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The Swiss Foreign Ministry has noted with regret the inability of the government and the LTTE to achieve tangible progress following talks in Geneva over the weekend.A statement from the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) noted that the talks between the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on October 28 and 29 in Geneva did not achieve any tangible progress and that no decision was made as to further meetings between the conflicting parties.In its opening speech, Switzerland expressed the expectation that the talks would lead to an improvement of the civilian population’s humanitarian situation and to a new dynamism in the political peace process."These hopes were not fulfilled in this round of talks," the Swiss statement said.However, both sides did at least pledge to respect the ceasefire and not to carry out any military offensives. Switzerland expects these undertakings to be honoured. The DFA intends to continue its activities for the promotion of peace and of human rights in Sri Lanka, added the statement.

As the sound of artillery thunders in the distance, Samuel Vethanayagam warns of more grim tidings for Sri Lanka's isolated north after peace talks between the Tamil Tigers and government failed.The weekend dialogue in Geneva collapsed over the rebels' main demand that the government reopen a key highway to the Tamil-dominated northern Jaffna peninsula that was closed in August during a surge in fighting on the Indian Ocean island."If the government delays reopening the A-9 road, I tell you there will be riots ... more killings, violence and kidnappings," Vethnayagam, a retired land surveyor, said in the government-controlled town of Jaffna.The peninsula, which is cut off from the rest of the island by rebel lines, is a coveted strategic prize in the conflict between the government and Liberation Tigers of the Tamil Eelam (LTTE) -- who say they are fighting for a separate homeland for the country's minority Tamils.It has changed hands several times. The government took it from the rebels in 1995 and has held it since, but at the cost of hundreds of soldiers' lives. More than 40,000 troops are now stationed on the peninsula.Many of Jaffna's half-million Tamils complain of food, medicine and fuel shortages since the army shut the A-9, the nation's main north-south artery. The army says the rebels shell the road, making it unsafe.To Vethanayagam, who came from Colombo in August to visit his ancestral home in Jaffna and has been stuck there ever since due to the fighting, the talks in Geneva were a waste of time.

"Now the talks have ended without any benefit to anyone," the stocky 65-year-old said as army troops with AK-47s checked the identity cards of young Tamil men nearby.The government, which refused to open the highway during the talks in Geneva, is supplying the peninsula by sea and air.Vethanayagam, who has been displaced from his home twice due to fighting over the past 11 years, says it is not enough."The government is holding us like prisoners here ... I have no fear of war because we have faced war situations before, but never a scarcity of food like this."For weeks international aid agencies have been calling for easier movement for their workers and for supplies to the conflict areas in the east and north. They accuse both sides of blocking access to civilians caught up in the fighting.

"The government does not seem to understand the hardships the people of Jaffna are facing every day," said schoolteacher Saratha Selvakumar as she waited for a bus."We know that airlifting and shipping food for so many people will not be a success. Half the stuff goes to the (armed) forces," she said, adding that corruption meant the other half was not distributed properly by the fixed-price ration shops.Witnesses say residents must wait for seven to eight hours to receive their rations, often getting up before dawn.Prices of milk powder, rice, soap and sugar have more than trebled in private grocery stores after A-9 road was shut."Can the government supply all the requirements of Tamils by ship?" Vethanayagam asked. "That is totally impossible."

Serunuwara TNA Pradeshiya Sabha Member Gopala Krishnan Padmanathan was shot dead last morning by unidentified gunmen in the Serunuwara town. Eastern province DIG Rohan Abeywardene said the victim who was on his way to Seruvila town on a motorcycle was shot by two gunmen who had been following him. Seruvila police inquiring into the incident recovered 6 spent cartridges from the scene of the incident and recorded statements from 10 persons. The police said the PS member was under death threats by an unidentified group demanding his resignation from the post.

The long standing plan to build a monument for the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka got a fillip on Sunday, when President Mahinda Rajapaksa approved a design and fixed the location for it.The IPKF had served with distinction in the Tamil-speaking North-East of Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990 following the India-Sri Lanka Accord. A top source in the Presidential Secretariat said that the monument would be located near the Sri Lankan parliament in the outskirts of Colombo.The architect for the monument is a Tamil.The IPKF was inducted into Sri Lanka at the request of the Sri Lankan government to implement the India-Sri Lanka Accord of July 1987. But in October 1987, the LTTE attacked the IPKF and in the prolonged military campaign which followed, 1,500 Indian officers and men were killed and more than 3,000 were wounded.

By 1988, the government of Sri Lanka had also fallen out with India and had entered into an alliance with the LTTE. In 1989, President R Premadasa gave an ultimatum to the IPKF to leave. The force left the island in March 1990. However, when the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE fell out again, and a long and costly war ensued, many in Sri Lanka began to toy with the idea of winning back the goodwill of India.A former Associate Foreign Secretary K Godage proposed that a monument be erected for the IPKF because the force had tried its best to maintain the unity of Sri Lanka in the face of a terrorist challenge.Maj.Gen. Ashok Mehta, a former officer in the IPKF, had already erected a small monument at his headquarters in Batticaloa. He too called for a monument befitting the sacrifices made by the force.

In 2002, the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe toyed with the idea of building a monument in Colombo or Trincomalee. The Indian government was also enthusiastic. But the plan fell by the wayside, only to be revived now by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2006. Rajapaksa’s move indicates his interest in getting close to India in the face of a serious military challenge from the LTTE. The Sri Lankan President also suspects that the LTTE is getting tacit support from the West, and that the latter can be contained by a greater Indian involvement in the Sri Lankan peace process.

In Colombo the apparent failure of the Geneva talks drew varied reactions from the country’s leading political parties, with the main Opposition UNP emphasizing the need to pursue a negotiated political settlement. Opposition UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said the latest round of talks in Geneva created the background for negotiation on the final political solution though it ended with no breakthrough. Addressing representatives from the Indian civil society at his Cambridge Terrace office, Mr. Wickremesinghe said the LTTE had expressed hope about the possibility of the talks leading up to a final solution after concrete proposals were put forward with the southern consensus based on the MoU signed with the UNP.

TNA leader R. Sampanthan said the government should have shown greater flexibility with regard to granting humanitarian assistance to the Tamils.He said whatever the position of the conflict, humanitarian issues needed to be addressed, as they would prove fundamental to the process of confidence building and help take the peace process forward.Mr. Sampanthan expressed the hope that the talks would not reach a dead-end, as Norway had pledged to keep both parties at the table.In contrast JHU theoretician Paatali Champika Ranawaka said the Tigers had proved once again their reluctance to settle for a negotiated political settlement to the crisis.

Mr. Ranawaka said the Government had continuously been deceived by LTTE tactics, as in the latest round of Geneva talks. He said the LTTE attempted to re-open the A 9 highway using the latest round of talks as it had lost Rs. 3.5 million per month by way of tax after the closure of the road. Mr.Ranawaka insisted on wiping out terrorism in the East, particularly in Vakarai, to conduct provincial council elections.SLMC Chairman Basheer Segudawood said the collapse of the Geneva talks had raised fears among the public that war would break out.He called on the Government and the LTTE to ease such fears, and expressed optimism that Norway and the international community would bring both parties back to the negotiating table soon.

He asked the LTTE to assure security to ships currently transporting food to the people of the North. He also called on the government to consider reopening the A 9 highway on humanitarian grounds. When the JVP was asked for its response front liner Anura Kumara Dissanayake declined to comment saying the party was yet to receive confirmed information on the peace talks.He said he had only seen the media reports on the outcome of the talks, and as such could not comment. Repeated attempts by the Daily Mirror to contact several top rung JVP members failed, as they were out attending political rallies in the outstations, and had switched off their phones.

The LTTE delegates who took part at the Geneva talks are expected to return to Vanni forth-with. They don’t propose to proceed to Norway as scheduled earlier. A team of constitutional experts from foreign countries had been invited for consultations with the LTTE delegation in Norway. Following the failure of the talks without any progress, it was decided that they take off to Vanni immediately.Their departure from Geneva will be finalized in a day or two once their travel arrangements are finalized.

Ending a nearly seven-month-long vacation in London, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga returned to Sri Lanka early yesterday to appear in a court case against her but learnt that the Chief Justice had fallen ill and the case was postponed. The case has been filed by three lawyers accusing the former President of misusing privileges. In a visit that was kept under wraps, Ms. Kumaratunga headed to her brother Anura Bandaranaike’s Visumpaya residence straight from the airport and was about to leave for the Supreme Court when the news reached her, the Daily Mirror learns. At the airport, Ms. Kumaratunga reportedly said she was quite content to use normal arrival points instead of the VVIP lounge. But Airport Authority Vice Chairman Shalitha Wijesundara on hearing about Mrs. Kumaratunga’s arrival rushed to the scene and welcomed her at the VIP lounge. But Ms. Kumaratunga won’t be staying long. On Thursday, she will be leaving for Pakistan at the invitation of Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and will visit earthquake-hit areas in Kashmir. She is also scheduled to address an international conference in Pakistan. The former President who is now a senior UNESCO consultant on education in Asia, will then proceed to India where she will begin her new job.

The media freedom is under severe threat in Sri Lanka following the abductions and killings of journalists and attacks on media institutions.Sri Lanka is identified as one of the countries, where media freedom is violated. This is due to the recent attacks on journalists on Sri Lanka. The list of journalists that were killed in Sri Lanka seems to swell. Richard de Soyza in Moratuwa , Nimalarajan of Jaffna , Antony in Vavunya, Rohana Kumara in Borella , Ramesh Atputha Raja in Wellawette , K.S.Raja in Galle face, Kuga Murthy in Thimbrigasyaya, Navaratnam Sivaram near the Parliament, Cheliyan Perinpanayakam in Pandiruppu, Iyathurai Nadesan in Batticola, Bala Natarajah Iyar in wellawette , Suhirtha Rajan in Trincomalee and Sampath Lakmal in Galkilssa are some of the victim journalists. Media persons, particularly Tamil journalists had been killed in the recent past. There has been violence unleashed on Tamil media people and Tamil media establishment.

Killings, bomb attacks on media institutions, insults on media institutions, searches, biased allegations and threats have been the different types of violence on the Tamil journalists and the Tamil media institutions. Media must have the right to free expressions, to collect information and to be the vehicle to convey facts to the people. But, the big question is, is there such a congenial atmosphere in the country today?. It is the duty of the government to end the violence on journalsts and preserve the freedom of the press. Any infringement on the freedom of the press is detrimental to democracy in the country.

Chief Magistrate Harsha Setunge called for a report from the Probation Officer, before the two girls who got caught in the Asian Tsunami, and are now in a home for children could be released into the custody of their parents.Two Tamil girls from a Norwegian based rehabilitation camp situated in Batticaloa, had been brought to Kandy and one of them, a seventeen year old, is alleged to have been raped according to a medical report, while both had been held in solitary confinement on the third floor of a house on Peradeniya Road, Kandy. They were only let out to do menial work around the house which also housed three sisters of the suspects involved in the alleged rape who are supposed to have been teachers. One of the suspects was alleged to be a Human Rights Activist.

Earlier a ‘B report had been filed by Inspector R.A.P.Dharmaratne of the Kandy Police before the acting Magistrate, Kithsiri Seneviratne, who allowed the application by Inspector Dharmaratne to raid the premises on Peradeniya Road, a three storeyed building. The Police recovered ‘pornographic material from the second floor of the house where the suspects lived. It is reported that a suspect in the case used to show pornographic films to these girls, according to a statement given by the girls.During the raid, Inspector Dharmaratne, had found two girls, between the ages of 12 and 17 years, who had been brought from a Norwegian refugee camp in Batticaloa, under the pretext of sending them to school

On orders of the Acting Magistrate Seneviratne, they were examined by the Kandy Judicial Medical Officer, who reported that the seventeen year old girl had been raped. Thereafter the Acting Magistrate ordered that the girls be kept in a ‘Home’ at Lewella, until they were handed over to their parents.Two suspects Rajendran Manoharan Charles and Mohandas have been taken into custody while Charles was remanded. Further inquires are now being conducted by the Women’s and Children’s Bureau of the Kandy Police.

In a search operation launched by a police team from Kandy and the suburbs forty persons had been taken into custody on suspicion, Kandy SSP E.M. Guantillake said.Among those who were taken into custody some young men and women who had come to Kandy for various purposes form various parts of the country including the North and East.These suspects will be questioned in detail and those who fail to substantiate their reasons for coming to Kandy will be produced in courts.” Acting OIC Kandy police, Chief police Inspector Nipuna Dehigama said.

Civilian air traffic between Jaffna and Colombo suspended from August 11 this year due to intensified hostilities is to resume on a scaled down schedule beginning November 2.“We have planned to operate two flights a week for civilians,” an official from the EXPO Airlines office in Jaffna told the Daily Mirror yesterday.Prior to the suspension of civilian air traffic, in August, three airlines together operated two flights a day.The resumption of flights will also see revised airfares coming to effect, Rs.10,000 one way, up from the previous fare of Rs.7,000 and Rs.20,000 for the round trip, up from previous Rs.12, 000 the official explained.

Currency	Buying (Rs.)		Selling (Rs.)
US Dollar	106.33		108.19
Sterling Pound	201.25		205.91
Euro	134.75		138.28
Swiss Franc	84.49		87.30
Australian Dollar	81.20		83.89
Singapore Dollar	67.87		68.77
Japanese Yen	0.9017		0.9275
Country		Currency		Indicative Rate(RS.)

Bahrain	Dinar	284.67
Kuwait	Dinar	371.12
Oman	Rial	278.74
Qatar	Riyal	29.48
Saudi Arabian	Riyal	28.63
UAE	Dirham	29.22

Sri Lanka's peace talks collapsed after a failure by the warring parties to agree on a new meeting and fruitless wrangling over "humanitarian issues" during two days of negotiations in Geneva, diplomats said. Peace broker Norway said it hoped that the failure would not lead to full-scale war in Sri Lanka, where some 3,000 people have been killed in a fresh spiral of violence since the two parties met in Switzerland in February.Norway's International Development Minister Erik Solheim said representatives of the Sri Lankan government and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) were unable to agree on tackling humanitarian questions."I hope the parties will honour commitments to abide by the ceasefire," Solheim told AFP after announcing the failure to clinch an agreement on dates for a meeting in December and January to keep the peace process alive.

"I feel pained that we were not able to solve humanitarian issues that have been a key problem," Solheim said. "I hope the parties will live up to the commitments and keep up the process."The two sides pledged to uphold the crumbling truce agreement they reached in 2002. However, it has been widely violated in recent months and Scandinavian monitors in Sri Lanka say the ceasefire is valid only on paper."Both sides reiterated their commitment to the ceasefire agreement and promised not to launch any military offensives," Solheim said.He said Sri Lanka's key financial backers, including the United States, European Union and Japan will meet next month to review the latest setback in Sri Lanka's peace process."They will meet in November to decide how to deal with the current situation," Solheim said.

The Norwegian mediators had been aiming to reach a deal over new dates for two more rounds of face-to-face negotiations in December and January in the absence of other progress, diplomats close to the talks said earlier Sunday.The Tamil Tiger chief negotiator, S. P. Thamilselvan, had reported "zero" progress after the first day with government representatives, with no agreement on the rebels' priority demand.On Sunday, he likened the closure of a key highway in the north of the island to a "Berlin wall". Thamilselvan said the government refused to reopen the highway that links the Jaffna peninsula with the rest of the main island.Sri Lanka's chief negotiator Nimal Siripala de Silva said the Tigers were inflexible and refused to accept an alternative sea route to supply the Jaffna peninsula, where some half a million people live under virtual siege conditions."We hope the LTTE will give up its hard line and accept a softer approach," de Silva said.

Each side blames the other for the violence which has closed the highway.On Sunday, the LTTE also accused government forces of preparing for a fresh offensive in the area.The LTTE's military spokesman, Rasiah Ilanthiriyan, said in Geneva that government troops were preparing to launch a major offensive against rebel-held territory in Jaffna."There is a heavy troop build-up along the front lines at Muhamalai, Nagarkovil and Kilali," Ilanthiriyan told AFP. "This could have serious consequences for the entire peace process." He said both sides were exchanging artillery and mortar fire. The Sri Lankan military has accused the Tigers of launching long-range attacks against security forces in a bid to draw fire from them. Solheim urged the two sides to refrain from large-scale military action. Sri Lankan police and defence officials said early Sunday that at least five people were killed in clashes in the country.

A Sri Lankan government delegate, who declined to be named, said after the first day of talks that there was little scope for compromise with the rebels. The negotiator said: "The government delegation is not in a position to agree to the LTTE demands because of the military implications." Following earlier warnings from the international community, the Tigers now run the risk of greater isolation while the government could lose foreign aid. The conflict in Sri Lanka is Asia's longest and bloodiest separatist war, claiming over 60,000 lives since the LTTE launched its bid for Tamil independence in 1972.

Tissa Attanayake, General Secretary of the United National Party, John Amaratunge MP and former Cabinet Minister and Dunesh Gankanda MP and member of the Co-ordinating Committee of the International Branches of the UNP and the Chairman of Young UNP Professional Association, made a courtesy visit to Sri Saddatissa International Buddhist centre in North London on Saturday.They are in London to attend the annual general meeting of the UK branch of the United National Party. Head of the temple and Chief Sanghanayaka of Great Britain, Ven. Galayaye Piyadassi Nayaka Thera, MBE, welcomed the party that included several branch members from London. They attended the evening Pahan Puja programme.

UNP general secretary, Tissa Atthanayake said that there is a programme organised by the party to re-organise the international branches. This is one of the reasons that the party has decided to send a strong team from Colombo to attend the annual general meeting of the UNP UK branch. When asked about the memorandum of understanding signed recently between his party and the SLFP, Mr. Attanayake said that it was signed for six main reasons. "Under this, United National Party as a group has pledged and will assist the government in the parliament to bring about a lasting solution to the problems in the North and East of Sri Lanka, to uplift the nation, to bring about a justice to everyone in the island, introduce a common national education policy and implement it, improve the economy of the whole country and introduce a new suitable way of electing members to the parliament and government" are the six major objectives of the signing of the MOU , he said.

He categorically dismissed all rumours and stories spreading around that the post of the Prime Minister has been offered to the Deputy Leader of his party and possible cabinet posts for the UNP as "mischief making" and said that if a situation of that nature occurred, the final decision of accepting any such offers will be taken only by the executive committee and the parliamentary group of the party but no one else". he said.Mr. Attanayake also said that although the MOU is valid for two years " his party is ever ready to face a snap election and win it if such a thing is to happen"

Unknown attackers, believed to be paramilitary operatives, lobbed six grenades on Vanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Sivanathan Kishore's house located in Rambaikulam, 1 km east of Sri Lanka Army controlled Vavuniya Sunday around 10:00 p.m. The parliamentarian who was at his house narrowly escaped from the attack.The MPs house was attacked. A policeman providing security to the parliamentarian was wounded.Police said they recovered two unexploded grenades. Sivanathan Kishore who was the city coroner and a social worker, earlier worked as the head of the Vavuniya branch of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society (SLRC) before becoming parliamentarian. He was arrested and detained by the Sri Lanka Army in 1999.

Sri Lankan peace talks under way

Sri Lanka's government and Tamil Tiger rebels have begun talks in Geneva in an effort to avert a slide back into war. Violence between the two sides has soared - since July 372 security force members, 128 civilians and many rebels have died, the government says. Correspondents say expectations from the talks are close to zero. The best scenario, many believe, is that the two sides agree on another date for another round of negotiations. The talks are the first time the two sides have met in eight months. On the eve of the talks, the rebels said the road linking northern Jaffna peninsula with the rest of the country should be opened to facilitate further negotiations. Spokesman Daya Master told the Associated Press news agency that the rebels would not agree to any future meetings with the government if the demand was not met. The road leading to the government-controlled city of Jaffna was closed in early August after fierce fighting broke out between the two sides. The BBC's Dumeetha Luthra in Colombo says if talks fail diplomats believe it is almost inevitable that Sri Lanka will return to all-out war.

Seasoned observers say neither party is sincere in wanting to resume negotiations and that the Geneva meeting is essentially a result of intense international pressure. The last round of discussions was in Geneva in February. Two subsequent attempts at talks failed, most recently in June. Since then the international landscape has changed significantly for both sides, our correspondent says. The rebels have been blacklisted as a terrorist organisation by the European Union and Canada. The government, meanwhile, is concerned about losing its international credibility. Both parties have been criticised for human rights abuses, while, on the military front, both have suffered reversals of fortune.

While all eyes are on the Geneva talks the TNA yesterday accused the government of launching a virtual scorched earth policy against the Tamil people, leaving some 1,000 Tamil civilians dead and more than 4,000 injured during the past few months.In a letter to the United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner Palais Wilson, the TNA said expressed grave concern over the alleged disregard of civilians during military operations by security forces, extra judicial killings and the blocking of access to NGOs.“The military operations by security forces in the north and east have been conducted with callous disregard for the safety and the security of Tamil civilian life and property. “Since December 2005 the number of Tamil-speaking civilians killed thus far this year by such military operations exceeds 1,000 and the number of Tamil civilians grievously injured, mostly maimed exceeds 4,000, according to local human rights groups and bodies,” the TNA said.It accused the government of executing a ‘scorched earth’ policy, which causes immense destruction that deters civilians from returning to their habitations.

The TNA said many Tamils including a parliamentarian, ex parliamentarians, members of the clergy, leading businessmen, journalists, civil society activists, aid workers employed by International and domestic non governmental organizations, students / children, civilians seeking refuge in places of worship and other civilians have been targeted and killed by members of the armed forces and military-backed paramilitary groups. In a separate letter to the LTTE, the TNA noted that the humanitarian situation in Jaffna has reached critical levels since the closure of the A9 highway and appealed to the Tigers to take-up the opening of this highway as a matter of top priority at the Geneva talks. The TNA said Jaffna requires 11,000 metric tons of food supplies per month but for the last three months only 14,000 metric tons of food items had been sent by ship, a short fall of 19,000 metric tons. “As you will appreciate, this is a most unsatisfactory state of affairs. The civilian population has reached breaking point. As the delegation that has been entrusted with the immense responsibility of negotiating on behalf of the entire Tamil nation, we bring these matters to your urgent attention.We expect your delegation to give priority to the humanitarian crisis facing the Tamil population in the North-East, the situation in Jaffna being the most severe,” the TNA said.

Sri Lanka is studying the Indian system of devolution of power to local self governments and involving people in decision making to find a solution to the ethnic conflict there. A 13-member all-party parliamentary delegation from Sri Lanka that is here to study the Indian Panchayati Raj system on Friday had a long interaction with the Union Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar to understand decentralisation. "We are studying devolution of power here and have been mandated to come out with some framework that could be the basis of our talks with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and could form the basis of the new Constitution," Sri Lanka's Science and Technology Minister Tissa Vitarana said told reporters after the meeting. "Devolution of power can play an important role and could be the cornerstone in any strategy leading to resolving the ethnic conflict in our country," he added. There were elected urban and municipal councils in Sri Lanka but it was generally felt that they were not serving the purpose. "Our aim is to provide economic and social benefits to the people at the village level,"

Mr. Vitarana said. "The Government is trying to seek a consensus on the issue of devolution of power to the people." The delegation will visit Karnataka and Kerala to study the situation on the ground. According to Mr. Aiyar the request for such an interaction had been made by the Sri Lankan President last month. "It is a historic event and we are honoured to have this All Party Expert Committee on Devolution of Power here but how they implement it in their country within their Constitutional framework is totally up to them. We are not advocating anything and we have no role to play in its implementation," he added. This follows an agreement between the Sri Lankan Freedom Party and the United National Party to work together towards resolving the conflict in the country. The agreement was made a few days ago.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Opposition UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday held one to one talks on the premiership and the possibility of offering the UNP 18 to 25 cabinet portfolios.At the Temple Trees meeting, the two leaders also agreed to appoint the proposed High Level Committee headed by the two to implement the SLFP-UNP MoU. The committee comprising four members from each party is scheduled to meet next week.The meeting also emphasised on matters pertaining to good governance and broad-basing and monitoring the state media. The two leaders are expected to meet again next week to finalize matters.The historic signing of the MoU between the two parties took place last Monday to work in consensus on four areas- the resolution of the North-East conflict, electoral reforms, good governance and social development. The leaders will brief their respective parties before reaching any finality on these issues. The UNP has also pledged its fullest support to the forthcoming budget to be presented next month.

MR wants shipping fleet

The government is likely to explore the possibility of acquiring several ships to move supplies to the Jaffna peninsula. Since the closure of Muhamalai entry/exit point on August 11 following an abortive bid to overrun the army frontline from Kilaly extending upto Nagarkovil, essential supplies are either transported by sea or air.President Mahinda Rajapakse asked Shipping Minister Mangala Samaraweera to acquire the required vessels at a meeting held at Temple Trees to review the progress at the ministry. It was revealed that some 18,000 Sri Lankans employed by international shipping agencies remit US $ 80 million annually.

The Newspaper Society unreservedly condemns the recent restriction placed on the distribution of the Tamil language newspapers in the East of the country, by an armed group of persons.The illegal seizure of 20,000 copies of the Virakesari and the subsequent burning of these newspapers is a stark reminder how easily one jack boot can replace another.The right to information and the availability of diverse opinions is a fundamental tenet of Democracy. More; it is an inherent right of all those who live in a free society.This incident is the most recent of earlier attacks on journalists and newspaper offices both in the North and in Colombo. Any government wedded to democracy which allows such acts to be committed with impunity, imperils its own image.A statement issued by the Presidential Secretariat earlier this week, re iterates, inter alia, that the President and the Government of Sri Lanka is committed to ensuring the freedom and safety of the media in Sri LankaThe Virakesari group is a member of the Newspaper Society. The escalating violence against media, we feel, now merits the personal concern of His Excellency the President.

A delegation of the International Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression mission during a visit to Sri Lanka met government spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella and handed over a letter from International Federation of Journalist’s president Christopher Warren giving details of journalists killed during the past two years.The minister assured the delegation he would look into each of the cases mentioned.

"Let me first of all express the sincere regret of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and our condolences to those families who have suffered loss as a result of the attacks over the past few months. You will recall that on October 10 you met a delegation representing the International Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression Mission, including the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), which had come to Sri Lanka to assess the press freedom environment in the country. During this meeting you were enjoined to give assurances about the investigation of a number of deaths of media workers.

The IFJ, along with the delegation and its sponsors, welcomed your pledge on that day that you would see to it that all cases would be fully investigated and that progress reports would be made available on a regular basis. As your information on the number of deaths and the circumstances leading to the killings do not match those held by civil society we take this opportunity to furnish the relevant details. “ In 2005, Darmaratnam Sivaram was slain on April 29 and his body was found near the parliamentary complex withing a high security zone. On August 12 the same year, Relangi Selvarajah and her husband were shot dead by unknown gunmen in Bambalapitiya. Subramaniyam Sugirdharajan a Trincomalee journalist was shot dead on January 24 this year. Suresh Kumar and Ranjith Kumar were killed on May 3, as journalists gathered in Colombo to celebrate Press Freedom Day this year.On July 2 this year, freelance journalist Sampath Lakmal de Silva was shot dead by an unknown group. On August 1, newspaper vendor Mariathas Manojanraj was killed by a mine that was set off in Jaffna.Sathasivam Baskaran was gunned down while delivering copies of the Uthayan newspaper in the North.On August 21, Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah, managing director of the Jaffna based Tamil-language Namathu Eelanadu newspaper, was shot dead in Vellippalai.

"Don’t shoot the messenger because you don’t like the message" — British High Commissioner Dominick Chilcott told the Tourism Industry last week. He was referring to local criticism of the British Government’s Travel Advisory as the cause of Sri Lanka Tourism Industry’s current difficulties.High Commissioner Chilcott was chief guest at the 8th Annual Chairmen’s Black Tie Dinner of the HCIMA Sri Lanka chapter at Trans Asia Hotel.Commenting on a newspaper report, the High Commissioner said that a Japanese or an Australian tourist spends in Sri Lanka, on an average, more than 100 dollars each day. "But think how much more valuable foreign exchange could be generated if only there were peace.""The beauty of the tourism industry is that the economic benefits are felt immediately by ordinary people and tourism is a virile creator of jobs and livelihoods," he said.

"In Sri Lanka tourists, given a half a chance, would like to go to all parts of the country so those economic benefits would not be confined to one part of the country only", he said.Speaking on the travel advisory, he said it was evidence-based. When the situation changed on the ground, for better or worse, so does the advisory."It would be a mistake to see our travel advisory as the cause of the tourist industry’s problems in Sri Lanka. Don’t shoot the messenger just because you don’t like the message".The British High Commissioner, lauding the service rendered by the HCIMA Sri Lanka Chapter said: "You are certainly not resting on your laurels. Your mission is to continue to strive to attain in Sri Lanka the highest professional standards of management in the internationally competitive hospitality industry." He added "Your vision is to engage as the leading professional body in Sri Lanka devoted to the development of management excellence in the hospitality industry."

Chairman, HCIMA Sri Lanka Chapter Anura Lokuhetty said "Attracting the correct people to the industry to introduce professionalism is an absolute necessity".Volatility of the industry had also made it difficult to attract people with enthusiasm and one suggestion to overcome the problem was to introduce tourism related subjects into the education system at the A/Level examination, leading to a degree program, with theory component taught over two years and an internship for another two years in the industry, he said.Although we have a current degree program affiliated to the Rajarata University, unfortunately, the curriculum is taught in Sinhala medium and its not a demand driven curriculum he explained.Lokuhetty said "Recently I was able to bring this to the notice of Tourism Minister Anura Bandaranaike in the presence of the Tourist Board Chairman Udaya Nanayakkara, that introducing tourism related subjects in the A/Level curriculum, similar to Commerce, Biology and Maths streams, would be beneficial".

Even three weeks into the Muhamalai debacle, as to what went wrong in Muhamalai is something many find difficult to comprehend. The latest about the tragedy is that Army Commander Sarath Fonseka has admitted responsibility for the fiasco.It is learnt, that on behalf of Lieutenant General Fonseka, Military Spokesman Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe had in a letter to a Sinhala daily newspaper stated that as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army he is taking the responsibilities on the Muhamalai operation and at the same time he mentioned that two officers, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 53 Divisions Brigadier Samantha Suriyabandara and Air Mobile Brigade Commander Lieutenant Colonel Shavindra Silva are not responsible for the operation.The letter had come in response to an article in the newspaper whereby a writer had accused Brigadier Suriyabandara and Colonel Silva as being responsible for the debacle.The letter also stated that all the relevant authorities including Chief of Defence Staff Donald Perera also knew about the military operation in Muhamalai Meanwhile, Brig. Srinath Rajapaksa, who was on medical leave for several months had taken over duties as the GOC of the 53 division early this week. Brigadier Samantha Suriyabandara, who is now in Colombo, held the post in a temporary capacity in his absence.

In what could be the last, best hope for averting all-out war, the government of this island nation and the rebel Tamil Tigers are due to sit down today for their first face-to-face talks in months over one of Asia's most intractable conflicts.Both sides have been stung by heavy losses and international criticism in recent weeks, following a surge in combat that has left hundreds of people dead and thousands more refugees in their own country, forced to flee homes and livelihoods to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.In such a charged atmosphere, no one is predicting that any substantive advances will be made at the negotiating table. But so fierce has been the fighting that getting the two longtime adversaries to meet today and Sunday in Geneva is being trumpeted as achievement enough.The violence threatens to engulf the whole of this teardrop-shaped island, spilling over from the north and east, where the fighting had, until recently, mostly been confined and where the highly armed, highly motivated rebels want to establish an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's ethnic-minority Tamils.

Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera will retire from the Navy tomorrow October 29 on reaching the age of 55.The Ministry has approved the retirement of Rear Admiral Weerasekera, who is also the Director General of the Homeguard Force. However Rear Admiral Weerasekera will continue in his position as the Director General of the 35,000 strong Homeguard Force as President Mahinda Rajapaksa has decided to allow him to stay the post. Since the appointment as the DG -Homeguards, Rear Admiral Weerasekera had taken several steps to increase the training capacity of the Home Guards. He also recruited several thousands of new personnel into the force and they were expected to be deployed in LTTE threatned villagers in North and East.

The Homeguard unit, which had been a part of the Police Department was designated as a separate force by President Rajapaksa who appointed Rear Admiral Weerasekera as the head of the new force. Following the retirement of Rear Admiral Weerasekera, the next in line for the post of Chief Of Staff of the Navy, are Rear Admiral D.N. Thuduwewatta – Commandant of the Kotalawela Defence Academy and Rear Admiral Wasantha Tennakoon – Director General Service.Having joined the Navy in 1971, Weerasekera rose to Rear Admiral Rank on January 1, 2001. He held several important positions in the Navy, including Deputy Chief of Staff and Director General (Service) Naval Headquarters and Commander of Northern, Eastern and Southern naval areas.An old boy of Ananda College Colombo, Weerasekera followed several overseas courses in India, USA, and Hawaii.Weerasekera was the Commander Northern Naval Area when the MoU was signed between the government and the LTTE in February 2001. He was instrumental in convincing the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM)of the need to ban the LTTE from entering Mandathivu Island. This Island is still a Restricted Zone and this is very vital to Northern Naval Area Security.

Lankan navy opens fire at Tamilnadu fishermen near Katchaithevu---Vaiko wires Indian Premier

Vaiko, MDMK Gneral Secretary has brought to the notice of Dr.Manmoham Singhe,Indian Prime Minister that the Tamil Nadu fishermen were shot at, by the Lankan navy near Katchaithevu while they were engaged in fishing. Vaiko, in his telegram to the Indian PM, stated that the victims of these unwarranted attacks by the Sri Lankan navy are fishermen from Rameswaram. He has stated that due to this attack by the Lankan navy more than 3000 fishermen of the Tamil Nadu coast are in a state of fear and they are reluctant to go fishing to earn their living. Such attacks are regularly unleashed on the Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan navy.

Army Commander Sarath Fonseka appointed Major General Sanath Karunaratne as the General office Command (GOC) of the army II division in Panagoda with effect from last Wednesday.Earlier he was ordered to take over the duties as the Commander of the Eastern range, but at the eleventh hour he had changed the decision and appointed Maj. Gen. Karunaratne as the head the II Division, which covers a large area of the country.The Daily Mirror learns that the change has been made following a request made by Major General Karunaratne himself from the Army Commander.Major General Karunaratne was the General office Command (GOC) of the army 55 division in Muhamalai and his transfer was decided upon in September, days before the debacle in Muhamalai which saw the death of more than 100 soldiers.With the new appointment, the current GOC of the II Division Major General Sumith Balasuriya has been appointed as the Director General Budget and Financial Management of the Army Headquarters. Eastern Commander Major General Nissanka Wijesuriya will remain in his position. The former army spokesman, Major General Karunaratne as a battalion commander has defended the Elephant Pass garrison in 1991 with the 6th battalion Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment.He was also Director - Operations and Logistics for the Secretariat for Co-ordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) from May 20, 2004 to May 12, 2005 and also led the 55 infantry division in the capacity of GOC to defeat the LTTE when it tried to overrun the defences in Kilali – Muhamalai and Nagarakovil in August this year.

The Karuna Group has abducted between 300 and 900 children — some as young as 12 — since March, The Times newspaper reported this week, quoting international and local aid workers in Sri Lanka. The paramilitary group’s “escalating activity has emerged as a key factor behind the upsurge in violence that has killed more than 2,000 people this year and left a 2002 ceasefire agreement in tatters,” the British newspaper said.The Times spoke to residents and aid workers in Sri Lanka’s restive Batticaloa district.“Karuna is implicating the Government in the kidnap and exploitation of hundreds of children, according to aid workers, truce monitors, witnesses and relatives,” the paper said. “There is some sort of complicity by the Government in what is happening to children here,” one aid worker who asked not to be identified told The Times.“Most people feel there is no difference between the Government and Karuna.”

Batticaloa residents and Norwegian-led truce monitors told The Times that they regularly see Karuna members — armed and in black uniforms or civilian dress — working alongside troops and police.They say that government forces allow Karuna to transport children through dozens of checkpoints on the way to a training camp near the town of Welikande.“Karuna’s political wing, the TMVP, has opened several offices around eastern Sri Lanka recently, many beside military camps,” the paper reported.The paper spoke to five Tamil mothers who told similar stories about their sons being seized and forced to work as soldiers or labourers for the Karuna Group. “None reported the abductions to the police for fear of retribution,” the paper said.Analysts the paper spoke to cited the Karuna Group as one of the main obstacles to a negotiated settlement to Sri Lanka’s long-running conflict.The paper quoted analysts as saying that Karuna is at the heart of the Sri Lankan government’s strategy to divide and conquer the Tigers by exploiting tensions between northern and eastern Tamils.The Times, whose editorials are strongly critical of the Liberation Tigers’ armed struggle, also spoke to E. Prethip, an official in the TMVP’s Batticaloa office, who denied recruiting minors and blamed the Tigers.

Floods, landslides and water logging due to heavy rain during the last few days have displaced more than 60,000 people all over the country. The Kalutara District has taken the brunt of the impact of rains with over 25,000 people displaced by yesterday (27).Six persons had died, two at Kuruwita in the Ratnapura District, and two at Yakkala in the Gamapaha Distict. One person died at Mahawa and another at Neluwa. The Social Service Ministry has paid Rs.15,000 to each of the families of the deceased, official sources said.About 150 houses were destroyed or severely damaged in the floods, strong winds and lightening. The Kaluganga and Kelani Ganga had reached their spill level by yesterday and the tributaries of the two rivers had overflowed.

Houses in low lying areas of Wattala, Kelaniya, Gamapaha, Attanagalla, Palindanuwara, Bulathsinghala, Panadura, Wadduwa, Moratuwa, Boralesgamuwa, Bandaragama and Polgasowita are under water and some of the roads in these areas were impassable yesterday.Landslides were reported from Bandaragama, Wewessa, Kuruwita, Meneripitiya and Mawaththenna. A landslide on Kandy-Nuwara Eliya highway halted the movement of traffic to the Welimada and Kandy roads.Minister for Disaster Relief Ameer Ali directed officials to provide immediate relief to those in distress and 3.9 million rupees was released to District Secretaries for emergency relief assistance, Ministry officials said.The Divisional Secretary Ja-Ela has warned people living near the Ja-Ela river to leave the area as the flood prevention dam along the river is likely to breach due to the pressure of the overflow from the river.

TNA urges LTTE to prioritize opening of A9, warns humanitarian catastrophe in Jaffna

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) in an urgent letter to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Thursday, noting that the humanitarian situation in Jaffna has reached critical levels since the closure of the A9 highway, appealed the Tigers to take-up the opening of the A9 highway as a matter of top priority at the forthcoming talks in Geneva. Sri Lanka Army conrolled Jaffna, with 653,755 persons, requires 11,000 Metric tons of food supplies per month. For the last three months, only 14,000 Metric tons of food items had been sent by ship, the short fall is 19,000 Metric tons. The fuel that is currently available is grossly inadequate. NGOs and INGOs are being prevented from functioning. More than 100,000 fishermen are badly affected by total ban on fishing. 22% of the population have become IDPs, the TNA appeal to the LTTE noted.

Full text of Tamil National Alliance Parliamentary Group's letter to the LTTE follows:

Tamil National Alliance Parliamentary Group,
Parliamentary Complex,
Sri Jayawardanepura,
Kotte.

Mr. S. P. Thamilselvan,
Head of Political Section,
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam,
Kilinochchi.

The Jaffna peninsula is a humanitarian catastrophe waiting to happen. Since the closure of the A9 highway, which is the only land route that links the Jaffna peninsula with the rest of the island, the humanitarian situation has reached critical levels. Due to the inability to bring in goods to sell, traders have been very badly affected. Due to the total ban on fishing, the fisher folk have been made destitute. Business has come to a virtual stand-still. Due to the severe restrictions imposed by the GOSL Armed Forces and the unavailability of farming products, farming has also virtually ceased. All in all, the GOSL has made the entire Jaffna District civilian population completely aid dependant. Having done so, the GOSL is also preventing the necessary aid from reaching the affected people. NGOs and INGOs are being prevented from functioning. Further, the essential rations for the very survival of the population are being severely restricted.

The total population of the Jaffna peninsula is 653,755 persons, 188,266 families. The number of families below the poverty line is 125,465 consisting of 431,516 persons. Out of this only 53, 615 families, consisting of 125,675 persons are the recipients of free dry rations from the GOSL. The number of families dependant entirely on fishing is 17,000, consisting of 100,000 persons. At present fishing is totally banned by the GOSL. Yet none of these families are being provided any assistance from the GOSL. The number of internally displaced families is 42,000.Total food requirement for the Jaffna peninsula per month is 11,000 Metric Tons, including 8,000 Metric tons of essential food items. For the last three months only 14,000 Metric tons of food items had been sent by ship, the short fall is 19,000 Metric tons.

Fuel requirement per month:
a. Kerosene – 1,500,000 Litres
b. Petrol – 800,000 Litres
c. Diesel – 3,298,000 Litres

However the fuel that is currently available is grossly inadequate. The official figures are being withheld by the GOSL.Due to the severe shortage of all conceivable items in the Jaffna peninsula, families are forced to stand in cues that stretch for miles on end. The cues start forming as early as 4am in the morning. Even children are compelled to take turns in the cues and as a result are not attending schools. The prices of goods have reached unaffordable levels.As you will appreciate, this is a most unsatisfactory state of affairs. The civilian population has reached breaking point. As the delegation that has been entrusted the immense responsibility of negotiating on behalf of the entire Tamil Nation, we bring these matters to your urgent attention. We expect your delegation to give priority to the humanitarian crisis facing the Tamil population in the North-East, the situation in Jaffna being the most severe. You will also appreciate that most of the suffering that the people in Jaffna are undergoing is primarily due to the closure of the A9 highway. The opening of the highway has been provided for in the Ceasefire Agreement itself. Therefore we strongly appeal to you take-up the opening the A9 highway as a matter of top priority at the forth coming talks with the GOSL in Geneva.

Delegates arrive in Geneva

Government and LTTE negotiators have arrived in Switzerland for talks to be held at the weekend.The government team for Geneva will be headed by the Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva. The delegation includes ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Ferial Ashraff, Rohitha Bogollagama, Peace Secretariat Head Palitha Kohona, Gomin Dayasiri and former IGP Chandra Fernando.The four man team headed by the Tigers' political chief Suppiah Thamilselvan, indludes S P Tamilselvan, P Nadesan, R Illantherian and N Pulithevan.

The resumption of talks presents an opportunity for both sides to endorse measures that will ensure greater civilian protection and end the rampant and widespread abuses of human rights in the country, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday.In letters sent to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and to LTTE political head S.P. Tamilselvan, Human Rights Watch expressed its deep concern for the ongoing human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law.Human Rights Watch called on the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, regardless of how the talks in Geneva develop, to institute concrete measures to protect civilians.

The BJP's Tamil Nadu unit today alleged that the Indian government was providing military aid to Sri Lanka and urged the Centre to stop it immediately as it would be "used only against Tamils in the island." "Sri Lanka has no enemies in its neighbourhood. Hence, the weapons given to it will be used only against Tamils in the island and fishermen belonging to Tamil Nadu," state BJP president L Ganesan told reporters here.Welcoming the negotiations between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, he said "both parties had in the past used the time to make preparations for war. The Sri Lankan government had never honoured any of the previous agreements with the Tamils." India had a responsibility in the Lankan issue, as thousands of refugees were coming from the island to Tamil Nadu. The BJP would send a team to the refugee camps to study the refugees' condition and submit a report to the party's state leadership, he said. The BJP leader alleged that police had refused permission for the party to stage demonstrations to protest "rigging and violence" during the Chennai Corporation elections. "I do not think police are acting independently. Suppression of expression in a democracy is not good. It will cause a blot on the state government," he said.

Suspected Tamil Tiger insurgents hurled grenades into a Hindu temple compound in eastern Sri Lanka on Thursday, wounding nine members of a rival Tamil rebel faction, police said. The violence came ahead of weekend peace talks in Geneva between the Tigers and government on how to salvage a 2002 cease-fire that has virtually collapsed amid a major surge in fighting. The mainstream rebels accuses the military of backing the rival Tamil rebel faction. The military denies the charge. The attack took place shortly after midnight in the eastern district of Batticaloa, said military spokesman Brig. Prasad Samarasinghe. He said mainstream Tigers had carried out the raid against members of the splinter group. ``The victims were sleeping in the open in the compound of the temple when two hand grenades were hurled at them,'' said Senior Superintendent of Police Maxi Proctor. The breakaway rebel faction has an office complex about 50 meters (165 feet) from the Hindu temple, where the victims were resting after apparently deeming it a safe haven. Proctor said the wounded were admitted to a Batticaloa hospital.

The Tigers could not immediately be reached for comment on the attack. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE rebels, campaigning for a separate Tamil homeland, split in 2004 when a powerful Tiger leader from the east, known as Karuna, broke away from the northern-based mainstream group. He took about 6,000 fighters with him. The mainstream Tigers have mostly suppressed the uprising and have vowed to crush Karuna's faction, but it remains active in the east. Also Thursday, a human rights group urged the government and Tigers to address civilian safety and human rights in the coming talks. The escalation in abuses show ``the urgent need for the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE to abide by international law, hold accountable those responsible for abuses, and support international human rights monitors on the ground,'' Brad Adams, Asia director of the New York-based Human Rights Watch, wrote to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse and rebels' political wing chief Suppiah Thamilselvan. Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission reported last month that at least 400 ethnic Tamil youth have been abducted since December, all from Sri Lanka's embattled northern Jaffna peninsula.

Gunboats of Sea Tigers and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) clashed for 5-hours in the Kilaly bay Thursday morning from 3:30 a.m. to 8:30. A Sri Lankan naval source that did not wish to be identified said their gunboats off Kerathivu had mistaken Sea Tiger patrol vessels in Sangupitty area as an LTTE attempt to launch an attack on Jaffna. LTTE vessels alleged to have set off from Pooneryn Munai via Sangupitty jetty area toward the Kilaly bay, were observed by Keratheevu naval troops who began the attack on the Sea Tigers.The Sri Lanka Army (SLA), based in Gurunagar, Pasaiyoor, Ariyalai east, southern and western parts of Thenmaradchy, Kokilakandy, Thanagkilappu and Keratheevu supported the SLN with heavy mortar and artillery fire launched form their positions. The LTTE from its Sangupitty base retaliated.

A group of 13 Sri Lankan MPs representing as many parties are here to study India's devolution process to see if it can help resolve the long-drawn ethnic conflict in their country.Led by Minister of Science and Technology Tissa Vitarana, the delegation will interact with Indian officials here as well as in Karnataka and Kerala to learn in detail about center-state relations and the grassroots Panchayati Raj in villages."We are here to have a better understanding of the devolution process and how it has worked in the Indian context," said Vitarana, a 72-year-old MP from the leftwing Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and also the delegation head.The team includes representatives from almost all political parties including President Mahinda Rajapaksa's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), the Sinhalese-Marxist JVP, the Communist Party of Sri Lanka, the Eelam People's Democratic Party, Ceylon Workers Congress and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.The main opposition United National Party and the pro-Tigers Tamil National Alliance are not in the delegation.

Vitarana said the MPs would hold meetings with Panchayati Raj Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar and his officials on Thursday and Friday before traveling to Karnataka and Cochin (Kerala) to study the impact of the devolution process on the ground."Our aim is to think of a solution to the ethnic conflict based on devolution and work out the modalities," Vitarana said."Once that is done, we will go into the nature of a new constitution for Sri Lanka and finally the negotiation process (with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam)."Basically, we want to study and learn, and see what is relevant and what is not relevant to Sri Lanka."A professor of medical microbiology in Colombo's University of Jayawardenapura, Viatarana said the mandate of the delegation, drawn from the All Party Representatives Committee, was to find ways of satisfying the political aspirations of the Tamils and other minorities and also the majority Sinhalese community.

A serious dialogue is on within Sri Lanka on what kind of power sharing will persuade the LTTE to give up its stated goal of an independent Tamil state and settle for autonomy within the island nation.Vitarana explained that the first meeting of the All Party Representatives Committee in Colombo was a stormy one but eventually MPs representing a wide variety of views had come to respect one another's often contrasting opinions on how to end the conflict that has claimed over 65,000 lives since 1983.Will the delegation's efforts have any impact on the Tamil Tigers?"I think the LTTE is increasingly finding it difficult to maintain its struggle for separation," the minister said, voicing confidence that the Tigers would one day have to see reason."Eventually when they realise that separation is not realisable, then they will come forward for genuine talks (with the government). I hope that day is not far off."So we are trying to find an acceptable solution. If we achieve that, then the international community will be constrained to put maximum pressure on the LTTE to come for serious talks," said Vitarana, who has been with the LSSP since 1953.The delegation's trip to India will also coincide with the Oct 28-29 talks in Geneva between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE, a meeting the international community hopes will at least bring down the present level of killings in the island.

Sri Lanka has expressed its suspicions that weapons supplied for the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were illegally "sent through" Indonesia, an Indonesian Cabinet minister said Thursday. "They have suspected that the illegal weapons supplied to the Tamil Tigers group were sent through Indonesia," the state-run news agency quoted Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono as saying after meeting visiting Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake. The minister did not provide any details, but said Indonesia and Sri Lanka agreed to build cooperation in defense and security, particularly in antiterror activities. "We don't need to get upset. It's only an accusation and they (Sri Lanka) ask us (to cooperate),? Sudarsono was quoted by Tempo Interaktif online media as saying. The LTTE, which is fighting for a separate state in the country's northeast, is branded as a terrorist group by foreign countries including the United States, the European Union, Britain and India. Recently, the United States arrested 19 persons in connection with the arms, ammunition and equipment procurement deal for the LTTE. Among the persons in custody are four Indonesians, including a retired marine brigadier general.

Finland on Thursday called on the warring parties of Sri Lanka to find a political solution to the ongoing conflict, through the scheduled negotiations in Switzerland. There is no military solution to the conflict, Finland, which holds the current European Union presidency, said in a statement. The comment came as Sri Lankan government and the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) negotiators arrived in Geneva to resume peace talks, which was brokered by Norway. EU expressed its deep concern over the humanitarian situation, urging the parties to protect civilians caught in the conflict, the statement said. EU also urged the parties to guarantee a free and safe access for international organizations to help the people in need of essential humanitarian assistance, and to continue valuable reconstruction and development work, it said. The peace process broke down last June in Oslo after the Tigers left the meeting, saying the Sri Lankan government negotiators were too junior. Some 60,000 people have been killed since the conflict erupted in 1972 in Sri Lanka.

Leonard Woolf arrived in Sri Lanka almost exactly a century ago. Not yet married to the more illustrious Virginia, the young colonial officer admitted in his autobiography: "I had entered Ceylon as an imperialist. The curious thing is that I was not really aware of this ... I was a very innocent, unconscious imperialist."Observing racist British rule from the inside turned him against it within months. During his six years on the island he became an astute observer of its traditions. His novel The Village in the Jungle shows as deep an understanding of Sinhalese peasant superstitions as EM Forster's more celebrated Passage to India (published 10 years later) does of the middle class in a different part of the subcontinent.

For a time Woolf worked in Jaffna, the heartland of Sri Lanka's Tamil community, and his rare combination of experience in north and south led him to the view that only federalism could solve the conflict between the island's two main population groups. "Consideration should be given to the possibility of ensuring a large measure of devolution or even of introducing a federal system on the Swiss model," Woolf wrote in a memorandum for the Labour party in 1938. Of course, the Swiss model is tripartite, and Woolf took the unusually broad view that Sri Lanka's Muslims also deserved to have their rights protected.

The British did not take Woolf's advice, and how little have things changed since then. Indeed they have got much worse. The Sinhalese-dominated government and the rigidly controlled Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have been at war for 23 years. They hold a new round of peace talks in Geneva tomorrow, but the solution that seemed obvious to Woolf - and many of Sri Lanka's best analysts today - is not on the table.The LTTE has dropped its goal of independence, but its current call for undefined "autonomy" sounds much the same. The government talks of devolution within a unitary state. Neither is willing to embrace the compromise of federalism, either in Quebec-style asymmetric form (which would give the Tamils a province with a special status) or on the Swiss pattern of equal cantons.

While talks have been deadlocked, fighting has intensified, with heavy casualties on both sides. The LTTE, the world pioneers of suicide bombing in the modern era, no longer tend to go for civilian targets as al-Qaida do. They recently hit buses full of soldiers and sailors, as well as Sri Lankan navy boats. In retaliation the army used artillery and aircraft, mainly intimidating civilians.Conventional wisdom hails the two sides' willingness to meet (under Norwegian mediation) as positive, though few expect much from the latest talks. From a wider perspective, the phenomenon of talks-plus-war raises important issues for the growing science of comparative peace processes.

If two parties are really ready for compromise, they can quickly find a way to begin talks. It is not necessary to have a phoney dialogue in place in the hope that it will suddenly be invigorated by an onset of sincerity. Does a talks process, therefore, only increase all-round cynicism? Why do parties talk if they have nothing serious to say? Is it to hoodwink donors, whether foreign governments or the rival diasporas, by proving they are "committed to the search for peace"?What of the facilitators, in this case the Norwegians? Are they merely trying to maintain their reputation, tarnished as it increasingly is by the Oslo accords between Israel and the Palestinians, which turned out to be disappointing and a diversion from the core issues?

These are not easy questions, as there is a natural reluctance to declare talks dead as long as there is the slightest sign of life. Many civil wars do not have the "luxury" of talks, since one side insists on a military solution or refuses to recognise the very legitimacy of the other, demonising it as an insignificant minority or a bunch of terrorists. Sri Lanka's long-running crisis is better than that.Much depends on the talks' agenda, coupled with the mediators' agility. Can they find new ways of presenting key issues? Are they able to insist on transparency, so that negotiators keep pace with public opinion? In the talks that produced peace deals in south Sudan and Darfur, the international mediators approached the central issues slowly and creatively. They organised expert seminars for the warring parties on how power- and wealth-sharing operated in other countries. In Darfur the deal did not work, partly because the civilian victims displaced by the war were not adequately consulted. There were other reasons for failure, not least the fractured nature of the rebel groups and their leaders' ambitions and rivalries.

In the Sri Lankan case the best tactic for the Norwegian mediators may be to highlight the issue of human rights. Arguing over the myriad violations of the 2002 ceasefire, and especially any effort to apportion blame, would guarantee failure at Geneva this weekend. It would be more useful to focus on minimising casualties among civilians and helping displaced people to go home, safely and under guarantee of protection, before yet more camps are created.In a recommendation that could apply to other conflicts, Professor Philip Alston, the UN's special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, urged the general assembly this week to appoint international human rights monitors for Sri Lanka. He pointed out that each side, directly or through proxies, has used assassinations to weaken the other, or to enforce discipline. At various times both have targeted civilians.

Recommending that the current international monitors (now under Swedish control) also investigate rights abuses, Alston wants the new team to be separate from the one that looks into ceasefire violations. Breaches of international humanitarian law are different from, and in many cases more serious than, violations of a particular time-bound and locally negotiated ceasefire. The investigators must be forensically trained, Alston says, and have the right to name suspects so that the current practice of denying atrocities is weakened.These are excellent suggestions that should be followed up in Geneva. The LTTE and the government both claim not to be involved in attacks on civilians. Here, at least, there is common ground. Flesh could be put on that pledge by having them invite human-rights monitors to check it out. Whatever doubts there are about the value of the Geneva meeting, it will not be in vain if it makes progress here. The talks could even become a model for resolving or at least ameliorating conflicts in other countries.

Food supplies run low for Sri Lankan families displaced by violence- UNICEF

Sri Lanka’s Jaffna Peninsula has already seen decades of conflict. Now its population of 600,000 is feeling the effects of the recent upsurge in fighting between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and government forces. Apart from the sound of occasional shelling in the distance, the streets of Jaffna town are quiet. Because of fuel shortages there are few motorized vehicles on the road, and due to security concerns few businesses are operating at all. Many people have no work, and transportation into Jaffna is currently limited to air and sea. In the town, queues form outside food shops. Although the government is continuing to bring in supplies by ship and has set up a rationing system, almost everyone talks about shortages of flour, rice, sugar and lentils. On the black market, sugar and petrol now cost about four times their normal prices. More than 50,000 people are displaced across the peninsula. The majority have squeezed into the houses of relatives and friends. Others have gathered at temporary accommodation centres.

In Jaffna town, over 1,300 people are living in school buildings on the grounds of Our Lady of Refuge Church. The families here have clustered their few belongings – some clothes, mattresses, blankets, pots and pans – on the stone floors. They fled from two villages, Allaipiddy and Mandaithevu, on the islands to the west of Jaffna. The residents of Allaipiddy have been forced to leave their village twice this year – once in May, after the killing of 13 civilians, and again in August, when fighting broke out in the area. “A shell landed on our village and I was wounded in the leg,” recalls Jeyapiria Jeyaratnam, 10. “I’ve seen a lot of fighting. I hear noises in the night and I’m very scared. I feel that a shell is going to fall here, and I get frightened when I hear about fighting on the radio.”Her mother, Mary Angaleena, says the family decided to sleep in a church when the shelling started. She was wounded as well, and the family was evacuated by ambulance. “We lost everything, even our clothes,” she says.Jeyapira now spends her time with other children at Our Lady of Refuge. She also helps fetch water when her mother cooks. She is in Grade 5 and says she’s disappointed she had to miss her exams because of the conflict.

Children like Jeyapira are registering for school and hope to start lessons soon. UNICEF has been working with the government and other partners to support the families at the church and additional centres in the area, creating spaces for children to play and take informal lessons.The parish priest at Our Lady of Refuge worries that poor sanitary conditions might lead to the spread of disease at the site, and says he is trying to find another location for the people staying there. Meanwhile, UNICEF and its partners have supplied water tanks, toilets, washing areas and wells to accommodation centres across Jaffna. Northeast of Jaffna town, in the Karaveddy area, about 7,000 people are displaced – two thirds of them living with host families. They fled from fighting on the front line in the east. In one small village, four families with 11 children between them are living together in a single-storey house. “Food is the main problem,” says the owner of the house. “There’s not enough flour and rice, but everyone will stay here until the problem is solved.” Because of the security situation, the families are afraid to return to their village. At a temporary accommodation centre nearby, another 36 families are staying at a school. They have received three rounds of rations but supplies are running low. Mothers at the centre say they cook rice porridge for breakfast. They can sometimes buy vegetables in the market, but in the evenings they skip meals so that they can feed their children.

The Hong Kong - based Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) protested the appointment of Kumaratunga as a Senior Consultant to UNESCO."AHRC is surprised and shocked that a person with a record of grossly violating human rights, abusing power and sis placing the rule of law in Sri Lanka" has been appointed to the UNESCO," it said in a statement yesterday.Firing a letter to Koichiro Matsuura - Director -General United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, the AHRC called the move "scandalous".It warned that UNESCO would suffer ridicule both within Sri Lanka and also internationally if it does not reverse its decision on the appointment Kumaratunga.Saying that if Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines or Suharto of Indonesia had been given such a post there would have been an international out rage, the AHRC noted that UNESCO may have taken this decision since Ms. Kumaratunga's track record was not so well known outside the country.

All public activity came to a standstill in northeastern Sri Lanka on Wednesday in protest against the Sri Lankan Supreme Court's order to de-merge the Tamil-speaking Northern and Eastern Provinces.Sources in Batticaloa, Amparai, Trincomalee and Jaffna districts said that government offices and schools did not function. There was no public transport.Most of the shops, in most towns in the ethnically-mixed East, except in predominantly Muslim towns like Kattankudy, Sammanthurai and Akkarapattu, had downed their shutters.Akkaraipattu is the stronghold of government minister Athaullah, who is a vocal advocate of the de-merger.Half the shops were not open even in the predominantly Muslim towns. However, this was probably because of Eid, locals said.If some shops were open in the Tamil areas, it was because the Karuna group, a breakaway group of the LTTE, assisted by the security forces, was going around forcing traders to open their establishments, said Ariyanenthiran, a Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP for Battialcoa district.Karuna group chief Col Karuna had said that his Tamil Eelam Peoples' Liberation Tigers supported the de-merger in the interest of the Eastern Tamils, who were being dominated by the Northern Tamils.

M Sahabdeen, a well known Muslim columnist based in the East, said that 90 per cent of the Muslims of the Eastern Province were against the de-merger because a de-merger would not mean that Muslims were going to be better off.Muslims of the East feared Sinhala-majoritarian domination as much as they feared Tamil domination, he said.What the Muslims wanted was a separate autonomous unit for themselves in parts of the East where they were preponderant, he said.But the Muslims did not want to alienate the Tamils, with whom they would have to live cheek by jowl in most parts of the East, Sahabdeen said."Even in the de-mergerd East, Tamils would be the single largest group comprising 43 per cent. The Muslims would be 33 per cent and the Sinhalas 24 per cent.""The Muslims closed their shops today to express solidarity with the Tamils but they expect the Tamils to recognise their aspiration to have an autonomous unit for themselves in the East," he said.

The Government, at the Geneva talks this weekend will seek to set a definitive time frame in discussing the core issues.It is hopeful the latest negotiations will give the LTTE an opportunity to give up violence and enter the democratic stream.Speaking to the media prior to departing for Geneva early last morning Government chief negotiator Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva played down the chances of a major breakthrough at the talks to be held at the International Convention Centre in Geneva.“The discussions will be difficult. You cannot expect a solution within one or two days,” the minister said even as a 13-member LTTE delegation which left for Geneva separately last morning also played down the chances of reaching the much needed political settlement.

Government defence spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella told the media that the LTTE leader had verbally given the assurance sought by the Government for it to embark on fresh negotiations. “We are going to talk sensible core issues and have the window open for the LTTE to enter the democratic stream. We are not shutting the LTTE out. We want it to enter the democratic mainstream. That is the reality,” the minister said.He said the Government hopes to suggest setting up a time frame to deal with the core issues faced by the Tamil people instead of dragging the process even as an All Party Representative team left for India yesterday to study the Panchayat model.

“We want to give recognition to pluralism and not to a Sinhala-Buddhist only country. This is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country. Tamils have legitimate issues. I wouldn’t use the word grievances but issues. We hope to prepare a diary in Geneva to see that the core issues are addressed within a specific time frame. Of course the LTTE has to agree to this,” he said.He also said that with the two major political parties in the South agreeing to work together on national issues the LTTE cannot continue to say there was no consensus in the South to reach a final political solution.A 19-member LTTE delegation - the largest ever rebel team - will sit down for talks with the Government. Asked if there was a chance the LTTE will misuse the opportunity to travel about Minister Rambukwella responding humorously said “there is information the LTTE has been barred from even shopping. That’s why the members are not taking their wives with them.”The LTTE delegation has plans to visit Oslo at the conclusion of the October 28, 29 talks in Geneva, for meetings with the Norwegian facilitators and there is every likelihood the rebels would meet the Tamil diaspora both in Switzerland and Norway.

Mr. Mano Ganeshalingam the leader of the Western province peoples' front accuse that the investigations conducted by the police in abductions, killings and extortions are conducted at a very low pace.He says though the man who got caught red handed taking extortions was handed over to Kotahena Police, nothing has been done so far. Though he admitted in his statement to the police abducting a person and taking extortions as he belongs to Minister Douglas Devanandas EPDP no action had been taken yet.Speaking to 'LeN' Mr. Ganeshan said to set the owner of the Vivekananda. Hill lodge Mr.Pushpadas released his mother had to pay Rs. 40 Lakhs at a place near Base line Road and the said lady has recognized the culprit at the police Satation as the man took money from her.

The Police lament that people do not provide infomations on abductions and extortions. But when the culpit is an apprehended and recognized it is pity that no action is taken Mr. Ganeshan said.When questioned from the Kotahena Police crime division they said that they have handed over the suspect to the CID.When the commission appointed by the President was conducting it's investigation six Tamils was abducted on the 19th and 20th of this month and three were shot and two of them were husband and wife.At the work shop held at the Temple trees for the govt. deligation to Geneva, Mr. Mangala Samaraweera the foriegn minister said he was being constantly grilled by the international community over the spree of the abdutions. Even the President said it was true as he too had to face similar problems when he met diplomats.Ministers Jeyeraj Frenandopulle and Fariel Ashroff also said these abductions should be stopped.Countering the President and Minister Samaraweera was defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa who in turn queried whether the international community was only worried about these abductions while being blind to LTTE atrocities.Some believe the groups behind these abductions are close to the government.

The European Commission has allocated a further Rs. 667 million (Euro 5 million) in humanitarian aid to assist conflict-affected people in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan refugees in Tamil Nadu, despite the upsurge in violence in the country, even with the retriction of accessing to some areas in North and East.Addressing a media conference yesterday Mr. Wilson said that the new grant will cover basic needs such as shelter, water, sanitation and healthcare with a particular focus on vulnerable groups such as women and children.However, he said, that the Organization still has problem of access to vulnerable areas in the North and East due to security reasons and some other problems. “It has become more difficult to carry out development projects in some areas due to the restriction on access,” Mr. Wilson said.

Mr. Wilson also appreciated Sri Lanka government’s decision on setting up a mechanism to distribute aid to conflict-affected people.Conflict victims will be supported through a wide range of humanitarian interventions - shelter, food, food security, water/sanitation, basic items (kitchen and hygiene kits), healthcare, education, and livelihood support and protection activities, he said.Explaining the situation of the Sri Lanka refugees in Tamil Nadu, where 15,778 Sri Lankans are being sheltered, Mr. Verboom said.Funds are channeled through the European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) under the responsibility of Commissioner Louis Michel. In a statement Mr. Michel said that the Commission is extremely worried about the upsurge in violence in Sri Lanka since the end of 2005 that has a direct impact on the lives of thousands of civilians.

“We are committed to easing the suffering of the victims, but it is becoming ever more difficult to get help to the most vulnerable. There also have been attacks and murders perpetrated against relief staff. It is unacceptable. The authors of these appalling acts should be brought to justice. It is essential that the fighting forces comply with international humanitarian law and respect the dignity and human rights of civilians a well as guaranteeing the security of relief workers and preserving the ‘humanitarian space’ so that aid agencies can do their work,” he said.The new funding allocation is a response to the appeal for aid by the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and will benefit over 250,000 displaced and vulnerable persons.Since 2004, the Commission has given a total of €64 million in aid for victims of humanitarian crises in Sri Lanka.Resident Co-ordinator at Interim United Nations Amin Awad, Local Head of the European Commission Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) David Verboom and ICRC Representative Toon Vandenhove were also present at the press conference.

Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga who was appointed a senior consultant to UNESCO for education in Asia has asked the world body to exclude Sri Lanka from her area of responsibility, her office said yesterday. While initially focusing on South Asia, Ms. Kumaratunga requested that Sri Lanka be excluded, her office said in a statement. The appointment came at the invitation of UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, and UNESCO Director General K. Matsura.Ms. Kumaratunga’s office refuted various news items and insulting comments and cartoons carried in the government media, as well as the private media, saying she was pleading for jobs from international organizations.Ms. Kumaratunga said since retiring from the presidency, several governments and international organizations had invited her to attend many conferences and seminars where she delivered keynote addresses and that she had no reason to plead for jobs.

Judiciary not dead – Athaullah"

It has been demonstrated on many occasions that our judiciary is not dead. The judgement on North-East merger is another example of this. And I owe my profound gratitude to the judiciary on behalf of the people of the East", observed A. L. M. Athaullah, Leader of National Muslim Congress and Minister of Infrastructure Development and Fisheries Housing at Ifthar (break of fast) ceremony held in Oluvil.Further speaking he said "I have always prayed to the almighty that he should not take my life before I see the North -East is de-merged. And I have always held that the merger of East without the consent of its people is the worst form of terrorism. Now my prayers have been answered without a drop of blood. My thanks first to Almighty Allah and then to his judiciary."

Everyone including Rauf Hakeem subscribes to LTTE’s idea fearing their lives but the Chief Justice and the judiciary have delivered a bold, milestone judgement on the North - East merger. The judiciary has asserted William White’s statement - Justice stands upon power, or there is no justice, he added."The naked reality is the Eastern Muslims do not like the merger and the rest is politics. Just to fulfil the aspirations of one community, another community cannot be exploited and their aspirations of one community, another community cannot be exploited and their aspirations cannot be repressed. Today is a red letter day in my life. I do not have any aspiration other than this political aspiration. Now I am ready to accept even death the minister further said.

ITRO London expressed concern that the Sri Lankan government continues to impose restrictions and deny international humanitarian agencies and organizations access to the North East. The latest incident involves the Nobel Peace Prize winning ‘Doctors Without Borders (MSF)’, it said in a statement. MSF in a press release on 19 October 2006 stated that Sri Lanka's Ministry of Health had previously requested them to provide assistance to several hospitals in the north of the country, but that MSF had thus far only been allowed to begin activities in Point Pedro Hospital on the Jaffna Peninsula. It also states that MSF received a letter from the government canceling their existing work visas and ordered them to leave the country. As a result MSF withdrew the team from the Jaffna Peninsula.

A second official letter was then received stating that MSF could stay in the country until "further notice" but was "under investigation." The North East lacks adequate numbers of hospitals, doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel and so it is disheartening that one of the leading medical/health INGOs has been ordered out of the country by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL). The already critical health situation can now only get worse.It cited the latest in a series of events which it claimed has restricted humanitarian aid to the war and tsunami affected populations of the North East: In light of the restrictions being placed on the access of international humanitarian agencies and international staff to the LTTE controlled areas of the North East the questions of the "independence and neutrality" of these organizations and their commitment to "equity" in the delivery of humanitarian aid and assistance arises.

ITRO London appeals to international institutions, human rights bodies and humanitarian organizations to make representations to the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) to prevent the further degradation of the humanitarian situation. The situation is currently reaching a "critical status" and immediate action is needed.

17 ‘Action Against Hunger (ACF)’ aid workers executed in Mutur, Trincomalee district

Ministry. of Defence states that no work permits will be granted to the LTTE controlled areas for international NGOs and very few permits for Government controlled areas of the North East

Freezing of TRO funds – TRO was the last functioning NGO/INGO in many parts of the North East and this freezing seems designed to halt the work of the last humanitarian organization working with the internally displaced persons (IDPs).

The Free Media Movement (FMM)- Sri Lanka condemned the burning 10,000 copies of the Tamil daily Virakesari, and Metro News near Kiran Regional Secretariat 22nd Monday around 3:50 a.m. by paramilitary cadres alleged to be belonging Karuna group, in a statement released Wednesday in Colombo, political sources in Colombo said. Earlier in August, paramilitaries collaborating with the SLA threatened the owner of Surena Travels not to deliver to Muruges and Son Stores, Sudaroli and Thinakural news papers. On August 5, paramilitary cadres burnt the Sudaroli, Thinakural distributor's shop, Muruges and Sun Stores in Batticaloa, located 75 meters from the Special Task Force (STF) camp.

Free Media Movement ( FMM) registers its strong condemnation of continuing threats and harassments to Tamil language media in Sri Lanka. On 22nd Monday October 2006 10,000 copies of Tamil Daily Virakesari was burned by a para military group operating in the east of Sri Lanka relevant authorities Virakesari of V told FMM. This is the latest incident of series of killings, harassments and threats directed towards Tamil language media in Sri Lanka. An armed group of 10-15 men had stopped the private passenger transport bus and a van carrying the copies of Virakesari daily and metro News to be distribution and burned nearly 10,000 copies.The incident took place near Kiran, Batticaclo around 3.30 pm. Kiran is in the government controlled territory of Batticaclo.Karuna Group has political party offices in government controlled areas in the east and in Colombo, and protected by Sri Lankan security forces.

According to Tamil net website " The armed men took away bus driver's hand phone and asked him to collect it at the office of the Karuna group. Three months earlier the Virakesari Agents 'Murugesu & Sons' shop on the Main Street in Batticaloa was burnt down by armed gangs." Virakesari was the only Tamil language news paper which has been distributed in the east for some time now. Other two Tamil dailies Sudar Oli and Thinakural, were banned in the beginning of the year in Batticaloa and Amparai allegedly by Karuna group. According to Sudaroli management one third of their circulation has dropped due to this ban. FMM urge the government to take urgent steps to reverse this situation, so that Tamil language news papers will be able to distribute freely and people living in Eastern province of Sri Lanka will have the choice of reading what ever newspaper they like.

Free Media Movement -For more information -Sunanda Deshapriya – (+ 94)777 312457

India is happy but not overtly jubilant over a historic pact signed on Monday between Sri Lanka's two main political parties in a long-term bid to resolve the country's seemingly unending ethnic conflict. The Indian assessment is that the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the SLFP and the main opposition UNP to cooperate on key national issues is indeed crucial, but it needs to be watched as to where it leads to.The unprecedented agreement would prove to be truly path-breaking only if -- and policy makers emphasize it is no small if -- it helps in an ultimate resolution of an ethnic conflict that has bled Sri Lanka besides claiming more than 65,000 lives since 1983.

Nearly every time Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and external affairs ministry officials have interacted with their counterparts in Sri Lanka, the message has been time and again repeated, almost like a mantra.The last time this happened was in Havana in September when Manmohan Singh held discussions with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Nations’ Summit.The Indian establishment feels the SLFP-UNP pact would prove beneficial to Sri Lanka even if it results in their genuine cooperation on any of the issues covered by the agreement and not just the ethnic conflict.“With this agreement, we are not only moving to a new beginning in Sri Lanka but also setting an example in the politics of South Asia. We are moving in a new direction of political understanding and consensus, as seen in India and other countries,” President Rajapaksa said after the agreement was signed making a reference to India in a public statement.

The JVP - until now a staunch ally of President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday came out firing against the MoU between the SLFP and the UNP saying the MoU would not end terrorism completely but would create a political environment in favour of the Tiger terrorists.The party’s politburo in a statement said the MoU signed on Monday would drag the government further away from people’s mandate given in 2005 and gradually jeopardize the unitary state of the country.“It was reported that the two parties have already agreed to an Indian model of power devolution. We find this consensus was just to dilute the ongoing military activities towards ending terrorism and favour negotiations which would strengthen terrorism,” the politburo statement said.

It said if the consensus was meant towards specific strategy to end terrorism, the JVP would raise both hands in support.“Hereafter there will be SLFP-UNP rule. These two parties should face future challenges in unity. But we make it sure that this alliance will not bring defeat to the country and victory to terrorism,” the statement said.Meanwhile the SLFP yesterday said the MoU signed with the UNP was totally in keeping with Mahinda Chinthana programme of President Mahinda Rajapaksa SLFP co-media spokesman Vishwa Warnapala said in a statement that the MoU was not signed due to any unnecessary influence rather it was done in keeping with Mahinda Chinthana. Dismissing reports that the MoU would leave room for the LTTE to get the upper hand over the ethnic crisis, he said both the government and the UNP were committed to defeat terrorism.

Negotiators leave for Geneva

Negotiators for the Tamil Tigers have left their stronghold in the north for talks in Switzerland.Peace talks between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam(LTTE) are due to restart at the weekend. The four man team, led by the Tigers' political chief Suppiah Thamilselvan, travelled in a government military helicopter from Kilinochchi to the international airport outside the capital, Colombo. The government team for Geneva will be headed by the Health Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva. The Sri Lankan delegation for Geneva talks will leave tomorrow, government information department said.The delegation will include ministers Nimal Siripala de Silva, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Ferial Ashraff, Rohitha Bogollagama, Peace Secretariat Head Palitha Kohona, Gomin Dayasiri and former IGP Chandra Fernando.The LTTE delegation indludes S P Tamilselvan, P Nadesan, R Illantherian and N Pulithevan. Next round of peace talks will be held on October 28-29.A Swiss Embassy Spokesperson said that the preparations for the talks were 'well under way'. They are to take place at a Convention Centre in Geneva, the information department said.

Indian Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon is to visit Sri Lanka shortly, an Indian official told the Daily Mirror. The visit is part of Mr. Menon’s familiarisation trip to India’s neighbouring countries.The date and schedule of his visit are yet to be finalized but Indian High Commission officials said Mr. Menon intends making the trip to Colombo soon.Mr. Menon assumed duties on October 1 replacing former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran who has been appointed special envoy for the negotiations relating to the Indo-US Nuclear Agreement. He was India's High Commissioner to Pakistan prior to his new appointment.

Monday's agreement, signed by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP), to resolve the ethnic conflict in the north and east, subject to further discussion and ratification, envisages maximum devolution of powers to the "regional administrators." The tentative agreement, a copy of which is in the possession of The Hindu , avoids any reference to either a unitary or federal model. It does not even touch the much-debated "Indian model." Instead, it says that under the "power-sharing" arrangement, the role of the Central Government should be confined to subjects such as defence and security, foreign affairs, finance, elections, national planning and shipping.

The relevant paragraph reads: "The basic assumption underlying an equitable framework for power-sharing is that the Central Government would be invested with all the powers, functions and responsibilities essential for the effective conduct of the national policy in all fields [principally including, but not limited to defence and security, foreign relations, the national budget, monetary policy, elections, immigration and emigration, national planning, shipping and navigation and related matters], while other matters will fall within the purview of regional administrators." It says particular attention should be paid to fiscal considerations. Also, the regional administrators should have access to adequate resources for effectively discharging their duties. The document says that the cornerstone of the political solution is power-sharing on the basis acceptable to the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities and reflecting the experience in the past five decades.

Following the series of LTTE attacks on navy vessels and the base in Galle, the Navy yesterday imposed a ban on dinghies and small boats leaving or entering the coastal belt from Wellawatta to Uswetakeiyawa.Navy headquarters said dinghies and small boats were prohibited, due to security reasons, from entering or leaving the coastal belt from Kinross Swimming Club in Wellawatta to Uswetakeiyawa in Wattala with immediate effect. However, fishing trawlers and multi-day fishing boats will be allowed to enter or exit from the Modera fishing Harbour and Kelani River Estuary from 6 am to 6 pm everyday, the navy said.Earlier dinghies and boats smaller than dinghies had been allowed to enter and exit from the Modera fishing Harbour and Kelani River Estuary, but under the new regulations all such inward and outward boat movements will be taboo.

US Marines will conduct exercises with the Sri Lanka Navy later this month, deploying more than 1,000 personnel and support ships for amphibious and counter-insurgency manoeuvres with the aim of 'containing' growing Chinese presence in the region and to test its latest theories on 'littoral battle' without putting American soldiers at risk. Military sources said the joint exercises involving the 15 Marine Expeditionary Unit on the beaches in Hambantota in southern Sri Lanka are taking place where the Chinese plan on building oil and harbour facilities that were ravaged by the tsunami two years ago. 'Whilst the manoeuvres will put the Tamil Tigers on notice to engage seriously in the upcoming peace talks in Geneva, the location of the exercise clearly indicates that India too has signed off on the venture as a subtle warning to the Chinese not to unduly intrude upon the Indian Ocean Region (IOR),' Brigadier Arun Sahgal of the United Service Institution of India told IANS.

For Sri Lanka, however, US Marine training in amphibious warfare will equip its navy to counter the Sea Tigers, the world's only insurgent force with an aggressively operational naval wing that deploys custom-built boats which were launched in a suicide attack on the southern port of Galle Oct 18. The US and India, however, have long eyed with trepidation China's 'string of pearls' strategy in the IOR of clinching regional defence and security agreements to secure its mounting energy requirements, enhance its military profile from the Persian Gulf to the South China Sea and significantly expand its presence and visibility in the area. Meeting with senior Indian military officials including the three Service Chiefs in New Delhi earlier this week, US Pacific Commander Admiral William J. Fallon conceded as much when he expressed concern over Beijing's military build up in the region. But India and the US have frequently reiterated that their new-found strategic partnership is not aimed at countervailing China's proliferating military, especially naval expansion.

They also claim that though India exercises limited influence in the region, it remains the dominant, albeit 'hesitant', naval power and consequently has been 'anointed' Washington's junior partner in the IOR. The US along with other members of the Sri Lankan Donors Group, which assist with the country's post-tsunami rebuilding and in brokering peace talks between the government and the separatist Liberation Tamil Tigers of Eelam (LTTE), have been known to frequently consult with India on Colombo-related security matters.Washington has also long harboured a strategic interest in Sri Lanka, centred around eastern Trincomalee port, which it looks upon as a staging point for its naval assets stationed in and around its Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean. And to gain access to the 'strategic jewel' that is Trincomalee, one of the world's biggest natural deep-sea harbours, the US has 'persuaded' India to step in as Washington's 'proxy' to extend its influence over the port without overtly arousing suspicion of superpower hegemony.

Located on the busy East-West shipping route stretching from the Suez Canal to the Malacca Straits, Trincomalee controls the Indian Ocean. Earlier, through a combination of diplomacy, bullying and astute bargaining, a paranoid India had for several decades managed to prevent outside powers - especially the US - from gaining access to Trincomalee. During the Cold war years, the US had wanted to station a Voice of America transmitter in Sri Lanka as a precursor to using its warships using the harbour. But close Soviet