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31 October 2007 UNP calls for ceasefire with Indian help The UNP yesterday called on the government to seek Indian assistance and go for a cessation of hostilities with the LTTE.Briefing the media yesterday UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella said that the government however was unable to enter into a cessation of hostilities because it feared losing the support of its constituent parties. "The government is waging war to the agenda of its constituent parties. That is why the government for the past 24 months could not go for a cessation of hostilities with the LTTE," Kiriella said.According to the parliamentarian, a future UNP government would get Indian support for a cessation of hostilities, as it is the only way to find a solution to the crisis."It is the need of the day and we, as the main opposition believe that there should be a political solution for this two decade old war. Once the UNP comes into power we would go for a referendum for devolution of power and introduce a new constitution. Steps would be taken to bring down the CoL, protect human rights, get the international support and stop the brain drain," Kiriella said.Accusing the government for putting the lives of the security forces into danger by purchasing outdated weapons Kiriella said that the people of this country has a right to know the exact details of the war situation."Defence Secretary Ghotabaya Rajapakse claims that the people of this country do not need to know as to what happens to the war. This is hilarious. Whose money is being spent on the war? Is it from Ghotabaya Rajapakse’s personal account or from the hard earned money of our people? If the people can spend their own money on war the government has a duty to reveal the exact situation," Kiriella further stated.Meanwhile Kiriella also attacked the Defence Secretary for accusing the Opposition Leader over state media. "Post of Defence Secretary is a public post. A person who holds public office cannot accuse a political leader. But we should know that this particular Rajapakse who is a USA citizen got this most important job due to political backing and not through the normal procedure," Kiriella stated. Sri Lanka says kills 7 rebels in northern clashes Sri Lankan troops killed seven Tamil Tiger rebels in the latest fighting in the island's north, the military said on Wednesday.The clashes on Tuesday in the Jaffna peninsula and Vavuniya came just days after the rebels had mounted their biggest suicide operation backed by air strikes.Four rebel bunkers were also destroyed in Jaffna, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said.The Tigers were not immediately available for comment.An estimated 5,000 people have been killed since early last year amid near-daily land and sea clashes, ambushes and air strikes. The death toll since the conflict erupted in 1983 stands at about 70,000. Elections Dept. ready for polls in NE The Elections Department is awaiting a response from the Provincial Council and Local Government minister to hold polls to certain local government bodies in the North and East.Elections to 16 Pradeshiya Sabhas, two Urban Councils and two Municipal Councils in the East and one Municipal Council, five Urban Councils and 27 Pradeshiya Sabas in the North could not be held due to security concerns though nominations had been called. The government cancelled the nominations by passing a Local Authorities (special provisions) Bill recently. “Now that the obstacle to holding elections to these local bodies is eliminated, the Elections Department is ready to hold polls when the minister of Provincial Councils and Local Governments decides on the dates of elections. The minister must decide on the dates of elections according to the provisions of the Act,” Deputy Elections Commissioner P.M. Siriwardana told the Daily Mirror yesterday. “However, elections have to be held within six months of the passing of the two Bills and the minister has to decide before that. The 2006 electoral registers will be used for the intended local government elections to these local government bodies,” Mr. Siriwardana said. CWC proposes Hong Kong model for SL The Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) has proposed a special administration region in the north and east on the lines of Hong Kong to resolve the ethnic crisis.The CWC position on the ethnic conflict was adopted at the party convention presided by Minister Arumugam Thondaman on Sunday in Chilaw.In adopting the party position, the CWC also recalled the Hong Kong model solution proposed by the former leader Saumyamoorthy Thondaman.In adopting the resolution the CWC recalled that a special administrative region in respect of Hong Kong coming within the purview of the People’s Republic of China shall be an admirable solution that has led to two systems in one nation and that a similar system in Sri Lanka would effectively meet the aspirations of the Tamil people in the north and east."A negotiated settlement in the format of the Hong Kong special administrative region can see an end to the on going shooting war that continues to decimate young lives on both sides of the ethnic divide," the CWC resolved.The CWC also called on both the Government and the LTTE to cease hostilities and enter into meaningful and unreserved negotiations in order to bring peace and spur the economy for the benefit of the people. President promises political solution soon The government will soon bring about a political solution through the APRC, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday. He said history had proved that the ethnic conflict could not be solved by terrorism.Delivering the keynote address at the first convocation of Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, at the BMICH, the President said that the commitment of the government to bring lasting peace to the country was neither capricious nor wayward.“Our aim is to achieve lasting peace without giving ransom to terrorists. The people of the country must realise that we do not have narrow political objectives or agendas,” he said at the colourful and dignified ceremony.The armed forces have to adapt to the tactics of internationalized warfare as our forces are fighting against a globalised terrorism. That is why our officers require university education that trains them in the latest war strategies, intelligence and warfare, he said. “The Sir John Kotelawala Defence University marks a special milestone in our higher education. The highest accolade the armed forces can achieve is invincibility. Our security forces have achieved that accolade, not only because they are fighting the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the world but because they are fighting a humane war. The government has appointed human rights commissions to check on human rights. We have opened the doors for international human rights monitors to come to Sri Lanka and conduct investigations. We have also have given full freedom to the media to comment and criticise the government on any issue,” he said.Though the government makes every effort to bring about lasting peace through a political solution, it will never sacrifice the victories achieved by the security forces in safeguarding the motherland to reach that objective. A political solution will be based on the policies adopted by the government, he said.Development activities and resettlement have to be expedited in the liberated areas, in order to win the hearts of the people in these areas and emancipate them from the clutches of terrorism.He made an appeal that the military successes not be belittled, as thousands of youth had come forward to enlist in the armed forces and fight for the country. He commended the newly graduated young officers and said they would be the future leaders of the country and that the fate of the country lay in their hands.University Chancellor, General Denis Perera said training was one of the fundamental requirements to build a leader. Leaders were not born but made. He lamented that leadership qualities were lacking in our society today.Graduates who had excelled in their studies and final examinations received their special awards from President Rajapaksa.General Perera conferred 38 M Sc Degrees, 64 B Sc Degrees, 10 B com. Degrees and 5 BA Degrees at the convocation.President’s Secretary, Lalith Weeratunga, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Army Commander, Major General Sarath Fonseka, Navy Commander Rear Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, and Air Force Commander Roshan Gunatilake were present at the convocation. Tigers gun down 2 DPU intruders in Mannaar Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Tuesday said a roaming patrol of their border security combatants on Monday evening gunned down two Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) intruders inside LTTE controlled Valaignan Kaddu area in Mannaar district. Arrangements were underway to hand over the dead bodies of the SLA soldiers through the ICRC, informed sources in Vanni said. The Tigers have lost a combatant in the counter-ambush.A Claymore mine, two T-56 assault rifles, one remote control for the Claymore mine, one smoke bomb, two holders and two military kit bags were recovered by the LTTE. The SLA operated ambush units known as Deep Penetration Units (DPUs) are officially named Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) units, a borrowed terminology from the LRRP/Ranger detachments deployed for covert operations by the U.S. military during the Vietnam war.The Sri Lankan LRRP units are increasingly deployed to attack civilian vehicles in addition to military targets in the LTTE territory. Sri Lanka and China signs agreement on Hambanthota Port development Sri Lanka government and Exim Bank of China entered into an agreement yesterday pertaining to the construction of Hambanthota harbor. The agreement was signed under the patronage of the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. China has agreed to fund 85% of the Rs. 360 million port development project. Exim Bank of China provides a Buyer’s Facility amounting to US $ 307 million with an interest rate of 0.90 per cent. Anybody can wage war, but 98% people wish peaceful solution, says Kiriella United National Party (UNP) media chief Lakshman Kiriella said that the only option before Sri Lanka is going for a cessation of hostilities and finding a political solution.Every survey conducted by government and non-government institutes pointed to that 98% people wish a peaceful solution to the ethnic problem. Saying that the problem can be solved through war is nonsense and any idiot can wage war, he said. War is waged since this government has nothing else to market. Addressing a press conference in Colombo, MP Kiriella said that President Mahinda Rajapakse failed to bring a solution to the ethnic problem even after two years in power and the government's military solution is also delaying. "This government cannot go far like a kite that broke away from the twine'" he said, adding that the government granted no concession to people and time is ripe to evaluate the path anew.MP Kiriella said that contradicting each other, Defense Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwell said that three aircrafts were destroyed, Ministers said that eight were destroyed and the Defense Secretary wqas tight lipped so far. He said that the weekend newspapers gave out various figures such as 23 and 30 as number of aircrafts damaged and the country lost Rs. 6.6 billion due to the attack. The Secretary of the Defense Ministry said at a TV interview that everything about war is not needed to reveal to public, said MP Kiriella adding that people have the right to know the truth since war is waged from public money. He said that the Defense Secretary who is a state official came to the service from back door criticized the UNP and Opposition Leader unethically as he did not know the regulations. Kiriella further stated that the UNP was not against war against terror, but this regime puts the three armed forces in trouble by purchasing low quality military equipment covering to war. He said that the government could not lift the outdated Mig-27 aircrafts until the LTTE's toy aircrafts bombed and fled. The UNP media boss further said that Secretary of the Defense Ministry Gotabhaya Rajapakse acquired outdated aircrafts and put the armed forces in trouble. Shared intelligence accounts for SL Navy's successes The availability of real time maritime intelligence from South and South East Asian countries has been a key factor in the Sri Lankan navy's recent stunning successes against the intrepid and innovative naval wing of the LTTE."Both ASEAN and SAARC are now highly sensitive to maritime terrorism seeing it as a common threat, and intelligence is shared," an informed source told Hindustan Times explaining the Sri Lankan Navy's successful hits against the LTTE's Sea Tigers in the past year.The Sri Lankan naval spokesman, Commodore DKP Dassanayake, had said that in the past 13 months, the Navy has destroyed 8 large LTTE vessels, 11 multi-day trawlers and six to seven small boats off the North, North Western and Southern coasts of the island.Explaining the modus operandi of the LTTE, Com.Dassanayake said that munitions and dual purpose material were smuggled out in small boats and then put on mother ships anchored in mid sea. As these ships near the Sri Lankan coast, the consignments are loaded into multi-day "fishing" trawlers and then again transferred to small "fishing" boats and landed where-ever suitable."The availability of good internal and external real time intelligence and bold and innovative execution of action plans, have enabled the small Sri Lankan Navy to do a good job. They have achieved more than what they have publicly announced," a reliable source said.Most of the multi-day trawlers had been seized in the Gulf of Mannar, between North West Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu. But the big ships had been taken hundreds of nautical miles south of Dondra, the southern most Sri Lankan point, Com.Dassanayake said.However, some analysts say that while some of the big ships destroyed ( like the three off Sumatra) were genuine arms smugglers, others might have been pirates roaming in the deep seas looking for prey. Indian connection Asked if there was an "Indian connection" in the illegal activity in the Gulf of Mannar off Siluvathurai and Arippu, an analyst said that many of the items seized were dual purpose goods which were not banned as such. "Take ball bearings for example. They are good if they are used in bicycles but bad when used in mines! There is no law against manufacturing ball bearings and they are readily available commercially in India, as elsewhere. These may be bought and smuggled out. If there is an Indian connection it is just that the goods in question may have been manufactured or bought in India," the analyst said.But there is increasing surveillance by both the Indian and Sri Lankan forces. "There is a lot of policing in the sea between Sri Lanka and India. The Indian and Sri Lankan navies and the Indian Coast Guard are active, but there is no fool proof measure against smuggling," he said. Sinhala journalist shot in Colombo Two armed men who tried to stop the motorbike of the news editor of ethalaya.com, a Sinhala language website attached to the Sisira TV, opened fire on him, around 11:45 p.m. Tuesday in Rajagiriya in Colombo. The journalist, Kumudu Champika Jayawardana, was rushed to Colombo General hospital. The attack on the journalist of the Sisira TV, owned by one of the largest privately-held media corporations, the Maharajah Television (MTV), which runs three stations, comes three days after the Sri Lankan government silenced the five FM radio services operated by the Asian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), another private media corporation in Sri Lanka. The incident took place on Nawala Road. MTV Channel telecasts MTV English, Sirasa TV in Sinhala and Shakthi TV in Tamil with separate channels for each of them. Sinhala language websites have come under fire from the Government ministers. Sri Lankan Air Force pounds rebel base President Mahinda Rajapaksa's UPFA government, which has elaborate plans to rebuild and rehabilitate the East, has not, so far, included the civil society and elected representatives in the development process.Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Leader and Minister Rauff Hakeem has deplored the government's decision to have development projects in the East managed by the security forces and the police. Controversy over the New Flag Soon after the demerger of the East by the Supreme Court and following the take-over of the province by the armed forces, Sri Lanka government has designed a new flag for the Eastern Province. This new flag has caused much misunderstanding and confusion as the flag has failed to represent all the communities living in the East in a just and fair manners.The Muslim community, which is the largest ethnic group in the East now has raised serious concern over the failure of the government to recognize the identity of the Muslim community by not printing any symbols in the flag to represent the Muslims. Para Military Forces - harassing civilians Law enforcement authorities in many parts of the Eastern province are allegedly turning a 'blind eye' to the continuous complaints made against the para military groups. Despite several political parties in the Eastern Province taking up this issue with the law enforcement officers, it remains to be properly addressed.Most victims have now stopped complaining to the police and security forces as the identities of the complaints are leaked out. As a result, these families that are intimidated and harassed are suffering in silence. Muslims discriminated against Serious issues have been raised by Muslims of Batticaloa on the ongoing activities of the several international organizations assisted by the Government and the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) in re-locating displaced Tamils on lands owned by Muslims.After 1985, the LTTE forcibly occupied Muslim residential, agricultural and cattle farming lands – more than 35,000 acres in areas under their control. The GOSL did nothing to restore these properties owned by the Muslims on title deeds, government permits and paddy cultivation register. The displaced Muslims have suffered untold hardships during the last 22 years. After the GOSL cleared these areas from the LTTE, the TMVP with the help of the government security forces and INGO assistance, began putting up permanent houses, churches, temples and schools in the Muslim lands forcibly occupied by the Tamils, without any consideration for the rights of the Muslims who are the lawful owners of these lands. Koralaipaththu Central The Batticaloa District consists of 14 Pradesiya Sabhas and encompasses an extent of 2,633 sq. km. There are four predominant Muslim DS divisions and the land area - Kattankudi 3.4 sq. km. Eravur Town 3.89 sq. km., Koralaipaththu West (Ottamavadi) 6.84 sq. km. Koralaipaththu Central 6.50 sq. km. The total extent of Muslim land area is approximately 20.0 sq., km., which is less than 1.0% of the total area of Batticaloa District, where the Muslim population is nearly 30% today.Although the Local Government Commission declared Koralaipaththu Central - the area of historical habitation of the Muslims, covering more than 240 sq. km., consisting of 11 Grama Sevaka Niladhari divisions, the boundaries have not yet been demarcated. Eravur Most of the agricultural and cattle farm lands owned by the Muslims lie along the Chenkaladi - Badulla (A5) Road. Today, the entire area along this road has come under the control of GOSL. Eravur Muslims owned more than 12,000 acres. Arrangements are being made now to bring back the Tamils who have been unlawfully occupying Muslim lands and settle them permanently by the TMVP and the Government armed forces, without any concern for the displaced Muslims.During the ethnic conflict 1983, 1985, 1990 etc., more than 12,700 Muslim families were chased out by the LTTE and the Tamils forcibly occupied all the Muslim lands that came under LTTE control. The GOSL did nothing to provide any relief or pay compensation for the loss of livelihood of these displaced Muslims.Resettlement of displaced Tamils on Muslim land in, Iyankerni, Meerakerni, Mitchanagar, Hidayathanagar, Thakvanagar and Eravurpathu Pradeshiya Sabha would adversely impact on the peaceful co-existence between the Muslims and the Tamils in Eravur.Further, the Eastern University is making arrangements to acquire nearly 30 acres of land in the Meerakerni Muslim area, which is about 7 km. away from the university. Kattankudi Muslim Border Villages Ollikulam, Sikaram, Karbela, Palamunai, Kankayan Odai, Keechampallam are the Muslim border villages of Kattankudi in the Arayanipathi Pradeshiya Sabha. Displaced Tamils after tsunami and GOSL military operations to flush the LTTE terrorists in the Paduvankarai Tamil villages have been temporarily settled in private lands owned by the Muslims and the Mosques. Now the TMVP with the assistance of Government Armed Forces and help from INGO's are making arrangements to provide accommodation to settle the displaced Tamils who have come from Tamil areas, on land belonging to the Muslims and the Mosques, depriving the Muslims of the lands belonging to them. Kuchchaveli Kuchchaveli in Trincomalee District is a predominant Muslim area. Total population is 29,967 or 8,058 families. Of them 65% are Muslim (19,443) and 31 % Tamils (9,282) and 01 % Sinhalese (337). Of the Kuchchaveli Pradeshiya Sabha members numbering 9, six are Muslims and three Tamils.The Divisional Secretary is a Tamil for the predominant Muslim division. In the appointment of Grama Niladharies. 65% Muslims are given only 7 slots but the balance 17 GS are given to the Tamils and others who are only 35%. The average population of a Tamil GS division is 250 people whereas the population in Muslims GS is around 1,350.Iqbal Nagar is a predominant Muslim area. Due to the ethnic conflict, the Muslims were displaced during 1984, 1990 and 1994. In 2002, the Muslim refugees came back to Iqbal Nagar and are living under abject poverty. In the East of Iqbal Nagar almost 250 acres were forcibly taken over by the Eastern University. 50 acres from Thamraikulam and Muthuraimalai are allocated to and INGO by the Kuchchaveli Divisional Secretary for a tsunami Housing Project. 185 Muslims were promised 15 perches each but all all the plots were distributed to the Tamils and Tamil Government officers and nothing was given to the displaced Muslims.Of the 265 Muslim families identified as refugees, only 45 were selected for the NERHP projects. But all the Tamil refugees were settled in the new housing projects in Konespuri, Kopalapuram., Kumpirupity, Iranaikerni and Thriyai. Harassment of Pottuvil Muslims How the security of Muslims had been compromised for a political agenda became evident in the massacre of ten Muslims in Pottuvil in September 2006. The perpetrators of this massacre were well exposed by the public.The area of Radella in Pottuvil has been the bone of contention between the Sinhala and the Muslim communities, both groups accusing each other of encroaching on state land. Radella was abandoned during the conflict and was reclaimed by Muslims farmers. The STF was vehemently opposed to Muslims cultivating the state lands in the Radella area. Muslim tsunami victims It is widely criticized that the government has not treated the Muslim tsunami victims fairly. Ampara, the country's worst affected district is a glaring example of how ineffective institutions, political rivalries and misinformation can make a mockery of disaster management.Mutur, Kinniya, Kuchchaveli, Pulmoddai and Trincomalee town come under the Divisional Secretariat Division in the Trincomalee District, where thousands of Muslims have been affected by tsunami. Political confusion has greatly contributed to the mismanagement of relief. The LTTE held areas in the district have come under INGO relief and resettlement work. But Muslim areas have been neglected.The situation in the South is different. In Hambantota, the need is only 1,057 houses for the tsunami victims. But the donors have built 4,852 houses! Abduction of Muslim Businessman The issue of abduction and extortion of Muslim Businessmen was raised recently in Parliament. The Muslim politicians in the UNP took up the issue and demanded the resignation of Muslim Ministers. The Muslim ministers chose to trade allegations with the UNP saying that when the Northern Muslims were ethnically cleansed in 1990 during the UNP government, the then Muslim ministers did not resign. Wrong Signal Muslim Political leaders who joined the government to look after the interests of Muslims have miserably failed and neglected the issues confronting the Muslim community. They have tackled only Muslim issues that conform to their party politics and ignored others.The Muslim community is beginning to feel that they are discriminated against and the government is not interested in utilising its resources, when it comes to safe-guarding the interests of the Muslims. It is the Muslims who have been at the receiving end of atrocities by the LTTE for not extending support for the creation of a separate state in the North East. If the government and the security forces, too, cause harm, harass and their lives miserable, one wonders whom the Muslims can turn to for protection.Muslims can’t figure out the signals the government is sending. Is it that the government wants the Muslims to think on the lines of protecting themselves?Are the Muslims to believe that if they remained unarmed there would not be any respect or protection for them? What would be the consequences if the Muslims, too, pinned hopes on arms? The Muslims can no longer be at the receiving end losing more and more lives and property for no fault of theirs. It is time for everyone to realize the gravity of the situation. The government and the Muslim ministers must now indicate clearly without any hesitation that they are prepared to stand by the peaceful and unarmed Muslim community to redress their legitimate grievances before it is too late. 30 October 2007 Sri Lankan Tamil leaders call for India's immediate intervention in the Sri Lankan Tamil conflict Sri Lankan Tamil leaders have urged India to immediately intervene in the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict and to bring about an end to the continuing bloodshed in the island nation. Leader of Western People's Front Mr Mano Ganesan has said that if India continued its present non-interference attitude it would result in disaster not just for the Tamils but to India and Sri Lanka too. He said India should look ahead with foresight and intervene in the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict. Mano Ganesan, who represents Colombo Tamils in the Sri Lankan legislature and a leading campaigner against Sri Lankan government's human rights violations, said that when one pointed out Sri Lanka's human rights violations, India speaks about terrorism. He warned that if India takes a wrong decision in relation to the Sri Lankan Tamil problem, it would a leave a permanent blot in India's reputation. Leader of the Hill Country People's Front Mr P Sandirasegaran, who is a Minister in the Rajapakse Cabinet, voicing his concern about the situation in Sri Lanka said that only India possessed the power to avert a disastrous war in Sri Lanka. India, he said, is in a position to exert pressure on Sri Lanka and to bring about a peaceful settlement of the ethnic problem. Mr Sandirasegaran said that when other countries are expressing their concerns about the deteriorating situation in Sri Lanka, India merely issues some statements to placate the sentiments of the Tamilnadu leaders and the Sri Lankan Tamils. This Indian attitude, he said, raised serious questions about the weaknesses of India's foreign policy. He warned that if the struggle of the Sri Lankan Tamils is suppressed by the military might of Sri Lanka, it would have disastrous consequences for the Indian origin Tamils in Sri Lanka. National Organiser of the Ceylon Workers Congress Mr R Yogarajan called for India's immediate intervention in order to set in motion peace negotiations. Only India's mediation role, he said, could bring about an acceptable settlement to both parties. India's role in the past might have caused some unpleasant experiences, but he said, everyone should try to forget the past and come forward to make peace if a major disaster is to be averted. He suggested that a negotiated settlement on a basis similar to the "one country two political systems" policy as was adopted between China and Hong Kong could be the necessary answer to Sri Lanka's problem. Meanwhile, members of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), who represent the North East Tamils in the Sri Lankan Parliament, are planning an urgent visit to India in order to alert Indian leaders about an impending war in Sri Lanka. Reports indicate the TNA leaders are trying to arrange urgent meetings with the Indian Prime Minister and the Tamilnadu Chief Minister. They are first expected to go to Chennai for meetings with the Tamilnadu leaders. They are planning to meet Chief Minister Karunanithi and PNK leader Dr Ramadas before going to New Delhi to meet with the leaders of the Indian central government. Tamil National Alliance has appealed to India not to provide military assistance to Sri Lanka. TNA leaders are expected to explain in person the disaster facing the Tamils because of the impending major military offensive planned by the Sri Lankan government. 13 Tamil rebels killed in Sri Lanka , military says Sri Lanka Government troops and separatist Tamil Tiger rebels clashed in three areas of northern Sri Lanka - , leaving 13 guerrillas dead, the military said Tuesday. Soldiers on Monday night foiled an attempt by the rebels to breach the defense line in Muhamalai on northern Jaffna peninsula, killing eight guerrillas, an official at the Defense Ministry information center said. Troops killed two more rebels near the defense line of Nagarkovil, also on the peninsula, early Tuesday, the official said on condition of anonymity citing government policy. Soldiers also observed a group of rebels further south in Vavuniya district, and fired artillery killing three more rebels, the official said. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be reached for comment. SLN increases troop strength in Veala'nai Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) command has been transporting additional soldiers to the SLN camp in Veala'nai in the islets of Jaffna for the past three days, sources in Jaffna said. Soldiers are arriving in SLN ships from Mannaar to Kayts, and also from Colombo to Palaali by air and transported by road to Veala'nai, according to sources. Security has also been strengthened along the main road to Veala'nai from Jaffna town, and vehicular and pedestrian travels along the road have been restricted, to facilitate troop movement. Tension prevails in islets as residents speculate that SLN may be planning for an offensive towards Pooneryn.Islet residents also inform they have observed increasing air surveillance over the area during the past three days. Remebering Battle for Pooneryn 'Moving towards a military rule'- UNP Sweeping powers to OOC After the attack on Anuradhapura air base by the black tigers, president Rajapaksha appointed Major General Sanath Karunarathne as the overall operations commander (OOC) of Anuradhapura district. According to the Sunday Times news paper, General Karunarathna has sweeping powers in all military and political activity in the Anuradhapura district. He has given powers to command over Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Special Task Force and civil security department personnel tasked for operational duties in the district. Buddhist prelates may visit Wanni Prominent Buddhist prelates may visit the Wanni shortly following an invitation by Mannar Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Rayappu Joseph, a Caritas Sri Lanka spokesman told Daily Mirror yesterday. He said as a follow-up to the invitation, plans were underway to invite prominent Buddhist prelates from the South to visit the Wanni. The Bishop who met President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees last week had told the President that it was important to start peace negotiations to find a reasonable solution to the national crisis. UN sleuth urges Sri Lanka crack down on torture A U.N. investigator called on the Sri Lankan government on Monday to crack down hard on what he said appeared to be a widespread use of torture by security forces in their battle with Tamil Tiger rebels.Manfred Nowak, special rapporteur on torture for the U.N. Human Rights Council, issued his call along with a list of recommendations following a week-long visit to the country earlier this month on an official invitation.The high number of torture indictments filed by official bodies and the many complaints received by the National Human Rights Commission on the island "indicates that torture is widely practised in Sri Lanka", Nowak said.The practice, he added in a report issued through the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, "is prone to become routine in the context of counter-terrorism operations".Nowak said he appreciated the challenges the government faced in the violent and long-running conflict with the Tigers.But he said that on the basis of his findings, the authorities should investigate torture allegations against the country's Terrorist Investigation Department (TID) and speed up criminal procedures in torture cases.One way to do this would be establishing special courts to deal with torture and ill-treatment of detainees, Nowak argued.The government, he said, should "ensure that all allegations of torture and ill-treatment are promptly and thoroughly investigated by an independent authority" and establish an independent complaints system in prisons for torture and abuse.It should also ensure that confessions made by people in custody without the presence of a lawyer and not confirmed before a judge should not be admissible as evidence against the person making the confession, the investigator added. He also called for the abolition of capital punishment, or at least the commutation of death into prison sentences. Three Lankan refugees escape from camp Three inmates of the Chengalpattu Sri Lankan refugee camp, including two Lankan Tamils, escaped early yesterday. Police said the trio, including a local Tamil, escaped from the camp by scaling the trunk of a tree and jumping out of the 15-foot-high compound wall in the camp. The tree, adjoining the compound wall, had fallen down sunday following heavy rains. They were identified as Pattu alias Yesu Gunaraja (42), Thavaraja alias Suresh Siddhartha (28), the two Sri Lankan Tamils, and Vijayapandi (35) of Vilathikulam in Tuticorin.District Superintendent of Police I Periaiah, who visited the camp along with Q branch Inspector Govindaraj, said three special police teams have been formed to nab the trio.Gunaraja and Siddhartha were initially lodged in the Devakottai and Mandapan refugee camp respectively, before being shifted to Chengalpattu as he was facing several criminal cases. Vijayapandi had made a clandestine visit to Sri Lanka during 1993-94 and married a woman there. He was initially lodged in the Villupuram camp and shifted to Chengalpattu after he murdered a refugee there, police said. 7 drowned, 3 missing, vehicle plunges into Kelani river Seven Tamil civilians were drowned, three reported missing and four wounded when their vehicle returning after sending off a person at Katunayake International Airport, plunged into Kelani river at Kitulgala around 4:30 p.m. Monday, Police said. The passengers had come from Maskeliya in the Up-Country, Police said. The accident has occurred during bad weather at Kitulgala where the Academy Award-winning World War II film, The Bridge on the River Kwai, was filmed. Divers have been sent to the location to locate the drowned and the missing persons. 2 civilians wounded, SLAF attacks Puthukkudiyiruppu Four Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir fighter bombers have attacked Koampaavil, a densely populated residential area in Puthukkudiyiruppu in Mullaiththeevu district, Monday between 10 and 10:40 a.m., destroying two houses and wounding the owners of the houses, a 43-year-old mother and a 46-year-old man. More than 3800 students, attending the schools in the area, were forced to seek bunkers for safety.The wounded, identified as Yogarajah, 46, and Santhakumari Perinpanayagam, 43, have been admitted at Puthukkudiyiruppu hospital. Their houses were completely destroyed in the attack. Four Kfir bombers have dropped 18 bombs in the area, Tamileelam Police officials in Puthukkuyiruppu told media. Four houses have been damaged. Koampaavil is located 700 meters away from Puthukkudiyiruppu junction. Puthukkudiyiruppu has been continuously targeted by the SLAF. More than 3800 children were at the five schools located in Puthukkudiyirrppu at the time of the bombing and the students were seen scattering in panic when the bombers began the strike on civilian settlements. An Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) was observed above Puthukkudiyiruppu prior to the bombardment Monday. Lanka conscious of Tamil Nadu factor: Defense Secretary The Sri Lanka government is conscious of the Tamil Nadu factor in determining New Delhi's Sri Lanka policy, and it strives to ensure that the war waged in the island's North and East is directed against the LTTE terrorists and not against innocent Tamil civilians, Defense Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapksa, has said.In an interview to the state-owned Rupavahini TV channel on Sunday, Rajapakasa said that India's Central government would be able to help Sri Lanka fight LTTE terrorism only if Tamil civilian casualties were minimal, in view of the fact that Tamil Nadu state was home to 60 million Tamils."We have to make Tamil Nadu comfortable so that the Centre can help us," Rajapaksa said. Being President Mahinda Rajapaksa's brother, the Defense Secretary is one of the three most powerful persons in Sri Lanka."It is to avoid (Tamil) civilian casualties that the armed forces took time to liberate the East," Rajapaksa recalled. "And immediately after the area was cleared, we went about resettling and rehabilitating the displaced civilians. We kept the Indian government briefed about our objectives and strategies.We explained that we were striking terrorism while looking after the interests of the Tamil community," he said.And India understood what the Sri Lankan armed forces were doing. Sri Lanka had gained India's confidence. "India is very helpful to us," Rajapaksa said. The Defense Secretary's comments on state TV were significant in the context of an Indian agency's report quoting India's Army chief, Gen.Deepak Kapoor, as saying that India had supplied air defense guns to Sri Lanka.India had already supplied 2D radars, which, according to the Sri Lankan Air Force chief Air Marshal Roshan Goonetilleke had performed very well doing the recent LTTE air attack on the Anuradhpura air base. GOOD RELATIONS WITH S.E ASIA KEY The Sri Lankan Defense Secretary said that not just India but other countries, big and small, were also helping Sri Lanka. He mentioned Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand in this context and said that Sri Lanka was getting valuable information about the clandestine activities of the LTTE in these countries. "Sri Lanka had for long neglected South East Asia though KP (the LTTE's arms procurer) was living there. But thanks to the visits of our Prime Minister and Foreign Minister we are getting intelligence and we too are sharing intelligence with them," Rajapaksa said.In the past year, the Sri Lankan Navy has sunk eight LTTE arms carrying freighters which has greatly impaired the group's arms smuggling activities and its ability to challenge the Sri Lankan Navy. Experts believe that such a situation would not have been possible if Sri Lanka did not have good intelligence cooperation with South East Asian countries. 29 October 2007 Lanka lost 24 aircraft in rebel attack: Top defence analyst More shocking details of last Monday’s surprise Tamil Tiger attack on a Sri Lankan airbase emerged yesterday with a top Sri Lankan defence analyst saying that up to 24 aircraft were either destroyed or damaged.Iqbal Athas, correspondent for the London-based Jane’s Defence Weekly, in his much-read weekly column to the Colombo-based The Sunday Times newspaper, says only three helicopters survived the attack which was carried out by as many as 27 guerrillas of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, indicating some guerrillas managed to escape. The military said on Monday it found the bodies of 20 guerrillas and claimed that the air force lost only three aircraft in the attack on the airbase in Anuradhapura, some 168 km north of Colombo. However, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake, making a statement in parliament, said the country lost eight aircraft – seven in the airbase and one that crashed while on its way to the airbase from an airbase in Vavuniya in the north. But according to Athas, a journalist who is also attached to the CNN, two brand new Israeli-supplied unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), one Mi-17 troop transport helicopter, four Chinese-built PT-6 basic trainers, one US-built Beechcraft 200 aircraft which was equipped with sophisticated surveillance instruments, one Chinese-built K-8 jet trainer and one-Mi-24 gunship were completely destroyed.Aircraft that were damaged in the attack were one UAV, three PT-6 basic trainers, five K-8 jet trainer aircraft, four Italian-built Siai Marchetti propeller-driven bombers and one Mi-24 helicopter gunship. Only three Mi-17 troop transport helicopters that were parked in a distant corner of the airbase escaped guerrilla fire. Athas says his figures were based on interviews he conducted with Air Force officials in Colombo and in Anuradhapura. He says the minimum cost of the losses is estimated to be US$ 30 million. According to him, the guerrillas clad in camouflage uniform worn by security forces, armed with anti-tank weapons, rocket-propelled grenades, AK-47s, improvised explosive devices, suicide jackets, and satellite phones among other items, stayed put in a nearby abandoned house on a land belonging to a military officer, before they set out on their mission around 3 am. The infiltration was so easy that the task of penetration by cutting through the chain-link perimeter fence and a second razor-sharp concertina wire fence was achieved in quick time. Please stop your killings and go for talks TULF President V. Anandasangaree while strongly condemning the LTTE terrorist attack on Anuradhapura last Monday, urged LTTE leader V. Prabakaran to stop his senseless murders of innocent people and stop the sacrificing of innocent children and agree for talks accepting a reasonable solution. Anandasangarees letter states: No teacher strike Teacher Trade Unions yesterday decided to terminate the islandwide strike scheduled for today and tomorrow following a discussion with Education Minister Susil Premajayantha. Education Minister Susil Premajayantha said the trade unions were apprised the Government’s stance and the Cabinet of Ministers directives towards the settlement of this issue at this discussion held at the Ministry yesterday. The Cabinet had directed the Salary and Cadre Commission to directly involve in this matter and settle the issue before December 31. The Trade Unions in conformity to this decision agreed to give up their proposed Trade Union action, the minister said. Meanwhile, Mahinda Jayasinghe of Lanka Guruseva Sangamaya said their trade union action scheduled for today and tomorrow had to be cancelled as the Cabinet of Ministers had directed the Salary and Cadre Commission to solve this issue. The Cabinet has given an assurance to the TUs that it would mediate directly in the process of rectifying the salary anomalies of teachers after the consultation with the TUs if any need arises in future. Is LTTE toying with bourse in Colombo? Over a million illegal arms in Sri Lanka: watchdog Work on Sethu will go ahead - Indian Shipping Minister Indian Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, T.R. Baalu has said that work on the controversial Sethusamudram project will go ahead. “More than 60 per cent work in the Palk Straits, separating India and Sri Lanka, is over while dredging near the Adam’s Bridge, a 48- kilometre chain of limestone shoals that once linked Rameswaram in Tamil Nadu to Mannar in Sri Lanka, has been stopped following Supreme Court orders,” Baalu said. He said over 60 billion rupees has been spent on the project. “Actually as far as Palk Strait is concerned, it is 65-70 per cent complete. Overall, as of now, we have completed 8-9 million cubic meters in Adam’s bridge,” Baalu added. Earlier, asserting that the project will be completed by November 2008, he said that the first ship that will cross the Adam’s bridge would be flagged off by UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Journalist twin brother killed in mistaken identity The killing of Kangarajan Pradeepan on last Friday (26) in Jaffna has given rise to suspicions that he was killed in mistaken identity of his journalist brother. Pradeepan is the twin brother of Kangarajan Prashanthan who worked in Namathu Eelandu newspaper until it was closed in 2006. The news paper had to close down after its managing director Sinnathamby Sivamaharajah was shot dead at his residence Thellippalai Jaffna on 21st August 2006. Selvarahj Rajivarnam (24), another journalist who worked in Namathu Eelanadu news paper was shot dead on 30th April 2007. He was cycling to his work place when he was shod dead by unidentified gunmen on Rasaavin Thoaddam road in Jaffna. He has joined the Uthayan news paper as a crime reporter four months ago.Pradeepan was cycling to Jaffna city to his work place when he was shod dead at Browns road by gunmen on motor cycles around 8.30 am 26th October 2007. His twin brother Prashanthan too used to cycle on the same root to his work daily, but on fatal day he did not go to work. They lived in Kokuvil east, Kokuvil some 2-3 Km form Jaffna city.Jaffna sources told FMM that the twins look very much alike and it was very difficult to recognize them separately for people who do know them personally. Same sources told FMM that they couldn't see any reason for killing Kangarajan Pradeepan. FMM is afraid that Pradeepan was killed in mistaken identity for his journalist brother and journalist Prashanthan maybe in danger. Jaffna city and its environments have been under the Sri Lanka Government for nearly 12 years and all main roads are heavily guarded by armed forces. JMO takes responsibility for burial of LTTE cadres The Judicial Medical Officer (JMO) of Anuradhapura Ajith Jayasena yesterday said that he took the responsibility for the burial of 21 LTTE cadres killed in the pre-dawn attack on the Anuradhapura airbase last week. The Anuradhapura JMO said that he took steps in this regard in accordance with the international norms followed in burying decomposed bodies adding that that the bodies were buried in a manner that it could be exhumed for further examination purposes if necessary. Mr. Jayasena added that there were no facilities in the Anuradhapura hospital mortuary to keep the bodies. The bodies of the LTTE cadres killed in the attack on October 22 were brought to the Anuradhapura Hospital the next day and post-mortems were conducted for each of them from 1.00 p.m. till 9.15 p.m. the same day. 28 October 2007 APRC reaches consensus? The All Party Representatives Committee (APRC), which temporarily suspended its sittings last Tuesday has made ‘significant progress’ during the past few weeks, with the Committee reaching consensus on several vital issues such as the form of government, electoral system and the judiciary, The Nation reliably learns. Accordingly, the form of government agreed by the APRC would have a Senate consisting 75 members elected by the provincial legislature and the House of Representatives consisting 225 members, who will be elected by the people. The Prime Minister will be the head of government that will be formed by the party holding the majority in the House of Representatives. A decision has also been taken to restrict Cabinet and deputy ministers, under the new proposed constitution, to around 30 each. There will be a ceremonial president who will be elected by Parliament and there will also be a vice president. “Accordingly, in the event the president is from the majority community, the vice president will be from a different community, both president and vice president can’t be from the same community,” highly placed sources disclosed to The Nation. The parties which have had more than 50 long drawn out meetings on weekly basis have agreed to several of the proposals submitted by Prof. Tissa Vitarana, who is also the Chairman of the Committee. Vitarana’s proposal was drawn up in keeping with the experts’ panel’s majority report. Meanwhile, in several other decisions taken by the Committee, the APRC had rejected the concept of a constitutional court as proposed by the experts’ panel and had instead decided to continue with the present judicial system, which consists of the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, Provincial High Courts and other courts. The Committee had also decided that the electoral system will be a mixture of the First Past the Post system and the proportional representation. The APRC temporarily suspended its sittings due to the impending budget, and as the Chairman of the Committee will be out of the country on an official assignment. PRESIDENT FLIPS, OVERRULES BOGOLS An annoyed President Mahinda Rajapaksa last week overruled a posting made by Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama and decided to retain Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Belgium, K J Weerasinghe. The Foriegn Minister had also appointed his intended son- in-law for the post of Second Seretary in Washington. Former UNP frontliner (now Presidential adviser) Tyronne Fernando also seems set to lose his new posting to Paris after the President expressed satisfaction over the performance of Sri Lanka’s current Ambassador to Paris, senior career diplomat Chitranganee Wagiswara. Wagiswara had led Sri Lanka’s successful campaign for re-election to the Executive Board of UNESCO. At a poll held on Wednesday, the country retained its seat for a further period of four years, securing 130 votes.President Rajapaksa was told about Sri Lanka’s performance at the UNESCO election during the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. He had reportedly said that he had been watching Wagiswara’s performance. “The election was to be an acid test,” revealed an authoritative Cabinet source. “And since she had risen to the challenge, the President said he would consider retaining her in Paris.” Wagiswara was controversially recalled by the Foreign Ministry, three months before her posting was to expire. She was to be replaced by Tyronne Fernando. Fernando was unaware of the new development. “The President first spoke to me and offered me this post,” he asserted. “I haven’t heard a thing about this.” Weerasinghe - the former Director General of Commerce who is not a career diplomat - had also recently been recalled to Colombo from Brussels. He was to be replaced by career diplomat Ravinatha Ariyasinghe. But at the Cabinet meeting, Minister G. L. Peiris told President Rajapaksa that the GSP+ review was scheduled for next year and that it would not be in Sri Lanka’s favour to move Weerasinghe. Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, who had just returned from a trip to Brussels, also said that all top officials of the European Commission were appreciative of Ambassador Weerasinghe’s performance. “Sending someone new would not help the situation,” he told the President. “We need to keep people who have the contacts and knowledge on this issue.” This was supported by Ministers Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and Karu Jayasuriya. At this point, Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Bhaila (who was attending Cabinet in Bogollagama’s absence) said he did not think the new postings could be cancelled because they had been approved by the High Posts Committee of Parliament. The President reportedly responded that he had been in Parliament for 30 years and that he knew that the High Posts Committee only looks at the suitability of a nominee. “It doesn’t decide on a nominee,” he had said. “That’s my prerogative as President.” The President also held that, since a majority of the Cabinet of Ministers were in favour of keeping Weerasinghe, a decision would be recorded in Cabinet that the Ambassador should be kept on. “The President was annoyed and said he had told Rohitha not to change him (Weerasinghe) as he had already decided to retain the Ambassador in Brussels,” the source said. Arbour calls again for UN Rights Mission UN Human Rights Commissioner Louise Arbour last week reiterated that the establishment of a presence of her office here would go a long way to understanding the prevalent human rights situation.However, Human Rights and Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said that Arbour had not made any request to set up an office under the Office of the UN Human Rights Commissioner in Sri Lanka during her visit earlier in the month. "What the office could contribute would be a presence in Sri Lanka, acting under a full mandate, which could offer some technical assistance whilst filling the information gap. That would go a long way to satisfying the desire of Sri Lankans for a proper understanding of the situation in their country," the UN quoted Arbour telling the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) last week.However, Samarasinghe wrote to the American Ambassador here Robert Blake that Arbour had not made any request for the setting up of an office. "I must point out that the Office of the High Commissioner does not maintain an OHCHR 'office' in Sri Lanka. Any discussion of its 'expansion,' therefore, will be redundant. OHCHR's presence in Sri Lanka consists of a senior human rights advisor and an assistant working under the aegis of the UN Country Team. I would like to reiterate, moreover, that not once in her statement of 13 October did Madame Arbour request the establishment of an 'office' in Sri Lanka," he said in the letter. LTTE attack bursts govt’s bubble After a lull of several weeks, the war against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) took a dramatic turn last week with the attack on the Anuradhapura Air Force base, ending months of speculation about the striking capabilities of the Tigers.By any yardstick, the attack has had serious consequences. On the one hand, it was the first instance where the terrorists launched a combined ground and air offensive, indicating its strength as a fighting unit. On the other hand, at least eight aircraft have been seriously damaged or destroyed, which must be a severe dent on the capabilities of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF), not to mention the huge cost of the attack.The aftermath of the attack has been almost predictable. The government media, as it usually does, when incidents of this nature occur, has been working overtime to question the credibility of anyone querying the preparedness for the assault. It has even gone so far as to say that those who pose such inquiries are traitors attempting to demoralise the armed forces.The main opposition United National Party (UNP) meanwhile, indulges in its favourite past-time of ‘Rajapaksa bashing’, calling for the resignations of Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa with Air Force Commander Roshan Gunatilleke, added for good measure. Insecurities None of these postures are, of course, helpful and only indicate the respective political insecurities of the government as well as the opposition. More serious questions, however, loom and need to be addressed by saner counsel.One factor hailed as a strong point of the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime, was its determined stand against the LTTE vis-a-vis military operations, and its refusal to yield to the many demands of the Tigers, even in the face of serious arm twisting from the international community. Obviously, this was compared to the ‘bend-over-backwards-to-please-the-Tigers policy of the Ranil Wickremesinghe led United National Front regime, and earned brownie points for Rajapaksa from the southern electorate.The government was not shy to crow about its military successes either. It was stating its case, with the southern voter arguing that the war against the Tigers was the reason for the rising cost of living-not corruption, and not the burden of maintaining a humongous Cabinet of ministers either. And as evidence, it was citing first Mavil Aru, then Thoppigala and Silavatura, and finally, what it called the ‘liberation’ of the Eastern Province.The attack on the Yala sanctuary that preceded the attack on the SLAF base, was an indication that the LTTE was not as impotent in the East, as it was made out to be. But, if anyone needed any convincing about the terrorists’ intentions or capabilities, the Anuradhapura attack would have laid any doubts to rest. Bungle When incidents of this nature occur, there has been a tendency for successive governments to bungle, especially, in the publicity war that ensues. And so it did. Initially, the government was to announce that three aircraft were damaged or destroyed, but the Opposition was to counter that by claiming 18 aircraft were affected. Then, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake was to tell parliament that the number was in fact eight.Then, there was the issue of the alleged displaying of the naked bodies of LTTE suicide cadres, who had perished in the attack. The LTTE and its allied media network were accusing the government of parading the bodies of the terrorists naked in a tractor, through the streets of Anuradhapura. The government has responded saying that photographs that depicted such a scene had in fact been doctored. But, the irony must not be lost: here was a blatant act of terrorism by the Tigers, but the LTTE was now scoring points in a propaganda war, and has almost succeeded in putting the government in the dock! Military perspective From a military perspective, the inference from the attack is that the LTTE will use aerial attacks to try and weaken Colombo’s resolve to crush them on the battlefield. This is similar to the previous LTTE tactic of staging suicide bomb attacks in the city, when the ground war in the North entered crucial stages. Of course, aerial attacks would necessarily be fewer and far between, considering the logistics involved, but its impact is also that much more dramatic.For the government though, the more immediate concern would be the political fallout of the attack. It is no secret that the war effort of the Rajapaksa regime, is its saving grace. The masses have been told to grin and bear the burdens of the skyrocketing cost of living, because a war is on. The war is, of course, also a good reason to put other issues-such as media freedom, corruption, and abuse of power-also on the backburner. Promised land The promised land is a land without the scourge of terrorism, and sections of the administration –including those in the highest echelons of power-genuinely believe this is possible. They also believe that if this is achieved, the southern voter will pardon all of their other sins, whatever they may be. Last week’s attack though, burst that bubble a bit. The government would now have to prove that the current setback was just a minor obstacle in the grander scheme of defeating the LTTE. There will always be ‘knee jerk’ bombings of ‘identified targets’, but such announcements will convince few in the long run. If anything, the political tightrope that President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his regime are already walking, just got a little bit more difficult to balance. Teachers to go on strike tomorrow All government schools will come to a standstill tomorrow (29) and the day after (30), when teachers and principals resort to trade union action to urge the government to rectify their salary anomalies.In order to urge the government to heed the trade union demands the proposed general strike is to bring all school functions to a complete standstill, said General Secretary, Ceylon Teachers Service Union, Mahinda Jayasinghe."This trade union action is not against the innocent children of this country. The government on several occasions fooled the trade unions promising to rectify the salary anomalies but so far they have failed to do so. This trade union action is launched against the government," Jayasinghe said.Jayasinghe told The Sunday Leader that the trade unions have given enough time to the government to present a favourable answer but said the long spell of silence meant that neither the government nor the Education Ministry was prepared to give a firm solution to the teachers' grievances.Meanwhile, Chairman, National Education Services Union, UNP Parliamentarian Ranjith Madduma Bandara accused the government of failing to rectify the salary anomalies of the government teachers."They have been agitating for the salary rectification for a long period but the government has so far failed to give a solution," Bandara said.However, Defence Spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella at a press briefing held in Colombo last week said that the impending two-day strike by government teachers was unethical."Although the teacher trade unions are agitating for a higher salary structure with a salary rectification they draw higher salaries than that of the other public servants. This trade union action is unprincipled as they put the children in difficulty," Rambukwella said. Education Minister Susil Premjayanth was not available for comment. Black Tigers were working at the A’pura air force base? Initial investigations have revealed that one of the Black Tigers who took part in Monday’s pre -dawn LTTE attack on the Anuradhapura Air Force base has been working in the camp as a contract labourer under the project to develop the runway of the air force camp.Investigations have revealed that 164 civilian workers have been working inside the air force camp prior to the attack and no one has undergone any type of background investigation by the authorities other than the checking of their Identity Cards whenever they entered the camp.According to initial findings, one of the names in the Black Tiger list issued by the LTTE stating who took part in the attack is similar to the name of a worker who worked in the air force base under the development project. It has also been revealed that several lorries from Batticaloa had transported sand for the development project at the base. The Nation reliably learns that a security person who was apprehended on suspicion and made to retire after he was found guilty of being involved in the Ratmalana bomb blast had rented out his house which is situated in close proximity to the Anuradhapura Air Force base to several Tamil people.So far the investigation teams have questioned some 256 air force personnel including the Commanding Officer of the camp. However, when The Nation contacted Director General of the Media Centre for National Security, Lakshman Hulugalle, he refused to give details on the ongoing investigations citing that the report has still not been released yet. “Until the reports are out, we cannot make any comments on rumours as they will hamper the ongoing investigations,” he added. Arthur forced to record statement in Sinhalese The Criminal Investigation Department did not allow The Sunday Leader journalist, Arthur Warmanan to provide his statement in Tamil or English, insisting that his statement be recorded in Sinhalese, it has now been revealed. Warmanan who was arrested on Wednesday (24) night by the CID based on a complaint by Minister Mano Wijeratne, told The Nation that he found it “very difficult” to make his statement and answer questions in Sinhalese.Warmanan, who is an ethnic Tamil, was detained by the CID until the Mount Lavinia Magistrate on Friday (26) granted him bail and reprimanded the officers who had arrested him for making a mountain out of a molehill. The CID’s refusal to allow him to say his piece in his mother-tongue, is a grave violation of Warmanan’s fundamental rights, according to legal experts. Trincomalee celebrates Kumbam festival Houses robbed within curfew hours in Jaffna An unidentified group of armed men dressed in black fatigues with their faces covered with black cloth Friday night at about 8:00 p.m. entered at least three houses located within the boundary of Jaffna Municipal Council robbing the houses of cash and jewelry.The gang speaking fluently in Tamil and Sinhala targeted more than three houses along Navalar Road , Kantharmadam railway station road, and another residence near Jaffna Hindu College.The robbers first forced themselves into a house located on Railway Station road in Kantharmadam, where the inmates were assaulted with swords and gun butts. After looting the valuables including cash and jewelry worth many lakhs of rupees, the occupants were abducted in a car and taken to unknown destination. The armed group then proceeded to a house near Jaffna Hindu College where again the valuables worth many lakhs were robbed. Gun shots were fired during the robbery, neighbours said.The civilians in the area have expressed shock that these robberies occurred while the night time curfew was in force and pointed out that there was a large number of Sri Lanka Army (SLA) mini camps and check points in the areas where the targeted houses are located. The affected residents have already lodged complaints with Jaffna police. Robberies in Jaffna which had decreased in the recent times have a shown a sudden increase causing tension throughout Jaffna peninsula. LTTE weapons concealed in containers The special police team conducting investigations relating to the large haul of weapons, communication equipment and explosives detected recently has been able to elicit information about the LTTE’s method of smuggling such items with the connivance of customs officers. A group of hard core LTTE members who were arrested and under interrogation in connection with this case, has revealed how such contrabands are cleared-out of the Colombo Harbour meticulously concealed in food containers. They have also divulged names of a few customs officials who were helping the LTTE, smuggle arms and ammunition and explosives in this manner. Travellers with forged visas implicate deputy airport chief The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has begun a probe into an incident where Shalitha Wijesundera, Deputy Chairman of Airports and Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, is said to have tried to facilitate the exit of two Sri Lankans on forged visas to the United Kingdom.The matter came to light when airport authorities detained two Tamil nationals after a British official, assigned to the airport to ascertain the authenticity of visas to UK of passengers leaving the airport, discovered that the visas they held had been forged.The incident had taken place on Wednesday. It is alleged that Mr. Wijesundera had escorted the passengers, Balasubramaniam Prasannan, 20, and Ulaganthirajah Manimalar, 22, to the boarding gate. He had earlier had them cleared at the Immigration desk. SriLankan Airlines officials and the British official had examined the passports. It is only then that the detection had been made. The two men are held for questioning. Upon being questioned, they had alleged that Mr. Wijesundera was paid two hundred Sterling Pounds (about Rs. 52,000) for the help he rendered. They have also alleged that Mr. Wijesundera took them to the Lotus Lounge to wait until the departure of the flight was announced. Mr. Wijesundera declined to comment when asked by The Sunday Times. He said he did not wish to make any comments at this moment since an investigation into the matter was already under way, except to say the allegations against him were false. Government sources told The Sunday Times that Mr. Wijesundera is to be called upon to tender his resignation. 23 killed in Sri Lanka clashes At least 20 Tamil Tiger rebels and three soldiers have been killed in a series of clashes in Sri Lanka's embattled north, officials said on Sunday.Troops manning forward defence lines at Mullikulam, 270 kms north of Colombo, confronted a group of LTTE rebels on Saturday killing three of them while the rest fled, security sources said.The security forces also repulsed another rebel attempt to breach the defence lines at Palamoddai, north west of Vavuniya on Saturday evening, killing three guerrillas and inflicting heavy damage on the LTTE. Ground sources confirmed that an LTTE bunker was destroyed in the retaliatory attacks by the troops.Continuing their pre-emptive strikes near the Wanni Forward Defence Lines in the north of Uyilankulam, troops destroyed three LTTE bunkers, killing four rebels and seriously injuring 10 others on Saturday.In a separate incident, ground forces, in retaliation to an LTTE offensive, at Parappakandal in north-western Mannar killed four guerrillas.They also damaged two LTTE heavy guns, thereby dismantling the rebels' attempts to regroup, said military sources."Separately, in a location North West of Giant's Tank in Mannar, troops confronted an LTTE group killing six of them," security sources said. 27 October 2007 FMM calls on Govt. to let ABC go on air again The Free Media Movement says that the arbitrary action of the Government in suspending the five channels of the ABC Radio Network could set a dangerous precedent for undermining the freedom of expression in Sri Lanka and called for an immediate reinstitution of the licences of the ABC radio. Condemning the behaviour of the authorities in this regard the FMM in a statement says that Government should have conducted a proper and independent investigation of the actions of the ABC network with regard to the broadcast in question and taken appropriate corrective action without closing down an entire network depriving the public of information and other programmes offered by these radio stations.At the same time the FMM underlines the principles of social responsibility of the media and urges media personnel and organizations to be more careful and sensitive in publicizing incidents without complete verification. The statement further states, “the FMM is deeply concerned about this drastic action by the government not only because of what it indicates about the state of media freedom in this country, but also because of the impact such a sudden closure can have on the over 300 persons who are employed by the ABC radio network. “The reason given by the government for this drastic action is related to a news item broadcast by the ABC channels regarding a suspected LTTE attack on Ranminitenna, a village in Tissamaharama in the south of Sri Lanka. The ABC network promptly corrected their news story as soon as they learnt that no such attack had transpired. “In its communiqué to the ABC network, the Ministry has said that this action was being taken because the news item broadcast by the network had caused panic in the area. “According to FMM information, a number of other channels too have broadcast similar news items but the government has singled out the ABC net work for punishment. “The radio stations run by the ABC network have a reputation for broadcasting news that is critical of the existing situation. Its Tamil channel Sooriyan FM is one of two privately owned Tamil language radio channels in Sri Lanka . Sooriyan News director N. Kirupharan was abducted and released after 13 hours on 28th Aug 2006. In early 2006 the ABC network was warned by senior members of the government against broadcasting voice cuts of LTTE leaders. “We also call on the Ministry of Media and Information to adopt a more democratic and consultative stand in dealing with media personnel and institutions in the broader interests of democratic practice in Sri Lanka”. Karu Group to register as new party Five radio channels silenced The punishment does not fit the crime As a result of recalling the license Hiru, Sha, Gold, Sun and Surian FM services have had to be taken off air. Speaking to Sandeshaya the convener of free media movement said that the decision to put the ABC network off air is politically motivated.“The punishment does not fit the crime” said Sunanda Deshapriya convener of the free media movement He pointed out that the radio station corrected the news as soon as possible.“This is another act against the freedom of free media in Sri Lanka” added Deshapriya.Delivering a speech in Pollonnaruwa on Thursday President Rajapakse said that he is running out of patience with the sections of the media that are irresponsible. Omanthai opened on Saturdays to allow fertilizer to the Wanni The International Committee of the Red Cross said that at the request of the government and the LTTE, the ICRC agreed to extend its presence at the Omanthai crossing point to six days a week, ICRC Chief Toon Vandenhove said.The request to open the crossing point between government-controlled and LTTE held areas in Vavuniya upto Saturday was mainly to transport more than 3,500 tonnes of fertilizer to the Wanni region during the harvesting season. "The ICRC agreed to extend its presence at Omanthai to help the region's farmers. The extra day will make it easier for both parties to check the hundreds of trucks that transport vital fertilizer in addition to the usual traffic crossing the lines from Monday to Friday," the ICRC Chief said. The parties agreed that only convoys carrying fertilizer would be allowed to cross Omanthai on Saturdays.In August the ICRC agreed to extend its presence at Omanthai to five days a week to facilitate some 50,000 people and 7,000 vehicles on an average to pass through the crossing point each month. 24 youths charged with having LTTE links further remanded The Colombo Chief Magistrate's Court has sent 24 Sinhala and Tamil youths into further remand custody on charges of having had links with the LTTE and undergoing arms training and possessing explosives. The suspects were produced before the court today (Oct. 26th) under tight security.The Colombo Terrorist Investigation Division informed the court that advice was being sought from the Attorney General with regard to the suspects. Colombo Chief Magistrate Kusala Sarojani Weerawardena remanded the 24 youths until November 09th. Six soldiers, eight rebels killed in Sri Lanka Six soldiers and eight Tamil rebels were killed in four separate incidents in the northern part of Sri Lanka, a military spokesman said Friday.The six soldiers were killed when they were inspecting mines, which had already been removed from an area where civilians are to be resettled in Vavuniya, 240 km north of the capital.A group of de-mining soldiers had cleared a highly mined civilian area and left them to be inspected and defused when one of the mines exploded, the spokesman said.Earlier, the military reported that eight rebels were killed in three separate clashes in the Vavuniya area Thursday.Sporadic fighting in the north of Sri Lanka has escalated during the past month with more than 500 people dead. Black Tigers buried without court order Registrar of the Anuradhapura Magistrate’s Court Sujeewa Chithrangani Seneviratne said yesterday (October 25th) that the burial of the LTTE Black Tiger cadres who attacked the Anuradhapura Air Force Base had taken place without a court order.The bodies were displayed to the public at the Kadapanaha Junction while being transported to the Anuradhapura General Hospital for post mortems examinations on October 23rd.The judicial medical officer of the Anuradhapura General Hospital was notified to submit the post mortem reports to the court while the Anuradhapura HQI was ordered to seek instructions from the court regarding the bodies.However, the security forces have buried the bodies, paying no heed to these orders.Ms. Seneviratne confirmed the news reports carried by foreign media regarding this matter.According to international laws of war, dead bodies of combatants should be returned to the party of the dead. On such occasions, the ICRC acts as a mediator. Lanka needs 4 months to replace lost planes Sri Lanka's military will need up to four months to replace aircraft lost in a suicide attack staged by Tamil Tiger rebels, a top official said yesterday. Eight aircraft, including a twin-turbo prop Beechcraft surveillance plane were destroyed when a crack Tamil Tiger suicide squad struck a key air base in Anuradhapura, 210 kilometres (130 miles) north of Colombo, on Monday. "We estimate our loss at about 15 million dollars," air force chief Roshan Goonetileke told reporters here. "The Beechcraft alone costs about three to four million dollars, other ancillary equipment another six million dollars or so.... It should take about three to four months to replace our fleet," Goonetileke said. He said the air force's attack capabilities "have not been reduced in any way" and the fleet of Russian MiG-27 and Israeli Kfir jets remained intact. "The aircraft were hit by LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) ground attacks and not by their planes. There were many more aircraft at the camp and they were not damaged," he said. Goonetileke said the island's Indian-installed radar system had given an early warning. "However, the air defence system has not been installed throughout the country yet... about 70 percent is covered.... Some areas are vulnerable, some not. We can't protect the whole of Sri Lanka right now," he said. Goonetileke said sophisticated air defence systems usually took about five to six years to install, but Sri Lankan authorities are hoping to complete the process within a year. APRC on leave for two months The All Party Representative Committee (APRC) which completed its 51st sitting last Tuesday will not meet again for the next two months due to the upcoming Budget and the APRC Chairman Minister Tissa Vitarana going abroad to attend a UNESCO meeting.Despite holding 51 sessions this year, the APRC is yet to accomplish its assigned task of working out a consensual political solution to the national crisis. The Committee which met on Tuesday discussed the criteria for power-sharing with regard to the subject of environment between the centre and the provinces. Political sources told the Daily Mirror yesterday the original set of proposals for power- sharing put forward by Prof. Vitarana had been discussed at length. However committee proceedings faced a snag this year after the JHU and MEP, two parties in the ruling coalition, objected to the APRC opting for a federal structure in devolving power.The main opposition UNP has also suspended its participation in the Committee meetings until the government and its coalition partners came up with a common stance for the resolution of the ethnic conflict. President, Archbishop discuss Madhu Peace Zone proposal Archbishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Oswald Gomis met President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday for a discussion on bolstering security measures in the newly liberated Silavathura and also in Mannar. They discussed the welfare of residents of these areas and the problems they face. The resettlement of displaced persons was also taken up. The Archbishop and the President also discussed the possibility of declaring the Madhu Church area as a Peace Zone. Mannar Bishop Rt Rev. Rayappu Joseph and Madhu Church Administrator Rt Rev. Emilus Pillai also participated in the discussion. 26 October 2007 Tamil Tigers claim naval bus hit Tamil Tigers ruin Sri Lanka military plans: observers Sri Lanka prints Rs. 15.9 billion in the first three months of this year Central Bank of Sri Lanka issued new currency to the value of Rs. 15.9 billion within the first three months of this year, said Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle at the parliament answering a question posed by People’s Liberation Front (JVP) MP Anura Kumara Disanayaka. According to the Minister Rs. 24.8 billion was printed last year and Rs. 16.6 billion in 2005. However, the issue of money had decreased by 12.9 percent in the second quarter, as could be expected, the Minister said. Lankan Air Force pounds LTTE position in Vavuniya Sri Lankan Air Force fighter jets on Thursday pounded an LTTE base in the island's embattled north as the government vowed to continue operations against the Tamil Tigers following the deadly rebel attack on the Anuradhapura air base that left 33 people dead."The SLAF targeted a LTTE location which was identified as a threat to the Forward Defence Line at Periyathampane in Vavuniya in north," a defence ministry statement said here. "The air sorties were carried out in the morning following information from ground and air surveillances that were conducted for long period," it said, adding the LTTE sustained "severe" damages due to the air strike. Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wicramanayake said that two MI-24 helicopters, one beach aircraft, three small PT-6 aircrafts, one K-8 aircraft and One ML helicopter were destroyed by the LTTE during their attack on the Anuradhapura air base on Monday that left 13 soldiers and 20 rebels dead. One Bell 212 aircraft was destroyed by accident near the base in which two army officers and two other officers lost their lives, Wicramanayake told Parliament. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, in a statement, said the attack on the Anuradhapura Camp would not in any way upset planned military operations against the rebel positions. Rajapaksa, the brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, asked the main Opposition "not to play politics at the expense of the security forces" as the war enters a decisive stage. The remarks came as the Opposition United National Party claimed that 18 aircraft were lost in the rebel suicide attack against the military's logistics base in Anuradhapura. Vasudeva Nanayakkara calls for resumption of talks The Democratic Left front (DLF) yesterday called for a renewed effort to resume talks aimed at arriving at a fresh ceasefire as a prelude to seeking a lasting solution to the ethnic problem.“There is no need to invite foreign mediation to break the present deadlock. Our party is prepared to present the proposal for a new ceasefire to both parties to the conflict through the Socialist Peoples’ Front, DLF leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara said yesterday. “It may be possible to destroy LTTE’s military clout in certain areas. But there is no realistic basis for the government propaganda that there would be a quick end to the ongoing war.“We should remember what the military experts, political analysts and our Indian friends have said about the ongoing war: that not only neither party would be the final winner, but also one party cannot be decisively defeated. Even if the war comes to an end with a decisive defeat or victory for one party without the prospect of a lasting political solution, breaking out of hostilities again and again cannot be avoided. It may be possible to hold the North-East under the military sway. But such a position runs counter to democracy. Besides that would not be practical,” added Mr. Nanayakkara. 3 civilians killed, 9 wounded in SLA shelling on IDP settlement Three civilians, two of them belonging to a single family and an 8-months pregnant mother, were killed and nine wounded when Sri Lanka Army (SLA) fired artillery shells hit a shelter hut in the settlement of Internally Displaced People (IDPs) at Periyamadu in Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled Mannaar Thursday around 11:00 a.m. The wounded mother was struggling to give sudden birth to her child killed in her womb and the IDPs who were helping the young mother, became victims of the second wave of artillery shelling. Nine IDPs, including the 3-year-old son of the pregnant mother, a couple, their 13-year-old daughter and two other children, were wounded in the artillery attack. The victims were Internally displaced families who had moved from Adampan due to artillery shelling by the SLA. More than 530 civilians from 42 families displaced from Va'n'naangku'lam in Adampan were living in the temporary huts at Periyamadu. The wounded victims were rushed to Pa'l'lamadu hospital, 18 km away from the IDP settlement, and later transferred to other hospitals. Victims killed were identified as Parimalam Selvanathan, 20, the pregnant mother, Somasundaram Jeyabalasingam, 61, and his 9-year-old girl Kowsalya Jeyabalasingham. Meanwhile, the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) in a press release issued Thursday said the IDP facility was run by the TRO. The wounded victims were: Four suspected Sea Tigers nabbed by Indian Navy The Indian Navy arrested four suspected Sea Tigers fleeing in a speed-boat in the Olaikuda waters near Pisasumunai, off the Rameswaram coast. According to Mr. N.K. Singh of the naval detachment in Rameshwaram, the naval patrol boats had stepped up vigil on Monday night following an alert from their ship in deeper waters about a suspect speed-boat in the region. It was, however, not possible to identify it as it was hidden among scores of boats engaged in fishing in the area. But with heavy rain accompanying the break of dawn, the fishing vessels began to return to Rameswaram and it then became possible to locate the speed-boat, Mr. Singh said.A long chase on the high seas followed and the boat was finally stopped by the naval patrol vessels. The four occupants of the speed-boat were picked up for questioning. Initially, they said they were fishermen from Nallur in Jaffna and had drifted towards the Tamil Nadu coast when their boat ran out of fuel. This claim was false since the boat was in full-throttle when challenged by the naval craft and came to a halt only after a chase.They gave their names as Kandeepan (21), Bhuvaneswaran (28), Sudershan (24) and Ilayaraja (29). All four were handed over to the police and detained at the Rameswaram temple police station, where officials of the state ‘Q’ branch police and the Central Intelligence Bureau, besides RAW, are questioning them.“We suspect that the four men could be Tigers,” said Mr. Singh. Police officials are of the same view as well, pointing out that the two onboard engines (Yamaha 25HP and Suzuki 15HP) are not the kind used for fishing. Also, the boat had no fishing gear or nets when apprehended. One of Ilayaraja’s left hand fingers was missing and when questioned, he said he had lost it in an accident while repairing a farm tractor. “It is common for militants to suffer such mishaps during war operations,” an investigating officer said. “With the war escalating in north Lanka, we have stepped up our vigil in the sea on our side,” Mr. Singh said. Vanni commemorate 21 Black Tigers Liberation Tigers have promoted the rank of one the 21 Black Tiger elite commandos who took part in the raid on Sri Lankan airbase in Anuradhapura, posthumously from Major to Lieutenant Colonel, acknowledging his role in the commando operation, sources in Vanni said. Three Lieutenant Colonels, six Majors, 12 Captains and one Lieutenant rank Black Tigers have taken part in the operation. Major Mathivathanan (B. Thayaaseelan) has been promoted to Lt. Col. rank.One of the last letters written by another Black Tiger commander, Lt. Col. Ilangko, who led an attack team into Anuradhapura airbase, was made available to media in Ki'linochchi on Wednesday. In his letter, dated 09 October 2007, probably with instructions to release once they succeed in the mission, Lt. Col. Ilangko writes: "All of you are seeing for yourself what the Sinhala fascists are upto."We will certainly achieve our liberation in the times of our leader. But, it needs the contribution of everybody."We became Black Tigers, with full awareness of everything."We are going to meet the Lions who bomb us from the sky, in their own lair. They should realize our sufferings."We now have all the conventional forces. Hereafter, it is you, who have to continue the struggle ahead."We have proved our capability. We will continue to strike. Tell those chauvinists that we will never stop."Leader is there to guide. Eezham can be expedited if you all mobilize yourself with willpower." 'Sunday Leader' journalist has remanded: Sub Editor to CID A new method of suppressing the media persons who criticize the top to bottom corruption in the government has been commenced.Under the new scheme, 'Sunday Leader' journalist Arthur Vamanan Swarnasingham was taken into custody yesterday (24) evening following a complaint by a government Minister and he was to produce before a magistrate today has remanded. Enterprises Development Minister Mano Wijerathna lodged a complaint at Wellawaththa Police Station last 21 stating that a journalist of Sunday Leader asked him to pay Rs. five million ransom not to publish a news on paying mobile phone bill of the Minister’s wife through Gems and Jewelry Authority funds. Sunday Leader on 21st reported that the phone bill Rs. 80,717 of number 077 7 272326 belonged to the wife of the Minister was paid by the Gems and Jewelry Authority through a voucher numbered 1818 dated September 28 mentioning that the Minister's mobile phone bill is paid. The Sub Editor of the Investigative News Section of Sunday Leader Dilrukshi Handunneththi was also called to CID for interrogation. She is still in CID and the documents pertaining to the news of Minister's wife's mobile phone bill was also taken to CID.'Sunday Leader' Editor-in-Chief Lasantha Wickramathunga said to 'Lanka-e-News' that this is the newest way of hunting media to cover corruption. He said that the relevant politician could lodge a complaint on asking for a ransom just as a journalist questioned about a malpractice. Rajapakse regime put forward a cabinet paper to enact Criminal Defamation Law through Minister Dilan Perera and the Minister later protested the Ministry Secretary for not making him aware of it in advance. It was taken aback due to protest of local and international media organizations.CID arrested Mawbima journalist Parameswari Munisami on allegations over abetting terrorism and the courts later acquitted and released her. Sunday Times defense columnist iqbal Athas was branded a traitor as he revealed the secrets behind the Mig-27 deal. The three journalists including Vamanan do not belong to the majority community. 25 October 2007 Sri Lanka rejects US call for international rights monitors The Sri Lankan government Wednesday rejected a call by the United States for the United Nations to place a human rights monitoring team in the South Asian country to check on alleged abuses. "The government has on several occasions, made its view clear that an international monitoring mission is unwarranted and unacceptable at present," Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe in a letter addressed to Robert Blake, the U.S. ambassador in Sri Lanka. The U.S. urged Sri Lanka on Monday to reconsider its decision not to allow the United Nations to base a human rights monitoring group in this island nation, which has been locked in a more than two-decade-long civil conflict. A 2002 cease-fire with ethnic Tamil rebels collapsed almost two years ago, and more than 5,000 people have died in the renewed fighting. Additionally, U.S.-based Human Rights Watch reports that more than 1,100 abductions or "disappearances" were reported between January 2006 and June 2007, many blamed on the government and its armed allies. Samarasinghe's letter was sent in response to Monday's statement by State Department spokesman Sean McCormack who quoted an assessment by Louise Arbour, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, that Sri Lanka's humanitarian situation is deteriorating. "An international human rights presence in Sri Lanka would be an important step in improving human rights, accountability, and the rule of law, and ultimately resolving the conflict in Sri Lanka," McCormack said. On Oct. 13, Arbour decried "the weakness of the rule of law and prevalence of impunity" in Sri Lanka. She implicitly endorsed the idea of sending a U.N. rights monitoring group, which the Sri Lanka government has rejected. The Sri Lankan government contends it has adequate rights protections in place, including a national rights advisory panel. Four of the 10 members of the panel quit Saturday because they said their advice was ignored, and that the government used the existence of the panel as proof that it cares about its people's human rights. 'Eight Lankan planes' destroyed | ||
