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TELO parliamentarian M.K. Sivajilingam wants the civilians who died in claymore attacks in the Wanni given compensation as well.“Civilians in the Wanni also die in attacks just like in the south. The most recent one left 11 schoolgirls dead,” he told Parliament Yesterday (Nov. 29th).The TELO and TNA MP noted that he too observed the one-minute silence proposed by JVP’s Wimal Weerawansa to remember those who died in attacks in Mahavilachchiya, Anuradhapura, Nugegoda and Mannar.Sivajilingam said that his party condemned these attacks, adding that civilians who die in attacks in the Wanni should be treated in the same manner and adequately compensated as well.

Sri Lanka will continue to attack Tamil Tiger rebel positions until Tiger "terrorism" is completely defeated, the prime minister told parliament on Thursday, a day after two separate explosions rocked the capital Colombo.The blasts killed 21 people, including two victims who died in hospital on Thursday and a suicide bomber.Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake told parliament the government was able to weaken the Tamil Tiger rebels and will continue to attack them."We are sure of our targets, those are not civilian targets. We will continue air strikes until the terrorism is eradicated," the prime minister told parliament, when a member of a rebel-backed cluster of minority Tamil parties asked the government to stop air raids in rebel-held areas as civilians were being killed by the strikes.Fighting has been intense in recent months, with almost daily land and sea battles, bombings and air raids.More than 5,000 people have been killed in clashes between the military and the rebels since early 2006.Wednesday's blasts came a day after Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran accused the international community of pandering to the government.In an annual address, he said he had no hope of a political settlement with the state to end the civil war and vowed that the guerrillas would fight on for an independent state.Following the Wednesday explosions, the government declared schools in the Western province, which includes the capital, to be closed as a security measure. The military had also requested the public to be extra vigilant and report suspicious items to security forces.A government offensive has pushed the Tigers from strongholds in the east, and its troops are trying to wipe out the rebels entirely despite international calls for peace talks.The death toll since the war erupted in 1983 is around 70,000 people, and analysts say the conflict is likely to grind on for years.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa says that he wants to drag his anti-government adversaries to the negotiating table. "We are ready to negotiate," Rajapaksa said in an interview with The Asahi Shimbun on Nov. 15. It was the first time for Rajapaksa to be interviewed by a Japanese media organization since he became president of the South Asian island nation in November 2005. The president is scheduled to visit Japan next month, the first by a Sri Lankan leader in 11 years. Sri Lanka is made up mainly by the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamils. Many Sinhalese are Buddhists while Tamils are mainly Hindu. In the 1950s, the Sri Lankan government, mainly led by Sinhalese, started policies to make Sinhalese the country's official language and protect Buddhism. The Tamils reacted, creating a separatist movement. In 1983, the conflict escalated into a civil war between the government forces and the radical anti-government group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). In February 2002, the two parties agreed to a cease-fire. In November 2003, however, the agreement was postponed indefinitely. Last year, the civil war resumed and since October 2006, dialogue between the two groups has been at a standstill. An estimated 70,000 people have died since the civil war flared in 1983. Of that number, 5,000 have been killed since last year. In the interview, Rajapaksa referred to LTTE members as "terrorists." According to him, they have implemented suicide bombings, compulsorily recruited children as soldiers, and have been engaged in the smuggling of weapons. "We put pressure on the group to give up its arms and enter the political mainstream. Terrorists must be wiped out from the Earth," Rajapaksa said. Government forces have tried to weaken the LTTE through military engagement, trying to drive it into a situation in which it must choose dialogue. The government has had some success, managing to bring eastern regions under control. However, there is no indication that the hard-line policy will eventually bring the LTTE back to the negotiating table. Some say the LTTE will never agree to resume the dialogue if it is in a position of weakness. The success of the government's forces in the eastern regions is said to be due mainly to the cooperation of an armed group that had split from the LTTE. But even some on the government's side say it would be difficult to bring the LTTE under control if the LTTE remains engaged in guerrilla war in the country's northern jungles, home to the rebel group's main strongholds. Whether dialogue can be renewed now depends on the content of a peace plan being worked out by a committee of leaders of political parties. At a committee meeting in January last year, Rajapaksa talked about the so-called devolution proposal, which gives autonomy to local regions. The proposal is aimed at easing the Tamil people's dissatisfaction with the central government. The devolution proposal, which is expected to serve as the basis for the peace negotiations, is supposed to have been decided upon by Dec. 15 this year. But Rajapaksa said the committee could not meet the deadline. He said that more time is needed to coordinate a deal between all the political parties. "I hope they will give me this proposal sometime in January or February (of 2008)," he said. He also said he wants the international community to put pressure on the LTTE to accept dialogue. By saying so, Rajapaksa expressed his hope for intermediation of the international community, especially Japan. Japan has been actively engaged in the intermediation between the government and the LTTE over the past several years. It has hosted peace negotiations between them and held international conferences on the reconstruction of the war-torn nation. Tokyo appointed Yasushi Akashi, a former undersecretary-general of the United Nations, as the Japanese government's representative in charge of peace-building and reconstruction in Sri Lanka.Japan is now the biggest aid donor to Sri Lanka. Some of the funds had been used to improve power lines and roads in the eastern and northern parts of the country. After the civil war intensified last year, aid to combat areas was stopped. But since the eastern regions came under the government's control in July this year, Rajapaksa has said he wants Japan to offer assistance to the war-ravaged regions. "In the areas that the LTTE once occupied, people's living standards must be raised," he said. "Officials (from both countries) will discuss infrastructure development, education, health sector and farming (as the fields that will receive new assistance from Japan)." In Sri Lanka, about 1,000 people have disappeared since last year. It is suspected that many of them, Tamil or those close to them, were kidnapped by the government's security organizations. The United States and some European countries have criticized the Sri Lankan government for the deteriorating human rights situation within the nation. Asked about that, Rajapaksa said that many of the criticisms are based on misunderstandings. "Most of those cases have been created. (In our country), there is the rule of law. People can file complaints," he said, adding that the government had set up a committee to investigate the issue

The European Union said yesterday (Nov. 29th) that it remained "gravely concerned about the welfare of civilians caught up in the Sri Lanka's conflict - in the Wanni, in Colombo or wherever." The EU said it expected the parties to the conflict to take the utmost care to avoid civilian casualties in accordance with international humanitarian law. The statement, issued by the British High Commission on behalf of the EU, condemned yesterday's "terrorist attacks in Colombo" and deplored "deliberate targeting of civilians." “These callous attacks can have no political justification and serve only to add to the suffering and grief of ordinary Sri Lankans. We extend our condolences to the victims and their families and friends,” it said

JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa has called for the immediate ban of the LTTE in Sri Lanka. “The bomb blast in Nugegoda claimed many lives including those of several schoolchildren. Are we going to allow the LTTE to function as an officially permitted organization any further?” Weerawansa asked Parliament yesterday (Nov. 29th).He also charged that certain media had given publicity to Prabharakan’s Heroes Day speech, giving diplomatic status to the Tiger leader. Speaking further, the JVP MP urged for an immediate stop to actions supportive of the LTTE. “The LTTE fired mortars at students of Mannar Tamil Vidyalaya. A large number of people died in the Nugegoda bomb attack. Four farmers were massacred in Mahavilachchiya in Anuradhapura,” he added.Following a request by the JVP MP, the House observed one-minute silence as a mark of respect to all those who died in these violent incidents.

France strongly condemns Sri Lanka bomb blast

France strongly condemned Thursday the bomb blast that killed 18 people in Sri Lanka Wednesday and urged the combatants there to seek a political solution to the conflict."France firmly condemns the attack which yesterday caused the deaths of eighteen people," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascale Andreani said in a press statement.France "expresses its entire solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka and sends its sincere condolences to the families and dear ones of the victims, as well as to the Sri Lankan authorities," the official added."France recalls that only a political settlement can bring a lasting solution to this conflict which has torn Sri Lanka apart for the past 30 years, " the spokesperson remarked.

While condemning the indiscriminate killing of at least 17 civilians and wounding of more than 30 by two bomb attacks, the Amnesty International said that 'the LTTE must stop any direct or indiscriminate attacks on civilians.'“They are forbidden under international humanitarian law and are never acceptable,” said Irene Khan, Secretary General of Amnesty International, as the organization raised its concerns about the rising number of civilians being killed or injured as a result of deliberate attacks in Sri Lanka's increasing violence.Amnesty International urges all parties in the conflict to comply with their obligations under international law to protect civilians and allow access by humanitarian aid agencies to populations in need. The security forces and the LTTE must immediately cease all violations of international humanitarian law, and take all measures necessary to ensure they are not repeated in the future, a statement said.“Amnesty International urges an immediate halt to the escalation of violence on all sides in order to protect the lives of innocent civilians and children,” said Irene Khan.

Angry ethnic Indians who marched in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday to protest race-based discrimination in Malaysia carried portraits of Mahatma Gandhi as a symbol of their non-violent struggle. “But if their genuine grievances continue to be ignored, (Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers leader) Velupillai Prabakaran could soon replace Gandhi as their inspiration,” warns P. Ramasamy, former professor of history at University Kebangsaan Malaysia. In an interview to DNA from Singapore, Ramasamy, who was appointed by the LTTE to its Constitutional Affairs Committee in 2003, connected the dots that link the Tamil diaspora in Malaysia (which accounts for most of the Indian population there) to the Tamil Eelam movement in Sri Lanka. The chilling picture that emerges is one that holds serious foreign policy implications for India, quite similar to what it faced in Sri Lanka in the early 1980s. “There is a very real risk of radical groups taking over the movement if the Malay government persists with its racially discriminatory policies,” says Ramasamy, whose services at the University were terminated for criticiing government’s policies. “Today, the ethnic Indian movement may be a loose formulation, and their ideas may not seem well-formulated. But if there’s a police crackdown, there will be retaliation.” The government’s stated intention of invoking the Internal Security Act against demonstrators could trigger such a confrontation. Malaysian journalist Baradan Kuppusamy, who has been an up-close observer of events concerning the Indian community, too senses an increasing inclination to resort to militancy as a last resort. “They have been knocking their heads on the wall for so long, that some form of radicalisation has already happened.” Militant views are not yet being publicly articulated, “but they are frequently voiced in private gatherings,” he notes. It is in this context that the Tamil diaspora’s solidarity with the LTTE assumes significance. Ramasamy notes that Tamils in Malaysia are active contributors to the Tamil Eelam cause. “Indians in Malaysia are very sympathetic to Prabakaran, and Tamil newspapers valorise Prabakaran,” adds Kuppusamy. So is there a real risk of an LTTE-like movement getting underway in Malaysia? Says Kuppusamy: “From my study of the ethnic Indian movements, I feel that the current leadership – headed by firebrand lawyer Uthayakumar – is among the most radical, willing to take big risks, and court arrest.” But from there to an open call to arms is a long way off, and Kuppusamy believes this leadership is incapable of making that leap. “But there could be a splinter group in the years ahead, which could be far more radical, so, yes, the possibility does exist,” he says. For the Indian foreign policy establishment, which is still grappling with the Sri Lanka-sized problem, the prospect of Malaysia going down the same road can only be a nightmarish proposition.

At least 27 Tamil Tiger rebels were killed during fierce clashes between the Sri Lankan security forces and LTTE militants in the island nation's embattled north, the army said on Thursday. "Three LTTE bunkers were destroyed killing at least seven militants this morning when troops responded at an LTTE offensive preparation ahead of the northern defences in Muhamalai and Killali in Jaffna," the defence ministry said in a statement on Thursday. In the first incident, the Sri Lankan army engaged in heavy gunfire and neutralized an LTTE offensive bid at Muhamalai early this morning, it said, adding the army destroyed a bunker killing three militants. Meanwhile in Killali, troops destroyed two LTTE bunkers killing four militants, it claimed. According to the sources, troops have recovered a T-56 assault riffle, a magazine, seven hand grenades and four anti-personnel mines. In Northern Vavuniya on Wednesday, troops killed at least 20 militants while inflicting heavy damages on them, the statement said. While eight militants were killed in Manthottam, two were shot dead in Villattikulam, it added.

A special statement by the TNA was postponed by Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara in Parliament yesterday amidst JVP and Government protests that notice of the statement was not given and that some sections of it were unconstitutional. TNA General Secretary Mavai Senadirajah yesterday started making a special statement to the House in the absence of party Lleader R. Sampanthan, when JVP Parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa raised a point of order against the TNA statement.Mr. Weerawansa said the statement referred to Tiger-controlled areas and spoke of separation, which went against the Constitution which every MP was bound to uphold in Parliament.Mr. Weerawansa added the statement was similar in content to an adjournment debate presented by the TNA to be taken up later that day.He said this was against the Standing Orders in Parliament, and urged the Speaker to stop Mr. Senadirajah from proceeding with his statement.Leader of the House Nimal Siripala de Silva and Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle also said that statements violating the Constitution could not be allowed in Parliament.“The TNA is using Parliament to speak on behalf of the LTTE and take its message to the international community. There is constant talk about a separate state. We have no problem if the talking is about the problems of the Tamils but we are against talking in support of the LTTE,” said Mr. Fernandopulle.Minister De Silva said that the Government must be notified a day before opposition parties make statements in the House, but this notice was given only in the morning.Mr. Senadirajah protested saying that his statement and the adjournment motion were entirely different issues.“It is very unfair to prevent a statement about the killing of Tamil civilians being made in the House,” he said.

Sri Lankan shares eased for a fourth day in a row on Wednesday amid worries a civil war with Tamil rebels may intensify, while the rupee was held steady by the central bank.The Colombo All Share index fell 0.04 percent or 0.93 points to 2,562.86, its eighth decline in nine sessions. It has fallen around 3 percent since the close on Nov. 15.A Tamil Tiger suicide bomber blew herself up near the office of a minority Tamil minister, sharply opposed to the rebels, on Wednesday, killing his personal secretary and injuring two others.The attack came a day after Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran accused the international community of pandering to the government and said he had no hope of a political settlement with the state to end the war.There have been near daily land and sea battles, bombings and air raids in recent months, and more than 5,000 people have been killed in fighting since early 2006 alone, that takes the death toll since the war erupted in 1983 to around 70,000, and analysts say the war is likely to grind on for years."There were some retail buying in the plantation sector," said Harsha Fernando, CEO at SC Securities in Colombo, but many investors were on the sidelines worried about uncertainties.Leading fixed line telephone operator Sri Lanka Telecom fell 0.75 percent to 32.50 rupees as calculated on a weighted average, while No. 1 mobile phone company, Dialog Telekom , which accounts for around a fifth of the market, closed unchanged at 21.50 rupees.Malwatte Plantation closed 5.55 percent firmer at 28.50 rupees on expectations for better prospects, traders said.Market turnover was 174.1 million rupees , well below last year's daily average of 400 million rupees.The rupee <LKR=> closed at 110.48/50 per dollar, barely changed from Tuesday's close of 110.49/51.Traders said a state bank sold dollars on behalf of the central bank and helped the rupee hold its ground.Government officials said earlier this month they wanted to curb inflation by keeping the rupee between 110-110.50. The rupee touched a record closing low of 113.57/62 on Sept. 18.The central bank kept its key policy rates steady last week, for the ninth successive month, even though annual inflation on a 12-month moving average rose to 17.7 percent in October.The interbank lending rate or call rate <CLIBOR> fell to 14.398 percent on Wednesday from Tuesday's close of 15.423.

TNA condemns Colombo blasts

Sri Lanka's major political party representing the Tamil minority has strongly condemned the bomb blasts in the capital, Colombo.Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Chandrakanth Chandranehru told BBC Sandeshaya that the party does not condone any attack on the civilians."I myself would have been caught had I was there at the time of the blast," the MP whose parliamentarian father's assassination is still unresolved said.

At least 17 people were killed and 37 who sustain injuries admitted to the hospital after the attack in Nugegoda junction, authorities said.An eyewitness told BBC's Elmo Fernando that a parcel left in front of a shopping complex exploded as fire fighters attempted to open it.The blast occurred few hours after a suicide bomber struck outside the office of Social affairs Minister Douglas Devananada.This kind of tit-for-tat attacks would not result in finding permanent peace in the island nation, the TNA legislator said.

"As a politician I can't say straight away who carried out the attacks. I strongly condemn them whoever did it," Chandrakanth Chandranehru said.Sri Lanka's national question, he said, could not be resolved through armed conflict."Intellectuals in Sri Lanka should get together, find the root cause of the problem and find a long lasting solution so that our children could live in harmony," the parliamentarian told BBC Sinhala.com.The TNA regards Tamil Tigers as sole representatives of Sri Lanka's Tamil community.

Ban Ki-moon condemns suicide attacks in Sri Lanka

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced outrage at yesterday’s twin suicide attacks in the Sri Lankan capital, which have killed or wounded dozens of people, and yesterday’s aerial assault on a United Nations aid office in the far north of the troubled country.In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban condemned the attacks in Colombo, which occurred outside the Ministry of Social Services building and in the Nugegoda district, and offered his condolences to the families and friends of the victims.Media reports state that at least 16 people were killed in the Nugegoda blast and 37 others were injured, while one person was killed and two others hurt in the earlier bombing at the ministry building.The statement from Mr. Ban’s spokesperson noted that he was also concerned about yesterday’s aerial attack in the town of Kilinochchi in which the office of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) was damaged.“The Secretary-General appeals for an end to the destructive spiral of violence in Sri Lanka and calls on the parties to the conflict [Government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)] to return to the peace process while making every effort to ensure the protection of civilians,” the statement said.

Tangalle Police on Tuesday arrested 6 Tamil speaking persons, including 2 Muslims, and detained them on suspicion after some Sinhalese registered their suspicion as the group of persons were seen conversing in Tamil. Tangalla, a coastal town is situated 63 km east of Galle and 37 km west of Hambantota in the Southern Province. The arrested persons were natives of Moneragala, Kaaththankudi and Puththa'lam. They are being detained under the Emergency Regulations for further inquiry.

Sri Lanka’s president secured 1.5 billion dollars worth of financial aid from Iran for infrastructure projects while on a three-day visit to the country, his office said on Wednesday. President Mahinda Rajapakse concluded his trip to Iran on Tuesday by signing eight memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with his Iranian counterpart for a range of projects including expanding an oil refinery and irrigation.“Iran donated a massive sum of 1.5 billion dollars in financial assistance, with the two countries signing an MoU to develop programmes of oil refineries and irrigation projects in Sri Lanka,” the president’s office said on Wednesday.Iran supplies 70 per cent of Sri Lanka’s light crude requirements. Sri Lanka plans to triple the capacity of its sole oil refinery to 150,000 barrels per day from 50,000 barrels per day. Iran has allocated 700 million dollars out of the bilateral financial package to upgrade the facility, the statement said.

NUGEGODA, Sri Lanka - Ethnic Tamil separatists set off a bomb at a popular department store in a suburb of the capital Wednesday, killing 17 people in a rare attack targeting civilians, the Sri Lankan military said. The blast, which came just hours after a suicide bomber tried to kill a Cabinet minister, showed that the Tamil Tiger rebels are still capable of striking deep in government territory despite months of punishing military attacks on their power base in the north.The attacks came a day after the rebels said that 22 civilians, including 11 schoolchildren, were killed in attacks inside rebel-controlled territory. They blamed the military, but the government denied responsibility for the roadside bombing that killed the children.Fearing Wednesday's bombings were only the first in a wave of rebel attacks, officials ordered all schools to close for the rest of the week in Western Province, which includes Colombo, the capital."The general public should be extra vigilant about their surroundings, especially in trains, buses, crowded areas and even in schools," police spokesman Jayantha Wickremarathna said.The explosion at the four-story No Limits department store in Nugegoda occurred after a security guard became suspicious of a package left with him for safekeeping and called over a police officer. The package exploded when they tried to open it, a military spokesman, Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, said.He blamed the Tamil Tiger rebels, who have been fighting since 1983 to carve out a homeland for ethnic Tamils in this island nation just off India's southern tip. The rebels accuse the Sinhalese majority of discrimination.The blast hit as commuters crowded a nearby bus stop during rush hour. Shattered glass and crumbled concrete lay on the bloodstained sidewalk, and twisted, charred parts of motorcycles and three-wheeled taxis were scattered nearby."I was on the top floor of a shoe shop with my wife and child when I heard a big blast and there were glass pieces all over us," A. Jayasena told AP Television News. "As we ran away, I saw the entrance of the No Limit shop burning, and in the midst of it, a schoolgirl on the floor trying to get up and then falling back again."Jayasena and his daughter suffered minor injuries, while his wife was hospitalized with more serious wounds, he said.Police and firefighters were searching the rubble for more bodies late Wednesday. At least 17 people died and dozens were injured, the military said."We know that the attack bears all the hallmarks of the LTTE. It is nobody else but the LTTE," Nanayakkara, the military spokesman, said, referring to the rebel movement by the initials of its formal name, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.The Tamil Tigers, listed as a terror organization by the United States and the European Union, have carried out more than 240 suicide bombings and countless other attacks during a war that has seen more than 70,000 people killed.Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan did not answer calls from The Associated Press seeking comment Wednesday evening.The rebels have previously killed civilians in attacks on economic targets like the central bank and on religious shrines. In the past two years, rebel bombers had avoided deliberately targeting civilians, though they have ambushed military convoys at crowded places, causing many civilian deaths.On Wednesday morning, a suicide bomber blew herself up at Sri Lanka's social services ministry in the heart of Colombo in an unsuccessful attempt to kill the agency's minister, Douglas Devananda, who heads an ethnic Tamil party considered a rival to the rebels, the military said.Devananda, the target of repeated assassination attempts, was not injured, but the blast killed one of his staff members and injured two others, officials said. The bomber also died.

Over twenty five thousand expatriate Tamils in Britain gathered Tuesday to mark ‘Tamil Remembrance Day’ to pay their respects to those who had died in the Tamil liberation struggle. The event, organized by Tamil National Remembrance Foundation, an association of families of Tamils who had fallen in the Tamil struggle, was held at London’s ExCel arena. Amid resumed conflict in Sri Lanka, it was the largest attendance at the annual event, despite Tuesday being a working day, organizers said.ExCel officials said attendees had filled the 21,000 seats and that several thousand more people arrived at the venue, filing in as others left. At the start of the event, the mother of a fallen LTTE fighter lit the welcome flame as people took their seats in the hall decorated in the traditional Tamil colours of red and yellow. The Heroes Day address by LTTE leader Vellupillai Pirapaharan was broadcast live on large screens. Attendees observed a minute’s silence.Mrs. Adele Balasingham, wife of the late Anton Balasingham, the LTTE’s political strategist and chief negotiator who passed away last year, thereafter lit the flame of sacrifice.The people then filed past two ‘pandals’ set up as monuments to place handfuls of flower petals as a mark of respect for those who had fallen in the Tamil struggle.Large quantities of the Tamil national flower, the karthigaipoo (gloriosa lily) were among the petals, attendees said. Thereafter they watched a series of Tamil dramas, traditional dances and other cultural events staged by performers in the Tamil Diaspora as well as a number of speeches.The keynote address was delivered Mr. Suba Veerapandian, a veteran Tamil nationalist politician from Tamil Nadu.The event was also addressed by three British parliamentarians - Keith Vaz, Virendra Sharma and Joan Marie Ryan - from the ruling Labour Party.A message of support from another British MP, Simon Hughes of the Liberal Democrats, who was attending his mother’s funeral Tuesday, was read out. Mr. Vaz and Mr Hughes head the All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils.A message of support to the Tamil community from the mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, was also read out.Mr. Vaz called for a negotiated solution and warned said if the Sri Lankan government continued the war, separation would become inevitable."I can totally understand the demand of some Tamils for an independent state. These calls will only get louder and louder unless there is just peace," he said.Ms. Ryan pointed out that over 70,000 Tamils had died in the struggle. Mr. Sharma said he had long supported the Tamils’ demand for their rights.

A female suicide bomber exploded herself inside Paramilitary leader and Sri Lankan Minister of Social Services Douglas Devananda’s office at Isipathana Mawatha in Colombo this morning (November 28th).Two people in critical condition are being treated at the National Hospital while another succumbed to his injuries.Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that the bomber, who appears to be handicapped by polio, has exploded herself during a security check at the entrance. He added that the Minister’s Coordinating Secretary, Steven Peiris as well as two security officers Skanda Chitran (Personal Guard) and K.D.N. Ashok (MSD) were rushed to the Colombo National Hospital with critical injuries. Peiris succumbed to injuries at the ICU.Brigadier Nanayakkara said that it was not clear whether pro-government paramilitary group-cum-political party Leader Devananda was in the Ministry premises during the incident.Unofficial reports say that the body of the suicide cadre as well as another body were lying at the scene. Police blamed the LTTE for the attack.

The leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), V Pirapaharan, in his annual Heroes’ Day statement put a heavy responsibility on the shoulders of the international community for the breakdown of the peace process. He said that the involvement of the international community to resolve the Tamil national question has been unhelpful and added that their failure to condemn unambiguously the military path of the current regime has created the present situation in the island. He asserted that the propping up of the genocidal Sinhala State by the international community through economic aid, military aid and subtle diplomatic efforts will be counterproductive.

The 21st century began as the ‘Asian century’ and the world is looking towards Asia. Many countries in our region have grown in leaps and bounds in social, economical and scientific fields. They are researching space, moon and atom. The whole human race is taking up new challenges and has embarked on a united path, seeking answers to many of nature’s mysteries and looking for remedies to incurable diseases. It is seeking to protect the entire globe and its plant and animal lives. Sadly, the Sinhala nation is moving in exactly the opposite direction, on a path of destruction. It is trying to destroy the Tamil nation and, in the process, it is destroying itself. This beautiful island continues to soak in blood.

Buddhism is a profound spiritual duty. Its philosophy emphasizes a life without desires, a life of love and justice. The Sinhala nation, claiming that it has followed this path for more than two thousand years, has in fact remained immersed in the poison of racism. It is unleashing unthinkable violence against another people. During the long history of the Tamil struggle, first through non-violence and later through armed struggle, the Sinhala mindset has remained unchanged. The Sinhala nation did not change even after so much destruction and lost lives. It continues on the path of violence. It only desires to find a solution to the Tamil question through military might and oppression. It cunningly evaded efforts to seek peace and is boldly taking forward its military plan. The international community’s economic and military aid, its moral and political support, its diplomatic efforts, and its one-sided involvement directly aided this turn of events.

We know very well that the military, economic and geo-political interests of the world’s powers are embedded in our region. We understand their concern to take forward their interests. We also recognize the concerns of the international community to bring about stability and good governance to this island for these reasons. At the same time the chauvinistic Sinhala State is attempting to exploit this interest in our region of the international powers. It is trapping the international community in its chauvinistic project and turning the international community against the Tamil freedom struggle. Our people are dismayed and disappointed that these countries, trapped in the deceptive net of the Sinhala State, are being unhelpful in their involvement to resolve our problem.

These one-sided involvements of foreign powers are not new in our prolonged struggle. India intervened in our national question then as part of its regional expansion. India signed an accord with the Sinhala State without the consent of the Tamils. The Indo-Lanka Accord was not signed to meet the aspirations of the people of Tamil Eelam. In fact, India then attempted to force an ineffectual solution on our people - a solution which did not even devolve powers to the extent of the Banda-Chelva pact signed in the 1950’s. India tried to enforce that accord with the strength of more than 100,000 Indian forces, with the power of the agreement between two countries and with the assistance of treacherous Tamil paramilitary groups. However, even this ill-considered solution, which did not even address the basic national aspirations of the Tamils, was blocked by the chauvinistic Sinhala State.

We are intimately familiar with the Sinhala State and its deceptive politics. Our people have a long history of bitter experiences. That is why we explained to India on many occasions, at many locations and at many levels about the implacability of Sinhala chauvinism. We explained to India then that the aim of the Sinhala State was not to find a solution to the Tamil question and bring peace; but to occupy the Tamil homeland, destroy its resources, and enslave the Tamil nation. India refused to accept this reality. As a result our land witnessed great sorrow and destruction.

Today, the international community is making the same mistake that India made many years ago. Even the countries that are the guardians of the peace efforts succumbed to the deception of the Sinhala State and listed our freedom movement as a terrorist organization. What we find most incomprehensible is the fact that these same nations, which labeled us terrorists, not so long ago fought in defence of their own freedom.

The Sinhala nation is unable to stomach the support of our Diaspora for the Tamil freedom struggle; it is unable to accept the humanitarian help and the political lobbying by the Diaspora to end the misery heaped on our people. That is why the Sinhala nation is trying hard to shatter the bond between our people in our homeland and our Diaspora. Some countries are also assisting this amoral effort of Sinhala chauvinism. These countries are denouncing, as illegal activities, the humanitarian actions and political protests of our people abroad – actions that are carried out according to the laws of those countries. These countries have imprisoned and humiliated Tamil campaigners and representatives. These countries have ridiculed their protests and their efforts to seek justice.

This partisan and unjust conduct of the international community has severely undermined the confidence our people had in them. And it has paved the way for the breakdown of the ceasefire and the peace efforts. Furthermore, the generous military and economic aid they have given to the Sinhala State and their diplomatic efforts to prop up the chauvinistic Sinhala State has encouraged the Sinhala nation further and further along its militaristic path. This is the background to the confidence of the Rajapake regime in continuing with its unjust, inhuman war of occupation of our land.

Overconfident of its military victory over the Tamil freedom movement, the Rajapakse regime has shut fast the door for peace. The desire to oppress the Tamils has intensified as never before. With the entire world giving support, the Sinhala State, using the ceasefire as cover, and exploiting the peace environment, prepared its war of occupation. The SLMM that was monitoring the peace covered its eyes, tied its hands behind back, and went to sleep in Colombo. The exhausted Norwegian facilitators remained silent. The countries that preached peace to us also went silent and refused to speak out. The Sinhala State started its war and justified it with slogans like ‘War for Peace’, ‘War against terrorism’ and ‘War for the liberation of the Tamils’.

The Rajapakse regime assembled its military might and let loose a massive war on the eastern region of our homeland. This part of our homeland became a wasteland after incessant bombing and shelling. Trincomalee, the famous Tamil capital, was destroyed. Batticaloa, an ancient cultural city of the Tamils, became a land of refugees. Jaffna, the cultural centre of the Tamils, was cut off from the rest of the world and turned into an open prison.

The Sinhala State’s war of genocide destroyed the peaceful life of the Tamils. It turned the Tamils into refugees in their own homeland, ruined their nation’s social and economical infrastructure and plunged them into unprecedented hardships. While our motherland, caught within gruesome Sinhala military rule, is destroyed, Sinhalisation of our historic territory is going on under the pretexts of High Security Zones and Free Trade Zones. This naked Sinhalisation proceeds by the hoisting of Lion flags, the erection of Sidharthan statues, the renaming of Tamil streets with Sinhala names, the building of Buddhist temples. Sinhala settlements are mushrooming in the Tamil homeland.

The unjust war, the economic blockade, the restrictions on our people’s freedom of movement, the killing of thousands, the displacement of hundreds of thousands, have all deeply wounded the Tamil psyche. The Sinhala nation is celebrating this tragedy as a victory. It is lighting firecrackers believing it has defeated the Tamils. The Sinhala military leadership believes that its occupation of the east has been completed and the barbed wire noose around the neck of Jaffna has been tightened. The Sinhala nation arrogantly believes it has manacled the eastern coast from Pothuvil to Pulmoddai. The Sinhala leadership thus believes it has won great victories against our struggle.

The Sinhala nation has always misunderstood our freedom struggle. It consistently underestimates us. Only after carefully scrutinising the global situation and external conditions; only after accurately estimating the strengths and weaknesses of the adversary; only after gauging the enemy’s goals and strategies; only after ensuring that we remain focused on our own strategy; only then did we implement our plans to take our liberation struggle forward. We have strategically withdrawn from the east while launching defensive attacks. The Sinhala nation could have learnt the dangers of putting its feet too wide apart in our land as it did during past battles. But the Sinhala military has fallen yet again into the net we spread and it is now forced to commit large numbers of troops to rule land without people. Caught in a territorial trap, it will soon be forced to face the serious consequences of its misguided ambitions.

Operation ‘Ellalan’, the very first combined Black Tiger and Tamil Eelam Air Force attack was a massive blow to the Sinhala military. It has disrupted the daydreams of the Sinhala nation. The Sinhala nation has not emerged from this massive shock delivered by our beloved fighters. The immeasurable dedication and sacrifice of our Heroes is delivering a message to the Sinhala nation. Those who plan to destroy the Tamil nation will in the end be forced to face their own destruction.

The Rajapakse regime is never going to realize that the Tamil national question cannot be resolved by military oppression. The Sinhala leadership is not going to shed its desire for military supremacy or the Sinhalisation of the Tamil homeland. The Rajapakse regime is working hard to import more and more destructive weapons from all over the world without care for the cost. Therefore, it is not going to give up its war of genocide.

The All Party Representative Committee was appointed by the Rajapakse regime to spread a smokescreen over the misery that its military adventures are creating in the Tamil homeland and to deceive other governments to get their aid and support. We clearly predicted this would happen one year ago. We have been proved right. After dragging on without putting forward any solution, the committee has gone on holiday.

The past sixty years have proven beyond any doubt that no political party in the South has the political honesty or firmness in policy to find a just solution to the Tamil national question. It has been also proved beyond any doubt that none of the Southern parties are ready to accept the core principles for a lasting peace: the Tamil homeland, the Tamil nation and the Tamil Right to self determination. The ruling party is adamant on unitary rule; the red and yellow parties are calling for no solution at all; and the main opposition party, somersaulting from its earlier position, is, on the one hand, saying nothing concrete and using evasive language to support the military actions of the government and, on the other hand, saying it supports peace efforts. All this clearly clarifies our point and proves beyond doubt that all the Sinhala political parties are essentially chauvinistic and anti-Tamil. To expect a political solution from any of these southern parties is political naivety.

The Sinhala nation showed eagerness in the peace talks only when we shattered their ‘Operation Fireball’ military action and made them realize that the Tigers cannot be defeated. It was only when we proved our military prowess and only when we were militarily in a position of strength that the Sinhala nation signed the ceasefire agreement. Now, with abundant monetary and military aid from several countries, it has rehabilitated its destroyed military and has prepared itself for war again. It is yet again walking the military path having abandoned the peace path.

The Rajapakse regime, after unilaterally abrogating the ceasefire agreement, is ruthlessly implementing its military plan to remove the contiguity of the Tamil homeland. It has killed and disappeared thousands of our people. It reprimands and controls the Norwegian facilitators. It vehemently criticizes the SLMM. It even dares to brand senior UN officials as terrorists in order to hide its own terrorism. It is obscuring the ground reality in the Tamil homeland by striking fear among journalists and NGO workers.

The world’s powers, even while taking forward their own geo-political interests, respect human rights and democratic institutions. Be it this universe, human affairs or international relationships, they all revolve on the wheel of justice. That is why nations like East Timor and Montenegro broke free of their subjugation and gained their freedom with the help and support of the international community. Even now, the international community continues to work for the freedom of nations like Kosovo.

Yet the actions of the international community with respect to our own national question are unjust. The confidence our people placed in the international community has been eroded. By only paying lip-service to peace the international community has contributed to the killing of an extraordinary son of our nation, Tamilselvan. It has stopped the heartbeat of a light that walked the path of peace. I will be lighting the lamp for my dear brother, Tamilselvan, who until last year was with me every time we, with a burning desire to reach our goal, lit the lamps for our fallen Heroes. The international community has made the entire Tamil world drown in its tears. Had the international community firmly and unambiguously condemned the anti-peace activities and the war mongering of the Sinhala regime, Tamilselvan would be alive today. A huge blow would not have fallen on peace efforts.

The Co-chairs, acting as the guardians of the peace process, have failed in their responsibility. If the Co-chairs do not have a moral obligation to protect peace efforts, what exactly is the purpose of their meeting from time to time in different places? Is it their intent to assist the Sinhala regime to wipe out the Tamils? Questions like these have arisen in the minds of our people. Our people firmly expect that at least from now on the international community will take a new approach in relation to our freedom struggle. On this sacred day it is the hope of our people that the international community will cease giving military and economic aid to the Sinhala regime and accept the right to self determination and the sovereignty of the Tamil nation.

We are an ancient people with special qualities. We have a unique national identity and national foundation. We have been struggling non-violently and by armed struggle for a very long time against national oppression. We are not terrorists, committing blind acts of violence impelled by racist or religious fanaticism. Our struggle has a concrete, legitimate, political objective. We are struggling only to regain our sovereignty in our own historical land where we have lived for centuries, the sovereignty which we lost to colonial occupiers. We are struggling only to reestablish that sovereignty and rebuild our nation. The Sinhala nation is continuing to reject our just and civilized demands for freedom. Instead, it has declared a genocidal war on our land and our people. Behind the smokescreen of fighting terrorism, it is creating immense human misery.

Despite our people enduring injustice and oppression, facing death, destruction and massive displacement, no country, no nation, no international organization has raised its voice on our behalf. We face this situation alone because, although 80 million Tamils live all around the globe, the Tamils do not have a country of their own.

On this day, when we remember our Heroes, I ask the entire Tamil speaking world to rise up for the liberation of Tamil Eelam. I wish to express my love and gratitude to you for your past participation in the building of our nation, bringing together your abundant intellectual, material, monetary and many other resources in the service of our nation and ask that you stand with us in the coming years of our freedom struggle.

Thousands of our fighters are standing ready to fight with determination for our just goal of freedom and we will overcome the hurdles before us and liberate our motherland. On this day when we remember our Heroes who sacrificed themselves for this sacred goal, let each one of us carry their dream in our hearts and struggle until it is achieved.

Sri Lanka's government has marked the birthday of Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran with a vow to kill him. The island's powerful defence secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapakse, said Colombo now had the upper hand in the long-running conflict, with the elusive guerrilla chief limited in both his movements and ability to score strategic victories.Earlier this month the political head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), S.P. Thamilselvan, was killed in what the government said was a precision air strike on the north and not a mere lucky hit."The killing of Thamilselvan sent a very powerful message: they know we have good intelligence on their movements," Rajapakse told AFP in an interview Monday at the heavily-fortified defence ministry in Colombo.Monday was also the day the LTTE chief marked his 53rd birthday, and Rajapakse said that if all goes to plan it will be his last. "We are after him. We are specifically targeting their leadership," he said."For the last few months he (Prabhakaran) has been even more restricted in his movements. We want to keep them under pressure. We are gathering intelligence, information."The threat came as Prabhakaran was set to give his annual speech from a jungle hideout in his northern mini-state marking the end of "heroes' week", commemorating around 20,000 Tamils who have died fighting for a separate homeland.Prabhakaran's speech, due to be broadcast later Tuesday, will come at the end of a year of several setbacks for the LTTE.Government forces regained full control over the east of the island in July, and have also managed to sink what the government says is the bulk of the rebels' fabled fleet of gun-running ships.The outspoken defence secretary, who is also the brother of the island's president, insisted that the tide of the 35-year-old conflict -Asia's longest-running civil war- was finally turning in the government's favour.He also signalled that the year ahead would see a renewed escalation of the conflict, finally closing a chapter of "phoney war' that began with a 2002 Norwegian-brokered ceasefire and its progressive collapse."Our objective is to weaken them. We have to defeat them militarily, we have to control Wanni," he said of the LTTE's northern stronghold."It is possible. We just have to squeeze them. Then a political solution becomes possible," the defence secretary said, repeating his view that the Tamil Tigers only used a truce to smuggle in more arms and can therefore only be bombed into peace.Prabhakaran, in his speech Tuesday, is also expected to cast aside any talk of diplomacy and issue a rallying call to his thousands of hardened guerrillas.The LTTE supremo, renowned for his ability to bring out the suicidal tendencies in his followers, has also managed to withstand successive government offensives in the past.And over the past year, he has unleashed new weapons -- namely light aircraft sent on nocturnal missions to strike as far south as the capital and damage Sri Lanka's economy in the process."Black Tiger" suicide squads have also been active. Still, Rajapakse brushed aside the significance of such rebel attacks. "In the end it's just symbolic. it affects morale, but strategically it makes no difference," said the defence secretary, who narrowly survived a suicide bomber sent by Prabhakaran last year. "In the end, what have they gained during the last 20 to 30 years? Just destroyed property and destroyed lives."

Air Force bombs VOT building

Tamil Tigers in Sri Lanka say their main radio station is flattened by a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombing raid.The bomb raid occurred as the station prepared to broadcast LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran's annual speech, the LTTE said.'Many civilian employees' of the Voice of Tigers (VOT) radio station were killed in the attack, according to the Tamil Tigers.The Sri Lanka military confirmed that Air force launched an attack on a radio station at 1630 (SLT) on Tuesday.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told BBC Sandeshaya that SLAF raided 'a clandestine radio station' in Thiruvaiaru, Kilinochchi.Military says SLAF targetted 'a clandestine radio station' in Kilinochchi The military was not aware whether it was exactly the VOT station, he added.LTTE leader's speech is being delivered by the VOT despite the air raid, journalists in the area said.This is the second time that the SLAF targetted VOT in Kilinochchi.In October last year the VOT transmitters were destroyed in an air raid.

Seven school girls, riding in a Hiace van engaged in rural first aid service, were killed on the spot at Iyangkea'ni on Kokkaavil - Thu'nukkaay Road in Vanni Tuesday at 11:30 a.m, in a Claymore attack carried out by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU). The driver of the van and three male volunteers were also killed in the attack, according to Tamileelam Police in Ki'linochchi.The DPU attacks have been stepped up in Vanni during the last three days when Heroes Day remembrance events were being held in Vanni.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to be the chief guest at the 60th anniversary celebrations of Sri Lanka's independence in February next year."The Sri Lankan government had extended an invitation to the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and he has accepted it," a senior Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry official said."He will visit Sri Lanka on 4th of February," the official said.The official, however, said it was not yet finalised whether Singh's visit will be for one day or two days.Earlier in the day, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told Parliament that Singh will be the chief guest at the 60th anniversary celebrations on February 4.

Senior Presidential Advisor and National List MP, Basil Rajapakse is tipped to be appointed Finance Minister in a cabinet reshuffle if the government wins the budget vote on December 14, a top government source said.The top source said the Cabinet of Ministers would be reshuffled by President Mahinda Rajapakse late December with several portfolios to change hands. The Morning Leader learns the President will also prorogue parliament if he succeeds in the budget and appoint afresh members to the Committee On Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).It is learned Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama will be a casualty in the reshuffle with the most likely to go to External Trade Minister G.L. Pieris or Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda.The source said the Government would also appoint new Chairmen to COPE and PAC.

TELO slammed the Pakistan Head of State General Musharaff in Parliament calling him a dictator. TELO & TNA MP N. Srikantha, who participated in the committee stage of the Budget in the House yesterday, said dictators like him will be thrown into the dustbin one day.He recalled former Pakistani head of state, General Zia Ul Haq was also a dictator and his reign was cut short as he was killed in a plane crash. He said both the main opposition and the government are carrying an unnecessary debate on Pakistan in the Parliament. "I cannot understand why the members have to talk so much on this issue," he said. Mr. Srikantha said he was however only making an observation and not trying to show the government what it should do.

TMVP said it would take ‘necessary action’ if an official complaint was made to the TMVP Colombo office on the activities of armed cadres in the east.TMVP spokesperson Azath Moulana said that the party would take immediate action if a complaint was made to the TMVP office in Colombo with proof.The UN this week had raised concerns over the activities of armed cadres in Ampara and had stated that groups including the TMVP continued with harassments, civilian intimidation and extortions.The SLMM also in the past few weeks had stated that abductions and extortions in the east were continuing.Moulana said that these organisations should inform the TMVP office with proof for them to take necessary action on their cadres who allegedly carry out these activities."We are not saying these things do not happen. There are around 1200 cadres in the TMVP. We cannot expect all of them to abide by the rules. However, organisations such as the SLMM and the UN should also inform the TMVP of this issue. They can give the details to our Colombo office with proof," he said.Moulana also said that the TMVP was making arrangements to meet the UN and SLMM representatives."We have not decided on a date. But, we will meet them soon," he added.The military also said that it would take action against armed groups.Military Spokesperson Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told The Morning Leader the military had provided maximum security in the east and added it would take action against any armed cadres.Speaking on the abductions and extortions in the east, Brigadier Nanayakkara said the civilians could go to the nearest police post on the issue."We have taken action on these complains. We are continuing to do so," he said.

Army Commander Sarath Fonseka yesterday visited Jaffna to review the contingency plans, adopted to ensure the security in the peninsula during LTTE’s Maveerer day that fell yesterday.Army Headquarters said that Security Forces Commander Jaffna Major General G.A. Chandrasiri and Commanders of the Divisions, Brigades and other formations briefed the Commander on the security situation in respective areas.Before leaving Jaffna, the Army Chief gave additional instructions to senior ground commanders on security matters.

A Sri Lanka military air strike today on the Voice of Tigers, the radio station of the Tamil Tiger rebels in the north of the country, was a “war crime,” Reporters Without Borders said. Three of the station’s staff, who had not been given any warning, and six other civilians were killed in the bombardment by air force jets. “Voice of Tigers is a propaganda radio operated by the LTTE rebels, but the rules of war are clear - military bombardment and bombing must be limited to strictly military targets,” the press freedom organisation said. “The government in Colombo uses the Geneva Conventions to condemn LTTE crimes but forgets the conventions when it bombs what is a civilian installation and therefore protected by the conventions.” The air strike on Voice of Tigers, located near Kilinochchi, took place in the afternoon and left a total of nine civilians dead (including three of the station’s employees) and around 10 civilians wounded. The Tamilnet website identified the dead employees as Isaivizhi Chempiyan (a former presenter), Suresh Linbiyo (a technician) and T. Tharmalingam.The bombing was carried out as the station was providing coverage of the annual War Heroes’ Day ceremonies, which the LTTE observes in the regions it controls. According to Tamilnet, broadcasts were able to continue with the help of another clandestine transmitter. The Sri Lankan military confirmed that the air force had destroyed the “clandestine Tiger terrorists radio station” in Kilinochchi. Previous air strikes in October 2006 caused serious damage to the station and wounded two employees. The Berne-based International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission (created under Protocol 1 of the Geneva Conventions), told Reporters Without Borders last year: “Deliberate attacks against journalists and infrastructure belonging to or used by the press constitute a serious violation of international law. Journalists have the right to perform their role in territories where fighting is taking place.” News media in other countries have been targeted as “propaganda media,” setting very dangerous precedents for the press. NATO bombed Serbian radio and TV headquarters in Belgrade in April 1999, killing 16 employees. The Israeli military blew up the Voice of Palestine radio and TV building in Ramallah, on the West Bank, in January 2001. And the Kabul bureau of the pan-Arab TV station Al-Jazeera was the target of a US air strike on 12 November 2001.

Speculation is rife in both government and diplomatic circles that Minister of Export Development and International Trade Prof. G.L. Peiris may be appointed as the Foreign Minister and Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama given the ministry of Export Development. Prof. Peiris has already earned the respect of President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his handling of international affairs and has been sent on several special missions to Washington DC, UK, Switzerland, Canada, Russia and Ukraine. News from Uganda says President Rajapaksa was furious at the way Bogollagama handled the suspension of Pakistan at the recently concluded Commonwealth summit. As the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogollagama has been severely criticised by both his Cabinet colleagues and the media for his handling of the ministry. President Rajapaksa had warned the minister on several occasions for bringing the Foreign Service to disrepute. Bogollagama is also known for his late arrivals at meetings. Early this year he was pulled up by the President at the New Delhi SAARC summit for arriving late for a meeting the President had with Bhutanese leaders . It is reported that he was delayed for a meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee as well. Mukherjee, a senior and respected Indian leader is the number two in the Indian Cabinet after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This year President Rajapaksa summoned both Minister Bogollagama and Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona to Temple Trees and asked the Foreign Minister to work in close co-operation with his Foreign Secretary. The two were summoned after privately owned newspapers published that Kohona had been gagged. Minister Bogollagama also earned the wrath of his Cabinet colleagues Dinesh Gunewardane and Ferial Ashraff and also Suganthi Kadirgamar, widow of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar who was assassinated by the LTTE, for the mishandling of the issue on Kadirgamar statue. The statue is yet to be erected. Senior minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle once told journalists at a media briefing not to take the comments made by Foreign Minister Bogollagama seriously since the minister visited Sri Lankan only for holidays. The President had also used the services of Tourism Minister Milinda Moragoda and sent him on special missions to several countries. Early this year Japan extended a special invitation to Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapaksa (now MP). The Japanese government accorded the highest protocol to Rajapaksa undermining the subsequent visit by Foreign Minister Bogollagama. At the UN General Assembly in September, the US State Department refused to provide special protection to the Minister saying that he had no serious security threats.

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Sri Lanka Tamil Tiger chief to rally for war: observers

The leader of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers will give his annual policy speech from a jungle hideout this week, with observers predicting a rallying call to arms as the island slides back into all-out war.The reclusive Velupillai Prabhakaran will be speaking at the end of a difficult year for his separatist guerrillas, who were ejected from the east in July and lost their political chief in an air raid earlier this month. The rebels' fleet of gun-running ships has also been decimated in a string of naval clashes and their fundraising activities abroad severely curtailed, meaning Prabhakaran -- who turns 53 on Monday -- has little to celebrate. The last year has seen 950 Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighters killed, a massive figure given the modest size of armies involved in the conflict. The mood in the rebel-held north will also be especially sour at the end of "heroes' week", commemorating the deaths of nearly 20,000 Tamil fighters in Asia's longest-running civil war. Prabhakaran's speech to mark this event, due to be broadcast on Tuesday at 6:00 pm local time (1230 GMT), is likely to see a renewed declaration of war and underscore that a Norwegian-brokered peace process is well and truly dead. "He will probably say the only way out is war. He will not say anything about peace," said Dharmalingam Sithadthan, a former LTTE member who now leads a Colombo-based Tamil party opposed to the rebels. "The speech will be hardline. For all intents and purposes the peace process is dead," he told AFP. The Sri Lankan government blames the LTTE for the collapse of a 2002 truce, but Sithadthan said the Tigers are equally firm in their belief that it is the ethnic majority Sinhalese politicians in the south who are responsible. With the rebels feeling hemmed in, he warned they may shift the focus of their attacks towards Sinhalese civilians. The Tamil Tigers will also be determined to 'bust out' of their mini-state and reassert their claim for an independent homeland that includes the Jaffna peninsula in the far north and the eastern coastline, both of which are currently in government hands. "They might say the Sinhalese people in general are responsible... and even go for a big civilian target in the south, or not care about hitting civilians," said Sithadthan. "In the north they will try for a big victory." "From the outside it looks like they are on the defensive. But the LTTE has trained a large number of civilians -- some say 40,000. They still have a large number of hardcore fighters, about 4,000." Despite the setbacks over the past year, the rotund Prabhakaran has previously shown that he is resourceful. Using second-hand, Czech-made single-engine propeller aircraft smuggled into the island in bits and on boats, the LTTE now boasts an air force which has conducted a string of night raids against economic and military targets. Last month a group of at least 21 suicide bombers also attacked the Anuradhapura military base north of Colombo, virtually wiping out the government's fleet of spy planes. The government -- apparently convinced it can win the war -- has responded by stepping up security across the country to suffocating levels, investing in expensive radar equipment and once again boosting its defence budget. Emboldened by its killing of LTTE political wing leader and negotiator S.P. Thamilselvan on November 2, Sri Lanka's military has also vowed to go "all out" to target Prabhakaran and bomb the north of the island into peace. "Prabhakaran will probably say the government has killed a hero of peace (Thamilselvan)," said Chulawansa Sirilal, editor-in-chief of the Lankapress news agency. "So he will say the war must go on."

Air Force bombers pounded a LTTE leaders’ meeting point in Puthukudiyrippu yesterday. A senior air force official said ten minutes later another identified LTTE target was hit west of Kilinochchi by the supersonic jets of the Air Force. “Air strikes are carried out after targets are identified by air surveillance and reliable ground intelligence. The pilots confirmed that the targets were successfully engaged,” he said.The previous day air force bombed the Tiger Satellite Communications and Coordinating center in the same area causing heavy damage to the center.

Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers have attacked two densely populated areas in Puthukkudiyiruppu and Ki'linochchi in Vanni on Monday. 13 houses have sustained damages in five rounds of air attacks. The first attack was reported in Puthukkudiyiruppu, 150 meters from the town junction, between 5:00 and 5:20 p.m. 7 houses have sustained heavy damage. No civilian casualties were reported. The second attack was reported between 5:30 and 5:50 p.m. in Jeyanthinakar, a suburb of Ki'linochchi town, where six houses were damaged. An 18-year-old youth was wounded in Jeyanthinakar.The airstrike on Puthukkudiyiruppu targeted a settlement, 2nd Ward, twice. The settlement is located along Paranthan Puthukkudiyiruppu Road, which is a densely populated area with four schools and the Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital. The explosion shook the hospital. Three SLAF bombers attacked Jeyanthinakar with six separate settlements three times, continuously, for 20 minutes. The wounded youth was identified as M. Pathmanathan. A reconnaissance Beechcraft was continuously spotted over Vanni on Sunday and Monday.

Tamil group says it will defy ban, continue work in Lanka

Despite a ban imposed by Sri Lankan government, the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation, a charity group considered to be a front of the Tiger rebels, has vowed to continue its work in the island nation. "TRO has been working for the war-affected people from 1985 and was not a Sri Lanka government-registered NGO until 2002. We will continue our work as we have for over 22 years in areas not under government control," its spokesman Arjunan Ethirveerasingam said on Sunday. The organisation's Colombo office, however, has ceased to function. "With the banning of the TRO the final nail in the coffin of the peace process has been hammered home," the TRO said in a statement after it was proscribed last week. "Today the pulse of the peace process has stopped and peace is a lifeless, dead body. It is a tragedy that the international community, while ignoring the human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL), continues to dangle this dead peace, that the GoSL continues to show no interest in pursuing, before the Tamil People," it said. Meanwhile, TRO President V Sivanadiyar in a statement said, "Although our organisation is banned by the Sri Lankan government, we assure you that our mission will continue in our homeland areas (LTTE-held areas) without interruption and we call on the international community and the Tamil diaspora to continue to support TRO's work with war and tsunami-affected persons."

Visiting Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse, in a meeting with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki here Monday, said his country supports Iran's inalienable right to use nuclear energy. According to Foreign Ministry Media Department report on Monday, in the meeting, Mottaki presented a report on the latest situation of Iran's peaceful nuclear program, active cooperation with International Atomic Energy Agency( IAEA) and (IAEA Chief) ElBaradei's report to the IAEA Governing Council. Referring to the level of bilateral ties, Mottaki said, "Iran is interested to expand ties with Sri Lanka in all fields and the visit is a new chapter in mutual relations." The foreign minister added, "President Ahmadinejad has already ordered the implementation of the signed agreements between the two countries." Mottaki expressed Iran's readiness to cooperate in constructing power plants, refineries, irrigation projects and exporting engineering and technical services to Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse briefed Mottaki on the situation of Sri Lankan Muslims and said, "Muslims in Sri Lanka enjoy a good situation, and have an active role in the country's politico-social life." He also called for the implementation of a number of agreements previously signed between the two countries.

The Supreme Court today (Nov. 27th) ruled that Land Minister had acted against the law when he acquired a 33-acre land from Kiriwattuduwa, Homagama for a housing scheme for fishermen displaced by the tsunami. The SC took up a fundamental rights petition filed by a private company.The Land Minister as well as Irrigation Minister Chamal Rajapaksa and the Chairman of the Urban Development Authority were cited as respondents. The SC found the Land Minister’s move against the Land Acquisition Act and ordered the respondents to pay the expenses of the petitioner. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva and Justices Shirani Thilakawardena and Andrew Somawansa took up the case.

The JVP yesterday charged that the annual budgetary allocation for Sri Lanka’s education sector was much less than that of Ethiopia.Speaking during the committee stage debate on the votes of the Education Ministry, JVP front-liner Vijitha Herath said according to internationally accepted norms at least six percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) should be allocated to the education sector.He said Sri Lanka spent only 2.7 percent of the GDP for this purpose, and it was hardly sufficient to meet the present needs in the sector.“Even in Ethiopia 4.8 percent of the GDP is allocated for education while in Cuba it is the very high percentage of 8.9,” Mr. Herath said.He said the budgetary allocation in Norway was 6.8 percent, 5.6 percent in the US, 5.6 percent in Britain and 5.8 percent in France.“Education is an investment for the future,” Mr. Herath emphasized.

A remote controlled toy plane had landed on a house in Wellampitiya, a suburb of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo yesterday morning creating a panic situation in the area.Wellampitiya police said that following a call to the police emergency number, police and Air Force teams rushed to the place and conducted the investigations. However, there were no explosives or any other suspicious items found from the toy aircraft.Initial police investigations revealed that a child had operated the aircraft using a remote control device for play.

KOCHI: With its movement restricted on the Tamil Nadu coast due to constant surveillance by Navy and Coastguard, the LTTE has started shifting its operations to the Kerala coast, a top Naval official on Monday said. The Sri Lankan forces have understood LTTE's tactics and the Indian Navy has increased vigil on the Tamil Nadu coast, making it virtually impenetrable, Flag officer Commanding-in-Chief Southern Naval command, Vice Admiral Sunil K Damle said. Now attempts are being made by the LTTE to slowly use Kerala coast for smuggling arms and ammunition and drugs. Efforts are also being made by other terrorist organisations to use Malabar as a landing point for RDX, he told reporters. Citing instances of LTTE's illegal activities in Kerala waters recently, including when the outfit allegedly seized a fishing vessel between Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram, for its clandestine activities, he said "this is just the beginning of infiltration." Another militant organisation, which had smuggled in RDX through the Konkan coast, was now trying to bring it in through the Malabar coast. "We were told that some attempts had been made in the Malabar coast," he added.

The Supreme Court today ordered a full probe into ABC Radio Network. Managing Director of the radio station Raynor Silva was ordered to furnish all details of broadcasting rights and the tenures of its board of directors, on December 10th. The SC deferred a decision on Silva, who is facing contempt of court charges. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva and Justices Shirani Thilakawardena and Andrew Somawansa took up the case.

Shell attack on Mannar school

Military in Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers accused each other of launching an artillery attack on a school in the north.Five school children and two teachers have sustained injuries in the attack as four shells exploded near the school, Murungan police said.A teacher and student with serious injuries were admitted to Mannar hospital. Others are being treated in Murungan hospital.

Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara accused the Tamil Tigers of launching the attack on Kattai Adappan Roman Catholic government school."The attack was launched by the LTTE towards Sri Lanka Army soldiers" he told BBC Sandeshaya.The LTTE, meanwhile said they did not launch any attack towards the area during the day.Sri Lanka Air Force launched air attacks on Pudukuduiruppu in Mulaitivu using Kfir fighter jets, LTTE said.Brigadier Nanayakkara said LTTE position was destroyed in the air attack. The LTTE said none of their cadres were hurt in the attack.

Four Sinhala paddy cultivators, including a female, were shot dead Monday morning around 8:45 in Maha Vilachiya DS division, northwest of Wilpattu wildlife sanctuary, Police said. Maha Vilachiya, situated northwest of Anuradhapura district is bordering the southern part of Mannaar, the Chilavattu'rai area which the SLA brought under its control two months ago. The division also borders the southern part of Vavuniyaa district. The security of the area has been beefed up after the attack on Anuradhapura airbase. Earlier, in March 2007, the Sri Lanka Army commander of the Anuradhapura Saliyapura Gajaba Regimental Headquarters, Colonel Jayantha Shurawera, and three of his men inlcuding a Major, and four national park employees were killed in a gunfire ambush inside the sanctuary.

Continuing its allegations against the UNICEF, the JVP yesterday charged that the agency had provided bulletproof plates to vehicles belonging to the LTTE and took the Foreign Ministry to task for remaining “tight lipped” over some of these allegations.JVP parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa claimed the UN Child rights agency had spent 12,375 US dollars to obtain the bulletproof plates for LTTE vehicles and had fixed the plate to just one UNICEF vehicle.If such colossal sums were allocated to fix bullet proof plates for one UNICEF vehicle, he asked whether the other plates were fixed to LTTE vehicles.The JVP also charged that UNICEF had provided a vehicle to the TRO.“It is a serious offence even under international regulations to spend money meant for Sri Lankan Children for a terrorist movement,” he said.Commenting on the import of combat rations which were taken into custody by the customs, Mr. Weerawansa said there was no doubt that they brought for the use of Tiger terrorists in Kilinochchi and Mulaitivu.

Responding to allegations by the JVP, the UNICEF yesterday said it only had a blast proof vehicle and not a bullet proof vehicle as claimed by the JVP.It is common for humanitarian agencies to use blast proof’ vehicles, with a special ballistic blanket fitted in, to protect aid workers operating in areas with an identified landmine threat, UNICEF spokesperson Gordon Weiss said. “We have to comply with the Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS) of the UN. If our staff is operating in insecure areas they expect us to follow certain guidelines,” he said. “Earlier there was a recommendation that we put these ballistic blankets on our vehicles. However, it altered the driving capacity of the vehicle. Therefore, given the choice between safety and maneuverability the organization chose maneuverability,” Mr. Weiss said, explaining the reason for only upgrading one vehicle. Responding to JVP allegations that the UNICEF had provided bullet proof vests to the LTTE, Mr. Weiss said every UN operation anywhere in the world had a supply of Kevlar vests for the use of its staff and it was also part of falling in line with MOSS standards.Mr. Weiss also said an external audit team had been flown into Sri Lanka to trace the funding trail of projects done through the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO).“The audit team started work on Monday and a report is due within two or three weeks. They would be tracing the funds transferred to the TRO prior to early 2006,” he said.The UNICEF spokesperson also rejected Mr. Weerawansa’s call for the extradition of UNICEF Operations Officer Jennifer Tailor.“She has done nothing wrong. She is simply the one who manages contracts and signs off on most of them. She has almost finished her four-year term in Sri Lanka and would be leaving at some stage in the next 6 months. But this has nothing to do with the demands of the JVP,” he said.Commenting on the issue of four UNICEF employees who participated in a protest in June Mr. Weiss said the matter was being reviewed by the department of Humanitarian Affairs in New York.”“These cases will be resolved before the end of next month. However, two international staff members involved in the case have left the country as their terms had ended. One of them has left the UNICEF, while the officer s still engaged in UNICEF activities,” he said.Describing the impact of the series of allegations on the relationship between UNICEF and the Sri Lankan government Mr. Weiss said, “we have a great working relationship with the government and we are keen to defend it. The government has promised to make a clear statement at the conclusion of the investigation.”

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The foreign policy of the UPFA Government has no clear direction. This has been manifested again and again since the assassination of former Foreign Minister Mr. Laxman Kadirgamar.The President and the Foreign Minister are at this very moment in Kampala, Uganda, participating at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM)Foreign Minister Mr. Rohitha Bogollagama, at a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Commonwealth countries, supported suspension of Pakistan from the Commonwealth. Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) strongly opposes this action of Mr. Bogollagama.We are very much concerned about the inconsistency of the UPFA government on important national and international issues. The spokesmen of the government, without admitting its grave mistakes, are making a futile attempt to isolate Mr. Bogollagama by saying that his decision to support the suspension of Pakistan from the Commonwealth was a personal one. The Government of Sri Lanka is so naïve as to expect the world to believe this stance of theirs. We believe that it is the responsibility of the UPFA government to safeguard the good name of Sri Lanka and act so as not to lose the support of friendly countries, particularly at a time Sri Lanka is confronting a separatist terrorist threat. Sri Lankan Government must be well aware that Pakistan government also has taken similar actions to curb terrorist activities in their country. As a country vehemently opposing foreign intervention in her internal affairs, Sri Lanka is required to be cautious before taking decisions regarding events in other countries. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is well aware that the President of Pakistan, H.E. Farvez Musharaf, has already announced that a general election will be held on January 8, 2008. The Pakistan government has released thousands of political prisoners and established favourable conditions in the country for the self - exiled leaders of the opposition to return. We welcome the stance of the President and the Government to reverse Sri Lanka's support for the suspension of Pakistan. We urge the Government to express its regrets to the President and the Government of Pakistan.

More than 1500 army deserters have rejoined the army during the latest amnesty period which began on November 12 and ended midnight yesterday, army sources said. While warning that operations would be launched to track down army deserters, who failed to report during the latest amnesty period, military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said army assisted by police would begin islandwide search operations for this purpose. "By noon yesterday the number of returnees topped the 1500 mark, but the final figure will be higher as some figures are yet to be received," Brigadier Nanayakkara said. He also said rejoined deserters would be deployed for duties after an initial training. The Army launched the latest amnesty on November12. With the intensifying of military operations in north and east army launched a series of recruitment drives and also announced several amnesties for army deserters. Last week defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa also said that more than 20,000 youths joined the armed forces during this year.

It wasn't "once upon a time" that one member of the 17 member dissident UNP group peeled off the Opposition leader layer by layer, as the worst politician one could come across in today's politics. Yet, just three days after the vote on the budget, the DM came with the news that the "Karu" group, or the self proclaimed democratic group of the UNP is proposing a National government with Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister. It's the same Opposition leader whom this member; a leading spokesman of the group discarded as a total failure, not once but many a times in the most recent past, who is now being proposed to head the much talked of National government.This by no means should surprise the people with some common sense. It’s quite possible that none of them, crossed over to the government benches on actual political issues. Every one of them is reported to have had very personal reasons to leave the UNP, but those would never be publicly said. This was more than evident as all of them had many political differences with and accusations too against the government, Mahinda Chinthanaya, the PA leadership and also against individuals who matter in the government. None of it changed for the better on the government side. Why do they now want the very person whom they jettisoned as a failure to join a National government as its Prime Minister ?This needs to be said clearly and precisely. Every crossover negates the core essence of representative democracy in a proportional representative system where the voters have to first elect the party. With that said, it should now be said the proposal for a National government is only a short cut to accommodate all who want to cross over. A comfortable attempt to look decent in being part of "centralised" political power without the consent of the people. Cross-overs and jump-overs in the present parliament only denote a power struggle between two contending power blocs in the South, relevant to the South and affecting the South to partake in centralised power. These political manoeuvrings may have their impact on Tamil politics in deciding how soon a "separate state" would finally evolve and only on that. The TNA is out of all this political jugglery, perhaps wondering how they are still in the same parliament with these Southern politicians.

The attempts at crossing over and proposals for coalescing "nationally" do not in any way discuss, nor do they ever take into consideration the issue of "DEVELOPMENT" in a democratic South at least. All through almost six decades of centralised political power since independence, the issue of "development", to put that in terms of Tamil politics, the right to decide the fate of our people had never been a serious issue in the South. This most important aspect of politics is being pushed into an unholy compromise as a war with those who kept asking for their right to develop their own area. It's projected as a patriotic war. A National government at that, again with centralised power that distracts all issues of development though the talk is of nationalism. In all these years of centralised power, "development rhetoric" delivered absolutely no results despite colossal amounts pilfered and wasted. Take a look at what has been left in the South with such centralisation of power in the hands of our patriotic politicians over the past decades. According to the Department of Census and Statistics that released the survey, Poverty In Sri Lanka - Issues And Options / Year 2006, [quote]"….with all the governmental interventions to reduce poverty, analysis of surveys conducted by the Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) shows that substantial poverty and under nutrition among children still remains, though there is gradual reduction. With all the welfare programmes that have been implemented during the last few decades by the successive governments, Sri Lanka could have done better." (page / 06) [unquote] There is more that needs to be added from the same source. [quote] "…..in certain Districts, outside the Western province, such as Hambantota, Badulla, Monaragala, Ratnapura and Kegalle the percentage of population below poverty has remained more than 30 percent during the 12 year period covered by the three surveys." (page / 14) [unquote] Which means there has been no development during the last 12 years. Not that there had been any before.The quality of education and the benefits derived by the population through education is very clearly written into this quote in the same survey by the DCS as follows. [quote] "In-depth analysis shows that in the poorest Divisional Secretary Divisions, around 75 percent of the Heads of Households are engaged in own account work, mainly in agriculture or related activities and around 90 percent of Heads of Households in these Divisions have not reached even G.C.E.(O/L) education." (page / 27) [unquote] It also says inadequacy of water and more so drinking water is a major problem in the dry zone areas.

On the other hand, if one calculates the amount of money that is spent by these politicians annually, it is staggering. Take for instance the district of Hambantota where the people elect 07 MPs at every election. Each of them spends Rs.05 million every year from the Decentralised Budget, supposedly for development. Which means in Hambantota district every year, Rs. 35 million is disbursed for supposed development work. From year 2002, they have spent Rs.210 million. Let's not forget that there are other allocations too for a district through State institutes and also through other special development projects funded by agencies like ADB, UNDP, JICA, GTZ, USAID etc. How many billions would have been spent during these past 06 years alone in Hambantota district, not counting the Tsunami rehabilitation work ? How many billions more would have gone down the drain or to some unknown bank accounts, where 25 MPs in the 03 Southern districts spent Rs. 125 million every year over the past 06 years ?One should not forget that this centralised system carried through foreign funded Integrated Rural Development Programmes (IRDP) from 1974 July onwards in 19 districts that left out the North and definitely swallowed up hundreds of billions of rupees. What rural development they achieved is more a tragedy than a joke. The worst is, this centralised system does not even have the capacity to utilise funds allocated and in all IRDP's the funds utilised have not exceeded 31% from the committed total. With all that and for all those reasons, there is substantial poverty and under nutrition among children. Poverty remains more than 30 percent. In the poorest Divisional Secretary Divisions, around 75 percent of the Heads of Households are engaged in own account work and around 90 percent of Heads of Households in these Divisions have not reached even G.C.E.(O/L) education. Water is scarce.

Is it not better therefore, for the South to leave this centralised governing system, a failure in every sense and ask for a federal system of governance within which the Southern polity could have a say over development planning and finances in their own poverty ridden areas ? A system that would make governance more participatory instead of this failed representative democracy ? Our representative democracy is a proven farce in this society. Once a political representative is elected, people lose the right to question his or her role thereafter and the very meaning of representation is lost. That is what the present parliament is all about. A parliament sans the sovereignty of the people.The opportunity to have political power in close quarters with a participatory system was created for the South by the Tamil people when they campaigned for power sharing rejecting centralised power. If the South was willing to be part of that discussion to design a new system of governance in a single country where power could be provincially utilised for provincial development, Rs 125 million that is spent through the decentralised budget every year in the South would be enough money to raise many worthy development projects along with all other allocations that also go waste.Unfortunately for the poverty ridden South, they opt to fight the very people who provide an opportunity for them to plan and design their own development. So, may the triple gem bless them patriots.

Three murders including the gunning down of a security officer at the University of Jaffna have been reported from the North and the East over the weekend, the police told the Daily Mirror yesterday. According to the Jaffna police unidentified gunmen had shot dead the security officer identified as Thambirasa Thureraja and had fled the area. Another person identified as Thangadevan Thurairaja had been shot dead by an unidentified gunman at Thutortum on Saturday. Meanwhile a body of a youth was recovered in Vavuniya on Saturday evening. According to police he had sustained head injuries indicating suspected assault to death.

A Sri Lanka Army (SLA) soldier was killed and the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) have recovered his dead body after confronting an SLA Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) that infiltrated into LTTE territory in Kaddaiyadampan in Mannar, LTTE military officials in Mannaar told media. Two T-56 assault rifles were also seized by the Tigers. There was no LTTE casualties in the encounter, according to the LTTE military officials.

The United Nations has warned that the fresh controversy surrounding UNCEF and the meal pack saga can damage the generally excellent working relationship between the UN and Sri Lanka. The United Nations Office of the Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator for Sri Lanka in a statement on Friday also disclosed that the consignments of Meals Ready-to-Eat (MREs), which was initially cleared by Sri Lanka Customs in early August, but recently impounded, was imported to the country with the knowledge of the government. Customs impounded the consignment after allegations were levelled against the UN organisation of allegedly bringing down the meal packs for the use of the LTTE rebels. “In the estimation of the UN, this false impression undermines the security of every UN staff member, obstructs the implementation of basic development projects for all Sri Lankans, erodes the confidence of donor governments, and damages the generally excellent working relationship of the UN and the government,” the statement said. According to the UN, this consignment was purchased by UNICEF on behalf of 12 UN and other agencies for the use of only staff in every UN office in Sri Lanka in the event of an emergency when food might be scarce. “This ‘three day ration’ is in accordance with global security measures stipulated by UN Headquarters, and is common practice throughout the world. While the UN acknowledges and fully supports the right of a sovereign government to investigate credible allegations of wrongdoing, the circumstances of this action appear to have been driven by unsupported statements in Parliament earlier that day, by a member of the opposition. The UN looks forward to a speedy resolution of this issue, so that the good work of the UN in Sri Lanka can continue unimpeded,” the statement added.

Sri Lankan Air Force jet fighters pounded a LTTE satellite communications and coordinating center in Dhrmapuram area, North East of KILLINOCHCHI today (25) at 7.20 a.m. said Media Center for National Security.Media center further said, the air strike was carried out after confirmation of intelligence gathered about the satellite communication center and it was also a clandestine meeting place for LTTE leaders.Air Force pilots affirm that the air strike was a success.But the LTTE said to foriegn media the attack only hit a civilian settlement, killing three members of the same family and injuring seven other locals.Meanwhile, the LTTE's Heroes Week with several commemorative programmes in the Wanni held on low key. LTTE leader Velupilli Prabhakaran's much-looked-forward-to annual Martyr's Day speech on Tuesday at 6.08 p.m. on Voice of Tigers radio. Meanwhile, the LTTE sources yesterday announced that 954 cadres had been killed so far this year. It also said that the movement had lost 19,887 fighters from September 1, 1982 to November, 20 this year.

A father and mother with their daughter and a teenage girl were killed, their son and his wife were seriously wounded with four other civilians, Sunday morning, when Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) bombers attacked a civilian settlement twice, between 7:15 and 7:40 a.m., at Tharmapuram 8th Unit, located in Ki'linochchi district. A 4-years-old girl, a teacher and a retired postmaster were among the wounded. The airstrike, using bombs that explode underground, comes as November 27 Heroes Day remembrance events were being observed in Vanni. The explosions have created 6 to 10 meter depth craters. The victims killed were identified as M. Subajini, 15, Varnalingam, 54, his wife V. Saraswathy, 49, and their daughter V. Sumitra, 25, members of a displaced family from Eezhaalai in Jaffna. 28-years-old Kamalraj from the same family, with injuries in his chest and stomach, was rushed to Ki'linochchi hospital. His 19-year-old wife, K. Thanayogam (Thana) has lost a leg. T. Anushya, 04, M. Nadanavathy (Thevi), 41, a dance teacher at Tharmapuram Mahaviththiyaalayam, with wounds to her stomach, Ariyakuddi Velmurugu, 60, a retired postmaster, with wounds to his legs and Lingeswaran, 60, with wounds to his head were admitted at the hospital.More than 8 bombs were dropped, destroying two houses completely, and causing damage to seven other houses.

At the government parliamentary group meeting held last Sunday, Deputy Minister Nirmala Kotalawala told President Mahinda Rajapaksa to refrain from inviting opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe to form a government. Speaking at a crucial group meeting, prior to the second reading of the Budget, Kotalawela referred to newspaper reports where Rajapaksa had invited Wickremesinghe to form a government. Kotalawala told the President he could invite anyone else from the UNP but not Wickremesinghe to form a government. The group had apparently approved the decision unanimously.Later last week, member of the UNP-D group, Minister Mahinda Wijesekera invited Wickremesinghe to be part of a national government. However, he later denied that he invited Wickremesinghe to become Prime Minister.UNP sources later said that the UNP-D invitation was because they were at the risk of losing their seats if the President was to dissolve parliament. Sources said that the UNP is at present making all efforts to defeat the government’s third reading of the Budget scheduled for December 14, which would compel the President to dissolve Cabinet in the event of a defeat. The new Cabinet, to be appointed by the President after the defeat, could present a second Budget. If that Budget too is defeated, then President Rajapaksa will be compelled to dissolve parliament.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) will vote for the third reading of the Budget scheduled for December 14, only after consulting its politburo on November 30 and working committee on December 1.This decision was taken by the party’s high command that met on Friday, November 23, under the leadership of Party Leader and Posts and Telecommunications Minister Rauff Hakeem.The SLMC, which has come under severe pressure from party supporters to withdraw support to the government, voted for the Budget on November 19.However, the party met Presidential Advisor and Parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa and Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle subsequently and placed before them certain conditions as the basis for extending support at the third reading.Two prominent conditions were to reverse the state action to grab lands from Muslim landowners and serious action to give Muslims prominence in the eastern development programme.SLMC General Secretary, Deputy Minister Hasan Ali said though verbal assurance was given to the SLMC by both Rajapaksa and Fernandopulle, so far nothing has been put in writing, which he said has caused fears among the Muslims as to whether their grievances would ever be met.“Based on this, the Muslims in general are pressurising us to vote against the government. However, we thought of getting the views of the politburo and the working committee in this regard,” he said.He told The Nation that the minority Muslims expected a permanent solution to the long-standing issues they have been confronted with over the years.“If we do not get favourable answers from the government, then we might have to seriously reconsider extending our support to the government,” he said.He said the SLMC could either vote against the government or vote with the government and then quit.“There is nothing more that we could do at this juncture. We are confident that President Rajapaksa will look into these sensitive issues and avoid a major problem,” he added.

Leading Muslim organisations, including theologians and trustees, passed four resolutions last week during a special meeting held at the Grand Mosque in Colombo with regard to the recent sound ban, cattle transportation and slaughter.The organisations have also decided to seek a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa upon his return to the country to appeal to him to intervene in the issues. The resolutions were to take steps to revert the Supreme Court decision which banned the use of loudspeakers from 10 a.m. until 6 a.m., take steps to put an end to the impediments faced during the transportation of cattle and also deal with moves to shut down the Colombo Municipal Council slaughter house.Former Colombo Deputy Mayor Azath Salley told The Nation that during the meeting the Muslim organisations had also considered meeting up with members from the Jathika Sangha Sabha to discuss issues on the noise ban.“The ban is also an impediment to the Buddhists, so we are looking at appealing the Supreme Court together,” Salley said.

Brigadier Chandana Rupasinghe, Brigade Commander of the 213 Division in Puttalam was yesterday remanded until December 4 on suspicion of killing his wife, K.P.K.D. Thejangani in Makola, Kelaniya.Sapugaskanda OIC M.P.E. Jayaweera said that the Brigadier had been questioned regarding the killing as his personal revolver had been allegedly used for the killing. The Brigadier had initially told police that his wife had committed suicide, but after further questioning by police he was produced before Gampaha Magistrate Anura Kumara Dissanayake who remanded him.

Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) attackers, in two separate Claymore attacks on Sunday targeted civilians in Oddisuddaan, 22 km southwest of Mullaiththeevu town and Mudkompan, 20 km northwest of Ki'linochchi town in Poonakari (Pooneryn) division Sunday, Tamileelam Police officials said. The Claymore attack in Oddisuddaan claimed the lives two, a student and a business man, around 7:55 a.m. and another attack at Mudkompan targeted an ambulance around 9:50 a.m. The two DPU Claymore attacks during Heroes Day remembrance days in Vanni come two months after a similar attack that claimed the life of Rev. Fr. Nicholaspillai Packiyaranjith who was on a humanitarian mission.S. Kiritharan, a student of Puthukkudiyiruppu Sree Subramania Viththiyalayam and Periyasaami Vijitharan, a business man, lost their lives when they were caught in the DPU Claymore explosion on Puthukkudiyiruppu - Oddisuddaan Road. Thavaseelan, 29, the driver of the ambulance was wounded in the attack on Mudkompan. Loss of lives avoided in the attack as there were no patients in the ambulance. One month ago, on October 29, two DPU intruders were gunned down by the Tigers in Valaignan Kaddu area in Mannaar district.

The political party of the renegade Eastern Tiger commander Karuna, the TMVP is forging ahead with an alliance with Tamil political parties after the government had unofficially assured the party of Provincial Council Elections in the East by February next year. TMVP deputy leader, Pillayan said he was in consultation with TULF Anandasangaree and several other leading Tamil politicians to launch an alliance of the non LTTE Tamil political parties.Meanwhile, highly placed TMVP sources told Lakbimanews, the government had assured the party that provincial council elections will be held in the East by mid February.

R. Karpoorasundara Pandian, Commissioner of Rehabilitation, conducted an inspection at the refugee camp set up at Thappathi near here for Sri Lankan refugees, on Saturday.Official sources said that the check was carried out to study the welfare of the members of 444 families lodged at the camp.

During an interaction, the residents requested the Commissioner to open an anganwadi and improve the teacher strength at the primary school functioning in the camp site.

They also requested him to provide power supply to the colony during day time too. Mr. Pandian assured the refugees that all their grievances would be looked into on a priority basis.The Commissioner then inaugurated two sanitary complexes at the camp site. They were established by a non governmental organisation on the camp premises. R. Palaniyandi, Collector, and senior revenue officials, were present.

A Police sub inspector and a constable engaged in a road clearing patrol were killed Saturday morning at 10:00 p.m. when attackers triggered a roadside Claymore mine targeting their motorbike at Ka'luthava'lai in Ka'luvaagnchikkudi. Police have declared curfew and launched a cordon and search operation, following the first Claymore attack in the area after the Sri Lankan forces have brought the entire Batticaloa district under their control, Assistant Superintendent of police (ASP) Ka'luvaagnchikkudi Police division said.The policemen who were killed in the attack have been identified as Alangama, 31 and Karunathilaka, 28 and their bodies are being kept at Ka’luvaagnchikkudi police station.Ka'luvaagnchikkudi is located on Kalmunai road, 24 kilometers south of Batticaloa city.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa will take wing to Tehran late tonight, for a high-level four-day state visit during which he will hold talks with his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, defying what diplomatic sources say were heavy ‘representations’ from the US to defer the visit.The relatively miniature Presidential delegation, which will include Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bhaila and Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona, leaves the Ugandan Capital of Kampala at midnight tonight, where Rajapaksa was attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Four media personnel are also scheduled to leave for Tehran with President Rajapaksa’s delegation.The US Government recently imposed unilateral sanctions on Tehran after it refused to suspend its controversial nuclear programme and is reported to have brought heavy pressure on Colombo about cancelling the visit. However, the US denies the claim, while authoritative diplomatic sources told The Nation that the Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Ministry had managed to allay US fears ahead of the President’s visit. Speaking to The Nation, Foreign Secretary Kohona confirmed that the Presidential delegation would leave Kampala for Tehran tonight and added that Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama would not be accompanying Rajapaksa on the visit. Economic and tourism ministerial delegations from Sri Lanka have travelled to Iran ahead of Rajapaksa’s arrival. Despite the discomfiture of the West, sources say that Iran-Sri Lankan ties are crucial for the island, since 40 percent of our oil comes from Iran, while the country also accounts for 20 percent of our tea export.President Rajapaksa will be Iran from November 26-28 and will return to Colombo on November 29, The Nation learns.

The Tamil National Alliance (TELO,TULF,EPRLF and ACTC), in Sri Lanka yesterday said "India's role is crucial" to finding a lasting solution to the three decade-old ethnic problem in the island nation.The Tamil National Alliance (TNA), which has 22 members of parliament, said India's role in resolving the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka was "crucial"."India's role is crucial and we are prepared to work with India in dealing with the Tamil question. We are prepared to talk to India. India's role is fundamental," said TNA leader R Sambanthan."We are extremely happy that India is at last taking greater interest on this matter. I do not think the present position can continue for long," Sambanthan told mediapersons here.The TNA leader along with several of his 22 party MPs were present during the press meet called to condemn the "threat" to some of his lawmakers "not to vote against the budget".He said the Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament had conveyed the concerns of TNA members to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who has promised to look into the matter."The members should have a Democratic right to choose and the incident of abduction of a son-in-law of a TNA lawmaker to prevent him from voting against the government should be condemned," Sambanthan said."We are committed to the right to internal self-determination of Tamils in areas of historical habitation. The Indo-Sri Lanka agreement quite clearly acknowledges that," Sambanthan said.The LTTE has been battling the government forces since 1983 to create an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils in Sri Lanka. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the civil conflict in the island nation.

Sri Lankan military: Fighting kills 17 rebels in north, Blast kills 2 policemen in east

A series of clashes between soldiers and Tamil Tigers across Sri Lanka - 's embattled north left 17 insurgents dead, while a roadside bomb killed two policemen in the east, the military said Saturday. Army troops and insurgents exchanged small arms fire across the de facto border that separates government- and rebel-held territories in northern Mannar district Friday, leaving 12 rebels dead, a defense official said on condition of anonymity, citing government policy. Three soldiers were wounded. The roadside bomb blast occurred in the eastern Batticaloa district around 10:00 a.m. Saturday as the two officers were riding past on their motorbike, the official said, blaming the Tamil rebels. Two other rebels died in a separate gunbattle in Mannar on Friday while in the neighboring Vavuniya district, soldiers killed three insurgents. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not immediately be reached for comment, and the military's claim could not be independently confirmed because journalists are barred from the areas. Government troops have in recent months intensified military action against the Tigers in the north after seizing rebel strongholds in the east. On Friday, a sea battle, ground clashes and a bomb blast killed 21 rebels and a soldier in north. The rebels have been fighting for more than two decades for an independent homeland for the island's ethnic minority Tamils in the north and east, following a history of discrimination under governments controlled by the majority Sinhalese. A Norwegian-brokered cease-fire in 2002 brought relative calm to the country, but a new wave of violence arose in December 2005 and has killed more than 5,000 people. More than 70,000 people have been killed since the insurgency began in 1983.

The UNP rejected Minister Mahinda Wijesekera’s invitation to form a national government today (November 24th).Speaking at a media briefing in Kirulapone yesterday, Minister Wijesekera said that the President wants the UNP Democratic Group to convince the UNP on the necessity for a national government, or else to take the party’s power into their hands.Accordingly, he openly invited the UNP to join the government’s efforts to form a national government.Responding, UNP media spokesperson Lakshman Kiriella told the media today that the UNP declines the offer.Meeting the President on Nov. 15th, former commanders of the security forces too, have requested for a national government, reports say.

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers honour fallen cadres

Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels have begun commemorating nearly 20,000 of their men and women killed fighting for an independent homeland, the guerrillas said Saturday.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) announced their losses since the first guerrilla fatality at the hands of government forces nearly 25 years ago as they marked their "Heroes' Week." The commemoration ends Tuesday with an annual policy statement by Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran. The rebels usually hold Hindu religious observances to honour their dead, who joined the fight for independence for the Tamil minority in the majority Sinhalese nation. Documents released by the LTTE showed that 19,887 of their members have been killed since November 1982, when the first Tiger loss was recorded though the organisation was formed 10 years earlier. Among the dead were 343 suicide bombers, including 93 women, who staged devastating attacks, mainly against security forces. The LTTE said 950 of their cadres have been killed this year as fighting with troops escalated while a Norwegian-brokered truce unravelled. The truce went into effect beginning in February 2002 -- and still is in place, at least on paper -- but the fighting began to worsen in December 2005.There was no immediate reaction from the military to the Tiger losses. The military has admitted losing over 15,000 security personnel in the conflict.

The Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP), a pro-government paramilitary group-cum-political party, has proposed setting up an Interim Administration for the North and East as the way forward to resolve the ethnic conflict, the Daily Mirror reported. An interim administration for Northeast capable of effecting self-rule, especially towards restoring civil normalcy and the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of displaced people was the primary demand of the LTTE when it began the Norwegian-brokered negotiations with the then UNP government in 2002. The UNP rejected the notion, saying it would encourage then President Chandrika Kumaratunga to sack its Parliamentary government.Instead the UNP supported negotiations on a permanent, federal solution. When the LTTE “temporarily” suspended its negotiations in 2003, demanding the government implement agreements already reached on rehabilitation, the movement also proposed the resumption of negotiations based on an interim administration.After rejecting as unacceptably weak, proposals by the government, the LTTE then drafted its own proposals, titled the Interim Self-Governing Authority (ISGA).But president Kumaratunga seized ministries from the UNP government, and then dissolved parliament, triggering elections in which the UNP was defeated.EPDP leader Douglas Devananda, in a statement said it could be felt by all communities that a permanent solution to the Tamil speaking people would neither lead to separation nor endanger the rights of another community, the Daily Mirror reported.The EPDP is “stressing that the more the power between the communities is devolved the more they would be united,” the paper said.The EPDP has suggested the appointment of an Interim Council consisting of representatives of the people in the North and East for a limited period of time since there is no political leadership in the two Provincial councils.The party proposes the appointment of an expert Committee to advise the Interim Council consisting of intellectuals, professionals, religious dignitaries, community leaders, eminent people from expatriate community, renowned writers etc.“Since it is not possible to hold elections in the north and east provincial councils an Interim Administration should be immediately established by exercising the power of the Chief Minister and the Board of Ministers to take all steps necessary to ease the sufferings of the people,” the EPDP leader said.“Such an exercise would instill confidence amongst the people. Once normalcy is restored and the people are relieved of their sufferings, elections can he held to the Provincial Councils.”He also said the Provincial Councils should be able to excise fully all the subjects and powers to the extent provided in the amendment to the constitution and action should also be subsequently taken to initiate asymmetric devolution of power to the Northern and Eastern provinces.“Once these stages are implemented, we can easily create a condition politically conducive to rid of the hurdles in reaching a final solution. At this stage, the stumbling blocks could be easily removed through exemplary acts and political debates,” he said.

Two years ago, when I last made the journey to Jaffna by air, the passengers on board the aircraft were predominantly cheerful and prosperous looking expatriate Tamils, returning to Jaffna to renew their family ties. Most of the passengers this time around looked anything but prosperous. They were making the journey by air because they had no other realistic alternative, as the A9 land route that connects Jaffna to the rest of the country now lies closed for over a year and a half. According to what I have heard the journey by ship is a terrible one which no one who is in a state of ill health or can afford the extra money will want to take. The flight from Colombo to Jaffna was smooth, although full of delays. One of the worst parts of the journey was the protracted stops within the Palali base to check and re-check our travel documents and our baggage. The facilities in which those checks were conducted were no better than cattle sheds. They were composed entirely of metal sheeting on plain gravel which gave a cloud of dust when dry and became mud pools when rain came down. It was clear that the concern of the military authorities was primarily the security of the airforce base, and not at all concern for the comfort of passengers, some of whom were very sick patients, the elderly and toddlers. A redeeming feature of this harsh environment was the general politeness of the young military personnel on duty. At Palali airport all passengers were photographed and interviewed by military officers who could decide on our bona fides and perhaps deny us permission to enter Jaffna. Sometimes the other passengers had problems explaining themselves, as the military officers spoke little Tamil and the passengers spoke little Sinhala, and their mutual knowledge of English was not sufficient to make it a link language in accordance with government policy. In this encounter, it seemed that the military officer had all the power and we as a citizens had none. This imbalance of power that I encountered for a brief period summarises the reality of life in Jaffna for the people who live in the midst of an overpowering military presence at virtually every major street corner. Indeed, the title of this article is derived from my observation at the airport that has everything to do with this imbalance of power and inability to appeal. Those of us who were in the bus waiting to be transported to Jaffna had a first hand view of this reality when a young woman was denied permission to board the aircraft that was making its return journey to Colombo after we had disembarked.

We watched a protracted negotiation that this young woman had with the military officers, and then watched her walking to our bus with her head bowed and tears streaming from her eyes. As she came and sat in the bus in front of my seat, I had the opportunity to ask what had happened. It turned out that the blue temporary permit that we were all given at Palali for entry and exit purposes from Jaffna did not suffice in her case, as she was a university student in Jaffna. Apparently the rules in military-run Jaffna changed constantly. She also needed a special clearance from the Civil Affairs Office of the military in Jaffna. She did not have this. The main topic of discussion on the three days I was present in Jaffna was the headline news in the local Jaffna newspapers regarding the army commander's interview with the international media. General Sarath Fonseka was quoted as saying that in the current war against terrorism it would not be possible to prevent killings and disappearances from taking place. The constant killings have created a terror psychosis in Jaffna where people do not wish to talk about politics because they do not know what will get them into trouble, and with whom. Although the army commander may have meant this as a truism, and the reality that is, this brutal logic was viewed with despair by the people I met. Although the curfew is supposed to be in force in Jaffna only from 9 pm, the shops start putting up their shutters at about 4 pm. By 5 pm the people start to disappear from the streets. People do not wish to take a chance of being caught out after it falls dark. Ironically, at about 6 pm, when we asked a soldier on duty at a checkpoint who had stopped us what time the curfew commenced at he said 7 pm. The problem of communication between Sinhala speaking soldiers and Tamil speaking civilians is compounded by lack of communication within the military itself. On the positive side, the encounters we had with the military were invariably polite ones even before they knew our group had Sinhalese people in it. Those who are living in terror do not wish to hear truisms, but expect instead that those who are vested, and entrusted, with the authority of the state to look after them, to protect them, and not leave them to the mercy of the killer squads, whether they be government-backed or LTTE, against whom there appeared to be a sense of sharp disillusionment for putting the people into this tragic situation. But bleak as the situation is, the human tendency is to hope and to seek to communicate. We went to Jaffna to see if an international conference on religion and peace could be held there. The answer was an overwhelming yes. The people yearn to be in solidarity with the rest of the country, and with the world. They do not wish to be shut off or forgotten.

With the JVP voting against the Budget 2008 at its second reading on November 19th, investigations against several JVP leaders have been triggered, reliable reports say. Reports further say that the Presidential Secretariat has ordered the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and the Special Branch of the Police to start investigations on the JVP General Secretary, Tilvin Silva, JVP MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake and another JVP activist known as Kumara Gunaratnam.The SIS functions under supervision of the Defence Secretary while the Special branch operates under the IGP of Police.The reports, which are due in two weeks, will relate to the activists’ present activities as well as those in the past. In addition, investigations are to probe as to whether any corruptions existed in the Ministry of Agriculture Development, during the time of MP Dissanayake as its Minister.Meanwhile, the government’s efforts to frame the JVP behind the killings in Tissamaharama have failed.

Canadian Liberal Foreign Affairs critic Bob Rae said yesterday the Harper government in Canada needed to express a stronger position on the need for a peaceful solution to the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka. "It is clear the ceasefire agreement has fallen apart. It is equally clear there is no military solution to the underlying causes of the conflict," Mr. Rae said. Canadian born United Nations Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour had taken a strong position, urging action and change by all parties to the conflict.“Canada should be doing more to support Ms. Arbour’s recommendations. Canada needs to be consistently outspoken in defence of human rights, and needs to remind the world of the loss of life and homelessness that has resulted from the conflict. More than 70,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced from their homes. There is no excuse for Canada's silence and inaction,” Mr. Rae said.

A MILLIONAIRE Merseyside entrepreneur was today behind bars after he kidnapped his business partner and threatened to kill him over a botched deal.Gerard Reid Snr tied up the man and held him captive for five days, beating him and forcing him to sign documents.The victim’s nightmare only ended when police acting on a tip-off swooped on Reid’s luxury home.Reid, 52, who owns property worth £3m, was jailed for 10 years after he was convicted of false imprisonment, assault and blackmail.A Liverpool crown court jury heard claims he strangled the Sri Lankan until he lost consciousness and accused him of stealing thousands of pounds from him.The pair were friends and partners and planned to build a hotel in Sri Lanka – until Reid suspected he was being ripped off.When Reid’s sister died in October last year, the Sri Lankan, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was invited to the funeral in Kirkby.But after the wake Reid confronted him and a row broke out.Reid took him to his home in Ribblers Lane, Kirkby, and tied him up before beating him.A source said: “Reid was furious and forced his business partner to sign an affidavit saying he had stolen thousands of pounds from him.“Together they had bought three or four plots of land together over in Sri Lanka and on one of them they had started building a hotel with about 15 rooms.“Gerard Reid is a successful businessman and has built up a good portffolio of property.“During the time he had him tied up he allowed the Sri Lankan to make phone calls to his girlfriend back home and it was after these conversations that she became very worried and phoned Sri Lankan police.“The Sri Lankan police informed their counterparts in the UK and ultimately Merseyside police.”Hours after being informed about the kidnap, Matrix team officers burst through the front door of Reid’s home and freed the terrified businessman.Reid was convicted at Liverpool crown court on November 12 and given 10 years for false imprisonment, seven years for blackmail and four years for making threats to kill.The judge ordered that the latter two sentences run concurrent with the first.Another court hearing will decide if cash can be seized from Reid.Reid was arrested on October 25, 2006, agfter an investigation by the crime operations unit.Detective Superintendent Mark Wadmore said: “The sentence follows a lengthy investigation involving partner agencies both in the UK and abroad.“Our joint working, along with the valuable support of the Crown Prosecution Service, helped to build a strong case file.“The outcome at court is testament to the hard work and the dedication of the officers involved in the investigation.”

TULF has condemned the attacks on Sunday Leader news paper press and the residence of Mr. Sripathiy Sooriyarachchi. The statement is as follows "The conduct of the unidentified gang in attacking and burning down the Leader News Paper Press is highly deplorable and should be very strongly condemned by every right-thinking person and by those who value democratic norms. Writing should be met by writing and not by thuggery or by any other undemocratic means. When the country is trying hard to reinstall democracy that had deteriorated to a great extent, it is indeed annoying and disturbing to see democracy eroding further day by day. The Government in it's own interest and to save its name should go all out to trace the culprits and punish them which I hope will not be difficult at all."Who-ever is responsible for this dastardly act or instrumental for it, should not go with the impression that they have achieved something great, forgetting the fact that it will boomerang on them one day, not far away. This type of actives will not help anybody other than brining ruin to the democratic principles and disgrace to the country."Every citizen should take it as an offence committed against every one of us and therefore should go all out to bring the culprits to book by giving all information they have or can gather about this incident, to the authorities."A petrol bomb thrown at the residence of Hon. Mr. Sooriyarachchi, Member of Parliament is equally deplorable. This act in inhuman and cowardly and should not be encouraged by any body under any circumstances. This should not happen even to the worst enemy. A big tragedy is averted, by his wife and four children escaping unhurt."A question every one of us should ask ourselves is whether we should tolerate this type of brutal acts in our society which is living in constant fear and tension and had suffered to the maximum due to the on-going war.

The Tamil Tigers in a latest release by its Heroâ€™s department claimed that they have lost 19,877 carders in their quest for a separate state for the Tamils in the Island nation of Sri Lanka.The 19,877 carders include 15,691 males and 4196 females, Heroes department further said. The period sited for the numbers from November 27, 1982 to 20 November 2007. The Tamil Tigers lost their first carder Lt. Shankar on November 27, 2007. Thatâ€™s the day widely celebrated by the Tamils as Heroes' Day.The Number includes 343 Black Tigers as well. Among them were 250 male black Tigers and 93 Female black Tigers. 102 of them died in land operations and 241 died on sea operations, the release said. This includes the 21 died on the airbase attack on October 22. The Tamil Tiger sea arm, the Sea Tigers considered being an effective conventional arm capable of crippling Sri lankaâ€™s sea operations. 279 auxiliary forces members, 37 Police personals who died on operational duties also included in the number. Another 478 civil society members who were killed by the government forces or the Para military forces for their commitment for the Tamil Cause also listed as Heroes.In an earlier release on November 20, 2006, The Tamil Tigers listed a total of 18,742 fighters as fallen Heroes. That means they lost another 1135 carders in the last one year of war, a defence analyst said in the Capital Colombo.

Nedumaran to address Durban meet

Tamil National Movement leader P Nedumaran will visit Durban in South Africa next week to attend a function to commemorate the "fallen heroes of Tamil Eelam", the organisers of the event said.Nedumaran, who is a member of the Tamil Nadu Assembly, will be a guest of the Tamil Co-Ordinating Committee of South Africa (TCCSA) and other Tamil organisations in Durban and Johannesburg."Mr Nedumaran will be the main guest speaker at the Heroes Day commemorations for the fallen heroes of Tamil Eelam at a function next week in Durban," Thangam Jogianna, a spokesperson for the TCCSA, said in Durban.She said South African Tamils fully supported the cause of Tamils in Sri Lanka."Mr Nedumaran, in addition to being a top politician, is also the founder President of the World Tamil Confederation and convenor of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Supporters Co-Ordination Committee. We would like to know from him how we could contribute more to the freedom of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka," she said.The TNM leader is also expected to hold talks with leaders of the ruling ANC.Nedumaran was arrested along with MDMK chief Vaiko and 260 others in Chennai on November 12 for defying ban orders and taking out a rally to mourn the death of LTTE's political wing secretary S P Thamilchelvan, who was killed in an air strike by the Sri Lankan Air Force.They were granted bail by a court on November 16.

Asian Human Right Commission recent update on the list of extrajudicial killings, another list of disappearances of 53 persons for the month of October 2007 has been reported in Sri Lanka.Despite reported cases of killings and disappearances, the government has failed to take genuine action to stop them. Due to a lack of investigation, the phenomenon of killings and disappearances has now extended to ordinary individuals.

Name (gender) and address of the victim/age/date of incident/district/brief detail of the case

1. Aapathsakayam Sugan (M) - Meesalai East Meesalai, Jaffna / na / 1 October 2007 / Jaffna / He was missing after having gone out from his home.

2. Kanapathipillai (M) - Tharumasenan, Navali, North Jaffna / 34 / 1 October 2007 /Jaffna / He, a father of four children was kidnapped at about 2:40am by the para military who came in a white van at Navaly North in Jaffna.

3. Murugaiah Ashokkumar (M) / 32 / 1 October 2007 / Trincomalee / He and his wife were on the road at Uppuveli in Trincomalee when a group
of gunmen in a white van kidnapped the man.

4. A woman (F) - Vavunatheevu Batticaloa / 26 / 1 October 2007 / Batticaloa / She was kidnapped by an unknown armed group of seven persons at Vavunatheevu in Batticalo.

5. A boy (M) - Mavadivempu, Batticaloa / 15 / 1 October 2007 / Batticaloa / He was allegedly kidnapped by members of the Karuna group.

6. Muththuthamby (M) - Jeyakanthan - Kondavil, North Jaffna / 31 / 2 October 2007 / Jaffna / He was taken by an unknown gun group.

7. A civilian (M) - Jaffna / na / 2 October 2007 / Jaffna / His disappearance was reported to Human Rights Commission Jaffna branch.

8. A civilian (M) - Savukkady, Eravur Batticaloa / 62 / 2 October 2007 / Batticaloa
9. A civilian (M) - Batticaloa / na / 2 October 2007 / Batticaloa [They (No. 8 and 9) were kidnapped by an unknown armed group]

10. Poopalasingam Mahinthan (M) - Vadaliyadaippu, Pandaththarippu, Jaffna / 25 / 3 October 2007 / Jaffna / He was missing after he
visited his relatives in Jaffna. No further information.

11. Paramasivam Nanthakumar (M) - Ayili, Karainagar Jaffna / 26 / 3 October 2007 / Jaffna / He is mentally handicapped. He has no identity card. While he was going to Jaffna, he was stopped by the Army at Siththankerny Junction and went missing.

12. A civilian (M) - Valikamam, Jaffna / 26 / 3 October 2007 / Jaffna / It was reported to the Human Rights Commission Jaffna branch that a
civilian was missing in Valikamam.

13. A civilian (M) - Amparai / 30 / 3 October 2007 / Amparai / He was kidnapped by an unknown armed group.

14. Vinayagamoorthy Anurajah (M) - Arumukanavalar Veethy, Chundukkuli
Jaffna / 20 / 4 October 2007 / Jaffna / He was taken by an army intelligence group at 3:30am.

15. Thadsanamoorthy Ahilaraja (M) - Thehivalai / 22 / 4 October 2007 / Colombo / He was born in Dehiwala and is working the Lanka Expo Company at Wellawatte Colombo. On the day he went missing he was on his way back from an official visit to Pettah.

16. Ponnaiya Thangavel (M) - Mullaitheevu / 49 / 4 October 2007 / Colombo / He went to Colombo and was staying in a lodge at Vevekanantha Street. He was taken by unknown men and disappeared.

17. A civilian (M) - Trincomalee / 44 / 5 October 2007 / Trincomalee / He was kidnapped by an armed group in a white van at Puliyankulam
Trincomalee.

18. Kantharaja Sooriyaraja (M) -Uppuveli,Trincomalee / 25 / 6 October 2007 / Trincomalee / He was taken by an armed group in a white van at Uppuveli, Trincomalee. This incident was reported by his parents to the Human Rights Commission Trincomalee branch and Sri Lankan Police Trincomalee.

19. Fradman (M) - Palaiyoottu Trincomalee / 33 / 6 October 2007 / Trincomalee / He was the father of three children, was taken away from his home by an armed group.

20. Sinnaththurai Sriskantharasa (M) - Karaveddy Puthu Veethy Jaffna / 35 / 6 October 2007 / Jaffna / He was the father of three children.
On that day he went to Jaffna on duty but did not return. This incident was reported to the Human Rights Commission Jaffna branch.

21. A civilian (M) - Vellaveli Batticaloa / na / 6 October 2007 / Batticaloa / He was kidnapped by an unknown armed group at Vellaveli
Batticaloa.

22. Selvanayakam Ramesh (M) - Karaveddy Karanavai West Anthiran Jaffna / 25 / 7 October 2007 / Jaffna / The incident was reported to
the Human Rights Commission Jaffna branch.

23. Sinnaththamby Inthirakumar (M) - Mandan Karanavi West Karaveddy Jaffna / 24 / 7 October 2007 / Jaffna / At 7:30am he disappeared in
Jaffna.

24. A civilian (M) - Trincomalee / na / 7 October 2007 / Trincomalee / He was kidnapped by an unknown armed group at Vellaveli Batticaloa.

25. Sivalingam Sunenthiran (M) -Puthukkudiyiruppu Batticaloa / 33 / 8 October 2007 / Batticaloa / The father of three children, was kidnapped by a group in white van at about 3:30pm.

26. Sivakadadsam Kamaleswaran (M) - Wellawattai / 29 / 9 October 2007
/ Colombo / He is an auto driver from Wellawatte Colombo. On that day he went to a video shop at Pamankadai. He did not return home.

27. Nadaraja Santhalinkam (M) - No 320 Manippai Veethy Five Junction Jaffna / 44 / 10 October 2007 / Jaffna / The complaint was made to
the Human Rights Commission Jaffna branch.

28. A civilian (M) - Velvettithurai Jaffna / na / 10 October 2007 / Jaffna / The complaint was made to the Human Rights Commission Jaffna
branch.

29. Two brothers (M) - Vavuniya / aged 11 and 14 / 10 October 2007 / They were kidnapped by unknown persons in the town of Vavuniya.

30. A civilian (M) - Batticaloa / 26 / 10 October 2007 / Batticaloa / He was kidnapped by unknown armed men from his working place in
Batticaloa.

31. Sinnaththamby Inthirakumar (M) - Mandan Karanavai West, Karaveddy, Jaffna / na / 11 October 2007 / Jaffna / He was kidnapped.
It was reported to the Human Rights Commission Jaffna office on the following day.

32. Suppaiya Sureshkumar (M) - Kaithady Central, Kaithady, Jaffna / na / 12 October 2007 / Jaffna / He was kidnapped and it was reported
to the Human Rights Commissions Jaffna branch.

33. Pathmalinkam Thulashika (F) - 3rd Part Pungudutheevu Jaffna / 21 / 14 October 2007 / Jaffna / She was a student and was studying in a
Private Tuition center. She was last seen close to the Sri Lankan Navy Camp. It was reported to the Human Rights Commission Jaffna branch.

34. S. Vamathevan (M) - Kallappadu Mullaitheevu / 60 / 14 October 2007 / Mullaitheevu / He went fishing from Kallappadu Mullaitheevu, but he did not return.

35. A civilian (M) - Vantharumoolai Batticaloa / 18 / 15 October 2007 / Batticaloa / He was allegedly kidnapped from his house by members of
the Karuna group.

36. A civilian (M) - Amparai / 37 / 15 October 2007 / Amparai / He was kidnapped from his home at Akkaraippattu in Amparai.

37. Rasalinkam Srikanthan (M) - Kochchikadai, Colombo / 35 / / 16 October 2007 / Colombo / While he was traveling from Kochchikadai,
Colombo to Wellawatte on a motor bike, he went missing. This incident was reported to the Presidential Commission on Disappearances.

38. A woman (F) - Thirunelveli Jaffna / na / 16 October 2007 / Jaffna / She was living in Vavuniya. From Vavuniya she came to Thirunelvely
Jaffna and stayed for a short period. At that time a gang came in a white van and kidnapped her. She came from Vavuniya to see her daughter who was staying in a lodge at Maruthanarmadam and was studying. Before this incident the family was threatened with murder. The husband of the family went to the Human Rights commission Jaffna branch and asked if he could stay in the Jaffna Jail for his own safety.

39. Sellaiya Rasalingam (M) - Madduvil, Chavakachcheri, Jaffna / 44 / 16 October 2007 / Jaffna / It was reported to the Human Rights
Commission Jaffna branch. He went for work and did not come back home.

40. Kanapathippillai Kanthasamy (M) -Piranpattu, Pandaththarippu, Jaffna / 58 / 18 October 2007 / Jaffna / He was a father of four children. He went for work and disappeared. It was reported to the Human Rights Commission Jaffna branch.

41. A woman (F) - Kiran Batticaloa / 24 / 18 October 2007 / Batticaloa / She was allegedly kidnapped from her home by two members of the Karuna group.

42. A civilian (M) - Amparai / na / 19 October 2007 / Amparai / This man went to the office of Karuna party in Amparai to enquire about the whereabouts of his son-in-law who was kidnapped. Then he too disappeared

43. Thankavelu Kirupakaran (M) - Varani Polykandy Jaffna / 23 / 20 October 2007 / Jaffna / While he was going along with the main road in Polykandy, Jaffna. Unknown persons in white van kidnapped him and left.

44. Kanthasamy Kalairuban (M) - Uduppiddy Jaffna / 23 / 20 October 2007 / Jaffna / It is reported that he went from Uduppiddy in Jaffna,
but did not return.

45. Piraisoody Suthakaran (M) - Samarapagu Polykandy, Jaffna / 26 / 21 October 2007 / Jaffna / An unknown armed group went to his house and threaten the house owners and then kidnapped the said person from his home in Samarapagu Polykandy in Jaffna.

46. A civilian (M) - Savukkady Batticaloa / 18 / 21 October 2007 /Batticaloa / He was allegedly kidnapped by the Karuna party at Savukkady Batticaloa.

47. Sanmugalingam Thaneshwary (F) - Ariyalai Jaffna / 11 / 23 October 2007 / Jaffna / She went with her friends to see the exhibition in
Ramanathan Academy in Maruthanarmadam Jaffna but she went missing. It was reported to the Human Rights Commission Jaffna branch.

48. Sinnaththurai Siththiravellutham (M) - Iluppaikulam, Sampaltheevu, Trincomalee / 37 / 23 October 2007 / Trincomalee / 8 armed personnel came in a white van to his home and kidnapped him at Sampaltheevu in Trincoamlee.

49. Nadarasa Looganathan (M) -Veerapperiyankulam Panankamam Mannar /23 / 23 October 2007 / Mannar / He went to hunt at Neddankandal area
in Mannar. But he did not return.

50. Somasutharam Santhakumar (M) - Ariyalai Jaffna / 37 / 26 October 2007 / Jaffna / He went to a shop and was reported missing.

51. Thavarasa Thavanesan (M) - Colombothurai Jaffna / 20 / 27 October2007 / Jaffna / He went out from his house, but he has not returned.
It was reported to the Human Rights Commission Jaffna branch.

52. Kulasingam Senthuran (M) - Iyankerny Eravur, Batticaloa / 21 / / 30 October 2007 / Batticaloa / Over 10 personnel of Karuna group came to his house and kidnapped at around 9:30.

53. Sivakuru Panchalingam (M) - Kuppilan North Ealai Jaffna / 66 / 31 October 2007 / Jaffna / At around 7am, unknown armed group in a white
van came to his house and kidnapped him. His wife and children are living in abroad.

The residence of Sri Lanka Freedom Party Mahajana Wing Chief Coordinator Sripathi Sooriyarachchi has come under a bomb attack. According to reports, an unidentified group had lobbed two patrol bombs at Sooriyarachchi’s residence at No. 08, Austin Place in Borella at around 8.20 pm today (Nov. 22nd). Police officers who were guarding the residence at the time fired at the attackers, who had fled in the trishaw they had come. Though the front windowpanes of the house were slightly damaged, timely action by the police officers had averted a disaster, reports say.At the time of the incident, Sooriyarachchi had been at a meeting with Mangala Samaraweera at the latter’s residence, according to reports.

Six gunboats of Sea Tigers, the naval wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), Friday morning at 7:50 approached Peasaalai in Mannaar and opened fired from their vessels on coastal naval and police posts, Police said. The Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) from Peasaalai and Vangkaalaippaadu were engaged in fighting the Sea Tigers. Thereafter, a naval clash erupted 2 km off Peasalai and lasted for 35 minutes. The clash later shifted to Thalai Mannaar and went on for more than 3 hours in the seas off Thalai Mannaar. Some houses on the Peasalai coast have sustained damages during the clash and civilians in wards 01, 02, 03 and 04 sought refuge at Our Lady of Victory Church. Later, the civilians from the remain four wards also fled their houses and sought refuge at St. Mary's school. All traffic to and from Thalai Mannar via Peasaalai on A14 road was halted from 7:50 a.m.

Sri Lanka says 17 Tamil rebels killed in coastal raid

Sri Lankan forces killed at least 17 Tamil Tiger rebels on Friday repulsing a guerrilla attack on a police post in the northwest, the defence ministry said.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) despatched seven boats to attack the Pesalai police post on the coast of Mannar district, the ministry said in a statement. Police and troops beat back the rebels killing 17, without suffering any loses, the ministry said. There was no immediate word from the LTTE which is fighting for an independent homeland for the island's ethnic Tamil minority. Casualty tolls reported by both sides in the war can rarely be verified. The government does not allow journalists free access to conflict areas.

Kingston Crown court has released, Arunachalam Chrishanthakumar, 50, also known as AC Shanthan, on bail Thursday afternoon, a BBC report said. Shanthan was arrested on charges under UK Terrorism Act 2000.Shanthan was accused of arranging meetings on behalf of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, and procuring military equipment for the rebel group.Shanthan, from Norbury, South London, had denied all charges.

Sri Lanka sovereign bonds plummet as govt. seeks new cash

Sri Lanka's maiden sovereign bond has plunged in the secondary market just a month after its issue, as authorities indicated that the country may go to international markets again for new dollars.The 500 million dollar sovereign bond which was issued in late on October 23, was oversubscribed. But now its value is plummeting, causing heavy losses to buyers. ING Bank was quoting two-way on the Sri Lanka 5-year sovereign bond at 93.0/94.50 on Thursday indicating a capital loss of more than 5 percent for its initial subscribers within a month. The yield at the bid price is around 10.089/9.68 percent, a sharp deterioration from the issue coupon of 8.25 percent indicating that the spread over US treasuries has almost doubled from the issue premium of 397 basis points. Ghana which issued a 10-year bond was being quoted by three parties at around 104.75/105.75 indicating a yield of around 7.86/7.57 percent. This was a sharp improvement from the issue price of 8.50 percent. Ghana has a B+ rating from Fitch compared to a BB- rating for Sri Lanka. Meanwhile a rupee denominated 5-year bond bond maturing in 2012 that was popular among foreign investors was quoted around 17.00/17.50 percent after opening around 18.00 on Thursday. Foreign investors bought the rupee bond at 14.25 percent in the first two quarters of 2007 amidst claims by authorities that inflation and interest rates would fall later in the year. On Wednesday one year Treasuries topped 18.00 percent a week after the government admitted that 56 billion rupees raised from the sovereign dollar bond had already been spent on short term debt repayment and settling printed money. The government originally claimed that the money would go for infrastructure development, a claim that was widely disbelieved. Now Sri Lanka is looking for more foreign money. "A bond sale is certainly an option, especially as there has been an appetite for Sri Lanka," Central Bank Governor Nivard Cabraal told the Bloomberg news agency. "We will have to look at the markets stabilizing for the timing and size." The government spent the 500 million dollars in a matter of days. The Central Bank has said that sales of rupee bonds also raised an estimated 460 million dollars in the first two quarters of 2007. The uses of the money were not disclosed. Sri Lanka has a deficit spending economic framework based on heavy public sector recruitment, subsidies and an anti-privatization strategy.

India yesterday asked Sri Lanka to expedite implementation of the package for devolution of powers for Tamils in the island nation to help solve the ethnic conflict there.This was conveyed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee during his 40-minute meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama here this morning.The quick operationalisation of the package was necessary so that non-extremist Tamils in Sri Lanka are not alienated and are retained in the mainstream of the island's population, official sources said.Bogollagama, in turn, said the package prepared by a committee set up by President Mahinda Rajapakse consisting of representatives of almost all political parties is expected to be finalised by the year-end before being implemented.At the same time, India encouraged Sri Lanka to carry on the dialogue with the LTTE for a solution to the problem within the territorial integrity of the country.What India wanted to see happening in Sri Lanka was greater devolution of powers to Tamils in that country to retain their linguistic, cultural and ethnic identities, the sources said. The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister told PTI after the meeting that "we had a very productive meeting during which we discussed the entire gamut of bilateral relations."Replying to a question, he said the political process, including devolution of power, came up for discussion in the meeting with Mukherjee.Bogollagama said Sri Lanka has entered the "final phase" of the all-party report on the power devolution and it is expected to be firmed up by the year-end.The Indian side at the meeting said now that the Sri Lankan Parliament has passed the budget without depending on the support of Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP), even the devolution of power package could be given the go-ahead without its help.

Sri Lanka bans Tamil Tiger 'front'

Sri Lanka's government is to outlaw a charity believed to be a front organisation for separatist Tamil Tiger rebels, media minister Anura Yapa said Thursday.Ministers met Wednesday and decided to proscribe the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) whose bank accounts were frozen by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka last year, he said. "The cabinet decided yesterday to ban the TRO and also ask other governments to do the same," Yapa said. The United States last week froze TRO assets after accusing the charity of providing financial support to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam at home. The US Treasury designated the TRO a group that raises money for the rebels which Washington branded a terrorist organisation from October 1997. The US embassy here alleged the TRO, which says it is a charity, helped the LTTE buy munitions, equipment, communication devices and other technology in the US. The Tigers are leading a campaign for independence for the Tamil minority in this majority Sinhalese nation that has left tens of thousands dead since 1972.No date was announced for the ban to come into force but cabinet decisions usually take about a week to be ratified.

Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO) MP M.K. Sivajilingam took the centre-stage in Parliament yesterday when he stormed into the Well of the House and ran towards Deputy Speaker Geethanjana Gunawardena an shouted against ‘racist’ Deputy Speaker The MP appeared to be upset when Mr. Gunawardena who was in the Chair requested him to wind up his speech citing the time allotted to him had expired.Mr.Sivagilingam insisted that he had two more minutes to wind up his speech. However, the Deputy Speaker rejected the MP’s claim and requested JVP MP Ranaweera Pathirana to start his speech as the next speaker. He accused the Deputy Speaker of being ‘racist’ in the House. However, Mr. .Sivajilingam was prevented from proceeding further towards the Deputy Speaker by non-Cabinet Minister Jagath Pushpakumara.Later the other TNA MPs led their colleague back to his seat. We TELO have to stand united and show the world that we treasure our freedom and self-respect more than our lives.

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse has departed for Ugandan capital of Kampala to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Governments Meeting, said the government on Thursday. Rajapakse departed in the early hours of Thursday aboard a special flight of the state owned airline, Mihin Lanka, presidential officials said. The three-day event brings together representative from 53 nations and Friday's inauguration is to be conducted by the Queen Elizabeth II of Britain. The Commonwealth nations has a population of 1.8 billion, or 30percent of the world's total. Sri Lankan officials said that immediately after his Kampala visit the president will undertake an official tour to Iran.

At least 22,000 people in Sri Lanka's northern region have been forced to leave their homes since the beginning of September due to fighting between troops and Tamil Tiger rebels, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has said. It claimed that the situation in Omanthai, which is the only viable entry point connecting LTTE dominated areas with rest of the country, is still tense. The ICRC offices in Vavuniya and Mannar continued to carry out basic water-supply and sanitation work as well as to build accommodation at several sites where people forced to flee their homes are now living. According to the local authorities, at present there are 11,200 displaced people in the Mannar district with majority of them staying with host families and the remaining accommodated in 13 different sites set up by aid agencies. Another 10,000 displaced people in Manthai West in North Mannar are either living with host families or have found shelter in one of several sites, ICRC said. It said hostilities between the security forces and the LTTE were concentrated over the past month in the Mannar and Jaffna districts in the north of the country. The fighting was restricted to the uninhabited area of Muhamalai, south of the Jaffna peninsula, and the sparsely populated area of Madhu, to the northwest of Vavuniya, the ICRC said. The ICRC also said there was fighting in the area surrounding the Omanthai entry/exit point, sandwiched between areas controlled by the government and the LTTE.

Body of Anura B’s security officer found in Beira Lake

The body of a policeman serving in the security detail of National Heritage Minister Anura Bandaranaike was fished out of the Beira Lake in Colombo yesterday (Nov. 21st), reports say.He has been identified as Wasantha Bandaranayake, a resident of Aranayake, Mawanella.The policeman had not come for work for the last two days, and was reported as missing.Police are investigating to determine the cause of death.

Security forces accused of complicity in arson attack on Leader Publications -RWB

Reporters Without Borders which is a International Media Orgnization condemns an arson attack early today on the printing press of the Sunday Leader media group, which is located in a high security area outside Colombo. About 15 gunmen that staged the attack must have had support within the security forces, the press freedom organisation said. "Armed men have once again attacked a independent news media in a high security area of the capital," Reporters Without Borders said. "It unfortunately shows that the press freedom enemies have accomplices within the security forces. By attacking the Leader Publications group, this gang wanted to silence one of the main sources of incisive criticism of the current government. We urge foreign diplomats to publicly express their solidarity with the group." Leader Publications owns two English-language newspapers, The Sunday Leader and Morning Leader, and the Sinhalese-language weekly Irudina. Its printing press is located Ratmalana, a high-security zone adjoining a military airport outside the capital. A gang consisting of both Sinhalese and Tamils stormed the premises early this morning, rounded up all of the 25 employees and, at gunpoint, forced them hand over their mobile phones. Then they doused the presses with petrol and set them on fire. They also set fire to the thousands of copies of today's issue of the Morning Leader, which was about to be distributed. Firemen took an hour to put out the blaze. A Sunday Leader journalist told Reporters Without Borders that the presses would be out of commission for several months. The group would have to use the services of a commercial printer in order to continue publishing, he said. The damage will also affect the Tamil daily Sudar Oli, which was printed on Leader Publications' presses. Sunday Leader editor Lasantha Wickramatunga described the attacked as a commando operation carried out on the government's orders. Known for his investigations and critical editorials, Wickramatunga has been accused by ruling party parliamentarians of supporting the Tamil Tiger rebels. The government had planned to arrest him in late 2006 for revealing the construction of a luxurious presidential bunker in Colombo, but backed down for fear of triggering strong international criticism. An armed group already set fire to newspapers at the Leader Publications printing press in October 2005, but employees put the fire out before the presses were damaged.

Janata party President Subramanian Swamy yesterday demanded the dismissal of the DMK Government in Tamil Nadu as Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had "violated" the oath of office by eulogising LTTE's political wing leader S P Tamilselvan, killed in an air strike by Sri Lankan forces recently.By eulogising a leader of the banned outfit, the Chief Minister had violated the oath of office to abide by the Constitution, he told reporters here.If the Centre did not take action against Karunanidhi, he would move the Supreme Court seeking the dismissal of the DMK Government, Swamy said.

unidentified gang set fire to one of the major newspaper printing houses early this morning (21st Nov 2007). Printing press of the Leader Publications, which publish weekly The Sunday Leader, mid weekly Morning Leader and Sinhala Weekly Irudina was completely destroyed by the fire. The printing house was situated at 24, Katukurunduwatta Road, Rathmalana. The damage estimated at millions of rupees. Today issue of Morning Leader print run was on, when the gang of 15 forced themselves into the printing house. The gang first forced management and workers to hand over their mobile phones and to kneel down before setting fire to the machines, according to journalists who visited the scene. Recently the Morning Leader editor has been very critical of Asia Tribune website, which according to the editor working in hand in hand with the break away LTTE militant group now headed by Pilleyan. She filed a civil defamation case against the web site weeks ago and in retaliation website unleashed a series of articles attacking the editor.The Sunday leader printing press was set on fire earlier occasion on 17th October 2005 in the run up to presidential election. The newspaper and its editor Mr. Lasantha Wikramatunga as well as Morning Leader Editor Sonali Samarasinghe have been harassed and threatened continuously during the last two years. All Leader publications are very critical towards the government and exponents of opposition political views.

The Indian government's policy on Sri Lanka is confined to strategic aspects of peace process involving the LTTE to avoid controversies due to its "survival pre-occupations", a leading Sri Lankan newspaper said here on Tuesday. "India, the 'reluctant big brother', has been studiously avoiding any open or close involvement in (Sri Lankan President) Rajapakse's style of running the country. It is still focusing on strategic aspects of peace process rather than contentious issues of tactical governance, because they are the least controversial," the Daily Mirror said. In a half-page article on the completion of two years of Rajapakse's government, writer Colonel (Rtd) R Hariharanon says: "Currently getting involved too closely in Sri Lanka does not suit the Manmohan Singh regime because of its survival preoccupations." "His desire to hold on to the continued support of Tamil Nadu political parties has precluded the Indian prime minister from acting on Sri Lanka's request for supply of arms or overtly supporting the President's military actions," the article says. "Thus India, perhaps wittingly, has opened a convenient door for Sri Lanka to import arms from other countries including China and Pakistan." Rajapakse also perhaps assesses that in the long term, if Tamil refugee outflow to India is kept in check, and India's counsel is listened to, India's ruling leadership will continue its present policy, it says. "That includes silent defence and intelligent cooperation with Sri Lanka without publicity." The article says due to political constraints, India does not want to enter into any defence pact with Sri Lanka "except for some spares and ammunition for Russian generic weapons, and the so called non-lethal defence supplies". The article claims that India's strong business partnership with the Island nation would deter New Delhi from intervening like it did two decades ago even if the situation worsens. "The Tamil leadership in Sri Lanka should understand this and contextualise their expectations," it says.

The TNA in parliament yesterday said the government had not tabled any proposals to solve the ethnic problem and justify the war, which would cost the country over Rs. 166 billion next year according to budgetary estimates of the 2007 Appropriation Bill.Speaking on the first day of the committee stage debate of the Budget, TNA Leader R. Sampanthan said the Tamil people wanted the right to internal self determination in the areas of historical habitation of the Tamil speaking people in the North and East.Mr. Sampanthan charged that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was not honest in his approach to prevent a political solution which satisfies the aspiration of Tamils for self governance. The MP said that in 1983 the Defence expenditure was Rs. 1.7 billion, and now it is Rs. 166 billion.He stressed that even if the government military campaign destroys Prabhakaran and defeats the LTTE, the Tamil struggle would continue.He said that the 1981 census showed that 73 percent of Tamils lived in the North and East of the country, while noting that it was ‘worrying’ that President Rajapaksa says that now 54 percent of Tamils live outside the North-East.Mr. Sampanthan said that only one nine-hundredth (1/900) of the total budget estimates of Rs. 925 billion had been set aside as Capital Expenditure for Social Welfare Minister, Douglas Devananda.He added that only Rs. 2 billion had been set aside for resettlement and disaster relief services, in the Budget.Mr. Sampanthan said that according to the country’s GDP Defence expenditure ratio, Sri Lanka had the highest relative Defence expenditure in the world, higher than Sudan, Sierra Leone and Myanmar. He added that Sri Lanka was the most militarized state in South Asia with 8,000 forces personnel per 1 million civilians.

Sri Lanka Freedom Party People's Wing Convener Mangala Samaraweera vows the Government will definitely be toppled at the third reading of the budget as a large number of Government MPs will vote in opposition to the budget on that day.At a press briefing held in Colombo today Samaraweera said that despite all attempts to show massive victory by several Government heads, the second reading vote showed that the actual margin between the Government and the opposition was seven votes. He pointed out that two MPs of the Tamil National Alliance were absent for voting due to threats and Wijedasa Rajapakse and Nandana Gunathilaka abstained from voting. If their votes are counted as votes against the budget, the opposition increases to 106 votes. Seven votes are needed to defeat the Government and that could be obtained definitely by December 14, said Samaraweera. Samaraweera said that the Government MPs who were desperate to topple the Government were instructed to wait until JVP announced its decision. He says that the instability of the Government has been proved now. MP Mangala Samaraweera further said that the Chandrika regime did not attempt to obtain political mileage when the Army killed the second-in-command of Pottu Amman. But the current regime launched a poster campaign with slogans like 'Gotabhaya the Great' when Thamilchelvan was killed as if that Gotabhaya strangled Chelvan. Samaraweera said that more likes of Prabakaran would come in hundreds to replace the position if Prabakaran was destroyed and emphasized that the terrorism could not be ended until the ethnic problem remained. He said no country in the world solved an ethnic issue through war.He said that firecrackers were lit after the budget by a gang led by 'Kudu Lal' showing whose Government it was. Samaraweera said that they were ready to bring a new political culture after the middle of December.

Taking exception to protest demonstrations on the death of LTTE Political Wing leader S.P. Thamilchelvan in an air raid on November 2, president of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) V. Anandasangaree appealed to leaders and people of Tamil Nadu to put pressure on the LTTE to end the war and go to the negotiating table.Mr. Anandasangaree said the sympathy in some quarters was due to lack of understanding of “ground realities” in Sri Lanka.“I strongly urge the leaders and the people of Tamil Nadu to take into serious consideration the several matters brought out in this urgent appeal and to demonstrate against Mr. Prabakaran demanding him to cry halt to his meaningless war and to come to terms with the Government of Sri Lanka, giving up his demand for separation and to agree for a Federal Solution or as an alternative to agree for an Indian Model for which very wide support among the Sri Lankans can be obtained. Let Tamil Nadu not make a historical blunder by supporting the LTTE.” The TULF leader said Thamilchelvan was not a Mahatma Gandhi or Martin Luther King for Tamil Nadu to react hotly. He said it was the LTTE’s war with the Sri Lankan Government which led to the death. The TULF leader said 10 days before the killing of Thamilchelvan, his leader Mr. Prabakaran had posed for photographs with the 21 suicide bombers who attacked the Anuradhapura air base on October 22 and Thamilchelvan cannot escape responsibility for the incident.

The TMVP yesterday said the TNA had agreed to abstain from voting at the budget, which the latter rejected saying that no such understanding was reached between the two.The TMVP said TNA MPs representing the east had met Pillayan on November 17 and had agreed to abstain from voting.The TMVP said they were asked not to oppose the budget, as it would result in the government ignoring the east.The TMVP said the meeting between the two parties was held in a hotel near Colombo and that Pillayan had headed the TMVP group. "Even Pirapaharan attacked other people when he attacked the TMVP. "Mahinda Rajapakse would totally ignore the east if the TNA MPs from the east voted against the budget," the TMVP said. The TMVP said that the TNA MPs, who had agreed on Saturday to abstain, were forced to change their minds due to pressure exerted by the LTTE."Only Kanagasabai kept his word and we are grateful to him," the TMVP said.However, TNA Batticaloa MP K. Thankeswari told The Morning Leader no one from the TNA had attended the said meeting."I never left my house after Friday until yesterday. No TNA members attended any meeting on Saturday," she said

Sri Lanka was among the top 10 countries where applications were received for asylum status in Britain during the third quarter (Q3) of this year. According to statistics by the UK Home Office 245 Sri Lankans had sought asylum in Britain this year, a one percent increase from the first quarter.

The TELO Jaffna MP said yesterday many leaders had unsuccessfully pursued a military solution to the ethnic conflict and a similar fate would befall President Mahinda Rajapaksa if he too tried to push such a solution down the throats of the Tamil people.Speaking during the budget debate, Jaffna district TELO & TNA MP N. Srikantha said the government was hell-bent on a military solution and said the TNA would vote against the budget on the grounds it was a war, budget. Commenting on the Batticaloa TNA MPs receiving threats, he said it was a shame the government was using ‘murderous mercenaries’ to intimidate and blackmail the people’s representatives. Meanwhile, Wanni District TNA MP Sivanathan Kishor said the previous UNP government did not hold peace talks on a genuine basis.He said the UNP was also bracing for war by separating Karuna from the LTTE to de-stabilize the organization. “During that period, the LTTE was allowed to open up political offices in government areas. The present government is using the video visuals of those LTTE persons who did political work in these offices, to identify and attack them,” he said.

Govt. didn’t have cakewalk to budget win

The government did not have a cakewalk to the passage of Budget 2008, which it finally secured with a 16-vote majority this evening (Nov. 19th) after much political haggling.The result read 118 votes in favour and 102 opposed, with two abstentions and absentees each. Members from the SLFP, the SLMC, the CWC, the UPF and the JHU voted ‘yes’ for budget proposals for next year.SLFP strongman Anura Bandaranaike stressed that he supported the budget only in consideration of his late parents, who had been mentors of the party. JHU’s Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera and UNP defector Mahinda Rathnatilake also voted in favour. The UNP, the JVP, the TNA, the SLFP Mahajana Wing and the WPF opposed the budget, while JVP's Nandana Gunatilake and UPFA's Wijayadasa Rajapakse abstained. TNA MPs T. Kanagasabe and M.K. Elavendran, whose family members have received death threats, were absent at the vote. This time, members voted by name. Meanwhile, political analysts describe the passage of budget as yet another "military victory" for the government, as it had launched several offensives with political objectives in mind, in the northern and eastern battlefronts in the run up to the budget. One such military operation, staged during the presentation of the proposals by the President in the House targeting the Muhamalai FDL in Jaffna, had been a failure. Then came an operation to lure opposition MPs to government ranks.Success first came in the way of Western Provincial Councilor Duminda Silva, followed by three others from the WPC.Exchanges became even after National List MP Wijayadasa Rajapakse crossed over and sat in the opposition after presenting seven conditions for the government to fulfill. Several attempts were made, with personal interventions by the President, Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and Minister Dilan Perera, to get the UPFA MP to change his mind. Although he had promised them support, the outcome was that he abstained at the vote. In the meantime, Ratnapura District MP Mahinda Rathnatilake of the UNP defected and was accommodated at Room No: 2007 of Galle Face Hotel under Presidential Security Division guard.When a journalist from Sirasa TV tried to contact Rathnatilake on his mobile phone, Minister Mervyn Silva answered the call.When asked about the UNP MP, the minister had replied that he was in discussion with the President. At the vote, Rathnatilake voted in favour of the budget. The JVP too, put forward four preconditions, but refused an invitation by the President to discuss matters and insisted the government fulfils the demands. The government did not make a favourable response, and this forced the JVP members to vote against the budget, except for Nandana Gunatilake. The government went to the extremes by planning several intimidations targeting doubtful supporters of the budget.Some of them were suddenly summoned before the CID, while the TNA MPs came under threat from paramilitary groups.Police protection provided to the residences of TNA MPs was withdrawn, while the nephew of MP T. Kanagasabe was abducted. Safety concerns prevented TNA MPs Kanagasabe and M.K. Elavendran from being present at the budget vote. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, escorted by a large STF contingent, visited the residence of Wijayadasa Rajapakse, while a team of soldiers had gone to the house of UNP MP Sagala Ratnayake in Deniyaya.'Lanka Dissent' has been in the forefront of reporting all these unfolding events.Furthermore, 'Lanka Dissent' broke the news that the JVP would vote against the budget, which the party kept a secret to the end.

S. Sajitharan, the son-in-law of the Batticaloa district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian T. Kanagasabai was released by the paramilitary Pillayaan Group after the budget voting in Sri Lankan parliament Monday evening. Mr. Sajitharan has contacted the MP over the phone and informed that he was released, TNA sources in Colombo said.Three of four Batticaloa district TNA parliamentarians defied threats by paramilitary warning them not to vote against the budget despite the withdrawal of the police security provided to their residences in Batticaloa on Sunday.TNA parliamentarians from Batticaloa had received threatening telephone calls from the paramilitary operative Pillayaan on Sunday.

Parliament was stormy during the budget debate yesterday after TNA MP S. Gajendran threw a book at EPDP leader and Minister Douglas Devananda after he made some remarks aimed at him. Gajendran has always been at the centre of controversy because of critical remarks made on the army by him together with his criticism of the government in the House.After yesterday’s incident, Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle requested Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara to take disciplinary action against Gajendran for his misconduct in Parliament. Fernandopulle said action is necessary when one member attacks another in the House.The Speaker replied it would be appropriate and gentlemanly if Ganjendran apologizes in this regard. “You can display your gentlemanly qualities by apologizing at this moment,” he said. However, Gajendran remained tight lipped without responding to Speaker Lokubandara.

As Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse begins his third year in office, India is desperately hoping that he will unveil a credible power sharing package to end one of the world's most protracted conflicts.After two years of escalating violence and many political twists and turns, the optimism in New Delhi seems to be slowly ebbing away vis-a-vis an early negotiated solution to a strife that has claimed nearly 70,000 lives since 1983.Although Rajapakse chose India as his first destination after narrowly winning the Nov 17, 2005, presidential election and has visited New Delhi four times, the Sri Lankan leader is not revealing his cards to the Indian leadership.The belief here is that Colombo understands the seriousness of New Delhi's repeated urgings not to harp on a military solution even as it wins some battles against the Tamil Tigers and not to lose sight of the larger Tamil issues.As a consequence, India remains firmly supportive of Norway's role as a facilitator in the war between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the government.IANS learns that Norway's special envoy to Sri Lanka, Jon Hannsen-Bauer, may visit Colombo in early 2008 to try to take forward a peace process hit hard after the violence of the past two years that has killed thousands.The intended visit has taken added importance after a dramatic spurt in tit-for-tat attacks.On Oct 21, the LTTE dealt a stinging blow when a suicide squad attacked a Sri Lankan Air Force base in the northcentral district of Anuradhapura destroying 10 jets and damaging 14, some beyond repair.On Nov 2, the air force hit back, bombing an LTTE base and killing among others the group's political chief S.P. Tamilchelvan, the most high profile LTTE leader to die at the hands of the military.Amid the bloodshed, India and other countries are banking on a positive outcome from the prolonged deliberations of the All Party Representative Committee (APRC), which has been tasked to come up with a power sharing formula that will be nationally acceptable.But much of the initial optimism has given way to pessimism. Critics say the ARPC has become a smokescreen for the government not to do anything beyond paying lip service to a negotiated solution to keep donor countries in good humour.And even as the military prepares for a major push against the LTTE in the north, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the main opposition United National Party (UNP) are draggers drawn, spiking a possible chance of their coming together to evolve a consensus on devolution of power.Some here feel that if the APRC fails to come up with a just resolution of the grievances of the minorities, it will only prove that the ethnic conflict cannot be settled from within the island nation.Sri Lanka has also come under intense attack from domestic and international rights groups and Western countries over the large-scale unaccounted killings as well as disappearances in the country.N. Manoharan, an Indian scholar on Sri Lanka, says that while Rajapakse has taken some positive measures since coming to power, much of it has been negated by his own actions."Convening the APRC was a good move. But then came his own party's (widely criticised) devolution proposals and attempts to sideline the APRC," Manoharan, from New Delhi's Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, told IANS."Another good move by the president was the idea of reviving a bipartisan consensus between the SLFP and the UNP on the ethnic conflict," he said. "Again that got negated when the president poached MPs from the UNP."Colombo is optimistic that it can bring the LTTE to its knees by attacking the Tiger-held north. But the LTTE is confident of resisting any military challenge. "So there is no possibility of a negotiated settlement, at least for one or two years," Manoharan said.

A proof-reader of Uthayan Tamil daily in Jaffna is feared abducted Friday morning on his way home after night duty at Uthayan office, his parents complained at Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna office. Meanwhile, a family man from Thumpa’lai, Point Pedro in Vadamaraadchi has gone missing since Friday and a 26-year old youth from Jaffna Monday sought protection to his life with HRC Jaffna due to death threats by Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, sources in Jaffna said.Vadivelu Nirmalaraj, 31, a proof-reader for Uthayan is a resident of Kachcheari-Nalloor road in Jaffna.Nirmalarajah's parents said they suspect that their son had been abducted.Nirmalaraj’s house is located around 2 km from Uthayan office.The family man gone missing is identified as Nadarajah Nithiyarajah, 37, the father of three children. He was not seen after leaving home Friday in Point Pedro.A staffer of Thinakkural daily in Jaffna had been reported missing recently in Eazhaalai area.

At least 19 LTTE militants were killed and three soldiers injured in various clashes between security forces and Tamil rebels in Sri Lanka's embattled northern region, the army said here on Monday."At least five LTTE militants were killed and many others wounded when security forces ambushed an LTTE movement at west of Thampanai in Vavuniya this evening," the Defence Ministry said in a statement.In Wanni, troops detecting an LTTE movement Northeast of Navathkulama fired rocket propelled grenades (RPG), killing two militants on Sunday, sources said.Meanwhile, three soldiers were wounded in an anti-personnel mine explosion at Kandapermakulam on Sunday, according to military reports.At Umayaratuvrankulam in Wanni, two militants were killed and three others wounded in clashes on Sunday, troops said citing intercepted rebel communication.While one tiger rebel was killed in Parappakandal in North-western Mannar on Sunday, two were killed in Umayarasakulam in West of Vavuniya on Sunday, the army said.In Navathkulam in the same district, two Tiger cadres were gunned down by troops in a confrontation on Sunday, while four other militants were killed in North Periyathampane the same day, the defence ministry said.In Vilayathikulam area in Northern Vavuniya, LTTE intercepts confirmed that a militant was killed on Sunday when troops fired artillery rounds, it said. Meanwhile, in Tampane area in Vavuniya, troops during a search operation recovered 147 anti-personnel mines.

Sri Lanka's central bank will probably keep its key interest rate unchanged at the highest level in Asia after inflation accelerated to a nine-month high. Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Nivard Cabraal will leave the repurchase rate at 10.5 percent for a ninth straight meeting, according to 10 of 11 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News. One economist expects a quarter-point cut. The decision is due tomorrow at 7.30 a.m. in Colombo. Borrowing costs at a five-year high will help Sri Lanka deal with record oil prices and may drag inflation down below 10 percent in 2008, according to Cabraal. The central bank expects growth in the $27 billion economy, constrained by renewed violence in the island's civil war, to slow to 6.7 percent this year from 7.4 percent in 2006. ``The central bank is likely to continue with a tight monetary policy given high inflation,'' said Yolan Seimon, research manager at John Keells Stock Brokers Ltd. in Colombo. ``They can't afford to increase rates any further as it will stifle growth.'' Three interest-rate increases between September and February helped slow consumer-price gains to as low as 13 percent in June from a decade high of 20.5 percent in January. Inflation unexpectedly accelerated last month to 19.6 percent from 17.3 percent in September. The central bank expects inflation to moderate next year even as it noted that higher oil prices could have a ``serious negative impact,'' it said in a Nov. 7 report.

Crude oil futures climbed to $98.62 on Nov. 7, the highest price since trading began in 1983. The government will temporarily suspend price increases of diesel and kerosene, used for cooking, and reduce the goods and services tax on gasoline, according to President Mahinda Rajapaksa's budget speech on Nov. 7. These will provide ``some cushion'' for inflation, Cabraal said. Fighting between government forces and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam intensified as two attempts at peace talks in Geneva failed last year. Sri Lanka last month sold $500 million of bonds, the first debt sale to overseas investors, to lessen its reliance on aid. Inflows from the sale of the bonds and remittances from overseas workers have helped pare a decline in the rupee which fell to records in September. ``The positive impact that has been witnessed due to the dollar borrowing will give sufficient breathing space for the authorities,'' said Romesh Gomez, a trader at First Capital Treasuries Ltd. in Colombo. ``What will be interesting is to see how long it can be sustained.'' The following table shows estimates for the change in the repurchase rate and the reverse repurchase rate.

The Parliamentary Group of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has urged the foreign diplomats in Colombo, including the U.S. Embassy, the British High Commission, the Indian High Commission, the Embassy of Japan and the Embassy of Norway, Sunday evening to persuade the Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa to secure the timely release of the family member of the Batticaloa district TNA parliamentarian T. Kanagasabai, abducted by the paramilitary Sunday in Batticaloa, and to ensure a threat-free environment for the Tamil parliamentarians in exercising the democratic rights of the people they represent in the Sri Lankan parliament. Sri Lanka Army operated paramilitary chief operative in Batticaloa, Pillayaan, has telephoned TNA parliamentarians and warned them not to vote against the budget when it comes for final vote on Monday. Armed paramilitary men from the Pillayaan Group entered the house of Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian T. Kagagasabai in Ka'luthaava'lai, and abducted the Batticaloa MP's son-in-law, S. Sajitharan, 37, around 2:30 p.m. Sunday. The group has threatened to kill the abductee if Mr. Kanagasabai voted against SL President Mahinda Rajapaksa's budget.Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan policemen, providing security to TNA parliamentarians residences in Batticaloa, were withdrawn Sunday. A TNA parliamentarian, speaking to media in Colombo, said the TNA would vote against the budget on Monday.

Govt. claims 'budget victory'

Sri Lanka government claims victory over oppostion parties' attempt to defeat Monday's crucial vote for budget proposals.President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the finance minister, presented the 2008 budget proposals on 07 November.The 225-member parliament is to vote on Monday for the second reading of the proposals.The government claimed to have clear 12- member majority as both camps are still trying to woo more parliamentarians.

"The opposition would only manage 106 votes if all opposition parties vote against the budget," Chief Government Whip, Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopullai told BBC Sandeshaya.The main opposition, United National Party (UNP), meanwhile vowed to defeat the government at the crucial vote."We expect all other opposition parties and the SLFP (mahajana wing) would vote against the budget if they are genuinely concerned about Sri Lankan public," UNP Genarel Secretary Tissa Attanayake said.Attanayake claimed that the government is trying to persuade and intimidate parliamentarians not to vote against the government.

"If the government is certain about the victory, why they are so worried and trying even to bribe the MPs?" Tissa Attanayake questioned.He said all political parties including those representing minorities will have to take responsibility for "anarchist situation that would follow" if they vote with the government.Many political parties representing Sri Lanka's minorities, SLMC, CWC and UPF have re-affirmed their support to the government, minister Fernandopullai said.The Sinhala nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) is yet to decide on the course of action.The JVP which won 39 seats in 2004 April parliamentary elections joined the Kumaratunga-led government but later resigned protesting a post-tsunami deal with the LTTE.The JVP, however, supported Mahinda Rajapaksa presidency in 2005 November Presidential elections and voted for his budget proposals thereafter.

The main Tamil nationalist party, TNA, with 22 votes and smaller dissident groups are expected to vote with the main opposition, UNP.Tissa Attanayake accused government of removing security of five Batticaloa district TNA parliamentarians in an attempt to intimidate them.Rejecting the accusation Minister Fernandopullai said the government did not count on TNA vote."The TNA was ordered by Prabhakaran ( LTTE leader) to vote against the government. We are not counting on TNA to win the budget vote," he told BBC Sinhala.com.

Sri Lanka's main opposition party, the United National Party (UNP) is slated to lodge a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) against government members who have attempted to bribe scores of UNPers in an effort to win them to vote in favour of tomorrow's budget. The move comes amidst allegations leveled against the government by the opposition ranks where government members have attempted to woo their counterparts with lucrative offers including positions and large financial sums. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told The Nation yesterday that the government is buying out their MPs for Monday's vote promising millions of rupees and high profile posts in the administration if they vote in favour of the budget. Such moves have been condemned by almost all opposition parties, and even by some government members. "The government is openly approaching our members including, Sarath Ranawaka, A. R. M. Abdul Cader and several other senior and also junior members promising them many bonanzas if they join the government and vote in favour of the budget," Attanayake noted. "One of our members has taped the entire conversation where a minister approached our MP, but we won't divulge our member's name for obvious security concerns. But we will release the tape at the right time," Attanayake claimed. According to the UNP General Secretary, the party will make an official complaint on the incidents with Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara this week, and will also make a complaint with CIABOC. It is learnt that opposition MPs were promised as much as Rs. 50 million for their budget vote, while others were offered ministerial portfolios and at some instances both.

A Tamil business man was shot and killed Saturday morning by unidentified armed men, while a Hindu priest, abducted Friday by armed men, was severely tortured, and is fighting for his life, civilian sources said.A trader from Pulavar Road, Navaali North, Valikaamam was shot and killed by two armed men at his business establishment in Navaali North Saturday morning 10:00 a.m. by two armed men operating on a motor bicycle. The killers fled the scene after shooting the victim, sources said.The body of the victim, identified as Kandiah Koneswaran, 37, has been handed over for postmortem examinations and inquest of Jaffna Teaching Hospital.Koneswaran is a father of one child.The escalating numberof killings targeting members of the business community has created fear across the business community in Jaffna, a spokesman for the businessmen in the peninsula said. In a separate incident, a Hindu priest was severely tortured by unidentified men in Araaly, a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) controlled area and was found abandoned along roadside in Thunaivi in Vaddukoddai area. The victim, Subramaniasharma Ketheswara Kurukkal, 39, father of three, was traveling Friday to meet his relatives in Thunaivi when he was waylaid by unidentified men, abducted, and was subjected to serious torture. Subramaniasharma was left for dead along the road side by the abductors. The seriously injured victim was admitted at Jaffna Teaching Hospital, and is still in serious condition, hospital sources said.No information is available about the attackers.

Two Pakistani naval vessels, SHAHJAHAN and NASR will pay a goodwill visit to Sri Lanka this week.A Pakistani High Commission spokesperson said this provide an opportunity for close interaction between both friendly navies. "Such visits to regional countries are a regular feature but have picked up momentum in the last few years due to growing inter-dependence at state level in facing emerging challenges and to enhance security and defence of vital national interests. The joint exercises are also aimed at improving interoperability between navies of friendly countries."

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is courting controversy with regard to an impending visit to visit to the nuclear powerhouse, Iran later this month, diplomatic sources said. Dates, agendas and all issues related to the visit are under wraps with little information to go around. The visit comes at a time when the US has applied immense pressure on Iran for its nuclear expansions and imposed unilateral sanctions on Teheran over the controversial programme. Any country visiting or intending to strengthen ties with Iran is currently being condemned by the international community.A senior diplomat questioned as to whether it was “imperative for the President to undertake such a visit at such a crucial time as this.” According to reports the groundwork had already been laid and the Iranian Ambassador in Sri Lanka is already in Teheran for the purpose.It was reported that the Army, Navy, Air Force and Police were in the process of procuring items worth a staggering Rs 14 billion from Iran, though official sources said deal was aborted and never signed.Among the items on the list that are of ridiculously questionable value is a Rs 4.6 billion anti aircraft missile system, sources said. Other items included the procurement of 480 Camel Bags of which 130 are for the Army and 350 for the Navy. The aborted arms deal would have lead to a massive procurement of weapons. Purchases would have amounted to Rs 4.6 billion for the Army, Rs 5.4 billion for the Navy and Rs 479 million for the Police, informed sources said.With a beefed up budget on ‘defence expenditure’, it is speculative but nevertheless in question if the arms deal would have gone through.The diplomat questioned if strengthening ties is in anyway needed to be addressed in Teheran itself, when the well established conduits in Colombo could do a job just as well from within the country. He questioned if a substantial visit is required.Meanwhile, reports have emerged that President Rajapaksa had requested the government of Iran to arrange an urgent loan facility to tide over the country’s immediate financial difficulties, through a Malaysian Muslim of Indian/Sri Lankan origin.. It is speculated that the Malaysian Muslim who brokered the loan facility was a gentleman whose name was previously embroiled in controversy regarding the purloining of nuclear technology from Pakistan to a Middle Eastern country.

Army Commander Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka flew to Vavuniya on Saturday morning to discuss the security situation in areas under the Security Forces Headquarters, Wanni (SFHQ-W) with Senior commanders in Vavuniya. Major General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander SFHQ-W briefed the Army Chief on the latest developments in the area during the meeting at the SFHQ auditorium.

India's demand for extradition of LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran is under the consideration of the Sri Lankan government but the question arises only after the rebel leader is captured, a top official said here yesterday."The demand from India is under consideration. We need Prabhakaran in Sri Lanka for the Central Bank bombing in 1996 for which he has already been sentenced for a long prison term of over 100 years. We have to first get him to be able to consider India's request for his extradition," a senior Sri Lankan government official told PTI.The official was reacting to a question on Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon's letter to Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy where he said New Delhi had from time to time sought Prabhakaran's extradition.The Foreign Secretary, in a letter dated November 13, told Swamy that there has been no change in the government's policy towards the LTTE which is a banned terrorist organisation."The government has made formal requests for the extradition of V Prabhakaran, leader of the LTTE, to the government of Sri Lanka from time to time. The government of Sri Lanka has informed us that our request is receiving their consideration," Menon said."We are not in variance with Mr Menon's letter. It is absolutely correct. We have been getting requests from time to time from India on Prabhakaran's extradition. But we have to lay our hands on him. Question of extradition arises after we apprehend him," the Sri Lankan official said.

The All Party Representative Committee (APRC) expects to present its report with recommendations to President Mahinda Rajapaksa in two weeks; Chairman, Science and Technology Minister, Prof. Tissa Vitharana told the Daily Mirror yesterday. Expressing his shock and disappointment on the JVP’s request to dissolve the APRC as one of their demands to support the government in the budget vote today, Prof. Witharana said JVP was also on the extreme, demanding a military solution to the ethnic problem, and toeing the line of the LTTE who had rejected all and every proposal put forward by the south.The LTTE had, right throughout, rejected almost all the proposals dealing with the rights and privileges of the Tamils in order to find a durable solution to the ethnic problem brought out by various governments in the south. The JVP has taken the same stance asking the President to dissolve the APRC, which has been tasked to come up with a set of proposals to find a lasting peace, Prof. Vitharana lamented. Asked by the Daily Mirror as to why the APRC was not in session in the last few weeks, Prof. Vitharana said there was a delay on the part of reporting the proceedings of the APRC. This had been aggravated further with the Hansard reporting staff being fully occupied with the ongoing Budget debate right now.“The APRC has been able to come to a consensus on about 85% of core issues during its deliberations, with the participation of 13 political parties. What remains to be discuss and come to an understanding is the concurrent, Central Government and Provincial Council lists. We will try our best to finalize our deliberations and submit a report with our recommendations to the President hopefully within the next few weeks,” Prof. Vitharana said.

A 23-year old employee of Halo Trust, a British-demining group working in Jaffna, was shot dead inside the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Aathiyadi near Stanley Road, Jaffna Friday night, sources in Jaffna said. The body was taken to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital Friday night, and due to the curfew, was identified by the victim's parents Saturday afternoon.Thangarajah Sujeevan was returing after prayers at the Nallur Murugan Temple to his mother's residence in Stanley Road when two gunmen lying in ambush shot him and escaped.The incident occurs amid increasing number of abductions and killings of Halo Trust employees.

Parliamentarian N. Srikantha said that Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is representing Tamil people as their authentic representatives in the Parliament of Sri Lanka and functioning within its frame work. And he emphasised that TNA will “continue to insist on the rights for self-determination of the people that includes their birth rights, separate and sovereign state on the sacred soil of their own homeland”.Commenting on the role of India, he said - “the fact is while India continues to expresses its concerns in uncertain terms of the sufferings of the Tamils, military assistance is being provided by India to the Government of Sri Lanka as supply of military weapons and hardware. This reflects the unenviable position of India, regarding the political aspirations of Sri Lankan Tamils.”An Attorney-at-Law by profession, N. Srikantha was an active member of Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO). The central committee member of TELO - N. Srikantha, took oaths as a Parliamentarian for Jaffna district after Nadarajah Raviraj’s demise last year. Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian for Jaffna district Nadarajah Raviraj was assassinated an year ago, on November 10th 2006 in Colombo. In an exclusive interview recently, he spoke to Journalist Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai on the prevailing political situation in Sri Lanka.

Q: What does the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) currently do in order to protect the rights of the Tamils?

A: The President and his government are held bend on a military solution for the national question of Sri Lanka, which is very obvious. Inspite of that, it’s very unfortunate and disappointing that the international community is yet to make up its mind with regard to a question of playing a positive and pro active role in the complicated political conflict of the tiny Island of Sri Lanka. We have as the authentic representatives of our people, representing them in the Parliament of Sri Lanka, by virtue of a massive mandate we have obtained at the last general elections held in April 2004. We have appealed at that time and again to the international community that exert adequate and effective pressure on the intransigent and racist regime in Sri Lanka in order to make it realise that, its militaristic approach to the purely political question of finding a just and peaceful resolution of the national question of Sri Lanka is not only counter-productive, but also fraught with all possibilities of making this Island, a country of perpetual suffering.The international community is not yet ready to do what is expected of them by the repressed of the minorities of this country. We call upon the international community to exert political, diplomatic and economic sanctions on the Government of Sri Lanka. So that, there would be a proper atmosphere to hold a meaningful political dialogue between the parties in the conflict namely the Government of Sri Lanka(GOSL) and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in order to evolve a just and viable political solution within the framework of a united country. If inspite of international pressure the Government of Sri Lanka refuses to act reasonably and rationally then there will be no option for the international community than to recognize the rights to self-determination of our people as distinct nation in this Island with its own homeland. There cannot be two different yard sticks in situation such as these- one for Kosovo Albanians, and another for Sri Lankan Tamils.

Q: What was the outcome of the recent meetings that the Tamil National Alliance Members of Parliament had with the members of the European Union?

A: What I gather from my colleagues who have participated in the recent talks with the European Union member countries is that, there is a clear perception that was evident on the part of the countries concerned with regard to the glaring realities of the continuing configuration in Sri Lanka. Basically when it comes to a question of human rights these countries we believe have a clear understanding of what has been going on in the name of fighting with the LTTE. This is only a beginning as far as the TNA (Tamil National Alliance) is concerned. And our alliance is very much encouraged by the fact that the Sri Lanka conflict is though slowly has now attracted the attention of the international community. We have to build on and ensure that, the international community would act firmly with regard to one of the long lasting human conflicts in the post- second world war under the international order.

Q: How do you expect the international community should get involved in our internal conflict?

A: When we deal with the question of Sri Lanka’s conflict, we should be conscious of the fact that, Sri Lanka is a member of SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation), and Commonwealth Union. But I do not think that the international involvement is possible at this juncture either through SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation), and Commonwealth Union. The reasons are obvious.Any international involvement with a view to resolve the perennial political conflict of Sri Lanka could come only through the United Nations. When the international community is convinced that its active involvement in the Sri Lanka conflict cannot be postponed further, then the pursues of a peace keeping forces in Sri Lanka under the UN fact in Sri Lanka will become inevitable.Given the complications and complexity of this conflict, any international involvement in a practical form and with a firm resort to restore peace and normalcy in Sri Lanka needs to come only through the UN.

Q: Do you think that, you can sideline India and get the direct involvement of the international community?

A: India being the closest neighbour of Sri Lanka has its own concerns based on geo-political interests in this regard to any international involvement in the Sri Lankan conflict. Also by virtue of the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord, which was signed between the Government of India and Government of Sri Lanka on July 29 th 1987, India has its own obligations under the international law.Given this reality the question is what would be the reaction of India to any possible international involvement in Sri Lanka. The fact is while India continues to expresses its concerns in uncertain terms of the sufferings of the Tamils, military assistance is being provided by India to the Government of Sri Lanka as supply of military weapons and hardware. This reflects the unenviable position of India, regarding the political aspirations of Sri Lankan Tamils.Tamil Nadu has more than 60 million Tamils, and further 10 million Tamils living in certain pockets here and there in India. That country naturally cannot be insensitive to the sentiments of its Tamil population with regard to the sufferings of their brethren here across the Palk Straits.It appears that, the traditional political forces that have continued to provide political leadership centered at the national level in India since independence are very much concerned about the possible political impact on the Tamil national sentiments in Tamil Nadu in the event of liberation struggle of Sri Lankan Tamils with a massive military strength achieving its political goal.With a record of Tamil Nadu in sphere heading the anti â€“Hindi agitation against the imposition of Hindi as the official language of India in 1965. It led to withdrawal of that move. Still fresh on the minds of the traditional political leadership at the national level in India, this is understandable.But I would prefer to make it clear; this is not an excuse in evolving a clear and realistic foreign policy in respect of Sri Lanka. Even at this critical juncture, when Sri Lankan Tamils continue to look upon India as the power that can easily rescue them from the clutches of the racist regime in Sri Lanka.It also appears that India simply be thinking that ultimately a political solution based on quasi-federalism or limited autonomy would resolve the Sri Lankan conflict. This approach is not only unfortunate and disappointing, but also divorced from glairing harsh realities of the inter-racial equation of Sri Lanka. Therefore India is bound to make up its mind and act quickly and decisively. China and Pakistan have already entered the Sri Lankan scenario in a big way. If India fails to act now, it would have to be ultimately reconcile itself with the reality of Indian involvement through the UN, in spite of its own reservations.

A: When the Indo- Lanka Peace Accord was signed on July 29th 1987, Tamil organizations supported it trusting India. Even the LTTE that had very strong reservations in this regard, and also subjected to considerable pressure in New Delhi before the signing of the accord, ultimately decided to go along with the accord, while trusting India.India could not stop the suicide of 12 LTTE front liners including some commanders who committed suicide. 13 front liners of the LTTE were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy in the Sri Lankan territorial waters, and the Sri Lankan navy tried to bring them down to Colombo for investigations.India could have easily averted these deaths. Those 12 deaths caused an emotional backlash among our people, and the rest is history. Now the Government of Sri Lanka is merrily making arrangements to hold elections for a separate provincial council in the East Province, which was merged with the Northern Province in later part of 1987 under the Indo-Lanka Peace Accord, and de-merged later. This is a very critical situation both politically and militarily. India cannot be a silent spectator in this election and its assistance to the Government of Sri Lanka though in very limited manner, which has hurt the sentiments of our people.When innocent Tamil civilians are getting murdered day in and day out, we witness India is aiding the Government of Sri Lanka militarily. I am very sad to state that it would amount to a brutal stab on the back of the Tamil nation.This is a question I would prefer to leave for the collective conscientious of the people of India. We have consistently maintained that the geo-political interests of India in the Indian Ocean region, and the political aspirations of the Tamil nation are inseparably and inextricably inter twined. Yet we see India is not coming to our rescue, but aiding the Government of Sri Lanka.

Q: What has TNA done with regard to the closure of A9 highway, declaring certain areas in Muthur East and Sampoor as High security Zones, and Tamils are being abducted and murdered?

A: We just have completed one year of closing of the A9 highway last year in August. Closing of the highway, declaring residential areas as High Security Zones and abducting and murdering the innocent Tamil civilians are human rights violations. We have highlighted both these issues during the TNA’s (Tamil National Alliance) recent meetings with the heads of the European Union states.Yet the president and his government are very adamant in having their way in what may come. Therefore the problem continues to remain intractable and the on going war is interminable.

A: I would like to quote the Veteran Communist Leader and the Former Chief Minister of Kerala E. M. S. NampoothiriPatt in this connection. When confronted with a question whether it is illogical for the Communist Party of India that behind in revolutionary overthrow of the Indian capitalist system based on its constitution to contest in Parliamentary elections under the very same constitution.The Think-Tank E. M. S. NampoothiriPatt replied:“We would strive to destroy the constitution of India, while functioning within its own frame work”.I hope that, this answer of the late revolutionary is more than sufficient to explain our position. Are we not in the Parliament of Sri Lanka having taken our oaths under the 6th amendment of the constitution, that we would not be engaged in any secessionist activity, continuing to insist on the rights for self-determination of the people that includes their birth rights, separate and sovereign state on the sacred soil of their own homeland.Therefore on this, we will decide on the right course of action in the event of a provincial council election for a separate election, if at all there is going to be one. We would do our best to pre-empt such elections. We are ready to take up any challenges to halt the election from happening, even paying the price. But in spite of that, if there is one, then we will decide what to do.

Q: Looking at the current political situation will there be a chance for a change of government?

A: At looking at the new alliance of Mangala Samaraweera and Ranil Wickremasinghe I believe that, the alliance of these two politicians would ultimately succeed in throwing out President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his regime. That would be all.Tamil people have expected a lot from Late Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Mrs. Srimavo Bandaranaike in July 1960. But she spoke with the guns with the Tamils. And Tamils expected their aspirations o be fulfilled by Late Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake, nothing happened. What can the Tamil people expect from Ranil Wickrenmasinghe?With this new alliance stating categorically that, they would fight to defeat both separatism and terrorism. What can one expect from it? And they are still looking at our problems through their tinted glasses.

Q: What’s Tamil National Alliance’s position on APRC (All Party Representative Committee)

A: I do not think the word all party is appropriate, because the Tamil National alliance which is represented in the parliament with 22 members are not included. We can call it as “conference” but not “all party conference”.Most Sinhala political parties have not yet understood the cause of the 25 year long conflict. The reason was the powers were centered with the Sinhala regime and not shared. The so called father of the Sinhala Racism (Nationalism) Late J. R. Jeyawardene accepted the fact that the North and East of the country belong to the Tamils. But the Sinhala Political parties are not willing to accept North and East belong to the Tamils under a united Sri Lanka. Therefore this conference will not be able to bring any solution to the ethnic conflict.

an unexpected discussion that ensued between HE the President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Leader of the Opposition and UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe, the President is supposed to have told the Opposition Leader that he would not dissolve parliament even if the budget is defeated and instead would call the Opposition leader to form the government. This unexpected discussion had taken place when the President unexpectedly called at the "Bremer" the private residence of late President J.R. Jayawardne to pay his last respect to Lady Elena Jayawardne this afternoon. When the President visited the funeral house, it is said the Leader of the Opposition had been already there to pay his last respect to Lady Jayawardne.This unexpected but surprising discussion had gone on for some time and President Rajapaksa's proposal had been turned down by the Leader of the Opposition, it is reported. The Leader of the Opposition has supposedly told the President he would only accept the Premiership through an election and if the President wants to continue with this parliament in the event of the budget being defeated, he should then call upon the Jathika Hela Urumaya.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ruled out the possibility of dissolving Parliament in the face of threats posed by the opposition to defeat him at tomorrow’s crucial budget voting. The President, it is learnt, had told Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) organisers he summoned for a meeting on Friday that, in the event the government is defeated in the budget, he would not dissolve Parliament under any circumstances, and would call upon the majority party who commands support in Parliament, to form a government. President Rajapaksa indicated that, in any case, he would still be the Commander in Chief and would retain the key ministries of Defence and Finance, in the event of a shakeup. It is reported that he would also pick and choose his Cabinet from various other parties too. Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga appointed three members of her party to key portfolios, during the latter part of the premiership of Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his short stint from 2002 to 2004. In the meantime, government has also rejected the conditions put forward by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), to reconsider their support to the budget. The JVP put forward four conditions early last week, which were: To scrap the Ceasefire Agreement (CFA), dissolve the All Party Representatives Committee (APRC), safeguard the territorial integrity of the country and to block United Nations interference in the affairs of the country. However, the government, which toyed with the idea of giving into the JVP demands, backed out after they received strong messages from Japan, the United States and India. The message was that, if the government bans the LTTE or abrogates the CFA with the LTTE, there is a Constitutional impediment in Japan and the United States, in giving assistance to Sri Lanka. President rules out The two countries had warned that they would consider that Sri Lanka is on a war footing, if the country abrogates the CFA or bans the LTTE In these circumstances, the little military assistance given by the US and the development assistance given by Japan to Sri Lanka, would not be forthcoming. Taking stock of the situation, the government has now decided to back out from its original plan to enter into an agreement with the JVP.

The JVP yesterday turned down an offer for negotiation with the Government regarding the four demands made by them for supporting the 2008 Budget Vote scheduled for tomorrow (19).JVP leader, Somawansa Amarasinghe told a press conference in Colomb, that the JVP has nothing to negotiate on the four demands and said it is a matter for the Government to decide whether they want JVP support or not.Secretary to the President, Lalith Weeratunga had sent a letter asking JVP members to negotiate on the four conditions and talk about the political crisis in the country.Somawansa said “the letter hints that the Government has not realised the gravity of the problems in the country and had not even understood what was contained in the letter”. He said that as a matter of courtesy, the JVP will respond to the letter but stressed the party will not have any negotiations regarding the four demands made by them.When asked whether they will vote in favour of the budget, “if the Government abrogates the Ceasefire Agreement, dissolves the APRC, protects the Territorial integrity and stops western countries interfering with the country’s affairs”, the JVP leader said loud and clear that then he would be compelled to do so.He condemned the Government’s and Opposition’s exercise to purchase MPs of both sides “who are now saleable commodities for highest bids.’’ He said that it was the UNP which started this ‘culture’ in the country and President Mahinda Rajapaksa came to power promising to put an end to such acts. “But it is unfortunate that he is also now engaged in the same game in a bid for survival.”When Lakbimanews put it to the JVP that if they do not receive a positive answer from the Government, that it had only two options —- either to vote against the budget or abstain, the JVP leader stressed that the party would under no circumstance permit Ranil Wickremasinghe to come to power. He said that the JVP’s decision will not hinder the country but declined to divulge what the decision would be.When asked whether the JVP was ready for a snap election, he said that the JVP is always ready for an election, unlike other parties.

"While the Government of Sri Lanka has imposed an effective economic embargo in Vanni, and the sustained bombardments of Sri Lanka Military have made situation difficult for International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) to work amidst the affected local residents in border villages of Tamil areas, United States has made the situation worse for the Tamil people, internally displaced and reeling under economic hardship, by stopping the humanitarian aid from the branches world-wide of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO)," said Kajendran, parliamentarian from the Tamil National Alliance."More than 300,000 Tamils have been internally displaced by the offensives by Sri Lanka armed forces. TRO, the only organization capable of providing the day-to-day support for the most vulnerable IDPs will now be debilitated with scarcity of funds. Preschools, children homes, aged-people homes, livelihood beneficiaries, including tsunami beneficiaries will be affected by the ban. "Further, this action will be considered by the Sri Lanka Government as tacit support to the military approach, and will further encourage Colombo's military pursuits," the MP said.Mr Kajendran, who returned from Germany after a month long trip Friday, said that short of a a balanced approach to peace by the International Community, with an understanding of the Tamil peoples right to self-determination, Tamils are unlikely to be convinced by assertions of support to peace by the International Community,Meanwhile, Suresh Premachandran, a senior parliamentarian of the Tamil National Alliance from Jaffna described as "contradictory" American ambassador Robert Blake's observation that the US treasury freeze of funds of TRO, a pro-LTTE front, was not against the Tamil people in Sri Lanka but against terrorism, an Indian daily reported. "It should be noted that US ambassador Robert Blake on Friday stated that the LTTE should return to the negotiating table, thereby recognising that it is the representative of the Tamil People in Sri Lanka," Premachandran said, the paper added.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama on Wednesday moved the Cabinet to approve a Sri Lanka mission in Eritrea, as a precaution against the LTTE claiming Unilateral Declaration of Independence (UDI). Political circles are agog with the news that the LTTE might declare UDI by end November and Minister Bogollagama is of the view that Eritrea would recognise them as a separate entity, since they have maintained close links with the LTTE. It is said that Eritrea has been on the list of main arms suppliers for the LTTE. Eritrea declared independence from Ethiopia in mid 90s. The Cabinet, looking at the urgency, had approved the proposal on a priority basis. The government had already delayed the setting up of two other missions in Afghanistan and Madagascar.

Vinayagamoorthi Muralidharan alias Karuna, Leader of T.M.V.P, who is in custody in the United Kingdom over a charge of possessing an illegal passport is alleged to have contacted his party supporters including Pilleyan over the telephone last Wednesday(14).The Ockington Refugee Camp authorities, where Karuna Amman is presently detained, have given permission to Karuna to use his personal facilities including the cellular phone.According to reliable sources, Karuna is alleged to have instructed his senior party members to give wide publicity in the Eastern Province regarding the death of former Karuna faction political leader, T.V.Thileepan, once his death was confirmed. His instruction was to paste posters throughout the province.Over the telephone he is alleged to have also told his party seniors “I told the British Police the truth and asked for political asylum. If I attempted to enter the UK with my real name, the LTTE would have rounded me up. The British police were aware of this. Due to certain pronouncements made by Human Rights Watch, I was even denied the use of my telephone.”Karuna is said to have told his agents that he would be deported from the UK and prevented from entering the country.

A Tamil guerrilla leader accused of involvement in war crimes is becoming a major embarrassment to Sri Lanka’s government following his arrest in Britain.Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, the leader of a breakaway faction of the Tamil Tigers rebel group, was detained in London earlier this month on a charge of entering the country under a false name.Officials in Colombo are said to have helped the rebel, better known as “Colonel Karuna”, escape to London. The warlord apparently feared he would be killed by his former comrades in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).Karuna, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing, was the de facto number two of the ruthless Tamil Tigers — renowned for their use of suicide bombers and child fighters — before he defected in 2004.Since then he has reportedly worked with Sri Lanka’s armed forces to drive out the Tamil Tigers from a large rebel enclave near the eastern lagoon town of Batticaloa, one of the biggest government successes of 2007.“After Karuna broke away from the Tamil Tigers his armed group operated with the complicity of the Sri Lankan security forces,” the New York-based Human Rights Watch said.

Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) senior vice president and Estate Infrastructure Minister Muthu Sivalingam yesterday said his party will vote for the budget.While being critical of the government’s decision to drastically reduce the budgetary allocation to the Estate Infrastructure Ministry from Rs. 2,500 million to Rs. 700 million, Minister Sivalingam told The Nation, the Congress will vote with the government.The Congress took this decision during a meeting held under the chairmanship of CWC leader, Minister Arumugam Thondaman in Colombo last week.Minister Sivalingam said though the plantation workers will not directly or immensely benefit out of the government’s budgetary allocation, he is confident that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would look into the plight of the workers later on.“We understand the President is sympathetic towards the workers. With this trust we have decided to vote for the budget,” he said

Tiger suspects in Batticaloa prison, who climbed on to the roof of the prison and started a fast, have ended there fast says the Commissioner of Prisons. Six of them gave up the fast today morning and the remaining 23 too would end their fast this evening said the Commissioner. Representatives of Red Cross had discussions with the detainees yesterday and discussions were going on again today with those who had not given up the fast by today afternoon.

JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe said today that his party would not accept the invitation from the Presidential Secretariat dated November 16 to meet the President to discuss the budget and the current political situation. He revealed this at a press conference held at the National Library to clarify the position of the JVP on the budget. He said that the President could act instead of talking and the JVP would consider to vote in support of the budget if the ceasefire agreement is abolished abruptly.Amrasinghe further said that he would not support the conspiracy of Ranil Wickramasinghe to snatch power in any context.None of the JVP leaders gave a direct answered to the questions posed by the media personnel over the way the JVP would vote at the budget. They said that it woul be decided on the context by November 19 and the country would be brought to a dialogue on the deal politics through making the Government, UNP and the media wait and see indefinitely. The indirectly articulated message of the press briefing was that the JVP would vote in support of the budget if the President at least abolished the ceasefire and it would abstain voting otherwise.

Sri Lankan soldiers kill 10 Tamil Tiger rebels in several attacks in north, military says

Sri Lankan soldiers fired artillery and mortar rounds at a farm-type tractor carrying Tamil Tiger rebels and killed eight of the guerrillas, as well as two others in separate clashes, the military said Saturday. It was not possible to independently verify the details because the area is restricted to journalists. Both sides in the Sri Lanka - conflict are known to inflate the other's death tolls and lower their own. The government has intensified its military campaign against the Tigers in recent months, aiming to dismantle the rebels' de facto state in the north. Four months ago the government announced it had cleared the Tigers from their other former stronghold in the east, though small pockets of resistance remain there. The Tigers have fought the government since 1983 to create a separate homeland for ethnic minority Tamils in the island country's north and east after a history of discrimination by successive governments controlled by the majority ethnic Sinhalese. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict.

A senior U.S. official urged the Tamil Tigers to renounce terrorism and negotiate a permanent peace with the Sri Lankan government after Washington launched another crackdown on funding for the rebels. The department said that any bank accounts or other financial assets found in the United States that belong to the charity which has headquarters in Sri Lanka - and offices in 17 countries worldwide must be frozen. ``The larger purpose of all our activities is to send a message to the LTTE that now is the time to negotiate,'' Blake said referring to Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam by its acronym. ``Now is the time for the LTTE to renounce violence and to renounce terrorism,'' he said. The Tigers, which have been banned in the United States as a terrorist group since 1997, have been fighting since 1983 to create an independent homeland for the island's ethnic minority Tamils. ``The lesson for the LTTE is that they are never going to get a better deal and now is the time to try to negotiate,'' Blake said. Blake also asked the government to share political power with Tamil-majority provinces, a long-standing demand of moderate leaders who oppose secession. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka's Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama praised the U.S. for cracking down on funding sources for the rebels. ``I wish to place on record the deep appreciation of the government of Sri Lanka - ... for the speedy investigation carried out and for the action taken yesterday against the TRO,'' he told Parliament.

Unidentified armed men in a white van arriving Thursday around 3:00 a.m at a house in Oaddamaavadi 03 area in Batticaloa district abducted five youths who sat in front of the house chatting with each other, according to a complaint made Thursday morning at Vaazhaichcheanai police station.The abducted youths are Aboobucker Illiyas, 30, of Boundary Cross road, Oaddamaavadi 03, Aboobucker Nawbar, 27, of Oaddamaavadi Boundary Cross road, Mohamed Aliyar Mohamed Riyas, 22, of Kudaapa’li Veethi in Pi’rainththu’raicheanai, Illiyas Abdul Cader, 18, of Muththavan Poadi road in Oaddamaavadi 03 and Isadeen Sabras, 21 of Nellukkadai Veethi in Oaddamaavadi 02.The first three of the above mentioned persons are members home guards.The police, investigating into the abduction, said that no information has been found until now.Oaddamaavadi is located 30 km north of Batticaloa town.

Sri Lanka and the Government of the State of Eritrea have established formal diplomatic relations and an Agreement to this effect was signed by the Ambassadors of both countries in Cairo on 15 November, 2007.At a high level meeting held between the delegations of the two countries during the 61st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Sri Lanka expressed its willingness to expand the existing friendly relations with Eritrea by formalizing diplomatic relations between the two countries.Ambassador for Sri Lanka in Cairo Mr. I. Ansar signed on behalf of Sri Lanka and on behalf of the Government of State of Eritrea, Mr. Fassil Ghebresellassie Tekle, Ambassador of the State of Eritrea in Cairo signed the Agreement on 15 November, 2007. Mr. Ansar will be accredited as Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Eritrea with residence in Cairo.

The Congress Saturday implicitly criticised Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi over his ode to a slain Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger leader, saying it was bound to hurt the sentiments of party members. In a clear reference to a poem Karunanidhi wrote in memory of S.P. Thamilchelvan, the Congress said that the 'sentiments of all Congress men and women are bound to get hurt if the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) is eulogised in any manner'.Thamilchelvan, the LTTE political wing leader, was killed in a bombing raid by the Sri Lanka Air Force in the island's north Nov 2.A resolution passed at the All India Congress Committee session here said the LTTE, 'categorised internationally as a terrorist outfit, deliberately assassinated our beloved leader (and former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi) in a brutal manner'.The reference was to the killing of Gandhi by a suicide bomber at an election rally near Chennai in May 1991.The resolution noted with concern that 'peace and internal constitutional settlement acceptable to all communities within the framework of a united Sri Lanka has still not been achieved. The (Indian) government's efforts toward this end should continue'.

Japan warns against CFA abolition

The Japanese government has warned the President through diplomatic channels that its financial aid to the island would have to be stopped in the event of the abolition of the ceasefire agreement (CFA), sources at the Presidential Secretariat say.Abolition of the CFA is one of the four preconditions put forward by the JVP, if it is to support Budget 2008. Claiming that meeting the demand would be an easy task, party leader Somawansa Amarasinghe told the media this morning (Nov. 17th) that the President could annul the ceasefire with the stroke of a pen within 24 hours. Amarasinghe put forward the conditions while addressing the JVP’s November Heroes celebrations on November 13th. They are: taking tough and swift action to safeguard national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, abolition of the Ceasefire Agreement, dissolving the All Party Representative Committee and blocking interference by the United Nations in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs on the pretext of probing human rights violations.The following day, the President’s brother Basil Rajapaksa informed the JVP that the government was prepared to fulfill the three demands, except a dissolution of the APRC.Going one step further, the President has decided to proscribe the LTTE, he added.Now, in addition to Japan, diplomats of several Western countries have intimated to the Sri Lankan government that an abolition of the CFA would force their governments to stop military assistance to defeat terrorism. These countries, including the US as well as India, are also of the opinion that a ban of the LTTE would come in the way of negotiating peace. In light of this situation, the government is in a difficult position to secure JVP’s support for the budget for next year, sources at the Presidential Secretariat said.

The Batticaloa district remains tensed even as Muslims demand the disarming of illegal armed groups operating in the area, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) said in its latest weekly security assessment report.According to the cease fire monitors the Muslim Federations of Kathankudy, Eravur and Kalkudah had on Novemver 6 published a seven-point resolution addressing issues of concern for the Muslim community. The resolution demanded, apart from the identification of the perpetrators of the abduction mentioned above and guarantees that no further abductions would occur, free movement, disarming of illegal armed groups, solving land issues regarding Muslim owned land occupied by armed groups, and a general restoration of normalcy. In the Batticaloa district a Muslim organisation also distributed a leaflet on November 6 warning of consequences if the communities north of Batticaloa town did not return to harmony of co-existence, the SLMM added.“The leaflet was in response to the abduction of a Muslim man on October 30 and warned of actions if a solution to the case had not been reached within two days. However, the SLMM has not received reports on incidents related to these threats, even though the situation in Batticaloa remains tense,” the SLMM added.The same day a hartal was held in the Muslim villages of Kathankudy, south of Batticaloa, and Eravur and Oddamavady, north of Batticaloa, to protest against the abduction. An estimated 2,500 people attended the hartal.

Air Force fighter jets yesterday pounded and destroyed a LTTE boat manufacturing yard at Murukkandi in West Iranamadu, the air force claimed.A senior air force official told the Daily Mirror the attack caused heavy damage to the Tigers. “Following precise intelligence, fighter craft launched the aerial attack destroying the terrorist boat manufacturing center,” he said.Meanwhile, at least four Tigers were killed in separate clashes in the northern region yesterday.

Two Sri Lanka Air Force kfir fighter jets dropped eight bombs in two sorties Friday between 6:15 a.m. and 6:25 a.m. targeting a civilian settlement in Mu’rika'ndi located close to Ki’linochchi, seriously injuring a mother of three children and another civilian besides completely destroying a private boat building yard which makes boats for tsunami affected fishermen, sources in Ki'linochchi said. Five huts of tsunami victims and the house of Mu'rika'ndi Hindu Viththiyaalayam principal were damaged in the bombing. The seriously injured mother S. Roobi, 32, had to have her leg amputated as it had been shattered. She and the other civilian injured are being treated at Ki'linochchi general hospital.Roobi was in her hut located next to the boat building yard when the bombers struck.SLAF jets bombed the civilian settlements of tsunami affected families living in the area close to Mu'rika'ndi Pi'llaiyaar Koayil junction on A9 road around 350 m towards K’linochchi.The boat building yard belongs to Mahenthiram, a private boat builder catering to tsunami affected fishermen. The workers employed in the yard are the tsunami affected civilians living in the settlement.The workers in the boat yard narrowly escaped death as they had sought shelter in bunkers on hearing the kfir jets.The window glasses in Mu'rika'ndi Hindu Viththiyaalayam and other shops in Mu’rukandi were smashed in the bombing.Students of Mu'rika'ndi Viththiyaalayam are sitting for examinations now and only 32 of 126 students sitting for the examination had come to school because of the bombing, G. Soosainathan, principal of the school said.

ERODE: Bharatiya Janata Party has accused the DMK Government of double standards on the issue of condoling LTTE leader Thamilchelvan’s death.

Addressing journalists in Erode on Friday, BJP leader L. Ganesan, said, “The arrest of MDMK leader Vaiko and president of Tamil Desiya Iyakkam Pazha Nedumaran exposed the double standards of the DMK Government." “If condoling the death of a leader of a banned organisation was the basis for the arrest of the two leaders, then by the same yardstick the first person to be arrested should be Mr. Karunanidhi, who in his capacity as the Chief Minister of the State has expressed condolences."Mr. Ganesan argued that there seemed to be no other reason to arrest the two leaders, as they used only democratic means to express their grief.

To reiterate his point that the DMK-led Government was biased, he said when State Minister Veerapandi Arumugam staged a rail roko, he was not arrested, whereas Mr. Vaiko was arrested for doing the same near Pollachi.

Similarly, there had been no action against the DMK minister who, in public gaze, indulged in violence in front of the BJP office, the BJP leader pointed out. Referring to the recent seizure of rice meant for public distribution system in Pondicherry, Mr. Ganesan said the pilferage of rice was high and the pattern of smuggling seemed to suggest the connivance of top DMK leaders.

On the Ram Sethu issue, he reiterated the Party’s stand that they were not against the canal but the alignment. "When there is an alternative available, why is the Union Government shying away from taking the alignment," he wanted to know.

Mr. Ganesan said while the demand for increasing the minimum support price for paddy was being made by all political parties, including the Congress in Andhra Pradesh, the DMK remained silent on the issue.He wanted the procurement price to be increased on a par with wheat.

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said in parliament yesterday that the government would consider taking steps to ban the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO).The new move comes in the wake of the US proscribing the TRO designating it as a front organization raising funds and procuring arms for the LTTE.Mr.Bogollagama was responding to JVP parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa who emphasized the need to proscribe the TRO here to ensure the maximum impact of the ban imposed on it by the US.Mr. Weerawansa noted that the TRO remained a legally accepted humanitarian organization in Sri Lanka and it was imperative to ban the front to cripple its links with terrorists. He said that the LTTE had not been banned according to the law of this country.“It is clear that the US has banned it today. But, it has to be banned here as well,” he said.He said that the UNICEF had also provided Rs.100 million to the TRO and the government could not do anything against any organization giving money to TRO because it was a legally registered NGO in the country. The Foreign Minister responded to him saying that there was no question about remarks made by Mr. Weerawansa. Mr. Bogollagama assured that the government would take steps in this regard.

Today, Karuna Amman is in the police custody of British authorities, charged with entering Britain on a forged passport. As reported in last week’s Sunday Leader, this forged passport used by Karuna had been issued under a name Kokila Gunawardana by the Department of Emigration and Immigration in Colombo. This is not a normal passport that we civilians usually use but a diplomatic one especially issued to diplomats, high-ranking government officials, heads of governments and parliamentary members and ministers etc. If under special circumstances such a passport is issued to a person not holding some important position in the hierarchy of the state, a written request from the Presidential Secretary is needed. It was with this passport with all privileges of diplomatic immunity that Karuna has landed in Heathrow airport in London on last 18 September. How did Karuna obtain a British visa for this forged passport? It is on the strength of a Third Party Note furnished by our Foreign Ministry to the British High Commission in Colombo. In this letter the Foreign Ministry is reported to have stated that the holder of the passport called Kokila Gunawardana was going to participate in an international conference on “Climatic Changes”. Taking the details on the passport and the authenticity of the passport holder for granted, as is the normal practice of diplomatic protocol, the British High Commission in Colombo readily issued a visa for this forged passport on the 05th of September. So, where this Kokila Gunawardana was employed? As the details given in his visa application suggest, at a Department of the Ministry of Environment that comes under the Jathika Hela Urumaya Minister, Champika Ranawaka. And, what was Kokila Gunwardana’s profession? “Director General- Wild Life Conservation”.

A reported discussion that took place in Geneva on 15 June with President Mahinda Rajapakasa and Social Services Minister Douglas Devananda by a third person called K.T. Rajasingham was crucial in the sense that it was at this discussion that they had decided to get rid of Karuna Amman. This K.T. Rajasingham is the editor-in-chief of Asian Tribune, an online news magazine. As the Sunday Leader exposure reports, in pursuance of the above discussion, K.T. Rajasingham subsequently wrote to President’s adviser Mr. Sunimal Fernando requesting him to do the needful as regards the matters decided upon in consultation with the President in Geneva. It is learnt that child soldier recruitments by Karuna, role of the Defense Ministry in protecting Karuna, changes that should be effected in the Foreign Service, setting up an effective propaganda network to combat the LTTE on international arena and a program to win over India are the matters discussed on that day. Rajasingham has emphasized in this meeting with the President and Douglas Devananada that Karuna was an unbearable liability to the government and a spent force that had no value, politically or militarily, any more. Karuna’s second-in-command, Pilleyan was about to arrest Karuna but waiting, since he was not sure of the government’s reaction. Therefore, the best course of action as suggested by Rajasingham was to get rid of Karuna as soon as possible and seek the support of Pilleyan who is quite popular in the East. Whatever may be the case, finally, Karuna has siphoned off Rs.500 million he had amassed by way of resorting to abducting businessmen and extortion, as well as the money lavishly provided by the government for the upkeep of his cadres, according to Rajasingham. What is a forged passport? Most probably, name and other details given on the passport might be fictitious, or the photograph attached therewith does not conform either to the person holding the passport or to the details given on the document. In this case, the photograph may have been of Karuna, I guess, for otherwise it might have posed problems very easily either at Katunayaka or at Heathrow. But Karuna’s name, as we all know, is not Kokila Gunawardana. (What a nice Sinhala name for a Tamil, by the way!). Economically marginalized desperate Sri Lankan youth, when caught in the attempt of emigrating to the developed world on a forged passport are mercilessly put in remand prison, if not convicted into imprisonment by law enforcement authorities, and ridiculed by publicizing such incidents in the media.

Now, from the first stage, that is, issuing a fictitious passport under the name Kokila Gunawardana and getting a British visa by knowingly providing wrong information to a foreign diplomatic mission, up to the last act of accompanying Karuna to the aircraft personally by no less a personage than the deputy chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, clearly testifies to the involvement of the government in this sordid affair. So, the question arises as to whether this “legal Mafia” that consists of the bigwigs whoever that may be that recommended a diplomatic passport to a pseudo personage and Champika Ranawaka as the Minister of the relevant Ministry responsible for attesting to a non existent post called “Director General- Wild Life Conservation”, is to be prosecuted forthwith. In retrospect, what seems to be somewhat ironical in this affaire is that this Jathika Hela Urumaya which was initially said to be formed to make Sri Lanka a Buddhist state is now allegedly involved not only in selling duty-free Mercedes Benz in the black market by their monk politicians but also in forging passports and human trafficking too, by their lay leaders! Remember, amending our Penal Code in the last year human trafficking was criminalized! When Karuna broke away from the LTTE, instigated on a whim by parochialism camouflaged in championing a separate liberation for the Tamils in the East, I wrote at that time in my column called “Avaradiga Avarjana” in Ravaya newspaper, thus: “It is quite evident that Karuna plays an important role at this precise moment in the national crisis in Sri Lanka. He is neither a Douglas Devananda, sustained by the Sinhala state, nor a ‘Mahatthaya’ spirited away like a baby rat at the hand of the LTTE. But, as soon as this moment fades away, no other alternative but these two would be left for the character called Karuna”.Let me “read” this affaire in a somewhat semiotic fashion. According to the passport used by Karuna, he is a high-ranking official in the Sri Lankan state bureaucracy. Yet, the sworn stand firmly maintained by our government all along was a point-blanc refusal of any kind of direct or indirect dealings with Karuna, in its military or political matters. It was this view that the government relentlessly maintained nationally, and before the international community. Now, the conference Karuna had intended to attend to was on “Climatic Changes”. Yes, certain drastic climatic changes in the field of political opportunism of Sri Lankan variety to the detriment of poor Karuna have been taking place for some time now, which definitely entitle him to be a true participant in that Conference of “Climatic Changes”. As stated earlier, according to the application form for the visa, his profession is “Director-General, Wild Life Conservation”. That position fits him so nicely that the immense weight of the cruel truth underlying that apt terminology crushes all sense of humor, if there is any in this farcical drama.

We all know he lived for a long period in the dense jungles of the eastern province. And then, as a person who voluntarily used a large dose of violence whilst living there makes himself to be labeled as “wild”, ferociously then and mildly now. As there is an imminent danger to the very existence even of this “reformed” wild life, due to unforeseen political “climatic changes” in the prevalent political atmosphere, “Director General of Wild Life Conservation”, who now happens to be none other than Karuna, decides to represent himself at the Conference of Climatic Changes.There is a human mechanism in the western world where a person like Karuna can claim protection to his life, if in danger of being likely to be harmed by a third party on political or ethnic grounds, although he himself has previously harmed others’ lives. It is called the Right of Political Asylum. Once Mr. Somawansa Amarasinghe, the present Leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna enjoyed this right in the same country as Mr. Kokila Gunawardana alias Colonel Karuna Amaman happens to be today, who has reportedly applied for the same refugee status now. I hope this facility, which is an accepted human right privilege largely sustained and afforded by the Western World would not be attacked or ridiculed by the like of Mr. Wimal Weerawansa as another ploy of the Imperial Conspiracy financed by the Catholic Church against our Sinhala Buddhist Motherland!

The U.S. Treasury on Thursday imposed sanctions against a Sri Lankan charitable organization it accused of raising funds for the Tamil Tiger rebel group battling the Sri Lankan government.The Treasury said it designated the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation as a terrorist support group under an executive order that bans Americans from transactions with it and freezes any assets it may have under U.S. jurisdiction.It said the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation has raised funds in the United States for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) through a network of individual representatives.Citing sources within the organization, the Treasury said the charity group is the "preferred conduit of funds from the United States to the LTTE in Sri Lanka."The Tamil Tigers have waged a nearly 25-year civil war against the Sri Lankan government that has killed some 70,000 people, including about 5,000 in the two years since a peace process collapsed.The Tigers say they are fighting for an independent state for minority ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka's north and east but the United States designated the group as a terrorist organization as early as 1997.The government in September began a new offensive to drive the rebels from a northwestern district and earlier this month, army jets bombed rebel training camps."TRO passed off its operations as charitable, when in fact it was raising money for a designated terrorist group responsible for heinous acts of terrorism," said Adam Szubin, who heads the Treasury's sanctions arm, the Office of Foreign Assets control.The Tamils Rehabilitation Organization also has facilitated Tamil Tiger procurement efforts in the United States, including purchases of munitions, equipment, communication devices and other technologies, the Treasury said.

An helicopter gunship of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) was forced to land at Tharavangkoaddai grounds located along Mannaar-Thaazhvuppaadu main road Thursday afternoon around 3:00 p.m. due to engine trouble. A team of mechanics were brought to the site by another SLAF helicopter to repair the helicopter. Earlier on Thursday that helicopter had conducted several rounds of aerial surveillance on Mannaar town, sources said.The Police have prohibited members of public to enter the site where the helicopter had landed. Sri Lanka Army vehicles with heavy weapons were seen stationed around the helicopter and members of three armed forces have been deployed to protect the helicopter.

A Sri Lankan Tamil domiciled in the United Kingdom has been arrested while on vacation in the island, on the charge of having connections with the LTTE.The CID produced the suspect, Vishvalingam Gobidas, before the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s court today (Nov. 15th). He is charged with attempting to acquire high-powered communication equipment for the LTTE.The CID told Colombo Chief Magistrate Kusala Sarojani Weerawardena that they were still investigating as to whether the suspect had raised funds for the Tamil Tigers, and requested an order for his detention.The chief magistrate granted the request, and ordered that the man be produced before the court, on November 19th.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is considering the possibility of dissolving Parliament on November 18 midnight, if he feels that his government will be defeated by the Opposition on November 19 (Monday) when the crucial Budget vote is taken up. Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) electoral orgnisers have already been summoned for an urgent meeting on Friday, sources told The Bottom Line. “The government thinks that the JVP would not vote along with them and so the government does not want to go before the people as a defeated party, hence the dissolution is on the cards,” he said. President Rajapaksa has already held meetings with the service chiefs. “Both sides are gearing to show their strength and the President is poised to dissolve Parliament after reviewing what would happen during the next few days,” the source noted. Accordingly, it is likely that some crossovers may take place from either side because both sides are enticing the MPs to cross over to their own party.

The lowest bid for a Member of Parliament at present is a ministerial portfolio or Rs.50 million say reports from the Parliament. Members who cross over from the government to the opposition would get Rs.5 to 10 million plus foreign tours while a member crossing over from the opposition to the government would get a ministerial portfolio say these sources. According to these sources these ‘prices’ may drastically go up during the next few days. According to gossip circulating in political circles about nine members from the government are to cross over to the opposition during the next few days. Meanwhile, government media had reported that a pro-tiger billionaire, sympathetic to tiger organization, has holed out in a five star hotel in Colombo and has launched an operation to bait members from the government to the opposition as a part of a conspiracy to topple the government.

Soldiers overran six Tamil Tiger rebel bunkers and attacked them in at least four other places in Sri Lanka's embattled north, in violence that killed 19 guerrillas and one soldier, the military said Thursday.Army troops infiltrated a rebel-held area in northern Jaffna peninsula and killed four insurgents Thursday morning, a defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, citing government policy.He said the raid was launched to neutralize rebel attacks on the front line separating government-controlled areas from the rebels' mini-state in the north.On Wednesday, soldiers pushed into rebel-held territory in northern Vavuniya district and destroyed the bunkers, killing eight rebels, official said. Twenty-four rebels were wounded in the battle.Elsewhere in Vavuniya and Jaffna on Wednesday, seven rebels and a soldier died in several clashes and an anti-personnel mine blast. Five soldiers were wounded, the official said. Rebel spokesman Rash Ilanthirayan could not be reached immediately for comment.Violence has escalated in past months along the front lines surrounding the rebels' de facto state in northern Sri Lanka.The government announced four months ago that it had driven out the rebels from Eastern Province and vowed to dismantle the rebels' mini-state.Tamil Tigers have been fighting for more than two decades for an independent homeland for the island's ethnic minority Tamils in the north and east, following a history of discrimination under governments controlled by the majority Sinhalese.A Norwegian-brokered cease-fire in 2002 brought relative calm to the country, but a new wave of violence arose in December 2005 and has killed more than 5,000 people. More than 70,000 people have been killed since the insurgency began in 1983.

Britain has no intention of lifting the ban on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has said. "British Government has pledged they have no intention whatsoever to remove the ban imposed on the LTTE," Bogollagama told Parliament on Wednesday. The Minister said he was assured of this during his recent meeting with the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Malloch Brown, who reiterated that the British Government will not lift the ban imposed on the LTTE. "The British Government clearly stated that they are not willing to be a party at any diplomatic level to assist the LTTE", he said. The Sri Lankan Government has spoken to Britain about the move by a group of MPs who had expressed condolence on the killing of LTTE Political Wing Leader S P Thamilselvam, the Minister told the House. "I also appealed the British MPs not to make any statements that favour terrorist organisations like the LTTE as the Sri Lankan Government is reaching a consensus among political parties to put an end to the conflict," he said The Sri Lankan government expressed its dissatisfaction over the permission given to hold demonstrations and various events in London after the death of a terrorist leader Thamilselvan, Bogollagama said.

The Sri Lankan government has indicated that the LTTE may be banned once again, considering the stormy political developments in the Sinhala south and the stepped-up war against the Tamil Tigers in the north.Banning the LTTE may help the Mahinda Rajapaksa government, as some Sinhala hardliner parties may then be encouraged to support the annual Budget coming up for voting in Parliament on next Monday, sources said. MP Basil Rajapakse told the heads of the state, media at the weekly meeting on Wednesday that President Rajapaksa, his brother, was "willing to re-ban the LTTE" and negotiate with the Janata Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), a Sinhala nationalist party, in an effort to widen its base of support, while getting ready for a showdown in Parliament over the passing of his annual Budget.The Marxist JVP has put forward four conditions for supporting the President’s Budget, abolish the ceasefire agreement with the LTTE, dissolve the All-Party Representative Committee (APRC), formed for evolving a collective political package to solve the ethnic conflict, not yield to pressure from the UN over the alleged human rights violations and to safeguard the integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka. The government has responded positively, sources said.The LTTE was banned in Sri Lanka in 1998, following the suicide attack on the Central Bank in Colombo. The ban was lifted in 2002 before the Ceasefire Agreement was signed with the rebels.Meanwhile, justice minister Dilan Perera, on Thursday resigned from the central committee of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party — which is the main political party of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) — citing some policy differences.In another development, Opposition United National Party (UNP), MP, Mahinda Ratnathilake met the President and announced his decision to cross over to the treasury side.On Wednesday, MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakse quit the government to sit in the Opposition benches. He was the chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (CoPE) and detailed wide-spread corruption in several public institutions of the country. Some more floor-crossings are expected in the next couple of days, sources said. Former cricket captain-turned-politician, Arjuna Ranatunga has announced that he will refrain from voting on the Budget.

JHU Bhikkus’ cross over stopped by Jeyaraj

The attempt to cross over by 04 JHU Parliamentarian Bhikkus has been suppressed by Government Chief Whip, Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle. Akmeemana Dayaratne, Udawatte Nanda, Allawwe Nandaloka and Kathaluwe Pragnnananda were the four Bhikkus who were prepared to cross over to the opposition. At a special meeting of the government MPs Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle has discussed the issue at length and after the minister had promised that issues confronted by the relevant Bhikkus would be solved and their wishes granted the Bhikkus have changed their decision to cross over.

Britain has granted Sri Lanka humanitarian assistance worth £1 million to Sri Lanka during the current fiscal year, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for International Development Shahid Malik told British Parliament on October 30, answering a question raised by an MP. Of this amount £800,000 has been given to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and £200,000 through the UN inter agency Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP). Much of this funding is being spent on resettlement and reconstruction programmes in the newly liberated Eastern Province.

With several statements criticizing the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) of late, the UN humanitarian organization’s branch in Sri Lanka says that it is undergoing various uncomfortable situations and expresses fears for the safety of its staff.Issuing a special statement, UNICEF says that recent allegations against it had jeopardized the safety of its workers and adversely affected its functions.We are bound by the responsibility of working with transparency to the public and the government of Sri Lanka, it says.Staff are recruited to the UN on specific conditions. They are required to respect the policies of the institution and are accountable to the UN General Secretary. They are also duty-bound to perform their duties impartially without listening to advice from third parties, the statement says.In all circumstances, we have faith in the cooperation agreement signed with the government and the mutual trust that has been built during four decades of working together, the UN children’s fund says.In the past five years, UNICEF has spent over 18 million dollars on education, health, water and sanitation throughout the island.The statement concludes by saying that UNICEF believes that the government and the Sri Lankan people will continue to have faith in the international organization.

Advocating arms embargo against Sri Lanka, Boston Globe in an editorial appeared Wednesday, quoted Human Right Watch's letter to members of the U.S. Congress that "there has been a significant jump in abuses by government forces such as indiscriminate shelling, extrajudicial executions, and forced disappearances," recommended that "arms sales to Sri Lanka be conditioned on that government improving its human rights record and accepting a United Nations monitoring mission to protect civilians caught in the conflict," and pointed out "current US policy contradictions," in U.S. donating military hardware to Sri Lanka Navy while urging Sri Lanka to seek a negotiated peace.
Full text of the editorial follows:

ONE OF THE world's most vicious and intractable conflicts has produced a spike in violence in recent days. After a bloody clash last week in the north of Sri Lanka between government forces and the rebel fighters known as the Tamil Tigers, the government boasted of killing 60 Tigers, while the Tigers claimed to have repulsed an attack by helicopter gunships, killing more than two dozen Sri Lankan troops. This battle came a week after government forces killed the Tigers' lead peace negotiator and three weeks after the Tigers attacked a government air base and destroyed several military aircraft.This is the latest flare-up in a conflict that pits the government, dominated by Sri Lanka's Sinhalese majority, against minority Tamils who live mostly in the island nation's north and east. During the past two decades more than 70,000 people have died in recurrent warfare, many of them noncombatants who fell victim to war crimes or wanton human-rights abuses. While the geopolitical repercussions of this conflict may be limited, its humanitarian consequences have been dire.A recent letter from Human Rights Watch to two members of Congress cites past rights violations by the Tigers, including attacks against civilians and the use of child soldiers. But since the collapse of a cease-fire last year, the letter notes, "there has been a significant jump in abuses by government forces such as indiscriminate shelling, extrajudicial executions, and forced disappearances."The letter sensibly recommends that arms sales to Sri Lanka be conditioned on that government improving its human rights record and accepting a United Nations monitoring mission to protect civilians caught in the conflict. The Sri Lankan army has displaced some 300,000 civilians during its current offensive into the Jaffna peninsula, a predominantly Tamil region.Current US policy contradictions were on display Thursday when, during a ceremony accompanying an American donation of a maritime surveillance system and inflatable boats to the Sri Lankan navy, US ambassador Robert Blake urged the host government to pursue a negotiated settlement of the conflict. It will take more than well-meaning sentiments to end Sri Lanka's long internecine warfare.There ought to be an international arms embargo on Sri Lanka. If President Rahinda Rajapaksa wants to end the conflict, he could point to the damaging effects of such an embargo to persuade Sinhalese nationalists they must accept a meaningful devolution of power to the Tamil areas. As a gesture of good will, the government should reopen the vital highway connecting the Tamil north to the rest of the island. And then Rajapaksa should back constitutional changes that would allow for Tamil self-government in a confederal Sri Lanka. This would be a solution in the interests of all Sri Lankans - Sinhalese and Tamil alike.

Dilan Perera to resign from SLFP Central Committee

Justice Minister Dilan Perera it so tender his resignation as a member of the SLFP Central Committee. The resignation letter will be sent to the Presidential Secretariat, a Coordinating Secretary to Perera told ‘Lanka Dissent.”In a statement to the media, the Minister says, “It is the people of Badulla who have elected me a parliamentarian, not the President. This government has now received with open arms the two persons who are responsible for the death of Nalanda Ellawala. Therefore, I will consult the people of Badulla and take a decision whether to remain in this government any longer.”At yesterday’s Parliamentary Group meeting too, Dilan Perera blamed the President for the present political situation, reports say. As party leader, the President should take full responsibility for the defection of Wijayadasa Rajapaksa to the opposition, he told the meeting. The President should decide as to whether he is going to safeguard SLFP policies, or betray them to the JVP, Dilan Perera added.

Arjuna 'to vote against' budget

Sri Lanka's cricket star parliamentarian Arjuna Ranatunga says he will vote against the government's budget proposals.Ranatunga who steered Sri Lankan cricket team to the World Cup glory in 1996 later won a parliamentary seat contesting from the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)."I will inform the President that I will not be able to vote for the budget proposals unless some changes made," he told BBC Sandeshaya.In his capacity as the Finance Minister, President Mahinda Rajapaksa delivered 2008 budget proposals on 07 November.

Ranatunga says the proposals lacked provisions for the development of sport in the island nation.The former President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, has invited him to join active politics, says Ranatunga, to help develop sports including his favourite cricket.Ranatunga was believed to be frustrated as he was never offered the sports portfolio."I cannot vote for a budget that lacks any support for sports development," he told BBC Sinhala.com.Both Presidents, Kumaratunga and Rajapaksa, made him a deputy minister of unrelated subjects.Ranatunga who earlier resigned as the deputy minister for Tourism, is one of the handful of ruling party parliamentarians without a portfolio.

A day after UNP Western Provincial Councillor Duminda Silva expressed his support to the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Government and on the very day the ruling party Parliamentarian Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe crossed over to the opposition another two members of the Western Provincial Council joined the Government.Janaka Mallimarachchi, son of former UNP strongman Weerasinghe Mallimarachchi and Anil Kumara Wijesingha along with Duminda Silva met President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday to express their support to the Government, a statement from the Presidential Secretariat said.They said their intention was to strengthen the hands of the President who was working towards an honourable peace in the country and also to contribute to development in line with the Mahinda Chintana, it added. According to the statement the three provincial councilors claimed they had been inspired by the Government Budget under which several concessions have been given to the rural people and oil prices have not been increased in spite of the price hike in the world market. They have cited the confidence they have reposed on the Government’s development plan as another reason for their decision to join the Government.The statement quoted the trio as saying that they would not have a future if they were to follow the path they were following now while Mr. Mallimarachchi said that the LTTE which killed the UNP leaders including his father will not lay down arms and therefore must be defeated.

Govt. agrees to JVP preconditions & also to ban LTTE

Government leaders including Rajapaksa brothers Basil and Gotabhaya, Ministers Keheliya Rambukwella and Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Lakshman Hulugalla and the heads of state-owned media institutions discussed their future course of action in view of the present political scenario at the Defence Ministry in Colombo yesterday (Nov. 14th). However, Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, who was a familiar figure at this routine discussion, held every Wednesday, has been a notable absentee at the last couple of meetings, sources at the Presidential Secretariat say.At yesterday’s talks, Basil Rajapaksa has announced the President’s agreement to meet the preconditions put forward by the JVP, and not stopping there, to proscribe the LTTE.Lake House Chairman Bandula Padmakumara, ITN Chairman Anura Siriwardena, SLBC Chairman Sunil Sarath Perera, SLRC Chairman Ariyaratne Ethugala as well as Sisira Kothalawala were present. Chandrapala Liyanage and Newton Gunaratne from the President’s office too, attended, the sources say.The main topic discussed here was how to ensure a passage of Budget 2008 after the defection of Wijayadasa Rajapaksa to the opposition and the role that has to be played by the state media in this situation.The heads of these institutions were instructed on how to report crossovers, and Basil Rajapaksa had impressed upon them that there should be no news articles disadvantageous to the government in any manner. Stressing the need to get the budget passed and the continuation of the government by any means, he said that the President has agreed meet three of the JVP’s preconditions.Commenting on the demand to dissolve the All Party Representative Committee, Basil Rajapaksa said that although it has been a body instituted by the President, he would not hesitate to make even that sacrifice in order to protect the government. The President is also willing to ban the LTTE, he told the meeting.Basil Rajapaksa noted that there should be readiness to face even parliamentary elections and that the state media needs to lay the necessary groundwork. However, the heads of these institutions have played down the idea of going for an election as disadvantageous at a time when the people are dejected over the skyrocketing inflation and the overall economic situation. At this juncture, Minister Rambukwella has claimed that winning an election would not be that difficult, as the government has seen several successes at the warfront, including the liberation of the East and the killing of S.P. Thamilselvan.He advised the state media chiefs to paint a picture to the people that the opposition was attempting reverse this winning streak and betray the country to the LTTE. Even in a situation detrimental to the government, every attempt should be made to protect it, Rambukwella reiterated. Lakshman Hullugalla joined in, by saying that the budget should be passed with support from the JVP, adjourn Parliament for a few months and then go for an election. Explaining the present troubles of the JVP, Basil Rajapaksa alleged an internal division in the party that should be made use of, to the advantage of the government. The role of the state media in these circumstances was extensively discussed. JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe and Wimal Weerawansa, backed by K.D. Lalkantha, Chandrasena Wijesinghe and Kularatne are supportive of the government and enjoy more powers in the party Politburo while Tilvyn Silva and Anura Kumara Dissanayake are stronger in the Central Committee, according to Basil Rajapaksa. Since only one member out of 30 in the Central Committee supports Wimal Weerawansa, the balance of power in the two bodies is divided, Rajapaksa noted, adding that Somawansa and Wimal cannot do much in the Central Committee.Therefore, dealings with the JVP should be done according to well-thought tactics, he added.

Karunanidhi's eulogy for dead LTTE leader raises questions of propriety

It is said that one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. For a large number of Sri Lankan Tamils, S P Thamilchelvan, an LTTE leader who was killed recently, is a freedom fighter. But what if he is eulogised thus in India where LTTE is a banned outfit? Chief minister M Karunanidhi started it when he wrote an elegy for Thamilchelvan. Vaiko, a former MP and an open ally of LTTE, and a few others tried to take out a march in support of the Tigers on Monday, but were prevented by the state police. As he was led away by the police, Vaiko said: Karunanidhi is only fooling the people. Vaiko's grouse is understandable. If the chief minister can eulogise an LTTE leader and sit tight, why can't he? After all, he is not holding any public office. For reasons entirely different to that of Vaiko, Karunanidhi can be accused of fooling people. As a politician, Karunanidhi is free to express his views on LTTE. But he is not merely a DMK leader; he holds the office of chief minister. As a representative of the government, he is expected to support the official Indian line on foreign affairs. There is a ban on LTTE because its activities are perceived to be against the interests of India. The outfit is guilty of murdering a former Indian prime minister. Can such an outfit be supported openly? Karunanidhi can certainly do so in his personal capacity, but not as chief minister. The office of chief minister puts certain responsibilities on his shoulders and thus restrains his freedom of speech to an extent. If he wants to offer personal views on any issue, he should expressly say so. The chief minister's remarks could impact New Delhi's relationship with Colombo. It could alter the perception of LTTE in Tamil Nadu. Politicians sympathetic to LTTE, as against the broader Sri Lankan Tamil cause, could feel that there is official sanction for open demonstration of their sympathies. Do we need to encourage supporters of an outfit that is banned in most parts of the world? Certainly not, especially since we are interested in a democratic resolution of the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka air force pounds rebel positions and army kills 5 rebels in north, military says

Air force fighter planes bombed Tamil Tiger rebel positions in northern Sri Lanka - on Wednesday, and soldiers killed four guerrillas with a roadside bomb and another with gunfire, the military said. Fighting has flared in recent weeks between the government and Tamil Tigers along the front lines surrounding the rebels' de facto state in northern Sri Lanka - . The rebels have been fighting for more than two decades for an independent homeland for the island's ethnic minority Tamils in the north and east, following a history of discrimination under governments controlled by the majority Sinhalese. A Norwegian-brokered cease-fire in 2002 brought relative calm to the country, but a new wave of violence arose in December 2005 and has killed more than 5,000 people. More than 70,000 people have been killed since the insurgency began in 1983.

Air defense radars in Vavuniya recorded that a LTTE aircraft was flying towards Anuradhapura and after it was made aware to Anuradhapura and Colombo the camps were made alert. Lights were switched off, air defence system was on and anti aircraft rounds were fired at sky in Anuradhapura. After nine minutes the aircraft was recorded in the radars of Anuradhapura airbase, the plane vanished from the west of Anuradhapura. Later the Air Force Kfir jets bombed Iranamadu area around 6.10 AM. However, when Lanka-e-News enquired about the incident from Media Center for National Security (MCNS), a spokesman of MCNS said that it was only a rumour. Addressing media briefing at Colombo media spokesman on national security Keheliya Rambukwella said that the Air Force was in a rehearsal by the time they said LTTE aircrafts were airborne. He said that Air Force had no such information and it was not recorded in radars. He said giving international publicity to this rumour is an irresponsible act and urged the media to be responsible.

Amid suspense over the fate of the 2008 budget presented by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, scheduled to come up for vote in Parliament next week, a senior Parliamentarian of the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa crossed over to the opposition benches on Wednesday.For several weeks now, particularly ever since the former Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and the former Minister, Mangala Samaraweera, came together under the platform of the National Congress, there has been speculation of defections from the ruling combine.The ruling party has a majority of four in the 225-member House, thanks to the support of 23 dissident members of the opposition United National Party and members of several smaller parties. Mr. Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa is the Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and in his recent reports has indicted two senior members of the government. Both are UNP rebels who joined the government early this year.“Even assuming the government fails to muster the required numbers to get the budget approved by Parliament, the President does not stand to lose as much as other parties. “After all Mr. Rajapaksa would continue to be the President and his party has an edge among the majority community in the event of a snap poll thanks to the military successes against the LTTE,” a seasoned political watcher told The Hindu.

Leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Somawansa Amarasinghe has demanded the government to fulfill four conditions if his party is to support Budget 2008.Amarasinghe gave a six-day deadline for the government to meet these demands, while delivering the keynote lecture at a function to remember the JVP’s November Heroes at the National Youth Services Council auditorium in Maharagama yesterday (Nov. 13th).The four preconditions are: taking tough and swift action to safeguard national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity, abolition of the Ceasefire Agreement, dissolving the All Party Representative Committee and blocking interference by the United Nations in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs on the pretext of probing human rights violations.Speaking further, the JVP leader said the President could use his executive powers to fulfill these demands, following which the party’s 36 parliamentarians will vote in support of the budget for next year.

The adjournment debate on the situation in Sri Lanka which was to be taken up at the House of Commons last evening was postponed to a later date, the British High Commission in Colombo told the Daily Mirror. The House of Commons website which had also listed the session for last evening later said it was “withdrawn.”The debate which was moved by Liberal Democratic MP, Simon Hughes was postponed as he was unable to attend the session. At the last House of Commons debate on Sri Lanka on May 2, Hughes called for the lifting of the LTTE ban in Britain and the EU.

Australia has advised their nationals to defer non-essential travel to Sri Lanka following the recent spate of violence warning that there was a high risk of attacks outside the north east. "We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Sri Lanka at this time because of ongoing civil unrest, the volatile security situation and the very high risk of terrorist attacks. Attacks occur frequently and further attacks can happen at any time, anywhere in Sri Lanka," the Australian government said adding, "Australians could inadvertently become victims of violence directed at others, in particular Sri Lankan government and military targets."The Australians were warned that Colombo too could be a target – "A recent escalation of conflict in the north and other parts of the country may provoke further terrorist attacks, including in Colombo. You should exercise extreme caution, maintain high personal security awareness and avoid locations known to be targeted by terrorists in Sri Lanka." The advisory warns that the killing of S P Tamilselvan has increased the risk of more violence. "Tensions between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are high. There has been a significant escalation in the number of serious incidents of politically motivated violence, including in tourist areas in the centre and south of the country. The security situation could deteriorate further without warning. "On 2 November 2007, the LTTE announced that the leader of the LTTE’s political wing SP Tamilchelvam, was killed in an aerial attack by the Sri Lanka Air Force. This event may increase the risk of further attacks by the LTTE in any part of Sri Lanka," it said.The advisory also said that there was a risk of foreigners being abducted in Colombo for ransom. "There is a danger of kidnapping for ransom of foreign nationals in Sri Lanka, including in Colombo."

Red Alert at Colombo port amidst LTTE raid fears

Sri Lankan forces have been put on alert following reports of a possible LTTE attack on the Colombo port, the economic life line of the island country. "We have got information that LTTE could try to enter the Colombo port in a look-alike of a police vehicle," defence spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara told agencies today. All vehicles, including military and police vehicles, entering the Colombo port will have to get special permission from the Sri Lankan Navy with immediate effect, considering the security situation, he said. According to a senior Navy official, a new security plan is in place and accordingly no vehicles will be allowed to enter the harbour premises without approval from the Navy, which is in charge of the harbour security. The decision was taken following reliable information that the LTTE was planning to launch attacks on the country’s economically strategic points, including the harbour, he said. Meanwhile, security has been tightened at almost all strategic points including harbours, air ports, oil storages, power stations and dams following the report. West Navy commander Rear Admiral Bajc Pieris took this measure from yesterday following discussion with the Deputy Inspector general of police, Colombo, Nimal Mediwaka. All vehicles that expect entry to harbour premises have to obtain the permission from the navy operation room of the Colombo harbour, the navy official said adding this permission must be applied through the officer-in-charge of harbour police.

Police vehicles were banned entry into the Colombo harbor premises without prior approval of Sri Lanka Navy since yesterday. Defense sources said that the step was taken following information on possible terrorist attack using police vehicles. Colombo West Navy Commander Rear Admiral B.A.J.C. Pieris has taken this measure after discussion with the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Colombo, Nimal Mediwaka.All vehicles that expect entry to harbor premises have to obtain the permission from the Navy Operation Room of the Colombo harbor. This permission must be applied through the Officer-in-Charge of Harbor Police.

Tourism in Yala and Tissa- maharama has suffered a severe setback due to the present spate of killings in these areas, and following the sudden imposition of a travel warning by the British High Commission, hoteliers said. The closure of the Yala National Park after the LTTE attack last month resulted in a clear drop in the occupancy rate. However, according to hoteliers in the region, the present tense situation has caused a further decline in tourist arrivals to Yala."The entire village is under tension and with the British travel warning imposed on Monday the situation has now worsened," Manager, Yala Village, Conrad de la Motte told The Morning Leader. According to de la Motte, no sooner than four British tourists checked in on Monday the British High Commission had contacted them requesting them to leave Yala at the earliest."On Monday a suspected armed gang had attacked the army detachment at Buttuwa which is two to three kilometres away from this hotel killing three army soldiers. This situation has now led to serious consequences since three of our experienced staff members tendered their resignation on Monday citing the prevailing situation. If this continues there is no option other than closing down the Yala Village," de la Motte said. "We expected more tourists during the winter season but unfortunately the latest conflict situation has made travel agents divert tourists to other destinations," General Manager, Elephant Reach Hotel, Ravi Perera told The Morning Leader.Perera is of the view that the industry in general was so disappointed after the re-opening of the national park was postponed as this would lead to further decreases in the number of arrivals. "Most of the tourists want to go on a safari and now since the park is closed the travel agents divert them to Udawalawe," Perera said.

Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bhaila has rejected accusation leveled against the government over the alleged issuance of a diplomatic passport to Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman. UNP MP John Amaratunga made the charge while moving an adjournment motion to Parliament yesterday (Nov. 13th). There is no report to the effect that a diplomatic passport had been issued to a person by the name Kokila Dusumanna Gunawardena. The Controller of Emigration and Immigration is the sole authority in issuing passports, the Deputy Foreign Minister noted. None of the government leaders who are implicated in this issue came forward to answer the questions raised by UNP MP Amaratunga.

Confrontations have spiked since the November 2 killing of LTTE political Wing Leader S.P. Tamilselvan, the SLMM’s latest situation report said.In the 10 days following the Tamilselvan killing over 125 comabtants from both sides have been killed in fighting in the north according to figures quoted by the military and the Tigers.Heavy fighting erupted along the FDL in Muhamalai and along Vavuniya-Mannar last week resulting in heavy casualties to both sides.The military said 75 Tigers were killed in both instances while the Tigers said only one of their cadres was killed. The SLMM has stated that the killings had added to the tension between the military and the civilians in the northern region."After the attack on the air force in Anuradhapura on October 22, the situation continued to be tense, and this incident (Tamilselvan murder) added to the tension amongst the military and the civil population in the Northern region," it said.The statement also said the situation in Vavuniya had deteriorated considerably and added there is a fear of violence escalating. "Eight civilians have been killed in Vavuniya town, some linked to the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE). Five civilians were assassinated at the same time and location on November 3," it added.The SLMM stated abductions and harassments continued in the eastern region. "The general security situation for civilians was volatile in the region, and abductions and harassments continued," the statement added.

The Tamil Nadu government has warned that licenses of fishing boats caught in Sri Lankan waters more than three times will be cancelled. State Fisheries Secretary Leena Nair told reporters here that a fine was already in place for such violations and that the international maritime boundary was clearly demarcated between the two countries.She was answering questions on allegations from Sri Lankan authorities that Indians were fishing in the island nation's waters. The Sri Lankan navy as well as fishermen have repeatedly attacked fishing boats from Tamil Nadu, causing resentment among Indian fishing communities. A narrow strip of sea divides India and Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Navy shots at an Indian fisherman while fishing

An Indian fisherman was shot at and injured by Sri Lankan Navy personnel Tuesday when he was fishing along the country's border with the island nation.The man hailing from Rameswaram in Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu was injured in his leg and had been admitted to the Rameswaram government hospital, news agency Press Trust of India reported quoting state police.The Tamil Nadu police are investigating the incident.

Press freedom is seriously impeded due to many obstacles to independent news reporting in the country’s provinces, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the International Press Institute (IPI) said. The report was based on a fact-finding mission by the IFJ, IPI and the Free Media Movement (FMM) to the Eastern Province last June.The report said media workers in the east were denied access to areas such as Vaharai, Kathiraveli and Kokkadich- cholai. "Journalists in the east insist that they are being deliberately denied access to places such as Vaharai, Kathiraveli and Kokkadichcholai and their environs, merely because there is an ethnic re-engineering underway there, from which the Muslim community would emerge distinctly worse off," it said.The statement also said journalists had to establish their ethnicity and prove their loyalty to officially dictated policies before they are allowed access these areas.A further report on the national media in Colombo will be released shortly. The report said media workers and journalists who met with the team were disturbed and concerned that Sri Lanka’s wider national public was being kept in the dark about potentially explosive issues in the east. The report also had stated that the journalists’ attempts to report on the drawbacks in the government’s reconstruction programme were hampered by official restrictions and insufficient national attention. The report added that a greater coverage of provincial issues was important within the national media and said local media personnel should be granted greater job security and personal protection.

Civilians hurt at Madhu church

Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities have rejected accusations by Catholic priests of launching artilery attacks towards Madhu church.The priest in charge of the shrine, Rev. Emiliyas Pillai, said the SLA launched attacks towards the area despite repeated pledges to keep the area as a "peace zone".Denying any military involvement SLA spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakakara accused the Tamil Tigers.

"As someone who has witnessed shell attacks, I can tell you that it is very difficult to find out the direction the attacks were launched," he told BBC Sandeshaya. Rev. Pillai said an old woman and a girl were admitted to Mannar hospital after sustaining injuries as some shells fell near church premises. SLA camps in Mammanr launched a series of artillery attacks towrds LTTe areas, he said.In a meeting with Mannar bishop Rayappu Joseph, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has pledged to keep the shrine out of the military conflict.Military authorities pledged to investigate."The military will certainly investigate provided an offcial complaint is lodged but as far as I am concerned, we are yet to receive a complaint regarding the incident," Brigadier Nanayakakra said.

Iran to Fund Sri Lankan Arms Purchases - International Terrorism Monitor---by B. Raman

"Reliable Tamil sources also say that about 12 to 15 members of the Pakistani Armed Forces, including four or five from the Pakistan Air Force, are stationed in Colombo to guide the Sri Lankan security forces in their counter-insurgency operations. The Pakistan Air Force officers have reportedly been guiding the SLAF officers in effectively carrying out air-mounted operations against the LTTE. They have also been reportedly involved in drawing up plans for a decapitation strike from the air, with bunker-buster bombs, to kill Prabakaran.The reported posting of Air Vice-Marshal Shehzad Chaudhry, who had handled in the past air-mounted operations against the Baloch freedom-fighters, is expected to further step up the Pakistani involvement in the use of air strikes to subdue the LTTE and intimidate the Tamil population."-According to reliable Sri Lankan sources, the Government of President Mahinda Rajapakse has requested the Government of Iran through a Malaysian Muslim of Indian/Sri Lankan origin for an urgent loan at low interest to enable it to purchase trainer and electronic surveillance aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles in replacement of those lost during the recent ground-cum-air attack launched by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at the Anuradhapura air base of the Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF). It has also requested Iran for the supply of oil and gas at concessional rates on credit. These requests are expected to be followed up personally by President Rajapakse during a planned visit to Iran shortly.

2. The Malaysian Muslim, who is acting as the intermediary, is a close personal friend of A. Q. Khan, the Pakistani nuclear scientist, and had come into contact with key Iranian officials in the past through A. Q. Khan.

3. The Rajapakse Government has also requested Pakistan for the replacement of the unmanned aerial vehicles destroyed by the LTTE. Some of them had been given in the past by Pakistan and some others by Israel. It has also requested China urgently for the latest radar and other air defence equipment.

4. Pakistani Commandoes from its Special Services Group (SSG) have been training Sri Lankan Commandoes and some anti-LTTE Tamils in secret training camps in Southern Sri Lanka as a prelude to the expected military offensive in the Wanni area of the Northern Province. Some of the Sri Lankan commandoes had also been to Pakistan for training in the SSG training institutions.

5. In the meanwhile, the SLAF, with the help of Pakistani and Ukrainian pilots, has stepped up its efforts for a decapitation strike to kill Prabakaran. A monitoring station to locate the hide-out of Prabakaran has been set up at an unidentified location in the Eastern Province with the help of Pakistan's Directorate of Military Intelligence (DGMI) to identify the location of Prabakaran's hide-out.

6. In an interview to the "Sunday Observer" of November 11, 2007, the SLAF Commander Air Marshal Roshan Goonatilleke said ` that it was not a difficult task for the SLAF to get at Prabhakaran as he was confined to a very limited area. He added that, "We will find him somehow."

More than 50 civilians have disappeared and 43 killed in the north and east last month, the LTTE Peace Secretariat said last week.The monthly human rights report released by the LTTE Peace Secretariat last Saturday stated 51 persons have been reported missing in the north and east.The majority of the disappearances and killings have been reported from Jaffna.According to the LTTE report, more that 45 cases of killings and disappearances have been reported from Jaffna.The report said 18 civilians had been killed and 27 have disappeared in Jaffna. Batticaloa has also recorded 20 cases of disappearances and killings. The LTTE controlled Mullaitivu recorded only one disappearance last month, the report further said.Speaking on the issue, Military Spokesperson, Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said all these killings have been carried out by the LTTE pistol gang."These are carried out by the LTTE pistol gang against those who do not fall in line with their thinking," he said.Nanayakkara added that civilians in these areas have been educated on these issues."They have been educated to handle these situations and have been asked to inform the nearest Police station or Police post if they are under threat," he said.

A lecture organized by the Anti War Front, to commemorate the first death anniversary of slain TNA MP Nadarajah Raviraj, will be held on Thursday Novermber 15 at the New Town Hall. According to organizers leader of the Left Front Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne, TNA Parliamentary group leader R. Sampanthan, Western People’s Front Leader Mano Ganeshan and United Left Front leader Siritunga Jayasuriya are expected to make presentations at the lecture.

Tamil Nationalist Movement leader P. Nedumaran and MDMK chief Vaiko were Monday taken into custody for holding a condolence rally for LTTE spokesperson S.P. Tamilselvan in defiance of ban orders.The LTTE leader was killed in an air raid on Nov 2 in northern Sri Lanka.The condolence rally was banned by the DMK government here, although Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi had written a poem in memory of the slain leader. The rally, in the heart of the city, was by the Coordination Committee of Supporters of Tamil Eelam Liberation.About 500 people participated, among them MDMK cadre, although the party is an ally of the AIADMK which has criticised Karunanidhi for praising Tamilselvan.Vaiko and the others were remanded to 15 days judicial custody for defying prohibitory orders.In a statement before the rally, Vaiko accused the central government of 'betraying' the Lankan Tamils and 'supplying arms to the Sri Lankan army' which, he said, were being used against Lankan Tamils.'We have gathered here to express not only the feelings of Tamils in Tamil Nadu but from throughout the world,' Vaiko said.Nedumaran also criticised the DMK government for banning the memorial rally.The pro-LTTE sympathisers carried pictures of Tamilselvan and other LTTE leaders.

After many stops and starts, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has once again instructed the All Party Representative Committee chairman Tissa Vitarana to work out a political package as soon as possible to resolve the ethnic crisis, parliament was informed yesterday.SLFP general secretary and Minister Maithripala Sirisena told parliament the government believed in a political solution to resolve the conflict while crushing terrorism.“The President instructed Prof. Vitarana to present a political package acceptable to all communities living in Sri Lanka. After presenting the package, we can discuss it with other parties in parliament,” he said.Mr. Sirisena said the government hoped to create a favourable political environment necessary for a successful development strategy.He said the next General Election would be held only in 2010 and as such political parties should allow the government to go ahead with its agenda and should not create a sense of uncertainty about the government’s term in office and fears of it being toppled. Commenting on the Moragahakanda Project, the Minister said Rs. 1,600 million had been allocated in the budget. “Last time, we had only Rs. 500 million. We have spent it on the project and I am challenging anyone who says the project is a failure to join me on an observation tour to verify the present status of the project,” he said.He said JICA had also agreed to give financial assistance for the project.

Govt. attempt to take Mangala back

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has advised Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle to take every possible measure to take former Minister Mangala Samaraweera back into his regime.Samaraweera was sacked from his ministerial portfolio and from the SLFP early this year.The president has summoned Chief Government Whip Fernandopulle to a private discussion at his office in Parliament prior to the presentation of the budget on November 07th and impressed upon him the necessity to bring Samaraweera back to the government. This development comes in the wake of plans by a group including MP Basil Rajapaksa to dissolve the government and go for an election next year after the revelation that the JVP and other opposition parties were to move a no-confidence motion against the present regime mid-2008.This first came to light at a meeting by Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa with selected heads of state-owned media institutions on November 07th. Matters pertaining to the media in the event of snap polls came under discussion at the talks.

The JVP yesterday in Parliament emphasized the need to take legal action against UNICEF for the alleged provision of funds and vehicles to the LTTE, through the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO).Party parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa told the House in a special statement UNICEF, an organization affiliated to the UN, had provided over Rs. 100 million to Tigers through the TRO during period from July, 2000 to July 22, 2006. Weerawansa said the House should pay attention to media revelations in this regard because the TRO is a movement which acted to smuggle military apparatus to the LTTE just after the Tsunami.“Is it therefore so difficult to believe the UNICEF acted to give money to the Tigers?” he asked. He claimed UNICEF had also given vehicles to the Tigers while providing employment to Tiger cadres along with the chance to spy.“We are making this allegation after a thorough investigation into the matter,” he said. He added this was only the tip of the iceberg and the real extent of UNICEF’s deception in helping the LTTE could be mind-boggling.Weerawansa said terrorist financing is a serious offence in terms of laws passed in Parliament, even with the UN approval, and asked what the validity of this legislation is if action is not taken against an UN-affiliated organization for breaching it? He also queried whether they should allow the UN to use its privileges to favour terrorists. The JVP demanded a reply from the Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama in this regard. “We should be extra vigilant at a time when the British Parliament is set and ready to debate the Sri Lankan situation today,” he said.

Duminda Silva joins Govt.: ABC Radio ban to be lifted?

The United National Party Chief Organizer for the Western Province, Duminda Silva, has crossed over to the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.He is a younger brother of Reynor Silva, who is the Managing Director of the recently banned Asian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Media Network.Making the maximum use of the circumstances, the government closed the ABC network, which functioned as a pro-UNP media institution in recent times.Reports say that various underhand dealings are now taking place to restore the radio license of the ABC media network. Political analysts believe that Duminda Silva’s crossover could be part of it.The radio license of the ABC Media Network has been cancelled following an order of the Supreme Court.Furthermore, a defamation of the judiciary case is pending against Reynor Silva before the SC.

Ahead of a parliamentary debate on the Karuna controversy, the Jathika Hela Urumaya yesterday challenged critics to prove that the party had helped Karuna to go to Britain on a forged passport.“If at all there was an issue, the British High Commission would have raised it by now,” the JHU said.

Indian Finance minister P Chidambaram says that a negotiated political solution that involves credible devolution of power is the only way out for Sri Lanka from its ethnic conflict.India insisted from the beginning that the northeast issue could not be solved through armed conflict, Chidambaram said, while delivering the Lakshman Kadirgamar memorial lecture at the BMICH in Colombo yesterday (Nov. 11th)."Neither side can finally prevail over the other through conflict. Peace must be forged at the negotiating table," he said.The senior Indian minister insisted his country's commitment to unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka."India has made this clear on every occasion. At the same time, India has emphasized that the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka, arising out of a sense of discrimination and a sense of negation of cultural, linguistic and human rights should be resolved through a negotiated political settlement that includes a credible devolution of powers," he said.Stressing that "senseless acts of terror on the one side or planned operations by the armed forces on the other side will only result in more death and destruction," Chidambaram warned that violence would have severe adverse effects on the Sri Lankan economy.He also held discussions with President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Foreign Affairs Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and other government officials during the visit.

The parliament or the people are unaware of what happened to the Rs.19.87 billion allocated from the 2007 budget for non-specified expenses, says United National Party (UNP) MP Lakshman Senevirathna. Addressing a media briefing at the Opposition Leader's office, he pointed out this fact as an example for the lack of transparency in the budget expenses. He accused the government for initiating an unpleasant tradition of spending massive amounts of public money without approval of the parliament that is responsible for fiscal management. The government, in its 2008 budget, has not explained the way the real budget deficit of Rs. 885 billion is balanced. In 2007 budget, Rs. 50.7 billion was allocated for non-specified expenses. The Treasury Secretary who was responsible for these expenses should have explained how they were spent quarterly. Yet, the way Rs. 19.87 billion was spent was not clarified to the parliament.The UNP MP further said that the government increased custom, production and Cess taxes on the day the budget was tabled. These taxes are imposed one on top of the other and VAT is added on them.Subsequently, the prices increased of underwear by Rs. 60, vest by Rs. 70 and a sari by Rs. 100. No one can even go to the lavatory without being caught by this massive tax network, said the UNP MP. MP Lakshman Senevirathna said that although UNP never opposed the war against terrorism, it would protest the unplanned Muhamalai attack that aimed at forgetting the pressure of the budget to the people. He said that this Muhamalai Budget Attack took the lives of 40 best soldiers and injured 130 while 109 of them are in critical condition. He said that the government is creating an unfair competition and another era of queues through giving concessions only to the Lak Sathosa and Co-operative Societies. The government has not spent even a cent for infrastructure development from the US $ 500 million credit obtained for a high interest through HSBC. Of that Rs. 56 billion, the government spent Rs. 20 billion to settle a Central Bank overdraft, Rs. 13 billion to settle a loan of Bank of Ceylon and Rs. 22 billion to settle a loan of People's Bank. Mere Rs. 10 billion is spared and it will go for the expenses of the President, said Lakshman Senevirathna. 'The budget deficit was announced below the real figures. The exact deficit has gone up by Rs. 143 billion beyond the deficit stated in the Appropriation Bill. The real budget deficit is Rs. 884 billion although the budget proposals stated it as Rs. 293 billion,' the UNP MP said. He further said that any MP who would vote in support of a non-transparent, misleading budget of this sort would commit an offence to his own conscience. MP Lakshman Senevirathna says that the JVP now has a chance to prove whatever they say about safeguarding people's rights at the vote for the budget.

Sri Lanka military sources said that bodies of six female LTTE cadres killed in a confrontation this morning at the forward defence line in Periyathampanai in Wanni would be handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).Troops overran and destroyed an LTTE bunker this morning during a confrontation with the Tigers along the FDL as they attempted to infiltrate it. During the subsequent search troops found six bodies of female LTTE cadres in the area. One soldier was also killed in the incident.The bodies have been taken to the Government Hospital in Vavuniya. Defense sources said that bodies would be handed over to LTTE through ICRC.Meanwhile the elite Special Task Force troops confronted another group of Tigers inside the jungles of Pothuvil yesterday evening killing three Tigers.The three bodies are presently lying at the Pothuvil government hospital. Police investigations are in progress, defense sources said.

The Police Special Task Force personnel handed over the bodies of three LTTE cadres to the International Committee of the Red Cross today (November 12th). The LTTE cadres were killed in yesterday’s confrontation at Senminikulam in Pottuvil. The bodies were found during a subsequent search operation today.Bills for food items worth Rs. 40,000, purchased from the area, were found from the bodies.

The Commander of Sri Lanka Army, Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka has made a visit to Yala to inspect first hand the area, which has been subject to a series of hit-and-run attacks by the LTTE in the recent past.Accordingly, the Army Commander inspected the ground security situation in the Yala National Park and surrounding area. He also met the senior security authorities in the Southern Province including newly appointed commander for the area, Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe, DIG Jayantha Gamage and Senior DIG Mahinda Balasuriya.They briefed the Army Commander on the latest developments and on the progress of the investigations. Commander instructed the authorities to intensify search and cordon operations in affected areas until conditions improve.

Security alert in deep South of Sri Lanka over information on suspicious speed boats

Sri Lanka Navy with the support of the police strengthened security on the coastal belt in deep south Hambanthota district following information on the presence of suspicious speed boats in the sea off the southern coast.Police received information on the boats suspected to be belonging to the LTTE Sea Tigers Wing off the sea between Rekawa and Tangalla around 3 PM yesterday. Special security has been provided to Tangalla and Kudawella fishing harbors. Tangalla Navy camp was waiting for the arrival of gun boats from Galle Navy Base to conduct search operations.

Ten Police Posts are to be set up in the Situlpawwa area in view of the prevailing security concerns after the recent events in Tissamaharama, including the claymore blast in the Yala Sanctuary, Police Spokesman Senior DIG Jayantha Wickremaratne said. The safety of pilgrims to the historical area is yet another concern, he said.The police posts will be established and police and civil defence force personnel deployed in a matter of 48 hours, the Senior DIG said.On November 10th, a cab was caught up in a claymore blast at Katagamuwa in Yala, killing its driver and injuring two other occupants.

Sri Lanka's Patriotic National Movement (PNM) affiliated with Marxist People's Liberation Front urges the government to ban the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). PNM Co-convener Prof. Gunadasa Amarasekara issuing a statement said that the ban will prevent LTTE’s international campaign against the government and will also end the crocodile tear shedding of the Tamil National Alliance and other Tiger contenders. The statement also expressed concern over some Ministers conveying condolence over the killing of LTTE political chief and peace negotiator S. P. Thamilchelvan by an air attack by Sri Lanka Air Force.

P Nadesan, the Tamil Tigers' new political commissar, wants to reach out to India and mend fences with it, says a Sri Lankan Tamil MP, who talked to him last week."Nadesan has always been of the view that the Sri Lankan Tamil movement led by the LTTE should have the support of India. He reiterated this position when we met him after the funeral of Tamilselvan," Suresh Premachandran, a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP told Hindustan Times in Colombo on Sunday."Apart from Nadesan other senior political leaders of the LTTE like Balakumar also told us how important it was to cultivate India," Premachandran said. V.Balakumar, who is an ace motivator of the LTTE's cadres, including suicide cadres, was a leader of the leftist Eelam Revolutionay Organisation of Students (EROS) which had merged with the LTTE in 1988. Premachandran, who was among the ten TNA MPs who attended Tamilselvan's funeral at Kilinochchi, said that Nadesan's views were important because he not only enjoyed Supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran's trust, but was close and respected enough to discuss matters of high political importance with the Leader.The LTTE and its supporters in Sri Lanka and abroad, view the situation in neighbouring Tamil Nadu as changing in their favour after the killing of Tamilselvan in the Sri Lankan Air Force's attack on Thiruvaiyaru near Kilinochchi on November 2.Barring the AIADMK and the Congress, other Tamil Nadu political parties had condoled the death of Tamilselvan. They said that he was a political man and a negotiator, who should not have been killed deliberately. M.Karunanidhi, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and President of the DMK, had penned a poem on Tamilselvan praising his courage in standing up for the Tamil cause. By releasing the poem through the government Information Department, he had given it the stamp of an official statement.AIADMK leader J.Jayalalitha castigated Karunanidhi for praising a leader of a banned organization like the LTTE while holding a constitutional office like Chief Minister. She threatened legal action also. Karunanidhi retorted saying that he had done nothing wrong by condoling the death of a fellow Tamil. Taking the cue, other "Tamil" political parties like the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) and the Viduthalai Siruththaigal (Liberation Panthers Party) and non-political groups like the Dravida Kazhagam (DK) came out in support of Karunanidhi and flayed Jayalalitha for her "anti-Tamil" stance. The pro-LTTE Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) led by V Gopalswamy alias Vaiko, condoled Tamilselvan's death in emotional terms though it was Jayalalitha's ally.Fearing isolation on the "Tamil issue" in a state dominated by ethnic politics, Jayalalitha quickly issued a statement claiming that Tamil blood ran in her veins too, even though she was born outside Tamil Nadu in Mysore. She has apparently given up the idea of going to the Supreme Court after seeing the general political mood in the state on the issue of Tamilselvan.The media in Tamil Nadu except a few, had described Tamilselvan as a political person, a peace negotiator with a perpetual smile, and not as a military man who deserved to he killed in the on-going war. The killing was described as a blow to efforts to being peace to the island.As one commentator said, a martyred Tamilselvan could turn out to be more useful to the LTTE than a living Tamilselvan.His killing is considered a major achievement in South Sri Lanka, but it could prove to be a bane in the coming months, if the pan-Tamil sentiment, now becoming evident in Tamil Nadu, is whipped up to a crescendo as it was done by the political parties there in the 1980s.TNA MPs are hoping that the leaders of Tamil Nadu, though badly divided on other issues, will come together to speak with one voice on the Sri Lankan issue, as they did in the 1980s."They have spoken up for us individually and separately, but they will be effective only if they come together on one platform," Suresh Premachandran said.

Finance Minister, P Chidambaram, will arrive here Sunday for a brief visit during which he will meet Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapakse, and other leaders. Chidambaram is visiting Colombo to deliver the Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture on Sunday. Chidambaram, who will be on a working visit, will also have a brief meeting with the Sri Lankan President and Foreign Minister, Rohita Bogollagama, according to sources. The Inaugural Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture was delivered by President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, Dr Karan Singh in 2006. The lecture is organised in memory of former Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar who was killed by suspected LTTE militants in August 2005.

The controversy over the naming of a housing scheme in Jaffna after President Mahinda Rajapaksa came up before the Cabinet on Wednesday. The housing scheme had been built in Jaffna, under the auspices of Minister Douglas Devananda. Minister Devananda told the Cabinet that it gives him pleasure to call the housing scheme ‘Mahindapuram.’The President, who smilingly looked at Devananda, said that he didn’t want anything named after him and suggested that the housing scheme should instead be named Douglaspuram or Devanandapuram.At this stage, Srilankan government Proxy Minister Devananda continued to insist that the scheme should be named Mahindapuram. The Minister continued to point out that the name of the scheme would be Mahindapuram and not Mahindapura, but the President was not happy about the project being named after him. He stated that the matter should not become a political issue.Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle who chipped in at this stage told Devananda that they could select a name from among those of distinguished Tamil leaders who contributed towards the upliftment of people of Sri Lanka, and said that Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan’s name would be appropriate for this scheme. Puppet Devananda, who was adamant about naming the scheme Mahindapuram, however backed down in the face of the President’s vehement opposition and said that he would consult the people and select a suitable name for the housing scheme.

Plot to get rid of Karuna was hatched at a presidential suite in Geneva -Source:The Sunday Leader

Evidence has surfaced of an elaborate plan by the government to dump Karuna who was becoming an embarrassment to the Rajapakse regime, given the heightened international focus on gross human rights violations and to replace him with Pillayan.Karuna who waged an internecine and bloody war in the east was smuggled out of the country by the government on a forged diplomatic passport and arrived in the UK on September 18. He was later arrested in London on November 3 for travelling on a forged passport on a tip off largely thought to be by the Pillayan faction within his own breakaway group.

Not 48 hours later armed Pillayan forces took over all the TMVP offices in Batticaloa while political head V. Thileepan still loyal to Karuna became the latest victim of in-fighting. He was reported to have swallowed a cyanide capsule and admitted to hospital.Documentary evidence in our possession now reveals that the government was in the know at the highest levels on the dirty deeds of Karuna with some possibly having aided and abetted Karuna in a sordid drama of kidnapping, white vans, murder, abductions and extortion and the lynch pin in this game was one K.T.Rajasingham based in Sweden who was hatching the scheme for a variety of reasons including to promote his own business. Our documentation suggests that as reported in our sister paper The Morning Leader on Wednesday not only did Karuna reach the UK to join his wife and three children with the help of the Rajapakse government but also that he was allegedly able to spirit away a colossal sum of Rupees 500 million said to be moneys collected through abductions and other funds allegedly given by the government for the support of his cadres.

In fact these details are part of an official report sent by Rajasingham to President Rajapakse's advisor Sunimal Fernando as recently as October 24 for follow up action. That is just 10 days before Karuna was arrested. And it is based on a meeting Rajasingham had with President Rajapakse no less in Geneva in June 2007.Taped telephone conversations and other evidence also suggest that Rajasingham was involved in stoking the flames of the fratricidal war between Karuna and Pillayan and making efforts to project Pillayan as the political face of the Karuna Group and helping the second in command in a mad race to register his faction as a political party before Karuna did. K.T. Rajasingham if readers care to know is the editor of the Asian Tribune, an on-line daily newspaper launched in Bangkok in 2001 now based in Sweden plugging the government line evidently for its own monetary benefit. He is a man originally from Point Pedro. While pugnacious nationalists often accuse peaceniks of using the war to raise funds for their NGOs, written evidence in our possession show how the war scoundrels continue to spread the message of hatred and misguided patriotism in order to promote their own businesses, collect funds and expand their personal business empires.

Most of the damning evidence surfaced following a closed door hour long meeting President Rajapakse had with Rajasingham in the company of EPDP Leader, Minister Douglas Devananda at the Presidential Suite No. 1727 Intercontinental Hotel in Geneva from approximately 4-5 pm on June 15, 2007 where the Karuna issue was discussed at length. Rajapakse arrived in Geneva at 5.10pm on June 14, for the International Labour Organisation Conference. Dayan Jayatilleke at the time one recalls had newly been appointed the UN Permanent Representative in Geneva for Sri Lanka. It was not 24 hours after his arrival that the President was to meet Asian Tribune Editor Rajasingham in his Presidential rooms at the Intercontinental. And it is here the government plotted on how to get rid of a colossal international embarrassment that was Karuna. The entire discussion was reduced to paper and sent as a confidential report to President's Advisor Sunimal Fernando for follow up action via email. The Sunday Leader is in possession of that communication and much more. Many aspects were discussed at the meeting from education to advertising which this newspaper will reveal in the weeks to come. But today we focus on the east. The discussion according to Rajasingham's communication which basically were the minutes of the discussion with Rajapakse, starts with the President thanking the Asian Tribune for the great service rendered to the country. Rajapakse commends the Editor for his services to the country and assures his wholehearted support and assistance to the Asian Tribune.

Rajasingham also makes various suggestions on Sri Lanka's relationship with India. President Rajapakse after discussion agrees a special delegation would be sent to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Pranab Mukherjee, Sonia Gandhi and M.K.Narayanan to find out what India actually expected Sri Lanka to do regarding the ethnic issue.In fact Rajasingham said he too was prepared to go with a delegation that included H. L.D.Mahindpala for the Sinhala perspective and President Rajapakse directed Devananda to make the necessary arrangements. Rajasingham was to propose the launch of a satellite TV to disseminate news feeds from Rupavahini and ITN and President Rajapakse immediately gave him the necessary permission to do so. The Editor also said such an ambitious project would cost some Euro 22,000 per month per continent to which President Rajapakse said he would extend his full assistance and support. Rajasingham said he would also launch a 24 hour EuroAsian radio for government propaganda and grumbled he did not receive any advertising from the government institutions. Rajapakse was to then assure all assistance and support for the radio channel and promised to look into the latter complaint.

Rajasingham was to now detail an elaborate scheme to oust Karuna and appoint Pillayan in his place. Karuna was to be discarded as a spent force who had outstayed his usefulness as he had nothing further to add on either the LTTE atrocities or details of the northern terrain. Further he was described as a liability to the government. In this regard Rajasingham also said that though Pillayan being a child recruit himself was better aware of the Wanni and Jaffna terrain than Karuna, neither of them would be of use to the army top brass in its military push in the north. Therefore Rajasingham suggested that even Pillayan be eventually discarded while the government caused a third rift in the LTTE in the Wanni in order to tap a more knowledgeable source. President Rajapakse agreed to discuss this matter with defence officials and do the needful according to the document. It is not three months after this discussion that Karuna was spirited out of the country by government officials on a diplomatic passport bearing number D1944260.

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) has criticised the Sri Lankan government for failing to implement Tamil as an official language that was introduced in 1987.TNA parliamentarian Suresh Premachandran told The Nation that he was shocked to learn that only Rs. 70 million was allocated by the government through the budget to facilitate this process in the future.He said the Tamils have from the beginning demanded for their rights over language and to consider Tamil as an official language. He added that this was one of the causes for the war. He said while the government had spent a colossal amount of money for the war, it has plans to spend less money for the cause that has given birth to this ethnic war.“This government has not realised our aspirations and our pulse. We have been clamouring for our rights over our language. But thoroughly ignoring our grievances, the government is promoting war for which the youth of this country both Tamils and Sinhalese have sacrificed their lives,” he said.He further said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa did not appear to listen to the grievances of the Tamils. “I think this government simply wants to annihilate the Tamil population,” he observed.

Three donor countries – Canada, Netherlands and Germany – have decided to freeze all development aid to Sri Lanka with effect from January next year, highly placed sources said.These countries have informed some of the local Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) that they would not be diverting their monetary allocation to Sri Lanka as there was a severe lack of development projects aimed at building peace and harmony in Sri Lanka at present.Local NGO officials believe the just presented war budget was one of the main reasons for the donors to take this drastic decision.However, they said the donors had also decided to freeze aid because the per capita income in Sri Lanka has shown a slight upward trend.“Owing to these two reasons, the donors will not send us any more money for development work,” they said.They further said, however, there would be no change in the allocation already made by these donors for the calendar year of 2008.Local NGOs said that more donors were likely to pull out if the present war situation continued with no sign of peace in the future. “While emphasising on war, the government also must adopt a mechanism to build peace in the country. This is the kind of confidence-building measure that would attract foreign countries,” they said.

S. Krishnan of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TVMP) in an interview has confirmed the reported news in the Sri Lankan ‘Sunday Leader’ that Asian Tribune editor K T Rajasingam based in Sweden has conspired to kill him if he returned to Sri Lanka.In the extracts of tapped telephone conversation filed by Suranimala in a weekly investigative column in the ‘Sunday Leader’ (11/11) it has been quoted as K T Rajasingam saying "We must do something there to Krishnan before he comes," (i.e., to Colombo). Krishnan responding to this news said he only came to know K T Rajasingam’s telephone conversation through the Sunday Leader.However he said he has been already alerted by a government minister that K T Rajasingam has requested some influential contacts within the government to ‘bump him off’. He said he has taken ‘precautions’ knowing very well K T Rajasingam’s motives.When asked why K T Rajasingam wanting to bump him off, he said: ‘it is all because he is annoyed that I have exposed him for taking payments for his unfulfilled promise to register the TMVP as an official political party in Sri Lanka.’He further accused Asian Tribune editor K T Rajasingam ‘is a false news creator and is also a dangerous and corrupt media man mother Sri Lanka had ever produced’. ‘His only intention is to spin money in a deceitful way and for this he will even sell his mother’ said Krishnan.

An English translation of a taped conversation in Tamil between Editor, Asian Tribune, K.T.Rajasingham and Pillayan that took place a few days before Karuna's arrest in London. Pillayan also talks of a Padmini. Krishnan who is spoken of is Karuna Amman's deputy who it is said will be coming down from London to Colombo shortly.

P: How long will it take you because I think they will draft one before us. How can we block that?

R: Before Krishnan comes we can do it. But we must do something there to Krishnan before he comes

R: No No he is a dangerous man. If he comes he should be locked up..Paper called Theepoli says that Padmini has run away, have you heard about it.

The Sunday Leader contacted Presidential Advisor Sunimal Fernando who said he could not recollect an email sent to him by Rajasingham but would check his mail box on Monday. When it was pointed out the email contained a very important report on a meeting Rajasingham had with President Rajapakse he said his subject as an advisor was very limited and confined mainly to the teaching of English and he was unable to understand how a report of this nature would be forwarded to him. Fernando did not deny receiving the email nor knowing Rajasingham. Sources close to the Asia Tribune Editor however told The Sunday Leader K.T. Rajasingham claimed he was a close friend of Sunimal Fernando.

The Sunday Leader wrote to Asia Tribune Editor K.T.Rajasingham on the matter and asked to speak to him but he replied as follows; "Vanakam.Regret, unable to speak on the subject you have mentioned in your e-mail. Thanks and regards. K.T.Rajasingham

In what appeared to be absolutely callous disregard to the dead, an LTTE cemetery located west of Batticaloa has been desecrated and a police station has been build. “The SLMM discovered that desecration of the LTTE cemeteries, located partly on state-owned land, has taken place. A police station has been built where the Thandiyaday cemetery was located, west of Batticaloa. In Pattipala, also west of Batticaloa, an LTTE cemetery has been tampered with, and all markings of the graves removed,” the SLMM said in its report.

The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), which has come under severe pressure from the party supporters to withdraw support to the government, will hold a crucial meeting on November 18 to discuss whether to vote for or against the budget.The meeting according to party general secretary and deputy minister Hasan Ali will be critical as some members of the party have decided that the party should adhere to the will of the supporters who demand that the party withdraws its support to the government.However, Ali told The Nation that the party was not in a position to withdraw support as there has not been any viable solution to the ethnic problem.He said the party has already submitted proposals to the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) and that the party must wait patiently for the outcome of the deliberations.Confessing that the party was under immense pressure from the supporters to withdraw support, he said it was not the most opportune time to do so.“The party will decide whether or not to vote for the budget only on November 18,” he said. The meeting according to him will take place in Ampara, which is the party’s stronghold.He said the party was of the view that the government has placed more emphasis on war and that has irked the majority of the Muslims, who he said felt that some of the allocation could have been prudently utilized for confidence building exercises.He said the Muslim Congress was disturbed over the government’s budget that gave so much of prominence to war.

A civilian was killed and another injured in a claymore mine explosion in Yala last evening, the Media Centre for National Security said.The claymore mine was believed to be detonated by suspected LTTE cadres, targeting a vehicle transporting workers of a construction project in Katagamuwa, Yala. Police said a search operation was in progress in the area.The mine explosion comes in the wake of the establishment of a Joint Operational Headquarters for the Hambantota District following the killing of five villagers in Tissamaharama by the LTTE, last week. Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe has been appointed the new Joint Operations Commander.MP Basil Rajapaksa, brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited the remote Ridithenna village in Tissamaharama to reassure the anxiety- striken villagers regarding their security. According to intelligence sources, a group of about 30 Tiger cadres are operating in the jungles of Yala.

The estranged leader of the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP) who is under UK custody has appealed to his deputy Pillayan, not to cause further splits in the party, TMVP Spokesman Azath Mowlana said.Both Karuna and Pillayan who had differences earlier, have communicated with each other over the phone last week, according to Mowlana.Mowlana told The Nation that Karuna, currently in UK custody, had telephoned his cadres and spoken to them regarding unity in the party.In particular, he said Karuna had spoken to Pillayan and appealed for his cooperation and support.Mowlana admitted that the party was at present controlled by Pillayan and Mangalam Master, but added that the overall control was still vested with Karuna.He also said the party lawyers were looking at the possibility of getting Karuna released as soon as possible.“We have let the law take its own course. We do not want to interfere with this process. We will accept the outcome of the law,” he said.He also said the party awaits an early deportation of Karuna so that he could be tried locally.

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) for Investigating the Operations of Local and International NGOs has asked the LTTE front NGO Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) to present itself tomorrow (November 12) for an investigation in Colombo with regard to its activities.The chairman of the select committee parliamentarian Vijitha Herath told LAKBIMAnEWS yesterday that the TRO had been informed about the matter. However, the TRO head office in Kilinochi has said in its response that the organization was not in a position to send its representatives owing to the volatile security situation in the capital, Mr.Herath said.The parliamentary select committee told the TRO in turn that due measures could be put in place with regard to the security of its representatives if that was what they were concerned about. “Anyhow they need to come. We’ve had few telephone conversations with the organization in which we stressed that they should come” Herath said. It has been alleged that there is numerous financial mismanagement within the TRO.In a recent statement the TRO said: “it is with great dismay that TRO has read recent reports in some of the Sri Lankan media that have attacked TRO and its donors. The media allegations, ostensibly based on statements by members of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) for Investigating the Operations of Local and International NGOs, are that TRO could not account for the “disappearance of over Rs. 30 million” donated by Save the Children for a Pre School Project. TRO wishes to categorically state that there has been no “disappearance” of any funds and that all funds allocated for the project have been utilized and accounted for as per the Project Agreement with SCiSL.” The information officer of the TRO could not be contacted.

International non-governmental organisations have been issued with a thorough warning from their high ups over the prevailing insecurity in the Eastern Province mainly in districts such as Batticaloa and Trincomalee, due to the increased activities of the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP). Sources told The Nation that the INGOs including those coming under the United Nations have been asked to ‘stay away’ from areas notorious for incidents between the new TMVP loyalists led by Pillayan and loyalists of Karuna Amman, the founder of the party, who is now in UK custody. “Security concerns remain in Batticaloa due to the continued presence of armed civilians in the district and tensions have increased between Pillayan and Karuna faction in Batticaloa resulting in advice for UN movement restrictions locations of TMVP offices in Batticaloa town,” the sources noted. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) in its weekly situation report late last week has also carried the warning issued to all UN offices working in Batticaloa. Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) in its weekly monitoring report which ended on October 28, stressed upon the continuous unabated atrocities carried out by the TMVP. “Eight abductions have been reported in the Eastern Province, three of the victims were children and the TMVP is reportedly the perpetrator in all of the cases,” the SLMM said in its weekly report.

Call for general elections in Public Impeachment drive

The United National Party said yesterday that they would commence a campaign to collect signatures from the public, starting on November 18, to demand that the government calls for a general election.UNP MP and Spokesman Gayantha Karunatilaka told The Nation yesterday that the campaign titled, ‘Public Impeachment’, plans to gather five million signatures against the government, demanding that they call a parliamentary election immediately. “We plan to collect five million by travelling to houses to collect signatures. 10,000 polling stations will be used. The programme will go on for 10 weeks, and then we will hand the petition over to the government.” Speaking further, Karunatilaka said that they hoped that the government respond positively with regard to this petition and call a general election.

Tamil people in the East were happier under LTTE rule, according to Tamil National Alliance MP, T. Kanakasabi. Speaking at the debate to extend the emergency regulations yesterday, the MP said that the situation has deteriorated rapidly following the army’s clearing of the area. “There were no crimes in the cities of the Eastern Province when the LTTE was in control. Things like rape, theft and human rights violations were unheard of back then,” she said, adding, “but now the civilians of the area are afraid and worried because government troops raid their houses for no reason and the police turn a blind eye when paramilitary organisations recruit their children.” The TNA MP asked how Tamil civilians could be happy when the Sri Lankan Army (SLA) was violating their fundamental rights and added that the military has tried to prevent Tamil people from mourning the death of LTTE Political Wing Leader S.P. Thamilselvan; who was killed in a Sri Lanka Air Force air raid last week.“For us he is a hero. Why can’t you allow us to treat him the way you treat your heroes?” she asked. “When Elara was slain, Dutugemunu gave proper respect to him and as Buddhists how can you rejoice at the death of a human being? Maybe it is you who need a lesson in Buddhism,” the outspoken MP charged.

Britain’s relations with Sri Lanka have taken a nose-dive after breakaway LTTE rebel leader Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias ‘Karuna Amman’ was arrested near London and found to have entered the United Kingdom on a Sri Lankan diplomatic passport issued by its Foreign Ministry and containing bogus bio-data.The Foreign Ministry in Colombo is reported to have issued a Third Person Note (TPN), a diplomatic letter of recommendation from one Government to another. The British High Commission in Colombo had readily issued a visa for Karuna’s entry into the UK based on this protocol. Karuna had entered Britain nearly two months ago to live with his family who had arrived earlier.British authorities are angry that they were duped into issuing an entry visa, following this TPN in the name of a person who did not travel to Britain. It had borne the name of K. Dushumantha Gunawardena holding an official Sri Lanka Government designation but bore Karuna’s photograph – without his trademark moustache. The reason given by him to visit was to take part in an environment conference relating to climate change. Officials here say that by submitting a TPN and a diplomatic passport, Karuna had been exempted from the usual requirement for genuine Sri Lankan travellers of being finger-printed. This move has not only embarrassed Britain, but has also made it bitter at being handed a delicate problem with serious implications, officials here said. Britain seems bitter enough to “return to sender”-- as one diplomat who did not want to be named put it -- ‘Col’ Karuna who Sri Lanka tried to palm on the British.It is further learnt that the bogus bio-data given on the diplomatic passport included a non-existent Government designation, that of Wild Life chief. Shortly after arriving in Britain, Karuna (K. Dushumuntha Gunawardena) had asked for asylum.“He might have sought asylum. But there is provision in the law to override usual considerations and send him back to Colombo,” the diplomat said.While British authorities remain tight-lipped except confirming his arrest, other diplomats here believe Karuna will be deported after British intelligence has “milked him sufficiently for relevant information…” There are other informed quarters who say Karuna now giving a detailed account of life in Sri Lanka, may face charges other than immigration offences under British law. “Sri Lanka has proved its utter incompetence. Though the British had been led up the garden path, they could extract vital information from the man about his role with Sri Lankan security forces. This information could seriously undermine the Sri Lanka government’s credibility and expose its complicity. The British will use that if and when they think necessary to pressure Colombo,” an expert from a London-based think-tank said. Meanwhile, there are unconfirmed reports that Karuna who is said to be held at the Oakington Detention Centre was set upon by some other Sri Lankan Tamils who are also held there. Later Karuna is said to have been moved to a separate room. This, however, could not be verified as British authorities are not disclosing Karuna’s location. Neither are the authorities ready to say whether Karuna was in possession of a firearm at the time of his arrest at his residence in expensive Kensington area of London, as is rumoured in Tamil circles. The Sri Lankan government’s silence on media reports that Karuna had been issued with a diplomatic passport on which he travelled under an assumed name has multiplied Britain’s embarrassment as it finds it has been “hoodwinked into issuing a UK entry visa,” a British source who wished to retain his anonymity told The Sunday Times.“We find ourselves in a situation somewhat similar to when Chile’s former dictator Gen Pinochet came here for medical treatment and there was pressure on us to arrest him for crimes against humanity.”As in the case of Gen Pinochet, whose presence in Britain exactly nine years ago became a major issue for the Blair Government, human rights bodies are crying for Karuna’s blood and have called on the British Government to try him for war crimes and crimes against humanity. They cite the reports of UN officials and others that Karuna’s breakaway group has been responsible for what could be broadly described as crimes against humanity prosecutable in the International Criminal Court.Karuna is said to have sought asylum on his arrest. With his wife and three children also asylum seekers, under the European Human Rights Convention Britain would find it difficult to deport Karuna to Sri Lanka in normal circumstances particularly because it splits the family. But British immigration rules following the European Convention on the grant of humanitarian protection, allow Britain under article 339D to exclude the grant of such protection if it is satisfied that “there are serious reasons for considering that he has committed a crime against peace, a war crime, a crime against humanity or any other serious crime or instigated or otherwise participated in such crime.”Ironically, interested parties hounding Karuna include supporters of the LTTE, an organisation in which he had played a major role earlier allegedly committing ‘war crimes’.

Sri Lanka's military has vowed to go "all out" to target Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran during air strikes on rebel positions, a state-run newspaper reported Sunday. Air Force chief Roshan Goonatilleke said he was confident of finding the elusive leader who is believed to be holed up in the island's north where he runs a mini-state.The comments, in the Sunday Observer newspaper, come less than two weeks after a key rebel aide was killed in a government air strike."I do not think it is that difficult for us to get at him now," Goonatilleke told the newspaper under the headline: "Sri Lanka air force goes all out for Prabhakaran - Commander.""We will find him somehow soon. We need a great deal of patience."Sri Lankan war planes bombed a Tamil Tiger location and killed political wing leader S.P. Thamilselvan and six others on November 2 as part of a campaign to re-capture territory from the rebels.Thamilselvan was regarded as the public face of the separatist group and the point-man for Norwegian peace brokers and and other international diplomats involved in the island's faltering peace efforts.The guerrillas have vowed to avenge the killing of Thamilselvan and the authorities have stepped up security across the island fearing reprisals.Fighting has also escalated along the frontlines separating the territory controlled by the Tigers in the north of the island in recent weeks.The defence ministry said a civilian was killed and another wounded in a roadside blast in the deep south of the island on Saturday, an area where there had been suspected rebel activity in the past two weeks.Security officials said they believed that such attacks could be an attempt to draw out troops from the island's north where they are locked in combat with the Tigers.A Norwegian-arranged truce between the government and the rebels began falling apart in December 2005. Thousands have been killed in the island's drawn out Tamil separatist conflict.

Government troops launched an attack on LTTE bunkers in the Chettikulam area, Mannar killing ten Tamil Tigers, Media Center for national Security reported Sunday.MCNS said nine Tigers have been confirmed killed according to LTTE communication intercepts on Saturday morning when the troops attacked the bunkers. Meanwhile, troops conducting a search operation on Saturday recovered a Claymore mine concealed by the Tigers in Pokkaravani area in Vavuniya. Two soldiers died and another two were injured in a confrontation with the Tiger rebels in Thampane area in Vavuniya Saturday, MCNS said.Independent confirmation of casualty figures is not possible as journalists are not allowed in the conflict area.

Douglas Devananda has been making use of Karuna and Pillayan split to spread his political influence in the East

The Karuna Faction, which started to function as an independent unit under Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman after its’ previously split from the LTTE,Douglas approach them to join hands with the Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP).Following the internal rift in the faction and the financial scam alleges, Karuna secretly fled to England. He is currently detained by the English police under the charge of traveling to Britain under a forged passport. The Sri Lankan government and the Environment Ministry are accused of illegally obtaining visa for him. Following Karuna’s flight, Pillayan replaced him as leader. An incident of Karuna supporters being abducted and held at a political office was also reported. The incident resulted in Karuna’s leading supporter, Thileepan committing suicide after consuming cyanide. Sources from the East say that Minister Douglas Devananda has been making use of such clashes between Karuna and Pillayan to spread his political influence in the East from the beginning. Earlier, Lanka Dissent revealed that there is a Southern Tamil minister behind the Karuna faction. Sources further say that the EPDP leaders are currently holding discussions with the Karuna faction. At a moment when the government is preparing for elections in the East, minister Devananda is reportedly spreading his political influence among all institutions of the province.

Series of battles kill 17 rebels, 1 soldier in volatile northern Sri Lanka : military

A series of battles between soldiers and Tamil rebels in war-torn northern Sri Lanka - left 17 guerrillas and one soldier dead, the military said Saturday. Army troops attacked two rebel bunkers along the front line separating government-controlled areas from the rebels' mini-state in northern Vavuniya district Friday morning, killing six guerrillas, said military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara. Nanayakkara said military operations were launched because Tamil Tigers ``were directing fire toward soldiers in the area.'' Later in the day, in the neighboring Mannar district, five rebels died in artillery strikes, he said. Also Friday, three female insurgents were killed in a clash with soldiers in a village in Vavuniya, and one soldier also died. Two other separate gunbattles left three rebels dead in the district. It was not possible to independently verify the military's claim because the area is restricted. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be reached for comment. The rebels have been fighting for more than two decades for an independent state for the island's ethnic minority Tamils in the north and east because of long-standing discrimination by the majority Sinhalese-controlled governments. A Norwegian-brokered cease-fire in 2002 brought relative calm to the country, but a new wave of violence that began in December 2005 has killed more than 5,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands. More than 70,000 people have been killed since the insurgency began. Despite the cease-fire's collapse, neither side has officially withdrawn from the pact, fearing international isolation

The CID is to question a co-ordinating officer of a government VIP regarding the recent LTTE attack on the Anuradhapura air base.A high ranking police officer said investigations have revealed that this Co-ordinating Secretary had allegedly given the contract to a person named Pradeepan, a suspect with LTTE connections, to supply soil for the Anuradhapura Air Force airstrip expansion project.This contractor has allegedly provided security, funds and the backup to the pre- attack LTTE spies.The Anuradhapura Air Force airstrip expansion project is supervised under the ministry headed by Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle.It is also claimed that a Black Tiger who had identified himself as a Karuna loyalist had been recruited as a driver for a lorry transporting soil for the Anuradhapura air base runway development project.The official also said the Co-ordinating Secretary was also alleged to be involved with a group which stole luxury vehicles from the Colombo area and sold them in the Wanni.While three CID teams and two teams from the Air Force are investigating the attack on the air base, the President has also appointed a high-level defence team headed by Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda.The high-profile defence team is to present its ultimate report to the President next week.Meanwhile, investigations have revealed that alleged co-ordinating officer had interfered and put off the attempts of the security forces to search the 90 project-related vehicles that had entered the camp from the side bordering the Nuwara Wewa.Attempts to search 164 workers who worked in the project too, were similarly intervened.Reports say that the sand used for the project was supplied from the Welikanda area.

The JVP yesterday criticized the Budget as only a piece of paper without a proper plan to redeem the country from its present economic crisis and said the party’s decision whether or not to support the budget would be made known at the right time. JVP parliamentary group leader Wimal Weerawansa told parliament it was like the case of a mountain labouring to produce a mouse with this budget shattering public expectations. He said the budget offered no solution to the economic crisis facing the country and pointed out that wrong economic policies had left the country in a debt trap, with the cost of living soaring.In a hard-hitting speech Mr. Weerawansa took the government to task for not taking any steps to ensure discipline in the use of public finances, especially at a time when the country was in the throes of terrorism.He said corruption was rampant among government ranks, but the budget has no plan to arrest the dangerous trend in the greater interest of the country.“In the budget proposals, they talk of certain matters meant for the development of an indigenous economy. There are no radical and crucial steps taken to address the great economic problems facing the country today,” Mr. Weerawansa said. He said some deceptive proposals had also been included in the budget and it was ridiculous for the government to do so. Referring to the ongoing war, he said it was the only area where the government could score points today.However, he said the government had not proposed to do anything good for the members of the security forces despite their making enormous sacrifices to protect the country from terrorism.“The government cannot be patriotic only when carrying out the war to defeat terrorism. It is equally important to be patriotic in handling public finances too. The government was vociferous about the Moragahatenna project. It was launched after putting up hundreds of billboards. However, they are unable to find funds required for it. Experts have ruled out the viability of this scheme,” Mr. Weerawansa said.He said the foundation stone for the Weerawila Airport was laid without an Environment Impact Assessment

A Joint Operations Headquarters will be established in Hambantota district from today to enhance security in the Hambantota district in the aftermath of the killings in Tissamaharama, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake told Parliament yesterday. Responding to an adjournment motion on the security situation in the Hambantota district, the Premier said systematic search operations will be conducted in the district to nab the elements responsible for the killings in Ranminitenna and Tissamaharama areas. “I urge the public to extend their support for these search operations without moving into jungle areas unnecessarily,” the Prime Minister added. Prime Minister Wickremanayake assured that the Government will take full responsibility of the security of the people in the district. He said reinforcement from the Security Forces and Police have already been sent to Hambantota to conduct search operations in the district. He said the elements behind the killings still have to be identified adding that search operations by the Security Forces in jungle patches could not find any evidence leading to this group. He however, said information has been received that these groups are operating in this area mingling with the civilians during the day. “It is the normal practice of the LTTE to carry out attacks of this nature in the South once they are militarily weakened in the North,” he added.

Parliamentarians from all of Britain’s main political parties this week condemned as an “assassination of a moderate Tamil leader” the killing of Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan, head of the LTTE’s Politcial Wing, by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) last Friday. The All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils, which earlier this year had urged the UK government to invite Mr. Thamilchelvan to the British Parliament so that he could articulate the LTTE’s perspective, also called for peace talks.The APPG for Tamils includes Parliamentarians from the ruling Labour party and the main opposition parties, the Convervatives and Liberal Democrats, as well as the Scottish National Party.The British APPG for Tamils describes its objective as: “To promote in Parliament peace with justice and dignity for Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka and advance their development so as to recognise their legitimate socio-political aspirations.”The full text of the APPG for Tamils press release, titled “British MPs condemn killing of Tamil leader Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan, and renew call for peace talks to resume” follows:“Violence in Sri Lanka has recently escalated to a new level. Over 5000 people have been killed since beginning of last year and many thousands of people have been displaced due to the war. Members of the British parliament’s All Party British Parliamentary Tamil Group express our deepest sympathies with the families and friends of all those killed in the recent violence.“The All Party Parliamentary Group for Tamils also joins with peace lovers in all communities and strongly condemns the assassination last Friday of the moderate Tamil leader Mr.S.P.Thamilchelvan. Killing of this nature is never acceptable whether it is Tamil or Sinhalese. “Mr Thamilchelvan was a well recognised peace negotiator who was one of the main contacts for the international communities in facilitating peace in Sri Lanka. This assassination has slammed shut another of the doors to peace in Sri Lanka.“As a key member of the negotiating team on the Tamils behalf, Mr Thamilchelvan has worked tirelessly since 1994 and participated at every attempted peace negotiation meeting between the government of Sri Lanka and the Tamil representatives of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. One of the objectives set by the APPG in May 2007 had been to invite Mr Thamilchelvan to the British parliament to discuss his views about the way forward for peace in Sri Lanka.“This killing has come at a time when international organisations such as the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and governments such as those of the US, UK and India as well as the European Parliament have all raised concerns over the deteriorating human rights situation in Sri Lanka.“As well as condemning this killing in the strongest terms, the All Party Parliamentary Tamil Group calls on all parties to honour the Cease Fire Agreement signed back in 2002 and return to the negotiating table.”

A pro-government faction of Tamil Tiger defectors has been hit by major political in-fighting following the arrest in London of its leader, known as Colonel Karuna, military officials said. Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, alias Karuna, was detained by immigration authorities in London last week and since then his followers in Sri Lanka have been battling for control over his faction, the officials said.Karuna, the former number two in the Tamil Tigers, led a split from the guerrillas in March 2004. Since then he has reportedly been collaborating with government forces to drive the Tigers from the east of the island.He was arrested and is being held in immigration detention having apparently fled Sri Lanka because of threats to his life from Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran."A faction within the Karuna group has been taking over the political offices and the finances which were earlier controlled by Karuna," a military source in the island's east said."There had been several attacks against Karuna cadres from his rivals."The problems in the Karuna faction are a potential issue for the Sri Lankan government, which has used the group's loyalty to stake its claim over the island's east -- an area the LTTE want as their independent Tamil homeland.The affair is also embarrassing, and officials in Colombo have yet to comment on his arrest.Press reports in Sri Lanka say Colonel Karuna travelled to London using a false name.He was reportedly granted a visa on the understanding he was a government dignitary travelling to a conference on climate change, and the requirement for him to be fingerprinted by the British High Commission in Colombo was also wavered.Official sources here said he is seeking political asylum in Britain.Human rights groups are demanding he be tried for war crimes -- something that would draw fresh attention to Sri Lanka's long-running and often brutal conflict.The UN and other humanitarian agencies operating in Sri Lanka's eastern province have accused Karuna's faction of kidnapping children to use as soldiers.In 2005, a British court sentenced former Afghan warlord Faryadi Sarwar Zardad -- who had also sought asylum in Britain -- to 20 years in prison for torture and hostage-taking in Afghanistan during the 1990s.That trial was the first of its kind under a UN torture convention.

“40 soldiers sacrifice lives to cover empty budget”- Sagala Ratnayake

UNP MP Sagala Ratnayake charged that President Mahinda Rajapksa attempted to cover the bare budget by breaking the news of a military victory in Muhamalai during his budget speech, by launching operation in the area at the same time.Speaking at a news briefing at the party headquarters yesterday (November 09th), Mr. Ratnayake said that the President had made a similar attempt by breaking the news of the Silawatura capture, while addressing the 56th SLFP convention.He further emphasized that the government media had been prepared to broadcast the capture of Muhamalai. More than 40 soldiers were killed while over a 100 were injured in clashes because of this political decision to cover the budget, which offered no relief to the public and held no hope for development, the UNP MP added.Even the military chiefs or the commanders in action were not informed of the Muhamalai attack beforehand, defence sources say, adding that the security forces have also lost a considerable amount of arms and ammunition in the attack.

Unidentified persons triggered a Claymore device killing two members of civil defence force (home guards) returning after road patrol Friday morning around 7:00 a.m. at Kambiliweva in Padaviya (Sree pathikkiraamam) in Ma'nalaa'ru region, police sources said. Padaviya settlement is located in Anuradhapura district. The bodies of the home guards are kept at Padaviya hospital. Sri Lanka Army and police are engaged in a search operation in the area where the attack took place.

JVP to boycott budget voting?

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna is to evade the budget vote altogether and a lead role in the JVP has unofficially notified of this to the President’s brother Basil Rajapaksa, sources at the Presidential Secretariat say.A spokesman at the Presidential Secretariat told Lanka Dissent that the government will definitely win the vote at the second reading of the budget on the 19th of November by a large margin, despite the efforts of the group lead by Ranil and Mangala.Despite the decision of the JVP, he expressed hope that the government will receive the support of JVP parliamentarian Nandana Gunatillake.All efforts to know the official stance of the JVP were unsuccessful. According to the trade unions affiliated to the JVP, the party is yet to make a formal decision which will most likely be unveiled on the 18th of November.JVP MP Lal Kantha has told his trade union activists that the JVP will take a firm decision against the treacherous government and the state conspiring Opposition in the near future.

A Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) political division member who sustained injuries when LTTE's Political Head and Chief Negotiator Brigadier S.P. Thamilchelvan was killed last Friday in a Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) targeted bombardment, succumbed to his wounds this Friday, LTTE officials in Ki'linochchi said. The Tigers have conferred Major rank to the political division member Sivalingam Aathavan alias Selvam. Major Selvam is from Velikka'ndal, Ka'ndaava'lai. Five LTTE Political division members, Lt. Col. Anpumani (Alex), Thamilchelvan's personal secretary and a delegation member of the LTTE negotiation team that undertook several visits outside Sri Lanka, Maj. Mikuthan, a talented writer in Tamil, Maj. Kalaiyarasan (Nethaji) who was one of the administrative secretaries of LTTE's Political Head, Lt. Aadchiveal and Lt. Mavaikumaran, lost their lives with Brigadier S.P. Thamilchelvan, last Friday, when their official residence was bombed by the SLAF. Lt. Col. Alex, who had a personal interest in photography, used to supply photos taken by him to media during the peace talks held in Thailand, Japan, Norway, Swtizerland and from various meetings between Mr. Thamilchelvan and foreign diplomats and political leaders during the LTTE delegation's foreign trips.

Shanthan pleads 'not guilty'

An alleged senior leader of the Tamil Tigers in UK has pleaded not guilty to five terrorism charges at London's Central Criminal Court.Arunachalam Krishanthakumar, widely known as Shanthan, and Goldan Lambert were arrested by Britain's anti-terror authorities earlier this year. The charges included allegedly helping to organise a meeting to support the Tamil Tigers and receiving money that could be used for terrorism. The court has not yet set a date for his trial to begin.

The Tamil Tigers, banned in Britain and other countries, want a homeland for Tamils in Sri Lanka's north and east. Chrishanthakumar, 50, of Norbury, is charged with five counts, under the Terrorism Act 2000. He is accused of addressing a meeting in London's Hyde Park on 25 July last year to encourage support of the group and receiving £1,500 for terrorism purposes. Chrishanthakumar also faces charges of receiving literature connected to terrorism and belonging to the group. He was remanded in custody. Lambert, 29, of south Croydon faces one charge of managing a meeting to support the Tamil Tigers. He was released on bail. The Tamil Tigers have been fighting the authorities in Sri Lanka since the 1970s.

The devastating ground cum air attack on the Sri Lankan Air Force's base at Anuradhapura in North Central Sri Lanka on October 22, was LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran's brainchild and showed his penchant for meticulous planning, high secrecy, hard training and meticulous execution, a top LTTE official has said."The Leader was very keen that the operation should not fail. And towards this end, the planning and training for the attack and its execution were kept a top secret. Very few people even at the top most level knew about it. A lot of work had gone into it from the stage of planning to execution," said S Yogaratnam Yogi, head of the LTTE's History Division in a panel discussion on Tamil National Television (TNT), a station run by the LTTE, on October 28."The Leader went through the customary rituals before the Black Tigers squad set out on its mission, and Lt Col.Ilango assured him that it would not fail," Yogi recalled in the programme which could be seen in the Tamil language website www.pathivu.com.In the pre-dawn attack, mounted by 21 to 27 Black Tiger suicide cadres and a couple of planes of the fledgling rebel air force, 24 out of the 27 Sri Lankan military aircraft were either destroyed or damaged, causing a loss of $30 to 40 million, according to media reports. The Tigers had cleverly chosen a time when the Sri Lankan defenders were distracted by high voltage events like a motor race and a popular TV musical competition.

Participating in the same programme, the LTTE's military spokesman, Rasaiah Ilanthirayan alias Marshall, said that the Anuradhpura air base was chosen out of many other Sri Lankan military installations because of its centrality in Sri Lanka's military structure in the North. The Anuradhapura base was a strategic communications, logistics and command centre, he pointed out. It was a training, medical and repatriation centre, and a springboard for campaigns in the Wanni and the northern parts of the Eastern province. It was from here that the SLAF was observing the goings-on in the LTTE-controlled areas of the Wanni and the deep sea through aerial surveillance by manned and unmanned aircraft, he explained.Yogi revealed a historical angle to the choice. In ancient times, Anuradhapura had been the prime seat of Sinhala power. But because of periodical attacks by the Tamil-speaking Chola and Pandyan kings from South India, the Sinhala kings had to vacate Anuradhapura and repair to Polonnaruwa further to the south, which then became the centre of Sinhala power, religion and culture. The LTTE's attack on Anuradhapura was a bid to re-create the past.Militarily speaking, the attack had showed that an important base could be disabled in 20 minutes and that the LTTE's air force could fly in and out without being challenged, Ilanthirayan said. The attack had also inflicted an enormous financial and material loss which would take time to be made good, he added.He denied the contention that the air attack was only 'cosmetic' as it had taken place 45 minutes after the land operation had begun and the airbase had been disabled. Ilanthirayan argued that the ground cum air action, which had taken place for the first time in the history of the LTTE, was a demonstration that the LTTE was progressing in its bid to move away from being a guerilla outfit to being a conventional armed force in which the land, sea and air forces could work in coordination. Ilanthirayan further said that the LTTE's attacks in Tissamaharama in the deep south and Anuradhapura in the North, in quick succession, showed that the organization could strike anywhere in Sri Lanka and that no place was now safe. "These attacks are part of a unified plan and should not be seen in isolation," he said indicating that the LTTE was working to a grand design and not haphazardly.

There was a historical basis for the attack being code named "Elalan" (or "Elara" ), Yogi said. Elalan was a famous Tamil king of Jaffna who was defeated and killed by the Sinhala king Duttugamunu. The latter had unified Sri Lanka under Sinhala rule by defeating Elalan, besides several Sinhala kings in other parts of the island."Since the Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, was portraying himself as the modern day Duttugamunu, Prabhakaran decided to deal a telling blow to him in the name of Elalan, and thus make a deep impact on the Sinhala psyche," Yogi explained. Incidentally, both Rajapaksa and Duttugamunu are from the Ruhunu area in South Sri Lanka.Prabhakaran had been itching to get even with the Sri Lankan state after the latter inflicted defeats on him in the Eastern province over the past year. He wanted to avenge the hardships, displacement and other damages inflicted on the Tamil people during the Sri Lankan military operations there, Yogi said.

The successful attack on Anuradhapura had "sharpened" the Tamils' faith in Prabhakaran, and it was possible that the international community would also review its attitude to the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government, Yogi said."Those countries which supply arms to Sri Lanka may begin to wonder if it is useful to do so. The US Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's recent remark that all terrorists cannot be put in the same category and that one would have to differentiate between them on the basis of their reasons for existence indicates the possibility of a change in the American attitude. And she had gone to the extent of mentioning the LTTE," Yogi said."The attack on Anuradhpura has upset the Sri Lankan government's time schedule. It was thinking that it will defeat us soon and then impose a political solution on the Tamils. The time table for that now lies shattered," Yogi added.

The United States on Thursday urged Sri Lanka to negotiate an end to decades of fighting with the Tamil Tiger rebels, officials said.US Ambassador Robert O. Blake made the comments during a ceremony in which he donated a radar-based maritime surveillance system and several inflatable boats to Sri Lanka's navy, the US embassy said in a statement."The Ambassador ... urged the Government of Sri Lanka to pursue a negotiated settlement to Sri Lanka's conflict," the statement said.Tens and thousands of people have died since the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched a military campaign for an independent state for minority Tamils in 1972.The government and rebels had agreed to a Norwegian-brokered truce in 2002, but the peace process began to unravel starting in December 2005.Blake, who turned over the equipment to Sri Lanka's navy chief Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, said he hoped it would help the navy intercept the rebels' arms shipments.Sri Lanka's navy has had success in curtailing the Tigers' weapons shipments and recently claimed it sank the rebels last gun-running ship.The US designated the LTTE as a foreign terrorist organisation in 1997.

India yesterday said it would take ‘appropriate action’ after consulting the Sri Lanka government on reports which said Tamil Nadu was used by the LTTE to conduct its activities.“We will discuss the matter with the Sri Lanka Government and take appropriate action based on information provided by Sri Lanka,” Dinkar Asthana, the spokesperson for the Indian High Commission in Colombo told the Daily Mirror yesterday. However he said the Commission doesn’t know first hand of such information.Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake told parliament recently LTTE activities had increased along the coast of Tamil Nadu, in India. “There has been an increase in LTTE activities along the Tamil Nadu coast,” he said. The Premier also had said the Navy was able to intercept an LTTE boat carrying accessories for helicopters and remote controlled aircraft recently.Defence sources revealed in the recent past the Navy had made a series of detections of fuel, arms, ammunition, remote controlled aircraft etc off the western coastal belt off Mannar Sea, when Tigers were trying to smuggle those items into Sri Lankan from India.Following these detections the Sri Lanka Navy has stepped up surveillance activities in the Palk Strait while the Indian Navy too has strengthened naval patrols in Indian waters in the Strait, in order to prevent such smuggling activities taking place.

Sri Lankan rebels lament peace mediator Norway's ``official silence'' on killing

Separatist Tamil Tiger rebels on Thursday lamented the ``official silence'' of Sri Lanka's peace broker Norway on last week's killing of the group's political chief, a spokesman said. Tamil Tigers' political chief, S.P. Tamilselvan, was killed when the air force bombed a communications center in rebel-held northern Kilinochchi district. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan said the group's new political wing head, P. Nadesan, on Thursday conveyed his concerns to Norway through Lars Johan Solvberg, the head of an European group monitoring a 2002 cease-fire. Nadesan told Solvberg that ``the official silence of the peace facilitator Norway regarding the killing of Tamilselvan, is viewed with serious concern and is regretted by the Tamil population and the Tigers,'' Ilanthirayan said. The truce brokered by Norway brought relative calm to the country for a few years, but a new wave of violence that began in December 2005 has killed more than 5,000 people and displaced many. However, the internationally backed agreement is still valid on paper, with both sides reluctant to abrogate it officially, fearing international isolation. The meeting between Nadesan and Solvberg took place a day after military reported that heavy fighting in the north killed 60 rebels and 11 soldiers. The killing of Tamilselvan, who had become the public face of the rebels since the cease-fire, was widely seen as a public relations coup for the government and a sharp blow to the guerrillas' morale. While the reclusive rebel leader, Velupillai Prabhakaran, is almost never seen in public, Tamilselvan, assumed by some to be the group's second-in-command, had become the rebel leadership's link to the outside world. He regularly held talks with peace envoys and diplomats. Norwegian Embassy officials could not be immediately contacted. The rebels have been fighting since 1983 to create an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils, following decades of discrimination by the majority Sinhalese-controlled governments. More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict.

The security forces have discovered the bodies of two more persons in Galara, Tissamaharama yesterday morning (November 08th) following a shooting incident Wednesday night. The bodies were taken by the villagers for the post mortem examinations to the Tissamaharama Base Hospital. Meanwhile, villagers staged a protest in front of the Tissamaharama Police Station against the continuous killings. At this point, a senior police officer has reportedly said that he would answers their questions, but only after a two-member team from Sirasa TV that was covering the incident, was turned out from the location. Following this, the villagers had allegedly assaulted journalist Wasantha Pradeep Masinghe and Cameraman Waruna and damaged their video equipment. Reliable sources say that the police have received orders from the top to keep the media away from the scene. These recent incidents have unleashed terror among the villagers. The villagers of Ranminitenna in Tissamaharama were first disturbed with the rumoured presence of unidentified men in the jungles on October 24th. On the 05th of November, three chena cultivators were hacked to death, followed by yesterday's shooting incident. A survivor of the first murders said that three men in black approached them, talking in Tamil and one of them ordered the other in Sinhalese to tie up the victims. The wife of one of the victims revealed that three men dressed in black had come and seized her husband. When she asked them the reason, an explanation about wanting to check the household was given. However, five innocent villagers have been brutally murdered in Tissamaharama.Police say that around 200 police personnel and additional army units have been deployed in the area. The villagers staged a protest on the 06th of October demanding adequate security. They claimed that the police threatened them not to demonstrate again, or else lose compensation for their lost family members. Hambantota District JVP MP Nihal Galappatthi said that certain groups are attempting to frame the armed forces for the recent incidents. He added that this should be prevented and that the LTTE are definitely behind these incidents. Two weeks ago, five radio channels of the ABC Radio Network were taken off air for reporting that a group of suspicious men were lurking in the Ranminitenna area in Tissamaharama.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, mourning the death of its political head S P Thamilselvan in a Sri Lankan air raid, on Thursday stayed away from Diwali celebrations."Our leader (V Prabhakharan) and our people are mourning the death of our political head Thamilselvan and this is the most subdued Diwali in my life with people staying away from celebrations," LTTE spokesman Rasiah Illanthirayan told PTI.Diwali is being celebrated by Tamilians on Thursday while it will be observed in north India on Friday.Thamilselvan, LTTE's public face, and five other leaders of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were killed in a raid by Sri Lankan air force in the rebel-dominated northern Kilinochchi on November 2.Illanthirayan said the LTTE elusive supremo, who otherwise confines his Diwali celebrations to giving money to young children, maintained a very low key."There are no cracker sounds, no sweets and we are all mourning the death of Thamilselvan," Illanthirayan said.Meanwhile, greeting the people on the occasion of Diwali, Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse on Thursday hoped that the evil of terror will be wiped out from his country."I am pleased to send greetings to all Sri lankan Hindus on the occasion of Deepavali," Rajapakse said in his message on the occasion."May the light of goodwill and peace dispel the darkness of terror and illuminate our land. I wish a happy Deepavali to all Hindu Devotees," the President said.

Tamil Nadu police arrested several demonstrators at the entrance of the Sri Lanka consulate when hundreds of Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (TPDK) members led by its leader Kulaththoor Mani, marched Tuesday around 11:00 a.m in protest condemning the assassination of S. P. Tamilchelvan, Political Head of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), to the Sri Lanka Consulate in Chennai. Demonstrators were shouting slogans demanding Indian Government to lift the ban on LTTE and not to provide military assistance to Sri Lanka government.The demonstrators, dressed in black, marched shouting slogans condemning Sri Lanka government for the killing of Thamilchelvan and demanding the following from the Government of India:To recognize the liberation struggle, led by the LTTE, which is recognized by the International Community.To lift the ban on LTTE.To stop all military assistance to Sri Lanka.A large contingent of Policemen were deployed around the SL consulate.Intelligence wing personnel video filmed and photographed the protest demonstrators.

Human Rights Watch endorses proposed restrictions by the US Congress on arms sales to Sri Lanka

Human Rights Watch has endorsed the US Congress conditions restricting the sale and transfer of arms to Sri Lanka.In a letter addressed to US Congressmen, the human rights group says the restrictions should be kept in place until the Sri Lankan government improves its human rights record and facilitates the creation of a UN human rights monitoring mission for Sri Lanka. It has said that the implementation of the proposed conditions will help protect thousands of civilians and allow Sri Lankan civil society to operate more freely.Human Rights Watch has pointed out that since the collapse of the ceasefire between the Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE) and the Sri Lankan government in mid-2006 and the resumption of major military operations, civilians have borne the brunt of the fighting. It says more than 1,000 have reportedly "disappeared" and several hundred thousand civilians have been displaced by the fighting.It says that serious abuses by the LTTE, including attacks against civilians, targeted killings of perceived political opponents, and the use of child soldiers have been documented. According to HRW, in the past 18 months, there has also been a significant jump in abuses by Sri Lankan government forces, such as indiscriminate shelling, extrajudicial executions, and forced disappearances.In addition, Human Rights Watch says there is evidence that Sri Lankan government forces have stood by while pro-government armed groups have carried out abuses, including forcibly recruiting children into their forces. In their letter to Congressmen, the American human rights organisation has pointed out that members of the Sri Lankan government security forces have long enjoyed impunity from prosecution; despite the creation of various new governmental bodies, there is little evidence that the Sri Lankan government is bringing the perpetrators of serious abuses to justice.

Sri Lanka's major Tamil constituent Tamil National Alliance (TNA) says that it vehemently protest the increase in defense budget by 20%.TNA spokesman said that they would vote against the budget proposals presented to the parliament by President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday. TNA MPs sat in the well of the House protesting but without disturbing the President’s budget speech. Stating that it is essential to completely wipe out terrorism, President told the parliament that defense spending has been increased from 155 billion rupees this year to 166.44 billion rupees in 2008, an estimated highest in the history. "Otherwise there can be no political solution," said the President.

Army spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said that LTTE cadres were killed in fierce fighting when the LTTE cadres attempted to attack the forward defense line at Muhamalai.He further said that the fight broke up between 5.30 AM and 7.00 AM, Army penetrated into the LTTE territory and destroyed 2 bunkers and caused heavy damage to the enemy. The Army has observed the LTTE lifting injured in five vehicles. Six soldiers were killed and 25 were injured in fighting when LTTE assaulted with light infantry, RPG, mortar and artillery. 'Lanka-e-News' learnt through their studies that 52 injured personnel were brought to Colombo for treatment. Twenty-nine of them have been admitted to Colombo national hospital and six of them are in critical condition, hospital sources said. A spokesman of the Sri Jayawardhanapura hospital said that another 20 were admitted there. Another spokesman of the hospital said that injured were admitted and dead bodies were also brought. Three personnel with eye injuries were admitted to eye hospital.Meanwhile, unconfirmed Army internal reports said that fighting broke up at both Kilali and Muhamalai forward defense lines. 22 security forces personnel were killed and 154 were injured. 60 of them were in critical condition. 18 lost limbs due to anti-personnel mines. However, no heavy armory of the security forces have not been captured by LTTE. Around 70 LTTE cadres are believed killed, unconfirmed sources said.

The official silence of the peace facilitator Norway, in regard to the killing of Thamilchelvan, is viewed with serious concern and is regretted by the Tamil population and the Tigers, said P. Nadesan, the new political head of the LTTE, to TamilNet. The Head of SLMM, Major General Lars Johan Solvberg, was invited by the LTTE to Ki'linochchi to convey this message to the Government of Norway for necessary action, he said after the meeting, Thursday morning. Tamils all over the world closely watch Norway and other members of the International Community for their open responses and for what they are going to openly tell the Sri Lanka government, he further said.Thamilchelvan was the political and public figure of the Liberation Tigers. He was heading the peace negotiations. His residence and whereabouts were always an open knowledge. He was not a military target, Mr. Nadesan has told the Head of SLMM. The selective killing of Thamilchelvan and other members of the political division through a pinpoint aerial bombardment by the Sri Lankan government has aroused the anger of the Tamil public to unbounded levels in the island, in India and in the diaspora, the truce monitors were told. The loss of Thamilchelvan was seriously felt by the public. The spontaneous participation of several thousands of Tamils in the funeral procession of Thamilchelvan, despite the attempts of the Sri Lankan government to disrupt it by threatening sorties of Kfir bombers, testify the level of public uprising, said Nadesan. He added that the entry points to Vanni were deliberately closed by the Sri Lankan government to prevent media witnessing the funeral.

Sri Lanka's rupee fell on Wednesday for the first time since the proceeds of a $500 million bond issue flowed into the country, slipping after a treasury official said the central bank wanted to keep it near 110 per dollar.Sri Lanka unveiled its 2008 budget on Wednesday, which focused on defence and infrastructure development, but analysts and traders said it contained no surprises and shares were little moved. The rupee closed at 110.35/110.40 per dollar, down from a six-month high at Tuesday's close of 110.20-110.30.It has risen 2.8 percent since Oct. 16 when the central bank said the $500 million debut sovereign bond was oversubscribed and has gained 2.9 percent from a record closing low of 113.57/113.62 on Sept. 18."After the treasury secretary's statement on the 110 rupee mark per dollar, there was a huge importer demand for dollars from the morning, which made the rupee weaker," a currency dealer said.The secretary to the treasury and ministry of finance, Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, said on Tuesday Sri Lanka's cash flow problems had eased as a result of the bond issue and the central bank had been intervening as the government now did not want "undue" rupee appreciation.Traders said there was strong dollar resistance at 110.40 on Wednesday, possibly from the central bank, which kept the market at that level.The main Colombo All Share <.CSE> index rose 0.14 percent or 3.57 points to 2,623.70, after closing down for the past two days following a warning of more attacks issued by Tamil Tiger rebels.Analysts said the market was quiet apart from a Dialog Telekom block deal between foreign investors."We didn't see anything in the budget that could have an impact on the share market," said Hussain Ghani, assistant director at Asia Capital stockbrokers.The budget announced some concessions and subsidies for local agricultural and manufacturing sectors."The budget might be good for some plantation and manufacturing companies and there were some share movements on those companies after the budget," Ghani added.Ceylon Leather Products Limited rose 5.7 percent to 73.75 rupees a share as calculated on a weighted average, while Agalawatte Plantation closed 5.2 up at 25.25 rupees.Market heavyweight and the country's top mobile phone company Dialog Telekom, which accounted for about 75 percent of the day's turnover, closed unchanged at 23.50 rupees, while leading fixed line operator Sri Lanka Telecom was also unchanged at 34.50 rupees.Market turnover was at 694.93 million rupees ($6.3 million).The bourse is down 13.7 percent from its record intraday high of 3,038.48 on Feb. 19 and has dropped 3.6 percent this year.Interbank lending rates or call rates <CLIBOR> fell to 12.778 percent from 12.997 percent on Tuesday.Markets are closed on Thursday for the Hindu festival, Deepawali.

Lasting peace will not be found in Sri Lanka until Sinhala nationalism and the grievances that give it power are understood and addressed.Sri Lanka: Sinhala Nationalism and the Elusive Southern Consensus,* the latest report from the International Crisis Group, examines the nationalism of the country’s largest ethnic community and its relationship to the almost 25-year conflict. Recent history shows the Sinhalese are not unalterably opposed to a fair deal for the minority Tamils but competition between their major parties, the United National Party (UNP) and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), together with the violence and intransigence of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), have led President Rajapaksa to adopt a hardline nationalist approach. Until the sources of Sinhalese nationalism are taken more seriously, it will continue to challenge attempts to produce a political settlement.Although President Rajapaksa states his commitment to a political solution, his decision to rely on hardline Sinhala nationalist parties committed to a strictly unitary state structure instead of considering substantial devolution of powers to the regions has left him with little option other than to try to defeat the LTTE militarily. The All-Party Representative Committee (APRC) set up in 2006 is developing constitutional proposals intended to be endorsed by all parties but the limited progress it has made may unravel due to Rajapaksa’s insistence on the unitary state and the UNP decision to abandon the process.“Moving away from the unitary state is the only viable basis for resolving the conflict politically. Nothing less has the chance of strengthening the non-LTTE Tamil parties and opening up a new, broader political agenda for constitutional reform endorsed by Muslim, Tamil and Sinhala parties”, says Alan Keenan, Crisis Group’s Senior Analyst in Colombo.A new approach is needed that addresses legitimate Sinhalese fears, so as to tackle supremacist nationalism and allow for the necessary southern consensus on devolution. Sri Lanka’s international backers will need to persuade the president to compromise by dropping reference to the unitary state. Without strong international efforts to convince both the government and the UNP to find common ground, there is little chance the APRC can produce a political package attractive to both Tamil moderates and Sinhalese. “To be sustainable, the next attempt at peace needs to be part of a larger project of state reform and good governance from which all communities benefit, not merely a deal in which Sinhalese trade territory for an end of war and terror”, says Asia Program Director Robert Templer. “Domestic and international actors should begin to fashion long-term strategies that take into account the power of Sinhala nationalist ideology, while aiming to minimise the sources of its appeal and its ability to set the political agenda”.

Leading international human rights groups are gathering vital evidence in an effort to try Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, known as Colonel Karuna Amman, for war crimes. The groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International are in the process of assembling evidence to see whether they can trigger a prosecution of the former Tamil Tiger leader. Karuna fled to London, following an internal coup which ousted him from his Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP).Karuna and his cadres have been continuously accused of war crimes, including kidnappings of even children and slayings in the Eastern Province. The situation took a turn for the worse after the security forces ‘liberated’ the entire Eastern Province from the LTTE.The ceasefire monitors, in their regular weekly reports, continued to disclose details of the intimidation tactics by the Karuna faction against civilians and their political opponents in the east. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission went on to say that the group continued to turn a blind eye on the complaints lodged against the faction, supposedly because there was a ‘link’ between the Karuna faction and the security forces. According to reports, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Coalition to Stop Child Soldiers are all investigating the possibility of initiating an official investigation. “Charges can be brought in the UK against those suspected of war crimes or torture committed anywhere in the world,” the Guardian newspaper in the UK stated. “Under article six of the Geneva Convention,” said an Amnesty spokesman, “if the UK is satisfied there’s reasonable testimony of torture, the government would have to start a preliminary inquiry under UK law.” “If one person was to complain with credible evidence then there would have to be an investigation. We are in touch with international groups about bringing evidence to this country to help the police and prosecution services,” the report further stated. James Ross, Legal and Policy Director of Human Rights Watch in New York, said: “We have raised our concerns with the UK government. We would like the government to see whether there’s a valid basis under the principle of universal jurisdiction to prosecute Col. Karuna for possible war crimes or human rights abuses such as torture.” Lucia Withers, Asia Programme Manager of the Coalition to Stop Child Soldiers in London, said a possible prosecution of Col. Karuna would be an “exemplary” case. “Up until September, there had been 395 reports of children with his faction,” she said. “He has been recruiting children under the age of 15. We know of at least four children killed while with his group. “Some of it is forcible abductions from temples, playgrounds and refugee camps. Parents have tried to get their children rescued. This is happening in an area controlled by the Sri Lankan government.”

'Rajapakse best bet to end conflict'

President Mahinda Rajapakse is the ''best bet'' to resolve Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict but there can be no solution minus the Tamil Tigers, says a prominent Muslim leader from the country.Nizam Kariapper of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) party also said that New Delhi needed to put aside the Rajiv Gandhi assassination of 1991 so as to play a more meaningful role vis- -vis the dragging conflict.''Rajapakse is the best bet, provided he is willing to (come up with a political solution),'' Kariapper said, speaking on the sidelines of an international conference on federalism that ended in the capital on Wednesday.''Whatever he does, the Sinhalese will feel he will have their interests in mind. And Tamils will accept a reasonable solution,'' he explained.Kariapper, 44, is the SLMC Deputy Secretary General and its nominee at the All Party Representative Committee (APRC), which has been asked by the government to come up with an acceptable package on devolution of power in Sri Lanka.Kariapper, however, warned that there could no solution to the ethnic conflict without the support of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and also ''the Sinhalese nationalists''.''The LTTE's strength is not their weapons, it is the backing they get from their people. They may not have the absolute majority support of the Tamils but they enjoy (the support of) a significant majority,'' he said.One of the dozen Sri Lankans who took part in the federalism meet, Kariapper faulted India for seemingly keeping aloof from the conflict because of the LTTE assassination of Rajiv Gandhi.''You cannot use the Gandhi killing as a handle in the Sri Lanka situation. This is fundamentally wrong,'' he said, referring to India's move to almost wash its hands off the ethnic conflict following the assassination.''India should look at Sri Lanka objectively. They should not let the Gandhi affair cloud their thinking. The problem with India is it does not act when it has to and it acts when it need not.''Muslims constitute eight per cent of Sri Lanka's 20 million people. Although Muslims count Tamil as their mother tongue, they consider themselves a separate ethnic group, distinct from Tamils.The SLMC is a member of the Rajapakse government, but Kariapper underlined that it was so ''most reluctantly''.He also expressed disappointment over the devolution proposals put forward by Rajapakse's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP). This, he said, had only affected the credibility of the APRC.''A credible solution (to the conflict) should be federal in spirit, even if it does not have the name,'' he said. ''It should recognise the areas of the north and east (of Sri Lanka) as the habitation of the Tamil-speaking people, both Tamils and Muslims.''Kariapper said ''85-90 perc ent of work'' regarding devolution proposals was over at the APRC, which brings together various shades of political opinion in Sri Lanka, and ''we just need to agree on some basic principles''.Can there be a military solution to the conflict? ''I don't think so, either by the LTTE or by the government,'' he replied.''The situation in Sri Lanka is very complex,'' he added. ''But in this complexity, a solution may arise.''Kariapper also admitted that sections of younger Muslims, particularly in Sri Lanka's east, were getting radicalised.''There is a huge tendency of radicalisation among younger Muslims. It is only the trading culture in the community that has kept this from happening in large numbers.''Also, lack of leadership has played a role. We refuse to provide leadership to radical Muslims. But it should be noted that such Muslims are a small minority.''

Damning evidence has surfaced that the Government smuggled LTTE renegade commander Karuna to Great Britain on a forged diplomatic passport.An investigation revealed that the forged diplomatic passport was issued by the Immigration Department on the orders of higher authorities in the name of Kokila Gunawardena on August 30, 2007.It has been further revealed that Karuna was issued a valid British visa in the name of Kokila Gunawardena by the High Commission in Colombo on September 5 on a recommendation by Sri Lanka's Foreign Ministry.The Morning Leader investigation revealed that the Foreign Ministry had sent a Third Party Note to the British High Commission in Colombo together with a number of passports recommending visas for a group of persons to attend a climate change conference in Britain and included in the set of passports was a diplomatic passport in the name of Kokila Gunawardena.Gunawardena was recommended for the visa as an official representing a department coming under the Environment Ministry of JHU’s Champika Ranawaka.It is now revealed that Karuna travelled to Britain on the passport which was in the name of Kokila Gunawardena and landed at the Heathrow airport on September 18. It had also been reported that Karuna was accompanied to the aircraft at the Bandaranaike International Airport to board the London flight by Airport and Aviation deputy chief Shalitha Wijesundera who is yet to deny the reports.Sources in England said Karuna was arrested by the British authorities in London in a house in the affluent Kensington area where his wife and three children were residing. The diplomatic passport in the possession of Karuna under the name 'Kokila Gunawardena' was also taken into custody by the British authorities at the time of arrest.

The Morning Leader further learns, Karuna had asked for political asylum upon being arrested. Karuna's wife and three children had earlier entered Britain legitimately and applied for political asylum and those applications are now being processed.The Morning Leader also learns Karuna is currently under interrogation by the British Anti Terrorism Liason Unit.Secretary to the Foreign Affairs Ministry Palitha Kohona contacted by The Morning Leader said he was certain his ministry would not have recommended a visa for Karuna to the British high Commission. He however refused to comment when asked whether a visa could have been recommended for him under a false identity stating he was not obliged to answer such questions or be subjected to cross examination.On the question of the procedure involved in the issuance of a diplomatic passport, Kohona said that question should be directed to the department of Immigration since they were the issuing authority.Asked who decides whether an individual is entitled to a diplomatic passport, Kohona said it was the department of Immigration.However a spokesperson for the Department of Immigration told The Morning Leader that on the issuance of a diplomatic passport they only act on the directives and recommendations of the President, President’s office or the Foreign Ministry.The spokesperson said the President's office sends a list of persons entitled to a diplomatic passport by virtue of their office and that in addition the President can authorise the issuance of such a passport to any individual. He said the Foreign Ministry can also recommend the issuance of a diplomatic passport.The British High Commission when contacted declined to comment on the issue stating there was an on going investigation following Karuna's arrest in London

Conspiracy behind closure of Omanthai Entry/Exit Point – TELO MP Srikantha

There is a conspiracy behind Monday’s (November 05th) indefinite closure of the Entry/Exit Point in Omanthai, Vavuniya after a purported LTTE artillery attack, TELO and Tamil National Alliance MP N. Srikantha said. Joining the debate to extend the State of Emergency in Parliament yesterday(November 06th), the TELO parliamentarian said that it was an attempt to obstruct the return of the TNA parliamentarians, who went to Kilinochchi to pay their last respects to the slain LTTE Political Wing Leader S.P. Thamilselvan.The ultimate aim was to prevent the TNA parliamentarians from expressing their opposition to the extension of the State of Emergency, when a vote is taken on the relevant motion today, while ensuring their absence at the presentation of the budget tomorrow, he said. For the first time, parliament convened on Monday without the participation of a single MP from the TNA whilst 12 of them went to Kilinochchi. “Thamilselvan was revered by the Tamil community. Today, the government has assassinated him. What is the government up to? This government is fast losing its life span,” said MP Srikantha, adding that all TNA MPs have decided to vote against the budget.

Sri Lanka's parliament Tuesday adopted a motion moved by the Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wikremanayake on behalf of the government to extend the State of Emergency for another month with a majority of 120 votes. 124 parliamentarians voted for the motion and four against. Parliamentarians of the ruling United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC), Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and the dissident group of the main opposition United National Party (UNP), voted with the government. Only four parliamentarians of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) who were present at that time in parliament registered their votes against the motion. The rest of the members are still in Kilinochchi. Members of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) abstained.The State of Emergency is being extended every month by the parliament since it was proclaimed in August 2005.

Five media organizations yesterday protested against the government’s crackdown on Media Freedom in the country. Here they vehemently condemned action taken by the police to arrest Sunday Leader journalist Arthur Wamanan and the government’s decision to cancel the license of five Radio stations belonging to the ABC group. They also condemned the shooting of Editor of the Ethalaya website. “The government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa is trying to protect democracy by abolishing media freedom” General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Working Journalist Association, Poddala Jayantha said.Convener of the Health Services Association Saman Ratnapriya said “the government should take steps to protect media freedom; if not media organizations will take the necessary action against the government.President Federation of Media Employees, Dharmasiri Lankapeli said “Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe goes to Geneva and claims the government is committed to safeguarding Human Rights but on the other hand they suppress the rights of the media”.The Sri Lanka Working Journalist Association, Free Media Movement, Federation of Media Employees Trade Unions, Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum and the Sri Lanka Tamil Journalist Alliance all took part in the protest.

Tamil Blood is Flowing in My Veins: Jayalalithaa

Reacting sharply to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's remark that he condoled the death of LTTE leader S P Tamilselvan in his capacity as a Tamil, AIADMK Supremo Jayalalithaa on Tuesday said she too had Tamil spirit and "Tamil blood is flowing in her veins" as well."I know what he meant when he made that remark. He has apparently referred to my birth in Mysore. Though I was born in Mysore, I was born in a Tamil family and Tamil blood is flowing in my veins. My mother tongue is Tamil. When we accept those born in Sri Lanka as Tamils, we should also accept those born in Mysore, which is a part of India, as Tamils," she said in a statement here.She said Karunanidhi could not justify his 'anti-national' act by making metaphorical remarks. "He can't be condoned for supporting the killers of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi," she added.Launching a virulent attack on Rajya Sabha MP and Karunanidhi's daughter Kanimozhi for criticizing her on the issue, Jayalalithaa said certain 'mushrooms that had sprouted up overnight' had questioned her Tamil spirit without knowing the fact that she had organised World Tamil Conference to glorfiy Tamil language.Recalling a press interview she gave during her acting career in 1972 at Mysore where she had gone for the shooting of a Tamil film, she said "when the reporter asked me whether am a Kannadiga, I replied that though I was born in Mysore, I am a Tamil. This raised the hackles of Kannada fanatics who stormed the film studio in large numbers with deadly weapons and demanded an apology from me."

Maintaining that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi could not continue in his post after 'eulogising' outlawed LTTE's political wing leader S P Tamilselvan, AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa on Tuesday said her party had no other option but to move the Supreme Court as the Centre had "not realised the seriousness of the issue." "There can't be two different views that Karunanidhi's action of expressing condolence on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Government is anti-constitutional and a treason. A person who openly supports a terrorist outfit, proscribed in the country, cannot continue in the post of Chief Minister," she said in a statement here. On the DMK patriarch's argument that MDMK chief Vaiko, an ally of the AIADMK, had also condoled the death of the LTTE leader, Jayalalithaa said Vaiko had neither taken the oath of office, as per Indian Constitution, as Chief Minister nor was holding any official post. As Karunanidhi was apprehensive that he might lose his Government due to "anti-national" activities, he was attempting to divert the issue by invoking the name of "Tamil blood and Tamil spirit," she charged. "Why did he not express condolence when his former Cabinet colleague T Kiruttinan was murdered and when three employees of Tamil daily 'Dinakaran' were burnt alive in Madurai? Weren't they Tamils? Is LTTE leader Tamilselvan alone a Tamil?" she asked. "While I am raising the legal aspects of the issue, he is talking about Tamil spirit and blood. He is the one who supported forest brigand Veerappan who killed more than 200 Tamils," Jayalalithaa alleged.

Anuradhapura police headquarters told the Anuradhapura Magistrate yesterday that ten aircraft were destroyed and 16 were damaged in the recent LTTE attack on the Anuradhapura air base.Police requested Magistrate Wasantha Jinadasa to order the air base Commanding Officer to submit an estimate of the damage.

The vital crossing point between the LTTE dominated Wanni region in the embattled North and rest of Sri Lanka reopened on Tuesday following an understanding between the International Red Cross and the army. Earlier, a string of LTTE's artillery attacks on Omanthai's entry and exit point in rebel dominated Vanni Monday forced authorities to close the crossing which is regarded as the lifeline of the inhabitants in the region. "Taking into consideration the inconvenience being caused to moving civilians and traffic, the army took this decision in consultation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) despite artillery fire they experienced today also," the army said in a statement. The ICRC had withdrawn Monday due to safety reasons after the security forces were forced to close down the crossing until further notice following LTTE's artillery fire, the defence ministry had said.

Posts and Telecommunications Minister Rauff Hakeem in Parliament yesterday condoled with the LTTE over the demise of its political head S.P. Thamilselvan, even as Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremenayake earlier hailed the security forces for killing him.Mr. Hakeem, who is also the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress SLMC said he was making such a statement at the risk of being branded a traitor.“I would like to extend my condolences and deepest sympathies to the LTTE for the demise of Mr. Thamilselvan. I am making such a statement at the risk of being branded a traitor in the south but that does not matter” he said, winding up the emergency debate in the House yesterday.“I have spoken to Mr. Thamilselvan several times on the phone and met him during official peace talks” he said, adding that negotiators like Anton Balasingham, Thamilselvan and even Karuna could no longer participate in peace talks, dealing a blow to a negotiated settlement to the conflict.Earlier in the day Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake said the government should pay tribute to the security forces for destroying Thamilselvan as he was responsible for killing many public and military leaders.Mr. Hakeem noted - “The speeches made in the House today show a clear division in the way Tamil and Sinhala leaders view the death of Thamilselvan. This is an indication of the ethnic divisions in the country”.Mr. Hakeem said that the only thing people collectively rejoiced in was sport, and this could be seen when Sri Lanka takes on Australia in cricket, with spinner Mutthiah Muralitheran poised to set a world record in Test wickets.

More than 25,000 people took part in the funeral procession of LTTE's Political Head and Chief Negotiator S.P. Thamilchelvan, despite the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers circling over the Ki'linochchi town. The remains of Brigadier Thamilchelvan were taken in procession from the LTTE Peace Secretariat to Ki'linochchi Cooperative Training Hall Monday morning and kept there for the public to pay their last respects till 4:45 p.m., where Liberation Tigers Intelligence Wing Chief Pottu Amman and the new Political Head, P. Nadesan, addresed the gathering. Mr. Thamilchelvan was laid to rest at Kanakapuram Heroes Cemetery at 7:45 p.m. Monday. Mr. Thamilchelvan's funeral cortage towards Heroes cemetery started around 4:45 p.m. and reached the cemetery at 6:15 as SLAF bombers circled over the town. Several LTTE commanders, officials, religious leaders and Tamil National Alliance parliamentarians took part in the funeral procession.During the last three days of national mourning announced by the political division of the LTTE, the remains of Thamilchelvan were taken in procession to the twelve sectors (Koaddams) of the LTTE-administered Vanni where thousands of people had paid their last respects to the slain leader. Meanwhile, LTTE officials in Ki'linochchi said they were receiving hundreds of condolence messages from foreign diplomats, NGO officials and other missions on Sunday and Monday through telephone and email. Thousands of Tamils all over the world were also sending in their condolences through various media outfits and email.

A group of lawyers of Sri Lanka’s Anuradhapura courts have filed a motion urging to take action against the Army spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara for contempt of courts. The Army spokesman said to BBC that the bodies of the 21 Black Tigers who were killed on October 22 at Anuradhapura airbase attack were buried following an order of the Anuradhapura Magistrate. Anuradhapura Magistrate and Additional District Judge Wasantha Jinadasa expressing concern over the lawyers’ motion ordered the registrar of courts to inform the matter to the Court of Appeal since the Magistrate court had no power to conduct an investigation. Civil society deplored the public display of the naked bodies of the LTTE suicide cadres in the sacred Buddhist city of Anuradhapura.

Loss of Thamilchelvan, a consequence of International injustice says Poddu Ammaan

"We tried our best to convince the International Community of our grievances. We are a small nation, struggling all alone to uphold our rights. But the International Community in an uneven judgement in applying its norms, scaled us with Sri Lankan government abounding with military and economic resources. The scale was not fair. The price we paid for the International Injustice is the life of Thamilchelvan," said Poddu Ammaan, the intelligence wing chief of the Liberation Tigers, in the obituary address of the funeral of Brigadier S.P. Thamilchelvan held in Ki'linochchi on Monday. Narrating his close association with Thamilchelvan in his early days in the LTTE, Poddu Ammaan recollected events of exemplary bravery and leadership, shown by Thamilchelvan during IPKF times and the first Elephant Pass (EPS) operation.However, he continued, "many of us were not aware of the inherent political abilities hidden in him, but our leader Pirapaharan rightly identified them.""Our leader always use to say that fear comes from attachment to life. One who is fearless to sacrifice his own life to the welfare of people can only become a political leader. Thamilchelvan was one such.""What is the payback for the killing of Thamilchelvan, many ask us.""A few Sri Lankan soldiers, perhaps thousands, or a few Sinhala leaders cannot match the price for Thamilchelvan.""Achieving Thamizh Eezham through relentless effort is the price. The Sinhala nation should realise that we will never stop in this effort."In his address, Poddu Ammaan revealed that the LTTE came to know through subtle briefings of Norway, that the Sri Lankan government blocked Thamilchelvan's mother and siblings, living abroad, from attending the funeral.

The Omanthai Entry/Exit Point in Vavuniya was again closed for civilian traffic after the LTTE fired artillery towards the area, Military Spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said. No one was injured in the attack at around 12.45 pm yesterday (Nov. 05th), he said.Officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross vacated the checkpoint soon after the attack. ICRC Spokesman Davide Vignati confirmed the withdrawal, saying the measure was taken in view of the safety of their staff.According to the Military Spokesman, a reopening of the checkpoint would be considered after the ICRC monitors return to the area.

Thamilchelvan's killing was against the norms of conventional warfare, said Kanimohzi Karunanidhi, the daughter of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi and a Member of Indian Parliament when speaking at a meeting in Thiruvaroor in Tamil Nadu, condemning the killing of the political leader and negotiator of Eelam Tamils, media sources in Chennai said, on Monday. Ms. Kanimozhi has condemned the aerial attack by the Sri Lanka Air Force, as a "cowardly act" that claimed the life of Mr. Thamilchelvan last Friday. "It was Thamilchelvan who was informing the world the problems faced by Eelam Tamils, after the demise of Anton Balasingham," Ms. Kanimozhi has said. The entire Tamil Nadu, except the AIDMK, has condemned or expressed sorrow on the demise of Mr. Thamilchelvan, she had told the gathering in Thiruvaroor, assailing the AIDMK General Secretary Jayalalitha for attempting to gain political advantage by protesting to the condolence conveyed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi.Sri Lankan Defence Secretary Mahinda Rajapaksa, following the deadly attack on Thamilchelvan's residence, had claimed that it was an attack carried out with full knowledge and that the Government of Sri Lanka was passing a message to the LTTE through the aerial attack. Reacting to the slaying of Thamilchelvan, the National Peace Council, a Colombo based peace group, called the killing an 'assassination'. "This assassination deprives the already seriously eroded peace process of a keeper of institutional memory in the field of negotiations," the NPC said in a statement on Saturday. The statement further said that the NPC was dismayed that three decades of bitter experience has not taught the leaders of Sri Lanka that the military option is a high cost and inhumane one unbefitting of a democratic society.

The Congress Monday slammed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi for 'mourning' slain LTTE leader S.P. Thamilchelvan and reminded him that LTTE was an organisation banned in the country.'The Congress disapproves Chief Minister Karunanidhi's mourning the death of the LTTE leader Thamilchelvan,' party spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan told reporters Monday.Karunanidhi has also invited criticism from arch rival AIADMK leader J. Jayalalitha for penning a poem on the slain Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader, praising his courage and mental strength.Justifying his stance, DMK chief Karunanidhi has said that the LTTE leader was a Tamil. 'As Tamil blood is running in my body also, I expressed my condolence,' he wrote in the DMK mouthpiece Murasoli. However, the Congress leaders have not taken to it kindly, though the DMK is an important constituent of the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by the Congress.'We cannot forget the action perpetrated by the LTTE that killed our great leader (former prime minister) Rajiv Gandhi,' Natarajan said. LTTE militants assassinated Rajiv Gandhi in 1991.'We will not support eulogising terrorism in any form,' said Natarajan, who was also present in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu on May 21, 1991, when Gandhi was killed during an election campaign.

Sri Lanka Minister of Disaster Management and Human Resources, Mahinda Samarasinghe and Minister of Posts and Telecommunication Rauf Hakeem are to participate in an international conference on federalism in India. All Party Representative Committee (APRC) Chairman Prof. Tissa Vitarana is also to attend the conference. Around 1,000 representatives ranging from governments, state heads to activists from around 100 countries will attend the Fourth International Conference on Federalism from November 5 to 7 at Vigyan Bhavan in New Delhi. Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the conference which will be attended by heads of state and heads of government from the world's leading federations.Tamil National Alliance MP Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam and former EPDP MP K. Vigneswaran are also to take part in the conference. Federalism is thoroughly resisted as a solution for the ethnic problem in Sri Lanka. Both ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party and the major opposition United National Party have rejected federal solutions and insist unitary state in Sri Lanka.

Army arrested two journalists of Weerakesari newspaper with a vehicle they travelled sunday (04) evening at Slave Island and later handed them over to the Slave Island police when they were investigating the inadequacies of Colombo city for a weekly article. The two journalists, M.A. Fahim and photojournalist M.M. Salim were taken into custody when they attempted to photograph a line of houses close to Slave Island police station for a feature in Metro News. The security forces personnel did not allow them to photograph in the high security zone and handed over them an hour later to Slave Island police since they did not possess the identity cards issued by the Information Department for journalists. Police rejected to release them without an investigation despite two editorial members of the newspaper appeared and assured their identity. However police released them around 3 AM monday following Deputy Minister of Provincial Councils K.A. Baiz's mediation. A spokesperson of Weerakesari said that the digital camera and the vehicle has not been released yet

Vaiko, the leader of Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) in a communique issued Saturday, called upon the international community to strongly condemn the killing of Liberation Tigers Political Head S.P.Thamilchelvan who was slain in a targeted air attack in Ki'linochchi and condemned the Government of India for providing military assistance to Sri Lanka. An array of political leaders from Tamil Nadu, including K. Veeramani, Pandiyan, Ramdoss and Nedumaran have condemned the killing while Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar Karunanidhi condoled the demise of Thamilchelvan, passing a subtle message that the Tamils of Sri Lanka haven't gone brotherless."Whenever representatives from the various countries in the world and United Nations visited Tamil areas in Sri Lanka, it was Thamilchelvan who met them on behalf of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)."He had a special ability to analyze problems, had the talent to tactfully confront his rivals during peace talks and was always able to attract the audience towards him. He led a life of sacrifice.I strongly condemn the Government of India for providing military hardware to Sri Lankan government, which is engaged in killing Tamil civilians. The targeted air attack that killed Mr. Thamilchelvan is a clear indication that the government of Sri Lanka has effectively entombed the peace process."MDMK deeply regrets the loss of this great son of Tamil Eelam and wishes to express our deep regrets and heartfelt condolences to the LTTE and Eeelam Tamils” the communiqué concluded.Reflecting the unprecedented grief sweeping across Tamil Nadu, a number of other political and religious groups throughout South India have expressed shock on the killing of S.P.Thamilchelvan and five of his political division members.

Dr.Ramdoss, founder president of Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) in a comunique issued Sunday said the Tamils will not forgive the killing of S.P.Thamilchelvan, the voice of Eelam Tamils. "Late Mr.Thamilchelvan took part in all Norway-initiated peace talks, in order to find a political and peaceful solution for the ethnic crisis. His untimely death is a great loss for the global Tamils and is a great set back for the efforts in trying to find a solution through peace talks," he said. "India should reiterate to the Sri Lankan government that it should halt the killing of Tamils and try to provide them their reasonable political and human rights."P. Nedumaran, the Tamil Nationalist Movement (TNM) leader and a longtime supporter of the Eelam cause, in a communiqué issued Friday from Madurai said "a large number of youths will rise from the blood spilled by S.P.Thamilchelvan.""I am shocked by the untimely demise of Thamilchelvan. He represented LTTE during all the peace talks held during the regime of former Sri Lankan President Chandrika as well during each and every Norway-led talks."By targeting and killing him, the Sri Lankan government has indicated that it is not ready for any reconciliatory talks in the future," Mr. Nedumaran said. Dr.K.Veeramani, the President of Dravidar Kalagam (Tamil Nadu), in a communiqué released Saturday in Chennai expressed deep regrets and conveyed his party’s condolences to LTTE as well as to Eelam Tamils on the demise of Thamilchelvan."While the Eelam Tamils are struggling to continue their existence, one of their important leaders together with five of his collegues has been killed by aerial bombardment by Sri Lankan aircrafts."The entire world is wailing and shedding tears expressing its humanitarian nature."T. Pandiyan of the United Communist Party of India (Tamil Nadu Division) expressing shock and sadness on the demise of Thamilchelvan, said "Thamilchelvan fought for the rights of Eelam Tamils. The Indian government should take steps to impress upon both LTTE and the Sri Lankan government to stop indulging in war and try to find a solution through peace talks."Kulaththoor Mani, President of Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam expressing profound sadness on the killing of Thamilchelvan said ”both the Indian government which has been providing arms and military training to the Sri Lankan troops and the Tamil Nadu Government that had remained silent on the ethnic crisis, should urgently review their stand at this hour of need."

The life in Vavuniya was completely paralyzed due to a hartal conducted by Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to mourn for the slain LTTE political wing chief S. P. Thamilchelvan. Offices, banks, shops and schools were closed in Vavuniya and transport came to a standstill. The security in the town was strengthened. Many people who came to the town without knowledge of the hartal were stranded in Vavuniya. However the life in villages were not affected with the hartal. Vavuniya police said that no violence was reported from the area despite the hartal.

Colombo High Court Judge W.A.T. Ratnayake yesterday fixed the jury trial in the Sivaram Dharmaratnam murder case for February 11,2008.Sivaram alias Taraki, a columnist and the founder of the Tamilnet Website was abducted and found murdered on April 8, 2005,at Rajagiriya. The court also issued a warrant on four witnesses, Sub Inspector Kumarasena of the Talangama Police, Panadura Arachchige Kusal Perera of Bellanwila, Boralasgamuwa, Kuvirajasingham Christoper Kamalendran of Navampura, Ekala and Thalarambage Rajitha Priyantha of Havelock Road, Pamankada. PLOTE member Arumugam Sri Skandarajah alias Peter was indicted directly before the High Court by the Attorney General's Department for the alleged murder of Sivaram Dharmaratnam. The AG's Department filed the case against Skandarajah on four counts for conspiring to abduct Sivaram between January 01, 2005 and April 28, 2005. According to the charges Skandarajah engaged in the conspiracy in Colombo, Bambalapitiya and Maharagama. According to the indictment Sivaram was murdered on April 28, 2005. Senior State Counsel Achala Wengappuli and President's Counsel M.L.M. Ameen appeared for the Defence.

Immigrants from 35 mostly African and Asian countries should undergo compulsory DNA testing before being allowed to join family in Switzerland, a lawmaker with the largest party in Parliament said. The People's Party proposal would make DNA testing compulsory for people from 35 countries - including Iraq, Turkey, Nigeria, Sudan, Brazil, Sri Lanka and Kosovo - who claim they are biologically related to a family member already living in Switzerland. Swiss People's Party deputy Alfred Heer reportedly made the proposal two weeks after the party won 29 per cent of the vote in the country's national elections - the highest share for any party since World War I - following a campaign that focused heavily on immigration and crime. Other parties expressed concern at the idea. "Once again, it hits people who have done nothing wrong," Hans-Juerg Fehr, president of the Social Democrats, told the newspaper SonntagsBlick. The proposal echoes a law in France, where Parliament last month adopted a bill that foresees optional DNA testing for immigrants to ensure children wanting to join their mother are not applying for visas with fraudulent papers. The applicant would pay for the DNA test, which could cost up to 1,000 Swiss francs (US$870; euro600), SonntagsBlick reported. People's Party representatives could not be reached for comment Sunday, and it was unclear whether the proposal has significant support in Parliament. The nationalist party recently launched a campaign to deport criminal foreigners, illustrating its point with posters showing white sheep kicking a black sheep off a Swiss flag. Condemned as racist by political opponents, the posters helped the party gather the 100,000 signatures necessary to force a referendum on the deportation proposal. If approved, parents would also be expelled if their children commit a serious crime.

Cars lined the suburban street. Shoes covered the front porch. Hundreds of mourners dropped by the suburban Toronto home of S.P. Thamilselvan's family this weekend to pay their respects after his sudden death.But this was no ordinary memorial. The man they came to honour was the second in command of the Tamil Tigers, the Sri Lankan guerrilla group outlawed by Canada as a terrorist organization. He was killed on Friday morning in an air strike on a rebel base in Sri Lanka."Thousands of people are coming because everybody liked him," said his brother Ravi Paramu, one of four members of Mr. Thamilselvan's family who live in Canada, including his mother, sister and two brothers.Inside the house, dozens of people stood or sat in chairs around a shrine in the living room. A portrait of a smiling Mr. Thamilselvan rested on a table decorated with red and yellow flowers -- the colours of the Tamil Tigers.On the wall above the picture was the Tigers' flag with its distinctive emblem: two crossed rifles and a roaring tiger's head inside a ring of bullets. A martyrdom poster showing Mr. Thamilselvan and the five other Tigers killed in the air strike hung beside it.Mr. Thamilselvan was the youngest sibling and his Canadian family knew he had a dangerous job as the political head of the Tamil Tigers. Only the reclusive guerrilla leader Velupillai Prabhakaran outranked him. But they hoped his role as the Tigers' representative at peace talks would protect him from harm. It didn't.At 6 a.m. on Friday, Sri Lankan Air Force fighter jets struck a gathering of top Tiger leaders near the northern rebel town of Killinochi. The Tigers announced within hours that six were dead and that Brigadier Thamilselvan was among them.The assassination was soon felt in Toronto, home to the largest population of Sri Lankan Tamils outside South Asia. Canadian Tamil media outlets have been giving blanket coverage to his death."I didn't expect them to kill him," Mr. Paramu told the National Post in an interview at his home, amid the smell of burning incense and the wails of grieving mourners. "Now I'm thinking that the Sri Lankan government killed the peace process also."

The Sri Lankan military and the Tamil Tigers, also known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, or LTTE, have been at war for three decades, at a cost of 65,000 lives. The Tigers want a separate nation for the tiny island's ethnic Tamil minority; the government wants to keep the country united.The Tigers are a traditional guerrilla movement like Colombia's FARC but they have also embraced the tactics of terrorism, notably suicide bombings, political assassinations and a global network that uses illicit means to arm the insurgency. They have been designated internationally as a terrorist organization.The RCMP made several arrests in Canada last year as part of an investigation into attempts to buy weapons for the Tigers, and counter-terrorism police in Toronto and Montreal are investigating an alleged financial operation suspected of shipping money to the rebels through the World Tamil Movement. Mr. Paramu said he is not politically inclined like his brother, but he said he hopes the killing will prompt Canada and other nations to pressure the Sri Lankan government to resume talks toward a settlement of the conflict."Please tell the government and the international community to stop funding [the Sri Lankan government]. And arms purchases. Don't donate any weapons to the government. They are killing their own people," he said."Tell the international communities and Canadian government, Thamilselvan's intention was peace. He always told us, 'I want to get peace for my people.' And the international and Canadian governments have to pressure the Sri Lankan government to get peace."Officially, Mr. Thamilselvan was Head of the Political Division of the Tamil Tigers. The death notice on the Tigers' Internet site shows him wearing civilian clothing. But the government of Sri Lanka's Web Site called him a "terrorist" and showed him in a rebel uniform and with a mortar launcher on his shoulder.The Tigers committed some of their worst atrocities during Mr. Thamilselvan's tenure as a guerrilla boss, from the bombing of downtown Colombo in 1996 and assassination of Sri Lanka's president to the recruitment of child soldiers and ethnic cleansing of Tiger-held areas.The family spoke to him just last week. He called, asking about the health of his mother, who is in her seventies.Hours later, he was dead. "We believe that this deliberate and cruel action of the Sri Lankan government shuts the door for a negotiated solution. The Sri Lankan State has demonstrated its unwillingness to commit to peace by taking the life of a strong political leader of Tamils," the Canadian Tamil Congress said in a statement."We urge the Canadian government and elected representatives to condemn this act and to pressure the Sri Lankan government to abandon its military aggression on the Tamils."A funeral was to take place today in Sri Lanka. Mr. Paramu said he and his mother wanted to attend but were told they would not be allowed entry to Sri Lanka. Instead, they will likely honour him at a service in Toronto.

SLA accused of killing five civilians in Vavuniya

The judiciary in the northern Sri Lanka has ordered a senior Sri Lanka Army (SLA) officer to appear before the courts as five bodies of civilians found in Vavuniya.Vavuniya district Judge ordered the police to record a statement from the officer in charge of Vessankulama SLA camp and produce him before the courts on Monday.Five unidentified bodies were found shot dead near the camp on Sunday morning.Four of the bodies were later identified by the relatives at the inquest.

They disappeared after leaving for work two days ago, relatives told the magistrate inquest.Relatives were told by the officials at the SLA camp that they had no knowledge of the five men despite information that the men were detained there.Another witness told the inquest that he heard the noise of a van and gunshots near the camp on Saturday night.In a letter to the top security officials in Vavuniya, district judge M Ilanchelian has urged maximum cooperation with the investigation.

Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickremanayake says the government wants to root out LTTE terrorism that has been the country’s worst headache for the past few decades. Speaking to the media during a Shramadana campaign to renovate the Ingiriya Government Hospital, the premier ruled out the need for a ceasefire any further.“The government would not go for a ceasefire. However, we are prepared for talks at any time if the LTTE is willing to do so without any conditions. Even during negotiations, we would engage their targets,” he said. According to Wickremanayake, the security forces have now pinpointed the hiding places of LTTE leaders in Kilinochchi.“It was one such identified target that we had engaged a few days ago. We would continue to stage such attacks in the future. It is the security forces that carryout attacks against terrorists. Planning is done by the security forces, not the government. The government only supports such assaults.”

The funeral of the slain leader of LTTE's political wing, S. P. Thamilchelvan, is to be held in rebel controlled Wanni in northern Sri Lanka today. LTTE did not disclose the venue or the time the funeral would be held. However Tamilnet website said that tens of thousands of people paid their respects Saturday and Sunday as Mr. Thamilchelvan’s body was taken in procession. The web site quoting LTTE officials said the details of the funeral ceremony would be made available after arrangements had been finalized.In a message on Saturday, following the demise of Thamilchelvan, the elusive LTTE leader Velupillai Prabakaran accused the Sinhalese nation for killing their Chief Negotiator. The funerals of the five other LTTE leaders killed in the air attack were held on last Friday.

Norwegian special envoy for Sri Lanka pays tribute to slain Tamil Peace Negotiator

Jon Hanssen Bauer, the Norwegian special envoy for the peace process in Sri Lanka, on Saturday paid tributes to Liberation Tigers Political Head and Chief Negotiator S. P. Thamilchelvan. Stating that Mr. Thamilchelvan’s role was important not only for Norway, but also for other countries, Mr. Bauer said Thamilchelvan was a patient man in explaining the rightful demands of Tamils and he was a moderate person within the LTTE, one who sought political alternatives.The Norwegian Special Envoy was addressing a memorial gathering at the Tamil Resource and Counseling Centre in Oslo on Saturday, which was attended by the representatives of the Norwegian political parties, Norwegian academics engaged in Sri Lankan studies and a large number of the members of the Tamil diaspora.

“We received the very sad news yesterday that S. P. Thamilchelvan has been killed in the suburb of Ki’linochchi. Anpumani or Alex whom we knew in the facilitation of the negotiation process was also among those who were killed.“Thamilchelvan was the leader of the Liberation Tigers Politica Wing. He took part in all negotiation meetings in the peace process in 2002 and 2003, next in line of Anton Balasingam. Nearly for ten years he played a central role in the endeavavors to find a political and peaceful solution to the Sri Lankan conflict.“He led the negotiations on the Joint Mechanism to channel support to the Tusnami victims and for the reconstruction following the tragic catastrophe.“Last year, he took part in negotiations in Geneva in February where he was the Chief Negotiator when Anton Balasingam became ill.“In all my visits to Sri Lanka and in my meetings with the visiting LTTE delegation, it was Thamilchelvan who received me. He received all the other envoys in the same way, although he was a busy man in his position as the political head of the LTTE.“Over the years, he became LTTE’s smiling face to the outside world, the most important channel, not only for Norway, but also for many other countries. In fact, he was the important link we had towards the LTTE.“His role was important for our understanding of the politics, point of view and analysis of the Tigers. He was a patient man in explaining the rightful demands of Tamils.“In the many and long conversations, I had with him, I gained the impression that he was a pleasant man of intelligence, patience and moderate outlook.“He was extremely well formulated in his descriptive responses which were elegantly interpreted and conveyed to us by Mr. George. He impressed me as a person who was hopeful and was willing to find ways ahead, even in such situations in which things seemed impossible to others.“He never expressed anger or bitterness. He could only show a weak irritation on occasions when I insisted too much. We both knew that we were doing our jobs within our mandates.“I had the impression that whenever he was unable to meet the wishes put forward by Norway, he expressed regret and tried to find out an alternative way. As you could expect from a responsible negotiator, he was ready with the willingness to compromise.“He was a moderate person within the LTTE, one who sought political alternatives. When he led the delegation to Geneva last year in October, he already evolved to the level of filling the gap created by the absence of Anton Balasingam.“The only area I noticed which he was not capable of compromising was his commitment of sacrificing himself to the cause of Tamils.“Within a year, both Anton Balasingam and Thamilchelvan have passed away. We have lost the two leaders of the delegation who have played crucial roles.“They have left behind a big vaccum at a very critical juncture of the Sri Lankan process. Thamilchelvan’s demise is a big loss for all of us.“The only way to honour him is to find a political solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka. Far too many have died; many children have lost their parents and many have lost their sisters and brothers.“Our deepest sympathies go to all the victims. Especially today, our sympathies go to the families of Thamilchelvan and his colleagues who were killed in this terrible air attack of yesterday.

Government troops attacked Tamil Tiger separatists along the front lines in northern Sri Lanka, killing seven rebels, while one soldier was killed in a separate mortar attack, the military said Monday.The attacks came as the Tamil Tigers prepared Monday to bury their political leader, S.P. Tamilselvan, who was killed Friday in an airstrike on a rebel communications center. The killing was hailed by the government as a major victory in its more than two-decade-old war with the rebels.The Sri Lankan government, which controls access to the rebels' de facto state, denied journalists permission to cover the funeral and the two-day procession of his body across rebel-held territory that preceded it.Sri Lankan officials said they did not know Tamilselvan was in the compound at the time of the airstrike, but added that he was a legitimate target.«He was a terrorist, and there is no question about it,» government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella said.Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake said such attacks would continue.«Our security forces are targeting the hiding places and safehouses of terrorist leaders to deal a mortal blow to the Tigers,» he was quoting as saying in the government-owned Daily News on Monday. «They will not stop the relentless pursuit of terrorists.The government is open to negotiations with the rebels, but will not agree to a new cease-fire, he said.In new fighting, troops destroyed a rebel bunker and killed three female insurgents Sunday in the Thampane area along the southern frontier of the Tamil Tigers' de facto state in northern Sri Lanka, the military said Monday.Four more rebels were killed early Monday when the army launched a pre-emptive attack on rebels planning an ambush along the front lines north of their mini-state, the military said in a statement.No troops were wounded in those attacks, but a soldier was killed and another injured in a separate rebel mortar attack, it said.There was no independent confirmation of the fighting and rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan was not immediately available for comment. Both sides routinely exaggerate their opponent's casualties, while downplaying their own.The rebels have been fighting since 1983 to create an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils, following decades of discrimination by the majority Sinhalese-controlled governments. More than 70,000 people have died in the conflict.

SLFP (M) pays tribute to security forces for killing Thamilselvan - Sripathi

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (Mahajana) Wing has rejected government claims that the party was undecided in its stance on the killing of LTTE Political Wing Leader S.P. Thamilselvan by the Air Force. “There is no indecision at all. We pay our tribute to the heroic members of the security forces for killing the terrorist named Thamilselvan,” said SLFP (M) Wing Chief Coordinator Sripathi Sooriyarachchi yesterday.He was speaking at the ‘Janarala’ protest rally, organized by the Jathika Sabha, at Karawanella town in Kegalle. Leader of the Jathika Sabha Ranil Wickremesinghe, Deputy Leader Mangala Samaraweera and many others attended the event.Soon after Sooriyarachchi was removed from his ministerial portfolio, he said at a media briefing that Mahinda Rajapaksa had given a large sum of money to the LTTE to ensure his victory at the Presidential Election. That very same agreement is still in existence. That is why attacks are being staged only in eastern jungles, and there are no strikes in Kilinochchi, he claimed. Later on several occasions, Sooriyarachchi challenged the government to prove his statement wrong, by staging attacks in Kilinochchi.

Ninety-seven Indian fishermen, who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy, for allegedly straying into the Lankan waters, returned to their homes in Tamil Nadu’s Nagapattinam District early on Monday morning.The fishermen, who belonged to the Akkaraipettai and Keechankuppam coastal villages of the district, were detained along with 17 boats.They were released on the orders of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa.Selvaraj, a fishermen, said they were fishing in the deep sea off Kodiakkarai on October 31 when four Sri Lankan Naval officials surrounded their boats and asked them to surrender at gun point and to accompany them.He informed that they were taken to an army camp in Kangesanthurai, Sri Lanka, and later handed over to the police.

Charge Karuna 'for war crimes'

New York based Human Rights Watch (HRW) has urged British authorities to file charges against the leader of the Karuna faction for war crimes.Legal Advisor for HRW, Jim Ross has accused the faction led by Col. Karuna alias Vinayamurthy Muralitharan of serious rights violations and war crimes including using child soldiers."HRW strongly urges the UK government to explore the possibility of prosecuting him for war crimes and other international offences before returning him to Sri Lanka," he was quoted by the Reuters news agency.The Karuna faction has continuously denied the charges.

British Home Office (interior ministry) on Friday admitted that the breakaway leader was arrested in a joint operation by the immigration officials and the police.Meanwhile, a member of the Karuna faction has been killed in a bomb attack in the east on Sunday.Reports from Batticaloa say another six including Sinnathamby, Karuna faction's head of the financial section, have sustained injuries in the attack.The group was travelling from Valachchenai to Polonnaruwa as their vehicle came under grenade attack.Media Centre for National Security has accused the Tamil Tigers of targeting members of Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP - Karuna faction).A spokesman for the TMVP has also accused the LTTE.Six injured were admitted to Polonnaruwa hospital.

The Ministry of Defence has once again launched a major recruitment drive for the Sri Lanka Army. As the first step, it began a poster campaign in Colombo today (Nov. 05th) to attract the country’s youth. In addition, all Sinhala language newspapers carried a full page advertisement calling for new members to the Army. Each of these advertisements cost at least Rs. 100,000. Recently, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told the media at Temple Trees that the government has provided 40,000 jobs upto now. In actual fact, all such recruitments were for the Civil Defence Force and other security forces establishments, analysts say. This army recruitment drive comes in the wake of crackdowns on two demonstrations by the country’s unemployed graduates, presently numbering over 20,000, who are yet to see the fulfillment of a promise for jobs. Defence expenditure swallows up a considerable portion of the budget, with next year’s estimate reaching Rs. 166 billion, which is 18 per cent of the total budget estimate. Out of this figure, recurring expenditure such as salaries and transport stands at Rs. 139 billion, or around 70 per cent of the total defence cost.

Jaya breathes fire, Karunanidhi defends self

AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa has condemned Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for ''eulogising'' LTTE political wing secretary Thamilselvan.Jayalalithaa has demanded the dismissal of his government for violating the Constitution by supporting the banned Sri Lankan outfit.In a statement issued in Chennai, she said Karunanidhi's ''action of praising Thamilselvan'', killed in an airstrike by the Sri Lankan airforce on Saturday, was unconstitutional as the LTTE was banned in India and its leader V Prabhakaran was a proclaimed offender in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.She alleged it was clear from Karunananidhi's action he had ''secret ties'' with the LTTE and had been ''helping'' them.Jayalalithaa said Karunanidhi had not commented yet on the recent arrest of a Dalit Panthers of India (DPI) activist for allegedly supplying arms and ammunition which also showed he was helping the LTTE.''Such a person has no right to be Chief Minister and Karunanidhi has lost that right,'' she said and demanded that the Centre take immediate steps to dismiss the DMK government.

In the meantime, defending his poem praising slain LTTE leader Thamilselvan, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said on Saturday that it was ''human nature to express condolence'' and he sympathized with the death of the banned outfit's leader as he was a ''Tamil''.''The person killed in Sri Lanka was a Tamil. As Tamil blood is running in my body also, I expressed my condolence,'' he wrote in the DMK-mouthpiece Murasoli.The DMK patriarch said it was ''a human nature to express condolence'' even if a political rival passed away.''On that basis only, I went and paid homage when senior AIADMK leader Nedunchezhiyan died,'' he added.Reacting to AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa's demand that the Centre should dismiss his Government for alleged violation of the Constitution by ''supporting'' the proscribed outfit, Karunanidhi stated that MDMK chief Vaiko, an ally of the AIADMK, had issued a statement appealing to the international community to condemn the killing of Thamilselvan.Expressing anguish over the death of Thamilselvan, the Chief Minister had on Saturday penned a poem, praising his courage and mental strength.

The government has invited British Conservative Party MP Liam Fox for talks in Sri Lanka.Fox who brokered a bi partisan agreement to resolve the ethnic conflict between then President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is the Shadow Defence Minister of the Conservative Party. The Sunday Leader learns Fox has being invited on a three day official visit by Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama. Fox will be in Sri Lanka from November 5-7.Informed sources said Fox will meet President Mahinda Rajapakse on November 5 and the Opposition Leader on November 7.However Wickremesinghe has already communicated to Fox that the agreement brokered with Kumaratunga is no longer valid and that there cannot be an extension of it with President Rajapakse.

Defence authorities launched a massive security operation yesterday morning in Colombo and other highly populated major urban cities and strategically important places around the country, as a precautionary measure fearing a backlash by the LTTE, following the aerial attack on Friday which killed one of the organisation’s most senior leaders. A massive checking operation launched in Colombo and suburbs resulted in heavy traffic chaos yesterday with most of the vehicles having to stay in line for as long as two to three hours. Additional security personnel were deployed on the main road to make sure vehicles don’t attempt to bypass security by taking short cuts. The operation was a combined one with all three security forces and police taking part in it. Travelers on busses were most hampered with at some instances, the same bus being checked at about three check points. Travelers were asked to step down from the bus with their baggage while even pregnant mothers and clergy were compelled to follow orders. Security in strategically important locations around the country was also heightened following orders by the defence ministry. Military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara told The Nation that they were not taking any ‘chances’ following the huge scale loss for the LTTE as now the rebels are bound to retaliate, as in the past. “Whenever we do something, we have to be on alert cont