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Local
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31 March 2006 THIRUKKOVIL PRADESHIYA SABHA ILLANKAI TAMIL ARASU KADCHI
(TNA) 8,318 98 .29%- 9 Seats Trinco Urban Council ITAK(TNA) - 10573 No of
Seats - 6 Local Election Polls:President Mahinda Rajapakse's coalition UPFA Leading and TNA leading in Tamil dominated Region The Commissioner of Elections continues to announce the results of yesterday’s Local Government polls. He has said that the elections were mostly peaceful when compared with previous ones. So far, the results of 55 Local Government Institutions have been announced. The United People’s Freedom Alliance has won in most of them. The United National Party was able to win only in six institutions in urban areas. The Tamil Arasu Kachchi (TNA) has won in two local government institutions. The Janatha Vimukti Peramuna has captured the Tissmarama Pradhesiya Sabha. The newly-formed Ceylon Democratic Unity Alliance won un Urban Council in the upcountry. The Special feature of the elections was that not a single vote was rejected to elect representatives to head the Hikkaduwa Urban Council. All the 14,499 votes polled were valid. For the first time, the Government Information Department was given the responsibility of distributing election results to the media. Navy and LTTE accuse
each other He emphasised that the LTTE only retaliated to the Navy attack and stopped soon as they realised that a member of the truce monitors were with the Navy on a boat off shore. Pulidevan also said that they did not fire to any boat in the sea and only fired towards the Navy camp on Norway point.Both parties say that they will take up the incident with the truce monitors. Amnesty for Sri
Lanka Army deserters Individuals who deserted the Army before January 2003 can produce themselves at Bodhirajaramaya, the temple adjacent to the Panagoda Army Base. They have to hand over all Army property before they are dismissed legally. The Army says those who do not present themselves will be arrested and produced in court. There are around 70,000 deserters from the security forces in Sri Lanka. Some of them are involved in criminal activities and have become a nuisance to public peace. Pakistan denies involvement with Muslim armed group in East Pakistan has refuted claims made by the LTTE chief peace negotiator Anton Balasingham earlier this week that the Pakistan Secret Service was directly assisting a Muslim Jihad armed group in the east. In a startling revelation over Australian television Mr. Balasingham alleged that the Muslim armed group, details of which was made available to the government during the Geneva talks last month, was being assisted by the Pakistan Intelligence unit.The Pakistan High Commission in Colombo in a statement to the Daily Mirror said “There is not one iota of truth in these allegations. Pakistan is strictly against interfering in the internal matters of other sovereign states.” Spokesperson for the high commission Mr. Zahoor Ahamed Barlas, after referring the matter over to the Pakistani government, said in the statement that his government has always supported Sri Lanka in efforts to safeguard it’s sovereign and territorial integrity. Mr. Balasingham noted the LTTE was concerned over the alleged Pakistan intervention in Sri Lanka adding that it may have serious repercussions if India were to learn more about the Jihad groups. In the Australian television interview Mr. Balasingham had said he has enough proof to substantiate his claims and was ready to furnish it to any Muslim political leader who contacts him. Muslim leaders in Sri Lanka have refuted claims of the existence of a Jihad group in the East while the LTTE as recent as two weeks ago put forward two Muslim youth who shed more light on the so called Muslim Jihad group. Meanwhile, PAFFREL Chairman Kingsley Rodrigo in a letter to the Secretary Jamaate Islam dated March 23 has apologized to the Muslim community for any lapse on his part by way of his statement made to the media on March 15. He said he had been misinformed when he said: “Besides them there are the Muslim fundamentalist groups—Jihad and Jamaate Islam. They also have arms.” He said he never intended to mean Jihad and Jamaate Islam have armed groups operating in the east. “I have no evidence that there are any organized armed Muslim groups in the name of Jamaate Islami, Jihad or any other to the best of my knowledge,” the letter stated. LTTE political office in Arayampathi burnt The Arayampathi political office of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), located in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled area in Kathankudy, Batticaloa, was set on fire Thursaday morning by unidentified persons who had damaged and robbed the things inside the office, said sources from Kathankudy. This office had remained closed since the LTTE cadres of the political wing withdrew from Sri Lanka Government controlled areas.Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in Batticaloa has been notifed of the incident, according to sources. Kathankudy Police is investigating the incident, said Kathankudy police.Arayampathi located 6km south of Batticaloa. She was molested, alleges UNPer The UNP Nawalapitiya organiser complained to police that a group had attempted to molest her near the Kadiresan Boys’ College polling booth.Nirupa Karunaratne said while she was walking towards the booth a group had dragged her aside and tried to remove her blouse and the saree. She also said she identified one person in the group as a supporter of a Deputy Minister. 30 March 2006 Norway:
Talks will go ahead The newly appointed Norwegian special envoy for Sri Lanka’s peace process, Jon Hanssen-Bauer, who was in London on Wednesday, did not took part in the discussions. LTTE concerns The new envoy is to meet President Rajapaksa and LTTE representatives on a visit to Sri Lanka next Monday, a statement issued by the Royal Norwegian Embassy said.Minister Erik Solheim is also to visit Colombo on Thursday 06 April.He is to convey LTTE concerns on security and CFA to President Mahinda Rajapaksa.The minister refused to reveal details of the concerns raised by LTTE theoretician. However, he expressed hope that the second round of talks will go ahead as scheduled. Second round The Tamil Tigers have threatened to pull out of talks unless the government live up to the commitments made at Geneva talks.The LTTE accuse the government of colliding with paramilitary groups but the government denies having any links with armed groups apart from the military.The Tigers are accused of arming themselves using fishermen as a cover to smuggle arms.But the LTTE denies charges of attacking a Sri Lanka Navy vessel off Kalpitiya in which six LTTE cadres were dead and eight sailors are still missing. New peace envoy coming on Monday The new Norwegian special Peace Envoy Jon Hanssen-Bauer will arrive in the country on Monday on a four day visit. Mr. Hanssen-Bauer who is making his first visit to Sri Lanka, is scheduled to meet President Mahinda Rajapaksa, representatives of the Government and the LTTE, the Norwegian Embassy said. Meanwhile, Oslo’s International Development Minister and former peace envoy Erik Solheim will make a brief visit to Sri Lanka on Thursday for a series of meetings in Colombo, it said. Polls for 266 local bodies today A little over 11 million voters will cast their ballot today to elect 3,624 members for 266 local bodies in 19 districts. Polling will start at 7.00 a.m. at 8,829 polling centres and conclude at 4.00 p.m. In all 25,523 candidates are in the fray vying for election to 12 Municipal Councils, 34 Urban Councils and 220 Pradeshiya Sabhas. The total number of registered voters are 11,037,763. Elections for 22 bodies in the North and East have been postponed for September for security reasons and polls for 46 local authorities in the South have been similarly put off due to pending court cases. For the first time since 1931, all eligible voters will be required to produce official documents establishing their identity. These include the National ID, Driving Licence, Postal Identity Card, Passport, IDs issued by Estate Superintendents, Pensioners' ID or the Railway season ticket ID. Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake stated although it would be convenient for voters' to carry their Identity Cards, the absence of the ID or even the polling card would not be a hindrance as long as the Voters' Register contain their names. The main political parties in the fray are the UPFA, UNP, JVP, CWC, SLMC, UPF, JHU, NSSP, TNA and the EPDP. Several minor political parties and independent groups have filed nominations. Responding favourably to Dissanayake's request, officials of the State sector who were planning to stay away from election duty have reversed their decision. Public Salary Review Trade Union Committee (PSSRTUC) members also announced that they had withdrawn the threat to spoil their votes which they earlier planned to go ahead with as a mark of protest to the public service salary issue. Already both major parties have suffered reversals with their nominations lists being rejected in many local bodies. The UNP had its nomination lists rejected in the coveted Colombo Municipal Council while the UPFA list was rejected in the SLFP bastion of Gampaha. Legal battles challenging several rejections including the CMC have caused the postponement of the poll for these bodies. There will be no elections on March 30 in 11 Pradeshiya Sabhas including Sitawaka, Udapalatha, Pathahewaheta, Elpitiya, Kobeigane, Balangoda and five others in the Ampara district. No election will also be held in Werugal Aru Pradeshiya Sabha and Pudukuduirupp Pradeshiya Sabha as they are being declared won uncontested by the TNA and the EPDP. Apart from State officials manning the polling centres, 65,000 policemen have been deployed on election duty from Tuesday and they will conduct regular mobile patrols and seek Army and Security Forces help if necessary. Election Commissioner's Department sources said the first result would be released just after midnight. The election will be monitored by local NGOs, PAFFREL, CMEV and the Diriya Foundation. JHU opposes Muslim brigade The JHU yesterday condemned moves to create a special Muslim brigade in the Sri Lanka Army calling it an attempt to divide the country further on ethnic grounds. Insisting that there is no need for the creation of a regiment purely on ethnic grounds, JHU Leader Ven. Ellawala Medhananda Thera said there were a large number of Muslim officers and soldiers who made significant contributions to the Army, especially in the intelligence divisions. “The soldiers and officers of the forces should be identified as Sri Lankans and not on ethnic grounds,” the Thera said. Fisherman loses both hands in explosion A fisherman, identified as P. Shanthan Fernando (42), of Mannar, lost both his hands, below the wrists, when a container, he found floating in the Thalvupadu Sea, Mannar on Monday afternoon, exploded while he was trying to open it, police said. He was immediately taken Mannar Hospital and was immediately transferred to Anuradhapura hospital where his condition is reported to be critical, the sources said. Navy headquarters contradicted the victim’s statement, given to local sources. "We believe Fernando was wounded in a blast at his house," a navy official said. There was evidence to suggest that the blast occurred as he was handling some gelignite. British citizens warned to avoid N-E The British government has issued a fresh travel advisory for its citizens visiting Sri Lanka, advising them against all but essential travel to the north and east of the country owing to political violence and civil unrest. The travel advisory states that British citizens should avoid areas north of the A 9 road, including the Jaffna peninsula, the whole of the eastern districts of Batticaloa and Trincomalee and the coastal areas of Ampara north of Pottuvil. “Ongoing political violence and civil unrest, especially in the north and east, continues to escalate. Since December 2005, the security situation has deteriorated and there have been many fatal attacks. There is a threat from domestic terrorism. Local elections are about to take place in Sri Lanka. The majority of these elections will take place on 30 March 2006. Further polls are likely in May 2006. You should follow local developments closely, be aware of your surroundings and be alert to changing situations. Avoid political gatherings or demonstrations,” the travel advisory from the British Foreign and Commonwealth office said. Dead body found in Kaluwanchchikudi The body of Thambirajah Thankarajah (55), a father of two children, was found in a well in Onthachchimadam village of Kaluwanchchikudi on Tuesday, 28 March. Thankarajah’s body was found with severe wounds from beating and stabbing. Investigations are being conducted by the Kaluwanchchikudi police. This type of killing, when the body has stab wounds and is disposed in this manner, is a similar pattern of killing carried out by paramilitaries in recent times. Dead cranes cause bird-flu scare in Mannar Four cranes found dead in the premises of official bungalow of the Government Agent in Mannar Wednesday afternoon have been sent to Kandy to be examined by veterinary surgeons to determine the cause of death, Mannar hospital sources said. On a report from Mannar Police, the Medical Officer of Health in Mannar Dr. M. Kathirgamanathan immediately contacted the Animal Husbandry Unit in Kandy and had briefed them on the situation. On the instruction he received Dr.Kathirgamanathan with a team of medical specialists rushed to the site and collected the dead birds and packed them in a polythene bag and dispatched it to Kandy, Mannar sources said.Meanwhile, two other birds (cranes) found on the top of the tree in the premises of GA bungalow are also reported to be sick and on the verge of death, sources said. Lack of Delhi's support for Sri Lankan Tamils deplored It is regrettable that the Indian Government, which backs the cause of Palestinians, is not supporting Sri Lankan Tamils who are also fighting for a cause, said speakers at a meeting here on Tuesday. They asked why India, which used to have frequent meetings with Sri Lankan officials, did not call for a meeting with the leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to know their views. They were confident that days were not far off when a free Tamil Eelam would become a reality. Releasing a book written by Tamil Desiya Iyakkam president P. Nedumaran, Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani said the situation in Tamil areas of the island was similar to that of Kashmir and India, which was eager to settle the Kashmir issue by holding talks with them, was not showing interest in the welfare of the Sri Lankan Tamils who belonged to the same Tamil race here. K.P. Aravanan, former Vice-Chancellor of Manonmaniyam Sundaranar University, who presided, said the LTTE cadres should not be called terrorists as they were fighting for the rights of their people. He congratulated Mr. Nedumaran for steadfastly supporting the cause of Tamil Eelam. Two other books written by Mr. Nedumaran were released. UNP behind Secretary's killing - Minister Maithreepala Agriculture, Irrigation and Mahaweli Development Minister and SLFP General Secretary Maithreepala Sirisena says his Private Secretary M.L/Dharmasiri was assassinated by a group of the main opposition from Dimbulagala. At a media briefing held in the Foundation Institute this morning (29), he said this murder should not be credited to the LTTE account. He claimed this murder was not committed by the LTTE or the JVP and reiterated this was totally a politically motivated act of revenge. "The late Mr. Dharmasiri served as my private secretary for 8 years, he was very friendly with people and has never been accused of any wrong doing. He came with me after ending our election propaganda in Dimbulagala area around 10.00 on the 27th and just 10 minutes after he was shot dead", Sirisena said. He dismissed widespread rumours about the assassination and emphasized that it was clearly a political murder. The Minister said a group tried to assassinate him 6 years ago and the case against them was dropped when the UNP assumed office in 2002 and added that he can state with responsibly that the same group is responsible for this murder. Peace still no
certainty for Sri Lanka: Interview with LTTE political advisor, Dr Anton
Balasingham The civil war in Sri Lanka between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) looks set to continue despite upcoming peace talks. Although a ceasefire is in place, violence continues and the LTTE alleges the government is using paramilitary forces in a "shadow war". The LTTE claims that one of the paramilitaries is an Islamic Jihad group with links to Pakistan's security forces. The presence of paramilitaries could derail the peace process. Helen Vatsikopoulos talks to Dr Anton Balasingham, political leader of the LTTE, about these developments. The last thing Sri Lanka needs is an Islamic Jihad. With a death toll of over 60,000 in a decades-long civil war, allegations of an Islamic Jihad paramilitary group operating against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, is causing further fractures in an already tenuous peace. Now, next month's peace talks are in doubt. While the government denies allegations of Islamic paramilitaries, Tamil Tiger leaders say they have the proof. Conference spokesman: The government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE are committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure that there will be no intimidation, acts of violence, abductions, or killings. Helen Vatsikopoulos: Geneva last month, the first time in four years the Tigers and the government sat face-to-face. Dr Anton Balasingham, LTTE political advisor: LTTE from now on will cease all forms of violence against the government forces. Helen Vatsikopoulos: The cease-fire was conditional on the government disarming Tamil paramilitary groups, whom the Tigers allege are fighting a shadow war, with government knowledge and support. During talks, the Tigers revealed the group's locations, names and details. The LTTE is still reeling over the defection of their one-time Eastern Commander, Karuna, two years ago. Karuna turned on his former comrades to run a government-sponsored paramilitary group in Tamil country in the east. Karuna, paramilitary leader: The northern leadership is not considered the sole representatives of the Tamils now. They cannot be the representatives of the people living in the east. Helen Vatsikopoulos: The government had succeeded in turning Tamil against Tamil. But the bombshell came with LTTE allegations of a Jihad Muslim paramilitary group operating in the east, with links to Pakistan's Secret Service. The government and Muslim groups have denied the existence of a Jihad group, but the Tigers claim to have the proof. There is a long history of Tamil Tigers killing Muslims, which LTTE now conveniently blames on former Tiger Commander Karuna. But if paramilitaries aren't disarmed, peace talks are in danger. So, why are things so deadlocked? Well, the Tigers are facing a fierce opponent in President Mahinda Rajapakse. The hard-line President won power opposing Tamil demands, something the Tigers helped facilitate by boycotting the elections, and securing the defeat of Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was more sympathetic to their cause. So, is Sri Lanka about to plunge into war again? The United States Human Rights Watch group says the Tigers are extorting the Tamil diaspora for money, to fund a final war. And the LTTE says the government is also preparing for war. The man who made the Jihad allegations at the Geneva peace talks is the Tamil Tigers' long-time ideologue. These days, Dr Anton Balasingham is the Tigers' chief negotiator and political advisor. I spoke to him from London, in a rare interview with the western media. Helen Vatsikopoulos: Now, you claim peace talks are in jeopardy because of this "shadow war" also being fought by Tamil paramilitaries controlled by the government. What evidence do you have of this? Anton Balasingham: We have provided quite a lot of evidence documentary evidence, maps and other details to the Sri Lankan government with regard to their existence and functions, with regard to their leadership, their command structure, the location of their camps in the government-controlled areas. And we have submitted ample evidence to substantiate that these groups are actively functioning with the Sri Lankan troops in their offensive military campaigns against the LTTE. Helen Vatsikopoulos: What makes you think the authorities can control them? Because they sound as if they've got a will of their own to fight you. Anton Balasingham: Most of these armed paramilitaries are operating in the government military establishments, in the military camps. So, if Rajapakse government genuinely wants peace, the escalation in normalcy, they can put an end to this violence by disarming these paramilitaries. Helen Vatsikopoulos: One of these paramilitary groups is run by Karuna, your former Eastern Commander. Why did Karuna defect? Anton Balasingham: He has been misbehaving in the sense that there has been a lot of complaints about misappropriation of funds. He has been involved in recruiting underage cadets, and he has been committing serious crimes against the Muslim population in the east. What is disturbing is that the Sri Lankan armed forces are helping him, harbouring him, sustaining him and helping him in this subversive role against the LTTE. That is a most alarming development. Helen Vatsikopoulos: These Tamil paramilitary groups were once your people. They've turned against you, so doesn't that mean you no longer can represent the Tamil community, that it's now Tamil against Tamil? Anton Balasingham: We are not asking the government to disband the political structure of these organisations. Let them function as political organisations. But their armed wings have to be curtailed, and have to be dismantled, because it's posing a serious challenge to the peace process. Helen Vatsikopoulos: You claim that one of these paramilitary groups is a Tamil Muslim Jihad group. What can you tell us about this group? Because the Muslims in the east deny their existence. Anton Balasingham: Yeah, we know why the Muslim political organizations are denying, is the fact that because the international community will be seriously concerned if there is a Muslim terrorist organization functioning in Sri Lanka, with connections. I think we have evidence to prove that this Jihad organization has connections with the Pakistani Military Intelligence. Therefore, they are formally denying it. But we have ample evidence, and we can further submit evidence if the Muslim leaders contact us. Helen Vatsikopoulos: But it beggars belief that any government would allow the growth of a Muslim Jihad group, and one with links to Pakistan, in this current international climate. Anton Balasingham: Yeah, that is a dangerous thing. But the Sri Lankan government has a very good relationship with Pakistan and China, that is our worry. Because Sri Lanka has been getting military assistance and training from Pakistan. And also they have very close relationship with China. So, we are seriously worried whether the intervention of Pakistan in this matter, in training and providing assistance to the Jihad movement, will have serious repercussions. It may have serious repercussions in India, if India comes to know more about these Jihad groups. Helen Vatsikopoulos: Dr Balasingham, is it any wonder that you're having difficulties with this hard-line president? Because by boycotting the elections, you prevented the sympathetic candidate from gaining power. Anton Balasingham: We are prepared to deal with the hard-liners, rather than with the soft-liners who promise certain things and never fulfil anything. So, let us take up this challenge and negotiate with the hard-liners and see how far they will tackle the problem. Our concern is to impress upon the international community that the real problem, the real impediment to the resolution of the Tamil problem are the Sinhalese hard-liners. Helen Vatsikopoulos: So, how can the international community put pressure on this government? Anton Balasingham: I think the international community can assert tremendous influence on the Sri Lankan political system, because the Sri Lankan government is totally depending on the foreign aid that is given by the aid-giving countries. So, these co-chairs of the aid-giving countries of the international community can exert enough pressure on Sri Lankan political leaders to offer something reasonable, something fair to the Tamil people like this, at these last stages. 29 March 2006 Solheim to meet Balasingham in London Norwegian peace envoy Erik Solheim will meet London-based LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham in London today to discuss the facts about the LTTE’s participation in the second round of the Geneva peace talks. The aim of this meeting is to discuss the LTTE’s participation in the upcoming peace talks because it is believed that the LTTE is not going to participate in the forthcoming peace talks. Muslim men to
join battalion. But the officials denied reports that the battalion would be exclusively Muslim. Earlier there'd been a hostile reaction from the Muslim Peace Secretariat. the organisation which represents most Muslim parties in Sri Lanka. It said that recruiting battalions on ethnic lines would aggravate mistrust and undermine security. Muslims form the third largest community in Sri Lanka, after the majority Sinhalese and the Tamils. A leader of the Muslim community in Sri Lanka has criticised government plans to set up a new infantry battalion to protect the Muslim community. A government advert published in a newspaper on Sunday invited Muslim youths to join a new battalion "dedicated to protect the Muslim community living in the east (of the island)." Muslim Peace Secretariat head Javed Yusuf said separating the army along ethnic lines was counterproductive. He said the move would aggravate mistrust among the Tamils and Muslims in a period where we are trying to create national harmony. The government should provide security to every one, he said. Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe told Sandesaya that this was not a separate battalion for Muslims. He said the battalion would be deployed in majority Muslim areas. Sri Lanka Air Force unmanned aircraft crashes in Vavuniya A Sri Lanka Air Force miniature unmanned reconnaissance aircraft (UAV) crashed at Maharamba-kulma yesterday (28). Householder Chelliah Rahisnun on whose garden the aircraft had crashed informed the police who called the SLAF. The ‘Super Star N222lk type aircraft however had not caught fire after the crash. Police and SLAF were inquiring into the cause of the crash. In an earlier incident, on October 19, 2005, a similar unmanned aircraft had crashed down in Karrapukuthi Vingnanakulam in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) territory. The SLAF used up to half a dozen Israeli built drones extensively during major military offensives in the Vanni region in the late ninties. Almost all were lost either through LTTE ground fire or accidents. Teachers urge MR to remove Karuna camp in Batti Parents and teachers of a convent in front of the new office opened by the Karuna faction in Batticaloa have written to President Mahinda Rajapakse requesting him to take action to remove it. The office is located at Govinda Road close to St. Cecilia’s Convent. The patents have said in the letter that persons from the office taunted schoolgirls and they feared for their safety. The letter has been copied to foreign missions, the SLMM and the media. Meanwhile, military sources in Batticaloa said that they suspected the Tigers of using the cover of civilian groups to put pressure on the activities of the Karuna group. The office is the first of its kind opened by the Karuna faction since it broke ranks with the LTTE in March 2003. Ranil to meet Indian PM on Sunday UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe will meet with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on April 2 for bilateral talks. Wickremesinghe’s official visit to India will coincide with President Mahinda Rajapakse’s state visit to Pakistan where he will hold talks with Pakistan President Pervez Musharaff on trade and defence issues. President Rajapakse is due to leave for Pakistan Friday while Wickrem-esinghe will leave for India on Saturday, April 1. Wickremesinghe is expected to discuss Indo-Sri Lanka relations and the peace process with the Indian Prime Minister. Prime Minister Singh informed President Rajapakse during his visit to India in December to arrive at a working arrangement with the UNP on the peace process. Wickremesinghe will be accompanied to India by Colombo District MP Milinda Moragoda. Probe into Navy
procurements President appoints one-man Commission The Commission will also look into other procurement of military materials and services during the period 2001 to 2005 by the Sri Lanka Navy. Sri Lanka Administrative Service retired senior officer Edmund Jayasuriya will serve as the Secretary to the Commission. The Commission invites any person or organization to submit written representations to the Commission in respect of all or any of the above matters and such representations should reach the secretary to the Commission on or before April 17 at No. 2-113, BMICH, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7.For further information, the Secretary to the Commission could be contacted on 2673408 during normal office hours TRF threatens to attack Army Pro-LTTE groups in the north east warned on Monday that they will recommence attacks on the security forces if what they allege as ‘harassments’ continue. "Due to the continuing atrocities by the army and the paramilitaries the Tamil Resurgence Force will resume its attacks on the military," the TRF said in a statement that was released in Batticaloa. The TRF claimed responsibility for several attacks during December and January including a claymore attack in Mannar that left more than 10 sailors dead. It said that it had at least 250-armed members in Jaffna ready for attacks during the upsurge in violence three months back. The latest warning is the first since the conclusion of the peace talks in Geneva in January. The TRF statement came in the backdrop of rising tension in Jaffna where once again student groups and military confronted each other last week. Soldiers entered the Jaffna Technical College at Thinuveli last week and removed the LTTE flag hoisted during a pro-LTTE commemoration event. The students said that the army would have to declare war if they were to continue with such actions. They also warned that students would continue with protests. The Jaffna University was a hotbed of protests during December and January and undergraduate groups had once again declared their displeasure at the appointment of the new Vice Chancellor Ratnajeevan Hoole. Undergraduate groups said that they were even prepared to burn the university down rather than allow the new VC to assume office. The situation in Batticaloa is likely to turn violent if the TRF carries out its threats due to the presence of Karuna faction cadres. Indian parliamentary delegation in Sri Lanka A seven-member Indian parliamentary delegation will arrive in the country today. The delegation is headed by Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha, Sardar Charanjit Singh Atwal. The delegation also consists of three Indian MPs — Prasanna Acharya, Dr. K. Malaisamy and Dr. Karan Singh Yadav. It also includes Secretary General, Lok Sabha Secretariat, P.D.T. Achary. The delegation will arrive in the country to participate in the fourth conference of the Association of SAARC Speakers and Parliamentarians, hosted in Colombo by the Sri Lanka parliament. Gang leader deported to Sri Lanka Immigration charges followed years of deadly street fighting
between rival Tamil groups in '90s Known in Toronto's Tamil community as Kailesh, the 36-year-old father was accused of leading the VVT gang, a west Toronto group that was formed in the early 1990s and named for Valvettithurai, a northern Sri Lankan town. Thanabalasingham denied he led the VVT, or that his criminal convictions - possessing a machete in 1996 and a 1998 conspiracy to commit assault for trying to acquire guns for others - were related to gang membership. A January Immigration and Refugee Board decision that cleared the way for his removal classified both convictions as gang-related and also noted Thanabalasingham was known to visit incarcerated gang members. "It's quite instructive that the appellant took it upon himself to attend court when gang members were charged with criminal offences, to assist in preparing their defence and then visit them in jail when incarcerated. He acted like a shepherd tending to his flock," wrote IRB appeal division member Egya Sangmuah in his Jan. 6 decision. Thanabalasingham's lawyer, Barbara Jackman, had argued that as a Tamil, he would be targeted by the Sri Lankan government if returned home due to media reports that have linked the VVT to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, a guerrilla group fighting the Singhalese government for independence. Sangmuah dismissed claims that Thanabalasingham would face danger. "The Minister (of Immigration) does not allege that the appellant or the VVT is connected to the LTTE," he wrote. "(E)ven if the appellant is wrongly perceived as a member of the LTTE, he will likely not face persecution." Jackman said yesterday she believed her client was being punished unfairly since he had already been sentenced for his criminal activity. "If someone commits a criminal offence, they go to trial, they get a sentence, they get punished for it. Are they ever allowed to overcome it? Yes. In Kailesh's case where his family's all here and he has a clean record since 1998, the board and the minister still think he should be effectively punished," she said. Thanabalasingham came to Canada in July 1991 and was granted refugee status, then became a landed immigrant on Aug. 31, 1992. Police believe he became leader of the VVT in 1997, after the two former alleged leaders, Sri Ranjan Rasa and Niranjan Claude Fabian, were arrested (the men remain in Canada fighting their deportation). VVT's primary target was rival AK Kannan, whose stronghold was in Scarborough. Police allege Jothiravi Sittampalam formed that group, naming it after his street name (Kannan, meaning God) and his love for the AK-47 assault weapon. Before his incarceration he had more than one attempt on his life including the incident in April 2001 when his car was surrounded on an off-ramp of Highway 404 and VVT members opened fire, only slightly injuring him. One of the gangs' most high-profile crimes occurred in December 1997, when suspected VVT members shot at a doughnut shop that was a known AK Kannan hangout, killing Kapilan Palasanthiran, an innocent University of Waterloo student, and injuring two others. During a series of retaliatory crimes, a gang member was seriously injured in 2000 after he was run over by a car, followed by an attack on occupants of a car idling at a Kennedy Rd. address in Scarborough. It was again a case of mistaken identity and two Tamil teenagers not connected to the gangs were killed. "For three years the Tamil community was held hostage by two gangs vying for control in Toronto," said Det. Sgt. Greg Getty, head of Project 1050, in an interview yesterday before Thanabalasingham was escorted on a 10:40 p.m. flight out of Toronto. "If he does get deported, it's a great day for the Tamil community." Only 10 of the 51 alleged gang members arrested in 2001 have been deported. They include AK Kannan's reputed senior member, 33-year-old Panchalingam Nagalingam, who was deported in December. Panchan, as he was known in the community, was often referred to as an AK Kannan enforcer. Police sometimes called him "the cat" for his ability to cheat death. Before his arrest in December 2000, bullets narrowly missed his baby son and girlfriend. Through the media, he told the shooters to leave his family alone and to deal with him instead. In March the next year, he was shot six times as he left the Mimico Detention Centre, where he was serving a sentence on weekends. When interviewed by the Star that summer Nagalingam said he had "no idea" why he was targeted. Another senior member associated with the VVT was deported in January. Jeyaseelan Thuraisingam, known on the street as Seelapu, was deported after his final court appeal for protection was thrown out. Sittampalam, the alleged 35-year-old leader of AK Kannan, remains in Canada awaiting a final federal court appeal. Unlike Thanabalasingham, who paid a $55,000 cash bond in January 2004, with a promise of $40,000 more if he violated bail conditions, Sittampalam has remained in custody since his 2001 arrest. "These are largely permanent residents and people whom Canada has granted protection from persecution and the threshold for deportation is much higher," said Canadian Border and Security Agency spokesperson Anna Pape yesterday, explaining the time it takes for these cases to work their way through immigration and court appeals. "Just because it's a lengthy process doesn't mean it's not worth pursuing. The real success of this project lies at the community level. It's meaningful to Canadians because our efforts are resulting in the dismantling of a network of organized criminals and resulting in a large reduction of local crime." After the arrests four and a half years ago, many in Toronto's Tamil community said they breathed a sigh of relief and there was a noticeable dip in crime in Tamil neighbourhoods. But lately some new youths are attempting to fill the void. Police sources say that while the violence has not reached the level it was in the 1990s, Tamil youth groups calling themselves names such as the MCF (Money Comes First), Bravehearts or TBT (True Brown Thugs), are starting to build up their ranks. 28 March 2006 Minister's
secretary shot dead Major fire at UPF leader’s house A major fire broke out at UPF leader P. Chandrasekaran’s Colombo residence in a high security zone last night, completely razing the second floor, while Mr. Chandrasekaran and his family had been asleep, but there were no reports of injuries to them. Police and Fire Brigade sources said the 13 –year-old son of parliamentarian Susantha Punchinilame who lives next door had noticed the fire and alerted the fire brigade. They said Mr. Chandrasekaran, his wife and two daughters escaped without injuries from the residence down Keppetipola Mawatha adjoining Summit flats. Fire fighters were battling to bring the fire under control and stop it from spreading to adjoining buildings.The house was earlier occupied by Samurdhi Affairs Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi. Several Tamil politicians rushed to the scene while Fire Brigade duty officer W.J. Sumathipala said it was too early to assess the damage. Fishing restrictions
re-imposed Military authorities say the move is aimed at stopping Tamil Tigers using fishermen for weapons smuggling. Weapons smuggling Navy spokesman Commander DKP Dassanayake told BBC Sandeshaya that the ban is intended for multi-day fishing trawlers weighing more than three tons and more than 20 feet in length. “This is purely imposed because of the threat posed by the LTTE. Multi-day fishing trawlers being used for transfer of war-like materials, mostly high-tech lethal weapons,” he told bbcsinhala.com. He accused the Tamil Tigers of transporting weapons using fishing boats “under the cover of” ceasefire agreed with the government. Six Tamil Tigers were killed and eight sailors are still missing after a mid-sea explosion off Kalpitiya on Saturday. The LTTE has denied any involvement but the international truce monitors say it is difficult to rule out LTTE hand. Madawala ghost for Ratwatte Former Deputy Defence Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte was in for a surprise yesterday when he visited the ghost town of Madawala – site of the Udathalawinna massacre - where factories, schools and shops were shut protesting his visit there.The former Defence Minister was in Madawala to take part in a propaganda campaign of the UPFA. Mr. Ratwatte was acquitted in a case involving the massacre of ten Muslim youth in the Madawala area in 2001.An attempt by the people to hoist black flags protesting against the massacre of ten Muslim youth in Madawala was foiled by the police. Signs of SLFP- JVP marriage breaking up The JVP has communicated to government top rungers that it will take a decision whether to continue its support to the government after the local government elections unless acts of violence unleashed on the JVP by the SLFP were not brought to an immediate end. Attacks on JVP supporters were reported over the past few days from various parts of the island injuring a JVP parliamentarian, a provincial councilor, a former Pradeshiya Sabha member and several party candidates. Some of the injured are still under treateetn in several hospitals. A JVP member who was critically injured in an attack by a group of SLFP supporters at Vijayapura Junction, Anuradhapura recently is still being treated at the intensive care unit of the Colombo National Hospital. The JVP pointed the finger at a group of supporters of Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake and Deputy Minister Duminda Dissanayake for the attack. The Chief Minister while vehemently rejecting the JVP allegations claimed it was he who made arrangements to dispatch the injured person to the Colombo National Hospital. In another incident involving SLFP and JVP supporters at Mapalagama, Nagoda, Galle, JVP parliamentarian Thilakaratne Withanachchi and 15 of his supporters were injured. The JVP charged that the attacks were being carried out by the SLFP in an organized manner especially in areas where the JVP is ahead of the SLFP. At a media briefing convened by the JVP tomorrow, the party is expected to make a statement on these attacks and its future strategy. Meanwhile sources close to the President said that he might call a snap general election if the Freedom Alliance could secure victory in 150 local bodies or more at the mini poll. As the JVP and the SLFP lock horns in this manner, it is reported that President's emissaries are engaged in talks with UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe about a possible political partnership. It is also said these unofficial talks have received blessings of the President. At the last cabinet press briefing, Government Spokesman Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa denied reports that claimed talks were underway for a national government. We support Tamil right to self-rule in Sri Lanka’ ….- Erik Solheim Erik Solheim, Norwegian Minister of International Development in a wide ranging interview to Indian magazine Tehelka has said Norway is supporting Tamil right to self-rule in Sri Lanka. Text of the interview as follows: The Sri Lankan government was against holding the talks in Norway, as demanded by the Tigers. They insisted that talks be held in Sri Lanka or in some Asian country. How did the two parties agree on Geneva finally? The two parties agreed to meet after being convinced that the ceasefire agreement must be upheld to prevent further escalation of the situation. Norway reassured the parties of its readiness to facilitate talks wherever they agree to meet. They agreed on Geneva on a suggestion from the facilitator. Switzerland has always, in their eyes, played a constructive role and maintained an unbiased approach in the peace process. What was the agenda for the talks? Negotiations in Geneva were not means to end the conflict, but it is very positive that the parties agreed to discuss how to improve the serious security situation. You have held talks with both the parties. What are the major complaints and grievances on each side? The main complaints relate to the high level of killings, abductions and violence over the last month. But I cannot paraphrase the parties’ positions on these matters. Do you believe a negotiated solution is possible, given the history of aborted agreements and failure of peace initiatives in the last five decades between the Sinhalese and the Tamils? I sincerely believe in a negotiated political solution. The Norwegian government is committed to actively promoting peace and reconciliation internationally. We will continue to give priority to facilitating the peace process in Sri Lanka as long as the parties request our efforts and we see that we can play a constructive role. I hope that the parties gain mutual confidence to take the peace process forward. There is clear pressure on President Mahinda Rajapakse from his allies, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and Jathika Hela Urumaya, not to concede even the most basic demands of Tamils. Both parties favour a solution within a unitary state structure, a departure from former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe. With Rajapakse dependent on them for survival, how meaningful can talks be? I cannot in my position as third party facilitator involve myself in political issues regarding internal dynamics on either side. Do you think a solution is possible within a unitary state structure? I take the view that the parties should not be blinded by the use of different terms and find a solution acceptable to all Sri Lankans. What in your view are the legitimate grievances of Tamils? There is broad agreement in the international community on support for Tamil rights to some form of self-rule or power sharing within a united Sri Lanka. Do you agree with the view that trouble started with the controversial Ceylon Citizenship Act in 1948 disenfranchising thousands of Tamils, the declaration of Sinhala as official language, and the subsequent laws in education favouring the Sinhalese etc, resulting in the alienation of Tamils? Both parties would have a different take on this issue. Norway is tasked to bring the parties to the table and assist them in finding a durable solution to the conflict. We have to be careful in our comments on historical matters, however important they may be. There is a view that the eu will revoke its travel ban on LTTE cadre post-Geneva talks. Do you see that happening? Norway is not a member of the eu and thus not involved in eu deliberations. We do not have an official stance on this issue. The Sri Lankan government’s proxy war against the LTTE through the Karuna group is said to be the main cause for the escalation in violence. Has the government given any assurance of disarming Karuna?
The parties are committed to end the campaign of violence. What did the LTTE’s Prabhakaran tell you? Prabhakaran promised to do his part to put a stop to the escalating violence. He reaffirmed his commitment to the peace process and a peaceful solution. The US seems to have taken a pro-Sinhala stand. The recent statements of Under Secretary Nicholas Burns and Ambassador Jeffrey Lunstead betray their bias. Many governments, including the US, expressed their support to the parties ahead of the talks. We are encouraged by the support of India, US and others to Norway’s involvement as facilitators. What was the outcome of your recent Indian visit and meetings with NSA MK Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran? India has always been supportive of the peace process and of Norway as facilitator, and reiterated its support during the meetings. Norway will continue to keep India informed throughout the process. LTTE no liberator of Tamils - Nirmala Rajasingham The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have murdered all Tamil political leaders with moderate views, Nirmala Rajasingham, sister of Rajini Thiranagama, told the BBC's Carrie Gracie in an interview last week. Thiranagama was shot dead by the LTTE in 1989, at the age of 35. She had been an LTTE activist and later had left the organisation and published a book about human rights violations in Northern Sri Lanka. No more tears sister, a film on her life story is now being screened in London. Rajasingham, who herself had been an LTTE activist and is now living in exile in the UK after being fed up of human rights violations of the LTTE, decided to speak up after nearly 20 years of silence. Excerpts from the interview: "My family members have decided that it was finally time for me to speak the truth. The time has come to express my own political view as to what's happening in Sri Lanka openly and do my duty to my people. The assassination was a very planned and high level decision. My sister was a very outspoken person. She and her close associates were all destroyed. The LTTE has evolved into a very centralised authority and military outlet that doesn't give any importance to democratic forms of resistance. It is purely and simply a military organisation, organised very hierarchically, with one man on the top making all the decisions. They have the principle that they are the sole representatives of the Tamil people. If we accept them, then that means there's no room for any other alternate political opinion or political party. The situation at home is much worse. Most people only open their mouths to eat. They have to speak in coded languages. The LTTE started banning all other Tamil organisations from 1986 and that they had gone on a huge rampage and had literally destroyed one group after another, murdering several hundreds of cadres of those groups each time. The ethnic conflict started with the Sri Lankan state putting pressure on the Tamil areas. My sister and I felt that we needed to fight for the liberation of the Tamils. I was the first female to be imprisoned by the Sri Lankan Government under the 'Prevention of Terrorism Act' for harbouring and giving medical assistance to terrorists. My period in the LTTE was short because every time I turned around I saw something irregular going on and spoke up against it. It was a very oppressing atmosphere. I realised that the dream of liberating the Tamils was not being realised by the LTTE. This was when I decided to run into exile in Britain. Once you leave the Tigers, you could not do any other politics, and that if you did the price would have to be paid with your life. I am trying to be optimistic about the peace talks going on and I hope to come back to the country under a completely democratic set up." 27 March 2006 Capturing Trinco UC, key to scuttle de-merger rhetoric- TNA "Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) must capture the administration of the Trincomalee Urban Council in the local poll to scuttle the campaign by chauvinist elements for a de-merger of the NorthEast province. Tamil speaking people in the Trincomalee district must unequivocally demonstrate that they will not allow such moves to materialize," said Mr.K.Thurairatnasingham, Trincomalee district ITAK parliamentarian addressing an election meeting Sunday evening at Anpuvallipuram, a suburb that comes within the Trincomalee urban council boundary, sources in Trincomalee said. The ITAK officials in the eastern town said they have begun electioneering with full swing -four days more to go for polls which is to be held 30 March. "We should be prepared to take the challenge to capture more local authorities, especially the Trincomalee Urban Council which is the main target of the chauvinist elements. Every Tamil speaking person in Trincomalee should get out on the polling day to cast his or her vote for the ITAK symbol, HOUSE," Mr.Thurairatnasingham said. The ITAK is contesting 10 out of thirteen local authorities in the Trincomalee district including two urban councils- Trincomalee and Kinniya. The ITAK returned uncontested for Verugal Pradesiya Sabah (PS) located in the LTTE controlled Eachchilampathu division on February 16 when no other political party and independent group submitted nomination lists. The ITAK is not contesting two PSs-one is Gomarankadawela and the other Padavi Siripura in the north of the Trincomalee district. The ITAK has fielded candidates for the PS of Kantalai, Thambalakamam, Kinniya, Trincomalee Town and Gravets, Seruvila, Morawewa, Kuchchaveli and Muttur. Trincomalee district election office has made arrangements to set up cluster polling stations for about 10,000 voters registered in the LTTE held Muttur east villages in the no-man zone located beyond the Kaddaiparichchan bridge which divides the LTTE and SLA controlled territories. At the last presidential poll held in November 2005, election department located cluster polling stations for Muttur east voters into the government-controlled area one km away from the Kaddaiparichchan SLA camp on the direction of the Supreme Court. The Election Department arranged transport for those voters to travel from their villages to the cluster-polling stations to cast their votes. But they boycotted the presidential election.In the 2004 parliamentary election, the election department located cluster-polling station in the no-man zone located between the SLA and LTTE held territories. For the current local election the Election Department has agreed to locate cluster polling stations in the no-man zone between the two borders of the SLA and LTTE like in the last parliamentary poll. The Department has also made arrangement to send about 15 buses to transport voters from the LTTE held villages to no-man zone during the polling day, sources said.Of about 33 thousand registered voters, 16 thousand are Tamils in the Muttur PS area. LTTE 'not fighting'
in GoSL land “Western command of the Sea Tigers confirmed that there was no involvement of the sea Tigers in this incident,” Pulithevan told BBC Sandeshaya. SLMM statement He added that it is the responsibility of the GoSL to investigate the incident happened in area under their control. But the international truce monitors have not accepted the explanation given by the Tigers. Strongly condemning the attack, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), said it is hard to rule out LTTE hand on the incident happened on Saturday, though the Tamil Tigers have denied any involvement. “Based on SLMM’s previous experience during the period of the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) we feel that we cannot at this stage rule out their involvement,” a statement issued on Sunday said. Paramilitaries Pulithevan also accused the Sri Lanka Army of not living up to the pledges given to Geneva to disarm paramilitary groups. The LTTE handed over a list of SLA commanders who are collaborating with the paramilitary groups. But the Sri Lanka military denies any involvement with the paramilitaries operating in the north and east. Six Tamil Tiger rebels have died after blowing up their vessel off Sri Lanka's north-west coast, according to the military. The blast came as the navy approached the rebel boat which was suspected of gun-running, a military spokesman said. Eight sailors are missing, while 11 others were rescued. The navy gunboat was also destroyed in the explosion. President to take up Dvora attack at int’l level President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to take up Saturday’s LTTE suicide attack on the Navy’s Dvora at international level, while intelligence reports claimed there were aircraft parts, missiles and explosives on board the blown up LTTE trawler. A high ranking defence official told the Daily Mirror yesterday that the President after a series of meeting with his advisors and defence officials had taken this decision to inform the international community of the attack and pressurise the LTTE. Meanwhile, a military official said the navy was on high alert in the western seas of the country during the last few days as there were intelligence reports that the Tigers were transporting war-like material from a ship in the high seas off the south coast. Intelligence reports also claimed that parts of an aircraft, missiles and explosives were being transported in this particular trawler which had a Sinhala name on its hull, he said. The military believes that the six persons aboard the trawler would have exploded it to prevent it from being captured and its cargo exposed to the world, the official said. He said that an inquiry was underway to establish how the Navy’s Dvora was hit. Initial investigations revealed that the Dvora had gone close to the LTTE craft which was carrying six men on board after detecting it about 17 nautical miles from Kalpitiya and ordered it to stop to check.When the navy spoke to the men aboard the LTTE craft using a mega phone, one of them had replied in broken Sinhala that they were fishermen. Suddenly, the trawler, heavily laden with explosives blew itself seriously damaging the Dvora around 11.00 am. Due to the blast eight sailors were presumed dead. Eleven others were rescued by another Dvora operating in the nearby seas. Six LTTE men also were killed. SLMM condemns attack on Navy The SLMM in a statement said yesterday that it could not rule out the possibility of LTTE’s involvement in Saturday’s attack on a Navy vessel. While strongly condemning the attack, the SLMM said it was still too early to establish exactly the details of the attack and that it was currently conducting investigations. “The LTTE has denied any involvement. However, based on SLMM’s previous experience during the period of the Ceasefire Agreement, we feel that we cannot at this stage rule out its involvement” the SLMM said. The statemenrt said, “The SLMM would like to urge the LTTE to extend its full cooperation to both the Sri Lankan Government and the SLMM on this matter in the hope that we can establish how this attack came about and how such incidents can be avoided in the future. “There has been a dangerous escalation of violence taking place over the last couple of weeks. This trend is extremely worrying as the parties prepare themselves to meet in Geneva for a second round of talks in four weeks time. “Several serious incidents took place in Trincomalee Bay during the last week resulting in exchange of fire between the Sri Lankan Navy and the LTTE. The SLMM would like to stress that both sides have shown lack of commitment and their actions have been provocative and not in line with the spirit of the CFA. “Finally the SLMM would like to urge both parties to refrain from provocative acts and live up to the pledges they made in Geneva by showing their true commitment to the CFA. If the parties do not take responsibility, we fear that the situation could become gradually worse resulting in an escalation beyond what we had in December and January. Confidential report to President says JVP will be defeated A research by a group close to the President has revealed that the JVP will not secure power in any of the local authorities at the local government polls. The research report has been handed over to the President recently. According to the report the JVP will suffer defeat at the only local government body under its control, the Tissamaharama Pradeshiya Sabha. The UNP will emerge victorious in JVP strongholds, the report has said. In areas where the JVP is strong, the Freedom Alliance will obtain 30 % of votes while the JVP will secure 25% and UNP with 40% will gain control in such local bodies, the report has further indicated. At the 2002 local government election, the United National Party swept the board as the anti-UNP vote was divided among the People's Alliance and the JVP. For instance at the Habaraduwa Pradeshiya Sabha, 51,382 voters had cast their votes out of the total of 72354 registered voters,in which the UNP obtained 23,936 votes, the People's Alliance 20650 and the JVP 4102 votes. If the PA and the JVP contested in an Alliance it would have won the Pradeshiya Sabha by 816 votes. Similarly at the Kaduwela Pradeshiya Sabha, the UNP secured 40161 votes. The PA got 33736 votes while the JVP received 8016 votes. Had the PA and the JVP contested under one banner they would have gained control in the Pradeshiya Sabha by a majority of 1591 votes. Te UNP was able to win the majority of the local authorities at the last local government poll, as the anti-UNP vote was divided among the PA and the JVP. At this election in addition to the Freedom Alliance and the JVP, the Hela Urumaya is also in the fray and as a result the anti-UNP vote will be further divided. JVP General Secretary Tylvin Silva has stated that the JVP will gain control in more than 50 local authorities. Meanwhile a confidential report prepared by the Police Intelligence on behalf of the Inspector General has indicated that the JVP is streets ahead in their propaganda campaign over the Freedom Alliance. According to this report the JVP has the edge over the Freedom Alliance in the Hambantota, Matara, Kegalle, Ratnapura, Monaragala and Anuradhapura districts. LG polls campaign ends tonight All polls related activities including canvassing and public rallies will end at midnight today, the Elections Department said. According to Commissioner General of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake, police heads had been instructed to remove polls related banners and posters from midnight today. The local government polls will be held on Thursday to elect members to 266 local government bodies in the country. However, the election to 22 councils has been held up on court orders. More than 160,000 officials will be deployed for duty on the polling day. Father of two children knifed to death in Valaichenai Kulathunga Regikanth (26) of Kurinchnagar was abducted by paramilitary group on Saturday morning and his dead body with cut injuries was later found in Valaichenai. According to Regikanth’s relatives, Regikanth, was operating with a paramilitary group and deserted the group four months ago. He has not involved himself in any such activities since and has been living an ordinary life. The paramilitary group which he deserted has been threatening him with death ever since his desertion. On the day of his abduction and murder, a group of 20 armed men were waiting for him near Valaichenai Police station. Regikanth passed the police station on his way to home in Kurinchinagar from Karuvakerni when he was abducted.Relatives of Regikanth suspect, Kathirgamathamby Jeyaseelan (alias Jeyanthan) and Suman (alias Ajith) who are two prominent members of the paramilitary Karuna group for the abduction and murder of Regikanth. JVP victim of UPFA attack air lifted to Colombo Two JVP supporters, who were seriously injured when UPFA supporters attacked them, had been admitted to Anuradhapura hospital. As the condition of one of them, M. Bandula Marambage, was critical, he was airlifted to Colombo on Saturday evening and admitted to the National Hospital, on the orders of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The clash had occurred on Friday night at Wijayapura junction in the East Anuradhapura electorate. UPFA supporter Sanjeewa Kaluarachchi and T.K. Siritilleke alias ‘Pala’ of the JVP were also admitted to Anuradhapura hospital with injuries. According to JVP MP Ranaweera Pathiratne, supporters of North Central Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake and Deputy Minister Duminda Dissanayake had allegedly assaulted the JVPers. President addressing the UPFA candidates recently asked party workers not to engage in clashes with the friendly parties who were contesting the election. The JVP and the JHU are contesting the Local Government polls separately though they support the central government. The parties cncerned specially the JVP cadres worked hard to make Mahinda Rajapaksa the president , when some of the SLFP stalwarts including the then President Chandrika Bandaranaike, were evading the election campaign. There had been clashes reported from several areas where all three major parties were involved. A Muslim unit in the Sri Lanka Army The Sri Lanka Army is going to recruit a batch of Muslim soldiers to safeguard Muslims living in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. The interviews will be held at the Konduwatuwana Army Camp in Ampara. The new recruits will be attached to a new unit of the light infantry corps. This is the first time a government military unit is formed on an ethnic basis. The Sri Lanka military does not usually recruit personnel on ethnic lines but the forces are dominated by the majority community, the Sinhalese. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) charged at last month’s Geneva peace talks that there are Muslim militant groups in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Four policemen netted for robbing vehicles Four policemen including an Inspector in charge of a Police Sports Unit in Kurunegala division responsible for a series of vehicle robberies in the area were taken into custody during the weekend. The suspects an Inspector and three Police Constables were arrested on a tip off by a person whose vehicle was robbed by the suspects at gun point recently. HQI Kurunegala police CI Anil Priyantha told the Daily Mirror the suspected policemen had robbed a car recently in the guise of requesting a lift. They had reportedly forcibly got control of the vehicle and dropped the driver on the way and fled the scene. The driver who had gone to the police station attached to the Kurunegala division to lodge a complaint had identified one of the constables present there as one was with the robbers. He had reported the incident to Kurunegala Police Headquarters Station and the suspected policemen were arrested. According to initial investigations the suspects had been responsible for 17 vehicle robberies carried out in and out of the district and believed to have transferred the vehicles to uncleared areas in the East. The suspects were later produced before Kurunegala Magistrate and remanded. The police are continuing investigations. New houses for Sri Lanka's estate workers The Sri Lankan government is going to construct 50,000 new houses for estate worker families currently living in estate line houses. The project's commencement ceremony was held today at Ragala in the Nuwara Eliya district. The project, named ‘Jana Sewana’ (People’s Shelter), was ceremonially inaugurated by Minister of Estate Infrastructure and Veterinary Resources R.M.C.B. Ratnayake. The government has allocated Rs.1.25 billion for this project. A further Rs. 750 million has been allocated for road development in estate areas. The Ministry of Estate Infrastructure and Veterinary Resources recently started a door-to-door mail delivery service for estate workers with the help of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunication. Until then, letters addressed to the workers were handed over to the estate office and the workers had to go there to collect them. Estate workers are the first wage labourer class of Sri Lanka. The colonial rulers had to bring these workers from neighbouring South India as Sri Lankans at the time did not offer themselves for state labour. The estate workers went on to contribute immensely to the economic development of the country. But they did not receive proper basic facilities such as housing, sanitation or water. The dwellings in which they have been living for generations are single room line houses with common toilets and minimal other facilities. Army Commander stranded on Dambulla rock Army Commander Sarath Fonseka was stranded on the Dambulla rock for about an hour and a half on Saturday afternoon when he visited the Dambulla Temple. When the convoy carrying the Army Commander entered the Dambulla Temple premises through an alternative route, the gate was locked. But it was alleged that the Commander’s security officers had broken the padlock of the gate and entered the premises. Later the security personnel of the Temple had informed the Chief Priest Ven Inamaluwe Sri Sumangala Thera. He had again locked the gate using a new padlock. As a result the Commander had to stay inside the premises for more than one hour. Later some of the security officers of the Commander had gone to meet the Chief priest and got the gate opened. However, Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe rejected the allegations and said the Commander normally did not inform any other party before visiting any place due to security situation. On that day also the Commander went to the Temple without informing anyone, and the convoy entered the temple premises through a gate, which was closed, but not locked. “As the gate was not locked, Commander’s security men had opened the gate and entered the premises and parked their vehicles”. After spending more than one hour at the Temple, when the Commander returned to his vehicle, he had found that the gate was locked. Later the security officials had met with the Chief Priest of the Temple and got the gate opened, the spokesman said. “We never did any thing wrong thing, and also there
was no sign board near the gate too, that is why the convoy entered the
premises”, the spokesman added. Following complaints registered with the Vavuniya District
Judge M. Ilancheliyan by residents of Sasthrikoolankulam of alleged Sri
Lanka Army (SLA) involvement in the killing of a merchant on Friday, the
Judge ordered the Commanding Officers of Kalmadu, Pampaimadu and Thandikulam
army camps to appear in courts on Monday, legal sources in Vavuniya said.
Following the incident, Vavuniya District Judge visited the site on Saturday and had discussions with residents of the area. Local witnesses had told the Judge: "A white van came to the site of the incident on the previos day, Thursday. The same people who came in the van were the gunmen at Firday's shooting. Two Sinhala letters (U Ha) were inscribed on that white van. On Friday, six men arrived in the van and two remained in the van while the other four got down. Two men stood close to the van while the other two entered Mr. Murugesu's shop and shot him dead." "Twenty minutes before the incident took place, soldiers who came to that area on a motor cycle had a look at the site," eyewitnesses told the Judge. Neighbours who took the dead person and the injured man to the hospital. "An hour after the incident, the SLA soldiers who were at the site demanded a local resident to bring water. When the person showed up, they the soldiers beat him and left the place." "The soldiers returned after 2 hours and asked him whether the injured person would die or survive. They also asked whether he could identify the gunmen." Having listened to these statements, Mr.M . Ilanchelian ordered the Commanding Officers of Kalmadu, Pampaimadu and Thandikulam army camps located around Sasthrikoolankulam to appear in courts on Monday and give their statements. In this connection the order issued to the Vavuniya ASP states "if one is asked to to appear for an inquiry in connection with a crime, under section 307 (05) of the Criminal Act the magistrate can order the said person to appear in courts. At the same time the witness could be ordered to produce to the courts documents and evidences connected with the said incident. But if the order is violated, under section 307 (06) the said person could be brought to courts and his statement taken," legal sources in Vavuniya said. Legal sources added the SLA Commanding officers have to obtain warrants from the court and produce them in the court if they intend to violate Judge's orders. Meanwhile, the District Judge has issued written orders to Vavuniya Police Officer in Charge, Tennekoon, to make arrangements for the injured person to be treated at a hospital in another district and to provide security. He has also issued written orders to Major General Edirisighe to make arrangements for the Commanding Officers to be produced in courts. 26 March 2006 LTTE, TNA discuss Vavuniya violence with SLMM Head of Vavuniya LTTE Political Wing, Mr Gnanam, Tamil
National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians, and several Vavuniya civil society
representatives held discussions with members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring
Mission (SLMM) on escalating violence in Vavuniya targetted against businesspersons,
at the LTTE political office in Puliyankulam at 10.30 a.m. Saturday, sources
from Vavuniya said. Mr Gnanam told the SLMM that violence against traders by paramilitaries operating with the help of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) will create a serious impediment to peace and that proper steps should be taken to stop the violence urgently. He added that the business activity in Vavuniya will be badly affected if this situation is allowed to continue. Mr Kishor expressed concern that the SLMM members have not visited the site in Sasthrikulankulam where Vavuniya trader Mr Murugesu was killed for more than 12 hours after the killing Friday night. Mr Kishor said that he had received information from eye witnesses and local residents that paramilitaries who are involved in demanding extortions from traders are operating from Mundrumurippu and the high security zone in Omanthai with the collaboration of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and that investigations should be initiated to verify the veracity of these allegations. Mr Adaikalanathan said that the civil society is organizing a hartal in Vavuniya on Tuesday and Wednesday protesting against the violence in Vavuniya. All businesses except hospitals will be closed during these two days, the MP said. He added the protests will continue inside the parliament by TNA MPs and outside the parliament by Vavuniya trading community until the Sri Lanka Government brings the violence to an end Meanwhile, legal sources in Vavuniya said, following complaints by residents of Sasthrikoolankulam of alleged Sri Lanka Army (SLA) involvement in the killing of a merchant on Friday, the Vavuniya District Court Judge Mr Ilancheliyan has ordered the Commanding Officers of Kalmadu, Pampaimadu and Thandikulam army camps to appear in courts on Monday. Karuna's visa to India stirs hornet's nest at HC Investigations have revealed that renegade LTTE Eastern Commander, Karuna was smuggled into India in 2005 after obtaining a visa from the Indian High Commission in Colombo. The visa application of Karuna had been forwarded to the Indian High Commission by his handlers through a travel agency in Colombo. It is learnt, Karuna had left Sri Lanka through the Bandaranaike International Airport as a regular passenger. Following Karuna's departure, a separate visa application had been forwarded three days later for his wife but that application had been detected by officials at the Indian High Commission and the visa was refused. Following this detection an inquiry was held at the Indian High Commission to ascertain whether there was collusion between Karuna's handlers in Colombo and High Commission officials in facilitating the renegade LTTE commander's departure to India. An informed source in the Indian High Commission confirmed to The Sunday Leader that Karuna had obtained a visa from the High Commission and travelled to India leading to an internal inquiry in the High Commission. It is learnt, Karuna had subsequently left India and joined his wife in Singapore. President Mahinda Rajapakse who was prime minister at the time Karuna was whisked off to India has not been briefed on this development and is unaware of the whereabouts of Karuna, an informed source said. 28 Govt. conditions for LTTE offices The government laid down a series of conditions for the LTTE to re-open its political offices in government-controlled areas, compelling the Tigers to indefinitely put off the idea, officials said. The 28 conditions were communicated to the LTTE Jaffna leader Ilamparidi in a letter from the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission following a separate meeting with the security forces in the area on Tuesday, military officials said on condition of anonymity. Subsequently, the Secretariat for Co-ordinating the Peace Process also dispatched a communiqué addressed to the SLMM on Monday stating the government's position on the issue. The main conditions spelt out in the three-page letter
included; * Contact details including mobile numbers * No extortion or taxes to be levied * The cadre will conduct themselves according to laws/restrictions
in government-controlled territory On Wednesday, a day after the scheduled opening was called off, LTTE's political wing head S.P. Thamilselvan charged that the conditions violated the spirit of the Geneva agreement reached last month. "We reject the concept of anybody laying down conditions for our members to do political work among our people. The understanding reached at the Geneva talks is being totally nullified by this stance of the Sri Lankan government. If the noble goals of the Geneva talks such as the peace dividend, normalcy and confidence-building are to become a reality, then we are afraid that this posturing by the government and the military is not going to be a step in the right direction," .Thamilselvan was quoted as saying on the Tigers' peace secretariat website. Meanwhile Sri Lanka's Army commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka said the conditions were set to prevent the LTTE from abusing the tenets of the ceasefire agreement, which he said were flawed. “One of the weakest areas of the agreement is allowing the LTTE to do political work in government areas," Fonseka told The Sunday Times on the sidelines of re-launching the Army website on Friday. The ceasefire agreement allows the Tigers to engage in political work but there is no mention of setting up offices under the February 2002 truce agreement. Similarly, it permits the travel of unarmed rebels in government-held areas to engage in political activities. Tiger request for airlift turned down The LTTE had made the request through Norwegian peace brokers and wanted its cadre to be transported from Kiliniochchi to Batticaloa and Trincomalee. "Defense authorities have informed that air transport cannot be granted at this moment," the government said in a brief letter to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission. The Tigers were duly informed on Thursday. Army Commander says CFA flawed Army commander, Sarath Fonseka, last week came out strongly against the ceasefire agreement charging it was flawed. Lt. General Fonseka made his comments following the re-launch of the Army website on Friday at Army Headquarters. "The LTTE has exploited CFA's flaws to enter government controlled areas to carry out political activities", the Army commander also said. Fonseka's comments come a month after the government negotiating team which included Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda agreed in Geneva to uphold and respect the CFA in a joint statement with the LTTE issued after the talks. The next round of talks is scheduled to commence on April 19. The Army Commander also charged that no one consulted the Army before the signing of the CFA and that if their opinion was sought they would not have accepted the conditions in the agreement. The JVP and JHU have also stated the CFA was flawed. Former Army Commander, Shantha Kottegoda, while chief of staff participated in the peace talks between the former UNP government and the LTTE from 2002 to May 2003. Postponement unfair - EPDP The EPDP has claimed that the decision to postpone local government elections in the north and the Batticaloa District in the east has undermined the democratic rights of the people. The EPDP has charged that the LTTE and the TNA after failing in every effort taken to put down the party, finally resorted to protesting against the holding of elections in the north and east. EPDP Leader, Minister Douglas Devananda has said that the party would do everything possible to protect the democratic right of the people in the north and east to vote at an election. Vavuniya businessman
shot dead Ramesh has been taken to the Vavuniya General Hospital. His condition is not serious, hospital sources said. Escalation of violence targeted at businessmen in Vavuniya has brought fear and tension within the business community, civil society groups in Vavuniya said. On Wednesday M. Gunaratnam, another Vavuniya businessman who ran a travel business was killed. The killings follow death threats and extortion demands believed to be from paramilitaries operating in the Vavuniya district during the last two months. 25 March 2006 Suicide blast kills six Tamil Tigers, eight Sri Lankan sailors missing Six suspected Tamil Tigers were killed and eight Sri
Lankan sailors were missing after rebels blew themselves up and sank a
navy gunboat that had approached their trawler. "The navy suspected that the trawler was involved in gun running and got near it to carry out a search," a defence official told AFP. "As the FAC (Fast Attack Craft) got near, the six people aboard the trawler blew themselves up." In January, suspected Tamil Tiger rebels blew up a similar gunboat, killing 15 sailors, in a suicide attack outside the northeastern port of Trincomalee. The rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) deployed a woman cadre to ram an explosives-laden vessel into an Israeli-built gunboat, the navy said at the time. The navy this week detained a fishing trawler operated by suspected Tamil rebels off the island's troubled northern waters while troops and guerrillas exchanged fire in the Jaffna peninsula. The crew of the trawler are still being held by security forces after they were arrested while operating in a restricted zone off the island's north. Sri Lanka has repeatedly accused the Tigers of using the cover of fishermen to launch attacks against the navy. Tension has been rising in the troubled northeast, with the guerrillas accusing the military of building new bunkers in violation of their four-year-old ceasefire. The Tigers accused the navy of attacking villages in the northeast last Monday. The navy said they had fired only in self defence after being attacked by Tigers. There have been sporadic skirmishes despite agreement by both sides last month to scale down violence ahead of another round of talks at a venue in Switzerland next month on saving their troubled truce. More than 60,000 people have been killed in Sri Lanka's drawn-out Tamil separatist conflict. Strike grips Trincomalee town amid tension A strike gripped Sri Lanka's restive northeast as Tamil Tiger rebels and the Colombo government traded allegations of reneging on their latest pledges to uphold a troubled truce. Shops and offices shut in the district of Trincomalee in response to the one-day strike called by 'Pongu Tamil Forum' (TDPTF), local residents and officials said on Friday. They said the Pongu Thamil organisation which ordered the strike to protest alleged truce violations by security forces is a front of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. Tension has been rising in the troubled region, with the LTTE accusing the military of building new bunkers in violation of their four-year-old truce. The group said the strike is to protest what it claimed are ongoing truce violations by government forces, including the building of bunkers and harassment of civilians by troops. The defence ministry, meanwhile, said Tiger guerrillas fired small arms at a military camp in the area late Thursday, but there were no casualties. The two sides during their talks in Switzerland last month agreed to scale down violence and meet again in April to discuss the implementation of their tenuous truce that has been in place since February 2002. The Swiss talks were held after a spike in violence claimed at least 153 lives between December and January. More than 60,000 people have been killed in Sri Lanka's drawn-out Tamil separatist conflict. UNP loses CMC
petition The judiciary has ruled that the decision by Colombo retaining officer, Mahinda Deshapriya, was legal as the UNP list included a candidate under the qualifying age of 18 years.Justices K Sripavan and Sisira de Abroo decided against the petition by UNP General Secretary NKK Veragoda that argued the 2005 electoral lists should be considered for the 31 March local polls. The UNP has held the power in CMC for decades since independence.Sri Lanka’s ruling alliance, United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), has also lost an appeal against the decision to reject nominations for their stronghold, Gampaha Municipal Council, under the similar grounds.Elections for 261 local government bodies are to be held on 31 March. Polls Chief wants PR system changed Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake yesterday called for changes to the electoral system to include both the first past the post and the PR system. Speaking at a news conference Mr. Dissanayake said such a mixed electoral system was widely accepted in the world and that he believed the PR system did not suit the country. “It appears that the candidates are selected not based on academic qualifications but on the strength of their limbs”, the Commissioner said. Mr. Dissanayake ruled out any re-polling in the event of violence at polling booths saying no funds had been allocated for such an exercise. With the country gearing itself for the local polls, the Elections Commissioner said polls for 22 local bodies would not be held since there were petitions against them. The Commissioner said the number of election related incidents were not as much as those reported during the presidential elections. Mr. Dissanayake said voters who do not possess the national identity should have been provided an alternative method of proving their identity when exercising their franchise. US opens first children's park in Trincomalee Colombo: The US Friday gave the children of Trincomalee in eastern Sri Lanka a safe new place to play and help put the trauma of tsunami behind by opening a play park for kids. The Children's Park at Kulakkotan is the third of 85 play parks planned for 12 tsunami-affected districts under a partnership developed by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). It is the first park completed in the east. "The ability to play has a significant positive impact on a children's recovery from a traumatic event like the tsunami," said USAID director Carol Becker at the park's opening. "Our hope is that parks like this will help bring families together so that the memory of the tsunami can fade to be replaced by happy, positive thoughts." The $2 million project is funded by USAID, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee and the Bush-Clinton Tsunami Relief Fund. It is being implemented by Sarvodaya, the largest national NGO in Sri Lanka. "These children's parks are a great example of a public-private partnership to improve the daily lives of the many Sri Lankan children affected by the tsunami," Becker said.The next park, at Kalutura, is scheduled to open next week. Army-student clash over Ealam flag at Jafna Technical College The Army and police entered the Jaffna Technical College premises yesterday morning and removed the Ealam flag hoisted there. The LTTE said that the Army personnel entered the college premises in a military vehicle and assaulted the students. It is said that the Ealam flag had been hoisted at a ceremony to pay homage to a portrait of Annai Poopathy who died while engaging in a fast unto death against the Indian peace Keeping Force and while the ceremony was going on, the Army had entered the premises and set upon the students. The LTTE said the Army assaulted 15 students including student leader Sugandhan and 8 female students. It is also alleged that the Army damaged the picture of Pooathi and smashed several windows. A tense atmosphere prevailed in the area after the incident and it is reported that students are set to stage a protest condemning the Army attack. According to the Students Union, Army personnel have removed mobile phones and digital cameras of the students as well. The incident has been complained to the Monitoring Mission. Meanwhile military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said the hoisting of the Ealam flag in a government technical college was a violation of the cease-fire agreement, He said repeated requests were made over the past three days to remove the flag and a message was also conveyed through the Monitoring Mission yesterday. As the requests were not heeded, the Army and the police removed the Ealam flag, he said.He said that he has not received any other information regarding the incident. LTTE member killed, three injured in attack in Trincomalee A Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) cadre was killed and two injured in an attack on the LTTE Forward Defense Line sentry point located in Poonagar in Trincomalee district Thursday around 8 p.m., said LTTE sources in the east. The Tigers charged that the ambushmen had come from the Sri Lanka Army camp in Mahindapura. The Tamil Tigers on Friday accused government soldiers of firing mortars at a rebel checkpoint in eastern Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan military spokesman Brig. Sudhir Samarasinghe denied that government troops fired mortars at the checkpoint. "We never allowed anybody to go out of our camp and we totally deny the allegation," he said. LTTE's military strength key to Tamils' future- Theepan Speaking at a sports event commemorating the martyrs of the Special Reconnaissance Wing of the Liberation Tigers Wednesday, in an undisclosed location in Vanni, Northern Region Military Commander, Col.Theepan said, "Tamil peoples' future and victory in the struggle for self-determination are critically dependent on our military strength. Our continued transformation to engage and beat the enemy in all types of warfare is fundamental to our security and to live as a free nation," sources in Vanni said. The event date coincides with the memorial day of eight LTTE cadres including Captain Kandiah, Captain Karikalan and Captain Ragu, killed during reconnaissance operations preceding the second phase of Pooneryn attack in March 1994. A fighter in the LTTE Military Command post, Puviyalagan, presided the event that started at 5 p.m. Military commander, Vaheesan, and Director of the LTTE Video section, Sasikumar, lit the flame of sacrifice. Col.Jeyam, member of the LTTE delegation to Geneva Talks, hoisted the Tamileelam flag. Col Theepan garlanded the photographs of the martyrs.The event included cultural events performed by the LTTE cadres. At the conclusion Col Theepan presented awards to the winners of the sports event.Col Jeyam awarded mementos to officials who participated as referees during the event. 24 March 2006 No progress so LTTE preparing for war: TNA MP Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian Gajendran Ponnambalam yesterday claimed that the LTTE was preparing for another war since there was little or no progress in the peace process. “Since there has been no meaningful effort made to make a sensitive approach towards the issues of the civilians over the last 4 years it is pretty obvious that the LTTE is preparing for war” Mr. Ponnambalam charged in an interview with the Daily Mirror He also claimed that there has been instead a systematic effort by the Sri Lankan armed forces and the Government to undermine the LTTE by using paramilitary groups. “Under these circumstances, unless the agreement reached on the issue of the paramilitaries at the Geneva talks is upheld, I think the LTTE would feel that the peace process has failed to deliver. It would be unrealistic not to expect LTTE to be prepared and I have no doubt the Government has been preparing as well,” Mr. Ponnambalam said. “If there was significant political progress, then the steps taken towards a military approach by both sides would be minimal. But since that hasn’t happened the chances of the war resuming were very high,” he said. No plans for National Government - Yapa Cabinet Spokesman Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa yesterday declared that the Government had no intention whatsoever to form a National Government as the Government is closely working with its constituent partners and also assured of the support of minority parties. "In such a situation,the issues of forming a National Government does not arise," the Minister told the weekly Cabinet press briefing yesterday. Minister Yapa also categorically denied certain media reports that the Government was going for a General Election. "There will be no elections as the Government has a clear majority in Parliament at present," he said. "We are now in the position of forming a grand coalition which will grow and be more stronger. At present the Government is getting the support of all minority political parties. This means the Government is now more stronger than before," he said. The Government has thrown an invitation to all political parties to join hands with it, the Minister said. At present UNPers are joining the Government in large numbers - ranging from ex-Cabinet Ministers to ordinary members. At this Local Government elections too, many UNP members have crossed over to the Government side. This is because they believe the policy of President Mahinda Rajapakse will bring better prospects to the country, he said. Except for the Nuwara Eliya and Badulla districts, the CWC is also going to contest all other districts under the UPFA banner. At present SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem is also holding discussions with the Government, the Minister said. Two homeguards
released The LTTE handed over the two home guards to the leaders of the Mosques Council in Muttur at the LTTE Trincomalee district secretariat in Sampoor. Members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission were present.The two home guards giving a statement to the Police said that they told media a few days back that Jihad and Karuna group were operating in the Muttur area under the influence of the LTTE. Siddique Rezan speaking on behalf of both of them said that they were happy to have been released.“We learned a lesson from this and now we have decided not to go back to the job. We will find some labour work in the area”, Rezan said. The home guards were arrested by the LTTE on March 14th.The LTTE accused the home guards of entering their area unauthorised. A Muslim paramilitary group exists, says home guards arrested by LTTE Two Muslim home guards arrested by LTTE when the home guards attempted to enter LTTE administered area in Trincomalee, were presented to at press conference by the LTTE. In the press conference the home guards confirmed the existence of a Muslim paramilitary group, Jihath in Trincomalee, functioning with the SLA. The two home guards, Chiththirazeen (23) of Valaichenai and Aniba Anzar (30) of Thoppur, tried to enter LTTE area on 14 March and were arrested by LTTE. At the press conference the home guards said that, they attempted to enter the LTTE area of Eechchilampattu from behind the SLA camp in Mahindapuram; Jihath groups are functioning in Muthur and Thoppur and in the Muthur area Nazar, Kuththus, Valli, Mubaring, Thopik, Kanthappodirazeek, Nandu, and Vandikuddan are functioning, and for the Toppur area, Kajamuhaideen, Upaipulla, Nizamdeen, Sallem and Sarun are functioning; they do not have any contact with these Jihath members and that these Jihath members have connection with SLA chiefs. they know of the Karuna group camp in Thivuchenai located near the SLA camp and that these Karuna group members meet SLA personnel at the EPDP camp. New moderate Tamil party recognized in Sri Lanka A new Tamil party, consisting of some very senior Tamil
politicians has come into being. The party, Akhila Illankai Tamil United
Front (AITUK) has also been given recognition by the Commissioner of Elections.
The AITUK's constitution while impressing upon equality of citizens in all parts of the country has also stressed that the rights of Tamils and Muslims must be secured. The party has also vowed to work for the betterment of those who were displaced internally and externally due to the war. "Recognition for the party by the Elections Commissioner was granted on February 10, 2006," the AITUK General Secretary K. Vigneswaran told the Lanka Academic. Dr. Vigneswaran a former parliamentarian was earlier an advisor to Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda, but broke ranks with him several months ago owing to alleged 'undemocratic' style adopted by the EPDP leader. Emphasizing why such a party was created, Dr. Vigneswaran pointed out that the aim of AITUK was to rally together democratically minded and likeminded people, as there was a void of such 'democratic organizations' in the country's Tamil political sector. Meanwhile, it is reliably learnt that many top notch Tamil politicos such as former parliamentarians from the Tamil United Liberation Front(TULF), Eelam Peoples Democratic Party(EPDP), Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front(EPRLF), People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam(PLOTE), North East Provincial Council members and several Local Authority Chairmen are said to be part of this new party. Leading Tamil businessman killed A leading Tamil businessman and a member of his staff have been killed in northern Sri Lanka, officials say. Businessman M Gunaratnam ran bus services and other enterprises, the Associated Press news agency reports.An army spokesman said Mr Gunaratnam was killed by unidentified gunmen late on Wednesday evening. The motive for the killing is not clear. The killing took place near the town of Vavuniya, the army said. No one has said they carried out the attack. Prabhakaran for 200 years: Court will hear petition on May 25 The Colombo Appeals Court said a hearing will take place on May 25 on a petition filed by former DIG H.M. Kotakadeniya to direct the security establishment to enforce LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran's 200-year rigorous prison sentence. The 200-year prison sentence was passed on 31 October, 2002, by the late Judge Sarath Ambepitiya in connection with the bombing of the Central Bank on January 31, 1996. High Court Judge Ambepitiya issued an open warrant through the Criminal Investigation Department to arrest Mr. Prabhakaran and three others who were absconding. Attempt to undermine
Auditor General The Ahrc letter came after the Finance Secretary, who himself had been named in the auditor's report, criticised the official in press interviews saying his reports had a negative impact on the public sector.Ahrc have called on Sri Lanka's President to take appropriate measures to ensure the office of the auditor general maintains it's constitutional independence. Air passenger arrested A Netherlands passenger who came from Canada to Sri Lanka on the morning of March 22nd was arrested by Customs at the Airport for carrying parts which are used for sniper weapons. Moreover, after holding further investigations, police found that this was the second time he bought sniper parts to Sri Lanka. Govt accuses LTTE of 31 CFA violations since Geneva talks The government yesterday accused the LTTE of having committed 31 Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) violations since the conclusion of the Geneva talks on February 23. Cabinet spokesman and Media Minister Anura Priyadharshana Yapa addressing yesterday’s cabinet press briefing said that a total of 31 human rights violations had been reported. "We have informed the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and are watching the situation.The security forces and the police have been instructed to abide strictly by the CFA." However, last Thursday, President Mahinda Rajapakse had told a group of journalists that he was very happy that the benefits of the Geneva talks were accruing to the people and very few incidents had been reported. Asked about LTTE allegations of paramilitary groups operating in the east in violation of the CFA, Yapa said that the SLMM would have to inquire into the matter and submit its report. "We cannot take the blame for everything. The government is committed to implementing the CFA and requests the LTTE to reciprocate accordingly." LTTE’s theoretician Anton Balasingham has alleged that the paramilitary Karuna Faction with the backing of the military was attacking the LTTE in violation of the CFA and warned that any further attacks by the Karuna Faction would be considered as an act of war which, could jeopardise the next round of peace talks scheduled to be held in Geneva in April. Balasingham claimed that it was the duty of the government to disarm the paramilitaries. JVP is attacking us- Hela Urumaya The Jathika Hela Urumaya alleges that all three major political parties have unleashed terror on many JHU local poll candidates. JHU media spokesman Nishanha Sri Warnasinghe said today that the party organizer and the secretary of Homagama Jana Sabha were assaulted wit poles by 4 JVP members around 2.00 on Tuesday night while they were putting up posters. They are now being treated at the Wetara government hospital and the condition of one of them is serious, he said. Even though a complaint has been made to the Kahatuduwa police, no action has been taken to apprehend the suspects, Warnasinhe alleged. He further said a JHU candidate contesting the Katunayake-Seeduwa Municipal Council has been manhandled by supporters of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and Weligama election office of the party has been destroyed by a group of UNP supporters. The JHU spokesman said these incidents were an indication that all three major parties had been affected by JHU propaganda campaign. SLA lifts fishing ban in Vadamaradchy The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) in Jaffna told the Vadamaradchy
North Fisheries Society representatives Thursday that SLA is lifting the
three month old fishing ban along Valvettiturai Aathikovilady, Thondamanaaru
and Kerudavil area coasts from 9 a.m. Thursday at a meeting held at Thondamanaaru
Rural Development Centre Thursday morning, sources in Jaffna said. More than a thousand fishing families from northern shores east of KKS area can resume fishing, relieved of obtaining passes from SLA, said fisheries society members. Two weeks earlier, though a simillar announcement was made at Valvettithurai Chithambara College, the fishing ban continued to remain in force, they said. Meanwhile, fishermen from Vadamaradchy East, Manatkadu boycotted fishing Thursday protesting the the arrest of their collegue by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA). The fishermen was taken Wednesday to the SLA Camp for investigation following the firefight and has not been released. Kudathanai fishermen supported their protest joining the fishing boycott. SLA irked by fishermen's boycott announced a fishing ban in Manatkadu, Kudathanai areas until further notice, Manatkadu Fisheries Consortium spokesperson with 267 member families said. UNICEF says child recruitment continuing but at lower levels Children are still being kidnapped by the LTTE to train as fighters, the U.N. children's agency UNICEF says, but the abductions appear to be less frequent four years into a ceasefire. The number of children taken by the Tigers has fallen every year since a 2002 ceasefire halted two decades of civil war, UNICEF senior programme co-ordinator Yasmin Ali Haque said, but child recruitment was still continuing at an unacceptable level.“Most of them are forcible,” she told Reuters in an interview at the UNICEF's Colombo office. “Children going home from school are apprehended. They're sat behind a motorcycle and then they're off. They're gone.” The LTTE used child soldiers widely in their fight for a Tamil homeland. In January, Reuters met a 23-year-old Tiger commander in Sri Lanka's east who joined the rebels a decade earlier, when he was just 13. “Some of them also believe in the nation... the lure of the cause,” Ali Haque said. “Some of them are running away for whatever reason, be it poverty or abuse. The responsibility still lies with the LTTE.” Finding a lasting end to a war that has already killed more than 64,000 people was key to giving children more options and stopping them from wanting to fight, she said. Talks between the government and Tigers are due to continue in Switzerland next month, but the rebels continue to threaten a return to war. The Tigers say they no longer take children. They say some recruits lie about their age when they join, but the rebels release them as soon as they are discovered. UNICEF helps run courses to reintegrate released children back into society. Ali Haque said the average age of Tiger child fighters had risen from 14 in 2001 to 16 today, but she was not convinced the rebels are really trying to screen out children. “There is no such thing as a voluntary recruitment of a child,” she said. Between the 2002 truce and the end of February, worried parents had reported to UNICEF 5,404 cases of children among the Tiger ranks, she said. Of those, 1,384 had still not been released -- although of those, 811 were now over 18. With many parents too frightened to report child recruitments, Ali Haque said UNICEF believed it was only seeing around a third of all cases. Two-thirds of child soldiers released by the Tigers had never appeared on their database, she said. UNICEF recorded 1,280 cases of children being taken into the rebel group in 2003, falling to 675 in 2005. In January 2006, it logged 29 cases and 14 were reported for February, a drastic fall from a recent spike in July when UNICEF says the Tigers took 155 children. The LTTE say renegade ex-rebels known as the Karuna group, which the Tigers say act as government-backed paramilitary soldiers, have also been abducting children. UNICEF says it has had complaints of such abductions but no strong evidence. 23 March 2006 PNM alliance aims to split East from North The Patriotic National Movement (PNM), an alliance of Sinhala nationalists, on Wednesday formed a "task force" named "Defenders of Eastern People's Rights" in collaboration with Sinhala nationalist parties, Muslim and Tamil groups in the East. The task force was formed after a meeting with the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), MLM Ataulla's National Muslim Congress (NMC), K. Vigneswaran's Akila Ilankai Tamil United Front (AITUF), a break away party of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), and key operatives of Karuna Group, a PNM activist has disclosed to Colombo media. The task force aims to split the East from the North Eastern Province (NEP). The task force "Defenders of Eastern People's Rights" was formed as "common front" to work for the common goals disregarding the political indiferrences between the founder parties, according to the key PNM activist who doesn't wish to be named. Meanwhile, the JVP, a key force in the PNM alliance, released photos taken at the event to the media. The photos excluded certain participants at the meeting. The organizers, according to the PNM activist, have defined the separation of Eastern Province as a "step to safeguard the rights of the people in the eastern Sri Lanka." The main opposition United National Party (UNP), National Unity Alliance (NUA) led by Ferial Ashraff, Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), an all-monks nationalist party, People's United Front (PUF) led by Dinesh Gunawardana, also invited by the PNM, did not attend the meeting, the source further said. Talks on reopening LTTE offices The Army, the LTTE and the SLMM were continuing talks over an LTTE request to resume political activity in government-controlled areas after the LTTE yesterday rejected the pre-conditions of the government for reopening political offices in state-controlled areas. Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission spokeswoman Helen Olafsdottir told the Daily Mirror the army submitted the set of pre-conditions to be agreed to by the LTTE if it was to resume its political work in government-controlled areas. The LTTE rejecting the pre-conditions said the government had violated the understanding reached in Geneva on reverting to the status quo that existed prior to the LTTE withdrawing its political cadres from government-controlled areas. In a letter to SLMM Chief Hagrup Haukland the LTTE peace secretariat urged the ceasefire monitors to ensure that the conditions for the re-entry of its political cadres were in accordance with the ceasefire agreement. Military sources said among the pre conditions was a commitment by the LTTE to avoid raising the Tiger flag outside its political offices, not to use children for LTTE events in government areas and to allow a military presence close to the LTTE offices. However the LTTE, it is learnt, had demanded that the military be stationed 500 metres away from its offices. “Discussions on certain requests put forward by the LTTE to reopen its political offices in government-controlled areas is still going on between the army, the LTTE and the SLMM. Nothing has been decided upon”, army spokesman Prasad Samarasingha said. The LTTE was expected to reopen its political offices in government-controlled areas in the North and East this week since being shut in August last year following frequent attacks by suspected paramilitary groups. "We reject the concept of anybody laying down conditions for our members to do political work among our people. The understanding reached at the Geneva talks is being totally nullified by this stance of the Sri Lankan government. If the noble goals of the Geneva talks such as the peace dividend, normalcy and confidence building are to become a reality, then we are afraid that this posturing by the government and the military is not going to be a step in the right direction”, the LTTE peace secretariat said. The LTTE was also awaiting a security guarantee from the government while some 30 LTTE political cadres in Jaffna were ready to resume work at the Jaffna LTTE political office. “The security threat posed by paramilitary groups working in collusion with the Sri Lankan armed forces resulted in our withdrawing our political cadres. This brought about a political vacuum for the Tamil people in military occupied areas”, the LTTE said. The LTTE said its attempts to put the peace process on track was being brought to naught by the pre-conditions and urged the government to enable its political cadres to re-enter military occupied areas in the North and East in accordance with the provisions of the ceasefire agreement. Army shot at Jaffna Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe accused the LTTE of violating the four-year old truce. Two people in civilian clothes fled the area after the shooting but the army discovered a T-56 rifle, he added. The military has made an official complaint on the incident to international truce monitors. The Sri Lanka Navy has meanwhile arrested a suspicious trawler boat in the deep sea off the northern coast, Point Pedro, on Tuesday night. The trawler was trying to smuggle arms for suspected Tamil Tigers, according to Brig. Samarasinghe. He said the security officials have arrested five people with 20 gelignite sticks and a powerful radio player. “It is confirmed after our initial investigations that these people are linked to the LTTE,” he told BBC Sandeshaya. There was no immediate reaction from the LTTE. Second coal power plant in Trincomalee Sri Lanka's second coal power plant is to be set up in Trincomalee with Indian assistance. The new power station which will be commissioned after the launch of the Norochcholai coal power plant is expected to contribute 500 MW of power to the national grid. Power and Energy Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne told the media that the Cabinet which met yesterday approved the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) and the Indian government for commissioning the project. "With the commissioning of the Upper Kotmale project Sri Lanka has exhausted all its hydraulic sources of power generation thus compelling us to use the more costly method of generating power from fossil fuel. This has resulted in large increases in the price of electricity as well as a massive loss to the CEB," he said. He said that Sri Lanka will have to face a power crisis in 2007 if it continues to rely on hydro and fuel-fired energy without opting for alternative means of power generation. "Coal power is one such alternative. Accordingly, the Government has decided to set up three coal power plants. After the first coal power station in Norochcholai the second and the third will be set up in Trincomalee and Hambantota respectively," he said. According to Seneviratne, the proposed Trincomalee power station has the capacity to generate one unit of power at Rs 4.50. It will start generating power by 2010. Navy arrests suspected rebel trawler in Northen coast of Sri Lanka Sri Lankan Navy arrested a suspected Tamil Tiger rebel trawler off the northern coast Wednesday, defense officials said. The arrest made in the early hours of the day was following a search by the Navy's coastal surveillance, officials said. The trawler with four people on board was arrested off the coast of Point Pedro and was taken under Naval escort to Kankesanturai and handed over to the police. "We found a mobile phone charger and a high frequency radio hidden among the fishing nets on board the trawler," a defense officials in the capital Colombo said. The arrest coincided with planned action by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels to reopen their political offices in government controlled areas in the north and east. The rebels are permitted to do political work in government controlled areas in terms of the February 2002 ceasefire accord. However, they shut down their political offices during the upsurge of violence from December last year to January. The military sources said that the planned action to reopen political offices did not materialize Wednesday as the Army declined to comply with the LTTE request to keep the troops 500 meters away from the political offices and also the Army insisted that the rebels would not be allowed to fly their flag at the offices located in areas under government control. The rebels said they had kept the international truce monitors, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, informed of their plans to reopen offices. Sri Lanka stocks decline amid LTTE threats of postponing peace talks Sri Lanka stocks ended slightly lower today at the Colombo Bourse as investors skimmed profits across the board amid rebel threats of postponing crunch talks next month. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) chief negotiator Anton Balasingham warned that the peace process can come to a halt if the Sri Lanka government fails to disarm the paramilitary groups. The main Colombo All Share Price Index fell 11.98 points or 0.53% to close at 2,233.48 while the highly capitalized and more volatile Milanka Price Index lost 8.65 points or 0.30% to close at 2,845.46. The turnover was low at 177.2 million rupees with the trading volume closing at 7.5 million shares. Central Securities with 22.01 million rupees led the turnover trading 665,100 shares at 33.25 rupees up by 20.91%. Conglomerate John Keells Holdings remained flat at 157.00 rupees trading 127,900 shares. Lanka Aluminium rose 4.26% to 24.50 rupees trading 697,600 shares while Lanka IOC gained 1.67% trading 438,100 shares at 30.50 rupees. The largest mobile operator in Sri Lanka Dialog Telekom was up by 1.30% to close at 19.50 rupees trading 403,000 shares. Other major contributors to the turnover included National Development Bank (36,800), Serendib Hotels (103,000), Overseas Realty (180,000), CF Venture Fund (583,900), Merchant Bank (106,400), York Arcade (150,600), Tokyo Cement -Non Voting (125,900) and Asiri Medical (491,300). Only Information Technology sector posted a significant gain of 1.79% today. Land and Property sector performed poorly today falling 1.27%. Hotels and Travels, Diversified Holdings and Plantations sectors also posted losses above a percent. Beruwela Walk Inn gained 17.25 rupees or 32.86% to place at the top of the gainers’ list today. Other top gainers included Serendib Hotels - non voting (29.73%), Central Securities (20.91%), CF Venture Fund (14.29%) and Printcare (Ceylon) Ltd (11.11%). Hapugastenne Plantations lost 2.25 rupees or 15.25% placing it at the top of the loser’s list. The other top losers included Alufab (-10.28%), Lanka Ceramic (-8.82%), Ferntea (-7.69%) and Three Acre Farms (-6.98%). Commercial Development announced a 26% final dividend to be paid on April 19th. India clawing back to Sri Lanka's North East India is slowly, patiently and with a clear agenda finding its way back into Sri Lanka's North East, after having almost washed its hands off the Tamil scene following Rajiv Gandhi's assassination 15 years ago. In just a year after Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran declared in Trincomalee that the "North East is very close to India's heart", New Delhi is making its presence felt again in a troubled region where it once enjoyed tremendous goodwill. Unlike in the 1980s when it was accused of covertly arming Tamil guerrillas, India is maintaining a safe distance from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which New Delhi outlawed in 1992 on charges of killing Gandhi. The objective this time is to reach out to the predominantly Tamil and Muslim people of the northeast with development projects, which have the full backing of the Sri Lankan government. Early this month, India's ambassador in Colombo, Nirupama Rao, visited the eastern district of Amparai and discussed the needs of the local South Eastern University and ways of making perennially flooded areas suitable for paddy cultivation, visited a cultural museum, and heard from Tamil and Muslim leaders and government officials about the situation in the district. On March 20, Rao was present in Kotagala, in Sri Lanka's hill country that is home to "Indian Tamils", when President Mahinda Rajapaksa ceremonially opened a biotechnology institute set up with help from an Indian agriculture expert. The institute is developing a model farm with sections on floriculture, vegetable growing, beekeeping and herbal-aromatic plants cultivation as well as a farm implements workshop and a tissue culture laboratory. A similar project is in operation in the mainly Sinhalese Gampaha district. In November, a month before Rajapaksa visited New Delhi, Rao handed over medicines urgently needed by the Kilinochchi district hospital in Sri Lanka's LTTE-controlled north at a simple function held in her office in Colombo. All these come on top of New Delhi's decisions to build a hospital and a vocational training centre in Trincomalee, another hospital in central hills, re-build small schools in the northeast destroyed by the 2004 tsunami, and also provide aid like fishing boats and nets and sewing kits to the northeast. Indian officials say they have no problems attending to the humanitarian needs of the people living in LTTE control but they will not deal with the Tigers, whose leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is wanted in India for the Gandhi killing. This was stated unambiguously by India's former envoy to Sri Lanka, Nirupam Sen, in May 2004: "Our rehabilitation and assistance is for the people of Sri Lanka irrespective of where they live... (But) there is no question of India engaging the LTTE." Even while meeting politicians of the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance, Indian diplomats seek to avoid those who come from the ranks of the Tigers. When Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was blown up by an LTTE suicide bomber near Chennai in May 1991, India went into a shell, virtually withdrawing itself from Sri Lanka. At the same time, New Delhi cracked down on the Tigers, who once enjoyed sanctuary in India. India threw its weight behind the 2002 Norway-brokered and Western-backed ceasefire agreement between Colombo and the LTTE. It has no intention of taking the place of Norway or even becoming a co-chair to the peace process because that would involve dealing with the Tigers. However, there was a feeling here in recent times that it was being edged out of the Sri Lankan scene. The December 2004 tsunami gave India an opportunity to get involved in gigantic relief efforts in Sri Lanka. In the northeast, Indian army and navy teams helped restore communications, provide medical relief and drinking water, restore the functioning of hospitals and rebuild the damaged bridge at Arugam Bay. In April 2005 Shyam Saran visited Sri Lanka and summed up New Delhi's thinking: "The welfare and well-being of the people living in the northeast is very close to India's heart." He also made it clear that India firmly stood for the unity and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and, with the northeast in mind, emphasised the need to promote democracy, pluralism and human rights. At the same time, Indian military commanders have in recent times visited Sri Lanka. Despite protests from a section of politicians in Tamil Nadu, New Delhi has continued to assist Colombo militarily. At the same time, it has urged Sri Lanka to go for a federal settlement to meet Tamil aspirations. Sri Lanka rebels may postpone April crunch talks Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels will view any further attacks by renegades they say are military-backed as an act of war and may postpone crunch talks unless the state disarms them, their chief negotiator has warned. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are due to attend a second round of peace talks with Sri Lankan officials in Geneva in April, and say the island's fragile peace process could grind to a halt if the government fails to honour a pledge to rein in armed groups. The Tigers accuse a breakaway faction led by a former senior rebel commander called Karuna of targeting their forces in the east of Sri Lanka, and insist the onus falls on the government to tame them. "If the paramilitaries continue to launch military offensive operations against the LTTE with the backing of the Sri Lankan armed forces, it will certainly be construed as an act of war against the LTTE," Tiger theoretician Anton Balasingham told Reuters in an interview late on Tuesday. "It will lead to conditions of war and violence and it will block any forward movement of the peace talks and lead to the collapse of the peace process itself," Balasingham, a top aide to reclusive rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, said at his home outside London. Karuna, who was widely viewed as Prabhakaran's No.2 before he broke ranks in 2004, refuses to lay down arms until the mainstream group does and vows to fight back if attacked. The Tigers say they expelled Karuna for misappropriating funds and seducing female rebels - a major no-no in the strict discipline of the Tigers' universe. Karuna says he fell foul of the LTTE's leaders because they are mostly from northern Sri Lanka and look down on Tamils from the east. DISARMAMENT CRUCIAL Diplomats say it is vital the government makes good on a promise at a first round of talks in February to bring armed groups under control to head off the spectre of a return to a two-decade civil war that killed more than 64,000 people before a 2002 truce. "The LTTE leadership will consider postponing the second round (of talks), or they might even think of attending the talks and continue to insist on the same (disarmament) theme that was taken up at the first round," Balasingham said. "So there won't be any forward movement of the talks if these paramilitaries are not disarmed," he added. Balasingham, an avid reader who has a doctorate in social sciences and became a British national thanks to a stint working at the British High Commission in Colombo, has spearheaded successive rounds of abortive peace negotiations for the Tigers' since 1985. He has lived in Britain since a 1999 kidney transplant. He plans to raise issues from the rights of fishermen to war displaced if the April talks go ahead. In particular, the Tigers want vast high security zones in the far north vacated by the military so that thousands of displaced can return to rebuild homes ravaged by years of incessant shelling. They also want the army to halt cordon and search operations and what they say is army harassment of civilians. "The strategic objective of the current negotiations as far as the LTTE is concerned is to seek out a climate of de-escalation and normalisation, which is a necessary condition for resuming serious talks on the political issues," Balasingham said. But Sri Lanka cannot hope for a long-term solution unless President Mahinda Rajapakse rows back on his outright rejection of Tiger demands for a separate Tamil homeland and jettisons hardline Marxist and Sinhalese nationalist Buddhist monk allies. "Rather than bring in these crazy Marxists and mad monks under the slogan of inclusiveness, the only way out of this mess is for Rajapakse to work out some form of alliance with the (main opposition) United National Party," Balasingham said. "Unless Rajapakse...accepts the demand of the Tamils for regional autonomy, there won't be any prospect for a political solution," he added. "If...internal self-determination is rejected, then only we will invoke the right to external self-determination - that is the right to form an independent state." 22 March 2006 Prabha
renews war ultimatum In his ‘Heroes’ Day’ message in November last year, Pirapaharan said he would give President Mahinda Rajapakse a very short timeframe – a maximum of one year to deliver to the Tamil people their political rights failing which the LTTE would renew their ‘freedom struggle.’ Emphasising this message to the TNA MPs on Sunday, Tamilselvan had said Pirapaharan was "deadly serious" about the ultimatum issued. "Come what may, the LTTE is very serious about our national leader’s ‘Heroes’ Day’ message. He has given a limited timeframe. He said if there is no substantial progress on the political issues, the liberation struggle will remain," Tamilselvan said. The TNA MPs confirmed to The Morning Leader that Tamilselvan had communicated Pirapaharan’s message on the ultimatum to the parliamentary delegation. Tamilselvan had also said even if the government attempts to drag out the talks on the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA), unless substantial progress is made on the political issues to the satisfaction of the Tamil people, Pirapaharan’s ultimatum would come into force. Senior TNA MPs told The Morning Leader the inference in the message was that the maximum period the LTTE Leader would wait is until November this year. Tamilselvan had told the TNA MPs, as far as the LTTE was concerned, the implementation of the CFA was accepted and there was no point wasting time talking on the same and that it was now up to the government to implement the agreement in Geneva and move on to the political rights of the Tamil people. "It is the international community that persuaded us into the talks and they have a duty now to ensure the government honours the agreement reached in Geneva," Tamilselvan had said. EU hopes peace talks will succeed The European Union yesterday said it was closely following the progress of the peace process in Sri Lanka and reaffirmed its support for the Government. EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner made this comment when she met visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera in Brussels, for official talks, the Foreign Ministry said. It said the EU Commissioner expressed hope the next round of talks would pave the way for a lasting solution to the conflict. Minister Samaraweera briefed the EU Commissioner on the Government’s peace efforts and thanked the EU for the assistance extended in the aftermath of the tsunami disaster. Earlier, Minister Samaraweera addressed the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs and stressed the need to ensure democratic freedom for every citizen of Sri Lanka and spoke of the steps taken by the Government to obtain the consent and support of all political parties prior to the Geneva talks, the statement said. Emphasizing that the Government remains committed to a political solution through negotiations, Minister Samaraweera highlighted the delicate nature of the process and called on the international community to be sensitive to the nuances and complexities of the Sri Lankan political landscape. TNA wants poll in Ampara and Trinco put off The TNA has called on President Mahinda Rajapakse and Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake to postpone the local authority elections in the eastern districts of Trincomalee and Ampara scheduled for March 30. The request followed a decision made by Dissanayake on Monday to postpone by six months the local authority elections in all the districts in the north and the Batticaloa District in the east. However, the Commissioner decided the polls in the other two districts in the east — Trincomalee and Ampara — are to proceed as planned. TNA representatives who were to meet with Dissanayake yesterday to discuss the issue decided to make a request to postpone the elections in the two eastern districts as well. Dissanayake made the decision to postpone polls in several districts in the north and east after holding several rounds of discussions with the returning officers from the relevant districts. The security situation in the area and the doubts over the conduct of a free and fair poll in the North and East Province were the key issues considered in postponing the elections TNA boycotts parliamentary sittings Parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TELO,TULF,ACTC and EPRLF) today abstained from attending the Parliament sessions. A party spokesperson said they decided to boycott the session as the government has not taken steps to realize the agreement reached at the Geneva talks. “We will continue to boycott the Parliament sittings until the government disarms the paramilitary groups,” the spokesperson said. Since the beginning of this year, the TNA MPs on several occasions disturbed the parliamentary sittings, leading the Speaker to postpone the sittings for a number of days. NBF wants Norway out of Sri Lanka and the peace process The JVP affiliated National Bhikkhu Front yesterday launched a protest campaign demanding that the Norwegians be removed as peace facilitators and also from remaining in Sri Lanka on a diplomatic level. Hundreds of monks of the NBF went on a protest march from Vihara Maha Devi Park to the Norwegian Embassy. NBF president Ven. Dambara Amila Thera alleged it was Norway which prevented the UN from recognising the Buddhist Flag as an international flag. He charged the Norwegians of creating the environment to protect the LTTE at the next round of talks by accusing the military of violating the ceasefire agreement and saying the army was supportive of paramilitary groups in the North and East. “Norway, through the cease fire agreement raised the image of the LTTE and recognised it as a official military outfit. We demand the ouster of Norwegians from our country as they openly acted in a partisan manner with regards the LTTE”, the monk said. The security forces prevented the NBF from handing over a memorandum to the Norwegians by putting barricades and wire fences around the embassy. The Bhikkhus wanted to stage a sathyagraha until the barricades were removed and an official from the embassy came to meet them but the protestors left after demonstrating opposite the embassy for some time. SLMC opposes election postponement The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is objecting to Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake’s decision to postpone local government elections in the North and East Province, especially the Batticaloa District in the east. SLMC Leader Rauf Hakeem charged that it was unfair to postpone the elections, adding that it was against all democratic practices. He told The Morning Leader that the returning officers in the districts of which the elections were postponed were acting under duress and said the Elections Commissioner and the returning officers should not be intimidated. Referring to the request made by the TNA to postpone elections in the north and east, Hakeem noted that before making a decision on the matter, the Elections Commissioner should consult the majority community in the area. "Although the north is dominated by Tamil people, it is not so in the east. The east dominated by the Muslims and Sinhalese. How can the TNA make requests for the people of the east?" Hakeem questioned. He said he had already explained his position on the postponement to President Mahinda Rajapakse as well, adding he would raise the issue with Dissanayake as soon as possible. Explaining the implications of postponing the local government elections in the north and especially the east, Hakeem observed that most of the reconstruction and rehabilitation work after the ethnic conflict and the tsunami have been progressing at snail’s pace due to the dysfunctional local government councils in the areas. "Development work in the tsunami affected areas has been seriously affected and there is no accountability in the local government bodies, so it is necessary for the elections to take place to appoint the necessary officials to carry out the work," Hakeem said. Six new Urban Councils in Jaffna Six Pradeshiya Sabhas in Jaffna are to be upgraded to Urban Council status and three new Pradeshiya Sabhas will be formed official sources said. Pradeshiya Sabhas that would be upgraded are Nallur, Manipay, Chunnakam, Kopay, Karavetty and Kayts. The three new Pradeshiya Sabhas will be formed in Kodikamam, Maruthankerni and Kandavalai.": It was only recently that a Pradeshiya Sabha was formed in Karainagar. The decision to upgrade and also create the new Councils was conveyed to heads of government departments in Jaffna by Social Services Minister Douglas Devananda last week. The department heads during their meeting with Devananda highlighted various shortcomings and requested that they be provided with better facilites to carry out their duties efficiently. Devananda, had assured the department heads that all shortcomings would be assessed and action taken to rectify them once they are submitted to him in writing. LTTE seeks security guarantee The LTTE said yesterday it was awaiting a security guarantee from the government to reopen its political offices in government-controlled areas. An official from the LTTE media unit said that although the rebels had decided to reopen these political offices which had remained shut for several months, they were still awaiting a security guarantee from the government. The rebel political offices in government-controlled areas were shut after they came under frequent attacks by armed groups including the Karuna faction. Meanwhile, SLMM spokeswoman Helen Olafsdottir said the LTTE had yet to inform the ceasefire monitors on a date for the reopening of the political offices in government-controlled areas. Clashes continue in Muttur,Navy, LTTE trade charges With the second round of peace talks less than a month away, tension grew between the LTTE and the Navy yesterday after both parties traded charges over the clashes in Muttur during the past three days as a heavy exchange of gunfire was reported again last afternoon in the Trincomalee harbour area. As the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission officials rushed to the area for urgent investigations and to defuse tension, observers said the peace process appeared to be facing its most serious threat since last month’s Geneva talks between the government and the LTTE. In complaints to the SLMM, the LTTE accused the Navy of opening fire on the Sampur shore in rebel controlled areas on Saturday and Monday while the Navy said it only returned fire after suspected LTTE craft fired at Navy boats. In the latest incident yesterday, a senior Navy spokesman said naval craft on patrol along the Fisherman Rock in the restricted zone of the Trincomalee harbour detected two suspected craft operating around 11.45 a.m. “When the Navy craft went to check these boats, the suspected craft opened fire and in self defence the Navy fired a few rounds back at them adhering to the rules of engagement,” the officer said. He said that additional Navy craft were sent to the area to assist and monitor the situation, while the ceasefire monitors were also taken to the scene to investigate the incidents. Navy sources said that about ten suspected LTTE cadres were on board the vessels that opened fire on the Navy craft. Emergency Regulations extended Sri Lanka parliament extended the state of emergency Tuesday, parliamentary sources in Colombo said. First imposed after the assassination of its foreign minister six months ago, Emergency Regulations have been extended every month, but the Sri Lanka Government said violence has fallen sharply since talks with Liberation Tigers in February. Introduced after Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was gunned down by a suspected Liberation Tigers assassin last year, the state of emergency gives the police and army wide powers. The Emergency Regulations was extended first for the November presidential election and then again every month as violence rose.More than two hundred people died in less than two months in December and January."Last month, the killings and attempted killings came down," Prime Minister Rantasiri Wickremanayake told parliament. "This is a good trend. We want it to continue and so we need to extend the state of emergency," he said.With most parliamentarians away from Colombo campaigning ahead of March 30 local elections, Tuesday's extension was passed without voting. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians abstained. Wickremanayake said there had only been 10 killings and nine attempted killings since the two sides met last month in Switzerland for their first high level talks since 2003- a significant improvement compared to the early 2006.The Sri Lanka Army (SLA) says not a single soldier has been wounded during last month. Mahinda to decide Sports Minister’s future? Visa racket: CID to grill Jeevan again The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) is to question Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Jeevan Kumaratunga, once again, in connection with the Visa racket , which was found to have been conducted in his Ministry, police sources said yesterday (21). Kumaratunga returned from Japan on Monday (20) night. Police top brass had given strict instructions to the CID to be tight lipped on the matter. However, it is learnt that a report on police investigations has been forwarded to President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is to take a decision on minister Kumaratunga's future, political sources said. In this case, witnesses who had paid sums ranging between 500,000 and 900,000 rupees to get visas to work in a Western country, had later found the visas, given to them by persons who are said to be supporters of the minister, to be forged. Late last month 8 such persons were detained at the Bandarnaike International Airport when Immigration and Emigration Department officials found their visas were forged. A Nigerian is also said to be involved in issuing visas but he has now returned to his country. Police sources also said the Ministry office was used by some of the minister's supporters to meet job seekers, apparently in an effort to build confidence in them but senior police officials refused to confirm or deny the story.Four officials of the Foreign Ministry have also been questioned in this regard. Muslim Congress elects politburo The politburo of the SLMC at its meeting held on March 5 elected Rauf Hakeem as its leader and the following office bearers in terms of the constitution of the party. Office bearers are as follows. Leader: Rauf Hakeem; Chairman: Basheer Segu Dawood; Senior Deputy Leader: A.L. Abdul Majeed; Deputy Leader 1: Rauther Neina; Deputy Leader 2: Farook Majeed; Deputy Leader 3: Noordeen Mashoor; Secretary General: M.T. Hasan Ali; General Treasurer: M.S.M. Aslam; President Majlis E.Shura Moulavi: A.L.M. Kaleel; National Coordinating Secretary: M. I. M. Mansoor; National Propaganda Secretary: A.M. Naushad; Addl National Propaganda Secretary: K. M. Thowfeek; National Organiser: K.A. Baiz; Director, International Affairs: A. M. Faaiz; Director, Constitutional Affairs: S. Nijamudeen; Representative of Ulema Congress: Moulavi H. M.M. Ilias; Deputy Chairman: M. S. Thowfeek; Deputy Secretary General: Nizam Kariapper; Deputy General Treasurer: M.S.M. Ghouse; Deputy President, Majlis E.Shura: M.L.A.M. Hizbullah; Deputy National Coordinating Sec: H. M. M. Harees; Deputy National Propaganda Secretary: U. L. Uwais; Deputy National Organiser: U.T.M. Anver. 21 March 2006 Polls for two MCs, six UCs, and 37 PS in NE postponed The Local Authorities Elections for two Municipal Councils,six Urban Councils and 37 Pradeshiya Sabhas in the North- East have been postponed for September 2006,according to a media communique from the Elections Commissioner's Office. The decision was taken by the Returning Officers of the Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Batticaloa, Vavunia, Mannar and Mullaitivu Administrative Districts in consultation with the Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake. Accordingly, polls for the following local authorities will be held on September 30, 2006. Jaffna: Jaffna Municipal Council - Valvetithurai Urban Council, Point Pedro Urban Council, Chavakachcheri Urban Council, Karainagar Pradeshiya Sabha, Kayts Pradeshiya Sabha, Delft Pradeshiya Sabha, Velanai Pradeshiya Sabha, Valikamam West Pradeshiya Sabha, Valikaman North pradeshiya Sabha, Valikamam South-West Pradeshiya Sabha, Valikamam South Pradeshiya Sabha, Valikamam East Pradeshiya Sabha, Vadamaradchi South-West Pradeshiya Sabha, Point Pedro Pradeshiya Sabha, Chavakachcheri Pradeshiya Sabha, Nallur Pradeshiya Sabha. Kilinochchi: Pachchilaipalli Pradeshiya Sabha, Karachchi Pradeshiya Sabha, Poonakary Pradeshiya Sabha. Mannar: Mannar Urban Council, Mannar Pradeshiya Sabha, Nanattan Pradeshiya Sabha, Musali Pradeshiya Sabha, Manthai West Pradeshiya Sabha. Vavuniya: Vavuniya Urban Council, Vavuniya North Pradeshiya Sabha, Venkalacheddikulam Pradeshiya Sabha, Vavuniya South (Tamil) Pradeshiya Sabha, Vavuniya South (Sinhala) Pradeshiya Sabha. Mullaitivu: Manthai East Pradeshiya Sabha, Thunukkai Pradeshiya Sabha, Maritime Pattu Pradeshiya Sabha. Batticaloa: Batticaloa Municipal Council, Kattankudi Urban Council, Eravurpattu Pradeshiya Sabha, Koralepattu Pradeshiya Sabha, Koralepattu West Pradeshiya Sabha, Ervur Town Pradeshiya Sabha, Koralepattu North Pradeshiya Sabha, Manmunai South and Eruvilpattu Pradeshiya Sabha, Manmunai Pradeshiya Sabha, Manmunai West Pradeshiya Sabha, Manmunai South-West Pradeshiya Sabha, Porativupattu Pradeshiya Sabha. Local election postal voting begins in Trincomalee Postal voting in the Trincomalee district for 12 local authorities out of the thirteen began yesterday morning. About 6,700 public servants and members of armed forces are qualified for postal voting. Brisk voting was reported from various government departments in Kantalai, Seruvila, Morawewa, Trincomalee town, Muttur, Kinniya and in security forces' offices, which were assigned as polling stations. In Kinniya division about ninety percent of government servants had cast their votes. Trincomalee District Assistant Returning Officer Bandara Mapa told the Daily Mirror that he had received necessary allocation to hold the local elections in the Trincomalee district as scheduled. He said polling booths for the voters in the LTTE controlled areas in the Muttur PS division would be set up inside the government controlled territory, one km from the border of the uncontrolled area as directed by the Supreme Court for holding the last presidential poll. The Trincomalee Post Office yesterday began house-to-house delivery of polling cards with the list of candidates fielded by the political parties and independent groups. Air Force trainee dies in tragic accident A trainee pilot officer of the Special Force Squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force, drowned in the seas off Mount Lavinia while engaged in routine water survival exercises with members of his crew. The deceased, Nalin Jayasinghe (21) was a resident in the Ganegala area. The incident took place at 9.40 am. Spokesperson of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Group Captain Ajantha Silva said Jayasinghe had been engaged in regular training with the squadron. The training was carried out as usual with an MI 17 helicopter which each trainee was supposed to board from the sea by a cable attached to the helicopter. Jayasinghe fell to the sea as he was climbing the cable to board the helicopter. The cable suddenly snapped, Silva said. "We still don't know how the cable sheared off," he said. Jayasinghe was the second trainee pilot officer to carry out this exercise yesterday, he said. The Air Force has appointed an investigation team to look into the incident, he added. SLN attacks Muttur east coastal villages -Elilan A Dvora and two water jets of the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) have been firing towards the coastal villages Sampoor, Soodaikuda, Koonitivu and Kadatkaraichchenai in the Liberation Tigers held Muttur east in the Trincomalee district from Monday morning around 11 a.m. "Firing is still going on with interruptions and several civilian houses have been damaged. Casualties are not known as it was early to assess the loss of lives and other damages," said Mr.S.Elilan, Trincomalee district political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Mr.Elilan said he has already made a complaint to the head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in Trincomalee town. " I have asked the SLMM monitors to visit immediately the coastal villages in the Muttur east where SLN gunboats and water jets are still engaged in firing towards coastal areas,"said Mr.Elilan. Tigers fire at Jaffna FDL The LTTE continued to fire live ammunition towards security forces in Jaffna on Sunday in violation of the Ceasefire Agreement, in a bid to provoke the troops. Military spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe said the latest reported was from Eluthumadduval in Jaffna, where some LTTE caders in un-cleared areas fired at least 20 to 25 rounds of live ammunition over the Eluthumadduval Forward Defence Line (FDL) on Sunday night. “The LTTE firing over the FDL followed immediately after the sound of an explosion from un-cleared areas. No damages were caused,” he said and added that the SLMM was informed of this ceasefire violation. It was only last Saturday, a group of Tigers under training in the seas off the Norway Point in Trincomalee directed a few rounds of small arms fire at the naval detachment. Naval observations confirmed that 15 LTTErs with their weapons after arriving on the beach carried out the firing. After the firing they fled into the jungles. Muslim Council challenges PAFFREL chief for proof Angered by a recent statement, attributed to Chairman of the Peoples Action for Fair and Free Elections (PAFFREL) Kingsley Rodrigo, in a Tamil language daily, that Muslim para military groups are operating in the East, the Muslim Council of Sri Lanka has called upon him to produce proof failing which to tender a public apology to the Muslim community. "Failure on your part to substantiate your allegations or withdraw the false allegations within the next seven days will compel us to take necessary legal and civil action to expose the ulterior motives of the PAFFREL and in your making the false and baseless allegations.",the Muslim Council said in a hard hitting letter addressed to Rodrigo The whole episode was set off when the LTTE delegation at the Geneva talks stated that Muslim armed groups were operating in East and subsequently in an interview to a Tamil daily Chairman of PAFFREL Kingsley Rodrigo confirmed the LTTE allegation. "I am expressing these words because I am in a position to prove some of them.I will not give such details if I can’t prove it. I can prove such a para military groups exist, that is why I am telling this", Rodrigo was supposed to have uttered the above words, the Muslim Council further charged. Parties meet Elections Commissioner today Political party representatives are to meet Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake tomorrow to discuss issues pertaining to the upcoming local government elections. The Commissioner met them last Tuesday as well and announced important decisions such as making identity cards compulsory for voters at the poll. The UNP will ask for additional security for polling centres in violence-prone areas. The party had earlier voiced concerns that violence was on the rise against UNPers mainly in the Gampaha district. US troops leave Sri Lanka after emergency stopover More than 100 US troops who were stranded in Sri Lanka after their aircraft made an emergency landing last week left the island yesterday aboard a chartered plane, airport officials said. A Boeing 757-200 aircraft carrying 119 troops and crew was diverted to Colombo's Bandaranaike International airport on Thursday while travelling from Singapore to the Maldives, after pilots reported fumes in the cockpit, the officials said. Officials said the findings of Sri Lanka's aviation investigators were yet to be announced and that the aircraft was still grounded at the airport. Centre urged to lift ban on LTTE Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (TPDK) has urged the Centre to lift the ban on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). In a resolution passed at the Eelam protection conference held at Theppakulam ground here on Sunday, the party insisted the Centre to recognise the Eelam struggle and abstain from extending direct or indirect military support to the Sri Lankan government, which was “continuously targeting the Tamil community in the island nation’’. The TPDK condemned the Centre’s decision to reduce the funds allocated for the protection of Sri Lankan refugees, who have migrated to India under various circumstances due to the war. The resolution also called for increase in funds and retention of the old concessions for the benefit of the hapless refugee students on humanitarian ground. The conference called upon the Left parties, all democratic institutions and human rights groups to acknowledge the significance attained by Tamil Eelam in the international arena and extend their best support to the well being of the Tamil community in Sri Lanka. Speaking during the conference, ‘Viduthalai’ K Rajendran, general secretary of TPDK stated that police were continuously and unnecessarily interfering with the party’s proceedings for supporting the Eelam cause, in the pretext of POTA. This, he pointed out, after the Supreme Court had issued a directive, which clarified that any party or organization could extend support to a prohibited group in principle without actually involving in the activities of the group directly or rendering direct support to the group’s activities. He also emphasised that TPDK would move contempt of court proceedings against the police department if they continued to interfere with the activities of the party, particularly for supporting Eelam struggle in principle. Sri Lankan President to pay 3-day visit to Pakistan from March 31 Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa will pay a three-day official visit to Pakistan from March 31 during which the two countries will sign several agreements and MoUs to strengthen bilateral ties in different fields. He will be accompanied by Mrs. Rajapaksa, four Cabinet Ministers, Governor of a province and Members of Parliament. During his stay, the Sri Lankan President will holds official talks with President General Pervez Musharraf and will meet Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, a foreign office spokesperson said on Monday. During these talks the complete range of Pakistan-Sri Lanka relations will be discussed. During the visit several agreements and MoUs are expected to be signed in order to strengthen the existing close bilateral relations in different sectors. The President of Sri Lanka will also visit Lahore and Karachi. The visit of President Rajapaksa is part of the regular high-level exchanges between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 20 March 2006 TNA renews call to postpone polls in NE The TNA yesterday renewed its call to the Elections Commissioner and the government to postpone polls in the North and East expressing fears that the activities of paramilitary groups in the area will prevent a free and fair election. TELO Leader and TNA parliamentarian Selvam Adaikalanathan, speaking to reporters after meeting the LTTE political leadership in Kilinochchi yesterday, said the atmosphere in the North and East was not conducive for such a poll but said his party would contest it if the call went unheeded. A group of TNA MPs yesterday met LTTE political head S.P. Thamilselvan at the LTTE peace secretariat and discussed the upcoming poll and other issues. “Despite the agreement in Geneva paramilitary groups continue to operate in the North and East. These groups have threatened us as well as the ordinary Tamil people. They will be a threat to the conduct of a free and fair poll in these areas,” Mr. Adaikalanathan said. He said his party had already urged Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake and President Mahinda Rajapaksa to reconsider holding the March 30 polls. “We will contest it to ensure these paramilitary groups do not try to get an upper hand by taking part in the polls in order to suppress the legitimate rights of the Tamils in the North and East,” he said. The Elections Commissioner, who met the returning officers of the North and East on Saturday, is expected to meet them again today before announcing his decision on the holding of the polls in the North and East. NE Polls: Decision on Friday Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake will take a final decision on holding local polls in the war-ravaged North and East on Friday, Elections department sources said. The decision was scheduled to be taken at a meeting with the respective Government Agent’s on Saturday but it was postponed since Jaffna GA and Batticaloa Assistant Commissioner could not turn up for the meeting with Commissioner Dissanayake. Sri Lanka begins postal voting today and tomorrow Postal voting for Sri Lanka's local government elections will be held at government institutions today and tomorrow. The election is scheduled for 30 March. The elections for 22 out of 330 local government bodies have been postponed due to court rulings. Meanwhile, the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) has requested the elections for the local councils in the Northern and Eastern Provinces to be postponed. A part of both provinces is under the control of the Tiger rebels. Local govt polls for Ampara, Mannar postponed The Department of Elections yesterday decided to postpone the local government polls in the Ampara and Mannar districts following a court of appeal order to accept the SLMC nominations to these two districts.The Department had already printed the ballot papers for these two districts sans the SLMC candidates’ names and is now compelled to print fresh ballot papers to these two districts hence the decision to postpone the elections. Earlier prior to the nominations some members of the SLMC got the Colombo District Court to issue an enjoining order preventing the SLMC handing over nominations. The petitioners cited various reasons to the District Court including the non holding of the party’s AGM. However subsequently the SLMC got the enjoining order vacated.At the time of the nominations, the Returning Officers of the two districts rejected the SLMC nominations to the Ampara and Mannar districts on technical grounds and this rejection was successfully challenged by the SLMC in the Court of Appeal which directed the Commissioner of Elections to accept the nominations. Accordingly elections have been postponed to the Nintavur, Navithanveli, Pottuvil, Addalachenai and Akkaraipattu Pradeshya Sabhas and Kalmunai Municipal Council in the Ampara District. In the Mannar District, polls would be postponed in the Mannar VC, Mannar PS, Nanathan PS, Musali PS and Manthai PS. Wire woman in Puttalam Hours before President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s visit to Puttalam yesterday, a woman travelling in a Puttalam-bound bus with wire wrapped around her body was handed over to the police yesterday.Police said the woman who was arrested near Wanathawilluwa had about two kilos of wire strapped around her arms and legs.However, a man said to be her husband later rushed to the Wanathawilluwa police station and claimed his wife who was mentally unsound, used to wrap wire around her body and roam around aimlessly. N-E development should continue, urges Japanese envoy The country’s biggest bilateral donor, Japan yesterday said that urgent socio-economic development in the North East should continue irrespective of whether the peace bid is moving or stalled. Japanese Ambassador in Colombo Akio Suda told the Daily Mirror that development in the war ravaged North East should be an ongoing effort. However, the donors when they met at the Tokyo Conference in 2003 agreed that funds would be released in keeping with the progress of the peace effort. Asked whether it was a shift from the initial stand the donor’s took during the 2003 conference in Japan, he opted not to comment on the stand taken by other donors but insisted that Japan believed in the continuous development in the war-hit North East. However, the Ambassador observed: “When the development work is on, I do not think that any party would opt for war.” Mr. Suda said since 2003, Japan has released US$ 1 billion of the pledged US$ 4.5 billion for the development of the North East. Dismissing what he called a myth created by the media, that the monies pledged at the 2003 Tokyo Donor Conference for North East development is lying idle due to a more or less stagnant peace bid, the Ambassador insisted that monies are already flowing into the country. Explaining further, Mr. Suda said the donors in the 2003 conference thought the peace process would continue. “Nobody at that time could tell when and how fast the peace process could move on. The donors were optimistic but the process did not continue,” he said, Mr. Suda insisted on the need to keep the flow of funds flowing into the country and said the North East development should continue notwithstanding whether the peace bid was moving or not. The recently concluded Geneva talks between the government and the LTTE have been marred by nearly 50 incidents of complaints of which 35 were against the LTTE. Bhikkus to stage protest tomorrow Thousands of bhikkus will take to the Colombo streets tomorrow demanding the immediate withdrawal of Norway from its role as facilitator to the peace process between the Government and the LTTE. "Norwegian involvement in the guise of a facilitator has been proven detrimental and dangerous to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our motherland. The last ten years of history is full of examples of their partiality towards the LTTE. This must be put to an end right now," President of the National Bhikku Front, Ven. Dambara Amila thera told a press conference at the Nippon Hotel in Colombo. The "Maha Sangha has lost the trust on this so-called facilitator, who crossed the line of an assistant to peace negotiation to an aide of one party in dispute." "We demand that the Norwegians, assisting the LTTE to attain their goal of dividing the motherland, to be banished immediately. This will certainly cause losses of political, diplomatic and economic relations. But, can we any further compromise the sovereignty of our motherland to those relations?" Amila thera queried. The most recent treachery done by the so-called facilitator was to lay out the red carpet to welcome the LTTE delegation when they arrived in Oslo after the Geneva talks. This welcome elevated the LTTE team to that of a state delegation or amounted to courtesies extended to visiting heads of states, the NBF President said. "Right from the beginning we told the public and the government that the Norwegians were not impartial but operating according to a hidden agenda to facilitate the LTTE to achieve their goal of separation. Norwegian involvement to solve problems in other parts of the world always had resulted in dividing sovereign nations into parts. Here in Sri Lanka, they are not doing anything different but assisting the division of the country," Ven. Amila thera, who once staged a fast unto death campaign to defeat the controversial P-TOMS during former President Chandrika Kumaratunga's regime, told the press. The NBF will bring in thousands of bhikkus to Colombo tomorrow to stage a protest march starting from the Viharamahadevi Park at 2 p.m. and would lead upto the Royal Norwegian Embassy at Ward Place. Four boys drowned in sea in Triconmalee Four school boys have been drowned in the sea along Sri Lanka's north-eastern port district of Trincomalee today, police said. The boys were on a picnic and had ventured far into the sea while bathing. Twenty families seek military protection-Source:Daily Mirror Twenty families of Wakaneri village in Batticaloa surrendered to army seeking protection from the LTTE who have reportedly threatened the residents to join the terrorists for battle training. These families have reached Meeyankulama Army camp in Valachchenai last Friday and claimed that the Tigers threatened them with death if they did not join the LTTE. According to military sources a group of 50 armed cadres who stormed the Wakaneri village on Friday night had gone on a house to house campaign demanding the residents to join the LTTE and get a combat training. The villagers who fail to follow these conditions would be severely dealt with, the rebels have warned. A series of abductions of youth and villagers in the LTTE controlled areas in Batticaloa have been reported up to now and the abductees are believed to have been compelled to undergo weaponry training, to be recruited as fresh cadres in future. Human Rights Watch backtracks on extortion charge Stung by criticism by expatriate Tamils of its report
last week claiming the Diaspora was gripped by ‘a culture of fear’
regarding LTTE extortion, Human Rights Watch this weekend issued a statement
that stepped back from its earlier sensational claims. Acknowledging that
accusations of extortion were only being made about “a small number
of individuals” who were “claiming to represent the LTTE or
groups linked to the LTTE,” HRW said: “we do not suggest that
significant numbers of Tamils are engaging in extortion or other unlawful
activity. We also note that many Tamils actively and willingly support
the LTTE.” “The Tamil Tigers are exporting the terrors of war to Tamils in the West,” the report’s author, Jo Becker, said. “The culture of fear is so strong that even Tamils who don't support them still feel they have no choice but to give money.” HRW said its 45-page report “details how representatives of the LTTE and pro-LTTE groups use unlawful pressure among Tamil communities in the West to secure financial pledges.” However, the report triggered a storm of protest and outrage amongst expatriate Tamils. The Toronto Star reported that at a press conference Wednesday organized by the Canadian Tamil Congress, the message was that anonymous allegations made to HRW don't equal proof of a crime. “At the event, attended by some of Toronto's most prominent Tamils, the group told reporters the LTTE was the victim of a smear campaign,” the Star reported. Pointing out there has not been a single prosecution for extortion in Canada amongst the Tamil community, the CTC questioned the basis on which such sweeping allegations could be made about a community. HRW responded this weekend with a statement on its website. The human rights group said it had spoken to dozens of members of the Tamil community in Canada and UK. However, in its clarification, it said there were “credible and consistent reports … of a widespread and systematic campaign by the LTTE obtain funds from Tamils in the West.” This, Tamil expatriates point out, is quite different from a widespread campaign of extortion or intimidation. Indeed, HRW’s clarification admits: “While a large number of Tamils are subjected to demands for money, we do not suggest that significant numbers of Tamils are engaging in extortion or other unlawful activity. We also note that many Tamils actively and willingly support the LTTE.” “The extortion activities described in our report are being carried out by a small number of individuals claiming to represent the LTTE or groups linked to the LTTE,” the However, HRW said the fact there have been no prosecutions did not mean it did not take place, but that people were too scared to complain to Police. The organization denied it had been instigated by the Sri Lankan government to file the report to smear the LTTE and defended its author, Ms. Becker, as a researcher with 8 years experience. Expatriate Tamils protested, however, that the accusations, leveled anonymously, were impractical to disprove. “Unless you interview all 300,000 [Tamils], you're not going to be able to counter these allegations,” Dushy Gnanapragasam, a spokesman for Toronto’s Tamil community told the Toronto Star. The Star quoted Tamils suggesting that HRW had probably been fed bogus information by anti-LTTE Tamil groups. Support for JVP A large section of the Muslim community living within the Anuradhapura Municipal limits led by UNP candidate and Anuradhapura Jumma Mosque President M. H. M. Fowzie at a meeting at the Anuradhapura CTC hall on Thursday decided to support JVP candidates contesting the forthcoming Anuradhapura Municipal Council elections while remaining as members of the UNP. The meeting presided by JVP candidate Ainool Haq Mohammed Muzammil was attended by Anuradhapura district JVP parliamentarian K. D. Lalkantha, Kandy district JVP Parliamentarian Mohammed Muzammil and JVP Mayoral candidate N. Karunaratne. Among members of the Muslim community present were about 500 Muslim merchants in Anuradhapura town. UNP candidate M. H. M. Fowzie said the Muslim community in Anuradhapura city have decided to support the JVP at the forthcoming Anuradhapura Municipal Council elections to protest against the former corrupt UNP administration in the Council. He said the former administration had dumped garbage collected from Anuradhapura city near the Anuradhapura Jumma mosque premises despite objections by the Mosque authorities. They had made representations to the former Mayor many times requesting him to change the garbage dumping site but all such requests had fallen on deaf ears. This issue in particular had caused much concern among Muslim community patronising the mosque. As a result more than 2,000 Muslims living within Anuradhapura city limits have decided to support the JVP at the forthcoming Anuradhapura Municipal Council elections. 19 March 2006 Norway will inform on Monday that LTTE will not to go to Geneva for the second round LTTE political wing leader Tamil Selvam has informed Norwegian ambassador Hans Bradscar that the LTTE will not take part in the second round of peace talks if paramilitary groups were not disarmed before April 19th . Selvam has alleged that the government has failed to fulfill any of the pledges in the joint agreement issued after the Genva talks. Diplomatic sources said that the Norwegian ambassador will convey Selvam's warning to the chief government negotiator, Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva on Monday. The second round of peace talks has been scheduled for April 19 to 21. SLMM prepares key report for Geneva Scandinavian ceasefire monitors have begun preparing a report card on how the parties fare in implementing promises made during last months' talks in Geneva, the chief monitor said yesterday. Of the 50 incidents recorded so far, at least 35 were against the LTTE and involved child recruitment cases, Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Chief Hagrup Haukland told The Sunday Times. The incidents against the government were related to harassment of civilians, mainly in the north and east, he said. "The incidents are serious enough. But not serious enough for either party to stay away from the next round of talks," said Mr. Haukland, who concludes his term on March 31. The report will be presented by Mr. Haukland's successor Ulf Henricsson, a Swedish brigadier, when the parties meet again in Geneva on April 19-21. "We are recording and preparing the report. It will include incidents and rulings, and reflect the commitments made by the parties at the first round," Mr. Haukland said. The Defence Ministry and the Peace Secretariat Coordinating are documenting the LTTE's non-compliance of Geneva I, with special emphasis on child soldiers, abductions and human rights, the officials said. The LTTE, in turn, is preparing documentation which it calls “evidence” of the security forces colluding with paramilitaries operating in the east, rebel sources said. Since Feb. 24, a day after last months' talks ended, the SLMM has been presenting both the government and the LTTE with a weekly report of incidents and rulings, Mr. Haukland said. The SLMM will undoubtedly have a tough task to present
the black and red stars to the parties. The assessment at the start of
the April 19 talks, will set the stage for the three-day negotiations.
"The biggest challenge is the armed groups," Mr. Haukland said. Norway says CFA was not amended in Geneva The government of Norway, facilitator of Sri Lanka's peace process, has determined that there was no amendment to the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) at the first round of talks in Geneva held in February. The Norwegian determination was disclosed last week after UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe who was on an official visit queried the factual situation following conflicting positions taken by the LTTE and the government on the issue. The LTTE has maintained that the CFA was not amended while the government delegation upon returning to Colombo after the talks stated that the CFA was amended by imposing additional responsibilities on the LTTE, particularly in relation to child soldiers However Norway responding to Wickremesinghe's query had said that no amendments were made to the CFA at the talks in Geneva. Norwegian government representatives had said that absolutely no change or amendment was made to the CFA, and further stated that the peace talks had centered on preserving the CFA and furthering the peace process. Though ending a bloody, decades-long war that had killed thousands was an extremely challenging task, with patience and perseverance a peaceful, political solution was possible, Wickremesinghe said during the visit. Norway's International Development Minister and peace envoy Erik Solheim said that both his government and the Co-Chairs were committed to a political solution to the ethnic conflict that preserved the national integrity, protected democracy and was acceptable to all communities in Sri Lanka. He added that discussions on the matter would be held with India. Meanwhile Norwegian Special Envoy Erik Solheim had told Wickremesinghe that Norway was keen to discuss a final solution to the ethnic conflict with Sri Lanka's giant neighbour India. The need to find a political solution within a united framework formed the basis of discussion when Wickremesinghe who was on a four day Norwegian tour met Norwegian leaders and peace facilitators. The Sunday Leader learns that Wickremesinghe during his meeting with Solheim had stressed on the need to pursue peace with vigour and emphasised on the need to accept that such is possible only within a 'united' framework. The duo had agreed that too much water had flowed under the bridge for the two parties in conflict to settle for a solution that excludes a united framework. It is learned that Wickreme-singhe had emphasised on the need to strengthen CFA in a bid to move ahead with the ongoing Norwegian facilitated peace negotiations. It has been Wickremesinghe's view that though there may be some flaws, it was the CFA that made talks initially possible and actually provided the basis for discussions to the incumbent government. Both parties, it is learned have agreed that the second round of peace talks, scheduled for April would prove successful if honest efforts are made by both parties to the conflict to strengthen the CFA as a demonstration of sincerity. Solheim had also reiterated Norway's commitment as well as the donor community's to a solution that is acceptable to all communities which would prevent war from breaking out once more. Wickremesinghe's four day tour was concluded with a meeting with Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store. Wickremesinghe also held discussions with Former Norwegian Prime Minister Kjell Bondevik. UNP Deputy General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told The Sunday Leader that Norway had confirmed to the UNP Leader that the CFA was not amended. Wickremesinghe returned to the island Friday afternoon. LTTE moves to reopen political offices in NE The LTTE has informed the government through the Norwegian peace brokers that it intends to reopen political offices, which were shut down during a surge in violence late last year. The LTTE’s intention was conveyed during a meeting with Norwegian ambassador Hans Brattskar and Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission chief Hagrup Haukland on Thursday. Subsequently, the government was informed that the LTTE planned to re-open this week its offices, some of which had been shut for more than three months. The cease-fire agreement allows the Tigers to set up offices for political work, just as much as it permits travel of unarmed LTTE cadres in government-held areas to engage in political activities. However, the security forces have on more than one occasion found arms and ammunition stored in these "offices," and suspected that the buildings were being used as safe-havens for the Tigers' to engage in violence. President asks Jeevan to step down 'Lanka e News' has reliably learnt that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has informed Sports Minister Jeevan Kumaratuna to resign from his portfolio. The President’s decision comes in the wake of recent media exposures of a multi million rupee job racket carried out an office in the Ministry, where youths have been sent for jobs to Alaska, USA using forged visas. The CID team conducting the investigations into the racket has recorded a statement from the Sports Minister following revelations made by the suspects now in custody. According to CID reports reported to have obtained by the President, the foreign job racket has been going on in the Ministry for a number of years. The President who summoned the Minister to Temple Trees last Wednesday had instructed him to step down until the completion of ongoing CID investigations. It is also reported that visas had been granted for money while Kumaratunga was functioning as Youth Affairs Minister of the Chnadrika Kumaratunga administration when youths were sent to Japan from 'Nippon Maru' ship under the youth exchange program between Sri Lanka and Japan. When the details of the racket came to light, the Japanese government informed the President of the fraud and stopped the training program. Norway concerned about government activities. Norwegian embassy sources say that Oslo Norway has expressed concern over the ambiguity of the Sri Lankan government's stand in the peace bid to find a solution to Sri Lanka's ethnic issue. The conduct of the government during an after the Geneva talks has indicated that it lacks clear-cut policy on the ethnic issue and the decision of the main government ally, the JVP to hold an islandwide protest campaign against the Norway's facilitation role from the 21st could complicate matters even further, Norwegian diplomats have warned. Oslo has also warned that yet another armed conflict could break out instead of war if things were not properly handled. SLA arrests Jaffna journalist Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers arrested a journalist working for the Tamil daily Thinakkural for photographing the front portal of the admintrative office of Jaffna jail located on the Main Street in Jaffna Town at 4 p.m. Saturday, sources in Jaffna said. The SLA soldiers refused to accept press credentials of Kandasamy Iruthayabavan and took him into the SLA camp for interrogation. He was released after two hours, sources said. After he was released, Iruthayabavan told the press persons that when he told the military officials that he was intending to use the photos for a news story, SLA officials have warned him that he should get permission from the SLA to photograph any governent facility.Journalists in Jaffna said that the arrest is another incident in the SLA's on-going effort to stiffle the independence of the press in Jaffna. UNP to carry out
campaign in Mullaitivu The former Rehabilitation Minister said his campaign would focus mainly on the Oslo-arranged cease-fire and its benefits. The people of the northern and eastern provinces immensely benefited due to the four-year-old agreement reached during Ranil Wickreme-singhe’s tenure as prime minister. Jayawardana, accused of being an LTTE agent by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, said he did not seek the group’s permission to campaign Six farm laborers abducted in Batticaloa Six workers harvesting paddy in Akkuranai in Batticaloa
district were abducted by paramilitary cadres belonging to Karuna group
from the Welikande and Thivuchenai area 12 March, Political Section of
the Batticaloa LTTE office said in a press release issued Saturday. Sellathamby Kangeswaran, 14, Miniminithaveli JVP office demolished The JVP office in the Battaramulla town was totally demolished early Friday morning, with several people injured in the clash.The incident took place at around 2.30 am in the morning, according to the Thalangama Police. Eyewitnesses said a group of suspected SLFP activists had demolished the office in the middle of the night.The temporary office was set up in the heart of the Battaramulla town for propaganda work for the upcoming local government elections. This is one of several clashes between the different factions since the elections were announced. Debris lay scattered everywhere on the side of the Pannipitiya road, and the remains of the red cardboard office were seen piled up on the roadside. Stocks rise entirely due to peace boost - Pro U.N.P. analyst and others "There are no other extraneous reasons such as high inflation or plummeting interest rates for Friday's stock market climb; its a direct result of confidence in the current peace moves,' an economist working on development issues closely identified with the Opposition UNP, Dr. Harsha De Silva said. When questioned by this newspaper, he responded saying that Friday's stock market boost is due to confidence in the peace process and added "it doesn't matter who brings peace to the country - Wickremesinghe or Rajapakse - the fact is that if investors repose confidence in the peace process, Sri Lankan stocks are bound to rise." Harsha de Silva's attack on Mahinda Rajapakse's economic policy at the time of the Presidential election was virulent to a point where a Minister once in a fit of pique called him a "second rate economist". However, Colombo analysts continued to swear by De Silva, whose current analysis is that Rajapakse peace polices alone have boosted investor confidence and spurred on the rising stock market indice performance. It's a view endorsed by economists across the board, even though NGO analysts earlier said that the "markets have failed to react" to the peace process (Round One) concluded in Geneva. “The new upturn in the markets shows this prognosis is untrue - and that there is real positive investor reaction as a result of rising confidence in the peace process,” analysts said. The reason has to be peace alone, as inflation is low and interest rates are high, they said. Court intervenes in Law College Tamil medium admissions Eleven additional Tamil medium candidates were admitted to the Law College in Colombo Friday following the intervention of the Supreme Court after Tamil students filed Fundamental Rights application citing discriminatory procedures in admissions, legal sources said. Only one Tamil medium candidate was allowed to enter the college based on the results released in 1995 entrance examination held by the Law College, sources said. The Supreme Court after hearing the petitions, directed the Law College to reassess the answer scripts of all Tamil medium candidates. The Law College after reassessment of answer scripts held an oral examination for those Tamil medium candidates who obtained over 60 marks in the written examination. The marks they obtained in oral examination were later added to the cutout marks they received in the written examination. On that basis eleven more Tamil medium candidates were found qualified to enter the Law College for the current academic year, sources said. Thiruketheeswaram war affected families receive houses Seva Lanka, a non-governmental organization handed over twenty-four houses constructed in Thiruketheeswaram area in the Mannar district to beneficiaries on Wednesday. Mr.T.Lankaneson, Project Director of the NECORD ceremonially opened the housing scheme, sources said. Funding for the housing projecte was praovided by the North East Community Restoration Development (NECORD) project. The houses were constructed to resettle the displaced people from Thiruketheeswaram village during 1990 war, sources said. Mr,.V.Visuvalingam, Mannar Government Agent and Mr.K.Nagaratnam, NECORD Mannar District Deputy Project Director and Seva Lanka officials participated in the event.The Sri Lanka Army had allowed about eight hundred perches from its high security zone in Thiruketheeswaram village to build these houses, sources said. Tamil politician
slams tax on minority entertainment The government has decided to charge a tax on films imported for terrestrial broadcast at Rs75,000 as well as taxing television programs such as dramas and sitcoms. The government said the tax was being imposed to protect the domestic teledrama industry. Teledramas at the moment are only being produced in the Sinhalese language. While high quality dramas are snapped up by commercial television stations, some 300 odd teledramas are believed to be waiting to be picked up by TV stations. Hindi teledramas imported have proved to be a big hit with viewers, and the reason for the tax is believed to be heavy lobbying by Sinhalese teledrama producers who want to curb Indian programs. At the moment no Tamil or English language films or teledramas are produced in the country and almost all films are imported from South India. According to data from the media research firm AC Nielsen, 715 Tamil films, 701 English films and 452 Hindi films were broadcast in 2005, indicating that Tamil films are likely to bear the brunt of the tax. The government has also not said whether the taxes raised from Tamil and English television programs would go back to developing the non-existent Tamil and English programs or whether they would be given to the thriving Sinhala language teledrama industry. A government decision to make Sinhalese the sole national language known as the 'Sinhala only' policy is often cited as one reason the minority Tamil community resorted to armed rebellion. Though the policy was later reversed with Tamil now being a national language, the civil war that ensured has so far claimed more than 60,000 lives, and an ongoing ceasefire agreement with the rebels have put a break on hostilities. "This is the curse of this country," says Raviraj. "If the money raised from taxing these programs is used for other purposes it is even worse." Tamil is a language spoken by Tamil and Muslim communities of the island while people of European descent use English. ETV and ART-TV, two television stations that broadcast English language programming have said the tax would force them to sharply raise sponsorship rates, and even face closure if the market cannot absorb the hike. 18 March 2006 Local council election contestants meet TNA in Vavuniya Candidates competing in the Vavuniya district local council elections under the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) ticket met with Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarians in Vavuniya Hindu Youths Hall Thursday, sources in Vavuniya said. Elections may still held even though Commissioner of Elections has been requested to postpone the local elections in the NorthEast by several civil society organizations, said TNA parliamentarian Sivanathan Kishore. Sivasakthi Ananthan, another TNA parliamentarian, talking to the election candidates said that they should make all preparations for the elections.In a meeting held earlier between the candidates and the Officer in Charge of Vavuniya Police, M Tennekoon, police officials briefed the candidates on the procedures to be followed during the propaganda meetings leading towards the elections, sources said. Norway appoints new Special Peace Envoy The Norwegian Embassy yesterday confirmed the appointment of Jon Hanssen-Bauer, an academic with wide experience in mediating peace deals as the next Special Envoy to the Sri Lankan peace process. Hanssen would replace Erik Solheim as the Special Envoy, diplomatic sources said. Solheim who would still paly a key role in the Sri Lankan peace initiative was a leading figure in the four-year old peace initiative. "I am pleased, that Jon Hanssen-Bauer has accepted the assignment," the Nordic embassy quoted Solheim as saying. The appointment has been conveyed to the parties to the peace process. "Hanssen-Bauer's academic and practical experience means he is highly qualified, he has engaged in peace reconciliation work in many countries. I am convinced that he will do a good job for the parties," Solheim said. Hanssen-Bauer, who headed the Fafo Institute for the Applied International Studies for 12 years has working experience in the Middle-East and Latin America. He would be briefed on Sri Lankan politics and the peace process by the outgoing envoy Solheim. Solheim who became the International Development Minister following the victory of the Leftist coalition, was a key figure in working out the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) between the Government and the LTTE. Solheim, a member of Norway's Socialist Party engaged in shuttle diplomacy between Colombo and Killinochchi following the breakdown of peace talks in April 2003. During the stalemate he worked constantly to keep the truce alive, by engaging in frequent talks with the two parties. His good offices became instrumental in re-starting talks between the Government and the LTTE last month in Switzerland. Despite the new appointment Solheim would be still be responsible for the 'overall facilitation process' and would be present at talks between the parties, Norwegian officials said. The new Envoy was actively involved in the Israel-Palestinian peace process is a scholar in social anthropology and a researcher in the areas of development, organisation and management. IGP wants polls in uncleared areas postponed Police Chief Chandra Fernando yesterday requested the
Elections Commissioner to reconsider his decision to hold the local polls
as scheduled in uncleared areas in the North and East. Sinhalese see Rajapakse as peacemaker: Survey An overwhelming majority of Sinhalese, the dominant community in Sri Lanka, think that President Mahinda Rajapakse is committed to a negotiated settlement of the ethnic conflict, and that he has the strength to bring it about, according to a survey conducted by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA). Eighty-seven per cent said that Rajapakse had the strength to take the peace process forward and 80% said that he was committed to finding peace through talks. The survey, conducted by Pradeep Peiris, head of the Social Indicators section of the CPA, found 95 per cent were of the view that the government and the LTTE should go in for a negotiated settlement, instead of letting the current stalemate continue indefinitely. The survey was conducted from February 17 to March 3, among 1300 respondents in the island excluding the Tamil-speaking North Eastern Province, which is disturbed because of the armed ethnic conflict. The peace constituency has in fact increased over the last few months, the survey says. Since September 2005, there has been a 10 per cent increase in people who say that a "no-war, no-peace" scenario is not good and that the government and the LTTE should start talking about a permanent solution. The survey finds that the rural Sinhalese are more strongly in favour of a negotiated settlement as compared to the urban Sinhalese. More people now say that they have gained by the peace process as compared to September 2005. In September 2005, 57 per cent said that they had gained by the peace process. But in February-March 2006, the figure had gone up to 67 per cent. Seventy-two per cent said that the Geneva talks held in February this year were a success. However, there was a marked difference between the rural and urban Sinhalese in this regard. It is the rural Sinhalese who were the more optimistic about Geneva. Peace Facilitator Norway has improved its image among the Sinhalese. In November 2005, at the time of the Presidential elections, only 26 per cent thought that the Norwegians were doing a good job. But in February-March 2006, the percentage had gone up to 44 per cent. The Sinhalese seem to continue to have a somewhat dim view of the Norwegian Peace Envoy, Erik Solheim. Only 38 per cent of the respondents, who were aware of Solheim's role in the on-going peace process, thought that he was doing a good job. Forty five per cent said they were dissatisfied. Peiris says that fuller acceptance of Norway as the peace facilitator will depend on what steps the Norwegian government takes to raise the level of confidence that the Sinhalese community has in Solheim. Peiris concludes by saying that the coming weeks will show the extent to which President Rajapakse is able to use the prevailing favourable climate among the Sinhalese masses to successfully push the peace process forward, regardless of his hard line political allies like the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU). Nazzer Ahamed as President's advisor President Mahinda Rajapakse has appointed Nazeer Ahamed as an advisor to ensure the successful implementation of the 'Mahinda Chintanaya'. Nazeer Ahamed is the Leader of the Muslim National Alliance (MNA). He is an Honours Graduate with a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. He started his career as a Lecturer at the KFUPM. In 1991 he joined Jamjoom Group of Companies in Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company till 1994. On his return to the country, M. H. M. Ashraf appointed him as the Director of International Affairs of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress - a post he also held in the National Unity Alliance (NUA). Deserters number
70,000, illegal arms over 35,000,
Over 20 underworld gangs on the loose Speaking to the media he said this issue should be taken seriously and a control on the use of arms was necessary.. SAMASA and its partners will launch a 100-day count down campaign leading up to the June 26 UN review conference, which will be chaired by Sri Lanka. Rodrigo emphasized that since Sri Lanka harbors an atmosphere with various unaccounted groups and the free flow of arms, it was of great importance to chair the conference and influence other countries. He added that arming of politicians began prior to the 1989 elections, by providing 15,000 arms to politicians and these were never returned. Annually 500,000 are said to be dying world wide due to small arms. He commended Former president Chandrika Kumaratunga on her initiative to set up a national commission to combat the proliferation of illicit small arms. Sri Lanka is said to be the first country in South Asia to establish a national commission. Last year an arms cleaning drive saw the destruction of 30,000 fire arms at the Independence square. The 100-day count down will launch a million faces photo petition and create awareness on the issue of small arms even at school level and pressure the governments in the region to support the Arms Trade Treaty. Over 900,000 people have already given their photographs for the million faces petition, representing the million killed due to fire arms since 2001 and calling the leaders to have stricter laws on arms trade which will be presented at the June conference. Negombo Deputy Mayor seeks security due to UPFA death threats The Negombo deputy mayor and UNP mayoral candidate Sunil Wilfred Silva claiming that he had received death threats allegedly from his rival candidates from UPFA, Nimal Lansa and Bandula Naotuna, requested the IGP to provide adequate security to him. In a letter to the IGP Chandra Fernando he said that Mr. Lansa had come to the Municipal Council and threatened to kill him He had been allegedly threatened for the second time by another UPFA candidate Bandula Naoutna. Mr. Silva received information on an alleged plot by Mr. Naoutna to kill him and the latter had hired five groups of underworld gangsters for the purpose. He further pointed out that they have planned to disrupt
UNP campaigns in the area Mr Lansa when contacted by the ‘Daily Mirror’ said Mr. Silva had made up the story to get sympathy of the voters. According to Mr. Lansa the latter got angry with him after some of his supporters had crossed over to the UPFA. “Some of Mr. Silva’s supporters have joined us recently thereby frustrating him and that is the reason why he is making false accusations,” Mr. Lansa pointed out. He also said he had nothing do with the attack on Mr. Silva’s house and that it was done by some members of the UNP. “I don’t have to resort to violence to win the election as I was able to get 16,000 votes at the last Local Government Election while Mr. Silva got only 6,000. Businesses target of two Vavuniya grenade attacks Unknown group of men hurled hand grenades near business establishments in Vavuniya town Thursday night escalating fear and tension among the Vavuniya trading community which has become the target of several incidents of threats and grenade attacks recently. Vavuniya police said no one was injured in the two attacks. One incident occurred in front of a shop selling softdrinks in Vavuniya town at 8.20 p.m., and another explosion occured at 9.00 p.m. in front of the house of a businessman who owns a hotel in Vavuniya town, sources in Vavuniya said.Vavuniya police said they are conducting investigations. Jeyaraj drops visit to Wanni Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle who was to visit Wanni via Madu had dropped the whole journey at the last minute with Thamil Selvam refusing to meet him, reports from Kilinochchi indicate. The LTTE has decided there is no point meeting emissaries now, if the government is not going to honour the agreement reached at the Geneva discussions, say reports from Kilinochchi. The LTTE, it is said is now contemplating to draw the attention of the International community to violations taking place in the Eastern province, where it is claimed that two of their camps had been attacked after Geneva discussions. With local government elections gaining momentum in the South, the JVP is pressing on President Rajapaksa to drop Norway from its role as facilitator, another issue the Wanni leadership is keeping watch. CID to investigate cops connection with drug baron The Criminal Investigation Department is to question seven policemen including an Inspector for alleged connection with a drug baron who was recently taken into custody along with 5 kilograms of heroin. The case was revealed when the CID searched the house of drug kingpin, “Wele Suda” at Mt. Lavinia and recovered a diary containing names of a police inspector and six constables. The suspected drug baron was arrested by a special team from the Marawila police, while he was transporting heroin worth Rs.20 million from Mannar to Colombo.Marawila police later handed over the suspect to CID for further investigations. The investigators suspect the drug dealer had maintained an acquaintance with these police officers in Colombo area to help conduct his illicit business undisturbed. The CID also found some papers used to pack heroin inside the suspect’s house. US court orders
Sri Lankan released after 5 years Ahilan Nadarajah, a 25-year old member of the Tamil ethnic minority on the island nation, was tortured by government troops at his home in the Jaffna peninsula of northern Sri Lanka on suspicion that he was a member of the separatist Tamil Tigers group, according to court papers. He attempted to enter the United States illegally in 2001, and has been detained ever since without being charged with any crime. "We conclude that the general detention statutes relied upon by the government do not authorize indefinite detention," Judge Sidney Thomas wrote for a three-judge panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. "When examined under the analysis prescribed by the Supreme Court, Nadarajah's detention is unreasonable, unjustified, and in violation of federal law." The decision cited an earlier Supreme Court ruling finding that detention for a period of six months is permissible in such cases only if removal is soon likely. "A detention of nearly five years -- ten times the amount of time the Supreme Court has considered acceptable absent a special showing -- is plainly unreasonable under any measure," the judge wrote. A 2002 truce halted two decades of civil war in Sri Lanka and left the Tamil Tigers in control of the Tamil-dominated north and east. 17 March 2006 TNA alleges death threats from EPDP TNA candidates contesting the upcoming local council polls from the Jaffna district have alleged intimidation and death threats by EPDP cadres. TNA general secretary Mavai Senathirajah said there appeared to be little hope of a solution to the problem despite bringing it to the notice of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “Several of our candidates and their family members in Jaffna have faced intimidation and death threats. I don’t see how the President will be able to provide them security when the security forces themselves have also harassed some of the candidates,” he charged. Meanwhile the Jaffna people’s consortium, a pro LTTE group, has opposed the appointment of EPDP leader Douglas Devananda as the head of the committee in charge of development activities in the Jaffna peninsula. The consortium, while demanding his immediate removal, said the appointment of Minister Devananda went against the interests of the Tamil people in the area. Attempts by the Daily Mirror to reach Minister Devananda or his private secretary for a response to the allegations were unsuccessful. TNA MPs are meanwhile expected to meet LTTE political head S.P. Thamilselvan in Kilinochchi next week. Postal voting for LG Poll on March 20, 21 The marking of postal ballot papers for the March 30 Local Poll is scheduled for March 20 and 21. The marking of postal ballot papers of the following local authorities will however not take place on these dates as the elections will be postponed due to judicial reasons. Colombo Municipal Council, Seethawakapura Pradeshiya Sabha, Gampaha Urban Council, Gampola Urban Council, Udapalatha Pradeshiya Sabha, Wattegama Pradeshiya Sabha, Pathahewaheta Pradeshiya Sabha, Galle Municipal Council, Elpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha, Ratnapura Balangoda Pradeshiya Sabha, Ampara Ninthavur Pradeshiya Sabha, Pottuvil Pradeshiya Sabha, Kalmunai Pradeshiya Sabha, Addalaichenai Pradeshiya Sabha, Akkaraipattu Pradeshiya Sabha, Mannar Urban Council, Mannar Pradeshiya Sabha, Nanattan Pradeshiya Sabha, Musali Pradeshiya Sabha, Mantai Pradeshiya Sabha and Puttalam Urban Council. Solheim to give
up Sri Lanka job Mr Solheim has played a central role in moves to end the conflict. Last month he brokered the first face-to-face talks between the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels in three years. 'Above expectations' Mr Solheim said he was giving up the job of envoy to concentrate more on his job as Norway's overseas development minister. Mr Solheim denied that his decision to step down as mediator was as a result of criticism of his role from Sri Lanka. The BBC's Lars Bevanger in Oslo says that Mr Solheim made it clear that he was still committed to being involved in peace efforts. Those who "want to get rid of me will not see their dreams come true in that regard", he said. Mr Solheim said he would hand over to his successor before the second round of talks in Geneva. The name of his successor has not been announced. At the end of the first round of the Geneva talks, the Sri Lankan government and the Tigers agreed to curb violence and renew talks in April on their fragile truce. Mr Solheim described that, at the time, as an outcome "above expectations". The BBC Tamil service's Ethirajan Anbarasan says Mr Solheim remains one of the few figures that both sides in the Sri Lankan conflict find acceptable to talk to. Appeal for restraint Meanwhile, the Norwegian ambassador in Sri Lanka, Hans Brattskar, has held talks in the north of the island with the head of the Tigers' political wing, SP Thamilselvan. Afterwards Mr Brattskar called for restraint on both sides. "We have seen since the meeting in Geneva a dramatic decrease in the violence," he said. "But the only way to secure this positive trend is for the two sides to fully implement what they agreed to do in Geneva." The Tamil Tiger leadership says it will consider pulling out of the Geneva talks because it says the government is colluding with paramilitary groups in spite of a commitment not to do so. The Tigers allege that the government is allowing paramilitary groups to operate in areas under its control. That is denied by the government. Brattsakar meets Thamilselvan Norwegian envoy Hans Brattskar and the LTTE yesterday held discussions on the next round of peace talks and the follow up of Celigny talks, the Embassy sources said. Embassy spokesperson Tom Knappsogg said that the discussion was mainly on the follow up of Geneva talks. He declined to comment further. Yesterday's meeting between the LTTE political leader S.P. Thamilselvam and Ambassador Brattsker was the first after the Celigny talks. According to sources, Thamilselvam had raised the issue of abductions in the North-East France reiterates support for Govt. peace effort France yesterday reiterated its support for the ongoing efforts of the Sri Lankan Government to arrive at a negotiated settlement and welcomed the restraint shown by the Government in the face of provocations. French Foreign Minister Phillipe Douste-Blazy made this remark, when he met visiting Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera in Paris. A press release issued by the Foreign Ministry stated that Minister Samaraweera stressed the importance of addressing issues such as democracy, pluralism and human rights during future talks with LTTE. Minister Samaraweera reiterated the Government’s commitment to continue the dialogue and emphasized the importance of the support of the international community for this process. He acknowledged the role played by France as Chairman of the UN Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict. The two Ministers were concerned that children of a very young age are conscripted and the trauma they go through as child soldiers leave a permanent scar in their lives. Minister Samaraweera referred to the Sri Lankan situation where children have been recruited as combatants for many years and expressed the hope that the Working Group under the chairmanship of France would recommend adequate sanctions against the perpetrators. The two Ministers also discussed the issue of illegal fund raising and extortion of Sri Lankan expatriates and agreed on the need for cooperative endeavours in this regard. The French Minister explained the measures introduced to combat illegal fund raising and those expected to be implemented as additional means. Minister Douste-Blazy recalled his visit to Sri Lanka as the Minister for Health soon after the tsunami disaster. Minister Samaraweera responding to the French Minister’s query on the rehabilitation and reconstruction work outlined the progamme underway and expressed his thanks to France for the generous relief provided, particularly to the Trincomalee district. Ambassador of France in Colombo Jean Bernard Devaivre and senior French Foreign Ministry officials as well as Sri Lankan Ambassador to France Chitranganee Wagiswara and the Senior Advisor to the President Dr Jayantha Dhanapala were present at the meeting New Swedish SLMM Chief here THE new Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Head, Ulf Henriccson of Sweden who is due to take over functions from April 1, will arrive in Sri Lanka next week on a familiarisation visit. He is due to meet with SLMM members to get first hand information of him the ground situation, during the visit. Henriccson will consult SLMM chief Hagrup Haukland who is expected to brief him on the situation in Sri Lanka in relation to the Cease-fire Agreement and other matters, SLMM spokesperson Helen Olafsdottir told the Daily News yesterday. "He is planning to study the situation in the country and the issues relating to monitoring of the CFA," she said. Grenade attack, extortion threats unsettle Vavuniya businessmen Unknown attackers on Wednesday lobbed a grenade at the
residence of a businessman in Vavuniya, sources in Vavuniya said. No one
was injured in the attack. Five traders have registered complaints with
Vavuniya police that persons claiming to be belonging to Karuna group
have threatened over the phone demanding large sums of money, Vavuniya
Police said. Head of LTTE Political Wing has brought the escalating extortion threats to the notice of the Vavuniya Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) Wednesday, said sources in Vavuniya. Vavuniya District Judge Manicavasagar Illancheliyan, on Wednesday, convened a special meeting of Village Development Officers (VDO) and Village Officers to discuss the tribute money demands and ways of stemming robbery. He requested the public to co-operate with the police in their investigations, VDO sources said. LTTE denies extortion claims The Tamil Tiger rebels have denied the accusations that they exert pressure on the Tamil Diaspora to collect funds for the “final phase” of the war against the Sri Lankan government.LTTE political wing leader, S.P. Thamilselvan, said the report by Human Rights Watch with eyewitness accounts from the Tamils in Britain and Canada was an attempt to “discredit” their organisation. He said the LTTE did not have any agents to collect money, anywhere in the world. In an interview with BBC Colombo correspondent John Sudworth in Kilinochchi, Mr. Thamilselvan alleged the report was based on “false” information. The often willing support of Tamils living overseas have helped make the LTTE one of the richest militant organisations in the world, running what is effectively a state within a state. But the Human Rights Watch report based on interviews with Tamils living in Europe and North America claimed the organisation was now increasingly relying on extortion and threats to procure funds. - Jaffna DDC meets under heavy security Mr. Douglas Devananda, Minister in the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) government, and North East Governor Mohan Wijewickrema, retired Rear Admiral of the Sri Lanka Navy, Thursday morning arrived at the Jaffna District Secretariat in a troop carrier of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) for the Jaffna District Development Committee (DDC) meeting held Thursday morning, sources in Jaffna said. The entire surrounding of the secretariat building was fortified with large numbers of troops and armored vehicles, sources added. Mr. Douglas Devananda has been appointed Chairman of the DDC and Mr.Mohan Wijewickrema as one of the two Co- Chairmen. The other co-chairman Mr.Mavai Senathirajah, TNA Parliamentarian and other 08 fellow parliamentarians did not turn up at the meeting in protest to the appointment of Mr. Douglas Devananda as DDC chairman, sources said The route from the office of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) to the Jaffna district secretariat was fortified with SLA troops on both the sides of the road, sources saidHeads of Government Departments were subjected to checking with metal detectors before being allowed in to attend the meeting. Journalists were also subjected to severe checking by armed police. Sniffer dogs were used to screen the photographic and other electronic equipments, sources said. The first meeting of the DDC for the New Year commenced its session with the welcoming speech by Mr.K.Ganesh, Government Agent of Jaffna district. Mr. Douglas Devananda in his opening speech said it was ludicrous for the TNA to claim the chairmanship of the Jaffna DDC when it boycotted the presidential poll last year. "President Mahinda Rajapakse appointed me as the Chairman though Mr.Mavai Senathirajah claimed that he is the most senior parliamentarian of the district. I came to know today morning through the media that the TNA parliamentarians are going to boycott the DDC inaugural meeting. However decisions to be taken at today's meeting would be implemented to reach the target," said Mr. Douglas Devananda, sources said. "I did not object when Mr.Mavai Senathirajah was appointed one of the Co-Vice Chairmen to assist the peace process without any disruption,"said Mr.Douglas Devananda. Mr. Douglas Devananda apologized for the inconvenience caused to the heads of departments and journalists due to severe checks carried out by the security forces. Major General D.K.Chandrasiri, Jaffna area commander of the SLA and the Deputy Inspector General of Police also participated in the meeting, sources said. EU EOM says it may not monitor future Sri Lankan elections The European Union Election Observer Mission (EUEOM), that monitored the November 17, 2005 presidential election said that it may not come back to Sri Lanka if its recommendations continue to be ignored and are not implemented. The head of the EU EOM John Cushnahan told "The Island", that it was regrettable to note the non implementation of recommendations made in the past. "Several recommendations that we made after monitoring the last parliamentary election are yet to be implemented.If this situation continues it would be pointless wasting our time here.We might as well offer our services to countries that want to change." Cushnahan, said that recommendations of earlier EU EOM’s are restated in the report on the 2005 Presidential Election, since most of them have not yet been implemented. "The recommendations remain essential ingredients for strengthening the electoral process." Cushnahan ruled out applying pressure on Sri Lanka to implement the EU EOM recommendations. "It is not for us to apply pressure.Sri Lanka will have to do it in its own interest.It is a question of whether the government wants to strengthen its democratic institutions and electoral process.But if they continue to ignore our recommendations then we might as well offer our services to countries that heed our advice", he said. Describing the EU EOM report on the 2005 Presidential Election as "radical", Cushnahan said he was passionately recommending that it be implemented. Commenting on the LTTE’s disruption of the Presidential Election, he said that urgent action was required to prevent such a recurrence. "We have recommended that future elections in LTTE controlled areas be supervised by an international body, subject to both the government and LTTE agreeing to it." Cushnahan said that the LTTE by preventing a large number of Northern and Eastern voters from casting their ballots at the Presidential Election subverted the democratic process. "This does not augur well for future elections. Concrete action is the need of the hour .There should be no dilly dallying on this score." He said that steps should also be taken to ensure no one wins elections just because they have more money in their pockets. US taking note of report on LTTE fund-raising The Bush Administration has said it is taking seriously a Human Rights Watch report, which documents the LTTE's fund-raising outside Sri Lanka as also methods involved in the "collection". "We have designated the LTTE a long time ago as a foreign terrorist organisation and this was in part because of its activities outside of Sri Lanka raising funds," a senior US administration said. Washington is concerned about the report, released by the New York-based group on Wednesday, especially as it pertains to fund-raising among the community in the US. "US law prohibits the LTTE from collecting money in the United States and it is illegal for American citizens to provide money to the LTTE," the official said. "Our law enforcement agencies are aware of this and are on the lookout for these kinds of activity." According to the official, the US has called upon the LTTE to renounce "terrorist methods" in word and deed and stop practices such as recruiting child soldiers. "We urge it to participate sincerely in the peace process," the official added. 16 March 2006 UK pledges support for peace effort The United Kingdom has once again pledged its support to Sri Lanka’s peace process. The pledge was made by British Secretary of State Jack Straw during his meeting with Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera, in London on Tuesday. The Foreign Affairs Ministry Tuesday said: "Minister Samaraweera briefed his counterpart on the current status of the talks and expressed optimism that the second round in April will lead to agreement on a wider range of issues. The Minister expressed the appreciation of the Sri Lankan Government to the UK for their cooperation extended in the lead up to the Geneva Talks. Secretary Straw recognised President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s restraint in the face of provocation and welcomed the Geneva talks and the importance of its continuation." "Foreign Minister Samaraweera referred to the British Presidency of the EU in the latter half of 2005, and thanked for the initiatives in the EU and its role as Co-chairs in supporting the peace building efforts in Sri Lanka during their tenure." "Speaking of the post-tsunami developments Secretary Jack Straw commanded the Government to Sri Lanka for the effective management of the relief and rehabilitation work and the achievements made in these areas." "The two Ministers decided to strengthen bilateral cooperation on matters related to terrorism and its financing. Other issues of mutual interest were also discussed at this meeting." "Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala, Senior Advisor to the President and other senior officials accompanied the Minister." Brattskar to meet Thamilselvan tomorrow Norwegian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Hans Brattskar will leave for Kilinochchi tomorrow to meet LTTE political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan. The reason for his visit has not been made clear. However, a highly placed government official said Mr. Brattskar will meet the LTTE to inform them of the outcome of a meeting with the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry H.M.G.S. Palihakkara last Monday. It is also learnt that in return, Brattskar will meet again with Mr. Palihakkara to inform him of the outcome of his visit to Kilinochchi. EU provides housing aid for NorthEast war affected families European Commission agreed to finance E$ 22 Mn (European Dollars) for housing of conflict affected families in the Vavuniya and Mannar Districts through the World Bank, North East Housing Reconstruction Programme (NEHRP) officials said. As a first installment E$ 6 Mn (European Dollars) was paid to the World Bank and an agreement was signed by Mr. Peter C. Harrold, Country Director, World Bank and Mr.S.Rangarajah, Chief Secretary, North East Province on 01.03.2006 at the World Bank Office, Colombo.Mr. Peter C.Harrold, Mr.S.Rangarajah, Mr. C.Pathmanathan, Project Director, North East Housing Reconstruction Programme, Dr. Naresha Duraiswamy, Task Leader, World Bank and European Union Head of Operation Mr. Peter Maher participated in the signing ceremony. Anura abandons sister and join forces with Mahinda Even as former President Chandrika Kuamratunga is engaged in a bitter political battle with President Mahinda Rajapaksa blocking him from becoming the SLFP leader, her only brother Minister Anura Bandaranaike has expressed solidarity with the President.Bandaranaike had pledged his fullest support to the President before embarking on his recent German tour. 'Lanka e News' has reliably learnt that Minister Bandaranaike had requested her sister to hand over the SLFP leadership to Mahinda as he has now become the leader of the entire country, but Kumaratunga had retorted that Rajapaksa had destroyed both the party and country. Bandaranaike has told the President that his sister was not in agreement to his proposal to hand over the party leadership to him and has given an assurance to the President to meet Kumaratunga in London after his German tour and resolve the SLFP leadership crisis. PNM to campaign vigorously for dumping Norway The Deshahithaishi Jathika Viyaparaya (Patriotic National Movement) yesterday (15) said it would step its mass agitation campaign across the country demanding the expulsion of Norway as facilitator of the peace process. The campaign is to be started in early April. Speaking at a media briefing, JVP parliamentary group leader and propaganda secretary Wimal Weerawansa questioned Norway’s right to give the LTTE delegation a red carpet welcome when they visited Oslo immediately after the Geneva talks. He said the internationally accepted tradition and protocol was to invite the government in power for an official visit, but in this instance the Norwegian Government, which he described as a country of religious fundamentalists, with scant regard to the sovereignty of Sri Lanka, had violated the international protocol deliberately. Weerawansa warned that if the LTTE was allowed to have a separate state for a period of five years, under international law it (the de facto state) could be then be recognised as a separate state. Norway wants to amend the cease fire agreement and make provisions to allow it to reach five years, so that Norway could be the first state to recognise Eelam, Weerawansa said. When asked whether any other country could act as a facilitator, Weerawansa said it was up to relevant parties to agree as to whether a foreign country or any other party could act as a facilitator. "Leader of the Opposition Ranil Wickremasinghe twice visited Norway. Whenever Ranil goes overseas the winds of instability blow across the nation," Weerawansa said. Weerawansa described the ceasefire as an agreement the government signed with the LTTE ultra vires of the Constitution. Dr.Gunadasa Amerasakera, Joint Secretary ,said that all political parties had been invited for talks on March 22, to form an Alliance to oppose the forming of a separate state. Disarming paramilitary groups difficult task: SLMM One of the key conditions of the LTTE – disarming armed para military groups prior to the next round of peace talks is an enormously difficult task, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission said yesterday. It said this condition was extremely difficult to meet and as such it was under severe strain. With barely a month before the second round of talks between the Government and the LTTE begins on April 19, LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasinhgam adopted a tough stand on Monday, with a threat to pull out of the talks unless government delivered on its promise to disarm rival militants. SLMM spokesperson Helen Olafsdottir, tasked with overseeing the shaky ceasefire agreement, said there was no denying that rival armed groups were operating in the northeast. “It will be a challenging task for the government to disarm them”, she added. Striking a cautious note, Ms. Olafsdottir said the SLMM had no mandate to say how the problem should be tackled but hoped the two parties would stabilise the situation. “It was not for the SLMM to go into the jungles to hunt for paramilitary groups”, she said. Ms. Olafsdottir said more than 153 people were killed during December and January and this was one of the most difficult months the SLMM had to face since arriving in Sri Lanka. “The presence of paramilitary groups has further complicated the conflict”, she said. Ms. Olafsdottir said the SLMM was of the opinion the government should be held responsible for the violence in the government-controlled areas while the LTTE should be held responsible for the violence in areas within its control, regardless of other armed elements operating in these areas. She said at the next round of talks in Geneva the SLMM would submit a report on the progress made since the February talks. Sri Lankan children protest against abductions Hundreds of children left their classes in parts of eastern Sri Lanka on Wednesday to protest the abductions of three teenagers blamed by the military on Tamil Tiger rebels, police said. The rebels have denied responsibility, saying witnesses told them that a van used to abduct two of the teenagers on Monday sped toward a Sri Lankan military camp. "The incident took place during a time when there was heavy Sri Lankan army patrolling on the street," the rebels said on their Web site, accusing a rival rebel faction of being behind the abductions. The rebel movement split in 2004 and the mainstream group accuses the army of backing the breakaway faction, a charge the army denies. Also Wednesday, residents set fire to two state-owned buses in Batticaloa, the main city in eastern Sri Lanka, apparently because of anger over the security situation, district police official Nihal Karunaratne said. The buses were empty when they were burned. Karunaratne said by telephone that hundreds of students had walked out of their classrooms to protest inadequate safety for children. On Monday, unidentified men traveling in a van grabbed two 15-year-old students in Valaichchenai town in Batticaloa district, according to military spokesman Brig. Sudhir Samarasinghe. Later the same day, two more people - a 15-year-old student and a 25-year-old man - were abducted in two separate incidents in Batticaloa town. Sri Lanka's military and the U.N. children's agency have frequently accused the mainstream rebels of forcing underage people to become combatants. The issue of child soldiers figured prominently in talks last month between the government and rebels in Geneva on ways to preserve their four-year-old cease-fire. The talks were their first direct meeting in nearly three years. The Norwegian-brokered truce has been endangered by an escalation of violence since December that killed 150 people, including 81 government security personnel. The government blamed the Tigers for the attacks, while the rebels accused the government of waging a war against them. Both sides agreed in Geneva to scale down the violence and meet again in April. Muthalif killing: Court issues notice on Supdt. of Prisons The Colombo Magistrate yesterday issued notice on the Superintendent Welikada Prison for not producing the murder suspect who wanted to make a special statement in connection with the murder of the Army Intelligence officer Lieutenant Colonel Thuwan Muthaliff. Colombo Additional Magistrate Gihan Pilapitiya made his order when the prison authorities failed to produce the suspect A.K. Karunaratne alias Anura Deshapriya who had sought to make a statement before Court. At the previous hearing the suspect through his Counsel Thejitha Koralage had informed Court that he wanted to make a statement in camera. The attorney requested Court that tight security be provided to the suspect when he was produced. When the case was called yesterday, the Additional Magistrate was informed that the suspect had not been brought to Court. The case was postponed for the evening session but the prison superintendent failed to produce the suspect when the case was called. At this stage the Magistrate issued notice on the Prison Superintendent to produce the suspect before Court on March 28. In this case Indurugolla Vidanarachchilage Sanjeewa, Arumugam Sendilkumar alias Rajan and Rajarathnam Saraswathi alias Uma have arrested in connection with the murder of Lieutenant Colonel Muthaliff at Polhengoda on 31 May, 2005. Don't pay Bogollagama's Geneva bill - President President Mahinda Rajapaksa last Monday ordered Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga not to credit expenses incurred by family members of Minister Roitha Bogollagama during the Geneva talks to the government account. Reportedly the Bogollagama family bill while in Geneva is amounting to Rs 850,000. Bogallagama paid scant respect for the presidential order not to accompany their spouses to Geneva and took not only his wife but his son as well. It is reported Rs 850,000 bill includes the Bogollagamas food and lodging and traveling expenses during their stay in Geneva. Although he had tried to placate the President by explaining reasons behind his decision to accompany family members, the President has stated in no uncertain terms that the family expenses of Bogollagam should not be credited to the government account. Tamil rebels 'coercing
diaspora' -Source:BBC The rebels said the allegations were untrue and designed to descredit them. A recent upsurge in violence between the rebels and security forces in Sri Lanka has cost at least 120 lives. Sri Lankan officials and leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have agreed to curb the unrest and hold more talks in April on a threadbare truce. Fear Human Rights Watch says a new "aggressive and systematic fundraising drive" was launched by the Tigers in late 2005, coinciding with a sharp rise in violence in Sri Lanka. Its report said some Tamils living overseas were being coerced and intimidated into giving the LTTE money. About 800,000 Sri Lankan Tamils live abroad, mostly in the UK and Canada. The report said many members of the Tamil diaspora or their relatives had "suffered human rights violations at the hands of the Sinhala-dominated Sri Lankan government" and actively supported the Tamil Tigers. "But the culture of fear is so strong that even Tamils who don't support them [the rebels] still feel they have no choice but to give money," the New York-based group said. It called on the governments of Canada and Britain to protect Tamils living there. Those interviewed for the report talk of door-to-door teams making frequent visits and threatening violence against family members. They say those collecting the money claim it is to fund a so-called "final war", although the rebels and the Sri Lankan government restarted are supposed to be in the middle of peace talks. "Sri Lankan Tamils living in the West fear that if they speak out about Tamil Tiger abuses, they may put themselves and their families at risk," said Jo Becker, author of the report. But rebel political leader SP Thamilselvan said the report was baseless. "The LTTE does not have any agents or its members to go and collect money from anybody anywhere in the world," he told the BBC. "What happens is the Tamils living overseas collect money because they know that these people are affected by war and therefore deserve assistance by their own brethren." The Canadian Tamil Congress, a prominent expatriate group, said the report was based on "anecdotal evidence and misguided assumptions". "There has not been a single prosecution for extortion in Canada amongst the Tamil community," it said. Talks Correspondents say financial contributions have made the Tamil Tigers into one of the world's richest militant organisations, as well as one of the most lethal. The rebels are proscribed as a terrorist group in both the UK and the US. The Tigers and the Sri Lankan government met in Geneva last month and agreed to abide by the fragile 2002 ceasefire. More than 60,000 people died during two decades of conflict in Sri Lanka. The Tamil Tigers want autonomy for minority Tamils in the north and east. President Mahinda Rajapakse has said the solution to the conflict lies in a unitary state. Canadian Tamils protest against HRW charges Expatriate Tamils in Canada reacted Wednesday against
a report by Human Rights Watch alleging extortion by the Tamil Tigers,
saying the report had characterized their entire community as one moribund
by fear and questioned its integration into Canadian society. Pointing
out there has not been a single prosecution for extortion in Canada amongst
the Tamil community, they said anecdotal evidence and assumptions, not
sound social science research, formed the basis for HRW’s allegations. The author, Ms. Jo Becker concluded that the Canadian legal system as a whole has failed to protect the rights of the Tamil community. But the Canadian Tamil Congress, a prominent expatriate organization, slammed the report as having far reaching implications for Tamils and as being based on anecdotal evidence and misguided assumptions. "The report makes disparaging conclusions about our community's ability to report extortion and casts doubts about our integrity as law abiding citizens of Canada," said David Poopalapillai, spokesperson for the CTC. “This report makes me sick because it is saying that we are covering something up and our community is living in fear. In Toronto alone, there are 30 independent Tamil newspapers, three 24 hour radio stations, and three 24 hour Televisions stations. There is no veil of silence – Ms. Becker simply has her facts wrong,” he said. "Not only are the report's findings completely false– they seem to be based on anecdotal evidence and misguided assumptions," said Ashwin Balamohan, incoming Vice President University Affairs for the Students' Administrative Council at University of Toronto. HRW also suggest that Canadian police set up a task force to investigate extortion. But a spokesman for the Toronto Police told the Globe and Mail that the force has not received complaints. Ms. Becker, who some Tamil organizations said had conducted telephone interviews in an aggressive and inquisitorial manner, alleges in her report that Tamils are silent about what she claims is widespread extortion, because of fear of reprisals against them or relatives in Sri Lanka. Nehru Gunaratnam, a spokesman for the Tamil community in Toronto, also told local reporters the report creates a skewed and offensive image of the Tamil people. Neither he nor other prominent community leaders were interviewed by Ms. Becker, the Canadian Press news agency quoted him as saying. The HRW report, which appeals to Canadian and British authorities to take action on behalf of the Tamil Diaspora, was condescending towards long-settled community, the CTC said. More seriously, by tarring the entire community as somehow distinct from Canadian society, the HRW report “potentially place Tamil Canadians at great risk of racial discrimination and harassment,” CWC protested. "Extortion is already a criminal code offence in Canada – why has no one been charged?" the CWC asked. "If no one has been charged, how can it be determined that they belong to a particular group?" Questioning the soundness of HRW’s research techniques in which an entire community could be implicated, CTC urged the New York based organization to explain the basis for its findings. "What was the sample size of the survey or interviews? What was the methodology used to conduct the survey? How were interview subjects chosen and how did they come forward? Did the researchers have training in interview techniques in multicultural settings?" are among the questions CTC urged reporters to press HRW on. 15 March 2006 Teacher shortage in Vanni schools spotlighted Tamil medium schools in the Vanni electorate are in urgent need of trained teachers to teach various subjects, but no action has been taken by the education authorities to post enough teachers to these schools, said TELO Leader Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan, Wanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA)MP in a letter to the Minister of Education. Mr.Adaikalanathan pointed out to the Minister of Education that about one thousand five hundred teachers have passed out from Colleges of Education with Diploma in Tamil language in December last year. But the education authorities have not taken steps to appoint them to schools in the NorthEast to ease the existing shortage for such teachers. "Hence I appeal to you to take immediate steps to fill vacancies available in specially in Vanni Tamil medium schools and other areas in the NorthEast with these teachers," appealed Mr. Adaikalanathan with copies of his letter to the Secretary of Ministry of Education, Provincial Governor, Chief Secretary of the North East Provincial Council and Provincial Education Ministry, sources said. Jaffna University to begin lectures The Jaffna University will resume its lectures today. The functions of the University came to a standstill following the recent disturbances in the Peninsula. The students will return to their lectures and all faculties at the Jaffna University will start today. Prof. S. Mohanadas has been appointed as the acting Vice Chancellor of the University, until the newly appointed Vice Chancellor Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole assumes his duties. Meanwhile the Police personnel have also resumed traffic duties in the Jaffna town area. JVP rejects Indian
federalism In a letter to Daily Mirror the JVP said that the news report that the JVP was willing to consider the Indian model of federalism was "false and invented". "Our politburo has not considered a federal solution, only a unitary one," the Marxist-Sinhala nationalist party said. The Rajapaksa government rests heavily on the JVP, which has 39 members in parliament. The JVP went on to say that while it respected Anandasangaree, it could not agree with all his views, "including that on federalism." Stating its basic policy on the ethnic question, the JVP said it stood for "a viable, vibrant, multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-religious democratic society in a unitary state with full democratic rights for all individuals." Anandasangaree heads the anti-LTTE Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF). In an open letter to the JVP, Anandasangaree had said that federalism was the Tamils' longstanding and justifiable demand and pleaded with it agree to the Indian version of it, as it addressed the concerns of the party. The JVP is unwilling to adopt a system in which the Centre would be weak. Rajapaksa favours British model President Mahinda Rajapaksa, however, favours the British model, in which power is devolved to units like Scotland and Wales within a unitary state. But so far, the Rajapaksa government has not come out with a Sri Lankan adaptation of the British model. SLMM rejects Mangala’s claim on armed groups Contradicting government claims that armed groups were not operating in government-controlled areas, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission yesterday insisted that such groups were active in government-controlled areas although there was no proof if they had the assistance of the military. The LTTE, meanwhile, said the government was obliged to take responsibility over the Karuna issue after it meddled with the issue, which was at one time an internal problem of the LTTE. Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera - who is in London, in an interview with BBC Television on Monday, claimed an SLMM report had proved there were no armed groups operating in government-controlled areas and said the government would not go behind the Karuna faction, as it was “an internal problem of the LTTE”. SLMM spokeswoman Helen Olfsdottir strongly rejected the Foreign Minister’s claim saying the ceasefire monitors had always maintained armed groups were operating in government-controlled areas. “I’m not sure what report he is referring to. We have always maintained armed groups are operating in government-controlled areas. However, we said there was no proof to say the armed groups had the backing of the government security forces,” she said. LTTE Batticaloa district political head Daya Mohan speaking told the Daily Mirror yesterday if the government had not used Karuna when the LTTE put him out of the organization on disciplinary grounds, the issue would have remained an internal problem of the LTTE.“When we put him out of the LTTE, the government gave him refuge and used him against us so now the government can’t say it is an internal problem. It should have kept its hands off. Now it is the government’s responsibility to get rid of him,” Mr. Mohan said. He also lashed out at the Foreign Minister saying he was promoting war by discrediting the LTTE during his overseas trips. The LTTE Batticaloa leader said the international community should not blame the LTTE if it pulled out of the April talks because of the government’s failure to stick to the commitment given in Geneva. Meanwhile, LTTE’s Jaffna political head Illantheriyan met SLMM representatives on Monday and lodged a complaint that armed groups were seen operating in the Jaffna peninsula last week despite heavy army presence in the area. Kotakadeniya against
disarming paramilitaries Advisor to the Defence Ministry, H. M.G. B. Kotakadeniya told The Morning Leader the LTTE should disarm itself before even making such a suggestion. "Those paramilitary troops have taken up arms to be protected from the LTTE. They will not survive if they were disarmed while the LTTE is armed," he said. He said the paramilitary troops will fight against the security forces if they try to disarm them at this point. "If the LTTE is giving a firm guarantee that they will not attack those troops, then it will be a good base to think of disarming paramilitary troops," he said. He further said that no party except the government security forces has the right to carry arms in this country. He also seconded the IGP’s comment on the LTTE that had drawn a sharp retort from the LTTE. "The LTTE is a terrorist organisation and it doesn’t have any right to carry arms, let alone ask for disarming other paramilitary troops," he said. Commenting on Anton Balasing-ham’s comment that LTTE is not a terrorist organisation, he said that the whole world had accepted it as a terrorist organisation, and some have banned it as a terrorist organisation. "A lot of countries have banned the LTTE. Their Leader has been sentenced to 200 years of imprisonment. They killed the Indian prime minister and a Sri Lankan president. What else do you need to name them as a terrorist group?" he queried. Anton Balasingham on Monday denied the statement of the IGP that the LTTE is a terrorist organisation and said that the LTTE is a ‘national liberation movement of Tamil people.’ Muslim Front says Muslims have right to take up arms Muslim United Liberation Front (MULF) emphasized that the Muslims have a right to take up arms if it was necessary for their defense. Mujaber Rahuman, Leader of MULF said “If the statement made by Tiger theoretician Anton Balasingham at Geneva talks that a Muslim armed group called ‘Jihad’ existed in Eastern Province becomes a reality, the GoSL, international community and Tiger organization should accept the responsibility for such an eventuality.” The MULF said that “We have a right to fight against the atrocities that are carried out against them rather than kneel before Balasingham’s statement to tell the world that such a thing did not exist.” He was prepared to represent the right for the Muslims to take up arms to face the situation that has been created, Mr. Rahuman said. Karuna raises funds in Denmark too The renegade Karuna faction which has launched a armed struggle against the LTTE has expedited its fund raising campaign overseas while further consolidating its position in the East by setting up political offices. 'Lanka e News' reliably understands that the group is successfully engaged in fund raising campaigns in Denmark as well. According to information provided to 'Lanka e News' by Sri Lankans residing in Denmark, he fund raising is conducted by Madee and Wadanan Kumaraturai. They credit the funds to an account of a non-existent radio channel in Denmark. The Karuna faction operates a radio station in England by the name of TBC jointly with another anti-LTTE group, the ENDLF and the funds raised in Denmark too are credited to this account. Earlier 'Lanka e News' disclosed as to how the Karuna faction raises funds in Norway and credit it to the same account. Norway 'TBC' account is maintained by Kumaraturai Fatter and according to information from Denmark, Fatter maintains this account at ?Dane Dunske? Bank for the funds collected by Madee and Vadanan. The account number is 4770-115027. Karuna has so far set up 3 political offices in Batticaloa. The LTTE has repeatedly claimed that the Karuna faction carries out attacks on them with the support of the security forces and called on the government at the Geneva talks to disarm paramilitary groups. In joint statement issued by the two parties at the end of the Geneva talks, the government agreed to disarm all paramilitary groups, however the LTTE says attacks by the Karuna faction continues unabated even after the government undertaking. Build Tamil-Muslim unity and set national example - Minister Majeed Minister of Co-operatives and Co-operative Development and Deputy Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government M. Najeeb Abdul Majeed has called upon Muslims and Tamils in the Trincomalee district to set an example in building peace in the country by revamping the close relationship between the two communities. Minister Majeed was addressing an event recently, where he distributed certificates to the persons who had successfully completed a course in palmyrah cottage industry in Irakkulam in the Trincomalee district. The training programme was organised by the Rehabilitation Ministry when Majeed was the Minister of this Ministry. The function was held at the Co-operative Ministry in Colombo. Minister Majeed, stressing the importance of restoring permanent peace in the country, said that it was only then any development programme would be fruitful and successful by which the people would be totally benefitted. He underlined the importance of unity among the communities to achieve this goal for which every petty difference among the communities should be eradicated. Minister Majeed called upon Muslims and Tamils in the Trincomalee districts to set an example to build the lost friendly relationship between these two communities. He said he was to introduce outstanding development programmes in order to achieve this unity among communities. He recalled his late father Deputy Minister for Information and Broadcasting A. L. Abdul Majeed's untiring efforts to build communal harmony in his district which was affected by the ethnic conflict. Minister Majeed assured that he would extend all possible assistance to those who successfully completed their training programme to undertake self-employment projects in palmyrah cottage industry. Three youths abducted in Vavuniya, family dispute suspected Unidentified armed men has abducted three youths, two Muslims and one Tamil, Tuesday early morning at 1 a.m. in Pattanisoor area in Vavuniya, Officer in Charge of Vavuniya Police, Mr Tennekoon, said. Residents speculated that the abductions are linked to the relationship one of the abductees' brother had with a Tamil girl which the families were opposed to. According to complaint received at the Police station, five youths were standing together when the armed men arrived. Two of the youths managed to escape and registered the complaint, OIC Tennekoon further said.Police are conducting investigations to establish the identity of the abductors. Seven more youths abducted in Batticaloa Five Tamil youths, aged between 15 and 20 were arrested by Sinhala speaking persons and paramilitary cadres in military fatigue Monday around 3:00 p.m. inside the LTTE controlled Murithanai in Vaharai, residents said. All five youths were laborers, villagers said. Murithanai is 5 km west of Valaichenai where two youths were abducted by paramilitary cadres on Monday. Further 2 youths were kidnapped in Urani in Batticaloa around 6:00 p.m. Monday. Nine youths were reported missing in Batticaloa on Monday. Meanwhile, Batticaloa District Political Head of the LTTE, Daya Mohan, who verified the abductions inside the LTTE controlled area, alleged that the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers and paramilitary cadres had taken the abducted youths to a safe house attached to an SLA 23-3 Division camp in Batticaloa, according to the LTTE Intelligence. The safe house, allegedly used by Karuna group paramilitary cadres is located on Love Lane. No further details are available. 40 Muslims turned back at Muhamalai by SLA 40 Muslims traveling from Jaffna crossing SLA Muhamalai checkpoint were turned back by SLA at the Muhamalai border point on Monday. The Muslims were traveling to meet Ilamparuthi, Head of Political Division for Jaffna, at Palai in LTTE administered area. By turning back the Muslims the SLA prevented them from proceeding to attend the meeting. The 40 Muslims were kept at the Muhamalai border checkpoint for more than three hours and interrogated in a threatening manner. Eventually, denied permission to go to Palai the Muslims returned to Jaffna. LG polls unlikely in LTTE areas The local government polls, in the LTTE controlled areas of the North and East, are unlikely to be held due to the difficulties faced by staff, appointed by the Elections Commissioner, to set up polling booths and the inability of the police to provide security to polling centres, ballot papers and elections staff, senior official sources said yesterday (14). Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake had explained the problem, at the meeting with political party secretaries on Monday (13), at the Elections Secretariat. The Elections Commissioner rejected a request made by an EPDP representative to permit displaced voters in the North and East to cast their vote in a separate cluster voting centre. The Commissioner pointed out there was no provision in the Local Government Elections Act to permit voting at a separate centre other than the one in which the voter is registered. He had also informed the party secretaries that security forces cannot be asked to set up security for polling centres and that he is bound to provide security of two policemen to each senior presiding officer. Dissanayake also said that a decision on the conducting of the election in the North and East will be taken after a meeting scheduled for Friday (17) with the IGP, District Secretariats and senior defence officials. However, the Jathika Hela Urumaya is of the view that polling centres should be located outside the LTTE controlled areas for the voters in those areas to come out and cast their votes. The government’s duty was to build a suitable background in the North and East for democratic Tamil political parties like the EPDP, EPRLF and TELO to do their political propaganda in those areas during the local poll, JHU General Secretary Ven. Dr. Omalpe Sobitha Thera, told The Island. Since the talks between the government and the LTTE had started recently it was also important for the government to get an undertaking from the LTTE that they will not resort to violence at least during the local government polls, he said. 14 March 2006 LTTE warns of danger to peace over 'paramilitaries' Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger guerrillas Monday warned of threats to the peace process unless the government disarmed rival Tamil groups they call "paramilitaries". "The Geneva peace talks will face grave danger if the government refuses to disarm Tamil paramilitary organisations and continues allowing them to launch offensive operations against our military positions in Batticaloa district," warned Anton Balasingham of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The LTTE ideologue was referring to the February talks between his group and the Sri Lankan government in Geneva where Colombo pledged to disarm "paramilitary" Tamil groups. The London-based Balasingham told TamilNet news agency that the LTTE leadership would be compelled to review its decision to take part in the next round of talks in Geneva in April if Colombo did not act on its promise. Balasingham accused government security forces of actively participating with "armed Tamil paramilitaries" in the recent attacks on LTTE sentry posts in the eastern district of Batticaloa. "These offensive military operations have taken place after the Geneva peace talks where the government had pledged to uphold the obligations of the ceasefire agreement in disarming the Tamil paramilitaries and putting an end to their violent activities. "The involvement of the armed forces in the operations of Tamil paramilitaries constitutes a serious breach of the spirit of the Geneva talks, and also must be considered as an act of bad faith on the part of the government," he said. "The LTTE leadership is watching the current developments with serious concern and dismay. So far the government has failed to take any action to contain the violence of the Tamil paramilitaries. "The Rajapakse administration is turning a blind eye when Tamil paramilitaries - the Karuna group - launch attacks on our sentry posts with the active involvement of the Sri Lankan armed forces. "The LTTE leadership is also losing faith in the current peace efforts when Sri Lankan political leaders and senior personnel of the security establishment issue contradictory and hostile statements against the letter and spirit of the Geneva talks," Balasingham said. The Karuna group is a reference to the breakaway faction of the LTTE. This is known to be active in Batticaloa. The LTTE describes the Karuna group and other anti-Tiger Tamil groups as "paramilitaries" and wants them disarmed. The other groups say they are only political formations. Solheim coming again With the government--LTTE agreement in Geneva facing threats, Norwegian Minister and special peace envoy Erik Solheim is scheduled to visit Colombo next week in a bid to prevent any breakdown. Mr. Solheim, accompanied by former deputy Foreign Minister Vidar Helgesson, will first travel to London for discussions with LTTE chief negotiator Anton Balasingham before coming to Colombo for meetings with government leaders. With about five weeks to go for the next round of talks between the government and the LTTE in Geneva, Mr. Solheim is expected to urge the parties to adhere to the Geneva agreement which includes the disarming of armed groups and the non recruitment of child combatants. The LTTE meanwhile renewed its threats of pulling out from the second round of talks to be held from April 19 to 21 unless the government disarmed para military groups operating in the North and East. The LTTE has charged that the Karuna faction launched an attack on the LTTE in the East just days after the Geneva talks and made a similar attempt last weekend in Vakarai. Minister Solhiem, will once again attempt to use his good offices to strengthen the peace process. His visit also comes on the heels of the JVP demanding Norway’s immediate removal as facilitator in Sri Lanka’s peace process and also follows a visit to Oslo by Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. Court gives order: Accept SLMC lists The Court of Appeal yesterday ordered the Elections Department to accept the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress nomination lists for 12 local councils subject to Section 31(1) of the Local Authority Election Ordinance -- overturning orders by the Returning Officers who had rejected those lists. When the case was taken before a two-judge Bench comprising Justices K. Sripavan and Sisira de Abrew the Deputy Solicitor General A. Gnanathasan informed Court that he had obtained instructions from the Elections Commissioner to accept these 12 nomination lists submitted by the SLMC for the local councils subject to the Returning Officers being satisfied that the lists were in accordance with the provisions of Section 31(1) of the Local Authority Election Ordinance. Consequent to the Deputy Solicitor General’s submission, the Court issued the orders accordingly. In the meantime, the SLMC yesterday filed another application against the rejection of its nomination list for the Maritime Pattu Pradeshiya Sabha in the Vavuniya District. The SLMC had earlier filed applications in respect of the rejections of its nomination lists for the elections to the Kalmunai Municipal Council, Mannar and Puttalam Urban Councils as well as Manthai West, Pottuvil, Akkaraipattu, Addalaichenai, Ninthavur, Navithanveli, Mannar, Nanattan and Musali Pradeshiya Sabhas. President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, President’s Counsel Ikram Mohamed, Sanjeewa Jayawardane and Nizam Kariappar instructed by G.G. Arulpragasam appeared for the SLMC. Deputy Solicitor General A. Gnanathasan appeared for the Elections Commissioner, the Returning Officers and the Attorney General. Pakistani Navy vessel here soon The Pakistan Navy ship (PNS) Shahjahan will visit Sri Lanka shortly, officials said yesterday. The ship equipped with latest stat-of-the-art weapons and sensors has a crew of over 300, including 14 officers, said the High Commission Defence Advisor Col. Imran. The ship, a Frigate, is among the largest destroyer vessel in the Pakistan Navy, the advisor said. Shahjahan can carry a helicopter on board and it is generally used for search, rescue and evacuation operations, he explained. Shahjahan is also equipped with an air defence system and other surveillance systems. With its 30 knot speed Shahjahan is can use torpedoes and ship-to-ship destroyer missiles as its main weapons. According to High Commission spokesperson Zaboor Baralas the ship will engage in joint naval training exercises with the Sri Lanka Navy and personnel of two Navies are expected to play a few friendly games. Shahjahan is equipped with sonar, radar, fire controls and other technologically advanced military equipment, the Defence advisor explained. The ship named after famous Mughal emperor Shahjahan, the fifth of Mughal dynasty was first commissioned in 1977. The ship was then called as HMS Active and was later re-commissioned as PNS Shahjahan in 1994. Polls Chief to meet security heads Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake will meet security services chiefs on Friday to discuss ways and means to boost security measures and conduct a free and fair poll in the North-East which has 71 local bodies of which 53 are in LTTE-controlled areas. Addressing party representatives yesterday, the Polls Chief also pledged to tighten security at polling centres in vulnerable areas outside the North and East. Jaffna islets get 24 hour power supply The islets in the North have been supplied with 24 hours of electricity from yesterday. The continuous supply of electricity to the Jaffna islets reality after several years' reports from Jaffna said. Since the electricity was restored in Jaffna a few years ago, the islets were supplied with electricity with limited hours. However, the supply of electricity in the islets have returned to normal with any interruption from yesterday. Deputy Minister’s stolen luxury vehicle found at Settikulam Deputy Minister Duminda Dissanayake’s official vehicle which was allegedly stolen from the Madiwela Ministerial residential complex was detected at the Settikulam check point last morning, police said. Settikulam police said the driver taking the Intercooler Pajero towards the uncleared area was arrested after being stopped on suspicion and the engine and chassis numbers were checked. The suspect, a resident of Vavuniya said a friend in Mannar had asked him to hand over the vehicle to a person in Vavuniya. Inquiries have revealed that a gang involved in a massive vehicle racket might be behind the robbery. Paramilitary cadres abduct two 15-years-old boys in Valaichenai Paramilitary cadres, riding in a white van on Kalkudah road in Valaichenai, abducted two 15-years-old boys around 5:30 p.m. Monday. The van, without a number plate, rushed towards Valaichenai fisheries harbour camp of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) with the abducted boys, eyewitnesses alleged. The incident took place in front of the office of ZOA, a Christian International NGO, located close to the Valaichenai Bus stand. Suthaharan Kulosan, 15, Jeyaraj Krishan, 15, and another boy, all students of Valaichenai Hindu College, were cycling while the armed men in the white van abducted the two boys. Kulosan is a son of a retired school teacher of Valaichenai Hindu College, and Krishan is a son of a school principal in Valaichenai, residents said. Parents of the abducted boys rushed to Valaichenai Police to lodge complaints, the sources added. Sunday Leader editor questioned The editor of the Sunday Leader, Lasantha Wickrematunga, was questioned by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) today in connection with an article on the country's security published in last Sunday's issue. A CID official said they questioned Mr. Wickrematunga for over two hours about the publishing of the article. During the interrogation, the Sunday Leader editor reportedly told the CID that he got the material for the article from what the LTTE presented at the Geneva talks table. It is learnt that the CID informed Mr. Wickrematunga that they would interrogate him again soon regarding the matter. SLN imposes new restrictions for fishing Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) has imposed new restrictions for fishing in the sea from Thonadamanaru to Valvettithurai east to Kankesanthurai naval base. SLN informed that the fishermen should get new identity cards with photos along with the pass system of the SLN. According to the new restrictions, fishermen can go fishing at sea east to Thondamanaru, but they should get the ‘pass’ and newly introduced identity cards with their photos. Senior Chinese politician here today At the invitation of the Government of Sri Lanka Tang Jiaxuan, State Councillor of the People's Republic of China will visit Sri Lanka from today till 16 March, Jiaxuan is a senior politician in China with the responsibility on Foreign Affairs in the State Council, the apex body of the State Administration. He held the post of Foreign Minister of China from 1998 - 2003. He will be accompanied by a delegation of senior officials including the Deputy Secretary General of the State Council, the Vice Foreign Minister and the President of the Export and Import Bank of China. During his visit, Tang Jiaxuan will call on President Mahinda Rajapakse for a round of talks at the Presidential Secretariat. He will also have a meeting with the Vice Chairman of the United National Party. The two sides are expected to sign four Agreements on economic co-operation during the visit. Mangala's telephone tapped President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to clip the wings of Minister Mangala Samaraweera who played a key role during the Kumartunga administration.The reason behind the President's decision is the Minister's continuing political allegiance to the former President. SLFP stalwarts D.M.Jayaratne, Kingsley Wickrmaratne and Ratnasiri Wickremanayake are still maintaining close links with Kumaratunga and Samaraweera is still very much a Kuamratunga confidante. At the SLFP Executive Committee meeting which nominated Rajapaksa as presidential candidate, Samaraweera proposed that Kumaratunga should remain as life long leader of the SLFP as the mindset of the people could change with the new posts and dangerous things could occur. Even though Kumaratunga turned down the offer, Samaraeera?s words are becoming a reality. He pointed out how the ruling Indian Congress leader Sonia Gandhi imposes her authority over the party even though she is no the ruler of the country. Samaraweera’s is the only Minister today to utter Kumaratunga?s name in public meetings without any reservation. Samaraweera's only clash with her was over her policy towards the JVP. Samaraweera was staking claims to be the Prime Minister under Rajapaksa but he was offered ForeignAffairs and Ports and Aviation portfolios, but moves are now underway to confine him to Foreign Affairs only and offer his other portfolios to Rauf Hakeem and Arumugam Thondaman who have expressed willingness to join the government. Samaraweera was one of the most trusted lieutenants of Kumaratunga and like her was in the anti-Rajapksa camp. The President is well aware of this situation and tries to immobilize him as he could be the person who could pose a threat to his leadership. Just two days prior to her departure Kumratunga held a meeting with her loyalists and Samaraweera was one of them along with D.M.Jayaratna and Kingsley Wickremaratne. Maithreepala Sirisena too had been invited for the meeting as SLFP General Secretary. It is reported that Samaraweera's telephone is tapped and before leaving the country Kumaratunga had indirectly warned Samaraweera to be of the President and he had replied that he was aware of a conspiracy against him. Political circles are buzzing with reports that there could be a split in the SLFP after the local government polls. 13 March 2006 TNA demands postponement of Sri Lanka's local elections The TNA has requested that the Sri Lankan government postpone the scheduled local elections in the country's North and East. TELO Muthalvar and TNA MP K. Shivajilingam said his party held talks with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and impressed upon him the need to postpone the elections in the Northern and Eastern Provinces. He said the current security situation is not conducive to holding an election in these areas. However, at the meeting, the President told the party that he has no right to postpone the elections as it is a matter for the Elections Commissioner to decide. The local government elections are to be held on March 30. JVP may opt for Indian model of federalism In an apparent shift from its hard-line stand, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday said that it might look into the possibility of applying a semi-federal model like that of India as a way out of the conflict while still holding that a full federal model will spell disaster for Sri Lanka. Referring to the letter sent by TULF President V. Anandasangaree requesting the JVP to accept the Indian model of federalism, a senior JVP politburo member who was also a former minister of the UPFA said that the party would discuss the matter in the next few days. “We had several rounds of talks with Mr. Anandasangaree whom we respect as a bold and honest politician. We are totally against full federalism but we may further study this semi federal model which has several unitary features” said the politburo member who is known as a hardliner even among the JVP. Maintaining that the JVP would not make any moves to jeopardize the ongoing peace process, he however emphasized that the party still strongly felt that Sri Lanka should preserve the unitary character. The TULF leader in a letter addressed to the JVP over the weekend appealed to its leaders to accept the Indian model of federalism giving six reasons why they should go for the option. He had also pointed out that the international community has already endorsed a shift from a unitary to a united state and therefore agreeing to a ‘united’ solution would put the government in an advantageous position as against the LTTE. The TULF leader had said that given the clout the JVP enjoys in Lankan politics and its role as the key government ally, a JVP nod to the Indian model of federalism would quicken the pace of the process to reach a final solution. TNA: Keep Hoole out of Jaffna campus The TNA on Friday warned of "dire consequences" if President Mahinda Rajapakse did not reverse his decision to appoint Prof. S. Ratnajeevan N. Hoole as Vice Chancellor of the Jaffna University. "This is unacceptable," Jaffna district MP M. K. Elelaventhan told the Sunday Island, demanding immediate cancellation of the appointment scheduled to take effect today. Nidarsanan, a website believed to be linked with the LTTE, BBC Thamil Oasai and MTV Tamil news bulletins reported TNA opposition to Hoole’s appointment. Thinakural, too, reported such opposition. Hoole said, "I am making inquiries to see whether they have any valid reasons" adding he is talking to various people regarding this. Working with the Sri Lankan university system since 1996, he is senior professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Peradeniya. Possessing a higher doctorate (DSc), Hoole had been in the US for 17 years before his return to Sri Lanka in 1996. "I am only trying to serve my people," he said, adding that he was recommended by the Jaffna University Council. Elelaventhan emphasised that Hoole would not be welcomed in Jaffna. Speaking on behalf of the TNA, he acknowledged that they don’t dispute Hoole’s academic qualifications. "He is academically qualified. No one will challenge that," he said, but accused him of being blind to the suffering of the Tamil people. Both Hoole and his brother are intellectual "sell-outs," he said, dismissing them as collaborators whose thinking is not in tune with the Tamils. The MP said the University Grants Commission recommended Dr. K. Kumaravadivel, a senior professor of physics to head the highest education institution in the northern region. Kumaravadivel and K. Kandasamy, another professor of physics, both based in Jaffna are better suited to take over the post, he said. The President should not have ignored the recommendation of the UGC, the MP said, insisting the appointment is a recipe for disaster. UGC sources said that the respective university councils recommend names of three candidates to the UGC and the UGC recommend one of them to the President. The MP claimed there was virtual unanimous agreement in Jaffna academic circles that Kumaravadivel was the ideal candidate. "Let me make it clear. This appointment would not go unchallenged," the 75-year-old politician warned, claiming the appointment was part of the political-military strategy to undermine the Tamil people’s struggle. Asked whether the LTTE would oppose the appointment, he said, "definitely". "They are anti-Tamil, anti-LTTE," he said, expressing the belief that the President would not aggravate the Jaffna situation by sending a collaborator there. This comes in the backdrop of Jaffna Security Forces Commander Major. General G. A. Chandrasiri seeking to crush legitimate student protests in the peninsula, he alleged. Students gun for Hoole In a veiled threat issued to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, students of the Jaffna University have demanded the immediate removal of Prof. S. Ratnajeevan Hoole from the newly-appointed Vice Chancellor post of the campus or face consequences. Posters and placards protesting against the new appointment have come up on the walls and gate of the Jaffna University with some saying “Hoole is a traitor to the Tamil nation” while others read “remove him or face the consequences.” Head of the Jaffna University Students’ Union Vijeya Rooban has also issued a strongly worded statement to President Mahinda Rajapaksa saying the appointment of Prof. Hoole will result in chaos both within the campus and outside. The Jaffna University only recently reopened after academic activities were disrupted when the pro LTTE students’ union called for a boycott of classes in protest of tensions between the army and the students which was on a high just prior to the Geneva talks. Elections Commissioner to meet Party Secretaries today Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake will today meet the Secretaries of the Political parties contesting the Local Government Election due on March 30. Elections will be held in respect of 310 Local Government bodies. The meeting at the Elections Secretariat has been called to explain and educate the political parties about the strategy that should be adopted in conducting the election, sources at the Election Commissioner's office said. The Elections Commissioner will give advice and guidelines that should be followed in conducting a free and fair election. He will emphasis the need to adhere strictly to the laws governing the Local Government Election and request the Secretaries to see that the candidates contesting or their supporters refrain from violating the election law, the sources added. According to the sources at the Elections Commissioner's Office parties contesting have instituted legal action against the returning officers whose decisions over the nomination lists have deprived some political parties contesting about 30 Local bodies. According to the Election Commissioner's department 130 nomination lists have been rejected islandwide and 75 of them were from the lists submitted by Independent groups. Minister’s vehicle robbed A group of unidentified persons robbed the Pajero Intercooler jeep of Ports and Civil Aviation Deputy Minister Duminda Dissanayake early yesterday while being parked at the MPs’ Quarters in Madiwela. Mirihana Police HQI W.M. Sampson said the robbers had apparently used duplicate keys to rob the vehicle. Meanwhile, Air Force personnel manning the Thummulla junction checkpoint had reportedly opened fire at a Pajero Intercooler the same day when it proceeded without heeding to their order to stop. Nevertheless the vehicle could not be stopped and the police suspect that it would have been the robbed Pajero. Tigers accuse
army of fresh attack The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said about 30 security personnel and paramilitary soldiers attacked their post at Kaddumurippu on Friday night. "The LTTE counter-attacked and the Sri Lanka army and paramilitaries were forced to retreat, abandoning their weapons. Subsequently the LTTE retrieved these weapons," the Tigers said in a statement. There was no immediate reaction from the defence ministry which has routinely denied that it was supporting any "paramilitary" units to stage attacks against the Tigers. The LTTE statement did not mention any casualties on either side. "This is the second time an LTTE post has been attacked by the Sri Lanka army since the ‘Geneva talks’ in February," the Tigers said, referring to their meeting with Colombo representatives in Switzerland last month. Both sides agreed to halt violence and meet again next month to discuss implementing their 2002 truce. The ceasefire came under pressure following a surge in violence that claimed at least 153 lives between December and January. Scandinavian truce monitors last week warned that the peace process was in danger following the killing of two Tamil Tiger rebels in the first clash since the talks in Switzerland. "If such attacks and killings should reoccur, the SLMM (Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission) fears that the next round of talks is put at stake," the outgoing SLMM chief Hagrup Haukland said in a statement. Army assures rent for land occupied Due rent would be paid to the rightful owners of property occupied by the army in Jaffna once the documentation required for the procedure is duly completed by the respective owners, the military assured yesterday. Army spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasingha told the Daily Mirror that some of the property owners were yet to furnish the relevant documents certifying ownership of the land claimed by them in Jaffna in order for them to receive rent. The army is already paying monthly rent to several land owners in Jaffna whose properties were taken over during the war and occupied even after the cease fire in 2002. Most of these properties were converted into High Security Zones (HSZ) where army camps and training facilities have now been setup. “Some property owners don’t have the relevant documents to certify their ownership for us to pay them. So we have informed them to furnish the documents and as soon as they do so they will receive rent like the others,” Brigadier Samarasingha said. On Friday civil and religious leaders met the Jaffna army top brass to discuss the rent issue for owners of property in the HSZ and further discussions are to be held after a report is submitted to the Jaffna Government Agent K. Ganesh. The LTTE and TNA have often called for the removal of the HSZ saying it hampers normal day to day activities of civilian life in the Jaffna peninsular despite the four-year truce. Both the government and the LTTE are expected to discuss the HSZ at the next round of peace talks scheduled to be held in Geneva next month. SLN takes Indian poachers to Point Pedro military base Five South Indian fishermen from Puthuchcheri district in TamilNadu who entered Munai area in the northern waters around 11:00 a.m. Sunday, were taken to the shore by Vadamaradchi fishermen. Tense situation ensued between the Sri Lanka Navy troopers and the local fishermen as they refused to hand over the Indian fishermen to the SLN. However, the SLN soldiers threatened the local fishermen and have forcibly taken the Tamil Nadu fishermen to the 52-4 Brigade quarters for investigations, fisheries officials said. The arrested fishermen, R. Rasa, 42, E. Babu, 22, I Nagarajah, 27, A Mannikavelu, 52, and K Kuppuraj, 43, are from Manalmetkuri village, Jegathapattinum in Tamil Nadu. The local fishermen who held the Indian fishermen with their "kulla" type boat with trawler nets, insisted that the Indian fishermen should be warned by the Vadamaradchi Fisheries Union and sent back to South India without the involvement of the Sri Lankan Navy, according to John Bosco, the leader of Vadamaradchi Fisheries Union. The Indian fishermen feared jail time of minimum of six months in the hands of the Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lankan Police, local fishermen said. Katkovalm is localted 2.6 km southeast of Point Pedro. SLA attacks young men after stripping them naked SLA stripped young men naked and attacked them and then took them naked along the streets. The incident took place in Nallur in Jaffna two days ago. Some young men in Nalur in Jaffna near Saddanathar area got together and put in place a schedule to watch the area in order to control the increasing number of thefts in the area. Two days ago some young men in this group were out watching the area at night. Noticing some movement in the Kalviyankadu junction in the area the young men went towards the junction. Armed SLA men who were there tried to arrest the young men. The young men protested saying that they were only watching for thieves out at night and told the SLA persons to call the Grama Sevakar of the area to confirm it. SLA persons refused to listen to the young men’s protest and ordered the young men to shout “Thieves thieves”. When the young men did so, more people came to the spot. SLA stripped all of them naked and attacked them and then took them naked along the road to the police station. They were all released the next morning. Signatures obtained for petition urging not to disarm paramilitary groups. The 3rd phase of the collecting of signatures for a petition urging the President to fulfill 6 demands of the Eastern Province Sinhala community got underway this morning (12) from Ampara. The petition calls on the government to commence talks on a permanent peace and not on the cease-fire agreement, not to disarm anti-LTTE paramilitary groups, to return arms taken from civilians and not to allow the LTTE to set up political offices in the East. The signature collecting campaign has been organized by Ven.Senapathiye Ananda thera on behalf of the Eastern Sinhala Organization and its national organizer Anura Bandara. Newspaper correspondent meets political leader of the Karuna Group "Nobody can disarm us. We have our own arms. They are not given by the government or anybody else. We will hand over our arms on the day Prabhakaran hands over his. Until then we will not put down arms," said 'Thuiyavan', who introduced himself as the political leader of the Karuna Group, the breakaway faction of the LTTE. He said so to the Lankadeepa newspaper when the paper’s provincial correspondent, Raj Weerasinghe, met a team of Karuna cadres in the government-controlled Wadumunai area near Welikanda town in the Batticaloa district. The Lankadeepa newspaper published two photographs depicting two LTTE deserters surrendering themselves with arms to the Karuna Group. Thuiyavan said to the correspondent that their group is not a gang but an organization. He said they fear the Sri Lanka Army and police, but bear arms to protect themselves from the LTTE Sri Lanka May Keep Key Interest Rate Unchanged for Third Month (Bloomberg) Sri Lanka's central bank will probably keep interest rates unchanged for a third month to spur economic growth after four rises in 2005 helped slow inflation. The Central Bank of Sri Lanka will leave the repurchase rate at which it drains money from the banking system at 8.75 percent, six of seven analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News said. One analyst expects a quarter-point decrease. The decision is due on March 15 around 7:30 a.m. in Colombo. Governor Sunil Mendis and his fellow policy makers increased the central bank's key rate by 1.25 percentage points last year to curb inflationary pressures arising from higher bank lending and oil prices. Sri Lanka's inflation rate slowed for a sixth month in February, giving the bank room to keep borrowing costs steady. ``Inflation is coming down, but it may not be feasible for the central bank to lower rates and risk monetary aggregates going up again,'' said Gihan Hemachandra, head of trading at Capital Alliance Ltd. in Colombo. The central bank last raised the repurchase rate by a quarter-point in December. At the same time, it increased the reverse repurchase rate at which it adds money to the banking system by buying bonds by a quarter-point to 10.25 percent. The bank has been conducting open market operations to mop up excess liquidity from the banking system. Borrowing among companies for working capital and investment, and credit for private consumption, has been spurred because interest rates are below the inflation rate. `Excessive Growth' Monetary policy measures have helped in ``restraining the excessive growth in money supply,'' the central bank said in its Feb. 16 review. Reserve money, which grew 20 percent in December 2004, slowed to 15.8 percent by end-2005, the bank said. Broad money growth declined to 19.1 percent in the year ending December 2005 from 19.6 percent a year earlier. Consumer prices rose 10.3 percent in February from a year earlier after climbing 11.1 percent in January, the Department of Census and Statistics said on Feb. 28. Costs of food such as rice and vegetables declined due to favorable weather conditions, the Colombo-based agency said. The government expects inflation to average less than 8 percent this year from an average of about 10 percent in 2005. ``The central bank will take into account the statistics, mainly inflation and the agriculture supply side, which could support its growth projections,'' said Chandra Dias, chief executive officer at Natwealth Securities Ltd. in Colombo. Cease-Fire Dias expects the central bank to cut the repurchase and reverse repurchase rates by a quarter-point each this month. Sri Lanka has had uninterrupted economic expansion since a February 2002 cease-fire halted a two-decade civil war. Growth in the South Asian island's economy, which expanded 6.4 percent in the three months ended September from a year earlier, may slow if peace talks between the government and separatist Tamil Tigers, which have resumed after three years, fail to support the truce that was threatened by increased violence. The government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam met in Geneva on Feb. 22 and Feb. 23 where they pledged to end violence and continue talks in the Swiss city next month. Increased violence in Sri Lanka's north and east since December threatened the cease-fire and jeopardized $4.5 billion in international aid pledged to the island nation on the condition that progress is made toward settling the civil war. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse, who is also finance minister, is aiming to boost annual economic growth to 8 percent in the next six years. The central bank has forecast the economy to expand 6 percent in 2006, the fastest pace in three years, from an estimated 5.5 percent in 2005. Sri Lanka needs to rebuild roads and homes destroyed by the December 2004 tsunami which killed about 35,000 people and left half a million homeless. The island's interest rates are the second highest among 14 Asian countries, behind Indonesia, according to Bloomberg data. 12 March 2006 Fishing ban in north relaxed The Government has decided to relax fishing restrictions in the north on a directive from President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The restrictions clamped on Velvettithurai, Point Pedro and Thondaman Aaru areas after a naval craft came under LTTE attack in December last year had been partially lifted, military spokesperson Prasad Samarasinghe said. He said fishing restriction in other areas in the peninsula would be relaxed gradually after naval commanders briefed fishermen on security aspects. Meanwhile, reports said traffic police officers who avoided the Jaffna streets in the face of increasing violence prior to last month’s Geneva talks would be deployed on duty from March 15. Karuna too raises funds in Norway-Source Lanka Enews The breakaway faction of the LTTE led by renegade leader Karuna too is engaged in fund raising campaigns overseas like the LTTE. A Sri Lankan residing in Norway has provided details to 'Lanka e News' that the Karuna faction is raising funds in Norway, the darling of the LTTE according to parties like the JVP and the Hela Urumaya. He further disclosed that collected funds are credited to an account of a radio channel but added such a radio channel is not in operation in that country. However the Karuna faction along with the ENDLF, another anti-Tiger organization runs a radio station by the name of 'TBC' in England and all funds are channeled to this radio station, the Sri Lankan said and added that most of the funds are being used to procure arms. It has also been revealed that the Norwegian TBC account is maintained by a person called T.Pasupathi at Spur Bank OST and the account number is 2220 1137 717. The LTTE has accused that the Karuna faction carries out the attacks on the LTTE in collaboration with the security forces. One of the main demands of the LTTE at the Geneva talks was to disarm paramilitary groups, an obvious reference to the Karuna faction. The LTTE too is engaged in fund raising campaigns in many European countries, and it is said that the LTTE delegation participated at the Geneva talks raised funds amounting to 5000 million rupees during visits to several European countries after the negotiations. TULF Chief asks JVP not to push Tamils into LTTE's arms TULF Leader V. Anandasangari has in writing informed the JVP that he can guarantee that the Tamil people will never agree to a settlement to the ethnic conflict within the framework of a unitary constitution. In his letter addressed to JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva, Anandasangari who has also been harshly critical of the LTTE has said that the Tamil people were prepared to give up separation for the alternative of a federal constitution. "If the word federal is allergic to some Sinhalese and unitary allergic to some Tamils let us all agree to find a solution based on the Indian model which is neither federal nor unitary in character," the TULF Leader has said. The TULF Leader has also told the JVP that the whole world will acclaim them as true patriots if they accept his proposal as a final solution to the problem. "By your refusal to accept a solution within a united Sri Lanka you will be driving the Tamils back into the LTTE fold. Merely because I am no more in parliament, the reason for which is very well known to the world, please do not discard me and my views. If you do so you will be conceding the LTTE as a sole representative of the Tamil people. I may not live long to see the dawn of peace in our country, but if you take my advice a solution to our problem is very near" he has added. Anandasangari has also said in reference to a statement issued by the JVP on the eve of the Geneva talks that he cannot agree with the JVP's claim that the mandate given at the recent presidential election was for a unitary state. "Assuming that all the 50.3% votes obtained by HE Mahinda Rajapakse was for a unitary state, the fact that in the north east the LTTE has prevented under threat three or four hundred thousand voters from voting cannot be ignored" he has said. Anandasangari has also said that the UNP offered federalism as a solution during the election campaign while the left parties which worked for Rajapakse too had campaigned on the same basis and therefore the mandate received by the President is to solve the problem with the support of all parties based on federalism. "I'm asking you one simple question, did the Tamils endure for over 23 years only to be told to find a solution under a unitary system which did not bring any relief for 50 years?" Anandasangari has said. We are taking it seriously says US Embassy The US embassy in Colombo said it was taking the issue of forged visas very seriously. US Embassy Information Officer Helaena W. Rathore said the visas had been examined by officials of the Embassy and that it has been determined that they were forgeries. “The U.S. takes the forgery of its travel documents very seriously. “The Embassy is very grateful for the co-operation of the Sri Lanka CID in this case. Clearly, the Sri Lankan government takes fraud issues seriously as well,” Ms. Rathore said. Stressing that she could not give more details regarding the ongoing probe, she said Sri Lankans should be vigilant and suspicious of any individual organisation claiming to have the ability to arrange US visas for a fee. “Any such incident should be reported to Sri Lankan or US authorities for further investigation,” Ms. Rathore said. Southern Tamil parties form new alliance Tamil political parties in Southern Sri Lanka have formed a third force. Upcountry and Western Province political parties have formed a new alliance called Democratic People's Alliance (DPA) on Friday. Western Province People's Front, Worker's Liberation Front and the National Union of Workers' are the constituent parties of the Alliance. Western People's Front President, Parliamentarian Mano Ganeshan, Western Provincial Councillor Praba Ganesan, Worker's Liberation Front' leader and Central Provincial Council Minister S. Arulsamy, Central Provincial Councillor P. Dhihambaram, NUW President D. Aiyathurai and former Secretary General of the Upcountry People's Front M. Sivalingam participated at the inaugural ceremony in Colombo. The DPA in its manifesto said that it would dedicate itself for the upliftment of the lives of people in upcountry and Western Province, uniting Tamils, irrespective of caste, race and religion, living in the Southern Sri Lanka, to put forward socio-economic development plans to the plantation workers, and to cultivate ethnic solidarity and unity among Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities, and support the policy of solving ethnic crisis on the basis of one Sri Lanka with full autonomy to North East. Verugal FDL attack by paramilitaries repulsed- LTTE Liberation Tigers repulsed an attack on its Forward Defence Lines in Kattumurippu in Verugal area Batticaloa district by paramilitaries and members of Sri Lanka Army Friday night at 9.30 p.m., LTTE's media co-ordinator Thaymaster told TamilNet. More than thirty armed paramilitaries and SLA soldiers were involved in the attack.The attackers fled the scene, carrying the injured and leaving behind ammunitions and several assault rifles, LTTE sources said. Two million mines in NE Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) Spokesperson, Arjuna Ethirveerasingham said that there were two million mines still buried in the north and the east. Speaking to The Sunday Leader Ethirveerasingam said that the Humanitarian De-mining Unit (HDU) was still in the process of taking out mines in the Wanni and some parts of the east. "The HDU is a subsidiary of the TRO and it is working in areas in Wanni, Trincomalee, Mannar and Ampara. A few NGO's are working in Jaffna," he said. He added that the process would end by 2007 if the situation was conducive. "The HDU and other organisations are involved in this process and we expect to finish by the end of next year if everything goes as planned," he said. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan government hopes to clear all the mines by the end of 2008, Ministry of Nation Building and Development said. The government has implemented a Mine Action Programme, targeting to remove all mines in the country. The programme would give priority to areas with a very high number of mines buried and the mines would be removed from these areas by the end of 2006 except in Wanni, some parts of Jaffna and the high security zones. The government has been involved in the de-mining process since the truce with the support of local and international organisations. Several countries have been supporting the de-mining process and many contributions have been coming Sri Lanka's way for the de-mining process. "Donor support for mine clearance has been readily forthcoming and contributions have exceeded US $32 million ," the Ministry said. According to the Ministry, 730 villages contained landmines out of which, 173 villages have been cleared. De-mining activities are going on in 250 villages. Norochcholai, Upper Kotmale kick off The construction work of the much delayed two power projects, Upper Kotmale and Norochcholai kicked off last week at a cost of US$ 660 million with financial assistance from the Japanese and the Chinese governments. Power and Energy Minister W. D. J. Seneviratne, while participating at the launch of the Upper Kotmale project said the Upper Kotmale was the final source of hydropower in the country. Therefore, coal power was the best alternative to meet the increasing demand of electricity. The demand for electricity increases annually by eight percent. With the implementation of power project at Norochcholai and the Upper Kotmale, the country would be able to generate more power to meet the demand, the Minister said. The coal power plant at Norochcholai is not a 'black devil' as was described by certain elements with ulterior motives. And with the completion of these projects, the present production cost of Rs 8.00 per unit will be reduced to Rs 3.75 per unit benefiting the consumer, he pointed out. In addition, the Indian Government has already extended its support to construct a coal power plant at Hambantota and this project is also expected to commence this year, he said. Over 498 displaced families under Upper Kotmale project will be relocated with new houses with other all household equipment in an alternate site within the close proximity of Talawakele town. Another 78 families displaced under the Norochcholai coal power project will be provided with new houses with the same facilities to that of the Upper Kotmale families at a site within close proximity. Under Upper Kotmale project, a new town will be set up at Talawakele. The proposed town will consist of a new school, a bus stand, a cinema hall and a town hall. A road network from Talawakele to Pundalu Oya and Tawalamtenna will also be constructed. Manalkadu refugee families lack basic facilities More than 350 tsunami affected families living in temporary shelters in Manatkadu, located 5 km east of Point Pedro, are undergoing severe hardships without very basic living facilities, civil society sources said. Only ten latrines have been built for the 350 families and no local or International relief agencies, nor Sri Lanka Government authorities have heeded the desperate appeals to provide additional latrines, sources added. Due to the presence of large number of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldiers in the Manatkadu area, the refugee families are reluctant to venture out into adjoining Casuarina forest, refugees said.Construction of temporary houses for the refugee families are also behind schedule, refugees complained. Tamileelam bus service inaugurated in Muttur east Tamileelam Transport Board (TTB) Saturday morning inaugurated its first bus service in the territory held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Trincomalee district. Mr.Sithamban, LTTE Financial Head of the Trincomalee District cut the ribbon at an event held in Ganeshapuram in Muttur east and allowed the first to proceed to Verugal with passengers, sources said. Two buses will be plying between Verugal to Koonitheivu. The distance between Koonitheivu and Verugal is about forty km. Bus service is covering the villages, Pattalipuram, Nallur, Upooral, Cheenanveli, Ilankaithuraimuhathuwaram and other hamlets between Koonitheivu and Verugal. This service would benefit about twenty thousand people in the area, sources said. State and other transport companies are not conducting bus services within the LTTE held territory in Trincomalee district. Hence the bus service inaugurated by the Thamileelam Transport Board has been hailed by the people of the villages as a boon solving their transport difficulties, said Mr.S.Elilan, LTTE Trincomalee district political head addressing the inaugural event, sources said. This is the first time the Tamileelam Transport Service has a started a bus service within in the LTTE territory in Trincomalee district covering several villages stretched over forty km road, he added. "Accept Sinhala Language And Unitary State." - Army Pamphlets in Jaffna The Sri Lanka soldiers are busy distributing pamphlets among the Tamils in Jaffna. Greeting the Jaffna people, it is titled, "This is our country!". "Sri Lanka belongs to the Sinhalese. The Tamils came here as settlers. That's what Mahavamsa says. The Sinhalese have the right to protect their land," says the pamphlet The Sri Lanka soldiers were seen busy thrusting the pamphlets into the hands of everyone passing by the checkpoints. Here's what the pamphlet says: "If you accept a unitary state and one army, then you may be allowed to live here. The International Community has no control over us. "You may talk in Geneva; Norway may come to help you; India also may also help you. But they cannot carve out a land for you. "What the army says in Jaffna goes. Sinhala alone can be the language of the land. No other language will be tolerated here. "It is the Sinhala Army that guards here; Neither the Norwegian, nor the Indian army will come to your aid. Not even the LTTE. "Therefore, maintain good relations with the Sinhala army. Allow your children to join the Sinhala army. We will give them a good salary. The US will give us money. Learn Sinhala. You will have a good future. "LTTE can never beat us. Jaffna is under us for the last 10 years. There are only a few in the LTTE. But in our army there are 100,000. Devotees not allowed to attend Church festival The outbreak of violence in Sri Lanka and the exodus of refugees have made St Antony’s Church on Katchathivu Island, near here, out of reach for Indian devotees. The government has denied permission to them to attend the two-day annual festival at the shrine. The church is said to have been built a few decades ago as a thatched structure by a fisherman, Seenikuppan, of Nambuthalai near Thondi, who was washed ashore on Katchathivu shores in a cyclone. Later, the shrine was consecrated and developed by the authority of Neduntivu Roman Church in Sri Lanka. In 1974, when the island became part of Sri Lanka based on an accord with India, it was agreed upon by both countries that the devotees from both sides would jointly conduct the festival. 11 March 2006 US
slams Srilanka,EPDP,PLOTE, Karuna and LTTE Quoting figures from international truce monitors, 2005 Country Report on Human Rights Practices (Sri Lanka) said the Tamil Tigers have committed “14 violations for every 1 committed by the government.” The report also accused the paramilitaries, suspected of linked to the government, of carrying out continuous attacks against political opponents. Police torture “These groups included the Karuna faction of the LTTE, the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), and the People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE),” it said. The US government was highly critical of torture and killings in police custody.
According to Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), this was the first time that the US government has listed extrajudicial killings by the police. There have been 1798 arrests under the emergency regulations during the year, according to the report. Tamil Tigers The US government was very critical of the Tamil Tigers, too. The Tigers forced the Tamils under their control to accept their judicial system, according to the report. “The LTTE's legal system is composed of judges with little or no legal training. LTTE courts operated without codified or defined legal authority and essentially as agents of the LTTE rather than as an independent judiciary.”
“There were credible reports that LTTE killed 68 members of the police and military, more than 106 members of anti-LTTE Tamil paramilitary groups, LTTE cadres loyal to the Karuna faction, alleged Tamil informants for the security forces, and civilians.” The 16-page report blamed both parties of exerting pressure on journalists, especially in the east, denying them the right of freedom of speech. We have lost hopes on talks - Daya Master Though the government should disarm paramilitary groups in the North and East, in keeping with the agreements reached at the Geneva talks, there is evidently no change in the situation in the East then and now, LTTE media spokesman Daya Master told 'Lanka e News'. He said a person was gunned down inside a bus in Batticaloa even yesterday. In response to a 'Lanka e News' query, whether any steps would be taken regarding the participation of the next round of talks if the government failed to disarm paramilitary groups, he said is too early to comment on the second round of talks as they are scheduled to begin on April 19th. However he said the LTTE is keeping an eye whether the government fulfils its obligations at the Geneva talks. Daya Master expressed concern over the loss of hopes pinned on the talks as a means of solving the ethnic problem and added that it is doubtful whether the LTTE would participate at the second round of the talks. He however claimed that the LTTE delegation will leave for the talks only after a decisive discussion with Tiger Chief Prabhakaran. Meanwhile LTTE Batticaloa political leader Daya Mohan said it is the responsibility of the government not to allow the peace process to collapse and stressed that the government should take prompt action to disarm the Karuna faction. Karuna cadres can be absorbed in the government forces and the LTTE has no problem over the issue and the only thing the LTTE wants is to remove them from the East, Daya Mohan said. He warned that the second round of talks would be a non-starter if the government failed disarm the Karuna faction before April 19th. As the LTTE is adopting a hardline sta nce on the disarming of the Karuna faction, one of the key components of the Rajapaksa government, the Jathika Hela Urumaya has compared the disarming of Karuna is similar to President Premadasa’s decision to arm the LTTE to fight the Indian Army. The JVP too is strongly opposed to any attempts to disarm the renegade Karuna faction. Daya Mohan had stated that a lasting peace would not be a reality as long as parties like the Hela Urumaya and the JVP are in existence. End of Sri Lanka's UN dream? Sri Lanka's bid to get its candidate Jayantha Dhanapala elected as the Secretary General of the United Nations has suffered a set back with the United States indicating its preference for an East European. Even as Dhanapala and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera were on a campaign tour of Europe, the US Ambassador to the UN John Bolton said that it was the turn of East Europe to occupy the post. "If there's really a principle of geographical rotation, fairness indicates that Eastern Europe gets it," Bolton told an American news magazine, according to the state-owned Daily News. "Asia has already had a Secretary General. When does Eastern Europe get its turn?" Bolton asked in another newspaper interview. Sri Lanka has been arguing that Kofi Annan from Africa, should be succeeded by a South Asian, as there has never been a Secretary General from South Asia. U Thant was from Burma, which is part of South East Asia not South Asia, the Sri Lankans argue. According to the Daily News the US seems to be favouring the former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski. He had supported the US action in Iraq and sent 1,450 troops to that country. The UN Secretary Generalship will be up for grabs at the end of this year. State child care services in NE grossly inadequate In a shocking disclosure, a global organization working towards the welfare of children has lamented that while the government was insisting on safeguarding the rights of children, only sixteen Probation and Child Care officers were working in the North and East covering some 78 divisional probation and child care offices. Addressing a symposium in Trincomalee after a two-day visit in the district, Save the Children – Sri Lanka’s Country Programme Director Richard Mawer said he was shocked how 16 officers could cope with the work of 78.Provincial Probation and Childcare Commissioner N. Ranjani also disclosed the shortcomings in her province which monitored the activities of 168 children’s homes. She said of some 8500 inmates in those homes, about sixty percent were given shelter due to poverty. She said 741 children in the province had lost both parents while 2580 had lost one of their parents. Ms. Ranjani insisted that the needs of these children were being looked into with the support of the UNICEF and the Save the Children Programme. She also said more than 50% of the children’s homes run by several institutions in the district were not registered with the Department of Probation and Child Care. LTTE child protection unit meets with UNICEF consultant The meeting between the LTTE child protection unit and UNICEF consultant took place in the LTTE Peace Secretariat on 10 March 2006. The meeting was a follow up to the meeting held on 13 February 2006 between the child protection unit and UNICEF to discuss child rights issues in Northeast. UNICEF Kilinochchi Head Ms Penny Brune introduced the UNICEF consultant Ms Beth Verhey to the LTTE child protection unit and then left the meeting. The meeting went on for more than two hours during which Ms Verhey and the LTTE child protection unit discussed the various child rights issues including their educational rights and health rights. Different modalities for promoting child rights were explored at the meeting. In addition to the members of the LTTE child protection unit, Ms Geetha, Mr Ilanthiraiyan, and Mr Thiagaraja, the meeting was also attended by Mr Puleedevan (Secretary General of LTTE Peace Secretariat), and Mr Sudar (Child Rights Lawyer in Tamileelam Justice Department). UNICEF says Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels still holding up to 1,358 underage combatants Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels still hold as many as 1,358 child soldiers, despite pledges by the guerrillas to free all underage combatants, the U.N. children's agency said Friday. The issue of child soldiers has come under renewed focus since Wednesday, when the government went on a publicity blitz by inviting newspapers to photograph two underage combatants who fled from rebel camps and took shelter with the Sri Lankan navy earlier in the week. Their accounts of being kidnapped and held by the rebels contradicted pledges made by the guerrillas to U.N. agencies that they had stopped recruiting children. UNICEF said the Tamil Tigers are known to have recruited 5,368 child soldiers since 2002, when the rebels and the government signed a cease-fire agreement brokered by Norway. Yasmin Haque, a UNICEF official, said the rebels have made several releases of child soldiers, and there also have been many cases of children escaping. But UNICEF's database shows that 1,358 child combatants are still with the rebels, he said. Haque said the government's media blitz was regretful, with photographs of the two teenagers - aged 15 and 17 - printed on the front pages of several newspapers. The two boys escaped from two different camps in northeastern Trincomalee and eastern Batticaloa, military spokesman Brig. Sudhir Samarasinghe said. They were flown to Colombo on Wednesday and made to pose for the media. Asked by military officials, the two teenagers displayed their weapons skills, including handling automatic rifles. A top rebel leader, Seevaratnam Puleedevan, expressed surprise at the case and said they were reviewing the issue of child soldiers again. "We have freed many such underage people, but it is a difficult job, as they often lie to join our movement, and there are no proper birth certificates to establish their correct ages," he said. The two boys were abducted from their homes in Trincomalee on March 1-2 by the rebels from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the military said in a statement. They fled from the camp on Tuesday and took shelter at a naval camp in Trincomalee that night. "These escapees have told naval troops that more than 100 children of the same age range are receiving LTTE weapon training," the statement said. Samarasinghe said another teenager who fled from a rebel camp in Batticaloa on March 4 and reported to police in Batticaloa on Tuesday had revealed that "there are around 70 combatants under training whom he thought were of his age." The 15-year-old will be handed over to his parents, Samarasinghe said. The rebels began fighting in 1983, claiming discrimination against Sri Lanka's 3.2 million ethnic Tamil minority by the 14 million Sinhalese majority. The 2002 cease-fire halted the fighting, but a recent spike in violence has threatened to plunge the country back into civil war. Rebel and government negotiators plan to hold a second round of talks in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 19-21 in an attempt to salvage the truce. Tamil youth shot, injured in Kanniya Unidentified gunmen shot and injured a Tamil youth Friday noon in the village Kanniya located above seven km northwest of Trincomalee. The wounded youth, Suthakar, was admitted to the Trincomalee general hospital with gunshot injuries in his shoulder, Police said. Kanniya village comes under the Uppuveli Police division in the Trincomalee district. The injured youth is a resident of Sivapuram, a village in the Seruvila division, down south of the district. Officials of a NGO who were traveling through the area where the incident took place had transported the injured to the hospital, medical sources said.Officials of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in the east port town visited the scene. Later they went to the hospital and talked to the injured youth, medical sources added. The Uppuveli Police began inquiries into the incident. Thirumuraikal CD to be launched on Sunday A compact disc containing a recital of "Thirumuraikal", the Saiva canonical poems by 63 leading Hindu saints will be launched at Veeramylan Wedding Hall, Sri Kathiresan Street, Colombo 13 at 4 p.m.on Sunday March 12. These Saiva canonical poems were classified into 12 books by Nambiyandar Nambi(11th century A.D.) according to the wishes of Chozha King Abhaya Kulasekaran. The poems for the CD has been recited by ardent Saivite Soma Satchithanantham from Canada. Attorney-at-Law K.V. Thavarasa will preside over the function. N.Somakanathan of the "Thamil Oli" will deliver the address of the CD launching while TNA Parliamentarian Mavai Senathirajah will ceremonially release the CD. SLA closes Katkovalam fish market Sri Lanka Army (SLA) has ordered closure of the fish market located close to the shore in the coastal town of Katkovalam located 2 km east of Point Pedro town. The SLA recently has built new sentry points and a mini camp near the fish market and claimed that the market poses security threat to their new positions, Vadamaradchy Fisheries Consortium officials said. Katkovalam fish market has been functioning for decades on the same location, and fisher families and villagers in Katkovalam and surrounding areas will be greatly inconvenienced by the closure, fisheries officials said. Canadian envoy, Minister Amunugama hold talks Canadian High Commissioner Rachael Bedlington called on Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama at his Ministry and held extensive talks. The discussions mainly centred on political, economic and trade activities between two countries. The High Commissioner has also conveyed the Canadian Government's sincere thanks to Minister Amunugama for the more realistic approach initiated under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapakse to find a lasting solution to country's ethnic problem. The Minister also extended his sincere gratitude to High Commissioner for the great assistance extended by the Canadian Government towards Sri Lanka's development process. Nuwara Eliya has no Tamil administrative officers- UPF Nuwara Eliya, a district with 80% percent Tamil population, and a district which has the largest concentration of Tamils outside NorthEast, does not have a single Tamil Administrative Officer, said Leader of Upcountry Peoples Front (UPF), Periyasamy Chandrasekaran, in an urgent letter sent to Sri Lanka President, Mahinda Rajapakse, UPF's media co-ordinator said Thursday. District Secretary, Additional District Secretary and Assistant District Secretary positions in the Nuwara Eliya District Secretariat are held by Sinhala officials, the letter said. Further, all five Regional Secretaries and the five Assistant Regional Secretaries are Sinhalese, the letter added.The posts of Commissioner of Nuwara Eliya Municipal Council, Secretaries of Hatton-Dickoya Urban Council, and Talawakelle Lindula Urban Council too are held by Sinhalese, Chandrasekaran said in his letter. UPF leader appealed to Mr Rajapakse to urgently consider appointing Tamil officers, either Tamils of Indian Origin or Tamils from NorthEast, to important administrative posts in the district to avoid nurturing resentment within the Hill country Tamils. Chandrasekaran also said in his letter that Sri Lanka Government has solemn responsibility to create opportunities for Tamils of Indian Origin to be trained to hold key administrative positions. India to invest $450m for coal power project in Lanka Lakshman Watawala, chairman of the Board of Investment (BOI), said the single biggest investment for this year is between USD 400-450 million from the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) of India for a coal power project in the island. "BOI has identified a location in Trincomalee for NTPC's project. We expect details to be finalized by the end of this month," Watawala told reporters in Colombo. He said the BOI raised minimum investment levels in order to attract bigger investors and boost total investments. Last year, the country attracted foreign investments worth USD 285 million, but this year the target is one billion dollars. The minimum for tax concessions was raised from 50,000 dollars to 250,000 dollars from Friday. Existing companies have six months to top up their capital to the new limit or risk losing tax breaks. Cops nabbed accepting bribe in Police station The Acting OIC and the Crime OIC of the Wilgamuwa Police station were nabbed yesterday along with another Constable when accepting a bribe at the Police station. Director Investigations of the Bribery Commission SP Neville Guruge told the Daily News that the Crime OIC and Police Constable had solicited money from a man not to charge him for keeping stolen property. The Crime OIC had demanded he should be paid Rs. 5,000 and the PC Rs. 3,000 Bribery Commission Investigation Officers arrested the duo when accepting the money at the Police station last morning. They were due to be produced before Mahiyanganaya Chief Magistrate today. Meanwhile, a labourer attached to the De Zoysa Maternity Hospital in Colombo was arrested by Bribery Commission Officers for accepting Rs. 2,000 from an individual to facilitate the registration of birth of a child with the Registrar of Births, Deaths at the hospital. The labourer attached to the operating theatre had solicited the money saying he would help him to prepare the child's birth certificate with the help of officers at the Registrar Office. Officers also questioned the Registrar of Births at the hospital as the labourer had tried to bribe them too, SP Guruge added. The labourer was produced before Colombo Chief Magistrate yesterday. More UNP LG polls candidates switch allegiance A group of UNP candidates contesting the Galigamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha on Thursday pledged their support to President Mahinda Rajapakse’s government. Seven out of 13 contestants met Rajapakse at Temple Trees where they announced their decision to switch allegiance.Early this week a UNP candidate Sujith Maddumage contesting the Moratuwa MC pledged his allegiance to the ruling coalition. Murali, 600 and spinning Muttiah Muralitharan claimed his 600th test wicket to ease Sri Lanka towards a 2-0 series victory over Bangladesh on the third day of the second and final test on Friday. Sri Lanka dismissed Bangladesh for 201 in their second innings before reaching 77 without loss at stumps. Openers Michael Vandort (22) and Upul Tharanga (48) will resume on Saturday needing another 43 runs for victory. Playing in his 101st test, joined Australia’s Shane Warne, who holds the world record with 659 dismissals, as the only players to reach the landmark when he had Khaled Mashud caught at square leg for six. Earlier, Sri Lanka added 14 runs to their overnight total of 302 for eight. Opener Thuranga’s 444-minute innings of 165 was ended by Shahadat Hossein who finished with 5-86 - his first five-wicket haul in tests. 10 March 2006 INVITATION FOR AGTAS RALLY Action Group of Tamil Asylum Seekers (AGTAS) invites you to join them in their rally at Trafalgar Square on Sunday 19 March 2006 between 12pm to 3pm to protest against the deportation of Sri Lankan asylum seekers and urge the government to provide proper opportunity for them to make representations against deportation. The Tamil Information Centre (TIC), which aims to bring about a fair and meaningful asylum system, is concerned about the risks of destitution and hardship faced by asylum seekers and opposes forced removals. The TIC supports the initiative of AGTAS on 19 March 2006, and urges others to support AGTAS on its stand on refugee protection. For further information contact - Action Group of Tamil Asylum Seekers (AGTAS) Sri Lanka no more unitary - SB UNP National Organizer S. B. Dissanayake yesterday claimed that the unitary status of Sri Lanka did not exist any longer as the Constitutional amendment had provided for sharing of administrative power with Provincial Councils, Pradeshiya Sabhas and other local government authorities. Speaking at a media conference, he said today the partners of the present government were clashing over an empty word to no purpose whatsoever. Just like administrative power has already been shared, it is necessary to share political power as well in accordance with a mutually agreed federal system, Dissanayake said. He said President Mahinda Rajapakse was in an unenviable position. "As much as he is willing to bring peace to this country and catalize economic development, he is restricted due to ideological differences of two of his principal partners, the JVP and JHU. What needs to be done is to proceed with extreme care and prudence in dealing with the peace process. What has occurred in the past should be restricted to history and there should not be a situation where allegations are made against either party". He said the government must prepare its proposals on a federal based solution and these must be presented to India and the international community. If the LTTE refuses to accept an internationally recommended model of federalism, only then should the option of war be looked at, he said Dissanayake said many efforts were made, in the past 30 years or so, during the presidencies of J. R. Jayawardane, D. B. Wijetunge, R. Premadasa and Chandrika Kumaratunge to solve the problem and it was not due to any weakness of the security forces. "Wherever there has been a conflict, such as in India, the United Kingdom, United States of America. Russia, Iraq and Indonesia, the solution has been through negotiations. Nowhere in the world has a conflict of this nature solved through war," he added. He said on Tuesday night a number of supporters of the PA candidate for the post of Negombo Mayor attacked three houses belonging to the Deputy Mayor of Negombo, his mother and brother and damaged 16 vehicles. He urged the President to appoint a commission of inquiring to find out the culprits in this incident of damage to property and robbery. The UNP member if the Galgamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha, Bandara Athauda, who was alleged to have obtained UNP nomination and later joined the PA also attended the media briefing. He emphasized that he remained a member of the UNP but had visited Temple Trees with three other members of the Galgamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha in order to have discussions with President Rajapakse regarding obtaining a test cricket grounds and a supermarket complex for Galgamuwa. He said that he has no intention of leaving the UNP and would work more to retain the Galgamuwa Pradeshiya Sabha which is presently administered by the UNP. Top Military Brass visit Jaffna Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Daya Sandagiri and Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka visited Jaffna peninsula yesterday. Major General G. A. Chandrasiri, Commander of the Security Forces Headquarters Jaffna, received them at the Palaly airbase on arrival. Later the Chief of Defence Staff and the Army Commander visited the Forward Defence Line (FDL) areas. They attended a discussion at Eluthumadduval area on the security situation in Jaffna with senior Army officers. The top military brass also inquired into practical hardships of troops deployed at the FDL and verified into their welfare measures. Admiral Daya Sandagiri and Lt. General Sarath Fonseka also visited the unloading point at Muhammalai entry/exit point and a few bunkers at FDL. Jaffna big match starts Thursday First day of the annual cricket match between Jaffna Central College and St.Johns College was played Thursday after the Principals of both schools hoisted the school flags at the Jaffna Central College grounds near the clock tower junction in Jaffna. At the close of first day's play Jaffna Central had scored 210 runs in their first innings and St.Johns opening pair scored three runs without any loss. Muslims for independent representation for future talks The Muslim Civil Society representatives and the political leadership have reiterated a separate independent Muslim representation should take part in all future talks between the Government and the LTTE. The decision was taken at a discussion at the Hotel Taj Samudra on Tuesday. Minister Ferial Ashraff briefed her experience at the Geneva talks last month. She briefed on her discussions with the LTTE members including Anton Balasingham and Tamilchelvam with special reference to the Muslims concerns. SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem spoke on his experience with the LTTE delegations during the peace talks in the past. The participants unanimously resolved to reiterate the interests, fears, concerns and aspirations of the Muslims particularly in the North and East, through an independent Muslim delegation consensually nominated by the Muslims themselves and thus call upon the Government. Minister Rishard Bathiudeen, Deputy Minister Hussain Bahila, MPs Faizer Mustapha, Faizal Cassim, Basheer Segu Davood, Kabeer Hashim, Presidential Advisor A.H. M. Azwer also spoke. Court cases hampering polls chief's work Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake yesterday said now that he has to appear in no less than 33 court cases, in connection with the March 30 Local Government Elections, he had no time to attend to the usually heavy duties entrusted in him under the Constitution. Assistant Commissioner W. P. Sumanasiri said 216,850 postal ballot papers will be handed over to the Postal Authorities in the next few days. Post Master General Sherwin Senadhira said postal ballot papers are delivered under insurance cover to the respective returning officers of the government institutions. Postal voting is to commence on March 20 and 21 but there was no need for police security as these votes cannot be obtained and cast by any other persons other than those who are legally entitled to use them. About 23,000 candidates are contesting the local government elections to elect 4,255 members in 330 local bodies. The Assistant Commissioner said there were fewer postal votes and fewer applications for postal voting when compared with the last Presidential Election. Paramilitary cadre guns down bus passenger in Batticaloa A young man travelling on a public transport bus from
Eravur to Batticaloa was shot dead by a gunman, around 11 a.m., Thursday,
police in the eastern town said. Eye wintnesses named the assailant as
paramilitary 'Karuna group' cadre "Mathushan," attached to Palpody
camp of the Special Task Force (STF). Two other civilians were injured
in the shooting. The paramilitary cadre, Edwinsilva Anandan (Mathushan), fired atleast eigth 9 mm bullets and escaped from the site when his attempt to abduct Kovindan failed, according to the eyewitnesses.The body of Kovindan is lying in Batticaloa Hospital Mortuary, hostpital officials said.The incident occured at at Vellaikutty juncation, 2 km. north of Batticaloa, on the Trincomalee road. Eravur is located 14 km north of Batticaloa town. More Indian schols for Lankans The number of scholarships awarded to Sri Lankans for higher studies in India will be increased from this year onwards according to Indian High Commissioner Nirupama Rao, who was in Ampara district on Wednesday. The Indian High Commissioner who was here on the invitation of the Deputy Minister of Irrigation M. I. Anver Ismail visited the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka at Oluvil and participated in a discussion chaired by Vice Chancellor Dr. Hussain Ismail. After a healthy discussion based on the developments of the University with the Vice Chancellor, Deans, Heads of Departments and other heads of non academicals she visited the Library and the Cultural Museum. High Commissioner Nirupama Rao assured that the Government of India would always strengthen the ties with Sri Lanka and provide all technical assistance to help the University Authorities. She also added that from this year onwards the number of scholarships awarded to Sri Lanka for higher studies in India would be increased and special Educationists and Academics would be got down to South Eastern University of Sri Lanka. Thereafter, Deputy Minister Anver Ismail took the High Commissioner Nirupama Rao to inspect the Periyakalappu Drainage Scheme at Pavanakai Road, Addalaichenai where more than 3000 acres of paddy lands are inundated for want of a proper drainage scheme. At the conclusion of her itinerary Nirupama Rao visited the Faculty of Applied Science of the South Eastern University of Sri Lanka at Sammanthurai and obtained information in regards to the establishment of an Agricultural Research Centre from the Dean of the Faculty of Applied Sciences A. Nazeer Ahamed and other Agricultural Experts of the District. Deputy Minister Anver Ismail also participated. Sri Lankan FM Goes to Europe to Salvage Peace Process Sri Lanka's foreign minister has gone to Europe to discuss the ongoing peace process with Tamil rebels, as new violence threatens to derail a fragile four-year-old ceasefire. Foreign Ministry officials say Mangala Samaraweera will visit Britain, France and Belgium for talks on the peace process and also a range of bilateral issues. He also is scheduled to address the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament in Belgium. The European Union supports Sri Lanka's efforts to end
the conflict with Tamil separatists, which went on for 19 years until
Norway brokered a ceasefire agreement in 2002. Meanwhile, reports from Jaffna say government troops seized grenade launchers, live magazines of T-56 rifles and hand grenades during a sweep operation Tuesday and Wednesday in predominantly Tamil areas. The reports say the ammunition was found in bags abandoned at two roadside locations. Prof. Hoole appointed VC of Jaffna Campus Sri Lanka University Grants Commission (UGC) announced Thursday the appointment of Prof. Ratnajeevan Hoole, Professor Peredeniya University and member of (UGC), as the new Vice Chancellor (VC) of Jaffna University by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse. He will succeed Prof. S. Mohanathas whose tenure expires end of March, education officials said. Although Prof. Hoole had previously expressed reluctance to accept the post due to protest against his appointment by a section of Jaffna University students, he confirmed Thursday his appointment, sources in University of Peredeniya said. In the election for the post of Vice Chancellor, Prof. Hoole was one of the three elected along with Prof. Kumaravadivel and Prof. Kandasamy, Jaffna campus sources said. Raider jailed
for brutal garage attack Tharmarajah Sriskandarajah was one of five masked men who tricked their way into the Leith Hill garage, Beare Green. During the robbery cashier Ramesh Sandaman was bundled into the toilet where he was gagged, bound and warned his life was under threat if he did not cooperate. Sriskandarajah, 24, appeared before Guildford Crown Court for sentencing on Friday. Matthew Kennedy, prosecuting, said: On December 5 last year Mr Sandaman was working alone at the isolated service station. SL Police gathering information about students Sri Lankan Police are going from school to school speaking to the principals to gather information about students who took part in the boycott on Tuesday to protest the interference of military into educational activities. Students in Jaffna staged this boycott on Tuesday against the SLA, in particular against the SLA chief Major Gen Chndrasri. SLA persons were seen on the streets on Tuesday, the day of the boycott, with sticks and motorbike chains ready to attack students who might stage a protest on the road. Journalists who attempted to video the SLA men with sticks etc were chased by SLA persons. In the meantime SLA persons are videoing students seen in and around the University and Technical College areas. This act by SLA has caused fear among students. Students believe that this act by SLA is to suppress student protests against SLA’s excesses. Very successful meeting in the European Parliament Tamil Centre for Human Rights - TCHR along with British Labour Party Member of European Parliament Mr. Robert Evans, held a successful meeting within the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium. The theme of this meeting was the "EU’s contribution to the peace process in Sri Lanka". The meeting was chaired by Mr Robert Evans and the meeting was well attended by many MEPs from various countries and the EU Commission's desk officer for Asia also attended this meeting. The speakers were, Prof (Dr) Brian Senewiratne from Australia, Mr. Gajan Ponnambalam - Lawyer and Member of Parliament of Sri Lanka and Ms Deirdre McConnell - Human rights defender and the Director of International Program of the Tamil Centre for Human Rights. The speakers gave detailed reporting with facts, figures and evidence of the human rights violation against the Eelam Tamils by the Sri Lankan security forces and paramilitary forces. Speakers also highlighted how the Sri Lankan Singhalese chauvinist governments refuse to accept the "Right to self-determination" of the Eelam Tamils. Prof (Dr) Brian Senewiratne from Australia, who is also a political analyst on the Sri Lankan situation, described how the Singhalese and their government continue to suppress the Tamils. Prof. Brian Senewiratne is the first cousin of former President Chandrika and nephew of late S.W.R.D. Bandaranayke. Brian Senewiratne further said, "It is awkward for me to come to Brussels and say that the EU has failed – but it has. This is not said lightly or with a derogatory intention but in the hope that some of the damage done might be reversed. It is not just the EU that has failed, so have many Western countries with the exception of some of the Nordic countries and Switzerland. "If these countries, in particular the US, India and Britain (which was responsible for the Sri Lankan administrative problems which resulted in discrimination against Tamils), cannot make a positive contribution to Peace in Sri Lanka, I would urge that they do not make a negative, indeed destructive, contribution. This is by: Enhancing the military capabilities of a country which is using this to fight its own people, trying to marginalise or to exclude oneof the essential parities to the negotiation – the LTTE. Dr Senewiratne further said, "the EU has essentially opted out of making, or being able to make, a meaningful contribution to the rescue of Sri Lanka. It will continue to do so unless it changes some of the decisions it has made. Throwing millions of euro into the hands of a corrupt and incompetent government is not an answer". Mr. Gajan Ponnambalam, said that "article 1.8 of the CFA entered into by the LTTE and the GOSL mandates GOSL to dismantle all paramilitary forces, this did not take place. LTTE and the GOSL held talks in Geneva on the 22nd and 23rd of February this year, however, incidents targeting Tamil civilians have continued. The Tamil Nation is being consistently denied meaningful access to Governance to pursue their political, economic, social and cultural development. To heap the LTTE with terrorist organizations is not only unacceptable to the Tamil people but will also embolden an intransigent and defaulting Sri Lankan State tocontinue to deny the Tamil Nation its right to self-determination". Ms. Deirdre McConnell, explained that " In the Sri Lankan media, such as the English media in Colombo, none of the newspapers (except one) publish much on the facts and figures concerning the reality of the conflict in Sri Lanka. "When we come to the news agencies based in Colombo, and look at the people responsible for them, the vast majority of the international correspondents are Sinhalese. In other words, the same as the journalists of the Colombo papers. Therefore the international media coming from Colombo is not independent, it is not unbiased. "Not that I am saying it is because they are Sinhalese the media is biased, but it is a question of how the majority of Sinhalese see the conflict in Sri Lanka – except a handful of Sinhalese who analyse and see the root causes of the conflict. The Sri Lankan government continues to spend millions of rupees for their propaganda and to spread misinformation. This is one of the reasons the international community is unable to see the reality of the war in Sri Lanka”. A notable presence in the meeting was one Douglas Wickremasinghe, an extreme Singhalese from London. During the question and comments session, he said that "Singhalese are facing more discrimination". As he failed to say by whom and where, the participants of this meeting were wondering whether he was referring to the Singhalese on some other planet! Prof John Neelsen and Mr. Visuvalingam Kirubaharan also added their contributions to this meeting. As usual, in an attempt to stop this meeting, a Sri Lankan propagandist wrote some anti-Tamil comments in a racist English newspaper in Colombo some days before. However the meeting successfully took place, as scheduled. A few years ago, this same racist propagandist prepared a hit list for assassination of some members of Civil society, including several westerners who raise the matter of human rights violations committed by the Sri Lankan security forces in the North East of Sri Lanka. 09 March 2006 Indian High Commissioner visits eastern province Ms Nirupama Rao, Indian High Commissioner in Colombo
Tuesday morning visited the South Eastern University, which is located
in Oluvil in Amparai district and discussed with the Vice Chancellor and
the academic staff regarding its needs and future development. Sri Lankan
Minister of Irrigation, Mr.Anwer Ismail, accompanied her. Ms Nirupama
Rao arrived in Batticaloa Monday morning on a two-day tour in the eastern
province by a special helicopter of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF). University officials made a request to the Indian envoy to take steps to provide scholarships to undergrads and academicians to further their knowledge in India, the sources said. Ms Nirupama Rao then visited the Addalaichchenai Cultural
Museum. She was later taken to Periyakalappu where hundreds of acres of
land suitable for paddy cultivation under flooded with drainage water
through out the year. During her first day visit, she went by road to Eastern University, which is located in Vantharumoolai and explored the possibility of increasing the number of faculties. She attended a conference chaired by Professor S.Ravindranath and attended by officials of the Sri Lanka Police and Sri Lanka Army and varsity officials. The discussion centered on providing more facilities to Swami Vipulananda Fine Arts College, which is affiliated, to the Eastern University. She thereafter held discussion with Trincomalee-Batticaloa Bishop Rt.Rev.Dr.Kingsely Swampillai regarding the peace process and the ground situation in the district. Sri Lanka Army and Police officials also attended the discussion which was held at the Bishop's House. She later met Rev.Fr.Miller, President of the Batticaloa District Peace Committee at Batticaloa St.Michael College, sources said. Later on Monday Ms Nirupama Rao held discussion with the head and members of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in Batticaloa, which took place in the office of the SLMM, which is located along the lagoon. She later went to Kattankudy and met Mr.M.L.A.M.Hisbullah and several leaders of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC). Harassment of civilians will lead to Tamil Eelam: TNA Jaffna district TNA parliamentarian M.K. Eelaventhan yesterday warned that the continued harassment of the Tamils in the North and East would eventually lead to the creation of Tamil Eelam. Speaking during the debate on the National Enterprise Development Authority Bill in parliament the firebrand MP alleged the security forces were continuing to harass Tamil civilians in Jaffna. Rather than concentrate on the contents of the proposed legislation, Mr. Eelaventhan mainly focused on JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa’s comments made in parliament the previous day. Mr. Weerawansa had called for Norway’s removal as facilitator to the peace process because of what the JVP believed was Norway’s pro-LTTE stand. Mr. Eelaventhan said the security forces should be withdrawn from the High Security Zones and normalcy restored in the area to allow Tamils to live without fear. The failure to do this he said would lead to the automatic creation of Tamil Eelam. He claimed there were two sovereign nations within Sri Lanka. One was Tamil Eelam and the other Sri Lanka he said. He emphasized that there was a de facto government in the north and soon it will receive international recognition. “Several schools in the north remained closed due to the harassment by the security forces”, Mr. Eelaventhan said. Mr. Eelaventhan was particularly critical of Jaffna security forces commander G.A. Chandrasiri. He said the Tamil people had the right to arm themselves because the military was engaged in special training and arms procurement. “Eternal vigilance was the price of freedom”, Mr. Eelaventhan said. The MP also criticized the mainstream media in the south of suppressing the truth. He said while the media talks of freedom and upholding democracy, it had deliberately suppressed information on the abduction of the ten TRO members a month ago, seven of whom are still missing. What was the Daily Mirror doing? What are the Island and the Daily News doing? Mr. Eelaventhan thundered. SLA cordon, search Erlalai, beat bakery owner More than five hundred Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troops with a few paramilitary cadres arrived in several heavy military vehicles and eight Buffel armored vehicles, cordoned off, and searched residences in Erlalai South, Kalavodai Amman Temple areas at 3.30 a.m. Wednesday morning, sources in Jaffna said. The SLA soldiers, at 6 a.m., entered the house of a 30 year old civilian who owns a bakery, beat him and left after ransacking his business premises, sources added. Residents said that the soldiers wore black masks in contravention to the assurances given to the Jaffna magistrate recently. A Gramasevaka was not present during the search, further violating an agreement made with civil society members.The bakery owner was directed in Tamil to appear at the Urelu SLA camp to see a paramilitary cadre, Suresh, sources said. Residents of Erlalai said that a paramilitary cadre named Suresh operating from the Urelu SLA camp is believed to be responsible for the disappearances of many civilians in Erlalai area.The bakery owner has registered a complaint with the Jaffna Human Rights Commission Wednesday, asking for additional protection, sources said. EU slams Tigers
for polls boycott The head of the EU mission, John Cushnahan, said that urgent measures were needed to stop the rebels from compromising future elections. Internationally supervised elections He added that the LTTE prevented all political parties campaigning in the areas under their control. “All four elections that I observed, the LTTE have denied the right of all political parties of Sri Lanka to campaign and on several occasions they have denied the right of voters to exercise their franchise,” he told BBC Sandeshaya. Mr Cushnahan recommended that future elections should be supervised by an international body to ensure that voters all over Sri Lanka exercise their right to vote. “That was done in places like South Africa, Cambodia, in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Liberia and I think that issue must be addressed now,” he added. Independant election commission He also urged the international community to link the human rights issue of the voters when negotiating financial aid to the government and the Tamil Tigers. The head of the monitoring mission was highly critical that the government has failed to fully implement the 17 amendment to the 1978 constitution. Cushnahan called upon President Mahinda Rajapaksa and all the political parties in the island to establish the independent Election Commission, one of the key changes in the amendment, without further delay. “It should have been implemented no later than October 2001, it is not acceptable that it is still not implemented,” he told bbcsinhala.com. Parliament quotes “The LTTE didn’t even ask us if there is a TNA in parliament”- Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told TNA MP M.K. Eelaventhan, after Mr. Eelaventhan asked whether or not the ceasefire agreement was amended. “Have you not learnt any lessons from Mr. Balasingham who spoke to you continuously for two days?”- TNA MP M.K. Eelaventhan to Minister Rohitha Bogollagama “If Manmohan Singh can become the Prime Minister of India then why can’t Minister Fowzie become the President of Sri Lanka?”- UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake during the debate on the National Enterprise Development Authority Bill. “They have come from the jungle to parliament. But they won’t be allowed to introduce the law of the jungle into parliament”- UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake referring to the JVP during the debate on the National Enterprise Development Authority Bill. “Government policy at all times will abide with the policies envisioned in the Mahinda Chinthanaya”- Deputy Labour Minister Mervyn Silva “You are trying to whitewash the media reports which have put the lives of the security forces and their families at risk”- Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa to UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake on media reports on paramilitary groups submitted by the LTTE at the Geneva peace talks. “The JHU is in the Opposition”- Ven. Athureliya Ratana Thera when UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake asked whether the JHU was in the Opposition or the government “We are with the Auditor General. He has done a very good job. There is no question about it”- House Leader and senior Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva commenting on the Auditor General’s report on corruption in Government Institutions. Appeal to re-accept SLMC nominations The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress yesterday filed 12 petitions in the Appeal Court seeking an order on the Elections Commissioner to receive the rejected nominations of the party for 12 local bodies in the Eastern Province and the Puttalam district. The petitions were filed by SLMC General Secretary M.P.Hassan Ali. The Colombo High Court issued an enjoining order restraining the Elections Commissioner from accepting the nominations of the Muslim Congress after considering a petition filed by a member of the party stating that the SLMC cannot file nominations as its office bearers had not been duly elected. However the enjoining order was vacated by the Appeal Court after examining a petition filed by the SLMC challenging the High court order. Muslim Congress Secretary Hassan Ali in his petitions has stated that the High court order was based on wrong information which resulted in the Elections Commissioner ordering the returning officers not to accept the SLMC nominations. Majority of election candidates are criminals (Divaina) Police HQ says most of the candidates who are contesting for this election are people who dealt in criminal activities previously such as murderers, drug dealers, etc. They also say this kind of contesters are in every political party. EU polls monitoring at stake The European Union Election Observer Mission (EU EOM) yesterday warned of the danger of losing the ‘goodwill’ between Sri Lanka and the EU due to the failure by successive governments to implement suggestions submitted by the election monitoring body. Addressing a news conference in Colombo the EU EOM chief John Cushnahan said his team may focus its attention on other countries that were looking for its services in election monitoring and give less of a commitment to Sri Lanka. The EU team has monitored past parliamentary and presidential polls here but its recommendations have not been implemented, he claimed. Mr. Cushnahan made these remarks at the release of the final report on the November 2005 Presidential election. “This country could be in danger of losing EU goodwill unless our recommendations are taken seriously. Other countries have asked for election monitoring assistance. A stronger case may be made by other countries and we might send stronger teams there than to Sri Lanka,” he said. Mr. Cushnahan said the EU had reservations about sending a strong monitoring team to Sri Lanka in November last year as recommendations put forward by the EU EOM following previous polls were not implemented. Assessing the November polls, Mr. Cushnahan said the EU EOM believed the November presidential election was mostly free and fair and praised Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake for his impartiallity and untiring efforts. Mr. Cushnahan meanwhile condemned the LTTE instigated boycott in the North saying Tamils in rebel controlled areas were deprived of their voting rights owing to the LTTE protecting its own interests. In his report Mr. Cushnahan recommended holding of future polls in LTTE controlled areas under the supervision of an independent foreign observer mission. He said this would ensure a rebel instigated boycott similar to the one enforced at the last Presidential election does not take place. Mr. Cushnahan also impressed on the need to implement the 17th Amendment to the Constitution and set up an independent election commission. The EU EOM report and recommendations will be handed over to Elections Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake today. Balagalla makes hay while Mahinda Chintanaya shines Retired Army Commander General Lionel Balagalle has been offered a Rs 167,000 per month job by the present government despite not having basic qualifications required for the post. He has been appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminal Limited, a government affiliated company. 66 percent of the shares of the company are owned by the Treasury and Ceypetco and the remaining 33 percent of the shares by the Indian Oil Company. The company is tasked with the storage and distribution of fuel for the entire country. The Muturajawela fuel terminal, the Kolonnawa oil storage complex, the container terminal of the Colombo port and 13 islandwide oil depots are managed by this company. Under the regulations of the company, the Chief Executive should be a person of less than 45 years who is well versed in the logistics of oil distribution. However General Balagalle doe not fit into this criterion. A person with all the required qualifications had been chosen to the job through an interview, but he was not offered the post in keeping with Mahinda Chintana and 60 year old former Army Chief was appointed instead. Genral Balagalle was the most trusted Army Commander of former President Kumaratunga so much so he was granted a two service extensions on reaching the retirement age. A brand new Prado jeep at a cost of Rs 7,850,000 was purchased for his use and it was upholstered with new cushions spending further Rs 85,000. Not even tenders have been called when the vehicle was purchased or upholstered. Furthermore furniture including a bed has also been bought for the use of the retired Army Commander for Rs 300,000 and a television set for Rs. 360,000. No tenders have been called to purchase either of these two items. A microwave oven has been purchased to keep his meals warm and a pair of spectacles for Rs. 12.000. Even though restrictions have been placed on employees for the company funded medical facilities, General Balagalle and his family are entitled to unlimited access to such facilities and the company foots the bill. The office of the working directors are also used by CEO General Balagalle and recently it was refurbished with floor tiles, new bathroom and toilet fittings and accessories and an air conditioner spending a princely sum. Balagalle has recruited one of his army buddies, Brigadier Soyza as deputy General Manager ( Investigations and Security) for a monthly salary of Rs 69,000. He too is a pensioner. Under the recruitment procedure and regulations of the company, a retired person cannot be recruited as General Manger. A Prado jeep is to be purchased shortly for his use shortly without calling tenders. Although there was only one General Manager's post in the company up until now, the number is to be increased to 6. Though it is claimed that youths are being given prominence under Mahinda Chintanaya, this company has given priority to 60 year old pensioners. Meanwhile trade unions of the company have alleged that General Balagalle is engaged in a bid to convert it into a military operations unit. Even though trade unions shave brought the matter to the attention of Minister Susil Premajayantha, they point out that the situation seems to be beyond his control. Due to the massive wastage and heavy losses incurred by the Ceylon petroleum Corporation, the Indian Oil Company is reportedly considering withdrawing its shares from the Company. Child soldiers escape from LTTE-Source NDTV Three underage combatants pressed into service by the Tamil Tiger rebels have escaped from the group and surrendered to police and the Navy in northeastern Sri Lanka. The combatants, aged between 15 and 17, escaped from two different camps in northeastern Trincomalee and eastern Batticaloa, military spokesman Brigradier Sudhir Samarasinghe said today. The names of the youths were being withheld for security reasons, he said. If confirmed, the accounts would contradict pledges made by the rebels to UN agencies that the group has stopped recruiting underage combatants. Lucky escape In the first case, Samarasinghe said the teenager managed to flee the camp in Batticaloa on March 4 and reported to police in Batticaloa on Tuesday. The 15-year-old will be handed over to his parents, he said. "According to the boy there are around 70 combatants under training whom he thought were of his age," Samarasinghe said. In the second case, two school boys aged between 15 and 17 were abducted from their homes in Trincomalee on March 1-2 by the rebels, according to a statement issued by the military's media unit. They fled from the camp on Tuesday and took shelter at a naval camp in Trincomalee that night. "These escapees have told naval troops that over 100 children of the same age are receiving LTTE weapon training," the statement said. The rebels, who want autonomy for Sri Lanka's 3.2 million Tamil minority, are often accused of recruiting child soldiers. UNICEF has said the Tamil Tigers have recruited 5,368 child soldiers since 2002, when the rebels and the government signed a ceasefire. The rebels say that many child soldiers lied about their age to join the insurgency and that they have released thousands of underage combatants. (AP) JHU accuses WPF of creating disharmony The JHU yesterday protested against the statement by Western People’s Front (WPF) Leader Mano Ganeshan at the All Party Conference (APC) as an attempt to promote separatism in the country. Mr. Ganeshan urged the Government to include the complaints of all Sri Lankan Tamils at the next rounds of peace talks insisting that the peace talks should not be limited to the problems of the Tamil community in the North-East. He alleged that Tamils in other parts of the country too are victims of racial and language prejudice and said that peace talks should address the grievances of all the sections of the population. However, the JHU protested against the WPF statement saying that Mr. Ganeshan is trying to create disharmony between the Tamils and the Sinhalese. JHU Spokesman Nishantha Warnasinghe said that the difficulties faced by the Tamil communities living in areas other than the North and East are common to the other communities as well and they stem from poverty and unfair distribution of resources and have nothing to with race and language. “Mr. Ganeshan’s stand does not help to solve the problems but tends to deepen them,” Mr. Warnasinghe said adding that contrary to the WPF stand there is no ethnic problem in the country but only an attempt at achieving separatism through terrorism. Heroin in private bus A private bus plying from Puttalam to Kalpitiya was detected transporting nine kilograms of heroin, when the vehicle was checked by the Kalpitiya Police on Wednesday. The heroin was neatly packed and concealed inside the bus. The heroin is estimated to be worth several million rupees. Three suspects have been taken into custody in this regard. O.I.C. Kalpitiya Police, Rathwal Mallawaarachchi and his team from the Kalpitiya Police conducted the raid. Businessman shot dead by unidentified gunman A 32-year-old trader was shot dead by an unidentified gunman in Eravur on Monday night and the killers had robbed cash of Rs.100, 000 from the victim. The victim, Abdul Majeed Jaufer, reportedly a wholesale grocery owner was returning home in the night on his bicycle, was shot several times at Nawaladi road around 10.45pm.He was reportedly carrying the day’s earnings of about Rs.100, 000 in cash in a plastic shopping bag which the assailants is believed to have got away with it. The people in the area hearing the shots had rushed to the spot and taken the victim to the Eravur hospital but found him dead on admission. Crimes OIC Eravur police Inspector C M Chandrapala told the Daily Mirror the shop owner had been shot by a T-56 gun. Initial investigations have revealed that the victim was killed not because of personal vendetta nor any LTTE connection but merely for the robbery of cash. Police believe the robbers might have pre-planned the killing for the robbery. No suspects have been taken into custody yet. Eravur police are conducting investigations. CELLTEL Enters troubled areas in sri lanka Sri Lankan mobile phone company Celltel announced plans
to invest 100 million dollars to bring services to the island's embattled
northeast, but not in areas controlled by Tamil rebels. The service however will not reach the northeastern town of Kilinochi, controlled by the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam who have waged a separatist conflict since 1972 that has claimed more than 60,000 lives. Celltel Chief Executive Officer Dumindra Ratnayake said he expected a 50 percent increase in their subscriber base with the latest expansion that would cost them 100 million dollars this year. "With this latest investment, our total investment in the country would be about 200 million dollars," Ratnayake said. He said by the end of 2005 there were about three million mobile phone users in the country which has four cellular networks that keep prices low to attract subscribers . In March 2004, Sri Lanka became the first country in the region to introduce 3G, or third generation, mobile phones, which allow high speed data transmission and video streaming. 08 March 2006 If you want war, we are ready’ LTTE tells JVP Responding to the JVP’s call for the military to be strengthened, the LTTE said yesterday it was ready for any eventuality if the Sinhala extremists pushed the country back to war, TamilNet reported. The response was given by LTTE political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan in an interview at Kilinochchi soon after the LTTE delegation flew back there in an Air force helicopter after attending the Geneva talks and visiting Norway. Following are excerpts from the interview given to TamiNet: Q: Paramilitary attacks have continued even while peace talks were in progress. Do you want to comment? Thamilselvan: Our leadership has strongly condemned these acts and has informed facilitators Norway, and other interested members of the International Community. We registered our concern with the Ambassador of Norway when he met us on arrival at the Katunayake airport. Q: Sri Lanka Government has been making contradictory statements regarding the outcome of Geneva talks? Thamilselvan: Besides politically motivated rhetoric, even the actions of the Sri Lanka Government are against the spirit of the CeaseFire Agreement. Not only we have condemned this, but we will soon be discussing these matters with the National Leader and will inform our position towards the next steps to Norway and to the International Community. Blasts in Indian
holy city kill15 The first bomb went off in the packed Sankat Mochan temple and two others rocked one of the city's main railway stations, a federal interior ministry official said. "Fifteen people have died and about 60 are injured. The blasts were pretty big and I do not rule out a terrorist hand behind it," said Navneet Sikera, Varanasi's police chief. The death toll was expected to rise as some of the wounded were in critical condition, police and doctors said. The three explosions occurred between 6 p.m. and 6.45 p.m. (1230-1315 British time), police said. A fourth bomb was found in a residential area and was being defused, they added. No group claimed responsibility for the blasts. The police chief of Uttar Pradesh state, where Varanasi is located, said he suspected the Pakistan-based Islamist militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), which is fighting against Indian rule in disputed Kashmir, was responsible. "There is reason to suspect an LeT hand behind this," Yashpal Singh told Reuters. "The damage caused by the blasts shows the bombs were powerful and they could not have been engineered by local groups." Lashkar, which is outlawed in Pakistan, has been blamed for several violent attacks across India in the past including one on another Hindu holy site in Uttar Pradesh last year. "There was a very loud noise and all my men rushed to the spot," said Jabir Ali, a police inspector at Varanasi's cantonment railway station. "We have emptied the station and are checking it. We have stopped trains bound for Delhi," he said by phone. Authorities ordered increased security across northern India to prevent any clashes between the country's majority Hindus and minority Muslims. POOL OF BLOOD Temple-studded Varanasi, 670 km (415 miles) southeast of New Delhi, is on the banks of the Ganges river in Uttar Pradesh state and is one of Hinduism's holiest cities. Hindus believe that dying in Varanasi, being cremated on the banks of the Ganges and having one's ashes immersed in the river ensures release from the cycle of rebirth. Many elderly and ill people come to the city if they believe they are close to death. "The prime minister has appealed for people to remain calm. The government is dealing with the situation and people should maintain peace," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's spokesman said. Home Minister Shivraj Patil said the blasts were "an attempt by desperate elements to disturb communal harmony and peace". Television pictures showed a large pool of blood mixed with glass shards at one of the blast sites. Angry locals were shouting slogans, though it was not clear against whom. Workers at one local hospital called repeatedly over loudspeakers for volunteers to donate blood. The Sankat Mochan temple, one of India's oldest, is dedicated to Hinduism's monkey god Hanuman. Its name means "deliverer from troubles", and it is always packed on Tuesdays. The attack sparked fears of sectarian strife in Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state, which has a history of Hindu-Muslim clashes and has been attacked by Islamist militants in the past. Last July, unidentified gunmen stormed Ayodhya, another holy site in the state and a tinderbox for Hindu-Muslim violence. In October, three powerful bombs ripped through packed markets in New Delhi killing at least 66 people and wounding more than 100. The coordinated blasts happened ahead of the biggest Hindu and Muslim festivals and ignited tensions between old rivals India and Pakistan. JVP demands immediate removal of Norway as facilitator A day after the All Party Conference and having welcomed the Geneva peace talks in principle, the key Government ally JVP, yesterday insisted that Norway should be removed immediately from its role as facilitator, because of its pro-terrorist stand. Making a special statement in parliament, the party’s Parliamentary Group Leader, Wimal Weerawansa, charged that Norway was acting to give international recognition to pseudo Tamil Eelam, and therefore it should be removed from the peace process, however difficult it was to make such a decision. “According to the mandate given to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, there is no room for us to allow Norway to liquidate our motherland. Though we are late, we should make a decision right now however difficult it is,” he said. Referring to a news item published in an English weekly, Mr. Weerawansa noted that Norway had given a red carpet welcome to the LTTE delegation when it visited after the Geneva talks. He said the welcome was similar to that given official state delegations. “This is a dangerous moment. Norway is jeopardizing the sovereignty of Sri Lanka. There is no basis for Norway to give the LTTE delegation the status of state leaders. This is a mean act similar to a cricket umpire hosting a tea party only for one team during the tea break of the game,” he said. Mr. Weerawansa charged that Norway’s aim was to drag the peace process for another two years, and give international recognition to Tamil Eelam, while promoting Tigers as leaders from official states, as done in the case of East Timor. He also charged that a religious fundamentalist country like Norway should not be allowed to openly and blatantly jeopardize the ‘priceless sovereignty’ of Sri Lanka. Mr. Weerawansa also accused a local Sunday newspaper of endangering national security and the lives of security forces personnel by giving publicity to LTTE propaganda. He said that while the JVP stood for media freedom, it also believed the sovereignty and integrity of the motherland must be given priority over media freedom. Mr. Weerawansa appealed to the government to take some action in this regard and in reply Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said the case was being studied. In a swift response, the Tamil National Alliance rejected the charges made by the JVP against Norway. Pulidevan held at Sri Lanka airport over undeclared items Sri Lanka Customs officials at the Bandaranaike International Airport this morning detained some members of the LTTE delegation, including Peace Secretariat head Pulidevan, for bringing in undeclared items as they returned from the Geneva peace talks. Sources said Customs had to impose a duty charge amounting Rs. 38,400 on digital cameras and other electronic items. The officials also inquired about the possession of weapons catalogues. A senior Customs official said, “Following a thorough inquiry, we have released the catalogues along with the delegation members.” The LTTE delegation, led by political head S.P. Thamilchelvan, arrived in Sri Lanka this morning. Six members have since left for Kilinochchi in a special Air Force helicopter, while another six are traveling to Kilinochchi by road. Army Major sues Swarnavahini Major S. A. R. Wijepala of the Sri Lanka Army has filed action against the EAP Network (Pvt) Ltd claiming Rs. 10 million that a Swarnavahini programme 'Varentuwa' allegedly implied he had stolen treasure from a temple. The petitioner stated that the Varentuwa program telecast on March 4, 2004 by the Swarnavahini Channel indirectly stated that he was responsible for the loss of the treasure at the Gangatilaka Raja Maha Viharaya in Thanamalvila, Wellawaya. According to the petition he was engaged in training at the Commando Regiment, Special Unit at the camp in Kuda Oya, Thanamalwila, Wellawaya. Petitioner also stated that he had won the Ranasura Medal and Deshaputhra Medal in 1995. Petitioner demanded Rs. 10 million for the damage, he suffered. Decision to disarm Karuna similar to Premadasa's decision to give weapons to LTTE- JHU The government has undone all the good work at the Geneva talks by agreeing to disarm the Karuna faction, Jathika Hela Urumaya leader, Ven. Ellawala Medhananda thera said today participating at the 3rd All Party Conference held at the Presidential Secretariat. Appreciating the opening statement made by chief government negotiator, Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva at the Geneva talks, Medhananda thera said the government's declaration that the cease-fire agreement was illegal, was a dream coming true for the Hela Urumaya as the JHU was the first party to challenge the legality of the agreement signed by the United National Front with the LTTE on February 22, 2002 in courts. However the joint statement issued at the end of the talks had undone all gains made by the government and the most alarming decision was the government?s undertaking to ensure that no group or party will carry arms other than the security forces, the JHU leader noted. This pledge meant that the government had given an assurance to the LTTE to disarm all armed groups in government held areas, including not only the Karuna faction but the Jihad group functional in the east as alleged by the LTTE as well as the Colombo underworld and the Monitoring Mission taking over the responsibility of reviewing the progress of this agreement was even more dangerous, Medhanada thera said. The thera said it was tragic to see the government taking on responsibility to disarm the Karuna faction on its own and claimed this fatal mistake could only be compared to President Premadasa's decision to supply arms to the LTTE to fight the Indian Army. Polls chief loses in Court, UNP wins the day The Supreme Court today dismissed a petition filed by the Elections Commissioner and the Colombo District returning officer seeking permission to file a plea, challenging the Appeal Court order to postpone the conducting of the Colombo Municipal Council election.The Supreme Court said there were no sufficient grounds to intervene in the Appeal Court order. Jaffna student reported missing Parents of a seventeen-years-old boy in Jaffna, on Tuesday, lodged complaint with Jaffna Human Rights Commission (HRC) office that their son, Thushyanthan, has been missing for more than four days. Frequent incidents of persons disappearing in the Jaffna peninsula after being arrested by the Sri Lanka armed forces, declined during the past three weeks of considerable normalcy, but have now resumed, said sources from Jaffna office of the HRC. Poologanathan Thushyanthan, 17, from Brown road, Kokuvil in Jaffna, was reported missing from 2nd March. Thushyanthan's parents have told the HRC that there are no evidences of their son leaving the peninsula or having crossed over to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) territory at Muhamalai checkpoint, Jaffna Human Rights Commission office sources said. HRC officials further said that cases of male and female Tamil youth disappearances in the wake of their alleged arrests by the SLA troopers in December 2005 and January 2006 still remain a mystery despite SLA officials pledge to conduct investigation on the basis of the list of disappeared persons submitted by Jaffna HRC. EOM wants foreign polls monitors in LTTE areas The European Union Election Observer Mission (EOM) has recommended the holding of future polls in LTTE-controlled areas under the supervision of an independent foreign observer mission. The EOM said this would ensure a rebel instigated boycott similar to the one experienced in the north at the last presidential election does not take place affecting the final results. It is believed the EOM chief would have briefed President Mahinda Rajapaksa on this proposal during talks he held with the President yesterday. The Daily Mirror learns the EOM suggestion to hold future elections in LTTE-controlled areas under foreign supervision was also discussed between the visiting EOM head John Cushnahan and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress leader Rauff Hakeem. Mr. Cushnahan also had discussions with Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, EPDP leader Douglas Devananda and Elections Commissioner Dayanda Dissanayake. It is learnt that Mr. Cushnahan had mentioned that the backing of both the incumbent government at the time of the polls and the LTTE was mandatory for successful election monitoring in the rebel held areas. He said that such monitoring had taken place in several other conflict-ridden countries including South Africa, Northern Ireland, Timor and even in the Balkan countries. The suggestion has been included in the final observation report of the EOM on the November presidential poll, which will be made public by Mr. Cushnahan today. The LTTE boycott of the November presidential election led to the rebels closing access points to polling centers in government controlled areas thus preventing voters from rebel territory casting their votes. Speaking to the Daily Mirror on his meeting with the President yesterday Mr. Cushnahan said among the issues discussed was the need to implement the 17th Amendment to the constitution and the setting up the Independent Elections Commission. “Sri Lanka is fortunate to have Mr. Dissanayake who has performed as an impartial Elections Commissioner for the country. However Mr. Dissanayake has been wanting to retire for some time now. So there has to be a proper structure to facilitate his retirement and for a new Commissioner to be appointed”, he said. Mr. Cushnahan expressed hope the 17th Amendment and other suggestions mentioned in his report will receive a positive response and become a reality in the near future. Meanwhile the EOM chief is scheduled to meet TNA leader R. Sampanthan and the leaders of the JVP, JHU and the TULF. Armed men rob Kaluwanchikudy petrol station Two unidentified armed men came on a motorbike and robbed a petrol station situated in Kaluwanchikudy in the east Monday night around 8.30 p.m. According to a complaint made by Mr.S.Nagendran, owner of the petrol station the men absconded after taking one hundred thousand rupees from his till when he was about to close the business for the day, Police sources said.The suspects were brandishing their weapons towards the owner, snatched the cash and fled from the area, police said.The Police immediately began inquiry into the incident, sources said. Mortar bomb discovered at Kaithadi In a remote area of Jaffna, security forces yesterday recovered a live 82 mm mortar bomb which was later defused. The bomb was found at Kaithadi during a routine cordon and search operation carried out by the army. Security forces believe it had been abandoned by terrorists. Ranil leaves for Norway UNP Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe will leave on a four-day visit to Norway this weekend. Wickremesinghe has been invited by the government of Norway to discuss the ongoing peace process. The UNP Leader is also scheduled to undertake a tour of the United States in April followed by an official visit to India. Rs. 9.5 billion for North and East rehabilitation The Nation Building and Development Ministry yesterday said that Rs. 9.5 billion would be funneled to the North and East for rehabilitation efforts this year. Of that, Rs.325 million from the Treasury and Rs. 3 billion in foreign funds are being used for a three-month special development programme for the North and East. Begun in January it will be concluded at the end of this month, said Ministry Secretary M.S. Jayasinghe. Already Rs.57 million has been channeled by the Ministry into 29 projects in 13 districts which include housing, livelihood and infrastructure development. The Treasury will release Rs. 1.6 billion while the remainder will be made up of funds from foreign donors. He added that the distribution of dry rations in this region for the past year has totted up a bill of Rs.2.4 billion for the 444,000 displaced people. However the amount is expected to halve once 60 000 families in the Jaffna district are given Samurdhi instead of Government rations. “The major recovery programmes that remain to be completed are reconstructing the main railway lines from Vavuniya to Jaffna and Madevachchiya to Mannar, rebuilding the ports and completing the 31,000 houses of which five thousand have been already completed and we expect to reach a target of 14 000 by the end of this year,” he said. Mr. Jayasinghe revealed that the key project costing Rs.1 billion will focus on rebuilding five main irrigation projects which would include the Iranamadu tank in Killinochchi, the Yoda wewa in Mannar and the Allei tank in Trincomalee. The aim is to renovate all medium sized tanks in the area within the next two years. The Road Development Authority (RDA) and European Commission are reconstructing roads jointly. Accordingly, 500 km of road along with the A9 road and destroyed bridges would be rebuilt by September,he said. North-east rated poorest province The recent wave of violence in the north and east has pushed poverty figures higher than usual, the Department of Census and Statistics said. While the north-east has been rated the poorest province in the country, Director General, Department of Census and Statistics, A. G. W. Nanayakkara said Hambantota, Kurunegala and Moneragala also suffer from acute poverty. The official poverty figure for January, the latest available stood at Rs. 1,928 per person per month. Of the 17 districts reviewed by the department, nine fell below the national line. However, the districts in the north and east were not included in the review. The figure for Hambantota , the lowest for the island was Rs. 1,812. For Kurunegala it was Rs. 1,832 and for Moneragala it was Rs. 1,851. Meanwhile, the richest areas recorded were Colombo with Rs. 2,082 in January and February. Kalutara came second on the list with Rs. 2,063 while Gampaha came third with Rs. 2,044. However, Nanayakkara warned that poverty had caused many people, especially in the north and east to flee the country and seek refuge overseas. "The only way we could reduce the national poverty line is by restoring peace in the country," Nanayakkara said. The figures adopted by the department are lower than the international poverty line of US$ 1 (Rs. 100) per day. If the figure was applied, all of the 17 districts fall below the line. President orders Navy to review ban on fishing in north and east In a bid to find a solution to the ban on fishing in the north east coastal belt, President Rajapaksa has asked the Navy Commander Daya Sandagiri to submit a report to him on the matter. While security officials have steadfastly rejected a lifting of the ban on fishing activities in the high security zones and in areas close to Trincomalee and KKS ports, the people of the area maintain they are being deprived of their livelihood. It is reported that the President had instructed his Secretary Lalith Weeratunge to arrange a video conference with all parties affected by the fishing ban, ranging from public servants, investors, entrepreneurs, the fishing community and the public of Trincomalee. The problem of the ban on fishing in the north and east was raised by Minister Bogollagama when he met the President | ||
