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30Septemper 2007 Military solution not the answer India, US, tell Rajapaksa The United States and the Indian governments have demanded from President Mahinda Rajapaksa, not to pursue a military solution to the country’s over two decade long ethnic conflict. During meetings held between Rajapaksa, and India’s External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and US Under- Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns in New York last week, the two countries had campaigned for a political solution to Lanka’s ethnic problem. They were of the opinions that, the Sri Lankan ethnic conflict should be resolved by power sharing political solution, and not by military actions alone.Meanwhile, during a separate meeting with Norwegian International Development Minister Erik Solheim, a former special peace envoy to Sri Lanka, President Rajapaksa stated that his Government has always favored negotiations and was ready for talks if the LTTE so desired.The President also pledged to the international power players, that his government is expected to introduce a political solution to solve the country’s decades long ethnic conflict by the end of this year, and was thus ready to resume peace talks with LTTE. Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, President Rajapaksa stated that his government’s goal remains a negotiated and honorable end to this unfortunate conflict.“We launched military operations only to exert pressure on terrorists in order to convince them that it will not be possible for them to obtain a military victory” he said.Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama also told the UN Press Corps at the UN Headquarters on Wednesday that President Rajapaksa had set up an all-Party Representative Committee, which was working in finding a solution to the problem. “The Government was pursuing the goal of a greater devolution of power at the provincial and district levels, and would shortly be in a position to announce its devolution proposals,” Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama disclosed.Asked about prospects for the resumption of peace negotiations, he said the Government was ready to resume the talks, but that the LTTE had failed in the past to respond to genuine efforts to resolve the conflict. Norwegian facilitators were now trying to restart the talks and, with greater pressure from the international community, the process could hopefully be revitalized soon. UNP stands for credible power sharing The United National Party believes that long lasting peace is possible only through a negotiated political solution based on a credible power sharing proposal acceptable to all communities. The Party's Annual Conventions of 2004 and 2006 reiterated this position. These policies were set out and further developed by Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Leader of the Party and Leader of the Opposition, when he delivered the J. R. Jayewardene commemoration lecture. He made the following observations: We must oppose separatism Terrorism requires a military response The causes leading to separatism require a political solution There must be contingency plans to deal with any breakdown in negotiations or when there are obstacles to a political solution. This should include both political and security components. We must take steps to obtain the support of all parties and work wholeheartedly to ensure the success of the peace process.A negotiated political solution must be based on: renunciation of violence; human rights and democracy. It must also accommodate the legitimate aspirations of all communities. The political solution must address: The grievances of Tamils; The fears of Muslims in the north east regarding ethnic cleansing; The concerns of some sections of the Sinhalese that devolution will lead to separatism; The political solution must be acceptable to the Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Burghers and other small ethnic communities. It must also have the support of the international community. A political solution must safeguard the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and the sovereignty of the people. It must also protect the rights of the minorities. We must be innovative and evolve a new constitutional model reflecting our own experiences. The present system (the 13th Amendment) is based on the provinces. Therefore we have to determine whether provinces will be the unit of devolution for the future. If new units of devolution are being demarcated, it should be based on political, social and economic criteria. There must be credible power sharing between the national government Regional/Provincial Councils and Local Authorities. The centre must retain the powers needed for the effective functioning of the national government. The other powers must be vested to the other two levels. People living in the north have expressed fears that powers vested in the Region/Province may be taken away by a future parliament. People in the south have a concern that the party in power at the centre will take away the powers of the Regional/Provincial Councils controlled by opposition parties. Similarly, local authorities are worried that the party in power in the Region/Centre will take away their powers. Therefore, it is necessary to have a system to safeguard the devolved powers. We have to give our attention not only to legal principles but also to practical problems. These proposals must make provision for sharing of power at the centre between the national government and the Regional/Provincial administrations. The Co-Chairs and India must be requested to arrange for cessation of hostilities and resumption of talks. In order to create an appropriate environment for talks it is essential, that all parties agree to uphold human rights. Investigations be carried out into the abductions and disappearances and remove the culture of impunity, immediate resolution of outstanding humanitarian issues, and guarantee all democratic rights. The Ceasefire Agreement must be amended taking into account the present situation in the north - east and the experiences of the last few years. The environment today is far different from that of 2002 when the CFA was signed. A Muslim delegation must participate at the peace talks as agreed.We have to structure the entire peace process: Talks with the LTTE; talks with all other parties and group. During this period we must also maintain a close relationship with India and the international community.A political solution must be acceptable to all communities. Thereafter, it must be accepted by the people at a referendum. Once a negotiated political solution is accepted at a referendum, a constitutional amendment incorporating a political solution will be passed by parliament. This constitutional amendment will have to be approved by the people at a second referendum. UNP’s federal shift irks Mangala Former Minister Mangala Samaraweera was visibly distressed at the UNP’s sudden decision to change its stance on the issue of federalism as a political solution to the ethnic conflict, insiders told The Nation yesterday. The former Foreign Minister, who has long been an advocate of devolving power within a federal structure, is reported to have held several crisis telephone conversations with UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a bid to convince the UNP to revert to its old position. During these discussions with the UNP Leader, Samaraweera is reported to have cautioned Wickremesinghe, urging him not to gather extremist forces around him in this effort to bring about the fall of the Rajapaksa administration, since it would be detrimental to the country in the long run. “The President is already toeing this line; we don’t need to adopt the same policies or there would be no difference between us, and we might as well support the government,” Samaraweera told Wickremesinghe and other senior UNPers, according to informed sources. The former Minister told Wickremesinghe that a political solution to the north east problem would only be possible through broad devolution of power within a united state, and that the UNP’s commitment to this position should remain unchanged in order to keep the people’s confidence. Samaraweera took some time off from politics, to take up residence at the Dutch House in Galle, where he met with several close advisors and confidants to discuss his political future. Sources said that many of these advisors had urged Samaraweera to refrain from being hasty and stay in the wings as long as it was necessary, so that when a new government was to be created, it would be a strong one with the peoples backing. Thondaman plans CWC shuffle The top leadership of the crisis-ridden Ceylon Workers’ Congress (CWC) officials has stepped down on the orders of party leader Arumugam Thondaman, so that he could reshuffle the positions amidst growing differences over whether to accept cabinet ministerial positions or remain as an independent group in Parliament.Mr. Thondaman on Friday instructed those holding party posts to step down, enabling him make the changes at the national convention likely to be held in October. The convention is held every three years. Accordingly, except Mr. Thondaman, who holds the posts of President and General Secretary, and Treasurer Muttu Sivalingam, all others, including the five Vice Presidents, stepped down on Friday.The Sunday Times learns that changes are to be made within the party and among them is to be the replacement of M.S. Sellasamy on health reasons. He returned from India two days ago after eye surgery.The changes within the party come into place with the increasing differences among senior members about their decision to withdraw from the Cabinet. Three former Vice Presidents, Mr. Sellasamy, Muttu Sivalingam and R. Yogararjan, are among those who have taken up the position that the party should unconditionally support the government and accept the ministerial and deputy minister positions.One of the main issues concerning the party members has been the government going ahead to negotiate for a wages structure for the estate labourers, despite the CWC signing a collective agreement with the plantation companies in November last year agreeing that there would be no wage increase for the next two years.But, Labour Minister Athuda Seneviratne told Sunday Times yesterday that the Labour ministry on the instructions of President Rajapaksa was discussing with the plantation companies a wage increase for the estate workers.“We will be able to reach a consensus soon with the companies,” Mr. Seneviratne said. This is the first time the government has initiated discussions with plantation companies to work out a wage increase. The CWC also has been facing a crisis due to the inability to keep to its promises to the estate workers, after it withdrew from the ministerial and deputy ministry positions in August.The government has stepped up development activities in the estate sector in an apparent bid to woo the estate workers. The Government has decided to allocate Rs. 3,500 million to develop hospitals in the estate sector and appoint 200 Tamil speaking employees to hospitals there. Several electricity projects have also been launched. Some of the CWC initiated projects in the estate sector including housing development projects are being now directly handled by the government. Mervyn’s twin rocks Puttalam For the second time in two weeks, a government minister has threatened to use his personal pistol, provided to him by the State for use in self defence, to ward off a political opponent or impediment in his way. The fact that her elected representatives are brandishing fire arms menacingly in broad daylight is but further proof of the utter degradation of the Sri Lankan political system and the complete break down of law and order. Can anyone say Banana Republic?It is safe to say that not many members of the public had any idea who on earth K.A. Baiz was, until last week. With so many defections and new parties from among the minority political groups, who could keep up? However, last week, Sri Lanka Muslim Congres (SLMC) National Organiser and Deputy Minister of Livestock Development in the Rajapaksa Administration, Baiz, sprang into the limelight and notoriety, when he flaunted his pistol before large crowds in Puttalam and threatened to shoot a fellow Muslim minister, if he were to set foot in the district again. The controversy was sparked off when several Puttalam District MPs, pradeshiya sabha members and North Western Provincial Council (PC) members attended a meeting on September 23, at the Government Agents circuit bungalow in Puttalam, to discuss a World Bank project aimed at providing housing for the northern displaced persons living in Puttalam since 1995. Bathiudeen told The Nation that the meeting had been called to work out the details of the housing scheme for Muslims evicted by the LTTE, from the north.The minister claimed that Baiz had interrupted the meeting saying more houses needed to be allocated to native Muslims of Puttalam. Minister Bathiudeen, a refugee himself, was keen to get the housing problems sorted for the displaced community that has been languishing in temporary shelters for more than a decade. However, Baiz, who also hails from Puttalam, vehemently opposed the fact that the displaced families were to be given Rs. 250,000 each, to construct their houses, while other impoverished and homeless families in the area, would be given grants of Rs. 150,000 each. The Deputy Minister began to speak in derogatory terms of the Jaffna Muslims, who had been displaced and living in Puttalam since 1995, accusing them of overpopulating the area and eating into the resources and facilities available there. “Because of the IDPs, our people have to stand in line in hospitals to get medicine,” Baiz said, shortly before he began abusing Minister Bathiudeen in undignified language. Calling him a refugee, Baiz began to threaten Bathiudeen, and when elderly PC members attempted to calm the situation down, the angry Deputy Minister lashed out at them as well. Baiz then left the bungalow, urging Bathiudeen to take the fight outside. When Minister Bathiudeen’s STF security officer attempted to calm Baiz down, the incensed Deputy Minister lashed out at the officer, hitting out at him. Despite the provocation, the STF officer merely waved Baiz away.Baiz then organised a protest against Bathiudeen, comprising largely of his supporters, during which he used his own pistol to shoot holes in an effigy of Bathiudeen and then proceeded to burn the effigy. During the protest, Baiz is reported to have threatened Minister Badiutheen, brandishing his pistol and daring him to return to Puttalam. Refusing to end the spat there, the next day, Baiz went around town demanding that all Muslim stores and business in Puttalam shut down in a ‘harthal’, to protest against the ‘refugee community’ which had threatened him. According to North Western PC member and high command member of the SLMC S.H.M. Niyas, Baiz and his supporters entered the Puttalam Grand Mosque and threatened the Chairman and Board of Trustees into calling a harthal. Niyas says that Baiz and his fellows had also forced Puttalam District Jamaithul Ulema leader and the principal of the Puttalam Al-Qassimiya Arabic College to issue a statement in his defence. The very next day, upon being told the facts of the incident, the statements were retracted and the mosque called off the harthal. Baiz alleges that he objects to district politicians such as himself being sidelined when development projects are taking place in his constituency. His nasty remarks about the ‘outside refugee community’ spring from his view that IDPs had caused massive problems for the native settlers in the area. He also charges that Bathiudeen ordered that he be escorted out of the meeting, although this claim has been refuted by others present at the scene. Bathiudeen is now threatening to take legal action against Baiz for threatening him. The minister has already written to IGP Victor Perera and intends to inform President Mahinda Rajapaksa of Baiz’s behaviour, upon the President’s return from the US. However, given the reaction of officials and law enforcement authorities to date, it looks like this too shall pass, with hardly a rap on the knuckles. The only thing that might work against Baiz is that his ‘victim’ is no innocent civilian battling against his thuggery, but another government minister with equal or more clout in the same administration. How will the higher powers choose? Undoubtedly, Mervyn Silva, that other notorious Prince from the south, faces some tough competition from this new cowboy from the north-western province. Emil Kanthan is my man reveals Douglas Social Services and Social Welfare Minister, EPDP Leader Douglas Devananda has in a startling revelation said Emil Kanthan whom the Terrorism Investigation Division has identified as a key LTTE intelligence operative was one of his associates and that he had got Kanthan released from prison.Emil Kanthan has been identified as the man who facilitated the pre presidential election deal between President Mahinda Rajapakse and the LTTE with allegations that Senior Presidential Advisor Basil Rajapakse had paid millions of rupees to him before the election.Following the election, it is to bogus LTTE front companies set up by Kanthan that a Rs. 760 million housing project was granted by the government on the basis of a fraudulent bidding process as revealed in The Sunday Leader last week.The TID and the CID have identified Emil Kanthan as a key LTTE operative in reports filed following investigations and arrested both former Airport Chief Tiran Alles and the Finance Director of the Mawbima Newspaper Dushantha Basnayake for allegedly making payments to Kanthan.Alles was as recently as last week interrogated by the TID on the basis that he had provided funds to Kanthan who was described as a LTTE operative. Kanthan was also identified by the TID as a suspect in the case of the attempted murder of Devananda.However in an interview with Sunalie Ratnayake of The Sunday Leader last week, Minister Devananda had identified Emil Kanthan as one of his associates.Devananda had said Emil Kanthan was with him and in his office and was not involved in any attack on him.Minister Devananda has further said it was he who got him released from prison."Emil Kanthan was with me. He was in my office. I don't know how this story materialised, about him being a suspect in an attempted murder case against me. I can confirm that is not true. Emil Kanthan has nothing to do with my murder attempt. He was with us and when he was in custody we got him released," Devananda had revealed.The Minister's interview is on tape. Top officers to testify via satellite Top Sri Lankan military, legal and law enforcement officials are set to testify via satellite link from a secret location in Colombo in an Australian court case against three key LTTE activists in that country. Among the officials who will testify in the committal proceedings which began two weeks ago in Melbourne are the Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda, Police Chief Victor Perera, Deputy Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe and several other senior military, police and STF personnel. The case filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the State of Victoria charges Aruran Vinayagamoorthy, Sivarajah Yathavan and Arumugam Rajeewan, currently in Australian custody, with being members of a terrorist organisation and for funding, raising and providing material support to a terrorist organisation.The Australian prosecutor states that the three suspects were running an LTTE fund-raising network in Australia using a front organisation called the Tamil Co-ordinating Committee, which annually channelled to the LTTE several million Australian dollars, collected in the guise of humanitarian and tsunami aid. Investigations into the activities of the three suspects began two years ago by the Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT) of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) as part of their anti-terrorism initiative, during which AFP officers met with and obtained the assistance of their counterparts in Sri Lanka to carry out local investigations. Affidavit evidence provided by senior Sri Lankan officials including the Attorney General C.R. De Silva will be used at the trial. The role of the Sri Lankan witnesses is to provide evidence and other corroborative material that the LTTE is a terrorist organisation, as opposed to a liberation movement.Defence officials in Colombo are reported to have taken extreme precautions to ensure that the satellite link testimony runs smoothly and is safe from LTTE sabotage. They remain tight lipped on the location the witnesses are to testify from.If convicted, the LTTE activists are likely to face jail terms of up to 20 years, The Sunday Times learns. 'Dosa Man' wins Vendy Cup Award for best street food Bragging rights for New York's top sidewalk chef went to Thiru Kumar last night for his street cart's vegan Indian food delights.Known as the "Dosa Man," Kumar, 39, won the top prize, The Silver Vendy Cup, in the third annual Vendy Awards held in Manhattan's Tompkins Square Park.Kumar serves up dosas - spicy, potato-filled pancakes - among other veggie concoctions at Washington Square South and Sullivan St. in the West Village."I made a lot of vegans happy today," the Sri Lanka native said while noting his large following among college students. "There is even a dosa fan club at NYU."Manning his street cart for six years, Kumar has been dubbed the "Susan Lucci of the Vendys" because he's been a finalist three times.The event raises money for the Street Vendor Project, a nonprofit organization that supports the city's more than 10,000 sidewalk chefs. Funeral of priest killed in claymore mine blast The body of Rev. Father Nicholaspillai Pakyaranjith, who was killed in a claymore mine blast last Wednesday in the uncleared areas of Mannar district, was buried at the public cemetery yesterday amidst a large gathering. More than 15,000 mourners had come to pay their last respects while the funeral procession that started at 10 a.m. from St. Sebastian’s Cathedral took three hours to reach the cemetery. Most shops were closed in Mannar town while public transport came to a standstill, as a mark of respect. Anuradhapura Bishop, Rt. Rev. Nobert Andhradhi and Galle Bishop Harrold Anthony Perera were present at the funeral. Vanni district TNA parliamentarians and TELO President Selvam Adaikalanathan, Kishore Sivanathan, and Sivasakthi Anandan, UNP parliamentarian Dr. Jayalath Jayawardene, Mannaar Government Agent and other officials attended the funeral along with several other religious dignitaries. 29Septemper 2007 Britain urges Govt, LTTE to resume talks British High Commissioner Dominick Chilcott yesterday called upon both the Government and the LTTE to seize the present opportunity to resume negotiations towards finding a lasting political solution to the ethnic conflict. Expressing United Kingdom’s support for Tuesday’s statement issued by the Co-Chairs urging the two parties to return to the negotiating table, Chilcott said the early cessation of hostilities and a renewed commitment to the Ceasefire Agreement was the wish of all who have the best interests of Sri Lanka at heart. “We want to see an early cessation of hostilities, a renewed and sincere commitment by both sides to honour the spirit and letter of the CFA and, without a long delay, the resumption of talks on an overall settlement,” Chilcott said addressing a ceremony in Colombo to launch the Landmine Monitor Report 2006. He said UK has learnt from its experience in Northern Ireland that conflicts cannot be solved through military action alone. “What will eventually stop the fighting here, as in other conflicts around the globe, is when the people themselves have had enough of war and make that clear and when all the parties to the conflict believe they have the opportunity, through a credible political process, to achieve at least some of their aspirations,” he said. The High Commissioner also commended initiatives taken by the Government through the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) to formulate a constitutional framework capable of addressing the national problem. “To its credit, the Government is putting together the elements of such a political process. One of the key pieces in that will be the framework for a new constitutional dispensation in Sri Lanka. There is a huge responsibility on those working on this question, under the auspices of the All Party Conference, to get this aspect right”. Appreciating the role of the Army in de-mining activities he urged the Government to become a signatory to the Ottawa Treaty of 1997 which requires State parties to give up the use of land mines. “Doing this now, at a time when tensions are high and when fighting has intensified, would send a particularly strong signal to people in the North and East. It could go a long way to reinforcing confidence in the government amongst the people of those areas,” he added. Bathiyudeen’s supporters stage protest in Kalmunai Supporters of Minister Rishad Bathiyudeen yesterday staged a picket in Kalmunai to protest Monday’s violent hartal by supporters of Deputy Minister K.S. Baiz.“Minister Baiz has been reduced to helplessness and is unable to serve his community. Now he wants to block development projects launched by my ministry. He is afraid that resettling IDPs in Puttalam could affect his vote base,” Minister Rishad Bathiyudeen said.The picket was held in front of the Kalmunai and Valachenai Jumma Mosques after the 12.30 p.m. prayers. “We wanted to stage a peaceful protest to denounce the baseless allegations levelled by Minister Baiz against the internally displaced people languishing in Puttalam for the past 17 years,” Kalmunai Jumma Mosque Moulavi T.S. Mubarak said.The power play between the two politicians began last week, when supporters of Minister Baiz staged a hartal with most business establishments coming to a grinding halt. This was triggered by a dispute between the two ministers over the US$ 34 million World Bank funded Puttalam housing project that aims to provide housing assistance to 5,500 internally displaced families and 1,800 families from the local community. Sri Lanka Air Force bombs Sea Tiger training facility in Northeast-SL Military Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets bombed a key Sea Tiger training facility at Thevipuram in Mullaitivu this morning, the military said. Defense sources said the air raid, launched following intelligence gathering for a long time, accurately hit the target which is known as the Lima 2 Base. Sources said the real time ground information has shown increased activity recently in the targeted camp.The air attack comes a day after the Navy sunk three LTTE boats off the coast of Pulmoddai near Trincomalee from a cluster of 18 LTTE boats attempting to evacuate trapped Tiger cadres. Sri Lanka Army aims at taking Wanni, says the Commander Sri Lanka Army Commander Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka says that the aim of the operations in Wanni is to free the 350,000 residents who are under the rule of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE) and to prevent the attacks on border areas.In an interview with the government owned Sinhala daily Dinamina, the Army Commander said that the LTTE’s fighting cadre has dropped about 50%. The Army has restricted the guerilla’s territory by 70%, he said. The Army Commander further says that 3,000 Tiger cadres were killed and around 1,000 were injured in the recent past. The LTTE has also lost a huge coastal area restricting the Sea Tigers, said the Army Commander. Lt. General Sarath Fonseka anticipated that the Army would soon take over the Thampanai area currently they are fighting to wrest control. Not only LTTE for future peace talks, says Keheliya The National Defense Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella says that the LTTE is neither the sole representative nor the liberators of the Tamil people. Addressing a press briefing at the Media Center for National Security (MCNS) yesterday the Minister said that the government was ready to proceed in the peace process but other parties also should take part in them since LTTE was not the sole representative of the Tamil people. He further said that it is the democratic principle.Commenting on human rights, the Minister said that some elements complain to the international community on the violations of human rights. However, he said that human rights should not be confused with politics. The government is investigating human rights violations and taking measures to safeguard them, said the Minister. Don’t wait till defeating LTTE to resolve the national issue ----Bishop of Mannar Rayappu Joseph, the Bishop of Mannar, has appealed to the government to give up their commitment to resolve the national problem only after defeating the Tigers. Instead, the government should explore all meaningful measures to resolve the problem. Bishop Rayyapuu Josef was addressing a meeting organized to mark the World Peace day in Mannar. He stated that he was taking part in this event because they pray that their must be peace in this country. Sri Lanka is a multi ethnic country. All people must live as brothers and sisters. We must not forget the back ground as to why the LTTE has launched a struggle. The rights of the Tamils were suppressed. When there was a demand to win their rights through democratic measures, every successive government oppressed the struggle and it was this that led to an armed struggle. He appealed that the sense of enmity in which the government views the LTTE as its enemy and LTTE views the government as its enemy must be eliminated. Both Tamils and Sinhalese are dying because of this war. Therefore, a meaningful solution must be put forward and the problem must be resolved. Sri Lanka's rupee flat; shares slip in thin trade Sri Lanka's rupee ended almost flat on Friday after a state bank bought and sold dollars heavily to maintain market stability, dealers said, while shares slipped in thin trade, led by declines in select blue chips. The rupee closed at 113.39/113.49 per dollar, slightly firmer from Thursday's close of 113.42/113.50, and staying above an all-time closing low of 113.57/113.62 hit on Sept. 18."Market continued to experience a liquidity squeeze as customers withdrew a lot of money from the system, so banks had to sell some dollars," said one dealer, referring to greater demand during Ramadan as firms look to build inventories.A state bank stepped into the market when the rupee was at 113.47/113.49, releasing dollars, but it was not clear whether this was central bank intervention, the dealer said.The central bank opened its restricted reverse repurchase agreement window for a sixth day, pumping 6 billion rupees into the system to counter a liquidity shortage, dealers said.It injected 25.5 billion rupees during the last 6 market days through the window.On Friday, the central bank held its policy interest rates steady at a review, as it seeks to tame quickening inflation.The rupee has depreciated around 5.6 percent so far this year, on top of a 5 percent fall in 2006.Some analysts expect it to continue to depreciate to as much as 118-120 per dollar by the end of the year. Others are eyeing 114 per dollar. The six-month forward rate stood at 121.09/121.29 rupees per dollar on Friday.The rupee is steadily weakening mainly due to a hefty trade deficit, owing to costly fuel imports, and inflation, which quickened to 17.5 percent in September as measured on a 12-month rolling average -- near 1994 highs.The Colombo All Share <.CSE> index closed 0.37 percent weaker at 2,556.62 points, a fall of 9.51 points.Market heavyweight Dialog Telekom closed 1.08 percent weaker at 23.00 rupees a share as calculated on a weighted average after the International Finance Corp purchased a $15 million stake as part of a new $100 million financing deal.Conglomerate John Keells Holdings ended 0.19 percent down at 129.00 rupees a share, while leading fixed line telephone operator Sri Lanka Telecom closed unchanged at 33.25 rupees."Although market was expected go up after some signs of peace talks, it came down as investors are lacking confidence on the government's peace talks," said Nusrath Mohideen, a research analyst at Bartleet Mallory stockbrokers."As the government has been introducing new taxes since early this month, investors will be cautious ... so this downward trend would continue until the next budget speech in November."Foreigners, who were net buyers, purchased shares worth 51.2 million rupees . Market turnover was 156.03 million rupees, a fraction of last year's daily average of 400 million.The bourse is down over 15 percent from life highs in mid February, while it has dropped by around 6.1 percent this year.For more technical analysis of the Colombo Stock Exchange by Reuters please go to www.reutersindia.net/sri%20lanka.htm.Interbank lending rates or call rates <CLIBOR>, rose to 21.521 percent from 19.786 percent on Thursday, after earlier rising as high as 25 percent. Sri Lanka says sinks 3 boats, kills 28 Tiger rebels Sri Lanka's navy sank three Tamil Tiger rebel boats off the island's northeastern coast, killing 18 rebels on board and 10 others died in subsequent land battles, the military said on Friday.Fighting between the military and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, who want a separate homeland for minority ethnic Tamils in the north and east, has escalated since the government launched an offensive in the northwest earlier this month.The latest sea battle took place late on Thursday when Sri Lankan government boats sighted 20 rebel vessels in the seas off Pulmudai, near the rebels' de facto state in the far north."The navy destroyed three boats and after listening to communications they confirmed 18 Tigers killed, including a leader," said military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanaykkara."One navy sailor was killed and another injured," he added.The Military also said they killed ten Tamil Tiger rebels in clashes on Friday in the north western district of Mannar and northern districts of Vavuniya and Jaffna."(The) army killed six LTTE carders in Mannar when they tried to attack (the) army and in another retaliation soldiers killed three terrorists in Vavuniya," a spokesman for Media Centre for National Security said adding that another rebel was killed in Jaffna.There was no independent confirmation of the number of people killed or what had happened and analysts say both sides often exaggerate enemy losses amid a parallel propaganda war.No official from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was immediately available for a comment.Around 5,000 people have been killed in fighting between the military and the LTTE guerrillas since early 2006.Nearly 70,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced since the war erupted in 1983. Anura lashes out at FM and self appointed protector of Dhamma National Heritage Minister Anura Bandaranaike yesterday hit out at the Foreign Ministry and at whom he called the “self appointed custodians of the Dhamma” for failing to condemn the crackdown of Buddhist monks who protested against the ruling military junta in Myanmar. “What do our self appointed custodians of Buddhism in Parliament have to say? Not a word, about the attacks of fellow Buddhist priests in Yangon, who took to the streets in utter desperation and poverty. Silence is the finest form of cowardice. My father in the United Nations General Assembly in 1956 defined non alignment. He said being non-aligned, did not mean we remain silent, through fear of the two super powers. Non- alignment means we are committed to the hilt, where injustice prevails. Let the ‘mandarins of the Foreign Office re-read that speech. The silence of our Buddhists is deafening. Especially the self appointed custodians of the ‘Dhamma’ and of course our Foreign Ministry,” Minister Bandaranaike said in a statement. “The UN General Assembly that just concluded condemned the military crackdown very strongly. Even US President George Bush and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined in the condemnation. So did most of the world. I wonder what our Foreign Ministry had to say? Myanmar is a 90 per cent Buddhist nation. What does a nation that banned ‘The Da Vinci Code’ have to say? Not a word,” Minister Bandaranaike said.“The horrendous crackdown by the brutal, tyrannical ruling military of the Burmese Government who have gone on the rampage against it own people and it is not for the last time. Aung Sang Suu Kyi, who won 90 percent of the votes at the last general elections have since then been under house arrest for no rhyme or reason. “The military ruling Yangon permitted her to leave Yangon provided she did not come back .She chose to stay back, missing her husband’s funeral in England. Some 14 years ago, she was incarcerated and she fought back and stayed on, winning the Nobel Prize, an event she could not even attend,” he said. Church 'supports' Burmese monks 'Solidarity' with Burmese monks Official media said nine people were killed on Thursday as troops fired tear gas and bullets to clear large crowds of protesters off Rangoon's streets. But Australia's ambassador in Burma said the toll was probably higher. Saying that he was "saddened" to learn the recent events where protesters including Buddhist monks were shot dead and beaten by the military, the Bishop says he felt it was his duty to add voice against the heavy handed manner the protesters are dealt with by the authorities.Authorities are trying to stamp out the largest uprising in two decades, led by Buddhist monks whose numbers on the streets appear to have dwindled since the crackdown. Monasteries have been raided and hundreds of monks are thought to have been detained. Pictures from Burma show ransacked monasteries with pools of blood on the ground. Lack of democracy "The mass protests that are taking place in many cities, towns and villages like Yangon, Mandalay, Pegu, Sittwe and Pakokku now being led by Buddhist monks are due to the inhumane treatment meted out by the Government to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi," Bishop Chikera's letter said."Your Excellency, please convey to your Government my grave concern at the brutal repression of legitimate protest".The head of Anglican church in Sri Lanka has urged Myanmar authorities to respect democratic rights of the people."I have no doubt that the crisis can only be diffused by the restoration of the democratic rights of the people and the recognition of the results of the democratic Election that chose Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to lead your country". Despite Buddhist links Lanka is silent on monks' stir in Myanmar The Sri Lankan government, the Buddhist clergy and the media, are all observing a resounding silence on the cataclysmic monks stir in Myanmar, the nearest Buddhist country, which also follows the Theravada school of Buddhism. Most of those who conduct foreign relations are currently in New York attending the UN General Assembly session. Therefore, they may be too busy to react to the developments in Myanmar. But the silence of the Buddhist clergy and the local media cannot be explained so easily.When asked for a comment, the Venerable Athuraliye Rathana Thero of the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU), a Buddhist monks' party, said that he was unable to establish contact with his sources in Myanmar to know first hand, what was happening there.The media in Sri Lanka has been reporting the events in Myanmar using wire copy, but there has been no editorial comment yet. There have been only a couple of articles by foreign affairs columnists. Even here, there was no Sri Lankan perspective as such. China factor Is there a China factor working here? It cannot be denied that Colombo is sensitive to Beijing's views. And China has been against international intervention in internal conflicts. It has said so in the Myanmar case also, even as it asked the junta to take a softer line towards the rebellious Buddhist monks. China's stand in this regard strikes a chord in Colombo, which is also wary about international involvement or intervention in internal conflicts.But most political observers rule out a China factor working in Colombo in regard to the Myanmar issue. Sri Lanka's relations with Myanmar have been good anyway, irrespective of who is ruling in Yangon. Relations have been based basically on the existence of a shared belief in Theravada Buddhism. Many Sri Lankans visit Myanmar as pilgrims. Recently, there was a return visit from Mynamar in which the Myanmar delegation gifted an elephant to the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. Fight against terrorism More importantly, the military rulers in Yangon and the government in Colombo share an antipathy towards ethnic militants and terrorists. If the Sri Lankan government has been battling the Tamil Tigers, the Myanmar junta has been battling tribal rebels in the northern hills.Earlier, elements of the Myanmar junta had supported or winked at the existence of an LTTE base on the coast in Twante. But that base no longer exists. Today, it is important for Colombo to see that Myamnar military officers or officials do not re-establish any links with the LTTE.In all likelihood, Sri Lankans will wait for the crisis in Myanmar to resolve itself one way or the other, and avoid making any comments till then. 28Septemper 2007 Thousands mourn slain priest in Mannaar Mannaar city stood at standstill and people flocked to the entrance of the city Thursday at 1:10 p.m. while the remains of Rev. Fr. Nicholaspillai Packiyaranjith, the Mannar district coordinator of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), killed allegedly by the Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit (DPU), reached the city. The remains were escorted by Mannar Bishop Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph from Vavuniyaa to Bishop's House in Mannaar as thousands mourned along the way from Murungkan to Mannar. The priest was killed Wednesday when he was taking humanitarian supplies to displaced children in Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) controlled areas of Mannar district. Many vehicles joined the 4-hour long parlour from Vavuniyaa to Mannnar.The 40-year-old priest is well known among the poorest of the district for his tireless humanitarian services. His body is being kept at Bishop's House for the public to pay their last respects. The remains would be taken to St. Sebastian Church from 4:30 p.m. Friday, and the funeral services are scheduled to take place Saturday 9:00 a.m. at the Church.Mannaar district Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian and TELO Precedent Selvam Adaikkalanathan was present at the Bishop's house to pay last respects to Fr. Ranjith. Mannaar DS Mrs. Stanley de Mel, Mannar Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) H.N. Kudahattiya was present while the remains of the slain priest reached the city today.Fr. Ranjith, as he was popularly known, is the first Catholic priest to be killed in a Claymore attack in Mannaar district. Lanka escapes censure at UN rights council World support for Colombo "Many delegations, including India, Japan, South Africa, Indonesia and Bangladesh, in their interventions to the Council were appreciative of the initiatives of Sri Lanka in the promotion and protection of human rights," the release added.There was no support for any action against Sri Lanka from other countries and multi-lateral bodies too.Earlier, Sri Lankan President had told the UN General Assembly in New York that the international community should stop victimizing countries which were facing the brunt of terrorism and abjure the cynical use of human rights issues to gain political advantage. Deadly Sri Lanka clashes spike ahead of rains Sri Lankan troops claimed they have killed 45 Tamil rebels in the past week as they step up attacks ahead of monsoon rains that will make fighting harder. Security forces have been trying to push into territory held by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the past week amid intense resistance by the guerrillas, official sources said. "As the rains set in by October, it will be difficult to use artillery and tanks," a military official said. "Before the monsoon breaks there will be increased skirmishes along the front lines." Government figures show over 45 guerrillas have been killed in the past week while the military lost six troopers, as both sides intensified artillery and mortar bomb attacks across their defence lines. Few casualties were reported by both sides in the previous week. In the northern peninsula of Jaffna, a road side blast Thursday killed two civilians and wounded another 15 people, including two policemen, the defence ministry said, accusing the Tigers of setting off the blast. In the island's northwest, a Roman Catholic priest was killed when his vehicle was hit by a blast on Wednesday. The Tigers accused the military of killing the clergyman while the government blamed the rebels. The defence ministry said the rebels had also tried to infiltrate military positions in Jaffna peninsula and to push further into the northern Wanni region, parts of which form a mini state run by the Tigers. But defence columnist Namal Perera said security forces had stepped up operations in the past week in a bid to push back Tigers along two fronts in the north, meeting fierce rebel resistance. The defence ministry's latest figures show 5,415 people have been killed in total in insurgency related violence since December 2005 when a Norwegian brokered true began to unravel. The figure consists of 1,271 security forces, 3,284 rebels and 860 civilians. The Tigers have rejected the military's claims but have not said how many fighters they lost during the same period. However the guerrillas say 1,924 civilians have been killed since February 2002. There is no independent verification of the casualties. The ethnic conflict, in which the rebels are fighting for an independent homeland for the Tamil minority on this Sinhalese majority island, has claimed tens of thousands of lives since 1972. Sri Lanka Chief Justice orders not to bring suspects arrested in north and east to Colombo Sri Lanka's Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva ordered that suspects arrested in North and East to be produced to courts in respective areas and bail be granted to them there.He said that it is not necessary to bring them to the Capital Colombo as they face a host of problems when they are released in Colombo. He said they should be released or bailed out if so decided in areas where they were taken into custody.He said in most of the cases, suspects are being brought to Colombo in order to bail out or release them. Claymore mine blast kills two civilians in Sri Lanka public market Claymore mine explosion in a public market in northern Sri Lanka yesterday morning killing two civilians and injuring seventeen others, One of the victims was identified as S. Kanesarajah, 49, from Poonaari Maraththadi in Kokuvil West, Jaffna. the military said.The injured included fifteen civilians and two police personnel.Defence sources said that a claymore bomb planted inside a bicycle parking space near the marketplace was detonated at the Chunnakkam marketplace in Jaffna. Officials believe the actual target was a police vehicle that was parked nearby.Meanwhile the Media Center for National Security said the Army foiled another infiltration attempt killing seven LTTE Tigers when they attempted to infiltrate the Forward Defense Lines at Pokkaraverni in Vavuniya yesterday afternoon. The troops prevented a separate infiltration attempt by the Tigers at Muhamalai FDL in Jaffna yesterday afternoon. The confrontation killed four Tigers, MCNS said.Recently the Tamil Tigers have escalated their efforts to breach the FDLs in the North but the military has foiled all attempts killing over 40 Tigers in the attacks. LTTE condemns killing of Rev. Fr. Packiyaranjith Displacing the people by deliberate shelling and then killing the humanitarian workers who rush to assist the displaced is a strategy of "genocide," charged the Political Wing of the Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE) in a statement issued on Thursday, condemning the killing of Rev Fr Packiyaranjith on Wednesday by the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) Deep Penetration Unit (DPU). Expressing "deep shock and sadness" at the death of a humanitarian worker and a religious clergy, the LTTE urged the International Community to strongly condemn the killing and other brutalities against humanitarian workers. Full text of the press release issued by the LTTE follows: 27 September 2007 International community must condemn the murder of yet another aid worker The deliberate murder of Rev Fr Pakiaranjith, a Catholic priest of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS)), on 27 September 2007, by a claymore attack on the JRS vehicle in which he was traveling must be condemned without reservation. Sri Lankan military's Deep Penetration Unit perpetrated this murder of a Catholic clergy while he was traveling to assist the recently displaced people in the Mannar district in the Tamil homeland. The vehicle he was traveling in was prominently marked with the JRS logo.The JRS mission is to "accompany, serve and defend the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people". Rev Fr Pakiaranjith is the Mannar district coordinator for JRS.UNHCR recently reported that 10,000 people were displaced by the recent deliberate artillery shelling by the Sri Lankan military. Rev Fr Pakiaranjith was traveling in a JRS vehicle to fulfill the mission of the JRS for these displaced people in Mannar when he was deliberately murdered.The murder of Rev Fr Pakiaranjith symbolizes one aspect of the "military" strategy of the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL). That is to displace the people by deliberate shelling and then kill the humanitarian workers who rush to assist the displaced. There can only be one phrase to describe this strategy, "genocide".We express our deep shock and sadness at the death of a humanitarian worker and a religious clergy. We condemn this brutal act of the GoSL. We appeal to the international community to strongly condemn this and other brutalities against humanitarian workers. Sri Lankan travelling on fake documents arrested BANGALORE: Yet another Sri Lankan national who was trying to illegally fly out of India was apprehended at the Bangalore airport in the early hours of Wednesday.The Immigration officials at the Bangalore airport arrested Thushyanthan (23), who was possessing fake passport and visa, when he was about to board a Lufthansa Airline flight to the U.K., sources in the police told The Hindu.Thushyanthan alias Kumaran, who had come to Chennai three months ago, had obtained a fake Indian passport through an agent there.The agent had asked the Sri Lankan to come to Bangalore airport and had promised him to get him a visa and a flight ticket to the U.K. As advised by the agent, Thushyanthan purchased a domestic ticket from Indian airline counter and entered the terminal building. The agent, who had come there, handed over a Lufthansa airline ticket and fake visa to Thushyanathan and tore the domestic Indian Airline ticket, the sources said.When Thushyanthan was trying to sneak in without getting the immigration clearance, the officials apprehended him. Verification On verification of the documents, they found that he was possessing fake passport and visa with fake immigration seal, the sources said. On a complaint by immigration officials, the Airport police arrested him and registered a case. UN should guarantee the total safety, security and self-honour of the Eelam Tamil people - M.K.Eelaventhan No. 11 Rochefort Drive Hon. Ban Ki - Moon UN should guarantee the total safety, security and self-honour of the Eelam Tamil people Dear Hon. Ban Ki-Moon We the Eelam Tamils had high hope that the United Nations will address the plight of our people who are facing cultural genocide, physical liquidation and economic strangulation. Our hopes were based on the statements made UN diplomats and functionaries, but they have been shattered beyond belief. His Excellency Mahinda Rajapakse waxed eloquence as usual to deceive and mis-lead the international community. His declaration that he will submit his proposals for the solution of the ethnic conflict before the end of the year rings hollow in the light of his earlier promises. Perhaps this is the fourth time he has made such a promise since coming to power in November, 2005.Assuming that he will submit his proposals, the proposals contain anything worthy of consideration. In fact, his proposals which are based on his Mahinda Chinthanaya have put the clock back by 60 years or more. His Chinthanya has jettisoned the federal model, that the North and East are the traditional habitat of the Tamil people and that they are a distinct nation with right to self –determination. Not surprisingly Mahinda Rajapakse has confessed that Tamil aspirations are fine, but his political survival depends on the electoral support of the Sinhala constituency. You will agree that the rights and freedoms of the Tamil people are independent and distinct from the rights and freedoms of the Sinhala people. What we the Tamils proclaim is that we are a Nation by any definition in accordance with international norms, have a distinct and separate national identity, a unique language and culture, defined territory and a way of life from time immemorial. We will not dwell on the history of Ceylon, it speaks for itself.We like to remind you that the UN Charter speaks of third party intervention when there is genocide, right to revolt when there is oppression and the right to self determination. It should be self-evident that Mahinda Rajapakse, the all powerful executive president of Sri Lanka, is seeking a military solution to the conflict. The All Party Representatives Committee (APRC) is a misnomer. Even the main opposition United National Party (UNP) has pulled out of the APRC and as for the Tamil National Alliance, it was not even invited.We represent the Tamil people having secured 95% of the votes cast and winning 22 out of 23 seats contested in the North and East. We are, therefore, the authentic voice of the aspirations of the Eelam Tamils. In this context we appeal to the UNO as well as the European Union (EU) to take into consideration the genocide faced by the Tamil people and take meaningful steps to guarantee the total safety, security and self-honour of the Eelam Tamil people. Yours truly, M.K.Eelaventhan, UNP new policy 'follows LTTE defeat' Parliamentary select committee He also said that the parliament has approved to appoint a parliamentary select committee to probe allegations of deals made between the LTTE and the government from 1989 although it was initially to be investigated from 2005. Speaking to Sandheshaya on Thursday United National party General Secretary Thissa Aththanayaka said "we are neither federal nor unitary’’.Meanwhile Minister Abeywardena denied accusations levelled by some media organisation that the government is planning to bring new laws to curb media saying that Government has no intension to bring any regulation to prevent media from providing information. 27Septemper 2007 UNP sheds the federal skin Party (UNP) has decided to move towards a new model of power devolution as a solution to the ethnic problem. UNP leadership has decided to shift entirely from the position of federal solution to the ethnic problem and to fully implement the powers given through the 13th amendment of the constitution through a constitutional reform. Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe gave clues to the paradigm shift at a lecture held at Jayawardhana Center. The UNP is also going to change the ceasefire agreement signed on 2002 February 22 to suit the current context. At a press conference held in Colombo today the UNP parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayaka answering a query from a journalist said that the UNP's original stance since 1988 for political settlement via maximum devolution remains unchanged. When 'Lanka-e-News' enquired why UNP shifted from the stance agreed with LTTE at Oslo talks Karunanayaka said that UNP neither admitted nor denied the stance and the signee of the declaration was no more with the party.Commenting on the ceasefire agreement, Karunanayaka said that context has changed now although the UNP signed the document with bona fide motives. He further said that UNP had not changed the stance of negotiated settlement as well as waging war if need arisen. UNP sources said that the sudden shift of stances is the need for removing obstacles for a broad political alliance with People's Liberation Front (JVP). Commenting on the shift UNP General Secretary Thissa Aththanayaka said to 'Lanka-e-News' that a new devolution model has to be tested without adhering to linguistic clich’s such as unitary and federal states. He further said that Sri Lanka did not go to the states system although exceeded the Indian model in certain perimeters such as police powers. However, the Provincial Council system was not practically implemented, he said. When 'Lanka-e-News' remembered that the LTTE had rejected the Provincial Councils, Aththanayaka said the UNP’s duty was not to talk about the LTTE but to be responsible to the LTTE. He said that UNP should state its stance disregarding if LTTE would accept it. Even a federal solution will not be accepted by the LTTE. He enquired the use of going to deals with Prabakaran who obtained money from Rajapakses and defeated the UNP that was ready to take up the Oslo declaration signed by G.L. Peiris and Anton Balasingham in a broad perspective of power devolution. Aththanayaka smilingly said that all these are political games, when 'Lanka-e-News' enquired if this shift was a precursor of an alliance between the JVP and the UNP. He said that a need has arisen to build up a broad platform on which all who are against terror and corruption could gather. Sri Lanka says kills 11 rebels in latest battles Sri Lankan soldiers killed 11 Tamil Tiger rebels in overnight battles in the north of the island, the military said on Thursday.The violence in the restive area, the focus of renewed civil war between the state and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), is the latest in a series of near daily clashes in recent months."The army killed four LTTE terrorists who tried to infiltrate through the forward defence line in Jaffna and another seven in Vavuniya," said a spokesman at the Media Centre for National Security. He said one soldier was killed and another wounded.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who say they are fighting for an independent state for minority ethnic Tamils in the north and east, were not immediately available for comment on the latest clash.The rebels said a civilian was killed in a roadside blast in the northwestern district of Mannar which they blamed on the military.The military has launched an offensive to drive out the rebels from Mannar, after evicting them from jungle terrain they controlled in the east earlier this year.Around 5,000 people have been killed in fighting between the military and the LTTE guerrillas since early 2006Nearly 70,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced since the war erupted in 1983. Sri Lanka May Keep Key Rate at Highest Level in Asia Sri Lanka's central bank will probably keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at the highest level in Asia to help cool inflation. Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Nivard Cabraal will leave the repurchase rate at 10.5 percent for a seventh straight meeting, according to 11 of 12 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg News. One economist expects a half point increase. The decision is due tomorrow at 4.30 p.m. in Colombo. Borrowing costs ``may need to be kept at a high level'' until inflation falls to an appreciable rate, Cabraal said earlier this month. He now expects consumer prices to rise by more than 10 percent this year, up from an April estimate of 9 percent, due to higher energy costs. ``Inflation isn't going to ease with rising oil prices,'' said S. Jeyavarman, who helps manage the equivalent of $25 million in stocks and bonds as chief executive officer of National Asset Management Ltd. in Colombo. ``But the central bank doesn't seem to want to put further upward pressure on interest rates.'' Higher borrowing costs and escalating violence between government forces and Tamil separatists have weakened the South Asian island's economy, which Cabraal forecasts will post slower growth this year.The $26 billion economy will expand 7 percent in 2007, Cabraal said on Sept. 14 in Mumbai, half a percentage point lower than his forecast in July. Citigroup Inc. expects the economy to expand 6 percent this year from 7.4 percent in 2006. Civil War Sri Lanka's peace process has been halted by almost daily violence since February last year and the nation is experiencing its worst fighting since Norway brokered a truce in 2002. Gross domestic product grew a faster-than-expected 6.4 percent in the three months ended June 30 from a year earlier, up from 6.1 percent in the first quarter, as increased overseas shipments and farm output made up for slowing domestic demand. A separate report tomorrow from the statistics department is expected to show inflation slowed in September to 17.1 percent, according to the median forecast of nine analysts in a Bloomberg survey. The consumer price index, the key inflation gauge watched by the central bank, is due at 3 p.m. Consumer prices in the capital Colombo rose 17.3 percent in August from a year earlier, after increasing 17.6 percent in July, fanned by increased oil prices and higher import costs because of a depreciating currency. Crude oil reached a record $83.90 a barrel in New York on Sept. 20. Oil prices increased 7.7 percent this month as hurricanes threatened production in the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. stockpiles declined. The government says higher borrowing costs have helped to rein in inflation, which soared to a ten-year high of 20.5 percent in January. Col. Soosai: "Southern polity trapped in family centric power politics" Col. Soosai, Liberation Tigers special commander of the Sea Tigers, addressing a gathering in Puthukkudiyiruppu, on Wednesday, to mark the 20th death anniversary of Thileepan, former LTTE political head of Jaffna district, and the 6th death anniversary of the founder of Air Tigers, Col. Shankar, said that the southern polity in Sri Lanka has repeatedly failed to demonstrate the ability to transcend itself from the family centric power politics into the politics of statesmanship, pointing at Rajapaksa brother's "family rule" in the south.In contrast, the Tamil struggle was being led by a leadership that has demonstrated political statesmanship with highest levels of integrity with strategic intelligence, Col. Soosai said.In his first public appearance following a boat accident in which he lost his youngest son and sustained injuries, the special commander of the Sea Tigers, praised the military medics of the Tigers for his speedy recovery that has enabled him to resume his duties."During the Indo-Eelam war, I was injured. Our medics didn't have enough facilities at that time. Seriously injured cadres were transferred overseas for treatment. But, our medics are capable of treating serious injuries now," he said, addressing the gathering for 25 minutes.The event took place at Puthukkudiyiruppu Golden Jubilee Hall from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Sri Lanka Jaffna power firm bought by Malaysia's MTD Controversial LTTE dissident leaves Sri Lanka The controversial LTTE dissident, Col Karuna, is believed to have left Sri Lanka recently, following trenchant international criticism of the activities of his group, the Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), in the Eastern Tamil-speaking district of Batticaloa.Media reports said on Wednesday that Karuna had left for the UK. But independent sources could only confirm that he had left the country temporarily.The Scandinavian-staffed Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) and the New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) had both criticized the TMVP for forcibly recruiting children and extorting money from the people in Batticaloa.Every UN and EU rights body had been urging the Sri Lankan government to disarm or rein in the Karuna group. And time and again, they had expressed dismay over Colombo's turning a deaf ear to these pleas. But the Sri Lankan government needed the Karuna group to help track down the LTTE and help police the area recently cleared of the LTTE. Political clash While the government needed the Karuna group for military purposes, it was ill at ease with its political ambitions. The TMVP had been nursing ambitions of emerging as the voice of the Tamils in the East, especially Batticaloa district, and winning the proposed elections in the Eastern districts in early 2008.To prevent the emergence of any new popular Tamil group in place of the LTTE, and to win the hearts and minds of the Tamils, the Rajapaksa government itself started doing relief and rehabilitation work in the war affected areas.All efforts in this direction began to be directed by Basil Rajapaksa, Senior Advisor and brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Government ministers were asked to make frequent visits to the rehabilitation centres and announce development programmes worth millions of rupees. "But no Tamils were, or are, involved in this task," a former Tamil militant who is now close to the government said ruefully.The Karuna group itself is partly responsible for this. Though the TMVP had political ambitions, it was doing precious little to win the hearts and minds of the common Tamils. It had neither protected the common man against the Sri Lankan military, nor had it done anything to alleviate the suffering of the 200,000 war refugees in the past year and a half, local Tamil leaders said. On the other hand, it had been harassing the people. Ground cleared for non-Tamil Parties The TMVP itself got divided into the Karuna and Pillaiyaan factions, which started killing each other's supporters. When it went out of bounds, the government stepped in and restored peace, forcing Pillayaan to confine himself to Trincomalee district. But he is said to be breaking out of the confines now.With no powerful, popular and credible Tamil group in the East ( the pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance has already been weakened) the ground is now clear for the national or Sinhala majoritarian parties to establish themselves there ahead of the proposed local and provincial elections in early 2008. Army chief: Sri Lanka's rebels lose 60 percent territory Catholic priest on humanitarian mission killed in DPU Claymore attack Rev. Fr. Nicholaspillai Packiyaranjith, 40, the Mannaar district coordinator of Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) was killed when Sri Lanka Army Deep Penetration Unit (DPU) attackers launched a Claymore attack on his Hiace vehicle, at Kalvi'laan on Maangku'lam - Ve'l'laangku'lam road, Wednesday evening, Tamileelam Police officials in Mallaavi said. Fr. Ranjth was bringing baby milk and essential humanitarian supplies for displaced children in his vehicle, JRS sources in Mannaar said. The assistant of the priest, identified as Christopher Jujin, was injured and transferred to Ki'linochchi hospital, medical sources said. Fr. Nicholaspillai was on his way to Vidaththaltheevu, via Mallaavi. He had entered the LTTE controlled area through Pu'liyangku'lam entry point to attend the needs of recently displaced people in the district. Humanitarian and Health workers, attending the needs of civilians in Vanni, have been increasingly targeted by the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) Unit of the SLA, known as DPU. The JRS is an international Catholic organisation with a mission is to accompany, serve and defend the rights of refugees and forcibly displaced people. Jaffna doctors protest against alleged delay in MI postings Doctors of the Jaffna General Hospital are threatening to take trade union action in protest against the alleged delay in posting Medical Interns (MI) to that hospital by the Ministry of Health Care and Nutrition. They also protest that according to the list prepared on the Common Merit List the hospital would receive only 15 MIs when there were 52 vacancies. Dr. Kremlin Wickramasinghe of the GMOA told the Daily Mirror that the Ministry has withdrawn the list of MIs on more than four or five occasions further delaying the postings. “In the list prepared for the 2008 appointments from the 2000 / 2001 batch there are 745 MIs to get postings in government hospitals in addition to transfers of other doctors. Due to the delay we are not aware when and who will be appointed to what and which hospitals. We are totally in the dark in this issue,” Dr. Wickramasinghe said.Commenting on the dispute, Minister of Health Care and Nutrition Nimal Siripala De Silva told Daily Mirror yesterday that the GMOA and the parliamentarians who sat the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Health must get the blame for the delay in Doctors and MIs appointments.“This is their creation. I tried my best to solve this problem democratically with particular concern on the people in the North East. That was why I attempted to post MIs to hospitals in the North East outside the merit list as there was a severe shortage of doctors in the two provinces,” he said.The steps taken by the ministry was strictly opposed by the GMOA, MIs and lecturers. They demanded to adhere to the merit list, Minister De Silva said.“At the parliamentary advisory committee not only the MIs but the TNA and the UNP vehemently protested. Parliamentarians Dr. Jayalath Jayawardana and Renuka Herath took an adamant stand on the issue and protested the Ministry’s move in solving this problem. The delay in giving appointments to doctors and MIs arose out of that protest,” Mr. De Silva stressed.However the ministry has taken steps to give appointments to doctors on October 1. The ministry is compelled to reshuffle the list of MIs as a fair number of MIs have not applied for internships, he added. Police deny harassing Muslims 'Forcefully entered' Muslim houses Human rights activists and the Muslim residents in Maligawatta have protested as police forcefully entered their houses searching for two men accused of possessing illegal drugs.Kader Pasha Jamila, resident of Maligawatta housing scheme told BBC Sandeshaya that police forcefully entered her house while she was taking shower."They threw away all our belongings and then demolished our houses," Jamila said.She added that two Muslim youths were then beaten using metal bars by the police officers from Kotahena police station."They shot in the air and threatened to kill us". Damage by protesters DIG Wicramaratne said the protesters have damaged a three-wheeler taxi used by the police and thrown stones at them."We are prepared to investigate the accusations that the police demolished their houses," he told BBCSinhala.com. General Secretary of Colombo District Human Rights Organisation (CDHRO), Mohamed Thaslin, said the organisation filed complaints with Maligawatta police and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over the arbitrary arrest of two Muslim youths.Minnat and Husein Dean who were severely beaten and arrested by the police were later allowed to meet relatives, Thaslin said. UNP ready for military solution if needed Changing its earlier stance the UNP said it would pursue a military solution if necessary once they come to power MP Ravi Karunanayaka said recently. UNP Colombo District MP Ravi Karunanayake told a press conference there would be a change of party policy although it had not deviated from wide devolution of power accepted by all communities. He said the UNP will not adopt federalism as a solution although many pasted that label on the party. “Our solution is broad devolution not federalism,” he said. Karunanayake explained that some changes should be made to the ceasefire agreement of 2002 as the situation today is different from what it was when it was signed. He said the party had to introduce some changes to its policy on the national issue as it did not get a mandate for the earlier stance at recent elections. New Sinhala colony in Raalku'li, villagers complain Resettled Tamil families in Raalku'li, a traditional Tamil village in Moothoor division in Trincomalee district, expressed fear that the Sri Lanka government is attempting to settle Sinhala families in their village. The fear follows the laying foundation stone for about 138 houses under a resettlement project in the village with the funding of a Buddhist Organization located in Colombo. The foundation was laid for the project on September 8 by a government delegation led by Mr.Basil Rajapakse, Senior Presidential advisor and accompanied by ministers Susantha Punchinilame, Najeeb Abdul Majeed, and Rischard Badiudin, sources said.222 Tamil families are living in Raalku'li. They fled from the village following the military operation launched by the Sri Lanka Army last year. They stayed in transit centres in Kinniya division before being resettled.Displaced Tamil families have refused to be resettled elsewhere other than their own villages in Moothoor east division. Hence the houses now to be constructed with the funds provided by a Buddhist organization are expected to be handed over to Sinhalese families once completed. 26Septemper 2007 Under fire, Sri Lanka President swipes at UN record Under fire amid a rash of civil war human rights abuses, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has turned the tables on the United Nations, questioning its efficiency, and ability to help tackle terrorism.Addressing the UN General Assembly in New York overnight Rajapaksa, whose administration has vilified UN envoys for criticism, said solutions to armed conflicts must be homegrown and rights should not be used as a tool to victimise countries."The UN has a mixed record of achievements. As resources received by the UN are limited, it has been only possible to deliver limited results," Rajapaksa told the assembly on Tuesday in his native Sinhala."We need to focus on these as they have often been characterized by countless, poorly coordinated, ineffectively designed, ineptly staffed and overlapping programs, with unnecessary inter-agency rivalry."Rajapaksa called on the UN to wind up negotiations on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism, saying the body was locked in endless discussion, adding Sri Lanka supports strengthening UN mechanisms for countering fund raising for illegal activities."State sovereignty, civil society and the rule of law are increasingly being threatened by terrorism and other illegal and illicit activities in many countries," Rajapaksa said."Although the UN system has set up mechanisms to deal with many of these problems, the capacity of the UN to address these challenges effectively has been brought into question."Rights groups say hundreds of people have been killed or abducted in Sri Lanka since last year, when a civil war that has killed around 70,000 people since 1983 resumed after a near four-year lull. Some abuses have been blamed on state security forces.The government says the reports are overblown and designed to tarnish its image, and has slammed United Nations envoys for voicing concerns and slammed foreign governments and rights groups for criticism.Sri Lanka has rejected calls from rights groups and aid workers for a United Nations human rights monitoring mission, saying it would infringe on its sovereignty and that it is capable of probing abuses itself."Human rights are too important to be used as a tool to victimize states for political advantage. It is essential that international action to facilitate compliance with human rights standards is fair and even handed," Rajapaksa said.The government's Tamil Tiger rebel foes, who are widely outlawed as a terrorist organisation and have mounted a spree of bombings and suicide attacks, accuse the state of waging a genocidal war against minority Tamils and say they have been isolated and have no forum to voice their views."Terrorism anywhere is terrorism," Rajapaksa said. "We launched military operations only to exert pressure on terrorists in order to convince them that it will not be possible for them to obtain a military victory."Analysts say seeking to annihilate the Tigers militarily will only result in more bloodshed, and see no clear winner on the horizon. An estimated 5,000 people have been killed since early 2006 alone. Sri Lankan military says it killed 10 Tamil Tiger rebels in intense fighting Two groups of Tamil Tiger rebels tried to infiltrate government-controlled territory, setting off a battle with government forces that killed 10 of the rebels, the military said Wednesday.The battle came amid days of heavy fighting along the front lines separating the rebels' de facto state from thousands of government troops.There was no independent confirmation of the death toll and rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan was not immediately available for comment. Both sides in the fighting routinely exaggerate their enemy's death toll, while underreporting their own casualty figures.The latest fighting started about 4 p.m. local time Tuesday near the Vavuniya area, south of the Tigers' territory when two different groups of rebel fighters tried to cross the front lines, said Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara, a military spokesman.The subsequent battle _ involving artillery, mortar shells and small arms fire _ killed 10 rebels and wounded four soldiers, he said.In fighting earlier this week, the government claimed to have killed nine rebels in a daylong battle that ended early Tuesday. A battle Monday just north of rebel territory killed 20 rebels and one soldier, the military said.The increased fighting led to speculation that the government might be preparing for a military offensive against the Tigers' heartland in the jungles of northern Sri Lanka.Earlier this year, government forces routed the Tigers from territory they had controlled in eastern Sri Lanka.The two sides have been fighting for more than two decades, with the Tigers demanding an independent homeland for minority Tamils in the northeast and the government, dominated by the Sinhalese majority, insisting the country remain unified.More than 70,000 people have been killed in the fighting, 5,000 of them since a 2002 cease-fire broke down in late 2005. Lanka govt-LTTE truce agreement not a 'dead letter': SLMM Undeterred by the raging ethnic conflict here, the Scandinavian truce monitors have expressed optimism about the relevance of the ceasefire agreement between the government and the Tamil Tiger rebels.However, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) admitted that the number of violations of the truce had increased substantially."I don't think it (the ceasefire agreement) is a dead letter. I think it's a valid document that hasn't been abrogated by either of the parties. The continuing existence of the SLMM is proof that it has been surviving", the head of the SLMM Lars J Solvberg said in an interview."We have been getting feedback from a lot of people who are not directly affiliated with either of the parties. They are supportive of the fact that SLMM is still around to follow the situation", he told the Sinhala Newspaper "Lakbima" here.Solvberg said the warefare is "basically" limited to the northern region though there are incidents in the east too as was evident this week. "But the major military activity is in the north." "There's a forward defence locality between the LTTE- controlled area and Government controlled area in Jaffna... Muhamalai. And that is a constant military confrontation. We have shelling almost, I would say, every day or night. And have had for months and months. Also, in the southern rim of the LTTE-controlled area, Omanthai, is a situation of military confrontation," he said. STF, LTTE exchange mortar fire in Ampaa'rai Sri Lanka Special Task Force (STF) launched mortar shells Tuesday around 2:30 p.m from their base in Kagnchikuddichchaa'ru in Ampaa'rai district, on Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held areas in Ampaa'rai. LTTE retaliated with mortar shells, Ampaa'rai district LTTE Political Head Kaviyarasan said. LTTE did not suffer any casualties in the exchange of mortar shells which lasted until 3:00 p.m., Kaviyarasan said No civilian casualties were reported. LTTE shells fell and exploded inside Kagnchikuddichchaar'ru STF base, but information is not available on casualty figures. Army captures LTTE’s FDL near Yodha Wewa The Military on Monday captured the LTTE’s first Forward Defence Lines on the western side of the Yodha Wewa (Giant Tank) in the north of Mannar, in a fresh military operation launched on Sunday to capture the area, military sources said.They said that on Monday itself the military was able to kill more than 20 LTTE cadres and injure nearly 40. Clashes erupted between the advancing military and the LTTE on Monday on the west of the Yodha Wewa ( Giant Tank).“During the clashes four soldiers succumbed to injuries while nearly 20 LTTE cadres were killed and 36 injured,” a military official said. He also said that the military established through LTTE radio transmission intercepts that a vehicle belonging to the terrorists had been completely destroyed during the clash.The official also said that there were heavy exchanges of artillery and mortar fire between the two parties for several hours.With the outbreak of fighting people in the area have started to flee and seek refuge at nearby churches and schools. “Only a few families moved from the area,” the official however said.Meanwhile, the LTTE said on Monday that they had thwarted military attempts to infiltrate into areas under their control . “After nine hours of stiff fighting, the Army troops were pushed back to their positions with heavy causalities,” the Tamilnet said quoting an LTTE spokesman. He said that six Tigers were killed during the fighting.He also said, that the military casualties were airlifted from the battle field in Sri Lanka Air Force helicopters. 5 in Thenmaraadchi seek HRC protection Five civilians , including three youths between 20 and 22 years of age, in Thenmaraadchi sought protection with the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna due to death threats from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries, sources in Jaffna said.Three youths are from Amman Koiyiladi in Chaavakachcheari.The number of civilians from Thenmaraadchi area seeking protection due to the deteriorating security environment has escalated recently, civil society sources in Jaffna said. UNP has only disguise to cling onto power - Wimal Weerawansa 25Septemper 2007 Sri Lankan Peace Must Be Based on Tamil Homeland, Rebels Say Sri Lanka's peace process must be based on a homeland for the Tamil people, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam said, as the army extended operations in the north after defeating rebel forces in the east in July. The Tamil people should be able to ``express their aspirations'' in the same way as the people of East Timor and Kosovo, the LTTE said in an e-mailed statement. East Timor became independent in May 2002 and the United Nations is negotiating an independence plan for Kosovo, a province of Serbia with an ethnic-Albanian majority. A solution to Tamil demands can't be based on dividing Sri Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said earlier this month. The LTTE is fighting for a separate homeland for Tamils who make up about 8.5 percent of the South Asian island nation's 20 million people, according to U.S. government data. The loss of Sri Lanka's Eastern Province after 14 years of fighting has left the Tamil Tigers in control of areas in the north. The army said yesterday it killed four LTTE leaders in an attack two days ago on a rebel base in the northeast. The international community should ``recognize the concept of the sovereignty of the Tamil people and support the peace process in accordance with this principle,'' the LTTE said in a statement issued by its Peace Secretariat late yesterday to coincide with Rajapaksa attending the UN General Assembly annual meeting in New York this week. Rajapaksa's delegation will use its visit to ``discredit the Tamil struggle for self-determination as terrorism and mislead the international community,'' the LTTE said. Tamil Grievances There are ``genuine Tamil grievances'' and ``genuine Tamil aspirations'' that have to be addressed, Rajapaksa said in an interview with Indian media, published on the Defense Ministry's Web site earlier this month. The LTTE doesn't speak for all Tamils, he said. ``The vast majority of Tamil people want peace above everything'' and to them the state of Eelam is ``just an illusion,'' Rajapaksa said. ``The only question that is non- negotiable is a divided Sri Lanka.'' The Tamil Tigers, who have an estimated 12,000 fighters, including 4,000 members of its Sea Tigers naval force, is classified as a terrorist organization by the U.S., the European Union and India. ``The LTTE is maintaining patience and still restricting itself to a defensive war,'' S.P. Thamilchelvan, head of the group's political wing, said in an interview with TamilNet last week. He didn't refer directly to the loss of the Eastern Province in July. Ethnic Conflict The government is attempting to escalate the island's ethnic conflict to ``hitherto unseen heights'' by breaking up ethnic- Tamil communities in areas it now controls, Thamilchelvan said. Development of the eastern region is the government's cover for creating a land of refugees and promoting colonization by the ethnic Sinhalese community, he said. ``It is incorrect to say the government is attempting to colonize the east with Sinhalese,'' Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, the minister for media and mass communication, said Sept. 6 in response to an allegation by a lawmaker with the Tamil National Alliance party. Sinhalese make up almost 74 percent of Sri Lanka's population. Sri Lanka's government said in July it wants to hold elections in Eastern Province, possibly before the end of this year, and develop the region economically. The conflict between the government and the LTTE escalated a year ago as two attempts at peace talks in Geneva failed to make progress toward ending the two-decade insurgency. Solution to the ethnic problem before end of year, Sri Lanka President says to Indian Foreign Minister Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa has told the Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee that the solution to the ethnic problem will be brought before the end of this year through the All Party Representative Committee (APRC). The President made this claim in response to an inquiry from the Indian Foreign Minister when the duo met for discussions on September 23rd, Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohitha Bogollagama told a government owned daily. The talks were focused on the bilateral relations, Sri Lanka government’s Eastern Province development plan, India – Sri Lanka joint venture in Coal power electricity and the Comprehensive Economic Participation Agreement to be signed between the two countries. Mannaar offensive thwarted - LTTE Sri Lanka Army army launched a ground offensive Monday morning at 5:30 towards Liberation Tigers controlled Adaikkalaimoaddai in Kaddukkaraikku'lam Tank area. After 9 hours of stiff fighting, the SLA troops were pushed back to their positions suffering heavy causalities, military spokesperson of Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam (LTTE), Irasaiah Ilanthiraiyan said. The Tigers lost 6 fighters in the clash. The SLA casualties were airlifted in Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) helicopters from the battle field. Military medics were in prepared state as the SLA anticipated casualties. Following the instructions by the SLA, Mannaar general hospital and Murungkan district hospital, were placed on high alert state since early morning Monday.Traffic through Mannaar Madawachchi road was interrupted several times. Villagers in SLA controlled Uyirththaraasanku'lam have moved out to seek shelter at the St. Anthony's church. 20 LTTE cadres killed in fighting at Kilali FDL-SL Army Twenty LTTE cadres were killed in Army retaliation at a daybreak LTTE attack at the Forward Defense Line in Kilali in the Jaffna peninsula, said Media Center for National Security (MCNS) The Army chased the retreating LTTE cadres, demolished eight bunkers belonged to them and recovered three T-56 weapons and a communication equipment. Army recovered three bodies of the slain LTTE cadres and verified by deciphering their communication that around 20 LTTEers were killed in fighting. MCNS said that one soldier was killed and five were injured. Meanwhile, LTTE attacked an Army foot patrol around 3.30 PM yesterday (23) at the forward defense line near Yodha Weva reservoir in Mannar. MCNS said that three LTTE cadres were killed and one soldier was injured in the attack. Tamil Tigers call for international pressure on Sri Lanka Tamil Tiger guerrillas called Tuesday for international pressure to be cranked up to force the Sri Lankan government to halt military operations and return to peace negotiations.The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), commonly referred to as the Tamil Tigers, accused Colombo in a statement of pursuing a military campaign and committing human rights abuses.The timing of the statement was intended to coincide with President Mahinda Rajapakse's address to the United Nations in New York later Tuesday.The LTTE wants the international community to push the Colombo administration to honour a 2002 ceasefire arranged by peace broker Norway. The truce is in tatters after an escalation of fighting since December 2005."Whereas the LTTE continued to respect and urge for a full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, the Rajapakse regime eventually embarked on its war of occupation," the LTTE said."The government of Sri Lanka must end its deceptions, halt its military oppression, ethnic cleansing, and serious human rights violations, accept the aspirations of the Tamil people and come forward to find a resolution that is based on the right to self-determination of the Tamil people," the statement said."The international community must rein in the government of Sri Lanka to bring it in line."It added military operations by Sri Lankan forces continued in the island's north and east, but said that the LTTE "continued to restrain itself, confining only to defensive operations."The statement came a day after the Sri Lankan military said that at least 27 people, including 23 rebels, were killed in clashes over the weekend.The fighting came despite an offer Sunday by the government's top defence official to halt military action in exchange for a resumption of peace talks, which stalled last October.Troops would not go on the offensive if Tamil rebels agreed to talks, defence ministry secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse told a newspaper amid pressure from the island's key foreign backers to halt the carnage.The Tigers described Rajapakse's offer as "lip service," dismissed the government's public pledge to seek a political settlement and urged the international community not to be fooled.They also accused the government of making "schizophrenic public statements" on how it plans to find a solution to the conflict, which has claimed the lives of more than 60,000 people. UNHRC special session on SL: AI Special session Delivering the speech AI representative Peter Splinter said “that (special session) will allow it to receive and discuss an urgently needed comprehensive assessment of the human rights situation in Sri Lanka and explore measures that can assist the Government in improving that situation”.Mentioning the enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Sri Lanka AI said “the severity of the violations and abuses requires that the Government address in the Council itself the need for investigations, prosecutions and other practical measures to end those violations and abuses”.AI said that both the persistent denial of Sri Lankan government about the severity of the situation, and the casting of aspersions on those expressing concern about the situation is unhelpful.AI also urges the Human Rights Council to start to address the situations of grave violations of fundamental rights without a further delay. Military solution will only make Prabhakaran a legend: Tamil rights activist Dr Rajan Hoole, a Tamil rights activist who won the Martin Ennals award recently, has warned the Sri Lankan government against killing the LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran. Prabhakaran's destruction through military action would only result in his becoming a more dangerous legend among the Tamil people than he was already, he said."Treating the destruction of Prabhakaran as an end in itself, would make him an even more dangerous legend among the Tamils everywhere," Hoole said in a statement on monday.Reacting to the Sri Lankan Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa's declaration that there would be a political settlement only after the Tamil Tigers were militarily crushed, Hoole said that this was putting the cart before the horse, and would be completely counter productive.He said that a reasonable political solution, taking into account the long standing aspirations of the Tamils, would have to be offered to the Tamil people as a priority. That would enable them to reject the LTTE's violence, intolerance and separatism. "The LTTE must be defeated, but the way it is defeated is crucial. Its ultimate defeat could only be achieved by the Tamil people given adequate democratic opportunity," the activist said. Hoole, who heads the University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna), said that without a political solution on offer, it would be very difficult for the Tamil moderates to wean the Tamil masses away from the LTTE. Tamil moderates, like himself, were having great difficulty trying to convince ordinary Tamils living in the neighbourhood and the Diaspora, that the LTTE had been committing crimes against the Tamils themselves, Hoole said. He was often reprimanded by the Tamil people for exposing the LTTE's violence. Their argument was that there was a powerful government in Colombo "committing terrible atrocities" against the Tamils which had to be fought and in that context, it would not be prudent to expose the wrong doings of the LTTE.Hoole said that the Sri Lankan government was wrong in taking Indian support for granted. According to him Indian were feeling that if the Sri Lankan government continued to be insensitive to the political demands of the Tamils and concentrated only on military action, a separate "Eelam" might be inevitable. "Disregarding Tamil aspirations and stocking up an excess of hardware to defeat him (Prabhakaran) militarily, would make him a more dangerous legend, dead or living. People would then remember him not as a villain who brought ruin on the Tamils, but as the man who understood the Sinhalese polity and refused to bow down," Hoole warned. Peace cannot be established at the point of a gun on Tamils---Mano Ganeshan Mano Ganeshan, Colombo District Parliamentarian, addressing World Peace Day at Hyde Park Colombo stated that by forcing solution on the Tamil people through the might of the government or through a military solution, a lasting solution cannot be found. He further stated that it is the Tamil people and the Muslim people who have been very badly affected by the war situation. Therefore, it is the Tamil people who long for peace most. He continued that it is meaningless to say that they can bring peace only through war. President Chandrika carried out a war for peace and she learnt a bitter lesson. Those who want to promote war for peace must learn from the history of the country. 10 refugees arrive at Rameswaram RAMANATHAPURAM: A group of 10 Sri Lankan refugees, comprising five men, three women and two children, arrived at Rameswaram on Monday. Sources said they were from the Vavuniya and Mannar areas. Basil to assume duty as Minister Government sources speculate that newly appointed national list MP Basil Rajapaksa will swear in as the Minister of Nation Building immediately after the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa returns from the UN General Assembly. The President is to return to the country on September 28. The Ministry of Nation Building which currently comes under the purview of the President, handles the biggest percentage of the national budget administered by four more non-cabinet Ministers. They are Ministers Jagath Pushpakumara, Rohitha Abegunawardhana, S.M. Chandrasena and Gunaratna Weerakoon.Former Senior Presidential adviser Basil Rajapaksa, the brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, was assumed as the de facto Minister of the Nation Building portfolio earlier as well. Enter Basil, exit the people President Mahinda Rajapakse's brother who was officially a Senior Presidential Adviser earlier, swore in as a national list MP replacing the National Congress Minister late Anver Ismail.The writer had to take it as a controversial matter related to democracy since most of the media did not take it in that vein. One weekend newspaper introduced it as a measure that strengthened the President.Another 'alternative' newspaper was tight lipped on this matter. That sets the backdrop for this writing. Let us first consider the current parliament. The known legislature is a supreme institute that executes the people's sovereignty through people's representatives. Is it so here? JVP contested in United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) list with the SLFP at last general election. Many SLFP supporters cast their vote to UPFA and marked the preference to JVP bringing them to the top of district preferential results. Those SLFP votes went to the JVP since the voters thought that the young blood would do good to the UPFA and the country. JVP won 40 seats and was shocked by the victory to the extent to offer one national list slot to the SLFP. Does not that mean that the conscience of the JVP knew that the votes belonged to the SLFP? Now that JVP is in the opposition without heeding to the SLFP voters consent that expected JVP doing good through the alliance. Is this a way of representing the consent of the people who elected them? On the other hand, 24 UNPers who obtained UNP votes and preferences are now in the government. Similarly, is this a way of representing the consent of the people's consent. This is same with Ceylon Workers' Congress and the Muslim Congress who contested under elephant symbol. Do they represent the public anymore? Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathis Suriyaarachchi are same too. Do they now represent the sovereignty of the people who voted them? The rationale behind the restricting of party crossovers in J.R. Jayawardhana's constitution is that the elected member should bow to the consent of the public who elected him/her through voting to the party. Since the proportion of received votes also decides the number of seats, crossings obviously breach the people's sovereignty.Now crossed over MPs also can remain in the parliament due to the loopholes in law. However, the above facts clarify the extent of breach of sovereignty by them. We have to consider Basil's entry in this backdrop. As one newspaper mentioned, it is now easy to counter a parliamentary political game against President. Is the parliament a game planner like the underworld? It is said that Basil would strengthen the President. Legislature is not an institute bound to strengthen the executive. This depicts the ignorance on power politics. Both executive Presidency and the legislature derive power from people's sovereignty. These two bodies represent sovereignty in two ways. Therefore, the duty of the parliament should not be strengthening the Presidency and it should strengthen the public. Prime Minister Rathnasiri Wickramanayaka, Ministers Mervin Silva and Dallus Alahapperuma and Basil Rajapakse were not in the national list by the time the election was held. What is the use of a national list if one can be nominated from outside? Why is it necessary to publicize the national list prior to the election? Is it not for the public to know who will be sent to parliament from their vote? Aren't the national list slots allocated pertaining to the percentage of votes received? Then was not the national list slot be filled with a member of the Minister Anver's party? All these can be legally correct. Appointing one to national list from outside has not been legally analyzed. Nevertheless, it is challenged in court. Although they can be legal, they are damning of the sovereignty in people's conscience. The conscience of the people cannot be changed by propaganda, arguments or theories. We have to consider Basil's entry to the parliament in this backdrop.One appointee to the national list is a joker. Another one is a rowdy. The identity of the newcomer is yet to know. Where do all these deformities lead us? What decision will the public take if their trust on the democratic institutes collapse? We think that the true journalists who think of people should consider these. By 24Septemper 2007 Under fire Sri Lanka offers olive branch to Tamil Tigers Sri Lanka offered Sunday to halt major military operations against Tamil separatists in exchange for peace talks following intense international censure. Troops will not press ahead with an offensive if Tamil Tiger rebels agree to talk, Defence Ministry secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse told a newspaper amid pressure from the island's key foreign backers not to pursue the military option.The country's top defence official said it was now up to the Tigers to decide if the military should keep up its drive and urged them to resume peace negotiations which collapsed in October last year."The decision (of war or peace) is theirs and I believe they wouldn't reject this opportunity," Rajapakse told the Sunday Island. "We'll not take advantage of the ground situation," if the Tigers agree to negotiate.Rajapakse, who is also the president's younger brother, made the comments after the the United States urged Colombo against pressing ahead with a military drive.The European Union and neighbouring India have also warned against an all-out military campaign. The surprise olive branch came just days after the defence secretary had vowed to crush the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).Rajapakse had on Monday called for stepped-up military action to finish off the rebels."Without defeating terrorism, we can't have a political settlement," he said last week in a speech in the northeastern coastal city of Trincomalee as part of celebrations after the ministry said three rebel gun-running ships had been sunk."The president is working hard on a political settlement," he said, adding: "Whatever the political settlement, it cannot be implemented unless terrorism is eradicated."The hard-hitting speech prompted the US ambassador to Sri Lanka to warn there was no military solution to the Indian Ocean island's long-running separatist conflict, which has claimed more than 60,000 lives since 1972."The expulsion of the LTTE from the east (of the island) and the recent sinking of several LTTE ships carrying arms and other provisions mark important military successes," Blake said."But these tactical successes should not tempt the government to re-consider whether Sri Lanka's conflict can be won by military means. It cannot." Diplomats close to the now moribund Norwegian-led peace process said Colombo appeared to be taking on board their concerns in the wake of high-level international meetings in Geneva and New York focusing on the island."There is no mood on either side to resume talks," one diplomat noted. "But, at least we can expect a scaling down of the violence. There is a lot of concern about the mounting body count."Ambassador Blake's remarks came as the Sri Lankan government battled to avoid formal censure at the United Nations Human Rights Council, which is reviewing the island's deteriorating rights record in Geneva.Diplomats said Sri Lankan president Mahinda Rajapakse could also face tough questioning during his current visit to New York to address the UN general assembly.Rights groups accuse the government and Tamil rebels of extra-judicial killings and scores of disappearances of civilians and political activists. A top international panel on Wednesday accused Sri Lanka of failing to honour promises to investigate grave human rights violations and accused the government of a virtual cover-up. The International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) said a government probe into 16 high-profile cases, including mass murder, had failed to make headway since being launched in November 2006. More than 5,400 people have been killed since December 2005 when a truce began to unravel. Power should be devolved to maximum, says Chief Justice "Devolving power can be done easily and it should be devolved to maximum," said Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva yesterday.He made these observations addressing the gathering after declare opening the new civil high court building at Anuradhapura courts complex.Commenting on the controversial subject in light vein, the Chief Justice further said, "We have carried out this war based on an insignificant illusion. Now everything has destroyed in the war ravaged areas. The basis of the entire ethnic problem is the fact that the central government is not devolving power to the provinces. This can be done easily without fighting. We have to first explore what power to devolve. The devolution should be to maximum extent. That will lead to the well being of people." HSZ in Muttur east to be reduced The government had decided to reduce the High Security Zone (HSZ) in Muttur East and resettle some of the displaced from those areas, the Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief informed aid agencies at a meeting in Trincomalee last week.At a shelter coordination meeting last week the Coordinating Director for Trincomalee of the Ministry of Resettlement and Disaster Relief, Rear Admiral (Rtd.) H.R. Amaraweera said that government authorities are planning to reduce the High Security Zone in Muttur East by five Grama Niladhari (GN) Divisions. The military is in the process of carrying out the de-mining of these areas after which the resettlement would commence. Aid agencies have also been approached by the Additional District Secretary of Muttur to build shelters for the returnees to Muttur West. Some 100 IDPs originally from Muttur West returned from Batticaloa last week while 10 families originating from Muttur East travelled via Eachchilampattu and are now accommodated in the Peruveli IDP Transit Site near Kiliveddy, Muttur DS Division, the Inter Agency Standing Committee (IASC) said.Meanwhile IDPs originally from Ariyamankerni in the Muttur DS Division living temporarily in Lingapuram, are reluctant to return since a shooting incident on September 6, according to local information. Aid agencies recently supported a cash for work scheme for the IDPs to build semi-permanent shelters for the community close to the village, allowing them to work on their houses and stay in collective security at night. “This incident is another setback for the long return of the residents of this village,” IASC said.In a separate incident, staff at the Trincomalee General Hospital participated in a token strike last week in protest against an armed group demanding money from doctors. The Police visited the hospital and assured the staff that adequate measures were taken to avoid such threats. The strike was called off but doctors warned that any further incidents could result in a nation-wide strike. UN mission 'no threat to sovereignty' Hypocracy of West Dayan Jayathilake, Ambassador and Sri Lanka’s Permanent representative to the UN in Geneva said the proposal could be seen as an attempt by the West to intervene in Sri Lankan affairs.“Western countries use human rights as a tool of hypocracy in their agenda for power,” Jayathilake told BBC Sandeshaya. He recalled that President Mahinda Rajapaksa personally invited UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, to visit Sri Lanka. Louise Arbour's visit However President Rajapaksa has objected to the proposal of establishing a monitoring mission in Colombo.“The President jokingly remarked to Ms. Arbour that he could mention at least five other countries where serious abuses are continued,” Jayathilake said.Minister Hakeem, however, was of the opinion that the government should seize the opportunity to ally minorities’ fears.“I do not believe the opening of the UN monitoring mission will be a threat to Sri Lanka’s sovereignty or territorial integrity,” Minister Hakeem told BBC Sandeshaya.The SLMC as a party representing a major minority, minister Hakeem said, would differ with the government policy over the issue. “The argument whether we should establish a mission at a time when abuses by other states are ignored might actually result in tarnishing our international image,” he added. Tension in Puttalam as ministers dispute Puttalam town was tense yesterday due to a row between Resettlement Minister Rishard Bathiudeen and Deputy Minister of Livestock, and SLMC member, K.A. Baiz regarding a World Bank- funded housing project for the displaced Muslim families currently living in the area.A commotion took place between the supporters of the two Muslim politicians during a meeting held at the Circuit Bungalow of the District Secretary, Puttalam where heated cross talk led to Mr. Baiz being pulled out of the place by STF personnel providing security for Minister Bathiudeen. Mr. Bathiudeen told the Daily Mirror yesterday that he had convened the meeting with national and local politicians and project officials to work out the details of the housing scheme for Muslims evicted from the north by the LTTE 17 years ago.He alleged that Mr. Baiz had interrupted the meeting insisting on the need to allocate more housing units to native Muslims of Puttalam under this scheme.“We were to construct 1800 housing units for Muslims who are originally from Puttalam. But, Mr. Baiz wanted to have a bigger say in the project and more units. That is why he created this trouble,” he said. Mr. Bathiudeen denied allegations that he had instructed his security personnel to pull Mr. Baiz and his supporters out of the meeting.Meanwhile, Mr. Baiz alleged that he objected to the district politicians like him being sidelined and ignored when implementing development projects in his constituency according to the whims and fancies of those not representing the area.He said that Mr. Bathiudeen was the first to scold him and even threaten and order him to leave the office if he were unwillimg to listen to him. However, the allegation was flatly denied by SLMC Wayamba Provincial Councilor N.H.M. Niyaz who was also present at the meeting. Mr. Baiz said that he would organize a hartal today by closing shops in collaboration with the Mosque Federation and Muslim religious leaders. “How can outsiders come and insult us in our own grounds?” he asked. He said that there were numerous problems created by the displaced Muslims living in Puttalam today, for the original settlers. After the incident, Mr. Baiz and his supporters staged a demonstration in Puttalam town, blocking the road. Ravana is a hero for Sinhala nationalists The Ramayana is not part of the mainstream Sinhala religious and cultural tradition in Sri Lanka, because Buddhism has been the religion of the majority of Sinhalas for long. But ancient Sinhala works like Rajavaliya and Ravanavaliya identify Ravana as a Sinhala king and extol him as a great one. In modern Sri Lanka, there has been a movement to revive Ravana as a cult figure, who represents Sinhala or Sri Lankan nationalism because he was among the first in the island's history to have resisted an alien/Indian invader. Ravana's ten heads represent the ten crowns he wore as a result of his being the sovereign of ten countries.Scholar Arisen Ahubudhu is the current representative of the ultra nationalistic Hela movement founded by the renowned Sinhala litterateur, the Late Munidasa Kumaratunga. The Hela movement has been urging the Sinhalas to go back to their roots shunning Indian, Hinduistic and other alien influences.In his book Sakvithi Ravana (first published in 1988) Ahubudhu says that Ravana reigned over Sri Lanka from 2554 to 2517 BC. He quotes Ravanavaliya to say that Ravana belonged to the "Sun race" as Ra signifies the sun and vana signifies generation. Ravana's ten heads represent the ten crowns he wore as a result of his being the sovereign of ten countries. Ravana's ancestors ruled over what is now the Polonnaruwa district in North Central Sri Lanka, the name Polonnaruwa being a derivative of the word Pulasthi, the name of the dynasty to which Ravana belonged. Ravana, however, ruled over the entire island and many places beyond.Ahubudhu trashes the Ramayana story that Rama invaded Sri Lanka because Ravana had kidnapped Sita. According to the author, Ravana's step brother Vibhishana, had invited Rama to invade Sri Lanka because he was wanting to oust Ravana from the kingship of the island. "When considering the fact that Sita's chastity was proved, this can be taken as a story concocted by Yuwaraja Vibhishana in order to discredit Ravana in the eyes of his people and take advantage thereof," he says. Australia, NZ call for end to fighting Australia and New Zealand have called for an end to the fighting in Sri Lanka and increased security for children affected by the war, including child soldiers recruited both by the LTTE and the Karuna faction.Making separate statements at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session in Geneva on Friday, the two Pacific countries noted that they would support all international efforts to resume peace talks in Sri Lanka.New Zealand’s representative at the UNHRC session Amy Laurenson said the ongoing situation in Sri Lanka had brought with it worrying increases in human rights violations, and the parties involved should set up a ceasefire and commit themselves to returning to the peace process. “New Zealand fully supports the planned visit to Sri Lanka next month by the High Commissioner for Human Rights and endorses international efforts aimed at achieving a lasting peace. We urge all stakeholders to use the opportunity for dialogue presented by the High Commissioner’s visit to approach this in a spirit of cooperation,” Ms. Laurenson said.Ms. Laurenson also welcomed comments made by the Sri Lankan delegation at the UNHRC that the Government regards the recruitment of child soldiers as a zero tolerance and non-negotiable issue and is totally committed to eradicating this scourge and ensuring protection for all children affected by the armed conflict. Meanwhile, Australia’s representative at the UNHRC session, Guy O'Brien said the high level of displacement caused by the escalating conflict in Sri Lanka, which also affected thousands of children, was of concern. “We call on all parties to the conflict to ensure that all forms for forced recruitment and abduction of children are ended and to take necessary action to hold accountable those responsible for such practices. We are concerned at reports indicating that significant numbers of children continued to be recruited or re-recruited by the LTTE and reported abductions and recruitment of children in the East by the Karuna faction,” he said. Australia says it is supporting a number of measures to mitigate the impact of conflict on children in Sri Lanka, to assist women and children in conflict affected populations in the North and East and noted calls by aid and protection agencies for increased access into conflict affected areas, which also has a direct impact on the capacity of these agencies to address the needs of children affected by armed conflict. STF Commandant Lewke replaced Commandant of the elite Police Special Task Force (STF), DIG Nimal Lewke has been replaced by Senior DIG Mahinda Balasuriya with immediate effect, police sources said. Director (Discipline & Conduct), DIG D.S.R. Wanaguru issued the relevant letter Saturday morning (September 22nd). Balasuriya was earlier North and East Regional Senior DIG. However, the new appointment for DIG Lewke is still unknown. As ‘Lanka Dissent’ reports this change in the police hierarchy, a meeting of top police officials was underway at the STF headquarters. Prison tunnel leads to ‘inside help’ The discovery of a tunnel last week at the Kalutara prison, believed to have been dug by LTTE detainees has led to more startling revelations and investigators are now pointing fingers at some prisons officials who are believed to have been directly involved in the attempted prison break.Investigations suggest that large sums of money could have been offered to the prison officials to ensure that some guards were not permitted to visit the particular cell from where the inmates planned their daring escape before they were transferred to another prison. It has now been revealed that the LTTE had managed to smuggle blunt implements, baskets and fertilizer bags into the cell with the assistance of some prisons officials. "It may lead to a chain of involvement by a large number of officials," a top police officer involved in the investigations said.Meanwhile, the Commissioner General of Prisons Major General Vajira Wijegunawardane (Retired), who visited the Kalutara prison on Saturday, found that a large number of guards and officials had not reported for duty after the discovery of the tunnel.Of the 150 officials and guards only six had reported for duty on Saturday, prisons source told the Daily Mirror, raising suspicions of their involvement in the attempted break-out. The Commissioner General said a full scale probe had been launched into the failure of prison officials to report for duty on Saturday.In scenes reminiscent of the TV series ‘Prison Break’ officials of the Kalutara Prison on Horana Road discovered the nearly 200 metres long tunnel, complete with electricity for lighting, leading towards the Kalu Ganga, dug by Tiger suspects in custody over a period of one year.Prison officials on Thursday made the discovery during a special search operation within the premises. Fifty-three LTTE detainees were kept in a separate section at the Kalutara Prison till they were transferred to the Welikada Prison several months ago.According to initial investigations, the LTTE suspects had first dug eight feet vertically down through an abandoned toilet pit inside one of the cells and then had dug horizontally towards the river some 250 metres away from the main cell. A year ago, the same LTTE suspects were transferred to the Welikada Prison amidst their protests. Later they launched a hunger strike demanding an immediate transfer to the Kalutara Prison. The detainees resisted being transferred to the Batticaloa Prison when the authorities planned to transfer them there. One TMVP member shot dead, 2 injured in Akkaraipattu One person was killed and two seriously injured in a shooting incident Saturday around 8:45 p.m in TMVP office located at Aaliyadivempu area in Akkaraipattu police division in Ampaa'rai district, Akkaraipattu police said. The two shot injured in Karuna group office are admitted to Ampaa'rai hospital.Meanwhile, a person sustained gun shot injures on his leg when he tried to escape abduction by four unidentified armed men Saturday midnight, while he was asleep at his house in Kaaraitheevu police division in Ampaa'rai district, Kaaraitheevu police said. The person injured is identified as Vadivel Loganathan, 26, resident of Oorveethi, Kaaraitheevu. Majority prefer devolution - Survey COLOMBO: A recent survey indicated that there was a consensus among public on power devloution, with only 10 per cent of respondents rejecting any form of devolution, including the existing provincial council system. The deliberative poll with a sample of 1800, carried out by the Marga Institute in collaboration with the National Peace Council in 18 districts, has brought out the people’s attitudes by equipping them with better information of the relevant issues, sources said. According to the organisers this was the first time that a deliberative poll had been conducted in Sri Lanka, where the respondents were subjected to all important information, leading to a better understanding of the relevant issues, before seeking their opinion. According to the results which was released recently as many as 95 per cent had agreed that the political solution should be just and fair to all communities, and it should guarantee equal rights to all citizens in all parts of the country. Another important finding had been that 70 per cent had agreed to accept devolution close to a federal system, if it was a three tier system and brought the Government close to the people by giving adequate power to the political institutions at the local and the community level. The responses by the ethnic groups to systems of devolution had showed that there was a preference for the familiar present system with some enhancement of fundamental rights for all regardless of race or religion. 23Septemper 2007 World must rein in Sri Lankan state – TNA Protesting that the Sri Lankan government had discarded negotiating a settlement to the island’s ethnic conflict, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA)urged the international community to take a principled stand on the Tamil people’s right to self determination. Outlining the humanitarian and human rights crisis that has emerged in the wake of Colombo’s military project, the TNA also argued: “the Sri Lankan State will not conform to international norms or standards. It is only by the International Community … taking meaningful steps, can the Sri Lankan State be made to realize that it cannot continue with the present disastrous trend.”The full text of the TNA statement, released two days before President Mahinda Rajapakse is due to address the United Nations’ General Assembly, follows:The TNA learns through media reports that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to address the Plenary of the Sixty Second Session of the United Nations General Assembly. It has been the long standing practice of the Sri Lankan State to use such opportunities to portray the conflict between the Tamil Nation and the Sri Lankan State as one of combating terrorism. In this regard the TNA wishes to state the following:- The Tamil people who have a history of their own, for over two thousand five hundred years in the island, and who mainly inhabited the North – Eastern part of the island, have their own linguistic and cultural identity, and have always constituted a distinct nation.The Northern and Eastern Provinces are preponderantly Tamil speaking territory occupied by the Tamil people, and also the Muslim people, whose mother tongue is Tamil. Prior to independence, the Sinhalese people whose mother tongue is Sinhala, constituted a small minority in this territory. The Tamil people have strived to realize the right to self determination in the North East, their area of historical habitation. Since 1956, the democratic verdicts of the Tamil people in the North-East, at every successive election, have overwhelmingly supported this demand for self determination. All activities by the Tamil people in support of this demand were non-violent and peaceful. The Sri Lankan State has consistently denied the right to self determination to the Tamil people, and through the 1972 and 1978 Constitutions enacted without the consent of the Tamil people, enshrined the unitary system of government which is the antithesis of the right to self- determination. Racial pogroms were unleashed against the Tamil people. Moderate Tamil political leadership over a period of three decades, despite valiant efforts failed to achieve positive results. It was in these circumstances that an armed struggle by the Tamil people commenced to defend the themselves from the genocidal intent of the Sri Lankan State and to further the struggle to realize the right to self determination. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are at the forefront leading this struggle for self determination of the Tamil people. Due to the intransigence of the Sri Lankan State, the struggle yet continues. Developments since the assumption of office by President Mahinda Rajapaksa After the assumption of office of the incumbent President, the violence against Tamil Civilians has been a continuing phenomenon, and has escalated since 2006. The Government has since 2006 pursued military operations, in flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement signed in 2002 between the Sri Lankan State and the LTTE. Such military operations have consisted of aerial bombardment and heavy artillery fire, including the use of multi-barrel rockets into civilian populated areas. Though the Government claims that such attacks were directed against identified LTTE targets, the victims have very frequently and mainly been Tamil civilians. Houses, public buildings, plantations, livestock, agricultural and fishing equipment, and other personal belongings were largely destroyed. The supplies of food and medicine to the civilian population in the affected villages by the civilian authorities have been obstructed by the Armed Forces, thus using food as a weapon of war. International and Domestic NGOs and Aid workers were denied access to these areas. Blatant Humanitarian and Human Rights violations It is reported that the total number of extrajudicial killings of Tamil Civilians, suspected to have been carried out by the Sri Lankan State Armed Forces and its paramilitary groups in the North - East was around 3900 in 2006, and over 700 were killed in the North – East in the first quarter of 2007. Over the past one year over 1000 Tamils are believed to have “disappeared”. The Sri Lankan Armed forces are over 99% Sinhalese, the Police forces are over 95% Sinhalese, and are openly hostile to the Tamil people. The Tamil people look upon the Sri Lankan Armed forces as an Army of occupation and have every reason to fear that the massacre of Tamil civilians will continue.Over 300,000 Tamil civilians have been displaced in the North – East, consequent to the present military operations. Around 20,000 Tamil civilians have fled across the seas and sought refuge in South India. Over 250,000 Tamil Civilians displaced by Tsunami have not yet been resettled. Over 300,000 Tamil Civilians displaced during the earlier phase of violence have not yet been resettled. The Government is attempting to hurriedly resettle some of the Tamil Civilians displaced in the recent military operations. They are not being compensated for the immense destruction they have suffered nor for the death of their kith and kin. They are not being provided with proper housing, nor their means of livelihood; their farming equipment, fishing equipment, and livestock have been destroyed. Recently the Sri Lankan State has been declaring large tracts of Tamil areas as High Security Zones, and judging by past experience, it is unlikely that the displaced Tamil civilian population would be allowed to resettle in these areas. These Tamil civilians are historical inhabitants of these areas, and have lived in these villages for generations and centuries. They are being denied their basic fundamental human rights. This action of the Government is tantamount to ethnic cleansing. The forced eviction of Tamil civilians from Colombo on 7th June 2007 clearly reflected the Government’s hostility towards the Tamil people collectively. Dilatory political process – a charade The Government claims to be committed to the evolution of a negotiated political solution. Apart from setting up the All Parties Representatives Committee (A.P.R.C), the Government has not in the past eighteen months demonstrated its commitment to the evolution of a political solution acceptable to Tamil people.The political process has been taken more than half a century backwards by this Government. The A.P.R.C is merely meandering with no clear political objective and in our submission is an exercise in futility. The A.P.R.C is no more than a mere charade to mislead the International Community.Furthermore, the Indo Sri Lanka Agreement of 29th July 1987 recognized that the Northern and Eastern Provinces were the areas of historical habitation of the Tamil speaking people and made provision for the merger of the Northern and Eastern Provinces as one Unit, for the purpose of the Tamil speaking people sharing powers of governance. The merger was effected, and acted upon by four successive Presidents and Governments, for over a period of 18 Years. After the assumption of office of the incumbent President, the merged North-East which has been the corner-stone for any possible negotiations process has been de-merged. Steps have been taken to administer the two provinces separately. The institutionalization of the de-merger has inevitably resulted in the loss of any prospects of furthering a negotiated settlement.The Sri Lankan State’s objective is to resolve the Tamil National question by military means. We strongly submit that the Sri Lankan State will not conform to international norms or standards. We further submit that it is only by the International Community taking a principled stand on the question of the right to self determination of the Tamil people and by taking meaningful steps, can the Sri Lankan State be made to realize that it cannot continue with the present disastrous trend. TNA Foreign Relations Committee Special Advisory Council for North President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who will establish two Provincial Councils for the North and East shortly, is likely to appoint an Advisory Council to run the affairs of the Northern Provincial Council. The President will establish the two provincial councils by gazette notification under 154A of the Constitution which states: Subject to the provisions of the Constitution, a Provincial Council shall be established for every Province specified in the English Schedule with effect from such date or dates as the President may appoint by order published in the Gazette. Different dates may be appointed in respect of different Provinces. Thereafter, the President will invoke the provision of the 154T of the 13th Amendment by which he will appoint an Advisory Council to run the affairs of the Council in addition to the Governor of the Province. 154T of the 13th Amendment states: The President may by Order published in the Gazette, take such actions, or give such directions, not inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution, as appears to him to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of this Chapter, or for the administrative changes necessary therefore or for the purpose of removing any difficulties. The President will delegate full powers to the Northern Provincial Council until such time elections are held there to establish a Council. According to sources, the President will consider establishing a separate police force, as well as consider all other provisions in the 13th amendment—including the establishment of a fully fledged Provincial Council under an Advisory Council. The council will consist of eminent persons from the area. A similar Provincial Council with full powers will also be established in the East. The President is likely to announce his decision once he returns from the UN. Blake advises APRC to drop ‘Unitary,’ ‘Federal’ from final proposal US Ambassador in Sri Lanka Robert O Blake, has emphasised upon the need that the All Party Representative Committee (APRC) deviates from divisive, emotive terms like ‘federalism’ and ‘unitary’ in its endeavor of drawing up a solution to the ethnic problem. Addressing a seminar organised by the Fullbright Association on “Sri Lanka: the Way Forward,” – Ambassador Blake noted that the Sri Lanka Government had achieved some important victories during the last several months. “The expulsion of the LTTE from the east and the recent sinking of several LTTE ships, carrying arms and other provisions, mark important successes of the military.“But these tactical successes should not tempt the Government to re-consider whether Sri Lanka’s conflict can be won by military means. It cannot,” he emphasized.“While the Government must continue to defend the nation against terrorist attacks, the way forward lies in continuing to lay the basis for a negotiated settlement that will meet the aspirations of all of Sri Lanka’s communities: Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese,” Blake said. He pointed out that a key part of that equation will be for the All Party Representative Committee to complete its important work on a power-sharing proposal. From all accounts the APRC has made substantial progress.But difficult issues remain that will test whether all Sri Lanka’s parties can work together to arrive at a just and equitable proposal that will receive the support of Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese, Blake said. “To achieve a compromise that will lead to lasting peace will require statesmanship from all sides and the will to put national interest above narrow party interests. The governing coalition must demonstrate it represents the interests of all Sri Lankans, not just southern Sinhalese,” he said.The Ambassador also called on the UNP, which is credited for the important steps it took to usher in peace in 2002-2003, should, to build on that record of achievement, for the sake of all Sri Lankans, and work responsibly with the Government to ensure a successful APRC outcome. FBI to extradite KP The FBI is “discretely working” on the extradition of the LTTE’s chief arms procurer Shanmugan Kumaran Thar-malingam alias Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP), LAKBIMANEWS learnt from well placed intelligence sources.Both Colombo and New Delhi vied for the extradition of the Tigers chief arms procurer, yet both are losing the extradition battle.“International war against terrorism received priority, and FBI will get KP,” said a well placed military source referring to foreign intelligences sources.“FBI is discretely working on the extradition,” he said. The US attempt for extradition if successful will be the second occasion that the United States captures operative of the LTTE’s elusive arms smuggling network.Earlier, second in line of the LTTE’s KP Department, Pradeepan Thavarajah was extradited to the United States after he was arrested by the Indonesian police. At that time, the Indonesian police was acting on an arrest warrant issued by a Washington court. KP carries an international Red Notice served by Interpol Headquarters in Lyons, France.Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan military team which visited Bangkok to meet Thai officials over the detention of KP returned empty handed.However, local military as well as diplomatic sources confirmed the detention of KP though there is a confusion over the nature of the detention. The initial notification of KP’s arrest received by Colombo said KP had surrendered and that he was under “surveillance.”The government went to town with the news, which first appeared on the Defence Ministry website. However, both diplomatic and military sources say that there was an agreement between Thai and Sri Lankan authorities to keep the issue confidential. TNA accuses govt. of using food as weapon of war The TNA yesterday issued a statement claiming that the government while pursuing a military solution to the ethnic conflict was also engaged in extra judicial killings. The statement was issued by the TNA it was said to place the issues faced by the country before the international community prior to President Mahinda Rajapakse’s visit to New York to address the UN General Assembly.The TNA has stated that since Rajapakse assumed office as President, violence against Tamil civilians has escalated since 2006 and that the government since then has pursued military operations in flagrant violation of the ceasefire agreement signed in 2002. Sri Lanka in a last ditch attempt to save the country from being sanctioned by US The Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington DC, along with top officials from the Foreign Ministry in Colombo, have commenced lobbying against an attempt by Senator Patrick Leahy to influence the US administration to impose sanctions and a ban on military assistance to Sri Lanka. Embassy officials in Washington DC and Foreign Ministry top bureaucrats have been continuously lobbying the US Department of State’s decision makers to block Senator Patrick Leahy’s resolution.The US Department of State’s recommendations are believed to be very influential for the President of the United States, George W. Bush in taking a decision in this regard.Meanwhile, pro LTTE diaspora and human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, are lobbying for the implementation of Patrick Leahy’s amendment as a law. In addition, The Consortium of Sri Lankan Expatriates has launched a fax campaign noting the human rights issue in Sri Lanka has been blown out of proportion. Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry officials are optimistic that the US Department of State will advise the Bush administration against Senator Patrick Leahy’s resolution against Sri Lanka, or, in the least, will attempt to reduce the impact of the resolution. “However they are really worried about the massive negative reporting campaign carried out by human right organizations like Human Rights Watch, which makes a significant impact on the Department of State,” Foreign Ministry officials noted. Last month, the New York-based Human Rights Watch organization said more than 1,100 abductions or “disappearances” were reported between January 2006 and June 2007, blaming many of them on the government and its armed allies. On September 6, the United States Senate approved the State Department Appropriations, which included Senator Patrick Leahy’s resolution. This resolution will become law only after the Act receives the approval of the President of the United States. However President Bush has the authority to overrule Senator Leahy’s resolution, if deemed necessary. TULF: Indian model will work CHENNAI: The weakening of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the eastern part of Sri Lanka should make the government find a solution to the ethnic question by coming out with a proposal based on the Indian model, according to V. Anandasangaree, president, Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF).Describing the LTTE reverses in the east as “good in one way,” he, however, said it would not be that easy to eliminate the outfit in the north, an area with a large number of landmines. Using the present situation, the government should try to win over people of the north, presenting a package that envisaged maximum devolution of powers to provinces, Mr. Anandasangaree, who is in Chennai on a week-long visit, told The Hindu on Thursday. Emphasising that the Indian model would work in the island nation, the 74-year-old TULF president, who won the UNESCO’s Madanjeet Singh Prize for the Promotion of Peace and Non-violence last year, said the best thing about the Indian system was that it could be called neither a complete federal set-up nor a total unitary system. In Sri Lanka, sections of people were allergic to the terms “federal” and “unitary.” So, the Indian model would be relevant. Expressing scepticism of consensus among all parties over constitutional reforms, he said it would be better if the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) took along with it the United National Party (UNP) and the Leftists. Federalism The two principal parties, the SLFP and the UNP, openly acknowledged federalism as the option to solve the problem and the Leftists always supported it. In the last Presidential election, the UNP’s Ranil Wickremesinghe, who campaigned on the plank of federalism, polled 49.7 per cent of the votes, he noted.On his visit to the east six weeks ago, Mr. Anandasangaree said though the people had been liberated from LTTE control, they were going through enormous hardship. Some sections of farmers would have to start from scratch. He had interacted with civil society organisations and bodies representing fisherfolk and farmers. He passed on their representations to the government. He was not for immediate local body polls there, as it would take some more time for normality to return. Mr. Anandasangaree urged leaders and people of Tamil Nadu to pressure the Union government to advise the Sri Lankan government to go in for greater devolution of powers.“This should be the cry of Tamil Nadu, not trying to send food to where people do not need it.”If leaders such as Vaiko and P. Nedumaran were genuinely interested in the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils, they should get in touch with moderate leaders like him and work for the resolution of the problem. They should not do anything that would disrupt the peace process, the TULF leader said. Lankan Ambassador to France recalled The Sri Lankan Ambassador to France, Chitrangani Wagiswara, has been recalled by Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, The Nation reliably learns. So far, the Minister has not given any satisfactory explanation for his decision. Ambassador Wagiswara had been responsible for stopping LTTE satellite transmissions in Paris last April. The LTTE had been transmitting the Tamil Television Network—their main TV channel around the globe—via Globecast, a subsidiary of the French Telecom. Ambassador Wagiswara is a career diplomat. Somawansa slams Gotabhaya JVP leader Somawansa Amerasinghe has chided Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa for his remarks that permanent peace in Sri Lanka could be achieved only through defeating terrorism 100 percent but declared his party endorsed that view. The Defence Secretary made the remarks during a nationally televised ceremony at the Eastern Naval Area Headquarters in Trincomalee. The occasion was to mark the return of a Navy flotilla after a week long mission in international waters where they destroyed what was described as Tiger guerrilla ‘floating warehouses’ containing military hardware.“He is a bureaucrat. The JVP believes that a bureaucrat does not have the right or a duty to spell out Government policy,” he told The Sunday Times. However, he said the JVP was in total agreement with the view, but that should have come from the President and other politicians of the Government. “That is what the people of the country would like to hear from them,” he said. Mr Amerasinghe said politicians do not agree to solve the ethnic issue. “We say so because they have repeatedly indicated this by making contradictory statements,” he said. He likened the Government’s actions as placing the cart before the horse. The JVP leader also warned that there could be a protest general strike soon. He said prompting this move was the difficulty trade unions were encountering in meeting relevant ministers to discuss issues. In the past, due to this situation, trade unions had to call for token strikes and thus prompt ministers into meeting trade union leaders. Mr Amerasinghe said this was the reason why teachers had to go on strike recently. It is the duty of the Government, he said, to grant redress to the genuine grievances of the State sector employees. “Even we will have to seek recourse to the judiciary to safeguard the fundamental rights of the trade unions,” he said.He said that in recent weeks the country witnessed the unity of teachers. “Very few had reported for work when they chose to resort to trade union action. They are more conscious of their responsibilities than the ministers. Teachers are also parents as well. They also have school going children. They never intend to do anything harmful to their pupils,” he said. That is why we will also have to seek the help of the judiciary to seek redress for our grievances, he added. A signed article by Mr. Amerasinghe on the JVP’s stance on the prevailing political situation appears on Page 15. Indo - Lanka Accord is all but dead The Indo-Lanka Accord signed by Sri Lankan President J.R. Jayewardene and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on July 29, 1987 completed 20 years recently.Under the provisions of this accord we have a name-sake centre to periphery power devolution mechanism in the provincial councils to date, but these councils remain not independent, but mechanisms to implement orders from the centre and whatever powers envisaged to be devolved to the periphery continue to be retained by the centre. In terms of men, materials, and finance the provincial councils have become an additional burden on the economy of the country.With moves to alter the demographic pattern of the Northern and Eastern Provinces which have been recognised as the traditional home land of the Tamils under the Accord, continuing unabated; through the eviction of Tamils from their residences under the guise of establishing high security zones in those provinces; covert settlement of Sinhala people, and then the recent Supreme Court ruling which ordered the de-merger of the provinces, the Tamil homeland concept has come to be threatened. These were among other things, the irritants from the accord as per forces hostile to it. From day one, attempts have been made to find excuses to dilute the accord qualitatively instead of accepting it as a solid foundation on which to find a solution to the ethnic conflict and restore peace and harmony to the country.At one stage, even the people of both these provinces who welcomed the IPKF whole heartedly as their saviours at the beginning, became hostile to it, branding it as an army of occupation. The hostility was so high that when the Prime Minister of India Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a female LTTE suicide bomber, the Jaffna and Batticaloa families in Colombo received the information by lighting Chinese crackers.Even in the geo-political front, India’s belief that it had through the accord, effectively kept the Sri Lankan government from by-passing it towards forces hostile to India, has been proved too good to be true.The successive post-accord Sri Lankan governments have time and again acted with scant respect to this aspect while giving convenient excuses for doing so. The latest incident being the meeting between the Sri Lankan defence secretary and the Indian authorities, where it was reported that the Sri Lankan defence secretary warned his Indian counterpart that if no military assistance was available from India, Sri Lanka would have to go to either Pakistan or China.Ailing and feeble from the inception, at its 20th year the accord is sinking, leaving nothing for anybody to be proud of. Tiger detainees dig 200m tunnel beneath Kalutara prison wall In a startling discovery, officials of the Kalutara Prison on Horana Road have found a tunnel nearly 200 metres long and eight feet below the prison ground leading to the Kalu Ganga complete with electricity and light bulbs, dug by LTTE suspects in custody over a period of one year.Prison officials on Thursday made this find during a special search operation within the prison premises. Fifty-three LTTE detainees were kept in a separate section at the Kalutara prison till they were transferred to the Welikada prison several months ago.A senior prison official told the 'media' yesterday that the tunnel was dug by the LTTE suspects using blunt weapons improvised from utensils they had smuggled into the cells hidden on their persons.According to initial investigations, the LTTE suspects had first dug eight feet vertically down through an abandoned toilet pit inside one of the cells and then had dug horizontally towards to the river, flowing some 250 metres away from the main cell, where the LTTE detainees were held. Authorities had found some fifteen gunny bags filled with soil near the toilet pit. "We also suspect that they would have daubed their bodies with soil and had later washed it away to prevent detection of their clandestine project," the official said.Investigations further revealed that the suspect had stopped digging the tunnel after they met with a stone midway through and close to the river, but had planned to bypass the stone, in order to reach to the river bank. "The tunnel goes underneath the prison wall as well," he said.It was also revealed that the suspects had drawn an electric wire to illuminate the tunnel with several bulbs using the normal power supply to the particular cell.A year ago, the same LTTE suspects were transferred to the Welikada prison amidst their protest and later they launched a hunger strike demanding an immediate transfer back to the Kalutara prison. The detainees resisted being transferred to the Batticaloa prison, when the authorities planned to transfer them there, the official added.Meanwhile, when contacted by daily Mirror Commissioner General of Prisons Rtrd. Major General Vajira Wijegunawardane confirmed the discovery of the tunnel. He said since investigations are still proceeding he could not divulge any information about it.However he said that a special police team had been appointed to inquire into the discovery of the tunnel, and they had already visited the Kalutara Prison. "Our weapons will never back any anti democratic acts" says TMVP We the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal(TMVP) having broken away from a terrorist outfit joined the open democratic politics with full confidence in democracy. We are fully committed to gain the reasonable rights and political aspirations of our people through democratic means and thereby improving our people in education and economic wise in an undivided country aimed at establishing an environment where all the communities could live with understanding and unity. As this stands, several parties pose a question as to why we are carrying weapons. We have several occasions given clarifications in this regard and we have clearly explained our stance as well. However, we wish to clarify in connection with the above once again in a bid to explain our stance more clearly. The fascist LTTE terrorists, who do not accept the diverse opinions, unleash incessant attacks on us. Several unarmed political members of TMVP were killed by the LTTE recently when our members had been working on our political projects. Hence, in order to safeguard us from the LTTE terrorists we are compelled to carry these weapons with us. We are not married to the weapons. The confidence of our people and our brethren communities placed on us has been well established. Our political journey is making a fast headway with the support and blessing of the people. There is no need for any one to fear or suspect our weapons. They are only our protecting tools. TMVP has placed its full confidence in democracy and it unreservedly respects alternative solutions and views. We also reject and condemn the use of intimidation, power and violence with a view to achieve the political end in a democratic society. Our weapons will never back any anti democratic acts. We wish to reaffirm that we are ever all set to dissolve our military unit no sooner than the security of our unarmed political members is assured. Our doors are ever wide open for any one to get any clarification in connection with our stance. Karuna still engaged in child recruitment reveals SLMM Charges of abductions of minors for recruitment and extortion were once again leveled against the TMVP last week by the SLMM.The latest SLMM Situation Report said that the group was very visible in the east and authorities were reluctant to take action against it. "In the Eastern Region (ER), the Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) continued to be very visible, and was reported to be involved in several abductions – including abductions of minors," the SLMM said adding, "the TMVP is reportedly well protected by the authorities and the police is reluctant to pursue them in certain areas."UNICEF backed SLMM charges that the group continued to recruit minors – "as far as UNICEF is concerned recruitment of minors by the Karuna faction continues in the east," UNICEF Communications Chief Gordon Weiss told The Sunday Leader. The Karuna Group however denied the charges and said that they may have been based on wrong information provided to the SLMM."The TMVP does not engage in abductions or extortions. We do not recruit child soldiers. Everyone knows that and we have been constantly telling this," TMVP Political Head, V. Thileepan told The Sunday Leader."We think the (SLMM) report is based on false information. We are not accusing the SLMM. I’m not aware of the contents in the report. However, we will look into this issue and inquire if they are true," he said. Thileepan however said that minors continued to seek the protection of the group. "There are children and others surrendering to the TMVP and we in turn hand them over to their parents. These are done with the knowledge of the humanitarian organisations working in these areas." The SLMM said that the Government Peace Secretariat had seen the latest report but that there had been no reaction from the government over the charges of child recruitment. Defence Spokesperson Minister Keheliya Rambukwella was not available for comment. According to UN reports there were 12 cases of underage recruitment in the north east in August and six releases. The situation report filed by the UN OCHA office in Colombo said that Batticaloa registered the highest recruitment figure of eight, while Kilinochchi reported four releases. There was however a drastic drop in July when 29 cases of recruitment were reported. Batticaloa recorded the highest recruitment figure in July of 19. The SLMM report detailed several incidents of killings, abductions and extortion that were blamed on the TMVP. "The SLMM received three complaints regarding alleged abductions by the TMVP. On September 11 four youths (age 14-20) were reportedly abducted by the TMVP. The complainant claimed they would be held until six missing TMVP cadres returned," the report said.It added, "on 13 September a man was reported abducted by an armed group in a white van and taken to the TMVP office in Trincomalee where the victim was assaulted and threatened with death. He was released, but had reportedly received threats from the TMVP Group afterwards. On September 14 the TMVP Group reportedly abducted a boy (16) in Sinnathotam, 40 kms south of Ampara; they refused to release him, claiming he had been recruited."The monitors said that the group continued to extort money from businesses in Batticaloa and armed cadres had been seen inside a Hindu temple compound as well. "On September 13, a group of 15-20 armed TMVP cadres in civilian clothing were observed inside the compound of the Anaipanthi Pillayar (Hindu) Temple in Batticaloa town. The TMVP Group continued to extort money from local businesses," it said. New Tamil Alliance launches counter propaganda against Karuna The newly formed Tamil Democratic Alliance (TDA) has given rise to a counter propaganda campaign denouncing the TMVP as a group prone to violence and not to democratic values. The development, comes just a week after pamphlets were issued in the eastern province mainly Batticaloa, threatening to punish anyone who will support the newly mooted alliance which consists of the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), and Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front Pathmandabah wing (EPRLF-P). Sources from the area, told The Nation that the general presumption was that these pamphlets were issued by the TMVP, as no other parties or groups were actively involved in any propaganda activities there, since the time the LTTE was thrown out from the province by the security forces. The counter propaganda campaign launched by the TDA included pamphlets calling on the people from the east to respect democratic values and denounce any forms of terror or intimidations. On 13 September, an Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) member was assassinated in Valaichenai, Batticaloa, while he was distributing news handouts. He was reportedly killed by the TMVP group, the SLMM said in its report for last week. 22Septemper 2007 TELO President Selvam urges resettlement of Musali displaced Mr.Selvam Adaikalanathan, TELO & TNA Wanni district Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian, in an urgent letter, has appealed to Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse to take steps to resettle all families displaced from Musali divisional secretariat division in Mannaar district before the northeast monsoon, TNA sources said. Families in these villages vacated their houses and sought refuge elsewhere Sri Lanka Army ordered them to leave during the recent offensive in the north western coast. The villagers obeyed the order thinking that they would be allowed to resettle after the offensives were over. The SLA captured these villages without any loss and opposition, but has not yet allowed the displaced villagers back, Mr.Adaikalanathan said in his letter."The families are now sheltered in temporary welfare centres without any basic facilities. These families expect the authorities to take urgent steps to resettle them in their villages before the outbreak of northeast monsoon rains. They fear that they would have undergo difficulties when the monsoon rains start."The displaced families are farmers and fishermen. Till the evacuation they enjoyed their independent lives, and economically self sufficient. Now they depend on relief supplies; the education of displaced students has been badly affected," said Mr.Adaikalanathan in his letter. Sri Lanka roadside bomb kills bus driver - police A suspected Tamil Tiger roadside bomb hit a civilian bus in the island's northeast on Saturday killing the driver, police said, while the rebels said a third day of air strikes killed an elderly man in their territory.The violence in the restive north, the focus of renewed civil war between the state and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), is the latest in a rash of near daily land and sea battles, ambushes and air strikes in recent months."There was a Claymore mine explosion targeting a civilian bus on Nilaveli Road in Trincomalee," said Upali Gunasekera, deputy inspector general of police in the Trincomalee district."The driver was killed and a few others sustained minor injuries. We suspect it was the LTTE," he added.The Tigers, who have fought for two decades for a separate state in north and east Sri Lanka, said on their official Web site (www.ltteps.org) that the air force bombed their territory early on Saturday for third day running, killing an 85-year-old civilian and seriously wounding five others.An air force spokesman said he had no details of any air strikes on Saturday, but the military often delays announcing the outcome of military operations.On Friday, Sri Lankan jets bombed a Tiger military base in the rebel-held far north, triggering multiple explosions, the air force said, while a suspected rebel roadside bomb killed one civilian in the east.Friday's air strike, near the town of Puthukkudiyiruppu in the northern district of Mullaittivu, was targeted at top Tiger leaders, and came after a similar raid on Thursday.There was no independent confirmation of what the jets hit or how many people were killed.The violence comes on the heels of a new offensive launched by the Sri Lankan military this month to drive the rebels from the northwestern district of Mannar, after pushing them out from jungle terrain they controlled in the east earlier this year.An estimated 5,000 people have died since early last year in renewed fighting after a peace process collapsed. Nearly 70,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced since the war erupted in 1983. SLAF bombs Visuvamadu for 2nd day, civilian killed, 12 wounded An 85-year-old man was killed and 12 civilians, including his son and daughter who is a teacher, a six-months-old baby, a 9-year-old girl and two couples, were wounded when Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Kfir bombers attacked Punnai Neeraavi village in Visuvamadu Saturday between 7:00 and 7:25 a.m. Civilians at the Visuvamadu market, situated 350 meters from the attack site, fled away in panic. The bombed area is located bordering the Ki'linochchi and Mullaiththeevu districts. Thambu Vairamuththu, 85, was killed while being transferred from Tharmapuram hospital to K'ilinochchi hospital, his son Thambu Muththulingam, 57, and daughter Thambu Theivamani, 35, a teacher at Visuvamadu Central College, have been admitted at Ki'linochchi hospital with M. Sakthivel, 40, father of six, and V. Nadarajah, 55. Ms. Thambu Theivamani is being treated at the Intensive Care Unit. Mr. Nadarajah is an official at Palmyrah Development Board in Ki'linochchi. A six-months-old baby, A. Vannimannan, was admitted at Tharmapuram hospital. P. Subramaniam, 55, his wife P. Pushpamalar, 45, and their 9-year old girl Tharsika, Kannaki Thuraratnam, 51, her husband S. Thurairatnam, 55, and N. Vairavanaathan, 65, were admitted at Tharmapuram hospital. A 15-year old boy, Luxman, and Mr. Thurairatnam were treated for minor injuries and left the hospital. 2 Kfir bombers engaged in the attack, according to the wounded. Nominations for Northern elections to be cancelled The Government has called for the cancellation of all nominations received, and for the refund of deposits made by the nominated candidates, for the 33 Local Authorities in the Northern Province where elections had been postponed due to unforeseen and uncontrollable factors, Cabinet Spokesperson and Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said. Speaking at the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department in Narahenita yesterday, Yapa said under a Cabinet memorandum of Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon, provision had been made to cancel nominations and call fresh nominations and the holding of elections for one Municipal Council, five Urban Councils and 27 Pradeshiya Sabhas in the Northern Province where elections to the councils and sabhas had been postponed due to unforeseen and urgent circumstances. Yapa said there are 34 Local Authorities in the Northern Province out of which members for one Local Authority were elected without a contest in the elections held on March 30, 2006 and May 20, 2006. Although nominations had been called for the 33 Local Authorities, elections had not been conducted for those Local Authorities to date due to the emergency and unforeseen circumstances. Nominations for the elections were received for the 33 Local Authorities in the Northern Province on February 2006. However, over 18 months has elapsed since calling such nominations. Some persons who tendered their nominations at the time are now either cleared or displaced and the Elections Commissioner has suggested cancellation of those nominations, to call fresh nominations, Yapa said. President off to UN President Mahinda Rajapaksa will leave for New York today to attend the 62nd United Nations General Assembly.The President’s Office said President Rajapaksa was scheduled to address the assembly next Wednesday and he is expected to explain how his government has found a permanent political solution to end the north and east crisis. Meanwhile, former President Chandrika Kumaratunga will also fly to New York on Monday to address the Bill Clinton Foundation on ‘Global Poverty Alleviation’ (26) in New York next Wednesday, her aide P. Dissanayaka said.He said during Ms. Kumaratunga’s recent visit to India she had met Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.has hosted her to lunch, Mr. Dissanayaka added. Hartal marks remembrance of Ma'nmunai massacres People of Aaraiyampathi, Ma'nmunai, in Batticaloa district observed total shut down Friday in remembrance of the 42 civilians massacred August 1990 in Puthukkudiyiruppu village in Ma'nmunai area, sources in Batticaloa said. The shut down was fully observed though Special Task Force (STF) troops demanded the traders to open their shops, the sources added. Private and public institutions, Public Market, shops, schools and the Regional Secretariat remained closed Friday. Transport services functioned as usual with STF troops deployed along the Main Street Lanka court frees 10 Indian fishermen A Sri Lankan court has released 10 Indian fishermen along with their boats after dropping charges of poaching in Sri Lankan territorial waters, officials said on Saturday.The fishermen, arrested on September 12, were freed by the Manner district court on Friday with orders to hand them over to Tamil Nadu authorities with their two trawlers in a few days.The release is being seen as a reciprocal gesture for the release of 10 Sri Lankan fishermen along with five boats by India, also on Friday. Praying for peace in Sri Lanka CHENNAI: A single candle was lit and passed around to light up several other candles held by children and adults with hopes and prayers for the dawn of peace in Sri Lanka. They had gathered at the Sri Lankan Deputy High Commission here to celebrate World Peace Day on Friday. Present on the occasion were the High Commission officials, Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic and Christian leaders, a group of 16 refugees from camps across Tamil Nadu, and 30 refugee workers from the Organisation for Eelam Refugees Rehabilitation (OFERR).The Deputy High Commissioner, P.M. Amza, made an announcement that Sri Lanka has decided to amend the Citizenship Act to enable persons of Indian origin, who had left the island as refugees, to obtain Sri Lankan citizenship easily. He also said that the High Commission would continue the initiative of conducting O-Level examinations for refugee students this year as well.Mr. Amza and R. Akila, Joint Treasurer, OFERR, then planted a mango sapling to cement the prayer for peace. Ms. Akila, also a refugee, said all the refugees were praying “not just for a token peace, but for an atmosphere in which we can live without fear.” Sangarapillai Udayarani, a resident of Trincomalee, had to flee back to India last year. She had lived in the Mandapam camp for many years before she went back home in the hope of peace only to return within a few months. Mr. Amza said, “We organised this ceremony with the refugee community here to build the confidence of these people,” he said. Navy camps, police station in Silavatura Two Navy camps and a police station have been set up in Silavatura to safeguard civilian life following the liberation of the area. The two Navy camps are at Silavatura and Modaragammaruwa and the police station is at Silavatura. Staff have already been assigned to the police station which has been set up to safeguard the daily activities of farmers and fishermen in Silavatura, Arippu, Mollikulama and Modaragammaruwa areas, Silavatura police OIC Inspector L.A.B. Ravikumara said. This police station will function under the purview of the Vavuniya police area. A permanent army camp too is on to be set up in the area. Meanwhile, two anti-personnel buries were detected at Viyangollewa in Batticaloa by Security Forces in the east during a search operation on September 19. Minister Ismail's sudden demise under suspicion Three opposition MPs said that the Muslim MPs have a suspicions over the sudden demise of national list MP and Minister of Irrigation Anver Ismail. The MPs raised their doubts during the debate yesterday (20) on the proposal to appoint a parliament select committee to probe giving money to the LTTE by the government. MP Mangala Samaraweera said that the Muslim MPs had suspicions over Minister Ismail's death since he had influences to resign from the post. He said that the authorities had agreed to appoint him as the Governor of the North East Province if he left the post.Badulla district MP Lakshman Senevirathna warned the national list MPs for the safety of their lives and said he had doubts over the demise of 40-year-old MP who had been suggested to the post of Governor.MP Sripathi Suriyaarachchi also said that he had suspicion over the death of Minister Anver Ismail.Minister Ismail passed away on September 13 midnight; four days later the government decided to appoint Basil Rajapakse for his seat; it was informed to the Election Commissioner on 18 and the new MP took oath on September 19. However, the Minister's Private Secretary and his relative S.L.M. Thawfeek denied any such doubt to 'Lanka-e-News' and said that he himself admitted the Minister to Apollo Hospital where he received specialist medical care for 17 days. He said that one could see the appointment of Basil Rajapakse to replace late MP within three, four days as unethical.Commenting on the appointment of Basil Rajapakse, Thawfeek said to 'Lanka-e-News' that the leader of the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunga granted only three nominations to National Congress although A.L.M. Athavulla, Fariel Ashraff, Haris and Anver Ismail sought nominations from UPFA at the 2004 election. Then the UPFA promised to grant two national list slots if all three candidates won and to grant two slots if two won. A post of Deputy Minister was also promised to that MP. Since only two candidates won in the election, Anver Ismail was nominated from the national list and he was offered the post of Deputy Minister of Eastern Development and Infra Structure Development. Thawfeek said that the Ampara district Muslims intend that the national list slot vacated by Minister Ismail should be filled with a Muslim from Sammanthurai, the biggest village in Sri Lanka with 84 village officer areas. Neither National Congress nor Minister Athavulla has protested the appointment of Basil Rajapakse to fill Minister Anver's seat.Thawfeek said that the staff of Minister Ismail's Ministry was urging that the Ministry should be given to Minister Athavulla. Tamil 'front' alleged to have funnelled cash-Source: Vancouver Sun Three separate police investigations continue across Canada into whether the terrorist Tamil Tigers have been illegally raising funds here to help their bloody independence campaign in Sri Lanka.If charges are laid in any of the three cases, there may finally be a Canadian prosecution related to terrorist financing.In the last two years, investigators in Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto have raided offices of the World Tamil Movement, a group the RCMP alleges is a financing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).The Vancouver office of the WTM was raided in November 2005 after the RCMP's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team received intelligence that the WTM was selling propaganda to finance the Tigers.The office, located at 4592-A Fraser Street in Vancouver, opened in September 2004.Seven suspects were named in the information to obtain a search warrant, but none has yet been charged.The search warrant alleges the WTM misappropriated $75,000 in tsunami relief donations to the rebel cause."Front organizations were established for the purpose of raising funds, coordinating community activities and administering the funds that would later be forwarded to the LTTE," the warrant information says. "In Canada, the WTM is an LTTE front organization."In Montreal, 63 suspects have been identified in court related to an ongoing investigation of the Tigers and the WTM there, though again charges are yet to be laid.Last June, a Quebec judge granted police another year to go over documents and other evidence seized during an April 2006 raid at the WTM office in Montreal.And in Toronto, police seized computer discs when they raided the WTM office, also in April 2006, which show the movement of money from Canada to bank accounts in Sri Lanka.The Tamils were added to the list of banned terrorist organizations in Canada in April 2006. India heightens Tiger alert, boats and vehicles checked The Indian Coast Guard has intensified its patrolling to prevent possible spillover of LTTE cadres following the escalation of military operations between the Army and the LTTE.Coast Guard officials are checking boats of fishermen venturing into the sea and the Indian Fisheries Department has cautioned fishermen to carry identity cards to avoid arrest by the police.Meanwhile, the police have also stepped up its vigil in the coastal areas, particularly in Vedaranyam and Point Calimere, checking vehicles passing through the coastal areas. Intelligence sources told ‘The Hindu’ that though the Nagapattinam fishermen were unable to spare their boats for ferrying food grains and medicines to Tamils in Jaffna in the Nedumaran humanitarian effort, some sympathise with the LTTE cadres and the suffering Tamils in Jaffna. 21Septemper 2007 U.S. official says it will continue to press for better human rights in Sri Lanka A senior U.S. official said Thursday the United States will continue to pressure Sri Lanka - to avoid human rights abuses. Sri Lanka - 's government has come under increasing international criticism for a series of high-profile killings under unexplained circumstances. Hundreds of civilians have been killed and many more are unaccounted for after being arrested by government forces or abducted by unknown men in a new wave of violence during the last 22 months. An estimated 70,000 people have been killed in more than two decades of civil war between the government and separatist rebels fighting for a homeland for the ethnic Tamil minority in northeastern Sri Lanka Advani wants food, medicine to be sent to Lanka Aerial bombing hits a home injuring six civilians Sri Lankan Air Force bombed Puthukudiyiruppu town in Mullaithivu yesterday morning damaging several homes. One home was completely destroyed injuring all six people who were inside. The attack happened at 11.30 am yesterday morning when two Sri Lankan air force bombers dropped several bombs on a civilian settlement just one Kilometre from the Puthukudiyiruppu junction. The names available of the injured are: 1. Sivalai Rajalingam aged 42, a worker of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation from 10th Ward Puthukkudiyiruppu 2. Nagendram Gowry aged 22 from Vallipunam 3. Kaththar Thuraisingam aged 70 from Sivanagar 4. Daniel victoriyarani aged 65 from 2nd Ward Puthukkudiyiruppu 5. V. Krishnan aged 63, from Thineash Nakar, Kaiveali Tamil GS officer shot and killed in Moothoor East Armed men shot and killed Paranjothy Muttukumar, 52, the Village Officer of Kaddaiparichchaan GS area in Sri Lanka Army (SLA) held Mooothoor East in Trincomalee district Thursday around 8:00 a.m. Mr Paransothi is the eldest brother of Mr.P.Sounthararajan, opposition leader of the Moothoor Pradesya Sabha (PS). Mr.Sounthararajan has been leading a group of four Tamil National Alliance (TNA) members elected last year to the eleven-member Moothoor PS. The deceased was called out from his house at Paddiththidal by armed men believed to paramilitary personnel operated by the Sri Lanka Army. Mangala,Basil set for showdown in House Allegations and counter allegations coupled with heated arguments were the order of the day as parliament yesterday debated the motion to appoint a Select Committee to probe the alleged secret deal between the government and the LTTE.Joining the debate new parliamentarian and powerful presidential advisor Basil Rajapaksa denied he held discussions with the LTTE to enforce a boycott of the presidential election in November 2005 by the people in the North and East.Mr. Rajapaksa was responding to SLFP (M) parliamentarian Mangala Samaraweera who made the charge while calling for a Select Committee to probe the secret deal.Mr. Samaraweera opening the debate said he together with Basil Rajapaksa and Sripathi Sooriyarachchi participated at a meeting with some LTTE representatives to ensure a free and fair election in the North and East.“We wanted to create a conducive environment in the North-East so that people could exercise their franchise democratically at the election. Later, we had to focus on election work in other parts of the country. But, some others had further negotiations with the LTTE and I was shocked when I learnt at noon on Election Day, of a boycott of the election by the residents of the north and east,” he said. Mr. Samaraweera said the boycott resulted in the people’s mandate being distorted because if a free and fair election was held the UNP presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe would have been the fifth executive president of this country.He said President Mahinda Rajapaksa should resign from office if these allegations were proved correct after a probe by the proposed Select Committee.“If proven untrue, all possible action should be taken against us according to the law,” he said.Referring to the denial by Basil Rajapaksa, the younger brother of the President, Mr. Samaraweera said the Select Committee was needed to ascertain the correctness of these allegations.“You have the right to deny these allegations made by us. We stand by our allegations. The truth of these allegations should be ascertained through a Select Committee,” he said.Mr. Samaraweera said the Hansard report containing Mr. Rajapaksa’s denial would be an essential document for the proposed Select Committee.“Please keep that Hansard report safely. We will need it,” he said.He said the President had no right to be in the highest position of the country today because he had no true and proper mandate for it under these circumstances.“Through this Select Committee, we should examine how many times Basil Rajapaksa went to Singapore to work out this deal. We must also investigate why Minister Douglas Devananda has no say in development work in the North and Muslim ministers such as Farial Ashraff in the East,” Mr. Samaraweera sai01.html Compromise on Select Committee Parliament yesterday approved the setting up of a special Select Committee to probe the alleged secret pact between the LTTE and the government before the 2005 presidential election on a motion submitted by SLFP (M) parliamentarian Sripathi Sooriyarachchi.The motion was passed with an amendment by the government to expand the investigations to cover alleged pacts since 1989 between successive governments and the LTTE.However the UNP and JVP criticized the amendment on the grounds that it set a bad precedent by harming the democratic right of opposition MPs to seek select committees on issues deemed important. No reliable information on Government-LTTE deal: TNA The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) informed Parliament yesterday that it had no “reliable information” on the alleged secret pact between the government and LTTE during the 2005 presidential election, and as a result could not comment on the issue.“The TNA does not have any reliable information on whether money was given to the LTTE by the government and so will not participate in this debate” Jaffna district MP Suresh Premachandran told the House during the debate on the alleged government – LTTE deal.“We don’t know what has happened and do not want to comment on the issue. This is not our problem. This is your problem” he stressed, answering Justice Minister Dilan Perera who queried whether the TNA believes an outfit like the LTTE would accept money from the government to boycott an election.While noting that the allegations were leveled by members who worked closely on the Rajapaksa election campaign, the MP said he did not know if the charges were politically motivated or not. “So the TNA feels that a select committee must be appointed to find out the truth in this matter”, he said.The JVP noted that the allegations leveled against the government were very serious, especially since they came from two former Ministers.“As a party that campaigned to bring President Mahinda Rajapaksa into power we also have a right to know if such a secret deal was signed”, Gampaha District JVP MP Vijitha Herath said, joining the debate.The MP noted that attempts by the government to delay appointing the select committee had further created doubts in the minds of the people about there being a Tiger deal.“The people have a right to know the truth, and the government has a duty to prove its innocence” he said, adding that the select committee has the fullest backing of the JVP.Kandy District UNP MP Lakshman Kiriella noted that allegations about the secret deal had come not from the UNP but from Mr. Mangala Samaraweera, Mr. Sripathi Sooriyarachchi and Mr. Tiran Alles, who worked closely on President Rakapaksa’s election campaign.“A month after the election the UNP expressed concern that a deal had been struck between the government and the LTTE, but we did not file a petition in this regard due to the lack of evidence. If we had known this earlier we would have filed a petition”, he said.He noted that giving money to a terrorist outfit like the LTTE went against domestic and international law, as well as the principle of democracy.“We have a right to know if our leader was robbed of the presidency. The LTTE sent several messages to Mr. Wickremesinghe asking for an Interim Council in the North and East. However Mr. Wickremesinghe responded by saying his solution to the ethnic conflict was contained in his election manifesto, which sought maximum devolution within a united country. Our leader did not betray his principle for political gain”, Mr. Kiriella noted.He said the UNP held discussions with the LTTE to urge the outfit to allow people in the North and East to vote.Mr. Kiriella also asked about the Rs 700 million released by the Cabinet to build houses in Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu, when these houses had not been built to date. Sri Lanka downgrades official growth forecast Next Target Cabraal says three consecutive years has seen growth for the first time in Sri Lanka's history and there is a "feeling" that the country can grow above 7 percent. "Today we know that many countries are going at 10 percent," Cabraal said. "And we ourselves have got a feeling that we can grow at a rate greater than 7 percent. Next year the Central Bank is predicting a growth rate of 8 percent. "We have targeted 8 [percent] for next year as well and I believe if we have a few investments going and if we have the infrastructure projects going fast we will achieve that," Cabraal said. He says work on a coal power station which has been stalled for more than a decade has now finally started and an airport is going to be built in Weerawila in the south of the island and roads are also being built with foreign aid. Sri Lanka's economy expanded by 8.2 percent in 1968 when massive amounts of money was printed and given to farmers through a central bank re-finance scheme started a year earlier. In that year the currency was also devalued by 20 percent. However in 1969 economic growth plummeted to 4.8 percent. India's economic growth reached 9.4 percent last year growth level with its central government budget deficit now cut to around 3.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Better state finances has earned India a credit upgrade to investment grade, from rating agencies. Public Burden However economic analysts say Sri Lanka would find it challenging to grow fast as the economy is increasingly weighed down by a public sector that has grown at unprecedented rates in the past three years. Tens of thousands of new workers have been hired into the public sector, in the last three years with officials struggling to give them designations and places to sit. Though the tax take has increased, 57 percent of taxes are now used to pay salaries and pensions to state workers who get tax free salaries and pensions. New privileges are announced for state workers regularly. This year state workers are getting tax free cars and loans at subsidized interest rates, while ordinary homeless Sri Lankans are paying increasingly higher interest rates to acquire a house. The expanding state sector is also adding to the growth numbers due to the way national income accounting is done by statisticians. Government sector salary increases are considered 'economic growth' as most state activities cannot be measured in other ways. Government services 'grew' by 6.8 percent during the first half of the year, which is higher than the rate of growth for the total economy, according to the statistics office. In the first half of the year government services contributed to 8.2 percent of GDP up from 7.1 percent in the first quarter of 2007. Despite having around a 30 percent salary increase which structurally burdened the economy, public sector workers are now fighting with each other over 'salary anomalies'. LTTE confirms Soosai’s injury, son’s death The LTTE has, for the first time, confirmed that Sea Tiger leader Soosai was injured in an “accidental” explosion off the Mullaitivu seas recently while his son was killed.In comments over the Voice of Tiger radio on Wednesday, an LTTE official ‘Radha’ said Soosai had now fully recovered.According to the radio report, Soosai was injured during a Sea Tiger training exercise.In July, reports spread that Soosai was critically injured in a boat explosion off the Mullaitivu seas. - Chinese threat to Indian dominance in Lanka vehicle market Chinese models are minnows in the Sri Lankan vehicles market, but they have the potential to demolish Indian dominance over this sector in the near future, says auto industry analyst Viraj Manatunga."1996-99 was the Indian era, when Indian makes edged out established Japanese makes in the commercial vehicle and motorbike segments. But two to three years from now, we will see the dawn of the Chinese era," Manatuga told Hindustan Times.Indeed, history tells us that it does not take very long for vehicle sales to catch up or decline, and that there is no room for complacency."The Bajaj motorbike had only 10% of the market here in 1999. But today it is number one, with 64% of the market, selling 8,000 units per month. In 1999, Isuzu had 30% share of the commercial vehicle market. But now it has just 19%. TATA, which had only 1.5% in 1991, has 23% of the market share now," Manatunga pointed.Chinese commercial vehicles, JAC and FAW, are emerging "very strongly, he said. The Loncin is doing well in the motorbike market, selling 1,300 per month. Chery QQ, which is a Maruti-Suzuki Alto like vehicle, is also doing well, selling 100 to 150 units a month, according to the local agent, David Peiris Motor Co.Chery QQ is going to be assembled in Sri Lanka. Although it cannot be compared to the Maruti 800, which is only semi option and is cheaper by about SLRs 200,000, Chery QQ's buyers belong to the same socio-economic class as the buyers of Maruti 800, and these could gone in for it. China's strengths Besides being highly sophisticated, the Chinese auto industry is very much bigger than India's. China can, therefore, supply quality products at low prices to satisfy the quality conscious but price sensitive Sri Lankan market. "A vehicle from the Chinese firm,Geely, which is modeled after Toyota Corola, is priced at SLRs.1.9 million (approximately $17,000), while the Toyota Corola is priced at SLRs.3.5 million ($ 31,000). Geely, a new comer now, is bound to do catch up soon given the price differential," Manatunga predicted.And there is a political dimension which needs to be taken into account. Good political relations between trading countries help push goods and services without hassles, while bad or lukewarm relations will hamper the flow. Relations between Sri Lanka and China have traditionally been trouble free, and Sri Lanka has never felt threatened by China, but Indo-Lankan relations have tended to go through ups and downs and India is seen as a threat in one way or another. The present Sri Lankan regime is friendly with India but is eager to build very strong economic ties with China. Hurdles But the Chinese vehicle manufacturers have formidable hurdles to cross in Sri Lanka. Firstly, Chinese makes are still to enter the consciousness of the Sri Lankan buyer. This is because Chinese vehicles are not yet publicly visible on a large scale, said Yasantha Abeykoon of David Peiris Motor Company.Secondly, of the three companies which have taken up the agency for Chinese brands, two are strangers to the automobile business and are still to set up an island-wide infrastructure for sales and after sales service. "Only David Peiris and Associated Motorways (agents for Maruti) are in the automobile trade and have an all-island infrastructure," Manatunga pointed out. Indians unfazed Indian vehicles makers dismiss the prophets of doom, deriving confidence from India's manifest dominance in the heavy vehicle and the two and three wheeler sectors. "Sales are related to the models' visibility on the roads, and Indian vehicles are very visible," remarked a representative of an Indian company. Indians also contend that the Chinese models are technically inferior to their Indian counterparts.Indians think that Sri Lanka is not an exciting market to enter now. "It is small and it is declining too. In 2006, only 26,500 cars were sold, and there is already a 35% decline in 2007 because of the worsening economic conditions," a representative of an Indian company said.However, the Indians believe that tax concessions from the Sri Lankan government under the India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement will help revive the market and improve sales. But in the past three years, their efforts in this direction have been in vain. Sri Lanka rupee ends flat, fending off lows, shares dip Sri Lanka's rupee ended flat on Thursday, holding off new life lows as state bank dollar purchases offset dollar sales by exporters and private banks sold dollars, traders said, while shares fell in thin trade.The rupee closed at 113.45/113.55 per dollar, unchanged from Wednesday's close, and holding off a new all-time closing low of 113.57/113.62 hit on Tuesday.The currency recovered slightly on Wednesday after traders said the central bank urged foreign exchange dealers in a closed door meeting to help halt the depreciation of the rupee by convincing exporters to sell dollars."After the central bank told traders that the rupee is undervalued, exporters got a bit panicked and sold dollars in the market, while private banks sold dollars to cover their rupee reserves with the central bank," said a currency dealer."Two state banks bought dollars, probably due to importer demand, so market ended flat." he added.The rupee has depreciated 5.7 percent so far this year, on top of a 5 percent depreciation in 2006.Some analysts expect the rupee to continue to depreciate to as much as 118-120 per dollar by the end of the year. Others are eyeing 114 per dollar. The six-month forward rate stood at 121.09/121.33 rupees per dollar on Thursday.The rupee is steadily depreciating mainly due to a hefty trade deficit, owing to costly fuel imports, and inflation, which quickened to 17.3 percent in August as measured on a 12-month rolling average -- near 1994 highs.The Colombo All Share <.CSE> index closed 0.56 percent weaker at 2,574.03 points, a fall of 14.59 points."The market is taking a breather after two weeks of heavy buying. Only retailers are profit-taking, while foreigners are waiting for the market to come down further," said Danushka Samarasinghe, research manager at Asha Capital stockbrokers.Market heavyweight and leading mobile operator Dialog Telekom fell 1.05 percent to 23.50 rupees a share as calculated on weighted average, while leading fixed line telephone operator Sri Lanka Telecom closed 0.74 percent weaker at 33.50 rupees a share.Conglomerate John Keells Holdings rose 0.39 percent to 129.75 rupees.Two top contributors for the turnover, wood producer Touchwood Investment Limited and John Keells Holdings accounted for around 38 percent of the day's turnover of 99.86 million rupees , a fraction of last year's average daily trading volume of 400 million rupees.Touchwood Investment rose 8.22 percent to 79.00 rupees a share.The bourse is down 14.7 percent from life highs in mid February, while it has dropped by 5.4 percent since January this year.For more technical analysis of the Colombo Stock Exchange by Reuters please go to www.reutersindia.net/sri%20lanka.htm.The Central Bank lifted restrictions on its reverse repurchase agreement window on Thursday to bring down high interbank lending rates or call rates <CLIBOR>, which rose as high as 20 percent on Thursday.The bank released 2.5 billion rupees into the market after banks demanded more rupees to maintain their reserve money, as their books close on Thursdays.Call rates fell to 16.937 percent from 17.403 percent on Wednesday as calculated on a weighted average. 20Septemper 2007 Tamil LTTE Say They Are Fighting `Defensive' War Sri Lanka's rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam said it is fighting a ``defensive war'' against the government, in its first comments since losing control of the country's east after 14 years of conflict. ``The LTTE is maintaining patience and still restricting itself to a defensive war,'' S.P. Thamilchelvan, head of the group's political wing, said in an interview with TamilNet yesterday. He didn't refer directly to the loss of the Eastern Province in July. The government is attempting to escalate the island's ethnic conflict to ``hitherto unseen heights'' by breaking up ethnic-Tamil communities in areas it now controls, Thamilchelvan said. A government minister last week denied it plans to divide districts in the Eastern and Northern Provinces. The LTTE's estimated 12,000 fighters still hold areas in northern Sri Lanka as part of their struggle for a separate homeland in the South Asian nation. Sri Lanka's military has destroyed bases of the LTTE's naval unit in recent weeks and says it has eliminated most of the vessels the group uses for weapons smuggling. The LTTE wants the international community to ``realize the futility of achieving peace'' by dealing with Sri Lanka's government, Thamilchelvan said in the interview. Land of Refugees Development of the eastern region is the government's cover for creating a land of refugees and promoting colonization by the ethnic Sinhalese community, Thamilchelvan said. The LTTE wants international monitors to visit the region and make their own assessment, he added. Sinhalese make up almost 74 percent and Tamils about 8.5 percent of Sri Lanka's 20 million people, according to U.S. government data. ``It is incorrect to say the government is attempting to colonize the east with Sinhalese,'' Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, the minister for media and mass communication, said Sept. 6 in response to an allegation by a lawmaker with the Tamil National Alliance party. The government said in July it wants to hold elections in Eastern Province, possibly before the end of this year, and develop the region economically. A solution to Tamil demands cannot be based on dividing Sri Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said earlier this month, according to a report on the Defense Ministry's Web site. There are ``genuine Tamil grievances'' and ``genuine Tamil aspirations'' that have to be addressed, Rajapaksa said in an interview with Indian media. The LTTE doesn't speak for all Tamils, he said. ``The vast majority of Tamil people want peace above everything and to them (the state of) Eelam is just an illusion,'' Rajapaksa said. ``The only question that is non- negotiable is a divided Sri Lanka.'' The conflict between the government and the LTTE escalated a year ago as two attempts at peace talks in Geneva failed to make progress toward ending the two-decade insurgency. Sri Lanka 's air force bombs rebel ammunition site, causing massive explosions Sri Lankan air force jets bombed a major Tamil Tiger ammunition storage site Thursday morning, setting off a wave of explosions in northern Sri Lanka - that lasted more than 1 1/2 hours, the air force said. The airstrike was the latest attack in 21 months of renewed fighting that has killed an estimated 5,000 people despite a 2002 cease-fire. A day before, Tiger gunmen attacked an army patrol in northern Sri Lanka - , setting off a fight that killed three rebels, the military said. There was no independent confirmation of the fighting. Both sides in the conflict routinely exaggerate enemy casualties while underplaying their own. The military also announced that air force jets destroyed a logistics base used by the rebels' naval wing in Valappadu, off the northwest coast, the military said. There were no reports of injuries. The military also reported that one soldier and four rebels were killed in a battle Tuesday night in the government-controlled Jaffna peninsula in northern Sri Lanka - . An estimated 70,000 people have been killed in the more than two decade civil war between the government and the Tamil Tigers who are fighting for a homeland for the ethnic Tamil minority in the northeast. Political solution the only way out –Vatican Archbishop Archbishop Malcolm Ranjit, Secretary Congregation for divine Worship –Vatican City told the media in Colombo that it is the considered view of the Vatican City that war can never resolve the national problem of Sri Lanka and that the government must take measures expeditiously to initiate talks with the LTTE. He stressed that Vatican maintains that political solution is the only way out to resolve the present ethnic crisis. Vatican condemns the continuation of war. All parties must disentangle themselves from a war mentality. He appealed to all sections to seek a political resolution whatever the challenges that they might face. He stressed that all sections of the society should give priority to political solution. He added that he visited Mannar and met the displaced people. The people live in pathetic conditions. They lead a life of distress. They suffer without food and medicines. All parties must help them to alleviate their sufferings. He concluded that he would submit the reports about the situation in the country to the Vatican City. Jaffna lawyers protest intimidation Jaffna Lawyers have started a campaign to boycott court sittings until adequate steps are taken to safeguard them from ransom and intimidation from persons posing off as Army personnel. Leading lawyers, doctors and businessmen are intimidated through telephone calls to pay them a stipulated sum lest they would face tragic consequences. The Jaffna Lawyers Association unanimously decided to boycott court sittings and have started their boycott campaign from September 18. They have informed the President, the Chief Justice and the Lawyers Association in Colombo about their decision and asked that immediate action be taken to save them from personal threats and trauma. War cost 'Rs. 50 billion this year' The government has spent over Rs. 50 billon to procure arms and ammunition for the present military exercise during this year alone, Deputy Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya told Parliament yesterday. Mr. Siyambalapitiya was speaking during an adjournment motion moved by JVP MP Piyasiri Wijenayake demanding that a monthly pay hike of Rs. 3000 be given to public servants and that steps be taken to improve the living conditions of private sector employees and estate workers.The Deputy Finance Minister said that some elements insisted on taking forward the military push and giving economic concessions to the people at the same time without looking at the problems realistically.“We cannot give immediate relief as these expenses exist on account of the procurement of military equipment,” he said.Commenting on the prices of essential items, he said that there were some external factors beyond the government’s control that affected prices.Mr. Siyambalapitiya pointed out that wheat flour cost only 184.6 US dollars a tonne in 2003, but cost 223.5 US dollars this year.“The price of sugar has increased from 252.4 US dollars a tonne to 343.5 US dollars during this period and rice from 227.8 US dollars to 426. 9 US dollars,” he said.He added that the government had recruited around 250,000 persons to the public service since 2004, and the payment of salaries to the entire cadre had also increased drastically. JVP MP Wijenayake who brought the motion, requested the ruling coalition to take immediate steps to increase the salaries of public servants without compelling them to take trade union action on a large scale.He said workers were undergoing immense hardship on account of the escalating cost of essential items.“Now, the price of coconut oil has increased by 79.1 percent and sugar by 41. 68 percent,” he said.He said that the price of a kilo of some varieties of dry- fish had increased from Rs.366 to Rs.526.“Prices of stationery items, including exercise books and erasers used by school children, have also soared. People have to meet all these expenses with their monthly income,” he said.JVP MP Wasantha Samarasinghe asked what steps would be taken by the government increase the wages of estate workers and private sector employees who accounted for 80 percent of the GDP. Mr. Samarasinghe said that estate workers now found it difficult to purchase a bottle of kerosene oil and a kilo of wheat flour with one day’s pay. Sri Lankan government suspected of kidnapping 1,000 people COLOMBO--Earlier this year, Suyambu Nadar Ketheeswaran parked his bus 300 meters from his home and called his wife to say he was coming home.Shortly after, he disappeared. Ketheeswaran and his brother are two of about 1,000 people, many of them ordinary citizens, who have gone missing since last year in this war-torn country. There is a growing suspicion that government security organizations are involved in the disappearance cases. The civil war has continued for over 20 years between government forces, which mainly consist of majority Sinhalese, and armed groups of minority Tamils, who are seeking separation and independence. Some of the countries that had been supporting the government of Sri Lanka are suspending economic assistance, citing the deterioration of human rights situation in the country. Around 9:30 p.m. on Jan. 10 this year, Ketheeswaran, 31, and his younger brother, Suyambu Nadar Kanapathyradar, 26, disappeared from a parking lot. Using a bus they had bought with a loan, the brothers had made three transportation service trips on a regular route in Colombo. Immediately before he disappeared, Ketheeswaran parked the bus, called his wife, K. Amalajasy, 31, and told her, "I will go home now." His wife has not heard from him since. Before he went missing, Ketheeswaran, whose family members were all Tamils, was questioned by police twice about how he had obtained the money to buy the bus. Police apparently suspected that he had received the money from an organization affiliated with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the largest armed group of the Tamils. Another missing person is port laborer Vairamthu Varatharasan, 40. He was taken away in a white car early in the morning on Jan. 7 by a group of men, some wearing police uniforms. Since then, his whereabouts have been unknown. According to his wife, Y. R. Badrarugunagea, 38, when the group of men came to the couple's house, one of them, who was wearing a police uniform, ordered the Tamil couple to show their identification cards. While she went into a back room to get the cards, her husband disappeared, along with the group of men. Four months later, the wife was called to a local police station where she was told that her husband had been detained because he had been involved in LTTE activities. However, she was not able to recall anything that connected him to the LTTE. Along with other people whose family members had also disappeared, she went to the central police station, and asked one of the senior officers to look into the disappearances. However, the officer told them: "We don't know who snatched your family members. If local police took them away, they should have reported the cases to us." The remark apparently contradicted what the local police station told her. She has five children. The oldest is a 14-year-old girl and the youngest is 1-year-old boy. Without a father, it is difficult to earn a living. "I'm considering going to the Middle East to earn money by making the eldest daughter take care of the other four children," she said. According to the Sri Lankan government's investigative committee on the disappearance issues, a total of 2,020 people disappeared between September last year and February this year. Of the 2,020 people, 1,134 were found by late July. The whereabouts of the remaining 886 people were still unknown in July. D. Jayawickrama, chairman of the government's Human Rights Commission, who had taken part in the investigations, denied the involvement of government organizations in the 1,134 cases in which missing people were found. He told The Asahi Shimbun that they had disappeared for personal reasons. For example, some of them had gone to other places to work as migrant workers and others had run away with their lovers, he said. As for the remaining 886 cases, he said that the government is still investigating. "Unfortunately, some disappearance cases have taken place. But the reports on those cases are exaggerated," D. Jayawickrama said. On the other hand, the Civil Monitoring Commission, which consists of opposition parliamentary members and legal experts investigating the cases, says that government organizations could be involved in the disappearances. One of the parliamentary members, Mano Ganesan, said, "There is a high possibility that the police, the military and armed groups that broke away from LTTE and are now cooperating with the military took away people whom they had suspected as those related to LTTE." The military and the police have set up checkpoints not only in Colombo, but also in northern and eastern parts of the country where many Tamils live. Therefore, if government organizations were not involved, it should have been impossible for the kidnappers to pass through the checkpoints, Ganesan said. The commission suspects that the organizations are identifying LTTE-related people based on photos of gatherings organized by the political division of LTTE or those taken around the buildings of organizations related to LTTE. The commission has confirmed that a total of 127 people have disappeared since January last year in and around Colombo alone. It is difficult to implement similar investigations in northern and eastern parts of the country where the civil war is raging. Judging from the information from the government and private organizations, however, about 1,000 people have disappeared there. Most of them are Tamils. In February and March this year, an international human rights organization, Human Rights Watch, interviewed family members of 107 missing people. It found that 70 percent of the families suspected the involvement of government organizations in the disappearances. In the city of Jaffna in northern Sri Lanka, for example, a person disappeared during the government-imposed curfew. In those hours, people other than members of government security organizations cannot move around. Meanwhile, the LTTE has also taken away young people in order to make them work as its soldiers. Therefore, some disappearance cases could have been caused by LTTE members. However, the number of these cases is unknown. It is not only disappearance cases that target Tamils. On June 7 this year, police forcibly transferred 376 residents living in cheap apartments in Colombo to the northern or eastern parts of the country by bus, saying that they did not have appropriate reasons to live there. The transfer was reported widely not only in the country, but also abroad. As a result, human rights organizations criticized the government strongly. In response to the criticism, the government sent the residents back to Colombo. Those cases have apparently resulted from the government's view that the LTTE is sending terrorists into Colombo. Because of the view, the government is eager to expel "suspicious Tamils" from the city. The international community has concerns about the deterioration of human rights situation in Sri Lanka. Britain had previously promised to give q13 million (about 740 million yen) in grants to the Sri Lankan government to reduce its debts. In May this year, however, it postponed payment of q11.5 million. At that time, the British government said it will pay the remaining half if Sri Lanka meets the conditions agreed on by the two countries, including the improvement of human rights situation. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Boucher also said when he visited Sri Lanka in May that the human rights situation in the country is deteriorating, and the U.S. government is concerned about the kidnappings. Boucher also said that the U.S. government called off the implementation of one of its support measures. Extensions for Army, Navy Commanders President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday extended the service of Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda and Army Commander Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka for one year, the Defence Ministry website said. Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda assumed Command of the Sri Lanka Navy on September 1, 2005. Admiral Karannagoda's extension comes into affect from 22nd November 2007. Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka assumed duties as Army Commander on December 6, 2005. Service extension of Lieutenant General Sarath Fonseka comes into effect from December 17, 2007. Sri Lanka Air Force bombs rebel base Sri Lanka Air Force bombed a Tamil Tiger rebel base in the northern Jaffna peninsula on Wednesday, defense officials said.Air Force spokesman Group Captain Ajantha Silva said that a base of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) sea wing at Pooneryn was the target.The target was successfully taken as fire balls were seen emanating from the target, Silva said. Meanwhile, the U.S. Ambassador in Colombo Robert Blake said here that neither the U.S. government or other international donors would back a military solution to the island's conflict."The United States or any other international donor will not support a military solution. We believe in a negotiated settlement," Blake stressed.The U.S. envoy's comment came in response to a statement by the top defense official and brother of President Mahinda Rajapakse.Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the defense secretary, said at a state ceremony on Monday that no political solution was possible until terrorism was completely eliminated.He said that government troops would next move into the north in order to take on the rebels militarily. Three LTTE cadres killed in Vavuniya: Military A group of Tamil Tiger separatists attacked an army patrol in northern Sri Lanka, setting off a firefight that killed three of the rebels, the military said on Thursday. The Wednesday morning clash took place in the Vavuniya area on the border between government-controlled territory and the rebels de facto state in a section of northern Sri Lanka, according to a military official who declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to the media. There was no independent confirmation of the fighting and rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not immediately be reached for comment. Both sides in the conflict routinely exaggerate enemy casualties while underplaying their own. The military also announced that air force jets destroyed a logistics base used by the rebels' naval wing in Valappadu, off the northwest coast, the military said. There were no reports of injuries. An estimated 70,000 people have been killed in the more than two decade civil war between the government and the Tamil Tigers who are fighting for a homeland for the ethnic Tamil minority in the northeast. USAID Provides Food Donation for Conflict Displaced Sri Lankans-[US Embassy, Colombo, Sri Lanka - Press Release] The first consignment of food assistance from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), valued at US$5 million, was handed over to the Government by United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert Blake at a function held on Sep 19th at the government warehouse complex at Orugodawatte. This forms part of a total food donation of US$14 million through the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), with another shipment valued at an additional US$9 million set to arrive later in the year.U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert Blake hands over a ceremonial sack of lentils to Sri Lanka Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development Secretary W.K.K. Kumarasiri (right) with World Food Programme Country Representative Mohammed Salaheen (center). Photo: USAID/Zack Taylor Ambassador Blake handed over 17,500 tons of mixed food to Mr. W.K. K. Kumarasiri, Secretary of the Ministry of Nation Building & Estate Infrastructure Development. Also attending the ceremony was WFP Country Director Mr. Mohamed Saleheen. WFP will distribute the commodities in collaboration with the Ministry to the conflict-affected people in the country. “We are not here to make a political statement about the Sri Lankan conflict,” Ambassador Blake said at the handover ceremony. “This is food for people, enough to benefit nearly a million Sri Lankans of all ethnic and religious backgrounds. This donation will help alleviate suffering and food insecurity for those in need in the north and east of Sri Lanka. The United States will continue to assist the Government of Sri Lanka and partners such as the World Food Programme to help meet the food security needs of the conflict-displaced, as needed.” The food has been made available for WFP through USAID’s ‘Food for Peace’ program. USAID has been a strong supporter of WFP operations in Sri Lanka; in terms of food aid the U.S. Government ranks fourth among individual donors, and they have also recently provided cash contribution of US$300,000 to improve the logistics capacity supporting WFP food aid programs.“We are grateful for this kind gesture from the American people, who have donated this food to the vulnerable people in the North and East of Sri Lanka,” said Mr. Saleheen “This donation will further bolster the long-standing relationship between WFP and the U.S., which has provided consistent and sustained support for WFP programs in Sri Lanka.”Food for Peace was established by former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and has assisted more than three billion people in 150 countries since its inception 54 years ago. USAID’s other programs in Sri Lanka include democracy and governance; humanitarian assistance; economic growth; and tsunami reconstruction.WFP assisted 1.3 million vulnerable people in Sri Lanka with food during 2006, including emergency relief assistance to about 300,000 people newly displaced by the conflict. In 2007, WFP is providing food aid to almost 75 percent of the displaced people in the country. Britain warns of bogus recruitment agencies defrauding Sri Lankans The British High Commission yesterday warned about bogus recruitment agencies that are defrauding Sri Lankans seeking to work in the UK.A High Commission spokesperson said “We have received an increased number of complaints about so called UK recruitment agents offering jobs that do not exist. Some claim to be acting on behalf of well known international companies, while others are offering au pair or hospitality jobs.”In several recent cases people have given large sums of money to recruitment agents but have never heard back from them.“We advise people who are approached by recruitment agents claiming to be able to get them jobs in the UK to check that the agents are registered with the ‘Recruitment and Employment Confederation’. This can be done on their website www.rec.uk.com, or by telephone 0044 20 7009 2100. All reputable UK recruitment agents are members and signed up to an ethical code,” a statement from the High Commission said.“Under UK law, recruitment agents are not allowed to charge jobseekers for finding work (except in relation to theatrical performers and models and in certain cases au pairs). They are not allowed to make their services conditional upon jobseekers using other chargeable services e.g. CV writing or training courses.” “Recruitment agents are NOT able to obtain visas for the UK on behalf of jobseekers. We advise people not to send any money or their passports for this reason. Information on how to apply for a UK visa in Sri Lanka can be obtained by calling 331 from a Dialog phone or by visiting the VFS website at www.vfs-uk-lk.com.” 19Septemper 2007 Sri Lanka rights probe is flawed, top panel says A top international panel accused Sri Lanka of failing to honour promises to investigate grave human rights violations and accused the government of a virtual cover-up.The 11-member International Independent Group of Eminent Persons (IIGEP) said a government probe into 16 high-profile cases, including mass murder, had failed to make headway since being launched in November 2006."The IIGEP concludes that the investigation and inquiry process to date fails to comply effectively with international norms and standards," a statement said on Wednesday.The group asked a Presidential Commission of Inquiry to take urgent steps to address the concerns, including serious conflict of interest by hiring state lawyers to look into the collusion of state employees in atrocities."The IIGEP reiterates its opposition to the leading role of the officers of the (state) Attorney General's Department in the Panel of Counsel to the Commission, which involves serious conflicts of interest."This situation lacks transparency and compromises both national and international standards of independence and impartiality that are central to the credibility of and public confidence in the Commission," the statement said.The panel led by Retired Indian chief justice P.N. Bhagwati handed in a report raising serious concerns to President Mahinda Rajapakse on Tuesday.Rajapakse appointed the IIGEP to supervise another Presidential Commission that was probing the violations following concern that the investigations would not meet international standards.Human rights activists had expressed fears that the government would use the IIGEP to whitewash its tainted human rights record.France's new Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, a former member of the IIGEP, had warned of criticism if Sri Lanka failed to make progress in the investigations.The cases include the massacre of 17 aid workers employed by the French charity, Action Against Hunger, or ACF, in August last year.Other members of the panel include experts and professionals from Australia, Britain, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands, and the US as well as the EU and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.More than 5,400 people have been killed since December 2005 as fighting in Sri Lanka's bitter ethnic war escalated despite a ceasefire agreed in 2002.Rights groups accuse the government and Tamil rebels of extra-judicial killings and scores of disappearances of civilians and political activists. TNA says over 300 killings in east The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) yesterday called for the appointment of a three member committee consisting of retired Supreme Court judges to look into over 300 killings in the east in the recent past owing to military offensives.TNA Parliamentary Group Leader, R. Sampanthan moved an adjournment motion calling for the appointment of a high powered committee that will probe these deaths and alleged that most of the people killed were victims of multi-barrel attacks.Sampanthan said that the reputed international watchdog, Human Rights Watch (HRW) has gone to the extent of stating in a recent report that there had been a failure on the part of the government to identify militants from civilians."This has led to a further deterioration in the human rights situation in the east. There is so much violence in an area which is already teeming with refugees," he noted.Sampanthan noted that the government's military offensives were unceasingly increasing and the approach showed a blatant disregard for human rights as more and more people were being rendered refugees.In response, non Cabinet Minister of Nation Building, Susantha Punchinilame refuted Sampanthan's claims about multi-barrel attacks killing civilians in their hundreds, and said none of the Government Agents in the east have recorded a single death caused by multi-barrel attacks."This is the official position and we have to accept that. People may have died due to the war but how can we specifically say they got killed by a particular form of attack," he said amidst loud protests from the opposition benches.He added that Sampanthan was under grave threat from the LTTE and was compelled to adopt certain stances and speak in that way. " We understand your difficulty but the fact remains that as far as the Government Agents' reports go, there have been no deaths caused in the Eastern Province due to multi-barrel attacks," the Minister claimed. CBK has luncheon meeting with Manmohan Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga last week had a luncheon meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the Premier's official residence in New Delhi, where the political developments in Sri Lanka were discussed, it is learned.The Morning Leader learns the ethnic crisis, the human rights situation and the southern political developments were discussed during the luncheon meeting.It is learned, National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan was also present at the luncheon meeting, which was also attended by Congress Party MP, Rahul Gandhi.Meanwhile, SLFP General Secretary, Agriculture Minister Maithripala Sirisena has made a formal request from India for a three member party delegation to visit the country.Informed sources said due to the busy schedule of the Indian leadership, the visit has not yet been confirmed.However it is learned, a visit by former Foreign Minister and SLFP (M) Convener, Mangala Samara- weera is due prior to the SLFP General Secretary's visit. Tamils, Muslims plead against 'unitary' state Sri Lankan Tamil and Muslim intellectuals are urging President Mahinda Rajapakse to avoid the 'unitary' label as Sri Lanka braces for a new power sharing formula for the island's northeast.In an open letter to the president, the intellectuals have urged him to keep away from both 'unitary' and 'federal' labels in any devolution package so that no community feels offended.Many in the majority Sinhalese community are bitterly opposed to their country becoming a federal entity, arguing this will be the first step to separation. Tamils in particular are opposed to a 'unitary' state, saying minorities would never get a fair deal under such a dispensation."We plead with you to ... show leadership, and create a constitution without labels, one that will make all communities of Sri Lanka feel equal participants in working towards peace and prosperity," they said in the letter, a copy of which was made available to IANS.Among the signatories are professors Mohamed Nuhuman, Santasilan Kadirgamar, Kumar David and Vijaya Kumar, Minna Thaheer, Faizun Zackariya, Rohini Hensman, Krishna Velupillai, Subra Jayanthan, D.B.S. Jeyaraj and Rajan Philips.Also among the signatories, living both in Sri Lanka and abroad, are Bala Sooriyan, Leah Marikkar, Najah Mohamed, P. Rajanayagam and A.R.M. Imtiyaz.The letter said that the deliberations of the All Party Representative Committee to create a new constitutional framework were stuck over two key issues: whether the constitution should be labelled 'unitary' and whether the northern and eastern provinces should be remerged."As members of Sri Lanka's minority communities, we ask of you, as president, to avoid labelling the constitution 'unitary' or 'federal' and (to) facilitate reaching consensus over power-sharing units for Tamils and Muslims in the northern and eastern provinces instead of isolating them from one another."Referring to a recent interview distributed by IANS, the letter writers said it was disappointing President Rajapakse had said that he would uphold the unitary character of Sri Lanka's constitution."We are both disappointed and disturbed by this assertion," the letter said. "We are disappointed because your assertion shuts out the opinions of large numbers of Sinhalese who have consistently voted for constitutional change involving devolution of powers in every election since 1994..."And we are disturbed because your assertion is also a rejection of your responsibility to serve all Sri Lankans and not just those who voted for you."More important, the assertion alienates the minority communities who want to abide by a Sri Lanka that politically and constitutionally includes them as equal citizens despite their lesser numbers."The unitary label that was first inserted in the 1972 constitution has since produced the biggest threat ever to the island's unity. Even if that threat were to be defeated militarily, persisting with the unitary label will leave the cancer of alienation." STF troops injured in Ampaa'rai Sri Lanka Special Task Force (STF), an elite commando unit, began an operation Monday around 8:00 a.m in an attempt to penetrate into Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) held territory in Ampaa'rai district, assisted by heavy artillery and mortar fire. Three STF troops were injured in the stiff resistance by the LTTE, Ampaa'rai district LTTE Political Head Kaviyarasan said. Exchange of fire between the STF and the LTTE is still continuing, Kaviyarasan said on Tuesday. MR, Gota vow to crack down on Karuna With the Karuna faction continuing to discourage support for other Tamil parties in the east, President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa have virtually decided to crackdown on the armed outfit to ensure that normalcy prevails.The assurance to deal with the Karuna faction came at the National Security Council meeting on Monday when EPDP leader and Minister Douglas Devananda insisted on the need to crackdown on Karuna following attacks on his political members in the east.“The President and the Defence Secretary assured to deal with the Karuna outfit. The Karuna faction continues to intimidate and attack EPDP members in the east,” Minister Devananda told the Daily Mirror.The EPDP blamed the TMVP for the killing of one of its members in Valaichchenai last week and according to Minister Devananda a similar attempt was made on EPDP political activists in the east over the weekend.When contacted by the Daily Mirror a Karuna official said he could not comment on the latest developments following the governmentSecurity Council meeting as they had to wait for a word from Karuna Amman.Posters sprung up in Batticaloa recently warning civilians against showing any support to Tamil political parties other than the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). The posters, put up by a group calling itself the 'Sennen Padai', points out specifically against supporting the TNA, PLOTE, TULF and EPDP - four political parties planning to contest future polls in the east. Although the TMVP denies any links with the posters, speculation is rife that the outfit led by Karuna Amman, which has a strong armed presence in the district, is attempting to forcibly discourage support for other political parties. A few weeks back the police captured a person with C-4 explosives in the east who had confessed he had obtained the explosives from the TMVP, thus raising fears some TMVP elements might attempt to carry out explosions in the east and blame them on the LTTE.Also last month Batticaloa was tense as the funeral of the slain Pillayan associate Murali was set to take place in Kalawanchikudi amidst fears the internal feud of the TMVP could fuel further as a result of the killing. The police Special Task Force was placed on high alert fearing clashes between cadres loyal to Karuna Amman and Pillayan during the funeral of Murali, who was a former top close associate of Pillayan as well as a relative of Markan who is also an ally of Pillayan Minister 'threatens' judiciary Mother threatened Karunaratne who is also the Kandy District Judge added that the group has come back the next morning to ask whether the mother has passed the message to the magistrate, Dharshika Wimalasiri. The mother, he added, has repeatedly told the unidentified group that she had nothing to do with the judicial affairs.Non cabinet minister for Labour affairs Mervyn Silva's son, Malaka silva was remanded by the Mt. Lavinia magistrate for an alleged assault in a night club, a few weeks ago. Indepence of judiciary "It is very clear that somebody has tried to influence the judiciary," the Kandy District Judge said.Malaka is the only son of a minister currently remanded in custody.Minister Silva has thereafter threatened to use even his official weapon 'to get rid of all barriers' on his political path, according to Sri Lankan media.Senior ministers Jeyaraj Fernandopullai and Anura Priyadharashana Yapa who condemned his behaviour has pledged to take action against the controversial minister.The JSA said the group entering magistrate's mother's house amounted to interference on judiciary's independence.However, it is still early to accuse any particular person as investigations are underway, Justice Karunaratne added. TNA wants independent inquiry Sri Lanka sabotages Sethu Project ---Tamil Nadu Chief Minister charges Dr.Karunanithy, Tamil Nadu chief Minister, has charged that Sri Lankan government plots to cripple the Sethu Project through subtle moves. Dr.Karunanithy was addressing the DMK Muperum Vezha sponsored by the ruling party DMK at Erodu. Tracing the history of the demand for Sethu Project, Dr.Karunanithy stated that this proposal was initiated during the time of Perarignar Anna. DMK has been stressing for the implementation of this Sethu project in every one of its election manifestos. He went on that due to the Tamil Nadu’s fortune PM Manmohan Singh and Indian Congress Leader Sonia Gandhi agreed to the request after several deliberations after their insistence. He charged that the Sri Lankan government has plotted secretly and made subtle moves to cripple the Sethu project which can improve the economy of the Tamil Nadu people and the economy of India. He also charged that those who oppose the Sethu project are those who are opposed to the welfare of the Tamil Nadu people. Those who oppose the Sethu project are those who are plotting to cripple the economy of South India. He concluded that the Central Government should not give into any pressures by religious fanatics and drop the implementation of the Sethun Project Stop acquisition of 20,000 cattle and their transport to Polonnaruwa ---TNA requests President K.Thangeswari , TNA Batticaloa Parliamentarian, has appealed to President Rajapakse to stop the moves to acquire 20,000 cattle in Senkaladi area belonging to the displaced people and transport them to Polanaruwa. She has appealed that the displaced people be resettled forth with and be permitted to look after their cattle. She has condemned the proposal to acquire the cattle that were owned by the displaced people and to transport them to Pollanaruwa as a deliberate move by the government to deprive the displaced people of their livelihood. The cattle in that area are not stray cattle. NMAT protests opposite Thai embassy The National Movement Against Terrorism (NMAT) is to wage a protest campaign in front of the Thailand embassy in Colombo today claiming that Thailand authorities had released the LTTE’s international arms procurement head Kumaran Padmanathan alias KP after detaining him for a brief period. The NMAT says that to release a terrorist leader who was on an international warrant is an insult to all nations against terrorism and tantamount to a support given to terrorism. Civilians 'harassed' in road blocks Matter of public interest Observing that civilians are inhumanely treated at the road blocks, the judiciary ordered the officials at the Kirulapona police station to appear before the court on 17 October.The case is considered by the judiciary as a matter of public interest.The road blocks are there to protect the national security but not to check driving licences, CJ Sarath Silva added. 18Septemper 2007 UTHR slams Govt. for failing to halt violations by military The Sri Lankan Government’s choice to not halt violations by its security forces is a reflection of the direction in which this Government is taking Sri Lanka, the University Teachers for Human Rights (UTHR) said in a new report.Known for its hard-hitting reports against the LTTE and the government, the award winning rights group said that by refusing to find a settlement to the country’s long-running ethnic problem through meaningful power devolution, the Government has set itself on a violent and destructive path though which it envisages reaching a sort of peace. “As the people of Sri Lanka suffer the consequences of the Government’s choices, many of the President’s party men, supporters and ministers are using sham and obfuscation in all corners of the world trying to buy time for this Government’s misdeeds,” UTHR said.UTHR notes that it is within this context that the controversy over one bullet in the Action Against Hunger (ACF) case has been seized upon by the Government as a fig leaf to cover a “huge body of infamy” while adding that the public verbal attacks on international NGOs and UN officials who take up this and other human rights issues, highlights the positioning of the Government vis-a-vis the international community. “The President’s party has continually tried to appease the smaller nationalist parties and their constituencies to such an extent that at times he has taken on an even more nationalist agenda than these parties themselves. Attacking foreign NGOs and UN officials ostensibly in defence of Sri Lanka’s sovereignty should be assessed as part of this appeasement,” UTHR said.While raising several concerns over issues and findings relating to the Mutur killing of 17 ACF aid workers, UTHR notes that as a result of inadequate responses to multiple serious concerns, the rights group is left to draw its own conclusions regarding not only the calibre of the item in question but also the Government’s commitment to identify those responsible and bring them to justice. Rajapaksa revises stand on unit of devolution Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had earlier favoured the "district" as the unit of devolution, is now understood to favour the "province" as the unit, to accord with the wishes of the minority Tamils and the international community, particularly India. According to informed sources, Rajapaksa told leaders of the ruling alliance recently, that he wanted the "province" to be the "unit of devolution", and the "district" to be the "unit of administration." In other words, power will be devolved to the provinces, but it will be exercised through the district level administrative mechanism.The Tamils have been fighting for provincial autonomy for decades, first peacefully, and later violently. The 13 constitutional amendment, enacted in the late 1980s under Indian pressure, had given a modicum of autonomy to the provinces. But the Tamils rejected it saying that it was too little too late. The majority Sinhalas also found the system to be unsatisfactory as they equated provincial autonomy with virtual secession. When Mahinda Rajapaksa became President at the end of 2005, the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) proposed that the provinces be made politically defunct, and the district made the unit of devolution instead.But this put off even the moderate Tamils, who were against secession and were supporting the President. India and the rest of the international community, which had been urging Rajapaksa to quickly come to a political settlement with the Tamils, were also dismayed.Hindustan Times learns that Professor Tissa Vitharana, Chairman of the All-Party Representative Conference (APRC), which is charged with the responsibility of working out a devolution package based on consensus, is expected to come out with a proposal on the new lines advocated by Rajapaksa by September end. Vitharana would circulate his proposal to the members of the APRC and seek their views before coming out with a final package. Constitution to be unitary Informed sources say that the Vitharana proposal will describe the new constitution as a "unitary" one, in deference to the strong feelings against the concept of "federalism" among the majority Sinhala community. Also, there will be no re-merger of the Tamil-speaking Eastern Province with the Tamil speaking Northern Province. The Tamils, who have been fighting for federalism and the unity of the North and the East, will be disappointed. But the Vitharana proposal has features which will be welcomed by the Tamils.For example, the proposed devolution system will not have a Concurrent List, over which both the Centre and the Provinces will have legislative power and in which the Central law will prevail over the Provincial law. Parliament, which is unicameral now, is expected to become bicameral, with a Lower House directly elected by the people, and an Upper House elected by the provincial assemblies. Indo-Lanka rail link to be finalised next year: Minister The proposed rail corridor between India and Sri Lanka will be finalised in the second SAARC Transport Ministers' Conference to be held here in March next year, Lankan Transport Minister Dullas Alahapperuma said.''During the first SAARC Transport Ministers' Conference held in New Delhi last month, we proposed that the next Conference be held in Sri Lanka. This proposal has received the unanimous approval of all member states. The members will make their final decision on the proposed rail corridor and ferry service during the conference,'' Daily News quoted the Minister as saying.According to the Transport Ministry officials, the proposals to construct the rail link and commence a ferry service between the two countries will be among the highlights of the second Conference.The proposed rail corridor will be constructed from Colombo to Chennai, while the ferry service will operate from Colombo to Tuticorin. The Minister said as an initial step, ferry service from Cochin to Talai Mannar which operated around 25 years ago, has been proposed to resume following which the service will be extended from Colombo to Tuticorin on either side. Mr Alahapperuma said the two proposals if implemented will strengthen bilateral relations and the historic ties between Colombo and New Delhi. ''We expect that these projects will greatly enhance the social and cultural development in both countries. In addition, the Conference will provide a great opportunity for us to learn from the experiences of other South Asian countries regarding developing the transport sector,'' he added. India hopes UNHCHR Lanka visit will address concerns India hopes the upcoming visit to Sri Lanka by United Nation’s Human Rights High Commissioner Louise Arbour will help address concerns relating to human rights in Sri Lanka, sources attending the UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva said.Addressing the Council an Indian diplomat had welcomed the “positive attitude” of the Sri Lankan Government in extending the invitation for the visit by Ms. Arbour who is due in the country from October 9 – 13 and will follow a visit by the UN Special Rapporteur Manfred Nowak. “We are confident that the High Commissioner’s visit will provide an opportunity for constructive engagement with the Sri Lankan authorities and will help address their concerns,” the Indian diplomat told the UN session.Meanwhile, addressing the session, Human Rights Watch (HRW) also welcomed the announcement of the Sri Lankan visit by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and urged the Council to help develop with the Sri Lankan government a plan to place a United Nations human rights monitoring mission on the ground at the earliest opportunity.“The renewal of major military operations between the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE since mid-2006 has resulted in significant human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law by both sides. Nearly 290,000 people are currently displaced and 3,000 more have been displaced last week due to fresh fighting in the northwest district of Mannar,” HRW said.The New York based rights group also said there had been a disturbing rise in abductions and “disappearances” over the past year and a half with more than 1,100 new cases reported and despite government arrests of some suspects involved in “disappearances” in June 2007, reports of enforced disappearances continued. “The presidential commission of inquiry established last year to investigate a number of high profile cases has yet to result in any prosecutions and has been criticized by the international experts attached to it,” HRW said.It also said UNICEF had documented 145 cases of recruitment and re-recruitment of children by the Karuna group since December 2006 while the LTTE also continued to use children in its forces. It said 11 media workers had been killed in Sri Lanka since August 2005 while humanitarian aid workers had also been victims of deadly attacks. Sri Lanka's July trade deficit shrinks 35.1 percent year-on-year Sri Lanka's July trade deficit narrowed 35.1 percent from a year earlier to 225 million US dollars as clothing and tea exports surged, according to central bank data released Tuesday.Imports rose 6.2 percent to 915.5 million dollars while exports climbed 33.9 percent to 690.5 million dollars, driven by higher sales of clothing, tea and vegetable cooking oil, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka said.The deficit for the first seven months of the year was 15.6 percent smaller than a year before at 1.8 billion dollars, helped by a 3.9 percent drop in the island's oil import bill.The fall in the oil bill was helped by price hedging which the government introduced in February. A jump in international oil prices has strained the economy, which has no crude oil reserves of its own.The balance of payments for the first seven months was in surplus by 151 million dollars, mainly because of remittances from Sri Lankans employed abroad. Remittances climbed 19.0 percent to 1.5 billion dollars.The island's gross official reserves were 2.7 billion dollars at the end of July, enough to finance three months of imports, the central bank said. Two STF commandos killed in Tiger ambush in Ampaa'rai Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launched an ambush attack of Sri Lanka Task Force (STF) patrol unit Monday around 9:40 a.m at Bakmitiyawa in Ampaa'rai district, killing two and seriously injuring three of the troops in the unit, LTTE sources in Ampaa'rai said. LTTE has recently stepped up guerilla warfare in Ampaa'rai district, causing significant losses to the STF The bodies of the troopers killed have been handed over to Ampaa'rai base hospital. Explosives, suicide belt recovered from Gampaha, Negombo The police acting on information received yesterday recovered hand grenades and a suicide belt belonging to suspected LTTE cadres from two areas in Negombo. In Vendesiwatte police found a waist belt laden with explosives which are worn by LTTE Black Tigers who engage in suicide attacks along with an Air Force combat uniform. The seized items were handed over to the Police Special Task Force Bomb Disposal Unit for dismantling. Meanwhile in Kadirana and Pitipana areas police recovered six hand grenades on a tip off. Special teams deployed by the Negombo police are conducting investigations. Basil to parliament from the national list The Secretary of the ruling United People's Freedom Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Susil Prema Jayantha today informed the Elections Commissioner and the Parliamentary Secretary in writing that the President Mahinda Rajapakse's brother Basil Rajapakse was appointed as a MP of the national list. Basil was to participate in the meeting of the government parliamentary group this evening as a MP. He fills the vacancy of late Minister of Irrigation Anver Ismail who belonged to the Athavulla Faction of the Muslim Congress. The UPFA Secretary has powers to appoint anyone to fill a vacancy of a MP since Athavulla Faction contested the 2004 election as a party of the UPFA. 'Lanka-e-News' broke the news on September 14 that Basil Rajapakse would be appointed as a MP. The report further said that the SLFP Secretary Maithripala Sirisena opposed the appointment since it would prove the allegations over a rule off a Rajapakse Brothers Company. Batticaloa fishermen protest against paramilitary harassment More than 300 fishermen living along the coast of Batticaloa district continued their boycott for the third consecutive day, protesting against the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) backed paramilitary armed men who forcibly buy their catch at very low prices, seriously affecting their income, the protesting fishermen said. The fishermen also said insecure atmosphere prevails in the coastal areas and that live in constant fear for their lives. The fishermen have filed complains to the State Fisheries Department in Kalladi. The boycott has created shortage of fish in Batticalaoa district, according fisheries sources. The fishermen said that they will not go fishing until the authorities provide assurance of safety to conduct their trade. Gota insists on military solution Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, who with the government capture of the east recently was quoted as saying there would be a military push for the North, yesterday stressed there could not be permanent peace in the country until the LTTE was defeated militarily.The Defence Secretary made this remark at a felicitation ceremony held yesterday at the Trincomalee Naval Headquarters where President Mahinda Rajapaksa presented awards to the commanding officers and sailors of the six naval ships involved in the destruction of three LTTE vessels last week.“We are ready to defeat terrorism using military power rather than depending on a political solution which we find difficult to reach right now,” the Defence Secretary said.Mr. Rajapaksa also said government forces had been able to restrict the LTTE to the Wanni.“So if we want one hundred percent peace in the country all of us know what steps should be taken in the future to achieve that,” he said hinting that the government would pursue with the military operation in the North.“We should not let the war continue for the next generation since we have got a golden opportunity to bring a lasting peace solution to the country,” the Defence Secretary said.Speaking on the adverse effects the war has on the economy, Mr. Rajapaksa said despite the adverse effects President Mahinda Rajapasksa was able to strengthen the security forces militarily to save the people from the LTTE. He highlighted the importance of extending the fullest cooperation to the three forces, the police and the Civil Defence Force to continue with their duty to the motherland. Commenting on the latest victory achieved by the Navy over the LTTE last week, the Defence secretary said it was not a victory over one community but a victory for all communities.A colourful military parade was staged by the Naval vessels – SLNS Sayura, SLNS Samudura, SLNS Suranimala, SLNS Shakthi, and two logistic ships A-520 and A-521, which were involved in destroying the three LTTE ships off Dondara point last week.President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared open a new Jetty built at the Naval Headquarters in Trincomalee. The passenger carrier- Jetliner- was the first ship that docked in the newly built Jetty and the President made an inspection visit of the Jetliner.Chief of Defence Staff Donald Perera, Central Privince Chief Minister Berty Premelal Dissanayake, Cabinet Security Council members G.L. Peris, Nimal Siripala De Silva, Milinda Moragoda, Douglas Devenanda, Mahindananda Aluthgamage also participated. 17Septemper 2007 Karen Parker Applauds HRC at the 6th Session Weakening of Tamil Tiger gives an advantage to Sri Lanka in finding a political solution Emphasising the urgent need on the part of the Sri Lanka government to follow up the recent military gains in the east with “imaginative and sound political programmes,” the Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, N. Ram, on Saturday maintained that the apparent weakening of the LTTE gives a major advantage to the government in pushing through a political solution to the ethnic conflict. Speaking as a chief guest at the annual meeting of the Sri Lanka-India Friendship Society, Mr. Ram said that “democratic governance” was the need of the hour in the east and went on to ask if the government was ready to demonstrate the political will and take “reasonable risks” in its quest to resolve the ethnic question. He maintained that terms or labels like “federal” or “unitary” were immaterial and said it would be worthwhile for the government to consider a “quasi-federal system” for devolution of powers and meeting the aspirations of all sections of society, including the Tamils. Indian expectations On the Indian expectations from the current regime in Sri Lanka, Mr. Ram said: “The expectation is we must overcome the gap between what we hear in private [about the intent of the government on the national question] and what we see on the ground.” Quoting from the Indian experiences in Jammu and Kashmir and the north-east, Mr. Ram said when the political leadership failed to take advantage from the gains made by the security forces in weakening of the militant groups, the military advances proved to be short-lived. With LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran as the number one accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and the organisation banned, Indians would not stand any legitimacy of the LTTE and could not be expected to be part of any negotiations with the Tigers. At the same time, India has consistently worked and will continue to encourage the Sri Lanka Government for a solution to the national question which would ensure a ‘measure of equality’ for Tamils. Mr. Ram said that post-1991 India’s policy toward Sri Lanka underwent a ‘course correction’ and despite the change of four governments and six Prime Ministers, the policy ever since has remarkably been continuous and consistent. “India’s aspirations for Sri Lanka has been to help an equitable, moderate and sound solution to the ethnic/national question within a framework of united Sri Lanka,” Mr. Ram said. He observed that whichever government came to power in New Delhi had no option but to pursue this policy. He was at pains to emphasise that there was ‘zero support’ for the LTTE in India and characterised the recent attempt by Tamil Nationalist Movement leader P. Nedumaran to cross into Sri Lanka waters with relief goods supposedly for the people of the Jaffna peninsula as no more than a political gimmick. “They never take up these issues during elections. The publicity stunt by the likes of Nedumaran will not be tolerated. It is a clear violation of the norms of good neighbourly relations,” he said. Tracing the Indian policy toward Sri Lanka prior to 1991, Mr. Ram said the anti-Tamil riots of 1983 had a direct impact on bilateral relations from 1983 to 1991. “Today, the relations are no longer influenced entirely by events of 1983. Following the course correction of 1991, the relations between the two countries have become more independent and stable with greater depth in terms of trade and people-to-people contacts,” he stated. Ethnic question He asserted that the Indian engagement with Sri Lanka was ‘real’ and the ‘distortions’ of the earlier period, when India gave sanctuary and provided finance and armed support to some of the Tamil groups, should and would not be brought back. Mr. Ram reminded the audience that in recent years, New Delhi had encouraged every attempt by successive governments in Colombo to move forward on resolution of the ethnic question. He said though the India-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987 was highly controversial and divisive at the time of its conception, it had substantive content and valuable lessons for both countries. “There have been mistakes on both sides in the past but ever since we have moved on and there is a positive paradigm shift in relations between the two countries. In the last 10 to 15 years, not only vis-À-vis Sri Lanka, there has been a sea change in India’s relations with its neighbours beginning with China in 1988 to normalisation of ties with Pakistan and Look East policy. We need to sustain and build on it,” Mr. Ram said. Big achievement Talking about India’s success story on the economic and democratic fronts, Mr. Ram said that while the nine per cent growth rate was a big achievement, it would be cut short unless extra efforts were made to abolish mass poverty and bridge the poor-rich divide. “The India Shining slogan bombed in the last general election because when it was taken to the countryside it misrepresented the reality.” He hoped that the present government, headed by a scholarly Prime Minister, notwithstanding its difficulties on the civil nuclear energy cooperation with the U.S., would be able to find a way out of the present problems and fulfil commitments made under the Common Minimum Programme. High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Aloke Prasad, in his brief remarks on the occasion, said that India’s success with democracy has made it a ‘universal norm’ and dwelt on the economic achievements of India since Independence which helped it attain nine per cent annual growth rate. The New Norway envoy visits Vanni Tro Hattram, the new Norway envoy in Sri Lanka, who has arrived in Sri Lanka, is scheduled to visit Killinochhi during the end of this month or early next month and meet the LTTE leadership. He will be handing over the credentials to President Rajapakse officially next week. There after he will be meeting the leaders of the government and the leaders of the opposition as part of a familiarization programme. Sri Lankan plantations firms call for more land security JVP-UNP tie-up in the offing? Strengthening speculations that the formation of a new political alliance in Sri Lanka is in the offing, with JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe hinting at the possibility of working together with the main opposition UNP to decide the future of the country. “There is a possibility that we could work together as both parties want to see the end of this government. The JVP does not completely oppose the UNP. If the UNP could change, I do not see any reason why we can’t work together,” Amarasinghe said. “Besides, the government is trying to convince the country that the JVP is supporting it, which is not the case. We are not protecting this government but strictly opposing the style of its governance which is totally against the pledges it gave to the people,” the JVP leader added.Asked to comment on recent comments by Party strongman and Trade Union leader Lal Kantha to the effect that UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has never embezzled public money and both parties could work together if the UNP changes its policies on the ethnic problem and the economy, Amarasinghe said the problem with the UNP was its ideology.“If and when they come to a compromise, both parties can discuss sorting out the possibility of working together towards a common goal,” JVP leader Amarasinghe added.Meanwhile, UNP spokesman Lakshman Kiriella said both parties had already established a good rapport in and outside parliament opposing the Mahinda Rajapaksa government.“Party members at the grassroots level are doing their party activities without clashing. At higher level, we voted against the five finance Bills in Parliament recently. Both parties have started their respective political strategy to bring this government down democratically. We are agitating for an early election. The earlier this government ends its term, the better it would be for the JVP. It helped this government into power and the longer the government remains the JVP will also have to take the blame,” Kiriella said. Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated Sunday that the UNP’s bid to topple the Government at the forthcoming Budget would certainly be a total flop and a disaster to the UNP. Addressing the fourth ‘Mahajana Rally’ of the Government in Kegalle, to inform and update the masses on the present political situation amid false and baseless propaganda by the Opposition parties, President Rajapaksa said, “we are not prepared to serve Ranil Wickremesinghe’s agenda. “I have full and absolute faith in my Ministers and Parliamentarians who are unshaken in their faith and commitment to the Government. They will not waiver for money. I challenge the UNP to defeat us if they can at the forthcoming Budget”. The President added that so long as there are patriots who dearly love their motherland, his Government fears no one either locally or internationally. “In a similar manner the gallant Armed Forces liberated the East from the grip of the LTTE, they have also liberated Silawathura now and the LTTE has been confined only to the Mullaithivu and Killinochchi areas. “The Navy has searched for ‘Sea Tiger’ vessels in the deep seas, attacked and destroyed them. “No sooner I assumed office as President, the LTTE resorted to their terrorism and violence which tested our patience. “After tolerating their barbarism which killed innocent men, women and children in cold blood to the utmost, I had to take them to task and resume humanitarian operations. Once we resumed this task, we will not turn back. If they hit us, we will also hit them”, he said. He claimed that as Thamilselvam had threatened to cripple the ‘Nerve Centres’ of the country’s economy, which to date has failed due to the heroic and victorious Armed Forces, Ranil Wickremesinghe too is now engaged in a vicious campaign to hamper and disrupt the ongoing economic development of the country. “I am sorry not for the threats of Thamiselvam. I am extremely sorry about the attitude and behaviour of our own people who use all means at their disposal to attack and destroy our economic ‘nerve centres’, at a time when we as a responsible Government is striving hard to develop the country, by ongoing mega development projects such as the Upper Kothmale and Norochcholai power projects, Moragahakanda and Weheragala reservoirs, the Southern Express Highway and the Hambanthota Harbour among others”. “When we try to obtain loans from the banks to continue such vital development work, they seek to impede and prevent such work, by protesting and demonstrating opposite these Banks, with threats of cancellation of their licences. Is this reasonable and fair?” he asked. The President said that development which was confined only to the Western Province urban areas of Colombo and Gampaha, is now extended to the rural areas of the country. Certain sectionsof society is badly hit by this paradigm shift in development. “This is a ‘Class Struggle’ he added. An impeachment against President if UNP comes to power, says Aththanayaka A people mandate to UNP will not only decide the perimeters of the President but can also be followed by an impeachment or a campaign urging the President to resign, said the UNP General Secretary Thissa Aththanayaka. When a weekend newspaper enquired from him if an executive President from another party would not hamper a future UNP government, as happened in the past, the UNP General Secretary said that the same follies would not be repeated.When Lanka-e-News enquired about the matter from Mr. Aththanayaka, he said that the possible moves against the President could be pointed out from the constitution and an impeachment would would be a simple issue if the UNP had power. Stating that a mandate granted by people would not be allowed to be subjugated, the UNP General Secretary said the legislative powers would be entertained to the maximum and the President would come under the parliament. He said to Lanka-e-News that the allegations against funding the LTTE, avoiding the Tamil's right to vote at the Presidential and the breach of ethics in politics under the current President would be based for an impeachment.He said that the government is dragging the issue of appointing a parliamentary select committee to probe the serious charge against giving money to LTTE to win the Presidential election. The UNP General Secretary said that a future UNP government would definitely probe the allegations against the Mig deal and the other corruption in government tender processes. He says that the malpractices that are against the constitution will be the evidences for an impeachment. Case Of LTTE's Arms Smuggler-In-Chief: Curiouser & Curiouser-International Terrorism Monitor: By B. Raman In its official web site, the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry announced on September 11, 2007, that the Thai authorities arrested at Bangkok on September 10,2007, the LTTE's chief arms procurer, Shanmugan Kumaran Tharmalingam, also known as Kumaran Pathmanathan or "KP". However, Mr.Piyira Khempon, a spokesman of the Thai Foreign Ministry ,was quoted as saying that the Government was not aware of any such arrest. Dismissing the report, Thai police spokesman Lt General Narong Yangyern was quoted as saying that a thorough check showed that the last time Thai police arrested any LTTE member was in 2003 and he was extradited on August 15, 2007 to Sri Lanka. In a report datelined Colombo, the "Asia Tribune", an online newspaper, claimed that KP had obtained Thai citizenship and was married to a Thai woman. 2. The denial by the Thai Police of the " arrest" of K.P. did not mean that they had not informally picked up a person with a Thai passport, believed to be identical with KP, for questioning. It is known that the police forces in South and South-East Asia generally avoid formally arresting a terrorist suspect before investigation is complete because a formal arrest means he has to be produced before a court within a certain period of time. The majority of Al Qaeda suspects informally picked up by the Pakistani intelligence and handed over to the US' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) were never formally arrested and hence there are no records with the Pakistan Police regarding their arrest. The relatives of these persons have filed habeas corpus petitions before the Pakistan Supreme Court. The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) has denied that they were "arrested" and any knowledge of their whereabouts. Some of them are alleged to be in the Guantanamo Bay detention centre in Cuba. 3. In September, 2003, the Thai Police informally picked up Hambali, the then operational chief of Indonesia's Jemmah Islamiyah, at Ayuthya and handed him over to the FBI, which flew him out to Diego Garcia for questioning. He was then reportedly shifted to Guantanamo Bay. The Thai Police have not so far officially admitted his arrest. The Americans did not confirm for a long time that he was in their custody. They did not allow the Indonesians to join in his interrogation. They did not hand him over to the Indonesian Police. 4. Has a similar thing happened in the case of KP? Have the Americans whisked him out of Thailand without his being formally arrested in order to question him on the LTTE's links with Al Qaeda and pro-Al Qaeda jihadi organisations such as the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HUM) of Pakistan and Abu Sayyaf of the Philippines? In the last two years, two operations of the LTTE to procure and smuggle arms and ammunition, including surface-to-air missiles, from the US have been neutralised by the FBI, which would be interested in questioning KP about ithem. KP is of interest not only to India and Sri Lanka, but also to the US. SLA reimposes curfew hours in Jaffna Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities in Palaali Military base reimposed curfew hours in the peninsula from 7:00 p.m to 4:30 a.m, with effect from Sunday, revoking the Thursday reduction of two hours, in an announcement Saturday night.SLA had announced a two hour cut in the curfew with effect from Thursday saying that the curfew hours will be from 9:00 p.m to 4:30 a.m, until further notice. Sri Lanka busts US$250mn to prop up exchange rate Sri Lanka allowed around 5 percent of the outstanding government rupee denominated bonds to be bought by foreigners in the first half of the year raising around 460 million dollars from foreign markets at around 14.25 to 14.50 percent. The investors were hoping to make a fast buck with authorities promising 10 percent inflation by the year end and lower interest rates. Though the Central Bank has been trying to bring down inflation with some success, in the first half of the year, some economic analysts had warned that a runaway budget deficit would not allow interest rates to come down. Instead of making capital foreign investors who had bought bonds were now suffering capital losses with a popular bond falling to 17.00 percent levels. Dealers say foreign investors, particularly hedge funds that bought into the rupee bonds, are also under pressure sell out and cut losses with their portfolios suffering losses in other markets as well. Risk premiums for emerging market bonds have widened after a recent credit crunch in global markets. Up to now foreign bond holders have not been able to put too much pressure on the rupee with an illiquid bond market. In the latter part of the last week a popular foreign bond maturing in 2012 was bought by a foreign name sending yields plunging to 16.60 from 17.35 over two trading days. However wide two-way quotes in the market of 16.60/70 for the bond showed that there were no genuine buyers for the bond below 17.00 percent, dealers said.There are fears among some market analysts, that if the bond price is manipulated it will give opportunities for foreign bond holders to hit Sri Lanka's pension funds. 16Septemper 2007 US blocks military aid to Lanka The United States last week decided that no assistance will be extended to Sri Lanka under the 'Foreign Military Financing Programme' unless the Secretary of State certifies that the Government of Sri Lanka has taken action to bring to justice those responsible for extra judicial killings and other human rights abuses, including the establishment of a human rights monitoring mission.This decision follows the approval of Section 690 of the Appropriations Act of 2008, which dealt with Sri Lanka, by the US Senate last week. It is learned the Senate version of the Act with its tough wording was passed last week, though the House of Representatives version was not.However, informed sources said that at the Senate-House Conference to reconcile differences, Section 690 stayed. The Senate side of the Conference team was led by Sen. Leahy and comprised seven others. The House team was represented by House Foreign Operations Sub Committee Chairperson Nita Lowey (D-NY) and ranking Frank Wolf (R-VA).In terms of the Act, the US cannot make available any assistance to Sri Lanka under the Foreign Military Assistance Programme including any defence export licences and military equipment or technology unless the Secretary of State certifies the conditions contained in the Act are satisfied.The conditions stipulated by the US Senate are that the government will bring to justice those members of the military involved in child recruitment, human rights abuses and extra judicial killings.It is further stated that the government must provide unimpeded access to humanitarian organisations and journalists to 'Tamil areas' in the country and agree to the establishment of a field presence of the office of the UNHCR. Following is the full text of Section 690 of the Act, which the Senate approved: Section 690 of the Act which the Senate approved said, " None of the funds appropriated by this Act under the heading 'Foreign Military Financing Programme' may be made available for assistance for Sri Lanka, no defense export licence may be issued, and no military equipment or technology shall be sold or transferred to Sri Lanka pursuant to the authorities contained in this Act or any other Act, unless the Secretary of State certifies and reports to the Committees on Appropriations that – (1) The Sri Lankan military is suspending and the Sri Lankan Government is bringing to justice members of the military who have been credibly alleged to have committed gross violations of human rights, including extrajudicial executions and the recruitment of child soldiers; (2) The Sri Lankan Government has provided unimpeded access to humanitarian organisations and journalists to Tamil areas of the country; and, (3) The Sri Lankan Government has agreed to the establishment of a field presence of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sri Lanka. Nedumaran calls off fast following Karuna's assurance Ranil also off to India Hot on the heels of a supposedly ‘private’ visit undertaken by former President Chandrika Kumaratunga to India, Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is scheduled to visit New Delhi next month. UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake confirmed to The Nation that the Indian Government has extended an official invitation to Wickremesinghe, and, although a date has not been confirmed for his departure, the opposition leader is likely to travel to India during the first week of October. However, sources said that Wickremesinghe will brief the Indian leader on the present political scenario in the country while special emphasis will be given to the newly mooted Nation Congress with former Ministers Mangala Samaraweera and Sripathi Sooriyaarachchi. Pistol packing Minister enters Canadian HC, demands Visa for son The notorious gun-toting Minister who was involved with his son in several notorious incidents last week and in the past - - and who threatened to shoot ‘everybody in his path’ a couple of days back -- created an unprecedented stir when he walked into the Canadian High Commission at week’s end with a pistol in hand, demanding a Visa for his son.The Deputy Minister who was challenged at the security point of the High Commission nevertheless had his way and entered the embassy. Brandishing his pistol, he walked up to an official and demanded that his son be given a Visa to visit Canada. It’s believed that his Visa requirement was related to his son’s latest antics which had resulted in the son being apprehended by the long arm of the law.The Minister was politely asked to leave, but not before he had created a considerable commotion in the High Commission premises with his pistol. It is learnt by LAKBIMANEWS that the Canadian High Commission has already relieved a security guard of his duties, for letting the notorious Minister into the embassy premises. Canadian High Commission officials were not immediately available for comment, but our independent sources confirm that several government Ministers have been apprised of the incident, and they have in turn conveyed their absolute disgust in the way that the notorious Minister has disported himself in the embassy with his pistol-packing demand for a Visa. Bishops wants Madhu declared ‘Peace Zone’ Two leading Catholic bishops have appealed to the government to make the Madhu shrine area a ‘peace zone’ and let the thousands of fleeing refugees move in for shelter.Both Rt. Rev. Malcolm Ranjith, attached to Rome, and Mannar bishop Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph have visited the refugee camps. They also held discussions with the LTTE’s political wing leader, S. P. Tamilselvam, last Thursday, whereby the bishops said the fleeing people must be given proper shelter.Speaking to The Nation, the Mannar bishop said the LTTE has given an assurance that it will not attack the Madhu church provided there was a similar assurance from the Sri Lanka Army.Rt Rev Joseph said he will meet the regional army commander tomorrow and convey this message to him.The bishop also said that refugees were fleeing their homes in the thousands and were forced to settle down in jungle areas where they were exposed to severe danger.“We should not let people suffer this much. Both the LTTE and the army should realise this fact. When we met Tamilselvan we strictly told him that they should not attack the Madhu church if the people were taken there for shelter and they gave us an assurance they would not,” he said.The bishop said as people were moving towards the Mulankavil, Vellankulam, and Aaththimutai areas they were exposed to various threats and dangers. He said in these areas there were no large schools or places of worship for the people to take shelter.Therefore, he said, the ideal solution to shelter them would be for the people to proceed to the Madhu church.“But unfortunately both the LTTE and the army fight over the church. They must realise that this is a place of worship and anyone can come there for rest. So we the Catholic bishops are making this humble appeal to both sides not to fight but to let the poor people seek refuge,” the bishop added. KP surrendered fearing LTTE LTTE’s Chief arms procurer, Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP in fact surrendered to the Thai Police fearing reprisals from the LTTE, which is said to be on the lookout for him over alleged corruption charges.A senior military official said the initial notification received from Bangkok said KP had surrendered and that he was “under surveillance”. Highly placed military sources quoting intelligence reports said KP was alleged to be behind the arrest of the second in command of the LTTE’s elusive arms smuggling network, Pradeepan Thavarasa, who was arrested by Indonesian police last year.Thavarasa was later extradited to the United States. However, intelligence sources have suggested KP could have leaked the whereabouts of Thavarasa. Thai police and the local head of the Bangkok branch denied any knowledge of the detention of Kumaran Pathmanathan. Notwithstanding the Thai denial, a team of Sri Lankan police and military went to Bangkok last Thursday to assist investigations there.Meanwhile, the Defence Ministry which broke the news on its website of the arrest of KP, later maintained silence over the issue. There had been an agreement between the Thai and Sri Lankan governments to treat the issue as confidential, yet the government went public over the arrest of KP. The government is mum over the issue since then, rather than retracting the news, in a wait- and -see approach to secure the extradition of KP, quipped a military official. Thai police earlier said that no Sri Lankan national had been arrested during the past several weeks. However, KP is known to have travelled using over 20 passports. Lanka told ‘No KP here’ A three- member official delegation from Sri Lanka that flew to Bangkok after reports of the arrest of Tiger guerrilla procurement head Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP) has returned to Colombo with only a declaration from Thai authorities that he has not been "arrested."The delegation comprised a senior intelligence official, an investigator from the Criminal Investigation Department and an official from the Attorney General's Department. They were told to proceed to the Thai capital by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, following reports that Thai authorities had taken in Mr. Pathmanathan, head of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Military Procurement Wing.Despite media reports, both in Colombo and abroad about Mr. Pathmanathan's arrest, Thai authorities have vehemently denied the incident. The first denial last Tuesday came from officials in the Thai Foreign Office. Joining in later were spokesmen from the Thai Police.Both Colombo-based diplomatic and intelligence sources believe Pathmanathan was in fact taken in to be interviewed and the use of the term "arrested" was inappropriate. Said a western diplomatic source: "the Thai Government was upset Sri Lanka did not maintain confidentiality over this move until matters were sorted out." Though some Government officials went public, a Foreign Ministry official denied the Government was responsible for the media leaks that received wide play both locally and abroad. According to a foreign intelligence source, "if not for the hurry to grab headlines, KP would have been singing about the LTTE's weapons procurement network worldwide, something that would have been a great victory for the anti-Tiger guerrilla forces. All that has been put paid to."Colombo Foreign Ministry officials, who did not wish to be identified, said the Sri Lanka delegation had meetings with Thai authorities over the reports of Mr. Pathmanathan's arrest. They were unable to meet with him since the Thai authorities were firm in their assertion that he was not in custody. "They have therefore ended up giving a document in writing to that effect to the Sri Lanka team," the official added. Mr. Pathmanathan is a key LTTE member in charge of weapons smuggling and is wanted by India also in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He is known to have been operating from several countries including India, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Britain, Switzerland and France. In 1989 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Mr. Pathmanathan floated a company "Vikram Holdings Pvt Ltd" in partnership with three Malaysians of Sri Lankan origin. During the same period, he opened another company - "Point Pedro Shipping" - registered at Panama. This company was operating two ships "Sun Bird" and "Elicia". The financing was done by K P. "Sun Bird", flying the flag of Cyprus, was caught in Penang in December 1990, along with boat engines, communication equipments, etc. A case is pending in Malaysia. Meanwhile, Thail Prime Minister General Surayud Chulanont said his government had no information about Mr. Pathmanathan’s detention Bangkok when he met India External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, the Hindustan Times reported yesterday.“We have been informed that the person concerned (Pathmanathan) is not yet detained... We are informed that he is not in possession of Thai authorities... We are depending on that,” Mr. Mukherjee told newsmen when asked about reports of the LTTE leader’s detention this week. Douglas mounts pressure on Govt. over Karuna Social Services Minister and Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda , is to mount pressure on the government to take stringent action against TMVP cadres whom he holds responsible for the killing of his cadres.The minister will take up the issues regarding the assassinations of his cadres, allegedly by the TMVP cadres at the Security Council meeting scheduled for tomorrow, September 17.The Minister yesterday confirmed to The Nation that it was TMVP’s men who were after his cadres who were not armed.He said with the signing of the Ceasefire Agreement in 2004, the EPDP cadres handed over their weapons and were now unarmed.“Therefore it is unfair to let one man carry arms and kill our boys. I am going to tell the government to take severe action,” he warned.The bitter feud between TMVP and EPDP reached its peak when a senior EPDP cadre was killed in Valachchenai, Batticaloa on Thursday.An irate minister said he would first inform the Security Council, and then take up the matter with President Mahinda Rajapakse directly for quick action. MEP, JHU to return to APRC The two political parties which withdrew their support from the All Party Representatives Committee have agreed to work within the framework of the proposals discussed. APRC ran into trouble a few weeks back when the MEP and JHU said they were dissatisfied over the manner in which the meetings were conducted.The MEP which participated at all the meetings, withdrew from the Committee saying the Committee was following its own agenda leaving out key issues which needed to be discussed.The party alleged that there was an understanding between the parties that a solution to the ethnic conflict should be reached through the Mahinda Chinthana, maintaining a unitary state and the de merger.APRC Chairman Tissa Vitharana told The Sunday Times that all the parties have reached a common understanding on various topics.“Currently we are discussing the issues which need to be ironed out. There was some problem a few weeks ago but now we are going ahead with the meetings. Still it’s difficult to give an exact date when it will be finalized. But the meetings are taking place,” Professor Vitharana said.He said the final recommendations will be on consensus by all parties as the parties would sign a common document. Tiger propaganda TV overruns Jaffna The Tiger run Television channel, National Television of Tamileelam - NTT - has overwhelmed the airwaves in the Jaffna peninsula with its high frequency, and virtually overpowered other channels.NTT beams a heavy cocktail of LTTE propaganda as well as general news on Tamil affairs. High frequency waves of NTT beamed from Tiger Head Quarters in Kilinochchi are so powerful that NTT appears on the frequencies used by other Colombo based television channels.“Tiger channel is virtually owning the airwaves,” said a local resident. “Freedom of expression? NTT could entice youth to the ranks of the LTTE,” quipped a senior military official LTTE barged into the airwaves with its own television on March 26, 2005. Initially confined to a 15 minute news bulletin, NTT has expanded its programs to culture and religion and current affairs. Initially, NTT could be viewed only through satellite, but, within the past several months, the TV channel has expanded its reach.Earlier airwaves of the NTT were picked by Paris based TNT, Tamil News Network, which distributed signals to the rest of Europe. US grants $2 million for IDP relief The United States will provide 2 million dollars as immediate emergency relief funding for conflict displaced persons in Sri Lanka, as part of a $24 million worldwide package announced last week in Washington.The funding, from the U.S. State Department’s Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund will support the work of the UN High Commission on Refugee (UNHCR) and NGO’s to protect and provide assistance to Sri Lankan internally displaced persons and refugees. This funding will support programs to provide protection, emergency shelter, non-food relief items, water and sanitation, camp management, reception services for Internally Displaced People (IDPs), and special projects for returnees, the US Embassy said in a news release.This new funding complements ongoing programs for emergency and tsunami relief from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Through its Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), USAID provided $3.8 million in 2007 to assist vulnerable conflict-affected populations in Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Jaffna Districts. Funds to these districts went toward emergency relief supplies, nutrition, protection and water and sanitation, and are administered by USAID partners, including UNICEF, the U.N.’s World Food Programme, and Save the Children. “These emergency funds from Washington are necessary and timely,” said U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert Blake. “The Government faces a great challenge to ensure that the fundamental needs of conflict-displaced Sri Lankans are met, and to resettle them back into their homes as soon as possible. The American government wants to assist in this effort.” In addition, the USAID Food for Peace program provided 17,500 tons of commodities in August 2007 valued at $5 million will benefit 1.4 million people. An additional $8.9 million worth of in-kind commodity contribution will arrive later this year. 15Septemper 2007 EU calls for UN rights monitors in Sri Lanka In a move bound to cause political ripples in the country, the European Union has called for the setting up of a United Nations human rights monitoring group in Sri Lanka.But the government is adamant not to give in to any kind of pressure and is lobbying international support against moves to bring in a resolution against Sri Lanka at the current UN Human Rights Council sessions in Geneva.The Daily Mirror learns the government held several rounds of discussions with UNHRC members in Geneva over the past few days seeking support against an EU sponsored resolution and distributed documents detailing measures taken by Sri Lanka to deal with human rights allegations. On Thursday Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama handed over a copy of the document to British High Commissioner Dominic Chilcott in Colombo. “The proposed EU initiative cannot be regarded as an appropriate way to constructively engage a country, which has a long-standing policy of openness and cooperation with UN human rights mechanisms,” Mr. Bogollagama said in a statement. He said the government had also invited several top UN officials to visit the country and make observations. “The government team in Geneva met delegates from Holland and several other EU member-states as well as other countries seeking support against a possible resolution on Sri Lanka at the human rights council,” reports said. It is learnt that African and Asian countries were however against an EU resolution on Sri Lanka, the second such resolution on the cards with a similar move being mooted at the EU parliament which is also in session in Brussels.Speaking at the UNHRC session on Thursday, Portugal which holds the EU presidency said Sri Lanka should invite UN human rights monitors to record and report on serious HR violations taking place in the country as a result of the fresh offensives between government troops and the LTTE.However Sri Lanka’s ambassador in Geneva Dayan Jayatillake said a number of policies and constructive measures were taking place in Sri Lanka with regard to human rights and President Mahinda Rajapaksa had met Human Rights High Commissioner Louise Arbour and invited her to visit the country in a spirit of respect for human rights. According to sources at the session Mr. Jayatillake had insisted Sri Lanka would not give in to outside pressure but Sri Lanka was open to the idea of a field presence in the country in the form of a regional office and added that the country had to guard against pressure exerted by non-governmental organizations. Speaking at the session, Canadian diplomat Marius Grinius condemned Sri Lanka's deteriorating HR situation including displacement of civilians and reiterated the need to safeguard access to humanitarian aid. Several human rights organisations and NGOs also raised concerns over the situation in the country and were backing the EU sponsored resolution against Sri Lanka.“We will like to bring to the notice of the Council the trend of attacks on religious leaders and places of worship in Sri Lanka, due to their involvement in protecting and assisting victims of the ongoing hostilities between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. This violence is part of a wider humanitarian and human rights crisis in Sri Lanka and shows the increasing disregard of the main armed actors towards international humanitarian law,” an NGO told the Council.Meanwhile the Tamil Centre for Human Rights (TCHR) said impunity is a very serious problem in Sri Lanka while in the Northeast the human rights situation has been deteriorating with genocide, cultural genocide and multiple displacements occurring and a systematic economic embargo to the North East was starving the people. TCHR said Press freedom and freedom of expression are in peril in Sri Lanka with journalists being arrested, tortured, abducted, disappeared and killed over-night and added that misinformation is heavily used internally and internationally by the government of Sri Lanka to distort the real picture of what is happening in conflict areas. Bomb, Clashes Kill 29 in Sri Lanka A roadside bomb blast and clashes between soldiers and secessionist Tamil Tiger guerrillas across Sri Lanka's volatile north killed 29 people, the military said Saturday. A bus with soldiers was hit by a bomb planted by the rebels Friday night in the northern Jaffna peninsula, killing two soldiers and wounding seven others, an official at the Defense Ministry's information center said. Hours earlier, six Tamil Tigers and three soldiers were killed in a clash in the Vavuniya district south of Jaffna, and eight guerrillas were killed in two separate battles reported there, the official said on condition of anonymity, citing government policy. Also Friday, the military reported that they killed 10 guerrillas who tried to attack a defense line in Muhamalai, in Jaffna district. Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not immediately be reached for comment. Fighting has escalated in Sri Lanka's Northern Province in recent weeks, with the military capturing a key coastal territory that served as a rebel supply point. In July the government celebrated taking full control of the Eastern Province from Tamil Tigers after 13 years. The Tigers, who want to carve out an independent state for ethnic minority Tamils in the island's north and east, are still holding a vast area in the north where they run a de facto state. Sri Lanka's civil war flared up in 1983, and witnessed a brief lull after a Norwegian-brokered cease-fire in 2002. A new wave of fighting, however, including assassinations and airstrikes over the past 22 months, has killed more than 5,000 people. The two sides continue to violate the cease-fire, which exists only on paper, but neither is willing to officially withdraw from the agreement, fearing international isolation. 11 STF troopers killed in four separate incidents in Ampaa'rai - LTTE Eleven Special Task Force (STF) troopers were killed and four others were injured in four separate LTTE attacks in Ampa'rai district on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, LTTE District Political Head of Ampaa'rai, P. Kaviyarasan told media Friday.Two STF troopers were killed and two others injured when a claymore exploded near a tractor carrying STF personnel at Kagnchikkudichchaa'ru around 5:30 a.m Friday. The tractor was completely destroyed, P. Kaviyarasan said.In another incident, one STF personnel were killed when an STF group attempting to infiltrate into the LTTE controlled territory at Vammiyadi Friday came under LTTE attack. Two persons also were injured in the incident.Meanwhile, a foot patrol came under attack at Rubesh Kulam around 10:15 a.m. Thursday where two more STF troopers were killed, according to Kaviyarasan.Four STF troopers were killed and two seriously injured when another STF foot patrol came under attack at Bakmitiyawa around 8:15 a.m. on Wednesday. The injured troopers later succumbed to injuries later, Kaviyarasan said.LTTE suffered no casualties in any of the attacks, according to LTTE. Sampanthan makes passionate appeal to 74 year old Nedumaran to give up the fast R.Sampanthan, TNA Parliamentary group leader, made a passionate appeal to 74 year old veteran Tamil Leader Pala Nedumaran to give up his fast unto death demanding dispatch of food aid for Lankan Tamils. In his appeal, Sampanthan states as follows:- “We are really perturbed over your fast unto death in your old age and in your feeble health condition in order to dispatch food aid to the Lankan Tamils. You are a Tamil leader, who is highly respected and venerated by our people for your earnest feelings and for your sharing the sufferings of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka at every distressing hour. Our people hold you in high esteem and are seriously concerned over your health and your life for we need your sustained support in our struggle ahead. We are greatly perturbed that your fast at your age and in such a feeble health condition can cause serious repercussions to your health. Any serious ill health of yours will be unbearable to our people. In fact the Tamil people of Sri Lanka need your sustained support in the years to come. We recall with a sense of gratitude that you have been a tower of strength at turbulent times when our people under went humiliation, harassment and even torture. Therefore, on behalf of the Tamils of Sri Lanka, I make a fervent appeal to you to give up the fast”, he concluded. Problems of the students displaced from Mannar It is reported that a large number of students who were displaced from Silavathurai, Arippu, Musali and other places following the war in Mannar are undergoing serious problems in pursuing their studies. There are 5,023 students and 80 teachers among the displaced. There is concern among the parents and teachers that this can affect the students very badly, since this is the third term of the year and some of these students have to sit the GCE O/L exam in December this year. Meanwhile people from Adampan, Andankulam , Vatkanthal, Parapankandal, Parapukadanthan, Papamotai, Thirketheswaram, Navatkulam , Palaiadi, Puthukulam and other villages who have been displaced following shell attacks by the security forces are in Manthai West. EDPD - TMVP at loggerheads over latest killing Forty-seven suspects arrested from HSZ close to Sri Lanka capital Anwar Ismail passes away Non-Cabinet Irrigation Minister and national list parliamentarian Anwar Ismail passed away on Thursday night after a prolonged illness. His body was flown to his home town Samanthurai in the early yesterday by helicopter. The 40-year-old minister first entered parliament as a Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (Athavulla Faction ) MP in 2001. He was appointed as a Minister in 2004. As a member of the SLMC from the Digamadulla district and had earlier served as Deputy Minister of Eastern Infrastructure Development. He leaves behind his wife and a son. With his death a UPFA national list slot falls vacant and speculation is rife that a presidential adviser may be nominated to fill the vacancy. Stop ‘excesses’ on Tamils in Sri Lanka, says Captain PUDUKKOTTAI: Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) has urged the Centre to intervene and stop the ‘excesses’ perpetrated by the Sri Lankan government on innocent Tamils.A resolution to this effect was adopted at the party’s state conference held here on Friday, to mark the third anniversary with district secretary N Zahir in the chair. The conference also made it clear that DMDK would extend support to the party, which possessed power to remove the injustice meted out to the state, to form the government at the Centre if the elections for Lok Sabha were held premature.Expressing strong exception to the De-limitation Commission for the abolition of Pudukkottai Parliamentary constituency, DMDK wanted the the constituency to be reinstated. The party wanted ‘linking of all rivers in the state’ to contain flood damage. It also wanted the flood water to be diverted to Pudukkottai instead of sea at the times of floods in Cauvery.Observing that the prices of materials such as cement, brick, sand and iron had doubled during the past two years making it difficult for the middle class to construct houses, DMDK said that the situation has led to the danger of lakhs of workers losing jobs. If the situation contiued, the economic development would suffer, a resolution said. The party also urged the government to take measure to bring the skyrocketing prices under control. Another resolution wanted the Centre to retrieve Katchatheevu island by reviewing the agreement signed in 1974, considering the atrocities perpetrated by Sri Lankan Navy on innocent fishermen.The party also took strong exception to the non-passage of the bill in Parliament, a promise made by the DMK in the election manifesto enabling to punish anybody, irrespective of their position, including Chief Minister, on corruption charge. MDK wanted the Central and State governments to evolve a special scheme to counter the unemployment in the country.Removal of poverty and corruption will help curb the extremism, a resolution said. Another resolution wanted Tamil, a classical language, to be made national language. Thai police received 20-mln-dollar bribe to free LTTE's Padmanathan An Indian web site has claimed that Kumaran Padmanathan, LTTE's logistic mastermind in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who was reportedly arrested in Thailand, was freed after he paid a bribe of 20 million dollars to Thai police. According to politicsparty.com, sources in Thai intelligence agencies were quoted as saying that during his interrogation, Padmanathan revealed the names of several conspirators involved in Gandhi's assassination. He also gave information about the money routes, procurement of arms and its deployment, and "tonnes of other data."The web site went on to claim that the entire details of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination revealed by Padmanathan is available with US intelligence agencies, which are said to have exercised a lot of influence over Thailand's military regime. Padmanathan, who is wanted by Sri Lanka and India in several cases, is considered the chief of LTTE's overseas procurement activities. The Hindu had quoted Sri Lanka Foreign Secretary Palitha T.B. Kohona, as saying that Colombo had confirmed Pathmanathan's arrest "from other sources," but did not get any official communication from Thailand. Earlier this week, the Sri Lanka Defence Ministry web site said in a report, "Reliable sources from Thailand reveal that LTTE's chief for cross-border terrorist activities, Kumaran Padmanathan, alias 'KP', has been arrested in Bangkok on 10 September." Kumaran may be wanted in connection with Mumbai blasts case: Lankan official India wants to question Kumaran Pathmanathan, the LTTE's chief arms procurer now in detention in Thailand, for possible involvement in the 1993 Mumbai blasts among other terrorist acts on Indian soil, an informed Sri Lankan official source told Hindustan Times in Colombo on Friday.However, so far, there has been no word from India itself about KP's possible involvement in the Mumbai blasts which killed hundreds in 1993.The Indian Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Director, Vijay Shanker, had said on Wednesday that India would ask Thailand to extradite Pathmanathan, better known as KP, to face investigations relating to the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. He had made no mention of the Mumbai blast case.Clearly, India is keen on getting KP. But this is somewhat intriguing in the light of the fact that KP was not listed among the 41 charged sheeted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. After thorough investigations, he was listed among the 20 odd "suspects" against whom there was "no clear evidence" as the chief investigator, DR Kaathikeyan, put it. Perhaps the fugitive may be involved in other acts of terrorism in the country. Kaarthijeyan said that his team wanted to interrogate KP because he was present in Mumbai on the day of Rajiv Gandhi's assassination and had disappeared a few days later. Involvement with islamic terror groups According to the website www.svik.org the LTTE is known to be linked with Islamic and other terror groups in the South East Asian region. It quotes the Washington-based Maritime Intelligence Group to say that the LTTE had trained the Islamic militant group Jamaah Islamiya (JI). The JI could attack ships and tankers with skills learnt from the LTTE, the think tank said. And the JI is linked to the Middle Eastern Abu Sayaf Group and the Al-Qaeda. The website recalls that the Indian think tank South Asia Analysis Group (SAAG) has consistently maintained that the LTTE is linked to several terror groups in the Asian region. Lankan team heads for Thailand Sources in the Sri Lankan government confirmed on Friday that a high level team from the foreign ministry and the police, assisted by a lawyer, had left for Thailand to secure the extradition or custody of KP.Though the Thai authorities are denying that KP is with them, the Sri Lankan government is convinced that he is.Sri Lanka does not have an extradition treaty with Thailand, but that is no bar against sending a fugitive to Sri Lanka because Sri Lanka and Thailand do have an agreement to cooperate in the fight against terror, a top Foreign Ministry official said."Extradition is a specific legal process. But fugitives can be handed over to another country under other agreements and conventions. There are 13 international conventions in regard to cooperation in combating terrorism.There is the UN Security Council Resolution 1373. And these conventions and resolutions are legally binding," the official said.He cited several examples of countries sending fugitives to other countries for questioning outside the ambit of a formal extradition treaty. Colombo vows to end terrorism within stipulated time-frame Sri Lanka Defence Secretary and one of the brother’s of the President, Gothabaya Rajapaksa, on Friday told a group of business leaders that the Mahinda Rajapaksa Government was committed to curbing terrorism “within a stipulated time period” and it would undoubtedly open new doors of opportunity to the business community.In an interactive session with a group of business community members here, he dwelt at length on the current situation in the country and appealed for their support to enable the government realise its goals.He said, “Because for you to do your business, first there must be a country” and went on to assert that signing temporary peace pacts with a ruthless terrorist group cannot bring lasting peace or economic stability.“It only seems as an attractive alternative if you don’t comprehend and confront the reality. As the whole world has realised, the only way to bring about peace is to curb terrorism. Sri Lanka cannot be foolishly idealistic. Peace has become a marketable commodity in the world today and in Sri Lanka too, there is blatant marketing of this commodity called peace for pure economic gain.”He contended that for some people it has become a lucrative business venture, where the top line has become equivalent to the bottom line since there aren’t any costs involved. He sarcastically commented that the business community might even be envious to see the income statement of some of these “peace organisations”.Mr. Rajapaksa was at pains to emphasise that his Ministry and the military were acting with total professionalism in achieving the objectives before them and assured them they do not have any private agenda.On the role of the opposition, Mr. Gothabaya said, “I sense that some of you believe that the present opposition can deliver stability as far as your business opportunities are concerned. I must say this is a big myth”.The education system and people’s lives in the north and east are in total disarray except in little pockets in government controlled areas. While the so-called Tamil civil diaspora is funding terrorism for petty economic gains, their kith and kin are suffering in the north and east of Sri Lanka, he said. Separately, the United States announced that it would provide $2 million as immediate emergency relief funding for Internally Displaced Persons in Sri Lanka. 14Septemper 2007 Economic sanctions if Human Rights report passed in European parliament UNP Media Unit Chief MP Lakshman Kiriella warns that Sri Lanka can be imposed economic sanctions if the debate in the European parliament on the125 page 'Human Rights' magazine report on human rights violations, disappearances, abductions, ransom taking and killing of civilians will lead to pass a proposal against the country. He said that based on the reports of the Human Rights Watch, a proposal had been put forward to the European parliament to send a UN delegation and to set up a permanent office in Sri Lanka. The UNP MP further said in addition to the delegation, sanctions might also be imposed if the proposal is passed in the parliament. MP Kiriella expressed these views at a press conference held in the official residence of the Opposition Leader. He said that Sri Lanka has trade relations mostly with US and EU and no trade is with certain countries although they are friendly. He said that the country could be happy if the massive amounts of money spent for the colossal government delegations in abroad tours are productive. However, the result of these tours is many countries being enemies and the UN has also included facts against Sri Lanka in the agenda of the UN general assembly, MP Kiriella says.Mr. Kiriella said that the government had to correct the previous statement that was issued after the recent tour of President's special delegation to India. He said that the pilgrims sent to foreign tours did not include wise and educated individuals that can render a service to the country. Sri Lankan police want pet dogs to fight terrorism Sri Lankan police on Thursday appealed to the public to donate their pet dogs to help the fight against terrorism and crime on the war-torn island. "Make your pet a hero... to curb terrorism and make our motherland Sri Lanka a country with a new facelift," the police department said in a public notice carried by the state-run Daily News.Donated dogs should be between six months and two years old and must have an impressive pedigree. German Shepherds, Labrador Retrievers, Rottweilers, Dalmatians, Cocker Spaniels and Doberman Pinschers are preferred.The notice said the dogs would be trained to identify explosives, search for buried mines, sniff down narcotics, tackle criminals -- and even perform tricks for the public. The dogs will retire after serving a maximum period of eight years and will be returned to their original owners. Any retirement benefits were not immediately known.Sri Lankan police already maintain their own kennels and sniffer dogs are deployed for VIP security and to track down criminals. The tropical island has been wracked by a bitter ethnic conflict since 1972. The fighting has claimed at least 60,000 lives. U.S. Air Force Medical teams work alongside their Sri Lankan colleagues to help people in the East (US Embassy Press release) A nine-person team of United States Air Force (USAF) medics, working alongside colleagues in the Sri Lankan armed forces, recently completed a medical/dental humanitarian assistance mission that benefited civilians living in the recently-liberated eastern region of Sri Lanka. The bilateral engagement took place from 3-10 September 2007. The USAF team, comprised of a four-person dental team and five-person medical team, worked side-by-side with medics representing the Sri Lanka Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as local civilian medical personnel. Over four days in Kappalthurai, Echilanpattu and Vakarai, the team treated more than 1,900 patients, addressing the health needs of a population recovering from the December 2004 tsunami and separatist conflict. The dental team completed over 200 extractions of non-viable teeth. "The bilateral humanitarian assistance project was a significant collaboration that benefited many needy civilians in the East," said U.S. Ambassador Robert O. Blake. In addition to the humanitarian assistance, the mission included a two-day medical subject matter exchange. USAF medics conducted Self Aid Buddy Care training for more than 70 members of the Sri Lankan armed forces, and Sri Lanka military physicians shared their expertise and experience in managing snake bites and rabies. The USAF medics also gained valuable field experience in providing patient care under austere conditions. The Office of Defense Cooperation in Colombo coordinated the mission with funding from the U.S. Department of Defense' s Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster and Civic Aid (OHDACA) program. The USAF team utilized or donated more than $30,000-worth of medications, medical supplies and equipment during the mission. SLA reduces curfew hours in Jaffna peninsula Sri Lanka Army (SLA) authorities in Palaali Military base announced a two hour cut in the curfew, imposed in Jaffna peninsula with effect from Thursday. Curfew in the peninsula will be enforced from 9:00 p.m to 4:30 a.m until further notice, the SLA informed.The curfew imposed from 7:00 p.m to 4:30 a.m earlier has been reduced by two hours.SLA had lifted curfew for two days at a stretch during the recent Nalloor Kanthasuvami Thear festivals. Defence leak cause for ‘KP’ arrest denial The Defence Ministry “leak” of the arrest of LTTE’s arms procurement Chief Kumaran Padmanathan and the wide media publicity it generated led to Thailand authorities denying the reports until he was deported to Sri Lanka owing to its sensitivity, well informed government sources told the Daily Mirror yesterday.While insisting that the LTTE frontliner, also known as ‘KP’ was under Thai custody and moves were afoot to seek his deportation to Sri Lanka the source said that Thailand wanted to ensure his identity was verified before going public but at the same time was also concerned the publicity over his arrest could hamper further investigations. “He has multiple passports including a Thai one so Thailand can easily deny they don’t have a Sri Lankan in their custody under that name. The fact is that this story should not have come out until he was deported to Sri Lanka,” the source said.The Defence Ministry website, earlier this week, quoted reliable sources from Thailand as saying that the LTTE's chief for cross border terrorist activities had been arrested in Bangkok. Thailand was however quick to deny the reports while the Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry refused to comment.Meanwhile the Indian Express reported that the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had approached authorities in Thailand to confirm the arrest of Pathmanathan, who was allegedly involved in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.The Indian Embassy in Bangkok said it was awaiting a response from the Thai Government on its request for confirmation of the reports of arrest of Padmanathan on charges of gun-running. In 2003 three LTTE operatives were arrested in the Ranong province in Thailand together with 10 Glock pistols and three HK Mark 23 pistols. The LTTE operatives, who were recently deported to Sri Lanka, pleaded guilty and received five year jail sentences in November 2003. Following the arrest 14 Thais were also arrested, and among them were 8 from the police and the military. They were believed to be in the same gun smuggling ring. Padmanathan not detained in Thailand: Pranab Bishop Malcolm Ranjith refutes press reports over his meeting with Rajapaksa Bishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Malcom, the secretary of the Congregation of Divine Worship of the Vatican, who visited Vanni Thursday to meet Liberation Tigers Political Head S.P. Thamilchelvan, has refuted press reports in Colombo which said that the Bishop had appreciated the Sri Lankan president for his measures to "wipe out terrorism," when he met the SL president, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Monday. "I never said I appreciated anything connected with the war. I did not go for the meeting with the President to say such things," Bishop Malcolm dismissed the media reports in Colombo. "I don't appreciate war mongering or any violence," he futher told the reporters in Ki'linochchi.Further referring to his meeting with Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, Bishop Malcolm Ranjith told the press in Ki'linochchi that his meeting with the Lankan president dealt with "bilateral relationships between Holy See and Colombo.""I spoke also about the situation in North and East and expressed my concern about the need for peace in Sri Lanka.""But, unfortunately, I myself heard another version being beamed by the journalists on the Television." Bishop Malcolm was accompanied by Bishop of Mannaar, Rt. Rev. Rayappu Joseph, along with a delegation of Christian dignitaries, including Rev.Fr.Damian Fernando, National Director Caritas Sri Lanka SEDEC, when the secretary of the Congregation of Divine Worship of the Vatican, in his meeting with LTTE's Political Head S. P. Thamilchelvan, at the Political Division Head Quarters in Ki'linochchi Thursday around 11:00 a.m.What is important is for the International Community to be active and provide help for these people, by providing them with essential food and items necessary for the lives as well as finding ways to solving the core issue, Bishop Malcolm said. "The International Community has to also ensure that there is a more determined effort made in Sri Lanka for peace and for finding a solution to the problem."Bishop Malcolm's meeting with the LTTE has taken place 3 days after his meeting with the Sri Lankan president. Deputy Political Head of the LTTE, S. Thangan also took part in the meeting which lasted until 12:15 p.m. Navy and Air Force attack Tamil Tiger rebels Sri Lanka’s navy, assisted by warplanes and helicopters, launched a massive attack against a flotilla of nearly 20 boats belonging to separatist Tamil Tiger rebels off the island’s northern coast yesterday, the military said.The boats were spotted off the coast of the rebel stronghold of Mullaithivu and the navy, with air support, engaged them, an official at the Defence Ministry’s information centre said on condition of anonymity.The rebel naval base from which the boats were launched was also attacked causing a fire, he said, adding that details of casualties were not available.Rebel spokesman Rasiah Ilanthirayan could not be immediately reached for comment.The sea attack took place hours after air force planes bombed a rebel camp also in Mullaithivu, according to the military. Ilanthirayan said earlier that no rebel camp was damaged in the air attack, and that all the bombs fell in civilian areas. No casualties were reported.Government troops have had significant success in recent months, seizing the entire Eastern Province from the separatists after 13 years and bringing a key northern coastal territory that served as a rebel supply point under control a week ago.However, the rebels who are fighting to create an independent state for ethnic minority Tamils, still hold a large area in the north where they run a virtual state there.A Norwegian-brokered cease-fire in 2002 brought relative calm to the country, but a new wave of violence that began in December 2005 has killed more than 5,000 people and displaced hundreds of thousands. More than 70,000 people have been killed since the insurgency began.Despite the ceasefire’s collapse, neither side has officially withdrawn from the pact, fearing international isolation. EPDP member shot dead in Vaazhaicheanai Unidentified armed men riding in a three-wheeler shot dead Thursday around 11:30 a.m, a member of Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP), selling 'Thinamurasu' Tamil daily in front of a studio on Vaazhaicheanai Main Street, spraying bullets with a T56 type gun, Vaazhaicheanai police said. The victim was identified as Velauthampillai Illayarajah, a staff in Vaazhaicheanai EPDP office. His was originally from Vinaayakapuram, Pa'ndimadu in Vaazhaicheanai police division in Batticaloa district. Illayarajah was selling the Tamil daily from Thursday morning in front of the photo studio located between the Public Market and the Post Office on Vaazhaicheanai Main Street when the killers shot him dead. The body has been handed over to Vaazhaicheanai hospital for autopsy to be held.Vaazhaicheanai police are investigating into the killing. UN rights council credibility depends on country reviews: Canadian top official A top Canadian rights official says member countries of the UN Human Rights Council must soon allow their own records to be scrutinized to show the body can be taken seriously.Louise Arbour, the UN high commissioner for human rights, says the 47-member council must quickly agree on the ground rules for a system of regular country reviews foreseen when the body was created more than a year ago.Western countries used the council's meeting with Arbour to highlight the growing number of executions in Iran.Arbour says she raised the matter with Iran during a visit there last week and expressed particular concern about death sentences handed out to juveniles in violation of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.Arbour says she also discussed the need for the Iranian government to safeguard the right of its citizens to peaceful protest.Iran has cracked down on public displays of dissent in recent months.The council, created in March 2006 to replace the widely discredited and highly politicized Human Rights Commission, has been criticized for putting more emphasis on Israel than on any other country.The U.S. Senate voted last week to cut off funding to the council, accusing it of regularly passing resolutions condemning Israel, while shielding countries like North Korea from criticism.The council has not singled out any other country for criticism so far, although it has expressed concern about the human rights situation in Darfur, where tens of thousands have died in a four-year conflict between rebels and Sudan's central government.Rights groups said the debate over how to conduct regular country reviews has distracted the council from urgent allegations of abuse around the world."There are still too many delegations that want to drag out this institution-building and avoid the council getting down to its real work," William Spindler, of London-based Amnesty International, said.He urged the council to address violence in Sri Lanka during its three-week session in Geneva, which started Monday."I think we could do a world tour and find quite a few situations that the council should at least be starting to look at and there's not much sign of that happening at this session," Spindler said. Nedumaran on fast unto death CHENNAI: The Tamizhar Desiya Iyakkam founder P. Nedumaran on Thursday launched a fast-unto-death agitation demanding despatch of Rs. 1 crore-worth food and medicines to Tamils in Sri Lanka through the Indian Red Cross.The police said that Mr. Nedumaran, accompanied by his volunteers, commenced the fast at 10 a.m. at a private place near Koyambedu junction.Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko, Viduthalai Chiruthai Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan and Pattali Makkal Katchi president G.K.Mani met Mr. Nedumaran.When contacted in the evening, a senior police officer said that no action had been initiated as yet since the protest was organised at a private place. However, the police will intervene should the health of Mr Nedumaran deteriorate, he added.Meanwhile, a press release issued by PMK founder S Ramadoss urged Mr Nedumaran to give up the stir. Lankan man, woman killed in Switzerland A Sri Lankan woman and a man were killed by an another Sri Lankan at the vicinity of their apartment building in the northeastern city of Biel, Switzerland on Wednesday morning. According to sources, the mother of three aged 36 and her boy friend were attacked by her husband and killed on the spot on Wednesday around 6.00 a.m. The incident took place in the northeastern city of Biel around 50 km away from the Swiss capital Bern. The woman was left her apartment in the morning for work, found her husband whom she had separated from, at the entrance. "The woman was killed on the spot by the man following the argument. Her boy friend who rushed from upstairs was also killed," sources added. Police rushed to the scene following a call from the neighbours. Police found the bodies of the woman and the man on the stairs and an injured man seated at the entrance of the building," sources said. The injured man was admitted to hospital under police guard. Three children found in the apartment were handed over to a local child care centre. Men linked to Tamil Tigers THREE Australian men provided the Tamil Tigers with more than $1 million worth of military resources, a court has been told.Aruran Vinayagamoorthy, 33, and Sivarajah Yathavan, 36, of Melbourne, and Arumugan Rajeevan, 41, of Sydney, allegedly used the Melbourne-based Tamil Co-ordinating Committee to raise funds for Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, also known as the Tamil Tigers.The prosecutor, Mark Dean, SC, told Melbourne Magistrates Court that the men were members of the Australian branch of the Tigers and maintained contact with the group in Sri Lanka.Mr Dean said $1.9 million was deposited into a bank account owned by Vinayagamoorthy and the Tamil Co-ordinating Committee between 2001 and 2005. He alleged $1.25 million was used to purchase items for the Tigers.Rob Stary, for the defence, told the court the Tigers had not been a recognised terrorist organisation in Australia or Sri Lanka since a 2002 ceasefire.Mr Dean said Rajeevan told police he and another man - who has since died - established the Tamil Co-ordinating Committee and denied any link between the group and the Tigers.The committal hearing continues today. UN urges Australia not to close door on Lankan refugees The United Nations refugee agency is urging the Federal Government not to rule out settling 72 Sri Lankan refugees in Australia. The group, who spent the past six months in detention on Nauru, has been granted refugee status and now the Government is trying to find countries other than Australia to accept them.Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews earlier ruled out the chance of the group moving to Australia because they attempted to enter the country illegally. But the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) regional spokesman Richard Towle, said that he does not want to see substantial delays to their resettlement. "It's not easy to persuade third countries to resettle refugees who have already fallen within the jurisdiction of a developed state like Australia," he said."That's why we would say all options should remain on the table if we're to find solutions that can be implemented fairly quickly. Scotland Yard Announces Three Charged With Breaching Immigration Laws Ordered To Pay Over £2 Million Three men previously sentenced after pleading guilty to twenty charges of breaching immigration laws have today [13.9.07] been ordered to pay a £2,301,000 confiscation order at Isleworth Crown Court.The confiscation order follows a financial investigation by detectives from the Met's London Regional Asset Recovery Team.Harry Peter WILSON (born in Zimbabwe) [1/9/59 - 48 ys] of Thicket Road, London SE20 was ordered to pay £285,000 within one year or face four years imprisonment in default.Arumagan KANAGESWARAN (born Sri Lanka) [22/4/51 - 56 ys] of Links Road, Tooting, SW17 was ordered to pay £416,000 within one year or face five years imprisonment in default.Ponndouri PUVANANDARAN (born in Sri Lanka) [18/12/54 - 52 ys] of Gateside Road, Tooting,SW17 was ordered to pay £1,600,000 within 18 months or face eight years imprisonment in default.Trevor Shepherd, Met's Economic and Specialist Crime Command said: "Today's success is the result of a long and complex investigation by the London Regional Asset Recovery Team and is one of the largest confiscation orders associated with people trafficking."Under 'incentivisation' a significant proportion of the confiscated monies will be returned to police to fund future investigations and reduce harm to London's communities."This case, which has seen London RART and Maxim working together with partner agencies, demonstrates the Met's ongoing commitment to dismantling criminal networks and seizing their assets." Background On 19.10.05 at Isleworth CC Wilson, Puvanandaran and Kanageswaran were sentenced regarding twenty charges of breaching immigration laws following a joint investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service and South African Police.Wilson was sentenced to three years and two months and Puvanandaran and Kanageswaran were sentenced to two years and 10 months each at Isleworth Crown Court.Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Operation Maxim, Specialist Intelligence Section Project Reflex (SIS) and the South African Police jointly investigated the criminal activities of these three men:WILSON, assisted by PUVANANDARAN and KANAGESWARAN, was arranging for the facilitation of illegal immigrants to travel to the UK and then apply for leave to remain indefinitely.In order to succeed, Wilson was supplying false information to the Home Office who in turn were being deceived into granting visas to stay to the applicants.In March 2003, it became evident that Wilson, a Zimbabwean national was smuggling people into the UK on false documentation. He was known throughout Zimbabwe and South Africa as the person who could arrange for people to travel to London and assist them in successfully applying for leave to stay in the UK. This would be while they apparently undertook accountancy courses, which would take several years to complete. He touted for his businesses in hotels in Zimbabwe and London. As a result officers from REFLEX and the Met's Operation Maxim undertook an investigation codenamed Taming, into these criminal activities with a view to arresting Wilson, Puvanandaran and Kanageswaran.Running in parallel was a financial investigation into Wilson and his associates by the Regional Asset Recovery Team (RART) with a view to tracing the financial benefits of their criminal activities. Following extensive enquiries it became evident that all three were aware of a substantial of legislation concerning disclosure and associated money-laundering offences.Despite this a substantial amount in assets has been identified.Detectives became aware the network had purchased several properties in London and Zimbabwe. Likewise they were the owners of several expensive cars and took frequent trips to Zimbabwe and South Africa. His properties in Zimbabwe included a hotel with gambling facilities.Wilson and his associates had acquired British citizenship and were in possession of British Passports.It was also discovered that Wilson was working closely with his associates Puvanandran known as Mr Dran and Kangeswaran, who were the Principals of the London Schools Of Accountancy based in Tooting SW17. In order for his criminal enterprise to succeed, Wilson stated in the application form, which he completed on behalf of the illegal immigrants that he would provide them with accommodation and £500 per month living expenses. He also stated that the applicants were associated with the medical profession and were now in London to study accountancy, which took many years to qualify in. To support this claim Mr Dran and Kanagswaren supported the application with a document stating that they as the Principal of the colleges had provided the applicant with a place at their colleges and supported the applications.With the assistance of colleagues from the United Kingdom Immigration Service (UKIS) the Immigration Nationality Directorate and the United Kingdom Passport Service (UKPS) it became apparent that they had applied for visa's for at least 150 applicants in 2003. It was also discovered that as well as the majority of the applicants being from Zimbabwe there were also others from South Africa and Jamaica.It became evident that the victims either knew Wilson from Zimbabwe or had learnt of his reputation and contacted him in Zimbabwe or on his mobile telephone once they had arrived in London. He had stated that for £1200 per person he could provide them with a visa in order that they could remain in the country indefinitely. These people had no knowledge of how to make the application themselves and had been convinced by Wilson that he knew what he was doing and it was lawful. 13Septemper 2007 Sri Lanka on alert after fresh tsunami warning Sri Lanka Air Force pounds strategic LTTE location in northeast Sri Lanka Air Force fighter jets bombed the LTTE's financial nerve centre located at Puthukuduiruppu in the Mullaitivu area this morning, the military said. Defence sources said the target which is a vital strategic location of LTTE was accurately hit by the fighter jets. Military sources said today’s successful air raid on the operational base of LTTE's financial wing leader came after gathering of information through both ground and air surveillance carried out for a long period. The air raid comes a day after the Navy’s successful attack on three LTTE ships carrying arms and military equipment in the South East high seas about 600 nautical miles (1,200 Km) from the Southern tip of Sri Lanka, Dondra Head, in the Indian Ocean. Defense analysts say the detection and destruction of the LTTE arms shipments by the Sri Lankan Navy has dealt a severe blow to the LTTE’s arms procurement efforts. Pranab to seek confirmation of KP's arrest Top LTTE arms procurer may be under detention but not arrest Kumaran Padmanathan, the head of the department of arms procurement in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), is under "detention", though not "legally under arrest," informed circles in Colombo believe.Speaking on condition of anonymity they said that KP was under "heavy surveillance", a term which security experts interpreted as a euphemism for "sustained and intense questioning." The Sri Lankan authorities who also believe that the Thais had detained KP, felt constrained by the fact that the Thai authoritieswere publicly denying a detention or arrest . "We cannot confirm the arrest until the Thai authorities do so," a top military official told Hindustan Times in Colombo on Wednesday.DR Kaarthikeyan, the head of the Special Investigating Team (SIT) which probed the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, believes that the Thais have detained KP."It is certain that a person answering to the description of Kumaran Padmanathan has been detained by the Thai authorities," Kaarthikeyan said over the phone from New Delhi. Apparently, the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) also believes that KP has been detained, though not "arrested". The CBI Director Vijay Shanker at a press conference in New Delhi on Wednesday declined to use the term "arrest", which is a legal act, and preferred to use "detention" instead.But many other Sri Lankan and Indian officials are not absolutely sure that the man in detention is KP. The identity of the detainee has to be established before making a formal announcement of his arrest.The Sri Lankan Foreign Secretary, Palitha Kohana, had said that if the identity was established, Sri Lanka would promptly seek KP's extradition.India too would seek to extradite him or question him for his alleged involvement in the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, the CBI Director Vijay Shanker said. Role in Rajiv killing was minor On KP's role in the plot to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi, Kaarthikeyan said that the arms procurer was not among the 41 "accused" but was among the 20-odd "suspects" against whom there was no clear evidence."The SIT had questioned thousands of people. We wanted to question KP also, because he was the chief arms procurer for the LTTE. There were three other reasons for wanting to question him: firstly, his presence in Mumbai on the day of the assassination; secondly, his disappearance a few days later; and lastly, his telling someone in Chennai prior to the assassination that the LTTE was going to target the Indian leadership. But investigations revealed that his involvement in the conspiracy was minor. Any LTTE person could make the belt bomb used in the assassination," Kaarthikeyan said."Out of the thousands we had questioned, there was evidence only against 41. There were 20 plus others against whom there was no hard evidence and these were listed as suspects. Pathmanathan was one of the suspects," he explained.The CBI Director Vijay Shanker however said that KP was a fugitive who was wanted in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and that a Chennai police station had posted a Red Corner notice for him. Shanker also said that India would ask Thailand to extradite him."We can ask for extradition but whether we succeed or not would depend on how we present the case," Karthikeyan added. Police prevent Nedumaran from going on fast Police today prevented Tamil Nationalist Movement leader P Nedumaran from going on a fast here citing he had no prior permission for it. Nedumaran, who tried to proceed to Sri Lanka yesterday with medicines and essential commodities to "help the suffering Tamils", was stopped and taken into custody at Nagapattinam. Though he tried to stage a fast here in front of his house at Koyambedu today, police did not allow him to proceed with his plan saying that he had not obtained prior permission. Journalists who were covering the proceedings were manhandled by police. They also dragged the cameraman of a private television channel following which the journalists demanded an apology from a senior official. When the officer did not oblige, the matter was reported to DGP P Rajendran and Police Commissioner G Nanchil Kumaran. Unitary constitution will be a half-baked one says Anandasangaree TULF Leader V. Anandasangaree yesterday said any solution to the ethnic problem under a unitary constitution will be a half-baked one and it will give room for further agitation in the future fuelled by the remnants of the LTTE.He also says such a solution would take the country back to square one, into another circle of violence.Mr. Anandasangaree says that he recently toured the Eastern Province and was saddened by the suffering of the affected people. “The displaced and their children are living in abject poverty,” he says.In a Press release issued yesterday, Mr. Anandasangaree says: The LTTE continues to feed the Tamil people the poison of ethnic exclusion and separatism. The LTTE tells the Tamil people, that the Sinhalese will not give them anything, neither devolution nor power sharing nor peace. The LTTE today is weak, militarily and politically. What they fear most is their complete political defeat, when they can not feed their political poison to the Tamils in the Diaspora and inside Sri Lanka. No political solution will be acceptable to the LTTE, other than a kingdom for Prabhakaran. However, a political solution acceptable to the Tamil people where they can live with dignity and feel secure and assured of their place as an equal community side by side with the Muslim community and the Sinhalese community, will ensure the political defeat of the LTTE and its bankrupt politics. A fair and just political solution will convince the Tamil people not only in this country but around the world that there is no need for the tyranny and terror of the LTTE.As everyone knows, I have steadfastly repeated that a political solution to our country can be based on an Indian model. The Indian constitution does not say federal or unitary, but has managed to hold the country together for sixty years, and indeed India is prospering. I have supported the APRC process and I have the highest regard for the work of Prof. Tissa Vitharana who has been attempting to create a consensus that can address the aspirations of all the peoples of Sri Lanka. However, I am seriously concerned about the recent reports in the media that the proposals coming out of APRC could have the “unitary” label. The country needs to be fair by the Tamil and Muslim people, and after all these decades of conflict, deaths, destruction, suffering and debates about constitutionalism, the “unitary” state will not be acceptable to the Tamil and Muslim people. A political solution at the moment can achieve two things. One, it can be a political defeat for the LTTE. Two, it can give the Tamil people and the Muslim people the confidence of living together with the Sinhalese community and rebuilding our country. A political solution with the “unitary” label, where the State is not willing to recognize the other communities as those with legitimate grounds of power sharing will only strengthen the LTTE’s call for separation and give oxygen to a dying organization. A “unitary” solution will be a political defeat for those such as myself that have been challenging the Tamil community to forget separatism and come into the path of a united Sri Lanka. A “unitary” solution will shatter the confidence of the Tamil people and the sense of fairness they expect from the Sri Lankan State Tamil leader P Nedumaran arrested in Nagapattinam Lankan asylum seekers in Nauru granted refugee status A group of 72 Sri Lankans who were among 83 asylum-seekers detained in Nauru were affirmed as legitimate refugees yesterday. However, they will not be allowed to settle in Australia. "Australia is now exploring resettlement options in other countries for the Sri Lankans that have been assessed as being refugees," Australian Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews told Australain media. The assessments for seven other refugees are still underway, while the asylum claim of one person has been refused. However he will be allowed to seek a review of the decision. “The refugees will need reassurance in the coming weeks that they will be resettled in Australia. Otherwise they could still be stuck indefinitely in Nauru. It is highly unlikely that any third country would want to be involved in taking people who are widely seen to be Australia's responsibility," said Susan Metcalfe, a refugee advocate who has spent time on Nauru with the men.The Sri Lankans ended a seven-day hunger strike last Friday after officials agreed to start issuing decisions.A Sri Lankan Government minister had earlier branded the group "economic refugees" and demanded that Australia return them to their homeland.The asylum seekers were intercepted in February 2007 while trying to enter Australia on a trawler. 12 Septemper 2007 Norway says ready to help in Sri Lanka talks Norway said on Tuesday it stood ready at any time to facilitate talks between the Sri Lankan government and Tamil Tiger rebels to help end more than two decades of civil war."We are ready as soon as they are ready, but there is no way we can impose any peace in Sri Lanka. We are available and ready (to help)," Norwegian Development Aid Minister Erik Solheim told foreign correspondents at a briefing in the Norwegian capital.Solheim, who brokered a 2002 ceasefire that now lies in tatters, said the parties to the conflict would eventually return to the negotiating table and he was willing to travel to Sri Lanka once there was a chance it would help.The truce has been buried by resurgent violence in the Indian Ocean island where about 70,000 people have been killed and hundreds of thousands displaced since war broke out in 1983.The Sri Lankan military earlier on Tuesday claimed a major victory for its navy in sinking rebel vessels carrying arms."We are in touch with the president and his people and with the Tamil Tigers on a more or less daily basis," Solheim said.Solheim said he may meet Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in "the near future" to see if there were any peace initiatives that could be pursued.He said direct contacts with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) had been rare recently because of the war. "But we are talking to them on the phone all the time.""I am ready to go there (to Sri Lanka) at any time when it may be of benefit to the peace process," Solheim said. Mahinda in Oslo for pow wow with Solheim Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe was in Oslo, Norway yesterday for talks on the current situation in the country.Minister Samarasinghe was scheduled to meet International Development Minister Erik Solheim, Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store, Special Envoy to Sri Lanka, Jon Hanssen-Bauer, former Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik and former UN Humanitarian Affairs representative Jan Egeland.It is learned, Minister Samarasinghe was invited for talks by Solheim.Informed sources said the thrust of the discussion would be the human rights situation in the country and putting in place ‘confidence building measures which would help the peace keeping efforts.’Minister Samarasinghe flew into Oslo from Geneva where he briefed the international community on the steps taken by the government to address the human rights concerns and lobby against issuing a statement passing strictures on Sri Lanka at the UNHRC sessions. SLAF Kfirs bomb Ki'linochchi twice Four Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) fast attack Kfir fighter jets bombed Vaddakkachchi area in Ki'linochchi district Tuesday morning, first between 8:30 and 8:45 a.m and then at 9:00 a.m, causing panic among students and teachers in schools who fled in fear seeking safety, sources in Ki'linochchi said. Out patients and those admitted in Ki'linochchi hospital too ran away from the hospital premises fearing attacks on the hospital area.Casualty details were not known. People who were out engaged in various activities of their normal day scattered in fear of being bombed.A reconnaissance aircraft kept circling in the sky when the Kfirs were bombing. Thailand denies arrest of Tiger kingpin Thailand yesterday denied claims that a senior Tamil Tiger rebel leader, who allegedly led the group's international arms procurement network in its two-decade fight against Sri Lankan forces was arrested in Bangkok, Associated Press reported yesterday. ''According to immigration records for the past two years, there is no record of him entering the country,'' Thai Interpol Chief Col. Apichart Suribunya, told AP, adding that there had been no arrests of Sri Lankans in the past three to four days.The Sri Lankan Embassy in Bangkok also had no knowledge of the arrest, he said. Apichart also rejected a report that authorities in Colombo had contacted Thai police regarding the suspect's extradition.''Reliable sources from Thailand reveal that LTTE's chief for cross-border terrorist activities, Kumaran Padmanadan, alias 'KP' has been arrested in Bangkok on Sept. 10,'' the Sri Lankan Defence Ministry said on its website. ''Padmanadan is one of the most wanted terrorists by the International Police (Interpol) who has been running the global procurement network of the LTTE terrorists,'' it said. Sri Lanka's Defense Ministry, citing local defense intelligence sources, said Padmanadan's division was the rebels' oldest international wing and was concerned with ''procurement.''In a report in August, the London-based Jane's Intelligence Review said the Tamil Tigers used a worldwide network of fake charities and a sophisticated smuggling operation to raise up to US$300 million (euro217 million) a year to fund their separatist battle.The report said the Tigers' fundraising prowess enabled the group to develop ''one of the most sophisticated insurgencies in the world,'' which includes an army, navy and even a primitive air force of a few light aircraft.Kumaran Padmanathan is a key accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case. Soon after Padmanathan's arrest on Monday, the CBI in Delhi approached the Thai government, giving details of the case pending against him, and sought its assistance in handing him over to face trial in India, sources in the agency said.Meanwhile Foreign Secretary Dr. Palitha Kohona was quoted on the Hindustan Times newspaper as saying the government was still awaiting official confirmation from Thailand over reports of the Tiger frontman's arrest. LTTE man linked to Rajiv's assassination nabbed Padmanathan, seen as a key LTTE leader in charge of operations to procure weapons for the group, was believed to be staying in Thailand and Cambodia and allegedly running an global gun-running network. The CBI had been on the trail of the man with a number of aliases in places like Johannesburg, Yangon, Singapore and Bangkok. KP is believed to have bank accounts in Britain, Germany, Denmark, Greece and Australia as well as dozens of fake travel documents, the sources said. On April 6, 1955 at Myliyddy near Kankesanthurai in Sri Lanka's Jaffna peninsula, Padmanathan is said to be related to LTTE chief V Prabhakaran. He graduated in arts from Jaffna University and is unmarried. Among his large number of fake passports, Padmanathan is believed to possess a Sri Lankan one, two Indian ones and a Sri Lankan identity card. He has allegedly floated several shipping companies worldwide, including ones in Singapore, Malaysia and Panama, and some of his ships even fly the Honduran flag. This fleet of ships was primarily used to smuggle large caches of arms and ammunition not only into northern Sri Lanka but also for international gun-running networks, sources said. KP's name began figuring in the probe into Gandhi's killing after investigators found a revolver in the possession of Sivarasan, the mastermind behind the assassination, that was procurred by Padmanathan. Padmanathan also figured in the Jain Commission's report as messages decoded by technical experts from the RAW hinted he was the "western" link in Gandhi's assassination. The report discusses a batch of five messages exchanged between Prabhakaran, then stationed in Jaffna, and KP, who was moving from Paris to London to Cyprus at that time. There was another message sent by Padmanathan to Kandaswamy, a LTTE operative in Chennai, asking him not to move out of Tamil Nadu since the group planned to assassinate "an important" Indian leader. The CBI sources said details were still trickling in about Padmanthan's arrest though initial information suggested he was nabbed after three LTTE militants were detained last month in Thailand's Ranong province while trying to buy guns and 45,000 rounds of ammunition. The three militants and KP were suspected to be involved in a LTTE gun-running network based in Thailand, they said. Padmanathan has been declared one of the most wanted terrorists by Interpol as he is suspected to be a key person in LTTE's global network for procuring weapons and other equipment. Jane's Defence Intelligence Review, the premier London- based defence magazine, recently reported that the LTTE had two international wings - KP Department and Aiyanna Group - that are engaged in global terrorist activities. The CBI had been on Padmanathan's trail for over a decade. As part of its quest for the terrorist leader, a CBI team travelled to New Zealand in 2002 and questioned three Tamil nationals after securing permission from authorities in that country. Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991 by a LTTE suicide bomber at an election rally in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu. In January 1998, 26 people were convicted for killing him. A Multi-Disciplinary Monitoring Agency, headed by the CBI, was set up to probe leads provided by the Jain Commission, which investigated the conspiracy behind the assassination. JVP sees toppling govt. as top priority The JVP has said that in the country’s perspective, the main priority was to topple the present government.JVP Parliamentarian and politburo member, K. D. Lalkantha addressing a gathering in Badulla last week to create awareness on the need for a new broad national front said although the country was faced with many issues, the main issue today is to topple the government."The country has been faced with many issues. First it was the war. Then the war took a back seat due to the rising cost of living. Now all that has been cast aside as the main need is to topple the government," he said.Lalkantha also said that although the UNP has made statements that they would work to defeat the forthcoming budget proposals, the JVP would make a final decision on the matter only after studying in depth the government’s budget proposals and its impact on the people.He further said although the JVP had ideological differences with Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, he had never been accused of stealing public funds."According to the laws of the land, a man who steals plantains is punished, but the President is taking steps to protect those who have been found guilty by the COPE report," he said.Lalkantha also noted that the President was maintaining 35 advisors without any proper task at public expense."All these positions have been given to relatives and political friends. Who has been burdened by all this? The innocent people of the country," he said.Meanwhile JVP MP, and former Minister Vijitha Herath has also said that the JVP this time would not make any proposals to the government to be included in the forthcoming budget since the economy had gone beyond redemption. Sri Lanka navy claims it has nearly destroyed Tamil Tiger smuggling fleet Sri Lanka sank three Tamil rebel ships packed with weapons and carrying light aircraft, the navy said Tuesday, nearly destroying what remained of the separatist smuggling fleet.The rebels could not immediately be reached for comment, and the navy's claims could not be independently verified. But if the military's announcement is true, it would mark a significant loss for the rebels, who had built a sophisticated international smuggling network during their 24-year separatist war against the government."It's a huge blow to the LTTE," said Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, the naval commander, referring to the rebels by the initials of their formal name, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.The rebels had once possessed 10 large smuggling ships, but three of them were destroyed in recent years, according to military estimates. In February, the navy announced it had destroyed a fourth and in March said it had sunk two more. The three ships reportedly sunk this week would leave the Tigers with only one smuggling ship, the military said. Foreign security experts and diplomats say the rebel fleet might still have numbered as many as a dozen ships before the naval battles began Monday, but the loss of three of them would still be significant.The three large oceangoing ships were destroyed in separate incidents between Monday morning and early Tuesday about 700 nautical miles southeast of this Indian Ocean island nation, Karannagoda told reporters.The military had been tracking the ships — which were unnamed, flew under no flags and had no port of registry — for two weeks before confronting the first one about 7 a.m. Monday, he said.The naval ships fired a warning shot at the rebel vessel, which fired back, sparking a battle that ended when the smuggling ship was sunk, Karannagoda said. A second ship was sunk in similar circumstances Monday evening and a third about 2 a.m. Tuesday, he said.An estimated 42 rebels were killed, he said. The military believed the ships were carrying a bulletproof vehicle, artillery pieces and ammunition as well as three light aircraft. The Tamil Tigers used light aircraft to attack the capital, Colombo, in March and April.The Tamil Tiger rebels, who run a de facto state in parts of northern Sri Lanka, have been fighting since 1983 to create a separate state for Sri Lanka's ethnic Tamil minority after decades of discrimination from governments dominated by the Sinhalese majority.An estimated 70,000 people have been killed in the fighting. A 2002 cease-fire has collapsed in new fighting over the past two years.In July, the government drove the rebels out of pockets of territory in the east that they had held for 13 years and some officials have said the military plans to wage an offensive to crush the rebels in their northern strongholds. Human Rights group urge European Parliament to pass a strong resolution on Sri Lanka New York Based rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) yesterday encouraged the European Parliament to pass a strong resolution on Sri Lanka which would condemn violations both by the government and the LTTE. It also requested to support a resolution calling for a UN human rights monitoring mission in Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Releasing a report titled “Return to War: Human Rights Under Siege” in the European Parliament on Sri Lanka, HRW criticized both the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for continuing human right violations.HRW said it has consistently documented abuses by the LTTE, “in particular its abominable use of child soldiers and coercive fundraising tactics in Canada and the UK, as well as targeted killings and other serious violations of Sri Lankan and international law,” and called for the UN to impose targeted sanctions against the LTTE due to its “repeat offender” status with regard to child soldiers.The report also cited the Sri Lankan government for not taking adequate care to minimize harm to the civilian population during the fighting and not acting to uphold the basic human rights of all Sri Lankans. Accusing the security forces HRW said that “government security forces have been implicated in enforced disappearances, forcible returns of internally displaced persons to unsafe areas, restrictions on the media that undermine press freedom, apparent complicity with the abusive Karuna group, and widespread impunity for serious human rights violations.” The group said the suggestion that they are somehow anti-government or pro-LTTE, or naively promoting the LTTE’s agenda, is absurd and beneath the Sri Lankan government.HRW offered their cooperation to assist the Sri Lankan government to promote and protect human rights in Sri Lanka. TNA undecided on what to do in east "The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is yet to arrive at a final decision on the recent developments in the east following notices issued by the TMVP last week," TNA Batticaloa Parliamentarian K. Thangeswari said.The notice, which was said to have been issued by ‘Senan Padai,’ has urged the people in the east to support no other political party in the east but the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP).Speaking to The Morning Leader on the issue, Thangeswari said she was not aware of the contents of the poster."We have not come to a decision on this as yet," she said.However, the TMVP denied any connection with the posters and said the notice was not supportive of the TMVP.TMVP Political Head V. Thileepan when contacted by The Morning Leader said the poster had urged the public not to place their trust on politicians who only visit the area when an election is near."It was not supporting the TMVP. It urged the people not to place their trust on politicians who only come to the east when they need the people’s support to win an election. They are not here when the people suffer. The TMVP has nothing to do with this notice campaign," he said.However, the TMVP earlier had accused the TNA parliamentarians of not being with the people during the fighting in the east.The TMVP last year requested the TNA parliamentarians in the east to step down as they were not helping the people.The TNA MPs have been working from Colombo due to this threat. 11 Septemper 2007 Chandrika hurriedly leaves for India after a lengthy discussion with the Indian High Commissioner Former Sri Lanka President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunga who is in the political limelight these days is to leave for India urgently today. The former President had a lengthy discussion with the Indian High Commissioner yesterday (10). Any news on the dialogue is tightly kept away from the media. India hurriedly denied the Sri Lanka government's claim that a high level Indo-Lanka defence committee was formed and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapskse was appointed as the Chairman of it after discussion with a government team comprised of the Defence Secretary, Presidential Secretary Lalith Weerathunga and Senior Presidential Adviser Basil Rajapakse that toured India recently. Sri Lanka Presidential Secretariat eventually corrected the report. The former President's tour is in the centre of talks in the political circles in this backdrop. However, the former president's office said the tour is a private one. Ms. Kumarathunga is to meet Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and probably several state leaders during her tour. Top Tamil Tiger arrested in Bangkok Source:BangkokPost '2000 Tamils' killed since 2005 More than 1974 killings The LTTE said at least 1,974 Tamils had been killed, including 842 civilians who were either arrested or abducted and then "disappeared," since Rajapaksa won the November 2005 elections.In a statement issued by LTTE spokeswoman Navaruban Selvy said "the trend set in by the current regime in Colombo has shown no signs of correcting despite some critical assessments by the United Nations and others." According to the LTTE more than 45 aid workers, 11 media workers and four Tamil politicians were among the victims.The figure includes 17 employees of the French charity Action Against Hunger (ACF) who were shot dead in Muttur in August last year. International monitors The government and the rebels have blamed each other for the deaths and the government inquiry was criticised by ACF as well as other international organisations.The Tamil Tigers say nearly 2000 Tamils killed since President Rajapaksa came to power in 2005.The London-based rights group Amnesty International said last month that hundreds of people have disappeared in Sri Lanka in the past year.AI appealed to the UNHRC to call on the Sri Lankan Government to invite international human rights monitors to independently investigate human rights abuses.According to Amnesty International 5,700 such cases from the past three decades were under UN review. 7 civilians seek protection with HRC Jaffna The seven civilians, with ages ranging from 20 to 34, from the areas of Kodikaamam, Meesaalai, Chavakachcheari, Urumpiraai and Jaffna, sought protection at the Human Rights Commission (HRC) Jaffna from the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) and SLA-backed paramilitaries Monday, HRC sources said. HRC officials have made arrangement to place the seven civilians in the protective custody of Jaffna prison.The number of persons seeking protection with the HRC Jaffna in the last 15 days has reached an alarming high, civil society sources in Jaffna said.The HRC Jaffna remains closed during weekends, leaving persons seeking protection and safety from death threats and abductions, vulnerable to the deteriorating security environment. The ruffian son of Dr. Mervin remanded Colombo Chief Magistrate Sarojanee Kusala Abewardhana today remanded the son of Dr. Mervin Silva until September 12 for allegedly assaulting chartered accountant Chaminda Senasinghe at a nightclub in Bambalapitiya. The victim is now in hospital with a serious injury with 11 sutures on his face.The Magistrate was to visit suspect Malaka Silva at Asiri Hospital this evening to decide whether to send him to the prisons or to keep him in remand custody in the hospital, said the Colombo Magistrate Courts reporter of 'Lanka-e-News'. The alleged ruffian has admitted to hospital either to evade arrest or because of true illness. The case was summoned under the number 6317 at No: 01 Magistrate Court of Colombo. The case was earlier filed at Mount Lavinia courts by Bambalapitiya police station. The Officer-in-Charge of Bambalapitiya police station stated that suspect Malaka Silva was in police custody and requested to remand him until September 19. However, the Mount Lavinia Magistrate Darshika Wimalasiri transferred the case to Colombo Chief Magistrate Courts since the two hospitals the suspect and the victim were staying did not belong to Mount Lavinia judiciary area. Both local and foreign media were keen on the police actions over this incident since a son of a Minister was involved in it. Illegal Sri Lankan alien pleads for political asylum Eelevanthan Arumaichsothylingam has 30 letters in his name and an extreme fear of being deported back to his native country, Sri Lanka. Arumaichsothylingam is a 20-year-old illegal alien who wants the United States government to grant him political asylum. According to his Buffalo lawyer, Arumaichsothylingam fled to America earlier this year after he was repeatedly beaten and tortured by Sri Lankan police. “He fears that he will be tortured or killed if he is ever sent back there again,” said the attorney, Kimberly A. Schechter of the federal public defenders office. Schechter said Arumaichsothylingam and his family are members of the Tamil community, and Tamils have been battling with the established government of Sri Lanka for five decades. Barely 5 feet tall and weighing 115 pounds, the youthfullooking man appeared in federal court recently and nervously pleaded guilty to a charge of making false statements to agents from U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement. Speaking through an interpreter to District Judge Richard J. Arcara, Arumaichsothylingam admitted that, on July 29, he gave agents a fake name for himself and falsely identified himself as a citizen of Canada. “He did it because he was afraid of being deported back to Sri Lanka,” Schechter said. But deportation is exactly what will happen to Arumaichsothylingam unless he is successful with his application for asylum. His case is pending before U.S. Immigration Court. Authorities said his name is pronounced “Eleven-athan ArooMICKso-thyLINgam.” Arumaichsothylingam ’ s fears for his safety are legitimate, said Schechter, referring to a report on human rights abuses in Sri Lanka that was completed earlier this year by Amnesty International. “The human rights situation in Sri Lanka deteriorated dramatically,” Amnesty International concluded in the report. “Unlawful killings, recruitment of child soldiers, abductions, enforced disappearances and other human rights violations and war crimes increased . . . There were reports of torture in police custody; perpetrators continued to benefit from impunity.” Jay Nadarajah, 50, an Amherst nurse who left Sri Lanka with his family 15 years ago, said he deeply sympathizes with Arumaichsothylingam and will let him stay with his family if Arcara releases him on bail. “In Sri Lanka, if you are a young man and a Tamil, they accuse you of being a terrorist,” Nadarajah said. “Police will come by in a white van with no plates on it and put you inside. The next day, your body might be found on the street somewhere.” Nadarajah said he was taken off the street in a similar fashion 16 years ago. He said he was taken into custody with two other men, and police took one of the men out of the van and killed him. “I was put in a prison camp for 102 days on suspicion of being a terrorist. They finally released me because an army captain there stood up for me,” Nadarajah said. “The captain told me, ‘Do whatever you can to get out of this country with your family.’ ” Arumaichsothylingam has told his attorney that, in the years before he fled to the United States, military police in Sri Lanka apprehended him off the street on three separate occasions, taking him to government buildings for beatings and torture. While his asylum request is pending, the government is holding Arumaichsothylingam in the Federal Detention Center in Batavia. Schechter has asked Arcara to release Arumaichsothylingam to stay with Nadarajah’s family. So far, government attorneys have made no comment on Arumaichsothylingam’s request for asylum. There are no allegations that Arumaichsothylingam was involved in any kind of criminal activity beyond illegally entering the country, Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul J. Campana said. Campana said State Police turned him over to federal agents after troopers found him in a car stopped on traffic charges near Leroy on July 29. Arumaichsothylingam then gave agents false answers about his identity and nationality. Arumaichsothylingam ’ s name is so long and hard to pronounce he is frequently referred to as “the defendant” during court proceedings. Several court officials said his name is the longest they have ever encountered in any proceeding. Large arms cache recovered in Batticaloa The Military yesterday recovered a large stock of arms and explosives including a massive cache of 82mm mortars, left behind by the LTTE in Tharavikulam South in Batticaloa.They said 711 82mm mortars were recovered during a search operation in the area yesterday evening. Among the other items recovered were 55 T-56 weapons, Light Machines Guns, Sniper guns, RPG Launchers, 49 kilos of high explosive C-4 and TNT. Sri Lanka's share market closes lower EU parliament debates Lankan HR today The European Union (EU) parliament in Brussels will debate the human rights situation in Sri Lanka this afternoon with a controversial report released recently by the New York based Human Rights Watch (HRW) set to be used as the basis for the debate.Human Rights Watch Asia Researcher Charu Lata Hogg will make a statement on Sri Lanka to the EU parliament which is reconvening today for the first time since the summer vacation. She will face stiff resistance from a government team which includes the EU parliament Sri Lankan representative Niranjan Devaditta, the Daily Mirror has learnt.A Foreign Ministry source said the government had lobbied support from EU countries in an attempt to prevent any resolution being brought against Sri Lanka following the debate which also comes at a time the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) was meeting in Geneva.UNHRC started its latest sittings yesterday at the Palais des Nations to discuss issues relating to the promotion and protection of human rights around the world and the Daily Mirror has learnt that Human Rights Watch has given a private letter to the council relating to the human rights concerns in Sri Lanka. Meanwhile it is learnt from reliable sources there are moves to take legal action against Ms. Charu Hogg for coming to Sri Lanka, prior to the release of the controversial HRW report, on a tourist visa but subsequently carrying out human rights research and even meeting the President.Government sources revealed HRW was informed of moves to initiate legal action against Ms. Hogg during a meeting between a government team led by Minister Mahinda Samarasingha, who is now in Geneva, and HRW officials last week.The controversial HRW report which highlighted serious rights abuses since the Mahinda Rajapaksa government came into power was predominantly based on the research carried out by Ms. Hogg and angered the government which claimed it had several flaws and were outdated.HRW, it is learnt will at the sessions at the EU and in Geneva, stress that abductions continue to take place in Sri Lanka and will draw reference to an ICRC report which noted 34 abductions within the space of just three weeks.HRW is also likely to take note of the situation in Mannar where at least 12 civilians were reported killed following the latest military operations in the area. According to UNHCR more than 3,000 people have fled their homes in Mannar to escape fresh fighting between government troops and the LTTE. 10 Septemper 2007 Food dispatch to Jaffna by sea ---Vaiko’s 24 hour ultimatum to Delhi Vaiko, General Secretary of the MDMK, gave an ultimatum of 24 hours to New Delhi to make relevant and reasonable arrangements to send humanitarian food aid to the suffering Lankan Tamils in the peninsula through the ICRC. He reiterated that if any reasonable response is not heard from New Delhi within twenty-four hours, there can be serious repercussions. Vaiko was addressing a meeting at Thiruchy. Pala Nedumaran, the Veterna leader of the Tamil National movement, who has threatened to sail from Rameswaram, cross the Palk- strait and reach Jaffna was also present at the meeting. Vaiko further stated that there is no rhyme or reason in the Central Government’s refusing permission to channel the food aid through the ICRC. When the people in Ethiopioa, Ruwanda and Vietnam were affected, the Indian government sent food and medicine to the affected people but when it comes to the question of sending the aid to Lankan Tamils the Delhi is reluctant. He further stated that there was genocide against the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. This has stirred the feelings of the Tamil Nadu youths. Tamil Nadu cannot be insensitive to such developments. He stressed that it is not only the Sri Lankan government that is accountable to the killings of the Tamils in Sri Lanka. Indian Central government is also accountable for these acts of genocide. Convoy to Jaffna flagged off CHENNAI: With a diplomatic stir brewing, Thamizhar Desiya Iyakkam convenor P Nedumaran on Saturday flagged off a consignment of essential goods and medical supplies bound for Jaffna.The consignment is expected to reach Nagapattinam on September 11, from where Nadumaran has threatened to take it across to Jaffna by boats violating maritime and other international laws.The move has been seen by the Sri Lankan Government as an affront to its sovereignty, and has already taken it up with the Indian Government at the diplomatic level.A known LTTE sympathiser, Nedumaran, backed by several Tamil chauvinistic organisations and parties, had collected essential items such as dal, cooking oil and rice as well as medical supplies over the last few months and had sought permission from the Indian Government to hand them over to the Tamils in the war-ravaged northern region of Sri Lanka through the Red Cross. But the Centre has so far not responded.Diplomatic row apart, the move is also an embarrassment to the Tamil Nadu Government, as the ruling DMK is also a key constituent of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre and some of the DMK’s own allies such as the PMK and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) led by Thol Thirumavalavan are backing Nedumaran’s move. Both the Centre and the State Governments have maintained stoic silence so far on the issue. As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, the state police are keeping a close watch on the situation.‘‘We have not had any direction so far to stop the convoy. So, probably we will let it reach Nagapattinam. We will act after that if we get any direction,” a senior police official told Express.Indications are that Nedumaran and the consignment would be allowed up to Nagapattinam and may be intercepted and detained in the event of any attempt to take them in boats to Jaffna.It might be a repeat of August 1983, when Nedumaran made a similar attempt to sail to Jaffna. That time he started his yatra from Madurai, and was allowed to reach Rameswaram. But when he boarded a boat at Rameswaram, he was detained by the Naval personnel. Meanwhile, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, another Eelam Tamil supporter, has urged the Centre to permit supply of essential items and medical supplies to the Tamils in the Jaffna peninsula. New supply route to Jaffna envisaged Following the capture of Silavathurai, the government is now considering the opening of a supply route to Jaffna so that essential goods may be transported to the peninsula by road rather than by air and sea as at present, a top defence official said.He said that, in accordance with the latest proposal, the military was evaluating three major roads that led to Jaffna, but added that all these roads passed through rebel held areas. According to him, the three main supply routes to the Jaffna peninsula were Vavuniya-Jaffna (A-9), Mannar-Pooneryn-Sanguppidi (A-32) and Mullaitivu-Paranthan (A-35). At present all these roads pass through LTTE held areas.Since August 11, the only major road leading to the Jaffna Peninsula -- the –Kandy-Jaffna road (A9) -- was closed after the LTTE launched a massive attack on the military at the Muhamalai main entry/exit point. Since then the government has had to transport essential needs and military hardware by sea or air at a cost of millions of rupees to the government.However it is not clear which road would be opened to link up the peninsula with the mainland. It is also learnt that discussions are underway regarding this matter on an urgent basis.Last week the military announced that it had taken over the entire area south of Mannar after launching a lightning military operation and driving the LTTE cadres to the north of Mannar. Sri Lanka 'apologises' for India story Indo- Lanka relations Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Defence Secretary Gothabhaya Rajapaksa and Senior Advisor to the President Basil Rajapaksa have met senior Indian officials in Delhi."Defence Secretary Shri Vijay Singh, External Affairs Secretary Shivshankar Menon and National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan," are representing India in the high level committee, according to the Thursday's PRIU statement.Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told jouralists on Friday that the visit was part of a regular exchange of visits between the two countries. Kohona confirms "The story is referring to was part of the regular exchange of visits that takes place very often between India and Sri Lanka given our close neighbourly relations," Sarna said.The Sri Lankan delgation have covered many aspects of Indo-Lanka relations, aacordin to the statement by the Presidential Secretariat."The PRIU regrets this error and apologizes to the members of the Sri Lanka delegation and the Indian officials they had discussions with, and to the media, in this regard," Sunday's statement added.Sri Lanka Foreign Secretary Palitha Kohona on Friday told BBC Sandeshaya that he stood by the Government statement on appointing the high-level committee. What if we use our powers incorrectly like the pen that is used wrongly, asks the Army Commander Army Commander Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka making a statement to a weekend newspaper states that allegations on a fraud in Mig deal are lies and says that no one has taken at least five cents commission in military procurements."We acquired lots of military equipment in the recent past. More than 100 armored cars and around 400 other vehicles, a number that exceeded the number of vehicles purchased in past ten years, were procured at the expense of millions of dollars. If a mere 0.1% of the cost was taken as commission, one could easily be the second wealthiest in Asia. However, no such corruption took place," said Lt. Gen. Sarath Fonseka. Talking about the Mig deal Lt. Gen. Fonseka says, "We know very well that some of the defense reporters like Iqbal Athas have not gone beyond Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. They phone junior officers and obtain information. Some Army personnel obtain money from media. Some failed individuals who are cornered in security forces also keep in touch with media to be heroes. Allegations on Mig deal are utter lies. President, Defense Secretary or Air Force Commander cannot be sent home through it."In a tone of an indirect threat to defense reporters, the Army Commander says, "Mudslinging is not the freedom. If we have such mentality, we can do anything without being caught. What if we use our powers wrongly, like them who use their pens wrongly? They see us as weaklings since we do not."The Defense Secretary made a similar threat to media previously stating that they had allowed the editors who criticize them to drive their cars home freely. Lanka gets most training vacancies in Indian Navy New Delhi, Sept. 9: India’s southern maritime neighbour Sri Lanka accounts for nearly half of the foreign naval personnel being trained in India by the Indian Navy in 2006-07, figures submitted by the Union government before Parliament reveal. India has allotted the maximum number of vacancies to Sri Lanka for training in Indian naval establishments, records for the past three years show.For instance, in 2004-05, Sri Lankan naval officers and soldiers together accounted for a whopping 245 out of the total 464 vacancies for foreign personnel. In 2005-06, Sri Lanka again accounted for 190 out of the total 416 foreign personnel being trained, once again the largest contingent. In 2006-07, Sri Lankan naval personnel again accounted for 226 out of the 496 foreign naval personnel being trained.India has close defence ties with Sri Lanka which is battling the rebel LTTE. The Sri Lankan Navy is also engaged in constant combat with the Sea Tigers, the rebel naval wing of the LTTE. Therefore, the training of Sri Lankan naval personnel by the Indian Navy will no doubt stand the Sri Lankan Navy in good stead. India is also disconcerted by the fact that there is a rebel Navy, the Sea Tigers, operating in the maritime neighbourhood. The Indian Navy is already conducting "coordinated patrols" with the Sri Lankan Navy, which means that each navy is conducting patrols only within its own territorial waters.Bangladesh and the Maldives are two other countries in India’s neighbourhood that have sent significant contingents for training in 2006-07 apart from Mauritius, a country with a sizeable population of Indian origin.As many as 51 naval personnel from Mauritius, 45 naval personnel from the Maldives, and 39 Bangladeshi personnel are also part of the foreign personnel being trained in India. African countries Ghana (27 personnel) and Nigeria (16 personnel) also have significant representation. UNP Kandy Declaration calls for immediate general election The main opposition United National Party (UNP) at its special convention held at Getambe Stadium in Kandy, capital of the central province Sunday afternoon, adopted the "Kandy Declaration" calling for the immediate general election to save the Sri Lanka from anarchy and corruption. Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, leader of the UNP presided. The special convention has given party authority to Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe to implement the Kandy Declaration with the support of masses through non-violent method, sources said.Human rights of every citizen should be safeguarded and corruption must be eliminated, Kandy Declaration said among other objectives. Mavilaru farmers get compensation but Batticaloa farmers are denied---TNA in Parliament K.Kangasabay, the TNA Batticaloa Parliamentarian, stated that while the farmers in Mavilaru were paid compensation for the failure of the paddy cultivation on the basis of 25,000 per acre, the farmers of Batticaloa have not been given a cent as compensation for the loss of paddy cultivation due to drought. It is obviously a discriminatory measure. He further stated that Lord Buddha gave up princely life and embraced spiritual life. But the venerable Bhikku Parliamentarians have given up religious life and entered the political arena. But it is misfortune they don’t speak the truth. He further stated that the government talks about development all the time. The main occupation of the people of Batticaloa is paddy cultivation but the government has not appointed agricultural development officers in the north east. “Why is the government discriminatory?, he questioned. He stated that the cattle in the east are killed by shell attacks. They are injured by shell attacks and they have fallen sick but in Batticaloa district there are only 4 veterinary surgeons. SLA removes curfew for Nalloor Ther festival Several thousands devotees converged Sunday at the premises of the historic Nalloor Kandaswamy Temple in Jaffna to attend the Ther festival to be held Monday, following the announcement by the Sri Lanka Military head quarters in Palaaly that the curfew will be lifted Sunday and Monday nights, Temple officials said. Devotees in thousands attended the Sapparam festival held Sunday.Sapparam ceremony, will be followed by Car (Ther) ceremony, Theertham (Water cutting) and Poonkavanam during the last four days.The Sacred Flag Monday morning will be taken in a decorated chariot from Nallur Saddanathar Sivan Kovil to Nalloor Kandasamy Temple and handed over to the Kandasamy Temple chief priest, according to traditional rites which has been in force since the rule of King Sangiliyan. Hundreds of men are expected to follow behind the CAR to complete their vows rolling on the ground bare-bodied, performing "Angapirathshnam," a form of penance to propitiate the deity Nalloor Murugan.The annual festivals during the five years after the MoU were held in a grand scale turning Jaffna into a spiritual town with thousands attending. The festival in 2006 and 2007 were subdued due to the unsettled security situation and the heavily policed curfew prevailing in the peninsula. The Temple situated on the outskirts of Jaffna traces its origin back to A.D 948 and has emerged as one of the most revered Hindu shrines. The sound financial backing for the temple by its devotees across the world and the resourcefulness of the temple administration have transformed the temple into an architectural masterpiece. In a changing world, the temple keeps pace with modern times without sacrificing its age-old rituals.Historians say that the history of the Nalloor temple is closely intertwined with the history of Jaffna. Prof.Gunrarasa of Jaffna University in his book on the Temple says that the Temple was originally constructed in a place called Kurukal Valavu in A.D 948. The temple was destroyed in AD 1450 during the invasion of the Sinhalese King Shenpakaperumal (Sapumal Kumaraya).The same king resurrected the temple and the environments in Muthiraichanthai in 1467. The temple was again destroyed at its foundation by Portugese commander Philip De Olivereira in 1621. The Dutch rebuilt a Christian Church at the same premises. In around 1734 Krishnaiyar Suppier established a smaller shrine in Muthiraichanthi in rememberance of the destroyed Kandaswami temple.During the same period Muslims had constructed a mosque and a statue for the multi-religious sage Sikander at Kurukkal madam. Krishnaiyar Suppier and Maapaaner with the assistance of the Government removed the statue and the mosque and rebuilt the present temple in 1749. 09 Septemper 2007 Two top LTTE cadres slip through immigration net Two top LTTE cadres, wanted by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), have slipped through the net of Immigration authorities and fled to Singapore. They have made their get-away with the assistance of one Thavarajah. The duo had migrated abroad a few weeks ago. Following this development, S. Thavarajah, a former MP and the second most senior member of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) has left for England. Reports reveal that he is unlikely to return to the country. Thavarajah, who was representing the EDPD at the All Party Representative Committee, had informed the party in July that he will not be able to attend future meetings owing to personal reasons. Meanwhile, it is learnt that just days before his sudden departure to UK, the CID had recorded a statement from Thavarajah. The CID is alleged to have obtained a warrant to arrest Thavarajah. But he had let the country before being taken into custody with the help of a top politician, said to be a government minister. Meanwhile, when The Nation contacted Minister Devananda to verify these developments, the Minister accepted that Thavarajah was out of the country. However, Devananda claimed that Thavarajah had left for England purely for medical reasons. He refuted that his party stalwart was wanted by the CID for assisting two most wanted terrorists to flee the country. “No, no, Thavarajah from the EPDP was not facing arrest. He is now in London. He has undergoing heart surgery there is taking rest,” the Minister claimed. “It was not the EPDP Thavarajah who was wanted, it was one David Thavarajah who was wanted by the CID in connection with helping terrorists,” Devananda said. Asked when the former MP was scheduled to arrive in the country, Devananda said that he had told him to remain in London. He added that if the need arose he would summon Thavarajah back to Sri Lanka. “It is difficult for people to work with me, they have to work very hard, I told him to wait there and whenever I want him, I will call him,” the Minister added. Britain ready to help Lanka achieve political settlement Britain is ready to help Sri Lanka reach a political settlement in its conflict with the LTTE, a British minister has said. But Britain would not play a proactive role and would assist if requested. The minister was responding to a comment by Prof. GL Peiris, minister of export development and international trade that the international community had a supportive role to play in Sri Lanka's quest for a political settlement.The British minister said they would like to see political proposals on the table to show that Sri Lanka was indeed pursuing a political solution to the conflict, informed source said.The Labour Government's readiness to help Sri Lanka was conveyed to Prof. GL Peiris when he called on Lord Mark Malloch Brown, a foreign office minister in charge of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. This was the first meeting between Lord Malloch Brown and a senior Sri Lankan minister since his appointment to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office following Gordon Brown's assumption of the premiership.He explained to the British minister the weaknesses in the 2002 Ceasefire Agreement (CFA) and why it failed. He had said numerous violations of the CFA by the LTTE as recorded by the SLMM was one reason for its failure. Prof Peiris also called on John Hutton, secretary of state for trade and raised some concerns Sri Lanka had on trade and tariff issues that should be taken up before the World Trade Organisation.He told the trade secretary that the loss of any concessions that Sri Lanka enjoys would not only affect the volume of foreign exchange earned by the country but would also affect employment opportunities for several thousands. He left London on Friday for Russia and the Ukraine where he is due to have discussions with tea traders on importing packeted tea and tea bags rather than bulk tea. Muslim power threat to Sinhalese in East – JHU The Jathika Hela Urumaya yesterday expressed fear that the entire Eastern Province will be taken over by the Muslims soon, resulting in the Sinhalese being thrown out of the province. The party’s spokesman Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe charged that Muslims in large numbers were being resettled in the province, following the liberation of the East from the LTTE.“The large numbers prove a threat to the Sinhalese who live in the province,” Warnasinghe told The Nation. He charged the National Unity Alliance Leader Ferial Ashraff and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress as the culprits behind this clandestine move by internal and local Muslim extremists to throw out the Sinhalese. “Earlier the Sinhalese had a problem when they had to flee their houses because of the harassment meted out to them by the Tigers. Now they face a similar threat from the Muslims,” Warnasinghe charged. The JHU has meanwhile requested the government to take action against those who give special preference to Muslims, emphasising that all ethnic groups must be allowed to be resettled equally, with no special treatment given to a single ethnic group. “If not we will take proper action in favour of the Sinhalese whereas the other parties should take care of the remaining groups,” the party spokesman said. APRC to submit proposals in two weeks The All Party Representative Committee is to meet this week to finalise a set of proposals, which will be the political basis for a settlement to the ethnic crisis and provide the framework for a future constitution.The document, which is supported by the majority in the APRC, has the features of a federal state with the province as the unit of devolution. APRC Chairman, Science Minister Tissa Vitharana has in writing informed all members of this position while fixing Monday, September 10 and Tuesday, September 11 as the dates for the crucial meetings.Vitharana has said he proposes to forward the finalised proposals within the next two weeks to President Mahinda Raja-pakse."When we meet on Monday the 10th and Tuesday the 11th., I propose to begin discussions on time and go over the remaining sections of the document in sequence. There will be no time to go back to these sections subsequently and therefore what is agreed to by those present will be accepted as final. If any member of the APRC is unable to be present, I would like them to send their comments in writing prior to the meeting," Vitharana has said in his letter. "Once we have gone through the 'Discussion Document' it will be necessary to reach agreement on the three lists of shared power - the National List, the Provincial List and the Local Government List," he has added.The Minister has also emphasised that what they will be producing is not a constitution but a document that will be the political basis for a settlement of the national question and provide the framework for a future constitution. SLMM wants 60 monitors Eight new monitors are scheduled to arrive in the country this week, totaling the number of international observers to 31 at the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). The Mission’s spokesman Steinar Sveinsson told The Nation yesterday that the new monitors were expected within the next few days, four each from Norway and Iceland.He also expressed the mission’s hope of augmenting this number further, similar to that enjoyed by the SLMM earlier when the SLMM consisted of monitors from European Union countries. “We are looking at a target of around 60 international observers for the mission. The SLMM will put forward a request to this soon,” Sveinsson added. With the eight new monitors, the number of Norwegian observers will increase to 21 and ten from Iceland. Meanwhile, the Mission in its weekly report which ended on September 2, stated that the security forces had informed the monitors that some 50 LTTE cadres continued to be active in the Trincomalee district. “Security forces claimed there were around 50 LTTE cadres operating from the jungles in Kumpuruppiddi and Peraru, in the Trincomalee district,” the report said. The SLMM also received two complaints during the week regarding abductions, one including a child, supposedly carried out by the Karuna faction. Member of SLA Intelligence wing shot dead in Point Pedro A member of the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) intelligence wing was shot dead by armed men believed to be from the Liberation Tigers pistol group in Thaddaatheru area in Point Pedro at 4:45 p.m. Saturday, sources from Point Pedro said. The victim was travelling on the main road in Thaddaatheru when he was shot. The body has been taken to Palaly military camp, according to sources.SLA soldiers conducted a cordon and search operation in areas surrounding Thaddaatheru until late hours Saturday night, and detained several civilians. Details of those arrested have not been made public. Residents say that none of those arrested have yet been released.Meanwhile, SLA soldiers conducted a large-scale cordon and search operation in areas encompassing Viyaapa'rimoolai, Thambacheddi, Puloli, and Pudda'lai Friday starting early morning. The operation covered coastal and central Point Pedron areas, and residents were ordered to assemble at closeby temples including Uthayakathirgaamam temple in Puloli and Thambachetti.The residents were released after long hours of interrogation, and sources say the SLA soldiers confiscated National ID cards of two civilians. Information is not available if the IDs were returned to the owners.SLA has threatened residents in Vadamaraadchy from disclosing information on SLA including ID confiscations, and disappearnces to the Human Rights groups or to the media. Govt. looking at Interim Councils for north and east The government is considering setting up interim administrations for the north and the east shortly under the stewardship of the two governors of the provinces.The proposal to set up the interim administrations was made to the government by EPDP Leader and Social Services Minister Douglas Devananda.Informed sources said the government is already in consultation with members of the minority parties to work out the mechanics of setting up the interim administrations.It is learned the proposal is to establish the administrations based on the parliamentary representation in each of the provinces.The Sunday Leader learns the minority parties including the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and the EPDP have been sounded out on the details of the proposal.Sources said the proposed administration will function as an advisory board to the governor of the province.It is also learned the proposal is being studied to overcome the delay in finalising a political package at the All Party Representative Committee due to the dispute over the unitary character of the state as insisted by President Mahinda Rajapakse.Informed sources said the move was proposed by Devananda to effectively shut the door on the Karuna Group which has no representation in any of the elected bodies.These sources said the Karuna Group is today dependent on the security forces for its survival in the east and would have no option but to tow the line. Impartial probe into Karuna’s child abductions The Sri Lanka government has conveyed to the United Nations Security Council Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict, that it would adopt necessary measures to cause an independent and credible investigation into allegations made against some elements of the security forces, in connection with the abduction and recruitment of children by the Karuna faction.The assurance was made just days after Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe appointed a committee to inquire into the alleged abduction and recruitments of children to be used in the armed conflict.“The government is fully committed to the rehabilitation and reintegration of child combatants, who escaped from captivity of the armed groups, back into the society. The programme is being done through the provision of a protective environment as well as family reunification and vocational training,” the sources said.The Committee to Inquire into Allegations of Abductions and Recruitment of Children for Use in Armed Conflict comprises senior officials including Justice Ministry Secretary Suhada Gamlath, Child Development Ministry Secretary Indrani Sugathadasa, Disaster Management Ministry Additional Secretary G.K.D. Amarawardane, Deputy Solicitor General Shavindra Fernando and AG’s Department Deputy Solicitor General Yasantha Kodagoda. The other members include representative of the Foreign Ministry Secretary, representatives of the three armed forces and police, nominated by the Defence Secretary, the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) Secretary General and the Child Protection Authority Chairman. The Committee is aimed at liaising with other consultative and coordinating mechanisms established by the government that bear responsibility for the safeguarding of human rights and rights under humanitarian law, especially of children caught up in conflict. STF trooper killed, 5 injured in Thoppigala explosion One Special Task Force (STF) soldier was killed and five others injured when a bomb hidden inside a van explode while the soldiers were checking the van in Narakamulla area in Thoppigala at 11:05 a.m. Saturday, sources in Batticaloa said. The injured have been air-lifted by helicopters to Ampaa'rai district hospital. The body of the STF trooper also have been transported to the same hospital for postmortem examinations.Sri Lanka Army (SLA) troopers have increased security operations including search of vehicles in Batticaloa Northwestern areas after the recent military offensives.The incident occurred in the continued security operations in former Liberation Tigers controlled areas, SLA sources said.SLA sources said that large amounts of ammunitions and explosives have been recovered from these areas during the search operations. The searches will likely to continue for an unspecified period, SLA sources added. Fuel prices high in Wanni Fuel prices in the LTTE controlled Wanni have increased, government officials said.According to civilians in the area, the price of a litre of petrol has reached Rs. 800.Kilinochchi government agent, N. Vedanayagam told The Sunday Leader fuel was provided mainly to government offices and departments in the region and not to civilians.He said certain persons were selling bottled fuel to civilians at very high prices."Fuel is supplied to government institutions and places like hospitals. However, the people are getting petrol through certain private traders. A litre is sold at Rs. 700 to Rs.800," he said.He added that kerosene was given to civilians for their requirements.However, government officials said there was no shortage of rice and vegetables. "They are cultivated here. The only problem is they are unable to sell their products outside the area. However, only the fuel prices are gradually on the increase," officials said.Vedanayagam added that civilians were using kerosene as fuel for their vehicles."We have used kerosene for almost everything before the A9 was opened. This is not new to us," civilians in Kilinochchi said. Sri Lanka: Implications Of Mannar Coastal Operations -- Col R Hariharan (retd.) The Sri Lanka security forces in a swift operation on September 2, 2007 took over control of the western coastal area south of Mannar along Arippu Silvatturai Kondachchi. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) who had been expecting this move for some time now, made a tactical pull out, without offering much resistance, though they appear to have lost a dozen cadres. The region was under the nebulous control of the LTTE who used Silvatturai and other points to smuggle their needs and also to off load supplies from mother ships. After the operation the security forces recovered a suicide boat, 25 boats with outboard motors, and a large stock of anti-personnel and some Claymore mines and assorted ammunition. Though this was not a major LTTE base, its loss will further constrict Sea Tiger's operational area on the west. The LTTE movement to Tamilnadu coast will now be a little more risky. Tactically, it makes the LTTE's sea based infiltration operations into Puttalam-Negombo-Colombo coast more difficult. If taking control of the coast to prevent illegal LTTE boat operations was the objective, the security forces will have to expand their hold further south, along the Portugal Bay coast. That will require clearing the area further down to Marthondikulam-anchchukkadi ending at Kudremalai point. This would effectively cut off the LTTE infiltration into Wilpattu sanctuary, posing a threat to Sinhala villages on its periphery. Presumably this is what the security forces would do in the coming days, though the defence spokesman had said this operation was not the beginning of the northern offensive. In July, the security forces had expanded the forward defended lines from west of Omanthai short of Paraiyanalankulam near Madhu Iranai Iluppaikulam. If we correlate the capture of the coastal area with the July operations, the security forces gain clear operational advantages for their northern offensive. In all probability we can expect the opening up of the alternate axis Puttalam-Mannar road when Kudremalai point is linked up from the north. This will enable greater flexibility to build up troops as well as their maintenance. It also pushes any surprise LTTE threat from the west to the A9 axis farther. It also makes LTTE's lateral movements between east and western halves of A9 highway more difficult. After the loss of east, lack of adequate reinforcements is a reality the LTTE has to face. This could explain the LTTE's pull out from the Arippu-Silvatturai coast without a counter offensive to draw off troops. Two other possible reasons are (1) to conserve strength to defend a more compact area when northern offensive comes and (2) inability to shift troops to the area due to forward contact of troops along the Mannar axis. The LTTE had been proactively defending its forward defended lines elsewhere in north. Its artillery had been targeting Palali once again. However, it must be worried about its inability to infiltrate cadres both across the Jaffna Lagoon as well as Point Pedro coast in sizeable numbers. As the forward troops are tying down the LTTE along the forward lines, the LTTE has to combine its infiltration tactics to its main offensive on Jaffna. To this extent the security forces have succeeded in taking over the operational initiative from the LTTE to prevent such a build up. The repeated failure of the Sea Tigers to operate freely in the coastal seas of Jaffna peninsula and increasingly along the Alampil Sea is the main reason for the LTTE's current impasse. The LTTE chief Prabhakaran is reported to have made a rare public appearance at the funeral of the third rung leader of the Sea Tigers, Chandrasekaran Pillai alias Thiyagan, at Pudukkudiruppu. Thiyagan was killed in an encounter with the Sri Lanka navy off Trincomalee coast on August 13, 2007. According to some reports quoting Sri Lanka MI sources, Cheliyan has taken over as the commander of Sea Tigers, after Soosai, the veteran Sea Tiger commander, was seriously injured in an explosion triggered during a training exercise. If this is correct, the Sea Tigers are probably in the process of being revamped. In this backdrop, perhaps the time is ripe for a LTTE offensive action that would give a big psychological boost to its cadres and improve its sagging image. For this the best option for the LTTE appears to be to develop offensive action along Welioya-Kokkuthoduvai area, which is the comparatively weak underbelly of the security forces. This option has three advantages for the LTTE: it poses a direct threat to Sinhala villages along the periphery and with its public fall out on LTTE capabilities, it takes the attention of security forces away from the main A9 axis, and it has the close support of heavy weaponry and probably Sea Tiger support from Wanni. What are the chances of the security forces launching the northern offensive? The Army Commander Gen Fonseka has recently replaced the commanders of almost all field formations in Mannar sub sector and the entire northern sector. Though the changes could be to beef up the command element for launching an offensive, the new commanders are likely to take sometime to ease up the battle plans. Perhaps, the Silvatturai operation was in a test for the operational coordination of new commanders. What is the impact of the continuing "victories" of security forces on the peace process that has been in coma, and the All Party Representative Committee's peace formulation exercise? Though military gains are valuable to the government to stabilise its parliamentary and political support, each one of them makes it more difficult to go back to a peace process that was designed for an entirely different mindset. As far as the APRC is concerned, President Rajapaksa's emphatic statement in a recent interview that federalism was "a negative word in Sri Lanka because people think it (is) synonymous with dividing the country. Also, I prefer the phrase 'power sharing' to 'devolution'," has cleared any illusions about the APRC deliberations. And his candid admission, "I cannot change history or my own political circumstances overnight... You must remember my political legacy and constraints. During my election I received few Tamil votes because of the LTTE-enforced boycott. I was elected primarily by a Sinhala constituency on an election manifesto which made it clear that an ultimate solution to the ethnic crisis could be evolved only on the basis of a unitary state. In any peace settlement I have to carry the Sinhala voters with me. I cannot unilaterally impose a settlement it has to be the outcome of a political process an outcome that must be long-lasting and acceptable to the people," should put a stop to speculations about any value addition from the APRC exercise. 08 Septemper 2007 New financial bills to fund the war –TELO Sri Kantha in Parliament N.Sri Kantha, TELO and TNA Jaffna Parliamentarian, addressing Parliament stated that the new financial bills have been brought and passed by the government in order to meet the expenditure for the military operations of the government. Parliamentarian Sri Kantha stated that for the first time the United National Party, Tamil National Alliance and the Jantha Vimukthi Peramuna were jointly voting against the financial bills.He stated that the government urgently requires money to meet the war expenditure. The financial bills are only to secure money for the defence expenditure. The government is fighting the LTTE under the pretext of a war against terrorism. He charged that Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanike made an accusation that TNA did not co-operate in finding a solution through the All Party Representative Group. But, the reality is that the government did send any invitation to the TNA to participate in the deliberations.He continued that the national ethnic problem cannot be resolved by clinging on to a unitary nature of State. The war has been going on for 22 long years during the tenures of 5 Executive Presidents. About 20,000 Tamils fled to India last year as refugees. During the last few months, 198 people have been killed in Jaffna. It is in this context that the government proposes new financial bills to collect money to pursue military operations. The government proposes to collect money for war by levying taxes but it must not be forgotten that this war cannot be won even during the period of grand children of warmongers. “ Mr. Chariman! Time is running out not only for me to wind up my speech but also for the government to go”, Sri Kantha quipped. Sri Lanka gunbattles, blast kill 13 Sri Lankan soldiers killed seven Tamil Tiger rebels in clashes in the north of the island, the military said on Saturday, adding it lost three of its men in the fighting.Three civilians were also killed in a landmine blast in the eastern district of Batticaloa, blamed on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) fighting for a separate homeland for minority ethnic Tamils.The overnight clashes follow a new offensive launched by the Sri Lankan military to drive out the rebels from the northwest Mannar area, after evicting them from jungles in the east of the island."The military killed five terrorists in a confrontation in Vavuniya on Friday," said a spokesman for the Media Centre for National Security, adding three soldiers were also killed in the fighting in the northern district.Soldiers killed another two rebels who were trying to infiltrate a defence line in Jaffna in the north, he said.The LTTE were not immediately available for comment.About 70,000 people have been killed since the civil war erupted in 1983 and hundreds of thousands are displaced. “No information on defence panel with Sri Lanka” NEW DELHI: The External Affairs Ministry says it has no information about the setting up of an India-Sri Lanka committee on defence comprising senior officials. Sri Lanka’s official web site on Thursday claimed that the committee was formed following the visit by a high level delegation from Colombo to New Delhi on September 3 and 4.While admitting that the delegation visited India last week, Foreign Office spokesperson Navtej Sarna said the interaction was part of a regular exchange of visits between officials of both countries. Sri Lanka and India, he said, enjoyed extremely close relations and therefore frequently exchanged views on a wide range of issues.India has so far not replied to a Sri Lankan request for a defence agreement, nor did it respond to a suggestion for joint patrolling of the Palk Straits to check the activities of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Although India has steered clear of an institutional mechanism for defence cooperation, it is understood to have transferred non-lethal arms such as radars to Colombo. Quoting “diplomatic sources,” a statement by the President’s Secretariat on Thursday said the ‘Indo-Lanka committee of high officials on defence-related matters’ was the outcome of the discussions the Sri Lankan delegation held with its counterparts in New Delhi.However, a senior official in the Indian High Commission maintained that no new defence committee was formed. “A wide range of issues of mutual concern figured in the course of the interaction. Matters related to the ongoing defence cooperation between the two countries were part of the discussion but no new committee was constituted,” the official said. According to the Presidential Secretariat statement, the ‘new defence committee’ consists of Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Defence Secretary Gothabhaya Rajapaksa and Senior Advisor to the President Basil Rajapaksa from the Sri Lankan side, and Defence Secretary Vijay Singh, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan from the Indian side. The present situation in Sri Lanka, development of the Eastern Province, and humanitarian operations in the north were among the issues discussed. A fruitful discussion was also held on combating terrorism and devolving power as a means of finding a solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka. The Indian side reiterated New Delhi’s commitment to the island’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and expressed the hope that a solution would soon be found to the just grievances of Sri Lankan Tamils through devolution of power. The Sri Lankan side explained the steps taken by the government to expedite the work of the All Party Representative Conference for finding a lasting solution to the conflict, the Presidential Secretariat release said.According to a senior official in the Sri Lanka Foreign Office, the visit of the delegation was essentially meant to exchange views on the security environment in the island nation, the government’s plans for holding elections to local bodies in the east, rehabilitation of the displaced and the progress on resolution of the ethnic conflict. Preparatory visit In a way, it could also be considered a preparatory trip ahead of the scheduled visit of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to India to take part in the leadership summit organised by an Indian media group in the second week of October, the official said. “Though it is strictly not an official visit, the occasion would provide an opportunity for Mr. Rajapaksa for exchange of views at the highest level.” “I braved and survived bombings in Vanni jungle “---Vaiko Vaiko , the General Secretary of the MDMK states that he braved and survived bombings in Vanni jungles years ago. His companion remarked that he was destined to live long. He was addressing a meeting of the Volunteers of the MDMK at Viruthu Nagar. He added that MDMK will realize the objectives for which it was founded even braving deaths. He added that MDMK members are followers of Anna and they are dedicated to defend the rights of the Tamil people. They fear none. Parameshwari harassed again Maubima journalists Parameshwari Munusami who was in the centre of a controversy after being detained for over three months for questioning, yesterday lodged a complaint saying two suspicious persons followed her in Borella. Two persons whom she had come across a few months before at Borella junction, who had threatened and taken her identification papers, had followed her for some time yesterday. With police assistance she had returned to the scene but the mysterious duo had gone missing. Borella police are conducting investigations. US Taking Part in Naval Exercise in Bay of Bengal The scale of the exercise has prompted protests by India's left, concerned by New Delhi's unprecedented cooperation with the United States. India has maintained a legacy of non-alignment since its independence 60 years ago from Britain. Aboard India's only aircraft carrier, the Viraat, the commander-in-chief of India's Eastern Command, vice admiral R.P. Suthan, tells VOA News the exercises have more to do with preserving peaceful commerce and readiness for natural disasters than preparing for a future war. "The maritime environment in the Indian Ocean is quite peaceful and tranquil. We're not preparing for any operations. We're preparing for cooperative engagement in cases of disaster relief, for activities by non-state actors, by terrorists. There are pirates operating in the area who are a de-stabilizing factor for the immense commercial activity that is taking place in the Indian Ocean," he said. On the Kitty Hawk's flight deck during a brief news conference, the commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, vice admiral Doug Crowder repeatedly dismissed speculation that the massive exercise, involving 24 warships, is a war game with proxies for China or Iran as the opposing force. "There's no connection between this exercise and any other country. That's not part of the exercise," he said. Military analysts note the Malabar exercise, in which 20,000 uniformed personnel are taking part, contains scenarios for air combat, interception of planes attacking from on shore and air defense of warships. Peter Brookes at the Heritage Foundation in Washington is a former deputy assistant secretary of defense. "Maneuvers of this size make it seem rather unlikely that it's just about piracy or proliferation or humanitarian issues," he said. The exercise comes at a time when some of the top military brass in the United States, Japan and India have expressed concern about China's recent war games, its rapid military buildup and lack of transparency about military spending. Rohitha tells ACF: I’m the FM not Rajiva Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama once again rushed in with more damage control on behalf of the government by putting government peace secretariat Chief Rajiva Wijesinha, in his place saying it was not the prerogative of Professor Wijesinha to make comments on such matters.The Minister was referring to Professor Wijesinha’s comments where he blamed the French NGO Action Against Hunger (ACF) for the death of 17 of its aid workers in Mutur last year.The Foreign Minister on Wednesday met ACF president Denis Metzger, executive director Francois Danel in Paris and discussed the killing of the 17 aid workers and briefed them on several developments that had taken place in recent weeks in connection with the case.The ACF officials expressed their strong protest at comments made by Prof. Wijesinha against the ACF and wanted clarification from the Minister whether it reflected the government’s position. Responding Minister Bogollagama said it was not within the ambit of the Peace Secretariat Chief to comment on such matters. He advised the ACF to disregard the comments and to go by the position taken by the Sri Lankan government, through the Foreign Ministry. On two earlier occasions the Foreign Minister contradicted views expressed by Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle who labelled UN humanitarian affairs chief Sir John Holmes as a terrorist and Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa who was quoted as saying there would be a military push towards the Wanni.Meanwhile Minister Bogollagama at a meeting with French counterpart Dr. Bernard Kouchner said the government remained ready to engage the LTTE at any time and expressed hope for a favourable response from the LTTE at a time the government, through the All Party Representative Committee, was seeking to finalise a political settlement through the process of constitutional reform.Referring to the recently concluded operations in the Eastern province, the Minister said the government was compelled to engage in these operations after exercising much restraint in the face of the LTTE’s continuing escalation of the conflict under cover of the ceasefire agreement. Responding to inquiries from Foreign Minister Kouchner on the status of the killing of the 17 aid workers of the French NGO, Minister Bogollagama said the Government took serious note of this and was transparent in dealing with the situation. Minister Bogollagama briefed Dr. Kouchner on the continuing threat faced by LTTE’s atrocities and fund raising activities and welcomed the recent action taken by France to crack down on LTTE activities on French soil, including the arrest of key LTTE leaders in France and the shutting down of the LTTE-owned satellite channel Tamil Television Network (TTN) which was the main propaganda arm of the LTTE in Europe. He also drew attention of the French Foreign Minister to the recent report in the Jane’s Intelligence Review which identified Paris as the LTTE’s operations coordination headquarters in Europe. Minister Bogollagama said he had earlier held consultations with Immigration Minister Brice Hortefeux, and Interior Ministry secretary Christian Estrosi and officials of the French Intelligence Services. Mu'l'likku'lam villagers forced to walk 20km seeking safety Residents of Mu'l'likku'lam, a remote village in the Sri Lanka Army (SLA) occupied Musali division in Mannaar district, had to walk more than 20 km braving the SLA occupied Chilaavaththu'rai, seeking safety, and to have access to basic living needs including food. The local level government officials at Chilaavaththu'rai transported the refugees to Murungkan where they have been housed at the Government High School. 500 Tamil civilians belonging to 195 families arrived to Chilaavaththu'rai and were sent to Murungkan in the available busses and tractors. The first busload of people arrived around 6:15 p.m. at Murungkan and received by government officials and Catholic clergy. Mu'l'likku'lam, a coastal village, located near Puththa'lam district has been cut off from 1 September onwards after its only transportation link to Chilaavaththu'rai was occupied by the SLA. Due to this, people who ran out of supplies faced starvation. Presently the entire population of the Musali division, numbering around 4'000, is displaced to the nearby Naanaaddaan division.Mu'l'likku'lam, bordering Puththa'lam district is located in 46 km south of Mannaar town, 36 km south of Vangkaalai and 20 km south of Chilaavaththu'rai. Navy camps for Silavathura, Mullikulam As the ground troops are consolidating their positions in Silavathura, Arippu and Kondachchi, the Navy is planning to establish two Navy camps in Silavathura and Mullikulam. Navy Spokesman Commander D.K.P. Dassanayaka said the two Navy detachments will be established tomorrow. The establishment of Navy camps is also expected to minimise threats on Colombo specially the Colombo Port as the Navy can block Tiger movements along the Western coast with the monitoring of LTTE sea movements following the installation of radars."The establishment of Navy camps in Mullikulam and Silavathura will help provide much needed security for oil exploration in the Gulf of Mannar region," he added. The establishment of two Navy camps will also help block the smuggling of arms and ammunition by the LTTE across the Gulf of Mannar region, Commander Dassanayaka said. Detained family to be deported A Lankan family, detained in Newcastle and kept at a detention centre, is to be deported from Britain to Sri Lanka by the Immigration Police, reports from London said. The Uthayakumars, a Tamil family from Sri Lanka, were taken from their home in Benwell, Newcastle, by the immigration police and taken to the Yarls Wood detention centre.Of the key risk factors listed in this alleged case of refused asylum is that the Uthayakumar family is allegedly affected by its Tamil ethnicity and its suspected involvement with the LTTE.The Tyneside Community Action for Refugees (TCAR) staged a protest opposing the treatment of the family and other Tamils waiting to be deported. A demonstration was to be staged in London against the deportation. 'Karuna' threatens political parties Karuna group denies "If this warning is neglected, they will be killed", the leaflet stated.The PLOTE leader said the party faced similar threats during nearly three decades of LTTE rule in the east."However, since our cadres are in constant touch with Karuna group at regional level we don't see why the differences cannot be resolved," he told BBCSinhala.com.The Karuna group meanwhile rejected the allegation that they threatened political parties.In an interview with BBC Tamil Service, leader of Karuna group's political wing Padminee said the group was not involved in such a campaign. New police stations in East soon A series of new police stations and posts will be established in the Eastern Province before the local government elections said Police Spokesman Jayantha Wickramaratne. The Senior DIG said yesterday that five police stations had already been esblished in the Eastern range especially in the Batticaloa division. Apart from the established police stations in Sampur, Kattaparichchan in Trincomalee division and Vakarai in Batticaloa division four more stations have been opened in Ayithyamalai, Vavunathivu, Kokkadicholai and Karadiyanaru in the same division.These stations had been temporarily established in selected important locations with primary facilities and the construction work of the buildings and secondary services are being carried out. The police department had given instructions to divisional police head offices to complete all construction work before the forthcoming local government elections in the East which is due before the end of this year while the Police Special Task Force is also planning to launch their own units in the respective areas, the DIG said.It is learnt that most of these temporarily established posts and stations will be officially launched by beginning of October. Meanwhile the newly established police stations and posts are gradually taking control of areas which were earlier controlled by the LTTE, which was cleared by the army recently. The security in these areas was maintained by the military while the police is now increasing its own strength and engaging in civil duties including resettling of IDPs. List of Abductions and Killings of 57 humanitarian workers This 57 humanitarian workers have either been killed or subjected to forced disappearance since last year in Sri Lanka. This detailed information, recently received from a reliable source (the name of which is withheld for security reason), reveals that 14 humanitarian workers have disappeared and 43 out of that number have been killed. This alarming escalation of human rights abuses over the past years clearly shows that existing domestic mechanisms for the protection of civilians and delivering justice have totally failed to deter perpetrators. Even though extrajudicial killings and the disappearance of civilians, including humanitarian workers have been ongoing, the government has acted as a bystander rather than as the organisation responsible for the protection of its citizens. However, no serious investigation has been initiated so far. List of Abductions and Killings of humanitarian workers in 2006 1. Full name & Organisation: Mr. T. Tharmasiri (28), Danish Demining Group (DDG), 2. Full name & Organisation: Mr. N. Kandeepan (30), Danish Demining Group, 3. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Kasinathar Ganeshalingam, Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), 4. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Kathirkamar Thangarasa, Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), 5. Full name & Organisation: Ms. Thanushkodi Premini, Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), 6. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Shanmuganathan Sujendran, Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), 7. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Thambiraja Vasantharajan, Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), 8. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Kailasapillai Ravindran, Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), 9. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Arulthavarasa Satheesharan, Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), 10. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Gunaratnam Logithas (23), HALO Trust, 11. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Parameswaran, Mines Advisory Group (MAG), 12. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Shanmugaratnam Pathmanathan (55), HUDEC � Caritas Jaffna, 13. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Chelvendra Pradeepkumar (29), HUDEC � Caritas Jaffna, 14. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Jeyaruban Gnanapragasam, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), 15. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Ratnam Ratnaraja (48), North East Irrigated Agriculture Project (NEIAP), 16. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Krishnapillai Kamalanathan (26), Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), 17. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Rasiah Muraleeswaran (42), Mason in a Tsunami Housing Scheme funded by FORUT, 18. Full name & Organisation: Ms. Kokilavathani (29), Action Contre la Faim, 19. Full name & Organisation: Ms. Romila (25), Action Contre la Faim, 20. Full name & Organisation: Ms. Kavitha (27), Action Contre la Faim, 21. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Kovarthani (28), Action Contre la Faim, 22. Full name & Organisation: Mr. A.L. Mohammed Jawffar (31), Action Contre la Faim, 23. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Sritharan (36), Action Contre la Faim, 24. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Kodeeswaran (31), Action Contre la Faim, 25. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Jaseelan (27), Action Contre la Faim, 26. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Ganesh (54), Action Contre la Faim, 27. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Narmathan (24), Action Contre la Faim, 28. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Ketheswaran (36), Action Contre la Faim, 29. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Rishikesan (27), Action Contre la Faim, 30. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Muralitharan (34), Action Contre la Faim, 31. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Arulrajah (24), Action Contre la Faim, 32. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Pratheepan (24), Action Contre la Faim, 33. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Koneswaran (24), Action Contre la Faim, 34. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Anantharajah (32), Action Contre la Faim, 35. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Nagarasa Thavaranjitham (23), Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, 36. Full name & Organisation: Mr. P. Jestly Julian, UNOPS, 37. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Sathiyamoorthey (25), Sewalanka, 38. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Ragunathan Ramalingam (31), World Concern, 39. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Charles Huston Ravindran (30), HALO Trust, 40. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Sabaratnam Rubesh (31), Terre des Hommes, Abductions and Killings of humanitarian workers in 2007 41. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Subramaniam Parameswaran, HALO Trust, 42. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Nagarasa Narenthiran (27), HALO Trust, 43. Full name & Organisation: Mr. C. Rajendran (35), HALO Trust, 44. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Muthuraja Aruleswaran, Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), 45. Full name & Organisation: Mr. W. Chandrasiri, Village of Hope, 46. Full name & Organisation: Mr. T. M. Dhanapala, Village of Hope, 47. Full name & Organisation: Mr. W. Dhanapala (18), Village of Hope, 48. Full name & Organisation: Mr. T. Wijekoon, Village of Hope, 49. Full name & Organisation: Mr. L. M. Dayananda Kapporal, Village of Hope, 50. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Maduranga Kapporal, Village of Hope, 51. Full name & Organisation: Mr. S. Shanmugalingam, Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, 52. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Karthakesu Chandramohan, Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, 53. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Sivarasa Vimalarasa (20), Sri Lanka Red Cross Society, 54. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Sivalingam Prabakaran (34), Danish Demining Group (DDG), 55. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Arumainayagam Alloysius (26), Danish Refugee Council, 56. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Mohamed Zavahir Mohamed, Methodist Community Organisation for Refugees (UMCOR), 57. Full name & Organisation: Mr. Sivasamy Sritharan (31), Danish Demining Group (DDG), 07 Septemper 2007 India-Lanka form joint defence panel India and Sri Lanka have formed a high-level, joint defence panel following a meeting in New Delhi between top officials of the two countries on September 3 and 4 says a release from the Sri Lankan Presidential Secretariat.The members of the committee are: Secretary to the Sri Lankan President; Lalith Weeratunga; Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa; Senior Advisor to the President Basil Rajapaksa; Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon; Defence Secretary Vijay Singh; and the National Security Advisor, MK Narayanan.The two sides had held "fruitful discussions" on the measures to combat terrorism and on ways of resolving the ethnic conflict in the island through devolution of power.The Sri Lankan officials briefed the Indian side on current developments in the Eastern districts, and the on-going "humanitarian operations" in the North of the island, the release said.The Eastern districts have been pacified and rid of the LTTE but military operations are taking place in Mannar in North Sri Lanka.The Sri Lankan side explained the steps that had been taken to "expedite" the work of the All Party Representative Conference (APRC) which had been charged with the responsibility of finding a solution to the ethnic conflict in the island.The Indian side reiterated New Delhi's commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka and " expressed the hope that a solution will be found to the just grievances of the Sri Lankan Tamils through devolution of power." Thirty SLFP Ministers meet Chandrika Former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunga has reportedly met 30 SLFP politicians including senior Ministers.Ms. Kumarathunga recently met UNP leader Ranil Wickramasinghe and SLFP - People's Wing leaders led by Mangala Samaraweera. Government Chief Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle said at a press briefing that Ranil Wickramasinghe who did not allow Chandrika's son to be admitted to Royal College and talked in the parliament to abolish the civic rights of Sirima Bandaranaike had no right to meet the former President. He said that the party could not approve the meeting. In response to Fernandopulle's statement former president Chandrika said to a private TV channel that no one should advise her on whom to meet since it was her right. She further said that Mr. Fernandopulle met Mr. Wickramasinghe secretly. Meanwhile, the President has ordered the Chief Government Whip to ask the 30 MPs who were absent at the vote for the extension of emergency regulations to show cause. New tax bills passed after 'punch up' Sri Lanka presses France to clamp down on Tamil Tigers | ||
