sri Lanka’s thirst for weapons with "offensive capabilities", much like what happened in Myanmar when India ignored the military junta there in the 1990s. Colombo, for instance, has signed a $37.6 million deal with the Beijing-based Poly Technologies for a wide variety of arms, ammunition, mortars and bombs. Sri Lanka is also getting some Chinese Jian-7 fighters, JY-11 3D air surveillance radars, armoured personnel carriers, T-56 (a copy of the famous AK-47) assault rifles, machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and missiles. India, on its part, apart from weapon deliveries, is conducting "coordinated" naval patrolling with Sri Lanka along the IMBL (international maritime boundary line) to curb LTTE activity on the high seas.

STF exposed in Batticaloa killings: TNA MP

The indiscriminate shooting on Sunday by Special Task Force (STF) troops of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) resulting in the killing of two civilians and injuring three others in Ka’luthaava’lai, Batticaloa demonstrates the 'barbaric behaviour' of STF, Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian T.Kanagasabai Batticaloa district said in a press communiqué released Monday. The MP also pointed out that hundreds of civilians were rounded up by STF troops and taken to Ka’luvaangchchikudi police station but were later released after his intervention. He has also accused that STF troops had forced themselves into the neighbouring houses and smashed up the belongings and property.Expressing concern over the acts of STF, the parliamentarian states that fear and tension prevail among the public in the area. The details of the incident have already been brought to the attention of Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse, Mr.Kanagasabai said.The TNA MP has called upon the President to conduct judicial investigations into the killing of the innocent civilians, to take legal action on the culprits, and to ensure that attacks on innocent civilians are stopped.The MP, in the communiqué, appealed to Colombo to pay compensation to the families of the civilians killed in the incident and to provide adequate compensation for the damages caused to the houses and properties.

300-page book on JVP crisis by Wimal

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna is today reaping what it is sowing as any other traditional left party, said the leader of the National Freedom Front, Wimal Weerawansa. Fidel Castro would have failed in his Cuban revolution had the present leaders of the JVP been there at the time, Mr. Weerawansa said at the launch of his publication 'Truth & Myth - Reasons Behind the JVP Crisis' in Colombo yesterday (June 24th). He requested JVP activists to learn from experience, without relying on their leadership. Mr. Weerawansa handed over the first copy of his 300-page publication to Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka Thera at the function.

Moscow International film festival defies SL request on Black Tiger documentary

The world-renowned Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF), despite being approached by the Russian Foreign Ministry, which was under pressure from the Sri Lankan Embassy in Russia, turned down the Sri Lankan request not to feature a documentary film on Black Tigers in the film festival. The MIFF screened Monday 'My Daughter The Terrorist,' the award winning documentary on Black Tigers by Director Beate Arnestad from Norway. The argument put forward by the [Sri Lankans] that the documentary promoted terrorism was dismissed as baseless, reported the NRK, the Norwegian Broadcasting Cooperation, on Tuesday, citing a MIFF official, Grigorij Libergal."They were confused on what promotes terrorism and what was analysis of terrorism," Mr. Libergal was quoted as saying. The documentary was featured under "Free Thought," documentary cinema programme at the MIFF.Morten Dae, the producer of the documentary earlier received death threats after the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) failed in blocking the organisors from screening the film at the Full Frame Documentary Festival, in Durham in the United States, according to a report in Dagsavisen, a Norwegian daily, in Apriil 2008.The MIFF, which celebrates 30th anniversary this year, is held under support of the Russian Ministry of culture and mass communications, and the Federal Agency on culture and cinematography. It is the second oldest film festival in the world and is recognised by the International Federation of Film Producers associations (FIAPF) as an "A" class festival.

Lanka once again in ‘Failed State’ list
   
Sri Lanka has once again been included in the Failed States Index by the Foreign Policy and The Fund for Peace which rank the countries where state collapse may be just one disaster away.Sri Lanka has been ranked 20 in the list of 60 failed states with Somalia claiming the number one spot and the distinction of being the state most at risk of failure. In the fourth annual Failed States Index, Foreign Policy and The Fund for Peace rank the countries where state collapse may be just one disaster away.“Whether it is an unexpected food crisis or a devastating hurricane, the world’s weakest states are the most exposed when crisis strikes,” the Index said.The rank order of the states is based on the total scores of the 12 indicators. For each indicator, the ratings are placed on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being the lowest intensity (most stable) and 10 being the highest intensity (least stable). The total score is the sum of the 12 indicators and is on a scale of 0–120. Founded in 1970 by Samuel Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel, and now published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C., FOREIGN POLICY is the premier, award-winning magazine of global politics, economics, and ideas. Its mission is to explain how the world works—in particular, how the process of globalization is reshaping nations, institutions, cultures, and, more fundamentally peoples daily lives.In 2007, several countries that have long served as the poster children for failed states managed to achieve some unlikely gains. The Ivory Coast, which unraveled in 2002 after a flawed election divided north and south, experienced a year of relative calm thanks to a new peace agreement. Liberia, the most improved country in last year’s index, continued to make gains due to a renewed anticorruption effort and the resettlement of nearly 100,000 refugees. And Haiti, long considered the basket case of the Western Hemisphere, stepped back from the edge, with moderate improvements in security in the capital’s violence-ravaged slums. Bangladesh took this year’s hardest fall, set off in part by postponed elections, a feuding, deadlocked government, and the imposition of emergency rule that has dragged on for more than 18 months. These political setbacks were followed by greater economic hardships after a devastating cyclone in November flooded large swaths of cropland and left 1.5 million people homeless. In nearby Pakistan, also one of this year’s worst performers, a beleaguered President Pervez Musharraf sparked waves of violent protests when he dismissed the head of the Supreme Court and declared martial law. In a tragic close to the year, the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto left many wondering about the future prospects of this fragile, nuclear-armed state.

24 June 2008

Food to North direct from S. India

In a bid to overcome the shortage of food and offset the prevailing high prices in the North the Government has decided to import food direct to the North from South India. The high cost of transporting food to the North from Colombo has been one of the main causes for the prevailing high prices in the North.Chairman of the Northern Special Task Force Minister Douglas Devananda said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had given him permission to import food items from South India at a meeting yesterday.Devananda said the President had agreed that the import of food from South India to Jaffna would reduce the cost of transport. The move would also pacify South Indian Tamils who feel that Tamils in Jaffna are hard put in finding essential food items, he said. The food items would be ferried from South Indian ports to KKS under protection by the Sri Lankan Navy.Meanwhile, fishermen, farmers and palmyrah products produces requested the government to launch a ferry service between Kurukattuwan in Jaffna and Mannar to facilitate travel between Jaffna and Colombo which now costs about Rs. 5,000 by ship and about Rs 9,000 by plane. A boat service between Jaffna and Mannar would facilitate their travel to Colombo and help Jaffna farmers transport their produce to Colombo in the shortest possible time, Devananda said.

India to release 28 Lankan fishermen

India has agreed to release 28 Sri Lankan fishermen who were arrested last week for fishing in its territorial waters, media reports said. Sri Lankan deputy high commissioner in Chennai, A M Ansar held discussions with Indian authorities yesterday over the arrest of the fishermen and described the talks as successful. Arrangements are being made to send back the fishermen from Tuticorin to the island country, TV channels reported. The fishermen were arrested on Friday for crossing into Indian waters, some 65 nautical miles from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu. Meanwhile, ten other fishermen, who were arrested for crossing into Indian waters on June 14, had been released by the Indian authorities.

WPF will never support terrorism – Mano Ganeshan

In a letter to the IGP, leader of the Western Peoples Front, Mano Ganeshan has stressed that his party would never support any act of terrorism. The letter says that a man, recently arrested by the police, Nadaraja Sivaraja, came to the WPF office as a party member, and never a wage from the party.It was later learnt that Sivaraja, who was reportedly abducted by a group in a white-coloured van, was being detained by the police, the letter adds."Following this arrest, false news reports citing the police are attempting to drag